bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selective Inhibition of PKCβ2 Restores Ischemic Postconditioning-Mediated Cardioprotection by Modulating Autophagy in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Wang Yafeng , Zhou Lu , Su Wating , Huang Fengnan , Zhang Yuan , Xia Zhong-yuan , Xia Zhengyuan , Lei Shaoqing
Published: April 2020

Diabetic hearts are more susceptible to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and less sensitive to ischemic postconditioning (IPostC), but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. PKCβ2 is preferentially overactivated in diabetic myocardium, in which autophagy status is abnormal. This study determined whether hyperglycemia-induced PKCβ2 activation resulted in autophagy abnormality and compromised IPostC cardioprotection in diabetes. We found that diabetic rats showed higher cardiac PKCβ2 activation and lower autophagy than control at baseline. However, myocardial I/R further increased PKCβ2 activation and promoted autophagy status in diabetic rats. IPostC significantly attenuated postischemic infarct size and CK-MB, accompanied with decreased PKCβ2 activation and autophagy in control but not in diabetic rats. Pretreatment with CGP53353, a selective inhibitor of PKCβ2, attenuated myocardial I/R-induced infarction and autophagy and restored IPostC-mediated cardioprotection in diabetes. Similarly, CGP53353 could restore hypoxic postconditioning (HPostC) protection against hypoxia reoxygenation- (HR-) induced injury evidenced by decreased LDH release and JC-1 monomeric cells and increased cell viability. These beneficial effects of CGP53353 were reversed by autophagy inducer rapamycin, but could be mimicked by autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. It is concluded that selective inhibition of PKCβ2 could attenuate myocardial I/R injury and restore IPostC-mediated cardioprotection possibly through modulating autophagy in diabetes.
Cancer Detection Rates of Systematic and Targeted Prostate Biopsies after Biparametric MRI
Authors: Gayet Maudy C. W. , Aa Anouk A. M. A. van der , Beerlage Harrie P. , Schrier Bart Ph , Gielens Maaike , Heesakkers Roel , Jager Gerrit J. , Mulders Peter F. A. , Wijkstra Hessel
Published: April 2020

Objective. To compare prostate cancer detection rates (CDRs) and pathology results with targeted prostate biopsy (TB) and systematic prostate biopsy (SB) in biopsy-naive men. Methods. An in-patient control study of 82 men undergoing SB and subsequent TB in case of positive prostate MRI between 2015 and 2017 in the Jeroen Bosch Hospital, the Netherlands. Results. Prostate cancer (PCa) was detected in 54.9% with 70.7% agreement between TB and SB. Significant PCa (Gleason score ≥7) was detected in 24.4%. The CDR with TB and SB was 35.4% and 48.8%, respectively (p=0.052). The CDR of significant prostate cancer with TB and SB was both 20.7%. Clinically significant pathology upgrading occurred in 7.3% by adding TB to SB and 22.0% by adding SB to TB. Conclusions. There is no statistically significant difference between CDRs of SB and TB. Both SB and TB miss significant PCas. Moreover, pathology upgrading occurred more often by adding SB to TB than vice versa. This indicates that the omission of SB in this study population might not be justified.
Low-Dose Decitabine Assists Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in ProtectingβCells via the Modulation of the Macrophage Phenotype in Type 2 Diabetic Mice
Authors: Xue Jing , Cheng Yu , Hao Haojie , Gao Jieqing , Yin Yaqi , Yu Songyan , Zou Junyan , Liu Jiejie , Zhang Qi , Mu Yiming
Published: April 2020

Background. Progressiveβ-cell dysfunction, a major characteristic of type 2 diabetes (T2D), is closely related to the infiltration of inflammatory macrophages within islets. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been identified to alleviateβ-cell dysfunction by modulating macrophage phenotype in T2D, but the restoration ofβ-cells by a single MSC infusion is relatively transient. Decitabine (DAC) has been reported to polarize macrophages towards the anti-inflammatory phenotype at low doses. We therefore investigated whether low-dose decitabine could enhance the antidiabetic effect of MSCs and further promote the restoration ofβ-cell function.Methods. We induced a T2D mice model by high-fat diets and streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Mice were divided into five groups: the normal group, the T2D group, the DAC group, the MSC group, and the MSC plus DAC group (MD group). We examined the blood glucose and serum insulin levels of mice 1, 2, and 4 weeks after MSC and/or DAC treatment. Dynamic changes in islets and the phenotype of intraislet macrophages were detected via immunofluorescence. In vitro, we explored the effect of MSCs and DAC on macrophage polarization.Results. The blood glucose and serum insulin levels revealed that DAC prolonged the antidiabetic effect of MSCs to 4 weeks in T2D mice. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated more sustainable morphological and structural amelioration in islets of the MD group than in the MSC group. Interestingly, further analysis showed more alternatively activated macrophages (M2, anti-inflammatory) and fewer classically activated macrophages (M1, proinflammatory) in islets of the MD group 4 weeks after treatment. An in vitro study demonstrated that DAC together with MSCs further polarized macrophages from the M1 to M2 phenotype via the PI3K/AKT pathway.Conclusion. These data unveiled that DAC prolonged the antidiabetic effect of MSCs and promoted sustainableβ-cell restoration, possibly by modulating the macrophage phenotype. Our results offer a preferable therapeutic strategy for T2D.
Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Zhou Tianbiao , Li Hong-Yan , Liao Chunling , Lin Wenshan , Lin Shujun
Published: April 2020

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a polymorphic, multisystemic autoimmune disease that causes multiorgan damage in which cellular communication occurs through the involvement of autoantibodies directed against autoantigen production. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have strong protective and immunomodulatory abilities, are obtained not only from bone marrow but also from medical waste such as adipose tissue and umbilical cord tissue and have been recognized as a promising tool for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders. This meta-analysis is aimed at assessing whether MSCs can become a new treatment for SLE with good efficacy and safety. Based on predetermined criteria, a bibliographical search was performed from January 1, 2000, to July 31, 2019, by searching the following databases: ISI Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM). Eligible studies and data were identified. Statistical analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy (proteinuria, systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI), Scr, BUN, albumin, C3, and C4) and safety (rate of adverse events) of MSCs for SLE using Cochrane Review Manager Version 5.3. Ten studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were eligible for this meta-analysis, which comprised 8 prospective or retrospective case series and four randomized controlled trails (RCTs) studies. In the RCT, the results indicated that the MSC group had lower proteinuria than the control group at 3 months and 6 months and the MSC group displayed a lower SLEDAI than the control group at 2 months and 6 months. Furthermore, the MSC group showed a lower rate of adverse events than the control group (OR=0.26, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.89, P=0.03). In the case series trials, the results indicated that the MSC group had lower proteinuria at 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 12 months. In conclusion, MSCs might be a promising therapeutic agent for patients with SLE.
Association between Renal Podocalyxin Expression and Renal Dysfunction in Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy: A Single‐Center, Retrospective Case‐Control Study
Authors: Wang Rongzhen , Yao Can , Liu Feng
Published: April 2020

This retrospective study investigated whether podocalyxin expression in renal biopsies and urine of patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) is associated with renal function. This retrospective study included 32 patients with nephropathy, secondary to type 2 diabetes treated at the First Hospital of Lanzhou University (January 2010 to January 2015). Compared with the control group, the DN group had a significantly lower renal expression of podocalyxin and higher urinary podocalyxin/creatinine ratio. Patients with DN were divided into the high and low expression groups according to podocalyxin expression in renal tissues. Patients in the low expression group had longer diabetes duration, lower plasma albumin and eGFR, higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), 24 h urinary protein, serum creatinine, and urinary podocalyxin/creatinine ratio, and more severe glomerular, tubulointerstitial, and renal interstitial inflammation than patients in the high expression group (all P < 0.01). The renal survival rate was significantly lower in the low expression group than in the high expression group (P < 0.01). Single‐factor Cox regression analysis showed that reduced podocalyxin expression and increased urinary podocalyxin excretion were associated with poor renal outcome. Measuring podocalyxin levels in renal tissues and urine could help evaluate the progression of DN.
An Indole Alkaloid Extracted from Evodia rutaecarpa Inhibits Colonic Motility of Rats In Vitro
Authors: Wang Guo-xiang , Xiang Yan-li , Wang Hong-gang , Miu Yang-de , Yu Guang
Published: April 2020

Evodiamine (Evo) is an indole alkaloid extracted from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Evodia rutaecarpa. Evo may regulate gastrointestinal motility, but the evidence is insufficient, and the mechanisms remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Evo on colonic motility of rats and the underlying mechanisms in vitro. Rat colonic muscle was exposed to Evo (10 and 100 μM) followed by immunohistochemistry of cholecystokinin receptor 1 (CCK1R). Muscle contractions were studied in an organ bath system to determine whether CCK1R, nitric oxide (NO), and enteric neurons are involved in the relaxant effect of Evo. Whole-cell patch-clamp was used to detect L-type calcium currents (ICa,L) in isolated colonic smooth muscle cells (SMCs). CCK1R was observed in SMCs, intermuscular neurons, and mucosa of rat colon. Evo could inhibit spontaneous muscle contractions; NO synthase, inhibitor L-NAME CCK1R antagonist, could partly block this effect, while the enteric neurons may not play a major role. Evo inhibited the peak ICa,L in colonic SMCs at a membrane potential of 0 mV. The current-voltage (I–V) relationship of L-type calcium channels was modified by Evo, while the peak of the I–V curve remained at 0 mV. Furthermore, Evo inhibited the activation of L-type calcium channels and decreased the peak ICa,L. The relaxant effect of Evo on colonic muscle is associated with the inhibition of L-type calcium channels. The enteric neurons, NO, and CCK1R may be partly related to the inhibitory effect of Evo on colonic motility. This study provides the first evidence that evodiamine can regulate colonic motility in rats by mediating calcium homeostasis in smooth muscle cells. These data form a theoretical basis for the clinical application of evodiamine for treatment of gastrointestinal motility diseases.
The Meso‐Analysis of the Rock‐Burst Debris of Rock Similar Material Based on SEM
Authors: Lin Manqing , Zhang Lan , Liu Xiqi , Xia Yuanyou , He Jiaqi , Ke Xiaosu
Published: April 2020

In order to explore the specimen failure characteristics during rock‐burst under different gradient stress conditions, in this paper, a novel experimental technique was proposed; a common series of tests under two gradient stress paths were conducted on rock similar material specimens using the true‐triaxial gradient and hydraulic‐pneumatic combined test apparatus. And plaster was used as the rock similar material. In the experimental process, several rock‐burst debris with area sizes of 100 mm2 were collected, and the fractal dimensions of typical detrital section crystal contours were analyzed and calculated using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) method. The results showed that the specimens’ failure characteristics which had been induced by the two gradient stress processes were various. Also, the mesoscopic morphology of the rock‐burst detrital section had effectively reflected its macroscopic failure characteristics. It was found that the fractal dimensions of the crystal contours of the specimen’s detrital section had fractal characteristics, and the box‐counting dimension based on the SEM image could quantitatively describe the rock‐burst failure characteristics. Furthermore, under the same magnification, the fractal dimensions of the crystal contours of the splitting failures were found to be relatively smaller than those of the shearing failures.
Contribuições da Gramática Discursivo-Funcional para o ensino da oração subordinada concessiva
Authors: Garcia Talita Storti , Câmara Aliana Lopes
Published: April 2020

Este estudo investiga o tratamento conferido às orações subordinadas adverbiais concessivas em livros didáticos de Ensino Médio, aprovados no Programa Nacional do Livro Didático. Partindo-se de uma perspectiva contextualizada de ensino de gramática, em que os recursos linguísticos devem ser estudados a partir dos sentidos que produzem no texto, analisa-se se o texto é usado como contexto ou como pretexto para o ensino de gramática. Além disso, verifica-se se os livros didáticos caracterizam as concessivas a partir de aspectos pragmáticos, semânticos, morfossintáticos e fonológicos, ou se atêm à classificação semântica e morfossintática. Os resultados demonstram que normalmente o texto está presente, mas serve para a discussão de aspectos interpretativos, e não para a reflexão sobre o papel da concessão na produção dos sentidos. Ademais, predominam no tocante à oração subordinada concessiva aspectos semânticos e morfossintáticos, não se atentando para as propriedades pragmáticas e fonológicas da concessão. Defende-se aqui que o ensino da oração concessiva poderia ampliar seu escopo ao considerar as contribuições da análise discursivo-funcional da língua portuguesa.
Seed Incorporated
Authors: Nizamuddin Ali M.
Published: April 2020

This study investigates corporate dominance of the world’s food supply. Multinational corporations have a monopoly control over seeds and the accompanying pesticides, which is leading to the disappearance of small farms and traditional methods of farming. Due to strict patent rights, local producers are forced to buy seeds that can only be used once, thereby fostering a feudalistic relationship of perpetual dependence. Advancements in DNA technology have enabled corporate scientists to splice one trait from one species and inject it in an altogether different organism. This process is referred to as genetic modification or transgenic engineering. The difference between enhanced traits from genetic modification (GM) as compared to conventional methods is that in the case of GM the genes are transferred without sexual crossing. They are injected in a targeted manner in a laboratory using sophisticated molecular technology. Transgenic seeds promise to increase output and are drought and pest resistant. But these seeds create monocultures in the food system as varieties of different types of crops are lost and age-old customs destroyed.
Psyche Matters: Resistance from the Chinese Sweatshop of the World
Authors: Lin Jake
Published: April 2020

Why has the contemporary Chinese labor activism failed to engender transformative social and political change? One obvious answer is the authoritarian state’s neoliberal and technological fix and continuously ramped up efforts to stifle labor movements. This article, however, takes the focus back to workers themselves. Drawing from fieldwork studies, it examines workers and activists’ resistance, focusing on their everyday interpretation of the source of their problems, prospects for a labor movement, and their sense of solidarity. It argues that Chinese workers have not acquired sufficient cognitive strength to become the much-hoped-for agent of political change.
Underwater Monuments: Iossif Ventura and the Poetry of Commemoration
Authors: Despotopoulou Anna
Published: April 2020

The article looks at Iossif Ventura’s collected edition of “Tanaïs” and “Kyklonio” (two poems commemorating the death by drowning of almost the entire Jewish community of Crete in 1944, published in English in 2015), exploring the themes of memory, trauma, and guilt, while linking the poems’ haunting underwater imagery with current concerns about the deaths of refugees in the Mediterranean. Drawing connections between Ventura, Jason deCaires Taylor’s underwater statues, and Marie Jalowicz Simon’s book about survival in Nazi Germany, Gone to Ground, the essay considers the psychological ramifications of precarious sea crossings aiming at escape and freedom.
Manuscript Fragments of Early Tosafot in Perpignan
Authors: Roth Pinchas
Published: April 2020

Fragments of a Hebrew manuscript in thirteenth-century Sephardic script were recently discovered in the binding of a fourteenth-century notarial manual in Perpignan. These fragments are identified here as originating in a copy of Tosafot redacted by a disciple of Isaac ben Samuel of Dampierre. It is suggested that the redactor was Samson ben Abraham of Sens. This find is doubly significant—for the study of Tosafot, and for the intellectual history of medieval Perpignan Jewry.
A new species of Arrhopalites Börner, 1906 (Collembola, Symphypleona,
Arrhopalitidae) from Iran with an updated key to A. diversus group of species
Authors: VARGOVITSH ROBERT S. , KAHRARIAN MORTEZA
Published: April 2020

A new springtail species of the family Arrhopalitidae, Arrhopalites persicus sp. nov., is described from Kermanshah Province in Iran. It belongs to the diversus group of species with 3, 2, 1, 1 anterior setae on dens. It is separated from all members of this group by presence of 5+5 circumanal spines on the sixth abdominal segment and it shows reduced tibiotarsal chaetotaxy. It is the second species of the genus recorded in the country. A key to Arrhopalites diversus group of species is updated.
Fitting Precipitation Particle Size–Velocity Data to Mixed Joint Probability Density Function with an Expectation Maximization Algorithm
Authors: Katsuyama Yuta , Inatsu Masaru
Published: April 2020

This paper proposes an estimation method of joint size and terminal velocity distribution on the basis of sampling data of precipitation particles containing multiple types. Assuming that the velocity follows the normal distribution and the size follows the gamma distribution, the method searches a locally maximum logarithmic likelihood within a realistic parameter range using the expectation–maximization algorithm. Several test populations were prepared with a realistic number of elements, and then the method was evaluated by retrieving the populations from their sample. The results showed that the original parameters were successfully estimated in most cases of the test population containing some of liquids, graupels, and rimed and unrimed aggregates. The original number of elements was also estimated with an adjustment of the number of elements in a manner such that each of their minority fractions exceeded a threshold. Applied to the two-dimensional disdrometer observation data, the method was helpful to discard frequently observed erroneous data with unrealistically large fall velocity.
FAST 112 HEROES: A kindergarten-based educational stroke intervention for the whole family
Authors: Tsakpounidou Kalliopi , Loutrari Ariadne , Tselekidou Freideriki , Baskini Maria , Proios Hariklia
Published: April 2020

Background:

Stroke is a worldwide leading cause of disability, and around 50 million people are affected by stroke annually. Public stroke educational and awareness programmes can make a great deal of difference. Young children are in key position to seek urgent medical care if grandparents suffer a stroke, as grandparents are often their secondary caretakers.

Objective:

The objective of the current study was to design an educational intervention targeting children and, in parallel, directly involve extended family members.

Design:

Participatory action research.

Setting:

School-based education stroke intervention in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece.

Methods:

Over the course of 5 weeks, this intervention sought to educate 66 preschool children and their families through a series of novel activities that revolved around 4 superheroes, the FAST mnemonic and a medical emergency number. One superhero and their unique superpower was introduced every week through a Powerpoint presentation, a short animation video and a wide range of in-class and take-home activities, such as ‘phantom speech’, role-playing, funny face mimicking games, and rhyming poems. Children were also encouraged to identify their own family superhero so as to transfer their learning to real life.

Results:

Follow-up individual and group assessment pointed to encouraging results. Results from odd-one-out-tasks revealed that children were able to recognise the stroke symptoms in question. However, they performed more poorly on more complex tasks involving recall.

Conclusions:

Preschool children acquired knowledge of stroke symptoms which appears more solid when recognition is assessed. Assessment tasks involving substantial recall of information do not necessarily reflect the ability to detect stroke symptoms.
George Mosse, Nationalism, Jewishness, Zionism and Israel
Authors: Aschheim Steven
Published: April 2020

This article explores George Mosse's complex attitude to both nationalism in general and particularly to Zionism and Israel. It examines how Mosse was explicitly caught between a critical analysis of nationalism, and an intellectual commitment to liberalism and Bildung, on the one hand, and on the other, an existential attraction to the blandishments and emotional power of nationalism and, given his Jewish identity, especially Zionism.
Fostering Civil Society Through Community Empowerment: An Extended Case of the Sichuan Earthquake in China
Authors: Hu Ming , Zhu Jiangang
Published: April 2020

How nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) enhance civil society development in China is underresearched while the extant literature centers on the government–NGO relationship. Applying the extended case method, this study explores how an NGO-facilitated community reconstruction program followed the community empowerment approach to foster local civil society in the wake of the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake. We argue that community reconstruction opened space for NGOs to nurture public spheres and residents’ civic engagement, foster community organizing, and support community participation in local governance. The dynamics reveals the functioning and limitations of the community empowerment approach for civil society development in contemporary China.
Assessment of routine diet (garlic consumption) as a pre- and postoperative protocol in oral and maxillofacial surgical interventions: An evidence-based literature review
Authors: Malhotra Upasna , Hasday Matthew , Romanos Georgios E , Javed Fawad
Published: April 2020

Background:

It was hypothesized that pathological bleeding (PB) during and/or after oral surgical procedures is higher in systemically healthy patients who have a history of garlic intake compared to controls (patients without a history of garlic consumption).

Aim:

The aim of the present review article was to identify studies in which garlic consumption was included as a patient management protocol before and after oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS).

Methods:

A review of pertinent indexed literature was performed. The focused question that was addressed was “Has diet (garlic consumption) been considered as a patient management protocol before and after OMFS?” The inclusion criteria were: (a) studies published in indexed databases, (b) original studies, (c) studies on OMFS, and (d) studies that considered diet (garlic consumption) as a patient management protocol before and after OMFS. Literature review, commentaries, letters to the editor, and studies published in non-indexed resources were excluded. The pattern of the present review was customized to summarize the pertinent information.

Results:

The initial search using the terms “oral,” maxillofacial,” “protocol,” and “surgery” yielded 1478 studies. The addition of the term “diet” to this search strategy reduced the number of studies to five. Further filtration of these studies using the terms “garlic” and/or “ Allium sativum” showed no studies.

Conclusions:

Garlic intake predisposes patients to PB. However, there are no studies in the indexed literature that have considered the inclusion of garlic consumption in patient management protocols before and after OMFS.
Latino Caregivers’ Interactions With Their Children With Language Delays: A Comparison Study
Authors: Peredo Tatiana Nogueira , Dillehay Kelsey Maria , Kaiser Ann P.
Published: April 2020

Evidence-based treatments for young children with developmental language delays include caregiver-implemented naturalistic interventions. However, there is little research on culturally appropriate interventions for Spanish-speaking caregivers from low–socioeconomic status (SES) households and their young children with identified language delays. We compared interaction strategies of Latino Spanish-speaking caregivers from low-SES backgrounds and non-Latino English-speaking caregivers from high-SES backgrounds with their children with language delays. Caregivers’ interactions were coded for (a) interaction characteristics, (b) use of naturalistic language support strategies, and (c) linguistic input. Results indicated Spanish-speaking Latino caregivers from low-SES backgrounds used a more directive, responsive, and warm interaction style than non-Latino caregivers. Non-Latino, English-speaking caregivers from high-SES backgrounds used more cognitively stimulating strategies, spent more time observing and narrating play, and used longer utterances and more lexical diversity. Findings provide directions for future research and guidance for clinicians working with Latino families from low-SES households.
The role of spreading depolarizations and electrographic seizures in early injury progression of the rat photothrombosis stroke model
Authors: Schoknecht Karl , Kikhia Majed , Lemale Coline L , Liotta Agustin , Lublinsky Svetlana , Mueller Susanne , Boehm-Sturm Philipp , Friedman Alon , Dreier Jens P
Published: April 2020

Spreading depolarization (SD) and seizures are pathophysiological events associated with cerebral ischemia. Here, we investigated their role for injury progression in the cerebral cortex. Cerebral ischemia was induced in anesthetized male Wistar rats using the photothrombosis (PT) stroke model. SD and spontaneous neuronal activity were recorded in the presence of either urethane or ketamine/xylazine anesthesia. Blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability, cerebral perfusion, and cellular damage were assessed through a cranial window and repeated intravenous injection of fluorescein sodium salt and propidium iodide until 4 h after PT. Neuronal injury and early lesion volume were quantified by stereological cell counting and manual and automated assessment of ex vivo T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Onset SDs originated at the thrombotic core and invaded neighboring cortex, whereas delayed SDs often showed opposite propagation patterns. Seizure induction by 4-aminopyridine caused no increase in lesion volume or neuronal injury in urethane-anesthetized animals. Ketamine/xylazine anesthesia was associated with a lower number of onset SDs, reduced lesion volume, and neuronal injury despite a longer duration of seizures. BBB permeability increase inversely correlated with the number of SDs at 3 and 4 h after PT. Our results provide further evidence that ketamine may counteract the early progression of ischemic injury.
Uber-production: From global networks to digital platforms
Authors: Grabher Gernot , van Tuijl Erwin
Published: April 2020

Uber and Airbnb have advanced into emblematic cases in debates in which the new digital capitalism is framed in terms of the so-called sharing economy. While this strand of inquiry has produced a wealth of insights into the workings and impacts of peer-to-peer platforms, the digital transformation of business-to-business interactions has so far attracted less attention. The present Exchange confronts this challenge by juxtaposing platform conceptions with a pre-eminent framework to conceptualize business-to-business relations: global production networks (GPN). Specifically, this Exchange addresses challenges posed by the platform approach for the GPN framework in the four dimensions: value (from owning assets to granting access), governance (from make-or-buy to employ-or-enable), management (from back-end to front-end) and labour (from jobs to gigs).
When Business and Politics Mix: Local Networks and Socio-political Transformations in Ukraine
Authors: Mazepus Honorata , Dimitrova Antoaneta , Frear Matthew , Toshkov Dimiter , Onopriychuk Nina
Published: April 2020

This article identifies patronage networks in three Ukrainian regions and develops some ideas on the relation between these networks, economic and political openness, and the provision of public goods. The research represents a rich empirical study linking business and politics in three regions (Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Ivano-Frankivsk) with different levels of openness and democratic reform. Formal and informal ties between politics and business are identified using primary (interview) and secondary data. By focusing on the local rather than national level in Ukraine, the article provides a comparison between different levels of patronage and type of networks. This study relates the empirical exploration of patronage networks in post-communist setting to a broader theoretical framework of limited access orders. Our findings show that although a multiplicity of networks might be a necessary condition for the opening of access to political and economic resources, it is not a sufficient one. We find that a single dominant network achieves a relatively high level of citizen satisfaction with public service provision, while the presence of multiple networks is not necessarily associated with citizen satisfaction with public goods provision.
Research on adaptive control strategy of hydraulic mechanical continuously variable transmission of a cotton picker
Authors: Zhao Xin , Ni Xiangdong , Wang Qi , Bao Mingxi , Li Sheng , Han Shuangman
Published: April 2020

Hydraulic mechanical continuously variable transmission has the advantages of good hydraulic stepless speed regulation performance and high efficiency of mechanical transmission, which can achieve the optimal matching of transmission system load and power source. In this article, an adaptive control strategy based on radial basis function neural network and proportional–integral–derivative control was proposed. The speed compound control method was used to solve the problems that the output speed of the hydraulic mechanical continuously variable transmission system was poor at the variable speed input and was difficult to control. The throttle opening and the engine speed were used as controller inputs. The pump–motor's displacement ratio and the output speed were used as controller outputs. Finally, the output speed of the cotton picker was stably controlled. Simulation and experimental results show that the transmission can quickly respond to the target speed and had little fluctuation based on different initial input speeds. The control strategy had good control precision and robustness. Compared with the traditional proportional–integral–derivative algorithm, the average steady-state error of the system output speed was controlled between ±0.0125%. The proposed algorithm based on radial basis function neural network proportional–integral–derivative adaptive control strategy had obvious control effect, and the stability of the speed output of the system was improved under the nonlinear input complex conditions. It provided research for the speed ratio adjustment and control of the hydraulic mechanical continuously variable transmission of the cotton picker.
Does an International Academic Environment Promote Study Abroad?
Authors: Di Pietro Giorgio
Published: April 2020

Although many studies on international student mobility have examined the impact of individual factors (e.g., gender, age, family background) on students’ decisions to study abroad, much less attention has been devoted to the role played by the institutional climate and characteristics of their home university. Using data from an Italian survey containing information on a large number of university students, this research investigated the extent to which a more international academic environment incentivizes students to participate in study abroad programs. A logit model was developed to estimate the effect that the degree of internationalization of one’s home university has on the probability that its students will study abroad, while controlling for several student-level factors. The empirical estimates indicate that this effect is significant, suggesting that being part of an international academic environment, where domestic students can interact more frequently with international students, helps motivate them to undertake study abroad. This result stresses the importance of engaging domestic students in the internationalization process of their universities.
A Systematic Review of Culturally Adapted Behavioral Activation Treatments for Depression
Authors: Lehmann David C. , Bördlein Christoph
Published: April 2020

Objective:

Behavioral activation constitutes a promising behavioral treatment for depression. Due to its contextual and idiographic approach, the intervention might be well suited for treating depression in culturally diverse populations.

Method:

The authors conducted a systematic literature review on culturally adapted behavioral activation treatments.

Results:

Seventeen studies were identified through database searching involving different target populations and a variety of adapted interventions. Circumstances were frequently shaped by cultural values and a wide range of environmental stressors. Adaptations were found in different dimensions including language, content, methods, and context. Across studies, results indicated the effectiveness of behavioral activation and its cultural adaptations for treating depression in their respective target groups.

Discussion:

The results of this review may serve as an input both for practitioners employing behavioral activation in their daily work with culturally diverse clients and for researchers interested in culturally adapting treatment to specific populations.
An Exploration into the Impact of Social Networking Site (SNS) Use on Body Image and Eating Behavior of Physically Active Men
Authors: Flannery Orla , Harris Kerrie , Kenny Ursula Anne
Published: April 2020

The rapid proliferation of social networking sites (SNSs) has transformed the way people now socialize and communicate. SNSs have been recognized to contribute to body image (BI) dissatisfaction and disordered eating behavior (EB). Few qualitative studies have explored this issue in men. The aim of the current study was to investigate male SNS use and possible impacts on BI and EB. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight men in the United Kingdom. Interviews aimed to examine men’s views on the potential impact of SNSs on BI and EB. Data were thematically analyzed. Findings suggested that SNSs may be a useful nutrition idea tool and motivational platform for men to improve their diet and exercise uptake. However, results also indicated that SNS use may contribute to BI dissatisfaction and increased risk of disorder. Future research may identify risk factors of SNS use, male BI concerns, and eating pathology across the lifespan.
Analytic performance modeling and analysis of detailed neuron simulations
Authors: Cremonesi Francesco , Hager Georg , Wellein Gerhard , Schürmann Felix
Published: April 2020

Big science initiatives are trying to reconstruct and model the brain by attempting to simulate brain tissue at larger scales and with increasingly more biological detail than previously thought possible. The exponential growth of parallel computer performance has been supporting these developments, and at the same time maintainers of neuroscientific simulation code have strived to optimally and efficiently exploit new hardware features. Current state-of-the-art software for the simulation of biological networks has so far been developed using performance engineering practices, but a thorough analysis and modeling of the computational and performance characteristics, especially in the case of morphologically detailed neuron simulations, is lacking. Other computational sciences have successfully used analytic performance engineering, which is based on “white-box,” that is, first-principles performance models, to gain insight on the computational properties of simulation kernels, aid developers in performance optimizations and eventually drive codesign efforts, but to our knowledge a model-based performance analysis of neuron simulations has not yet been conducted. We present a detailed study of the shared-memory performance of morphologically detailed neuron simulations based on the Execution-Cache-Memory performance model. We demonstrate that this model can deliver accurate predictions of the runtime of almost all the kernels that constitute the neuron models under investigation. The gained insight is used to identify the main governing mechanisms underlying performance bottlenecks in the simulation. The implications of this analysis on the optimization of neural simulation software and eventually codesign of future hardware architectures are discussed. In this sense, our work represents a valuable conceptual and quantitative contribution to understanding the performance properties of biological networks simulations.
Populism in the era of Twitter: How social media contextualized new insights into an old phenomenon
Authors: Gil de Zúñiga Homero , Koc Michalska Karolina , Römmele Andrea
Published: April 2020

With the advent of social media, political communication scholars have systematically revised theories and empirical corollaries revolving media use and democracy at large. Interestingly, in about the same period of time, a reinvigorated political populism trend has taken place across different latitudes in the world. This widespread populist movement has expanded regardless of whether these political systems were established democracies, emerging democracies, or societies immersed in political contexts at peril. This essay serves as the introductory piece to a special issue on populism. First, it highlights the ways in which “populism,” being an old phenomenon, has further transpired into the political realm in the era of social media. Second, the essay seeks to better contextualize what populism is and how it has developed within today’s hybrid media society. Finally, this introduction also lays out the ground to six central theoretical and data-driven papers that encapsulate many of the important issues revolving the phenomenon of populism today.
American and Korean Perceptions of Sex Differences in Deception
Authors: Steiner Eric T. , Cha Young-Jae , Baek Sojung
Published: April 2020

Beliefs about which sex lies more or is better at lying can have subtle but widespread effects on human interactions, yet little is known about such beliefs. In Study 1, an American sample of participants ( N = 407, ages 18–64) completed a 12-item survey on perceptions of sex differences in deception. In Study 2, a Korean sample ( N = 197, ages 19–58) completed the same survey. Men from both cultures and Korean women perceived no difference regarding which sex tells more white (i.e., relatively harmless or low-stakes) lies. American women perceived that women tell more white lies. Women from both cultures and American men perceived that men tell a greater number of serious (i.e., nonwhite or high-stakes) lies. Korean men perceived no difference regarding which sex tells a greater number of serious lies. Both sexes from both countries reported a perception that (1) men are more likely to lie about height, income, and sexual infidelity, (2) women are more likely to lie about weight and age, and (3) women are better at lying. The findings were mixed regarding perceptions about emotional infidelity. Results are interpreted in light of sex-different challenges to mating and parenting.
Master of Public Health Concentrations in Global Health in 2020: Preparing Culturally Competent Professionals to Address Health Disparities in the Context of Globalization
Authors: Jacobsen Kathryn H. , Zeraye Helen A. , Bisesi Michael S. , Gartin Meredith , Malouin Rebecca , Waggett Caryl E.
Published: April 2020

During the 2019-2020 academic year, 37 (17%) of 223 Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited or applicant schools and programs of public health offered Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees with concentrations in general global health. Concentration-specific competencies build on the foundational competencies required for all MPH students enrolled in CEPH-accredited programs. The most popular global health competencies focus on agencies and organizations, ethics and human rights, program management, social and environmental determinants of health, the global burden of disease, collaboration and partnerships, and cultural competency. There is significant overlap between the current concentration competencies and the ones recommended by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health in 2018. The online program descriptions for MPH concentrations in global health feature four key themes: globalization, low-income countries, social justice and equity, and culture and diversity. (1) Most programs emphasize transnational health issues and the effects of globalization on health in countries of all income levels. (2) Some programs have a special focus on preparation for serving low-income countries and other disadvantaged populations, such as refugees. (3) Most programs emphasize the social justice and equity issues underlying local and global health disparities. (4) Most programs promote development of the cultural knowledge, awareness, and skills required for serving diverse populations effectively as rising leaders in the international, national, or local public health workforce. Global health MPH programs prepare students for public health practice in resource-limited settings in their home communities as well as internationally.
How Do We Work as Researchers in the Real World? Mapping the Trajectory of Methodological Decision Making in Health Services Research
Authors: Nic Giolla Easpaig Bróna , Tran Yvonne , Arnolda Gaston , Clay-Williams Robyn , Delaney Geoff P. , Liauw Winston , Braithwaite Jeffrey
Published: April 2020

To the disbenefit of qualitative health services research, the generation of study design is too often implied as a logical consequence of aims or questions. Limited space is afforded to describing the critical processes we go through to devise our research for the ever-complex services we seek to understand. This article offers an in-depth examination of qualitative health services research design and the considerations inherent in the process. To illustrate, we present a worked example of our experience developing an investigation to characterize and explore multidisciplinary cancer service provision in hospital outpatient clinics. We map the development of our investigation from the a priori conceptualization of the phenomena of inquiry through to the detailed research plan, explicating the design choices made along the way. We engage with key issues for qualitative health researchers, which include how we make sense of and account for context; address multisite research considerations; design with and for stakeholder engagement; ensure epistemological, ontological, and methodological coherence; and select analytical and interpretative strategies. We arrive at a complex staged investigation that employs mixed and multi-methods to be conducted across a range of settings. Our purpose is to stimulate thinking about many of the contemporary design challenges researchers negotiate.
A Review on Five Recent and Near-Future Developments in Computational Processing of Emotion in the Human Voice
Authors: Schuller Dagmar M. , Schuller Björn W.
Published: April 2020

We provide a short review on the recent and near-future developments of computational processing of emotion in the voice, highlighting (a) self-learning of representations moving continuously away from traditional expert-crafted or brute-forced feature representations to end-to-end learning, (b) a movement towards the coupling of analysis and synthesis of emotional voices to foster better mutual understanding, (c) weakly supervised learning at a large scale, (d) transfer learning from related domains such as speech recognition or cross-modal transfer learning, and (e) reinforced learning through interactive applications at a large scale. For each of these trends, we shortly explain their implications and potential use such as for interpretation in psychological studies and usage in digital health and digital psychology applications. We also discuss further potential development.
Comparison of immunogenic markers of human chondrocytes and chondroprogenitors derived from non-diseased and osteoarthritic articular cartilage
Authors: Vinod Elizabeth , Ramasamy Boopalan , Kachroo Upasana
Published: April 2020

Background:

In the field of cartilage repair, cell-based therapy, employing the use of mesenchymal stem cells and chondrocytes maybe a propitious treatment option. Once transferred, success of transplanted cells is determined by their immunogenicity making assessment imperative. Another contender in the field, may be articular chondroprogenitors (CPs) shown to possess chondrogenic potential and reduced expression of hypertrophy markers. Our aim was to assess immunogenic properties of CPs (non-diseased and osteoarthritic (OA)) and compare them with chondrocytes since it may be a good alternative for cell-based therapy and data regarding its immunogenic profile is limited.

Methods:

Human chondrocytes and CPs from the same cartilage source were isolated. Passage 0 cells characterized by fluorescence-activated cell sorting against human surface antigen were human leucocyte antigen class I (HLA-A2 and HLA-B7), HLA-DR and its costimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86) and macrophage/monocyte marker (CD14).

Results and conclusion:

Our observations indicated that CPs isolated from human non-diseased and OA cartilage showed similar immunogenic properties to chondrocytes isolated from the same source with no significant difference in expression. High-to-moderate expression of MHC class I (HLA-A2 and HLA-B7) and moderate-to-low expression of MHC class II (HLA-DR and its co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86) were observed. This is the first report to shed insight on the immunogenic properties of human cartilage-derived progenitors, a potential contender in the field of regenerative therapy for formation of genuine hyaline cartilage.