bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What do Australian patients with inflammatory arthritis value in treatment? A discrete choice experiment
Authors: Ho Kerrie-Anne , Acar Mustafa , Puig Andrea , Hutas Gabor , Fifer Simon
Published: December 2019

Background and objectives

The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of treatment preferences in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) [rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA)] focussing on treatment attributes that patients’ value, their relative importance, and the risk-benefit trade-offs that characterise patients’ choices around treatment.

Methods

A discrete choice experiment (DCE) approach was used. Attributes of interest were clinical efficacy; slowing of disease progression; risk of mild-moderate side effects; risk of severe side effects; frequency of administration; real-world product evidence; management of related conditions; and availability of a patient support programme. Using data from the DCE component, a restricted latent class model (LCM) was estimated to determine discrete ‘classes’ of treatment preferences.

Results

In this analysis, 206 participants were included (AS n = 59; PsA n = 62; RA n = 85). Two classes were identified. For ‘class 1’ (59.9%), the most important attributes (across all treatment modalities) were preventing disease progression, clinical efficacy and risk of mild-to-moderate side effects. For ‘class 2’ (40.1%), clinical and non-clinical attributes were important, and attribute importance depended on treatment modality. Patient demographic and treatment characteristics did not predict class membership.

Conclusion

For most patients with IA, clinical efficacy, stopping disease progression and risks of mild-to-moderate side effects are important treatment attributes. Patients with prior biologic DMARD experience had greater preference for injection treatments. For a subset of patients, patient support programmes and the frequency of administration were important. Clinicians should be mindful of preferences when prescribing treatment to patients with IA.Key Points• Most patients consider clinical efficacy, stopping disease progression and the risk of mild-to-moderate side effects as important treatment attributes• Patients with prior biologic DMARD experience have greater preference for injection treatments.• For a subset of patients, patient support programmes, and the frequency of administration were important.• Clinicians should be mindful of preferences when prescribing treatment to patients with IA.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-secreted exosomes carrying microRNA-125b protect against myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury via targeting SIRT7
Authors: Chen Qi , Liu Yu , Ding Xueyan , Li Qinfeng , Qiu Fuyu , Wang Meihui , Shen Zhida , Zheng Hao , Fu Guosheng
Published: December 2019

MicroRNA-125b (miR-125b) reduces myocardial infarct area and restrains myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (I/R). In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC)-derived exosomes carrying miR-125b on I/R rats. The myocardial I/R model in rats was constructed by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). Rats were randomly divided into I/R and Sham group. Lv-cel-miR-67 (control) or Lv-miR-125b was transfected into BMSCs. Exosomes were extracted from transfected BMSCs, and separately named BMSC-Exo-67, BMSC-Exo-125b, and BMSC-Exo. MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to detect the viability and apoptosis of I/R myocardium cells, respectively. The expression of cell apoptosis proteins and the levels of inflammatory factors were examined by Western blot and ELISA assay, respectively. The target relationship between miR-125b and SIRT7 was predicted by using StarBase3.0, and was confirmed by using dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry staining, and Western blot were used to evaluate the expression of SIRT7 in myocardium tissues in I/R rats. BMSC-derived exosomes were successfully isolated and identified by TEM and positive expression of CD9 and CD63. The expression of miR-125b was down-regulated in I/R myocardium tissues and cells. BMSC-Exo-125b significantly up-regulated miR-125b in I/R myocardium cells. The intervention of BMSC-Exo-125b significantly increased the cell viability, decreased the apoptotic ratio, down-regulated Bax and caspase-3, up-regulated Bcl-2, and decreased the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in I/R myocardium cells. SIRT7 was a target of miR-125b, and BMSC-Exo-125b significantly down-regulated SIRT7 in myocardium cells. In addition, the injection of BMSC-Exo-125b alleviated the pathological damages and down-regulated SIRT7 in myocardium tissues of I/R rats. BMSC-derived exosomes carrying miR-125b protected against myocardial I/R by targeting SIRT7.
In vivo assessment of mitochondrial capacity using NIRS in locomotor muscles of young and elderly males with similar physical activity levels
Authors: Lagerwaard Bart , Nieuwenhuizen Arie G. , de Boer Vincent C. J. , Keijer Jaap
Published: December 2019

Mitochondrial capacity is pivotal to skeletal muscle function and is suggested to decline with age. However, there is large heterogeneity in current data, possibly due to effect modifiers such as physical activity, sex and muscle group. Yet, few studies have compared multiple muscle groups in different age groups with comparable physical activity levels. Here, we newly used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to characterise mitochondrial capacity in three different locomotor muscles in young (19–25 year) and older (65–71 year), healthy males with similar physical activity levels. Mitochondrial capacity and reperfusion after arterial occlusion was measured in the vastus lateralis (VL), the gastrocnemius (GA) and the tibialis anterior (TA). Physical activity was verified using accelerometry and was not different between the age groups (404.3 ± 214.9 vs 494.9 ± 187.0 activity kcal per day, p = 0.16). Mitochondrial capacity was significantly lower in older males in the GA and VL, but not in the TA (p = 0.048, p = 0.036 and p = 0.64, respectively). Reperfusion rate was not significantly different for the GA (p = 0.55), but was significantly faster in the TA and VL in the young group compared to the older group (p = 0.0094 and p = 0.039, respectively). In conclusion, we identified distinct modes of mitochondrial ageing in different locomotor muscles in a young and older population with similar physical activity patterns. Furthermore, we show that NIRS is suitable for relatively easy application in ageing research and can reveal novel insights into mitochondrial functioning with age.
Distribution of Bacterial Communities in Petroleum-Contaminated Soils from the Dagang Oilfield, China
Authors: Feng Xueke , Liu Zhen , Jia Xiaoqiang , Lu Wenyu
Published: December 2019

Diversity in bacterial communities was investigated along a petroleum hydrocarbon content gradient (0–0.4043 g/g) in surface (5–10 cm) and subsurface (35–40 cm) petroleum-contaminated soil samples from the Dagang Oilfield, China. Using 16S rRNA Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology and several statistical methods, the bacterial diversity of the soil was studied. Subsequently, the environmental parameters were measured to analyze its relationship with the community variation. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and analysis of similarities indicated a significant difference in the structure of the bacterial community between the nonpetroleum-contaminated surface and subsurface soils, but no differences were observed in different depths of petroleum-contaminated soil. Meanwhile, many significant correlations were obtained between diversity in soil bacterial community and physicochemical properties. Total petroleum hydrocarbon, total organic carbon, and total nitrogen were the three important factors that had the greatest impacts on the bacterial community distribution in the long-term petroleum-contaminated soils. Our research has provided references for the bacterial community distribution along a petroleum gradient in both surface and subsurface petroleum-contaminated soils of oilfield areas.
The role of echocardiography in management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Haland Trine F. , Edvardsen Thor
Published: December 2019

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, characterized by increased left ventricular wall thickness. Echocardiographic studies are essential for establishing the diagnosis, evaluating the extent of disease, and risk stratification. Echocardiography is also recommended in regular screening of the genotype-positive relatives. Two-dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler echocardiography are standard modalities in HCM diagnosis. Newer echocardiographic techniques as tissue Doppler, strain, and three-dimensional echocardiography are now widely used and can reveal subtle changes in the HCM patients. Echocardiography has given us a better understanding of the disease. In this review, we briefly profile the echocardiographic management of HCM in a clinical perspective.
Responsibilization and Sexual Stigma Under Austerity: Surveying Public Support for Government-Funded PrEP in England
Authors: Hildebrandt Timothy , Bode Leticia , Ng Jessica S. C.
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Under austerity, governments shift responsibilities for social welfare to individuals. Such responsibilization can be intertwined with pre-existing social stigmas, with sexually stigmatized individuals blamed more for health problems due to “irresponsible” sexual behavior. To understand how sexual stigma affects attitudes on government healthcare expenditures, we examine public support for government-provisioned PrEP in England at a time when media narratives cast the drug as an expensive benefit for a small, irresponsible social group and the National Health Service’s long-term sustainability was in doubt.

Methods

This paper uses data from an original survey (N = 738) conducted in September 2016, when public opinion should be most sensitive to sexual stigma. A survey experiment tests how the way beneficiaries of PrEP were described affected support for NHS provision of it. Contrary to expectations, we found that support was high (mean = 3.86 on a scale of 1 to 5) irrespective of language used or beneficiary group mentioned. Differences between conditions were negligible.

Discussion

Sexual stigma does not diminish support for government-funded PrEP, which may be due to reverence for the NHS; resistance to responsibilization generally; or just to HIV, with the public influenced by sympathy and counter-messaging.

Social policy implications

Having misjudged public attitudes, it may be difficult for the government to continue to justify not funding PrEP; the political rationale for contracting out its provision is unnecessary and flawed. With public opinion resilient to responsibilization narratives and sexual stigma even under austerity, welfare retrenchment may be more difficult than social policymakers presume.
Sequestered capture and desorption of hexavalent chromium from solution and textile wastewater onto low cost Heinsia crinita seed coat biomass
Authors: Dawodu Folasegun A. , Akpan Benjamin M. , Akpomie Kovo G.
Published: December 2019

Due to the high cost associated with the treatment of effluents containing heavy metals in the environment, the continuous untreated release of effluent containing chromium from textile industries has resulted in several adverse effects to plants, ecological systems and humans. This research therefore focused on the use of a low cost, biodegradableHeinsia crinitaseed coat (HCSC) material for the biosorption of chromium(VI) from aqueous and textile contaminated effluent. The biosorbent was characterized for specific surface area, surface morphology, pH point of zero charge and surface functional groups. Operational variables influences such as biosorbent dose, pH, temperature, initial Cr(VI) ion concentration and contact time on biosorption process was tested. The optimum biosorption parameter was obtained at pH 2.0, adsorbent dosage 0.25 g and contact time of 30 min. From sorption analysis, the pseudo-second-order model best described the attenuation kinetics. Concerning biosorption equilibrium, the results suggested that the adsorption isotherm obeyed the Freundlich model. Langmuir maximum monolayer biosorption capacity of 231.7 mg/g was higher than most biosorbents for Cr(VI) ion. The thermodynamic data showed a physical, spontaneous and endothermic biosorption process. HCSC showed high percentage desorption > 90% using 0.1 M HNO3and was efficient after three cycles of regeneration studies. The results showed HCSC biomass as a suitable candidate for abstraction of Cr(VI) ion from contaminated solution and textile effluent.
Numerical simulation of UCG process with the aim of increasing calorific value of syngas
Authors: Jowkar Amin , Sereshki Farhang , Najafi Mehdi
Published: December 2019

The determination of operational parameters in the underground coal gasification (UCG) process should be considered in two aspects: first, the total coal in each UCG panel must be gasified and second, the calorific value of the produced gas should be acceptable. The main aim of this study is to present a model that meets these aspects and increasing the calorific value of syngas during this process. In order to achieve those aims, eight different increasing scenarios were devised for total gasification of coal per panel. These scenarios included: increasing oxygen injection rate (scenario 1), the amount of steam injection (scenario 2), operation time (scenario 3), cavity pressure (scenario 4), increase operation time and cavity pressure simultaneously (scenario 5), increase steam injection speed and oxygen injection rate simultaneously (scenario 6), increase in cavity pressure, operating time, steam injection rate and oxygen injection rate simultaneously (scenario 7) and also simultaneous increase in the operating time and steam injection rate (scenario 8). The results showed that for producing syngas with a higher calorific value, the following parameters had the most positive effects respectively: operation time, cavity pressure, steam injection rate and oxygen injection rate. Finally, the model validation was performed for the Centralia LBK-1 UCG pilot and the results showed that this model is very close to reality.
Elastic Aerogels of Cellulose Nanofibers@Metal–Organic Frameworks for Thermal Insulation and Fire Retardancy
Authors: Zhou Shengyang , Apostolopoulou-Kalkavoura Varvara , Tavares da Costa Marcus Vinícius , Bergström Lennart , Strømme Maria , Xu Chao
Published: December 2019

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with high microporosity and relatively high thermal stability are potential thermal insulation and flame-retardant materials. However, the difficulties in processing and shaping MOFs have largely hampered their applications in these areas. This study outlines the fabrication of hybrid CNF@MOF aerogels by a stepwise assembly approach involving the coating and cross-linking of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with continuous nanolayers of MOFs. The cross-linking gives the aerogels high mechanical strength but superelasticity (80% maximum recoverable strain, high specific compression modulus of ~ 200 MPa cm3 g−1, and specific stress of ~ 100 MPa cm3 g−1). The resultant lightweight aerogels have a cellular network structure and hierarchical porosity, which render the aerogels with relatively low thermal conductivity of ~ 40 mW m−1 K−1. The hydrophobic, thermally stable MOF nanolayers wrapped around the CNFs result in good moisture resistance and fire retardancy. This study demonstrates that MOFs can be used as efficient thermal insulation and flame-retardant materials. It presents a pathway for the design of thermally insulating, superelastic fire-retardant nanocomposites based on MOFs and nanocellulose.
Community engagement and pediatric obesity: Incorporating social determinants of health into treatment
Authors: Skelton Joseph A. , Palakshappa Deepak , Moore Justin B. , Irby Megan B. , Montez Kimberly , Rhodes Scott D.
Published: December 2019

Childhood obesity is a complex and multi-faceted problem, with contributors ranging from individual health behaviors to public policy. For clinicians who treat pediatric obesity, environmental factors that impact this condition in a child or family can be difficult to address in a clinical setting. Community-clinic partnerships are one method to address places and policies that influence a person’s weight and health; however, such partnerships are typically geared toward community-located health behavior change rather than the deeper social determinants of health (SDH), limiting effective behavioral change. Community-engaged research offers a framework for developing community-clinic partnerships to address SDH germane to obesity treatment. In this paper, we discuss the relationship between SDH and pediatric obesity treatment, use of community-clinic partnerships to address SDH in obesity treatment, and how community engagement can be a framework for creating and harnessing these partnerships. We present examples of programs begun by one pediatric obesity clinic using community-engagement principles to address obesity.
Community Lifeline Framework for Leveraging Stabilization in Response and Recovery to Major Hurricanes
Authors: Kruger Judy
Published: December 2019

The United States (US) and Caribbean regions remain vulnerable to the impact of severe tropical storms, hurricanes, and typhoons. In 2017, a series of hurricanes posed threats to residents living in inland and coastal communities as well as on islands isolated from the US mainland. Harvey, Irma, Jose, and Maria caused catastrophic infrastructure damage, resulting in a loss of electrical power and communications due to damaged or downed utility poles, cell towers, and transmission lines. Critical services were inoperable for many months. Emergency managers are public officials who are accountable to both political leaders and the citizens. During disaster events, emergency managers must prioritize areas of effort, manage personnel, and communicate with stakeholders to address critical infrastructure interdependences. Essential lifeline services (eg, energy and communications) were inoperable for many months, which led to increased attention from policy-makers, media, and the public.
Margins of Fair Trade Wine along the Supply Chain: Evidence from South African Wine in the U.S. Market
Authors: Back Robin M. , Liu Xinyang , Niklas Britta , Storchmann Karl , Vink Nick
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we analyze profit margins and markups of Fair Trade (FT) wines sold in the United States. We are particularly interested in whether and to what extent the FT cost impulse in production is passed along to the supply chain. We draw on a limited sample of about 470 South African wines sold in Connecticut and New Jersey in the fall of 2016; about 90 of them are certified FT. For these wines we have free on board export prices, wholesale prices, and retail prices, which allows us to compute wholesale and retail margins and analyze the FT treatment effect. We run OLS, 2SLS, and propensity score matching models and find evidence of asymmetrical pricing behavior. While wholesalers seem to fully pass-through the FT cost effect, retailers appear to amplify the cost effect. As a result, at the retail level, FT wines yield significantly higher margins than their non-FT counterparts. (JEL Classifications: L11, L31, L43, L81, Q17)
Should Ties Be Broken in Commercial Wine Competitions? When Yes, What Method Is Practical and Defensible?
Authors: Bodington Jeffrey , Malfeito-Ferreira Manuel
Published: December 2019

Ties in the averages of scores that commercial wine competitions employ to grant awards are common, and these ties make it difficult for competition officials to differentiate between wines, they erode the perception of judges’ expertise, and they can make compliance with competition rules arithmetically impossible. Responding to requests from competition officials, this article presents and evaluates six methods for breaking ties in averages of scores. Results show that using an Olympic Average, the mean excluding the highest and lowest scores, is easy to calculate, easy to communicate, effective, unbiased, and it is not inconsistent with the implications of a method of aggregating scores that is not prone to ties. (JEL Classifications: A10, C00, C10, C12, D12)
Half-Blind Tasting: A Deception-Free Method for Sizing Placebo and Nocebo Responses to Price and Packaging Attributes
Authors: Goldstein Robin S.
Published: December 2019

Information conveyed on the price tag or label of a consumable packaged good is widely thought to change the consumer's sensory experience of consuming the good. Can the positive “placebo” effects of high prices and negative “nocebo” effects of low prices on consumer experience be isolated and observed in a controlled experiment without using deception? In a pilot wine experiment using a method I call “half-blind tasting,” I observe that the nocebo response to a $5 price tag is stronger than the placebo response to a $50 price tag. To interpret these preliminary results, I borrow some insights from prospect theory. (JEL Classifications: C91, D81, L66, M31, Q11)
Is “Localness” about Distance or Relationships? Evidence from Hard Cider
Authors: Farris Jarrad , Malone Trey , Robison Lindon J. , Rothwell Nikki L.
Published: December 2019

While many studies have evaluated consumer demand for local foods, fewer studies have focused on the mechanism that has created the positive willingness-to-pay for local foods. This article compares the role of geographic distance and attachment value in consumer preferences for locally produced hard cider. Consumer valuations are estimated via a “branded” discrete choice experiment where the respondents chose between an in-state hard cider, an out-of-state hard cider, and a no buy option. Our measure of travel distance is based on the optimal driving route between each consumer's GPS location and the locations of the cideries while our attachment value measure is based on social capital theory. This allows us to analyze individual-specific travel distance heterogeneity in consumer choice as it relates to attachment value. Based on a latent class logit model estimated from a discrete choice experiment with 441 participants, we show that attachment value is higher for a cider produced within the state than for a cider produced outside the state. Furthermore, we show that increases in attachment value increase demand for locally produced hard cider more than an equal increase in attachment value for non-locally produced hard cider. Our findings are consistent with “local” preferences based on geopolitical boundaries (e.g., the state of Michigan) and not distance. (JEL Classifications: B55, M3, Q13, C83)
Labor Mobilization and Cooperation for Urban Construction: Building Apartment Compounds at Teotihuacan
Authors: Murakami Tatsuya
Published: December 2019

Teotihuacan underwent an urban renewal during the Tlamimilolpa phase (AD 250–350) in which more than 2,000 apartment compounds were constructed to accommodate its estimated 100,000 residents. Although the orderly layout and canonical orientation of the city imply top-down planning, growing evidence suggests a bottom-up process of urban transformation. This study combines architectural energetics with archaeometric analysis of nonlocal construction materials (lime plaster and andesitic cut stone blocks) to examine the labor organization behind the construction of the apartment compounds. The results of the energetic analysis suggest that residents relied on labor forces external to their compounds, whereas materials analysis indicates that the procurement, transportation, and production of building material were centrally organized and thus indicative of a state labor tax. Based on these results, I argue that compounds were assembled through corporate group labor exchange or communal (neighborhood-level) labor cooperation/obligation, with differing degrees of support from the state labor tax. Apartment compound construction was not uniform but rather a diverse process in which state labor mobilization, communal labor obligations, and corporate labor exchange were articulated in various ways.
Re-assessing the Foundations: Worldwide Smallpox Eradication, 1957–67
Authors: Bhattacharya Sanjoy , Campani Carlos Eduardo D’Avila Pereira
Published: December 2019

An expansive, worldwide smallpox eradication programme (SEP) was announced by the World Health Assembly in 1958, leading this decision-making body to instruct the World Health Organization Headquarters in Geneva to work with WHO regional offices to engage and draw in national governments to ensure success. Tabled by the Soviet Union’s representative and passed by a majority vote by member states, the announcement was subject to intense diplomatic negotiations. This led to the formation, expansion and reshaping of an ambitious and complex campaign that cut across continents and countries. This article examines these inter-twining international, regional and national processes, and challenges long-standing historiographical assumptions about the fight against smallpox only gathering strength from the mid-1960s onwards, after the start of a US-supported programme in western Africa. The evidence presented here suggests a far more complex picture. It shows that although the SEP’s structures grew slowly between 1958 and 1967, a worldwide eradication programme resulted from international negotiations made possible through gains during this period. Significant progress in limiting the incidence of smallpox sustained international collaboration, and justified the prolongation and expansion of activities. Indeed, all of this bore diplomatic and legal processes within the World Health Assembly and WHO that acted as the foundation of the so-called intensified phase of the SEP and the multi-faceted activities that led to the certification of smallpox eradication in 1980.
“A True and Patriotic Band!”: Welsh Anglican Resistance to a Colonial Victorian Church
Authors: Jones Matthew C.
Published: December 2019

This essay examines the colonial relationship between the Anglican Church and the British Empire's Welsh subjects across the nineteenth century. Focusing on the small output of a group of exiled Welsh clergymen (known as The Association of Welsh Clergy in the West Riding of the County of York), I consider Welsh Anglican responses to the church's neglect of Wales (exemplified by no Welsh-speaking bishop being assigned to a Welsh diocese between 1727 and 1870, despite the majority of the population not speaking English). The association believed that preaching in a foreign language such as English constituted a perversion from proper church practice and that this both reflected hegemonic attitudes toward indigenous and non-English speaking populations and pushed the Welsh population toward dissent. In response, the association sought to combine church reform with Welsh nationalism by elevating Welsh speakers as the spiritual inheritors of the true and primitive British church. They promulgated their visions in annual reports published between 1852 and 1856 into which they channeled other contemporary voices speaking against tyrannical and “Romish” Anglican Church practices. Through an analysis of post-Reformation Welsh church histories and the reports’ usages of such terminology as “alienation,” “Catholicism,” and “patriotism,” I reveal how the Welsh national identity the association fashioned at once operated within and aspired to correct the Anglican Church.
Undoing GDR Iconoclasm: The Return and Interpretation of a Spiritual and Academic Heritage through the Building of the Paulinum in Leipzig
Authors: Groop Kim
Published: December 2019

On the first Sunday of Advent in 2017, a new university church was consecrated at Leipzig University in Germany. This celebration brought to an end the five-decade-long absence of a church within the old university. The inauguration of the Paulinum—as the combined church and assembly hall was named—visibly reconnected the university with a church history involving the active participation of personalities such as Martin Luther, Johann Tetzel, Felix Mendelssohn, and Johann Sebastian Bach. Under scrutiny in this article is the 1968 destruction of the University Church of Saint Paul, originally a medieval monastery, by the Socialist Unity Party (SED) as a kind of socialist iconoclasm. Through the destruction of the University Church of Saint Paul, I argue, the church became something of an architectonic and cultural martyr. Although the Paulinum is not viewed as a direct continuation of the university church, its completion and refurbishing with art treasures from the old church has, however, come to be viewed as a counterpart to SED barbarism and as an undoing of some aspects of the destruction. Moreover, some episodes from the university church and its destruction have been passed on and attached to the Paulinum as a mnemonic layer, much valued by the university, city, and region.
Long-term effects of cochlear implantation on the intelligibility of speech in French-speaking children
Authors: GRANDON Bénédicte , MARTINEZ Marie-José , SAMSON Adeline , VILAIN Anne
Published: December 2019

Our study compares the intelligibility of French-speaking children with a cochlear implant (N = 13) and age-matched children with typical hearing (N = 13) in a narrative task. This contrasts with previous studies in which speech intelligibility of children with cochlear implants is most often tested using repetition or reading tasks. Languages other than English are seldom considered. Their productions were graded by naive and expert listeners. The results show that (1) children with CIs have lower intelligibility, (2) early implantation is a predictor of good intelligibility, and (3) late implantation after two years of age does not prevent the children from eventually reaching good intelligibility.
Aortopulmonary window with anomalous right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery. Case report and literature review
Authors: Alakhfash Ali A. , Tagelden Mohamad , Almesned Abdulrahman , Alqwaiee Abdullah
Published: December 2019

Aortopulmonary window is a rare congenital heart lesion. It might be associated with other CHDs, as well as with anomalous origin of the coronary arteries. Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA) is the most commonly described coronary artery anomaly in association with aortopulmonary window. We are describing a premature neonate who was diagnosed to have aortopulmonary window and ARCAPA immediately after birth, and had a successful operation at the age of 4 months. This report highlights the importance of very careful assessment of the coronary arteries in patients with aortopulmonary window.
The populist citizen: Empirical evidence from Europe and Latin America
Authors: Rovira Kaltwasser Cristóbal , Van Hauwaert Steven M.
Published: December 2019

Scholars are increasingly interested in ‘populist attitudes’, which – studies show – can explain party support and vote choice. However, current research has not yet analyzed in detail the characteristics of those individuals with populist proclivities, or so-calledpopulist citizens. To address this research gap, we harmonize survey data on populist attitudes for nine European countries, five Latin American countries, and Turkey in order to uncover shared or distinct features of populist citizens. Our findings are threefold. First, we identify differences in the sociodemographic characteristics of populist citizens, notably between Europe and Latin America. Second, we find similar patterns of heterogeneity in the political features of populist citizens. Third, we show that populist citizens across all countries have the same democratic profile. They systematically support democracy over other forms of government, while being dissatisfied with its implementation. This suggests populist attitudes are intrinsic to the political culture of contemporary democracies.
Ein Vergleich traditioneller und computergestützter Methoden zur Erstellung einer deutschsprachigen Need for Cognition Kurzskala
Authors: Beißert Hanna , Köhler Meike , Rempel Marina , Kruyen Peter
Published: December 2019

Zusammenfassung. Die vorliegende Arbeit dient der Entwicklung einer Kurzskala zur Messung von Need for Cognition (NFC). Neben traditionellen Verfahren der Itemreduktion auf Basis von Itemkennwerten der klassischen Testtheorie wurde in Studie 1 ( N = 282) ein neues, computergestütztes Verfahren des „full information approach“ vorgestellt. Mithilfe der beiden Verfahren wurden 3 mögliche Skalen mit jeweils 5 Items selektiert, welche in einem unabhängigen Datensatz in Studie 2 ( N = 530) Validierungskriterien unterzogen wurden. Aus den 3 Skalen mit ähnlichen Ergebnissen bezüglich der Gütekriterien wurde eine anhand der „full information approach“ erstellten Skalen als finale Kurzskala NFC-K ausgewählt. Diese NFC-K weist ein Cronbachs α von .69 auf, eine Korrelation mit der Langskala von .81 und keinen signifikanten Zusammenhang mit sozialer Erwünschtheit. Neben der systematischen und objektiven Selektion und Validierung der Kurzskala NFC-K stellt die vorliegende Arbeit auch eine Fallstudie zu den Herausforderungen der Kurzskalenentwicklung auf Basis klassischer und computergestützter Selektionsverfahren dar.
At the Intersection of Motivational Relevance and Website Visual Complexity
Authors: Yegiyan Narine , DeAngelo Tessa I. , Zhan You
Published: December 2019

Abstract. This study investigated how resource allocation to and encoding of irrelevant peripheral information (advertisements) varied as a function of the emotional tone of a central event (movie clip) and website complexity (number of advertisements). Secondary task reaction times (STRTs) and ad recognition accuracy were used to test the predictions. Two competing hypotheses – a memory narrowing hypothesis and an escape hypothesis – were posed to explain encoding of advertisements paired with negative arousing movie clips at the highest level of website complexity. The results were more supportive of the memory narrowing hypothesis; participants had more resources while viewing positive rather than negative movies and advertisements were encoded better when they were presented with positive rather than negative movie clips. However, for calm movie clips this difference showed at the lowest level of website complexity, but gradually diminished as the level of complexity increased.
Complex Deformation of Central and North China Through Pn Velocity and Anisotropy Tomography
Authors: Lü Yan , Xu Yihe , Liu Jiaqi , He Yuhui , Zhang Jinhai
Published: December 2019

Using our recently developed Pn tomography method, we obtain high‐resolution Pn velocity and anisotropy structures of uppermost mantle beneath the Central and North China, which provide useful insight concerning the mechanism of intraplate mantle dynamics. The consistency between the new Pn model and seismic reflection/refraction profiles demonstrates the high quality of our model. Based on the Pn anisotropy structure surrounding the Alxa Block, we infer that material extrusion from northeastern Tibet was impeded and turned to the west and south edges of the Alxa Block. The Pn structures beneath the Sichuan Basin and Songpan‐Ganzi Orogen suggest that the stable Sichuan Basin impeded material extrusion from the Tibetan Plateau and caused material from Tibet to be extruded separately along the west and northwest edges of the Sichuan Basin. To the north of the Sichuan Basin, we infer that the extrusion has ceased within the Songpan‐Ganzi Orogen rather than to further east. The high Pn velocities beneath the Qinling Orogen do not support the proposal of large‐scale eastward material escaping flow in the shallow mantle beneath the western Qinling Orogen. The Pn velocity distribution beneath the North China Craton indicates that hot material from the mantle is more likely to upwell beneath deep faults or active orogenic areas. Our model indicates that the northern and central parts of the Ordos Block retain stable structures at the uppermost mantle, while its southeastern has been reworked by hot material.
New Zealand‐Wide Geodetic Strain Rates Using a Physics‐Based Approach
Authors: Haines A. John , Wallace Laura M.
Published: December 2019

We present a new strain rate map for New Zealand, based on geodetic data acquired from 1995 to 2013. We use a physics‐based approach, which inverts the horizontal GPS velocities for Vertical Derivatives of Horizontal Stress (VDoHS) rates, relying on using elasticity theory and the horizontal force balance equations at the Earth's surface. The VDoHS rates are then integrated to obtain horizontal strain rates. Strain rates derived using this new approach are less spatially smoothed than previous results using conventional methods. In addition to the major plate boundary features in New Zealand, low‐rate zones of deformation are resolved by the strain and VDoHS rates, which bodes well for the utility of this method to reveal processes on hidden or ill‐characterized fault zones. Application of this new method to obtain strain and VDoHS rates provides the highest resolution view to‐date of contemporary deformation in New Zealand.
Elongation and Stability of a Linear Dune
Authors: Rozier Olivier , Narteau Clément , Gadal Cyril , Claudin Philippe , Courrech du Pont Sylvain
Published: December 2019

Compared to barchan dunes, the morphodynamics of linear dunes that elongate on a nonerodible bed have barely been investigated by means of laboratory experiments or numerical simulations. Using a cellular automaton model, we study the elongation of a solitary linear dune from a sand source and show that it can reach a steady state. This steady state is analyzed to understand the physical processes at work along the dune. Crest reversals together with avalanche processes control the shape of transverse sections. Dune width and height decrease almost linearly with distance downstream until the minimum size for dune is reached. This is associated with a constant sand loss along the dune, which eventually compensates for the sediment influx and sets the dune length. This sand budget is discussed to distinguish an elongating linear dune from a barchan dune and to explain the complexity of linear dune fields in nature.
The Northwestern Greenland Ice Sheet During The Early Pleistocene Was Similar To Today
Authors: Christ Andrew J. , Bierman Paul R. , Knutz Paul C. , Corbett Lee B. , Fosdick Julie C. , Thomas Elizabeth K. , Cowling Owen C. , Hidy Alan J. , Caffee Marc W.
Published: December 2019

The multi‐million year history of the Greenland Ice Sheet remains poorly known. Ice‐proximal glacial marine diamict provides a direct but discontinuous record of ice sheet behavior; it is underutilized as a climate archive. Here, we present a novel multiproxy analysis of an Early Pleistocene marine diamict from northwestern Greenland. Low cosmogenic nuclide concentrations indicate minimal near‐surface exposure, similar to modern terrestrial sediment. Detrital apatite (U‐Th‐Sm)/He (AHe) ages all predate glaciation by >150 million years, suggesting the northwestern Greenland Ice Sheet had, by 1.9 Ma, not yet incised fjords of sufficient depth to excavate grains with young AHe ages. The diamict contains terrestrial plant leaf wax, likely from land surfaces surrounding the ice sheet. These data indicate that a persistent, dynamic ice sheet existed in northwestern Greenland by 1.9 Ma and that diamict is a useful archive of ice sheet history and process.
Subauroral Green STEVE Arcs: Evidence for Low‐Energy Excitation
Authors: Mende S. B. , Harding B. J. , Turner C.
Published: December 2019

Subauroral emissions known as STEVEs (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancements) are sometimes accompanied by green arcs containing magnetic field‐aligned “picket fence” structures. In a newly published spectrum of a green picket fence arc Gillies et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083272) showed that the visible emission in such arcs is mostly OI 557.7 nm with minimal N2+ 1N. This finding is consistent with the color ratios found in digital camera photos (Mende & Turner, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026851) and is distinct from the ratios in auroral precipitation. The spectrum also contains intense N2 first positive (1P) emission. The presence of OI 557.7 (~4.19 eV excitation energy) and N2 1P (~7.35 eV), combined with the lack of N2+ first negative (~18.75 eV) commonly seen in the aurora, suggests that the particles exciting the emission have energy <18.75 eV. This is strong evidence against the precipitation hypothesis recently put forth (Nishimura et al., 2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL082460; Gillies et al., 2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083272).
The Vertical Structure of Liquid Water Content in Shallow Clouds as Retrieved From Dual‐Wavelength Radar Observations
Authors: Zhu Zeen , Lamer Katia , Kollias Pavlos , Clothiaux Eugene E.
Published: December 2019

Observations collected over 3 months by the beam‐matched second‐generation Ka/W band Scanning Cloud Radar located at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program Eastern North Atlantic observatory are used to advance existing liquid water content (LWC) retrieval techniques, quantify retrieval uncertainty, and subsequently characterize the impact of cloud dynamics and rain rates on the vertical distribution of LWC in boundary layer clouds both precipitating and broken. A threefold technique is proposed that involves (1) temporally averaging measured radar reflectivities collected at two wavelengths to 30‐s resolution, (2) smoothing via fitting a second‐degree polynomial to their dual‐wavelength ratios within 187.5‐m vertical overlapping sliding windows, and (3) averaging the multiple LWC estimates produced at each height. It is estimated that this technique reduced LWC retrieval uncertainty to 0.10–0.65 g/m3, depending on cloud thickness. Although individual retrievals remained noisy, statistics on subgroups of height‐normalized LWC profiles show that, on average, the vertical distributions of LWC in most of the observed clouds followed a linear relationship with a degree of adiabaticity ranging from 0.6 to 0.2 for 200‐ to 600‐m thick clouds. However, nonlinear LWC profiles were present in subgroups of cloud segments presenting intense (0.1–0.5 mm/hr) drizzle rates where LWC was observed to pool near cloud base and in subgroups of cloud segments within strong (0.6 m/s) downdrafts near cloud top where LWC was coincidently reduced. This nonlinearity is inconsistent with the use of adiabatic cloud assumptions for process studies and supports further development of retrievals like the one proposed.
Extracellular matrix, regional heterogeneity of the aorta, and aortic aneurysm
Authors: Jana Sayantan , Hu Mei , Shen Mengcheng , Kassiri Zamaneh
Published: December 2019

Aortic aneurysm is an asymptomatic disease with dire outcomes if undiagnosed. Aortic aneurysm rupture is a significant cause of death worldwide. To date, surgical repair or endovascular repair (EVAR) is the only effective treatment for aortic aneurysm, as no pharmacological treatment has been found effective. Aortic aneurysm, a focal dilation of the aorta, can be formed in the thoracic (TAA) or the abdominal (AAA) region; however, our understanding as to what determines the site of aneurysm formation remains quite limited. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the noncellular component of the aortic wall, that in addition to providing structural support, regulates bioavailability of an array of growth factors and cytokines, thereby influencing cell function and behavior that ultimately determine physiological or pathological remodeling of the aortic wall. Here, we provide an overview of the ECM proteins that have been reported to be involved in aortic aneurysm formation in humans or animal models, and the experimental models for TAA and AAA and the link to ECM manipulations. We also provide a comparative analysis, where data available, between TAA and AAA, and how aberrant ECM proteolysis versus disrupted synthesis may determine the site of aneurysm formation.
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: present status and future directions
Authors: Yoon Somy , Eom Gwang Hyeon
Published: December 2019

The clinical importance of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has recently become apparent. HFpEF refers to heart failure (HF) symptoms with normal or near-normal cardiac function on echocardiography. Common clinical features of HFpEF include diastolic dysfunction, reduced compliance, and ventricular hypokinesia. HFpEF differs from the better-known HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Despite having a “preserved ejection fraction,” patients with HFpEF have symptoms such as shortness of breath, excessive tiredness, and limited exercise capability. Furthermore, the mortality rate and cumulative survival rate are as severe in HFpEF as they are in HFrEF. While beta-blockers and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system modulators can improve the survival rate in HFrEF, no known therapeutic agents show similar effectiveness in HFpEF. Researchers have examined molecular events in the development of HFpEF using small and middle-sized animal models. This review discusses HFpEF with regard to etiology and clinical features and introduces the use of mouse and other animal models of human HFpEF.
Improvement in indices of cellular protection after psychological treatment for social anxiety disorder
Authors: Månsson Kristoffer N. T. , Lindqvist Daniel , Yang Liu L. , Svanborg Cecilia , Isung Josef , Nilsonne Gustav , Bergman-Nordgren Lise , El Alaoui Samir , Hedman-Lagerlöf Erik , Kraepelien Martin , Högström Jens , Andersson Gerhard , Boraxbekk Carl-Johan , Fischer Håkan , Lavebratt Catharina , Wolkowitz Owen M. , Furmark Tomas
Published: December 2019

Telomere attrition is a hallmark of cellular aging and shorter telomeres have been reported in mood and anxiety disorders. Telomere shortening is counteracted by the enzyme telomerase and cellular protection is also provided by the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Here, telomerase, GPx, and telomeres were investigated in 46 social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients in a within-subject design with repeated measures before and after cognitive behavioral therapy. Treatment outcome was assessed by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (self-report), administered three times before treatment to control for time and regression artifacts, and posttreatment. Venipunctures were performed twice before treatment, separated by 9 weeks, and once posttreatment. Telomerase activity and telomere length were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and GPx activity in plasma. All patients contributed with complete data. Results showed that social anxiety symptom severity was significantly reduced from pretreatment to posttreatment (Cohen’sd = 1.46). There were no significant alterations in telomeres or cellular protection markers before treatment onset. Telomere length and telomerase activity did not change significantly after treatment, but an increase in telomerase over treatment was associated with reduced social anxiety. Also, lower pretreatment telomerase activity predicted subsequent symptom improvement. GPx activity increased significantly during treatment, and increases were significantly associated with symptom improvement. The relationships between symptom improvement and putative protective enzymes remained significant also after controlling for body mass index, sex, duration of SAD, smoking, concurrent psychotropic medication, and the proportion of lymphocytes to monocytes. Thus, indices of cellular protection may be involved in the therapeutic mechanisms of psychological treatment for anxiety.