bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Budesonide and Dexamethasone on Cell Morphology, Thymidine Incorporation and Glutamine Synthetase Activity in Rat Primary Astroglial Culture
Authors: Ryrfeldt Åke , Hansson Elisabeth , Brattsand Ralph
Published: August 2020

Glucocorticoids are widely used in medical practice. Since astrocytes are target cells for glucocorticoids, the effects of two glucocorticoids, budesonide and dexamethasone, on cell morphology, thymidine incorporation into DNA and glutamine synthetase (GS) activity, were evaluated in primary astroglial cultures. Both budesonide and dexamethasone caused a threefold increase in GS activity over a dose range of 10-6–10-9 M. There were no differences between the effects of the two glucocorticoids. No morphological changes were obtained with the glucocorticoids with the same concentration range as above and with incubation periods of up to 48 hours. Nor were any effects on [3H]-thymidine incorporation observed. It is concluded that glucocorticoids can regulate intracellular amino acid metabolism in astrocytes by an activation of GS, while cell morphology and cell replication appear not to be affected.
Astroglial Receptors as Putative Targets for Neurotoxic Agents
Authors: Hansson Elisabeth , Rönnbäck Lars
Published: August 2020

Astrocytes respond to neurotoxins and play a crucial role in metabolic and structural nerve tissue dysfunction in diseases, such as epilepsy, degenerative diseases, hepatic encephalopathy, and in other toxic states. The cells make up part of the blood/brain barrier, thus being “aware of” blood-borne substances which can penetrate into the nervous tissue. The cells also extend processes into the synaptic regions and probably regulate neuronal activity.

Cells respond to changes in their environment by means of specific receptors that detect incoming signals and translate the information into a form that can be recognised by intracellular effector systems. Aspects of astrocyte receptors for neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, receptor interactions, second messenger systems and automodulation of genes after receptor activation are summarised as a basis for studies on the evaluation of the effects of neurotoxic substances and drugs.
Membrane Alterations Induced by Amphiphiles
Authors: Isomaa Boris , Hägerstrand Henry , Paatero Gun I.L.
Published: August 2020

Amphiphilic compounds with distinct apolar and polar parts are readily intercalated into the erythrocyte membrane. When intercalated into the membrane, amphiphiles are probably orientated so that the polar head is at the polar-apolar interface of the lipid bilayer and the hydrophobic part within the apolar core of the bilayer. However, by virtue of their difference in molecular shape from the bulk lipids of the lipid bilayer, it is possible that the intercalated amphiphiles are partly segregated from bulk lipids and accumulate at protein-lipid interfaces in the bilayer, where the packing of the bilayer lipids may be less ordered.

Our studies show that amphiphiles, when intercalated into the erythrocyte membrane, trigger alterations in several membrane-connected functions. Some of the alterations induced (decreased osmotic fragility, increased passive potassium fluxes) seem to be due to non-specific interactions of the amphiphiles with the membrane, whereas other functions (ion transport mediated by membrane proteins, regulation of cell shape) seem to be sensitive to particular features of the amphiphiles.

Our studies indicate that the intercalation of amphiphiles into the erythrocyte membrane must involve rearrangements within the lipid bilayer. We have suggested that, when intercalated into the lipid bilayer, amphiphiles trigger a rapid formation of non-bilayer phases, which protect the bilayer against a collapse and bring about a trans-bilayer redistribution of intercalated amphiphiles as well as of bilayer lipids. At high sublytic concentrations, this process may also involve a release of microvesicles from the membrane.
Effects of Oxybarbiturates on Fern Spore Germination and Gametophyte Development
Authors: Bannon Martin E. , Kordan Herbert A. , Sheffield Elizabeth
Published: August 2020

Spores from the ferns Pteridium aquilinum and Anemia phyllitidis were germinated on solid Moore's medium, supplemented with the three oxybarbiturates, namely, barbital, amobarbital and secobarbital, under white light. The severity of the adverse action of these neuroactive agents on spore germination, and in most instances, on subsequent gametophyte development, was secobarbital>amobarbital>barbital. A. phyllitidis was, on the whole, more sensitive than P. aquilinum to the adverse effects exerted by the three oxybarbiturates on spore germination and subsequent gametophyte development.
In Vitro Cytotoxicity Tests on Cultured Human Skin Fibroblasts to Predict the Irritation Potential of Surfactants
Authors: Cornells Marleen , Dupont Charlotte , Wepierre Jacques
Published: August 2020

A comparative study of the cytotoxicity of 17 surfactants was performed in vitro on cultured human skin fibroblasts to predict their irritation potential under different experimental conditions: test media, presence of proteins, various times of exposure (2–72 hours), and evaluation methods. For cytotoxicity, the tetrazolium MTT assay after exposure for 2 hours in Hank's medium (HBSS) seemed to be more sensitive than protein and LDH leakage tests. Cytotoxicities in HBSS and in minimum Eagle's medium (MEM) were very similar. Addition of 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) to MEM decreased the cytotoxicity of surfactants; however, their order of cytotoxicity was generally the same in MEM with or without FCS. Cytotoxicity increased with incubation time, but the overall ranking remained identical. Non-ionic polyoxyethylene 20 ethers (Brij 35, 58, 78 and 99) surfactants, although considered to be non-irritant in vivo, revealed a high cytotoxic effect in our cell culture system. A good correlation with the results of in vivo Draize rabbit eye irritancy was found only when they were excluded.
Correlation between In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Octanol/Water Partition Coefficient of 29 Substances from the MEIC Programme
Authors: Halle Willi , Baeger Ingo , Ekwall Björn , Spielmann Horst
Published: August 2020

Single linear regression analysis was used for chemicals of the MEIC (multicentre evaluation of in vitro cytotoxicity) project, to obtain a correlation between in vitro cytotoxicity determined in various test systems, according to data from the literature, and their lipophilicity. A linear correlation coefficient of 0.76 was determined between the IC50x¯ values (geometrical mean of two or more IC50 values per substance) of 29 MEIC substances and their octanol/water partition coefficient (owp). Since the MEIC substances were selected from a broad spectrum of structurally unrelated classes of chemicals, it may be possible to make close predictions of the general in vitro cytotoxicities of chemicals from their owp coefficients.
An In Vitro Cytotoxicity Assay Using Rat Hepatocytes and MTT and Coomassie Blue Dye as Indicators
Authors: Otoguro Kazuhiko , Komiyama Kanki , Ωmura Satoshi , Tyson Charles A.
Published: August 2020

Isolated hepatocytes from male Sprague-Dawley rats suspended in culture medium supplemented with either 0.2 or 2% bovine serum albumin (BSA) were allowed to attach to collagen coated 96-well dishes. Ten test chemicals from the MEIC list and salicylic acid were added individually to the dishes, and at the end of 24 and 48 hours, cytotoxicity was determined by measuring MTT (tetrazolium salt) reduction (mitochondrial integrity) and total cellular protein using Coomassie blue dye (reflecting cell number). Total cellular lactate dehydrogenase activity was also determined in some experiments, as an indicator of plasma membrane integrity. The relative toxicities of the test chemicals were quantified by the estimation of EC10, EC20 and EC50 values for each parameter. Except for one chemical, digoxin, in the MTT assay, cytotoxic potency increased with incubation time. The hepatocytes tended to be more sensitive to the chemicals in medium containing 0.2% BSA than in medium containing 2% BSA. Simple linear regression analyses of the log transformed data from the MTT assay versus log oral LD50 in rats for the test chemicals gave the best results using EC10 at 24 hours (r2 = 0.86). With protein as the cytotoxic indicator, the best results were obtained with EC values in the medium containing 2% BSA, again at 24 hours (r2 = 0.83). These results suggest that the MTT and Coomassie blue dye assays could be useful indicators for testing the cytotoxic potential of chemicals in rat hepatocyte cultures.
Diffuse white matter loss in a transgenic rat model of cerebral amyloid angiopathy
Authors: Lee Hedok , Xu Feng , Liu Xiaodan , Koundal Sunil , Zhu Xiaoyue , Davis Judianne , Yanez David , Schrader Joseph , Stanisavljevic Aleksandra , Rothman Douglas L , Wardlaw Joanna , Van Nostrand William E , Benveniste Helene
Published: August 2020

Diffuse white matter (WM) disease is highly prevalent in elderly with cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). In humans, cSVD such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) often coexists with Alzheimer’s disease imposing a significant impediment for characterizing their distinct effects on WM. Here we studied the burden of age-related CAA pathology on WM disease in a novel transgenic rat model of CAA type 1 (rTg-DI). A cohort of rTg-DI and wild-type rats was scanned longitudinally using MRI for characterization of morphometry, cerebral microbleeds (CMB) and WM integrity. In rTg-DI rats, a distinct pattern of WM loss was observed at 9 M and 11 M. MRI also revealed manifestation of small CMB in thalamus at 6 M, which preceded WM loss and progressively enlarged until the moribund disease stage. Histology revealed myelin loss in the corpus callosum and thalamic CMB in all rTg-DI rats, the latter of which manifested in close proximity to occluded and calcified microvessels. The quantitation of CAA load in rTg-DI rats revealed that the most extensive microvascular Aβ deposition occurred in the thalamus. For the first time using in vivo MRI, we show that CAA type 1 pathology alone is associated with a distinct pattern of WM loss.
Drawing and Ignoring: The Perception of the Pictorial Line
Authors: Schott G. D.
Published: August 2020

For over 2000 years, the pictorial line has been recognized as being fundamental to drawing and several other art forms. Yet pictorial lines present intriguing issues, three of which are considered here: lines very rarely exist in the natural world; there is no known part of the brain which “processes” lines; and, paradoxically, we often pay very little attention to the lines themselves, and they have even been viewed as “an imaginary idea”.
An Interactive Pedagogy in Mobile Context for Augmenting Early Childhood Numeric Literacy and Quantifying Skills
Authors: Mowafi Yaser , Abumuhfouz Ismail
Published: August 2020

Mobile learning techniques have brought the potential of scaffolding information in real-world context that allows learners to interact more actively with their learning content. In this study, we present an interactive learning approach that allows learners to interact with their learning content in real-world context. With learning environment and tasks aligned to the learning content and outcomes, we have developed a mobile application for preschool children to experience their own learning environment using an interactive learning approach and mobile technologies Quick Response codes for learning counting and quantifying skills. The learning content is delivered to learners based on an interactive learning path and the assessment of the learners’ progress to further learning. We evaluate the learning approach in a group of 34 preschool children between 3 and 5 years old, divided into intervention and control group. The intervention group were engaged in numeric learning tasks using the interactive learning approach in mobile context. The control group were engaged in learning activities according to the preschool existing program’s pedagogical curriculum. Pre and post-test learning progress assessment related to the mathematical domain indicate that children from the experimental group performed better than the comparison group after four-month intervention period.
Hope in Palliative Care: A Thematic Analysis
Authors: Beng Tan Seng , Xin Cheah Ai , Ying Yeoh Kee , Khuen Lim Poh , Yee Anne , Zainuddin Sheriza Izwa , Chin Loh Ee , Loong Lam Chee
Published: August 2020

Background: Hope is a positive coping mechanism that is important at all stages of illness, more so for palliative care patients. Objective: To explore the experiences of hope of palliative care patients. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted at University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Adult palliative care in-patients were recruited and interviewed with semi structured questions on hope. Transcripts from the interviews were thematically analyzed with qualitative data management software NVIVO. Results: 20 palliative care patients participated in the study. The themes generated from thematic analysis were (1) The notions of hope, (2) The sources and barriers of hope and (3) The contents of hope. Conclusion: Hope is an ever-present source of energy that gives people strength to carry on even in the most adverse situations. Understanding hope from the palliative care perspective may allow healthcare providers to develop strategies to better foster hope in the terminally ill.
Linked vehicle model: A simple car-following model for automated vehicles
Authors: Xiao Yonggang , Liu Yanbing , Song Xiuli , Wu Yunjun
Published: August 2020

The expectation from automated vehicles has been increasing in recent years. Potential advantages for automated vehicles include driving safety, traffic efficiency, and positive environmental outcomes. To evaluate the extent to which automated vehicles are advantageous against conventional vehicles, this paper presents a simple car-following model, named the linked vehicle model, which reflects the capabilities of automated vehicles and the interaction between adjacent automated vehicles. The idea behind linked vehicle model is inspired by the collective motion of self-propelled particles in nature and the study of vehicle platooning from the Safe Road Trains for the Environment project. Moreover, the model is integrated into a traffic simulator in order to evaluate the performance of automated vehicles in an ideal circumstance. Comparisons with other representative car-following models are also provided, and they show that linked vehicle model achieves both optimal microscopic and macroscopic performance. Simulated results also show that linked vehicle model attains the best fuel economy and the lowest pollutant emissions.
Research on bifurcation and control of electromechanical coupling torsional vibration for wheel-side direct-driven transmission system
Authors: Ju Jinyong , Li Wei , Liu Yufei , Zhang Chunrui
Published: August 2020

Aiming to the torsional vibration destabilization phenomenon of the wheel-side transmission system direct-driven by the high-power motor, the system torsional vibration bifurcation characteristics and control strategy are analyzed. Through defining the system electromechanical coupling relationship between the electrical link and the mechanical link, the dynamic model of the wheel-side direct-driven transmission system is constructed. Then, based on the Routh–Hurwitz stability criterion, the system Hopf bifurcation characteristics caused by the change of the wheel-ground friction during driving are revealed. Furthermore, with the nonlinear feedback controller and the Washout filter combined, the system torsional vibration stabilization controller is constructed by introducing the system torsional vibration signals into the motor control voltage. The results show that the linear part of the torsional vibration stabilization controller can effectively change the system stability region, as well as the cubic nonlinear part of the torsional vibration stabilization controller can control the stability of the system bifurcation points and suppress the limit cycle amplitude. The research results can provide theoretical basis and technical support for the performance improvement and integrated application of the wheel-side direct-driven transmission system in the electric bus.
Overtaking control strategy based on model predictive control with varying horizon for unmanned ground vehicle
Authors: Hu Chaofang , Zhao Lingxue
Published: August 2020

In this paper, a synthesized novel strategy of varying predictive horizon-based model predictive control is proposed for the overtaking control of unmanned ground vehicle. The whole control strategy includes path planning and path tracking. First, the preferred path in presence of diverse constraints of states, inputs, and collision avoidance can be calculated using Gauss pseudospectral method where expected position, velocity, and attitude are provided. Correspondingly, the continuous optimal control problem is converted to discrete nonlinear programming. Second, model predictive control is developed for tracking the optimized path. Considering the effect of the predictive horizon and the Gauss points’ distribution on tracking performance, the varying predictive horizon is introduced to improve the tracking accuracy in non-smooth path. By the varying predictive horizon-based model predictive control method, less computation burden and better control performance are achieved. For the difference between the mathematical expressions and the real unmanned ground vehicle dynamics, genetic algorithm is utilized to identify the parameters of tire model. Simulations in MATLAB and CarSim are both implemented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Conjugate heat transfer study of backdisc cooling of a radial turbine
Authors: Chao MA , Kangbo LU , Wenjiao LI
Published: August 2020

Radial turbines used in turbochargers and micro-turbines are subjected to high inlet temperature. This creates high thermal stress in the turbines, and possible creep of turbine inducer blades, and can reduce turbines’ reliability. With the ever-stringent engine emission regulations and the continuous drive for engine power density, turbine inlet temperature is significantly increased recently and the risk of thermo-mechanical failure of turbine rotor is heightened. To solve this problem, an innovative turbine cooling method is proposed by injecting a small amount of compressor or intercooler discharge air onto the upper backdisc region of turbine rotor to cool the disc and the inducer blades. A conjugate heat transfer simulation was carried out to investigate the effects of this cooling method with a turbocharger turbine. Flow conditions and geometric configurations were investigated for their influences on the cooling effectiveness of the method. The results show that using the compressor discharger air after intercooler with only 0.5–2.0% of turbine mass flow, the averaged cooling efficiency of the turbine backdisc is promoted by 23–43%; only four to six jets may be needed to cool the entire backdisc; and turbine efficiency is reduced by less than 1% point.
Third Eye Café: Sustaining Mainstream Transgender Employment
Authors: Mehta Nikhil Kewal Krishna
Published: August 2020

Working with transgender people or knowing about them is an intriguing subject for many (Revathi, 2010, The Truth About Me: A Hijra Life Story, New Delhi: Penguin Books). This case offers readers an opportunity to quench their curiosity and have a reasonable understanding of transgender people and their employment. The case weaves an entrepreneurial conflict of interest with the threads of entrepreneurial challenges and transgender employees. While it offers a path-breaking opportunity to understand marginalized transgender people, it ensures that learners understand and develop sensitivity to deal with issues of the mainstream employment of transgender people. The given case paves the way for the participants to think about ways of transgender inclusion and acclimatization in mainstream jobs. In the process of paving these ends (or beginnings), participants acknowledge their understanding of issues such as integrated business models, enlightened stakeholder theory, and Bourdieu theory of practice.
Continuing Burden of Refractory Epilepsy
Authors: Janson Marnie T. , Bainbridge Jacquelyn L.
Published: August 2020

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases, and uncontrolled seizures remain a significant problem for one-third of patients with epilepsy on drug therapy. Ongoing seizures affect the morbidity and mortality of patients with epilepsy. Premature death is up to 3 times higher in those with epilepsy than in the general population. Quality of life is affected by refractory epilepsy with physical, social, and psychological consequences. Patients may be stigmatized by society, institutions, and their own shame surrounding seizures. Questions remain on how to treat refractory epilepsy, also called drug-resistant, pharmacoresistant, or intractable epilepsy. Cenobamate, a novel antiseizure medication, may provide additional benefit for refractory epilepsy treatment.
First Molecular Genetic Characterization of Skene’s Gland Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Lenz Jiří , Michal Michal , Michal Michael , Hes Ondřej , Konečná Petra , Lenz David
Published: August 2020

Primary urethral adenocarcinomas are very rare neoplasms accounting for <10% of all urethral carcinomas. Site of their origin is unclear, but they seem to arise from Skene’s paraurethral glands, which is the female homologue of the male prostate. The aim of this article is to report the first case of Skene’s gland adenocarcinoma in which a molecular genetic profiling was performed. The patient was a 73-year-old woman with a polypoid lesion sized 3 × 2 cm located at the interface between the bladder neck and the proximal urethra. Transurethral resection was performed and small tissue fragments with positive margins were obtained. Histology revealed an epithelial neoplasm consisting of cribriform structures located in the subepithelial connective tissue of the bladder wall and proximal urethra. The lesion showed positive immunohistochemical staining with prostate specific antigen, prostatic acid phosphatase, NKX3.1, and alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase. Using the Illumina TruSight Tumor 170 next-generation sequencing assay, a mutation and loss of heterozygosity of the phosphatase and tensin homologue ( PTEN) gene was detected. No fusion in any of the examined genes was found using this assay as well as FusionPlex Solid Tumor Kit and FusionPlex Sarcoma kit assays from ArcherDX. Given the rarity of Skene’s gland adenocarcinoma, it is uncertain whether the same grading and prognostic criteria that are currently used for prostatic cancer apply here as well. It is also unclear what treatment strategy should be applied, but according to the available literature, it seems that local excision or wide surgical resection could represent sufficient therapeutic modalities.
Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Revision Total Ankle Arthroplasty Using an Intramedullary-Referencing Implant
Authors: Behrens Steve B. , Irwin Todd A. , Bemenderfer Thomas B. , Schipper Oliver N. , Odum Susan M. , Anderson Robert B. , Davis W. Hodges
Published: August 2020

Background:

Treatment of failed total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is challenging. Limited literature is available on options and outcomes of revision arthroplasty despite failure rates ranging from 10% to 23% within 10 years after primary TAA. This study reports the clinical and radiographic outcomes of revision TAA using a fixed-bearing, intramedullary-referencing implant.

Methods:

A retrospective review was performed of 18 consecutive revision TAA cases between 2008-2015 using an intramedullary-referencing, fixed-bearing, 2-component total ankle system. Demographic and radiographic data were collected preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at the most recent follow-up. Functional outcome data were collected immediately postoperatively and at mean follow-up 47.5 months.

Results:

Eighteen patients underwent revision TAA, with 77.8% (14/18) implant survival. Index revision was performed most commonly for aseptic talar subsidence (55.6%) or implant loosening (tibia, 29.4%; talus, 58.9%). Following revision, 22.2% (4/18) patients required reoperation at a mean 57.3 (39-86) months. Osteolysis of the tibia, talus, and fibula was present preoperatively in 66.7% (12/18), 38.9% (7/18), and 38.9% (7/18) of patients, respectively, with progression of osteolysis in 27.8% (5/18), 11.1% (2/18) and 11.1% (2/18) of patients, respectively. Subsidence of the tibial and talar revision components was observed in 38.9% (7/18) and 55.6% (10/18) of patients, respectively. The median American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score was 74.5 (26-100) and Foot Function Index (FFI) score 10.2 (0-50.4).

Conclusion:

Early results of intramedullary-referencing revision TAA demonstrated good patient-reported outcomes with maintenance of radiographic parameters at mean follow-up of 47.5 months. Aseptic talar subsidence or loosening were the main postoperative causes of reoperation. Revision arthroplasty utilizing an intramedullary-referencing implant was a viable option for the failed TAA.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
A Cultural Psychological Model of Cross-National Variation in Gender Gaps in STEM Participation
Authors: Soylu Yalcinkaya Nur , Adams Glenn
Published: August 2020

Gender gaps in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) participation are larger in societies where women have greater freedom of choice. We provide a cultural psychological model to explain this pattern. We consider how individualistic/post-materialistic cultural patterns in WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, and Democratic) settings foster a self-expressive construction of academic choice, whereby affirming femininity/masculinity and ensuring identity fit become primary goals. Striving to fulfill these goals can lead men toward, and women away from, STEM pursuit, resulting in a large gender gap. In Majority World settings, on the contrary, collectivistic/materialistic cultural patterns foster a security-oriented construction, whereby achieving financial security and fulfilling relational expectations become primary goals of academic choice. These goals can lead both women and men toward secure and lucrative fields like STEM, resulting in a smaller gender gap. Finally, gender gaps in STEM participation feed back into the STEM=male stereotype. We discuss the implications of our model for research and theory, and intervention and policy.
Towards a Theory of Posthuman Care: Real Humans and Caring Robots
Authors: DeFalco Amelia
Published: August 2020

This essay interrogates the common assumption that good care is necessarily human care. It looks to disruptive fictional representations of robot care to assist its development of a theory of posthuman care that jettisons the implied anthropocentrism of ethics of care philosophy but retains care’s foregrounding of entanglement, embodiment and obligation. The essay reads speculative representations of robot care, particularly the Swedish television programme Äkta människor ( Real Humans), alongside ethics of care philosophy and critical posthumanism to highlight their synergetic critiques of neoliberal affective economies and humanist hierarchies that treat some bodies and affects as more real than others. These texts and discourses assist me in proposing a theory of care that regards vulnerability as the normative effect of posthuman vital embodiment, as opposed to an anomalous state that can be overcome or corrected via neoliberal practice.
How are body mass and body attitude impacted by a behaviour change intervention in primary care? A pragmatic randomised controlled trial
Authors: Samdal Gro Beate , Bezuijen Pieter , Mongstad Øyvin Noddeland , Eide Geir Egil , Abildsnes Eirik , Mildestvedt Thomas , Meland Eivind
Published: August 2020

Aims:This study evaluated the effect of behaviour change interventions at Norwegian Healthy Life Centres on change in body mass index (BMI) and body attitude, and explored the predictors for change after 6 months. Methods: We randomised 118 participants to either an intervention or a control group. Eligible participants: ⩾18 years and able to take part in group-based interventions. Body attitude, weight, and height were assessed at inclusion and after 6 months. We analysed the data using simple and multiple regression. Results: Eighty-six participants completed 6-month follow-up. The study found no intervention effect on BMI or body attitude across the two groups. However, an interaction effect indicated that the leaner participants in the intervention group reduced their weight significantly ( b 0.94, p < 0.001). BMI reduction was predicted by self-efficacy for physical activity and autonomous motivation for change. Weight loss was associated with impaired body attitude, body shape concern, impaired weight-related self-esteem, weight cycling, and controlled motivation for change. Improvement in body attitude was positively impacted by self-rated health, the experience of childhood respect, life satisfaction, and self-efficacy for physical activity. Impaired body attitude was predicted by body shape concern, impaired weight-related self-esteem, and controlled motivation. Conclusions: The interventions did not affect body mass on average, but promoted weight loss among the leaner participants. Because weight reduction was associated body shape concern and impaired body attitude, the study supports the claim that interventions should be weight neutral and aim to improve body image and psychological well-being rather than weight reduction.
Behavior-Analytic Treatment Progression for a Child With Tube Dependence: Reaching Age-Typical Feeding
Authors: Hansen Bethany A. , Andersen Ashley S.
Published: August 2020

The current case study outlines a behavior-analytic treatment progression for a child with a pediatric feeding disorder and tube dependence. The child participated in an intensive day-treatment program for 8 weeks where she transitioned from tube feedings to oral feedings. She successfully transitioned to a less intensive, telehealth outpatient model for follow-up care where she continued to progress to age-typical feeding. Following a systematic and gradual reduction in follow-up appointments, she consumed all meals of age-appropriate foods in both home and school environments. Another important contribution of the case study is that it demonstrated the importance of follow-up services that occur in the child’s natural environment while highlighting the utility of rubrics. With rubrics, caregivers effectively and efficiently progressed toward treatment goals independently. This case study also discusses the importance of ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration and the unique contributions of each team member in employing effective interventions while ensuring client safety.
Endothelin-1 in portal hypertension: The intricate role of hepatic stellate cells
Authors: Ezhilarasan Devaraj
Published: August 2020

Portal hypertension is one of the most important cirrhosis-associated complications of chronic liver disease, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. After chronic liver injury, hepatic stellate cells reside in the perisinusoidal space activted and acquire a myofibroblast-like phenotype. The activated hepatic stellate cells act as both sources as well as the target for a potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1. Activation of hepatic stellate cells plays a vital role in the onset of cirrhosis by way of increased extracellular matrix production and the enhanced contractile response to vasoactive mediators such as endothelin-1. In fibrotic/cirrhotic liver, activated hepatic stellate cells produce endothelin-1 leading to an imbalance between pro and antifibrotic factors responsible for enormous extracellular matrix synthesis. Thus, extracellular matrix deposition in the perisinusoidal space further augments liver stiffness and elevates the vascular tone and portal hypertension. Portal hypertension is a complex process modulated by several cell types like hepatic stellate cells, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, Kupffer cells, injured hepatocytes, immune cells, and biliary epithelial cells. Therefore, targeting a single cell type may not be useful for regression of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Nevertheless, numerous findings indicate that functionally liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatic stellate cells closely regulate the sinusoidal blood flow via synthesis of several vasoactive molecules including endothelin-1, and hence targeting these cells with novel pharmacological agents may offer promising results.

Impact statement

Portal hypertension is pathologically defined as increase of portal venous pressure, mainly due to chronic liver diseases such as fibrosis and cirrhosis. In fibrotic liver, activated hepatic stellate cells increase their contraction in response to endothelin-1 (ET-1) via autocrine and paracrine stimulation from liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and injured hepatocytes. Clinical studies are limited with ET receptor antagonists in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. Hence, studies are needed to find molecules that block ET-1 synthesis. Accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins in the perisinusoidal space, tissue contraction, and alteration in blood flow are prominent during portal hypertension. Therefore, novel matrix modulators should be tested experimentally as well as in clinical studies. Specifically, tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β1, Wnt, Notch, rho-associated protein kinase 1 signaling antagonists, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α and γ, interferon-γ and sirtuin 1 agonists should be tested elaborately against cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension.
Lactoferrin-Loaded PEG/PLA Block Copolymer Targeted With Anti-Transferrin Receptor Antibodies for Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Li Guichen , Sun Xianghong , Wan Xiaona , Wang Dongming
Published: August 2020

Last few years, struggles have been reported to develop the nanovesicles for drug delivery via the brain–blood barrier (BBB). Novel drugs, for instance, iAβ5, are efficient to inhibit the aggregates connected to the treatment of Alzheimer disease and are being evaluated, but most of the reports reflect some drawbacks of the drugs to reach the brain in preferred concentrations owing to the less BBB penetrability of the surface dimensions. In this report, we designed and developed a new approach to enhance the transport of drug via BBB, constructed with lactoferrin (Lf)-coated polyethylene glycol-polylactide nanoparticles (Lf-PPN) with superficial monoclonal antibody-functionalized antitransferrin receptor and anti-Aβ to deliver the iAβ5 hooked on the brain. The porcine brain capillary endothelial cells were utilized as BBB typically to examine the framework efficacy and toxicity. The cellular uptake of the immuno-nanoparticles with measured conveyance of the iAβ5 peptide was significantly enhanced and associated with Lf-PPN without monoclonal antibody functionalizations.
COVID-19: How did community pharmacies get through the first wave?
Authors: Gregory Paul A. M. , Austin Zubin
Published: August 2020

Background:

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic of early 2020 was one of the most impactful events in living memory. As an essential service, community pharmacies remained open to provide care and service. The unprecedented nature and scale of the pandemic triggered considerable change in daily practice. In anticipation of future pandemic waves and similar mass-scale civil disruptions, it is important to understand how community pharmacies adapted and responded in the early weeks of COVID-19.

Methods:

A combination of convenience, snowball and purposive sampling methods was used to recruit staff from community pharmacies across Ontario, from a variety of different practice locations and types. A semistructured focus group interview protocol was used to elicit experiences. Data gathering was undertaken until the point of saturation. Thematic analysis was used to surface common experiences and to describe how community pharmacies adapted and responded.

Results:

A total of 39 participants (pharmacists, registered technicians and assistants) from 11 different pharmacies participated in this study. Data were coded based on 1) what happened, 2) how community pharmacies responded, and 3) what worked and did not work to support pharmacy staff in continued provision of service and care. Key findings included the collapse of provision of nondispensing remunerated services, the central role of managerial decisions in supporting resilience (e.g., change to 8-hour shifts from 12-hour shifts) and the central role of technology in supporting continuity of quality pharmacy services.

Discussion:

With anticipated future pandemic waves, preparedness of community pharmacy will be essential. This study provides important insights based on participants’ own experiences regarding ways employers can better support staff in provision of care and service to patients during times of mass-scale civil disruption. Can Pharm J (Ott) 2020;153:xx-xx.
Political leadership for peace processes: Juan Manuel Santos – Between hawk and dove
Authors: Tappe Ortiz Juliana
Published: August 2020

Many studies have explored Colombia’s peace process with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – guerrilla group (2012–2016). Conflict negotiation literature indicates that the impact of leadership is particularly relevant to peace processes as leaders have to find a balance between war and peace. Still, little is known about the political leaders in charge. This study deals with the development of a political leader’s leadership in peace initiatives. It uses an in-depth case study of Colombia’s former President Juan Manuel Santos combining leadership and conflict negotiation literature to trace back the origins of his leadership. Santos, a controversial figure, represented a policy of reconciliation to negotiate with the opponents while also appearing tough in order to maintain his political base. Between hawk and dove, he initiated and signed the peace negotiation and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016. I adopt a personal biography approach using biographical data to explore the origins of Santos’ beliefs and values, his competence and skills and the way others perceived him. Linking this leadership-centred argument with findings from the conflict negotiation suggests that a pragmatic and reconciliation-oriented leadership might be relevant to find solutions to protracted conflicts like the one in Colombia. Most importantly, it contributes to a significant claim: Leaders have at least some level of choice and their biographical factors are relevant for political outcomes.
Optimal element allocation and sequencing of multi-state series systems with two levels of performance sharing
Authors: Xiao Hui , Cao Minhao , Kou Gang , Yuan Xiaojun
Published: August 2020

Motivated by real-world complex engineering systems, this research proposes a multi-state system with two levels of performance sharing. In this system, there exists a unique performance transmitter between any two adjacent subsystems and any two adjacent elements within each subsystem. Surplus performance of a subsystem or an element can only be transmitted to its adjacent subsystems or elements. We build the reliability model of the proposed system and suggest a corresponding reliability evaluation algorithm by extending the existing universal generating function technique. Since the performance sharing is only allowed between adjacent subsystems and elements, the element allocation and sequencing will affect the system reliability. Due to the complexity of the combinatorial optimization problem, we use the genetic algorithm to find the optimal allocation and sequencing of the elements. An analytical example is provided to illustrate the reliability evaluation algorithm. Numerical experiments are carried out to demonstrate how the optimal allocation and sequencing as well as the capacities of the performance transmitters affect the system reliability.
The Location of Maximum Emotion in Deceptive and Truthful Texts
Authors: Sepehri Amir , Markowitz David M. , Duclos Rod
Published: August 2020

Meta-analytic evidence suggests that verbal patterns of emotion betray deceit, but it is presently unclear whether the location of maximum emotion in lies and truths matters to reveal deception. We contribute to the deception literature by offering analyses at the sentence level to locate where emotion is most pronounced in deceptive versus truthful texts. Using two public data sets—news articles (Study 1) and hotel reviews (Study 2)—we found that maximum emotion occurs toward the beginning of deceptive texts while maximum emotion appears later for truthful texts. In addition to demonstrating the effect across diverse settings, we used two different measurements for emotion and separated the results by valence, replicating the maximum emotion effect each time. The predictive nature of maximum affect ranged from 54% to 56% across data sets, a rate consistent with most deception studies using 50-50 lie–truth base rates. Implications for future research and deception theory are discussed.
Psychedelics and virtual reality: parallels and applications
Authors: Aday Jacob S. , Davoli Christopher C. , Bloesch Emily K.
Published: August 2020

Psychedelic drugs and virtual reality (VR) each have the capacity to disrupt the rigidity and limitations of typical conscious experience. This article delineates the parallels among psychedelic and VR states as well as their potential synergistic applications in clinical and recreational settings. Findings indicate that, individually, psychedelics and VR are used in analogous ways to alter sensory experience and evoke awe. They are also both used in tandem with traditional therapies to treat a variety of mood disorders; their shared capacity to transiently alter perspective and disrupt rigid patterns of mental experience may underly their analogous and transdiagnostic therapeutic uses. In terms of their combined applications, a number of recreational users currently utilize psychedelics and VR together to enhance their experience. We propose that VR may be a useful tool for preparing hallucinogen-naïve participants in clinical trials for the sensory distortions experienced in psychedelic states. Given the critical role of “setting” in psychedelic treatment outcomes, we also detail how VR could be used to optimize the environment in psychedelic sessions. Finally, we provide considerations for future studies and detail how advancements in psychedelic and VR research can inform one another. Collectively, this article outlines a number of connections between psychedelics and VR, and, more broadly, is representative of growing scientific interest into the interactions among technology, psychopharmacology, and mental health.
Non-infectious comorbidity in patients with multiple sclerosis: A national cohort study in Sweden
Authors: Castelo-Branco Anna , Chiesa Flaminia , Bengtsson Camilla E , Lee Sally , Minton Neil N , Niemcryk Steve , Lindholm Anders , Rosenlund Mats , Piehl Fredrik , Montgomery Scott
Published: August 2020

Background

Comorbidity is of significant concern in multiple sclerosis (MS). Few population-based studies have reported conditions occurring in MS after diagnosis, especially in contemporary cohorts.

Objective

To explore incident comorbidity, mortality and hospitalizations in MS, stratified by age and sex.

Methods

In a Swedish population-based cohort study 6602 incident MS patients (aged ≥18 years) and 61,828 matched MS-free individuals were identified between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2016, using national registers. Incidence rates (IRs) and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% CI were calculated for each outcome.

Results

IRs of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were higher among MS patients than MS-free individuals, (major adverse CVD: IRR 1.42; 95% CI 1.12–1.82; hemorrhagic/ischemic stroke: 1.46; 1.05–2.02; transient ischemic attack: 1.65; 1.09–2.50; heart failure: 1.55; 1.15–2.10); venous thromboembolism: 1.42; 1.14–1.77). MS patients also had higher risks of several non-CVDs such as autoimmune conditions (IRR 3.83; 3.01–4.87), bowel dysfunction (2.16; 1.86–2.50), depression (2.38; 2.11–2.68), and fractures (1.32; 1.19–1.47), as well as being hospitalized and to suffer from CVD-related deaths ((1.91; 1.00–3.65), particularly in females (3.57; 1.58–8.06)).

Conclusion

MS-patients experience a notable comorbidity burden which emphasizes the need for integrated disease management in order to improve patient care and long-term outcomes of MS.
Do Regulatory Measures Necessarily Affect Oman’s Seafood Export-Supply?
Authors: Naabi Amina Al , Bose Shekar
Published: August 2020

This article examines the influence of relative prices, production capacity, gross domestic product, fish export and trawl fishing bans, and seasonality on Oman’s fish exports to the European Union (EU), Southeast-, East- and South Asia (SEA), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets during 2001–2015. Following the prescribed “keep it sensibly simple” rule for practitioners and the lack of any empirical evidence to support better alternatives, a partial adjustment framework is used to describe the dynamics of fish export behavior. The appropriate functional form was decided by testing the nested Cobb–Douglas (CD) hypothesis within the constant elasticity of substitution (CES) specification and the result supports the CD specification. The models were estimated using ordinary least square (OLS). The descriptive statistical results indicate market heterogeneity in species preferences. The empirical results suggest some degree of inertia in adjustment in the EU and SEA markets. The negative impact of the “export ban” on the EU market suggests a “trade-off” between the protection of domestic consumers and the revenue forgone. The export is price elastic in the short-run for the EU market. The impact of the “trawl fishing ban” on the EU and GCC markets was negative and positive, respectively. The significance of “production capacity” for the GCC and SEA markets signals that future enhancement strategies of exports should be aligned with the long-term sustainability of fish resources. The error-correction model could be considered to check the robustness of the present findings. An examination of the sensitivity of export-supply to potential risks should also be useful.