bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pawsitively sad: pet-owners are more sensitive to negative emotion in animal distress vocalizations
Authors: Parsons Christine E. , LeBeau Richard T. , Kringelbach Morten L. , Young Katherine S.
Published: August 2019

Pets have numerous, effective methods to communicate with their human hosts. Perhaps most conspicuous of these are distress vocalizations: in cats, the ‘miaow’ and in dogs, the ‘whine’ or ‘whimper’. We compared a sample of young adults who owned cats and or dogs (‘pet-owners’
n
= 264) and who did not (
n
= 297) on their ratings of the valence of animal distress vocalizations, taken from a standardized database of sounds. We also examined these participants' self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression, and their scores on a measure of interpersonal relationship functioning. Pet-owners rated the animal distress vocalizations as sadder than adults who did not own a pet. Cat-owners specifically gave the most negative ratings of cat miaows compared with other participants, but were no different in their ratings of other sounds. Dog sounds were rated more negatively overall, in fact as negatively as human baby cries. Pet-owning adults (cat only, dog only, both) were not significantly different from adults with no pets on symptoms of depression, anxiety or on self-reported interpersonal relationship functioning. We suggest that pet ownership is associated with greater sensitivity to negative emotion in cat and dog distress vocalizations.
The role of deliberate practice in expert performance: revisiting Ericsson, Krampe & Tesch-Römer (1993)
Authors: Macnamara Brooke N. , Maitra Megha
Published: August 2019

We sought to replicate Ericsson, Krampe & Tesch-Römer's (Ericsson, Krampe & Tesch-Römer 1993
Psychol. Rev.
100
, 363–406) seminal study on deliberate practice. Ericsson
et al
. found that differences in retrospective estimates of accumulated amounts of deliberate practice corresponded to each skill level of student violinists. They concluded, ‘individual differences in ultimate performance can largely be accounted for by differential amounts of past and current levels of practice’ (p. 392). We reproduced the methodology with notable exceptions, namely (i) employing a double-blind procedure, (ii) conducting analyses better suited to the study design, and (iii) testing previously unanswered questions about teacher-designed practice—that is, we examined the way Ericsson
et al
. operationalized deliberate practice (practice alone), and their theoretical but previously unmeasured definition of deliberate practice (teacher-designed practice), and compared them. We did not replicate the core finding that accumulated amounts of deliberate practice corresponded to each skill level. Overall, the size of the effect was substantial, but considerably smaller than the original study's effect size. Teacher-designed practice was perceived as less relevant to improving performance on the violin than practice alone. Further, amount of teacher-designed practice did not account for more variance in performance than amount of practice alone. Implications for the deliberate practice theory are discussed.
Five decades of US, UK, German and Dutch music charts show that cultural processes are accelerating
Authors: Schneider Lukas , Gros Claudius
Published: August 2019

Analysing the timeline of US, UK, German and Dutch music charts, we find that the evolution of album lifetimes and of the size of weekly rank changes provide evidence for an acceleration of cultural processes. For most of the past five decades, number one albums needed more than a month to climb to the top, nowadays an album is in contrast top ranked either from the start, or not at all. Over the last three decades, the number of top-listed albums increased as a consequence from roughly a dozen per year, to about 40. The distribution of album lifetimes evolved during the last decades from a log-normal distribution to a power law, a profound change. Presenting an information–theoretical approach to human activities, we suggest that the fading relevance of personal time horizons may be causing this phenomenon. Furthermore, we find that sales and airplay- based charts differ statistically and that the inclusion of streaming affects chart diversity adversely. We point out in addition that opinion dynamics may accelerate not only in cultural domains, as found here, but also in other settings, in particular in politics, where it could have far reaching consequences.
Grey zones of sexual selection: why is finding a modern definition so hard?
Authors: Alonzo Suzanne H. , Servedio Maria R.
Published: August 2019

Sexual selection has long been acknowledged as an important evolutionary force, capable of shaping phenotypes ranging from fascinating and unusual displays to cryptic traits whose function is only uncovered by careful study. Yet, despite decades of research, reaching a consensus definition of the term ‘sexual selection’ has proved difficult. Here we explore why arriving at a unifying definition of sexual selection is so hard. While some researchers have argued about whether sexual selection should be considered a form of natural selection, we concentrate on where the line between sexual selection and other forms of selection falls. We focus on identifying the ‘grey zones’ of sexual selection by illustrating cases in which application of the term ‘sexual selection’ would be considered controversial or ambiguous. We believe that clarifying why sexual selection is so difficult to define is an essential first step forward towards greater clarity, and if possible towards reaching a consensus definition. We suggest that a more nuanced perspective may be necessary, particularly one that specifies for cases of ‘sexual selection’ why the term is used or whether they fall into a grey zone.
Differences in mitochondrial efficiency explain individual variation in growth performance
Authors: Salin Karine , Villasevil Eugenia M. , Anderson Graeme J. , Lamarre Simon G. , Melanson Chloé A. , McCarthy Ian , Selman Colin , Metcalfe Neil B.
Published: August 2019

The physiological causes of intraspecific differences in fitness components such as growth rate are currently a source of debate. It has been suggested that differences in energy metabolism may drive variation in growth, but it remains unclear whether covariation between growth rates and energy metabolism is: (i) a result of certain individuals acquiring and consequently allocating more resources to growth, and/or is (ii) determined by variation in the efficiency with which those resources are transformed into growth. Studies of individually housed animals under standardized nutritional conditions can help shed light on this debate. Here we quantify individual variation in metabolic efficiency in terms of the amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generated per molecule of oxygen consumed by liver and muscle mitochondria and examine its effects, both on the rate of protein synthesis within these tissues and on the rate of whole-body growth of individually fed juvenile brown trout (
Salmo trutta
) receiving either a high or low food ration. As expected, fish on the high ration on average gained more in body mass and protein content than those maintained on the low ration. Yet, growth performance varied more than 10-fold among individuals on the same ration, resulting in some fish on low rations growing faster than others on the high ration. This variation in growth for a given ration was related to individual differences in mitochondrial properties: a high whole-body growth performance was associated with high mitochondrial efficiency of ATP production in the liver. Our results show for the first time, to our knowledge, that among-individual variation in the efficiency with which substrates are converted into ATP can help explain marked variation in growth performance, independent of food intake. This study highlights the existence of inter-individual differences in mitochondrial efficiency and its potential importance in explaining intraspecific variation in whole-animal performance.
Dissecting the factors shaping fish skin microbiomes in a heterogeneous inland water system
Authors: Krotman Yaron , Yergaliyev Timur M. , Alexander Rivka Shani , Avrahami Yosef , Szitenberg Amir
Published: August 2019

Fish skin microbiomes are rarely studied in inland water systems, in spite of their importance for fish health and ecology. This is mainly because fish species distribution often covaries with other biotic and abiotic factors, complicating the study-design. We tackled this issue in the northern part of the Jordan River system, in which a few fish species geographically overlap, across a steep gradients of water temperature and salinity. Using 16S rRNA metabarcoding, we studied the water properties that shape the skin bacterial communities, and their interaction with fish taxonomy. We found that considering the skin-community contamination by water microbial community is important, even when the water and skin communities are apparently different. With this in mind, we found alpha diversity of the skin-communities to be stable across sites, but higher in bentic loaches, compared to other fish. Beta diversity was found to be different among sites and to weakly covary with the dissolved oxygen, when treated skin-communities were considered. In contrast, water temperature and conductivity were strong factors explaining beta diversity in the untreated skin-communities. Beta diversity differences between co-occurring fish species emerged only for the treated skin-communities. Metagenomics predictions highlighted the microbiome functional implications of excluding the water-communities contamination from the fish skin-communities. Finally, we found that human induced eutrophication promotes dysbiosis of the fish skin-community, with signatures relating to fish health. This finding was in line with recent studies, showing that biofilms capture sporadic pollution events, undetectable by interspersed water monitoring.
Healthcare professionals and students’ awareness of Chagas disease: design and validation of ChaLKS (Chagas Level of Knowledge Scale)
Authors: Navarro Miriam , Ramos-Rincón José M. , Mira-Solves José J. , Ramos-Sesma Violeta , Torrús-Tendero Diego , Llenas-García Jara
Published: August 2019

Background

There are few studies evaluating awareness of Chagas disease among healthcare professionals attending migrants from Latin America or working in Chagas-endemic areas. The objective of this study was to design and validate instruments for assessing knowledge about Chagas disease among healthcare students and residents as well as students and professionals of social and other health science disciplines.

Principal findings

Two validated scales were obtained: the 10-item Chagas Level of Knowledge Scale for healthcare professionals (ChaLKS-Medical) and the 8-item ChaLKS-Social&Health for potential aid workers from those fields. Both scales were considered adequate in terms of readability, internal consistency, construct validity and discriminant validity.

The mean number of correct answers on the ChaLKS-Medical among respondents from non-healthcare versus healthcare sectors was 1.80 (standard deviation [SD] 2.55) versus 7.00 (SD 2.32) (p<0.001). The scores on the ChaLKS-Social&Health also discriminated between the knowledge levels in these two groups (1.76 [SD 2.47] versus 6.78 [SD 1.55], p<0.001). Knowledge among medical/pharmacy students and residents on the ChaLKS-Medical was acceptable (mean 5.8 [SD 2.1] and 7.4 [SD 2.2], respectively; p<0.001). Respondents’ knowledge on Chagas disease was greater in those who had previously received information on the disease; this was true in both respondents from the healthcare sector (mean correct answers, ChaLKS-Medical: 7.2 [SD 2.1] versus 4.3 [2.6], p<0.001) and in potential aid workers (mean correct answers, ChaLKS-Social&Health: 5.1 [SD 2.5] versus 1.1 [SD 1.9], p=0.001).

Conclusions

The metric properties of both scales are adequate for their use in supporting aid operations in Chagas-endemic countries or in providing health and social care to migrant populations in non-endemic countries. The results of these scales also provide orientation regarding the knowledge gaps to be filled in future health professional training programs.
The Antecedents of Non-Unqualified Opinions of Local Governments Financial Statements: A Study on Counties and Cities in East Java Province
Authors: Ningsih Sri
Published: August 2019

Local Government in Indonesia annually publishes Local Government Financial Statements (LGFS) for helping their stakeholders in making decisions. Audit Opinion of the LGFS for counties and cities in East Java Province during the last 8 years (2006-2013) showed a quite astonishing result. From all of 301 financial statements, only 45 LGFS (14.95%) obtained Unqualified Opinion, other financial statements (256 or 85.05%) received Non-Unqualified Opinion. This study aims to analyze the accounts and problems in the accounts which cause LGFS obtain Non-Unqualified Opinion. Using content analysis with NVIVO10 applications, this study analyzed 256 audit opinions of the LGFS of counties and cities in East Java during 2006-2013 that obtained Non-Unqualified Opinion to identify the accounts and problems in the accounts which cause LGFS obtain Non-Unqualified Opinion. The results showed that the most frequent accounts as an exception in the audit opinion are the accounts on Budget Realization Report (BR) with the frequency of occurrence as much as 6628 times. The Balance Sheet (BS) accounts was at the second place with the total frequency of occurrence 4206 times. And last, there was a Cash Flow Statement (CF) account with the frequency of occurrence as much as 693 times. In BR, the most frequent account which appears as an exception is spending account (as much as 4198 times), while the assets are the most frequent accounts as an exception in the Balance Sheet (as much as 4206 times). The problem with the accounts that often appear as an exception was mainly due to the weakness of the Internal Control System (ICS), followed by non-compliance with the provisions of law and the last problem is in-economies, inefficiency and ineffectiveness.
Low computation digital down converter using polyphase IIR filter
Authors: Mewada Hiren K. , Chaudhari Jitendra
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The digital down converter (DDC) is a principal component in modern communication systems. The DDC process traditionally entails quadrature down conversion, bandwidth reducing filters and commensurate sample rate reduction. To avoid group delay, distortion linear phase FIR filters are used in the DDC. The filter performance specifications related to deep stopband attenuation, small in-band ripple and narrow transition bandwidth lead to filters with a large number of coefficients. To reduce the computational workload of the filtering process, filtering is often performed as a two-stage process, the first stage being a down sampling Hoegenauer (or cascade-integrated comb) filter and a reduced sample rate FIR filter. An alternative option is an M-Path polyphase partition of a band cantered FIR filter. Even though IIR filters offer reduced workload to implement a specific filtering task, the authors avoid using them because of their poor group delay characteristics. This paper aims to propose the design of M-path, approximately linear phase IIR filters as an alternative option to the M-path FIR filter.

Design/methodology/approach

Two filter designs are presented in the paper. The first approach uses linear phase IIR low pass structure to reduce the filter’s coefficient. Whereas the second approach uses multipath polyphase structure to design approximately linear phase IIR filter in DDC.

Findings

The authors have compared the performance and workload of the proposed polyphase structured IIR filters with state-of-the-art filter design used in DDC. The proposed design is seen to satisfy tight design specification with a significant reduction in arithmetic operations and required power consumption.

Originality/value

The proposed design is an alternate solution to the M-path polyphase FIR filter offering very less number of coefficients in the filter design. Proposed DDC using polyphase structured IIR filter satisfies the requirement of linear phase with the least number of computation cost in comparison with other DDC structure.
The mediating role of decentralization between strategy and performance
Authors: Chen Qinglan , Eriksson Tor
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the mediating role of decentralization in the relationship between a firm’s strategy and its performance in the context of an advanced economy where the chief corporate strategy is differentiation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses data collected by an online survey targeting a stratified sample of 1,238 private firms operating in Denmark. The empirical analysis was carried out by estimating a structural equation model.

Findings

The key finding was that a decentralized organization (DO) can act as a mediator between a firm’s differentiation strategy and its performance. A multi-group analysis revealed that the mediating impact of decentralizing was affected by contingency factors such as firm size, strategic clarity, degrees of business environment risk and industry competition. Thus, a DO can be said to play a more important role in larger firms, in firms with less strategic clarity, and in companies with multiple plants.

Research limitations/implications

Although the study offers empirical evidence from a relatively large and representative sample of firms, the specificity of the context should be noted. In particular, firms in Denmark, while facing strong competition, do not compete with low costs. Clearly, studies of the mediating role of decentralization in low-cost strategy environments would be an important next step.

Practical implications

Several implications of the findings for organizational design and creation of beneficial conditions for strategy implementations are discussed.

Originality/value

The novel contribution of the study lies in the focus on decentralization as a mediator in the strategy–performance relationship. While previous research has shown that strategy is related to decentralization, and that decentralization is associated with higher performance, an empirical analysis of the relationship between the factors in the strategy-decentralization-performance path had not previously been undertaken.
FINRA’s disciplinary actions in 2018:Increased fines ordered with significant drop in number of cases
Authors: Rubin Brian , Pollet Adam
Published: August 2019

Purpose

To analyze FINRA’s 2018 disciplinary actions, the issues that resulted in the most significant fines and restitution, and the emerging enforcement trends from 2018 and beyond.

Design/methodology/approach

Discusses the disciplinary actions in 2018 and prior years; details the top 2018 enforcement issues measured by total fines assessed, including anti-money laundering, suitability, variable annuity, and short selling; and explains current enforcement trends, including higher fines per case, more cases with larger sanctions in the second half of the year, share class issues, and inadequate resources.

Findings

In 2018, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ordered fewer fines than in 2017, and the number of cases and amount of restitution were down.

Practical implications

Firms and their representatives should heed the trends in both the substantial fines per case that FINRA is ordering and the related enforcement issues in the cases FINRA has brought.

Originality/value

Expert analysis and guidance from experienced securities enforcement lawyers.
Understanding Indonesia’s exchange rate behavior
Authors: Rahman R. Eki
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The main aim of this paper is to examine the mechanism of determining the exchange rate of the US dollar against the Indonesian rupiah (USD/IDR) by market players to manage the USD/IDR exchange rate stability. Thus, this study is expected to provide a better understanding of the determinants of the USD/IDR, given that the data set completely encompasses all the USD/IDR transactions in the Indonesian foreign exchange market. Order flow data used in this study cover all transactions on the USD/IDR conducted by domestic residents including both individuals and corporations and foreign investors in the Indonesian foreign exchange market.

Design/methodology/approach

This study covers the data set over the period January 3, 2011 to December 31, 2015, and the vector autoregression and autoregressive distributed lag models are used in examining the research questions. More particularly, in this study, the author examines whether the net total domestic individual transactions (DOVA), net total domestic corporation transactions (KOVA), net total foreign investor transactions (IOVA), Asian Dollar Index (ADXY), non-deliverable forward (NDF) for USD/IDR and Volatility Index (VIX) are statistically significant determinants of the USD/IDR exchange rate.

Findings

Overall, this study suggests that in the short run, lag of the USD/IDR exchange rate or inertia level, lag of the IOVA, lag of the NDF of the USD/IDR exchange rate and lag of the ADXY are statistically significant determinants of the USD/IDR. On the other hand, in the long run, DOVA, NDF and ADXY are found to be statistically significant determinants of USD/IDR. This study also found that there is a market leader and asymmetric information among market players in the Indonesian foreign exchange market, and their USD/IDR exchange rate level becomes a reference for other market players when conducting transactions with each other.

Originality/value

The paper is original along two lines. First, the data set used in this study is unique. It encompasses all the USD/IDR transactions in the Indonesian foreign exchange market. The order flow data used in this study cover all transactions on the USD/IDR conducted by domestic residents (includes both individuals and corporations) and foreign investors in the Indonesian foreign exchange market. Such an approach has not been used previously to study the exchange rate behavior in an emerging market. Second, there is limited knowledge on Indonesia’s exchange rate dynamics. This study fills this gap.
Agility: the new response to dynamic change
Authors: Ulrich Dave , Yeung Arthur
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer an integrated framework for understanding agility. Agility has become an increasingly important capability in today’s changing business world. In this paper, the authors suggest “3, 4’s” to better define agility. Agility can be defined through four dimensions (create the future, anticipate opportunity, adapt quickly and learn always); agility occurs with four stakeholders (strategy, organization, leader and individual); and agility is sustained through four Human Resource (HR) tools (people, performance, information and work).

Design/methodology/approach

Using this integrated framework, executives can better define, assess and invest in creating agility as a capability.

Findings

The authors studied leading Chinese and US high-tech organizations to discover how they respond to changing market conditions.

Originality/value

The research for this agility framework is described in their book, Reinventing the Organization: How Companies Can Deliver Radically Greater Value in Fast-Changing Markets.
Metallization at the Exit Wound—An Unusual Finding in Fatal Electrocution
Authors: Ateriya Navneet , Meshram Vikas P. , Kanchan Tanuj , Saraf Ashish , Shekhawat Raghvendra Singh , Malik Shaloo
Published: August 2019

Electrocution injuries represent a severe occupational hazard. Those at work usually ignore the importance of safety training and safe practices while the electric source is nearby the work area. Death due to electrocution can occur with or without any electric mark on the body. Limbs are the commoner site for electric entry and exit wounds. Various uncommon sites for electric exit wounds have also been reported in the literature. We report a rare case of fatal electrocution, where a 28‐year‐old male carpenter sustained electric injuries at the worksite. Multiple exit wounds were present over the back of the chest, an uncommon site for the exit wounds, and notably, both entry and exit wounds showed evidence of metallization. The present case emphasizes on the significance of death scene investigations in the reconstruction of events and need for complete autopsy supplemented with chemical and histopathological examination of the electric wounds.
Renewing the Governance of Rural Land after Brexit: an Ecosystems Policy Approach
Authors: Hodge Ian
Published: August 2019

Concerns for rural land policy have widened from a focus on food production to include many other critical values, recognised as ecosystems services. But our governance institutions have failed to reflect this. Brexit provides the UK with an opportunity to rethink the governance of rural land. This requires first an assessment of the rights and duties of land ownership. We should explore further the potential for augmented markets and payment for ecosystem services, but the public good character of ecosystem services means that the state will play a major role, through regulation, facilitation, funding and working in partnership with others. The principle of subsidiarity suggests that decisions should be made at different levels: national and local. National policy will procure services for which there is a national commitment or priority, such as for climate change targets or national parks. Local Environmental Governance Organisations will represent local values and priorities articulated through a natural capital plan. Procurement schemes will take account of the experiences gained from agri‐environment policies, extended to include partnerships or land purchase. It will take time to build these new institutions. We need more research but what is required now is a clear vision of the potential and a road map of the route towards it.
Telling and selling the value of diversity and inclusion—External consultants' discursive strategies and practices
Authors: Kirton Gill , Greene Anne‐Marie
Published: August 2019

On the basis of a qualitative study of a subgroup of diversity professionals, external diversity and inclusion (D&I) consultants, we explore D&I consultants' discursive strategies and practices situated within organisational structures, relations, and interactions of power and knowledge. Theoretically, the research reveals how D&I consultants' own discursive strategies interact with existing organisational and societal discourses of diversity, incrementally shaping their continual evolution. A classification is developed, which sets out four approaches taken by consultants with regard to their discursive strategies in relation to clients. The findings suggest that HR practitioners need to work in tandem with external consultants to develop strategies to improve the status and legitimacy of diversity work if the field is to progress the organisational D&I agenda.
Regulation of PDE5 expression in normal prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and adenocarcinoma
Authors: Bisegna C. , Gravina G. L. , Pierconti F. , Martini M. , Larocca L. , Rossi P. , Grimaldi P. , Dolci S. , Di Stasi S. , Jannini E. A.
Published: August 2019

Background

Type 5 phosphodiesterase (PDE5) expression in the normal and pathological prostate is controversial.

Objectives

This study aimed at identifying the cell type/s, if any, expressing PDE5 in human healthy or pathological prostate sections in order to further validate the rationale of PDE5 inhibitor (PDE5i) treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and their safety in the treatment of erectile dysfunction following prostate cancer (PCa) surgery.

Materials and methods

By immunohistochemical analysis, we studied PDE5 expression in tissue microarrays containing sections obtained from healthy, BPH, and PCa samples.

Results

Our results showed that PDE5 is barely expressed in the epithelial or stromal compartment of normal human prostates, but it is highly expressed in the stromal compartment of BPH sections. We also found that a low but significant number of PCa samples (22%) expressed PDE5 in the epithelial cancer cells but not in stromal cells and that such expression was not correlated with the tumor aggressiveness, according to their Gleason score.

Discussion and conclusion

PDE5 overexpression in the stromal compartment of BPH samples supports the rationale of PDE5 as a target in lower urinary tract symptoms of BPH. PDE5 expression in a significant percentage of PCa samples but the lack of correlation with the Gleason score suggests that this enzyme is not correlated with tumor aggressiveness; however, a role of PDE5 in the minimal residual disease of PCa cannot be excluded.
Intracranial ependymomas: molecular insights and translation to treatment
Authors: Lester Ashleigh , McDonald Kerrie L.
Published: August 2019

Ependymomas are primary central nervous system tumors (CNS), arising within the posterior fossa and supratentorial regions of the brain, and in the spine. Over the last decade, research has resulted in substantial insights into the molecular characteristics of ependymomas, and significant advances have been made in the establishment of a molecular classification system. Ependymomas both within and between the three CNS regions in which they arise, have been shown to contain distinct genetic, epigenetic and cytogenic aberrations, with at least three molecularly distinct subgroups identified within each region. However, these advances in molecular characterization have yet to be translated into clinical practice, with the standard treatment for ependymoma patients largely unchanged. This review summarizes the advances made in the molecular characterization of intracranial ependymomas, outlines the progress made in establishing preclinical models and proposes strategies for moving toward subgroup‐specific preclinical investigations and treatment.
Improved survival of chimeric antigen receptor‐engineered T (CAR‐T) and tumor‐specific T cells caused by anti‐programmed cell death protein 1 single‐chain variable fragment‐producing CAR‐T cells
Authors: Nakajima Masao , Sakoda Yukimi , Adachi Keishi , Nagano Hiroaki , Tamada Koji
Published: August 2019

Chimeric antigen receptor‐engineered T (CAR‐T)‐cell therapy holds significant promise for the treatment of hematological malignancies, especially for B‐cell leukemia and lymphoma. However, its efficacy against non‐hematological malignancies has been limited as a result of several biological problems characteristic of the tumor microenvironment of solid tumors. One of the main hurdles is the heterogeneous nature of tumor‐associated antigens (TAA) expressed in solid tumors. Another hurdle is the inefficient activation and limited persistence of CAR‐T cells, mainly as a result of T‐cell exhaustion caused by immunosuppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment. In the present study, to address these problems, we engineered CAR‐T cells to produce antagonistic anti‐programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) single‐chain variable fragment (scFv), by which PD‐1‐dependent inhibitory signals in CAR‐T cells and adjacent tumor‐specific non‐CAR‐T cells are attenuated. In mouse solid tumor models, PD‐1 scFv‐producing CAR‐T cells induced potent therapeutic effects superior to those of conventional CAR‐T cells, along with a significant reduction of apoptotic cell death not only in CAR‐T cells themselves but also in TAA‐specific T cells in the tumor tissue. In addition, the treatment with anti‐PD‐1 scFv‐producing CAR‐T cells resulted in an increased concentration of PD‐1 scFv in tumor tissue but not in sera, suggesting an induction of less severe systemic immune‐related adverse events. Hence, the present study developed anti‐PD‐1 scFv‐producing CAR‐T cell technology and explored its cellular mechanisms underlying potent antitumor efficacy.
Novel variant p.E269K confirms causative role of PLS1 mutations in autosomal dominant hearing loss
Authors: Diaz‐Horta Oscar , Bademci Guney , Tokgoz‐Yilmaz Suna , Guo Shengru , Zafeer Faraz , Sineni Claire J. , Duman Duygu , Farooq Amjad , Tekin Mustafa
Published: August 2019

Auditory reception relies on the perception of mechanical stimuli by stereocilia and its conversion to electrochemical signal. Mechanosensory stereocilia are abundant in actin, which provides them with structural conformity necessary for perception of auditory stimuli. Out of three major classes of actin‐bundling proteins, plastin 1 encoded by PLS1, is highly expressed in stereocilia and is necessary for their regular maintenance. A missense PLS1 variant associated with autosomal dominant hearing loss (HL) in a small family has recently been reported. Here, we present another PLS1 missense variant, c.805G > A (p.E269K), in a Turkish family with autosomal dominant non‐syndromic HL confirming the causative role of PLS1 mutations in HL. We propose that HL due to the p.E269K variant is from the loss of a stable PLS1‐ACTB interaction.
DOES THE VAT TAX EXPORTS?
Authors: Sharma Rishi R.
Published: August 2019

While a VAT should in principle be neutral with respect to international trade, it may in practice function as a tax on exporters' input purchases if firms receive incomplete VAT refunds. Using data for over 100 countries that span the majority of historical VAT adoption episodes, this paper finds that—consistent with this hypothesis—the VAT reduces the exports of an industry with a 10 percentage point higher intermediate goods share of output by over 8% relative to an industry with a lower share. This effect is driven by developing countries and is absent for high‐income countries. (JEL F13, F14, H25, H87, O11)
Community banks, money and labour productivity
Authors: Smoluk Bert J.
Published: August 2019

Does money affect productivity? We examine whether bank deposits, a measure of the money supply that excludes currency in circulation, influence labour productivity. Banks deposits are special in that they facilitate transactions and, in aggregate, add liquidity and credit availability to a region. By exploiting the distribution of community bank deposits across the states, we test the hypothesis that money is an input to the production function under a variety of panel data methods. We find evidence that bank transaction deposits and total deposits along with other production function inputs such as wages, labour and gross state product are cointegrated across the states; however, the economic contribution of money to labour productivity appears limited.
Effectiveness of Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) as a Groundwater Remedy for Arsenic in Phosphatic Wastes
Authors: Bessinger Brad A. , Hennet Remy J.‐C.
Published: August 2019

A study was conducted to evaluate monitored natural attenuation (MNA) as a remedy for arsenic in groundwater at a former phosphate mining and manufacturing facility. The mineralogy, speciation, and lability of arsenic in phosphatic wastes present in soils were characterized using sequential extraction procedures, leaching experiments, batch adsorption tests, and microchemical speciation analysis. A PHREEQC‐based reactive transport model was also parameterized using these laboratory results, and it was used to evaluate the importance of identified attenuation mechanisms on arsenic concentrations along a vertical flow path from a shallow, alluvial aquifer to the underlying Floridan aquifer. Arsenic was found to occur in several chemical forms in phosphatic wastes, including unstable sulfide minerals, adsorbed surface complexes, and relatively insoluble phosphate and oxide minerals. Most arsenic was associated with stable minerals. The reactive transport model predicted that historical leaching of solid‐phase waste materials in soils would not have generated enough arsenic to explain the concentrations observed in downgradient groundwater; instead, the source of arsenic to groundwater was likely acidic and saline process water that infiltrated though unlined ponds and ditches during historical manufacturing operations. A key factor affecting the long‐term effectiveness of natural attenuation of arsenic in groundwater is the occurrence and stability of iron oxyhydroxides in aquifer sediments. According to laboratory and reactive transport model results, sufficient levels were found to be present at the site to effectively limit arsenic migration at concentrations exceeding drinking water standards in the future in the Floridan aquifer. This study presents the geochemical evaluations that are needed to satisfy EPA guidelines on determining whether or not MNA is an acceptable remedy for a site. It specifically details the characterization and modeling that were used to demonstrate effectiveness at a site where MNA was ultimately selected as the remedy for arsenic in groundwater.
Promoting a sense of security in everyday life—A case study of patients and professionals moving towards co‐production in an atrial fibrillation “learning café”
Authors: Suutari Anne‐Marie , Areskoug‐Josefsson Kristina , Kjellström Sofia , Nordin Annika M. M. , Thor Johan
Published: August 2019

Background

An improvement initiative sought to improve care for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients; many felt insecure about how to cope with AF.

Objective

To reveal AF patients' and professionals' experiences of pilot‐testing a Learning Café group education programme, aimed at increasing the patients' sense of security in everyday life.

Design

Using an organizational case study design, we combined quantitative data (patients' sense of security) and qualitative data (project documentation; focus group interviews with five patients and five professionals) analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis.

Setting

AF patients and a multiprofessional team at a cardiac care unit in a Swedish district hospital.

Improvement activities

Two registered nurses invited AF patients and partners to four 2.5‐hour Learning Café sessions. In the first session, they solicited participants' questions about life with AF. A physician, a registered nurse and a physiotherapist were invited to address these questions in the remaining sessions.

Results

AF patients reported gaining a greater sense of security in everyday life and anticipating a future shift from emergency care to planned care. Professionals reported enhanced professional development, learning more about person‐centredness and gaining greater control of their own work situation. The organization gained knowledge about patient and family involvement.

Conclusions

The Learning Café pilot test—exemplifying movement towards co‐production through patient‐professional collaboration—generated positive outcomes for patients (sense of security), professionals (work satisfaction; learning) and the organization (better care) in line with contemporary models for quality improvement and with Self‐Determination Theory. This approach merits further testing and evaluation in other contexts.
A Place for Stupidity: Investigating Democratic Learning Spaces in the Diorama
Authors: Hoekstra Marike
Published: August 2019

This article explores the possibilities of the diorama medium as a method to investigate educational realities and ideals. Contemporary artistic examples of dioramas deconstruct traditional associations of the diorama as a form of explanatory storytelling and critically contest the problematic reproduction of existing hierarchies, which seem to occur when dioramas are used in museums and schools. In contemporary dioramas, the gaze of the spectator is instead invited to engage and contribute to multiple interpretations of spatial creations. The article explains how dioramas have been employed in a doctoral research project on artist teachers and democratic pedagogy and how making dioramas as a research method in arts‐based educational research has been adopted to engage in a dialogue with visitors to a contemporary gallery to collaboratively investigate the spatiality of democratic learning spaces.
A/r/tography as a Pedagogical Strategy: Entering Somewhere in the Middle of Becoming Artist
Authors: Barney Daniel T.
Published: August 2019

A/r/tography is often considered to be an arts and education practice‐based research methodology, but this author explores a/r/tography as a pedagogical strategy that has informed the author's artistic practice and pedagogical experiments. The author tracks his own journey of entering into an a/r/trographic world and where that entering has positioned him as an artist and educator and then moves on to speculate a possible arts education as his a/r/tography contorts into conceptual doings. Walking is used as a concept, as a process or method to generate more concepts, and as an art form with pedagogical potential within several undergraduate and one graduate course at the author's university. The author also investigates alongside or in concert with the courses he gives. The author equates artistic concepts, like walking, with theoretical and philosophical arguments, assertions and propositions. Artistic processes are equated with methods and methodological concerns, even though these systems of inquiry and knowing may be idiosyncratic in artistic inquiry. And finally, an art form can be understood in research terms as a type of research product or creation, that can be an event, performance, or a continuation of these as write ups or presentations, that are shared with the general or a particular public.
Ratios of serum eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid to arachidonic acid were inversely associated with serum resistin levels: The Hisayama Study
Authors: Higashioka Mayu , Hirakawa Yoichiro , Kawamura Ryoichi , Honda Takanori , Hata Jun , Yoshida Daigo , Takata Yasunori , Kitazono Takanari , Osawa Haruhiko , Ninomiya Toshiharu
Published: August 2019

Aims/Introduction

Resistin is an adipocyte‐derived polypeptide that leads to the progression of insulin resistance and subsequent atherosclerosis. Some studies have reported an association between self‐reported intake ofn−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and serum resistin levels. However, no studies have investigated the association between the ratio of serum levels ofn−3 to serumn−6PUFAs and the serum resistin concentration in the general population.

Materials and Methods

We carried out a cross‐sectional study of 3,200 community‐dwelling Japanese individuals aged ≥40 years in 2002–2003. The ratios of serum eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid to arachidonic acid (AA) were categorized into quartiles. The associations of serumeicosapentaenoic acid/AAanddocosahexaenoic acid/AAwith the serum resistin concentration were assessed using linear regression models with adjustment for potential confounding factors.

Results

The geometric mean of serum resistin was 10.3 ng/mL. The age‐ and sex‐adjusted geometric mean of serum resistin decreased significantly with increased levels of serumeicosapentaenoic acid/AA(quartile 1: 11.3 ng/mL; quartile 2: 10.6 ng/mL; quartile 3: 10.3 ng/mL; quartile 4: 9.3 ng/mL;Pfor trend <0.001). A similar association was observed for serumdocosahexaenoic acid/AA(quartile 1: 11.1 ng/mL; quartile 2: 10.6 ng/mL; quartile 3: 10.1 ng/mL; quartile 4: 9.7 ng/mL;Pfor trend <0.001). An adjustment for potential confounding factors did not change these associations.

Conclusions

Higher ratios of serumn−3 ton−6PUFAs were associated with lower serum resistin levels. Consumption of a large amount ofn−3PUFAs might have desirable effects on resistin‐mediated diseases.
Biographies of a Sociological Type: “Marginal Men” in the Establishment of “Middle American” Anthropology
Authors: Wong Perry
Published: August 2019

Este artículo trata sobre el trabajo de campo que Redfield, Andrade y Tax llevaron a cabo en México y Guatemala con informantes clave y asistentes de campo reclutados localmente desde la década de 1930, bajo los auspicios conjuntos de la Carnegie Institution de Washington y Universidad de Chicago. El “hombre marginal” emerge como una preocupación conjunta razonable para estos antropólogos y sus asistentes, de tres maneras: (1) por posibles tipos sociológicos adaptados para el rol de informante o asistente, (2) por problemas prácticos de mediación para los investigadores que los informantes actuales obviaron, y (3) en cuanto a los roles de los informantes o asistentes en cargos institucionales con trayectorias profesionales emergentes. Al introducir métodos de la antropología lingüística, las vidas de “hombres marginales”, tanto conceptuales como reales, se revelan como importantes para el surgimiento de proyectos antropológicos “académicos” y “aplicados” en los Estados Unidos, México y Guatemala. [historia de las ciencias sociales, métodos de trabajo de campo, antropología aplicada, indigenismo, antropología de Chicago]
How to walk carrying a huge egg? Trade‐offs between locomotion and reproduction explain the special pelvis and leg anatomy in kiwi (Aves;Apteryxspp.)
Authors: Abourachid Anick , Castro Isabel , Provini Pauline
Published: August 2019

Kiwi (Aves; genusApteryx) are famous for laying an enormous egg in comparison with their relatively small body size. Considering the peculiar gait of this flightless bird, we suspected the existence of morpho‐functional trade‐offs between reproduction and locomotion. To understand how structural constraints, imposed by a large egg size, might influence the terrestrial locomotion ofApteryx, we analysed the anatomy of the limb osteomuscular system in two species of kiwi (Apteryx mantelliandApteryx owenii). We performed detailed dissections and brought to light specific anatomical features of kiwi, in comparison with other ratites and neognathous birds. Our osteological study revealed a strongly curved pelvis, a rigid tail, and enlarged ribs. Our myology study showed an unusual location of thecaudofemoralismuscle origin and insertion. The insertion of thepars pelvicaalong the entire caudal face of the femur, contrasts with the proximal insertion usually seen in other birds. Additionally, thepars caudalisoriginates along the entire tail, whereas it only inserts on the uropygium in the other birds. To interpret these specificities from a functional point of view, we built three‐dimensional osteomuscular models based oncomputed tomographyscans, radiographies and our dissections. We chose three postures associated with reproductive constraints: the standing position of a gravid compared with a non‐gravid bird, as well as the brooding position. The 3D model of the brooding position suggested that the enlarged ribs could support the bodyweight when leaning on the huge egg in both males and females. Moreover, we found that in gravid females, the unusual shape of the pelvis and tail allowed the huge egg to sit ventrally below the pelvis, whereas it is held closer to the rachis in other birds. The specific conformation of the limb and the insertions of the two parses of thecaudofemoralishelp to maintain the tail flexed, and to keep the legs adducted when carrying the egg. The caudal location of the hip and its flexed position explains the long stance phase during the strange gait of kiwi, revealing the functional trade‐off between reproduction and locomotion in this emblematic New Zealand bird.
The Poetic Line, the Popol Wuj, and the History of Anthropology
Authors: Barrett Rusty
Published: August 2019

Sherzer's (1982) examination of the poetic line demonstrated that a focus on the poetic line provides new insights into the complexity of the structure of discourse across a wide range of genres. Here, I extend Sherzer's approach by considering how representations of poetic line structure reflect analysts’ relationship with speakers of the languages involved. Looking at representations of the poetic line across different editions of the K'iche’ Maya text, the Popol Wuj, suggests that scholarly attention to the poetic line has increased as scholars have come to recognize the importance of indigenous perspectives in linguistic anthropology.