bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parental Knowledge of Children’s Developmental Milestones in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Aldayel Abdulrahman S. , Aldayel Abdulaziz A. , Almutairi Ahmed M. , Alhussain Hamad A. , Alwehaibi Sultan A. , Almutairi Talal A.
Published: October 2020

Objective. Parental recognition of children’s developmental milestones has been correlated with more effective childcare strategies and overall better outcomes for children. However, the knowledge that parents have about children’s development remains uncertain which reflects serious concerns about children’s health in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study was undertaken to identify parents’ knowledge levels about children’s developmental milestones and the information sources they rely on for this knowledge. Study Design. We recruited 1471 parents aged ≥18 with at least one child under 14 and living in Riyadh to participate in an online survey between July of 2019 and January of 2020. Results. Most respondents showed a poor level of knowledge (80.0%) in all of four domains. However, mothers had more acceptable levels of knowledge (21.0%) than fathers (10.0%) (p≤0.01). There was a significant association between knowledge and age at first child’s birth; respondents who had their first child between 39 and 50 had the highest levels of knowledge (37.5%;p≤0.01). In the four domains of development, parents were found to have the most knowledge about physical development (52.3%), followed by cognitive development (21.6%), social development (21.5%), and emotional development (21.2%). Only a few parents (5%) claimed to always rely on their healthcare professionals for information. Conclusion. There is a lack of appropriate knowledge about developmental milestones among parents, which reflects serious concerns about children’s health in Saudi Arabia. Healthcare institutions and pediatricians currently play a minimal role in health education. Effective health education programs and strategies should be implemented to improve child development outcomes in the community.
Synthesis of Acrylic Acid Polymer Hydrogel Nano Fe3O4 to Remove Ammonia from Sugarcane Field Waste
Authors: Fazilati Amirhosein , Mokhtarian Nader , Latifi Ali Mohammad , Fazilati Mohammad
Published: October 2020

Ammonia is the most essential hydrogenated nitrogen composition that can cause problems when it enters the environment. One of the most important natural and synthetic adsorbents is hydrogels, which can reduce the economic costs of treating industrial effluents and minimize the concentration of ammonia in the drainage of sugarcane fields. In this study, carrageenan, which is a type of polysaccharide, and acrylic acid were used to prepare nanomagnetic hydrogels. Also, the effect of pH, concentration, and temperature on the amount of ammonia adsorption was analyzed by the spectrophotometer, and finally, the adsorption property of the hydrogel was analyzed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results of scanning electron microscopy show that there are holes in the hydrogel surface that increase the rate of adsorption. Experimental data from the spectrophotometer show that the rate of ammonia adsorption increases by about 50% over 80 minutes as its concentration in the effluent increases. The inflation rate of these hydrogels was selected to be 991.52 (mg/g) under optimal conditions, and the nanomagnetic hydrogel adsorption capacity remained constant at a pH range of 4 to 9, while when the pH was below four or above 9, the capacity of adsorption shows a slight decrease. Adsorption by acrylic hydrogels is significant. There is an issue that by modifying the acrylic compounds in the production of the hydrogel, it is possible to absorb the heavy elements or colors in the best way and also to achieve high efficiency. Also, by increasing the amount of adsorbent nanomagnetic hydrogel up to 40 mg led to the adsorption of 89.16%, 32.50%, and 31.11% of ammonia in three pools of the test site, respectively. The results also show that the use of iron oxide nanoparticles in the hydrogel substrate has increased thermal stability by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) which shows that at 650 degrees centigrade, kappa‐carrageenan, hydrogels, and nanomagnetic hydrogels have a weight loss of 72.66%, 58.79%, and 52.39%, respectively. Studies have shown that the kappa‐carrageenan‐based hydrogel nanocomposite is more cost‐effective, while it is more efficient at absorbing NH4+. Therefore, this adsorbent can be a promising material in terms of economic as well as its effectiveness in eliminating ammonia from sewage. Investigations were performed for ammonia desorption and the reusability of nanomagnetic hydrogels. Also, the rate of ammonia adsorption by nanomagnetic hydrogels after 6 cycles of recovery cycle using NaCl can be about 43% of the initial rate. All statistical studies were performed by Minitab software version 18 and considering p value = 0.05.
Predictors of an Extended Length of Stay following an Elective Craniotomy in Children and Young Adults
Authors: Hersh David S. , Smith Luke G.F. , Jones Tamekia L. , Fraser Brittany D. , Kumar Rahul , Vaughn Brandy , Klimo Paul
Published: October 2020

Background: Length of stay (LOS) is now a generally accepted clinical metric within the USA. An extended LOS following an elective craniotomy can significantly impact overall costs. Few studies have evaluated predictors of an extended LOS in pediatric neurosurgical patients. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine predictors of an extended hospital LOS following an elective craniotomy in children and young adults. Methods: All pediatric patients and young adults undergoing an elective craniotomy between January 1, 2010, and April 1, 2019, were retrospectively identified using a prospectively maintained database. Demographic, clinical, radiological, and surgical data were collected. The primary outcome was extended LOS, defined as a postsurgical stay greater than 7 days. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed. Results: A total of 1,498 patients underwent 1,720 elective craniotomies during the study period over the course of 1,698 hospitalizations with a median LOS of 4 days (interquartile range 3–6 days). Of these encounters, 218 (12.8%) had a prolonged LOS. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that non-Caucasian race (OR = 1.9 [African American]; OR = 1.6 [other]), the presence of an existing shunt (OR = 1.8), the type of craniotomy (OR = 0.3 [vascular relative to Chiari]), and the presence of a postoperative complication (OR = 14.7) were associated with an extended LOS. Conclusions: Inherent and modifiable factors predict a hospital stay of more than a week in children and young adults undergoing an elective craniotomy.
ctDNA in Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Gastroenteropancreatic Origin or of Unknown Primary: The CIRCAN-NEC Pilot Study
Authors: Gerard Laura , Garcia Jessica , Gauthier Arnaud , Lopez Jonathan , Durand Alice , Hervieu Valérie , Lemelin Annie , Chardon Laurence , Landel Verena , Gibert Benjamin , Lombard-Bohas Catherine , Payen Lea , Walter Thomas
Published: October 2020

Introduction: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas (GEPNEC) are characterized by a heterogeneous molecular profile and a poor prognosis. Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) analysis may be useful for NEC management. This study aimed at describing ctDNA mutations, to assess their predictive value for response to chemotherapies, and their change according to disease progression. Methods: The CIRCAN-NEC study included patients with GEPNEC or NEC from an unknown primary, scheduled to begin first- or second-line chemotherapy. Blood samples were collected prior to chemotherapy initiation, at first evaluation, and during disease progression. ctDNA was sequenced by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Molecular response was defined as a decrease of at least 30% of the mutant allele fraction. Results: All 24 patients included received platinum-etoposide first-line chemotherapy; 19 received a FOLFIRI-based post-first-line regimen. Twenty-two patients had at least one driver mutation: TP53 (n = 21), RB1 (n = 2), KRAS (n = 4), and BRAF (n = 3). Ten (42%) had an “adenocarcinoma-like” profile. Five of 6 patients with matching ctDNA/tissue NGS harboured at least one concordant mutation (44% concordance at the gene level). The concordance rate between ctDNA mutation/immunohistochemistry profile was 64% (7/11) for TP53/p53+ and 14% (1/7) for RB1/pRb−. In this pilot study including few patients by subgroups, patients with KRAS (HR = 3.60, 95% CI [1.06–12.04]) and BRAF (HR = 4.25, 95% CI [1.11–16.40]) mutations had shorter progression-free survival (PFS) under platinum-etoposide, while the 2 patients with RB1 mutations had shorter PFS under FOLFIRI-based chemotherapy. Twenty-eight periods of treatment were assessed: 10 patients had a molecular response (7/10 had a morphological response), which was associated with longer PFS (HR = 0.37, 95% CI [0.15; 0.91]). Conclusion: This pilot study shows a high sensitivity of ctDNA assessment, which is encouraging for the future management of GEPNEC (tumour molecular diagnosis and evaluation of disease progression).
Novel Data about Association of the Functionally Significant Polymorphisms of the MMP9 Gene with Exfoliation Glaucoma in the Caucasian Population of Central Russia
Authors: Starikova Dina , Ponomarenko Irina , Reshetnikov Evgeny , Dvornyk Volodymyr , Churnosov Mikhail
Published: October 2020

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the role of functionally significant polymorphisms of the MMP1, MMP3, and MMP9 genes in the development of exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) in the Caucasian population of Central Russia. Methods: The study sample consisted of 724 participants, including 328 patients with XFG and 396 individuals in the control group. The participants were of Russian ethnicity (self-reported) born in Central Russia. The participants were genotyped at 8 functionally significant polymorphisms of the MMP genes (rs3918242, rs3918249, rs17576, rs3787268, rs2250889, rs17577 MMP9, rs679620 MMP3, and rs1799750 MMP1). The association analysis was performed using logistic regression. Two polymorphisms, which were associated with XFG, and 12 polymorphisms linked to them (r2 ≥ 0.8) were analyzed for their functional significance in silico. Results: Allele C of rs3918249 MMP9 was associated with XFG according to the additive model (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.56–0.93, pperm = 0.015), and allele G of the rs2250889 MMP9 locus was associated with XFG according to the additive (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.10–2.29, pperm = 0.013) and dominant (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.11–2.56, pperm = 0.016) models. Two XFG-associated loci of the MMP9 gene and 12 SNPs linked to them had a significant regulatory potential (they are located in the evolutionarily conserved regions, promoter and enhancer histone marks, the DNAase-hypersensitivity regions, a region binding to regulatory protein, and a region of regulatory motifs) and may influence the expression of 13 genes and alternative splicing of 4 genes in various tissues and organs related to the pathogenesis of XFG. Conclusion: Allele C rs3918249 MMP9 decreased risk for XFG (OR = 0.75), and allele G of the rs2250889 MMP9 locus increased risk for XFG (OR = 1.59–1.68) in the Caucasian population of Central Russia.
Efficacy of MAVIG X-Ray Protective Drapes in Reducing Operator Radiation Dose in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory
Authors: McCutcheon Keir , Vanhaverbeke Maarten , Pauwels Ruben , Dabin Jérémie , Schoonjans Werner , Bennett Johan , Adriaenssens Tom , Dubois Christophe , Sinnaeve Peter , Desmet Walter
Published: October 2020

Background:

Interventional cardiologists are occupationally exposed to high doses of ionizing radiation. The MAVIG X-ray protective drape (MXPD) is a commercially available light weight, lead-free shield placed over the pelvic area of patients to minimize operator radiation dose. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of the MXPD during routine cardiac catheterization, including percutaneous coronary interventions.

Methods:

We performed a prospective, randomized controlled study comparing operator radiation dose during cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention (n=632) with or without pelvic MXPD. We measured operator radiation dose at 4 sites: left eye, chest, left ring finger, and right ring finger. The primary outcomes were the difference in first operator radiation dose (µSv) and relative dose of the first operator (radiation dose normalized for dose area product) at the level of the chest in the 2 groups.

Results:

The use of the MXPD was associated with a 50% reduction in operator radiation dose (median dose 30.5 [interquartile range, 23.0–39.7] µSv in no drape group versus 15.3 [interquartile range, 11.1–20.0] µSv in the drape group;
P
<0.001) and a 57% reduction in relative operator dose (
P
<0.001). The largest absolute reduction in dose was observed at the left finger (median left finger dose for the no drape group was 104.9 [75.7–137.4] µSv versus 41.9 [32.6–70.6] µSv in the drape group;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions:

The pelvic MXPD significantly reduces first operator radiation dose during routine cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT04285944.
Interaction of the Joining Region in Junctophilin-2 With the L-Type Ca
2+
Channel Is Pivotal for Cardiac Dyad Assembly and Intracellular Ca
2+
Dynamics
Authors: Gross Polina , Johnson Jaslyn , Romero Carlos M. , Eaton Deborah M. , Poulet Claire , Sanchez-Alonso Jose , Lucarelli Carla , Ross Jean , Gibb Andrew A. , Garbincius Joanne F. , Lambert Jonathan , Varol Erdem , Yang Yijun , Wallner Markus , Feldsott Eric A. , Kubo Hajime , Berretta Remus M. , Yu Daohai , Rizzo Victor , Elrod John , Sabri Abdelkarim , Gorelik Julia , Chen Xiongwen , Houser Steven R.
Published: October 2020

Rationale:

Ca
2+
-induced Ca
2+
release (CICR) in normal hearts requires close approximation of L-type calcium channels (LTCCs) within the transverse tubules (T-tubules) and RyR (ryanodine receptors) within the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum. CICR is disrupted in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, which is associated with loss of T-tubules and disruption of cardiac dyads. In these conditions, LTCCs are redistributed from the T-tubules to disrupt CICR. The molecular mechanism responsible for LTCCs recruitment to and from the T-tubules is not well known. JPH (junctophilin) 2 enables close association between T-tubules and the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum to ensure efficient CICR. JPH2 has a so-called joining region that is located near domains that interact with T-tubular plasma membrane, where LTCCs are housed. The idea that this joining region directly interacts with LTCCs and contributes to LTCC recruitment to T-tubules is unknown.

Objective:

To determine if the joining region in JPH2 recruits LTCCs to T-tubules through direct molecular interaction in cardiomyocytes to enable efficient CICR.

Methods and Results:

Modified abundance of JPH2 and redistribution of LTCC were studied in left ventricular hypertrophy in vivo and in cultured adult feline and rat ventricular myocytes. Protein-protein interaction studies showed that the joining region in JPH2 interacts with LTCC-α1C subunit and causes LTCCs distribution to the dyads, where they colocalize with RyRs. A JPH2 with induced mutations in the joining region (mut
PG1
JPH2) caused T-tubule remodeling and dyad loss, showing that an interaction between LTCC and JPH2 is crucial for T-tubule stabilization. mut
PG1
JPH2 caused asynchronous Ca
2+
-release with impaired excitation-contraction coupling after β-adrenergic stimulation. The disturbed Ca
2+
regulation in mut
PG1
JPH2 overexpressing myocytes caused calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II activation and altered myocyte bioenergetics.

Conclusions:

The interaction between LTCC and the joining region in JPH2 facilitates dyad assembly and maintains normal CICR in cardiomyocytes.
Variants of Focal Adhesion Scaffold Genes Cause Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Li Yang , Gao Shijuan , Han Yingchun , Song Li , Kong Yu , Jiao Yao , Huang Shan , Du Jie , Li Yulin
Published: October 2020

Rationale:

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) leads to substantial mortality worldwide. Familial and syndromic TAAs are highly correlated with genetics. However, the incidence of sporadic isolated TAA (iTAA) is much higher, and the genetic contribution is not yet clear.

Objective:

Here, we examined the genetic characteristics of sporadic iTAA.

Methods and Results:

We performed a genetic screen of 551 sporadic iTAA cases and 1071 controls via whole-exome sequencing. The prevalence of pathogenic mutations in known causal genes was 5.08% in the iTAA cohort. We selected 100 novel candidate genes using a strict strategy, and the suspected functional variants of these genes were significantly enriched in cases compared with controls and carried by 60.43% of patients. We found more severe phenotypes and a lower proportion of hypertension in cases with pathogenic mutations or suspected functional variants. Among the candidate genes,
Testin
(
TES
), which encodes a focal adhesion scaffold protein, was identified as a potential TAA causal gene, accounting for 4 patients with 2 missense variants in the LIM1 domain (c.751T>C encoding p.Y251H; c.838T>C encoding p.Y280H) and highly expressed in the aorta. The 2 variants led to a decrease in TES expression. The thoracic aorta was spontaneously dilated in the
Tes

Y249H

knock-in and
Tes
−/−
mice. Mechanistically, the p.Y249H variant or knockdown of
TES
led to the repression of vascular smooth muscle cell contraction genes and disturbed the vascular smooth muscle cell contractile phenotype. Interestingly, suspected functional variants of other focal adhesion scaffold genes, including
TLN1
(Talin-1) and
ZYX
(zyxin), were also significantly enriched in patients with iTAA; moreover, their knockdown resulted in decreased contractility of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Conclusions:

For the first time, this study revealed the genetic landscape across iTAA and showed that the focal adhesion scaffold genes are critical in the pathogenesis of iTAA.
Low High‐Sensitivity C‐Reactive Protein Level in Korean Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease and Its Predictive Significance for Cardiovascular Events, Mortality, and Adverse Kidney Outcomes: Results From KNOW‐CKD
Authors: Lee Changhyun , Park Keun Hyung , Joo Young Su , Nam Ki Heon , Chang Tae‐Ik , Kang Ea Wha , Lee Joongyub , Oh Yun Kyu , Jung Ji Yong , Ahn Curie , Lee Kyu‐Beck , Park Jung Tak , Yoo Tae‐Hyun , Kang Shin‐Wook , Han Seung Hyeok
Published: October 2020

Background

Inflammation levels are lower in East Asians than in Western people. We studied the association between high‐sensitivity hs‐CRP (C‐reactive protein) and adverse outcomes in Korean patients with chronic kidney disease.

Methods and Results

We included 2018 participants from the KNOW‐CKD (Korean Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease) between April 2011 and February 2016. The primary outcome was a composite of extended major cardiovascular events (eMACE) or all‐cause mortality. The secondary end points were separate outcomes of eMACE, all‐cause death, and adverse kidney outcome. We also evaluated predictive ability of hs‐CRP for the primary outcome. The median hs‐CRP level was 0.60 mg/L. During the mean follow‐up of 3.9 years, there were 125 (6.2%) eMACEs and 80 (4.0%) deaths. In multivariable Cox analysis after adjustment of confounders, there was a graded association of hs‐CRP with the primary outcome. The hazard ratios for hs‐CRPs of 1.0 to 2.99 and ≥3.0 mg/L were 1.33 (95% CI, 0.87–2.03) and 2.08 (95% CI, 1.30–3.33) compared with the hs‐CRP of <1.0 mg/L. In secondary outcomes, this association was consistent for eMACE and all‐cause death; however, hs‐CRP was not associated with adverse kidney outcomes. Finally, prediction models failed to show improvement of predictive performance of hs‐CRP compared with conventional factors.

Conclusions

In Korean patients with chronic kidney disease, the hs‐CRP level was low and significantly associated with higher risks of eMACEs and mortality. However, hs‐CRP did not associate with adverse kidney outcome, and the predictive performance of hs‐CRP was not strong.

Registration

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01630486.
Catalytic Cooperation
Authors: Hale Thomas
Published: October 2020

Scholars typically model the politics of global public goods or common pool resources as difficult collective action problems. Theories of international organization aim to explain how institutions can promote cooperation by solving the free rider problem. Based on an analysis of a quintessential global collective action problem—international climate mitigation—this article challenges both this diagnosis of the problem and the concomitant institutional remedies. Important elements of climate mitigation exhibit three key features that depart from the canonical model: joint goods, preference heterogeneity, and increasing returns. The presence of these features creates the possibility for “catalytic cooperation.” Under such conditions, the chief barrier to cooperation is not the threat of free riding but the lack of incentive to act in the first place. States and other actors seek to solve this problem by creating “catalytic institutions” that work to shift actors’ preferences and strategies toward cooperative outcomes over time. While catalytic institutions can be seen in many areas of world politics, the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change has put this logic of cooperation at its core, raising the possibility that similar catalytic institutions may facilitate cooperation in other areas of world politics characterized by analogous problem structures.
Beliefs About Consequences from Climate Action Under Weak Climate Institutions: Sectors, Home Bias, and International Embeddedness
Authors: Bayer Patrick , Genovese Federica
Published: October 2020

Climate policy has distributional effects, and ratcheting up climate ambition will only become politically feasible if the general public believes that their country can win from ambitious climate action. In this article, we develop a theory of belief formation that anchors distributional effects from climate action at the sector level. Specifically, we study how knowing about these impacts shapes public beliefs about collective economic consequences from climate policy—not only in a home country but also abroad. A nationally representative survey experiment in the United Kingdom demonstrates that respondents are biased toward their home country in assessing information about winning and losing sectors: while beliefs brighten for good news and worsen for bad news when the home country is involved, distributional effects from abroad are discounted for belief formation. We also show that feelings of “international embeddedness,” akin to globalization attitudes, make UK respondents consistently hold more positive beliefs that the country can benefit from ambitious climate action. Ruling out several alternative explanations, these results offer a first step toward a better understanding of how distributional effects in one issue area, such as globalization, can spill over to other issue areas, such as climate change.
Political Institutions and Supply-Side Climate Politics: Lessons from Coal Ports in Canada and the United States
Authors: Harrison Kathryn
Published: October 2020

In recent years, a new “supply-side” climate politics has emerged as activists have turned their attention from fossil fuel combustion to fossil fuel extraction and transport. This article investigates conditions for success of anti–fossil-fuel activism by comparing the fate of two proposed coal terminals on either side of the Canada–United States border. Both cases highlight that fossil fuel transport infrastructure is especially vulnerable to opposition as a result of concentrated costs and limited economic benefits in transit jurisdictions that did not produce the fossil fuels in question. Still, not all contexts are equally amenable to supply-side contestation. Institutional differences explain approval of a new coal port in Canada, while a similar US facility was rejected: a weaker environmental assessment regime and more limited opportunities for local government and Indigenous vetoes. However, the regulator’s subsequent withdrawal of the still-pending Canadian terminal’s permit five years later reveals that delay can be as good as victory for opponents when markets for fossil fuels decline.
Yet two more firsts for Mary E. Barber (1818–1899), and a new synonym for the largest aloe, Aloidendron barberae (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae)

Authors: FIGUEIREDO ESTRELA , SMITH GIDEON F.
Published: October 2020

Walker et al. (2019: 12) suggested that the name Aloe zeyheri (Barber 1870a: 80) (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae) was merely proposed and not validly published for the species of tree aloe today known as Aloidendron barberae (Dyer 1874a: 566) Klopper & Gideon F. Sm. in Grace et al. (2013: 9) (Fig. 1A–C). Aloidendron barberae occurs naturally along the eastern seaboard of South Africa, and slightly inland, and caused quite a stir in botanical circles when it was first and more or less simultaneously collected in South Africa’s Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
Analysis of the type material of Synedra perminuta (Bacillariophyceae) with the description of two new Fragilaria species from Sweden

Authors: VAN DE VIJVER BART , ECTOR LUC
Published: October 2020

During a revision of the genus Fragilaria in Europe, two unknown Fragilaria taxa were observed in Erken Lake, Sweden, that showed some resemblance to Fragilaria perminuta, a species described in the nineteenth century from the Great Lakes in the United States. The type material of Synedra perminuta from Lake Erie, U.S.A. (Grunow sample 2592) was analysed. Detailed morphological analysis, using both light and scanning electron microscope observations and comparison with the type material, showed that both taxa from Sweden should be described as new species: Fragilaria goeyersiana sp. nov. and F. vandevondeliana sp. nov. The separation of the two taxa is based on valve outline, shape of the apices and stria density. Comparisons are made with similar taxa and brief notes on their ecology are added.
Leptochilus gracilis (Polypodiaceae), a new fern species from southeastern Yunnan, China based on morphological and molecular evidence

Authors: LIANG ZHEN-LONG , SHUI YU-MIN , CHEN WEN-HONG , YU ZHI-YONG , ZHANG LIANG , ZHANG LI-BING
Published: October 2020

A new fern species, Leptochilus gracilis, is described and illustrated from southeastern Yunnan, China. Leptochilus gracilis is most similar to L. ellipticus. Compared with L. ellipticus, L. gracilis has a smaller habit with fronds less than 20 cm long, laminae with only one or two pairs of lobes, and midrib of lobes at angles of 45–60 degree with rachis. In contrast, L. ellipticus has a larger habit with fronds more than 30 cm long, laminae with (3–)4–9 pairs of lobes, and midrib of lobes at angles ca. 80–90 degree with rachis. A phylogenetic analysis based on four plastid markers confirmed the recognition of the new species and resulted in an isolated subclade of L. ellipticus clade.
A new species of Aclees from Taiwan with notes on other species of the genus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae)
Authors: MEREGALLI MASSIMO , BORIANI MARCO , TADDEI ANDREA , HSU CHEN-FU , TSENG WEI-ZHE , MOUTTET RAPHAËLLE
Published: October 2020

A molecular and morphological analysis of the species of Aclees native to Taiwan allowed for recognition of a new species, that is described here as Aclees aenigmaticus Meregalli & Boriani, sp. n. The study also revealed that the species of Aclees that has been introduced into Italy and France has identical morphology and mitochondrial cox-1 gene sequence with specimens of A. taiwanensis from Taiwan. Taiwan is thus assumed to be the country of origin of the specimens introduced into Europe. A key to the species of Aclees present in Taiwan is provided. A lectotype is designated for Aclees foveatus Voss, 1932, and some remarks on A. hirayamai Kôno, 1932 are given. Pagiophloeus visayus Heller, 1929 from the Philippines is transferred to the genus Aclees, comb. n.
Making up Numbers
Authors: Kopp Ekkehard
Published: October 2020

Making up Numbers: A History of Invention in Mathematics offers a detailed but accessible account of a wide range of mathematical ideas. Starting with elementary concepts, it leads the reader towards aspects of current mathematical research.

The book explains how conceptual hurdles in the development of numbers and number systems were overcome in the course of history, from Babylon to Classical Greece, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, and so to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The narrative moves from the Pythagorean insistence on positive multiples to the gradual acceptance of negative numbers, irrationals and complex numbers as essential tools in quantitative analysis.

Within this chronological framework, chapters are organised thematically, covering a variety of topics and contexts: writing and solving equations, geometric construction, coordinates and complex numbers, perceptions of ‘infinity’ and its permissible uses in mathematics, number systems, and evolving views of the role of axioms.

Through this approach, the author demonstrates that changes in our understanding of numbers have often relied on the breaking of long-held conventions to make way for new inventions at once providing greater clarity and widening mathematical horizons. Viewed from this historical perspective, mathematical abstraction emerges as neither mysterious nor immutable, but as a contingent, developing human activity.

Making up Numbers will be of great interest to undergraduate and A-level students of mathematics, as well as secondary school teachers of the subject. In virtue of its detailed treatment of mathematical ideas, it will be of value to anyone seeking to learn more about the development of the subject.
A Simulation Framework to Support the Design and Evaluation of Adaptive Scanning for Phased-Array Weather Radars
Authors: Torres Sebastián M. , Schvartzman David
Published: October 2020

We propose a simulation framework that can be used to design and evaluate the performance of adaptive scanning algorithms on different phased-array weather radar designs. The simulator is proposed as tool to 1) compare the performance of different adaptive scanning algorithms on the same weather event, 2) evaluate the performance of a given adaptive scanning algorithm on several weather events, and 3) evaluate the performance of a given adaptive scanning algorithm on a given weather event using different radar designs. We illustrate the capabilities of the proposed framework to design and evaluate the performance of adaptive algorithms aimed at reducing the update time using adaptive scanning. The example concept of operations is based on a fast low-fidelity surveillance scan and a high-fidelity adaptive scan. The flexibility of the proposed simulation framework is tested using two phased-array-radar designs and three complementary adaptive scanning algorithms: focused observations, beam clustering, and dwell tailoring. Based on a significant weather event observed by an operational NEXRAD radar, our experimental results consist of radar data that were simulated as if the same event had been observed by arbitrary combinations of radar systems and adaptive scanning configurations. Results show that simulated fields of radar data capture the main data-quality impacts from the use of adaptive scanning and can be used to obtain quantitative metrics and for qualitative comparison and evaluation by forecasters. That is, the proposed simulator could provide an effective interface with meteorologists and could support the development of concepts of operations that are based on adaptive scanning to meet the evolutionary observational needs of the U.S. National Weather Service.
The mediating roles of law legitimacy and police legitimacy in predicting cooperation with police in China
Authors: Li Feng , Sun Ivan Y , Wu Yuning , Liu Siyu
Published: October 2020

Public’s willingness to assist the police in preventing and fighting crime forms one of the fundamental pillars for implementing effective policing strategies and reforms. Despite widely supported by research conducted around the world, the process-based model of policing has received little research attention in authoritarian settings. Based on survey data collected from Shanghai, China, this study assesses the roles of law and police legitimacy in mediating the relationships between police fairness and effectiveness and willingness to cooperate with the police. We found that Chinese people’s greater senses of police fairness can lead to their higher levels of trust in and willingness to obey the police, but the total effect of police fairness on willingness to cooperate with the police is non-significant. Police effectiveness, meanwhile, directly promotes cooperation with the police. We also found that people who perceived the law as legitimate expressed greater willingness to cooperate with the police. Police legitimacy, compared to law legitimacy, is a more pronounced linking factor connecting police fairness to public cooperation. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.
Technology Exports and Global Value Chain Linkages: A Comparative Sectoral Study of India
Authors: Arora Kashika , Siddiqui Areej Aftab
Published: October 2020

Technology being incorporated in products, intermediate inputs and processes varies from sector to sector. Using annual time series data (1991–2017), a comparative performance of two sectors, namely, a high-tech (electronics and hardware) and low-tech (textiles and clothing), is undertaken to elaborate on the linkages between trade and technology. The empirical analysis in the form of auto regressive distributive lag (ARDL) testing approach to co-integration concludes that there is strong evidence of positive long-run relationship between extensive margin, gross fixed capital formation and revealed comparative advantage (RCA) with gross exports (GE) for the textile and clothing sector. Also, there runs a bidirectional Granger causality between RCA and GE and unidirectional Granger causality from GE to extensive and intensive margins and production value. However, there is a lack of evidence of long-run co-integration in the electronics sector. Still, a short-run positive causal relationship exists between lagged values of GE, intensive margin and production with GE. Together, the impact of these variables on the sector’s export performance varies, thus posing a challenge as well as providing a direction for the policies to reap further from this potential nexus of trade, investment and global value chains.
India’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Frontal Assault on the “Historically Dispossessed”
Authors: Mohan Malu , Mishra Sapna
Published: October 2020

During the nationwide lockdown as part of the state response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the predicament of interstate migrant laborers in India, caught in crowded cities without means of livelihood and basic resources needed to sustain life, gained national and international attention. This article explores the context of the current migrant crisis through the historical trajectories and political roots of internal migration in India and its relationship with the urban informal labor market and the structural determinants of precarious employment. We argue that the both the response to the pandemic and the disproportionate impact on migrant laborers are reflections and consequences of an established pattern of neglect and poor accountability of the state toward the employment and living conditions of migrant workers who toil precariously in the informal labor market.
Barbara Lee’s Peacebuilding Discourse as Transformative Social Justice Politics
Authors: Gorsevski Ellen W.
Published: October 2020

This essay explores discourses of Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), appreciating her intersectional standpoint as a leader in Trumpian times, and as the lone AA woman dissenter who has long advocated peace over war in the United States” Congress in the aftermath of two politically seismic shifts: (1) September 11, 2001 and (2) the rise of right wing politics in the U.S. and internationally. As bellicose and right wing politics have expanded, Lee’s nonviolent voice has persisted, offering critiques of (1) post 9/11 and (2) Trump Administration era xenophobic rhetoric, policies, and systems. Rhetoric of White male politicians pervades discourse studies, yet comparatively little has been studied on countervailing peacebuilding discourses of U.S. Congresswomen. This study refocuses discourse scholarship on sociopolitical justice rhetoric across the activist career of Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Lee’s career-spanning politics bears study as successful peacebuilding leadership. Lee’s political discourses espousing peacebuilding exemplify contemporary women of color’s activism, which rebalances foci in discourse studies between necessary critiques of right politicians and legislation. Studying transformative politics recenters leaders of social, environmental, and economic justice who buck status quo via peacebuilding discourse (PD).
Are There Differences in Experts’ and Lay Assessors’ Attractiveness Judgments of Non-Professional Men’s Dance/Gait Movements?
Authors: Fink Bernhard , Apalkova Yulia , Butovskaya Marina L. , Shackelford Todd K.
Published: October 2020

Research on attractiveness assessments of men’s dance has shown that raters derive and integrate information about male mating-related qualities into their attractiveness assessments, but prior studies have focused on lay assessors (i.e., individuals with no professional dance background) rather than dance experts. We recruited male and female Russian dance experts ( n = 23) to judge gender-neutral, featureless virtual characters, animated with motion-captured dance movements and gaits of British men, and compared their dance assessments to those from a group of Russian male and female lay assessors ( n = 73). The dance experts provided higher dance and gait attractiveness judgments than the lay assessors. Both groups judged the gait movements to be of higher attractiveness than the dance movements. Differences in attractiveness assessments between experts and lay assessors were larger for the male judges than for the female judges. In an additional survey, the dance experts (versus lay assessors) placed greater emphasis on the importance of dance-related capacities and skills. We discuss our findings with reference to past research on dance/gait attractiveness as assessed by lay judges and the role of expertise in assessing body movement.
The Hexaco-60, the Dark Triad and Scholastic Cheating
Authors: Cheung Yuen Kiu , Egan Vincent
Published: October 2020

Previous studies have found inconsistent results regarding the personality predictors of scholastic cheating. This study investigated whether personality was a predictor of scholastic cheating using the HEXACO-60 personality inventory and the Dark Triad (DT). A sample of 252 students completed the online questionnaire. Results from a one-way ANOVA showed that scholastic cheating was more common in associate degree/diploma/foundation students and undergraduate students than postgraduate students. Year of study or student status (local or international students) had no effect on scholastic cheating. MANOVA showed that academic qualification, year of study, and student status had no effect on reasons for cheating. A structural equation model (SEM) found that scholastic cheating was positively predicted by unmitigated achievement and psychopathy. Psychopathy emerged as the strongest significant predictor of scholastic cheating. These results supported the view that dark personality is relevant for understanding scholastic cheating.
Exploring the Environmental Manifestation of Types of Music on Reinforcing Mindfulness and Concurrent Calorie Intake
Authors: Hussain Misba , Egan Helen , Keyte Rebecca , Mantzios Michail
Published: October 2020

Background

The role of music on energy intake is conflicting, and recent research has suggested a positive association between classical music listening and mindfulness.

Objective

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of music, specifically classical music on state mindfulness and calorie intake of energy-dense foods.

Method

One hundred participants were randomly assigned to either a classical, popular or no music condition, and were served a variety of sweet (i.e., chocolate and cookies) and savoury (i.e., crisps) energy-dense foods. Results: The results found no significant differences in state mindfulness, overall calorie intake, or intake of sweet foods across the three conditions. However, participants in the classical music condition did consume significantly less savoury food than those in the no music condition.

Conclusion

Playing classical music may be beneficial in reducing intake of savoury foods, but not through the association to changes in state mindfulness. Future research should explore extended sessions of music listening on state mindfulness and other experiential evaluations of mindfulness to conclude on the direct and indirect effects of music on sweet and savoury foods.
Between faith and scepticism: Nicholas Rengger’s reflections on the ‘hybridity’ of modernity
Authors: Paipais Vassilios
Published: October 2020

In this essay, I offer a brief assessment of Nicholas Rengger’s engagement with arguments arising from the theological critique of modern politics and of his take on the relationship between faith and philosophy in modernity. Rengger’s scepticism, a peculiar mix of naturalism and philosophical idealism, combining insights from Oakeshott, Santayana and Augustine, did not cordon off faith but sought to work out its tensive relationship with practical forms of reasoning in modernity, a condition he described as a ‘hybrid’. Rengger’s critique of the hybridity of modernity rests on assumptions that expose some of the unresolved tensions of his anti-Pelagian scepticism.
Reimagining Business Planning, Accessibility, and Web Design Instruction: A Stacked Interdisciplinary Collaboration Across National Boundaries
Authors: Palmer Zsuzsanna B. , Oswal Sushil K. , Koris Rita
Published: October 2020

The authors present the results of a study of a three-way international collaboration project among one Hungarian class and two classes from Michigan and Washington, respectively. This multifaceted study focused on business planning, web design, and accessibility with the aim of investigating the effect of accessibility instruction on the production of business plans and websites. The distinguishing feature of this study was its emphasis to orient the three student groups on disability and accessibility issues from the perspective of the critical social model of disability advanced by disability studies theorists. The researchers collected quantitative and qualitative pre/postproject survey data from their three classes. They combined this data with the text of student emails sent among the project teams and instructor notes about their teaching to arrive at conclusions about the effectiveness of the collaboration using a mixed-methods approach. The results from the data analyses revealed significant benefit of the client–provider relationships among the three classes and the accessibility instruction provided by the Washington class to the other two classes on the business plans and websites.
Delay aversion in school-aged children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Mphahlele Ramatladi Meriam , Pillay Basil Joseph , Meyer Anneke
Published: October 2020

This study considered whether children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder displayed a stronger preference for smaller, more immediate rewards over larger, but delayed rewards (delay aversion) when compared to typically developing controls and, furthermore, whether age and gender influenced their preference in any way. Children, between 6 and 15 years of age, living in Limpopo province of South Africa, participated in the study. Two hundred sixteen children in total (108 with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and 108 matched controls without attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms) were assessed, on a task of delay aversion. The Two Choice Impulsivity Paradigm, which assesses immediate and delayed responses, was administered to both the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and control groups. The performance of both groups was compared on the Two Choice Impulsivity Paradigm, and the scores were analysed as a function of gender and age. The attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder group chose significantly more immediate, smaller responses than the neurotypical control group, which preferred significantly more delayed but larger responses. Gender and age did not affect the response choices for both immediate and delayed measurements. Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder show a greater need for more immediate gratification, even if the reward is smaller, than the neurotypical control group who could delay gratification to receive a larger reward. Gender and age did not influence their preferences.
Fathers’ Experiences of Perinatal Loss: A Sample Meta-Synthesis Study
Authors: Aydin Ruveyde , Kabukcuoğlu Kamile
Published: October 2020

This study aimed to examine fathers’ experiences of perinatal loss systematically. It was conducted using the meta-synthesis method, which is one of the qualitative research methods. The literature review was conducted via PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Psyc-INFO databases using keywords, and the results of 17 qualitative studies that meet the research criteria were included in the study. The data were evaluated using the thematic analysis method. Eight main themes were found: being a father, things experienced when the loss is learnt, things experienced by the fathers after the loss, being strong as a male, ways to cope with the loss, support, practices applied for the lost baby, and neglected group of fathers. The results showed that fathers were affected like mothers after perinatal loss.
Effects of Cognitive Versus Mind-Motor Training on Cognition and Functional Skills in the Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Sharma Shruti , Balaji Gandhi Karunanithi , Sahana A  , Karthikbabu Suruliraj
Published: October 2020

Background:

There is a decline in cognitive and functional skills in older adults. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of cognitive and mind-motor training (MMT) on cognition and functional skills in a community-dwelling sample of older adults.

Methods:

In this observer-blinded randomized clinical trial, 40 older adults with medical stability, ability to comprehend and respond to simple verbal instructions, no diagnosed psychological disorders, absence of severe visual and hearing problems, the capacity to walk independently, and a score of more than 46 in Berg Balance Scale were included. They were randomly allocated into cognitive or MMT groups. Cognitive training (CT) was practiced with activities for memory and attention, using paper–pencil tasks. MMT was practiced using a simple, indoor based square-stepping exercise. They practiced one-hour of training per day, three days a week, for eight weeks.

Results:

General linear model analysis showed that the time by groups was not statistically significant. The mean (standard deviation) scores in General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition Scale and Hindi Mental State Examination improved significantly (P < 0.001) following MMT [1.75 (1.29); 2.4 (1.34)] and CT [1.5 (1.36); 2.7 (0.99)]. The functional skills measured using Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale revealed beneficial changes for both the groups. None of the outcomes were statistically significant between the groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion:

Both cognitive and MMTs showed similar practice effects on cognition and functional skills in community-dwelling older adults.