bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three Patients with Lithium-Associated Hyperparathyroidism: Literature Review Regarding Medical and Surgical Management
Authors: Hanna Ramy M. , Hasnain Huma , Sangalang Michelle D. , Han Jennifer , Arasu Aarthi , Arman Farid , Barsoum Marina , Poa Hyunah , Rastogi Anjay , Harari Avital
Published: August 2019

Lithium (Li) carbonate has been established as a mood stabilizer and an efficacious treatment for bipolar disorder since its discovery by Dr. John Cade in 1948. Li interacts significantly with organ systems and endocrine pathways. One of the most challenging side effects of Li to manage is its effect on the parathyroid glands. Dysregulation of parathyroid signaling due to Li results in hypercalcemia due to increased vitamin D3 generation, increased calcium absorption from the gut, and bone resorption, occasionally resulting in concomitant hypercalciuria. However, hypercalciuria is not a definitive feature for hyperparathyroidism, and normal calcium excretion might be seen in these patients. Hypercalcemia may also result from volume contraction and decreased renal clearance, which are commonly seen in these patients. Anatomically the parathyroid abnormalities can present as single or multiglandular disease. We report 3 cases where the patients developed multiple side effects of Li therapy as well as hypercalcemia due to hyperparathyroidism. The literature is reviewed with regard to medical and surgical management of Li-associated hyperparathyroidism in the context of these 3 presented cases.
Blood Pressure-Associated Genetic Variants in the Natriuretic Peptide Receptor 1 Gene Modulate Guanylate Cyclase Activity
Authors: Vandenwijngaert Sara , Ledsky Clara D. , Lahrouchi Najim , Khan Mohsin A.F. , Wunderer Florian , Ames Lisa , Honda Toshiyuki , Diener John L. , Bezzina Connie R. , Buys Emmanuel S. , Bloch Donald B. , Newton-Cheh Christopher ,   the CHARGE+ Exome Chip Blood Pressure Consortium, the CHD Exome+ Consortium, the Exome BP Consortium, the GoT2D Consortium, the T2D-GENES Consortium and the UK Biobank CardioMetabolic Consortium BP Working Group
Published: August 2019

Background:

Human genetic variation in the
NPR1
(natriuretic peptide receptor 1 gene, encoding NPR-A, atrial natriuretic peptide receptor 1) was recently shown to affect blood pressure (BP). NPR-A catalyzes the intracellular conversion of guanosine triphosphate to cGMP (cyclic 3′,5′-guanosine monophosphate) on binding of ANP, BNP (atrial or brain natriuretic peptide). Increased levels of cGMP decrease BP by inducing natriuresis, diuresis, and vasodilation.

Methods:

We performed a meta-analysis of low-frequency and rare
NPR1
variants for BP association in up to 491 584 unrelated individuals. To examine whether the identified BP-associated variants affect NPR-A function, the cGMP response to ANP and BNP was measured in cells expressing wild-type
NPR1
and cells expressing the
NPR1
variants.

Results:

In this study, we identified BP associations of 3 amino acid altering variants of
NPR1
. The minor alleles of rs35479618 (p.E967K, gnomAD non-Finnish European allele frequency 0.017) and rs116245325 (p.L1034F, allele frequency 0.0007) were associated with higher BP (
P
=4.0×10
−25
and
P
=9.9×10
−8
, respectively), while the minor allele of rs61757359 (p.G541S, allele frequency 0.003) was associated with lower BP (
P
=1.8×10
−9
). Cells transiently expressing 967K or 1034F NPR-A displayed decreased cGMP production in response to ANP and BNP (all
P
<10
–6
), while cells expressing 541S NPR-A produced more cGMP compared with cells expressing wild-type NPR-A (
P
≤4.13×10
−5
for ANP and
P
≤4.24×10
−3
for BNP).

Conclusions:

In summary, the loss or gain of guanylate cyclase activity for these
NPR1
allelic variants could explain the higher or lower BP observed for carriers in large population-based studies.
Cardiac α-Actin (
ACTC1
) Gene Mutation Causes Atrial-Septal Defects Associated With Late-Onset Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Frank Derk , Rangrez Ashraf Yusuf , Friedrich Corinna , Dittmann Sven , Stallmeyer Birgit , Yadav Pankaj , Bernt Alexander , Schulze-Bahr Ellen , Borlepawar Ankush , Zimmermann Wolfram-Hubertus , Peischard Stefan , Seebohm Guiscard , Linke Wolfgang A. , Baba Hideo A. , Krüger Marcus , Unger Andreas , Usinger Philip , Frey Norbert , Schulze-Bahr Eric
Published: August 2019

Background:

Familial atrial septal defect (ASD) has previously been attributed primarily to mutations in cardiac transcription factors. Here, we report a large, multi-generational family (78 members) with ASD combined with a late-onset dilated cardiomyopathy and further characterize the consequences of mutant α-actin.

Methods:

We combined a genome-wide linkage analysis with cell biology, microscopy, and molecular biology tools to characterize a novel
ACTC1
(cardiac α-actin) mutation identified in association with ASD and late-onset dilated cardiomyopathy in a large, multi-generational family.

Results:

Using a genome-wide linkage analysis, the ASD disease locus was mapped to chromosome 15q14 harboring the
ACTC1
gene. In 15 affected family members, a heterozygous, nonsynonymous, and fully penetrant mutation (p. Gly247Asp) was identified in exon 5 of
ACTC1
that was absent in all healthy family members (n=63). In silico tools predicted deleterious consequences of this variant that was found absent in control databases. Ultrastructural analysis of myocardial tissue of one of the mutation carriers showed sarcomeric disarray, myofibrillar degeneration, and increased apoptosis, while cardiac proteomics revealed a significant increase in extracellular matrix proteins. Consistently, structural defects and increased apoptosis were also observed in neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes overexpressing the mutant, but not native human ACTC1. Molecular dynamics studies and additional mechanistic analyses in cardiomyocytes confirmed actin polymerization/turnover defects, thereby affecting contractility.

Conclusions:

A combined phenotype of ASD and late-onset heart failure was caused by a heterozygous, nonsynonymous ACTC1 mutation. Mechanistically, we found a shared molecular mechanism of defective actin signaling and polymerization in both cardiac development and contractile function. Detection of ACTC1 mutations in patients with ASD may thus have further clinical implications with regard to monitoring for (late-onset) dilated cardiomyopathy.
Novel Role for Pleckstrin Homology‐Like Domain Family A, Member 3 in the Regulation of Pathological Cardiac Hypertrophy
Authors: Liu Jia , Liu Xiaoxiong , Hui Xuejun , Cai Lin , Li Xuebo , Yang Yang , Shu Shangzhi , Wang Fan , Xia Hao , Li Shuyan
Published: August 2019

Background

Pleckstrin homology‐like domain family A, member 3 (
PHLDA
3), a crucial member of the
PHLDA
family, is involved in tumor suppression, kidney injury, liver injury, and glucose metabolism. However, the role of
PHLDA
3 in pathological cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure remains unclear.

Methods and Results

In the present study,
PHLDA
3 expression was downregulated in hypertrophic murine hearts and angiotensin
II
‐treated cardiomyocytes. Next, an in vitro study suggested, by using gain‐ and loss‐of‐function approaches, that
PHLDA
3 attenuates Ang
II
exposure‐induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Consistent with the cell phenotype, disruption of
PHLDA
3 aggravated the effects of pressure overload‐induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and dysfunction. In contrast,
PHLDA
3 overexpression resulted in an attenuated hypertrophic phenotype. Molecular analysis revealed that
PHLDA
3 suppressed the activation of
AKT
‐
mTOR
‐
GSK
3β‐P70S6K signaling in response to hypertrophic stress, and the blockage of
AKT
activation rescued these adverse pathological effects of
PHLDA
3 deficiency‐induced by
AB
and Ang
II
, respectively, in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusions

Collectively, our data indicated that
PHLDA
3 could ameliorate pressure overload‐induced cardiac remodeling mainly by blocking the
AKT
signaling pathway, suggesting that
PHLDA
3 may represent a therapeutic target for the treatment of pathological cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
Heraclius’ War Propaganda and the Qurʾān’s Promise of Reward for Dying in Battle
Authors: Tesei Tommaso
Published: August 2019

In this article I compare the Qurʾānic promise of reward for those who die in battle with similar concepts found in contemporaneous Byzantine military circles, and specifically, the idea promoted by emperor Heraclius (r. 610-641 CE) that soldiers might obtain the “crown of martyrdom” for dying on the battlefield. This idea has almost no antecedent in late antique society. Previously the martyr had been a passive figure slain by an unfaithful enemy, rather than a soldier engaged in a fight to impose (or to avenge) the true faith. Heraclius’ understanding of military martyrdom was arguably a revolutionary innovation. Since no attempt was made to either canonize or popularize on a large scale this point of Heraclius’ propaganda, the concept of military martyrdom must have been limited to the narrow circle of persons who were actively involved in military activities. For this reason, it is surprising that very similar concepts occur in the Qurʾān – that was composed in the very same historical period. The question that I will ask is whether the ideas expressed in the Qurʾān have any relationship to those promoted by imperial propagandists and, if so, the channel or channels through which this transmission took place.
Two new species of the genus Austerocardiochiles Dangerfield, Austin & Whitfield, 1999 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Cardiochilinae) from Vietnam
Authors: LONG KHUAT DANG , OANH NGUYEN THI , DZUONG NGUYEN VAN , HOA DANG THI
Published: August 2019

Two new species of the genus Austerocardiochiles Dangerfield, Austin & Whitfield, 1999 from Vietnam, viz. A. mellosus Long, sp. n. and A. simulatus Long, sp. n., are described and illustrated. Additionally, the genus Austerocardiochiles is newly recorded for the braconid fauna of Vietnam. The checklist and distribution of already known species of the genus Austerocardiochiles are given. A comprehensive key to Austerocardiochiles species from Oriental region is also provided.
A review of the genus Ancylosis Zeller, 1839 (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae) from Ukraine
Authors: BIDZILYA OLEKSIY , BUDASHKIN YURIY , YEPISHIN VIKTOR
Published: August 2019

Nine species of Ancylosis are recorded from Ukraine. Ancylosis larissae sp. nov. related to A. hellenica (Staudinger, 1870) and A. rhodochrella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1852), is described from Crimea. Ancylosis albicosta (Staudinger, 1870) is reported from Ukraine for the first time. Ancylosis albidella Ragonot, 1888, A. syrtella (Ragonot, 1887), A. rhodochrella, A. harmoniella (Ragonot, 1887) and A. monella Roesler, 1973 are removed from the list of Pyralidae of Ukraine due to misidentifications. The host plants for A. sareptalla (Herrich-Schäffer, 1861) and A. substratellum (Christoph, 1877) comb. nov. are recorded for the first time. New host plant is recorded for A. roscidella (Eversmann, 1844). The diagnoses for all species known from Ukraine are provided. The adults and genitalia of both sexes are illustrated for all Ukrainian species and some closely related species from adjacent territories. A key to the species is given based on external characters and the genitalia of both sexes. The female genitalia of A. deserticola (Staudinger, 1870), A. hellenica (Staudinger, 1870), A. sabulosella (Staudinger, 1879) as well as the male genitalia of A. pallida (Staudinger, 1870) are described and illustrated as they have been dealt incorrectly in literature. The status of A. albidella and the records of this species from Europe are discussed. The new synonymy is proposed: Ancylosoma Roesler, 1973 syn. nov. of Ancylosis Zeller, 1839 and A. sareptalla gulbaharensis Roesler, 1973 syn. nov. of A. sareptalla (Herrich-Schäffer, 1861). Ancylosis decolorella (Ragonot & Hampson, 1901) spec. rev., stat. nov. is taken out from synonymy with A. sabulosella. The lectotype of Myelois deserticola Staudinger, 1870 is designated.
Luciogobius yubai, a new species of gobioid fish (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Japan
Authors: IKEDA YUJI , TAMADA KAZUAKI , HIRASHIMA KENTAROU
Published: August 2019

A new gobioid fish Luciogobius yubai sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from Wakayama and Shizuoka Prefectures, Japan. This species is distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters; second dorsal-fin I, 9, anal-fin I, 10, pectoral-fin 17 or 18, vertebrate number 16+19=35, the first space between anterior two pterygiophores of second dorsal-fin placed the neural spines of vertebrae 17–18 or 17, four to seven developed dermal flaps under the eye longitudinally, posterior part of eye ridge protruded posteriorly, pectoral-fin with a long uppermost free ray, eye diameter 7.3–10.6 % of head length, pectoral-fin length 14.4–16.9 % of standard length (SL) , second dorsal-fin length 9.7–11.8 % SL, anal-fin ray length 9.1–11.1 % SL, pelvic-fin length 7.3–10.8 % SL, head and body with brownish orange coloration when alive or fresh.
Meteorological Conditions Conducive to the Rapid Spread of the Deadly Wildfire in Eastern Attica, Greece
Authors: Lagouvardos K. , Kotroni V. , Giannaros T. M. , Dafis S.
Published: August 2019

On 23 July 2018, Attica, Greece, was impacted by a major wildfire that took place in a wildland–urban interface area and exhibited extreme fire behavior, characterized by a very high rate of spread. One-hundred civilian fatalities were registered, establishing this wildfire as the second-deadliest weather-related natural disaster in Greece, following the heat wave of July 1987. On the day of the deadly wildfire, a very strong westerly flow was blowing for more than 10 h over Attica. Wind gusts up to 30–34 m s−1occurred over the mountainous areas of Attica, with 20–25 m s−1in the city of Athens and surrounding suburban areas. This strong westerly flow interacted with the local topography and acted as downslope flow over the eastern part of Attica, with temperatures rising up to 39°C and relative humidity dropping to 19% prior to the onset of the wildfire. These weather elements are widely acknowledged as the major contributing factors to extreme fire behavior. WRF-SFIRE correctly predicted the spatiotemporal distribution of the fire spread and demonstrated its utility for fire spread warning purposes.
Observing and Modelling the Surface Radiative Budget and Cloud Radiative Forcing at the Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research (CESAR), the Netherlands, 2009–17
Authors: Boers Reinout , Bosveld Fred , Baltink Henk Klein , Knap Wouter , van Meijgaard Erik , Wauben Wiel
Published: August 2019

A dataset of 9 years in duration (2009–17) of clouds and radiation was obtained at the Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research (CESAR) in the Netherlands. Cloud radiative forcings (CRF) were derived from the dataset and related to cloud cover and temperature. Also, the data were compared with RCM output. Results indicate that there is a seasonal cycle (i.e., winter, spring, summer, and autumn) in longwave (CRF-LW: 48.3, 34.4, 30.8, and 38.7 W m−2) and shortwave (CRF-SW: −23.6, −60.9, −67.8, and −32.9 W m−2) forcings at CESAR. Total CRF is positive in winter and negative in summer. The RCM has a cold bias with respect to the observations, but the model CRF-LW corresponds well to the observed CRF-LW as a result of compensating errors in the difference function that makes up the CRF-LW. The absolute value of model CRF-SW is smaller than the observed CRF-SW in summer, mostly because of albedo differences. The majority of clouds from above 2 km are present at the same time as low clouds, so the higher clouds have only a small impact on CRF whereas low clouds dominate their values. CRF-LW is a function of fractional cloudiness. CRF-SW is also a function of fractional cloudiness, if the values are normalized by the cosine of solar zenith angle. Expressions for CRF-LW and CRF-SW were derived as functions of temperature, fractional cloudiness, and solar zenith angle, indicating that CRF is the largest when fractional cloudiness is the highest but is also large for low temperature and high sun angle.
Using Self-Organizing Maps to Identify Coherent CONUS Precipitation Regions
Authors: Swenson Leif M. , Grotjahn Richard
Published: August 2019

Extreme precipitation events have major societal impacts. These events are rare and can have small spatial scale, making statistical analysis difficult; both factors are mitigated by combining events over a region. A methodology is presented to objectively define “coherent” regions wherein data points have matching annual cycles. Regions are found by training self-organizing maps (SOMs) on the annual cycle of precipitation for each grid point across the contiguous United States (CONUS). Using the annual cycle for our intended application minimizes problems caused by consecutive dry periods and localized extreme events. Multiple criteria are applied to identify useful numbers of regions for our future application. Criteria assess these properties for each region: having many more events than experienced by a single grid point, good connectedness and compactness, and robustness to changing the number of regions. Our methodology is applicable across datasets and is tested here on both reanalysis and gridded observational data. Precipitation regions obtained align with large-scale geographical features and are readily interpretable. Useful numbers of regions balance two conflicting preferences: larger regions contain more events and thereby have more robust statistics, but more compact regions allow weather patterns associated with extreme events to be aggregated with confidence. For 6-h precipitation, 12–15 regions over the CONUS optimize our metrics. The regions obtained are compared against two existing region archetypes. For example, a popular set of regions, based on nine groups of states, has less coherent regions than defining the same number of regions with our SOM methodology.
Book review: V. S. Prasad, Higher Education and Open Distance Learning Trajectory in India: Reflections of an Insider
Authors: Sharma Arvind K.
Published: August 2019

V. S. Prasad, Higher Education and Open Distance Learning Trajectory in India: Reflections of an Insider. Hyderabad: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Open University, 2018, 125 pp. (paperback). ISBN: 978-18-938160-0-4.
Who follows whom? A coincidence analysis of military action, public opinion and threats
Authors: Haesebrouck Tim
Published: August 2019

Does public opinion act as a constraint on military action, are ordinary citizens the easily manipulated targets of the public relations efforts of their governments, or does the general public react as assertively to threats as decisionmakers? This article examines the causal connection between military action, public opinion and threats. Empirically, it focuses on the pattern of EU member state participation in two recent military operations: the 2011 intervention in Libya and the operation against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS). Three competing causal models on the relationship between threats, public opinion and military action were derived from the scholarly literature and tested with coincidence analysis. The results of the analysis show that public opinion acted as a constraint on executives during the Libya operation. However, there was no direct causal link between public opinion and military participation in the operation against IS, in which both military action and public support were an effect of threat. More generally, the results suggest that the context of the intervention is decisive for the relation between threat, military action and public support. More specifically, whether public opinion constitutes a constraint on military action or is an effect of threats to national interests depends on whether these threats are clear and tangible.
Ecological Death Reform and Death System Change
Authors: MacMurray Nick , Futrell Robert
Published: August 2019

This article elaborates on Robert Kastenbaum’s death system analysis by explaining social change efforts among Ecological Death Advocates (EDAs), a diverse group of designers, scientists, spiritualists, and entrepreneurs who seek to develop more environmentally sensitive and humanistic alternatives to contemporary death management practices. Drawing from online and documentary data, we highlight EDAs claims about problems with conventional death management and the solutions they propose. Specifically, EDAs challenge hyperrationalized and professionalized death management practices by advocating for more ecologically benign approaches that link past traditions with new technological innovations to better align death practices with personal and community needs. We theorize EDA reform efforts as an aspect of “death-system” politics to carve out cultural, economic, and political space for alternative end-of-life decisions that better reflect broad ecological sensibilities and changing attitudes toward death.
“Legumix” Stylosanthes pellets: A healthier and more sustainable animal feed
Authors: Sylvester-Bradley Rosemary
Published: August 2019

The development of a range of animal feeds based on leaf meal of the tropical forage legume Stylosanthes guianensis var. guianensis (“tropical alfalfa”) in Costa Rica, their potential for improving health of animals and consumers of animal products, the local and national economy, and ecological implications are described. A subproduct of the oil palm industry (palm oil fatty acid distillate) is used to supplement the Stylosanthes leaf meal with sufficient energy to produce a complete pelleted feed. Customer case studies showed that Stylosanthes-based feeds are highly palatable and improve health and performance of farm animals (horses, rabbits, calves, sheep, and goats) over that observed when using grain-based feeds. The improved quality of Stylosanthes-based over grain-based feed for ruminants could play an important role in the reduction of methane emissions and their negative consequences for climate change. A sustainable system whereby Stylosanthes is planted in association with plantation trees is proposed, providing a supplementary income for tree farmers and other benefits, such as weed control and soil amelioration. Stylosanthes can be rotated with sugarcane and pineapple, and cash flow projections show that Stylosanthes leaf meal production would be a favorable alternative activity for local farmers, yielding a greater and more constant income than sugarcane. Achieving economy of scale in the industrial process would permit production at lower cost to compete with the price of imported grain-based feed. Lack of finance is currently the major obstacle to scaling up the process, implementing the technology in different countries, and obtaining the concomitant benefits of food security, import substitution, improved ecological sustainability, and healthiness of animal products.
Experimental and numerical analysis of the spray characteristics of biodiesel–ethanol fuel blends
Authors: Geng Limin , Xie Yuantao , Wang Jue , Liu Wenchuan , Li Chong , Wang Cheng
Published: August 2019

The effects of adding ethanol on the macroscopic and microscopic spray characteristics of biodiesel were investigated by experimental and numerical methods. The spray tip penetration (STP) was recorded with a high-speed camera system, while the statistical size distribution of atomized droplets and the Sauter mean diameter (SMD) were obtained using a Malvern laser particle size analyzer. The spray calculation models were established with Fluent software, and the calculation results were validated by the experimental results. Then the numerical simulation of the spray characteristics for diesel, biodiesel, and biodiesel–ethanol fuel blends were conducted. The results showed that the farther the distance is from the nozzle exit, the lower the concentration and the velocity of atomized droplets. The concentration and the velocity of atomized droplets gradually decrease along the radial direction, extending from the center to the periphery. The turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) at the front and rear of the spray is relatively lower, while the TKE is higher in the middle of the spray, and turbulent vortices appear on both sides of the axial spray center. In addition, the spray characteristics of the different fuels revealed that compared to diesel, the STP and SMD of biodiesel increase by 33.59% and 33.08% on average, respectively. The maximum concentration of biodiesel is higher than that of diesel, and the concentration distribution is more concentrated. The droplet velocity and TKE of biodiesel respectively decrease by 7.38% and 14.49% in comparison to diesel. When ethanol was added to biodiesel by a volume percentage of 30%, the STP and SMD of biodiesel–ethanol fuel blends reduce by 22.05% and 20.88%, respectively. The concentration distribution, the velocity distribution, and the TKE distribution of the fuel blends are similar to that of diesel. This indicates that adding 30% ethanol to biodiesel can effectively improve its spray quality.
Inhaled Furan Selectively Damages Club Cells in Lungs of A/J Mice
Authors: Tǎbǎran Alexandru-Flaviu , O’Sullivan M. Gerard , Seabloom Donna E. , Vevang Karin R. , Smith William E. , Wiedmann Timothy S. , Peterson Lisa A.
Published: August 2019

Furan, a possible human carcinogen, is a product of incomplete combustion and is present in cigarette smoke, engine exhaust, and processed food. Oral administration induces liver toxicity and carcinogenesis in F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice. To assess possible adverse effects from inhalation, A/J mice were nose-only exposed for 3 hours to furan (0, 30, 75, 150, 300, or 600 ppmv) and euthanized after 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week. Histopathology evaluation revealed bronchiolar club cell necrosis (diffuse, marked) with airway denudation following exposure to 300 and 600 ppmv furan with evidence of club cell regeneration and partial repair after 1 week. Initial signs of hepatotoxicity were observed in the 150 ppmv furan-exposed group. Acute necrosis and mineralization were observed in livers at 24 and 48 hours with hepatocyte regeneration by 1-week postexposure in mice exposed to 300 and 600 ppmv furan; the 300 ppmv exposed group had multifocal mineralization that evoked a mild granulomatous response. Measurement of urinary furan metabolites confirmed that the mice metabolized furan to the toxic intermediate, cis-2-butene-1,4-dial. These observations indicate that inhaled furan is toxic to lungs with club cells as the target as well as liver.
The phenomenon of adults relearning instrumental music in an American wind band
Authors: Helton Benjamin C
Published: August 2019

As the world’s population continues to grow older, retired individuals seek out musical experiences. Many of these musicians are returning to playing in a wind band for the first time in decades, so they are, in essence, beginners again. The learning experiences of adults of returning to band contains both physical and social barriers but returning beginners are often able to overcome individual difficulties to find meaning and enjoyment in an activity they gave up many years ago. Twelve returning beginners from a New Horizons Band were interviewed and their experiences were analyzed through hermeneutic phenomenology to explore relearning an instrument through participation in an American wind band. Five themes emerged through the analysis: return of ability, awareness of physical change, consciousness of ability, continual progress, and ensemble concerns. These themes consisted of both individual and social components within the essence of returning to instrumental music through an American wind band. The essence of returning to band can help community ensemble directors derive pedagogical strategies and consider specific factors that could contribute to the adult music learning process.
Characteristics of deaths associated with kratom use
Authors: Corkery John M , Streete Peter , Claridge Hugh , Goodair Christine , Papanti Duccio , Orsolini Laura , Schifano Fabrizio , Sikka Kanav , Körber Sophie , Hendricks Amy
Published: August 2019

Background:

Kratom ( Mitragyna speciosa Korth) use has increased in Western countries, with a rising number of associated deaths. There is growing debate about the involvement of kratom in these events.

Aims:

This study details the characteristics of such fatalities and provides a ‘state-of-the-art’ review.

Methods:

UK cases were identified from mortality registers by searching with the terms ‘kratom’, ‘mitragynine’, etc. Databases and online media were searched using these terms and ‘death’, ‘fatal*’, ‘overdose’, ‘poisoning’, etc. to identify additional cases; details were obtained from relevant officials. Case characteristics were extracted into an Excel spreadsheet, and analysed employing descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Results:

Typical case characteristics ( n = 156): male (80%), mean age 32.3 years, White (100%), drug abuse history (95%); reasons for use included self-medication, recreation, relaxation, bodybuilding, and avoiding positive drug tests. Mitragynine alone was identified/implicated in 23% of cases. Poly substance use was common (87%), typically controlled/recreational drugs, therapeutic drugs, and alcohol. Death cause(s) included toxic effects of kratom ± other substances; underlying health issues.

Conclusions:

These findings add substantially to the knowledge base on kratom-associated deaths; these need systematic, accurate recording. Kratom’s safety profile remains only partially understood; toxic and fatal levels require quantification.
Multi-task trust transfer for human–robot interaction
Authors: Soh Harold , Xie Yaqi , Chen Min , Hsu David
Published: August 2019

Trust is essential in shaping human interactions with one another and with robots. In this article we investigate how human trust in robot capabilities transfers across multiple tasks. We present a human-subject study of two distinct task domains: a Fetch robot performing household tasks and a virtual reality simulation of an autonomous vehicle performing driving and parking maneuvers. The findings expand our understanding of trust and provide new predictive models of trust evolution and transfer via latent task representations: a rational Bayes model, a data-driven neural network model, and a hybrid model that combines the two. Experiments show that the proposed models outperform prevailing models when predicting trust over unseen tasks and users. These results suggest that (i) task-dependent functional trust models capture human trust in robot capabilities more accurately and (ii) trust transfer across tasks can be inferred to a good degree. The latter enables trust-mediated robot decision-making for fluent human–robot interaction in multi-task settings.
Thoracic epidural anaesthesia and analgesia ameliorates surgery-induced stress response and postoperative pain in patients undergoing radical oesophagectomy
Authors: Wang Jing , Yin Yuehao , Zhu Yun , Xu Pingbo , Sun Zhirong , Miao Changhong , Zhong Jing
Published: August 2019

Objective

An acute severe stress response associated with major surgery can adversely affect the inflammatory and hormonal responses. We hypothesised that total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) combined with thoracic epidural anaesthesia and analgesia (TEA) attenuates the stress response and postoperative pain in patients undergoing radical oesophagectomy.

Methods

Forty patients scheduled for elective radical oesophagectomy were randomly assigned to one of two groups: TIVA or TIVA+TEA. The plasma levels of stress hormones and cytokines, consumption of fentanyl, postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) scores within 48 hours, and extubation time were assessed.

Results

The plasma levels of interleukin-6, norepinephrine, cortisol, and adrenocorticotropic hormone at 3 hours after the beginning of surgery were significantly higher in the TIVA group than TIVA+TEA group. The plasma level of interleukin-10 at 3 hours after the beginning of surgery was significantly lower in the TIVA group than TIVA+TEA group. The consumption of fentanyl was significantly greater, VAS scores were significantly higher, and extubation time was significantly longer in the TIVA group than TIVA+TEA group.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that combination of TIVA and TEA may attenuate the intraoperative stress response and postoperative pain in patients undergoing radical oesophagectomy.
Airbnb, buy-to-let investment and tourism-driven displacement: A case study in Lisbon
Authors: Cocola-Gant Agustin , Gago Ana
Published: August 2019

Through detailed empirical analysis of a central area of Lisbon, this paper explores whether short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb channel investment in residential real estate and the way in which the local community is affected by the proliferation of apartments rented to visitors. Between 2015 and 2017 we conducted fine-grained fieldwork in the historical neighbourhood of Alfama and identified both the producers and socio-spatial consequences of short-term rentals. Our research did not find evidence of a sharing economy. Rather, it found a process of buy-to-let investment in which different players make profits from rents and displace residents with tourists. The paper develops two main arguments: first, we suggest that Airbnb acts as an instrument that contributes to the financialization of housing. Compared to the traditional rental market, short-term rentals offer a number of benefits that enhance market efficiency for property owners, making them increasingly attractive for both local and global investors. We found that the suppliers of short-term rentals are primarily investors who use housing as an asset to store capital. The main advantage of the short-term rental market for investors is that while they can make profits by renting properties to visitors, they can also sell them tenant-free at any moment. Second, Airbnb gives way to a hyper-flexible rental market that for tenants implies increasing insecurity and displacement concerns. We portray Airbnb as an example of buy-to-let gentrification that is experienced by residents as a process of social injustice.
Invisible Labor and Women’s Double Binds: Collusive Femininity and Masculine Drinking in Russia
Authors: Utrata Jennifer
Published: August 2019

The heavy drinking of alcohol remains primarily a hegemonically masculine ritual worldwide. Yet scholarship has undertheorized women’s practices in shaping the boundaries of masculine rituals, including drinking. Drawing on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork and 151 interviews with single mothers, married mothers, nonresident fathers, and grandmothers from diverse class backgrounds, I demonstrate that Russian women perform extensive invisible management labor in attempting to produce responsible men. Constrained by a starkly unequal gender division of domestic labor, wives and mothers engage in varied “patriarchal bargains” as they shape men’s drinking practices, co-producing hegemonic masculinity. Whereas in the Soviet period women also managed men’s drinking, today new gender strategies have emerged. More women are held accountable to a collusive femininity involving both accommodation and resistance, upholding men’s drinking privileges only if breadwinning occurs. As women perform invisible labor, they end up reproducing the conditions that demand this labor from them in the first place. Some women embrace an alternative femininity by becoming single mothers and refusing to manage men’s drinking, especially when men fail as breadwinners. Theorizing collusive and alternative femininities, as well as women’s invisible labor, advances our knowledge of how multiple femininities shape, and may in time change, hegemonic masculinity.
End pressure effects of polypropylene composites reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes in capillary flow
Authors: Liang Ji-Zhao
Published: August 2019

The influence of the size and content of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the end pressure effects of polypropylene (PP) composite melts during capillary extrusion flow was investigated, with the test temperature varying from 190°C to 230°C and apparent shear rate ranging from 50 s−1 to 3000 s−1. The results showed that the end pressure drop increased with increasing apparent shear rates, while decreased with increasing test temperature, and the sensitivity of the end pressure drop to apparent shear rate for the composites was higher than that for the unfilled PP. The end pressure drop increased with increasing weight fraction and the specific surface area of the MWCNTs. The end pressure drop increased almost linearly with increasing the aspect ratio of the MWCNTs. Moreover, the end pressure effect mechanisms of the composite melts during a capillary extrusion flow were discussed.
Assessing aerodynamic force estimation with experiments and simulations of flapping-airfoil flows on the verge of three-dimensionality
Authors: Moriche M , Raiola M , Discetti S , Ianiro A , Flores O , García-Villalba M
Published: August 2019

This paper reports a combined experimental and numerical study of the flow over a rigid airfoil in flapping motion. The setup consists of a heaving and pitching airfoil at a moderate Reynolds number ([Formula: see text]), at a Strouhal number St = 0.1. The aim is to assess the accuracy of two-dimensional direct numerical simulations in predicting aerodynamic forces in a flow configuration, which is nominally two-dimensional but is at the verge of three-dimensionality. The assessment is carried out with experiments, including flow field and aerodynamic force measurements with particle image velocimetry and a load cell. The comparative study shows a good qualitative agreement between the experiments and the simulations at comparable Reynolds numbers both in terms of forces and flow fields, but with some quantitative differences. The quantitative discrepancies between experiments and simulation are analyzed and reduced to inherent differences between experimental and computational setups. It is observed that the significant differences are apparent almost exclusively in the wake evolution. Nonetheless, this is shown to have a minor effect on the aerodynamic force estimation. Overall, the trends observed when varying the mean pitch angle and the pitching amplitude are the same in both experiments and simulations. This suggests that two-dimensional/three-dimensional effects do not alter significantly the relationship between the unsteady flow mechanisms (i.e. leading edge vortex) and the aerodynamic forces in the parametric range considered here.
Links Between Perceptions and Practices in Patient Education: A Systematic Review
Authors: Roussel Sandrine , Frenay Mariane
Published: August 2019

Background. Two decades after “patient education” was defined by the World Health Organization, its integration in health care practices remains a challenge. Perceptions might shed light on these implementation difficulties. This systematic review aims to investigate links between perceptions and patient education practices among health care professionals, paying particular attention to the quality of practices in order to highlight any associated perception. Method. PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched using the following search terms: “perceptions,” “patient education,” “health care professionals,” and “professional practices.” PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were used. Results. Twenty studies were included. Overall findings supported the existence of links between some perceptions and practices. Links were either correlational or “causal” (generally in a single direction: perceptions affecting practices). Four types of perceptions (perceptions of the task including patient education, perceptions about the patient, perceptions of oneself as a health care professional, and perceptions of the context) were identified as being linked with educational practices. Links can although be mediated by other factors. Results concerning links should, however, be considered with caution as practices were mostly assessed by prevalence measurements, were self-reported and concerned exclusively individual education. When analyzing the quality of practices, the two retained studies highlighted their changing nature and the central role of perceptions with respect to the individual patient. Conclusions. This literature review led us to specify the quality criteria for further research: covering the entire spectrum of patient education, operationalizing variables, exploring specific practices, measuring the quality of practices, developing designs that facilitate causation findings, and considering a bidirectional perspective.
Influential Women? Policing Styles in Online Recruitment Materials
Authors: Aiello Michael F.
Published: August 2019

This article tests the temporal relationship between the representation of females in policing and organizational change toward community-oriented policing. This mixed methods study involves secondary data analysis of the 2013 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, open-source data collection of online recruitment materials for 493 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics agencies, quantitative content analysis of a random sample of 131 departments, and Leximancer semantic mapping of the 493 departments’ materials. The two forms of content analysis focus on the particular emphases of “legalistic,” “watchman,” and “service” styles. The quantitative content analysis results largely support the temporal model, with the percent female sworn in a given department in 2013 significantly predicting whether that department’s 2018 recruitment materials focus on service or community-oriented policing content. The Leximancer semantic mapping results provide a more ambiguous picture, including legalistic through-line language around police work.
‘She was Like “Don’t Try This” and “Don’t Drink This” and “Don’t Mix These”’: Older Siblings and the Transmission of Embodied Knowledge Surrounding Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Wilkinson Samantha
Published: August 2019

This article draws on qualitative research conducted with 40 young people, aged 15–24, in the Chorlton and Wythenshawe, Manchester, UK. With a focus on alcohol consumption, this article shows how older siblings transmit embodied knowledge to younger siblings. This article finds that older siblings are an important source of protection for younger siblings when starting their drinking careers. Moreover, they play a fundamental role in facilitating open intragenerational dialogue surrounding alcohol consumption. Through highlighting the important role of older siblings in transmitting embodied knowledge to younger siblings during the transition to adulthood, this article argues that there is a need to encourage greater involvement of siblings in formal educational settings surrounding learning about important issues, such as: alcohol consumption; drug consumption; and relationships and sex education, to help ensure consistent messages.
In Silico Genetics Revealing 5 Mutations in CEBPA Gene Associated With Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Mustafa Mujahed I , Mohammed Zainab O , Murshed Naseem S , Elfadol Nafisa M , Abdelmoneim Abdelrahman H , Hassan Mohamed A
Published: August 2019

Background:

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an extremely heterogeneous malignant disorder; AML has been reported as one of the main causes of death in children. The objective of this work was to classify the most deleterious mutation in CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-alpha ( CEBPA) and to predict their influence on the functional, structural, and expression levels by various Bioinformatics analysis tools.

Methods:

The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were claimed from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database and then submitted into various functional analysis tools, which were done to predict the influence of each SNP, followed by structural analysis of modeled protein followed by predicting the mutation effect on energy stability; the most damaging mutations were chosen for additional investigation by Mutation3D, Project hope, ConSurf, BioEdit, and UCSF Chimera tools.

Results:

A total of 5 mutations out of 248 were likely to be responsible for the structural and functional variations in CEBPA protein, whereas in the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) the result showed that among 350 SNPs in the 3′-UTR of CEBPA gene, about 11 SNPs were predicted. Among these 11 SNPs, 65 alleles disrupted a conserved miRNA site and 22 derived alleles created a new site of miRNA.

Conclusions:

In this study, the impact of functional mutations in the CEBPA gene was investigated through different bioinformatics analysis techniques, which determined that R339W, R288P, N292S, N292T, and D63N are pathogenic mutations that have a possible functional and structural influence, therefore, could be used as genetic biomarkers and may assist in genetic studies with a special consideration of the large heterogeneity of AML.
Walking Function After Cervical Contusion and Distraction Spinal Cord Injuries in Rats
Authors: Guo Yue , Hu Hai , Wang Jingchao , Zhang Meiyan , Chen Kinon
Published: August 2019

This study examines and compares the walking function in contusion and distraction spinal cord injury (SCI) mechanisms. Moderate contusion and distraction SCIs were surgically induced between C5 and C6 in Sprague-Dawley male rats. The CatWalk system was used to perform gait analysis of walkway walking. The ladder rung walking test was used to quantify skilled locomotor movements of ladder rung walking. It was found that the inter-paw coordination, paw support, front paw kinematics, hind paw kinematics, and skilled movements were significantly different before and after contusion and distraction. Step sequence duration, diagonal support, forelimb intensity, forelimb duty cycle, forelimb paw angle, and forelimb swing speed were more greatly affected in distraction than in contusion at 2 weeks post-injury, whereas hindlimb stand was more greatly affected in contusion than in distraction at 8 weeks post-injury. After 8 weeks post-injury, diagonal coupling—variation, girdle coupling—variation, ipsilateral coupling—mean, forelimb maximum contact at, forelimb intensity, forelimb paw angle, and number of forelimb misplacements recovered to normal in contusion but not in distraction, whereas step sequence duration, ipsilateral coupling—variation, forelimb stand, forelimb duty cycle, hindlimb swing duration, hindlimb swing speed, and number of forelimb slips recovered to normal in distraction but not in contusion. Some of the behavioral outcomes, but not the others, were linearly correlated with the histological outcomes. In conclusion, walking deficits and recovery can be affected by the type of common traumatic SCI.
‘If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change’: Rethinking order and justice in international society
Authors: Shapcott Richard
Published: August 2019

This article argues that conceptualising the ethical/moral possibilities of international society can be enhanced by utilising the distinction between positive and negative duties rather than order versus justice. The main argument of the article targets the traditional pluralist account and claims that within this account far greater moves towards justice are possible, which can be seen through the lens of order versus justice. More specifically, it argues that a pluralist international society need not be indifferent to global injustices such as poverty, if the range of negative duties is expanded.