bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Descriptive morphometry and stereology in accessing the testis structure and function of the marsupial Philander frenatus (Olfers, 1818) (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae)
Authors: Ferreira Vanessa de Freitas , Dias Fernanda Carolina Ribeiro , Costa Kyvia Lugate Cardoso , da Matta Sérgio Luis Pinto , de Melo Fabiano Rodrigues , de Melo Fabiana Cristina Silveira Alves
Published: December 2020

Philander frenatus is an important marsupial for the maintenance and conservation of the Atlantic Rainforest, however, it has biological characteristics that are still little explored. The study of the reproductive biology is an important key to understand the species reproductive strategies and to improve the development of conservation and management activities. The present study aimed to conduct a histological and morphometric investigation of the testis structure and function of P. frenatus. The average body and testicular weight were 445 g and 0.74 g, respectively, with a gonadosomatic index of 0.17%. The seminiferous tubules occupying 64.95% of the organ, totalising 9.26 m per gram of testis. The tubulesomatic and epitheliumsomatic indexes were 0.10% and 0.07%, respectively. Philander frenatus showed cell loss of approximately 98% during the proliferative phase and the spermatogenic yield was 10.3 cells. The high loss during the mitotic phase contributed to the low spermatogenic yield. The testicular parenchyma was composed of 35% of intertubular components, one of the highest proportions observed in mammals. Leydig cells were responsible for approximately 25% of the testes, followed by lymphatic space (6.44%), blood vessels and connective tissue (4% together). The organisation of the intertubular components resembles the Fawcett III category. The volume and number of Leydig cell per gram of testis were 2,627.12 µm3 and 91.28 × 106 cells, respectively. High investment in the intertubular compartment, specifically number and volume of Leydig cells in P. frenatus is consistent with territorial behaviour and polygynic mating system, which have greater androgenic capacity.
Will the asthma revolution fostered by biologics also benefit adult ICU patients?
Authors: Bourdin Arnaud , Charriot Jérémy , Boissin Clément , Ahmed Engi , Suehs Carey , De Sevin Arthur , Volpato Mathilde , Pahus Laurie , Gras Delphine , Vachier Isabelle , Halimi Laurence , Hamerlijnck Dominic , Chanez Pascal
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Asthma exacerbations are inflammatory events that rarely result in full hospitalization following an ER visit. Unfortunately, certain patients require prolonged support, including occasional external lung support through ECMO or ECCOR (with subsequent further exposure to other life‐threatening issues), and some die. In parallel, biologics are revolutionizing severe asthma management, mostly in T2 high patients.

Methods

We extensively reviewed the current unmet needs surrounding ICU‐admitted asthma exacerbations, with a focus on currently available drugs and the underlying biological processes involved. We explored whether currently available T2‐targeting drugs can reasonably be seen as potential players not only for relapse prevention but also as candidate drugs for a faster resolution of such episodes. The patient's perspective was also sought.

Results

About 30% of asthma exacerbations admitted to the ICU do not resolve within five days. Persistent severe airway obstruction despite massive doses of corticosteroids and maximal pharmacologically induced bronchodilation is the main cause of treatment failure. Previous ICU admission is the main risk factor for such episodes and may eventually be considered as a T2 surrogate marker. Fatal asthma cases are hallmarked by poorly steroid‐sensitive T2‐inflammation associated with severe mucus plugging. New, fast‐acting T2‐targeting biologics (already used for preventing asthma exacerbations) have the potential to circumvent steroid sensitivity pathways and decrease mucus plugging. This unmet need was confirmed by patients who reported highly negative, traumatizing experiences.

Conclusions

There is room for improvement in the management of ICU‐admitted severe asthma episodes. Clinical trials assessing how biologics might improve ICU outcomes are direly needed.
Conradian Horror: Suicide, Loss and Heart of Darkness
Authors: Davies Russel
Published: December 2020

This paper presents a personal understanding of the work of two prominent writers, namely the English‐Polish author Joseph Conrad and the psychotherapist Robert Hobson. I make particular reference to Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness as a work that decidedly influenced the thinking of Hobson. The allegoric themes evoked provide a landscape of rich contemplation, heavily laden with metaphor and allowing an exploration of suicide and loss. With this, I have attempted to make a statement on the impact that suicide has upon the therapist and, in doing so, provide some clinical and personal vignettes relating to my experience with suicide. I also provide an account of a deeply traumatized patient with dissociative identity disorder and chronic suicidal ideation. These reflections draw upon the language of Conrad and Hobson as suicide is considered both in a concrete literal sense and as an expansive non‐linear metaphor. The term ‘Conradian Horror’ is given particular salience as evoking the dark and dismal vista of suicide and loss.
The Feared Therapist: On Being Part of the Psychotic Patient's Paranoid Delusion
Authors: Saayman Nardus
Published: December 2020

Psychosis can be understood as, in part, a disorder of the self. The various factors that contribute to the development of psychosis and the consequences of psychotic symptoms potentially impede the development of the patient's subjectivity, and can lead to a complete breakdown of the patient's ability to accurately represent their subjective experiences. The development of paranoid delusions partially functions to compensate for the patient's inability to make sense of their subjective experiences in relation to an acknowledged other, in this case the psychotherapist. When the patient confronts the psychotherapist with their paranoid delusion and implicates the psychotherapist as a dangerous object, the psychotherapist is potentially exposed to a complex and disturbing dynamic where their own subjectivity may be drawn into question. This paper aims to explore the psychotherapist's experiences of this dynamic in a clinical setting by making use of a composite narrative of a psychotic patient with paranoid delusions that implicate the psychotherapist. The psychotherapist's experiences are discussed via the following three themes: constructing the patient's subjectivity; the psychotherapist's use of their own experiences; and holding the balance between opposing realities.
The structural evolution of pull‐apart basins in response to changes in plate motion
Authors: Farangitakis Georgios‐Pavlos , McCaffrey Ken J. W. , Willingshofer Ernst , Allen Mark B. , Kalnins Lara M. , van Hunen Jeroen , Persaud Patricia , Sokoutis Dimitrios
Published: December 2020

Pull‐apart basins are structural features linked to the interactions between strike‐slip and extensional tectonics. Their morphology and structural evolution are determined by factors such as extension rate, the basin length/width ratio, and changes in extension direction. In this work, we investigate the effect of a change in the plate motion direction on a pull‐apart basin's structure, using analogue modelling experiments with a two‐layer ductile‐brittle configuration to simulate continental crust rheology. We initially impose orthogonal extension on an interconnected rift and strike‐slip system to drive pull‐apart development. Subsequently, we rotate the relative motion vector, imposing transtensional deformation and continuing with this new relative motion vector to the end of the experiment. To compare with natural examples, we analyse the model using seismic interpretation software, generating 3D fault structure and sedimentary thickness interpretations. Results show that the change in the direction of plate motion produces map‐view sigmoidal oblique slip faults that become normal‐slip when deformation adjusts to the new plate motion vector. Furthermore, sediment distribution is strongly influenced by the relative plate rotation, changing the locus of deposition inside the basin at each model stage. Finally, we compare our observations to seismic reflection images, sedimentary package thicknesses and fault interpretations from the Northern Gulf of California and find good agreement between model and nature. Similar fault arrays occur in the Bohai Basin in northern China, which suggests a rotational component in its evolution. More broadly, such similar structures could indicate a role for oblique extension and fault rotation in any pull‐apart basin.
Risk stratification for the prognosis of patients with chemoresistant urothelial cancer treated with pembrolizumab
Authors: Kobayashi Takashi , Ito Katsuhiro , Kojima Takahiro , Kato Minoru , Kanda Souhei , Hatakeyama Shingo , Matsui Yoshiyuki , Matsushita Yuto , Naito Sei , Shiga Masanobu , Miyake Makito , Muro Yusuke , Nakanishi Shotaro , Kato Yoichiro , Shibuya Tadamasa , Hayashi Tetsutaro , Yasumoto Hiroaki , Yoshida Takashi , Uemura Motohide , Taoka Rikiya , Kamiyama Manabu , Ogawa Osamu , Kitamura Hiroshi , Nishiyama Hiroyuki ,   the Japan Urological Oncology Group
Published: December 2020

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat urothelial carcinoma (UC) is increasing rapidly without clear guidance for validated risk stratification. This multicenter retrospective study collected clinicopathological information on 463 patients, and 11 predefined variables were analyzed to develop a multivariate model predicting overall survival (OS). The model was validated using an independent dataset of 292 patients. Patient characteristics and outcomes were well balanced between the discovery and validation cohorts, which had median OS times of 10.2 and 12.5 mo, respectively. The final validated multivariate model was defined by risk scores based on the hazard ratios (HRs) of independent prognostic factors including performance status, site of metastasis, hemoglobin levels, and the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio. The median OS times (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for the low‐, intermediate‐, and high‐risk groups (discovery cohort) were not yet reached (NYR) (NYR–19.1), 6.8 mo (5.8‐8.9), and 2.3 mo (1.2‐2.6), respectively. The HRs (95% CI) for OS in the low‐ and intermediate‐risk groups vs the high‐risk group were 0.07 (0.04‐0.11) and 0.23 (0.15‐0.37), respectively. The objective response rates for in the low‐, intermediate‐, and high‐risk groups were 48.3%, 28.8%, and 10.5%, respectively. These differential outcomes were well reproduced in the validation cohort and in patients who received pembrolizumab after perioperative or first‐line chemotherapy (N = 584). In conclusion, the present study developed and validated a simple prognostic model predicting the oncological outcomes of pembrolizumab‐treated patients with chemoresistant UC. The model provides useful information for external validation, patient counseling, and clinical trial design.
全基因體定序對兒童神經疾病的診斷率和治療影響
Authors: 秀芬 李 , 上 遲景 , 啟仁 蔡
Published: December 2020

目的

探討全基因體定序 (WGS) 對兒童神經疾病的診斷率及治療影響。

方法

從 2016 年 1 月至 2019 年 12 月, 使用全基因體定序對疑似患有遺傳性神經疾病的兒科病人進行評估。符合條件的病人依其臨床表現型分為四組: 神經發展障礙病人、癲癇病人、神經肌肉疾病病人及運動障礙病人。我們描述全基因體定序的診斷率及經全基因體定序確診後對病人治療的影響。

結果

共有 214 例病人 (男性 128 例, 女性 86 例) 接受了全基因體定序檢測, 病人平均 (SD) 發病年齡為 13.8 (27.6) 個月, 範圍為 1 天至 15 年 5 個月, 接受全基因體定序檢測的平均 (SD) 年齡為 71.7 (58.9) 個月, 範圍從 8 天到 18 歲。 43.9% 的病人經由全基因體定序檢測得到診斷, 其中診斷率最高的是神經肌肉疾病病人 62.5%, 其餘依序為癲癇病人 47.5%, 神經發展障礙病人 41.1% 及運動障礙病人 15.4%。 94位經全基因體定序診斷的病人均獲得了遺傳諮詢, 並有 23.4% 的病人在接受全基因體定序確診後立即改變了治療策略。

解釋

全基因體定序使兒童神經科醫師能夠將基因體數據整合到臨床診斷, 並針對此一臨床上遺傳異質性疾病調整治療策略, 進而改善病人的臨床預後。我們的研究中, 顯著比例的病人經由全基因體定序得到診斷 (43.9%), 臨床醫師可依這些結果直接調整病人的治療方向, 進而改善病人的臨床預後 (23.4%) 。
Husserl on the overlap of pure and empirical concepts
Authors: Wolf W. Clark
Published: December 2020

This essay clarifies Edmund Husserl's view of “pure” concepts, with a view to its contemporary metaphilosophical significance. It is argued that Husserl's conception of pure concepts is unique in that he allows overlap between pure and empirical concepts. This overlap leads to a potential for confusion between pure and empirical concepts which I label “amphiboly,” following Kant's use of the term. The essay begins by clarifying Husserl's view of the divergence in concept formation between empirical and pure concepts, and then articulates the specific properties of pure concepts that allow an empirical overlap. These properties include the modality and range of the extension of the concepts, the ordering of objects under the concept, and the mental faculty required to identify an object under the concept. Once we see the source of amphiboly in Husserl's view, it can be observed that many concepts of interest to philosophy, even outside phenomenology proper, are potentially subject to amphibolous uses. Thus, Husserl's view can be a general hermeneutical resource for clarifying the nature of philosophical concepts.
I am ready to see you now, Doctor! A mixed‐method study of the Let's Discuss Health website implementation in Primary Care
Authors: Lussier Marie‐Thérèse , Richard Claude , Binta Diallo Fatoumata , Boivin Nathalie , Hudon Catherine , Boustani Élie , Witteman Holly , Jbilou Jalila
Published: December 2020

Background

Let's Discuss Health (LDH) is a website that encourages patients to prepare their health‐care encounters by providing communication training, review of topics and questions that are important to them.

Objective

To describe LDH implementation during primary care (PC) visits for chronic illnesses.

Methods

Design: Descriptive mixed‐method study. Setting: 6 PC clinics. Participants: 156 patients and 51 health‐care providers (HCP). Intervention: LDH website implementation. Outcome Measures: Perceived quality and usefulness of LDH; perceived quality of HCP‐patient communication; patient activation; LDH integration in routine PC practices and barriers to its use.

Results

Patients reported a positive perception of the website in that it helped them to adopt an active role in the encounters; recall their visit agenda and reduce encounter‐related stress; feel more confident to ask questions, feel more motivated to prepare their future medical visits and improve their chronic illness management. However, a certain disconnect emerged between HCP and patient perceptions as to the value of LDH in promoting a sense of partnership and collaboration. The main barriers to the use of LDH are HCP lack of interest, limited access to technology, lack of time and language barriers.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that it is advantageous for patients to prepare their medical encounters. However, the study needs to be replicated in other medical environments using larger and more diverse samples.

Patient and Public Contribution

Patient partners were involved in the conduct of this study.
The role of governance in quality education in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Asongu Simplice A. , Odhiambo Nicholas M.
Published: December 2020

This paper examines the nexus between governance and education quality in a panel of 49 sub‐Saharan African countries over the 2000–2012 period. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and quantile regression (QR) are employed as estimation strategies. The following findings are established. First, from the OLS, governance variables are negatively correlated with poor education quality. Second, with regards to QR, about half of the governance dynamics are not significantly correlated with poor education quality in the lowest quantile of poor education quality. With the exception of corruption control, the other governance dynamics are negatively correlated with poor education quality in a non‐monotonic pattern.
Relationship between lactate dehydrogenase and albuminuria in Chinese hypertensive patients
Authors: Cai Xiaoqi , Wang Tingjun , Ye Chaoyi , Xu Guoyan , Xie Liangdi
Published: December 2020

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) has been reported to be positively correlated with albuminuria assessed by urinary albumin‐to‐creatinine ratio (UACR) in patients with sickle cell disease; both LDH and albuminuria are positively associated with the severity of hypertension (HTN). Here, a cross‐sectional study was performed to investigate the association between LDH and albuminuria in Chinese hypertensives. A total of 1169 Chinese individuals (aged 58.0 ± 11.5 years, 60.4% male), who were admitted to our hospital, were included in this study. Based on the level of LDH, all hypertensives (n = 802) were divided into three groups: HTN1 (lowest tertile of LDH, n = 264), HTN2 (mediate tertile of LDH, n = 268), and HTN3 (highest tertile of LDH, n = 270). Hypertensives with hyperhomocysteinemia were defined as hypertensives with homocysteine ≥15μmol/L. Meanwhile, 367 normotensives served as controls. Compared with normotensives, the levels of LDH and UACR were significantly higher in hypertensives (p < .05). There was an increasing trend of albuminuria (UACR ≥30 mg/g) from control, HTN1, HTN2 to HTN3 group (4% vs. 12.1% vs. 14.9% vs. 19.6%, χ2 = 38.886, p < .001). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed an independent association between LDH and UACR in patients with HTN (β = 0.085, p < .05), but not in normotensives. After further stratification in hypertensive patients, this correlation remained in the male (β = 0.161, p < .001), elderly (age ≥65 years, β = 0.174, p < .001) and especially hypertensives with hyperhomocysteinemia (β = 0.402, p < .001). LDH combined with white blood cell (WBC) counts was observed to have better discrimination for albuminuria than creatinine united with cystatin C in hypertensives according to receiver operation characteristic curves (area under curve: 0.637 vs. 0.535, z = 2.563, p = .0104). In conclusion, the level of LDH was associated with albuminuria in Chinese patients with HTN, particularly in hypertensives with hyperhomocysteinemia. LDH combined with WBC provided better prediction of albuminuria than routine renal function assessment in hypertensives. Further studies are needed to confirm LDH as an early marker for the risk of kidney involvement among hypertensives.
Color, lightness, chroma, hue, and translucency adjustment potential of resin composites using CIEDE2000 color difference formula
Authors: Durand Leticia B. , Ruiz‐López Javier , Perez Bibiana G. , Ionescu Ana M. , Carrillo‐Pérez Francisco , Ghinea Razvan , Pérez María M.
Published: December 2020

Objective

To evaluate color, lightness, chroma, hue, and translucency adjustment potential of resin composites using CIEDE2000 color difference formula.

Methods

Three resin composites (Filtek Universal, Harmonize, and Omnichroma) were tested. Two types of specimens were prepared: an outer base shade with an inner hole filled with test shades and single‐composite specimens of all shades. Spectrorradiometric reflectances measurements and subsequent CIELAB color coordinates and translucency parameter (TP) were performed. Color (CAP00), lightness, chroma, hue, and translucency (TAP00) adjustment potential using CIEDE2000 color difference were computed. Color and transparency differences among composite materials and shades were statistically tested (P < 0.05).

Results

Positive CAP00 and TAP00 values were found for majority of tested materials. CAP00 values ranged from −0.14 to 0.89, with the highest values found for Omnichroma (>0.75 in all cases). TAP00 values ranged from −0.06 to 0.86 with significant translucency differences among dual and single specimens. Omnichroma exhibited the highest adjustment potential for all color dimensions studied.

Conclusions

Lightness, hue, chroma, and translucency adjustment potential have been introduced using CIEDE2000 color difference formula, and have shown their usefulness to evaluate blending effect in dentistry. Color coordinates and translucency adjustment potential were dependent on dental material. Omnichroma exhibited the most pronounced blending effect.

Clinical significance

Resin composites with increased color and translucency adjustment may simplify shade selection, making this process easier and less time consuming. Furthermore, these materials might facilitate challenging and complex color matching situations.
Interpretation of ambiguous pronouns in adults with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Hawthorne K. , Loveall S. J.
Published: December 2020

Background

Pronouns are referentially ambiguous (e.g. she could refer to any female), yet they are common in everyday conversations. Individuals with typical development (TD) employ several strategies to avoid pronoun interpretation errors, including the subject bias – an assumption that a pronoun typically refers to the subject (or, with the closely related order‐of‐mention bias, the first‐mentioned character) of the previous sentence. However, it is unknown if adults with intellectual disability (ID) share this strategy or the extent to which the subject bias is associated with non‐verbal abilities or receptive vocabulary.

Methods

We tested 22 adults with mixed‐aetiology ID on their interpretation of ambiguous pronouns using the visual world eye‐tracking paradigm and by asking a follow‐up pronoun interpretation question. A group of TD adults was also tested to establish the strength of the subject bias with our materials and task.

Results

Adults with ID did demonstrate the subject bias, but it was significantly less robust than that seen in TD. For participants with ID, the subject bias was influenced by non‐verbal IQ and receptive vocabulary at different stages of processing.

Conclusions

Given the frequency of pronouns in conversation, strengthening the subject bias may help alleviate discourse and reading comprehension challenges for individuals with ID, particularly those with lower non‐verbal and/or vocabulary skills.
Differentiation of potato samples using a modified high identity traits (HITS) method is greater with trained panels than untrained
Authors: Ciccone Melissa , Chambers Delores H. , Chambers Edgar , Talavera Martin
Published: December 2020

The High Identity Traits (HITS) method allows trained panelists to develop simpler descriptive product profiles that focus on key traits. However, the use of trained panelists requires dedicated resources, so new methods are developed for the use of semitrained or untrained consumer panels. The objective of this study was to determine if an untrained consumer panel could provide similar sensory profiles to a highly trained panel using a modified HITS method. One panel was conducted with six, highly trained panelists and a separate panel was held with six consumers. Each panel evaluated five potato varieties, cooked by mashing, baking, and air‐frying, to develop profiles of up to five HITS per sample. The consumer and trained panels identified some of the same traits but did not develop similar profiles overall. While the highly trained assessors identified complex aroma and flavor traits, the consumers focused mainly on texture, preventing them from finding more subtle product differences.

Practical Applications

The results of this study can be used to inform sensory scientists about the best practices for conducting a panel using the High Identity Traits method and questions the use of a consumer panel as a replacement for a trained sensory panel. Understanding what type of panel is recommended for use with each sensory method, especially newly developed methods, is key to producing accurate and repeatable results.
Can focused mindfulness training increase olfactory perception? A novel method and approach for quantifying olfactory perception
Authors: Mahmut Mehmet K. , Fitzek Joy , Bittrich Katrin , Oleszkiewicz Anna , Hummel Thomas
Published: December 2020

The aim of the study was to examine whether mindfulness‐based training will increase the perception of odors and odor identification ability using a novel approach to quantifying olfactory perception. Eighteen participants were assigned to an experiment group and completed 5 min of focused mindfulness‐based training, twice‐per day for 2 days, while 18 control participants listened to a scientific podcast. The results revealed no significant differences between the experiment and control groups in terms of the number of odors counted over 2 days or odor identification ability at the end of the study. However, compared to controls, participants in the experiment group indicated via self‐report that they noticed odors more often after mindfulness training. This finding was only true for a subset of participants and given this is the first study of its kind; replication is required to determine whether mindfulness‐based training, possibly over a longer period of time, may increase olfactory perception.

Practical Applications

Given odorant perceptions can change after repeated exposure and recalling the number of odorants experienced in a day is difficult, using a finger counter is a novel and effective methodological approach to track and assess daily odorant exposure in experiment and consumer research.
In the shadow of the rising sun: a systematic review of Japanese bat research and conservation
Authors: Preble Jason H. , Ohte Nobuhito , Vincenot Christian E.
Published: December 2020

Although scientific evidence is critical to prioritising conservation actions, the distribution of research effort does not always align with conservation needs. The conservation of Japanese bats is of global concern, given that 35% of extant species are endemic and 91% of endemics are threatened. However, information on Japanese bats can be inaccessible to the international community, and research trends have yet to be reviewed.

To investigate how thoroughly research has addressed conservation needs concerning Japanese bats, we related IUCN category, legal protections, and threats to the results of a systematic review of conservation‐relevant research literature from the last fifty years. We assessed patterns in research distribution in time, regions, research topics, taxa, endemicity, and category to identify gaps and future priorities. We also compared research patterns between international research repositories and the main Japanese repository.

Categories did not change over time (except due to changes in knowledge; actual conservation status remained the same), and bat‐specific legal protections and conservation actions are limited (e.g. only one species benefits from a national recovery plan). Research has increased post‐2000, but threatened and endemic species remain less studied than non‐threatened and non‐endemic species. Both the shortage of ecological studies (≤ 1 article) and lack of any conservation study for over 50% of extant species (including most threatened species) are concerning. Ten endemics were identified as top priority species: Murina tenebrosa, Myotis yanbarensis, Murina ryukyuana, Nyctalus furvus, Miniopterus fuscus, Pteropus pselaphon, Myotis pruinosus, Eptesicus japonensis, Rhinolophus perditus, and Hipposideros turpis.

Japanese bat conservation could be strengthened by increasing research on endemic species and by providing information on threats, ecological requirements, population trends, and suitable conservation strategies. Concrete conservation planning, improved publishing standards, capacity‐building, and a collaborative effort to improve the situation of bats domestically would set a strong example for bat conservation in Asia.
The movement of virtue from ethos to action
Authors: Näsman Yvonne , Nyholm Linda
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we explore the concept of virtue in nursing care. We particularly examine the description of ‘virtue’ offered by Aristotle, who considers it the mental constitution that forms the basis for laudable social behaviour. We then turn to Katie Eriksson's work on caritative caring ethics and draw parallels between the Aristotelian concept of virtue and being a good nurse. Eriksson suggests that embracing an ethos, a set of basic values, affects nurses’ attitudes as well as the way they speak and take on their responsibility for the patient. We discuss these ideas in relation to a tentative ideal model of the movement from ethos to action to understand and address nurses’ ethical thinking and acting. Here, we focus on the catalytic role of virtue as a means for realizing a deliberate, intentional acting with the best of the patient in mind. As an outcome of our analysis, we suggest that the movement of virtue from ethos to action is most usefully conceptualized as knowledge about facts, habits of the heart, deeds of the hand and the power of words. Implications for nursing leadership are suggested, including incorporating organizational values through the means of ethical conversations.
Precontoured Plate Fixation for Incomplete Atypical Diaphyseal Fracture of Femur using Three‐Dimensional Printing Rapid Prototyping: Two Cases Reports
Authors: Won Heejae , Baek Seung‐Hoon , Kim Cheol‐Hwan , Kim Dong‐Hyeon , Yoon Jee‐Wook , Kim Shin‐Yoon
Published: December 2020

Background

Reconstruction intramedullary nail spanning the whole length of the femur has been the gold standard treatment for complete atypical diaphyseal fractures of the femur (ADF). However, in cases of incomplete ADF combined with severe bowing, this approach might have complications and lead to iatrogenic complete fracture. We report two cases of incomplete ADF with severe bowing using a precontoured plate (PCP) after rapid prototyping (RP) of the deformed femurs with three‐dimensional printing (3DP) technology.

Case presentation

Two patients presented with gradually worsening thigh pain, especially during walking. The patients had been using bisphosphonates for 4 and 10 years, respectively. Radiography showed an incomplete fracture in the lateral cortex of the right femur shaft. The lateral bowing angles measured in the affected femurs were 15° and 14°, and the anterior bowing angles were 20° and 16°, respectively. In bone scans, both patients showed hot uptake in the right mid‐shaft of the femur. Preoperatively, the affected femur of the patient was reconstructed by 3DP RP using CT, and the plate was bent to the shape of the bone model. The ADF was fixed with a PCP using the minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis technique. Both patients were encouraged to start full weight‐bearing and return to their preinjury activity level in daily life immediately after surgery. At 2 years postoperatively, radiography showed healing of the fracture site without recurrence of thigh pain and implant‐related problems.

Conclusion

Although intramedullary nailing is the standard surgical treatment for complete ADF, PCP using 3DP RP could be an effective treatment option for incomplete ADF with severely curved femur.
100 Years of Peace among English‐Speaking People: Anglo‐American Cultural Diplomacy, 1909–1921
Authors: Cullinane Michael Patrick
Published: December 2020

In the early twentieth century, peace activists looked for historic examples of successful conflict resolution to inspire their movement. The centennial of the Treaty of Ghent (1814) became a focal point in their efforts. The treaty ended the last war fought between the British Empire and the United States and, as the 1914 centennial approached, peace activists fashioned a celebration called “100 Years of Peace among English‐speaking Peoples.” The Great War postponed their plans, but after the armistice, American, British, and Canadian activists worked to develop a scheme of commemoration that eventually culminated in the erection of statues, the foundation of education exchanges, and the inauguration of heritage centers. With the support of their governments, the campaign became an important cultural diplomacy program. This article examines that program and the intersection of private networks of activists with government officials. In doing so, it shows how early twentieth century statecraft utilized cultural assets. It also explores the legacy of cultural assets on international relations, how cultural diplomacy underwrites foreign policies, and how cultural programs can perpetuate feelings of goodwill over the course of generations. The program to celebrate 100 Years of Peace among English‐speaking Peoples obscured fissures in the Anglo‐American relationship at the end of the Great War, and the cultural diplomacy continues as a symbol of Anglo‐American rapprochement.
Myth, History, and the Idea of the Nation in Derek Walcott and V.S. Naipaul
Authors: Brown Catherine
Published: December 2020

This article compares how two contemporaneous Anglophone Caribbean writers – Trinidadian V.S. Naipaul (1932–2018) and St. Lucian Derek Walcott (1930–2017) – explore the challenges posed to ontological security and nationhood in the Caribbean by considering how myth (broadly interpreted), knowledge, and ignorance of Caribbean history interact in understandings of their respective islands. The article focuses on one work by each – Naipaul’s The Loss of El Dorado and Walcott’s Omeros – which mediate myth and history through artistic discourse in a similar way. Hitherto the personal and literary differences between Naipaul and Walcott have been stressed by their critics more than their similarities; this article points towards the latter. Both writers are aware of how the presences and absences of Caribbean history can give rise to the mythologization of both Caribbean and foreign nations. They condemn the emotional and moral simplicities which both imperial and anti‐imperial mythologizing involve. Yet both of them write works which perform as well as condemn such mythologization with regard to their own islands. Whilst not rejecting a careful handling of documentary sources, both writers are aware that recreations of history inevitably involve imagination and desire, and as creative writers they embrace this premise.
Cash Transfers and Contraceptive Use: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis
Authors: Velasco Maria Carolina , Chrysanthopoulou Stavroula A. , Galárraga Omar
Published: December 2020

Conditional cash transfers (CCTs) have become important components of social protection policies in Latin America. By establishing coresponsibilities tied to health and education, CCTs may reduce poverty and encourage human capital investment. While CCT programs can have unintended effects on sexual and reproductive health outcomes, such effects have been mixed and poorly documented in South America. This study examines the impact of Ecuador's CCT program, Bono de Desarrollo Humano, on contraceptive behavior among women of childbearing age who are sexually active and do not wish to become pregnant. We analyze nationally representative data in a regression‐discontinuity quasi‐experimental design. Using an instrumental variable approach and a set of robustness checks, our study finds no significant effects of the CCT program on contraceptive use. Our results offer important considerations for the ongoing policy debate in South America regarding the effects of cash transfer programs on beneficiaries.
Evaluating the impact of an agricultural land‐use change adaptation strategy on household crop production in semi‐arid Ghana
Authors: Badmos Biola K. , Villamor Grace B. , Agodzo Sampson K. , Odai Samuel N. , Badmos Olabisi S.
Published: December 2020

In this study, the Land Use Dynamic Simulator model was applied to investigate the impact of farm credit as an adaptation strategy to cope with effects of climate variability on agricultural land‐use change and crop production in the Vea watershed in Ghana. The authors identified the determinants of crop choices within the landscape (e.g., farm household and biophysical characteristics of farm plot). The crop choice sub‐model was then linked to the crop yield sub‐model to determine the yields of selected crops. In adapting to the impacts of climate variability, the maize credit adoption sub‐model under the maize cultivation credit scenario was integrated into decision‐making. This was simulated for a 20‐year period, and compared with the business‐as‐usual scenario. Under the simulated maize credit scenario, maize adopters increased from about 20 per cent to about 50 per cent and the area allocated for maize cultivation significantly increased by about 266 per cent. Consequently, the average annual aggregated household crop yield increased by 6.3 per cent higher than in the business‐as‐usual scenario. This simulation study shows that access to maize credit can significantly influence agricultural land‐use change and food availability in the study area. However, although access to farm credit may translate into food availability, the sustainability of this strategy is questionable.
Biological removal of nutrients (N & P) from urban wastewater with a modified integrated fixed‐film activated sludge‐oxic settling anoxic system using an anoxic sludge holding tank
Authors: Fazelipour Mansour , Takdastan Afshin , Borghei Seyed Mehdi
Published: December 2020

In this research, the efficiency of the integrated fixed‐film activated sludge‐oxic settling anoxic (IFAS‐OSA) system in biological nutrient removal was studied. The oxic‐settling anoxic (OSA) process is known as a cost effective way to reduce the nutrients (nitrogen and Phosphorus). According to the results, the percentages of total nitrogen removal efficiency in the IFAS, IFAS‐OSA2h and IFAS‐OSA4h systems were 78.56 ± 2.46, 83.60 ± 0.92 and 85.03 ± 1.69, respectively, while the percentages of phosphorus removal efficiency in these systems were 32.69 ± 8.25, 36.35 ± 6.73 and 39.87 ± 3.61, respectively. The PCR‐RFLP method showed that C. albicans had the greatest prevalence (n = 36, 90%). Moreover, Vorticella convallaria was identified as the most abundant species of protozoa. The current research demonstrated that the efficiency of the modified IFAS‐OSA process was higher than that of IFAS in the removal of nutrients (TN and –P) and can be a suitable method for upgrading the wastewater treatment plants worldwide.
Household Livelihood Strategies and Food Security in Angolela Tera District, Ethiopia
Authors: Fikre Seyfe
Published: December 2020

Worrying about reduction of food insecurity directly or indirectly linked with the livelihood strategy. Food security of the household is a reply of available livelihood strategies. The aim of the study was to examine rural livelihood strategies and its effect on food security. This study examined the effect of household livelihood on food security in Angolela and Tera District by taking randomly selected sample of 256 household and multi-nominal probit regression was used. The household food security was measured by Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). The average HFIAS score was 5.5; lower score was recorded in farming livelihood activities and higher score was recorded in non-farm activities. Finding shows that relatively those respondents who engaged in farming activities were more food secure than those confined to non-farm activities and mixed activities. On the other hand, those household confined only non-farm livelihood were more food insecure. This call for policies and strategies provide the incentive/intervention for the household who are using non-farm activities alone in ensuring their food security in rural area. Government policies need to designed and implemented comprehensive strategies in order to keep non-farm household food security.
Localization of unbounded contacts on vibrating elastic plates
Authors: Farin Maxime , Palerm Chloë , Prada Claire , de Rosny Julien
Published: December 2020

Detection and localization of unbounded contacts in industrial structures are crucial for user safety. However, most structural health monitoring techniques are either invasive, power-consuming, or rely on time-varying baseline comparison. A passive acoustic method is proposed to localize unbounded contacts in plate-like structures, using the acoustic emissions by the contacts when they are excited by ambient noise. The technique consists of computing the correlation matrix of the signals measured by a set of receivers and applying to this matrix a beamforming algorithm accounting for flexural wave dispersion. To validate the technique, an experimental setup is developed in which three idealized unbounded contacts are created on a thin plate excited by a shaker. How the quality of the defect localization depends on the defect type, receiver number, and the characteristics of the noise is investigated. Finally, it is shown that the localization of unbounded contacts is possible using either an acoustic ambient noise source or a more realistic jet engine noise.
Professional Athletes’ Social Media Use and Player Performance: Evidence From the National Football League
Authors: Lim Joon Ho , Donovan Leigh Anne , Kaufman Peter , Ishida Chiharu
Published: December 2020

To examine how the level of humility expressed through athletes’ social media postings and post volume is associated with the athletes’ in-game performance, the authors collected National Football League players’ social media activities throughout one season, in addition to player performance and profile information. To account for the multilevel and panel structure of the data, they conducted a series of fixed-effects panel models. In addition to a negative relationship between social media posting frequency and performance, the authors found that players who post social media content with a higher level of humility are more likely to have better performances. However, this humility–performance association follows an inverted U-shaped relationship. The results provide insight into how critical athletes’ social media activity is for in-game performance. This study also provides important implications for athletes, team coaches, staff, and managers and provides guidance for future research.
Changes in Step Characteristics Over a Known Outdoor Surface Transition: The Effect of Parkinson Disease
Authors: Gomez Nicholas G. , Gubler Kelton K. , Foreman Kenneth Bo , Merryweather Andrew S.
Published: December 2020

The factors that contribute to the difficulties persons with Parkinson Disease (PwPD) have when negotiating transitions in walking surfaces are not completely known. The authors investigated if PwPD adjusted their step characteristics when negotiating a familiar outdoor surface transition between synthetic concrete and synthetic turf. Force plate and motion capture data were collected for 10 participants with mild to moderate Parkinson disease and 5 healthy older control participants ambulating bidirectionally across the transition between synthetic concrete and synthetic turf. Between groups, PwPD had a significantly higher minimum toe clearance (P = .007) for both directions of travel compared with the healthy control group. Within groups, PwPD significantly increased their hip (P < .001) and ankle (P = .016) range of motion walking from concrete to turf, while the healthy control participants significantly increased their minimum toe clearance (P = .013), margin of stability (P = .019), hip (P < .001) and ankle (P = .038) range of motion, and step length (P < .001). Walking from turf to concrete, both the Parkinson disease group (P = .014) and the healthy control group (P < .001) increased their knee range of motion. Both groups adjusted their step characteristics when negotiating known surface transitions, indicating that surface transitions result in step changes regardless of health status. However, PwPD exhibited overcompensations, particularly in their minimum toe clearance.
Lower Density and Shorter Duration of Nasopharyngeal Carriage by Pneumococcal Serotype 1 (ST217) May Explain Its Increased Invasiveness over Other Serotypes
Authors: Bricio-Moreno Laura , Chaguza Chrispin , Yahya Reham , Shears Rebecca K. , Cornick Jennifer E. , Hokamp Karsten , Yang Marie , Neill Daniel R. , French Neil , Hinton Jay C. D. , Everett Dean B. , Kadioglu Aras
Published: December 2020

The pneumococcus causes serious diseases such as pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Serotype 1 accounts for the majority of invasive pneumococcal disease cases in sub-Saharan Africa but is rarely found during nasopharyngeal carriage.
The Key Glycolytic Enzyme Phosphofructokinase Is Involved in Resistance to Antiplasmodial Glycosides
Authors: Fisher Gillian M. , Cobbold Simon A. , Jezewski Andrew , Carpenter Emma F. , Arnold Megan , Cowell Annie N. , Tjhin Erick T. , Saliba Kevin J. , Skinner-Adams Tina S. , Lee Marcus C. S. , Odom John Audrey , Winzeler Elizabeth A. , McConville Malcolm J. , Poulsen Sally-Ann , Andrews Katherine T.
Published: December 2020

Malaria, caused by
Plasmodium
parasites, continues to be a devastating global health issue, causing 405,000 deaths and 228 million cases in 2018. Understanding key metabolic processes in malaria parasites is critical to the development of new drugs to combat this major infectious disease. The
Plasmodium
glycolytic pathway is essential to the malaria parasite, providing energy for growth and replication and supplying important biomolecules for other essential
Plasmodium
anabolic pathways. Despite this overreliance on glycolysis, no current drugs target glycolysis, and there is a paucity of information on critical glycolysis targets. Our work addresses this unmet need, providing new mechanistic insights into this key pathway.
Effects of soil nutrients and stand structure on aboveground net primary productivity of oak secondary forests in the forest–steppe transition zone of Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Sun Meimei , Zhai Bo-Chao , Chen Qiu-Wen , Li Guoqing , Tateno Ryunosuke , Yamanaka Norikazu , Du Sheng
Published: December 2020

Liaodong oak (Quercus liaotungensis Koidz.) dominated forests contribute to the few natural forest ecosystems in the semiarid Loess Plateau region in China. This study investigated the influence of soil nutrients and stand structure on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) in the oak communities. We aimed to understand the major factors and their possible pathways that determine the ecosystem productivity. The biomass and the ANPP were estimated using plot surveys and litterfall collection in fixed plots. Linear regressions and structural equation models were used to evaluate the relationships among soil nutrients, stand structure (including vertical and horizontal structure), and ANPP. The results showed that the effect sizes of soil nutrients on ANPP and leaf production were near 60% and 70%, respectively. More than 70% of the variation in woody production was explained by stand structure, while litterfall production was largely dependent on stand vertical structure with effect size of 64%. The effect of soil nutrients on stand structural indices was detected only in the case of the vertical structure. The results suggested that soil nutrients could affect forest productivity both directly and indirectly in coordination with stand vertical structure, and that the effect of stand structure was limited in these communities.