bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preoperative Depression and Plasma Cortisol Levels as Predictors of Delirium after Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Eshmawey Mohamed , Arlt Sönke , Ledschbor-Frahnert Christine , Guenther Ulf , Popp Julius
Published: January 2020

Background: Delirium is common in old patients who undergo cardiac surgery, and it is associated with adverse outcomes. The genesis of delirium is thought to be multi-factorial, but it is still not well understood. Symptoms of depression and elevated cortisol level have been described in some previous studies as factors associated with delirium, suggesting a shared pathophysiology. Aims: The objective of the present study was to determine whether preoperative depression symptoms and increased cortisol level represent risk factors for delirium after cardiac surgery. Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study in 183 patients aged >50 years undergoing elective cardiac surgery. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to assess patients for depressive symptoms before surgery. Preoperative plasma cortisol levels were available in 145 participants. Delirium was diagnosed using the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) during the first 7 days after surgery. Spearman correlation was used for correlations between GDS, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Charlson comorbidity index, and age. Binary logistic regression was used to determine whether GDS and cortisol levels predict postoperative delirium. Results: Delirium occurred in 60 patients out of 183 (32.8%) included and lasted 2.3 days (SD 1.36). GDS was correlated with age (p = 0.001) and comorbidity index (p = 0.003) and inversely correlated with MMSE score (p < 0.001). Higher preoperative GDS scores were associated with incidence of delirium in the postoperative period (p = 0.002). The association was significant after controlling for age, MMSE score, history of stroke, and Charlson comorbidity index (p = 0.045). Preoperative cortisol level was not associated with the development of postoperative delirium. Conclusion: Our results suggest that a higher preoperative depression score is associated with an increased risk of postoperative delirium. On the other hand, preoperative plasma cortisol level does not seem to be a predictor of delirium after surgery. Further studies are needed to determine the potential of preoperative depression treatment to prevent postoperative delirium.
Improved method for vegetative propagation of mature Pinus halepensis and its hybrids by cuttings
Authors: Riov Joseph , Fox Hagar , Attias Rotem , Shklar Galina , Farkash-Haim Lilach , Sitbon Robert , Moshe Yosef , Abu-Abied Mohamad , Sadot Einat , David-Schwartz Rakefet
Published: January 2020

Forest trees possess high genetic diversity and high heterozygosity which allow adaptation to changing environmental conditions. There is a tendency to propagate successful and unique genotypes, which are identified at their mature stage in the forests, for future improvement programs and conservation purposes. However, vegetative propagation of mature forest trees is still a challenge in many conifers. In this study, we focused on improving the rooting of cuttings of mature and old Pinus halepensis and its hybrids. We observed that storage of cuttings before rooting at 4°C for 4 weeks and prolong immersion of cuttings in a solution containing 400 mg/l of indole-3-butyric acid, 5 mg/l of the auxin conjugate 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)propanoic acid-glycine methyl ester, and 0.01% of Amistar fungicide significantly improved rooting of mature cuttings. The active ingredient in Amistar is azoxystrobin, an uncoupler of respiration, which seems to directly promote rooting. Rooted cuttings of selected clones demonstrated unique and uniform growth performance, most likely delivering the intrinsic growth parameters of the mother trees. It was also observed that trees growing under drought stress possess improved rooting ability. By using rooted cuttings, it will be possible to study the relationship between growth rate and adaptation to semi-arid climate conditions. The ability to clonal propagate mature and old P. halepensis trees not only enables vegetative propagation of elite trees for improvement programs, but also provides an opportunity to preserve unique naturally occurring old P. halepensis genotypes.
Effect of polar auxin transport and gibberellins on xylem formation in pine cuttings under adventitious rooting conditions
Authors: Pizarro Alberto , Díaz-Sala Carmen
Published: January 2020

Maturation-related decline of adventitious root formation is one of the major factors affecting adventitious rooting in forest tree species. We demonstrate that inhibition of polar auxin transport promoted cambium and xylem differentiation in rooting-competent hypocotyl cuttings from Pinus radiata under conditions of adventitious root formation. Treatments with bioactive gibberellins inhibited rooting while at the same time inducing both the differentiation of a continuous ring of cambium and xylem formation. Treatments with inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis did not affect the rooting response. The results demonstrate that xylem parenchyma and procambial cells at the xylem poles of rooting-competent hypocotyl cuttings after excision and under conditions of adventitious root induction become adventitious root meristems or xylem, depending on the directional auxin flow. Gibberellin may interact with this pathway, inducing xylem differentiation and inhibiting rooting. We conclude that modifications of auxin flow at the rooting sites, and the priming of cambial cells to differentiate into xylem during tree ageing, may be associated with the maturation-related decline of adventitious root formation.
On species concepts, phylogenetics and the science of natural history—three current issues facing taxonomy
Authors: CHRISTENHUSZ MAARTEN J.M.
Published: January 2020

Taxonomy faces some major challenges in the 21st Century (Godfray 2002). The threat to biodiversity comes largely from human overpopulation, but the impact of climate change is unprecedented (Pievani 2014) and increasingly a risk factor for many species. This makes it even more critical to rapidly catalogue our biodiversity to better protect it (Mace 2004). If you do not know what is there, it is impossible to know what we are losing, let alone protect something for which we have no name and cannot identify. Understanding diversity and the dynamics of evolution and speciation is important to discover the adaptability of species in a changing world dominated by humans (e.g. Harvey et al. 2014), but at the same time education about the natural world seems to have failed our children.Below I address three major questions or issues that are current in taxonomy, and natural history in the broader sense, related to species concepts, classification, communication and education.
The promise of next-generation taxonomy
Authors: VENCES MIGUEL
Published: January 2020

Documenting, naming and classifying the diversity of life on Earth provides baseline information on the biosphere, which is crucially important to understand and mitigate the global changes of the Anthropocene. We should meet three main challenges, using new technological developments without throwing the well-tried and successful foundations of Linnaean nomenclature overboard. 1. Fully embrace cybertaxonomy, machine learning and DNA taxonomy to ease, not burden the workflow of taxonomists. 2. Emphasize diagnosis over description, images over words. 3. Understand promises and pitfalls of omics approaches to avoid taxonomic inflation.
Accessing cryptic diversity in Neotropical rattlesnakes (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalus) with the description of two new species
Authors: CARBAJAL-MÁRQUEZ RUBÉN ALONSO , CEDEÑO-VÁZQUEZ JOSÉ ROGELIO , MARTÍNEZ-ARCE ARELY , NERI-CASTRO EDGAR , MACHKOUR- M’RABET SALIMA C.
Published: January 2020

Members of the Crotalus durissus species complex are widely distributed from Mexico to Argentina in areas with mainly seasonally dry tropical deciduous forest. Although four species (C. culminatus, C. durissus, C. simus and C. tzabcan) are currently recognized, species limits remain to be tested. Previous genetic studies suggest that C. durissus and C. simus may be paraphyletic and that at least one cryptic species may be present. We analyzed 2596 bp of DNA sequence data from three mitochondrial and one nuclear gene to infer phylogenetic relationships in the Neotropical rattlesnakes. We also examined museum and wild specimens as well as captive animals to analyze morphological characters. Our results suggest that the current taxonomy of the Crotalus durissus species complex does not reflect evolutionary history. We found strong support for five independent lineages within Crotalus simus (sensu lato), with genetic and morphological evidence for three previously recognized taxa and two new species, as well as three major lineages within C. durissus that each represent species hypothesis to be tested with additional evidence. We also found support to retain C. totonacus in the Crotalus molossus species complex. We suggest conservative taxonomic changes to the complex and related species, but more evidence is needed (e.g., morphology, ecology and venom composition) to clarify relationships among species.
First description of the female of Letana mursinga Ingrisch & Shishodia, 2000 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Phaneropterinae; Letanini) from India
Authors: KUMAR HIRDESH , CHANDRA KAILASH
Published: January 2020

Female of Letana mursinga Ingrisch & Shishodia, 2000 is described first time from Arunachal Pradesh, India along with a checklist of Indian species of Letana Walker, 1869. A map is also prepared for its distribution.
A Similarity Based Representation for Identifying Healthcare Anomalous Activities
Authors: Deepak K. , Sikkandar Mohamed Yacin , Siddharth S. , Chandrakala S.
Published: January 2020

A Vision Based Patient Monitoring system focuses on detecting abnormal activities of a patient. In real-world, factors like occlusion and view point variations make the activity recognition task challenging. This work proposes a similarity-based representation for healthcare activities
including abnormal patient activities such as coughing, sneezing, vomiting, falling, etc. Global and depth-based representations such as histogram of optical flow, displacement between skeletal sequences and relative position of skeletal joints are used to represent the spatio-temporal dynamics
of activities. A benchmark data namely "NTU RGB + D Action Recognition dataset" is used for testing the performance of the proposed approach. A comparison of the proposed methodology against other state-of-the-art approaches has proved the discrimination of the proposed approach.
Clinical Application of High Frequency Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Treatment of Lumbar Muscle Injury After Strenuous Exercise
Authors: Wang Weihong , Wang Xiaojun
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical application of high-frequency ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar muscle injury after strenuous exercise. In this study, high-frequency ultrasound imaging technology was used to examine the patients' lumbar and dorsal
position, and ultrasound examination was performed on the affected side and the healthy side of lumbar dorsal muscle before and after treatment. According to the thickness of abdomen transverse muscle, psoas muscle, lumbar muscle, gluteus medius revealed by ultrasound, as well as the visual
analogue scale (VAS) pain score and J0A low back pain score, the rehabilitation of patients was analyzed. Through the observation of ultrasound images, it was found that the thickness of the transverse abdominis, lumbar maximus, quadratus lumborum muscle and gluteus medius on the affected
side was significantly improved after treatment, the average VAS pain score was significantly decreased, and the average JOA lower back pain score was significantly increased, indicating that the patient's condition was significantly improved after treatment. The use of high-frequency ultrasound
to detect the disease status before and after treatment can accurately understand the course of the disease and the curative effect after treatment. In a word, high-frequency ultrasound has a great clinical effect on patients with lumbar dorsal muscle injury.
Localized Climate Reporting by TV Weathercasters Enhances Public Understanding of Climate Change as a Local Problem: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Experiment
Authors: Feygina Irina , Myers Teresa , Placky Bernadette , Sublette Sean , Souza Tammie , Toohey-Morales John , Maibach Edward
Published: January 2020

A rapidly growing number of TV weathercasters are reporting on the local implications of climate change, although little is known about the effectiveness of such communication. To test the impact of localized climate reporting, we conducted an internet-based randomized controlled experiment in which local TV news viewers (n = 1,200) from two American cities (Chicago and Miami) watched either three localized climate reports or three standard weather reports featuring a prominent TV weathercaster from their city; each of the videos was between 1 and 2 min in duration. Participants’ understanding of climate change as real, human-caused, and locally relevant was assessed with a battery of questions after watching the set of three videos. Compared to participants who watched weather reports, participants who watched climate reports became significantly more likely to 1) understand that climate change is happening, is human-caused, and is causing harm in their community; 2) feel that climate change is personally relevant and express greater concern about it; and 3) feel that they understand how climate change works and express greater interest in learning more about it. In short, our findings demonstrate that watching even a brief amount of localized climate reporting (less than 6 min) delivered by TV weathercasters helps viewers develop a more accurate understanding of global climate change as a locally and personally relevant problem, and offer strong support for this promising approach to promoting enhanced public understanding of climate change through public media.
Revisiting the Optimum Receiver Filter Bandwidth for Range-Oversampling Processing
Authors: Torres Sebastián M. , Curtis Christopher D.
Published: January 2020

For weather radars, range-oversampling processing was proposed as an effective way either to reduce the variance of radar-variable estimates without increasing scan times or to reduce scan times without increasing the variance of estimates. Range oversampling entails acquiring the received signals at a rate L times as fast as the reciprocal of the pulse width (the conventional rate), where L is referred to as the range-oversampling factor. To accommodate the L-times-as-fast sampling, the original formulation of range-oversampling processing required a receiver filter with a bandwidth L times as wide as that of the matched filter (the conventional receiver filter). In this case, the noise at the output of the receiver filter can still be assumed to be white, resulting in a simplified formulation of the technique but also, and more important, in a more difficult practical implementation since the receiver filter in operational weather radars is typically matched to the transmitted pulse. In this work, we revisit the role of the receiver filter in the performance of range-oversampling processing and show that using a receiver matched filter not only facilitates the implementation of range-oversampling processing but also results in the lowest variance of radar-variable estimates.
Effect of Uric Acid-Lowering Agents on Cardiovascular Outcome in Patients With Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Studies
Authors: Kanbay Mehmet , Afsar Baris , Siriopol Dimitrie , Dincer Neris , Erden Nihan , Yilmaz Onur , Sag Alan A. , Kuwabara Masanari , Cherney David , Rossignol Patrick , Ortiz Alberto , Covic Adrian
Published: January 2020

Several trials have been completed in patients with heart failure (HF) treated with uric acid (UA)-lowering agents with inconsistent results. We aimed to investigate whether lowering UA would have an effect on mortality and cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with HF in a systematic review and meta-analysis. The primary outcome measures were all-cause mortality, CV mortality, CV events, and CV hospitalization in patients with HF. We included 11 studies in our final analysis. Overall, allopurinol treatment was associated with a significant increase in the risk for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.49, P = .02). The trial heterogeneity is high (heterogeneity χ2 = 37.3, I2 = 73%, P < .001). With regard to CV mortality, allopurinol treatment was associated with a 42% increased risk of CV mortality (HR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.11-1.81, P = .005). There was a trend toward increased CV hospitalization in the same group (HR: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.95-1.53, P = .12). Uric acid-lowering treatments increase all-cause and CV mortality but did not increase CV hospitalization significantly in this study.
Value of C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio in Predicting the Development of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients With Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Satilmis Seckin , Karabulut Ahmet
Published: January 2020

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) accounts for about 10% of all hospital-acquired acute kidney injury. We aimed to assess the role of the combination of 2 inflammatory biomarkers, the C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR), in the development of CIN after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Patients with NSTEMI (n = 205) treated by PCI were classified according to the development of CIN. Both groups were compared according to clinical, laboratory, and demographic characteristics, including inflammatory biomarkers and specifically, CAR. Contrast-induced nephropathy was observed in 10.2% of patients. More advanced age, the presence of diabetes and dyslipidemia, left ventricular ejection fraction, and CAR correlated with the development of CIN. Analysis also showed a significant association between CAR and the development of CIN (CAR in CIN (+): 8.54 ± 8.48, range: 0.7-32, median: 7.13 vs CAR in CIN (−): 2.36 ± 3.01, range: 0.1-24, median: 1.33, P < .001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the impact of CAR on the development of CIN (odds ratio: 1.244, 95% confidence interval: 1.102; 1.392, P < .01). We conclude that CAR, as a combination of 2 inflammatory biomarkers, is a more accurate predictor of CIN development compared with the single-marker assessment of albumin and CRP in the context of NSTEMI.
Race, Ethnicity, Crime Type, and the Sentencing of Violent Felony Offenders
Authors: Lehmann Peter S.
Published: January 2020

Within the large body of literature on racial/ethnic disparities in criminal sentencing, some research has demonstrated that these relationships are conditional upon various legally relevant case characteristics, including the type of offense for which the defendants are sentenced. To date, however, few studies have explored the potential moderating effects of different violent crimes. Using data from Florida ( N = 186,885), the findings from these analyses indicate that Black–White sentencing disparities are particularly pronounced for manslaughter, robbery/carjacking, arson, and resisting arrest with violence. While Hispanic ethnicity exerts limited effects on sentencing outcomes generally, Hispanics are particularly disadvantaged in manslaughter cases. Relative to minority defendants, White offenders receive harsher sentences for sexual battery, other sex offenses, and abuse of children.
Legislative Advocacy Among Parents of Children With Disabilities
Authors: Burke Meghan M. , Rossetti Zach , Rios Kristina , Schraml-Block Kristen , Lee James D. , Aleman-Tovar Janeth , Rivera Javier
Published: January 2020

In the past, parents of children with disabilities have spearheaded several policies for individuals with disabilities. However, little is known about their experiences with legislators. To address this gap, focus groups and surveys about legislative advocacy were conducted with 127 parents of individuals with disabilities across four states. The purpose of the study was to explore parent perceptions about experiences with legislative advocacy including the frequency of, strategies for, and barriers to legislative advocacy. Descriptive statistics were conducted to analyze the survey data; constant comparative analysis was used to analyze the focus group data. Participants reported engaging in various forms of legislative advocacy. Participants shared positive and negative experiences interacting with legislators, including individual and collective advocacy efforts. Some participants did not engage in legislative advocacy due to intimidation. Relationships facilitated legislative advocacy for participants. Implications for future research about legislative advocacy and practices to facilitate legislative advocacy are discussed.
The need for abstraction in phonology: A commentary on Ambridge (2020)
Authors: Finley Sara
Published: January 2020

In this commentary, I discuss why, despite the existence of gradience in phonetics and phonology, there is still a need for abstract representations. Most proponents of exemplar models assume multiple levels of abstraction, allowing for an integration of the gradient and the categorical. Ben Ambridge’s dismissal of generative models such as Optimality Theory (OT) is problematic because OT not only allows for the abstract, but can also handle a variety of phenomena, including gradient representations, and similarity among output forms.
Policy formulation redesigned: A new understanding of policy design and its implications for instruction
Authors: Veselý Arnošt
Published: January 2020

Despite the fact that our knowledge on how policies are designed has substantially improved during the last two decades, prescriptive literature on policy formulation remains largely disconnected from these new findings. The article examines five major assumptions upon which policy formulation is still predominantly based: (a) there is one way policies are and should be formulated; (b) effective formulation of policies is more about the right application of methods than of the substance of a policy domain; (c) policy formulation is about choosing from mutually exclusive alternatives; (d) problem definition has priority over problem solution; (e) there is a clear distinction between policy formulation, adoption and implementation. This article shows why these assumptions are outdated and that they lead to many practical problems in the teaching of policy analysis. It is argued that policy formulation guidelines and training in policy formulation should be based on current policy design scholarship that stresses, for instance, the importance of local knowledge, deep understanding of actors’ perspectives and the need to formulate policy packages. The article concludes with preliminary recommendations on how to move forward, illustrated with concrete examples from practice.
Clarifying the Measurement of Relative Ideology in Policy Diffusion Research
Authors: Cruz-Aceves Victor D. , Mallinson Daniel J.
Published: January 2020

Research on policy diffusion has recently paid more attention to ideological patterns of policy adoption. Grossback, Nicholson-Crotty, and Peterson operationalized a measure of ideological diffusion; however, it has not been consistently calculated in subsequent studies. This is mainly due to difficulties in interpreting how to measure ideological distance based solely on the original article. Specifically, there are three factors that prevent common measurement of the concept: starting values, adoption ties, and weighting of recent adoptions. Recommendations are made for each of these. The purpose is to establish a consistent ideological distance measure. To illustrate, a replication of the original lottery diffusion model in the authors’ paper shows how the results change with different measurement choices. Consistently measuring this concept is important as scholars increasingly recognize that states do not always follow their geographic neighbors but increasingly their ideological “neighbors.”
External Financial Flows and GDP Growth in Kosovo
Authors: Govori Florije , Fejzullahu Amant
Published: January 2020

This article examines the impact that external financial flows have on gross domestic product (GDP) growth in a new, small, and open economy—the Republic of Kosovo. Remittances, foreign direct investment (FDI), foreign debt, and net exports may affect GDP in different ways. In the context of a new, small, and open economy, these factors can be important determinants of economic development. This article examines the direct effect of these factors on economic development as represented by GDP growth in Kosovo, covering the period of 2012–2018. The relationships between remittances, net exports, FDI, external debt, and GDP are modeled based on theoretical arguments and empirical evidence. The results suggest that in Kosovo, remittances are the leading contributor to GDP growth. This contribution could be more valuable if remittances were invested in the manufacturing sector. These investments could have positive effects on job creation, thereby reducing the unemployment rate and Kosovo’s dependence on imports.
Tribal and Non-Tribal Farmers’ Land Rights and Food Security Promotion in Telangana
Authors: Reddy A. Amarender , Ricart Sandra , Cadman Tim
Published: January 2020

This article examines and compares the status of land rights and their impacts on agricultural productivity, food security and well-being in a set of tribal and non-tribal villages in Telangana. Based on an intensive field survey, the research confirms that tribals without formal land rights remain largely unable to benefit from government support and access to private institutions in terms of getting credit and farm extension, whereas in non-tribal villages, government organisations are pro-active in providing such support. These findings confirm the need to increase the effectiveness of land rights and title documentation in India’s tribal villages to protect local people’s investments in land, enhance agricultural productivity and strengthen the long-term effectiveness of government programmes, which include avoidance of migration to the big cities.
Polygala fallax Hemsl combined with compound Sanqi granules relieves glomerulonephritis by regulating proliferation and apoptosis of glomerular mesangial cells
Authors: Chao Shiwei , Xu Qin , Dong Shaoning , Guo Min , Liu Xusheng , Cheng Xueren
Published: January 2020

Objectives

Glomerulonephritis is a serious kidney disease that can induce end-stage renal failure. The aberrant proliferation of mesangial cells is a cause of glomerulonephritis. Traditional Chinese medicines, such as Astragalus and Salvia miltrorrhiza, play important roles in the treatment of kidney-related diseases. However, the effects of a combination of Astragalus and S. miltrorrhiza-containing traditional Chinese medicines ( Polygala fallax Hemsl and compound Sanqi granules) on glomerulonephritis are unclear.

Methods

HRM cells (human mesangial cells) were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide to simulate glomerulonephritis. Separately, compound Sanqi granules and P. fallax Hemsl were administered to nude mice in various combinations. Serum was collected from the treated mice and added to HRM cells; the proliferation and apoptosis characteristics of the cells were assessed.

Results

The proliferation of HRM cells was inhibited after exposure to serum from treated mice. Exposure to serum from treated mice moderately induced apoptosis of HRM cells and lowered the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6.

Conclusions

Combination treatment with compound Sanqi granules and P. fallax Hemsl exerts a therapeutic effect on glomerulonephritis by inhibiting the proliferation of mesangial cells, while inducing apoptosis in those cells.
Comparative Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Blended Learning Versus Traditional Learning in Cephalometrics for Undergraduates
Authors: Yashwant Aniruddh V. , Arayambath Balamani , Murugaboopathy Vikneshan , Kommi Pradeep Babu , Prashad Karthikshree V. , Rajasekaran U. B.
Published: January 2020

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of blended learning versus traditional learning in a cephalometric learning module for undergraduates.

Materials and methods: This study was designed as a pre- and posttest trial. 150 undergraduates were randomly allocated to two groups: group 1 for traditional learning, and group 2, for blended learning. Pretest and posttest scores of both groups of 25 MCQs on cephalometrics were obtained. Feedback was obtained from the participants in this study and analyzed.

Results: In group 1, the mean pretest and posttest scores were 13.87 and 16.10, respectively. In group 2, the mean value for the pretest and posttest scores were 14.01 and 22.18, respectively. The mean improvement in knowledge score was significantly higher in group 1 (2.233) compared to the mean score of group 2 (8.171). The level of statistical significance was P < .001. Feedback analysis showed the participants found the experience with Dolphin software better than traditional learning (Dolphin Cephalometric Imaging and Management software [version 11.8.24 Chatsworth,CA,USA]). For over 50% participants, their overall opinion on the cephalometric module was very good (score = 5).

Conclusion: Blended learning increases the effectiveness of cephalometric learning by means of better student performance. Commercially available Cephalometric software can be used for e-learning instead of a specifically designed learning software.
The modified issue: Turning around parliaments, politics as usual and how to extend issue-politics with a little help from Max Weber
Authors: Asdal Kristin , Hobæk Bård
Published: January 2020

Ordinary political institutions such as parliaments remain under-explored in Science and Technology Studies (STS) and the conceptual resources for studying politics are far less developed than for science. But sites like parliaments are far more interesting than are their received images. This article argues that novel re-combinations of the issue-literature in STS and the works on parliament and objectivity by the German scholar Max Weber can provide us with analytical resources for grasping parliamentary politics with new lenses. In fact, reading Weber in light of the issue-literature provides for a better understanding of his work, and points towards how Weber’s accounts are crucially about parliamentary politics as work – on and with issues and the matters at hand. In addition, Weber may improve STS’s accounts of politics by his way of including the ordered and procedural side to issue-politics: Issue-politics is both about ‘opening up’ an issue as well as coming to decisions and take action. The article underlines this by discussing an often-misread part of Weber’s work, namely his work on objectivity and points to how political procedure was a key inspiration to his understanding and developing of this notion.
French Academic Forays in the Eighteenth-Century North India
Authors: Pandey Uma Shanker
Published: January 2020

French adventurers’ academic forays in the 18th century in India has so far received little scholarly attention. Except some stray remarks and mentioning, it has not been taken up systematically. The present article is an exercise to show that some of the French military adventurers had been touched and impressed by Indian culture and civilization. They, therefore, carried out passionate explorations of Indian books and manuscripts, not only to understand India better but also to acquaint the Occident more. in the process, some them emerged as great collectors. they were pioneers also, in the sense that they were forerunners to the British Indologists who appeared on Indian academic horizon in the last quarter of the 18th century. Anquetil Duperron, Polier, and Gentil were among the the great collectors of books and manuscripts during the time.
Punjab under the British Rule: Historicising the Local Transformations
Authors: Singh Bhupinder , Singh Bawa
Published: January 2020

This article is a preliminary attempt to map the changes and transformations of Punjab, which had undergone during the British rule. It had remained the model province for benefits of the British colonial rule. Ever since its accession in 1849, Punjab received particular attention in the colonial policies due to its strategic and political importance to the empire. The colonial rule unleashed a slew of transformations in diverse fields including education, agriculture, irrigation, transport and communication and social institutions. This article particularly focusses on the transformations that took place in the modernisation of agriculture, canals colonisation and Punjabisation of the British Indian army during the colonial rule in Punjab. Behind the plotting of modernisations, the study will dig out the imperial designs and motives of the Raj.
Effect of the Attachment and Child Health Parent Training Program on Parent–Child Interaction Quality and Child Development
Authors: Anis Lubna , Letourneau Nicole , Benzies Karen , Ewashen Carol , Hart Martha J.
Published: January 2020

Background

Exposure to chronic stressors (poverty, addiction, family violence) in early life can derail children’s development. Interventions focused on parental reflective function may promote parents’ abilities to regulate their feelings and behaviors toward their children and buffer the impact of chronic stressors on children’s development by nurturing high-quality parent–child interaction.

Purpose

To test the effectiveness of parental reflective function-focused intervention entitled Attachment and Child Health on parent–child interaction and child development.

Methods

We conducted two pilots with vulnerable mothers and children <36 months. Randomized controlled trial (n = 20) and quasi-experimental (n = 10) methods tested the effect of Attachment and Child Health on parent–child interaction via Parent–Child Interaction Teaching Scale (PCITS) and on child development via Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) and Ages and Stages Questionnaire—Social Emotional (ASQSE). We employed analysis of covariance and t-tests to examine the outcomes.

Results

For randomized controlled trial, we found significant improvements in PCITS parent total, combined total, and cognitive growth fostering scores, and ASQ-3 personal-social scores post-intervention. For quasi-experimental study, we found significant improvements in PCITS combined total, sensitivity to cues, response to child’s distress, and responsiveness to caregiver scores.

Conclusion

Incorporating Attachment and Child Health contributed to effective programming for vulnerable families with young children.
Registered Nurses’ Experiences of Medication Errors—An Original Research Protocol: Methodology, Methods, and Ethics
Authors: Athanasakis Efstratios
Published: January 2020

Background

The investigation of medication errors in nursing includes both methodological and ethical considerations because it is a sensitive field of research.

Purpose

To present an original research protocol for the investigation of nurses’ experiences of medication errors with interpretative phenomenological analysis and the relevant methodological and ethical considerations.

Methods

A discursive paper which presents an original research protocol about nurses’ experiences of medication errors with interpretative phenomenological analysis followed by a literature review and personal reflections about the relevant methodological and ethical considerations. The review included papers published in English from 1990 to February 2019 on PubMed, BNI (British Nursing Index), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Allied Health Literature), ScienceDirect, and Wiley Online Library.

Results

The following methodological considerations were identified: recruitment of participants, data collection, and data analysis, and the ethical considerations included researcher’s morality, ethics committees, sensitivity, phrasing of sentences and words, recruitment of participants, location of interviews, type of interviews, emotionality management, medication error incidents’ management, researcher, or nurse?

Conclusion

By facing as many as possible methodological and ethical considerations and establishing solutions for them, the study’s validity, reliability, and rigor are enhanced, and the study is ethically robust. Finally, their understanding enables researchers to uncover nurses’ experiences and interpret the meanings they generate in depth.
Imaging of Blunt Pancreatic Trauma: A Systematic Review
Authors: Odedra Devang , Mellnick Vincent M. , Patlas Michael N.
Published: January 2020

Purpose:

Despite several published reports on the value of imaging in acute blunt pancreatic trauma, there remains a large variability in the reported performance of ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study is to present a systematic review on the utility of these imaging modalities in the acute assessment of blunt pancreatic trauma. In addition, a brief overview of the various signs of pancreatic trauma will be presented.

Methods:

Keyword search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases for relevant studies in the last 20 years (1999 onward). Titles and abstracts were screened, followed by full-text screening. Inclusion criteria were defined as studies reporting on the effectiveness of imaging modality (US, CT, or MRI) in detecting blunt pancreatic trauma.

Results:

After initial search of 743 studies, a total of 37 studies were included in the final summary. Thirty-six studies were retrospective in nature. Pancreatic injury was the primary study objective in 21 studies. Relevant study population varied from 5 to 299. Seventeen studies compared the imaging findings against intraoperative findings. Seven studies performed separate analysis for pancreatic ductal injuries and 9 studies only investigated ductal injuries. The reported sensitivities for the detection of pancreatic injuries at CT ranged from 33% to 100% and specificity ranged from 62% to 100%. Sensitivity at US ranged from 27% to 96%. The sensitivity at MRI was only reported in 1 study and was 92%.

Conclusion:

There remains a large heterogeneity among reported studies in the accuracy of initial imaging modalities for blunt pancreatic injury. Although technological advances in imaging equipment would be expected to improve accuracy, the current body of literature remains largely divided. There is a need for future studies utilizing the most advanced imaging equipment with appropriately defined gold standards and outcome measures.
Effects of Angry Rumination and Distraction in Intimate Partner Violent Men
Authors: Babcock Julia C. , Potthoff Andrea L.
Published: January 2020

Although the tendency to ruminate is related to the frequency of intimate partner violent (IPV) perpetration, it is unclear how IPV men react emotionally and physiologically during angry rumination. This study is the first to experimentally manipulate rumination and distraction with violent men. Using the rumination and distraction paradigm developed by Nolen-Hoeksema and Morrow, IPV ( N = 87) and nonviolent (NV; N = 30) men underwent an anger induction and then were randomly assigned to either ruminate or distract. IPV men were hypothesized to experience increased effects of rumination compared to NV men. As predicted, the results demonstrate an increase in heart rate from baseline to postrumination. No change in physiological arousal was observed in the distraction condition over time. Surprisingly, no difference state anger was found between IPV and NV men, and both conditions resulted in an increase in state anger. Implications for battering interventions suggest that distraction strategies, such as taking a time-out, are not sufficient to decrease physiological arousal. Intervention strategies that address mindfulness, physiological soothing, distorted cognitions, and rumination may be more powerful in decreasing negative physiological arousal among IPV men.
A real gas-based throughflow method for the analysis of SCO2 centrifugal compressors
Authors: Shao Wenyang , Yang Jinguang , Wang Xiaofang , Ma Ziyue
Published: January 2020

The supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle is recognized as a promising candidate for the next generation of nuclear power and energy system. Among all the components in the cycle, the centrifugal compressor is one of the most important ones. This paper presents a streamline curvature throughflow method based on real gas properties and capable of dealing with condensation flows in the supercritical carbon dioxide compressors. A fluid thermodynamic property calculation method based on look-up tables is adopted to account for the real gas effects and fluid condensation and to reduce the computational time. For extending the simulation capability to the region below the saturation curve to assess the condensation possibility, the homogeneous equilibrium model is adopted. Finally, the real gas-based streamline curvature method is applied in the analysis of a supercritical carbon dioxide centrifugal compressor working near the critical point. Then, computational fluid dynamics calculations are performed to validate the method in detail. The results of the computational validation indicate that the real gas-based streamline curvature method presented in the paper can obtain an accurate enough flow field as that obtained by three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulations considering the coarse grid and the much less calculation time.
Informal rental housing in the South: dynamic but neglected
Authors: Scheba Andreas , Turok Ivan
Published: January 2020

Informal rental housing is growing rapidly in cities of the global South. Changing needs and circumstances of diverse urban populations produce new forms of rental accommodation and landlord–tenant relations. Focusing on the case of backyard renting in South Africa, this paper illustrates how informal rental is undergoing a dynamic process of expansion and upgrading that both reflects and contributes to improved socioeconomic conditions. Commercialization is transforming the material quality and social dynamics of informal rental housing. While there are signs of formalization and professionalization, the government’s neglect of this sector has contributed to the strong persistence of informality, with its associated risks. This paper argues that the informal rental sector deserves more government attention to augment the public benefits and mitigate the costs. The paper ends with suggestions of how a developmental approach by the government could help to convert the negative externalities into a positive dynamic with more equitable and sustainable outcomes.
Mosaic structure of the penA gene in the oropharynx of men who have sex with men negative for gonorrhoea
Authors: Marangoni Antonella , Marziali Giacomo , Salvo Melissa , D’Antuono Antonietta , Gaspari Valeria , Foschi Claudio , Re Maria Carla
Published: January 2020

The oropharynx represents a crucial site for the emergence of multi-drug resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The mosaic penA alleles, associated with decreased susceptibility to cephalosporins, have emerged by DNA recombination with partial penA genes, particularly those from commensal pharyngeal Neisseria species. Here, we investigated the prevalence of the mosaic structure of the penA gene in the oropharynx of men who have sex with men testing negative for pharyngeal gonorrhoea. From January 2016 to June 2018, 351 gonorrhoea-negative men who have sex with men attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Italy were enrolled. Pharyngeal swabs underwent a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of the mosaic penA gene. In case of positivity, PCR products were sequenced and searched against several sequences of Neisseria strains. Overall, 31 patients (8.8%) were found positive for the presence of the mosaic penA gene. The positivity was significantly associated with previous cases of pharyngeal gonorrhoea (relative risk [RR]: 3.56, 95% confidence interval 1.44–8.80) and with recent exposure to beta-lactams (RR: 4.29, 95% confidence interval 2.20–8.38). All penA-positive samples showed a high relatedness (90–99%) with mosaic-positive Neisseria strains. Our data underline that commensal Neisseria species of the oropharynx may be a significant reservoir for genetic material conferring antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae.
Publish less, read more
Authors: Phaf R. Hans
Published: January 2020

A publication deluge has impeded rather than advanced theory in experimental psychology. Many researchers rely more on null-hypothesis significance testing than literature studies to determine whether results are worthwhile. Four problematic publication practices are symptomatic for the theoretical deficit: (a) reinventing the wheel, (b) the Proteus phenomenon, (c) mechanical (non) replications, and (d) the survival of discredited hypotheses. Remedies include the development of AI tools recommending semantically related references, mandatory hypothesizing before and after results are known, and theoretical syntheses guided by meta-analyses and process models. The nonlinear theoretical development shows parallels to the optimization procedure of biological evolution. Theoretical hypotheses rather than experimental results are the elementary units of science. The fittest theories may survive alongside the least fit because they are not made to compete in research publications. Even if publication practices improve, winning hypotheses will often represent local optima and still cannot be taken with absolute certainty.
Use of a handheld near infrared spectrometer and partial least squares regression to quantify metanil yellow adulteration in turmeric powder
Authors: Rukundo Isaac R , Danao Mary-Grace C , Weller Curtis L , Wehling Randy L , Eskridge Kent M
Published: January 2020

The efficacy of using a handheld near infrared spectrometer to predict metanil yellow (MY) adulteration levels (0-30% w/w) in dried turmeric powder was tested against a benchtop near infrared spectrometer using partial least squares regression models. The differences between near infrared instruments were resolution (i.e., 1 nm (handheld) vs. 0.5 nm (benchtop)) and sample container during scanning (plastic pouch (handheld) vs. quartz glass cup (benchtop)). Prediction performance of the calibration models developed was evaluated using number of model factors ([Formula: see text]), coefficients of determination of calibration and validation ([Formula: see text] and[Formula: see text], respectively), root-mean-square errors of calibration, cross-validation, and validation (RMSEC, RMSECV, and RMSEP), ratio of prediction error to standard deviation (RPD), and limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ). The best benchtop calibration models were based on spectral data preprocessed with Savitzky–Golay first derivative algorithm for the benchtop near infrared and standard normal variate for the handheld near infrared, yielding low[Formula: see text], high [Formula: see text] and[Formula: see text], low RMSEC, RMSECV, RMSEP, and high RPD. The LOD and LOQ for both spectrometers were 0.33 and 1.10%, respectively, and no significant difference was found between the predicted [Formula: see text] values by the benchtop and handheld near infrared spectrometers. The models were, in general, not sensitive to sample source and size of the validation set. When spectra from the benchtop near infrared were standardized using a reverse standardization strategy, calibrated against[Formula: see text], and transferred to the handheld near infrared, prediction performance dropped, from [Formula: see text] of 0.99 to 0.98, RMSEP increased from 0.96% to 1.53%, and [Formula: see text] decreased from 10.1 to 6.3. Despite the reduced prediction performance, the handheld near infrared with a transferred calibration model from the benchtop near infrared was still useful for screening, quality control, and process control applications.