bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urban High School Students’ Experiences of Participation as a Counterstory Constellation to Institutional and Policy Guidelines in Chile
Authors: Cavieres-Fernández Eduardo , Figueroa-Farfan Victor
Published: July 2019

The present study uses a story constellation to explore the experiences of a group of students participating in their high school in an urban city in Central Chile. Because these experiences were motivated by the students’ participation in the student movement outside of their high school, they were not considered in any school or policy guidelines. Consequently, we argue for the value of this constellation as a counterstory that invites to acknowledge how students participate beyond institutional and citizenship policy guidelines and to recognize the contribution of their experiences in the pursuit of democratic thick forms of education and citizenship.
The High Coverage of Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefits Among Medicare Advantage Enrollees
Authors: Willink Amber
Published: July 2019

While the traditional Medicare program does not cover dental, vision, and hearing services, Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have been given the flexibility to do so. However, it is not known how many MA enrollees are in plans that cover these services. The 2016 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey linked to MA plan benefit data is used to examine enrollment levels in plans that cover dental, vision, and/or hearing services in MA. Medicaid beneficiaries are excluded from this analysis as coverage of supplemental benefits is largely determined by the state. The highest coverage of supplemental services is vision, followed by hearing and dental (71%, 56%, and 41%, respectively). Across all supplemental services, coverage for supplemental benefits is highest among low-income beneficiaries and those who have not completed high school. Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries had the highest enrollment in plans that offered a supplemental benefit, and white Medicare beneficiaries tended to have the lowest enrollment in these plans. Unlike in traditional Medicare, MA enrollees have access to health plans that offer supplemental benefits, including dental, vision, and/or hearing services. This analysis shows that enrollment in these plans is highest among low-income MA enrollees who may not have the means to purchase stand-alone insurance for these services in traditional Medicare. More analysis is warranted to examine the generosity of the coverage of these services in MA plans. However, for federal policy makers to consider offering supplemental coverage in traditional Medicare, the MA experience suggests this type of benefit would be valuable.
Fueling Climate (In)Action: How organizations engage in hegemonization to avoid transformational action on climate change
Authors: Ferns George , Amaeshi Kenneth
Published: July 2019

This study examines how organizations avoid the urgent need for transformational action on climate change by engaging in a hegemonization process. To show how this unfolds, we draw from Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory, focusing on the case of BP and its engagement with the climate change debate from 1990 to 2015. Our study takes a longitudinal approach to illustrate how BP defended its core business of producing and selling fossil fuel products by enacting three sequential hegemonization strategies. These included: adopting new signifiers; building ‘win-win’ relationships; and adapting nodal points. In doing so, we demonstrate how hegemonic construction enables organizations to both incorporate and evade various types of stakeholder critique, which, we argue, reproduces business-as-usual. Our study contributes to organization studies literature on hegemony by highlighting how the construction of hegemony operates accumulatively over an extended period of time. We also contribute more broadly to conversations around political contests and the natural environment by illustrating how the lack of effective climate responses is shaped by temporal dynamics.
Design, simulation, and fabrication of a three-dimensional printed pump mimicking the left ventricle motion
Authors: Vignali Emanuele , Manigrasso Zaira , Gasparotti Emanuele , Biffi Benedetta , Landini Luigi , Positano Vincenzo , Capelli Claudio , Celi Simona
Published: July 2019

The development of accurate replicas of the circulatory and cardiac system is fundamental for a deeper understanding of cardiovascular diseases and the testing of new devices. Although numerous works concerning mock circulatory loops are present in the current state of the art, still some limitations are present. In particular, a pumping system able to reproduce the left ventricle motion and completely compatible with the magnetic resonance environment to permit the four-dimensional flow monitoring is still missing. The aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of an actuator suitable for cardiovascular mock circuits. Particular attention was given to the ability to mimic the left ventricle dynamics including both compression and twisting with the magnetic resonance compatibility. In our study, a left ventricle model to be actuated through vacuum was designed. The realization of the system was evaluated with finite element analysis of different design solutions. After the in silico evaluation phase, the most suitable design in terms of physiological values reproduction was fabricated through three-dimensional printing for in vitro validation. A pneumatic experimental setup was developed to evaluate the pump performances in terms of actuation, in particular ventricle radial and longitudinal displacement, twist rotation, and ejection fraction. The study demonstrated the feasibility of a custom pneumatic pump for mock circulatory loops able to reproduce the physiological ventricle movement and completely suitable for the magnetic resonance environment.
Reconstruction of the Damaged Dorsal Root Entry Zone by Transplantation of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells
Authors: Collins Andrew , Ibrahim Ahmed , Li Daqing , Olushanu Modinat , Li Ying
Published: July 2019

The dorsal root entry zone is often used in research to examine the disconnection between the central and peripheral parts of the nervous system which occurs following injury. Our laboratory and others have used transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) to repair experimental spinal cord injuries. We have previously used a four dorsal root (C6–T1) transection model to show that transplantation of OECs can reinstate rat forelimb proprioception in a climbing task. Until now, however, we have not looked in detail at the anatomical interaction between OECs and the peripheral/central nervous system regions which form the transitional zone. In this study, we compared short- and long-term OEC survival and their interaction with the surrounding dorsal root tissue. We reveal how transplanted OECs orient toward the spinal cord and allow newly formed axons to travel across into the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Reconstruction of the dorsal root entry zone was supported by OEC ensheathment of axons at the injured site and also at around 3 mm further away at the dorsal root ganglion. Quantitative analysis revealed no observable difference in dorsal column axonal loss between transplanted and control groups of rats.
Creativity, Proactive Personality and Entrepreneurial Intentions: Examining the Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy
Authors: Kumar Rakesh , Shukla Shalini
Published: July 2019

The study aimed to explore the role of creativity and proactive personality on management student’s entrepreneurial intention. The study also proposed entrepreneurial self-efficacy to mediate the effect of proactivity and creativity on entrepreneurial intention. The data were collected from 484 management students using a structured questionnaire which were further analysed using structural equation modelling in Amos 20.0. The results showed that entrepreneurial self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of entrepreneurial intention. Proactive personality was also found to influence entrepreneurial intention significantly, though the effect of creativity on intention was very marginal. Finally, the results of the mediation analysis (bootstrapping method) showed that the relationship between creativity and entrepreneurial intention was fully mediated by self-efficacy while the effect of proactivity on entrepreneurial intention was partially mediated. The findings of the study produced interesting and significant implications which are discussed in the article.
The governance of standard setting and the role of academia in Italian accounting regulation, 1942 to the present
Authors: Quagli Alberto , Avallone Francesco , Ramassa Paola , Roncagliolo Elisa
Published: July 2019

This article provides a historical analysis of the role of the accounting academia in influencing Italian accounting regulation from the 1942 Civil Code to the present. It builds on the theory of social order to investigate the evolution of accounting regulation in accordance with the rise, dominance, and decline of the sources of social order and finds that academia has progressively lost its influence. The declining role of academia is interpreted in light of its inability to evolve from a vibrant community to a more structured association, which contributed to the lack of a unified position and of a formally acknowledged representation in the Italian standard setter. The progressive exclusion of academics also parallels the growing role of professional associations in the increasingly structured governance of standard setting. Moreover, this work highlights a progressive fading of the typical features of community and the collective identity originally characterizing Italian accounting academia.
Critical Reflection for Civic-Mindedness: The Executive Blog as “Regeneration Alcove”
Authors: van Rooij Shahron Williams
Published: July 2019

This study explored the use of critical reflection blogs to integrate civic-mindedness into an executive education program at a large public university in the south Atlantic region of the United States. Although there is a robust literature on the use of blogs for critical reflection in degree programs, far less attention has been given to blogging in nondegree executive education programs. Participants ( n = 10) were senior executives participating in a nondegree preparatory program for an emerging C-suite role. Blog postings submitted over an 8-month period were analyzed using theory-driven content analysis to explore the extent to which reflective blogging contributed to the regeneration of civic-mindedness among well-educated, seasoned professionals. Study findings identified a variety of themes related to examining one’s own assumptions about civic-mindedness and how those themes could be translated into initiatives for organizational transformation. Study limitations and implications for other adult learning programs are also discussed.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in Secure Care Juvenile Justice Settings: Feasibility and Sustainability
Authors: Scheuermann Brenda , Parsons Madeline , Hayes Karena
Published: July 2019

The success of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) in typical schools has led to interest in applying PBIS in alternative settings, including secure care programs for incarcerated juveniles. PBIS holds promise for positively impacting youth behavior in this context. In this discussion article, we describe unique characteristics of secure care and strategies to enhance PBIS implementation and sustainability.
Home Care Workers’ Judgment of Acute Conditions in Home Care Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ohta Ryuichi , Sakamoto Naoto , Maeno Tetsuhiro
Published: July 2019

Home care workers are likely to detect acute conditions in home care patients. Obtaining data about home care workers’ detection of acute conditions is essential for improving the present quality of home care. This study investigates how home care workers approach the acute conditions of their patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with all home care patients who received services from home care workers in Unnan City, Shimane, Japan. The primary outcome was the frequency of acute conditions occurring in home care patients. We used logistic regression to model the acute conditions of the patients based on their age, gender, dependent condition, home-care-worker visit frequency, isolation, and number of chronic diseases. Of 445 participants, 74 had acute conditions (16.6%). The most common among the acute conditions was fever. There were no statistically significant relationships found between admission and the independent variables. The results of the logistic regression model demonstrated that visit frequency and isolation were statistically significant (odds ratio [OR] = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.08, 1.43], p < .001; OR = 1.95, 95% CI = [1.09, 3.09], p = .001). This research shows that home care workers may be able to identify the early stages of acute diseases in their patients. The improvement of their detection skills may contribute to better health care for home care patients. The application of support systems such as information and communication technologies can promote the identification of acute conditions.
Misogyny, solidarity and postfeminism on social media: The work of being Diana Shurygina, survivor-celebrity
Authors: Rajagopalan Sudha
Published: July 2019

In a disclosure on Russian talk television in January 2017, 16-year-old Diana Shurygina shared with a national audience the traumatic details of her rape by Sergei Semenov. Using Shurygina’s performances on television and her subsequent participation on social media as a case study, this article analyses the emergence of empathic publics and the construction of celebrity at the intersection of digital media, popular misogyny and postfeminism in Russia. By setting up a vlog, support groups, fan and personal pages on VKontakte (a popular Russian social networking site), Shurygina is able to counter vicious pillorizing by creating a network of empathy and support. The celebrity that Shurygina sculpts in these spaces, however, is postfeminist in its emphasis on individual choice and self-esteem as strategies to overcome all societal ills, in its celebration of hyperfemininity and in its eschewal of radical politics. This article thus considers how digital platforms shape voice, public affect and solidarity on digital platforms but also how complicit that emergent voice is in the neoliberal ‘retraditionalisation’ of gender roles in post-Soviet Russia.
Bi24Br10+xAgxO31 nanostructure, a new reusable photocatalyst for efficient removal of Acid Blue 92 from model wastewaters under visible light
Authors: Padervand Mohsen , Jalilian Elham
Published: July 2019

Bi24Br10+ xAg xO31 nanosheets were prepared by a facile single-step co-precipitation method in the presence of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ionic liquid as the bromide source and template agent. The products were well characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The X-ray powder diffraction pattern confirmed the presence of both Bi24O31Br10 and AgBr crystalline phases in the structure. In addition, the scanning electron microscopy micrographs and transmission electron microscopy image indicated that the sample had sheet-like morphology and the thickness of the sheets was below 100 nm. According to the photocatalytic experiments, the product was exceptionally efficient for the degradation of Acid Blue 92 solutions under visible light. Also, the results of recycling experiments indicated the high capacity of the prepared nanosheets to effect repeated treatment of the wastewater solution, which is of great importance in being introduced as a catalyst in practical applications.
Emissions and noise reduction on-board an oceanographic vessel thanks to the use of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells
Authors: Villalba-Herreros Antonio , Gómez María Ramos , Morán José Luis , Leo Teresa J
Published: July 2019

In accordance with the European Environment Agency and the International Energy Agency, shipping operations generate about 34% of the total nitrogen oxide emissions and 11% of the total carbon dioxide emissions produced by the transportation industry. The capacity of fuel cells to reduce harmful emissions makes them a very attractive and environmentally friendly energy conversion system. This work studies the application of a fuel cell–based auxiliary power plant fed with hydrogen on-board an existing oceanographic vessel. The objective is to eliminate emissions at port and to reduce pollution near inhabited areas. In addition, the power plant was sized to propel the ship at low speed reducing the noise emitted to the water during research tasks that require a low noise level. The type of fuel cell chosen is proton-exchange membrane fuel cell and the hydrogen that feeds it is stored in compressed form at 70 MPa reaching a total storage amount of 771 kg. The results show that a solution, as the one proposed in this study, is conceptually feasible. The amount of emissions avoided totals 7.95 t of carbon dioxide and more than 121 kg of nitrogen oxides per mission. Furthermore, the noise levels in the engine room are reduced under 90 dBA allowing a silent navigation mode as well as a noiseless ship at port.
Traumatic Exit, Identity Narratives, and the Ethics of Hospitality
Authors: Appadurai Arjun
Published: July 2019

The argument of this essay is that migrants, especially refugees, in the contemporary globalized world are inevitably second-class citizens because their stories do not fit the narrative requirements of modern nation-states. As a result, there is no easy way for them to fit either their memories or their aspirations into acceptable forms that fit the criteria for full citizenship in most states. This essay argues for renewed attention to the relationship between migrants and mediation, especially based on the idea that archives are not only records of the past but are also maps for the future.
Itinerant Data: Unveiling Gendered Scrutiny at the Border
Authors: Hegde Radha S.
Published: July 2019

As national borders are being transformed into technologized zones of securitization and national power, the surveillance of particular individuals and groups has become routine. Aided by a public culture of suspicion and belief in the neutrality of technology, national borders work to ferret out the digital tracks of those predetermined to be of risk or threat. Fortifying discriminatory structures of immigration control, the reworked digital frontier filters gendered bodies of risk and drafts their visual records for scrutiny. Engaging with the objections raised by Muslim American women wearing head cover to the unwarranted search of mobile phones at the border, this article addresses the entangled connections between nationalism, digital archives and transparency. The objections which center around the veil and data visibility serve as an embodied point of departure to rethink and render visible assumptions regarding national belonging in terms of the new itinerancy of data and marked bodies.
The Potential of Chinese Herbal Medicines in the Treatment of Cervical Cancer
Authors: Hsiao Yi-Hsuan , Lin Chiao-Wen , Wang Po-Hui , Hsin Min-Chien , Yang Shun-Fa
Published: July 2019

Cervical cancer is a global health issue and places a considerable economic and medical burden on society. Thus, a concerted effort to improve the treatment of cervical cancer is warranted. Although several treatment options are currently available for treating patients with cervical cancer, such as chemoradiation and neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy, more aggressive systemic therapies and newer therapeutic agents are under investigation. Medicinal herbs have long been used to treat diseases. In this review, we summarize studies analyzing the antitumor effects and underlying mechanisms of Chinese herbal medicines, including the effects of crude extracts and compounds in vitro or in animal models for inducing apoptosis and inhibiting invasion or metastasis. Chinese herbal medicines with therapeutic targeting, such as those that interfere with tumor growth and progression in cervical cancer, have been widely investigated. To apply Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of cervical cancer, adequate clinical studies are required to confirm its clinical safety and efficiency. Further investigations focused on the purification, pharmacokinetics, and identification of compounds from Chinese herbal medicines in cervical cancer treatment are necessary to achieve the aforementioned treatment goals.
Effect of lung recruitment and titrated positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) versus low PEEP on patients with moderate–severe acute respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Zheng Xi , Jiang Yijia , Jia Huimiao , Ma Wenliang , Han Yue , Li Wenxiong
Published: July 2019

Background:

Setting a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) on patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) receiving mechanical ventilation has been an issue of great contention. Therefore, we aimed to determine effects of lung recruitment maneuver (RM) and titrated PEEP versus low PEEP on adult patients with moderate–severe ARDS.

Methods:

Data sources and study selection proceeded as follows: PubMed, Ovid, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from 2003 to May 2018. Original clinical randomized controlled trials which met the eligibility criteria were included. To compare the prognosis between the titrated PEEP and low PEEP groups on patients with moderate–severe ARDS (PaO2/FiO2 < 200 mmHg). Heterogeneity was quantified through the I2 statistic. Egger’s test and funnel plots were used to assess publication bias.

Results:

No difference was found in 28-day mortality and ICU mortality (OR = 0.97, 95% CI (0.61–1.52), p = 0.88; OR = 1.14, 95% CI (0.91–1.43), p = 0.26, respectively). Only ventilator-free days, length of stay in the ICU, length of stay in hospital, and incidence of barotrauma could be systematically reviewed owing to bias and extensive heterogeneity.

Conclusion:

No difference was observed in the RM between the titrated PEEP and the low PEEP in 28-day mortality and ICU mortality on patients with moderate–severe ARDS.
Predictive Significance of Charcot–Leyden Crystals for Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps
Authors: Liu Chang , Yan Bing , Qi Sihan , Zhang Yunyun , Zhang Luo , Wang Chengshuo
Published: July 2019

Background

Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (ECRSwNP) is a distinct phenotype of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), with many significantly different clinical features from non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (non-ECRSwNP). Thus, identification of subtypes is crucial for precise treatment. Immunohistology is a reliable way to present the subtypes; however, the results mainly depend on the observation of pathologist, and the method with automatic readout and the corresponding biomarkers is lacking.

Objective

The purpose of our research was to explore the predictive value of quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) as an alternative method and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Charcot–Leyden crystals (CLC) as a corresponding target for ECRSwNP, which may benefit the automatized judgment.

Method

CLC mRNA levels in tissue samples from 48 CRSwNP patients and 10 controls were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed for histological assessment of CRSwNP and subtyping as ECRSwNP and non-ECRSwNP. Factors associated with ECRSwNP were determined with logistic regression analysis, the predictive value was presented by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and optimal cutoff points of the predictors were identified as the Youden index.

Results

mRNA level of CLC in ECRSwNP was significantly elevated compared to either non-ECRSwNP group or control group, with no significant difference between non-ECRSwNP patients and controls. CLC mRNA levels were positively correlated with percentages of tissue eosinophil and peripheral blood eosinophil ( P < .001, r = .683; P = .003, r = .420, respectively). Logistic regression analysis revealed CLC mRNA level and blood eosinophil percentages were prediagnosis factors ( P = .007, P = .045, respectively) for ECRSwNP. ROC curves analysis indicated the area under the curve (AUC) of CLC mRNA level was 0.948 which was superior to the blood eosinophil percentage (AUC = 0.797; P = .044) as an optimal biomarker to predict ECRSwNP.

Conclusions

CLC mRNA levels based on the qRT-PCR may serve as a reliable and alternative method for the identification of ECRSwNP.
The Bathtub Illusion
Authors: Bertamini Marco
Published: July 2019

When a person looks at the fingers of their own hand as they line up in depth, the impression may emerge that the little fingers, which are farther away, are located too far and if so they are not part of the same hand. I describe the conditions and suggest this is due to the size difference between fingers (size-distance scaling). A role of size on perceived distance here is more powerful than knowledge about our own body.
Enhancing Collaborative Group Processes to Promote Academic Literacy and Content Learning for Diverse Learners Through Video Reflection
Authors: Moore Brooke , Boardman Alison G. , Smith Clara , Ferrell Amy
Published: July 2019

Research indicates the benefits of collaborative learning for supporting academic literacy in content classrooms, especially for diverse and exceptional students such as students with learning disabilities or English learners (ELs) who can become disengaged in content classrooms if they struggle to access complex, content-related texts. Drawing from Cognitive Load Theory, we argue that collaborative group structures support students in sharing the load of processing these texts across all members, thus ensuring better comprehension of the content. Yet, collaborative structures may not be beneficial to diverse and exceptional learners in the group, particularly if students are not supported in how to engage successfully in collaborative work. Using a mixed-methods approach, we explored the use of video reflection and guided discussions with students using collaborative strategic reading (CSR) in heterogeneous collaborative groups in one seventh-grade general education, social studies class in an urban middle school. Students’ collaborative group work was video recorded pre- and post-reflection sessions to determine change in engagement in shared learning. The reflection session included students watching the video recording of their group work during CSR, discussing their collaboration using guided prompts, and setting goals for improvement. Following the reflection session, findings revealed an overall increase in time on task for all students, with increased participation of diverse and exceptional students in richer content-related discussions. When all students understand how the collaborative group shares the cognitive load and supports each other through discussing and elaborating on ideas, academic literacy and richer understanding of the content can occur.
Auction Versus Posted Price Mechanisms in Online Sales: The Roles of Impatience and Dissuasion
Authors: Chowdhury Subhasish M. , Datta Debabrata , Dhar Souvik
Published: July 2019

If all potential buyers participate in a first-price auction, then (theoretically) the auction price weakly exceeds the price placed by the seller under a posted price mechanism. However, it is documented that in online sales sellers prefer posted price mechanism to auction. We aim to explain this empirical contradiction in terms of partial participation of the buyers in auction, prompted by impatience and dissuasion. Auction on Internet often requires waiting, and hence, many impatient participants may not join the auction process. Furthermore, a previous experience of failure in auction may also prompt buyers’ non-participation. We show, theoretically, that in the case of partial participation, the price in auction may be lower; posted price turns out to be payoff dominant for both the buyers and the sellers. We then run a laboratory experiment and verify the presence of impatience (through waiting cost) and dissuasion factor (through previous failure) among the subjects.
Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Undergraduate Conducting Curricula: A Review of Literature
Authors: Noon Christian M.
Published: July 2019

Conducting courses are a common component of undergraduate instrumental music education programs. The experiences students have in those courses vary across and sometimes within institutions. This variation is due to many factors including choice of instructional materials and sequences, as well as whether textbooks or other instructional approaches (e.g., Laban movement theory) are used and how classes are designed for students to practice and refine their conducting. In this review, I summarized and synthesized literature related to the structure and content of undergraduate conducting curricula, as well as students’ and teachers’ perceptions of those curricula. I also made suggestions for teaching practice and for further research, and proposed a shift in the discourse on undergraduate conducting curricula toward authentic context, pedagogy-rich coursework aimed at preparing students to successfully adopt the conductor-educator role in their future careers.
The optimisation of noninvasive ventilation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review
Authors: O'Brien David , Stavroulakis Theocharis , Baxter Susan , Norman Paul , Bianchi Stephen , Elliott Mark , Johnson Maxine , Clowes Mark , Garcia-Sánchez Aldara , Hobson Esther , McDermott Christopher
Published: July 2019

Background

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) prolongs survival and quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); however, its benefits depend upon the optimisation of both ventilation and adherence. We aimed to identify factors associated with effective initiation and ongoing use of NIV in ALS to develop evidence-based guidance and identify areas for further research.

Methods

We searched 11 electronic databases (January 1998 to May 2018) for all types of quantitative and qualitative studies. Supplementary grey literature searches were conducted. Records were screened against eligibility criteria, data were extracted from included studies and risk of bias was assessed. We present findings using a narrative synthesis.

Results

We screened 2430 unique records and included 52 quantitative and six qualitative papers. Factors reported to be associated with NIV optimisation included coordinated multidisciplinary care, place of initiation, selection of interfaces, ventilator modes and settings appropriate for the individual patient, and adequate secretion management. The literature indicated that patients with significant bulbar dysfunction can still derive considerable benefit from NIV if their needs are met. Research emphasises that obstructive airway events, mask leak and uncontrolled secretions should be addressed by adjustments to the interface and machine settings, and the concomitant use of cough augmentation.

Conclusion

This review highlights that NIV optimisation requires an individualised approach to respiratory management tailored to the differing needs of each patient. Ultimately, this should lead to improved survival and quality of life. This review expands on recommendations in current international guidelines for NIV use in ALS and identifies areas for future research.
Whitish haze, soapy globules: micro-analysis of degraded burmese paintings on zinc supports
Authors: Chua Lynn
Published: July 2019

Two Burmese oil paintings on zinc supports depicting portraits of royal families, dated to the early 20th century by Saya Aye and Saya Mya, showed interesting corrosion, efflorescence and soapy globules for analytical investigation prior to conservation for exhibition. The features and colours on the two paintings, one of which was in worse condition than the other, were obscured by a whitish haze. Paint rupture and losses due to corrosion of the zinc support were apparent. Using a combination of 3D digital microscopy, FTIR microscopy and SEM–EDS, the degradation, as well as the paint materials and artists’ techniques were analysed and discussed. Zinc soaps, oxalates, silicates, hydroxychlorides, carbonates, wax and mould characterized the haze. Interestingly, brown outlines in Aye’s painting appeared unusually dark. Upon analysis, this degradation phenomenon was attributed to micro-sized greenish soap globules that have developed around copper/zinc (brass) particles, causing the brown outlines to lose their intended luminosity. The other painting by Mya, in which the same brown outline was applied, did not show such formation of globules. Detection of oxalates in the corrosion of zinc support and brown outlines are discussed. This study shows the importance in understanding the artists’ materials and techniques, which have consequential effects to the degradation observed.
Extracellular Matrix–Associated Factors Play Critical Roles in Regulating Pancreatic β-Cell Proliferation and Survival
Authors: Townsend Shannon E , Gannon Maureen
Published: July 2019

This review describes formation of the islet basement membrane and the function of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in β-cell proliferation and survival. Implications for islet transplantation are discussed. The insulin-producing β-cell is key for maintaining glucose homeostasis. The islet microenvironment greatly influences β-cell survival and proliferation. Within the islet, β-cells contact the ECM, which is deposited primarily by intraislet endothelial cells, and this interaction has been shown to modulate proliferation and survival. ECM-localized growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor and cellular communication network 2, signal through specific receptors and integrins on the β-cell surface. Further understanding of how the ECM functions to influence β-cell proliferation and survival will provide targets for enhancing functional β-cell mass for the treatment of diabetes.
The Role of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters in the Chemoresistance of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Abbasifarid Elnaz , Sajjadi-Jazi Sayed Mahmoud , Beheshtian Maryam , Samimi Hilda , Larijani Bagher , Haghpanah Vahid
Published: July 2019

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an aggressive type of thyroid cancer with a high mortality rate. Cytotoxic drugs are among the treatment modalities usually used for ATC treatment. However, systemic chemotherapies for ATC have not been shown to have remarkable efficacy. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters have been suggested as a possible mechanism in ATC resistance to chemotherapy. This systematic review was aimed to define the possible roles of ABC transporters in ATC resistance to chemotherapy. Numerous databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Ovid, ProQuest, and EBSCO, were searched for papers published since 1990, with predefined keywords. The literature searches were updated twice, in 2015 and 2017. All identified articles were reviewed, and 14 papers that met the inclusion criteria were selected. In the eligible studies, the roles of 10 out of 49 ABC transporters were evaluated; among them, three pumps (ABCB1, ABCC1, and ABCG2) were the most studied transporters in ATC samples. ABCC1 and ABCG2 had the highest expression rates in ATC, and ABCB1 ranked second among the inspected transporters. In conclusion, ABC transporters are the major determinants of ATC resistance to chemotherapy. By identifying these transporters, we can tailor the best treatment approach for patients with ATC. Additional studies are needed to define the exact role of each ABC transporter and other mechanisms in ATC drug resistance.
Human retinal ganglion cell axon regeneration by recapitulating developmental mechanisms: effects of recruitment of the mTOR pathway
Authors: Teotia Pooja , Van Hook Matthew J. , Fischer Dietmar , Ahmad Iqbal
Published: July 2019

The poor axon regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS) often leads to permanent functional deficit following disease or injury. For example, degeneration of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons in glaucoma leads to irreversible loss of vision. Here, we have tested the hypothesis that the mTOR pathway regulates the development of human RGCs and that its recruitment after injury facilitates axon regeneration. We observed that the mTOR pathway is active during RGC differentiation, and using the induced pluripotent stem cell model of neurogenesis show that it facilitates the differentiation, function and neuritogenesis of human RGCs. Using a microfluidic model, we demonstrate that recruitment of the mTOR pathway facilitates human RGC axon regeneration after axotomy, providing evidence that the recapitulation of developmental mechanism(s) might be a viable approach for facilitating axon regeneration in the diseased or injured human CNS, thus helping to reduce and/or recover loss of function.
RDH10 function is necessary for spontaneous fetal mouth movement that facilitates palate shelf elevation
Authors: Friedl Regina M. , Raja Swetha , Metzler Melissa A. , Patel Niti D. , Brittian Kenneth R. , Jones Steven P. , Sandell Lisa L.
Published: July 2019

Cleft palate is a common birth defect, occurring in approximately 1 in 1000 live births worldwide. Known etiological mechanisms of cleft palate include defects within developing palate shelf tissues, defects in mandibular growth and defects in spontaneous fetal mouth movement. Until now, experimental studies directly documenting fetal mouth immobility as an underlying cause of cleft palate have been limited to models lacking neurotransmission. This study extends the range of anomalies directly demonstrated to have fetal mouth movement defects correlated with cleft palate. Here, we show that mouse embryos deficient in retinoic acid (RA) have mispatterned pharyngeal nerves and skeletal elements that block spontaneous fetal mouth movement in utero. Using X-ray microtomography, in utero ultrasound video, ex vivo culture and tissue staining, we demonstrate that proper retinoid signaling and pharyngeal patterning are crucial for the fetal mouth movement needed for palate formation. Embryos with deficient retinoid signaling were generated by stage-specific inactivation of retinol dehydrogenase 10 (Rdh10), a gene crucial for the production of RA during embryogenesis. The finding that cleft palate in retinoid deficiency results from a lack of fetal mouth movement might help elucidate cleft palate etiology and improve early diagnosis in human disorders involving defects of pharyngeal development.
Deciphering normal and anomalous viscero-atrial situs on multidetector CT angiography
Authors: Pandey Niraj Nirmal , Sinha Mumun , Rajagopal Rengarajan , Sharma Arun , Kumar Sanjeev
Published: July 2019

Viscero-atrial situs encompasses the laterality, relative position and configuration of the abdominal viscera, the atria of the heart and the tracheobronchial tree. Determining the situs and cardiac position is the first step in the commonly used sequential, segmental approach to the imaging evaluation of congenital heart defects (CHD). Abnormalities of visceroatrial situs and cardiac position are frequently associated with the presence of complex CHDs and accurate assessment of situs abnormalities can help predict the probability and type of the defect. Multidetector CT (MDCT) angiography, with its multiplanar reformatting and volume rendering techniques, offers accurate information about the morphology and three-dimensional relationships of the various cardiac and extra cardiac structures. In this pictorial essay, we present the MDCT imaging findings of the spectrum of abnormalities of visceroatrial situs and cardiac position, using a third generation dual source CT scanner.
The effects of auditory spatial training on informational masking release in elderly listeners: a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Jarollahi Farnoush , Amiri Marzieh , Jalaie Shohreh , Sameni Seyyed Jalal
Published: July 2019

Background: Regarding the strong auditory spatial plasticity capability of the central auditory system and the effect of short-term and long-term rehabilitation programs in elderly people, it seems that an auditory spatial training can help this population in informational masking release and better track speech in noisy environments. The main purposes of this study are developing an informational masking measurement test and an auditory spatial training program.

Protocol: This study will be conducted in two parts. Part 1: develop and determine the validity of an informational masking measurement test by recruiting two groups of young (n=50) and old (n=50) participants with normal hearing who have no difficulty in understanding speech in noisy environments. Part 2 (clinical trial): two groups of 60-75-year-olds with normal hearing, who complain about difficulty in speech perception in noisy environments, will participate as control and intervention groups to examine the effect of auditory spatial training. Intervention: 15 sessions of auditory spatial training. The informational masking measurement test and Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale will be compared before intervention, immediately after intervention, and five weeks after intervention between the two groups.

Discussion: Since auditory training programs do not deal with informational masking release, an auditory spatial training will be designed, aiming to improve hearing in noisy environments for elderly populations.

Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20190118042404N1) on 25th February 2019.
A genome-wide scan of cleft lip triads identifies parent-of-origin interaction effects between ANK3 and maternal smoking, and between ARHGEF10 and alcohol consumption
Authors: Haaland Øystein Ariansen , Romanowska Julia , Gjerdevik Miriam , Lie Rolv Terje , Gjessing Håkon Kristian , Jugessur Astanand
Published: July 2019

Background: Although both genetic and environmental factors have been reported to influence the risk of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P), the exact mechanisms behind CL/P are still largely unaccounted for. We recently developed new methods to identify parent-of-origin (PoO) interactions with environmental exposures (PoOxE) and applied them to families with children born with isolated cleft palate only. Here, we used the same genome-wide association study (GWAS) dataset and methodology to screen for PoOxE effects in the larger sample of CL/P triads.

Methods: Genotypes from 1594 complete triads and 314 dyads (1908 nuclear families in total) with CL/P were available for the current analyses. Of these families, 1024 were Asian, 825 were European and 59 had other ancestries. After quality control, 341,191 SNPs remained from the original 569,244. The exposures were maternal cigarette smoking, use of alcohol, and use of vitamin supplements in the periconceptional period. The methodology applied in the analyses is implemented in the R-package Haplin.

Results: Among Europeans, there was evidence of a PoOxSmoke effect for ANK3 with three SNPs (rs3793861, q=0.20, p=2.6e-6; rs7087489, q=0.20, p=3.1e-6; rs4310561, q=0.67, p=4.0e-5) and a PoOxAlcohol effect for ARHGEF10 with two SNPs (rs2294035, q=0.32, p=2.9e-6; rs4876274, q=0.76, p=1.3e-5).

Conclusion: Our results indicate that the detected PoOxE effects have a plausible biological basis, and thus warrant replication in other independent cleft samples. Our demonstration of the feasibility of identifying complex interactions between relevant environmental exposures and PoO effects offers new avenues for future research aimed at unravelling  the complex etiology of cleft lip defects.
Digital Support for Adaptation of Foreign Trainers within the Framework of the Project «BUDDYSYSTEM»: Case of the Ural Federal University Named after First President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin
Authors: Каримов М. , Karimov M. , Рустамов А. , Rustamov A.
Published: July 2019

The problem of adaptation of foreign students to the Russian educational environment is becoming increasingly important due to the increase in the number of foreign students in higher education institutions of Russia. The Internet support of the adaptation system on the basis of specially created for it support systems — “buddysystems” — begins particular importance in this process. The article describes the author’s system of work with newly arriving students, undergraduates, graduate students for their comprehensive adaptation at the Ural Federal University named after the fi rst President of Russia B. N.Yeltsin, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation. One of the key elements is the using of digital technologies for successful communication with foreign students. Analysis of the project “BUDDYSYSTEMURFU” shows its multiplicativity and the possibility of implementation in the universities of the country.
Stress As an Element of Workers’ Instability and a Source of Inefficiency of Organization
Authors: Мухина А. , Muhina A. , Павлова А. , Pavlova A. , Самкина К. , Samkina K. , Белова О. , Belova O.
Published: July 2019

This article is devoted to the problem of the linkage between the workers’ stress level and their level of satisfaction in the organization. The eff ects of negative influence of high stress levels on the level of satisfaction of employees and on the eff ectiveness of working have been revealed. The main stress factors at the workplace and managerial-organizational, medical, socio-psychological consequences have been considered. The results of the study of stress level and the level of satisfaction have been summarized, the causes of stress in the workplace have been identifi ed. The article off ers solutions to identifi ed problems, shows the importance of stress-management and presents comparative data of their eff ectiveness.
Towards Contingent World Descriptions in Description Logics
Authors: Badie Farshad
Published: July 2019

The philosophical, logical, and terminological junctions between Description Logics (DLs) and Modal Logic (ML) are important because they can support the formal analysis of modal notions of ‘possibility’ and ‘necessity’ through the lens of DLs. This paper introduces functional contingents in order to (i) structurally and terminologically analyse ‘functional possibility’ and ‘functional necessity’ in DL world descriptions and (ii) logically and terminologically annotate DL world descriptions based on functional contingents. The most significant contributions of this research are the logical characterisation and terminological analysis of functional contingents in DL world descriptions. The ultimate goal is to investigate how modal operators can – logically and terminologically – be expressed within DL world descriptions.
Meyer’s Struggle with Presentism or How We Can Understand the Debate between Presentism and Eternalism
Authors: Gołosz Jerzy
Published: July 2019

The paper consists of two parts. The first critically analyses Meyer’s [2005] version of the triviality objection to presentism (according to which, presentism is either trivial or untenable), and tries to show that his argument is untenable because – contrary to what he claimed – he did not take into account the entire possible spectrum of interpretations of the presentist’s thesis. In the second, positive part of the paper, it is shown that a leading form of tensed theory of time postulates the same ontology as presentism and that it avoids the triviality problem which means that it can be used to generate an alternative formulation of presentism which is no longer vulnerable to the triviality objection.