bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Brain Stimulation of the Medial Forebrain Bundle in a Rodent Model of Depression: Exploring Dopaminergic Mechanisms with Raclopride and Micro-PET
Authors: Thiele Stephanie , Sörensen Arnd , Weis Jasmin , Braun Friederike  , Meyer Philipp T. , Coenen Volker A. , Döbrössy Máté D.
Published: January 2020

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) can reverse depressive-like symptoms clinically and in experimental models of depression, but the mechanisms of action are unknown. Objectives: This study investigated the role of dopaminergic mechanisms in MFB stimulation-mediated behavior changes, in conjunction with raclopride administration and micropositron emission tomography (micro-PET). Methods: Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rats were allocated into 4 groups: FSL (no treatment), FSL+ (DBS), FSL.R (FSL with raclopride), and FSL.R+ (FSL with raclopride and DBS). Animals were implanted with bilateral electrodes targeting the MFB and given 11 days access to raclopride in the drinking water with or without concurrent continuous bilateral DBS over the last 10 days. Behavioral testing was conducted after stimulation. A PET scan using [18F]desmethoxyfallypride was performed to determine D2 receptor availability before and after raclopride treatment. Changes in gene expression in the nucleus accumbens and the hippocampus were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: Micro-PET imaging showed that raclopride administration blocked 36% of the D2 receptor in the striatum, but the relative level of blockade was reduced/modulated by stimulation. Raclopride treatment enhanced depressive-like symptoms in several tasks, and the MFB DBS partially reversed the depressive-like phenotype. The raclopride-treated MFB DBS animals had increased levels of mRNA coding for dopamine receptor D1 and D2 suggestive of a stimulation-mediated increase in dopamine receptors. Conclusion: Data suggest that chronic and continuous MFB DBS could act via the modulation of the midbrain dopaminergic transmission, including impacting on the postsynaptic dopamine receptor profile.
The Influence of Short-Wave and Long-Wave Radiation Spectrum on the Photostability of Sunscreens
Authors: Garbe Birgit , Kockott Dieter , Werner Milena , Theek Carmen , Heinrich Ulrike , Braun Nicole
Published: January 2020

Background: Sunscreen products aim to help protect the skin against UV radiation and consequently reduce the risk of early skin ageing and skin cancer. However, it is well known that some sunscreen ingredients are not photostable, but this usually refers to irradiation with UV light. Moreover, it has to be mentioned that a relative cumulative erythema effectiveness compliant light source is used for the in vivo sun protection factor (SPF) testing. Here, UV simulators equipped with a xenon arc lamp use filters such as WG320 and UG11 (thickness 1 mm) to minimize infrared (IR) radiation and wavelength below 300 nm. However, under practical conditions, the sunscreen product is not only exposed to UVA/B light, but also to visible light (VIS) and IR light. In fact, the spectrum of solar radiation is composed of approximately 7% UV, 39% VIS and 54% IR. Aims: To investigate the influence of short-wave and long-wave radiation on the photostability of sunscreens. Methods: Irradiation was performed with the Suntest CPS+ that is considered to closely imitate solar radiation. The filter UG11 (thickness 1 mm), which absorbs much of the VIS and IR light, and the glass filter WG320 (thickness 2 mm), which effectively absorbs radiation of wavelengths less than 300 nm, were used in the Suntest CPS+ both individually and in combination and were inserted between the light source and the samples. The following transmission measurements were carried out with Labsphere’s UV-2000s device. Here, the effectiveness (percentage change of SPF before irradiation to SPF after irradiation) as a measure of the photostability was calculated. Results:As expected after total solar spectrum irradiation, the effectiveness in all tested sunscreens is lower compared to relative cumulative erythema effectiveness light used for in vitro testing of SPF. In the reference sunscreen formula S2 as well as in the two different sunscreen products, especially long-wave radiation (>400 nm) had an effect on photostability, whereas short-wave radiation had only a minor impact. In contrast, in the BASF sun care gel line only short-wave radiation below 300 nm had an effect on photostability, and blocking VIS and IR light had no effect at all. Conclusion:Based on these data, we can conclude that short waves and/or VIS + IR light have an influence on the photostability of sunscreens.
Synergistic Effects of the 308-nm Excimer Light and Topical Calcipotriol for the Treatment of Chronic Hand Eczema: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Juntongjin Premjit , Chunhakham Pradtana
Published: January 2020

Background: Though topical corticosteroid is a standard treatment for chronic hand eczema (CHE), it can cause many adverse effects. Topical calcipotriol and monochromatic 308-nm excimer light (MEL) are new alternative therapies for several dermatoses, including CHE. Objective: This study aims to compare the efficacy of the combination of MEL and topical calcipotriol versus topical calcipotriol alone. Methods: One hand of the participants was randomly assigned to be irradiated with MEL twice weekly and topical calcipotriol applied twice daily while the other hand was assigned to receive only topical calcipotriol twice daily for 8 weeks. Then, only petrolatum ointment was applied during the 4-week follow-up period. Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) and modified Total Lesion Symptom Score were assessed by a blinded investigator, and a visual analogue scale score of itching symptoms was graded by the participants. Results: In total, 36 hands from 18 subjects completed the protocol. On the combination-treated sides, the mean HECSI score was significantly reduced by 25% (p = 0.015) from the 4th week. Then, it was gradually decreased to 57 and 65% (p < 0.001) at the 8th week and at the follow-up visit, respectively. For the monotherapy-treated sides, the mean HECSI score was reduced to 41% (p = 0.001) and 49% (p < 0.001) at the 8th and 12th week, accordingly. At the end of the treatment period, itching scores were significantly decreased by around 64% (p < 0.001) and 51% (p = 0.002) on the combination-treated and the monotherapy-treated sides. No serious and persistent adverse reactions were found. Conclusion: The combined MEL and topical calcipotriol may be considered as an alternatively effective treatment for CHE.
The miR-29b/Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 Axis Regulates Transdifferentiation and Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in a Calcified Environment
Authors: Jiang Wenhong , Zhang Zhanman , Yang Han , Lin Qiuning , Qin Xiao
Published: January 2020

Background: Vascular calcification (VC) is a common pathological lesion that promotes progress and mortality in cardiovascular disease. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) acquiring an osteogenic phenotype facilitate VC occurrence and development. We recently reported that miR-29b-3p directly regulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2). Herein, we test whether miR-29b-3p functions in the phenotypic transition and calcification in a calcified environment. Methods and Results: VSMC calcification in vitro was induced with calcification medium containing β-glycerophosphoric acid or high calcium. MiR-29b-3p expression in VSMCs tended to decrease during culturing in calcification medium. MiR-29b-3p overexpression ameliorated VSMC calcification, whereas miR-29b-3p knockdown exacerbated VSMC calcification. Furthermore, ectopic expression of miR-29b-3p inhibited the expression of osteogenic markers and MMP2 (a known target gene of miR-29b-3p). By contrast, miR-29b-3p deficiency facilitated VSMC osteogenesis differentiation and upregulated MMP2 expression. Conclusion: Our research suggests that miR-29b-3p regulates VSMC calcification and osteogenesis differentiation, at least in part, by targeting MMP2. Regulation of miR-29b-3p expression is therefore a potential therapeutic target for VSMC calcification.
Temporal Occurrence of Arrhythmic Complications After Alcohol Septal Ablation
Authors: El-Sabawi Bassim , Nishimura Rick A. , Barsness Gregory W. , Cha Yong-Mei , Geske Jeffrey B. , Eleid Mackram F.
Published: January 2020

Background:

The temporal occurrence of arrhythmic complications after alcohol septal ablation (ASA) is unclear. As a result, the appropriate time to monitor patients after ASA is controversial. The purpose of this study is to determine the temporal occurrence of complete heart block (CHB) and ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT) after ASA to better understand when patients can be safely discharged.

Methods:

Consecutive patients treated with ASA for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from 2003 to 2019 at a tertiary referral center were reviewed retrospectively. The incidence and timing of CHB or sustained VT within 30 days post-ASA were assessed.

Results:

A total of 243 patients were included in this study. Mean maximal septal thickness was 19.0±3.9 mm, and total volume of ethanol injected was 1.7±0.6 mL. CHB occurred in 59 (24.3%) patients, including transient CHB in 33 (13.6%) and permanent in 26 (10.7%). The initial episode of CHB occurred within 24 hours post-ASA in 51 (21.0%) patients, between 24 and 48 hours in 3 (1.2%), between 48 and 72 hours in 3 (1.2%), and after 72 hours in 2 (0.8%). New permanent pacemaker was placed in 46 (18.3%). Presence of baseline bundle branch block and age ≥70 were significantly associated with CHB but not CHB presenting after 24 hours. VT occurred in 3 (1.2%) patients, including 1 (0.4%) within 24 hours, 1 (0.4%) between 24 and 48 hours, and 1 (0.4%) after 72 hours. VT required cardioversion in 2 patients and new implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement in 2.

Conclusions:

The incidence of CHB or VT presenting after 72 hours post-ASA was low. These findings suggest that timely discharge of patients without evidence of early conduction disturbances after ASA can be considered as a potentially safe management strategy, especially in patients without preexisting conduction abnormalities.
Early Systolic Lengthening in Patients With ST‐Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Novel Predictor of Cardiovascular Events
Authors: Brainin Philip , Haahr‐Pedersen Sune , Olsen Flemming Javier , Holm Anna Engell , Fritz‐Hansen Thomas , Jespersen Thomas , Gislason Gunnar , Biering‐Sørensen Tor
Published: January 2020

Background

Early systolic lengthening (
ESL
) may occur in ischemic myocardial segments with reduced contractile force. We sought to evaluate the prognostic potential of
ESL
in patients with
ST
‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods and Results

We prospectively enrolled 373 patients with
ST
‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. All patients underwent a speckle tracking echocardiographic examination a median of 2 days (interquartile range, 1–3 days) after the percutaneous coronary intervention. We assessed a novel viability index, the
ESL
index, defined as follows: [−100×(peak positive systolic strain/peak negative strain in cardiac cycle)]. We also calculated
ESL
duration, defined as time from onset of
QRS
complex on the ECG to time of peak positive systolic strain. Both parameters were averaged from 18 myocardial segments. During a median follow‐up of 5.3 years (interquartile range, 2.5–6.0 years), 145 (39%) experienced major adverse cardiovascular events, a composite of incident heart failure, new myocardial infarction, and all‐cause mortality. The
ESL
index and
ESL
duration were significantly increased in culprit lesion areas (6.7±6.2% versus 5.0±4.1% and 43±33 ms versus 33±24 ms, respectively;
P
<0.001 for both). In Cox proportional hazard models, the
ESL
index (hazard ratio, 1.27 per 1% increase; 95%
CI
, 1.13–1.43;
P
<0.001) and
ESL
duration (hazard ratio, 1.49 per 1‐ms increase; 95%
CI
, 1.15–1.92;
P
=0.002) yielded prognostic information on major adverse cardiovascular events. Both associations remained significant after adjusting for clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive confounders.

Conclusions

Assessment of
ESL
after primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with
ST
‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction yields independent and significant prognostic information on the future risk of cardiovascular events.
Inhibition of SREBP Improves Cardiac Lipidopathy, Improves Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, and Modulates Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Ayyappan Janeesh Plakkal , Lizardo Kezia , Wang Sean , Yurkow Edward , Nagajyothi Jyothi F.
Published: January 2020

Background

Trypanosoma cruzi
is an intracellular parasite that causes debilitating chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (
CCM
), for which there is no effective drug or vaccine. Previously, we demonstrated increased cardiac lipid accumulation and endoplasmic reticulum stress in mice with
CCM
. Increased endoplasmic reticulum stress may lead to uncontrolled
SREBP
(sterol regulatory element‐binding protein) activation and lipotoxicity in the myocardium during the intermediate stage of infection and result in progression to chronic
CCM
. Therefore, we investigated whether inhibiting
SREBP
activation modulates
CCM
progression in
T cruzi
–infected mice.

Methods and Results

T cruzi
–infected cultured cardiomyocytes (3:1 multiplicity of infection; 24 hours postinfection) were incubated with betulin (3 μmol/L per mL), an
SREBP
inhibitor, for 24 hours. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting analyses demonstrated a significant reduction in
SREBP
activation, lipid biosynthesis, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in betulin‐treated infected cells compared with untreated cells.
T cruzi
infected (10
3
trypomastigotes of the Brazil strain) Swiss mice were fed a customized diet containing betulin during the intermediate stage (40 days postinfection) until the chronic stage (120 
DPI
). Cardiac ultrasound imaging and histological and biochemical analyses demonstrated anatomical and functional improvements in betulin‐treated, infected mice compared with untreated controls: we observed a significant reduction in cholesterol/fatty acid synthesis that may result in the observed cardiac reduction in cardiac lipid accumulation, mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress, and ventricular enlargement.

Conclusions

Our study (in vitro and vivo) demonstrates that inhibition of cardiac
SREBP
activation reduces cardiac damage during
T cruzi
infection and modulates
CCM
in a murine Chagas model.
Maternal Race/Ethnicity, Hypertension, and Risk for Stroke During Delivery Admission
Authors: Miller Eliza C. , Zambrano Espinoza Maria Daniela , Huang Yongmei , Friedman Alexander M. , Boehme Amelia K. , Bello Natalie A. , Cleary Kirsten L. , Wright Jason D. , D'Alton Mary E.
Published: January 2020

Background

Racial disparities contribute to maternal morbidity in the United States. Hypertension is associated with poor maternal outcomes, including stroke. Disparities in hypertension might contribute to maternal strokes.

Methods and Results

Using billing data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample, we analyzed the effect of race/ethnicity on stroke during delivery admission in women aged 18 to 54 years delivering in
US
hospitals from January 1, 1998, through December 31, 2014. We categorized hypertension as normotensive, chronic hypertension, or pregnancy‐induced hypertension. Adjusted risk ratios (
aRRs
) and 95%
CI
s were calculated using log‐linear Poisson regression models, testing for interactions between race/ethnicity and hypertensive status. A total of 65 286 425 women were admitted for delivery during the study period, of whom 7764 were diagnosed with a stroke (11.9 per 100 000 deliveries). Hypertension modified the effect of race/ethnicity (
P
<0.0001 for interaction). Among women with pregnancy‐induced hypertension, black and Hispanic women had higher stroke risk compared with non‐Hispanic whites (blacks:
aRR,
2.07; 95%
CI
, 1.86–2.30; Hispanics:
aRR,
2.19; 95%
CI
, 1.98–2.43). Among women with chronic hypertension, all minority women had higher stroke risk (blacks:
aRR
, 1.71; 95%
CI
, 1.30–2.26; Hispanics:
aRR
, 1.75; 95%
CI
, 2.32–5.63; Asian/Pacific Islanders:
aRR
, 3.62; 95%
CI
, 2.32–5.63). Among normotensive women, only blacks had increased stroke risk (
aRR
, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.07–1.28).

Conclusions

Pregnant
US
women from minority groups had higher stroke risk during delivery admissions, compared with non‐Hispanic whites. The effect of race/ethnicity was larger in women with chronic hypertension or pregnancy‐induced hypertension. Targeting blood pressure management in pregnancy may help reduce maternal stroke risk in minority populations.
Nomogram to Predict Mortality of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Ischemic Stroke Despite Successful Recanalization
Authors: Zhang Xiaohao , Yuan Kang , Wang Huaiming , Gong Pengyu , Jiang Teng , Xie Yi , Sheng Lei , Liu Dezhi , Liu Xinfeng , Xu Gelin
Published: January 2020

Background

The trajectory of ischemic stroke patients attributable to large vessel occlusion is fundamentally altered by endovascular thrombectomy. This study aimed to develop a nomogram for predicting 3‐month mortality risk in patients with ischemic stroke attributed to artery occlusion in anterior circulation who received successful endovascular thrombectomy treatment.

Methods and Results

Patients with successful endovascular thrombectomy (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction IIb or III) were enrolled from a multicenter registry as the training cohort. Step‐wise logistic regression with Akaike information criterion was utilized to establish the best‐fit nomogram. The discriminative value of the nomogram was tested by concordance index. An additional 224 patients from 2 comprehensive stroke centers were prospectively recruited as the test cohort for validating the new nomogram. Altogether, 417 patients were enrolled in the training cohort. Age (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03−1.10), poor pretreatment collateral status (OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.18−3.85), baseline blood glucose level (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04−1.21), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (OR, 9.51; 95% CI, 4.54−19.92), and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03−1.12) were associated with mortality and were incorporated in the nomogram. The c‐index of the nomogram was 0.835 (95% CI, 0.785–0.885) in the training cohort and 0.758 (95% CI, 0.667–0.849) in the test cohort.

Conclusions

The nomogram, composed of age, pretreatment collateral status, baseline blood glucose level, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, may predict risk of mortality in patients with ischemic stroke and treated successfully with endovascular thrombectomy.
Credit Constraints and the Measurement of Time Preferences
Authors: Dean Mark , Sautmann Anja
Published: January 2020

Incentivized experiments are often used to identify the time preferences of households in developing countries. We argue theoretically and empirically that experimental measures may not identify preference parameters, but are a useful tool for understanding financial shocks and constraints. Using data from an experiment in Mali, we find that subject responses vary with savings and financial shocks, meaning they provide information about credit constraints and can be used to test models of risk sharing.
Chinese Companion Animal Caretakers’ Attachment Influences their Attribution of Emotions to their Animals
Authors: Su Bingtao , Martens Pim
Published: January 2020

It is well-documented that in developed countries, companion animal caretakers often show strong attachments to their animals. However, very little research has incorporated caretakers’ attachment to companion animals in developing countries such as China. This research analyzed the correlation between the attachment level of Chinese dog and cat caretakers and their attribution of emotions to their animals. The results indicated a trend that respondents frequently attributed primary emotions to companion animals rather than secondary emotions. Respondents who had frequent and multiple interactions with their companion animals scored higher on the Pet Bonding Scale (PBS). The degree of attachment significantly influenced caretakers’ (particularly female caretakers’) attribution of responsive emotions to companion animals. This study is one of the first to investigate the role of attachment in emotion attribution in an under-researched population and can therefore act as a baseline for follow-up research.
Wer schreibt Geschichte? Ein kulturelles Trauma und seine Träger im Jeremiabuch
Authors: Maier Christl M.
Published: January 2020

In a chorus of voices, the book of Jeremiah commemorates Jerusalem’s destruction by the Babylonians as an event that generated traumatic responses. Jer 40-44 narrates the story of the Judean survivors who flee to Egypt after the murder of the Babylonian governor Gedaliah. This article uses the theory of “cultural trauma”, defined by an international group of sociologists around Jeffrey C. Alexander, as a heuristic tool for analyzing Jer 40-44, especially the description of perpetrators and victims, and the conflicting interpretations of history. It aims at demonstrating why and in what way the perspective of the Babylonian golah prevails in the book of Jeremiah, which as a whole presents a master narrative about Judah’s cultural trauma.
New records and a revision of the actual and potential distribution of Discoglossus montalentii to facilitate future conservation assessments
Authors: Beukema Wouter , Bruni Giacomo
Published: January 2020

The Corsican Painted Frog Discoglossus montalentii has received little research attention since its discovery, which creates uncertainty about its distribution and conservation status. We here use a combination of field surveys, ecological niche modelling (ENM) and niche overlap analyses to (i) update the D. montalentii distribution; (ii) determine its potential range, and (iii) assess if presence of Discoglossus sardus influences that of D. montalentii. Our surveys reveal presence of D. montalentii at low and mid-altitudes throughout Cap Corse and near the north-western coast, while ENMs suggest that similar climatically and topographically suitable habitats occur beyond the confirmed range in northern- and westernmost Corsica. No evidence for competitive exclusion by D. sardus was found, with both species displaying broad niche overlap at macroscale. Whether potential differences between these species do exist at microhabitat level remains worth exploring. We finally review the conservation status of D. montalentii, and assemble practical knowledge to inform future conservation assessments.
Educational Mismatch and Skill Mismatch in the Youth Labor Market: Panel Evidence from South Korea
Authors: Park Kihong , Arce Jesus Hernandez
Published: January 2020

Most prior research on labor market mismatch was constrained by the unavailability of data on skill mismatch and also the absence of panel data which would provide controls for unmeasured heterogeneity. This paper makes use of the panel element of Korea Labor & Income Panel Survey (KLIPS) data and identifies the wage effects of educational mismatch and skill mismatch both separately and jointly. It clearly shows that only a small proportion of the wage effect of educational mismatch is accounted for by skill mismatch, suggesting a relatively weak relation between educational mismatch and skill mismatch. In the analysis appropriate panel methodology produces much weaker estimates of the relevant coefficients than the pooled OLS model. This result indicates that unobserved individual-specific characteristics play a substantial role in the way in which mismatch effects are determined.
Historical Evolution of the Welfare Mix in Colonial Korea
Authors: Choi Yeonsik , Lim Yoojin
Published: January 2020

This paper aims to understand the welfare mix in Korea by examining its historical origins and tracing its evolution during Japanese colonial rule. After locating the origins of the welfare mix in the early Chosŏn Dynasty, this study examines the evolution of the welfare mix in Korea under Japanese colonial rule. By focusing on repressiveness and recognition, the dual aspects of Japanese colonial rule, we reveal a traditional aspect of the Korean welfare mix that remained strong and was, paradoxically, reinforced under Japanese colonial rule. Following the establishment of a colonial centralised state, Japanese attempts to impose modern dispensational welfare systems proved inadequate. The Japanese were forced to return to traditional, informal welfare providers, such as kyes, to satisfy Chosŏn’s need for welfare. The paper concludes by arguing that this welfare mix can help to explain the welfare regime in modern Korea.
What the Emergence of CSR Brought About?
Authors: Fujii Shuhei
Published: January 2020

The cognitive science of religion (CSR) is distinctive in its systematic methodology and its interdisciplinary nature. In the field of the study of religion, however, scholars are hardly receptive to CSR because of its “scientific” nature. The reason for this is that CSR is understood as distinct from other studies, nevertheless it has humanistic backgrounds. In order to investigate the intellectual backgrounds of CSR, the paper will describe the initial development of CSR by introducing researches and academic cooperation in the period from the 1990s to the early 2000s. Moreover, by examining academic contexts, what the emergence of CSR brought about to the study of religion will be clarified. CSR emerged as a result of the debate between modernist and postmodernist, connecting various views and resulting in a great shift in the intellectual landscape. This interdisciplinary role can be seen as the most important achievement of CSR.
Trust and Reputation in Nigeria’s Electoral Process: the Context and Conundrum
Authors: Aluko Opeyemi Idowu
Published: January 2020

Election is the hallmark of democracy. Any democratic regime that does not conduct election will be regarded as a dictatorship regime. The trust and reputation build up on the electoral process impedes on its credibility and public acceptability. The higher the level of trust and reputation on the electoral process, the higher the acceptability of the leaders that emerges. The electoral process in Nigeria is in a state of total relapse, confusion and quagmire. To what extent has the reputation of the electoral system made Nigerians to trust its process and output? How can Nigeria develop out of the electoral process conundrum for credible leaders to emerge in the country? Modernization theory is used to explain the rapid need for Nigeria to develop its electoral processes. The adopted methodology uses Afrobarometer time series data. The article notes that rapid growth and development are products of an electoral process that has good public trust.
Social Protection for Disability in Central Uganda: a Human Development Perspective
Authors: Mugeere Anthony
Published: January 2020

Whereas there is ample empirical evidence on the nature and functioning of formal and informal social protection systems in Uganda, there are limited studies on their influence on the youth living with disabilities. This paper explores the meaning and functioning of social protection strategies among youth living with spina bifida and hydrocephalous in central Uganda. Using data from in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and key informants, the paper observes that there is widespread knowledge on social protection systems among the respondents. Overall, social protection encompasses all measures implemented to address the perceived social exclusion and vulnerabilities related to the disability condition. The paper recommends a philosophical twist to the implementation of social protection by interrogating the human development model of disability which places the elements of the health conditions, impairments and their causes and consequences on the wellbeing of these vulnerable individuals at the core of the theoretical discourse.
R. G. Collingwood’s Overlapping Ideas of History
Authors: Fear Christopher
Published: January 2020

Does R. G. Collingwood’s theory that concepts in philosophy are organized as “scales of forms” apply to his own work on the nature of history? Or is there some inconsistency between Collingwood’s work as a philosopher of history and as a theorist of philosophical method? This article surveys existing views among Collingwood specialists concerning the applicability of Collingwood’s “scale of forms” thesis to his own philosophy of history – especially the accounts of Leon Goldstein and Lionel Rubinoff – and outlines the obvious objections to such an application. These objections however are found to be answerable. It is shown that Collingwood did indeed think that the scale of forms thesis should apply to the philosophy of history, and even that he identified the “highest” form in history as a kind of scientific research or inquiry. But it is not claimed that Collingwood identified the “lower” forms explicitly. An account is provided of the three distinct forms that can be identified in Collingwood’s philosophy of history, and of the “critical points” by which (according to Collingwood’s meta-philosophy) lower forms are negated and incorporated by higher forms. But it is also explained that these forms are not neatly coterminous with the stages in Western philosophical thinking about history as Collingwood narrates them in The Idea of History.
Ovid, the Res Publica, and the ‘Imperial Presidency’: Public Figures and Popular Freedoms in Augustan Rome and America
Authors: Pandey Nandini B.
Published: January 2020

How did Romans perceive the changing relationships among leaders, the people, and the public sphere as their commonwealth (res publica) fell under the control of an emperor? This paper examines Ovid’s uses of the Latin adjective publicus, ‘public, common, open’, to explore strands of implicitly ‘republican’ political thought behind his poetic corpus. Ovid first celebrates Augustus’ material benefactions as common goods for private consumption; then dramatises the tragic consequences of arbitrary domination; and finally, from exile, treats the emperor himself as a public property, subject to his people’s spectatorship and sovereignty of judgment. A final section draws on Ovid’s thinking on privacy, publicity, and information access to explore themes related to America’s ‘imperial presidency’, from the Founders’ emphasis on a free press to the recent interplay of secrecy, celebrity, and ‘sunshine’ laws.
The extant species of the genus Omma Newman and description of Beutelius gen. nov. (Coleoptera: Archostemata: Ommatidae: Ommatinae)
Authors: ESCALONA HERMES E. , LAWRENCE JOHN F. , ŚLIPIŃSKI ADAM
Published: January 2020

The genus Omma Newman (type species Omma stanleyi Newman) is revised and redefined based on extant species, with examination of additional fossil species. As a result, only the species O. stanleyi Newman is retained in Omma and a new genus, Beutelius gen. nov. (type species Omma mastersi MacLeay), is described to accommodate the remaining Australian species: B. mastersi (MacLeay), comb. nov., B. sagitta (Neboiss), comb. nov. and B. rutherfordi (Lawrence), comb. nov. A new species, Beutelius reidi sp. nov., is described from Melville Range Nature Reserve in New South Wales, Australia. Diagnoses and new records for extant Ommatinae, including the male of B. sagitta and female of B. mastersi, are provided, as well as a key to extant genera and species.
New Neotropical species of Pantisarthrus Förster, 1871 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)
Authors: CAMARGO LUIZA FIGUEIREDO , SHIMBORI EDUARDO MITIO , PENTEADO-DIAS ANGÉLICA MARIA
Published: January 2020

The Pantisarthrus genus is recorded for the first time from the Neotropical region and P. communis sp. nov., P. flavocingulatus sp. nov. and P. paraitinga sp. nov. are described and illustrated. A key to described species is provided.
A Comparison of Methods to Sample Model Errors for Convection-Allowing Ensemble Forecasts in the Setting of Multiscale Initial Conditions Produced by the GSI-Based EnVar Assimilation System
Authors: Gasperoni Nicholas A. , Wang Xuguang , Wang Yongming
Published: January 2020

A gridpoint statistical interpolation (GSI)-based hybrid ensemble–variational (EnVar) scheme was extended for convective scales—including radar reflectivity assimilation—and implemented in real-time spring forecasting experiments. This study compares methods to address model error during the forecast under the context of multiscale initial condition error sampling provided by the EnVar system. A total of 10 retrospective cases were used to explore the optimal design of convection-allowing ensemble forecasts. In addition to single-model single-physics (SMSP) configurations, ensemble forecast experiments compared multimodel (MM) and multiphysics (MP) approaches. Stochastic physics was also applied to MP for further comparison. Neighborhood-based verification of precipitation and composite reflectivity showed each of these model error techniques to be superior to SMSP configurations. Comparisons of MM and MP approaches had mixed findings. The MM approach had better overall skill in heavy-precipitation forecasts; however, MP ensembles had better skill for light (2.54 mm) precipitation and reduced ensemble mean error of other diagnostic fields, particularly near the surface. The MM experiment had the largest spread in precipitation, and for most hours in other fields; however, rank histograms and spaghetti contours showed significant clustering of the ensemble distribution. MP plus stochastic physics was able to significantly increase spread with time to be competitive with MM by the end of the forecast. The results generally suggest that an MM approach is best for early forecast lead times up to 6–12 h, while a combination of MP and stochastic physics approaches is preferred for forecasts beyond 6–12 h.
Nasal Septal Abscess Caused by Protrusion of a Dental Implant Into the Nasopalatine Duct: A Case Report
Authors: Kop Emiel A. , Lodder Wouter L. , de Visscher Jan GAM , van den Berge Herbert
Published: January 2020

Objective:

A nasal septal abscess after placement of a dental implant is seldom seen and is usually caused by an infection around the implant. A septal haematoma following dental implantation leading to septal abscess formation has never been reported.

Methods and results:

We present a case of a patient who developed a septal abscess after dental implantation without accompanying signs of infection around the implant. On the computed tomography scan we found the implant protruding the nasopalatine duct which led to bilateral septal hemorrhage, resulting in abscess formation. The patient underwent reconstructive nasal septum surgery, using an autologous auricular cartilage graft. This resulted in a good nasal function and cosmetic outcome.

Conclusions:

Medical health care professionals should be aware of a septal abscess in case of an acute blocked nose even without prior nasal or facial trauma or nasal surgery. Reconstruction of the septal nasal cartilage using autologous conchal cartilage is a good solution to preserve nasal function as well as tip support.
The efficacy, safety and acceptability of emergency embedded Psychiatry Assessment and Planning Units: An evaluation of Psychiatry Assessment and Planning Units in close proximity to their associated emergency departments
Authors: Mitchell DA , Crawford N , Newham BJ , Newton JR
Published: January 2020

Objective:

To determine the efficacy, safety and acceptability as well as the patient demographics of three newly developed emergency department–embedded Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units located in Metropolitan Melbourne at Austin, Peninsula and Eastern Health Services.

Methods:

The evaluation reviewed a 12-month period of service activity from 1 September 2017 to 31 August 2018, when all three Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units services were operational. A 12-month period from 1 September 2014 to 31 August 2015 was compared as the pre-Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units period. Mixed qualitative and quantitative methods were used. This included semi-structured interviews of 30 Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units patients and 30 emergency department staff (10 of each for all 3 sites), patient survey, statistical analysis of Client Management Interface data for the emergency department and related Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units as well as audit of RISKMAN registers.

Results:

There were 365 Austin, 567 Eastern and 791 Peninsula Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units admissions. Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units were generally well accepted by patients and emergency department staff, relatively safe, operating within the Key Performance Indicators with mixed effect on emergency department flow. Austin emergency department processing times improved post-Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units (4 hours 57 minutes to 4 hours 19 minutes; p < 0.001) while deteriorating at Eastern and Peninsula. Adjustment Disorder and Depression and Borderline Personality Disorder were the most common admission diagnoses. While the Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units had mixed utility on emergency department processing times, they appear to serve a demographic not previously accommodated in traditional emergency department psychiatry models.

Conclusion:

The emergency department–embedded Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Unit model of care appears effective on some measures, safe and acceptable to patients and staff. The Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Units seem to service a group not previously accommodated in traditional emergency psychiatry models.
Pediatric Head Injuries in Summer Camps
Authors: Kolberg Kristen , Saleem Noor , Ambrose Michael , Cranford Jim , Almeida Andrea , Ichesco Ingrid , Schellpfeffer Natalie , Hashikawa Andrew
Published: January 2020

Summer camps have a unique supervisory environment that may lead to increased head injury risk for children. The epidemiology of head injuries in camps is unclear. We partnered with CampDoc.com to review head injury reports from camp nurses in 2016 from 197 camps in 36 states. A total of 4290 (92%) reports were coded as definite head injuries, 47% (n = 2002) in female campers, with median camper age of 10 years. Head injury severity was coded as mild (94%, n = 4040), moderate (6%, n = 248), or severe (<1%, n = 2). Only 3% (n = 134) were medically evaluated, and 29% (n = 1221) were sports-related. Head injuries were categorized as definite (3%, n = 137) and probable (13%, n = 572) concussions, with 39% (n = 277) being sports-related and 61% (n = 83) of definite concussions incurred by female campers. Summer camps, while an important location of head injury risk, appear to be a safe environment for youth.
Great Expectations, Financialization, and Bank Bailouts in Democracies
Authors: Chwieroth Jeffrey M. , Walter Andrew
Published: January 2020

Accelerating financialization and rising societal wealth have meant that democratic governments increasingly provide bailouts following banking crises. Using a new long-run data set, we show that despite frequent and virulent crises before World War II, bank bailouts to protect wealth were then exceptionally rare. In recent decades, by contrast, governments have increasingly opted for extensive bailouts—well before the major interventions of 2007–2009. We argue that this policy shift is the consequence of the “great expectations” of middle-class voters overlooked in existing accounts. Associated with the growing financialization of wealth, rising leverage, and accumulating ex ante financial stabilization commitments by governments, these expectations are suggestive of substantially altered policy preferences and political cleavages. Since the 1970s, when severe banking crises returned as an important threat to middle-class wealth, this “pressure from below” has led elected governments to provide increasingly costly bailouts with no historical precedent.
Economic Recession, Informal Sector and Skilled–Unskilled Wage Disparity in a Developing Economy: A Trade-Theoretical Analysis
Authors: Mahata Sushobhan , Khan Rohan Kanti , Nag Ranjanendra Narayan
Published: January 2020

The paper analyses some selective aspects of economic crises, namely skilled-sector recession, reversed international migration of labour and decline in foreign capital inflow on the informal sector employment and wage rate in developing economies and seeks to explain the non-monotonic effect on the informal sector both across nations and within nation across sectors. In so doing, we develop three-sector General Equilibrium models under two different scenarios which may apply to a large class of emerging market economies. In the first model, we have a traded informal export sector, and the role of the non-traded informal sector in the presence of credit market imperfection is analysed in the second model. Skilled-sector recession produces a favourable (unfavourable) effect on the workers employed in the traded informal sector (non-traded informal sector) due to an induced complementary relationship between the high-skilled export sector and the informal sector. A fall in emigration level of skilled or unskilled worker and a decline in foreign capital inflow hurt the workers in the informal traded sector, while the workers in the non-traded informal sector gain. The results of the paper reflect contradictions of an emerging economy, which is essentially hybrid economics in which capitalist nucleus has a conditional-conditioning relationship with an archaic structure.

JEL Codes: F13, J31
Selection of vacuum cleaner with Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution method based upon multi-criteriadecision-making theory
Authors: Kumar Raman , Singh Sunpreet
Published: January 2020

This study focuses on multi-criteria decision-making theory to pick vacuum cleaner available in the Indian market. The choice of a vacuum cleaner for the customer is an intricate decision-making, the problem involving multiple conflicting criteria such as the cost of the vacuum cleaner, dust bag capacity, power consumption, and so on. The simple methodology based on the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution method is presented to choose a vacuum cleaner. Based on data collection, eight different companies/brands are considered with 26 diverse models. The ranks of the different alternatives obtained with Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution method are presented. The result reveals that the alternative Karcher WD 3.200 comes out to be the first choice, followed by Karcher WD 4.200 and Eureka Forbes Sensi. This approach based upon multi-criteria decision-making is very beneficial for retailer and wholesalers to help consumers/customers for purchasing their product/item or the consumer itself can make use of this simple methodology. The established proof-of-concept could be further used in the different domains of engineering, science, and management, wherein the decision-making could be biased and vague.
Design of a low-cost tactile robotic sleeve for autonomous endoscopes and catheters
Authors: Boyraz Pinar , Tappe Svenja , Ortmaier Tobias , Raatz Annika
Published: January 2020

Recent developments in medical robotics have been significant, supporting the minimally invasive operation requirements, such as smaller devices and more feedback available to surgeons. Nevertheless, the tactile feedback from a catheter or endoscopic type robotic device has been restricted mostly on the tip of the device and was not aimed to support the autonomous movement of the medical device during operation. In this work, we design a robotic sheath/sleeve with a novel and more comprehensive approach, which can function for whole body or segment-based feedback control as well as diagnostic purposes. The robotic sleeve has several types of piezo-resistive pressure and extension sensors, which are embedded at several latitudes and depths of the silicone substrate. The sleeve takes the human skin as a biological model for its structure. It has a better tactile sensation of the inner tissues in the torturous narrow channels such as cardiovascular or endoluminal tracts in human body and thus can be used to diagnose abnormalities. In addition to this capability, using the stretch sensors distributed alongside its body, the robotic sheath/sleeve can perceive the ego-motion of the robotic backbone of the catheter and can act as a position feedback device. Because of the silicone substrate, the sleeve contributes toward safety of the medical device passively by providing a compliant interface. As an active safety measure, the robotic sheath can sense blood clots or sudden turns inside a channel and by modifying the local trajectory and can prevent embolisms or tissue rupture. In the future, advanced manufacturing techniques will increase the capabilities of the tactile robotic sleeve.
A Targeted Genetic Association Study of the Rare Type of Osteomyelitis
Authors: Yahara H. , Horita S. , Yanamoto S. , Kitagawa Y. , Asaka T. , Yoda T. , Morita K. , Michi Y. , Takechi M. , Shimasue H. , Maruoka Y. , Kondo E. , Kusukawa J. , Tsujiguchi H. , Sato T. , Kannon T. , Nakamura H. , Tajima A. , Hosomichi K. , Yahara K.
Published: January 2020

Chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis is a rare bone disorder that can be found in the jaw. It is often associated with systemic conditions, including autoimmune deficiencies. However, little is known about how the genetic and immunologic background of patients influences the disease. Here, we focus on human leukocyte antigen (HLA), killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), and their specific combinations that have been difficult to analyze owing to their high diversity. We employed a recently developed technology of simultaneous typing of HLA alleles and KIR haplotype and investigated alleles of the 35 HLA loci and KIR haplotypes composed of centromeric and telomeric motifs in 18 cases and 18 controls for discovery and 472 independent controls for validation. We identified an amino acid substitution of threonine at position 94 of HLA-C in combination with the telomeric KIR genotype of haplotype tA01/tB01 that had significantly higher frequency (>20%) in the case population than in both control populations. Multiple logistic regression analysis based on a dominant model with adjustments for age and sex revealed and validated its statistical significance and high predictive accuracy (C-statistic ≥0.85). Structure-based analysis revealed that the combination of the amino acid change in HLA-C and the telomeric genotype tA01/tB01 could be associated with lower stability of HLA-C. This is the first case-control study of a rare disease that employed the latest sequencing technology enabling simultaneous typing and investigated amino acid polymorphisms at HLA loci in combination with KIR haplotype.
Developing a Multidimensional Measurement Scale for Diaspora Tourists’ Motivation
Authors: Otoo Felix Elvis , Kim Seongseop (Sam) , Choi Youngjoon
Published: January 2020

Despite its increased recognition among tourism planners and destination governments, a lacuna exists regarding the motivation of diaspora tourists travelling to a destination they regard as an ancestral homeland. Thus, in the current research, we seek to develop and validate a scale that measures the motivations of diaspora tourists. The result of a rigorous seven-stage scale development procedure generates a five-factor structure for diaspora tourists’ motivations. The scale is successfully verified through various reliability and validity tests. This multidimensional scale of diaspora tourist motivations contributes to our understanding of the nature of diaspora tourism.