bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of aesthetic anteroposterior position of maxillary incisors in patients with extraction treatment using facial reference lines
Authors: He Danqing , Gu Yan , Sun Yannan
Published: May 2019

Objective

To examine whether facial reference lines could be used to evaluate the anteroposterior position of the maxillary incisors in patients that had undergone extraction treatment.

Methods

The study enrolled Angle Class I patients who had favourable facial profiles after extraction treatment. Superimposition of post-treatment lateral photographs and cephalograms were constructed and anatomical landmarks on the forehead were identified. Reference lines of the forehead’s anterior limit line (FALL) and the vertical line through the soft-tissue glabella (G line) were constructed. The distance between the maxillary incisors and the FALL and G line were measured. Regression analyses were performed between the maxillary incisor position and forehead inclination.

Results

Forty-one patients (31 females and 10 males) were included in the study. The mean ± SD distances of the facial-axis point of the maxillary incisors (FA)–FALL and FA–G line were 1.8 ± 1.9 mm and –2.4 ± 1.8 mm, respectively. The distance of the maxillary incisors to FALL and the relative position of the maxillary incisors were both significantly correlated with forehead inclination.

Conclusions

The mean position of the maxillary incisors in patients with extraction was approximately in the middle of the G line and the FALL. Correct maxillary incisor position was correlated with forehead inclination.
Prediction of the need for manipulation under anesthesia for flexion contracture after total knee arthroplasty in patients of advanced age
Authors: Li Zheng , Lan Fei , Shen Yanyan , An Shuai , Xu Na , Yin Cheng , Yu Wei , Ye Weiguang , Cao Guanglei , Wang Tianlong
Published: May 2019

Objective

This study was performed to develop a prediction model for requiring manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) for flexion contracture after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients of advanced age.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 269 patients of advanced age undergoing primary TKA in one center with a minimum 1-year follow-up. Patients who underwent postoperative MUA had flexion contracture of >10° after 4 weeks of postoperative rehabilitation, and their demographic data and preoperative clinical conditions [knee diagnosis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, lumbar spinal disorders, hip disorders, ankle disorders, knee deformity (varus/valgus), preoperative flexion contracture (PFC), range of motion (ROM), and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score] were compared with those of patients without MUA. All preoperative factors were collected to develop the predictive model.

Results

Thirty patients underwent MUA. Patients who underwent MUA after surgery had significant differences in PFC, higher HSS knee scores before surgery (59.10 ± 7.22 vs. 55.70 ± 13.09), and lower preoperative ROM (81.57 ± 30.86 vs. 95.47 ± 24.36) than those who did not undergo MUA.

Conclusion

A prediction model for MUA in advanced-age patients with flexion contracture was developed and mainly consisted of preoperative risk factors including PFC, HSS scores, and ROM.
What is Revolution in the 21st Century? Towards a Socialist-Feminist World Revolution
Authors: Moghadam Valentine M.
Published: May 2019

I consider prospects for revolution in the 21st century, defined here as a thorough-going world revolution that replaces the capitalist world-system with a feminist-inflected democratic socialism. An overview of 20th century revolutions and more recent uprisings suggests distinctive contemporary features, including women’s participation and the diffusion of feminist agendas, but also constraints. In the face of reactionary social movements, and given the limits of ‘horizontalist’ politics, activists could learn from past revolutionary strategies to build a powerful global alliance of progressive forces.
Mixed Traffic of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and Human-Driven Vehicles: Traffic Evolution and Control using Spring-Mass-Damper System
Authors: Bang Soohyuk , Ahn Soyoung
Published: May 2019

This paper sheds light on mixed-traffic dynamics considering the differences in driving characteristics, namely acceleration/deceleration rate, desired speed, and response time, between connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) and human-driven vehicles (HDVs). In light traffic, these differences were found to induce platoon formations, headed by vehicles with a lower acceleration rate and propensity not to exceed the desired speed (HDV in this study). Platoon formations lead to large inter-platoon spacing that can be utilized to accommodate cut-in vehicles. In a near-capacity condition, however, the differences in driving characteristics can induce voids and undermine traffic throughput when traffic is disturbed by merging vehicles. Based on these findings, a simple CAV control method is proposed based on the spring-mass-damper (SMD) system approach that directly considers the HDV behavior to mitigate disturbance propagation and throughput reduction. The main principle is to adjust the control parameters (lower spring coefficient and higher damping coefficient in the SMD control model) with an aim to control CAVs to absorb the cut-in impact (i.e., spacing shortage) before it reaches the first upstream HDV. A simulation experiment suggests the feasible region of the control parameters, subject to the recovery time, the number of controllable CAVs, and the cut-in impact.
Flame-retardant mechanism of zinc borate and magnesium hydroxide in aluminum hypophosphite–based combination for TPE-S composites
Authors: Cheng Xi , Wu Jianming , Yao Chenguang , Yang Guisheng
Published: May 2019

Aluminum hypophosphite combined with melamine cyanurate and poly(phenylene oxide) was applied to flame retard TPE-S system (blends of SEBS and polyolefin). TPE-S containing 16 wt% aluminum hypophosphite, 20 wt% melamine cyanurate, and 10 wt% poly(phenylene oxide) pass a V-0 rating in the UL-94 test and its limiting oxygen index value is 28.2%. Zinc borate and magnesium hydroxide were added to modify the AHP/MCA/PPO formulation. Thermogravimetric–Fourier transform infrared analysis tests showed that aluminum hypophosphite and melaminecyanurate acted in gaseous phase while aluminum hypophosphite and poly(phenylene oxide) helped to form char residue. TPE-S/AHP/MCA/PPO significantly decreased the heat release rate (reduction in peak heat release rate from 2001 to 494 kW m−2). Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometry results demonstrated that zinc borate and magnesium hydroxide promoted to retain more P and O elements in residue. Zinc borate and magnesium hydroxide in AHP/MCA/PPO formulation enhanced the char formation and reduced gas evolution of TPE-S, thus deteriorating the combination between gaseous phase and condensed phase.
Major Discrimination Experiences, Education, and Genes
Authors: Das Aniruddha
Published: May 2019

Objectives: Rather than acting as a buffer, educational attainment has a known positive linkage with major experiences of lifetime discrimination. Recently established genetic roots of education, then, may also influence such reports. The current study examined these patterns. Methods: Data were from the 2010 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Polygenic scores indexed one’s genetic propensity for more education. Mediation analysis was through counterfactual methods. Results: Among Whites as well as Blacks, genetic antecedents of education also elevated discrimination reports. Part of this influence was channeled through education. At least among Whites, direct effects were also found. Discussion: Major discrimination experiences seem partly rooted in genes. Mechanisms are tentatively suggested. Direct genetic influences, in particular, indicate potential confounding of previously estimated linkages between discrimination and health or life course factors. Given the range of these prior results, and their implications for healthy aging, investigation of these possibilities is needed.
The contentious politics of policy failure: The case of corporate board gender quotas in Spain
Authors: Verge Tània , Lombardo Emanuela
Published: May 2019

Drawing on the insights of studies examining opposition to gender equality policy, this article develops an actor-centric analytical framework of the contentious politics underpinning the entire policy process and suggests that resistance is a crucial meta factor explaining policy failure. Through a longitudinal study of corporate board gender quotas in Spain, it investigates the ways in which enduring conflict between support and opposition actors can lead to policy failure at the different stages of the policy cycle. The article shows that resistance by status quo actors can undermine policy legitimacy and weaken its design at the adoption phase. Subsequently, resistance can lead not only to a poor implementation and evaluation work, resulting in policy incoherence, but also to the reinstatement of old assumptions. Ultimately, resistance may bring about the dilution of the policy's core ideas, the reduction of its scope and the dismantling of its governing arrangements, thereby hindering its durability. Our empirical analysis also reveals that policy failures can trigger actors' policy learning and yield interest realignments of advocacy coalitions aimed at reformulating the policy to enhance its effectiveness.
Design and experimental study of a power matching control system for a working device of a tree transplanting machine
Authors: Chen Jianneng , Yu Chennan , Xia Xudong , Zhao Xiong , Cai Shuanglei , Wang Jian
Published: May 2019

When the load changes frequently during the operation of a tree transplanting machine, the load power of the hydraulic pump fluctuates greatly, causing the engine to frequently work in a high fuel consumption mode and suffer serious power loss. To enable the working device of a tree transplanting machine to save energy when operating under a variable load, power matching between the engine and the hydraulic pump is required. In this article, a power matching control system is designed based on the working device and hydraulic system of a tree transplanting machine and is modelled and simulated by AMESim software. A power matching control test system is also built and tested. The modelling, simulation and testing results show that the power matching control system can stabilize the engine speed near the target speed and achieve an obvious energy-saving effect, reducing fuel consumption by 9.79% compared to that of the traditional hydraulic system.
Observer-based state-feedback robust control for path following of autonomous ground vehicles
Authors: Feng Pengpeng , Zhang Jianwu , Yang Weimiao
Published: May 2019

In this article, a robust [Formula: see text] observer-based static state-feedback controller is designed for the path following of autonomous ground vehicles. The Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy modeling technique is used for modeling of vehicle dynamics with varying longitudinal velocity first. Then considering the high cost of direct lateral velocity measurement, an observer is designed to estimate the value of lateral velocity. Meanwhile, a robust controller is proposed to deal with the parameter uncertainties and external disturbances simultaneously, including the variation of the tire-cornering stiffness of both front and rear tires. Afterward, the condition of designing such an observer-based controller is transformed into the feasible problem of linear matrix inequalities. Numerical simulations using a high-fidelity and full vehicle model are performed based on a Carsim–Simulink joint platform. Simulation results under different conditions and comparison with other controller show that the proposed controller is effective irrespective of the variation in the road condition, the change in the vehicle longitudinal velocity and the external disturbances.
Caffeic acid abrogates 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol-induced hepatotoxicity by upregulating nuclear erythroid-related factor 2 and downregulating nuclear factor-kappa B
Authors: Ajiboye TO , Ajala-Lawal RA , Adeyiga AB
Published: May 2019

1,3-dichloro-2-propanol is a food-borne contaminant reported to cause liver injury. In this study, we evaluated the protective influence of caffeic acid on 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Rats were randomized into five groups (A–E). Rats received distilled water or caffeic acid (10 or 20 mg/kg body weight) for 7 days. In addition, rats were challenged with 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol on day 7. Caffeic acid prevented 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol-mediated alterations in alkaline phosphatase, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, albumin and total bilirubin in the serum of rats. Furthermore, caffeic acid lowered superoxide ion, hydrogen peroxide and cytochrome P2E1 while increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase in the liver of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol-treated rats. Caffeic acid raised the levels of nuclear erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), protein kinase A and phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Caffeic acid pretreatment annulled 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol-mediated alterations in the oxidative stress biomarkers; caspase-3, glutathione, malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl and fragmented DNA, in the liver of rats. Contrastingly, caffeic acid lowered 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol-mediated increase in the levels of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6. In addition, caffeic acid preserved the morphological features of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol-treated rats. Results from this study revealed that caffeic acid protects against 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol-induced hepatotoxicity by enhancing the cytoprotective enzymes through Nrf-2 while lowering inflammation through NF-κB.
A 10-year retrospective review of stonefish sting injury in Hong Kong
Authors: Poon KM , Ng Chun Ho Vember , Tse ML
Published: May 2019

Background:

Stonefish sting injury is one of the common marine stings in Hong Kong. It is commonly sustained during maritime activities, and it could be regarded as occupational hazard for chefs or domestic hazard for family. Its envenomation could lead to significant local symptoms (pain or swelling) and serious complications, including infection and compartment syndrome.

Objectives:

This study is to review its clinical presentation and various treatment modalities.

Methodology and study design:

Reported cases of stonefish stings to Hong Kong Poison Information Centre from October 2008 to October 2018 were included in the study. The cases were retrieved from the Hong Kong Poison Information Centre electronic database. Information on patient demographic data, clinical parameters (e.g. the site of injury, presenting symptoms), and various treatment modalities (e.g. analgesics, hot water immersion, and use of antivenom) was collected.

Results:

There were 32 eligible patients included in this case series. All of them sustained the injury over either their fingers or hands. All patients reported pain over the site of injury. Other reported symptoms included numbness (41%), swelling (81%), and redness (47%). Twenty-five patients (78%) had radiograph done, and one of them was noted to have foreign body retained at the site of envenomation. All patients received hot water immersion to the affected part at 40°C–45°C for at least 30 min. Altogether eight patients (25%) received stonefish antivenom for pain relief. One patient developed compartment syndrome and received emergency operation of fasciotomy of right hand and forearm.

Conclusion:

Stonefish envenomation can cause extreme pain, swelling, and erythema, which can be managed with hot water immersion, analgesics, and prophylactic antibiotics. Use of antivenom can be considered in selected case.
Consent, custom and international law in South Africa: What Australian lawmakers could learn
Authors: Young Stephen
Published: May 2019

This article summarises a recent South African case, Baleni v Minister of Mineral Resources. It also analyses the Court’s reasoning to explore how a non-Australian common law state protects a traditional community’s customary laws and practices through legislation, a Constitutional Bill of Rights, and international law. Although a South African case, Baleni demonstrates how similar common law countries have adopted distinct approaches to protecting and treating traditional communities, from which Australian lawmakers could learn.
Utilitarianism and Policing in the United States
Authors: Nagin Daniel S.
Published: May 2019

Jeremy Bentham, the father of modern utilitarianism, ranks among the most influential nineteenth century philosophers. Michael Quinn’s (2019) essay, “Bentham on Preventive Policing”, is a reminder that, in addition, Bentham pioneered what we now call “policy analysis.” In so doing, the Quinn essay illustrates that policy analysis, at its best, can also be path breaking scholarship. In this response to Quinn’s excellent essay, I have attempted to demonstrate how Bentham’s revolutionary ideas about social justice remain as important today as they were two centuries ago.
Nonlinear Effects of Dynamic Export Pricing on Export Sales: A Longitudinal Investigation
Authors: Chen Jieke , Sousa Carlos M.P. , He Xinming
Published: May 2019

Little is known in the literature about dynamic export pricing, and particularly how the external environment interacts with a firm’s export pricing decisions and its long-term effect on export sales. Therefore, this study develops a longitudinal framework to examine the quadratic effect of dynamic export pricing and its interaction with customer/competitive turbulence on export sales. By employing product-level longitudinal data, the authors also estimate the lagged effect from past dynamic export pricing and export sales while simultaneously controlling for endogeneity and unknown firm heterogeneity. The results indicate that dynamic export pricing appears to have inverted quadratic effects on export sales; this quadratic relationship is moderated by customer turbulence and competitive turbulence. The authors also focus on the changes of the curve and shifts of the turning point and delineate the fit lines that pinpoint the optimal dynamic export pricing in different export markets. Finally, previous actions and outcomes significantly influence the following year’s export sales, which explains the long-term relationships.
Chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis management: A retrospective analysis of MuGard, Caphosol, and standard supportive care measures
Authors: Murdock Joshua L , Reeves David J
Published: May 2019

Background

Oral mucositis, a common complication of several different anticancer therapies, causes significant morbidity in cancer patients. It is characterized by the destruction of the mucosa throughout the gastrointestinal tract including the oral cavity. Limited data exist regarding the treatment of established oral mucositis with oral mucoadhesive hydrogel (MuGard) or supersaturated calcium phosphate oral rise (Caphosol) compared to standard topical therapies.

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of MuGard and Caphosol compared to standard topical therapy in the treatment of established oral mucositis.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed including adults receiving MuGard, Caphosol, and/or standard topical therapy for the treatment of established oral mucositis while admitted to a community teaching hospital. A post hoc propensity score was used to match patients receiving newer agents (Mugard/Caphosol) to those receiving standard topical therapy (ST).

Results

One hundred and forty-seven patients were included for analysis (125 ST, 15 MuGard, 7 Caphosol). From this population, 14 patients in each group were matched. The primary endpoint of median change in average daily pain score at days 3 and 7, compared to baseline, demonstrated no difference between matched groups at day 3 (ST 0, MuGard/Caphosol 0.18, p = 0.830) or day 7 (ST 0, MuGard/Caphosol 0.8, p = 0.494). No differences were noted between groups in opioid usage, oral mucositis symptom duration or progression, or incidence of documented infection.

Conclusion

MuGard and Caphosol did not demonstrate any benefits compared to standard topical therapy at reducing pain scores or increasing mucosal recovery in the treatment of oral mucositis.
Accuracy of predicting the vancomycin concentration in Japanese cancer patients by the Sawchuk–Zaske method or Bayesian method
Authors: Nakashima Toshihisa , Ohno Takayuki , Koido Keiichi , Hashimoto Hironobu , Terakado Hiroyuki
Published: May 2019

Background

In cancer patients treated with vancomycin, therapeutic drug monitoring is currently performed by the Bayesian method that involves estimating individual pharmacokinetics from population pharmacokinetic parameters and trough concentrations rather than the Sawchuk–Zaske method using peak and trough concentrations. Although the presence of malignancy influences the pharmacokinetic parameters of vancomycin, it is unclear whether cancer patients were included in the Japanese patient populations employed to estimate population pharmacokinetic parameters for this drug. The difference of predictive accuracy between the Sawchuk–Zaske and Bayesian methods in Japanese cancer patients is not completely understood.

Objective

To retrospectively compare the accuracy of predicting vancomycin concentrations between the Sawchuk–Zaske method and the Bayesian method in Japanese cancer patients.

Methods

Using data from 48 patients with various malignancies, the predictive accuracy (bias) and precision of the two methods were assessed by calculating the mean prediction error, the mean absolute prediction error, and the root mean squared prediction error.

Results

Prediction of the trough and peak vancomycin concentrations by the Sawchuk–Zaske method and the peak concentration by the Bayesian method showed a bias toward low values according to the mean prediction error. However, there were no significant differences between the two methods with regard to the changes of the mean prediction error, mean absolute prediction error, and root mean squared prediction error.

Conclusion

The Sawchuk–Zaske method and Bayesian method showed similar accuracy for predicting vancomycin concentrations in Japanese cancer patients.
An Integrative Review of Cytokine/Chemokine Predictors of Neurodevelopment in Preterm Infants
Authors: Nist Marliese Dion , Pickler Rita H.
Published: May 2019

Preterm infants are at risk of brain injury and poor neurodevelopmental outcomes including impairments in cognition, behavioral functioning, sensory perception, and motor performance. Systemic inflammation has been identified as an important, potentially modifiable precursor of neurologic and neurodevelopmental impairments. Inflammation is typically measured by quantifying circulating cytokines and chemokines. However, it is unclear which specific cytokines/chemokines most consistently predict neurodevelopment in preterm infants. In this integrative review, we evaluated and analyzed the literature ( N = 37 publications) to determine the cytokines/chemokines most predictive of neurodevelopment in preterm infants, the optimal timing for these measurements, and the ideal source for collecting cytokines/chemokines. Synthesis of the findings of these studies revealed that interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α collected during the first 3 weeks of life are most predictive of subsequent neurodevelopment. Methodological variation among studies hinders more specific analysis, including the evaluation of cytokine thresholds and meta-analyses, that would allow for the use of cytokines/chemokines to predict neurodevelopment. Future research should focus on identifying explicit cytokine values, specifically for IL-6, IL-1β, IL-8, and TNF-α, that are most predictive for identifying preterm infants most at risk of impairment, keeping in mind that longitudinal measures of cytokines/chemokines may be more predictive of future outcomes than single-time point measures.
Biobehavioral Mechanisms Associated With Nonhealing Wounds and Psychoneurologic Symptoms (Pain, Cognitive Dysfunction, Fatigue, Depression, and Anxiety) in Older Individuals With Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers
Authors: Stechmiller Joyce K. , Lyon Debra , Schultz Gregory , Gibson Daniel J. , Weaver Michael T. , Wilkie Diana , Ferrell Anastasiya V. , Whitney Joanne , Kim Junglyun , Millan Susan B.
Published: May 2019

The prevalence and incidence of chronic venous leg ulcers (CVLUs) are increasing worldwide, as are the associated financial costs. Although it has long been known that their underlying etiology is venous insufficiency, the molecular aspects of healing versus nonhealing, as well as the psychoneurologic symptoms (PNS; pain, cognitive dysfunction, fatigue, depression, and anxiety) associated with CVLUs remain understudied. In this biobehaviorally focused review, we aim to elucidate the complex mechanisms that link the biological and molecular aspects of CLVUs with their PNS. Innovations in “omics” research have increased our understanding of important wound microenvironmental factors (e.g., inflammation, microbial pathogenic biofilm, epigenetic processes) that may adversely alter the wound bed’s molecular milieu so that microbes evade immune detection. Although these molecular factors are not singularly responsible for wound healing, they are major components of wound development, nonhealing, and PNS that, until now, have not been amenable to systematic study, especially over time. Further, this review explores our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which the immune activation that contributes to the development and persistence of CVLUs also leads to the development, persistence, and severity of wound-related PNS. We also make recommendations for future research that will expand the field of biobehavioral wound science. Biobehavioral research that focuses on the interrelated mechanisms of PNS will lead to symptom-management interventions that improve quality of life for the population burdened by CVLUs.
SWSPM: A Novel Alignment-Free DNA Comparison Method Based on Signal Processing Approaches
Authors: Farkaš Tomáš , Sitarčík Jozef , Brejová Broňa , Lucká Mária
Published: May 2019

Computing similarity between 2 nucleotide sequences is one of the fundamental problems in bioinformatics. Current methods are based mainly on 2 major approaches: (1) sequence alignment, which is computationally expensive, and (2) faster, but less accurate, alignment-free methods based on various statistical summaries, for example, short word counts. We propose a new distance measure based on mathematical transforms from the domain of signal processing. To tolerate large-scale rearrangements in the sequences, the transform is computed across sliding windows. We compare our method on several data sets with current state-of-art alignment-free methods. Our method compares favorably in terms of accuracy and outperforms other methods in running time and memory requirements. In addition, it is massively scalable up to dozens of processing units without the loss of performance due to communication overhead. Source files and sample data are available at https://bitbucket.org/fiitstubioinfo/swspm/src
Gender equality in employment: The experience of Kazakhstan
Authors: Buribayev Yermek A , Khamzina Zhanna A
Published: May 2019

No country in the world has achieved full gender equality in labour relations. Kazakhstan has just begun a long way of creating legislative and organizational conditions for equality in the workplace. It is obvious that to create a more equal, gender-sensitive society, a state will require profound changes in perceptions, attitudes, stereotypes, and laws. Facilitating such changes is justified not only from a moral but also from an economic point of view. Today, the requirements for women in society in the performance of labour functions are the same as for men. However, in family and domestic relations, there is a persistence of the gender stereotype of male privileges. There is no change in sectoral gender segregation. Women still make up more than 70% of employees in the health, education, and social services sectors, while women’s representation in the financial and public sectors is slightly more than half. Traditionally, these types of sectors are less profitable compared to “male industries,” such as construction, oil and gas, mining, and transport. The level of attracting female labour in innovative, infrastructural, and high-tech projects and programs is very low. The issue of expanding the economic opportunities of rural women, who are denied access to public and state resources and services, remains relevant. In the article, we show the possibilities for ensuring equal employment of men and women in Kazakhstan. The proposals on the improvement of legislation on labour protection and labour conditions and improvement of working conditions are presented, and the possibilities of introducing and expanding flexible forms of employment are considered. Conclusions are drawn on the revision of the list of works prohibiting the use of female labour and ensuring that women have access to types of work that do not pose a danger to women’s health due to their automation, technologization, and informatization.
Methods Braiding: A Technique for Arts-Based and Mixed-Methods Research
Authors: Watson Ashleigh
Published: May 2019

This article introduces a technique for doing mixed-methods research which I term the methods braiding technique. Contributing to established techniques for mixing methods across and within the quantitative and qualitative spectra, methods braiding incorporates arts-based research considerations. This aims to assist the growing number of researchers seeking to incorporate creative methods into their projects and add to established integrative, iterative, and synergistic approaches with insights from arts-based research. The methods braiding technique offers three main strengths. First, it assists researchers with cultivating reflexivity through periodic process reviews. Second, methods braiding helps researchers engage with the potentially divergent conceptual foundations of mixed-methods projects; by framing ‘mixing’ as a braiding process, this technique emphasises the synergistic integration of methods, analysis, and interpretation. Finally, and especially valuable for projects using arts-based methods, this technique centralises the crafting of multiple research outputs throughout the duration of a project. The use of this technique is illustrated via an example of a project in which a sociological fiction novel is constructed.
Maintaining masculinity: Moral positioning when accounting for prostate cancer illness
Authors: Green Richard
Published: May 2019

This article explores men’s experiences following treatment for prostate cancer through the lens of chronic illness. Recent empirical work suggests prostate cancer may be better understood as a chronic illness. Prostate cancer offers a case study to examine how older men’s masculinities are disrupted by chronic illness experience. Qualitative interviews with 29 men, recruited from two prostate cancer support groups, explored prostate cancer and post-treatment experiences. Men’s experiences are examined by drawing on the works of Steve Robertson and Kathy Charmaz for understanding masculinities in relation to health and illness. Aspects of chronic illness experience are identified in men’s accounts, particularly concerns with loss of moral status resulting from ongoing and potentially stigmatising treatment side effects. Four forms of moral positioning are identified that align with Steve Robertson’s empirically derived model theorising the relationship between health and hegemonic masculinity. These findings facilitate discussion of the interaction between chronic illness experience, morality and masculinities, providing insight into how older men maintain their masculinity in the wake of illness.
What does robbery really cost? An exploratory study into calculating costs and ‘hidden costs’ of policing opioid-related robbery offences
Authors: Mark Aaron , Whitford Andrew , Huey Laura
Published: May 2019

Recent attention on the opioid crisis has almost exclusively focused on this issue as a public health concern. Although we do not dispute this approach, we recognize that the opioid crisis in Canada has also generated significant policing costs—particularly in the form of robberies of pharmacies and other businesses. Much of this cost, we argue, remains unknown and/or hidden from public discussion. In this study, we present a more accurate costing of investigating robbery cases, by focusing on a series of opioid-related robberies committed by two individuals in London, Ontario. To calculate the costs, we sought to identify some of the hidden factors not commonly accounted for. Our results indicate that the cost of investigating a robbery case—from initial call to closing of the case—is comparable with previous estimates. However, as opioid-related pharmacies occur as a series of events, total costs are not insignificant. The results of this study have implications for resource allocation policies and highlight the need for a standard police costing metric and a more nuanced understanding of opioid addiction as a policing issue.
“Tipping point” in the SoS? Minority-supportive opinion climate proportion and perceived hostility in uncivil online discussion
Authors: Ordoñez Marie Angela M , Nekmat Elmie
Published: May 2019

This study investigates a postulated 30% supportive-comment threshold as a “tipping point” for minority expression on social networking sites (SNSs) in the context of online incivility. By doing so, perceived hostility is introduced as an interactional factor explaining minority’s expression (un)likelihood. Results from a 2 (comment civility: civil vs uncivil) × 3 (supportive-comment proportion: 15% vs 30% vs 45%) ( N = 807) revealed that perceived hostility from uncivil comments is lowered at the 30% supportive threshold, which then leads to greater likelihood of public expression by minority opinion holders (i.e. moderated mediation). Supportive-comment proportions were, however, not found to directly affect perceived hostility in civilized discussions. Overall, minority opinion holders are more likely to react via emojis ( Like, Love, Haha, Wow, Sad, Angry) in SNSs than to post comments. The implications of findings for the spiral of silence in online settings are discussed.
Studying power and influence in the European Union: Exploiting the complexity of post-Lisbon legislation with EUR-Lex
Authors: Blom-Hansen Jens
Published: May 2019

The Lisbon Treaty fundamentally changed EU legislation. It introduced a new hierarchy of acts, new types of acts and new decision-making procedures. However, instead of replacing the pre-Lisbon types of acts and procedures, it added to them. The legislative landscape is therefore now more complex than before. However, to political scientists, this complexity represents new opportunities to study power and influence. But these opportunities have been under-exploited so far. The article explains the complex post-Lisbon situation and uses legislative output from the period 2012–2017 to discuss how much the various types of acts and decision procedures are used in practice. The advantages and drawbacks of the EUR-Lex database are discussed, and a guide to navigate this database is provided. The article concludes by pointing to the potential of using the full complexity of the post-Lisbon legislative landscape and the EUR-Lex database for analysing the politics of the European Union.
Modelling three-way catalytic converter oriented to engine cold-start conditions
Authors: Real Marcelo , Hedinger Raffael , Pla Benjamín , Onder Christopher
Published: May 2019

This article introduces a physical model of a three-way catalytic converter oriented to engine cold-start conditions. Computational cost is an important factor, particularly when the modelling is oriented to the development of engine control strategies. That is why a one-dimensional one-channel real-time capable model is proposed. The present model accounts for two phases, gas and solid, respectively, considering not only the heat transfer by convection between both, but also the water vapour condensation and evaporation in the catalyst brick, which plays a key role during engine cold-start. Moreover, the model addresses the conductive heat flow, heat losses to the environment and exothermic reactions in the solid phase, as well as the convective heat flow in the gas phase. Regarding the chemical model, the oxidation of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide is considered by means of the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism. Three layers make up the model structure from a kinetic point of view, bulk gas, washcoat pores and noble metal in the catalyst surface. The model takes fuel-to-air ratio, exhaust gas mass flow, temperature, pressure and gas composition as inputs, providing the thermal distribution as well as the species concentration along the converter.
Max Weber and federal democracy
Authors: Whimster Sam
Published: May 2019

This article challenges the received view of Max Weber as a supporter of unitary centralised state presided over by a plebiscitary leader. His wartime writings on Germany’s political situation demand the end of Prussian hegemony and the abolition of the three-class voting system. Democracy in the mass age means that all citizens of the state have equal voting rights, political parties can freely compete for votes and parliamentary representative democracy, argued Weber, is superior to all forms of direct democracy. Weber strongly supported federal democracy and argued for the division of executive, administrative and political functions between the Reich and the separate German states, not unlike the constitution of today’s German federal state. Weber advances a number of process arguments about how large states within a confederation are able to exert control that is insufficiently accountable to parliaments. It is suggested his views on federal democracy can be used as a critique of hegemonic and undemocratic features of today’s European Union.
Interprofessional pedagogy in community settings: An autoethnographic study
Authors: Sloane Heather , Haas Kendra
Published: May 2019

The Council for Social Work Education has made a commitment to participate in interprofessional education and interprofessional curriculum building. Across medical professions, there is a common concern about the consequences of poor teamwork and implicit bias. Both medical error and interpersonal misunderstanding are an important contribution to health care disparities. Introducing interprofessional education opportunities early in professional education, offering common assignments to all professions, having a committed interprofessional faculty, and involving interprofessional students in curriculum design are all considered important to quality interprofessional education. At the core of this study is a student authoethnographic investigation of three different interprofessional interventions as part of her MSW internship. This research collaboration involved regular mentoring discussions with her field instructor to flesh out cultural context and theoretical relevance of her observations. The writing and discussion experiences of this partnership brought up concerns about unaddressed complexity in interprofessional team interactions. Professional-centrism was observed regularly, and this lack of respect for difference among team members often foreshadows the respect patients received from the medical team. Social separation, empathy, and avoiding team conflict were also a focus.
The cytoprotective impact of yes-associated protein 1 after ischemia-reperfusion injury in AC16 human cardiomyocytes
Authors: Khan Kashif , Makhoul Georges , Yu Bin , Schwertani Adel , Cecere Renzo
Published: May 2019

The Hippo-signaling pathway is a mechanism implicated in cardiomyocyte cytoprotection and regeneration after a myocardial infarction. Yes-associated protein 1, the main effector protein of this pathway, acts as a co-transcriptional activator to promote cardiomyocyte proliferation and survival. However, the biological mechanisms by which yes-associated protein 1 protects the heart post-MI are currently unknown. Here, we propose that yes-associated protein 1 plays a critical role in cardiomyocyte cytoprotection after simulated ischemia-reperfusion injury. AC16 human cardiomyocytes were infected with lentiviral plasmids containing normal human yes-associated protein 1 and a constitutively active form of YAP, YAP1S127A. Cells were exposed to ischemia-reperfusion injury using a hypoxic chamber. Hippo-signaling characterization after ischemia-reperfusion injury was performed via Western blotting and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Cell viability, apoptosis, and cellular hypertrophy were assessed as a measure of cytoprotection. The GSK3β inhibitor CHIR99021 was used to investigate cross-talk between Hippo and Wnt-signaling and their role in cytoprotection after ischemia-reperfusion-injury. Ischemia-reperfusion injury resulted in significant decreased expression of the non-phosphorylated Hippo signaling kinases MST1 and LATS1, along with decreased expression of YAP/TAZ. Overexpression of yes-associated protein 1 improved cellular viability, while reducing hypertrophy and apoptosis via the ATM/ATR DNA damage response pathway. Activation of β-catenin in YAP-infected cardiomyocytes synergistically reduced cellular hypertrophy after ischemia-reperfusion-injury. Our findings indicate that yes-associated protein 1 is cytoprotective in AC16 human cardiomyocytes after ischemia-reperfusion injury, which may be mediated by co-activation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Thus, activation of yes-associated protein 1 may be a novel therapeutic to repair the infarcted myocardium.

Impact statement

Genetically engineering the cells of the heart after myocardial infarction to display a more regenerative phenotype is a promising therapy for heart failure patients. Here, we support a regenerative role for yes-associated protein 1, the main effector protein of the Hippo signaling pathway, in AC16 human cardiomyocytes as a potential therapeutic gene target for cardiac repair after myocardial infarction.
Spiritual Exchange: A Methodology for a Living Inquiry With All Our Relations
Authors: Bouvier Victoria , MacDonald Jennifer
Published: May 2019

Brought to life by an exchange with a crocus, we respond to our challenges with methodologies that privilege cognitive ways of theorizing and sharing together. As a Michif (Metis) woman and a woman of White settler descent, we engage in a layered dialogue across cultural understandings—what we call a spiritual exchange—guided by ethical relationality and the teachings of Spirit Gifting. The spiritual exchange offers a process to make meaning of experiences and to collaborate in ways that help us generate and live out ethical relationships. We question: How can we proceed in ways that might rehumanize the research process and honor the living earth? How might research look and feel if stories of respect, love, reciprocity, and responsibility were at the center? In this article, we offer an inquiry process that honors the act of study from an Indigenous sensibility, the multiplicity of kinetic and relational knowing, and the reanimation of the more-than-human.
Studying the effects of freeway alignment, traffic flow, and sign information on subjective driving workload and performance
Authors: Xie Lian , Wu Chaozhong , Lyu Nengchao , Duan Zhicheng
Published: May 2019

Road alignment, traffic flow, and sign information interact and create complex traffic situations. To evaluate the effects of freeway horizontal radius, slope grade, traffic flow, and sign information on subjective driving workload and performance, a simulated driving experiment based on an orthogonal test design was conducted. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index was used to measure self-reported workload. Data regarding speed and lane deviation were collected through the driving simulator. A multivariate analysis of variance results indicated that the radius of the horizontal curve significantly influenced workload score, average speed, and lane deviation. It was observed that in a high workload environment, participants exerted more effort on the driving task; however, driving performance still decreased. Although there was no significant correlation between slope grade and subjective driving workload or performance, the primary effect of slope grade on workload and average speed was statistically significant. The amount of sign information significantly influenced the driver’s perceived workload; however, it did not significantly impact driving performance. In addition, the low correlation coefficient between subjective workload and performance was obtained. These research findings can provide insights for the design of freeway alignments and traffic signs to maintain optimal workload and minimize safety risks.
Evidential diversity increases generalisation in predictive learning
Authors: Lee Jessica C , Lovibond Peter F , Hayes Brett K
Published: May 2019

In property induction tasks, encountering a diverse range of instances (e.g., hippos and hamsters) with a given property usually increases our willingness to generalise that property to a novel instance, relative to non-diverse evidence (e.g., hippos and rhinos). Although generalisation in property induction and predictive learning tasks share conceptual similarities, it is unknown whether this diversity principle applies to generalisation of a predictive association. We tested this hypothesis in two predictive learning experiments using differential training where one category of stimuli (e.g., fruits) predicted an outcome and another category (e.g., vegetables) predicted no outcome. We compared generalisation between a Non-Diverse group who were presented with non-diverse evidence in both positive (predicted the outcome) and negative (predicted no outcome) categories, and two groups who received the same training as the Non-Diverse group but with a more diverse range of exemplars in the positive (Diverse+ group) or negative (Diverse– group) category. Diversity effects were found for both positive and negative categories, in that learning about a diverse range of exemplars increased generalisation of a predictive association to novel exemplars from that same category. The results suggest that diversity, a key principle describing how we reason inductively, also applies to generalisation in associative learning tasks.
The use of biologics for autoimmune rheumatic diseases in fertility and pregnancy
Authors: Soh May Ching , Moretto Marcelo
Published: May 2019

In an age where autoimmune rheumatic diseases are successfully managed with biologics, their discontinuation in pregnancy is inadvisable without careful forethought; maternal disease activity is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, which has long-term implications for both mother and offspring. We aim to provide clinicians with the necessary tools to facilitate decision-making – when a biologic should be used, when it can be discontinued in pregnancy if appropriate. The pathophysiology of these biologic molecules and their effect on fertility, pregnancy and parturition are discussed. A summary of the 2016 international guidelines (European League Against Rheumatism and British Society in Rheumatology) on biologics in pregnancy has been tabulated; more recent publications are discussed in depth. Data on transplacental-transfer ratios and breastmilk excretion rates are also included. Biologic effects on organogenesis, their implications for the exposed infant in terms of infection risks and vaccination requirements are included, and future directions for research proposed.