bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
M-strings and (0,2) sigma model anomaly
Authors: Shabbir Khurram
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we discuss the anomaly cancelation condition for the (0,[Formula: see text]2) sigma model corresponding to the M-strings. We show that slight modification of the usual bundle F used for M-strings, involving tensoring with a power of the line bundle, leads to a bundle which satisfies the anomaly cancelation condition.
Correlation inequalities and monotonicity properties of the Ruelle operator
Authors: Cioletti L. , Lopes A. O.
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we provide sufficient conditions for the validity of the FKG Inequality, on Thermodynamic Formalism setting, for a class of eigenmeasures of the dual of the Ruelle operator. We use this correlation inequality to study the maximal eigenvalue problem for the Ruelle operator associated to low regular potentials. As an application, we obtain explicit upper bounds for the main eigenvalue (consequently, for the pressure) of the Ruelle operator associated to Ising models with a power law decay interaction energy.
The sublattice of the lattice of π-normal Fitting classes
Authors: Yang Nanying , Zhao Shuya , Martsinkevich A.V. , Vorob’ev N.T.
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we describe the construction of the sublattice of the lattice of all [Formula: see text]-normal Fitting classes by non [Formula: see text]-normal Fitting classes.
Quantum Confinement Observation of Milled Potassium Chloride
Authors: Rashad M. , El-Zaidia E. F. M. , AL Garni S. E. , Darwish A. A. A.
Published: April 2019

Potassium chloride (KCl) nanoparticles were synthesized by ball milling technique with different milling time. The effect of milling time on structural and optical properties was investigated. The structural properties of the purchased samples are characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction techniques. The Raman spectroscopy of the KCl hints at an excellent alloying behavior of those compounds and a preferred crystal structure for certain composition. The optical band is calculated by analyzing the spectral behavior of the absorption coefficient in the absorption region which revealed direct transitions. The value optical band increases (4.02–5.11[Formula: see text]eV) with increasing milling time (0–15[Formula: see text]h) due to quantum confinement after the ball milling process. The refractive and absorption indices were calculated for all samples. The model of Wemple–DiDomenico was used to calculate the dispersion parameters. The nonlinear susceptibility of the third order and the nonlinear refractive index were calculated by linear optical parameters using the generalized Miller rule.
Global dynamics of a cholera model with age structures and multiple transmission modes
Authors: Wang Xia , Chen Yuming , Song Xinyu
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we propose and analyze a cholera model. The model incorporates both direct transmission (person-to-person transmission) and indirect transmission (contaminated environment-to-person transmission: hyper-infectivity and lower-infectivity). Moreover, we employ general nonlinear incidences and introduce infection age of infectious individuals and biological ages of pathogens in the environment. After considering the well-posedness of the system, we study the existence and local stability of steady states, which is determined by the basic reproduction number. To establish the attractivity of the infection steady state, we also get the uniform persistence and existence of compact global attractors. The main result is a threshold dynamics obtained by applying the Fluctuation Lemma and the approach of Lyapunov functionals. When the basic reproduction number is less than one, the infection-free steady state is globally asymptotically stable while when the basic reproduction number is larger than one, the infection steady state attracts each solution with nonzero infection force at some time point. The effect of multiple transmission modes on the disease dynamics is also discussed.
Evaluation of Health Loss Caused by Haze Pollution in Beijing: Historical Changes and Current Situation
Authors: CHEN Sumei
Published: April 2019

Haze pollution’s harm to residents’ health has become a public topic arousing the national, social and public concerns. This paper, taking Beijing as an example, quantitatively evaluated the current situation and historical changes of health-related economic loss caused by haze pollution across Beijing’s districts, based on the data from 2009 to 2016 on air pollutant concentration, pathology and health statistics. The results show that health-related economic loss caused by haze pollution of Beijing in 2016 was about RMB 67.925 billion. The most severe health loss was seen in Chaoyang, Haidian and Fengtai districts, while less health loss was found in Yanqing, Mentougou and Huairou districts. This is mainly attributed to the differences in pollutants emission, local population and geographic location. Judging from the trend, the health loss caused by air pollution across Beijing saw a wavelike rise first, followed by a decrease year by year, from 2009 to 2016; but the loss in 2016 was at least 1.1 times that in 2009. The control over air pollution faces severe challenges. Therefore, it is urgently needed to address haze pollution in line with the local conditions of Beijing and take gradual steps to incorporate health loss caused by air pollution into the balance sheet accounting system of natural resources.
Low Rates of Patient-Reported Physician–Patient Discussion about Lung Cancer Screening among Current Smokers: Data from Health Information National Trends Survey
Authors: Huo Jinhai , Hong Young-Rock , Bian Jiang , Guo Yi , Wilkie Diana J. , Mainous Arch G.
Published: April 2019

Background:

Many professional societies published guidelines recommending lung cancer screening with low-dose CT scan. We examined the temporal trends in patient-reported physician–patient discussions about lung cancer screening, and aimed to determine the association of discussions of lung cancer screening with the smokers’ attempt to quit and intent to quit.

Methods:

Data from years 2012, 2014, and 2017 of the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) were combined to create a multiple-year analytic dataset. We calculated the association between samples’ characteristics and the presence of discussion about lung cancer screening. Using logistic regression, we estimated the probability of smokers’ attempt to quit and intent to quit.

Results:

Among 9,443 subjects, the crude estimated rates of physician–patient discussion decreased from 6.7% in 2012, to 4.2% in 2014 and 4.3% in 2017. Across the age and smoking status groups, the current smokers ages 55 to 74 in 2012 (26.8%), and current smokers older than 74 years in 2014 (23.5%) and 2017 (22.1%) had the highest rates of discussion. The physician–patient discussion about lung cancer screening was not associated with patients’ intent to quit or attempt to quit in a multivariable analysis.

Conclusions: Efforts are needed to improve the physician–patient discussion about lung cancer screening among individuals across a spectrum of lung cancer risk.

Impact:

Developing communication strategies for promoting beneficial lung cancer screening among lung cancer screening-eligible smokers and strategies for improving the quality of discussion on lung cancer screening integrating smoking cessation are needed to reduce the burden of lung cancer.
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 Signaling Modulates Vascular Endothelial Function Through Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Reho John J. , Guo Deng‐Fu , Rahmouni Kamal
Published: April 2019

Background

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (
mTORC
1) is an important intracellular energy sensor that regulates gene expression and protein synthesis through its downstream signaling components, the S6‐kinase and the ribosomal S6 protein. Recently, signaling arising from
mTORC
1 has been implicated in regulation of the cardiovascular system with implications for disease. Here, we examined the contribution of
mTORC
1 signaling to the regulation of vascular function.

Methods and Results

Activation of
mTORC
1 pathway in aortic rings with leucine or an adenoviral vector expressing a constitutively active S6‐kinase reduces endothelial‐dependent vasorelaxation in an
mTORC
1‐dependent manner without affecting smooth muscle relaxation responses. Moreover, activation of
mTORC
1 signaling in endothelial cells increases reactive oxygen species (
ROS
) generation and
ROS
gene expression resulting in a pro‐oxidant gene environment. Blockade of
ROS
signaling with Tempol restores endothelial function in vascular rings with increased
mTORC
1 activity indicating a crucial interaction between
mTORC
1 and
ROS
signaling. We then tested the role of nuclear factor‐κB transcriptional complex in connecting
mTORC
1 and
ROS
signaling in endothelial cells. Blockade of inhibitor of nuclear factor κ‐B kinase subunit β activity with
BMS
‐345541 prevented the increased
ROS
generation associated with increased
mTORC
1 activity in endothelial cells but did not improve vascular endothelial function in aortic rings with increased
mTORC
1 and ROS signaling.

Conclusions

These results implicate
mTORC
1 as a critical molecular signaling hub in the vascular endothelium in mediating vascular endothelial function through modulation of
ROS
signaling.
Rethinking “State Shinto” in the Past and the Present
Authors: Okuyama Michiaki
Published: April 2019

This article reflects on the meaning of recent arguments concerning “State Shinto” in the contemporary Japanese right-wing and conservative social context. Shimazono Susumu’s recent analyses of State Shinto in postwar Japan have stimulated discussion of the subject. His understanding that State Shinto has survived from the prewar years is based on his analysis of both Imperial House Shinto, which was not affected by the Shinto Directive issued in 1945, and the postwar political activism of the Association of Shinto Shrines and its political arm, the Shinto Association for Spiritual Leadership. The political campaigns of these Shinto groups can be situated in a larger context of the rise of neonationalism in contemporary Japanese society. Given the relationship of Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine and Ise Jingū (Ise Shrine), and the current interest among the public in the rituals of the emperor and the imperial family, a reconsideration of the concept of State Shinto seems warranted. A critical rethinking of State Shinto may be regarded as a warning against attempts by conservative religio-political movements to revive prewar State Shinto.
Scutellonema bradys and Pratylenchus spp. associated with weeds in yam fields
Authors: De Almeida Alison V.D.L. , Muniz Maria de Fatima S. , Noronha Marissônia De A. , De Souza Renan C. , Filho Gilson M. , De Farias Sara P.
Published: April 2019

Dry root disease of yam (Dioscorea spp.), caused by Scutellonema bradys, Pratylenchus coffeae and P. brachyurus, is prominent among the plant disease problems of yam in Brazil. In order to evaluate the association of these nematode species with weeds, field sampling was performed during 2016 and 2017 in yam-growing areas with a history of the disease within the major counties in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. The frequency of occurrence of both weeds and nematodes was determined, in addition to the estimated population of nematodes in roots. Forty-three weed species were found, of which 23 were infected with at least one of the causal agents of the dry rot disease, Pratylenchus spp. being the most prevalent in the fields. Ageratum conyzoides, Commelina benghalensis and Emilia coccinea (in Zona da Mata) and C. benghalensis (Agreste region) were especially important due to their high frequency of occurrence and also for supporting populations of S. bradys and Pratylenchus spp. Cyperus flavus, E. coccinea and Spermacoce verticillata are now recorded as new weed species associated with S. bradys.
Contractualism and Radical Pluralism
Authors: Southwood Nicholas
Published: April 2019

How should contractualists seek to accommodate and respond to the existence of radical pluralism within contemporary liberal states? Ryan Muldoon has recently argued that a) the dominant Kantian liberal model of contractualism is hopelessly ill equipped to do so but that b) there is a particular kind of Hobbesian contractualism that can do much better. I raise some problems concerning the capacity of Muldoonian contractualism to respond appropriately to the problem of radical pluralism. I then propose a very different kind of solution that involves embracing an advice model of contractualism.
Praiseworthiness, Virtue, Guidance, and Luck
Authors: Jennings Justin
Published: April 2019

Among the central claims forwarded in Arpaly and Schroeder’s In Praise of Desire are the following: (1) A person acts praiseworthily who performs a right or good action out of an intention caused by the joint rationalizing property of her beliefs and her desire to perform that action under the aspect that makes it right or good. (2) Virtues consist of desires for right or good things under the aspects that make them right or good or of mental states that manifest such desires. Being virtuous means possessing an array of these desires. This paper reviews Arpaly and Schroeder’s arguments at length and suggests that, though the person so motivated may be somewhat praiseworthy, acting out of motivations structured in this way cannot by itself suffice for praiseworthiness without qualification.
Culture, Cultural Diversity and Humanity-centred Diplomacies
Authors: Zaharna R.S.
Published: April 2019

In contemporary public diplomacy, the idea of culture and nation-state are so intertwined that notions such as ‘national culture’ that fuel populism or culture as a soft-power resource often go unquestioned. This article critically revisits assumptions of state-centric diplomacy that tie culture to the state. Culture as a domain of the state, which helped carve up the world in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, has become limiting in a twenty-first-century milieu that is both culturally diverse and interconnected. The article probes the communication dynamics that are untethering culture from the state and giving prominence to forces of increased separation as well as global collaboration, including the phenomenon of humanity-centred diplomacies. Humanity-centred diplomacies’ distinguishing features — global consciousness, holistic perspective, cultural diversity and process-orientation — suggest advantages over state-centric diplomacy for leveraging cultural diversity and tackling complex global problems.
Grabfrevel und Wiedergänger in der Lex Salica
Authors: Seebold Elmar
Published: April 2019

The main theme in this piece is the interment of two corpses in the same coffin.
Social and Oral History in Estonia
Authors: Mertelsmann Olaf
Published: April 2019

This article offers an overview of the development of social and oral history in Estonia since the regaining of independence, in 1991. It is argued that the evolution of these fields of study has been influenced by three main factors: the Socialist past, the smallness of the country, and the fact that Estonia was for a long time an agrarian society. In addition to these factors, these fields have been shaped by the political transition to democracy and the massive institutional changes that took place in the Estonian society. Overall, research on social history faced a certain quantitative decline in early 1990s, in favor of new topics covering the “blank spots” of historical research, which had been declared taboo under the Soviet rule. At the same time, however, intense scholarly interaction and exchange with international historiographical trends has improved the quality of history research in Estonia. Oral history, especially life story research, conducted in an interdisciplinary manner, has undergone a rapid development, and is thus illustrative of the major changes that have occurred in the recent Estonian historiography.
Social History in Greece: New Perspectives
Authors: Yannitsiotis Yannis
Published: April 2019

This article focuses on the evolution of Greek historiography since the 1970s, with an emphasis on issues of class and gender. It is argued that, in the last decades, Greek historiography has been liberated from traditional nationalistic narratives in favor of new intellectual perspectives dealing with social history and the history of “society.” During the 1970s and 1980s, the concept of class—a fundamental concern of social history in European historiography—did not find much room in Greek historiography. Debates about the socioeconomic and political system in modern Greece focused on the importance of immobile political and economic structures as main barriers to modernization and Europeanization. The 1990s were marked by the renewal of the study of the “social,” articulated around two main methodological and theoretical axes, signaling the shift from structures to agency. The first was the conceptualization of class as both a cultural and economic phenomenon. The second was the introduction of gender. The recent period is characterized by the proliferation of studies that conceptualize the “social” through the notion of culture, evoking the historical construction of human experience and talking about the unstable, malleable, and ever changing content of human identities. Cultural historians examine class, gender, ethnicity, and race in their interrelation and treat these layers of identity as processes in the making and not as coherent and consolidated systems of reference.
The Institutionalization of Women’s and Gender Studies in Higher Education in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union: Asymmetric Politics and the Regional-Transnational Configuration
Authors: Zimmermann Susan
Published: April 2019

Women’s and Gender Studies in higher education have developed in Central Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet space since the late 1980s within the context of a complex triangle made up of the interests and impact of a whole variety of transnational actors, the changing politics of higher education at national and university levels, and the interests and aspirations of academics on the ground. The study explores these constellations as they changed over time, and varied within the post-“state-socialist” world from one sub-region to the other. It highlights the often unequal processes of internationalization, the partial privatization, EU-ization, and national reform of higher education and the role played by the dedication of academics spreading the word and the institution, as the major factors producing the success story ― even if always endangered ― of the Women’s and Gender Studies trade in the “other half of Europe”. The strategic function ascribed in Central and Eastern Europe to Gender Studies as a symbolic marker of pro-Western educational “reform” has been shaping both the fortunes of Women’s and Gender Studies in the region and the academic, political, and discursive opportunities available for those involved in research and teaching in this field.
A Reflection on the Concept of Social Identity: Migrant Merchants in Early Modern Europe
Authors: Fontaine Laurence
Published: April 2019

This essay reflects on the theoretical and methodological complexities of the concept of social identity, using a case study of migrant merchants in early modern Europe. The essay opens with an analysis of historians’ usages of the important but contested concept of identity. Then, it attempts to demonstrate how the literate society, political and religious officials, sedentary merchants, and the host populations with which itinerant merchants entered into contact, tried to impose identities on these migrants. Finally, the study attempts to show how migrants used this polyphony of external representations in order to understand the limits of the merchants’ abilities to utilize these imposed identities for their own advantage.
Introduction: Ascribing Meaning to the Semantic Field “Sacred” in Academic Research and Current Journalism
Authors: Zeiler Xenia , Stander-Dulisch Judith
Published: April 2019

The term “sacred” has a long history, but this introduction demonstrates that the concept of a contrast between the sacred or holy and the profane or trivial arose only at the beginning of the 20th century. A shared characteristic of definitions of the sacred or holy is that they are something special which is separated from the profane or trivial world. In the research discourse, sacred is not just a critical but also a controversial term.

In our two case studies, we set out to analyze how meaning is ascribed to the semantic field “sacred”. Building on Laclau’s concept of empty signifiers (Laclau 1996) and the understanding that sacred and related terms of the lexical/semantic field are not stable but have ever-changing meanings, we explore how the semantic field is filled in academic and contemporary journalistic contexts.
Introduction: A Comparative Study on Notions of the Secular in the Debate on Thought for the Day in the United Kingdom and the Nepali Debate on Secularism
Authors: Karis Tim , Buss Johanna
Published: April 2019

The joint introduction explores the history of academic understanding of “the secular” within the field of Religious Studies. We also introduce our two case studies.
Ancient Theology and New Philosophies: Pierre-Daniel Huet against Descartes and Spinoza
Authors: Mori Giuliano
Published: April 2019

This article analyses Pierre-Daniel Huet’s reaction to the doctrines that he believed to favour atheism, Deism, and, generally, irreligion. Descartes and Spinoza, in particular, are guilty, according to Huet, of placing excessive confidence in the discerning power of reason and in the type of certitude it produces, which is incomparable to revealed truth and in no way superior to moral certitude that arises from authority and historical erudition. Huet counters Cartesian philosophy with sceptical fideism and opposes Spinozian exegesis by means of an innovative, although perhaps untimely, adaptation of the doctrine of ancient theology. Against the ‘atheist’ Spinoza and the cohort of deist thinkers, Huet intends to demonstrate that Moses is the author of the Pentateuch and the divulger of God’s message to all peoples, in all times, and that, as a consequence, deist ‘natural religion’ is a partially corrupted version of the Mosaic doctrine.
From Paris to Moscow via Leipzig (1749–1787): Translational Metamorphoses of Buffon’s Histoire naturelle
Authors: Schmitt Stéphane
Published: April 2019

This article explores the circulation of Buffon’s texts and ideas, in particular on animal species and their degenerations, from France to Germany and to Russia in the late eighteenth century. First, I outline the different agents of diffusion and their role in the biased transmission of Buffon’s conceptions. Second, I focus on the first German translation of the Histoire naturelle and examine how, through its different features, it offered to the German audience a modified version of Buffon’s work, adapted to the local demands and context. Third, I analyze a small German book on the degeneration of animals, almost wholly borrowed from that translation, published by a Russian student in Leipzig, and then translated into Russian. This case study shows the diversity of the vehicles for scientific texts and concepts, not only between two countries, but at the European level, and the oversimplifications and alterations resulting from this process.
The Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Fibrosis Score Is Related to Epicardial Fat Thickness and Complexity of Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Turan Yaşar
Published: April 2019

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome and is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS) is an index used for the detection of liver fibrosis. We investigated the relationship between NFS and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD). In this cross-sectional study, 109 patients with CAD and 50 patients without CAD were enrolled. Demographic data, laboratory parameters, epicardial fat thickness (EFT), NFS, and Synergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with Taxus and cardiac surgery (SYNTAX) score were recorded. Waist circumference, fasting glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), EFT, and NFS were significantly higher in the CAD group ( P < .05). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and ejection fraction were significantly lower in the CAD group ( P < .05). The SYNTAX score was positively correlated with fasting glucose, LDL-C, EFT, and NFS and negatively correlated with HDL-C ( P < .05). The NFS was positively correlated with EFT ( P = .019). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that NFS ( P = .012), EFT ( P < .001), and LDL-C ( P = .001) were independently associated with the SYNTAX score. In conclusion, NFS, as a marker of NAFLD, could identify patients at higher risk of CVD.
Indigenous perspectives on health: Integration with a Canadian model of practice
Authors: Fijal Dominique , Beagan Brenda L.
Published: April 2019

Background.

The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommend change within the Canadian health care system, respecting and valuing Indigenous health and healing practices. Adjusting the lens through which occupational therapists practice to incorporate Indigenous views of health and wellness is one potential change.

Purpose.

This critical interpretive synthesis of the literature incorporates Indigenous perspectives on health and wellness into the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) framework, strengthening that model to better serve all peoples in Canada.

Key Issues.

Integrating Indigenous worldviews can add to the CMOP-E the importance of balance among physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health; the inseparability of person, community, and land; and understanding occupations as dimensions of meaning. These are incorporated in a proposed integrated model (ICMOP-E).

Implications.

Effectively integrating Indigenous perspectives may be an important first step in a longer journey toward engaging more respectfully with Indigenous perspectives on health and wellness.
Pulling the Strings? The Strategic Use of Pro-Government Mobilization in Authoritarian Regimes
Authors: Hellmeier Sebastian , Weidmann Nils B.
Published: April 2019

Protest against authoritarian rule is a well-studied phenomenon in the social sciences, but mass rallies in favor of authoritarian regimes have received only limited scholarly attention. While previous work has portrayed authoritarian regimes as characterized by mass apathy and political demobilization, we show that this is only partially true today. We argue that autocrats mobilize their supporters selectively as a strategic response to political threats. Rallies increase collective action costs for rivaling elites, opposition movements, and bystanders because they signal regime strength (deterrence) and curb mobilization efforts against the regime (repression). Nevertheless, the mobilization of supporters is costly, as autocrats have only imperfect information about current levels of support, rallies require organizational capacity and clashes between supporters and opponents can get out of control. Drawing on the first global data set with information about pro-government rally events in all authoritarian regimes from 2003 to 2015, our quantitative analysis reveals systematic patterns in the occurrence of rallies in line with our theoretical framework. We find systematic increases in pro-government mobilization during episodes of large domestic and regional opposition mobilization, high coup risk, and prior to elections.
The Effect of GastricHelicobacter pyloriColonization on Nasal Functions
Authors: Kumral Tolgar Lütfi , Gökden Yasemin , Saltürk Ziya , Berkiten Güler , Yıldırım Güven , Ataç Enes , Tutar Belgin , Uyar Yavuz
Published: April 2019

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of gastric Helicobacter pylori colonization on nasal functions. The study enrolled patients (n = 100) who underwent endoscopy for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) were identified by Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) and Reflux Finding Score (RFS). Patients were divided into 2 groups: LPR (+) (n = 64) H pylori (+), RSI > 13, RFS > 7; LPR (−) (n = 36) H pylori (+), RSI < 13, RFS < 7. Visual analog scale (VAS), sinonasal outcome test-22 (SNOT-22), peak nasal inspiratory flowmeter (PNIF), mucociliary clearance (MCC), and olfactory tests were used to evaluate the nasal functions. The average VAS for nasal obstruction, PNIF, and MCC did not differ significantly between the LPR (+) and LPR (−) groups ( P > .05). However, the average olfactory test scores were lower in the LPR (+) patients than the LPR (−) patients ( P < .05). Also, the SNOT-22 scores were significantly higher in LPR (+) patients than in LPR (−) ( P < .01). Nasal functions and symptom scores were also evaluated according to the H pylori grading. The PNIF, MCC, SNOT-22, and olfactory test results deteriorated as the gastric mucosal H pylori colonization increased ( P < .05). In conclusion, nasal functions differed between LPR disease and GERD only, while the density of H pylori colonization in the gastric mucosa had an effect on nasal function.
Digit ratio and hair color relationships with coronary atherosclerotic markers
Authors: Nafakhi Hussein , Al-Mosawi Abdulameer A , Mudhafar Mundher M , Al-Nafakh Hasan A , Alsaady Rana
Published: April 2019

Objective

We aimed to investigate the association between body phenotype markers and coronary atherosclerosis markers.

Methods

Eighty-nine patients (mean age 57 ± 9 years, 50.5% male) who were assessed for coronary artery disease by 64-slice multidetector computed tomography angiography were enrolled in the study.

Results

A significant positive association was observed between coronary artery calcification and the second to fourth digit ratio ( r = 0.2, p = 0.00); more notably in males compared to females ( p = 0.03 vs. p = 0.08). There was a significant association between coronary artery calcification and pure white hair ( p = 0.00). There was no significant association between pericardial fat volume and second to fourth digit ratio ( p = 0.8). Pericardial fat volume was significantly associated with pure white hair ( p = 0.02). A significant association was observed between coronary plaque and a higher second to fourth digit ratio ( p = 0.01) and this was more notable in males ( p = 0.04). A significant association was observed between pure white hair and coronary plaque ( p = 0.00). After adjustment for conventional cardiac risk factors, the association of coronary artery calcification and coronary plaque with the second to fourth digit ratio did not persist, whereas the association of pericardial fat volume and coronary artery calcification with pure white hair remained significant ( p = 0.01 and p = 0.00, respectively).

Conclusion

These results suggest a possible predictive value of hair color, rather than digit ratio, in assessing increased risk of coronary atherosclerosis and cardiac fat deposition.
Enhancing Summary Writing of ESL Learners via a Theory-Based Online Tool: System Development and Evaluation
Authors: Chew Chiou Sheng , Wu Wen-Chi Vivian , Idris Norisma , Loh Er Fu , Chua Yan Piaw
Published: April 2019

The purpose of this study was to design and develop a theory-based summary writing online tool, named Summary Writing-Pal (SW-PAL), to assist English as a second language students in improving their summary writing. It also evaluates the effectiveness of SW-PAL in enhancing the students' summary writing performance and examines their perceptions about it. This mixed-method empirical study involved 53 English as a second language students majoring in computer science at a local university. Two intact groups were randomly chosen as the control and experimental groups with 26 and 27 students, respectively. The control group was taught using the conventional method, while the experimental group was taught using SW-PAL. Both groups were given a pre- and post-summary writing test. A Split-Plot Analysis of Covariance test was used to examine the effectiveness of the SW-PAL tool. A focus group interview was conducted to gather qualitative data on perceptions about the SW-PAL tool. Quantitative findings revealed that students' summary writing performance improved significantly due to the SW-PAL with a large effect size of .42. Qualitativewise, the users perceived SW-PAL to be useful as a motivating, challenging, and self-learning tool. Recommendations for practice for language instructors who wish to incorporate such a tool into their language instruction and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Pregnancy Induces an Earlier Chronotype in Both Mice and Women
Authors: Martin-Fairey Carmel A. , Zhao Peinan , Wan Leping , Roenneberg Till , Fay Justin , Ma Xiaofeng , McCarthy Ronald , Jungheim Emily S. , England Sarah K. , Herzog Erik D.
Published: April 2019

Daily rhythms generated by endogenous circadian mechanisms and synchronized to the light-dark cycle have been implicated in the timing of birth in a wide variety of species. Although chronodisruption (e.g., shift work or clock gene mutations) is associated with poor reproductive outcomes, little is known about circadian timing during pregnancy. This study tested whether daily rhythms change during full-term pregnancies in mice and women. We compared running wheel activity continuously in both nonpregnant ( n = 14) and pregnant ( n = 13) 12- to 24-week-old C57BL/6NJ mice. We also monitored wrist actigraphy in women ( N = 39) for 2 weeks before conception and then throughout pregnancy and measured daily times of sleep onset. We found that on the third day of pregnancy, mice shift their activity to an earlier time compared with nonpregnant dams. Their time of daily activity onset was maximally advanced by almost 4 h around day 7 of pregnancy and then shifted back to the nonpregnant state approximately 1 week before delivery. Mice also showed reduced levels of locomotor activity during their last week of pregnancy. Similarly, in women, the timing of sleep onset was earlier during the first and second trimesters (gestational weeks 4-13 and 14-27) than before pregnancy and returned to the prepregnant state during the third trimester (weeks 28 until delivery). Women also showed reduced levels of locomotor activity throughout pregnancy. These results indicate that pregnancy induces changes in daily rhythms, altering both time of onset and amount of activity. These changes are conserved between mice and women.
The obligation to investigate after a potential breach of article 2 ECHR in an extra-territorial context: Mission impossible for the armed forces?
Authors: Quénivet Noëlle
Published: April 2019

The growing number of military operations conducted by States Party to the European Convention on Human Rights abroad has led to a concomitant surge in court cases, notably relating to the duty to investigate an attack resulting in the death of an individual. Using the example of the British armed forces abroad, this article contends that the principles enunciated by the European Court are difficult, sometimes impossible, to fulfil when military operations are carried out abroad. The Court at times appears to fail to recognise the inherent challenges faced by States in complying with these principles. This article thus suggests that the Court offers a more flexible approach towards compliance with the procedural aspects demanded under Article 2 ECHR, especially regarding the initial phases of the application of Article 2 ECHR, when the armed forces are directly implicated in the procedure.
Oil film separation and drag torque in disengaged wet brakes
Authors: Morris N , Davies J , Leighton M , King PD , Rahnejat H
Published: April 2019

Multi-disc wet brake packs are commonly used for off-highway applications. Unfortunately, when disengaged, these components can generate significant levels of unwanted parasitic losses. This article presents a novel, validated model to predict the parasitic losses in disengaged multi-disc wet brake packs. The model employs pertinent boundary conditions to determine the position of the free boundary created by oil film separation. The experimental and analytical results demonstrate the significance of wet disengaged brake losses at a range of angular velocities, typically found in operation. The improved understanding accrued by the expounded time-efficient methodology presents significant opportunity to develop predictive tools for the whole driveline system efficiency calculations and component design optimisation for off-highway vehicles.
Protein S deficiency revealed by skin necrosis in a patient with lupus
Authors: Plana-Pla A , Bielsa Marsol I , Ferrandiz Foraster C
Published: April 2019

Protein S deficiency is rare in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and is generally associated with the presence of antiphospholipid (APL) antibodies. Lack of protein S can cause skin necrosis, but when it does it is generally in response to warfarin exposure. In this article, we describe the case of a patient who had not received warfarin and without APL antibodies who developed extensive skin necrosis due to protein S deficiency. It is important to investigate protein S deficiency in patients with lupus and extensive skin ulcers as it is a sign of arterial thrombosis and venous thromboembolism.
Breaking the News: Parents’ Experiences of Receiving an Antenatal Diagnosis of Cleft Lip
Authors: Stock Nicola Marie , Costa Bruna , Williams Jennifer R. , Martindale Anna ,   The VTCT Foundation Research Team at the Centre for Appearance Research
Published: April 2019

Objective:

In high-income countries, many cases of cleft lip are now identified at the 18- to 21-week pregnancy scan. The manner in which a diagnosis is communicated is vital for long-term parental well-being, yet previous studies have been indicative of parental dissatisfaction. The aims of the present study were to examine the experiences of parents who received an antenatal diagnosis of cleft lip in their unborn child and to offer pragmatic suggestions for improving the diagnostic experience in practice.

Design:

An online, mixed-methods survey was designed and distributed by the Cleft Lip and Palate Association. Data from 574 eligible parents were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis.

Results:

Although survey responses indicated positive diagnostic experiences overall, respondents perceived a lack of sensitivity among sonographers, long waiting times between referrals, and a lack of appropriate and reliable information. Respondents also reported a number of misconceptions about cleft lip and/or palate and its prognosis, as well as a variety of initial concerns about their own ability to cope with the anticipated challenges.

Conclusion:

Findings emphasize the importance of providing accurate and individualized information to prospective parents, in a sensitive manner, so they can adjust to their child’s diagnosis and prepare for the birth appropriately. Given that antenatal screening for cleft lip is becoming more fully integrated into routine practice, more training for health-care professionals, improved access to reliable information in a variety of formats, and stronger links between local hospitals and specialist cleft services may be needed.
Somos Más: How Racial Threat and Anger Mobilized Latino Voters in the Trump Era
Authors: Gutierrez Angela , Ocampo Angela X. , Barreto Matt A. , Segura Gary
Published: April 2019

While evidence from California suggests that group threat mobilizes Latinos, nationally, there has never been a test case for this theory. In 2016, the Trump campaign provided a clear case of group threat through his divisive rhetoric and policy proposals targeting Mexican Americans and immigrants. Using the 2016 Collaborative Multi-Racial Post-Election Survey (CMPS) data, we find evidence that Latino voters were politically motivated by Trump’s anti-Latino rhetoric. We hypothesize that Latino voters who perceive Latinos as a racialized group and feel a sense of immigrant-linked fate are more likely to hold negative views toward the Republican candidate, and feel angry during the 2016 election. We further find that Latino voters who were angry were more likely to engage in political activities such as donating to campaigns, contacting government officials, and protesting during and shortly after the 2016 election. The findings hold for U.S. born Latinos as well as among non-Mexican Latinos who felt similarly targeted by Trump’s rhetoric and proposals.
Modeling Urban Neighborhood Violence: The Systemic Model and Variable Effects of Social Structure
Authors: Johnson Lallen T.
Published: April 2019

The systemic model of crime illustrates how neighborhood social structure influences social networks needed for the regulation of crime. This study examines whether those structural influences are stable or variable across a distribution of neighborhoods on violent crime. Study data are derived from the National Neighborhood Crime Study, yielding crime and structural data on a total of 6,927 census tracts within 69 U.S. cities. Quantile regression is used to model structural and spatially lagged violence effects on neighborhood violence. Results demonstrate that the influence of structural disadvantage decreases as neighborhood violence increases. Concomitantly, nearby violence, residential instability, and vacant housing effects become more salient as local violence increases. Local racial composition conditions these effects as well. Study findings suggest that local public safety interventions should be developed relative to a neighborhood’s ecological location on violent crime.
Nutritional assessment in the cat: Practical recommendations for better medical care
Authors: Rollins Angela Witzel , Murphy Maryanne
Published: April 2019

Practical relevance:

Pet owners want dietary recommendations from their veterinarian. Providing a brief nutritional assessment for every cat at every visit will result in better medical care and build trust with clients.

Clinical challenges:

Examination time is limited, and it can be challenging to ensure appointments are efficient, yet thorough. A range of practical assessment tools is available that can assist with this process.

Patient group:

Every cat can benefit from a screening nutritional evaluation as the fifth vital assessment (after temperature, pulse, respiration and pain assessment). Identifying patients with nutritional risk factors or nutrition-responsive diseases should prompt a more in-depth review of dietary needs.

Audience:

This article is aimed at all veterinary health professionals and is accompanied by videos demonstrating the body condition scoring process for a series of cats ranging from ideal body weight through to obese.

Evidence base:

Information in the review is drawn from the current scientific literature, as well as the clinical experience of the authors.
Subretinal pseudocyst: A novel optical coherence tomography finding in age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Sacconi Riccardo , Mullins Robert F , Lutty Gerard A , Borrelli Enrico , Bandello Francesco , Querques Giuseppe
Published: April 2019

Purpose:

To report the presence of a new structural optical coherence tomography finding, namely, subretinal pseudocysts, in a patient affected by age-related macular degeneration.

Methods:

Case report including multimodal imaging discussion.

Case Report:

We report a case of a 77-year-old woman affected by age-related macular degeneration from 7 years. Best corrected visual acuity was counting fingers and 20/40 in the right and left eye, respectively. The left eye was affected by type 1 macular neovascularization treated by 34 intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (22 ranibizumab and 12 aflibercept injections). Interestingly, structural optical coherence tomography showed the persistence of a subretinal cystoid space (i.e. ‘subretinal pseudocyst’) after the last anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment, even in absence of other signs of exudation.

Conclusions:

Subretinal pseudocysts are a new structural optical coherence tomography entity. We reported for the first time the evidence that pseudocysts may develop in the subretinal space in a case of age-related macular degeneration.
“The Whole Country Below Them”: Gazing Imperially on Narnia From Above
Authors: Subramanian Aishwarya
Published: April 2019

In C. S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew, two British children, Polly Plummer and Digory Kirke, fly over the newly created fantastical world of Narnia on the back of a winged horse, looking down at the territory below. Within the internal chronology of The Chronicles of Narnia, this is only the first of several instances in which the British child characters—and the implied child reader—are invited to gaze on the landscape from a great height. Drawing on Mary Louise Pratt’s work on the imperial gaze in travel narratives, as well as Elleke Boehmer’s observations about the “high vantage point or knowledgeable position” traditionally taken by the European observer of a colonial landscape, and situating the series within the context of the end of the British empire, this article will examine the presentation of Narnia in these scenes as a claimable and colonizable space.
Lithuanian and Polish educators’ learning during a short study trip to Norwegian early childhood education and care
Authors: Sadownik Alicja R , Baraldsnes Dziuginta
Published: April 2019

More and more institutions from different sectors are promoting and using short study trips as a way of learning. This paper focuses on what learning during this particular activity setting might be about by analyzing experiences from two study trips that Lithuanian and Polish educators made to Norway to explore and learn from Norwegian early childhood education and care practices. The results provide insight into the activities of and reflections on study trips in which teachers, researchers, and administrators from different countries participated. As the dialectics between the home countries and the visited country were clearly articulated by the participants of the study trips, we decided to analyze the results in a cultural-historical theoretical framework that “embraces” the cultural and institutional heritage of all the countries. We tracked the qualities of learning that took place at the intersection of theoretical and situated learning and regarded (a) comparing—as situating oneself in relation to “the new”, (b) understanding—situating oneself in the visited context and trying to understand the “new” practices from the local perspective, and (c) reflecting on conditions for situating the “other” practices in the home country; which allowed considering the possibility of change making. Our conclusions prompted a discussion about the power–knowledge relationships identified during this particular activity setting.