bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-sex versus coeducational schooling in 19th-century Victorian public schools
Authors: Carole Hooper
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Soon after its establishment in 1863, the Board of Education – “the body responsible for administering public education in Victoria – determined that a system of universal mixed (coeducational) schooling would be adopted in the colony. Existing single-sex departments were “encouraged”, or compelled, to amalgamate, and no new separate schools were established. Although administrators and officials endorsed coeducation, primarily on the grounds of efficiency and economy, opposition from some teachers and parents persisted for many decades. Those opposed to the mixing of children within the schools expressed particular concern about the moral well-being of female pupils, and wished to protect them from what they perceived as corrupting influences. Nevertheless, once decided upon, the policy of universal coeducation prevailed, and when Victoria's first state secondary schools were established in the early 20th century, they too were coeducational.

Design/methodology/approach

Documentary evidence, primarily the records of the various boards responsible for the administration of the public schools, evidence provided to several royal commissions, and various contemporary sources, have been examined to discover how the policy of universal coeducation was developed and implemented, and to examine what arguments were offered in favour of and against such a system.

Findings

The colony of Victoria implemented a system of universal coeducation within the public education sector well in advance of its adoption by other Australian colonies, and before it was generally accepted by similar societies elsewhere. The purpose of this paper is to examine why, how and by whom the policy of coeducation was formulated and implemented, and what opposition it faced.

Originality/value

Although reference is often made to coeducational schooling in histories of education in the 19th century, the information provided is usually of a general nature, without providing specific information about the process by which separate schooling was superseded by coeducation – how and when one type of educational provision came to be replaced by another.
Investigating parameters affecting maintenance of heritage buildings in Egypt
Authors: Abdelrazik Hoda , Marzouk Mohamed
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Maintenance of heritage buildings in Egypt is essential for extending their life and preserving them in a good condition for current use and future generations. The purpose of this paper aims to study the significant parameters to be taken into consideration in the decision-making process for maintenance of heritage buildings.

Design/methodology/approach

This research identifies and analyzes the parameters affecting maintenance decision-making process using relative importance index method. Sixty-three parameters were collected from the literature and were categorized into six groups. The feedback of 15 experts who represent owners' representatives and consultants in the field of maintenance and preservation of heritage buildings was obtained through a questionnaire survey and analyses were conducted on the results.

Findings

According to the highest values of the relative importance index method, the top 10 influencing parameters are determined. A comparison between feedback of the two groups of experts is conducted. Statistical analysis is carried out to test the parameters, revealing a strong correlation between structural and geotechnical groups of parameters.

Originality/value

Parameters affecting decision-making for maintenance of heritage buildings were identified, influencing parameters can be used to compare between heritage buildings in greater need of maintenance than others.
Glycemic control and its associated factors among patients with diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh
Authors: Reza Hasan Mahmud , Hasan Towhid , Sultana Marjia , Faruque Md. Omar
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Diabetes mellitus is becoming a growing concern worldwide. Hence, the purpose of this study is to assess the magnitude of poor glycemic control and to identify the determinants of poor glycemic control among diabetic patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 732 diabetes patients seeking care at the outpatient department of Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Information, including glycemic status, was collected from patients’ medical records using a structured questionnaire.

Findings

About 87.6% of the patients were found to have poor glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin = 7%). Variables that were significant in bivariate analysis were put into a multivariate model where the factors associated with poor glycemic control were patients aged 41–60 years (odds ratio (OR)=2.26; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19–4.32,p= 0.013), suffering from diabetes for > 7 years (OR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.12–2.99,p= 0.015), using insulin (OR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.23–4.47;p= 0.010) or diet alone (OR = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.05–0.80,p= 0.023) as a type of diabetes treatment and proper use of medicine (OR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.17–0.82,p= 0.015).

Originality/value

The high prevalence of poor glycemic control among diabetic patients is evident; therefore, strategic management and proper attention focusing on the predictors of poor glycemic control are necessary to reduce the long-term complications of diabetes.
A triangulation process of street music in public spaces: a case study of Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue
Authors: Gemci Ayse Gul , Ferah Bahar
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the spatial interactions of street music in public spaces. It proposes to clarify why relationship between street music and people in public spaces is important and how street music evokes an external stimulus on people.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptual framework of this paper is based on the triangulation process of Whyte and the qualities of public spaces, forming a relationship between space and people produced from the seminal literature of the paper. Accordingly, a case study based on the qualitative research method was conducted in Istiklal Avenue, where street music performances can be observed for long term. During the field work which spans a period of 12 months, 10 spots of street music performances have been observed and photo–video documentation was collected.

Findings

This paper provides empirical insights on how the triangulation process reflects social interactions in public spaces. This also suggests the triangulated position of street music as an external stimulus relating with the people as actors of daily urban flux.

Research limitations/implications

Regarding to the chosen research approach which is based on deeper understanding, this paper interrelates the interactions of street music and people in public space.

Social implications

This paper includes qualitative research steps of data collection and disaggregates findings with a “Cross Matrix Table” proposed at the end of the study.

Originality/value

The proposed disaggregating “Cross Matrix Table” and case study fulfil an architectural need to research how everyday street art activity can reflect the qualities of public space.
Firm–civil society organizational collaborations in the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives; development of collaboration typology
Authors: Bhattacharyya Som Sekhar , Verma Surabhi
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Business firms operate in society not only for market gains but also for generating positive social externalities. Civil society organisations (CSO) have helped society to develop across various spheres of influence. The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) ushered in an era wherein both business economic objectives as well as socio-environmental responsibilities of firms were prioritized simultaneously. The path of firms and CSOs intersected through CSR. In this work, the authors develop a typology on firm–CSO collaboration regarding CSR initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors through a twin approach of systematic literature review (SLR) with qualitative study developed a categorization of collaborations between a firm and a CSO in the context of CSR engagements. Apart from the SLR, the authors undertook two focus group discussions (FGD) with CSR experts (engaged in firm–CSO collaboration). This was done with a semi-structured discussion agenda frame. The data were content analysed for thematic aspects. Thus, both SLR as well as FGD outputs were considered for the study results.

Findings

The authors found six elements in firm–CSO collaboration and seven archetypes of collaboration. The six elements were CSR action elements (CSRAE) consisting of CSR agenda (CSRA), CSR resources (CSRR), CSR capabilities (CSRC), CSR Pprocess (CSRP), CSR monitoring (CSRM) and CSR stakeholder engagement (CSRSE). The seven typologies were CSO as auditor , outsourcing of CSR , CSO-driven CSR, joint CSR, support to CSO for CSR ,guided support to CSO and coordinated CSR.

Research limitations/implications

Doty and Glick, (1994) had undertaken a seminal work on theory building based upon the unique method of application of typologies. Doty and Glick, (1994) elucidated how application of typologies could through a typology study enhance the scope and level for understanding and modelling in a contextual domain involving theory. This study was a step in this direction in the context of firm–CSO collaboration in the context of CSR initiatives.

Practical implications

This study would help managers from both CSOs and business firms to comprehend in which sphere they were required to collaborate like in resource /capabilities deployment or in designing CSR agendas or CSR process or CSR monitoring or in stakeholder engagement during CSR management. This typology would enable managers to comprehend what would be the most suitable form of collaboration between a firm and a CSO for a specific CSR engagement.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies that theorizes regarding firm–CSO collaboration in the context of CSR initiatives both in terms of the collaboration building block elements as well as typology presented.
The interplay between social rank, physiological constraints and investment in courtship in male spotted hyenas
Authors: Davidian Eve , Wachter Bettina , Heckmann Ilja , Dehnhard Martin , Hofer Heribert , Höner Oliver P.
Published: December 2020

In many animal societies, dominant males have a higher reproductive success than subordinate males. The proximate mechanisms by which social rank influences reproductive success are poorly understood. One prominent hypothesis posits that rank‐related male attributes of attractiveness and fighting ability are the main mediators of reproductive skew. Yet, empirical evidence in support of this hypothesis is limited. An alternative hypothesis emphasises the inherent social dimension of dominance relationships and posits that the relationship between male social rank and reproductive success is mediated by the physiological costs of male–male competition. This has not been tested in systems in which the two hypotheses can be disentangled.

We investigated the interplay between male social rank, physiological costs and male investment in social and sexual activities. We used measurements of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations (fGMC) as biomarkers of physiological costs and long‐term behavioural data of 319 males in free‐ranging spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta, a species in which male access to females and reproductive success do not depend on physical attributes.

When males courted females and interacted with male competitors, low‐ranking males had higher fGMC than high‐ranking males. In contrast, fGMC did not vary with social rank when males were alone or when they courted females and competitors were absent. Low‐ranking males minimised their exposure to physiologically costly intrasexual competition; they spent more time alone and less time engaging in social and sexual activities than did high‐ranking males. They also invested less than high‐ranking males in courting the most contested and highest‐quality females.

Our findings demonstrate that the physiological costs of intrasexual competition in male spotted hyenas vary with social rank and shape behavioural trade‐offs between the allocation of time and physiological resources to social integration, reproduction and self‐maintenance. Our study suggests that physiological and social constraints play a pivotal role in the emergence of rank‐related male reproductive success. The study provides insights into how the social organisation and breeding system shape physiological constraints and patterns of reproductive skew within and between species.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
An MSC bone‐homing compound, Rab001, increases bone mass and reduces the incidence of osteonecrosis in a glucocorticoid‐induced osteonecrosis mouse model
Authors: Jiang Min , Liu Lixian , Xiang Xuexiang , Liang Runmin , Qin Xuelian , Zhao Jinmin , Wei Qingjun
Published: December 2020

Currently, there are no effective medications to either prevent or slow the progression of atraumatic osteonecrosis (ON). The objective of this study is to determine the effects of bone‐targeted delivery of mesenchymal stem cells on the prevalence of ON in a glucocorticoid (GC)‐induced mouse model. Eight‐week‐old male BALB/c mice were randomized into groups that received placebo (PL), prednisolone (GC), or concurrent treatments with GC + mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), Rab001 or GC + Rab001 + MSCs. Human parathyroid hormone (hPTH) was used as a positive control for bone anabolism. Mice were killed after 30 days, and quantitative measurements of bone mass, bone strength, prevalent ON at the distal femoral epiphysis (DFE) were performed. Angiogenesis was accessed by RNA‐Seq, the circulating angiogenic markers, as well as by immunohistochemical staining. We have showed that a novel agent, Rab001 that can noncovalently bind to mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and direct them to the bone, prevents the incidence of glucocorticoid‐induced osteonecrosis in the mouse. In contrast, PTH, a bone anabolic treatment, preserves bone mass but sustains higher ON incidence than Rab001+/− MSC‐treated mice. The results of these experiments reveal that glucocorticoids increase the prevalence of ON, and agents that prevent loss of bone vascularity appear to prevent the development of ON. This intervention might be useful in patients with early stages of atraumatic ON.
Increasing habitat complexity enhances crab density: A case study from Thailand
Authors: Tuntiprapas Piyalap , Rattanachot Ekkalak , Prathep Anchana
Published: December 2020

The problem of seagrass degradation in Southeast Asia region, which harbors some of the greatest marine biodiversity in the world, is increasing due to coastal development and the lack of efficient management. These factors have caused the decline of marine life and have impacted local fisheries. The present study investigated the species, sizes and abundance of swimming crabs in areas of differing seagrass cover at Koh Tha Rai in the Gulf of Thailand. Seagrass cover and crab populations were investigated on May 2006, September 2010 and August 2017. The results showed concomitant change in seagrass cover and the dominant crab species, Thalamita crenata. Seagrass increased from 27.69 ± 5.08% (mean ± SE) to 58.89 ± 5.61% at the low cover site between May 2006 and July 2017, while T. crenata abundance increased 10‐fold (p ≤ .0001). This study highlights the importance of conservation and the importance of seagrass in terms of providing ecosystem services and habitat/refuge for marine benthos in the region.
External credit and export decision: Evidence from Nigeria
Authors: Akoto Richard Kofi , Adjasi Charles
Published: December 2020

This study examines the effect of external credit on the export decision of manufacturing firms in Nigeria using the 2014 World Bank Enterprise Surveys data. The paper employs an instrumental variable (IV) probit model to assess the empirical relations. The results reveal that both bank and nonbank credit positively and significantly drive firms' foreign market entry decision in Nigeria. Policy interventions should therefore be directed at creating an enabling environment that would stimulate an increase in the breadth and depth of financial presence across Nigeria. This may be done through offering special tax reliefs to banks and nonbank financial institutions that seek to expand. Banks should also be encouraged to invest in innovative strategies such as branchless banking and mobile banking which have the capability to increase access without the huge cost outlays for physical infrastructure. They should further be encouraged to develop special ‘export credit packages’ for smaller but viable firms that are willing to go into exporting but lack the necessary collateral, and create special ‘task forces’ to monitor and redeem such loans when they fall due. The Government should also channel ‘export development credit’ through banks and nonbank financial institutions to manufacturing firms in Nigeria for efficient allocation, monitoring and collection.
Determinants of labor productivity among SMEs and large‐sized private service firms in Kenya
Authors: Amutabi Cyprian , Wambugu Anthony
Published: December 2020

Using the 2018 World Bank enterprise data, this study sought to establish whether the determinants of labor productivity in the Kenyan private service sector varied with the size of the firm. Unlike previous studies that just focus on the determinants of labor productivity among manufacturing firms; this study employed the two‐stage switching regressions model to correct for the firm‐size effect. The findings revealed that capital intensity, employee wage, high school education, and managers' experience impacted positively and significantly on labor productivity while tax burden and power outages significantly decreased labor productivity across all firms. The differences in the determinants of labor productivity across both firms were, however, found to be negligible and insignificant. With the political uncertainty and tax burden constraints perennially defining the Kenyan economy, the study recommended the provision of a favorable business environment and investment in human capital as key channels of optimizing service sector productivity. The selectivity variable was also significant across both firms, hence supporting the role of self‐selection in labor productivity studies. Correcting for the firm‐size effect was very crucial; something that has been largely ignored in previous studies on labor productivity.
Governance, health expenditure and infant mortality in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Langnel Zechariah , Buracom Ponlapat
Published: December 2020

The paper examines the effect of governance and health expenditure on infant mortality with a panel data of 32 sub‐Saharan African (SSA) countries from 2000 to 2015. Having accounted for potential endogeneity issues related to maternal choices that are made due to contemporaneous infant mortality, the evidence from system generalized method of moment reveals that health expenditure and governance shows no direct influence on infant mortality. However, the coefficient of the interaction between government effectiveness and health expenditure is significant and shows a negative relationship with infant mortality, implying that the effectiveness of health expenditure may be explained by the administrative capacity of countries in SSA. To validate our model, the result from the sensitivity analysis reveals that health expenditure and its interaction with government effectiveness and political stability/absence of violence exert a reducing effect on the under‐five mortality rate. Therefore, since governance quality is lower in SSA compared to other regions, we recommend that governance should be improved consistently in order to achieve health‐related outcomes. The findings further signal the urgent need to formulate policies that directly redress health conditions, rather than through indirect instruments. This focus is critical for the advancement of sustainable development goal 3 in SSA.
Wage Growth Distribution and Changes over Time: 2001–2018
Authors: Kalb Guyonne , Meekes Jordy
Published: December 2020

We explore how much wage growth varies among Australian employees and how it has changed over the 2001–2018 period. The results show that, after increasing between 2002 and 2007, wage growth significantly slowed post 2008, and particularly from 2013 onwards, returning to early 2000s levels. Employee age, education, employment contract, occupation and industry explain a large share of differences in wage growth between individuals. Employee occupation is more important post‐2008 than pre‐2008, whereas education is more important pre‐2008. Finally, casual employees receive a wage growth premium during periods of economic upturn and a penalty during downturn.
Distinctive features of student borrowers and suboptimal investor decision‐making: Evidence from the P2P lending market
Authors: Kim Dongwoo , Kim Jihun
Published: December 2020

This study attempts to identify the characteristics and behavioral features of student borrowers, and to investigate how well individual investors incorporate the uniqueness of these borrowers in their funding decisions. We find that student borrowers are distinct from other types of borrowers, not only with respect to factors that existed prior to joining the market, but also in terms of information generated during loan requests, subsequent cancellation behavior, repayment performance, and even in the composition and predictive accuracy of loan repayment models. However, individual investors are not fully aware of the unique attributes of student borrowers in their funding decisions.
Periodontitis, erectile dysfunction, reproductive hormones, and semen quality: A systematic review
Authors: Lecaplain Bastien , Badran Zahi , Soueidan Assem , Prud'homme Tony , Gaudin Alexis
Published: December 2020

Background

There is increasing evidence that periodontitis may affect male sexual health (MSH) (erectile function, production of sex hormones, and semen quality). However, a limited number of clinical studies demonstrate the association between MSH and periodontitis.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between periodontitis and MSF.

Materials and methods

A comprehensive systematic review of the published literature in MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from the earliest available online indexing year until October 2020 was performed, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Keywords related to periodontitis were combined with words describing MSH.

Result

A total of 19 studies were included and discussed in the systematic review. The number of study participants ranged from 53 to 197,136 individuals, aged between 18 and 95 years (mean age, 41.2 years). Six studies did not report the age of the participants. Out of nine studies, eight found a significant association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and periodontitis. Only three studies evaluated the association between sex hormone levels and periodontitis, and two of these studies showed that patients with periodontitis are expected to exhibit higher levels of testosterone. Finally, out of five studies, two demonstrated a significant association between semen quality and periodontitis.

Discussion

The findings in this review were limited by the quality and the few available studies. Results from the observational studies might have been affected by recall bias and confounded by cofactors.

Conclusion

The results of this systematic review revealed a significant association between periodontitis and ED, although the responsible mechanisms remain unclear. The potential associations between sex hormone levels, semen quality, and periodontitis are yet to be demonstrated. In order to improve patient management, dentists and physicians need to be aware of the association between male sexual health problems and periodontitis.
Does resilience moderate the effect of intimate partner violence on signs of depression among Tanzanian pregnant women: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Magnusson Frederik L. , Rogathi Jane J. , Sigalla Geofrey N. , Manongi Rachel , Rasch Vibeke , Gammeltoft Tine , Meyrowitsch Dan W.
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) has been found to be associated with a multitude of poor health and quality of life outcomes. Among the risks exacerbated by IPV is prenatal depression. Resilience is hypothesized to protect against psychopathology after exposure to a traumatic influence. The present study aims to investigate resilience as a moderator of the effect of exposure to IPV on prenatal depression among pregnant women in Moshi, Tanzania.

Material and methods

In this cross‐sectional study, nested within a larger longitudinal study, pregnant women receiving antenatal care were interviewed about exposure to IPV, signs of depression using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, and resilience using the abbreviated Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale. Logistic regression was used to test the effect of the interaction term of resilience and exposure to IPV during pregnancy on the risk of high level of signs of depression.

Results

In total, 1013 women completed all interviews, 300 women reported exposure to IPV, and 113 had high levels of signs of depression. Mean resilience score was 14.26 (SD 9.45). Exposure to IPV was correlated with signs of depression (adjusted odds ratio 6.49, 95% CI 3.75‐11.24). Resilience was not correlated with signs of depression, nor was the interaction term of resilience and exposure to IPV.

Conclusions

The study did not find that resilience acted as a moderator of the effect of exposure to IPV during pregnancy on the risk of prenatal depression. The cross‐sectional design of the study may not be well suited to investigate resilience, which could take time to manifest. The abbreviated Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale has not been validated in a Tanzanian setting, or in the Swahili version. Practitioners should take note that all women and families affected by IPV should be afforded relevant assistance from social services, law enforcement, healthcare practitioners, and other relevant services, regardless of their apparent level of resilience.
Early gastric cancer with splenic artery aneurysm successfully treated with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy after endovascular coil embolization: A case report
Authors: Saito Kazuyuki , Yamagata Yukinori , Hakozaki Yuhei , Nakata Manabu , Oya Masatoshi
Published: December 2020

Splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) is a relatively rare disease. Most patients with SAA have no symptoms, and detection is incidental detection. The incidence of rupture is not particularly high, but the mortality rate of ruptured SAAs is high. The main treatment for gastric cancer is gastrectomy with lymph node dissection, with dissection around the celiac artery suggested to be the most important. A 68‐year‐old woman with early gastric cancer in the lesser curvature of the lower gastric corpus was referred to our hospital. CT showed no remarkable findings except for a saccular SAA (diameter, 1.5 cm). We planned laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. However, because the SAA was close to the surgical field and its saccular shape created a rupture risk, we performed interventional radiology for SAA before surgery. One month later, laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with D1+ was performed successfully. The patient has remained disease‐free in the 51 months since the operation.
Practical recognition tools of immunoglobulin G serum antibodies against the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein‐positive optic neuritis and its clinical implications
Authors: Lotan Itay , Oertel Frederike C. , Chien Claudia , Asseyer Susanna , Paul Friedemann , Stiebel‐Kalish Hadas
Published: December 2020

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)‐associated disease is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, associated with the presence of immunoglobulin G serum antibodies against MOG. Recent data have allowed characterization of the clinical spectrum of MOG‐associated disease, which is now considered a new disease entity, distinct from multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Optic neuritis is the most common clinical presentation of MOG‐associated disease in adults, both at disease onset and during the disease course, and has several distinct clinical and paraclinical features. Immunoglobulin G serum antibodies against MOG‐positive optic neuritis is often bilateral and associated with optic disc swelling and a longitudinally extensive abnormal magnetic resonance imaging signal involving the retrobulbar portion of the optic nerve. The visual acuity during the acute attack is severely decreased, and the response to corticosteroids is often rapid and prominent. However, early relapses after steroid cessation are common, and a subset of patients is left with a permanent visual disability. In this review, we discuss the clinical and paraclinical features of immunoglobulin G serum antibodies against MOG‐positive optic neuritis in adults, and focus on the distinctive features that can enable its early diagnosis. Therapeutical considerations at the acute stage and for relapse prevention are further deliberated.
Improving inferences about private land conservation by accounting for incomplete reporting
Authors: Williamson Matthew A. , Dickson Brett G. , Hooten Mevin B. , Graves Rose A. , Lubell Mark N. , Schwartz Mark W.
Published: December 2020

Private lands provide key habitat for imperiled species and are core components of function protectected area networks; yet, their incorporation into national and regional conservation planning has been challenging. Identifying locations where private landowners are likely to participate in conservation initiatives can help avoid conflict and clarify trade‐offs between ecological benefits and sociopolitical costs. Empirical, spatially explicit assessment of the factors associated with conservation on private land is an emerging tool for identifying future conservation opportunities. However, most data on private land conservation are voluntarily reported and incomplete, which complicates these assessments. We used a novel application of occupancy models to analyze the occurrence of conservation easements on private land. We compared multiple formulations of occupancy models with a logistic regression model to predict the locations of conservation easements based on a spatially explicit social–ecological systems framework. We combined a simulation experiment with a case study of easement data in Idaho and Montana (United States) to illustrate the utility of the occupancy framework for modeling conservation on private land. Occupancy models that explicitly accounted for variation in reporting produced estimates of predictors that were substantially less biased than estimates produced by logistic regression under all simulated conditions. Occupancy models produced estimates for the 6 predictors we evaluated in our case study that were larger in magnitude, but less certain than those produced by logistic regression. These results suggest that occupancy models result in qualitatively different inferences regarding the effects of predictors on conservation easement occurrence than logistic regression and highlight the importance of integrating variable and incomplete reporting of participation in empirical analysis of conservation initiatives. Failure to do so can lead to emphasizing the wrong social, institutional, and environmental factors that enable conservation and underestimating conservation opportunities in landscapes where social norms or institutional constraints inhibit reporting.
Endocan as a potential biomarker of disease severity and exacerbations in COPD
Authors: İn Erdal , Kuluöztürk Mutlu , Turgut Teyfik , Altıntop Geçkil Ayşegül , İlhan Nevin
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Endocan is a proteoglycan that is regarded as a novel marker of endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction in pulmonary vascular bed is known to play an important role for the pathogenesis of COPD.

Objective

This study aimed to determine serum endocan levels in patients with stable COPD and acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) and to test the relationship between serum endocan levels and exacerbations.

Methods

This study enrolled a total of 55 COPD patients, 24 of which had AECOPD and 31 had stable COPD. All patients’ basic demographic and clinical data were recorded and blood samples were collected.

Results

Serum endocan levels were significantly higher in the AECOPD group compared to the stable COPD and control groups (for both p < 0.001) and stable COPD group had higher levels than the control group (p < 0.005). Additionally, serum endocan levels were negatively correlated with FVC, FEV1, partial oxygen pressure and oxygen saturation (r = −0.30, p = 0.03; r = −0.34, p = 0.01; r = −0.34, p = 0.01 and r = −0.36, p = 0.007 respectively), and positively correlated with disease duration and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (r = 0.47, p < 0.001; r = 0.31, p = 0.02 respectively). A cut‐off value of 434.29 pg/ml for endocan predicted exacerbation with a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 84% (AUC: 0.778, 95% Cl 0.648‐0.909; p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that increased endocan levels was independent predictor of COPD exacerbation (OR = 9.32, 95%CI, 1.64‐52.95; p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Endocan may be a novel biomarker for detection of endothelial dysfunction and prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD.
How Turkey’s democratic backsliding compromises the international dimension of democratization
Authors: San Serdar , Akca Davut
Published: December 2020

Previous research suggests that linkage to the West can have a strong democratizing influence on transitioning states. Yet, Western linkage and leverage lost much of their democratizing force by the early twenty‐first century. Turkey's political trajectory over the last decade furnishes a representative case study of the waning power of the West as an anchor for democratization in high‐linkage countries. Despite Turkey's robust ties to the West, competitive authoritarianism has been further entrenched and signs of a drift toward full‐fledged authoritarianism emerged since the failed coup of July 2016. We argue that in a context where the European Union and the United States’ willingness to support democracy declined considerably the AKP’s distancing from the West in foreign policy and balancing the Western powers with its new economic and political relations with autocratic regimes have served to stifle the democratizing pressure of Western linkage by lowering the cost of autocratic behavior for the AKP government and facilitating Turkey's illiberal turn.
Development and validation of an automated assessment tool of echocardiography skills acquired on a neonatal simulator
Authors: Noori Shahab , Ebrahimi Mahmood , Luo Huiwen , Seri Istvan , Siassi Bijan
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Simulators are increasingly used for training in echocardiography. However, there is no objective method to assess the skills acquired. Our objective was to develop and test an automated method to assess echocardiography skills.

Methods

To automate the image quality evaluation, we expanded our previously developed neonatal echocardiography simulator to enable recording of images of the 26 standard cuts and process the image quality. We then compared the automated and visual methods in scoring image quality of the echocardiograms obtained by 22 trainees.

Results

Each echocardiographic image representing a slice of a three‐dimensional volume possesses 3 axes (X, Y, and Z) that correspond to the roll, pitch, and yaw angles of the transducer, respectively. Therefore, if the placement and orientation of the transducer are correct, the acquired image represents the appropriate cardiac window with the desired orientation in all 3 axes. The automated system gives a score of 0 if the transducer is not in the appropriate cardiac window. A score of 1, 2, or 3 is given if the image falls within the range of one, two, or three angles, respectively. There was no difference in the image quality score between automated and visual assessment methods (46.0 ± 13.0 vs 45.1 ± 14.4, P = .19). The two methods had excellent correlation (r = .95). The bias and precision were 0.9 and 8.8, respectively.

Conclusions

The automated method is comparable to visual method for assessment of image quality. The automated process allows for instantaneous feedback and has the potential to standardize assessment of echocardiography skills of trainees.
A spiking model of basal ganglia dynamics in stopping behavior supported by arkypallidal neurons
Authors: Goenner Lorenz , Maith Oliver , Koulouri Iliana , Baladron Javier , Hamker Fred H.
Published: December 2020

The common view that stopping action plans by the basal ganglia is achieved mainly by the subthalamic nucleus alone due to its direct excitatory projection onto the output nuclei of the basal ganglia has been challenged by recent findings. The proposed “pause‐then‐cancel” model suggests that the subthalamic nucleus provides a rapid stimulus‐unspecific “pause” signal, followed by a stop‐cue‐specific “cancel” signal from striatum‐projecting arkypallidal neurons. To determine more precisely the relative contribution of the different basal ganglia nuclei in stopping, we simulated a stop‐signal task with a spiking neuron model of the basal ganglia, considering recently discovered connections from the arkypallidal neurons, and cortex‐projecting GPe neurons. For the arkypallidal and prototypical GPe neurons, we obtained neuron model parameters by fitting their neuronal responses to published experimental data. Our model replicates findings of stop‐signal tasks at neuronal and behavioral levels. We provide evidence for the existence of a stop‐related cortical input to the arkypallidal and cortex‐projecting GPe neurons such that the stop responses of the subthalamic nucleus, the arkypallidal neurons, and the cortex‐projecting GPe neurons complement each other to achieve functional stopping behavior. Particularly, the cortex‐projecting GPe neurons may complement the stopping within the basal ganglia caused by the arkypallidal and STN neurons by diminishing cortical go‐related processes. Furthermore, we predict effects of lesions on stopping performance and propose that arkypallidal neurons mainly participate in stopping by inhibiting striatal neurons of the indirect rather than the direct pathway.
Early shunt surgery improves survival in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus
Authors: Andrén Kerstin , Wikkelsø Carsten , Hellström Per , Tullberg Mats , Jaraj Daniel
Published: December 2020

Background and purpose

To examine the effect of delayed compared to early planning of shunt surgery on survival, in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH), a long‐term follow‐up case–control study of patients exposed to a severe delay of treatment was performed.

Methods

In 2010–2011 our university hospital was affected by an administrative and economic failure that led to postponement of several elective neurosurgical procedures. This resulted in an unintentional delay of planning of treatment for a group of iNPH patients, referred to as iNPHDelayed (n = 33, waiting time for shunt surgery 6–24 months). These were compared to patients treated within 3 months, iNPHEarly (n = 69). Primary outcome was mortality. Dates and underlying causes of death were provided by the Cause of Death Registry. Survival was analysed by Kaplan–Meier plots and a Cox proportional hazard model adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

Median follow‐up time was 6.0 years. Crude 4‐year mortality was 39.4% in iNPHDelayed compared to 10.1% in iNPHEarly (p = 0.001). The adjusted hazard ratio in iNPHDelayed was 2.57; 95% confidence interval 1.13–5.83, p = 0.024. Causes of death were equally distributed between the groups except for death due to malignancy which was not seen in iNPHDelayed but in 4/16 cases in iNPHEarly (p = 0.044).

Conclusions

The present data indicate that shunt surgery is effective in iNPH and that early treatment increases survival.
Genome‐scale molecular principles of mRNA half‐life regulation in yeast
Authors: Basu Sudipto , Mallik Saurav , Hait Suman , Kundu Sudip
Published: December 2020

Precise control of protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation is essential for cellular metabolism and homeostasis. Controlled and specific degradation of both molecular species necessitates their engagements with the respective degradation machineries; this engagement involves a disordered/unstructured segment of the substrate traversing the degradation tunnel of the machinery and accessing the catalytic sites. However, while molecular factors influencing protein degradation have been extensively explored on a genome scale, and in multiple organisms, such a comprehensive understanding remains missing for mRNAs. Here, we analyzed multiple genome‐scale experimental yeast mRNA half‐life data in light of experimentally derived mRNA secondary structures and protein binding data, along with high‐resolution X‐ray crystallographic structures of the RNase machines. Results unraveled a consistent genome‐scale trend that mRNAs comprising longer terminal and/or internal unstructured segments have significantly shorter half‐lives; the lengths of the 5′‐terminal, 3′‐terminal, and internal unstructured segments that affect mRNA half‐life are compatible with molecular structures of the 5′ exo‐, 3′ exo‐, and endoribonuclease machineries. Sequestration into ribonucleoprotein complexes elongates mRNA half‐life, presumably by burying ribonuclease engagement sites under oligomeric interfaces. After gene duplication, differences in terminal unstructured lengths, proportions of internal unstructured segments, and oligomerization modes result in significantly altered half‐lives of paralogous mRNAs. Side‐by‐side comparison of molecular principles underlying controlled protein and mRNA degradation in yeast unravels their remarkable mechanistic similarities and suggests how the intrinsic structural features of the two molecular species, at two different levels of the central dogma, regulate their half‐lives on genome scale.
Nitrogen cycling microbiomes are structured by plant mycorrhizal associations with consequences for nitrogen oxide fluxes in forests
Authors: Mushinski Ryan M. , Payne Zachary C. , Raff Jonathan D. , Craig Matthew E. , Pusede Sally E. , Rusch Douglas B. , White Jeffrey R. , Phillips Richard P.
Published: December 2020

Volatile nitrogen oxides (N2O, NO, NO2, HONO, …) can negatively impact climate, air quality, and human health. Using soils collected from temperate forests across the eastern United States, we show microbial communities involved in nitrogen (N) cycling are structured, in large part, by the composition of overstory trees, leading to predictable N‐cycling syndromes, with consequences for emissions of volatile nitrogen oxides to air. Trees associating with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi promote soil microbial communities with higher N‐cycle potential and activity, relative to microbial communities in soils dominated by trees associating with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. Metagenomic analysis and gene expression studies reveal a 5 and 3.5 times greater estimated N‐cycle gene and transcript copy numbers, respectively, in AM relative to ECM soil. Furthermore, we observe a 60% linear decrease in volatile reactive nitrogen gas flux (NOy ≡ NO, NO2, HONO) as ECM tree abundance increases. Compared to oxic conditions, gas flux potential of N2O and NO increase significantly under anoxic conditions for AM soil (30‐ and 120‐fold increase), but not ECM soil—likely owing to small concentrations of available substrate () in ECM soil. Linear mixed effects modeling shows that ECM tree abundance, microbial process rates, and geographic location are primarily responsible for variation in peak potential NOy flux. Given that nearly all tree species associate with either AM or ECM fungi, our results indicate that the consequences of tree species shifts associated with global change may have predictable consequences for soil N cycling.
Development of a scale measuring barriers to going out among community‐dwelling older adults
Authors: Yamazaki Sachiko , Fujita Koji , Imuta Hiromi
Published: December 2020

Aim

To maintain the frequency of going out and to improve homebound status among older adults, specific barriers need to be identified. Hence, this study developed a scale to measure barriers to going out.

Methods

A preliminary study was carried out to collect items for the scale. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with five homebound older adults, and created 14 items as a draft barrier scale. The main study included 2273 older adults and their cohabitating family members in rural Japan. For older adults, the questions included demographic characteristics, responses to the draft scale and variables to examine its validity. For family members, the questions included demographic characteristics, their relationship with the older adult and their assessment of their older relative's willingness to go out. We used data from 892 pairs for our analysis.

Results

We selected nine items through the criterion group strategy, and confirmed the unidimensional structure of the scale through factor analysis. The results showed significant relationships between the scale and older adults’ self‐efficacy about going out, their health locus of control, the frequency of going out and their reluctance to go out as assessed by family members. We carried out a receiver operating characteristic analysis to determine the scale's cut‐off point. Our multivariate analysis showed that the scale had a significantly stronger association with homebound status than with other variables.

Conclusion

We developed a highly reliable and valid scale on barriers to going out among community‐dwelling older adults and confirmed its usability. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 238–244.