bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical Characterization of Si/ZnO Nanorod PN Heterojunction Diode
Authors: Faraz Sadia Muniza , Shah Wakeel , Alvi Naveed Ul Hassan , Nur Omer , Wahab Qamar Ul
Published: April 2020

The electrical characterization of p-Silicon (Si) and n-Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod heterojunction diode has been performed. ZnO nanorods were grown on p-Silicon substrate by the aqueous chemical growth (ACG) method. The SEM image revealed high density, vertically aligned hexagonal ZnO nanorods with an average height of about 1.2 μm. Electrical characterization of n-ZnO nanorods/p-Si heterojunction diode was done by current-voltage (I-V), capacitance-voltage (C-V), and conductance-voltage (G-V) measurements at room temperature. The heterojunction exhibited good electrical characteristics with diode-like rectifying behaviour with an ideality factor of 2.7, rectification factor of 52, and barrier height of 0.7 V. Energy band (EB) structure has been studied to investigate the factors responsible for small rectification factor. In order to investigate nonidealities, series resistance and distribution of interface state density (NSS) below the conduction band (CB) were extracted with the help of I-V and C-V and G-V measurements. The series resistances were found to be 0.70, 0.73, and 0.75 KΩ, and density distribution interface states from 8.38 × 1012 to 5.83 × 1011 eV−1 cm−2 were obtained from 0.01 eV to 0.55 eV below the conduction band.
Depression and Its Associated Factors among Diabetes Mellitus Patients Attending Selected Hospitals in Southwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Asefa Adane , Zewudie Ameha , Henok Andualem , Mamo Yitagesu , Nigussie Tadesse
Published: April 2020

Background. Diabetes mellitus and depression are very common diseases worldwide, and the prevalence rates of both conditions are increasing rapidly. Depression among patients with diabetes mellitus results in poor glycemic control through different mechanisms. Besides, the coexistence of a chronic medical illness with depression reduces the probability of recognizing and treating depression. The study is aimed at assessing the prevalence and factors associated with depression among adults with diabetes mellitus. Methods. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adult diabetes mellitus patients on follow-up in Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital and Tepi General Hospital. A consecutive sampling technique was employed to recruit the study participants, and data were collected through face-to-face interview and medical chart review. Depression was measured using Patient Health Questionnaire-nine (PHQ-9). Binary logistic regression analysis was done and a p value of less than 0.05 was used as a level of significance. Results. The prevalence of depression among study participants was 37.0% (95% CI 32.0%-42.0%). The majority (44.7%) of the patients had mild depression, while only 2% had severe depression. Being male (AOR=1.92, 95% CI: 1.15-3.22), urban residence (AOR=3.02, 95% CI: 1.57-5.78), single marital status (AOR=7.72, 95% CI: 3.6-16.53), duration of diabetes mellitus 5 years and more (AOR=2.00, 95% CI: 1.21-3.5), and having sexual dysfunction (AOR=3.55, 95% CI: 2.13-5.91) were associated with increased odds of depression among diabetes mellitus patients. Conclusions. The prevalence of depression among diabetes mellitus was high. Therefore, the patients should be thoroughly screened for this comorbid condition, and the significant factors should be addressed during routine follow-up.
Atypical Manifestation of DRESS Syndrome
Authors: Hakim Christopher , Melitas Constantine , Nguyen Eric , Ngo Kha
Published: April 2020

The differential for liver transaminases over 1000 units/liter typically includes liver ischemia, acute viral hepatitis, acetaminophen toxicity, and autoimmune hepatitis. Prompt evaluation is imperative as these etiologies can lead to fulminant liver failure. We present a case of transaminases over 1000 units/liter from an atypical etiology. A 52-year-old male, previously treated with allopurinol for an acute gout flare, presented with persistent fevers. Given that he had taken a “high-risk medication” 2–6 weeks before presentation, subsequently presented with fever, rash, renal impairment, elevated liver enzymes in the thousands, and peripheral eosinophilia, DRESS syndrome secondary to allopurinol was diagnosed.
Group versus Individual Acupuncture (AP) for Cancer Pain: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial
Authors: Reed Erica Nicole , Landmann Jessa , Oberoi Devesh , Piedalue Katherine-Ann L. , Faris Peter , Carlson Linda E.
Published: April 2020

Background. A service delivery model using group acupuncture (AP) may be more cost‐effective than individual AP in general, but there is little evidence to assess whether group AP is a comparable treatment in terms of efficacy to standard individual AP. The study aimed to compare the group to individual delivery of 6‐week AP among cancer patients with pain. Methods. The study design was a randomized noninferiority trial of the individual (gold standard treatment) vs. group AP for cancer pain. The primary outcome was pain interference and severity, measured through the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). Secondary outcomes included measures of mood, sleep, fatigue, and social support. Changes in outcomes from pre‐ to postintervention were examined using linear mixed effects modeling and noninferiority was inferred using a noninferiority margin, a difference of change between the two arms and 95% CIs. Pain interference was tested with a noninferiority margin of 1 on the BPI, while pain severity and secondary outcomes were compared using conventional statistical methods. Results. The trial included 74 participants randomly allocated to group (35) or individual (39) AP. The noninferiority hypothesis was supported for pain interference [Ө − 1, Δ 1.03, 95% CI: 0.15–2.20] and severity [Ө − 0.81, Δ 0.52, 95% CI:.33–1.38] as well as for mood [Ө − 7.52, Δ 9.86, 95% CI: 0.85–18.86], sleep [Ө − 1.65, Δ 2.60, 95% CI: 0.33–4.88], fatigue [Ө 8.54, Δ − 15.57, 95% CI: 25.60–5.54], and social support [Ө.26, Δ − 0.15, 95% CI:  − 0.42–0.13], meaning that group AP was not inferior to individual AP treatment. Both arms evidenced statistically significant improvements across all symptoms before and after the intervention. Effect sizes for the group vs. individual AP on outcomes of pain, sleep, mood, and social support ranged from small to very large and were consistently larger in the group condition. The total average cost‐per‐person for group AP ($221.25) was almost half that of individual AP ($420). Conclusions. This is the first study to examine the noninferiority of group AP with the gold standard individual AP. Group AP was noninferior to individual AP for treating cancer pain and was superior in many health outcomes. Group AP is more cost‐effective for alleviating cancer pain and should be considered for implementation trials.
Hybrid Consensus Algorithm Optimization: A Mathematical Method Based on POS and PBFT and Its Application in Blockchain
Authors: Wu Yaqin , Song Pengxin , Wang Fuxin
Published: April 2020

Blockchain is a new technology for processing complex and disordered information with respect to business and other industrial applications. This work is aimed at studying the consensus algorithm of blockchain to improve the performance of blockchain. Despite their advantages, the proof of stake (POS) algorithm and the practical Byzantine fault tolerance (PBFT) algorithm have high latency, low throughput, and poor scalability. In this paper, a blockchain hybrid consensus algorithm which combines advantages of the POS and PBFT algorithms is proposed, and the algorithm is divided into two stages: sortition and witness. The proposed algorithm reduces the number of consensus nodes to a constant value by verifiable pseudorandom sortition and performs transaction witness between nodes. The algorithm is improved and optimized from three dimensions: throughput, latency, and scalability. The experimental results show that the improved hybrid consensus algorithm is significantly superior to the previous single algorithms for its excellent scalability, high throughput, and low latency.
Association of Differing Qatari Genotypes with Vitamin D Metabolites
Authors: Dakroury Youssra , Butler Alexandra E. , Dargham Soha R. , Latif Aishah , Robay Amal , Crystal Ronald G. , Atkin Stephen L.
Published: April 2020

Objective. Genetic studies have identified four Qatari genotypes: Q1 Arab, Bedouin; Q2 Asian/Persian; Q3 African; and a fourth admixed group not fitting into the previous 3 groups. This study was undertaken to determine if there was an increased risk of deficiency of vitamin D and its metabolites associated with differing genotypes, perhaps due to genetic differences in skin pigmentation. Methods. 398 Qatari subjects (220 type 2 diabetes and 178 controls) had their genotype determined by Affymetrix 500 k SNP arrays. Total values of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25(OH)2D), and 25-hydroxy-3epi-vitamin D (3epi-25(OH)D) concentrations were measured by the LC-MS/MS analysis. Results. The distribution was as follows: 164 (41.2%) genotyped Q1, 149 (37.4%) genotyped Q2, 31 (7.8%) genotyped Q3, and 54 (13.6%) genotyped “admixed.” Median levels of 25(OH)D and 3epi-25(OH)D did not differ across Q1, Q2, Q3, and “admixed” genotypes, respectively. 1,25(OH)2D levels were lower (p<0.04) between Q2 and the admixed groups, and 24,25(OH)2D levels were lower (p<0.05) between Q1 and the admixed groups. Vitamin D metabolite levels were lower in females for 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D (p<0.001), and 24,25(OH)2D (p<0.006), but 3epi-25(OH)D did not differ (p<0.26). Diabetes prevalence was not different between genotypes. Total 1,25(OH)2D (p<0.001), total 24,25(OH)2D (p<0.001), and total 3epi-25(OH)D (p<0.005) were all significantly lower in diabetes patients compared to controls whilst the total 25(OH)D was higher in diabetes than controls (p<0.001). Conclusion. Whilst 25(OH)D levels did not differ between genotype groups, 1,25(OH)2D and 24,25(OH)2D were lower in the admixed group, suggesting that there are genetic differences in vitamin D metabolism that may be of importance in a population that may allow a more targeted approach to vitamin D replacement. This may be of specific importance in vitamin D replacement strategies with the Q2 genotype requiring less, and the other genotypes requiring more to increase 1,25(OH)2D. Whilst overall the group was vitamin D deficient, total 25(OH)D was higher in diabetes, but 1,25(OH)2D, 24,25(OH)2D, and 3epi-25(OH)D were lower in diabetes that did not affect the relationship to genotype.
Evaluation of the Antidiarrheal Activity of Hydromethanol Crude Extracts of Ruta chalepensis and Vernonia amygdalina in Mice
Authors: Degu Amsalu , Kefale Belayneh , Alemayehu Diriba , Tegegne Gobezie Temesgen
Published: April 2020

Background. The herbal medicine practitioners in Ethiopia have used a wide range of medicinal plants as antidiarrheal agents. Among these, Ruta chalepensis and Vernonia amygdalina were claimed to have antidiarrheal activity in Ethiopian folklore medicine. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity of the crude extracts of Ruta chalepensis and Vernonia amygdalina in mice. Methods. The crude extracts were obtained by cold maceration with 80% methanol, and its antidiarrheal activities were evaluated using a castor oil‐induced diarrheal model. The test groups were treated with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight (bw) of the crude extract of each plant, while the positive controls and negative controls were given loperamide (3 mg/kg.bw) and 2% Tween 80 (10 ml/kg.bw), respectively. Results. In the castor oil‐induced model, the crude extract of Ruta chalepensis (200 and 400 mg/kg.bw) significantly prolonged the onset of diarrhea in mice. Besides, it also showed a significant reduction in the frequency of stooling and weight of feces. Contrastingly, the crude extract of Vernonia amygdalina had a significant effect in delaying the onset of time of diarrhea and reduction of the frequency of stool and the weight of feces only at the maximum tested dose (400 mg/kg.bw). Conclusion. The present study demonstrated that the crude leaves extract of Ruta chalepensis (200 and 400 mg/kg.bw) and Vernonia amygdalina (400 mg/kg.bw) possessed significant antidiarrheal activity in the castor oil‐induced diarrheal model.
Efficacy of Pleuran (β‐Glucan from Pleurotus ostreatus) in the Management of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection
Authors: Urbancikova Ingrid , Hudackova Dana , Majtan Juraj , Rennerova Zuzana , Banovcin Peter , Jesenak Milos
Published: April 2020

One of the highly prevalent viral pathogens among children and adults causing infection, clinically presenting as herpes labialis, is herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‐1). The long‐term administration of acyclovir, a standard regimen for therapy against HSV‐1 infections, can cause viral resistance against this drug. Therefore, the development of natural drugs with low toxicity that are able to enhance host antiviral defense against HSV infection is needed. β‐Glucans represent a type of biologically active molecules possessing antiviral properties. The goal of this study was to investigate the clinical and immunomodulatory effect of β‐glucan pleuran (insoluble β‐1,3/1,6‐D‐glucan isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus) based supplements on the duration and intensity of herpes symptoms and on the incidence rate and duration of acute respiratory symptoms and intercurrent diseases in HSV‐1 positive patients. Ninety patients were randomised into active and placebo groups. Active treatment with pleuran in systemic application caused a significantly shorter duration of herpes simplex symptoms compared to the placebo group. During the preventive phase (120 days), the duration and severity of respiratory symptoms were lower in the active group compared to the placebo group; however, a significant difference was found only in the case of cough. No significant side effects were observed during both phases of the clinical trial (acute and preventive). Obtained results suggest that the use of pleuran seems to be a promising approach in the treatment of acute HSV‐1 with beneficial effect on the respiratory tract symptoms and infections.
TBHQ Attenuates Neurotoxicity Induced by Methamphetamine in the VTA through the Nrf2/HO-1 and PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathways
Authors: Meng Xianyi , Zhang Chenghong , Guo Yu , Han Ying , Wang Chunyang , Chu Haiying , Kong Li , Ma Haiying
Published: April 2020

Methamphetamine (METH) leads to nervous system toxicity. Long-term exposure to METH results in damage to dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and depression-like behavior is a clinical symptom of this toxicity. The current study was designed to investigate whether the antioxidant tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) can alleviate neurotoxicity through both antioxidative stress and antiapoptotic signaling pathways in the VTA. Rats were randomly divided into a control group, a METH-treated group (METH group), and a METH+TBHQ-treated group (METH+TBHQ group). Intraperitoneal injections of METH at a dose of 10 mg/kg were administered to the rats in the METH and METH+TBHQ groups for one week, and METH was then administered at a dose that increased by 1 mg/kg per week until the sixth week, when the daily dosage reached 15 mg/kg. The rats in the METH+TBHQ group received 12.5 mg/kg TBHQ intragastrically. Chronic exposure to METH resulted in increased immobility times in the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) and led to depression-like behavior. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis levels were increased in the VTA of animals in the METH-treated group. METH downregulated Nrf2, HO-1, PI3K, and AKT, key factors of oxidative stress, and the apoptosis signaling pathway. Moreover, METH increased the caspase-3 immunocontent. These changes were reversed by treatment with the antioxidant TBHQ. The results indicate that TBHQ can enhance Nrf2-induced antioxidative stress and PI3K-induced antiapoptotic effects, which can alleviate METH-induced ROS and apoptosis, and that the crosstalk between Nrf2 and PI3K/AKT is likely the key factor involved in the protective effect of TBHQ against METH-induced chronic nervous system toxicity.
An Approach Using Adaptive Weighted Least Squares Support Vector Machines Coupled with Modified Ant Lion Optimizer for Dam Deformation Prediction
Authors: Chen Yijun , Gu Chongshi , Shao Chenfei , Gu Hao , Zheng Dongjian , Wu Zhongru , Fu Xiao
Published: April 2020

A dam deformation prediction model based on adaptive weighted least squares support vector machines (AWLSSVM) coupled with modified Ant Lion Optimization (ALO) is proposed, which can be utilized to evaluate the operational states of concrete dams. First, the Ant Lion Optimizer, a novel metaheuristic algorithm, is used to determine the punishment factor and kernel width in the least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) model, which simulates the hunting process of antlions in nature. Second, aiming to solve the premature convergence phenomenon, Levy flight is introduced into the ALO to improve the global optimization ability. Third, according to the statistical characteristics of the datum error, an improved normal distribution weighting rule is applied to update the weighted value of data samples based on the learning result of the LSSVM model. Moreover, taking a concrete arch dam in China as an example, the horizontal displacement recorded by a pendulum is used as a study object. The accuracy and validity of the proposed model are verified and evaluated based on the four evaluating criteria, and the results of the proposed model are compared with those of well-established models. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms other models and effectively overcomes the influence of outliers on the performance of the model. It also has high prediction accuracy, produces excellent generalization performance, and can be a promising alternative technique for the analysis and prediction of dam deformation and other fields, including flood interval prediction, the stock price market, and wind speed forecasting.
The Response of the Pulp-Dentine Complex, PDL, and Bone to Three Calcium Silicate-Based Cements: A Histological Study in an Animal Rat Model
Authors: Mahmood Talabani Ranjdar , Taha Garib Balkees , Masaeli Reza
Published: April 2020

Objective. The aim of this study was to histologically examine the tissue reaction of three different calcium silicate cements in the closure of perforations in rat incisor teeth.Material and Methods. An experimental lateral root perforation with pulp exposure was performed in 32 lower incisors of 16 male Wistar albino rats. They were randomly assigned into three test groups (each including eight teeth) that were filled either by Biodentine (BD) or MicroMega mineral trioxide aggregate (MM-MTA) or EndoSequence root repair material putty (ESRRM putty), besides eight unperforated incisors from the other four rats (control group). The inflammatory response and healing process were evaluated histologically and scored after one and four weeks. Differences among groups were tested by Kruskal–Wallis tests atP≤0.05.Results. In the first week, BD produced more inflammatory response in the pulpal (score 3) than other materials (score 2). Only ESRRM putty showed odontoblast-like cells in 50%, 25% dentine-like deposit, 25% evidence of bone deposition in the drilling site (score 2), and minimum periodontal ligament (PDL) necrosis and disorganization (25%, score 2). After one month, all groups had healthy pulpal tissue, but 25% of ESRRM putty retained score 1 inflammatory response, and 50% of the BD case had an incomplete palisading odontoblast layer (score 3). A thick and regular dentine bridge deposition was seen in the ESRRM putty group in comparison with MM-MTA and BD cases. The cortical plate healing in all ESRRM putty samples was complete (score 3), while an incomplete closure was seen in MM-MTA and BD groups (score 2). Both the MM-MTA and ESRRM putty groups had fully organized PDL (score 2), while in 50% of BD cases, a necrotizing area and disorganized PDL with inflammatory cells infiltration were still present. Statistically significant differences in the scores of any histologic parameters among the three tested materials were observed neither in the 1st nor in the 4th weeks of the experimental period.Conclusion. Better tissue compatibility and repair of pulpal and periodontal tissue have been detected after lateral perforation in the root of rat incisors when treated with ESRRM putty than MM-MTA and BD. However, the difference was not significant.
The Hi's and Lo's of Cytarabine in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Watts Justin M. , Bradley Terrence
Published: April 2020

Cytarabine is the backbone of AML therapy, but the dose used during induction has remained controversial. Using an intermediate dose of cytarabine, compared with conventional dose, was shown to improve disease-free and overall survival in adult patients in China up to age 55, particularly in patients with intermediate cytogenetic risk.

See related article by Wei et al., p. 3154
Etiologic Workup in Cases of Cryptogenic Stroke
Authors: McMahon Naoimh E. , Bangee Munirah , Benedetto Valerio , Bray Emma P. , Georgiou Rachel F. , Gibson Josephine M.E. , Lane Deirdre A. , Al-Khalidi A. Hakam , Chatterjee Kausik , Chauhan Umesh , Clegg Andrew J. , Lightbody C. Elizabeth , Lip Gregory Y.H. , Sekhar Alakendu , Watkins Caroline L.
Published: April 2020

Background and Purpose—

Identifying the etiology of acute ischemic stroke is essential for effective secondary prevention. However, in at least one third of ischemic strokes, existing investigative protocols fail to determine the underlying cause. Establishing etiology is complicated by variation in clinical practice, often reflecting preferences of treating clinicians and variable availability of investigative techniques. In this review, we systematically assess the extent to which there exists consensus, disagreement, and gaps in clinical practice recommendations on etiologic workup in acute ischemic stroke.

Methods—

We identified clinical practice guidelines/consensus statements through searches of 4 electronic databases and hand-searching of websites/reference lists. Two reviewers independently assessed reports for eligibility. We extracted data on report characteristics and recommendations relating to etiologic workup in acute ischemic stroke and in cases of cryptogenic stroke. Quality was assessed using the AGREE II tool (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation). Recommendations were synthesized according to a published algorithm for diagnostic evaluation in cryptogenic stroke.

Results—

We retrieved 16 clinical practice guidelines and 7 consensus statements addressing acute stroke management (n=12), atrial fibrillation (n=5), imaging (n=5), and secondary prevention (n=1). Five reports were of overall high quality. For all patients, guidelines recommended routine brain imaging, noninvasive vascular imaging, a 12-lead ECG, and routine blood tests/laboratory investigations. Additionally, ECG monitoring (>24 hours) was recommended for patients with suspected embolic stroke and echocardiography for patients with suspected cardiac source. Three reports recommended investigations for rarer causes of stroke. None of the reports provided guidance on the extent of investigation needed before classifying a stroke as cryptogenic.

Conclusions—

While consensus exists surrounding standard etiologic workup, there is little agreement on more advanced investigations for rarer causes of acute ischemic stroke. This gap in guidance, and in the underpinning evidence, demonstrates missed opportunities to better understand and protect against ongoing stroke risk.

Registration—

URL:
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/
; Unique identifier: CRD42019127822.
High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T and Cognitive Function in Patients With Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Broersen Leonie H.A. , Siegerink Bob , Sperber Pia S. , von Rennenberg Regina , Piper Sophie K. , Nolte Christian H. , Heuschmann Peter U. , Endres Matthias , Scheitz Jan F. , Liman Thomas G.
Published: April 2020

Background and Purpose—

Our study aim was to assess whether high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), a specific biomarker for myocardial injury, is associated with cognitive function in patients after mild-to-moderate first-ever ischemic stroke.

Methods—

We used data from PROSCIS-B (Prospective Cohort With Incident Stroke Berlin). Cognitive function was assessed by Mini-Mental-State-Examination at baseline, and Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status–modified after 1 to 3 years of follow-up. Patients were categorized according to hs-cTnT quartiles. We performed generalized linear regression to calculate risk ratios of cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental-State-Examination <27; Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status–modified <32). Association of hs-cTnT with cognitive function over time was estimated using a linear mixed model.

Results—

We included 555 patients (mean age, 67 years, 62% male, median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 2 [interquartile range, 1–5], hs-cTnT above upper reference limit 40%, baseline cognitive impairment 28%). Baseline Mini-Mental-State-Examination score and rate of cognitive impairment were lower in patients in the highest versus lowest hs-cTnT quartile (median Mini-Mental-State-Examination 27 versus 29, and 15.3% versus 43.0%, adjusted risk ratio, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.07–2.90], respectively). If anything, cognition seemed to improve in all groups, yet Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status–modified scores were consistently lower in patients within the highest versus lowest hs-cTnT quartile (adjusted β, −1.33 [95% CI, −2.65 to −0.02]), without difference in the rate of change over time.

Conclusions—

In patients with mild-to-moderate first-ever ischemic stroke without dementia, higher hs-cTnT was associated with higher prevalence of cognitive impairment at baseline and lower Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status–modified during 3-year follow-up.

Registration—

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01363856.
Prx2 (Peroxiredoxin 2) as a Cause of Hydrocephalus After Intraventricular Hemorrhage
Authors: Tan Xiaoxiao , Chen Jingyin , Keep Richard F. , Xi Guohua , Hua Ya
Published: April 2020

Background and Purpose—

Our recent study demonstrated that release of Prx2 (peroxiredoxin 2) from red blood cells (RBCs) is involved in the inflammatory response and brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage. The current study investigated the role of extracellular Prx2 in hydrocephalus development after experimental intraventricular hemorrhage.

Methods—

There were 4 parts in this study. First, Sprague-Dawley rats received an intraventricular injection of lysed RBC or saline and were euthanized at 1 hour for Prx2 measurements. Second, rats received an intraventricular injection of Prx2, deactivated Prx2, or saline. Third, lysed RBC was coinjected with conoidin A, a Prx2 inhibitor, or vehicle. Fourth, rats received Prx2 injection and were treated with minocycline or saline (i.p.). The effects of Prx2 and the inhibitors were examined using magnetic resonance imaging assessing ventriculomegaly, histology assessing ventricular wall damage, and immunohistochemistry to assess inflammation, particularly at the choroid plexus.

Results—

Intraventricular injection of lysed RBC resulted in increased brain Prx2 and hydrocephalus. Intraventricular injection of Prx2 alone caused hydrocephalus, ventricular wall damage, activation of choroid plexus epiplexus cells (macrophages), and an accumulation of neutrophils. Conoidin A attenuated lysed RBC-induced injury. Systemic minocycline treatment reduced the epiplexus cell activation and hydrocephalus induced by Prx2.

Conclusions—

Prx2 contributed to the intraventricular hemorrhage-induced hydrocephalus, probably by inducing inflammatory responses in choroid plexus and ventricular wall damage.
Paradoxes of Professionalism: Rethinking Civil-Military Relations in the United States
Authors: Brooks Risa
Published: April 2020

The U.S. military's prevailing norms of professionalism exhibit three paradoxes that render the organization poorly suited to meet contemporary challenges to its nonpartisan ethic, and that undermine its relations with civilian leaders. These norms, based on Samuel Huntington's objective civilian control model, argue that the military should operate in a sphere separate from the civilian domain of policymaking and decisions about the use of force. The first paradox is that Huntingtonian norms, though intended to prevent partisan and political behavior by military personnel, can also enable these activities. Second, the norms promote civilian leaders’ authority in decisionmaking related to the use of force, yet undermine their practical control and oversight of military activity. Third, they contribute to the military's operational and tactical effectiveness, while corroding the United States’ strategic effectiveness in armed conflict. These tensions in Huntington's norms matter today because of intensifying partisanship in society and in the military, the embrace by civilian leaders of objective control and their concomitant delegation of authority in armed conflict to the military, and growing questions about the causes of the inconclusive outcomes of the United States’ recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is time to develop a new framework for military professionalism.
Impacts of Storm Track Variations on Wintertime Extreme Precipitation and Moisture Budgets over the Ohio Valley and Northwestern United States
Authors: Ma Chen-Geng , Chang Edmund K. M. , Wong Sun , Zhang Rui , Zhang Minghua , Del Genio Anthony
Published: April 2020

Previous studies have shown that variations in extratropical cyclone activity significantly affect the frequency of extreme precipitation events over the Ohio Valley and northwestern United States. In this study, we examine the similarities and differences between the dynamics governing these events in these two regions. In the Ohio Valley, extreme precipitation events are associated with midlatitude synoptic-scale convergence northeast of cyclones and a southwestward oriented ridge near the Atlantic coast that drives strong water vapor transport from the Gulf of Mexico into the Ohio Valley. In the northwestern United States, extreme precipitation events are associated with a cyclonic and anticyclonic circulation pair aligned northwest to southeast, which together drive a long and strong moisture transport corridor from the lower latitude of the central Pacific Ocean toward the northwestern United States. Moisture budget analysis shows that moisture convergence due to dynamical convergence dominates in the Ohio Valley, whereas moisture advection dominates over the Pacific Northwest. Differences between the cases in the same region are examined by an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis conducted on the vertically integrated moisture flux. Different EOFs highlight shifts in spatial location, orientation, and intensity of the moisture flux but demonstrate consistent roles of dynamics in the two regions. Composites based on these EOFs highlight the range of likely synoptic scenarios that can give rise to precipitation extremes over these two regions.
Severe Weather Forecasts and Public Perceptions: An Analysis of the 2011 Super Outbreak in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Authors: Sanders Shadya , Adams Terri , Joseph Everette
Published: April 2020

This paper uses the “Super Outbreak” of 2011 as a case study to examine the potential gaps between the dissemination of severe weather warnings and the public’s behavioral response to this information. This study focuses on a single tornado track that passed through Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The tornado caused massive damage and destruction and led to a total of 62 fatalities. The threat of severe storms was known days in advance, and forecasts were disseminated to the public. Questions were raised about the forecasts, warning lead times, and the perception of the warnings among residents. This paper examines the potential gaps that exist between the dissemination of tornadic warning information and citizen response. The analysis of data collected through a mixed-method approach suggests that, regardless of weather forecast accuracy, a significant chasm exists between the dissemination of warnings and the personalizing of risks, which results in limited use of protective measures in the face of severe weather threats.
Bureaucracy and Growth
Authors: Cornell Agnes , Knutsen Carl Henrik , Teorell Jan
Published: April 2020

We revisit the hypothesis that a Weberian bureaucracy enhances economic growth. Theoretically, we develop arguments for why such a bureaucracy may enhance growth and discuss plausible counterarguments. Empirically, we use new measures capturing various Weberian features in countries across the world, with some time series extending back to 1789. The evidence base from previous large- N studies is surprisingly thin, but our extensive data enable us to move beyond the problematic cross-country correlations used in previous studies. Hence, we conduct tests that control for country-specific characteristics while ensuring sufficient variation on the slow-moving bureaucracy variables to enable precise estimation. Our analysis suggests that previous cross-country regressions have vastly overstated the strength of the relationship. While this casts uncertainty on the proposition that there is an effect of Weberian bureaucracy on growth, our further analysis suggests that—if an effect exists—it may operate in the short term and be stronger in recent decades.
Parent–Teacher Relations, Parental Self-Efficacy, and Parents’ Help-Seeking From Teachers About Children’s Learning and Socio-Emotional Problems
Authors: Harpaz Gal , Grinshtain Yael
Published: April 2020

In light of the backdrop of change processes within the education system in recent years, including the enlarging of school boundaries and parents’ increasing involvement in school life, this study aspired to understand how parents perceive parent–teacher relations alongside their self-efficacy as influencing their help-seeking from teachers in two main dimensions: learning and socio-emotional. Using the quantitative method, 192 Israeli parents answered a questionnaire measuring parent–teacher relations, parental self-efficacy, help-seeking orientation from teachers, and socio-economic status. Regression analysis found that help-seeking in the socio-emotional dimension was mainly influenced by collaborative relations and by parents’ high self-efficacy. Help-seeking in the learning dimension was mainly (but not only) influenced by parents’ socio-economic status. In addition, positive significant correlations were found between parent–teacher collaborative relations and autonomic help-seeking from teachers by parents dealing with both learning and socio-emotional aspects. Negative significant correlation was found between collaborative parent–teacher relations and parents’ avoidance of help-seeking from teachers. The results highlight the importance of teacher–parent collaboration and illuminate the factors influencing parents to ask for help from teachers, in different dimensions.
Modeling and parameter learning method for the Hammerstein–Wiener model with disturbance
Authors: Li Feng , Chen Lianyu , Wo Songlin , Li Shengquan , Cao Qingfeng
Published: April 2020

In this paper, a novel modeling and parameter learning method for the Hammerstein–Wiener model with disturbance is proposed, and the Hammerstein–Wiener model is implemented to approximate complex nonlinear industrial processes. The proposed Hammerstein–Wiener model has two static nonlinear blocks represented by two independent neuro-fuzzy models that surround a dynamic linear block described by the finite impulse response model. The parameter learning method of the Hammerstein–Wiener model with disturbance can be summarized in the following three steps: First, the designed input signals are implemented to completely separate the parameter learning problem of output nonlinear block, linear block, and input nonlinear block. Meanwhile, the static output nonlinear block parameters can be learned based on input and output data of two sets of separable signals with different sizes. Second is to determine the dynamic linear block parameter using correlation analysis algorithm using one set of separable signal; thus, the process disturbance can be compensated by the calculation of correlation function. The final one is to achieve unbiased estimation of the static input nonlinear block parameters using least squares method according to the input–output data of random signal. Furthermore, with the parameter learning method, the proposed model can achieve less computation complexity and good robustness. The simulation results of two cases are provided to demonstrate the advantage of the proposed modeling and parameter learning method.
The Good, the God, and the Ugly: The Role of the Beloved Monster in the Ancient Near East and the Hebrew Bible
Authors: Higgins Ryan S.
Published: April 2020

Ancient Near Eastern texts teem with horrifying and grotesque beings that pose some significant threat to the cosmos, humanity, and its institutions. Adopting Noël Carroll’s definition, such beings are monsters: interstitial not only physiologically and ontologically, but also cosmically and morally. This essay takes a comparative and literary approach to beloved monsters in Ugaritic, Mesopotamian, and Hebrew Bible texts. It suggests that in Ugarit and Mesopotamia, such monsters play a crucial role in advancing the goals of antipathic heroes while maintaining the integrity of sympathetic deities. It then considers the beloved monster in the Hebrew Bible and its interpretations. Finally, the essay makes note of the phenomenon’s transformation in contemporary speculative fiction. The essay argues that the beloved monster in Ugarit and Mesopotamia keeps together a fragmented cosmos, while in the Hebrew Bible it refracts through the facets in a prismatic God.
Mapping the End: On Monsters and Maps in the Book of Revelation
Authors: Pippin Tina
Published: April 2020

The Book of Revelation is a map of the end time. Its apocalyptic story is full of monsters, from the throne room to the abyss. Using new studies in literary cartography and spatiality studies, I argue that the text of Revelation can be read as a map, and that it is itself a monster.
Patriarchal forms of national community in post-apartheid literature: Re-examining ubuntu and gender in Sindiwe Magona’s Mother to Mother (1998) and Zakes Mda’s The Heart of Redness (2000)
Authors: Duvenage Amy
Published: April 2020

Despite having been celebrated for autochthonous renewal, Sindiwe Magona’s Mother to Mother (1998) and Zakes Mda’s The Heart of Redness (2000) perpetuate ontological discourses of ubuntu that uphold patriarchal forms of national community. In these discourses of personhood, men function as subjects entitled to “moral arrival” whilst women are represented as women-in-community. Women are never in positions of authority. Consequently, neither men nor women can become fully human in the manner proposed by ubuntu in these texts.
Weapon of the Strong? Government Support for Religion and Majoritarian Terrorism
Authors: Henne Peter S. , Saiya Nilay , Hand Ashlyn W.
Published: April 2020

This article addresses a puzzle in terrorism studies. That terrorism functions as a “weapon of the weak” is conventional wisdom among terrorism researchers. When it comes to religious communities, however, often it is those groups favored by the state—rather than repressed minority communities—that commit acts of terrorism. We argue that this is because official religious favoritism can empower and radicalize majority communities, leading them to commit more and more destructive terrorist attacks. We test this claim using a statistical analysis of Muslim-majority countries. Our findings support the idea that the combination of state support of religion and discrimination against minorities encourages terrorism from majority religious groups.
Deliberation and Identity Rules: The Effect of Anonymity, Pseudonyms and Real-Name Requirements on the Cognitive Complexity of Online News Comments
Authors: Moore Alfred , Fredheim Rolf , Wyss Dominik , Beste Simon
Published: April 2020

How do identity rules influence online deliberation? We address this question by drawing on a data set of 45 million comments on news articles on the Huffington Post from January 2013 to May 2015. At the beginning of this period, the site allowed commenting under what we call non-durable pseudonyms. In December 2013, Huffington Post moved to regulate its forum by requiring users to authenticate their accounts. And in June 2014, Huffington Post outsourced commenting to Facebook altogether, approximating a ‘real-name’ environment. We find a significant increase in the cognitive complexity of comments (a proxy for one aspect of deliberative quality) during the middle phase, followed by a decrease following the shift to real-name commenting through Facebook. Our findings challenge the terms of the apparently simple trade-off between the goods and bads of anonymous and real-name environments and point to the potential value of durable pseudonymity in the context of online discussion.
Francis and the Pastoral Geopolitics of Peoples and Their Cultures: A Structural Option for the Poor
Authors: Luciani Rafael
Published: April 2020

In response to the phenomenon of globalization, which has resulted in the exclusion of entire peoples and their cultures, Pope Francis has proposed a pastoral geopolitics that is in keeping with the spirit of Vatican II and Latin American theology. Today’s poor are not only the individually poor, but also “poor-peoples” ( pueblos-pobres). Francis’s pastoral geopolitics seeks to identify the new historical processes being formed on the peripheries, such as social movements for democratic and inclusive societies, processes that the Church should encourage by valuing and incarnating itself in poor-peoples’ “cultures.” His structural option for the poor brings together ecclesiology, geopolitics, and evangelization.
Pope Francis and Economic Democracy: Understanding Pope Francis’s Radical (yet) Practical Approach to Political Economy
Authors: Braun S. Stewart
Published: April 2020

This article explains how Pope Francis’s economic views are both radical and practical. His views are practical in the sense that they are sensitive to social realities, not theoretical abstractions; and they are radical in the sense that they undermine traditional economic ideologies. To demonstrate these points, I show how Francis’s pronouncements are consistent with “economic democracy.” In economic democracy efforts are made to create a more equal dispersal of capital assets and the economy is more squarely oriented around fundamental human ends, including the common good, human dignity, equality and opportunity, meaningful work, ecological responsibility, and solidarity.
Virtue and Human Fragility
Authors: Ward Kate
Published: April 2020

New perspectives from virtue ethicists engaged with human fragility make concrete moral theology’s long understanding that humans are both free and constrained in our virtue pursuit. Theologians examine the possibilities of virtue under conditions of oppression as well as the virtue and vice of oppressors. Some adapt the term “moral luck” from philosophy to describe how persistent life circumstances shape the pursuit of virtue. Others focus on determinative individual acts through the lens of moral injury, a concept developed by psychologists caring for veterans. Finally, theologians engaged with disability describe flourishing, virtuous lives lived amid human mental and physical fragility.
Engagement norms buffer academic risks associated with peer rejection in middle school
Authors: Lessard Leah M. , Juvonen Jaana
Published: April 2020

The current study examined school variations in academic engagement norms and whether such norms affect those most susceptible to peer influence. We presumed that behaviors associated with perceived popularity make norms salient and are most likely to affect socially marginalized (rejected) youth. Focusing on differences across 26 middle schools, the main aim was to test whether academic engagement norms moderate the association between peer rejection and subsequent academic difficulties. The U.S. public school sample included 5,991 youth (52% girls): 32% Latino/a, 20% White, 14% East/Southeast Asian, 12% African American, and 22% from other specific ethnic groups. Multilevel models were used to examine whether engagement norms moderated the association between sixth-grade peer rejection and changes in grade point average (GPA) and academic engagement across middle school (i.e., from sixth to eighth grade). Consistent with our contextual moderator hypothesis, the association between peer rejection and academic engagement was attenuated—and in the case of GPA eliminated—in schools where higher engagement was a salient norm. The study findings suggest that the behaviors of popular peers affect those on social margins and that academic difficulties are not inevitable for rejected youth.
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles induce endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptotic cell death in liver cancer cells
Authors: Li Zhiwang , He Jingliang , Li Bowei , Zhang Jinqian , He Ke , Duan Xiaopeng , Huang Rui , Wu Zuguang , Xiang Guoan
Published: April 2020

Objective

Titanium oxide (TiO2) acts as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy by mediating reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TiO2 on ER stress in liver cancer cells.

Methods

Normal human liver and human hepatocarcinoma cell lines were incubated with various concentrations of TiO2 nanotubes for 48 hours. Cell growth, apoptosis, cell cycle, and cellular ROS were detected. Expression levels of ER stress sensors (PERK and ATF6) and Bax were evaluated by western blot. The effect of TiO2 on liver cancer growth was also investigated in mice in vivo.

Results

TiO2 inhibited cell growth, increased apoptosis and cellular ROS levels, and arrested the cell cycle in G1 stage in liver cancer cells. TiO2 also increased PERK, ATF6, and Bax expression levels in liver cancer cells in dose-dependent manners. TiO2 had no significant effect on cell growth, apoptosis, ROS level, cell cycle distribution, or PERK, ATF6, or Bax expression in normal liver cells. TiO2 administration reduced tumor volume and increased PERK, Bax, and ATF6 expression levels in tumor tissues in vivo.

Conclusions

TiO2 nanoparticles increased ROS-induced ER stress and activated the PERK/ATF6/Bax axis in liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.
A retrospective analysis of factors affecting surgical site infection in orthopaedic patients
Authors: Yang Jun , Zhang Xiangmin , Liang Wangbo
Published: April 2020

Objective

To investigate the factors affecting surgical site infections (SSI) in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery.

Methods

The electronic medical records of patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery between September 2010 and July 2018 were retrospectively retrieved and reviewed. Logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the correlation between surgery-related variables and SSI. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated for the risk factors.

Results

Clinical data from 25 954 patients were reviewed and 804 (3.1%) were found to have become infected at the surgical site. Older age (≥60 years) was a risk factor (OR 2.218) and younger age (<18 years) was a protective factor (OR 0.258). Diabetes mellitus (OR 6.560) and hypertension (OR 3.991) were independent risk factors. Compared with type II incisions, type I incisions had a lower risk for SSI (OR 0.031), while type III incisions had a greater risk of SSI (OR 2.599). Compared with upper limbs and hands, the feet had a lower risk of infection, while surgery performed at the spine and joints did not increase the risk as compared with foot surgery.

Conclusion

Older age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and type III incisions were risk factors for SSI following orthopaedic surgery.