bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
U.S. Phase I First-in-human Study of Taletrectinib (DS-6051b/AB-106), a ROS1/TRK Inhibitor, in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
Authors: Papadopoulos Kyriakos P. , Borazanci Erkut , Shaw Alice T. , Katayama Ryohei , Shimizu Yuki , Zhu Viola W. , Sun Thomas Yang , Wakelee Heather A. , Madison Russell , Schrock Alexa B. , Senaldi Giorgio , Nakao Naoki , Hanzawa Hiroyuki , Tachibana Masaya , Isoyama Takeshi , Nakamaru Kenji , Deng Chenhui , Li Meijing , Fan Frank , Zhao Qinying , Gao Yanfei , Seto Takashi , Jänne Pasi A. , Ou Sai-Hong Ignatius
Published: June 2020

Purpose:

Taletrectinib (DS-6051b/AB-106) is an oral, tyrosine kinase inhibitor of ROS1 and NTRK with potent preclinical activity against ROS1 G2032R solvent-front mutation among others. We report the first-in-human U.S. phase I results of taletrectinib.

Patients and Methods:

Patients ≥18 years old with neuroendocrine tumors, with tumor-induced pain, or tumors harboring ROS1/NTRK rearrangements were eligible. Accelerated titration followed by modified continuous reassessment method and escalation with overdose control was used (50–1,200 mg once daily or 400 mg twice daily). Primary objectives were safety/tolerability, and MTD determination. Secondary objectives were food-effect pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity.

Results:

A total of 46 patients were enrolled. Steady-state peak concentration (Cmax) and exposure (AUC0-8) increased dose dependently from 50-mg to 800-mg once-daily doses. The ratio of the geometric mean of AUC0-24 between low-fat-diet-fed/fasted state was 123% (90% confidence interval, 104%–149%). Dose-limiting toxicities (grade 3 transaminases increase) occurred in two patients (1,200-mg once-daily dose). MTD was 800 mg once daily. Most common treatment-related adverse events were nausea (47.8%), diarrhea (43.5%), and vomiting (32.6%). Pain score reductions were observed in the 800-mg once-daily dose cohort. Confirmed objective response rate was 33.3% among the six patients with RECIST-evaluable crizotinib-refractory ROS1+ NSCLC. One patient with TPM3-NTRK1 differentiated thyroid cancer achieving a confirmed partial response of 27 months at data cutoff. We identified a cabozantinib-sensitive ROS1 L2086F as an acquired taletrectinib-resistance mutation.

Conclusions:

Taletrectinib has manageable toxicities at the MTD of 800 mg daily. Preliminary efficacy was observed in patients with crizotinib-refractory ROS1+ NSCLC.
Locally Advanced Osteosarcoma of the Ethmoid Sinus: A Report of Successful Management
Authors: Gopishetty Swathi , Yeh Justin , Khalid Mansoor , Annamaraju Pavan , Guddati Achuta K.
Published: June 2020

Osteosarcoma of the skull has poor outcomes. This case report describes the presentation and clinical course of a patient who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the skull involving the cribriform plate. After her initial diagnosis, she developed esotropia with severe unremitting headaches. She received palliative radiation, followed by chemotherapy, and responded well. Her initial symptoms involving the cranial nerves subsided, and her response was sustained. This report illustrates the need to effectively treat osteosarcoma of the skull despite its reported poor outcomes.
A Case of Acquired von Willebrand Disease Secondary to Myeloproliferative Neoplasm
Authors: Sasi Sreethish , Yassin Mohamed A. , Fadul Afraa M.
Published: June 2020

Acquired von Willebrand Disease (AVWD) is a rare disorder in which qualitative or quantitative defects in von Willebrand factor (VWF) occur secondary to other conditions. AVWD occurs in patients with myeloproliferative disorders due to formation of autoantibodies against VWF and development of excessive shear stress causing disruption of VWF multimers. AVWD is different from congenital VWD in its acute onset and absence of family history. We report a 42-year-old gentleman with essential thrombocythemia, who was on cytoreductive therapy with hydroxyurea, and presented with an acute history of gum bleeding with hemoptysis, without any antecedent trauma or infections. His platelet count was very high, and prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were prolonged. The VWF ristocetin cofactor assay (VWF: RCo) was low, but VWF antigen level (VWF: Ag) was normal. Their ratio (VWF: RCo/VWF: Ag) was much lower than the acceptable lower limit. Treatment in AVWD is focused on addressing the underlying disorder. Early recognition of AVWD and its primary cause is mandatory in providing adequate therapy and achieving a cure.
Osteopenia/Osteoporosis and Its Association with Sarcopenia: EpiFloripa Aging Study 2013/2014
Authors: Confortin Susana Cararo , Ono Lariane Mortean , Marques Larissa Pruner , Ceolin Gilciane , d’Orsi Eleonora , Barbosa Aline Rodrigues
Published: June 2020

Objective: To verify the association between sarcopenia and osteopenia/osteoporosis in the older population from Florianópolis, Southern Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 598 older adults. The bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated by total BMD, lumbar spine BMD (LS-BMD), femoral neck BMD (FN-BMD), and osteopenia/osteoporosis was defined when BMD (g/cm2) <–1 standard deviation of the sample mean. Sarcopenia was identified by the appendicular muscle mass index (AMMI), by sex, when AMMI <7.26 kg/m2 for men and <5.5 kg/m2 for women. Results: Of the 598 subjects (63–93 years) in the sample, 65.4% were women. The proportion of altered BMD was 52.1% for total BMD, 62.5% for LS-BMD, and 70.9% for FN-BMD in women, while for men, altered BMD proportion was 29.3% for total BMD, 24.5% for LS-BMD, and 64.9% for FN-BMD. After adjustments, sarcopenia was associated with increased odds of altered LS-BMD (OR: 12.25; 95% CI: 3.66–40.96 and OR: 2.90; 95% CI: 1.30–6.48) and FN-BMD (OR: 5.59; 95% CI: 1.64–19.05 and OR: 7.95; 95% CI: 3.23–19.57), respectively for women and men. The association between sarcopenia and altered total BMD (OR: 11.08; 95% CI: 3.84–31.97) was observed only in women. Conclusion: The proportion of osteopenia/osteoporosis was higher in women. Sarcopenia was associated with osteopenia/osteoporosis in the population from Florianópolis, except for total BMD in men.
Early Hemoperfusion for Cytokine Removal May Contribute to Prevention of Intubation in Patients Infected with COVID-19
Authors: Esmaeili Vardanjani Ali , Ronco Claudio , Rafiei Hossein , Golitaleb Mohamad , Pishvaei Mohammad Hoseyn , Mohammadi Mostafa
Published: June 2020

Hemoperfusion (HP) was helpful to prevent the development and progression of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute kidney injury (AKI), liver failure, and septic shock by removing cytokines and other inflammatory mediators and ultimately preventing progression toward multiple organ failure. A 54-year-old man diagnosed with COVID-19 was hospitalized in the intensive care unit. The patient’s O2 saturation was 80% using an oxygen mask, which was gradually declining. After 4 sessions of HP/continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT), O2 saturation reached to 95%, and the patient was transferred to the general ward. Performing HP/CRRT at the early stages of ARDS can obviate the need for intubating patients with COVID-19. Punctual and early use of HP and CRRT in the treatment of ARDS in patients with COVID-19 prevented the progression of ARDS and patient intubation, reduced respiratory distress and the patient’s dependence on oxygen, prevented other complications such as AKI and septic shock in the patient, and reduced mortality and hospital length of stay.
Heart Failure in the Time of COVID-19
Authors: Jiménez-Blanco Bravo Marta , Cordero Pereda David , Sánchez Vega Diego , del Prado Díaz Susana , Monteagudo Ruiz Juan Manuel , Zamorano Gómez José Luis , Alonso Salinas Gonzalo Luis
Published: June 2020

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged as a new threat to healthcare systems. In this setting, heart failure units have faced an enormous challenge: taking care of their patients while at the same time avoiding patients’ visits to the hospital. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of a follow-up protocol established in an advanced heart failure unit at a single center in Spain during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: During March and April 2020, a protocolized approach was implemented in our unit to reduce the number of outpatient visits and hospital admissions throughout the maximum COVID-19 spread period. We compared emergency room (ER) visits, hospital admissions, and mortality with those of January and February 2020. Results: When compared to the preceding months, during the COVID pandemic there was a 56.5% reduction in the ER visits and a 46.9% reduction in hospital admissions, without an increase in mortality (9 patients died in both time periods). A total of 18 patients required a visit to the outpatient clinic for decompensation of heart failure or others. Conclusion: Our study suggests that implementing an active-surveillance protocol in acutely decompensated heart failure units during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic can reduce hospital admissions, ER visits and, potentially, viral transmission, in a cohort of especially vulnerable patients.
Introdução à Lingua Armênia Ocidental: alfabetização e conversação elementar
Authors:   Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas, Palomo Sandra Maria Silva
Published: June 2020

Este livro constitui uma introdução à língua armênia, mais especificamente, ao seu dialeto ocidental, compreendendo exercícios didáticos dirigidos a alunos falantes do português que se iniciam no estudo da língua armênia. O material aqui publicado foi elaborado pela Profa. Dra. Sandra Maria Silva Palomo, organizado por Deize Crespim Pereira e Ygor Pinheiro Amorim Galdino, no âmbito do projeto "Organização de Exercícios Didáticos para Aquisição da Língua Armênia Ocidental". A obra se divide em duas partes: a primeira corresponde ao curso "Introdução à Língua Armênia Ocidental": Alfabetização e Conversação Elementar", tendo por objetivo a alfabetização; e a segunda parte deste livro didático correspondente ao curso "Língua Armênia Ocidental: Noções Básicas de Gramática e Conversação", no intuito de estimular o estudante a adquirir um vocabulário básico e noções de Gramática (Morfologia e Sintaxe) do armênio ocidental
Contribution to the macromycetes of West Bengal, India: 51–56
Authors: Das Diptosh , Tarafder Entaj , Bera Meghma , Roy Anirban , Acharya Krishnendu
Published: June 2020

Abstract: The West Bengal is a treasure house for macro-fungal diversity due to its varied geo-climatic conditions. Detailed macroscopic and microscopic characterization was made to identify the collected specimens. Altogether six species belonging to the family Xylariaceae (three species), Hypoxylaceae (one species), Ascobolaceae (one species) and Pyronemataceae (one species) were collected from different corners of the state. Literature survey revealed that all of the collected taxa represent their first detailed description and distributional record from the state. A comprehensive macro-morphological description, field photographs along with microscopic observations are provided. The outcome of the present study will enrich data related to the diversity of macrofungi from the state West Bengal.
Woody species diversity from proposed ecologically sensitive area of northern Western Ghats: implications for biodiversity management
Authors: Tadwalkar M. , Joglekar A. , Mhaskar Monali , Patwardhan A.
Published: June 2020

The Western Ghats of India support an array of tropical forests ranging from wet evergreen to scrub formations.  Several endemic and threatened plant species are located in areas other than protected areas (PAs).  There is an urgent need to understand species diversity in areas other than PAs, for effective management of tropical forests.  In this context, reserve forests and informal PAs of Amboli from northern Western Ghats have been investigated. Woody species composition, diversity, and stand structure were assessed by laying quadrats and transects (n=46, area=2.575ha) in closed and open canopy forest patches covering habitat heterogeneity and environmental gradient of the area. A total of 2,224 individuals (of 87 species, 68 genera, and 35 families) was enumerated.  Memecylon umbellatum, Syzygium cumini, and Diospyros nigrescens were found to be the most dominant species as per importance value index.  Melastomataceae was the most dominant family as per family importance value, whereas Euphorbiaceae and Rutaceae were the most speciose.  Fourteen IUCN Red List assessed species and 18 species endemic to the Western Ghats were encountered.  Endemic species accounted for nearly 20% of the total number of individuals sampled.  Demographic profile exhibited reverse ‘J’ pattern.  Average basal area was 27.02m2 per hectare. Woody species diversity of Amboli forests was found comparable with other PAs from northern Western Ghats.  Amboli and the adjoining area have been proposed as ecologically sensitive and in the wake of anthropogenic and developmental pressures they experience, it calls for urgent conservation attention.
DNA barcode reveals the occurrence of Palearctic Olepa schleini Witt et al., 2005 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) from peninsular India with morphological variations and a new subspecies
Authors: Kalawate Aparna Sureshchandra , Shital Pawara  , A. Shabnam  , K.P. Dinesh
Published: June 2020

The present study was taken up to report a new record of the tiger moth genus, Olepa Watson, 1980 from India along with the discovery of a new subspecies.  Earlier  the genus was thought to have restricted distribution range in South and South-East Asia until the report of O. schleini Witt, Müller, Kravchenko, Miller, Hausmann & Speidel from the Mediterranean Coastal Plain of Israel in 2005. The species identification and the new subspecies is proposed based on the combination of morphological studies, available literature comparisons, geographical distribution,  DNA barcoding and its phylogeny. Morphological character crypticity and genital structure variations are well documented in the genus with ‘bio-species’ groups. DNA Barcoding data of mt COI has provided some resolution in sorting the problems of ‘bio-species’ groups of the genus in the past studies. In the present study, with the available  mt DNA COI barcodes and newly generated barcodes genetic identity is confirmed for the species O. ricini, O. schleini, O. toulgoeti and Olepa schleini chandrai ssp. nov., with their phylogenetic relationships. Morphological variations within the O. schleini species complex are discussed with a new record of the species for India and a new subspecies description. With the first mt COI barcode phylogeny for the genus, comments are made on the taxonomic identity of the mt COI DNA barcodes available in the GenBank for the Olepa species from India.
A new report on mixed species association between Nilgiri Langurs Semnopithecus johnii and Tufted Grey Langurs S. priam (Primates: Cercopithecidae) in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Western Ghats, India
Authors: Nag Chetan
Published: June 2020

Phylogenetic conservatism or rapid anthropogenic habitat modifications could increase the incidences of interspecific associations of Hanuman and Nilgiri langurs (Family: Cercopithecidae, subfamily: Colobinae) in the southern Western Ghats.  Opportunistic surveys were conducted at the Silent Valley National Park, Kerala and around Devimalai Ghats, Tamil Nadu for  Tufted Grey-Nilgiri Langur association. Based on the observations from Researchers, field assistants, forest staff, and local people, the data in terms of the time of the sighting, number of individuals, phenotypes of individuals, and the time the interaction lasted, were recorded.  The study reports data on a troop of Nilgiri Langurs (N=13) around O Valley tea estate at Devimalai Ghat, Gudalur, Tamil Nadu with some hybrid looking individuals and a Tufted female Grey Langur amongst them. A total of six  and two uni-male troops of Nilgiri Langurs  and grey langurs respectively with Tufted female Grey Langurs, and aberrant coat colored infants observed at the Neelikkal section of Silent Valley National Park are also reported. The study reasonably speculates that there could be more such locations in the southern western ghats and emphasizes the need for more systematic surveys to understand  and explore the ecology, behavior, molecular, and other likely factors contributing to the conservation of vulnerable Nilgiri langur (Semnopithecus johnii) populations.
The perceptions of high school students on the habitat of the crab Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Ucididae) in northern Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil
Authors: Quintanilha Ribeiro Laiza Fernanda , De Oliveira Côrtes Laura Helena , Di Beneditto Ana Paula Madeira
Published: June 2020

The study evaluated the perceptions of high school students (15 to 22 years old) on the value and ecosystem services (ES) provided by mangroves in the Paraíba do Sul River estuary, which is the habitat of the crab Ucides cordatus in northern Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil.  One of the schools, Colégio Estadual Ercilia Muylaert de Menezes (CEEMM), is located in a rural area close to the mangroves, while the other school, Colégio Estadual Benta Pereira (CEBP), is located in an urban area 50km from the mangroves.  The CEEMM students (n= 62) mainly attributed economic value to the ecosystem, while the CEBP students (n= 67) attributed ecological value.  Students of both schools recognize the provision of services relating to commercial fishing of the crab U. cordatus as the main ES provided by the mangroves.  The value of direct use (crab fishing) can encourage ecosystem conservation, however, it should not be the only resource considered for this purpose.  We recommend that both schools implement environmental education activities to consolidate student knowledge about mangrove dynamics and its importance as an environment that supports and regulates coastal areas.
The niche of shrimp stocks (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri Heller, 1862) from southeastern Brazil: a stable isotope approach
Authors: De Aquino Ferreira Keltony , Rabello Monteiro Leandro , Di Beneditto Ana Paula Madeira
Published: June 2020

The penaeid shrimp Xiphopenaeus kroyeri is the second most important species of crustacean in Brazilian fisheries. Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen are chemical proxies to provide quantitative information about the consumer isotopic niche, which is associated with its feeding ecology and ecological niche in the environment. This study evaluated the niche dimensions of X. kroyeri from different stocks through stable isotopes determinations.   Shrimps were sampled in four fishing areas from southeastern Brazil (Vitória and Anchieta, in Espírito Santo State, and Atafona and Farol de São Tomé, in Rio de Janeiro State). The stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen were determined in the abdominal muscle. Quantitative metrics of the isotopic niche estimated the trophic diversity and trophic redundancy among stocks. Shrimp stocks from Espírito Santo State had highest trophic diversity, indicating greater variety of food sources and wider utilization of the available food sources. The shrimps from Rio de Janeiro State had highest trophic redundancy, revealing a more homogeneous dietary pattern.  The isotopic niche approach allowed the discrimination of X. kroyeri stocks distributed in southeastern Brazil, and the results will be helpful to assist fisheries management.
Catalogue of herpetological specimens from peninsular India at the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History (SACON), India
Authors: Ganesh S.R. , S. Bhupathy , P. Karthik  , Babu Rao  , S. Babu
Published: June 2020

We list the herpetological voucher specimens in the holdings of the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History (SACON), a wildlife research institute in India.  Most of the collections are the fruition of fieldwork by SACON’s herpetologist and a coauthor of this work—late Dr. Subramanian Bhupathy (1963–2014).  Taxonomically, the collection represents 125 species, comprising 29 amphibian species belonging to eight families and 96 reptilian species belonging to 17 families.  Geographically, the material in this collection originates from the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats, the Deccan Plateau, and the Coromandel Coast, comprehensively covering all ecoregions of peninsular India.  A total of 15 taxa (three amphibians, 12 reptiles) remain to be fully identified and are provisionally referred to most-resembling taxa, with cf. prefix.  All the specimens in this collection are non-types as on date.
NAADP/SERCA3-Dependent Ca
2+
Stores Pathway Specifically Controls Early Autocrine ADP Secretion Potentiating Platelet Activation
Authors: Feng Miao , Elaïb Ziane , Borgel Delphine , Denis Cécile V. , Adam Frédéric , Bryckaert Marijke , Rosa Jean-Philippe , Bobe Régis
Published: June 2020

Rationale:

Ca
2+
signaling is a key and ubiquitous actor of cell organization and its modulation controls many cellular responses. SERCAs (sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca
2+
-ATPases) pump Ca
2+
into internal stores that play a major role in the cytosolic Ca
2+
concentration rise upon cell activation. Platelets exhibit 2 types of SERCAs, SERCA2b and SERCA3 (SERCA3 deficient mice), which may exert specific roles, yet ill-defined. We have recently shown that Ca
2+
mobilization from SERCA3-dependent stores was required for full platelet activation in weak stimulation conditions.

Objective:

To uncover the signaling mechanisms associated with Ca
2+
mobilization from SERCA3-dependent stores leading to ADP secretion.

Methods and Results:

Using platelets from wild-type or
Serca3
-deficient mice, we demonstrated that an early (within 5–10 s following stimulation) secretion of ADP specifically dependent on SERCA3 stored Ca
2+
is exclusively mobilized by nicotinic acid adenosine dinucleotide-phosphate (NAADP): both Ca
2+
mobilization from SERCA3-dependent stores and primary ADP secretion are blocked by the NAADP receptor antagonist Ned-19, and reciprocally both are stimulated by permeant NAADP. In contrast, Ca
2+
mobilization from SERCA3-dependent stores and primary ADP secretion were unaffected by inhibition of the production of IP3 (inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate) by phospholipase-C and accordingly were not stimulated by permeant IP3.

Conclusions:

Upon activation, an NAADP/SERCA3 Ca
2+
mobilization pathway initiates an early ADP secretion, potentiating platelet activation, and a secondary wave of ADP secretion driven by both an IP3/SERCA2b-dependent Ca
2+
stores pathway and the NAADP/SERCA3 pathway. This does not exclude that Ca
2+
mobilized from SERCA3 stores may also enhance platelet global reactivity to agonists. Because of its modulating effect on platelet activation, this NAADP-SERCA3 pathway may be a relevant target for anti-thrombotic therapy.

Graphic Abstract:

A graphic abstract is available for this article.
Impact of Infection on the Risk of Recurrent Stroke Among Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Xu Jie , Yalkun Gulbahram , Wang Meng , Wang Anxin , Wangqin Runqi , Zhang Xiaoli , Chen Zimo , Mo Jinglin , Meng Xia , Li Hao , Li Zixiao , Wang Yongjun
Published: June 2020

Background and Purpose:

Infection occurs commonly in patients with acute ischemic stroke. We aimed to investigate the association of infection with short- and long-term risk of recurrent stroke in patients with ischemic stroke.

Methods:

Data were derived from ischemic stroke patients in 2 stroke registries: the CSCA (Chinese Stroke Center Alliance) program recorded medical data during hospitalization, and the CNSR-III (Third China National Stroke Registry) recorded the medical data during hospitalization and finished 1-year follow-up. Associations of infection (pneumonia or urinary tract infection) during hospitalization with recurrent stroke in short (during hospitalization) and long term (since 30 days to 1 year after stroke onset) were analyzed. Short-term outcomes were analyzed with logistic models and long-term outcomes with Cox models.

Results:

In the CSCA (n=789 596), the incidence of infection during hospitalization reached 9.6%. Patients with infection had a higher risk of stroke recurrence during hospitalization compared with patients without infection (10.4% versus 5.2%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.70 [95% CI, 1.65–1.75];
P
<0.0001). In the CNSR-III (n=13 549), the incidence of infection during hospitalization was 6.5%. Infection during hospitalization was significantly associated with short-term risk of recurrent stroke (7.4% versus 3.9%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.05–1.86];
P
=0.02) but not with long-term risk of recurrent stroke (7.2% versus 5.2%; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.16 [95% CI, 0.88–1.52];
P
=0.30).

Conclusions:

Infection was an independent risk factor for high risk of early stroke recurrence during hospitalization, but we have not found its sustained effect on long-term recurrent risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Birth Certificates, Birth Registration and the Denial of Human Rights: Evidence from Tanzania National Panel Data 2010/11
Authors: Mbise Amana Talala
Published: June 2020

In many countries, a birth certificate is necessary to attend school, receive health care, inherit property, open a bank account, gain access to credit, obtain other forms of identification, vote, and receive a death certificate (Hunter and Brill, 2016). A birth certificate is proof of identity, citizenship and serves as a gateway to the realisation of other rights for children. It also serves as evidence that a child has been registered. Using evidence from the Tanzania National Panel Data 2010/11, I show that birth registration predicts lower odds for possessing a birth certificate for children in Tanzania. Instead, the education of the mother and the ability of households to pay for their own malaria bed nets, serve as the strongest predictors for possessing birth certificates in Tanzania. The article concludes with recommendations for improving birth registration and certification in Tanzania.
Qing Dynasty Perceptions of Zheng He and His Voyages
Authors: Kutcher Norman A.
Published: June 2020

In the conventional narrative, the voyages of Zheng He are said to mark a climax in China’s history, after which the nation would turn inward and reject naval development and its associated engagement with the wider world. In this narrative, Confucianism is responsible for what is presented as China’s inward turn. This article challenges this narrative by examining a consistent strain in Confucian thought of the late Ming and early Qing. It demonstrates that China’s most important Confucian thinkers regarded Zheng He and his voyages as dangerous because of Zheng He’s eunuch status. Criticizing neither naval development nor engagement with the world, these thinkers saw in Zheng He’s voyages the seeds that had led to the fall of the Ming.
On the occurrence of Parasesarma cricotum (Rahayu & Davie, 2002 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Sesarmidae) in Palau and Sulawesi
Authors: SHAHDADI ADNAN , SCHUBART CHRISTOPH D. , MENDOZA JOSE CHRISTOPHER E.
Published: June 2020

The occurrence of Parasesarma cricotum (Rahayu & Davie, 2002) in Palau and Sulawesi is reported after the examination of several male and female specimens collected from Sulawesi, Indonesia, and Palau. The present record from Palau, has extended the distribution of P. cricotum considerably further northeast of its natural distribution range.
New records of decapod crustaceans from Kuwait (Malacostraca: Decapoda)
Authors: AL-KANDARI MANAL , ANKER ARTHUR , HUSSAIN SUMAIAH , SATTARI ZAINAB , DE GRAVE SAMMY
Published: June 2020

Seventeen species of shrimp-like decapod crustaceans (infraorders Caridea, Axiidea and Gebiidea) and two species of porcelain crabs (infraorder Anomura) are recorded for the first time from Kuwait, some of them also representing new records for the Arabian Gulf. The new records from Kuwait are: (1) Alpheus edamensis De Man, 1888; (2) Alpheus edwardsii (Audouin, 1826); (3) Alpheus macrodactylus Ortmann, 1890; (4) Alpheus maindroni Coutière, 1898; (5) Arete indicus Coutière, 1903; (6) Athanas parvus De Man, 1910; (7) Synalpheus gracilirostris De Man, 1910 [all Alpheidae]; (8) Latreutes mucronatus (Stimpson, 1860) [Hippolytidae]; (9) Thor paschalis (Heller, 1862) [Thoridae] (10) Periclimenella pettithouarsii (Audouin, 1826); (11) Anchistus custos (Forskål, 1775); (12) Urocaridella pulchella Yokes & Galil, 2006 [all Palaemonidae]; (13) Chlorocurtis jactans (Nobili, 1904) [Chlorotocellidae]; (14) Upogebia carinicauda (Stimpson, 1860); (15) Upogebia octoceras Nobili, 1904 [Upogebiidae]; (16) Balsscallichirus masoomi (Tirmizi, 1970), (17) Michaelcallianassa indica Sakai, 2002 [Callianassidae]; (18) Raphidopus persicus Ng, Safaie & Naser, 2012 and Polyonyx obesulus Miers, 1884 [Porcellanidae]. Most of these taxa have been previously recorded from other parts of the Arabian Gulf, mainly from the coasts of Iran and the United Arab Emirates, except for A. maindroni and U. pulchella, which are recorded from the Arabian Gulf for the first time. Most species are shown in colour photographs, some for the first time. In addition, the presence of Synalpheus quinquedens Tattersall, 1921 (Alpheidae), previously known from Kuwait based only on a questionable record in a popular field guide, is confirmed based on a single collected and preserved specimen.
Characterization of Synthetic Hydroxyapatite Fibers Using High-Resolution, Polarized Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Shah Furqan A.
Published: June 2020

In the Raman spectrum of B-type carbonated apatites, the ν1 CO32– mode (at ∼1070 cm–1) overlaps the ν3 PO43– band. The latter is readily observed where the CO32– content is low (up to ∼3 wt%). The CO32– content of bone is considerably higher (∼7–9 wt%). As a result, the ν3 PO43– band becomes completely obscured. The 1000–1100 cm–1 spectral range of carbonated apatite is frequently considered a combined ν3 PO43– and ν1 CO32– region. Here, high-resolution polarized Raman spectroscopy (step size of 0.74 ± 0.04 cm–1) provides new insights into synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAp) obtained as micrometer-sized fibers. Compared to bone mineral (deproteinized bovine bone), spectral features of HAp fibers are highly resolved. In particular, the ν3 PO43– band resolves into nine distinct sub-components: 1028, 1032, 1040, 1043, 1047, 1053, 1055, 1062, and 1076 cm–1. Parameters including full width half-maximum, intensity, area fraction, intensity ratio, and area fraction ratio vary between parallel and perpendicular polarized configurations. It is likely that the ν1 CO32– band of B-type carbonated apatites may contain a small but not insignificant contribution from the 1076 cm–1 sub-component of the ν3 PO43– band. Furthermore, the 1076 cm–1/1047 cm–1 ratio changes between parallel and perpendicular scattering configurations, suggesting that the contribution of the 1076 cm–1 sub-component may vary as a function of local orientation of bone mineral, thus skewing the ν1 CO32– band and compromising accurate estimation of carbonate-to-phosphate ratios in B-type CO32– substituted apatite.
Prognostic evaluation of serum long non-coding RNA H19 for endoscopic keyhole surgery or craniotomy in glioma
Authors: Shen Likui , Xu Min , Wang Zhimin , Yu Zhengquan
Published: June 2020

Background

Our study aims to explore the effect of serum long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 level on the long-term prognosis of endoscopic keyhole surgery or craniotomy for glioma.

Methods

A total of 264 glioma patients were selected. Patients were randomly divided into the Craniotomy-high H19 group, the Craniotomy-low H19 group, the Endoscopic keyhole surgery-high H19 group and the Endoscopic keyhole surgery-low H19 group.

Results

Compared with adjacent tissues (5.19 ± 1.42), H19 level in cancer tissues (7.45 ± 1.60) and serum (6.44 ± 1.57) was significantly increased ( P <  0.05). Compared with serum, H19 level in cancer tissues was significantly increased ( P <  0.05). Pearson correlation analysis found that the relative expression level of serum H19 in glioma patients was positively correlated with cancer tissues ( rPearson = 0.547, P <  0.001), but had no significant correlation with adjacent tissues ( rPearson = 0.126, P  =   0.207). The expression of H19 in serum was significantly related to WHO grade ( rPearson = 0.514, P <  0.001). Compared with the Endoscopic keyhole surgery-high H19 group and the Endoscopic keyhole surgery-low H19 group, the survival rate of patients in the Craniotomy-high H19 group (χ2 = 17.115 and log-rank P <  0.001; χ2 = 18.406 and log-rank P <  0.001) and the Craniotomy-low H19 group was significantly reduced (χ2 = 15.007 and log-rank P <  0.001; χ2 = 16.121 and log-rank P <  0.001). Cox regression results showed that serum H19 level, craniotomy and WHO grade were risk factors for glioma. When H19 level was lower than 6.28, the 30-month survival rate of patients with the endoscopic keyhole surgery was 100%.

Conclusion

For patients with low H19 level (<5.36), both endoscopic keyhole surgery and craniotomy are available, otherwise, endoscopic keyhole surgery is more recommended.
Socially Just and Culturally Responsive Leadership Within Counseling and Counseling Psychology: A Grounded Theory Investigation
Authors: Peters Harvey Charles , Luke Melissa , Bernard Janine , Trepal Heather
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to develop an abstracted theory concerning how counseling and counseling psychology leaders and educators engage in and enact socially just and culturally responsive leadership in professional association and higher education contexts. This grounded theory study included 18 participants with a range of social locations and professional leadership experiences in counseling and counseling psychology associations and higher education. Findings from this study were analyzed and are presented using the Straussian tradition of grounded theory. We discuss implications for counseling leadership, training, and development; social justice, cultural responsivity, and advocacy; and future research.
Finite-time interval observer design for discrete-time switched systems: A linear programming approach
Authors: Sun Fei , Huang Jun , Ma Xiang , Wen Xiao
Published: June 2020

This paper deals with the finite-time interval observer design method for discrete-time switched systems subjected to disturbances. The disturbances of the system are unknown but bounded. The framework of the finite-time interval observer is established and the sufficient conditions are derived by the multiple linear copositive Lyapunov function. Furthermore, the conditions which are expressed by the forms of linear programming are numerically tractable by standard computing software. One example is simulated to illustrate the validity of the designed observer.
A critical narrative analysis of psychiatrists’ engagement with psychosis as a contentious area
Authors: O’Donoghue Therese , Crossley Jon
Published: June 2020

Background:

Psychosis, characterised by altered perceptions or interpretations of reality, remains a contested area. Lately, perspectives and conceptualisations of psychosis that have traditionally been more peripheral have gained greater recognition. Both the British Psychological Society and Critical Psychiatry Network have highlighted some contentious areas in recent publications.

Aims:

The aim was to use critical narrative analysis to consider what facilitates and inhibits medical professionals with clinical experience of psychosis to engage with the topic of psychosis as a contentious area.

Method:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 medical professionals, who were at trainee or qualified level with a minimum of 6 months’ clinical experience within psychiatry, across three Trusts within the United Kingdom. This purposive sample had a diverse range of perspectives regarding psychosis. Critical narrative analysis comprising six distinct stages, informed the analysis.

Results:

Participants positioned themselves broadly within one of three groups: biological psychiatrists, critical psychiatrists and those more conflicted. Narrative analysis was undertaken for each participant before being integrated for this article. The research highlighted several factors which either limit or facilitate opportunities within the psychiatric profession to engage with a plurality of views regarding psychosis. These included the significance of power and hierarchy within the profession, the role of dialogue and the prevalence of reflexivity within the profession.

Conclusion:

A pattern was identified of psychiatrists generally associating with like-minded others and not engaging with wider evidence regarding psychosis, partly as a result of the inherent threats to the power and hierarchy of the profession. This led to new ideas being widely unknown or undervalued, potentially to the disservice of clinical practice.
Call for Contributions
Authors: Stensaker Inger
Published: June 2020

This piece briefly introduces a new section in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science called “Methodology Corner” and discusses its aims and scope as well as how scholars and scholar-practitioners can become involved and contribute to developing and sharing knowledge about new and innovative research methods.
Refined experimental design may increase the value of murine models for estimation of bluetongue virus virulence
Authors: Stokstad Maria , Coetzee Peter , Myrmel Mette , Mutowembwa Paidamwoyo , Venter Estelle H , Larsen Stig
Published: June 2020

Bluetongue is a serious non-contagious vector-borne viral disease in ruminants, causing poor animal welfare and economic consequences globally. Concern has been raised about the development of novel bluetongue virus (BTV) strains and their possibly altered virulence through the process of viral reassortment. Virulence is traditionally estimated in lethal dose 50 (LD50) studies in murine models, but agreement with both in vitro and virulence in ruminants is questionable, and a refined experimental design is needed. Specific reassortants between wild-type and vaccine strains of BTV-1, -6 and -8 have previously been developed by reverse genetics. The aim of the present study was to rank the in vivo virulence of these parental and reassortant BTV strains by calculating LD50 in a murine model by using an experimental design that is new to virology: a between-patient optimised three-level response surface pathway design. The inoculation procedure was intracranial. Fifteen suckling mice were used to establish LD50 for each strain. Three parental and five reassortant virus strains were included. The LD50s varied from of 0.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0–0.20) to 3.3 (95% CI 2.96–3.72) tissue culture infectious dose 50/ml. The results support the hypothesis that reassortment in BTV may lead to increased virulence in mice with potential negative consequences for the natural ruminant host. The ranking showed low agreement with in vitro properties and virulence in ruminants according to existing literature. Refined design such as response surface pathway design was found suitable for use in virology, and it introduces significant ethical and scientific improvements.
Application of an innovative ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutter to reduce vibration and improve drilling speed
Authors: Xie Dou , Huang Zhiqiang , Yan Yuqi , Ma Yachao , Yuan Yuan
Published: June 2020

Polycrystalline diamond compact bits have been widely used in the Oil and Gas drilling industry, despite the fact that they may introduce undesired vibration into the drilling process, for example, stick-slip and bit bounce, which accelerate the failure rate and lead to higher drilling costs. First, we develop an innovative ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutter, which has ridge-shaped cutting faces and multiple cutting edges with stepped distribution, in the hope of reducing vibration and improving drilling speed. Then, the scrape tests of ridge-ladder-shaped and general polycrystalline diamond compact cutters are carried out in a laboratory, indicating that the cutting, lateral, and longitudinal forces on ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutters are smaller and with minor fluctuations. Due to different rock-breaking mechanisms, ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutters have higher cutting efficiency compared to general polycrystalline diamond compact cutters, which is also verified experimentally. Finally, the drilling characteristics of a new polycrystalline diamond compact bit fitted with some ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutters are compared to those of a general polycrystalline diamond compact bit by means of finite element simulation. The results show that introducing ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutters can not only reduce the stick-slip vibration, bit bounce, and backward rotation of drill bits effectively, but also improve their rate of penetration.
Co-Creation as an agonistic practice in the favela of Santa Marta, Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Carpenter Juliet , Horvath Christina , Spencer Ben
Published: June 2020

This article explores the potential of ‘Co-Creation’ to develop new understandings of neighbourhood disadvantage in collaboration with civil society partners. It argues that there is a growing need for collaborative knowledge production with communities carrying vernacular knowledges previously invalidated by dominant epistemologies. The first part of the article undertakes a reconceptualisation of ‘co-creation’, a term usually associated with citizen involvement in neoliberal contexts, redeveloping it as a ‘critical artistic practice’ (Mouffe, 2013) in which new ways of imagining the city can be articulated. The second part of the article examines the practice of Co-Creation as a participatory methodology involving artists, researchers and stakeholders in developing ‘agonistic spaces’ by scrutinising a five-day workshop conducted in the Rio de Janeiro favela of Santa Marta to explore multiple understandings and meanings of this neighbourhood. Through an analysis of creative workshop activities such as photovoice and mapping exercises, the authors explore the potential of the Co-Creation approach to construct new subjectivities that can help subvert existing configurations of power. The conclusion formulates some recommendations about future strategies to maximise Co-Creation’s potential to engage communities in collaborative knowledge production about their neighbourhoods and bring about positive change.
On whose land is the city to be built? Farmers, donors and the urban land question in Beira city, Mozambique
Authors: Shannon Murtah , Otsuki Kei , Zoomers Annelies , Kaag Mayke
Published: June 2020

A new era of global interventionism in African cities is emerging, the implications of which for existing claims to urban space are poorly understood. This is particularly true for the claims of farmers. Despite being a ubiquitous feature of many African cities, urban agriculture broadly exists in a conceptual limbo between rurality and urbanity, largely invisible to urban governance and substantive scholarship. Based on the case of Beira, Mozambique, in this article we make urban agriculture empirically and conceptually visible within the context of emerging debates on the urban land question in Africa. Through a historical–political analysis, we demonstrate how urban farming has constituted a distinct feature of Beira’s urbanism, which has evolved amidst successive and contradictory state-land regimes. Moving to the present day, we demonstrate how a new urban regime has emerged out of a coalition of municipal leaders and international donors with the aim of erasing all traces of urban agriculture from the city through urban ‘development’. The findings demonstrate that there is a need for a better understanding of the manifold claims to urban space, outside of slum urbanism alone, in contemporary land rights debates. We conclude by arguing that there is a need for a substantive land rights agenda that transcends the prescriptive categories of urbanism and rurality by focusing instead on the universal land question.
Households’ Net Financial Wealth as a Determinant of Tourism Demand Cycles: Evidence from US Travel to Selected Caribbean Destinations
Authors: Ridderstaat Jorge
Published: June 2020

Developments in households’ net financial wealth may be a better determinant of tourism demand flows than income. This study investigates the effect of cycles of US households’ net financial position on US tourism demand flows for three destinations (Aruba, Barbados, and Jamaica). The literature has conventionally considered income as a key driver of tourism demand, despite the imperfections of several applied proxies. However, there could be a disconnect in the relationship between income and tourism demand because of the net financial position of households. The study contributes to the literature by introducing net financial wealth as a determinant of tourism demand, by heterogenizing consumer decisions, and by providing theoretical propositions. The methodology includes data decomposition, unit root testing, and application of logistic regression. The results show that the relationship is household-, cyle-, and country-specific across time and probability dimensions, which could assist policy makers in better managing developments in destinations.
Agent-Based Modeling of Spatial Spillover Effects in Visitor Flows
Authors: Li Shan , Yang Yang , Zhong Zhangqi , Tang Xiaoli
Published: June 2020

In this study, we apply an agent-based modeling approach to understand individual visitors’ multidestination travel patterns and the spatial spillover effects in visitor flows as an aggregate outcome. Based on previous literature, we specify three hypothetic visitor categories (global optimizers, sequential optimizers, and radial optimizers) according to visitors’ attraction selection rules. We conduct an ABM simulation with a sample of 341 Chinese cities as destinations and 1,990 attractions to measure the degree of spillover between destinations by observing the frequency with which visitors traveling across destination boundaries visited attractions in other destinations. The simulation results demonstrate slightly different spillover effects based on visitor type and highlight three regions with particularly strong spillover effects: the Bohai Rim region, the Yangtze River Delta region, and the Sichuan and Chongqing region. These results appear consistent with those of exploratory spatial data analysis in a validation check. Lastly, policy implications are provided.
Epidural blood patch for spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH): a report of two cases
Authors: Arumugam Ganesh , Ram Sudha , Naidu P Bhaskar , Kumaravelu Selvakumar
Published: June 2020

One of the latest diagnoses that need to be considered when evaluating patients with persistent headache is spontaneous (postural) intracranial hypotension (SIH). The diagnosis can be clinched by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of subdural collections, meningeal enhancement and tonsillar descent. Cerebrospinal fluid leak has been postulated as the cause, and both medical and surgical treatment options have been documented. The treatment of choice is, however, an epidural blood patch. Here we discuss two cases of SIH treated successfully with epidural blood patch.
The MPB64 immunochromatography assay: an analysis of doubtful results
Authors: Kumar Chanchal , Shrivastava Kamal , Singh Anupriya , Sharma Naresh Kumar , Yadav Jitender , Varma-Basil Mandira
Published: June 2020

Culture remains the gold standard for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, and the mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT), endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), is widely used. Further identification of a positive culture is done with the help of an immunochromatography assay, which often shows faint bands that are difficult to interpret. We analysed 125 BACTEC MGIT culture positive results, of which 11/16 (68.7%) of the doubtful assays, analysed by MGIT™ TBc Identification test (TBcId), were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), the remaining being non-tuberculous mycobacteria as determined by an in-house duplex polymerase chain reaction and line probe assay. Guidelines on faint or doubtful bands in immunochromatography assays are important so as not to overlook true-positive cases of TB.