bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Life Hidden Inside Caves: Ecological and Economic Importance of Bat Guano
Authors: Sakoui Souraya , Derdak Reda , Addoum Boutaina , Serrano-Delgado Aurelio , Soukri Abdelaziz , El Khalfi Bouchra
Published: November 2020

Bats are emblematic hosts of caves. These small flying mammals deserve special attention because their presence has a great economic and ecological impact; they introduce organic matter, the guano, in the ecosystem they live in. Indeed, “guano” (a Quechua word meaning “fertilizer”) is the accumulation of their fecal matter (excreta); its deposition can reach several meters. The composition of guano is influenced by the bat’s food. In addition to its role within the caves, the bat guano is exploited for various purposes; it is used as an effective fertilizer for the cultivation of plants because of having exceptionally high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium and also for the improvement of detergents and other products of great value for humans. The bat guano hosts various classes of microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, algae, fungi, and protists), which are adapted to the cave environment. Since guano is highly acidic, these microorganisms can be considered as extremophiles. They produce functional organic compounds in extreme conditions that could be of interest not only in the drug industry but also in different biotechnological areas. Here, we review already available information on the ecological and economic effects of bats and their guano. We report their food preferences, foraging behaviors, and environmental impacts. Information on these aspects may be useful in finding a solution about protection and preservation of bat populations.
Alternative Splicing of FN (Fibronectin) Regulates the Composition of the Arterial Wall Under Low Flow
Authors: Murphy Patrick A. , Jailkhani Noor , Nicholas Sarah-Anne , Del Rosario Amanda M. , Balsbaugh Jeremy L. , Begum Shahinoor , Kimble Amy , Hynes Richard O.
Published: November 2020

Objective:

Exposure of the arterial endothelium to low and disturbed flow is a risk factor for the erosion and rupture of atherosclerotic plaques and aneurysms. Circulating and locally produced proteins are known to contribute to an altered composition of the extracellular matrix at the site of lesions, and to contribute to inflammatory processes within the lesions. We have previously shown that alternative splicing of FN (fibronectin) protects against flow-induced hemorrhage. However, the impact of alternative splicing of FN on extracellular matrix composition remains unknown.

Approach and Results:

Here, we perform quantitative proteomic analysis of the matrisome of murine carotid arteries in mice deficient in the production of FN splice isoforms containing alternative exons EIIIA and EIIIB (FN-EIIIAB null) after exposure to low and disturbed flow in vivo. We also examine serum-derived and endothelial-cell contributions to the matrisome in a simplified in vitro system. We found flow-induced differences in the carotid artery matrisome that were impaired in FN-EIIIAB null mice. One of the most interesting differences was reduced recruitment of FBLN1 (fibulin-1), abundant in blood and not locally produced in the intima. This defect was validated in our in vitro assay, where FBLN1 recruitment from serum was impaired by the absence of these alternatively spliced segments.

Conclusions:

Our results reveal the extent of the dynamic alterations in the matrisome in the acute response to low and disturbed flow and show how changes in the splicing of FN, a common response in vascular inflammation and remodeling, can affect matrix composition.
Heterodimerization With 5-HT
2B
R Is Indispensable for β
2
AR-Mediated Cardioprotection
Authors: Song Ying , Xu Chanjuan , Liu Jianfeng , Li Yulong , Wang Huan , Shan Dan , Wainer Irving W. , Hu Xinli , Zhang Yan , Woo Anthony Yiu-Ho , Xiao Rui-Ping
Published: November 2020

Rationale:

The β
2
-adrenoceptor (β
2
-AR), a prototypical GPCR (G protein-coupled receptor), couples to both G
s
and G
i
proteins. Stimulation of the β
2
-AR is beneficial to humans and animals with heart failure presumably because it activates the downstream G
i
-PI3K-Akt cell survival pathway. Cardiac β
2
-AR signaling can be regulated by crosstalk or heterodimerization with other GPCRs, but the physiological and pathophysiological significance of this type of regulation has not been sufficiently demonstrated.

Objective:

Here, we aim to investigate the potential cardioprotective effect of β
2
-adrenergic stimulation with a subtype-selective agonist, (R,R’)-4-methoxy-1-naphthylfenoterol (MNF), and to decipher the underlying mechanism with a particular emphasis on the role of heterodimerization of β
2
-ARs with another GPCR, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors 2B (5-HT
2B
Rs).

Methods and Results:

Using pharmacological, genetic and biophysical protein-protein interaction approaches, we studied the cardioprotective effect of the β
2
-agonist, MNF, and explored the underlying mechanism in both in vivo in mice and cultured rodent cardiomyocytes insulted with doxorubicin, hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) or ischemia/reperfusion. In doxorubicin (Dox)-treated mice, MNF reduced mortality and body weight loss, while improving cardiac function and cardiomyocyte viability. MNF also alleviated myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. In cultured rodent cardiomyocytes, MNF inhibited DNA damage and cell death caused by Dox, H
2
O
2
or hypoxia/reoxygenation. Mechanistically, we found that MNF or another β
2
-agonist zinterol markedly promoted heterodimerization of β
2
-ARs with 5-HT
2B
Rs. Upregulation of the heterodimerized 5-HT
2B
Rs and β
2
-ARs enhanced β
2
-AR-stimulated G
i
-Akt signaling and cardioprotection while knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of the 5-HT
2B
R attenuated β
2
-AR-stimulated G
i
signaling and cardioprotection.

Conclusions:

These data demonstrate that the β
2
-AR-stimulated cardioprotective G
i
signaling depends on the heterodimerization of β
2
-ARs and 5-HT
2B
Rs.
From Idolatry to Religions: the Missionary Discourses on Hinduism and Buddhism and the Invention of Monotheistic Confucianism, 1550-1700
Authors: Rubiés Joan-Pau
Published: November 2020

The emergence of a European discourse to distinguish, analyze, and historicize various non-Biblical religious traditions within Asia involved a significant amplification of the concept of idolatry. The Jesuit experience of Japanese Buddhism in the second half of the sixteenth century posed a particular challenge, because of its overt atheism. The patristic models of Christian apologetics, based on distinguishing elite monotheism from popular religion in ancient paganism, had been useful in India, but in Japan had to be replaced by a system where the elite cultivated an atheistic form of esoteric monism. When focusing their dialectical firepower upon the doctrines of double truth and non-theistic monism, the Jesuits, led by Alessandro Valignano, were in fact responding to the doctrinal distinctiveness of East Asian Buddhism, notably the emphasis on provisional teachings, on the one hand, and Buddha-nature, on the other. When in China Ricci decided to classify the Confucian literati as civil philosophers rather than as a religious elite, he also transferred Valignano’s critique of Buddhist pantheism to specifically Neo-Confucian doctrines, distinct from the supposed monotheism of the original Confucians.
Federal Proportionality Review in EU Law: Whose Rights are they Anyway?
Authors: Harvey Darren
Published: November 2020

The principle of proportionality has always operated as a means of protecting individuals from excessive uses of public power. When situated alongside the principles of conferral and subsidiarity, proportionality also possesses a federal dimension. In this guise, the principle limits the intensity of EU intervention in order to protect national regulatory autonomy. This federal element of proportionality has featured in recent Court of Justice of the European Union (cjeu) cases. For example, Member States have challenged European Union (EU) legislation for imposing disproportionate social and economic costs in their particular States. This article considers whether individuals can similarly challenge EU legislation for disproportionately interfering with the regulatory autonomy of the Member States? Having considered this question from the perspective of US federalism, it is argued that individuals are actually articulating “Member States’ rights” in such cases. In so doing, attention is drawn to the question of whose rights and interests are really being articulated and balanced in these disputes.
Proportionality and Human Rights Protection in International Investment Arbitration: What’s Left Hanging in the Balance?
Authors: Davitti Daria
Published: November 2020

This article focuses on the proportionality analysis carried out by international investment tribunals when the protection of foreign investment adversely impacts the protection of human rights. International investment arbitrators are increasingly called to adjudicate awards which require a ‘balancing’ between the so-called rights of investors, protected as they are by relevant international investment agreements (iia), and the rights of third parties affected by foreign investment. Such balancing often entails, at its core, a controversial juxtaposition between investment protections and human rights protections. In this article, I argue that a balancing between investors’ rights and human rights is neither possible nor desirable. This argument is crucial to demystify existing assumptions surrounding the use of balancing and proportionality in international investment arbitration as a way of successfully reconciling competing interests as well as conflicting protection obligations vested upon a host State.
The Discourse of Proportionality and the Use of Force: International Law and the Power of Definition
Authors: Bak McKenna Miriam
Published: November 2020

Foregrounding standards like ‘proportionality’ and ‘necessity’ have come to assume a central place in the international legal vocabulary for assessing the legitimacy of war. In both ethical and practical terms, the shift towards common standards provides a useful vernacular to assess military operations. But the question remains: how should these terms be interpreted and applied and by whom? Simultaneously, debates over the definitional boundaries of the legal concept of war and its attendant categories (e.g. lawful military objects, protected zones, combatants, civilians) have arisen in many contexts, leaving room for different and conflicting interpretations, often to the detriment of marginalised groups and weaker States. This article examines the ambivalences, complexities and contestations that have arisen in the move towards broader and subjective discourses of law and war, through the lens of proportionality.
Rebutting Four Arguments in Favour of Resolving ius cogens Norm Conflicts by Means of Proportionality Tests
Authors: Jeutner Valentin
Published: November 2020

The text casts doubt on the utility of proportionality tests to resolve conflicts between peremptory norms of public international law with reference to an argument advanced by João Ernesto Christófolo. Responding to Christófolo, the text maintains that subjecting conflicts between peremptory norms to a proportionality analysis entails judicial law-making, does not safeguard the interests protected by peremptory norms and that the use of proportionality tests cannot be justified with reference to the desired completeness of international law. Instead, the text argues that conflicts between peremptory norms should be dealt with head-on by openly acknowledging the existence of an irresolvable norm conflict and that, if at all, proportionality tests must be applied with utmost care to avoid that the interests of those undertaking a proportionality analysis prevail over the interests of those whose interests the balanced norms in questions are intended to protect.
‘The Curious Ways to Observe Weight in Water’: Thomas Harriot and His Experiments on Specific Gravity
Authors: Clucas Stephen
Published: November 2020

This paper explores the experiments of the English mathematician Thomas Harriot (1560-1621) on specific gravity in the years 1600-1605, as recorded in a series of manuscript notes in British Library Add. MS 6788. It examines the programme of reading undertaken by Harriot before (or during) these experiments (including works by Jean Bodin, Giovanni Battista della Porta, Gerard de Malynes, Gaston du Clo, and Juan Bautista Villalpando), and describes a series of experiments conducted by him which compared the weight of a wide variety of substances in air and water. Harriot’s work is compared to that of his contemporary Marino Ghetaldi (1568-1626) in Promotus Archimedis (1603), and the work of both mathematicians can be positioned in the context of sixteenth-century mathematical responses to the famous problem posed by Hiero, King of Syracuse to Archimedes (as related by Vitruvius). Harriot’s use of proportional mathematics (especially the “rule of alligation”) in his experimental work and his application of this technique to problems in the alloying of metal and chymical analysis is examined in detail.
Why, Exactly, Is Climate Change a Wicked Problem?
Authors: Conradie Ernst M.
Published: November 2020

This contribution explores the assertion that climate change may be described as a “wicked problem.” It notes that the term was introduced in the context of the management sciences where a managerial ethos prevailed and where moral connotations were excluded. Subsequent references to climate change as a wicked problem maintained both these features. Yet, if climate change not only poses technological, economic, and political problems but also has moral and, indeed, spiritual challenges—as is widely maintained—then such moral connotations cannot be avoided. The description of a problem as wicked then becomes part of the problem. It is argued that the term is best understood as one used in jest, so that if we seek to define a problem’s wickedness in a conceptually precise way, we are missing the joke. The major moral dimensions of the challenges posed by climate changes should be taken seriously, but perhaps there is no need to take the term wicked problems all that seriously. What should not be laughed off is the managerial ethos that presumes that the challenges posed by climate changes can be addressed “exactly” through climate engineering or even social engineering.
Overcoming Reconciliation as a Wicked Problem
Authors: Solomons Demaine
Published: November 2020

This contribution provides clues as to why (the quest for) reconciliation in South Africa fits the broad definition of a wicked problem. Popularized by Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber (1973), wicked problem refers to something that is either too difficult or nearly impossible to resolve. It is abundantly clear from the available literature that reconciliation is understood in very different ways. Not only is there a lack of conceptual clarity, but strategies aimed at working towards this ideal reveal or produce new problems as an unintended consequence. Some strategies approach the discourse for the purpose of political expediency, while others are more interested in its theological (or existential) properties. This tension is referenced as the dominant split between heaven and earth. Notwithstanding the complexity of the problem, this contribution alludes to the limitations of such approaches if those who propagate them insist that such views remain mutually exclusive. Building on the theology of Allan Aubrey Boesak and Curtiss Paul DeYoung (2012), this contribution is an attempt to avoid the polarization of such views and highlight the fundamental asymmetry between divine and human action. This is underscored by the work of Christ through which God reconciled the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19) and the ministry of reconciliation in society. In taking this approach, one avoids the tendency to provide superficial answers to a complex (wicked) problem.
New species of Duplominona Karling, 1966 (Platyhelminthes, Proseriata) from the Pacific coast of Panama
Authors: CURINI-GALLETTI MARCO , CARCUPINO MARCELLA , STOCCHINO GIACINTA A. , LEASI FRANCESCA , NORENBURG JON L.
Published: November 2020

Eight new species of Duplominona (Platyhelminthes, Proseriata, Monocelididae) are described from the Pacific coast of Panama. They differ from their congeners in the detailed morphology of hard structures associated with the copulatory organ. Duplominona basidilatata n. sp. has a cirrus provided with 5–6 rows of triangular spines, 3–8 μm long, with a large, flat, poorly sclerotized basis. D. hystricina n. sp. has 10–12 rows of needle-shaped spines, 3.5–15 μm long, with a swollen basis. The cirrus of D. hyperhystricina n. sp. is provided with 20–25 rows of slender spines 1.5–9 μm long, with a recurved distal tip. In D. veracruzensis n. sp., cirrus spines increase abruptly in size, from 1.5–2 μm to 6–7 μm. D. uniserta n. sp. has a very long seminal vesicle and a small cirrus, provided with one girdle of hook-shaped spines, 3–5 μm long. D. macrodon n. sp. has one girdle of large, triangular spines, 8–18 μm long. Both D. trimera n. sp. and D. pseudotrimera n. sp. have a tripartite tail, and their cirrus is provided with a stylet. In D. trimera n. sp., the stylet is surrounded by 15–20 rows of spines, 6.5–10 μm long, while D. pseudotrimera n. sp. has 6–8 rows of large spines, 7–22 μm long. D. uniserta n. sp. and D. aduncospina Curini-Galletti, 2019 from the Caribbean coast of Panama have few rows of morphologically nearly identical spines, and are possible candidates as trans-isthmian geminate species. The presence of species with a tripartite tail on both sides of the Isthmus of Panama suggests the possibility of further geminate species pairs; however, no support could be obtained on the basis of the morphology of their hard structures. Five of the eight new species of Duplominona have been found in a single locality, and the diversity of genus along the Pacific coast of Panama may be far higher than present contribution suggests.
Statistical Postprocessing for Weather Forecasts: Review, Challenges, and Avenues in a Big Data World
Authors: Vannitsem Stéphane , Bremnes John Bjørnar , Demaeyer Jonathan , Evans Gavin R. , Flowerdew Jonathan , Hemri Stephan , Lerch Sebastian , Roberts Nigel , Theis Susanne , Atencia Aitor , Ben Bouallègue Zied , Bhend Jonas , Dabernig Markus , De Cruz Lesley , Hieta Leila , Mestre Olivier , Moret Lionel , Plenković Iris Odak , Schmeits Maurice , Taillardat Maxime , Van den Bergh Joris , Van Schaeybroeck Bert , Whan Kirien , Ylhaisi Jussi
Published: November 2020

Statistical postprocessing techniques are nowadays key components of the forecasting suites in many national meteorological services (NMS), with, for most of them, the objective of correcting the impact of different types of errors on the forecasts. The final aim is to provide optimal, automated, seamless forecasts for end users. Many techniques are now flourishing in the statistical, meteorological, climatological, hydrological, and engineering communities. The methods range in complexity from simple bias corrections to very sophisticated distribution-adjusting techniques that incorporate correlations among the prognostic variables. The paper is an attempt to summarize the main activities going on in this area from theoretical developments to operational applications, with a focus on the current challenges and potential avenues in the field. Among these challenges is the shift in NMS toward running ensemble numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems at the kilometer scale that produce very large datasets and require high-density high-quality observations, the necessity to preserve space–time correlation of high-dimensional corrected fields, the need to reduce the impact of model changes affecting the parameters of the corrections, the necessity for techniques to merge different types of forecasts and ensembles with different behaviors, and finally the ability to transfer research on statistical postprocessing to operations. Potential new avenues are also discussed.
The Impact of a Multiple Conviction Record on Hiring Outcomes
Authors: Leasure Peter , Kaminski Robert J.
Published: November 2020

The objective of the current study was to examine the impact of a multiple conviction criminal record with varying crime types on hiring outcomes. An experimental correspondence audit was used to achieve this objective. The results showed that those with multiple conviction records and varying crime types received significantly fewer callbacks for interviews than those with no record. While the callback point estimates for those with this type of criminal history were not as low as expected, their statistically significant differences from those with no record were consistent with the bulk of previous research. The results also indicated the continued presence of racial discrimination in hiring practices as equally qualified African American applicants received significantly fewer callbacks than White applicants.
Magnetic resonance imaging for early pregnancy diagnosis in the laboratory rat
Authors: Ypsilantis Petros , Souftas Vasileios , Vyza Victoria , Vraila Marianthi , Chatzaki Marilena , Ypsilantou Ifigenia , Pitiakoudis Michael
Published: November 2020

Pregnancy diagnosis and embryo counting are important end points in reproductive, developmental biology and toxicology studies. The purpose of the present study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for early pregnancy diagnosis and embryo counting in the laboratory rat. Female Wistar rats were subjected to whole-body MRI scanning using a 1.5T MRI scanner, employing a isotropic T2-weighted 3D short-tau inversion recovery sequence from day 8 to day 12 post coitum (pc) or without prior mating, under general anaesthesia for pregnancy diagnosis and embryo counting. MRI examination was followed by laparotomy and visual inspection of the uterus to verify MRI findings. By day 8 pc, uterine bulges, characteristic of pregnancy, were depicted as oval-shaped structures of high intensity signal. By day 10 pc, embryonic vesicles were detected at the medial side of the uterine bulges. Pregnancy was diagnosed with 0% false-negative diagnosis and 100% accuracy by day 11 pc, while embryos were counted with 100% accuracy by day 12 pc. In conclusion, MRI proved to be a feasible and reliable non-invasive imaging method of early pregnancy diagnosis and embryo counting in the laboratory rat.
Virtual Reality Job Interview Training in Transition Services: Results of a Single-Arm, Noncontrolled Effectiveness-Implementation Hybrid Trial
Authors: Smith Matthew J. , Smith Justin D. , Jordan Neil , Sherwood Kari , McRobert Erin , Ross Brittany , Oulvey Eugene A. , Atkins Marc S.
Published: November 2020

This study reports the results of a single-arm, noncontrolled, Type 3 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial evaluating virtual reality job interview training (VR-JIT) delivered in five preemployment transition programs comprising 15 schools, 10 administrators, 23 teachers, and 279 youth ages 16–21 years receiving special education preemployment transition services. Fidelity, expected implementation feasibility, and teacher and student acceptance of VR-JIT were high. Youth completed virtual interviews ( M = 10.8, SD = 7.4) over 6–8 weeks. At the 6-month follow-up, teachers reported that youth using VR-JIT had employment rates higher than current national employment rates for youth with disabilities. A multinomial logistic regression revealed VR-JIT engagement was associated with greater employment rates by 6-month follow-up (odds ratio = 1.63, p = .002). This study provides promising evidence that VR-JIT may be feasibly implemented with high fidelity in special education preemployment transition services and can potentially enhance employment outcomes among transition-age youth receiving special education services.
Effect of external diaphragmatic pacing therapy on patients with chronic cor pulmonale: a randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Liu Yongchao , Abula Nuer Maimaiti , Wang Qixing , Tong Nana , Zhang Xiangyu , Aisha Aisikaer , Wang Sheng
Published: November 2020

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of external diaphragmatic pacing (EDP) on patients with chronic cor pulmonale (CCP).

Methods

Fifty patients with CCP were enrolled in Kashgar Prefecture Second People’s Hospital in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China from 2016 to 2017. The patients were randomized into a group that received anti-CCP therapy (negative control group) or a group that received additional EDP treatment (EDP group). We recorded and compared maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, and the 6-minute walking test between the two groups on the first and tenth days of treatment.

Results

Ten days after treatment began, MIP, FVC, and the 6-minute walking test were significantly improved in both groups. Importantly, MIP and FVC were significantly higher in the EDP group compared with the control group on the tenth day.

Conclusion

In addition to treatment for CCP, these patients can obtain extra benefit by using EDP treatment.
Cardiopulmonary bypass duration is an independent predictor of adverse outcome in surgical repair for acute type A aortic dissection
Authors: Zhang Kai , Pan Xu-Dong , Dong Song-Bo , Zheng Jun , Xu Shang-Dong , Liu Yong-Min , Zhu Jun-Ming , Sun Li-Zhong
Published: November 2020

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and stroke or early death in patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) receiving total aortic arch replacement with the frozen elephant trunk procedure (TAR with FET).

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of 258 consecutive patients was conducted at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from December 2014 to June 2016. Patients who received TAR with FET for ATAAD were included. An adverse outcome (AO) was defined as 30-day mortality or stroke. Additionally, an AO was compared using propensity score matching.

Results

The incidence of AO was 13.6% (n = 35). The 30-day mortality rate was 10.8% and the stroke rate was 9.3%. Patients were aged 47.9 ± 10.6 years old. The duration of CPB was an independent predictor of occurrence of AO after adjusting for confounding factors by multivariable logistic regression analysis (odds ratio 1.101, 95% confidence interval 1.003–1.208). In matched analysis, CPB duration remained a risk factor of AO.

Conclusions

The duration of CPB is an independent predictor of AO in surgical repair for ATAAD. The underlying mechanisms of this association are important for developing improved prevention strategies.
Development of Mast Cell and Eosinophil Hyperplasia and HLH/MAS-Like Disease in NSG-SGM3 Mice Receiving Human CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem Cells or Patient-Derived Leukemia Xenografts
Authors: Janke Laura J. , Imai Denise M. , Tillman Heather , Doty Rosalinda , Hoenerhoff Mark J. , Xu Jiajie J. , Freeman Zachary T. , Allen Portia , Fowlkes Natalie Wall , Iacobucci Ilaria , Dickerson Kirsten , Mullighan Charles G. , Vogel Peter , Rehg Jerold E.
Published: November 2020

Immunocompromised mouse strains expressing human transgenes are being increasingly used in biomedical research. The genetic modifications in these mice cause various cellular responses, resulting in histologic features unique to each strain. The NSG-SGM3 mouse strain is similar to the commonly used NSG (NOD scid gamma) strain but expresses human transgenes encoding stem cell factor (also known as KIT ligand), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin 3. This report describes 3 histopathologic features seen in these mice when they are unmanipulated or after transplantation with human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), virally transduced hCD34+ HSCs, or a leukemia patient-derived xenograft. The first feature is mast cell hyperplasia: unmanipulated, naïve mice develop periductular pancreatic aggregates of murine mast cells, whereas mice given the aforementioned human cells develop a proliferative infiltrative interstitial pancreatic mast cell hyperplasia but with human mast cells. The second feature is the predisposition of NSG-SGM3 mice given these human cells to develop eosinophil hyperplasia. The third feature, secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis/macrophage activation syndrome (HLH/MAS)–like disease, is the most pronounced in both its clinical and histopathologic presentations. As part of this disease, a small number of mice also have histiocytic infiltration of the brain and spinal cord with subsequent neurologic or vestibular signs. The presence of any of these features can confound accurate histopathologic interpretation; therefore, it is important to recognize them as strain characteristics and to differentiate them from what may be experimentally induced in the model being studied.
Hybrid Approach Combining Modified Gravity Model and Deep Learning for Short-Term Forecasting of Metro Transit Passenger Flows
Authors: Shen Loutao , Shao Zengzhe , Yu Yuansheng , Chen Xiqun (Michael)
Published: November 2020

Short-term forecasting of metro transit passenger flows is of great importance to the urban subway system in the various aspects of train and crew scheduling, congestion mitigation strategies, operational decision-making, and dynamic information provision. In this paper, a hybrid short-term forecasting approach is developed by combining the modified gravity model and deep learning models (e.g., convolutional neural networks [CNN] with auto-encoder). There are three components in this hybrid forecasting approach: (a) the modified gravity model that incorporates both the geographic information surrounding metro stations and station-level inflows/outflows as regression attributes; (b) the convolutional auto-encoder that tackles the sparsity issues of origin–destination (OD) matrices of passenger flows; and (c) the fusion of physical regression results and the decoder matrix, where the backpropagation algorithm is applied to tune the optimal fusion weight parameter matrix. The combination enables the proposed approach to achieve the trade-off between model interpretability and forecasting accuracy. The proposed approach is applied to the short-term forecasting of passenger flows for the metro transit network in Beijing, China. The experimental results show that the hybrid approach is promising and outperforms the benchmark models, for example, time-series models, long short-term memory, and CNN. The application demonstrates that the proposed hybrid short-term forecasting approach is suitable in both the station-level trip generation/attraction and the inter-station OD passenger flows.
Analysis of incombustibles in the feedstock to incineration facilities in South Korea for optimum sorting and management
Authors: Kim Kyuyeon , Lee Suyoung , Yang Wonseok , Choi Gyunggoo , Lee Wonseok , Shin Sunkyoung
Published: November 2020

Korea’s Ministry of Environment has implemented the Framework Act on Resource Recirculation to activate waste resource recovery. However, industrial waste treatment facilities have some problems related to diversity of waste received for proper management of wastes. Waste incineration facilities are required to receive and process combustible waste and are forbidden to re-consign waste to other waste treatment facilities without any processing. In reality, a large amount of incombustibles is injected into the incinerator because it is impossible to completely separate the incombustible materials. Therefore, it is necessary to develop additional management criteria for optimal operation of the incineration facility. This study was conducted to improve institutional management of incineration facilities in Korea. Through a literature review and statistics study, incombustible waste management trends were investigated. The characteristics of waste entering incineration facilities were surveyed. Physical composition and proximate analysis of incoming waste were conducted, and properties of the incombustibles mixed in feedstocks to waste incineration facilities were examined. As a result of this study, incombustibles mainly consisting of the construction and demolition waste, such as soil, glass, and metals, should be separated from feed sent to incinerators. A mechanical screening technique that sorts particles of 30–40 mm in size can be used to separate the incombustibles. Also, management criteria could be proposed to sort and re-consign the incombustibles.
A Log-Based Analysis of the Associations Between Creativity and Computational Thinking
Authors: Israel-Fishelson Rotem , Hershkovitz Arnon , Eguíluz Andoni , Garaizar Pablo , Guenaga Mariluz
Published: November 2020

Creativity and Computational Thinking (CT) have been both extensively researched in recent years. However, the associations between them are still not fully understood despite their recognition as essential competencies for the digital age. This study looks to bridge this gap by examining the association between CT and two types of creativity, i.e., Creative Thinking and Computational Creativity. The research was conducted among 124 middle school students from Spain, who were divided into control and experimental groups; the intervention included an explicit encouragement to be as creative as possible (i.e., to submit multiple correct solutions) in a given learning task. Data were analyzed from a standardized creativity test (Torrance's TTCT) and cross-referenced with log files that documented the students' activities in the Kodetu game-based learning environment. Our research findings indicate some interesting associations between CT and Creativity. First, we found that creativity contributes to CT. Second, we found that CT is transferable across different domains. Finally, we found that Computational Creativity can develop and improve over time.
“It’s Hard Out Here for a Unicorn”: Transmasculine and Nonbinary Escorts, Embodiment, and Inequalities in Cisgendered Workplaces
Authors: Jones Angela
Published: November 2020

In this article, I draw from in-depth interviews with 34 transmasculine and nonbinary escorts who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) to explore the complicated relationship between gender, race, sexuality, embodiment, and workplace inequalities in what I have called cisgendered workplaces. Cissexism, transmisogyny, and racism are embedded in workspaces, brothels, agencies, and the websites escorts use for advertising, and clients operate based on cisgender principles. These analyses demonstrate how cisgender privilege operates in and buttresses cisgendered workplaces, in ways that disadvantage trans and nonbinary people. I show how shifting trans embodiments and spaces of transition in workplaces adversely affect transmasculine and nonbinary escorts’ wages and workplace experiences, but also disrupt cisgendered workplaces and challenge cisgender hegemony. Adopting the analytical frame of spaces of transition reveals critical insights into the role that embodiment (not just identity) plays in workplace inequalities.
Firm structure, scale economies, and productivity in the U.S. electric power industry: A cost function analysis
Authors: Jang Heesun
Published: November 2020

This paper analyzes economic performances of cooperatives relative to other types of ownership in the US electric power industry. Specifically, the paper uses a panel data of electric utilities over 2001–2013 to analyze economic performances of cooperatives relative to for-profit firms and to investigate the sources of performance differences under a model of cost minimization. The results show that investor-owned utilities are more profitable than cooperatives, but there are no significant differences in physical productivity between investor-owned utilities and cooperatives. Independent power producers are more financially profitable and more physically productive than their counterparts. The results also support that although the industry exhibits substantial scale economies over a broad range of output, cooperatives are constrained to exploit the scale economies than other groups as it is limited by higher cost of financing. This suggests that while a small number of very large firms are not required for efficient production in the industry, mergers between cooperatives could provide substantial scale economies, as discussed in the literature.
Immigrant integration and social investment
Authors: Bonoli Giuliano
Published: November 2020

This article offers an overview of scholarship on social investment policies in relation to the integration of immigrants and the role they can play in multicultural societies. At first sight, social investment is a promising strategy to deal with the inequalities in human capital and life chances that plague multicultural societies. However, on the basis of the available knowledge, the article shows that the benefit of social investment interventions for immigrants may be lower than expected for two main reasons. First, there are access biases in most typical social investment policies (for example, childcare, active labour market policies, training) that tend to limit participation by non-natives. Second, employers’ recruitment preferences and labour market discrimination are also likely to limit the potential of social investment interventions for immigrants. I conclude that to exploit the full potential of social investment policies in the promotion of immigrant integration, these policies need to be adapted, particularly by taking into account the essential role played by employers.
Diagnostic Function of 3-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Assessment of Brachial Plexus Injury
Authors: Hung Nguyen Duy , Duc Nguyen Minh , Xoan Nguyen Thi , Doan Ngo Van , Huyen Tran Thi Thanh , Dung Le Thanh
Published: November 2020

Background:

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic function of 3-Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during the assessment of brachial plexus injury (BPI), in comparison with intraoperative findings.

Methods:

A retrospective study was performed on 60 patients (47 men and 13 women), who had clinical manifestations of BPI, underwent 3T MRI of the brachial plexus, and were surgically treated at the Viet Duc and Vinmec Times City hospitals, in Hanoi, Vietnam, from March 2016 to December 2019. Preganglionic and postganglionic lesion features were identified on MRI. The diagnostic function of MRI features for the determination of BPI was evaluated and correlated with intraoperative findings.

Results:

The root avulsion and pseudomeningocele preganglionic injuries were observed in 57% and 43% of MRIs, respectively, and were commonly observed at the C7 and C8 roots. Nerve disruption and never edema were observed in 47.56% and 33.53% of MRIs, respectively, and were commonly observed at the C5 and C6 roots. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive prognostic value, and negative prognostic value of 3T MRI were 64.12%, 92.90%, 80.33%, 87.50%, and 76.96%, respectively, for the diagnosis of total avulsion, and 68.52%, 83.33%, 80.67%, 47.44%, and 92.34%, respectively, for the diagnosis of nerve disruption.

Conclusion:

MRI offers valuable details regarding the location, morphology, and severity of both preganglionic and postganglionic injuries during the preoperative diagnosis of BPI. However, this modality played a moderate diagnostic role. Therefore, 3T MRI should be used as a supplemental evaluation, coupled with clinical tests and electromyography, to determine the most appropriate treatment strategies for BPI patients.
How the statutory health attorney provision in Mental Health Act 2016 (Qld) is incompatible with human rights
Authors: Gill Neeraj S , Turner Kathryn
Published: November 2020

Objective:

Mental Health Act 2016 (Qld ) (MHA 2016) includes many ‘less restrictive ways’ to minimise involuntary/compulsory treatment. One such measure, the statutory health attorney, has been adopted from the Powers of Attorney Act 1998 (Qld). This paper analyses the statutory health attorney provision against the human rights framework adopted by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Method:

The statutory health attorney provision was analysed against the CRPD article 12 (equal recognition before the law).

Results:

The statutory health attorney provision is not based on the will and preferences of the individual, is not free from conflict of interest and is not subject to the required safeguards.

Conclusion:

The use of a statutory health attorney brings mental health and physical health under the same provision (the fusion law/proposal). However, the statutory health attorney provision is not compatible with the contemporary human rights framework adopted by the CRPD.
Coping Behaviors of African Americans With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Focused Ethnography
Authors: Scott Patricia , Lockhart Joan Such , Zoucha Rick , Jakub Karen E. , Szigethy Eva M. , Nguyen Geoffrey C.
Published: November 2020

Introduction:

Increased numbers of African Americans (AAs) are being diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), little is known about the influence of culture on their coping.

Purpose:

To explore the beliefs and experiences of AAs with IBD and coping in the context of their culture.

Method:

Twelve AA adults with IBD were interviewed and observed using focused ethnography.

Results:

Data analysis revealed four themes: (1) spending time living in the bathroom, (2) time and food restricted eating practices and cultural food avoidance, (3) dealing with chronic stress and perceived racial injustice, and (4) the practice of seclusion to manage bathroom urgency and emotions of fear, anxiety, and embarrassment.

Discussion:

Participants described coping and culture with experiences similar to other IBD populations, except in the area of perceived racial injustice. Opportunities for nurses to assist with stressors related to bathroom access, cultural eating practices, and participating in activities outside their homes.
Risk Factors and Indicators for Commercial Sexual Exploitation/Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking of Adolescent Girls in the United States in the Context of School Nursing: An Integrative Review of the Literature
Authors: Jaeckl Simone , Laughon Kathryn
Published: November 2020

As trusted health care providers in the school setting, school nurses are positioned uniquely to identify children at risk for or victims of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Nevertheless, many victims go unrecognized and unaided due to inadequate provider education on victim identification. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the major risk factors for CSEC of girls aged 12–18, the largest group of CSEC victims in the United States. A search of four databases (Web of Science, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and PubMed) yielded 21 articles with domestic focus, published in English between January 2014 and May 2020. While childhood maltreatment trauma was found most relevant, a variety of other risk factors were identified. Future nursing research is called to address the numerous research gaps identified in this review that are crucial for the development of policies and procedures supporting school nurses in recognizing victims quickly and intervening appropriately.
Comparison of Cost and Efficacy of Trufill® vs Histoacryl® n-Butyl Cyanoacrylate for Translumbar Type 2 Endoleak Embolization
Authors: Wong George Raymond , Yu Hyeon , Isaacson Ari J.
Published: November 2020

Purpose:

The study aimed to compare the cost and efficacy of translumbar approach type 2 endoleak repairs using either Trufill® or Histoacryl® n-BCA liquid embolic.

Method and Materials:

This was a retrospective review of patients who had translumbar approach type 2 endoleak repairs using either Trufill® or Histoacryl®. Patients were included if they underwent a technically successful type 2 endoleak repair via a translumbar approach with Trufill® or Histoacryl® n-BCA. A multivariable analysis was performed with the primary clinical outcome of percent change in aneurysm diameter per month compared. Procedure cost was calculated based on typical materials used.

Results:

20 Trufill® and 14 Histoacryl® patients were included. The mean procedure cost was higher for Trufill® ($5,757.30 vs. $1,586.09, p ≤ 0.001). There was no significant difference between Trufill® or Histoacryl® patients for age at first embolization, gender, total number of embolizations, number of feeding branches, aneurysm sac size prior to embolization, or residual endoleak at first follow-up. Trufill® patients had more coils used (12.0 vs. 4.3, p = 0.0007), less glue used (0.9 vs. 2.1 mL, p < 0.001), longer follow-up duration (33.5 vs. 13.2 months, p = 0.002), more follow-up CT angiograms (CTA) (3.7 vs. 1.9, p = 0.01), and larger excluded aneurysm sac size at most recent CTA (7.1 cm vs. 5.9 cm, p = 0.04). Percent change in sac diameter per month was not significantly different between Trufill® and Histoacryl® (0.21% vs. -0.25%/month, p = 0.06, respectively). There were no complications.

Conclusion:

Use of Histoacryl® over Trufill® n-BCA resulted in significantly less procedural cost while maintaining safety and efficacy.
The Effects of Theta EEG Neurofeedback on the Consolidation of Spatial Memory
Authors: Shtoots Limor , Dagan Tom , Levine Josh , Rothstein Aryeh , Shati Liran , Levy Daniel A.
Published: November 2020

How can the stability of a recently acquired memory be improved? Recent findings regarding the importance of theta frequency EEG activity in the hippocampus suggest that entraining neural activity in that frequency band might increase post-encoding waking replay, reinforcing learning-related plasticity. Our previous studies revealed that upregulating postlearning theta power using EEG neurofeedback (NFB) significantly benefitted procedural and episodic memory performance (both immediate and delayed), and may provide optimal conditions for stabilization of new memories. We have now explored whether memory benefits of theta NFB generalize to delayed spatial memory, an additional hippocampus-dependent process. Participants learned to associate object images with locations on a computer screen. NFB was used to enable participants to selectively increase scalp EEG theta power for 30 minutes. Visuo-spatial memory was tested one week later, with the theta NFB participants compared with 2 control groups (beta-augmentation NFB as an active control group, and an additional passive control group that did not engage in NFB). Theta upregulation was found to improve visuo-spatial memory, as reflected in reduced error distances in location marking and faster reaction time for correct answers by the theta group. This supports the contention that theta upregulation immediately after learning strengthens early consolidation of visuo-spatial memory. This intervention could potentially benefit various memory-challenged populations, as well as healthy individuals.