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For a searchable version of these abstracts, please visit www.acrabstracts.org. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canaliculitis, inflammation of the lacrimal canaliculi, can be caused by numerous pathogens, most commonly bacteria from the genera Actinomyces, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus. Primary canaliculitis often requires surgical canaliculolith removal and appropriate antibiotic coverage. The authors report a case of a 77-year-old woman with a history of punctal plugs who presented with chronic canaliculitis with canaliculoliths that grew Providencia stuartii. P. stuartii has not previously been described as a cause of primary canaliculitis. This case highlights a new organism that causes canaliculitis with canaliculoliths and stresses the importance of speciation and antibiotic sensitivity testing following canaliculotomy and curettage. P. stuartii should be considered in the differential for bacterial canaliculitis with canaliculoliths, especially in patients with persistent symptoms on topical antibiotic therapy without canaliculotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using techniques derived from the syntactic methods for visual pattern recognition is not new and was much explored in the area called syntactical or structural pattern recognition. Syntactic methods have been useful because they are intuitively simple to understand and have transparent, interpretable, and elegant representations. Their capacity to represent patterns in a semantic, hierarchical, compositional, spatial, and temporal way have made them very popular in the research community. In this article, we try to give an overview of how syntactic methods have been employed for computer vision tasks. We conduct a systematic literature review to survey the most relevant studies that use syntactic methods for pattern recognition tasks in images and videos. Our search returned 597 papers, of which 71 papers were selected for analysis. The results indicated that in most of the studies surveyed, the syntactic methods were used as a high-level structure that makes the hierarchical or semantic relationship among objects or actions to perform the most diverse tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aedes aegypti is a medically-important mosquito vector that transmits arboviruses including yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses to humans. The mosquito exhibits typical sexually dimorphic behaviors such as courtship, mating, host seeking, bloodfeeding, and oviposition. All these behaviors are mainly regulated by the brain; however, little is known about the function and neuron composition of the mosquito brain. In this study, we generated an initial atlas of the adult male and female brain of Ae. aegypti using 10xGenomics based single-nucleus RNA sequencing. Results: We identified 35 brain cell clusters in male and female brains, and 15 of those clusters were assigned to known cell types. Identified cell types include glia (astrocytes), Kenyon cells, (ventral) projection neurons, monoaminergic neurons, medulla neurons, and proximal medulla neurons. In addition, the cell type compositions of male and female brains were compared to each other showing that they were quantitatively distinct, as 17 out of 35 cell clusters varied significantly in their cell type proportions. Overall, the transcriptomes from each cell cluster looked very similar between the male and female brain as only up to 25 genes were differentially expressed in these clusters. The sex determination factor Nix was highly expressed in neurons and glia of the male brain, whereas doublesex (dsx) was expressed in all neuron and glia cell clusters of the male and female brain. Conclusions: An initial cell atlas of the brain of the mosquito Ae. aegypti has been generated showing that the cellular compositions of the male and female brains of this hematophagous insect differ significantly from each other. Although some of the rare brain cell types have not been detected in our single biological replicate, this study provides an important basis for the further development of a complete brain cell atlas as well as a better understanding of the neurobiology of the brains of male and female mosquitoes and their sexually dimorphic behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I propose the concept of marginal walking as a critically creative framework that nourishes and supports the spaces of the margins as a corrective and a prescription to the stresses of everyday racism, which is difficult to see or describe, but underlies every interaction in everyday public spaces. Drawing from my reflections on the increase of anti-Asian hate during the global pandemic of 2020 to 2021, I investigate how news of racist incidents circulates through digital networks that are entangled with quotidian places such as parks, grocery stores, and public transit. Through such concepts as autocartography and strata-mapping, as explored through my own research-creation practices as well as through participatory walks given by my artist collective Hamilton Perambulatory Unit (HPU), I look at how conscious acts of sensing and intervening in marginal everyday space can contribute to the creation of alternative narratives and knowledge that is necessary for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores anti-racist, feminist performance and video art by kate-hers RHEE and Patty Chang. Parodic performances of awkward sexual encounters in works such as RHEE's The Chocolate Kiss (2013) and Chang's The Product Love (2009) embody and deconstruct identity formation within transnational German and Asian American contexts. I explore how RHEE and Chang distinctly challenge sexist and racist stereotypes and the objectification of Asian women, while problematizing cultural categorization through (mis)translations and poetic relations. The article illuminates how these artists complicate Asian American identities via variegated explorations of critical race theories and connected histories of cross-cultural representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors (PBCS) are at increased risk of bone loss and fractures due to age-related decline of estrogen, and this risk is compounded by aromatase inhibitor cancer therapy. Several patient-level targetable risk factors can mitigate osteoporosis risk; however, adequate health behavior and risk perception in this population are underreported. The goal of this study was to evaluate osteoporosis knowledge and beliefs and assess their association with engagement in osteoporosis preventive behaviors among PBCS.Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, early stage I-IIIA PBCS (ages 55-86 years) completed the Facts on Osteoporosis Quiz, Osteoporosis Health Beliefs Scale, and Osteoporosis Preventive Behaviors questionnaires. Participants who were non-English speaking or declined to participate were excluded. Clinical and sociodemographic information were obtained from chart review and baseline questionnaire, respectively. Fisher's exact test, Student t-test, and Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney tests were used where appropriate to assess the association between knowledge and beliefs with engagement in osteoporosis preventive behaviors.Results: The mean participant age was 66.1 years with 20% self-reporting as non-Hispanic White, 40% non-Hispanic Black, 27% Hispanic, and 13% other. Approximately 83% of the cohort had estrogen receptor positive breast cancer and received a bone density scan within the last six years. Osteoporosis knowledge (10.5 ± 3.4), seriousness (14.9 ± 3.8), and susceptibility (14.0 ± 3.5) mean scores were low among PBCS. Most PBCS (75%) were adherent to calcium and vitamin D supplements, but only 47% reported engagement in strength-training exercises. Married/partnered, higher osteoporosis knowledge and health motivation scores were associated with strength-training exercise. After adjustment for marital status and osteoporosis knowledge, only health motivation score remained significantly associated with strength-training exercise (OR 5.56, 95% CI 1.35-22.93).Conclusions: PBCS are highly motivated to keep a healthy lifestyle despite limited osteoporosis knowledge, perceived risk, and susceptibility. However, < 50% participated in strength-training exercise. Our findings suggest that oncologic care should include osteoporosis and fracture prevention strategies, directed at encouraging cancer survivors to increase their engagement in osteoporosis preventive behaviors, particularly strength-training exercises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's military presence and seaport constructions in the West Pacific and the Indian Ocean have prompted hostile reactions from the US, Japan, Australia, and India. Conversely, its dual-use base in Djibouti has not generated as much controversy hitherto. To decipher this enigma, the article analyzes the base within the context of China's 'latent power.' China cultivates latent power for economic interests in the Middle East and Africa, while downplaying the military dimension of its growing global power. The study of Djibouti supports the hypothesis, which reflects China's risk-aversion, pragmatism, low-key behavior, and emphasis on the security-economy nexus. With latent power at its core, China's foreign policy in regions beyond its immediate borders advances its strategy of co-existence while avoiding conflict with its rivals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the appointment and promotion of business managers in New Zealand as of June 2002.

The People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) will enhance the Chinese military's future deterrence and war-fighting capabilities. Established in December 2015, this new force is poised to leverage synergies and the integration of critical capabilities across space, cyberspace, and the electromagnetic spectrum. The PLASSF will support joint operations and provide new strategic capabilities to complement the PLA's existing arsenal. In any future conflict scenarios, the PLASSF will play an integral role in the PLA's quest to 'fight and win' wars. Looking forward, the PLASSF may also become a critical force for innovation as the PLA prepares for future warfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the electronic warfare capabilities of the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF), established in 2015 in China. Based on the investigation, this paper aims to examine the impacts of electronic warfare capabilities of PLASSF on South Korea as well as the implications for Korean security. The core mission of the PLASSF is to perform space, cyber, electronic, and psychological warfare. Under the Network Systems Department of the PLASSF, the units for electronic warfare operates ground-based equipment, (un) manned aircraft, and electronic warfare satellites. Based on this fact, this paper argues the impacts of the PLASSF's electronic warfare capabilities are threefold: First, the PLASSF's manned electronic aircraft allows them to collect the electronic intelligence regarding the major military equipment not only of the Korean military but of the U.S. Forces in Korea. Second, it is also expected that the PLASSF would conduct electronic warfare activities very close to the Korean Peninsula by utilizing its unmanned stealth electronic aircraft. Third, the PLASSF is highly likely to gather signals intelligence from space via electronic warfare satellites. In this regard, it is necessary for the Korean military to 1) develop a more concrete concept of electronic warfare; 2) explore the ways to refuse China's electronic information collection; and 3) secure the electronic warfare countermeasure weapons system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through her experiences as a queer feminist artist and cultural worker, V. Jourdain shares some of her artistic and curatorial practices in Quebec and France. Comparing the two cultures' consideration of LGBTQI+ minorities, she illuminates a few strategies for changing practices in art and artistic labour in two French-speaking communities. In this article, V. Jourdain shares her experience in research, creation, and passing down memory by opening up a dialogue between feminist frameworks, contemporary art and LGBTQI+ archives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics and risk factors of a novel parenchymal lung disease (LD), increasingly detected in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA).Methods: In a multicentre retrospective study, 61 cases were investigated using physician-reported clinical information and centralised analyses of radiological, pathological and genetic data.Results: LD was associated with distinctive features, including acute erythematous clubbing and a high frequency of anaphylactic reactions to the interleukin (IL)-6 inhibitor, tocilizumab. Serum ferritin elevation and/or significant lymphopaenia preceded LD detection. The most prevalent chest CT pattern was septal thickening, involving the periphery of multiple lobes ± ground-glass opacities. The predominant pathology (23 of 36) was pulmonary alveolar proteinosis and/or endogenous lipoid pneumonia (PAP/ELP), with atypical features including regional involvement and concomitant vascular changes. Apparent severe delayed drug hypersensitivity occurred in some cases. The 5-year survival was 42%. Whole exome sequencing (20 of 61) did not identify a novel monogenic defect or likely causal PAP-related or macrophage activation syndrome (MAS)-related mutations. Trisomy 21 and young sJIA onset increased LD risk. Exposure to IL-1 and IL-6 inhibitors (46 of 61) was associated with multiple LD features. By several indicators, severity of sJIA was comparable in drug-exposed subjects and published sJIA cohorts. MAS at sJIA onset was increased in the drug-exposed, but was not associated with LD features.Conclusions: A rare, life-threatening lung disease in sJIA is defined by a constellation of unusual clinical characteristics. The pathology, a PAP/ELP variant, suggests macrophage dysfunction. Inhibitor exposure may promote LD, independent of sJIA severity, in a small subset of treated patients. Treatment/prevention strategies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A typical clinical symptom of human norovirus infection is projectile vomiting. Although norovirus RNA and viral particles have been detected in vomitus, infectivity has not yet been reported. We detected replication-competent norovirus in 25% of vomit samples with a 13-fold to 714-fold increase in genomic equivalents, confirming infectious norovirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's economic might in the film industry has transformed representation in Hollywood. This paper examines how the expanded role of the Chinese market, both in terms of audience size and financing, has both reasserted hegemonic Hollywood genre and talent selection and asserted hegemonic Chinese standards. This takes the form of more genre films, more conservative casting in terms of race and gender, and the privileging of mainstream political discourse in both the United States in China. Using the case of Zhang Yimou's 2016 martial arts monster film, The Great Wall, the article argues that the influence of the Chinese market on mainstream filmmaking reinforces, rather than challenges, the pressures shaping choices of financing, genre, and casting in Hollywood blockbusters.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nineteenth century musical virtuosity revived ideals concerning heroic agency via an artist-hero whose performance functioned rhetorically, to excite audiences attuned to progressive ideals. I argue that the virtuoso as 'ideological architect and symbol' [Palmer 1998. "Virtuosity as Rhetoric: Agency and Transformation in Paganini's Mastery of the Violin." Quarterly Journal of Speech 84: 341–357, 353] lives on in late modernism in a conflicted repertoire that both redoubles and rejects virtuosity, as in Ligeti's Études pour Piano (1985–2001). In 'Désordre' and 'Vertige' (the first and ninth études), this critique plays out aurally as a conflict between a surface virtuosic rhetoric and its subversion. But the evolution of reflexive codes that establish critical distance from those conventions can also be traced through letters and sketches housed at the Paul Sacher Stiftung. Like Edward Said's late modern hero, Ligeti's études and their reception history unite humanist sympathy towards tradition with critique of a contemporary culture balanced precariously on masterworks and performances of the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the findings from an institutional case study into the work placement experience of undergraduate international students studying at a UK-based university. Given the centrality and importance of the employability and internationalisation agendas in higher education, little published literature considers both and how they impact upon the work placement experience of international students. With past increases in international student recruitment numbers and the drive for students, regardless of their nationality, to gain work experience, there is a need for institutions to better understand work placement from the international students' perspective. Findings revealed that challenges exist in finding and securing work placement, with critical themes emerging to include placement information, visa rules, culture differences, prior work experience, academic preparation for placement and academic writing ability. A support framework is proposed to assist institutions to consider how they could align their practices to meet international students' work placement and employability needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Clinical and electrophysiological studies to measures disease activity in juvenile myasthenia gravis (JMG) are limited.Methods: Retrospective review of the clinical profile, Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) scores, serial stimulated jitter analysis (Stim-JA) of the orbicularis oculi muscle, grip strength, and spirometry of patients with JMG who were followed in a multidisciplinary clinic was performed.Results: Thirteen patients with JMG (9 females) with mean age of 13.2 ± 4.8 years and follow-up duration of 25.3 ± 8.3 months (range, 6-39) with ≥ 2 Stim-JA recordings were included. The mean jitter, mean percentage of apparent single-fiber action potentials (%ASFAP) with increased jitter, and mean %ASFAP with blocking at baseline values (77.3 ± 54.7 µs, 64.3% ± 35.8%, 39% ± 38.6%, respectively) and at follow-up (53 ± 45.4 µs, 51.2% ± 34.5%, 17% ± 29.4%, respectively) were abnormal; however, no statistically significant interval difference was noted. The electrophysiological data correlated significantly with Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) class. Grip strength and spirometry did not correlate with MGFA class.Discussion: Stimulated jitter values are sensitive biomarkers in JMG. Muscle Nerve 58: 729-732, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research suggests that children are spending a significant amount of time on the Internet which increases their exposure to subtle, engaging, and interactive ads. As a result, policy makers have developed regulations intended to empower parents to manage their children's exposure to Internet advertising. However, prior research has not examined parental perceptions of these regulations. This article aims to identify (1) parents' regulatory preferences regarding children's exposure to Internet advertising and (2) whether (and how) parents' locus of control (LOC) drives their regulation preferences. Findings reveal that internal‐LOC parents prefer parental responsibility while external‐LOC parents prefer government regulations, parental responsibility, and involvement of independent organizations and firms. External‐LOC parents' preference is mediated by their concerns about Internet advertising and their tendency to have faith in regulation. Policy makers can use the findings to develop guidelines that better assist parents in influencing their children's Internet use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing social learning systems used in higher education are limited, especially in terms of content resources and the interactivity of learning environments. With the rapid development in technologies and web services, the level of communication, interactivity and collaboration is lower than expected for current learning management systems (LMSs). This paper explores four factors (motivation, collaboration, connectivity, interactivity) of our proposed social learning hub (SLH) framework. SLH is a social network-based learning model that integrates Web 2.0 technologies and social networking site (SNS) platforms to enhance four learning aspects: academic communication, collaborative learning, interactive learning and learning motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a systematic learning-based approach to the generation of massive quantities of synthetic 3D scenes and arbitrary numbers of photorealistic 2D images thereof, with associated ground truth information, for the purposes of training, benchmarking, and diagnosing learning-based computer vision and robotics algorithms. In particular, we devise a learning-based pipeline of algorithms capable of automatically generating and rendering a potentially infinite variety of indoor scenes by using a stochastic grammar, represented as an attributed Spatial And-Or Graph, in conjunction with state-of-the-art physics-based rendering. Our pipeline is capable of synthesizing scene layouts with high diversity, and it is configurable inasmuch as it enables the precise customization and control of important attributes of the generated scenes. It renders photorealistic RGB images of the generated scenes while automatically synthesizing detailed, per-pixel ground truth data, including visible surface depth and normal, object identity, and material information (detailed to object parts), as well as environments (e.g., illuminations and camera viewpoints). We demonstrate the value of our synthesized dataset, by improving performance in certain machine-learning-based scene understanding tasks—depth and surface normal prediction, semantic segmentation, reconstruction, etc.—and by providing benchmarks for and diagnostics of trained models by modifying object attributes and scene properties in a controllable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the mediating role of emotions in processing scent information in consumer research, using event-related potential (ERP)-based neuroscience methods, while considering individual differences in sense of smell.Design/methodology/approach Prior research on olfaction and emotions in marketing has revealed mixed findings on the relationship between olfaction and emotion. The authors review earlier studies and present a neuroscience experiment demonstrating the benefits of ERP methods in studying the automatic processing of emotions.Findings Results demonstrate how emotional processes occurring within 1s of stimulus exposure differ across individuals with varying olfactory abilities. Findings reveal an automatic suppression mechanism for individuals sensitive to smell.Research limitations/implications Scent-induced emotions demonstrated through the use of ERP-based methods provide insights for understanding automatic emotional processes and reactions to ambient scents by consumers in the marketplace.Practical implications Findings show an automatic suppression of emotions triggered by scent in individuals sensitive to smell. Marketers and retailers should consider such reactions when evaluating the use of olfactory stimuli in promotional and retail strategies.Originality/value The authors review past literature and provide an explanation for the disparate findings in the olfaction–emotion linkage, by studying individual differences in response to scent in the marketplace. This is one of the first papers in marketing to introduce the application of ERP in studying consumer-relevant behavior and provide technical and marketing-specific considerations for both academic and market researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Weight concerns may inhibit smoking quit attempts and may be more influential amongst African-Americans who are more likely to be overweight.Aims: To assess if weight perception is associated with readiness to quit and whether this relationship is modified by race.Methods: We used data from a cohort of current smokers undergoing routine health examinations. Based on differences between ideal and measured BMI, participants’ weight perceptions were classified as within, somewhat above, or far above ideal weight. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate adjusted associations of weight perception and race with readiness to quit.Results: Of 2,831 current smokers, 23% were obese and 38% overweight. Amongst white smokers, those who perceived being far above ideal weight were more likely to be ready to quit (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.03–2.03), but this association was not observed for African-American smokers who perceived themselves to be somewhat or far above their ideal weight (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.10–1.24 and OR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.11–1.19, respectively).Conclusions: Perception of being overweight is associated with increased readiness to quit amongst white but not African-American smokers. Smoking cessation programmes may need to culturally tailor interventions based on smokers’ weight perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There is not a unique attitude towards the implementation of digital technology in educational sceneries. This paper aims to validate an adaptation of the DeLone and McLean information systems success model in the context of a learning management system. Furthermore, this study means to prove (1) the necessity of segmenting students in order to fit the model more accurately and (2) the impact of other new Internet tools on students’ perceptions with regard to learning management systems. Partial least squares has been used to analyse the measurement and the structural model. Subsequently, the Finite Mixture Partial Least Squarestechnique has been employed to examine unobserved heterogeneity and to find users’ segments. The results of this research indicate that to segment between two groups of students is especially useful in order to improve the understanding of the success of a learning management system. This segmentation is made according to the importance which the students attribute to the new Internet tools to support their learning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose This paper aims to review past papers focused on understanding consumer-related topics in marketing and related interdisciplinary fields to demonstrate the applications of electroencephalogram (EEG) in consumer neuroscience.Design/methodology/approach In addition to the review of papers using EEG to study consumer cognitive processes, the authors also discuss relevant decisions and considerations in conducting event-related potential (ERP) studies. Further, a framework proposed by Plassmann et al. (2015) was used to discuss the applications of EEG in marketing research from papers reviewed.Findings This paper successfully used Plassmann et al.’s (2015) framework to discuss five applications of neuroscience to marketing research. A review of growing EEG studies in the field of marketing and other interdisciplinary fields reveals the advantages and potential of using EEG in combination with other methods. This calls for more research using such methods.Research limitations/implications A technical overview of ERP-related terminology provides researchers with a background for understanding and reviewing ERP studies. A discussion of method-related considerations and decisions provides marketing researchers with an introduction to the method and refers readers to relevant literature.Practical implications The marketing industry has been quick to adopt cutting edge technology, including EEG, to understand and predict consumer behavior for the purpose of improving marketing practices. This paper connects the academic and practitioner spheres by presenting past and potential EEG research that can be translatable to the marketing industry.Originality/value The authors review past literature on the use of EEG to study consumer-related topics in marketing and interdisciplinary fields, to demonstrate its advantages over-traditional methods in studying consumer-relevant behaviors. To foster increasing use of EEG in consumer neuroscience research, the authors further provide technical and marketing-specific considerations for both academic and market researchers. This paper is one of the first to review past EEG papers and provide methodological background insights for marketing researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyber military capabilities promise better tactical and operational effects and better ways to conduct military operations. Despite the hype around cyber military development, the vast majority of armed forces are still focussing on preliminary capabilities such as situational awareness, information security and the protection of military networks. Yet, casual employment of available national cyber capabilities comes with a risk of escalation and creates a separate zone of dangerous legal opacity where e.g. human rights may be easily breached. States need to recognize the value of rule of law, stop de-valuing international legal order with opportunistic propositions and destabilizing practises, and agree upon responsible State practices in cyberspace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Disturbances of eye movements are infrequently encountered in motor neuron diseases (MNDs) or motor neuropathies, and there is no known syndrome that combines progressive muscle weakness with downbeat nystagmus.Methods: To describe the core clinical features of a syndrome of MND associated with downbeat nystagmus, clinical features were collected from 6 patients.Results: All patients had slowly progressive muscle weakness and wasting in combination with downbeat nystagmus, which was clinically most obvious in downward and lateral gaze. Onset was in the second to fourth decade with finger extension weakness, progressing to other distal and sometimes more proximal muscles. Visual complaints were not always present. Electrodiagnostic testing showed signs of regional motor axonal loss in all patients.Discussion: The etiology of this syndrome remains elusive. Because finger extension weakness and downbeat nystagmus are the discriminating clinical features of this MND, we propose the name FEWDON-MND syndrome. Muscle Nerve 56: 1164-1168, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study's objective was to evaluate quantitative electromyography (QEMG) using multiple-motor-unit (multi-MUP) analysis in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).Methods: Ambulatory DMD boys, aged 5-15 years, were evaluated with QEMG at 6-month intervals over 14 months. EMG was performed in the right biceps brachii (BB) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. Normative QEMG data were obtained from age-matched healthy boys. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed.Results: Eighteen DMD subjects were enrolled, with a median age of 7 (interquartile range 7-10) years. Six-month evaluations were performed on 14 subjects. QEMG showed significantly abnormal mean MUP duration in BB and TA muscles, with no significant change over 6 months.Conclusions: QEMG is a sensitive electrophysiological marker of myopathy in DMD. Preliminary data do not reflect a significant change in MUP parameters over a 6-month interval; long-term follow-up QEMG studies are needed to understand its role as a biomarker for disease progression. Muscle Nerve 56: 1361-1364, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Side effects from hormonal therapy (HT) for breast cancer treatment occur frequently and are associated with worse quality of life and HT non-adherence. Whether improved patient-physician communication is associated with patients’ reporting of side effects is unknown. We undertook this study to assess factors associated with women’s reports of HT side effects. Between December 2012 and April 2013, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of breast cancer patients undergoing HT in an urban medical center. Descriptive statistics, univariate analyses, and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate associations. Of the 100 participants, 67% reported having HT side effects. However, when prompted, an additional 9% reported experiencing specific HT-related symptoms. Despite very high communication scores, one-third of participants reported they had not discussed side effects with providers. Multivariate analysis showed that after controlling for age, education, race, and medication beliefs, women who had difficulty asking providers for more information were more likely to report side effects (odds ratio 8.27, 95% confidence interval 1.01–69.88). Although HT side effects often occur and are bothersome, patient-provider discussions about side effects remain suboptimal. Providers should actively ask patients about medication side effects so that they can be addressed to improve quality of life and potentially, medication adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Nursing students require education that integrates evidence-based practice (EBP) knowledge across classroom and clinical settings. This study was conducted to identify and examine the literature related to nursing students' use of evidence in clinical education and to identify associated research gaps. Method: A scoping review describing the extent, range, and nature of the research activity focused on students' use of evidence in clinical education. Results: Included studies (N = 37) describe the barriers and facilitators to nursing students' EBP and describe the evaluation of strategies that support nursing students' engagement in EBP. Most commonly identified barriers include a lack of knowledge and skills for EBP; negative attitudes toward EBP in students, faculty, and nurses; and lack of support in the clinical setting. Evaluated strategies included educational sessions and EBP projects, either alone or in combination, as well as other stand-alone interventions. All but two of the intervention studies reported positive subjective or objective outcomes. Conclusion: On the basis of these results, educators can engage in combined educational strategies that focus on addressing described barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise genetic modifications in model animals are essential for biomedical research. Here, we report a programmable “base editing” system to induce precise base conversion with high efficiency in zebrafish. Using cytidine deaminase fused to Cas9 nickase, up to 28% of site-specific single-base mutations are achieved in multiple gene loci. In addition, an engineered Cas9-VQR variant with 5′-NGA PAM specificities is used to induce base conversion in zebrafish. This shows that Cas9 variants can be used to expand the utility of this technology. Collectively, the targeted base editing system represents a strategy for precise and effective genome editing in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic climate change is expected to strengthen the vertical wind shears at aircraft cruising altitudes within the atmospheric jet streams. Such a strengthening would increase the prevalence of the shear instabilities that generate clear-air turbulence. Climate modelling studies have indicated that the amount of moderate-or-greater clear-air turbulence on transatlantic flight routes in winter will increase significantly in future as the climate changes. However, the individual responses of light, moderate, and severe clear-air turbulence have not previously been studied, despite their importance for aircraft operations. Here, we use climate model simulations to analyse the transatlantic wintertime clear-air turbulence response to climate change in five aviation-relevant turbulence strength categories. We find that the probability distributions for an ensemble of 21 clear-air turbulence diagnostics generally gain probability in their right-hand tails when the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is doubled. By converting the diagnostics into eddy dissipation rates, we find that the ensembleaverage airspace volume containing light clear-air turbulence increases by 59% (with an intra-ensemble range of 43%-68%), light-to-moderate by 75% (39%-96%), moderate by 94% (37%-118%), moderate-to-severe by 127% (30%-170%), and severe by 149% (36%-188%). These results suggest that the prevalence of transatlantic wintertime clear-air turbulence will increase significantly in all aviation-relevant strength categories as the climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2014–2016 Ebola virus disease (Ebola) epidemic in West Africa underscores the need for health care infection prevention and control (IPC) practices to be implemented properly and consistently to interrupt transmission of pathogens in health care settings to patients and health care workers. Training and assessing IPC practices in general health care facilities not designated as Ebola treatment units or centers became a priority for CDC as the number of Ebola virus transmissions among health care workers in West Africa began to affect the West African health care system and increasingly more persons became infected. CDC and partners developed policies, procedures, and training materials tailored to the affected countries. Safety training courses were also provided to U.S. health care workers intending to work with Ebola patients in West Africa. As the Ebola epidemic continued in West Africa, the possibility that patients with Ebola could be identified and treated in the United States became more realistic. In response, CDC, other federal components (e.g., Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response) and public health partners focused on health care worker training and preparedness for U.S. health care facilities. CDC used the input from these partners to develop guidelines on IPC for hospitalized patients with known or suspected Ebola, which was updated based on feedback from partners who provided care for Ebola patients in the United States. Strengthening and sustaining IPC helps health care systems be better prepared to prevent and respond to current and future infectious disease threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the reasons behind the Chinese Communist Party's fear of digital media and outlines its effects on the Party's approach to the internet. By closely examining the heavily-contested field of digital networked media, we see that the control of the internet in China is not only based on censorship but that the Party has been experimenting for some time with a variety of unusual quasi- democratic strategies, each of them designed to go beyond the need for censorship; each of them a new Party strategy to learn from its critics and win public consent for its rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India and China both have powerful spy networks; completely different in their approaches to espionage; both effective against their perceived enemies. China focuses first on internal threats, on Taiwan and Hong Kong, and then the US and Japan. India’s defense policy focuses on Pakistan and internal terrorist threats, and then on China. In reality, however, when it comes to spying on each other, both China and India suffer from incompetence and apathy – which endangers both their own security and regional stability. This article looks at how they spy on each other, and asks why and how they need to improve. The narrative also touches upon some of the individuals who are waging the spy war, from India’s wily spymaster Ajit Doval down to junior Chinese agents such as Wang Qing and Pema Tsering. The two countries are not friends. They have the largest territorial dispute in the world on their hands, covering an area the size of North Korea, and they have large armies facing each other along 4000 kilometers of frontier. But they also lay claim to the world’s two oldest and richest civilizations, with a rich history of exchange, and now with a combined population of 2.6 billion people and more than a quarter of the world’s economic output. If they cooperated, they could solve many of the world’s problems; but if they lurch into conflict, the potential consequences are terrifying to contemplate. Unfortunately, despite their geographical closeness, they do not know much about each other. They have few cultural interchanges, little diplomacy, few trade missions. They do not watch each other’s films, read each other’s books or listen to each other’s music. Chinese tourists would rather fly to New Zealand for their holidays than cross the border to India, and Indian students would rather study in Europe than China. China and India are neighbors that barely talk to each other. Most significantly, they do not spy on each competently. For countries that do not interact socially, defensive understanding is important for security – but China prefers the glamor of facing up to its Pacific and other maritime rivals such as the US and Japan. India, for its part, does talk a great deal about the China threat, but its resources and expertise are wrapped up in controlling its security threat from Pakistan and the Islamic world. When China and India do try to spy on each other, it is often without the benefit of a long-term focus or understanding. India has some very skilled operatives within the Research and Analysis Wing, but few that specialize in China. China has an enormous pool of resources spread across several government departments, including the Ministry of Public Security, and also has extensive facilities and manpower in the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission (the JSD) and the new Strategic Support Force (the SSF). However, China’s intelligence services generally behave as if India is not worth spying on. Given that the two countries do not have the cultural or political machinery in place to understand each other, espionage and intelligence gathering is vital to ensure that miscalculations do not take place. This has been apparent over the last few years in stand-offs in the Himalaya, as well as top-level suspicions on each side about a variety of subjects including terrorism, covert operations in Sri Lanka and Burma, and the two countries’ nuclear weapons programs. Both countries do occasionally make efforts in espionage against each other, especially during sensitive periods such as the mountain stand-offs of 2014 and 2013 and during policy developments in nuclear warfare. In this article the author looks at actual spying incidents between the two countries, their methodologies, their staff, their technical capabilities, and how the act of spying, which is usually viewed as intrinsically adversarial, can be a force for good. The article relies on interviews with actual participants in intelligence from both countries as well as extensive use of contemporary online sources, and secondary analysis by both military and academic experts from China, India and NATO countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explains why powerful states develop capabilities for warfare in cyberspace. It argues that despite the apparent limited strategic utility of cyberspace, powerful states develop cyber capabilities to compete for military dominance in the international system. This argument is best explored using a neorealist framework because it provides the most compelling explanation for the competitive behavior of states in cyberspace. Three key implications can be derived from the study: the proliferation of capabilities for warfare in cyberspace is inevitable; powerful states will still dominate cyberspace; and cyberattacks may escalate to kinetic attacks due to the uncertainties regarding existing cyber capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]