bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, Structural Characterization, Degradation Rate, and Biocompatibility of Magnesium-Carbonate Apatite (Mg-Co3Ap) Composite and Its Potential as Biodegradable Orthopaedic Implant Base Material
Authors: Rahyussalim Ahmad Jabir , Marsetio Aldo Fransiskus , Kamal Achmad Fauzi , Supriadi Sugeng , Setyadi Iwan , Pribadi Pancar Muhammad , Mubarok Wildan , Kurniawati Tri
Published: March 2021

Suitable biomechanical properties with a degradation rate parallel to normal bone healing time are vital characteristics for biodegradable implant material in orthopaedics. Magnesium (Mg) is a natural micronutrient as well as biodegradable metal with biomechanical characteristics close to that of the human bone, while carbonate apatite (CO3Ap) is a biological apatite with good osteoconductivity which allows bone healing without forming fibrotic tissue. We fabricated a Mg-CO3Ap composite with various content ratios by powder metallurgy, various milling times (3, 5, and 7 hours) at 200 RPM, warm compaction at 300°C and pressure of 265 MPa, sintering at 550°C, holding time of 1 hour, heating rate of 5°C/minutes, and room atmosphere cooling. Specimens were successfully created and had a density comparable to that of the human bone (1.95-2.13 g/cm3). Good biocompatibility was found on Mg-10% CO3Ap composite (66.67% of viable cells). Nevertheless, its biomechanical properties and corrosion resistance were inferior to the human bone. Additionally, the materials of the composites make the surrounding environment alkaline. Interparticle consolidation and grain size were dissatisfactory due to microstructural pores presumably formed by the Mg(OH)2 layer and oxidation process during sintering. However, alkaline condition caused by the material corrosion by-product might be beneficial for bone healing and wound healing process. Modifications on fabrication parameters are needed to improve interparticle consolidation, refine grain size, improve biomechanical strength, reduce corrosion products, and improve the degradation rate.
Anti-inflammatory Effects of Alcohol Are Associated with JNK-STAT3 Downregulation in an In Vitro Inflammation Model in HepG2 Cells
Authors: Mörs Katharina , Sturm Ramona , Hörauf Jason-Alexander , Kany Shinwan , Cavalli Paola , Omari Jazan , Powerski Maciej , Surov Alexey , Marzi Ingo , Nowak Aleksander J. , Relja Borna
Published: March 2021

Background. In several preclinical and in vitro models of acute inflammation, alcohol (ethanol, EtOH) has been described as an immunomodulatory agent. Similarly, in different pathologies, clinical observations have confirmed either pro- or anti-inflammatory effects of EtOH. The liver plays an important role in immunity and alcohol metabolism; therefore, we analysed dose- and time-dependent effects of EtOH on the inflammatory response of human liver cells in an in vitro model of acute inflammation. Methods. HepG2 cells were stimulated with IL-1β and subsequently exposed to EtOH in a low or high dose (85 mM, LoD or 170 mM, HiD) for 1 h (acute exposure) or 72 h (prolonged exposure). IL-6 and TNF-α release was determined by ELISA. Cell viability, adhesion of isolated neutrophils to HepG2 monolayers, their ICAM-1 expression, and the activation of stress-induced protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK) or signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) were analysed. Results. In this experimental design, EtOH did not markedly change the cell viability. Acute and prolonged exposure to EtOH significantly reduced dose-independent IL-1β-induced IL-6 and TNF-α release, as well as adhesion capacity to pretreated HepG2 cells. Acute exposure to EtOH significantly decreased the percentage of ICAM-1-expressing cells. IL-1β stimulation notably increased the activation of SAPK/JNK. However, low-dose EtOH exposure reduced this activation considerably, in contradiction to high-dose EtOH exposure. Acute exposure to LoD EtOH significantly diminished the IL-1β-induced STAT3 activation, whereas an acute exposure of cells to either HiD EtOH or in a prolonged setting showed no effects on STAT3 activation. Conclusion. EtOH exerts anti-inflammatory potential in this in vitro model of hepatic inflammation. These effects are associated with the reduced activation of JNK/STAT3 by EtOH, particularly in the condition of acute exposure to low-dose EtOH.
Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate (LAE): Antimicrobial Activity of LAE-Coated Film for the Packaging of Raw Beef and Pork
Authors: Tirloni Erica , Bernardi Cristian , Stella Simone
Published: March 2021

In this study, the antimicrobial activity of an ethyl lauroyl arginate- (LAE®-) coated film applied to the packaging of raw beef and pork was evaluated. Two different trials were performed for each meat species, aiming to evaluate the functionality of the film in contrasting the development of the natural microflora and of a specific target agent, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. In the first trial, LAE-coated packaging was applied to test its activity towards the natural meat microflora over a period of 24 days at 6-7°C. The comparison with the control sample series showed a slight initial inhibitory activity on total viable count, followed by a growing trend. In the second trial, the antimicrobial activity of the LAE-coated film was evaluated on raw beef and pork voluntarily inoculated with Escherichia coli: an initial killing effect on E. coli was detected in both pork and beef meat (reduction around 0.7 and 1 log CFU/g, respectively), followed by a stable trend for the following storage period (24 days).
Use of Texture Analysis on Noncontrast MRI in Classification of Early Stage of Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Zhao Ru , Gong Xi-Jun , Ge Ya-Qiong , Zhao Hong , Wang Long-Sheng , Yu Hong-Zhen , Liu Bin
Published: March 2021

Purpose. To compare the diagnostic value of texture analysis- (TA-) derived parameters from out-of-phase T1W, in-phase T1W, and T2W images in the classification of the early stage of liver fibrosis. Methods. Patients clinically diagnosed with hepatitis B infection, who underwent liver biopsy and noncontrast MRI scans, were enrolled. TA parameters were extracted from out-of-phase T1-weighted (T1W), in-phase T1W, and T2-weighted (T2W) images and calculated using Artificial Intelligent Kit (AK). Features were extracted including first-order, shape, gray-level cooccurrence matrix, gray-level run-length matrix, neighboring gray one tone difference matrix, and gray-level differential matrix. After statistical analyses, final diagnostic models were constructed. Receiver operating curves (ROCs) and areas under the ROC (AUCs) were used to assess the diagnostic value of each final model and 100-time repeated cross-validation was applied to assess the stability of the logistic regression models. Results. A total of 57 patients were enrolled in this study, with 27 in the fibrosis stage < 2 and 30 in stages ≥ 2. Overall, 851 features were extracted per ROI. Eight features with high correlation were selected by the maximum relevance method in each sequence, and all had a good diagnostic performance. ROC analysis of the final models showed that all sequences had a preferable performance with AUCs of 0.87, 0.90, and 0.96 in T2W and in-phase and out-of-phase T1W, respectively. Cross-validation results reported the following values of mean accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity: 0.98 each for out-of-phase T1W; 0.90, 0.89, and 0.90 for in-phase T1W; and 0.86, 0.88, 0.84 for T2W in the training set, and 0.76, 0.81, and 0.72 for out-of-phase T1W; 0.74, 0.72, and 0.75 for in-phase T1W; and 0.63, 0.64, and 0.63 for T2W for the test group, respectively. Conclusion. Noncontrast MRI scans with texture analysis are viable for classifying the early stages of liver fibrosis, exhibiting excellent diagnostic performance.
Label-Free Deep Profiling of the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: You Sixian , Chaney Eric J. , Tu Haohua , Sun Yi , Sinha Saurabh , Boppart Stephen A.
Published: March 2021

Label-free nonlinear microscopy enables nonperturbative visualization of structural and metabolic contrast within living cells in their native tissue microenvironment. Here a computational pipeline was developed to provide a quantitative view of the microenvironmental architecture within cancerous tissue from label-free nonlinear microscopy images. To enable single-cell and single-extracellular vesicle (EV) analysis, individual cells, including tumor cells and various types of stromal cells, and EVs were segmented by a multiclass pixelwise segmentation neural network and subsequently analyzed for their metabolic status and molecular structure in the context of the local cellular neighborhood. By comparing cancer tissue with normal tissue, extensive tissue reorganization and formation of a patterned cell–EV neighborhood was observed in the tumor microenvironment. The proposed analytic pipeline is expected to be useful in a wide range of biomedical tasks that benefit from single-cell, single–EV, and cell-to-EV analysis.

Significance:

The proposed computational framework allows label-free microscopic analysis that quantifies the complexity and heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment and opens possibilities for better characterization and utilization of the evolving cancer landscape.
What is a Classic in History?
Authors: Aurell Jaume
Published: March 2021

What is the classic in history? What is a classic in historical writing? Very few historians and critics have addressed these questions, and when they have done so, it has been only in a cursory manner. These are queries that require some explanation regarding historical texts because of their peculiar ambivalence between science and art, content and form, sources and imagination, scientific and narrative language. Based on some examples of the Western historiographical tradition, I discuss in this article to what extent historians should engage the concept of the classic – as has been done for literary texts. If one assumes that the historical text is not only a referential account but also a narrative analogous to literary texts, then the concept of the classic becomes one of the keys for understanding the historical text – and may improve our understanding not only of historiography, but of history itself. I will argue in this article that it is possible to identify a category of the classic text in some historical writings, precisely because of the literarity they possess without losing their specific historical condition. Because of their narrative condition, historical texts share some of the features assigned to literary texts – that is, endurance, timelessness, universal meaningfulness, resistance to historical criticism, susceptibility to multiple interpretations, and ability to function as models. Yet, since historical texts do not construct imaginary worlds but reflect external realities, they also have to achieve some specific features according to this referential content – that is, surplus of meaning, historical use of metaphors, effect of contemporaneity without damaging the pastness of the past, and a certain appropriation of literariness. Without seeking to be normative or systematic, this article focuses on some specific features of the historical classic, offering a series of reflections to open rather than try to close a debate on this complex topic.
To “experiment with a parcel of negros”
Authors: Maika Dennis J.
Published: March 2021

In late 1659, the Dutch West India Company’s Amsterdam Chamber began an “experiment” intended to bring a regularized slave trade to New Amsterdam. With Curaçao as a reliable source of enslaved Africans, the Amsterdam Chamber opened the slave trade to independent investors and merchants, following a collaborative model between a state-sponsored corporation and private investors used elsewhere in the seventeenth-century Dutch Atlantic world. A variety of commercial actors responded to the experiment, devising speculative strategies to incorporate enslaved people into their commercial portfolios. This essay tracks the strategies conceived by New Amsterdam merchants, local wic representatives, and some independent Amsterdam investors, and reveals the experiment’s uneven progression, modulated by changing regional conditions and regular adjustments and reversals by the Amsterdam Chamber. This article adds a new dimension to studies of the early North American regional slave trade, typically seen from an English perspective, by appreciating Dutch New Amsterdam’s legacy.
Identification and quantification of polyphenols from Cassia auriculata L. leaf, flower and flower bud using UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS
Authors: Ananth Devanesan Arul , Mahalakshmi Vijayaraghavan , Sivasudha Thilagar , Klipcan Liron , Tietel Zipora
Published: March 2021

Cassia auriculata is an Ayurvedic medicinal herb, traditionally indicated for diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Several works have demonstrated its antioxidant, antidiabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activity in vivo and in vitro. Nevertheless, only a few works have investigated its phytochemical composition, and specifically, the polyphenolic composition of the various plant parts that are traditionally used. In this work, the polyphenolic composition of C. auriculata leaves, flowers and flower buds were evaluated using UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS. Our results demonstrated the polyphenolic profile of C. auriculata plant parts. A total of five benzoic acids, four hydroxycinnamic acids, three flavonoids and two other phenolic compounds were identified and quantified. Our results show that in C. auriculata leaves, flavonoids were most abundant (4204 µg/g DW), while in flowers benzoic acids were the most prominent (3924 µg/g DW). Total benzoic acid contents ranged from 1580 to 3924 µg/g DW in leaf and flower, respectively. Hydroxycinnamic acids ranged from 404 µg/g DW in flower buds to 2623 µg/g DW in leaves. Flavonoids showed the highest contents in leaves, while the lowest levels were observed in flowers (2626 µg/g DW). The meaning of the results is discussed in light of the bioactivities of phenolic compounds, concomitant with C. auriculata reported medicinal bioactivities. To our knowledge, this is the first work to identify and quantify polyphenolic compounds in flower and bud of C. auriculata.
Three new species of Micropsalliota (Agaricaceae, Agaricales) from China

Authors: LI JIA-XIN , HE MAO-QIANG , ZHAO RUI-LIN
Published: March 2021

Species diversity of Micropsalliota in China remains poorly known, especially in southwestern China, a hotspot of biodiversity. Based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses using ITS and nrLSU sequences, three new species named Micropsalliota delicatula, M. dentatomarginata and M. digitatocystis are introduced from China. Phylogenetc analyses results indicated the unique phylogenetic positions of three new species in Micropsalliota. Full descriptions, photo plates, illustrations and a phylogenetic tree to show the placement of three new species are presented.
Two new names in the family Lauraceae
Authors: RASINGAM LADAN , KARTHIGEYAN KALIYAMURTHY
Published: March 2021

The family Lauraceae Jussieu (1789: 80) is one of the economically important families in the Magnoliopsida-Laurales, distributed mostly in the tropical and subtropical forests of the New and the Old World, comprising 56 genera and 2700 species (Mabberley 2017). We came across two names viz., Litsea microphylla (Elmer 1908: 375) Merrill (1923: 196) and Persea microphylla (Mez 1889: 166) Mez (1892: 115), which are later homonyms to the fossil species Litsea microphylla Marion (1872: 346) and Persea microphylla Engelhardt (1891: 650), respectively. According to Art. 53.1. of the ICN (Turland et al. 2018) they are illegitimate and replacement names are required. Hence, new names are proposed for both the species.
Four new species of Parajapyx (Diplura: Parajapygidae) from Mexico with redescription of Parajapyx isabellae aztecus Silvestri
Authors: MONTEJO-CRUZ MAIRA , GARCÍA-GÓMEZ ARTURO , PALACIOS-VARGAS JOSÉ G.
Published: March 2021

Four new Mexican Parajapyx species are described: P. silvestrii sp. nov. differs from P. adisi Pagés by the presence of one ma macroseta on mesoscutum, metascutum and abdominal scutum I; P. pagesi sp. nov. differs from P. grassianus Silvestri in the arrangement and number of macrosetae on all abdominal scuta; P. brunocondei sp. nov. is characterized by the unique feature of 50 glandular setae on the subcoxal organs and femur with one macroseta; P. yunyanorum sp. nov. differs from P. reymi Pagés by having some reduced macrosetae on the mesoscutum and metascutum and one lp macroseta lacking on abdominal II to VII scuta. A redescription of P. isabellae aztecus Silvestri, 1948 is presented including additional characters not previously reported, such as complete body chaetotaxy and descriptions of leg III, antennae and cercus. An identification key is presented for Mexican species of Parajapyx.
A new species of Sitana (Squamata: Agamidae) from the Deccan Peninsula Biogeographic Zone of India
Authors: DEEPAK V. , TILLACK FRANK , KAR NILADRI B. , SARKAR VIVEK , MOHAPATRA PRATYUSH. P.
Published: March 2021

We describe a new species of fan-throated lizard of the genus Sitana from the Deccan peninsula of India. The new species is from the Sitana sivalensis clade and can be readily diagnosed morphologically from S. sivalensis, S. fusca and S. schleichi by having the dewlap extending beyond forearm insertion. The new species differs from all other congeners in the combination of morphological characters such as a feebly serrated dewlap with a dark blue line on the throat in adult males (versus  a well serrated dewlap with a bright blue patch and orange spots in S. ponticeriana complex), small body size (versus a large body size in S. gokakensis and S. thondalu) and a relatively smaller dewlap size (relatively larger in S. laticeps, S. spinaecephalus, S. dharwarensis, S. gokakensis, S. thondalu, S. marudhamneydhal, S. ponticeriana and S. visiri). The new species was found to be commonly distributed in arid and open habitats as well as in farmlands and plantations in northern Andhra Pradesh, eastern Madhya Pradesh and most parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha states.
Semianalytic Functions to Calculate the Deposition Coefficients for Ice Crystal Vapor Growth in Bin and Bulk Microphysical Models
Authors: Harrington Jerry Y. , Sokolowsky G. Alexander , Morrison Hugh
Published: March 2021

Numerical cloud models require estimates of the vapor growth rate for ice crystals. Current bulk and bin microphysical parameterizations generally assume that vapor growth is diffusion limited, though some parameterizations include the influence of surface attachment kinetics through a constant deposition coefficient. A parameterization for variable deposition coefficients is provided herein. The parameterization is an explicit function of the ambient ice supersaturation and temperature, and an implicit function of crystal dimensions and pressure. The parameterization is valid for variable surface types including growth by dislocations and growth by step nucleation. Deposition coefficients are predicted for the two primary growth directions of crystals, allowing for the evolution of the primary habits. Comparisons with benchmark calculations of instantaneous mass growth indicate that the parameterization is accurate to within a relative error of 1%. Parcel model simulations using Lagrangian microphysics as a benchmark indicate that the bulk parameterization captures the evolution of mass mixing ratio and fall speed with typical relative errors of less than 10%, whereas the average axis lengths can have errors of up to 20%. The bin model produces greater accuracy with relative errors often less than 10%. The deposition coefficient parameterization can be used in any bulk and bin scheme, with low error, if an equivalent volume spherical radius is provided.
Arctic Warming Revealed by Multiple CMIP6 Models: Evaluation of Historical Simulations and Quantification of Future Projection Uncertainties
Authors: Cai Ziyi , You Qinglong , Wu Fangying , Chen Hans W. , Chen Deliang , Cohen Judah
Published: March 2021

The Arctic has experienced a warming rate higher than the global mean in the past decades, but previous studies show that there are large uncertainties associated with future Arctic temperature projections. In this study, near-surface mean temperatures in the Arctic are analyzed from 22 models participating in phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). Compared with the ERA5 reanalysis, most CMIP6 models underestimate the observed mean temperature in the Arctic during 1979–2014. The largest cold biases are found over the Greenland Sea the Barents Sea, and the Kara Sea. Under the SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, the multimodel ensemble mean of 22 CMIP6 models exhibits significant Arctic warming in the future and the warming rate is more than twice that of the global/Northern Hemisphere mean. Model spread is the largest contributor to the overall uncertainty in projections, which accounts for 55.4% of the total uncertainty at the start of projections in 2015 and remains at 32.9% at the end of projections in 2095. Internal variability uncertainty accounts for 39.3% of the total uncertainty at the start of projections but decreases to 6.5% at the end of the twenty-first century, while scenario uncertainty rapidly increases from 5.3% to 60.7% over the period from 2015 to 2095. It is found that the largest model uncertainties are consistent cold bias in the oceanic regions in the models, which is connected with excessive sea ice area caused by the weak Atlantic poleward heat transport. These results suggest that large intermodel spread and uncertainties exist in the CMIP6 models’ simulation and projection of the Arctic near-surface temperature and that there are different responses over the ocean and land in the Arctic to greenhouse gas forcing. Future research needs to pay more attention to the different characteristics and mechanisms of Arctic Ocean and land warming to reduce the spread.
Role of the Tibetan Plateau in Northern Drought Induced by Changes in the Subtropical Westerly Jet
Authors: Zhu Qingzhe , Liu Yuzhi , Shao Tianbin , Luo Run , Tan Ziyuan
Published: March 2021

The Tibetan Plateau (TP), the so-called water tower of Asia, plays an important role in the water cycle. However, few studies have linked the TP’s water vapor supply with the climate over North China. In this study, we found that changes in the subtropical westerly jet (SWJ) dynamically induce drought in North China, and the TP plays an important role in this relationship. During July–August for the period of 1981–2019, the SWJ center between 75° and 105°E obviously shifted northward at a rate of 0.04° per year. Correspondingly, the zonal winds in the southern subtropics were incredibly weakened, causing the outflow of water vapor from the TP to decrease dramatically. Combined with numerical simulations, we discovered that a reduction in water vapor transport from the TP can obviously decrease the precipitation over North China. Sensitivity experiments demonstrated that if the water vapor outflow from the eastern border of the TP decreases by 52.74%, the precipitation in North China will decrease by 12.69% due to a decrease in the local cloud fraction caused by a diminished water vapor content in the atmosphere. Therefore, although less water vapor transport occurs in the upper troposphere than in the lower troposphere, the impact of transport from the TP in the former on the downstream precipitation cannot be ignored.
Decide Now or Wait for the Next Forecast? Testing a Decision Framework Using Real Forecasts and Observations
Authors: Jewson Stephen , Scher Sebastian , Messori Gabriele
Published: March 2021

Users of meteorological forecasts are often faced with the question of whether to make a decision now, on the basis of the current forecast, or to wait for the next and, it is hoped, more accurate forecast before making the decision. Following previous authors, we analyze this question as an extension of the well-known cost–loss model. Within this extended cost–loss model, the question of whether to decide now or to wait depends on two specific aspects of the forecast, both of which involve probabilities of probabilities. For the special case of weather and climate forecasts in the form of normal distributions, we derive a simple simulation algorithm, and equivalent analytical expressions, for calculating these two probabilities. We apply the algorithm to forecasts of temperature and find that the algorithm leads to better decisions in most cases relative to three simpler alternative decision-making schemes, in both a simulated context and when we use reforecasts, surface observations, and rigorous out-of-sample validation of the decisions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a dynamic multistage decision algorithm has been demonstrated to work using real weather observations. Our results have implications for the additional kinds of information that forecasters of weather and climate could produce to facilitate good decision-making on the basis of their forecasts.
Novel Method for High-Spatial-Resolution Chemical Analysis of Buried Polymer-Metal Interface: Atomic Force Microscopy-Infrared (AFM-IR) Spectroscopy with Low-Angle Microtomy
Authors: Baden Naoki
Published: March 2021

There is a great need for the analysis of the chemical composition, structure, functional groups, and interactions at polymer-metal interfaces in terms of adhesion, corrosion, and insulation. Although atomic force microscopy-based infrared (AFM-IR) spectroscopy can provide chemical analysis with nanoscale spatial resolution, it generally requires to thin a sample to be placed on a substrate that has low absorption of infrared light and high thermal conductivity, which is often difficult for samples that contain hard materials such as metals. This study demonstrates that the combination of AFM-IR with low-angle microtomy (LAM) sample preparation can analyze buried polymer-metal interfaces with higher spatial resolution than that with the conventional sample preparation of a thick vertical cross-section. In the LAM of a polymer layer on a metal substrate, the polymer layer is tapered to be thin in the vicinity of the interface, and thus, sample thinning is not required. An interface between an epoxyacrylate layer and copper wire in a flexible printed circuit cable was measured using this method. A carboxylate interphase layer with a thickness of ∼130 nm was clearly visualized at the interface, and its spectrum was obtained without any signal contamination from the neighboring epoxyacrylate, which was difficult to achieve on a thick vertical cross-section. The combination of AFM-IR with LAM is a simple and useful method for high-spatial-resolution chemical analysis of buried polymer-metal interfaces.
Fatal poisonings involving clozapine: A 16-year review of Australian coronial investigations
Authors: Dawson Jessica L , Sluggett Janet K , Schumann Jennifer L , Procter Nicholas G , Bell J Simon
Published: March 2021

Objective:

Concerns about intentional and unintentional poisoning present a barrier to wider use of clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. The objective of this study was to investigate decedent demographics and trends in fatal poisonings in Australia involving clozapine.

Methods:

This was a retrospective case series of all fatal drug toxicity reported to an Australian coroner between 1 May 2000 and 31 December 2016 where toxicological analysis detected clozapine. Cases were identified using the National Coronial Information System. Demographics extracted included age and gender of the decedent, year and location of death, cause and manner of death and drugs detected in post-mortem samples.

Results:

There were 278 poisoning deaths where clozapine was detected in toxicological analyses. Three-quarters of all cases ( n = 207) involved men and the median age at death was 38.5 years (interquartile range: 16 years). Three-quarters of the deaths occurred in the home. Overall, 15.8% of deaths were deemed intentional, 57.5% unintentional and 24.5% of unknown intent. While the annual number of intentional self-poisonings remained constant with <5 per year, the overall number of fatalities increased due to an increase in unintentional poisonings. Multiple drug toxicity was reported in 55.0% of cases and clozapine alone in 45.0% of cases. The most common co-reported medications were antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids detected in 47.1%, 44.4% and 41.2% of multiple drug toxicities, respectively.

Conclusion:

This was the first Australia-wide review of all fatal drug poisonings reported to a coroner involving clozapine. Fatalities were most common in men and occurred at home. Multiple drug toxicity generally involved psychotropic, sedative or opioid analgesic medications. Despite increasing clozapine use, rates of intentional poisoning have remained constant and low. Developing a better knowledge of unintentional fatalities presents an opportunity to minimise harm.
A comparative study of COVID-19 responses in South Korea and Japan: political nexus triad and policy responses
Authors: Jae Moon M. , Suzuki Kohei , Park Tae In , Sakuwa Kentaro
Published: March 2021

Korea and Japan, neighboring democratic countries in Northeast Asia, announced their first COVID-19 cases in January 2020 and witnessed similar patterns of disease spread but adopted different policy approaches to address the pandemic (agile and proactive approach versus cautious and restraint-based approach). Applying the political nexus triad model, this study analyzes and compares institutional contexts and governance structures of Korea and Japan, then examines the differences in policy responses of the two Asian countries. This study first reviews the state of COVID-19 and examines changes in the conventional president-led political nexus triad in Korea and the bureaucracy-led political nexus triad in Japan. Then, this study examines how the differences in institutional contexts and governance structures shaped policy responses and policy outcomes of the two countries in managing the COVID-19 crisis.

Points for practitioners

•  Institutional and governance structure in a society are likely to affect policymaking processes as well as selection of policies among various policy alternatives. •  Government officials often need to refer to government capacity as well as citizens’ voluntary participation in resolving wicked policy problems like COVID-19. •  Policy decisions made by government officials affect policy outcomes while political environment and political leadership are equally important to policy effectiveness.
Thinking beyond infections in children with recurrent/persistent pneumonia
Authors: Nandan Devki , Mittal Hema , Sharma Anu , Srivastava Kavita
Published: March 2021

Children with recurrent or persistent pneumonia often have underlying chronic cardiopulmonary disease, but few reports on this subject have been published. Children with isolated common cardiac diseases, uncomplicated bronchial asthma or with incomplete records were excluded. Of 4361 children followed during a five-year period, 107 were included in our study. Underlying causes were identified in 99.0%: immunodeficiency disorders (20.2%), cardiothoracic malformations (18.3%), syndromic conditions (14.4%), infections (10.6%) bronchiectasis (10.6%), gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (6.6%), interstitial lung disease (3.8%) and other miscellaneous conditions (15.4%). Thus, children with recurrent or persistent pneumonia should be carefully evaluated for an underlying aetiology, as early diagnosis and appropriate management will decrease morbidity and mortality in most of these children.
Petrus van Musschenbroek (1692–1761) and the early Leiden jar: A discussion of the neglected manuscripts
Authors: Present Pieter
Published: March 2021

In this article, I discuss manuscript material written by Petrus van Musschenbroek (1692–1761) related to his first experiments with the Leiden jar. Despite the importance of the discovery of the Leiden jar for the history of electricity and the questions that still surround its discovery, a detailed treatment of this manuscript material is lacking in the literature. The main aim of this paper is to provide an outline of the manuscript material and to contextualize van Musschenbroek’s first experiments with the Leiden jar. I show how the experiment fits within his research program on electricity and I discuss van Musschenbroek’s initial reactions to and analysis of the phenomenon. Before doing so, I first provide a short overview of the treatment of the early history of the Leiden jar in the secondary literature. After that, I discuss van Musschenbroek’s treatment of the topic of electricity in the textbooks he published in the years before the discovery of the device. Van Musschenbroek repeatedly emphasized that not enough experimental results were available for an informed theoretical treatment of the phenomenon of electricity to be possible. I then turn to the manuscript material, where I give a general description of the contents of the manuscript and van Musschenbroek’s experimental practice. The manuscript material further confirms recent work on the Leiden jar by Silva and Heering, and provides new insights into the way van Musschenbroek himself reacted to the discovery.
Self-help for learned journals: Scientific societies and the commerce of publishing in the 1950s
Authors: Fyfe Aileen
Published: March 2021

In the decades after the Second World War, learned society publishers struggled to cope with the expanding output of scientific research and the increased involvement of commercial publishers in the business of publishing research journals. Could learned society journals survive economically in the postwar world, against this competition? Or was the emergence of a sales-based commercial model of publishing – in contrast to the traditional model of subsidized journal publishing – an opportunity to transform the often-fragile finances of learned societies? But there was also an existential threat: if commercial firms could successfully publish scientific journals, were learned society publishers no longer needed? This paper investigates how British learned society publishers adjusted to the new economic realities of the postwar world, through an investigation of the activities organized by the Royal Society of London and the Nuffield Foundation, culminating in the 1963 report Self-Help for Learned Journals. It reveals the postwar decades as the time when scientific research became something to be commodified and sold to libraries, rather than circulated as part of a scholarly mission. It will be essential reading for all those campaigning to transition academic publishing – including learned society publishing – away from the sales-based model once again.
Gratitude Expression to Supervisors and Subjective Career Success of Civil Servants: Evidence from China
Authors: Chen Cheng , Ma Liang , Chen Zhixia , Wen Peng
Published: March 2021

Subjective career success of civil servants is a major focus of both scholars and public managers, but few studies have explored its antecedents from the perspective of the expression of a special positive emotion. To narrow the gap regarding the antecedents of civil servants’ subjective career success, we use the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions to examine whether, how, and when civil servants’ gratitude expression to their supervisors is related to their subjective career success, as well as the mediating role of supervisors’ mentoring and the moderating role of traditionality. By using the survey data of 216 supervisor-subordinate dyads from the Chinese public sector, we found that gratitude expression by subordinates is positively related to their subjective career success, and this relationship is mediated by their supervisors’ mentoring. The relationship between gratitude expression to supervisors and supervisors’ mentoring is positively moderated by supervisor traditionality. Moreover, supervisor traditionality plays a positive moderating role in the association between gratitude expression to supervisors and subjective career success via supervisors’ mentoring. The above relationships are stronger when supervisors have a high level of traditionality. These findings contribute to the literature and generate managerial implications for civil servants’ career success management.
Age Differences in Types and Perceptions of Daily Stress
Authors: Stefaniak Alexis R. , Blaxton Jessica M. , Bergeman C. S.
Published: March 2021

The present study explores differences in daily stress across individuals of varying ages. Specifically, we explore whether age group (young adult, midlife, late midlife, later life) relates to differences in types of stress (family, friends, partner, health, finances, work), total stress exposure, and perceptions of daily stress intensity. Participants from the Notre Dame Study of Health & Well-being (NDHWB; N = 891) completed daily questionnaires assessing negative small life events and perceived stress for 8 weeks. Findings indicated that young adults reported a higher average number of family, spouse, finance, and work-related stress. Additionally, total daily stress was highest among young adults, and perceived stress was lowest among later life adults. Because daily stress relates to long-term mental and physical stress, gaining a better understanding of how individuals at different points in the life span uniquely experience stress can inform intervention and preventative care techniques aimed at promoting optimal well-being.
Latent Class Analysis of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Justice-Involved Juveniles: Association With Motivational and Emotional Aspects of Self-Harm Behavior
Authors: Reinhardt Melinda , Horváth Zsolt , Drubina Boglárka , Kökönyei Gyöngyi , Rice Kenneth G.
Published: March 2021

Significantly higher rates of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) have been discovered among justice-involved juveniles. Our study aimed to discriminate homogeneous subgroups of justice-involved youth with different self-harm behavior characteristics based on latent class analysis. A total of 244 adolescents (92.6% boys; Mage = 16.99, SD = 1.28) in Hungarian juvenile detention centers completed measures of NSSI and dissociation. High-NSSI (Class 1; 9%), moderate-NSSI (Class 2; 42.6%), and low-NSSI (Class 3; 48.4%) profiles were detected relating to different forms of NSSI. Multiple comparisons showed that girls were members of Class 1 and 2 at higher rates and these subgroups showed significantly higher dissociation proportions than Class 3. Our findings pointed out diversity in self-harm profiles with different characteristics in terms of methods and severity of self-harm, experienced emotions, and other emotion regulation tendencies among justice-involved adolescents. These results suggest sophisticated treatment approaches to match variations in severity and presentation.
Adolescents’ Perceived Drinking Norms Toward Alcohol Misuse: An Integrative Review
Authors: Kantawong Eakachai , Kao Tsui-Sui Annie , Robbins Lorraine B. , Ling Jiying , Anderson-Carpenter Kaston D.
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this integrative review is to synthesize prior research on the relationship between adolescents’ perceived subjective and descriptive drinking norms and their drinking intention and behaviors. Four databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane, and Sociological Abstracts) were searched to identify relevant articles. Thirty-one peer-reviewed articles published from 2010 to 2020 were reviewed. The results highlight that adolescents’ perceived drinking norms derived from their parents and peers, such as approving or disapproving attitudes, significantly influence adolescents’ drinking intention and behaviors. Moreover, pro-drinking messages, advertisements, and postings from electronic media (i.e., TV, movies, and the Internet) and online social networks (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) shape adolescents’ drinking intention and encourage adolescents to initiate alcohol consumption early and/or escalate their drinking. Thus, future interventions should focus on subjective drinking norms that stem from interpersonal relationships in combination with perceived descriptive drinking norms derived from various media exposure.
Development of the cybersecurity scale (CS-S): Evidence of validity and reliability
Authors: Arpaci Ibrahim , Sevinc Kadir
Published: March 2021

This study aimed to develop a cybersecurity scale to measure individuals’ practices and perceptions regarding cybersecurity. The study tested psychometric properties of the Cybersecurity Scale (CS-S) by employing a multi-stage research design. In the first study, an Exploratory-Factor-Analysis (EFA) was conducted to explore the underlying factor structure and evaluate internal consistency reliability of the CS-S. The EFA results showed good internal consistency reliability (α = .88) and a six-factor structure. In the second study, a Confirmatory-Factor-Analysis (CFA) was conducted to verify the factor structure. The CFA results indicated that the six-factor model (i.e., confidentiality, control/possession, integrity, authenticity, availability, and utility) fits the data well. Significant individual differences were observed in each dimension of the CS-S. Results indicated that the CS-S has evidence of convergent, discriminant, and construct validity along with internal consistency reliability. The results suggested that the CS-S is a valid and reliable instrument to measure individuals’ cybersecurity practices and perceptions.
Fraction of expired oxygen: an additional safety approach to monitor oxygen delivery to the heart lung machine oxygenator
Authors: Srey Rithy , Rance Geoffrey , Handrahan John , Smith Trevor , Leissner Kay B , Zenati Marco A
Published: March 2021

Background:

Monitoring oxygen delivery to the oxygenator of a heart lung machine (HLM) is typically accomplished with an O2 analyzer connected to the gas inflow line. It is assumed when the FiO2 is greater than 21% that oxygen is being delivered to the oxygenator. However, this assumption is imperfect because the connection of the inflow line to the oxygenator is downstream from the O2 analyzer. FiO2 monitoring will not alert the perfusionist if the inflow line is not actually connected to the oxygenator. Measuring the fraction of expired oxygen (FEO2) is a more reliable way of monitoring O2 delivery.

Methods:

An O2 analyzer was placed on the scavenging line that is attached to the exhaust port of oxygenator (FEO2).

Results:

Whenever the FiO2 is greater than 21%, and the inflow line is properly connected, the FEO2 exiting the oxygenator is greater than 21%. The FEO2 falls to 21% when the inflow line is not functioning.

Conclusion:

Monitoring the FEO2 is a more reliable way to verify O2 delivery to an oxygenator. An alarm can be set on the FEO2 monitor to alert the perfusionist if the FEO2 falls below a predetermined threshold so any issue with O2 delivery will always be recognized.
Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a woman with twin pregnancy
Authors: Tantibundit Porntipa , Mekjarasnapha Manasicha , Pulnitiporn Aksorn , Jirasavetakul Adhus
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

Maternal cardiac arrest is a rare condition. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in pregnancy is different from that in other populations due to physiological changes in patients. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is recommended in patients having cardiac arrest with potentially reversible etiologies. However, data regarding ECPR in pregnancy are limited.

Case summary:

A 24-year-old woman with a 33-week twin pregnancy developed witnessed cardiac arrest in an antenatal clinic. She underwent perimortem cesarean delivery (PMCD) and ECPR, but uterine atony with massive bleeding occurred. Emergency hysterectomy and massive blood transfusion were performed in the emergency department and the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit after hemodynamics was stable.

Conclusion:

Cardiac arrest in pregnancy is a complex condition. Several aspects of management have not been evaluated. Prospective studies for improving the outcomes are needed.
Randomised comparative trial of the efficacy of paracetamol syrup and dispersible tablets for the treatment of fever in children
Authors: Okereke Benjamin , Ibeleme Okezie , Bisi-Onyemaechi Adaobi
Published: March 2021

Objective

Fever is the most common reason for the presentation of children in the outpatient department. Paracetamol is marketed in different formulations for ease of administration to the paediatric population. These include syrups, dispersible tablets and rectal inserts. Dispersible tablets disintegrate rapidly in liquid and are subsequently taken orally, providing another oral formulation. We determined if there is a difference in the antipyretic efficacy of the syrup and the dispersible formulation of paracetamol, thereby prompting the development of the latter (another oral formulation) for use in children.

Methods

A randomised, controlled, double-blind intervention of a single dose of both formulations was given to febrile children, and their temperatures were documented twice in 30-minute intervals. Temperature changes were compared statistically.

Results

The mean temperatures at recruitment were 38.2 ± 0.5°C and 38.3 ± 0.6°C for the dispersible and syrup group, respectively. There was no significant difference between the temperature changes at T2 (30 minutes) and T3 (60 minutes) between the two study arms. However, the temperature was significantly different at T1 (baseline), T2 and T3 within the dispersible and syrup groups.

Conclusion

The decreasing trend in temperature was similar in both groups. Both preparations produced statistically similar antipyretic effects with no reported adverse drug reaction.
Analysis of Vehicle–Pedestrian Interactive Behaviors near Unsignalized Crosswalk
Authors: Noh Byeongjoon , Ka Dongho , Lee David , Yeo Hwasoo
Published: March 2021

Road traffic accidents are a leading cause of premature deaths and globally pose a severe threat to human lives. In particular, pedestrians crossing the road present a major cause of vehicle–pedestrian accidents in South Korea, but we lack dense behavioral data to understand the risk they face. This paper proposes a new analytical system for potential pedestrian risk scenes based on video footage obtained by road security cameras already deployed at unsignalized crosswalks. The system can automatically extract the behavioral features of vehicles and pedestrians, affecting the likelihood of potentially dangerous situations after detecting them in individual objects. With these features, we can analyze the movement patterns of vehicles and pedestrians at individual sites, and understand where potential traffic risk scenes occur frequently. Experiments were conducted on four selected behavioral features: vehicle velocity, pedestrian position, vehicle–pedestrian distance, and vehicle–crosswalk distance. Then, to show how they can be useful for monitoring the traffic behaviors on the road, the features are visualized and interpreted to show how they may or may not contribute to potential pedestrian risks at these crosswalks: (i) by analyzing vehicle velocity changes near the crosswalk when there are no pedestrians present; and (ii) analyzing vehicle velocities by vehicle–pedestrian distances when pedestrians are on the crosswalk. The feasibility of the proposed system is validated by applying the system to multiple unsignalized crosswalks in Osan city, South Korea.