bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LIO-CSI: LiDAR inertial odometry with loop closure combined with semantic information
Authors: Wang Gang , Gao Saihang , Ding Han , Zhang Hao , Cai Hongmin
Published: December 2021

Accurate and reliable state estimation and mapping are the foundation of most autonomous driving systems. In recent years, researchers have focused on pose estimation through geometric feature matching. However, most of the works in the literature assume a static scenario. Moreover, a registration based on a geometric feature is vulnerable to the interference of a dynamic object, resulting in a decline of accuracy. With the development of a deep semantic segmentation network, we can conveniently obtain the semantic information from the point cloud in addition to geometric information. Semantic features can be used as an accessory to geometric features that can improve the performance of odometry and loop closure detection. In a more realistic environment, semantic information can filter out dynamic objects in the data, such as pedestrians and vehicles, which lead to information redundancy in generated map and map-based localization failure. In this paper, we propose a method called LiDAR inertial odometry (LIO) with loop closure combined with semantic information (LIO-CSI), which integrates semantic information to facilitate the front-end process as well as loop closure detection. First, we made a local optimization on the semantic labels provided by the Sparse Point-Voxel Neural Architecture Search (SPVNAS) network. The optimized semantic information is combined into the front-end process of tightly-coupled light detection and ranging (LiDAR) inertial odometry via smoothing and mapping (LIO-SAM), which allows us to filter dynamic objects and improve the accuracy of the point cloud registration. Then, we proposed a semantic assisted scan-context method to improve the accuracy and robustness of loop closure detection. The experiments were conducted on an extensively used dataset KITTI and a self-collected dataset on the Jilin University (JLU) campus. The experimental results demonstrate that our method is better than the purely geometric method, especially in dynamic scenarios, and it has a good generalization ability.
Development of a rapid and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography method for determination of water-soluble vitamins in veterinary feed premix
Authors: Hosain Md. Zahangir , Islam S. M. Shariful , Kamal Md. Mostofa
Published: December 2021

Background and Aim: Determination of trace amounts of vitamins in multi-component feed premix is a troublesome analytical procedure. In this study, a simple and rapid high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated for the concurrent detection and quantitation of four water-soluble vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and cyanocobalamin in veterinary feed premixes.

Materials and Methods: The chromatographic separation of the vitamins was carried out at 35°C temperature on a reversed-phase C18 column using a gradient pump mode. Mobile phase constituents were solvent (a): 25 mM Potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 5 mM sodium hexanesulfonate in deionized water having pH-4.0 and solvent and (b) 5 mM sodium hexanesulfonate in methanol. Detection was performed with HPLC ultraviolet/visible detection set at 278 and 361 nm wavelength in two different channels. The flow rate was 1.2 mL/min and the total run time was 25 min.

Results: The method was validated according to the International Conference on Harmonization and Food and Drug Administration guidelines and acceptance criteria for system suitability, precision, linearity, and recovery were met in all cases. The relative standard deviation for system suitability and precision was <2% for all vitamins. The linearity of the calibration curves was excellent (R2>0.999) at concentration of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 μg/mL for all vitamins. The limits of detection values were 0.0125, 0.0017, 0.0064, and 0.0065 μg/mL for thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and cyanocobalamin, respectively, and the limits of quantification values were 0.0378, 0.0051, 0.0213, and 0.0198 μg/mL for thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and cyanocobalamin, respectively. The recovery percentages ranged from 88% to 115%.

Conclusion: The overall parameters of the proposed method met the validation criteria and this method could be a highly desirable technique for routine analysis of water-soluble vitamins in veterinary feed premix.
Influence of weather conditions on the durability of acrylic-polyurethane car coatings in an industrial area
Authors: Białomazur Magdalena , Jasinska Izabella , Kowalczyk Krzysztof , Musik Marlena , Pasierbiewicz Kamil , Wrobel Rafal
Published: December 2021

The influence of weather conditions on the durability of acrylic-polyurethane car coatings during their exposure to industrial plants (Grupa Azoty, Zakłady Chemiczne "Police" SA) was investigated. The surface structure and the general appearance of the paint coatings (after 16 months of the test) were examined using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope, an optical profilometer and a gloss meter. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to study the composition and chemical structure of the coatings. Convex spots of various sizes were observed on the surface of the tested coatings. Quantitative profilometric analysis showed a clear increase in surface roughness. However, the results of the XPS and FTIR tests did not confirm the chemical degradation of the tested samples. It was shown that the convexities observed on the surfaces of the aged coatings were atmospheric deposits consisting mainly of oxygen, calcium, phosphorus, iron, silicon and carbon. Thorough cleaning of the surfaces resulted in their complete removal.
Antimicrobial sustainable biopolymers for biomedical plastics applications – an overview
Authors: Razak Nur Syifaa , Mohamed Rahmah
Published: December 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has increased the need for personal protective equipment (PPE), especially for medical personnel: face masks, full protective clothing, gloves and goggles. To date, they are usually made of thermoplastic polymers, such as polypropylene (PP). To reduce the risk of secondary infections it is essential to enhance the antimicrobial (especially antibacterial and antiviral) properties of the materials used in PPE. There are some attempts to modify materials by, for example, silver nanoparticles or zinc oxides. The increasing demand for personal protective equipment, mostly masks, leads to an increase of environmental problem of non-biodegradable wastes. Therefore some researches on use of safer for user’s health sustainable antimicrobial and biodegradable biopolymer fibers, such as cellulose, starch, chitosan, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) or poly(glycolic acid) (PGA), have been done. These biopolymers and their properties are discussed in this article.
Table of Contents
Authors: Joy Papier
Published: December 2021

page iv. Editorial Team

page vi. In Memoriam: Andre van der Bijl (Phd)

page vii. Editorial - Joy Papier

page 1. A ‘curriculum moment’ for Adult and Community Education and Training: Acknowledging the voices and experiential knowledge of lecturers and students at community learning sites. Natheem Hendricks and Kaylianne Aploon-Zokufa

page 16. South Africa’s adult educators in the community college sector: Who they are and how they view their training, their work and their position. Sandra Jane Land

page 41. Assessing work-based values: The missing link in improving youth employability. Andrew Paterson, Roelien Herholdt, James Keevy and Bina Akoobhai

page 62. Knowledge, competencies and dispositions of lecturers in Technical Engineering in the context of advancing 4IR technologies. Nixon JP Teis and Christo J Els

page 88. Why prisoners pursue adult education and training: Perceptions of prison instructors. Tabitha Grace Mukeredzi

page 106. Enhancing technical and vocational knowledge and skills of adult learners in Ghanaian universities. Yaw Owusu-Agyeman and Magda Fourie-Malherbe

page 130. TVET engineering students’ perceptions of the value of their qualification and the prospects of employment. Anthony Tolika Sibiya, Nceba Nyembezi and David Bogopa

page 146. Promise and performance of gender mainstreaming at a Zimbabwean agricultural training college. Sebastian Mutambisi, Manasa Madondo, Miidzo Mavesera and Phamela Dube

page 164. Contributor biographies

page 168. Editorial policy

page 170. Call for papers 2022: JOVACET, Volume 5, Issue 1

page 171. Call for papers for the special edition 2022: JOVACET, Volume 5, Issue 2
Functioning of Local Government in Bangladesh: Legal and Practical Spheres
Authors: Nishat Abu Jakaria , Popov Dmitry , Mukharjee Shanjay Kumar , Victorovna Avakova Olga , Biswas Bikram
Published: December 2021

Local government is a fundamental part of Government and undeniable part of development in all spheres of a country. While most of the constructions in the worlds pronounce various provisions of having local government, it’s got more significance in recent time. Moreover, without overall participation of the population of a country, development of all sectors can’t be achieved. Participation of grassroots people are encouraged and ensured by local institutions. It also provides the opportunities to the population oriented of making policies and implementing decision better for them which is ultimately a step forwarding sustainable development. Since the time of independence from Pakistan in 1971, Bangladesh has local government system in the constitution of the country. Various amendments regarding local government have been brought basically when regimes changed. Thus, till to date, the constitutional provisions have been far dream from the reality. In the very root level the local government established maintaining the constitutional provisions can extend the practice of democracy. Thus, following constitutional scheme and to enhance good governance at all levels of the society, it’s ripe time for the concerned authority to be more conscious to establish local government.
The Grassroots and Party Funding in Nigeria: Trajectories for Money Politics
Authors: Fadakinte M. M. , Nwali Uche
Published: December 2021

This paper addresses grassroots indifference to party funding in Nigeria. It argues that all existing explanations on political apathy do not address the escalating tendency of the ordinary but educated and politically aware Nigerians to be averse to party funding. Drawing on political culture theory, the paper attributes the current trajectory of the phenomenon to a form of "inverse participant" culture by the grassroots, consequent upon their alienation that is driven by a convergence of three key variables: the cartel nature of party formation which is responsible for the disconnect in state-society relations, the appropriation and weaponisation of parties through funding, and decades of unfulfilled campaign promises. It further contends that grassroots indifference creates a funding vacuum which gives room for the monopoly of the party by the wealthy few and the moneybags.  The paper concludes that, to arrest grassroots disinterest in party funding, it will require a reform of the Nigerian state to wean it of predatory and exclusionary character and    arrest the prevailing cartelization of party formation and appropriation of political parties. It is also important to evolve a political culture that will create positive civic consciousness so as to shape voter-party-candidates relations in order to arrest the current negative voter attitudes that expect and demand for money from party candidates. This paper adopted the qualitative method of research , making use of extant literature on the subject matter and in addition used the interview method in seeking the opinions of a few individuals, some of them party card carrying members.
Strategie lokalnych grup działania jako podstawa tworzenia przyszłych strategii rozwoju ponadlokalnego gmin
Authors: Koliński Krystian , Kołodziejczak Anna
Published: December 2021

Celem artykułu jest porównanie strategii rozwoju gmin miejsko-wiejskich i wiejskich ze strategiami rozwoju wielkopolskich lokalnych grup działania w kontekście ustawy z 2006 r. o zasadach prowadzenia polityki rozwoju. Artykuł jest próbą odpowiedzi na pytanie, które z elementów strategii rozwoju gmin i lokalnych strategii rozwoju (LGD) mogą być implementowane w przyszłych strategiach rozwoju ponadlokalnego, a które należy zmienić. Analizie poddano 161 gminnych strategii wiejskich i miejsko-wiejskich oraz 31 strategii lokalnych grup działania, które obowiązywały w 2020 r. Na tej podstawie wyciągnięto wnioski dotyczące opracowania przyszłych ponadlokalnych strategii rozwoju województwa wielkopolskiego. Można dostrzec podobieństwa między strategiami, porównując ich konstrukcję, w tym ustalone w nich cele. Główna różnica między strategiami gmin i grup dotyczy ich zakresu problemowego i przestrzennego. Trudno znaleźć lokalną strategię rozwoju, która zawierałaby wszystkie cele odnoszące się bezpośrednio lub pośrednio do gmin, mimo że w większości przypadków można zaobserwować pokrywanie się celów strategii, co świadczy o ich zgodności i współzależności. Wzorem LGD i zgodnie z przepisami ustawowymi należy tworzyć związki międzygminne, których celem jest nie tylko wypracowanie wspólnej, zintegrowanej terytorialnie strategii, ale także prowadzenie zintegrowanych działań inwestycyjnych, gospodarczych, społecznych, ekologicznych i promocyjnych. W przyszłości zintegrowane działania gmin mogą przynieść lepsze efekty rozwojowe. Kilku gminom zrzeszonym w związkach łatwiej będzie negocjować, znajdować partnerów i fundusze.
The Proprium of Property Law
Authors: Hoffmann Jan Felix
Published: December 2021

Classical property law is not only losing economic relevance with the progressing dephysicalization of economic processes but is also increasingly perceived as a static field of private law, pursued by specialized lawyers working with rather inaccessible national concepts and dogmas that seem to have no significant relevance for the development of a digital economy. The mostly codification-driven comparative research on property law continues in the tradition of national property law codifications primarily addressing tangible objects. The research on property law should not restrict itself to this rather pragmatic approach, because in the end this arbitrarily delimits the concept of property law and reinforces the impression of classical property law only dealing with tangibles. Comparative property law should look beyond issues of codification and address the question of what is the essence of property law. Property law deals with the erga omnes effects of rights. It therefore not only addresses full-fledged property rights over movables or immovables but also covers partially absolute rights over these assets on the threshold to contract law. Property law also addresses absolute rights with regard to intangibles. This awareness should on one hand demand from any discussion on creating new (partially) absolute property rights to take notice of the state of the art of current (comparative) property law. It should on the other hand incite classical property lawyers to take part in these debates and to question the traditional concepts and principles in light of the new developments. Classical institutions of property law should be reconsidered from this point of view.
A study on the coordination of cyclohexanocucurbit[6]uril with copper, zinc, and magnesium ions
Authors: Zheng Jun , Zhang Lin , Yang Xinan , Jin Yanmei , Gao Jie , Ma Peihua
Published: December 2021

Herein, we report the supramolecular complexes of cyclohexanocucurbit[6]uril (CyH6Q[6]) with Cu(ClO4)2, Zn(ClO4)2, and Mg(ClO4)2 in formic acid solution. The crystal structure was determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction. The analysis results showed that CyH6Q [6] formed a one-dimensional supramolecular chain with Cu(ClO4)2 and formed a supramolecular assembly with a mixture ratio of 2:3 with Zn(ClO4)2 and Mg(ClO4)2. In this system,

ClO

4

−

{\text{ClO}}_{4}^{-}

induced CyH6Q[6] and metal ions to form supramolecular complexes through ion–dipole interactions.
Current management of cancer pain in Italy: Expert opinion paper
Authors: Marinangeli Franco , Saetta Annalisa , Lugini Antonio
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Chronic pain and breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) have a high prevalence in all cancer types and cancer stages, combined with a significant physical, psychological, and economic burden. Despite efforts to improve appropriate management of cancer pain, a poor assessment and guilty undertreatment are still reported in many countries. The purpose of this expert opinion paper is to contribute to reduce and clarify these issues with a multidisciplinary perspective in order to share virtuous paths of care.

Methods

Common questions about cancer pain assessment and treatment were submitted to a multidisciplinary pool of Italian clinicians and the results were subsequently discussed and compared with the findings of the published literature.

Conclusion

Despite a dedicated law in Italy and effective treatments available, a low percentage of specialists assess pain and BTcP, defining the intensity with validated tools. Moreover, in accordance with the findings of the literature in many countries, the undertreatment of cancer pain is still prevalent. A multidisciplinary approach, more training programs for clinicians, personalised therapy drug formulations, and virtuous care pathways will be essential to improve cancer pain management.
The incorporation ofMoringa oleiferaleaves powder in mutton patties: Influence on nutritional value, technological quality, and sensory acceptability
Authors: Khomola Geoffrey Tshifhiwa , Ramatsetse Kgaogelo Edwin , Ramashia Shonisani Eugenia , Mashau Mpho Edward
Published: December 2021

Meat is a highly nutritious food rich in protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Nevertheless, chemical reactions and microorganisms might affect the quality of nutritional constituent of meat products. This study investigated the influence of addingMoringa oleiferaleaves powder (MOLP) on the nutritional, technological properties, and consumer acceptability of mutton patties. Four treatments of mutton patties with 0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9% of MOLP were produced. The prepared patties (raw and cooked) were evaluated for quality attributes such as proximate composition, total phenolic content (TPC), cooking properties (cooking yield and cooking loss), physical characteristics (colour and water holding capacity [WHC]), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), pH value, and sensory quality. The incorporation of MOLP into the mutton patties significantly increased (p< 0.05) protein, fat, ash contents, TPC, pH, WHC, and cooking yield. However, moisture content, TBARS, and colour decreased. Most sensory likability scores of patty samples with up to 0.3% of MOLP were comparable to those of the control sample. Evidently, the inclusion of 0.3% of MOLP produces mutton patties with high sensory desirability.
OH + OKAY in informing sequences: On fuzzy boundaries in a particle combination
Authors: Couper-Kuhlen Elizabeth
Published: December 2021

This study explores fuzzy boundaries, or weak cesuras, in the particle combination OH + OKAY as used in informing sequences in ordinary English talk-in-interaction. The focus is on the third position in such sequences, where OH + OKAY responds to information that has been solicited by the speaker in a prior turn. Based on a collection of approximately 45 instances of OH + OKAY in recent American English telephone and face-to-face interactions, this study adopts the methodology of Conversation Analysis and Interactional Linguistics to examine the prosody and phonetics of OH + OKAY as a feature of turn design. It asks: (i) when does the speaker use a combination of OH and OKAY in the third position rather than a simple OH or OKAY? and (ii) to what extent does the prosodic–phonetic delivery of OH + OKAY contribute to an interpretation of what the turn is doing? The study finds that (i) OH + OKAY is used when responding to a solicited informing that not only supplies information but also accomplishes another action with consequences for the recipient and (ii) if OH + OKAY is delivered with a strong cesura between its parts, its actions are distributed in separate turn-constructional units, creating a multi-unit turn that proposes sequence closure. If the cesura in OH + OKAY is weak, the component parts are fused into a compound particle that can preface more talk by the same speaker. Weak boundaries between OH and OKAY can be exploited by participants for the purposes of turn construction and epistemic positioning.
Theta-Burst Stimulation of Primary Afferents Drives Long-Term Potentiation in the Spinal Cord and Persistent Pain via α2δ-1-Bound NMDA Receptors
Authors: Huang Yuying , Chen Shao-Rui , Chen Hong , Zhou Jing-Jing , Jin Daozhong , Pan Hui-Lin
Published: December 2021

Long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in the spinal dorsal horn reflect activity-dependent synaptic plasticity and central sensitization in chronic pain. Tetanic high-frequency stimulation is commonly used to induce LTP in the spinal cord. However, primary afferent nerves often display low-frequency, rhythmic bursting discharges in painful conditions. Here, we determined how theta-burst stimulation (TBS) of primary afferents impacts spinal cord synaptic plasticity and nociception in male and female mice. We found that TBS induced more LTP, whereas tetanic stimulation induced more LTD, in mouse spinal lamina II neurons. TBS triggered LTP, but not LTD, in 50% of excitatory neurons expressing vesicular glutamate transporter-2 (VGluT2). By contrast, TBS induced LTD and LTP in 12–16% of vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT)-expressing inhibitory neurons. Nerve injury significantly increased the prevalence of TBS-induced LTP in VGluT2-expressing, but not VGAT-expressing, lamina II neurons. Blocking NMDARs, inhibiting α2δ-1 with gabapentin, or α2δ-1 knockout abolished TBS-induced LTP in lamina II neurons. Also, disrupting the α2δ-1–NMDAR interaction with α2δ-1Tat peptide prevented TBS-induced LTP in VGluT2-expressing neurons. Furthermore, TBS of the sciatic nerve induced long-lasting allodynia and hyperalgesia in wild-type, but not α2δ-1 knockout, mice. TBS significantly increased the α2δ-1–NMDAR interaction and synaptic trafficking in the spinal cord. In addition, treatment with NMDAR antagonists, gabapentin, or α2δ-1Tat peptide reversed TBS-induced pain hypersensitivity. Therefore, TBS-induced primary afferent input causes a neuropathic pain-like phenotype and LTP predominantly in excitatory dorsal horn neurons via α2δ-1-dependent NMDAR activation. α2δ-1-bound NMDARs may be targeted for reducing chronic pain development at the onset of tissue/nerve injury.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTSpinal dorsal horn synaptic plasticity is a hallmark of chronic pain. Although sensory nerves display rhythmic bursting discharges at theta frequencies during painful conditions, the significance of this naturally occurring firing activity in the induction of spinal synaptic plasticity is largely unknown. In this study, we found that theta-burst stimulation (TBS) of sensory nerves induced LTP mainly in excitatory dorsal horn neurons and that the prevalence of TBS-induced LTP was potentiated by nerve injury. This TBS-driven synaptic plasticity required α2δ-1 and its interaction with NMDARs. Furthermore, TBS of sensory nerves induced persistent pain, which was maintained by α2δ-1-bound NMDARs. Thus, TBS-induced LTP at primary afferent–dorsal horn neuron synapses is an appropriate cellular model for studying mechanisms of chronic pain.
What Is the Weight of a Single Amoeba and Why Does It Matter?
Authors: Money Nicholas P. , Fischer Mark W. F.
Published: December 2021

Cell size is an important variable in the study of cellular growth, metabolism, and the cell cycle. The large size of Amoeba proteus and the ease with which it can be collected and cultured have made it a star in biology education—and it was a model for research on cell biology before the introduction of molecular genetic methods. Measuring the cytoplasmic density of a single amoeba without modern instrumentation seems like a difficult task, but this was done with supreme accuracy in the 1940s. The solution was based on the familiar Cartesian diver that is used to demonstrate Archimedes’s principle. It required the fabrication of a tiny diver that would respond to the additional mass of a cell. Experiments using this method allowed investigators to study changes in size and density associated with feeding, starvation, and cell division. This research is an illustration of the ingenuity of cell biologists in the pre-molecular genetic era of their field, which is often overlooked by contemporary scientists. The consideration of the mass, density, and buoyancy of free-living amoebas encourages a new hypothesis about the evolution of testate amoebas.
Asking, We Walk
Authors: Tagle Thea Quiray , Affourtit Lorraine , Boyadjian Mirna , Haughwout Margaretha , Naidus Beverly , Strauss Laurencia
Published: December 2021

Written collectively by six femme and queer scholars and artists, this piece is both a critical reflection and creative intervention into art residencies and Zapaturismo (political tourism) in Chiapas, Mexico. Drawing upon our embodied experiences of moving through the Lacandon jungle as part of a well-intentioned yet colonial-minded arts residency, we ruminate on the ethics, practices, and failures of solidarity between North American feminists, people of color, and queer people with Indigenous communities in Mexico under siege. We ask: what are we really searching for when we seek out the Zapatistas, and why participate in “activist art” residencies staged in the Global South? Each section of the article is a collaboratively written vignette that offers multiple vantage points to analyze our individual and collective experiences at the residency that occurred within and between three places in Chiapas: the city of San Cristobal de las Casas, a rural Zapatista Army of National Liberation (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional or EZLN) caracol, and at a cooperative on the Tonalá shore. Utilizing personal and poetic reflections along with scholarly and political frames, we summon lessons gleaned that will continue to impact our ongoing work with our respective places and communities. To truly listen to the Zapatistas, we conclude, we must take very seriously their messages to our group given in a moment of crisis, to work from our own locations and to transform our own understanding and ethics of care and collectivity.
Introduction to “Pacific Worlds: Indigeneity, Blackness, and Resistance”
Authors: Gandhi Evyn Lê Espiritu
Published: December 2021

Dr. Gandhi provides a brief overview of the origins and goals of the Pacific Worlds Symposium and the three following documents in this special subsection of Ethnic Studies Review. The symposium was co-sponsored by several University of California campuses. This introductory statement includes a list of additional recommended readings offered in addition to the citations included by the panelists and their individual papers.
Long-term body composition improvement in post-menopausal women following bariatric surgery: a cross-sectional and case–control study
Authors: Santini Sara , Vionnet Nathalie , Pasquier Jérôme , Suter Michel , Hans Didier , Gonzalez-Rodriguez Elena , Pitteloud Nelly , Favre Lucie
Published: December 2021

Objective

Bariatric surgery (BS) induces loss of body fat mass (FM) with an inexorable loss of lean mass (LM). Menopause leads to deleterious changes in body composition (BC) related to estrogen deficiency including LM loss and increase in total and visceral adipose tissue (VAT). This study aims to describe the long-term weight evolution of post-menopausal women after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and to compare the BC between BS patients vs post-menopausal non-operated women.

Design

Cross-sectional study of 60 post-menopausal women who underwent RYGB ≥2 years prior to the study with nested case–control design.

Methods

Post-menopausal BS women were matched for age and BMI with controls. Both groups underwent DXA scan, lipids and glucose metabolism markers assessment.

Results

Median follow-up was 7.5 (2–18) years. Percentage of total weight loss (TWL%) was 28.5 ± 10%. After RYGB, LM percentage of body weight (LM%) was positively associated with TWL% and negatively associated with nadir weight. Forty-one post-BS women were age- and BMI-matched with controls. Post-BS patients showed higher LM% (57.7% (±8%) vs 52.5% (±5%), P  = 0.001), reduced FM% (39.4% (±8.4%) vs 45.9% (±5.4%), P  < 0.01) and lower VAT (750.6 g (±496) vs 1295.3 g (±688), P  < 0.01) with no difference in absolute LM compared to controls. While post-BS women showed a better lipid profile compared to controls, no difference was found in glucose markers.

Conclusions

Post-menopausal women after RYGB have a lower FM and VAT, preserved LM and a better lipid profile compared to controls. Weight loss after RYGB seems to have a persistent positive impact on metabolic health.
Lay Evaluations of Restraints and Prohibitions During the 1st Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Lithuania
Authors: Valickas Gintautas , Švedas Gintaras , Vanagaitė Kristina , Barysė Dovilė
Published: December 2021

The article analyzes how, during the 1st wave of the coronavirus pandemic, participants of a study (n = 331) assessed the government-imposed restrictions, prohibitions, liabilities and penalties for non-compliance with said restrictions, and the perceived fairness of the behavior of other people during the pandemic. The article also studies the relationships among these assessments, including the related well-being and sociodemographic characteristics.
The Status of Soft Law in Interpreting the Lithuanian Constitution
Authors: Murauskas Donatas
Published: December 2021

In this paper, I examine the status of soft law in the official interpretation of the Lithuanian Constitution. The “living constitution” doctrine dominates the Lithuanian constitutional scholarship. I question this dominance by providing insights on the essence and application potential of the alternative methodology – the doctrine of originalism. Based on originalistic approach, I doubt the normative claim made in Lithuanian constitutional scholarship that soft law could be considered as a mandatory source of interpretation of the Lithuanian Constitution.
Dynamics of periphytic Bacillariophyta at different stages of operation of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant cooling pond (Ukraine)
Authors:   Institute of Hydrobiology of the NAS of Ukraine, 12 Prosp. Heroyiv Stalingrada, Kyiv 04210, Ukraine, Shcherbak V.I. , Genkal S.I. ,   I.D. Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters of RAS, Settle Borok, Nekouz District, Yaroslavl Region 152742, Russia, Semenyuk N.Ye. ,   Institute of Hydrobiology of the NAS of Ukraine, 12 Prosp. Heroyiv Stalingrada, Kyiv 04210, Ukraine
Published: December 2021

The paper deals with the long-term dynamics of taxonomic composition of diatom periphyton in the Chornobyl nuclear power plant cooling pond (ChNPP cooling pond) at different stages of its operation: before the accident, after the accident and during the present period. The dominant complex of diatoms was marked by the highest diversity in the period after the accident, due to water temperature decreasing and new habitats appearing. The large-scale water-level drawdown in the present period caused the water table to reduce, and the habitats became less diverse. Owing to this, the number of dominant species decreased. Studying the present-day taxonomic composition of periphytic algae in the ChNPP cooling pond by way of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy made it possible to identify 141 diatom species, represented by 143 infraspecific taxa, from 45 genera, 20 families, 12 orders and 3 classes. 14 species and infraspecific taxa of diatoms from genera Amphora, Cocconeis, Gomphonema, Hippodonta, Karayevia, Navicula, Placoneis, Planothidium, Psammothidium, Sellaphora are new for Ukrainian flora. High contamination of the ChNPP cooling pond with man-made radionuclides 90Sr, 137Cs and the large-scale water-level drawdown did not cause a significant degradation of diatom periphyton, which, in new ecological conditions, is distinguished by high taxonomic diversity and spatial heterogeneity.
Наукові основи функціонування та забезпечення умов розвитку науково-видавничого комплексу НАН України на 2021—2025 роки
Authors: Яцків Ярослав Степанович , Діденко Юлія Володимирівна
Published: December 2021

Зважаючи на позитивні результати, отримані за цільовою комплексною програмою НАН України «Створення та розвиток науково-видавничого комплексу НАН України» у 2016—2020 рр., та з огляду на необхідність подальшого розвитку науково-видавничої справи Президія НАН України на період 2021—2025 років затвердила нову цільову комплексну програму НАН України «Наукові основи функціонування та забезпечення умов розвитку науково-видавничого комплексу НАН України». Нову програму спрямовано на ефективне забезпечення потреб Академії у підготовці та виготовленні високоякісної наукової видавничої продукції, а також на реалізацію шляхів вирішення окреслених у ній організаційних і науково-методичних завдань. У статті висвітлено основні засади функціонування зазначеної програми та перші отримані результати.
Від бактеріофага до вірусів рослин
Authors: Коваленко Олексій Григорович , Підгорський Валентин Степанович
Published: December 2021

Статтю присвячено пам’яті відомих українських учених у галузі мікробіології і вірусології академіка АН УРСР Віктора Григоровича Дроботька (1885—1966) і члена-кореспондента АН УРСР Семена Микитовича Московця (1900—1971). Розглянуто особистий внесок кожного з них у розвиток вірусології в Інституті мікробіології і вірусології ім. Д.К. Заболотного НАН України.
«У всякого своя доля і свій шлях широкий»
Authors: Думанський Юрій Васильович , Шкатула Поліна Михайлівна
Published: December 2021

15 листопада виповнюється 65 років відомому вченому в галузі патофізіології та експериментальної онкології, лауреату Державної премії України в галузі науки і техніки (2007), заслуженому діячеві науки і техніки України (2005), лауреату премії ім. Р.Є. Кавецького НАН України (2015), директору Інституту експериментальної патології, онкології і радіобіології ім. Р.Є. Кавецького НАН України (1996—2021), доктору медичних наук (1994), професору (1997), академіку НАН України (2006) Василю Федоровичу Чехуну.
Perception and Impact of Life Events in Medically Hospitalized Patients With Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
Authors: Bedard-Thomas Katherine K. , Bujoreanu Simona , Choi Christine H. , Ibeziako Patricia I.
Published: December 2021

OBJECTIVES:

We describe the prevalence and perceived impact of life events reported by medically hospitalized patients with somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRD) and highlight patient characteristics and outcomes associated with highly impactful life events.

METHODS:

Retrospective chart reviews were conducted of patients with SSRD at a tertiary pediatric hospital who were seen by the psychiatry consultation service and completed various instruments while medically admitted, including a de novo life events checklist. Descriptive statistics, correlations, χ2 tests, and internal consistency analyses were used.

RESULTS:

Charts of 70.2% of patients with SSRD who completed the life events checklist (N = 172; age range 8–25 years) were reviewed. Of those studied, 94% reported at least 1 life event in the last year, with academic events most prevalent, 81% reported life events across multiple domains, and 56% perceived the life event(s) as having a great impact on their lives. Patients who perceived more great impact life events were older, from households with lower median incomes, had higher self-reported somatization, greater functional disability, more comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, required more psychotropic medications, and had longer medical admissions.

CONCLUSIONS:

Findings reveal that although the majority of medically hospitalized patients with SSRD reported at least 1 relevant life event, it was the patients’ perception of the impact of the life event(s) that correlated with high levels of disability and health care use. An assessment of the perception of life events in patients with SSRD may help hospitalists and interdisciplinary providers identify high-risk patients for whom early psychiatry referrals can be made.
Initial Observations of COVID-19 in US Children
Authors: Agha Rabia , Kojaoghlanian Tsoline , Avner Jeffrey R.
Published: December 2021

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected children differently from adults worldwide. Data on the clinical presentation of the infection in children are limited. We present a detailed account of pediatric inpatients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus at our institution during widespread local transmission, aiming to understand disease presentation and outcomes. A retrospective chart review was performed of children, ages 0 to 18 years, with a positive polymerase chain reaction test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 on nasopharyngeal specimens admitted to our hospital over a 4-week period. We present clinical data from 22 patients and highlight the variability of the presentation. In our study, most children presented without respiratory illness or symptoms suggestive of COVID-19; many were identified only because of universal testing. Because children may have variable signs and symptoms of COVID-19 infection, targeted testing may miss some cases.
Caregiver Decisional Conflict Before and After Consultation About Gastrostomy Tube Placement
Authors: Nelson Katherine E. , Oppedisano Silvana , Patel Maya Laxmi , Mahant Sanjay , Cohen Eyal
Published: December 2021

OBJECTIVES:

Families describe decision-making about gastrostomy tube (g-tube) placement as challenging. We measured caregiver decisional conflict before and after initial g-tube consultation to evaluate the potential benefit of a decision aid and feasibility in testing it.

METHODS:

Families presenting for initial consultation about g-tube placement completed the decisional conflict scale (DCS) at 1 or 2 of 3 time points: before consultation, after consultation, and after viewing a video. The decision support consultation was a 2-hour structured meeting with a pediatric hospitalist, nurse practitioner, and dietitian that was focused on clarifying the indication, feasibility, safety, and family values around tube placement. The video described decision-making and lived experiences of families with tube feeding.

RESULTS:

We measured the decisional conflict of 61 caregivers. Preconsultation decisional conflict scores were high (mean = 38.7), but there was substantial variation between families (SD = 19.4). Baseline scores did not vary between clinically relevant subgroups. Postconsultation DCS scores were lower (17.9 and SD = 13.5 for consult alone; 12.7 and SD = 13.2 for consult with video). Three caregivers (7.7%) of families had residual decisional conflict scores >37.5, the threshold conventionally associated with decision delay.

CONCLUSIONS:

Measuring decisional conflict among caregivers deciding about pediatric g-tube is feasible during the clinical encounter. Residual decisional conflict after our institution’s current decision support consultation model (with or without an additional video) was low, so development of an additional structured decision aid is not warranted. Further study of preconsult DCS variability across different clinical subgroups may help identify families benefiting from additional decisional support.
Prevalence of Social Risks on Inpatient Screening and Their Impact on Pediatric Care Use
Authors: Fritz Cristin. Q. , Thomas Jacob , Gambino Jessica , Torok Michelle , Brittan Mark S.
Published: December 2021

OBJECTIVES:

Screening for social determinants of health in the inpatient setting is uncommon. However, social risk factors documented in billing and electronic medical record data are associated with increased pediatric care use. We sought to describe (1) the epidemiology of social risks and referral acceptance and (2) association between social risks identified through routine inpatient screening and care use.

METHODS:

Parents of children ages 0 to 18 admitted to a general pediatric floor at an academic children’s hospital completed a psychosocial screening survey from October 2017 to June 2019. The survey covered the following domains: finances, housing, food security, medications, and benefits. Patient characteristics and care use outcomes were abstracted from the electronic medical record and compared by using Pearson’s χ2 or the Wilcoxon rank test and logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS:

Of 374 screened families, 141 (38%) had a positive screen result, of whom 78 (55%) reported >1 need and 64 (45%) accepted a community resource. In bivariate analyses, patients with a positive screen result had higher 30-day readmission (10% vs 5%; P = .05), lower median household income ($62 321 vs $71 460; P < .01), lower parental education (P < .01), public insurance (57% vs 43%; P < .01), lived in a 1-parent household (30 vs 12%; P < .01), and had a complex chronic condition (35% vs 23%; P = .01) compared with those with a negative screen result. There was no difference in care reuse by screening status in adjusted analyses.

CONCLUSIONS:

Social risks are common in the pediatric inpatient setting. Children with medical complexity offer a good target for initial screening efforts.
THE PASSAGE OF A FOREIGN BODY (FOXTAIL) THROUGH THE BRONCHUS, LUNG, PLEURA, AND THORACIC WALL
Authors: SEHRING M. M. , SHAW E. B.
Published: December 2021

The case is presented of a four-year-old boy who ingested a foxtail 5 cm. long. Within 24 hours this produced evidences of right lower lobe pneumonia, the fever responded to sulfathiazole and to penicillin, and the foxtail was removed 14 days after ingestion from a subcutaneous abscess located in the mid-axillary line in the sixth intercostal space. There was rapid regression of the pneumonic signs and evidences of pleural effusion or exudation were lacking. The child recovered without any persistent evidences of intrathoracic damage.
Congenital Malformations of the Heart
Authors: GOODFRIEND JAMES
Published: December 2021

Seldom has a monograph or text been so eagerly awaited as Dr. Taussig's summation of her observations of congenital malformations of the heart, and rarely has a book so completely justified the pre-publication interest it evoked as does this. Dr. Taussig's investigations of congenital cardiac anomalies have for some years been directed toward increasing clinical knowledge of these conditions and have been related to Dr. Maude Abbott's classical pathologic studies.

All the clinical types of congenital heart disease are here discussed in detail. The embryologic aberration is pointed out. With the nature of the anatomic deformity established, the inevitable alterations in circulatory dynamics are then considered and the conclusions in each instance are presented in diagrammatic form.
Health Consequences of Obesity in Youth: Childhood Predictors of Adult Disease
Authors: Dietz William H.
Published: December 2021

Obesity now affects one in five children in the United States. Discrimination against overweight children begins early in childhood and becomes progressively institutionalized. Because obese children tend to be taller than their nonoverweight peers, they are apt to be viewed as more mature. The inappropriate expectations that result may have an adverse effect on their socialization. Many of the cardiovascular consequences that characterize adult-onset obesity are preceded by abnormalities that begin in childhood. Hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and abnormal glucose tolerance occur with increased frequency in obese children and adolescents. The relationship of cardiovascular risk factors to visceral fat independent of total body fat remains unclear. Sleep apnea, pseudotumor cerebri, and Blount's disease represent major sources of morbidity for which rapid and sustained weight reduction is essential. Although several periods of increased risk appear in childhood, it is not clear whether obesity with onset early in childhood carries a greater risk of adult morbidity and mortality.

Obesity is now the most prevalent nutritional disease of children and adolescents in the United States. Although obesity-associated morbidities occur more frequently in adults, significant consequences of obesity as well as the antecedents of adult disease occur in obese children and adolescents. In this review, I consider the adverse effects of obesity in children and adolescents and attempt to outline areas for future research. I refer to obesity as a body mass index greater than the 95th percentile for children of the same age and gender.
Treatment of Pediatric Obesity
Authors: Epstein Leonard H. , Myers Michelle D. , Raynor Hollie A. , Saelens Brian E.
Published: December 2021

The primary goal of childhood obesity interventions is regulation of body weight and fat with adequate nutrition for growth and development. Ideally, these interventions are associated with positive changes in the physiologic and psychological sequelae of obesity. To contribute to long-term weight maintenance, interventions should modify eating and exercise behaviors such that new, healthier behaviors develop and replace unhealthy behaviors, thereby allowing healthier behaviors to persist throughout development and into adulthood. This overview of pediatric obesity treatment, using predominantly randomized, controlled studies, highlights important contributions and developments in primarily dietary, activity, and behavior change interventions, and identifies characteristics of successful treatment and maintenance interventions. Potential positive (eg, reduction in blood pressure, serum lipids, and insulin resistance) and negative (eg, development of disordered eating patterns) side effects of treatment also are described. Recommendations for improving implementation of childhood obesity treatments, including application of behavioral choice theory, improving knowledge of response extinction and recovery in regards to behavior relapse, individualization of treatment, and integration of basic science with clinical outcome research, are discussed.
A Program to Increase Health Care for Children: The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program, by Henry K. Silver, MD, Loretta C. Ford, EdD, and Susan G. Stearly, MS,Pediatrics, 1967;39:756–760
Authors: Hoekelman Robert A.
Published: December 2021

The increase in population of the United States is occurring at a much more rapid rate than the increase in medical and nursing personnel available to maintain health services at an optimum level. Unless the pattern of furnishing health care, particularly to lower socioeconomic groups in both urban and rural areas, is drastically improved, these groups will suffer from increasingly inadequate health supervision. This paper describes an educational and training program in pediatrics for professional nurses (the “pediatric nurse practitioner” program), which prepares them to assume an expanded role in providing increased health care for children in areas where there are limited facilities for such care.