bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Successful Treatment of Invasive MRSA Infections in Children Using Area Under the Vancomycin Concentration-Time Curve Divided by the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (AUC/MIC) to Measure Vancomycin Exposure
Authors: Chiang Leslie , Pong Alice , Bradley John , Anderson Paige , Murray William
Published: November 2021

Background: Vancomycin is the treatment of choice for invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Previous guidelines issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recommended targeting vancomycin serum trough concentrations of 15–20 mg/L; however, troughs <15 mg/L are also associated with increased odds of renal toxicity. To minimize toxicity, recently updated ASHP/IDSA/PIDS vancomycin dosing guidelines recommend the use of an area under the vancomycin concentration-time curve divided by the minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC/MIC) pharmacodynamic index to measure vancomycin exposure, with an AUC/MIC ratio >400 correlating with clinical efficacy. However, data on vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in children are limited. Our institutional practice since January 2009 has been to use AUC/MIC, rather than serum trough concentrations, to guide vancomycin dosing. In this study, we describe clinical outcomes in vancomycin-treated children with invasive MRSA infections using this dosing method. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of children hospitalized with invasive MRSA infections between 2006 and 2019 at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, California. Clinical, microbiologic, and pharmacologic data including the site of MRSA infection, clinical failure or cure, occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI), vancomycin MIC, vancomycin AUC, and serum trough concentrations were collected. Results: In total, 61 invasive MRSA cases were reviewed: 20 were admitted January 2016 through December 2008, and 41 were admitted January 2009 through June 2019 (Figure 1). Most patients did not have medical comorbidities. The most common types of infections were primary bacteremia (34%) and osteomyelitis (32%). Of 61 children, 50 (82%) had positive clinical outcomes regardless of vancomycin dosing method. Of 20 patients, 8 (40%) admitted prior to January 2009 developed AKI, compared with 5 (12%) of 41 patients admitted after January 2009. Conclusions: In our retrospective review, most patients had clinically successful outcomes regardless of which dosing strategy was used. We found higher rates of renal toxicity in patients who were admitted prior to 2009, with TDM based on measuring peak and trough concentrations, compared with those using AUC/MIC for TDM. Our findings suggest that AUC/MIC TDM for invasive MRSA infections may be associated with lower rates of renal toxicity.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
Identification of Potentially Unnecessary Micafungin Use Patterns: Opportunities for Antifungal Stewardship Interventions
Authors: Concha Miguel Chavez , Hsueh Kevin , Durkin Michael , Spec Andrej
Published: November 2021

Background: Echinocandins are used as first-line therapy for suspected and confirmed Candida spp, and its indiscriminate use may drive selection for echinocandin resistance. We evaluated patterns of use of micafungin to identify opportunities for antifungal stewardship. Methods: We identified all micafungin completed orders and microbiological test result data from July 2018 to November 2020 among hospitalized patients in Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Continuous micafungin courses with <48 hours of interruption were considered independent courses. We evaluated micafungin use in 3 scenarios in which its use may be unnecessary: (1) patients with blood cultures negative for Candida spp, (2) patients with recovery of yeast or Candida spp from tracheal aspirates, and (3) patients with recovery of yeast or Candida spp from urine cultures. We only included micafungin courses if they were initiated within 5 days of blood culture collection or up to 4 days after tracheal or urine culture collection to account for incubation and decision to initiate treatment. Results: We found 3,381 micafungin courses in 3,287 admissions. Of these, 2,532 courses had blood culture collection around micafungin initiation and were included in the first analysis: 1,879 (74%) were negative, 149 (6%) had Candida spp isolated in the blood, and 504 (20%) had positive blood cultures for other organisms. Micafungin was given for a median duration of 3 days (IQR, 2–7) to those with negative blood cultures and for 3 days (IQR, 1–5) to those with positive blood cultures without candidemia (p < 0.001), and prolonged durations of more than 5 days was seen in 768/1879 (41%) and 143/504 (28%) of courses, respectively (p <0.001). A total of 487 micafungin courses were initiated after tracheal aspirate culture collection. Those with yeast isolated (n = 100, 21%) received similar micafungin duration compared to those that had no yeast isolated [3 (2-7 IQR) vs. 3 (2-7) days, respectively; p = 0.56). Finally, a total of 844 micafungin courses started after urine culture collection. A total of 49 (6%) had yeast isolated from the urine and treatment duration was similar to those that did not [3 (1-6 IQR) vs. 3 (2-6) days, respectively; p = 0.87). Conclusions: Echinocandin treatment courses did not differ when a yeast was identified from a tracheal isolate or urine specimen. However, a substantial proportion of treatment courses were prolonged in those with negative Candida spp in the blood, suggesting opportunities for antifungal stewardship interventions.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
Veteran Satisfaction for Upper Respiratory-Tract Infection (URI) Visits Is Not Associated with Antibiotic Receipt But Is Associated with Antibiotic Expectation
Authors: Owens Staub Milner , Pellegrino Rachael , Johnson Morgan , Gettler Erin , Roumie Christianne , Dittus Robert , Hulgan Todd
Published: November 2021

Background: Antibiotics are not recommended but are often prescribed for upper respiratory-tract infections (URIs). Prescribers cite patient expectation as a driver of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing; prior literature has demonstrated higher satisfaction scores in patients who receive antibiotics compared to those who do not. We assessed whether veteran satisfaction at URI visits was associated with antibiotic receipt or with reported expectation for antibiotics. Methods: We surveyed veterans with documented URI encounters in the Veterans’ Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019. Patients not evaluated in person, with documented dementia, or who died prior to the study start date were excluded. Veterans were asked to recall their URI visit and to complete the Patient Safety Questionnaire (PSQ)-18 (Rand Corporation) and questions assessing antibiotic expectations. The PSQ-18, an 18-item survey that assesses patient satisfaction, uses a 5-point Likert scale (ie, strongly disagree, disagree, uncertain, agree, strongly agree), yielding a composite score of 18–90. Higher scores represent more satisfaction with care. Demographic and visit-specific information were extracted via chart review. We used multivariable linear regression to assess differences in composite PSQ-18 satisfaction scores between those who did and did not receive an antibiotic, adjusted for patient and visit characteristics, and to assess differences in satisfaction scores for those who did and did not report expecting antibiotics, adjusted for antibiotic receipt. Results: We identified 1,435 patients seen for URI at 17 sites. After exclusions, 1,343 veterans were eligible for chart abstraction. After excluding 42 responders who responded after study close or returned blank surveys, the final analytic cohort included 432 (32.2%) of 1,343 responders; 225 (52.1%) received an antibiotic and 207 (47.9%) did not. Mean total satisfaction for veterans who received an antibiotic was 67.8 (SD, ±9.4) compared to 66.7 (SD, ±9.7) for those who did not (Figure 1). Increased total satisfaction was not significantly associated with antibiotic receipt (0.65; 95% CI, −2.0 to 3.3). Most veterans (72.0%) disagreed that visit satisfaction depended on antibiotic receipt. However, only 30.8% reported that they would not expect an antibiotic for URI visits. A significant reduction in total satisfaction (−4.1; 95% CI, −6.3 to −1.9) was associated with expecting compared to not expecting an antibiotic. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that prescribing an antibiotic is not associated with increased veteran satisfaction for URI visits but is associated with expecting an antibiotic. Future work will evaluate methods to change veteran antibiotic expectations.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
Chronic Antibiotic Suppression for Nonstaphylococcal Prosthetic Joint Infections Treated with Debridement or Implant Retention
Authors: Sekar Poorani , Nair Rajeshwari , Beck Brice , Alexander Bruce , Miell Kelly , Tande Aaron , Dukes Kimberly , Friberg Julia , Schweizer Marin , Pugely Andrew
Published: November 2021

Background: Early postoperative and acute prosthetic joint infection (PJI) may be managed with debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR). Among patients with nonstaphylococcal PJI, an initial 4–6-week course of intravenous or highly bioavailable oral antibiotics is recommended in the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines, with disagreement among committee members on the need for subsequent chronic oral antimicrobial suppression (CAS). We aimed to characterize patients with nonstaphylococcal PJI who received CAS and to compare them to those who did not receive CAS. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients admitted to Veterans’ Affairs (VA) hospitals from 2003 to 2017 who had a PJI caused by nonstaphylococcal bacteria, underwent DAIR, and received 4–6 weeks of antimicrobial treatment. PJI was defined by Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) 2011 criteria. CAS was defined as at least 6 months of oral antibiotics following initial treatment of the PJI. Patients were followed for 5 years after debridement. We used χ2 tests and t tests were used to compare patients who received CAS with those who did not receive CAS. Results: Overall, 561 patients had a nonstaphylococcal PJI treated with DAIR, and 80.6% of patients received CAS. The most common organisms causing PJI were streptococci. We detected no significant differences between patients who received CAS and those who did not receive CAS, except that modified Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (mAPACHE) scores were higher among patients who did not receive CAS (Table 1). Conclusion: Patients not on CAS were more severely ill (by mAPACHE) than those on CAS. Otherwise, the 2 groups were not different. This finding was contrary to our hypothesis that patients with multiple comorbidities or higher mAPACHE scores would be more likely to get CAS. A future analysis will be conducted to assess treatment failure in both groups. We hope to find a specific cohort who may benefit from CAS and hope to deimplement CAS in others who may not benefit from it.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
COVID-19 and Ventilator-Associated Event Discordance
Authors: Cawcutt Kelly , Rupp Mark , Musil Lauren
Published: November 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged healthcare facilities since its discovery in late 2019. Notably, the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in healthcare-acquired infections such as ventilator associated events (VAEs). Many hospitals in the United States perform surveillance for the NHSN for VAEs by monitoring mechanically ventilated patients for metrics that are generally considered to be objective and preventable and that lead to poor patient outcomes. The VAE definition is met in a stepwise manner. Initially, a ventilator-associated condition (VAC) is met when there an increase in ventilator requirements after a period of stability or improvement. An IVAC is then met when there is evidence of an infectious process such as leukocytosis or fever and a new antimicrobial agent is started. Finally, possible ventilator-associated pneumonia (PVAP) is met when there is evidence of microbial growth or viral detection. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our hospital has seen an increase in VAEs, which is, perhaps, not unexpected during a respiratory illness pandemic. However, the NSHN definitions of VAE, and PVAP in particular, do not account for the novelty and nuances of COVID-19. Methods: We performed a chart review of 144 patients who had a VAE reported to the NHSN between March 1 and December 31, 2020. Results: Of the 144 patients with a VAE reported to NHSN, 39 were SARS-CoV-2 positive. Of the 39 patients, 4 patients (10.25%) met the NHSN PVAP definition due to a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR that was collected in the prolonged viral shedding period of their illness (< 90 days). One of the four patients also had a bacterial infection in addition to their subsequent positive COVID-19 result. All these patients were admitted to the hospital with a COVID-19 diagnosis and their initial PCR swab was performed upon admission. Conclusions: We believe that the PVAP definition was inappropriately triggered by patients who were decompensating on the ventilator due to a novel respiratory virus that was present on admission. Early in the pandemic, frequent swabbing of these patients was performed to try and understand the duration of viral shedding and to determine when it would be safe to transfer patients from isolation after prolonged hospitalization. The NSHN definition should take into consideration the prolonged viral shedding period of COVID-19 and natural history of the illness, and subsequent COVID-19 testing within 90 days of an initial positive should not require classification as a hospital-acquired PVAP.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
‘Dazed and Confused!’ Context and Social Disconnect in the Time of Pandemic
Authors: Piguet Olivier
Published: November 2021

Humans are social animals. Our sense of identity and ‘self’ is defined in part by the roles we perform in the social groups to which we belong. This article discusses some of the variables that contribute to our sense of self, including language, place of origin, education and shared social norms. It also outlines some of the general mechanisms that underpin our various social networks. In its final part, this article reviews the impact of social isolation, such as that happened during the COVID pandemic, on these social mechanisms and the resulted disruption of psychological wellbeing in individuals diagnosed with dementia.
A versatile organisation: Mapping the military's core roles in a changing security environment
Authors: Wilén Nina , Strömbom Lisa
Published: November 2021

What roles are military institutions expected to play in today's rapidly changing security environment? How are they supposed to interact with the society they are tasked to protect? These questions have been posed by classical military sociologists as well as by a newer generation of scholars. Yet so far, a comprehensive mapping of the military's potential roles in contemporary society is missing. In this article we contribute to an update of this debate by providing a categorisation of the different roles and tasks that the military institution plays in current industrialised democratic states. We identify three core roles, each divided into subroles, by drawing on an extensive reading of 70 National White Papers and Security Strategies from 37 OECD member states: (collective) defence, collective security, and aid to the nation. We analyse how these roles and tasks influence recent configurations in civil-military relations. This study thereby contributes with: (1) a useful illustration of the military's shifting roles and tasks in contemporary society; (2) increased understandings of how the different roles impact civil-military relations and related to this; and (3) a practical starting point for further analyses of the military organisation's internal challenges related to its, at times, contradictory roles.
Equitable colourings of Borel graphs
Authors: Bernshteyn Anton , Conley Clinton T.
Published: November 2021

Hajnal and Szemerédi proved that if G is a finite graph with maximum degree

$\Delta $

, then for every integer

$k \geq \Delta +1$

, G has a proper colouring with k colours in which every two colour classes differ in size at most by

$1$

; such colourings are called equitable. We obtain an analogue of this result for infinite graphs in the Borel setting. Specifically, we show that if G is an aperiodic Borel graph of finite maximum degree

$\Delta $

, then for each

$k \geq \Delta + 1$

, G has a Borel proper k-colouring in which every two colour classes are related by an element of the Borel full semigroup of G. In particular, such colourings are equitable with respect to every G-invariant probability measure. We also establish a measurable version of a result of Kostochka and Nakprasit on equitable

$\Delta $

-colourings of graphs with small average degree. Namely, we prove that if

$\Delta \geq 3$

, G does not contain a clique on

$\Delta + 1$

vertices and

$\mu $

is an atomless G-invariant probability measure such that the average degree of G with respect to

$\mu $

is at most

$\Delta /5$

, then G has a

$\mu $

-equitable

$\Delta $

-colouring. As steps toward the proof of this result, we establish measurable and list-colouring extensions of a strengthening of Brooks’ theorem due to Kostochka and Nakprasit.
Public mental health: a psychiatry and public health perspective
Authors: Lyne J. , Connellan L. , Ceannt R. , O’Connor K. , Shelley E.
Published: November 2021

Mental health issues are fast becoming one of society’s greatest health challenges with evidence of higher levels of illness and strain on psychiatric services. The reasons for this trend of increasing mental health problems across the population are complex and there is an urgent need to research and deliver effective public mental health strategies. In this perspective piece we argue that psychiatrists and public health physicians have unique knowledge and perspectives on population mental health. The development of interdisciplinary initiatives and training posts would result in clinicians with expertise to drive forward public mental health strategies. Focused and sustained advocacy and collaboration are necessary for prioritisation of public mental health on policymakers’ agendas.
CONICS IN SEXTIC -SURFACES IN
Authors: DEGTYAREV ALEX
Published: November 2021

We prove that the maximal number of conics in a smooth sextic
$K3$
-surface
$X\subset \mathbb {P}^4$
is 285, whereas the maximal number of real conics in a real sextic is 261. In both extremal configurations, all conics are irreducible.
Between the Czech Krkonoše and the German Riesengebirge: Nationalism and Tourism in the Giant Mountains, 1880s–1930s
Authors: Holubec Stanislav
Published: November 2021

The article deals with Czech and German nationalist discourses and practices in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as they relate to tourism in the Krkonoše/Riesengebirge, the highest Central European mountain range between the Alps and Scandinavia. It will discuss the discourses developed in relation to mountain tourism and nationalism (metaphors of battlefields, wedges, walls, gates, and bastions), different symbolical cores of mountains, and practices of tourist and nationalist organizations (tourist trails and markings, excursions, the ownership of mountains huts, languages used, memorials, and the construction of roads). It will examine how these discourses and practices changed from the first Czech-German ethnic conflicts in the 1800s until the end of interwar Czechoslovakia. Finally, it will discuss the Czech culture of defeat in the shadow of the Munich Agreement, which meant the occupation of the Giant Mountains by Nazi Germany.
Food insecurity, low dietary diversity and poor mental health among Syrian refugee mothers living in vulnerable areas of Greater Beirut, Lebanon
Authors: Abou-Rizk Joana , Jeremias Theresa , Cocuz Georgiana , Nasreddine Lara , Jomaa Lamis , Hwalla Nahla , Frank Jan , Scherbaum Veronika
Published: November 2021

Syrian refugees in Lebanon are facing vulnerabilities that are affecting their food insecurity (FI) levels. The objectives of this study were to measure dietary diversity, FI and mental health status of Syrian refugee mothers in Lebanon and to explore its associations with their anaemia and nutritional status. A cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers with children under 5 years (n 433) in Greater Beirut, Lebanon. Dietary diversity was measured using the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) of reproductive age and FI using the global Food Insecurity Experience Scale at the individual level. Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were measured to assess the maternal mental health status. Data on socio-economic characteristics, anthropometric measurements and Hb concentrations were collected. Overall, 63·3 % of the mothers had a low dietary diversity (LDD) and 34·4 % were moderately to severely food insecure, with 12·5 % being severely food insecure. The prevalence of PTSD, moderate depression and severe depression was 13·2, 11·1 and 9·9 %, respectively. A significant correlation was found between LDD and FI (P < 0·001). Low income was significantly associated with LDD and FI. Poor mental health was significantly associated with FI. LDD and FI were not associated with anaemia and nutritional status of mothers. Low-income households had significantly higher intakes of grains and refined starchy staples, whereas high-income households consumed more nutritious foods and sweets. Evidence of inadequate diet quality, FI and poor mental health among Syrian refugee mothers in Lebanon is presented. Multifaceted actions are needed to reduce FI and improve dietary diversity.
Factors associated with reporting good maternal health-related knowledge among rural mothers of Yemen
Authors: Hyzam Dalia , Zou Mingyang , Boah Michael , Basaleem Huda , Liu Xiaoli , Wu Li-Jie
Published: November 2021

Increasing women’s knowledge about maternal health is an important step towards empowering them and making them aware of their rights and health status, allowing them to seek appropriate health care. In Yemen, the ongoing conflict has hampered the delivery of health information to women in public health facilities. This study examined rural women’s knowledge of, and attitude towards, maternal and child health in Yemen and identified the factors associated with good maternal health knowledge. The study was conducted between August and November 2018. A sample of 400 women aged 15–49 years who had delivered in the 6 months prior to the survey were systematically selected from selected public health facilities in Abyan and Lahj. Women were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to gather data on their demographic and economic characteristics, obstetric history and responses to health knowledge and attitude questions. Women’s knowledge level was assessed as poor or good using the mean score as a cut-off. Chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to identify statistically significant factors associated with good maternal health knowledge. The percentage of women who had good knowledge was 44.8% (95% CI: 39.8–49.8). Women’s attitude towards maternal health was negative in the areas of early ANC attendance, managing dietary regime and weight during pregnancy, facility delivery, PNC visits, cord care and mother and child health management. Women with primary education, whose husbands had received no formal education, who had their first ANC visit from the second trimester of pregnancy and who had fewer than four ANC visits were more likely to have poor health knowledge. Conversely, those with higher household income and only one child were more likely to have good maternal health knowledge. Overall, women’s knowledge on maternal and child health care in rural areas of Yemen was low. Strategies are needed to increase rural women’s knowledge on maternal and child health in this conflict-affected setting.
Necrotising otitis externa – is a poor outcome predictable? The application of a diagnosis-based scoring system in patients with skull base osteomyelitis
Authors: Rojoa D M , Raheman F J , Saman Y , Mettias B , Das S , Rea P A
Published: November 2021

Background

The increased incidence of necrotising otitis externa over the last decade has had a significant burden on healthcare providers. Several factors may affect outcome, and stratifying risk may allow personalised treatment.

Method

Retrospectively identified patients were prospectively surveyed over 12 months. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify predictors of poor prognosis.

Results

Twenty-six patients with necrotising otitis externa (average age of 80 years) were admitted from 2018 to 2019. At one year, 19 per cent mortality was observed. A high Charlson Comorbidity Index was associated with increased mortality (p = 0.03), prolonged in-patient stay (p = 0.047) and increased odds of adverse outcomes (odds ratio = 1.48, 95 per cent confidence interval = 0.26–2.67, p = 0.019). The Charlson Comorbidity Index in our prognostic model was validated using the receiver operating characteristic curve (area under the curve = 0.76). Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 5 or more independently predicted one-year morbidity and mortality (hazard ratio = 1.30, 95 per cent confidence interval = 0.94–1.79, p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Risk-stratifying patients may enable clinicians to holistically counsel patients and tailor their treatment to improve their prognosis and subsequently alleviate the burden of necrotising otitis externa.
The Semon Lectures and the foundation of modern ENT
Authors: Chapple C , Watkinson J
Published: November 2021

Background

Sir Felix Semon established the Semon Lecture series in 1913 to advance the specialty of laryngology. The annual lectures continue to the present day (there have been 95 to date).

Objective

This review illustrates how instrumental these lectures have been in shaping otolaryngology.

Method

The period 1913–1970 preceded subspecialisation, and so forms the background of laryngology (as well as rhinology and otology) as we know it today. This era forms the focus of the article.

Results

Changes came about by a standardisation of practices and research, and in the treatment of conditions. The initial period was crucial.

Conclusion

Many lectures highlight the specialty's growth. Now, another vital resource, a dedicated website (semonlectures.org), has made this information more accessible to the wider public.
The Ten Hours Movement and the Working-Class Family in Mid-Nineteenth Century Britain
Authors: Creighton Colin
Published: November 2021

The Ten Hours Movement of the 1830s and 1840s in Britain was the first large-scale working-class struggle to challenge the impact of industrial capitalism upon working-class family life. Yet its discourse on family has been relatively neglected by historians of the movement. This article examines the nature of the movement's critique, the vision of family life that it tried to realize, and the challenge that this posed to the emerging bourgeois order and, on this basis, to reconsider its contribution to the gender ordering of working-class family life.
Working-Class Women, Gender, and Union Politics in Turkey, 1965–1980
Authors: Satı Büşra
Published: November 2021

This paper focuses on the ideology and discourses of Tekstil İṣçileri Sendikası (the Textile Workers’ Union, Tekstil) in Turkey to highlight some of the specific visions of the organized labor for an emancipatory gender politics during the 1970s. This history of intersection between gender and working-class organizing has been overlooked by the Left scholarship on the one hand and liberal feminist scholarship on the other. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by highlighting gender and class concurrently throughout the history of the transformation of gender politics in labor organizations. The history of the simultaneous development of gender-related policies in Tekstil/DİSK and TEKSİF/Türk-İṣ reveals an unexplored aspect of the contentious dynamic between rival labor organizations. Between 1975–1980, the politics of gender became another pillar in trade union competition. Following the transnational influences in this transformation, this paper highlights a forgotten period of labor organizing and locates it within the history of labor and women's movements at the national and global scale.
Internal and external factors contributing to variability in consonant accuracy of Arabic–French simultaneous bilingual children
Authors: MEZIANE Rabia Sabah , MACLEOD Andrea A.N.
Published: November 2021

This study aims to describe the relationships between child-internal and child-external factors and the consonant accuracy of bilingual children. More specifically, the study looks at internal factors: expressive and receptive vocabulary, and external factors: language exposure and language status, of a group of 4-year-old bilingual Arabic–French children. We measured the consonant accuracy of the children by the percentage of correct consonants in a Picture-Naming Task and a Non-Word Repetition Task in each language. The results suggest a significant relationship between vocabulary and consonant accuracy. A cross-language correlation was observed between the expressive vocabulary level of the majority language (French) and the consonant accuracy of the minority language (Arabic). Also, a significant correlation was found between Arabic language exposure and Arabic consonant accuracy. Finally, consonant accuracy was significantly higher in French tasks than in Arabic, despite the individual differences of the children.
CRIMES AS PUBLIC WRONGS
Authors: Kennedy Jeffrey
Published: November 2021

Despite the notion's prominence, scholarship has yet to offer a viable account of the view that crimes constitute public wrongs. Despite numerous attempts, some scholars are now doubting whether a viable account is forthcoming whereas others are reeling back expectations for what the concept itself can offer. This article vindicates crime's public character while asserting the relevance of political theory in doing so. After critiquing prior attempts and clarifying expectations, the article offers a novel account, relying on both key doctrinal features and a deliberative democratic framework through which to interpret their public significance. In doing so, it demonstrates how this framework explains the public nature of censure, and ultimately argues that crimes are public wrongs not because such actions themselves necessarily wrong or harm the public, but instead because they are the type of wrong that the public has a stake in addressing. This gives rise to an understanding of sentencing as public decision-making within which citizens and their representatives decide how best to use public power to manage public interests.
Association between consumption of fruits and vegetables with suicidal ideation
Authors: Hwang In Cheol , Choi Seulggie
Published: November 2021

Objective:

To investigate the association between fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake with suicidal ideation.

Design:

Cross-sectional study using a Korean Community Health Survey.

Setting:

F&V consumers were defined as individuals who had consumed fruits or vegetables more than once per day. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with suicidal ideation including F&V consumption and to estimate the prevalence of having suicidal ideation after consideration of potential confounders.

Participants:

221 081 Korea adults (nationally representative).

Results:

Approximately 55 % of participants were F&V consumers. They were more likely to be young, be women, attain high educational levels, be married and be healthier physically and psychologically than the F&V non-consumers. Non-consumers had an increased risk for suicidal ideation than consumers even when potential confounders were considered, and this trend was more remarkable with vegetable intake.

Conclusion:

F&V intake is associated with low risk for suicidal ideation.
Mechanism of FIB-Induced Phase Transformation in Austenitic Steel
Authors: Michael Joseph R. , Giannuzzi Lucille A. , Burke M. Grace , Zhong Xiang Li
Published: November 2021

The transformation of unstable austenite to ferrite or α′ martensite as a result of exposure to Xe+ or Ga+ ions at room temperature was studied in a 304 stainless steel casting alloy. Controlled Xe+ and Ga+ ion beam exposures of the 304 were carried out at a variety of beam/sample geometries. It was found that both Ga+ and Xe+ ion irradiation resulted in the transformation of the austenite to either ferrite or α′ martensite. In this paper, we will refer to the transformation product as a BCC phase. The crystallographic orientation of the transformed area was controlled by the orientation of the austenite grain and was consistent with either the Nishiyama–Wasserman or the Kurdjumov–Sachs orientation relationships. On the basis of the Xe+ and Ga+ ion beam exposures, the transformation is not controlled by the chemical stabilization of the BCC phase by the ion species, but is a result of the disorder caused by the ion-induced recoil motion and subsequent return of the disordered region to a more energetically favorable phase.
Response of Olfactory Sensory Neurons to Mercury Ions in Zebrafish: An Immunohistochemical Study
Authors: Lazzari Maurizio , Bettini Simone , Milani Liliana , Maurizii Maria G. , Franceschini Valeria
Published: November 2021

Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) of fish belong to three main types: ciliated olfactory sensory neurons (cOSNs), microvillous olfactory sensory neurons (mOSNs), and crypt cells. Mercury is a toxic metal harmful for olfaction. We exposed the olfactory epithelium of zebrafish to three sublethal Hg2+ concentrations. Molecular markers specific for the different types of OSNs were immunohistochemically detected. Image analysis of treated sections enabled counting of marked cells and measurement of staining optical density indicative of the response of OSNs to Hg2+ exposure. The three types of OSNs reacted to mercury in a different way. Image analysis revealed that mOSNs are more susceptible to Hg2+ exposure than cOSNs and crypt cell density decreases. Moreover, while the ratio between sensory/nonsensory epithelium areas is unchanged, epithelium thickness drops, and dividing cells increase in the basal layer of the olfactory epithelium. Cell death but also reduction of apical processes and marker expression could account for changes in OSN immunostaining. Also, the differential results between dorsal and ventral halves of the olfactory rosette could derive from different water flows inside the olfactory chamber or different subpopulations in OSNs.
Early mortality following COVID-19 infection among cancer patients who received radiotherapy: a meta-analysis
Authors: Kamal Mona , Baudo Massimo , Shmushkevich Shon , Geng Yimin , Rahouma Mohamed
Published: November 2021

Introduction:

Identifying the patients at higher risk for poor outcomes after radiotherapy (RT) during coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) era is an unmet clinical need.

Methods:

The Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Clarivate Analytics Web of Science, PubMed and Wiley-Blackwell Cochrane Library databases were searched. Eligible studies were required to address the outcomes of cancer patients who underwent RT during the COVID-19 era. The primary outcome was early mortality, while secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay, hospital admission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and use of mechanical ventilation. Pooled event rates were calculated, and meta-regression and ‘leave-one-out’ sensitivity analyses were performed.

Results:

Twelve eligible studies were included out of 928. The prevalence of early mortality after COVID-19 infection was 21·0%. The prevalence of hospital admission, ICU admission and mechanical ventilation was 78·1, 15·4 and 20·0%, respectively. Meta-regression showed that older age was significantly and positively associated with early mortality (β = 0·0765 ± 0·0349, p = 0·0284), while breast cancer was negatively associated with early mortality (β = −1·2754 ± 0·6373, p = 0·0454).

Conclusions:

Older age adversely impacts the early mortality rate in cancer patients during COVID-19 era. The risks of interruption/delay of cancer treatment should be weighed against the risk of increased morbidity and mortality from the infection. A global registry is needed to establish international oncologic guidelines during the COVID-19 era.
Women’s Equality and the COVID-19 Caregiving Crisis
Authors: Htun Mala
Published: November 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed, but did not create, the caregiving crisis in the United States: for most people, it was already a major ordeal to provide reproductive labor. The caregiving crisis was less visible before the pandemic because it was suffered unequally, in part due to the different positions of American women. Some women paid other women to do care work, women received differing sets of benefits from federal and state governments, and some women got far more support from their employers than did others. Pandemic-induced shocks, including the closure of K–12 schools and childcare centers, and reduced access to domestic workers and elder care workers, seemed to have triggered a closer alignment of perspectives and interests among diverse women. Although women’s demands for support seem to have pushed the Biden administration to propose more expansive family policies, stereotypes and norms that marginalize care work and care workers within families and across the economy also need to change to achieve equality for women.
Liability for robots II: an economic analysis
Authors: Guerra Alice , Parisi Francesco , Pi Daniel
Published: November 2021

This is the second of two companion papers that discuss accidents caused by robots. In the first paper (Guerraet al., 2021), we presented the novel problems posed by robot accidents, and assessed the related legal approaches and institutional opportunities. In this paper, we build on the previous analysis to consider a novel liability regime, which we refer to as ‘manufacturer residual liability’ rule. This makes operators and victims liable for accidents due to their negligence – hence, incentivizing them to act diligently; and makes manufacturers residually liable for non-negligent accidents – hence, incentivizing them to make optimal investments in R&D for robots' safety. In turn, this rule will bring down the price of safer robots, driving unsafe technology out of the market. Thanks to the percolation effect of residual liability, operators will also be incentivized to adopt optimal activity levels in robots' usage.
Atmospheric Circulation Patterns Conducive to Severe Haze in Eastern China Have Shifted Under Climate Change
Authors: Yang Yang , Zhou Yang , Li Ke , Wang Hailong , Ren Lili , Zeng Liangying , Li Huimin , Wang Pinya , Li Baojie , Liao Hong
Published: November 2021

Regional atmospheric circulation patterns affect haze pollution and they change in the warming climate. Here, the characteristics of atmospheric circulation anomalies conducive to extreme haze occurrence in China and their historical and future trends are examined based on surface observations, reanalysis data, aerosol source tagging technique, and multimodel intercomparison results. December 2016 and 2017 are identified as the worst months of haze pollution over northern and southern China, featuring weakened and strengthened prevailing winds, respectively. During 1980–2019, the atmospheric pattern similar to December 2016 decreased, while that similar to 2017 increased, suggesting that severe haze formation mechanism in eastern China has been shifting from causes of local accumulation to regional transport processes. In the future, climate change under the sustainable and intermediate development scenarios are the ideal paths to reduce haze in China, while high social vulnerability and radiative forcing would cause a severe damage to the environment.
Subduction Polarity Reversal Triggered by Oceanic Plateau Accretion: Implications for Induced Subduction Initiation
Authors: Sun Baolu , Kaus Boris J. P. , Yang Jianfeng , Lu Gang , Wang Xinxin , Wang Kun , Zhao Liang
Published: November 2021

Subduction polarity reversal, an induced subduction initiation (SI), may occur frequently in geological history as exemplified by the Solomon subduction zone. However, the mechanism and dynamics of polarity reversal remain poorly understood. Here, we use 2D thermomechanical numerical models to investigate the dynamics of subduction polarity reversal during oceanic plateau accretion. Model results show that larger and lighter oceanic plateaus favor subduction polarity reversal, which is manifested by the formation of the Solomon subduction zone after the large Ontong Java Plateau collided with the former Melanesian (Manus‐North Solomon‐Vitiaz) trench. We analyze the stress state during the transient SI process and find that rapid extension of the oceanic plateau is concomitant with subduction polarity reversal, thus questioning the use of extensional structures as geological criteria for spontaneous SI.
Responses of Biogenic Sulfur Compound Concentrations to Dust Aerosol Enrichment and Ocean Acidification in the Western Pacific Ocean
Authors: Gao Xu‐Xu , Zhang Hong‐Hai , Mao Shi‐Hai , Yang Gui‐Peng
Published: November 2021

Deck incubation experiments were conducted to investigate how the addition of atmospheric dust aerosols and ocean acidification (OA) affects phytoplankton growth and the production of dimethylsulfide (DMS), its precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in the oligotrophic western Pacific Ocean. The incubation experiment showed that the deposition of simulated dust aerosols greatly influenced phytoplankton growth and the release of biogenic sulfur compounds (BSCs). Furthermore, it altered the N:P ratios in seawater and phytoplankton community composition, elevating the proportions of strong DMSP and DMSO producers (mainly haptophytes). The average Chl‐a and DMS/P/O concentrations in the acidified treatment (pH 7.9) were 86.76%, 82.53%, 84.17%, and 231.06% higher than in the control. The results indicated that lower pH promoted the growth of diatoms and to a certain extent, the release of the three BSCs.
Stratospheric Temperature and Ozone Anomalies Associated With the 2020 Australian New Year Fires
Authors: Rieger L. A. , Randel W. J. , Bourassa A. E. , Solomon S.
Published: November 2021

Stratospheric aerosol, temperature, and ozone anomalies after the 2020 Australian bushfires are documented from satellite observations. Aerosol extinction is enhanced in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) lower stratosphere (LS) in early 2020, comparable in magnitude to the Calbuco eruption in 2015. Warm temperature anomalies of 1–2 K occur in the SH LS during January‐April 2020 and are coincident with enhanced aerosols. Radiative heating is indicated through anomalous temperature correlations between lower and higher latitudes. LS ozone shows midlatitude decreases several months after the aerosol maximum and before the polar vortex breakup, reaching extreme minima over the available OMPS record since 2011. Antarctic ozone depletion in the LS in 2020 reached a decadal low for both magnitude and persistence during November‐December, along with record low polar temperatures and a strong polar vortex. Overall, the polar ozone depletion, temperature, and polar vortex evolution broadly resembled the effects of the Calbuco eruption in 2015.
Midlatitude Error Growth in Atmospheric GCMs: The Role of Eddy Growth Rate
Authors: Sheshadri Aditi , Borrus Marshall , Yoder Mark , Robinson Thomas
Published: November 2021

Several studies have established that atmospheric flows have a finite range of predictability, which may be reasonably considered a consequence of the underlying dynamics. In the midlatitudes, error growth is predominantly associated with baroclinic disturbances. We consider midlatitude error growth in two models: an idealized dry dynamical core and a comprehensive atmospheric general circulation model (GCM). By systematically varying equator to pole temperature gradients in the dynamical core, we show that with increasing Eady growth rates, the time elapsed before errors saturate decreases, shortening the window in which weather predictions may be useful. We also consider the limits of midlatitude predictability in the comprehensive moist GCM in a range of climates. Our results show that the times to error saturation are shorter in warmer climates than colder climates, suggesting that warmer climates are inherently less predictable.
Potential Seasonal Predictability of the Risk of Local Rainfall Extremes Estimated Using High‐Resolution Large Ensemble Simulations
Authors: Imada Y. , Kawase H.
Published: November 2021

Significant progress has been made in seasonal climate predictions based on general circulation models (GCMs). However, seasonal prediction of local heavy rain remains challenging due to limited resolution. A small signal‐to‐noise ratio also prevents meaningful predictions. In this study, 100‐member large‐ensemble sets of GCM simulations and high‐resolution downscaled products with a regional climate model were used to identify the unknown source of seasonal predictability for the risk of local heavy rainfall around Japan and Taiwan. The detected predictable signals depended on the location and the season. Highly predictable signals were found for events caused by typhoons and the stationary front. Further analyses of the large‐scale backgrounds simulated by the parent‐GCM revealed that each source of predictability comes from various flavors of El Niño/Southern Oscillation and anomalies in the Indian Ocean. The approach of this study potentially provides an opportunity to identify unknown predictable regional signals all over the world.
Improving Ground Heat Flux Estimation: Considering the Effect of Freeze/Thaw Process on the Seasonally Frozen Ground
Authors: Wang Jingyuan , Luo Siqiong , Lv Zhibang , Li Wenjing , Tan Xiaoqing , Dong Qingxue , Chen Zihang
Published: November 2021

An inadequate understanding of the changes in water and heat of the soil is likely a potential reason for the nonclosure of the surface energy balance. During the freeze/thaw period, the large volumetric heat capacity of ice and the latent heat of soil ice phase change had a specific influence on the estimation of ground heat flux (G0). However, the effects of the freeze/thaw process on G0 estimation were not well quantified using field observations. The improvements of G0 estimation by adding the soil ice heat storage (Δsice) and the latent heat of soil ice phase change (ΔsLH) were evaluated during the freeze/thaw period at two sites (Madoi and Maqu) on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. During the freeze/thaw period, both Δsice and ΔsLH had important influences on the reasonable determination of G0. Adding ΔsLH increased G0 at the daytime peak by 34.4 W/m2 (Madoi) and 9.3 W/m2 (Maqu). During the completely frozen stage, the contributions of Δsice to G0 ice + LH (adding both Δsice and ΔsLH) were higher than those during other freeze/thaw stages at both sites, and ΔsLH also made a significant contribution to G0 ice + LH. Therefore, the daily freeze/thaw cycles cannot be ignored during the completely frozen stage in the estimation of G0. The G0 ice + LH approach improved the G0 estimation more than G0 ice (adding Δsice) approach during the freezing and thawing stages. The improvements of G0 estimations increased the energy closure status and reduced the daily average of imbalance.