bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal dynamics for a diffusive mussel–algae model near a Hopf bifurcation point
Authors: Zhong Shihong , Cheng Xuehan , Liu Biao
Published: March 2021

In this paper, the Hopf bifurcation and Turing instability for a mussel–algae model are investigated. Through analysis of the corresponding kinetic system, the existence and stability conditions of the equilibrium and the type of Hopf bifurcation are studied. Via the center manifold and Hopf bifurcation theorem, sufficient conditions for Turing instability in equilibrium and limit cycles are obtained, respectively. In addition, we find that the strip patterns are mainly induced by Turing instability in equilibrium and spot patterns are mainly induced by Turing instability in limit cycles by numerical simulations. These provide a comprehension on the complex pattern formation of a mussel–algae system.
A predator–prey model involving variable-order fractional differential equations with Mittag-Leffler kernel
Authors: Khan Aziz , Alshehri Hashim M. , Gómez-Aguilar J. F. , Khan Zareen A. , Fernández-Anaya G.
Published: March 2021

This paper is about to formulate a design of predator–prey model with constant and time fractional variable order. The predator and prey act as agents in an ecosystem in this simulation. We focus on a time fractional order Atangana–Baleanu operator in the sense of Liouville–Caputo. Due to the nonlocality of the method, the predator–prey model is generated by using another FO derivative developed as a kernel based on the generalized Mittag-Leffler function. Two fractional-order systems are assumed, with and without delay. For the numerical solution of the models, we not only employ the Adams–Bashforth–Moulton method but also explore the existence and uniqueness of these schemes. We use the fixed point theorem which is useful in describing the existence of a new approach with a particular set of solutions. For the illustration, several numerical examples are added to the paper to show the effectiveness of the numerical method.
Early oral protein-containing diets following elective lower gastrointestinal tract surgery in adults: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
Authors: Pu Hong , Heighes Philippa T. , Simpson Fiona , Wang Yaoli , Liang Zeping , Wischmeyer Paul , Hugh Thomas J. , Doig Gordon S.
Published: March 2021

Background

Although current guidelines make consensus recommendations for the early resumption of oral intake after surgery, a recent comprehensive meta-analysis failed to identify any patient-centered benefits. We hypothesized this finding was attributable to pooling studies providing effective protein-containing diets with ineffective non-protein liquid diets. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to investigate the safety and efficacy ofearly oral protein-containing dietsversus later (traditional) feeding after elective lower gastrointestinal tract surgery in adults.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched from inception until 1 August 2019. Reference lists of retrieved studies were hand searched to identify randomized clinical trials reporting mortality. No language restrictions were applied. Study selection, risk of bias appraisal and data abstraction were undertaken independently by two authors. Disagreements were settled by obtaining an opinion of a third author. Majority decisions prevailed. After assessment of underlying assumptions, a fixed-effects method was used for analysis. The primary outcome was mortality. Secondary outcomes included surgical site infections, postoperative nausea and vomiting, serious postoperative complications and other key measures of safety and efficacy.

Results

Eight randomized clinical trials recruiting 657 patients were included. Compared with later (traditional) feeding, commencing an early oral protein-containing diet resulted in a statistically significant reduction in mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.31,P= 0.02,I2= 0%). An early oral protein-containing diet also significantly reduced surgical site infections (OR 0.39,P= 0.002,I2= 32%), postoperative nausea and vomiting (OR 0.62,P= 0.04,I2= 37%), serious postoperative complications (OR 0.60,P= 0.01,I2= 25%), and significantly improved other major outcomes. No harms attributable to an early oral protein-containing diet were identified.

Conclusions

The results of this systematic review can be used to upgrade current guideline statements to agrade A recommendationsupporting anoral protein-containing dietcommenced before the end of postoperative day 1 after elective lower gastrointestinal surgery in adults.
Comparison of the performances of low-crystalline carbonate apatite and Bio-Oss in sinus augmentation using three-dimensional image analysis
Authors: Nagata Koudai , Fuchigami Kei , Kitami Ryoji , Okuhama Yurie , Wakamori Kana , Sumitomo Hirokazu , Kim Hyunjin , Okubo Manabu , Kawana Hiromasa
Published: March 2021

Background

In locations where the alveolar bone height is low, such as at the maxillary molars, implant placement can be difficult, or even impossible, without procedures aimed at generating new bone, such as sinus lifts. Various types of bone graft materials are used after a sinus lift. In our study, a three-dimensional image analysis using a volume analyzer was performed to measure and compare the volume of demineralized bovine bone mineral (Bio-Oss®) and carbonate apatite (Cytrans®) after a sinus lift, as well as the amount of bone graft material resorption. Patient data were collected from cone-beam computed tomography images taken before, immediately following, and 6 months after the sinus lift. Using these images, both the volume and amount of resorption of each bone graft material were measured using a three-dimensional image analysis system.

Results

The amount of bone resorption in the Bio-Oss®-treated group was 25.2%, whereas that of the Cytrans®-treated group was 14.2%. A significant difference was found between the two groups (P< 0.001).

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that the volume of bone resorption was smaller in the Cytrans®-treated group than in the Bio-Oss®-treated group, suggesting that Cytrans® is more promising for successful implant treatments requiring a sinus lift.
A case of vascular Ehlers–Danlos syndrome with a ruptured hepatic artery after surgical treatment of peritonitis caused by the perforation of the colon
Authors: Kakinuma Daisuke , Yamada Takeshi , Kanazawa Yoshikazu , Matsuno Kunihiko , Sahara Tomoko , Yoshida Hiroshi
Published: March 2021

Background

Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) is an inherited disorder that causes connective tissue fragility. The vascular type of EDS (vEDS) caused by defective collagen type III production accounts for 5%–10% of all EDS cases. Patients can develop gastrointestinal or arterial ruptures, which cause poor prognosis. We report a case of a patient who experienced colonic rupture, which was immediately followed by arterial rupture.

Case presentation

A 40-year-old man who had been genetically diagnosed with vEDS 6 years previously was admitted to our hospital with ischemic colitis. After 3 days of conservative treatment, his abdominal pain worsened, and computed tomography (CT) revealed free air in the abdominal cavity. Pan-peritonitis due to perforation of the sigmoid colon was diagnosed. Intraperitoneal lavage and drainage and Hartmann’s operation were urgently performed. Because the patient had confirmed vEDS, we performed the surgery in a protective manner. The postoperative course was initially good, and he was transferred to the general ward 3 days after surgery. However, 5 days after surgery, massive intra-abdominal hemorrhage suddenly occurred, and contrast-enhanced CT showed an aneurysm in the common hepatic artery that had ruptured; this aneurysm was not present before surgery and was far from the surgical field. Although we considered an emergency operation, the patient suddenly experienced cardiac arrest and was unresponsive to resuscitation.

Conclusions

In cases of vEDS, vascular rupture can occur immediately after surgery for intestinal rupture. We recommend paying special attention to vascular complications in patients in their forties, as such complications are the most common causes of death.
Quantitative comparison of data-driven gating and external hardware gating for 18F-FDG PET-MRI in patients with esophageal tumors
Authors: Kvernby Sofia , Hult Nafsika Korsavidou , Lindström Elin , Sigfridsson Jonathan , Linder Gustav , Hedberg Jakob , Ahlström Håkan , Bjerner Tomas , Lubberink Mark
Published: March 2021

Background

Respiratory motion during PET imaging reduces image quality. Data-driven gating (DDG) based on principal component analysis (PCA) can be used to identify respiratory signals. The use of DDG, without need for external devices, would greatly increase the feasibility of using respiratory gating in a routine clinical setting. The objective of this study was to evaluate data-driven gating in relation to external hardware gating and regular static image acquisition on PET-MRI data with respect to SUVmax and lesion volumes.

Methods

Sixteen patients with esophageal or gastroesophageal cancer (Siewert I and II) underwent a 6-min PET scan on a Signa PET-MRI system (GE Healthcare) 1.5–2 h after injection of 4 MBq/kg 18F-FDG. External hardware gating was done using a respiratory bellow device, and DDG was performed using MotionFree (GE Healthcare). The DDG raw data files and the external hardware-gating raw files were created on a Matlab-based toolbox from the whole 6-min scan LIST-file. For comparison, two 3-min static raw files were created for each patient. Images were reconstructed using TF-OSEM with resolution recovery with 2 iterations, 28 subsets, and 3-mm post filter. SUVmax and lesion volume were measured in all visible lesions, and noise level was measured in the liver. Paired t-test, linear regression, Pearson correlation, and Bland-Altman analysis were used to investigate difference, correlation, and agreement between the methods.

Results

A total number of 30 lesions were included in the study. No significant differences between DDG and external hardware-gating SUVmax or lesion volumes were found, but the noise level was significantly reduced in the DDG images. Both DDG and external hardware gating demonstrated significantly higher SUVmax (9.4% for DDG, 10.3% for external hardware gating) and smaller lesion volume (− 5.4% for DDG, − 6.6% for external gating) in comparison with non-gated static images.

Conclusions

Data-driven gating with MotionFree for PET-MRI performed similar to external device gating for esophageal lesions with respect to SUVmax and lesion volume. Both gating methods significantly increased the SUVmax and reduced the lesion volume in comparison with non-gated static acquisition. DDG resulted in reduced image noise compared to external device gating and static images.
The impact of child maltreatment on the mental and physical health of child victims: a review of the evidence
Authors: Vizard Eileen , Gray Jenny , Bentovim Arnon
Published: March 2021

This article gives a general overview of the current situation in relation to a range of widely recognised and also newly identified types of child maltreatment. The academic and clinical evidence relating to the impact of child maltreatment on the mental and physical health of child victims is substantial and steadily increasing in volume. New types of abuse are being identified, and changing environmental circumstances, which exacerbate the possibility of widely recognised types of child maltreatment occurring, are also being described. These include multi-type maltreatment, female genital mutilation and online child maltreatment. Serious questions may arise regarding neglect of the moral and social development of children and young people who become addicted to online gaming and pornography. Multiple national and local definitions of each of these existing and new forms of maltreatment have been created, some of which are covered here. The impact of these abuses on the physical and mental health and development of child victims in families or settings where abuse or neglect has occurred is discussed.
Experiences of mental health professionals supporting front-line health and social care workers during COVID-19: qualitative study
Authors: Billings Jo , Biggs Camilla , Ching Brian Chi Fung , Gkofa Vasiliki , Singleton David , Bloomfield Michael , Greene Talya
Published: March 2021

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having a well-documented impact on the mental health of front-line health and social care workers (HSCWs). However, little attention has been paid to the experiences of, and impact on, the mental health professionals who were rapidly tasked with supporting them.

Aims

We set out to redress this gap by qualitatively exploring UK mental health professionals’ experiences, views and needs while working to support the well-being of front-line HSCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method

Mental health professionals working in roles supporting front-line HSCWs were recruited purposively and interviewed remotely. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed by the research team following the principles of reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

We completed interviews with 28 mental health professionals from varied professional backgrounds, career stages and settings across the UK. Mental health professionals were motivated and driven to develop new clinical pathways to support HSCWs they perceived as colleagues and many experienced professional growth. However, this also came at some costs, as they took on additional responsibilities and increased workloads, were anxious and uncertain about how best to support this workforce and tended to neglect their own health and well-being. Many were professionally isolated and were affected vicariously by the traumas and moral injuries that healthcare workers talked about in sessions.

Conclusions

This research highlights the urgent need to consider the mental well-being, training and support of mental health professionals who are supporting front-line workers.
Controlling thermal waves of conduction and convection
Authors: Xu L. J. , Yang S. , Huang J. P.
Published: March 2021

Electromagnetic wave refractions have been widely explored due to their profound physics and practical applications, especially the negative refraction. However, the hyperbolic feature of the Maxwell equations makes it difficult to extend the related physics to the Fourier conduction because the Fourier equation is parabolic. To solve the problem, we study thermal waves of conduction and convection because convection can additionally introduce the hyperbolic feature to heat transfer. We further design convection-assisted metamaterials to realize the positive, vertical, and negative refractions of thermal waves, which have a phenomenal analog of electromagnetic wave refractions despite different mechanisms. The negative refraction of thermal waves means that the incident and refractive thermal waves are at the same side of the normal, but the wave vector and energy flow are still along the same direction. As a model application, we apply the refractive behaviors to design a thermal wave concentrator which can increase wave numbers and energy flows. This work provides insights into thermal wave manipulation, which may have potential applications in thermal wave imaging.
Photo-induced recovery of liquid-crystalline order with azobenzene-containing copolymer in nematic liquid crystal
Authors: Chien Chiao-Ying , Yamamoto Jun
Published: March 2021

The trans-to-cis isomerization of azobenzene in a nematic liquid crystal (LC) is known to disturb the orientational order and decrease the birefringence (

). Here, an increase of

is newly observed in nematic LC gels with azobenzene copolymer microstructure. To clarify the mechanism, the photo-response of

and the morphology of the copolymer microstructure are studied in the variant composition of the LC gels. The shape of the copolymer microstructure influences the LC alignment by the surface anchoring, leading to a lower birefringence of the LC gels. The trans-to-cis isomerization reduces the anchoring strength; hence, it recovers the uniform orientation of the LC director and reveals the increase of

.
Radioactive Iodine Treatment for Children and Young Adults with Thyroid Cancer in South Korea: A Population-based Study
Authors: Seo Gi Hyeon , Kong Kyoung Ae , Kim Bom Sahn , Kang Seo Young , Moon Byung Seok , Yoon Hai-Jeon , Kim Hye Ok
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study investigated radioactive iodine treatment (RAIT) patterns and the secondary cancer incidence among children and young adults receiving RAIT after thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer.

Methods

This population-based cohort study used the Health Insurance Review and Assessment database of South Korea to identify a total of 18 617 children and young adults (0–29 years) who underwent thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer between 2008 and 2018. We recorded age at surgery, sex, the interval from surgery to RAIT, the doses of RAI, the number of RAIT sessions, and secondary cancer incidence.

Results

A total of 9548 (51.3%) children and young adults underwent 1 or more RAIT sessions. The initial dose of RAIT was 4.35 ± 2.19 GBq. The overall RAIT frequency fell from 60.9% to 38.5%, and the frequency of high-dose RAIT (>3.7 GBq) fell from 64.2% to 36.5% during the observational period. A total of 124 cases of secondary cancer developed during 120 474 person-years of follow-up; 43 (0.5%) in the surgery cohort and 81 (0.8%) in the RAIT cohort. Thus, the RAIT cohort was at an increased risk of secondary cancer (adjusted hazard ratio 1.52 [95% confidence interval 1.03–2.24], P = 0.035).

Conclusion

The proportion of children and young adults receiving RAIT, and the RAI dose, fell significantly over the observational period. RAIT was associated with secondary cancers. This is of major concern in the context of child and young adult thyroid cancer survivors.
Cardiovascular Safety and Sclerostin Inhibition
Authors: Langdahl Bente Lomholt , Hofbauer Lorenz Christian , Forfar John Colin
Published: March 2021

Sclerostin, which is primarily produced by the osteocytes, inhibits the canonical Wnt pathway and thereby the osteoblasts and stimulates RANKL release by the osteocytes and thereby osteoclast recruitment. Inhibition of sclerostin therefore causes stimulation of bone formation and inhibition of resorption. In clinical trials, romosozumab, an antibody against sclerostin, increases bone mineral density and reduces the risk of fractures compared with placebo and alendronate.

The cardiovascular safety of romosozumab was adjudicated in 2 large clinical osteoporosis trials in postmenopausal women. Compared with placebo, the incidence of cardiovascular events was similar in the 2 treatment groups. Compared with alendronate, the incidence of serious cardiovascular events was higher in women treated with romosozumab. The incidence of serious cardiovascular adverse events was low and post hoc analyses should therefore be interpreted with caution; however, the relative risk seemed unaffected by preexisting cardiovascular disease or risk factors.

Sclerostin is expressed in the vasculature, predominantly in vascular smooth muscle cells in the media. However, preclinical and genetic studies have not demonstrated any increased cardiovascular risk with continuously low sclerostin levels or inhibition of sclerostin. Furthermore, no potential mechanisms for such an effect have been identified.

In conclusion, while there is no preclinical or genetic evidence of a harmful effect of sclerostin inhibition on cardiovascular safety, the evidence from the large clinical trials in postmenopausal women is conflicting. Romosozumab should therefore be used for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk of fracture after careful consideration of the cardiovascular risk and the balance between benefits and risks.
Regulation of hippocampal excitatory synapses by the Zdhhc5 palmitoyl acyltransferase
Authors: Shimell Jordan J. , Globa Andrea , Sepers Marja D. , Wild Angela R. , Matin Nusrat , Raymond Lynn A. , Bamji Shernaz X.
Published: March 2021

Palmitoylation is the most common post-translational lipid modification in the brain; however, the role of palmitoylation and palmitoylating enzymes in the nervous system remains elusive. One of these enzymes, Zdhhc5, has previously been shown to regulate synapse plasticity. Here, we report that Zdhhc5 is also essential for the formation of excitatory, but not inhibitory, synapses both in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate in vitro that this is dependent on the enzymatic activity of Zdhhc5, its localization at the plasma membrane and its C-terminal domain, which has been shown to be truncated in a patient with schizophrenia. Loss of Zdhhc5 in mice results in a decrease in the density of excitatory hippocampal synapses accompanied by alterations in membrane capacitance and synaptic currents, consistent with an overall decrease in spine number and silent synapses. These findings reveal an important role for Zdhhc5 in the formation and/or maintenance of excitatory synapses.
A thermoregulatory role for the medullary raphe in birds
Authors: Cristina-Silva Caroline , Gargaglioni Luciane H. , Bícego Kênia Cardoso
Published: March 2021

The brainstem region medullary raphe modulates non-shivering and shivering thermogenesis and cutaneous vasomotion in rodents. Whether the same scenario occurs in the other endothermic group, i.e. birds, is still unknown. Therefore, we hypothesized that the medullary raphe modulates heat gain and loss thermoeffectors in birds. We investigated the effect of glutamatergic and GABAergic inhibition in this specific region on body temperature (Tb), oxygen consumption (thermogenesis), ventilation (O2 supply in cold, thermal tachypnea in heat) and heat loss index (cutaneous vasomotion) in 1 week old chicken exposed to neutral (31°C), cold (26°C) and hot (36°C) conditions. Intra-medullary raphe antagonism of NMDA glutamate (AP5; 0.5, 5 mmol l−1) and GABAA (bicuculline; 0.05, 0.5 mmol l−1) receptors reduced Tb of chicks at 31 and 26°C, mainly as a result of an O2 consumption decrease. AP5 transiently increased breathing frequency during cold exposure. At 31°C, heat loss index was higher in the bicuculline and AP5 groups (higher doses) than in the saline groups at the beginning of the Tb reduction. No treatment affected any variable tested at 36°C. The results suggest that glutamatergic and GABAergic excitatory influences on the medullary raphe of chicks modulate thermogenesis, and glutamatergic stimulation prevents tachypnea, without having any role in warmth-defense responses. A double excitation influence on the medullary raphe may provide a protective neural mechanism for supporting thermogenesis during early life, when energy expenditure to support growth and homeothermy is high. This novel demonstration of a thermoregulatory role for the raphe in birds suggests a convergent brainstem neurochemical regulation of Tb in endotherms.
Βιοηθική και δημόσια υγεία: από τη δεκαετία 1970 στην πανδημία COVID-19
Authors: Aspradaki Aikaterini A
Published: March 2021

The strong relationship between bioethics and public health has been put forward since the early 1970s. The HIV/AIDS epidemic, erupted in the 1980s, serves as a catalyst for the broadening of the bioethics frameworks by the inclusion of ethical issues faced in public health. From the beginning of the 21st century, public health ethics has been emerged as a discipline and has been established as a subfield of bioethics.Topics in public health ethics include, among others, the public health research, the ethics and infectious disease control, the ethics of health promotion and disease prevention, the ethical issues in environmental and occupational health, the public health and health system reform: allocation of resources, access, priority setting, the international collaboration for global public health, the vulnerability and marginalized populations, the public health genetics, the public health genomics. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to constitute an area of conceptual and practical overlapping of all the above-mentioned topics and gives huge boost to research interest for public health bioethics.This paper explains the relationship between bioethics and public health through two time periods and, in particular, the “early” 1970s- 1990s era and the2000s & 2010s that is the period of the emergence and establishment of public health ethics marked, at the end, by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Surrogacy in France: A summary of the situation
Authors: Bonnet Yannis
Published: March 2021

Since the first law on bioethics in France in 1994, surrogacy is prohibited. With the liberalization of our society, some occidental countries accepted surrogacy under a specific legal framework. Still, France did not bend to this and always stated that surrogacy must be forbidden. However, with globalization, that facilitates fertility tourism across Europe and even further, France faced an issue with intended parents traveling abroad to have surrogacy and went back to France with children having uncertain civil status. The French legislation has been modified, taking into account all the issues that may arise. Sometimes France took the relevant initiative, but in other cases, the legal developments resulted from the pressure of international institutions. The purpose of this paper is to present a short and concise overview of the state of surrogacy in France and the steps which led to the current situation.
Εμποτισμένα με κυτταροστατική ουσία μπαλόνια αγγειοπλαστικής
Authors: Λιούρδη Δέσποινα
Published: March 2021

Το ουροθήλιο αποτελεί τον «πιο σφιχτό και αδιαπέραστο φραγμό στο ανθρώπινο σώμα». Μελετήσαμε την κατανομή της πακλιταξέλης (paclitaxel –PTX ) στο ουρητηρικό τοίχωμα μετά από τη διαστολή ενός μπαλονιού αγγειοπλαστικής επικαλυμμένου με paclitaxel (Paclitaxel-eluting balloons - PEB), με σκοπό να διερευνηθεί η δυνατότητα κλινικής χρήσης των PEBs σε ουρητήρες. Υλικά και μέθοδοι: Χρησιμοποιήθηκαν εννέα οικόσιτοι χοίροι. Πραγματoποιήθηκε διαστολή εννέα PEBs και εννέα συμβατικών μπαλόνιων αγγειοπλαστικής (Conventional angioplasty balloons- CB) στο δεξιό και αριστερό ουρητήρα του κάθε ζώου, αντιστοίχως. Ο ουρητήρας ο οποίος έφερε το CB αποτέλεσε το control για τον αντίπλευρο ουρητήρα. Ακολούθησε η εξέταση των δειγμάτων: άμεσα μετά τη διάταση του μπαλονιού (Group A), μετά από 12 ώρες (Group B) και μετά από 24 ώρες (Group C). Δύο δείγματα απομονώθηκαν από κάθε ουρητήρα των Groups Α,Β και C. Το ένα δείγμα μελετήθηκε με τη μέθοδο της φασματοσκοπίας πυρηνικού μαγνητικού συντονισμού. Το άλλο υποβλήθηκε σε ιστοπαθολογική μελέτη και ανοσοϊστοχημική ανάλυση (IHC), χρησιμοποιώντας ειδικό πολυκλωνικό αντίσωμα για την πακλιταξέλη. Αποτελέσματα: Παρατηρήθηκε μειωμένη φλεγμονή στα δείγματα των ουρητήρων των Group B και C σε σύγκριση με τα controls τους. H πακλιταξέλη εμφάνισε μεγαλύτερη κατανομή στο ουροθήλιο και στον υποβλεννογόνιο χιτώνα, στα δείγματα του Group A (IHC). Στα δείγματα των Group B και C, η πακλιταξέλη επίσης ανιχνεύθηκε στο ουροθηλιακό, υποβλεννογόνιο και μυικό τοίχωμα. Η συγκέντρωση της πακλιταξέλης (NMR) ήταν μειωμένη στο Group C, σε σύγκριση με τα δείγματα του Group B. Συμπεράσματα: Παρατηρείται κατανομή της πακλιταξέλης στο ουροθήλιο, στον υποβλεννογόνιο ιστό και στις λείες μυικές στιβάδες. Μείωση της φλεγμονής ανιχνεύθηκε στις περιπτώσεις στις οποίες χρησιμοποιήθηκαν PEBs.
Τα διηγήματα στα κείμενα νεοελληνικής λογοτεχνίας για τη δευτεροβάθμια εκπαίδευση
Authors: Σταυρογιαννοπούλου Ευθυμία
Published: March 2021

Αντικείμενο της παρούσας Διδακτορικής Διατριβής είναι η συστηματική αφηγηματολογική ανάλυση των διηγημάτων, τα οποία εντάσσονται και ανθολογούνται στα "Κείμενα Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας" των έξι τάξεων της Δευτεροβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης, υπό το φως της Θεωρίας της Λογοτεχνίας. Ειδικότερα, η Διατριβή ασχολείται με τη μελέτη της δράσης, της ψυχολογικής και ηθικής εξέλιξης των μυθοπλαστικών χαρακτήρων των κειμένων αυτών, καθώς και με τη δυνητική πρόσληψη της δυναμικής τους από τους αναγνώστες, με τη βοήθεια των θεωρητικών μοντέλων-εργαλείων της Δομικής Αφηγηματολογίας του Claude Bremond, της Ανθρωποσημειωτικής του Ibrahim Taha και της Αφηγηματολογίας των Πιθανών Κόσμων της Marie-Laure Ryan. Επίσης, αξιοποιούνται στοιχεία από το θεωρητικό μοντέλο του χαρακτήρα του James Phelan και από τους τύπους των χαρακτήρων που προτείνει ο David Fishelov. Απώτερος στόχος της Διατριβής είναι να διαμορφώσει και να προτείνει ένα μεθοδολογικό εργαλείο μελέτης που μπορεί να εφαρμοστεί και στη Λογοτεχνία για Παιδιά και Εφήβους, κείμενα της οποίας βρίσκουμε στα σχολικά εγχειρίδια του Γυμνασίου, και φυσικά στη Λογοτεχνία για ενήλικους αναγνώστες, δείγματα της οποίας βρίσκουμε στα σχολικά εγχειρίδια του Λυκείου.
Revisiting the “Keynes Plan” for an International Clearing Union in a Eurozone Perspective
Authors: Emmanouil-Kalos Alkinoos
Published: March 2021

The last decade has been turbulent for the EMU, with many structural weaknesses becoming apparent. While in a state of emergency, the European Central Bank has had to “reinvent” itself in order to stabilize the Eurozone, while the vital importance of the imbalances between the member states has been recognized, as the establishment of the Macroeconomic Imbalances Procedure (MIP) indicates. Yet, it is widely acknowledged that the architecture of the Eurozone needs structural reforms. This policy brief aims to present the case for the adoption of the core ideas of the “Keynes Plan” for an International Clearing Union, which could function as an important first step towards fighting intra-eurozone imbalances, hence strengthening the EMU. Given the existence of the European Central Bank and the common currency, a moderate version of such a plan could be implemented even without the need for any changes in the EU treaties, and could be the stepping stone for further economic integration.
General Election Debates – Problems and Solutions
Authors: Vella Trina
Published: March 2021

Pre-election debates are one of the most important steps in the electoral process – indeed, they serve an important public interest as they inform the American public about the issues of the day and offer a forum by which candidate proposed solutions may be heard. However, pre-election debates are led by moderators who generally do not have expertise in many of their key topic areas, such as law or judicial studies; and because of this, the propositions and arguments made by candidates in the pre-election time may be de-contextualized during debates such that the voting public may be misled in terms of the practicality of candidate positions. It is not unusual for individuals to unwittingly make propositions which insufficiently account for the confines of governmental structures, norms, and institutions in important ways.  Likewise, it is not expectable for candidate to have absolute expertise in all areas of the debate, such as from health care to international law. This presents a real and pressing problem or issue for the quality of debates and democracy. It would be useful for pre-election debates to have additional facilitators present to provide basic factual and scientific information, as well to define key terms and principles relevant to American government and political life. Thus, given the current format of pre-election debates, this policy brief offers proposals to increase voter awareness and thus strengthen American democracy through amendments to the pre-election debate format for general elections.
Greek Government’s Communication Approach During the Covid-19 First Wave
Authors: Tsekeris Charalambos , Efthymiou George
Published: March 2021

The present policy brief draws from an empirical dissertation research, which took place during the outburst of the Covid-19 pandemic, in Athens, Greece. The main assumption of this interdisciplinary work is that Greek government’s Covid-19 emergency communication and crisis management approach (during the first wave of the pandemic) can be described by the Pragmatic Complexity Communication Model (PCOM), according to which communication involves an emergent complexity of reciprocal relationships and levels of interaction. This assumption is examined and validated through a qualitative research process, using an online open-ended questionnaire and focusing on a group of government officials and a group of correspondent journalists. The subsequent analysis also highlights the intimate links between government’s emergency communication (and crisis management) approach and the so-called “reformist culture”, that is, an extrovert, pluralist and anti-populist way of government, emphasising preparedness, collaboration, consistency, coordination, trust and community. This results in specific policy considerations and recommendations regarding governmental Covid-19 response in general.
COVID-19 measures and the Japanese Constitution
Authors: Akiyama Hajime
Published: March 2021

Since March 2020, the Act on Special Measures for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases Preparedness and Response has been a significant statute in dealing with COVID-19 in Japan. The Act mandates requests and orders for business suspension and shortened business hours, as well as stay-at-home requests. Although there have been no penalties as of January 2021, these requests and orders limit freedom of movement and establishment, guaranteed rights under the Japanese Constitution. This article poses the following research question: “Does the Japanese Constitution allow measures against COVID-19 such as requests and orders for business suspension and shortened business hours, and stay-at-home requests?” It also asks: “Are measures with penalties allowed by the Constitution?” This paper introduces constitutional concepts that guarantee or limit individual freedom. Concepts that guarantee individual freedoms include freedom of establishment and movement. These freedoms derive from the constitutional values of freedom to choose one’s occupation and choose and change one’s residence (Art. 22) and the right to own or hold property (Art. 29). Concepts that limit individual freedom include the right to life (Art. 13), welfare rights and public health (Art. 25), and public welfare (Art. 13). Individual freedom that threatens right to life, welfare rights and public health, and public welfare may not be guaranteed. This paper argues that since measures against COVID-19 are considered public welfare, the Constitution allows the limiting of freedom of establishment and movement. Furthermore, from the perspectives of the right to life, welfare rights, and public health, the government is responsible for reducing the risk to life from COVID-19. It also argues that the Constitution permits measures with penalties, while proportionality needs to be considered.
Investigation of aliphatic hydrocarbons in red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and European hake (Merluccius merluccius) fish caught from the Edremit Bay (Western Turkey)
Authors: Darılmaz Enis
Published: March 2021

In this study, aliphatic hydrocarbon levels were investigated in red mullet and european hake fish caught by trawler from Edremit Bay (Western Aegean, Turkey) in spring and autumn 2015. For this purpose, trawling was carried out from 3 different regions of the Edremit Bay in both seasons. As a result of the analyzes, total aliphatic hydrocarbon (TAH) levels in red mullet were found to be higher than that of european hake. TAH concentrations found for red mullet were in the range of 456-2090 ng/g, while it was found in the range of 61-746 ng/g for european hake. In general, TAH concentrations in red mullet were higher than that of european hake for both seasons. In addition, EOM amounts were found higher in red mullet like TAH. According to correlation, cluster and primary component analysis results, it was observed that the compounds affecting TAH levels in red mullet are C11 and C12 aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds, while european hake have C15, C17 and Pristane compounds. These results indicate that the source of aliphatic hydrocarbons in Edremit Bay fish is biogenic in european hake samples, although not exact, it may be petrogenic in red mullet samples.
Length-weight relationships of fishes caught by stationary uncovered pound nets in the coastal waters of Saros Bay, North Aegean Sea (Turkey)
Authors: Çolakoğlu Serhat
Published: March 2021

Stationary uncovered pound nets are passively fishing gears used for fish catching according to traditional methods in the coastal waters of Saros Bay, North Aegean Sea. The purpose of this study was to determine length-weight relations (LWRs) for a wide range of fish species collected from the traps in the coastal waters of Saros Bay. We are studied in the fish species caught by four traps between April and August (fishing season) in 2010 - 2012. A total of 23 fish species belonging to 12 families were caught individual 2.096. The mean value of the growth pattern (b) was 3.141±0.042, ranging from 2.711 to 3.577. Whereas they were negative allometric only for two species (Pomatomus saltatrix and Mugil cephalus), from other fish species were observed to be 13 positive allometric and 8 isometrics. The LWR parameters for the positive allometric and isometric fish species were significant (P<0.05). This study provides some general information about the status of the LWR parameters of the fish species caught from the traps.
An appendage abnormality in the first left pereiopod of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) reared in the laboratory conditions
Authors: Karadal Onur
Published: March 2021

Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) is the most cultivated crayfish species in the world that has commercial importance for both aquaculture and aquarium industries. In this study, a case report of an appendage abnormality observed in the left cheliped of a female specimen (6.92 g) reared under laboratory conditions is presented. It has been determined that the specimen has two appendages in the left cheliped root. Of these appendages, the right one (1.27 cm) ends in a blunt. On the left (1.06 cm), a spiny structure similar to that of the fourth and fifth walking legs was observed
Intelligent electrical networks: computer support for dispatching solutions
Authors: Lyubarskiy Yuriy , Hrennikov Aleksandr
Published: March 2021

For" smart " electric networks, intelligent software tools that perform new functions and increase the level of computer support for dispatching solutions are considered. Given that one of the goals of building "smart" networks is to ensure recovery after accidents, the main focus of the textbook is on the problems of diagnosing emergency situations, intelligent monitoring of the state of electrical networks, and planning for the post-accident restoration of power supply. A new type of software simulator for dispatchers of electrical networks — a simulator for analyzing emergency situations-is considered in detail. The theoretical material is accompanied by many examples in the form of protocols for the operation of real intelligent systems. Meets the requirements of the federal state educational standards of higher education of the latest generation. For students of electric power specialties, managers and specialists of operational services of enterprises of power systems, electric and distribution networks and power stations, branches of PJSC ROSSETI, PJSC FGC UES, as well as students of advanced training courses.
Law and biomedicine
Authors: Comartova Fatima , Pomazanskiy Andrey , Nikitina Elena , Nanba Saria , Mel'nik Timur , Hromova Nataliya
Published: March 2021

The rapid development of modern biomedicine creates both hopes for solving global problems of humanity, and risks associated with the enormous potential of its impact on human nature. In this regard, the processes of development and application of biomedical technologies need timely and adequate legal regulation that defines the boundaries of biotechnological intervention in human life. This publication is devoted to the theoretical development of general legal approaches to the essence, content, social orientation and the main industry features of the regulation of relations in the field of biomedicine, which would allow to form a special legal regulation in this area. For researchers, teachers, postgraduates, students, practicing lawyers, employees of public authorities.
The Method of Estimating International Market’s Potential From Perspective of Expansion
Authors: Ermashkevich Natalia , Voronina A.
Published: March 2021

Following article describes scoring method for international market from perspective of expansion, based on criteria’s that is widely used in economics and marketing. The idea of the method is estimating international market’s potential by using the criteria system and choosing most suited entering strategy by following an algorithm. Estimation of international market’s perspective contains quantitative data, for analyzing competition environment of sectorial market, possible targeted audience and logistics performance. The method can be used by any organization, regardless of its size or industry specifics, for estimating international’s market potential from perspective of expansion.
Demand Pooling in Omnichannel Operations
Authors: Hu Ming , Xu Xiaolin , Xue Weili , Yang Yi
Published: March 2021

Both traditional retailers and e-tailers have been implementing omnichannel strategies such as buy online, pick up at store (BOPS). We build a stylized model to investigate the impact of the BOPS initiative on store operations from an inventory perspective. We consider two segments of customers, namely store-only customers who only make purchases offline and omni-customers who strategically choose between offline and online channels. We show that BOPS may either benefit or hurt the retailer depending on two fundamental system primitives: the store visiting cost and the online waiting cost. If the online waiting cost is relatively low and the store visiting cost is even lower, BOPS can induce omni-customers to migrate from online buying to BOPS, leading to demand pooling at the brick-and-mortar (B&M) store. Such demand pooling provides two benefits for the retailer: it reduces the overstocking cost, and after inventory reoptimization, it results in a higher fill rate at the B&M store, which benefits existing customers and potentially attracts more customers to the store. In contrast, if both store visiting and online waiting costs are relatively high with the latter even higher, introducing BOPS can result in demand depooling as a result of the migration of the omni-customers from offline purchasing to BOPS. This leads to a lower fill rate after inventory reoptimization, likely the result of a lower profit margin under BOPS, which turns away store-only customers and hurts the retailer.

This paper was accepted by Charles Corbett, operations management.
Recovering Global Supply Chains from Sourcing Interruptions: The Role of Sourcing Strategy
Authors: Jain Nitish , Girotra Karan , Netessine Serguei
Published: March 2021

Problem definition: Fast recovery from sourcing interruptions is a key objective for global supply chains and for business continuity professionals. In this paper, we study the impact of different supply chain strategies—supplier diversification and the use of long-term relationships—on the ability of a supply chain to recover from sourcing interruptions. Academic/practical relevance: Improving supply chains’ recovery ability has been an important focus area for both practitioners and academics. Collectively, available anecdotal evidence and theoretical analyses provide ambiguous recommendations driven by competing effects of different sourcing strategies. Our paper provides the first rigorous and large-scale empirical evidence relating the use of different supply chain strategies to the ability of a supply chain to recover from supply interruptions. Methodology: We develop a compound estimator of a supply chain’s recovery rate that can be constructed using limited available data (only the time series of firms’ actual sourcing behavior). Using more than two and half million import manifests, we extract firms’ maritime sourcing transactions and use this data to estimate recovery rates of different firm-category supply chains of publicly traded U.S. firms. Results: We find that supplier diversification is associated with slower recovery from sourcing interruptions, whereas the use of long-term relationships is associated with faster recovery. A one standard deviation decrease in the former is associated with a 16% faster recovery, and a like increase in the latter is associated with a 20% faster recovery. Managerial implications: Our paper brings important empirical evidence to the hitherto theoretical debate on the impact of sourcing strategies on faster recovery in supply chains. We therefore provide actionable advice on supply chain design for faster recovery.
Coherent population trapping in optically thin 133Cs atomic vapor in a finite-size cell
Authors: Barantsev K. A. , Bozhokin S. V. , Kuraptsev A. S. , Litvinov A. N. , Sokolov I. M.
Published: March 2021

We study the peculiarities of the coherent population trapping (CPT) dark resonance in atomic vapor confined in a finite-size cell. Taking into account the scattering of atoms on anti-relaxation coating of the walls, we analyze the line shape of the CPT resonance in

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depending on various parameters, such as the width of laser radiation spectrum, the type of pumping, and the magnitude of static magnetic field for both lin || lin and

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polarization schemes. We show that for different parameters, the dependence of the line shape on the size of a cell is different, i.e., different factors affect the CPT resonance nonadditively. Thus, in the case when CPT resonance is excited by a narrowband laser, the shape of the resonance weakly depends on the size of a cell due to the laser-induced narrowing effect. We also show that the distortion of the line shape of the CPT resonance caused by nonresonant hyperfine sublevels of atomic excited states is modified with the size of a cell. Our calculation reveals the important role of accounting for the hyperfine and Zeeman structure of atomic levels. We have shown that the contrast of the CPT resonance differs about 5 times from the prediction of the simple three-level Λ model. The obtained results can be used for the optimization of the quantum frequency standards based on the CPT effect. In the final part of the paper, on the basis of the shot noise approximation we estimate the short-term stability of such standards.
Converting the guided modes of Bloch surface waves with the surface pattern
Authors: Tang Xi , Luo Haoqi , Chen Junxue , Badugu Ramachandram , Wang Pei , Lakowicz Joseph R. , Zhang Douguo
Published: March 2021

The guided modes of Bloch surface waves, such as the transverse electric modes (TE00 and TE01 modes), can simultaneously exist in a low-refractive-index ridge waveguide with subwavelength thicknesses that are deposited on an all-dielectric one-dimensional photonic crystal. By using the finite-difference frequency-domain method, coupled mode theory, and the finite-difference time-domain method, the conversion between the guided modes has been investigated. This conversion can be realized in a broadband wavelength with the surface pattern of this low-index ridge. This conversion is useful for developing lab-on-a-chip photonic devices, such as a mode converter that can maintain the output mode purity over 90% with a working wavelength ranging from 590 to 680 nm, and a power splitter that can maintain the splitting ratio over 8:2 with a wavelength ranging from 530 to 710 nm.