bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prenatal diagnosis, associated findings and postnatal outcome of fetuses with truncus arteriosus communis (TAC)
Authors: Abel J. S. , Berg C. , Geipel A. , Gembruch U. , Herberg U. , Breuer J. , Brockmeier K. , Gottschalk I.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

To assess the spectrum of associated anomalies, the intrauterine course, postnatal outcome and management of fetuses with truncus arteriosus communis (TAC)

Methods

All cases of TAC diagnosed prenatally over a period of 8 years were retrospectively collected in two tertiary referral centers. All additional prenatal findings were assessed and correlated with the outcome. The accuracy of prenatal diagnosis was assessed.

Results

Thirty nine cases of TAC were diagnosed prenatally. Mean gestational age at first diagnosis was 22 weeks (range 13–38). Two cases were lost follow-up. Correct prenatal diagnosis of TAC was made in 87.5% and of TAC subtype in 90.5%. Prenatal diagnosis was incorrect in three cases: one newborn had aortic atresia with ventricular septal defect (VSD) postnatally, one had hypo-plastic right ventricle with dextro transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) with coarctation of the aorta and a third newborn had tetralogy of fallot (TOF) with abnormal origin of the left pulmonary artery arising from the ascending aorta postnatally. These 3 cases were excluded from further analysis.

In 26.5% of cases, TAC was an isolated finding. 38.2% of fetuses had additional chromosomal anomalies. Among them, microdeletion 22q11.2 was most common with a prevalence of 17.6% in our cohort. Another 3 fetuses were highly suspicious for non-chromosomal genetic syndromes due to their additional extra-cardiac anomalies, but molecular diagnosis could not be provided. Major cardiac and extra-cardiac anomalies occurred in between 8.8% and 58.8%, respectively. Predominantly, extra-cardiac anomalies occurred in association with chromosomal anomalies. Additionally, severe IUGR occurred in 17.6%.

There were 14 terminations of pregnancy (41.2%), 1 (2.9%) intrauterine fetal death, 5 postnatal deaths (14.7%) and 14 (41.2%) infants were alive at last follow-up. Intention-to-treat survival rate was 70%. Mean follow-up among survivors was 42 months (range 6–104). Postoperative health status among survivors was excellent in 78.6%, but 46.2% needed repeated re-interventions due to recurrent pulmonary artery or conduit stenosis. The other 21.4% of survivors were significantly impaired due to non-cardiac problems.

Conclusion

Truncus arteriosus communis is a rare and complex cardiac anomaly that can be diagnosed prenatally with high precision. TAC is frequently associated with chromosomal and extra-cardiac anomalies, leading to a high intrauterine and postnatal loss rate due to terminations and perioperative mortality. Without severe extra-cardiac anomalies, postoperative health status is excellent, independent of the subtype of TAC, but the prevalence of repeated interventions due to recurrent stenosis is high.
Effect of Microstructure and Relative Humidity on Strength and Creep of Gypsum
Authors: Ramon Anna , Caselle Chiara , Bonetto Sabrina Maria Rita , Costanzo Daniele , Alonso Eduardo E.
Published: May 2021

The wide range of gypsum facies observed all over the world and the strong heterogeneity that may be present even within a single facies often cause an inhomogeneous mechanical response that, if neglected, may be particularly dangerous in the framework of underground excavations. In addition, gypsum is particularly sensible to the presence of water. The high relative humidity conditions often registered in underground gypsum quarries may imply an additional worsening of mechanical properties. In the present study, the strength and the creep response of a natural gypsum rock facies are investigated, considering the influence of material heterogeneity and relative humidity conditions. The heterogeneity of the material, quantified with MIP and SEM analyses, is observed to strongly affect the mechanical response. To this intrinsic mechanical variability, the influence of an external parameter as the relative humidity is observed to generate an additional reduction of material strength and to increase the creep strain rate in the long-term tests. The effect of all these elements in the underground quarry framework is discussed and a constitutive model of these experimental results is provided.
Determination of amino acids in human biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography: critical review
Authors: Gałęzowska Grażyna , Ratajczyk Joanna , Wolska Lidia
Published: May 2021

The quantitation and qualification of amino acids are most commonly used in clinical and epidemiological studies, and provide an excellent way of monitoring compounds in human fluids which have not been monitored previously, to prevent some diseases. Because of this, it is not surprising that scientific interest in evaluating these compounds has resurfaced in recent years and has precipitated the development of a multitude of new analytical techniques. This review considers recent developments in HPLC analytics on the basis of publications from the last few years. It helps to update and systematize knowledge in this area. Particular attention is paid to the progress of analytical methods, pointing out the advantages and drawbacks of the various techniques used for the preparation, separation and determination of amino acids. Depending on the type of sample, the preparation conditions for HPLC analysis change. For this reason, the review has focused on three types of samples, namely urine, blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Despite time-consuming sample preparation before HPLC analysis, an additional derivatization technique should be used, depending on the detection technique used. There are proposals for columns that are specially modified for amino acid separation without derivatization, but the limit of detection of the substance is less beneficial. In view of the fact that amino acid analyses have been performed for years and new solutions may generate increased costs, it may turn out that older proposals are much more advantageous.
Prophylactic effects of probiotics on respiratory viruses including COVID-19: a review
Authors: Lee Na-Kyoung , Paik Hyun-Dong
Published: May 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets. The symptoms include dry cough, fever, and fatigue; however, high propagation, mutation, and fatality rates have been reported for SARS-CoV-2. This review investigates the structure of SARS-CoV-2, antiviral mechanisms, preventive strategies, and remedies against it. Effective vaccines have been developed by Pfizer (95% effective), AstraZeneca (90% effective), Moderna (94.5% effective) vaccine, among others. However, herd immunity is also required. Probiotics play a major role in the gut health, and some are known to have therapeutic potential against viral infections. Their modes of antiviral activities include direct interaction with targeted viruses, production of antiviral metabolites, and immunomodulatory effects on the host. Hence, probiotics can be a useful prophylactic against COVID-19, and more studies are required on the effects of probiotics against other viral infections that may occur in future.
Effects of safinamide on non-motor, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms in fluctuating Parkinson’s disease patients: a prospective longitudinal study
Authors: De Micco Rosa , Satolli Sara , Siciliano Mattia , De Mase Antonio , Giordano Alfonso , Tedeschi Gioacchino , Tessitore Alessandro
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients in chronic levodopa treatment may experience motor and non-motor fluctuations, which may affect their quality of life. Safinamide is a new monoamine oxidase B inhibitor, also exerting a non-dopaminergic effect, recently approved as add-on therapy in fluctuating PD patients.

Methods

We performed a longitudinal prospective study in a cohort of 20 fluctuating PD patients, to test whether safinamide 50 mg may improve non-motor, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms over a 6-month treatment period. At each timepoint, clinical features were assessed by means of validated PD-specific scales. Neuropsychological assessment was performed by exploring all five cognitive domains.

Results

Compared to baseline, significant improvement was found in PD patients at 6-month follow-up in items investigating interest (p = 0.02), motivation (p = 0.02), and urinary disturbances (p = 0.03). Moreover, neuropsychiatric assessment showed a significant decrease in fatigue and apathy scores (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). Motor assessment revealed a significant reduction in the total wake-up time spent in OFF state (p = 0.01). Follow-up neuropsychological evaluation did not reveal any change compared to baseline.

Conclusions

Our data reveal that, along with motor fluctuation improvement, treatment with safinamide 50 mg may significantly decrease non-motor symptom burden in PD patients. Interestingly, non-dopaminergic mechanisms, such as glutamatergic overdrive, have been demonstrated to play a role in many pathways underlying these symptoms. Thus, we hypothesize that the neurotransmitter receptor-binding profile of safinamide may explain our findings.
On the Unification of Schemes and Software for Wavelets on the Interval
Authors: Antun Vegard , Ryan Øyvind
Published: May 2021

We revisit the construction of wavelets on the interval with various degrees of polynomial exactness, and explain how existing schemes for orthogonal- and Spline wavelets can be extended to compactly supported delay-normalized wavelets. The contribution differs substantially from previous ones in how results are stated and deduced: linear algebra notation is exploited more heavily, and the use of sums and complicated index notation is reduced. This extended use of linear algebra eases translation to software, and a general open source implementation, which uses the deductions in this paper as a reference, has been developed. Key features of this implementation is its flexibility w.r.t. the length of the input, as well as its generality regarding the wavelet transform.
Lessons Learnt on Reproducibility in Machine Learning Based Android Malware Detection
Authors: Daoudi Nadia , Allix Kevin , Bissyandé Tegawendé F. , Klein Jacques
Published: May 2021

A well-known curse of computer security research is that it often produces systems that, while technically sound, fail operationally. To overcome this curse, the community generally seeks to assess proposed systems under a variety of settings in order to make explicit every potential bias. In this respect, recently, research achievements on machine learning based malware detection are being considered for thorough evaluation by the community. Such an effort of comprehensive evaluation supposes first and foremost the possibility to perform an independent reproduction study in order to sharpen evaluations presented by approaches’ authors. The question Can published approaches actually be reproduced? thus becomes paramount despite the little interest such mundane and practical aspects seem to attract in the malware detection field. In this paper, we attempt a complete reproduction of five Android Malware Detectors from the literature and discuss to what extent they are “reproducible”. Notably, we provide insights on the implications around the guesswork that may be required to finalise a working implementation. Finally, we discuss how barriers to reproduction could be lifted, and how the malware detection field would benefit from stronger reproducibility standards—like many various fields already have.
Coupling of quantile regression into boosted regression trees (BRT) technique in forecasting emission model of PM10 concentration
Authors: Shaziayani Wan Nur , Ul-Saufie Ahmad Zia , Ahmat Hasfazilah , Al-Jumeily Dhiya
Published: May 2021

Air pollution is currently becoming a significant global environmental issue. The sources of air pollution in Malaysia are mobile or stationary. Motor vehicles are one of the mobile sources. Stationary sources originated from emissions caused by urban development, quarrying and power plants and petrochemical. The most noticeable contaminant in the Peninsular of Malaysia is the particulate matter (PM10), the highest contributor of Air Pollution Index (API) compared to other pollution parameters. The aim of this study is to determine the best loss function between quantile regression (QR) and ordinary least squares (OLS) using boosted regression tree (BRT) for the prediction of PM10 concentration in Alor Setar, Klang and Kota Bharu, Malaysia. Model comparison statistics using coefficient of determination (R2), prediction accuracy (PA), index of agreement (IA), normalized absolute error (NAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) show that QR is slightly better than OLS with the performance of R2 (0.60–0.73), PA (0.78–0.85), IA (0.86–0.92), NAE (0.15–0.17) and RMSE (9.52–22.15) for next-day predictions in BRT model.
Assessment of land-use and land-cover changes in Pangari watershed area (MS), India, based on the remote sensing and GIS techniques
Authors: Pande Chaitanya B. , Moharir Kanak N. , Khadri S. F. R.
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we focus on the assessment of land-use and land-cover change detection mapping to the effective planning and management policies of environment, land-use policy and hydrological system in the study area. In this study the soil and water conservation project has been applied during the five years and after five years what changes have been found in the land-use and land-cover classes and vegetation. In this view, this land-use and land-cover mapping is a more important role to decide the policy for watershed planning and management project in the semiarid region. In an emerging countries, fast industrialization and urbanization impose a significant threat to the natural atmosphere. The remote sensing and GIS techniques are crucial roles in the study of land-use and land-cover mapping during the years of 2007, 2014, and 2017. The main objective of this is to prepare the land-use and NDVI maps in the years of 2008, 2014 and 2017; these maps have prepared from satellite data using the supervised classification method. A normalized difference vegetation index map (NDVI) was done by using Landsat 8 and LISS-III satellite data. NDVI values play a major role in monitoring the vegetation and variation in land-use and land-cover classes. In these maps, four types of land are divided into four classes as agriculture, built-up, wasteland, and water body. The results of study show that agriculture land of 18.71% (158.24 Ha), built-up land of 0.62% (5.31 Ha), wasteland of 40.33% (341.02 Ha), and water body land of 17.39% (147 Ha) are increased. Land-use and land-cover maps and NDVI values show that agriculture land of 22.97% (194.29 Ha), 5.46% (14.59 Ha), and 0.08% (0.22 Ha) decreases during the years of 2008, 2014, and 2017. The results directly indicate that the supervised classification method has been the accurate identified feature in the land-use map classes. This classification method has been given the better accuracy (95%) from spatiotemporal satellite data. The accuracy was also tally with ground-truth and Google earth information. These results can be a very useful for the land-use policy, watershed planning, and management with natural resources, animals, and ecological systems.
Constraints of youth entrepreneurs in Ethiopia
Authors: Ahmed Hamed M. S. , Ahmed Yimer Ayalew
Published: May 2021

The youth entrepreneurship has been regarded as a tool for employment creation in Ethiopia. However, the country faces the challenge of high youth unemployment rates. Even the country is considered as one of the lowest rates of youth entrepreneurial activity and business operating in the sub-Saharan African region. The aim of this research is to investigate the major potential constraints of youth entrepreneurs in the small and micro-enterprises. In order to fulfill the objectives of the study, this research employed a descriptive research design with a quantitative research approach. The target population of the study was 5000 youth entrepreneurs between aged 18 and 29 years at the time of the research. Out of the target population, the researchers selected 370 as a sample size by using a proportional stratified sampling technique. The valid responses for analysis were 350 respondents. The survey questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. The study used descriptive statistics and factor analysis. The results of the study indicate that unfavorable government policy, limited access to finance, limited access to market, limited access to information and infrastructure, limited access to business assistance and support, limited access to entrepreneurship training and education, lack of social support, unfavorable administrative, and weak institutional linkage were the major potential constraints of youth entrepreneurs in the study area. The study draws implications for policymakers, the Ministry of Youth Development, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the government to adopt multi-faceted, multi-targeted, and multitier approaches in order to facilitate and encourage youth entrepreneurship.
‘Pseudo-septum’ Appearance in Septal Agenesis on Fetal MRI
Authors: Usman Nasin , Rangasami Rajeswaran , Ramachandran Rajoo
Published: May 2021

Background Absence of the cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) can be associated with a wide spectrum of congenital brain malformations. It is necessary to describe the anatomic structures that can be mistaken for the CSP in cases of septal agenesis. Results We retrospectively studied MRI of 12 fetuses referred with suspicion of absent CSP on sonography. The structures simulating CSP in axial sections (Pseudo septum) are: volume averaging from the medial edge of the frontal lobes (lateral ventricles) in the anterior aspect, fornices in the mid and posterior aspect and internal cerebral veins in the postero-inferior aspect. Eleven out of the twelve suspected cases of absent CSP showed a false positive ‘pseudo-septum’ appearance in axial sections of fetal brain MRI. The absence of the ‘pseudo-septum’ was confirmed on coronal MRI sections of the fetal brain. Conclusion It is important to study the axial and coronal sections of the fetal brain for accurate diagnosis of septal agenesis.
Effect of Montmorillonite Layer Charge on the Thermal Stability of Bentonite
Authors: Qin Yating , Peng Tongjiang , Sun Hongjuan , Zeng Li , Li Yao , Zhou Can
Published: May 2021

The thermal stability of bentonite is vitally important for its application in the casting field and the layer charge of montmorillonite (Qm) is one of its central crystal-chemical parameters. As the main component of bentonite, the influence of Qm on montmorillonite properties and behavior needs to be considered if bentonite is to be used in high-temperature environments. The objective of the current study was to investigate the relationship between Qm and the thermal stability of Chinese bentonite samples collected from Wuhu, Anhui Province (marked as WH); Xinyang, Henan Province (marked as XY); and Santai, Sichuan Province (marked as ST) below. The values of Qm were obtained using the O (11) method, and the structural properties of the bentonite samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results showed that, in the samples investigated, Qm was inversely related to the thermal stability of bentonite. The Qm value (electrons per half unit cell, e/huc) was greatest for sample ST (0.725 e/huc), followed by sample XY (0.470 e/huc), and by sample WH (0.354 e/huc). The dehydroxylation temperature changed related to Qm; the sample with the largest Qm value was WH (701°C), followed by sample XY (684°C), and sample ST (630°C). After the samples were calcined at 600°C, sample WH had the best montmorillonite structural integrity with the greatest degree of reusability (78.21%); while the montmorillonite structures of samples XY and ST were destroyed, and their reusabilities were only 9.48 and 6.01%, respectively.
Development of top-dressing automation technology for sustainable shrimp aquaculture in India
Authors: Chellapandi Paulchamy
Published: May 2021

Globally, the shrimp farming industry faces increasing challenges and pressure to reduce the broken shrimps and maintain a healthier pond environment. Shrimps lack an adaptive immune system to combat invading pathogens due to an imbalance in beneficial gut microbiota. The use of top-dressing agents like probiotics and pond optimizes is an alternative strategy to improve the innate immune system leading produce disease-free shrimp in international markets. The cost of top-dressing agents is accounted for 20% of the production cost and therefore, the development of top-dressing automation technology is important to maintain and improve the financial and environmental viability of shrimp sustainable farming. This perspective described several sensor-based aquaculture technologies for on-farm management systems but sustainability in the aquaculture industry is not yet achieved in practice. The present technology is a new invention to reduce labor and production costs required for reducing bacterial and organic loads in Biofloc shrimp cultures. Aquaculture automation system disperses the top-dressing agents to the shrimp ponds based on the signals received from microbial and environmental sensors. Continuous monitoring of shrimp growth, mortality, immune responses, diseases, and pond water quality parameters will fetch larger profits with additional savings on labor and production costs for sustainable shrimp aquaculture in India.
Institutional Mechanisms for Preventing and Resolving Cross-Border Water Disputes
Authors: Ziganshina Dinara R.
Published: May 2021

The fundamental role of international law is to provide a framework for the coexistence of and cooperation among states. If international law and institutions work well, their contribution to the management of international affairs remains in the background. This essay seeks to illuminate the largely unnoticed work of river commissions in preventing and resolving cross-border water disputes. Among the oldest of international organizations, river commissions have long been at the forefront of technical and diplomatic interactions between countries. Similar to other international organizations, river commissions were created to better coordinate interstate interactions and more efficiently pursue common goals. They differ from other international organisations in the focus on water, a unique substance that cuts across so many aspects of human existence and requires specific treatment depending on the hydrological, political, social and economic context. Given the diversity of the contexts, river commissions differ from each other in their design and the tasks assigned to them. Therefore, a river commission is an umbrella term that encompasses a diversity of joint arrangements for cooperation between the riparian countries over their shared waters. This essay argues that river commissions helped to prevent, mitigate, and resolve many cross-border water disputes by building communities over water, enhancing technical knowledge and routinizing organisational transformations.
The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement of the World Trade Organization: Debunking Its Reliance on Scientific Evidence and Reluctance to Endorse Potential Biotechnology Risks
Authors: ISLAM Muhammad
Published: May 2021

The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) relies on scientific evidence as a conclusive risk assessment criterion, which ignores the inherent limitations of science. This article highlights certain trade-restrictive effects of scientific evidence and comments on the Agreement’s aversions to precautionary measures and the consumer concern of the harmful effects of biotech products that may be necessary to protect public health and biosecurity in many WTO Member States. These measures and concerns have become pressing issues due to surging consumer awareness and vigilance concerning environmental protection and food safety. The Agreement is yet to overcome the weaknesses of its endorsed international standardising bodies, the problematic definition of scientific evidence and treatment of justification for scientific risk assessment methods and the implementation difficulties faced by most developing states. This article analyses these issues under the provisions of the Agreement and the interpretations of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body in disputes involving SPS matters, which fall short of addressing scientific uncertainty surrounding biotech products and their associated risks.
Pandemics: Implications for research and practice in industrial and organizational psychology
Authors: Rudolph Cort W. , Allan Blake , Clark Malissa , Hertel Guido , Hirschi Andreas , Kunze Florian , Shockley Kristen , Shoss Mindy , Sonnentag Sabine , Zacher Hannes
Published: May 2021

Pandemics have historically shaped the world of work in various ways. With COVID-19 presenting as a global pandemic, there is much speculation about the implications of this crisis for the future of work and for people working in organizations. In this article, we discuss 10 of the most relevant research and practice topics in the field of industrial and organizational psychology that will likely be strongly influenced by COVID-19. For each of these topics, the pandemic crisis is creating new work-related challenges, but it is also presenting various opportunities. The topics discussed herein include occupational health and safety, work–family issues, telecommuting, virtual teamwork, job insecurity, precarious work, leadership, human resources policy, the aging workforce, and careers. This article sets the stage for further discussion of various ways in which I-O psychology research and practice can address the issues that COVID-19 creates for work and organizational processes that are affecting workers now and will shape the future of work and organizations in both the short and long term. This article concludes by inviting I-O psychology researchers and practitioners to address the challenges and opportunities of COVID-19 head-on by proactively adapting the work that we do in support of workers, organizations, and society as a whole.
Intersectional Invisibility: Race, Gender, Sexuality, and the Erasure of Sexual Minority Women in US Asylum Law
Authors: Akbari Roxana , Vogler Stefan
Published: May 2021

Advocates have long observed that sexual minority women are treated less favorably than sexual minority men under US asylum law. However, there has been little empirical examination of these claims in a US context. We offer the first systematic comparative empirical analysis of 199 asylum decisions for cisgender sexual minorities. Using quantitative metrics to contextualize in-depth qualitative analysis, we show that even when cisgender sexual minority men and women face very similar types of violence, women’s claims are adjudicated differently. This is particularly stark in courts’ treatment of sexual violence but is also evident in determinations of generalized persecution and individuals’ sexualities. When women attempt to use laws that are structured around straight, white, Western male perspectives and experiences, their pathways are limited and sometimes nonexistent. Although the flexibility in this area of asylum law has allowed many types of new claims, these changes have mostly benefited those assigned male at birth, and this surface malleability has ultimately worked to maintain law as a regulatory structure. Even with seemingly progressive changes in asylum law, the law itself continues to uphold race, gender, and sexuality as durable social structures and does little to ameliorate inequalities along these axes of social difference.
Les vulnérables : evaluating the vulnerability criterion in Article 14 cases by the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Kim So Yeon
Published: May 2021

The European Court of Human Rights (the Court) has been invoking the vulnerability criterion to overcome the drawbacks of cases concerning Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the prohibition of discrimination. This new criterion, allowing the Court to favour the applicants, highlights the applicants’ group affiliation. However, whether this criterion is effective in protecting vulnerable applicants against discrimination is doubtful. To examine this, I divide the Court's approach to Article 14 before and after the application of the vulnerability criterion. I argue that vulnerability criterion was used to fix the drawbacks of Article 14, but eventually backfired. The concept of vulnerability has been ambiguous, inconsistently used by the Court, and paternalistic. I suggest the Court focus on individual autonomy rather than grouping the applicants to improve their legal reasoning of Article 14.
Copper Mining in the Bronze Age at Mynydd Parys, Anglesey, Wales
Authors: Jenkins David A. , Timberlake Simon , Davidson Andrew , Mal Kalla , Marshall Peter , Mighall Tim , O’Brien Charlotte , Smith David N.
Published: May 2021

The Bronze Age in Britain is now a term often used to include both the first use of copperc. 2400bcand also tin-bronze fromc. 2100bc, all of which required the extensive use of copper. Prehistoric mining for this metal has been identified in surface and underground workings in Parys Mine, Mynydd Parys, Anglesey, although almost all of the surface workings are now obscured by the extensive deep spoil from more recent mining in the industrial period. These copper-bearing ores are in bedded lodes, together with some intruded vein deposits. The Bronze Age workings have been exposed underground where they have been intersected by the early 19th century industrial workings on and above the 16 fathom and 20 fathom levels in the Parys Mine. Spoil exposures contain stone hammers (‘mauls’), wood fragments, and charcoal; samples of the latter have been radiocarbon dated with chronological modelling suggesting activity took place in the first half of the 2nd millennium calbc. Although relatively limited in extent, these important prehistoric mining sites are among the earliest found in the UK. They have survived due to their protection from surface erosion and limited accessibility.
Unintended pregnancy resolution among parous women in twelve low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Väisänen Heini , Batyra Ewa
Published: May 2021

Around 40% of pregnancies worldwide are unintended and a half of those are terminated. Yet, few international comparisons of unintended pregnancy resolution (choosing birth or abortion) exist. This study analysed how parous women’s pregnancy intentions and abortion decisions are associated with their reproductive histories and country contexts using twelve Demographic and Health Surveys representing four context groups: post-Soviet/communist and Asian countries with liberal abortion legislation, and Asian and Latin American countries with restrictive abortion legislation. Similarities were found across contexts: preference to have children of both sexes, space births, stop childbearing after reaching desired family size and an increased likelihood of unintended pregnancy when using less-effective contraceptive methods versus none. Contextual factors most clearly associated with reports of unintended pregnancy resolution were type of abortion legislation and living in post-Soviet/communist contexts. Women’s propensity to report abortions and unintended pregnancy varied by context and the decision-making processes for pregnancy versus fertility management were different.
Adventures in Intergenerational Service-Learning: Laughter, Friendship, and Life Advice
Authors: Whyte Colleen
Published: May 2021

Using pre- and post-visit reflection papers from a third-year undergraduate leisure and aging course, this paper describes the ways in which an intergenerational service-learning project fostered greater understanding of aging, long-term care (LTC) homes and the people who reside in them. Partnering with a LTC home in the Niagara Region of Ontario, 50 students gathered first-hand life stories from older adults over a period of 5 weeks. In pairs, students considered course content in relation to stories of life transitions they have yet to experience and reflected on generational similarities and differences. The overall project incorporated biography and photography-based assignments in order to create individual narratives for each participant in the project. Supplementary coursework enabled students to develop skills related to creative representation of the stories (e.g., lessons on photography and biography writing). This intergenerational project culminated with an exhibit of students’ work at the end of the term, attended by our storytellers, their families and friends as well as staff at the home. In pre- and post-visit reflection assignments, students described how their experiences disrupted assumptions they held about older adults, LTC homes and the experience of aging.
Taking the Discipline of Law Seriously: Twining, Arthurs, and Histories of Academic Lawyers
Authors: Bartie Susan
Published: May 2021

In 2019, William Twining and Harry Arthurs, academic lawyers whose careers peaked during the second half of the twentieth century, published memoirs revealing the central motivations and forces underlying their intellectual endeavor. Their books are a source of great nourishment, provoking readers to think deeply about the central challenges of the discipline of law and what might be done to bring it closer to realizing its full potential. They also reveal what it was like to be a leading academic who pushed disciplinary boundaries, challenging central disciplinary norms repeatedly, over many decades, while the universities and societies surrounding them grew in size and enjoyed increased prosperity and while academics—legal and otherwise—were cast in changing lights. During this time, writing and teaching about the nature and purposes of law moved from the desks of a few well-known figures into the hands of an increasingly diverse mass. This review considers and compares the contributions of these memoirs to the history of legal scholars. It also examines the relevance of each book to their primary readership: twenty-first century academic lawyers.
Adolescent relational roots of adult blood pressure: A 14-year prospective study
Authors: Allen Joseph P. , Loeb Emily L. , Tan Joseph , Davis Alida A. , Uchino Bert
Published: May 2021

Intensity in adolescent romantic relationships was examined as a long-term predictor of higher adult blood pressure in a community sample followed from age 17 to 31 years. Romantic intensity in adolescence – measured via the amount of time spent alone with a partner and the duration of the relationship – was predicted by parents’ psychologically controlling behavior and was in turn found to predict higher resting adult systolic and diastolic blood pressure even after accounting for relevant covariates. The prediction to adult blood pressure was partially mediated via conflict in nonromantic adult friendships and intensity in adult romantic relationships. Even after accounting for these mediators, however, a direct path from adolescent romantic intensity to higher adult blood pressure remained. Neither family income in adolescence nor trait measures of personality assessed in adulthood accounted for these findings. The results of this study are interpreted both as providing further support for the view that adolescent social relationship qualities have substantial long-term implications for adult health, as well as suggesting a potential physiological mechanism by which adolescent relationships may be linked to adult health outcomes.
Fluconazole-associated QT interval prolongation and Torsades de Pointes in a paediatric patient
Authors: Ünal Yüksekgönül Ayşe , Ertuğrul İlker , Karagöz Tevfik
Published: May 2021

“Torsades de pointes”, a life-threatening rhythm disorder, is a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that usually develops in association with a prolonged QT interval. Fluconazole, an anti-fungal drug, may also induce QT prolongation, in some cases subsequent torsades de pointes. Herein, we report a 16-year-old female presenting “torsades de pointes” after administration of fluconazole and rapidly improved upon cessation of the drug.
Antipsychotic long-term treatment in children and young people: a systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy and tolerability across mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions
Authors: Singappuli Pushpika , Sonuga-Barke Edmund , Kyriakopoulos Marinos
Published: May 2021

Antipsychotic medications are used in a wide range of mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions in children and adolescents. Their efficacy and tolerability with long-term use have not been clearly established. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the long-term use of antipsychotics in children and adolescents. All relevant double-blind randomized control trials (RCTs), on any antipsychotic used for 12 weeks or longer in any mental health/neurodevelopmental condition in this age group, were included. We evaluated several efficacy and tolerability measures. Meta-analysis was performed for adverse events. Seven RCTs were identified (n = 939, age = 5-17 years), four on aripiprazole and three on risperidone. All studies reported symptomatic/functional improvements or more time before discontinuation with antipsychotics compared to placebo. Weight gain was identified as a significant side effect with antipsychotics. Serum prolactin was reduced with aripiprazole and increased with risperidone, and abdominal pain/discomfort, respiratory tract infections, were more common with Aripiprazole compared to placebo. Musculoskeletal pain may be more common with aripiprazole compared to placebo. Use of antipsychotics for 12 weeks or longer may be associated with symptomatic/functional improvements, but may be associated with additional side effects compared to short-term treatment. Further research in this population is needed.
Comparison of Neuropsychological Assessment by Videoconference and Face to Face
Authors: Gnassounou Richard , Defontaines Bénédicte , Denolle Séverine , Brun Stéphanie , Germain Raphaël , Schwartz Déborah , Schück Stéphane , Michon Agnès , Belin Catherine , Maillet Didier
Published: May 2021

Objective:

To compare the administration of neuropsychological tests by teleneuropsychology (TeleNP) and face to face (F-F) in order to determine the feasibility and reliability of TeleNP.

Method:

At the inclusion visit, all participants underwent a traditional F-F neuropsychological assessment as part of their standard care. Four months after inclusion, they were randomized to undergo an additional neuropsychological assessment either by F-F administration or by TeleNP.

Results:

A total of 150 adults with cognitive complaints, but with no major cognitive or sensorial impairment were included. At 4 months, 69 participants were randomized in the F-F arm and 71 in TeleNP arm (10 lost in the follow-up). The overall satisfaction was high: 87.1% in the TeleNP arm were “very satisfied”, and 82.9% indicated no preference between F-F and TeleNP. In agreement with previous data from the literature, neuropsychological assessments gave similar results across both administration conditions for a large majority of tests [Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) French version, Mahieux gestural praxis battery, Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), time of completion of the Trail making Test (TMT) A and B, number of errors of the TMT B, Rey complex figure test, categorical et phonological verbal fluency tests] and minor differences for others [80-picture naming test (DO-80), FAB, Digit Span forward and backward and number of errors in the TMT A].

Conclusions:

TeleNP is a promising method to be able to test patients as an alternative to F-F condition. Before this procedure can be generalized, it is now necessary to standardize the adaptation of certain tests and to test them in populations with more significant cognitive disorders.
Received Wisdom: The Use of Authority in Medieval Islamic Philosophy
Authors: Adamson Peter
Published: May 2021

In this paper I challenge the notion that medieval philosophy was characterized by strict adherence to authority. In particular, I argue that to the contrary, self-consciously critical reflection on authority was a widespread intellectual virtue in the Islamic world. The contrary vice, called ‘taqlīd’, was considered appropriate only for those outside the scholarly elite. I further suggest that this idea was originally developed in the context of Islamic law and was then passed on to authors who worked within the philosophical tradition.
False Confessions and Subverted Agency
Authors: Lackey Jennifer
Published: May 2021

In the criminal legal system, confessions have long been considered the ‘gold standard’ in evidence. An immediate problem arises for this gold standard, however, when the prevalence of false confessions is taken into account. In this paper, I take a close look at false confessions in connection with the phenomenon of testimonial injustice. I show that false confessions provide a unique and compelling challenge to the current conceptual tools used to understand this epistemic wrong. In particular, I argue that we cannot make sense of the unjust ways in which false confessions function in our criminal legal system by focusing exclusively on speakers getting less credibility than they deserve. I conclude that the way we conceive of testimonial injustice requires a significant expansion to include what I call agential testimonial injustice – where an unwarranted credibility excess is afforded to speakers when their epistemic agency has been denied or subverted in the obtaining of their testimony.
“I Hope to Hell Nothing Goes Back to The Way It Was Before”: COVID-19, Marginalization, and Native Nations
Authors: Foxworth Raymond , Evans Laura E. , Sanchez Gabriel R. , Ellenwood Cheryl , Roybal Carmela M.
Published: May 2021

We draw on new and original data to examine both partisan and systemic inequities that have fueled the spread of COVID-19 in Native America. We show how continued political marginalization of Native Americans has compounded longstanding inequalities and endangered the lives of Native peoples. Native nations have experienced disproportionate effects from prior health epidemics and pandemics, and in 2020, Native communities have seen greater rates of infection, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. We find that Native nations have more COVID-19 cases if they are located in states with a higher ratio of Trump supporters and reside in states with Republican governors. Where there is longstanding marginalization, measured by lack of clean water on tribal lands and health information in Native languages, we find more COVID-19 cases. Federal law enables non-members to flout tribal health regulations while on tribal lands, and correspondingly, we find that COVID-19 cases rise when non-members travel onto tribal lands. Our findings engage the literatures on Native American politics, health policy within U.S. federalism, and structural health inequalities, and should be of interest to both scholars and practitioners interested in understanding COVID-19 outcomes across Tribes in the United States.
Women in Kyrgyzstan—Electorally Marginalized but Legislatively Influential: A Theory of Transactional Activism
Authors: Commercio Michele E.
Published: May 2021

How can we understand the signing of legislation targeting violence against women in postcommunist countries where women are electorally marginalized? Although women are underrepresented in Kyrgyzstan, the country's parliament has passed bride theft and domestic violence legislation. This article proposes a theory of transactional activism: in postcommunist countries where women are electorally marginalized, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) can instigate legislative change if the state satisfies three necessary conditions permitting lateral links between NGOs working on behalf of women and vertical links between these nonstate actors and critical actors in parliament. The state must (1) establish a regulatory framework for NGO activity permitting the articulation and representation of women's interests; (2) demonstrate a rhetorical commitment to improving women's lives; and (3) facilitate the election to parliament of critical actors sympathetic to women's interests. In other words, women's substantive representation can occur without strong descriptive representation in the formal legislative arena if the state satisfies these conditions.
Popularising Croll: an opportunity for expression and creativity
Authors: WOOLF Jo
Published: May 2021

James Croll (1821–1890) was a gifted scientist whose revolutionary theories had a profound impact on our understanding of the Earth's climate, ice ages and glaciation. While his contributions are recognised by an increasing number of modern-day scientists, in the public domain his legacy has been all but forgotten. Popularising Croll's story brings its own challenges: we know more about the science than we do about the man, and his theories do not lend themselves to quick and easy explanation. While Croll's scientific theories, presented alone, risk being viewed as complex and difficult to digest, his lifelong struggle against adversity is a compelling story with the potential for widespread public appeal. In recent years, interested individuals and institutions have begun to increase public awareness of Croll through talks and lectures, exhibitions, theatrical events and articles in print and online. There are many more possibilities that are worth investigating, in order to inspire and engage people locally, nationally and even internationally. Croll's story is fascinating from many points of view, and is open to interpretation by people of different ages and backgrounds. Perhaps even the gaps in our knowledge can be turned to advantage, allowing for imagination, creativity and expression.
The effects of carvacrol on oxidative stress, inflammation, and liver function indicators in a systemic inflammation model induced by lipopolysaccharide in rats
Authors: Mortazavi Alireza , Mohammad Pour Kargar Hossein , Beheshti Farimah , Anaeigoudari Akbar , Vaezi Gholamhasan , Hosseini Mahmoud
Published: May 2021

Abstract: The effect of carvacrol (CAR) on oxidative stress, inflammation, and liver dysfunction induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was explored. The rats (n=40) were daily injected (2 weeks) by saline as control, LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p.), and 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg CAR (i.p.) before LPS. LPS increased aspartate transaminase (AST: 162±13 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALT: 74.6±2.15 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (ALK-P: 811±51 U/L), interlukine-1β (IL-1β: 1254±51 pg/g tissue), malondialdehyde (MDA: 32±1.09 nM/g tissue), and nitric oxide (NO: 224±13.5 nM/g tissue) (P<0.01–P<0.001) while, decreased total protein(4.08±0.38 g/dl), albumin(2.79±0.16 g/dl), thiol (5.16±0.19 μM/g tissue), superoxide dismutase (SOD: 10.57±0.13 U/g tissue), and catalase (CAT: 0.78±0.02 U/g tissue) compared to control (P<0.001). CAR reversed the effects of LPS (P<0.05–P<0.001). In the rats treated by 100 mg/kg CAR, the indicators were as follows: AST: 118±10.1 U/L, ALT: 42.5±4.13 U/L, ALK-P: 597±39.91 U/L, IL-1β: 494±15 pg/g tissue, and NO: 141±5.35 nM/g tissue. Both 50 and 100 mg/kg CAR corrected oxidative stress indicators and in the group treated by 100 mg/kg CAR, they were: MDA: 23.4±0.91 nM/g tissue, thiol: 7.98±0.18 μM/g tissue, SOD: 21±0.8 U/g tissue, and CAT: 1.12±0.02 U/g tissue(P<0.05–P<0.001). In conclusion, CAR improved liver function, accompanied with antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects.