bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrophysiology as a prognostic indicator of visual recovery in diabetic patients undergoing cataract surgery
Authors: Wang Hao , Li Fuliang , Li Jiawen , Lin Jun , Liu Meifang , Wang Gang , Wang Min , Ran Li , Robson Anthony G. , Li Shiying
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Visual outcomes after cataract surgery in diabetic patients with retinal or visual pathway disease are difficult to predict as the fundus may be obscured, and assessment of visual potential is challenging. This study assessed the value of visual electrophysiology as a prognostic indicator of visual recovery in diabetic patients with cataract, prior to cataract surgery.

Methods

Forty-one diabetic patients (aged 52–80; 74 eyes) and 13 age-matched non-diabetic control patients (21 eyes) were examined prior to cataract surgery. Pre-surgical examinations included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit-lamp bio-microscopy, ISCEV-standard full-field electroretinography (ffERG), and flash visual evoked potential (flash VEP) testing. Electrophysiological assessments included quantification of the DA and LA ERG, oscillatory potentials (OPs; OP1, OP2, OP3, OP4) and flash VEP P1, P2, and P3 components. Post-operative BCVA was measured in all cases and the diabetic patients grouped according to the severity of visual acuity loss: mild (logMAR ≤ 0.1), moderate (0.1 < logMAR < 0.5), or severe (logMAR ≥ 0.5). A fourth group included those without diabetes. The pre-surgical electrophysiological data was compared between the four groups by analysis of variance.

Results

The severity of post-surgical visual acuity loss in the diabetic patients was classified as mild (N=22 eyes), moderate (N=31 eyes), or severe (N=21 eyes). In the group without diabetes, post-surgical visual impairment was classified as mild (N=21 eyes). The pre-operative DA 10.0 ERG a-wave amplitudes, DA 3.0 ERG OP2 amplitudes, and the LA 3.0 a- and b-wave amplitudes showed best significant differences among the four groups. The flash VEP did not show significant difference between groups.

Conclusion

Electrophysiological assessment of diabetic patients with cataract can provide a useful measure of retinal function. Full-field ERG components, including the DA 10.0 ERG a-wave, DA 3.0 ERG OP2 component, and the LA 3.0 a- and b-wave amplitudes, are of prognostic value in predicting post-surgical visual acuity, and may inform the surgical management of cataract patients with diabetes.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a predictive scoring system for very low birth weight infants. A diagnostic accuracy study with prospective data collection
Authors: El Faleh Ikbel , Faouzi Mohamed , Adams Mark , Gerull Roland , Chnayna Jamel , Giannoni Eric , Roth-Kleiner Matthias ,   for the Swiss Neonatal Network
Published: April 2021

Our aim was to develop and validate a predictive risk score for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), according to two clinically used definitions: 1. Need for supplementary oxygen during ≥ 28 cumulative days, BPD28, 2. Need for supplementary oxygen at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA), BPD36. Logistic regression was performed in a national cohort (infants born in Switzerland with a birth weight < 1501 g and/or between 23 0/7 and 31 6/7 weeks PMA in 2009 and 2010), to identify predictors of BPD. We built the score as the sum of predicting factors, weighted according to their ORs, and analysed its discriminative properties by calculating the area under the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves (AUCs). This score was then applied to the Swiss national cohort from the years 2014–2015 to perform external validation. The incidence of BPD28 was 21.6% in the derivation cohort (n= 1488) and 25.2% in the validation cohort (n= 2006). The corresponding numbers for BPD36 were 11.3% and 11.1%, respectively. We identified gestational age, birth weight, antenatal corticosteroids, surfactant administration, proven infection, patent ductus arteriosus and duration of mechanical ventilation as independent predictors of BPD28. The AUCs of the BPD risk scores in the derivation cohort were 0.90 and 0.89 for the BPD28 and BPD36 definitions, respectively. The corresponding AUCs in the validation cohort were 0.92 and 0.88, respectively.

Conclusion: This score allows for predicting the risk of a very low birth weight infant to develop BPD early in life and may be a useful tool in clinical practice and neonatal research.What is Known:• Many studies have proposed scoring systems to predict bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).• Such a risk prediction may be important to identify high-risk patients for counselling parents, research purposes and to identify candidates for specific treatment.What is New:• A predictive risk score for BPD was developed and validated in a large national multicentre cohort and its performance assessed by two indices of accuracy.• The developed scoring system allows to predict the risk of BPD development early but also at any day of life with high validity.
Deep learning-based automatic surgical step recognition in intraoperative videos for transanal total mesorectal excision
Authors: Kitaguchi Daichi , Takeshita Nobuyoshi , Matsuzaki Hiroki , Hasegawa Hiro , Igaki Takahiro , Oda Tatsuya , Ito Masaaki
Published: April 2021

Background

Dividing a surgical procedure into a sequence of identifiable and meaningful steps facilitates intraoperative video data acquisition and storage. These efforts are especially valuable for technically challenging procedures that require intraoperative video analysis, such as transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME); however, manual video indexing is time-consuming. Thus, in this study, we constructed an annotated video dataset for TaTME with surgical step information and evaluated the performance of a deep learning model in recognizing the surgical steps in TaTME.

Methods

This was a single-institutional retrospective feasibility study. All TaTME intraoperative videos were divided into frames. Each frame was manually annotated as one of the following major steps: (1) purse-string closure; (2) full thickness transection of the rectal wall; (3) down-to-up dissection; (4) dissection after rendezvous; and (5) purse-string suture for stapled anastomosis. Steps 3 and 4 were each further classified into four sub-steps, specifically, for dissection of the anterior, posterior, right, and left planes. A convolutional neural network-based deep learning model, Xception, was utilized for the surgical step classification task.

Results

Our dataset containing 50 TaTME videos was randomly divided into two subsets for training and testing with 40 and 10 videos, respectively. The overall accuracy obtained for all classification steps was 93.2%. By contrast, when sub-step classification was included in the performance analysis, a mean accuracy (± standard deviation) of 78% (± 5%), with a maximum accuracy of 85%, was obtained.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study based on automatic surgical step classification for TaTME. Our deep learning model self-learned and recognized the classification steps in TaTME videos with high accuracy after training. Thus, our model can be applied to a system for intraoperative guidance or for postoperative video indexing and analysis in TaTME procedures.
Initial experience using a handheld fully articulating software-driven laparoscopic needle driver in TAPP inguinal hernia repair
Authors: Needham Victoria , Camacho Diego , Malcher Flavio
Published: April 2021

Background

The laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair is a widely performed minimally invasive operation, but can present considerable ergonomic challenges for the surgeon. Our objective was to determine if a novel handheld software-driven laparoscopic articulating needle driver can mitigate these difficulties.

Methods

The video recordings of a consecutive series of TAPP cases by a single surgeon using the articulating device were compared with a series of cases using straight-stick laparoscopy. Two critical steps of the procedure were analyzed for time: mesh fixation and peritoneal suture closure. These steps were then compared before and after 10 initial consecutive cases to analyze whether the surgeon demonstrated improvement. A cost analysis was also performed between the two techniques.

Results

For mesh fixation, the surgeon averaged 227 s using tacker devices, compared with 462.4 s using the novel laparoscopic device (p = 0.06). For the peritoneal closure component of the operation, the surgeon improved the time per suture pass during closure from 60.61 s during the first 10 cases to 38.84 s after the first 10 cases (p = 0.0004), which was comparable to the time per stitch for standard laparoscopy (34.8 s vs 34.84 s, p = 0.997). Left-sided inguinal hernia repairs using the articulating device demonstrated a significantly longer time per stitch during peritoneal closure compared to the right side after first 10 cases (left: 40.62 s; right: 27.91, p = 0.005). Our direct cost analysis demonstrated that suture closure of the peritoneum using the articulating device was more cost-effective than tack fixation.

Conclusions

After only a 10 case initial experience, a laparoscopic hand-held articulating needle driver is comparable to standard laparoscopy to complete suture mesh fixation and peritoneal closure for TAPP inguinal hernia repair. Further, the feasibility of suture mesh fixation minimizes the need for costly tacker devices. This instrument appears to be a promising tool in this largely minimally invasive era of hernia repair.
First insights into chlorhexidine retention in the oral cavity after application of different regimens
Authors: Reda Bashar , Hollemeyer Klaus , Trautmann Simone , Volmer Dietrich A. , Hannig Matthias
Published: April 2021

Objectives

This in situ study aimed to determine and compare the chlorhexidine (CHX) retention in the oral cavity after the application of different CHX pharmaceutical regimens.

Methods

Five volunteers used different CHX treatment regimens including mouth rinses, dental spray and toothpaste gel. After the application of the different CHX regimens, 2-μl samples were taken from saliva and buccal mucosa pellicle as well as the dental pellicle samples formed on standardized enamel surfaces. Sample collection was conducted at six time points within 12 h. Retention of CHX was measured using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry.

Results

CHX retention values in the oral mucosa pellicle were significantly higher than those in saliva. CHX remained in the mucosal pellicle at microgrammes per millilitre levels for 12 h after mouth rinsing, 10 h after spray application and 2 h after using the toothpaste. CHX was detected in the dental pellicle for at least 12 h after application of mouth rinsing and spray. Retention of CHX after mouth rinsing or spray application was significantly higher than the retention after using toothpaste.

Conclusions

Oral mucosa was the favourable site for CHX retention. Higher mouth rinse concentration and longer rinsing time produced a slight increase in CHX retention. CHX spray provided considerable retention values, whereas toothpaste gel delivered the lowest retention after application. MALDI-TOF was a sensitive method with excellent limits of quantification for CHX detection.
Creating collaboration for contentious projects on managed aquifer recharge: two cases from Finland
Authors: Laukka Vuokko , Katko Tapio S. , Peltonen Lasse , Rajala Riikka
Published: April 2021

In Finland, community water supply has increasingly relied on natural groundwater and artificially recharged groundwater as the raw water source. Several managed aquifer recharge (MAR) projects have been co-created with involved parties and have proceeded well, while some cases have raised considerable resistance among the stakeholders. It seems that success or failure in MAR cooperation is related to management cultures and the ways in which various interests are taken into account, from the very beginning and throughout the process. Empirically, this paper builds on comparison between two conflictual case studies in Finland: one in the Tampere region and the other in the Turku region. The study analyses the major constraints of these projects through the lens of collaborative rationality, also drawing upon discourse analysis and negotiation theory. The material is gathered through thematic interviews of stakeholders, newspaper articles and a stakeholder workshop. The results indicate that conventional management approaches, drawing from expert-based instrumental rationality, were insufficient in both cases. The collaborative rationality framework suggests that legitimacy for the groundwater projects should be gained through joint knowledge production and inclusive multiparty interaction for creating options for collaboration. Both cases lacked the tools and know-how for authentic dialogue and collaboration. The emerging paradigm emphasizes more collaborative approaches for natural resources management and urban planning. While MAR projects operate inside these areas and are highly complex in nature, it is essential to embrace the emerging paradigm in order to promote MAR systems along with their huge potential.
Optimization Over the Boolean Hypercube Via Sums of Nonnegative Circuit Polynomials
Authors: Dressler Mareike , Kurpisz Adam , de Wolff Timo
Published: April 2021

Various key problems from theoretical computer science can be expressed as polynomial optimization problems over the boolean hypercube. One particularly successful way to prove complexity bounds for these types of problems is based on sums of squares (SOS) as nonnegativity certificates. In this article, we initiate optimization problems over the boolean hypercube via a recent, alternative certificate called sums of nonnegative circuit polynomials (SONC). We show that key results for SOS-based certificates remain valid: First, for polynomials, which are nonnegative over the n-variate boolean hypercube with constraints of degree d there exists a SONC certificate of degree at most $$n+d$$

n
+
d

. Second, if there exists a degree d SONC certificate for nonnegativity of a polynomial over the boolean hypercube, then there also exists a short degree d SONC certificate that includes at most $$n^{O(d)}$$

n

O
(
d
)

nonnegative circuit polynomials. Moreover, we prove that, in opposite to SOS, the SONC cone is not closed under taking affine transformation of variables and that for SONC there does not exist an equivalent to Putinar’s Positivstellensatz for SOS. We discuss these results from both the algebraic and the optimization perspective.
The EU Elephant: Europe in the 2021 Dutch General Elections
Authors: Otjes Simon
Published: April 2021

For the Netherlands, the single most important EU issue is the future of the eurozone.
Presidential Election 2022: A Euroclash Between a “Liberal” and a “Neo-Nationalist” France Is Coming
Authors: Chopin Thierry , Faure Samuel B. H.
Published: April 2021

The main question surrounding the re-election of Macron is the uncertain balance of France’s flexilateral policy vis-à-vis the EU in a post-Brexit and COVID-19 context: Strengthening European integration by changing France’s practice towards the EU or taking an inter-governmentalist turn by using – in a very classical way – Europe as an “Archimedes’ lever” to defend national interests.
Europhile Public vs Eurosceptic Governing Elite in Hungary?
Authors: Göncz Borbála , Lengyel György
Published: April 2021

The threat of an epidemic narrows the scope for political competition. As Fidesz’s position within the EU has weakened significantly with the withdrawal from the European People’s Party, and the COVID-19 crisis is generating serious social tensions, the questions seem to be more open in the spring of 2022 than during the previous three elections.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and Its Expected Effects on World Trade
Authors: Flach Lisandra , Hildenbrand Hannah-Maria , Teti Feodora
Published: April 2021

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement creates the world’s largest free trade zone. The agreement has the potential to increase trade relations among its members and further promote the development of regional value chains in “Factory Asia”. This article presents the topics included in the recently concluded agreement, details the existing economic linkages between its members and discusses the expected consequences for its member states and third countries.
China’s Investments in Germany and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Xia Xinming , Liu Wan-Hsin
Published: April 2021

This paper analyses how China’s investments in Germany have developed over time and the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in this regard, based on four different datasets, including our own survey in mid-2020. Our analysis shows that Germany is currently one of the most attractive investment destinations for Chinese investors. Chinese state-owned enterprises have played an important role as investors in Germany — particularly in large-scale projects. The COVID-19 pandemic has had some negative but rather temporary effects on Chinese investments in Germany. Germany is expected to stay attractive to Chinese investors who seek to gain access to advanced technologies and know-how in the future.
The European Green Deal — More Than Climate Neutrality
Authors: Wolf Sarah , Teitge Jonas , Mielke Jahel , Schütze Franziska , Jaeger Carlo
Published: April 2021

The European Green Deal aims at climate neutrality for Europe by 2050, implying a significant acceleration of emission reductions. To gain the necessary support, it needs to reduce regional and social inequalities in Europe. We present objectives in terms of jobs, growth and price stability to complement the emission reduction targets and sketch a proof-of-concept investment profile for reaching these goals. Substantial additional annual public investments, of about 1.8% of pre-COVID-19 GDP, are proposed for the next decade. Their allocation includes retrofitting the European building stock, consciously fostering a renewal of the European innovation system as well as complementary measures in the fields of education and health. The scenario outlined in this article is meant as an input to the urgently needed discussion on how the European Green Deal can shift the EU economy to a new development path that realises a carbon-neutral Europe by 2050 while strengthening European cohesion.
Effect of antiepileptic drugs in glioma patients on self-reported depression, anxiety, and cognitive complaints
Authors: van der Meer Pim B. , Koekkoek Johan A. F. , van den Bent Martin J. , Dirven Linda , Taphoorn Martin J. B.
Published: April 2021

Introduction

AEDs have been associated with depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment, all frequent complications of glioma and its subsequent treatment, with considerable morbidity and an adverse effect on health-related quality of life. This study aimed to determine the independent association between AED use and self-reported depression, anxiety, and subjective cognitive impairment in glioma patients.

Methods

In this multicenter cross-sectional study, depression and anxiety were assessed with the HADS and subjective cognitive impairment was assessed with the MOS-CFS. Univariable logistic regression analyses were performed on all potential confounding predictor variables. Potential confounders were included in the multivariable analyses if p-value < 0.1, to evaluate whether use of AEDs was independently related to depression, anxiety, and/or subjective cognitive impairment.

Results

A total of 272 patients were included. Prevalence of depression differed significantly between patients not using (10%) and using AEDs (21%, unadjusted Odds Ratio [uOR] = 2.29 [95%CI 1.05–4.97], p = 0.037), but after correction for confounders the statistical significant difference was no longer apparent (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 1.94 [95%CI 0.83–4.50], p = 0.125). Prevalences of anxiety (aOR = 1.17 [95%CI 0.59–2.29], p = 0.659) and subjective cognitive impairment (aOR = 0.83 [95%CI 0.34–2.04], p = 0.684) did not differ significantly before or after adjustment of confounders between patients not using (19% and 16%, respectively) and using AEDs (26% and 21%, respectively).

Conclusions

Our results indicate AED use was not independently associated with concurrent depression, anxiety, or subjective cognitive impairment in glioma patients. Alternative factors seem to have a greater contribution to the risk of developing neuropsychiatric symptoms in glioma patients.
Correction to: Changes in Circulating Stem and Progenitor Cell Numbers Following Acute Exercise in Healthy Human Subjects: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Schmid M. , Kröpfl J. M. , Spengler C. M.
Published: April 2021

A Correction to this paper has been published: 10.1007/s12015-021-10161-7
Self-knowledge and the Paradox of Belief Revision
Authors: Merlo Giovanni
Published: April 2021

To qualify as a fully rational agent, one must be able rationally to revise one’s beliefs in the light of new evidence. This requires, not only that one revise one’s beliefs in the right way, but also that one do so as a result of appreciating the evidence on the basis of which one is changing one’s mind. However, the very nature of belief seems to pose an obstacle to the possibility of satisfying this requirement – for, insofar as one believes that p, any evidence that not-p will strike one as misleading and, on the face of it, believing that a certain piece of evidence is misleading is incompatible with appreciating the fact that such evidence should bear on the question at hand. Call this the ‘Paradox of Belief Revision’. This paper introduces the Paradox of Belief Revision, compares it with Kripke’s Dogmatism Paradox, and suggests that we may be able to see a way out of the former if we assume that rational agents are systematically aware of their own beliefs as beliefs they have.
Farmers’ perceptions of farm management practices and development plans on organic farms in Finland
Authors: Väre Minna , Mattila Tiina E. A. , Rikkonen Pasi , Hirvonen Maria , Rautiainen Risto H.
Published: April 2021

Organic farming is increasing in Finland, and organic farms have become larger than conventional farms, on average. As the structural change has been rapid, farmers need a broad range of new competencies to manage their farms, ranging from agronomic skills to advanced technology, labor management, and marketing skills. In this study, the characteristics of organic and conventional farms and farmers were assessed, with special focus on management practices and future development plans on organic farms. The study was based on telephone interviews of a sample of active farmers who applied for agricultural subsidies in 2014. The data consisted of 3045 farmers; 312 of them practiced organic farming and 2733 conventional farming. The data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Having beef production as the main production line, having plans to develop farm production in the next 5 years, considering farm management as very important, and frequently experiencing mental strain because of farm management were significant predictors for being an organic farmer. Dairy production was less frequently organic compared to crop production. Nearly half (42%) of organic farmers planned to make changes in their farming, most commonly expanding their production. Thus, competence for managing the farm operation becomes more crucial, which increases the need for training and management consulting services. Organic farming may increase with both farm successions and new entrants joining the farming sector. Special attention should be paid to supporting these new entrants without farm-family background.
Minnesota—too late for a Sovereign Wealth Fund?
Authors: McIntosh Christopher R. , Wilmot Neil A. , Dinneen Adrienne , Shogren Jason F.
Published: April 2021

Ten states have created natural-resource-based Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWF) to allow a fraction of the wealth derived from the extraction of non-renewable resources to be available for future use. Minnesota does not have a SWF, even though companies have been mining in the state for over 100 years. Herein, we present backward and forward-looking scenarios to estimate the potential magnitude of a “what-if” extraction-based fund. A 1.5% of value tax is suggested as an SWF funding mechanism. Based on historical extraction, prices, and investment returns, a large SWF could already exist. In the forward-looking section, we begin by econometrically estimating the supply and demand of US iron ore production to better understand how an increase in mining taxes would likely effect mining output (i.e., the production effect). After accounting for an estimated 4% production loss, results suggest enough minerals could still be extracted to create a permanent fund with between $930 million (US) and $1.6 billion dollars (US) in direct contributions by 2050 (depending on price). Using reasonable assumptions of a 2% inflation rate and a 5% annual investment return, the fund size could range from $3 billion to $5 billion by 2050.
Immunosuppression Considerations for Older Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Cheungpasitporn Wisit , Lentine Krista L. , Tan Jane C. , Kaufmann Matthew , Caliskan Yasar , Bunnapradist Suphamai , Lam Ngan N. , Schnitzler Mark , Axelrod David A.
Published: April 2021

Purpose of Review

While kidney transplantation improves the long-term survival of the majority of patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), age-related immune dysfunction and associated comorbidities make older transplant recipients more susceptible to complications related to immunosuppression. In this review, we discuss appropriate management of immunosuppressive agents in older adults to minimize adverse events, avoid acute rejection, and maximize patient and graft survival.

Recent Findings

Physiological changes associated with senescence can impact drug metabolism and increase the risk of post-transplant infection and malignancy. Clinical trials assessing the safety and efficacy of immunosuppressive agents in older adults are lacking. Recent findings from U.S. transplant registry–based studies suggest that risk-adjusted death-censored graft failure is higher among older patients who received antimetabolite avoidance, mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTORi)–based, and cyclosporine-based regimens. Observational data suggest that risk-adjusted mortality may be increased in older patients who receive mTORi-based and cyclosporine-based regimens but lower in those managed with T cell induction and maintenance steroid avoidance/withdrawal.

Tailored immunosuppression management to improve patient and graft survival in older transplant recipients is an important goal of personalized medicine. Lower intensity immunosuppression, such as steroid-sparing regimens, appears beneficial whereas mTORi- and cyclosporine-based maintenance are associated with greater potential for adverse effects. Prospective clinical trials to assess the safety and efficacy of immunosuppression agents in older recipients are urgently needed.
Nanoparticles used as an ingredient in different types of concrete
Authors: Mahmood Rawa Ahmed , Kockal Niyazi Ugur
Published: April 2021

Attempts to modify cement-based mixtures and to improve their properties have always attracted the attention of researchers. Favorable effects of nanoparticles, such as small particle size, high reactivity, and great surface area, have made them be used as one of the best replacements of cement. This paper aims to review the previous researches conducted regarding the effects of nanoparticles on the properties of concretes. Influence of various types of nanoparticles on the workability of fresh composite, mechanical properties such as compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and abrasion resistance, and durability-related properties such as water absorption, chloride ion penetration, resistance to frost, shrinkage, and carbonation of concrete is discussed.
Semi-supervised time series classification method for quantum computing
Authors: Yarkoni Sheir , Kleshchonok Andrii , Dzerin Yury , Neukart Florian , Hilbert Marc
Published: April 2021

In this paper we develop methods to solve two problems related to time series (TS) analysis using quantum computing: reconstruction and classification. We formulate the task of reconstructing a given TS from a training set of data as an unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problem, which can be solved by both quantum annealers and gate-model quantum processors. We accomplish this by discretizing the TS and converting the reconstruction to a set cover problem, allowing us to perform a one-versus-all method of reconstruction. Using the solution to the reconstruction problem, we show how to extend this method to perform semi-supervised classification of TS data. We present results indicating our method is competitive with current semi- and unsupervised classification techniques, but using less data than classical techniques.
Exploring Vocational Education Students’ Visions of a Successful Transition to Working Life from the Perspective of Societal Belonging
Authors: Ågren Susanna
Published: April 2021

The emphasis on paid employment is strong in Finnish vocational education. However, the world of work is changing and becoming more insecure. Many researchers have expressed concern about the impact of these uncertainties on employment opportunities for young people. This paper discusses vocational education students’ possibilities for societal belonging in their transition to the changing labour market in Finland. It explores the students’ visions of a successful transition to working life and a decent life after this transition. The qualitative data were collected by organising six functional workshops for vocational students (58 participants). In the conclusion, the paper argues that in the vocational students’ visions, paid employment constitutes an important definer of their societal belonging. Furthermore, it demonstrates how strongly the traditional ideals of worker-citizenship fostered in vocational education influence the meanings the second- and third-year students ascribe to societal belonging. The paper suggests that this issue needs to be critically examined in view of the changing labour market. The question is whether vocational training is able to guarantee graduating young people a realistic opportunity to build their belonging to society while at the same time to responding to the needs of the labour market.
How chief risk officers (CROs) can have meaningful and productive dealings with insurance agencies: a leading example
Authors: Bettanti Alberto , Lanati Antonella
Published: April 2021

In broad terms, risk management (RM) covers four conventional actions in addressing operational risks (OpRisks), i.e., actions to mitigate, eliminate, accept, and transfer operational risks. In relation to transferring OpRisks to external third parties, this study aids chief risk officers (CROs) in addressing issues related to the reduction of economic exposure to OpRisk. In this respect, the economic handling of OpRisks and their coverage through specific insurance programs are among the major challenges that CROs face within their roles. The aim of this paper is to provide CROs with an analytical pathway to addressing these challenges by applying the total cost of risk (TCoR) method tailored to their purposes. Through a leading example, this paper demonstrates that the TCoR approach meaningfully and productively supports CROs’ decisions when striving to deal with OpRisk. In fact, the TCoR approach implementation, together with the application of Monte Carlo simulation as a computational tool, drives TCoR value optimization when OpRisk is transferred to insurance agencies. In addition, by applying a TCoR framework, CROs can find the correct and cost-effective balance between the company’s retention level—consistent with the company’s risk appetite—and the premiums paid to insurance agencies. In conclusion, this paper provides CROs with a methodological approach for efficiently building relationships with insurance agencies by consistently addressing TCoR-based dealings.
Clinical and scientific innovations in auditory brainstem implants
Authors: Shetty Kunal R. , Ridge Sarah E. , Kanumuri Vivek , Zhu Angela , Brown M. Christian , Lee Daniel J.
Published: April 2021

The auditory brainstem implant (ABI) was originally developed to provide rehabilitation of retrocochlear deafness caused by neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). Recent studies of the ABI have investigated outcomes in non‐NF2 cohorts, such as patients with cochlear nerve aplasia or cochlear ossification and more recently, intractable tinnitus. New technologies that improve the ABI‐neural tissue interface are being explored as means to improve performance and decrease side effects. Innovative discoveries in optogenetics and bioengineering present opportunities to continually evolve this technology into the future, enhancing spatial selectivity of neuronal activation in the cochlear nucleus and preventing side effects through reduction in activation of non‐target neuronal circuitry. These advances will improve surgical planning and ultimately improve patients’ audiological capabilities. ABI research has rapidly increased in the 21st century and applications of this technology are likely to continually evolve. Herein, we aim to characterize ongoing clinical, basic science, and bioengineering advances in ABIs and discuss future directions of this technology.
Modernity in Black and White
Authors: Cardoso Rafael
Published: April 2021

Modernity in Black and White provides a groundbreaking account of modern art and modernism in Brazil. Departing from previous accounts, mostly restricted to the elite arenas of literature, fine art and architecture, the book situates cultural debates within the wider currents of Brazilian life. From the rise of the first favelas, in the 1890s and 1900s, to the creation of samba and modern carnival, over the 1910s and 1920s, and tracking the expansion of mass media and graphic design, into the 1930s and 1940s, it foregrounds aspects of urban popular culture that have been systematically overlooked. Against this backdrop, Cardoso provides a radical re-reading of Antropofagia and other modernist currents, locating them within a broader field of cultural modernization. Combining extensive research with close readings of a range of visual cultural production, the volume brings to light a vast archive of art and images, all but unknown outside Brazil.
Paradox of Protective Behaviors Among Muslim Men During the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Aceh, Indonesia
Authors: Nurrahmi Febri , Masykar Tabsyir , Harapan Harapan , Masykar Tanzir
Published: April 2021

Objective:

The imposition of protective health protocols in public spaces to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has confronted the ritual of congregational prayers in mosques for Muslims. This study examines the adoption of protective behaviors in the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak and the influence of religion on risk perception by comparing precautionary behaviors in public and in mosques.

Methods:

Data were collected through an online survey of 327 Muslim men across the Aceh Province, Indonesia, from April 21, 2020, to May 2, 2020. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the paired t-test were employed to compare the uptake of protective behaviors in public and mosques.

Results:

The adoption of protective behaviors was higher in public rather than in mosques. It further revealed that the understanding of Islamic teachings during the pandemic has influenced perceived risk and the way Muslim men comply with the protective guidelines. Those who have complete, incomplete, or no compliance of precautionary behaviors have their own interpretation of Islamic teachings that inform their individual actions to manage the risk.

Conclusion:

This study suggests the significance of religious views for developing public health preparedness during the current and future pandemics in Aceh and other Muslim majority regions.
On steady alternate bars forced by a localized asymmetric drag distribution in erodible channels
Authors: Redolfi M. , Musa M. , Guala M.
Published: April 2021

Studying the effect of different in-stream fluvial turbines siting on river morphodynamics allowed us to witness the onset of a time-averaged, large-scale, alternate distortion of bed elevations, which could not be exclusively related to the turbine rotor blockage. The longitudinal profiles of this two-dimensional bathymetric perturbation resemble those of steady fluvial bars. In this contribution we generalize the problem addressing a spatially impulsive, asymmetric distribution of drag force in the channel cross-section. This is experimentally investigated through the deployment of differently sized grids perpendicular to the flow, and analytically explored as a finite perturbation of an open channel flow over an erodible sediment layer, as described by a coupled flow–sediment shallow water equation. The steady solutions of this fluvial morphodynamic problem, physically represented by alternate bars scaling with the channel width, highlight the importance of the resonant conditions in defining the spatial extent of the bed deformation. The equations further suggest that in very shallow flows any asymmetric obstruction may lead to an upstream propagation of the steady bars, consistent with previous studies on the effects of channel curvature. In broad terms, this study provides the preliminary framework to control the onset of river meandering through imposed finite perturbations of the cross-section. In a more applied sense, it provides a tool to predict non-local scour–deposition patterns associated with the deployment of energy converters or other flow obstructions.
What is the promise of personalised nutrition?
Authors: Ferrario Paola G. , Watzl Bernhard , Møller Grith , Ritz Christian
Published: April 2021

Personalised nutrition (PN) is an emerging field that bears great promise. Several definitions of PN have been proposed and different modelling approaches have been used to claim PN effects. We tentatively propose to group these approaches into two categories, which we term outcome-based and population reference approaches, respectively. Understanding the fundamental differences between these two types of modelling approaches may allow a more realistic appreciation of what to expect from PN interventions presently and may be helpful for designing and planning future studies investigating PN interventions.
Contribution of small mammal taphonomy to the last Neanderthal occupations at the El Salt site (Alcoi, southeastern Spain)
Authors: Marin-Monfort María Dolores , Fagoaga Ana , García-Morato Sara , Ruíz Sánchez Francisco Javier , Mallol Carolina , Hernández Cristo , Galván Bertila , Fernández-Jalvo Yolanda
Published: April 2021

The El Salt site (Alcoi, Alicante, Spain) is one of the latest Neanderthal sites in the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. The disappearance of this human group is controversial and needs detailed studies from different research areas. Taphonomy is essential to establish how representative is a fossil assemblage of the past living organisms that produced it and to interpret the formation process of the fossil site. In the case of El Salt, we have analyzed the micromammal assemblages of Units X and V, which contain fossils of Neanderthals and/or evidence of their activity. In contrast with previous identifications of the little owl (Athene noctua), our detailed taphonomic study shown here allows us to conclude that the main predator involved in the production of the micromammal assemblages was the European eagle owl (Bubo bubo). This is an opportunistic predator whose feeding preferences and behavior reflect the abundance of local micromammalian species, which can therefore provide a representation of past ecosystems near El Salt. The taphonomic information provided by this study also indicates the absence of transport and reworking processes, and reinforces previous paleoecological interpretations, suggesting an increase of aridity at the top of El Salt sequence that coincided with the local disappearance of Neanderthals.
Releasing Masculinity for a More Just World: Lessons on How to “Be Water” in Hong Kong
Authors: Zhang Charlie Yi
Published: April 2021

This article develops a feminist reading of the biographical action series featuring Ip Man, the Wing Chun grand master lionized for mentoring Bruce Lee, as a set of culturally inflected practices in order to probe the sociohistorical structure that embeds and overdetermines these productions and allows for new, subversive potentialities. Building upon situated engagement, my analysis traces how the hypermasculine violentyanggangaesthetic tradition takes on new life by reclaiming women's voices in theIp Manfilm franchise. I also identify the ways in which this filmic remaking of Ip's life story builds an alternative embodiment that unsettles musculature as the ground of colonialist/nationalist dominance and lays the basis for a new horizon of justice encapsulated by the flexible and elastic “Be Water” sensibility. As human beings are facing the common threat posed by prevailing toxic masculinity, these lessons, I argue, are crucial for us to find a path through the turbulence and build a more peaceful world.
Collective Action and Policy Implementation: Evidence from Salvador Allende’s Expropriations
Authors: González Felipe , Vial Felipe
Published: April 2021

The Cold War triggered the appearance of U.S.-sponsored re-distributive policies in Latin America with the goal of decreasing the influence of the Soviet Union. We study how organized groups of workers increased the intensity of one of the largest programs of the time, Salvador Allende’s land reform in Chile (1970–1973). Using original data in an event study research design, we find that the local political actions of workers—proxied by land invasions—affected the intensity and location of expropriations. We argue this result can be explained by a threat of political unrest.
An analysis of the Dutch-style pension plans proposed by UK policy-makers
Authors: OWADALLY IQBAL , RAM RAHIL , REGIS LUCA
Published: April 2021

Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) pension schemes are a variant of collective pension plans that are present in many countries and especially common in the Netherlands. CDC schemes are based on the pooled management of the retirement savings of all members, thereby incorporating inter-generational risk-sharing features. Employers are not subject to investment and longevity risks as these are transferred to plan members collectively. In this paper, we discuss policy related to the proposed introduction of CDC schemes to the UK. By means of a simulation-based study, we compare the performance of CDC schemes vis-à-vis typical Defined Contribution schemes under different investment strategies. We find that CDC schemes may provide retirees with a higher income replacement rate on average, together with less uncertainty.
The Lived Experience of Financialization at the UK Financial Fringe
Authors: APPLEYARD LINDSEY , PACKMAN CARL , LAZELL JORDON , ASLAM HUSSAN
Published: April 2021

The financialization of everyday life has received considerable attention since the 2008 global financial crisis. Financialization is thought to have created active financial subjects through the ability to participate in mainstream financial services. While the lived experience of these mainstream financial subjects has been the subject of close scrutiny, the experiences of financial subjects at the financial fringe have been rarely considered. In the UK, for example, the introduction of High-Cost, Short-Term Credit [HCSTC] or payday loan regulation was designed to protect vulnerable people from accessing unaffordable credit. Exploring the impact of HCSTC regulation is important due to the dramatic decline of the high-cost credit market which helped meet essential needs in an era of austerity. As such, the paper examines the impact of the HCSTC regulation on sixty-four financially marginalized individuals in the UK that are unable to access payday loans. First, we identify the range of socioeconomic strategies that individuals employ to manage their finances to create a typology of financial subjectivity at the financial fringe. Second, we demonstrate how the temporal and precarious nature of financial inclusion at the financial fringe adds nuance to existing debates of the everyday lived experience of financialization.
Word skipping in deaf and hearing bilinguals: Cognitive control over eye movements remains with increased perceptual span
Authors: Traxler Matthew J. , Banh Timothy , Craft Madeline M. , Winsler Kurt , Brothers Trevor A. , Hoversten Liv J. , Piñar Pilar , Corina David P.
Published: April 2021

Deaf readers may have larger perceptual spans than ability-matched hearing native English readers, allowing them to read more efficiently (Belanger & Rayner, 2015). To further test the hypothesis that deaf and hearing readers have different perceptual spans, the current study uses eye-movement data from two experiments in which deaf American Sign Language–English bilinguals, hearing native English speakers, and hearing Chinese–English bilinguals read semantically unrelated sentences and answered comprehension questions after a proportion of them. We analyzed skip rates, fixation times, and accuracy on comprehension questions. In addition, we analyzed how lexical properties of words affected skipping behavior and fixation durations. Deaf readers skipped words more often than native English speakers, who skipped words more often than Chinese–English bilinguals. Deaf readers had shorter first-pass fixation times than the other two groups. All groups’ skipping behaviors were affected by lexical frequency. Deaf readers’ comprehension did not differ from hearing Chinese–English bilinguals, despite greater skipping and shorter fixation times. Overall, the eye-tracking findings align with Belanger’s word processing efficiency hypothesis. Effects of lexical frequency on skipping behavior indicated further that eye movements during reading remain under cognitive control in deaf readers.
On the size-Ramsey number of grid graphs
Authors: Clemens Dennis , Miralaei Meysam , Reding Damian , Schacht Mathias , Taraz Anusch
Published: April 2021

The size-Ramsey number of a graph F is the smallest number of edges in a graph G with the Ramsey property for F, that is, with the property that any 2-colouring of the edges of G contains a monochromatic copy of F. We prove that the size-Ramsey number of the grid graph on n × n vertices is bounded from above by n3+o(1).