bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epoché and institution: the fundamental tension in Jan Patočka’s phenomenology
Authors: Meacham Darian , Tava Francesco
Published: December 2020

This article examines the relation between two key, but seemingly opposed concepts in Jan Patočka’s thought: epoché and the concrete institutional polis. In doing so it attempts to elucidate the inextricable relation between phenomenology and politics in the work of the Czech philosopher, and illustrate more broadly the possibilities for approaching the political from a phenomenological perspective. The article provides a phenomenological interpretation of “care for the soul” as closely linked to Patočka’s reformulation of the core phenomenological notion of epoché. It argues that in Patočka’s work, the epoché, traditionally conceived as a radical stepping back from the world must be rendered differently, not only as a negative freedom, but as the foundation of positive politics. Thus, the authors argue that there is a thematic and conceptual continuity between Patočka’s phenomenological studies and his political work.
Decomposition and nutrient mineralisation of leaf litter in smallholder cocoa agroforests: a comparison of organic and conventional farms in Ghana
Authors: Asigbaase Michael , Dawoe Evans , Sjogersten Sofie , Lomax Barry H.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Although litter decomposition and nutrient release patterns have been studied in cocoa agroforestry systems in general, studies focusing on organic and conventional cocoa systems are lacking which is critical as organic farms are particularly dependent on nutrient returns from decomposing litter.

Materials and methods

Dynamics in leaf litter decomposition and the mineralisation of macro- and micro-nutrients in organic and conventional cocoa agroforestry systems were studied using the litterbag technique for 12 months.

Results

The average monthly mass loss was more than two times higher on organic farms (9.2–14.4 g month−1) compared to conventional farms (4.2–7.3 g month−1) in the first five months. The annual rate of decomposition (k) was higher on organic farms (1.9) compared to conventional systems (1.4). The time required for 50% (t50) and 99% (t99) decomposition of leaf litter was both lower on organic farms (t50 = 0.4 years, t99 = 2.6 years) than conventional farms (t50 = 0.5 years, t99 = 3.5 years). The estimated k values for macro- and micro-nutrients on organic cocoa systems ranged from 2.3 for calcium to 4.5 for potassium compared to 1.6 (Ca) to 2.8 (K) on conventional farms. The k values of all nutrients (except nitrogen and phosphorus) were significantly greater on organic farms than conventional systems. The estimated k values for both litter decomposition and nutrient mineralisation correlated with soil pH and moisture content, but not initial litter chemistry.

Conclusions

Organic management of smallholder cocoa agroforestry systems enhanced leaf litter decomposition and nutrient mineralisation through improved soil conditions. Thus, organic management of cocoa agroforestry systems may contribute to sustainable cocoa production in smallholder systems through enhanced nutrient return from litter decomposition.
Kritik und Normativität in der (empirischen) Legitimitätsforschung
Authors: Barnickel Christiane
Published: December 2020

Der Beitrag nimmt die seit längerer Zeit in der Legitimitätsforschung geführte Debatte um die als zu reduktionistisch empfundene, dichotome Unterscheidung zwischen normativen und empirischen Zugängen zum Ausgangspunkt, um aufzuzeigen, welche unterschiedlichen normativen Dimensionen auch der empirischen Legitimitätsforschung inhärent sind. Hierzu wird eine Systematisierung vorgeschlagen, die die Debattenstränge zu Normativität und Kritik sowie die bewertungssoziologische Unterscheidung zwischen Werten und Bewerten aufnimmt. Es wird argumentiert, dass durch diese Differenzierungen unterschiedliche Lagerungen der Legitimationsforschung, insbesondere der empirischen Legitimationsforschung, greifbar werden.

Hierzu extrahiert der Beitrag zwei Leitunterscheidungen zwischen, erstens, Werten und Bewerten sowie, zweitens, danach, wer jeweils wertet und bewertet. Entlang dieser Achsen ordnet der Beitrag exemplarisch Zugriffe der bestehenden Legitimitäts- und Legitimationsforschung, auf der Basis wessen normativen Referenzrahmens ein Legitimitätsurteil gefällt wird und auf welcher Ebene Legitimität beurteilt wird, ein. So wird illustriert, dass Unterschiede in der normativen Lagerung anhand der Systematisierung klarer zutage treten und unterschiedliche Spielarten der Legitimationsforschung genauer verortet werden können als in bisherigen Systematisierungsversuchen.

Dabei geht es dem Beitrag nicht darum, für ein bestimmtes Modell der Legitimitätsforschung zu plädieren. Vielmehr soll die Vielfalt des Umgangs mit der normativen Dimension – und damit auch der (sich ergänzenden) Varianten des Verständnisses von Legitimität – in der empirischen Forschung aufgefächert werden. So wird veranschaulicht, auf welchen Ebenen Kritik und Normativität jeweils verortet sind, um die Implikationen für eine (meta-)kritische Legitimitätsforschung zu diskutieren.
Delinquenz kultursensibel erklären – ein theoretisches Rahmenmodell
Authors: Schmidt Stefanie , Ward Tony
Published: December 2020

Die hohe kulturelle Diversität der Straffälligenpopulation bringt eine ganze Reihe an Herausforderungen für Forschung und Praxis mit sich. Diesen Herausforderungen ist mit gängigen Erklärungsmodellen von Delinquenz jedoch kaum zu begegnen. Einerseits bestehen erhebliche Zweifel an deren allgemeiner Gültigkeit im interkulturellen Kontext, weil sie fast ausschließlich für den euroamerikanischen Raum entwickelt wurden. Andererseits bauen viele der Theorien auf dem Konzept der dynamischen Risikofaktoren auf, welches vage definiert ist. Viele dieser Theorien können Delinquenz kaum erklären, weil sie die zugrunde liegenden psychologischen Mechanismen nur wenig spezifizieren. Mit dem Cultural Agency-Model of Criminal Behavior (CAMCB) schlagen die Autoren ein Rahmenmodell vor, das auf die zugrunde liegenden individuellen psychologischen Mechanismen zielgerichteten Handelns abhebt und dabei systematisch zwischen universellen Komponenten und deren kulturell und individuell gefärbten Ausprägungen differenziert. Im CAMCB wird der Einfluss der kulturellen Sozialisation nicht an eine geografische oder ethnische Herkunft gebunden, sondern an kulturelle „traits“ (z. B. interdependenter Verarbeitungsstil), welche die Verhaltensgenese allgemein beeinflussen. An einem Beispiel wird gezeigt, dass delinquentes Verhalten je nach angenommenem kulturellen Trait unterschiedlich erklärt werden kann, während sich die Situation und die Reaktion nicht unterscheiden müssen. Wesentlich sind: erstens die Identifikation der universellen Verhaltenskomponenten, zweitens die Beschreibung deren kulturell und individuell gefärbter Ausprägungen und drittens die Erklärung von Delinquenz auf der Grundlage dieses Wissens. Dieses stufenweise Vorgehen erscheint nicht nur für die kriminalpsychologische Theorieentwicklung von Bedeutung, sondern auch für die forensische Praxis, bei der für jeden Einzelfall kultursensibel eine individuelle Delinquenztheorie formuliert werden muss.
Emerging Challenges for Numerical Simulations of Quasi-Static Collision Experiments on Laser-Welded Thin-Walled Steel Structures
Authors: Romanoff Jani , Körgesaar Mihkel , Remes Heikki
Published: December 2020

This paper re-evaluates recently published quasi-static tests on laser-welded thin-walled steel structures in order to discuss the fundamental challenges in collision simulations based on finite element analysis. Clamped square panels were considered, with spherical indenter positioned at the mid-span of the stiffeners and moved along this centerline in order to change the load-carrying mechanism of the panels. Furthermore, the use of panels with single-sided flat bar stiffening and web-core sandwich panels enabled the investigation of the effect of structural topology on structural behavior and strength. The changes in loading position and panel topology resulted in different loading, structural and material gradients. In web-core panels, these three gradients occur at the same locations making the panel global responses sensitive for statistical variations and the failure process time-dependent. In stiffened panel with reduced structural gradient, this sensitivity and time-dependency in failure process is not observed. These observations set challenges to numerical simulations due to spatial and temporal discretization as well as the observed microrotation, which is beyond the currently used assumptions of classical continuum mechanics. Therefore, finally, we discuss the potential of non-classical continuum mechanics as remedy to deal with these phenomena and provide a base for necessary development for future.
Influencing factors for the digital transformation in the financial services sector
Authors: Werth Oliver , Schwarzbach Christoph , Rodríguez Cardona Davinia , Breitner Michael H. , Graf von der Schulenburg Johann-Matthias
Published: December 2020

Digital transformation affects almost every area in societies and has consequences for incumbent companies. With qualitative research, we explore the influencing factors for digital transformation in the financial services sector. We use a PEST-model and Porter’s Five Forces as the underlying structure for our analysis. Our interviews and findings show that the financial services sector face the same current challenges, but their impact is perceived higher in the banking than in the insurance sector concerning social factors and bargaining power of buyers. The character of the current development is evolutionary rather than disruptive. Almost all incumbents currently focus on modernizing and consolidating their backend-systems. The aim is to enable them for new customer-oriented services. A primary driver for the digital transformation is the threat of a broader market entry by BigTechs. Our research provides a comprehensive overlook about the influencing factors of digital transformation using statements from experts in the field.
The Coronary Sinus Reducer; 5-year Dutch experience
Authors: Silvis M. J. M. , Dekker M. , Zivelonghi C. , Agostoni P. , Stella P. R. , Doevendans P. A. , de Kleijn D. P. V. , van Kuijk J. P. , Leenders G. E. , Timmers L.
Published: December 2020

Background

Refractory angina is a growing and major health-care problem affecting millions of patients with coronary artery disease worldwide. The Coronary Sinus Reducer (CSR) is a device that may be considered for the relief of symptoms of refractory angina. It causes increased venous pressure leading to a dilatation of arterioles and reduced arterial vascular resistance in the sub-endocardium. This study describes the 5‑year Dutch experience regarding safety and efficacy of the CSR.

Methods

One hundred and thirty-two patients with refractory angina were treated with the CSR. The primary efficacy endpoint of the study was Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) class improvement between baseline and 6‑month follow-up. The primary safety endpoint was successful CSR implantation in the absence of any device-related events.

Results

Eighty-five patients (67%) showed improvement of at least 1 CCS class and 43 patients (34%) of at least 2 classes. Mean CCS class improved from 3.17 ± 0.61 to 2.12 ± 1.07 after implantation (P < 0.001). The CSR was successfully implanted in 99% of the patients and only minor complications during implantation were reported.

Conclusion

The CSR is a simple, safe, and effective option for most patients with refractory angina. However, approximately thirty percent of the patients showed no benefit after implantation. Future studies should focus on the exact underlying mechanisms of action and reasons for non-response to better identify patients that could benefit most from this therapy.
The future of sustainability in the context of COVID-19
Authors: Cawthorn Donna-Mareè , Kennaugh Alexandra , Ferreira Sam M.
Published: December 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis emanating both from a virus (SARS-CoV-2) and from the drastic actions to contain it. Here, we reflect on the immediate responses of most world powers amid the pandemic chaos: totalitarian surveillance and nationalist isolation. Drawing on published literature, we consider measures such as wildlife-use bans, lockdowns and travel restrictions, along with their reverberations for people, economies and the planet. Our synthesis highlights significant shortfalls of applying command-and-control tactics in emergencies. For one, heavy-handed bans risk enormous unintended consequences and tend to fail if they lack legitimacy or clash with people’s values. Furthermore, reactive and myopic strategies typically view the pandemic as a stand-alone crisis, rather than unravelling the complex interplay of nature-society interactions through which zoonotic diseases originate. A return to adaptive management approaches that recognise root causes and foster socio-ecological resilience will be essential to improve human and planetary health and mitigate future pandemics.
Repression of Polyol Pathway Activity by Hemidesmus indicus var. pubescens R.Br. Linn Root Extract, an Aldose Reductase Inhibitor: An In Silico and Ex Vivo Study
Authors: Haroon Hajira Banu , Perumalsamy Vijaybhanu , Nair Gouri , Anand Dhanusha Koppal , Kolli Rajitha , Monichen Joel , Prabha Kanchan
Published: December 2020

Development of diabetic cataract is mainly associated with the accumulation of sorbitol via the polyol pathway through the action of Aldose reductase (AR). Hence, AR inhibitors are considered as potential agents in the management of diabetic cataract. This study explored the AR inhibition potential of Hemidesmus indicus var. pubescens root extract by in silico and ex vivo methods. Molecular docking studies (Auto Dock tool) between β-sitosterol, hemidesminine, hemidesmin-1, hemidesmin-2, and AR showed that β-sitosterol (− 10.2 kcal/mol) and hemidesmin-2 (− 8.07 kcal/mol) had the strongest affinity to AR enzyme. Ex vivo studies were performed by incubating isolated goat lenses in artificial aqueous humor using galactose (55 mM) as cataract inducing agent at room temperature (pH 7.8) for 72 h. After treatment with Vitamin E acetate − 100 µg/mL (standard) and test extract (500 and 1000 µg/mL) separately, the estimation of biochemical markers showed inhibition of lens AR activity and decreased sorbitol levels. Additionally, extract also normalized the levels of antioxidant markers like SOD, CAT, GSH. Our results showed evidence that H. indicus var. pubescens root was able to prevent cataract by prevention of opacification and formation of polyols that underlines its potential as a possible therapeutic agent against diabetic complications.

Graphic Abstract
‘One size does not fit all’: The value of person-centred analysis in health professions education research
Authors: Kusurkar Rashmi A. , Mak-van der Vossen Marianne , Kors Joyce , Grijpma Jan-Willem , Van der Burgt Stéphanie M. E. , Koster Andries S. , De la Croix Anne
Published: December 2020

Health professions education (HPE) research is dominated by variable-centred analysis, which enables the exploration of relationships between different independent and dependent variables in a study. Although the results of such analysis are interesting, an effort to conduct a more person-centred analysis in HPE research can help us in generating a more nuanced interpretation of the data on the variables involved in teaching and learning. The added value of using person-centred analysis, next to variable-centred analysis, lies in what it can bring to the applications of the research findings in educational practice. Research findings of person-centred analysis can facilitate the development of more personalized learning or remediation pathways and customization of teaching and supervision efforts. Making the research findings more recognizable in practice can make it easier for teachers and supervisors to understand and deal with students. The aim of this article is to compare and contrast different methods that can be used for person-centred analysis and show the incremental value of such analysis in HPE research. We describe three methods for conducting person-centred analysis: cluster, latent class and Q‑sort analyses, along with their advantages and disadvantage with three concrete examples for each method from HPE research studies.
A new class of high-entropy M3B4 borides
Authors: Qin Mingde , Yan Qizhang , Liu Yi , Luo Jian
Published: December 2020

A new class of high-entropy M3B4 borides of the Ta3B4-prototyped orthorhombic structure has been synthesized in the bulk form for the first time. Specimens with compositions of (V0.2Cr0.2Nb0.2Mo0.2Ta0.2)3B4 and (V0.2Cr0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2W0.2)3B4 were fabricated via reactive spark plasma sintering of high-energy-ball-milled elemental boron and metal precursors. The sintered specimens were ∼98.7% in relative densities with virtually no oxide contamination, albeit the presence of minor (4–5 vol%) secondary high-entropy M5B6 phases. Despite that Mo3B4 or W3B4 are not stable phase, 20% of Mo3B4 and W3B4 can be stabilized into the high-entropy M3B4 borides. Vickers hardness was measured to be 18.6 and 19.8 GPa at a standard load of 9.8 N. This work has further expanded the family of different structures of high-entropy ceramics reported to date.
Prediction and analysis of human‐herpes simplex virus type 1 protein‐protein interactions by integrating multiple methods
Authors: Lian Xianyi , Yang Xiaodi , Shao Jiqi , Hou Fujun , Yang Shiping , Pan Dongli , Zhang Ziding
Published: December 2020

Background

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‐1) is a ubiquitous infectious pathogen that widely affects human health. To decipher the complicated human‐HSV‐1 interactions, a comprehensive protein‐protein interaction (PPI) network between human and HSV‐1 is highly demanded.

Methods

To complement the experimental identification of human‐HSV‐1 PPIs, an integrative strategy to predict proteome‐wide PPIs between human and HSV‐1 was developed. For each human‐HSV‐1 protein pair, four popular PPI inference methods, including interolog mapping, the domain‐domain interaction‐based method, the domain‐motif interaction‐based method, and the machine learning‐based method, were optimally implemented to generate four interaction probability scores, which were further integrated into a final probability score.

Results

As a result, a comprehensive high‐confidence PPI network between human and HSV‐1 was established, covering 10,432 interactions between 4,546 human proteins and 72 HSV‐1 proteins. Functional and network analyses of the HSV‐1 targeting proteins in the context of human interactome can recapitulate the known knowledge regarding the HSV‐1 replication cycle, supporting the overall reliability of the predicted PPI network. Considering that HSV‐1 infections are implicated in encephalitis and neurodegenerative diseases, we focused on exploring the biological significance of the brain‐specific human‐HSV‐1 PPIs. In particular, the predicted interactions between HSV‐1 proteins and Alzheimer’s‐disease‐related proteins were intensively investigated.

Conclusion

The current work can provide testable hypotheses to assist in the mechanistic understanding of the human‐HSV‐1 relationship and the anti‐HSV‐1 pharmaceutical target discovery. To make the predicted PPI network and the datasets freely accessible to the scientific community, a user‐friendly database browser was released at http://www.zzdlab.com/HintHSV/index.php.
How to Do Things With Texts: A Functional Account of Reading Comprehension
Authors: Flores Eileen Pfeiffer , de Oliveira-Castro Jorge Mendes , de Souza Carlos Barbosa Alves
Published: December 2020

We offer an account of reading comprehension that we believe will help clarify some common conceptual confusions in the relevant literature, as well as contribute to existing functional accounts. We argue that defining texts qua texts as stimulus classes, on the one hand, and equating “comprehension” with behavior (covert or otherwise), on the other, are not useful conceptual moves, especially when behavioral settings go beyond basic literacy skills acquisition. We then analyze the structure of the contingencies that usually evoke talk of “comprehension” using techniques from analytic philosophy. We show how keeping the results of this analysis in mind can help avoid the conceptual bafflement that often arises, even among behavior analysts, when defining or assessing behavioral phenomena related to reading comprehension. Using two contrasting cases (legal texts and stories), we argue that what counts as comprehension depends, not peripherally but crucially, on the shared social practices of which texts are a part. Finally, we propose a new framework for classifying reader–text contingencies by combining two dimensions: openness of setting and embeddedness of reinforcement.
10-Year Survival after Breast-Conserving Surgery Compared with Mastectomy in Louisiana Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Chu Quyen D. , Hsieh Mei-Chin , Lyons John M. , Wu Xiao-Cheng
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND:

Louisiana has the third highest breast cancer mortality in the US, despite ranking 30th in incidence. Whether surgical approach contributes to such a poor outcome is unknown. We compared outcomes of breast-conserving surgery plus radiation (BCT) vs mastectomy (MST) for Louisiana women with early-stage breast cancer.

STUDY DESIGN:

Data on women diagnosed with Stage I–II breast cancer from 2004 to 2016 were analyzed from the Louisiana Tumor Registry. Overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (CSS) were compared between BCT and MST. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare survival curves, and logistic regression was used to examine the association of sociodemographic and clinical factors with the type of breast cancer surgery. Values of p < 0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS:

Of the 18,260 patients, 9,968 patients (54.6%) had BCT and 8,292 patients (45.4%) had MST. Compared with BCT, the MST group tended to be underinsured/Medicare/Medicaid, more impoverished, had higher stage 2 disease, were more likely to reside in rural regions, travel ≥25 miles to radiation treatment facility, be treated at low volume centers, and have T3, node positive, and poorly differentiated tumors. Ten-year OS and CSS were significantly better among those who had BCT (OS: 80.0%; 95% CI: 79.0%–81.1%; CSS: 92.7%; 95% CI: 92.1%–93.4%) than those having MST (OS: 69.3%; 95% CI: 68.0%–70.5%; CSS: 88.8%:95% CI: 87.9%–89.7%) (p < 0.05). Even after controlling for sociodemographic and clinical variables, MST was associated with a 28.6% increased risk of death from all causes (hazard ratio [HR]:1.286; 95% CI:1.197–1.380) and a 29.8% increased risk of breast-cancer specific death (HR:1.298; 95% CI: 1.150–1.465).

CONCLUSIONS:

Surgical approach, a factor that is within the control of the surgeon, has an impact on mortality for Louisiana women with early-stage breast cancer.
Off-farm Income, Credit Constraints, and Farm Investment
Authors: Key Nigel
Published: December 2020

Many farmers face borrowing limits that depend on their household income and net worth. Given such credit constraints, an increase in off-farm income should allow farmers to borrow more, thus influencing production decisions and productivity. To test this hypothesis, the education level of the farm operator’s spouse is used to identify exogenous variation in off-farm income. Findings indicate that higher off-farm income leads to more borrowing, capital expenditures, capital input intensity, farm labor use, output, farm income, and productivity. Results suggest that Federal programs that promote access to credit for limited-resource farmers may increase farm investment and productivity.
The Carbon Footprint of the Games – International Climate Change Law and the Olympics
Authors: Schmidt Rebecca
Published: December 2020

Olympic Games do not happen in a vacuum or a sports bubble. They are embedded in both local and global realities of a social, economic, and environmental nature. Environmental factors, in particular, have impacted the Olympic Movement for several decades. In this context, climate change is a more recent, yet increasingly important, issue on the agenda. This essay examines the Olympic Movement's multi-level climate change policy. Based on the goals established in the Paris Agreement, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) launched the Sports for Climate Action Initiative in 2018. In the context of the Olympics, this Initiative is implemented through the interplay between the IOC and actors at the local, host city level. Consequently, the system is highly dependent on local organizers’ capabilities to meet the Initiative's ambitious targets, as well as on the IOC's willingness and ability to take an active role in steering and supporting host cities in this process.
The Olympic Movement in International Law
Authors: Coleman Doriane Lambelet
Published: December 2020

The Olympic Movement has been self-regulated from the beginning, and its private ordering is governed by the domestic law of the nations in which its organizations are domiciled and operate. Nevertheless, it is also an institution of global governance, with important ties to international law. This essay examines the nature of those ties and the push for additional alignment between the norms of the Movement and international legal norms. I first provide a taxonomy of Olympic Movement organizations, centered on the attributes that are helpful to understanding the place of each in the global governance of sport and the value the organizations produce for their diverse stakeholders. I then describe demands from international law for additional alignment with human rights and governance norms and the standard response from sport. In the final section, I argue that regulatory autonomy is necessary for sport to produce the values expected by its stakeholders; domestic law, including as it reflects international law, is generally an adequate check on abuses of that autonomy. International norms are useful not as binding law that would displace the Movement's autonomy, but as pressure for Movement organizations to consider aligning their policies and procedures with the public interests those norms reflect.
Descartes on the Animal Within, and the Animals Without
Authors: Thomas Evan
Published: December 2020

Descartes held that animals are material automata without minds. However, this raises a puzzle. Descartes’s argument for this doctrine relies on the claims that animals lack language and general intelligence. But these claims seem compatible with the view that animals have minds. As a solution to this puzzle, I defend what I call theintrospective-analogicalinterpretation. According to this interpretation, Descartes employs introspection to show that certain human behaviors do not depend on thought but rather on automatic bodily processes. Descartes then argues that animal behavior resembles only those behaviors that are automatic in humans. Analogy thus supports the view that the behaviors of animals do not depend on thought but are, rather, automatic. And if animal behavior is automatic, then animals are best regarded as automata.
Dynamics of plane partitions: Proof of the Cameron–Fon-Der-Flaass conjecture
Authors: Patrias Rebecca , Pechenik Oliver
Published: December 2020

One of the oldest outstanding problems in dynamical algebraic combinatorics is the following conjecture of P. Cameron and D. Fon-Der-Flaass (1995): consider a plane partitionPin an$a \times b \times c$box${\sf B}$. Let$\Psi (P)$denote the smallest plane partition containing the minimal elements of${\sf B} - P$. Then if$p= a+b+c-1$is prime, Cameron and Fon-Der-Flaass conjectured that the cardinality of the$\Psi $-orbit ofPis always a multiple ofp.

This conjecture was established for$p \gg 0$by Cameron and Fon-Der-Flaass (1995) and for slightly smaller values ofpin work of K. Dilks, J. Striker and the second author (2017). Our main theorem specializes to prove this conjecture in full generality.
Infection control challenges in setting up community isolation and treatment facilities for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Implementation of directly observed environmental disinfection
Authors: Wong Shuk-Ching , Leung Ming , Tong Danny Wah-Kun , Lee Larry Lap-Yip , Leung Will Lok-Hang , Chan Frank Wan-Kin , Chen Jonathan Hon-Kwan , Hung Ivan Fan-Ngai , Yuen Kwok-Yung , Yeung Deacons Tai-Kong , Chung Kin-Lai , Cheng Vincent Chi-Chung
Published: December 2020

Background:

Extensive environmental contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been reported in hospitals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We report our experience with the practice of directly observed environmental disinfection (DOED) in a community isolation facility (CIF) and a community treatment facility (CTF) in Hong Kong.

Methods:

The CIF, with 250 single-room bungalows in a holiday camp, opened on July 24, 2020, to receive step-down patients from hospitals. The CTF, with 500 beds in open cubicles inside a convention hall, was activated on August 1, 2020, to admit newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients from the community. Healthcare workers (HCWs) and cleaning staff received infection control training to reinforce donning and doffing of personal protective equipment and to understand the practice of DOED, in which the cleaning staff observed patient and staff activities and then performed environmental disinfection immediately thereafter. Supervisors also observed cleaning staff to ensure the quality of work. In the CTF, air and environmental samples were collected on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-PCR. Patient compliance with mask wearing was also recorded.

Results:

Of 291 HCWs and 54 cleaning staff who managed 243 patients in the CIF and 674 patients in the CTF from July 24 to August 29, 2020, no one acquired COVID-19. All 24 air samples and 520 environmental samples collected in the patient area of the CTF were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Patient compliance with mask wearing was 100%.

Conclusion:

With appropriate infection control measures, zero environmental contamination and nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to HCWs and cleaning staff was achieved.
Drygalski Ice Tongue stability influenced by rift formation and ice morphology
Authors: Indrigo Christine , Dow Christine F. , Greenbaum Jamin S. , Morlighem Mathieu
Published: December 2020

The Drygalski Ice Tongue in East Antarctica stretches 90 km into the Ross Sea and influences the local ocean circulation, and persistence of the Terra Nova Bay Polynya. We examine the controls on the size of this floating ice body by comparing the propagation of six large fractures on the ice tongue's northern side using 21 years of Landsat imagery with hydrostatic ice thickness maps and strain rate calculations. We also apply a subglacial hydrology model to estimate the location and discharge from subglacial channels over the grounding line and compare these with basal channels identified along the ice tongue using remote sensing and airborne radar data. Our results suggest that large fractures are inhibited from full-width propagation by thicker ice between basal channels. We hypothesize that only once the ice tongue thins towards the terminus, can fractures propagate and cause large calving events. This suggests an important relationship between the melting of floating ice from subglacial and ocean sources and the expansion of fractures that lead to ice tongue calving.
MORAL INNOCENCE AND THE CRIMINAL LAW: NON-MALA ACTIONS AND NON-CULPABLE AGENTS
Authors: Segev Re'em
Published: December 2020

According to an influential view, using the criminal law against innocent actions or agents is wrong. In this paper, I consider four related arguments against this view: a debunking argument that suggests that the intuitive appeal of this view may be due to a conflation of different ideas; a counterexamples argument that points out that there are many cases in which using the criminal law against innocent actions or agents is justified; a theoretical argument, according to which the force of the reasons for and against using the criminal law is a matter of degree and it is therefore implausible to hold that the latter always defeat the former; and an analogy argument, which holds that it is implausible to maintain that harming innocents is often justified in other contexts but (almost) never in the context of the criminal law.
Where Does the Predictability from Sorting on Returns of Economically Linked Firms Come From?
Authors: Burt Aaron , Hrdlicka Christopher
Published: December 2020

Cross-firm predictability among economically linked firms can arise when both firms exhibit their own momentum and their returns are contemporaneously correlated. We show that cross-firm predictability can last up to 10 years, which is hard to reconcile with an interpretation of slow information diffusion. However, it is consistent with the economically linked firms’ commonality in momentum. The contribution of each source can be found by decomposing leaders’ returns into the predictable (momentum) and news components. Sorting on each, we find that both sources contribute almost equally to 1-month predictability, whereas commonality in momentum is solely responsible for longer-horizon cross-firm predictability.
Practical Ideology in Militant Organizations
Authors: Parkinson Sarah E.
Published: December 2020

Ideology shapes militant recruitment, organization, and conflict behavior. Existing research assumes doctrinal consistency, top-down socialization of adherents, and clear links between formal ideology and political action. But it has long been recognized that ideological commitments do not flow unaltered from overarching cleavages or elite narratives; they are uneven, contingent, fraught with tension, and often ambivalent. What work does ideology do in militant groups if it is not deeply studied, internalized, or sincerely believed? How can scholars explain collective commitment, affinity, and behavioral outcomes among militants who clearly associate themselves with a group, but who may not consistently (or ever) be true believers or committed ideologues? I argue that practical ideologies—sets of quotidian principles, ideas, and social heuristics that reflect relational worldviews rather than specific published political doctrines, positions, platforms, or plans—play a key role in militant socialization through everyday practices. Ethnographic evidence gained from fieldwork among Palestinians in Lebanon demonstrates how militants and affiliates render ideas about ideological closeness and distance accessible through emotional, intellectual, and moral appeals. This approach reaffirms the role of discourse and narrative in creating informal mechanisms of militant socialization without expressly invoking formal doctrine.
Toward a common understanding of competencies for health technology assessment: enhancing educational and training programs around the globe
Authors: Mueller Debjani , Gutierrez-Ibarluzea Iñaki , Chiumente Marco , Oortwijn Wija
Published: December 2020

Background

Depending on the health system context and the demands of relevant stakeholders in countries, the need, organizational structure, and prerequisites for enabling capacity building and development in health technology assessment (HTA) will vary. Core competencies are instrumental in this and include essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs). They provide building blocks for delivering high-quality and effective practices of HTA. We aimed to systematically explore and develop an overview of the core competencies necessary for HTA.

Methods

This study was conducted during 2016–19 using different methods in a structured manner. We drew concepts of KSAs from various literature sources, surveyed universities and HTA professionals, and conducted expert workshops to arrive at a common understanding of the required competencies.

Results

The terminology for KSAs defining competencies in HTA programs has been clarified. In addition, a list of competencies offered through different educational and training programs has been created. The surveys provided clarity on a common understanding of KSAs among HTA stakeholders. Thereafter, a set of competencies was described and classified according to the HTA domains.

Conclusions

Our study shows that there is diversity in HTA programs offered by educational institutions. The content of the programs varies due to differences between countries regarding the level of HTA development and the need for HTA, including the understanding of what HTA is. The preparation of a competency checklist or a “menu” of options mirroring the diversity of HTA will ensure that the specific needs of the HTA community will be covered.
Systematic review search methods evaluated using the Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and the Risk Of Bias In Systematic reviews tool
Authors: de Kock Shelley , Stirk Lisa , Ross Janine , Duffy Steven , Noake Caro , Misso Kate
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the methodological and reporting characteristics of search methods of systematic reviews (SRs) using the Preferred Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and the Risk Of Bias In Systematic reviews (ROBIS) tool.

Methods

A sample of 505 SRs published in 2016 was taken from KSR Evidence, a database of SRs, and analyzed to assess compliance with Information sources and Search of the PRISMA checklist. Domain 2 (D2) (Identification and Selection of Studies) of the ROBIS tool was used to judge the risk of bias in search methods.

Results

Regarding Information sources and Search of PRISMA, twenty percent of SRs which claimed to be PRISMA-compliant in their methods, were compliant; twenty-four percent of SRs published in journals that require PRISMA reporting were compliant; nineteen percent in total were found to be compliant. Twenty-eight percent of SRs were judged to be at a low risk of bias in D2 and so searched widely with an effective strategy and, finally, ten percent were both compliant with the reporting of Information sources and with Search of PRISMA and were judged to be at a low risk of bias in D2.

Conclusions

Ninety percent of SRs are failing to report search methods adequately and to conduct comprehensive searches using a wide range of resources. Editors of journals and peer reviewers need to ensure that they understand the requirements of PRISMA and that compliance is adhered to. Additionally, the comprehensiveness of search methods for SRs needs to be given more critical consideration.
Smart design of intelligent companion toys for preschool children
Authors: Wang Xin , Yin Nian , Zhang Zhinan
Published: December 2020

Early childhood education has long-lasting influences on people, and an appropriate companion toy can play an essential role in children's brain development. This paper establishes a complete framework to guide the design of intelligent companion toys for preschool children from 2 to 6 years old, which is child-centered and environment-oriented. The design process is divided into three steps: requirement confirmation, the smart design before the sale, and the iterative update after the sale. This framework considers the characteristics of children and highlights the integration of human and artificial intelligence in design. A case study is provided to prove the superiority of the new framework. In addition to enriching the research on intelligent toy design, this paper also guides for practitioners to design smart toys and helps in children's cognitive development.
Protection of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) seedlings from salinity stress following seed priming with L-methionine and casein hydrolysate
Authors: Lee Keum-Ah , Kim Youngnam , Alizadeh Hossein , Leung David W.M.
Published: December 2020

Seed priming with water (hydropriming or HP) has been shown to be beneficial for seed germination and plant growth. However, there is little information on the effects of seed priming with amino acids and casein hydrolysate (CH) compared with HP, particularly in relation to early post-germinative seedling growth under salinity stress. In this study, Italian ryegrass seeds (Lolium multiflorum L.) were primed with 1 mM of each of the 20 protein amino acids and CH (200 mg l−1) before they were germinated in 0, 60 and 90 mM NaCl in Petri dishes for 4 d in darkness. Germination percentage (GP), radicle length (RL) and peroxidase (POD) activity in the root of 4-d-old Italian ryegrass seedlings were investigated. Generally, when the seeds were germinated in 0, 60 and 90 mM NaCl, there was no significant difference in GP of seeds among various priming treatments, except that a higher GP was observed in seeds of HP treatment compared with the non-primed seeds when incubated in 60 mM NaCl. When incubated in 60 and 90 mM NaCl, seedlings from seeds primed with L-methionine or CH exhibited greater RL (greater protection against salinity stress) and higher root POD activity than those from non-primed and hydro-primed seeds. Under salinity stress, there were higher levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the root of 4-d-old Italian ryegrass seedlings, a marker of oxidative stress, but seed priming with CH was effective in reducing the salinity-triggered increase in MDA content. These results suggest that priming with L-methionine or CH would be better than HP for the protection of seedling root growth under salinity stress and might be associated with enhanced antioxidative defence against salinity-induced oxidative stress.
Just Better Utilitarianism
Authors: HÄYRY MATTI
Published: December 2020

Utilitarianism could still be a viable moral and political theory, although an emphasis on justice as distributing burdens and benefits has hidden this from current conversations. The traditional counterexamples prove that we have good grounds for rejecting classical, aggregative forms of consequentialism. A nonaggregative, liberal form of utilitarianism is immune to this rejection. The cost is that it cannot adjudicate when the basic needs of individuals or groups are in conflict. Cases like this must be solved by other methods. This is not a weakness in liberal utilitarianism, on the contrary. The theory clarifies what we should admit to begin with: that ethical doctrines do not have universally acceptable solutions to all difficult problems or hard cases. The theory also reminds us that not all problems are in this sense difficult or cases hard. We could alleviate the plight of nonhuman animals by reducing meat eating. We could mitigate climate change and its detrimental effects by choosing better ways of living. These would imply that most people’s desire satisfaction would be partly frustrated, but liberal utilitarianism holds that this would be justified by the satisfaction of the basic needs of other people and nonhuman animals.
Environmental Liquid Cell Technique for Improved Electron Microscopic Imaging of Soft Matter in Solution
Authors: Azim Sana , Bultema Lindsey A. , de Kock Michiel B. , Osorio-Blanco Ernesto Rafael , Calderón Marcelo , Gonschior Josef , Leimkohl Jan-Philipp , Tellkamp Friedjof , Bücker Robert , Schulz Eike C. , Keskin Sercan , de Jonge Niels , Kassier Günther H. , Miller R.J. Dwayne
Published: December 2020

Liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy is a technique for simultaneous imaging of the structure and dynamics of specimens in a liquid environment. The conventional sample geometry consists of a liquid layer tightly sandwiched between two Si3N4 windows with a nominal spacing on the order of 0.5 μm. We describe a variation of the conventional approach, wherein the Si3N4 windows are separated by a 10-μm-thick spacer, thus providing room for gas flow inside the liquid specimen enclosure. Adjusting the pressure and flow speed of humid air inside this environmental liquid cell (ELC) creates a stable liquid layer of controllable thickness on the bottom window, thus facilitating high-resolution observations of low mass-thickness contrast objects at low electron doses. We demonstrate controllable liquid thicknesses in the range 160 ± 34 to 340 ± 71 nm resulting in corresponding edge resolutions of 0.8 ± 0.06 to 1.7 ± 0.8 nm as measured for immersed gold nanoparticles. Liquid layer thickness 40 ± 8 nm allowed imaging of low-contrast polystyrene particles. Hydration effects in the ELC have been studied using poly-N-isopropylacrylamide nanogels with a silica core. Therefore, ELC can be a suitable tool for in situ investigations of liquid specimens.
Why and how farmers manage mixed cattle–sheep farming systems and cope with economic, climatic and workforce-related hazards
Authors: Mugnier Sylvie , Husson Catherine , Cournut Sylvie
Published: December 2020

Combining cattle and sheep on the same farm can be a promising way for farmers to face uncertainties and produce in an agroecological manner. Previous studies showed benefits of mixed-species grazing on animal health and pasture use. However, few studies have examined how farmers truly manage the two species on their farms and why. The purpose of this study was to explore this issue by surveying 37 farmers who combined meat sheep and beef or dairy cattle on their farms. We chose a systemic and comprehensive approach to the functioning of mixed-species livestock farming systems (MSLF) by considering all dimensions of the system influenced by mixing species (i.e., system configuration, grazing, marketing of products, work and adaptive capacity) and by considering the farmers' viewpoints. The benefits of mixing species that farmers mentioned concerned economic stability and optimal use of grassland resources. Although farmers usually mentioned workload as a disadvantage, the facts are not so clear, and mixing species also benefits work. Farmers cited the pleasure of varied work and the flexibility of work organization. We identified four types of combining cattle and sheep on pasture that express a gradient of the interaction between the two species (from no to high interaction) and are influenced by field configuration (grouped or scattered) and cattle production (dairy or beef). Regarding work organization, ways to combine the two species concern distribution of work required for each species among workers (versatility or specialization) and over the year. Three modes of temporal organization of the work required for each species, which corresponded to different strategies for organizing animal-production cycles, the availability of labor and the willingness to use resources, were identified. To adapt their farm to climatic, economic and workforce-related hazards, farmers used mechanisms related to the combination of the two species: modifying the ewe/cow ratio, breeding periods, worker versatility, grazing management and allocation of resources between species. Our study showed the interest of a systemic and comprehensive approach to MSLF that are promising for the agroecological transition but poorly documented. In particular, it highlighted the need to consider work as part of the system to be configured, managed and adjusted along with the other parts and not simply as a set of constraints.