bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are important phenomena of joint production still being neglected by economic theory? A review of recent literature
Authors: Dyckhoff Harald , Souren Rainer
Published: August 2022

Joint production is a term with a long history in economics, encompassing a variety of ubiquitous production types that usually generate both main products as well as desirable and undesirable byproducts. However, studies in economic history show that important phenomena subsumed under this term were largely ignored by the theories of general economics and of business economics in the twentieth century. Our systematic, narrative literature review based on the Web of Science analyses the extent to which this and other terms corresponding to such phenomena have been taken up by researchers since then. Whereas the number of papers on undesirable outputs has soared, especially in the past decade, the economic literature regarding joint production and harmless byproducts is much smaller and hardly growing. This is in stark contrast to their relevance in practice, recorded in the non-economic literature. Harmful byproducts result from coupled production, as a rule. However, this important manifestation of joint production is usually not distinguished from other specific types. In German-language literature, coupled production is defined as a kind of (truly) joint production in which an intended product cannot be manufactured without an additional type of output under consideration. Our review reveals a lack of clarity, precision, and consistency in the use of established terms and concepts in English-language literature, that may lead to insufficient external validity of widely accepted models. Moreover, one gets the impression that academic disciplines concerned with business or general economics focus too much on problems that are currently of economic interest, while neglecting other issues that may be marginal today but are likely to be of critical importance in the near future.
The dialectics of capital: learning from Gran Chaco
Authors: Ceddia M. Graziano , Montani Rodrigo , Mioni Walter
Published: August 2022

The critical impact of humans on the biosphere has led scientists to coin the term Anthropocene. The global environmental changes associated with it are happening under the aegis of capitalism. A transition towards sustainability requires a critical scrutiny of capitalism. The social–ecological system (SES) approach conceptualises the relationship between the socio-economic subsystem and the biosphere. However, in its various operationalisations it either treats the former as a black box or it fails to capture dynamic aspects. We address these limits and develop a Dialectical Socio-Ecological System (D-SES) framework, which combines process ecology with historical materialism, to describe the emergence and persistence of capitalist dynamics. We draw on data collected through fieldwork and desk research and deploy our framework to study capital-intensive agriculture in the Chaco Salteño, an important agricultural frontier in South America, obtaining some general insights. We open up the socio-economic subsystem and break it down into a lower-level material/economic sphere and an upper-level cultural/institutional sphere. Capitalist dynamics emerge out of the peculiar relationships occurring both within and between these spheres. This configuration shows the typical signs of autocatalysis. It attracts resources and capital to expand itself (centripetality). It becomes more complex and organised over time, fine-tuning production modes, cultures, and institutions (directionality). It is subject to the laws of competition and profit maximisation, which emerge independently from the individual actors and processes making up the system (autonomy). Finally, it engenders frictions, reflecting class antagonism between the direct producers and the appropriators of wealth. These frictions can become leverage points for a system’s transformation.
Mapping the spatial distribution of fossil geothermal manifestations and assessment of geothermal potential of the Tangyin rift, Southeast of Taihang Mountain in China
Authors: Mahwa Joshua , Li Da-jiang , Ping Jian-hua , Leng Wei , Tang Jia-bo , Shao Dong-yun
Published: August 2022

The spatial prediction of geothermal sites along the southeast side of Taihang Mountain in the Tangyin rift is a critical goal in the development of renewable energy resources in cities such as Hebi in Henan province, which has significant potential for geothermal energy production due to the existence of deep faults and Cenozoic volcano. The study aimed to delineate areas with high geothermal manifestations for detailed geothermal exploration and well-test drilling. To define favorable zones for geothermal potentiality, multi-source datasets were chosen to generate evidence thematic layers that demonstrate the distribution of geothermal anomalies such as geologic maps, structural maps, Land Surface Temperature maps (LST), and hydrothermal mineral alterations maps. The remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) approaches were integrated to map fossil geothermal manifestations and appraise the promising geothermal zones from Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer-Digital Elevation Model (ASTER-DEM) dataset using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), which is one of the Mult-criteria Decision Making methods. Results show LST values ranging from 22.6°C to 45.4°C, with the highest values found along the faults and volcanic areas. The hydrothermal alteration minerals discriminated from band ratios of 4/2, 6/5, and 6/7 for iron oxide, ferrous minerals, and clays reveal the presence of high amount of montmorillonite and illite minerals along the faults and volcanoes which are related to hot fluid circulation from subsurface. Structural analysis shows that the major structural trend follows the NNE Tangdong and Tangxi faults, with high density on the west side of the Tangxi fault where there is good exposure of outcrop but less fault density on the east side due to sedimentation in a low land which may conceal geological structures. Lastly, all the thematic layers of geothermal factors were reclassified, ranked, and integrated by the weight overlay logic model based on the influence of geothermal suitability to map potential areas for geothermal resources whereby 5 zones were obtained ranging from very poor to very good. The promising potential sites are mostly found along the highly deep structures of the major Tangxi fault crosscutting the permeable lithology of carbonate rocks and around the Hebi volcanoes. The distribution of hot springs and geothermal wells of the Hebi field were correlated and verified against the potential geothermal anomalies map. The overall integrated method proposes an advanced technique for designing the Tangyin rift’s exploration plan and development actions for geothermal resources utilization, which can be used for exploration of any unveiling geothermal potential sites.
Glacial biodiversity of the southernmost glaciers of the European Alps (Clapier and Peirabroc, Italy)
Authors: Valle Barbara , Gobbi Mauro , Tognetti Marta , Borgatti Marina Serena , Compostella Chiara , Pantini Paolo , Caccianiga Marco
Published: August 2022

We applied a multi-taxa approach integrating the co-occurrence of plants, ground beetles, spiders and springtails with soil parameters (temperatures and chemical characteristics) in order to describe the primary succession along two glacier forelands in the Maritime Alps (Italy), a hotspot of Mediterranean biodiversity. We compared these successions to those from Central Alps: Maritime glacier forelands markedly differ for their higher values of species richness and species turnover. Contrary to our expectation, Maritime glacier forelands follow a ‘replacement change model’, like continental succession of Inner Alps and differently from other peripheral successions. We propose that the temperatures along these Mediterranean glacier forelands are warmer than those along other Alpine glacier forelands, which promote the faster species turnover. Furthermore, we found that early and mid successional stages of the investigated glaciers are richer in cold-adapted and endemic species than the later ones: we confirmed that the ‘replacement change’ model disadvantages pioneer, cold-adapted species. Given the overall correspondence among cold-adapted and endemic species, the most threatened in this climate phase, our results raise new concerns about the extinction risk of these species. We also describe supraglacial habitat of Maritime glaciers demonstrating that supraglacial debris represents an environment decoupled from the regional climate and may have an important role as refugium for coldadapted and hygrophilous plant and animal species, whose survival can be threatened by climate change and by a rapid ecological succession in the adjacent forelands.
ABCD2, ABCD2-I, and OTTAWA scores for stroke risk assessment: a direct retrospective comparison
Authors: Spampinato Michele Domenico , Covino Marcello , Passaro Angelina , Guarino Matteo , Marziani Beatrice , Ghirardi Caterina , Ricciardelli Adelina , Fabbri Irma Sofia , Strada Andrea , Gasbarrini Antonio , Franceschi Francesco , De Giorgio Roberto
Published: August 2022

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a neurologic emergency characterized by cerebral ischemia eliciting a temporary focal neurological deficit. Many clinical prediction scores have been proposed to assess the risk of stroke after TIA; however, studies on their clinical validity and comparisons among them are scarce. The objective is to compare the accuracy of ABCD2, ABCD2-I, and OTTAWA scores in the prediction of a stroke at 7, 90 days, and 1 year in patients presenting with TIA. Single-centre, retrospective study including patients with TIA admitted to the Emergency Department of our third-level, University Hospital, between 2018 and 2019. Five hundred three patients were included. Thirty-nine (7.7%) had a stroke within 1 year from the TIA: 9 (1.7%) and 24 (4.7%) within 7 and 90 days, respectively. ABCD2, ABCD2-I, and OTTAWA scores were significantly higher in patients who developed a stroke. AUROCs ranged from 0.66 to 0.75, without statistically significant differences at each time-point. Considering the best cut-off of each score, only ABCD2 > 3 showed a sensitivity of 100% only in the prediction of stroke within 7 days. Among clinical items of each score, duration of symptoms, previous TIA, hemiparesis, speech disturbance, gait disturbance, previous cerebral ischemic lesions, and known carotid artery disease were independent predictors of stroke. Clinical scores have moderate prognostic accuracy for stroke after TIA. Considering the independent predictors for stroke, our study indicates the need to continue research and prompts the development of new tools on predictive scores for TIA.
Comparison between total thyroidectomy and hemithyroidectomy in TIR3B thyroid nodules management
Authors: Albano Domenico , Treglia Giorgio , Dondi Francesco , Giubbini Raffaele , Galani Alessandro , Cappelli Carlo , Bertagna Francesco , Casella Claudio
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Thyroid nodules classified as TIR3B according to SIAPEC 2014 are considered a clinical challenge due to the risk to be malignant. This retrospective study aimed to compare the performances of total thyroidectomy (TT) and hemithyroidectomy (HT) in the surgical management of a consecutive cohort of patients affected by TIR3B thyroid nodule in terms of side effects and the rate of malignancy detected.

Methods

From 2011 to 2019, 136 (111 women, 25 men; average age of 53.5 years) patients having a thyroid nodule with a cytological diagnosis of TIR3B who underwent TT or HT were retrospectively included.

Results

Out of 136 patients, 106 (78%) received TT, while the remaining 30 (22%) HT. The final diagnosis was malignant in 65 patients (48%), with follicular variant of papillary carcinoma as the most frequent. The diagnosis of malignancy was significantly more common in the TT group with 56 patients (53%) compared to the HT group with 9 cases (30%) (p = 0.001). Patients who underwent TT were significantly older, had larger nodules and the time between diagnosis and surgery was significantly longer compared to HT (p = 0.001; p0.003; p = 0.002). No main post-surgical complications were registered, except for one case of transient hypocalcemia in a patient who underwent TT.

Conclusions

Our data showed a malignancy rate of TIR3B lesions higher than expected (48%). Both TT and HT seem to be effective approaches for the treatment of TIR3B nodules with a very low rate of post-surgical comorbidities. In the choice of surgical approach, it is crucial to consider the presence of risk factors (clinical and ultrasound characteristics), nodule size, patients’ opinion, and surgeon’s skills and experience.
Maintenance of androgen deprivation therapy or testosterone supplementation in the management of castration-resistant prostate cancer: that is the question
Authors: Caramella Irene , Dalla Volta Alberto , Bergamini Marco , Cosentini Deborah , Valcamonico Francesca , Berruti Alfredo
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Whether or not androgen receptor (AR) axis could still be targetable in castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients with disease progression to next generation hormonal agents (NGHAs) is a controversial issue.

Results

Serum testosterone in CRPC patients has a positive prognostic role and increasing testosterone levels after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) withdrawal or testosterone supplementation, as part of a bipolar androgen therapy (BAT) strategy, has been shown to potentially restore sensitivity to previous lines of NGHAs.

Conclusion

These data suggest that maintenance of ADT in CRPC patients receiving further lines of treatment, as recommended by current international guidelines, could be questionable. Conversely, testosterone supplementation aimed to re-sensitize CRPC to further hormonal manipulation is a strategy worth to be explored in future clinical trials.
Differentials in Health and Wellbeing in Older Adults with Obesity in England: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: Ghosh Gargi , Khan Hafiz T. A. , Vohra Salim
Published: August 2022

The aim of the study is to explore the association of obesity by body mass index (BMI) measurements with subjective health status (SHS), objective health status (OHS) and wellbeing status among older adults in England. The sample of 5640 participants (aged 50 years and over) are considered from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing Wave 8 dataset. Multivariate logistic regression analysis is performed to explore the cross-sectional relationship of the study variables. The statistical analyses explored those overweight and obese older adults are progressively vulnerable to increasing odds of poor SHS, OHS and poor wellbeing in an adjusted model compared to their normal-weight counterparts. The outcome of the present study would enable policymakers and healthcare providers to have greater insight into the effects of socio-demographic and lifestyle factors and the effect of high BMI on older adults’ health and wellbeing.
The integrated comprehension of lncRNA HOXA-AS3 implication on human diseases
Authors: Yao Qinfan , Wang Cuili , Wang Yucheng , Zhang Xiuyuan , Jiang Hong , Chen Dajin
Published: August 2022

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a non-protein-coding RNA with a length of more than 200 nucleotides. Studies have shown that lncRNAs have vital impacts on various pathological processes and participate in the development of human diseases, usually through acting as competing endogenous RNAs to modulate miRNA expression and biological functions. lncRNA HOXA Cluster Antisense RNA 3 (HOXA-AS3) was a newly discovered lncRNA and has been demonstrated to be abnormally expressed in many diseases. Moreover, HOXA-AS3 expression was closely correlated with the clinicopathologic characteristics in cancer patients. In addition, HOXA-AS3 exhibited significant properties in regulating several biological processes, including cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Furthermore, HOXA-AS3 has provided promising values in the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic strategies of several diseases such as liver cancer, glioma, lung cancer, oral cancer, gastric cancer, and even atherosclerosis. In this review, we discuss the abnormal expression of HOXA-AS3 in several human disorders and some pathobiological processes and its clinical characteristics, followed by a summary of HOXA-AS3 functions, regulatory mechanisms, and clinical application potential.
Chemical shift assignments of calmodulin bound to a C-terminal site (residues 1120–1147) in the β-subunit of a retinal cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (CNGB1)
Authors: Bej Aritra , Ames James B.
Published: August 2022

Retinal cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels consist of two protein subunits (CNGA1 and CNGB1). Calmodulin (CaM) binds to two separate sites within the cytosolic region of CNGB1: CaM binding to an N-terminal site (human CNGB1 residues 565–587, called CaM1) decreases the open probability of CNG channels at elevated Ca2+ levels in dark-adapted photoreceptors, whereas CaM binding to a separate C-terminal site (CNGB1 residues 1120–1147, called CaM2) may increase channel open probability in light activated photoreceptors. We recently reported NMR chemical shift assignments of Ca2+-saturated CaM bound to the CaM1 site of CNGB1 (BMRB no. 51222). Here, we report complete NMR chemical shift assignments of Ca2+-saturated CaM bound to the C-terminal CaM2 site of CNGB1 (BMRB no. 51447).
Distorted Reality: A Commentary on DiMarco et al. (2022) and the Question of Male Sexual Victimization
Authors: Widanaralalage B. Kennath , Reed Shon M. , Lobo Antunes Maria João , DeJong Christina , Pinchevsky Gillian M. , Lovell Rachel , Cummings Cristy E.
Published: August 2022

Our commentary responds to claims made by DiMarco and colleagues in an article published in this journal that the majority of victims of rape are men and that 80% of those who rape men are women. Although we strongly believe that studying male sexual victimization is a highly important research and policy endeavour, we have concerns with the approach taken by DiMarco and colleagues to discuss these incidents. Specifically, we critique their paper by addressing the definitions of rape used by the authors, questioning their interpretation of national victim surveys, evaluating their analysis of the underreporting of male rape, and highlighting the heteronormative framework they use to outline the landscape of male sexual victimization. With this commentary, we call for a holistic, nuanced, and balanced study of male sexual victimization that recognizes the reality of both female-on-male and male-on-male violence, the experiences of survivors, and multi-layered barriers that male victims often encounter.
Associations between online communication with strangers and mild delinquency in junior high school students
Authors: Obokata Akiko , Pauen Sabina
Published: August 2022

Today, adolescents can easily make contact with strangers online. The present study examines the relation of online communication with strangers (OCS) and mild delinquency among junior high school students and explores which risk factors are associated with both types of behavior, taking gender differences into account. A total of 1873 Japanese adolescents (aged 12–15) with mobile phones completed online questionnaires assessing internet usage (duration, variability), parental behavior (violence, monitoring), and adolescent characteristics (depression, self-control) as potential predictors of OCS and mild delinquency. Sequential model testing revealed that the duration of internet usage was associated with both dependent variables, whereas its variability was associated with OCS alone. Self-control and parental violence predicted both outcome variables in girls, but only mild delinquency in boys. Depression was related with both behaviors in boys. Parental monitoring was negatively associated with OCS among girls and with mild delinquency among boys. Overall, OCS appeared to have a similar function for girls as mild delinquency did for boys. Implications for future studies and preventive programs will be discussed.
George Demetrius Sevastopulo (1941–2021), palaeontologist and stratigrapher: an appreciation
Authors: Wyse Jackson Patrick N. , Aretz Markus
Published: August 2022

George Demetrius Sevastopulo (1941–2021) was a palaeontologist, stratigrapher and educator who made significant contributions in these fields and who was an inspirational teacher and mentor to his peers and to generations of students.
METTL1 gene polymorphisms synergistically confer hepatoblastoma susceptibility
Authors: Ge Lili , Zhu Jinhong , Liu Jiabin , Li Li , Zhang Jiao , Cheng Jiwen , Li Yong , Yang Zhonghua , Li Suhong , He Jing , Zhang Xianwei
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Hepatoblastoma is a rare but devastating pediatric liver malignancy. Overexpressed methyltransferase-like 1 (METTL1) is a methyltransferase that catalyzes essential N7-methylguanosine (m7G) modification of eukaryotic mRNA. Accumulating evidence has revealed the oncogenic potential of METTL1. However, whether METTL1 gene polymorphisms confer susceptibility to hepatoblastoma has not been reported. This study aimed to identify causal relationships between genetic variants of this gene and susceptibility to hepatoblastoma.

Materials and methods

Using the TaqMan assay, we genotyped three METTL1 polymorphisms (rs2291617 G > T, rs10877013 T > C, rs10877012 T > G) in germline DNA samples from 1759 Chinese children of Han ethnicity (313 cases vs. 1446 controls).

Results

None of these polymorphisms were associated with hepatoblastoma risk. However, combination analysis showed that children with 1 to 3 risk genotypes were associated with increased hepatoblastoma risk (adjusted odds ratio = 1.47, 95% confidence interval  1.07–2.02; P = 0.018). Stratified analyses revealed significant effects of combined polymorphisms mainly among young children (< 17 months of age), boys, and those with advanced hepatoblastoma.

Conclusion

We identified some potential functional METTL1 gene polymorphisms that work together to increase the risk of hepatoblastoma among Chinese Han children; single polymorphism showed only weak effects. These METTL1 polymorphisms may be promising biomarkers for screening high-risk individuals for hepatoblastoma. These findings are inspiring and deserve to be validated among individuals of different ethnicities.

Graphical Abstract
Disrupting drive-by download networks on Twitter
Authors: Javed Amir , Ikwu Ruth , Burnap Pete , Giommoni Luca , Williams Matthew L.
Published: August 2022

This paper tests disruption strategies in Twitter networks containing malicious URLs used in drive-by download attacks. Cybercriminals use popular events that attract a large number of Twitter users to infect and propagate malware by using trending hashtags and creating misleading tweets to lure users to malicious webpages. Due to Twitter’s 280 character restriction and automatic shortening of URLs, it is particularly susceptible to the propagation of malware involved in drive-by download attacks. Considering the number of online users and the network formed by retweeting a tweet, a cybercriminal can infect millions of users in a short period. Policymakers and researchers have struggled to develop an efficient network disruption strategy to stop malware propagation effectively. We define an efficient strategy as one that considers network topology and dependency on network resilience, where resilience is the ability of the network to continue to disseminate information even when users are removed from it. One of the challenges faced while curbing malware propagation on online social platforms is understanding the cybercriminal network spreading the malware. Combining computational modelling and social network analysis, we identify the most effective strategy for disrupting networks of malicious URLs. Our results emphasise the importance of specific network disruption parameters such as network and emotion features, which have proved to be more effective in disrupting malicious networks compared to random strategies. In conclusion, disruption strategies force cybercriminal networks to become more vulnerable by strategically removing malicious users, which causes successful network disruption to become a long-term effort.
How coordinated link sharing behavior and partisans’ narrative framing fan the spread of COVID-19 misinformation and conspiracy theories
Authors: Gruzd Anatoliy , Mai Philip , Soares Felipe Bonow
Published: August 2022

This study examines the presence and role of Coordinated Link Sharing Behavior (CLSB) on Facebook around the “America’s Frontline Doctors” press conference, and the promotion of several unproven conspiracy theories including the false assertion that hydroxychloroquine is a “cure” for COVID-19 by Dr. Stella Immanuel, one of the doctors who took part in the press conference. We collected 7,737 public Facebook posts mentioning Stella Immanuel using CrowdTangle and then applied the specialized program CooRnet to detect CLSB among Facebook public pages, groups and verified profiles. Finally, we used a mixed-method approach consisting of both network and content analysis to examine the nature and scope of the detected CLSB. Our analysis shows how Facebook accounts engaged in CLSB to fuel the spread of misinformation. We identified a coalition of Facebook accounts that engaged in CLSB to promote COVID-19 related misinformation. This coalition included US-based pro-Trump, QAnon, and anti-vaccination accounts. In addition, we identified Facebook accounts that engaged in CLSB in other countries, such as Brazil and France, that primarily promoted hydroxychloroquine, and some accounts in African countries that criticized the government's pandemic response in their countries.
“In any crisis there is an opportunity for us to learn something new”: Australian teacher experiences during COVID-19
Authors: Sharma Umesh , Laletas Stella , May Fiona , Grove Christine
Published: August 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that supported Australian teachers to meet the needs of all learners during COVID-19 lockdowns. A qualitative design was used, and interviews were conducted with teachers who were purposely identified. The participants (n = 5) worked across different educational contexts ranging from primary to secondary school settings. The interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. Five themes were identified related to teachers’ intrinsic strengths: passion and commitment, a proactive and organised approach, enhanced flexibility, building relationships and access to online technology. A further three extrinsic supporting factors were identified: supportive school teams, supportive school leadership (empowerment, autonomy and time) and supportive school systems and structures. The implications of these findings are discussed and the need for sharing and applying learnings across the profession are emphasised as an opportunity to further improve the access of every learner to a high quality and inclusive education.
A critical view on the real-world security of logic locking
Authors: Engels Susanne , Hoffmann Max , Paar Christof
Published: August 2022

With continuously shrinking feature sizes of integrated circuits, the vast majority of semiconductor companies have become fabless, outsourcing to foundries across the globe. This exposes the design industry to a number of threats, including piracy via IP-theft or unauthorized overproduction and subsequent reselling on the black market. One alleged solution for this problem is logic locking, where the genuine functionality of a chip is “locked” using a key only known to the designer. Solely with a correct key, the design works as intended. Since unlocking is handled by the designer only after production, an adversary in the supply chain should not be able to unlock overproduced chips. In this work, we focus on logic locking against the threat of overproduction. First, we survey existing locking schemes and characterize them by their handling of keys, before extracting similarities and differences in the employed attacker models. We then compare said models to the real-world capabilities of the primary adversary in overproduction—a malicious foundry. This comparison allows us to identify pitfalls in existing models and derive a more realistic attacker model. Then, we discuss how existing schemes hold up against the new attacker model. Our discussion highlights that several attacks beyond the usually employed SAT-based approaches are viable. Crucially, these attacks stem from the underlying structure of current logic locking approaches, which has never changed since its introduction in 2008. We conclude that logic locking, while being a promising approach, needs a fundamental rethinking to achieve real-world protection against overproduction.
The potential role of insulin resistance in predicting outcome from intravenous thrombolytic therapy
Authors: Ali Mona , Hussein Mona , Magdy Rehab , Khamis Ahmed , Othman Asmaa M. , Abdelkareem Shaimaa A. , Osama Wesam
Published: August 2022

Background

The potential impact of insulin resistance on stroke prognosis after IV thrombolysis is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess the effect of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome on the outcome of IV thrombolysis in non-diabetic patients with acute ischaemic stroke.

Methods

This prospective observational study was conducted on 70 non-diabetic acute ischaemic stroke patients who received rt-PA within 3 h of stroke onset. Patients were subjected to baseline and follow-up NIHSS measurements at 24 h and 3 months post-treatment. Stroke outcome was assessed after 3 months using the Modified Rankin Scale (mRS). The homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated for the included patients at stroke onset.

Results

The mean age of included patients was 57.04 ± 14.39 years. Patients with unfavourable outcome had a significantly higher frequency of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, higher values of baseline NIHSS, insulin, HOMA-IR, uric acid and lower levels of HDL than those with favourable outcome (P value = 0.035, 0.007, ≤ 0.001, 0.001, ≤ 0.001, 0.002, 0.033, respectively). Each point increase in NIHSS before rt-PA increased the odds of an unfavourable outcome by 2.06 times (95% CI 1.22 − 3.478). Also, insulin resistance increased the odds of the unfavourable outcome by 11.046 times (95% CI 1.394–87.518). There was a statistically significant improvement in NIHSS 3 months after receiving rt-PA in all patients, significantly higher in patients who did not have insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion

Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome were associated with worse functional outcomes in non-diabetic stroke patients after receiving rt-PA.
An integrated fuzzy credit rating model using fuzzy-BWM and new fuzzy-TOPSIS-Sort-C
Authors: Roy Pranith K. , Shaw Krishnendu
Published: August 2022

Financial institutions use credit rating models to make lending, investing, and risk management decisions. Credit rating models have been developed using a variety of statistical and machine learning methods. These methods, however, are data-intensive and dependent on assumptions about data distribution. This research offers an integrated fuzzy credit rating model to address such issues. This study proposes an integrated fuzzy credit rating model to reduce such problems. The study applies the fuzzy best–worst method (fuzzy-BWM) to obtain the weight of criteria that affect creditworthiness and fuzzy technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (fuzzy-TOPSIS)-Sort-C to evaluate the borrowers. The BWM was found consistent amongst existing multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, and consistency further improves when BWM is extended to a fuzzy version. The study applies TOPSIS-Sorting along with fuzzy theory to overcome human uncertainty while making a decision. TOPSIS-sorting has been found capable of handling rank reversal problems that persist in the TOPSIS method. The fuzzy-TOPSIS-Sort-C method is applied to evaluate borrowers based on the characteristic profile of the identified criteria. The proposed model's efficacy has been illustrated with a case study to rate fifty firms with real-life data. The proposed model results are compared with previous studies and commercially available ratings. The model results show better accuracy in terms of accuracy and true-positive rates to predict default. It can help financial institutions to find potential borrowers for granting credit.
Self-Exfoliation of Flake Graphite for Bioinspired Compositing with Aramid Nanofiber toward Integration of Mechanical and Thermoconductive Properties
Authors: Huang Limei , Xiao Guang , Wang Yunjing , Li Hao , Zhou Yahong , Jiang Lei , Wang Jianfeng
Published: August 2022

Highlights

A self-grinding exfoliation strategy that depends on mutual shear friction between flake graphite particles is successfully developed to prepare pristine graphene with largely enhanced yield and productivity.

Bioinspired assembly of pristine graphene nanosheets to an interconnected aramid nanofiber network is achieved by a continuous sol-gel-film transformation strategy and generates a flexible yet highly thermoconductive film.

Flexible yet highly thermoconductive materials are essential for the development of next-generation flexible electronic devices. Herein, we report a bioinspired nanostructured film with the integration of large ductility and high thermal conductivity based on self-exfoliated pristine graphene and three-dimensional aramid nanofiber network. A self-grinding strategy to directly exfoliate flake graphite into few-layer and few-defect pristine graphene is successfully developed through mutual shear friction between graphite particles, generating largely enhanced yield and productivity in comparison to normal liquid-based exfoliation strategies, such as ultrasonication, high-shear mixing and ball milling. Inspired by nacre, a new bioinspired layered structural design model containing three-dimensional nanofiber network is proposed and implemented with an interconnected aramid nanofiber network and high-loading graphene nanosheets by a developed continuous assembly strategy of sol–gel-film transformation. It is revealed that the bioinspired film not only exhibits nacre-like ductile deformation behavior by releasing the hidden length of curved aramid nanofibers, but also possesses good thermal transport ability by directionally conducting heat along pristine graphene nanosheets.

Graphical abstract
Importance of Standardizing Analytical Characterization Methodology for Improved Reliability of the Nanomedicine Literature
Authors: Sharifi Shahriar , Mahmoud Nouf N. , Voke Elizabeth , Landry Markita P. , Mahmoudi Morteza
Published: August 2022

Understanding the interaction between biological structures and nanoscale technologies, dubbed the nano-bio interface, is required for successful development of safe and efficient nanomedicine products. The lack of a universal reporting system and decentralized methodologies for nanomaterial characterization have resulted in a low degree of reliability and reproducibility in the nanomedicine literature. As such, there is a strong need to establish a characterization system to support the reproducibility of nanoscience data particularly for studies seeking clinical translation. Here, we discuss the existing key standards for addressing robust characterization of nanomaterials based on their intended use in medical devices or as pharmaceuticals. We also discuss the challenges surrounding implementation of such standard protocols and their implication for translation of nanotechnology into clinical practice. We, however, emphasize that practical implementation of standard protocols in experimental laboratories requires long-term planning through integration of stakeholders including institutions and funding agencies.
The Midazolam RAMPART Study Medical Records Project: A Unique Use of Real-World Data in a Complex Collaborative Partnership to Support a New Drug Application
Authors: Sherman Nancy A. , Silbergleit Robert , Bengelink Erin M. , Durkalski Valerie , Wolter Kevin D.
Published: August 2022

Introduction

This project aimed to retrospectively obtain, review, and extract key safety data from medical records of participants enrolled in RAMPART, the NIH-supported Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to ARrival Trial of intramuscular midazolam versus intravenous lorazepam for pre-hospital treatment of status epilepticus, to support a US new drug application (NDA) for intramuscular midazolam.

Methods

A collaborative partnership was established between the NDA sponsor, the RAMPART trial lead academic institution, US government agencies, and contract research organizations to retrieve, review, and extract relevant safety data from the medical records of RAMPART participants and summarize those data to include in an NDA submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Results

Key data in the medical records of 890 RAMPART trial participants (1020 enrollments, including 130 repeat enrollments) were reviewed and extracted into a project database. Safety events occurred in 771 (86.6%) participants, and included additional information not collected in the RAMPART trial. This database also enabled subgroup analyses based on medical history and prior/concurrent medications, building upon previous analyses according to age, sex, and race. No previously unrecognized safety patterns were identified, and no association was observed between efficacy and medical history or medication usage.

Conclusions

The use of unstructured real-world retrospective medical record data can effectively support an NDA submission in place of conducting another interventional clinical trial. This retrospective medical records review and extraction of additional safety data contributed to the FDA approval of intramuscular midazolam for the pre-hospital treatment of status epilepticus in 2018.

ClinicalTrials.gov

NCT00809146.
The Efficacy and Safety of Thrice vs Twice per Week Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Chen Huirong , Li Zheng , Li Xianchen , Yang Yong , Dai Yutian , Xie Zuogang , Xiao Jiaquan , Liu Xiaoqiang , Yang Luo , Shi Chenkun , Zhi Erlei , Tian Ruhui , Li Peng , Chen Huixing , Zhao Fujun , Hu Jianlin , Yao Chencheng , Lin Guiting , Lue Tom F. , Xia Shujie
Published: August 2022

Background

A recent sham-controlled clinical study has shown that low-intensity pulsed ultrasound twice per week can safely and effectively treat patients with mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction (ED). However, large-scale clinical trials are needed to verify its efficacy and safety and determine a reasonable treatment interval.

Aim

To study whether low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy thrice per week is non-inferior to twice per week in patients with mild-to-moderate ED.

Methods

A randomized, open-label, parallel-group, non-inferiority clinical trial was conducted in 7 hospitals in China. A total of 323 patients with mild-to-moderate ED were randomized (1:1) into thrice per week (3/W) and twice per week (2/W) groups. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound was applied on each side of the penis for 16 sessions.

Outcomes

The primary outcome was response rate using the minimal clinically important difference in the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) score at week 12. Secondary outcomes included Erection Hardness Score (EHS), Sexual Encounter Profile, Global Assessment Question, and Self Esteem and Relationship Questionnaire.

Results

Response rates in 3/W and 2/W groups were 62.0% and 62.5%, respectively. Treatment effect in the 3/W group was noninferior to that of the 2/W group, with rate difference lower bound of −0.01% [95% confidence interval −0.11 to 0.10%] within the acceptable margin (−14.0%). No significant difference was found among secondary outcomes. IIEF-EF score showed a significant increase from baseline in the 3/W group (16.8 to 20.7) and 2/W group (17.8 to 21.7), and the percentage of patients with EHS ≥3 increased in the 3/W (54.9% to 84.0%) and 2/W (59.5% to 83.5%) groups. There was no significant difference in response rate between the 2 groups after controlling for strata factors and homogeneous tests. No treatment-related adverse events were reported.

Clinical Implications

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy displays similar efficacy and safety for mild-to-moderate ED when administered thrice or twice per week for 16 sessions. This study provides two options to suit patients’ needs.

Strengths & Limitations

This is a large-sample, randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial study. Short-term follow-up and mostly younger patients are the main limitations.

Conclusion

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy thrice and twice per week showed equivalent therapeutic effects and safety for mild-to-moderate ED in a young and generally healthy population. This therapy warrants further investigation of its potential value in rehabilitation of ED.
Human Prehistory
Authors: Barsky Deborah
Published: August 2022

This book provides a concise overview of human prehistory. It shows how an understanding of the distant past offers new perspectives on present-day challenges facing our species - and how we can build a sustainable future for all life on planet Earth. Deborah Barsky tells a fascinating story of the long-term evolution of human culture and provides up-to-date examples from the archaeological record to illustrate the different phases of human history. Barsky also presents a refreshing and original analysis about issues plaguing modern globalized society, such as racism, institutionalized religion, the digital revolution, human migrations, terrorism, and war. Written in an accessible and engaging style, Human Prehistory is aimed at an introductory-level audience. Students will acquire a comprehensive understanding of the interdisciplinary, scientific study of human prehistory, as well as the theoretical interpretations of human evolutionary processes that are used in contemporary archaeological practice. Definitions, tables, and illustrations accompany the text.
Logical Consequence
Authors: Sher Gila
Published: August 2022

To understand logic is, first and foremost, to understand logical consequence. This Element provides an in-depth, accessible, up-to-date account of and philosophical insight into the semantic, model-theoretic conception of logical consequence, its Tarskian roots, and its ideas, grounding, and challenges. The topics discussed include: (i) the passage from Tarski's definition of truth (simpliciter) to his definition of logical consequence, (ii) the need for a non-proof-theoretic definition, (iii) the idea of a semantic definition, (iv) the adequacy conditions of preservation of truth, formality, and necessity, (v) the nature, structure, and totality of models, (vi) the logicality problem that threatens the definition of logical consequence (the problem of logical constants), (vii) a general solution to the logicality, formality, and necessity problems/challenges, based on the isomorphism-invariance criterion of logicality, (viii) philosophical background and justification of the isomorphism-invariance criterion, and (ix) major criticisms of the semantic definition and the isomorphism-invariance criterion.
Precursors Identification for Forecasting UHF‐Band Ionospheric Scintillation Events Over Chinese Low‐Latitude Region by Deep Learning
Authors: Zhang Hongbo , Wang Feifei , Sheng Dongsheng , Ban Panpan , Liu Yumei
Published: August 2022

The occurrences of the UHF‐band ionospheric scintillation events caused by Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPBs) in the low‐latitude region depend on many factors. Nowadays, it is also a hard work for researchers to analyze and find out the useful precursory signatures of the generation of EPBs from several kinds of observations, which is a necessary work to build a forecasting model base on the priori knowledge. Many studies have revealed that there are distinctive features of daytime background ionosphere characteristics on scintillation and nonscintillation days. Deep learning technique (DLT) could automatically discover the distinctive variations from the daytime background ionospheric observations of scintillation and nonscintillation days. It is found that the forecasting problem of postsunset ionospheric scintillation events could be converted to a classification problem, and easily solved by DLT. The effectiveness of DLT for building a forecasting model of the UHF‐band ionospheric scintillation events over Chinese low‐latitude region is studied and evaluated. By analyzing the performance metrics of different combinations of related factors as the input parameters of DLT, a new important precursor for forecasting the UHF‐band ionospheric scintillation events over Chinese low‐latitude region is identified for the first time. It is suggested that the latitudinal and diurnal variations of the transequatorial Total Electron Content (TEC) profile in the east of the forecasting area is one of the key precursors.
A Nonlinear Numerical Model for Comparative Study of Acoustic‐Gravity Wave Propagation in Planetary Atmospheres: Application to Earth and Mars
Authors: Srivastava Sarthak , Chandran Amal , Thiemann Edward M. B.
Published: August 2022

A two‐dimensional nonlinear numerical model has been developed to study atmospheric coupling due to vertically propagating acoustic gravity waves (AGWs) on different planets. The model is able to simulate both acoustic and gravity waves due to inclusion of compressibility. The model also considers dissipative effects due to viscosity, conduction, and radiative damping. The hyperbolic inviscid advection equations are solved using the Lax‐Wendroff method. The parabolic diffusion terms are solved implicitly using a linear algebra‐based Direct method. The model is validated by comparing numerical solutions against analytical results for linear propagation, critical level absorption, and mountain wave generation over an isolated hill. Acoustic wave generation in Martian atmosphere due to a pressure pulse is also demonstrated. A case study of tsunami‐generated AGWs is presented for the 2004 Sumatra earthquake whereby the model is forced through tsunamigenic sea‐surface displacement. The properties of simulated AGWs closely match those derived from ionospheric sounding observations reported in literature. Another application for Martian ice cloud formation is discussed where gravity waves from topographic sources are shown to create cold pockets with temperatures below the CO2 condensation threshold. The simulated cold pockets coincide with the cloud echo observations from the Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter aboard Mars Global Survey spacecraft.
Ninety Percent of the World’s Oil Slicks Are Caused by Humans, Not Nature
Authors: Gammon Katharine
Published: August 2022

Researchers were surprised to find exactly how many oil slicks were due to human activity, highlighting the need for people to pay attention to runoff and leaks.