bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bose–Einstein Condensation for Two Dimensional Bosons in the Gross–Pitaevskii Regime
Authors: Caraci Cristina , Cenatiempo Serena , Schlein Benjamin
Published: May 2021

We consider systems of N bosons trapped on the two-dimensional unit torus, in the Gross-Pitaevskii regime, where the scattering length of the repulsive interaction is exponentially small in the number of particles. We show that low-energy states exhibit complete Bose–Einstein condensation, with almost optimal bounds on the number of orthogonal excitations.
Site-Monotonicity Properties for Reflection Positive Measures with Applications to Quantum Spin Systems
Authors: Lees Benjamin , Taggi Lorenzo
Published: May 2021

We consider a general statistical mechanics model on a product of local spaces and prove that, if the corresponding measure is reflection positive, then several site-monotonicity properties for the two-point function hold. As an application, we derive site-monotonicity properties for the spin–spin correlation of the quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet and XY model, we prove that spin-spin correlations are point-wise uniformly positive on vertices with all odd coordinates—improving previous positivity results which hold for the Cesàro sum. We also derive site-monotonicity properties for the probability that a loop connects two vertices in various random loop models, including the loop representation of the spin O(N) model, the double-dimer model, the loop O(N) model and lattice permutations, thus extending the previous results of Lees and Taggi (2019).
The New Common
Authors: Jones Stephanie
Published: May 2021

This article describes a personal relationship to a common green space in a town in the United Kingdom during the lockdowns prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020–21. It considers the new meanings that are attaching to ‘commons’ as conceptual spaces and material places; and it links this consideration to the terms in which values and norms are being reassessed in the context of environmental crises.
Automatic approximation using asymptotically optimal adaptive interpolation
Authors: Plaskota Leszek , Samoraj Paweł
Published: May 2021

We present an asymptotic analysis of adaptive methods for Lp approximation of functions f ∈ Cr([a, b]), where $1\le p\le +\infty $
1
≤
p
≤
+
∞
. The methods rely on piecewise polynomial interpolation of degree r − 1 with adaptive strategy of selecting m subintervals. The optimal speed of convergence is in this case of order m−r and it is already achieved by the uniform (nonadaptive) subdivision of the initial interval; however, the asymptotic constant crucially depends on the chosen strategy. We derive asymptotically best adaptive strategies and show their applicability to automatic Lp approximation with a given accuracy ε.
Combination of Cu/ZnO Methanol Synthesis Catalysts and ZSM-5 Zeolites to Produce Oxygenates from CO2 and H2
Authors: Tariq Anisa , Ruiz Esquius Jonathan , Davies Thomas E. , Bowker Michael , Taylor Stuart H. , Hutchings Graham J.
Published: May 2021

Cu/ZnO methanol catalysts were deposited over several ZSM-5 acid zeolites to directly synthesise oxygenates (methanol and dimethyl ether) from a CO2/H2 feed. Catalysts were prepared by two different preparation methodologies: chemical vapour impregnation (CZZ-CVI) and oxalate gel precipitation (CZZ-OG). Chemical vapour impregnation led to Cu/ZnO being deposited on the zeolite surface, whilst oxalate gel precipitation led to the formation of Cu/ZnO agglomerates. For both sets of catalysts a higher concentration of mild and strong acid sites were produced, compared to the parent ZSM-5 zeolites, and CZZ-CVI had a higher concentration of acid sites compared to CZZ-OG. Nevertheless, CZZ-OG shows considerably higher oxygenate productivity, 1322 mmol Kgcat−1 h−1, compared to 192 mmol Kgcat−1 h−1 over CZZ-CVI (ZSM-5(50), 250 ℃, 20 bar, CO2/H2 = 1/3, 30 ml min−1), which could be assigned to a combination of smaller particle size and enhanced methanol mass transfer within the zeolites.
From in vitro research to real life studies: an extensive narrative review of the effects of balneotherapy on human immune response
Authors: Maccarone M. C. , Magro G. , Solimene U. , Scanu A. , Masiero S.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The biologic mechanisms by which balneotherapy (BT) alleviates symptoms of different diseases are still poorly understood. Recently, preclinical models and clinical trials have been developed to study the effects of BT on the immune system. This review summarizes the currently available evidence regarding the effects of spa therapy on the immune response, to confirm the role of BT in the enhancement of immune system and open interesting research fields.

Methods

PubMed and Google Scholar were searched from 1997 up to June 2020, with search criteria including terms related to BT and immune system. We selected only in vitro research, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or clinical trials.

Results

In vitro studies on human and animal samples have demonstrated that thermal waters exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. In particular, H2S donors seem to counteract the inflammatory processes in psoriatic lesions, arthritic fibroblast-like synoviocytes and chondrocytes, and regulate important factors implicated in osteoarthritis pathogenesis and progression. RCTs and clinical trials revealed, after BT, a reduction in circulating levels of pro-inflammatory molecules, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and C-reactive protein, and an increase in anti-inflammatory molecules such as the IGF-1 growth factor especially in musculoskeletal diseases.

Conclusion

Further preclinical studies and RCTs could help to exploit BT in real life for preventive and therapeutic treatments.
Multi-task temporal convolutional networks for joint recognition of surgical phases and steps in gastric bypass procedures
Authors: Ramesh Sanat , Dall’Alba Diego , Gonzalez Cristians , Yu Tong , Mascagni Pietro , Mutter Didier , Marescaux Jacques , Fiorini Paolo , Padoy Nicolas
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Automatic segmentation and classification of surgical activity is crucial for providing advanced support in computer-assisted interventions and autonomous functionalities in robot-assisted surgeries. Prior works have focused on recognizing either coarse activities, such as phases, or fine-grained activities, such as gestures. This work aims at jointly recognizing two complementary levels of granularity directly from videos, namely phases and steps.

Methods

We introduce two correlated surgical activities, phases and steps, for the laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure. We propose a multi-task multi-stage temporal convolutional network (MTMS-TCN) along with a multi-task convolutional neural network (CNN) training setup to jointly predict the phases and steps and benefit from their complementarity to better evaluate the execution of the procedure. We evaluate the proposed method on a large video dataset consisting of 40 surgical procedures (Bypass40).

Results

We present experimental results from several baseline models for both phase and step recognition on the Bypass40. The proposed MTMS-TCN method outperforms single-task methods in both phase and step recognition by 1-2% in accuracy, precision and recall. Furthermore, for step recognition, MTMS-TCN achieves a superior performance of 3-6% compared to LSTM-based models on all metrics.

Conclusion

In this work, we present a multi-task multi-stage temporal convolutional network for surgical activity recognition, which shows improved results compared to single-task models on a gastric bypass dataset with multi-level annotations. The proposed method shows that the joint modeling of phases and steps is beneficial to improve the overall recognition of each type of activity.
Erfassung des Potenzials zur kognitiven Aktivierung über Unterrichtsmaterialien im Mathematikunterricht
Authors: Herbert Benjamin , Schweig Jonathan
Published: May 2021

Eine zentrale Voraussetzung der Unterrichtsforschung besteht darin, Unterrichtsmerkmale angemessen zu erfassen. Die Einschätzung des (gefilmten) Unterrichts durch geschulte Rater*innen gilt dabei als Königsweg, ist jedoch mit einem hohen organisatorischen und zeitlichen Aufwand verbunden. Im Rahmen dieses Artikels wird ein neu entwickeltes Erhebungsinstrument für das Unterrichtsqualitätsmerkmal des Potenzials zur kognitiven Aktivierung (PKA) vorgestellt. Das Instrument wurde für Mathematikunterricht zum Thema Quadratische Gleichungen entwickelt, basiert auf der gemeinsamen Auswertung aller Unterrichtsmaterialien einer Stunde durch geschulte Rater*innen und erfasst die von der Lehrperson schriftlich in den Unterricht getragenen Potenziale für kognitive Aktivierung. Die Validität der intendierten Interpretation als Indikator für das schriftlich in den Unterricht eingebrachte PKA einer Unterrichtstunde wird über einen argumentationsbasierten Ansatz untersucht und kann über verschiedene Evidenzen gestützt werden: Beispielsweise zeigt eine D‑Studie, dass das Instrument bereits von einer einzigen Rater*in zuverlässig erfasst werden kann. Zudem korreliert es substanziell mit einer auf Videoratings basierenden Messung des PKA.
The role of Tg kinetics in predicting 2-[18F]-FDG PET/CT results and overall survival in patients affected by differentiated thyroid carcinoma with detectable Tg and negative 131I-scan
Authors: Albano Domenico , Tulchinsky Mark , Dondi Francesco , Mazzoletti Angelica , Bertagna Francesco , Giubbini Raffaele
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess the potential role of thyroglobulin (Tg) kinetics in predicting 2-[18F]-FDG-PET/CT results and overall survival (OS) in patients affected by differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) and suspected recurrence.

Methods

On hundred and thirty-nine patients were retrospectively included. All patients underwent 2-[18F]-FDG-PET/CT due to detectable Tg levels and negative [131I] whole-body scan. The last two consecutive serum Tg measurements before PET/CT were used for Tg-doubling time (TgDT) and Tg-velocity (Tg-vel) calculation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the optimal cutoff points for Tg, TgDT and Tg-vel for predicting PET/CT results.

Results

One hundred and fifteen (83%) patients had positive PET/CT for DTC recurrence, while the remaining 24 (17%) negative. Stimulated Tg before PET and Tg-vel were significantly higher in patients with a positive PET/CT scan than negative scan (average Tg 190 vs 14 ng/mL, p = 0.006; average Tg-vel 4.2 vs 1.7 ng/mL/y, p < 0.001). Instead, TgDT was significantly shorter in positive scan (average TgDT 1.4 vs 4.4 years, p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis revealed the best Tg, TgDT and Tg-vel cutoff of 18 ng/mL,1.36 years and 1.95 ng/mL/y. In patients with Tg<18 ng/mL, the PET/CT detection rate was significantly lower in patients with low Tg-vel (p = 0.018) and with long TgDT (p = 0.001). ATA class risk, PET/CT results and Tg before PET were confirmed to be independent prognostic variables for OS.

Conclusions

Tg kinetics may help to predict 2-[18F]-FDG-PET/CT results in DTC patients with negative [131I]WBS and detectable Tg, especially in case of low-moderate Tg.
Development of 79 SNP markers to individually genotype and sex-type endangered mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei)
Authors: Sacks Benjamin N. , Hu Tianyi , Kierepka Elizabeth M. , Vanderzwan Stevi L. , Hickey Jena R.
Published: May 2021

The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is one of two endangered subspecies of eastern gorilla. The principle approach to monitoring the two extant mountain gorilla populations has been to use fecal surveys to obtain DNA profiles for individuals that are then used for capture-recapture-based estimates of abundance. To date, 11 to 14 microsatellites have been used for this purpose. To adapt to ongoing changes in genotyping technologies and to facilitate the analysis of fecal DNA samples by multiple laboratories, we developed a panel of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that can be used for future gorilla monitoring. We used published short read data sets for 3 individuals to develop a suite of 79 SNPs, including two sex markers, for a Fluidigm platform. This marker set provided high resolution to differentiate individuals and will facilitate future monitoring, leaving room for additional SNPs to be included in a 96-assay format.
State of the art of robotic pancreatoduodenectomy
Authors: Napoli Niccolò , Kauffmann Emanuele F. , Vistoli Fabio , Amorese Gabriella , Boggi Ugo
Published: May 2021

Current evidence shows that robotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD) is feasible with a safety profile equivalent to either open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD) or laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD). However, major intraoperative bleeding can occur and emergency conversion to OPD may be required. RPD reduces the risk of emergency conversion when compared to LPD. The learning curve of RPD ranges from 20 to 40 procedures, but proficiency is reached only after 250 operations. Once proficiency is achieved, the results of RPD may be superior to those of OPD. As for now, RPD is at least equivalent to OPD and LPD with respect to incidence and severity of POPF, incidence and severity of post-operative complications, and post-operative mortality. A minimal annual number of 20 procedures per center is recommended. In pancreatic cancer (versus OPD), RPD is associated with similar rates of R0 resections, but higher number of examined lymph nodes, lower blood loss, and lower need of blood transfusions. Multivariable analysis shows that RPD could improve patient survival. Data from selected centers show that vein resection and reconstruction is feasible during RPD, but at the price of high conversion rates and frequent use of small tangential resections. The true Achilles heel of RPD is higher operative costs that limit wider implementation of the procedure and accumulation of a large experience at most single centers. In conclusion, when proficiency is achieved, RPD may be superior to OPD with respect to CR-POPF and oncologic outcomes. Achievement of proficiency requires commitment, dedication, and truly high volumes.
Monitoring airborne inoculum for improved plant disease management. A review
Authors: Van der Heyden Hervé , Dutilleul Pierre , Charron Jean-Benoit , Bilodeau Guillaume J. , Carisse Odile
Published: May 2021

Global demand for pesticide-free food products is increasing rapidly. Crops of all types are, however, under constant threat from various plant pathogens. To achieve adequate control with minimal pesticide use, close monitoring is imperative. Many plant pathogens spread through the air, so the atmosphere is composed of a wide variety of plant pathogenic and non-plant pathogenic organisms, in particular in agricultural environments. Aerobiology is the science that studies airborne microorganisms and their distribution, especially as agents of infection. Although this discipline has existed for decades, the development of new molecular technologies is contributing to an increase in the use of aerobiological data for several purposes, from day-to-day monitoring to improving our understanding of pathosystems. Although the importance of knowing the size and composition of plant pathogen populations present in the air is recognized, technical constraints hinder the development of agricultural aerobiology. Here we review the application of spore sampling systems in agriculture and discuss the main considerations underlying the implementation of airborne inoculum monitoring. The results of this literature review confirm that the use of aerobiological data to study the escape of inoculum from a source and its role in the development of diseases is well mastered, but point at a lack of knowledge to proceed with the deployment of these systems at the landscape scale. Thus, we conclude that airborne inoculum surveillance networks are still in their early stages and although more and more initiatives are emerging, research must be conducted primarily to integrate evolving technologies and improve the access, analysis, interpretation and sharing of data. These tools are needed to estimate short- and medium-term risks, identify the most appropriate control measures with the lowest environmental risk, develop indicators to document the effects of climate change, and monitor the evolution of new genotypes at multiple scales.
Brief report: attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccination among hospital employees in a tertiary care university hospital in Germany in December 2020
Authors: Bauernfeind Stilla , Hitzenbichler Florian , Huppertz Gunnar , Zeman Florian , Koller Michael , Schmidt Barbara , Plentz Annelie , Bauswein Markus , Mohr Arno , Salzberger Bernd
Published: May 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination is essential to fight the pandemic. Health care workers (HCWs) are prioritized to get vaccinated, yet uptake of recommended vaccinations is known to be low in this group. In a tertiary care university hospital with a high number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care, 59.5% of surveyed staff (N = 2454) were willing to get vaccinated, 21.4% were unsure and 18.7% refused. Vaccine hesitancy was higher in female, younger and healthy employees without contact to Covid-19 patients; nurses (53.3%) were much less willing to get vaccinated compared to physicians (82.7%).
From Bielefeld to the Unified Patent Court – A Never-Ending Story?
Authors: Teschemacher Rudolf , Müller-Stoy Tilman
Published: May 2021

The authors have known Jochen Pagenberg from different perspectives: Tilman Müller-Stoy for almost 20 years as a partner in the law firm bearing Jochen’s name; Rudolf Teschemacher since the start of Jochen’s and his own career when both got in touch with IP at the Max Planck Institute in the early 1970s and later on for more than 15 years as a senior consultant at Bardehle Pagenberg. Thus, they paint a colourful picture, in particular throwing a glance at a leitmotiv of his work: European patent litigation.
Methodology for the Characterisation of Linear Rail Transport Infrastructures with the Machine Learning Technique and Their Application in a Hyperloop Network
Authors: Fernández Gago José Ángel , Collado Pérez-Seoane Federico
Published: May 2021

The layout solution for linear rail transport infrastructure will always alternate ‘surface’ sections with ‘tunnel’ and ‘viaduct’ sections. The capital expenditure (CapEx) linked at the planning stage to this type of public asset is strongly connected to the quantity of tunnels and viaducts planned. In this context, for similar lengths, a railway line using 15% tunnels and 7% viaducts to link two cities should not have the same financial viability as one using 8% tunnels and 3% viaducts to link the same cities. The process of planning, design and construction of linear works is heavily scrutinised by public administrations in all countries, and in many cases similar standards of work are shared. Firstly, this research paper highlights the existence of hidden geometric patterns in all linear transport infrastructures worldwide. Secondly, it proposes to exploit the existence of such patterns for the benefit of planners through the computational power available today in machine learning-as-a-service (MLaaS) platforms. This article demonstrates how geometric features extracted from any succession of rectangular trapeziums in linear infrastructures can predict the quantity of kilometres in ‘surface’, ‘tunnel’ and ‘viaduct’ sections in future linear rail transport infrastructures that have not yet been built. The practical application of the proposed working methodology has made it possible to intuit the characteristics of a future Hyperloop transport network in Europe of more than 12,000 km in length.
Streamlined Operational Approaches and Use of e-Technologies in Clinical Trials: Beat Acute Myeloid Leukemia Master Trial
Authors: Rosenberg Len , Levaux Hugh , Levine Ross L. , Shah Amit , Denmark James , Hereema Nyla , Owen Melanie , Kalk Spencer , Kenny Nicholas , Vinson Gene , Vergilio Jo-Anne , Mims Alice , Borate Uma , Blum William , Stein Eytan , Gana Theophilus J. , Stefanos Mona , Yocum Ashley , Marcus Sonja , Shoben Abigail , Druker Brian , Byrd John , Burd Amy
Published: May 2021

Advances in genomic technologies and an increased understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of cancer have resulted in development of new effective, mutation-targeted therapies. In turn, these informed the development of Master Trial designs to test these therapies. The Beat Acute Myeloid Leukemia (BAML) Master Trial (Sponsor: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) tests several targeted therapies in patients aged ≥ 60 years with AML based on genomic profiling obtained within 7 days of study enrollment. We hypothesized that integrating operational strategies with new electronic technologies (e-technologies) might streamline the conduct and management of this Master Trial. BAML’s 5 core operational strategies revolve around the guiding principle of “patients first.” The e-technology platforms employed in BAML include: Clinical Oversight Platform: a central collaborative tool; e-Protocol/e-Source Upload/Electronic Data Capture Platform: digitizes the protocol, allows remote data monitoring, and collects/exports data in Study Data Tabulation Model format; and Data Review Platform: ingests data from different sources for clinical response and safety data reviews. The operational approaches, e-technologies and sponsor/contract research organization’s (CRO) expertise together allow: the complexity and size of the BAML Master Trial to be better managed; near real-time study data oversight; better collaboration, communication and training; improved data collection, enhanced transmission and accessibility; data integration, review and generation of reports; while maintaining data privacy, and compliance. Initial e-technology challenges were overcome through training, learning, discipline and adjustment. In conclusion, to successfully manage Master Trials, significant time should be spent re-evaluating, improving and developing new operational approaches.

Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT03013998. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03013998.
The Use of External Controls in FDA Regulatory Decision Making
Authors: Jahanshahi Mahta , Gregg Keith , Davis Gillian , Ndu Adora , Miller Veronica , Vockley Jerry , Ollivier Cecile , Franolic Tanja , Sakai Sharon
Published: May 2021

The regulatory standards of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) require substantial evidence of effectiveness from adequate and well-controlled trials that typically use a valid comparison to an internal concurrent control. However, when it is not feasible or ethical to use an internal control, particularly in rare disease populations, relying on external controls may be acceptable. To better understand the use of external controls to support product development and approval, we reviewed FDA regulatory approval decisions between 2000 and 2019 for drug and biologic products to identify pivotal studies that leveraged external controls, with a focus on select therapeutic areas. Forty-five approvals were identified where FDA accepted external control data in their benefit/risk assessment; they did so for many reasons including the rare nature of the disease, ethical concerns regarding use of a placebo or no-treatment arm, the seriousness of the condition, and the high unmet medical need. Retrospective natural history data, including retrospective reviews of patient records, was the most common source of external control (44%). Other types of external control were baseline control (33%); published data (11%); and data from a previous clinical study (11%). To gain further insights, a comprehensive evaluation of selected approvals utilizing different types of external control is provided to highlight the variety of approaches used by sponsors and the challenges encountered in supporting product development and FDA decision making; particularly, the value and use of retrospective natural history in the development of products for rare diseases. Education on the use of external controls based on FDA regulatory precedent will allow for continued use and broader application of innovative approaches to clinical trial design, while avoiding delays in product development for rare diseases. Learnings from this review also highlight the need to update regulatory guidance to acknowledge the utility of external controls, particularly retrospective natural history data.
How People Matter
Authors: Prilleltensky Isaac , Prilleltensky Ora
Published: May 2021

Mattering, which is about feeling valued and adding value, is essential for health, happiness, love, work, and social well-being. We all need to feel valued by, and add value to, ourselves, others, co-workers, and community members. This book shows not only the signs, significance, and sources of mattering, but also presents the strategies to achieve mattering in our personal and professional lives. It uses research-based methods of change to help people achieve a higher sense of purpose and a deeper sense of meaning. Each chapter gives therapists, managers, teachers, parents, and healthcare professionals the tools needed to optimize personal and collective well-being and productivity. The volume explains how promoting mattering within communities fosters wellness and fairness in equal measure. By using the new science of feeling valued and adding value, the authors provide a guide to promoting happier lives and healthier societies.
Choral Constructions in Greek Culture
Authors: Steiner Deborah Tarn
Published: May 2021

Why did the Greeks of the archaic and early Classical period join in choruses that sang and danced on public and private occasions? This book offers a wide-ranging exploration of representations of chorality in the poetry, art and material remains of early Greece in order to demonstrate the centrality of the activity in the social, religious and technological practices of individuals and communities. Moving from a consideration of choral archetypes, among them cauldrons, columns, Gorgons, ships and halcyons, the discussion then turns to an investigation of how participation in choral song and dance shaped communal experience and interacted with a variety of disparate spheres that include weaving, cataloguing, temple architecture and inscribing. The study ends with a treatment of the role of choral activity in generating epiphanies and allowing viewers and participants access to realms that typically lie beyond their perception.
Climate and Social Changes: Reviewing the Equation with Data from the Huacas de Moche Archaeological Complex, Peru
Authors: Uceda Santiago , Gayoso Henry , Castillo Feren , Rengifo Carlos
Published: May 2021

Investigations at the site of Huacas de Moche—also referred to as Huacas del Sol and de la Luna—on the north coast of Peru show a continuous occupational sequence from around AD 100 to 1500. The longest occupation corresponds to the Moche culture from around AD 100 to 850. Based on available archaeological evidence, this article examines the impact of an El Niño-like event in AD 600 on the history of Huacas de Moche. Widely held hypotheses assumed that this kind of climatic event caused the abandonment of the site; however, such explanations do not fit the current data. After almost three decades of research, archaeological evidence indicates that after the El Niño-like phenomenon of AD 600, the Old Temple of Huaca de la Luna was closed down, and the New Temple was built toward the east of the previous one, on the same slope of Cerro Blanco. Furthermore, on the opposite side of the site, the building called Huaca del Sol experienced its last and greatest architectural expansion, becoming a large-scale palace. These new lines of evidence lead us to reassess the effect that the El Niño-like phenomenon of AD 600 had on the development of the Moche culture at the site.
GREEK CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF PERSIAN TRADITIONS: GIFT-GIVING AND FRIENDSHIP IN THE PERSIAN EMPIRE
Authors: Ellis Samuel
Published: May 2021

This article examines gift-giving within the Persian empire and its perception in Greek literary sources. Gift-giving in the Greek world was often framed in the language of friendship, and Greek authors subsequently articulated Persian traditions using the language and cultural norms of their intended audience. There were fundamental differences in the concepts of gift-exchange and reciprocity between the Greeks and the Persians. This article will examine Persian traditions of gift-giving followed by Greek traditions of gift-giving, and will argue that the Greek misrepresentation of Persian customs led to numerous misunderstandings in relations between Greek and Persian individuals. The use of Greek descriptive language, rather than more accurate terminology, to describe Persian traditions has hindered our understanding of gift-giving in the Persian empire. In addressing these misconceptions, this article will demonstrate the successful use of gift-giving in the Persian empire and the perils of Greek misrepresentation of foreign customs.
Rethinking Divine Hiddenness in the Hebrew Bible: The Hidden God as the Hostile God in Psalm 88
Authors: Fabrikant-Burke O. Y.
Published: May 2021

Divine hiddenness in the Hebrew Bible is widely construed as the conceptual equivalent to divine absence. This article challenges this influential account in light of Psalm 88—where the hidden God is hostilely present, not absent—and reevaluates divine hiddenness. Divine hiddenness is not conterminous with divine absence. Rather, with its roots in the ancient Near Eastern idea of the royal and cultic audience, the meaning of “hide the face” (סתר + פנים) may be construed as a refusal of an audience with the divine king YHWH. Building on this insight, I argue that divine hiddenness possesses a petitionary logic and develop a distinction between the experiential and petitionary inaccessibility of salvific divine presence. Divine absence and hostile divine presence denote the former, while divine hiddenness the latter. I probe the relationships between divine hiddenness, divine absence, and hostile divine presence, concluding that the absent or hostilely present God is not ipso facto hidden.
“May we not see God?”: Henry David Thoreau’s Doctrine of Spiritual Senses
Authors: Willsky-Ciollo Lydia
Published: May 2021

This article argues that Henry David Thoreau believed in the essential unity of the five senses and privileged each as a source of wild and divine knowledge, which, when combined, created a full picture that might result in a true approximation of God in and beyond nature—the hallmark of Thoreau’s fundamentally incarnational theology. Thoreau treated each sense not only as a source of divine knowledge but as a site of theological discourse: for touch, the relationship between sin and grace; for smell, the conundrum of an eternal divinity acting in historical time; for taste, the efficacy of sacraments; for hearing, the possibility of continuing revelation; and for sight, the ability for human beings to actually see God. The senses were the practical entry point to Thoreau’s theological system, which was concerned with the discovery and redemption of internal “wildness” and reconnection to the mysterious, divine source of that wildness, to the unaccountable in nature.
Conversion, Identity, and Memory in Iranian-Jewish Historiography: The Jews of Mashhad
Authors: Sadjed Ariane
Published: May 2021

The paper discusses the narratives of Jews from Mashhad, who were forced to convert to Islam in 1839. The community narrative as well as academic research is dominated by a modern understanding of religious identity and religious boundaries that fail to account for the diversity of practices among the community of converts, including multiple forms of religious belonging, and the switching of identities according to time and place. Based on historical sources and interviews with descendants from the Mashhadi community, the paper traces how a particular narrative of the history of the Jews from Mashhad prevailed and which significance this narrative entails for Mashhadi community and identity until today. While the Jews from Mashhad are a rather unique case among Iranian Jews–due to the long period in which they lived as converts–their pattern of memory building reflects a general trend among Jews from the Muslim world to assimilate to modern ideas of being Jewish.
Cochlear implantation in auditory neuropathy spectrum disorders: role of transtympanic electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses and serial neural response telemetry
Authors: Dutt S N , Kumar A , Mittal A A , Vadlamani S , Gaur S K
Published: May 2021

Objective

To evaluate the utility of pre-operative transtympanic electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses and post-operative neural response telemetry in auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder patients.

Methods

Four auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder patients who had undergone cochlear implantation and used it for more than one year were studied. All four patients underwent pre-operative transtympanic electrically evoked auditory brainstem response testing, intra-operative and post-operative (at 3, 6 and 12 months after switch-on) neural response telemetry, and out-patient cochlear implant electrically evoked auditory brainstem response testing (at 12 months).

Results

Patients with better waveforms on transtympanic electrically evoked auditory brainstem response testing showed superior performance after one year of implant use. Neural response telemetry and electrically evoked auditory brainstem response measures improved in all patients.

Conclusion

Inferences related to cochlear implantation outcomes can be based on the waveform of transtympanic electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses. Robust transtympanic electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses suggest better performance. Improvements in electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses and neural response telemetry over time indicate that electrical stimulation is favourable in auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder patients. These measures provide an objective way to monitor changes and progress in auditory pathways following cochlear implantation.
Micronutrients and sarcopenia: current perspectives
Authors: Robinson Sian , Granic Antoneta , Sayer Avan Aihie
Published: May 2021

Sarcopenia, a skeletal muscle disorder that is characterised by loss of muscle strength and mass, is common in older populations and associated with poorer health outcomes. Although the individual and economic costs of sarcopenia are widely recognised, current understanding of its pathophysiology is incomplete, limiting efforts to translate research evidence into effective preventive and treatment strategies. While nutrition is a key field of sarcopenia research, the role of differences in habitual diets, and the effectiveness of dietary change as a prevention or treatment strategy, is uncertain. There is a growing evidence base that links low micronutrient intakes to sarcopenia risk and/or its components (low muscle strength and mass, impaired physical performance), although there remain many gaps in understanding. There is some consistency in findings across studies highlighting potential roles for antioxidant nutrients, B vitamins and magnesium; however, the evidence is largely observational and from cross-sectional studies, often describing associations with different muscle outcomes. As low intakes of some micronutrients are common in older populations, there is a need for new research, particularly from well-characterised prospective cohorts, to improve the understanding of their role and importance in the aetiology of sarcopenia and to generate the evidence needed to inform dietary guidelines to promote muscle health.
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among medical students in India
Authors: Jain Jyoti , Saurabh Suman , Kumar Prashant , Verma Mahendra Kumar , Goel Akhil Dhanesh , Gupta Manoj Kumar , Bhardwaj Pankaj , Raghav Pankaja Ravi
Published: May 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine was launched in India on 16 January 2021, prioritising health care workers which included medical students. We aimed to assess vaccine hesitancy and factors related to it among medical students in India. An online questionnaire was filled by 1068 medical students across 22 states and union territories of India from 2 February to 7 March 2021. Vaccine hesitancy was found among 10.6%. Concern regarding vaccine safety and efficacy, lack of awareness regarding their eligibility for vaccination and lack of trust in government agencies predicted COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among medical students. On the other hand, the presence of risk perception regarding themselves being affected with COVID-19 reduced vaccine hesitancy as well as hesitancy in participating in COVID-19 vaccine trials. Vaccine-hesitant students were more likely to derive information from social media and less likely from teachers at their medical colleges. Choosing between the two available vaccines (Covishield and Covaxin) was considered important by medical students both for themselves and for their future patients. Covishield was preferred to Covaxin by students. Majority of those willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine felt that it was important for them to resume their clinical posting, face-to-face classes and get their personal life back on track. Around three-fourths medical students viewed that COVID-19 vaccine should be made mandatory for both health care workers and international travellers. Prior adult vaccination did not have an effect on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Targeted awareness campaigns, regulatory oversight of vaccine trials and public release of safety and efficacy data and trust building activities could further reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among medical students.
The Invention of an Opera House: The 1844 Teatro Victoria in Valparaiso, Chile
Authors: Izquierdo König José Manuel
Published: May 2021

The 1844 Teatro Victoria in Valparaiso, Chile, can be considered the first purpose-built opera house in the Andean region of the Americas. Managed by impresario Pietro Alessandri, it became the centre of an early operatic scene in the South Pacific and a model for theatres built during the following decades. In this article, I discuss the Teatro Victoria as an opera house and the way in which it functioned on the borders of what was then a new global operatic scene. Latin American research on opera has focused mostly on singers and performances, rather than on the workings of the opera houses and the operatic scene. This article discusses the rationale behind the development of the Teatro Victoria project, some of the strategies underpinning its success and the notion of this particular opera house as a projection of certain ideas of ‘Italian culture’ and networks. The article shows, first, that the successful reception and appropriation of Italian opera in this period was not necessarily guaranteed, and it differed across the Americas. Second, that local brokers and host communities had key roles in shaping that reception, which can easily be perceived as a passive one when looked at only from the perspective of the singers or the music itself.
Global leadership in paediatric and congenital cardiac care: “Humility in Leadership – an interview with Katarina Hanséus, MD, PhD, President of the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC)”
Authors: Tretter Justin T. , Jacobs Jeffrey P.
Published: May 2021

Dr. Katarina Hanséus is the focus of our fourth in a series of interviews in Cardiology in the Young entitled, “Global Leadership in Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Care”. Dr. Hanséus was born in Malmö, Sweden. She attended undergraduate school in her home town in Malmö, Sweden, graduating in 1974. Dr. Hanséus then went on to complete medical school at University of Lund in Lund, Sweden, graduating in 1980, where additionally she completed a Doctoral Dissertation in the evaluation of cardiac function and chamber size in children using Doppler and cross-sectional echocardiography. Under the Swedish Board of National Welfare, Dr. Hanséus completed her authorisation as a paediatrician in 1986, followed by her authorisation as a paediatric cardiologist in 1988, at University of Lund. She was appointed head of Paediatric Cardiology in 2000 at the Children’s Heart Center, Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. The programme at Lund serves as one of the two national referral centres for comprehensive paediatric and congenital cardiac care, including paediatric cardiac surgery, in Sweden. From 2006 to 2013, she served as the clinical and administrative head of the Department of Neonatology, Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric Intensive Care, Paediatric Cardiology, and Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, returning as the head of Paediatric Cardiology in 2013, for which she currently holds the position.

Dr. Hanséus is a recognised leader in the field of Paediatric Cardiology and has been involved in leadership within the Swedish Pediatric Society, the Swedish Association for Pediatric Cardiology, and the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology throughout her career. Within the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology, she served as the Secretary General from 2011 to 2016, the President Elect in 2018, and is the current President serving from 2019 until 2022. This article presents our interview with Dr. Hanséus, an interview that covers her experience as a leader in the field of Paediatric Cardiology, including the history and goals of the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology, and her role and vision as their current President.
Low dietary protein increases vitamin A absorption and deposition into milk in periparturient rats
Authors: Laarman Anne H. , Watts Jason S. , Foroudi Farhad , Rezamand Pedram
Published: May 2021

Abstract: Our objective was to study the effect of differing dietary crude protein and vitamin A on retinoid metabolism in a periparturient rat model. Sixty female rats, approximately 21 d before parturition, were fed rations containing either low protein (13%; LP) or high protein (22%; HP) crude protein and either low vitamin A (3 IU/g; LA) or high vitamin A (5 IU/g; HA), yielding treatments HPHA, HPLA, LPHA, and LPLA. Samples were collected at d −14, d +3, and +10 relative to parturition and analyzed for all-trans retinoid acid (RA), 13-Cis RA, and retinol. At d −14, serum all-trans RA concentrations decreased compared to baseline. At both d +3 and d +10, serum retinol increased and liver 13-Cis RA decreased. In the small intestine, 13-cis RA was higher in HPHA than HPLA pre-partum (0.93±0.12 vs. 0.40±0.12 ng/ml, P=0.04). Post-partum, 13-cis RA was lower in high vitamin HPHA and LPHA groups (0.35±0.06 and 0.38±0.06 ng/ml) than in low vitamin A HPLA and LPLA treatments (0.50±0.06 and 1.32±0.06 ng/ml, P<0.01). In rats fed LA diets, TNF-alpha expression tended to be lower in HPLA than LPLA groups on day +3 (0.69±0.34 vs 1.00±0.52, P=0.08), but not day +10 (0.56±0.25 vs. 1.00±0.49 fold change, P>0.10). Retinoids accumulated during pregnancy and were mobilized during lactation. The sequestration of retinoids was increased when dietary protein content was low. Further studies are needed to investigate how retinoid metabolism could be manipulated to improve vitamin A delivery to milk.
Midwest US Croplands Determine Model Divergence in North American Carbon Fluxes
Authors: Sun Wu , Fang Yuanyuan , Luo Xiangzhong , Shiga Yoichi P. , Zhang Yao , Andrews Arlyn E. , Thoning Kirk W. , Fisher Joshua B. , Keenan Trevor F. , Michalak Anna M.
Published: May 2021

Large uncertainties in North American terrestrial carbon fluxes hinder regional climate projections. Terrestrial biosphere models (TBMs), the essential tools for understanding continental‐scale carbon cycle, diverge on whether temperate forests or croplands dominate carbon uptake in North America. Evidence from novel photosynthetic proxies, such as those based on chlorophyll fluorescence, has cast doubt on the “weak cropland, strong forest” carbon uptake patterns simulated by most TBMs. However, no systematic evaluation of TBMs has yet been attempted to pin down space‐time patterns that are most consistent with regional CO2 observational constraints. Here, we leverage atmospheric CO2 observations and satellite‐observed photosynthetic proxies to understand emergent space‐time patterns in North American carbon fluxes from a large suite of TBMs and data‐driven models. To do so, we evaluate how well the atmospheric signals resulting from carbon flux estimates reproduce the space‐time variability in atmospheric CO2, as is observed by a network of continuous‐monitoring towers over North America. Models with gross or net carbon fluxes that are consistent with the observed CO2 variability share a salient feature of growing‐season carbon uptake in Midwest US croplands. Conversely, the remaining models place most growing‐season uptake in boreal or temperate forests. Differences in model explanatory power depend mainly on the simulated annual cycles of cropland uptake—especially, the timing of peak uptake—rather than the distribution of annual mean fluxes across biomes. Our results suggest that improved model representation of cropland phenology is crucial to robust, policy‐relevant estimation of North American carbon exchange.
Subducted Lithosphere Under South America From Multifrequency P Wave Tomography
Authors: Mohammadzaheri Afsaneh , Sigloch Karin , Hosseini Kasra , Mihalynuk Mitchell G.
Published: May 2021

We analyze mantle structure under South America in the DETOX‐P1 seismic tomography model, a global‐scale, multifrequency inversion of teleseismic P waves. DETOX‐P1 inverts the most extensive data set of broadband, waveform‐based traveltime measurements to date, complemented by analyst‐picked traveltimes from the ISC‐EHB catalog. The mantle under South America is sampled by ∼665,000 cross‐correlation traveltimes measured on 529 South American broadband stations and on 5,389 stations elsewhere. By their locations, depths, and geometries, we distinguish four high‐velocity provinces under South America, interpreted as subducted lithosphere (“slabs”). The deepest (∼1,800–1,200 km depth) and shallowest (<600 km) slab provinces are observed beneath the Andean Cordillera near the continent’s northwest coast. At intermediate depths (1,200–900 km, 900–600 km), two slab provinces are observed farther east, under Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela, with links to the Caribbean. We interpret the slabs relative to South America’s paleo‐position over time, exploring the hypothesis that slabs sank essentially vertically after widening by viscous deformation in the mantle transition zone. The shallowest slab province carries the geometric imprint of the continental margin and represents ocean‐beneath‐continent subduction during Cenozoic times. The deepest, farthest west slab complex formed under intra‐oceanic trenches during late Jurassic and Cretaceous times, far west of South America’s paleo‐position adjoined to Africa. The two intermediate slab complexes record the Cretaceous transition from westward intra‐oceanic subduction to eastward subduction beneath South America. This geophysical inference matches geologic records of the transition from Jura‐Cretaceous, extensional “intra‐arc” basins to basin inversion and onset of the modern Andean arc ∼85 Ma.