bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Specific techniques for right sleeve lower lobectomy: four case reports
Authors: Hamasaki Hirokazu , Shirakami Chika , Yamada Tatsuya , Motooka Yamato , Fujino Kosuke , Ikeda Koei , Suzuki Makoto
Published: February 2021

Background

Right sleeve lower lobectomy is rarely performed because pulmonary function of the middle lobe is not spared to the extent of the other lobes and achieving a proper bronchial anastomosis is technically more difficult than other sleeve lobectomies.

Case presentation

We performed four right sleeve lower lobectomies and had good clinical outcomes using specific technical options, such as telescope anastomosing, pericardiotomy, interlobar dissection between the upper and middle lobes, and angioplasty of the lower pulmonary artery, if needed.

Conclusions

The cases presented herein demonstrated that a right sleeve lower lobectomy is one option by which to preserve the middle lobe using specific techniques and is thus recommended in select patients.
Long-term survival after pancreatic metastasis resection from breast cancer: a systematic literature review
Authors: Nagao Atsuki , Noie Tamaki , Horiuch Hajime , Yamada Haruyasu , Momiyama Masashi , Nakajima Kentaro , Satou Shouichi , Satodate Hitoshi , Nara Satoshi , Harihara Yasushi
Published: February 2021

Background

Patients with advanced-stage breast cancer often demonstrate pancreatic metastases. However, pancreatic metastases resection from breast cancer has been rarely performed, with only 20 cases having been reported to date.

Case presentation

A 49-year-old woman presented to our hospital in September 2003 with complaints of uncontrollable oozing from her left breast tumor. Computed tomography revealed a left breast tumor approximately 9.3 cm in diameter as well as heterogeneously enhanced solid mass lesions with necrotic foci in the pancreatic tail and body, up to 6.2 cm, which were radiologically diagnosed as pancreatic metastases from breast cancer. An emergent left simple mastectomy was performed to control bleeding. After epirubicin and cyclophosphamide hydrate treatment failed to improve her condition, the pancreatic metastases responded to weekly paclitaxel treatment, but eventually regrew. The patient underwent distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy, left adrenalectomy, partial stomach resection, and paraaortic lymph nodes excision in December 2004 after no other metastasis was confirmed. Furthermore, she received radiation therapy for left parasternal lymph node metastasis 6 months later. The patient recovered well. Consequently, she has no evidence of disease > 15 years after pancreatectomy.

Conclusions

This is the first reported case of pancreatectomy for pancreatic metastases from breast cancer, which was simultaneously diagnosed. Patients with no metastasis other than resectable pancreatic metastases and breast cancer and who possess some sensitivity for chemotherapy may benefit from pancreatectomy.
A simple and affordable method for estimating the fluid volume a mosquito sucks using food dyes
Authors: Sakuma Chisako , Kanuka Hirotaka
Published: February 2021

Background

Blood-sucking by mosquitoes is an inevitable behavior when pathogens are transmitted among humans. Adenine nucleotides such as ATP are known as phagostimulants for mosquitoes and are widely used to induce and enhance the blood-sucking activity in an artificial manner. Although using ATP solution is convenient to introduce a variety of substances (for example chemicals and pathogens) into the mosquito body via sucking, establishing an easy and cost-effective method to quantify the amount of solution ingested has yet to be reported.

Results

A set of commercial food dyes (green, blue, yellow, and red) was employed in this study. Each dye was added to ATP solution used to colorize the abdomen of Ae. aegypti female mosquitoes after ingestion. The intake of food dyes did not show any toxicity to the mosquitoes, affecting neither ATP-sucking behavior nor survival of the mosquitoes. We observed that quantifying the color intensity of green dye in the mosquito abdomen by spectral analysis, as well as distinguishing the size of the colored abdomen using the naked eye, allowed the estimation of the amount of ingested solution. Using this method, capsaicin, a pungent component of chili peppers, was identified as an aversive tastant that can discourage mosquitoes from sucking the ATP solution.

Conclusions

Employing commercially available, non-toxic food dyes converted ATP-driven membrane feeding into an easy-to-use method to estimate the amount of solution ingested by mosquitoes. This method can be further applied for a variety of experiments such as introducing a certain quantity of chemical compounds or microbes into the mosquito body.
Advanced compositional imaging T2 mapping sequence in detection of stages of medial knee joint compartments articular cartilage degeneration
Authors: El-Liethy Nevien Ezzat , Kamal Heba Ahmed
Published: February 2021

Background

The predictive value of the new imaging sequences, especially T2 mapping in assessment of articular cartilage abnormalities of the medial knee compartments in patients with medial knee pain. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the additional value of T2 mapping over using a baseline standard knee MRI to detect cartilage lesions of the medial compartments in patients representing with medial knee pain.

Results

The study included 60 patients presented with medial knee pain, where divided into two groups ; control group (20 volunteers) with age range from 19 to 41 years old 26.80 ± 8.05 (mean ± SD) and patients (40 candidates) with age range from 13 to 57 years old with a mean age 33.00 ± 14.1 (mean ± SD).

Conclusion

On adding T2 mapping sequence to the routine MRI of the knee, the sensitivity for detecting knee cartilage lesions was increased, especially in the detection of early cartilage degeneration at the medial compartment.

Compositional MR imaging including T2 mapping plays an important role in the assessment of early and potentially reversible cartilage damage especially among the young population.
Relapse and frequency of injection of monthly paliperidone palmitate—A retrospective case–control study
Authors: Laing Emily , Taylor David
Published: February 2021

Background

Outcomes with long-acting injections (LAIs) are generally better than with oral antipsychotic therapy. However, the use of LAIs does not assure compliance with treatment and in clinical practice patients often miss injections or receive their injections later than intended.

Method

We conducted a case–control study to identify demographic and treatment associations with relapse (cases) on paliperidone 1-monthly injection (PP1M) compared with age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched controls.

Results

We identified 16 cases and matched 43 controls. Baseline variables did not differ except that cases had received significantly more antipsychotic drugs before initiation with PP1M (3.94 vs. 2.12; p < 0.001). Cases had fewer PP1M injections administered compared with the control group (9.69 vs. 11.37; p < 0.001) and this group had a longer interval between injections than the control group (37 vs. 33 days; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Relapse on PP1M is associated with reduced frequency of injection and a longer interval between doses.
Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Discrepancies in Opioid Prescriptions Among Older Patients With Cancer
Authors: Vitzthum Lucas K. , Nalawade Vinit , Riviere Paul , Sumner Whitney , Nelson Tyler , Mell Loren K. , Furnish Timothy , Rose Brent , Martínez María Elena , Murphy James D.
Published: February 2021

PURPOSE:

Minority race and lower socioeconomic status are associated with lower rates of opioid prescription and undertreatment of pain in multiple noncancer healthcare settings. It is not known whether these differences in opioid prescribing exist among patients undergoing cancer treatment.

METHODS AND MATERIALS:

This observational cohort study involved 33,872 opioid-naive patients of age > 65 years undergoing definitive cancer treatment. We compared rates of new opioid prescriptions by race or ethnicity and socioeconomic status controlling for differences in baseline patient, cancer, and treatment factors. To evaluate downstream impacts of opioid prescribing and pain management, we also compared rates of persistent opioid use and pain-related emergency department (ED) visits.

RESULTS:

Compared with non-Hispanic White patients, the covariate-adjusted odds of receiving an opioid prescription were 24.9% (95% CI, 16.0 to 33.9, P < .001) lower for non-Hispanic Blacks, 115.0% (84.7 to 150.3, P < .001) higher for Asian–Pacific Islanders, and not statistically different for Hispanics (−1.0 to 14.0, P = .06). There was no significant association between race or ethnicity and persistent opioid use or pain-related ED visits. Patients living in a high-poverty area had higher odds (53.9% [25.4 to 88.8, P < .001]) of developing persistent use and having a pain-related ED visit (39.4% [16.4 to 66.9, P < .001]).

CONCLUSION:

For older patients with cancer, rates of opioid prescriptions and pain-related outcomes significantly differed by race and area-level poverty. Non-Hispanic Black patients were associated with a significantly decreased likelihood of receiving an opioid prescription. Patients from high-poverty areas were more likely to develop persistent opioid use and have a pain-related ED visit.
Maternal Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Pregnancy and Child Growth from Birth to Age 6
Authors: Arogbokun Olufunmilayo , Rosen Emma , Keil Alexander P , Milne Ginger L , Barrett Emily , Nguyen Ruby , Bush Nicole R , Swan Shanna H , Sathyanarayana Sheela , Ferguson Kelly K
Published: February 2021

Context

Maternal oxidative stress in pregnancy can arise through a multitude of sources and may have lifelong consequences for the child. Animal studies suggest that prenatal oxidative stress may contribute to metabolic dysfunction and excessive weight gain in the offspring. However, this relationship has been studied minimally in humans.

Objective

Determine the association between prenatal oxidative stress biomarkers and child weight and body mass index (BMI) z-scores from birth to age 6.

Methods

Within The Infant Development and the Environment Study (TIDES) prospective pregnancy cohort, we calculated age- and sex-specific Z-scores for child weight and BMI, measured between birth and age 6 (N = 736). Three oxidative stress biomarkers were quantified in third-trimester urine, including 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), its primary metabolite, and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α). We examined associations between each biomarker and Z-scores using linear regression as well as group-based trajectory modeling.

Results

Prenatal 8-iso-PGF2α and its metabolite were associated with lower birth weight and higher weight at age 4. For example, an ln-unit increase in 8-iso-PGF2α was associated with 0.17 SD higher weight at age 4 (95% CI 0.01, 0.33). These biomarkers were also associated with higher BMI at age 4. Finally, within 4 unique weight trajectories (low, normal, high, and low–high), children of mothers with higher 8-iso-PGF2α were 2.56 times more likely (95% CI 1.22, 5.41) to be in the low–high trajectory than children in the normal group.

Conclusion

We observed associations between third-trimester oxidative stress and lower birth weight as well as higher early childhood weight and BMI. These findings have important implications for understanding the developmental origins of childhood weight gain and metabolic disease.
Unhatching the Egg in Lebanon’s 2019 Protests
Authors: Kosmatopoulos Nikolas
Published: February 2021

This auto-ethnographic essay revisits the story of the Beirut City Center Dome, also known as the “Egg,” a 1960s brutalist-modernist cinema abandoned to snipers during Lebanon’s civil war, which briefly became a stage for a direct action politics in the early days of Lebanon’s October 2019 uprising. One of the uprising’s most ambitious aims was the ushering in of a new social contract beyond sectarian divisions.

The essay tests the argument that a postwar model of expert-driven peace, which involves compartmentalizing the political society while devolving power into real-estate investors–prime ministers, crucially depends on the constant reproduction of technomoral hierarchies between experts and their subjects. In the context of mass mobilization, the essay considers “real estate” to be a fitting metaphor to describe the process through which potentially emancipatory projects fail to materialize within a toxic climate that tends to equate political critique with purity competitions and boundary work.
Afterword
Authors: Lim Eng-Beng , Nyong’o Tavia
Published: February 2021

The authors formulate “queer reconstellations” as a way to push the field of queer studies beyond its critical settlement in programmatic thinking that often organizes the field in predictable pathways. They also challenge those deviations that do not fundamentally transform the field’s subjects and objects. Using “left of queer” as at once a provocation, a nodal point, and a pathway into the arts of being ungovernable, this afterword proposes a constellated approach for wagering methods, histories, ideas, and cases that weaves objectless critique not as telos but as a necessary experiment for expansive thinking, writing, and doing what has not yet been thought, written, or done. To constellate queerness in this planetary mode is to hold on to the different methods and analytics proposed by this special issue’s editors and contributors as necessary rearrangements that may redefine and revivify our cognate fields. In this regard, the authors are inspired to meditate on a broad spectrum of theoretical musings and projects that have taken hold of the field of queer studies, especially in the United States, while asking for more transnational, decolonial, and global South thinking and practices that are at once perverse and world making for our own islands of misfit toys.
Endogenously expressed Ranbp2 is not at the axon initial segment
Authors: Ogawa Yuki , Rasband Matthew N.
Published: February 2021

Ranbp2 (also known as Nup358) is a member of the nucleoporin family, which constitutes the nuclear pore complex. Ranbp2 localizes at the nuclear membrane and was recently reported at the axon initial segment (AIS). However, we show that the anti-Ranbp2 antibody used in previous studies is not specific for Ranbp2. We mapped the antibody binding site to the amino acid sequence KPLQG, which is present in both Ranbp2 and neurofascin (Nfasc), a well-known AIS protein. After silencing neurofascin expression in neurons, the AIS was not stained by the antibody. Surprisingly, an exogenously expressed N-terminal fragment of Ranbp2 localizes at the AIS. We show that this fragment interacts with stable microtubules. Finally, using CRISPR/Cas9 in primary cultured neurons, we inserted an HA-epitope tag at N-terminal, C-terminal or internal sites of the endogenously expressed Ranbp2. No matter the location of the HA-epitope, endogenous Ranbp2 was found at the nuclear membrane but not the AIS. These results show that endogenously expressed Ranbp2 is not found at AISs.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Testing the influence of crushing surface variation on seed-cracking performance among beak morphs of the African seedcracker Pyrenestes ostrinus
Authors: Heckeberg Nicola S. , Anderson Philip S. L. , Rayfield Emily J.
Published: February 2021

Extreme phenotypic polymorphism is an oft-cited example of evolutionary theory in practice. Although these morphological variations are assumed to be adaptive, few studies have biomechanically tested such hypotheses. Pyrenestes ostrinus (the African seedcracker finch) shows an intraspecific polymorphism in beak size and shape that is entirely diet driven and allelically determined. Three distinct morphs feed upon soft sedge seeds during times of abundance, but during lean times switch to specializing on three different species of sedge seeds that differ significantly in hardness. Here, we test the hypothesis that beak morphology is directly related to consuming seeds of different hardness. We used a novel experimental analysis to test how beak morphology affects the efficiency of cracking sedge seeds of variable hardness, observing that neither mandibular ramus width nor crushing surface morphology had significant effects on the ability to crack different seed types. It is likely that feeding performance is correlated with other aspects of beak size and shape, such as beak depth and strength, muscle force or gape. Our results highlight how even seemingly straightforward examples of adaptive selection in nature can be complex in practice.
Improving spring–mass parameter estimation in running using nonlinear regression methods
Authors: Burns Geoffrey T. , Gonzalez Richard , Zernicke Ronald F.
Published: February 2021

Runners are commonly modeled as spring–mass systems, but the traditional calculations of these models rely on discrete observations during the gait cycle (e.g. maximal vertical force) and simplifying assumptions (e.g. leg length), challenging the predicative capacity and generalizability of observations. We present a method to model runners as spring–mass systems using nonlinear regression (NLR) and the full vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) time series without additional inputs and fewer traditional parameter assumptions. We derived and validated a time-dependent vGRF function characterized by four spring–mass parameters – stiffness, touchdown angle, leg length and contact time – using a sinusoidal approximation. Next, we compared the NLR-estimated spring–mass parameters with traditional calculations in runners. The mixed-effect NLR method (ME NLR) modeled the observed vGRF best (RMSE:155 N) compared with a conventional sinusoid approximation (RMSE: 230 N). Against the conventional methods, its estimations provided similar stiffness approximations (−0.2±0.6 kN m−1) with moderately steeper angles (1.2±0.7 deg), longer legs (+4.2±2.3 cm) and shorter effective contact times (−12±4 ms). Together, these vGRF-driven system parameters more closely approximated the observed vertical impulses (observed: 214.8 N s; ME NLR: 209.0 N s; traditional: 223.6 N s). Finally, we generated spring–mass simulations from traditional and ME NLR parameter estimates to assess the predicative capacity of each method to model stable running systems. In 6/7 subjects, ME NLR parameters generated models that ran with equal or greater stability than traditional estimates. ME NLR modeling of the vGRF in running is therefore a useful tool to assess runners holistically as spring–mass systems with fewer measurement sources or anthropometric assumptions. Furthermore, its utility as statistical framework lends itself to more complex mixed-effects modeling to explore research questions in running.
Controlled expression of the migratory phenotype affects oxidative status in birds
Authors: Marasco Valeria , Sebastiano Manrico , Costantini David , Pola Gianni , Fusani Leonida
Published: February 2021

High caloric intake can increase production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. We examined whether the emergence of the migratory phenotype, primarily signalled by increased food intake and fuelling, is accompanied by changes in oxidative status. We induced autumn migration followed by a non-migratory wintering phase in common quails (Coturnix coturnix). We compared three markers of oxidative status – oxidative damage to lipids expressed as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS); superoxide dismutase (SOD); and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) – between birds sampled during the migratory and non-migratory phase. We found that the emergence of the migratory phenotype was associated with: (i) higher levels of TBARS in the liver; (ii) lower levels of SOD in red blood cells and, marginally, in the liver; (iii) higher levels of GPx in the pectoral muscle; and (iv) sex-specific changes in red blood cells and liver. We found no link between food intake and variation in markers of oxidative status in any of the tissues examined, despite food intake being higher in the migratory birds. However, the increase in body mass was positively correlated with muscle GPx activity as birds entered the pre-migratory fattening phase, while the amount of decrease in body mass was negatively correlated with muscle GPx as birds transitioned to the non-migratory phase. Such correlations were absent in red blood cells and liver. Our work suggests that during the emergence of the migratory phenotype, birds might strategically displace oxidative costs on the liver in order to safeguard the pectoral muscles, which have a fundamental role in successfully completing the migratory flight.
Rhythmic auditory stimuli modulate movement recovery in response to perturbation during locomotion
Authors: Ravi Deepak K. , Bartholet Marc , Skiadopoulos Andreas , Kent Jenny A. , Wickstrom Jordan , Taylor William R. , Singh Navrag B. , Stergiou Nick
Published: February 2021

The capacity to recover after a perturbation is a well-known intrinsic property of physiological systems, including the locomotor system, and can be termed ‘resilience’. Despite an abundance of metrics proposed to measure the complex dynamics of bipedal locomotion, analytical tools for quantifying resilience are lacking. Here, we introduce a novel method to directly quantify resilience to perturbations during locomotion. We examined the extent to which synchronizing stepping with two different temporal structured auditory stimuli (periodic and 1/f structure) during walking modulates resilience to a large unexpected perturbation. Recovery time after perturbation was calculated from the horizontal velocity of the body's center of mass. Our results indicate that synchronizing stepping with a 1/f stimulus elicited greater resilience to mechanical perturbations during walking compared with the periodic stimulus (3.3 s faster). Our proposed method may help to gain a comprehensive understanding of movement recovery behavior of humans and other animals in their ecological contexts.
High carbohydrate diet ingestion increases post-meal lipid synthesis and drives respiratory exchange ratios above 1
Authors: Talal Stav , Cease Arianne , Farington Ruth , Medina Hector E. , Rojas Julio , Harrison Jon
Published: February 2021

Locusts have been reported to elevate metabolic rate in response to high carbohydrate diets; this conclusion was based on metabolic rates calculated from CO2 production, a common practice for insects. However, respiratory exchange ratio (RER, CO2 production divided by O2 consumption) can rise above 1 as a result of de novo lipid synthesis, providing an alternative possible explanation of the prior findings. We studied the relationship between macronutrient ingestion, RER and lipid synthesis using South American locusts (Schistocerca cancellata) reared on artificial diets varying in protein:carbohydrate (p:c) ratio. RER increased and rose above 1 as dietary p:c ratio decreased. Lipid accumulation rates were strongly positively correlated with dietary carbohydrate content and ingestion. RERs above 1 were only observed for animals without food in the respirometry chamber, suggesting that hormonal changes after a meal may drive lipid synthesis. Schistocerca cancellata does not elevate metabolic rate on low p:c diets; in fact, the opposite trend was observed.
The Globalization of Postsecondary Education: The Role of International Students in the US Higher Education System
Authors: Bound John , Braga Breno , Khanna Gaurav , Turner Sarah
Published: February 2021

In the four decades since 1980, US colleges and universities have seen the number of students from abroad quadruple. This rise in enrollment and degree attainment affects the global supply of highly educated workers, the flow of talent to the US labor market, and the financing of US higher education. Yet, the impacts are far from uniform, with significant differences evident by level of study and type of institution. The determinants of foreign flows to US colleges and universities reflect both changes in student demand from abroad and the variation in market circumstances of colleges and universities, with visa policies serving a mediating role. The consequences of these market mechanisms impact global talent development, the resources of colleges and universities, and labor markets in the United States and countries sending students.
Melissa Dell: Winner of the 2020 Clark Medal
Authors: Acemoglu Daron
Published: February 2021

The 2020 John Bates Clark Medal of the American Economic Association was awarded to Melissa Dell, Professor of Economics at Harvard University, for her path-breaking contributions in political economy, economic history, and economic development. This article summarizes Melissa Dell's work, places it in the context of the broader literature, and emphasizes how, with its data collection, careful empirical implementation, and audacious ambition, it has revolutionized work in political economy and economic history.
City Limits: What Do Local-Area Minimum Wages Do?
Authors: Dube Arindrajit , Lindner Attila
Published: February 2021

Cities are increasingly setting their own minimum wages, and this trend has accelerated sharply in recent years. While in 2010 there were only three cities with their own minimum wages exceeding the state or federal standard, by 2020 there were 42. This new phenomenon raises the question: is it desirable to have city-level variation in minimum wage polices? We discuss the main trade-offs emerging from local variation in minimum wage polices and evaluate their empirical relevance. First, we document what type of cities raise minimum wages, and we discuss how these characteristics can potentially impact the effectiveness of city-level minimum wage policies. Second, we summarize the evolving evidence on city-level minimum wage changes and provide some new evidence of our own. Early evidence suggests that the impact of the policy on wages and employment to date has been broadly similar to the evidence on state- and federal-level minimum wage changes. Overall, city-level minimum wages seem to be able to tailor the policy to the local economic environment without imposing substantial distortions in allocation of labor and businesses across locations.
Association between convalescent plasma and the risk of mortality among patients with COVID-19: a meta-analysis
Authors: Wardhani Shinta Oktya , Fajar Jonny Karunia , Wulandari Laksmi , Soegiarto Gatot , Purnamasari Yeni , Asmiragani Anisa , Maliga Helnida Anggun , Ilmawan Muhammad , Seran Gloriana , Iskandar Dheka Sapti , Ndapa Conchita Emiliana , Hamat Viviana , Wahyuni Rafika Ajeng , Cyntia Linda Oktaviana Suci , Maarang Feronika Maryanti , Beo Yosef Andrian , Adar Olivera Agnes , Rakhmadhan Iraky Mardya , Shantikaratri Emilia Tiara , Putri Ayu Sekarani Damana , Wahdini Rizqa , Broto Endang Pati , Suwanto Agnes Wanda , Tamara Fredo , Mahendra Aditya Indra , Winoto Eden Suryoiman , Krisna Pratista Adi , Harapan Harapan
Published: February 2021

Background: Convalescent plasma (CCP) has been used for treating some infectious diseases; however, the efficacy of CCP in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains controversial. The aim of this research was to assess the efficacy of CCP as an adjunctive treatment in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: Four bibliographic databases and a preprint database were searched for potentially relevant articles. Mortality rates between patients treated with standard treatment and standard treatment with CCP were compared using a Z test.

Results: A total of 1,937 patients treated with CCP and 3,405 patients without CCP retrieved from 12 studies were included. The risk of mortality was 1.92-fold higher in patients without CCP compared to patients treated with CCP (OR: 1.92; 95%CI: 1.33, 2.77; p=0.0005). In severe COVID-19 sub-group analysis, we found that patients without the CCP had a 1.32 times higher risk of mortality than those treated with the CCP (OR: 1.32; 95%CI: 1.09, 1.60; p=0.0040).

Conclusions: CCP, as adjunctive therapy, reduces the mortality rate among COVID-19 patients.
Eessõna
Authors: Klumpp Gerson , Gusev Valentin
Published: February 2021

Eessõna
Предисловие
Authors: Klumpp Gerson , Gusev Valentin
Published: February 2021

Предисловие
Focus position in SOV ~ SVO-varying languages – evidence from Enets, Nganasan, and Dolgan
Authors: Däbritz Chris Lasse
Published: February 2021

It is well known that the basic word order pattern of a language is closely intertwined with the syntactic realization of argument focus constituents. SVO languages exhibit a focus position at the sentence’s right periphery, SOV languages exhibit an immediately preverbal focus position. The study at hand examines both the basic word order patterns and the syntactic realization of focus in Enets, Nganasan and Dolgan. The major outcome is that Nganasan and Dolgan are much more flexible with respect to their basic word order pattern and, in consequence, exhibit both an immediately preverbal focus position and a right-peripheral focus position, whilst Enets realizes argument focus constituents almost exclusively immediately preverbally.

Kokkuvõte. Chris Lasse Däbritz: Fookuse asend SOV ~ SVO variatsiooniga keeltes – tõendus eenetsi, nganassaani ja dolgaani keeltest. On üldiselt teada, et ühe keele põhiline sõnajärjestus on tihedas seoses (kitsalt) fookustatud konstituentide süntaksiga. SVO keeltes on (kitsas) fookus reali seeritud lause paremas perifeerias, SOV keeltes on (kitsas) fookus realiseeritud vahetult verbi ees. Selles artiklis uuritakse nii põhilist sõnajärjestust kui ka fookuse süntaksit eenetsi, nganassaani ja dolgaani keeltes. Uurimuse kõige olulisem tulemus on see, et nganassaani ja dolgaani keeltes on põhiline sõnajärjestus tunduvalt paindlikum kui eenetsi keeles. Sellepärast realiseeritakse nganassaani ja dolgaani keeltes (kitsalt) fookustatud konstituendid nii vahetult verbi ees kui ka lause paremas perifeerias, samas kui eenetsi keeles realiseeritakse nad ainult vahetult verbi ees.

Аннотация. Крис Лассе Дэбриц: Позиция фокуса в языках с вариативным порядком слов SOV ~ SVO – данные энецкого, нганасанского и долганского языков. Как известно, базовый порядок слов в языке определяет синтаксическую позицию фокусных аргументов. В языках SVO фокусные составляющие ставятся в конце предложения, в языках SOV – непосредственно перед глаголом. В данной статье рассматриваются базовый порядок слов и позиция фокуса в энецком, нганасанском и долганском языках и показывается, что в нганасанском и долганском языках порядок слов намного более свободен и, соответственно, фокусные аргументы могут располагаться как перед глаголом, так и в конце предложения; а в энецком языке позиция фокуса – почти всегда непосредственно перед глаголом.
Converbal constructions in Selkup
Authors: Behnke Anja
Published: February 2021

In Selkup, converbs and converbal constructions are extensively used in a wide range of different syntactic functions. However, the corpus data show significant differences regarding the frequency within the individual Selkup dialectal groups (Northern, Central and Southern). In Southern Selkup, converbal constructions occur more than three times more frequently than in Central and Northern Selkup. This southnorth divide can also be observed concerning some functions, especially complex predicates. The question arises why there is such a large difference in the frequency and which strategies Central and Northern Selkup use to express Southern Selkup converbal constructions.

Kokkuvõte. Anja Behnke: Konverbitarindid sölkupi keeles. Sölkupi keeles kasutatakse konverbe ja konverbitarindeid laialdaselt paljudes erinevates süntaktilistes funktsioonides. Siiski näitavad korpuseandmed märkimis väärseid esinemissageduse erinevusi sölkupi murrete lõikes (põhja-, kesk- ja lõunasölkupi). Lõuna-sölkupi murdes esinevad konverbitarindid enam kui kolm korda sagedamini kui kesk- ja põhja-sölkupi murretes. Sarnast põhja-lõuna vastandust on näha ka mõningate nende funktsioonide puhul, eriti liitpredikaatide puhul. Tekib küsimus, millest on selline esinemissageduste erinevus tingitud ja millised strateegiad vastavad kesk- ja põhja-sölkupi murretes lõunasölkupi konverbitarinditele.

Аннотация. Аня Бенке: Деепричастные конструкции в селькупском языке. В селькупском языке деепричастия и деепричастные конструкции широко используются в самых разных синтаксических позициях. Однако корпусные данные показывают значительные различия в частотности их употребления в разных диалектных группах (северной, центральной и южной). В южноселькупском конструкции с деепричастиями встречаются более чем в три раза чаще, чем в центральном и северном. Такое же разделение между севером и югом можно наблюдать и на примере некоторых функций, в особенности сложных предикатов. В этой связи возникают вопросы о причинах такой разницы в частотности и о том, какие стратегии используются в северном и центральном селькупском для выражения значений, которые в южноселькупском выражаются конструкциями с деепричастиями.
The background and research potential of the first Selkup books by N. P. Grigorovskij
Authors: Fedotova Nadezhda
Published: February 2021

This article aims to explain why the dialectal identification of the Selkup texts compiled by Nikolaj Grigorovskij in the 19th century is still open. It also provides preliminary results on the isoglosses within the Southern dialectal group and strategies on how to address this problem. In order to advance the research, the first Selkup books of the 19th century (1879) have been converted into a digital annotated corpus of texts. Their analysis has revealed language features which, on the one hand, are accurately verified by Selkup material of the 20th century (on the example of the verb conjugation and the noun declension paradigms and the main Selkup isoglosses identified by Helimski. On the other hand, it has shown that the dialectal phenomena are insufficiently described. The article also gives the combined variant of Grigorovskij’s biography existing as fragments in different sources.

Kokkuvõte. Nadežda Fedotova: Esimeste N. P. Grigorovski sölkupi raamatute taust ja teaduslik potentsiaal. Siinse artikli eesmärk on välja selgitada, miks on siiani lahtine 19. sajandil Nikolaj Grigorovski poolt kogutud sölkupi tekstide murdeline määratlus. Ka annab artikkel esmased tulemused isoglosside piiride kohta lõuna-sölkupi murdegrupis ja pakub strateegiaid sellele probleemile lähenemiseks. Uurimisteema arendamiseks on esmalt esimesed 19. sajandi sölkupi raamatud (1879) viidud digitaalse tekstikorpuse kujule. Tekstianalüüs on välja toonud keelelised tunnused, mida ühest küljest kinnitavad ka 20. sajandi sölkupi materjalid (seda verbi pöördeliste ja noomenite käändeliste paradigmade põhjal ning põhiliste sölkupi isoglosside põhjal, mille on välja toonud Helimski 2004). Teisalt aga näitab analüüs, et murdelised nähtused on ebapiisavalt kirjeldatud. Artikkel sisaldab ka erinevates allikates esinevatest fragmentidest kokku kombineeritud varianti Grigorovski bibliograafiast.

Аннотация. Надежда Федотова: История и перспектива исследования первых книг на селькупском языке Н. П. Григоровского. Целью статьи является выявление причин, в связи с которыми проблема определения диалектной принадлежности первых селькупских текстов, собранных в XIX веке Николаем Григоровским, остается открытой. В статье даны предварительные варианты изоглосс, позволяющие отличить южную диалектную группу селькупского языка от других диалектных групп. С тем чтобы углубить исследование, первые селькупские книги XIX века (1879) были оцифрованы и преобразованы в аннотированный корпус текстов. Анализ на основе данного корпуса позволил обнаружить языковые явления, которые, с одной стороны, точно совпадают с селькупскими материалами, зафиксированными в XX веке (на примере парадигм спряжения селькупских глаголов и склонения существительных, а также с основными изоглоссами, предложенными Хелимским [Xelimskij 2004]). С другой стороны, они демонстрируют диалектные явления, которые недостаточно подробно описаны в литературе. В статье также предложена наиболее полная версия биографии Григоровского как компиляция из различных источников.
Covid-19 in Estonia. Restrictions and population’s coping with them
Authors: Tiit Ene-Margit , Makarova Marianna
Published: February 2021

The article is based on a selection of data commissioned by the Government Office of the Republic of Estonia and received during 10 weeks from weekly surveys (COVID-THEMATIC SURVEY) conducted by Turu-uuringute AS, a market research company.

The study began on 17 March and lasted for 10 weeks to 21 May. On three days of every week, about 2,000 Estonian residents aged 15 and over were interviewed. The respondents were randomly selected and represented the entire population of Estonia in terms of gender, age, ethnicity and social affiliation.

The time series on the assessment of virus infections, hospital and intensive care (mechanical ventilation) and COVID deaths, compiled on the basis of data published by the Health Board, was also used as background information.

The first three rounds took place during the period of increasing morbidity, the following four rounds (4–7) during the study period when the morbidity situation remained more or less stable, and all the established restrictions also applied. The last stage, rounds 8–10, took place at a time when morbidity was declining and restrictions were gradually eased.

The survey revealed that Estonia was not ready for the crisis – just like most of the world’s countries. The crisis tested, on the one hand, the government’s ability to make difficult decisions and make significant use of the brain potential of the country’s research community, and, on the other hand, the people’s reasonableness, stress tolerance and ability to comply with rather awkward restrictions. It follows from the present analysis that all the restrictions were opposed by those who did not believe in their appropriateness. However, compared to the total population, their number was small, and, therefore, the restrictions in Estonia were maintained without sanctions and no contradictions arose, let alone unrest.

The open action of the Crisis Committee was very important: the number of new infections, the number of patients in need of hospital treatment and mechanical ventilation, as well as the number of deaths, were reported daily at both the government press conference and in the media. The survey showed that there were very few people in the country who thought they did not know everything they needed about the crisis. The fact that people remained rather cautious in their assessments even after the end of the emergency situation adds to the hope of coping with the virus in the future – should a second wave or any other threat come.
Factors affecting facial development and formation of cleft lip and palate: a literature review
Authors: Vaivads Mārtiņš , Balode Evija , Pilmane Māra
Published: February 2021

The craniofacial region forms in a complicated developmental process regulated by multiple genes and growth factors. Disruption and dysregulation during facial development can lead to multiple congenital facial anomalies including cleft lip and palate. This literature review collects and analyses the existing information about the interaction of multiple growth factors and genes within the developing facial region and their association with facial pathology. The factors analysed in this review are DLX4, FOXE1, HOXB3, MSX2, PAX7, PAX9, RYK, SHH, SOX3, WNT3A, WNT9B and BARX1.
On the suitability of the distance between the tip of the nose and the middle of the elbow joint for sneezing etiquette as corona infection prophylaxis
Authors: Raschka Christoph , Heer Laura , Koch Horst Josef
Published: February 2021

During the current corona pandemic, the question to which extent people could reach the middle of the elbow joint with the tip of their nose, which the Federal Ministry of Health recommended as a preventive measure when sneezing, was investigated with the help of an online questionnaire.

The analysis included 316 fully completed online questionnaires and 16 additional telephone interviews, a total of 332 test persons (average age 29.5 (± 14.3) years, average BMI 22.9 (± 3.4) kg/m²; 226 women, 106 men).

The results of this study show that 84.6% of respondents followed the recommended coughing etiquette and sneezed into the crook of their arm, 15.4% did not. The most common reason given for not using it was habit. Nevertheless, 92.8% of the participants found sneezing or coughing in the crook of their arm to be useful.

When measuring the distance, 76.2% of the participants were able to touch the crook of the arm at the specific angle on both sides. The average measured distance was 1.13 cm on the right and 1.23 cm on the left. It was found that the BMI and age had a significant relationship with the measured distance. In a gender-specific comparison, more women than men sneezed into the crook of their arm, while no significant differences were found when measuring the distance.

If the results of this study are put into practice, it makes perfect sense to continue to recommend sneezing or coughing in the crook of the arm. However, a note should be attached to this recommendation, which prompts one to take the sneeze position once and to check whether the crook of the arm can really be reached effectively. If this is not possible, alternative options should be recommended.
Estimation of optimal obesity cut-offs among Tripuri and Halam women of Tripura, Northeast India
Authors: Chaudhuri Rima , Das Priyanka , Sarkar Pranabesh , Chatterjee Diptendu , Bandyopadhyay Arup Ratan
Published: February 2021

Obesity is one of the risk assessments for various non-communicable diseases (NCDs), while anthropometric measurements are one of the measures of obesity, which has been demonstrated as a time-tested important technique for risk assessment of NCDs. Due to variation of anthropometric measurements, it seems difficult to classify obesity using world cut-offs in different population groups.

The objective of the present study is to discern the population-specific obesity cut-offs and the best obesity predictor among two indigenous ethnic groups (Tripuri and Halam women) of Tripura, North East India.

The subjects of the present study were 88 Tripuri and 98 Halam adult women whose anthropometric measurements were obtained by using standard techniques. The area under curve (AUC) and Youden index (YI) were used to evaluate the performance of each anthropometric adiposity indicator as well as optimal obesity cut-offs.

The age and waist-hip ratio (WHR) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in Tripuris compared to Halams. However, no significant (p > 0.05) differences were observed in obesity categorized by body mass index (BMI) using the WHO 2004 cut-off between the populations. Waist stature ratio (WSR) (AUC = 0.959) and waist circumference (WC) (AUC = 0.804) were better obesity predictors for Halams and Tripuris respectively. The present study envisaged the optimal cut-off points, which were 84.95 cm for WC, 96.45 cm for hip circumference (HC), 29.95% for the percentage of body fat (PBF), 0.89 for WHR, 0.57 for WSR and 1.27 for conicity index (CI) in Halams, while for the Tripuris, the optimal cut-off points were 89.6 cm for WC, 97.5 cm for HC, 33.1% for PBF, 0.95 for WHR, 0.55 for WSR and 1.02 for CI.

In conclusion, the present study indicated the optimal anthropometric cut-offs which could be the redefined the parameters for assessment of obesity in Halam and Tripuri women.
Disorders of the anxiety-depressive spectrum in patients with rheumatic diseases
Authors: Fleyshman A.
Published: February 2021

Anxiety and depressive disorders play an important role not only as independent diseases, but also as conditions that occur against the background of other somatic diseases. In the practice of a rheumatologist, patients with anxiety and depression are a frequent occurrence. In patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases, anxiety and depressive disorders are 7-15 times more common than in the general population. The main cause of depression in rheumatology is the presence of severe and chronic pain.

Studies show that in patients with rheumatic diseases, as a rule, the following disorders of the anxiety-depressive spectrum of RTDS are detected: depressive episodes of various severity with concomitant anxiety, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder. Taking into account the peculiarities of diseases, the supervision of patients with anxiety and depressive disorders should be carried out by several specialists, namely a rheumatologist, a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist. Therapy of anxiety and depressive disorders, in addition to drugs aimed at the main rheumatic disease, must also include drugs with antidepressant and anxiolytic properties (neuroleptics, antidepressants).
Bail-in and Bailout: Friends or Foes?
Authors: Pandolfi Lorenzo
Published: February 2021

This paper analyzes the effects of bail-in and bailout policies on banks’ funding costs, incentives for loan monitoring, and financing capacity. In a model with moral hazard and two investment stages, a full bail-in turns out to be, ex post, the optimal policy to deal with a failing bank. Unlike a bailout, it allows the government to recapitalize the bank without resorting to distortionary taxes. As a consequence, however, investors expect bail-ins rather than bailouts. Ex ante, this raises banks’ cost of debt and depresses bankers’ incentives to monitor. When moral hazard is severe, this time inconsistency leads to a credit market collapse in which productive projects are not financed, unless the government precommits to an alternative resolution policy. The optimal policy is either a combination of bail-in and bailout—in which the government uses a minimal amount of public transfers to lower banks’ cost of debt—or liquidation, depending on the severity of moral hazard and the shadow cost of the partial bailout.

This paper was accepted by Gustavo Manso, finance.
Medical training in acute specialties: the acute care common stem training pathway
Authors: Stretch Benjamin , Jakubowska Agnieszka , Patel Mihir , Waite Matthew , Xu Allan
Published: February 2021

In 2007, the acute care common stem pathway changed the delivery of acute specialty training. Acute care common stem is the core training programme for all emergency medicine trainees, 46% of anaesthetic trainees and a cohort of acute medicine trainees with more than 630 places nationally, the third highest of any core training programme. In their first 2 years of core training (CT1–2), trainees rotate through 6-month rotations in emergency medicine, acute medicine, anaesthetics and intensive care to gain core competencies in the assessment and management of acutely unwell patients, before completing 1 year (CT3) in their parent specialty. Acute care common stem trainees benefit from undertaking rotations in allied acute specialties, which is invaluable when treating complex and comorbid patients in an ageing population. Acute care common stem gives trainees core skills in management of acutely unwell patients, which can be built upon in higher specialty training.
COVID-19 vaccines: what happened to evidence-based medicine?
Authors: Quek Eleanor , Tahir Hasan
Published: February 2021

The UK government recently decided to extend the interval between the first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from 3 weeks to 12 weeks to maximise the number of people receiving the initial dose, despite the trials only providing vaccine efficacy data based on a schedule of 21 days between doses. This editorial discusses whether there is evidence to support this policy change.