bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Content analysis of Journal of Genetic Counseling research articles: A multi‐year perspective
Authors: Wallgren Alexandra , Veach Patricia McCarthy , MacFarlane Ian M. , LeRoy Bonnie S.
Published: December 2020

Content analyses of published papers in journals inform readers, editors, and members of the profession about historical publication patterns and how the journal has represented the field. This study is a content analysis of original research papers published in the Journal of Genetic Counseling from January 2011 through December 2017. This is the first study of its kind for the flagship journal of the National Society of Genetic Counseling. Of 794 papers published in the 7‐year period, 428 were original research included in the analysis. Content analysis yielded categories reflecting the types of data analyses, genetic counseling practice specialties, characteristics of the study sample, and major topics/issues investigated in each study. There was an overall positive linear trend in the number of articles published during this period (p = .002). Approximately equal percentages of studies used qualitative (34%), quantitative (31%), and mixed (35%) analyses, and these proportions did not vary significantly across volumes (p = .73). Cancer (27%), prenatal (13.3%), and general genetics (12.6%) were the most prevalent specialties represented. The number of studies about prenatal and pediatrics was less, and the number of studies about neurogenetics was greater than would be expected based on the clinical workforce (p<.001). Patients were the most common sample (55.6%). While there was a significant increase in the number of articles with diverse samples (p = .001), the proportion of such articles did not increase over time (p = .86). The most common content areas were genetic counseling practice (16.8%); attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs about genetics services (16.1%); and decision‐making (14.5%). In contrast, relatively few studies focused on laboratory genetic counselor, male, gender non‐conforming, and adoptee populations. The trends and gaps highlighted in this content analysis can inform future research endeavors.
Combined proteomic and lipidomic studies in Pompe disease allow a better disease mechanism understanding
Authors: Sidorina Anna , Catesini Giulio , Levi Mortera Stefano , Marzano Valeria , Putignani Lorenza , Boenzi Sara , Taurisano Roberta , Garibaldi Matteo , Deodato Federica , Dionisi‐Vici Carlo
Published: December 2020

Pompe disease (PD) is caused by deficiency of the enzyme acid α‐glucosidase resulting in glycogen accumulation in lysosomes. Clinical symptoms include skeletal myopathy, respiratory failure, and cardiac hypertrophy. We studied plasma proteomic and lipidomic profiles in 12 PD patients compared to age‐matched controls. The proteomic profiles were analyzed by nLC‐MS/MS SWATH method. Wide‐targeted lipidomic analysis was performed by LC‐IMS/MS, allowing to quantify >1100 lipid species, spanning 13 classes. Significant differences were found for 16 proteins, with four showing the most relevant changes (GPLD1, PON1, LDHB, PKM). Lipidomic analysis showed elevated levels of three phosphatidylcholines and of the free fatty acid 22:4, and reduced levels of six lysophosphatidylcholines. Up‐regulated glycolytic enzymes (LDHB and PKM) are involved in autophagy and glycogen metabolism, while down‐regulated PON1 and GPLD1 combined with lipidomic data indicate an abnormal phospholipid metabolism. Reduced GPLD1 and dysregulation of lipids with acyl‐chains characteristic of GPI‐anchor structure suggest the potential involvement of GPI‐anchor system in PD. Results of proteomic analysis displayed the involvement of multiple cellular functions affecting inflammatory, immune and antioxidant responses, autophagy, Ca2+‐homeostasis, and cell adhesion. The combined multi‐omic approach revealed new biosignatures in PD, providing novel insights in disease pathophysiologywithpotential future clinical application.
Identifying weather regimes for regional‐scale stochastic weather generators
Authors: Najibi Nasser , Mukhopadhyay Sudarshana , Steinschneider Scott
Published: December 2020

Weather regime based stochastic weather generators (WR‐SWGs) have recently been proposed as a tool to better understand multi‐sector vulnerability to deeply uncertain climate change. WR‐SWGs can distinguish and simulate different types of climate change that have varying degrees of uncertainty in future projections, including thermodynamic changes (e.g., rising temperatures, Clausius‐Clapeyron scaling of extreme precipitation) and dynamic changes (e.g., shifting circulation and storm tracks). These models require the accurate identification of WRs that are representative of both historical and plausible future patterns of atmospheric circulation, while preserving the complex space–time variability of weather processes. This study proposes a novel framework to identify such WRs based on WR‐SWG performance over a broad geographic area and applies this framework to a case study in California. We test two components of WR‐SWG design, including the method used for WR identification (Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) vs.K‐means clustering) and the number of WRs. For different combinations of these components, we assess performance of a multi‐site WR‐SWG using 14 metrics across 13 major California river basins during the cold season. Results show that performance is best using a small number of WRs (4–5) identified using an HMM. We then juxtapose the number of WRs selected based on WR‐SWG performance against the number of regimes identified using metastability analysis of atmospheric fields. Results show strong agreement in the number of regimes between the two approaches, suggesting that the use of metastable regimes could inform WR‐SWG design. We conclude with a discussion of the potential to expand this framework for additional WR‐SWG design parameters and spatial scales.
Determination of 1,4‐dioxane in water samples using freeze‐assisted liquid–liquid extraction and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry with select reaction monitoring
Authors: Jackson Leah E. , Rohrssen Megan , Hlohowskyj Stephan R. , Lemke Lawrence D.
Published: December 2020

In this study, we developed an analytical method for the determination of 1,4‐dioxane in aqueous solutions using freeze‐assisted liquid–liquid extraction, also known as frozen microextraction, and gas chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry with select reaction monitoring. The method is capable of quantifying 1,4‐dioxane across a broad range of concentrations (1‐10 000 μg/L) relevant to contaminated sites, with an instrument detection limit and method detection limit experimentally verified as 2.1 and 2.2 μg/L, respectively. In contrast to methods with similar detection limits that require 50 to 500 mL volume of sample, our method uses only 200 μL of sample. The method presented here facilitates field and laboratory applications where small sample volumes and high precision are required and could be extended to other strongly water‐soluble GC‐amenable analytes.
YO‐IFOS Guidelines for Pediatric ENT Surgery during COVID‐19: An Overview of Recommendations
Authors: Din Taseer , Abdalla Tagwa , Chiesa‐Estomba Carlos , Simon François , Teissier Natacha , Thomas Izaskun , Fagan Johannes , Peer Shazia
Published: December 2020

Objective/Hypothesis

To review the literature on pediatric ENT COVID‐19 guidelines worldwide, in particular, surgical practice during the pandemic, and to establish a comprehensive set of recommendations.

Study Design

Review.

Methods

A comprehensive literature review through an independent electronic search of the COVID‐19 pandemic in PubMed, Medline, Google, and Google Scholar was performed on April 26–30, 2020. Resources identified comprised of published papers, national and international pediatric ENT society guidelines.

Results

Fourteen guidelines fit the inclusion criteria. Key statements were formulated and graded: 1) Strong recommendation (reported by 9 or more/14); 2) Fair recommendation (7–8/14); 3) Weak recommendation (5–6/14); and 4) Expert opinion (2–4/14). Any single source suggestion was included as a comment. Highly scored recommendations included definition of urgent/emergent cases that required surgery; surgery for acute airway obstruction; prompt diagnosis of suspected cancer; and surgical intervention for sepsis following initial first‐line medical management. Other well scored recommendations included senior faculty to perform the surgery; the use of open approaches rather than endoscopic ones; and avoidance of powered instruments that would aerosolize virus‐loaded tissue. A tracheostomy should be performed on a case by case basis where key technical modifications become necessary.

Conclusions

The COVID‐19 pandemic will have a profound short and long‐term impact on pediatric ENT practice. During this rapidly evolving climate, guidelines have been based on local practice and expert opinion. Until evidence‐based practice in the COVID era is established, a comprehensive set of recommendations for pediatric ENT surgical practice based on a review of currently available literature and guidelines, is therefore, appropriate. Laryngoscope, 131:1876–1883, 2021
Aerosol generation during cadaveric simulation of otologic surgery and live cochlear implantation
Authors: Sharma Dhruv , Campiti Vincent J. , Ye Michael J. , Saltagi Mohamad , Carroll Aaron E. , Ting Jonathan Y. , Illing Elisa A. , Park Jae Hong , Nelson Rick F. , Burgin Sarah J.
Published: December 2020

Objective

The risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission to healthcare workers through airborne aerosolization during otologic surgery has not been characterized. The objective of this study was to describe and quantify the aerosol generation during common otologic procedures in both cadaveric surgical simulation and live patient surgery.

Methods

The number concentrations of generated aerosols in the particle size range of 0.30 to 10.0 μm were quantified using an optical particle sizer during both a cadaveric simulation of routine otologic procedures as well as cochlear implant surgery on live patients in the operating room.

Results

In the cadaveric simulation, temporalis fascia graft harvest using cold techniques (without electrocautery) (n = 4) did not generate aerosols above baseline concentrations. Tympanoplasty (n = 3) and mastoidectomy (n = 3) both produced statistically significant increases in concentrations of aerosols (P < 0.05), predominantly submicron particles (< 1.0 μm). High‐speed, powered drilling of the temporal bone during mastoidectomy with a Multi Flute cutting burr resulted in higher peak concentrations and greater number of spikes in aerosols than with a diamond burr. In the operating room, spikes in aerosols occurred during both cochlear implant surgeries.

Conclusion

In the cadaveric simulation, temporalis fascia graft harvest without electrocautery did not generate aerosol levels above baseline, while significant aerosol levels were generated during mastoidectomy and to a much less degree during tympanoplasty. Aerosol spikes were appreciated during cochlear implantation surgery in live patients.

Level of Evidence

2.
Boron Compounds as Additives for the Cationic Polymerization Using Coumarin Derivatives in Epoxy Silicones
Authors: Abdallah Mira , Hijazi Akram , Cozzi Pier Giorgio , Gualandi Andrea , Dumur Frederic , Lalevée Jacques
Published: December 2020

This work aims at using two borane derivatives, namely Borane A: B(C6F5)3 and Borate B: C32H12BF24Na as additives for the cationic polymerization of epoxy silicones under visible light, in the presence of coumarins as photosensitizers and 4‐isopropyl‐4′‐methyldiphenyl iodonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (SC939). The effect of boron compounds on the absorption and the emission spectra of a coumarin is particularly outlined. These two boron compounds can improve both the polymerization rate and the final monomer conversion. Moreover, the effect of adding water on the reactivity of the system is studied. It should be noted that the studied boron additives are able to enhance in an interesting way the polymerization rate when light irradiation is switched off through a dark polymerization (DP) mechanism. This latter behavior is highly desired for practical applications. Finally, the very high photoreactivity of boron compounds is employed for the development of new cationic 3D printing resins upon exposure to a light emitting diode (LED) projector at 405 nm, as well as for direct laser write experiments, by means of a laser diode at 405 nm. The 3D polymerization occurs through a cationic process which can be quite useful in order to reduce the shrinkage usually observed in radical polymerization.
Cellulose Nanocrystals‐Based Polyacrylamide as Flocculating Agent of Mature Fine Tailings
Authors: Nogueira André L. , da Silva Marco A. , Soares João B. P.
Published: December 2020

This study compares the performance of neat polyacrylamide (PAM) and their nanocomposites produced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) on the flocculation of mature fine tailings (MFT). The surface of CNCs is chemically modified using three different bifunctional organosilanes containing vinyl functional groups (7‐octenyl trimethoxysilane, methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane, vinyl trimethoxysilane). Acrylamide is polymerized in the absence and presence of pristine and silylated CNCs (5 and 10%w/w) to in situ produce PAM‐CNC nanocomposites. Concentrations of 1000 and 2000 ppm of the produced polymers are used to flocculate MFT. FTIR spectra showed that the CNCs are successfully modified, regardless of the silane used. The dynamics of floc size evolution is assessed by focused beam reflectance measurements (FBRMs), and the results demonstrated that smaller flocs are produced by increasing the CNCs content in the polymerization. Capillary suction times (CSTs) data showed that the use of CNC‐based PAM nanocomposites enhances flocs dewaterability in comparison to neat PAM. Moreover, the type of silane used in the chemical modification of CNCs influenced the flocculation performance of PAM‐CNC nanocomposites. The obtained results are promising and encourage the development of a more detailed investigation regarding the production and performance assessment of hybrid flocculating polymers composed by PAM and CNCs.
Cristallinity Evaluation of Oriented Nanocomposites Based on Polypropylene and Silica by Time Domain NMR
Authors: Alves Lorena G. , Ferreira Luana M. , Melo Amanda R. A. , Junior Jorge P. Chimanowsky , Tavares Maria I.B.
Published: December 2020

Hybrid films made of isotactic polypropylene (PP) and silica (SiO2) are produced in a single‐screw extruder, followed by uniaxial orientation induced by winding at different speeds. Aiming their application in packaging, the influence of uniaxial orientation on properties of films containing pure (A200) and modified (R972, modified with dimethylchlorosilane) silicas is studied. The microstructural changes of the PP are evaluated by x‐ray diffraction (XRD) and by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and these data are correlated to nuclear magnetic resonance in the time domain (NMR‐TD). The orientation given to the films is monitored by intensity alterations of the XRD peaks, which are influenced by the nanoparticle concentration and the affinity between PP/silica. Through the DSC analysis, the nucleating effect of silica A200 at a concentration of 1 wt% is evidenced. Finally, the NMR‐TD corroborated the previous results, showing an increase in the stiffness of the more oriented nanocomposites due to the alignment of polymer chains.
Migration of Phthalates from Cellulose Packaging into Food Simulant: Assessment of Different Levels of Contaminants
Authors: Coltro Leda , Machado Layfa G. S.
Published: December 2020

Since paper recycling operates with market‐collected paper scrap, this may lead to undesirable chemicals migrating from the wastepaper into the recycled material. Therefore, this study is based on the assessment of several additives inadvertently included in cellulose packaging that may migrate to foodstuff, considering that toxicological effects of some of these additives may persist in recycled cellulose fibers used to produce new food packaging. The purpose of this study is to determine migration of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), bis(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and 2,6‐diisopropylnaphthalene (DIPN) into fatty food simulant (n‐heptane) by means of gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC‐FID). For this purpose, commercial samples of cellulose food packages are contaminated with different concentrations of these additives, and migration into the food simulant is evaluated after the samples remain in contact with the food simulant for a prolonged time at maximum temperatures of 40 °C. The results of the assessment show that an amount ranging from 0.1–0.3% of phthalates and DIPN migrate from the fortified package into the fatty food simulant. The maximum levels of migration of these additives into the recycled cellulose packaging in order to comply with the specific migration limits for contact with foodstuff have been estimated.
Study of the Antibacterial Property of Tea Tree Oil and Its Incorporation Into Poly(Lactic Acid)‐montmorillonite Clay Bionanocomposites
Authors: Proença Larissa Braga , Pena Carlos Alberto Pinheiro , da Silva Geovana Vieira , Camargo Ilana Lopes Baratella da Cunha , Branciforti Marcia Cristina
Published: December 2020

The presence of microorganisms in skin wounds can lead to infections that hamper the healing process; therefore, growing interest is given to the development of antimicrobial dressing. This study evaluates the ability of tea tree essential oil (EO) to eliminate resistant microorganisms, and new antibacterial bionanocomposites are prepared in two steps, namely sonication followed by melt mixing. Montmorillonite clay (MMT) and poly(acid lactic) (PLA) are chosen for constituting a polymer‐clay bionanocomposite for application in wound dressing. MMT retains and promotes a controlled release of the drug into the wound. Synthetic PLA is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for wound dressing applications. Disk diffusion tests evaluate the antimicrobial properties of tea tree oil, and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyzed the extent of clay intercalation/exfoliation. Tea tree essential oil is effective against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. According to the XRD results, the preparation method used can promote oil incorporation into the MMT galleries. TEM micrographs corroborated such results showing the coexistence of intercalated‐exfoliated structures in the bionanocomposites. As a conclusion, the produced bionanocomposites with tea tree essential oil are interesting antibacterial material to be used in wound dressing applications.
Modeling and Parameter Estimation of Step‐Growth Polymerization of Ethylene Glycol and 2,5‐Furandicarboxylic Acid (FDCA) Using the Method of Moments
Authors: Lima Rafael C. , Brandão Amanda L. T. , Oechsler Bruno F. , Gomes Frederico W. , Nele Márcio , Pinto José C.
Published: December 2020

The present work investigates the modeling of bulk step‐growth polymerization of ethylene glycol (EG) and 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) for production of poly(ethylene‐2,5‐furandicarboxylate) (PEF), using the method of moments. The kinetic model is validated with experiments performed at distinct reaction temperatures and nitrogen flowrates. The polymerization process followed the well‐known two step procedure, where the direct esterification of EG and FDCA under continuous nitrogen flow is performed first, and the transesterification of produced oligomers is performed in sequence under vacuum. Kinetic and mass transfer rate parameters are estimated to describe the available experimental data. The obtained results confirmed that this polymerization can be highly limited by mass transfer constraints.
Solution Copolymerizations of N‐Vinyl‐2‐Pyrrolidone with Acrylic Acid, Methacrylic Acid and Vinyl Acetate for Applications in Hair Cosmetics
Authors: Abreu Ariane Souza , Martins Marcel Guimarães , Paiva Thamiris Franckini , Ferraz Helen Conceição , Pinto José Carlos
Published: December 2020

Hair care cosmetics are used for cleaning, damage prevention from external agents and making hair healthier. The use of film‐forming polymers in these formulations ensures the correction of hair cuticle imperfections and the reduction of water loss, making hair softer and thicker. For this reason, in the present work, N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone homopolymers and copolymers with acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and vinyl acetate are produced through aqueous solution polymerizations, investigating some properties of the final products and respective polymer films for use in capillary cosmetic applications. The obtained results show that the poly(N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone) (PVP) homopolymer and copolymer samples can be obtained with high molar masses, providing films that can interact appropriately with keratin. Besides that, it is shown that acrylic acid and methacrylic acid can be successfully incorporated into the PVP chains during the copolymerization reactions, resulting in the improvement of the mechanical properties of the film, but affecting negatively the polymer‐keratin interaction.
Use of Bacterial Nanocellulose for Pickering Stabilization of Methyl Methacrylate Suspension Polymerizations
Authors: Mangia Lys H R , Pereira André Luís S. , Rosa Morsyleide de F. , Pinto José Carlos
Published: December 2020

Nanocellulose is a promising material for pickering stabilization of liquid‐liquid and solid‐liquid dispersions because it is a natural and sustainable material that can present surface activity. For this reason, the present work investigates the stability of aqueous dispersions of methyl methacrylate (MMA) prepared in presence of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) and the use of BNC as suspending agent in free‐radical MMA suspension polymerization reactions. The dispersion stability is evaluated through sedimentation and phase separation analyses, using empirical statistical models to characterize the main effects of operation variables on the preparation of aqueous MMA dispersions. Then, suspension polymerization reactions are carried out at different conditions to characterize the stabilizing performances of the analyzed BNCs during actual reaction trials. Particularly, it is shown that modification of both the BNC concentration and the emulsification conditions can affect the final stability of the obtained emulsions. Additionally, it is shown that PMMA microparticles with diameters ranging from 300 to 1500 µm can be synthesized using BNC as stabilizer and AIBN as initiator, enhancing the sustainable characteristics of the analyzed processes.
Analyzing the effect of selected macroeconomic variables on economic growth in Nigeria
Authors: Goshit Gideon G. , Terese Uji
Published: December 2020

This study investigated the effect of oil price shock (OPS), exchange rate volatility (EXRV), and non‐oil export (NOX) on economic growth in Nigeria using quarterly time‐series data from 1981Q1 to 2018Q4. Structural vector autoregressive methodology was adopted to identify the effect; Zivot‐Andrews unit root test and Johansen cointegration were first applied to established stationarity properties and long‐run relationships of the variables. The study found that OPS, EXRV, and NOX had a significant negative effect on economic growth in Nigeria. The study recommended reviving of oil refineries; diversification of the economy; and deliberate policy to promote NOX.
Attentional reference frames in perifoveal and peripheral visual field
Authors: Liu Yuelin , Ooi BoonHaw , Wang Lingyan , Bao Yan
Published: December 2020

Using inhibition of return as an indicator, we tested whether spatial attention in the perifoveal and peripheral visual field shares the same reference frame. The perifoveal visual field is apparently dominated by the environmental frame whereas the periphery seems to operate with both environmental and retinotopic frames.
A new risk‐adjusted EWMA control chart based on survival time for monitoring surgical outcome quality
Authors: Ding Ning , He Zhen , Shi Liangxing , Qu Liang
Published: December 2020

Monitoring surgical outcome quality by risk‐adjusted control charts has attracted wide attention. The hidden medical errors may cause increasing of adverse events such as infection, rehospitalization, and even death. Quickly and timely detecting abnormal changes of surgical performance helps reduce the probability of adverse events and improve health care quality. Most existing monitoring schemes focus on the binary surgical outcomes. However, continuous survival times of patients should be considered for more accurate monitoring. In this paper, a new exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart is proposed for monitoring continuous surgical outcomes. To describe surgical performance, a patient's actual survival time and predicted mortality are combined in an illustrative and interpretable way. Performance of the proposed chart is evaluated with different chart parameters under different shifts by a simulation study. We compare our chart with the risk‐adjusted survival time cumulative sum chart, and the simulation results demonstrate that the proposed monitoring scheme has better efficiency. The implementation of the proposed chart is illustrated by a real example. Besides an analysis of the entire dataset, the surgical performance of each surgeon is monitored, because each of them has patients with different risk levels.
Highly Sensitive Artificial Visual Array Using Transistors Based on Porphyrins and Semiconductors
Authors: Wang Xin , Lu Yang , Zhang Junyao , Zhang Shiqi , Chen Tianqi , Ou Qingqing , Huang Jia
Published: December 2020

Artificial visual systems with image sensing and storage functions have considerable potential in the field of artificial intelligence. Light‐stimulated synaptic devices can be applied for neuromorphic computing to build artificial visual systems. Here, optoelectronic synaptic transistors based on 5,15‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐10,20‐(4‐nitrophenyl)porphyrin (TPP) and dinaphtho[2,3‐b:2′,3′‐f ]thieno[3,2‐b]thiophene (DNTT) are demonstrated. By utilizing stable TPP with high light absorption, the number of photogenerated carriers in the transport layer can be increased significantly. The devices exhibit high photosensitivity and tunable synaptic plasticity. The synaptic weight can be effectively modulated by the intensity, width, and wavelength of the light signals. Due to the high light absorption of TPP, an ultrasensitive artificial visual array based on these devices is developed, which can detect weak light signals as low as 1 µW cm−2. Low‐voltage operation is further demonstrated. Even with applied voltages as low as −70 µV, the devices can still show obvious responses, leading to an ultralow energy consumption of 1.4 fJ. The devices successfully demonstrate image sensing and storage functions, which can accurately identify visual information. In addition, the devices can preprocess information and achieve noise reduction. The excellent synaptic behavior of the TPP‐based electronics suggests their good potential in the development of new intelligent visual systems.
Seismicity in the Northern Rhine Area (1995–2018)
Authors: Hinzen Klaus-G. , Reamer Sharon K. , Fleischer Claus
Published: December 2020

Since the mid-1990s, the local seismic network of the University of Cologne has produced digital seismograms. The data all underwent a daily routine processing. For this study, we re-processed data of almost a quarter century of seismicity in the Northern Rhine Area (NRA), including the Lower Rhine Embayment (LRE) and the Eifel Mountain region (EMR). This effort included refined discrimination between tectonic earthquakes, mine-induced events, and quarry blasts. While routine processing comprised the determination of local magnitudeML, in the course of this study, source spectra-based estimates for moment magnitudeMWfor 1332 earthquakes were calculated. The resulting relation betweenMLandMWagrees well with the theory of an ML ∝ 1.5 MWdependency at magnitudes below 3. By applying Gutenberg-Richter relation, theb-value forMLwas less (0.82) thanMW(1.03). Fault plane solutions for 66 earthquakes confirm the previously published N118° E direction of maximum horizontal stress in the NRA. Comparison of the seismicity with recently published Global Positioning System–based deformation data of the crust shows that the largest seismic activity during the observation period in the LRE occurred in the region with the highest dilatation rates. The stress directions agree well with the trend of major faults, and declining seismicity from south to north correlates with decreasing strain rates. In the EMR, earthquakes concentrate at the fringes of the area with corresponding the largest uplift.
Abstracts najaarsvergadering NVU, 6 november 2020
Authors:   Bohn Stafleu van Loghum
Published: December 2020

Samenvatting

De standaardbehandeling voor spierinvasief blaascarcinoom (SIBC) is een open radicale cystectomie (ORC) met pelviene lymfeklierdissectie. In toenemende mate wordt deze ingreep robotgeassisteerd gedaan (RARC).
Copyright Protection of Government-Related Material Before the Courts of the United States and Canada: Considerations for Future Reforms
Authors: Richter Heiko
Published: December 2020

Copyright protection of government-related material lies at the intersection of private incentives, public interest, and political motivation. These interests naturally clash. Therefore, the justification and scope of copyright protection for such materials has been the subject of intense controversy ever since. Recently, the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of Canada handed down landmark decisions on the application of the respective century-old doctrines and provisions. Moreover, courts in the U.S. and Canada have lately addressed the protectability of privately created, government-adopted industry standards. This article takes these decisions as an occasion to reflect on the copyright protection of government-related material against the background of rapid technological advancement and substantial ongoing societal and political change. Taking into account the regulatory experiences in the EU, this article questions the prevalent assumptions of trustworthy state action and undistorted functioning of markets, which considerably underlie the design of current government copyright regimes around the globe. In this light, the article aims to provide avenues for future legislative reforms that address the copyright of government-related materials. It suggests a more focused, nuanced, and holistic regulatory approach for strengthening and maintaining open, democratic societies.
Clement of Alexandria and the Shaping of Christian Literary Practice
Authors: Heath J. M. F.
Published: December 2020

Clement of Alexandria's Stromateis were celebrated in antiquity but modern readers have often skirted them as a messy jumble of notes. When scholarship on Greco-Roman miscellanies took off in the 1990s, Clement was left out as 'different' because he was Christian. This book interrogates the notion of Clement's 'Christian difference' by comparing his work with classic Roman miscellanies, especially those by Plutarch, Pliny, Gellius, and Athenaeus. The comparison opens up fuller insight into the literary and theological character of Clement's own oeuvre. Clement's Stromateis are contextualised within his larger literary project in Christian formation, which began with the Protrepticus and the Paedagogus and was completed by the Hypotyposeis. Together, this stepped sequence of works structured readers' reorientation, purification, and deepening prayerful 'converse' with God. Clement shaped his miscellanies as an instrument for encountering the hidden God in a hidden way, while marvelling at the variegated beauty of divine work refracted through the variegated beauty of his own textuality.
Rapid implementation of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and reuse processes for N95 respirators at a health system during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
Authors: Zunner-Keating Brian P. , Alberto Patricia De Jesus , Sweeney Sarah J. , de St. Maurice Annabelle , Eggins Erik , Walton Shaunté C , Lingard Martin , Kao Yuhan , Uslan Daniel Z.
Published: December 2020

An N95 respirator ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and reuse program was rapidly implemented at an academic health system in the United States during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This process continues to be a safe and effective way to slow the consumption rate of N95 respirators.
Spies, Lies, Trials, and Trolls: Political Lawyering against Disinformation and State Surveillance in Russia
Authors: van der Vet Freek
Published: December 2020

Although authoritarian states have expanded their tools to surveil citizens and spread disinformation, we know little about how political lawyers have mobilized to resist such covert strategies. Based on semi-structured interviews with Russian lawyers and open-government consultants, this article examines how political lawyers oppose three emerging authoritarian tactics of the Russian government: running disinformation campaigns by “troll factories,” wiretapping, and hiding information on government activities and public services. I find that, despite the repressive legal environment, lawyers have considerable success in developing legal and nonlegal strategies to hold government to account. As autocrats rely on information control to portray themselves as capable leaders, political lawyers and open-government consultants use audits and rankings to undermine political reputations. These findings from Russia may be broadly applicable to new authoritarian states in general.
ENCORE LA FEMME: OVID, ARS AMATORIA 3.27–30
Authors: Leary T.J.
Published: December 2020

nil nisi lasciui per me discuntur amores:femina praecipiam quo sit amanda modo.femina nec flammas nec saeuos discutit arcus;parcius haec uideo tela nocere uiris.It was pointed out in 1992 by E.J. Kenney that femina in line 28 ‘sabotages the poet's … disclaimer’ that it is not women generally but ‘only those not ruled out of bounds by stola and uittae’ who are to benefit from his instruction. He suggests instead that, since what is wanted is a variation on the previous line, one should read nec proba, or, as a better possibility, non proba. Kenney's objection to femina is accepted by Roland Mayer, in a note published the following year. After observing, however, that, ‘when a word has intruded itself from a nearby line and expelled the authentic reading, the ductus litterarum is no guide to emendation’, and that bold measures are therefore admissible, Mayer proposes Thais, comparing Rem. am. 385–6 Thais in arte mea est: lasciuia libera nostra est; | nil mihi cum uitta; Thais in arte mea est. Later, W.S. Watt suggested talis, viz. lasciua, noting talis at 142 and talem at 157. None of these suggestions is entirely compelling, however, and Gibson is therefore right just to obelize femina in his edition; but he also points out in the commentary ad loc. the ‘greater oddity’ relating to amanda, asking ‘Should Ovid not be declaring his intention to teach women how to love, rather than declaring that he will teach how they should be loved?’ and even going so far as to suggest that the whole pentameter is fundamentally corrupt and should be obelized.
Presidential Address: The Art of Convergent Comparison–Case Studies from China and India
Authors: Duara Prasenjit
Published: December 2020

This address was intended to be and remains about global circulatory processes and the ways that human societies have sought to deploy, control, or regulate these processes. In this essay, I principally consider how nationalist ideologies regulate global circulatory processes. The parallel with the current COVID-19 crisis is evident, and my remarks do suggest some similarities. Although COVID-19 is not the topic I engage here, my theme alerts us to thinking methodologically about largely invisible or inconspicuous modes of circulation and their consequences, less dire but deeply transformative.
Reading Gender Trouble in Southeast Asia
Authors: Loos Tamara
Published: December 2020

Judith Butler's book Gender Trouble, published in 1990, enjoyed its thirtieth anniversary in 2020. To that end, the Association for Asian Studies, the United States’ largest association of academics working on Asia, invited scholars to consider the importance of her arguments and ideas for Asian studies and scholarship in Asia, including how scholars have diverged from and expanded their studies of gender and sexuality in ways not anticipated by Butler when she first published the book. In this essay, I examine the impact of Butler's book in Southeast Asia. Out of the abundance of scholarship stemming from and about the region's eleven diverse countries and their histories, I prioritize those works that explicitly engage the theoretical insights in Gender Trouble to elucidate the lives of gender-nonconforming communities in Southeast Asia. I include scholarship that allows me to explore the disjunction between categories of analysis that are foundational to Butler's theory and those at work in Southeast Asia. Far from rendering Butler's theory and methodological intervention inapposite, this mismatch has catalyzed productive rethinking of Gender Trouble and its implications for the region.
Improvement in prefrontal thalamic connectivity during the early course of the illness in recent-onset psychosis: a 12-month longitudinal follow-up resting-state fMRI study
Authors: Bergé Daniel , Lesh Tyler A. , Smucny Jason , Carter Cameron S.
Published: December 2020

Background

Previous research in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has shown a mixed pattern of disrupted thalamocortical connectivity in psychosis. The clinical meaning of these findings and their stability over time remains unclear. We aimed to study thalamocortical connectivity longitudinally over a 1-year period in participants with recent-onset psychosis.

Methods

To this purpose, 129 individuals with recent-onset psychosis and 87 controls were clinically evaluated and scanned using rs-fMRI. Among them, 43 patients and 40 controls were re-scanned and re-evaluated 12 months later. Functional connectivity between the thalamus and the rest of the brain was calculated using a seed to voxel approach, and then compared between groups and correlated with clinical features cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

Results

At baseline, participants with recent-onset psychosis showed increased connectivity (compared to controls) between the thalamus and somatosensory and temporal regions (k= 653,T= 5.712), as well as decreased connectivity between the thalamus and left cerebellum and right prefrontal cortex (PFC;k= 201,T= −4.700). Longitudinal analyses revealed increased connectivity over time in recent-onset psychosis (relative to controls) in the right middle frontal gyrus.

Conclusions

Our results support the concept of abnormal thalamic connectivity as a core feature in psychosis. In agreement with a non-degenerative model of illness in which functional changes occur early in development and do not deteriorate over time, no evidence of progressive deterioration of connectivity during early psychosis was observed. Indeed, regionally increased connectivity between thalamus and PFC was observed.
Inductive risk in macroeconomics: Natural Rate Theory, monetary policy, and the Great Canadian Slump
Authors: Contessa Gabriele
Published: December 2020

This paper has two main goals. The first is to fill a gap in the literature on inductive risk by exploring the relevance of the notion of inductive risk to macroeconomics. The second is to draw some general lessons about inductive risk from the case discussed here. The most important of these lessons is that the notion of inductive risk is no less relevant to the relationship between the proximate and distal goals of policy than it is to the relationship between specific policies and their proximate goals.
Loeffler’s group 2 cor triatriatum sinistrum with mobile left atrial thrombus – a case report and literature review
Authors: Zheng Yuan , Zhu Wei , Huang Xinjie , Lin Dongqun
Published: December 2020

We report a case of a 25-year-old man diagnosed with an unusual case of cor triatriatum sinister with a mobile left atrial thrombus. He was hospitalised with aggravating dyspnoea. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a membrane-like structure traversing the left atrial and a small orifice of about 7.1 mm. The mean pressure gradient was 12.94 mmHg across the orifice of the membrane-like structure and there was a mobile mass in the post-erosuperior chamber. The anomaly was rectified by a surgical resection. Timely diagnosis and surgical repair may prevent stroke in patients with unusual cor triatriatum sinister.
Struggling for normality: experiences of patients with diabetic lower extremity amputations and post-amputation wounds in primary care
Authors: Zhu Xiaoli , Goh Ling Jia , Chew Evelyn , Lee Mary , Bartlam Bernadette , Dong Lijuan
Published: December 2020

Aim:

To explore the experiences of patients living with diabetic lower extremity amputation (DLEA) and its post-amputation wound in primary care.

Background:

DLEA, including both minor and major amputation, is a life-altering condition that brings numerous challenges to an individual’s life. Post-amputation physical wound healing is complicated and challenging because of wound dehiscence and prolonged healing times. Understanding patients’ experiences after DLEA with a post-amputation wound will enable healthcare professionals to develop interventions to assist patients in physical healing and psychosocial recovery.

Methods:

This study employs a qualitative design using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). A purposive maximum variation sample of nine patients who had had lower extremity amputations and post-amputation wound attributed to diabetes in the previous 12 months was recruited from a primary care setting in Singapore. Semi-structured audio recorded one-to-one interviews with a duration of 45–60 min each were conducted between September 2018 and January 2019. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using IPA.

Findings:

The essential meaning of the phenomenon ‘the lived experiences for patients with DLEA and post-amputated wound’ can be interpreted as ‘struggling for “normality”’ which encompasses four domains of sense making: physical loss disrupted normality, emotional impact aggravated the disrupted normality, social challenges further provoked the disrupted normality, and attempt to regain normality. The study highlights the complex physical and psychosocial transition facing patients after DLEA before post-amputation wound closure. In primary care, an amputation, whether minor or major, is a life-altering experience that requires physical healing, emotional recovery, and social adaptation to regain normality. Patients living with DLEA and a post-amputation wound may benefit from an interdisciplinary team care model to assist them with physical and psychosocial adjustment and resume normality.
Inverse Estimation of Spatiotemporal Flux Boundary Conditions in Unsaturated Water Flow Modeling
Authors: Li N. , Yue X. Y. , Wang W. K. , Ma Z. T.
Published: December 2020

Accurate estimation of boundary conditions is essential to the success of numerical schemes for modeling soil water flow processes. The flux‐type boundary condition, which is integration of many boundary fluxes and subsurface conditions, is traditionally estimated from hydrologic and meteorological information. However, such information could be rapidly variable in space and time and difficult to measure and quantify accurately. This study inversely estimates upper flux boundary conditions by calibrating interior observations of soil moisture. Unknown flux boundaries with both spatiotemporal and temporal only variabilities are studied. In the case of spatiotemporal variability, we formulate the inverse model by extending a Tikhonov regularization framework proposed in our previous study, which calibrated a macroscopic root water uptake model in one‐dimensional soil water flow. The developed method is efficient because it takes advantage of the strategy in the previous study that the inversion is transformed to a variational problem, and also because it incorporates locally one‐dimensional operator splitting technique to overcome the computation complexity when dealing with multidimensional flow processes. When flux boundaries vary with time only (special case), we have found that the inversion degenerates into a well‐posed problem and formulated the inversion explicitly without use of regularization. Numerical tests are conducted through both one‐dimensional (well‐posed) and two‐dimensional (ill‐posed) heterogeneous soil profiles to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed inverse formulation. Particularly, the applicability of the inverse formulation in the special case is further validated in field experiments using in situ measurements in arid and semiarid northern China.
Prolyl isomerization controls activation kinetics of a cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel
Authors: Schmidpeter Philipp A. M. , Rheinberger Jan , Nimigean Crina M.
Published: December 2020

SthK, a cyclic nucleotide-modulated ion channel from Spirochaeta thermophila, activates slowly upon cAMP increase. This is reminiscent of the slow, cAMP-induced activation reported for the hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic nucleotide-gated channel HCN2 in the family of so-called pacemaker channels. Here, we investigate slow cAMP-induced activation in purified SthK channels using stopped-flow assays, mutagenesis, enzymatic catalysis and inhibition assays revealing that the cis/trans conformation of a conserved proline in the cyclic nucleotide-binding domain determines the activation kinetics of SthK. We propose that SthK exists in two forms: trans Pro300 SthK with high ligand binding affinity and fast activation, and cis Pro300 SthK with low affinity and slow activation. Following channel activation, the cis/trans equilibrium, catalyzed by prolyl isomerases, is shifted towards trans, while steady-state channel activity is unaffected. Our results reveal prolyl isomerization as a regulatory mechanism for SthK, and potentially eukaryotic HCN channels. This mechanism could contribute to electrical rhythmicity in cells.
Water quality assessment based on multivariate statistics and water quality index of a strategic river in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Authors: de Andrade Costa David , Soares de Azevedo José Paulo , dos Santos Marco Aurélio , dos Santos Facchetti Vinhaes Assump Rafaela
Published: December 2020

Fifty-four water samples were collected between July and December 2019 at nine monitoring stations and fifteen parameters were analysed to provide an updated diagnosis of the Piabanha River water quality. Further, forty years of monitoring were analysed, including government data and previous research projects. A georeferenced database was also built containing water management data. The Water Quality Index from the National Sanitation Foundation (WQINSF) was calculated using two datasets and showed an improvement in overall water quality, despite still presenting systematic violations to Brazilian standards. Principal components analysis (PCA) showed the most contributing parameters to water quality and enabled its association with the main pollution sources identified in the geodatabase. PCA showed that sewage discharge is still the main pollution source. The cluster analysis (CA) made possible to recommend the monitoring network optimization, thereby enabling the expansion of the monitoring to other rivers. Finally, the diagnosis provided by this research establishes the first step towards the Framing of water resources according to their intended uses, as established by the Brazilian National Water Resources Policy.