bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential vulnerability to biological invasions: not all protected areas (and not all invaders) are the same
Authors: Ayllón Daniel , Baquero Rocío A. , Nicola Graciela G.
Published: May 2022

Protected areas (PAs) are fundamental for global biodiversity conservation but many are not delivering their conservation potential. In particular, the European Natura 2000 (N2K)–the largest coordinated network of PAs in the world—has insofar proved insufficient to achieve the EU’s biodiversity conservation targets. Despite the adoption of innovative legislation on the prevention and management of biological invasions, invasive alien species (IAS) remain a main threat to N2K. We explored whether the regulatory status of N2K has been efficient to prevent the establishment of regulated IAS (those under the scope of EU or national regulations) by conducting a case study in a highly biodiverse Mediterranean region of Spain. We: (1) analyzed whether the number of both regulated and unregulated IAS differ across adjacent unprotected areas (belt zones), N2K sites and N2K sites with additional protection as national park or nature reserve (APAs); (2) compared the spread pathways of regulated IAS present in areas with different protection status. While APAs hosted fewer regulated IAS, N2K sites did not perform better than belt zones. Specifically, there were fewer regulated IAS that spread through natural dispersal or intentional human assistance in APAs compared to N2K and belt zones, but those dispersing with unintentional human assistance were similarly distributed in PAs and belt zones. Further, protection level did not reduce the number of unregulated IAS. Thus, observed patterns indicate that the conservation obligations bound to the designation of an area as an N2K site are not sufficient to prevent or slow down biological invasions.
Reconcilement of conflicting goals: a novel operations research-based methodology for environmental management
Authors: Andrić Gušavac Bisera , Karagoz Selman , Popović Milena , Pamućar Dragan , Deveci Muhammet
Published: May 2022

The elements of the supply and environmental chain are identified and connected through an operations research process. A framework is developed to include these chains into a process that deals with operations research problems within two different, complex areas: economic (supply) and natural systems (environmental), and emphasizes the influence of the solution on both systems and their performance. The framework helps researchers to get a better insight into the issues considering both environmental and industry aspects. The study proposes a causal relationship between the supply chain and environmental chain and begins to make a bridge between these two chains using operations research methods and techniques. In this context, a multi-period scenario-based stochastic model is developed. To deal with the uncertainties and to investigate the trade-offs between the objective functions, an interactive fuzzy multi-objective method is performed. In the case study section, reconcilement of the conflicting objectives in a waste management case is questioned and the future recommendations are highlighted.
Intelligent Behaviour
Authors: Coelho Mollo Dimitri
Published: May 2022

The notion of intelligence is relevant to several fields of research, including cognitive and comparative psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and philosophy, among others. However, there is little agreement within and across these fields on how to characterise and explain intelligence. I put forward a behavioural, operational characterisation of intelligence that can play an integrative role in the sciences of intelligence, as well as preserve the distinctive explanatory value of the notion, setting it apart from the related concepts of cognition and rationality. Finally, I examine a popular hypothesis about the underpinnings of intelligence: the capacity to manipulate internal representations of the environment. I argue that the hypothesis needs refinement, and that so refined, it applies only to some forms of intelligence.
Putting explainable AI in context: institutional explanations for medical AI
Authors: Theunissen Mark , Browning Jacob
Published: May 2022

There is a current debate about if, and in what sense, machine learning systems used in the medical context need to be explainable. Those arguing in favor contend these systems require post hoc explanations for each individual decision to increase trust and ensure accurate diagnoses. Those arguing against suggest the high accuracy and reliability of the systems is sufficient for providing epistemic justified beliefs without the need for explaining each individual decision. But, as we show, both solutions have limitations—and it is unclear either address the epistemic worries of the medical professionals using these systems. We argue these systems do require an explanation, but an institutional explanation. These types of explanations provide the reasons why the medical professional should rely on the system in practice—that is, they focus on trying to address the epistemic concerns of those using the system in specific contexts and specific occasions. But ensuring that these institutional explanations are fit for purpose means ensuring the institutions designing and deploying these systems are transparent about the assumptions baked into the system. This requires coordination with experts and end-users concerning how it will function in the field, the metrics used to evaluate its accuracy, and the procedures for auditing the system to prevent biases and failures from going unaddressed. We contend this broader explanation is necessary for either post hoc explanations or accuracy scores to be epistemically meaningful to the medical professional, making it possible for them to rely on these systems as effective and useful tools in their practices.
Diabetes leading to heart failure and heart failure leading to diabetes: epidemiological and clinical evidence
Authors: Palazzuoli Alberto , Iacoviello Massimo
Published: May 2022

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a risk factor that plays a major role in the onset of heart failure (HF) both directly, by impairing cardiac function, and indirectly, through associated diseases such as hypertension, coronary disease, renal dysfunction, obesity, and other metabolic disorders. In a population of HF patients, the presence of T2DM ranged from 20 to 40%, according to the population studied, risk factor characteristics, geographic area, and age, and it is associated with a worse prognosis. Finally, patients with HF, when compared with those without HF, show an increased risk for the onset of T2DM due to several mechanisms that predispose the HF patient to insulin resistance. Despite the epidemiological data confirmed the relationship between T2DM and HF, the exact prevalence of HF in T2DM comes from interventional trials rather than from observational registries aimed to prospectively evaluate the risk of HF occurrence in T2DM population. This review is focused on the vicious cycle linking HF and T2DM, from epidemiological data to prognostic implications.
A System for Computational Assessment of Hand Hygiene Techniques
Authors: Wang Chaofan , Jiang Weiwei , Yang Kangning , Sarsenbayeva Zhanna , Tag Benjamin , Dingler Tilman , Goncalves Jorge , Kostakos Vassilis
Published: May 2022

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a six-step hand hygiene technique. Although multiple studies have reported that this technique yields inadequate skin coverage outcomes, they have relied on manual labeling that provided low-resolution estimations of skin coverage outcomes. We have developed a computational system to precisely quantify hand hygiene outcomes and provide high-resolution skin coverage visualizations, thereby improving hygiene techniques. We identified frequently untreated areas located at the dorsal side of the hands around the abductor digiti minimi and the first dorsal interosseous. We also estimated that excluding Steps 3, 6R, and 6L from the six-step hand hygiene technique leads to cumulative coverage loss of less than 1%, indicating the potential redundancy of these steps. Our study demonstrates that the six-step hand hygiene technique could be improved to reduce the untreated areas and remove potentially redundant steps. Furthermore, our system can be used to computationally validate new proposed techniques, and help optimise hand hygiene procedures.
MAGMA: inference and prediction using multi-task Gaussian processes with common mean
Authors: Leroy Arthur , Latouche Pierre , Guedj Benjamin , Gey Servane
Published: May 2022

A novel multi-task Gaussian process (GP) framework is proposed, by using a common mean process for sharing information across tasks. In particular, we investigate the problem of time series forecasting, with the objective to improve multiple-step-ahead predictions. The common mean process is defined as a GP for which the hyper-posterior distribution is tractable. Therefore an EM algorithm is derived for handling both hyper-parameters optimisation and hyper-posterior computation. Unlike previous approaches in the literature, the model fully accounts for uncertainty and can handle irregular grids of observations while maintaining explicit formulations, by modelling the mean process in a unified GP framework. Predictive analytical equations are provided, integrating information shared across tasks through a relevant prior mean. This approach greatly improves the predictive performances, even far from observations, and may reduce significantly the computational complexity compared to traditional multi-task GP models. Our overall algorithm is called Magma (standing for Multi tAsk GPs with common MeAn). The quality of the mean process estimation, predictive performances, and comparisons to alternatives are assessed in various simulated scenarios and on real datasets.
Search where you will find most: Comparing the disciplinary coverage of 56 bibliographic databases
Authors: Gusenbauer Michael
Published: May 2022

This paper introduces a novel scientometrics method and applies it to estimate the subject coverages of many of the popular English-focused bibliographic databases in academia. The method uses query results as a common denominator to compare a wide variety of search engines, repositories, digital libraries, and other bibliographic databases. The method extends existing sampling-based approaches that analyze smaller sets of database coverages. The findings show the relative and absolute subject coverages of 56 databases—information that has often not been available before. Knowing the databases’ absolute subject coverage allows the selection of the most comprehensive databases for searches requiring high recall/sensitivity, particularly relevant in lookup or exploratory searches. Knowing the databases’ relative subject coverage allows the selection of specialized databases for searches requiring high precision/specificity, particularly relevant in systematic searches. The findings illustrate not only differences in the disciplinary coverage of Google Scholar, Scopus, or Web of Science, but also of less frequently analyzed databases. For example, researchers might be surprised how Meta (discontinued), Embase, or Europe PMC are found to cover more records than PubMed in Medicine and other health subjects. These findings should encourage researchers to re-evaluate their go-to databases, also against newly introduced options. Searching with more comprehensive databases can improve finding, particularly when selecting the most fitting databases needs particular thought, such as in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. This comparison can also help librarians and other information experts re-evaluate expensive database procurement strategies. Researchers without institutional access learn which open databases are likely most comprehensive in their disciplines.
An efficient system using implicit feedback and lifelong learning approach to improve recommendation
Authors: Pal Gautam
Published: May 2022

This paper presents a new technique for contextual item-to-item Collaborative Filtering-based Recommender System, an improved version popularised by e-commerce giantAmazontwo decades back. The concept is based on items also-viewed under the same browsing session. Users’ browsing patterns, locations, and timestamps are considered as thecontextandlatent factorsfor each user. The algorithm computes recommendations based on users’implicitendorsements byclicks. The algorithm does not enforce the user to log in to provide recommendations and is capable of providing accurate recommendations fornon-logged-in usersand with a setting where the system is unaware of users’ preferences and profile data (non-logged-in users). This research takes the cue from humanlifelong incremental learningexperience applied to machine learning on a large volume of the data pool. First, all historical data is gathered from collectable sources in a distributed manner through big data tools. Then, a long-running batch job creates the initial model and saves it to Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). An ever-running streaming job loads the model from HDFS and builds on top of it in anincrementalfashion. At the architectural level, this resembles the big data mix processingLambda Architecture. The recommendation is computed based on a proposed equation for a weighted sum between near real-time and historical batch data. Real-time and batch processing engines act as autonomous Multi-agent systems in collaboration. We propose an ensemble method for batch-stream the recommendation engine. We introduce a novelLifelong Learning Modelfor recommendation through Multi-agent Lambda Architecture. The recommender system incrementally updates its model on streaming datasets to improve over time.
Speak no ill of the dead: the dead as a social group
Authors: Kaspers Tom , LiBrizzi Jacob , Calosi Duccio , Kobe Yoichi
Published: May 2022

In her recent article “The Ontology of Social Groups”, Thomasson (Synthese 196:4829–4845, 2019) argues that social groups can be characterized in terms of the norms that surround them. We show that according to Thomasson’s normativity-based criterion, the dead constitute a social group, since there are widespread and well-defined social norms as to how to treat the dead, such as the norm expressed in the title (“Speak no ill of the dead”). We argue that the example of the dead must not be interpreted as a counterexample to this criterion, and that, rather, there are good reasons to think of the dead as a genuine social group. Furthermore, the dead as a social group exist, regardless of whether or not the dead (i.e. the members of this social group) exist as persons. This view is clearly incompatible with the idea that social groups can be explained by citing features of their members, which is why we take the case of the dead to pose a challenge for the thesis of individualism. We consider the ontological implications of this example and suggest that social groups ought to be seen as reifications of social norms. Another implication of taking the dead to be a social group is that the presence of external norms is sufficient for the existence of a social group, and therefore internal norms are not necessary. We defend this implication against some potential theoretical and moral problems.
Moral underdetermination and a new skeptical challenge
Authors: Baumann Marius
Published: May 2022

In this paper, I introduce a new challenge to moral realism: theskeptical argument from moral underdetermination. The challenge arises as a consequence of two recent projects in normative ethics. Both Parfit (On what matters, vol 1. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2011a) and a group calledconsequentializershave independently claimed that the main traditions of normative theories can agree on the set of correct particular deontic verdicts. Nonetheless, as Dietrich and List (Philos Rev 126(4):421–479, 2017) and myself (Baumann in J Ethics Soc Philos 13(3):191–221, 2018; Australas J Philos 97(3):511–527, 2019; Ethical Theory Moral Pract 24(4):999–1018, 2021a) have argued, the traditions still disagree about why these are the correct verdicts. This means that we can understand the situation in terms of an idea from the philosophy of science, the underdetermination of theory by the evidence. Yet underdetermination figures in one of the most important skeptical challenges to scientific realism. I show how an analogous skeptical argument can be construed for the moral realm. I propose a standard form for that argument. I then defend it against three possible objections, arguing that it is at least as plausible as, if not more plausible than, its counterpart in the philosophy of science.
Towards a theory of abduction based on conditionals
Authors: Pfister Rolf
Published: May 2022

Abduction is considered the most powerful, but also the most controversially discussed type of inference. Based on an analysis of Peirce’s retroduction, Lipton’s Inference to the Best Explanation and other theories, a new theory of abduction is proposed. It considers abduction not as intrinsically explanatory but as intrinsically conditional: for a given fact, abduction allows one to infer a fact that implies it. There are three types of abduction: Selective abduction selects an already known conditional whose consequent is the given fact and infers that its antecedent is true. Conditional-creative abduction creates a new conditional in which the given fact is the consequent and a defined fact is the antecedent that implies the given fact. Propositional-conditional-creative abduction assumes that the given fact is implied by a hitherto undefined fact and thus creates a new conditional with a new proposition as antecedent. The execution of abductive inferences is specified by theory-specific patterns. Each pattern consists of a set of rules for both generating and justifying abductive conclusions and covers the complete inference process. Consequently, abductive inferences can be formalised iff the whole pattern can be formalised. The empirical consistency of the proposed theory is demonstrated by a case study of Semmelweis' research on puerperal fever.
Disagreement in metametaphysical dispute
Authors: Jaksland Rasmus
Published: May 2022

Recent years have seen several studies of metaphysical disputes as disagreement phenomena employing the resources from the research on disagreement in social epistemology. This paper undertakes an analogous study of the metametaphysical disagreement over the substantiveness of metaphysical disputes between inflationists and deflationists. The paper first considers and questions the skeptical argument that the mere existence of the disagreement mandates the suspension of judgement about the substantiveness of metaphysical disputes. Rather, the paper argues that steadfastness in the face of this disagreement is rational, at least for inflationists. Since inflationists are often metaphysicians who were called to this disagreement due to its apparent threat to their first order debates in metaphysics, they can therefore return to these debates in good faith. In contrast, deflationists have no such alternative occupation and the verdict of steadfastness will not alter their engagement in the inflationist/deflationist disagreement: they will continue their attempt to resolve the disagreement to their advantage. Thus, though the verdict of steadfastness is epistemically symmetric between inflationism and deflationism, it induces an asymmetry in the motivation to pursue the inflationist/deflationist disagreement which places the burden of advancing the dialectic of this disagreement with the deflationists while metaphysicians can continue their work as before.
Organizational complexity in big science: strategies and practices
Authors: Merz Martina , Sorgner Helene
Published: May 2022

Studies on ‘Big Science’ have shifted our perspective from the complexity of scientific objects and their representations to the complexity of sociotechnical arrangements. However, how scientists in large-scale research attend to this complexity to facilitate and afford knowledge production has rarely been considered to date. In this article, we locate organizational complexity on the level of organizing practices that follow multiple and divergent logics. We identify three strategies of managing organizational complexity, drawing on existing literature on large-scale research as well as own empirical research. The three strategies are: segmenting research infrastructure, introducing elements of bureaucratic governance, and implementing standards and standardization. We illustrate these strategies with examples from our empirical case study on experimental particle physics research at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. While the strategies we identified help to cope with the complexity of some organizational tasks by dividing, ordering, or mediating between divergent organizational logics, we find that organizational complexity overall is not reduced but rather displaced. We argue that dealing with complexity is a dynamic and ongoing process, which inevitably generates novel organizational complexity.
A review on reactive transport model and porosity evolution in the porous media
Authors: Baqer Yousef , Chen Xiaohui
Published: May 2022

This work comprehensively reviews the equations governing multicomponent flow and reactive transport in porous media on the pore-scale, mesoscale and continuum scale. For each of these approaches, the different numerical schemes for solving the coupled advection–diffusion-reactions equations are presented. The parameters influenced by coupled biological and chemical reactions in evolving porous media are emphasised and defined from a pore-scale perspective. Recent pore-scale studies, which have enhanced the basic understanding of processes that affect and control porous media parameters, are discussed. Subsequently, a summary of the common methods used to describe the transport process, fluid flow, reactive surface area and reaction parameters such as porosity, permeability and tortuosity are reviewed.
Individual socioeconomic status as a modifier of the association between high ambient temperature and hospital admissions: a time series study in Hong Kong, 2010–2019
Authors: Guo Yi Tong , Bernard Goggins William , Chan Emily Ying Yang , Ho Kin Fai
Published: May 2022

Few studies have examined individual socioeconomic status (SES) as a potential modifier of ambient temperature–health associations, especially for temperature-related hospitalizations. We fit penalized distributed lag non-linear models within generalized additive models to study the short-term associations (0–3 days) between temperature and hospital admissions stratified by common causes, age, and individual SES, as determined by whether patients received public assistance (PA) to cover their medical fee at the time of hospitalizations, during the hot season (May 15 to October 15) in Hong Kong for the years 2010–2019. We calculated the ratio of relative risk (RRR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) to statistically test the difference of the associations between PA groups. For 75 + patients, the PA group had significantly increased risks of hospitalizations at higher temperature for most causes, with relative risks (RR, 99th %ile vs. 25%ile) and 95% CIs of 1.138 (1.099, 1.179), 1.057 (1.008, 1.109), and 1.163 (1.094, 1.236) estimated for all non-cancer non-external, circulatory, and respiratory admissions, respectively. There were slight decreases of RRs with higher temperature for 75 + patients without PA. The strengths of temperature–hospitalization associations were strongly and significantly different between PA groups for all examined causes for 75 + patients, with the most considerable discrepancy found for ischemic heart disease (RRR = 1.266; 95% CI, 1.137, 1.410). Hospitalizations for patients aged 15–74 were less affected by heat, and the difference of the associations between groups was small. Individual SES is a significant modifier of high temperature–hospitalization associations in Hong Kong among the elderly. Public health interventions are needed to better protect this subpopulation from adverse health impacts of high temperature.
A retrospective observational study of osteoporosis management after a fragility fracture in primary care
Authors: Bell Alan , Kendler David L. , Khan Aliya A. , Shapiro C.M. Marla , Morisset Anne , Leung Jean-Pierre , Reiner Maureen , Colgan Stephen M. , Slatkovska Lubomira , Packalen Millicent
Published: May 2022

In many countries, osteoporosis is predominantly managed by primary care physicians; however, management after a fragility fracture has not been widely investigated. We describe osteoporosis care gaps in a real-world patient cohort. Our findings help inform initiatives to identify and overcome obstacles to effective management of patients after fragility fracture.

Purpose

A fragility fracture is a major risk factor for subsequent fracture in adults aged ≥ 50 years. This retrospective observational study aimed to characterize post-fracture management in Canadian primary care.

Methods

A total of 778 patients with an index fragility fracture (low-trauma, excluding small bones) occurring between 2014 and 2016 were identified from medical records at 76 primary care centers in Canada, with follow-up until January 2018.

Results

Of 778 patients (80.5% female, median age [IQR] 73 [64–80]), 215 were on osteoporosis treatment and 269 had osteoporosis diagnosis recorded prior to their index fracture. The median follow-up was 363 (IQR 91–808) days. Of patients not on osteoporosis treatment at their index fracture, 60.2% (n = 339/563) remained untreated after their index fracture and 62.2% (n = 23/37) continued untreated after their subsequent fracture. After their index fracture, fracture risk assessment (FRAX or CAROC) was not performed in 83.2% (n = 647/778) of patients, and 59.9% (n = 466/778) of patients did not receive bone mineral density testing. Of patients without osteoporosis diagnosis recorded prior to their index date, 61.3% (n = 300/489) remained undiagnosed after their index fracture. At least one subsequent fracture occurred in 11.5% (n = 86/778) of patients.

Conclusion

In the primary care setting, fragility fracture infrequently resulted in osteoporosis treatment or fracture risk assessment, even after multiple fragility fractures. These results suggest a fragility fracture is not recognized as a major risk factor for subsequent fracture and its occurrence does not prompt primary care physicians to intervene. These data urge initiatives to identify and overcome obstacles to primary care physicians’ effective management of patients after fragility fractures.
Aqueous Extraction of Curcuminoids from Curcuma longa: Effect of Cell Disintegration Pre-treatment and Extraction Condition
Authors: Le-Tan Hoang , Fauster Thomas , Haas Klara , Jaeger Henry
Published: May 2022

Cell structure modification techniques have the potential to improve curcuminoid recovery in Curcuma longa. In this study, different pre-treatments such as high hydrostatic pressure (HPP, high pressure processing), ultrasound (US), pulsed electric field (PEF), and ohmic heating (OH) were used on dried C. longa before aqueous extraction at pH 2.0, 5.0, and 8.0. The released curcuminoids, cell disintegration index (Zp), particle size distribution (PSD), and color (CIE L*, a*, b*) were used to evaluate the different pre-treatment impacts on plant structure and extract properties. In untreated turmeric, the highest amount of released curcuminoids (3.89 mg/g dry matter) was obtained after extraction for 30 min at 95° in the aqueous phase. After pre-treatments, the acidic conditions showed a considerable improvement in curcuminoid recovery; PEF, HPP, and OH improved the curcuminoid recovery by 3.39-, 3.13-, and 1.24-fold, respectively; while US did not lead to an increased release of curcuminoids compared to the untreated material. The highest curcuminoid recovery (with PEF and extraction at pH 5.0) was 6.6% w/w of the total curcuminoids. The non-thermal pre-treatments have less impact on the extract’s color compared to the extraction pH, with alkaline conditions reducing the lightness of the extract.
Demystifying the Black Box: The Importance of Interpretability of Predictive Models in Neurocritical Care
Authors: Moss Laura , Corsar David , Shaw Martin , Piper Ian , Hawthorne Christopher
Published: May 2022

Neurocritical care patients are a complex patient population, and to aid clinical decision-making, many models and scoring systems have previously been developed. More recently, techniques from the field of machine learning have been applied to neurocritical care patient data to develop models with high levels of predictive accuracy. However, although these recent models appear clinically promising, their interpretability has often not been considered and they tend to be black box models, making it extremely difficult to understand how the model came to its conclusion. Interpretable machine learning methods have the potential to provide the means to overcome some of these issues but are largely unexplored within the neurocritical care domain. This article examines existing models used in neurocritical care from the perspective of interpretability. Further, the use of interpretable machine learning will be explored, in particular the potential benefits and drawbacks that the techniques may have when applied to neurocritical care data. Finding a solution to the lack of model explanation, transparency, and accountability is important because these issues have the potential to contribute to model trust and clinical acceptance, and, increasingly, regulation is stipulating a right to explanation for decisions made by models and algorithms. To ensure that the prospective gains from sophisticated predictive models to neurocritical care provision can be realized, it is imperative that interpretability of these models is fully considered.
ESMO 2021—my top three abstracts in breast cancer
Authors: Suppan Christoph
Published: May 2022

The congress of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) that recently took place virtually was marked by highlights in many different cancer types. New therapeutic options especially in metastatic breast cancer will hopefully bring a longer life to thousands of patients all over the world. These include new antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) and checkpoint inhibitors as well as cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4/6 inhibitors prolonging overall survival. In Her2-positive advanced breast cancer trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) compared to trastuzumab emtansine showed a superior benefit in progression-free survival (PFS) in patients who received at least one prior therapy line in the metastatic setting. In the first-line treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, an overall survival (OS) benefit of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone was confirmed for patients with a combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 10. Final results of MONALESSA‑2 demonstrated a great OS benefit for the cyclin dependent kinase (CDK)4/6 inhibitor ribociclib plus endocrine therapy as first-line treatment of patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, Her2-negative breast cancer.
Performance of Low-Grade Calcined Clays as Supplementary Cementitious Material in Relation to their Geological Characteristics
Authors: Vásquez-Torres Oscar O. , Cabrera-Poloche Francisco D. , Tobón Jorge I.
Published: May 2022

Calcined clays are used as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) because, as hydrated aluminosilicates of the phyllosilicate group, they can be activated thermally, promoting dehydroxylation and structural disorder, i.e. making them reactive. The main effect of using calcined clay as an SCM is that CO2 emissions into the atmosphere are reduced by the reduction in the clinker/cement factor due to substitution of a proportion of clinker by calcined clay. Clays rich in kaolinite (1:1) group minerals offer most promise in terms of thermal activation. However, increased costs caused by demand for kaolinite from other industries means that type 2:1 calcined clays and mixtures of them have begun to be investigated as possible pozzolanic materials. The physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics that control the performance of these calcined clays as SCMs are still under discussion. Few in-depth studies of the behavior of these characteristics have been reported. The origin and geological history of raw materials, as well as their impact on the thermal activation and performance as SCM, are not well understood or, in some cases, have not been considered. The objective of the current work, therefore, was to study multicomponent clays from metamorphic rocks with low-grade kaolinite (<50%) from a tropical region of Colombia for possible use as SCMs. The clay deposit was identified by geological exploration techniques and classified in depth according to horizons of the weathering profile. The samples were extracted from the first 50 m of the deposit and characterized physically, chemically, and mineralogically; they were calcined at 650, 750, and 850°C; their degree of alteration was estimated by the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA); and their performance as an SCM was evaluated by the Strength Activity Index (SAI) and Frattini test. As a main result, a relationship was found between the weathering profile of the deposit and the CIA of raw clays, which confirmed the high weathering and degree of alteration of the parent rock in the deposit (weathered rock and residual soil with a CIA > 80%). Furthermore, pozzolanic (physical and chemical) tests demonstrated the potential use of calcined clays from this deposit as SCMs, as well as their thermal activation at low temperature (≤750°C). In addition, the pozzolanic activity increased with the kaolinite/(muscovite+illite+vermiculite) ratio mainly, and, in turn, the thermal activation temperature increased with the mica and type 2:1 clay content.
The Age of Counter-Revolution
Authors: Allinson Jamie
Published: May 2022

The 'Arab Spring' has come to symbolise defeated hopes for democracy and social justice in the Middle East. In this book, Jamie Allinson demonstrates how these defeats were far from inevitable. Rather than conceptualising the 'Arab Spring' as a series of failed revolutions, Allinson argues it is better understood as a series of successful counter-revolutions. By comparing the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Libya and Yemen, this book shows how these profoundly revolutionary situations were overturned by counter-revolutions. Placing the fate of the Arab uprisings in a global context, Allinson reveals how counter-revolutions rely on popular support and cross borders to forge international alliances. By connecting the Arab uprisings to the decade of global protest that followed them, this innovative work demonstrates how new forms of counter-revolution have rendered it near impossible to implement political change without first enacting fundamental social transformation.
Isabella Bird and Japan
Authors: Kanasaka Kiyonori
Published: May 2022

This book places Bird's visit to Japan in the context of her worldwide life of travel and provides an introduction to the woman herself. Supported by detailed maps, it also offers a highly illuminating view of Japan and its people in the early years of the 'New Japan' following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, as well as providing a valuable new critique on what is often considered as Bird's most important work.

The central focus of the book is a detailed exploration of Bird's journeys and the careful planning that went into them with the support of the British Minister, Sir Harry Parkes, seen as the prime mover, who facilitated her extensive travels through his negotiations with the Japanese authorities. Furthermore, the author dismisses the widely-held notion that Bird ventured into the field on her own, revealing instead the crucial part played by Ito, her young servant-interpreter, without whose constant presence she would have achieved nothing.

Written by Japan's leading scholar on Isabella Bird, the book also addresses the vexed question of the hitherto universally-held view that her travels in Japan in 1878 only involved the northern part of Honshu and Hokkaido.
A community–university run conference as a catalyst for addressing health disparities in an urban community
Authors: Murphy Timothy F. , Robinson Rita Hubbard , Wofford Kelly M. , Lesse Alan J. , Grinslade Susan , Taylor Henry L. , Pointer Kinzer M. , Nicholas George F. , Orom Heather
Published: May 2022

The African American population of Buffalo, New York experiences striking race-based health disparities due to adverse social determinants of health. A team of community leaders and university faculty determined that a community dialogue was needed to focus research and advocacy on the root causes of these disparities. In response, we organized the annual Igniting Hope conference series that has become the premier conference on health disparities in the region. The series, now supported by an R13 conference grant from NCATS, has been held four times (2018–2021) and has attracted community members, community leaders, university faculty, and trainees. The agenda includes talks by national leaders and breakout/working groups that led to a new state law that has reduced disproportionate traffic-ticketing and drivers' license suspensions in Black neighborhoods; mitigation of the disproportionate COVID-19 fatalities in Black communities; and the launching of a university-supported institute. We describe the key elements of success for a conference series designed by a community–university partnership to catalyze initiatives that are having an impact on social determinants of health in Buffalo.
Dialysis Care for US Military Veterans in Puerto Rico during the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season
Authors: Lukowsky Lilia R. , Dobalian Aram , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar , Der-Martirosian Claudia
Published: May 2022

Objectives:

Patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) are at higher risk for increased mortality and morbidity due to disaster-related disruptions to care. We examine effects of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on access to dialysis care for US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ESKD patients in Puerto Rico.

Methods:

A retrospective, longitudinal cohort study was conducted among VA patients with at least 1 dialysis-related encounter between September 6, 2016, and September 5, 2018. The annual number of dialysis encounters, visits to an emergency department (ED), and the number of deaths pre- and post-hurricanes were compared. A random effects logistic regression model for correlated binary outcomes was fitted for predictors of mortality. Chi-square tests were for differences between pre- and post-hurricane visits.

Results:

The number of ED visits increased in post-hurricane period (1172 [5.7%] to 1195 [6.6%]; P < 0.001). ESKD-related ED visits increased from 200 (0.9%) to 227 (1.3%) (P < 0.05). Increase in mortality was associated with age (OR = 1.66; CI: 1.23-2.17), heart failure (OR = 2.07; CI: 1.26-3.40), chronic pulmonary disease (OR = 3.26; CI: 1.28-8.28), and sepsis (OR = 3.16; CI: 1.89-5.29).

Conclusions:

There was an increase in dialysis services at the San Juan VA Medical Center post-Irma/Maria, and access to dialysis care at the non-VA clinics was limited. The role of VA dialysis centers in providing care during disasters warrants further investigation.
Current Research on Bronze Age ‘Cooking Stone Pits’ in Northern Germany and Southern Scandinavia
Authors: Schaefer-Di Maida Stefanie
Published: May 2022

This article presents current research on cooking stone pits in northern Germany and southern Scandinavia and examines their function and interpretation. It focuses on recent findings at the site of Mang de Bargen in northern Germany, which contained pit arrangements in various configurations, including a new circular one. The latest 14C dates from Mang de Bargen suggest that the circular formations constitute the earliest evidence of cooking stone pits known so far. A supra-regional comparison, concentrating on the distribution and dating of cooking stone pits in northern Europe, and an analysis of their content, arrangement, and topographic location allows the author to propose how they may have been used.
Integral representation of hydraulic permeability
Authors: Bi Chuan , Ou Miao-Jung Yvonne , Zhang Shangyou
Published: May 2022

In this paper, we show that the permeability of a porous material (Tartar (1980)) and that of a bubbly fluid (Lipton and Avellaneda. Proc. R. Soc. Edinburgh Sect. A: Math. 114 (1990), 71–79) are limiting cases of the complexified version of the two-fluid models posed in Lipton and Avellaneda (Proc. R. Soc. Edinburgh Sect. A: Math. 114 (1990), 71–79). We assume the viscosity of the inclusion fluid is $z\mu _1$ and the viscosity of the hosting fluid is $\mu _1\in \mathbb {R}^{+}$, $z\in \mathbb {C}$. The proof is carried out by the construction of solutions for large $|z|$ and small $|z|$ with an iteration process similar to the one used in Bruno and Leo (Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 121 (1993), 303–338) and Golden and Papanicolaou (Commun. Math. Phys. 90 (1983), 473–491) and the analytic continuation. Moreover, we also show that for a fixed microstructure, the permeabilities of these three cases share the same integral representation formula (3.17) with different values of contrast parameter $s:=1/(z-1)$, as long as $s$ is outside the interval $\left [-\frac {2E_2^{2}}{1+2E_2^{2}},-\frac {1}{1+2E_1^{2}}\right ]$, where the positive constants $E_1$ and $E_2$ are the extension constants that depend only on the geometry of the periodic pore space of the material.
The dual tree of a fold map germ from to
Authors: Moya-Pérez J.A. , Nuño-Ballesteros J.J.
Published: May 2022

Let $f\colon (\mathbb {R}^{3},0)\to (\mathbb {R}^{4},0)$ be an analytic map germ with isolated instability. Its link is a stable map which is obtained by taking the intersection of the image of $f$ with a small enough sphere $S^{3}_\epsilon$ centred at the origin in $\mathbb {R}^{4}$. If $f$ is of fold type, we define a tree, that we call dual tree, that contains all the topological information of the link and we prove that in this case it is a complete topological invariant. As an application we give a procedure to obtain normal forms for any topological class of fold type.
The incidence of significant pathology in patients presenting with benign-appearing unilateral nasal polyps
Authors: Edafe O , Weight G , Morsy M , Mirza S
Published: May 2022

Objective

The presentation of unilateral nasal polyps traditionally necessitates histological evaluation for a neoplasm. This study sought to determine the rates of significant pathology in patients presenting with benign-appearing unilateral nasal polyps, to inform practice.

Method

All patients who underwent nasal polypectomy for benign-appearing unilateral nasal polyps over a 13-year period were included.

Results

A total of 77 patients were included. On histology, 60 cases (77.9 per cent) were found to be inflammatory polyps. Thirteen cases were neoplastic, of which 11 (14.3 per cent) were benign and 2 (2.6 per cent) were malignant neoplasms. The following significant pathologies were found: Schneiderian papillomas, in 10 cases (13.0 per cent); neurofibroma, in 1 case (1.3 per cent); adenoid cystic carcinoma, in 1 case (1.3 per cent); and malignant melanoma, in 1 case (1.3 per cent).

Conclusion

Our data support routine histological assessment for all unilateral nasal polyps. Malignancy is rare (2.6 per cent) in patients presenting with benign-appearing unilateral nasal polyps. In elderly, unfit patients with minimal symptoms, initial conservative management may be reasonable.
A lifespan perspective on depression in the postpartum period in a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of young mothers
Authors: Hipwell Alison E. , Tung Irene , Krafty Robert T. , Leong Audrey W. , Spada Meredith , Vaccaro Hope , Homitsky Sarah C. , Moses-Kolko Eydie , Keenan Kate
Published: May 2022

Background

Consistent evidence from retrospective reports and case registry studies indicates that a history of depression is a major risk factor for depression in the peripartum period. However, longitudinal studies with racially and socioeconomically diverse samples of young mothers are lacking, and little is known about developmental patterns of depression across the lifespan that can inform preventive interventions.

Methods

Young primiparous mothers (n = 399, 13–25 years, 81% Black) were recruited from a population-based prospective study that began in childhood. Women reported on depression symptoms for at least 3 years prior to their pregnancy, during pregnancy, and at 4 months postpartum. Linear regression models were used to estimate change in pre-pregnancy depression severity and to evaluate associations between patterns of lifetime history and postpartum depression symptoms.

Results

Results revealed high levels of continuity in depression from pregnancy to postpartum, and across multiple years pre-pregnancy to postpartum. Overall, depression severity leading up to pregnancy decreased over time, but patterns of worsening or improving symptoms were not associated with depression severity in the postpartum period. Instead, area under the pre-pregnancy trajectory curve, representing cumulative lifetime depression burden, was uniquely associated with postpartum depression after adjusting for prenatal depression severity.

Conclusions

Depression in the postpartum period should be considered within a lifespan perspective of risk that accumulates before conception. Clinical screening and early interventions are needed in adolescence and young adulthood to prevent the onset and persistence of depressive symptoms that could have long-term implications for peripartum health.
Caring trajectories and health in mid-life
Authors: Evandrou Maria , Falkingham Jane , Gómez-León Madelin , Vlachantoni Athina
Published: May 2022

Previous research has found varied effects of informal care provision on the carer's health status. Few studies have, however, examined this relationship dynamically. This paper is the first to analyse trajectories of care among men and women in mid-life and their impact on health outcomes using a nationally representative prospective cohort study. Data from three waves of the United Kingdom (UK) National Child Development Study (N = 7,465), when the respondents were aged 46, 50 and 55, are used to derive care trajectories capturing the dynamics of care provision and its intensity. Logistic regression investigates the impact of caring between the ages of 46 and 55 on the carers' report of depression and poor health at age 55. At age 46, 9 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women provided some level of informal care; rising to 60 per cent for both genders at ages 50 and 55. Just 7 per cent of women and 4 per cent of men provided care at all observation points, with the most common trajectory being ‘starting to care’ at ages 50 or 55. New carers experienced a lower risk of depression at age 55, reflecting that they may not have experienced the caring role long enough to have an adverse impact on their wellbeing. The findings highlight that the majority of individuals with surviving parents experience caring at some point during mid-life, underlining the need for further longitudinal research to better understand the complex relationships between care-giving and health for different groups of cares.