bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Total Hip Replacement and Total Knee Replacement outcomes in the elderly - An opportunity for further improvement of ERAS pathways.
Authors: Burgess Louise , Wainwright Thomas
Published: May 2020

Introduction
Postoperative outcomes of total hip replacement (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR) have been improved by Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) guidelines. The elderly population is increasing and successful fast-track rehabilitation can be achieved amongst this cohort. However, the cohorts studied in previous literature are generally younger, healthy patients, who would be expected to recover well from a multidisciplinary pathway. Literature to assess the role of enhanced recovery in the very elderly is limited. The aim of this study is to assess the current outcomes for elderly patients post THR and TKR and explore the opportunity for further application of ERAS pathways.

Methods
This retrospective study was completed by collecting UK acute NHS hospital data through Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), accessed via the Dr. Foster Healthcare Intelligence Portal. Length of stay, readmission rates, complication of care and mortality were recorded for all THR and TKR cases.

Results
Length of stay, readmission and complication of care rates increased linearly with age for both THR and TKR patients. For over 85s, average length of stay was 5.0 and 4.5 days (THR and TKR respectively), 30 day re-admission was 9.4% and 9.9%, complication of care was 13.3% and 11.9% and mortality rate was 0.5% and 0.4%.

Conclusions
The very elderly have the most to gain from an ERAS programme but still have the longest stay in hospital and the greatest post-operative complications. Further work is required to determine how to reduce the risk of complications and increase functional recovery in elderly patients.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease—Functional Dyspepsia Overlap: Do Birds of a Feather Flock Together?
Authors: Geeraerts Annelies , Van Houtte Brecht , Clevers Egbert , Geysen Hannelore , Vanuytsel Tim , Tack Jan , Pauwels Ans
Published: May 2020

INTRODUCTION:

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional dyspepsia (FD) are 2 of the most prevalent upper gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in the Western world. Previous Rome definitions excluded patients with predominant heartburn from the definition of FD because they were considered to have GERD. However, more recent studies showed that heartburn and acid regurgitation are also common symptoms in patients with FD. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the prevalence of overlap between GERD and FD, the underlying pathophysiology and implications for treatment.

METHODS:

A review of the literature was performed using the PubMed database, and a meta-analysis with random effects model was completed.

RESULTS:

This review showed considerable overlap between GERD and FD. A meta-analysis on the data included in this review showed 7.41% (confidence interval [CI]: 4.55%–11.84%) GERD/FD overlap in the general population, 41.15% (CI: 29.46%–53.93%) GERD with FD symptoms, and 31.32% (CI: 19.43%–46.29%) FD with GERD symptoms. Although numerous committees and consensus groups attempted to develop uniform definitions for the diagnosis of GERD and FD, various diagnostic criteria are used across studies and clinical trials (frequency, severity, and location of symptoms). Several studies showed that the overlap between GERD and FD can be explained by a shared pathophysiology, including delayed gastric emptying and disturbed gastric accommodation.

DISCUSSION:

For diagnoses of GERD and FD, uniform definitions that are easy to implement in population studies, easy to interpret for physicians, and that need to be well explained to patients to avoid overestimation or underestimation of true prevalence are needed. Both GERD and FD coexist more frequently than expected, based on coincidence, suggesting a potential pathophysiological link. More research is needed to explore the common GERD/FD overlap population to identify the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, which may lead to a more effective therapeutic approach.
Postoperative Endoscopic Recurrence on the Neoterminal Ileum But Not on the Anastomosis Is Mainly Driving Long-Term Outcomes in Crohn's Disease
Authors: Hammoudi Nassim , Auzolle Claire , Tran Minh My-Linh , Boschetti Gilles , Bezault Madeleine , Buisson Anthony , Pariente Benjamin , Treton Xavier , Seksik Philippe , Fumery Mathurin , Le Bourhis Lionel , Nancey Stéphane , Allez Matthieu ,   on behalf of the REMIND group
Published: May 2020

INTRODUCTION:

Early ileocolonoscopy within the first year after surgery is the gold standard to evaluate recurrence after ileocolonic resection for Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between the presence and severity of anastomotic and ileal lesions at early postoperative ileocolonoscopy and long-term outcomes.

METHODS:

The REMIND group conducted a prospective multicenter study. Patients operated for ileal or ileocolonic CD were included. An ileocolonoscopy was performed 6 months after surgery. An endoscopic score describing separately the anastomotic and ileal lesions was built. Clinical relapse was defined by the CD-related symptoms, confirmed by imaging, endoscopy or therapeutic intensification; CD-related complications; or subsequent surgery.

RESULTS:

Among 225 included patients, long-term follow-up was available in 193 (median follow-up: 3.82 years [interquartile range: 2.56–5.41]). Median clinical recurrence-free survival was 47.6 months. Clinical recurrence-free survival was significantly shorter in patients with ileal lesions at early postoperative endoscopy whatever their severity was (I(1) or I(2,3,4)) as compared to patients without ileal lesions (I(0)) (I(0) vs I(2,3,4): P = 0.0003; I(0) vs I(1): P = 0.0008 and I(1) vs I(2,3,4): P = 0.43). Patients with exclusively ileal lesions (A(0)I(1,2,3,4)) had poorer clinical long-term outcomes than patients with exclusively anastomotic lesions (A(1,2,3)I(0)) (P = 0.009).

DISCUSSION:

A score describing separately the anastomotic and ileal lesions might be more appropriate to define postoperative endoscopic recurrence. Our data suggest that patients with ileal lesions, including mild ones (I(1)), could beneficiate from treatment step-up to improve long-term outcomes.
Presence of Serum Antinuclear Antibodies Does Not Impact Long-Term Outcomes in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Younes Ramy , Govaere Olivier , Petta Salvatore , Miele Luca , Tiniakos Dina , Burt Alastair , David Ezio , Vecchio Fabio M. , Maggioni Marco , Cabibi Daniela , Fracanzani Anna L. , Rosso Chiara , Blanco Maria J. Garcia , Armandi Angelo , Caviglia Gian Paolo , Zaki Marco Y. W. , Liguori Antonio , Francione Paolo , Pennisi Grazia , Grieco Antonio , Valenti Luca , Anstee Quentin M. , Bugianesi Elisabetta
Published: May 2020

INTRODUCTION:

We investigated the longitudinal impact of antinuclear antibody (ANA) on clinical outcomes and survival in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODS:

ANA were found in 16.9% of 923 biopsy-proven NAFLD patients, but none of them had histologic autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) or developed AIH after a mean follow-up of 106±50 months.

RESULTS:

Although ANA-positive cases had a higher prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis at baseline, the occurrence of liver-related events, hepatocellula carcinoma, cardiovascular events, extrahepatic malignancy, and overall survival were similar to ANA-negative.

DISCUSSION:

Once AIH has been ruled out, the long-term outcomes and survival are unaffected by the presence of ANA in patients with NAFLD.
Biblische Topographie als transkulturelle Wissensproduktion. Der Ansatz von Edward Robinson
Authors: Feldtkeller Andreas
Published: May 2020

Edward Robinson is regarded as one of the founders of a scientific topography of biblical landscapes. His method is based on comparative Semitic linguistics and assumes that modern Arabic place names contain memories of Hebrew place names from biblical times. The article summarizes results from a research project in which archival sources were used to reconstruct how only a collaboration with Arabic intellectuals and carriers of topographical knowledge mediated by American missionaries in Lebanon enabled Robinson to obtain a linguistically correct basis for his research method. In addition, links to Germany are discussed with regard to the inspiration for Robinson’s research method and with regard to the embedding of his research results in the format of a modern map.
Karl Barth, das Manifest der 93 und der Isenheimer Altar. Ingolf U. Dalferth in Dankbarkeit!
Authors: Marquard Reiner
Published: May 2020

Without the contemplation of the Isenheim Altar, Karl Barth would not have achieved a certain theological breakthrough in this radical and precise manner. It can be assumed that his theological linguistic doctrine for the turn from the first to the second version of the Commentary on the Letter to the Romans was promoted by the pictorial contemplation of the Isenheim Altar (caused by the disappointment about his theological teachers). The thesis is that Barth presented his theological metaphor of the ›death line‹ (17 October 1920) in derivation of the ›death wall‹ (17 April 1920) of the closed representation of the altar, which had previously been viewed by Grünewald, so that Barths with his Grünewald reception also and decisively initiated and carried out his theological reorientation.
Tierethik in der Theologie?! Aktuelle Positionen, Herausforderungen und Entwicklungen
Authors: Peuckmann Niklas
Published: May 2020

Questions of animal ethics are discussed and reflected upon in both academic and social settings today. Recently theology has also discovered this topic and has meanwhile dealt with it many times. A major focus has been placed on the relationship between humans and animals, so that animal ethics has been given a new profile as the ethics of human-animal relations. Thus, the question of human beings within this ethics has been newly taken into consideration. In theology both humans and animals can be understood as creatures of God living together in a community of creation. Theology thus not only complements the general discourse on animal ethics, it rather considers it with an independent perspective.
‘Pushing Through’ in Plato’sSophist: A New Reading of the Parity Assumption
Authors: Rodriguez Evan
Published: May 2020

At a crucial juncture in Plato’sSophist, when the interlocutors have reached their deepest confusion about being and not-being, the Eleatic Visitor proclaims that there is yet hope. Insofar as they clarify one, he maintains, they will equally clarify the other. But what justifies the Visitor’s seemingly oracular prediction? A new interpretation explains how the Visitor’s hope is in fact warranted by the peculiaraporiathey find themselves in. The passage describes a broader pattern of ‘exploring both sides’ that lends insight into Plato’s aporetic method.
Single peaked traveling wave solutions to a generalized μ-Novikov Equation
Authors: Moon Byungsoo
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we study the existence of peaked traveling wave solution of the generalized μ-Novikov equation with nonlocal cubic and quadratic nonlinearities. The equation is a μ-version of a linear combination of the Novikov equation and Camassa-Hom equation. It is found that the equation admits single peaked traveling wave solutions.
Quasilinear Riccati-Type Equations with Oscillatory and Singular Data
Authors: Nguyen Quoc-Hung , Phuc Nguyen Cong
Published: May 2020

We characterize the existence of solutions to the quasilinear Riccati-type equation

{

-

div
⁡
𝒜

⁢

(
x
,

∇
⁡
u

)

=

|

∇
⁡
u

|

q

+
σ

in 
⁢
Ω

,

u

=
0

on 
⁢

∂
⁡
Ω

,

\left\{\begin{aligned} \displaystyle-\operatorname{div}\mathcal{A}(x,\nabla u)% &\displaystyle=|\nabla u|^{q}+\sigma&&\displaystyle\phantom{}\text{in }\Omega,% \\ \displaystyle u&\displaystyle=0&&\displaystyle\phantom{}\text{on }\partial% \Omega,\end{aligned}\right.

with a distributional or measure datum σ. Here

div
⁡
𝒜

⁢

(
x
,

∇
⁡
u

)

{\operatorname{div}\mathcal{A}(x,\nabla u)}

is a quasilinear elliptic operator modeled after the p-Laplacian (

p
>
1

{p>1}

), and Ω is a bounded domain whose boundary is sufficiently flat (in the sense of Reifenberg). For distributional data, we assume that

p
>
1

{p>1}

and

q
>
p

{q>p}

. For measure data, we assume that they are compactly supported in Ω,

p
>

3
⁢
n

-
2

2
⁢
n

-
1

{p>\frac{3n-2}{2n-1}}

, and q is in the sub-linear range

p
-
1

<
q
<
1

{p-1<q<1}

. We also assume more regularity conditions on

𝒜

{\mathcal{A}}

and on

∂
⁡

Ω
⁢
Ω

{\partial\Omega\Omega}

in this case.
Measurement of ultrashort laser ablation of four metals (Al, Cu, Ni, W) in the single-pulse regime
Authors: Genieys Thibault , Sentis Marc , Utéza Olivier
Published: May 2020

We provide measurements of the ablation of four post-transition and transition metals [aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and tungsten (W)] irradiated by single 800 nm laser pulses, in ultrashort regime from 100 femtosecond (fs) pulse duration down to 15 fs covering a temporal range little explored as yet. For each metal and pulse duration tested, we measured its ablation characteristics (depth and diameter) as a function of incident energy allowing us to determine its laser-induced ablation threshold and ablation rate in a single-shot regime. For all the metals studied, we observed a constant ablation threshold fluence as a function of pulse duration extending this scaling law to pulse duration of few-optical-cycles. We provide evidence of the interest of adjusting the incident fluence to maximize the energy specific ablation depth but also of the absence of any peculiar advantage related to the use of extremely short-pulse duration for ablation purposes. Those informative and detailed ablation data have been obtained in the single-pulse regime and in air ambiance. They can serve as rewarding feedback for further establishing smart strategy for femtosecond laser micromachining and laser damage handling of metallic and metal-based components as well as for enhancing accuracy of modeling of fs laser interaction with metals in ultrashort regime.
Plato’s Medicalisation of Ethics
Authors: Torres Jorge
Published: May 2020

I argue for the view that the scientific model which Plato consistently had in mind when sharpening his main ethical theory was medicine. Moreover, I ascribe to Plato a “medical model of ethics”. A careful examination of this model reveals how Plato appropriates several medical concepts and ideas by employing two central methodological devices in his thought: dialectical transposition and analogical characterisation. In discussing them, I identify different kinds of medical references in the dialogues –not all medical references in Plato have the same methodological status– and draw greater attention to the most recurrent medical analogies in them. More generally, the paper is also meant to provide a case study of the complex relationship between medicine and philosophy in Antiquity by examining in a new light the various ways in which the former served as an epistemological and ethical model for the latter.
A First Glimpse at Saduaqas Ghïlmani’s (1890–1972) “Biographies of the Islamic Scholars of Our times” — A Possible Rewriting of the Tsarist and Soviet History of Kazakhstan’s Islamic Community
Authors: Muminov Ashirbek , Mollakanagatuly Saipulla
Published: May 2020

The period in the history of Kazakhstan between the middle XIX – middle XX centuries, when significant transformations in the Kazakh Muslim community took place, is of great academic interest for researchers. Among the little-studied historical processes, which were under way in Kazakhstan, could be mentioned: (1) the interaction of Muslim and Russian (Orthodox) civilizations; (2) the awakening of the followers of the traditional Islamic school; (3) the initiation and dissemination of the ideas of Islamic modernism (Jadidism) and Islamic fundamentalism (Salafism) in local Muslim communities etc. However the use of well-known Russian official documents as the main and only sources for new investigations could lead to one-sided conclusions, as that was shown in the well-known review by Prof. Devin DeWeese.
Binding Buddhas and Demons to Text: The Mongol Invention of the Dorjé Shukden and Trülku Drakpa Gyeltsen Literary Corpus (1913–1919)
Authors: King Matthew William
Published: May 2020

This article examines previously unstudied historical sources from seventeenth–twentieth century Khalkha, Mongolia concerning the controversial Dorjé Shukden tradition (Tib. Rdo rje shugs ldan; Kh. Mong. Dorjshüg). In the last quarter-century, the current Dalai Lama has imposed a controversial global ban on the practice that has cleaved Tibetan and Mongolian communities from one another, led to much bloodshed, and the splitting of the institutional base of the transnational Géluk (Tib. Dge lugs) tradition. Anti-Shukden polemicists and the small body of contemporary secondary scholarship on the schism attribute the rise of Shukden traditions to a hyper-conservative faction of monks based in Lhasa during the early twentieth century. They are credited with elevating Shukden, a violent regional spirit, to the high position of an enlightened protector of the Dharma. This article troubles that historical position, showing how developed Shukden traditions existed in Khalkha a century before the Lhasa movement. It then advances a new working hypothesis on the origins and enduring appeal of the Shukden tradition, which is that it is a long-running expression of the trans-Asian (and now, transnational) expansion of Géluk scholasticism far beyond the political dominions of the Dalai Lamas over the course of the Qing and Tsarist empires, the rise of nationalist and socialist government in Inner Asia, the exercise of profound socialist state violence, and the experience of global diaspora.
Automated sorting of recycled paper using smart image processing
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Osiur , Hussain Aini , Basri Hassan
Published: May 2020

Because of the cost and complexity of implementing an optical paper sorting system, the demand for an intelligent system for waste paper sorting has increased. This research focused on the development of a smart intelligent system (SIS) for recyclable waste paper sorting. The basis for selecting the regions of interests (ROIs) is the margin area of a paper object image because almost all printed documents keep the margin area intact. The paper grade is identified using a proximity search. The SIS with the HSI colour space offered maximum success rates of 99 %, 82 % and 89 %, while with the RGB model, the classification success rates were 94 %, 93 % and 98 % for white paper, old newsprint paper and old corrugated cardboard, respectively. The SIS is clearly superior to other prevailing techniques because of the faster decision making and lower cost of implementation.
Search and Bidding Costs
Authors: Miao Chun-Hui
Published: May 2020

This paper studies consumer search behavior in markets where sellers must incur fixed costs to win a contract. We show that consumers face a commitment problem if their search intensities are not observed by sellers. Welfare is maximized when consumers can precommit to a limited number of searches, but in the absence of the ability to commit, consumers search more than the optimum. A decline in search costs can exacerbate the commitment problem and leave consumers potentially worse off.
Hi-tech Sexism? Evidence from Bangladesh
Authors: Hoque Nazmul , Boulier Bryan L.
Published: May 2020

With the advent of modern technology for fetal sex determination, selective abortion is found to be responsible for a significant number of “missing women” in countries like China and India. Using a competing risk hazard model, we investigate whether son preference translates into selective abortion and accounts for any of the “missing women” in Bangladesh. Data suggest that son preference leads to shorter birth intervals if previous births are girls. For example, if the first birth is a girl, the odds of having another child each quarter is about 15% higher and the birth interval is about 2 months shorter for more educated urban women in recent years (1990–2011). However, there is no evidence that selective abortion contributes to missing women in Bangladesh.
Conflict Intensity and Birth Outcomes – Evidence from the West Bank
Authors: Jürges Hendrik , Westermaier Franz G.
Published: May 2020

This study uses data collected in the West Bank to study the effect of intrauterine exposure to conflict during the Second Intifada on birth weight. We use the number of fatalities in a locality of residence during pregnancy as an instantaneous measure of local conflict intensity. Conditional on experiencing any fatality, pregnant mothers were exposed to 11 fatalities on average, which was related to a reduction in average birth weight of about 20 g (or 3 % of a standard deviation). Although the estimated reductions are only significant for boys. Our results are consistent with the notion that violent conflict triggers prenatal psychological or economic stress in pregnant women, which in turn harms unborn children.
Die zentrale Rolle der Bibliotheken für den Fortschritt und die Demokratie
Authors: Casalini Michele
Published: May 2020

Dieser auf der Rede zur Verleihung der Ehrendoktorwürde im Mai 2019 basierende Text beschäftigt sich mit den sich wandelnden Funktionen und der Rolle von Bibliotheken, den Herausforderungen im digitalen Wandel und der Nachhaltigkeit der ursprünglichen Publikationssprache in den Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften im Hinblick auf die Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes für die Zukunft.
Topic and subject in Chinese and in the languages of Europe: Comparative remarks and implications for Chinese as a second/foreign language teaching
Authors: Morbiato Anna , Arcodia Giorgio Francesco , Basciano Bianca
Published: May 2020

Grammatical notions like that of ‘subject’ are widely used in second language teaching. However, while the grammatical subject is generally regarded as easily identifiable in the Indo-European languages of Europe, as e.g. English, French or Italian, and is a key element in determining word order, the application of this notion to Chinese has given rise to endless controversies. On the other hand, pragmatic-discourse considerations such as topichood, world knowledge, and context, and semantic notions such as agency, causation, and the roles of participants in the described event, appear to be more significant in Chinese as factors determining word order and interpretation of utterances. In this paper, we first provide an overview of the main differences concerning subjecthood, topichood and word order in English, Italian and Chinese, highlighting their impact on learner varieties of Chinese. We then summarise the state-of-the-art of research on subject and topic, with a focus on Chinese. Lastly, we discuss the implications of these theoretical issues for Chinese as a Second/Foreign Language teaching: to this end, we propose a critical overview of how the issue of topichood and subjecthood are treated in a sample of recent English-language, Italian-language and Chinese-language coursebooks and reference materials, and propose some recommendations for instructors.
How do cross-linguistic similarities and differences affect the mapping of spatial relationships, containment, and support in L2?
Authors: Chuang Hui-Ju
Published: May 2020

This study investigates whether the similarities and differences between a learner’s source language (L1) and target language (L2) affect the spatial containment and support concept mapping and acquisition processes onto their L2 language. I specifically investigated how learners’ accuracy rates for both congruent and noncongruent stimuli are affected by proficiency level. A t test of the results indicated that there is a significant effect of the L1 on learners’ L2 accuracy. The results are discussed from the perspective of the degree of congruency between languages in terms of cross-linguistic similarities/differences.
Efficacy of weekly administration of cholecalciferol on parathyroid hormone in stable kidney-transplanted patients with CKD stage 1–3
Authors: Sella Stefania , Bonfante Luciana , Fusaro Maria , Neri Flavia , Plebani Mario , Zaninotto Martina , Aghi Andrea , Innico Georgie , Tripepi Giovanni , Michielin Alberto , Prandini Tancredi , Calò Lorenzo A. , Giannini Sandro
Published: May 2020

Objectives

Kidney transplant (KTx) recipients frequently have deficient or insufficient levels of serum vitamin D. Few studies have investigated the effect of cholecalciferol in these patients. We evaluated the efficacy of weekly cholecalciferol administration on parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in stable KTx patients with chronic kidney disease stage 1–3.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, 48 stable KTx recipients (37 males, 11 females, aged 52 ± 11 years and 26 months post-transplantation) were treated weekly with oral cholecalciferol (7500–8750 IU) for 12 months and compared to 44 untreated age- and gender-matched recipients. Changes in levels of PTH, 25(OH) vitamin D (25[OH]D), serum calcium, phosphate, creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured at baseline, 6 and 12 months.

Results

At baseline, clinical characteristics were similar between treated and untreated patients. Considering the entire cohort, 87 (94.6%) were deficient in vitamin D and 64 (69.6%) had PTH ≥130 pg/mL. Serum calcium, phosphate, creatinine and eGFR did not differ between groups over the follow-up period. However, 25(OH)D levels were significantly higher at both 6 (63.5 vs. 30.3 nmol/L, p < 0.001) and 12 months (69.4 vs. 30 nmol/L, p < 0.001) in treated vs. untreated patients, corresponding with a significant reduction in PTH at both 6 (112 vs. 161 pg/mL) and 12 months (109 vs. 154 pg/mL) in treated vs. untreated patients, respectively (p < 0.001 for both).

Conclusions

Weekly administration of cholecalciferol can significantly and stably reduce PTH levels, without any adverse effects on serum calcium and renal function.
From therapeutic drug monitoring to total drug monitoring and drug-omics
Authors: Vogeser Michael
Published: May 2020

In view of the role of pharmacotherapy in medicine, on the one hand, and the powerful technical possibilities that are now available on the other hand, therapeutic drug monitoring is a surprisingly neglected area of laboratory medicine. In this viewpoint article, an “omics approach” to pharmacovigilance and drug monitoring is proposed and discussed. A realistic goal for laboratory medicine in the 21st century should indeed be to enable clinicians to check whether the right drug is present in the right patient with an appropriate blood concentration for each compound.
High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and T methods for the early detection of myocardial injury in patients on chemotherapy
Authors: Clerico Aldo , Cardinale Daniela Maria , Zaninotto Martina , Aspromonte Nadia , Sandri Maria Teresa , Passino Claudio , Migliardi Marco , Perrone Marco , Fortunato Antonio , Padoan Andrea , Trenti Tommaso , Bernardini Sergio , Sciacovelli Laura , Colivicchi Furio , Gabrielli Domenico , Plebani Mario
Published: May 2020

Important advances achieved in pharmacological cancer treatment have led progressively to a reduction in mortality from many forms of cancer, and increasing numbers of previously incurable patients can now hope to become cancer-free. Yet, to achieve these improved outcomes a high price has been paid in terms of untoward side effects associated with treatment, cardio-toxicity in particular. Several recent studies have reported that cardiac troponin assay using high-sensitivity methods (hs-cTn) can enable the early detection of myocardial injury related to chemotherapy or abuse of drugs that are potentially cardiotoxic. Several authors have recently suggested that changes in hs-cTn values enable the early diagnosis of cardiac injury from chemotherapy, thus potentially benefitting cancer patients with increased troponin values by initiating early cardioprotective therapy. However, large randomised clinical trials are needed in order to evaluate the cost/benefit ratio of standardised protocols for the early detection of cardiotoxicity using the hs-cTn assay in patients treated with chemotherapy.
Development of ultrasound-assisted dispersive solid-phase microextraction
based on mesoporous carbon coated with silica@iron oxide nanocomposite for
preconcentration of Te and Tl in natural water systems
Authors: Nyaba Luthando , Dubazana Buyile , Mpupa Anele , Nomngongo Philiswa N.
Published: May 2020

The main objective of this study was to develop an ultrasound-assisted dispersive
solid-phase microextraction (UADSPME) method for separation and preconcentration of
tellurium (Te) and thallium (Tl) in environmental samples prior to inductively
coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry determination. The
MPC@SiO2@Fe3O4 nanocomposite was used as a
nanoadsorbent in the UADSPME method. The nanocomposite was prepared using a
coprecipitation and sol–gel method, and it was characterized using scanning
electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron
microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction techniques. The Box–Behnken design and
response surface methodology were used for the optimization of experimental
parameters (such as pH, extraction time and mass of adsorbent) affecting the
preconcentration procedure. Under optimized conditions, the limits of detection were
0.05 and 0.02 µg L−1 and the limits of
quantification were 0.17 and 0.07 µg L−1 for
Te and Tl, respectively. The precision expressed as the relative standard deviation
(%RSD) was 2.5% and 2.8% for Te and Tl, respectively. Finally, the developed method
was applied for the analysis of Tl and Te in real samples.
Simplified Iteratively Regularized Gauss–Newton Method in Banach Spaces Under a General Source Condition
Authors: Mahale Pallavi , Dixit Sharad Kumar
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we consider a simplified iteratively regularized Gauss–Newton method in a Banach space setting under a general source condition. We will obtain order-optimal error estimates both for an a priori stopping rule and for a Morozov-type stopping rule together with a posteriori choice of the regularization parameter. An advantage of a general source condition is that it provides a unified setting for the error analysis which can be applied to the cases of both severely and mildly ill-posed problems. We will give a numerical example of a parameter identification problem to discuss the performance of the method.
Stability conditions on product varieties
Authors: Liu Yucheng
Published: May 2020

Given a stability condition on a smooth projective variety X, we construct a family of stability conditions on

{X\times C}

, where C is a smooth projective curve. In particular, this gives the existence of stability conditions on arbitrary products of curves. The proof uses, by following an idea of Toda, the positivity lemma established by Bayer and Macrì and weak stability conditions on the Abramovich-Polishchuk heart of a bounded t-structure in

{D(X\times C)}

.
Neonatal hypertension caused by left-to-right shunt flow through a patent ductus arteriosus in a premature infant
Authors: Kim Sung-Ha , Park Eujin , Hwang Sook M. , Sung Tae-Jung
Published: May 2020

Objectives

Though it is rare and challenging to study, neonatal hypertension (HTN) has been explored and studied by many pediatricians. There were some causes reported in preterm infants such as renal diseases and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Case presentation

We report a premature female infant who was born at a gestational age of 25 + 6 weeks and developed systemic hypertension on the day of a gestation age of 30 + 3 weeks. This case had a rare cause which involved high-normal serum aldosterone level that could possibly indicate hyperaldosteronism and over-stimulation of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS). We believe elevation of serum aldosterone was caused by a left-to-right shunt flow through a patent ductus arteriosus. Hypertension due to a patent ductus arteriosus sounds like a paradox. However, in our case, the shunt flow was shown to be a possible cause of the systemic hypertension. Surgical closure of the shunt was done and the hypertension resolved. We evaluated serum aldosterone levels and plasma renin activities both, before and after the closure to look for a possible cause.

Conclusions

Neonatologist often treats systemic hypertensive infants considering possible causes in order to prevent hypertensive crisis. Our case shows that possibility of hyperaldosteronism and (RAAS) over-stimulation should be considered as causes in case of severe systemic hypertension in preterm infants with large left-to-right shunt flows.
“Bie zai tiqi” and You Mean the World to Me: Two Subversive Sinophone Malaysian Metatexts
Authors: Paoliello Antonio
Published: May 2020

This article aims at exploring the subversive nature of two Sinophone Malaysian cultural products, namely “Bie zai tiqi” (2002) a short story by Ho Sok Fong and You Mean the World to Me (2017), a full-length feature film by director Saw Teong Hin. I argue that, despite their differences, both fictional products use powerful metafictional and metanarrative devices to challenge factuality. In doing so, they not only blur the fine line between fiction and reality, but they also question cultural power dynamics and ethnic politics in Malaysia. Moreover, they defy the truthfulness of Mandarin as the preferred Sinitic cultural language as well as the idea that, in Malaysia, literature and film can be considered Malaysian only if produced in Malay, the official language of the country. By performing an analysis of the linguistic choices made by Ho Sok Fong and Saw Teong Hin, I will suggest that both the short story and the feature film analysed in this article use metafiction and metanarration to subvert widely-accepted, yet problematic, notions of national culture and common ethnic language.
On the Δ-equivalence of Boolean functions
Authors: Logachev Oleg A. , Fedorov Sergey N. , Yashchenko Valerii V.
Published: May 2020

A new equivalence relation on the set of Boolean functions is introduced: functions are declared to beΔ-equivalent if their autocorrelation functions are equal. It turns out that this classification agrees well with the cryptographic properties of Boolean functions: for functions belonging to the sameΔ-equivalence class a number of their cryptographic characteristics do coincide. For example, all bent-functions (of a fixed number of variables) make up one class.
Asymptotically best method for synthesis of Boolean recursive circuits
Authors: Zhukov Vladimir V. , Lozhkin Sergey A.
Published: May 2020

Models of multi-output and scalar recursive Boolean circuits of bounded depth in an arbitrary basis are considered. Methods for lower and upper estimates for the Shannon function for the complexity of circuits of these classes are provided. Based on these methods, an asymptotic formula for the Shannon function is put forward. Moreover, in the above classes of recursive circuits, upper estimates for the complexity of implementation of some functions and systems of functions used in applications are obtained.
Sinnräume
Authors: Loidolt Sophie
Published: May 2020

The paper introduces the concept of “spaces of meaning,” distilled from the work of political theorist Hannah Arendt, and used as an interpretative tool to understand some central theoretical moves in theThe Human Condition. By focusing on activities which actualise conditional structures and which thereby generate experiences and meaning, I present a phenomenological re-interpretation of Arendt’s three basic activities of labour, work, and action, which actualise the conditions of life, worldliness, and plurality. The term “spaces of meaning” indicates how the unfolding of certain activities simultaneously creates and structures spaces and meaningful orientation which involves a certain temporality, spatiality, corporeality, and intersubjectivity. I differentiate between activity-based and visibility-based spaces of meaning and present a dynamic interpretation of their interplay. In doing so, I challenge Seyla Benhabib’s view that part of Arendt’s methodology contains what Benhabib calls “phenomenological essentialism.” Furthermore, this analysis aims at developing an analytical tool and flexible framework also beyond Arendt scholarship. Phenomenologists can use this model of “spaces of meaning” for the task of reclaiming experience as world-building and world-opening, also in a normative sense, and of demonstrating how structures and orders are lived while they condition and form spaces of meaning. If we want to understand, criticise, act, or change something, this subjective and intersubjective perspective will remain indispensable.
Das Verhältnis zwischen erster und zweiter Natur bei John McDowell und Nicolai Hartmann
Authors: Wunsch Matthias
Published: May 2020

When discussing the philosophical question of the relation between mind and nature, dualistic approaches are often contrasted with scientistic approaches. However, mind can be situated in nature in a non-scientistic manner and outside of nature in a non-dualistic manner. John McDowell represents the first approach, as he connects mind to our second nature. In his attempt to specify the categorial relation between first and second nature, McDowell finds himself in a dilemma which cannot be solved within his framework. The second approach is represented by Nicolai Hartmann, for whom mind does not belong to nature, but to the real world. Hartmann’s ontology of layers is able to avoid McDowell’s dilemma and the unity of the real world is made intelligible.
Predicting Federal Funds Rate Using Extreme Value Theory
Authors: Dey Ashim Kumar , Das Kumer Pial
Published: May 2020

The extreme value theory (EVT) is used to assess the risk of extreme events caused by natural calamities or untoward circumstances in the social and economic sectors. The theory can be used to study the frequency of rare events and to build up a predictive model so that one can attempt to forecast the frequency of such future extreme events such as a financial collapse and the amount of damage from such a collapse. Even though many statistical techniques have been used to analyze the manner in which the Federal Reserve determines the level of the Federal Fund Rates, no known study has used EVT to analyze and predict the extreme fund rates. In this study, the US Federal Funds Rate, one of the most publicized and important economic indicators in the financial world, from 1954–2019 has been analyzed. The contributions of this study are: (1) to provide an appropriate model for the normalized Federal Funds Rate data; (2) to compare several estimation techniques in estimating parameters for two possible models; (3) to predict the maximum economic return rate from a Federal Funds Rate in the future by using the concept of the return period; and (4) to investigate the bias of estimated parameters applying a simulation study. Simulated data and real financial data are used for the study, and the outcome satisfies the efficiency of its application.
Reimagining the Unimaginable: Law and the Ongoing Transformation of Global Value Chains into Integrated Legal Entities
Authors: Sobel-Read Kevin B.
Published: May 2020

There is a growing push to reduce the labour and environmental harms caused throughout the supply chains of large corporations. But very little progress has been made in holding these corporations legally responsible for such harms. This corporate immunity is not caused by shortcomings in the law itself but rather by the limits of the categories through which we make sense of the world. For voters and policymakers alike, regulation is only appropriate for entities that fall into the same category of classification. And so far in our collective understanding, the firms in global supply chains have each inhabited separate legal categories and so each is deemed to have separate legal responsibility. As a result, the chains as a whole have remained free from regulation. But as global commerce becomes more systematised, global value chains are becoming more intimately integrated. This practical integration is likewise transforming our thinking: we are coming to understand chains as discrete entities within a single category. As this transformation solidifies, the regulation of entire chains will no longer be unthinkable but rather inevitable. Drawing on the insight of Mary Douglas and Benedict Anderson, I substantiate these assertions with evidence from corporate accounts, legislation and popular media.
Critical Analysis of the Zero Risk Weight Privilege for European Sovereign Debt in Light of Art. 124 TFEU
Authors: Hauser Patrick
Published: May 2020

The zero risk weight privilege for European sovereign debt in the current capital adequacy requirements for credit institutions incentivises credit institutions to acquire and hold sovereign debt. However, it also poses a significant risk to the stability of the banking system and thus the financial system as a whole. It is argued that this privilege should not only be abolished due to the risk it entails but that it is also non conformant with EU primary law. Art. 124 TFEU prohibits privileged access of the EU and Member States' public sector to financial institutions except for prudential considerations. The protective purpose of Art. 124 TFEU to ensure sound budgetary policies by subjecting public borrowing to the same rules as borrowing by other market participants is thwarted by the uniform zero risk weight privilege. Further, as this privilege does not take into account the varying creditworthiness of the individual Member States it does not promote the soundness of financial institutions so as to strengthen the soundness of the financial system as whole, but rather endangers systemic stability. The zero risk weight privilege is therefore not based on prudential considerations and hence violates Art. 124 TFEU.
Collective Decision-making: FIFA from the Perspective of Public Choice
Authors: Follert Florian , Richau Lukas , Emrich Eike , Pierdzioch Christian
Published: May 2020

Various scandals have shaken public confidence in football's global governing body,Fédération Internationale de Football Association(FIFA). It is evident that decision-making within such a collective provides incentives for corruption. We apply the Buchanan-Tullock model that is known from Public Choice theory to study collective decision-making within FIFA. On the basis of this theoretical model, we develop specific proposals that can contribute to combating corruption. Three core aspects are discussed: the selection of the World Cup host, transparency in the allocation of budgets, and clear guidelines for FIFA officials and bodies with regard to their rights and accountability. Our insights can contribute to a better understanding of collective decision making in heterogenous groups.
The Euro Area Imbalances Narrative in a Franco-German Perspective: The Importance of the Longer-Run View
Authors: Belke Ansgar , Gros Daniel
Published: May 2020

There is a symmetrical debate in two Euro area core countries: in France about the restrictive fiscal policy of Germany, leading to a huge external surplus, in Germany about the insufficient compliance with fiscal rules and the lack of structural reforms in France. What are the real causes of the divergence between the two economies? We show that different indicators of competitiveness yield very different results depending on the base period used, e.g. 1995 (peak of reunification boom), 1999 or 1990. A comparison with the pre-unification period shows little gain in competitiveness. We also find, somewhat surprisingly, that Germany’s industry is not more integrated in international value chains than that of France or Italy. We then look at the link between export growth and export prices and argue that in the long run exports are not driven by competitiveness but by the increased supply of labor resulting from unification. In addition, we ask what drove ‘wage moderation’ in Germany: policy or the labor market. We finally analyse the longer-term trend in fiscal policy and the resulting distributional consequences in both countries. Our more general policy implication is that any analysis which compares today to the trough of German performance after unification risks over-estimating the potential of the country. Given that the ‘internal unification’ process is complete now, one should not expect the Germans to continue to outperform France as it has done over the last two decades.
Bilinear forms on non-homogeneous Sobolev spaces
Authors: Cascante Carme , Ortega Joaquín M.
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we show that if

b
∈

L
2

⁢

(

ℝ
n

)

{b\in L^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{n})}

, then the bilinear form defined on the product of the non-homogeneous Sobolev spaces

H
s
2

⁢

(

ℝ
n

)

×

H
s
2

⁢

(

ℝ
n

)

{H_{s}^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{n})\times H_{s}^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{n})}

,

0
<
s
<
1

{0<s<1}

, by

(
f
,
g
)

∈

H
s
2

⁢

(

ℝ
n

)

×

H
s
2

⁢

(

ℝ
n

)

→

∫

ℝ
n

(

Id
-
Δ

)

s
2

⁢

(

f
⁢
g

)

⁢

(
𝐱
)

⁢
b
⁢

(
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)

⁢

d
⁢
𝐱

(f,g)\in H_{s}^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{n})\times H_{s}^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{n})\to\int_{%
\mathbb{R}^{n}}(\mathrm{Id}-\Delta)^{\frac{s}{2}}(fg)(\mathbf{x})b(\mathbf{x})%
\mathop{}\!d\mathbf{x}

is continuous if and only if the positive measure

|

b
⁢

(
𝐱
)

|

2

⁢

d
⁢
𝐱

{\lvert b(\mathbf{x})\rvert^{2}\mathop{}\!d\mathbf{x}}

is a trace measure for

H
s
2

⁢

(

ℝ
n

)

{H_{s}^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{n})}

.
Synthesis of 2,2′-dibenzoylaminodiphenyl disulfide based on Aspen Plus simulation and the development of green synthesis processes
Authors: Zhang Yan , Ji Deluo , Ma Song , Wang Wenbo , Dong Ruiguo , Shi Lilong , Pan Linlin , Zhang Xiaolai , Du Mengcheng
Published: May 2020

The rubber peptizer 2,2′-dibenzoylaminodiphenyl disulfide is typically synthesized from C7H5NS, NaOH, H2SO4, and H2O2, but these reactants were replaced with C6H4ClNO2, C2H6O, Na2S, S, and N2H4·H2O, and these raw materials effectively improved the synthesis yield, reduced the number of synthetic steps, and made the synthetic process greener. Although the catalyst is difficult to recover, it effectively avoids using ethanol as a volatile organic solvent. The Aspen Plus method was used to simulate the key processes in the synthesis in the experimental conditions as the boundary conditions. The simulation results show that the feed ratio of C7H5NS, H2O2, and C7H5ClO directly determines the yield of the reaction, and the equivalents of NaOH, H2SO4, and Na2CO3 indirectly affect the yield of the reaction by changing the reaction environment and controlling the formation of byproducts. The temperature of the ring-opening reaction and the acylation reaction should be maintained within 110–120°C to maximize the yield. The oxidation reaction temperature also directly affects the reaction yield and should be kept below 40°C. The simulation results are consistent with practical industrial production conditions. Based on the developed green synthesis process and the optimal process parameters obtained from the simulation, the industrial-scale production of 10,000 tons of 2,2′-di benzoyl amino diphenyl disulfide was carried out. Compared with that of o-nitrochlorobenzene, the yield of 2,2′-dibenzoylaminodiphenyl disulfide increased from approximately 72% to more than 90%. Using this method instead of the original synthesis method avoids the use of o-nitrochlorobenzene, which is neurotoxic; Raney nickel as the metal catalyst, which is difficult to recycle with existing environmental protection technologies; and ethanol as the organic solvent, which is associated with environmental problems. The amine tail gas that is easily generated in the original synthesis method is not generated in this system, and the drying step is eliminated.