bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fatherhood and Reproductive Health in the Antenatal Period: From Men’s Voices to Clinical Practice
Authors: Levy Raymond A. , Kotelchuck Milton
Published: September 2021

There is very limited literature on the experiences of fathers during Obstetric prenatal care (PNC), especially hearing from fathers’ voices directly. The MGH Fatherhood Project conducted two annual surveys—data combined for analysis—of all fathers who accompanied their partners to prenatal care visits over 2-week periods at a large, tertiary-care urban hospital in Boston, MA. The anonymous, voluntary close-ended survey was offered in multiple languages and self-administered on iPads.

Results: Nine hundred fifty nine fathers participated, 86% of attending fathers, possibly making the study the largest research sample of fathers in PNC. Fathers are actively and deeply engaged with the impending birth; they have substantial physical health needs (obesity, family planning and lack of primary care), and mental health needs (stress, depressive symptoms, and personal isolation). Fathers perceived they were well treated during the PNC visit, but were desirous of more reproductive, relational, and infant health information and skills, which they preferred to receive from publications, social media, or health professionals; and they were very supportive of PNC fatherhood initiatives.

Discussion: The results suggest five sets of practical recommendations to create a more father-friendly environment in Obstetric care-Staff Training; Father-Friendly Clinic Environment; Explicit Affirmation of Father Inclusion; Development of Educational Materials; and Specialized Father-Focused Health Initiatives, all with the goal of improving reproductive health outcomes for families.
Bildgebung in der prächirurgischen Epilepsiediagnostik
Authors: Ilyas-Feldmann Maria , Vorderwülbecke Bernd , Steinbrenner Mirja
Published: September 2021

Während zwei Drittel der PatientInnen mit Epilepsie durch Medikamente anfallsfrei werden, ist die Erkrankung bei 30 % pharmakoresistent. Bei pharmakoresistenter fokaler Epilepsie bietet die Epilepsiechirurgie eine etwa 65 %ige Chance auf Anfallsfreiheit. Vorab muss der Anfallsfokus exakt eingegrenzt werden, wofür bildgebende Methoden unverzichtbar sind. In den letzten Jahren hat sich in der Prächirurgie der Anteil von PatientInnen mit unauffälliger konventioneller Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) erhöht. Allerdings konnte die Sensitivität der MRT durch spezielle Aufnahmesequenzen und Techniken der Postprozessierung gesteigert werden. Die Quellenlokalisation des Signals von Elektro- und Magnetenzephalographie (EEG und MEG) verortet den Ursprung iktaler und interiktaler epileptischer Aktivität im Gehirn. Nuklearmedizinische Untersuchungen wie die interiktale Positronen-Emissions-Tomographie (PET) und die iktale Einzelphotonen-Emissionscomputertomographie (SPECT) detektieren chronische oder akute anfallsbezogene Veränderungen des Hirnmetabolismus und können auch bei nichtlokalisierendem MRT auf den epileptogenen Fokus hinweisen. Alle Befunde zusammengenommen werden zur Planung eventueller invasiver EEG-Ableitungen und letztlich der chirurgischen Operation eingesetzt. Konkordante Befunde sind mit besseren chirurgischen Ergebnissen assoziiert und zeigen auch im Langzeitverlauf signifikant höhere Anfallsfreiheitsraten.
Risk factors and incidence over time for lower extremity amputations in people with type 1 diabetes: an observational cohort study of 46,088 patients from the Swedish National Diabetes Registry
Authors: Hallström Sara , Svensson Ann-Marie , Pivodic Aldina , Ólafsdóttir Arndís F. , Löndahl Magnus , Wedel Hans , Lind Marcus
Published: September 2021

Aims/hypothesis

The aim of this work was to study the incidence over time of lower extremity amputations and determine variables associated with increased risk of amputations in people with type 1 diabetes.

Methods

Individuals with type 1 diabetes registered in the Swedish National Diabetes Registry with no previous amputation from 1 January 1998 and followed to 2 October 2019 were included. Time-updated Cox regression and gradient of risk per SD were used to evaluate the impact of risk factors on the incidence of amputation. Age- and sex-adjusted incidences were estimated over time.

Results

Of 46,088 people with type 1 diabetes with no previous amputation (mean age 32.5 years [SD 14.5], 25,354 [55%] male sex), 1519 (3.3%) underwent amputation. Median follow-up was 12.4 years. The standardised incidence for any amputation in 1998–2001 was 2.84 (95% CI 2.32, 3.36) per 1000 person-years and decreased to 1.64 (95% CI 1.38, 1.90) per 1000 person-years in 2017–2019. The incidence for minor and major amputations showed a similar pattern. Hyperglycaemia and renal dysfunction were the strongest risk factors for amputation, followed by older age, male sex, cardiovascular comorbidities, smoking and hypertension. Glycaemic control and age- and sex-adjusted renal function improved during the corresponding time period as amputations decreased.

Conclusions/interpretation

The incidence of amputation and of the most prominent risk factors for amputation, including renal dysfunction and hyperglycaemia, has improved considerably during recent years for people with type 1 diabetes. This finding has important implications for quality of life, health economics and prognosis regarding CVD, indicating a trend shift in the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

Graphical abstract
Increased patellar bone tracer uptake in preoperative SPECT/CT before medial opening high tibial osteotomy correlates with inferior clinical outcome
Authors: Schelker B. L. , Moret C. S. , Dogan O. , Amsler F. , Rasch H. , Hügli R. W. , Hirschmann M. T.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether specific bone tracer uptake (BTU) patterns on preoperative SPECT/CT could predict which patients with varus alignment and medial overload would particularly benefit from medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO). It was the hypothesis that an increased preoperative BTU relative to the reference BTU of the femur on SPECT/CT in the lateral and patellar compartments of the knee are predictive factors for inferior clinical outcome and that the clinical outcome correlates with the extent of alignment correction.

Methods

Twenty-three knees from 22 patients who underwent MOWHTO for medial compartment overload were investigated preoperatively using Tc-99m-SPECT/CT. BTU was quantified and localised to specific joint areas according to a previously validated scheme. Pre- and postoperative mechanical alignment was measured. Clinical outcome was assessed at a median of 24 months (range 11–30) after MOWHTO by collecting the WOMAC score.

Results

Significant correlations between BTU in the patellar area and the total WOMAC score and its subcategories pain and stiffness were found. Thus, BTU in the 1sPat area (superior lateral patellar compartment) correlated with total WOMAC (rho = 0.43, p = 0.04), pain subcategory (rho = 0.43, p = 0.04), and stiffness subcategory (rho = 0.59, p = 0.003). No significant correlations were found between alignment correction, age, gender and WOMAC.

Conclusion

This study highlights the role of preoperative SPECT in modern knee surgery to obtain information about the loading pattern on different compartments of the knee. Despite the limited number of participants, the present study shows that a preoperative SPECT/CT scan can help the treating surgeons to identify patients who may be at risk of inferior clinical outcome if an MOWHTO is considered, as an elevated BTU in the patellar region on preoperative SPECT/CT appears to be a potential risk factor for postoperative pain and stiffness.

Level of evidence

Level III.
Single-stage versus staged interposition urethroplasty for glandular hypospadias with severe penile curvature: 15-year experience
Authors: Zhou Guanglun , Xu Wanhua , Yin Jianchun , Sun Junjie , Yang Zhilin , Li Shoulin
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Our study examined the benefit of an alternative interposition urethroplasty (IU) procedure for glandular hypospadias (GH) with severe penile curvature (SPC). The technique involved transecting and reconstructing the urethra to preserve the distal glandular and coronal urethra and correct the curvature. We compared procedural characteristics, outcomes, and surgical complications for the single-stage and staged IU techniques.

Methods

We retrospectively studied 44 patients with GH with SPC who underwent single-stage or staged IU between March 2005 and June 2020. Demographics, operative details, complications, and uroflometry findings were analyzed.

Results

The median age at initial surgery was 37.5 months. Ten patients underwent single-stage IU repair, and 34 patients underwent staged IU repair. The median length of the interposition neourethra was 3.2 cm (2.2–4.3). The median follow-up duration was 58 months, and the overall complication rate was 13.6%. Complications were noted in 30% (3/10) and 8.8% (3/34) of patients in the single-stage and staged IU groups, respectively (p > 0.05). Fistula formation was noted in one and three patients in the single-stage and staged groups, respectively (8.8% vs. 10%, p > 0.05). Two cases of urethral stricture were documented in the single-stage group only. No chordee recurrence or urethral diverticula was noted in any of the patients.

Conclusion

IU is a reliable and durable technique for GH with SPC. It avoided penile shortening, preserved the distal urethra, and reduced the risk of chordee recurrence. The staged IU technique had more superior outcomes compared to the single-stage IU technique.
Symptomatic and restorative therapies in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders
Authors: Abboud Hesham , Salazar-Camelo Andrea , George Naveen , Planchon Sarah M. , Matiello Marcelo , Mealy Maureen A. , Goodman Andrew ,   On-behalf of the Guthy-Jackson Foundation NMO International Clinical Consortium, Alroughani Raed , Altintas Ayse , Apiwattanakul Metha , Asgari Nasrin , Paolilo Renata Barbosa , Bennett Jeffrey , Bichuetti Denis Bernardi , Blaschke Terrence F. , Boyko Alexey , Broadley Simon , Carnero Contentti Edgar , Cohen Jeffrey A. , Delgado-Garcia Guillermo , Basuroski Irena Dujmovic , Flores-Rivera Jose , Fujihara Kazuo , Havla Joachim , Hellwig Kerstin , Hor Jyh Yung , Huda Saif , Iorio Raffaele , Jarius Sven , Kimbrough Dorlan , Kister Ilya , Kleiter Ingo , Kissani Najib , Lana-Peixoto Marco , Leite Maria Isabel , Levy Michael , Maiga Youssoufa , Mao-Draayer Yang , Mariotto Sara , Melamed Esther , Neubrand Veronika E. , Oreja-Guevara Celia , Palace Jacqueline , Pröbstel Anne-Katrin , Qian Peiqing , Quan Chao , Riley Claire , Ringelstein Marius , Sa Maria Jose , Siritho Sasitorn , Smith Terry J. , de Castillo Ibis Soto , Tenembaum Silvia , Villoslada Pablo , Wuerfel Jens , Wingerchuk Dean , Yamout Bassem , Yeaman Michael
Published: September 2021

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are a group of autoimmune inflammatory conditions that primarily target the optic nerves, spinal cord, brainstem, and occasionally the cerebrum. NMOSD is characterized by recurrent attacks of visual, motor, and/or sensory dysfunction that often result in severe neurological deficits. In recent years, there has been a significant progress in relapse treatment and prevention but the residual disability per attack remains high. Although symptomatic and restorative research has been limited in NMOSD, some therapeutic approaches can be inferred from published case series and evidence from multiple sclerosis literature. In this review, we will discuss established and emerging therapeutic options for symptomatic treatment and restoration of function in NMOSD. We highlight NMOSD-specific considerations and identify potential areas for future research. The review covers pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and neuromodulatory approaches to neuropathic pain, tonic spasms, muscle tone abnormalities, sphincter dysfunction, motor and visual impairment, fatigue, sleep disorders, and neuropsychological symptoms. In addition, we briefly discuss remyelinating agents and mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in NMOSD.
A Modified Phase-Field Fracture Model for Simulation of Mixed Mode Brittle Fractures and Compressive Cracks in Porous Rock
Authors: Spetz Alex , Denzer Ralf , Tudisco Erika , Dahlblom Ola
Published: September 2021

In this work, we propose a modified phase-field model for simulating the evolution of mixed mode fractures and compressive driven fractures in porous artificial rocks. For the purpose of validation, the behaviour of artificial rock samples, with either a single or double saw cuts, under uniaxial plane strain compression has been numerically simulated. The simulated results are compared to experimental data, both qualitatively and quantitatively. It is shown that the proposed model is able to capture the commonly observed propagation pattern of wing cracks emergence followed by secondary cracks driven by compressive stresses. Additionally, the typical types of complex crack patterns observed in experimental tests are successfully reproduced, as well as the critical loads.
Differential metabolism-associated gene expression of duck pancreatic cells in response to two strains of duck hepatitis A virus type 1
Authors: Chen Zhen , Shi Shao-hua , Huang Yu , Huang Cui-qin , Liu Rong-chang , Cheng Long-fei , Fu Guang-hua , Chen Hong-mei , Wan Chun-he , Fu Qiu-ling
Published: September 2021

Several outbreaks of duck hepatitis A virus type 1 (DHAV-1), which were characterized by yellow coloration and hemorrhage in pancreatic tissues, have occurred in China. The causative agent is called pancreatitis-associated DHAV-1. The mechanisms involved in pancreatitis-associated DHAV-1 infection are still unclear. Transcriptome analysis of duck pancreas infected with classical-type DHAV-1 and pancreatitis-associated DHAV-1 was carried out. Deep sequencing with Illumina-Solexa resulted in a total of 53.9 Gb of clean data from the cDNA library of the pancreas, and a total of 29,597 unigenes with an average length of 993.43 bp were generated by de novo sequence assembly. The expression levels of D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, phosphoserine aminotransferase, and phosphoserine phosphatase, which are involved in glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism pathways, were significantly downregulated in ducks infected with pancreatitis-associated DHAV-1 compared with those infected with classical-type DHAV-1. These findings provide information regarding differences in expression levels of metabolism-associated genes between ducks infected with pancreatitis-associated DHAV-1 and those infected with classical-type DHAV-1, indicating that intensive metabolism disorders may contribute to the different phenotypes of DHAV-1-infection.
Corporate Social Innovation in Developing Countries
Authors: Saka-Helmhout Ayse , Chappin Maryse M. H. , Rodrigues Suzana B.
Published: September 2021

Although corporate social innovation studies in developing countries acknowledge the importance of firm resources and capabilities for attaining social goals, they overlook the way in which these interact with broader institutions to generate successful outcomes. We address this gap by exploring the relationship between firm resources-capabilities and institutions that is conducive to meeting both business and social interests in developing countries. By employing a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis of corporate social innovation projects performed by joint ventures of Dutch SMEs and their local partners in developing countries, we show that firm resources and/or capabilities complement strong institutions in these countries. Corporate social innovation can also be facilitated by firm capabilities in running highly legitimate projects that substitute institutional voids in these economies, attesting to multiple paths that corporations can take to achieve social innovation.
Foucault and Hayek on public health and the road to serfdom
Authors: Pennington Mark
Published: September 2021

This paper draws on the work of Michel Foucault and Friedrich Hayek to understand threats to personal and enterprise freedom, arising from public health governance. Whereas public choice theory examines the incentives these institutions provide to agents, the analysis here understands those incentives as framed by discursive social constructions that affect the identity, power, and positionality of different actors. It shows how overlapping discourses of scientific rationalism may generate a ‘road to serfdom’ narrowing freedom of action and expression across an expanding terrain. As such, the paper contributes to the growing literature emphasising the importance of narratives, stories and metaphors as shaping political economic action in ways feeding through to outcomes and institutions.
The Differential Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Small-Scale Development Initiatives, a Cross-Country Comparison
Authors: Kinsbergen Sara , Pijnenburg Marieke , Merlevede Tom , Naus Luca , Koch Dirk-Jan
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic presents Northern-based development organisations with unprecedented difficulties. They are challenged in fundraising opportunities in their home countries and in finding ways to continue their work in the Global South. As the first study to present a systematic mixed method, cross-country study of small-scale, voluntary development organisations in four different European countries, this study provides insight into the role of these private development initiatives (PDIs) in the COVID-19 crisis and sheds light on the differential impact of the crisis on these organisations. Whereas most PDIs are involved in long(er)-term development interventions, the COVID-19 crisis was for most organisations their first experience of emergency aid. Overall, we see strong resilience among PDIs and also find that the organisations which relied more exclusively on traditional methods of fundraising (offline) received a greater funding hit than organisations—often with more younger members—that had already moved to online fundraising.
First Record of Lagerstroemia (family Lythraceae) Wood from the Deccan Intertrappean Beds of India
Authors: Shukla Anumeha , Srivastava Rashmi , Mehrotra R.C. , Chandra Kajal
Published: September 2021

A permineralized wood from the Deccan Intertrappean beds of central India is identified as a member of the family Lythraceae. The fossil wood found is similar to the modern genus Lagerstroemia and is characterized by diffuse porous to semi-ring porous wood, growth rings marked by marginal parenchyma, simple perforations, scanty paratracheal axial parenchyma, exclusively uniseriate homo to heterocellular rays and septate fibres with chambered crystals. This wood, Lagerstroemioxylon sp., is considerably older than the earlier known fossil records of this genus and confirms the presence of Lagerstroemia on the Indian subcontinent~66 million years ago.
Evaluation of Water Quality Based on a Machine Learning Algorithm and Water Quality Index for Mid Gangetic Region (South Bihar plain), India
Authors: Gupta Amar Nath , Kumar Deepak , Singh Anshuman
Published: September 2021

Water quality index (WQI) is an indicator of the quality of any ground water storage in the form of a single number representing a combination of different water quality parameter. Different parameters like that pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (ECE), nitrate, sulphate, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, etc. are critical to assess the WQI. Additionally, the precision in the prediction of this parameter affects the quality of the result. In this research, Extreme Learning Model (ELM) and three hybrid variants of the same model, namely, RBF-ELM, Online Sequencing-ELM (OS-ELM), Biogeography-based optimization-ELM (BBO-ELM) were tested for the prediction of WQI for ground water quality. A time series river water quality dataset was used to develop and test the models. The performance of the proposed models are evaluated using various fitness indices such as, the correlation of coefficient (r), root mean square error (RMSE), Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE), the index of agreement (d). Based on the comparisons, BBO-ELM was indicated as a possible alternative or substitute to assist the water quality assessment for the groundwater and can be readily applied an efficient data-driven methodology. BBO-ELM emerged as the better generalized hybrid model for calculating WQI.
Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability Zone in Mandideep Industrial Area using DRASTIC Model
Authors: Anshumala Kumari , Shukla J.P. , Patel Shiv Singh , Singh Ajai
Published: September 2021

Modelling of groundwater movement may prove to be a tool for policymaking, management of land-use and surface water resources, and for future prediction of groundwater contamination level. The DRASTIC model was applied to determine the vulnerability index for the groundwater potential zone by using spatial thematic layers for Mandideep located in the district of Bhopal and Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, India. The model combines the environmental and geological properties of the area under consideration. Further, the sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the impact of each thematic layer. The model was later validated by comparing its final result against the observed nitrate concentration (NO3-N). The DRASTIC Index was found within the range of 80 -193 which was further divided into three vulnerable zones. An area of 65 km2 comes under the low vulnerable zone (80-122), 110 km2 of the area comes under the moderate vulnerability zone. The high vulnerable zone was spread over an area of about 92 km2. The nitrate concentration (NO3-N) was observed as below 2 mg/L in the areas of low vulnerable zone and increased to 2-10 mg/L in the moderate zone, whereas in high vulnerability zones, it was found to be above 10 mg/L which was beyond the permissible limit of 10mg/L as per WHO. Therefore, high vulnerability zones need immediate attention to manage the nitrate concentration in drinking water. Geospatial techniques and analysis of data are quite useful for reaching such a decision.
GIS Based Spatial and Temporal Investigation of Groundwater and Soil Quality along Noyyal River, Tiruppur, India
Authors: Raman Chandra Devi , Mkandawire Martin
Published: September 2021

Soil and water quality crisis owing to industrialization is massive at present due to the illegal discharge of wastewater to the environment. Textile is one such industry, discharges untreated wastewater into nearby environment and poses major threats worldwide. Similar situation was observed for the last three decades (1980-2013) along Noyyal river in Tiruppur, India. Since 2013, zero liquid discharge (ZLD) has been adopted by the textile industries in Tiruppur to reduce further deterioration of environment. The groundwater from open wells and soil from agricultural land was examined continuously for three years (2015, 2016 and 2017) in order to assess the existing environment status along Noyyal river basin in Tiruppur. The GIS study reveals that 71% of groundwater remains unsuitable for drinking and also 54% are unfit for irrigation use. The findings further reveal that 61% of surface and 20% of subsurface soils are not suitable for agriculture. The detailed investigations established that the open wells located in the downstream of textile industries and near to Orathupalayam reservoir are highly contaminated with organic and inorganic contaminants associated with textile processing activities. The temporal variation of groundwater in these open wells indicated that the dilution by rainwater is very slow. It is also identified that soils near to the contaminated open wells are extremely affected and soil of 15 cm depth is extremely contaminated. Thus, implementation of ZLD somewhat reduced discharge of wastewater into the basin; however the recovery of groundwater to potable quality and soils for agriculture production needs immediate remediation.
Revolutionary State-Making in Dar es Salaam
Authors: Roberts George
Published: September 2021

Tracing Dar es Salaam's rise and fall as an epicentre of Third World revolution, George Roberts explores the connections between the global Cold War, African liberation struggles, and Tanzania's efforts to build a socialist state. Instead of understanding decolonisation through a national lens, he locates the intersection of these dynamics in a globally-connected city in East Africa. Revolutionary State-Making in Dar es Salaam introduces a vibrant cast of politicians, guerrilla leaders, diplomats, journalists, and intellectuals whose trajectories collided in the city. In its cosmopolitan and rumour-filled hotel bars, embassy receptions, and newspaper offices, they grappled with challenges of remaking a world after empire. Yet Dar es Salaam's role on the frontline of the African revolution and its provocative stance towards global geopolitics came at considerable cost. Roberts explains how Tanzania's strident anti-imperialism ultimately drove an authoritarian turn in its socialist project and tighter control over the city's public sphere.
Quantifying the structure of residential water demand in the United States: a Generalized Exact Affine Stone Index demand framework
Authors: Bakhtavoryan Rafael , Hovhannisyan Vardges
Published: September 2021

We utilize a Generalized Exact Affine Stone Index system to evaluate the structure of residential water demand that recognizes demand interrelationship between residential and bottled water in the United States, allowing for precommitted consumption. Further, we address expenditure and price endogeneity by accounting for the supply side of the price determination mechanism. A significant substitutability relationship between residential and bottled water is found, while substantial precommitments are established in both residential and bottled water consumption. Residential demand becomes price-elastic once the precommitted level is reached. Finally, ignoring substitutability, precommitments, or endogeneity distorts the demand structure, resulting in erroneous policy implications.
Numerical simulations of the agitation generated by coarse-grained bubbles moving at large Reynolds number
Authors: Le Roy De Bonneville F. , Zamansky R. , Risso F. , Boulin A. , Haquet J.-F.
Published: September 2021

We present a numerical method for simulating the flow induced by bubbles rising at large Reynolds number. This method is useful to simulate configurations of large dimensions involving a great number of bubbles. The action that each bubble exerts on the liquid is modelled as a volume source of momentum distributed over a few mesh-grid elements. The flow in the vicinity of the bubbles is thus not finely resolved. The bubbles are treated as Lagrangian particles that move under the influence of the hydrodynamic force exerted by the liquid. The determination of this force on a given bubble requires knowledge of the liquid flow that is undisturbed by this bubble. A model is developed to accurately estimate this disturbance for large-Reynolds-number objects and get rid of any spurious self-induced effect. Thanks to that, a homogeneous swarm of rising bubbles is simulated. Comparisons with experiments show a good agreement with the flow scales larger than the bubbles, which turn out to be controlled by the interactions between bubble wakes and rather independent of unresolved smaller scales. This method can be used to study the coupling between bubble-induced agitation and large-scale motions, such as those produced in industrial bubble columns.
A GREEN SKY AND A GREEN SUN? (PLINY, HN 17.74 AND MANILIUS 2.941)
Authors: Kayachev Boris
Published: September 2021

This article considers two passages in which either the sky (Plin. HN 17.74) or the sun (Manilius 2.941) is described as ‘green’; it argues that in both cases such a colour epithet is out of place and proposes to correct uiridi caelo to nitido caelo in the former case, and uiridis … Phoebus to rutilus … Phoebus in the latter.
VIRGIL'S CALLIMACHEAN PINDAR: KINGSHIP AND THE BABY IAMUS IN ECLOGUE 4.23–5
Authors: Adorjáni Zsolt
Published: September 2021

This article argues for an allusion in Virgil's Eclogue 4 to one of Pindar's victory odes (Olympian 6). It will be suggested that this Pindaric pretext is viewed by the Latin poet through a Callimachean perspective which adds to it further layers of significance. Consequently, the evidence will be discussed for reading the allusion in terms of royal ideology which places Virgil's poem in the tradition of Hellenistic ruler-encomia.
Changing sex differences in undernutrition of African children: findings from Demographic and Health Surveys
Authors: Garenne Michel , Thurstans Susan , Briend André , Dolan Carmel , Khara Tanya , Myatt Mark , Seal Andrew , Wells Jonathan C.
Published: September 2021

The study investigates sex differences in the prevalence of undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. Undernutrition was defined by Z-scores using the CDC-2000 growth charts. Some 128 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) were analysed, totalling 700,114 children under-five. The results revealed a higher susceptibility of boys to undernutrition. Male-to-female ratios of prevalence averaged 1.18 for stunting (height-for-age Z-score <−2.0); 1.01 for wasting (weight-for-height Z-score <−2.0); 1.05 for underweight (weight-for-age Z-score <−2.0); and 1.29 for concurrent wasting and stunting (weight-for-height and height-for-age Z-scores <−2.0). Sex ratios of prevalence varied with age for stunting and concurrent wasting and stunting, with higher values for children age 0–23 months and lower values for children age 24–59 months. Sex ratios of prevalence tended to increase with declining level of mortality for stunting, underweight and concurrent wasting and stunting, but remained stable for wasting. Comparisons were made with other anthropometric reference sets (NCHS-1977 and WHO-2006), and the results were found to differ somewhat from those obtained with CDC-2000. Possible rationales for these patterns are discussed.
Powers, possibility, and the essential cosmological argument
Authors: Cook Ben
Published: September 2021

One classical version of cosmological argument, defended famously by Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus, deduces the existence of a First Cause from the existence of a particular sort of causal series: one that is ‘essentially ordered’. This argument has received renewed defence in recent work by Feser (2013), Cohoe (2013), and Kerr (2015). I agree with these philosophers that the argument is sound. I believe, however, that the standard defence given of the ECA in these philosophers can be complemented by a formulation that appeals to the powers theory of possibility. This approach to possibility has been defended in recent years by, for example, Pruss (2002), Jacobs (2010), and Vetter (2015). In this article, I show how this modal theory allows us to defend the ECA in a way that is dialectically advantageous as well as clarifying.
Rolling Sisyphus’ Stone Uphill? Plato’s Philosophy of History and Progress Reappraised
Authors: Vassallo Christian
Published: September 2021

This paper addresses the following questions about Plato’s concept of ‘history’: (a) is there a ‘philosophy of history’ in Plato’s thought?; (b) if this concept exists, do the dialogues lay out a single, cohesive understanding of ‘history’ or does it vary from text to text?; (c) how does Plato understand the word ‘history’? This inquiry also addresses the role of ‘progress’ in some of the main Platonic dialogues. An in-depth analysis of these texts can also help us find a solution to the problem of the end of ‘history’, when a civilization either physically collapses (due to a catastrophic event) or morally decays (because of the corruption of its citizens and politicians). I argue that Plato’s ‘philosophy of history’ is not necessarily Sisyphean, but that it attempts to work out how to avoid the entropic decay of civilization and to preserve cultural – almost ‘genetic’ – ‘memory’ in order to counter the danger of cyclical regression.
Exoskeleton acceptance and its relationship to self-efficacy enhancement, perceived usefulness, and physical relief: A field study among logistics workers
Authors: Siedl Sandra M. , Mara Martina
Published: September 2021

Objective

This field study aimed to explore the effects of exoskeleton use on task-specific self-efficacy beliefs of logistics workers and to relate these effects to usefulness perceptions and technology acceptance.

Background

A growing number of industrial companies have shown interest in having employees wearing exoskeletons to support their physical health. However, psychological consequences of exoskeleton use and mechanisms associated with workers’ acceptance or rejection of exoskeletons are not yet sufficiently understood.

Methods

A total of 31 logistics workers of a vehicle manufacturing company reported on their work-related self-efficacy, that is, how capable they felt of performing tasks related to their job well, before partaking in half-hour trials of a passive lift-assistive exoskeleton (Laevo V2.5) during their normal work. Afterward, they completed a questionnaire on their exoskeleton-supported self-efficacy and indicated how useful they found the exoskeleton, how much physical relief they felt from wearing it, and how willing they were to continue with its use.

Results

Overall, wearing the exoskeleton did not lead to increased work-specific self-efficacy. However, indications of interaction effects were found between baseline self-efficacy, perceived physical relief, and perceived usefulness in such a way that workers who experienced the exoskeleton as more strain-relieving or more useful were also more likely to report a post-trial growth in their self-efficacy beliefs. A positive change in self-efficacy, in turn, was associated with a greater willingness to further use the exoskeleton at the workplace.
Terrestrial Water Storage Anomalies Emphasize Interannual Variations in Global Mean Sea Level During 1997–1998 and 2015–2016 El Niño Events
Authors: Kuo Yan‐Ning , Lo Min‐Hui , Liang Yu‐Chiao , Tseng Yu‐Heng , Hsu Chia‐Wei
Published: September 2021

Interannual variations in global mean sea level (GMSL) closely correlate with the evolution of El Niño‐Southern Oscillation. However, GMSL differences occur in extreme El Niños; for example, in the 2015–2016 and 1997–1998 El Niños, the peak GMSL during the mature stage of the former (9.00 mm) is almost 2.5 times higher than the latter (3.72 mm). Analyses from satellite and reanalysis data sets show that the disparity in GMSL is primarily due to barystatic (ocean mass) changes. We find that the 2015–2016 event developed not purely as an Eastern Pacific El Niño event but with Central Pacific (CP) El Niño forcing. CP El Niños contribute to a stronger negative anomaly of global terrestrial water storage and subsequent higher barystatic heights. Our results suggest that the mechanism of hydrology‐related interannual variations of GMSL should be further emphasized, as more CP El Niño events are projected to occur.
Yellowstone Plume Drives Neogene North American Plate Motion Change
Authors: Stotz Ingo L. , Vilacís Berta , Hayek Jorge N. , Bunge Hans‐Peter , Friedrich Anke M.
Published: September 2021

Plate motion changes provide powerful constrains on plate tectonic forces. North America is ideal to explore these forces. We use recently published high‐temporal resolution plate reconstructions of North America, which reveal a velocity slow‐down at 17 Ma, roughly coeval with the eruption of the Yellowstone plume, together with a stratigraphic analysis of hiatus surfaces across the continent, which provides proxy information for paleotopography. Using a simple Couette/Poiseuille flow models we estimate asthenosphere flow beneath North America and its impact on Neogene plate motion. We find that North America's Neogene plate motion change can be explained by Poiseuille flow in the asthenosphere generated upon the arrival of the Yellowstone plume and that the flow length‐scale matches the extent of hiatus surfaces. While plume driven upper mantle flow constitutes a geodynamically viable model to explain North America's Neogene plate motion change it provides an intrinsic link between vertical and horizontal plate motions.
Indium-contacted van der Waals gap tunneling spectroscopy for van der Waals layered materials
Authors: Choi Dong-Hwan , Min Kyung-Ah , Hong Suklyun , Kim Bum-Kyu , Bae Myung-Ho , Kim Ju-Jin
Published: September 2021

The electrical phase transition in van der Waals (vdW) layered materials such as transition-metal dichalcogenides and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x (Bi-2212) high-temperature superconductor has been explored using various techniques, including scanning tunneling and photoemission spectroscopies, and measurements of electrical resistance as a function of temperature. In this study, we develop one useful method to elucidate the electrical phases in vdW layered materials: indium (In)-contacted vdW tunneling spectroscopy for 1T-TaS2, Bi-2212 and 2H-MoS2. We utilized the vdW gap formed at an In/vdW material interface as a tunnel barrier for tunneling spectroscopy. For strongly correlated electron systems such as 1T-TaS2 and Bi-2212, pronounced gap features corresponding to the Mott and superconducting gaps were respectively observed at T = 4 K. We observed a gate dependence of the amplitude of the superconducting gap, which has potential applications in a gate-tunable superconducting device with a SiO2/Si substrate. For In/10 nm-thick 2H-MoS2 devices, differential conductance shoulders at bias voltages of approximately ± 0.45 V were observed, which were attributed to the semiconducting gap. These results show that In-contacted vdW gap tunneling spectroscopy in a fashion of field-effect transistor provides feasible and reliable ways to investigate electronic structures of vdW materials.
Impact of electrical grounding conditions on plasma–liquid interactions using Thomson scattering on a pulsed argon jet
Authors: Slikboer Elmar , Walsh James
Published: September 2021

The interaction between an argon plasma jet excited using microsecond duration voltage pulses and a liquid target was examined using Thomson scattering to quantify the temporal evolution of the electron density and temperature. The electrical resistance between a liquid target and the electrical ground was varied from 1 to $$680\, \text {k}\Omega $$

680

k
Ω

to mimic different conductivity liquids while the influence of the varying electrical properties on the electron dynamics within the plasma were examined. It was demonstrated that the interaction between the plasma jet and a liquid target grounded via a high resistance resulted in typical dielectric barrier discharge behaviour, with two discharge events per applied voltage pulse. Under such conditions, the electron density and temperature reached a peak of $$1\cdot 10^{15}\, \text {cm}^{-3}$$

1
·

10
15

cm

-
3

and 3.4 eV, respectively; with both rapidly decaying over several hundreds of nanoseconds. For liquid targets grounded via a low resistance, the jet behaviour transitioned to a DC-like discharge, with a single breakdown event being observed and sustained throughout the duration of each applied voltage pulse. Under such conditions, electron densities of $$2{-}3 \cdot 10^{15}\, \text {cm}^{-3}$$

2
-
3
·

10
15

cm

-
3

were detected for several microseconds. The results demonstrate that the electron dynamics in a pulsed argon plasma jet are extremely sensitive to the electrical characteristics of the target, which in the case of water, can evolve during exposure to the plasma.
Plasma levels of D-dimer and fibrin degradation products correlate with bullous pemphigoid severity: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Sijia , Lu Mei , Zhao Zijun , Peng Xueting , Li Liang , Cheng Chuantao , Fang Min , Xia Yumin , Liu Yale
Published: September 2021

Bullous pemphigoid (BP), the most frequent blistering dermatosis in the elderly, is associated with increased mortality. The severity of BP can be assessed by detecting the anti-BP180 immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration, but the lab test is not available in many community clinics. BP patients are usually in a hypercoagulable state with increased levels of D-dimer and fibrin degradation products (FDPs). We aimed to evaluate the use of D-dimer and FDPs in assessing BP severity. We compared the levels of plasma D-dimer, plasma FDPs, eosinophil counts, eosinophil cationic protein, and serum anti-BP180 IgG concentration between 48 typical BP patients and 33 Herpes zoster (HZ) patients (control group). Correlational analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between the lab values and common BP severity markers. The plasma D-dimer and FDP levels were higher in BP patients than in HZ controls (D-dimer: 3297 ± 2517 µg/L vs. 569.70 ± 412.40 µg/L; FDP: 9.74 ± 5.88 mg/L vs. 2.02 ± 1.69 mg/L, respectively,P < 0.0001). Significant positive correlations were found between D-dimer/FDP levels and BP severity markers (i.e. anti-BP180 IgG concentration [D-dimer:r = 0.3928,P = 0.0058; FDP:r = 0.4379,P = 0.0019] and eosinophil counts [D-dimer:r = 0.3625,P = 0.0013; FDP:r = 0.2880,P = 0.0472]) in BP patients. We also found an association between FDP and urticaria/erythema lesions (r = 0.3016,P = 0.0372), but no other BPDAI components. In 19 BP patients with complete remission after systemic glucocorticoid treatment, D-dimer and FDP levels decreased post-therapy (D-dimer: 5559 ± 7492 µg/L vs. 1738 ± 1478 µg/L;P < 0.0001; FDP: 11.20 ± 5.88 mg/L vs. 5.13 ± 3.44 mg/L;P = 0.0003), whereas they did not in BP patients with treatment resistant. Plasma D-dimer and FDP are convenient markers to evaluate BP severity assistant on BPDAI and eosinophil counts. FDP is also helpful for inflammatory lesions in BP patients.
The threshold method in the analysis of catalyst layer porosity towards oxygen transport resistance in PEMFCs
Authors: Sun Xinye , Yu Hongmei , Gao Xueqiang , Shao Zhigang
Published: September 2021

The threshold method is used for the analysis of catalyst layer porosity towards oxygen transport resistance at different ionomer content levels.
Mechanisms for doped PEDOT:PSS electrical conductivity improvement
Authors: Shahrim Nur'Aishah Ahmad , Ahmad Zuraida , Wong Azman Amelia , Fachmi Buys Yose , Sarifuddin Norshahida
Published: September 2021

Due to their good electrical conductivity and versatility, conductive polymers like poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT):poly(styrene sulphonate) (PSS), have recently attracted considerable research interest in bioelectronics applications.
A comprehensive review on the environmental applications of graphene–carbon nanotube hybrids: recent progress, challenges and prospects
Authors: John Jomol P. , T. E. Mary Nancy , T. K. Bindu Sharmila
Published: September 2021

This review is focused on the environmental applications of 3D graphene–carbon nanotube hybrid materials including sensing and monitoring of contaminants and also their remediation.
Metal-based electrocatalysts for room-temperature Na–S batteries
Authors: Huang Xiang Long , Dou Shi Xue , Wang Zhiming M.
Published: September 2021

Room-temperature Na–S batteries have captured research attention from the community as promising next-generation energy storage devices as they integrate the advantages of high abundance and low cost of elemental Na/S with high theoretical capacity and energy density.
Highly efficient sorption of molybdenum from tungstate solution with modified D301 resin
Authors: Guo Fan , Xi Xiaoli , Ma Liwen , Nie Zhuanghua , Nie Zuoren
Published: September 2021

The modified D301 resin is prepared by assembling TOA and D301 for efficient selective adsorption of MoS42− from tungstate solution.
Comprehension of Morse Code Predicted by Item Recall From Short-Term Memory
Authors: Guediche Sara , Fiez Julie A.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Morse code as a form of communication became widely used for telegraphy, radio and maritime communication, and military operations, and remains popular with ham radio operators. Some skilled users of Morse code are able to comprehend a full sentence as they listen to it, while others must first transcribe the sentence into its written letter sequence. Morse thus provides an interesting opportunity to examine comprehension differences in the context of skilled acoustic perception. Measures of comprehension and short-term memory show a strong correlation across multiple forms of communication. This study tests whether this relationship holds for Morse and investigates its underlying basis. Our analyses examine Morse and speech immediate serial recall, focusing on established markers of echoic storage, phonological-articulatory coding, and lexical-semantic support. We show a relationship between Morse short-term memory and Morse comprehension that is not explained by Morse perceptual fluency. In addition, we find that poorer serial recall for Morse compared to speech is primarily due to poorer item memory for Morse, indicating differences in lexical-semantic support. Interestingly, individual differences in speech item memory are also predictive of individual differences in Morse comprehension.

Conclusions

We point to a psycholinguistic framework to account for these results, concluding that Morse functions like “reading for the ears” (
Maier et al., 2004
) and that underlying differences in the integration of phonological and lexical-semantic knowledge impact both short-term memory and comprehension. The results provide insight into individual differences in the comprehension of degraded speech and strategies that build comprehension through listening experience.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16451868
Bargaining solutions in heterogeneous networks: A reinforcement learning‐based approach
Authors: Ebrahimkhani Atena , Akhbari Bahareh
Published: September 2021

To enhance the performance and the coverage area of the next‐generation heterogeneous wireless networks (HetNets), smaller cells such as femtocells are deployed. A reasonable resource allocation strategy is crucial for the operation of such systems. In this work, the Nash bargaining solution (NBS), Kalai–Smorodinsky bargaining solution (KSBS), and a proposed bargaining solution, which is the combination of NBS and KSBS, are studied to ensure the efficiency and fairness in the transmission rate allocation among femtocells. The mentioned bargaining solutions are optimised subject to the rate constraints due to the Han–Kobayashi (HK) rate splitting scheme, and a maximum tolerable interference caused by femtocell base stations (FBSs) at the macrocell user equipment. Two methods are used to address the bargaining solutions' optimisations. First, the conventional optimisation‐based method is used for the situations where the channel gains are known, then a reinforcement learning‐based algorithm for a real environment is proposed without being aware of the channel gains. To accelerate the speed of the learning process and to initialise the values of quality functions, the hotbooting technique is used. The bargaining solutions are compared by fairness and efficiency criteria in both methods. Numerical simulations show that the proposed reinforcement learning‐based algorithm achieves the same performance derived from the conventional optimisation method. First, this paper studies the two well‐known Nash and Kalai–Smorodinsky bargaining solutions as the good tools to establish fairness in rate allocation problem among femtocells in a HetNet. Then a new bargaining solution is proposed as the combination of the two bargaining solutions. The fairness and the efficiency of the allocated rates to femtocells as the output of optimisation problems of bargaining solutions are compared via Jain index criterion (as the fairness metric) and inverse price of anarchy criterion (as the efficiency metric). Moreover, the femtocell base stations are allowed to use Han–Kobayashi signalling scheme to send their signals in private and common messages which results in the best‐known achievable rate region. Two methods are used to solve the optimisation problems: the conventional optimisation method and the reinforcement learning‐based method (to formulate a real‐world model with the unknown channel gains). It is shown that the proposed bargaining solution (in both methods) results in fairer rates than Nash and Kalai–Smorodinsky bargaining solutions while all of them are efficient.