bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brain Lateralization: A Comparative Perspective
Authors: Güntürkün Onur , Ströckens Felix , Ocklenburg Sebastian
Published: April 2020

Comparative studies on brain asymmetry date back to the 19th century but then largely disappeared due to the assumption that lateralization is uniquely human. Since the reemergence of this field in the 1970s, we learned that left-right differences of brain and behavior exist throughout the animal kingdom and pay off in terms of sensory, cognitive, and motor efficiency. Ontogenetically, lateralization starts in many species with asymmetrical expression patterns of genes within the Nodal cascade that set up the scene for later complex interactions of genetic, environmental, and epigenetic factors. These take effect during different time points of ontogeny and create asymmetries of neural networks in diverse species. As a result, depending on task demands, left- or right-hemispheric loops of feedforward or feedback projections are then activated and can temporarily dominate a neural process. In addition, asymmetries of commissural transfer can shape lateralized processes in each hemisphere. It is still unclear if interhemispheric interactions depend on an inhibition/excitation dichotomy or instead adjust the contralateral temporal neural structure to delay the other hemisphere or synchronize with it during joint action. As outlined in our review, novel animal models and approaches could be established in the last decades, and they already produced a substantial increase of knowledge. Since there is practically no realm of human perception, cognition, emotion, or action that is not affected by our lateralized neural organization, insights from these comparative studies are crucial to understand the functions and pathologies of our asymmetric brain.
Magnetic Resonance Image Denoising Algorithm Based on Cartoon, Texture, and Residual Parts
Authors: Zeng Yanqiu , Zhang Baocan , Zhao Wei , Xiao Shixiao , Zhang Guokai , Ren Haiping , Zhao Wenbing , Peng Yonghong , Xiao Yutian , Lu Yiwen , Zong Yongshuo , Ding Yimin
Published: April 2020

Magnetic resonance (MR) images are often contaminated by Gaussian noise, an electronic noise caused by the random thermal motion of electronic components, which reduces the quality and reliability of the images. This paper puts forward a hybrid denoising algorithm for MR images based on two sparsely represented morphological components and one residual part. To begin with, decompose a noisy MR image into the cartoon, texture, and residual parts by MCA, and then each part is denoised by using Wiener filter, wavelet hard threshold, and wavelet soft threshold, respectively. Finally, stack up all the denoised subimages to obtain the denoised MR image. The experimental results show that the proposed method has significantly better performance in terms of mean square error and peak signal-to-noise ratio than each method alone.
Endocan: A Biomarker for Hepatosteatosis in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Erman Hande , Beydogan Engin , Cetin Seher Irem , Boyuk Banu
Published: April 2020

Background. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases, which has recently been mentioned as an independent cardiovascular risk factor.Objectives. Endocan is a novel molecule of endothelial dysfunction. We aimed to evaluate the associations of serum endocan levels with the hepatic steatosis index (HSI), fatty liver index (FLI), and degrees of hepatosteatosis in patients with metabolic syndrome with NAFLD.Design and Setting. This cross-sectional prospective study was performed in the outpatient clinic of an internal medicine department.Methods. The study included 40 patients with metabolic syndrome with NAFLD as noted using hepatic ultrasound and 20 healthy controls. Secondary causes of fatty liver were excluded. FLI and HSI calculations were recorded. Serum endocan level values were obtained after overnight fasting.Results. Higher values of HSI and FLI were found in the NAFLD groups than in the control groups (p<0.001). Five (12.5%) of 20 patients with liver steatosis had grade 1 liver steatosis, 15 (37.5%) patients had grade 2 liver steatosis, and 20 (50%) patients had grade 3 liver steatosis. Serum endocan levels were lower in patients with NAFLD compared with the healthy controls (146.56±133.29 pg/mLvs.433.71±298.01 pg/mL,p<0.001). ROC curve analysis suggested that the optimum endocan value cutoff point for NAFLD was 122.583 pg/mL (sensitivity: 71.79%, specificity: 90%, PPV: 93.3%, and NPV: 62.1%).Conclusion. Serum endocan concentrations are low in patients with NAFLD, and the optimum cutoff point is 122.583 pg/mL. HSI and FLI were higher in patients with NAFLD; however, there was no correlation with serum endocan.
Realization of the Radiance Scale Using Transfer Function of the Laser-Based Optical System
Authors: Kilin M. , Tutunculer H. , Bazkir O. , Meric S.
Published: April 2020

This work aims to determine the radiance responsivity to be used in the calibration of polychromatic radiation sources with low uncertainty. To realize the radiance, Ar-ion, He-Ne, and Nd-YAG lasers as well as an integrating sphere with a 0.15 m diameter are used to obtain radiation sources having Lambertian distributions. Then, a silicon photodiode-based reflection-type trap detector with calibrated precision aperture, which is traceable to a liquid helium cooled laser-based cryogenic radiometer, is used to measure the photocurrent corresponding to each wavelength and thereby to obtain radiance. The proposed system, which measures the spectral current response of this laser-based radiance, is a double-grating monochromator with a 2 × 300 mm focal length and triple gratings in each of its turrets. First, the radiance of the laser beam that emerged from the integrating sphere is calculated, and then the radiance responsivity of the system is obtained by measuring the photocurrent outputted from the exit slit of the monochromator at each laser wavelength. Finally, the spectral radiance values of the polychromatic lamps are obtained using the radiance responsivity of the system. Consequently, the study aims to develop the derivation and better understand traceability of the other radiometric and photometric quantities with low uncertainty from the fundamental radiometric radiance unit. Measurement results obtained in the expanded measurement uncertainty scale are determined using both classical and Monte Carlo methods.
Incidence and Risk Factors of Postcontrast Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Chusiri Sirichai , Chutinet Aurauma , Suwanwela Nijasri Charnnarong , Puttilerpong Chankit
Published: April 2020

Background. Multimodal computed tomography (CT) guides decision-making regarding use of thrombolytic agents in acute ischemic stroke patients. However, postcontrast acute kidney injury (PC-AKI) is a potential adverse effect of the contrast media used, which may require hemodialysis and cause a longer hospital stay. The incidence and risk factors of PC-AKI in acute ischemic stroke patients, particularly in Thailand, remain unclear. Goal. We aimed at determining the incidence and risk factors of PC-AKI in patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing multimodal CT. Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of Thai acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital between January 2014 and December 2017 who received multimodal CT and thrombolytic treatment with alteplase. Result. Overall, 109 patients were included for analysis; eight patients (7.3%) developed PC-AKI. Estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR≤30 mL/min and mechanical thrombectomy were risk factors significantly associated with PC-AKI. Conclusion. The incidence of PC-AKI in a real practice setting did not differ from previous reports. Two factors were associated with PC-AKI, eGFR≤30 mL/min and mechanical thrombectomy. Patients without these risk factors may not need to wait for the results of renal function testing prior to multimodal CT.
Age- and Organ-Specific Differences in Mitochondrial Bioenergetics in Brown Norway Rats
Authors: Pandya Jignesh D. , Valdez Matthew , Royland Joyce E. , MacPhail Robert C. , Sullivan Patrick G. , Kodavanti Prasada Rao S.
Published: April 2020

Mitochondria play a central role in energy homeostasis and act as regulatory checkpoints for downstream metabolic responses and cell senescence processes during an entire life span. Acute or chronic environmental toxicant exposures have shown deleterious organ-specific human health issues at various life stages. Since mitochondria are a prime target for ensuing cellular bioenergetics responses and senescence, it is essential to understand mitochondrial bioenergetic responses in different organs over multiple life stages. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters in the liver, lung, and heart in four diverse age groups (young: 1 month; adult: 4 months; middle-aged: 12 months; old-aged: 24 month) using male Brown Norway rats as a model of aging (n = 5 sample size/organ/age group) and compared them with our previously published results on brain. Real-time mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters (i.e., State III, State IV, and State V) were measured using the Seahorse Extracellular Flux Analyzer. Additionally, mitochondrial enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC), Complex I, Complex II, and Complex IV activities were measured using Synergy HT plate reader. Our results indicated that nearly in all parameters, significant age- and organ-specific interactions were observed. We observed age-specific declines in State III (i.e., ATP synthesis rate) responses in both the heart and lung, where opposite was observed in the liver as age advances. Across the age, the heart has highest enzyme activities than the liver and lung. Interestingly, heart and liver mitochondrial bioenergetic rates and enzyme activities remain higher than the lung, which specifies their higher metabolic capabilities than the lung. Amongst all, bioenergetic rates and enzyme activities in the lung remain lowest suggesting the lung may display higher vulnerability and lower resilience to environmental toxicants during aging than other organs tested here. Overall, these age- and organ-specific findings may facilitate a more contextualized understanding of mitochondrial bioenergetic outcomes when considering the interactions of age-related sensitivities with exposure to chemical stressors from the environment.
Polymethacrylate Sphere-Based Assay for Ultrasensitive miRNA Detection
Authors: Hosseini Samira , Vázquez-Villegas Patricia , Willson Richard C. , Rito-Palomares Marco , Sanchez-Dominguez Margarita , Koole Leo H. , Madou Marc J. , Martínez-Chapa Sergio O.
Published: April 2020

Although microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as increasingly important target analytes, their biorecognition remains challenging due to their small size, high sequence homology, and low abundance in clinical samples. Nanospheres and microspheres have also gained increasing attention in biosensor applications due to their high specific surface area and the wide variety of compositions available. In this study, chemically designed and synthesized microspheres with active functional groups were used to promote effective miRNA immobilization resulting in better biorecognition. Upon conjugation with fluorescence-labeled complimentary probes, acylate-based spheres have indirectly detected MiR159, offering significantly enhanced analytical sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy while yielding a considerably low limit of detection (LOD) of 40 picomolar. Furthermore, MiR159 presence, which is known to be inversely correlated to breast cancer incidence and progression, was successfully detected in a competitive assay, which is promising for upgrading the current assay to clinical use.
Four-Year Outcome of Aflibercept Treatment-Naïve Patients for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Evidence from a Clinical Setting
Authors: Gayadine-Harricham Yanel , Rufin Virginie , Law-Koune Sandrine , Tran Thi Ha Chau
Published: April 2020

Introduction. The objective of the study is to report 4-year treatment outcome with intravitreal Aflibercept injections for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) as first life therapy in real-life. Patients and Methods. This is a prospective, monocenter, observational case series analysis. Data from treatment-naïve patients with nAMD with at least 4 years of follow-up were included in the analysis. Data including age, gender, and visual acuity measured on Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study charts (ETDRS) and injection numbers were recorded. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) data at baseline, month 3, month 6, month 12, year 2, 3, and 4 were also recorded. Patients were treated with a modified treat and extend (T&E) regimen. Results. Of the 48 eyes with nAMD treated, only 31 eyes were available at the 4-year follow-up. The mean age was 81 ± 8 years. The VA gain was 7.3 ± 12.7 letters at 1 year 6.5 ± 12.5 letters at 2 years, VA gain 5.2 ± 17 letters at 3 years, and 6.2 ± 18.6 letters at 4 years. The reduction of central retinal thickness was 118 ± 187 μm at 4 years. Complete resolution of fluid was obtained in 18/31 eyes. The total number of injections was 5.7 ± 2.0 during the first year, 2.9 ± 2.9 during the second year, 3.5 ± 3.3 during the third year, and 4.0 ± 3.4 during the fourth year. The total number of injections was 16 ± 10.6, ranging from 3 to 52 injections. Ten eyes developed macular atrophy over the 4-year period. Conclusion. The results suggest that good long-term morphological and functional outcome can be achieved using Aflibercept in clinical setting.
Experimental Study on Influencing Factors of Characteristic Index of Local Horizontal Frozen Body of Double‐Row Pipe under Seepage
Authors: Shan Renliang , Liu Weijun , Chai Gaojun , Xiao Shengchao
Published: April 2020

In order to deeply understand the influence of different factors on the characteristic indicators of the double‐row‐pipe partial horizontal frozen body in the sand‐gravel stratum under the effect of seepage flow, several sets of sand‐gravel stratum frozen model tests were carried out based on the similarity theory. The research showed that (1) under the effect of seepage flow, the backwater surface of the horizontal frozen body is in the shape of a quadratic parabolic and the development velocity of the backwater surface is inversely proportional to the square of the freezing time. The influence of seepage velocity on the downstream length and the freezing front development velocity of the backwater surface is stronger than the refrigerant temperature; (2) overlap time of the second row of frozen soil column increases with the increase of the distance between frozen pipes and seepage velocity and decreases with the decrease of the refrigerant temperature. The influence of various factors on the overlap time follows the order as the distance between freezing pipes > seepage velocity > refrigerant temperature. The average development velocity of the upstream surface decreases with the increase of the seepage velocity and the refrigerant temperature and first increases and then decreases with the increase of freezing pipe spacing. The influence of various factors on the average development velocity follows the order as seepage velocity > the distance between freezing pipes > refrigerant temperature. In addition, through the regression analysis, the quantitative relationship between the maximum arrangement spacing of the frozen pipes, the seepage velocity, and the refrigerant temperature was obtained. The research results can provide a basis for large‐area partial horizontal freezing construction in Beijing sand‐gravel stratum.
Terminologia, uma disciplina de interfaces
Authors: Campos Maria Inês Batista , Costa Rute , Silva Raquel
Published: April 2020

A Terminologia, uma disciplina que se caracteriza pela sua interdisciplinaridade, é de natureza bidimensional, linguística e conceptual. Qualquer trabalho terminológico ancorado nessa bidimensionalidade deve ter em conta essas duas dimensões, independentemente da abordagem metodológica utilizada - semasiológica ou onomasiológica.
Endothelial Palmitoylation Cycling Coordinates Vessel Remodeling in Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Wei Xiaochao , Adak Sangeeta , Zayed Mohamed , Yin Li , Feng Chu , Speck Sarah L. , Kathayat Rahul S. , Zhang Qiang , Dickinson Bryan C. , Semenkovich Clay F.
Published: April 2020

Rationale:

Peripheral artery disease, common in metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus, responds poorly to medical interventions and is characterized by chronic vessel immaturity leading to lower extremity amputations.

Objective:

To define the role of reversible palmitoylation at the endothelium in the maintenance of vascular maturity.

Methods and Results:

Endothelial knockout of the depalmitoylation enzyme APT-1 (acyl-protein thioesterase 1) in mice impaired recovery from chronic hindlimb ischemia, a model of peripheral artery disease. Endothelial APT-1 deficiency decreased fibronectin processing, disrupted adherens junctions, and inhibited in vitro lumen formation. In an unbiased palmitoylation proteomic screen of endothelial cells from genetically modified mice, R-Ras, known to promote vessel maturation, was preferentially affected by APT-1 deficiency. R-Ras was validated as an APT-1 substrate, and click chemistry analyses demonstrated increased R-Ras palmitoylation in cells with APT-1 deficiency. APT-1 enzyme activity was decreased in endothelial cells from
db/db
mice. Hyperglycemia decreased APT-1 activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, due, in part, to altered acetylation of the APT-1 protein. Click chemistry analyses demonstrated increased R-Ras palmitoylation in the setting of hyperglycemia. Altered R-Ras trafficking, increased R-Ras palmitoylation, and fibronectin retention were found in diabetes mellitus models. Loss of R-Ras depalmitoylation caused by APT-1 deficiency constrained R-Ras membrane trafficking, as shown by total internal reflection fluorescence imaging. To rescue cellular phenotypes, we generated an R-Ras molecule with an inserted hydrophilic domain to circumvent membrane rigidity caused by defective palmitoylation turnover. This modification corrected R-Ras membrane trafficking, restored fibronectin processing, increased adherens junctions, and rescued defective lumen formation induced by APT-1 deficiency.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that endothelial depalmitoylation is regulated by the metabolic milieu and controls plasma membrane partitioning to maintain vascular homeostasis.
Coronary Artery Calcium for Personalized Allocation of Aspirin in Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in 2019
Authors: Cainzos-Achirica Miguel , Miedema Michael D. , McEvoy John W. , Al Rifai Mahmoud , Greenland Philip , Dardari Zeina , Budoff Matthew , Blumenthal Roger S. , Yeboah Joseph , Duprez Daniel A. , Mortensen Martin Bødtker , Dzaye Omar , Hong Jonathan , Nasir Khurram , Blaha Michael J.
Published: April 2020

Background:

Recent American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Primary Prevention Guidelines recommended considering low-dose aspirin therapy only among adults 40 to 70 years of age who are at higher atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk but not at high risk of bleeding. However, it remains unclear how these patients are best identified. The present study aimed to assess the value of coronary artery calcium (CAC) for guiding aspirin allocation for primary prevention by using 2019 aspirin meta-analysis data on cardiovascular disease relative risk reduction and bleeding risk.

Methods:

The study included 6470 participants from the MESA Study (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). ASCVD risk was estimated using the pooled cohort equations, and 3 strata were defined: <5%, 5% to 20%, and >20%. All participants underwent CAC scoring at baseline, and CAC scores were stratified as =0, 1 to 99, ≥100, and ≥400. A 12% relative risk reduction in cardiovascular disease events was used for the 5-year number needed to treat (NNT
5
) calculations, and a 42% relative risk increase in major bleeding events was used for the 5-year number needed to harm (NNH
5
) estimations.

Results:

Only 5% of MESA participants would qualify for aspirin consideration for primary prevention according to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines and using >20% estimated ASCVD risk to define higher risk. Benefit/harm calculations were restricted to aspirin-naive participants <70 years of age not at high risk of bleeding (n=3540). The overall NNT
5
with aspirin to prevent 1 cardiovascular disease event was 476 and the NNH
5
was 355. The NNT
5
was also greater than or similar to the NNH
5
among estimated ASCVD risk strata. Conversely, CAC≥100 and CAC≥400 identified subgroups in which NNT
5
was lower than NNH
5
. This was true both overall (for CAC≥100, NNT
5
=140 versus NNH
5
=518) and within ASCVD risk strata. Also, CAC=0 identified subgroups in which the NNT
5
was much higher than the NNH
5
(overall, NNT
5
=1190 versus NNH
5
=567).

Conclusions:

CAC may be superior to the pooled cohort equations to inform the allocation of aspirin in primary prevention. Implementation of current 2019 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline recommendations together with the use of CAC for further risk assessment may result in a more personalized, safer allocation of aspirin in primary prevention. Confirmation of these findings in experimental settings is needed.
Vocal Biomarker Is Associated With Hospitalization and Mortality Among Heart Failure Patients
Authors: Maor Elad , Perry Daniella , Mevorach Dana , Taiblum Nimrod , Luz Yotam , Mazin Israel , Lerman Amir , Koren Gideon , Shalev Varda
Published: April 2020

Background

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the association of voice signal analysis with adverse outcome among patients with congestive heart failure (
CHF
).

Methods and Results

The study cohort included 10 583 patients who were registered to a call center of patients who had chronic conditions including
CHF
in Israel between 2013 and 2018. A total of 223 acoustic features were extracted from 20 s of speech for each patient. A biomarker was developed based on a training cohort of non‐
CHF
patients (N=8316). The biomarker was tested on a mutually exclusive
CHF
study cohort (N=2267) and was evaluated as a continuous and ordinal (4 quartiles) variable. Median age of the
CHF
study population was 77 (interquartile range 68–83) and 63% were men. During a median follow‐up of 20 months (interquartile range 9–34), 824 (36%) patients died. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed higher cumulative probability of death with increasing quartiles (23%, 29%, 38%, and 54%;
P
<0.001). Survival analysis with adjustment to known predictors of poor survival demonstrated that each SD increase in the biomarker was associated with a significant 32% increased risk of death during follow‐up (95% CI, 1.24–1.41,
P
<0.001) and that compared with the lowest quartile, patients in the highest quartile were 96% more likely to die (95%
CI
, 1.59–2.42,
P
<0.001). The model consistently demonstrated an independent association of the biomarker with hospitalizations during follow‐up (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

Noninvasive vocal biomarker is associated with adverse outcome among
CHF
patients, suggesting a possible role for voice analysis in telemedicine and
CHF
patient care.
Primate Version of Modified Rankin Scale for Classifying Dysfunction in Rhesus Monkeys
Authors: Wu Di , Wu Longfei , Chen Jian , Huber Mitchell , He Xiaoduo , Li Shengli , Ding Yuchuan , Ji Xunming
Published: April 2020

Background and Purpose—

Nonhuman primates are increasingly used in translational studies of ischemic stroke. However, current scoring systems in monkeys (eg, Nonhuman Primate Stroke Scale) do not focus on impairments in activities of daily living, so clinically relevant data are scarce for evaluating functional deficits in this model.

Methods—

Here, we referenced the modified Rankin Scale to provide a primate version of Rankin Scale (pRS) for ranking neurological dysfunction in monkeys following stroke. We selected hand function and strength, level of activity, and general mobility as the main components of pRS. We also analyzed interobserver variability.

Results—

pRS is a simple scale with only 6 levels. Functional deficit can be easily classified into none (category 0), slight (categories 1–2), moderate (category 3–4), and severe disabilities (category 5) based on pRS. We validated this scoring system on 11 monkeys, all with varying levels of neurological dysfunction following stroke, assessed by blinded testers. After a short training period, both technicians and neurology residents were able to achieve a high level of consistency using this scoring system.

Conclusions—

pRS is a simple and reliable functional scale, similar to the widely used modified Rankin Scale, for evaluating long-term neurological dysfunction in nonhuman primates. We recommend further validation studies and analyses.
The relationship between bioRxiv preprints, citations and altmetrics
Authors: Fraser Nicholas , Momeni Fakhri , Mayr Philipp , Peters Isabella
Published: April 2020

A potential motivation for scientists to deposit their scientific work as preprints is to enhance its citation or social impact. In this study we assessed the citation and altmetric advantage of bioRxiv, a preprint server for the biological sciences. We retrieved metadata of all bioRxiv preprints deposited between November 2013 and December 2017, and matched them to articles that were subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals. Citation data from Scopus and altmetric data from Altmetric.com were used to compare citation and online sharing behavior of bioRxiv preprints, their related journal articles, and nondeposited articles published in the same journals. We found that bioRxiv-deposited journal articles had sizably higher citation and altmetric counts compared to nondeposited articles. Regression analysis reveals that this advantage is not explained by multiple explanatory variables related to the articles’ publication venues and authorship. Further research will be required to establish whether such an effect is causal in nature. bioRxiv preprints themselves are being directly cited in journal articles, regardless of whether the preprint has subsequently been published in a journal. bioRxiv preprints are also shared widely on Twitter and in blogs, but remain relatively scarce in mainstream media and Wikipedia articles, in comparison to peer-reviewed journal articles.
Is Technology Jewish? A Conversation with Heidegger
Authors: Lapidot Elad
Published: April 2020

This essay examines the relation between Heidegger’s thoughts on technology and his anti-Jewish passages in the Black Notebooks. Going beyond the debate on anti-Semitism, the essay proposes a reading of these passages in their immediate context, which is Heidegger’s earlier critique of modern technology. To frame and further contextualize this reading, the first part of the essay introduces the broader horizon of Heidegger’s work on technology, tracing its internal development from the mid-1930s to his final words.
And then Two Came Along at Once: Inter-State Cooperation on Core Crimes, the ilc and the Group of Core States
Authors: Bisset Alison
Published: April 2020

Despite their fundamental importance in the effective prosecution of international crimes, inter-state judicial cooperation regimes have long been overlooked. However, two new initiatives have recently emerged. The first is the International Law Commission’s Draft Articles on Crimes against Humanity (Draft Articles), which aims to create a global convention on prevention, punishment and inter-State cooperation with respect to crimes against humanity. The second initiative, the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty for core crimes (mla Treaty), is wider in scope. It encompasses genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity and seeks the conclusion of a multilateral cooperation treaty to enable the effective provision of mutual legal assistance and extradition of suspects in relation to these crimes. The aim of this article is to critically assess the merits and shortcomings of these two initiatives in the effort to enhance inter-state cooperation in the prosecution of international crimes and their abilities to remedy current problems.
Diplomats, Domestic Agency and the Implementation of Sanctions: The MFAs of France and Germany in the Age of Geoeconomic Diplomacy
Authors: Olsen Kim B.
Published: April 2020

Tasked with the implementation of complex geoeconomic instruments such as trade and investment regulations, targeted economic assistance and sanctions regimes, European ministries of foreign affairs (MFAs) are increasingly exposed to a field introduced as geoeconomic diplomacy. This article argues that traditional literature on states’ strategic use of economic power has underestimated how MFAs of liberal and tightly integrated market economies are challenged in their abilities to realise geoeconomic objectives. Mitigating such challenges requires diplomats to engage extensively with multiple domestic state and non-state actors relevant to the state-market nexus. Through a comparative case study of France and Germany, the article demonstrates how major European MFAs have recently streamlined their organisational approaches to the geoeconomic field in various ways, and analyses how French and German diplomats were bound to manage multifaceted, yet different, domestic agency relations in their quests to successfully implement the European Union’s sanctions regime against Russia in 2014-2016.
The Leyenda de Alejandro: an Islamic and Andalusi Version of the Alexander Romance
Authors: Guidotti Giulia
Published: April 2020

This article aims to shed new light on the Leyenda de Alejandro, an Andalusi Arabic version of the Alexander Romance. It was written by an anonymous Muslim writer around the 15th century and published in 1929 by Emilio García Gómez. The content of this highly fragmented, and sometimes even contradictory, text will be compared to the content of other Syriac and Arabic literary works regarding Alexander/Ḏū l-Qarnayn (“the Two-Horned”), with special focus on the inconsistent features of the text, as well as on the Islamic adaptations of the polytheistic features of the Syriac Alexander Romance. The last section will deal with the language of the text (a variety of Andalusi Middle Arabic) and will question its affiliation to the Western-Arabic branch of the Alexander Romance.
A key to species of genus Malcus Stål, with descriptions of four new species from China (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Malcidae)
Authors: WANG SHUJING , BU WENJUN
Published: April 2020

Four new species of Malcus Stål are described and illustrated, Malcus alatus sp. nov., Malcus bacillus sp. nov., Malcus externus sp. nov. and Malcus planus sp. nov.. The male of Malcus gibbus Zheng, Zou & Hsiao, 1979 is described for the first time. A revised key to species of Malcus of the world is provided.
Revision of Pazala Moore, 1888: The Graphium (Pazala) alebion and G. (P.) tamerlanus Groups, with Notes on Taxonomic and Distribution Confusions (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)
Authors: ZHANG HUI-HONG , COTTON ADAM M. , CONDAMINE FABIEN L. , WANG RONG-JIANG , HSU YU-FENG , DUAN KUANG , ZHANG XIN , HU SHAO-JI
Published: April 2020

Three Graphium species belonging to two species groups of the subgenus Pazala, the alebion and tamerlanus groups, were examined in molecular and morphological studies, and their female genitalia are reported for the first time. Their relationship with other species groups within the subgenus is assessed and their divergence times are estimated. We find that G. (P.) alebion is the first lineage to diverge within Pazala in the early Miocene (20 Ma) and that G. (P.) tamerlanus and G. (P.) parus are sister species and diverged from each other in the late Miocene (7 Ma). A revision of the four recognised taxa belonging to three species is presented, and historical misidentification of these taxa and their geographic ranges are explained.
On the taxonomy of the genus Pseudacronicta Kononenko, 2001 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Acronictinae): the identity of Acronicta omihsiensis Draeseke, 1928
Authors: KISS ÁDÁM
Published: April 2020

The genus Pseudacronicta was erected, in the noctuid subfamily Acronictinae by Kononenko (2001) as a monotypical genus. Pseudacronicta curiosa Kononenko, 2001 (Figs 2, 3), the type species of this genus, externally resembles Acronicta pulverosa Hampson, 1909 (Fig. 7) and A. pruinosa Guenée, 1852 (Fig. 8) (subgenus Plataplecta Butler, 1878). However, its wing pattern and structure of genitalia differ (Kononenko 2001). On the basis of habitus, P. curiosa appears more similar to Acronicta jozana Matsumura, 1926 (Fig. 6) (subgenus Hyboma Hübner, [1820] sensu Kononenko 2010) than the above mentioned species, but differs from them in the reduced basal dash, linear tornal streak located between the medial and postmedial lines, occasionally continuing between the antemedial and medial lines as a broken, sometimes reduced black line and the occasionally fused basal dash and tornal streak.
Microplastics Differ Between Indoor and Outdoor Air Masses: Insights from Multiple Microscopy Methodologies
Authors: Gaston Emily , Woo Mary , Steele Clare , Sukumaran Suja , Anderson Sean
Published: April 2020

The abundance and distribution of microplastic (<5 mm) has become a growing concern, particularly over the past decade. Research to date has focused on water, soil, and organism matrices but generally disregarded air. We explored airborne microplastic inside and outside of buildings in coastal California by filtering known volumes of air through glass fiber filters, which were then subsequently characterized with a variety of microscopy techniques: gross traditional microscopy, fluorescent microscopy following staining with Nile red, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and micro-Fourier transform infrared (µFT-IR) spectroscopy. Microplastics permeated the air, with indoor (3.3 ± 2.9 fibers and 12.6 ± 8.0 fragments m–3; mean ± 1 SD) harboring twice as much as outdoor air (0.6 ± 0.6 fibers and 5.6 ± 3.2 fragments m–3). Microplastic fiber length did not differ significantly between indoor and outdoor air, but indoor microplastic fragments (58.6 ± 55 µm) were half the size of outdoor fragments (104.8 ± 64.9 µm). Micro-Raman and FT-IR painted slightly different pictures of airborne plastic compounds, with micro-Raman suggesting polyvinyl chloride dominates indoor air, followed by polyethylene (PE) and µFT-IR showing polystyrene dominates followed by PE and polyethylene terephthalate. The ubiquity of airborne microplastic points to significant new potential sources of plastic inputs to terrestrial and marine ecosystems and raises significant concerns about inhalation exposure to humans both indoors and outdoors.
When democratic governance unites and divides: Social status and contestation in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Authors: Hecht Catherine
Published: April 2020

Scholars and practitioners are increasingly attentive to contestation against symbols and institutions underpinning international order(s). Yet International Relations scholarship can benefit from greater understanding of ways in which contestation interacts with salient dimensions of social status in specific international organizations (IOs). Drawing on evidence from the history of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), with a focus on democratic governance and human rights, this article analyzes status-related contestation as a significant, yet under-examined type of contestation in multilateral diplomacy. Status-related contestation conveys dissatisfaction about symbols, institutions, and actors which reinforce socially significant divisions that place a state (or group of states) at a social disadvantage in a particular multilateral venue. International organizations provide unique social contexts which affect the content of contestation. Building on scholarship in social psychology, constructivism, and status hierarchies in world politics, the article analyzes the evolution of a dimension (or basis) of social status in the OSCE and illustrates that, beyond domestic and material interests, state representatives communicate social identity-related concerns through language, for example, that expresses discontent with dividing lines, unfairness, or (dis)respect, in attempting to minimize negative social identities in multilateral organizations.
Identifying influencing factors of sustainable public service transformation: a systematic literature review
Authors: Enang Iniobong , Asenova Darinka , Bailey Stephen J.
Published: April 2020

This article continues the conversation on public service innovation and transformation in the International Review of Administrative Sciences. Political, socio-economic and technological changes drive public service transformation in rendering current service delivery models increasingly ineffective. However, public service transformation introduces risks. This article finds a paucity of academic research into those risks, highlighting need for their management. The key conclusion is that risk management, leadership and public participation can facilitate or hinder public service transformation.

Points for practitioners

Risk management features prominently in public and private sector discourse, and is perceived as a core element of corporate governance and a tool for achieving strategic objectives. It is key to facilitating public service transformation and ensuring that organizational objectives are achieved because it can optimise inherent opportunities while mitigating associated risks. This article contributes to public administration practice by developing a new conceptualization of the role of risk management in public service transformation.
The use of scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in a case of occupational death
Authors: Aquila I , Boca S , Ricci P , Perozziello G , Candeloro P , Di Fabrizio E , Malara N , Gratteri S , Sacco MA , Francardi M
Published: April 2020

Scanning electron microscopy is a technique that provides high-resolution images at the micro- and nano-scale. The combination of scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis is developing fast for application in forensic science. In this work, we report a case of work-related traumatic death of a 50-year-old man. The autopsy showed cranial fractures with cerebral haemorrhage. It was more difficult to understand the accident dynamics because the body had been shifted from the accident site to mask what had really taken place. Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used to identify the material of the impacting tool and to establish the possible legal responsibility of the employer. In this study, we demonstrate that scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy is a useful forensic tool for the analysis of biological samples. Further, for studying the lacerations on the corpse from doubtful blunt tools, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy can assist in demonstrating that the scene has been falsified, as it was in this case.
Differential Voting Weights and Relational Egalitarianism
Authors: Bengtson Andreas
Published: April 2020

Two prominent relational egalitarians, Elizabeth Anderson and Niko Kolodny, object to giving people in a democratic community differential voting weights on the grounds that doing so would lead to unequal relations between them. Their claim is that deviating from a “one-person, one-vote” scheme is incompatible with realizing relational egalitarian justice. In this article, I argue that they are wrong. I do so by showing that people can relate as moral, epistemic, social, and empirical equals in a scheme with differential voting weights. I end the article by showing that from the perspective of relational egalitarianism, it is sometimes true that differential voting weights are more just than equal voting weights.
Linking Theories of Motivation, Game Mechanics, and Public Deliberation to Design an Online System for Participatory Budgeting
Authors: Gastil John , Broghammer Michael
Published: April 2020

Existing systems for online civic engagement and public consultation need a better architecture if they are to realize the aspirations of deliberative democracy. To improve the design of such systems, we develop an empirical model of online civic engagement that connects common game mechanics to four key democratic processes and outcomes—inclusion, deliberative engagement, sound and influential public input, and long-term civic impacts. We then link game mechanics and deliberation with theories of motivation to show how these mechanics can leverage people’s drives to fulfill basic needs, forge social connections, and gain status. To illustrate our model in more concrete terms, we show how game mechanics could motivate both participants and policymakers in an online participatory budgeting system. We conclude by describing a multi-stage experimental approach to testing this model within an existing system of online participatory budgeting.
Textile particle generation: test method for nonwovens modified for use on woven materials
Authors: Malinar Rajna , Grgac Sandra Flinčec , Katović Drago
Published: April 2020

Considering that textile dust can cause many problems in specific environments, there is a need for low particle release textiles. Usually this means using disposable textiles, but in an effort to reduce the amount of waste that such products generate, the aim of our research was to investigate possibilities of using multiple-use fabrics as an alternative. For the purposes of this study, a standard method for testing particle release from nonwovens had to be adapted in order to acquire reliable data on testing woven fabrics. Statistical analysis showed considerably more precise results after prolongation of testing time from 5 min (standardized) to 30 min (modified). Examination of particle release from cotton fabric after multiple washing and drying cycles showed increase in smaller particles count (<1 µm) but also decrease of larger particles (>5 µm) after 10 cycles.
Intercultural, postcolonial, experiential: A case study in forming congregational mission leaders in seminaries
Authors: Gonxhe Kimberly , Farrell B. Hunter
Published: April 2020

This article describes the objectives, methodology, and outcomes of a course designed to accompany seminary-organized intercultural learning trips. The course is framed around race as a primary marker of difference in US society which has exercised a profound and lasting influence on the conceptualization and practice of mission. By inviting students to observe the construction of racism in other cultural contexts (Philippines, Cuba), they were able to better understand racism in our own context and consider its impact on our engagement in mission. The article describes the course methodology as intercultural, postcolonial, and experiential and the impacts of the course/trip are summarized, along with some reflection on the questions which arose out of the experience.
The role of cognition for speech-in-noise perception: Considering individual listening strategies related to aging and hearing loss
Authors: Heinrich Antje
Published: April 2020

Listening to speech in a noisy background is difficult for everyone. While such listening has historically been considered mainly in the context of auditory processing, the role of cognition has attracted considerable interest in recent years. This has been particularly true in the context of life-span research and the comparison of younger and older listeners. This article will discuss three factors that are important to consider when investigating the nature of cognitive involvement in speech-in-noise (SiN) perception: (1) the listening situation, (2) listener variables, and (3) the role of hearing aids. I argue that a similar level of intelligibility can be achieved with the support of very different skills, or listening strategies, depending on the listening situation and listener. Age as a variable is particularly instructive for this type of research as it is accompanied by auditory as well as cognitive changes. As age-related changes are not uniform, using aging as a tool for the investigation can increase the opportunity to see individual differences in contributing processes and resulting compensation strategies. In addition to highlighting different interaction effects between hearing and cognition, I will argue that our conceptual understanding of the underlying processes can only be furthered if the selection of cognitive tests and experimental procedures in SiN studies follows accepted cognitive models, so that understanding can advance on a conceptual level without reliance on a particular test. Ultimately, a better understanding of the various listening strategies available to listeners, and the conditions under which they are used, may have theoretical as well as practical implications. Theoretically, it may help us better understand phenomena such as listening effort. Practically, it may guide us toward more effective diagnosis and intervention for listening difficulties in everyday life.
What About Bob? Reflections From A Former Doctoral Student
Authors: Brunswick Gary J.
Published: April 2020

The author provides a series of reflections based upon working with the influential marketing scholar Dr. Robert F. (Bob) Lusch on several research projects over the past 30+ years.
Cognitive-Perceptual Features Associated With Nonconventional Healing Practices
Authors: Parra Alejandro , Giudici Rocio
Published: April 2020

Healers not only experience somatic sensations during practices related to their spiritual beliefs, but they also evidence related cognitive-perceptual and personality characteristics. The main aim was to evaluate sensory-perceptual traits involved in healers’ spiritual healing practices. We recruited a sample of 190 practitioners, who completed 5 instruments to evaluate the sensory phenomenology of experiences of healing, interoceptive awareness, and absorption. Significant differences were found in two groups, Practitioners ( n =  71) and Newly Initiated ( n =  119), divided by their practice experience length. Practitioners scored higher on interoceptive body awareness (both emotional and body) and absorption than the newly initiated. An exploratory analysis also showed positive correlations between the total score of sensory healing modalities and the intensity of visualization, body awareness, and absorption scores, as well as higher spirituality and training in various healing techniques. Thus, it is possible to build a personality profile of healers characterized by a combination of interoceptive awareness, ability to focus attention, hypersensitivity and kinetic synesthesia, and ease of mental imagery.
Mapping Social Distress: A Computational Approach to Spatiotemporal Distribution of Anxiety
Authors: Choi Yong Suk , Kim Hansung , Sohn Dongyoung
Published: April 2020

Anxiety is a pervasive emotional state that tends to arise in situations involving uncertainty due partly to social and contextual issues including competition, economic disparity, and social insecurity. Thus, distribution of aggregate emotions, such as in anxiety, may reveal an important picture of otherwise invisible social processes in which individuals interact with local and global opportunities, constraints, and potential threats. The aim of this study is to present a computational approach to the dynamic distribution of anxiety extracted from natural language expressions of users of Twitter, a popular global social media platform. We develop an unsupervised machine learning procedure based on a naive Bayes model to classify contents of anxiety, estimate the degree of anxiety, and construct a geographic map of spatiotemporal distribution of anxiety. To validate our mapping results, a multilevel statistical analysis was performed to examine how anxiety distribution is correlated with other district-level sociodemographic statistics such as rates of birth and early divorce. Implications for further research and extension are discussed.