bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a literature review and validation of contemporary findings
Authors: Kaipainen Aku L , Martoma Erik , Puustinen Tero , Tervonen Joona , Jyrkkänen Henna-Kaisa , Paterno Jussi J , Kotkansalo Anna , Rantala Susanna , Vanhanen Ulla , Leinonen Ville , Lehto Soili M , Iso-Mustajärvi Matti , Elomaa Antti-Pekka , Qvarlander Sara , Huuskonen Terhi J
Published: August 2021

Background

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a rare disease of unknown aetiology related possibly to disturbed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics and characterised by elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) causing optic nerve atrophy if not timely treated. We studied CSF dynamics of the IIH patients based on the available literature and our well-defined cohort.

Method

A literature review was performed from PubMed between 1980 and 2020 in compliance with the PRISMA guideline. Our study includes 59 patients with clinical, demographical, neuro-ophthalmological, radiological, outcome data, and lumbar CSF pressure measurements for suspicion of IIH; 39 patients had verified IIH while 20 patients did not according to Friedman’s criteria, hence referred to as symptomatic controls.

Results

The literature review yielded 19 suitable studies; 452 IIH patients and 264 controls had undergone intraventricular or lumbar CSF pressure measurements. In our study, the mean CSF pressure, pulse amplitudes, power of respiratory waves (RESP), and the pressure constant (P0) were higher in IIH than symptomatic controls (p < 0.01). The mean CSF pressure was higher in IIH patients with psychiatric comorbidity than without (p < 0.05). In IIH patients without acetazolamide treatment, the RAP index and power of slow waves were also higher (p < 0.05). IIH patients with excess CSF around the optic nerves had lower relative pulse pressure coefficient (RPPC) and RESP than those without (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our literature review revealed increased CSF pressure, resistance to CSF outflow and sagittal sinus pressure (SSP) as key findings in IIH. Our study confirmed significantly higher lumbar CSF pressure and increased CSF pressure waves and RAP index in IIH when excluding patients with acetazolamide treatment. In overall, the findings reflect decreased craniospinal compliance and potentially depleted cerebral autoregulation resulting from the increased CSF pressure in IIH. The increased slow waves in patients without acetazolamide may indicate issues in autoregulation, while increased P0 could reflect the increased SSP.
Oral Health Literacy in Migrant and Ethnic Minority Populations: A Systematic Review
Authors: Valdez R. , Spinler K. , Kofahl C. , Seedorf U. , Heydecke G. , Reissmann D. R. , Lieske B. , Dingoyan D. , Aarabi G.
Published: August 2021

Cultural background influences how migrants and ethnic minority populations view and assess health. Poor oral health literacy (OHL) may be a hindrance in achieving good oral health. This systematic review summarizes the current quantitative evidence regarding OHL of migrants and ethnic minority populations. The PubMed database was searched for original quantitative studies that explore OHL as a holistic multidimensional construct or at least one of its subdimensions in migrants and ethnic minority populations. 34 publications were selected. Only 2 studies specifically addressed OHL in migrant populations. Generally, participants without migration background had higher OHL than migrant and ethnic minority populations. The latter showed lower dental service utilization, negative oral health beliefs, negative oral health behavior, and low levels of oral health knowledge. Due to its potential influence on OHL, oral health promoting behavior, attitudes, capabilities, and beliefs as well as the cultural and ethnic background of persons should be considered in medical education and oral health prevention programs.
Assessment of the stepped isothermal method for accelerated creep testing of high-density polyethylene
Authors: Pilz Gerald , Wurzer Stefan , Morak Matthias , Pinter Gerald
Published: August 2021

Thermoplastic materials are increasingly used in demanding structural applications under, in some cases, long-term static loading over several decades. In this regard, the stepped isothermal method (SIM) with creep testing at stepwise increased temperature levels in combination with time-temperature superposition (TTSP) provides a very time efficient procedure for long-term creep characterization. In the present study, the creep behavior of an injection molded high-density polyethylene material (HDPE) was investigated by SIM in the thermally untreated state as well as after annealing.

Due to experimental issues regarding the heating behavior of the specimens and non-linear viscoelastic behavior, particularly at elevated temperatures, bi-directional curve shifting was required in order to generate meaningful master curves for creep compliance. In a first step, an Arrhenius equation was used for the horizontal curve shifting, based on activation energies, determined in additional multi-frequency dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Continuous master curves were then obtained by empirical vertical shifting of the individual creep curve segments for the different temperature levels. In general, good agreement was observed between the resulting SIM master curves and the corresponding conventionally measured creep compliance curves at least for a time range up to 300 hours. Furthermore, significant differences in the creep tendency of the annealed material state compared to the thermally untreated condition revealed the distinct influence of the thermal history on the resulting creep behavior.
Automated description of the mandible shape by deep learning
Authors: Vila-Blanco Nicolás , Varas-Quintana Paulina , Aneiros-Ardao Ángela , Tomás Inmaculada , Carreira María J.
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The shape of the mandible has been analyzed in a variety of fields, whether to diagnose conditions like osteoporosis or osteomyelitis, in forensics, to estimate biological information such as age, gender, and race or in orthognathic surgery. Although the methods employed produce encouraging results, most rely on the dry bone analyses or complex imaging techniques that, ultimately, hamper sample collection and, as a consequence, the development of large-scale studies. Thus, we proposed an objective, repeatable, and fully automatic approach to provide a quantitative description of the mandible in orthopantomographies (OPGs).

Methods

We proposed the use of a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to localize a set of landmarks of the mandible contour automatically from OPGs. Furthermore, we detailed four different descriptors for the mandible shape to be used for a variety of purposes. This includes a set of linear distances and angles calculated from eight anatomical landmarks of the mandible, the centroid size, the shape variations from the mean shape, and a group of shape parameters extracted with a point distribution model.

Results

The fully automatic digitization of the mandible contour was very accurate, with a mean point to the curve error of 0.21 mm and a standard deviation comparable to that of a trained expert. The combination of the CNN and the four shape descriptors was validated in the well-known problems of forensic sex and age estimation, obtaining 87.8% of accuracy and a mean absolute error of 1.57 years, respectively.

Conclusion

The methodology proposed, including the shape model, can be valuable in any field that requires a quantitative description of the mandible shape and a visual representation of its changes such as clinical practice, surgery management, dental research, or legal medicine.
Connectivity in support of student co-design of innovative mathematics curriculum trajectories
Authors: Pepin Birgit
Published: August 2021

The argument of this theoretical paper is that the existence and availability of suitable digital curriculum resources, accelerated by the recent pandemic, have required a revision of the pedagogical landscape in terms of ways in which students can be empowered to (co-)design their own curriculum trajectories. For this purpose, I argue, students need to be supported in considering many connections, to arrive at coherent trajectories. Based on complexity thinking and curriculum design with digital resources, I propose the concept of connectivity as a crucial principle for creating coherent curriculum trajectories. If students are to become the co-designers of their own curriculum, they need a frame that raises their awareness about the many connections to be made and that supports their capability for actually realizing them. Drawing strongly on my own work and related work by others, I analyse and illustrate the connections made by students, teachers and curriculum designers in their design of mathematics tasks, lessons and learning trajectories with digital resources. Results show that connections can be made at several levels, namely, at a social level, at a material level, at programme level, and at a didactical level. Leaning on systems thinking, connections can be systematically considered, which is likely to help students to enhance the coherence of their designs. I contend that a student-designed ‘connected curriculum trajectory’ is likely to become the focus of future research activities in innovative learning environments: this endeavor would connect aspects of curriculum, mathematical content, learning strategies of students, and the use of new technologies.
MSC secreted extracellular vesicles carrying TGF-beta upregulate Smad 6 expression and promote the regrowth of neurons in spinal cord injured rats
Authors: Han Tianyu , Song Peiwen , Wu Zuomeng , Xiang Xia , Liu Yunlei , Wang Ying , Fang Huang , Niu Yang , Shen Cailiang
Published: August 2021

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) constitute a promising therapy for spinal cord injury (SCI) because they can provide a favorable environment for the regrowth of neurons by inhibiting receptor-regulated Smads (R-Smads) expression in endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs). However, their mechanism of action and effect on the expression of inhibitory Smads (I-Smads) remain unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) from MSCs were able to upregulate the Smad 6 expression by carrying TGF-β, and the Smad 6 knockdown in NSCs partially weakened the bone marrow MSC (BMSC)-EV-induced effect on neural differentiation. We found that the expression of Smad 6 did not reduced owing to the TGF-β type I receptor kinase inhibitor, SB 431,542, treatment in the acute phase of injury in rats with SCI, thereby indicating that the Smad 6 expression was not only mediated by TGF-β, but also by the inflammatory factors and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) as well. However, in the later phase of SCI, the Smad 6 expression decreased by the addition of SB 431,542, suggesting that TGF-β plays a key role in the mediation of Smad 6 expression in this phase. In addition, immunohistochemistry staining; hematoxylin–eosin staining; and the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores revealed that the early inhibition of TGF-β did not increase neuron regrowth. However, this inhibition increased the cavity and the caspase-3 expression at 24 h post-injury, leading to a worse functional outcome. Conversely, the later treatment with the TGF-β inhibitor promoted the regrowth of neurons around the cavity, resulting in a better neurological outcome. Together, these results indicate that Smad 6 acts as a feedback regulator to prevent the over-differentiation of NSCs to astrocytes and that BMSC-EVs can upregulate Smad 6 expression by carrying TGF-β.

Graphical abstract
Hypercholesterolemia and 27-Hydroxycholesterol Increase S100A8 and RAGE Expression in the Brain: a Link Between Cholesterol, Alarmins, and Neurodegeneration
Authors: Loera-Valencia Raúl , Ismail Muhammad-Al-Mustafa , Goikolea Julen , Lodeiro Maria , Mateos Laura , Björkhem Ingemar , Puerta Elena , Romão Mariana A. , Gomes Cláudio M. , Merino-Serrais Paula , Maioli Silvia , Cedazo-Minguez Angel
Published: August 2021

Alterations in cholesterol metabolism in the brain have a major role in the physiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Oxysterols are cholesterol metabolites with multiple implications in memory functions and in neurodegeneration. Previous studies have shown detrimental effects of cholesterol metabolites in neurons, but its effect in glial cells is unknown. We used a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet in mice to study the effects of hypercholesterolemia over the alarmin S100A8 cascade in the hippocampus. Using CYP27Tg, a transgenic mouse model, we show that the hypercholesterolemia influence on the brain is mediated by the excess of 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OH), a cholesterol metabolite. We also employed an acute model of 27-OH intraventricular injection in the brain to study RAGE and S100A8 response. We used primary cultures of neurons and astrocytes to study the effect of high levels of 27-OH over the S100A8 alarmin cascade. We report that a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet leads to an increase in S100A8 production in the brain. In CYP27Tg, we report an increase of S100A8 and its receptor RAGE in the hippocampus under elevated 27-OH in the brain. Using siRNA, we found that 27-OH upregulation of RAGE in astrocytes and neurons is mediated by the nuclear receptor RXRγ. Silencing RXRγ in neurons prevented 27-OH-mediated upregulation of RAGE. These results show that S100A8 alarmin and RAGE respond to high levels of 27-OH in the brain in both neurons and astrocytes through RXRγ. Our study supports the notion that 27-OH mediates detrimental effects of hypercholesterolemia to the brain via alarmin signaling.
Is Democracy Therapeutic? A Deweyan Reading of the Institutions of Antipsychiatry
Authors: Villacañas de Castro Luis S.
Published: August 2021

This article presents a Deweyan reading of the processes of critique, experimentation, and reform that took hold of a minority of psychiatric institutions in Western Europe during the nineteen-sixties and seventies, under the influence of the so-called Italian and British antipsychiatry movements. Framed within a specific understanding of the sixties, the article examines these complex theoretical and institutional operations against the background of John Dewey’s idea of democracy, which it interprets, above all else, as the constant provision of material, intellectual, and human resources for the people to directly transform their environment and themselves in increasingly complex and creative ways. After acknowledging the historical and conceptual discontinuities that exist between these two autonomous bodies of knowledge, the first section presents a summary of Dewey’s philosophy. Next the article sheds light on Basaglia’s and Laing’s antipsychiatric projects by interpreting them as a sustained effort to distinguish between schizophrenia as a first and a second disease, an epistemological search in the midst of which each of them ended up creating new institutions that necessarily embarked their inmates on a radical process of Deweyan growth. The key role of the sixties counterculture is emphasized at this point, and examples from Gorizia’s and Trieste’s asylums, as well as British community households, are read in terms of Basaglia’s and Laing’s negative and affirmative dialectics, respectively. Finally, in the last two sections, the article argues that antipsychiatry’s analysis of psychotic behavior significantly enlarges Dewey’s understanding of the circuit of growth and experience, and that Dewey’s ideas of growth and experience provided, in turn, a missing criterion for defining mental health and deriving coherent therapeutic and institutional concretions.
A comprehensive review of sucker rod pumps’ components, diagnostics, mathematical models, and common failures and mitigations
Authors: Fakher Sherif , Khlaifat Abdelaziz , Hossain M. Enamul , Nameer Hashim
Published: August 2021

In many oil reservoirs worldwide, the downhole pressure does not have the ability to lift the produced fluids to the surface. In order to produce these fluids, pumps are used to artificially lift the fluids; this method is referred to as artificial lift. More than seventy percent of all currently producing oil wells are being produced by artificial lift methods. One of the most applied artificial lift methods is sucker rod pump. Sucker rod pumps are considered a well-established technology in the oil and gas industry and thus are easy to apply, very common worldwide, and low in capital and operational costs. Many advancements in technology have been applied to improve sucker rod pumps performance, applicability range, and diagnostics. With these advancements, it is important to be able to constantly provide an updated review and guide to the utilization of the sucker rod pumps. This research provides an updated comprehensive review of sucker rod pumps components, diagnostics methods, mathematical models, and common failures experienced in the field and how to prevent and mitigate these failures. Based on the review conducted, a new classification of all the methods that can fall under the sucker rod pump technology based on newly introduced sucker rod pump methods in the industry has been introduced. Several field cases studies from wells worldwide are also discussed in this research to highlight some of the main features of sucker rod pumps. Finally, the advantages and limitations of sucker rod pumps are mentioned based on the updated review. The findings of this study can help increase the understanding of the different sucker rod pumps and provide a holistic view of the beam rod pump and its properties and modeling.
Lost diagnoses in not otherwise specified headache in Emergency Department
Authors: Granato Antonio , D’Acunto Laura , Morelli Maria Elisa , Bellavita Giulia , Cominotto Franco , Manganotti Paolo
Published: August 2021

The diagnosis of Not Otherwise Specified (NOS) headaches in the Emergency Department (ED) is frequent despite many specialist visits performed. The aim of the study was to examine specialist visits carried out in the patients discharged from ED with diagnosis of NOS headache to evaluate discrepancies between specialist and ED diagnosis at discharge. We retrospectively (1.6.2018–31.12.2018) analyzed all the patients admitted with non-traumatic headache to the ED of the tertiary-care University Hospital of Trieste. We evaluated the patients discharged from ED with a final diagnosis of NOS headache and who underwent at least one specialist examination. Demographic data, specialist and ED diagnosis were analyzed.  One hundred twenty-four patients (93 F, 31 M, mean age 44 ± 15 years) were included. 71.8% of patients were examined only by a neurologist, 12.9% by non-neurologists, 15.3% by both neurologist and non-neurologist. Only 37% of the patients received a precise diagnosis. Neurologist made a diagnosis slightly more frequently than the other consultants (40.5% vs 37.5%). Neurologists diagnosed primary headaches, headaches secondary to neurological diseases, and facial neuralgia, instead non-neurologists diagnosed only headaches secondary to non-neurological diseases. Primary headaches were diagnosed in 25.7% of cases, migraine being the most frequent. Physicians did not report any specialist diagnoses in the ED discharge sheet. Specialist consultants made specific diagnoses in about one-third of patients that were not reported as final in the discharge records by the ED physician. This leads to a loss of diagnoses and to an overestimation of NOS headache.
Arhuaco indigenous women’s memories and the Colombian Truth Commission: methodological gaps and political tensions
Authors: González Villamizar Juliana , Santamaría Ángela , Muelas Izquierdo Dunen Kaneybia , Restrepo Acevedo Laura María , Cáceres Dueñas Paula
Published: August 2021

The Truth, Peaceful Coexistence, and Non-Repetition Commission (CEV) is one of the transitional justice mechanisms contained in the peace agreement signed between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla in 2016. The CEV mainstreams gender and ethnic differential approaches and is also the first to actively deploy intersectionality as a framework to approach violence committed against women of ethnic groups. The article draws on a decolonial and intercultural perspective to analyze the challenges that the CEV faces to make visible Indigenous women’s experiences and agencies during the armed conflict. Based on participatory research conducted with Arhuaco women of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to produce a report to the CEV, the article shows the methodological gaps that exist between Arhuaco women’s approaches to memory and the Truth Commission’s methodological framework. The article also argues that the Commission’s strategy to confront political dynamics within Indigenous communities that marginalize women’s processes further deepens these gaps and contributes to invisibilize their voices in this scenario.
Quoting in Parliamentary Question Time
Authors: Reber Elisabeth
Published: August 2021

Why do recordings of speakers engaging in reported speech at British Prime Minister's Questions from the 1970s–80s sound so distant to us? This cutting-edge study explores how the practices of quoting have changed at parliamentary question time in light of changing conventions and an evolving media landscape. Comparing data from authentic audio and video recordings from 1978 to 1988 and from 2003 to 2013, it provides evidence for qualitative and quantitative changes at the micro level (e.g., grammaticalisation processes in the reporting clause) and in more global structures (e.g., rhetorical patterns, and activities). These analytic findings contribute to the theoretical modelling of evidentiality in English, our understanding of constructions, interaction, and change, and of PMQs as an evolving community of practice. One of the first large-scale studies of recent change in an interactional genre of English, this ground-breaking monograph offers a framework for a diachronic interactional (socio-) linguistic research programme.
The Calculus of Braids
Authors: Dehornoy Patrick
Published: August 2021

Everyone knows what braids are, whether they be made of hair, knitting wool, or electrical cables. However, it is not so evident that we can construct a theory about them, i.e. to elaborate a coherent and mathematically interesting corpus of results concerning them. This book demonstrates that there is a resoundingly positive response to this question: braids are fascinating objects, with a variety of rich mathematical properties and potential applications. A special emphasis is placed on the algorithmic aspects and on what can be called the 'calculus of braids', in particular the problem of isotopy. Prerequisites are kept to a minimum, with most results being established from scratch. An appendix at the end of each chapter gives a detailed introduction to the more advanced notions required, including monoids and group presentations. Also included is a range of carefully selected exercises to help the reader test their knowledge, with solutions available.
Shame, Vulnerability, and Change
Authors: HU JING IRIS
Published: August 2021

Shame is frequently viewed as a destructive emotion; but it can also be understood in terms of change and growth. This essay highlights the problematic values that cause pervasive and frequent shame and the importance of resisting and changing these values. Using Confucian insights, I situate shame in an interactive process between the individual's values and that of their society, thus, being vulnerable to shame represents both one's connection to a community and an openness to others’ negative feedback. This process provides an important arena where personal values interact with communal ones. The Confucian tradition, I argue, affords individuals a degree of autonomy in internalization through urging them to cultivate and maintain a keen sense of shame. My discussion also offers resources for understanding the various aspects of this interactive process—how individuals with similar experiences of shame may, through channeling their experiences, influence social values and propel moral progress.
Stress- and Work-Related Burnout in Frontline Health-Care Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lee Yun Ji , Yun Jungmi , Kim Taehwa
Published: August 2021

Objective:

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting humankind in unprecedented and monumental ways. Health-care professionals (HCPs) have had to deal with traumatic and complex situations at work. However, the current understanding of the emotional effects on HCPs and their vulnerability during the pandemic is limited. We investigated the effects of HCPs’ viral epidemic-related stress, professional quality of life (ProQOL), depression, and anxiety on their health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods:

We recruited a convenience sample of 60 HCPs at 2 tertiary hospitals in provinces P and Y, Republic of Korea. We analyzed their demographics, viral epidemic-related distress, ProQOL (compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress), depression, anxiety, and HRQOL through self-reported questionnaires.

Results:

Burnout had a significant direct effect on depression, anxiety, physical health, and psychological HRQOL and indirectly affected all subcategories of HRQOL. Viral epidemic-related stress had no significant direct effect on any variable, but indirectly affected all subcategories of HRQOL. Depression and anxiety were endogenous variables (mediators). Depression was a pathway that directly and significantly affected all subcategories of HRQOL. Burnout had the most significant effect on physical health and psychological HRQOL, whereas depression had the greatest effect on social relationships and environmental HRQOL.

Conclusions:

Low compassion satisfaction caused burnout in HCPs, and burnout was significantly associated with depression, anxiety, and HRQOL. Furthermore, HRQOL showed a greater response when affected by indirect burnout through depression and anxiety than when directly affected by burnout.
Group Knowledge and Mathematical Collaboration: A Philosophical Examination of the Classification of Finite Simple Groups
Authors: Habgood-Coote Joshua , Tanswell Fenner Stanley
Published: August 2021

In this paper we apply social epistemology to mathematical proofs and their role in mathematical knowledge. The most famous modern collaborative mathematical proof effort is the Classification of Finite Simple Groups. The history and sociology of this proof have been well-documented by Alma Steingart (2012), who highlights a number of surprising and unusual features of this collaborative endeavour that set it apart from smaller-scale pieces of mathematics. These features raise a number of interesting philosophical issues, but have received very little attention. In this paper, we will consider the philosophical tensions that Steingart uncovers, and use them to argue that the best account of the epistemic status of the Classification Theorem will be essentially and ineliminably social. This forms part of the broader argument that in order to understand mathematical proofs, we must appreciate their social aspects.
Trustees Instead of Elected Mayors: Authoritarian Neoliberalism and the Removal of Kurdish Mayors in Turkey
Authors: Tutkal Serhat
Published: August 2021

This article examines the Turkish State’s recent practice of removing pro-Kurdish mayors and appointing trustees in their place without holding new elections. By comparing previous cases of removals of pro-Kurdish mayors to post-2016 practices, it argues that the discursive shift in legitimizing recent anti-democratic governmental practices should be read in relation to authoritarian neoliberalism in Turkey. To this end, it analyzes a Twitter account dedicated to promoting public services of trustee-ran municipalities (oluyor.net) and 89 YouTube videos that feature the trustees themselves. By demonstrating the ways in which the trustees themselves promote their work in Kurdish-populated cities, it underlines the dangers of authoritarian neoliberalism in subordinating democratic mechanisms to economic development and providing better public services. However, by studying the results of the following 2019 local elections in these 89 trustee-appointed municipalities, this article shows that the local people mostly continue supporting democratic mechanisms by electing pro-Kurdish candidates even in unfair electoral conditions.
Cash Crops, Print Technologies, and the Politicization of Ethnicity in Africa
Authors: PENGL YANNICK I. , ROESSLER PHILIP , RUEDA VALERIA
Published: August 2021

What are the origins of the ethnic landscapes in contemporary states? Drawing on a preregistered research design, we test the influence of dual socioeconomic revolutions that spread throughout Africa during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries—export agriculture and print technologies. We argue these changes transformed ethnicity via their effects on politicization and boundary-making. Print technologies strengthened imagined communities, leading to more salient—yet porous—ethnic identities. Cash crop endowments increased groups’ mobilizational potential but with more exclusionary boundaries to control agricultural rents. Using historical data on cash crops and African language publications, we find that groups exposed to these historical forces are more likely to be politically relevant in the postindependence period, and their members report more salient ethnic identities. We observe heterogenous effects on boundary-making as measured by interethnic marriage; relative to cash crops, printing fostered greater openness to assimilate linguistically related outsiders. Our findings illuminate not only the historical sources of ethnic politicization but also mechanisms shaping boundary formation.
Bread in the Desert: The Politics and Practicalities of Food in Early Egyptian Monasticism
Authors: Hansen Benjamin
Published: August 2021

The Apophthegmata Patrum (Sayings of the Desert Fathers) offer a compelling literary perspective on the daily lives of early Egyptian monastics. The routine necessities of food and drink played a distinct part in the physical and spiritual survival of these novel monastic communities. When, what, and how much a monk ate could cause celebration or scandal. Every meal was likewise a test. This study has two purposes. First, it situates the Sayings's many references to bread, salt, oil, and fruit within the dietary possibilities of late antique Egypt. Second, and more broadly, this study highlights the place of eating (or not eating) as it relates to particular monastic notions of spiritual wellbeing. Meals were always an arena for acts of heroic asceticism, but they also served as highly charged communal confrontations, a dizzying back and forth of hospitality received or rejected, of honor and shame played out in alimentary paradoxes. In this, the Sayings bear witness to the spiritual politics of eating within Egyptian monastic culture and provide insight into the formation of late antique religious identities, betraying fundamental tensions inherent in other forms of Christian literature.
Neurobiological correlates of antisociality across adolescence and young adulthood: a multi-sample, multi-method study
Authors: Blankenstein Neeltje E. , de Rooij Mark , van Ginkel Joost , Wilderjans Tom F. , de Ruigh Esther L. , Oldenhof Helena C. , Zijlmans Josjan , Jambroes Tijs , Platje Evelien , de Vries-Bouw Marjan , Branje Susan , Meeus Wim H. J. , Vermeiren Robert R. J. M. , Popma Arne , Jansen Lucres M. C.
Published: August 2021

Background

Antisociality across adolescence and young adulthood puts individuals at high risk of developing a variety of problems. Prior research has linked antisociality to autonomic nervous system and endocrinological functioning. However, there is large heterogeneity in antisocial behaviors, and these neurobiological measures are rarely studied conjointly, limited to small specific studies with narrow age ranges, and yield mixed findings due to the type of behavior examined.

Methods

We harmonized data from 1489 participants (9–27 years, 67% male), from six heterogeneous samples. In the resulting dataset, we tested relations between distinct dimensions of antisociality and heart rate, pre-ejection period (PEP), respiratory sinus arrhythmia, respiration rate, skin conductance levels, testosterone, basal cortisol, and the cortisol awakening response (CAR), and test the role of age throughout adolescence and young adulthood.

Results

Three dimensions of antisociality were uncovered: ‘callous-unemotional (CU)/manipulative traits’, ‘intentional aggression/conduct’, and ‘reactivity/impulsivity/irritability’. Shorter PEPs and higher testosterone were related to CU/manipulative traits, and a higher CAR is related to both CU/manipulative traits and intentional aggression/conduct. These effects were stable across age.

Conclusions

Across a heterogeneous sample and consistent across development, the CAR may be a valuable measure to link to CU/manipulative traits and intentional aggression, while sympathetic arousal and testosterone are additionally valuable to understand CU/manipulative traits. Together, these findings deepen our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying different components of antisociality. Finally, we illustrate the potential of using current statistical techniques for combining multiple datasets to draw robust conclusions about biobehavioral associations.
Caring for people who take care: What is already done?
Authors: Oliveira Carolina , Fonseca Gabriela , Areia Neide P. , Sotero Luciana , Relvas Ana Paula
Published: August 2021

Objective

The growing prevalence and impact of cancer on the family system calls for a palliative care approach with the family as the unit of care. This study aimed at providing an overview of the intervention programs that have been developed to offer support to the family caregivers of oncologic patients receiving palliative care.

Method

Sixteen articles were included in the final review, encompassing (i) studies focused on intervention programs with family caregivers of cancer patients in palliative care, (ii) studies including a pre- and post-test evaluation of the intervention program, (iii) and studies whose cancer patients were at least 18 years old.

Results

A great heterogeneity was verified with respect to care settings, number of sessions, outcome measures, or timing of assessment within the reviewed programs. These findings mirrored the complexity of the palliative care approach, which is difficult to standardize. Nonetheless, some interventions with different features accomplished good and sometimes similar results. The studies’ main outcomes were clustered in five categories: psychological symptomatology, general quality of life, caregiving role, family relational variables, and bereavement/grief. Moreover, 44% of the main outcomes were psychological symptomatology of family caregivers, with an emphasis toward anxiety and depression. Also shown was a growing emergence of technology use among these interventions.

Significance of results

Results revealed a scarcity of family-oriented programs and lack of certified mental health professionals as interventionists. Future studies and interventions should focus on the positive outcomes of the caregiving experience and must acknowledge the cultural differences when trying to replicate programs. Considering that there is no precise formula for dealing with terminal illness and grief, we submit that family-centered and systemic lenses are excellent approaches for support during this adjustment process. In conclusion, the present study advocates for increased investment in the field, underscoring the importance of family caregivers’ mental health.
STEEL’S PROGRAMME: EVIDENTIAL FRAMEWORK, THE CORE AND ULTIMATE-L
Authors: BAGARIA JOAN , TERNULLO CLAUDIO
Published: August 2021

We address Steel’s Programme to identify a ‘preferred’ universe of set theory and the best axioms extending
$\mathsf {ZFC}$
by using his multiverse axioms
$\mathsf {MV}$
and the ‘core hypothesis’. In the first part, we examine the evidential framework for
$\mathsf {MV}$
, in particular the use of large cardinals and of ‘worlds’ obtained through forcing to ‘represent’ alternative extensions of
$\mathsf {ZFC}$
. In the second part, we address the existence and the possible features of the core of
$\mathsf {MV}_T$
(where T is
$\mathsf {ZFC}$
+Large Cardinals). In the last part, we discuss the hypothesis that the core is Ultimate-L, and examine whether and how, based on this fact, the Core Universist can justify V=Ultimate-L as the best (and ultimate) extension of
$\mathsf {ZFC}$
. To this end, we take into account several strategies, and assess their prospects in the light of
$\mathsf {MV}$
’s evidential framework.
Free Access to and from the Ocean in the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea: The Law of the Sea and the Caspian “Body of Water”
Authors: PECORARO Alberto
Published: August 2021

Access to and from the sea for landlocked states has been a long-standing issue in the law of the sea. Such issue is also addressed by the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea (or Aktau Convention), which foresees a right of free access to other seas for landlocked State Parties—Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan—through the Russian Federation. At the same time, it upholds the transit state's sovereignty and right to protect its legitimate interests. Consequently, it is important to assess the limits of the transit state's discretion pursuant to the Aktau Convention. In this regard, that instrument has important linkages with UNCLOS and with general international law. These linkages introduce in the Aktau Convention various norms—such as due regard and reasonableness—that play an important role in its interpretation.
Erste Evaluation eines Programms zur Frührehabilitation von Langzeitintensivpatient_innen
Authors: Suter Peter , Wesch Conrad
Published: August 2021

Zusammenfassung. Einleitung: Langzeitintensivpatient_innen sind für Teams von Intensivstationen eine zunehmende Herausforderung aufgrund Symptombelastung und Ressourcenverbrauch. Zur Pflege und Behandlung werden strukturierte multimodale Konzepte empfohlen. Ein lokales, interprofessionelles Programm für Frührehabilitation hat das Ziel, Patient_innen optimal zu betreuen durch einen systematischen, proaktiven und ganzheitlichen Behandlungsprozess mit rehabilitativen Schwerpunkten. Das Programm besteht aus spezifischen Assessments und systematischer Koordination der interprofessionellen Frührehabilitation. Problemstellung und Zielsetzung: Die interprofessionelle Zusammenarbeit erfordert von den Beteiligten gegenseitige Akzeptanz und gute Kommunikation. Das Funktionieren ausgewählter Prozesse sowie die Zufriedenheit der Fachpersonen sind Themen einer ersten formativen Evaluation. Methoden: Das Team wertete deskriptive Qualitätsdaten sowie selbsterstellte strukturierte Fragebögen aus. Ergebnisse: Bei 52 von insgesamt 112 Patient_innen im Programm erfolgten spezifische Anpassungen des Behandlungsplanes. Die Assessments sind gut durchführbar und unterstützen die systematische Frührehabilitation. Die interprofessionelle Zusammenarbeit und das Verständnis für Patient_innen hat sich aus Sicht der beteiligten Fachpersonen verbessert. Diskussion und Transfer: Das Programm optimiert die Behandlung und fördert gute interprofessionelle Zusammenarbeit. Die formative Evaluation gibt wertvolle Hinweise auf zukünftige Prozessveränderungen, wie den Einbezug der Patient_innen sowie weiterer Fachdisziplinen und Entwicklung über die Grenzen der Intensivstation hinaus.
Uncovering Blind Spots in the Intention to Provide Adequate Help to Suicidal Individuals
Authors: Arendt Florian , Mestas Manina , Forrai Michaela
Published: August 2021

Abstract. Background: An adequate reaction from families, friends, and colleagues who can provide help to suicidal individuals is a preventive factor. Despite the logical assumption that the mere presence of risk factors in individuals needing help may affect others' helping intentions, empirical evidence is lacking in this regard. Method: We tested whether the presence of various risk factors influences the intention to provide help to suicidal individuals. Individuals ( N = 890) were exposed to a vignette in which they were asked to imagine meeting a distant acquaintance. Such persons talk about serious problems and suddenly use the word “suicide.” In a one-factorial between-subjects design with 21 groups, we manipulated person-related attributes corresponding to risk factors for suicide. Results: Some attributes increased helping intentions: male gender, very young and old age, homosexuality and transsexuality, terminal illness, previous nonsuicidal self-injury, previous suicide attempt, and seeking out lethal means. However, some attributes did not: female gender, major depression, chronic pain, different stressful life events, previously experienced violence, a family history of suicide, and a cry for help. Limitations: We measured self-reported behavioral intentions. Conclusions: Although people seem to adapt their helping intentions in response to some attributes, there seem to be many blind spots.
High‐Temperature Strain Localization and the Nucleation of Oceanic Core Complexes (16.5°N, Mid‐Atlantic Ridge)
Authors: Casini Leonardo , Maino Matteo , Sanfilippo Alessio , Ildefonse Benoit , Dick Henry J. B.
Published: August 2021

Extension at slow to ultraslow midoceanic ridges is mostly accommodated by large detachment faults that expose mantle peridotite and/or lower‐crustal rocks forming Oceanic Core Complexes (OCC). It is commonly accepted that OCC at slow spreading ridges form during the early stage of crystallization of the magmatic crust, when rocks are still close to their solidus temperature. This observation poses significant problems, as nucleation of detachment faults requires significant weakening, which instead is more easily obtained at low temperature. The RV Knorr cruise 210 Leg 5 on the 16.5°N OCC of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge recovered a narrow shear zone from the plutonic footwall of a mature detachment fault. Troctolites preserve a continuous transition from proto‐mylonite to mylonite and ultra‐mylonite equilibrated at temperature between 1100° and 900°C. EBSD analysis highlights increased phase mixing and weaker crystallographic fabrics in the ultra‐mylonite with respect the mylonitic domains. While host troctolites were completely solidified at the deformation incoming, high‐strain zones preserve evidences of syn‐kinematic melt‐related textures. Fabric patterns combined with plagioclase and olivine grain size piezometry and 1D rheological modeling indicate that the development of ultra‐mylonite requires a switch from dislocation creep to melt‐enhanced grain‐boundary sliding. Activation of this mechanism was promoted by the occurrence of hydrous melt possibly produced by selective re‐melting of plagioclase + Ti‐pargasite microdomains in response to strain localization at subseismic strain rates. This study highlights the importance of hydrated magmatic phases to promote the onset of detachment faulting in OCC.
Precise Orbit Determination for LEO Satellites With Ambiguity Resolution: Improvement and Comparison
Authors: Zhang Keke , Li Xingxing , Wu Jiaqi , Yuan Yongqiang , Li Xin , Zhang Xiaohong , Zhang Wei
Published: August 2021

Precise knowledge of orbit represents a fundamental requirement for the earth observing satellite missions to achieve their advanced objectives. The integer ambiguity resolution (IAR) has proved to be a key to utmost accuracy in space navigation. Generally, there are two typical IAR methods widely used in the orbit determination of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, the classical double‐difference (DD) IAR and new single‐difference (SD) IAR. Based on one‐year observations of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow‐On (GRACE‐FO) and Sentinel‐3 missions, this study is dedicated to a comprehensive analysis of the differences of the products used, implementation details and ambiguity fixing performance for different IAR methods in LEO precise orbit determination (POD), and discusses how these differences influence the orbit solutions. The results show that the orbit accuracy improvement contributed by the ambiguity fixing varies with the adopted IAR methods. SD IAR can contribute to a representative reduction of 1–4 mm in satellite laser ranging (SLR) residuals compared to the float solutions. The application of bias products from different analysis centers leads to marginal differences for the ambiguity fixing. For DD IAR method, the different ways to form the double‐difference ambiguity yield different performances in POD. The DD IAR of space‐ground baselines can achieve a comparable performance to SD IAR, while the benefit of ambiguity fixing is largely weakened when forming space‐space baseline. Furthermore, we also analyze the contribution of the ambiguity fixing to the accuracy and robustness of the kinematic orbit and discuss its great potential for the future applications.
Fiber-tip polymer clamped-beam probe for high-sensitivity nanoforce measurements
Authors: Zou Mengqiang , Liao Changrui , Liu Shen , Xiong Cong , Zhao Cong , Zhao Jinlai , Gan Zongsong , Chen Yanping , Yang Kaiming , Liu Dan , Wang Ying , Wang Yiping
Published: August 2021

Micromanipulation and biological, material science, and medical applications often require to control or measure the forces asserted on small objects. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the microprinting of a novel fiber-tip-polymer clamped-beam probe micro-force sensor for the examination of biological samples. The proposed sensor consists of two bases, a clamped beam, and a force-sensing probe, which were developed using a femtosecond-laser-induced two-photon polymerization (TPP) technique. Based on the finite element method (FEM), the static performance of the structure was simulated to provide the basis for the structural design. A miniature all-fiber micro-force sensor of this type exhibited an ultrahigh force sensitivity of 1.51 nm μN−1, a detection limit of 54.9 nN, and an unambiguous sensor measurement range of ~2.9 mN. The Young’s modulus of polydimethylsiloxane, a butterfly feeler, and human hair were successfully measured with the proposed sensor. To the best of our knowledge, this fiber sensor has the smallest force-detection limit in direct contact mode reported to date, comparable to that of an atomic force microscope (AFM). This approach opens new avenues towards the realization of small-footprint AFMs that could be easily adapted for use in outside specialized laboratories. As such, we believe that this device will be beneficial for high-precision biomedical and material science examination, and the proposed fabrication method provides a new route for the next generation of research on complex fiber-integrated polymer devices.