bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digitalization in Dental Prosthesis and Comparative Analysis of IOPA and RVG techniques for Tooth Measurements
Authors: Vikas Seema Chawla
Published: June 2021

The tooth height is mostly measured during root canal procedure. It is the most common reason for taking intra oral radiography during any procedure performance. Dental radiograph is also captured to find underlying cause of dental problems like peri-apical lesions, carries, bone defects, post procedure assessment of surgery or procedure done by dentist, etc. Intra oral radiograph also helps in gathering essential information of morphological bone status that helps to determine prognosis of treatment. Dental radiographs help in selecting the treatment plan, and determining the outcomes of different therapies. The study was aimed at evaluating the parametric measurements as got through radiovisiography (RVG) and conventional (intraoral periapical [IOPA] radiographs) for the determination of height of tooth, crownlength, root length, mesiodistal diameter at crown and mesio-distal diameter at tooth root. Radiographs of12 subjects (healthy patients) were taken by conventional methods as well as digital method, 5 standard points were selected on each tooth and dimensions of 3 tooth of each subjects were recorded in mm. Total 180 sites were recorded and result was compared with previous studies done on dogs and other animals. The results didn’t show any significant statistical parametric variations in measured values between conventional and digital radiographic methods. Hence, both IOPA radiograph as well as RVG can be used, but RVG provides good images with lots of colour changes in software in lesser time with good storage facility in computers as compared to conventional methods.
PRE-DETECTION OF FOOT ULCER FOR DIABETIC PATIENT USING THERMAL IMAGER
Authors: Priya Vishnu , Pamela D. , Geard Joe Nigel K. , Michael Prawin Angel
Published: June 2021

As per the statistics taken in the year 2020, a measurable audit shows that over 35% of the Indian population is influenced with foot ulcer. Foot ulcer is an issue looked by the greater part of the patient who have gone through diabetes mellitus (DM). Around 20% of the diabetes patients is influenced by foot ulcer, another 20% is affected by diabetic neuropathy, 30% patient are influenced with both the conditions. Generally the foot ulcer can be inspected with x-beams, bone output, MRI, CT, Bacterial culture of the ulcer, and even with blood tests. These methods are inspected by obtrusive method of estimations that will hurt the patient more. In order to reduce the discomfort during the interaction and furthermore for the early identification of this condition, this arrangement has been created. This pre-recognition measure is a non-intrusive method for estimation with the thermal imager. The temperature scope of ordinary foot is under 30 degree Celsius. It very well may be fluctuated (expanded) least of 2 degree Celsius for ulcered foot. These ulcered foot pictures has been procured with the assistance of thermal imager (AMG8833) and handled utilizing MATLAB and result is shown in a histogram. This histogram helps us to differentiate the typical and ulcered foot. The classification is done using neural network.
Classification of lung disorders based on lung sounds using deep learning
Authors: Joy Reshma P , Haider Nishi Shahnaj
Published: June 2021

Treatment of lung sicknesses, that are the 0.33 maximum not unusual place reason of demise within side the world, is of high-quality significance within side the clinical field. Many research the use of lung sounds recorded with stethoscope had been carried out within side the literature so as to diagnose the lung sicknesses with synthetic intelligence-well suited gadgets and to help the professionals of their diagnosis [5]. Lung sounds carry applicable records associated to pulmonary problems, and to assess sufferers with pulmonary conditions, the medical doctor or the medical doctor makes use of the conventional auscultation method. How-ever, this method suffers from limitations. For example, if the medical doctor is not properly trained, this will result in a incorrect diagnosis. Moreover, lung sounds are non-stationary, complicating the duties of analysis, popularity, and distinction. This is why growing computerized popularity structures can assist to address those limitations [1].Classification of lung sounds on the earliest may be very important to customize their treatment. In this project, the lung problems are categorized primarily based totally on the time, frequency in addition to photograph capabilities extracted from auscultatory datasets and categorized the use of deep gaining knowledge of method. The set of rules used is a Convolutional Neural Network the use of Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficient feature extraction.
Rheumatoid arthritis detection using image processing
Authors: Verghese Jenny Ann , Pamela D. , Michael Prawin Angel , Meenal R.
Published: June 2021

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) may be a general disease characterized by inflammation, discomfort, and tenderness of the joints and might involve additional body part organs in severe cases. Leading to increased vascular disorder in the zone of inflammatory tissue, joint autoimmune lesions are associated with elevated fever. The detection of RA usually involves blood sample tests. This thesis proposes a novel methodology of detection by processing the Xray images. This automated system requires clear Xray images, which after preprocessing and segmentation using Support Vector Machine implemented via MATLAB gives a clear classification about the abnormal and normal images. Different output parameters were used to assess separation tasks. The accuracy of the model section has improved to the use of an optimized SVM network. The proposed model was effective in accurately separating the samples.
Literature Review on Sleep APNEA Analysis by Machine Learning Algorithms Using ECG Signals
Authors: Ankitha V. , Manimegalai P. , Jose P. Subha Hency , Raji P.
Published: June 2021

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a respiratory disorder that impairs sleep quality by causing respiratory arrest. An irregular breath delay or decrease of airflow during sleep is the hallmark of the apnea syndrome. According to the literature, approximately 2% of middle-aged women and 4% of middle-aged men are affected. The disease is diagnosed by the physician in two steps. In the first stage, the physician reviews the medical records obtained using the polysomnography system. The disease is diagnosed in two stages by the physician, who examines the patient records taken with the polysomnography system in the first stage. New diagnostic processes and equipment are required as a result of the negative aspects of this procedure. The heart rate variable (HRV) and electrocardiography (ECG) signals are used, and ECG records from the patient and control groups are obtained. The optical filter was used to clean ECG signals and heart rate variables (HRV) from patient and control classes. After that, the ECG signal was used to calculate the HRV parameter. The HRV and ECG signals were then used to extract functionality. Reduced machine learning techniques, such as random forest, SVM, and the kNN feature selection process, were used to classify the extracted features. To evaluate the classifiers’ efficiency, the sensitivity and specificity values, as well as the accuracy rates for each class in the test set, were computed, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was developed. The method can be realized with Random forest, Support Vector Machine, and KNN, which have the best accuracy of 82.5 percent, 97 percent, and 89 percent, respectively, using 11 ECG and HRV features, according to the results. The system will work with these success rates. It is possible to implement a realistic sleep/awake detection method when all of these factors are taken into account. This means that using machine learning and signal processing methods, the ECG signal can be used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.
Optimization of Preparation Conditions for Nano Porous Catalytic Carbon From Post Consumer Poly Ethylene Terphthalate Bottles Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Abira Bright B , Suresh Kumar A , Vijayakumar Poornima , Princy J. , Livingston R.Jone
Published: June 2021

Using response surface techniques, this research proposes the best conditions for producing Nano porous catalytic carbon from post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The carbon yield and surface area of post-consumer PET-based AC is evaluated. The PET-based AC was rendered using a zinc chloride-based chemical activation technique (ZnCl2). The results of three preparation variables, including activation temperature, activation time, and chemical impregnation (ZnCl2:char) ratio, on both surface area and yield, were studied. To assess the impact of planning conditions on responses, the central composite design (CCD) method was used Quadratic models for surface area and yield were constructed using the CCD. The study of variance revealed the effects of the three main parameters, the properties of activated carbon, and the important factors on each experimental design reaction (ANOVA). Using a 5% impregnation ratio, a 1000°C activation temperature, and the best conditions for PET-based AC preparation were found to be at 60-minute activation time, yielding 1102.62 m2/g of surface area and a 16.218 % yield.
Predicting the effect of fiber orientations and boundary conditions on the optimal placement of PZT sensor on the composite structures
Authors: Samyal Rahul , Bagha Ashok Kumar , Bedi Raman , Bahl Shashi , Saxena Kuldeep K , Sehgal Shankar
Published: June 2021

In this paper, the modal-model of the composite structure is predicted and viewed to decide the optimal position of the PZT sensors on the composite structures. The novelty of this work is to systematically study the effect of fiber orientations and boundary conditions on the modal-model and the optimal location of the PZT sensors on the composite structures. The glass fibers are reinforced in a polyester matrix at different fiber orientations such as 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°. It is used for various engineering applications, especially in the aerospace and automobile sector, and it is very important to measure its dynamical response. The PZT patches can be embedded on the composite structures to measure their vibrational response. In this paper, ABAQUS software is used to build the finite element model of the PZT-composite structure. The composite structure is modeled with different boundary conditions. It is observed that the orientation of the fibers as well as the boundary condition directly put their effect on the modal-model of the composite structure and also on the selection of the optimal position of the PZT patches. It is found that the optimal position of the PZT directly depends upon the fiber orientation.
Wafer-scale, epitaxial growth of single layer hexagonal boron nitride on Pt(111)
Authors: Hemmi Adrian , Cun Huanyao , Brems Steven , Huyghebaert Cedric , Greber Thomas
Published: June 2021

Single-layer hexagonal boron nitride is produced on 2 inch Pt(111)/sapphire wafers. The growth with borazine vapor deposition at process temperatures between 1000 and 1300 K is in situ investigated by photoelectron yield measurements. The growth kinetics is slower at higher temperatures and follows a tanh2 law which better fits for higher temperatures. The crystal-quality of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)/Pt(111) is inferred from scanning low energy electron diffraction (x-y LEED). The data indicate a strong dependence of the epitaxy on the growth temperature. The dominant structure is an aligned coincidence lattice with 10 h-BN on 9 Pt(1 × 1) unit cells and follows the substrate twinning at the millimeter scale.
Error estimates at low regularity of splitting schemes for NLS
Authors: Ostermann Alexander , Rousset Frédéric , Schratz Katharina
Published: June 2021

We study a filtered Lie splitting scheme for the cubic nonlinear Schrödinger equation. We establish error estimates at low regularity by using discrete Bourgain spaces. This allows us to handle data in

H
s

H^s

with

0
>
s
>
1

0>s>1

overcoming the standard stability restriction to smooth Sobolev spaces with index

s
>
1

/

2

s>1/2

. More precisely, we prove convergence rates of order

τ

s

/

2

\tau ^{s/2}

in

L
2

L^2

at this level of regularity.
On a class of hypergeometric diagonals
Authors: Bostan Alin , Yurkevich Sergey
Published: June 2021

We prove that the diagonal of any finite product of algebraic functions of the form

(
1
−

x
1

−
⋯
−

x
n

)
R

,

R
∈

Q

,

\begin{align*} {(1-x_1- \dots -x_n)^R}, \qquad R\in \mathbb {Q}, \end{align*}

is a generalized hypergeometric function, and we provide an explicit description of its parameters. The particular case

(
1
−
x
−
y

)
R

/

(
1
−
x
−
y
−
z
)

(1-x-y)^R/(1-x-y-z)

corresponds to the main identity of Abdelaziz, Koutschan and Maillard in [J. Phys. A 53 (2020), 205201, 16 pp., §3.2]. Our result is useful in both directions: on the one hand it shows that Christol’s conjecture holds true for a large class of hypergeometric functions, on the other hand it allows for a very explicit and general viewpoint on the diagonals of algebraic functions of the type above. Finally, in contrast to the approach of Abdelaziz, Koutschan and Maillard, our proof is completely elementary and does not require any algorithmic help.
Bernoulli property for certain skew products over hyperbolic systems
Authors: Dong Changguang , Kanigowski Adam
Published: June 2021

We study the Bernoulli property for a class of partially hyperbolic systems arising from skew products. More precisely, we consider a hyperbolic map

(
T
,
M
,
μ
)

(T,M,\mu )

, where

μ
\mu

is a Gibbs measure, an aperiodic Hölder continuous cocycle

ϕ
:
M
→

R

\phi :M\to \mathbb {R}

with zero mean and a zero-entropy flow

(

K
t

,
N
,
ν
)

(K_t,N,\nu )

. We then study the skew product

T
ϕ

(
x
,
y
)
=
(
T
x
,

K

ϕ
(
x
)

y
)
,

\begin{equation*} T_\phi (x,y)=(Tx,K_{\phi (x)}y), \end{equation*}

acting on

(
M
×
N
,
μ
×
ν
)

(M\times N,\mu \times \nu )

. We show that if

(

K
t

)

(K_t)

is of slow growth and has good equidistribution properties, then

T
ϕ

T_\phi

remains Bernoulli. In particular, our main result applies to

(

K
t

)

(K_t)

being a typical translation flow on a surface of genus

≥
1

\geq 1

or a smooth reparametrization of isometric flows on

T

2

\mathbb {T}^2

. This provides examples of non-algebraic, partially hyperbolic systems which are Bernoulli and for which the center is non-isometric (in fact might be weakly mixing).
Barriers and potential solutions in the recruitment and retention of older patients in clinical trials—lessons learned from six large multicentre randomized controlled trials
Authors: Buttgereit Thomas , Palmowski Andriko , Forsat Noah , Boers Maarten , Witham Miles D , Rodondi Nicolas , Moutzouri Elisavet , Navidad Antonio Jesus Quesada , van’t Hof Arnoud W J , van der Worp Bart , Coll-Planas Laura , Voshaar Marieke , de Wit Maarten , da Silva José , Stegemann Sven , Bijlsma Johannes W , Koeller Marcus , Mooijaart Simon , Kearney Patricia M , Buttgereit Frank
Published: June 2021

Background

older people remain underrepresented in clinical trials, and evidence generated in younger populations cannot always be generalized to older patients.

Objective

to identify key barriers and to discuss solutions to specific issues affecting recruitment and retention of older participants in clinical trials based on experience gained from six current European randomised controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on older people.

Methods

a multidisciplinary group of experts including representatives of the six RCTs held two networking conferences and compiled lists of potential barriers and solutions. Every item was subsequently allocated points by each study team according to how important it was perceived to be for their RCTs.

Results

the six RCTs enrolled 7,612 older patients. Key barriers to recruitment were impaired health status, comorbidities and diverse health beliefs including priorities within different cultural systems. All trials had to increase the number of recruitment sites. Other measures felt to be effective included the provision of extra time, communication training for the study staff and a re-design of patient information. Key barriers for retention included the presence of severe comorbidities and the occurrence of adverse events. Long study duration, frequent study visits and difficulties accessing the study site were also mentioned. Solutions felt to be effective included spending more time maintaining close contact with the participants, appropriate measures to show appreciation and reimbursement of travel arrangements.

Conclusion

recruitment and retention of older patients in trials requires special recognition and a targeted approach. Our results provide scientifically-based practical recommendations for optimizing future studies in this population.
Long-term effect of a 24-week multicomponent intervention on physical performance and frailty in community-dwelling older adults
Authors: Oh Gahee , Lee Heayon , Park Chan Mi , Jung Hee-Won , Lee Eunju , Jang Il-Young , Guralnik Jack M , Kim Dae Hyun
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Multicomponent interventions improve physical function and frailty in older adults, but their long-term benefit remains uncertain.

Methods

This prospective non-randomised study was conducted in 383 older Koreans (mean age, 76.8 years; female 72.3%) who were living alone or receiving medical aid. Of these, 187 individuals chose to receive a 24-week intervention that consisted of group exercise, nutritional supplements, depression management, deprescribing and home hazard reduction. The remaining 196 individuals received usual care. We compared the short physical performance battery (SPPB) score (0–12 points), frailty phenotype scale (0–5 points) and deficit-accumulation frailty index (0–1) at baseline, 6, 18 and 30 months.

Results

After 1:1 propensity score matching (n = 117 per group), the mean SPPB scores for the intervention and comparison groups were 7.6 versus 7.6 at baseline, 10.7 versus 7.1 at 6 months (mean difference, 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.8–4.2), 9.1 versus 7.8 at 18 months (1.3; 95% CI, 0.6–2.0) and 8.6 versus 7.5 at 30 months (1.1; 95% CI, 0.4–1.8). The intervention group had lower frailty phenotype scale (1.1 versus 1.8; difference, −0.7; 95% CI −1.0 to −0.3) and frailty index (0.22 versus 0.27; difference, −0.04; −0.06 to −0.02) at 6 months, but similar scores at 18 and 30 months. The 30-month mean institutionalisation-free survival time was 28.5 months in the intervention group versus 23.3 months in the comparison group (difference, 5.2 months; 95% CI, 3.1–7.4).

Conclusions

The 24-week multicomponent intervention showed sustained improvement in physical function, temporary reduction in frailty and longer institutionalisation-free survival over 30 months.
ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings: Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacy operations—2020
Authors: Pedersen Craig A , Schneider Philip J , Ganio Michael C , Scheckelhoff Douglas J
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Results of the 2020 ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings pertaining to pharmacy operational changes implemented in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are presented.

Methods

Pharmacy directors at 1,437 general and children’s medical/surgical hospitals in the United States were surveyed using a mixed-mode method of contact by email and mail. Survey completion was online.

Results

The response rate was 18.7%. Seventy-three percent of hospitals implemented changes to hospital units, including 46% that increased intensive care unit bed capacity; 94% made changes to pharmacy supply chain acquisition, changes to products, and/or increased inventory. Staffing changes were implemented by 69% of hospitals, with the most common being staffing reductions (55%) and salary reductions (16%). Medication-use changes were implemented by 86% of hospitals, with treatment guidelines for COVID-19 treatment (79%) and opening compassionate use or investigational drug studies (55%) being the most common. Changes in sterile compounding processes were implemented by 84% of hospitals. Personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages led to 71% of hospitals modifying PPE use standards in sterile compounding. Eighty-seven percent of hospitals changed operational activities, such as changing medication return practices (56%), medication reconciliation processes (46%), intravenous medication recycling (38%), and discharge counseling (37%). Hospitals experienced shortages of many medications, including albuterol inhalers (60%), sedatives and anesthetic agents (58%), neuromuscular blockers (43%), corticosteroids (34%), cardiovascular agents (24%), investigational agents (24%), and dialysis solutions (6%).

Conclusion

The pharmacy profession responded to myriad threats to operations and patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
DUI: the drug use insights web server
Authors: Prince Zachary , Jha Deeptanshu , Singh Rahul
Published: June 2021

Motivation

Substance abuse constitutes one of the major contemporary health epidemics. Recently, the use of social media platforms has garnered interest as a novel source of data for drug addiction epidemiology. Often however, the language used in such forums comprises slang and jargon. Currently, there are no publicly available resources to automatically analyze the esoteric language-use in the social media drug-use sub-culture. This lacunae introduces critical challenges for interpreting, sensemaking and modeling of addiction epidemiology using social media.

Results

Drug-Use Insights (DUI) is a public and open-source web application to address the aforementioned deficiency. DUI is underlined by a hierarchical taxonomy encompassing 108 different addiction related categories consisting of over 9000 terms, where each category encompasses a set of semantically related terms. These categories and terms were established by utilizing thematic analysis in conjunction with term embeddings generated from 7 472 545 Reddit posts made by 1 402 017 redditors. Given post(s) from social media forums such as Reddit and Twitter, DUI can be used foremost to identify constituent terms related to drug use. Furthermore, the DUI categories and integrated visualization tools can be leveraged for semantic- and exploratory analysis. To the best of our knowledge, DUI utilizes the largest number of substance use and recovery social media posts used in a study and represents the first significant online taxonomy of drug abuse terminology.

Availability and implementation

The DUI web server and source code are available at: http://haddock9.sfsu.edu/insight/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Semi-exact control functionals from Sard’s method
Authors: South L F , Karvonen T , Nemeth C , Girolami M , Oates C J
Published: June 2021

A novel control variate technique is proposed for the post-processing of Markov chain Monte Carlo output, based on both Stein’s method and an approach to numerical integration due to Sard. The resulting estimators of posterior expected quantities of interest are proven to be polynomially exact in the Gaussian context, while empirical results suggest that the estimators approximate a Gaussian cubature method near the Bernstein–von Mises limit. The main theoretical result establishes a bias-correction property in settings where the Markov chain does not leave the posterior invariant. Empirical results across a selection of Bayesian inference tasks are presented.
The utility of remote patient management in peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Yeter Haci Hasan , Manani Sabrina Milan , Ronco Claudio
Published: June 2021

Remote patient management (RPM) programs are one of the most crucial innovations in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) field that have been developed in the last decade. RPM programs are associated with favourable clinical outcomes by increasing the adherence of the patients to PD prescription. The literature supports that RPM is associated with increased blood pressure control and technique survival, and decreased hospitalization rate, length of hospital stay and health costs. RPM programs also facilitate patient follow-up during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, increase treatment adherence and lead to better clinical outcomes. However, published data remain scarce and mainly consist of observational or retrospective studies with relatively low numbers of patients. Therefore, randomized controlled trial results will be more informative to demonstrate the effect of RPM programs on clinical outcomes.
Culprit site extracellular DNA and microvascular obstruction in ST-elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Mangold Andreas , Ondracek Anna S , Hofbauer Thomas M , Scherz Thomas , Artner Tyler , Panagiotides Noel , Beitzke Dietrich , Ruzicka Gerhard , Nistler Sonja , Wohlschläger-Krenn Evelyne , Winker Robert , Quehenberger Peter , Traxler-Weidenauer Denise , Spannbauer Andreas , Gyöngyösi Mariann , Testori Christoph , Lang Irene M
Published: June 2021

Aims

Extracellular chromatin and deoxyribonuclease (DNase) have been identified as important players of thrombosis, inflammation, and homeostasis in a murine model. We previously demonstrated that activated neutrophils release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) at the culprit site in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), which significantly contribute to extracellular chromatin burden, and are associated with larger infarcts. To understand the correlation between neutrophil activation, extracellular chromatin, and infarct size (IS), we investigated these parameters in a porcine myocardial infarction model, and at different time points and sites in a prospective STEMI trial with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) endpoints.

Methods and results

In a prospective STEMI trial (NCT01777750), 101 STEMI patients were included and blood samples were obtained from first medical contact until 6 months after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) including direct sampling from the culprit site. CMR was performed 4 ± 2 days and 6 months after pPCI. Neutrophil counts, markers of extracellular chromatin, and inflammation were measured. Double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (dsDNA), citrullinated histone 3, nucleosomes, myeloperoxidase, neutrophil elastase, and interleukin (IL)-6 were significantly increased, while DNase activity was significantly decreased at the culprit site in STEMI patients. High neutrophil counts and dsDNA levels at the culprit site correlated with high microvascular obstruction (MVO) and low ejection fraction (EF). High DNase activity at the culprit site correlated with low MVO and high EF. In correspondence, dsDNA correlated with IS in the porcine myocardial infarction model. In porcine infarcts, neutrophils and extracellular chromatin were detected in congested small arteries corresponding with MVO. Markers of neutrophil activation, extracellular chromatin, DNase activity and CMR measurements correlated with markers of systemic inflammation C-reactive protein and IL-6 in patients.

Conclusions

NETs and extracellular chromatin are important determinants of MVO in STEMI. Rapid degradation of extracellular chromatin by DNases appears to be crucial for microvascular patency and outcome.
Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly of the Resurrection Plant Acanthochlamys bracteata (Velloziaceae)
Authors: Gao Zhi-Yuan , Li Zhang-Hai , Lin Dong-Liang , Jin Xiao-Hua
Published: June 2021

Acanthochlamys bracteata (Velloziaceae) is a resurrection plant with cold tolerance. Herein, a chromosome-level reference genome of A. bracteata based on Nanopore, Illumina, and Hi-C data is reported. The high-quality assembled genome was 197.97 Mb, with a scaffold N50 value of 8.64 Mb and a contig N50 value of 6.96 Mb. We annotated 23,509 protein-coding genes. Eight contracted gene families and three expanded gene families were detected. Repeat sequences accounted for approximately 28.63% of the genome. The LEA1 and Dehydrin gene families, which are involved in desiccation resistance, expanded in A. bracteata. We identified genes involved in chilling tolerance, COLD1.
Unmet Expectations About Work at Age 62 and Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Abrams Leah R , Clarke Philippa J , Mehta Neil K
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Exiting the labor force earlier or later than planned is common, with predictable economic consequences. However, the mental health ramifications of such off-time events are not known but are important to promoting well-being in retirement.

Methods

Using the Health and Retirement Study (1992–2016), we created 6 groups based on the alignment of expectations about full-time work at age 62 (reported at ages 51–61) with realized labor force status after reaching age 62 (N = 10,421). Negative binomial models estimated the adjusted association between unmet expectations about work and depressive symptoms.

Results

Unexpectedly not working was associated with higher depressive symptoms than working as expected after adjusting for sociodemographic, economic, and health factors at the time of expectations (incidence rate ratio = 1.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.17–1.56). Additionally, adjusting for health declines and marriage dissolution between expectations and age 62 partially attenuated the association, but unexpectedly not working remained significantly associated with a 1.16 increase in the incidence rate of depressive symptoms. Unexpectedly working at 62 was not associated with depressive symptoms. Race/ethnicity interacted with expectation alignment (F(15,42) = 2.44, p = .0118) in that Hispanic respondents experienced an increase in depressive symptoms when working after unmet and unsure expectations compared to met expectations, whereas White respondents did not.

Discussion

Unlike working longer than expected, unexpectedly not working at age 62 was associated with depressive symptoms, even after accounting for health declines. Public and employer policies should assist workers in remaining in the labor force as long as planned and offer mental health supports for unexpected work exits.
A Controlled Pilot Study of the Wish Outcome Obstacle Plan Strategy for Spouses of Persons With Early-Stage Dementia
Authors: Monin Joan K , Oettingen Gabriele , Laws Holly , David Daniel , DeMatteo Lyndsay , Marottoli Richard
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Behavioral interventions can reduce distress for couples coping with early-stage dementia. However, most interventions are limited in accessibility and fail to address individualized goals. This pilot study examined the dyadic effects on multiple indicators of well-being of the Wish Outcome Obstacle Plan (WOOP) intervention, which guides participants to use Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions to achieve attainable goals in their daily lives.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial included 45 older persons with early-stage dementia (PWD) and their spousal care partners (CPs: n = 90 individuals). CPs were assigned randomly to WOOP training immediately after baseline (WOOP) or after a 3-month follow-up interview (Control; CON). Both groups received a dementia care education booklet. WOOP CPs were instructed to practice WOOP at least once a day for 2 weeks. All CPs and PWDs completed home surveys (baseline, 2 weeks, and 3 months), measuring perceived stress, depressive symptoms, quality of life, and affect.

Results

Mixed-effects models showed significant intervention × time interaction effects with large effect sizes for CPs on three of the five outcomes over 3 months. Compared with CON, WOOP CPs had decreased perceived stress (δ = 1.71) and increased quality of life (δ = 1.55) and positive affect (δ = 2.30). WOOP PWD showed decreased perceived stress (δ = 0.87) and increased quality of life (δ = 1.26), but these effects were not statistically significant.

Discussion

WOOP is a promising, brief intervention to improve dementia CPs’ well-being that may also positively affect their partners with dementia.
A Single Method for 127 Recommended and Additional DUID Drugs in Blood and Urine by LC–MS-MS
Authors: Farley Megan , Tran Helena , Towler Steven , Gevorkyan Jirair , Pearring Sue , Rodda Luke N
Published: June 2021

Driving under the influence of drug (DUID) cases continue to challenge forensic toxicologists as both the volume and complexity of casework increases. Comprehensive DUID testing should also meet the drafted Academy Standards Board (ASB)/ American National Standard Institute (ANSI) standard and the National Safety Council’s Alcohol, Drugs and Impairment Division (NSC-ADID) recommendations. A simple method using protein precipitation followed by filtration extraction with an 8 minute run time by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS) was developed, and a comprehensive ASB/ANSI validation was performed. Target drugs and metabolites were quantitatively assessed in blood and qualitatively assessed in urine. Included were 127 target analytes including cannabinoids (12), amphetamines (11), cocaine and metabolites (6), benzodiazepines (36), Z-drugs (5), opioids (27), anticonvulsants (3), first-generation antihistamines (6), muscle relaxants (2), dissociatives and hallucinogens (6), barbiturates (10), and miscellaneous substances (3). Limits of detection are appropriate for DUID and other forensic casework such as drug-facilitated crime (DFC) and postmortem investigations. To demonstrate applicability, 78 proficiency test blood and urine samples and 1,645 blood and urine samples from authentic cases samples demonstrated effective detection of target analytes in forensic casework. By increasing the analytical scope of multiple drug classes via a single method, this technique detects drugs that may have previously gone undetected, such as flualprazolam, etizolam, mitragynine, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid and psilocin and improves laboratory efficiency by reducing the number of tests required. The described method is, to the authors’ best knowledge, the only published single procedure to meet all drugs listed in the drafted ASB/ANSI standard and recommended Tier 1 and traditional drugs from Tier 2 for DUID screening, while also achieving many drug scope and sensitivity recommendations for DFC and postmortem testing.
The case of ‘A Rhino Horn’: case report and proposal for modification to the Hetsroni and Kelly classification
Authors: Marín-Pena Oliver , Ayeni Olufemi R , Tey-Pons Marc , Mas-Martinez Jesús , Dantas Pedro , Khanduja Vikas
Published: June 2021

Subspine impingement syndrome by definition involves a prominent antero-inferior iliac spine (AIIS) which can lead to impingement on the femoral neck thereby causing symptoms. We present the case of a 22-year-old semi-professional athlete who presented with a Type III AIIS morphology leading to subspine impingement syndrome and was managed via a mini open anterior approach. Radiological examination revealed a fairly prominent left AIIS resembling the ‘horn of a rhino’ extending to the trochanteric region anteriorly. A mini-anterior surgical approach was utilized for the resection of the ‘rhino horn’ and the rectus femoris was reattached. The patient remained asymptomatic at the one-year follow-up and had resumed weightlifting. Following this case, we propose a new classification of the type III AIIS morphology in view of the clinical presentation. The AIIS type III-Standard represents an extension from the acetabular rim to less than 1 cm (type III-S) and type III-Large, with an extension from the acetabular rim beyond 1 cm (type III-L). The type III-L will further be divided into two groups based on its relation to the ilium, type III-Lr (‘rib shape’) and type III-Lrh (‘rhino horn’).
Democratizing the Senate from Within
Authors: Gould Jonathan S , Shepsle Kenneth A , Stephenson Matthew C
Published: June 2021

This article proposes that the U.S. Senate adopt a “popular-majoritarian cloture rule,” under which a motion to close debate and proceed to a final vote would carry if but only if supported by a majority of Senators who collectively represent a larger share of the population than those Senators in opposition. This rule, which would be a constitutional exercise of the Senate’s power to set the rules of its proceedings, would make the body more democratic and more functional, and would be preferable both to the current filibuster rule and to simple majority rule.
Seasonal fires shape the germinable soil seed bank community in eastern Mediterranean woodlands
Authors: Manela Neta , Shemesh Hagai , Osem Yagil , Carmel Yohay , Soref Chanoch , Tsafrir Anat , Ovadia Ofer
Published: June 2021

We explored if and how seasonal fires interact with microhabitat type (i.e. under Pistacia shrub, under Cistus shrub or a canopy gap) to influence the composition of the germinable soil seed bank (GSSB) community in a typical eastern Mediterranean woodland. We conducted a field experiment, involving prescribed spring and autumn burns, and thereafter quantified the seed germination patterns using soil samples collected from both burned and adjacent unburned control plots. Soil temperature was significantly higher during autumn burns, while being more variable during spring burns. Fire caused overall reductions in GSSB density, richness and diversity. The reductions in GSSB richness and diversity were significantly stronger under Pistacia and Cistus shrubs located within plots subjected to autumn burns, and these patterns were mainly evident among annuals. GSSB density of dwarf shrubs was higher in samples collected from burned plots, and this pattern was more pronounced in samples collected under Pistacia and Cistus shrubs. Together with the appearance of unique species, seasonal fires led to significant changes in the composition of the GSSB community. Our results illustrate that seasonal fires interact with spatial heterogeneity to influence the composition of the GSSB community mostly via differential effects on the germination densities of annuals and dwarf shrubs. These findings imply that the increase in the frequency of seasonal fires, which has occurred in the eastern Mediterranean basin during the last few decades, may translate into a shift in eco-evolutionary selection pressures, operating on plants inhabiting this unique ecosystem.
Rumors, Pescado Podrido and Disinformation in Interwar Argentina
Authors: Ablard Jonathan D , Bohoslavsky Ernesto
Published: June 2021

This article identifies how and why Argentine political rumors were created, spread, and legitimized by government officials, military officers and the press in the interwar years. In that period, the practice of what we now call “fake news”—known as pescado podrido (rotten fish) in Argentina for it poisons the one who hears or repeats it—became more common and took on international proportions. In Argentina, a variety of forces drove the increase in disinformation, including political instability, the rising (and later the banning) of the majoritarian Radical Party, elite anxiety about the threat of communism, and a long-lasting nationalist fear about the integrity of borders. Authorities and right-wing politicians were inclined to see any anti-government actions as linked to international communism and, in some cases, imaginary Jewish conspiracies. The article offers two case studies: One refers to the anti-Radical Party rumors, especially those spread in the days immediately before and after the coup d’état in 1930; and the other to a more generalized atmosphere of anti-communist inspired rumors and fake news in the interwar period. This article is based on research in government archives and newspaper collections in Patagonian cities, Buenos Aires, and Washington, D.C. Argentine official sources included records from the Ministry of the Interior, the Gobernación del Neuquén, President Agustín P. Justo’s papers and recently declassified army and navy documents.
Homeowner preferences drive lawn care practices and species diversity patterns in new lawn floras
Authors: Fuentes Tracy L
Published: June 2021

Households intensively manage lawns to create uniformly green, low diversity plant communities. Because lawns occupy a large proportion of urban green space, they are a crucial case for understanding how people manipulate urban vegetation. In this study, I focused on 58 homeowners who purchased a newly constructed home and yard in the Seattle Metropolitan Statistical Area, USA, to see how preferences, lawn care regimes and new lawn floras develop within a multi-scalar urban environment. A typical homeowner watered 3 times in spring, watered 24 times in summer, applied fertilizer twice, mowed 21 times and edged 15 times. Most new lawn turfgrasses were Lolium perenne, Poa pratensis and/or Festuca spp. Mean species richness was 6.5 ± 5.3 species. The most frequent species were non-native and cosmopolitan (turfgrasses, Hypochaeris radicata, Taraxacum officinale and Trifolium repens). Five variables increased the probability of homeowners managing their lawns as turfgrass monocultures: living in a neighborhood with larger yards, summer watering frequency, fertilizer frequency, valuing space for children and valuing wildlife habitat. Valuing an easy to manage yard decreased the turfgrass monoculture probability. In polyculture yards, having a larger lawn was positively correlated with non-turfgrass species richness, but elevation was negatively correlated. Homeowners who valued space for children appeared to have more intensive lawn care regimes than those who valued wildlife habitat or easy to manage yards. Although lawn floras result from complex interactions of the environment and households, urban characteristics appeared to be weaker drivers of diversity than homeowner preferences and lawn care.
The Discourse on Customary International Law
Authors: d'Aspremont Jean
Published: June 2021

This book argues that it does not suffice to simply invoke and demonstrate the two constitutive elements of customary international law, practice and opinion juris, to successfully and plausibly make a claim under the doctrine of customary international law. Behind what may look like a very crude dualist type of legal reasoning, a fine variety of discursive constructions are at work. By unpacking these discursive constructions, the book depicts the discursive splendour of customary international law. It reviews eight discursive performances at work in the discourse on customary international law and makes a number of original and provocative claims about this aspect of law. For example, the book claims that customary international law is not the surviving trace of an ancient law-making mechanism that used to be found in traditional societies. Indeed, as is shown throughout, the splendour of customary international law is everything but ancient. In fact, there is hardly any doctrine of international law that contains so many of the features of modern thinking. The book also puts forward the idea that all discursive performances of customary international law are shaped by texts, are articulated around texts, echo and continue pre-existing texts, unfold in a textual space, or, more simply, originate in a text-constituted environment.
The Enabling Constraint
Authors: d'Aspremont Jean
Published: June 2021

This chapter recounts the rise, consolidation, and fluctuation of the enabling constraint of the discourse on customary international law. It sets the stage for the discussion of the discursive performances that enabling constraint has prompted in international legal thought and practice. It also talks about the distinction between the two elements of customary international law: practice and opinio juris, which corresponds to a form of dualist thinking that came to thrive with modernity. The chapter describes dualist thinking about customary international law as a constraint that was formalized in the middle of the 20th century and that does not necessarily correspond to any ancient mode of thinking about customary international law. It shows that the dualist approach to the identification of customary international law has undergone a few variations over the last hundred years but uncontested in international legal thought and practice.
The Practicians
Authors: d'Aspremont Jean
Published: June 2021

This chapter reviews the dominant approach in which customary international law gets in validity, its legality, its consistency, and its factuality from practice and opinio juris. It investigates the presumptive character of the moment where practice and opinio juris coalesce and generate customary international law, which must be ascribed a genitor. It also emphasizes that as long as practice and opinio juris have a sufficient number of genitors, they can be conducive to the formation of customary international law. The chapter talks about practicians as the genitors of the practice which customary international law must emanate from, such as those that produce the actual behaviours (practice sensu stricto) and the beliefs (opinio juris) that are generative of customary international law. It outlines the determination of the practicians of customary international law as a discursive performance that is commonly and repeatedly witnessed in debates about customary international law.
Singling out modified gravity parameters and data sets reveals a dichotomy between Planck and lensing
Authors: Garcia-Quintero Cristhian , Ishak Mustapha
Published: June 2021

An important route to testing general relativity (GR) at cosmological scales is usually done by constraining modified gravity (MG) parameters added to the Einstein perturbed equations. Most studies have analysed so far constraints on pairs of MG parameters, but here, we explore constraints on one parameter at a time while fixing the other at its GR value. This allows us to analyse various models while benefiting from a stronger constraining power from the data. We also explore which specific data sets are in tension with GR. We find that models with (μ = 1, η) and (μ, η = 1) exhibit a 3.9σ and 3.8σ departure from GR when using Planck18 + Supernovae type Ia (SNe) + Baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO), while (μ, η) shows a tension of 3.4σ. We find no tension with GR for models with the MG parameter Σ fixed to its GR value. Using a Bayesian model selection analysis, we find that some one-parameter MG models are moderately favoured over ΛCDM when using all data set combinations except Planck cosmic microwave background lensing and dark energy survey data. Namely, Planck18 shows a moderate tension with GR that only increases when adding any combination of redshift space distortion, SNe, or BAO. However, adding lensing diminishes or removes these tensions, which can be attributed to the ability of lensing in constraining the MG parameter Σ. The two overall groups of data sets are found to have a dichotomy when performing consistency tests with GR, which may be due to systematic effects, lack of constraining power, or modelling. These findings warrant further investigation using more precise data from ongoing and future surveys.
Secular resonance of inner test particles in hierarchical planetary systems
Authors: Lei Hanlun
Published: June 2021

This work studies the secular resonance associated with the critical argument σ = ϖ (ϖ is the longitude of pericentre) for inner test particles moving in low-eccentricity region with inclination i smaller than 39°. To formulate the dynamical model, the double-averaged Hamiltonian is formulated up to an arbitrary order in the semimajor axial ratio, and then those high-order periodic terms are removed from the double-averaged Hamiltonian by means of Hori–Deprit transformation technique. The resulting Hamiltonian determines a resonant model with a single degree of freedom. Based on the resonant model, it becomes possible to explore the phase-space structure, resonant centre, and resonant width in an analytical manner. In particular, an excellent correspondence is found between the resonant width in terms of the eccentricity variation and the maximum variation of eccentricity (Δe) for test particles initially placed on quasi-circular orbits. It means that the secular dynamics in the low-eccentricity space with i < 39° is dominantly governed by the secular resonance associated with σ = ϖ.