bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metal-ligand bonding in bispidine chelate complexes for radiopharmaceutical applications
Authors: Kovács Attila
Published: March 2022

The complexes of selected radionuclides relevant for nuclear medicine (InIII, BiIII, LuIII, AcIIIand in addition LaIIIfor comparative purposes) with the octadentate (6,6′-((9-hydroxy-1,5-bis(methoxycarbonyl)-2,4-di(pyridin-2-yl)-3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-3,7-diyl)bis(methylene))dipicolinic acid) ligand, H2bispa2, have been studied by density functional theory calculations modelling both isolated and aqueous solution conditions. The properties in focus are the encapsulation efficiency of the ligand for the different-size metals (M), the differences in bonding with the various MIIIions analysed using Bader’s atoms in molecules theory and the possibility and characteristics of nona- and decacoordination by H2O ligands. The computed results confirmed strong steric effects in the case of the In complex excluding higher than octacoordination. The studied properties depend strongly on the interplay of the sizes and electronic structures of the MIIIions. The computations support high stability of the complexes in aqueous solution, where also the solvation energies of the MIIIions (as dissociation products) play a significant role.
NMR Relaxation Modelling in Porous Media with Dual-Scale-Resolved Internal Magnetic Fields
Authors: Cui Yingzhi , Shikhov Igor , Arns Christoph H.
Published: March 2022

A pore-scale forward modelling approach for NMR relaxation responses of sandstones incorporating their dual-scale nature is presented. The approach utilises X-ray micro-CT images to capture inter-granular porosity and scanning electron microscopy images to reconstruct clay regions via a resolved clay micro-structure model. A key to calculating the NMR response with resolved clay micro-structure is the development of a dual-scale internal magnetic field calculation. This is achieved by a separation of near- and far-field effects in a dipole approximation of the internal field with periodic clay micro-structures, the latter of which take local clay pocket porosity into account. Tri-linear interpolation of the micro-CT image before calculation of the internal magnetic field further reduces errors in the transition regions between coarse- and fine-scale structure, with final discretisation level matching the fine-scale clay micro-structure model across the whole domain. The method is validated against direct calculations of model media at full resolution and applied to Bentheimer sandstone. Measured and simulated NMR $$T_2$$

T
2

relaxation responses, including relaxation time distribution shape, are in excellent agreement and distributions of internal magnetic field gradients at the highest spatial resolution as well as diffusion-averaged effective gradients are reported.
Systematic literature review of applications and usage potentials for the combination of unmanned aerial vehicles and mobile robot manipulators in production systems
Authors: Sinnemann Jannis , Boshoff Marius , Dyrska Raphael , Leonow Sebastian , Mönnigmann Martin , Kuhlenkötter Bernd
Published: March 2022

The cooperation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Mobile Robot Manipulators (MRMs) offers enormous possibilities to modern industry. It paves the way for logistics, cooperative assembling or manipulation and will provide even more flexibility and autonomy to today’s manufacturing processes. Currently, some systematic literature reviews exist that provide an overview on research fields and gaps in the field of UAVs and MRMs. However, an investigation of the research landscape for combined use of UAVs and MRMs does not exist to the best of the authors’ knowledge. Therefore, in this paper, a systematic review of the current research landscape for the combined use of UAV and MRM is conducted to finally identify fields of action that need to be addressed in the future to harness the full potential.
On the Modeling and Simulation of Variable-Length Pendulum Systems: A Review
Authors: Yakubu Godiya , Olejnik Paweł , Awrejcewicz Jan
Published: March 2022

A comprehensive review of variable-length pendulums is presented. An attempt at a unique evaluation of current trends in this field is carried out in accordance with mathematical modeling, dynamical analysis, and original computer simulations. Perspectives of future trends are also noted on the basis of various concepts and possible theoretical and engineering applications. Some important physical concepts are verified using dedicated numerical procedures and assessed based on dynamical analysis. At the end of the review, it is concluded that many variable-length pendulums are very demanding in the modeling and analysis of parametric dynamical systems, but basic knowledge about constant-length pendulums can be used as a good starting point in providing much accurate mathematical description of physical processes. Finally, an extended model for a variable-length pendulum’s mechanical application being derived from the Swinging Atwood Machine is proposed. The extended SAM presents a novel SAM concept being derived from a variable-length double pendulum with a suspension between the two pendulums. The results of original numerical simulations show that the extended SAM’s nonlinear dynamics presented in the current work can be thoroughly studied, and more modifications can be achieved. The new technique can reduce residual vibrations through damping when the desired level of the crane is reached. It can also be applied in simple mechatronic and robotic systems.
The reporting standards of randomised controlled trials in leading medical journals between 2019 and 2020: a systematic review
Authors: McErlean Mairead , Samways Jack , Godolphin Peter J. , Chen Yang
Published: March 2022

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard study design used to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of healthcare interventions. The reporting quality of RCTs is of fundamental importance for readers to appropriately analyse and understand the design and results of studies which are often labelled as practice changing papers. The aim of this article is to assess the reporting standards of a representative sample of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2019 and 2020 in four of the highest impact factor general medical journals. A systematic review of the electronic database Medline was conducted. Eligible RCTs included those published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Journal of the American Medical Association, and British Medical Journal between January 1, 2019, and June 9, 2020. The study protocol was registered on medRxiv (https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.06.20147074). Of a total eligible sample of 497 studies, 50 full-text RCTs were reviewed against the CONSORT 2010 statement and relevant extensions where necessary. The mean adherence to the CONSORT checklist was 90% (SD 9%). There were specific items on the CONSORT checklist which had recurring suboptimal adherence, including in title (item 1a, 70% adherence), randomisation (items 9 and 10, 56% and 30% adherence) and outcomes and estimation (item 17b, 62% adherence). Amongst a sample of RCTs published in four of the highest impact factor general medical journals, there was good overall adherence to the CONSORT 2010 statement. However there remains significant room for improvement in areas such as description of allocation concealment and implementation of randomisation.
Development and Optimization of an HPLC-PDA Method for the Determination of Major Cannabinoids in Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Essential Oil Obtained by Hydrodistillation
Authors: Piani Barbara , Ferfuia Claudio , Bortolomeazzi Renzo , Verardo Giancarlo , Baldini Mario
Published: March 2022

The use of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) essential oil (EO) has shown a significant increase in interest and use during recent years. In this work, a new and simple reversed-phase HPLC with photodiode-array (PDA) detector method has been developed and optimized for the detection and quantification of cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). The cannabinoids were extracted from the EO by partition with n-hexane and water, followed by sonication, evaporation to dryness under nitrogen, and reconstitution with methanol:chloroform (9:1, v/v) before HPLC-PDA analysis. The method shows good selectivity and robustness, linearity in the range 0.5–100 mg L−1 with R2 higher than 0.999 for all cannabinoids analyzed, LOD of 0.11–0.16 mg L−1, and LOQ of 0.35–0.48 mg L−1. The recovery was between 78 and 100% and the intra-day and intermediate precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), was < 4% and 4–10%, respectively.
The Dynamics of Multidimensional Poverty in a Cohort of Irish Children
Authors: Madden David
Published: March 2022

This paper examines multidimensional poverty for three waves of a cohort of Irish children ranging from ages 9 to 17. Poverty is measured over the dimensions of health, education and family resources and both unidimensional and multidimensional poverty is examined. Both show a clear gradient with respect to maternal education. The dynamics of both unidimensional and multidimensional poverty are also analysed. The greatest degree of mobility is observed with respect to family resources. Mobility also is higher for children whose mothers have lower levels of education, with net movements into rather than out of poverty.
Electrical, Thermal, and Mechanical Characterization of Hot Coined Carbon Fiber Reinforced Pure Aluminium Composites
Authors: Eid Mostafa , Kaytbay Saleh , El-Assal Ahmed , Elkady Omayma
Published: March 2022

Poor interfacial structure and severe agglomerations of carbon fiber (CF) are significant problems that face carbon fiber reinforced aluminium (CF/Al) composites. Thus, CF was surface modified with nano copper particles (Cu) to overcome these problems. Two groups of CF/Al composites (uncoated and coated) at different weight percentages of reinforcement (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20) were fabricated using the planetary ball milling method and then uniaxially hot coined at 550 ℃ under 700 MPa. The results showed that CF refined the crystallite size of the Al matrix, and no $${\mathrm{Al}}_{4}{\mathrm{C}}_{3}$$

Al
4

C
3

or $${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}\mathrm{Cu}$$

Al
2

Cu

were detected in XRD patterns. The density and thermal expansion of composites reduced with increasing CF percentage in all samples. The electrical and thermal conductivities are improved up to 10 wt% of uncoated reinforcement and 15 wt% of coated one. The mechanical test results revealed that by increasing CF, the compressive strength of composites decreased while the wear properties improved for both groups. Cu deposition on CF improved the bonding between reinforcement and matrix, producing composites with better interfacial bonding, fewer agglomerations and porosity, and higher values of the properties of the composites.

Graphic Abstract

Preparation and characterization of carbon fiber reinforced aluminium composites by hot coining technique
Vulnerability Conditions in a Cohort of Men Who Have Sex with Men Who Engage in Chemsex in Barcelona City: a Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: De La Mora Lorena , Laguno Montserrat , De Lazzari Elisa , Ugarte Ainoa , Leal Lorna , Torres Berta , González-Cordón Ana , Inciarte Alexy , Ambrosioni Juan , Escalante Zoraida , Rodriguez Ana , Martinez Esteban , Blanco José L. , Blanch Jordi , Miquel Laia , Bosch Jordi , Short Duncan , Mallolas Josep , Martinez-Rebollar Maria
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Chemsex is a dynamic phenomenon with cultural variation. There is limited information about its prevalence and specific characteristics in our geographical area.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study of a series of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) who engaged in chemsex and were attending the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain, between March 2018 and May 2019, we aimed to identify potential vulnerabilities and describe the profiles of individuals who engaged in chemsex in our site. Baseline clinical and epidemiological characteristics related to HIV, HCV, STIs, sexual practices, and drug consumption were evaluated. A sub-analysis considering vulnerability conditions was completed.

Results

We included 161 participants: 67% were migrants and 48% were Latin American. A total of 150 participants were people living with HIV (PLWH), and 13% had a detectable HIV viral load (VL). The prevalence of HCV infection was 37%. Slamming practice was reported by 20% of the participants. Migrants from Latin America were younger, had a lower percentage of university education, and more frequently had detectable HIV-VLs and syphilis. HCV-positive participants reported more injecting drug use, versatile fisting practices, and syphilis. Slam users consumed more methamphetamine and mephedrone, had significantly higher HIV-VLs when detectable, and reported less sober sex.

Conclusion and Policy Implications

We identified certain baseline characteristics of our chemsex cohort that may confer a profile of greater vulnerability, which must be addressed in a personalized way when attempting damage reduction and a global approach to the practice of chemsex at our site. Access to specialized and interdisciplinary services with cultural competence in the complexity of the phenomenon should be guaranteed to these individuals for better management.
Postsurgical complications after robot-assisted transaxillary thyroidectomy: critical analysis of a large cohort of European patients
Authors: Rossi Leonardo , Buoni Valentina , Fregoli Lorenzo , Papini Piermarco , De Palma Andrea , Materazzi Gabriele
Published: March 2022

In the last decade, robot-assisted trans-axillary thyroidectomy has spread rapidly and has been proven to be a safe and effective procedure. However, several case series have reported new complications that have led to criticism regarding this approach. This study analyzed the incidence of complications in a large cohort of European patients. We enrolled all patients who underwent robot-assisted trans-axillary thyroidectomy from 2012 to 2020 at the University Hospital of Pisa Department of Endocrine Surgery. We analyzed complications and divided them into 2 groups. Group A included conventional complications, such as transient or permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, transient or permanent hypocalcemia, hemorrhage, and tracheal injury. Group B included unconventional complications, such as brachial plexus palsy, track seeding, seroma, great vessels injury, and skin flap perforation. There were 31 postsurgical complications (5.7%). Group A included 25 complications (4.6%): transient and permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurred in 7 patients (1.3%) and in 1 (0.2%), respectively; transient and permanent hypocalcemia occurred in 9 patients (1.7%) and in 1 (0.2%), respectively. Postoperative bleeding occurred in 6 patients (1.1%) and tracheal injury in 1 (0.2%). Group B included 6 complications (1.1%): 1 patient with brachial plexus injury (0.2%), 1 with track seeding (0.2%), and 4 with seroma (0.7%). Robotic trans-axillary thyroidectomy is a safe approach with a risk of postoperative complications comparable to the conventional technique. Almost all complications after a novel introduction are anecdotal. With an accurate patient selection, high-volume institutions with experienced surgeons can perform this technique safely.
Real-world evaluation of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus: a retrospective multi-ethnic cohort study
Authors: Goh Louise Gek Huang , Sun Jiandong , Ong Benjamin Shao Kiat , Khoo Daphne , Sum Chee Fang , Ng Kwong
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors are increasingly used as second-line therapies in patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to assess the real-world effects of SGLT2 inhibitors in a multi-ethnic population in Singapore.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study examined patients diagnosed with and treated for diabetes from the Ministry of Health’s administrative database. Differences in outcomes between treatment groups were assessed using Poisson regression. Demographics, clinical characteristics, previous diagnoses and hospitalisations, and diabetes medication history were used for propensity score matching. Subgroup analyses by ethnicity were performed. Effect size was estimated using risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Patients initiating SGLT2 inhibitors were more likely to achieve glycaemic control target than DPP4 inhibitor-treated patients (RR 1.09; 95% CI 1.04, 1.14). This was observed only in patients of Chinese ethnicity. A higher risk of diabetic ketoacidosis in SGLT2 inhibitor initiators was not observed. SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with reduced risk of hypoglycaemia (RR 0.69; 95% CI 0.59, 0.82) and urinary tract infection (RR 0.52; 95% CI 0.43, 0.63) but was not statistically significant for hypoglycaemia in Malay patients. Compared to DPP4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with 12% and 34% reduction in any-cause hospitalisation and all-cause mortality, respectively, potentially resulting in more than $50 million savings over 10 years.

Conclusion

SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with improvements in glycaemic control, reduced risk of complications, and was well tolerated. Ethnicity also plays a role and should be considered in future studies.
Docking Manoeuvre Control for CubeSats
Authors: Stesina Fabrizio , Corpino Sabrina , Novara Carlo , Russo Simone
Published: March 2022

Rendezvous and docking missions of small satellites are opening new scenarios to accomplish unprecedented in-obit operations. These missions impose to win the new technical challenges that enable the possibility to successfully perform complex and safety–critical manoeuvres. The disturbance forces and torques due to the hostile space environment, the uncertainties introduced by the onboard technologies and the safety constraints and reliability requirements lead to select advanced control systems. The paper proposes a control strategy based on Model Predictive Control for trajectory control and Sliding Mode Control for attitude control of the chaser in last meters before the docking. The control performances are verified in a dedicated simulation environment in which a non-linear six Degrees of Freedom and coupled dynamics, uncertainties on sensors and actuators responses are included. A set of 300 Monte Carlo Simulation with this Non-Linear system are carried out, demonstrating the capabilities of the proposed control system to achieve the final docking point with the required accuracy.
“Belly Only Pregnancy” content on social media and in internet blogs: a qualitative analysis on its definition and potential risks and benefits
Authors: Steube Felizia , Löwe Bernd , Weigel Angelika
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Social media enlarge the impact of health and fitness trends on body image and lifestyle choices, also in birthing parents. A new and yet to investigate social media trend addressing expectant mothers is “Belly Only Pregnancy”. This qualitative study sought to define this new trend and clarify whether content related to this trend might disrupt body image or eating habits in expectant mothers.

Methods

Picture and text data were gathered on a key day by screening Instagram and blog posts including or linking #bellyonlypregnancy. The identified data were categorized applying qualitative content analysis using MAXQDA software version 2018.

Results

Three hundred and fifty-one Instagram and eight blog posts were included. Our qualitative analysis’ results indicated that the term “Belly Only Pregnancy” was used for describing: (1) The phenotype of an athletic woman whose abdominal size enlarges during pregnancy while not gaining excessive fat tissue. (2) An active lifestyle during pregnancy consisting of healthy nutrition and regular exercise pursuing goals like fast weight loss post-partum. Also, bodily, and mental gestational changes and the feasibility of this lifestyle were discussed.

Conclusion

A “Belly Only Pregnancy” allegorizes an ideal body type for expecting mothers. Especially women with increased vulnerability for an eating disorder might be negatively affected by the consumption of content linked to this trend. However, the positive effects of a healthy diet and exercise should not be denied keeping into account the increasing prevalence of obesity and gestational diabetes.

Level of evidence

Level III: Evidence obtained from cohort or case-control analytic studies.
Translating a Distributed Relational Database to a Document Database
Authors: Ha Muon , Shichkina Yulia
Published: March 2022

The problem of transferring data from a database of one type to a database of another type is relevant today due to the increase in data volumes and the complexity of tasks solved in various fields of human activity. The existing databases are less and less satisfying the needs of users. New types of databases appear that are more suitable for solving large-scale problems. This article proposes an algorithm for solving the problem of optimizing the document structure of a database based on metadata about the structure of a distributed relational database from which data are transferred. The approach also takes into account information about the structure of the priority database queries. The priority of database queries is user-defined. The system of automatic translation of the database, taking into account these metadata, allows the user to create a distributed document database that is optimal in two parameters: in terms of the volume of stored data and in terms of the execution time of priority database queries.
Bedeutung der Chirurgie bei M. Crohn
Authors: Unger Lukas Walter , Schuld Gabor Jorrid , Bergmann Michael
Published: March 2022

Die Inzidenz von Morbus Crohn, einer chronisch-entzündlichen Darmerkrankung, steigt an. Obwohl die Therapiemöglichkeiten verbessert wurden, entwickelt ein Großteil der PatientInnen Komplikationen, die eine chirurgische Intervention benötigen. So können neben Stenosen auch Perforationen oder Fisteln entstehen, die eine dringliche chirurgische Darmresektion notwendig machen. Aufgrund des hohen Lebenszeitrisikos für die Notwendigkeit einer chirurgischen Therapie von Komplikationen, bedarf es einer optimalen Koordination von konservativer und operativer Therapie. Dies inkludiert sowohl Indikation zur Art der Chirurgie, als auch die postoperative Rezidivprophylaxe, sodass die Behandlung wegen der komplexen Interaktion in einem spezialisierten Zentrum erfolgen sollte, um den besten Operationszeitpunkt zu wählen. Um nach einer Darmresektion die Rekonvaleszenz zu beschleunigen und das Komplikationsrisiko zu minimieren, sind in den letzten Jahren einerseits die Laparoskopie als Standardzugang, andererseits spezielle chirurgische Anastomosen- und Resektionstechniken propagiert worden. Zusätzlich sollte in der Nachsorge die Einbindung der PatientInnen in ein gastroenterologisches Nachsorgeprogramm mit regelmäßigen, endoskopischen Untersuchungen erfolgen, um Rezidive zu erkennen und zu behandeln. Risikofaktoren für ein Frührezidiv nach Operationen beinhalten Rauchen, vorherige Operationen, das Fehlen von prophylaktischer medikamentöser Therapie, penetrierende/fistulierende Komplikationen bei Erstoperation, perianale Komplikationen, Granulome und myenterische Plexitis. In diesem Artikel fassen wir die gängigen Richtlinien sowie aktuelle Studien, die möglicherweise Einzug in die gängige Praxis finden, zusammen.
Processing strategies to improve the breadmaking potential of whole-grain wheat and non-wheat flours
Authors: Dapčević-Hadnađev Tamara , Tomić Jelena , Škrobot Dubravka , Šarić Bojana , Hadnađev Miroslav
Published: March 2022

Strategies to increase the bio-functionality of staple food, such as bread, by incorporating whole-grain wheat flour or flour from other, non-wheat grains instead of refined wheat flour are often constrained with the lack of their techno-functionality, despite the associated beneficial effect on consumers' health and well-being. Most of the available studies investigating the possibilities to improve technological and sensory quality of bread prepared using whole-grain wheat and non-wheat flours still rely on formulation approaches in which different additives and novel ingredients are used as structuring agents. Less attention has been given to technological approaches which could be applied to induce structural changes on biopolymer level and thus increase the breadmaking potential of whole grains such as: modification of grain and biopolymers structure by germination, flour particle size reduction, dry-heat or hydrothermal treatment, atmospheric cold plasma, high-pressure processing or ultrasound treatment. Strategies to modify processing variables during breadmaking like dough kneading and hydration modification, sourdough fermentation or non-conventional baking techniques application are also poorly exploited for bread preparation from non-wheat grains. In this paper, the challenges and opportunities of abovementioned processing strategies for the development of bread with whole-wheat flours and non-wheat flours from underutilised gluten-containing or gluten-free cereals and pseudocereals will be reviewed throughout the whole breadmaking chain: from grain to bread and from milling to baking. Feasibility of different strategies to increase the technological performance and sensory quality of bread based on whole-grain wheat flours or flours from other, non-wheat grains will be addressed considering both the environmental, safety and nutritive advantages.
Decadal changes of the early summer Asian monsoon and the South China Sea tropical cyclones during 2001–2020
Authors: Cho Yin-Min , Lu Mong-Ming , Sui Chung-Hsiung , Solis Ana L. S. , Chen Meng-Shih
Published: March 2022

An inter-decadal increase (1990–2009) in the western North Pacific (WNP) tropical cyclone (TC) genesis frequency in May has recently been reported. The TC decadal changes was attributed to an advanced monsoon onset over the Asian Summer Monsoon region, particularly over the South China Sea (SCS) in May. In the present study, we used 60 years (1961–2020) of TC data and 40 years (1981–2020) of the global reanalysis data to investigate the unique changes of the SCS TC activity during May and the associated large-scale environment. We find that the increasing trend was weakened during the most recent decade (2011–2020), and the advanced monsoon onset was not discernable. The period of 2011–2020 was identified as a decade of the minimum TC genesis frequency over the SCS in May since 1961. The extremely inactive TC genesis was attributed to the weak low-level cross equatorial monsoonal flow over the Indo-Pacific warm pool and the weak westerly monsoon (easterly anomalies) north of equator from the western Pacific through the Philippine Sea and the SCS to the Bay of Bengal. The weak tropical monsoon was associated with subtropical anticyclonic and suppressed convection north of the equator and the opposite wind and convection south of the equator. The anticyclonic circulation over the SCS was particularly strong that inhibited TC genesis during the first decade of the twenty-first century.
Panes of the Glass Ceiling
Authors: Stone Kerri Lynn
Published: March 2022

More than fifty years of civil rights legislation and movements have not ended employment discrimination. This book reframes the discourse about the “glass ceiling” that women face with respect to workplace inequality. It explores the unspoken, societally held beliefs that underlie and engender workplace behaviour and failures of the law, policy, and human nature that contribute “panes” and (“pains”) to the “glass ceiling.” Each chapter identifies an “unspoken belief” and connects it with failures of law, policy, and human nature. It then describes the resulting harm and shows how this belief is not imagined or operating in a vacuum, but is pervasive throughout popular culture and society. By giving voice to previously unvoiced – even taboo – beliefs, we can better address and confront them and the problems they cause.
A Feminist Analysis of the Legal Mechanisms of Protection and Repair in the Context of the Brazilian Extractive Industry: The Doce River Case
Authors: Bertholdi Juliana , Pamplona Danielle Anne
Published: March 2022

This piece uses the Doce River case (2015) to illustrate the gendered impacts of the failure of corporate human rights due diligence. We also ask the question: would the Gender Dimensions of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights1 (Gender Guidance) have made a difference to the way women were treated in preventive measures taken and in the application of redress mechanisms? Taking this specific case, we seek to illustrate the importance of integrating gender into international business and human rights (BHR) frameworks if women’s rights are to be protected and respected in the context of business activities.
Informal Mining in Colombia: Gender-Based Challenges for the Implementation of the Business and Human Rights Agenda
Authors: Céspedes-Báez Lina M , Prieto-Ríos Enrique , Pontón-Serra Juan P
Published: March 2022

This paper analyses whether the implementation of business and human rights (BHR) frameworks in Colombia properly responds to the challenges posed by informal mining and gender-based violence and discrimination in the context of conflict and peacebuilding. The mining sector has been considered key in Colombia to promote economic growth, but it is also characterized by significant informality. Informal mining in Colombia has been linked to gender-based violence and discrimination. We contend that while informality has been identified as a substantial hurdle to the realization of human rights, BHR frameworks still fall short in addressing this aspect of business. By examining the specific measures Colombia has devised to implement BHR, including two National Action Plans on BHR, we demonstrate the urgency of addressing informal economies in BHR and to continue developing particular insights to properly protect, respect and remedy the human rights wrongs women experience in the context of informal mining.
Mummification in the Mesolithic: New Approaches to Old Photo Documentation Reveal Previously Unknown Mortuary Practices in the Sado Valley, Portugal
Authors: Peyroteo-Stjerna Rita , Nilsson Stutz Liv , Mickleburgh Hayley Louise , Cardoso João Luís
Published: March 2022

Recently rediscovered photographs of the remains of thirteen individuals buried in the Sado Valley Mesolithic shell middens of Poças de S. Bento and Arapouco, excavated in 1960 and 1962, show the potential of revisiting excavation archives with new methods. The analysis, which applies the principles of archaeothanatology and is enriched by experimental taphonomic research, confirmed details concerning the treatment of the dead body and provided new insights into the use of burial spaces. Some bodies may have been mummified prior to burial, a phenomenon possibly linked to their curation and transport, highlighting the significance of both the body and the burial place in Mesolithic south-western Portugal.
Inferring rheology from free-surface observations
Authors: Hinton Edward M.
Published: March 2022

We develop direct inversion methods for inferring the rheology of a fluid from observations of its shallow flow. First, the evolution equation for the free-surface flow of an inertia-less current with general constitutive law is derived. The relationship between the volume flux of fluid and the basal stress,$\tau _b$, is encapsulated by a single function$F(\tau _b)$, which depends only on the constitutive law. The inversion method consists of (i) determining the flux and basal stress from the free-surface evolution, (ii) comparing the flux with the basal stress to constrain$F$and (iii) inferring the constitutive law from$F$. Examples are presented for both steady and transient free-surface flows demonstrating that a wide range of constitutive laws can be directly obtained. For flows in which the free-surface velocity is known, we derive a different method, which circumvents the need to calculate the flux.
Syntactic vs. phonological areas: A quantitative perspective on Hessian dialects
Authors: Birkenes Magnus Breder , Fleischer Jürg
Published: March 2022

This paper takes a quantitative perspective on data from the projectSyntax hessischer Dialekte(SyHD), covering dialects in the German state of Hesse, an area with rich dialectal variation. Many previous dialectometric analyses abstracted away from intralocal variation (e.g., by only counting the most frequent variant at a location). In contrast, we do justice to intralocal variation by taking into account local frequency relations. The study shows that the border between Low German and Central German—one of the most important isoglosses in German dialectology—is not relevant for syntactic phenomena. At the same time, a comparison with charactern-grams (a global measure of string similarity) reveals that the traditionally assumed dialect areas, primarily defined according to phonological developments, are still present in the twenty-first century data. Different from previous studies, our results are obtained from a uniform data base. Therefore, the differences between syntax and phonology cannot be due to variation in sampling, elicitation method, or time of elicitation.
‘Robinson Crusoe on a desert island’? Judicial education in Ireland, 1995–2019
Authors: Howlin Niamh , Coen Mark , Barry Colette , Lynch John
Published: March 2022

Since 2019, Irish judicial education has been undergoing major structural change. Prior to the legislative establishment of the Judicial Council in that year, formal training for judges in Ireland was almost non-existent. Innovation in this area was limited to the holding of judicial conferences that occurred annually from the mid-1990s onwards. This paper places the training of Irish judges in its international context and analyses the reflections of 22 judges on how they learned the skills of judgecraft prior to the creation of a formalised system of judicial education and training. The data demonstrates that members of the judiciary engaged in a range of largely informal learning activities and provides insights into a hitherto unexplored aspect of Irish judicial culture. The data is also of broader significance in highlighting organic and unofficial aspects of judicial education, which can be overlooked in jurisdictions with highly-developed, formalised structures for training the judiciary.
Influence of processing and packaging conditions on probiotic survivability rate, physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of low calorie synbiotic milk beverage
Authors: Chand Prittam , Kumar M Dharani , Kumar Singh Ashish , Deshwal Gaurav Kr , Singh Rao Priyanka , Sharma Heena
Published: March 2022

The work presented in this research communication was carried out to prepare low calorie synbiotic milk beverage by optimizing water and sugar level and to investigate the effect on its storage ability of different packaging materials (polypropylene, high impact polystyrene, high-density polyethylene and glass). Addition of both water and sugar significantly (P < 0.05) affected the viscosity, probiotic count and sensory properties. Based on the findings, 40% water and 8% sugar level were optimized for the preparation of the beverage. Apparent viscosity and acidity increased whilst pH and probiotic counts declined during storage, irrespective of packaging materials. The prepared beverage remained most acceptable at refrigeration temperature up to a period of 15 and 12 d when packaged in glass and high impact polystyrene, respectively. Furthermore, it retained a minimum recommended level of probiotic (7 log cfu/ml) during storage for 15 d at 4 °C.
Intracellular cytokine expression in invasive fungal sinusitis and its impact on patient outcome
Authors: Verma P , Sikka K , Verma H , Thakar A , Mitra D K , Saurabh A , Singh G
Published: March 2022

Background

Cell-mediated immunity plays an important role in host defence against fungal pathogens, regulated by differentiation of lymphocytes towards T-helper 1 or 2 cells. This study reports intracellular cytokine variation in terms of invasive fungal sinusitis type and outcome.

Methods

The mononuclear leukocytes of 15 patients with invasive fungal sinusitis (mucormycosis in 8, aspergillus in 7) were stained with antibodies against intracellular cytokines, after fungal antigen stimulation and culture, and immunophenotyped. Patients were followed up for six months, with clinical course categorised as improvement, worsening or death.

Results

The mean percentages of mononuclear cells producing interleukins 4, 5, 10 and 12, and interferon-γ, in the mucormycosis group were 0.575, 0.284, 8.661, 4.460 and 1.134, respectively, while percentages in the aspergillosis group were 0.233, 0.492, 4.196, 4.466 and 1.533. Cells producing interleukin 4 and 10 were higher in the mucormycosis group, while those producing interleukin-12 and interferon-γ were lower. Cells producing interleukins 4 and 12 were higher in patients with a poor outcome (p-values of 0.0662 and 0.0373, respectively), while those producing interferon-γ were lower (p = 0.0864).

Conclusion

Adaptive cell-mediated immunity is expressed differently in two categories of invasive fungal sinusitis, and the cytokine expression pattern is related to prognosis.
Infection, cases due to SARS-CoV-2 in rural areas during early COVID-19 vaccination: findings from serosurvey study in a rural cohort of eastern India
Authors: Dash Pujarini , Mansingh Asit , Nayak Soumya Ranjan , Sahoo Debadutta , Bhattacharya Debdutta , Kanungo Srikanta , Kshatri Jaya Singh , Mishra Bijaya Kumar , Pattnaik Matrujyoti , Parai Debaprasad , Choudhary Hari Ram , Nayak Swetalina , Rana Khokan , Alice Alice , Sahoo Ajay Kumar , Mohanty Kanhu Charan , Mohanty Prasantajyoti , Doley Chinki , Jain Hitesh , Majhi Dasharatha , Pattanayak Pooja , Behuria Santosh , Panda Soumya , Bhoi Somnath , Pati Sanghamitra , Palo Subrata Kumar
Published: March 2022

COVID-19 serosurvey provides a better estimation of people who have developed antibody against the infection. But limited information on such serosurveys in rural areas poses many hurdles to understand the epidemiology of the virus and to implement proper control strategies. This study was carried out in the rural catchment area of Model Rural Health Research Unit in Odisha, India during March–April 2021, the initial phase of COVID vaccination. A total of 60 village clusters from four study blocks were identified using probability proportionate to size sampling. From each cluster, 60 households and one eligible participant from each household (60 per cluster) were selected for the collection of blood sample and socio-demographic data. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody was tested using the Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay. The overall seroprevalence after adjusting for test performance was 54.21% with an infection to case ratio of 96.89 along with 4.25% partial and 6.79% full immunisation coverage. Highest seroprevalence was observed in the age group of 19–44 years and females had both higher seroprevalence as well as vaccine coverage. People of other backward caste also had higher seropositivity than other caste categories. The study emphasises on continuing surveillance for COVID-19 cases and prioritizing COVID-19 vaccination for susceptible groups for better disease management.
Results of the enhanced COVID-19 surveillance during UEFA EURO 2020 in Germany
Authors: Heese Helena , Marquis Adine , Diercke Michaela , Markus Inessa , Böhm Stefanie , Metz Jasmin , Katz Katharina , Wildner Manfred , Liebl Bernhard
Published: March 2022

In general, mass gatherings might pose a risk to the public health (PH). The UEFA EURO 2020 tournament (EURO 2020) was one of the first mass gathering events since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Germany. To allow early detection and response to any EURO 2020-associated impact on the COVID-19-related epidemiological situation, we initiated enhanced surveillance activities using the routine surveillance system in collaboration with the regional PH authority of Bavaria. Several preventive measures regarding the attendance of football matches and public viewing were implemented according to state regulations. We describe the results from the enhanced surveillance during the EURO 2020. In total, five cases who had attended a football match in the stadium of Munich, nine cases, who attended a football match in a stadium outside of Germany, and 123 cases in association with public viewing events were identified by enhanced surveillance. Concluding, the EURO 2020 seems to not have had a major impact on the COVID-19 pandemic development in Germany. Health measures for stadium visitors and the restriction of large public viewing events may have potentially contributed to the low case numbers detected, emphasising the need of appropriate PH surveillance and regulations to limit the potential risk to PH during mass gathering events.
Terrorist Attacks in the Middle East: A Counter-Terrorism Medicine Analysis
Authors: Tin Derrick , Fares Saleh , Al Mulhim Mobarak , Ciottone Gregory R.
Published: March 2022

Background:

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has been, like many parts of the world, a hotbed for terrorist activities. Terrorist attacks can affect both demand for and provision of health care services and often places a unique burden on first responders, hospitals, and health systems. This study aims to provide an epidemiological description of all terrorism-related attacks in the Middle East sustained from 1970-2019.

Methods:

Data collection was performed using a retrospective database search through the Global Terrorism Database (GTD). The GTD was searched using the internal database search functions for all events which occurred in Iraq, Yemen, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, North Yemen, Qatar, and South Yemen from January 1, 1970 - December 31, 2019. Primary weapon type, primary target type, country where the incident occurred, and number of deaths and injuries were collated and the results analyzed.

Results:

A total of 41,837 attacks occurred in the Middle East from 1970-2019 accounting for 24.9% of all terrorist attacks around the world. A total of 100,446 deaths were recorded with 187,447 non-fatal injuries. Fifty-six percent of all attacks in the region occurred in Iraq (23,426), 9.4% in Yemen (3,929), and 8.2% in Turkey (3,428). “Private Citizens and Properties” were targeted in 37.6% (15,735) of attacks, 15.4% (6,423) targeted “Police,” 9.6% targeted “Businesses” (4,012), and 9.6% targeted “Governments” (4,001). Explosives were used in 68.4% of attacks (28,607), followed by firearms in 20.4% of attacks (8,525).

Conclusion:

Despite a decline in terrorist attacks from a peak in 2014, terrorist events remain an important cause of death and injuries around the world, particularly in the Middle East where 24.9% of historic attacks took place. While MENA countries are often clustered together by economic and academic organizations based on geographical, political, and cultural similarities, there are significant differences in terrorist events between countries within the region. This is likely a reflection of the complexities of the intricate interplay between politics, culture, security, and intelligence services unique to each country.
Self-Assembling Toroidal Cell Constructs for Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors: Worden Austin , Uline Mark J. , Shazly Tarek , Stern Matt , Potts Jay D.
Published: March 2022

Developing tissues have intricate, three-dimensional (3D) organizations of cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) that provide the framework necessary to meet morphogenic and necessary demands. Migrating cells,in vivo, are exposed to numerous conflicting signals: chemokines, ECM, growth factors, and physical forces. While most of these have been studied individuallyin vivoorin vitro, our understanding of how cells integrate these various signals is lacking. We previously developed a novel self-organizing cellularized collagen hydrogel model that is adaptable, tunable, reproducible, and capable of mimicking the multitude of stimuli that cells experience. Our model produced self-assembledtoroidsof cells that were formed by 24 h. Data we present here show toroids initially form as early as 3 h after seeding. Additionally, toroids formed when cells were seeded on various collagen subtypes and were sensitive to the composition of the hydrogel. Moreover, we found differences in remodeling in toroid gels compared to gels with cells embedded in them using both a collagen binding peptide and rheology. Using scanning electron microscopy, we observed toroids forming a crater-like structure compared to whole gel contractions in mixed in gels. Finally, when multiple cells were mixed prior to seeding, heterogeneous toroids formed with some containing clusters of cells.
End-to-End Deep Learning-Based Cells Detection in Microscopic Leucorrhea Images
Authors: Hao Ruqian , Wang Xiangzhou , Du Xiaohui , Zhang Jing , Liu Juanxiu , Liu Lin
Published: March 2022

Vaginitis is a prevalent gynecologic disease that threatens millions of women’s health. Although microscopic examination of vaginal discharge is an effective method to identify vaginal infections, manual analysis of microscopic leucorrhea images is extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive. To automate the detection and identification of visible components in microscopic leucorrhea images for early-stage diagnosis of vaginitis, we propose a novel end-to-end deep learning-based cells detection framework using attention-based detection with transformers (DETR) architecture. The transfer learning was applied to speed up the network convergence while maintaining the lowest annotation cost. To address the issue of detection performance degradation caused by class imbalance, the weighted sampler with on-the-fly data augmentation module was integrated into the detection pipeline. Additionally, the multi-head attention mechanism and the bipartite matching loss system of the DETR model perform well in identifying partially overlapping cells in real-time. With our proposed method, the pipeline achieved a mean average precision (mAP) of 86.00% and the average precision (AP) of epithelium, leukocyte, pyocyte, mildew, and erythrocyte was 96.76, 83.50, 74.20, 89.66, and 88.80%, respectively. The average test time for a microscopic leucorrhea image is approximately 72.3 ms. Currently, this cell detection method represents state-of-the-art performance.
Improving the Vertical Modeling of Tropospheric Delay
Authors: Wang Jungang , Balidakis Kyriakos , Zus Florian , Chang Xiao , Ge Maorong , Heinkelmann Robert , Schuh Harald
Published: March 2022

Accurate tropospheric delays from Numerical Weather Models (NWM) are an important input to space geodetic techniques, especially for precise real‐time Global Navigation Satellite Systems, which are indispensable to earthquake and tsunami early warning systems as well as weather forecasting. The NWM‐based tropospheric delays are currently provided either site‐specific with a limited spatial coverage, or on two‐dimensional grids close to the Earth surface, which cannot be used for high altitudes. We introduce a new method of representing NWM‐derived tropospheric zenith hydrostatic and wet delays. A large volume of NWM‐derived data is parameterized with surface values and additional two or three coefficients for their vertical scaling to heights up to 14 km. A precision of 1–2 mm is achieved for reconstructing delays to the NWM‐determined delays at any altitudes. The method can efficiently deliver NWM‐derived tropospheric delays to a broader community of space geodetic techniques.