bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discovering interlinkages between major cryptocurrencies using high-frequency data: new evidence from COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Yousaf Imran , Ali Shoaib
Published: November 2020

Through the application of the VAR-AGARCH model to intra-day data for three cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin), this study examines the return and volatility spillover between these cryptocurrencies during the pre-COVID-19 period and the COVID-19 period. We also estimate the optimal weights, hedge ratios, and hedging effectiveness during both sample periods. We find that the return spillovers vary across the two periods for the Bitcoin–Ethereum, Bitcoin–Litecoin, and Ethereum–Litecoin pairs. However, the volatility transmissions are found to be different during the two sample periods for the Bitcoin–Ethereum and Bitcoin–Litecoin pairs. The constant conditional correlations between all pairs of cryptocurrencies are observed to be higher during the COVID-19 period compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Based on optimal weights, investors are advised to decrease their investments (a) in Bitcoin for the portfolios of Bitcoin/Ethereum and Bitcoin/Litecoin and (b) in Ethereum for the portfolios of Ethereum/Litecoin during the COVID-19 period. All hedge ratios are found to be higher during the COVID-19 period, implying a higher hedging cost compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Last, the hedging effectiveness is higher during the COVID-19 period compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Overall, these findings provide useful information to portfolio managers and policymakers regarding portfolio diversification, hedging, forecasting, and risk management.
Plasma cytokine levels before and 1 year after successful living-donor renal transplantation
Authors: Ito Ayato , Sugimura Jun , Matsuura Tomohiko , Abe Takaya , Obara Wataru
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate cytokine levels in plasma samples over time from living-donor renal transplant recipients with no evidence of pathological and clinical rejection at least 1 year post-procedure.

Methods

We examined plasma cytokine levels in 15 living-donor renal transplant recipients who were treated at our hospital from 2015 to 2018 and who presented with no evidence of pathological or clinical rejection for 1 year or longer. We collected blood samples before renal transplantation and at 1 week and 1 year post-procedure. We evaluated levels of 40 cytokines in plasma using Bio-Plex Pro™ Human Chemokine Assay kit.

Results

We detected no increase in plasma cytokine levels at either the 1 week or the 1 year time points. Plasma levels of 22 cytokines remained stable throughout and levels of 18 cytokine decreased after transplantation.

Conclusion

Plasma cytokine levels remained unchanged or were decreased in our patient cohort that included stable cases of living-donor renal transplantation. Our results suggest that renal transplantation may promote amelioration of chronic inflammation associated with end-stage renal failure and dialysis.
In-Hospital Mortality and Complication Rates According to Health Insurance Data in Patients Undergoing Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Surface Malignancies in Germany
Authors: Überrück Lisa , Nadiradze Giorgi , Yurttas Can , Königsrainer Alfred , Königsrainer Ingmar , Horvath Philipp
Published: November 2020

Background

Morbidity and in-hospital mortality rates of patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in Germany are not known.

Methods

From 2009 to 2018 all patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in Germany were retrospectively analyzed regarding morbidity and in-hospital mortality rates according to nationwide hospital billing data based on diagnosis-related groups (DRG). The “failure to rescue” (FTR) index, characterizing patients who died after severe but potentially manageable complications, was calculated.

Results

In total, 8463 patients were included and analyzed. Female sex predominated (1.5:1). Colonic origin of peritoneal metastasis was highest throughout all years, reaching its highest level in 2017 (55%; n = 563) and its lowest level in 2012 (40%; n = 349). Median length of hospital stay reached its maximum in 2017 at 23.9 days and its minimum in 2010 at 22.0 days. Analysis of the total FTR index showed a noticeable improvement over the years, reaching its lowest values in 2017 (9.8%) and 2018 (8.8%). The FTR index for sepsis, peritonitis, and pulmonary complications significantly improved over time. Of the 8463 included patients, 290 died during hospital stay, reflecting an in-hospital mortality rate of 3.4%.

Conclusion

In-hospital mortality after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is reasonably low compared with other surgical procedures. The improvement in the FTR index reflects efforts to centralize treatment at specialized high-volume centers.
Battling the COVID-19 infodemic in an Irish context: the role of iHealthFacts
Authors: Zaki Marina , Devane Declan , Conway Thomas , Galvin Sandra , Burke Nikita , Finucane Elaine
Published: November 2020

On the 11th of March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global pandemic due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This was one month after Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO declared that we are also fighting an ‘infodemic’. The WHO has described an infodemic as an “over-abundance of information – some accurate and some not – that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it”. iHealthFacts.ie is an Irish resource where the public can quickly and easily check the credibility and reliability of health claims circulating on social media. Unreliable claims can lead to poorly informed health choices. iHealthFacts is an initiative that supports the public to think critically about health claims and make well-informed choices. Here, we describe the role iHealthFacts plays in providing reliable information to the public and offer reflections from those involved in launching this initiative during a pandemic.
Reflections on Macron’s Proposals for a Renewed EU
Authors: Bogain Ariane
Published: November 2020

Emmanuel Macron, elected French President on a pro-European platform
against a staunchly Eurosceptic opponent in 2017, has sought to reinvigorate the
European construction shaken by a decade of multiple crises. Whether lauded or
vilified for being a passionate believer in the European project, he has laid out a
comprehensive vision for the future of the EU through a series of key speeches.
This article aims to discuss and assess Macron’s contribution to the debate on
the future of the EU. After outlining the global and EU context in which Macron
has been operating, it argues that his vision, whilst comprehensive and offering
avenues for pro-Europeans, contains a series of blind spots that undermines it and
which needs to be tackled if the European project is to advance.
The Contribution of International Organizations, in Particular of the European Union, to the Fight against Global Health Threats: COVID-19 and its Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Delfino Francesca
Published: November 2020

The protection of health, initially implemented in terms of charity, in favour
of the poor and the destitute and by specific public and private bodies, with the
conclusion of numerous international treaties becomes a fundamental human
right that no longer falls within the exclusive competence of the State alone.
The value and crucial role of the right to health have been recently rediscovered
during the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately,
the outbreak of the serious health crisis found the international community and
the European Union unprepared to give an unequivocal and coordinated response to guarantee the protection of this fundamental right. The article undertakes a
critical analysis of the contribution made so far to tackling the global threat posed
by COVID-19, on the one hand, by the WHO, the main international organization
dealing with global health and, on the other hand, by the European Union, a
regional integration organization to which States have not attributed competences
in health matters.
The End of the United Kingdom
Authors: Brecher Bob
Published: November 2020

The United Kingdom government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic
and its longstanding pursuit of Brexit go hand-in-hand, testament to a ruling
ideology that can best be described as a toxic combination of narcissistic nostalgia
on speed and a deeply reactionary social darwinist view of the world. The roots
of this bizarre ideology lie deep in an English exceptionalism, in part the engine,
in part the legacy, of Empire. It is this exceptionalism that offers an explanation,
or at least a partial one, of both Brexit and the UK’s response to the pandemic, as
well as a basis on which to speculate about the UK’s future.
La imagen de la Bicicleta en la comunicación publicitaria: movilidad sostenible, smartcity y cambio climático
Authors: Pedrós-Pérez Gerardo , Martínez Jiménez Pilar , Aparicio Martínez Pilar
Published: November 2020

Active mobility has been described as a healthy action, it also contributes to diminish climate change and improvethe air quality. Research the advertisements in the roles of mobility from anenvironmental and energy point of view is highly relevant. In this analysis the bicycle appears as an added element, from company campaigns to institutional advertising, and also of specific advertisements where bicycles are directly marketed. This study had as objective to provide a novel analysis of adverting regarding bicycle and mobility. A quantitative and qualitative analysis has been carried out based on diverse publicizing documents spread during the last twenty years. Based on the analysis, the results showed how the role of the bicycle presented in publicity not related about mobility seems to be equal better communication between people, transport, fun and healthy element good and bad practices identified and analyzed in both corporate and institutional campaigns. Also, some bicycle advertisements reuse the slogans for automobiles, focusing on gadgets or design. Based on the analysis, it would be wise to insist on the development of communication guides that focus on the bicycle as an element of the smart city, electric mobility, zero emissions vehicle and healthy transport, both from individual and collectivebeneficial perspective.
Yacyretá y los efectos de segunda generación. Desarrollo urbano, asentamientos y avance de la ciudad formal
Authors: Fernando Brites Walter
Published: November 2020

The socio-spatial and urban effects of the Yacyretá project, today constitute a complex and still unfinished phenomenon, and can be fully interpreted in the long time of its execution. Thus, from a descriptive, processes and historical methodology, it has been analysed the way in which the hydroelectric project, located close to the city of Posadas (Argentina), generated strong and intermittent processes of urban development, resulting from the effect of great infrastructure works and remodelling of the city. The study shows how the increase of the waterfront, the removal of settlements, as well as the relocation, the regeneration and revaluation of new urban areas, etc., have situated a large part of the informal city at the crossroads. Among the findings, it´s stands out that the effects of the hydroelectric project continue, despite having finalized, , exposing an old informal settlements spaces, often adjacent to the new coastline, where the revaluation and redevelopment is increasing. This is a gradual and simultaneous process with changes in urban legislation, and new urban plans that are consolidating the development of the formal city, re-qualified and open to the market.
Mental health impact of admission to the intensive care unit for COVID-19
Authors: McDonald Grace , Clark Louise L
Published: November 2020

The pandemic caused by Covid-19 has long term ramifications for many, especially those patients who have experienced an intensive care unit (ICU) admission including ventilation and sedation. This paper will explore aspects of care delivery in the ICU regarding the current pandemic and the impact of such on the mental health of some of these patients. Post discharge, patients will be returning to a very different community incorporating social distancing, and in some cases, social isolation and/or shielding. Many may experience a multitude of physical and mental health complications which can ultimately impact upon each other, therefore a bio-psycho-pharmaco-social approach to discharge, case management, risk assessment and positive behavioural support planning is recommended.
Neurological examination 2
Authors: Kirk Andrew
Published: November 2020

The clinical examination is an important part of any patient consultation. After the primary survey and taking the patient history, a more in-depth examination is sometimes required to aid making a working diagnosis and help negate other differential diagnoses. The extent of this depends on the stability of the patient and may not be possible in time-critical circumstances. However, clinical examination is an increasing part of paramedic practice owing to the continued expansion of the scope of the paramedic role in both urgent and emergency care. Education on clinical examination concerning each of the main body systems is now an integral part of undergraduate paramedic curricula.

This clinical examination series provides a step-by-step overview for each of the main body systems. Continuing professional development (CPD) is an essential requirement for all clinicians to maintain and to demonstrate that they are staying up to date and advancing in their roles. This series gives an overview of each type of examination to support students, newly qualified paramedics and paramedics wishing to use these articles as a CPD development activity and an aide-memoire for clinical practice.

The last of the clinical examination series, this article continues exploration of the neurological examination, providing an overview of initial examination considerations, and assessment of the lower limbs.
Theory into practice
Authors: Parry Samuel
Published: November 2020

After an unconventional first year as a student paramedic during COVID-19, Samuel Parry has now started his second year. In this month's column, he shares his experiences of applying what he has learned out on the road and as a foundation for the year ahead
Evaluation of SWAT Soil Water Estimation Accuracy Using Data from Indiana, Colorado, and Texas
Authors: Hashem Ahmed A. , Engel Bernard A. , Marek Gary W. , Moorhead Jerry E. , Flanagan Dennis C. , Rashad Mohamed , Radwan Sherif , Bralts Vincent F. , Gowda Prasanna H.
Published: November 2020

Highlights

SWAT soil water assessment was performed using soil water measurements.

Dryland SWAT model soil water content was greater than the irrigated SWAT model.

Using SWAT soil water estimates for real-time (daily) irrigation management purposes with the existing SWAT soil water subroutines and available soils data is considered risky.

The surface layer showed the greatest soil water variability compared to deeper layers.

Abstract. Soil water content (SWC) is a challenging measurement at the field, watershed, and regional scales. Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) soil water estimates were evaluated at three locations: the St. Joseph River watershed (SJRW) in northeast Indiana, the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory (CPRL) at Bushland, Texas, and the USDA-ARS Limited Irrigation Research Farm (LIFR) at Greeley, Colorado. The soil water estimates were evaluated under two scenarios: (1) for the defined soil profile, and (2) by individual layer. Each site’s soil water assessment was performed based on the existing management conditions during each experiment, whether dryland or irrigated, and for various periods depending on SWC measurement availability at each site. The SWAT soil water was evaluated as follows: the Indiana site was evaluated under dryland conditions using daily soil water observations for one year; the Texas site was evaluated for a ten-year period under irrigated and dryland conditions using weekly soil water observations from four lysimeters; and the Colorado site was evaluated under irrigated conditions for a four-year period. The simulated soil water was evaluated by comparing the model simulations with observed daily and weekly soil water measurements at the three sites. Based on the results, even though all the SWAT models were considered to perform as good models following calibration (streamflow, ET, etc.), the soil water simulations were unacceptable for the defined soil profile and for individual layers at the three sites. Deeper soil layers had observations greater than field capacity values, indicating poor soil parameterization. The dryland model had greater water content than the irrigated model, contradicting the soil water measurements. This greater soil water simulation with the dryland model is a result of SWAT model uncertainties with ET reduction under dryland conditions due to water stress. This study indicated that soil water estimation using the default SWAT soil water equations has many sources of uncertainties. Two apparent sources resulted in the SWAT model’s poor performance: (1) SWAT soil water routines that do not fully represent soil water moving between layers to meet plant demand and (2) uncertainty in soil parameterization. Keywords: Hydrologic modeling, Soil moisture, Soil moisture sensor, Soil water, Soil and Water Assessment Tool.
The interplay between cancer type, panel size and tumor mutational burden threshold in patient selection for cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Golkaram Mahdi , Zhao Chen , Kruglyak Kristina , Zhang Shile , Bilke Sven
Published: November 2020

The tumor mutational burden (TMB) is increasingly recognized as an emerging biomarker that predicts improved outcomes or response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer. A multitude of technical and biological factors make it difficult to compare TMB values across platforms, histologies, and treatments. Here, we present a mechanistic model that explains the association between panel size, histology, and TMB threshold with panel performance and survival outcome and demonstrate the limitations of existing methods utilized to harmonize TMB across platforms.
Intranasal GSK2245035, a Toll-like receptor 7 agonist, does not attenuate the allergen-induced asthmatic response in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled experimental medicine study
Authors: Siddall Hilary , Quint Diana , Pandya Hitesh , Powley Will , Shabbir Shaila , Hohlfeld Jens M. , Singh Dave , Lee Laurie
Published: November 2020

Background

Allergic asthma is a heterogenous disorder predominantly driven by a type 2 inflammatory response to aeroallergens. Therapeutic modulation to rebalance these type 2 responses may offer clinical benefit for allergic respiratory inflammatory diseases, with the potential for disease modification. GSK2245035, a selective toll-like receptor-7 agonist, preferentially stimulates the induction of type 1 interferon alpha, reducing type 2 responses.

Objective

This study investigated whether intranasal GSK2245035 reduced allergen-induced bronchial reactivity in mild allergic asthma.

Methods

This double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group Phase IIa trial randomized (1:1) participants with mild allergic asthma to intranasal GSK2245035 20 ng or placebo once weekly for 8 weeks; follow-up was conducted 1, 4, and 12 weeks after treatment. Allergen-induced late asthmatic response 1 week after treatment was measured as minimum and weighted mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) 4–10 hours following bronchial allergen challenge (primary endpoint). Pharmacodynamic and allergic biomarkers, and adverse events, were assessed. A Bayesian analysis framework was used; a posterior probability >0.7 denoted primary endpoint success.

Results

Thirty-six participants were randomized (GSK2245035, n = 22; placebo, n = 14). The percentage attenuation in late asthmatic response was –4.6% (posterior probability: 0.385) and –10.5% (posterior probability: 0.303) for minimum and weighted mean FEV1, respectively. Type 2 responses were confirmed by changes in lung function, eosinophils (blood and sputum), interleukin-5 (sputum) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide biomarkers pre- and post-bronchial allergen challenge. However, no treatment effect was observed. Adverse events were reported by 10/14 (71%) and 21/22 (95%) participants in the placebo and GSK2245035 groups, respectively; headache was the most common.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Although target engagement was observed, weekly intranasal GSK2245035 20 ng for 8 weeks did not substantially attenuate the late asthmatic response in participants with mild allergic asthma. Overall, treatment was well tolerated.
The rural-urban divide in Tanzania: Residential context and socioeconomic inequalities in maternal health care utilization
Authors: Langa Neema , Bhatta Tirth
Published: November 2020

Background

Existing studies in Tanzania, based mostly on rural samples, have primarily focused on individual behaviors responsible for the lower utilization of maternal health care. Relatively less attention had been paid to inequalities in structural circumstances that contribute to reduced utilization of maternal health care. More importantly, scholarship concerning the impact of the rural-urban divide on socioeconomic disparities in the utilization of maternal health care is virtually nonexistent in Tanzania.

Methods

Drawing from the Demographic Health Survey (2015–2016) conducted in Tanzania, our study includes a total of 3,595 women aged between 15–49 years old, who had given birth in five years before the month of the interview and living in both rural and urban Tanzania. The maternal health care utilization was assessed by four variables (i.e., antenatal care, skilled delivery assistance, the before and after discharging postnatal care). The independent variables were wealth, education, residence, parity, occupation, age, and the head of the household’s sex. We used bivariate statistics and logistic regression to examine the rural-urban differences in the influence of education and wealth on maternal health care utilization.

Results

Significantly lower use of maternal health care in rural than urban areas demonstrated a stark rural-urban divide in Tanzania. We documented socioeconomic inequalities in maternal health care utilization in the form of lower odds of the utilization of such services among women with lower levels of education and household wealth. The educational inequalities in the utilization of skilled delivery assistance (or = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.86; p = 0.021) and (before discharge) postnatal care (or = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.95; p = 0.030) were significantly wider in rural than urban areas. The differences in the odds of the utilization of skilled delivery assistance between women in poorer wealth quintile and women in richer household wealth quintile were also significantly wider in rural areas than in urban areas. However, the statistically significant rural-urban divides in the impacts of socioeconomic status on antenatal care and (after discharge) postnatal care were not observed.

Conclusion

This study establishes the need for consideration of the rural-urban context in the formulation of policies to reduce disparities in maternal health care utilization in Tanzania.
Impact of diabetes mellitus on postoperative outcomes in individuals with non-small-cell lung cancer: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Komatsu Teruya , Chen-Yoshikawa Toyofumi F. , Ikeda Masaki , Takahashi Koji , Nishimura Akiko , Harashima Shin-ichi , Date Hiroshi
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Studies showing that individuals with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and diabetes mellitus (DM) have reported poor outcomes after pulmonary resection with varying results. Therefore, we investigated the clinical impact of preoperative DM on postoperative morbidity and survival in individuals with resectable NSCLC.

Patients and methods

Data of individuals who underwent pulmonary resection for NSCLC from 2000 to 2015 were extracted from the database of Kyoto University Hospital. The primary endpoint was the incidence of postoperative complications, and secondary endpoints were postoperative length of hospital stay and overall survival. The survival rate was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

A total of 2,219 patients were eligible for the study. The median age of participants was 67 years. Among them, 39.5% were women, and 259 (11.7%) presented with DM. The effect of DM on the incidence of postoperative complications and postoperative length of hospital stay was not significant. Although the 5-year survival rates were similar in both patients with and without DM (80.2% versus 79.4%; p = 0.158), those with DM who had a hemoglobin A1c level ≥ 8.0% had the worst survival.

Conclusions

In individuals with resectable NSCLC, preoperative DM does not influence the acute phase postoperative recovery. However, poorly controlled preoperative DM could lead to low postoperative survival rates.
Investigation of the new non-invasive semi-quantitative method of 123I-IMP pediatric cerebral perfusion SPECT
Authors: Wakabayashi Yasuharu , Uchiyama Mayuki , Daisaki Hiromitsu , Matsumoto Makoto , Sakamoto Masafumi , Kashikura Kenichi
Published: November 2020

In pediatric cases requiring quantification of cerebral blood flow (CBF) using123I-N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), arterial blood sampling is sometimes impossible due to issues such as movement, crying, or body motion. If arterial blood sampling fails, quantitative diagnostic assessment becomes impossible despite radiation exposure. We devised a new easy non-invasive microsphere (e-NIMS) method using whole-body scan data. This method can be used in conjunction with autoradiography (ARG) and can provide supportive data for invasive CBF quantification. In this study, we examined the usefulness of e-NIMS for pediatric cerebral perfusion semi-quantitative SPECT and compared it with the invasive ARG. The e-NIMS estimates cardiac output (CO) using whole-body acquisition data after123I-IMP injection and the body surface area from calculation formula. A whole-body scan was performed 5 minutes after the123I-IMP injection and CO was estimated by region of interest (ROI) counts measured for the whole body, lungs, and brain using the whole-body anterior image. The mean CBF (mCBF) was compared with that acquired via ARG in 115 pediatric patients with suspected cerebrovascular disorders (age 0–15 years). Although the mCBF estimated by the e-NIMS indicated a slight deviation in the extremely low- or high-mCBF cases when compared with the values acquired using the invasive ARG, there was a good correlation between the two methods (r = 0.799;p< 0.001). There were no significant differences in the mCBF values based on physical features, such as patients’ height, weight, and age. Our findings suggest that123I-IMP brain perfusion SPECT with e-NIMS is the simplest semi-quantitative method that can provide supportive data for invasive CBF quantification. This method may be useful, especially in pediatric brain perfusion SPECT, when blood sampling or identifying pulmonary arteries for CO estimation using the graph plot method is difficult.
The house of Van Dyne: Defining Marvel’s superhero fashion designer
Authors: Geraffo Monica
Published: November 2020

Marvel Comics superhero and founding member of The Avengers Janet Van Dyne, the Wasp, has been portrayed as an in-canon fashion designer not just of superhero costumes but also of civilian clothing. Through her continuous usage as a narrative device that functions as an authority on style and taste, the proliferous designs depicted as created by Van Dyne over her almost sixty-year history have expanded to be worn by so many heroes across the Marvel Universe that they subconsciously define our overall conceptions of superhero fashion. This article evaluates Van Dyne’s fictional fashion designs from the perspective of real-world fashion criticism in order to define Van Dyne’s design aesthetic. Through comparisons with key designers and movements within the fashion industry, this article asserts that the history of luxury fashion is the best model for placing Van Dyne designs into context and that the long-standing visual representations of Van Dyne fashions offer a unique case study to explore the narrative implications of luxury fashion within comics. This focus on fashion designs rather than iconographic superhero costumes creates new opportunities to emphasize discussions of the integrality of clothing to conceptions of superhero characterization and identity.
The therapeutic efficacy of Aloe vera gel ointment on staphylococcal pyoderma in dogs
Authors: Kamr Ahmed , Arbaga Ali , El-Bahrawy Amanallah , Elsify Ahmed , Khaled Hadeer , Hassan Hany
Published: November 2020

Background and Aim: Staphylococcus pyoderma is a common problem in dogs that need a novel treatment rather than antibiotic therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative properties of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) gel ointment on dogs' Staphylococcus pyoderma compared to gentamicin ointment. Materials and Methods: The inhibition zone of A. vera extract 20% and 40% and gentamicin 1% against Staphylococcus aureus was determined on well diffusion agar. Twenty Baladi local breed dogs were used as control negative group before intradermal inoculation with 105 CFU S. aureus. The animals were classified into four equal groups, control positive group without treatment (n=5), treated groups by 20% A. vera gel ointment (n=5), 40% A. vera gel ointment (n=5), and gentamicin ointment 1% (n=5). Topical application of A. vera and gentamicin ointments was carried out twice daily for 2 weeks until complete healing of dogs' pyoderma. Clinical evaluation was recorded. Inflammatory, oxidant, and antioxidant parameters were measured in serum. Results: The inhibition zone of A. vera extracts 20% and 40% was 19 mm and 23 mm, respectively, while gentamicin 1% was 18 mm. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (of A. vera 20% and 40% were 13.70 with R2=0.98. Dogs' pyoderma treated with A. vera gel ointment 20% and 40% were more likely to have low haptoglobin and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations than gentamicin 1% ([odds ratio [OR]=4.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.31-17.40; p<0.05]; [OR=5.2; 95% CI=1.04-22.30; p<0.05]), respectively. Conclusion: It seems evident that A. vera has therapeutic effect, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects against dogs' staphylococcal pyoderma than gentamicin that would support its further use rather than antibiotics in one health arena.
SASTRA LISAN: Mosehe, Moanggo, Kinoho, dan Nyanyian Rakyat ‘HARTA KARUN ’ ORANG TOLAKI: osehe, Moanggo, Kinoho, dan Nyanyian Rakyat Orang Tolaku
Authors:   FKIP Universitas Haluoleo, Badara Aris , Dinar Sri Suryana ,   FKIP Universitas Haluoleo
Published: November 2020

Keberadaan sastra lisan yang dikreasi oleh manusia didasarkan pada pemenuhan kebutuhan yang memiliki nilai estetis bagi penutur dan penikmatnya. Oleh sebab itu, sastra lisan dapat bermanfaat bagi pengembangan kebudayaan nasional yang saat ini sedang mengalami distorsi. Sebagai salah satu unsur kebudayaan, sastra lisan juga memiliki variasi yang beragam. Isinya pun berkaitan dengan berbagai peristiwa yang terjadi pada masyarakat pendukungnya,. Sebagai aset budaya yang cenderung terlupakan, sudah saatnya sastra lisan dilestarikan melalui transliterasi ke bahasa Indonesia maupun bahasa asing. Dengan demikian sastra lisan sebagai 'harta karun' dapat dinikmati oleh masyarakat luas.
Notes on The Corner That Held Them
Authors: Warner Sylvia Townsend
Published: November 2020

A draft manuscript essay in which Warner recalls the genesis of The Corner That Held Them and the stages of its composition.
Posthuman? Animal Corpses, Aeroplanes and Very High Frequencies in the Work of Valentine Ackland and Sylvia Townsend Warner
Authors: Trotter David
Published: November 2020

The aim of this article is to establish the critical significance and value of work which was the product of the unique creative partnership developed by Valentine Ackland and Sylvia Townsend Warner during the 1930s. During that period, I argue, they imagined more variously and more incisively together, through mutual awareness and acceptance, than they would in all likelihood have done had they never met and fallen in love. An understanding of the sharp differences in temperament, outlook and reputation which precluded full-scale collaboration freed each of them, in turn, to pursue contrasting aspects of concerns held in common. So adventurous was that pursuit, at times, that it merits comparison with recent investigations of the idea of the ‘posthuman’. Since Warner was by far the more prolific author, I have tried to balance my account of her partnership with Ackland by drawing extensively not only on published fiction and poetry, but also on diaries and letters, and on a variety of other kinds of material from the archive.
Myśl ponad granicami: interdyscyplinarność i innowacyjność twórczości Georga Simmla
Authors: Brzeziński Dariusz
Published: November 2020

Georg Simmel jest znakomitym przykładem „intelektualisty totalnego”, to jest – zgodnie z rozumieniem Pierre’a Bourdieu – myśliciela swobodnie przekraczającego granice między dziedzinami i dyscyplinami nauki czy też dokonującego transferu wiedzy między różnymi polami twórczej aktywności. Autor Filozofii pieniądza swobodnie łączył socjologię, filozofię, ekonomię, naukę o sztuce, refleksje natury literaturoznawczej etc. Pozwalało mu to na dokonywanie wielu wyjątkowo innowacyjnych rozpoznań – w tym na zainicjowanie nowych ścieżek myślowych – ale też spotkało się z krytyką ze strony mu współczesnych. Pozostawanie „ponad granicami” dotyczyło nie tylko sposobu, w jaki prowadził swoje analizy, ale także języka, za pomocą którego je przedstawiał. Ulubioną formą wypowiedzi Simmla był esej, w którym stosował środki retoryczne właściwe językowi literackiemu. Tak sam charakter jego refleksji, jak i wyjątkowo innowacyjny sposób, w jaki je przedstawiał, przyczyniły się do tego, że do dziś pozostaje on intelektualistą, na którego twórczość powołują się przedstawiciele bardzo różnych dyscyplin społecznych i humanistycznych. W artykule zgłębiam ów fenomen, koncentrując się zarówno na samej myśli Simmla, jak i współczesnych sposobach jej odczytania.
Factors Affecting Youth Physical Activities: Evidence from Russia
Authors: Колосницына Марина Григорьевна , Хоркина Наталья Алексеевна , Лопатина Марина Валерьевна
Published: November 2020

The article provides an assessment of the factors that may affect the probability and intensity of physical activity among young Russians aged 15-24. The analysis is based on the data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS), 2000–2016 (n=21,703). Econometric analysis shows that there is a positive relationship between the physical activity probability and the indicators such as educational level, household per capita income, and living in capital cities. There is also a negative relationship between the probability of physical activity and individual’s characteristics such as smoking, family status (marriage), employment status (having a job). Relationship between the probability and intensity of physical activity and such features as alcohol consumption, body mass index and subjective health assessment is inconclusive. Implementation of measures aimed at increasing the physical activity of young Russians taking into account the stimulating or restraining factors may increase the productivity of physical exercise and further improve health condition and contribute to a longer lifespan in Russia.
Acknowledgments. The project was funded by the HSE Basic Research Program (2018).
Крах и рождение института из взрыва повседневности
Authors: Дискин Иосиф Евгеньевич
Published: November 2020

Задача — проследить влияние актуальных социальных процессов на формирование глобального экономического кризиса, на подрыв сложившейся институциональной системы. Пандемия подрывает устои повседневности и выступает акселератором обострения социальных противоречий. Важный фактор разрушения институциональной системы — взрыв идеологически накачанных «пузырей доверия», подрыв ее легитимности. Это результат разрушения системы социальных статусов, основанных на компетенциях и достижениях; дезинтеграции ценностей и интересов. Снижается регулятивная роль рефлексируемых интересов, растет влияние эмоций и социального аффекта. Преодоление кризиса требует его теоретического осмысления и формирования субъекта — ответственного класса.
Technology Acceptance Of Information Services
Authors: Luo Mei-Ling
Published: November 2020

The goal of this research is to develop and test a theoretical model of the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on user acceptance of Internet-based information services. The model, referred to as the integrated model of technology acceptance, is being developed with two major objectives. First, it should improve our understanding of user acceptance behavior, providing new theoretical insights into the successful design and implementation of Internet-based information services. Second, the integrated model should provide the theoretical basis for a practical system design and analysis approach that would enable practitioners to develop new information services or modify their current services. For user acceptance to be viable, the model of user acceptance must be valid. The present research takes several steps toward establishing a valid motivational model of the user, and aims to provide the foundation for future research that will lead toward this end. Research steps taken in the present research include: (1) choosing U&G (Uses and Gratifications) theory, a well-studied theoretical approach from mass communication to formulate an integrated technology acceptance model with TAM (Technology Acceptance Model); (2) developing and pre-testing the measures for the model’s factors in two pilot studies; (3) conducting two rounds of data collection and analyze them to prove that the integrated model is applicable to the present context; (4) reviewing literature in both information systems and mass communication to demonstrate that empirical support exists for various elements of the proposed model, and (5) using advanced statistical technique, structural equation modeling (SEM), to test the model’s structure. The results confirm our proposed integrated model. The model posits that entertainment motivation is another important factor in determining the use of online services in addition to the behavioral intention, as postulated by TAM. The integrated model also confirms that TAM’s belief constructs, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, are predictors of behavioral intention. Furthermore, perceived usefulness predicts behavioral intention. It also argues that the level of use influences the degree of satisfaction. Satisfaction is a construct that is heavily studied due to its important role as an indicator of system success.
KONJUGE LİNOLEİK ASİT İLE ZENGİNLEŞTİRİLMİŞ YAĞIN YAĞSIZ SÜT TOZU VE MALTODEKSTRİN KARIŞIMI İLE MİKROENKAPSÜLASYONU VE MİKROKAPSÜLLERİN KARAKTERİZASYONU
Authors: ERİNÇ Hakan , ALAŞALVAR Hamza
Published: November 2020

Konjuge linoleik asit (KLA), insan sağlığı üzerine birçok olumlu etkisi olan fonksiyonel bir bileşiktir. Fakat düşük oksidasyon stabilitesi ve suda çözünürlük özellikleri bu bileşenin gıdalarda kullanımını sınırlamaktadır. Bu çalışmada, KLA bakımından zenginleştirilmiş bir yağın püskürterek kurutma yoluyla enkapüslasyonunda kaplama maddesi olarak yağsız süt tozu ve maltodekstrinin farklı oranlarda kullanımının mikroenkapsülasyon verimi ve mikroenkapsülasyon etkinliği üzerine etkileri incelenmiştir. Mikroenkapsülasyon verimi ve mikroenkapsülasyon etkinliği sırasıyla %21.35-42.92 ve %16.32-73.91 değerleri aralığında belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen verilere göre en uygun kaplama maddesi oranı %70 yağsız süt tozu ve %30 maltodekstrin içeren karışım olarak belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca, bu noktada elde edilen mikrokapsülerin moleküler, morfolojik ve termal özellikleri Fourier dönüşümlü kızılötesi spektrokopisi, taramalı elektron mikroskobu ve termogravimetrik analiz kullanılarak karakterize edilmiştir.
Postoperative External Transabdominal Severe Lymphorrea (Case Report)
Authors: Yarema I. V. , Fursov S. A. , Pulnikov S. A. , Baranov G A. , Dobryakov A. V. , Kozlov N. S. , Dolzhenko A. A. , Korolyuk G. M.
Published: November 2020

Massive lymphorrhea can cause severe dysfunction of organs and systems and result in death due to loss of vital metabolites from the bodyAim. To demonstrate low efficacy of conservative therapy and late lymph duct ligation in continuous massive postoperative lymphorrhea.Results. We treated a patient with previous subtotal gastric resection with single-plane pancreatic resection, D2 lymph node dissection, peritoneal draining due to poorly differentiated carcinoma in the lower third of stomach and total hysterectomy who developed external lymphorrhea through peritoneal drainage tubes 3 days after surgery. A fat-rich diet, endolymphatic sodium etamsylate administration, and lymphatic duct ligation were not successful in terminating the lymph leakage. Despite the intensive care including extracorporeal detoxification, the multi-organ failure progressed and on day 28 after the surgery the patient was pronounced dead.Conclusion. Damage to lymph ducts and lymph nodes can be complicated by massive lymphorrhea. If the source of lymphorrhea can be identified, an urgent surgical intervention is warranted to stop the lymph leakage, as well as the restoration of homeostasis to replenish the lost metabolites and prevent death of the patient.
Rosetta Douglass Sprague on Anna Murray Douglass
Authors: Rosetta Douglass Sprague
Published: November 2020

None
Interview with Sir Geoff Palmer
Authors: Kalfou editors
Published: November 2020

Kalfou: What is the meaningful work that acts of historical commemoration can perform in the present?

Palmer: The plaque to Frederick Douglass in Edinburgh and the slavery plaque at Glasgow University are important because they reflect the conclusion that although we cannot change the past, we can change cruel consequences, such as racism, for the better.  These plaques also tell us that truthful narratives on plaques inform the public of a history which says that although we are different, we have the same humanity. A diverse society requires diverse attention to be efficient and fair. A fairness which changes the evil of “go home” to the goodness of “come home.”
EPIMENIDES VS EMPEDOCLES: how early greek philosophers fought еpidemics
Authors: Turenko Vitalii
Published: November 2020

The article attempts to highlight the development of the unity of medicine and philosophy in the context of combating epidemics of two early Greek thinkers Epimenides and Empedocles. The idea that Epimenides adheres to the divine origin of the disease is justified, but at the same time, in the process of ritual purification from the plague, it attracts elements of the Pythagorean view of healing, as well as close to Indo-Iranian traditions of the time. It is proved that in the course of the development of ancient thought, the view of the disease also evolves “from myth to logos”, which leads to the understanding of this phenomenon in Empedocles as an ontological problem. Accordingly, it has been established that, for the Sicilian philosopher, mass diseases (epidemics) are caused primarily by the fact that he is more prevalent in the world. If the society is engulfed by hatred and malice, then diseases will inevitably emerge and increase. Instead, overcoming and disappearing of epidemics are possible because peace and harmony between people will prevail. The author substantiates the thesis that helping residents to overcome epidemics in various ancient cities, testifies to the great importance of the early Greek thinkers, who combined not only reflection but also praxis.
Material Apotheosis: The Editions of the Divine Pivot Ready to Hand and the Ritual Underpinnings of Zhu Quan’s Divine Authorship
Authors: Schachter Bony B.
Published: November 2020

This contribution argues that Zhu Quan’s (1378–1448) apotheosis must be interpreted as a paratextual discourse on authorship. Substantiating this claim, this article discusses how the extant editions of the Divine Pivot Ready to Hand construct the king’s divine authorship. In its three sections, the article examines the physical, paratextual and ritual dimensions of his apotheosis. Focusing on the last chapter of the Pivot, it demonstrates that calendars serve as a material cum textual media through which to posit Zhu Quan’s divine status. In a dialogue with the field of ritual studies, the article explains to what degree Zhu Quan’s calendars may be interpreted as an act of ritual textualisation.
The prevalence of loyalty program use and its association with higher risk gambling in Australia
Authors: Delfabbro Paul , King Daniel L.
Published: November 2020

Background and aims

Loyalty programs are implemented widely by gambling operators to provide customers with additional prizes and benefits for consistent patronage. The aim of this paper was to examine whether loyalty programs were more commonly reported by higher risk gamblers in large population studies conducted in Australia.

Method

This paper examines the prevalence of loyalty program use and the association with problem gambling in Australia using data from seven out of 13 public gambling prevalence surveys conducted over the last decade.

Results

Evidence drawn from six of these seven studies showed consistent positive association between loyalty card use and higher risk gambling in venue-based gamblers. At least 40% of problem gamblers reported loyalty card use compared with only around 10% of gamblers in general.

Discussion

These observations suggest that there is a need to conduct more focused investigations on the utilisation of loyalty programs by higher risk gamblers.

Conclusions

It will be important to examine whether loyalty programs encourage or extend gambling sessions, but also how they can be used to facilitate responsible gambling initiatives and inform further behavioural research.
Effects of chitosan treatment on the texture parameters of okra fruit (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)
Authors: Wang Jiyue , Shi Denghong , Bai Yu , Ouyang Bochen , Liu Yan
Published: November 2020

In recent years, due to its medicinal properties and reputation as a healthy vegetable, consumption of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) has considerably increased in China. In this study, texture parameters (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, and resilience) of okra fruit subjected to chitosan (CTS) treatment and control were determined during storage. The changing pattern of texture properties and the differences between three different cultivars (Kariba, ACF, and Xianzhi) were observed at three testing stages (0, 15, and 30 days of storage), which indicated a significant cultivar-dependent pattern. The hardness, cohesiveness, gummi-ness, chewiness, and resilience of the fruit, both in the 1% CTS treatment group and the control group, declined along with storage time. The small fruits (length < 10 cm) scored relatively low in most of the texture parameters and rate of intact when compared with large (length ? 15 cm) and medium-sized fruits (10 ? length < 15 cm). There was a significant, positive correlation between firmness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, and resilience. Our results revealed that a 1% N, O-carboxymethyl CTS solution can effectively delay softening and maintain the texture profile of the okra fruit. In the case of Kariba (A) and Xianzhi (C), the medium-sized fruits showed better storage resistance, while the large fruit of ACF (B) showed the best storage resistance.