bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fungal Diversity and Evaluation of Ochratoxin A Content of Coffee from Three Cameroonian Regions
Authors: Nganou N. D. , Tchinda E. S. , Noumo T. N. , Mouafo H. T. , Sokamte A. T. , Tatsadjieu L. N.
Published: October 2020

The present study had the objective to assess the ochratoxin A content of coffee through chromatographic analysis and design a method using PCR-DGGE to analyze at the same moment the totality of fungal flora present in the coffee samples in order to determine their geographic origin. 96 samples of coffee were collected from the west region (Bafoussam and Dschang), centre region (Bafia), and east region (Batouri) of Cameroon during two years (2017 and 2018). Two treatments (dry and wet routes) were evaluated at three different steps of coffee processing (parchment coffee, green coffee, and husk coffee). The characterization of the fungal profile was done with PCR-DGGE and sequencing. The levels of OTA were assessed using HPLC analysis. The results indicated that the toxinogenic mycoflora associated with coffee beans was mainly Aspergillus niger, A. carbonarius, and A. ochraceus. PCR-DGGE data revealed that each sampling site is characterized by a specific fungal profile. Despite the influence of the treatment on the fungal population of coffee, bands common to samples coming from the same site were observed. These bands could therefore constitute potential biological markers to trace back to the origin of coffee. OTA was detected in most of the coffee samples analyzed and only few samples contented OTA at levels higher than the maximum tolerable limit for food intended for human consumption. The OTA content of coffee was significantly influenced by the sampling step and the sampling period.
Phosphate and Kidney Healthy Aging
Authors: Rubio-Aliaga Isabel
Published: October 2020

Background: The aging population is increasing rapidly, much faster than our understanding on how to promote healthy aging free of multimorbidities. The aging kidney shows a decline in its function. Whether this decline is preventable or physiological is still debated. Main risks factors for developing CKD are aging common comorbidites, such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Phosphate is vital for our organism, but it is also present in a great variety of food products as food additive and preservative. Due to the higher consumption of processed food in the last century, concern has arisen if a chronic high consumption of phosphate may be toxic impacting on healthy aging. Summary: Several studies show an association between higher serum phosphate levels and a higher risk of overall mortality and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, higher phosphate levels also worsen CKD progression and may contribute to renal dysfunction in healthy individuals. Acute high phosphate intake is rare but can cause acute kidney injury. Yet, the question if controlling phosphate intake may modulate serum phosphate concentrations remains unanswered, as assessment of phosphate intake is still a difficult task. Phosphate consumption estimations by dietary recalls are largely underestimated, especially in populations groups consuming high amount of processed food. Key Message: A healthy diet with phosphate source from food may contribute to promote healthy aging and longevity.
Association of Patients’ Perception of Quality of Healthcare Received and Colorectal Cancer Screening Uptake: An Analysis of 2 National Surveys in the USA
Authors: Chawla Karan , Kibreab Angesom , Scott Victor , Lee Edward L. , Aduli Farshad , Brim Hassan , Ashktorab Hassan , Howell Charles D. , Laiyemo Adeyinka O.
Published: October 2020

Objective: It is not known whether patients’ ratings of the quality of healthcare services they receive truly correlate with the quality of care from their providers. Understanding this association can potentiate improvement in healthcare delivery. We evaluated the association between patients’ ratings of the quality of healthcare services received and uptake of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Subjects and Methods: We used 2 iterations of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) of adults in the USA. HINTS 2007 (4,007 respondents; weighted population = 75,397,128) evaluated whether respondents were up to date with CRC screening while HINTS 4 cycle 3 (1,562 respondents; weighted population = 76,628,000) evaluated whether participants had ever received CRC screening in the past. All included respondents from both surveys were at least 50 years of age, had no history of CRC, and had rated the quality of healthcare services that they had received at their healthcare provider’s office in the previous 12 months. Results: HINTS 2007 data showed that respondents who rated their healthcare as good or fair/poor were significantly less likely to be up to date with CRC screening compared to those who rated their healthcare as excellent. We found comparable results from analysis of HINTS 4 cycle 3 data with poorer uptake of CRC screening as the healthcare quality ratings of respondents reduced. Conclusion: Our study suggests that patients who reported receiving lower quality of healthcare services were less likely to have undergone and be compliant with CRC screening recommendations. It is important to pay close attention to patient feedback surveys in order to improve healthcare delivery.
Mucin Secretion in Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Niv Yaron , Ho Samuel B. , Rokkas Theodor
Published: October 2020

Background: Mucus protects the epithelium against invaders and toxic materials. Sticky and thick mucus is characteristic of CF. Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to characterize the specific mucins secreted in the lung and intestinal tract of CF patients. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted up to December 31, 2019. The following terms were used: “cystic fibrosis” AND “mucin.” Case-control studies comparing mucin expression in CF patients to healthy controls were included. Results: We found 741 eligible studies, 694 studies were rejected because they were performed in animals and not in full text, and 32 studies were excluded being editorials, duplications, review articles, meta-analysis, or not in English. Fifteen studies were eligible for our study, including 150 CF patients compared to 82 healthy controls, all fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The main mucin types expressed in the sinus submucosal glands, sputum, tracheobronchial surface epithelium, and lung submucosal glands were MUC5AC and MUC5B. Increase in the number of sinusoidal submucosal glands and expression of MUC5B was found in CF patients, but no such difference from healthy controls was found for the number of goblet cells in the surface epithelium nor in the expression of ­MUC5AC. The opposite was found in the tracheobronchial surface epithelium and in the lungs. Conclusions: Increased expression of MUC5AC in the surface epithelium and of MUC5B in the subepithelial glands may be the result of higher secretion rate of mucin into the lumen of the respiratory tract, causing mucus plaque, infection, and inflammation.
Probabilistic Contextual and Structural Dependencies Learning in Grammar-Based Genetic Programming
Authors: Wong Pak-Kan , Wong Man-Leung , Leung Kwong-Sak
Published: October 2020

Genetic Programming is a method to automatically create computer programs based on the principles of evolution. The problem of deceptiveness caused by complex dependencies among components of programs is challenging. It is important because it can misguide Genetic Programming to create suboptimal programs. Besides, a minor modification in the programs may lead to a notable change in the program behaviours and affect the final outputs. This article presents Grammar-Based Genetic Programming with Bayesian Classifiers (GBGPBC) in which the probabilistic dependencies among components of programs are captured using a set of Bayesian network classifiers. Our system was evaluated using a set of benchmark problems (the deceptive maximum problems, the royal tree problems, and the bipolar asymmetric royal tree problems). It was shown to be often more robust and more efficient in searching the best programs than other related Genetic Programming approaches in terms of the total number of fitness evaluation. We studied what factors affect the performance of GBGPBC and discovered that robust variants of GBGPBC were consistently weakly correlated with some complexity measures. Furthermore, our approach has been applied to learn a ranking program on a set of customers in direct marketing. Our suggested solutions help companies to earn significantly more when compared with other solutions produced by several well-known machine learning algorithms, such as neural networks, logistic regression, and Bayesian networks.
Melanophore metachrosis response in amphibian tadpoles: effect of background colour, light and temperature
Authors: Rodríguez-Rodríguez Eduardo José , Beltrán Juan Francisco , Márquez Rafael
Published: October 2020

The developmental and biochemical mechanisms of colour change through chromatophore metachrosis in amphibian tadpoles are relatively well studied, but the environmental factors driving colour change remain unclear. A cryptic response to background colour in order to reduce predation is an intuitively valid explanation, however, other hypotheses need to be explored. In this study, we aimed to investigate the environmental factors driving the melanophore metachrosis process in Alytes dickhilleni tadpoles. First, we tested the response to two backgrounds with clearly distinct reflectance: black and white. The proportion of dark tadpoles became significantly higher when they were located on the black background, and pale tadpole proportion was dominant on the white background, as expected from the crypsis hypothesis. Secondly, we added two new factors, temperature and photoperiod, maintaining the background variation. Our results suggest that lower temperatures, and short photoperiods were significantly driving a change to dark colouration in tadpoles, possibly allowing a more efficient thermoregulation, and in consequence, development and growth. Next we tested whether dark and pale tadpoles selected backgrounds that matched their colouration (black and white background), and found no evidence for behavioral selection. The apparent response in colour change to background appears to be mediated by the background reflectance of light, that there does not seem to be behavioral selection of matching background by the tadpoles, and therefore it suggests that color change is more likely to be a physiological response with thermoregulatory implications.
Some Ancient Greek and Twentieth-Century Theories of Value
Authors: Kraut Richard
Published: October 2020

Plato puts goodness at the center of all practical thinking but offers no definition of it and implies that philosophy must find one. Aristotle demurs, arguing that there is no such thing as universal goodness. What we need, instead, is an understanding of the human good. Plato and Aristotle are alike in the attention they give to the category of the beneficial, and they agree that since some things are beneficial only as means, there must be others that are non-derivatively beneficial. When G. E. Moore proposed in the early twentieth century that goodness is, as Plato had said, the foundation of ethics, he rejected not only the assumption that goodness needs a definition, but also that goodness is beneficial – that is, good for someone. This article traces the development of this debate as it plays out in the writings of Prichard, Ross, Geach, Thomson, and Scanlon.
The Place of Subjectivity
Authors: Halbig Christoph
Published: October 2020

The modern debate on the theory of prudential values is largely structured around the issue of how to accommodate the role of subjectivity: a prudentially good life (unlike, say, a morally good life) seems to be necessarily a life that is good for the person living it. The present article aims at clarifying this crucial role of subjectivity in the ontology of prudential values. It tries to show that this role, rightly understood, can be fully and satisfactorily accounted for by a strong realism in the theory of prudential value. Subjectivist intuitions that prove incompatible with such a realist framework, it is argued, can be convincingly rejected on independent grounds.
The Worst Things in Life
Authors: Sumner Wayne
Published: October 2020

One important test of adequacy for a theory of welfare is completeness. To be complete a theory must cover ill-being as well as well-being. Call this the ill-being test for a theory. The author’s aim in this article is to determine how well equipped the leading theories of welfare are to pass this test. The author reaches three modest conclusions: (1) passing the test is not straightforward for any theory; (2) on the whole, subjective theories do better than objective ones; (3) within the subjective category experiential theories do better than desire theories.
Anti-Realism and Anti-Revisionism in Wittgenstein’s Philosophy of Mathematics
Authors: Nakano Anderson
Published: October 2020

Since the publication of the Remarks on the Foundations of Mathematics, Wittgenstein’s interpreters have endeavored to reconcile his general constructivist/anti-realist attitude towards mathematics with his confessed anti-revisionary philosophy. In this article, the author revisits the issue and presents a solution. The basic idea consists in exploring the fact that the so-called “non-constructive results” could be interpreted so that they do not appear non-constructive at all. The author substantiates this solution by showing how the translation of mathematical results, given by the possibility of translation between logics, can be seen as a tool for partially implementing the solution Wittgenstein had in mind.
Mathematical Philology in the Treatise on Double False Position in an Arabic Manuscript at Columbia University
Authors: Roberts Alexandre M.
Published: October 2020

This article examines an Arabic mathematical manuscript at Columbia University’s Rare Book and Manuscript Library (or. 45), focusing on a previously unpublished set of texts: the treatise on the mathematical method known as Double False Position, as supplemented by Jābir ibn Ibrāhīm al-Ṣābī (tenth century?), and the commentaries by Aḥmad ibn al-Sarī (d. 548/1153–4) and Saʿd al-Dīn Asʿad ibn Saʿīd al-Hamadhānī (12th/13th century?), the latter previously unnoticed. The article sketches the contents of the manuscript, then offers an editio princeps, translation, and analysis of the treatise. It then considers how the Swiss historian of mathematics Heinrich Suter (1848–1922) read Jābir’s treatise (as contained in a different manuscript) before concluding with my own proposal for how to go about reading this mathematical text: as a witness of multiple stages of a complex textual tradition of teaching, extending, and rethinking mathematics—that is, we should read it philologically.
On Original and “Originals”: The “Copy” of the Tashkent Qurʾān Codex in the Rare Collection Books at the Butler Library
Authors: Shalem Avinoam
Published: October 2020

In 1905, Dr. S. Pissareff from St. Petersburg was involved in the production of 50 copies of an earlier Qurʾān codex. The original, namely the Qurʾān codex first discovered to western gaze around the mid 19th century, held in the Khoja Akhrar mosque in Samarqand, is a large-sized Qurʾānic manuscript written in Kufic on parchment with hardly any use of punctuation or vowel marks. This codex has been traditionally regarded as the muṣḥaf of ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān, the third caliph (murdered in 656), and was said to have been brought from Iraq by Timur. This essay presents the ‘Pissareff copy’ kept at the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Columbia University, discusses its specific status as residing in the grey zone between reproduction and copy, and aims at setting it in the larger context of ‘copies’ of Qurʾān codices.
Сontribution to the knowledge of Parabelbella (Acari, Oribatida, Damaeidae): description of two new species from Russia and the U.S.A., redescription of P. inaequipes (Banks, 1947) and a key to known species
Authors: ERMILOV SERGEY G. , RYABININ NIKOLAY A.
Published: October 2020

The genus Parabelbella (Oribatida, Damaeidae), with nine known species, is distributed in the Holarctic and Neotropical regions; of these, two new species from the Russian Far East and the U.S.A. are described on the basis of adult specimens. Parabelbella rusfareastensis sp. nov. differs from Parabelbella crenatosetosa Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1967 by the smaller body size, the absence of propodolateral apophysis, direction of notogastral seta c1, and the mutual distance between notogastral setae c. Parabelbella pseudoinaequipes sp. nov. differs from Parabelbella inaequipes (Banks, 1947) by the presence of distinctly barbed notogastral setae la and lm and sparsely barbed setae c1, c2, lp, h3, shorter and thinner dorsal notogastral setae, anterior median ventral tubercle, and by distance between insertions of seta lm–lp. The redescription of P. inaequipes is presented, based on material from the U.S.A. The main morphological traits for this species are summarized. An identification key to known species of Parabelbella is provided.
The genus Anacroneuria Klapálek, 1909 (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil
Authors: DE SOUSA CARVALHO ANDRÉ , DE ALMEIDA LUCAS HENRIQUE , DE AZEVÊDO CARLOS AUGUSTO SILVA , COSTA LIMA LUCAS RAMOS
Published: October 2020

Based on collections made from streams of the Itapecuru, Parnaíba and Tocantins River basins, three species of Anacroneuria Klapálek are recorded for the first time from Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil: A. atrifrons Klapálek, A. minuta Klapálek and A. singularis Righi-Cavallaro & Lecci. Additionally, A. leccii sp. nov. is described from this material and remarks concerning A. marlieri are also presented.
The association between lithium in drinking water and neuropsychiatric outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis from across 2678 regions containing 113 million people
Authors: Eyre-Watt Brenton , Mahendran Eesharnan , Suetani Shuichi , Firth Joseph , Kisely Steve , Siskind Dan
Published: October 2020

Background:

Lithium in drinking water may have significant mental health benefits. We investigated the evidence on the association between lithium concentrations in drinking water and their neuropsychiatric outcomes.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and CINAHL up to 19 January 2020, for peer-reviewed research examining the association between lithium concentrations in drinking water and neuropsychiatric outcomes. We used a pairwise analysis and a random effects model to meta-analyse suicide rates and psychiatric hospital admissions. We assessed for publication bias using Egger’s test and Duval and Tweedie’s Trim and Fill analysis.

Results:

Twenty-seven studies including 113 million subjects were included in this systematic review. Meta-analysis of 14 studies including 94 million people found higher lithium concentrations were associated with reduced suicide rates ( r = −0.191, 95% confidence interval = [−0.287, −0.090], p < 0.001) and meta-analysis of two studies including 5 million people found higher lithium concentrations were associated with fewer hospital admissions ( r = −0.413, 95% confidence interval = [−0.689, −0.031], p = 0.035). We found significant heterogeneity between studies ( Q = 67.4, p < 0.001, I2 = 80.7%) and the presence of publication bias (Egger’s test; t value = 2.90, p = 0.013). Other included studies did not provide sufficient data to analyse other neuropsychiatric outcomes quantitatively.

Conclusion:

Higher lithium concentrations in drinking water may be associated with reduced suicide rates and inpatient psychiatric admissions. The relationship with other neuropsychiatric outcomes and complications remains unclear. Further research is required before any public health recommendations can be made. Trial registration number: The study was registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42018090145.
Comparison Considerations Toward Investigating the Factors of Load and Age Group on the Maximum Reach Envelope
Authors: Johnston Heather , Dewis Colleen , Kozey John
Published: October 2020

Objective

The objectives were to compare cylindrical and spherical coordinate representations of the maximum reach envelope (MRE) and apply these to a comparison of age and load on the MRE.

Background

The MRE is a useful measurement in the design of workstations and quantifying functional capability of the upper body. As a dynamic measure, there are human factors that impact the size, shape, and boundaries of the MRE.

Method

Three-dimensional reach measures were recorded using a computerized potentiometric system for anthropometric measures (CPSAM) on two adult groups (aged 18–25 years and 35–70 years). Reach trials were performed holding .0, .5, and 1 kg.

Results

Three-dimensional Cartesian coordinates were transformed into cylindrical ( r, θ , Z) and spherical ( r, θ, ϕ) coordinates. Median reach distance vectors were calculated for 54 panels within the MRE as created by incremented banding of the respective coordinate systems. Reach distance and reach area were compared between the two groups and the loaded conditions using a spherical coordinate system. Both younger adults and unloaded condition produced greater reach distances and reach areas.

Conclusions

Where a cylindrical coordinate system may reflect absolute reference for design, a normalized spherical coordinate system may better reflect functional range of motion and better compare individual and group differences. Age and load are both factors that impact the MRE.

Application

These findings present measurement considerations for use in human reach investigation and design.
Networks and fault lines in eighteenth-century Deccani literary communities: Lachmī Narāyan ‘Shafīq’ and his circle
Authors: Dhavan Purnima
Published: October 2020

By the end of the eighteenth century, emerging states in South Asia drew on successive waves of migration to staff their institutions. Scholars, poets and bureaucrats in these new states were entrusted with the crafting and maintenance of new bureaucratic systems and cultural spaces. The attempts to create shared bonds in these new spaces, however, also created tensions between those who were recent arrivals in these communities and those whose families had settled there earlier. In the fiercely competitive world of late Mughal literary culture, the task of uniting these groups by creating new networks was complicated by divergent goals. I examine how the writing and dissemination of new histories, memoirs and literary works with a literary network connected with one author, Lachmī Narāyan ‘Shafīq,’ built a shared history in the eighteenth-century Deccan, but also created moments of acute conflict and dissent through its literary production. The competing needs for individual self-presentation and success in the competitive climate of the period undercut the desire to forge collaborative networks. The conflicting record of these collaborations and fault lines in the archival records of this period invite us to revisit the ways in which both collective and individual identities were forged in this period.
“I’ll Show You My Faith” (James 2:18): Inspiring Models for Exilic Life
Authors: Green Joel B.
Published: October 2020

Abraham, Rahab, Job, and Elijah do more than illustrate the various points James wants to make about faithful living. In perhaps surprising ways, they invite imitation, identification, and empathetic association among his audience. James recalls these figures from Israel’s past so as to encourage his readers and auditors to respond to the rigors of exilic life with comparable patterns of faith and practice.
Let’s Drink to Being Socially Active: Family Characteristics, Social Participation, and Alcohol Abuse across Mid- and Later-life
Authors: Vogelsang Eric M. , Lariscy Joseph T.
Published: October 2020

Researchers and practitioners often extol the health benefits of social relationships and social participation for older adults. Yet they often ignore how these same bonds and activities may contribute to negative health behaviors. Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (16,065 observations from 7,007 respondents), we examined how family characteristics, family history, and social participation predicted three measures of alcohol abuse between ages 53 and 71. Results indicate that, generally, greater social participation is associated with increased drinking days per month. We also found that religious participation and having ever lived with an alcoholic are each associated with reporting possible alcohol dependence but not with alcohol consumption itself. Lastly, we identified gendered associations between marital dissolution and drinking behavior. These findings contextualize the increasing rates of alcohol abuse among older adults by emphasizing the possible negative consequences of “linked lives” on health via relationship stress and group norms.
Sources of Support for Studies That Inform Recommendations of the Community Preventive Services Task Force
Authors: Neilson Elizabeth , Villani Jennifer , Mercer Shawna L. , Tilley David L. , Vincent Isaah , Alston Anita , Klabunde Carrie N.
Published: October 2020

Objectives

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) makes evidence-based recommendations about preventive services, programs, and policies in community settings to improve public health. CPSTF recommendations are based on systematic evidence reviews. This study examined the sponsors (ie, sources of financial, material, or intellectual support) for publications included in systematic reviews used by the CPSTF to make recommendations during a 9-year period.

Methods

We examined systematic evidence reviews (effectiveness reviews and economic reviews) for CPSTF findings issued from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2018. We assessed study publications used in these reviews for sources of support; we classified sources as government, nonprofit, industry, or no identified support. We also identified country of origin for each sponsor and the most frequently mentioned sponsors.

Results

The CPSTF issued findings based on 144 systematic reviews (106 effectiveness reviews and 38 economic reviews). These reviews included 3846 publications: 3363 publications in effectiveness reviews and 483 publications in economic reviews. Government agencies supported 57.1% (n = 1919) of publications in effectiveness reviews and 59.2% (n = 286) in economic reviews. More than 1500 study sponsors from 36 countries provided support. The National Institutes of Health was the leading sponsor for effectiveness reviews (21.3%; 718 of 3363) and economic reviews (16.2%; 78 of 480), followed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (7.0%; 234 of 3363 effectiveness reviews and 14.8%; 71 of 480 economic reviews).

Conclusions

The evidence base used by the CPSTF was supported by an array of sponsors, with government agencies providing the most support. Study findings highlight the need for sponsorship transparency and the role of government as a leading supporter of studies that underpin CPSTF recommendations for improving public health.
Philanthrocapitalism as wealth management strategy: Philanthropy, inheritance and succession planning among the global elite
Authors: Sklair Jessica , Glucksberg Luna
Published: October 2020

In the resurgence of interest in inheritance flows following the publication of Piketty’s work, little attention has been paid to the affective practices that ensure the success of inheritance processes as wealth moves down generations of dynastic families. This article explores these practices, drawing on research among wealth managers, philanthropy advisors, family offices and their clients, to show how philanthropy is promoted by advisors to the wealthy as a tool to support inheritance and family business succession planning. In this process, advisors draw on the philanthropic imagination to style wealthy families as custodians of both private capital and the common good, thus mirroring the narratives used by philanthrocapitalists to legitimise their wealth in the public sphere. Here, however, the discourse of philanthrocapitalism is turned inwards to the private realm of the family, to persuade younger generations to rally around the collective project of the custodianship of wealth. By bringing together research on philanthropy and inheritance, this article contributes to the growing sociological literature on elites and the global inequalities driven by their accumulation of wealth. It shows how wealth accumulation is increasingly dependent not only on the mechanics of financial markets and inheritance flows, but also on affective wealth management strategies framed around ethical notions of kinship and social responsibility.
Lasers in Tonsillectomy: Revisited With Systematic Review
Authors: Ahmed Jake , Arya Arvind
Published: October 2020

Introduction:

In 2005, the National Prospective Tonsillectomy Audit was conducted by the Royal College of Surgeons England, reporting hot tonsillectomy techniques being associated with more postoperative pain and hemorrhage when compared with dissection. In 2006, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence declared its position on laser tonsillectomy reporting that bleeding may be less intraoperatively but is more postoperatively, that initial pain may be less but medium term is more and that healing is delayed.

Aim:

To revisit the literature surrounding laser tonsil surgery and assess the aforementioned factors for any trend changes.

Methodology:

A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-style systematic review conducted in July 2019 searched Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases for randomized controlled trials comparing laser tonsil surgery with other techniques with the terms laser, tonsillectomy, and tonsillotomy for nonmalignant indications. A total of 14 articles were evaluated.

Results:

A total of 1133 patients received surgery accounting for a total of 2266 tonsil removals. A variety of laser techniques were used including CO2 (66%) potassium-titanyl-phosphate (19%) and contact diode (15%). Nonlaser techniques included dissection (62%), diathermy (20%), and coblation (18%). The summated conclusions suggest that laser techniques are superior regarding intraoperative bleeding and procedure duration. Laser techniques also provide equivocal or superior outcomes regarding postoperative hemorrhage, pain, and total healing time.

Conclusion:

Outcomes following laser surgery in recent years suggest an overall improvement. This could be due to enhanced familiarity with techniques and established centers performing laser procedures more routinely.
Prioritizing Diversity in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery: Starting a Conversation
Authors: Truesdale Carl M. , Baugh Reginald F. , Brenner Michael J. , Loyo Myriam , Megwalu Uchechukwu C. , Moore Charles E. , Paddock Ethan A. , Prince Mark E. , Strange Mia , Sylvester Michael J. , Thompson Dana M. , Valdez Tulio A. , Xie Yanjun , Bradford Carol R. , Taylor Duane J.
Published: October 2020

Academic centers embody the ideals of otolaryngology and are the specialty’s port of entry. Building a diverse otolaryngology workforce—one that mirrors society—is critical. Otolaryngology continues to have an underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities. The specialty must therefore redouble efforts, becoming more purposeful in mentoring, recruiting, and retaining underrepresented minorities. Many programs have never had residents who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color. Improving narrow, leaky, or absent pipelines is a moral imperative, both to mitigate health care disparities and to help build a more just health care system. Diversity supports the tripartite mission of patient care, education, and research. This commentary explores diversity in otolaryngology with attention to the salient role of academic medical centers. Leadership matters deeply in such efforts, from culture to finances. Improving outreach, taking a holistic approach to resident selection, and improving mentorship and sponsorship complement advances in racial disparities to foster diversity.
Association Between the Duration of Hearing Loss and Hearing Outcomes in Surgery for Otosclerosis
Authors: Luryi Alexander L. , Schettino Amy , Babu Seilesh C. , Bojrab Dennis I. , Michaelides Elias M. , Bojrab Dennis I. , Schutt Christopher A.
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Hearing loss due to otosclerosis is effectively treated with surgery. The association between duration of hearing loss and surgical outcomes is unknown.

Study Design

Retrospective review.

Setting

Large otology referral center.

Methods

Patients undergoing primary stapes surgery for otosclerosis from 2005 to 2017 were evaluated according to their self‐reported duration of hearing loss. Closure of the air‐bone gap (ABG) was the primary outcome measure.

Results

A total of 580 stapes operations were included. Sixteen percent of patients reported hearing loss for ≤1 year; 25%, >1 to ≤5 years; 24%, >5 to ≤10 years; 24%, >10 to ≤20 years; and 12%, >20 years, respectively. Average pre‐ and postoperative ABGs were 26.1 and 9.6 dB (P <. 0005). Patients with longer duration of hearing loss had worse preoperative ABGs (P <. 0005). After surgery, patients with longer duration of hearing loss had a greater reduction in their ABGs (P <. 0005) such that the remaining ABG was not associated with duration of hearing loss (P >. 05). There were no significant associations between the duration of hearing loss and complication rates or the need for revision surgery.

Conclusion

Otosclerosis is effectively treated with surgery even after a long duration of hearing loss, provided that sensorineural hearing and word recognition are favorable. Although far‐advanced otosclerosis has known poorer hearing outcomes after stapes surgery, a long duration of hearing loss is an unreliable surrogate for this.
Self‐perceived Taste and Flavor Perception: Associations With Quality of Life in Patients With Olfactory Loss
Authors: Liu David T. , Besser Gerold , Prem Bernhard , Sharma Gunjan , Speth Marlene M. , Sedaghat Ahmad R. , Mueller Christian A.
Published: October 2020

Objective

To evaluate associations between self‐perceived chemosensory functions of smell, taste, and flavor perception with olfactory‐specific quality of life (QoL) in patients with olfactory dysfunction (OD) and whether these associations would be influenced by other factors, such as duration or etiology of smell loss.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary care, academic center.

Methods

Olfactory‐specific QoL was measured with the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders (QOD). The QOD measures the impact of OD on QoL (QOD‐negative statements) and the ability of patients to cope with smell loss (QOD‐positive statements). Orthonasal olfactory function, patients’ demographics, self‐perceived chemosensory perception, and duration and etiology of OD were retrospectively collected in a cohort of patients with quantitative OD. Correlations and multivariable linear regression models were computed to determine possible associations with the outcome measure of QOD‐negative and QOD‐positive statement scores.

Results

A total of 133 patients with OD were included. Analysis revealed a positive correlation between self‐perceived taste and flavor perception with QOD‐negative statement scores, while self‐perceived smell showed no significant correlation. Similarly, longer duration of smell loss and higher age were also correlated with higher QOD‐positive statement scores. Multivariable regression models confirmed that self‐perceived taste was independently associated with the QOD‐negative statement score, while age and duration of OD were independently associated with the QOD‐positive statement score.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the impact of diminished flavor perception during eating and drinking has a stronger impact on the QoL of patients with OD as compared with decreased orthonasal olfaction.
Clinical manifestations and laboratory results of 61 children with infectious mononucleosis
Authors: Wu Yanming , Ma Suli , Zhang Lingjun , Zu Daoming , Gu Fangjin , Ding Xiaoyuan , Zhang Lei
Published: October 2020

Objective

To investigate the clinical manifestations of infectious mononucleosis in children of different ages.

Methods

Clinical data from pediatric patients with infectious mononucleosis admitted from May 2015 to April 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were stratified into three groups (age 1–3 years, 4–6 years, and 7–14 years) for analysis of clinical and laboratory results.

Results

Data from 61 patients (male:female ratio 1.18:1) aged 5.15 ± 2.93 years (mean ± standard deviation; range: 1–14 years) were analyzed. Infectious mononucleosis occurred throughout the year and the main clinical manifestations were fever (98.3%), tonsillitis (100%), tonsillar white exudate (83.6%), cervical lymphadenopathy (98.3%), hepatomegaly (37.7%), splenomegaly (42.6%), eyelid edema (41.0%), and nasal obstruction (49.2%). Disease onset was most common during early childhood (37.7%) and at preschool age (37.7%). Younger children had more obvious symptoms of nasal obstruction and older children had more significant elevations of alanine aminotransferase and higher percentages of atypical lymphocytes.

Conclusion

The clinical manifestations of infectious mononucleosis in children differed by age. These associations required attention for clinical decision making.
Helicobacter pylori is not a contributing factor in gallbladder polyps or gallstones: a case-control matching study of Chinese individuals
Authors: Zhang Jinshun , Zhang Ying , Chen Yahong , Chen Weiling , Xu Hongfang , Sun Wei
Published: October 2020

Objective

To investigate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) infection and gallstones or gallbladder polyps.

Methods

This retrospective analysis included 27,881 individuals who underwent health examinations that included a H. pylori test and an abdominal ultrasound scan. Patients were divided into four groups: gallbladder polyp (P group), gallstone (S group), gallstone and gallbladder polyp (SP group), and no gallbladder disease (N group). Case–control matching was used to select the participants in the control group.

Results

The mean ages of participants in the P, S, and SP groups were all significantly higher than the mean age of participants in the N group. The proportions of participants with each type of body mass index significantly differed between the N and P groups, and between the N and S groups. In total 45.7% of participants exhibited H. pylori infection. After case-control matching, the proportion of participants with H. pylori infection did not significantly differ according to the presence or absence of gallbladder polyps. Similar results were observed regarding gallstones, as well as gallstones and gallbladder polyps.

Conclusion

H. pylori infection might not be related to gallbladder polyps or gallstones.
New Perspectives on Risk Factors for Non-fatal Strangulation and Post-assault Imaging
Authors: McKee Grace B. , Gill-Hopple Kathy , Oesterle Daniel W. , Daigle Leah E. , Gilmore Amanda K.
Published: October 2020

Strangulation has long been associated with death in the context of sexual assault and intimate partner violence (IPV). Non-fatal strangulation (NFS) during sexual assault, which refers to strangulation or choking that does not result in death, is common and has been associated with IPV and with bodily injury; however, other factors associated with NFS are unknown. The current study examined demographic and sexual assault characteristics associated with NFS among women who received a sexual assault medical forensic exam (SAMFE). A second purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with receiving follow-up imaging orders after NFS was identified during a SAMFE. Participants ( N = 882) ranged in age from 18 to 81 ( M = 28.85), with the majority identifying as non-Hispanic White (70.4%) or Black/African American (23.4%). A total of 75 women (8.5%) experienced NFS during the sexual assault. Of these, only 13 (17.3%) received follow-up imaging orders for relevant scans. Results from a logistic regression analysis demonstrated that NFS was positively associated with report of anal penetration, intimate partner perpetration, non-genital injury, and weapon use during the assault. Results from chi-square analysis showed that among sexual assaults involving women who experienced NFS, those whose assaults involved weapon use were over four times more likely to receive imaging orders compared to assaults without weapon use. These findings have implications for criminal justice, and if incorporated into danger assessments, could potentially reduce fatalities linked to sexual assault and/or IPV. Additional work is needed to ensure that all assaults with NFS trigger a referral for imaging regardless of other assault characteristics.
Information control by public punishment: The logic of signalling repression in China
Authors: Ruan Lotus , Knockel Jeffrey , Crete-Nishihata Masashi
Published: October 2020

When does repression of online expression lead to public punishment of citizens in China? Chinese social media is heavily censored through a system of intermediary liability in which the government relies on private companies to implement content controls. Outside of this system the Chinese authorities at times utilize public punishment to repress social media users. Under China’s regulatory environment, individuals are subject to punishment such as fines and detention for their expressions online. While censorship has become more implicit, authorities have periodically announced cases of repression to the public. To understand when the state escalates from censoring online content to punishing social media users for their online expressions and publicizes the punishment, we collected 468 cases of state repression announced by the authorities between 1 January 2014 and 1 April 2019. We find that the Chinese authorities most frequently publicize persecutions of citizens who posted online expression deemed critical of the government or those that challenged government credibility. These cases show more evidence of the state pushing the responsibility of ‘self-regulation’ further to average citizens. By making an example of individuals who post prohibited content even in semi-public social media venues, the state signals strength and its determination to maintain authority.
Technological Innovations and Market Power: A Study of Indian Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Dhanora Madan , Sharma Ruchi , Park Walter G.
Published: October 2020

Technological innovations are positively associated with firms’ market performance. This study aims to examine the impact of product and process innovation on the market power of 168 Indian pharmaceutical firms during 2000–2013. We generate product and process patent stock to capture firm-level innovation activities. Findings of this study suggest that both product and process innovation positively influence firms’ market power. Results also reveal that MNEs enjoy more market power in the Indian pharmaceutical industry. Further, this study also highlights that there is a differential impact of firms’ product group on market power. This study concludes that patenting is a positive source of firm performance in the Indian pharmaceutical industry.
Acculturation Experiences of Syrian Muslim Refugee Women in the United States: Intersectionality of Nationality, Religion, Gender, and Refugee Status
Authors: Ugurel Kamisli Merih
Published: October 2020

Honoring the voices needing to be heard, the research investigated the lived experiences of six Syrian Muslim refugee women who resettled in the United States after the 2011 Syrian War. Data analysis was informed by qualitative research methodology and narrative inquiry. The stories of Syrian women in this study highlight the complexities of forced migration and intersecting subordinations that refugee women experience. By adding to our understanding of refugee experiences, the study contributes to one of the major populations that adult educators serve.
Nonlinear analysis of a crack in 2D piezoelectric semiconductors with exact electric boundary conditions
Authors: Zhao MingHao , Li XinFei , Lu Chunsheng , Zhang QiaoYun
Published: October 2020

In this paper, taking the exact electric boundary conditions into account, we propose a double iteration method to analyze a crack problem in a two-dimensional piezoelectric semiconductor. The method consists of a nested loop process with internal and outside circulations. In the former, the electric field and electron density in governing equations are constantly modified with the fixed boundary conditions on crack face and the crack opening displacement; while in the latter, the boundary conditions on crack face and the crack opening displacement are modified. Such a method is verified by numerically analyzing a crack with an impermeable electric boundary condition. It is shown that the electric boundary condition on crack face largely affects the electric displacement intensity factor near a crack tip in piezoelectric semiconductors. Under exact crack boundary conditions, the variation tendency of the electric displacement intensity factor versus crack size is quite different from that under an impermeable boundary condition. Thus, exact crack boundary conditions should be adopted in analysis of crack problems in a piezoelectric semiconductor.
Vibration analysis of an experimental double bridge crane system with artificial neural networks
Authors: Yıldırım Şahin , Esim Emir
Published: October 2020

In crane systems, lifting, carrying and lowering the load from one place have different dynamic effects on the system. One of these dynamic effects is the moving load problem caused by the movement of the load on the crane system. With the increasing technology in recent years, production speeds have increased. For this reason, it has made the requirements for fast-running cranes mandatory for the transportation and loading of products. Therefore, it is important to know the dynamic effects of the moving load in fast working conditions. In this experimental study, the dynamic effects occurring on the crane beams with different loads and different working speeds during the transportation of the load on the crane are analysed. Here, there are multiple cars on the crane, and these cars are designed in different numbers on the crane and can be operated at different speeds. Under these conditions, the dynamic effects that have arisen have been tested. Also, vibration measurements were carried out at different points on the bridges. And then, these parameters obtained were used in two different proposed neural network types to predict the vibrations that occur on the crane system. Simulation results show that two approaches suggested that a radial basis neural network type can be used as an adaptive predictor for such systems in the experimental applications.
An Exploratory Analysis of Geotagged Photos From Instagram for Residents of and Visitors to Vienna
Authors: Gunter Ulrich , Önder Irem
Published: October 2020

This study uses geotagged photos from Instagram to identify differences between the popular places in Vienna for residents and visitors. Moreover, we explore whether geotagged data can be useful in determining tourism demand in Vienna. The spatial analysis of 627,632 geotagged photos reveals the top-50 locations in Vienna for all-, local-, and visiting-Instagram users based on three popularity indicators (numbers of likes, comments, and photos). The results show that the top locations unique to local users are closely linked to activities residents usually pursue or location types they usually visit at their place of dwelling. In using geotagged photos to predict actual tourist arrivals to Vienna, we conclude that only the popularity indicators number of likes and number of comments based on the location ID “Vienna, Austria” for visitors to Vienna should be used and not the number of photos, since this indicator does not automatically generate engagement.