bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feminist theory and intersex activism: Thinking between and beyond
Authors: Feder Ellen K.
Published: September 2021

Intersex—the fact of bodies neither typically male nor female, together with the grim history of its medical management—was a topic forfeminist theorybefore there was such a thing asintersex activism. Indeed, critical academic scholarship about intersex supported theconsciousness raisingthat made an intersex activist movement possible. Activist engagement, in turn, has expanded the understanding of the theorists whose work is responsive to that activism. Central to the thinking about intersex are the questions of identity and its limits that are an important focus of the work ofGloria Anzaldúa, whose narrative suggests she had a condition associated with intersex. While her work largely predates intersex activism, it powerfully encapsulates the tensions displayed in contests over identity that have become central over the last 15 years, and furthermore offers insight into the challenges that lie ahead.
How Ride‐Sharing Is Shaping Public Transit System: A Counterfactual Estimator Approach
Authors: Pan Yang , Qiu Liangfei
Published: September 2021

The new sharing economy model has introduced a dramatic, disruptive impact on the traditional industries by matching the demand and supply in real time. In this study, we examine how the entry of Uber, a ride‐sharing services digital platform, brings new disruptive changes in public transportation operations. Significant debate has surrounded whether the new ride‐sharing model siphoned riders from public transit or made public transit feasible for more riders, but no consensus has been reached. One reason could be that the commonly used difference‐in‐differences empirical strategy fails to account for time‐varying unobserved confounders. To address this issue, we introduce a class of counterfactual estimators (CEs) to strengthen our causal identification and perform diagnostic tests to validate model assumptions for each CE. A significant drop in passenger trips with buses is found after Uber entry from both the conventional two‐way fixed effects model and the CEs. Moreover, we provide empirical evidence that the entry of Uber has not significantly affected public demand response transportation, which indicates that Uber is not directly competing with other transportation services that aim to solve the “last‐mile problem.” Last, our additional analyses suggest that the effect of Uber entry is not uniform for different urban areas. All these empirical findings can be coherently explained in our framework of the substitution effect of Uber.
Resistance ofCorynespora cassiicolafrom soybean to QoI and MBC fungicides in Brazil
Authors: Mello Flávia E. de , Lopes‐Caitar Valéria S. , Xavier‐Valencio Sheila A. , da Silva Helen P. , Franzenburg Sören , Mehl Andreas , Verreet Joseph‐Alexander , Balbi‐Peña Maria I. , Marcelino‐Guimaraes Francismar C. , Godoy Cláudia V.
Published: September 2021

Fungicide sprays on soybean in Brazil have contributed to the selection of less sensitive isolates ofCorynespora cassiicola. We collected 59 isolates ofC. cassiicolafrom three Brazilian states and two isolates from Paraguay. We investigated their EC50to quinone outside inhibitors (QoI) and methyl benzimidazole carbamate (MBC), any cross‐resistance to compounds within QoI and MBC groups, and characterized the polymorphisms in theircytbandβ‐tubulingenes. Local associations of polymorphisms identified in each gene were statistically correlated with assays results. In total, 79% and 74% of the isolates were classified as resistant to QoI and MBC fungicides, respectively. There was positive cross‐resistance to active ingredients within QoI and MBC groups. For QoI, all isolates presented heteroplasmy in G143A ofcytbgene; the mutations F129L and G137R were not found. For MBC, 63% of isolates possessed E198A and 21% possessed F200Y mutations, associated with reduced control by MBC fungicides. Heteroplasmy was identified in two and one isolates from Brazil with E198A and F200Y mutations, respectively. The resistance factor for isolates with E198A (10.9) was statistically similar to the isolate with F200Y (8.8) mutation. Genic association analysis of the in vitro assays using discriminatory doses proved them to be accurate. Reduced sensitivity ofC. cassiicolato QoI and MBC was also identified in isolates from Paraguay and resistance to QoI and MBC was widely present inC. cassiicolaisolates from the main soybean‐producing states in Brazil. Thus, integrated management measures should be adopted to manage soybean target spot in these countries.
Impact of early life exposures on COPD in adulthood: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Duan Pengfei , Wang Yao , Lin Rongqing , Zeng Yiming , Chen Chengshui , Yang Li , Yue Minghui , Zhong Shan , Wang Yun , Zhang Qingying
Published: September 2021

Early life represents a critical period for the development and growth of the lungs. Adverse exposures in this stage may drive the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Thus, we quantitatively evaluated the impact of different early life exposures on COPD in adulthood. The PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library electronic databases were searched for articles published from January 2001 to October 2020. A total of 30 studies (795,935 participants) met the criteria and were included in the review. We found a significant association of COPD with childhood serious respiratory infections, pneumonia or bronchitis (pooled adjusted OR [aOR], 2.23 [95% CI, 1.63–3.07]). The probability of COPD was increased 3.45‐fold for children with than without asthma (pooled aOR, 3.45 [95% CI, 2.37–5.02]). In addition, the probability of COPD was associated with maternal smoking (pooled aOR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.17–1.72]), any child maltreatment (pooled aOR, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.18–1.42]) and low birth weight (pooled aOR, 1.58 [95% CI, 1.08–2.32]) but not childhood environmental tobacco smoke exposure (pooled aOR, 1.15 [0.83–1.61]) or premature birth (pooled aOR, 1.17 [95% CI, 0.87–1.58]). Furthermore, subgroup analyses revealed that probability was increased for only women with childhood physical abuse, sexual abuse and exposure to intimate partner violence. Factors resulting in COPD in adults could trace back to early life. Childhood respiratory disease, maltreatment, maternal smoking and low birth weight increase the risk of COPD. Promising advances in prevention strategies for early life exposures could markedly decrease the risk of COPD.
Maternal sensitivity and non‐intrusiveness at 12 months predict attention to emotional facial expressions at 24 months: A cross‐lagged panel approach
Authors: Kammermeier Marina , Paulus Markus
Published: September 2021

Following theoretical proposals emphasizing the role of caregiver behavior for child emotion processing, this study investigated whether maternal sensitivity and non‐intrusiveness predicted child attention to emotional facial expressions, assessed via eye tracking, as the earliest stage of emotion regulation. Maternal behavior and child attention were assessed at 12 (N = 118) and 24 months. Cross‐lagged panel analyses revealed predictive effects of maternal sensitivity at 12 months on child attention to sad and happy expressions at 24 months. Moreover, maternal non‐intrusiveness at 12 months predicted child attention to sad expressions at 24 months. Effects were independent of child gender and temperament. The findings highlight the pervasive impact of caregiver sensitivity on emotion processing in the early years.
Reversed socioeconomic pattern in the costs of caring regarding well‐being and paid work among women in Sweden
Authors: Ulmanen Petra
Published: September 2021

This study analyses the role of gender and educational attainment in the extent and perceived consequences of family caregiving in middle age in Sweden, using data on persons aged 45–66 years from a nationally representative postal survey (n = 3630) conducted in 2013. The results confirm previous research regarding the role of gender and contradict it regarding the role of class. Among female caregivers, higher education is associated with lower well‐being, work performance and labour force participation relative to lower educated caregivers. When controlling for care intensity and other characteristics, these associations mostly remained. No significant associations were found among men. The results are discussed in the light of deteriorating working conditions in welfare service occupations in which many higher educated women work, and how service decline and increased fragmentation of eldercare increase the need for managerial caregiving (i.e., coordinating and handling contacts with authorities and care providers). For Swedish women, managerial caregiving increases risks of negative impacts on well‐being and work performance to the same extent as providing personal care. More research is needed to understand these surprising results. Tentative conclusions are that higher educated women experience more strain from combining paid work with family care, as their caregiving is more demanding and they more frequently work full‐time in high strain jobs. As they also have higher incomes, they both need and can afford to decrease their work hours to a greater extent.
Clinical characteristics and incidence of toxoplasmosis after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A retrospective study and literature review
Authors: Kitahara Mari , Hiroshima Yuki , Norose Kazumi , Hikosaka Kenji , Kazumoto Hiroko , Uematsu Nozomu , Shishido Tsutomu , Kaiume Hiroko , Sato Keijiro , Ueki Toshimitsu , Sumi Masahiko , Watanabe Masahide , Kobayashi Hikaru
Published: September 2021

Background

Toxoplasmosis is a rare but life‐threatening infection occurring in immunocompromised hosts, including allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) recipients. However, thus far, the clinical features and incidence of toxoplasmosis in autologous HSCT (auto‐HSCT) recipients remain unknown. This retrospective survey aimed to analyze 152 patients who received auto‐HSCT between 1998 and 2017.

Methods

Serological tests forToxoplasma gondii‐specific IgG were performed on 109 (71.7%) recipients, and 12 pre‐HSCT recipients (11%) wereToxoplasmaseropositive. Among the 12 recipients, three who did not receive trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) prophylaxis developed cerebral, pulmonary or disseminated toxoplasmosis due to reactivation after auto‐HSCT and died despite treatment.

Results

The incidences of toxoplasmosis were 2% and 25% among 152 auto‐HSCT recipients (five recipients received auto‐HSCT two times) and 12 pre‐HSCTToxoplasmaseropositive recipients, respectively. Further, we conducted a literature review and identified 21 cases of toxoplasmosis following auto‐HSCT. In these previous cases, the mortality rate was high, especially for pulmonary and disseminated toxoplasmosis. Our findings suggest that, similar to toxoplasmosis after allo‐HSCT, toxoplasmosis after auto‐HSCT is a fatal complication.

Conclusions

Serial screening ofT. gondii‐specific IgG before HSCT could contribute to the detection ofToxoplasmareactivation and allow for prompt diagnosis and treatment. The present study is the first to reveal the incidence of toxoplasmosis after auto‐HSCT among seropositive patients in Japan.
Human Versus Artificial Intelligence: A Data-Driven Approach to Real-Time Process Management During Complex Engineering Design
Authors: Gyory Joshua T. , Soria Zurita Nicolás F. , Martin Jay , Balon Corey , McComb Christopher , Kotovsky Kenneth , Cagan Jonathan
Published: September 2021

Managing the design process of teams has been shown to considerably improve problem-solving behaviors and resulting final outcomes. Automating this activity presents significant opportunities in delivering interventions that dynamically adapt to the state of a team in order to reap the most impact. In this work, an artificial intelligence (AI) agent is created to manage the design process of engineering teams in real time, tracking features of teams’ actions and communications during a complex design and path-planning task in multidisciplinary teams. Teams are also placed under the guidance of human process managers for comparison. Regarding outcomes, teams perform equally as well under both types of management, with trends toward even superior performance from the AI-managed teams. The managers’ intervention strategies and team perceptions of those strategies are also explored, illuminating some intriguing similarities. Both the AI and human process managers focus largely on communication-based interventions, though differences start to emerge in the distribution of interventions across team roles. Furthermore, team members perceive the interventions from both the AI and human manager as equally relevant and helpful, and believe the AI agent to be just as sensitive to the needs of the team. Thus, the overall results show that the AI manager agent introduced in this work is able to match the capabilities of humans, showing potential in automating the management of a complex design process.
Increasing Human Capital of Coaches—An Investigation Into Individual and Organizational Factors
Authors: Breuer Christoph , Feiler Svenja , Rossi Lea
Published: September 2021

Coaches play a vital role in providing sports programs. Investing in formal coach education can serve to increase coaches’ human capital, which in turn, has a positive effect on their coaching practice. The present study investigates factors influencing coaches’ intention to get training for their coaching activity on an individual and organizational level. Nationwide online surveys were conducted in Germany on both nonprofit sports clubs and coaches being active within these clubs. Data were analyzed using multilevel regression analysis on a sample of n = 2,384 coaches in n = 1,274 clubs. Results show that especially the expiring validity of the coaching license, aspects of personal development, and low transaction costs are crucial factors for the intention to obtain a qualification. The results lead to several implications for theory and practice. Clubs could enhance the qualification intention and, thereby, the quality of sports programs by appointing a contact person who informs about qualification possibilities.
Sport, Nationalism, and the Narration of Cultural Scripts: The Death of Colin Meads and the New Zealand Imagination
Authors: Falcous Mark , Turner Lauren
Published: September 2021

This paper explores the narrativization of sports icons within the context of nationalist discourse. The authors explore New Zealand media coverage surrounding the death of Colin Meads in August 2017. Meads, a former all Black rugby captain, coach and administrator, media pundit, and corporate spokesman, was a high-profile public icon. His death was met with saturation national media coverage. The authors’ cultural studies informed analysis of Meads’ narrativization is twofold. First, the authors contextualize the cultural scripts surrounding him prior to his death. Second, they critically read media narrativization following his death within the context ofnarratives of nation. They explore this mediation in the context of intersecting themes of rurality, Whiteness, masculinity, and rugby. Print media coverage widely articulated Meads to the nation as the archetypical “kiwi,” liturgized his contribution to rugby during and after his playing career, and his “no-nonsense” character. In doing so, it reinforced a selective national narrative, premised on a combination ofbothremembering and forgetting. This narrative reaffirms White-settler, male heroism, and rugby as central to New Zealand nationhood and assuages contemporary national anxieties and the cultural hierarchies they entangle.
miR-495 Regulates Cellular Reactive Oxygen Species Levels by Targeting
sod2
To Inhibit Intracellular Survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Macrophages
Authors: Ren Xuanxiu , Dong Wenqi , Feng Jiajia , Li Pei , Zheng Yucheng , Wang Gaoyan , Lu Wenjia , Wang Xiangru , Chen Huanchun , Tan Chen
Published: September 2021

Mycobacterium tuberculosis
is a chronic infectious disease pathogen. To date, tuberculosis is a major infectious disease that endangers human health.
Bile Salts Promote ToxR Regulon Activation during Growth under Virulence-Inducing Conditions
Authors: Bina Thomas F. , Kunkle Dillon E. , Bina X. Renee , Mullett Steven J. , Wendell Stacy G. , Bina James E.
Published: September 2021

Cholera is an epidemic disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium
Vibrio cholerae
.
V. cholerae
is found in aquatic ecosystems and infects people through the consumption of
V. cholerae
-contaminated food or water. Following ingestion,
V. cholerae
responds to host cues to activate the expression of critical virulence genes that are under the control of a hierarchical regulatory system called the ToxR regulon.
Shigella flexneri Diguanylate Cyclases Regulate Virulence
Authors: Ojha Ruchi , Dittmar Ashley A. , Severin Geoffrey B. , Koestler Benjamin J.
Published: September 2021

The intracellular human pathogen
Shigella
causes dysentery, resulting in as many as one million deaths per year. Currently, there is no approved vaccine for the prevention of shigellosis, and the incidence of antimicrobial resistance among
Shigella
species is on the rise.
Dissolved Inorganic Carbon-Accumulating Complexes from Autotrophic Bacteria from Extreme Environments
Authors: Schmid Sarah , Chaput Dale , Breitbart Mya , Hines Rebecca , Williams Samantha , Gossett Hunter K. , Parsi Sheila D. , Peterson Rebecca , Whittaker Robert A. , Tarver Angela , Scott Kathleen M.
Published: September 2021

To facilitate the synthesis of biomass from CO
2
, autotrophic organisms use a variety of mechanisms to increase intracellular DIC concentrations. A novel type of multisubunit complex has recently been described, which has been shown to generate measurably elevated intracellular DIC concentrations in three species of bacteria, raising the question of whether these complexes share this capability across the 17 phyla of
Bacteria
and
Archaea
where they are found.
The Biosynthetic Pathway of Ubiquinone Contributes to Pathogenicity of Francisella novicida
Authors: Kazemzadeh Katayoun , Hajj Chehade Mahmoud , Hourdoir Gautier , Brunet Camille Dorothée , Caspar Yvan , Loiseau Laurent , Barras Frederic , Pierrel Fabien , Pelosi Ludovic
Published: September 2021

Francisella tularensis
is the causative bacterium of tularemia and is classified as a biothreat agent. Using multidisciplinary approaches, we investigated the ubiquinone (UQ) biosynthetic pathway that operates in
F. novicida
used as a surrogate.
Orbital control of Pleistocene euxinia in Lake Magadi, Kenya
Authors: Deocampo D.M. , Owen R.B. , Lowenstein T.K. , Renaut R.W. , Rabideaux N.M. , Billingsley A. , Cohen A. , Deino A.L. , Sier M.J. , Luo S. , Shen C.-C. , Gebregiorgis D. , Campisano C. , Mbuthia A.
Published: September 2021

Lake Magadi is an internally drained, saline and alkaline terminal sump in the southern Kenya Rift. Geochemistry of samples from an ~200 m core representing the past ~1 m.y. of the lake's history shows some of the highest concentrations of transition metals and metalloids ever reported from lacustrine sediment, including redox-sensitive elements molybdenum, arsenic, and vanadium. Elevated concentrations of these elements represent times when the lake's hypolimnion was euxinic—that is, anoxic, saline, and sulfide-rich. Euxinia was common after ca. 700 ka, and after that tended to occur during intervals of high orbital eccentricity. These were likely times when high-frequency hydrologic changes favored repeated episodes of euxinia and sulfide precipitation. High-amplitude environmental fluctuations at peak eccentricity likely impacted water balance in terrestrial habitats and resource availability for early hominins. These are associated with important events in human evolution, including the first appearance of Middle Stone Age technology between ca. 500 and 320 ka in the southern Kenya Rift.
Chemical Basis of Carbon Fixation Autotrophic Paleometabolism
Authors: Marakushev S. A. , Belonogova O. V.
Published: September 2021

On the basis of biomimetic, phylometabolic, and thermodynamic analysis of modern CO2 assimilation pathways, a paleophenotypic reconstruction of ancient autotrophic metabolism systems was carried out. As a chemical basis for CO2 fixation paleometabolism, metabolic networks capable of self-reproduction and evolution are considered, and the reversibility of the transformation reactions of its intermediates is the most important factor in self-development of this network. The substances of the C–H–O system, paragenetically associated with hydrocarbons, create a phase space, which is a set of universal intermediates of the autotrophic paleometabolism chemical network. The concept of two strategies for the origin and development of autotrophic carbon fixation paleometabolism in the oxidized (CO2) and reduced (CH4) redox regimes of degassing of the ancient Earth is proposed. It was shown that P, T, and the redox conditions of hydrothermal systems of the early Archean were favorable for the development of primary methanotrophic metabolism.
Curious case of the unexplained exudative pleural effusion
Authors: Pyae Phyoe Kyaw , Cama Rigers , Nicholson Andrew G , Vancheeswaran Rama
Published: September 2021

We report a case of a 74-year-old male patient who was referred to the respiratory clinic with an incidental finding of a left sided pleural effusion. He was initially being treated by the general practitioner for chest infection with productive cough that had limited resolution after course of oral antibiotics. At the pleural clinic, 1.5 L of serosanguineous fluid was drained and sent for diagnostics. However, the diagnosis only reached as far as idiopathic exudative effusion with lymphocytes and plasma cells. He was then referred for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery pleural biopsy and pleurodesis. It revealed black pleura with abundant IgG4 positive cells. He is followed up in respiratory clinic where further discussion and treatment has commenced.
Improving documentation of prescriptions for as-required medications in hospital inpatients
Authors: Ross Samantha Leigh , Bhushan Yeshi , Davey Peter , Grant Suzanne
Published: September 2021

It is estimated that 1 in 10 hospital inpatients in Scotland have experienced a medication error. In our unit, an audit in 2019 identified documentation of as-required prescriptions on drug Kardexes as an important target for improvement. This project aimed to reduce the percentage of these errors to <5% in the ward in 6 months.

Weekly point prevalence surveys were used to measure medication error rates over a 12-week baseline period. Errors in route, frequency of dose and maximum dose accounted for >80% of all prescribing errors. The intervention was a poster reminder about the three most common errors linked to standards for prescribing pain medication. Barriers to change were identified through inductive thematic analysis of semistructured interviews with five ward doctors and two staff nurses.

In the 6 weeks after intervention, our run chart showed a shift in maximum dose errors per patient, which fell from 75% to 26%. However, route and frequency errors remained high at >70% per patient. Most of these errors were due to use of abbreviations, and qualitative interviews revealed that senior doctors and nurses believed that these abbreviations were safe. We found some evidence from national guidelines to support these beliefs.

Overall, the intervention was associated with decreased prevalence of patients without a maximum dose written on their prescription, but lack of space on drug prescriptions was identified as a key barrier to further improvement in both maximum dose and abbreviation errors.
Client perspectives on choice of abortion method in England and Wales
Authors: Blaylock Rebecca , Makleff Shelly , Whitehouse Katherine C , Lohr Patricia A
Published: September 2021

Introduction

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the World Health Organization recommend that services provide a choice between medical and surgical methods of abortion. We analysed qualitative study data to examine patient perspectives on abortion method choice and barriers to meeting them.

Methods

In-depth interviews with 24 clients who had an abortion at British Pregnancy Advisory Service clinics were carried out between December 2018 and July 2019 to examine perspectives of quality of abortion care. In this article we focus on client perspectives on choice of abortion method. We performed thematic analysis of data relating to choice of abortion method, refined the analysis, interpreted the findings, and organised the data into themes.

Results

Participants’ preferences for abortion method were shaped by prior experience of abortion, accessibility and privacy, perceptions of risk and experiences of abortion method, and information gathering and counselling. Participants’ ability to obtain their preferred method was impacted by intersecting constraints such as appointment availability, service location and gestational age.

Conclusions

Our findings show that many factors shape participants’ preferences for abortion method. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some abortion services have constrained abortion method choices, with an emphasis on medical abortion and ‘no-touch’ care. Providers in the UK and beyond should aim to restore and expand more treatment options when the situation allows.
Hospitalisations for emergency-sensitive conditions in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from the German-wide Helios hospital network
Authors: Bollmann Andreas , Hohenstein Sven , Pellissier Vincent , König Sebastian , Ueberham Laura , Hindricks Gerhard , Meier-Hellmann Andreas , Kuhlen Ralf
Published: September 2021

Background

While there are numerous reports that describe emergency care during the early COVID-19 pandemic, there is scarcity of data for later stages. This study analyses hospitalisation rates for 37 emergency-sensitive conditions in the largest German-wide hospital network during different pandemic phases.

Methods

Using claims data of 80 hospitals, consecutive cases between 1 January and 17 November 2020 were analysed and compared with a corresponding period in 2019. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) comparing the two periods were calculated using Poisson regression to model the number of hospitalisations per day.

Results

There was a reduction in hospitalisations between 12 March and 13 June 2020 (coinciding with the first pandemic wave) with 32 807 hospitalisations (349.0/day) as opposed to 39 379 (419.0/day) in 2019 (IRR 0.83, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.85, p<0.01). During the following period (14 June–17 November 2020, including the start of second wave), hospitalisations were reduced from 63 799 (406.4/day) in 2019 to 59 910 (381.6/day) in 2020, but this reduction was not as pronounced (IRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.93 to 0.95, p<0.01). During the first wave hospitalisations for acute myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm/dissection, pneumonitis, paralytic ileus/intestinal obstruction and pulmonary embolism declined but subsequently increased compared with the corresponding periods in 2019. In contrast, hospitalisations for sepsis, pneumonia, obstructive pulmonary disease and intracranial injuries were reduced during the entire observation period.

Conclusions

There was an overall reduction of absolute hospitalisations for emergency-sensitive conditions in Germany during the first 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic with heterogeneous effects on different disease categories. The increase in hospitalisations for acute myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm/dissection and pulmonary embolism requires attention and further studies.
Abstracts from international emergency medicine journals
Authors: Production EMJ
Published: September 2021

Editor’s note: EMJ has partnered with the journals of multiple international emergency medicine societies to share from each a highlighted research study, as selected by their editors. This edition will feature an abstract from each publication.
Endoscopically placed venting gastrostomy can be a safe and effective palliative intervention in benign and malignant gastrointestinal obstruction
Authors: Porter Ross J , McKinlay Alastair W , Metcalfe Emma L
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Chronic gastrointestinal obstruction can precipitate a constellation of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension and pain that negatively impact on health-related quality of life. Decompression via venting gastrostomy can offer symptomatic relief but safety and efficacy data are sparse. This study characterises the diverse venting percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (vPEG) cohort at our tertiary referral centre and defines the safety and efficacy of this procedure.

Methods

Patients undergoing vPEG between May 2012 and June 2020 were identified from a prospectively maintained database and demographic, procedure-related and mortality data were extracted. Retrospective analysis of case notes provided data on patient symptoms. Last follow-up was May 2021.

Results

27 patients (median age 63, range 18–90 years) underwent vPEG insertion. The majority of vPEGs were for patients with obstruction secondary to locally advanced or metastatic malignancy (n=21/27, 77.8%). Six procedures were performed for benign disease (n=6/27, 22.2%). No patients developed the recognised serious complications of bleeding, perforation or peritonitis from vPEG insertion. Symptoms of nausea (p=0.006), vomiting (p<0.001), abdominal distension (p<0.001) and abdominal pain (p=0.002) were improved following vPEG. Pain beyond the expected postprocedural discomfort was associated with a lower number of days survived postprocedure (p=0.026).

Conclusion

vPEG can be a safe and efficacious palliative intervention for benign and malignant chronic gastrointestinal obstruction. Severe postprocedural pain should be promptly investigated to exclude a potential complication. A defined clinical strategy for assessing and managing these patients would facilitate wider recognition of the benefits of vPEG and improve the safety profile in centres with more limited experience.
Dancing Against falls iN Community-dwElling older adults (DANCE): a study protocol of a stratified, block-randomised trial
Authors: Thomsen Mikkel Jacobi , Liston Matthew , Christensen Merete Grothe , Vestergaard Peter , Hirata Rogerio Pessoto
Published: September 2021

Background

Unintentional falls among older adults are of primary importance due to their impact on quality of life. Falling accounts for 95% of hip fractures, leading to an approximately six times increased risk of death within the first 3 months. Furthermore, physical and cognitive parameters are risk factors for falls. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of a 6-month salsa dance training intervention, compared with regular fitness circuit training and a control group.

Methods

This study will include 180 older adults: 90 healthy patients and 90 patients with osteoporosis. Participants will be allocated randomly in either of the groups, stratified according to age. Training groups will receive 2 weekly 1-hour training sessions, continuously through 6 months. Participants will be tested at baseline and 6 and 18 months post baseline. Primary outcome will be number of falls and secondary outcomes include bone mineral density, body composition, pain evaluation, weekly physical activity, single-task and dual-task gait patterns, balance, Fullerton Functional Fitness Test and assessment of the mini-BESTest.

Discussion

This study will investigate the effects of a specially designed dance training programme (Dancing Against falls iN Community-dwElling older adults (DANCE)) to reduce the risk of falling among older adults. The study will investigate the effect against an active and passive comparator, resulting in the possibility to state, if DANCE training should be an alternative to traditional training.

Trial registration number

NCT03683849.
Randomized trial comparing the spread of erector spinae block with the combination of erector spinae block and retrolaminar block in soft embalmed Thiel cadavers
Authors: Sartawi Razan Yousef , McLeod Graeme , Mustafa Ayman , Lamb Clare
Published: September 2021

Background

Erector spinae plane (ESP) and retrolaminar (RL) blocks show unreliable spread. We hypothesize that the combination of ESP and RL blocks provides more extensive and reliable spread of dye than single ESP blocks. Our primary objective was to compare the spread of dye to the paravertebral spaces after the combination block and ESP block in Thiel embalmed cadavers. Spread, the primary end point, was defined as the number of paravertebral spaces colored with dye per injection.

Materials and methods

A single anesthetist performed ultrasound-guided ESP (20 mL) and combination of ESP and RL (10 mL each) blocks at the third thoracic vertebra of eight soft embalmed Thiel cadavers. Tissue displacement was visualized on an adjacent strain elastography image. Cadavers were dissected 24 hours later and anatomical structures were inspected for the presence of dye.

Findings

Dye was visualized in more paravertebral spaces with the combination block (median 3 (IQR 3–5 (range 0–8)) vs 1.5 (IQR 0.25–2.75 (range 0–3) and difference (1.5 (0–4), p=0.04). Six out of seven (86%) combined erector spinae and RL blocks spread to at least three paravertebral spaces compared with two out of eight (25%) ESP blocks (RR 3.4, 95% CI 1.0 to 11.8; p=0.04). Contralateral spread occurred in three combination blocks and in one ESP block (OR 9.0, 95% CI 4.0 to 21.1; p<0.001).

Conclusions

In conclusion, the combination of ESP and RL blocks was more extensive and reliable than ESP block alone.
Meaning, measurement, and field application of fully softened shear strength of stiff clays and clay shales
Authors: Mesri Gholamreza , Wang Cai , Kane Thierno
Published: September 2021

Fully softened shear strength mobilized in first-time slope failures, introduced by Skempton in 1970, corresponds to a random edge–face arrangement and interaction of clay particles in an entirely destructured fabric of stiff clays and clay shales. A series of triaxial compression tests was conducted on reconstituted normally consolidated specimens of 15 stiff clay and clay shale compositions. Based on the laboratory results an empirical correlation for secant fully softened friction angle, [Formula: see text], was developed for clay compositions with plasticity index in the range of 10%–250%, in effective normal stress range of 10–700 kPa. The laboratory measurements confirm an empirical equation for fully softened shear strength in terms of parameters [Formula: see text] and mfs. The field application of secant fully softened friction angle was examined by stability analyses of 63 first-time slope failures in 38 geologic materials. These include 45 slope failures with a segment of observed slip surface at residual condition and the back-scarp mobilizing fully softened shear strength, and 18 slope failures with entire observed slip surface at fully softened condition. The back-calculated fully softened secant friction angles for first-time slope failures are in good agreement with [Formula: see text] correlation based on laboratory tests.
Higher-dimensional black hole solutions with scalar hair and dilaton field and toroidal horizons and interior solution
Authors: Younesizadeh Younes , Younesizadeh Yahya
Published: September 2021

In this study, we investigate black hole solutions with toroidal horizons in scalar hair and dilaton gravity. First, we obtain the field equations in n-dimensions. Then, we propose different models (ansatz) and find the exact solutions for these types of ansatzs. These solutions are not asymptotically (anti) de Sitter or flat, except in one special case. We also show that the BTZand BTZ-like solutions emerge from some of these solutions as a special case. We also show that when the event horizon radius increases, the temperature will be the same in various dimensions. The only difference is noticeable near the origin (this statement is clear from the figures). For these solutions, we obtained a new version of the Smarr formula. In addition, we show that the presence of the scalar field makes the black holes more stable near the origin, except for the BTZ case. In general, the presence of a scalar field is an important factor in black hole stability investigations. In the critical behavior analysis, we find that there is no evidence to show the existence of P-V criticality. Here, we present a class of interior solutions corresponding to the solution in a scalar hair gravity exterior. The solution obtained in the linear case was regular and well-behaved at the stellar interior.
Viable intermediate inflation in the mimetic DBI model
Authors: Rashidi Narges , Nozari Kourosh
Published: September 2021

We study the intermediate inflation in the mimetic Dirac–Born–Infeld model. By considering the scale factor as $$a=a_{0}\exp (bt^{\beta })$$

a
=

a
0

exp

(
b

t
β

)

, we show that in some ranges of the intermediate parameters b and $$\beta $$
β
, the model is free of the ghost and gradient instabilities. We study the scalar spectral index, tensor spectral index, and the tensor-to-scalar ratio in this model and compare the results with Planck2018 TT, TE, EE + lowE + lensing + BAO + BK14 data at 68% and 95% CL. In this regard, we find some constraints on the intermediate parameters that lead to the observationally viable values of the perturbation parameters. We also seek the non-Gaussian features of the primordial perturbations in the equilateral configuration. By performing the numerical analysis on the nonlinearity parameter in this configuration, we show that the amplitude of the non-Gaussianity in the intermediate mimetic DBI model is predicted to be in the range $$-16.7<f^{equil}<-12.5$$

-
16.7
<

f

equil

<
-
12.5

. We show that, with $$0<b\le 10$$

0
<
b
≤
10

and $$0.345<\beta <0.387$$

0.345
<
β
<
0.387

, we have an instabilities-free intermediate mimetic DBI model that gives the observationally viable perturbation and non-Gaussianity parameters.
The mass of a Lifshitz black hole
Authors: Giribet Gaston , Lavia Edmundo
Published: September 2021

It is well known that massive 3D gravity admits solutions that describe Lifshitz black holes as those considered in non-relativistic holography. However, the determination of the mass of such black holes remained unclear as many different results were reported in the literature presenting discrepancies. Here, by using a robust method that permits to tackle the problem in the strong field regime, we determine the correct mass of the Lifshitz black hole of the higher-derivative massive gravity and compare it with other results obtained by different methods. Positivity of the mass spectrum demands an odd normalization of the gravity action. In spite of this fact, the result turns out to be consistent with computations inspired in holography.
Multi-Response Awareness for Retrieval-Based Conversations: Respond with Diversity via Dynamic Representation Learning
Authors: Yan Rui , Liao Weiheng , Zhao Dongyan , Wen Ji-Rong
Published: September 2021

Conversational systems now attract great attention due to their promising potential and commercial values. To build a conversational system with moderate intelligence is challenging and requires big (conversational) data, as well as interdisciplinary techniques. Thanks to the prosperity of the Web, the massive data available greatly facilitate data-driven methods such as deep learning for human-computer conversational systems. In general, retrieval-based conversational systems apply various matching schema between query utterances and responses, but the classic retrieval paradigm suffers from prominent weakness for conversations: the system finds similar responses given a particular query. For real human-to-human conversations, on the contrary, responses can be greatly different yet all are possibly appropriate. The observation reveals the
diversity
phenomenon in conversations.

In this article, we ascribe the lack of conversational diversity to the reason that the query utterances are statically modeled regardless of candidate responses through traditional methods. To this end, we propose a dynamic representation learning strategy that models the query utterances and different response candidates in an interactive way. To be more specific, we propose a
Respond-with-Diversity
model augmented by the memory module interacting with both the query utterances and multiple candidate responses. Hence, we obtain dynamic representations for the input queries conditioned on different response candidates. We frame the model as an end-to-end learnable neural network. In the experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model by achieving a good appropriateness score and much better diversity in retrieval-based conversations between humans and computers.
Increased Moisture Uptake of NCM622 Cathodes after Calendering due to Particle Breakage
Authors: Huttner Fabienne , Diener Alexander , Heckmann Thilo , Eser Jochen C. , Abali Tugay , Mayer Julian K. , Scharfer Philip , Schabel Wilhelm , Kwade Arno
Published: September 2021

As moisture presents a critical contamination in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), electrodes and separators need to be post-dried before cell assembly. The moisture adsorption, desorption and re-adsorption of electrodes during processing is strongly dependent on their material system, manufacturing route and microstructure. The microstructure, in turn, is significantly defined by the coating density, which is adjusted by calendering. As a consequence, the calendering step is expected to directly influence the moisture sorption behavior of electrodes. This is why the influence of different coating densities and structural properties on the moisture content of NCM622 cathodes was investigated in this study. For increasing density, an increasing moisture content was detected by Karl Fischer Titration and sorption measurements. SEM and BET analyses showed an increasing amount of NCM622 particle breakage, accompanied by a rising surface area. Hence, the increased moisture uptake of cathodes with higher density is mainly caused by a higher surface area, which results from particle cracking and breakage during calendering. Electrochemical analysis showed that the increased active surface area of cathodes with higher densities leads to a good performance during formation and at low C-rates. However, the reduced porosity impairs the ionic conductivity and causes capacity loss at higher C-rates.
Bis(neopentyl glycolato)diboron as A Cathode Stabilizer Additive for High-Voltage Lithium-ion Batteries
Authors: Huang Donghai , Ge Zhiqiang , Yuan Changfu , Mei Ao , Fu Zhiyong , Le Zhiping
Published: September 2021

Bis(neopentyl glycolato)diboron (BNGDB) is used as a electrolyte additive to improve the stability of commercialized lithium ion batteries operating at a high charging-cutoff voltage. Adding of BNGDB lowers the oxidation potential of the electrolyte, which will lead to the formation of a uniform, stable, and low resistance cathode solid electrolyte interphase (CEI) on the cathode surface. This CEI film can suppress the loss of electrolyte by preventing further reaction between electrolyte and cathode material (LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2), which improves cyclic stability and discharge capability of LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2/graphite pouch cells. With 0.5 wt% BNGDB addition, the pouch cell demonstrate a discharge capacity retention of 83.2% after 200 cycles in base electrolyte. This work brings new insight into the role of additives in electrolytes and can guide the design of more versatile electrolytes for commercialized lithium-ion batteries.
Accelerated battery lifetime simulations using adaptive inter-cycle extrapolation algorithm
Authors: Sulzer Valentin , Mohtat Peyman , Pannala Sravan , Siegel Jason B. , Stefanopoulou Anna G.
Published: September 2021

We propose algorithms to speed up physics-based battery lifetime simulations by one to two orders of magnitude compared to the state-of-the-art. First, we propose a reformulation of the Single Particle Model with side reactions to remove algebraic equations and hence reduce stiffness, with 3x speed-up in simulation time (intra-cycle reformulation). Second, we introduce an algorithm that makes use of the difference between the `fast' timescale of battery cycling and the `slow' timescale of battery degradation by adaptively selecting and simulating representative cycles, skipping other cycles, and hence requires fewer cycle simulations to simulate the entire lifetime (adaptive inter-cycle extrapolation). This algorithm is demonstrated with a specific degradation mechanism but can be applied to various models of aging phenomena. In the particular case study considered, simulations of the entire lifetime are performed in under 5 seconds. This opens the possibility for much faster and more accurate model development, testing, and comparison with experimental data.
Binge alcohol disrupts skeletal muscle core molecular clock independent of glucocorticoids
Authors: Tice Abigail L. , Laudato Joseph A. , Rossetti Michael L. , Wolff Christopher A. , Esser Karyn A. , Lee Choogon , Lang Charles H. , Vied Cynthia , Gordon Bradley S. , Steiner Jennifer L.
Published: September 2021

Alcohol is a myotoxin that impairs skeletal muscle metabolism and function following either chronic consumption or acute binge drinking; however, mechanisms underlying alcohol-related myotoxicity have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we demonstrate that alcohol acutely interrupts oscillation of skeletal muscle core clock genes, and this is neither a direct effect of ethanol on the skeletal muscle, nor an effect of elevated serum corticosterone, a major clock regulator.
Effect of Fly Ash and Cement on the Engineering Characteristic of Stabilized Subgrade Soil: An Experimental Study
Authors: Rai Partab , Qiu Wenge , Pei Huafu , Chen Jihui , Ai Xufeng , Liu Yang , Ahmad Mahmood
Published: September 2021

The effectiveness of the use of waste fly ash (FA) and cement (OPC) in the stabilization of subgrade soils and the reasons likely to influence the degree of stabilization were investigated. Incorporating waste fly ash (FA) and cement (OPC) as additives leads to significant environmental and economic contributions to soil stabilization. This study involves laboratory tests to obtain the Atterberg limit, free swell index (FSI), the unconfined compressive strength (UCS), the California bearing ratio (CBR), and the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The test results for the subgrade soil illustrate that the Atterberg limit, plasticity index, and free swell index are decreasing with the addition of different proportions of fly ash and cement, i.e., 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% and 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%, respectively. The CBR value of untreated soil is 2.91%, while the best CBR value of fly ash and cement mixture treated soil is 10.12% (20% FA+8% OPC), which increases 71.34% from the initial value. The UCS of untreated soil is 86.88 kPa and treated soil with fly ash and cement attains a maximum value of 167.75 kPa (20% FA+8% OPC), i.e., increases by 48.20% from the initial value. The tests result show that the stability of a subgrade soil can be improved by adding fly ash and cement. While effectiveness and usability of waste FA and cement are cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives to expansive soil for pavement and any other foundation work in the future.