bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-term Treatment With Metyrapone in a Man With Ectopic Cushing Syndrome
Authors: Wong Tin Wai
Published: November 2022

This is a unique case of ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting mediastinal neuroendocrine tumor, presumably thymic in origin, with suspected lung metastasis in a 61-year-old man who was successfully managed with long-term metyrapone alone. He presented with severe hypokalemia and hypertension, complicated with psychosis and vertebral collapse. He survived through a complicated course of pulseless ventricular tachycardia arrest and a severe Cushing storm due to drug nonadherence. For 3 years since diagnosis, he remained stable on metyrapone, and was able to achieve biochemical eucortisolism, with normalization of ACTH and cortisol levels. In addition, his tumor was reduced in size and the suspicious lung metastasis regressed.
Alström Syndrome: A Rare Cause of Severe Insulin Resistance
Authors: Radi Suhaib , Binmahfooz Saleh , Nawar Samah , Malaikah Hebah
Published: November 2022

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common diseases worldwide and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Type 2 diabetes, with its hallmark being insulin resistance, constitutes the majority of cases. Although usually related to modifiable risk factors, insulin resistance can have genetic causes. Here, we present one of the rare causes of insulin resistance. A 21-year-old man, who was deaf and blind, presented with a 3-week history of polyuria and polydipsia. He was found to have significant hyperglycemia, managed initially with insulin infusion, then he was transitioned to subcutaneous injections. Because he required high doses of insulin and had acanthosis nigricans, insulin resistance was suspected. Putting together his insulin resistance and chronic history of syndromic features, Alström syndrome was considered. Genetic testing revealed a mutation in the ALMS1 gene. The patient was then started on insulin sensitizers with a tapering of insulin with good response. Insulin resistance should be suspected if the insulin requirement is high and if acanthosis nigricans is present. Alström syndrome is a rare causes of insulin resistance. Affected individuals will usually have insulin-resistant diabetes by a young age and associated blindness and deafness. Insulin sensitizers are an important part of the treatment.
Improvement in Serum Magnesium Levels With Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors
Authors: Saha Arunava , Omer Abdulkadir , Trivedi Nitin
Published: November 2022

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are associated with a modest but significant increase in serum magnesium levels. This report describes improvement in serum magnesium and associated symptoms after initiating SGLT2i therapy in a patient with refractory hypomagnesemia. A 58-year-old woman presented with persistent hypomagnesemia refractory to oral magnesium supplements. She had history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, and degenerative disk disease. The cause of hypomagnesemia was attributed to excessive renal losses. Laboratory investigations revealed serum magnesium of 1.2 mg/dL with fractional excretion of magnesium of 8.9%. She was started on empagliflozin 10 mg daily. Within 4 weeks of therapy, her serum magnesium level corrected with symptomatic improvement, which was sustained a few weeks later. Subsequently, her oral magnesium supplements dose was reduced. SGLT2i has been shown to improve magnesium levels in patients with urinary magnesium wasting. Several mechanisms have been postulated, but the exact physiology remains unknown. SGLT2i have been efficacious for glycemic control, renal protection, decreasing the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events, and cardiac mortality in patients with diabetes. In addition, renal and cardiac benefits are also demonstrated in patients without diabetes. This observation demonstrates that SGLT2i can improve the management of patients with otherwise intractable hypomagnesemia.
Cruel Husbandry
Authors: Shetty Sandhya
Published: November 2022

Long read in relation to public health and gender/sexual mores, Katherine Mayo's Mother India (1927) has rarely been viewed from an animal studies perspective. This article proposes that the animal, tethered to the woman question and to the figure of the Muslim, is integral to the book's imperialist apologetics. Investigations of physical cruelty to women and to animals build Mayo's case against Hindu nationalists' bid for self-rule. Highlighting cruelty alongside the question of dietary choice, Mayo interrogates the self-representation of the Hindu vegetarian as nonviolent, rewriting him instead as rapacious carnivore in every sense but the literal. Mobilized in different contexts and modes, the abused animal becomes part of Mayo's arsenal of shaming rhetoric, as does the figure of the “internationalist” Muslim who is imagined as bulwark against the Hindu vegetarian and as dysgenic threat and “world-menace.” Mother India's political-theological engagement with “the Muslim” as the iconoclastic meat eater pits him against the unfit, diabetic Hindu in a fantasy of carnivory and carnage that enacts a wished-for solution to the problem of defending empire.
Other than Human
Authors: Judge Rajbir Singh , Roy Parama
Published: November 2022

This special section, “Other Than Human: Rethinking Colonial and Postcolonial South Asia,” speaks to the ways in which the other than human puts pressure on our sense of the secular contours of imperial rule and the postcolonial condition. Shifting from simply undoing the distinction between human and the other than human, each contributor grapples with how the other than human refuses to provide any easy to grasp object or politics, especially once its secularity is not taken as given. The authors establish the epistemological possibilities and challenges that inhere in probing the secular limits of our received understanding of the other than human—a received understanding that typically undergirds the work even of those whose scholarly archive encompasses the nonsecular. Such an expansive, nonsecular sense of the other than human is a slippery one that is incommensurable rather than compatible with protocols of legibility and recognition, as well as the calculations these involve.
New records of lichens and allied fungi from the Leningrad Region, Russia. XII
Authors: Himelbrant Dmitry E. , Stepanchikova Irina S. , Tsurykau Andrei , Andreev Mikhail P.
Published: November 2022

Three lichen species and eight lichenicolous fungi were recorded for the first time for St. Petersburg or Eastern Leningrad Region. In addition, the protected species Lobaria scrobiculata was rediscovered in the Leningrad Region. The lichenicolous fungus Arthonia parietinaria is new to Russia, and two species, Didymocyrtis melanelixiae and Tremella everniae, are new for European Russia.
New records of Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota) from Ukraine
Authors: Mishustin Ruslan , Khodosovtsev Alexander
Published: November 2022

Twenty-four species of Laboulbeniales are reported for the first time from Ukraine. These species are Cantharomyces robustus, Coreomyces cf. macropus, Euzodiomyces lathrobii, Haplomyces texanus, Idiomyces peyritschii, Laboulbenia argutoris, L. asperata, L. clivinalis, L. coneglianensis, L. elaphri, L. elaphricola, L. inflata, L. metableti, L. murmanica, L. ophoni, L. pasquetii, L. philonthi, L. pseudomasei, Mimeomyces zeelandicus, Monoicomyces invisibilis, Rhachomyces canariensis, R. lasiophorus, Rhadinomyces pallidus, Sphaleromyces lathrobii. The genera Coreomyces, Euzodiomyces, Haplomyces, Idiomyces, Mimeomyces and the family Euceratomycetaceae are also new to the country.
The rare fungicolous fungus Pseudotrichia mutabilis (Pers.) Wehm.: new data and a historical perspective
Authors: Akulov Olexander
Published: November 2022

The paper reports two new records of a rare fungicolous fungus Pseudotrichia mutabilis (Melanommataceae, Pleosporales) from Ukraine. Both specimens were collected within protected areas in association with two xylariaceous species, Hypoxylon crocopeplum and Rosellinia corticium. The paper provides descriptions, nomenclatural data, and original illustrations of the reported species. Information on substrate specialization and nutritional strategies of Pseudotrichia mutabilis, as well as general distribution of the species and known localities in Ukraine are specified and summarized.
A recent update in red-listing of Estonian lichens: threat status of 168 species was assessed for the first time
Authors: Jüriado Inga , Degtjarenko Polina , Oja Ede , Randlane Tiina
Published: November 2022

The threat status of 168 lichenized species growing mostly on rocks or ground were assessed in 2022 for the first time in Estonia. The IUCN Red List system (categories and criteria) were used for that purpose. Most of the assessed taxa were microlichens (163), while five macrolichen species were also evaluated. Among the assessed species, 91 were assigned to the threat categories (Critically Endangered – CR, Endangered – EN and Vulnerable – VU), 17 species were assigned to the category Near Threatened (NT), and 41 species were assigned to the category Least Concerned (LC). Category Data Deficient (DD) was assigned for 17 species and the category Regionally Extinct (RE) for two species. Among the threat categories, 35 species were assigned to the category EN, 34 species to VU, and 22 species to CR. In general, most of the evaluated species (81%, 137 species) were growing on different types of rock, 16% (28 species) of species were growing on soil, mosses or plant debris, and three taxa were growing on other substrata. Most of the threatened epigeic and epilithic microlichens were recorded on alvar grasslands growing on ground, limestone pebbles and flatrock or erratic boulders. Er- ratic boulders in various forest types and calcareous cliffs in clint forest were also important habitats for threatened species. Moreover, different rock substrates of anthropogenic origin (walls, buildings and abandoned limestone quarries) performed as significant habitat type for epilithic species. Bush encroachment of open habitats, especially in semi-natural grasslands, serves as the main threat for epigeic and epilithic lichens.
Auricular acupuncture for sleep quality in participants with mental and behavioral disorders due to prior multiple drug use: a retrospective consecutive case series
Authors: Gimelfarb Yuri , Goldstien Eran
Published: November 2022

Background: Poor sleep quality is associated with psychoactive substance abuse/addiction/withdrawal. Auricular acupuncture (AA) is a nonpharmacological method used for the treatment of sleep disturbances. This study aimed to examine the quality of sleep before and after AA in participants with mental and behavioral disorders due to prior multiple drug use in the therapeutic community.Methods: This was a consecutive case series of 27 participants (25 male [92.6%]). The median age was 35.0 years (interquartile range [IQR], 29.0–37.2 years), methadone/buprenorphine were not used, and the participants were treated with AA (median number of treatments, 15.0 [IQR, 12.0–18.0]) during a median period of 51.0 days (IQR, 49.0–51.0 days) according to the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA)-Acudetox protocol. Sleep quality was determined using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a self-rated questionnaire that assesses sleep quality and disturbances over a 1-month interval.Results: The global PSQI score dropped (indicating better sleep quality) by a median of 3.0 points (IQR, 0.0–8.0 points) after treatment. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, with an increase in global PSQI score during AA by 1 point, there was a 0.73-fold reduction in the risk of poor sleep quality post-AA (adjusted odds ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.52–1.01; p<0.055; Nagelkerke's R2=0.66).Conclusion: The results revealed a positive effect of AA (by the NADA-Acudetox protocol) on sleep quality (as measured by PSQI) among participants in a treatment center with mental and behavioral disorders due to multiple drug use.
Świętowanie jako okoliczność wyłączająca odpowiedzialność karną
Authors: Wolanin Kamil
Published: November 2022

Bez względu na swój charakter święta to czas, któremu społeczeństwo nadało szczególną rolę. Ich obchodzenie może się niekiedy wiązać z realizacją czynności, które wypełniają znamiona przestępstw lub wykroczeń. Prawo karne służy jednak przede wszystkim ochronie społeczeństwa przed czynnikami negatywnymi, zatem świętowanie, czyli działanie w sposób akceptowany społecznie, ma fundamentalne znaczenie dla ustalenia odpowiedzialności karnej osób działających. W artykule przedstawiono znaczenie czynności związanych ze świętowaniem w procesie ustalenia odpowiedzialności karnej sprawców niektórych czynów zabronionych, szczególnie w zakresie konkretyzacji ich motywacji oraz sposobu działania. Na początku zarysowano spór doktrynalny dotyczący kontratypu zwyczaju oraz problematyczność jego stosowania w orzecznictwie. Następnie omówiono wpływ świętowania na ustalenie społecznej szkodliwości czynu, co, ze względu na specyfikę zwyczajów i obyczajów jako ugruntowanych w moralności społecznej, stanowić powinno ważną okoliczność dla organów prowadzących postępowanie. Sformułowano również kilka przesłanek pomocniczych mogących mieć zastosowanie w postępowaniach o omawianym charakterze. Na końcu podkreślono, że popełnienie czynu zabronionego wiąże się z realizacją jego wszystkich znamion. Niekiedy może to nie mieć miejsca z uwagi na odmienny od relewantnych zamiar osób działających.
Gdzie świętują rodzimowiercy? Przedchrześcijańskie dziedzictwo Słowian w warunkach późnej nowoczesności
Authors: Grochowski Piotr
Published: November 2022

W artykule scharakteryzowano uwarunkowania wpływające na przestrzenne aspekty organizacji świąt dorocznych w polskim rodzimowierstwie, które jest współczesną religią pogańską odwołującą się do wierzeń przedchrześcijańskich Słowian. Na podstawie analizy danych pozyskanych w trakcie badań terenowych prowadzonych w latach 2018–2021 autor stawia tezę, że będący istotą rodzimowierstwa powrót do tradycyjnych form obrzędowości napotyka na liczne trudności i komplikacje, których podłożem są społeczno-kulturowe warunki późnej nowoczesności. Na skutek oddziaływania różnorodnych czynników społecznych, politycznych i ekonomicznych rodzimowiercy zmuszeni są do stosowania w swych praktykach religijnych rozwiązań kompromisowych, a tym samym rzeczywistość świecka w znaczący sposób kształtuje sposób ich świętowania oraz relacje ze sferą sacrum.
„Moczka jest jak Śląsk. Króluje w ni roztomajtość a wolność…”. O regionalnej specyfice deseru wigilijnego
Authors: Świtała-Trybek Dorota
Published: November 2022

Przedmiotem artykułu jest moczka – jedna z charakterystycznych i najstarszych śląskich potraw wigilijnych, której tradycja spożywania sięga drugiej połowy XIX w. Traktowana jako wykwintny deser, podawana jest zazwyczaj na końcu uroczystej kolacji wigilijnej. Podstawą analizy są materiały pozyskane w trakcie badań terenowych prowadzonych w latach 2019–2021 na Górnym Śląsku, w dwóch województwach: śląskim i opolskim. Autorka omawia zasięg występowania dania, funkcjonujące nazwy, produkty wchodzące w jej skład, a także konsumpcję w różnych grupach wiekowych oraz nowe praktyki zwyczajowe mające wpływ na jej współczesny odbiór. Moczka stanowi interesujący przykład dziedzictwa kulinarnego Śląska.
O badaniu wojny poprzez ustanawianie pokoju między dyscyplinami. Wybrane aspekty współpracy antropologii i nauk politycznych na przykładzie badań terenowych w Andach
Authors: Pietraszczyk-Sękowska Joanna
Published: November 2022

Artykuł jest próbą zmierzenia się z wybranymi wyzwaniami towarzyszącymi pracy badawczej na styku antropologii i nauk politycznych. Zaprezentowane refleksje powstały na podstawie doświadczeń z badań terenowych prowadzonych w latach 2005–2019 w Andach Peruwiańskich i, od 2022 roku, w Kolumbii. Zasadniczą część tekstu stanowi przegląd ewolucji moich wyobrażeń na temat podejmowanych problemów badawczych przed i po ich skonfrontowaniu z wiedzą terenową, czyli usytuowaniu w kontekstach życia z badanymi. W zakończeniu podejmuję próbę odpowiedzi na pytanie, na czym może polegać i do czego prowadzić poszukiwanie porozumienia między reprezentowanymi w tekście dyscyplinami.
Transformaciones en el framing y la producción periodística de los noticieros televisivos peruanos durante la COVID-19
Authors: Karbaum padilla Gerardo
Published: November 2022

Apenas apareció la covid-19 la producción de información mediática se vio afectada por las restricciones de distanciamiento social y por los mismos peligros sanitarios que afrontaban los periodistas para cumplir su labor. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo conocer las transformaciones que se aplicaron en la producción de los noticieros televisivos en el Perú, uno de los países más golpeados por la pandemia a escala mundial. Para desarrollarla se aplicó la metodología cualitativa mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas a periodistas que ejercieron labores durante este periodo, y se obtuvieron resultados que revelan la aplicación de diversos dispositivos y procesos inhabituales o no televisivos. Esto fue transversal a las tres etapas de la producción audiovisual, que son la preproducción, la cobertura y la posproducción, situación que nunca antes se había aplicado con tanta intensidad y permanencia. Todo lo anterior permite establecer como conclusión que la producción de noticieros tuvo que recurrir a la hibridación de tecnologías y procedimientos para continuar ejecutando su labor en un contexto inesperado y complicado.
py-irt: A Scalable Item Response Theory Library for Python
Authors: Lalor John Patrick , Rodriguez Pedro
Published: November 2022

py-irt is a Python library for fitting Bayesian item response theory (IRT) models. At present, there is no Python package for fitting large-scale IRT models. py-irt estimates latent traits of subjects and items, making it appropriate for use in IRT tasks as well as in ideal point models. py-irt is built on top of the Pyro and PyTorch frameworks and uses GPU-accelerated training to scale to large data sets. It is the first Python package for large-scale IRT model fitting. py-irt is easy to use for practitioners and also allows for researchers to build and fit custom IRT models. py-irt is available as open-source software and can be installed from GitHub or the Python Package Index.

History: Accepted by Ted Ralphs, Area Editor for software tools.

Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplementary Information [ https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2022.1250 ] or is available from the IJOC GitHub software repository ( https://github.com/INFORMSJoC ) at [ http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6818509 ].
Software Components and Product Variety in a Platform Ecosystem: A Dynamic Network Analysis of WordPress
Authors: Um Sungyong , Zhang Bin , Wattal Sunil , Yoo Youngjin
Published: November 2022

Software components such as application programming interfaces (APIs) provided by external developers are vital to online digital platforms. Although APIs generally increase the variety of products according to anecdote, the precise relationship between the categories of APIs and product variety is not yet known. We find that APIs, regarding their use frequency, are categorized into three groups. The core is a group of frequently used APIs, whereas the periphery is a group of sparsely used APIs. In a large and mature platform ecosystem, an additional group of APIs, the regular core, mainly provided by third-party developers, emerges. APIs in the regular core are the main driver of product variety. However, we also find that the strength of this effect diminishes in a newly created product category when most of the new products are built by duplicating the usage of APIs from other products. A platform owner can stimulate developers’ creativity by acting as a bridge between digital product providers and third-party developers. It can collect functional needs from third-party developers and then share them with product providers. Therefore, the latter can build APIs that developers need.
Complementarity Between Investment in Information Technology (IT) and IT Human Resources: Implications for Different Types of Firm Innovation
Authors: Guo Feng , Li Yijun , Maruping Likoebe M. , Masli Adi
Published: November 2022

Innovation is an important means by which firms generate new revenue streams for topline growth. Given the information intensity of innovation, a key question that managers face is: How do we organize our IT-related resource investments to promote innovation performance? This is a consequential question because different types of innovation incur varying levels of upside potential, failure risk and investment costs. In this research, we aim to answer this question by distinguishing four types of innovations—incremental, radical, non-IT related and IT related—that firms aim to produce and examining the extent to which each of these types benefits from complementary investments in IT human resources and IT compared with either type of investment alone. Using patent data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, our analysis of 36,812 firm-year observations reveals that complementary investments in IT human resources and IT are associated with a 117% increase in incremental innovation, a 155% increase in radical innovation, a 173% increase in non–IT-related innovation and a 161% increase in IT-related innovation. The results of this study can be helpful in enabling managers to make informed decisions about how to organize and get the most out of their resource investments based on their innovation objectives.
Ambiguity Aversion and Beating Benchmarks: Does it Create a Pattern?
Authors: Kolasinski Adam , Li Xu , Soliman Mark , Xin Qian
Published: November 2022

The prior literature on analyst forecasts has focused almost exclusively on firms that just meet or beat the mean or median consensus analyst forecast, without much regard to alternative benchmarks within the forecast distribution. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there is institutional significance to the lowest (minimum) and highest (maximum) analyst earnings forecast. We rigorously explore whether these two new benchmarks actually have incremental significance and, if so, whether there are differences in how managers and investors perceive the importance of these three benchmarks (i.e., minimum, mean, and maximum). Consistent with the theory of investor ambiguity aversion, which predicts an asymmetric market response to good and bad news, our results support the notion that of the three benchmarks we explore, firms act most aggressively to exceed the minimum forecast, followed by the mean, and then finally the maximum. This order is consistently supported by the following evidence: the existence of higher incentives to beat the benchmark; the likelihood of earnings management to beat the benchmark; accrual reversal after firms just barely achieve each benchmark; accrual mispricing around each benchmark; and, finally, a faster incorporation into the stock price of the bad news that a firm misses the minimum than of the good news that a firm meets or beats the maximum. These findings fill a void in academic research on these two new benchmarks and offer a consistent explanation as to why the popular press and managers frequently highlight and discuss beating these benchmarks as a separate and notable achievement.

This paper was accepted by Brian Bushee, accounting.

Funding: Q. Xin gratefully acknowledges the financial support from the “Shenzhen Peacock Plan” start-up research [Grant GA11409004] and the Shenzhen Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences [Grant KP191001].

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4609 .
Nonasymptotic Convergence Rates for the Plug-in Estimation of Risk Measures
Authors: Bartl Daniel , Tangpi Ludovic
Published: November 2022

Let ρ be a general law-invariant convex risk measure, for instance, the average value at risk, and let X be a financial loss, that is, a real random variable. In practice, either the true distribution μ of X is unknown, or the numerical computation of [Formula: see text] is not possible. In both cases, either relying on historical data or using a Monte Carlo approach, one can resort to an independent and identically distributed sample of μ to approximate [Formula: see text] by the finite sample estimator [Formula: see text] (μNdenotes the empirical measure of μ). In this article, we investigate convergence rates of [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. We provide nonasymptotic convergence rates for both the deviation probability and the expectation of the estimation error. The sharpness of these convergence rates is analyzed. Our framework further allows for hedging, and the convergence rates we obtain depend on neither the dimension of the underlying assets nor the number of options available for trading.

Funding: Daniel Bartl is grateful for financial support through the Vienna Science and Technology Fund [Grant MA16-021] and the Austrian Science Fund [Grants ESP-31 and P34743]. Ludovic Tangpi is supported by the National Science Foundation [Grant DMS-2005832] and CAREER award [Grant DMS-2143861].
Finding Minimum Volume Circumscribing Ellipsoids Using Generalized Copositive Programming
Authors: Mittal Areesh , Hanasusanto Grani A.
Published: November 2022

We study the problem of finding the Löwner–John ellipsoid (i.e., an ellipsoid with minimum volume that contains a given convex set). We reformulate the problem as a generalized copositive program and use that reformulation to derive tractable semidefinite programming approximations for instances where the set is defined by affine and quadratic inequalities. We prove that, when the underlying set is a polytope, our method never provides an ellipsoid of higher volume than the one obtained by scaling the maximum volume-inscribed ellipsoid. We empirically demonstrate that our proposed method generates high-quality solutions and can be solved much faster than solving the problem to optimality. Furthermore, we outperform the existing approximation schemes in terms of solution time and quality. We present applications of our method to obtain piecewise linear decision rule approximations for dynamic distributionally robust problems with random recourse and to generate ellipsoidal approximations for the set of reachable states in a linear dynamical system when the set of allowed controls is a polytope.
Using Hospital Admission Predictions at Triage for Improving Patient Length of Stay in Emergency Departments
Authors: Chen Wanyi , Argon Nilay Tanik , Bohrmann Tommy , Linthicum Benjamin , Lopiano Kenneth , Mehrotra Abhishek , Travers Debbie , Ziya Serhan
Published: November 2022

In emergency departments (EDs), one of the major reasons behind long waiting times and crowding overall is the time it takes to move admitted patients from the ED to an appropriate bed in the main hospital. In “Using Hospital Admission Predictions at Triage for Improving Patient Length of Stay in Emergency Departments,” Chen et al. develop a methodology that can be used to shorten these times by predicting the likelihood of admission for each patient at the time of triage and starting the process of identifying a suitable hospital bed and making preparations for the patient’s eventual transfer to the bed right away if the predicted probability of admission is deemed high enough. A simulation study suggests that the proposed methodology, particularly when it takes into account ED census levels, has the potential to shorten average waiting times in the ED without leading to too many false early bed requests.
Investigation of Thermal Effects on Nailed Connection of Mass Ply Panels
Authors: Ho Tu X. , Laughery Detlef C. , Sinha Arijit
Published: November 2022

Mass ply panels (MPP), a relatively new mass timber product, has been utilized in several construction projects as diaphragm and wall panels. Connection for MPP is a crucial structural component that requires a better understanding. This article presents an experimental investigation into elevated temperature exposure–driven property degradation of MPP nailed connections, which is important for both the design of new structures in terms of fire resistance and the rehabilitation of structures partially damaged by fire. One control group and 32 exposure groups, which were combinations of eight elevated temperatures and four exposure durations, were investigated. The failure modes and yield strength of the nailed connection were analyzed as a function of elevated temperature and exposure time and compared with the prediction from the National Design Specification and existing literature. The results show a decrease of up to 45 percent in initial stiffness and ultimate load; meanwhile, there was no statistical evidence for the change in yield load in the majority of testing groups. Two analytical models, namely, multilinear regression and first-order kinetics model, were proposed to model the degradation of initial stiffness and ultimate strength. The kinetics model provided a better prediction and suggested that the initial stiffness and ultimate strength of the nail connection degraded over time at rates depending on the exposure temperature.
Polarization beam splitter based on the asymmetric directional coupler of lithium niobate film
Authors: Wang Fang , Liu Hua , Ma Tao , Ma Shoudao , Liu Yufang
Published: November 2022

A polarization beam splitter (PBS) based on a lithium niobate film
asymmetric directional coupler is proposed. The PBS is located on a
lithium niobate platform on an insulator consisting of a silicon
nitride–lithium niobate waveguide (SLW) and a lithium niobate
waveguide (LNW). By rationally designing the SLW and LNW sizes, TE
polarization satisfies the phase matching condition and TM
polarization phase mismatch. The numerical simulation results show
that the extinction ratio (ER) and insertion loss (IL) of PBS for TE
mode are 30.57 and 0.66 dB, respectively, and the ER and IL of
PBS for TM mode are 28.15 and 0.11 dB, respectively, at an
operating wavelength of 1.55 µm.
Small predators dominate fish predation in coral reef communities
Authors: Mihalitsis Michalis , Morais Renato A. , Bellwood David R.
Published: November 2022

Ecosystem processes are challenging to quantify at a community level, particularly within complex ecosystems (e.g., rainforests, coral reefs). Predation is one of the most important types of species interactions, determining several ecosystem processes. However, while it is widely recognised, it is rarely quantified, especially in aquatic systems. To address these issues, we model predation on fish by fish, in a hyperdiverse coral reef community. We show that body sizes previously examined in fish–fish predation studies (based on a metanalysis), only represent about 5% of likely predation events. The average fish predator on coral reefs is just 3.65 cm; the average fish prey just 1.5 cm. These results call for a shift in the way we view fish predation and its ability to shape the species or functional composition of coral reef fish communities. Considered from a functional group approach, we found general agreement in the distribution of simulated and observed predation events, among both predator and prey functional groups. Predation on coral reefs is a process driven by small fish, most of which are neither seen nor quantified.
Exploring infection prevention and control knowledge and beliefs in the Solomon Islands using Photovoice
Authors: Sparke Vanessa L. , MacLaren David , Esau Dorothy , West Caryn
Published: November 2022

Healthcare associated infections are the most common complication of a person’s hospital stay. Contemporary infection prevention and control programs are universally endorsed to prevent healthcare associated infections. However, western biomedical science on which contemporary infection prevention and control is based, is not the only way that staff and patients within healthcare settings understand disease causation and/or disease transmission. This results paper reports on one aspect of a study which ascertains perceptions of disease transmission and how these influence infection prevention and control practice at Atoifi Adventist Hospital Solomon Islands. Photovoice was used as the primary data collection method with staff and patients. The germ theory and hospital hygiene processes were only one of many explanations of disease transmission at the hospital. Many social, cultural and spiritual influences played an important role in how people understood disease to be transmitted. Although infection prevention and control models based on western science continue to form the premise of reducing healthcare associated infections in Solomon Islands and locations across the globe, local social, cultural and spiritual beliefs need to be considered when planning and implementing infection prevention and control programs to ensure success.
Conflict, healthcare and professional perseverance: A qualitative study in a remote hospital in an Anglophone Region of Cameroon
Authors: Niba Juste Ongeh , Ngasa Stewart Ndutard , Chang Neh , Sanji Eric , Awa Anne-Marie , Dingana Therence Nwana , Sama Carlson Babila , Tchouda Leticia , Julius Mekolle Enongene
Published: November 2022

Armed conflicts are a major contributor to global disease burden owing to their deleterious effects on health and healthcare delivery. The Anglophone crisis in Cameroon is one of the ongoing conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa and has led to massive displacement of healthcare workers (HCWs). However, some HCWs have stayed back and continued working. An understanding of their experiences, perspectives and professional perseverance is lacking. We designed a phenomenological study using Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews to: understand the experiences of 12 HCWs in a remote hospital in the North West region of Cameroon with armed groups; evaluate how it affects healthcare delivery from HCWs perspective and examine HCWs coping mechanisms during the conflict with a view of informing HCW protection policies in conflict zones. Results revealed that HCWs go through all forms of violence including threats, assaults and murders. Overall insecurity and shortage of health personnel were major barriers to healthcare delivery which contributed to underutilization of healthcare services. Participants observed an increase in complications due to malaria, malnutrition and a rise in maternal and infant mortality. The hospital management and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) played an essential role in HCWs adaptation to the crisis. Nevertheless they unanimously advocated for a cease fire to end the conflict. In the meantime, passion for their job was the main motivating factor to stay at work.
Association of Chlamydia trachomatis infection with pregnancy outcomes among Japanese pregnant women: The Japan environment and children’s study
Authors: Yasuda Shun , Kyozuka Hyo , Endo Yuta , Kanno Aya , Murata Tsuyoshi , Fukusda Toma , Yamaguchi Akiko , Sato Akiko , Ogata Yuka , Kuse Masahito , Hosoya Mitsuaki , Yasumura Seiji , Hashimoto Koichi , Nishigori Hidekazu , Fujimori Keiya ,   Japan Environment, Children’s Study JECS Group
Published: November 2022

This study aimed to investigate the impact of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection on pregnancy outcome in pregnant Japanese women. We utilized the data from a nationwide birth cohort study, the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), for this study. We enrolled 26,385 individuals who could refer to data on pregnancy outcomes and confounding factors, with data on CT. Binominal logistic regression models were used to determine whether pregnant women with CT positivity were at more risk of experiencing adverse pregnancy outcomes, preterm birth (PTB), preterm prelabor rupture of membrane (pPROM), low birth weight (LBW) infants, small for gestational age (SGA) births, or hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). After adjusting for maternal age, parity, marital status, smoking status, and education status, there were no significantly increased risks of PTB, pPROM, LBW infants, SGA, and HDP in the odds ratios. No significant increase in the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes was observed in any of the subgroup analyses, which were limited to the pregnancy women in Fukushima prefecture, where CT screening could be confirmed at 28−30 weeks of gestation. We believe that the results of this study will make a significant contribution to the future of medical care for pregnant women in Japan. Our findings are important for medical practitioners to contribute to the future medical treatment of Japanese pregnant women, and also to contribute to pre-conception care for Japanese society as a whole, including pregnant women.
Experiences of South African caregivers disclosing to their children living with HIV: Qualitative investigations
Authors: Joyce Celeste , Ramsammy Candice , Galvin Lisa , Leshabane Given , Liberty Afaaf , Otwombe Kennedy , Buckley Janice , Milovanovic Minja , Violari Avy
Published: November 2022

Awareness of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status improves health outcomes in children living with HIV, yet caregivers often delay disclosure. This qualitative investigation explored, through observation, how 30 caregivers responded to a HIV Disclosure study conducted between 2017 and 2020 at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Soweto, South Africa. Caregivers were assisted in disclosing to their children, aged 7–13 years; followed by a sub-sample of caregivers providing in-depth interviews to elaborate on findings.1) Barriers to disclosure included: caregivers being ill equipped, the fear of negative consequences and children considered lacking emotional or cognitive readiness. 2) Deflecting diagnosis from their children and the need for medication, motivated caregivers to disclosure. 3) Apprehension was evident during disclosure; however, overall disclosure was a positive experience with the support of the healthcare providers. These results highlight the significant role healthcare providers’ play in supporting caregivers through the disclosure process.
Genetic analysis and physiological relationships of drought response in fennel: Interaction with mating system
Authors: Hosseini Elaheh , Majidi Mohammad Mahdi , Saeidnia Fatemeh , Ehtemam Mohammad Hossein
Published: November 2022

The consequences of water deficit and its interaction with pollination system (deliberate selfing compared with open-pollination) on physiological, agronomic and phytochemical traits are not understood in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). A research was started by creating selfed (S1) and half-sib (HS) families on a fennel germplasm in 2018. Populations were studied in the field, applying a normal and a water deficit condition during two years (2019–2020). Considerable genotypic variation was observed within S1 and HS families for all of the evaluated traits, demonstrating that selection for these traits would be successful. Consequences of water deficit were manifested as declined most of the traits; and significantly increased essential oil content, harvest index, and proline content, in both populations. Mandatory selfing reduced the performance of genotypes for most of the traits confirming the existence of inbreeding depression (ID) with higher values for plant dry weight, seed yield, essential oil content, and number of umbelets per umbel. In S1 population, some of the studied traits had higher heritability estimates under normal condition and some of them showed higher heritability under water deficit. Positive relationship between GCA and STI in OP population indicated that it is possible to identify genotypes having high values of combining ability and drought tolerance. Results of the present study suggest that physiological traits cannot be used as an indicator to distinguish drought-tolerant genotypes in S1 progenies, whereas in OP progenies Chl a, Chl b, TChl, CAR, PRO, and RWC, which had significant correlations with drought tolerance, may be used for this purpose. Based on the results contrasting genotypes were identified, which can be used to develop mapping populations for genome studies of drought tolerance and physiological traits of this species in future studies.
Pregnancy outcomes of immigrant women living in Korea: A population-based study
Authors: Cho Geum Joon , Kim Ho Yeon , Ko Hyun Sun , Cho Hae Joong , Hong Seong Yeon , Noh Eunjin , Jeong Young Ju
Published: November 2022

Although there is a high rate of pregnant immigrant women in Korea, little is known regarding their pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of immigrant women in Korea. Data for all pregnant women who gave birth between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2016 were obtained using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service Database. Pregnant women were divided into two groups: Korean and immigrant women. The main outcome measures were adverse pregnancy outcomes including gestational diabetes of mellitus, preeclampsia, cesarean section, placental abrnomalities, and postpartum hemorrhage. The odds of gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, cesarean section, placental previa, placental abruptio, and postpartum hemorrhage was compared between the two groups. Among 4,439,778 pregnant women who gave birth during the study period, 168,940 (3.8%) were immigrant women. The odds of gestational diabetes mellitus (adjusted OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.28), and cesarean section (adjusted OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.25–1.28)were higher in immigrant women than in Korean women, but the odds of preeclampsia (adjusted OR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.81–0.86) and postpartum hemorrhage (adjusted OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94–0.97) was lower in immigrant women than in Korean women. Immigrant women had different pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancy and postpartum management that reflects these characteristics will be necessary for immigrant women.
Local maximum synchrosqueezes form scaling-basis chirplet transform
Authors: Hou Yating , Wang Liming , Luo Xiuli , Han Xingcheng
Published: November 2022

In recent years, time-frequency analysis (TFA) methods have received widespread attention and undergone rapid development. However, traditional TFA methods cannot achieve the desired effect when dealing with nonstationary signals. Therefore, this study proposes a new TFA method called the local maximum synchrosqueezing scaling-basis chirplet transform (LMSBCT), which is a further improvement of the scaling-basis chirplet transform (SBCT) with energy rearrangement in frequency and can be viewed as a good combination of SBCT and local maximum synchrosqueezing transform. A better concentration in terms of the time-frequency energy and a more accurate instantaneous frequency trajectory can be achieved using LMSBCT. The time-frequency distribution of strong frequency-modulated signals and multicomponent signals can be handled well, even for signals with close signal frequencies and low signal-to-noise ratios. Numerical simulations and real experiments were conducted to prove the superiority of the proposed method over traditional methods.
Gut microbiome alterations in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Jung Joon Hyung , Kim Gihyeon , Byun Min Soo , Lee Jun Ho , Yi Dahyun , Park Hansoo , Lee Dong Young ,   for the KBASE Research Group
Published: November 2022

Background

Although some human studies have reported gut microbiome changes in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), gut microbiome alterations in preclinical AD, i.e., cerebral amyloidosis without cognitive impairment, is largely unknown.

Objective

We aimed to identify gut microbial alterations associated with preclinical AD by comparing cognitively normal (CN) older adults with cerebral Aβ deposition (Aβ+ CN) and those without cerebral Aβ deposition (Aβ− CN).

Methods

Seventy-eight CN older participants (18 Aβ+ CN and 60 Aβ− CN) were included, and all participants underwent clinical assessment and Pittsburg compound B–positron emission tomography. The V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene of genomic DNA extracted from feces was amplified and sequenced to establish the microbial community.

Results

Generalized linear model analysis revealed that the genera Megamonas (B = 3.399, q<0.001), Serratia (B = 3.044, q = 0.005), Leptotrichia (B = 5.862, q = 0.024) and Clostridium (family Clostridiaceae) (B = 0.788, q = 0.034) were more abundant in the Aβ+ CN group than the Aβ− CN group. In contrast, genera CF231 (B = −3.237, q< 0.001), Victivallis (B = −3.447, q = 0.004) Enterococcus (B = −2.044, q = 0.042), Mitsuokella (B = −2.119, q = 0.042) and Clostridium (family Erysipelotrichaceae) (B = −2.222, q = 0.043) were decreased in Aβ+ CN compared to Aβ− CN. Notably, the classification model including the differently abundant genera could effectively distinguish Aβ+ CN from Aβ− CN (AUC = 0.823).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that specific alterations of gut bacterial taxa are related to preclinical AD, which means these changes may precede cognitive decline. Therefore, examining changes in the microbiome may be helpful in preclinical AD screening.
El Teje: Primer Periódico Travesti Latinoamericano, o de cómo resignificar cuerpos que hablen y militen
Authors: Méndez Mariela
Published: November 2022

Este ensayo toma como foco de análisis las representaciones textuales del travestismo en diálogo con la regularización y reglamentación de los actos travestis desde el Estado, a partir de una examinación exhaustiva de El Teje: Primer Periódico Travesti Latinoamericano, el cual surge en Buenos Aires, Argentina, en el 2007. Como revela su directora Marlene Wayar en el segundo editorial del número inaugural: “Cada vez que leemos un diario o una revista, para poder identificarnos tenemos que imaginarnos en otros cuerpos y en otras formas de sentir y de pensar”. Este ensayo se ocupará de mirar de cerca los cuerpos expuestos en El Teje, como contradiscurso que resiste esos cuerpos “otros” de los que se queja Wayar. El uso de la palabra “contradiscurso” es aquí intencional; el teje se construye también a partir de un intento, como sugiere el primer editorial, de “dar voz a través de la palabra materializada y con cierta sistematización al silencio social histórico del que somos víctimas las travestis y transexuales”. ¿En qué consiste entonces esta nueva “palabra materializada” y cómo se relaciona al cuerpo? ¿Cómo se configura la imagen travestida de El Teje? ¿Rompe el silencio? y, lo que importa aún más, ¿Cómo engarza esta imagen corporizada y materializada, esta revista de dimensiones inusuales y colores chillones, imposible de ignorar, con los discursos oficiales sobre la comunidad LGBTTIQ que circulan en la capital argentina cuando se inicia el nuevo milenio?
Memory Mambode Achy Obejas: Un pasoadelantemás allá del guión
Authors: Aguiló-Mora Francisca
Published: November 2022

Este ensayo analiza cómo Memory Mambo (1996), la novela debut de Achy Obejas, desarticula conceptualizaciones binarias alrededor de la noción de indentidades con guión (v.g. cubana-americana). Esta desarticulación se lleva a cabo en un plano lingüístico por un lado, y a nivel temático estructural por el otro. Al mismo tiempo, la titular importancia del mambo, como género musical y como metáfora cultural, tiene el efecto de movilizar las memorias narradas, dejando espacio para concordancias y disonancias que sobrepasan los bordes de las dos culturas (la cubana en el exilio y la estadounidense) que informan y atraviesan la novela. Además, el presente artículo explora cómo el imaginario narrativo de Obejas propone nueves formas de ser y estar para las nuevas generaciones diaspóricas de Estados Unidos.