bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The fifth-place metamorphosis: the impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 on typologies of places in post-pandemic Cairo
Authors: Abd Elrahman Ahmed S.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The world has recently faced the outbreak of an existential threat. Since December 2019, many aspects of life have changed owing to a devastating pandemic, COVID-19. The second wave started spreading in different parts of the globe. This article focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on Cairo city, regarding three upper-middle-class districts as a case study. Based on a literature review, a theoretical framework is proposed to analyse how residents changed their living, work, and leisure time habits during the outbreak of the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

A retrospective survey was conducted among the residents of three districts to investigate the new living model of adaptive, spontaneous urban and architecture design tactics that transfer people’s actual life, work, and leisure arrangements into future planning considerations.

Findings

The results reveal relevant observations about the adaptation of the existing environments of home, work, and leisure activities. From these results, different considerations and new norms emerge for housing typologies in post-pandemic Cairo.

Originality/value

The conclusions of this study introduced the new term “the fifth place” as a space-time place that could serve as a motivation for urban designers and architects to design space typologies considering the emerging circumstances.
Knowledge sharing in an interorganizational setting: empirical evidence from the Orange Line metro train project
Authors: Iftikhar Rehab , Ahola Tuomas
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on knowledge sharing process in an interorganizational setting. For this purpose, the context examined is the Orange Line metro train project in Pakistan, in which multiple organizations are involved.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a single case study approach. The empirical data comprises semi-structured interviews and archival documents. Thematic analysis is used for analyzing the data.

Findings

The findings present distinct mechanisms of knowledge sharing, which include knowledge sharing tools, both formal and informal; types of knowledge, i.e. tacit and explicit knowledge; and levels of units such as individuals, teams, organizations (internal knowledge sources) and the interorganizational level (external knowledge sources). Based on the findings, the authors propose an integrative model of the interplay between knowledge sharing tools, types of knowledge and levels of units. Furthermore, the findings depict that the knowledge sharing tools and types of knowledge are important at different levels of units, but their importance may vary depending on whether they are primary or supporting for different levels of units.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on knowledge-based theory by examining knowledge sharing in an interorganizational project. The proposed model deepens our understanding of the practices and processes of interorganizational knowledge sharing.
Financial comparisons of under‐vine management systems in four South Australian vineyard districts*
Authors: Nordblom Thomas , Penfold Chris , Whitelaw‐Weckert Melanie , Norton Mark , Howie Jake , Hutchings Timothy
Published: December 2020

Conventional viticultural practice in Australia and elsewhere involves removal of under‐vine vegetation using herbicides or cultivation. Concerns over the long‐term effects of herbicides on soil health, evolution of resistant weeds and possible impacts on human health motivate the search for alternative weed management options. Industry‐supported trials on commercial vineyards in four South Australian regions investigated standard practices of straw mulch and bare earth created with herbicides, compared to under‐vine cover crops, focusing on soil health attributes (soil carbon, soil microbiological processes, etc.) and grape yields in 2016 and 2017. Measured yields with the Control (herbicide) treatment were combined with published district grape prices and yields over the 12‐year (2006–2017) period, defining multivariate distributions of gross revenues ($/ha). Assuming all treatments produce grapes of equal quality and price as the Control, our results showed median per‐hectare gross margins greater than the Control in the Barossa district, lower than Control in Riverland, and mixed results in Langhorne Creek and Eden Valley. Multi‐year risk profiles, based on decadal whole‐farm (50 ha) cash flows for each treatment, were calculated using Monte Carlo analysis, based on historical yield and price distributions. These risk profiles showed the under‐vine treatments may result in major differences in long‐term vineyard financial viability.
Pastoralism after culture: environmental governance and human‐animal estrangement at China's ecological frontier
Authors: White Thomas
Published: December 2020

In the name of ‘ecological civilization’, the Chinese state has sought to adjust the ecologies of its degraded northern grasslands, using market instruments, such as payments for ecosystem services, to induce ethnic minority pastoralists to pursue non‐herding livelihoods. In the far west of Inner Mongolia, the resultant decline in the availability of rural labour has meant that most domestic camels that remain on the rangelands are now left largely unmanaged throughout the year. Local Mongol officials and intellectuals have long regarded extensive animal husbandry as a bulwark against Mongol dispossession through Chinese agricultural expansion. This article shows how they now make use of dominant ecological and market rationalities to articulate their defence of this form of land use, by figuring these ‘semi‐wild’ camels as providers of ecosystem services. In doing so, however, their proposals bypass the figure of the culture‐possessing rural minority subject, which in this region is associated with training and working with camels, and which has been fostered by the cultural heritage policies of the reform era. Divergent understandings of the ‘wildness’ of nonhumans thus reveal tensions between ecological and cultural politics at China's margins, and anxieties surrounding the rural minority subject in the context of new modes of environmental governance.
Older Iranian Muslim women’s experiences of sex and sexuality: A biographical approach
Authors: Amini Elham , McCormack Mark
Published: December 2020

Muslim women in Iran live in a patriarchal society which significantly restricts their freedom and agency. While there is a growing understanding of social change as it relates to younger Muslim women in Iran, the perspectives and experiences of older women are marginalized; mirroring problems with the intersections of age, gender, and sexuality in the West. In order to address this occlusion, this article draws on life history interviews with 30 older Muslim women living in Tehran and Karaj. Adopting a biographical life course approach, and examining pivotal moments related to sexuality in their lives, we discuss how cultural meanings and symbols of sexuality have emerged and been negotiated by these women at the life stages of puberty, first sex at marriage, and menopause. The patriarchal and religious gender order of Iran transgresses these women's human rights so that sexuality is experienced as a source of shame, stigma, and pollution, yet the women also exert forms of agency in their lives as they adopt and challenge these norms.
Superimposed CT imaging using fusion function to visualize the relationship between the knife and the wound path in a stabbing victim
Authors: Takahashi Yoichiro , Sano Rie , Hayakawa Akira , Fukuda Haruki , Kubo Rieko , Okawa Takafumi , Tokue Hiroyuki , Takei Hiroyuki , Kominato Yoshihiko
Published: December 2020

With the increasing use of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) in medicolegal autopsies, three‐dimensional (3D) models of injured areas can now be generated from multislice computed tomography images. However, since PMCT has low sensitivity for detecting injuries in solid organs in the absence of contrast administration, it has been difficult to demonstrate the tracks of stab wounds leading to solid organ injury using 3D reconstruction. Here, we report one homicide case with two stab wounds. On the skin surface, the stab wounds were located on the neck and anterior chest wall. A medicolegal autopsy revealed that one stab wound in the neck had penetrated the wall of the right pleural cavity and the upper portion of the right lung whereas the other stab wound in the anterior chest wall had penetrated the right diaphragm and the heart. To illustrate the tracks of the stab wounds, superimposed CT images of the body, the excised organ, and a knife model were constructed to obtain a 3D model. This allowed clear and concise visualization of the complex relationship of the knife to the heart incision and the stab wound on the chest surface.
Endotracheal metastasis of colon cancer on FDG PET/CT
Authors: Filizoglu Nuh , Oksuzoglu Kevser , Ozguven Salih , Bozkurtlar Emine , Ones Tunc , Erdil Tanju Yusuf
Published: December 2020

Although tracheal involvement of lung cancer is frequently seen, endotracheal metastasis of colon cancer is a rare entity. Since endotracheal lesion gives no symptom until tracheal lumen nearly occluded, the diagnosis of endotracheal metastasis could be challenging. F‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography may be crucial to detect this unusal distant metastasis of colon cancer. Herein, we report FDG avid endotracheal lesion that was confirmed as metastasis from colon cancer in 56‐year‐old female patient.
African elephant (Loxodonta africana) select less fragmented landscapes to connect core habitats in human‐dominated landscapes
Authors: Gara Tawanda W. , Wang Tiejun , Dube Timothy , Ngene Shadrack M. , Mpakairi Kudzai S.
Published: December 2020

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) utilise corridors to access limited resources, that is forage and water scattered across heterogeneous habitats they roam. The existence of small elephant metapopulations depend on the intactness of these corridors to access the scarce resources. Due to the sedentarisation of the previously nomadic Maasai people, elephant corridors have been exposed to increased fragmentation from human‐induced activities across the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya. In this study, we sought to compare the scale of fragmentation between corridors and their immediate landscapes (noncorridors) in the Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya. We used a Brownian Bridge Movement Model (BBMM) to identify corridors used by elephants from global positioning system (GPS) collar data. The scale of fragmentation between corridors and noncorridors was determined using the effective mesh size fragmentation metric (meff). Our results showed that elephant corridors were significantly less fragmented (Wilcoxon sum rank test: W = 6,121.5, p < 0.05) when compared to the noncorridors. The presence of fragmentation geometries in the corridors remains a major cause of concern for wildlife managers as they have the potential to invade and constrict the existing corridors. Our results underscore the need to extend management of elephant habitats to migration corridors outside protected areas.
Biopsy quality is essential for preoperative prognostication in oral tongue cancer
Authors: Bello Ibrahim O. , Wennerstrand Pia M. , Suleymanova Ilida , Siponen Maria , Qannam Ahmed , Nieminen Pentti , Leivo Ilmo , Almangush Alhadi , Salo Tuula
Published: December 2020

A role for incisional biopsy in preoperative prognostication is increasingly being advocated in oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas (OTSCC). Biopsies at two locations were compared, and prognostic factors in biopsies and their corresponding resections were evaluated. A total of 138 OTSCC biopsy slides from Finland and Saudi Arabia were compared for size (horizontal and vertical) and invasive front. The Finnish cases were assessed for tumor stroma ratio (TSR) and tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) using light microscopy and digital image analysis assessment and compared. Furthermore, TSR, TILs, and previously analyzed budding and depth of invasion (BD) score in biopsies were compared with their evaluation in the corresponding resections. Fifty‐nine percent of Finnish and 42% of Saudi Arabian biopsies were ≥ 5 mm deep, while 98% of Saudi Arabian and 76% of Finnish biopsies were ≥ 5 mm wide. Assessment of invasion front was possible in 72% of Finnish in comparison with 40% of Saudi Arabian biopsies. There was 86.8% agreement between TSR and 75% agreement between TIL evaluation using light microscopy and digital assessment. Significant agreement was obtained on comparing the TSR (p = 0.04) and BD (p < 0.001) values in biopsies and resections. Biopsies of ≥ 5 mm depth from representative OTSCC areas are essential for prognostic information. Clinical pathologists are advised to assess BD score and TSR for prognostic features in such biopsies.
Review: Puberty blockers for transgender and gender diverse youth—a critical review of the literature
Authors: Rew Lynn , Young Cara C. , Monge Maria , Bogucka Roxanne
Published: December 2020

Background

Increasingly, early adolescents who are transgender or gender diverse (TGD) are seeking gender‐affirming healthcare services. Pediatric healthcare providers supported by professional guidelines are treating many of these children with gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa), which reversibly block pubertal development, giving the child and their family more time in which to explore the possibility of medical transition.

Methods

We conducted a critical review of the literature to answer a series of questions about criteria for using puberty‐blocking medications, the specific drugs used, the risks and adverse consequences and/or the positive outcomes associated with their use. We searched four databases: LGBT Life, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science. From an initial sample of 211 articles, we systematically reviewed 9 research studies that met inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Results

Studies reviewed had samples ranging from 1 to 192 (N = 543). The majority (71%) of participants in these studies required a diagnosis of gender dysphoria to qualify for puberty suppression and were administered medication during Tanner stages 2 through 4. Positive outcomes were decreased suicidality in adulthood, improved affect and psychological functioning, and improved social life. Adverse factors associated with use were changes in body composition, slow growth, decreased height velocity, decreased bone turnover, cost of drugs, and lack of insurance coverage. One study met all quality criteria and was judged ‘excellent’, five studies met the majority of quality criteria resulting in ‘good’ ratings, whereas three studies were judged fair and had serious risks of bias.

Conclusion

Given the potentially life‐saving benefits of these medications for TGD youth, it is critical that rigorous longitudinal and mixed methods research be conducted that includes stakeholders and members of the gender diverse community with representative samples.
Untreated Dental Caries May be Associated with Subsequent Mortality among Working‐Age Adults: Evidence from NHANES III
Authors: Sadiq Naveed , Probst Janice C. , Martin Amy B. , Khan M. Mahmud , Merchant Anwar T.
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Poor oral health has been shown to be associated with selected adverse health outcomes. This study assessed the association between untreated dental caries and mortality and examined whether having dental insurance mitigates the risk of mortality among working‐age US adults with dental caries.

Methods

Analysis used the publicly available linked mortality file for NHANES III, an observational study conducted in 1988‐1994, with follow‐up through December 2015. Propensity score matching was conducted to create similar populations of insured and uninsured adults, resulting in a sample of 4420 matched observations. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to investigate the effect of untreated dental caries and that of dental insurance on risk of all‐cause mortality. The descriptive and final outcome statistical analyses were adjusted for complex sampling technique using weights, strata and cluster variables.

Results

Adults with untreated dental caries had a higher risk of mortality (HR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.06‐1.68) than those with no dental caries. Having dental insurance was associated with a lower risk of mortality (HR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.59‐0.92). An interaction between caries treatment status and dental insurance was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Adults with untreated dental caries have a higher risk of mortality, even in the presence of dental insurance. Untreated caries may be an indicator for multiple risk factors, including personal attitudes regarding health and healthcare‐seeking behaviour.
Evaluation of functional outcomes after disc excision of deep endometriosis involving low and mid rectum using standardized questionnaires: a series of 80 patients
Authors: Klapczynski Clémence , Derbal Sophiane , Braund Sophia , Coget Julien , Forestier Damien , Seyer‐Hansen Mikkel , Tuech Jean‐Jacques , Roman Horace
Published: December 2020

Aim

The aim was to assess the functional outcome and quality of life in patients with low and mid rectal endometriosis who have undergone disc excision using a semicircular transanal staple device, a procedure we have named the Rouen technique.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of patients undergoing the Rouen technique between October 2009 and November 2018. Preoperative and postoperative demographic and operative data were recorded prospectively (mean ± SEM). Postoperative complications were recorded using the Clavien–Dindo classification. Rectal function and quality of life were assessed by the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) and Bowel Endometriosis Syndrome (BENS) scores respectively at ≥6 months.

Results

The Rouen procedure was performed on 80 patients (29.7 ± 4.3). The mean diameter of resected specimens was 57 ± 10 mm, and the height of the rectal suture from the anal verge was 4.6 ± 1.2 cm. The Clavien–Dindo complications were Clavien–Dindo 1 (leg compression), Clavien–Dindo 2 (urinary tract infection, bladder self‐catheterization) and Clavien–Dindo 3b (bowel obstruction, rectovaginal fistula, pyelic dilation, colorectal stenosis after resection). A rectovaginal fistula (Clavien–Dindo 3b) developed in nine (11.3%) patients and their stoma could be reversed after 99–162 days. The majority of patients (n = 50, 62.5%) had normal postoperative rectal function with LARS score ≤20. However, minor (LARS ≥ 21–29) and major rectal dysfunction (LARS ≥ 30) was seen in 18 (22.5%) and 12 (15%) patients respectively. Quality of life as measured using the BENS score was normal (BENS score 0–8) in 51 (63.8%) patients, slightly reduced (BENS score 9–16) in 24 (30%) patients and in only five (6.3%) was this a major issue (BENS score > 17). The development of a rectovaginal fistula was independently related to risk of major rectal dysfunction (adjusted OR 6.3, 95% CI 1.3–30.6).

Conclusions

In our series of 80 patients with transmural low and mid rectal endometriosis disc excision using a semicircular staple device can result in good functional outcomes and quality of life and avoid the complexity and potential complications of a low anterior resection.
Vertical niche and elevation range size in tropical ants: Implications for climate resilience
Authors: Leahy Lily , Scheffers Brett R. , Andersen Alan N. , Hirsch Ben T. , Williams Stephen E.
Published: December 2020

Aim

We propose that forest trees create a vertical dimension for ecological niche variation that generates different regimes of climatic exposure, which in turn drives species elevation distributions. We test this hypothesis by statistically modelling the vertical and elevation distributions and microclimate exposure of rainforest ants.

Location

Wet Tropics Bioregion, Australia.

Methods

We conducted 60 ground‐to‐canopy surveys to determine the vertical (tree) and elevation distributions, and microclimate exposure of ants (101 species) at 15 sites along four mountain ranges. We statistically modelled elevation range size as a function of ant species’ vertical niche breadth and exposure to temperature variance for 55 species found at two or more trees.

Results

We found a positive association between vertical niche and elevation range of ant species: for every 3 m increase in vertical niche breadth, our models predict a ~150% increase in mean elevation range size. Temperature variance increased with vertical height along the arboreal gradient and ant species exposure to temperature variance explained some of the variation in elevation range size.

Main conclusions

We demonstrate that arboreal ants have broader elevation ranges than ground‐dwelling ants and are likely to have increased resilience to climatic variance. The capacity of species to expand their niche by climbing trees could influence their ability to persist over broader elevation ranges. We propose that wherever vertical layering exists—from oceans to forest ecosystems—vertical niche breadth is a potential mechanism driving macrogeographic distributional patterns and resilience to climate change.
Diagnostic yield of fourth‐generation endocytoscopy for esophageal squamous lesions using a modified endocytoscopic classification
Authors: Shimamura Yuto , Inoue Haruhiro , Rodriguez de Santiago Enrique , Abad Mary Raina Angeli , Fujiyoshi Yusuke , Toshimori Akiko , Tanabe Mayo , Sumi Kazuya , Iwaya Yugo , Ikeda Haruo , Onimaru Manabu , Kushima Miki , Goda Kenichi
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Endocytoscopy (EC) is an ultra‐high magnification endoscopy designed to provide in vivo histologic assessment. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic yield of the newly developed fourth‐generation EC for esophageal squamous lesions by using a modified EC classification.

Methods

A total of 2548 EC images of 57 esophageal targeted areas between June 2015 and October 2017 were retrospectively collected. Two lesions with low‐quality images were excluded. Only EC images were independently reviewed by two expert and two non‐expert endoscopists. The lesions were classified according to a three‐tier modified EC classification. We used a multilevel logistic regression to analyze the data.

Results

The sensitivity and specificity of diagnosing non‐squamous cell cancer (SCC) vs SCC were 82.5% and 83.0% by the experts; 90.1% and 75.0% by non‐experts. The interobserver agreement among the four raters was good (kappa statistic 0.59). The diagnostic accuracy of experts and non‐experts was similar (P = 0.16 for specificity and P = 0.20 for sensitivity). The sensitivity and specificity of EC for non‐neoplasia vs neoplasia were 88.7% and 74.6% by experts; 90.3 and 52.1% by non‐experts. The interobserver agreement among the four raters was moderate (kappa statistic 0.44). The specificity of experts was higher compared to non‐experts, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.08 for specificity and P = 0.93 for sensitivity).

Conclusions

Fourth‐generation EC offers acceptable diagnostic accuracy and reliability in both experts and non‐experts, especially when diagnosing SCC lesions.
Black lives matter to the British Paediatric Neurology Association
Authors: Smith Martin
Published: December 2020

This article is commented on by Mohamed on page 6 of this issue.

Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/EXkFE4pEqj4
Conflict and contentment: Case study of the social mobility of working‐class students in Canada
Authors: Lehmann Wolfgang
Published: December 2020

This article offers a tentative exploration of how working‐class students' mobility is affected by the push to enter middle‐class careers and lifestyles, and the pull of their working‐class origins. Based on a nine‐year qualitative longitudinal study of working‐class students at a Canadian university, I will show that few study participants experienced mobility as an uncontested or linear trajectory. Two key storylines can be identified: (a) a story of adjustment, modification and contentment; and (b) a story of conflict, loss, and struggle. For most, educational mobility was tempered by revisions of occupational ambitions, by returns to their home communities and by lifestyle choices that do not fit simple narratives of status mobility. And yet, all expressed a growing sense of self‐confidence, appreciated their education as an experience of personal growth, and achieved on their own terms, in post‐graduate education and newly discovered careers.
Review of Vitamin B12 deficiency in pregnancy: a diagnosis not to miss as veganism and vegetarianism become more prevalent
Authors: Rashid Sabia , Meier Violet , Patrick Hannah
Published: December 2020

Vegetarianism and veganism are increasingly popular. The Food Standards Agency, biennial Food and You Survey of adults aged 16 years and over living in the UK, found that between 2012 and 2018 the proportion of people who reported never consuming dairy products had increased from 2% to 5%. However, veganism risks development of vitamin B12 deficiency as it is not available from plant sources. Moreover, its impact may be slow to be detected because body stores of vitamin B12 can last years. There is currently no published guidance on antenatal diagnosis and management of vitamin B12 deficiency. This paper reviews the metabolism, diagnosis and treatment of vitamin B12 in pregnancy. It concludes that national screening policymakers should consider introducing screening for B12 deficiency into the Antenatal and Newborn Screening Programmes for mothers and their infants if at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. In the interim, national policy should be developed for prophylactic vitamin B12 supplementation in high‐risk groups around the time of pregnancy.
Prognostic value of plasma fibroblast growth factor 21 among patients with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Zheng Xiaowei , Zhu Zhengbao , Guo Daoxia , Zhong Chongke , Xu Tan , Peng Yanbo , Wang Aili , Peng Hao , Ju Zhong , Geng Deqin , Zhang Yonghong , He Jiang
Published: December 2020

Background and purpose

To evaluate the association between plasma fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF‐21) and clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods

A total of 3412 acute ischemic stroke patients from the China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke with plasma FGF‐21 measurements were included in this analysis. The primary outcome was a combination of death or major disability (modified Rankin Scale score ≥3) within 1 year after stroke.

Results

During the 1‐year of follow‐up, 745 (21.83%) patients experienced the primary outcome; 550 had a major disability and 195 died. After multivariate adjustment, higher plasma FGF‐21 was significantly associated with increased risk of the primary outcome (odds ratio = 1.52, 95% confidence interval = 1.11–1.29). Each 1‐SD increase of log‐transformed FGF‐21 (0.67 pg/ml) was associated with 19%, 3%, and 33% increased risk of the primary outcome, major disability, and death, respectively. The addition of FGF‐21 to the conventional risk factors significantly improved prediction of the primary outcome in ischemic stroke patients (net reclassification index = 10.8%, p = 0.011; integrated discrimination improvement = 0.3%, p = 0.038).

Conclusions

Higher plasma FGF‐21 was associated with poor prognosis in acute ischemic stroke patients, suggesting that FGF‐21 may be a prognostic marker for ischemic stroke.
Rational dosage regimens for cephalothin and cefazolin using pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics analysis in healthy horses
Authors: Kuroda Taisuke , Minamijima Yohei , Niwa Hidekazu , Tamura Norihisa , Mita Hiroshi , Fukuda Kentaro , Kaimachi Masahiro , Suzuki Yuto , Enoki Yuki , Taguchi Kazuaki , Matsumoto Kazuaki , Toutain Pierre‐Louis , Bousquet‐Melou Alain , Kasashima Yoshinori
Published: December 2020

Background

First‐generation cephalosporins have good activity against gram‐positive bacteria and are extensively used in horses. There are few reports of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) analysis of cephalosporins in horses.

Objective

To optimise the dosages of the two first‐generation cephalosporins cephalothin (CET) and cefazolin (CEZ) in horses using PK/PD concepts.

Study design

Experimental study with single administration.

Methods

Drug plasma concentrations following a single intravenous (i.v.) administration of 22 mg/kg bodyweight (bwt) CET in 12 horses and of 10 mg/kg bwt CEZ in six horses were measured using LC‐MS/MS. Data were modelled using a nonlinear mixed effect modelling followed by Monte Carlo simulations. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against Streptococcus zooepidemicus and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from horses were determined by the microbroth dilution method.

Results

The percentages of CET and CEZ binding to serum proteins were 19.9% ± 8.4% and 15.2% ± 8.5% respectively. For both CET and CEZ, the MIC90 against S. zooepidemicus was 0.12 mg/L and against S. aureus was 0.5 mg/L. For CET, to achieve a probability of target attainment (PTA) of 90% for a PK/PD target of a free serum plasma concentration exceeding the MIC90 for 40% of the dosing interval, an empirical CET dosage regimen of 22 mg/kg bwt q8h and 22 mg/kg bwt q4h i.v. administration were required for S. zooepidemicus and S. aureus respectively. For CEZ, the corresponding dosage regimens were 10 mg/kg bwt q12h and 10 mg/kg bwt q8h.

Main limitations

Small sample size only in healthy horses.

Conclusions

For CET, more frequent administration than that currently recommended (22 mg/kg bwt q6–12h) is required to empirically control S. aureus infection in horses. For CEZ, less frequent administration compared to the dosage regimen currently proposed (10–22 mg/kg bwt q6h) could control S. zooepidemicus and S. aureus infections in horses.
Parents' Perspectives on the Impact of Their Incarceration on Children and Families
Authors: P. Correa Nancy , K. Hayes Angie , M. Bhalakia Avni , Lopez Kimberly Kay , Cupit Tammy , Kwarteng‐Amaning Veronica , Keefe Rachael J. , Greeley Christopher S. , Van Horne Bethanie S.
Published: December 2020

Objective

To qualitatively explore the impact of parental incarceration on children and families from the perspective of the incarcerated parent in a county jail.

Background

An estimated 5 million U.S. children experience parental incarceration. A limited number of studies have examined the impact of parental incarceration on the child(ren) and family from the perspective of the incarcerated parent.

Methods

A convenience sample of 26 parents incarcerated in an urban county jail were interviewed. Parents were asked about how their incarceration has affected their child(ren). Glaser and Strauss's constant comparative method was used for analysis.

Results

Five major themes were identified including parental incarceration creates a significant hardship on most children and families; there are many barriers for parents to communicate and maintain relationships with their children while incarcerated; incarcerated parents experience many challenges understanding and navigating the criminal justice system; the pervasive cycle of incarceration; and the need for more programs and services.

Conclusion

Parents generally perceive that their incarceration negatively impacts their children and family in a multitude of ways and express concern about their children's health and safety. Inmates have concrete suggestions for programming and policy changes that they believe would benefit their relationship with their children and lessen the negative impact of their incarceration on their children.

Implications

This study offers insights into the perceived challenges children and families face during parental incarceration in jail. The results provide both correctional facilities and community organizations with concrete ideas for how to better support families experiencing incarceration.
The ultimate peanut butter on crackers for Hyalella: diatoms on macrophytes rather than bacteria and fungi on conditioned terrestrial leaf litter
Authors: Trochine Carolina , Díaz Villanueva Verónica , Brett Michael T.
Published: December 2020

It is well established that terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are interlinked in a myriad of ways, yet understanding of the role terrestrial particulate organic matter (OM) plays in supporting aquatic macroinvertebrate production is still incomplete and debated. We investigated the role of terrestrial particulate OM (leaf litter) and autochthonous OM (macrophytes) with and without biofilm as food sources for the model benthic macroinvertebrate Hyalella (Amphipoda). We hypothesised that biofilm (algae, fungi, bacteria) associated with terrestrial and aquatic plants is the main food source for benthic primary consumers.

First, we microbially conditioned the leaf litter insitu for 10‐weeks. Then, we performed a laboratory feeding experiment with nine treatments: no food, conditioned leaf litter from two native terrestrial plants, non‐conditioned leaf litter from these plants, two freshly collected macrophyte species with periphyton, and these macrophytes without periphyton. We measured the growth and analysed the fatty acid (FA) composition of field‐collected and experimental amphipods reared on these diets.

We found that amphipods fed food sources without biofilm grew poorly and had a FA content and composition resembling that of starved animals. The same was observed for amphipods fed one leaf litter type with biofilm. However, animals fed the other leaf litter type with biofilm grew during the feeding experiment and showed a characteristic FA composition linked to the higher fungal biomass in this food source. We showed that amphipods fed macrophytes with biofilm resembled field‐collected animals regarding FA amounts and composition; monounsaturated FA representing >40% of total FA, with 16:1n‐7 (palmitoleic acid) and 18:1n‐9 (oleic acid) being the most abundant, and polyunsaturated FA representing 30% of total FA. The FA data indicated algae, particularly diatoms, as evidenced by large quantities of its biomarker 16:1n‐7, were the main food for the amphipods.

We conclude diatoms were the peanut butter on crackers for the amphipods, and diatom consumption supported its somatic growth and polyunsaturated FA composition. In contrast, bacteria and fungi on conditioned leaf litter were lower quality food sources because they do not provide essential FA for macroinvertebrates growth and physiology. These results have important ecological implications from a food web perspective.
Challenges to the Asian academic profession: Major findings from the international surveys
Authors: Huang Futao
Published: December 2020

This study analyses the challenges facing Asia's academy based on major findings from the international survey which was implemented in seven selected Asian systems in 2012–2013. The study argues that the academics in these participating teams were concerned with demographic issues, academics' deteriorating working conditions, building both capacity and excellence in their academics, unsatisfactory governance and management arrangements in some systems, and more importantly imbalance development in the academics at a regional level, as well as the importance of undertaking connections with foreign colleagues and internationalising the Asian academics. The study also offers implications for policy and research.
An environmentally friendly process for preparing commercial ceramic foam composites based on frit/glass wastes
Authors: Ercioglu Nihan , Ubay Elif
Published: December 2020

Considering the size of the amount of energy consumption in ovens during the production of gas ceramic foam materials in the ceramic industry, it can be stated that natural gas is one of the highest energy resources. Natural gas consumption during the production has been evaluated and financial analyses were made for saving consumption amounts. Raw materials and glass/frit wastes obtained from different regions were investigated and their chemical compositions were determined by X‐Rays fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) analysis. Compared to their current alternatives, glass foams with homogenous structure and low density were developed by adding frit/glass wastes in the amount of 80%‐90%. X‐Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis has been conducted for mineralogical investigation of the samples. Also, to analyze the pore sizes and examine the surface morphology of foams, SEM images were obtained. With the addition of glass/frit wastes, natural gas consumption decreased (ca. 20%‐25%) in firing process.
Efficacy of testosterone replacement therapy plus alternate‐day tadalafil for patients with late‐onset hypogonadism: An open‐label, randomized, crossover study
Authors: Narukawa Tsukasa , Soh Jintetsu , Kanemitsu Noriyuki , Harikai Shunji , Fujihara Atsuko , Ukimura Osamu
Published: December 2020

Objective

To examine the efficacy and safety of combination treatment with testosterone replacement therapy plus alternate‐day tadalafil (10 mg) in patients with late‐onset hypogonadism.

Methods

In this open‐label, randomized, crossover study, 29 patients with late‐onset hypogonadism were randomly assigned to receive testosterone replacement therapy for 12 weeks followed by combination treatment for 12 weeks (Group 1) or combination treatment for 12 weeks followed by testosterone replacement therapy (Group 2). Symptom questionnaires were administered and blood tests were performed prior to and following each treatment to assess safety and efficacy. At the end of the study, participants were asked about their treatment preferences.

Results

An adverse effect, a rheum symptom, occurred in only one participant, and 26 participants completed the study without any toxicity. Scores on the Aging Male Symptoms scale and the modified short version of the International Index of Erectile Function, and Overactive Bladder Symptom scores were significantly improved in the combination treatment phase of Group 2, whereas no significant difference between the phases were observed in Group 1. In total, 12 out of the 14 participants in Group 1 and 11 out of the 12 participants in Group 2 preferred combination treatment, which reached statistical significance (P = 0.008 and 0.004 for Groups 1 and 2, respectively).

Conclusions

Testosterone replacement therapy with add‐on alternate‐day tadalafil is a safe and satisfactory treatment for patients with late‐onset hypogonadism.
Regional variation in cardiac implantable electronic device implants trends in New Zealand over the past decade (ANZACS‐QI 54)
Authors: Foo Fang Shawn , Poppe Katrina K. , Lee Mildred , Clare Geoffrey C. , Stiles Martin K. , Looi Khang‐Li , Webber Matthew , Boddington Dean , Jackson Rod , Kerr Andrew J.
Published: December 2020

Background

Permanent pacemaker (PPM) and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implant rates have increased in New Zealand over the past decade.

Aims

To provide a contemporary analysis of regional variation in implant rates.

Methods

New PPM and ICD implants in patients aged ≥15 years were identified for 10 years (2009–2018) using procedure coding in the National Minimum Datasets, which collects all New Zealand public hospital admissions. Age‐standardised new implant rates per million adult population were calculated for each of the four regions (Northern, Midland, Central and Southern) and the 20 district health boards (DHB) across those regions. Trend analysis was performed using joinpoint regression.

Results

New PPM implant rates increased nationally by 3.4%/year (P < 0.001). The Northern region had the highest new PPM implant rate, increasing by 4.5%/year (P < 0.001). Excluding DHB with <50 000 people, the new PPM implant rate for 2017/2018 was highest in Counties Manukau DHB (854.3/million; 95% confidence interval (CI): 774.9–933.6/million) and lowest in Canterbury DHB (488.6/million; 95% CI: 438.1–539.0/million). New ICD implant rates increased nationally by 3.0%/year (P = 0.002). The Midland region had the highest new ICD implant rate, increasing by 3.8%/year (P = 0.013). Excluding DHB with <50 000 people, the new ICD implant rate for 2017−2018 was highest in the Bay of Plenty DHB (228.5/million; 95% CI: 180.4–276.6/million) and lowest in Canterbury DHB (90.2/million; 95% CI: 69.9–110.4/million).

Conclusion

There was significant variation in PPM and ICD implant rates across regions and DHB, suggesting potential inequity in patient access across New Zealand.
Persistent kidney dysfunction after acute kidney injury predicts short‐term outpatient mortality
Authors: Quiroga Borja , Sanz Sainz Marta , Santos Sánchez‐Rey Begoña , Muñoz Ramos Patricia , Ortiz Alberto , Ruano Pablo
Published: December 2020

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) during hospitalisation is frequent and associated with adverse outcomes.

Aims

To evaluate the association between renal function recovery after AKI and short‐term post‐discharge mortality.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of all AKI episodes codified in the electronic records of a single centre in 2013 and 2014. Epidemiological data and comorbidities at baseline and laboratory values at admission and discharge were collected. Persistent kidney dysfunction after AKI was defined as a last serum creatinine equal or above 1.2‐fold over baseline level. Patients were followed for 30 days after discharge.

Results

Out of 1720 evaluated patients, 1541 (89%) were analysed. Of them, 869 (56%) recovered renal function. Independent predictors of renal function recovery after AKI were lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (P < 0.001), higher admission eGFR (P < 0.001) and haemoglobin (P = 0.016), milder AKI (P = 0.037), absence of a history of heart failure (P < 0.001) and lower admission blood pressure (P < 0.001). After discharge, 46 (3%) patients died in the first 30 days. Persistent kidney dysfunction was associated (P = 0.01) with and independently predicted (odds ratio 2.6; 95% confidence interval 1.2–5.4; P = 0.01) short‐term post‐discharge mortality.

Conclusions

Persistent kidney dysfunction after an AKI episode is an independent predictor of 30‐day post‐discharge mortality. This information might help select AKI patients who require closer follow up and monitoring after discharge.
Independent association between meteorological factors, PM2.5, and seasonal influenza activity in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China
Authors: Lau Steven Yuk‐Fai , Cheng Wei , Yu Zhao , Mohammad Kirran N. , Wang Maggie Haitian , Zee Benny Chung‐Ying , Li Xi , Chong Ka Chun , Chen Enfu
Published: December 2020

Background

Due to variations in climatic conditions, the effects of meteorological factors and PM2.5 on influenza activity, particularly in subtropical regions, vary in existing literature. In this study, we examined the relationship between influenza activity, meteorological parameters, and PM2.5.

Methods

A total of 20 165 laboratory‐confirmed influenza cases in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, were documented in our dataset and aggregated into weekly counts for downstream analysis. We employed a combination of the quasi‐Poisson‐generalized additive model and the distributed lag non‐linear model to examine the relationship of interest, controlling for long‐term trends, seasonal trends, and holidays.

Results

A hockey‐stick association was found between absolute humidity and the risk of influenza infections. The overall cumulative adjusted relative risk (ARR) was statistically significant when weekly mean absolute humidity was low (<10 µg/m3) and high (>17.5 µg/m3). A slightly higher ARR was observed when weekly mean temperature reached over 30.5°C. A statistically significantly higher ARR was observed when weekly mean relative humidity dropped below 67%. ARR increased statistically significantly with increasing rainfall. For PM2.5, the ARR was marginally statistically insignificant. In brief, high temperature, wet and dry conditions, and heavy rainfall were the major risk factors associated with a higher risk of influenza infections.

Conclusions

The present study contributes additional knowledge to the understanding of the effects of various environmental factors on influenza activities. Our findings shall be useful and important for the development of influenza surveillance and early warning systems.
Mixing and crossing disciplines: Leonardo da Vinci's holistic approach to knowledge
Authors: Migliardo Federica , Magazù Salvatore
Published: December 2020

There is unanimous consensus on the interdisciplinary nature of Leonardo da Vinci's work due to his holistic vision of the world. Our study aims to point out that da Vinci created links and bridges among concepts belonging to exact and human sciences, revealing not only the interdisciplinary but also the transdisciplinary nature of his approach. This is shown in his notes that reflect the philosophical thoughts and social implications of his observations.

More specifically, in order to highlight da Vinci's unique approach to knowledge, we analyse two significant examples never cited nor commented on. The first concerns how da Vinci used quantitative law to deduce and apply fluid dynamics of crowded people flux in surprising ways; the second is related to the architectural study of the arch that suggests da Vinci had some deep thoughts on the world.

From this analysis, we conclude that, considering the huge number of relevant “case studies” provided by da Vinci and their semantic density, his approach to knowledge can be framed within innovative philosophical studies on interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity.
Structure‐property relations in crack‐resistant alkaline‐earth aluminoborosilicate glasses studied by solid state NMR
Authors: Logrado Millena , Eckert Hellmut , Murata Tetsuya , Nakane Shingo , Yamazaki Hiroki
Published: December 2020

The effect of the average ionic potential ξ = Ze/r of the network modifier cations on crack initiation resistance (CR) and Young's modulus E has been measured for a series of alkaline‐earth aluminoborosilicate glasses with the compositions 60SiO2–10Al2O3–10B2O3–(20−x)M(2)O–xM’O (0 ≤ x ≤ 20; M, M’ = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Na). Systematic trends indicating an increase of CR with increasing ionic potential, ξ, have been correlated with structural properties deduced from the NMR interaction parameters in 29Si, 27Al, 23Na, and 11B solid state NMR. 27Al NMR spectra indicate that the aluminum atoms in these glasses are essentially all four‐coordinated, however, the average quadrupolar coupling constant  extracted from lineshape analysis increases linearly with increasing average ion potential computed from the cation composition. A similar linear correlation is observed for the average 29Si chemical shift, whereas the fraction of four‐coordinate boron decreases linearly with increasing ξ. Altogether the results indicate that in pure alkaline‐earth boroaluminosilicate glasses the crack resistance/E‐modulus trade‐off can be tailored by the alkaline‐earth oxide inventory. In contrast, the situation looks more complicated in glasses containing both Na2O and the alkaline‐earth oxides MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO. For 60SiO2–10Al2O3–10B2O3–10MgO–10Na2O glass, the NMR parameters, interpreted in the context of their correlations with ionic potentials, are consistent with a partial network former role of the MgO component, enhancing crack resistance. Altogether the presence of MgO in aluminoborosilicate glasses helps overcome the trade‐off issue between high crack resistance and high elasticity modulus present in borosilicate glasses, thereby offering additional opportunities for the design of glasses that are both very rigid and very crack resistant.