bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Εκτίμηση του ρόλου της ιντερλευκίνης 10 στον έλεγχο της αναπνοής με τη χρήση βαρομετρικού πληθυσμογράφου
Authors: Γιαννακοπούλου Χαρούλα-Ελένη
Published: September 2021

Οι κυτταροκίνες είναι πρωτεΐνες που παράγονται από κύτταρα του ανοσοποιητικού συστήματος καθώς και από ποικιλία άλλων κυττάρων που αλληλεπιδρούν με το κεντρικό νευρικό σύστημα. Προφλεγμονώδεις κυτταροκίνες, όπως η ιντερλευκίνη 1β συμμετέχουν στον έλεγχο της αναπνοής. Η ιντερλευκίνη 10 (IL-10) είναι μια αντιφλεγμονώδης κυτταροκίνη με αυξημένα επίπεδα στο πλάσμα σε διάφορα νοσήματα. Ο ρόλος της ιντερλευκίνης 10 στον έλεγχο της αναπνοής δεν είναι γνωστός. Υποδοχείς της ιντερλευκίνης 10 έχουν ανευρεθεί σε περιοχές του εγκεφάλου που εδράζονται τα κέντρα της αναπνοής. ΣκοπόςΣκοπός της μελέτης είναι να διευκρινίσει την επίδραση της αντιφλεγμονώδους κυτταροκίνης ιντερλευκίνης 10 στο κέντρο της αναπνοής. Μεθοδολογία Μελετήθηκαν επίμυες με έλλειψη έκφρασης IL-10 (IL-10-/-, n=10) και επίμυες με πλήρη έκφραση IL-10 (IL-10+/+, n=10) που εκτέθηκαν στα παρακάτω αέρια μείγματα: υπεροξική υπερκαπνία 7%CO2-93%O2, νορμοξική υπερκαπνία 7%CO2-21%O2-72%N2, υποξική υπερκαπνία 7%CO2-10%O2-83%N2 και υποξική νορμοκαπνία 3%CO2-10%O2-87%N2. Η αναπνευστική λειτουργία μετρήθηκε με τη χρήση ολόσωμου πληθυσμογράφου. Ανασυνδυασμένη χιμαιρική IL-10 (rIL-10 10μg kg-1) χορηγήθηκε ενδοπεριτοναϊκώς στους επίμυες με πλήρη έκφραση της IL-10 (n=10), 30 λεπτά πριν την έκθεση στα αέρια μείγματα. Επίσης, χορηγήθηκε IL-10 σε νεογνικές τομές της μυελώδους μοίρας του κεντρικού νευρικού συστήματος (10-30 ng/ml, n=8). Αποτελέσματα Οι επίμυες με έλλειψη έκφρασης IL-10 (IL-10-/-) παρουσιάζουν αυξημένη αναπνευστική συχνότητα και μειωμένο αναπνεόμενο όγκο σε σύγκριση με τους επίμυες με πλήρη έκφραση της IL-10 (IL-10+/+) σε συνθήκες αναπνοής αέρα δωματίου καθώς και σε όλα τα αέρια μείγματα που δοκιμάστηκαν. Επίσης, σε όλα τα αέρια μείγματα ο αερισμός των επίμυων με έλλειψη έκφρασης IL-10 ήταν μικρότερος από τον αερισμό των επίμυων με πλήρη έκφραση IL-10. Ο δείκτης γρήγορης και αβαθούς αναπνοής (F/VT) ήταν μεγαλύτερος στους επίμυες με έλλειψη έκφρασης IL-10 συγκριτικά με τους επίμυες με πλήρη έκφραση IL-10 σε όλα τα εισπνεόμενα μείγματα. Η ενδοπεριτοναϊκή έγχυση ανασυνδυασμένης IL-10 (rIL-10) είχε ως αποτέλεσμα μείωση της αναπνευστικής συχνότητας και αύξηση του αναπνεόμενου όγκου σε αέρα δωματίου καθώς και όλα τα άερια μείγματα. Η χορήγηση IL-10 σε τομές ρυθμικά ενεργής μυελώδους μοίρας κεντρικού νευρικού συστήματος, νεογνικών αρουραίων δεν είχε καμία επίδραση στη ρυθμικότητα και στην ενίσχυση της εκφόρτισης του υπογλωσσίου νεύρου. ΣυμπέρασμαΠρόκειται για την πρώτη μελέτη που διερευνά την δράση της IL-10 στον έλεγχο της αναπνοής. Σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα μας, η IL-10 μειώνει την αναπνευστική συχνότητα ενώ αυξάνει τον αναπνεόμενο όγκο και τον αερισμό επάγοντας αργό και βαθύ πρότυπο αναπνοής. Τέλος, η IL-10 αυξάνει το αναπνευστικό ερέθισμα χωρίς να επηρεάζει την διάρκεια της εισπνοής και εκπνοής.
Όψεις της καρυωτακικής επίδρασης στην ποιητική γενιά του '70
Authors: Κοψάρης Κοσμάς
Published: September 2021

Βασικό ζητούμενο προς διερεύνηση στην εν λόγω διατριβή αποτελεί ο γόνιμος αντίκτυπος της καρυωτακικής ποίησης σε νεότερους ποιητές της γενιάς του’ 70 ως προς την έντονα υπαρξιακή της διάσταση στην οποία εμπεριέχεται και συμπληρώνεται η ήδη αναγνωρισμένη κριτικά κοινωνική προοπτική της καρυωτακικής επίδρασης. Σε αυτή τη βάση, εξετάζεται αρχικά στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο η καθιέρωση του μεσοπολεμικού καρυωτακισμού αποκλειστικά ως αρνητικού όρου από τους βασικούς κριτικούς της γενιάς του ’30, καθώς και η κριτική του αναδιαμόρφωση εννοιολογικά ως νεοκαρυωτακισμός για τη γενιά του ’70 ως ανοιχτό πεδίο σημασιολογικά πέρα από το ενδεχόμενο υιοθέτησης του μυθολογικού περιβλήματος του προσώπου του μεσοπολεμικού ποιητή ή τη σύνδεση της πρόσληψης του ποιητικού έργου του Καρυωτάκη από τον εκάστοτε νεότερο ποιητή με την κοινωνική αμφισβήτηση, δεδομένης της καταλληλότητας της καρυωτακικής ποίησης για γόνιμη αξιοποίηση θεματικά ως προς το ρεαλιστικό της πλαίσιο, δίχως απόπειρα εξωραϊσμού της πραγματικότητας σε σχέση με την αποτύπωση των όψεων της παθογένειας του κοινωνικού μηχανισμού της εποχής της. Στη συνέχεια από το δεύτερο έως το τέταρτο κεφάλαιο γίνεται απόπειρα ανίχνευσης της αφομοιωμένης καρυωτακικής προσέγγισης στην ποίηση της Κατερίνας Γώγου, του Αλέξη Τραϊανού και του Αντώνη Φωστιέρη ως οι πιο αντιπροσωπευτικές περιπτώσεις για την κοινή απόδοση ολιστικά στο ποιητικό τους έργο του περιθωρίου της ύπαρξης έως τον υπαρξιακό μηδενισμό, παραπλήσια με την καρυωτακική τακτική της υπαρξιακής βυθομέτρησης ως απόρροια της έντονης εσωτερικής αποδιοργάνωσης. Από την άλλη, η εξέταση των συγκεκριμένων ποιητών της γενιάς του ’70 στην παρούσα διατριβή συμπεριλαμβάνει ευρύτερη εξέταση των επιμέρους θεματικών των ποιημάτων τους κατά συλλογή σε συνδυασμό με την βασικότερη κριτική θεώρηση του έργου τους. Ως εκ τούτου, στόχος δεν είναι η επίμονη αναζήτηση σε κάθε στίχο τους προσδιοριστικών χαρακτηριστικών της καρυωτακικής ποίησης προς εξακρίβωση της επίδρασης του Καρυωτάκη αλλά ο στενός βαθμός σύγκλισής τους με τον ποιητικό τους πρόδρομο στην κοινή βάση, όπως θα φανεί από την κατά περίπτωση μελέτη, μετατροπής του ποιητικού χώρου σε εργαλείου διείσδυσης στην υπαρξιακή άβυσσο, συνιστώντας τον τελικό προορισμό του κοινωνικού περιθωρίου. Συνεπώς, προκύπτει ότι η ποίησή τους, σε πλήρη ευθυγράμμιση με την καρυωτακική, αποτελεί εγχειρίδιο αποκρυπτογράφησης του κοσμικού τίποτα αλληλένδετα με το μόνιμα εσωτερικό κενό, όπως αποδίδεται ανάλογα στην ιδιαίτερη ποιητική ιδιοσυστασία του καθενός λόγω των ατελέσφορων επιδιώξεών τους στον για το συγκεκριμένο λόγο περιορισμένο χώρο της ύπαρξης αντιστικτικά με την απεραντοσύνη της ανυπαρξίας.
A short-term longitudinal study of the forms and functions of relational aggression
Authors: Βουλγαρίδου Ιωάννα
Published: September 2021

Σκοπός της παρούσας μελέτης ήταν η διερεύνηση των βραχύχρονων διαχρονικών σχέσεων ανάμεσα σε χαρακτηριστικά προσωπικότητας (χαρακτηριστικά σκληρότητας, ναρκισσισμός, αυτοεκτίμηση) και παράγοντες κοινωνικών αλληλεπιδράσεων (προβλήματα με τους συνομηλίκους, αντιλαμβανόμενη πατρική και μητρική διαθεσιμότητα και εξάρτηση) με τέσσερις διαστάσεις της επιθετικότητας σχέσεων (ΕΣ) (προμελετημένη έμμεση, προμελετημένη άμεση, αντιδραστική έμμεση, αντιδραστική άμεση) σε ένα δείγμα 2207 (52.8% κορίτσια) μαθητών των τριών τάξεων του Γυμνασίου στην περιοχή της Ανατολικής Μακεδονίας-Θράκης. Οι μεταβλητές αξιολογήθηκαν μέσω αυτοαναφοράς σε δύο διαφορετικά χρονικά σημεία στη διάρκεια ενός σχολικού έτους σε διάστημα έξι μηνών. Στην παρούσα έρευνα μελετήθηκαν δυο μοντέλα μεσολάβησης στη βάση του Γενικού Μοντέλου Επιθετικότητας με τα συναισθήματα (ζήλεια στις φιλικές σχέσεις, θυμός, ανησυχία) ως διαμεσολαβούσες μεταβλητές. Στο πρώτο μοντέλο εξετάστηκε η υπόθεση τα συναισθήματα να διαμεσολαβούν στις σχέσεις ανάμεσα στα χαρακτηριστικά της προσωπικότητας και τις διαστάσεις της ΕΣ, ενώ στο δεύτερο διερευνήθηκε αν οι παράγοντες κοινωνικών αλληλεπιδράσεων προβλέπουν την ΕΣ μέσω των συναισθημάτων. Από τις cross-lagged path αναλύσεις βρέθηκαν αμφίδρομες διαχρονικές σχέσεις μεταξύ των χαρακτηριστικών προσωπικότητας, των παραγόντων κοινωνικών αλληλεπιδράσεων και των διαστάσεων της ΕΣ. Τα μοντέλα δομικών εξισώσεων κατέδειξαν, αναφορικά με το πρώτο μοντέλο, πως οι σχέσεις ανάμεσα στα χαρακτηριστικά σκληρότητας, τον ναρκισσισμό, την αυτοεκτίμηση και την προμελετημένη έμμεση ΕΣ διαμεσολαβούνται από τον θυμό και το άγχος, ενώ η ζήλεια βρέθηκε να διαμεσολαβεί τις θετικές επιδράσεις των χαρακτηριστικών σκληρότητας και του ναρκισσισμού, καθώς και την αρνητική επίδραση της αυτοεκτίμησης στην προμελετημένη άμεση και την αντιδραστική άμεση και έμμεση ΕΣ. Ως προς το δεύτερο μοντέλο, τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν πως ο θυμός και το άγχος διαμεσολαβούν τις σχέσεις ανάμεσα στα προβλήματα με τους συνομηλίκους, τη μητρική διαθεσιμότητα, την πατρική εξάρτηση και την προμελετημένη έμμεση ΕΣ. Τέλος, η πατρική και μητρική εξάρτηση και διαθεσιμότητα προέβλεπαν την προμελετημένη άμεση και την αντιδραστική, άμεση και έμμεση, ΕΣ μέσω της ζήλειας και του άγχους. Όλες οι εξεταζόμενες διαδρομές δεν διέφεραν ως προς το φύλο. Συμπερασματικά, η μελέτη αυτή καταδεικνύει τις επιδράσεις των χαρακτηριστικών προσωπικότητας και κοινωνικών παραγόντων στην ΕΣ καθώς και τον διαμεσολαβητικό ρόλο των συναισθημάτων σε αυτές τις σχέσεις.
Russian medical educational resources the era of the Covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Galkina I. A. , Grishan I. A.
Published: September 2021

Издание посвящено вопросам медицинского электронного образования эпохи пандемии в стране. Показан опыт, формы, средства организации современного медицинского образования. Издание адресовано научным работникам, педагогам, студентам, а также широкому кругу читателей, интересующихся проблемами современного медицинского образования.
Rare health conditions 50: ‘making every contact count’, myoclonus-dystonia, Eagle syndrome
Authors: Barber Chris
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this series is to briefly highlight a range of rare health conditions. Rare health conditions are those that affect no more and usually fewer than 1 person in every 2000 and many healthcare assistants (HCAs) and nurses will encounter some of these conditions, given the high number of them. This 50th article will explore two of these conditions and the implications of ‘making every contact count’.
The endocrine system: regulator of body activities
Authors: Peate Ian
Published: September 2021

The endocrine system has an important role to play in the regulation of body activities and does this in conjunction with the nervous system. This article offers the healthcare assistant (HCA) and assistant practitioner (AP) an overview of the anatomy and physiology of the endocrine system and its functions; key glands are discussed. An understanding of the endocrine system can help the HCA and AP offer people care and support that is informed. There are a number of conditions that might affect the endocrine system and result in a negative impact on a person's health and wellbeing. The article includes a glossary of terms and a series of questions that can assist in learning.
An analysis of organisational culture and its application to planned change, patient safety and medical error reduction
Authors: Arora Karishma Sethi
Published: September 2021

This narrative review provides an in-depth analysis of the construct and dimensions of organisational culture in the specific context of healthcare settings. It explores popular frameworks that can be used to identify and facilitate change in organisational culture. Acknowledging the crucial impact of organisational culture on patient safety, this article demonstrates the cultural underpinnings of medical error reduction. The author emphasises the importance of culturally-sensitive implementation of change interventions and advocates for patient safety approaches occurring at systemic and organisational levels, thereby promoting and enriching the development of an organisation's safety culture.
Antibiotic use in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: considerations and risks
Authors: Sherrell Zia
Published: September 2021

Zia Sherrell discusses the importance of good antibiotic stewardship for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, highlighting the challenge of balancing symptom management and resistance prevention.
Managing stroke through COVID-19 and beyond
Authors: Pearsons Alice , Hanson Coral L , Rowat Anne , Neubeck Lis
Published: September 2021

Stroke experts discuss developments and challenges associated with stroke care, including the need to improve post-discharge services and the emergence of COVID-19-related stroke.
Implementing technology to support the deteriorating patient in acute care: evaluating staff views
Authors: Irons Ashleigh , McPeake Joanne , Stuart John , MacNeilage Shona , Fisher Ann-Frances , Cooper Mark , Johnston Bridget
Published: September 2021

Background:

Early warning scores (EWS) have been widely used to aid in the detection of deterioration. The use of technology, alongside EWS, may improve patient safety and lead to improvements in the accuracy of documentation.

Aim:

The aim of this service evaluation was to understand nurses' and healthcare support worker views around the implementation of handheld electronic devices for documenting care related to the deteriorating patient.

Methods:

Before the implementation of an electronic handheld device, in-depth semi-structured interviews with nursing staff and healthcare support workers were undertaken to explore the context for improvement. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used to analyse, organise and present data, to ensure systematic inquiry across the range of potential facilitators and challenges perceived by staff. In all, 11 interviews were undertaken across three speciality areas (four wards).

Findings:

Challenges to the use of new technology included staff apprehension around training and education needs and the uncertainty of technological reliability in the clinical setting. Potential facilitators to support the implementation of this technology were: the potential for improved communication across the individual ward and hospital setting and the potential for more streamlined processes for escalation of concerns.

Conclusion:

Three main recommendations for practice emerged. First, nurses should be involved in the development of the systems. Appropriate time is required to embed the technology in practice. Finally, thought must be given not just to the absolute number of devices required and their reliability, but also how new technology interacts in each individual context.
Strategies and policies to tackle the problems associated with long COVID
Authors: Glasper Alan
Published: September 2021

Emeritus Professor Alan Glasper, from the University of Southampton, discusses strategies and polices designed to address rising levels of long COVID in society in the aftermath of the pandemic
Convexity in stoma care: developing a new ASCN UK guideline on the appropriate use of convex products
Authors: Perrin Angie , White Maddie , Burch Jennie
Published: September 2021

One of the biggest challenges for specialist stoma care nurses (SCNs) caring for anyone living with a stoma is that of being confronted with a problematic stoma. This can be described as an ostomy that continues to cause leakage issues for the patient which, if persistent can quickly impact negatively on their quality of life. A convex stoma appliance, also termed convexity, is a possible solution to a problematic stoma. However, the use of a convex appliance should be considered only after a thorough assessment has been undertaken by a specialist SCN. Professionally, stoma care nursing has advanced greatly in recent years and there has been a realisation that there is a need for clinical guidelines to direct practice and offer a process for the novice SCN to follow. This realisation has been the catalyst behind the development of the new guideline for the assessment and use of convexity by the Association of Stoma Care Nurses UK, which was published this year ( https://ascnuk.com/ ). This article explores the concept of convexity and how the guideline can assist the practice of specialist SCNs, as well as that of ward and community-based nurses who wish to gain more information on using convexity within the specialist sphere of stoma care.
Multinational survey on living with an ostomy: prevalence and impact of peristomal skin complications
Authors: Fellows Jane , Voegeli David , Håkan-Bloch Jonas , Herschend Nana Overgaard , Størling Zenia
Published: September 2021

Background:

Peristomal skin complications (PSCs) impair life for people with an ostomy. Visual signs of PSCs include discolouration, but sensation symptoms like pain, itching, and burning are equally important and underreported.

Aim:

To provide improved understanding of PSC prevalence and associated challenges in the communities of ostomy patients and ostomy care nurses.

Methods:

The Ostomy Life Study 2019 encompassed a patient survey (completed by 5187 people with an ostomy) and a nurse survey (completed by 328 ostomy care nurses).

Findings:

In total, 88% of patients experienced PSCs and 75% experienced PSC symptoms in the absence of discolouration. Eighty per cent of nurses considered ostomy-related issues to be the main reason for PSCs, and a correlation between PSC severity and number of nurse consultations was demonstrated.

Conclusion:

This study revealed a remarkably high PSC incidence in the absence of discolouration and highlighted direct consequences of having compromised skin and the health-economic consequences.
Novel stoma appliances to minimise complications and improve patient outcomes
Authors: Ber Fiona Le
Published: September 2021

Stomas are created for a number of reasons and, if they are formed without the opportunity for preoperative care and consideration, such as siting, stoma care needs can be more complex in the long term. Patient quality of life can be negatively affected by the incidence of stoma related complications, such as leakage or sore skin. A new range of products, Aura Plus, distributed by CliniMed Ltd in the UK, were evaluated on more than 200 patients with a stoma and assessed for comfort, ease of application, security and leakage. Case studies highlight positive patient outcomes following the use of Aura Plus, and demonstrate how Aura Plus can benefit patients experiencing different needs with their stoma care, such as leakage, peristomal skin complications or a parastomal hernia.
Racial disparities in emergency care for seizures in the United States
Authors: Gaddam Sriman
Published: September 2021

Background:

Racial disparities exist regarding emergency medical services, and advanced life support (ALS) is superior to basic life support (BLS) for patients experiencing a seizure.

Aims:

This study aims to identify if there are racial disparities regarding access to ALS care for patients having a seizure.

Methods:

This study analysed 624 011 seizure cases regarding the provision of BLS rather than ALS care per racial group. Chi-square testing was used to check statistical significance and effect size was measured using relative risk.

Findings:

On average, non-white patients experiencing a seizure had a 21% higher relative risk of receiving BLS care than white patients. The highest disparity concerned American Indian patients, who had a 66% higher relative risk of receiving BLS care than white patients.

Conclusions:

Overall, non-white patients are less likely to receive ALS when experiencing a seizure than white patients, potentially leading to worse prehospital outcomes from less access to time-critical medications.
Der Einsatz von Virtual-Reality Lernszenarien für Softskills-Trainings
Authors: Zak Karin , Oppl Stefan
Published: September 2021

Der Artikel zeigt den wirkungsvollen Einsatz von Virtual-Reality-Trainings im Softskills-Bereich besonders für Kommunikations‑, Präsentations- oder Verhandlungskompetenzen. Zunächst werden auf die Vorteile im Vergleich zum klassischen Setting eingegangen, wie etwa die Unabhängigkeit von einer physischen Präsenz von Trainingspartnern, was VR-Trainings in Zeiten der COVID-19 Krise noch attraktiver werden lassen. Nachdem auf das Risiko einer kognitiven Überlastung in einer VR-Umgebung eingegangen wird, wird ein Fallbeispiel eines VR-Szenarios im Softskills-Bereich, das in einem österreichischen Unternehmen eingesetzt wird, dargestellt. Die Ergebnisse einer quantitativen Erhebung zeigen, dass die Gestaltung der VR-Lernsequenzen mit einer niedrigen kognitiven Belastung und förderlich für den Lernprozess wahrgenommen wurde. Konkrete Faktoren, die zu diesem Ergebnis führten, wurden in einer anschließenden qualitativen Befragung erhoben. Der Artikel schließt mit Handlungsempfehlungen für den didaktischen Aufbau von VR-Szenarien, die aus den gewonnenen Erkenntnissen unter Einbeziehung einiger Gestaltungsprinzipien aus der Theorie der kognitiven Beanspruchung abgeleitet werden.
Ability of known colorectal cancer susceptibility SNPs to predict colorectal cancer risk: A cohort study within the UK Biobank
Authors: Gafni Aviv , Dite Gillian S. , Spaeth Tuff Erika , Allman Richard , Hopper John L.
Published: September 2021

Colorectal cancer risk stratification is crucial to improve screening and risk-reducing recommendations, and consequently do better than a one-size-fits-all screening regimen. Current screening guidelines in the UK, USA and Australia focus solely on family history and age for risk prediction, even though the vast majority of the population do not have any family history. We investigated adding a polygenic risk score based on 45 single-nucleotide polymorphisms to a family history model (combined model) to quantify how it improves the stratification and discriminatory performance of 10-year risk and full lifetime risk using a prospective population-based cohort within the UK Biobank. For both 10-year and full lifetime risk, the combined model had a wider risk distribution compared with family history alone, resulting in improved risk stratification of nearly 2-fold between the top and bottom risk quintiles of the full lifetime risk model. Importantly, the combined model can identify people (n = 72,019) who do not have family history of colorectal cancer but have a predicted risk that is equivalent to having at least one affected first-degree relative (n = 44,950). We also confirmed previous findings by showing that the combined full lifetime risk model significantly improves discriminatory accuracy compared with a simple family history model 0.673 (95% CI 0.664–0.682) versus 0.666 (95% CI 0.657–0.675), p = 0.0065. Therefore, a combined polygenic risk score and first-degree family history model could be used to improve risk stratified population screening programs.
Stromal marker fibroblast activation protein drives outcome in T1 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Muilwijk Tim , Akand Murat , Daelemans Sofie , Marien Koen , Waumans Yannick , Kockx Mark , Baekelandt Loïc , Van den Broeck Thomas , Van der Aa Frank , Gevaert Thomas , Joniau Steven
Published: September 2021

Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) is a transmembrane peptidase and a surrogate marker for cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). FAP has been linked to worse prognosis and therapy resistance in several cancers. We hypothesised that FAP might have a prognostic 3biomarker potential to stratify patients with high-grade (HG) T1 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). We selected 30 patients with HG T1 NMIBC that progressed to ≥T2 disease which were pair-matched based on CUETO progression score variables with 90 patients that did not progress. After revision a final cohort of 86 patients was retained. Slides were stained for FAP, the luminal marker GATA3 and the basal marker CK5. All HG T1 tumour regions of interest (ROIs) within each patient were annotated, analysed and scored using image analysis software. FAP expression in HG T1 ROIs was significantly higher in progressors vs. non-progressors and was prognostic for recurrence-free survival, progression-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. FAP expression in HG T1 ROIs remained strongly prognostic for these outcomes in a bivariable model corrected for adequate BCG per FDA definition. Expression of GATA3 and CK5 did not differ between progressors vs. non-progressors, and were not prognostic for these outcomes. FAP might serve as an easily applicable prognostic biomarker to risk-stratify patients with HG T1 NMIBC if these results are prospectively validated in a larger series.
Applications of statistical experimental designs to improve statistical inference in weed management
Authors: Kim Steven B. , Kim Dong Sub , Magana-Ramirez Christina
Published: September 2021

In a balanced design, researchers allocate the same number of units across all treatment groups. It has been believed as a rule of thumb among some researchers in agriculture. Sometimes, an unbalanced design outperforms a balanced design. Given a specific parameter of interest, researchers can design an experiment by unevenly distributing experimental units to increase statistical information about the parameter of interest. An additional way of improving an experiment is an adaptive design (e.g., spending the total sample size in multiple steps). It is helpful to have some knowledge about the parameter of interest to design an experiment. In the initial phase of an experiment, a researcher may spend a portion of the total sample size to learn about the parameter of interest. In the later phase, the remaining portion of the sample size can be distributed in order to gain more information about the parameter of interest. Though such ideas have existed in statistical literature, they have not been applied broadly in agricultural studies. In this article, we used simulations to demonstrate the superiority of the experimental designs over the balanced designs under three practical situations: comparing two groups, studying a dose-response relationship with right-censored data, and studying a synergetic effect of two treatments. The simulations showed that an objective-specific design provides smaller error in parameter estimation and higher statistical power in hypothesis testing when compared to a balanced design. We also conducted an adaptive experimental design applied to a dose-response study with right-censored data to quantify the effect of ethanol on weed control. Retrospective simulations supported the benefit of this adaptive design as well. All researchers face different practical situations, and appropriate experimental designs will help utilize available resources efficiently.
An evaluation of constructive journalism in Zimbabwe: A case study of The Herald’s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic
Authors: Tshabangu Thulani , Salawu Abiodun
Published: September 2021

The coverage of crises such as the global health pandemic, COVID-19, is to a large extent guided by national interest, journalistic culture and editorial policies of media outlets. This article argues that the state-controlled newspaper, The Herald, in Zimbabwe deployed constructive journalism as an approach to report COVID-19. Constructive journalism is about injecting positive angles into news reports while abiding by the core news values of accuracy, impartiality and balance. The findings reveal that constructive journalism elements of solutions orientation, future orientation, and explanation and contextualization were frequently deployed by The Herald to advance a safe nation narrative whose objective was to prevent public hysteria in the face of a deadly COVID-19 outbreak in the country. The paper concludes that the deployment of constructive journalism in less developed countries like Zimbabwe to inspire hope through positive psychology in the face of global crises does not always yield the intended outcomes.
MaxEnt distribution modeling for predicting Oreochromis niloticus invasion into the Ganga river system, India and conservation concern of native fish biodiversity
Authors: Singh Atul K. , Srivastava Sharad C. , Verma Pushpendra
Published: September 2021

In order to assess the distribution pattern and understand the prevailing factors for predicting further expansion of an exotic fish Oreochromis niloticus, this study was undertaken in the Ganga river flowing through the state of Uttar Pradesh using MaxEnt model. The authors report the distribution pattern of O. niloticus and prevailing causative factors mounting the expansion of O. niloticus in the Ganges based on MaxEnt modeling technique. The presence only occurrence data-set for this invasive species was prepared from the field data and also from data collated from the authenticated publications of different fisheries researchers. The data-set was analyzed with environmental and topographical variables typically incorporating seasonal and temporal variability using MaxEnt, a maximum entropy algorithm which showed that the area under curve was much closer to 1 ( 0.999). The model predicted elevation as the most influential predictor variable with permutation importance of 69.2% followed by slope_steepness (10.1%), Tmax_1 (7.3%) and Srad_5 (6.8%). The findings from the results suggest that invasive O. niloticus tend to spread in rivers where elevation is lower as well as slope_steepness of the river is higher and thus indicated that invasion might be higher in the downstream of the river. The model suggests that topography and its derived variable are the most significant predictors for distribution of invasive O. niloticus. The results of this study also confirm that the water qualities of the Ganga river are suitable for O. niloticus and if the model is supplemented with water quality variables data, the influential predictor variable in water quality can be well investigated with permutation importance.
Aesthetics Naturalised: Schlick on the Evolution of Beauty and Art
Authors: Vrahimis Andreas
Published: September 2021

In his earliest philosophical work, Moritz Schlick developed a proposal for rendering aesthetics into a field of empirical science. His 1908 book Lebensweisheit developed an evolutionary account of the emergence of both scientific knowledge and aesthetic feelings from play. This constitutes the framework of Schlick’s evolutionary psychological methodology for examining the origins of the aesthetic feeling of the beautiful he proposed in 1909. He defends his methodology by objecting to both experimental psychological and Darwinian reductionist accounts of aesthetics. Having countered these approaches, Schlick applies Külpe’s psychological distinction between stimulus-feelings and idea-feelings to collapse the traditional philosophical opposition between the agreeable and the beautiful. Both types of feeling, Schlick argues, result from humans’ adaptation to their environment. Because of this adaptation, feelings that were once only stimuli for action can come to be enjoyed for their own sake. This thesis underlies Schlick’s 1908 argument that art, qua mimesis, is necessarily inferior to aesthetic feelings directed towards the environment. Part of Schlick’s justification for this view is that humans are, through a long evolutionary process, better adapted to their environment than to artworks. Schlick nevertheless concedes that mimetic art can involve ways of abstracting from the objects it copies to produce idealised regularities that are not found in the original. Schlick thus concludes that art teaches its audience how to perceive the world in this abstract and idealised manner. This type of environmental aesthetics constitutes a means for reaching Schlick’s utopian ecological vision of a future in which culture will become harmonised with nature.
Temporality in Renga
Authors: Buck-Albulet Heidi
Published: September 2021

This paper highlights time concepts and the organisation and structure of time in the practice of renga, Japanese ‘linked poetry’. As renga is a genre of poetry created in groups, the study will not only focus on the poems themselves (the texts produced), but on the meetings that bring forth the texts (the performance), the manuscripts that are written there (the material) and the social environment in which the performances take place (the setting). By analysing the main features of each of these four areas and focusing on time, change and persistence, I aim to show how closely they are interconnected and also provide the reader with the knowledge necessary to appreciate the complexity of renga as an integral Gesamtkunstwerk. While my focus is on contemporary renga poetry here, I will also consider aspects of its history, which is a vital key to understanding this art.
Design method for curved stayed cable bridges deck directrices for different cable systems
Authors: Bardín Darío Galante , Astiz Suárez Miguel A.
Published: September 2021

In the specific case of curved cable-stayed bridges, the horizontal component of the load introduced by the stay cables on the deck is variable, concentric and dependent on the connection configuration between the tower and the cables, becoming a challenge in the design of these type of bridges. Hitherto, designers have dealt with this challenge in different ways, either by optimizing the position of the tower and its geometric characteristics, or by modifying the morphology of the stay cable system. This paper proposes the use of funicular and anti-funicular curves of the horizontal concentric load, introduced by the stay cables, to design the curved deck directrix, reducing lateral forces on the deck under the self-weight hypothesis. For the design of the deck directrix, two different formulations are considered: one discrete by means of summations and the other continuous by means of non-linear differential equations. Both formulations study the two possible signs of the axial force which will govern the design (funicular and anti-funicular curves). A least squares approximation is developed to facilitate the implementation of these formulations. The paper introduces a method to liberate the deck from its most important lateral loads, i.e., the concentric loads introduced by the stay cables. This way, it develops a deck dominated by axial forces instead of lateral ones (Bending moment with vertical axis, Mz, and lateral shear force, Vy), which can be critical for its design and decrease the stay-cable system efficiency. It explains, by different methods, how this directrices vary with different design decisions, so that the designer can develop the directrix that suits his design. Finally, two examples of directrices are given as a conclusion.
The triangle grid, the evolution of layered shells since the beginning of the 19th century
Authors: Meza Edwin Gonzalez
Published: September 2021

This paper presents the evolution of and influence that the use of a triangular grid has had on the transformation of layered grid structures during the last two centuries. Historical facts, technological advances, economic and social crises among other factors influence the process of change and evolution of the grid systems in architecture to make construction processes more efficient by reducing the consumption of materials and qualified labor. Geometry and structure innovate styles and processes that are perfected over the years, achieving lighter and more stable structures. For the purpose of this paper historical data will be collected that allows the development of a theory that shows the influence of various periods based on technological advances. This research shows four historical periods in the evolution of layered grid structures. Being the triangular grid a widely used methodology in the construction of a diversity of geometric proposals and innovative construction systems for the solution of a diversity of buildings from the first domes built in the early 19th century to the free-form structures built from the late 20th century to the present day.
Sudden stop: When did firms anticipate the potential consequences of COVID-19?
Authors: Buchheim Lukas , Krolage Carla , Link Sebastian
Published: September 2021

COVID-19 hit firms by surprise. In a high frequency, representative panel of German firms, the business outlook declined and business uncertainty increased only at the time when the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic led to domestic policy changes: The announcement of nation-wide school closures on March 13 was followed by the largest change in business perceptions by far. In contrast, the data provides no evidence for the relevance of other potential sources of information on business perceptions: Firms did not learn from foreign policy measures, even if they relied on inputs from China or Italy. The local, county-level spread of COVID-19 cases affected expectations and uncertainty, albeit to a much lesser extent than the domestic policy changes.
Absorbed radiation and kinetic model in photocatalysis by TiO2
Authors: Bayarri Bernardí , Giménez Jaime , Curcó David , Esplugas Santiago
Published: September 2021

The current work studies a novel and affordable methodology to estimate and quantify the photon flux absorbed and the amount of light that leaves from an illuminated photocatalytic system with TiO2 suspended in water. To achieve it, a new parameter

B
F

S
λ

w
a
t

$BF{S}_{\lambda }^{wat}$

is defined and presented. It indicates, for every wavelength, the fraction of the incoming radiation which is not absorbed by the system.

B
F

S
λ

w
a
t

$BF{S}_{\lambda }^{wat}$

was estimated by means of actinometric experiments in a jacketed reactor and a model based on Beer–Lambert law. For wavelengths below 388 nm and TiO2 concentrations between 0.05 and 2 g L−1, experimental values of

B
F

S
λ

w
a
t

$BF{S}_{\lambda }^{wat}$

were between 0.77 and 0.27. In the second part of the work, a simple kinetic model, which breaks down the effect of incident radiation and kinetic constant, is developed. For this, the photon flux absorbed by TiO2, previously determined, was included in the model. This new model was tested in the photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol under different TiO2 concentrations. The kinetic model fits satisfactorily the experimental values and a new kinetic constant
kʹ

ap

[mol·L−1 Einstein−1] was obtained, which is independent of the amount of catalyst loaded to the system. This achievement may be very useful for an easy initial comparison, design or scaling up of different photocatalytic reactors with similar geometry.
Theorems to explore the nature of cyber attacks on power system voltage stability
Authors: Agrawal Aniruddha , Syndor Donnagratia , Momin Dallang M. , Affijulla Shaik
Published: September 2021

Smart electric grids are practising flexible, reliable and robust operations during delivery and consumption of power. However, these grids are highly vulnerable to a wide range of cyber attacks due to the deployment of an extensive communication network. In this paper, the nature of cyber attack on given power system based on proposed cyber attack models and theorems is analysed by utilizing steady state voltage stability (L index). Further, a cyber attack factor is introduced which may mislead the bus voltage stability virtually. The proposed cyber attack models and theorems are validated by executing cyber attacks on WSCC 9 bus and IEEE 14 bus test systems by using Siemens PSS/E and MATLAB softwares. Through the proposed theorems, the paper exposes and quantifies the threat of cyber attacks in the electric power grid. The simulation results reveal that the proposed cyber attack models may misrepresent the bus voltage stability, thereby misleading the energy management centre (EMC) operator into taking incorrect countermeasures. The above incorrect actions may force voltage instability which further leads to major interruptions in the electric power supply and possible cascading failure of the electric power grid. Moreover, the proposed theorems and rigorous simulations presented in the paper support the EMC operator in intelligently identifying a cyber attack, thereby enabling development of appropriate corrective actions during such cyber attacks on the smart electric grid. Thus, the concept of proposed methodology could best assist the power system operator to build detection algorithms for discrimination of cyber attacks from electrical faults towards strong electric grid resilience character.
Drying characteristics and product quality of whole blueberry pulp in vacuum drying process
Authors: Zhao Lijuan , Li Yonghuan , Xie Hui , Zhang Jianliang , Wu Zhonghua
Published: September 2021

A pilot-scale vacuum dryer with visualization system was used to study the drying characteristics of the whole blueberry pulp. The heating temperature, operating pressure and initial material thickness had significant effects on the drying characteristics and the retentions of total monomeric anthocyanins and vitamin C in dried blueberry powder (P < 0.05). According the heat transfer mode inside the material, the whole drying process could be divided into three periods: the boiling drying period, the convective drying period, and the conductive drying period. Most of water in the material was evaporated in the boiling and convective drying period. Considering the drying characteristics and dried product quality comprehensively, an optimal drying condition for whole blueberry pulp were: heating temperature 70 °C, operating pressure 1 kPa, and the initial material thickness 5 mm. It further compared the drying time, nutrients retention, hygroscopicity and microstructure of the product obtained by vacuum and vacuum freeze drying. The drying time of vacuum drying (1.2 h) was much shorter than that of vacuum freeze drying (44 h); the retentions of the total monomeric anthocyanins and vitamin C in dried blueberry powder of vacuum drying (67.9, 46.7%) were lower than that of vacuum freeze drying (79.0, 85.8%); while the hygroscopicity of vacuum dried powder was less than that of the freeze-dried product. The SEM images displayed that the surface of the vacuum-dried blueberry powder was porous, and the vacuum freeze-dried product was lamellar.
English as Eastern: Zhuang, Mongolian, Mandarin, and English in the linguistic orders of globalized China
Authors: Grey Alexandra , Baioud Gegentuul
Published: September 2021

Socially constructed and globally propagated East-West binaries have influenced language ideologies about English in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), but they are not hegemonic. This essay explores how East-West language ideologies are reformed in mergers with Mandarin-minority language ideologies. It discusses two separate but similar recent studies of minority language speakers and language ideologies in the PRC, respectively by Grey and Baioud. Each study reveals aspects of how Mandarin and English are being socially constructed as on the same side of a dichotomous and hierarchic linguistic and social order, in contradistinction to minority languages. The essay thus problematizes the construction of English as a Western language and Mandarin as an Eastern language; both in academic discourses and in wider social and political discourses. The essay uses Asif Agha’s theory of “enregisterment” to unify the points drawn from each study. It concludes that the language ideologies and practices/discourses under examination reproduce the displacement of a subaltern status; we describe this process as dynamic, internal Orientalism and “recursive” Orientalism, drawing on foundational theory of language ideologies. This essay paves the way for further studies of recursive Orientalism.
Ideologies of English in Asia: an editorial
Authors: Grey Alexandra , Lising Loy , Cho Jinhyun
Published: September 2021

That English has spread in Asia is well-known, but this critical reflection, and the five contributions and book review that we hereby introduce, contribute to rectifying the relative absence in the sociology of language literature of studies approaching language ideologies and practices in specific Asian contexts from local perspectives. We are not alone; our inspections of journal archives show that scholars are increasingly responding to this relative absence in recent years. What this special issue offers is further diversity of both authors and cases, and moreover this special issue draws attention to the immutable, binary structure underlying the various globally-circulating discourses of the East and the West as part of investigating how socially constructed East-West binaries interact with language ideologies about English and other languages. It shifts the attention from fixity – East versus West – to diversity, extending East to Easts and West to Wests as our contributors identify and examine multiple, endogenous “imaginative geograph[ies]” (from Arif Dirlik’s [1996] “Chinese history and the question of Orientalism”, History and Theory 35(4): 97) constructed through various Orientalist ideologies. It founds this approach on a combination of the theory of recursive language ideologies and critical Orientalism scholarship. This is generative of new and useful sociolinguistic analyses. Having laid out this theoretical extension, this editorial then provides an overview of the issue’s contributions, which examine how socially constructed East-West binaries are interacting with language ideologies about English and other languages on sub-national scales in various Asian contexts including in Korea, China, Japan, Tajikistan and Pakistan.
Using Symbolic Regression Models to Predict the Pressure Loss of Non-Newtonian Polymer-Melt Flows through Melt-Filtration Systems with Woven Screens
Authors: Pachner S. , Roland W. , Aigner M. , Marschik C. , Stritzinger U. , Miethlinger J.
Published: September 2021

When selecting a melt-filtration system, the initial pressure drop is a critical parameter. We used heuristic optimization algorithms to develop general analytical equations for estimating the dimensionless pressure loss of square and Dutch woven screens in polymer processing and recycling. We present a mathematical description – without the need for further numerical methods – of the dimensionless pressure loss of non-Newtonian polymer melt-flows through woven screens. Applying the theory of similarity, we first simplified, and then transformed into dimensionless form, the governing equations. By varying the characteristic independent dimensionless influencing parameters, we created a comprehensive parameter set. For each design point, the nonlinear governing equations were solved numerically. We subsequently applied symbolic regression based on genetic programming to develop models for the dimensionless pressure drop. Finally, we validated our models against experiments using both virgin and slightly contaminated in-house and post-industrial recycling materials. Our regression models predict the experimental data accurately, yielding a mean relative error of MRE = 13.7%. Our modeling approach, the accuracy of which we have proven, allows fast and stable prediction of the initial pressure drop of polymer-melt flows through square woven and Dutch weave screens, rendering further numerical simulations unnecessary.
A geometric approach to Quillen’s conjecture
Authors: Díaz Ramos Antonio , Mazza Nadia
Published: September 2021

We introduceadmissible collectionsfor a finite group 𝐺 and use them to prove that most of the finite classical groups in non-defining characteristic satisfy theQuillen dimension at 𝑝 property, a strong version of Quillen’s conjecture, at a given odd prime divisor 𝑝 of|G|\lvert G\rvert. Compared to the methods in [M. Aschbacher and S. D. Smith, On Quillen’s conjecture for the 𝑝-groups complex,Ann. of Math. (2)137(1993), 3, 473–529], our techniques are simpler.
The First City and First Soul in Plato’sRepublic
Authors: Green Jerry
Published: September 2021

One puzzling feature of Plato’sRepublicis the First City or ‘city of pigs’. Socrates praises the First City as a “true”, “healthy” city, yet Plato abandons it with little explanation. I argue that the problem is not a political failing, as most previous readings have proposed: the First City is a viable political arrangement, where one can live a deeply Socratic lifestyle. But the First City has a psychological corollary, that the soul is simple rather than tripartite. Plato sees this ‘First Soul’ as an inaccurate model of moral psychology, and so rejects it, along with its political analogue.
Wandalgarius’ Letters of the Law: Figural Initials and Book Culture in the Late Eighth Century
Authors: Kitzinger Beatrice
Published: September 2021

Long sidelined by art historians, the Wandalgarius Codex is a compendium of legal texts dated to 793 that represents an early venture in a trend associated with the 790s: populating initial letters with lively figures. This article centers the Wandalgarius Codex in discussion of experimental book illumination in the late eighth century. The decade saw re-definition of the visual organization of books, the uses illumination could serve, and the ways manuscripts in many genres reflected and shaped projects of education and reform. The essay sets Wandalgarius’ approach to initials in conversation with the well-known Gellone Sacramentary, and investigates the scribe-draftsman’s characterization of his own work as an ambitious contemporary book-maker.