bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) during pregnancy: a fetal risk factor
Authors: Pridmore Saxby , Turnier-Shea Yvonne , Rybak Marzena , Pridmore William
Published: March 2021

Objective:

To examine reports of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) during pregnancy for evidence of fetal risk.

Method:

PubMed was used to locate relevant literature for the years 1998–2020 and reference lists were examined for materials not located electronically.

Results:

Ten reports were located dealing with 67 births over 20 years. Stimulation was applied is all trimesters, at low and high frequency, and as intermittent theta-burst stimulation. No mother or baby experienced a serious event.

Conclusions:

Certainty awaits large, standardized studies. However, the available reports provide no evidence that TMS to mother during pregnancy has detrimental effects on the fetus.
Physicochemical and structural characterization of starches from Andean roots and tubers grown in Colombia
Authors: Fonseca-Santanilla Elsa Beatriz , Betancourt-López Liliana Lucía
Published: March 2021

The preservation of Andean roots and tubers (ART) depends on the recognition of their health-promoting and nutritional metabolites and their transformation into other products such as starches. The objective of this study was to determine the physicochemical and structural properties of native starches obtained from Canna edulis K., Oxalis tuberosa M., and Ipomoea batatas L. from the Colombian Andean agroecosystem. The physicochemical properties of starches were determined by traditional methods of analysis. The thermal properties were determined by gravimetric thermal analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), while the structural characteristics were studied with X-ray diffractometry and infrared spectrometry. The ART showed a starch yield of between 53.3% and 75.4% (dry basis) and amylose content between 28.4% and 35.6%. Starches from I. batatas showed the highest percentage of amylose, lowest gel clarity, lowest water absorption index, and highest gel temperature. X-ray diffractograms showed a type A crystallographic pattern for I. batatas starch, and a type B pattern for C. edulis and O. tuberosa starches, while infrared spectra (FTIR-ATR) corroborated the structural characteristics of each type of starch. The results suggest that starches from Andean resources can be used as a substitute for traditional starches from corn and potato. In addition, their amylose content makes them potential sources of resistant starch and dietary fiber.
Evaluating Belief System Networks as a Theory of Political Belief System Dynamics
Authors: Brandt Mark J. , Sleegers Willem W. A.
Published: March 2021

A theory of political belief system dynamics should incorporate causal connections between elements of the belief system and the possibility that belief systems are influenced by exogenous factors. These necessary components can be satisfied by conceptualizing an individual’s belief system as a network of causally connected attitudes and identities which, via the interactions between the elements and the push of exogenous influences, produces the disparate phenomena in the belief systems literature. We implement this belief systems as networks theory in a dynamic Ising model and demonstrate that the theory can integrate at least six otherwise unrelated phenomenon in the political belief systems literature, including work on attitude consistency, cross-pressures, spillover effects, partisan cues, and ideological differences in attitude consensus. Our findings suggest that belief systems are not just one thing, but emerge from the interactions between the attitudes and identities in the belief system. All code is available: https://osf.io/aswy8/?view_only=99aff77909094bddabb5d382f6db2622 .
Accelerated execution via eager-release of dependencies in task-based workflows
Authors: Elshazly Hatem , Lordan Francesc , Ejarque Jorge , Badia Rosa M.
Published: March 2021

Task-based programming models offer a flexible way to express the unstructured parallelism patterns of nowadays complex applications. This expressive capability is required to achieve maximum possible performance for applications that are executed in distributed execution platforms. In current task-based workflows, tasks are launched for execution when their data dependencies are satisfied. However, even though the data dependencies of a certain task might have been already produced, the execution of this task will be delayed until its predecessor tasks completely finish their execution. As a consequence of this approach of releasing dependencies, the amount of parallelism inherent in applications is limited and performance improvement opportunities are wasted. To mitigate this limitation, we propose an eager approach for releasing data dependencies. Following this approach, the execution of tasks will not be delayed until their predecessor tasks completely finish their execution, instead, tasks will be launched for execution as soon as their data requirements are available. Hence, more parallelism is exposed and applications can achieve higher levels of performance by overlapping the execution of tasks. Towards achieving this goal, in this paper we propose applying two changes to task-based workflow systems. First, modifying the dependency relationships of tasks to be specified not only in terms of predecessor and successor tasks but also in terms of the data that caused these dependencies. Second, triggering the release of dependencies as soon as a predecessor task generates the output data instead of having to wait until the end of the predecessor execution to release all of its dependencies. We realize this proposal using PyCOMPSs: a task-based programming model for parallelizing Python applications. Our experiments show that using an eager approach for releasing dependencies achieves more than 50% performance improvement in the total execution time as compared to the default approach of releasing dependencies.
Facial conformation characteristics in Persian and Exotic Shorthair cats
Authors: Anagrius Kerstin L , Dimopoulou Maria , Moe Anna N , Petterson Ann , Ljungvall Ingrid
Published: March 2021

Objectives

The primary objectives of the study were to examine the diversity in facial conformation characteristics within a group of Persian (PER) and Exotic Shorthair (EXO) show cats, and to contrast the results to findings within a group of non-purebred domestic shorthair (DSH) and domestic longhair (DLH) cats. The secondary objectives were to determine the PER/EXO show cat owners’ perceptions of the breathing status of their cats, and to evaluate if remarks from the cat show judges concerning the cats’ head and facial conformation were exclusively related to the aesthetic features of the cats.

Methods

Sixty-four PER and 12 EXO show cats were prospectively examined at five international cat shows, and 20 DSH/DLH cats were examined at an animal hospital. Facial conformation characteristics were evaluated by examining photos of the cats. Owners of the PER/EXO show cats answered a questionnaire concerning their cats’ health status, and they were encouraged to send in the judges’ score sheets from the cat shows.

Results

The PER/EXO show cats had higher diversity in facial conformation characteristics than the DSH/DLH cats, and high incidences of hypoplasia of the nose leather (95%), the nose leather top positioned above the level of the lower eyelid (93%), moderate-to-severe stenotic nares (86%), epiphora (83%) and entropion (32%). Owners of 6/76 PER/EXO show cats stated that their cat had increased respiratory sounds and/or trouble breathing at least once a week. The cat show judges’ written comments were exclusively related to aesthetic features of the cats’ head and facial conformation details.

Conclusions and relevance

Hypoplasia of the nose leather, high position of the nose leather top, stenotic nares, epiphora and entropion were common findings in the PER/EXO show cats but not in the DSH/DLH cats. Few of the cat owners perceived that their cat had problems related to the airways.
Prevention and Management of Filler Induced Iatrogenic Stroke of the Eye
Authors: Arlette John P. , Ashenhurst Michael , Hill Vivian , Jiang Kailun
Published: March 2021

In the past few decades, minimally-invasive esthetic treatments and the use of injectable Hyaluronic Acid Gels and other filling agents to treat facial esthetics have increased dramatically. Although extremely rare, a filler can cause ocular and orbital ischemia by retrograde flow from the ophthalmic artery when injected in any of the anastomosis of the face. Once filler reaches the central retinal artery, blindness is inevitable, and no treatment is effective. While the risk of blindness happening with any filler injection is rare, the life-altering irreversible consequence of a procedure that was anticipated to be simple and beautifying is a reality that each injector must be prepared for with every injection. The parameters associated with an iatrogenic stroke of the eye are the site of injection, the injection technique, patient characteristics, and the material injected. Understanding the interplay of each of these variables might help us reduce the possibility of blindness during the injection of a soft-tissue cosmetic filler. Here, we explore the causes of Hyaluronic Acid Gels Filler embolic phenomena, review the natural course of the process, and discuss appropriate immediate interventions. We also (1) propose an education plan for injectors and describe how to carry out a focused ophthalmologic examination and procedural activities for a referral to an ophthalmologist, (2) outline steps to prevent emboli during filler injection, and (3) how to manage and support a patient with a sudden loss of vision during or immediately after a Hyaluronic Acid Gels filler treatment.
Remix in the age of ubiquitous remix
Authors: Waysdorf Abby S.
Published: March 2021

What is remix today? No longer a controversy, no longer a buzzword, remix is both everywhere and nowhere in contemporary media. This article examines this situation, looking at what remix now means when it is, for the most part, just an accepted part of the media landscape. I argue that remix should be looked at from an ethnographic point of view, focused on how and why remixes are used. To that end, this article identifies three ways of conceptualizing remix, based on intention rather than content: the aesthetic, communicative, and conceptual forms. It explores the history of (talking about) remix, looking at the tension between seeing remix as a form of art and remix as a mode of ‘talking back’ to the media, and how those tensions can be resolved in looking at the different ways remix originated. Finally, it addresses what ubiquitous remix might mean for the way we think about archival material, and the challenges this brings for archives themselves. In this way, this article updates the study of remix for a time when remix is everywhere.
Risk perception and visit intention on Olympic destination: Symmetric and asymmetric approaches
Authors: Choe Yeongbae , Kim Hany
Published: March 2021

Tourists’ risk perceptions have been studied extensively in tourism literature and are considered an important factor influencing destination choice. However, despite the extensive research, many earlier studies using symmetric approaches have not adequately succeeded in addressing the contrarian case – high visit intention despite having negative perceptions. Therefore, this study utilised both symmetric and asymmetric approaches to address the effects of tourists’ perceptions (i.e. risk perception, image, and attitude) and demographic factors on their visit intention. While the symmetric approach showed that Zika-related perceptions did not have an impact on destination visits, in the asymmetric approach, these same perceptions significantly influenced both high and low visit intentions. This study contributes to the existing knowledge of risk perceptions by highlighting the differences between the two methodological approaches. Destination marketers could utilise these findings to develop both mass marketing and target marketing strategies.
Development of 3D printing sustainable mortars based on a bibliometric analysis
Authors: Teixeira J , Schaefer CO , Rangel B , Alves J Lino , Maia L , Nunes S , Neto R , Lopes ML
Published: March 2021

In construction, three-dimensional concrete printing technology is an innovative method that opens new design possibilities, reducing the construction time process. The incremental material deposition allows organic shapes without formwork, a mandatory constraint in preparatory phases of conventional complex concrete structures. Nowadays, in three-dimensional printing for construction industry, concrete is the most used material due to its workability, extrudability, and pumpability properties favorable for the printing conditions. Hence, this composition still has a poor sustainable efficiency due to the high levels of Portland Cement. In this research, a reduction of this material was studied and experimented searching for a mortar composition with better ecological footprint, with the objective of decreasing the CO2 emissions. A bibliometric analysis was made to study the constituents of a mortar for three-dimensional printing and respective dosage. The knowledge acquired in the analysis of the compositions contributed to the development of mortars with lower Portland Cement content. A mechanical extruder was used to check the extrusion capacity of the developed mortars, and the best compositions are presented.
Young journalists and old news: remembering mass protests in Hong Kong
Authors: Chu Donna
Published: March 2021

In this study, 20 journalists who had worked on news about the anniversaries of mass protests in Hong Kong were interviewed. Given that most had been born after the historical events being commemorated, this paper aims to understand how young journalists comprehend and cover such old news. It also uncovers the journalistic processes behind the related anniversary journalism and discusses the role of journalism in constructing collective memory. The study traced how journalists normally do their research and what they consider in the production process. We found that journalists, as with other assignments, generally lack the time to conduct thorough research. Instead of venturing into hard facts or heated debates, most opted to focus on the personal and the emotional. For the personal, they relied on stories told by living witnesses and participants. For the emotional, they tapped into the cultural environment as well as their peers to determine appropriate feelings and moral tones. Professional norms compelled them to find new angles for old news and package the stories in ways that would engage and attract their audience. All of these factors shape how journalists tell the stories about the past; these stories in turn become new resources in the ‘inventory’ of collective memories.
Cultural intelligence as an enabler of cross-cultural adjustment in the context of intra-national diversity
Authors: Kadam Raavee , Rao Srinivasa A , Abdul Waheed K , Jabeen Shazi S
Published: March 2021

Job transfers within the country can lead to adjustment issues, similar to what expatriates face, especially in the case of highly diverse countries, where a host of sub-cultures exist with distinct cultural practices within a single national culture. Intra-national variations in terms of language, ethnicity, food, clothing, economic development, geographic regions or urban-rural differences can be as significant as cross-cultural differences and cause barriers to social integration. Thus, it becomes important to equip employees with cross-cultural capabilities when they are deployed to a culturally distinct part of the country. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of cultural intelligence (CQ) as a critical capability that can enable the cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) of employees in a domestic context. Participants of this study consisted of employees from the information technology sector of India, who were transferred to a different state within the country in the past 1-month. They were further categorized into those working in culturally homogenous versus heterogeneous environments. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire. The hypotheses under study were tested using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that CQ enabled the adjustment of employees within the domestic context. Furthermore, the CQ-CCA relationship was found to be positively moderated by intra-national diversity. While the ability of CQ to predict outcomes in cross-cultural scenarios has already been explored in employee mobility literature, this paper addresses the issues of intra-national diversity and domestic adjustment within the CQ framework, and establishes the usefulness of CQ to overcome the challenges put forth by intra-national differences and within-country cultural variations.
A Response to Gonzalez Ginocchio, Hindmoor and Stanley
Authors: Wilson Angelia R
Published: March 2021

A response to Pluralism and Political Studies in the UK: A Pilot Study into Who Gets What in the Discipline by Brenda Gonzalez Ginocchio, Andrew Hindmoor and Liam Stanley.
How Does Health Impact Challenging Behavior?
Authors: Kennedy Craig H.
Published: March 2021

People with severe disabilities have a higher prevalence of many health conditions when compared with the general population. Examples include gastrointestinal conditions, chronic allergies, epilepsy, and sleep dysregulation, among many other health concerns. Of particular interest in the treatment of challenging behavior is the comorbidity of health conditions and behavioral challenges. Evidence suggests that not only do people with severe disabilities have higher rates of health conditions, but people with severe disabilities and challenging behavior have even higher rates of health concerns. This article reviews the existing evidence linking health conditions and challenging behavior, discusses health disparities in diagnosis and treatment of these comorbidities, and suggests future avenues for discovery and intervention.
Religious identity and politics: Exploring the causes of the political persecution of religious minorities in Kohat District, Pakistan
Authors: Alam Jan
Published: March 2021

Religious minorities are victims of political isolation and persecution in societies, where they are subject to violence and discrimination. This study was undertaken in a terrorism-affected area to explore those elements that subjugate and suppress religious minorities’ political participation and representation. To conduct an in-depth analysis, a qualitative inquiry was used for data collection and analysis. The researcher interviewed 13 Christians, seven Hindus, and six Sikhs, using a purposive sampling technique and a semi-structured interview guide. The primary data were analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. The researcher found that some of the underlying factors behind the political persecution are leadership vacuum, political neglect, post-election negligence, vote dislocation, political ignorance, and political subordination. This study presented a framework for policymakers to solve minorities’ political problems, and for researchers to better understand the minorities’ political oppression on local and international levels.
Synthesis and properties of Sr2+ doping α-tricalcium phosphate at low temperature
Authors: Yuan Zhen , Bi Jianqiang , Wang Weili , Sun Xiaoning , Wang Lu , Mao Junjie , Yang Fushuai
Published: March 2021

Strontium has been widely used in bone repair materials due to its roles in promoting osteoclast apoptosis and enhancing osteoblast proliferation. In this work, synthesis and the effects of Sr2+ doping α-tricalcium phosphate at low-temperature was studied. The setting time and the mechanical properties of α-tricalcium phosphate were controlled by varying the content of Sr2+. The synthesized compounds were evaluated by XRD, SEM, XPS, setting time, compressive strength, SBF immersion, and colorimetric CCK-8 assay. The results showed that Sr2+ can improve the compressive strength and cell activity of calcium phosphate bone cement.
The Patient Experience of Inpatient Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring Patient Perceptions, Communication, and Quality of Care at a University Teaching Hospital in the United Kingdom
Authors: Key Thomas , Kulkarni Avadhut , Kandhari Vikram , Jawad Zayd , Hughes Angela , Mohanty Khitish
Published: March 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has necessitated many rapid changes in the provision and delivery of health care in hospital. This study aimed to explore the patient experience of inpatient care during COVID-19 pandemic. An electronic questionnaire was designed and distributed to inpatients treated at a large University Health Board over a 6-week period. It focused on hospital inpatients’ experience of being cared for by health care professionals wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), explored communication, and patients’ perceptions of the quality of care. A total of 704 patients completed the survey. Results demonstrated that patients believe PPE is important to protect the health of both patients and staff and does not negatively impact on their care. In spite of routine use of PPE, patients were still able to identify and communicate with staff. Although visiting restrictions were enforced to limit disease transmission, patients maintained contact with their relatives by using various electronic forms of communication. Overall, patients rated the quality of care they received at 9/10. This single-center study demonstrates a positive patient experience of care at an unprecedented time.
The Correlation of Communication Effectiveness and Patient Satisfaction
Authors: Versluijs Yvonne , Lemmers Maartje , Brown Laura E. , Gonzalez Amanda I. , Kortlever Joost T. P. , Ring David
Published: March 2021

This study assessed the correlation of 9 questions addressing communication effectiveness (the Communication Effectiveness Questionnaire [CEQ]) with other patient-reported experience measures (PREMs; satisfaction, perceived empathy) as well as patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs; pain intensity, activity tolerance) in patients with musculoskeletal illness or injury. In a cross-sectional study, 210 patients visiting an orthopedic surgeon completed the CEQ and measures of satisfaction with the visit, perceived empathy, pain intensity, and activity tolerance. We evaluated correlations between CEQ and other PREMs and CEQ and PROMs. We measured ceiling effects of the PREMs. Communication effectiveness correlated moderately with other PREMs such as satisfaction (ρ = 0.54; P < .001) and perceived empathy (ρ = 0.54; P < .001). Communication effectiveness did not correlate with PROMs: pain intensity (ρ = −0.01; P = .93) and activity tolerance (ρ = −0.05; P = .44). All of the experience measures have high ceiling effects: perceived empathy 37%, satisfaction 80%, and CEQ 46%. The observation of notable correlations of various PREMs, combined with their high ceiling effects, direct us to identify a likely common statistical construct (which we hypothesize as “relationship”) accounting for variation in PREMs, and then develop a PREM which measures that construct in a manner that results in a Gaussian distribution of scores. At least within the limitations of current experience measures, there seems to be no association between illness (PROMs) and experience (PREMs).
Structural brain network characteristics in patients with episodic and chronic migraine
Authors: Michels Lars , Koirala Nabin , Groppa Sergiu , Luechinger Roger , Gantenbein Andreas R. , Sandor Peter S. , Kollias Spyros , Riederer Franz , Muthuraman Muthuraman
Published: March 2021

Background

Migraine is a primary headache disorder that can be classified into an episodic (EM) and a chronic form (CM). Network analysis within the graph-theoretical framework based on connectivity patterns provides an approach to observe large-scale structural integrity. We test the hypothesis that migraineurs are characterized by a segregated network.

Methods

19 healthy controls (HC), 17 EM patients and 12 CM patients were included. Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were computed, and topology was analyzed using a graph theory analytical framework and network-based statistics. We further used support vector machines regression (SVR) to identify whether these network measures were able to predict clinical parameters.

Results

Network based statistics revealed significantly lower interregional connectivity strength between anatomical compartments including the fronto-temporal, parietal and visual areas in EM and CM when compared to HC. Higher assortativity was seen in both patients’ group, with higher modularity for CM and higher transitivity for EM compared to HC. For subcortical networks, higher assortativity and transitivity were observed for both patients’ group with higher modularity for CM. SVR revealed that network measures could robustly predict clinical parameters for migraineurs.

Conclusion

We found global network disruption for EM and CM indicated by highly segregated network in migraine patients compared to HC. Higher modularity but lower clustering coefficient in CM is suggestive of more segregation in this group compared to EM. The presence of a segregated network could be a sign of maladaptive reorganization of headache related brain circuits, leading to migraine attacks or secondary alterations to pain.
Clinical analysis of tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration in children: a focus on external and intrinsic factors
Authors: Gan Weigang , Xiao Ning , Feng Yiyuan , Zhou Danmei , Hu Juanjuan , Liu Shixi , Zou Jian
Published: March 2021

Background

Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration (TFBA) is a critical disease in children and is extremely dangerous, even life-threatening. The factors affecting the occurrence and prognosis of TFBA are complex. The purpose of this study is to examine the external and intrinsic factors affecting clinical features of TFBA in West China and propose potential effective intervention measures.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of pediatric patients diagnosed with TFBA with foreign bodies (FBs) removed by rigid bronchoscopy under general anesthesia at the otolaryngology department from December 2017 to November 2018. The data included age, sex, clinical symptoms, type and location of FB, guardians, prehospital duration and residence of these pediatric patients.

Results

The ratio of males (72) to females (53) was 1.4:1. Children aged from 1 to 3 years accounted for 76% (95/125) of patients. Cough, continuous fever and dyspnea were the primary symptoms. The right primary bronchus was the most common location of FB detection by rigid bronchoscopy (67 cases, 53.6%). Organic FBs were most common in our study. Guardians of patients significantly differed in the rural (parents 16, grandparents 31) and urban (parents 52, grandparents 26) groups (χ2 = 12.583, p = 0.000). More children in the rural group than in the urban group had a treatment delay longer than 72 h. More children in the group with no history of FB aspiration (12, 25%) than in the group with prior FB aspiration had a treatment delay longer than 72 h.

Conclusion

Pediatric TFBA is a common emergency in otolaryngology. Age, sex, tracheobronchial anatomy and other physiological elements were defined as intrinsic factors, while guardians, residence, FB species and prehospital time were defined as external factors of TFBA. External and intrinsic factors both influence the occurrence and progression of TFBA. It is extremely important to take effective measures to control external factors, which can decrease morbidity and mortality.
Theranostic SPECT reconstruction for improved resolution: application to radionuclide therapy dosimetry
Authors: Marquis H. , Deidda D. , Gillman A. , Willowson K. P. , Gholami Y. , Hioki T. , Eslick E. , Thielemans K. , Bailey D. L.
Published: March 2021

Background

SPECT-derived dose estimates in tissues of diameter less than 3× system resolution are subject to significant losses due to the limited spatial resolution of the gamma camera. Incorporating resolution modelling (RM) into the SPECT reconstruction has been proposed as a possible solution; however, the images produced are prone to noise amplification and Gibbs artefacts. We propose a novel approach to SPECT reconstruction in a theranostic setting, which we term SPECTRE (single photon emission computed theranostic reconstruction); using a diagnostic PET image, with its superior resolution, to guide the SPECT reconstruction of the therapeutic equivalent. This report demonstrates a proof in principle of this approach.

Methods

We have employed the hybrid kernelised expectation maximisation (HKEM) algorithm implemented in STIR, with the aim of producing SPECT images with PET-equivalent resolution. We demonstrate its application in both a dual 68Ga/177Lu IEC phantom study and a clinical example using 64Cu/67Cu.

Results

SPECTRE is shown to produce images comparable in accuracy and recovery to PET with minimal introduction of artefacts and amplification of noise.

Conclusion

The SPECTRE approach to image reconstruction shows improved quantitative accuracy with a reduction in noise amplification. SPECTRE shows great promise as a method of improving SPECT radioactivity concentrations, directly leading to more accurate dosimetry estimates in small structures and target lesions. Further investigation and optimisation of the algorithm parameters is needed before this reconstruction method can be utilised in a clinical setting.
Impact of Robinia pseudoacacia stand conversion on soil properties and bacterial community composition in Mount Tai, China
Authors: Li Kun , Han Xu , Ni Ruiqiang , Shi Ge , de-Miguel Sergio , Li Chuanrong , Shen Weixing , Zhang Yikun , Zhang Xingzhong
Published: March 2021

Background

Robinia pseudoacacia is a widely planted pioneer tree species in reforestations on barren mountains in northern China. Because of its nitrogen-fixing ability, it can play a positive role in soil and forest restoration. After clear-cutting of planted stands, R. pseudoacacia stands become coppice plantations. The impacts of shifting from seedling to coppice stands on soil bacterial community and soil properties have not been well described. This study aims to quantify how soil properties and bacterial community composition vary between planted seedling versus coppice stands.

Methods

Nine 20 m × 20 m plots were randomly selected in seedling and coppice stands. The bulk soil and rhizosphere soil were sampled in summer 2017. Bulk soil was sampled at 10 cm from the soil surface using a soil auger. Rhizosphere soil samples were collected using a brush. The soil samples were transported to the laboratory for chemical analysis, and bacterial community composition and diversity was obtained through DNA extraction, 16S rRNA gene amplification and high-throughput sequencing.

Results

The results showed that, compared to seedling plantations, soil quality decreased significantly in coppice stands, but without affecting soil exchangeable Mg2+ and K+. Total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) were lower in the rhizosphere than in bulk soil, whereas nutrient availability showed an opposite trend. The conversion from seedling to coppice plantations was also related to significant differences in soil bacterial community structure and to the reduction of soil bacterial α-diversity. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that bacterial community composition was similar in both bulk and rhizosphere soils in second-generation coppice plantations. Specially, the conversion from seedling to coppice stands increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Rhizobium, but reduced that of Actinobacteria, which may result in a decline of soil nutrient availability. Mantel tests revealed that C, N, soil organic matter (SOM), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) and available phosphorus positively correlated with bacterial community composition, while a variation partition analysis (VPA) showed that NO3−-N explained a relatively greater proportion of bacterial distribution (15.12%), compared with C and SOM. Surprisingly, N showed no relationship with bacterial community composition, which may be related to nitrogen transportation.

Conclusions

The conversion from seedling to coppice stands reduced soil quality and led to spatial-temporal homogenization of the soil bacterial community structure in both the rhizosphere and bulk soils. Such imbalance in microbial structure can accelerate the decline of R. pseudoacacia. This may affect the role of R. pseudoacacia coppice stands in soil and forest restoration of barren lands in mountain areas.
Pyoderma gangrenosum and cobalamin deficiency in systemic lupus erythematosus: a rare but non fortuitous association
Authors: Teoh Sing Chiek , Sim Chun Yang , Chuah Seow Lin , Kok Victoria , Teh Cheng Lay
Published: March 2021

Background

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an uncommon, idiopathic, ulcerative neutrophilic dermatosis. In many cases, PG is associated with a wide variety of different disorders but SLE in association with PG is relatively uncommon. In this article we present the case of a middle aged patient with PG as the initial clinical presentation of SLE. We also provide a brief review of cobalamin deficiency which occurred in our patient and evidence-based management options.

Case presentation

A 35 years old man presented with a 5 month history of debilitating painful lower limb and scrotal ulcers. This was associated with polyarthralgia and morning stiffness involving both hands. He also complained of swallowing difficulties. He had unintentional weight loss of 10 kg and fatigue. Physical examination revealed alopecia, multiple cervical lymphadenopathies, bilateral parotid gland enlargement and atrophic glossitis. There was Raynaud’s phenomenon noted over both hands and generalised hyper-pigmented fragile skin. Laboratory results disclosed anaemia, leukopenia, hyponatraemia and hypocortisolism. Detailed anaemic workup revealed low serum ferritin and cobalamin level. The autoimmune screen showed positive ANA, anti SmD1, anti SS-A/Ro 52, anti SSA/Ro 60, anti U1-snRNP with low complement levels. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with biopsies confirmed atrophic gastritis and duodenitis. Intrinsic factor antibodies and anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA were all negative. Punch biopsies of the leg ulcer showed neutrophilic dermatosis consistent with pyoderma gangrenosum. Based on the clinical findings and positive immunologic studies, he was diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus. His general condition improved substantially with commencement of corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and vitamin supplements.

Conclusions

We report a case of PG as the first manifestation of SLE which was treated successfully with immunosuppressants and vitamin supplements. Our report highlighted the need to consider connective tissue diseases such as SLE in a patient presenting with PG in order for appropriate treatment to be instituted thereby achieving a good outcome.
Problems of participation of legal entities in civil turnover
Authors: Kachalova Anna , Soyfer Tat'yana
Published: March 2021

The textbook contains general provisions on legal entities, including the nature of legal entities, their creation and termination, classifications, and features of the status of corporate and unitary legal entities in general and their individual organizational and legal forms in particular. Special issues related to the legal regime of the authorized capital of a legal entity, corporate governance and control, transactions requiring special approval, and transactions with large blocks of shares, etc. were also considered. Considerable attention is paid to the most pressing problems of the participation of legal entities in civil turnover, which are revealed on the basis of the analysis of doctrinal positions and law enforcement practice. For those studying civil law disciplines, practicing lawyers and anyone interested in the peculiarities of the legal personality of legal entities and the problems of their participation in civil turnover.
Digital technologies as a financial control tool
Authors: Petrova Inga
Published: March 2021

The textbook reveals the concept and meaning of digital technologies, the legal nature of information interaction in the implementation of control measures based on general theoretical concepts and regulatory legal acts. Special attention is paid to the types of information systems used in the control process in the financial and budgetary sphere. The necessity of creating information systems based on international experience, global indices and rules of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is justified. The article defines the specific characteristics of the state information systems used in the control (monitoring) in the financial and budgetary sphere, and also considers the subsystems that make up the state integrated information system "Electronic Budget" and other information systems in the information space of the Russian Federation. The article analyzes interdepartmental information interaction and digital methods that ensure the protection of information in the course of financial control. For graduate students, postgraduates and teachers of law and non-legal universities, as well as for practitioners.
‘Poorer without you’
Authors: Wilson Nairn
Published: March 2021

Nairn Wilson talks about the new career opportunities available to dental nurses by becoming members of the College of General Dentistry and the huge role dental nurses will have in patient education and motivation
#Youarenotalone
Authors: White Sandra
Published: March 2021

A reminder of the guidance for domestic abuse and safeguarding for general dental practices by Sandra White, national lead for dental public health for Public Health England
Serving the state or serving the people? The dilemma of social work graduates in Mainland China
Authors: Baikady Rajendra , Shengli Cheng , Jianguo Gao
Published: March 2021

This article reports on the result of an exploratory qualitative study with in-depth interviews conducted with postgraduate students in Chinese universities. The data were collected from five schools of social work, covering three provincial-level administrative regions of Beijing, Shanghai and Shandong. The principal aim of this article is to understand the development of social work and student perspectives on the government’s role in social work development and the function of social work in China. The study shows that Chinese social work is still developing, and the expansion and function of social work education and practice is mandated by the state. Despite a robust authoritarian hold by the government, the study finds hope among the graduate students about the mission and future of social work in China.
Concise and efficient direct-view generation of arbitrary cylindrical vector beams by a vortex half-wave plate
Authors: Qi Junli , Wang Weihua , Shi Bo , Zhang Hui , Shen Yanan , Deng Haifei , Pu Wenjing , Liu Xin , Shan Huihui , Ma Xiaomin , Zhang Lianqiang , Lu Wei , Fu Meicheng , Li Xiujian
Published: March 2021

A concise, efficient, and practical direct-view scheme is presented to generate arbitrary cylindrical vector (CV) beams, including CV beams, vortex beams, and cylindrical vector vortex (CVV) beams, by a vortex half-wave plate (VHP). Six kinds of first-order and other high-order CV beams, such as azimuthally polarized (AP) beams, antivortex radial polarization mode beams, and three-order AP beams, are formed by simply rotating a half-wave plate. The Stokes parameters and double-slit interference of multitype CV beams are investigated in detail. The polarization parameters, including degree of polarization, polarization azimuth, and ellipticity, are obtained, which demonstrates the efficient generation of CV beams. In addition, the double-slit interference experiment is introduced in the setup, and fringe misplacement and tilt appear for CVV beams, in which the misplacement number

M

is

2
P
+
1

for

P
≤
2

and

2
P
−
1

for

P
≥
3

, where

P

is the polarization order number, and the fringe tilt offset is positively related to the topological charge number

l

of CVV beams. In addition, new types of VHPs can be formed by cascading two or more VHPs when the types of available VHPs are limited, assisting in more flexible generation of multitype CV beams. It is experimentally demonstrated that arbitrary CV beams with high quality are effectively achieved by the proposed setup, and the double-slit interference method can be utilized to determine and analyze CV beams rapidly and concisely by practical performance, which shows the potential to be implemented as a commercial device.
The anti-vaccination infodemic on social media: A behavioral analysis
Authors: Germani Federico , Biller-Andorno Nikola
Published: March 2021

Vaccinations are without doubt one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine, and there is hope that they can constitute a solution to halt the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, the anti-vaccination movement is currently on the rise, spreading online misinformation about vaccine safety and causing a worrying reduction in vaccination rates worldwide. In this historical time, it is imperative to understand the reasons of vaccine hesitancy, and to find effective strategies to dismantle the rhetoric of anti-vaccination supporters. For this reason, we analyzed the behavior of anti-vaccination supporters on the platform Twitter. Here we identify that anti-vaccination supporters, in comparison with pro-vaccination supporters, share conspiracy theories and make use of emotional language. We demonstrate that anti-vaccination supporters are more engaged in discussions on Twitter and share their contents from a pull of strong influencers. We show that the movement’s success relies on a strong sense of community, based on the contents produced by a small fraction of profiles, with the community at large serving as a sounding board for anti-vaccination discourse to circulate online. Our data demonstrate that Donald Trump, before his profile was suspended, was the main driver of vaccine misinformation on Twitter. Based on these results, we welcome policies that aim at halting the circulation of false information about vaccines by targeting the anti-vaccination community on Twitter. Based on our data, we also propose solutions to improve the communication strategy of health organizations and build a community of engaged influencers that support the dissemination of scientific insights, including issues related to vaccines and their safety.
Osteopetrosis: the follow-up of the disease in a patient who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the age of 27 years
Authors: Zhilyaev Victor M. , Arapova Svetlana D. , Mamedova Elizaveta O. , Tarbaeva Natalya V. , Belaya Zhanna E.
Published: March 2021

Osteopetrosis is a rare hereditary disease that develops as a result of genetic mutations leading to impaired development and function of osteoclasts. There are several forms of osteopetrosis that differ in the type of inheritance (autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant and intermediate) and the severity of symptoms. The main clinical manifestations of the disease are frequent pathological fractures, anemia, thrombocytopenia, infectious complications, compression of the cranial nerves and impaired function. With timely diagnosis and successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the prognosis is favorable. In the vast majority of cases, transplantation is performed in the first 10 months of life. The literature describes only 12 patients with osteopetrosis who underwent HSCT over the age of 5 years. The article presents a clinical case of osteopetrosis due to a mutation in the CA2 gene (Chr8: 86389420C> G, p.Y193X) in a 30-year-old patient who underwent THSC at the age of 27.
Governance within European Space Policy
Authors: Słomczyńska Irma
Published: March 2021

The purpose of the article is to analyze ESP in the context of different modes of governance. Assuming that ESP is a unique and multidimensional product of dynamic political, technological, and social processes and ideas coordinated by the EU, its member states as well as non-member ones and implemented in an international environment, there are some research questions to be answered. First, is there any particular mode of governance that should be applied to the analysis of ESP implementation? Second, in what way the EU introduced space policy and space assets to the European agenda? Third, how ESP can be framed within the overall process of European integration? A qualitative research approach has been applied as well as theoretic apparatus embedded in European integration studies and political science. The main finding of the article is that the most promising way of governance within ESP is experimentalist governance. The originality of the article results from the application of the newly established experimentalist governance theory to an analysis of the increasingly important segment of EU activity.
Zachód odzyskany albo tragedia Europy Środkowej? Państwa Grupy Wyszehradzkiej w Unii Europejskiej – perspektywa kulturowo-cywilizacyjna
Authors: Zenderowski Radosław
Published: March 2021

W artykule przeprowadzono analizę specyfiki kulturowo-cywilizacyjnej państw tworzących Grupę Wyszehradzką w perspektywie 15 lat członkostwa w Unii Europejskiej i dokonujących się w tym czasie przemian. Składa się on z dwóch zasadniczych części. W części pierwszej ukazano znaczenie Europy Środkowej dla projektu i procesu reintegracji Europy po doświadczeniach podziału wynikającego z funkcjonowania przez kilka dekad „żelaznej kurtyny”. Odwołano się przy tym do nauczania Jana Pawła II na temat Europy i europejskości, postaci, którą uznano za wybitnego orędownika jedności europejskiej pochodzącego z Europy Środkowej. W części drugiej – odwołującej się do wyników badań empirycznych prowadzonych w Europie Środkowej przez ostatnie trzy dekady – wskazano zarówno na kulturowe i cywilizacyjne podobieństwa występujące między narodami Europy Środkowej (Grupy Wyszehradzkiej), jak i na głębokie różnice w odniesieniu do poszczególnych wartości, postaw czy identyfikacji. W efekcie uzyskano złożony obraz kulturowo-cywilizacyjnej tożsamości Europy Środkowej, której narody znajdują się od przeszło dwóch dekad w dynamicznym procesie integracji z narodami tzw. starej Unii.