bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low‐Grade Systemic Inflammation Interferes with Anabolic and Catabolic Characteristics of the Aged Human Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Draganidis Dimitrios , Jamurtas Athanasios Z. , Chondrogianni Niki , Mastorakos George , Jung Tobias , Grune Tilman , Papadopoulos Constantinos , Papanikolaou Konstantinos , Papassotiriou Ioannis , Papaevgeniou Nikoletta , Poulios Athanasios , Batrakoulis Alexios , Deli Chariklia K. , Georgakouli Kalliopi , Chatzinikolaou Athanasios , Karagounis Leonidas G. , Fatouros Ioannis G.
Published: December 2021

Aging is associated with the development of chronic low‐grade systemic inflammation (LGSI) characterized by increased circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins such as C‐reactive protein (CRP). Collective evidence suggests that elevated levels of inflammatory mediators such as CRP, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) are correlated with deteriorated skeletal muscle mass and function, though the molecular footprint of this observation in the aged human skeletal muscle remains obscure. Based on animal models showing impaired protein synthesis and enhanced degradation in response to LGSI, we compared here the response of proteolysis‐ and protein synthesis‐related signaling proteins as well as the satellite cell and amino acid transporter protein content between healthy older adults with increased versus physiological blood hs‐CRP levels in the fasted (basal) state and after an anabolic stimulus comprised of acute resistance exercise (RE) and protein feeding. Our main findings indicate that older adults with increased hs‐CRP levels demonstrate (i) increased proteasome activity, accompanied by increased protein carbonylation and IKKα/β phosphorylation; (ii) reduced Pax7+ satellite cells; (iii) increased insulin resistance, at the basal state; and (iv) impaired S6 ribosomal protein phosphorylation accompanied by hyperinsulinemia following an acute RE bout combined with protein ingestion. Collectively, these data provide support to the concept that age‐related chronic LGSI may upregulate proteasome activity via induction of the NF‐κB signaling and protein oxidation and impair the insulin‐dependent anabolic potential of human skeletal muscle.
Factors Associated with the 4-Year Estimated Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Sex in Korean Adults: Secondary Data Analysis
Authors: Kim KyungAe , Bang MiRan
Published: December 2021

It is important to prevent the increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) worldwide by efficiently managing its controllable risk factors. This study aimed to identify factors associated with the 4-year estimated incidence of type 2 DM (T2DM) by sex and provide basic data for a sex-specific strategic approach to lifestyle modification. We performed a secondary data analysis using raw data from the seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2016–2018). The KNHANES is a descriptive correlational survey designed to examine sex differences in the factors associated with the 4-year estimated incidence of T2DM. This study included 9,614 Korean adults (4,134 men and 5,480 women) aged 40–69 years without a diagnosis of T2DM. For the statistical analysis, a complex sample analysis was performed for sex comparison using the χ2-test or one-way analysis of variance; a multiple regression analysis was performed to analyze the sex-specific influencing variables of 4-year estimated T2DM incidence. The waist-to-height ratio, an indicator of central obesity in adults, showed the strongest association with the 4-year estimated incidence of T2DM in both groups (male: β = 0.33,

p
≤
0.001

; female: β = 0.38,

p
≤
0.001

). The influencing variables were the monthly drinking rate (β = 0.07,

p
≤
0.001

) and sleep time (β = −0.03,

p
<
0.05

) in men and the sedentary time in women (β = 0.03,

p
<
0.05

). The overall explanatory power of these variables was 11.3% for men and 14.3% for women. Thus, significant sex differences were found in the 4-year estimated incidence of T2DM. Therefore, intervention programs need to be sex-specific to enhance the efficacy of the interventions in reducing the incidence of T2DM, and such intervention programs should be administered with a strategic approach differentiated by sex.
[Retracted] Detection and Analysis of Perfusion Pressure through Measuring Oxygen Saturation and Requirement of Dural Incision Decompression after Laminectomy
Authors: Alshorman Jamal , Wang Yulong , Huang Guixiong , Serebour Tracy Boakye , Guo Xiaodong
Published: December 2021

Background. Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) can continue and transform long after the time of initial injury. Preventing secondary injury after SCI is one of the most significant challenges, and early intervention to return the blood flow at the injury site can minimize the likelihood of secondary injury. Objective. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether laminectomy can achieve the spinal cord blood flow by measuring the spinal blood oxygen saturation intraoperatively without the presence of light. Methods. Between June and August 2021, eight patients were admitted after traumatic spinal cord injury for surgical treatment. We explored the effectiveness of laminectomy and whether the patients required further procedures or not. We used a brain oxygen saturation monitor at the spine injury site under dark conditions. Results. Eight cervical trauma patients, six males and two females, underwent laminectomy decompression. Three patients’ ASIA grade improved by one level, and one patient showed slight motor‐sensory improvement. Oxygen saturation was in the normal range. Conclusion. Performing bony decompression can show good results. Therefore, finding an examination method to confirm the improvement of blood perfusion by measuring oxygen saturation at the injury site after laminectomy is essential to avoid other complications.
Competitive Strategy of Firms’ Participation in the Global Value Chains and Labor Income Share
Authors: Sun Zhaoji , Tang Danling , Li Qing
Published: December 2021

The division of labor in the global value chain (GVC) has reshaped the competitive advantage of enterprises participating in the international market and has a significant influence on the distribution of their factor income. Based on the perspective of market choice, this paper uses China’s industrial enterprises’ data, Customs Statistical Data on Import and Export, Word Input and Output Database (WIOD), and BACI database from 2000 to 2007 to analyze the effect of competitive strategy of a firm’s GVC participation on its labor income share. Herein, the competition strategy is depicted by the quality and price of export goods. The empirical results show the following. (1) Quality competition has a larger effect on labor income share than price competition. High‐quality and high‐price or high‐quality and low‐price strategies tend to have a significant negative effect on labor income share, while low‐quality and low‐price and low‐quality and high‐price strategies have a positive effect. (2) The higher the target market GVC status, the lower the labor income share of exporting firms, and the target market GVC status amplifies that the high‐quality and high‐price strategies on firms’ labor income share the negative effect of high‐quality and low‐price strategies on exporters’ labor income share. (3) High‐quality and low‐price strategies have a significant negative effect on exporters’ labor income share when competing with developing countries in developed country markets or with developed countries in developing country markets. However, the positive effect of low‐quality and low‐price strategies and low‐quality and high‐price strategies kept unchanged. The findings remain robust after controlling for endogeneity and accounting for the effects of firm heterogeneity, indicator measurement, and sample variation.
Radio Labelings of Lexicographic Product of Some Graphs
Authors: Aasi Muhammad Shahbaz , Asif Muhammad , Iqbal Tanveer , Ibrahim Muhammad
Published: December 2021

Labeling of graphs has defined many variations in the literature, e.g., graceful, harmonious, and radio labeling. Secrecy of data in data sciences and in information technology is very necessary as well as the accuracy of data transmission and different channel assignments is maintained. It enhances the graph terminologies for the computer programs. In this paper, we will discuss multidistance radio labeling used for channel assignment problems over wireless communication. A radio labeling is a one-to-one mapping

℘
:
V

G

⟶

ℤ

+

satisfying the condition

|
℘

μ

−
℘

μ

′

|
≥
diam

G

+
1
−
d

μ
,

μ

′

:
μ
,

μ

′

∈
V

G

for any pair of vertices

μ
,

μ

′

in

G

. The span of labeling

℘

is the largest number that

℘

assigns to a vertex of a graph. Radio number of

G

, denoted by

r
n

G

, is the minimum span taken over all radio labelings of

G

. In this article, we will find relations for radio number and radio mean number of a lexicographic product for certain families of graphs.
Inferences for Generalized Pareto Distribution Based on Progressive First‐Failure Censoring Scheme
Authors: El-Sagheer Rashad M. , Jawa Taghreed M. , Sayed-Ahmed Neveen
Published: December 2021

In this article, we consider estimation of the parameters of a generalized Pareto distribution and some lifetime indices such as those relating to reliability and hazard rate functions when the failure data are progressive first‐failure censored. Both classical and Bayesian techniques are obtained. In the Bayesian framework, the point estimations of unknown parameters under both symmetric and asymmetric loss functions are discussed, after having been estimated using the conjugate gamma and discrete priors for the shape and scale parameters, respectively. In addition, both exact and approximate confidence intervals as well as the exact confidence region for the estimators are constructed. A practical example using a simulated data set is analyzed. Finally, the performance of Bayes estimates is compared with that of maximum likelihood estimates through a Monte Carlo simulation study.
A Semianalytic Method for Vibration Analysis of a Sandwich FGP Doubly Curved Shell with Arbitrary Boundary Conditions
Authors: Zhang Zhongyu , Gu Jiayang , Ding Jianjun , Tao Yanwu
Published: December 2021

Due to the excellent mechanical properties of doubly curved structure and functionally graded porous (FGP) material, the study of their vibration characteristics has attracted wide attention. The main aim of this research is to establish a formulation for free and forced vibration analysis of a new Sandwich FGP doubly curved structure. Four models of Sandwich materials are considered. The potential energy and kinetic energy functions are obtained on the foundation of the first‐order shear deformation theory (FSDT). The idea of domain energy decomposition is applied to the theoretical modeling, where the structure is segmented along the generatrix direction. The continuity conditions for the interfaces between adjacent segments are balanced by the weighted parameters. For each segment, the displacement functions are selected as the Jacobi orthogonal polynomials and trigonometric series. The boundary conditions of the structure are obtained by the boundary spring simulation technique. The solution is obtained by the variational operation of the structural functional. The convergence performance and correctness of the theoretical model are examined by several numerical examples. Finally, some novel results are given, where free and forced vibration characteristics of Sandwich FGP doubly curved structures are examined in detail.
Identification of the Resveratrol Potential Targets in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis
Authors: Zhou Meng , Wang Dacheng , Tang Jing
Published: December 2021

Objectives. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint degenerative disease and has become an important health problem for the elderly. However, there is still a lack of effective drugs for the treatment of OA. Our research combines bioinformatics and experimental strategies to determine the target of resveratrol for OA treatment. Methods. First, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of OA joint tissues were obtained from the related microarray gene expression data. Second, resveratrol, a natural polyphenol compound, was used to screen the drug treatment target genes. Third, the drug-disease network was established, and the resveratrol target genes for OA treatment were obtained and verified through experimental verification. Results. A total of 300 differentially expressed genes with 246 upregulated and 54 downregulated were found in OA joint tissues, and 310 resveratrol potential target genes were obtained. Finally, six genes, namely, CXCL1, HIF1A, IL-6, MMP3, NOX4, and PTGS2, were selected to validate the treatment effects of the resveratrol. The results showed that all six genes in human OA chondrocytes were significantly increased. In addition, in these chondrocytes, CXCL1, HIF1A, IL-6, MMP3, NOX4, and PTGS2 were reduced considerably, but HIF1A was significantly increased after resveratrol treatment. Conclusions. Our data indicates that CXCL1, HIF1A, IL-6, MMP3, NOX4, and PTGS2 are all targets of resveratrol therapy. Our findings may provide valuable information for the mechanism and therapeutic of OA.
Real-World Assessment: Clinical Effectiveness and Safety of Extended-Release Calcifediol
Authors: Fadda George , Germain Michael J. , Broumand Varshasb , Nguyen Andy , McGarvey November , Gitlin Matthew , Bishop Charles W. , Ashfaq Akhtar
Published: December 2021

Introduction: The safety and efficacy of extended-release calcifediol (ERC) as a treatment for secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in adults with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and vitamin D insufficiency (VDI) has been demonstrated in prospective randomized clinical trials (RCTs). ERC (Rayaldee®) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2016 on the basis of these prospective RCTs. The current retrospective study assessed the postlaunch data available with respect to ERC’s efficacy and safety in increasing serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D) and reducing parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the indicated population. Materials and Methods: Medical records of 174 patients who met study criteria from 15 geographically representative United States nephrology clinics were reviewed for 1 year before and after initiation of ERC treatment. Enrolled subjects had ages ≥18 years, stage 3 or 4 CKD, and a history of SHPT and VDI. Key study variables included patient demographics, medication usage, and laboratory results, including serial 25D and PTH determinations. Results: The enrolled subjects had a mean age of 69.0 years, gender and racial distributions representative of the indicated population, and were balanced for CKD stage. Most (98%) received 30 mcg of ERC/day during the course of treatment (mean follow-up: 24 weeks). Baseline 25D and PTH levels averaged 20.3 ± 0.7 (standard error) ng/mL and 181 ± 7.4 pg/mL, respectively. ERC treatment raised 25D by 23.7 ± 1.6 ng/mL (p < 0.001) and decreased PTH by 34.1 ± 6.6 pg/mL (p < 0.001) with nominal changes of 0.1 mg/dL (p > 0.05) in serum calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels. Discussion/Conclusion: Analysis of postlaunch data confirmed ERC’s effectiveness in increasing serum 25D and reducing PTH levels without statistically significant or notable impact on serum Ca and P levels. A significant percentage of these subjects achieved 25D levels ≥30 mg/mL and PTH levels which decreased by at least 30% from baseline. Dose titration to 60 mcgs was rarely prescribed. Closer patient monitoring and appropriate dose titration may have led to a higher percentage of subjects achieving an increase in 25D levels to at least 50 ng/mL and a reduction in PTH levels of at least 30%.
Comparing the Accuracy of ABCD-10 and SCORTEN in Predicting the In-Hospital Mortality of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Multi-Institutional Study from Central China
Authors: Suo Huinan , Jiang Biling , Sun Xiaoyan , Dong Jing , Alamgir Mahin , Guan Xin , Su Hua , Liu Yan , Xia Yuting , Zhou Nuoya , Feng Aiping , Tao Juan
Published: December 2021

Background: The newly described ABCD-10 (age, bicarbonate, cancer, dialysis, 10% body surface area [BSA]) is a 5-item mortality prediction model for patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). It was developed in the United States, has at present been externally tested only in the United States, Spain, and Singapore, and remains to be validated in resource-restricted settings. We sought to compare the accuracy of ABCD-10 and Score of Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SCORTEN) in predicting in-hospital mortality in a cohort from central China. Due to disease progression affecting the accuracy of the prediction model during hospitalization, for example, higher predictive accuracy of SCORTEN based on parameters collected on day 3 of hospitalization, we also assessed the overall predictive value of ABCD-10 on days 1 and 3, respectively. Methods: A retrospective study was performed over a 10-year period (2010–2020) from 3 medical institutions in Wuhan. The performance of predictive models was assessed by both discrimination and calibration. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves, Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit tests and calibration plots were used to evaluate the model discrimination and calibration. Results: Of 84 included patients, 11 (13.1%) did not survive. The discrimination power of ABCD-10 was not significantly different from that of SCORTEN (area under the curve: day 1, p > 0.05; day 3, p > 0.05). Although the calibration of ABCD-10 was good, it was inferior to SCORTEN as it underestimated total mortality (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test: day 1, p = 0.17 vs. p = 0.63; day 3, p = 0.35 vs. p = 0.93). Besides, the performance of ABCD-10 was slightly better on day 3 relative to day 1. During hospitalization, bacteremia developed in 21 (25.0%) patients, which was associated with a higher risk of death in our cohort (odds ratio, 22.88; 95% CI, 4.38–119.40; p < 0.001). Conclusion: ABCD-10 showed acceptable overall performance, but revealed mortality underestimation and was inferior to the performance of SCORTEN. In consistence with SCORTEN, ABCD-10 was a better model when using values collected at day 3 of hospitalization relative to day 1.
PD-1 Blockade Elicits Ongoing Remission in Two Cases of Refractory Microsatellite-Stable Cancer Harboring a POLE Mutation
Authors: Schenck Kristina , Masetti Michael , Pfarr Nicole , Lorenzen Sylvie
Published: December 2021

Introduction: In the last decade, immune-checkpoint therapy has led to a break-through in the treatment of cancer across all entities, while molecular markers have grown in importance for the choice of the appropriate chemotherapeutic agents. Accordingly, in 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor pembrolizumab, a tissue agnostic cancer drug, for the treatment of cancer that displays microsatellite instability, regardless of histological entity and site of origin. However, a growing number of studies report that cases of microsatellite-stable (MSS) tumors harboring a DNA polymerase ε (POLE) mutation, a gene associated with proofreading deficiency, leading to an increased tumor mutational burden, likewise benefit from immune-checkpoint therapy. Case Report: Here, we present 2 cases – one advanced adenocarcinoma of the ileum and one mixed neuroendocrine non-neuroendocrine neoplasm, both MSS and carrying a POLE mutation – that were refractory to initial chemotherapy but responded on immunotherapy with pembrolizumab. Conclusion: Colorectal cancer is a clinically and molecularly heterogenic disease which requires comprehensive genetic testing to screen for rare genetic alterations like POLE mutations to detect tumors harboring an ultramutator phenotype, especially in patients that are refractory to standard chemotherapy.
Epigenomic Changes after Acupuncture Treatment in Patients Suffering from Burnout
Authors: Petitpierre Marc , Stenz Ludwig , Paoloni-Giacobino Ariane
Published: December 2021

Introduction: The effects of acupuncture treatment in patients suffering from burnout may imply an epigenetic control mediated by DNA methylation changes. In this observational study, a genome-wide characterization of epigenetic changes in blood DNA, before and after acupuncture treatment, was performed in a cohort of 11 patients suffering from burnout. Methods: Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and DNA was extracted from blood samples and analyzed by Illumina EPIC BeadChip. Results: Before acupuncture, all patients suffered of emotional exhaustion (EE) (MBI-EE score, 44 ± 6), 81% suffered of depersonalization (DP) (MBI-DP score, 16 ± 6), and 72% of low feelings of personal accomplishment (PA) (MBI-PA score, 29 ± 9). After acupuncture, all MBI dimensions improved significantly (EE, 16 ± 11 [p = 1.5 × 10–4]; DP, 4 ± 5 [p = 5.3 × 10–4]; and PA, 40 ± 6 [p = 4.1 × 10–3]). For each patient, both methylomes obtained before and after acupuncture co-clustered in the multidimensional scaling plot, indicating a high level of similarity. Genes corresponding to the 10 most differentially methylated CpGs showed enrichment in the brain dopaminergic signaling, steroid synthesis and in the insulin sensitivity pathways. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment was found to be highly effective on all burnout dimensions and the epigenetic targets identified were involved in some major disturbances of this syndrome.
Parentalidad y su efecto en la autodeterminación y el bienestar adolescente
Authors: Cordero-López María Begoña , Calventus-Salvador Joan
Published: December 2021

(analítico)El objetivo del estudio fue conocer los efectos de la parentalidad en la autodeterminación y en la calidad de vida de los adolescentes. Participaron 544 adolescentes escolarizados (55 % mujeres), entre los 13 y 18 años. Se analizó el efecto de la parentalidad en la autodeterminación de los adolescentes y en el bienestar subjetivo y psicológico con análisis de mediación. Se obtienen cuatro modelos significativos. Se utilizó el contraste de medidores de idoneidad. Se acepta la hipótesis de relación causal y explicativa de la parentalidad en la autodeterminación y el efecto en el bienestar subjetivo y el bienestar psicológico. Se concluye que la parentalidad incide significativamente en la autonomía y competencia en la adolescencia; sin embargo, la relación de autodeterminación genera un escaso aporte en el bienestar.
Palabras clave: Parentalidad, adolescencia, autodeterminación, bienestar subjetivo, bienestar psicológico.
Effects of a Low‐Salt and High‐Potassium Diet on Arterial Stiffness and Left Ventricular Function in Indigenous Papuans
Authors: Ishida Akio , Isotani Akihiro , Fujisawa Michiko , del Saz Eva Garcia , Okumiya Kiyohito , Kimura Yumi , Manuaba Indrajaya Ida Bagus , Rantetampang Andreas Lallo , Ohya Yusuke , Matsubayashi Kozo
Published: December 2021

Background

A sodium‐restricted diet represents a potential non‐pharmacological strategy for improving blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. We investigated age‐related differences in LV structure and function and the relationship between LV function and central hemodynamics in an indigenous Papuan population, who maintain a traditional lifestyle, including a low‐salt and high‐potassium diet.

Methods and Results

We measured LV dimensions, transmitral blood flow, and mitral annular tissue velocities through echocardiography and Doppler imaging. Blood pressure and brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity were measured using an automatic device (Omron). Central blood pressure and wave reflection parameters were estimated via oscillometry (Mobil‐O‐Graph, using European calibrations). A total of 82 native Papuans (median age, 42 years; 38 women; no blood pressure treatment) were enrolled. Age‐related difference in brachial systolic pressure was modest but significant, and brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity significantly increased with age; however, LV mass index remained unchanged. LV ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain were preserved; mitral A‐wave velocity and average E/e´ increased; and e´ and E/A decreased with age. Brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity and spot urine Na/K were positively and independently correlated with E/e´. Age and heart rate were inversely associated with E/A. In conclusion, LV systolic function was preserved; however, LV diastolic function decreased with age in Papuans. Moreover, age‐related arterial stiffening, but not wave reflections, was inversely related to LV diastolic function.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that arterial and LV stiffness may not be altered by sodium restriction. Longitudinal studies are warranted to elucidate the effects of diet on arterial and LV function.
Complexity in Instructed Heritage Language Acquisition
Authors: Torres Julio
Published: December 2021

In this article, I reflect on the role of linguistic complexity in instructed heritage language (HL) acquisition by specifically examining morphosyntactic linguistic complexity as it relates to factors such as transparency, saliency, and communicative value. First, I critically evaluate previous proposals on linking formal HL studies to pedagogy by arguing that learning in instructed contexts is a complex task that requires research on a number of variables including linguistic complexity. Second, I summarize the lessons learned in the field of instructed second language acquisition with regard to complexity in additional language learning. Third, by reviewing an empirical study on the development of Spanish gender assignment and agreement in writing, I provide a few arguments for investigating the interplay between linguistic complexity and the prior language experience that HL learners bring into the learning environment. Informed by findings from instructed second language studies, I propose that instructed HL studies also examine how linguistic complexity is potentially interwoven with type of instruction and individual differences.
Syntactic Complexity Measures as Indices of Language Proficiency in Writing: Focus on Heritage Learners of Russian
Authors: Kisselev Olesya , Klimov Aleksandr , Kopotev Mikhail
Published: December 2021

The concept of linguistic complexity, understood broadly as a range of basic and elaborate structures available and accessible to learners as evidenced in their production of speech and writing (Ortega, 2003), has featured prominently in second language development research since the inception of the field. The field of heritage language acquisition, however, has only recently begun to engage linguistic complexity as a comprehensive lens for studying heritage language development. The current study contributes to this fledgling area of research by investigating automatically extracted measures of syntactic complexity in the written language of heritage learners of Russian at various developmental levels. The analysis of 12 measures of syntactic complexity allows us to conclude that the majority of automatically extracted indices differentiate proficiency levels of heritage speakers in the study. The study results provide important insights into the nature of heritage language development and are readily applicable for assessment and pedagogical purposes.
I Will Tell You My History: Rewriting to Revolt in the Process of al-Tārīkh al-badīl (Allohistory)
Authors: Barbaro Ada
Published: December 2021

In an epoch of revival of the historical novel, Arabic literature tries to provide its own response to the construction of al-tārīkh al-badīl, namely “alternative history” or, also, allohistory which, as a literary genre, was originally a branch of science fiction. By proposing the idea of a counter-narration, the search for historical alternatives becomes a matter of great importance and responsibility. What happens if the writer tries to construct an alternative point of view, a counter-narration in which “History” is transformed into an almost fictional story? Far from an act of betrayal, this can be interpreted as a restoration of iltizām whenever the narrative potential, or the “if” contained within the narrative, comes true. This article aims to present works where the authors wonder: “What would have happened if…?” This question opens space for literary alternatives to mainstream or official historical narratives.
It’s All Just Poetry: Writing ʿUmar ibn Abī Rabīʿah’s Life
Authors: Lawrence Jonathan
Published: December 2021

The relationship between poetry and the poet’s life is complex, and reading a poem for biographical material can become a problematic exercise that constrains a poem’s interpretative possibilities. When writing about ʿUmar ibn Abī Rabīʿah (d. 93AH/712AD or 103/721), biographers and historians have shown a marked ambivalence in this regard. In early anecdotal narratives about his life and romantic adventures, events appear to derive their source material from episodes found in his poetry, whereas in later biographies of the poet, the poems tend to be understood as depicting emotional and symbolic truths, even if the events described did not actually happen. In either method of writing about ʿUmar’s life, the biographer finds the poet’s life story and persona to be filled with contradictions that are difficult to resolve. The embedding of poetry into anecdotes that narrate the poet’s life (in the form of events or emotional truths) resembles the tafsīr of the Qur’an through the Prophetic sīrah, in which Qur’anic verses are explained through the cementing of the text’s open-ended hermeneutic possibilities into fixed events and contexts. This article examines this relationship as a textual practice evolving through different biographies of the poet, and argues that the relationship points to a way of reading that presupposes a measure of extra-textual reality in the text, even where such a presupposition constructs an impossible biographical narrative replete with contradictions.
How to Represent the Silent Environment? An Update on Germany’s Struggle to Implement Article 9 (3) of the Aarhus Convention
Authors: Ohler Amelie , Peeters Marjan , Eliantonio Mariolina
Published: December 2021

With Germany’s signature to the Aarhus Convention in 1998, the country committed to strengthening the legal position of environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (eNGOs). Since, traditionally, in Germany, “public interest litigation” was legally impossible, the country had to consider fundamental changes to its system of judicial review. More than 20 years later, the German implementation of Article 9(3) of the Aarhus Convention (ac) has seen several amendments, but is still cause for controversy. Despite Germany’s prolonged efforts to adapt its legislation, there are, currently, two admitted complaints concerning Germany’s system of legal standing of eNGOs waiting for a (final) decision by the ac Compliance Committee, while several cjeu judgments have clarified the much-needed interpretation of Article 9(3) ac particularly also in view of the notion of effective judicial protection. These developments, together with scholarly criticism, indicate a need for further legal change in the German approach.
New Data on Plant Use in the Eastern Sahara: The Macro-Remain Assemblage from Sheikh el-Obeiyid Villages and Bir el-Obeiyid Playa, Farafra Oasis, Egyptian Western Desert
Authors: Attia Elshafaey Abdellatif Elshafaey , Malleson Claire , Fahmy Ahmed G. , Lucarini Giulio
Published: December 2021

This article discusses archaeobotanical evidence from two Sheikh el-Obeiyid villages and the Bir el-Obeiyid playa, which are located along the course of the Wadi el-Obeiyid and on the top and escarpment of the Northern Plateau, at the northern edge of the Farafra Oasis, Egypt. The villages and playa are both part of a settlement system which developed from the top of the plateau, through its various erosion surfaces, down to the bottom of the wadi. The villages in particular can be considered as seasonal base camps, populated by semi-sedentary groups who engaged in intensive exploitation of the resources available in the surrounding environment during the early and mid-Holocene. These sites can be compared to the better-known Hidden Valley village site located only 20 km to the east, the remains from which were analysed during the early 2000s by Ahmed G. Fahmy. At all the sites investigated to date in Farafra there is clear evidence for gathering and use of sorghum and other species of small-seeded wild grasses, fitting the emerging patterns of intense wild grass exploitation in attractive ecological zones for the eastern Sahara during the 9th–6th millennia BP.
Bibliographical Scrupulousness and Philological Zeal: Conrad Gessner Working on the editio princeps of ‘Ad se ipsum’
Authors: Sergeev Mikhail
Published: December 2021

The article concerns the history of the first edition of Greek text of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations (1559), printed together with its Latin translation and commentary by Wilhelm Xylander. The Zurich philologist and naturalist Conrad Gessner documented it meticulously from its earliest steps in his Neo-Latin bibliographic handbooks, as well as other printed works and letters, meanwhile contributing somehow to its realization. The controversial issue of Gessner’s and Xylander’s role in the establishing of the text of editio princeps, and thus its attribution, is discussed in detail. The other question under consideration is how Gessner imagined the interaction of humanist philology and bibliography, which had to direct literary history in the age of printed word. Taking into account this particular case of Gessner’s bibliographic and philological inquiry, the author attempts to consider his Bibliotheca universalis not only as seminal compilative and critical work, but also as important means of communication and (self-)stimulation.
The Augment in the Fragments of the Epic Cycle and Other Fragmentary Greek Epic
Authors: De Decker Filip
Published: December 2021

I discuss the use of the augment in fragmentary hexametric Greek texts outside of early epic Greek (Homer, Hesiod, and the Homeric Hymns) and the mock-epic works (such as the Batrakhomyomakhia). I quote them after West 2003 but also analyze fragments that are not found in West. I determine the metrically secure forms, discuss previous scholarship on the meaning of the augment in epic Greek, and then proceed to the actual analysis. For my investigation, I divide the fragments in three categories: first, those that can be analyzed; second, those that have fewer forms and that allow for an analysis but require more caution than those of the first category; and third, the ones that have no or not enough metrically secure forms but are still intellegible. The starting point for my investigation is that the augment had near-deictic/visual-evidential meaning and that it was used in focused and highlighted passages as well as to emphasize new information. This is confirmed by the fragments, but as was the case in the larger epic corpus, there are exceptions to the rules in the Cycle as well.
Kindergarteners building a library of their own
Authors: Drivenes Moore Hilde Terese , Trysnes Irene
Published: December 2021

This study investigates how children can develop information literacy (IL) skills even before they learn how to read and write. In the project we used a combination of participatory observation and action research-inspired trialling of digital tools. Kindergarteners were given iPads and access to the app Book Creator to create their own digital stories. The electronic books were gathered and made available to the other children in the class, making a custom local digital library for the kindergarten. This article suggests a new way of considering IL as an emergent literacy, or even perhaps emergent information literacy.
‘Informed’, ‘active’ and ‘engaged’? Understanding and enacting information literacy from a UK citizenship perspective
Authors: Cloudesley Simon Paul
Published: December 2021

Information literacy (IL) has been considered by Library and Information Studies (LIS) research and praxis to be vital in helping citizens be ‘informed’, ‘active’ and ‘engaged’ within society. LIS discourse has explored different conceptions of citizenship and its relationship with IL within the paradigm of liberal democratic societies. Critical IL approaches have in turn promoted a citizenship of personal agency, empowerment, challenging the status quo and the pursuit of social justice, as well as focusing on what has been termed ‘political literacy’. However, critical information literacy has also problematised some of the approaches to citizenship found in LIS discourse. Despite the complexity of the subject, empirical study into these issues is still severely lacking. This research moves to start addressing this need by investigating how IL is understood and enacted from the perspective of UK citizenship. Using a qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews with five UK citizens based in Oxford, UK, in the summer of 2019, it set out to establish the relationship between IL and citizenship in a personal context. It was found to be understood and enacted through the development of socially-constructed personal citizenship information landscapes, oriented to a personal sense of citizenship, agency, motivation and empowerment. These personal landscapes challenge some of the established IL paradigms of ‘informed’, ‘active’ and ‘engaged’ citizens, as well as related concepts of information ‘wealth’ and ‘poverty’. They also raise questions of the role of personal ethics in decision making as citizens and potential tensions with ‘acceptable’ norms. These findings help to further problematise the dynamic between IL and citizenship, and challenge LIS research and praxis not just to promote specific values and goals, but also to work towards a greater understanding of the personal contexts shaping that dynamic.
(Mis)information, information literacy, and democracy
Authors: Lupien Pascal , Rourke Lorna
Published: December 2021

The current political climate is characterized by an alarming pattern of global democratic regression driven by authoritarian populist leaders who deploy vast misinformation campaigns. These offensives are successful when the majority of the population lack skills that would allow them to think critically about information in the political sphere, to identify misinformation, and therefore to fully exercise democratic citizenship. Political science has theorized the link between information and power and information professionals understand the cognitive decision-making process involved in processing information, but these two literatures rarely intersect. This paper interrogates the links between information literacy (IL) and the rise of authoritarian populism in order to advance the development of a new transtheoretical model that links political science (which studies power), information science, and critical pedagogy to suggest new paths for teaching and research. We call for a collaborative research and teaching agenda, grounded in a holistic understanding of information as power, that will contribute to achieving a more informed citizenship and promoting a more inclusive democracy.
The implementation and embedding of digital skills and digital literacy into the curriculum considering the Covid-19 pandemic and the new SQE
Authors: Carl Matthew , Worsfold Louise
Published: December 2021

This paper focuses on the introduction of a new model of digital teaching and resource provision for the University of Law (ULaw) Library Service, during the Covid-19 pandemic. It details the processes and steps we took to achieve the three core aims of: a new mode of online skills delivery, the creation of self-directed, independent learners in the various student cohorts at the university and the creation of a flexible self-assessment platform to provide an incremental learning journey for both students and staff. This paper also highlights some of the challenges and difficulties we faced, arising from a project of this size and nature.
Step Up to Masters
Authors: Liu Jiani , Pullinger Daniel John
Published: December 2021

The article in question introduces research conducted by the Learning Development Team at the University of Leeds on the academic literacy skills development needs and expectations of taught postgraduate students, and the subsequent creation of an innovative new online resource, Step Up to Masters. As well as focusing on key topics highlighted by the research, the resource encourages students to reflect on their individual development priorities and to select the most relevant support options for their successful transition to taught postgraduate (PGT) study. The rationale behind this reflect and select approach has been informed by a synthesis of (a) the outcomes of key studies on the diverse needs and challenges faced by PGT students when making the transition to Masters study, and (b) the team’s own research findings on PGT students’ academic development priorities and preferences. Step Up to Masters received the Digital Award for Information Literacy 2020, and was central to the online PGT induction programme initiated at Leeds for 2020/21 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Self-Organizing Maps for the Classification of Spatial and Temporal Variability of Tornado-Favorable Parameters
Authors: Hua Zhanxiang , Anderson-Frey Alexandra K.
Published: December 2021

A nuanced analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution of supercell tornadoes and the characteristics of the near-storm environments associated with those tornadoes is critical to improving our understanding of the range of environments that can be considered tornado favorable. This work classifies both supercell tornado probabilities and their associated environmental parameters on hourly and daily time scales based on geographical regions: regional probability of tornado events and the probability of deviation above or below the median tornadic near-storm environmental parameter values are estimated by kernel density estimation and classified by self-organizing maps (SOMs). The SOM classification for tornado probability allows for further examination of the deviation of the environmental parameters from the median for each probability cluster. Regions that have similar tornado probabilities but differ in the deviation of the environmental parameters (“parameter anomalies”) are also highlighted using SOMs. The anomaly patterns for different regions and parameters generally evolve along either seasonal or diurnal scales, but rarely both, highlighting the need for flexible models of tornado potential based on the near-storm environment. The spatial and temporal variability of parameter anomalies add complexity to traditional forecasting approaches that depend upon a fixed set of environmental parameter thresholds. This work highlights the need to develop region-specific and potentially time-specific environmental baseline evaluation to improve forecast and warning skill.
The Dark Side of Interpersonal Touch: Physical Contact Leads to More Non-compliance With Preventive Measures to COVID-19
Authors: Li Heng , Cao Yu
Published: December 2021

Following preventive measures is crucial for slowing the rate of COVID-19 spread. To date, most research has focused on the role of individual differences and personality in compliance with preventive measures to COVID-19. Building on findings that interpersonal touch instills a feeling of security, we propose that interpersonal touching behavior, an underexplored factor tied to social interaction, leads to more breaches of coronavirus restrictions by inducing security feelings. In a lab experiment (Experiment 1) and a field study (Experiment 2), we demonstrated that a female experimenter’s fleeting and comforting pat on the shoulder made people less willing to abide by preventive measures in their self-report and actual behavior. Further, we excluded a potential alternative explanation that touch intervention by the experimenter presents the defiance of COVID-19 rules because the effect cannot be observed when the touch consists of a handshake rather than a comforting pat on the shoulder (Experiment 3). Finally, consistent with our theoretical perspective, the results revealed that sense of security mediated the effect of interpersonal touch on violation of instructions to follow coronavirus precautions. Taken together, interpersonal touch not only enhances trust and security, but also can push people away from health guidelines.
Prevalence of Tympanic Membrane Perforations Among Adolescents, Adults, and Older Adults in the United States
Authors: Kim Alexander S. , Betz Joshua F. , Reed Nicholas S. , Ward Bryan K. , Nieman Carrie L.
Published: December 2021

Tympanic membrane (TM) perforations can occur at any age, but limited population‐level data are available. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we performed a cross‐sectional analysis of the prevalence and population estimates for TM perforations among individuals ≥12 years old in the United States. Overall, TM perforations have a prevalence of 2.1% (95% CI, 1.7%‐2.6%), corresponding to 5.8 million Americans. Across the life course, older adults have the highest prevalence of TM perforations at 6.1% (95% CI, 4.7%‐7.6%), corresponding to nearly 3 million Americans, as opposed to a prevalence of 0.6% (95% CI, 0.3%‐0.9%) in adolescents, which equates to 0.2 million Americans. Males and females have a similar prevalence at 2.3% (95% CI, 1.6%‐3.0%) among males and 2.0% (95% CI, 1.4%‐2.6%) among females. These prevalence and population estimates provide the first US‐based population estimates of the burden of TM perforations over the life course.
Impact of Tonsillectomy on the Life Quality of Parents to Children With Obstructive Sleep‐Disordered Breathing
Authors: Shteinberg Yair Heskiau , Eisenbach Netanel , Gruber Maayan , Ronen Ohad
Published: December 2021

Objective

Parents of children with any chronic illness may experience increased anxiety and reduced health‐related quality of life (QoL). Our objective was to evaluate the change in parental QoL before vs after tonsillectomy. Our hypothesis was that pediatric tonsil surgery with or without adenoidectomy would improve parental QoL.

Study Design

A prospective cohort study.

Setting

An otolaryngology department in a tertiary academic center.

Methods

We enrolled parents of 79 children <5 years old. Adenotonsillectomy due to an obstructive airway indication was performed in 45 children. A group of 34 parents to healthy children served as a control group. Initially, we validated a modified version of the PAR‐ENT‐QoL questionnaire; then, we analyzed QoL parameters among parents of children with obstructive sleep‐disordered breathing before and after surgical treatment.

Results

We found significant differences between the QoL score before and after surgery (P =. 003). The QoL score after surgery significantly improved and was even lower than that of the control group (P <. 001).

Conclusions

These results highlight the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment of children with obstructive sleep‐disordered breathing, as this condition may affect not only the children themselves but also their caregivers.