bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Infinitesimal Deformations of ECD Fields
Authors: Canarutto Daniel
Published: December 2020

The standard notion of Lie derivative is extended in order to include Lie derivatives of spinors, soldering forms, spinor connections and spacetime connections. These extensions are all linked together, and provide a natural framework for discussing infinitesimal deformations of Einstein-Cartan-Dirac fields in the tetrad-affine setting.
Basic Notions in Particle Physics
Authors: Canarutto Daniel
Published: December 2020

The basic ideas of particle physics are reviewed, in the detector context, by exploiting several notions introduced in previous chapters. Quantum pictures are regarded as related to parallel transport along the detector with respect to a free-particle connection and a modification obtained by adding a quantum interaction morphism. The quantum interaction is seen to arise by merging the classical interaction with a quantum ‘ingredient’ constituted by a special generalised semi-density on particle momenta.
Scattering Matrix Computations
Authors: Canarutto Daniel
Published: December 2020

The basic thechniques for the computations of scattering amplitudes are illustrated within the context exposed in the previous chapter. In particular, the appearence of propagators is demonstrated.
Quantum Electrodynamics
Authors: Canarutto Daniel
Published: December 2020

Free states for electrons, positron and photons are studied. The notions developed in the previous chapter are then applied to this more intricate situation. The ensuing computations yield propagators for the involved particles.
The Fugitive and the Forum
Authors: Ganeri Jonardon
Published: December 2020

I, the one that is me, am the one who is at the centre of all this. In his discussions of the multiplicity of I, Pessoa has shown, though, that this state is not a stable one, that the one that I am is not static and single but, with each new heteronym assumed, another I becomes me. Pessoa describes the phenomenology in one of his most famous, and most autobiographical, poems—the poem he calls his ‘Autopsychography’. The phenomenology is that of the fugitive. The fugitive is the one who, in sustaining a multiplicity of heteronymic identities, feels nothing but estrangement, an emptiness of personality. Estrangement consists not in disidentification with any of the heteronyms but rather in merely contingent identification with each and every one. Jorge Luis Borges provides a fine depiction of fugitive phenomenology in his story Everything and Nothing. The phenomenology of the fugitive is that of introspective attention, an impartial analysis of the multiplicity of the inner lives which are one’s own. The subject position as such is rightly conceptualized as a meeting place, a forum, for them all.
Landscapes of Presence
Authors: Ganeri Jonardon
Published: December 2020

Pessoa provides a rich set of descriptions of the all-inclusive psychological field and its structure. The metaphor that seems to recur most frequently is that of a landscape: ‘Eternal tourists of ourselves, there is no landscape but what we are.’ We have already introduced the idea that experience embeds an implicit ‘for-me’ grammatical place, that is to say that there is a dative of manifestation, a way in which experience presents itself as for-me. Evidently this is what makes a landscape of experience mine. What, though, actually is for-me-ness, the subjective character of experience, the subjective dimension? Marie Guillot states that ‘everyone agrees that subjective character has to do with the fact that the existence of an experience resonates in a particular way with the subject in whom it occurs’. My proposal is to analyse a Pessoan ‘way of feeling’ as a subject-invariant mode of consciousness, a mode of consciousness that is comparatively invariant within and across the experiential life of a given subject, but which varies from one subject to the next.
Why Frege’s Apparently Absurd View Is not Absurd at All
Authors: Weiner Joan
Published: December 2020

This chapter is largely an examination of the significance one of Frege’s views has for contemporary thought. The view, which was labeled the “apparently absurd view” in Chapter 6, is that (1) it is appropriate to give definitions of terms already in use that are, in part, stipulative and (2) it is appropriate to take sentences in which such terms appear as, already (pre-definition), having truth-values. It is argued that, although this view may seem absurd, it is perfectly in line with some scientific practices, in particular unexceptionable practices routinely used in epidemiology. If we follow Hilary Putnam’s view about the significance of our deference to experts, we should accept Frege’s apparently absurd view as not absurd in the least. Moreover, what we see on examination of this view are reasons for rejecting a number of contemporary views about vague language, including those of Field, Fine, Fodor and Lepore, and Williamson.
The essence of  ‘word’
Authors: Aikhenvald Alexandra Y. , Dixon R. M. W. , White Nathan M.
Published: December 2020

This chapter offers general background for the analysis of ‘phonological word’ and ‘grammatical word’ in a cross-linguistic perspective. It outlines the defining characteristics of phonological word (including segmental and suprasegmental features and phonological processes), formulates restrictions on the length of a minimal word, and places ‘word’ within a hierarchy of phonological units. Defining features of grammatical word are outlined next. In most instances phonological words and grammatical words coincide. In some cases a grammatical word can consist of a number of phonological words, and vice versa. Typical instances of mismatches involve reduplication, compounding, and complex predicates, including serial verbs. Clitics—morphological units which form a phonological unit with a word preceding or following them—account for further mismatches. The reality of word and the nature of its orthographic representation are discussed next. The chapter concludes with an overview of the volume, and an appendix containing points to be addressed by fieldworkers.
Fortifying Inequality
Authors: Van Harten Gus
Published: December 2020

In this chapter, foreign investor protections are introduced as a symbol and guarantor of global inequality. Backed by the most powerful adjudicative mechanism in international law, these protections benefit 255,000 people whose combined wealth exceeds that of 80 per cent of the world’s adult population, about four billion people. They lead one to ask if the one hundred companies responsible for most industrial greenhouse gas emissions, for example, are so vulnerable or helpful to others as to deserve extraordinary international protection. Commonplace arguments in favour of investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS) are surveyed and criticized. The promotional role of the ISDS industry of arbitrators, lawyers, and experts, for which ISDS has generated to billions in fees, is also highlighted, focusing on arbitrators whose pro-investor interpretations laid a foundation for the explosion of ISDS.
Functional Mechanisms
Authors: Piccinini Gualtiero
Published: December 2020

This chapter articulates a goal-contribution account of teleological functions. Teleological functions are causal roles that make a regular contribution to the goals of organisms. Goals can be biological or nonbiological. Biological goals are survival, development, reproduction, and helping. Nonbiological goals are any other goals pursued by organisms. Appropriate situations for the performance of a function are situations in which performing a function provides a regular contribution to a goal of an organism, unless there are more urgent functions to perform. Appropriate rates at which functions should be performed are rates that provide adequate contributions to the goals of an organism, unless there are more urgent functions to perform. Aside from the constraints imposed by tradeoffs between different functions, any condition that lowers the performance of a function below its adequate rate of performance in an appropriate situation results in malfunction.
Mechanistic Functionalism
Authors: Piccinini Gualtiero
Published: December 2020

The first three chapters introduced mechanisms, including functional mechanisms—that is, mechanisms that have teleological functions. This chapter introduces a mechanistic version of functionalism. Functionalism is the view that the nature of something is functional. Mechanistic functionalism embeds this claim in the functions of mechanisms and their components. Mechanistic functions are inseparable from the structures that perform them at the relevant level of organization. Weak (mechanistic) functionalism entails multiple realizability; strong (mechanistic) functionalism entails medium independence. Thus, even if medium independence is closely related to computation, (mechanistic) functionalism about cognition does not entail that cognition is computational. In addition, (mechanistic) functionalism entails neither traditional anti-reductionism nor the autonomy of the special sciences.
The First Computational Theory of Cognition
Authors: Piccinini Gualtiero
Published: December 2020

McCulloch and Pitts were the first to use and Alan Turing’s notion of computation to understand neural, and thus cognitive, activity. McCulloch and Pitts’s contributions included (i) a formalism whose refinement and generalization led to the notion of finite automata, which is an important formalism in computability theory, (ii) a technique that inspired the notion of logic design, which is a fundamental part of modern computer design, (iii) the first use of computation to address the mind–body problem, and (iv) the first modern computational theory of cognition, which posits that neurons are equivalent to logic gates and neural networks are digital circuits.
The Church–Turing Fallacy
Authors: Piccinini Gualtiero
Published: December 2020

The Church–Turing thesis (CT) says that, if a function is computable in the intuitive sense, then it is computable by Turing machines. CT has been employed in arguments for the Computational Theory of Cognition (CTC). One argument is that cognitive functions are Turing-computable because all physical processes are Turing-computable. A second argument is that cognitive functions are Turing-computable because cognitive processes are effective in the sense analyzed by Alan Turing. A third argument is that cognitive functions are Turing-computable because Turing-computable functions are the only type of function permitted by a mechanistic psychology. This chapter scrutinizes these arguments and argues that they are unsound. Although CT does not support CTC, it is not irrelevant to it. By eliminating misunderstandings about the relationship between CT and CTC, we deepen our appreciation of CTC as an empirical hypothesis.
Divine Attributes as a Topic in Analytic Theology
Authors: Rea Michael C.
Published: December 2020

Analytic theology differs from other forms of theology primarily in its methodology: its ambitions, its style, its conversation partners, and so on. This is where the most interesting differences between analytic philosophical discussions of the divine attributes and contemporary theological discussions of that topic are to be found. The main positive thesis of this chapter is that the most distinctive features of the approach to divine attributes that one finds in the analytic philosophical literature are simply instances of more general distinctives of analytic theology. The chapter focuses on some of the distinguishing features of the way in which the topic of divine attributes is approached in analytic philosophy of religion as contrasted with the way(s) in which many contemporary theologians are inclined to approach it. The end result is a clearer picture both of the nature of analytic theology in general and of the distinctive character of an analytic approach to the topic of divine attributes.
The Changing Physical Landscape of Retailing
Authors: Treadgold Alan , Reynolds Jonathan
Published: December 2020

This chapter considers the changing physical requirements that retail businesses have both today and in the future. Urbanization, technology, and regulation are identified and discussed as the major drivers of retailers’ changing space requirements, in terms of both the amount and the type of space that retail enterprises require. Overlaying these considerations are the impacts of COVID-19 on shopper behaviour and, especially, the accelerating migration of sales online and attendant remodelling needed of both individual stores and store networks. Differences between presently mature and emerging markets are discussed. Small, convenience orientated stores are identified as a format with continued strong growth prospects. By contrast, the future for the large space hypermarket format is identified as being under considerable pressure. The changing role of shopping centres and the challenges of excess space in many locations are discussed. The enduring appeal of physical shopping space for many is presented in the form of a case study of the hugely successful Bicester Village ‘Luxury Outlet Mall’ in the UK.
Bargaining Leverage and Stakeholder Perceptions
Authors: Creighton Breen , Denvir Catrina , Johnstone Richard , McCrystal Shae , Orchiston Alice
Published: December 2020

Chapter 6 examines the ways in which pre-strike ballot requirements provide bargaining leverage to unions and, to a lesser extent, employers. The chapter’s analysis of internal union processes and bargaining dynamics suggests that the pre-strike ballot process can provide unions with some benefits, or advantages, in the enterprise bargaining process. First, the process of seeking permission to run a ballot, and the conduct of a subsequent ballot, can increase leverage by escalating the ‘threat’ of industrial action without necessarily having to take the approved action. Second, the pre-strike ballot process can benefit unions by providing an opportunity to engage existing members in the bargaining campaign, and/or recruit new members. There can, however, be adverse consequences for unions—an unsuccessful ballot outcome can severely compromise the union’s credibility; provide evidence of a weak bargaining position; significantly reduce the likelihood of industrial action occurring; favour the employer in the negotiating process; delay the taking of industrial action; or even entirely derail the union campaign. In order to maximize the strategic ‘benefit’ of a pre-strike ballot, unions generally need to invest considerable time and resources to ensure that enough members vote, and vote favourably, in the ballot. Some employers use these processes to their advantage—by, for example, using the time between the application to conduct a pre-strike ballot and the actual ballot actively to try to discourage support for industrial action; trying to disrupt the momentum of the union’s campaign; or exploiting opportunities to oppose applications for pre-strike ballots.
Reflections on the Australian Pre-Strike Ballot Model
Authors: Creighton Breen , Denvir Catrina , Johnstone Richard , McCrystal Shae , Orchiston Alice
Published: December 2020

This concluding chapter considers how Australian pre-strike ballot requirements reflect the explicit (furthering industrial democracy) and implicit (inhibiting strike action) objectives that underpinned their introduction. After summarizing the practical operation and impact of the statutory requirements, the chapter describes stakeholder perceptions of the system in practice and in principle, and their views as to how it should be reformed. In conclusion, the chapter suggests the removal of the requirement under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) for a union to apply to an industrial tribunal for permission to run a ballot. It advocates the replacement of the current complex model with a requirement that union rules contain provision for a ballot of members as a pre-condition of taking strike action, with the lawfulness of any subsequent strike being conditional upon being approved in such a ballot and subject to challenge only by the members of that union. So far as union members are concerned, this would do little more than accord formal recognition to the non-legislated democratic processes that are already the norm in Australian unions, but it would at least provide a basis for meaningful, democratic decision-making in relation to taking strike action. As such it would constitute a welcome repudiation of what the chapter describes as the hypocritical posturing that underpins current legislation in Australia (and the United Kingdom) which uses the rhetoric of democracy to deprive workers of their democratic right to take strike action to protect and to promote their legitimate social and economic interests.
Dreams and Divination from Byzantium to Baghdad, 400-1000 CE
Authors: Neil Bronwen
Published: December 2020

Why did dreams matter to Jews, Byzantine Christians, and Muslims in the first millennium? This book shows how the ability to interpret dreams universally attracted power and influence in the first millennium. In a time when prophetic dreams were viewed as God’s intervention in human history, male and female prophets wielded unparalleled power in imperial courts, military camps, and religious gatherings. The three faiths drew on the ancient Near Eastern tradition of dream key manuals, which offer readers a rare insight into the hopes and fears of ordinary people. They melded pagan dream divination with their own scriptural traditions to produce a novel and rich culture of dream interpretation. Prophetic dreams enabled communities to understand their past and present circumstances as divinely ordained and helped to bolster the spiritual authority of dreamers and those who had the gift of interpreting their dreams. The book takes a gendered approach to the analysis of the common culture of dream interpretation across late antique Jewish, Byzantine, and Islamic sources to 1000 CE, in order to expose the ways in which dreams offered women a unique opportunity to exercise influence. The epilogue reveals why dreams still matter today to many men and women of the monotheist traditions.
Epilogue
Authors: Neil Bronwen
Published: December 2020

The epilogue draws out the common threads in all three traditions—Byzantine Christianity, rabbinic Judaism, and early Islam—and shows how they survive in the contemporary world. In political conflicts, dreams are still sometimes used as justifications for military action, especially by jihadists and others keen to incite inter-religious conflict. Online evidence shows that dream discourses are still being interpreted and appropriated by some contemporary Christian and Islamic believers as tools of providence and divine revelation. Unlike the post-Freudian understanding of dreams as reflections of individual psychic processes of the unconscious, dreams had both individual and social significance in the Byzantine tradition, and in the Islamic tradition up to the current day. Immense semiotic power was thus given to a medium that was able to be misrepresented and manipulated at will. This has always been the problem with dreams and is probably the main reason why they are discounted in most post-Enlightenment societies, but not by all. The chapter asks whether such dreams are important to certain fundamentalist religious cultures because they give equal opportunities to men and women to mediate divine judgement and participate vicariously in violence. It closes with an assessment of current trends in Islam and evangelical Christianity.
Mobility and the Syro-Anatolian Culture Complex During the Early First Millennium
Authors: Osborne James F.
Published: December 2020

This chapter explores how mobility and politics were intertwined in the Syro-Anatolian Culture Complex (SACC). Noting that politics and movement are always related, an insight drawn from the “new mobilities paradigm” in sociology and referred to here as kinopolitics, this chapter explores this dynamic in three places. The first is the troubling presence of Phoenician inscriptions and objects in SACC that have long been difficult to interpret historically. Here it is argued that mobile Phoenician speakers must have been part of the Syro-Anatolian sociopolitical landscape, likely involved in state-sponsored commercial trade. The second is one of SACC’s most famous cultural products, the finely worked ivories that were so sought after during the Iron Age. In this case, ivory and its producers were both highly mobile across SACC. The third, the engraved stone reliefs that lined the walls of monumental buildings, is the most counterintuitive. Despite appearances, evidence from nearly all cases where such reliefs have been found indicates that they were constantly being reused in new constructions, indicating that such movement was a cultural significant practice.
Banks, Brokers, Bonds, and Currencies, 1970–92
Authors: Michie Ranald C.
Published: December 2020

After the Second World War governments prioritized banks over markets within both national and international financial systems. The result altered the balance between banks and financial markets firmly in the direction of the former. Banks responded by expanding, reaching a size and scale that allowed them to internalize financial transactions within a single organization. That position then changed from 1970 onwards with an end to the era of control and compartmentalization. The process of change involved the gradual removal of the national boundaries and segregated activities that had protected banks from competition. In this new world financial markets began to prosper. These included markets for stocks and bonds as well as the exponential growth of trading in foreign exchange as the regime of fixed exchange rates collapsed. This era saw the emergence of a new breed of megabanks that spanned the globe and engaged in all manner of financial activity. Serving their needs was a group of interdealer brokers who acted as intermediaries between these banks. The combination of the megabanks and the interdealer brokers undermined the ability of regulators to police both banks and financial markets through a policy of divide and rule.
Trends, Events, and Centres, 1993–2006
Authors: Michie Ranald C.
Published: December 2020

At the beginning of the 1990s banks, exchanges, and regulators were all in a state of flux, facing a very uncertain future. The certainties of the past had been removed as internal and external barriers crumbled, destroying the world within which they had operated since the end of the Second World War. In its place the world was moving towards global 24-hour financial markets and an elite grouping of megabanks. These developments were driven by global economic integration, developments in technology, the retreat of government from policies favouring ownership and control, and the search by regulators for strategies that could cope with the end of compartmentalization. Though these trends continued in the 1990s and into the twenty-first century they faced numerous obstacles and experienced significant twists and turns that were instrumental in shaping the outcome. Even though barriers to international financial flows were reduced or removed the result was not a seamless global market, as major differences in language, cultures, laws, and taxes remained. These all contributed to the segregation of markets. Though many prophesied that the revolution in communications spelt the death of distance or the end of geography, when it came to the location of financial markets that ignored the fact that time was not absolute but relative. The effect was to generate a continued clustering of financial markets
Introduction
Authors: Lackey Jennifer
Published: December 2020

In this Introduction, a central debate in the literature on the epistemology of groups is discussed. On the one hand, deflationary theorists hold that group phenomena, such as group beliefs, can be understood entirely in terms of individual members and their states. On the other hand, inflationary theorists, maintain that group phenomena are importantly over and above, or otherwise distinct from, individual members and their states. It is argued that settling some of the issues in this debate lies at the heart of making sense of collective responsibility. It is also emphasized that a central aim of this book is to make progress in understanding crucial notions in collective epistemology—group belief, justified group belief, group knowledge, group assertion, and group lies—so as to shed light on whether it is groups, their individual members, or both who ought to be held responsible for collective actions. Finally, overviews of each chapter are provided.
Group Belief
Authors: Lackey Jennifer
Published: December 2020

The received view in collective epistemology is that group belief must be understood in inflationary terms, with the most popular version being the joint acceptance account. Very roughly, group belief is the result of members jointly agreeing to accept a proposition as the group’s, even if no member believes it herself. In this chapter, this orthodoxy is challenged by showing that joint acceptance accounts lack the resources to explain how groups can lie and bullshit, and, more generally, it is argued that group belief cannot be determined by processes that are under the direct voluntary control of the members. A new view, the Group Agent Account, is then defended, according to which group belief is determined in part by relations among the bases of the beliefs of members, where these relations arise only at the collective level, but is also partly constituted by the individual beliefs of members.
Ukraine
Authors: Yekelchyk Serhy
Published: December 2020

Conventional wisdom dictates that Ukraine’s political crises can be traced to the linguistic differences and divided political loyalties that have long fractured the country. However, this theory obscures the true significance of Ukraine’s recent civic revolution and the conflict’s crucial international dimension. The 2013-14 Ukrainian revolution presented authoritarian powers in Russia with both a democratic and a geopolitical challenge. In reality, political conflict in Ukraine is reflective of global discord, stemming from differing views on state power, civil society, and democracy. Ukraine’s sudden prominence in American politics has compounded an already-widespread misunderstanding of what is actually happening in the nation. In the American media, Ukraine has come to signify an inherently corrupt place, rather than a real country struggling in the face of great challenges. Ukraine: What Everyone Needs to Know® is an updated edition of Serhy Yekelchyk’s 2015 publication, The Conflict in Ukraine. It addresses Ukraine’s relations with the West, particularly the United States, from the perspective of Ukrainians. The book explains how independent Ukraine fell victim to crony capitalism, how its people rebelled twice in the last two decades in the name of democracy and against corruption, and why Russia reacted so aggressively to the strivings of Ukrainians. Additionally, it looks at what we know about alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, the factors behind the stunning electoral victory of the political novice Volodymyr Zelensky, and the ways in which the events leading to the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump have changed the Russia-Ukraine-US relationship. This volume is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the forces that have shaped contemporary politics in this increasingly important part of Europe, as well as the international background of the impeachment proceedings in the US
Turkey
Authors: Finkel Andrew
Published: December 2020

Turkey occupies a strategic position in today's world: culturally, historically, and geographically, it is the link between Islam and Western democracy, between Europe and the Middle East. The only predominantly Muslim nation to be a member of NATO and an ally of Israel, Turkey straddles both Europe and Asia. And it boasts an economy larger than any of the states that have joined the EU in recent years--Istanbul alone has a bigger economy than that of Hungary or the Czech Republic--with pipelines that carry much of the world's oil and gas. Andrew Finkel has spent twenty years in Turkey writing about the country for a number of leading news media such as The Economist and Time magazine. In this concise book, Finkel unravels Turkey's complexities, setting them against the historical background of the Ottoman Empire, the secular nationalist revolution led by Kemal Atatürk, and repeated political interventions by the military, which sees itself as the guardian of Atatürk's legacy. Finkel reveals a nation full of surprises. Turkey's labyrinthine politics often lead to such unexpected outcomes as leaders of the untra-nationalist party starting on the road to EU membership by voting to scrap the death penalty--which also meant giving a reprieve to the convicted leader of the Kurdish separatist movement. And where else but in Turkey, Finkel writes, would secularist liberals have supported a prime minister who was once jailed for promoting religious extremism? From the Kurdish question to economic policy, from Turkey's role in Iraq to its quest for EU membership, Finkel illuminates the past and present of this unique, and uniquely consequential, country.
Proteomic Analysis of Potato Responding to the Invasion of Ralstonia solanacearum UW551 and Its Type III Secretion System Mutant
Authors: Wang Bingsen , He Tianjiu , Zheng Xueao , Song Botao , Chen Huilan
Published: December 2020

The infection of potato with Ralstonia solanacearum UW551 gives rise to bacterial wilt disease via colonization of roots. The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a determinant factor for the pathogenicity of R. solanacearum. To fully understand perturbations in potato by R. solanacearum type III effectors(T3Es), we used proteomics to measure differences in potato root protein abundance after inoculation with R. solanacearum UW551 and the T3SS mutant (UW551△HrcV). We identified 21 differentially accumulated proteins. Compared with inoculation with UW551△HrcV, 10 proteins showed significantly lower abundance in potato roots after inoculation with UW551, indicating that those proteins were significantly downregulated by T3Es during the invasion. To identify their functions in immunity, we silenced those genes in Nicotiana benthamiana and tested the resistance of the silenced plants to the pathogen. Results showed that miraculin, HBP2, and TOM20 contribute to immunity to R. solanacearum. In contrast, PP1 contributes to susceptibility. Notably, none of four downregulated proteins (HBP2, PP1, HSP22, and TOM20) were downregulated at the transcriptional level, suggesting that they were significantly downregulated at the posttranscriptional level. We further coexpressed those four proteins with 33 core T3Es. To our surprise, multiple effectors were able to significantly decrease the studied protein abundances. In conclusion, our data showed that T3Es of R. solanacearum could subvert potato root immune-related proteins in a redundant manner.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Inhibitory Effects of the Natural Product Esculetin on Phytophthora capsici and Its Possible Mechanism
Authors: Wang Bi , Li Pirui , Xu Shu , Liu Lanying , Xu Yannan , Feng Xu , Zhao Xingzeng , Chen Yu
Published: December 2020

Esculetin is an important plant-derived natural product that has multiple bioactivities and applications. Phytophthora capsici is a notorious plant pathogen capable of infecting a broad range of hosts. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal activity of esculetin against P. capsici. The baseline sensitivity of P. capsici to esculetin was established using 108 isolates collected from various geographical regions in the Jiangsu and Shandong Provinces of China. The median effective concentration (EC50) values for esculetin ranged from 2.08 to 16.46 μg/ml (mean, 6.87 ± 2.70 μg/ml) and were normally distributed. Furthermore, both zoospore production and germination were strongly inhibited by esculetin. Importantly, esculetin exhibited protective as well as curative activities against P. capsici on tomato and was capable of restricting the early infection of P. capsici on Nicotiana benthamiana. We found that the esculetin treatment led to cell membrane damage of P. capsici, as revealed by morphological observations and measurements of relative conductivity and malondialdehyde (MDA). Finally, our results also suggested that esculetin may adversely affect P. capsici by inhibiting its DNA and protein synthesis. These findings will contribute to the broader evaluation of the use of esculetin to control diseases caused by P. capsici and toward a better understanding of its mode of action as a potential fungicide.
The WOMAN Trial: Clinical and Contextual Factors Surrounding the Deaths of 483 Women Following Post-Partum Hemorrhage in Developing Countries
Authors: Picetti Roberto , Miller Lori , Shakur-Still Haleema , Pepple Tracey , Beaumont Danielle , Balogun Eni , Asonganyi Etienne , Chaudhri Rizwana , El-Sheikh Mohamed , Vwalika Bellington , Arulkumaran Sabaratnam , Roberts Ian
Published: December 2020

(Abstracted from BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020;20:409)

The etiology of maternal mortality is postpartum hemorrhage in approximately 8.0% of cases in developed countries and 19.7% in developing countries. As a leading cause of maternal death, its prevention and early treatment are a priority.
Clinical guidelines for the management of keratoconus patients with gas permeable contact lenses based on expert consensus and available evidence
Authors: Ortiz-Toquero Sara , Rodriguez Guadalupe , Martin Raul
Published: December 2020

Purpose of review

Fitting rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGP CLs) in keratoconic patients is the most common visual rehabilitation option to improve patients’ quality of life, but require long patient and practitioner chair time. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPG) in the management of patients with keratoconus with RGP CLs.

Recent findings

An extensive literature review from 1990 to 2017 identified 354 potentially relevant publications. Fifty-two articles were reviewed and included in the CPG. An international expert panel of eight contact lens practitioners, with vast experience in keratoconus management reviewed and appraised the CPG following the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II consortium requirements. The developed CPG clearly outlines a strategy for the successful fitting of RGP CLs in patients with keratoconus. This includes how to calculate parameters of the first diagnostic lens, criteria for assessing good fit and a standardized schedule of wear time and follow-up appointments.

The current evidence and consensus-based CPG helps guide clinicians in a successful strategy for fitting RGP CLs in patients with keratoconus.
Different acupuncture therapies combined with rehabilitation in the treatment of scapulohumeral periarthritis
Authors: Wei Lingzhi , Zhu Manhua , Peng Tianzhong , Xiong Wei , Hou Xinju
Published: December 2020

Background:

Scapulohumeral periarthritis is a disease that seriously affects human daily work and life, and greatly reduces peoples quality of life and affects human health all over the world. Now, many studies have shown that acupuncture and rehabilitation have a significant effect on scapulohumeral periarthritis. In this study, network meta-analysis was used to analyze and compare the clinical efficacy and difference of different acupuncture treatments on scapulohumeral periarthritis.

Methods:

All patients were diagnosed as scapulohumeral periarthritis by randomized controlled trial. Computer searches will be conducted on CNKI, Wan-Fang databases, VIP, CBM, Pubmed, Cochrane library, Embase, Web of Science. The retrieval period is from the date of database establishment to September 8, 2020. To avoid omissions, we will manually retrieve relevant references and conference papers. Finally, the risk of bias included in the study will be assessed according to the guidelines of the Cochrane Handbook for systematic review of interventions. All data analysis will be performed by Revman 5.3, WinBUGS1.4.3 and Stata14.2.

Results:

The effectiveness of each intervention was quantified. The main results included cure rate, total effective rate, VAS score and shoulder function score.

Conclusion:

Objective to provide evidence-based medicine basis for clinicians to choose more effective acupuncture therapy for scapulohumeral periarthritis.

INPLASY Registration number:

202090035.
Antidepressant adherence and its predictors in immigrants with depression
Authors: Jang Suhyun , Cho Hyemin , Kang Cinoo , Jang Sunmee
Published: December 2020

Immigrants in Korea are relatively vulnerable in terms of medication self-management and have low levels of medication adherence. We aimed to evaluate antidepressant adherence and its patterns in immigrants and to identify predictors of nonadherence.

In this matched cohort study using the National Health Insurance claims database, immigrants who were newly prescribed antidepressants were identified (n = 2,398). The immigrants were matched with native-born Koreans in a 1:1 ratio. Antidepressant adherence was measured by the medication possession ratio at monthly intervals. Logistic regression was performed to compare antidepressant nonadherence between immigrants and native-born Koreans, and to identify factors affecting immigrants’ nonadherence.

The average medication possession ratio of immigrants was 27.1%, which was lower than that of native-born Koreans (30.9%) (P = .038). Immigrants had a lower likelihood of adherence than native-born Koreans (odds ratio [OR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3–0.92). Older age, visiting a psychiatrist for the first diagnosis of depression (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.60–3.13), achieving appropriateness of care (OR 3.54, 95% CI 2.51–4.98), and having a usual source of care (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.25–2.27) were associated with a higher likelihood of adherence in immigrants.

This study showed that antidepressant adherence of immigrants was lower than that of native-born Koreans. However, it appears that visiting a psychiatrist, achieving appropriateness of care, and having a usual source of care might increase antidepressant adherence among immigrants. Further research that focuses on cultural and/or linguistic factors affecting immigrants’ adherence and healthcare utilization is suggested as a way to increase adherence.
Expression of lipoma preferred partner in mammary and extramammary Paget disease
Authors: Liu Ye , Wang Yangbin , Qi Ruiqun , Mao Xiaoyun , Jin Feng
Published: December 2020

Backgound:

This study aims to identify the expression of lipoma preferred partner (LPP) in Paget disease (PD) and to further understand the pathogenesis of PD.

Methods:

Tissue microarray was used to evaluate the expression of LPP by immunohistochemistry in 40 PD patients. The results of LPP expression were combined with clinical and histopathological characteristics. Patient files were analyzed retrospectively.

Results:

Twenty-one cases were mammary Paget disease (MPD) and 19 extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) involving the vulva, scrotum, and penis. LPP was expressed in PD and this expression was significantly greater in MPD versus EMPD (P = .031). The expression of LPP in MPD was significantly related with age (P = .009) and expression of Ki-67 (P = .011). No statistically significant differences were observed in LPP expression as related to sex, body location, and time of PD diagnosis.

Conclusions:

While LPP is expressed in both MPD and EMPD, the intensity of this expression is greater in MPD. LPP expression is positively correlated with Ki-67 and is more prevalent in middle-aged versus senior MPD patients. Further research is needed to determine its potential role in tumorigenesis and distribution.
The alteration and potential relationship of vaginal microbiota and chemokines for unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion
Authors: Fan Tao , Zhong Xing-Ming , Wei Xiang-Cai , Miao Zhu-Lin , Luo Si-Ying , Cheng Heng , Xiao Qing
Published: December 2020

The diagnosis and treatment of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) is an important and hot topic in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. During our clinical investigation (observation), we have found that URSA patients usually experience recurrent vaginitis or vaginal dysbacteriosis during periods of non-pregnancy, pregnancy, and post-abortion. However, there is no research on vaginal dysbacteriosis's influence on URSA. Using women with normal induced abortion as a control group, and using 16S rRNA sequencing, which helps to screen differentially expressed flora, this study discusses the relevance between differential bacteria at the genus level and the incidence of URSA. Another aim of this study is to determine whether certain pathogenic genera can cause an imbalance in immune tolerance of the maternal and fetal interface through regulatory chemokines, which leads to recurrent spontaneous abortion. This article has explored URSA pathogenesis from the perspective of differentially expressed vaginal flora, which has great theoretical significance for the early diagnosis and treatment of URSA.
Effect of auricular point pressing therapy on postoperative pain of fracture
Authors: Yin Zhe , Zhang Wenjun , Zeng Yi , Su Xi
Published: December 2020

Background:

In clinical practices, postoperative fracture patients are often treated with analgesics. As one of the alternative therapies for nondrug analgesia, auricular point pressing has advantages of simple operation, easy to use, no injury and adverse reactions, and great potential for development. In this study, the effect of auricular point pressing therapy on postoperative pain of fracture was objectively evaluated through the method of meta-analysis, so as to provide evidence for clinical applications.

Methods:

PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Wan fang Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were systematically searched and randomized controlled trials on auricular point pressing in the treatment of postoperative pain after fracture were includes. After independent literature screening, data extraction and quality evaluation by 2 researchers, the original data was retrieved, merged, and analyzed. RevMan 5.3 software was adopted for meta-analysis

Results:

This study could provide high-quality evidence to evaluate the effect of auricular point pressing therapy on postoperative pain of fracture.

Conclusion:

This systematic review explored whether auricular point pressing therapy is effective on the intervention of postoperative pain after fracture.

OSF Registration Number:

DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/AZ4JQ.
Can bioimpedance cardiography assess hemodynamic response to passive leg raising in critically ill patients
Authors: Li Li , Ai Yuhang , Huang Li , Ai Meilin , Peng Qianyi , Zhang Lina
Published: December 2020

Passive leg raising (PLR) is a convenient and reliable test to predict fluid responsiveness. The ability of thoracic electrical bioimpedance cardiography (TEB) to monitor changes of cardiac output (CO) during PLR is unknown.

In the present study, we measured CO in 61 patients with shock or dyspnea by TEB and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) during PLR procedure. Positive PLR responsiveness was defined as the velocity-time integral (VTI) ≥10% after PLR. TTE measured VTI in the left ventricular output tract. The predictive value of TEB parameters in PLR responders was tested. Furthermore, the agreement of absolute CO values between TEB and TTE measurements was assessed.

Among the 61 patients, there were 28 PLR-responders and 33 non-responders. Twenty-seven patients were diagnosed with shock and 34 patients with dyspnea, with 55.6% (15/27) and 54.6% (18/34) non-responders, respectively. A change in TEB measured CO (ΔCO) ≥9.8% predicted PLR responders with 75.0% sensitivity and 78.8% specificity, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was 0.79. The Δd2
Z/dt
2 (a secondary derivative of the impedance wave) showed the best predictive value with AUROC of 0.90, the optimal cut point was −7.1% with 85.7% sensitivity and 87.9% specificity. Bias between TEB and TTE measured CO was 0.12 L/min, and the percentage error was 65.8%.

TEB parameters had promising performance in predicting PLR responders, and the Δd2
Z/dt
2 had the best predictive value. The CO values measured by TEB were not interchangeable with TTE in critically ill settings.
Usefulness of ultrasonography in determining the surgical excision margin in non-melanocytic skin cancer
Authors: Kim Hyeon Jo , Lee Seong Joo , Lee Ju Ho , Shin Se Ho , Xu Huiying , Yang Ik , Kim Jae Hyun , Kim Seong Hwan , Suh In Suck
Published: December 2020

Skin cancer diagnoses are rising due to increasing ultraviolet ray exposure and an aging population. The complete surgical excision of skin cancer, including a normal tissue, has been the widely performed and determining the adequate safety margin is essential. In this study, we compared the preoperative thickness and width of skin cancer by ultrasonography with the measurements by histopathologic findings.

A total of 211 patients were enrolled in this study and ultrasonography was performed on 30 patients. The width (long and short axis) and thickness of the skin cancers were measured using electronic calipers of ultrasonographic calipers preoperatively and microscope postoperatively.

The skin cancers were basal cell carcinoma (n = 17), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 10), Merkel cell carcinoma (n = 1), mucinous carcinoma (n = 1), and sebaceous carcinoma (n = 1). The mean width (long and short axis) and thickness of the cancers measured by ultrasonography was 1.25 (0.76) cm, 0.96 (0.65) cm, and 0.37 (0.28) cm. The measurements by histopathology was 1.24 (0.84) cm, 0.95 (0.65) cm, and 0.27 (0.24) cm. Kendall's tau-b correlation coefficient between measurements by ultrasonography and histopathology was as follows: long axis, r = 0.733, P < .001; short axis, r = 0.671, P < .001; thickness, r = 0.740, P < .001. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between measurements by ultrasonography and histopathology was as follows: long axis, r = 0.865, P < .001; short axis, r = 0.829, P < .001; thickness, r = 0.842, P < .001. The difference in mean thickness between the total excised tissue and the skin cancer was 0.29 (0.43) cm (range 0.05–0.40 cm) in basal cell carcinoma and 0.56 (0.58) cm (range 0.05–2.22 cm) in squamous cell carcinoma.

Ultrasonography can accurately measure the width and thickness of skin cancer and predict the safety margins of the wide excision. Preoperative ultrasonography is a good diagnostic tool for surgical planning. Additional studies with larger populations are needed to quantify the range of vertical safety margins.