bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delineating a cased borehole in unconsolidated formations using dipole acoustic data from a nearby well
Authors: Gu Xi-Hao , Tang Xiao-Ming , Su Yuan-Da
Published: June 2021

A potential application for single-well acoustic imaging is the detection of an existing cased borehole in the vicinity of the well being drilled, which is important for drilling toward (when drilling a relief well) or away from (collision prevention) the existing borehole. To fulfill this application in the unconsolidated formation of shallow sediments, we have developed a detection method using low-frequency P-waves from dipole acoustic logging. For this application, we perform theoretical analyses on elastic wave scattering from the cased borehole and derive the analytical expressions for the scattered wavefield for the incidence of P- and S-waves from a borehole dipole source. The analytical solution, in conjunction with the elastic reciprocity theorem, provides a fast algorithm for modeling the whole process of wave radiation, scattering, and reception for the borehole acoustic detection problem. The analytical results agree well with those from 3D finite-difference simulations. The results indicate that P-waves, instead of S-waves as commonly used for dipole acoustic imaging, are particularly advantageous for the borehole detection in the unconsolidated formation. Field data examples are used to demonstrate the application in a shallow marine environment, where dipole-P-wave data in the measurement well successfully delineate a nearby cased borehole, validating our analysis results and application.
Aggressive incidents in psychiatric hospitals on heat days
Authors: Eisele Frank , Flammer Erich , Steinert Tilman , Knoblauch Hans
Published: June 2021

This study explores the relationship between temperature and the number of aggressive incidents and coercive interventions in the years 2007–2019 in six psychiatric hospitals in the south of the Germany with a total of 1007 beds. The number of aggressive incidents among 164 435 admissions was significantly higher on ‘heat days’ (≥30°C). Furthermore, there was a dose–response relationship between the number of aggressive incidents and increasing temperature. In contrast, the number of coercive interventions was not related to temperature. Considering the background of global warming, rising temperature could result in more frequent aggressive behaviour during in-patient treatment of psychiatric patients.
Suicide by poisoning in Pakistan: review of regional trends, toxicity and management of commonly used agents in the past three decades
Authors: Safdar Maria , Afzal Khalid Imran , Smith Zoe , Ali Filza , Zarif Pervaiz , Baig Zahid Farooq
Published: June 2021

Background

Suicide is one of the leading mental health crises and takes one life every 40 seconds. Four out of every five suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries. Despite religion being a protective factor against suicide, the estimated number of suicides is rapidly increasing in Pakistan.

Aims

Our review focuses on the trends of suicide and means of self-poisoning in the past three decades, and the management of commonly used poisons.

Method

We searched two electronic databases (PubMed and PakMediNet) for published English-language studies describing agents used for suicide in different regions of Pakistan. A total of 46 out of 85 papers (N= 54 747 cases) met our inclusion criteria.

Results

Suicidal behaviour was more common among individuals younger than 30 years. Females comprised 60% of those who attempted suicide in our study sample, although the ratio of completed suicides favoured males. There were regional trends in the choice of agent for overdose. Organophosphate poisoning was reported across the nation, with a predominance of cases from the agricultural belt of South Punjab and interior Sindh. Aluminium phosphide (‘wheat pills’) was a preferred agent in North Punjab, whereas paraphenylenediamine (‘kala pathar’) was implicated in deaths by suicide from South Punjab. Urban areas had other means for suicide, including household chemicals, benzodiazepines, kerosene oil and rat poison.

Conclusions

Urgent steps are needed, including psychoeducational campaigns on mental health and suicide, staff training, medical resources for prompt treatment of self-poisoning and updated governmental policy to regulate pesticide sales.
Quantitative Computed Tomography Image Analysis to Predict Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Grade
Authors: Pulvirenti Alessandra , Yamashita Rikiya , Chakraborty Jayasree , Horvat Natally , Seier Kenneth , McIntyre Caitlin A. , Lawrence Sharon A. , Midya Abhishek , Koszalka Maura A. , Gonen Mithat , Klimstra David S. , Reidy Diane L. , Allen Peter J. , Do Richard K. G. , Simpson Amber L.
Published: June 2021

PURPOSE

The therapeutic management of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) is based on pathological tumor grade assessment. A noninvasive imaging method to grade tumors would facilitate treatment selection. This study evaluated the ability of quantitative image analysis derived from computed tomography (CT) images to predict PanNET grade.

METHODS

Institutional database was queried for resected PanNET (2000-2017) with a preoperative arterial phase CT scan. Radiomic features were extracted from the primary tumor on the CT scan using quantitative image analysis, and qualitative radiographic descriptors were assessed by two radiologists. Significant features were identified by univariable analysis and used to build multivariable models to predict PanNET grade.

RESULTS

Overall, 150 patients were included. The performance of models based on qualitative radiographic descriptors varied between the two radiologists (reader 1: sensitivity, 33%; specificity, 66%; negative predictive value [NPV], 63%; and positive predictive value [PPV], 37%; reader 2: sensitivity, 45%; specificity, 70%; NPV, 72%; and PPV, 47%). The model based on radiomics had a better performance predicting the tumor grade with a sensitivity of 54%, a specificity of 80%, an NPV of 81%, and a PPV of 54%. The inclusion of radiomics in the radiographic descriptor models improved both the radiologists' performance.

CONCLUSION

CT quantitative image analysis of PanNETs helps predict tumor grade from routinely acquired scans and should be investigated in future prospective studies.
Randomized, Single-Blind, Multicenter Phase II Study of Two Doses of Imetelstat in Relapsed or Refractory Myelofibrosis
Authors: Mascarenhas John , Komrokji Rami S. , Palandri Francesca , Martino Bruno , Niederwieser Dietger , Reiter Andreas , Scott Bart L. , Baer Maria R. , Hoffman Ronald , Odenike Olatoyosi , Vannucchi Alessandro M. , Bussolari Jacqueline , Zhu Eugene , Rose Esther , Sherman Laurie , Dougherty Souria , Sun Libo , Huang Fei , Wan Ying , Feller Faye M. , Rizo Aleksandra , Kiladjian Jean-Jacques
Published: June 2021

PURPOSE

Patients with myelofibrosis who are relapsed or refractory (R/R) to Janus-associated kinase inhibitors (JAKis) have poor clinical outcomes including dismal overall survival (OS) that ranges between 13 and 16 months. Imetelstat, a telomerase inhibitor, was evaluated in patients with intermediate-2 or high-risk myelofibrosis R/R to JAKi in a phase II multicenter study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02426086 ).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients were randomly assigned to receive either imetelstat 9.4 mg/kg or 4.7 mg/kg intravenous once every 3 weeks. Spleen response (≥ 35% spleen volume reduction) and symptom response (≥ 50% reduction in total symptom score) rates at week 24 were coprimary end points. Secondary end points included OS and safety.

RESULTS

Study enrollment was closed early, and patients treated with 4.7 mg/kg were permitted to continue treatment with 9.4 mg/kg. At week 24, spleen and symptom response rates were 10.2% and 32.2% in the 9.4-mg/kg arm and 0% and 6.3% in the 4.7-mg/kg arm. Treatment with imetelstat 9.4 mg/kg led to a median OS of 29.9 months and bone marrow fibrosis improvement in 40.5% and variant allele frequency reduction of driver mutations in 42.1% of evaluable patients. Fibrosis improvement and variant allele frequency reduction correlated with OS. Target inhibition was demonstrated by reduction of telomerase activity and human telomerase reverse transcriptase level and correlated with spleen response, symptom response, and OS. Most common adverse events on both arms were grade 3 or 4 reversible cytopenias.

CONCLUSION

In this phase II study of two imetelstat doses, 9.4 mg/kg once every 3 weeks demonstrated clinical benefits in symptom response rate, with an acceptable safety profile for this poor-risk JAKi R/R population. Biomarker and bone marrow fibrosis assessments suggested selective effects on the malignant clone. A confirmatory phase III study is currently underway.
Improving Outpatient Infusion Clinic Wait Times at a Comprehensive Cancer Center
Authors: Hashemi-Sadraei Neda , Sasankan Shenthol , Crozier Nick , Tawfik Bernard , Kittson Ronald , Abernathy Janet , Lauer Richard , Dayao Zoneddy
Published: June 2021

PURPOSE:

Many factors contribute to long wait times for patients on the day of their chemotherapy infusion appointments. Longer wait time leads to nonoptimal care, increased costs, and decreased patient satisfaction. We conducted a quality improvement project to reduce the infusion wait times at a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

METHODS:

A multidisciplinary working group of physicians, infusion center nurses, pharmacists, information technology analysts, the Chief Medical Officer, and patient advocates formed a working group. Wait times were analyzed, and the contributing factors to long wait time were identified. Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles were implemented and included labeling patients ready to treat earlier, loading premedications into the medication dispensing system, increasing the number of pharmacy staff, and improving communication using a secure messaging system. The outcome measure was time from patient appointment to initiation of first drug at the infusion center. The secondary outcome measure was patient wait time satisfaction on the basis of Press Ganey score.

RESULTS:

Postintervention, the mean time from appointment to initiation of first drug decreased 17.6 minutes ( P < .001; 95% CI, 16.3 to 18.9), from 58.1 minutes to 40.5 minutes (43.5% decrease). Patient wait time satisfaction score increased 8.9 points ( P < .001; 95% CI, 6.0 to 11.82), from 76.2 to 85.1 (11.7% increase).

CONCLUSION:

Exploring real-time data and using a classic quality improvement methodology allowed a Comprehensive Cancer Center to identify deficiencies and prevent delays in chemotherapy initiation. This significantly improved patient wait time and patient satisfaction.
The Rights of Nature, the Rights of Fiction: Mario Vargas Llosa and the Amazon
Authors: Saramago Victoria
Published: June 2021

The Amazonian region occupies a singular place in the fiction and nonfiction of the Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa. Author of paradigmatic novels on the Peruvian Amazon, Vargas Llosa nevertheless has repeatedly defended extensive exploitation of Amazonian natural resources—at the expense of Indigenous rights and environmental conservation—in his essays and political activities. This article discusses this conflict between Vargas Llosa's fictional and nonfictional work on the Amazon through the lens of a theory of fiction that emerges from his essays across decades and that suggests that the fictional text is independent from the referential reality it represents. By revisiting his novels and writings about fiction, this article argues that Vargas Llosa's belief in the autonomy of fiction from its referential reality explains, to a certain extent, how the fascination with the Amazon present in the author's novels coexists with his defense of drastic changes in the region through environmental exploitation and the acculturation of Indigenous populations. While Vargas Llosa's work enjoyed a positive reception in the 1960s, the nontransitive notion of mimesis he proposed has gradually taken on reactionary undertones in the context of changing expectations since the 1980s and 1990s.
The Politics of Living Death in Nuruddin Farah's Sweet and Sour Milk
Authors: Leman Peter
Published: June 2021

This article examines Nuruddin Farah's 1979 novel Sweet and Sour Milk, asking how we read representations of postcolonial mourning and living death in the context of global authoritarianism. The first novel in Farah's influential dictatorship trilogy, Sweet and Sour Milk introduces us to “the General,” a fictionalized version of Siyad Barre, who ruled Somalia from 1969 to 1991. Like Barre's, the General's power exemplifies what Achille Mbembe calls “necropolitics,” or “the contemporary subjugation of life to the power of death.” The General's necropower manifests, peculiarly, as a politics of substitution—that is, when he takes a life, he leaves something in its place. Rebels do not simply disappear; they are killed and then given sycophantic zombie afterlives in the General's propaganda. In response to this politics of substitution, Farah explores a politics of mourning, which insists upon the irreplaceability of lost love objects and thereby broadly reveals what truly can and cannot be substituted. The General insists on the uniqueness of his power, for example, but Farah reveals it to be a cliché, easily substituted by that of other dictators throughout history. Cliché becomes revolutionary in this way, suggesting that dictators share a common fate: they will be deposed or, eventually, die of old age. However, like a horde of the living dead, others like them will return. The article concludes with analysis of the apparent pessimism of this point and the global implications of Farah's ideas about both necropolitics and the limits of the novel form in the face of authoritarian power.
Sex Differences in Cardiac Adaptation to Distinct Modalities of Exercise: A Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Study
Authors: MARSH CHANNA E. , THOMAS HANNAH J. , NAYLOR LOUISE H. , DEMBO LAWRENCE G. , GREEN DANIEL J.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

No previous study has described sex differences in chronic cardiac adaptation in response to distinct modalities of exercise training in humans.

Methods

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (1.5 T) was used to assess left ventricular (LV) outcomes in 78 untrained subjects (46F, 26 M; 26.1 ± 5.4 yr). Subjects underwent 3 months of closely supervised and monitored resistance (RES) and endurance (END) training, separated by a 3-month washout period.

Results

LV mass (LVM) increased in response to END in both sexes (females △3.98 ± 7.98 g, P = 0.002; males △5.99 ± 10.67 g, P = 0.005), whereas LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) increased in males (△7.48 ± 11.91 mL, P = 0.002) but not females (△1.54 ± 10.49 mL, P = 0.373). In response to RES, LVM and EDV did not increase in either sex. The proportion of subjects exhibiting a positive response to training (i.e., a change >0) for LVM and EDV did not differ between sexes for either training modality.

Conclusion

Eccentric hypertrophy in response to END training was more apparent in males than females, whereas there were no notable cardiac changes between sexes for RES training. The proportion of low versus high responders to training was not sex specific for LVM or EDV in response to either commonly prescribed exercise training modality.
Η Επιστημονική – Εκπαιδευτική Μέθοδος με Διερεύνηση και Καλές Πρακτικές
Authors: Καλκάνης Γεώργιος Θεοφ.
Published: June 2021

Περιγράφεται ο μετασχηματισμός της μεθοδολογίας της επιστημονικής έρευνας (και) σε μεθοδολογία της εκπαιδευτικής διαδικασίας, ως «επιστημονική - εκπαιδευτική μέθοδος με διερεύνηση». Περιγράφονται επίσης και η πρώτη εφαρμογή και τα αποτελέσματα της μεθόδου στα μαθήματα των φυσικών της ύστερης πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης (από το 2001 μέχρι σήμερα) και τα μαθήματα της Φυσικής της πρώιμης δευτεροβάθμιας / γυμνασιακής εκπαίδευσης (από το 2013 μέχρι σήμερα) του ελληνικού εκπαιδευτικού συστήματος, καθώς και σε εργαστηριακά μαθήματα φυσικών επιστημών της τριτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης. Η μέθοδος, καθώς και οι προτεινόμενες υποστηρικτικές «καλές πρακτικές», αποδεικνύεται λειτουργική και αποτελεσματική στην ανάπτυξη γνώσεων και δεξιοτήτων, καθώς και στην ανάπτυξη ορθολογικού τρόπου σκέψης από τους εκπαιδευόμενους.
Συμβολή στην Έρευνα για τη Λύση Προβλημάτων Χημείας
Authors: Τσαπαρλής Γεώργιος
Published: June 2021

Η λύση προβλημάτων αποτελεί σημαντικό στόχο στη χημική εκπαίδευση, συμβάλλοντας στη σύνθεση, φασματοσκοπική ανάλυση, θεωρία, και χαρακτηρισμό των χημικών ενώσεων. Μετά τη διάκριση μεταξύ πραγματικών προβλημάτων και αλγοριθμικών ασκήσεων και την περιγραφή των διαφόρων τύπων και ειδών προβλημάτων Χημείας, και με αφορμή την έκδοση ενός διεθνούς συλλογικού βιβλίου για τη λύση προβλημάτων Χημείας, το άρθρο εστιάζει στο βασικό κεφάλαιο με το οποίο ο συγγραφέας συμμετέχει στο βιβλίο (Κεφ. 5). Το κεφάλαιο επανεξετάζει την υπόθεση υπερφόρτωσης της εργαζόμενης μνήμης, η οποία συσχετίζεται με το επεξηγηματικό και προγνωστικό μοντέλο λύσης προβλημάτων των Johnstone και El-Banna. Το μοντέλο βασίζεται στην επίδραση της επεξεργασίας πληροφοριών, και ειδικά της χωρητικότητας της εργαζόμενης μνήμης. Εξετάζονται και διερευνώνται καταστάσεις όπου το μοντέλο είναι έγκυρο, αλλά και οι περιορισμοί στην εφαρμογή του. Άλλοι γνωσιακοί παράγοντες που εξετάζονται περιλαμβάνουν τη νοητική ικανότητα (ικανότητα Μ), τον βαθμό εξάρτησης/ανεξαρτησίας από το πεδίο, και το επίπεδο γνωσιακής ανάπτυξης κατά Piaget (επιστημονική συλλογιστική).
Διερεύνηση Μαθησιακών Διεργασιών και Ανάπτυξη Μεθόδων Διδασκαλίας και Αξιολόγησης
Authors: Τζουγκράκη Χρύσα
Published: June 2021

Στην εργασία αυτή περιγράφονται τα ερευνητικά αποτελέσματα τριών θεματικών ενοτήτων που αφορούν στο τρίπτυχο Μαθησιακές Διεργασίες - Μέθοδοι Διδασκαλίας - Μέθοδοι Αξιολόγησης. Στην πρώτη ενότητα διερευνήθηκε με το εργαλείο VACT η μετάβαση ομάδων διδασκόμενων διαφορετικής εμπειρίας από τη χρήση οπτικών στην υιοθέτηση αναλυτικών στρατηγικών κατά την επίλυση προβλημάτων Οργανικής Χημείας. Διερευνήθηκαν, επίσης, τα χαρακτηριστικά των μαθητών που προβλέπουν τη χρήση αυτών των στρατηγικών. Στη δεύτερη ενότητα περιγράφεται η ανάπτυξη και η εφαρμογή μιας συστημικής διδακτικής μεθόδου για τη διδασκαλία και αξιολόγηση στο πεδίο της Οργανικής Χημείας, καθώς και η ανάπτυξη συστημικών ερωτήσεων με τα κατάλληλα χαρακτηριστικά για τη διερεύνηση της συστημικής σκέψης. Στην τρίτη θεματική ενότητα διερευνήθηκαν τα απαραίτητα χαρακτηριστικά που πρέπει να έχουν οι χημικές αναπαραστάσεις ώστε να διευκολύνεται η μάθηση με κατανόηση. Προτάθηκαν κριτήρια αξιολόγησης, με τα οποία αξιολογήθηκαν και οι αναπαραστάσεις σχολικού βιβλίου Β τάξης λυκείου. Εξετάσθηκε, επίσης, η ικανότητα μετάφρασης χημικών αναπαραστάσεων Ελλήνων μαθητών και φοιτητών.
GeNePy3D: a quantitative geometry python toolbox for bioimaging
Authors: Phan Minh-Son , Chessel Anatole
Published: June 2021

The advent of large-scale fluorescence and electronic microscopy techniques along with maturing image analysis is giving life sciences a deluge of geometrical objects in 2D/3D(+t) to deal with. These objects take the form of large scale, localised, precise, single cell, quantitative data such as cells’ positions, shapes, trajectories or lineages, axon traces in whole brains atlases or varied intracellular protein localisations, often in multiple experimental conditions. The data mining of those geometrical objects requires a variety of mathematical and computational tools of diverse accessibility and complexity. Here we present a new Python library for quantitative 3D geometry called GeNePy3D which helps handle and mine information and knowledge from geometric data, providing a unified application programming interface (API) to methods from several domains including computational geometry, scale space methods or spatial statistics. By framing this library as generically as possible, and by linking it to as many state-of-the-art reference algorithms and projects as needed, we help render those often specialist methods accessible to a larger community. We exemplify the usefulness of the  GeNePy3D toolbox by re-analysing a recently published whole-brain zebrafish neuronal atlas, with other applications and examples available online. Along with an open source, documented and exemplified code, we release reusable containers to allow for convenient and wide usability and increased reproducibility.
A new modified Lehmann type – II G class of distributions: exponential distribution with theory, simulation, and applications to engineering sector
Authors: Balogun Oluwafemi Samson , Arshad Muhammad Zeshan , Iqbal Muhammad Zafar , Ghamkhar Madiha
Published: June 2021

Background: Modeling against non-normal data a challenge for theoretical and applied scientists to choose a lifetime model and expect to perform optimally against experimental, reliability engineering, hydrology, ecology, and agriculture sciences, phenomena.

Method: We have introduced a new G class that generates relatively more flexible models to its baseline and we refer to it as the new modified Lehmann Type – II (ML–II) G class of distributions. A list of new members of ML–II-G class is developed and as a sub-model the exponential distribution, known as the ML-II-Exp distribution is considered for further discussion. Several mathematical and reliability characters along with explicit expressions for moments, quantile function, and order statistics are derived and discussed in detail. Furthermore, plots of density and hazard rate functions are sketched out over the certain choices of the parametric values. For the estimation of the model parameters, we utilized the method of maximum likelihood estimation.

Results: The applicability of the ML–II–G class is evaluated via ML–II–Exp distribution. ML–II–Exp distribution is modeled to four suitable lifetime datasets and the results are compared with the well-known competing models. Some well recognized goodness–of–fit including -Log-likelihood (-LL), Anderson-Darling (A*), Cramer-Von Mises (W*), and Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test statistics are considered for the selection of a better fit model.

Conclusion: The minimum value of the goodness–of–fit is the criteria of a better fit model that the ML–II–Exp distribution perfectly satisfies. Hence, we affirm that the ML–II–Exp distribution is a better fit model than its competitors.
Selection of a genetically engineered biological drug for ankylosing spondylitis with extra-skeletal manifestations
Authors: Tushnikova E.
Published: June 2021

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, gradually progressive inflammatory disease of the spine, which in some patients can occur simultaneously with lesions of entheses and peripheral joints, and in some cases the eyes (uveitis) and the aortic root (aortitis). In more than 90% of cases, the genetic marker HLA-B27 is detected. This article presents a clinical case of ankylosing spondylitis in a man who received regular GEBD therapy, against the background of which uveitis recurred. After changing the drug, the inflammatory diseases of the eyes did not recur, and clinical remission was achieved.
Reparaciones colectivas y producción de lo común: el caso del sujeto de reparación colectiva de La Sonora (Trujillo, Valle del Cauca)
Authors: Sañudo Pazos Maria Fernanda , Aguilar Danna Carolina , León Sara Alejandra , Zahonero Christopher , Pérez Soto Lucas
Published: June 2021

En las zonas rurales de Colombia, las dinámicas complejas asociadas al conflicto armado impactaron negativamente los vínculos y relaciones sociales, las prácticas y los procesos organizativos comunitarios, las tradiciones y trayectorias colectivas. El Estado colombiano ha hecho frente a estos impactos a través de la reparación colectiva. Esta se constituye en un conjunto de estrategias encaminadas a reconstruir el sentido colectivo de comunidades, organizaciones y grupos que han enfrentado la violación sistemática de sus derechos. La reparación, dada su naturaleza (colectiva), está posibilitando la generación de espacios y formas de cooperación social encaminados a la reproducción simbólica y material de la vida, es decir, de producción de lo común. En este sentido y a partir de la comprensión etnográfica del proceso de reparación colectiva realizado en La Sonora (Trujillo, Valle del Cauca), se evidenciará cómo las estrategias implementadas en el territorio operan en la constitución de las condiciones para la producción y reproducción social de la vida.
SOB O REINADO DA PESTE: UMA ANÁLISE DO CONTO O REI PESTE
Authors: Zanoni da Silva Ana Maria
Published: June 2021

Medo é um dos sentimentos que achincalha a alma naqueles períodos em que as grandes epidemias assolam a humanidade. Não se trata apenas do medo perante ao que causa a doença, mas também o medo do outro, dos corpos contaminados, das dores, das angústias decorrentes do sentimento de impotência perante o mundo alheado, convertido em palco para um espetáculo horrível, do qual os protagonistas não retornam. Nesse sentido, este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar o conto O Rei Peste, publicado no Southern Literary Messenger, em setembro de 1835, com o título de King Pest the First. A Tale Containing an Allegory, a fim de demostrar como Edgar Allan Poe, ao valer-se da imagem do corpo grotesco, transfigura  o tema peste em ficção e em que medida essa transfiguração, ao instaurar uma atmosfera de horror questiona a ordem imposta e mostra falhas e incongruências presentes nas formas de controle do contágio, apontando para  as transformações que  o surto de peste impõe a sociedade.
A MÚSICA ESPECTRAL E O RECIFE ASSOMBRADO: RELAÇÕES ENTRE A FICÇÃO, OS ITINERÁRIOS URBANOS E A PANDEMIA
Authors: Wanderley André De Sena
Published: June 2021

O presente artigo, pelo viés da sociocrítica, busca analisar as relações entre a música e os sons incidentais nas produções literárias e cinematográficas do estado de Pernambuco de ontem e de hoje, bem como na imersão de um city-tour que possui elos com o gênero performance e dialoga com essas mesmas produções, abordando-se também a temática da pandemia e, especialmente, a realidade hodierna sob a Covid-19. Dessarte, o insólito e o horror são abordados sob duas perspectivas: num viés comparativista (ficção autoral literária e cinematográfica pernambucana, que também dialoga com obras artísticas do passado, em âmbito universal) e sociocrítico, a partir de leituras de cunho sociológico e da imersão artística na própria realidade possibilitada pelo city-tour O Recife mal-assombrado. Nesta discussão, também se evidencia o signo da peste e da pandemia, outrossim, ditada por aportes insólitos/sobrenaturais.
Pandemia e crise ambiental: a alternativa ecossocialista
Authors: Löwy Michael
Published: June 2021

O artigo relaciona a pandemia da Covid-19 aos efeitos deletérios do modo de produção capitalista em escala global e propõe a alternativa do ecossocialismo. Afirma que tanto as epidemias, quanto a crise ecológica, são resultantes deste modo de produção que transforma todos os seres e recursos naturais em mercadoria. Traz o ecossocialismo como uma proposta estratégica que busca transformar não só as relações de produção, as relações de propriedade, mas a própria estrutura das forças produtivas. Busca também a transformação do estilo, do padrão de consumo, de todo o modo de vida em torno do consumo, que é o padrão do capitalismo. O ecossocialismo não se restringe à perspectiva de uma nova civilização, mas propõe uma civilização da solidariedade entre os humanos e com a natureza. Palavras-Chave: Pandemia; crise ambiental; ecossocialismo.
Classe trabalhadora, precarização e resistência no Brasil da pandemia
Authors: Santana Marco Aurélio
Published: June 2021

O presente artigo analisa as relações entre trabalho e política no Brasil da pandemia. Isso é feito indicando os processos políticos e sociais que constituíram o mundo do trabalho atual no país, identificando as linhas mestras que o caracterizam, bem como apontando algumas formas de resistência que vêm sendo agenciadas pela classe trabalhadora e movimentos sociais para lhes fazer frente. Partimos da ideia de que o cenário de vida e trabalho no país mesmo antes da chegada da pandemia já tinha a marca da desproteção social, precarização, informalidade e desemprego. A emergência sanitária [do] [da] Covid-19 deixa isso escancarado e torna mais graves os seus impactos. É por isso que as demandas apresentadas pela classe trabalhadora nesse contexto, ao mesmo tempo em que trazem a lume as agruras que passam em sua atividade laboral presente, lançam luz sobre os processos sociais e de trabalho que foram destituídos e constituídos no Brasil dos últimos anos, bem como apontam para [questões futuras] [futuros desdobramentos]. Palavras-Chave: trabalho; classe trabalhadora; precarização; sindicatos; movimentos sociais.
Auxílio emergencial e trabalho do Serviço Social no contexto da Covid-19
Authors: Silva Maria Ozanira Da Silva e , Sousa Salviana De Maria Pastor Santos , Lima Valéria Ferreira Santos de Almada
Published: June 2021

O artigo, referenciado em estudos e pesquisas desenvolvidas pelas autoras, aborda o contexto socioeconômico e político em tempos da Covid-19 no Brasil para tratar da transferência monetária como como medida privilegiada para reduzir o avanço da pobreza e das desigualdades sociais; considera o Benefício Emergencial como produto de pressões da sociedade, dos políticos e dos estudiosos da temática em prol da proteção social. Aborda ainda o trabalho do Serviço Social na atualidade da Política de Assistência Social junto ao Auxílio Emergencial. A principal conclusão destaca a prevalência dos programas de transferência de renda para proteção social no Brasil pós 1990 e a contribuição relevante da Política de Assistência Social na implementação do Benefício Emergencial. Palavras-Chave: Desigualdades; Covid-19; Programas de Transferência de Renda; Proteção Social; Serviço Social.
Formation and development of railway infrastructure of Stanytsia Luhanska (1898–1945)
Authors:   Department of Sustainable Development and Internal Communications of JSC ", Ruban Mykola ,   Ukrzaliznytsia", Belitsky Pavlo ,   SHEE "Donetsk National Technical University"
Published: June 2021

The article attempts to investigate the historical circumstances of the formation and development of railway infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska (1898–1945), a village that became a key logistics center in the immediate vicinity of the demarcation line amid the escalation of the military confrontation in Donbas. Based on a comprehensive analysis of sources and scientific literature, it is proved that the construction of railways in the Donbass had a fundamental impact on economic development and the formation of transport infrastructure in Stanytsia Luhanska. It was found that the Kindrashivska landing platform, which formed the basis for the formation of the first hub station, was built during the construction of the Luhansk-Millerovo branch in the mid-1890s on the territory of the Kondrashov hamlet adjacent to the village. The history of the foundation and pre-war period of development of repair and maintenance enterprises of Kindrashivska-Nova station is analyzed. In the mid-1930s, against the background of the construction of the Moscow-Donbass coal highway on the territory of Stanytsia Luhanska, the key infrastructure of the railway settlement and hub enterprises of the second Kindrashivska station was laid, which is used to ensure the transportation process to this day. We believe that further study of the proposed topic requires clarification of a wide range of issues related to economic activity and technological development of local stations on the basis of materials currently inaccessible to the State Archives of Luhansk region and Luhansk Directorate of Railways of Donetsk Railway.
Osteointegration of hydroxyapatite-coated collars in cemented massive endoprostheses following revision surgery
Authors: Davies Benjamin , Kaila Rajiv , Andritsos Loukas , Gray Stephens Christian , Blunn Gordon W. , Gerrand Craig , Gikas Panagiotis , Johnston Andrew
Published: June 2021

Aims

Hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated collars have been shown to reduce aseptic loosening of massive endoprostheses following primary surgery. Limited information exists about their effectiveness in revision surgery. The aim of this study was to radiologically assess osteointegration to HA-coated collars of cemented massive endoprostheses following revision surgery.

Methods

Retrospective review of osseointegration frequency, pattern, and timing to a specific HA-coated collar on massive endoprostheses used in revision surgery at our tertiary referral centre between 2010 to 2017 was undertaken. Osseointegration was radiologically classified on cases with a minimum follow-up of six months.

Results

In all, 39 patients underwent radiological review at mean 43.5 months; 22/39 (56.4%) showed no osseointegration to the collar. Revision endoprostheses for aseptic loosening were less likely to show osseointegration compared with other indications for revision. Oncological cases with previous or current infection were more likely to show osseointegration to ≥ 1 collar side than those without evidence of prior infection.

Conclusion

This seven-year review identified osseointegration of HA-coated collars after revision surgery is less likely (43.6%, 17/39) than after primary surgery. Young patients who undergo revision surgery following initial oncological indication may benefit the most from this collar design. Use in revision oncological cases with a history of infection may be beneficial. HA-coated collars showed limited benefit for patients undergoing revision for failed arthroplasty with history of infection. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(6):371–379.
Effectiveness of Cover Crops for Water Pollutant Reduction from Agricultural Areas
Authors: Christianson Reid , Fox Jordan , Law Neely , Wong Carol
Published: June 2021

Highlights

Nitrogen loss reduction due to a cover crop tends to improve with increased cover crop biomass production.

Mixed phosphorus loss reduction results in cold climates where freeze-thaw cycles occur and can increase dissolved phosphorus losses.

Cereal rye was the primary cover crop studied and tended to provide the most water quality benefits.

Abstract. Mitigating nutrient losses from agricultural fields retains these nutrients for subsequent crop production and reduces the risk to downstream water quality. This study evaluated the impact of cover crops, as part of an annual cropping system, on reducing nutrient losses and enhancing water quality. Cover crop literature focusing on water quality was reviewed to determine important factors regarding cover crop performance and cost. Results show that a grass-based cover crop and mixes with grasses tend to increase nitrate loss reduction (40%) compared to legumes (negligible). Biomass growth was also important, with early seeding or growth of a cover crop in areas with increased growing degree days enhancing performance. For phosphorus loss, benefits did not necessarily increase with increasing biomass. Further, dissolved phosphorus concentrations may increase due to freeze-thaw cycles (23%), although overall dissolved phosphorus losses tend to decrease due to less runoff (34%). Cover crop implementation costs ranged from a savings of $25 to $44 ha-1 year-1 before soybeans and corn, respectively, when implementing a cover crop for five straight years to a cost of $193 ha-1 year-1. Including a cover crop in annual crop rotations with adequate time in the fall for germination and growth can reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses from production agriculture to help meet water quality goals across the U.S. Keywords: Catch crop, Nitrogen, NRCS, Phosphorus, Practice Code 340, USDA, Water quality.
In Vitro Protein Digestibility of Brown Rice after High-Pressure Freeze-Thaw Cycles and Germination-Parboiling Treatments
Authors: Wang Hao , Zhu Songming , Ramaswamy Hosahalli S. , Li Ting , Yu Yong
Published: June 2021

Highlights

FTC-4 treated brown rice showed better protein digestibility.

BR-AAS was used to evaluate the nutritive value of released free amino acids.

G24P treated brown rice is recommended to supplement amino acid intake in a daily diet.

Abstract. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro protein digestibility of brown rice (BR) after high-pressure (HP), freeze-thaw cycle (FTC), and germination-parboiling (GP) treatments. Four-cycle freeze-thaw (FTC-4) treatment enhanced digestibility, and all treated BR released more essential and total amino acids after digestion. To evaluate the nutritive value of free amino acids released after digestion (on the premise of the same intake of BR products), a BR amino acid score (BR-AAS) was used, based on the patterns of protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores with modifications. Results suggested that BR treated with 24 h of germination followed by 10 min of parboiling (G24P) was a better choice for supplementing amino acid intake in a daily diet. All treatments resulted in decreased protein solubility, which was negatively correlated with surface hydrophobicity and disulfide bond contents. The HP, FTC, and GP treatments affected certain protein properties, which was helpful in explaining the differences in protein digestibility of BR. Changes in other constituents were considered important with respect to the treatment influence on protein digestibility. Keywords: Brown rice, Freeze-thaw cycles, Germination-parboiling, High-pressure, Protein in vitro digestibility.
Assessment of Microirrigation Field Distribution Uniformity Procedures for Pressure-Compensating Emitters under Potential Clogging Conditions
Authors: Solé-Torres Carles , Lamm Freddie R. , Duran-Ros Miquel , Arbat Gerard , Ramírez de Cartagena Francisco , Puig-Bargués Jaume
Published: June 2021

Highlights

Distribution uniformity of the lower quartile (DUlq) was assessed in three microirrigation subunits with three procedures that used different locations and different numbers of sampled emitters.

Using reclaimed effluent as the water source, performance was periodically measured for a total duration of 1000 h.

Emitter clogging and the locations of sampled emitters greatly affected DUlq.

None of the procedures accurately assessed DUlq if more than 4% of the emitters were fully clogged.

Abstract. Proper water distribution uniformity is important for successful use of microirrigation systems. Consequently, consistent system monitoring and periodic distribution uniformity assessments can help determine the performance of a microirrigation system and identify possible problems that should be corrected. When using irrigation water with a greater clogging risk, such as reclaimed effluent, emitter clogging can seriously affect distribution uniformity. In this study, distribution uniformity was measured at three times (0 h, 500 h, and 1000 h of operation) in a microirrigation system that used reclaimed effluent. Emitter discharge values were obtained for each emitter in the system (three subunits consisting of four driplines each with 226 pressure-compensating emitters on each dripline), and the distribution uniformity of the low quartile (DUlq) was calculated for each subunit. These comprehensive DUlq values were compared with those calculated by three estimation procedures developed by Merriam and Keller, Burt, and Juana et al., which use different sampling locations and different numbers of sampling points. Results showed strong influence of emitter clogging and the location of the sampled emitters on DUlq values. Using this data set, the Merriam and Keller procedure had the greatest root mean square error (RMSE = 41.8%), the Burt procedure resulted in an intermediate value (RMSE = 5.9%), and the Juana et al. procedure had the lowest (RMSE = 3.2%) when most of the completely clogged emitters (about 1% of the total) were located at the ends of the driplines. Further speculative analysis in which complete clogging was allowed to migrate to the farthest distal emitters for the Burt and Juana et al. procedures indicated that none of the procedures accurately assessed the actual complete DUlq. These results suggest that none of these procedures alone are successful at assessing system-wide distribution uniformity when substantial clogging exists. Keywords: Drip irrigation, Effluent, Emitter clogging, Flow variation, Wastewater.
254. Las multinacionales y las relaciones con sus filiales
Authors: Calvo Ángel
Published: June 2021

Las multinacionales son empresas que desempeñan una parte variable de su actividad fuera de las fronteras de los países en los que tienen sus sedes centrales. Están formadas por filiales, subsidiarias o asociadas dispersas por el globo terráqueo. El objetivo de este artículo es recoger los ejes centrales del debate en torno a las relaciones existentes entre la casa madre y el segundo grupo. En este sentido, se pone énfasis en la cuestión de la transferencia de conocimiento e innovación. El texto se estructura en dos grandes apartados, que contienen una panorámica general y un examen de las relaciones entre las multinacionales y las empresas locales o nacionales.
Photoacoustic computed tomography of mechanical HIFU-induced vascular injury
Authors: Vu Tri , Tang Yuqi , Li Mucong , Sankin Georgii , Tang Shanshan , Chen Shigao , Zhong Pei , Yao Junjie
Published: June 2021

Mechanical high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been used for cancer treatment and drug delivery. Existing monitoring methods for mechanical HIFU therapies such as MRI and ultrasound imaging often suffer from high cost, poor spatial-temporal resolution, and/or low sensitivity to tissue’s hemodynamic changes. Evaluating vascular injury during mechanical HIFU treatment, therefore, remains challenging. Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is a promising tool to meet this need. Intrinsically sensitive to optical absorption, PACT provides high-resolution imaging of blood vessels using hemoglobin as the endogenous contrast. In this study, we have developed an integrated HIFU-PACT system for detecting vascular rupture in mechanical HIFU treatment. We have demonstrated singular value decomposition for enhancing hemorrhage detection. We have validated the HIFU-PACT performance on phantoms and in vivo animal tumor models. We expect that PACT-HIFU will find practical applications in oncology research using small animal models.
Entangled two-photon absorption spectroscopy with varying pump wavelengths
Authors: Mertenskötter Lutz , Busch Kurt , León-Montiel Roberto de J.
Published: June 2021

In entangled two-photon absorption (eTPA) spectroscopy, information about the energy-level structure of an arbitrary sample is retrieved by Fourier transforming sets of measured two-photon absorption probabilities of entangled photon pairs where the degree of entanglement and the delay time between the photons are varied. This works well for simple systems but quickly becomes rather difficult when many intermediate states are involved. We propose and discuss an extension of eTPA spectroscopy that solves this problem by means of repeated measurements at different pump wavelengths, thus reducing the experimental complexity of eTPA spectroscopy by removing the need to control the correlations of the entangled photons. Specifically, we demonstrate that our extension works well for a variety of realistic experimental setups.
Analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency in a metal-dielectric bilayer terahertz metamaterial
Authors: Yue Yang , He Fengyan , Chen Lingling , Shu Fangzhou , Jing Xufeng , Hong Zhi
Published: June 2021

We realize and numerically demonstrate the analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) with a high-Q factor in a metal-dielectric bilayer terahertz metamaterial (MM) via bright-bright mode coupling and bright-dark mode coupling. The dielectric MM with silicon dimer rectangular-ring-resonator (Si-DRR) supports either a bright high-Q toroidal dipole resonance (TD) or a dark TD with infinite Q value, while plasmonic MM with metallic rectangular-ring-resonator (M-RR) supports a low-Q electric dipole resonance (ED). The results show that the near-field coupling between the dark TD and bright ED behaves just as that between the two bright modes, which is dependent on the Q factor of the TD resonance. Further, due to the greatly enhanced near-field coupling between the bright ED and dark TD, the coupling distance is significantly extended to about 1.9 times of the wavelength (in media), and robust EIT with large peak value over 0.9 and high Q-factor is achieved. The proposed bilayer MM provides a new EIT platform for design and applications in high-Q cavities, sensing, and slow-light based devices.
Directional conversion of a THz propagating wave into surface waves in deformable metagratings
Authors: Liu Jiaming , Fang Xu , He Fei , Yin Shengqi , Lyu Wen , Geng Hua , Deng Xiaojiao , Zheng Xiaoping
Published: June 2021

Controllable conversion between propagating light waves and surface waves (SWs) has recently attracted significant research interests. This paper demonstrates, via numerical simulation, for the first time all-dielectric SW converters that possess a tunable and directional SW conversion efficiency. The SW converters contain multiple metagratings of Si pillars embedded in a deformable substrate. In the analysis, an infinitely large, bi-periodic metagrating under the illumination of linearly polarized light is considered first. The SW conversion efficiency of this metagrating can be modulated between 4.3% and 51.0% for incident light frequency at 0.8 THz by stretching the deformable substrate along the direction of SW propagation. Subsequently, two SW converters under circularly polarized light illumination are analyzed, where a similar level of efficiency modulation is retained in finite-sized metagratings. In these converters, only the metagrating channels along the stretch direction have a strong SW conversion efficiency, which can reach 40.4% after normalization against the effective grating area. The directivity, a parameter defined here to reveal the energy contrast among the output channels, reaches 38.6 in one of the converters. Due to its high tunability, high directivity and compact size, the SW converters may be used as tunable optical sensors and light couplers in the THz regime.
Erythrocyte adenosine A2B receptor prevents cognitive and auditory dysfunction by promoting hypoxic and metabolic reprogramming
Authors: Qiang Qingfen , Manalo Jeanne M. , Sun Hong , Zhang Yujin , Song Anren , Wen Alexander Q. , Wen Y. Edward , Chen Changhan , Liu Hong , Cui Ying , Nemkov Travis , Reisz Julie A. , Edwards III George , Perreira Fred A. , Kellems Rodney E. , Soto Claudio , D’Alessandro Angelo , Xia Yang
Published: June 2021

Hypoxia drives aging and promotes age-related cognition and hearing functional decline. Despite the role of erythrocytes in oxygen (O2) transport, their role in the onset of aging and age-related cognitive decline and hearing loss (HL) remains undetermined. Recent studies revealed that signaling through the erythrocyte adenosine A2B receptor (ADORA2B) promotes O2 release to counteract hypoxia at high altitude. However, nothing is known about a role for erythrocyte ADORA2B in age-related functional decline. Here, we report that loss of murine erythrocyte–specific ADORA2B (eAdora2b−/−) accelerates early onset of age-related impairments in spatial learning, memory, and hearing ability. eAdora2b-/- mice display the early aging-like cellular and molecular features including the proliferation and activation of microglia and macrophages, elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and attenuation of hypoxia-induced glycolytic gene expression to counteract hypoxia in the hippocampus (HIP), cortex, or cochlea. Hypoxia sufficiently accelerates early onset of cognitive and cochlear functional decline and inflammatory response in eAdora2b−/− mice. Mechanistically, erythrocyte ADORA2B-mediated activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and bisphosphoglycerate mutase (BPGM) promotes hypoxic and metabolic reprogramming to enhance production of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG), an erythrocyte-specific metabolite triggering O2 delivery. Significantly, this finding led us to further discover that murine erythroblast ADORA2B and BPGM mRNA levels and erythrocyte BPGM activity are reduced during normal aging. Overall, we determined that erythrocyte ADORA2B–BPGM axis is a key component for anti-aging and anti-age–related functional decline.