bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The emerging scientific water paradigm: Precursors, hallmarks, and trajectories
Authors: Baird Julia , Plummer Ryan , Dale Gillian , Kapeller Brooke , Mallette Angela , Feist Alison , Kataoka Yuka
Published: October 2020

Increasing scholarship has focused on a shift in scientific water paradigm in the 21st century from an understanding of water systems as stationary, predictable and command‐and‐control as appropriate governance to an understanding of them as complex, dynamic, and uncertain. This shift has been characterized in several ways. We focused on two prominent characterizations: as a “new water paradigm” and as “water resilience.” We identified the defining hallmarks of each, the “precursor” scholarship upon which these Defining Works build, and how the Defining Works have been advanced with “Subsequent Works” that cite them. We used bibliometric data to analyze the three bodies of literature and inductive coding to identify the hallmarks of the new water paradigm and water resilience from Defining Works. Four categories of hallmarks were identified that describe the emerging scientific water paradigm: complex adaptive systems orientation; governance and management configurations, which are inclusive, integrative, adaptive; governance and management actions that emphasize linkages between social and ecological systems and imperative of sustainability; and, attributes of diversity, redundancy and openness. There was insufficient evidence in fields of research, author country, and publishing journals to confirm that the emerging scientific water paradigm has been conceptualized in two distinct ways. Despite the degree of similarity between the two conceptualizations, the literature is strongly oriented toward one or the other. We suggest consilience between these two conceptualizations and scholars working with them to advance collective understanding of governance and management in light of our current understanding of water systems.

This article is categorized under:

Human Water > Human Water
Buckling analysis of rectangular thin plates with two opposite edges free and others rotationally restrained by finite Fourier integral transform method
Authors: Zhang Jinghui , Lu Jiale , Ullah Salamat , Gao Yuanyuan , Zhao Dahai
Published: October 2020

This paper investigates the classical buckling problem of rectangular thin plates with two opposite edges free and others rotationally restrained by the finite Fourier integral transform method. The rotationally restrained edges are typically practical boundary conditions in many engineering structures, such as bridge decks. However, these non‐classic edges bring mathematical difficulties in solving boundary value problems of governing partial differential equations of plate. Based on the integral transform theory, the title problem is transformed into solving regular linear algebraic simultaneous equations, which provides a more rational and theoretical solution process than traditional inverse/semi‐inverse approaches. The acquired comprehensive results of critical buckling load factors and mode shapes are in excellent agreement with the ones obtained by finite element method, which verifies the validity and accuracy of the present approach. In addition, classical boundary conditions, such as simply supported and clamped edges, can be investigated by choosing different rotational fixity factors. Furthermore, the features of the employed method that no preselection of trial function and the generality for various boundary conditions enable one to analytically solve static problems for moderately thick plates and thick plates.
Selective autophagy as a therapeutic target for neurological diseases
Authors: Xu Weilin , Ocak Umut , Gao Liansheng , Tu Sheng , Lenahan Cameron J. , Zhang Jianmin , Shao Anwen
Published: October 2020

The neurological diseases primarily include acute injuries, chronic neurodegeneration, and others (e.g., infectious diseases of the central nervous system). Autophagy is a housekeeping process responsible for the bulk degradation of misfolded protein aggregates and damaged organelles through the lysosomal machinery. Recent studies have suggested that autophagy, particularly selective autophagy, such as mitophagy, pexophagy, ER-phagy, ribophagy, lipophagy, etc., is closely implicated in neurological diseases. These forms of selective autophagy are controlled by a group of important proteins, including PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), Parkin, p62, optineurin (OPTN), neighbor of BRCA1 gene 1 (NBR1), and nuclear fragile X mental retardation-interacting protein 1 (NUFIP1). This review highlights the characteristics and underlying mechanisms of different types of selective autophagy, and their implications in various forms of neurological diseases.
Echokardiographieuntersuchungen in Zeiten der COVID-19-Pandemie
Authors: Lichtenauer Michael , Prinz Erika , Granitz Christina , Wernly Bernhard , Daburger Apollonia , Hoppe Uta C.
Published: October 2020

Seit Dezember 2019 hat sich das neuartige Coronavirus SARS-CoV‑2 („severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2“), das die Erkrankung COVID-19 („coronavirus disease 2019“) auslöst, mit rasanter Geschwindigkeit über die gesamte Welt ausgebreitet. Ausgehend von der chinesischen Provinz Hubei, wurden mittlerweile 29,4 Mio. Menschen weltweit infiziert, und es sind mehr als 930.000 an den Folgen der Erkrankung gestorben (Stand 15.09.2020). Das Virus verbreitet sich durch Tröpfcheninfektion sowie über Aerosole. Enger Körperkontakt stellt daher ein deutlich erhöhtes Risiko für eine Übertragung dar. Insbesondere bei Untersuchungen mit engem Körperkontakt sollten daher zum Schutz nicht nur der Patienten, sondern auch des medizinischen Personals Maßnahmen ergriffen werden. In diesem Artikel werden die aktuellen Empfehlungen von internationalen Fachgesellschaften zur Verwendung von persönlicher Schutzausrüstung sowie ihre lokale Implementierung dargestellt.
Ingestion and elimination of anthropogenic fibres and microplastic fragments by the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) of the NW Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Capone Alessandro , Petrillo Mario , Misic Cristina
Published: October 2020

This study analysed the anthropogenic microparticles in the stomach content of the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean). The results showed that 30–40% of the anchovies had ingested anthropogenic microparticles (on average, 0.34 ± 0.29 fibres ind−1 and 0.12 ± 0.12 fragments ind−1). The fibres were probably ingested via filtration, and were significantly correlated with the gut fullness. Fibres were mostly dark, but the presence of other colours was frequent, indicating a general lack of selectivity. Plastic fragments composed of polyethylene and polypropylene were prevalently transparent, suggesting active predation, especially for larger fragments resembling zooplankton. No significant differences were recorded for the frequency of fish containing particles among females, males, and undetermined individuals. The presence of, generally, only one anthropogenic item per fish, as observed for 95.8% of fish containing microparticles, indicated that the permanence of these particles in the stomachs was short, likely no more than 1 day, although it could also depend on low environmental concentrations. The evaluation of the intestinal lumen indicated that a portion of the plastic fragments found in the stomach could not be ejected. Hard fragments that were larger than the intestinal lumen could be held for longer times, but probably regurgitation, fragmentation, and embedding in a biological matrix may facilitate their quick elimination. It is pivotal to understand the processes that regulate the abundance and the residential time of anthropogenic particles in commercial organisms captured for human nutrition, given the potential biomagnification of toxic substances carried by ingested particles.
Consultation on kidney stones, Copenhagen 2019: aspects of intracorporeal lithotripsy in flexible ureterorenoscopy
Authors: Lildal Søren Kissow , Andreassen Kim Hovgaard , Baard Joyce , Brehmer Marianne , Bultitude Matthew , Eriksson Ylva , Ghani Khurshid R. , Jung Helene , Kamphuis Guido , Kronenberg Peter , Turney Ben , Traxer Olivier , Ulvik Øyvind , Osther Palle Jörn Sloth
Published: October 2020

Purpose

To summarize current knowledge on intracorporeal laser lithotripsy in flexible ureterorenoscopy (fURS), regarding basics of laser lithotripsy, technical aspects, stone clearance, lithotripsy strategies, laser technologies, endoscopes, and safety.

Methods

A scoping review approach was applied to search literature in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Consensus was reached through discussions at the Consultation on Kidney Stones held in September 2019 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Results and conclusions

Lasers are widely used for lithotripsy during fURS. The Holmium laser is still the predominant technology, and specific settings for dusting and fragmenting have evolved, which has expanded the role of fURS in stone management. Pulse modulation can increase stone ablation efficacy, possibly by minimizing stone retropulsion. Thulium fibre laser was recently introduced, and this technology may improve laser lithotripsy efficiency. Small fibres give better irrigation, accessibility, and efficiency. To achieve optimal results, laser settings should be adjusted for the individual stone. There is no consensus whether the fragmentation and basketing strategy is preferable to the dusting strategy for increasing stone-free rate. On the contrary, different stone scenarios call for different lithotripsy approaches. Furthermore, for large stone burdens, all laser settings and lithotripsy strategies must be applied to achieve optimal results. Technology for removing dust from the kidney should be in focus in future research and development. Safety concerns about fURS laser lithotripsy include high intrarenal pressures and temperatures, and measures to reduce both those aspects must be taken to avoid complications. Technology to control these parameters should be targeted in further studies.
Achieving the critical view of safety in the difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective study of predictors of failure
Authors: Nassar Ahmad H. M. , Ng Hwei J. , Wysocki Arkadiusz Peter , Khan Khurram Shahzad , Gil Ines C.
Published: October 2020

Background

Bile duct injury rates for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remain higher than during open cholecystectomy. The “culture of safety” concept is based on demonstrating the critical view of safety (CVS) and/or correctly interpreting intraoperative cholangiography (IOC). However, the CVS may not always be achievable due to difficult anatomy or pathology. Safety may be enhanced if surgeons assess difficulties objectively, recognise instances where a CVS is unachievable and be familiar with recovery strategies.

Aims and methods

A prospective study was conducted to evaluate the achievability of the CVS during all consecutive LC performed over four years. The primary aim was to study the association between the inability to obtain the CVS and an objective measure of operative difficulty. The secondary aim was to identify preoperative and operative predictors indicating the use of alternate strategies to complete the operation safely.

Results

The study included 1060 consecutive LC. The median age was 53 years, male to female ratio was 1:2.1 and 54.9% were emergency admissions. CVS was obtained in 84.2%, the majority being difficulty grade I or II (70.7%). Displaying the CVS failed in 167 LC (15.8%): including 55.6% of all difficulty grade IV LC and 92.3% of difficulty grade V. There were no biliary injuries or conversions.

Conclusion

All three components of the critical view of safety could not be demonstrated in one out of 6 consecutive laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Preoperative factors and operative difficulty grading can predict cases where the CVS may not be achievable. Adapting instrument selection and alternate dissection strategies would then need to be considered.
Elevated plasma trimethylamine-N-oxide levels are associated with diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Liu Weiming , Wang Chunmin , Xia Yu , Xia Wei , Liu Gaoqin , Ren Chi , Gu Yu , Li Xin , Lu Peirong
Published: October 2020

Aims

To determine the relationship between plasma levels of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) and odds of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Blood samples were obtained from 122 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with or without DR. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the association between plasma TMAO and DR. The diagnostic value of plasma TMAO was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI).

Results

In the T2DM patients, plasma levels of TMAO were significantly higher in patients with DR compared with those without DR (P = 0.001). As logarithmic (ln) transformation of TMAO increased per standard deviation (SD), there was higher probability to have DR [odds ratio (OR) = 2.31; P = 0.005]. As ln-transformed TMAO increased per SD, the severity of DR was more likely to get worse (OR = 2.05; P = 0.004). In the diagnostic model, the addition of TMAO contributed to the improvement in AUROC from 0.646 to 0.734 (P = 0.043), and the IDI was 10.7% (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Elevated levels of plasma TMAO were associated with higher odds and worse severity of DR in T2DM patients, and further investigation is required for the causality of this association.
Dealing with time in the multiple traveling salespersons problem with moving targets
Authors: Stieber Anke , Fügenschuh Armin
Published: October 2020

The multiple traveling salespersons problem with moving targets is a generalization of the classical traveling salespersons problem, where the targets (nodes or objects) are moving over time. Additionally, for each target a visibility time window is given. The task is to find routes for several salespersons so that each target is reached exactly once within its visibility time window and the sum of all traveled distances of all salespersons is minimal. We present different modeling formulations for this TSP variant. The time requirements are modeled differently in each approach. Our goal is to examine what formulation is most suitable in terms of runtime to solve the multiple traveling salespersons problem with moving targets with exact methods. Computational experiments are carried out on randomly generated test instances to compare the different modeling approaches. The results for large-scale instances show, that the best way to model time requirements is to directly insert them into a formulation with discrete time steps.
The Biodiversity Promotion Areas: effectiveness of agricultural direct payments on plant diversity conservation in the semi-natural grasslands of the Southern Swiss Alps
Authors: Ravetto Enri Simone , Nucera Emiliano , Lonati Michele , Alberto Pier Francesco , Probo Massimiliano
Published: October 2020

An agro-environmental payment for the management of the so-called ‘Biodiversity Promotion Areas’ (BPA) has been used to accomplish biodiversity conservation goals in Switzerland. These areas have been managed according to specific limitations on mowing dates and fertilizers. We assessed the regional-scale effectiveness of BPA implementation within Ticino Canton by answering the following questions: (i) is plant species diversity higher in BPA than in conventionally managed grasslands (CMG)? (ii) which are the differences between BPA and CMG in terms of climatic, topographical, ecological, and vegetation variables? (iii) which vegetation types, functional groups, and plant species are specifically related to BPA? A total of 242 vegetation surveys (64 in BPA and 178 in CMG, respectively) was carried out in 55 farms and the main climatic and topographic features were assessed. Differences in terms of plant diversity, ecological indicator and pastoral values, species functional groups, vegetation types, and indicator species between BPA and CMG were assessed. The BPA harboured a higher plant diversity. They were located in steeper areas, at higher elevations, and characterised by lower soil nutrient content, mowing tolerance, and pastoral value than CMG. Dry meadow species number and cover were higher in BPA, while nutrient-rich meadow species number was higher in CMG. The species associated to BPA belonged to a wider range of functional groups and 38% of them belonged to the national list for biodiversity promotion in agriculture, whereas no species associated to CMG belonged to that list. Thus, our results confirmed the effectiveness of BPA for biodiversity conservation for the Southern Swiss Alps.
Transparency, asymmetric information and cooperation
Authors: Lotito Gianna , Migheli Matteo , Ortona Guido
Published: October 2020

We inquire experimentally whether asymmetric information in competitive settings and competition per se influence individual social behaviour. Participants perform a task and are remunerated according to two schemes, a non-competitive and a competitive one, then they play a standard public goods game. In the first scheme participants earn a flat remuneration, in the other they are ranked according to their performance and remunerated accordingly. Information about ranking and income before the game is played varies across three different treatments. We find that competition per se does not affect the amount of contribution. The time spent to choose how much to contribute is negatively correlated with the decision of cooperating fully. The main result is that full information about the relative performance in the competitive environment enhances the cooperation, while partial information reduces it.
A critique of the Capability Approach’s potential for application to career guidance
Authors: Egdell Valerie , Robertson Peter J.
Published: October 2020

In this article, we provide a balanced critique of Sen’s Capability Approach (CA) with reference to its potential to inform career guidance theory and practice. There are varying understandings and interpretations of the CA. Some see capabilities as universal, whilst others favour a more relativist view. The CA is also vulnerable to misunderstanding. Critiques based on misunderstanding are easily dismissed, so our focus is on substantive conceptual and practical critiques. Three main challenges are explored: conceptual debates about the nature of freedom and justice; limitations arising from the disciplinary origins of the CA; and challenges in operationalising the CA.
Optimal Sensors Placement in Dynamic Damage Detection of Beams Using a Statistical Approach
Authors: Lofrano Egidio , Pingaro Marco , Trovalusci Patrizia , Paolone Achille
Published: October 2020

Structural monitoring plays a central role in civil engineering; in particular, optimal sensor positioning is essential for correct monitoring both in terms of usable data and for optimizing the cost of the setup sensors. In this context, we focus our attention on the identification of the dynamic response of beam-like structures with uncertain damages. In particular, the non-localized damage is described using a Gaussian distributed random damage parameter. Furthermore, a procedure for selecting an optimal number of sensor placements has been presented based on the comparison among the probability of damage occurrence and the probability to detect the damage, where the former can be evaluated from the known distribution of the random parameter, whereas the latter is evaluated exploiting the closed-form asymptotic solution provided by a perturbation approach. The presented case study shows the capability and reliability of the proposed procedure for detecting the minimum number of sensors such that the monitoring accuracy (estimated by an error function measuring the differences among the two probabilities) is not greater than a control small value.
Frege and saving substitution
Authors: Pickel Bryan , Rabern Brian
Published: October 2020

Goodman and Lederman (Philos Stud 177(4):947–952, 2020) argue that the traditional Fregean strategy for preserving the validity of Leibniz’s Law of substitution fails when confronted with apparent counterexamples involving proper names embedded under propositional attitude verbs. We argue, on the contrary, that the Fregean strategy succeeds and that Goodman and Lederman’s argument misfires.
Treatment of laundry wastewater by solar photo-Fenton process at pilot plant scale
Authors: Esteban García Ana Belén , Szymański Kacper , Mozia Sylwia , Sánchez Pérez José Antonio
Published: October 2020

Laundry sector consumes a huge amount of water which is usually discharged as wastewater instead of being reused. The application of biological treatment of laundry wastewater coupled with post-treatment utilizing advanced oxidation processes creates a possibility to recycle water to the washing process. However, the investigations on such systems are very limited. In the present work, a novel approach of post-treatment of laundry wastewater utilizing solar photo-Fenton operated at a pilot scale in a compound parabolic collector (CPC) photoreactor is proposed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used as a representative of surfactants applied in the laundry system. The effect of feed matrix was investigated using distilled water as a reference matrix and synthetic wastewater simulating the composition of biologically pre-treated laundry wastewater. Different concentrations of H2O2 (50–400 mg/L) and ferrous iron (2.75–10 mg/L) were assayed. For comparison purpose, experiments at neutral pH using ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinic acid (EDDS) as an iron complexing agent were carried out. A high SDS removal efficiency was obtained under both neutral and acidic pH, reaching 89% and 96%, respectively, in just 8 min. However, the remaining organic load originating from EDDS needs application of further post-treatment steps. Therefore, the solar photo-Fenton operated under acidic pH was found to be a more promising approach of post-treatment of laundry wastewater aimed at its reuse.
Maritime Narratives of Prehistoric Cyprus: Seafaring as Everyday Practice
Authors: Knapp A. Bernard
Published: October 2020

This paper considers the role of seafaring as an important aspect of everyday life in the communities of prehistoric Cyprus. The maritime capabilities developed by early seafarers enabled them to explore new lands and seas, tap new marine resources and make use of accessible coastal sites. Over the long term, the core activities of seafaring revolved around the exploitation of marine and coastal resources, the mobility of people and the transport and exchange of goods. On Cyprus, although we lack direct material evidence (e.g. shipwrecks, ship representations) before about 2000 BC, there is no question that beginning at least by the eleventh millennium Cal BC (Late Epipalaeolithic), early seafarers sailed between the nearby mainland and Cyprus, in all likelihood several times per year. In the long stretch of time—some 4000 years—between the Late Aceramic Neolithic and the onset of the Late Chalcolithic (ca. 6800–2700 Cal BC), most archaeologists passively accept the notion that the inhabitants of Cyprus turned their backs to the sea. In contrast, this study entertains the likelihood that Cyprus was never truly isolated from the sea, and considers maritime-related materials and practices during each era from the eleventh to the early second millennium Cal BC. In concluding, I present a broader picture of everything from rural anchorages to those invisible maritime behaviours that may help us better to understand seafaring as an everyday practice on Cyprus.
Are Compounds Membrane-Associated or Present in the Cytosol? A Study Using Polyphenols in a Colon Carcinoma Cell Line Model
Authors: Deusser Hannah , Groh Isabel , Bakuradze Tamara , Simson Nadine , Kaiser Eva , Barth Holger , Richling Elke
Published: October 2020

Purpose

We investigated the cytosolic and membrane-associated contents of polyphenols after 4 hours of incubation (50 μM of each polyphenol) in the colon carcinoma cell line T84 using a novel, rapid, and convenient method based on permeabilization of the cell membrane using digitonin. The colon carcinoma cell line was used to investigate the intestinal uptake of polyphenols present in apple products.

Recent Findings

The results showed that hydroxycinnamic acids (caffeic and 5-caffeoylquinic acid) were only detected in the cytosolic fractions. In contrast, 0.3 to 8.2% of the initial concentrations (50 μM) of the flavonoids phloretin, quercetin, phloretin 2′-O-glucoside, and quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside were found in the membrane-associated fractions. In the cytosolic fractions, 0.2–2.9% of these compounds were detected, corresponding to 25 to 40% of the total cell-associated (cytosolic plus membrane-associated fractions) polyphenol content.

Our results showed that after uptake, polyphenols were present in the cytosolic fraction of the cells as well as associated with the cell membrane. The presented method provides a useful in vitro tool for determining biologically active compounds in cellular fractions.
A new goodness of fit test in the presence of uncertain parameters
Authors: Aslam Muhammad
Published: October 2020

The Weibull distribution has been widely used in the areas of quality and reliability. The Anderson–Darling test has been popularly used either the data in hand follow the Weibull distribution or not. The existing Anderson–Darling test under classical statistics is applied when all the observations in quality and reliability work are determined, précised, and exact. In the areas of reliability and quality, the data may indeterminate, in-interval and fuzzy. In this case, the existing Anderson–Darling test cannot be applied for testing the assumption of the Weibull distribution. In this paper, we present the Anderson–Darling test under neutrosophic statistics. We present the methodology to fit the neutrosophic Weibull distribution on the data. We discuss the testing procedure with the help of reliability data. We present the comparisons of the proposed test with the existing Anderson–Darling the goodness of fit test under classical statistics. From the comparison, it is concluded that the proposed test is more informative than the existing Anderson–Darling test under an indeterminate environment. In addition, the proposed test gives information about the measure of indeterminacy.
A Simple Thermal Conductivity Model for Unsaturated Geomaterials Accounting for Degree of Saturation and Dry Density
Authors: Bruno Agostino Walter , Alamoudi Doaa
Published: October 2020

This paper proposes a simple thermal conductivity model for geomaterials accounting for the combined effect of both degrees of saturation and dry density. The model only requires the determination of the thermal conductivity under dry conditions (i.e., at a degree of saturation equal to zero) and as little as two additional measurements of thermal conductivity performed at different levels of degree of saturation and dry density. The model is a function of only two fitting parameters, namely the moisture factor $${m}_{f}$$

m
f

and the density factor $${m}_{d}$$

m
d

. Despite its simplicity, the model can correctly predict the thermal conductivity of geomaterials and this has been validated against five sets of experimental data obtained on a very broad range of materials ranging from fine (e.g., bentonite) to coarser soils (e.g., a mix of gravel, coarse sand and silt) tested at different levels of degree of saturation and dry density. The paper also shows that the model can be applied to different engineering contexts such as (a) the thermal behaviour of earth materials used for building construction, (b) the thermal performance of bentonites employed for the storage of nuclear waste and (c) the estimation of the heat exchange in shallow geothermal reservoirs. Finally, the proposed model can be easily implemented in a finite element code to perform numerical simulations to study the heat transfer in unsaturated geomaterials.
Systematic Side-Channel Analysis of Curve25519 with Machine Learning
Authors: Weissbart Léo , Chmielewski Łukasz , Picek Stjepan , Batina Lejla
Published: October 2020

Profiling attacks, especially those based on machine learning, proved to be very successful techniques in recent years when considering the side-channel analysis of symmetric-key crypto implementations. At the same time, the results for implementations of asymmetric-key cryptosystems are very sparse. This paper considers several machine learning techniques to mount side-channel attacks on two implementations of scalar multiplication on the elliptic curve Curve25519. The first implementation follows the baseline implementation with complete formulae as used for EdDSA in WolfSSl, where we exploit power consumption as a side-channel. The second implementation features several countermeasures, and in this case, we analyze electromagnetic emanations to find side-channel leakage. Most techniques considered in this work result in potent attacks, and especially the method of choice appears to be convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which can break the first implementation with only a single measurement in the attack phase. The same convolutional neural network demonstrated excellent performance for attacking AES cipher implementations. Our results show that some common grounds can be established when using deep learning for profiling attacks on very different cryptographic algorithms and their corresponding implementations.
Baton Rouge (Louisiana): On the Importance of Thematic Cartography for 'Neopragmatic Horizontal Geography’
Authors: Kühne Olaf , Jenal Corinna
Published: October 2020

The presented contribution is based on the testing of a 'neopragmatic' access to spaces in the context of horizontal geography using the case study of Baton Rouge, Louisiana (USA). In this approach, the focus is less on the theoretical framing or the detailed development of community development, but rather on the importance of thematic cartography in the neopragmatic approach of regional geography. The neopragmatic approach prioritizes the multi-perspective study of spatial constellations over theoretical 'purity' and methodological clarity. The investigation is 'horizontally' oriented and is characterized by the constructivist framed synthesis of research results from different disciplines (e.g., on economic or structural development).
Genital Gender-Affirming Surgery Without Urethral Lengthening in Transgender Men—A Clinical Follow-Up Study on the Surgical and Urological Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction
Authors: Pigot Garry L.S. , Al-Tamimi Muhammed , Nieuwenhuijzen Jakko A. , van der Sluis Wouter B. , Moorselaar R.Jeroen A. van , Mullender Margriet G. , van de Grift Tim C. , Bouman Mark-Bram
Published: October 2020

Background

Genital gender-affirming surgery (gGAS) with urethral lengthening (UL) in transgender men is associated with high urological complication and reoperation rates. Since 2009, we offer gGAS without UL to avoid these complications.

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess what portion of the transgender men opted for gGAS without UL and to assess functional, surgical outcomes, and patient satisfaction after gGAS without UL.

Material and methods

Retrospective data were collected from patients’ charts. The International Prostate Symptom Score, uroflowmetry, and 24-hour frequency voiding chart were used to assess voiding, and a self-constructed semistructured questionnaire was used to assess patient-reported outcomes. Transgender men who underwent gGAS without UL between January 2009 and January 2018 were included, and 56 transgender men were approached to complete the patient-reported outcome measurement. The simple statistical analysis combined with the Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used.

Outcomes

68 transgender men were included. Median follow-up time was 24 (6–129) months. Uroflowmetry and the International Prostate Symptom Score were completed by 44 transgender men, whereas 13 completed the frequency voiding chart preoperatively and postoperatively, respectively. The patient-reported outcome measurement was completed by 40 of 56 (71%) transgender men.

Result

Postoperative surgical and urological complications occurred in 9 of 68 (13%) and 8 of 68 (12%) patients, respectively. Storage and voiding function remained unchanged. The median quality of life because of urinary symptoms was scored as “pleased.” Sexual functioning and voiding were scored satisfactory and very satisfactory in 18 of 40 (45%) and 21 of 40 (53%) patients, respectively. The number of patients satisfied with the penis and neoscrotum was 25 of 40 (63%) and 26 of 40 (65%), respectively. Increased self-esteem was reported by 32 of 40 (80%), 32 of 40 (80%) would undergo the surgery again, and 28 of 40 (70%) would recommend it to others.

Clinical Implications

gGAS without UL should be part of the surgical armamentarium in centers performing gender-affirming surgery.

Strengths and limitations

Strengths of this study comprise the number of patients, the completeness of data, incorporation of patient-reported outcomes, and description of a relatively new surgical approach that may be well-suitable for a subgroup of transgender men. Limitations are the retrospective study design and the lack of validated questionnaires.

Conclusion

gGAS without UL shows good surgical and urological outcomes. After extensive counseling, the majority of this selective group of patients shows favorable patient-reported outcomes.
Women, Power, and Property
Authors: Brulé Rachel E
Published: October 2020

Quotas for women in government have swept the globe. Yet we know little about their capacity to upend entrenched social, political, and economic hierarchies. ​Property and Power seeks to explore this issue within the context of India, the world's largest democracy. Brulé uses cutting-edge research design and extensive field research to make connections among political representation, backlash, and economic empowerment. Her findings show that women in government catalyze access to fundamental economic rights: property rights. Women in politics also have the power to support constituent rights at critical junctures, such as marriage negotiations, sparking integrative solutions to intra-household bargaining. Although they can lead to backlash, quotas are essential for enforcement ​of rights. In this groundbreaking study, Brulé shows how quotas can operate as a crucial tool to foster equality and benefit the women they are meant to empower.
In-Hospital Endocrinology Consultation After Transsphenoidal Surgery: Is It Always Necessary?
Authors: Clarke David B. , Hebb Andrea L.O. , Massoud Emad , Imran Syed Ali
Published: October 2020

Background:

Patients with sellar masses undergoing transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) frequently develop endocrine dysfunction; therefore, in-hospital endocrinology consultation (IHEC) is recommended. However, we wondered whether routine endocrinology assessment of all TSS patients is always necessary.

Methods:

We developed an IHEC Physician’s Guide to identify patients who would require peri-operative IHEC. An analysis of all patients undergoing TSS for a sellar mass over a 4-year period was conducted to assess the predictive value of the IHEC Physician’s Guide in identifying patients who required IHEC.

Results:

A total of 116 patients underwent TSS; 24 required IHEC. As expected, the risk of endocrine complications requiring peri-operative endocrine management was significantly higher in the IHEC group versus no-IHEC group (96% vs. 1%; p < 0.001). The negative predictive value of the IHEC Physician’s Guide in identifying patients who did not require IHEC was 0.99 (95% CI 0.9409–0.9997); Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.001), meaning that the IHEC Physician’s Guide successfully identified all but one patient who truly required IHEC.

Conclusion:

Results from our study show that most patients do not need IHEC after TSS and that those patients requiring IHEC can be reliably predicted at surgery by using a simple IHEC Physician’s Guide.
Value of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for patients with septic shock: an early health economic evaluation
Authors: Thavorn Kednapa , van Katwyk Sasha , Krahn Murray , Mei Shirley H.J. , Stewart Duncan J. , Fergusson Dean , Coyle Doug , McIntyre Lauralyn
Published: October 2020

Background.

This study estimates the maximum price at which mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is deemed cost-effective for septic shock patients and identifies parameters that are most important in making treatment decisions.

Methods

We developed a probabilistic Markov model according to the sepsis care trajectory to simulate costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of septic shock patients receiving either MSC therapy or usual care over their lifetime. We calculated the therapeutic headroom by multiplying the gains attributable to MSCs with willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold and derived the maximum reimbursable price (MRP) from the expected net monetary benefit and savings attributable to MSCs. We performed scenario analyses to assess the impact of changes to assumptions on the study findings. A value of information analysis is performed to identify parameters with greatest impact on the uncertainty around the cost-effectiveness of MSC therapy.

Results

At a WTP threshold of $50,000 per QALY, the therapeutic headroom and MRP of MSC therapy were $20,941 and $16,748, respectively; these estimates increased with the larger WTP values and the greater impact of MSCs on in-hospital mortality and hospital discharge rates. The parameters with greatest information value were MSC's impact on in-hospital mortality and the baseline septic shock in-hospital mortality.

Conclusion

At a common WTP of $50,000/QALY, MSC therapy is deemed to be economically attractive if its unit cost does not exceed $16,748. This ceiling price can be increased to $101,450 if the therapy significantly reduces both in-hospital mortality and increases hospital discharge rates.
Practitioner Empowerment, Older Adult Mistreatment, and Dementia
Authors: Lindenbach Jeannette , Larocque Sylvie , Morgan Debra , Jacklin Kristen
Published: October 2020

Although some studies have revealed practitioner disempowerment in cases of older adult mistreatment, this experience is poorly understood. In addition, dementia and contextual influences further complicate cases; yet,  little is known about the experience of practitioners with this complexity. This critical inquiry, based on Critical social theory, critical consciousness, and professional agency, aimed to address these gaps. Fifty-one practitioners from diverse health care and social service disciplines from rural and urban communities in Northeastern Ontario participated in interviews, journals, and focus groups. Analysis of data revealed the need for empowerment within a perpetual cycle of non-resolution, to refocus on legal clarity and intervention versus the current legal complexity and education focus, and to develop adequate infrastructure to support interprofessional efforts. The infusion of this knowledge into policy, practice, and research has great potential to improve outcomes for older adults with dementia who are mistreated in their homes.
Possession is Nine-Tenths of the Law: possession, property, and coordination in a Hawk–Dove Experiment
Authors: Fabbri Marco , Rizzolli Matteo , Maruotti Antonello
Published: October 2020

In all legal systems, possession and property are inextricably linked. Game theory captures this relationship in the Hawk–Dove game: players competing for an asset are better off when the possessor plays Hawk and the intruder plays Dove (the bourgeois strategy) so that property can emerge as a spontaneous convention. This theory has been supported by large experimental evidence with animals. This paper presents a lab experiment where possession is manipulated to study the emergence of the property convention with human subjects. We show that the highest coordination emerges when possession is achieved meritoriously and that possession induces only bourgeois coordination (never antibourgeois).
The Power to Detect Cultural Transmission in the Nuclear Twin Family Design With and Without Polygenic Risk Scores and in the Transmitted–Nontransmitted (Alleles) Design
Authors: Bruins Susanne , Dolan Conor V. , Boomsma Dorret I.
Published: October 2020

We compare the power of two different approaches to detect passive genotype–environment (GE) covariance originating from cultural and genetic transmission operating simultaneously. In the traditional nuclear twin family (NTF) design, cultural transmission is estimated from the phenotypic covariance matrices of the mono- and dizygotic twins and their parents. Here, phenotyping is required in all family members. A more recent method is the transmitted–nontransmitted (T–NT) allele design, which exploits measured genetic variants in parents and offspring to test for effects of nontransmitted alleles from parents. This design requires two-generation genome-wide data and a powerful genome-wide association study (GWAS) for the phenotype in addition to phenotyping in offspring. We compared the power of both designs. Using exact data simulation, we demonstrate three points: how the power of the T–NT design depends on the predictive power of polygenic risk scores (PRSs); that when the NTF design can be applied, its power to detect cultural transmission and GE covariance is high relative to T–NT; and that, given effect sizes from contemporary GWAS, adding PRSs to the NTF design does not yield an appreciable increase in the power to detect cultural transmission. However, it may be difficult to collect phenotypes of parents and the possible importance of gene × age interaction, and secular generational effects can cause complications for many important phenotypes. The T–NT design avoids these complications.
Psychische Auffälligkeiten von Jugendlichen mit Adipositas in der stationären Rehabilitation
Authors: Hampel Petra , Petermann Franz , Stachow Rainer
Published: October 2020

Zusammenfassung. Es wurden die Geschlechts- und Altersunterschiede in den selbst- und fremdbeurteilten psychischen Auffälligkeiten bei N = 142 Jugendlichen mit Adipositas in der stationären Rehabilitation untersucht. Mädchen wiesen im Selbsturteil höhere Ausprägungen in der Ängstlichkeit/Depressivität sowie den emotionalen und Verhaltensproblemen auf. Die Eltern gaben eine höhere Hyperaktivität ihrer Söhne an. Jüngere schätzten ihre Verhaltensprobleme höher ein als Ältere. Zudem wurde die klinische Stichprobe mit geschlechts- und altersgematchten Kontrollen aus der Normierungsstudie des Screenings psychischer Störungen im Jugendalter (SPS-J-II; Hampel & Petermann, 2012a ) verglichen ( N = 254). Es ergab sich ein 2.43-fach erhöhtes Risiko für auffällige Werte in der Ängstlichkeit/Depressivität bei den Jugendlichen mit Adipositas und ein signifikanter Mittelwertunterschied. Die Befunde sprechen für eine frühzeitige Diagnostik psychischer Auffälligkeiten und bedarfsgerechte Interventionen, um der Entwicklung komorbider psychischer Auffälligkeiten vorzubeugen.
A Synthesis of Observations and Models to Assess the Time Series of Sea Ice Mass Balance in the Beaufort Sea
Authors: Planck Cameron J. , Perovich Donald K. , Light Bonnie
Published: October 2020

Over the past four decades, there has been a substantial thinning of the summer sea ice cover in the Beaufort Sea. Variations in sea ice mass balance reflect these changes and give insight to the environmental forcings which caused them. In this work, the time series results from eight Lagrangian mass balance sites that operated in the Beaufort Sea over the years 1997–2015 are analyzed. Direct measurements from the sites are combined with estimates of ice/ocean heat input to examine the roll of solar heating on ice loss, growth, and melt rates. Comparisons between ice and snow conditions and mass balance event timing, for example, surface and bottom melt onset, melt peak, and melt end, are also made. From the late 1990s to the present, a general increase in bottom melting and solar heat input to the upper ocean was observed. All sites showed a net loss of ice (ranging from 29 to 271 cm), and all but one site saw the majority of this loss from bottom melting. Bottom melt onset occurred within a relatively narrow 13‐day window between 1 and 13 June at all sites. The amount of observed bottom melt was also related to the heat deposited in the ocean available for melting, underscoring the increasingly important role of ocean thermodynamics in determining sea ice mass balance.
Groove Generation and Coalescence on a Large‐Scale Laboratory Fault
Authors: Brodsky Emily E. , McLaskey Gregory C. , Ke Chun‐Yu
Published: October 2020

Faults are the products of wear processes acting at a range of scales from nanometers to kilometers. Grooves produced by wear are a first‐order observable feature of preserved surfaces. However, their interpretation is limited by the complex geological histories of natural faults. Here we explore wear processes on faults by forensically examining a large‐scale controlled, laboratory fault which has a maximum offset between the sides of 42 mm and has been reset multiple times for a cumulative slip of approximately 140 mm. We find that on both sides of the fault scratches are formed with lengths that are longer than the maximum offset but less than the cumulative slip. The grooves are explained as a result of interaction with detached gouge rather than as toolmarks produced by an intact protrusion on one side of the fault. The density of grooves increases with normal stress. The experiment has a range of stress of 1–20 MPa and shows a density of 10 grooves/m/MPa in this range. This value is consistent with recent inferences of stress‐dependent earthquake fracture energy of 0.2 J/m2/MPa. At normal stresses above 20 MPa, the grooves are likely to coalesce into a corrugated surface that more closely resembles mature faults. Groove density therefore appears to be an attractive target for field studies aiming to determine the distribution of normal stress on faults. At low stresses the groove spacing can be measured and contrasted with areas where high stresses produce a corrugated surface.
Attributing Causes of Future Climate Change in the California Current System With Multimodel Downscaling
Authors: Howard Evan M. , Frenzel Hartmut , Kessouri Fayçal , Renault Lionel , Bianchi Daniele , McWilliams James C. , Deutsch Curtis
Published: October 2020

Coastal winds in the California Current System (CCS) are credited with the high productivity of its planktonic ecosystem and the shallow hypoxic and corrosive waters that structure diverse macrofaunal habitats. These winds thus are considered a leading mediator of climate change impacts in the CCS and other Eastern Boundary Upwelling systems. We use an eddy‐permitting regional model to downscale the response of the CCS to three of the major distinct climate changes commonly projected by global Earth System Models: regional winds, ocean warming and stratification, and remote water chemical properties. An increase in alongshore winds intensifies spring upwelling across the CCS, but this response is muted by increased stratification, especially during summer. Despite the seasonal shift in regional wind‐driven upwelling, basin‐scale changes are the decisive factor in the response of marine ecosystem properties including temperature, nutrients, productivity, and oxygen. Downscaled temperature increases and dissolved oxygen decreases are broadly consistent with coarse resolution Earth System Models, and these projected changes are large and well constrained across the models, whereas nutrient and productivity changes are small compared to the intermodel spread. These results imply that global models with poor resolution of coastal processes nevertheless yield important information about the dominant climate impacts on coastal ecosystems.