bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The pleasures of ambiguity: pedagogy and musical apprenticeship in an Istanbul art studio
Authors: Şenay Banu
Published: April 2022

‘Dealing with ambiguity’ has become a pressing concern in many spheres of contemporary life, often presented as a ‘survival skill’ in an uncertain world. Working with ambiguity also plays a crucial role in the musical pedagogy of the Ottoman‐Turkish ney (Sufi reed flute), the playing of which I discuss in this article. Rather than a constraint or deficiency to be resolved, in the context of ney apprenticeship, ambiguity emerges as a desired pedagogical force not only valued but also deliberately amplified. My aim is to show how ambiguity is embraced here as a productive condition that maximizes possibilities for artistic exploration, freedom of discernment, and aesthetic pleasures.
Public Nuisance and Climate Change: The Common Law's Solutions to the Plaintiff, Defendant and Causation Problems
Authors: Bullock David
Published: April 2022

Litigation relating to climate change is on the rise, yet outside the United States few efforts have been made to bring private actions in public nuisance seeking injunctive relief to require a defendant to reduce its emissions. This article examines three key doctrinal challenges facing a plaintiff in a public nuisance action connected to climate change: qualifying as a plaintiff; delineating a defendant class; and dealing with multiple sources of emissions. It argues that the tort of public nuisance has well‐developed mechanisms able to solve these challenges in the context of other collective action problems, which can also be deployed in the context of climate change. These challenges facing a plaintiff in a climate changed‐based public nuisance case can be overcome without creating new law, enhancing the prospects of a successful claim being brought in a common law jurisdiction.
COVID‐19 in rural Africa: Food access disruptions, food insecurity and coping strategies in Kenya, Namibia, and Tanzania
Authors: Tabe‐Ojong Martin Paul Jr. , Gebrekidan Bisrat Haile , Nshakira‐Rukundo Emmanuel , Börner Jan , Heckelei Thomas
Published: April 2022

This study assesses the extent of COVID‐19‐related food insecurity in Kenya, Tanzania, and Namibia. Using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, we measure food insecurity in various dimensions and document several food access disruptions associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic between April and July 2020. Furthermore, we assess the association of COVID‐19 countermeasures with the adoption of various strategies in line with the coping strategies index. We rely on a unique phone survey that followed households who participated in an earlier field‐based survey. First, through Ordinary Least‐Squares and Probit regressions, we show a strong and statistically significant association between COVID‐19 countermeasures and food access disruptions and food insecurity in each of the three countries. We then use a multivariate probit regression model to understand the use of the various coping strategies, including reducing food intake, increasing food search, and relying more on less nutritious foods. We provide evidence on the complementarities and trade‐offs in using these coping strategies. COVID‐19 and related lockdown measures coincided with a deleterious increase in food insecurity in rural Africa.
A systematic review of opioid prevalence in Australian residential aged care facilities
Authors: Dowd Laura A. , Reynolds Lorenna , Cross Amanda J. , Veal Felicity , Steeper Michelle , Wanas Zainab , Wu Nancy , Bell J. Simon
Published: April 2022

Objective

To systematically review the prevalence of opioid prescribing, dispensing and administration in Australian residential aged care facilities (RACFs).

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AgeLine, Web of Science Core Collection, InformIT and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (inception to September 2021) were searched for studies reporting opioid prevalence in Australian RACFs. Regular and as‐required (i.e. pro re nata, PRN) opioid uses were considered. Screening, data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two review authors.

Results

Twenty‐three studies (n = 286,141 residents) reported opioid prevalence, of which 16 provided overall regular or PRN prescribing, dispensing or administration data. Five studies reported 28%–34% of residents were prescribed regular opioids over assessment periods ranging from one week to one month. Five studies reported 11%–42% of residents were prescribed PRN opioids over assessment periods ranging from one week to 30 months. Three studies reported 27%–50% of residents were dispensed an opioid over 12 months. Five studies reported 21%–29% were administered both regular and PRN opioids over 24 hours. Two studies reported 22%–42% of residents were administered PRN opioids over 1 week to 12 months. Two studies reported 6%–13% of residents were using doses >100 mg oral morphine equivalents/day.

Conclusions

Up to half of the residents were dispensed opioids over 12 months. The prevalence of opioid prescribing, dispensing and administration was highly variable, suggesting the potential value of opioid quality indicators and analgesic stewardship interventions to ensure opioid appropriateness.
Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic and multiple community lockdowns on total live birth rates and preterm births in Melbourne, Australia
Authors: Stansfield Scott , Rattan Arsheeya , Mol Ben W. , Rolnik Daniel L. , Malhotra Atul
Published: April 2022

We evaluated the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic and Melbourne's multiple community lockdowns (between 2020–21) on total live birth rates and preterm births in a large health network. Analysis revealed a decrease in total live birth rates following easing of initial lockdowns, and a sharp increase in births at one stage in between lockdowns. The proportion and number of preterm births (<37 weeks gestation) decreased at the start of initial lockdowns with the strongest decrease after the end of the second lockdown period. Births <34 weeks gestation also decreased during lockdowns, but no significant change was identified for births <28 weeks gestation.
Moral expertise without moral elitism
Authors: Smith William R.
Published: April 2022

Skepticism about ethical expertise has grown common, raising concerns that bioethicists’ roles are inappropriate or depend on something other than expertise in ethics. While these roles may depend on skills other than those of expertise, overlooking the role of expertise in ethics distorts our conception of moral advising. This paper argues that motivations to reject ethical expertise often stem from concerns about elitism: either an intellectualist elitism, where some privileged elite have supposedly special access in virtue of expertise in moral theory; or an authoritarian elitism, where our reliance on experts in ethics risks violation of autonomy and democracy. The paper sketches an anti‐elitist conception of ethics expertise in bioethics as continuous with an anti‐elitist conception of ethics expertise in common moral practice, undercutting the intellectualism, and then uses this anti‐elitist conception to reject arguments that ethical expertise violates autonomy or democracy. An anti‐elitist picture of ethical expertise both renders it consistent with our general moral practice and allows us to resist skeptical concerns.
Mucosal‐sparing augmented non‐transected anastomotic (MsANTA) urethroplasty: a step forward in ANTA urethroplasty
Authors: Joshi Pankaj , Bandini Marco , Kulkarni Sanjay B.
Published: April 2022

The surgical advancement of urethral reconstruction is a rapidly moving field. In the last decade, the technique for bulbar urethroplasty has evolved towards less invasive approaches with minimal transection and more tissue sparing in order to increase the patency rate. In this study, we provide a step forward in the augmented non‐transected anastomotic (ANTA) urethroplasty proposed in 2012, with a true mucosa‐sparing modification of the technique. In detail, the bulbar urethral lumen is approached with either a ventral or dorsal urethrotomy. Differently from previous techniques, the native urethral mucosa is neither transected nor resected but is reconstructed with a direct mucosa‐to‐mucosa anastomosis. This allows a complete sparing of communicant vessels that come from the corpus spongiosum to the urethral mucosa. The technique aims to preserve the native vascularity of the urethral mucosa by enlarging the native urethral plate with a direct anastomosis at the level of the stricture, and without the need for resection. In our hands the technique was easy and reproducible, and it carried promising results in the preliminary cohort where it was applied.
Latitudinal cline in the foraging dichotomy of loggerhead sea turtles reveals the importance of East China Sea for priority conservation
Authors: Okuyama Junichi , Watabe Akemi , Takuma Shunichi , Tanaka Kentaro , Shirai Kotaro , Murakami‐Sugihara Naoko , Arita Mamiko , Fujita Kento , Nishizawa Hideaki , Narazaki Tomoko , Yamashita Yoshiya , Kameda Kazunari
Published: April 2022

Aim

Quantifying the importance of habitat areas for conservation of highly migratory marine species with complex life histories can be challenging. For example loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) nesting in Japan forage both oceanically and neritically after their reproductive period. Here, we aimed to quantify the proportions of turtles using these two contrasting habitats (foraging dichotomy) to suggest priority conservation areas.

Location

North Pacific Ocean.

Methods

We examined the occurrence of foraging dichotomy at three nesting sites (Ishigaki, Okinoerabu Islands and Ichinomiya) based on stable isotope analysis of the egg yolks for 82 turtles and satellite tracking of post‐nesting migration for 12 turtles. Moreover, we used the data of three other sites from previous studies (Yakushima Island, Minabe and Omaezaki).

Results

Two neritic foraging grounds (East China Sea and the coastal area of the Japanese archipelago), and an oceanic ground (North Pacific Ocean) were identified. We found a latitudinal cline with respect to the occurrence of foraging dichotomy; >84% of the females nesting at southern sites (Ishigaki and Okinoerabu Islands), 73% at middle sites (Yakushima Island and Minabe) and <46% at northern sites (Omaezaki and Ichinomiya) were neritic foragers; the proportion of oceanic foragers increased at northern sites. Based on the annual number of nests in the entire nesting region of Japan, satellite tracking and the latitudinal cline of foraging dichotomy, we estimated that 70% and 9% of annual nesting females in Japan utilize the neritic foraging habitat in the East China Sea and the coastal area of the Japanese archipelago, respectively, and that and 22% utilize the oceanic habitat of the North Pacific Ocean.

Main conclusions

The East China Sea represents a critical foraging habitat for the North Pacific populations of endangered loggerhead sea turtles. Our findings emphasize the need for international management to ensure their protection.
Supply chain coordination with information design
Authors: Jia Justin , Letizia Paolo , Willems Sean P.
Published: April 2022

We consider the coordination of a supplier–retailer supply chain where, in addition to classical contract considerations, a supplier decides the adoption of an information structure (IS) for the supply chain, with a higher‐quality IS allowing the supply chain parties to obtain a more accurate demand forecast. Because a wholesale price contract cannot coordinate the supply chain due to misaligned incentives of supply chain parties, we explore what common coordinating contracts in the classical coordination literature can continue coordinating the supply chain with the IS adoption. Interestingly, our analysis appears to reveal the power of simplicity: some simple classical coordinating contracts (e.g., the buy‐back and revenue‐sharing contracts), though not designed with the IS consideration, still coordinate the supply chain, whereas other more complicated classical contracts (e.g., the quantity flexibility and sales rebate contracts) fail to do so. We derive a general condition for supply chain coordination and show that any contract with a newsvendor‐like transfer payment can coordinate the supply chain.
Fire‐related threats and transformational change in Australian ecosystems
Authors: Keith David A. , Allen Stuart P. , Gallagher Rachael V. , Mackenzie Berin D. E. , Auld Tony D. , Barrett Sarah , Buchan Anne , English Valerie , Gosper Carl , Kelly Dave , McIllwee Allen , Melrose Rachel T. , Miller Ben P. , Neldner V. John , Simpson Christopher C. , Tolsma Arn D. , Rogers Daniel , van Leeuwen Stephen , White Matthew D. , Yates Colin J. , Tozer Mark G.
Published: April 2022

Aim

Megafire events generate immediate concern for wildlife and human well‐being, but their broader ecological impacts likely extend beyond individual species and single fire events. In the first mechanistic study of fire effects focussed on ecosystems, we aimed to assess the sensitivity and exposure of ecosystems to multiple fire‐related threats, placing impacts in the context of changing fire regimes and their interactions with other threats.

Location

Southern and eastern Australia.

Time period

2019–2020.

Major species studied

Australian ecosystems.

Methods

We defined 15 fire‐related threats to ecosystems based on mechanisms associated with: (a) direct effects of fire regime components; (b) interactions between fire and physical environmental processes; (c) effects of fire on biological interactions; and (d) interactions between fire and human activity. We estimated the sensitivity and exposure of a sample of 92 ecosystem types to each threat type based on published relationships and spatial analysis of the 2019–2020 fires.

Results

Twenty‐nine ecosystem types assessed had more than half of their distribution exposed to one or more threat types, and only three of those were listed as nationally threatened. Three fire‐related threat types posed the most severe threats to large numbers of ecosystem types: high frequency fire; pre‐fire drought; and post‐fire invasive predator activity. The ecosystem types most affected ranged from rain forests to peatlands, and included some, such as sclerophyllous eucalypt forests and heathlands, that are traditionally regarded as fire‐prone and fire‐adapted.

Main conclusions

Most impacts of the 2019–2020 fires on ecosystems became apparent only when they were placed in the context of the whole fire regime and its interactions with other threatening processes, and were not direct consequences of the megafire event itself. Our mechanistic approach enables ecosystem‐specific management responses for the most threatened ecosystem types to be targeted at underlying causes of degradation and decline.
Molecular analysis of adenocarcinomas of the rete testis demonstrates frequent alterations in genes involved in cell cycle regulation
Authors: Acosta Andres M. , Al‐Obaidy Khaleel I. , Sholl Lynette M. , Ulbright Thomas M. , Idrees Muhammad T.
Published: April 2022

Adenocarcinomas of the rete testis (ACRT) are rare and aggressive testicular neoplasms that present predominantly in older men and have a tendency for early systemic spread. Their morphology spans a wide spectrum, including tumors with glandular, solid, papillary, micropapillary, glomeruloid, cribriform, and sarcomatoid growth patterns, or a combination thereof. The genomic alterations associated with these tumors have not been studied previously. We assessed eight ACRT published in prior clinicopathologic series using a solid tumor DNA sequencing panel. Pathogenic variants were identified in 6/8 cases. More specifically, four cases demonstrated inactivation of genes involved in cell cycle regulation, including CDKN2A, BAP1, TP53, and RB1. CDKN2A was the only recurrently affected gene, with pathogenic variants detected in 3/8 cases. One of these three cases had molecular evidence of concurrent homozygous (i.e. biallelic) NF2 inactivation by a frameshift variant and loss of the wildtype copy of the gene. One case had an internal tandem duplication in AKT, which has been previously described in juvenile granulosa cell tumor and sclerosing pneumocytoma and results in downstream activation of PI3K signaling. The remaining case with positive molecular findings harbored two concurrent truncating SETD2 variants. Multiple arm‐level and chromosome‐level copy number events were present in 3/8 cases, all of which harbored variants in genes involved in cell cycle regulation. In summary, ACRT are rare tumors with frequent inactivation of genes that play a major role cell cycle regulation, and a subset harbors variants that are potentially amenable to targeted therapy.
Comparative spectroscopic investigation of Dy3+ ions in different sesquioxide solid solution ceramics
Authors: Wang Wei , Jiang Benxue , Feng Tao , Fan Jintai , Zhang Long
Published: April 2022

A comparative study of the spectroscopic properties of LuScO3:Dy, LuYO3:Dy, and YScO3:Dy was conducted to evaluate their application prospects in yellow laser generation. The absorption cross sections of Dy‐doped LuScO3, LuYO3, and YScO3 at 446 nm were calculated to be 0.67, 1.51, and 1.05 × 10−21 cm2, respectively. The Judd–Ofelt (J–O) theory was used to determine the J–O parameters as well as the spontaneous transition probability and fluorescence branching ratios. The fluorescence spectra of LuScO3:Dy, LuYO3:Dy, and YScO3:Dy were dominated by yellow emission corresponding to the 4F9/2 → 6H13/2 transition, with cross sections of 0.78, 1.10, and 0.76 × 10−20 cm2, respectively. The Inokuti–Hirayama model was applied to fit the non‐exponential decay curve of Dy‐doped sesquioxide solid solution ceramics in order to investigate the process of energy transfer. The impact of bond length and distortion degree on spectral properties and energy‐transfer parameters was investigated. It was concluded that among Dy‐doped sesquioxide solid solutions, LuYO3:Dy ceramics are the most promising materials for generating yellow lasers.
Lipid droplets and autophagosomes together with chaperones fine‐tune expression of SGK1
Authors: Ghani Madiha J. , Gu Wenxue , Chen Zhuyuan , Canessa Cecilia M.
Published: April 2022

Serum‐glucocorticoid‐induced kinase‐1 (SGK1) regulates ion homeostasis and promotes survival under stress conditions. The expression of SGK1 is under transcriptional and post‐translational regulations that are frequently altered in cancer and immune disorders. We report that an N‐terminal amphipathic alpha‐helix determines SGK1 expression levels through two distinct mechanisms. It tethers SGK1 to intracellular organelles generating a large pool of membrane‐bound SGK1, which is differentially stabilized in lipid droplets (LD) in fed conditions or degraded in the endoplasmic reticulum by ER‐phagy in starvation. Association of the α‐helix to organelles does not depend on dedicated receptors or special phospholipids rather, it is intrinsic to its physicochemical properties and depends on the presence of bulky hydrophobic residues for attachment to LDs. The second mechanism is recruitment of protein‐chaperones that recognize the α‐helix as an unfolded protein promoting survival of the cytosolic SGK1 fraction. Together, the findings unveil an unexpected link between levels of energy storage and abundance of SGK1 and how changes in calorie intake could be used to modulate SGK1 expression, whereas the inhibition of molecular chaperones could serve as an additional enhancer in the treatment of malignancies and autoimmune disorders with high levels of SGK1 expression.
Glutathione regulates transcriptional activation of iron transporters via S‐nitrosylation of bHLH factors to modulate subcellular iron homoeostasis
Authors: Shee Ranjana , Ghosh Soumi , Khan Pinki , Sahid Salman , Roy Chandan , Shee Dibyendu , Paul Soumitra , Datta Riddhi
Published: April 2022

Glutathione (GSH) is known to regulate iron (Fe) deficiency response in plants but its involvement in modulating subcellular Fe homoeostasis remains elusive. In this study, we report that the GSH‐deficient mutants, cad2‐1 and pad2‐1 displayed increased sensitivity to Fe deficiency with significant downregulation of the vacuolar Fe exporters, AtNRAMP3 and AtNRAMP4, and the chloroplast Fe importer, AtPIC1. Moreover, the pad2‐1 mutant accumulated higher Fe levels in vacuoles but lower Fe levels in chloroplasts compared to wild type (Columbia ecotype [Col‐0]) under Fe limited conditions. Exogenous GSH treatment enhanced chloroplast Fe contents in Col‐0 but failed to do so in the nramp3nramp4 double mutants demonstrating that GSH plays a role in modulating subcellular Fe homoeostasis. Pharmacological experiments, mutant analysis, and promoter assays revealed that this regulation involves the transcriptional activation of Fe transporter genes by a GSH–S‐nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) module. The Fe responsive bHLH transcription factors (TFs), AtbHLH29, AtbHLH38, and AtbHLH101 were found to interact with the promoters of these genes, which were, in turn, activated via S‐nitrosylation (SNO). Taken together, the present study highlights the role of the GSH–GSNO module in regulating subcellular Fe homoeostasis by transcriptional activation of the Fe transporters AtNRAMP3, AtNRAMP4, and AtPIC1 via SNO of bHLH TFs during Fe deficiency.
Processual Recognition in Chinese Traffic Disputes
Authors: Sangren Kristin M.
Published: April 2022

This article analyzes traffic dispute resolution in contemporary urban China as embodying what I term processual recognition. I describe how various complex status‐inflected qualities, legal‐bureaucratic institutions and actors, and processes and perceptions of recognition interact in producing resolutions and a sense of (in)justice or (un)fairness. My attention to “recognition” is distinctive in foregrounding disputants’ investments in identity and dignity as enacted through embodied and affective practices. Contrary to accounts of contemporary China that emphasize moral breakdown, I argue that traffic disputes between strangers produce a spatially and temporally contingent moral economy that connects the production of justice with individual desire for recognition, socio‐structural configurations, and legal‐bureaucratic imperatives. I further argue that existing accounts focused on substantive and procedural justice fail to accommodate variant cultural and institutional configurations of dispute resolution, and that scholars should also attend to questions of recognition.
A Principal Stratification Approach to Estimating the Effect of Continuing Treatment after Observing Early Outcomes
Authors: Schnell Patrick M. , Baumgartner Richard , Mt-Isa Shahrul , Svetnik Vladimir
Published: April 2022

Chronic diseases often require continuing care, and early response to treatment can be an important predictor of long-term efficacy. Often, an apparent lack of early efficacy may lead to discontinuation of treatment, with the decision made either by clinicians or by the patients themselves. Thus, it is important to determine whether or not a desired early outcome corresponds to a beneficial long-term effect of continuing treatment, and conversely, whether or not the absence of such an outcome corresponds to a lack of long-term benefit. However, primary clinical trials of such treatments are not commonly designed to answer such questions, for example by randomizing subjects to continue or discontinue treatment after observing early outcomes. We propose an approach to estimating the effect of continuing treatment after observing early outcomes using data from randomized controlled trials in which treatment discontinuation was not part of the design. Our approach estimates average causal effects of continuing treatment on long-term outcomes in principal strata defined by the potential early outcomes under treatment. For illustration, we estimate the effects of continuing to take gaboxadol to treat insomnia conditional on early improvement in subjective sleep quality after two nights, based on a standard parallel-arm randomized controlled trial.
Effect of microstructural variation on strain localization in double‐sided friction stir welded AA6061‐AA7075 joints
Authors: Garg Ashu , Bhattacharya Anirban
Published: April 2022

In friction stir welding (FSW), the inhomogeneous microstructure significantly affects the mechanical performance of the joints. The present study investigates the influence of microstructural asymmetry along the thickness on strain localization during tensile test using the digital image correlation technique and fracture morphology for double‐sided FSW (DS‐FSW) AA6061‐AA7075 joints. In top and bottom slices of the transverse tensile sample, nonhomogenous strain localization is noted in heat affected zone (HAZ) of the advancing side (AS), that is, AA6061‐T6, and also presents higher tensile strength. However, in the middle slice of the transverse sample, larger region including thermo‐mechanically affected zone and HAZ undergoes strain localization and exhibits higher elongation at failure. In longitudinal specimens, the strain distribution is homogeneous up to uniform elongation followed by strain concentration at a localised region and fracture. Electron backscatter diffraction revealed that the extent of dynamic recrystallization on the retreating side (AA7075‐T61) is higher than that observed on the AS of the weld. The grain orientation spread map showed a high fraction of recrystallized grains at the weld centre. Presence of major shear textures components
and
both below the tool shoulder and weld centre regions are observed from pole figures. The recrystallized texture components P ({011}<112>), Goss ({110}<001>), Rotated Goss ({110}<110>), Cube ({001}<100>) and shear texture ({001}<110>) components is also noted at the weld centre. Middle slice both for longitudinal and transverse sample showed the finest dimple size on the fracture surfaces. The strain localization behaviour and tensile performance assessed for transverse and longitudinal samples can be helpful to find the load orientation dependency and safe design of DS‐FSW joints.
The novel HLA‐A*30:172 allele identified in a donor from the Colombian bone marrow donor registry
Authors: Hernández Mejía David Guillermo , Camacho Ramírez Nathalie , Mosquera Martínez Melissa , Cendales Paola Andrea , Camacho Bernardo Armando
Published: April 2022

HLA‐A*30:172 differs from HLA‐A*30:01:01:01 by a single nucleotide in codon 153 in exon 3.
Combinatorial Effects of Clay-Type Silicate and MgO on Friction Braking Performance of Hybrid Phenolic Composites
Authors: Saha Debarghya , Satapathy Bhabani K.
Published: April 2022

Halloysite (tubular), montmorillonite (platy), and wollastonite (acicular) type clay silicate morphologies-based magnesium oxide (MgO) filled compression-molded hybrid friction composites were fabricated followed by their mechanical (compressive), thermal (onset of degradation), thermo-mechanical (loss modulus), and tribological performance (CoF, fade, recovery, wear) evaluation. The friction-fade and friction-recovery due to braking-induced heating and cooling cycles vis-a-vis the instantaneous braking performances were evaluated following SAEJ661, on a chase-type friction tester. The combination of halloysite–MgO in the friction composite led to minimum fade (∼2.2%), whereas that of wollastonite–MgO showed a maximum friction coefficient (∼0.47) with enhanced rotor friendliness as indicated from optical surface profilometry. Montmorillonite–MgO-based composites showed a maximum wear resistance along with a greater extent of friction stabilization as supported by ID/IG data from Raman spectra. The performance attributes remained governed by the compressive stiffness of the friction composites, hardness, thermal stability, and morphological aspects of the clay-type silicates, and their induced contact dynamics as evident from scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) studies. The heat dissipation mechanism, the disc temperature rise, and friction coefficient under instantaneous braking condition were found to be controlled by MgO in the composites. The study demonstrates that clay-type silicate morphologies in combination with MgO as a mild abrasive may lead to synergistic fade–recovery performance without compromising the compressive stiffness response of the braking surface, enabling increased wear resistance.
Development of a Novel Approach to Predict Tool Life Based on Tool Path Features in Ta6V Milling
Authors: Lagarde Q. , Wagner V. , Dessein G. , Couderc P.
Published: April 2022

In the manufacturing industry, titanium alloys machining has always been a challenge, mostly because of tool premature wear. Consequently, the understanding of physical phenomena and their modeling have become critical research topics for productivity improvement. The majority of tool wear model is based on cutting condition variations. However, several tool paths with the same cutting conditions lead to different tool lives. The impact of the cutting strategy is significant on tool wear and complex to anticipate. In this article, a global method allowing to estimate the impact of a cutting strategy on tool life is presented. It is based on tool path features extracted from workshop cutting power signals collection. First, optimal cutting conditions are determined according to AFNOR standard by minimizing specific cutting coefficient. Then, correlation analysis is carried out for different configurations of the database. Special iconography of correlations is used to explain links between the features. To finish, from the correlations between impact of the tool path on tool life and the features, a multiple regression model based on the method of least squares is computed to estimate the impact of the tool path on tool life. Physical correlations have been highlighted and confirmed the significant role of the cutting strategy on tool life. Models are quite accurate despite the low amount of data and the method is promising for an industrial implementation.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis PknK Substrate Profiling Reveals Essential Transcription Terminator Protein Rho and Two-Component Response Regulators PrrA and MtrA as Novel Targets for Phosphorylation
Authors: Malhotra Vandana , Okon Blessing P. , Satsangi Akash T. , Das Sumana , Waturuocha Uchenna Watson , Vashist Atul , Clark-Curtiss Josephine E. , Saini Deepak Kumar
Published: April 2022

Networks of gene regulation and signaling cascades are fundamental to the pathogenesis ofMycobacterium tuberculosisin adapting to the continuously changing intracellular environment in the host.M. tuberculosisprotein kinase K is a transcription regulator that responds to diverse environmental signals and facilitates stress-induced growth adaptation in culture and during infection. This study identifies multiple signaling interactions of PknK and provides evidence that PknK can change the transcriptional landscape during growth transitions by connecting distinctly different signal transduction and regulatory pathways essential for mycobacterial survival.
Ligurian hyperextended continental margin preserved in an ophiolitic block at Timpa di Pietrasasso, Calabrian Arc, southern Italy
Authors: Shimabukuro David H. , Battistella Claire
Published: April 2022

The Cenozoic accretionary complex in the Calabrian Arc, southern Italy, contains hectometric- to kilometric-scale exposures of basalt, gabbro, and serpentinite that have been interpreted as dismembered fragments of Alpine Tethys ocean crust because of their incomplete nature with respect to the traditional view of a complete ophiolite sequence. We present new geologic mapping, geochemistry, and geochronology of one of these units at Timpa di Pietrasasso near the town of Terranova di Pollino in the Basilicata region that exposes Jurassic Tethyan pillow basalt and chert that are separated from gabbro and serpentinite by a fault. The gabbro in the footwall is Permian in age, indicated by U-Pb zircon ages of 284 ± 6 Ma, 293 ± 6 Ma, and 295 ± 4 Ma, linking it to gabbros that underplated continental crust after the Permo-Carboniferous Variscan Orogeny. The gabbro first underwent amphibolite-facies metamorphism, then developed a greenschist-facies mylonitic foliation near the fault surface that is crosscut by undeformed Jurassic-aged dikes of Tethyan origin, indicating that deformation is early Tethyan or pre-Tethyan in age. The underlying serpentinite is tectonically interleaved with blocks of Variscan lower crust, indicating that the missing upper plate of the extensional detachment complex was continental in origin. These features indicate that the Timpa di Pietrasasso unit preserves a low-angle detachment fault that developed in a hyperextended continental margin of the Alpine Tethys.
High-resolution record of multiple organic carbon-isotope excursions in lacustrine deposits of Upper Sinemurian through Pliensbachian (Early Jurassic) from the Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Franceschi Marco , Jin Xin , Shi Zhiqiang , Chen Bin , Preto Nereo , Roghi Guido , Corso Jacopo Dal , Han Lu
Published: April 2022

The Sinemurian-Pliensbachian boundary event (ca. 193 Ma) is recorded as a global perturbation of the carbon cycle, as evidenced by a large negative carbon-isotope excursion recorded in many marine sedimentary successions. Whereas multiple lines of evidence testify that the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian boundary event was associated with environmental and climatic changes, sea-level oscillations, and biotic turnovers in marine settings, the record and effects of the event on continents are poorly known. In this paper, we report a high-resolution δ13Corg record and palynological data from the Lower Jurassic lacustrine succession of the Sichuan Basin that allow a prominent 8‰ negative carbon-isotope excursion to be identified at the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian transition. We therefore interpret this perturbation as the expression of the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian boundary event in the Sichuan Basin, and we propose a correlation with the marine realm. Facies evolution illustrates that the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian boundary event coincided with a phase of expansion of the lacustrine systems. Palynological analyses indicate a sharp shift from arid to humid climate conditions coincident with the carbon-isotope perturbation that supports a scenario of lake expansion driven by increased rainfall. In contrast to observations in the Sichuan Basin, where deep lake conditions persisted across the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian boundary event, a global drop in the sea level is documented at the onset of the isotope perturbation. This suggests that eustatic oscillations due to increased continental water storage in lakes and aquifers in the context of a wetter climate phase may have been associated with the early stages of the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian boundary event.
The Afghan Events of 1979–1989: From Knowledge to Understanding and Recognition
Authors: Khristoforov V. S.
Published: April 2022

The circumstances that led to the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan are analyzed, and the international and domestic political situation in Afghanistan after the coup d’état and the announcement by the new authorities of the course towards building socialism, as well as contradictions between the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) factions, are examined. The development of the combat actions of the Soviet troops is studied, and the difficulties that the military had to face in the conditions of resistance from a significant part of the country’s population are considered. The support of the actions of the troops by official Soviet propaganda, including hushing up real losses, is considered in detail. Of considerable interest are data on an ideological confrontation: attempts by the Western allies of the Mujahideen to influence the Soviet military contingent.
Acquired haemophilia A associated to autoimmune thyroiditis and pangastritis
Authors: Marques Dias Joana Isabel , Ferreira Marta Azevedo , Grilo Ana , Reis Ana Isabel
Published: April 2022

Acquired haemophilia A is a rare condition defined by the presence of coagulation inhibitors, which are autoantibodies directed against factor VIII that interfere with its activity. We report a case of a 69-year-old woman that presented with knee haemarthrosis followed by spontaneous retroperitoneal haematoma. On coagulation studies, she presented normal prothrombin time with prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time non-correcting on mixture test, low titers of factor VIII and was detected factor VIII inhibitor that led to diagnosis of acquired haemophilia A. She was managed with supportive measures to control haemorrhage and immunosuppressive therapy to eradicate inhibitors, initially with corticosteroids, with partial transitory response, after which she developed new spontaneous haematomas. Rituximab was started at that time, with a good outcome. The additional aetiological study identified autoimmune thyroiditis and autoimmune pangastritis, an association rarely described in literature.
Single use versus reusable catheters in intermittent catheterisation for treatment of urinary retention: a protocol for a multicentre, prospective, randomised controlled, non-inferiority trial (COMPaRE)
Authors: van Doorn Tess , Berendsen Sophie A , Scheepe Jeroen R , Blok Bertil F M
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Chronic urinary retention is a common lower urinary tract disorder, mostly neurogenic or idiopathic in origin. The preferred treatment is clean intermittent urinary self-catheterisation (CISC) four to six times a day. In most European countries, virtually all patients use single use catheters, which is in contrast to several countries where the use of reusable catheters is more common. The available literature on the use of reusable catheters is conflicting and until now, no randomised controlled trial with sufficient power has been performed to investigate if reusable catheters for CISC is as safe as single use catheters.

Methods and analysis

We described this protocol for a prospective, randomised controlled non-inferiority trial to investigate if the use of reusable catheters is as safe as single use catheters for CISC patients, measured by symptomatic urinary tract infections (sUTIs). Secondary objectives are adverse events due to a sUTI, urethral damage, stone formation, quality of life and patient satisfaction. A cost-effectiveness analysis will also be performed. 456 Participants will be randomised into two groups stratified for age, gender, menopausal status and (non-)neurogenic underlying disorder. The intervention group will replace the reusable catheter set every 2 weeks for a new set and replace the cleaning solution every 24 hours. The control group continues to use its own catheters. The primary outcome (amount of sUTIs from baseline to 1 year) will be tested for non-inferiority. Categorical outcome measures will be analysed using χ2 tests and quantitative outcome variables by t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests. Two-sided p values will be calculated.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol was reviewed and approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Erasmus MC (MEC 2019-0134) and will be performed according to the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) checklist for non-inferiority trials. The results of this randomised controlled non-inferiority trial will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will be publicly available.

Trial registration number

NL8296.
Non-pharmacological therapies for postviral syndromes, including Long COVID: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
Authors: Chandan Joht Singh , Brown Kirsty , Simms-Williams Nikita , Camaradou Jenny , Bashir Nasir , Heining Dominic , Aiyegbusi Olalekan Lee , Turner Grace , Cruz Rivera Samantha , Hotham Richard , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah , Sivan Manoj , Khunti Kamlesh , Raindi Devan , Marwaha Steven , Hughes Sarah E , McMullan Christel , Calvert Melanie , Haroon Shamil
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Postviral syndromes (PVS) describe the sustained presence of symptoms following an acute viral infection, for months or even years. Exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and subsequent development of COVID-19 has shown to have similar effects with individuals continuing to exhibit symptoms for greater than 12 weeks. The sustained presence of symptoms is variably referred to as ‘post COVID-19 syndrome’, ‘post-COVID condition’ or more commonly ‘Long COVID’. Knowledge of the long-term health impacts and treatments for Long COVID are evolving. To minimise overlap with existing work in the field exploring treatments of Long COVID, we have only chosen to focus on non-pharmacological treatments.

Aims

This review aims to summarise the effectiveness of non-pharmacological treatments for PVS, including Long COVID. A secondary aim is to summarise the symptoms and health impacts associated with PVS in individuals recruited to treatment studies.

Methods and analysis

Primary electronic searches will be performed in bibliographic databases including: Embase, MEDLINE, PyscINFO, CINAHL and MedRxiv from 1 January 2001 to 29 October 2021. At least two independent reviewers will screen each study for inclusion and data will be extracted from all eligible studies onto a data extraction form. The quality of all included studies will be assessed using Cochrane risk of bias tools and the Newcastle-Ottawa grading system. Non-pharmacological treatments for PVS and Long COVID will be narratively summarised and effect estimates will be pooled using random effects meta-analysis where there is sufficient methodological homogeneity. The symptoms and health impacts reported in the included studies on non-pharmacological interventions will be extracted and narratively reported.

Ethics and dissemination

This systematic review does not require ethical approval. The findings from this study will be submitted for peer-reviewed publication, shared at conference presentations and disseminated to both clinical and patient groups.

PROSPERO registration number

The review will adhere to this protocol which has also been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021282074).
Preference for shared decision-making among Arabic-speaking people with chronic diseases: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Alzubaidi Hamzah , Samorinha Catarina , Saidawi Ward , Hussein Amal , Saddik Basema , Scholl Isabelle
Published: April 2022

Objectives

To assess Arabic-speaking patients’ preference for involvement in decision-making in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and characterise people who preferred involvement in decision-making.

Design

Cross-sectional quantitative study. The conduct and reporting of this research complied with Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines for cross-sectional studies.

Setting

Participants were recruited from outpatient clinics of 10 major hospitals in four cities in the UAE: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Umm al Quwain.

Participants

Adult patients with at least one chronic disease completed a cross-sectional survey consisting of 37 items in six sections measuring variables that may influence preferred involvement in decision-making. These included health literacy, health status, unanswered questions about care and satisfaction with treatment decisions. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the predictors of patients’ preferred involvement in decision-making.

Results

A total of 516 participants completed the survey. One-in-four participants preferred shared decision-making. Preferred involvement in decision-making was more frequent among women, not married, unemployed, people who rarely/never had unanswered questions and participants with anxiety/depression symptoms. After adjustment, not being married (OR=1.634; 95% CI 1.049 to 2.544) remained as a predictor of preferred involvement in decision-making, while having unanswered questions (OR=0.612; 95% CI 0.393 to 0.954) and problems in self-care were predictors of a preference for paternalistic decision-making (OR=0.423; 95% CI 0.181 to 0.993).

Conclusions

Contrary to the results from Western countries, this study showed that a majority of Arabic-speaking patients with chronic diseases preferred a paternalistic decision-making model. At the same time, some subgroups of Arabic-speaking people (eg, women, unemployed patients) had a higher preference for participation in decision-making. Physicians’ support and changes in healthcare systems are required to foster Arabic-speaking patients’ involvement in treatment decision-making process.
Non-erythropoiesis-stimulating agent, non-iron therapies for the management of anaemia: protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Devlin Paula , Davies Amelia , Dugan Cory , Richards Toby , Miles Lachlan F
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Preoperative anaemia is associated with poor postoperative outcomes and is the strongest predictor of allogenic blood transfusion, which contributes further to patient morbidity. Emphasis has been placed on correcting anaemia prior to surgery to mitigate these outcomes. Conflicting evidence exists regarding the benefit of currently recommended interventions. With greater understanding of iron haemostasis and erythropoiesis, novel therapies have been identified. These are at varying stages of development with some demonstrating promising results in patients with chronic kidney disease. It is not known how these agents have been studied outside this population, particularly in the perioperative context. To address this, we will conduct a scoping review of the published literature to chart the evidence.

Methods and analysis

The scoping review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews framework. The electronic database search will include Scopus, MEDLINE (Ovid) and Excerpta Medica database (Ovid), with no language restrictions, and will include all publications since 1 January 2010. This review will have three objectives: (1) to describe the mechanisms of action for novel agents, (2) to describe the level of evidence and stage of development of novel agents in a perioperative setting, and (3) to determine the potential agents suitable for prospective controlled trials in a preoperative or postoperative patient cohort and aiming to improve patient-centred outcomes. The review process will involve two reviewers with a third reviewer resolving disagreements. Data will be extracted and organised with subsequent analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

This scoping review does not require research ethics approval. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and inform the development of future prospective trials based on established evidence from potential therapeutic agents.

Trial registration number

This protocol has been registered prospectively on the Open Science Framework registry (DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/SM3UH,https://osf.io/sm3uh/?view_only=39876ccf7a4348dfbd566535b957a7db).Cite Now
The hidden risk of keystone invaders in Canada: a case study using nonindigenous crayfish
Authors: Brown Norah E.M. , Therriault Thomas W.
Published: April 2022

Invasive species have long been recognized as a serious threat to freshwater ecosystems. This is especially true for invasive species in keystone positions in food webs that can cause major disruption and can lead to unexpected outcomes. Crayfish occupy a central trophic position and nonindigenous crayfish have been shown to substantially disrupt ecosystems they invade. Here, we assess eight nonindigenous crayfish to 21 freshwater ecoregions in Canada using a screening-level risk assessment. We found that ecoregions in Canada that were warmer and contained high native freshwater diversity were most at risk from crayfish invasions, particularly: the Laurentian Great Lakes, St. Lawrence, English–Winnipeg lakes, and Coastal British Columbia ecoregions. Four crayfish species consistently had higher-risk scores: rusty ( Faxonius rusticus), virile ( Faxonius virilis), signal ( Pacifastacus leniusculus), and red swamp ( Procambarus clarkii). Of these high-risk crayfish, only the red swamp crayfish is not yet established in Canada but is present in US waters of the transboundary Great Lakes ecoregion. Our study is the first to evaluate the relative risks that nonindigenous crayfish pose to freshwater ecosystems in Canada.