bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Basic Oxygen Steelmaking Slag: Formation, Reaction, and Energy and Material Recovery
Authors: Li Zushu , Li Juncheng , Spooner Stephen , Seetharaman Sridhar
Published: August 2021

Basic oxygen steelmaking (BOS) slag, a product of hot metal element (e.g., Si, Mn, Fe, P) oxidation and flux (e.g. lime, dolomite) dissolution, plays a critical role in the production of high‐quality crude steel, although its behavior inside the BOS vessel (formation and reaction with metal droplets and gas) is still not clear and its recycling has always been challenging. Herein, examples of BOS‐slag‐related research conducted by the present authors are introduced, in addition to a critical review of relevant research reported in the literature. This includes four important topics: 1) slag formation, i.e., dissolution of lime in the BOS slag; 2) in situ observation of high‐temperature behavior of BOS slags; 3) transient phenomena in BOS slags due to metal droplet–slag–gas reactions; and 4) energy and material recovery from molten BOS slags. This article aims to provide state‐of‐the‐art understanding and new research ideas on these research topics. An emphasis is placed on methods that seek to in situ probe the evolution of the slag and to document its physical and chemical changes.
Calculation of the Fatigue Limit of High‐Strength Steel Specimens at Different Loading Conditions Based on Inclusion Sizes
Authors: Schumacher Jens , Clausen Brigitte
Published: August 2021

A calculation method for the fatigue limit of components made of high‐strength steels that fail at inclusions is described. The method consists of two parts: first, the size of failure‐critical inclusions is determined based on metallographic investigations. Then, the fatigue limit is determined based on the expected inclusion sizes using a fracture mechanics model. Influencing factors such as sample size, heat‐treatment conditions, and mean stresses are considered. The model parameters are derived from fatigue test data collected over decades within the framework of several research projects. The dominant influencing factors are the inclusion size and the hardness of the steel matrix. Finally, the model is used to predict the fatigue limit of different specimens made of a bearing steel SAE 52 100. The sizes of failure‐critical inclusions and fatigue limits calculated with the model are compared and evaluated on the basis of the inclusion sizes found in the samples’ fracture surface and the experimentally determined fatigue limits.
Kippstabilität von Trägern mit Drehbettung – Einfluss und Anwendung der neuen Regelungen in prEN1993‐1‐1:2020
Authors: Müller Andreas , Taras Andreas
Published: August 2021

In diesem Beitrag werden die Ergebnisse einer Studie vorgestellt, welche die Auswirkungen der im Normentwurf zur 2. Generation der EN 1993‐1‐1 eingeführten Neuerungen des Biegedrillknicknachweises von Trägern mit I‐ und H‐Querschnitt auf die Regelungen zur Bestimmung der erforderlichen Drehbettung zur Vermeidung des Biegedrillknickens untersuchte. Es werden zunächst die Hintergründe der bestehenden und neuen Regelungen gemeinsam mit bisherigen Vorschlägen zur Anpassung der Definition der Mindest‐Drehbettung diskutiert. Anhand theoretischer Überlegungen sowie numerischer Berechnungen der realitätsnahen Tragfähigkeit drehgebetteter Stäbe wird gezeigt, dass die neuen Regelungen für das Biegedrillknicken in prEN1993‐1‐1 zu sehr präzisen Vorhersagen der Tragfähigkeit drehgebetteter Stäbe führen, solange die Drehbettung auch in der Bestimmung der Schlankheit für Biegedrillknicken berücksichtigt wird. Zudem wird gezeigt, dass die bisher gültigen und im Nationalen Anhang der DIN EN 1993‐1‐1 enthaltenen Festlegungen zur Mindest‐Drehbettung zur Vermeidung von Biegedrillknicken ebenfalls für die Praxis ausreichend genau sind und in keinem Widerspruch zu den neu eingeführten Regelungen zum Biegedrillknicken stehen. Von der in prEN1993‐1‐1, Anhang D geplanten Verschärfung der Regelungen zur erforderlichen Mindest‐Drehbettung kann demnach abgesehen werden.
Physicochemical Properties for Food Packaging and Toxicity Behaviors Against Healthy Cells of Environmentally Friendly Biocompatible Starch/Citric Acid/Polyvinyl Alcohol Biocomposite Films
Authors: Gürler Nedim , Paşa Salih , Erdoğan Ömer , Cevik Ozge
Published: August 2021

The current study focuses on the fabrication, characterization, and cytotoxic effects of polymeric biocomposite films composed of starch, various concentrations of citric acid (3%, 6%, and 9%), and polyvinyl alcohol. The cross‐linked corn starch (S)‐polyvinyl alcohol (P) biocomposite films are prepared by casting technique using glucose (G) and fructose (F) as plasticizers. The chemical structure of obtained films is characterized by Fourier transform infrared and x‐ray diffraction. Physicochemical parameters of the films such as solubility, swelling capacity, and water vapor permeability, optical and mechanical properties are investigated. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity is evaluated to determine the biocompatibility of samples. The physicochemical properties of S‐P(Starch‐Polyvinyl alcohol) films improve with the addition of citric acid during the esterification reaction. The tensile strength for Starch‐Polyvinyl alcohol‐Glucose blend composition with 3% citric acid (SPG3) and Starch‐Polyvinyl alcohol‐Fructose blend composition with 3% citric acid (SFG3) biocomposite films is determined as 10.17 and 8.24 MPa, respectively, compared to 8.16 and 7.94 MPa for without citric acid, respectively. The cell viability values of biocomposite films towards NIH‐3T3 and L929 cells are calculated 90% compared to the control group. Thus, it demonstrates that they are also quite biocompatible materials.
Adaptive voltage unbalance compensation based control strategy for islanded microgrid
Authors: Luo Jinman , Wang Haiji , Liu Liyuan
Published: August 2021

In order to compensate voltage unbalance at the point of common coupling (PCC) for the islanded microgrid, a novel strategy based on PCC negative‐sequence voltage feedforward is proposed. Through the PCC negative‐sequence voltage feedforward, a virtual voltage source is added to the DG terminal at the negative‐sequence. Then, the effective impedance between the distributed generation (DG) unit and the PCC can be reduced proportionally to the compensation coefficient, thereby reducing the unbalanced voltage caused by the unbalanced load. On this basis, an adaptive mechanism of the compensation coefficient is proposed to achieve compensation effort equalization among parallel DGs. Different from the widely adopted virtual impedance method, the additional unbalanced voltage droop (caused by the virtual impedance) can be avoided. In addition, the H∞ repetitive controller is designed to obtain good voltage control performance for the parallel operation. Finally, microgrid simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Effect of methylene blue used as medical dye on blood pressure in a dog undergoing partial pancreatectomy
Authors: Marchese Giorgia Anna , Pascal Manuela
Published: August 2021

A three‐year‐old female, neutered Staffordshire Bull Terrier underwent partial pancreatectomy for suspected insulinoma. During surgery, the patient developed severe hypotension unresponsive to reduction in inhalant agent concentration, intravenous fluid bolus therapy and intravenous administration of vasopressor agents. A progressive increase in arterial blood pressure values was only detected concomitantly with intravenous administration of methylene blue (MB), requested by the surgeon to facilitate the visualization of the pancreatic tumour. The arterial blood pressure remained within normal range values during the rest of the intraoperative period. The dog recovered uneventfully from general anaesthesia. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report describing the effect of intravenous MB on arterial blood pressure in veterinary medicine.
How acetaldehyde reacts with low molecular weight phenolics in white and red wines
Authors: Cucciniello Raffaele , Forino Martino , Picariello Luigi , Coppola Francesca , Moio Luigi , Gambuti Angelita
Published: August 2021

Acetaldehyde is a key compound in determining wine color evolution and sensory properties. Major wine metabolites reactive to acetaldehyde are phenolic compounds, mainly flavan-3-ols and anthocyanins. Many studies have been conducted with the purpose of investigating acetaldehyde reactivity in model solutions, but very poor are the reports of its fate in real wines. By means of LC-HRESIMS and UV/Vis HPLC, red and white wines exposed to an excess of acetaldehyde were analyzed with a specific focus on low molecular weight phenolics. The chemical behavior of acetaldehyde turned out to be different in white and red wines. In white wines, it mainly mediated the formation of vinyl-flavan-3-ol derivatives, while in red wines it led to the formation of ethylidene-bridged red pigments. These latter positively enhanced the color properties of red wines. Conversely, in white wines, the formation of compounds, such as xanthylium ions, causing the undesired browning effects were not detected.
LncRNA LncHrt preserves cardiac metabolic homeostasis and heart function by modulating the LKB1-AMPK signaling pathway
Authors: Liu Ning , Kataoka Masaharu , Wang Yingchao , Pu Linbin , Dong Xiaoxuan , Fu Xuyang , Zhang Feng , Gao Feng , Liang Tian , Pei Jianqiu , Xiao Changchen , Qiu Qiongzi , Hong Tingting , Chen Qiming , Zhao Jing , Zhu Lianlian , He Junhua , Hu Xiaoyun , Nie Yu , Zhu Wei , Yu Hong , Cowan Douglas B. , Hu Xinyang , Wang Jian’an , Wang Da-Zhi , Chen Jinghai
Published: August 2021

Metabolic modulation is a promising therapeutic approach to prevent adverse remodeling of the ischemic heart. Because little is known about the involvement of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in regulating cardiac metabolism, we used unbiased transcriptome profiling in a mouse model of myocardial infarction (MI). We identified a novel cardiomyocyte-enriched lncRNA, called LncHrt, which regulates metabolism and the pathophysiological processes that lead to heart failure. AAV-based LncHrt overexpression protects the heart from MI as demonstrated by improved contractile function, preserved metabolic homeostasis, and attenuated maladaptive remodeling responses. RNA-pull down followed by mass spectrometry and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) identified SIRT2 as a LncHrt-interacting protein involved in cardiac metabolic regulation. Mechanistically, we established that LncHrt interacts with SIRT2 to preserve SIRT2 deacetylase activity by interfering with the CDK5 and SIRT2 interaction. This increases downstream LKB1-AMPK kinase signaling, which ameliorates functional and metabolic deficits. Importantly, we found the expression of the human homolog of mouse LncHrt was decreased in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Together, these studies identify LncHrt as a cardiac metabolic regulator that plays an essential role in preserving heart function by regulating downstream metabolic signaling pathways. Consequently, LncHrt is a potentially novel RNA-based therapeutic target for ischemic heart disease.
Odd Wheels Are Not Odd-Distance Graphs
Authors: Damásdi Gábor
Published: August 2021

An odd wheel graph is a graph formed by connecting a new vertex to all vertices of an odd cycle. We answer a question of Rosenfeld and Le by showing that odd wheels cannot be drawn in the plane so that the lengths of the edges are odd integers.
Psychotropic medication use among patients with a traumatic brain injury treated in the intensive care unit: a multi-centre observational study
Authors: Vehviläinen Juho , Skrifvars Markus B. , Reinikainen Matti , Bendel Stepani , Marinkovic Ivan , Ala-Kokko Tero , Hoppu Sanna , Laitio Ruut , Siironen Jari , Raj Rahul
Published: August 2021

Background

Psychiatric sequelae after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are common and may impede recovery. We aimed to assess the occurrence and risk factors of post-injury psychotropic medication use in intensive care unit (ICU)-treated patients with TBI and its association with late mortality.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective multi-centre observational study using the Finnish Intensive Care Consortium database. We included adult TBI patients admitted in four university hospital ICUs during 2003–2013 that were alive at 1 year after injury. Patients were followed-up until end of 2016. We obtained data regarding psychotropic medication use through the national drug reimbursement database. We used multivariable logistic regression models to assess the association between TBI severity, treatment-related variables and the odds of psychotropic medication use and its association with late all-cause mortality (more than 1 year after TBI).

Results

Of 3061 patients, 2305 (75%) were alive at 1 year. Of these, 400 (17%) became new psychotropic medication users. The most common medication types were antidepressants (61%), antipsychotics (35%) and anxiolytics (26%). A higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score was associated with lower odds (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90–0.96) and a diffuse injury with midline shift was associated with higher odds (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.3–9.0) of new psychotropic medication use. After adjusting for injury severity, new psychotropic medication use was associated with increased odds of late mortality (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.19–2.17, median follow-up time 6.4 years).

Conclusions

Psychotropic medication use is common in TBI survivors. Higher TBI severity is associated with increased odds of psychotropic medication use. New use of psychotropic medications after TBI was associated with increased odds of late mortality. Our results highlight the need for early identification of potential psychiatric sequelae and psychiatric evaluation in TBI survivors.
Spinal alignment shift between supine and prone CT imaging occurs frequently and regardless of the anatomic region, risk factors, or pathology
Authors: Wessels Lars , Komm Bettina , Bohner Georg , Vajkoczy Peter , Hecht Nils
Published: August 2021

Computer-assisted spine surgery based on preoperative CT imaging may be hampered by sagittal alignment shifts due to an intraoperative switch from supine to prone. In the present study, we systematically analyzed the occurrence and pattern of sagittal spinal alignment shift between corresponding preoperative (supine) and intraoperative (prone) CT imaging in patients that underwent navigated posterior instrumentation between 2014 and 2017. Sagittal alignment across the levels of instrumentation was determined according to the C2 fracture gap (C2-F) and C2 translation (C2-T) in odontoid type 2 fractures, next to the modified Cobb angle (CA), plumbline (PL), and translation (T) in subaxial pathologies. One-hundred and twenty-one patients (C1/C2: n = 17; C3-S1: n = 104) with degenerative (39/121; 32%), oncologic (35/121; 29%), traumatic (34/121; 28%), or infectious (13/121; 11%) pathologies were identified. In the subaxial spine, significant shift occurred in 104/104 (100%) cases (CA: *p = .044; T: *p = .021) compared to only 10/17 (59%) cases that exhibited shift at the C1/C2 level (C2-F: **p = .002; C2-T: *p < .016). The degree of shift was not affected by the anatomic region or pathology but significantly greater in cases with an instrumentation length > 5 segments (“∆PL > 5 segments”: 4.5 ± 1.8 mm; “∆PL ≤ 5 segments”: 2 ± 0.6 mm; *p = .013) or in revision surgery with pre-existing instrumentation (“∆PL presence”: 5 ± 2.6 mm; “∆PL absence”: 2.4 ± 0.7 mm; **p = .007). Interestingly, typical morphological instability risk factors did not influence the degree of shift. In conclusion, intraoperative spinal alignment shift due to a change in patient position should be considered as a cause for inaccuracy during computer-assisted spine surgery and when correcting spinal alignment according to parameters that were planned in other patient positions.
Esophageal resection in Austria—preparing a national registry
Authors: Paireder Matthias , Asari Reza , Radlspöck Wolfgang , Fabbri Anna , Tschoner Andreas , Függer Reinhold , Zacherl Johannes , Schoppmann Sebastian F.
Published: August 2021

Background

Esophageal resection is a technically challenging procedure. Despite improvements in perioperative management and outcome, it is still associated with considerably high morbidity and mortality rates even if performed in high-volume centers. This study aimed to shed light on the results of routine patient care in three representative referral centers concerning caseload and surgical and oncological outcomes.

Methods

This study is a retrospective, multicenter, national-wide analysis of a newly established database including perioperative and long-term outcome data from three referral centers in Austria.

Results

In a 6-year study period (2013–2018), 411 patients were eligible for analysis. The indication for esophageal resection was esophageal adenocarcinoma in 299 (72.7%) patients and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in 90 (21.9%) patients. The abdominothoracic approach (70.1%) was the most common operation, followed by transhiatal extended gastrectomy (14.8%) and a thoracic-abdominal-cervical approach (8.5%). Most patients (77.9%) underwent neoadjuvant therapy (chemotherapy 45.3%, radiochemotherapy in 32.6%). A minimally invasive approach was chosen in 25.3%. Major complications and mortality were seen in 21.7% and 2.9%, respectively. The 1‑year survival rate was 84%, 3‑year survival 60%, and 5‑year survival was 52%. The pooled overall median survival was 110 months (95% CI 33.97–186.03).

Conclusion

This first publication of the Austrian Society of Esophageal Surgery shows that the outcome of esophageal surgery for cancer in Austria compares well with that of renowned international centers. However, a more comprehensive approach including as many national centers as possible will improve outcome research, offer quality management, and improve patient safety. The study group invites all Austrian institutions performing esophagectomy to participate in the initiative.
Pathogens detected in the tick Haemaphysalis concinna in Western Poland: known and unknown threats
Authors: Dwużnik-Szarek Dorota , Mierzejewska Ewa Julia , Alsarraf Mohammed , Alsarraf Mustafa , Bajer Anna
Published: August 2021

In recent years, a new focus of the relict tickHaemaphysalis concinnawas discovered in Western Poland, near Wolsztyn, Greater Poland voivodeship. This species may play an important role in the circulation of pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. In the present study we tested 880 juvenile ticks collected from rodents, including 427H. concinna, 443Ixodes ricinusand 10Dermacentor reticulatusfor three of the most common pathogens vectored by ticks in Poland:RickettsiaandBabesiaspp. andBorrelia burgdorferis.l. Additionally, molecular techniques were applied for accurate identification of tick host species (the volesMicrotusandAlexandromys). Our study found differences in the range and prevalence of vectored pathogens between the three tick species. DNA of all three pathogens was found inI. ricinus. In juvenileH. concinna, DNA ofBabesia microti,Borrelia afzeliiandRickettsiasp. was identified. Moreover, DNA of a new unnamedBabesiaspecies related toB. crassa, was found in twoH. concinnanymphs. This genotype ofBabesiawas previously identified inH. concinnain the Far East and then in Central Europe. DNA ofRickettsia raoultiandB. afzeliiwas detected inD. reticulatusnymphs.Among rodent hosts,Alexandromys oeconomusseems to be host of the highest significance for juvenile tick stages and was the only host species withB. afzeliidetected in blood samples. Using phylogenetic methods, we confirmed a clear division between rodents from the generaMicrotusandAlexandromys. Moreover, we found thatA. oeconomustrapped in Western Poland clustered with a Central EuropeanA. oeconomusallopatric phylogroup.
Evidence of Strong Flux Underestimation by Bulk Parametrizations During Drifting and Blowing Snow
Authors: Sigmund Armin , Dujardin Jérôme , Comola Francesco , Sharma Varun , Huwald Hendrik , Melo Daniela Brito , Hirasawa Naohiko , Nishimura Kouichi , Lehning Michael
Published: August 2021

The influence of drifting and blowing snow on surface mass and energy exchange is difficult to quantify due to limitations in both measurements and models, but is still potentially very important over large areas with seasonal or perennial snow cover. We present a unique set of measurements that make possible the calculation of turbulent moisture, heat, and momentum fluxes during conditions of drifting and blowing snow. From the data, Monin–Obukhov estimation of bulk fluxes is compared to eddy-covariance-derived fluxes. In addition, large-eddy simulations with sublimating particles are used to more completely understand the vertical profiles of the fluxes. For a storm period at the Syowa S17 station in East Antarctica, the bulk parametrization severely underestimates near-surface heat and moisture fluxes. The large-eddy simulations agree with the eddy-covariance fluxes when the measurements are minimally disturbed by the snow particles. We conclude that overall exchange over snow surfaces is much more intense than current models suggest, which has implications for the total mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet and the cryosphere.
Expression and Characterization of a Potent Long-Acting GLP-1 Receptor Like Agonist, Exendin-4-Fc
Authors: Zhang Wen , Li Ming , Zan Yanlu , Bai Yi
Published: August 2021

Human GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) can produce a remarkable improvement in glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, its clinical benefits are limited by its short half-life, which is less than 2 min because of its small size and rapid enzymatic inactivation by dipeptidyl peptidase IV. We engineered Exendin-4-Fc, a 66-kDa fusion protein by linking an IgG2 Fc to Exendin-4. A stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cell line was obtained using electroporation. Exendin-4-Fc stimulated insulin secretion in INS-1 cells in a dose- and glucose-dependent manner and increased insulin mRNA expression. The plasma half-life of Exendin-4-Fc in cynomolgus monkeys was approximately 133.92 ± 25.1 h. In the KKAy mouse model of diabetes, one intraperitoneal injection of Exendin-4-Fc (1 mg/kg) reduced blood glucose levels for 5 days. A 4-week repeat-administration study identified sustained effects on blood glucose levels. Oral glucose tolerance tests conducted at the beginning and end of this 4-week period showed that Exendin-4-Fc produced a stable glucose lowering effect. In addition, KKAy mice treated with Exendin-4-Fc showed statistically significant weight loss from day 23. In conclusion, these properties of Exendin-4-Fc demonstrated that it could be a potential long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Grief’s impact on sensorimotor expectations: an account of non-veridical bereavement experiences
Authors: Millar Becky
Published: August 2021

The philosophy of grief has directed little attention to bereavement’s impact on perceptual experience. However, misperceptions, hallucinations and other anomalous experiences are strikingly common following the death of a loved one. Such experiences range from misperceiving a stranger to be the deceased, to phantom sights, sounds and smells, to nebulous quasi-sensory experiences of the loved one’s presence. This paper draws upon the enactive sensorimotor theory of perception to offer a phenomenologically sensitive and empirically informed account of these experiences. It argues that they can be understood as deriving from disruption to both sensorimotor expectations and perceived opportunities for action, stemming from the upheaval of bereavement. Different facets of the enactive sensorimotor approach can help to explain different types of post-bereavement perceptual experience. Post-bereavement misperceptions can be accounted for through the way that alterations to sensorimotor expectations can result in atypical ‘amodal completion’, while bereavement hallucinations can be understood as ‘appearances’ that fail to form part of the usual patterns of sensorimotor contingency. Quasi-sensory experiences of the presence of the deceased can be understood as resulting from changes to perceived affordances. This paper aims to demonstrate the explanatory value of key aspects of the sensorimotor approach by highlighting how they can help to explain the phenomenology of post-bereavement experiences. However, it also illuminates certain areas in which the sensorimotor approach ought to be supplemented, especially if it is to account for tight connections between perception, affect, and intersubjectivity that are salient in grief.
The queen of the island: On the density and distribution of the Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) in Cozumel
Authors: García-Arroyo Michelle , Gómez-Martínez Miguel A. , MacGregor-Fors Ian
Published: August 2021

The Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is one of the most successful invasive bird species across the world. Worryingly, the invasive dove is a known reservoir of many diseases, some of which can potentially infect mammals (including human beings). Additionally, aggressive behaviors have been recorded toward other bird species resulting in territory and nest usurpation. Thus, the presence of this species poses an important risk for native species with similar habits, particularly in insular systems. Based on this, we carried out this study to assess the density and distribution of the Eurasian Collared-Dove in the island of Cozumel, as well as to evaluate the relationship between their abundance and the environmental characteristics of the places they inhabit. We estimated their distance-corrected densities in the island's largest town and performed an inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation to visualize their distribution. We performed a generalized linear model (GLM) to assess relationships between the environmental variables and the abundance of doves using a reduced model procedure. We obtained 137 records of doves present in 94% of all survey sites and an estimated density of 6.8 ind/ha, for a total of 6,670 doves in San Miguel de Cozumel. We did not find a spatial pattern of the dove's distribution on the urban setting, but we found an interaction between their abundances with tree cover and building height. Our findings, together with previous evidence of infection risk and aggressive behavior, make this species a threat to the native species communities of fragile ecosystems such as the island of Cozumel.
Ageing and Self-Care in India: Examining the Role of the Market in Determining a New Course of Growing Old among Middle Class Older Adults in Urban India
Authors: Gangopadhyay Jagriti
Published: August 2021

With the decline of the joint family system, middle class older adults in urban India are increasingly relying on the Self-Care approach as later-life care arrangements. In particular, these older adults are relying on the market for their everyday physical and emotional care needs. Applying the North American Successful Ageing model and the political economy and consumer culture of ageing framework, the present study highlights how the market is creating a new imagination of growing old in urban India. Additionally, through qualitative interviews, the study demonstrates how perceptions regarding the ageing body among middle class older adults in urban India are gradually transforming. Finally, the study indicates how with changing filial and intergenerational ties, familial care is being replaced by the market.
Moral Molecules: Morality as a Combinatorial System
Authors: Curry Oliver Scott , Alfano Mark , Brandt Mark J. , Pelican Christine
Published: August 2021

What is morality? How many moral values are there? And what are they? According to the theory of morality-as-cooperation, morality is a collection of biological and cultural solutions to the problems of cooperation recurrent in human social life. This theory predicts that there will be as many different types of morality as there are different types of cooperation. Previous research, drawing on evolutionary game theory, has identified at least seven different types of cooperation, and used them to explain seven different types of morality: family values, group loyalty, reciprocity, heroism, deference, fairness and property rights. Here we explore the conjecture that these simple moral ‘elements’ combine to form a much larger number of more complex moral ‘molecules’, and that as such morality is a combinatorial system. For each combination of two elements, we hypothesise a candidate moral molecule, and successfully locate an example of it in the professional and popular literature. These molecules include: fraternity, blood revenge, family pride, filial piety, gavelkind, primogeniture, friendship, patriotism, tribute, diplomacy, common ownership, honour, confession, turn taking, restitution, modesty, mercy, munificence, arbitration, mendicancy, and queuing. These findings indicate that morality – like many other physical, biological, psychological and cultural systems – is indeed a combinatorial system. Thus morality-as-cooperation provides a principled and powerful theory, that explains why there are many moral values, and successfully predicts what they will be; and it generates a systematic framework that has the potential to explain all moral ideas, possible and actual. Pursuing the many implications of this theory will help to place the study of morality on a more secure scientific footing.
In-depth profiling of COVID-19 risk factors and preventive measures in healthcare workers
Authors: Wratil Paul R. , Schmacke Niklas A. , Osterman Andreas , Weinberger Tobias , Rech Jochen , Karakoc Burak , Zeilberger Mira , Steffen Julius , Mueller Tonina T. , Spaeth Patricia M. , Stern Marcel , Albanese Manuel , Thun Hella , Reinbold Julia , Sandmeyer Benedikt , Kressirer Philipp , Grabein Béatrice , Falkai Peter , Adorjan Kristina , Hornung Veit , Kaderali Lars , Klein Matthias , Keppler Oliver T.
Published: August 2021

Purpose

To determine risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in healthcare workers (HCWs), characterize symptoms, and evaluate preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2 spread in hospitals.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study conducted between May 27 and August 12, 2020, after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we obtained serological, epidemiological, occupational as well as COVID-19-related data at a quaternary care, multicenter hospital in Munich, Germany.

Results

7554 HCWs participated, 2.2% of whom tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Multivariate analysis revealed increased COVID-19 risk for nurses (3.1% seropositivity, 95% CI 2.5–3.9%, p = 0.012), staff working on COVID-19 units (4.6% seropositivity, 95% CI 3.2–6.5%, p = 0.032), males (2.4% seropositivity, 95% CI 1.8–3.2%, p = 0.019), and HCWs reporting high-risk exposures to infected patients (5.5% seropositivity, 95% CI 4.0–7.5%, p = 0.0022) or outside of work (12.0% seropositivity, 95% CI 8.0–17.4%, p < 0.0001). Smoking was a protective factor (1.1% seropositivity, 95% CI 0.7–1.8% p = 0.00018) and the symptom taste disorder was strongly associated with COVID-19 (29.8% seropositivity, 95% CI 24.3–35.8%, p < 0.0001). An unbiased decision tree identified subgroups with different risk profiles. Working from home as a preventive measure did not protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. A PCR-testing strategy focused on symptoms and high-risk exposures detected all larger COVID-19 outbreaks.

Conclusion

Awareness of the identified COVID-19 risk factors and successful surveillance strategies are key to protecting HCWs against SARS-CoV-2, especially in settings with limited vaccination capacities or reduced vaccine efficacy.
Cytokinetic Abscission Regulation in Neural Stem Cells and Tissue Development
Authors: McNeely Katrina C. , Dwyer Noelle D.
Published: August 2021

Purpose of Review

How stem cells balance proliferation with differentiation, giving rise to specific daughter cells during development to build an embryo or tissue, remains an open question. Here, we discuss recent evidence that cytokinetic abscission regulation in stem cells, particularly neural stem cells (NSCs), is part of the answer. Abscission is a multi-step process mediated by the midbody, a microtubule-based structure formed in the intercellular bridge between daughter cells after mitosis.

Recent Findings

Human mutations and mouse knockouts in abscission genes reveal that subtle disruptions of NSC abscission can cause brain malformations. Experiments in several epithelial systems have shown that midbodies serve as scaffolds for apical junction proteins and are positioned near apical membrane fate determinants. Abscission timing is tightly controlled and developmentally regulated in stem cells, with delayed abscission in early embryos and faster abscission later. Midbody remnants (MBRs) contain over 400 proteins and may influence polarity, fate, and ciliogenesis.

As NSCs and other stem cells build tissues, they tightly regulate three aspects of abscission: midbody positioning, duration, and MBR handling. Midbody positioning and remnants establish or maintain cell polarity. MBRs are deposited on the apical membranes of epithelia, can be released or internalized by surrounding cells, and may sequester fate determinants or transfer information between cells. Work in cell lines and simpler systems has shown multiple roles for abscission regulation influencing stem cell polarity, potency, and daughter fates during development. Elucidating how the abscission process influences cell fate and tissue growth is important for our continued understanding of brain development and stem cell biology.
Global externalities from avoided emissions in the Costa Rican cattle sector: opportunities for more efficient mitigation policies
Authors: Dall’Orsoletta Felipe , Cechin Andrei Domingues
Published: August 2021

The livestock sector has had an important contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Costa Rica, more than 20% of emissions come from beef and milk production. This paper performs a cost–benefit analysis of a climate policy in the Costa Rican cattle sector, and tries to innovate by including the positive global externality of emissions reduction into the analysis; to assess the extent to which it affects the attractivity of the referred policy. National sectorial policies for climate change mitigation generate global benefits, such as avoided GHG emissions into the atmosphere—a global public good. However, such global positive externalities, which represented 13% to 31% of the policy’s benefits in the widest scenario of our study, are usually not included in national climate planning, which may lead efficient policies to be dismissed. This paper shows that taking externalities into account makes sectorial climate mitigation policies more efficient, i.e., more appealing for investments. Benefit–cost ratios varied between 0.27 and 7.31 and break-even points average around the third and fourth years. Moreover, the results under different economic assumptions varied in terms of net benefits, but viability balance (viable vs. unviable scenarios) remained stable for different settings. The crucial question remains on how to best balance such global positive externalities to be advantageous to both funders and beneficiaries, enabling an efficient global climate mitigation strategy.
Going Far by Going Together: James M. Buchanan’s Economics of Shared Ethics
Authors: Carden Art , Caskey Gregory W. , Kessler Zachary B.
Published: August 2021

We explore themes in Nobel Prize–winning economist James M. Buchanan’s work and apply hisEthics and Economic Progressto problems facing individuals and firms. We focus on Buchanan’s analysis of the individual work ethic, his exhortations to “pay the preacher” of the “institutions of moral-ethical communication,” and his notion of law as “public capital.” We highlight several ways people with other-regarding preferences can contribute to social flourishing and some of the ways those who have “affected to trade for the public good” might want to redirect their efforts. We show how Buchanan’s work has considerable implications for business ethics. Just as his economic analysis of politics changed how we understand government, we think his economic analysis of ethics can (and should) change how we understand business.
A pilot feasibility study investigating the impact of increasing sucrose intakes on body composition and blood pressure
Authors: Scott Sophie , Young Julie , Lodge John K.
Published: August 2021

Epidemiological and intervention studies have reported negative health effects of sucrose intake, but many of these studies were not representative of typical dietary habits. In this pilot study, we aimed to test the effect of increasing sucrose intakes for 1 week on body composition and blood pressure and explore the feasibility of consuming high intakes of sucrose in addition to a habitual diet. In a randomised crossover design study, twelve healthy participants (50 % female, age 28⋅4 ± 10 years, BMI 25 ± 3 kg/m2), consumed either 40, 80 or 120 g sucrose in 500 ml water in addition to their habitual diet every day for 1 week, with a 1-week washout between treatment periods. Body composition (assessed using bioelectrical impedance) and blood pressure measurements were taken before and after each intervention phase. All participants reported no issues with consuming the sucrose dose for the intervention period. There was a significant increase in systolic blood pressure following 120 g sucrose intake (P= 0⋅006), however there was no significant changes to blood pressure, body weight, BMI, percentage protein, fat or water (P> 0⋅05) when comparing change from baseline values. There was also no effect of sucrose intakes on energy or macronutrient intakes during the intervention (P> 0⋅05). We show here that varying doses of sucrose over a 1-week period have no effect on body composition or blood pressure. The amounts of sucrose used were an acceptable addition to the habitual diet and demonstrate the feasibility of larger-scale studies of chronic sucrose supplementation.
The Sources of Resilience of International Human Rights Courts: The Case of the Inter-American System
Authors: Gonzalez-Ocantos Ezequiel , Sandholtz Wayne
Published: August 2021

International courts (ICs) with human rights mandates have recently faced instances of backlash aiming to curb their authority. Taking cues from research on the functioning of ICs, we argue that ICs will be resilient—able to maintain their competences and authority in the face of backlash—to the extent that they are embedded in domestic “legal complexes.” Our framework identifies key sites of embeddedness and stresses the importance of synergies between them, including: (1) the incorporation of treaties into domestic law; (2) independent courts; (3) acceptance and use of IC jurisprudence by domestic judiciaries; (4) strong national human rights institutions; (5) incorporation of international law into legal training and research; and (6) the presence of NGOs that rely on ICs. This article explores resilience in the Inter-American System of Human Rights. First, we discuss and map the state of each source of resilience across Latin America. Second, we show how the activation of sources of resilience helped preserve the integrity of Inter-American institutions in the face of backlash orchestrated by several countries between 2011 and 2014.
Sex Ambiguity in Early Modern Common Law (1629–1787)
Authors: Sudai Maayan
Published: August 2021

Prior to the modern understanding of sex as fundamentally biological, a person’s sex status—that is, whether they were male or female—was largely a legal issue. How was this legal fact established in cases of doubt? To answer that question, this article tells the story of the regulation of cases of doubtful sex (the cases of people who were then referred to as hermaphrodites) between 1629 and 1787 in England and Colonial America. Trials of doubtful sex from this period show that, rather than being based on a single piece of evidence (such as genital appearance), determining a person’s sex required a rich and context-sensitive evaluation by witnesses and juries. However, toward the end of the eighteenth century, scientific and medical authorities gradually sought to classify hermaphrodites according to their “true sex” and to remove any doubt from that classification. Ultimately, this article demonstrates that the early modern common law tradition did not conceptualize sex as purely binary and did not hinge on medical opinions throughout most of the eighteenth century. These findings highlight the continuous engagement of courts in actively shaping the meaning and ontology of sex rather than merely reflecting it in their decisions.
How we do it: ‘tonsil swabs please’ – an alternative use in open neck surgery
Authors: Mathew E , Nair D , Rourke T , Corbridge R
Published: August 2021

Background

Thyroid and parathyroid surgery often involves the use of heated instruments for dissection. Whilst these are beneficial, accidental thermal damage to the exposed skin edges can occur, resulting in an unsatisfactory cosmetic outcome. Tonsil swabs can be used in head and neck surgery intra-operatively to control bleeding. This paper describes an alternative use for them in protecting wound edges during the procedure.

Method

Damp tonsil swabs are sutured onto the wound edges after the initial skin incision. They remain present for the duration of the surgery and are removed at the time of skin closure.

Results

The tonsil swabs provide protection and help avoid accidental injury to the skin. No complications with this technique have been experienced.

Conclusion

This paper describes a simple, effective and practical technique for protecting the skin during neck procedures using resources readily available in a standard ENT operating theatre.
Why the Good is supremely good: a defence of the Monologion proof
Authors: de Ray Christophe
Published: August 2021

The opening chapters of Anselm's Monologion contain a ‘proof’ of a perfect being, which has received far less attention than the more famous Proslogion proof, and the ontological arguments derived from it. I wish to rectify this by developing an argument in defence of a crucial premise of the Monologion proof. This premise states that ‘the Good’, i.e. that in virtue of which numerically distinct things may all be good, must itself be a supremely good thing (if it exists). I motivate the argument before considering objections to both premises, as well as putative ‘parodies’ of my argument. Part of the motivation of my argument will involve the claim that the Good, if it is good at all, must be a paradigm good thing. I conclude that theists have a second kind of ontological argument at their disposal.
Statue habit and statue culture in Late Antique Rome
Authors: Machado Carlos
Published: August 2021

The statue habit was a defining characteristic of Classical cities, and its demise in Late Antiquity has recently attracted scholarly attention. This article analyzes this process in the city of Rome, charting the decline and abandonment of the practice of setting up free-standing statues between the end of the 3rd c. and the mid 7th c. CE. Focusing on the epigraphic evidence for new dedications, it discusses the nature of the habit in terms of its differences from and continuities with earlier periods. The quantitative evolution of the habit suggests that its end was associated with deeper transformations. The final section examines the broader significance of setting up statues in Late Antique Rome, arguing that the decline of the statue habit must be understood in the context of a new statue culture that saw statue dedications in an antiquarian light, rather than as part of an organic honorific language.
Clashes Involving National Popular Vote, Hare (“RCV”), Maine, Alaska
Authors: Potthoff Richard F.
Published: August 2021

Apparently unnoticed by its advocates, a prominent effort to improve the troubled US presidential-election system—the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC)—is on a collision course with another effort at electoral change—“ranked-choice voting” (RCV, known previously by less ambiguous names). The NPVIC is a clever device intended, without constitutional amendment, to elect as president the nationwide popular-vote winner (i.e., the plurality-vote winner) rather than the electoral-vote winner. Election results in 2000, 2016, and 2020 enhanced its support. However, the (constitutional) ability of even one state to replace its plurality voting with another voting system causes the popular-vote total posited for the NPVIC to be undefined, thereby rendering the NPVIC unusable. Maine and Alaska recently switched from plurality voting to RCV for presidential elections. Consequently, tangled results and turmoil could occur with the NPVIC. To improve presidential elections, replacing plurality voting with other systems appears to be more sensible than pursuing the NPVIC.
RIGHTS AS RATIONALIZATIONS? PSYCHOLOGICAL DEBUNKING OF BELIEFS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS
Authors: Bublitz Christoph
Published: August 2021

This paper explores a novel type of argument in legal theory—a psychological debunking argument—by the example of the justification of human rights and based on a psychological dual-process model of decision-making. Debunking arguments undermine confidence in a belief because of shortcomings of the empirical conditions under which it was formed. They thereby open a route from the descriptive to the evaluative, from Is to Ought, without illicitly crossing metaethical waters since they involve normative premises. As they are epistemic, they cannot replace substantive arguments on the merits. However, they may be useful when substantive arguments are stalled or the necessity to make a judgment precludes further discussions.

The controversial justification of human rights is a good test case for debunking arguments. The challenge is to find features in the formation of beliefs about human rights that undermine their epistemic justification. Some psychologists claim that relevant beliefs arise from the rationalization of intuitions. This process is ill-suited to generate correct beliefs; so formed beliefs may be debunked. This also shows how legal reasoning might be improved.