bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elgin on Science, Art and Understanding
Authors: Briesen Jochen
Published: October 2021

Is art epistemically valuable? Catherine Z. Elgin answers this question in the affirmative. She argues for the epistemic value of art on the basis of her innovative epistemological theory, in which the focus is shifted from knowledge and truth to a non-factive account of understanding. After an exposition and critique of her view, as she develops it in her most recent book “True Enough” (MIT-Press, 2017), I will build on some of her ideas in order to strengthen her account.
Non-invasive capnodynamic mixed venous oxygen saturation during major changes in oxygen delivery
Authors: Svedmyr Anders , Konrad Mark , Wallin Mats , Hallbäck Magnus , Lönnqvist Per-Arne , Karlsson Jacob
Published: October 2021

Mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) is an important variable in anesthesia and intensive care but currently requires pulmonary artery catheterization. Recently, non-invasive determination of SvO2 (Capno-SvO2) using capnodynamics has shown good agreement against CO-oximetry in an animal model of modest hemodynamic changes. The purpose of the current study was to validate Capno-SvO2 against CO-oximetry during major alterations in oxygen delivery. Furthermore, evaluating fiberoptic SvO2 for its response to the same challenges. Eleven mechanically ventilated pigs were exposed to oxygen delivery changes: increased inhaled oxygen concentration, hemorrhage, crystalloid and blood transfusion, preload reduction and dobutamine infusion. Capno-SvO2 and fiberoptic SvO2 recordings were made in parallel with CO-oximetry. Respiratory quotient, needed for capnodynamic SvO2, was measured by analysis of mixed expired gases. Agreement of absolute values between CO-oximetry and Capno-SvO2 and fiberoptic SvO2 respectively, was assessed using Bland–Altman plots. Ability of Capno- SvO2 and fiberoptic SvO2 to detect change compared to CO-oximetry was assessed using concordance analysis.
The interventions caused significant hemodynamic variations. Bias between Capno-SvO2 and CO-oximetry was + 3% points (95% limits of agreements – 7 to + 13). Bias between fiberoptic SvO2 and CO-oximetry was + 1% point, (95% limits of agreements − 7 to + 9). Concordance rate for Capno-SvO2 and fiberoptic SvO2 vs. CO-oximetry was 98% and 93%, respectively. Capno-SvO2 generates absolute values close to CO-oximetry. The performance of Capno-SvO2 vs. CO-oximetry was comparable to the performance of fiberoptic SvO2 vs. CO-oximetry. Capno-SvO2 appears to be a promising tool for non-invasive SvO2 monitoring.
Exploring mechanisms for systemic thinking in decision-making through three country applications of SDG Synergies
Authors: Barquet Karina , Järnberg Linn , Alva Ivonne Lobos , Weitz Nina
Published: October 2021

Increased systems thinking capacity—that is, the capacity to consider systemic effects of policies and actions—is necessary for translating knowledge on Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) interactions into practice. Various models and tools that seek to support more evidence-based policy-making have been developed with the purpose of exploring system effects across SDGs. However, these often lack integration of behavioral aspects and contextual factors that influence the decision-making process. We analyze three applications of a decision-support approach called SDG Synergies, which aims at building capacity in systems thinking among decision-makers and implementing agencies. Our objective is to explore how behavior and context influences whether and how knowledge is taken up and acted upon when making decisions. Drawing on empirical material from Mongolia, Colombia, and Sri Lanka, we identify three sets of mechanisms that appear important for enabling more systemic thinking: system boundaries (time, scale, and space), rules of engagement (ownership, representation, and purpose), and biases (confirmation biases and participation biases). Results highlight some key challenges for systemic thinking that merit further attention in future applications, including the importance of localizing SDGs and incorporating this knowledge to national-level assessments, an unwillingness of stakeholders to acknowledge trade-offs, the challenge of addressing transformational as opposed to incremental change, and striking a balance between the flexibility of the approach vis-à-vis scientific robustness.
Ecologies of Public Trust: The NHS COVID-19 Contact Tracing App
Authors: Samuel Gabrielle , Lucivero Frederica , Johnson Stephanie , Diedericks Heilien
Published: October 2021

In April 2020, close to the start of the first U.K. COVID-19 lockdown, the U.K. government announced the development of a COVID-19 contact tracing app, which was later trialled on the U.K. island, the Isle of Wight, in May/June 2020. United Kingdom surveys found general support for the development of such an app, which seemed strongly influenced by public trust. Institutions developing the app were called upon to fulfil the commitment to public trust by acting with trustworthiness. Such calls presuppose that public trust associated with the app can emerge if the conditions for trustworthiness are met and that public trust is simplistic, i.e., linearly the sum of each member of the publics’ individual – U.K. government trust relationship. Drawing on a synthesis of the trust literature and fifteen interviews with members of the public trialling the app on the Isle of Wight, this paper aims to explore what trust mechanisms and relationships are at play when thinking about public trust in the context of the U.K. COVID-19 app. We argue that public trust is a complex social phenomenon and not linearly correlated with institutional trustworthiness. As such, attention needs to widen from calls for trustworthy infrastructures as a way to build public trust, to a deeper understanding of those doing the trusting; in particular, what or whom do people place their trust in (or not) when considering whether using the app and why. An understanding of this will help when trying to secure public trust during the implementation of necessary public health measures.
Ethylenediurea (EDU) spray effects on willows (Salix sachalinensis F. Schmid) grown in ambient or ozone-enriched air: implications for renewable biomass production
Authors: Agathokleous Evgenios , Kitao Mitsutoshi , Shi Cong , Masui Noboru , Abu-ElEla Shahenda , Hikino Kyohsuke , Satoh Fuyuki , Koike Takayoshi
Published: October 2021

Ground-level ozone (O3) is a widespread air pollutant causing extensive injuries in plants. However, its effects on perennial energy crops remain poorly understood due to technical difficulties in cultivating fast-growing shrubs for biomass production under O3 treatment on the field. Here we present the results of a two-year evaluation in the framework of which willow (Salix sachalinensis F. Schmid) shrubs were exposed to ambient (AOZ) or elevated (EOZ) O3 in two successive growing seasons (2014, 2015) and treated with 0 (EDU0) or 400 mg L−1 (EDU400) ethylenediurea spray in the second growing season. In 2014, EOZ altered the chemical composition of both top young and fallen leaves, and a novel mechanism of decreasing Mg in fallen leaves while highly enriching it in young top leaves was revealed in shrubs exposed to EOZ. In 2015, EDU400 alleviated EOZ-induced decreases in leaf fresh mass to dry mass ratio (FM/DM) and leaf mass per area (LMA). While EDU400 protected against EOZ-induced suppression of the maximum rate at which leaves can fix carbon (Amax) in O3-asymptomatic leaves, it did not alleviate EOZ-induced suppression of the maximum rates of carboxylation (VCmax) and electron transport (Jmax) and chlorophylls a, b, and a + b in the same type of leaves. In O3-symptomatic leaves, however, EDU400 alleviated EOZ-induced suppression of chlorophylls a and a + b, indicating different mode of action of EDU between O3-asymptomatic and O3-symptomatic leaves. Extensive herbivory occurred only in AOZ-exposed plants, leading to suppressed biomass production, while EOZ also led to a similar suppression of biomass production (EDU0 × EOZ vs. EDU400 × EOZ). In 2016, carry-over effects were also evaluated following cropping and transplantation into new ambient plots. Effects of EOZ in the preceding growing seasons extended to the third growing season in the form of suppressed ratoon biomass production, indicating carry-over effect of EOZ. Although EDU400 protected against EOZ-induced suppression of biomass production when applied in 2015, there was no carry-over effect of EDU in the absence of EDU treatment in 2016. The results of this study provide novel mechanistic understandings of O3 and EDU modes of action and can enlighten cultivation of willow as energy crop.
Revisional One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass with a 150-cm Biliopancreatic Limb After Failure of Adjustable Gastric Banding: Mid-Term Outcomes and Comparison Between One- and Two-Stage Approaches
Authors: Petrucciani Niccolò , Martini Francesco , Benois Marine , Kassir Radwan , Boudrie Hubert , Van Haverbeke Olivier , Hamid Celine , Juglard Gildas , Costa Gianluca , Debs Tarek , Liagre Arnaud
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) was a common procedure worldwide but associated with a high rate of long-term failure. This study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of conversion to one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) after failed LAGB.

Materials and Methods

We undertook a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database in a tertiary referral center for bariatric surgery. All cases of revisional OAGB with a biliopancreatic limb (BPL) of 150 cm after failed LAGB performed between 2010 and 2016 were analyzed.

Results

Overall, 215 patients underwent conversion from LAGB to OAGB. Indication for surgery was primary weight loss (WL) failure in 30.7% of cases and long-term complications in the remaining patients, with or without associated weight regain. At the time of OAGB, the mean age was 43.2 ± 10.5 years and the mean BMI was 42 ± 6.9. Overall postoperative morbidity was 13.5%. The postoperative abscess ± leak rate was 5.9% in the overall population. Two years after OAGB, 9.7% of patients were lost to follow-up, % excess weight loss (EWL) was 88.2 ± 23.9, and % total weight loss (TWL) was 38.7 ± 9.3. At 5 years, 16.6% of patients were lost to follow-up, %EWL was 82.4 ± 25, and %TWL was 36.1 ± 10. There was no statistical difference in complication rates or WL results between the one-stage and two-stage approaches.

Conclusion

OAGB with a 150-cm BPL represents a safe and effective option after failed LAGB. Both synchronous OAGB and two-step revisional OAGB guarantee satisfying results in terms of postoperative morbidity and WL outcomes.

Graphical abstract (PLEASE CORRECT THE GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT !!! 215 PATIENTS INSTEAD OF 250
Vocal Cord Hemangioma: A Common Tumor in an Unusual Localization. A Case Report with Short Review of Literature
Authors: Piombino Eliana , Broggi Giuseppe , Grillo Calogero , Bonanno Antonio , Cocuzza Salvatore , La Mantia Ignazio , Caltabiano Rosario
Published: October 2021

Laryngeal adult-type hemangiomas are very rare lesions, more frequent in men, whose optimal treatment consists of microlaryngoscopical excision. We herein report a case of larynx cavernous hemangioma in a 64-year-old woman with hoarseness for about six months. Histologically, the tumor was composed of multiple vessels embedded in an edematous stroma.
Best of ASCO 2021: new data from triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Singer Christian
Published: October 2021

This year’s ASCO Annual Meeting has been a showcase for the overwhelming success of novel, targeted therapies, particularly in a tumor entity that has – until recently – been felt to be only treatable with chemotherapy. New data are extremely encouraging, but also highlight the need for target identification beyond the classical clinicopathological factors. Both, the Olympia and the Neotala study have been performed in BRCA-mutated tumors, and their results clearly point to the necessity to offer germline testing to HER2-negative high risk early breast cancer. In addition, GeparNuevo once more highlights the fact that immunotherapy is here to stay, not only in the advanced breast cancer setting, but also in early stage breast cancer. The side effect profile is acceptable, and long-term outcome a real improvement to conventional chemotherapy.
Work and children in Spain: challenges and opportunities for equality between men and women
Authors: Hupkau Claudia , Ruiz-Valenzuela Jenifer
Published: October 2021

Over the past decades, Spain has seen a striking convergence between women’s and men’s participation in the labour market. However, this convergence has stalled since the early 2010s. We show that women still fare worse in several important labour market dimensions. Gender inequalities are further aggravated among people with children. Women with children under 16 are much more likely to be unemployed, work part-time or on temporary contracts than men with children of the same age. We show that it is unlikely that preferences alone can account for these gaps. A review of the evidence shows that family policies, such as paternity leave expansions, financial incentives in the form of tax credits for working mothers and subsidised or free childcare for very young children, could help reduce the motherhood penalty. However, such policies are likely to be more effective if combined with advances in breaking up traditional gender roles.
Fan design assessment for BLI propulsion systems
Authors: Mennicken M. , Schoenweitz D. , Schnoes M. , Schnell R.
Published: October 2021

Civil aviation is aiming at fuel efficient aircraft concepts. Propulsion systems using boundary layer ingestion (BLI) are promising to reach this goal. The focus of this study is on the DLR UHBR fan stage of a tube and wing aircraft with rear-integrated engines. In this integration scenario the propulsion system and especially the fan stage receives distorted inflow in steady-state flight conditions. The distortion pattern and distortion intensity are dependent on the operating conditions. Consequently, the interaction of the fan and the distortion changes over the flight envelope. The first part of the paper aims at gaining knowledge of the BLI fan performance in the operating points end of field, approach, cruise (CR) and top of climb (TOC) using high-fidelity, unsteady RANS approaches. The analysis includes fan map performance metrics and a deeper insight into the flow field at CR and TOC. The preliminary design of a fan stage requires fast turn-around times, which are not fulfilled by high-fidelity approaches. Therefore, a fast, throughflow-based methodology is developed, which enables aerodynamicists to design distortion-tolerant fans. The main characteristics of the methodology is outlined in the second part. Consequently, the methodology is taken advantage of to investigate parameter sensitivities in terms of tip speed, blade thickness, solidity, the annulus geometry and a non-axisymmetric stator. This study suggests that distortion-tolerant fans should be designed at higher tip speeds than conventional design experience recommends to limit the local operating point excursion.
Is vulnerability segmentation at the leaf-stem transition a drought resistance mechanism? A theoretical test with a trait-based model for Neotropical canopy tree species
Authors: Levionnois Sébastien , Ziegler Camille , Heuret Patrick , Jansen Steven , Stahl Clément , Calvet Emma , Goret Jean-Yves , Bonal Damien , Coste Sabrina
Published: October 2021

Key message

Leaf-stem vulnerability segmentation predicts lower xylem embolism resistance in leaves than stem. However, although it has been intensively investigated these past decades, the extent to which vulnerability segmentation promotes drought resistance is not well understood. Based on a trait-based model, this study theoretically supports that vulnerability segmentation enhances shoot desiccation time across 18 Neotropical tree species.

Context

Leaf-stem vulnerability segmentation predicts lower xylem embolism resistance in leaves than stems thereby preserving expensive organs such as branches or the trunk. Although vulnerability segmentation has been intensively investigated these past decades to test its consistency across species, the extent to which vulnerability segmentation promotes drought resistance is not well understood.

Aims

We investigated the theoretical impact of the degree of vulnerability segmentation on shoot desiccation time estimated with a simple trait-based model.

Methods

We combined data from 18 tropical rainforest canopy tree species on embolism resistance of stem xylem (flow-centrifugation technique) and leaves (optical visualisation method). Measured water loss under minimum leaf and bark conductance, leaf and stem capacitance, and leaf-to-bark area ratio allowed us to calculate a theoretical shoot desiccation time (tcrit).

Results

Large degrees of vulnerability segmentation strongly enhanced the theoretical shoot desiccation time, suggesting vulnerability segmentation to be an efficient drought resistance mechanism for half of the studied species. The difference between leaf and bark area, rather than the minimum leaf and bark conductance, determined the drastic reduction of total transpiration by segmentation during severe drought.

Conclusion

Our study strongly suggests that vulnerability segmentation is an important drought resistance mechanism that should be better taken into account when investigating plant drought resistance and modelling vegetation. We discuss future directions for improving model assumptions with empirical measures, such as changes in total shoot transpiration after leaf xylem embolism.
A comparison of FreeStyle Libre 2 to self-monitoring of blood glucose in children with type 1 diabetes and sub-optimal glycaemic control: a 12-week randomised controlled trial protocol
Authors: Styles Sara , Wheeler Ben , Boucsein Alisa , Crocket Hamish , de Lange Michel , Signal Dana , Wiltshire Esko , Cunningham Vicki , Lala Anita , Cutfield Wayne , de Bock Martin , Serlachius Anna , Jefferies Craig
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Frequent glucose monitoring is necessary for optimal glycaemic control. Second-generation intermittently scanned glucose monitoring (isCGM) systems inform users of out-of-target glucose levels and may reduce monitoring burden. We aim to compare FreeStyle Libre 2 (Abbott Diabetes Care, Witney, U.K.) to self-monitoring of blood glucose in children with type 1 diabetes and sub-optimal glycaemic control.

Methods

This open-label randomised controlled trial will enrol 100 children (4–13 years inclusive, diagnosis of type 1 diabetes ≥ 6 months, HbA1c 58–110 mmol/mol [7.5–12.2%]), from 5 New Zealand diabetes centres. Following 2 weeks of blinded sensor wear, children will be randomised 1:1 to control or intervention arms. The intervention (duration 12 weeks) includes second-generation isCGM (FreeStyle Libre 2) and education on using interstitial glucose data to manage diabetes. The control group will continue self-monitoring blood glucose. The primary outcome is the difference in glycaemic control (measured as HbA1c) between groups at 12 weeks. Pre-specified secondary outcomes include change in glucose monitoring frequency, glycaemic control metrics and psychosocial outcomes at 12 weeks as well as isCGM acceptability.

Discussion

This research will investigate the effectiveness of the second-generation isCGM to promote recommended glycaemic control. The results of this trial may have important implications for including this new technology in the management of children with type 1 diabetes.

Trial registration

This trial was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry on 19 February 2020 (ACTRN12620000190909p) and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (Universal Trial Number U1111-1237-0090).
The Dilemma of Penile Prosthesis Implantation in Sex Offenders
Authors: Zhang JJ H. , DeWitt-Foy Molly , Jankowski Jane , Wood Hadley M.
Published: October 2021

Background

Penile prosthesis surgeons face an ethical dilemma when confronted with a sex offender who seeks surgical management of erectile dysfunction.

Aim

To provide practice guidelines to screen and manage patients with a history of sexual violence prior to surgery.

Methods

Three urologists with expertise in penile prosthesis surgery and 1 medical bioethicist were asked to contribute their opinions and provide recommendations to address this controversial topic.

Outcomes

Expert opinion supported by analysis of available literature and institutional experience.

RESULTS

The authors review current United States legislation, published literature on sex offender registration, and institutional data on the prevalence of sex offenders among men seeking penile prosthesis placement. Within a context established by medical bioethical principles, the authors propose a practice guideline for screening sex offenders prior to penile implantation surgery and referral for trained psychological evaluation prior to surgical management.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths: multidisciplinary approach in data acquisition including bioethical and legal review. Limitations: Lack of available evidence regarding recidivism risk in sex offenders who undergo penile prosthesis placement.

CONCLUSION

Sex offenders exist among the population of patients seeking surgical placement of a penile prosthesis. A standardized practice guideline for management of this population should be employed with the intention to reduce future harm.
Towards Mass Individualisation: setting the scope and industrial implication
Authors: Sikhwal Ravi K , Childs Peter R N
Published: October 2021

Within the last few years, a need for renewed product personalisation has been observed in some markets such as consumer electronics, fashion to meet the exact demands of the customers. Product customisation emphasises the fulfilment of explicit requirements of a defined market segment, but product individualisation targets at satisfying the particular needs of a customer. Mass Individualisation (MI) is a new product design approach comprising of an open hardware platform and multiple modules to be integrated with the platform. It gives freedom to end-users to integrate different modules into the platform as per their choice. Technological and strategic integration of all actors involved in the design process is the primary focus of this research. This paper identifies key areas which need to be focussed on to realise this approach and convert it into an industrial practice by an explorative study of existing product design and customisation approaches. An industrial survey was conducted, and results for the industrial implication and insights on this approach are presented. The findings show that the end product from product design for MI will be more creative and innovative by the networking of all actors, and offers more individualised and technologically advanced products.
Defining relations of quantum symmetric pair coideal subalgebras
Authors: Kolb Stefan , Yakimov Milen
Published: October 2021

We explicitly determine the defining relations of all quantum symmetric pair coideal subalgebras of quantised enveloping algebras of Kac–Moody type. Our methods are based on star products on noncommutative${\mathbb N}$-graded algebras. The resulting defining relations are expressed in terms of continuousq-Hermite polynomials and a new family of deformed Chebyshev polynomials.
Stratification in drying films: a diffusion–diffusiophoresis model
Authors: Rees-Zimmerman Clare R. , Routh Alexander F.
Published: October 2021

This research is motivated by the desire to control the solids distribution during the drying of a film containing particles of two different sizes. A variety of particle arrangements in dried films has been seen experimentally, including a thin layer of small particles at the top surface. However, it is not fully understood why this would occur. This work formulates and solves a colloidal hydrodynamics model for (i) diffusion alone and (ii) diffusion plus excluded volume diffusiophoresis, to determine their relative importance in affecting the particle arrangement. The methodology followed is to derive partial differential equations (PDEs) describing the motion of two components in a drying film. The diffusive fluxes are predicted by generalising the Stokes–Einstein diffusion coefficient, with the dispersion compressibility used to produce equations valid up until close packing. A further set of novel equations incorporating diffusiophoresis is derived. The diffusiophoretic mechanism investigated in this work is the small particles being excluded from a volume around the large particles. The resulting PDEs are scaled and solved numerically using a finite volume method. The model includes the chemical potentials of the particles, allowing for incorporation of any interaction term. The relative magnitudes of the fluxes of the differently sized particles are compared using scaling arguments and via numerical results. The diffusion results, without any inter-particle interactions, predict stratification of large particles to the top surface. Addition of excluded volume diffusiophoresis introduces a downwards flux on the large particles, that can result in small-on-top stratification, thus providing a potential explanation of the experimental observations.
Stories as evidence
Authors: Murphy-Hollies Kathleen , Bortolotti Lisa
Published: October 2021

People often use personal stories to support and defend their views. But can a personal story be evidence? A story tells us that a certain event can happen and has already happened to someone, but it may not always help us understand what caused the event or predict how likely that event is to happen again in the future. Moreover, people confabulate. That is, when they tell stories about their past, they are likely to distort reality in some way. When people who lack access to what motivated past behaviour are asked why they made a choice, they tend to offer plausible considerations in support of that choice, even if those considerations could not have played a motivating role in bringing about their behaviour. When people experience impairments in autobiographical memory, they tend to fill the gaps in their own story by reconstructing significant events to match their interests, values, and conception of themselves. This means that people often offer a curated version of the events they describe. In this paper, we argue that the pervasiveness of confabulation does not rule out that personal stories can be used as evidence but invites us to reflect carefully about what they are evidence of. And this is especially important in the context of digital storytelling, because stories shared on online platforms can exert even greater influence on what people think and do.
Benevolent Policies: Bureaucratic Politics and the International Dimensions of Social Policy Expansion
Authors: HO CARMEN JACQUELINE
Published: October 2021

Research on the welfare state has devoted considerable attention to social policy expansion. However, little is known about why governments expand social policies serving groups with limited power on issues with low visibility. I call these “benevolent policies.” This class of social policies improves population well-being but produces minimal political gains for the governments enacting them. Why do governments expand benevolent policies if political incentives for reform are weak? I investigate this question by focusing on government responses to malnutrition. Drawing on nine months of fieldwork, including 71 interviews, I argue that the origins of policy expansion can be found in the government bureaucracy. Bureaucrats with technical expertise—technocrats—can play a defining role, deploying international pressure to court executive support and orchestrate policy change. Their actions help explain the Indonesian government’s unexpected expansion of nutrition policies, which serve low-income women and children and address micronutrient malnutrition.
Spatial interactions between two nematode species along the intestine of the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus from woodland and grassland sites in southern England
Authors: Lewis J.W. , Morley N.J. , Behnke J.M.
Published: October 2021

The distributions of the nematode parasites Heligmosomoides polygyrus and Syphacia stroma were quantified in three equal-length sections along the intestine of wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) trapped in three different locations in the south of England. The distribution of H. polygyrus did not change in the presence of S. stroma, this species being largely confined to the anterior third of the intestine, whether S. stroma was or was not present. However, while in single infections with S. stroma, worms were equally distributed in the anterior and middle sections of the intestine, in the presence of H. polygyrus, a higher percentage of worms was located in the middle section. This was a dose-dependent response by S. stroma to increasing worm burdens with H. polygyrus, and even relatively low intensities of infection with H. polygyrus (e.g. ≤10 worms) were sufficient to cause a posterior redistribution of S. stroma into the middle section. A similar posterior shift in the percentage distribution of S. stroma in the intestine was evident in juvenile and mature mice of both sexes, and in mice from all three study sites. The ecological significance of these results is discussed.
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta as a potential biomarker for Opisthorchis viverrini infection and cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Prasopdee Sattrachai , Yingchutrakul Yodying , Roytrakul Sittiruk , Pholhelm Montinee , Phanaksri Teva , Kunjantarachot Anthicha , Kulsantiwong Jutharat , Butthongkomvong Kritiya , Tesana Smarn , Sathavornmanee Thanakrit , Thitapakorn Veerachai
Published: October 2021

The human liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini (Ov), the primary risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma (CHCA), is a parasite endemic to southeast Asian countries. With no effective treatments for CHCA currently available, early diagnosis and treatment of Ov infection remains the only practical method for the prevention of CHCA. In this study, plasma phosphoproteomes of patients in the non-Ov infection, non-cholangiocarcinoma subject group (non-OVCCA), the asymptomatic Ov infected group (OV), and the CHCA group (CCA), were investigated to identify potential biomarkers for Ov infection and CHCA. The AKT signalling pathway was found to be up-regulated. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta isoform (PIK3CB), an upstream signalling molecule, was selected as a potential biomarker and evaluated using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results demonstrated evidence that levels of PIK3CB in both the OV group and CCA group was statistically different compared to the non-OVCCA group (P < 0.01). However, the levels of PIK3CB between the OV group and the CCA group were found not to be statistically different. Sensitivity and specificity for OV using OD450 cut-off at >1.570 was 76 and 72%, respectively. For CCA, sensitivity and specificity using OD450 cut-off at >1.398 was 68 and 76%, respectively. Application of indirect ELISA detecting plasma PIK3CB will be of great benefit for screening of opisthorchiasis and CHCA.
Affect in sociolinguistic style
Authors: Pratt Teresa
Published: October 2021

This article argues for a focus on affect in sociolinguistic style. I integrate recent scholarship on affective practice (Wetherell 2015) and the circulation of affective value (Ahmed 2004b) in order to situate the linguistic and bodily semiotics of affect as components of stylistic practice. At a Bay Area public arts high school, ideologically distinct affects of chill or high-energy are co-constructed across signs and subjects. I analyze a group of cisgender young men's use of creaky voice quality, speech rate, and bodily hexis in enacting and circulating these affective values. Crucially, affect co-constructs students’ positioning within the high school political economy (as college-bound or not, artistically driven or not), highlighting the ideological motivations of stylistic practice. Building on recent scholarship, I propose that a more thorough consideration of affect can deepen our understanding of meaning-making as it occurs in everyday interaction in institutional settings. (Affect, political economy, embodiment, bricolage, voice quality, speech rate, high school)
Funerary podia of Hippos of the Decapolis and the phenomenon in the Roman world
Authors: Eisenberg Michael , Kowalewska Arleta
Published: October 2021

In the Roman world a wide variety of funerary architecture was erected along the access roads of cities to catch the eye of passersby. In Hippos (Sussita in Aramaic) of the Decapolis, the most notable funerary structures stood along the city's main approach within the Saddle Necropolis. The most distinctive elements of the necropolis's architectural remains were a series of 13 large funerary podia – the focus of the 2020 excavations. The Hippos podia are unique in the Roman world, in their dating, their architecture, and their multiplicity. The architectural design of this series of structures may be the first evidence of necropolis planning and erection of funerary monuments by the polis itself within the Roman world. The article describes the freshly exposed Hippos podia, proposes reasoning for the choice of this particular type of construction, and analyzes similar funerary structures throughout the Roman world, with emphasis on the Roman East, where sarcophagi were widespread.
Promoting public retirement savings accounts during tax filing: evidence from field experiments
Authors: Roll Stephen , Bufe Sam , Kondratjeva Olga , Grinstein-Weiss Michal
Published: October 2021

In 2015, the U.S. Treasury Department launched myRA, a no-fee retirement account designed for people who lacked employer-sponsored retirement options. We report findings from two behavioral field experiments intended to motivate interest in using the tax refund to open and fund myRAs directly through the tax-filing process. These experiments, administered to more than 100,000 low-income tax filers in 2016, embedded persuasive messages in emails sent to filers and directly within online tax-filing software. We find that interest in myRA was generally very low, although interest and enrollment intentions varied depending on the framing of the program's benefits.
Rural Hispanic/Latino cancer patients’ perspectives on facilitators, barriers, and suggestions for advance care planning: A qualitative study
Authors: Ko Eunjeong , Keeney Annie J. , Higgins Doreen , Gonzalez Nayeli , Palomino Helen
Published: October 2021

Objective

Hispanic/Latinos living in rural areas have limited healthcare resources, including palliative and hospice care. Moreover, little is known about advance care planning (ACP) among Hispanic/Latino cancer patients in rural areas. This study explores facilitators and barriers for ACP. It elicits suggestions to promote ACP among rural Hispanic/Latino cancer patients in a US/Mexico border region.

Methods

Hispanic/Latino cancer patients (n = 30) were recruited from a nonprofit cancer organization. Data were collected via in-person interviews. Interviews were transcribed and translated from Spanish to English. Data were uploaded into NVivo 12 and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

A common theme for facilitators and barriers for ACP was safeguarding family. Additional facilitators included (1) Desire for honoring end-of-life (EoL) care wishes and (2) experience with EoL care decision making. Additional barriers include (1) Family's reluctance to participate in EoL communication and (2) Patient–clinicians’ lack of EoL communication. Practice suggestions include (1) Death education and support for family, (2) ACP education, and (3) Dialogue vs. documentation.

Significance of results

ACP functions not only as a decisional tool; its utility reflects complex dynamics in personal, social, and cultural domains. ACP approaches with this underserved population must consider family relationships as well as cultural implications, including language barriers.
Religious–spiritual experiences of family members and caregivers of children and adolescents with cancer
Authors: Rossato Lucas , Benfato Julia Corrêa , Ullán Ana M. , Scorsolini-Comin Fabio
Published: October 2021

This integrative literature review aimed to identify the religious and spiritual experiences of family members and caregivers of children and adolescents with cancer. Through systematized searches in the databases/libraries CINAHL, PsycINFO, Pubmed, SciELO, and Lilacs, 69 articles produced between 2010 and 2020 were retrieved. There was a predominance of studies with parents developed in hospital facilities. The caregivers’ religious and spiritual experiences helped them to cope with childhood cancer, especially in maintaining hope, reducing stress and anxiety symptoms, as well as in providing psychological and social support. Negative outcomes such as questioning faith, the feeling of punishment, and disruption with the religious and spiritual group were also perceived. It is recommended to include religiosity and spirituality for the provision of more humanized and comprehensive care, as well as further investigation of the negative experiences regarding religiosity and spirituality in this public.
Risk factors of sudden unexpected death in patients with advanced cancer near the end of life
Authors: Taniyama Tomohiko , Tokutani Rie , Hiramoto Shuji
Published: October 2021

Background

The definition of sudden unexpected death (SUD) in patients with advanced cancer near the end of life (EOL) was unclear.

Methods

This study was conducted as a single-center retrospective analysis. We analyzed 1,282 patients who died of advanced cancer from August 2011 to August 2019 retrospectively. We divided into patients who died within 24 h after the acute change of general condition or others and analyzed risk factors by a multiple logistics method. The reason for SUD was found, the reason is detected by using an electronic medical record retrospectively. The risk factors in SUD were analyzed using age, sex, EOL symptom and treatment, the primary site of cancer, metastatic site of cancer, comorbidly, chemotherapy, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status. The primary endpoint was to identify the frequency and risk factors of SUD in patients with advanced cancer near the EOL.

Results

As a background, the median age is 73 years old, 690 males, 592 females, 227 gastroesophageal cancers, 250 biliary pancreatic cancers, 54 hepatocellular carcinomas, 189 colorectal cancer, 251 lung cancers, 71 breast cancers, 58 urological malignancies, 60 gynecological malignancies, 47 head and neck cancer, 31 hematological malignancies, and 22 sarcomas. The number of patients who died suddenly was 93 (7.2%) at EOL. In a multivariate analysis, Age (ORs 0.619), sex (ORs 1.700), patients with EOL delirium (ORs 0.483), nausea and vomiting (ORs 2.263), 1L or more infusion (ORs 3.479), EOL opioids (ORs 0.465), EOL sedations (ORs 0.339), and with cardiac comorbidity (ORs 0.345) were independent risk factors.

Conclusions

The frequency of patients who died suddenly was 7.2% (n = 93) at EOL. Age, sex, EOL symptom, EOL treatment, and cardiac comorbidity were independent risk factors in patients with advanced cancer near the EOL. Information on these risk factors is useful to explaining their EOL in advance.
Politics and principles: The impact of counterterrorism measures and sanctions on principled humanitarian action
Authors: O'Leary Emma
Published: October 2021

For some time, the impact of counterterrorism (CT) measures and sanctions on humanitarian action did not attract the attention that it merited. However, owing to a surge in awareness of this issue over the past two years, the fact that CT measures and sanctions can have negative consequences for principled humanitarian action is now widely accepted by a broad range of actors, and is supported by a strong body of research identifying and analyzing these impacts. This article adds to this existing work by examining recent developments related to this issue. It looks at the impact of growing risk aversion in relation to CT measures and sanctions among donors, humanitarian organizations and other actors on principled humanitarian action, and highlights recent efforts to address and mitigate these impacts. The central argument is that CT and sanctions risks cannot be eliminated from humanitarian action. As such, policy change is needed to protect principled humanitarian action from further detrimental impacts and to ensure that people can access the assistance they need, regardless of where they are located.
The COVID-19 International Student Well-Being Study (C-19 ISWS)
Authors: Solomou Ioulia , Constantinidou Fofi , Karekla Maria , Psaltis Charis , Chatzittofis Andreas
Published: October 2021

Abstract. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on the mental health and well-being of different populations including young adults. This study replicates and extends previous research by evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of college students in Cyprus, a Mediterranean island with unique sociocultural and genetic characteristics, and to identify risk factors related to the poor mental health of university students. Behavioral changes in the students before and during the quarantine period were also examined. A total of 387 university students completed an online survey coordinated by the Young Universities of Europe (YUFE) network. Results indicated that most of the sample (89.3%) reported depressive symptoms. Academic stress and academic satisfaction were associated with depressive symptoms and loneliness. Specifically, students with greater academic stress and lower academic satisfaction reported more symptoms of depression and felt lonelier. Younger students with poorer economic capital were more likely to feel depressed, and younger college students with higher academic stress were more likely to feel lonely. The results of t-test analyses indicated that quarantine affected students’ time and type of study turning to online studies and to moderate physical activities. The present study’s findings add to the existing literature and support the development of new measures to support students, both financially as well as psychologically.
Social Representations and Emotions
Authors: Piermattéo Anthony
Published: October 2021

Abstract. A number of authors consider that exploring the interconnections between social representations and emotions is essential. However, both empirical and theoretical contributions have focused on specific aspects of these concepts and thus offer a narrow view of their articulation. Moreover, these are published in different languages, making it difficult to provide an overview of the current knowledge on the subject. Consequently, this article adopts a broader approach through a literature review articulating social representations and emotions. This is based on a search of various databases, conducted between March and April 2020 and using the terms “social representation” and “emotion” (or affect, mood, or feeling) in their singular and plural forms, both in French and in English. As a result, 41 references explicitly mentioned both terms and were published in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish were collected. This brought to light two lines of inquiry that structure this field of research: the first focuses on the role of emotions in the emergence, dynamics, and functioning of social representations, while the second explores how social representations determine emotions or emotional processes. These perspectives will be discussed from both a theoretical and methodological standpoint with the aim of highlighting new avenues for research.
Radiative Transfer Modeling With Biogeochemical‐Argo Float Data in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Terzić Elena , Miró Arnau , Organelli Emanuele , Kowalczuk Piotr , D’Ortenzio Fabrizio , Lazzari Paolo
Published: October 2021

A radiative transfer model was parameterized and validated using Biogeochemical Argo float data acquired between 2012 and 2017 across the Mediterranean Sea. Fluorescence‐derived chlorophyll concentration, particulate optical backscattering at 700 nm, and fluorescence of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were used to parametrize the light absorption and scattering coefficients of the optically significant water constituents (such as pure water, non‐algal particles, CDOM, and phytoplankton). The model was validated with in situ downwelling irradiance profiles and apparent optical properties derived both from irradiance profiles and satellite data, such as the diffuse attenuation coefficients and remote sensing reflectance. Results showed that by using regional parameterizations that are not only related to chlorophyll concentration and vertical distribution, the model was able to capture a more accurate spectral response in the examined wavelength range compared to chlorophyll‐related (or Case 1) optical models. When using alternative models that incorporated also measurements of CDOM fluorescence or particulate optical backscattering, the model skill increased at all examined wavelengths. Finally, using a multi‐spectral optical configuration also enabled the estimation of the relative contribution of separate water constituents in the examined spectral range. Simulations including non‐algal particles and CDOM performed up to 61% and 79% better than when considering the optical properties of pure seawater alone. Moreover, a simulation including phytoplankton light absorption resulted in an error reduction of up to 42%, especially at 412 nm and with a more uniform response at the wavelengths considered.
Learning Variational Data Assimilation Models and Solvers
Authors: Fablet R. , Chapron B. , Drumetz L. , Mémin E. , Pannekoucke O. , Rousseau F.
Published: October 2021

Data assimilation is a key component of operational systems and scientific studies for the understanding, modeling, forecasting and reconstruction of earth systems informed by observation data. Here, we investigate how physics‐informed deep learning may provide new means to revisit data assimilation problems. We develop a so‐called end‐to‐end learning approach, which explicitly relies on a variational data assimilation formulation. Using automatic differentiation embedded in deep learning framework, the key novelty of the proposed physics‐informed approach is to allow the joint training of the representation of the dynamical process of interest as well as of the solver of the data assimilation problem. We may perform this joint training using both supervised and unsupervised strategies. Our numerical experiments on Lorenz‐63 and Lorenz‐96 systems report significant gain w.r.t. a classic gradient‐based minimization of the variational cost both in terms of reconstruction performance and optimization complexity. Intriguingly, we also show that the variational models issued from the true Lorenz‐63 and Lorenz‐96 ODE representations may not lead to the best reconstruction performance. We believe these results may open new research avenues for the specification of assimilation models for earth systems, both to speed‐up the inversion problem with trainable solvers but possibly more importantly in the way data assimilation systems are designed, for instance regarding the representation of geophysical dynamics.