bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Partial inertion as basis of safety for pharmaceutical operations involving highly ignition sensitive powders and modeling combustion properties as a function of oxygen concentration
Authors: Toth Michael , Orella Charles , Roth Megan , Muzzio Dan , Fisher Elizabeth , Vickery Thomas , Bachert Don , Stone Shane , Bader Josh
Published: August 2020

Pharmaceutical operations often require inertion or other suitable explosion protection systems when handling highly ignition sensitive materials. Regulating bodies typically require full inertion, which may be difficult and expensive to maintain. This work measured the influence of oxygen concentration on the values of the minimum ignition energy (MIE) as well as the explosion severity (Kst and Pmax) for several of the most easily ignitable pharmaceutical powders. We found a significant increase in the MIE and decreases in the Kst and Pmax by reducing the oxygen level to 12% to 15% v/v. The changes in MIE and explosion severity mean that partial inertion along with control of static should provide a satisfactory basis of safety for most unit operations handling these powders. We share these results to encourage others to examine the behavior of similar organic powders. Further, we have used the adiabatic flame temperature from combustion calculations to model the Pmax, limiting oxygen concentration, and MIE at reduced oxygen concentrations, and find very good agreement with the experimental values. This modeling can be a useful tool as a safe and economical alternative to testing when material is not available or for highly potent/toxic materials where testing is not preferred to avoid personnel exposure.
Reduced Threshold Voltages and Enhanced Mobilities in Diketopyrrolopyrrole–Dithienothiophene Polymer‐Based Organic Transistor by Interface Engineering
Authors: Patil Basanagouda B. , Takeda Yasunori , Do Thu Trang , Singh Amandeep , Sekine Tomohito , Yambem Soniya D. , Tokito Shizuo , Singh Samarendra P. , Pandey Ajay K. , Sonar Prashant
Published: August 2020

Flexible and low‐power consuming integrated circuits are some of the basic requirements for smart wearable devices. High mobility solution‐processed organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) have the potential to make a big impact in printed electronic circuits, but their overall performance is currently limited by unusually high threshold voltages (Vth). Herein, systematic optimization of donor–acceptor conjugated polymer, based on dithienothiophene (DTT) and thiophene‐flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP), namely, PDPPT–DTT, OFETs by application of self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) at the semiconductor–dielectric, and semiconductor–metal interfaces is reported. The results clearly exhibit that simultaneous application of octyltrichlorosilane (OTS) as semiconductor–dielectric interface modifying layer and pentafluorobenzene thiol (PFBT) as semiconductor–metal interface modifying layer results in significantly lower Vth and subthreshold slope values from −14.07 V and 13.26 (V Dec−1) to +1.06 V and 7.11 (V Dec−1), respectively. This tailored approach is also beneficial in enhancing hole mobility values by an order of magnitude from 0.01 to 0.5 cm2 V−1 s−1 along with the possibility of switching from hole accumulation mode (Vth = −3.75 V) to depletion mode (Vth = +1.06 V) through device engineering. Simultaneous interface engineering reveals OFET electronic properties can be fine‐tuned for robust circuits and low power electronic applications.
Structure‐triggered asymptotical synchronization for nonidentical generalized stochastic systems with Markovian jumping parameter based on sliding mode control
Authors: Zhang Xin , Ding Xiangwu , Zhou Wuneng , Sun Yuqing
Published: August 2020

In this paper, the problem of structure‐triggered asymptotical synchronization for nonidentical generalized stochastic systems with Markovian jumping parameter is investigated. Firstly, by designing a structure‐triggered communication scheme, the optimal master system can be chosen for the slave system to synchronize. Furthermore, when the master system selected for the first time fails, the system can be promptly chosen again. Secondly, based on the sliding mode control approach and the linear matrix inequality technique, some sufficient conditions for synchronization of the nonidentical generalized stochastic systems are obtained. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is illustrated by two numerical examples.
Nano‐Platinum Catalysts Supported by Carbon Aerogel Microsphere with Adjustable Pore Size Tuned by PEG‐200 for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Zeng Min , Wang Chao‐Yang , Su Lei , Luo Zhi‐Hui , Wu Jian‐Kun , Yi Yong
Published: August 2020

Carbon‐supported nano‐platinum catalyst is extensively used as electrocatalyst in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) due to its high catalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). phloroglucinol‐resorcinol‐formaldehyde carbon aerogel (CPRF) microsphere with adjustable pore sizes can be prepared by adding template, PEG‐200, on the basis of inverse micro emulsion method. Without cumbersome solvent exchange and supercritical drying, CPRF microspheres with a unique 3D structure can be obtained, which has a suitable microporous structure (10‐35 nm) and applicable mesoporous size (∼20 nm). As the support of the platinum, the CPRF microspheres with high specific surface area (798.3 m2 g−1) show excellent catalytic activity for ORR in alkaline electrolytes. The initial electrochemical active surface area and mass activity of the prepared Pt/CPRF are 2.5 and 2.7 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C respectively. After the accelerated durability test (ADT), the Pt/CPRF still keeps a stable electrochemical active surface area and mass activity up to 56 m2 g−1 and 0.11 A mg−1, while the commercial Pt/C lost to 42.8 m2 g−1 and 0.02 A mg−1. The stability of the Pt/CPRF shows about 5.5 times enhancement for ORR compared to commercial Pt/C.
Revealing Nanoscale Chemical Heterogeneities in Polycrystalline Mo‐BiVO4 Thin Films
Authors: Eichhorn Johanna , Reyes‐Lillo Sebastian E. , Roychoudhury Subhayan , Sallis Shawn , Weis Johannes , Larson David M. , Cooper Jason K. , Sharp Ian D. , Prendergast David , Toma Francesca M.
Published: August 2020

The activity of polycrystalline thin film photoelectrodes is impacted by local variations of the material properties due to the exposure of different crystal facets and the presence of grain/domain boundaries. Here a multi‐modal approach is applied to correlate nanoscale heterogeneities in chemical composition and electronic structure with nanoscale morphology in polycrystalline Mo‐BiVO4. By using scanning transmission X‐ray microscopy, the characteristic structure of polycrystalline film is used to disentangle the different X‐ray absorption spectra corresponding to grain centers and grain boundaries. Comparing both spectra reveals phase segregation of V2O5 at grain boundaries of Mo‐BiVO4 thin films, which is further supported by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and many‐body density functional theory calculations. Theoretical calculations also enable to predict the X‐ray absorption spectral fingerprint of polarons in Mo‐BiVO4. After photo‐electrochemical operation, the degraded Mo‐BiVO4 films show similar grain center and grain boundary spectra indicating V2O5 dissolution in the course of the reaction. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into the degradation mechanism and the impact of material heterogeneities on the material performance and stability of polycrystalline photoelectrodes.
Privacy and security constraints for code contributions
Authors: Andrade Rodrigo , Borba Paulo
Published: August 2020

In collaborative software development, developers submit their contributions to repositories that are used to integrate code from various collaborators. To avoid privacy and security issues, code contributions are often reviewed before integration. Although careful manual code review can detect such issues, it might be time‐consuming, expensive, and error‐prone. Automatic analysis tools can also detect privacy and security issues, but they often demand significant developer effort, or are domain specific, considering fixed framework specific vulnerability sources and sinks. To reduce these problems, in this paper we propose the Salvum policy language to support the specification of constraints that help to protect sensitive information from being inadvertently accessed by specific code contributions. We implement a tool that automatically checks Salvum policies for systems of different technical domains. We also investigate whether Salvum can find policy violations for a number of open‐source projects. We find evidence that Salvum helps to detect violations even for well‐supported and highly active projects. Moreover, our tool helps to find 80 violations in benchmark projects.
Integrierte Gesundheitsberichterstattung auf Landes- und kommunaler Ebene: Initiativen und Ansätze der letzten 20 Jahre
Authors: Trojan Alf
Published: August 2020

Die Ottawa-Charta von 1986 schuf ein neues Paradigma der Gesundheitsförderung, in dem Konzepte wie intersektorale Politik, Determinanten der Gesundheit und Vermitteln und Vernetzen eine wichtige Rolle spielen. In diesem Rahmen entstand die Forderung, dass Gesundheitsberichterstattung (GBE) in einer „integrierten“ Form zu erbringen sei, also Daten aus ganz verschiedenen Politiksektoren enthalten sollte, in denen Determinanten der Gesundheit zu finden sind. In diesem Beitrag soll der Frage nachgegangen werden, ob es im deutschsprachigen Raum auf kommunaler und Landesebene explizite Konzepte und eine öffentlich kommunizierte Praxis integrierter GBE gibt. Dazu wurde eine explorative Internetrecherche durchgeführt, ergänzt um E‑Mail-Anfragen bei Schlüsselpersonen der Projekte.

Es wurden 8 Projekte identifiziert: 4 davon repräsentieren kommunale bzw. städtische integrierte Berichterstattung; in Nordrhein-Westfalen gibt es 2 Initiativen von Landesbehörden, die sich auf die kommunale Berichterstattung beziehen; in Berlin und im Burgenland (Österreich) geht es um integrierte Berichterstattung auf der Bundeslandebene. Die Projekte werden in stark komprimierter Form vorgestellt. Hauptlimitationen der explorativen Recherche sind die Beschränkung auf explizit als „integriert“ bezeichnete Berichterstattung und die eng eingeschränkten Suchbegriffe.

Ein positiver Befund ist, dass es einige gute Indikatorenkonzepte, gesetzliche Rahmenbedingungen und förderliche Faktoren, wie z. B. wissenschaftliche Unterstützung, gibt. An der konkreten Umsetzung integrierter GBE mangelt es aber noch. Mögliche Hürden sind dabei die Komplexität der Programme, fehlende finanzielle, personelle und fachliche Ressourcen, organisatorische und methodische Probleme sowie Ängste und Vorurteile. In verschiedenen Beispielen konnten diese aber überwunden werden. Der Leitfaden Gute Praxis Gesundheitsberichterstattung stützt – explizit, aber etwas zu versteckt – die Forderung nach integrierter Berichterstattung.
Microstructures of high-strength steel welding consumables from directed thermal cycles by shaped laser pulses
Authors: Robertson Stephanie M. , Frostevarg Jan , Ramasamy Anandkumar , Kalfsbeek Bert , Volpp Jörg , Kaplan Alexander F. H.
Published: August 2020

Filler wire metallurgy was modified through temporally shaped laser pulses, controlling cooling cycles in a recently developed method. Trends were identified through efficient mapping while maintaining representative thermal cycles of welding processes. A primary pulse melted preplaced filler wires while a secondary, linearly ramped-down pulse elevated the nugget to re-austenization temperatures. Ramped-down pulses resulted in linear cooling rates comparable with and exceeding furnace-based methods, between 50 and 300∘C/s. The linear decay of laser output power guided the temperature through a regime to obtain desired microstructures. For three very high-strength steel filler wire chemistries, quenching resulted in smaller plates with cross-hatched microstructures, accompanied by grain boundary ferrite. Finer bainite microstructures started forming for fast linear temperature decay, about 250∘C/s. Slower decay or a weaker third cycle formed coarser microstructures with coalescent sheaves and less cross-hatching.
Transarterial Radioembolization for the Treatment of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Invading the Right Atrium
Authors: Girardet Raphaël , Boughdad Sarah , Digklia Antonia , Beigelman Catherine , Meyer Marie , Schaefer Niklaus , Vermersch Mathilde , Hocquelet Arnaud , Tsoumakidou Georgia , Denys Alban , Duran Rafael
Published: August 2020

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has the tendency to invade the portal and/or hepatic venous system. The invasion of the right atrium is uncommonly observed and constitutes a treatment challenge. We report the case of a patient with HCC invading the right atrium treated with 90Yttrium-transarterial radioembolization (90Y-TARE). Following the treatment, organizing pneumonia secondary to nivolumab occurred, raising the question of an interaction between 90Y-TARE and nivolumab.
A Man’s world? Comparing the structural positions of men and women in an organized criminal network
Authors: Diviák Tomáš , Coutinho James A. , Stivala Alex D.
Published: August 2020

The crime gender gap is the difference between the levels of participation of men and women in crime, with men responsible for more crime than women. Recent evidence suggests that the crime gender gap is closing, both in crime in general and in organized crime. However, organized crime differs from other forms of criminal activity in that it entails an organizational structure of cooperation among offenders. Assessing whether the gender gap in organized crime is narrowing is not only about the overall levels of involvement of women, but about their roles and positions within the organized criminal structure, because the involvement of women does not mean that they are in influential positions, or that they have power or access to resources important for the commission of organized crime. This paper uses a social network approach to systematically compare the structural positions of men and women in an organized criminal network. We use a dataset collected by Canadian Law Enforcement consisting of 1390 individuals known or suspected to be involved in organized crime, 185 of whom are women. Our analysis provides evidence for an ongoing gender gap in organized crime, with women occupying structural positions that are generally associated with a lack of power. Overall, women are less present in the network, tend to collaborate with other women rather than with men, and are more often in the disadvantageous position of being connected by male intermediaries. Implications for theory and law enforcement practice are discussed.
Sample size calculations for the experimental comparison of multiple algorithms on multiple problem instances
Authors: Campelo Felipe , Wanner Elizabeth F.
Published: August 2020

This work presents a statistically principled method for estimating the required number of instances in the experimental comparison of multiple algorithms on a given problem class of interest. This approach generalises earlier results by allowing researchers to design experiments based on the desired best, worst, mean or median-case statistical power to detect differences between algorithms larger than a certain threshold. Holm’s step-down procedure is used to maintain the overall significance level controlled at desired levels, without resulting in overly conservative experiments. This paper also presents an approach for sampling each algorithm on each instance, based on optimal sample size ratios that minimise the total required number of runs subject to a desired accuracy in the estimation of paired differences. A case study investigating the effect of 21 variants of a custom-tailored Simulated Annealing for a class of scheduling problems is used to illustrate the application of the proposed methods for sample size calculations in the experimental comparison of algorithms.
Social Job Stressors can Foster Employee Well-Being: Introducing the Concept of Social Challenge Stressors
Authors: Kern Marcel , Heissler Clara , Zapf Dieter
Published: August 2020

Existing social stressor concepts disregard the variety of task-related situations at work that require skillful social behavior to maintain good social relationships while achieving certain task goals. In this article, we challenge the view that social stressors at work are solely dysfunctional aspects evoking employee ill health. Drawing from the challenge-hindrance stressor framework, we introduce the concept of social challenge stressors as a job characteristic and examine their relationships with individual well-and ill-being. In study 1, we developed a new scale for the measurement of social challenge stressors and tested the validity of the scale. Results from two independent samples indicated support for a single-factor structure and showed that social challenge stressors are distinct from related stressor concepts. Using two samples, one of which was already used to test the factor structure, we analyzed the unique contribution of social challenge stressors in predicting employee well- and ill-being. As expected, social challenge stressors were simultaneously related to psychological strain and well-being. Using time-lagged data, study 2 investigated mechanisms that may explain how social challenge stressors are linked to well-being and strain. In line with the stress-as-offense-to-self approach, we expected indirect relationships via self-esteem. Additionally, social support was expected to moderate the relationships between social stressors and self-esteem. Whereas the indirect relationships were mostly confirmed, we found no support for the buffering role of social support in the social hindrance stressors-self-esteem link. Although we found a moderation effect for social challenge stressors, results indicated a compensation model that conflicted with expectations.
Single-station seismic microzonation using 6C measurements
Authors: Keil Sabrina , Wassermann Joachim , Igel Heiner
Published: August 2020

Microzonation is one of the essential tools in seismology to mitigate earthquake damage by estimating the near-surface velocity structure and developing land usage plans and intelligent building design. The number of microzonation studies increased in the last few years as induced seismicity becomes more relevant, even in low-risk areas. While of vital importance, especially in densely populated cities, most of the traditional techniques suffer from different shortcomings. The microzonation technique presented here tries to reduce the existing ambiguity of the inversion results by the combination of single-station six-component (6C) measurements, including three translational and three rotational motions, and more traditional H/V techniques. By applying this new technique to a microzonation study in the downtown area of Munich (Germany) using an iXblue blueSeis-3A rotational motion sensor together with a Nanometrics Trillium Compact seismometer, we were able to estimate Love and Rayleigh wave dispersion curves. These curves together with H/V spectral ratios are then inverted to obtain P- and S-wave velocity profiles of the upper 100 m. In addition, there is a good correlation between the estimated velocity models and borehole-derived lithology, indicating the potential of this single-station microzonation approach.
A structural topic model approach to scientific reorientation of economics and chemistry after German reunification
Authors: Rehs Andreas
Published: August 2020

The detection of differences or similarities in large numbers of scientific publications is an open problem in scientometric research. In this paper we therefore develop and apply a machine learning approach based on structural topic modelling in combination with cosine similarity and a linear regression framework in order to identify differences in dissertation titles written at East and West German universities before and after German reunification. German reunification and its surrounding time period is used because it provides a structure with both minor and major differences in research topics that could be detected by our approach. Our dataset is based on dissertation titles in economics and business administration and chemistry from 1980 to 2010. We use university affiliation and year of the dissertation to train a structural topic model and then test the model on a set of unseen dissertation titles. Subsequently, we compare the resulting topic distribution of each title to every other title with cosine similarity. The cosine similarities and the regional and temporal origin of the dissertation titles they come from are then used in a linear regression approach. Our results on research topics in economics and business administration suggest substantial differences between East and West Germany before the reunification and a rapid conformation thereafter. In chemistry we observe minor differences between East and West before the reunification and a slightly increased similarity thereafter.
What is meaningful research and how should we measure it?
Authors: Helmer Sven , Blumenthal David B. , Paschen Kathrin
Published: August 2020

We discuss the trend towards using quantitative metrics for evaluating research. We claim that, rather than promoting meaningful research, purely metric-based research evaluation schemes potentially lead to a dystopian academic reality, leaving no space for creativity and intellectual initiative. After sketching what the future could look like if quantitative metrics are allowed to proliferate, we provide a more detailed discussion on why research is so difficult to evaluate and outline approaches for avoiding such a situation. In particular, we characterize meaningful research as an essentially contested concept and argue that quantitative metrics should always be accompanied by operationalized instructions for their proper use and continuously evaluated via feedback loops. Additionally, we analyze a dataset containing information about computer science publications and their citation history and indicate how quantitative metrics could potentially be calibrated via alternative evaluation methods such as test of time awards. Finally, we argue that, instead of over-relying on indicators, research environments should primarily be based on trust and personal responsibility.
Initiation of anti-osteoporotic drugs in high-risk female patients starting glucocorticoid treatment: a population study in Norway
Authors: Apalset Ellen M. , Lunde Astrid , Hoff Mari , Ehrenstein Vera , Tell Grethe S.
Published: August 2020

Summary

Glucocorticoid use is a risk factor for osteoporosis and fractures. We studied whether women initiating glucocorticoid treatment also started anti-osteoporotic treatment, according to clinical guidelines. Women with versus without previous fracture were twice as likely to start anti-osteoporotic treatment within 1 year after initiating glucocorticoid treatment, but the cumulative incidences were low 9.1% vs. 4.6%, respectively.

Purpose

Use of glucocorticoids (GC) is a risk factor for osteoporosis and fractures, and clinical guidelines suggest that preventive treatment with anti-osteoporotic drugs (AOD) should be considered when starting GC. Women with high risk of osteoporosis comprise those with previous fractures or a known inflammatory rheumatic disease, for whom the indication of AOD is even stronger. The purpose of these analyses was to investigate whether women initiating GC treatment also started AOD, especially those with high risk of osteoporosis.

Methods

We used data from the Norwegian Prescription Database to identify all women 55 years and older initiating GC treatment in Norway during 2010–2016 and to obtain information on use of AOD. Data from the Norwegian Patient Registry were used to obtain information on previous fractures and diagnoses.

Results

Among 105,477 women initiating GC treatment during 2010–2016, 3256 had started AOD and 79,638 had discontinued GC treatment after 1-year follow-up. Cumulative incidence of starting AOD after 1 year was 9.1% (95% CI: 7.9, 10.4) for women with vs. 4.6% (95% CI: 4.4%, 4.8%) for women without a previous fracture. Women with rheumatoid arthritis or another inflammatory rheumatic disease were more likely to start AOD than women with other indications. For the whole cohort, the probability of starting AOD treatment within 1 year after initiating GC increased on average 3% per year (HR = 1.03, CI: 1.01, 1.05) from 2010 to 2016.

Conclusions

Having had a previous fracture or an inflammatory rheumatic disease increased the probability of treatment with AOD. However, the proportions starting AOD were much lower than clinically indicated.
Measuring, Visualizing, and Controlling Intangible Assets in Knowledge Management
Authors: Seyr Bernhard F. , Hoffer Thomas
Published: August 2020

This article focuses on the advancement of common tools in the field of measurement, visualization, and controlling of intangible assets. In this course, the fundamentals are the Boston Matrix, the McKinsey Portfolio, the life cycle analysis, and the SWOT analysis. The authors apply a hermeneutical and conceptual approach based on a literature review in order to design new instruments for portfolio analyses of intangible assets. The newly adapted tools are examined with respect to their adequacy for the strategic evaluation and development of knowledge bases in organizations. The authors introduce a Knowledge Matrix linked to a life cycle model of knowledge. Furthermore, the SWOT analysis is adjusted for the use in strategic knowledge management. The results of this paper shall be the groundwork for the implementation and evaluation of such tools in practice.
Existence of dynamical low rank approximations for random semi-linear evolutionary equations on the maximal interval
Authors: Kazashi Yoshihito , Nobile Fabio
Published: August 2020

An existence result is presented for the dynamical low rank (DLR) approximation for random semi-linear evolutionary equations. The DLR solution approximates the true solution at each time instant by a linear combination of products of deterministic and stochastic basis functions, both of which evolve over time. A key to our proof is to find a suitable equivalent formulation of the original problem. The so-called Dual Dynamically Orthogonal formulation turns out to be convenient. Based on this formulation, the DLR approximation is recast to an abstract Cauchy problem in a suitable linear space, for which existence and uniqueness of the solution in the maximal interval are established.
A Dutch book coherence condition for conditional completely alternating Choquet expectations
Authors: Coletti G. , Petturiti D. , Vantaggi B.
Published: August 2020

Stemming from de Finetti’s coherence for finitely additive (conditional) probabilities, the paradigm of coherence has been extended to other uncertainty calculi. We study the notion of coherence for conditional completely alternating Choquet expectations, providing an avoiding Dutch book like condition.
The Influence of Biological Maturity on Dynamic Force–Time Variables and Vaulting Performance in Young Female Gymnasts
Authors: Moeskops Sylvia , Oliver Jon L. , Read Paul J. , Cronin John B. , Myer Gregory D. , Haff G. Gregory , Moore Isabel S. , Lloyd Rhodri S.
Published: August 2020

Purpose

This cross-sectional study investigated dynamic force–time variables and vaulting performance in young female gymnasts of different maturity status.

Methods

120 gymnasts aged 5–14 years were sub-divided into maturity groupings using percent of predicted adult height (%PAH) attained. Participants performed three jumping protocols, the squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ), before completing straight jump vaults that were recorded using two-dimensional video.

Results

Jumping performance improved with biological maturity evidenced by the most mature gymnasts’ producing significantly more absolute force (P < 0.05; all d > 0.78), impulse (P < 0.05; all d > 0.75) and power (P < 0.05; all d > 0.91) than the least mature group, resulting in the greater jump heights (P < 0.05; all d > 0.70). While, no significant differences were observed in relative peak force across multiple tests, measures of relative peak power did significantly increase with maturity. Based upon regression analyses, maturation was found to influence vertical take-off velocity during vaulting, explaining 41% of the variance in each jumping protocol. Across all tests, the DJ was found to have the highest predictive ability of vaulting vertical take-off velocity, explaining 55% of the total variance.

Conclusion

Biological maturation impacts jump height and underpinning mechanical variables in young female gymnasts. Vaulting vertical take-off velocity appears to be influenced by maturation and various dynamic force–time variables, particularly those during DJ, which had the highest explained total variance.
Lay Participation in Japanese Criminal Justice: Prosecution Review Commissions, the Lay-Judge System, and Penal Institution Visiting Committees
Authors: STEELE Stacey , LAWSON Carol , HIRAYAMA Mari , JOHNSON David T.
Published: August 2020

This article highlights reliance on lay participation as a mechanism for solving perceived problems in Japanese criminal justice by examining three reforms aimed at increasing lay participation in Japanese criminal justice: the mandatory prosecution power given to Prosecution Review Commissions, thesaiban’in seido(lay-judge system), and Penal Institution Visiting Committees. The article argues that lay participation plays an important role in legitimizing aspects of the current system. Despite the Nagoya Prison Scandal in 2002–03, Japan’s extraordinary achievements in order inside prisons have been maintained and citizens are comforted that the system has oversight by Visiting Committees. Although PRCs andsaiban’in seidorepresent a more open approach to eligibility and selection than Visiting Committees, they too help to legitimize existing structures. The article concludes by considering challenges to the continued reliance on lay participation in Japan including reform fatigue, the demographic crisis, the impact of geography, and technological developments.
Nation v. State: Constitutionalizing Transnational Nationhood, Creating Ethnizens, and Engaging with Kin-Foreigners in Europe and Asia
Authors: LEE Chulwoo
Published: August 2020

In the interstices of international law, quite a number of states have developed strategies to reach out to and engage with their diasporic populations or ethnonational kin outside of their borders who are not their citizens but citizens of the state in which they habitually reside. Some states even provide for that kind of policy in their Constitutions. Some states grant preferential treatment and special rights to “kin-foreigners,” thereby creating “ethnizens.” This article canvasses provisions in national Constitutions in Europe and Asia that provide grounds for engaging with the members of the nation outside of the state, analyzes the modes of engagement—mainly ethnizenship practices and various ways to strengthen links with diasporas—and examines the rules of engagement. It shows that the international norm has not provided effective guidelines regarding the strategies of transnational nation-building beyond the personal boundaries of the state and concludes that the decoupling the nation from the state registered by the transnational nationhood strategies falls short of constituting a departure from the logic of the Westphalian nation-state.
Motivated numeracy and active reasoning in a Western European sample
Authors: CONNOR PAUL , SULLIVAN EMILY , ALFANO MARK , TINTAREV NAVA
Published: August 2020

Recent work by Kahan et al. (2017) on the psychology of motivated numeracy in the context of intracultural disagreement suggests that people are less likely to employ their capabilities when the evidence runs contrary to their political ideology. This research has so far been carried out primarily in the USA regarding the liberal–conservative divide over gun control regulation. In this paper, we present the results of a modified replication that included an active reasoning intervention with Western European participants regarding both the hierarchy–egalitarianism and individualism–collectivism divides over immigration policy (n = 746; considerably less than the preregistration sample size). We reproduce the motivated numeracy effect, though we do not find evidence of increased polarization of high-numeracy participants.
Superior Oblique Myokymia Presumed Due to Large Posterior Fossa Arteriovenous Malformation
Authors: Donaldson Laura , van Adel Brian , Rodriguez Amadeo R.
Published: August 2020

A 26-year-old female presented with a complaint of intermittent oscillopsia and binocular vertical diplopia for the past 5 years. Over the past several months, she had noticed intermittent pulsatile tinnitus. She was otherwise healthy with no previous history of trauma and had no other visual or neurologic complaints. In Neuro-ophthalmology clinic, she was found to have 20/15 vision in both eyes with full ocular motility. There was a small exophoria in primary position and small esophoria in downgaze. Her slit lamp and fundus examinations were normal. During the assessment, the left eye was noted to undergo high-frequency, small amplitude incyclotorsional oscillations for a few seconds at a time (Video 1 in the supplementary material), which she was able to provoke by looking down. The diagnosis of superior oblique myokymia was made, and an MRI/MRA of the brain was requested.
Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Roy Devlina , Ghosh Ritwik , Dubey Souvik , Dubey Mahua Jana , Benito-León Julián , Kanti Ray Biman
Published: August 2020

Background:

Albeit primarily a disease of respiratory tract, the 2019 coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) has been found to have causal association with a plethora of neurological, neuropsychiatric and psychological effects. This review aims to analyze them with a discussion of evolving therapeutic recommendations.

Methods:

PubMed and Google Scholar were searched from 1 January 2020 to 30 May 2020 with the following key terms: “COVID-19”, “SARS-CoV-2”, “pandemic”, “neuro-COVID”, “stroke-COVID”, “epilepsy-COVID”, “COVID-encephalopathy”, “SARS-CoV-2-encephalitis”, “SARS-CoV-2-rhabdomyolysis”, “COVID-demyelinating disease”, “neurological manifestations”, “psychosocial manifestations”, “treatment recommendations”, “COVID-19 and therapeutic changes”, “psychiatry”, “marginalised”, “telemedicine”, “mental health”, “quarantine”, “infodemic” and “social media”. A few newspaper reports related to COVID-19 and psychosocial impacts have also been added as per context.

Results:

Neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19 are abundant. Clinical features of both central and peripheral nervous system involvement are evident. These have been categorically analyzed briefly with literature support. Most of the psychological effects are secondary to pandemic-associated regulatory, socioeconomic and psychosocial changes.

Conclusion:

Neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations of this disease are only beginning to unravel. This demands a wide index of suspicion for prompt diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 to prevent further complications and mortality.
Speaking to those who know it best: Does participation in an experiment explain citizens’ attitudes to basic income?
Authors: Simanainen Miska , Kangas Olli
Published: August 2020

In this study, we analyse the relationship of participation in the Finnish basic income (BI) experiment and people’s attitudes towards a BI. The experiment, implemented in 2017–2018, aimed to improve citizens’ employment and well-being by reducing the eligibility conditions of basic social benefits and by increasing monetary incentives to find employment. The data on attitudes come from responses to a survey carried out during the experiment. Identical questions were posed to the treatment (receiving the BI) and the control group of the experiment. The contributions of this paper are (1) an estimation of the relationship between participation and opinions on BI, (2) an analysis of the heterogeneity of the relationship and (3) an estimation of the relationship between participation and people’s ability to express their opinions on BI. Our findings indicate that participation in the experiment significantly explains people’s support for a BI and their ability to express opinions.
Does Political Affirmative Action Work, and for Whom? Theory and Evidence on India’s Scheduled Areas
Authors: GULZAR SAAD , HAAS NICHOLAS , PASQUALE BENJAMIN
Published: August 2020

Does political affirmative action undermine or promote development? We present the first systematic analysis of Scheduled Areas in India, home to 100 million citizens, where local political office is reserved for the historically disadvantaged Scheduled Tribes. A newly constructed dataset of 217,000 villages allows us to probe conflicting hypotheses on the implementation of the world’s largest workfare program, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. We find that reservations deliver no worseoveralloutcomes, that there are large gains for targeted minorities, and that these gains come at the cost of the relatively privileged, not other minorities. We also find improvements in other pro-poor programs, including a rural roads program and general public goods. Reservations more closely align benefits to each group’s population share, allaying concerns of overcompensation for inequalities. Contrary to the expectations of skeptics, results indicate that affirmative action can redistribute both political and economic power without hindering overall development.
Qualifications for Party Representatives and Arbitrators in Nigerian Arbitration: Shell v Federal Inland Revenue Service
Authors: Wingate Emmanuel Onyedi
Published: August 2020

Nigeria's Court of Appeal held in Shell v Federal Inland Revenue Service (Shell v FIRS) that only Nigerian enrolled legal practitioners can sign processes for arbitration proceedings in Nigeria. Foreign qualified legal practitioners (FQLP) not enrolled in Nigeria are excluded. Arguably, this limitation extends to the conduct of the parties’ cases and excludes FQLP from appointment as arbitrators where the arbitration agreement specifies that arbitrators be legal practitioners. Shell v FIRS however, contrasts with Stabilini Visinoni v Mallinson, in which the same Court of Appeal had emphasized the flexibility of the arbitral process (which typifies judicial policy in any arbitration-friendly jurisdiction), particularly recognizing that arbitration practice is open to lawyers and non-lawyers alike. Consequently, this note recommends that Nigeria's Arbitration Act be amended to allow for representation by “persons” of the parties’ choice, mirroring the IBA Guidelines on Party Representation in International Arbitration 2013 and article 5 of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules 2010.
LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION AS L2 SHADOW BOXING
Authors: Lipski John M.
Published: August 2020

In the Afro-Colombian community of San Basilio de Palenque, there are school-based efforts to revitalize the once-endangered creole language Palenquero. At present, most Palenquero language classes do not include grammatical instruction, active student production, or corrective feedback, and there is little or no communication in Palenquero between L2 learners and fluent adult speakers. One result is that L2 Palenquero speakers are overgeneralizing the Palenquero prenominal plural marker to singular contexts, in a fashion that partly suggests a Spanish-influenced misinterpretation as a definite article. The present study summarizes oral and written production, and then analyzes processing data from an eye-tracking experiment confirming L2 learners’ emergent restructuring of the Palenquero plural marker. L2 learners have regularized perceived variation similar to learners of artificial languages, and the morphological marking of plurality is seemingly being lost, possibly morphing into an emergent but still unstable definiteness marker effectively delinked from number.
Urban civil defence: imagining, constructing and performing nuclear war in Aarhus
Authors: Farbøl Rosanna
Published: August 2020

During the Cold War, cities were seen as likely targets of modern total warfare and systems of civil defence were created to protect cities and their inhabitants. Yet existing civil defence histories have focused little on the specifically urban aspect, and urban historians likewise have paid civil defence little attention. Using Aarhus, Denmark, as a case-study, this article examines civil defence through planning, practices and materiality in a specific urban landscape. By analysing how civil defence was organized, performed and built in Denmark, the article sheds light on the mutual imbrication of urban planning, geography and materiality and local civil defence. I argue that through biopolitics, local civil defence authorities imagineered an idealized survivalist community of city dwellers who would pull together to protect and save their city and that this contributed to taming an incomprehensible, global, nuclear catastrophe into a manageable, localized, urban calamity.
Comparison of outcomes following thoracoscopic versus thoracotomy closure for persistent patent ductus arteriosus
Authors: Wei Chen , Staffa Steven , Zurakowski David , Saleeb Susan , Fynn-Thompson Francis , Emani Sitaram M.
Published: August 2020

Background:

Patent ductus arteriosus closure is traditionally performed by thoracotomy approach. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is a less frequently utilised alternative. We sought to compare elective surgical outcomes between the two methods via a single-centre retrospective cohort analysis.

Methods:

All patients >3.2 kg undergoing surgical patent ductus arteriosus ligation at a single institution from 2000 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Propensity matching for age, weight, diuretic usage, and preterm status was conducted to adjust for differences in baseline patient characteristics. Outcome measures included operative time, hospitalisation duration, post-operative complications, and re-operation.

Results:

A total of 173 patients were included, 127 thoracoscopy and 46 thoracotomy. In the unmatched cohorts, no significant difference in closure success was found (94% thoracoscopy versus 100% thoracotomy, p = 0.192). Although median operative time was longer for thoracoscopy (87 versus 56 minutes, p < 0.001), hospitalisation duration was shorter (1.05 versus 2.41 days, p < 0.001), as was ICU stay (0.00 versus 0.75 days, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in re-operation or complication rates, except chest tube placement (11% thoracoscopy versus 50% thoracotomy, p < 0.001). After matching (69 thoracoscopy versus 20 thoracotomy), these differences persisted, including median operative time (81 versus 56 minutes, p = 0.007; thoracoscopy versus thoracotomy), hospitalisation duration (1.25 versus 2.27 days, p < 0.001), and chest tube placement (17% versus 60%, p < 0.001). There remained no significant difference in complications or re-operations.

Conclusions:

Thoracoscopic ligation was associated with shorter ICU and hospital stays and less frequent chest tube placement, but longer operative times. Other risks, including bleeding, chylothorax, and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, were similar.
A rhabdomyoma in the right ventricle presenting as hemodynamics of hypoplastic right heart
Authors: Takajo Daiji , Aggarwal Sanjeev
Published: August 2020

Rhabdomyomas are the most common paediatric cardiac tumours. The natural history of these tumours is mostly benign, and the tumour usually regresses spontaneously. Although surgical resection of these tumours is one of the considerations in patients with ventricular outflow obstruction, a palliation with Blalock–Taussig shunt is an alternative approach with the hope of regression of the tumour over time. We report a case of prenatally diagnosed rhabdomyomas in the right ventricle and its outflow presenting as hemodynamic simulating hypoplastic right ventricle in a newborn. She required prostaglandin and Blalock–Taussig shunts palliation for pulmonary flow and subsequent regression of tumours.
A Tocharian tale from the Silk Road: A philological account ofThe Painter and the Mechanical Maidenand its resonances with the Western canon
Authors: BEGUŠ NINA
Published: August 2020

This article analyses philological and literary aspects of ajātakatale with a pygmalionesque motif involving a craftsman who falls in love with a non-human woman. This tale circulated along the Silk Road in at least six different versions: two original Sanskrit versions; one Tibetan translation from the Sanskrit source; one Tocharian adaptation; and two Chinese translations that also adapt the work to a smaller degree than the Tocharian version. By analysing the textual contexts and the content of the tale in all its alterations, this article shows that the two versions that differ most from the others, the Tocharian and the older Chinese version, are closely related to each other. Further analysis of the Tocharian version situates the tale among its literary kin. An analysis of the formulaic elements of the Tocharian tale indicates possible relations to Chinesechu-kung-tiaoandpien-wengenres. The article also suggests the Tibetanlha moas a link between Indian prosimetriccampūstyle and the two Chinese genres. Finally, the analysis of the cluster of motifs in the tale is paralleled with canonical Western texts by Ovid and E. T. A. Hoffmann, opening fruitful venues for literary scholarship regarding human-like objects.
Mexican households’ food shopping patterns in 2015: analysis following nonessential food and sugary beverage taxes
Authors: Pedraza Lilia S , Popkin Barry M , Adair Linda , Robinson Whitney R , Taillie Lindsey Smith
Published: August 2020

Objective:

To examine patterns of taxed and untaxed food and beverage shopping across store types after Mexico’s sugary drink and non-essential food taxes, the nutritional quality of these patterns and the socio-economic characteristics associated with them.

Design:

We performed k-means cluster analyses using households’ percentage of food and beverage purchases from each store type (i.e. convenience stores, traditional shops (e.g. bodegas, tiendas, mom-and-pop shops), supermarkets, wholesalers and others). We calculated adjusted mean proportions of taxed and untaxed products (ml or g/capita per d) purchased in each pattern. We studied the associations between households’ SES and shopping patterns using multinomial logistic regressions. Within shopping patterns, we obtained mean volumes and proportions of taxed and untaxed food and beverage subgroups and calculated the proportion of products purchased at each store type.

Setting:

Mexico.

Participants:

Urban Mexican households (n 5493) from the Nielsen Mexico Consumer Panel Survey 2015.

Results:

We found four beverage shopping patterns and three food shopping patterns, driven by the store type where most purchases were made. For beverages, 48 % of households were clustered in the Traditional pattern and purchased the highest proportion of taxed beverages. Low-SES households had the highest probability of clustering in the Traditional beverage shopping pattern. For foods, 35 % of households were clustered into the Supermarket pattern. High-SES households had the highest probability of clustering in the Supermarket food shopping pattern.

Conclusions:

The combination of store types where Mexican households purchase packaged foods and beverages varies. However, households in all shopping patterns and SES purchase taxed beverages mainly at traditional stores. Store-level strategies should be developed to intervene on traditional stores to improve the healthfulness of purchases.