bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical outcomes of using erythritol powder by means of air polishing with ultrasonic debridement in the treatment of initial periodontal pockets in hand of dental students: A split‐mouth, randomized, comparative, controlled study. Part I
Authors: Albonni Hala , Alseirafi Walaa , Tekleh Hiba , Abo Orabi Feras , Alhaj Mouaaid , Almasri Dima , Hamadh Hussen , Sawaf Hazem
Published: May 2021

Objective

The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and patient acceptance of using the erythritol powder air polishing with mechanical debridement in non‐surgical periodontal therapy.

Methods

The trial was conducted as a split‐mouth design study of 6 weeks’ duration including 13 patients with gingivitis and stage I periodontitis with grade A. Each patient received ultrasonic debridement and polishing (UD+P) on one side, whereas the contralateral side was treated by erythritol powder air polishing and ultrasonic instrumentation (EPAP+UI) when required. Clinical variables were as follows: papillary bleeding index (PBI), bleeding on probing (BOP), full mouth plaque index (FMPI), calculus index (CI), modified gingival index (MGI), probing pocket depth (PPD), the time needed and rate the pain for each group.

Results

The FMPI, MGI, CI, PBL and BOP parameters improved significantly for both treatment procedures; however, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups at any of the examinations intervals, except for MGI and CI which showed a significant reduction at 2 weeks compared with baseline. PPD was significantly decreased in EPAP+UI group. Perceived pain intensity was lower for EPAP+UI group than UD+P group without any significant difference during follow‐up periods between the two groups. Seven patients favoured air polishing. The treatment's time was (24.92 ± 9.260 and 34.08 ± 9.106) minutes for the test and control side, respectively.

Conclusion

This study generally revealed no significant differences in clinical outcomes between two groups for gingivitis and stage I periodontitis treatment. However, EPAP+UI had higher patient's preference and less time‐consuming compared with UD+P.
Anatomical distribution of basal cell carcinoma in Israel using relative tumor density scores
Authors: Winder Gilad , Kawar Manar , Shalom Avshalom
Published: May 2021

Background

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is considered a major risk factor for the development of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Calculating the relative tumor density (RTD) by adjusting the proportion of BCC lesions relative to the skin surface area at a specific site enables comparison of the proportion of tumors at different anatomical sites and better understanding of the association with sun exposure.

Objectives

To characterize anatomical distribution of BCC in the Israeli population using RTD score.

Methods

A retrospective, cross‐sectional study that includes all histologically confirmed BCC samples obtained from a major national pathological institute, which receives specimens from numerous surgeons throughout Israel, during the first trimester of 2012.

Results

A total of 1,712 skin lesions were diagnosed as BCC during the study period. RTD in the head and neck area was the highest over the body (RTD = 6.6). We found that RTD over the upper arms in males was higher than the proportion of skin surface area (RTD = 1.1). A comparison of RTD values in subsites of the head and neck region indicates that men have higher RTD values for the ears, neck, and scalp than women. However, the nose and eyes areas have female predominance.

Conclusions

Using RTD scores, our study demonstrates the unique UVR exposure pattern in the Mediterranean climate of Israel and supports the notion that UVR is an important risk factor for the development of BCC lesions.
Association between long noncoding RNA taurine‐upregulated gene 1 and microRNA‐377 in vitiligo
Authors: Alhelf Maha , Rashed Laila A. , Ragab Noura , Elmasry Maha F.
Published: May 2021

Background

Taurine‐upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) is one of the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that plays a role in melanogenesis. MicroRNA‐377 (miRNA‐377) is a conserved noncoding RNA that regulates angiogenesis and promotes oxidative stress. Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors (PPARs) are components of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. PPAR‐γ activators stimulate melanogenesis. Interleukin (IL)‐17 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several immunological diseases. This work aimed at detecting the expression levels of lncRNA TUG1, miRNA‐377, PPAR‐γ, and IL‐17 among vitiligo subjects and to investigate their possible role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.

Methods

This study was conducted on 30 healthy controls and 30 vitiligo patients. LncRNA TUG1 and miRNA‐377 were detected in serum by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Also, expressions of PPAR‐γ and IL‐17 were assessed in tissue by real‐time PCR.

Results

LncRNA TUG1 and PPAR‐γ levels were significantly downregulated in the vitiligo group compared with the control group. On the other hand, miRNA‐377 and IL‐17 were significantly upregulated in the vitiligo group compared with the control group.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the dysregulated expressions of lncRNA TUG1 and miRNA‐377 in patients with vitiligo suggesting that both contributed to the pathogenesis of vitiligo that might be through PPAR‐γ downregulation and IL‐17 upregulation.
Experimental evaluation of deep learning method in reticulocyte enumeration in peripheral blood
Authors: Wang Geng , Zhao Tianci , Fang Zhejun , Lian Heqing , Wang Xin , Li Zepeng , Wu Wei , Li Bairui , Zhang Qian
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Reticulocytes (RET) are immature red blood cells, and RET enumeration in peripheral blood has important clinical value in diagnosis, treatment efficacy observation, and prognosis of anemic diseases. For RET enumeration, flow cytometric reference method has shown to be more precise than the manual method by light microscopy. However, flow cytometric method generates occasionally spurious RET counts in some situations. The manual method, which is subjective, imprecise, and tedious, currently remains as an accepted reference method. As a result, there is a need for manual method to be more objective, precise, and rapid.

Methods

40 EDTA‐K2 anticoagulated whole blood samples were randomly selected for the study. 784 microscopic images were taken from blood slides as dataset, and all mature RBCs and RETs in these images were located and labeled by experienced experts. Then, we leverage a Faster R‐CNN deep neural network to train a RET detection model and evaluate the model.

Results

Both the recall and precision rate of the model are more than 97%, and average analysis time of a single image is 0.21 seconds.

Conclusion

The deep learning method shows outstanding performance including high accuracy and fast speed. The experimental results show that the deep learning method holds the potential to act as a rapid computer‐aid method for manual RET enumeration for cytological examiners.
Green‐light laser en bloc resection versus conventional transurethral resection for initial non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Fan Jinhai , Wu Kaijie , Zhang Nan , Yang Tao , Liu Nan , Jiang Yumei , Bai Xiaojing , Wang Xinyang , He Dalin
Published: May 2021

Objective

To compare the safety and outcomes between green‐light laser en bloc resection and transurethral resection of bladder tumor.

Methods

A single‐center, randomized controlled trial was carried out from August 2014 to September 2018. Patients with initial non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer were randomized to green‐light laser en bloc resection or transurethral resection of bladder tumor. The primary outcomes were pathological findings and perioperative events. The secondary outcome was tumor recurrence.

Results

A total of 233 patients were randomized to the transurethral resection of bladder tumor group (117 patients) and the green‐light laser en bloc resection group (116 patients). The resection time was longer in the green‐light laser en bloc resection group (P = 0.022); however, no differences were identified in overall operative time (P = 0.255). Nine patients (7.7%) had an obturator nerve reflex during transurethral resection of bladder tumor. The estimated volume of blood loss was significantly lower in the green‐light laser en bloc resection group (P = 0.012). The green‐light laser en bloc resection group had a higher rate of T1 bladder cancer (P = 0.031). A total of 104 patients (89.7%) treated with green‐light laser en bloc resection had detrusor muscle presence in the specimen, whereas 37 (31.9%) patients had the presence of muscularis mucosae, which was significantly higher than the corresponding number of transurethral resection of bladder tumor patients (P = 0.005 and 0.002, respectively). After a median follow‐up period of 48 months, just five patients had tumor recurrence (three in the transurethral resection of bladder tumor group and two in the green‐light laser en bloc resection group), and there was no difference between these two groups.

Conclusions

Compared with transurethral resection of bladder tumor, green‐light laser en bloc resection is more effective due to less obturator nerve reflex and the same recurrence rate. Most importantly, green‐light laser en bloc resection can provide better tumor specimens for pathological examinations.
Heterologous expression of a substance which inhibits receptivity and calling in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)
Authors: Kiran T. , Mangala J. N. , Anjana K. , Manjulakumari D.
Published: May 2021

The accessory glands of male moths secrete several proteins, which are known to affect post‐mating behaviour in females such as calling, reduction in receptivity, rate of egg maturation and laying, sperm maintenance and release and formation of mating plug. Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) is a polyphagous pest of numerous crops and it is widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent where it causes severe economic losses. In the present study, receptivity‐ and calling‐inhibiting substance (RCIS), a peptide secreted from the accessory glands of male H. armigera, was sequenced, cloned and expressed in a prokaryote, Escherichia coli. RCIS is a peptide comprising 58 amino acids and had a theoretical molecular weight of 6.03 kDa. It showed 64% similarity with pheromonostatic peptide 1, identified in Helicoverpa zea (Kingan et al., 1995) but differed regarding deletion of four and one amino acids at positions 14–17 and 44, respectively, and insertion of one and five amino acids at position 38 and the terminal position of RCIS, respectively. H. armigera females injected with recombinant RCIS showed reduced receptivity and calling behaviour (in 70–80% of the treated individuals), and mating frequencies decreased by 80%. Recombinant RCIS may be employed to artificially induce non‐receptivity in virgin females in order to prevent reproduction.
Role of cancer‐associated fibroblast subpopulations in immune infiltration, as a new means of treatment in cancer
Authors: Mhaidly Rana , Mechta‐Grigoriou Fatima
Published: May 2021

The tumor microenvironment (TME) has been identified as one of the driving factors of tumor progression and invasion. Within this microenvironment, cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAF) have multiple tumor‐promoting functions and play key roles in drug resistance, through multiple mechanisms, including extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, production of growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines, and modulation of metabolism and angiogenesis. More recently, a growing body of evidence has shown that CAF also modulate immune cell activity and suppress anti‐tumor immune response. In this review, we describe the current knowledge on CAF heterogeneity in terms of identity and functions. Moreover, we analyze how distinct CAF subpopulations differentially interact with immune cells, with a particular focus on T lymphocytes. We address how specific CAF subsets contribute to cancer progression through induction of an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Finally, we highlight potential therapeutic strategies for targeting CAF subpopulations in cancer.
Development of a core outcome domain set for clinical research on capillary malformations (the COSCAM project)
Authors: Langbroek G.B. , Wolkerstorfer A. , Horbach S.E.R. , Spuls P.I. , Kelly K.M. , Robertson S.J. , van Raath M.I. , Al‐Niaimi F. , Kono T. , Boixeda P. , Laubach H.J. , Badawi A.M. , Troilius Rubin A. , Haedersdal M. , Manuskiatti W. , van der Horst C.M.A.M. , Ubbink D.T. ,   the COSCAM study group
Published: May 2021

Background

Due to a large variety in treatment outcomes reported in therapeutic trials and lacking patient‐relevant outcomes, it is hard to adequately compare and improve current therapies for patients with capillary malformations (CMs). The Core Outcome Set for Capillary Malformations (COSCAM) project aims to develop a core outcome set (COS) for use in future CM trials, in which we will first develop a core outcome (sub)domain set (CDS). Here, we describe the methods for the development of a CDS and present the results of the first development stage.

Methods

The COSCAM project is carried out according to the recommendations of the Cochrane Skin Core OUtcomes Set INitiative (CS‐COUSIN) and the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) initiative. During the first stage, we identified all potentially relevant outcome subdomains based on a systematic review, two focus group sessions and input from patient representatives of Dutch patient organizations and the COSCAM‐founding group. In stage two, we will present the subdomains in a three‐round e‐Delphi study and online consensus meeting, in which CM patients, parents/caregivers and CM experts worldwide rate the importance of the proposed subdomains, hereby finalizing the core outcome (sub)domains of the CDS.

Results

A total of 67 potential outcome subdomains were included; sixteen were previously used in the literature, 20 were proposed by Dutch patients and their parents/caregivers (n = 13) in focus group sessions and 38 were suggested by the experts of the COSCAM‐founding group. Seven were excluded because of overlap.

Conclusion

The final CDS may serve as a minimum standard in future CM trials, thereby facilitating adequate comparison of treatment outcomes. After this CDS development, we will select appropriate outcome measurement instruments to measure the core outcome subdomains.
Development and validation of the Physician's Global Assessment of Fingernail Psoriasis
Authors: Hudgens S. , Rich P. , Geng Z. , Williams D. , Fleischer A. , Ganguli A.
Published: May 2021

Background

Several clinician‐rated scoring systems are available to assess nail psoriasis severity, but only one has been partially validated.

Objective

To develop and validate the Physician’s Global Assessment of Fingernail Psoriasis (PGA‐F), a new clinician‐rated severity scale.

Methods

A literature review, concept elicitation, pilot cognitive debriefing and clinical expert consultations informed the development of the PGA‐F. A multistage mixed‐methods analysis consisted of practising dermatologist cognitive interviews (n = 10) for instrument clarity, relevance and comprehensiveness. Inter‐rater reliability (IRR) of ratings from dermatologists (n = 22) and clinical trial investigators (n = 8) was tested using many‐facet Rasch analysis. Concurrent validity between the PGA‐F and modified Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (mNAPSI) at screening and baseline was assessed along with the degree of discrimination. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for single raters at multiple assessments determined IRR.

Results

The PGA‐F synthesizes severity ratings across multiple disease features that classify individuals into 1 of 5 levels (clear to severe). Cognitive interviews confirmed content validity: all (n = 10, 100%) participants who agreed clinical criteria were consistent with nail psoriasis; no mismatched severity levels; and training photographs were realistic representations. All PGA‐F items were locally independent and targeted patients along the severity continuum with complementary precision (item fit statistics: < the 1.5 acceptability threshold; exact agreements among the dermatologists [44%] and trial investigators [61.5%] exceeded 40% of acceptability threshold). Clinician reliability exceeded the threshold of acceptability for dermatologists and clinical trial investigators: 0.85 and 0.73, respectively. There was adequate correlation (>0.30) between mNAPSI and PGA‐F at baseline and Week 26 with significant discrimination of severity and monotonic increases in the mNAPSI for each level of categorical severity on the PGA‐F. ICC results for each type of IRR indicate that clinicians were consistent in individual patient ratings.

Conclusion

The PGA‐F is a rapid, valid and reliable clinician‐rated severity scale for use in clinical practice and research.
Investigation of functional, textural, and thermal properties of soluble complex of whey protein–xanthan gum hydrogel
Authors: Pilevaran Majid , Tavakolipour Hamid , Naji‐Tabasi Sara , Elhamirad Amir Hossein
Published: May 2021

Extensive employment of hydrogels in various industry especially food areas of applications is considered to be of prime importance. The current research is focused on producing a heat‐induced hydrogel consisting of whey protein concentrate (WPC) and different concentrations of xanthan gum (XG) (0, 0.01, 0.3, and 0.6%) to develop the texture and thermal stability of WPC hydrogel. The soluble complex of WPC–XG, which was created in pH 6, was used to fabricate hydrogels. The Fourier transform infrared, scanning electronic microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), X‐ray, swelling index, water‐holding capacity (WHC), porosity, and rheology measurement of hydrogels were investigated. The highest amount of porosity was created in WPC‐0.6% XG hydrogel (88%) (p < .05) and was in agreement with SEM results. The WPC–XG hydrogel, especially at 6% of XG, displayed the utmost power to keep water under the centrifugation process (~50%). Nevertheless, the WPC hydrogel had the lowest WHC rather than other hydrogel mixtures. The presence of XG in hydrogel resulted in less elasticity in comparison with WPC hydrogel. According to the DSC result, the WPC–XG composite hydrogel had more thermal stable hydrogel. As a result, the soluble complex of WPC–XG improved the formation of a three‐dimensional network structures.

Practical Applications

Hydrogels are able to preserve the stability of the functional compounds, allow targeted and controlled release, improve texture, applied as a fat replacement in the food industry. Improvement textural characteristic of natural hydrogels with high thermal stability during food processing is important for use in the food industry. Therefore, the aim of this research is to use a soluble complex of whey protein concentrate–xanthan gum for development elastic and thermal stable hydrogels.
Advance care planning among Medicare beneficiaries with dementia undergoing surgery
Authors: Shah Samir K. , Manful Adoma , Reich Amanda J. , Semco Robert S. , Tjia Jennifer , Ladin Keren , Weissman Joel S.
Published: May 2021

Importance

Advance care planning (ACP), in which patients or their surrogates discuss goals and preferences for care with physicians, attorneys, friends, and family, is an important approach to help align goals with actual treatment. ACP may be particularly valuable in patients with advanced serious illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRDs) for whom surgery carries significant risks.

Objective

To determine the frequency, timing, and factors associated with ACP billing in Medicare beneficiaries with ADRD undergoing nontrauma inpatient surgery.

Design

This national cohort study analyzes Medicare fee‐for‐service claims data from 2016 to 2017. All patients had a 6‐month lookback and follow‐up period.

Setting

National Medicare fee‐for‐service data.

Participants

All patients with ADRD, defined according to the Chronic Conditions Warehouse, undergoing inpatient surgery from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017.

Exposures

Patient demographics, medical history, and procedural outcomes.

Main Outcome

ACP billing codes from 6 months before to 6 months after admission for inpatient surgery.

Results

This study included 289,428 patients with ADRD undergoing surgery, of whom 21,754 (7.5%) had billed ACP within the 6 months before and after surgical admission. In a multivariable analysis, patients of white race, male sex, and residence in the Southern and Midwestern United States were at the highest risk of not receiving ACP. Of all patients who received ACP, 5960 (27.4%) did so before surgery while 12,658 (52.8%) received ACP after surgery. Timing of ACP after surgery was associated with an Elixhauser comorbidity index of 3 or higher (1.23, p = 0.045) and major postoperative complication or death (odds ratio 1.52, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions and Relevance

Overall ACP billing code use is low among Medicare patients with ADRD undergoing surgery. Billed ACP appears to have a reactive pattern, occurring most commonly after surgery and in association with postoperative mortality and complications. Additional study is warranted to understand barriers to use.
Risk Premiums, Nominal Rigidities, and Limited Asset Market Participation
Authors: MENNA LORENZO , TIRELLI PATRIZIO
Published: May 2021

Recent developments in the asset pricing literature show that a combination of technology and distributive shocks can rationalize observed risk premia when firm ownership is concentrated in the hands of few households. We find that distributive shocks are unnecessary when nominal price rigidity is taken into account. Our results are driven by the income redistribution associated to procyclical variations in profit margins when firms ownership is concentrated, prices are sticky, and technology shocks hit the economy. In this regard, standard DSGE models that allow for firm ownership concentration have the potential to replicate both business cycle facts and the moments of financial variables.
Evaluating zooplankton in traditional and split‐pond systems for raising golden shiners, Notemigonus crysoleucas
Authors: Kaimal Sindhu , Kelly Anita M.
Published: May 2021

We hypothesize for golden shiners, Notemigonus crysoleucas, raised in split‐ponds (SPS), that the waste treatment unit (WTU) would be a zooplankton refuge. To examine this hypothesis, a 6‐week study was conducted in six traditional earthen ponds (TEP) and six SPS (each 0.04 ha) stocked with adult golden shiners at 450 kg of fish/ha. Fish were fed a commercial feed at 3% body weight daily in three ponds (FED) of each pond type, while in the remaining ponds fish had access to natural foods only (UNF). Zooplankton samples were collected daily for five consecutive days from three locations in each TEP and from three locations each within the fish culture unit (FCU) and WTU of SPS. Net yield and survival were not significantly different among the treatment groups. Survival was severely impacted by depredation from birds and herpetofauna. Fish in SPS‐UNF ponds had lower condition factors, relative weight, whole‐body fats, and gonadosomatic index compared to the other treatment groups. Zooplankton number/mL were significantly higher in the TEP (both FED and UNF) when compared to other treatment groups. There was not enough evidence that the WTU being devoid of fish may serve as a refuge for larger zooplankton.
EQUAL Fusariosis score 2021: An European Confederation of Medical Mycology score derived from current guidelines to measure QUALity of the clinical management of invasive fusariosis
Authors: Guarana Mariana , Nouér Simone A. , Nucci Marcio
Published: May 2021

Background

Invasive fusariosis is a serious infection affecting mostly patients with haematologic malignancies and hematopoietic cell transplant recipients.

Objectives

To develop a scoring tool that evaluates guideline adherence in the management of invasive fusariosis.

Methods

We reviewed two guidelines, provided by the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) and the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM), and selected the strongest recommendations for management quality as the bases for the scoring tool.

Results

We reviewed the recommendations regarding primary and secondary prophylaxis, diagnostics procedures (images, blood cultures, biopsy of skin lesions with direct examination, culture and histopathology, species identification, antifungal susceptibility tests and antigen detection), treatment choices and follow‐up procedures. The tool comprises 18 items, with a maximum of 24 points.

Conclusions

The EQUAL score Fusariosis is a tool that may help clinicians to measure guidelines adherence.
Awareness of societal emphasis on appearance decreases women’s (but not men’s) career aspiration: A serial mediation model
Authors: Huang Qianying , Teng Fei , Yang Wenjing
Published: May 2021

This research examined the association between awareness of societal emphasis on physical appearance and people’s career aspiration and the process that linked the two. Specifically, we proposed that perceived societal emphasis on physical attractiveness would decrease women’s career aspiration through decreased authenticity and perceived opportunity. A total of 349 college students (227 females) participated in the study. The results revealed that awareness of societal emphasis on physical attractiveness negatively predicted women’s authenticity, and authenticity positively predicted perception of opportunity, which in turn predicted their career aspiration. However, this serial mediational model was not found in men. These findings suggest that socially prioritization of attractiveness can undermine women’s strive for occupational prospects and add to a better understanding of women’s growth and development.
Commodity Violence: The Punctum of Data
Authors: Jain S. Lochlann
Published: May 2021

This article discusses methods for anthropologists interested in practicing visual arts as an ethnographic method of analysis and communication. Through an overview of a project I developed, I discuss my approach in relation to psychogeography and theatrical Moment Work. I suggest that these techniques can be usefully harnessed to build an ethnographic approach to image‐making and develop visual vocabularies that exceed the purpose of illustrating extant ideas and concepts in the field. This is critical because such ideas and concepts operate on a different plane from those developed in the art‐related disciplines that have generally adjudicated the visual field.
Divining Nature
Authors: Cuillé Tili Boon
Published: May 2021

The Enlightenment remains widely associated with the rise of scientific progress and the loss of religious faith, a dual tendency that is thought to have contributed to the disenchantment of the world. In her wide-ranging and richly illustrated book, Tili Boon Cuillé questions the accuracy of this narrative by investigating the fate of the marvelous in the age of reason.
Exploring the affinities between the natural sciences and the fine arts, Cuillé examines the representation of natural phenomena—whether harmonious or discordant—in natural history, painting, opera, and the novel from Buffon and Rameau to Ossian and Staël. She demonstrates that philosophical, artistic, and emotional responses to the "spectacle of nature" in eighteenth-century France included wonder, enthusiasm, melancholy, and the "sentiment of divinity." These "passions of the soul," traditionally associated with religion and considered antithetical to enlightenment, were linked to the faculties of reason, imagination, and memory that structured Diderot's Encyclopédie and to contemporary theorizations of the sublime. As Cuillé reveals, the marvelous was not eradicated but instead preserved through the establishment and reform of major French cultural institutions dedicated to science, art, religion, and folklore that were designed to inform, enchant, and persuade.
The Harmony of Nature in Paul et Virginie
Authors: Cuillé Tili Boon
Published: May 2021

Rousseau’s protégé, Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, conceived of his Études de la nature as a complement to Buffon’s Histoire naturelle. Chapter 3 traces the generation of his novel Paul et Virginie from his travelogue to its publication as the fourth book of his natural history. Bernard de Lacépède’s Poétique de la musique provides a missing link between Bernardin’s novel and its operatic adaptation by Jean-François Le Sueur. Reading Bernardin’s natural history, full of advice for artists, alongside Le Sueur’s essays on church music, full of tips for composers, reveals that author and composer both sustained and sought to foster mixed emotions in response to the spectacle of nature that led to the “sentiment of divinity.” The chapter concludes with a consideration of French cathedrals, redesigned along lines reminiscent of the opera and the natural history museum in the course of the century.
The Ottoman Imperial Context
Authors: Methodieva Milena B.
Published: May 2021

This chapter begins with an overview of the Ottoman imperial context and the processes leading to formation of Muslim communities in the Balkans. Then it turns to the events leading to the establishment of modern Bulgaria. The Bulgarian uprisings of the 1870s and the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877–78 were crucial events. They had important consequences for intercommunal relations, as well as for the emergence of civilizational and humanitarian discourses that influenced the views of Bulgarians, Ottomans, and Bulgaria’s Muslims. Hailed by Bulgarians as their “liberation war,” the Russo-Ottoman War was a formative experience for the Muslims as it was accompanied by violence, mass flight, and destitution. The chapter underscores the unique features of the 1878 San Stefano and Berlin Treaties that sought to provide guarantees for the protection for all communities, including, for the first time, the Muslims.
Writing Occupation
Authors: Elsky Julia
Published: May 2021

Why did some of the most brilliant—but often forgotten—Jewish émigré writers of the first half of the twentieth century choose to write in French as a second language, even as they faced a double exclusion as foreigners and as Jews under Vichy? Jewish writers of Eastern European origin who immigrated to France before the Second World War (including Benjamin Fondane, Romain Gary, Jean Malaquais, Irène Némirovsky, and Elsa Triolet) switched from writing in their languages of origin to writing primarily in French, even when their Frenchness was being violently denied by the state. In this manuscript, Julia Elsky argues that these Jewish émigré writers harnessed the potential multilingualism of French to express hybrid and shifting cultural, religious, and linguistic identities before and during the Occupation.
When the Vichy regime and Nazi occupiers denied them their French identity through xenophobic and antisemitic laws, Jewish émigré authors from Eastern Europe began to re-examine, and in some cases, reassert their role in the French nation by exploring the possibilities of writing with a “Jewish voice” in the French language. In depicting key aspects of the war experience—the June 1940 civilian flight from Paris, life in the occupied and southern zones, the Resistance in France and in London—their work contests the boundaries between foreignness and belonging.
Possibilities: World War II and Moroccan Jewish Belonging
Authors: Heckman Alma Rachel
Published: May 2021

Chapter 2 focuses on the Second World War and its effects on Moroccan Jewish and Muslim political life. With France’s fall to Nazi Germany in 1940, the collaborationist Vichy regime applied anti-Semitic legislation in Morocco. While unevenly enforced, such legislation called for severe restrictions on employment, education, and housing for Moroccan Jews. This chapter examines Vichy rule in Morocco and the related spikes in anti-Semitism and fascism. It also describes the efflorescence of political possibilities for Moroccan Jews and Muslims that followed the success of Operation Torch. Yet, the previous fluidity of political choices hardened into mutually exclusive possibilities. Moroccan Jews asked themselves whether it was best to stay in Morocco or to leave. Simultaneously, the chapter charts the transformation of the Moroccan Communist Party into a nationalist organization that included a critical number of politicized Jews.
A Simple Physical Model for Control of a Propellerless Aquatic Robot
Authors: Karavaev Yury L. , Klekovkin Anton V. , Mamaev Ivan S. , Tenenev Valentin A. , Vetchanin Evgeny V.
Published: May 2021

This paper is concerned with the motion of an aquatic robot whose body has the form of a sharp-edged foil. The robot is propelled by rotating the internal rotor without shell deformation. The motion of the robot is described by a finite-dimensional mathematical model derived from physical considerations. This model takes into account the effect of added masses and viscous friction. The parameters of the model are calculated from comparison of experimental data and numerical solution to the equations of rigid body motion and the Navier–Stokes equations. The proposed mathematical model is used to define controls implementing straight-line motion, motion in a circle, and motion along a complex trajectory. Experiments for estimation of the efficiency of the model have been conducted.
The NASA Twins Study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight
Authors: Garrett-Bakelman Francine E. , Darshi Manjula , Green Stefan J. , Gur Ruben C. , Lin Ling , Macias Brandon R. , McKenna Miles J. , Meydan Cem , Mishra Tejaswini , Nasrini Jad , Piening Brian D. , Rizzardi Lindsay F. , Sharma Kumar , Siamwala Jamila H. , Taylor Lynn , Vitaterna Martha Hotz , Afkarian Maryam , Afshinnekoo Ebrahim , Ahadi Sara , Ambati Aditya , Arya Maneesh , Bezdan Daniela , Callahan Colin M. , Chen Songjie , Choi Augustine M. K. , Chlipala George E. , Contrepois Kévin , Covington Marisa , Crucian Brian E. , De Vivo Immaculata , Dinges David F. , Ebert Douglas J. , Feinberg Jason I. , Gandara Jorge A. , George Kerry A. , Goutsias John , Grills George S. , Hargens Alan R. , Heer Martina , Hillary Ryan P. , Hoofnagle Andrew N. , Hook Vivian Y. H. , Jenkinson Garrett , Jiang Peng , Keshavarzian Ali , Laurie Steven S. , Lee-McMullen Brittany , Lumpkins Sarah B. , MacKay Matthew , Maienschein-Cline Mark G. , Melnick Ari M. , Moore Tyler M. , Nakahira Kiichi , Patel Hemal H. , Pietrzyk Robert , Rao Varsha , Saito Rintaro , Salins Denis N. , Schilling Jan M. , Sears Dorothy D. , Sheridan Caroline K. , Stenger Michael B. , Tryggvadottir Rakel , Urban Alexander E. , Vaisar Tomas , Van Espen Benjamin , Zhang Jing , Ziegler Michael G. , Zwart Sara R. , Charles John B. , Kundrot Craig E. , Scott Graham B. I. , Bailey Susan M. , Basner Mathias , Feinberg Andrew P. , Lee Stuart M. C. , Mason Christopher E. , Mignot Emmanuel , Rana Brinda K. , Smith Scott M. , Snyder Michael P. , Turek Fred W.
Published: May 2021

What to expect after a year in space

Space is the final frontier for understanding how extreme environments affect human physiology. Following twin astronauts, one of which spent a year-long mission on the International Space Station, Garrett-Bakelman
et al.
examined molecular and physiological traits that may be affected by time in space (see the Perspective by Löbrich and Jeggo). Sequencing the components of whole blood revealed that the length of telomeres, which is important to maintain in dividing cells and may be related to human aging, changed substantially during space flight and again upon return to Earth. Coupled with changes in DNA methylation in immune cells and cardiovascular and cognitive effects, this study provides a basis to assess the hazards of long-term space habitation.

Science
, this issue p.
eaau8650
; see also p.
127
Face masks effectively limit the probability of SARS-CoV-2 transmission
Authors: Cheng Yafang , Ma Nan , Witt Christian , Rapp Steffen , Wild Philipp S. , Andreae Meinrat O. , Pöschl Ulrich , Su Hang
Published: May 2021

Masking out air sharing

The effectiveness of masks in preventing the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has been debated since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. One important question is whether masks are effective despite the forceful expulsion of respiratory matter during coughing and sneezing. Cheng
et al.
convincingly show that most people live in conditions in which the airborne virus load is low. The probability of infection changes nonlinearly with the amount of respiratory matter to which a person is exposed. If most people in the wider community wear even simple surgical masks, then the probability of an encounter with a virus particle is even further limited. In indoor settings, it is impossible to avoid breathing in air that someone else has exhaled, and in hospital situations where the virus concentration is the highest, even the best-performing masks used without other protective gear such as hazmat suits will not provide adequate protection.

Science
, abg6296, this issue p.
1439
Safety, Tolerability, and Population Pharmacokinetics of Intravenous and Oral Isavuconazonium Sulfate in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Arrieta Antonio C. , Neely Michael , Day J. Christopher , Rheingold Susan R. , Sue Paul K. , Muller William J. , Danziger-Isakov Lara A. , Chu Julie , Yildirim Inci , McComsey Grace A. , Frangoul Haydar A. , Chen Tempe K. , Statler Victoria A. , Steinbach William J. , Yin Dwight E. , Hamed Kamal , Jones Mark E. , Lademacher Christopher , Desai Amit , Micklus Kelley , Phillips Desiree Leiva , Kovanda Laura L. , Walsh Thomas J.
Published: May 2021

Isavuconazole, administered as the water-soluble prodrug isavuconazonium sulfate, is a new triazole agent used to treat invasive fungal infections. This phase 1 study evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and tolerability of isavuconazole in 46 immunocompromised pediatric patients, stratified by age (1 to <6 [intravenous (i.v.) only], 6 to <12, and 12 to <18 years), receiving 10 mg/kg body weight (maximum, 372 mg) isavuconazonium sulfate either i.v. or orally.
Hydroxyurea Induces a Stress Response That Alters DNA Replication and Nucleotide Metabolism in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Wozniak Katherine J. , Simmons Lyle A.
Published: May 2021

Hydroxyurea (HU) has been widely used as a clinical therapeutic and an inhibitor of DNA replication. Some evidence suggests that HU inhibits ribonucleotide reductase, depleting dNTP pools, while other evidence shows that toxic HU breakdown products are responsible for growth inhibition and genotoxic stress.
Evaluation of the Vitek 2, Phoenix, and MicroScan for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
Authors: Khan Ayesha , Arias Cesar A. , Abbott April , Dien Bard Jennifer , Bhatti Micah M. , Humphries Romney M.
Published: May 2021

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
causes high-mortality infections in immunocompromised hosts with limited therapeutic options. Many U.S. laboratories rely on commercial automated antimicrobial susceptibility tests (cASTs) and use CLSI breakpoints (BPs) for
S. maltophilia
.
Mutation-Specific SARS-CoV-2 PCR Screen: Rapid and Accurate Detection of Variants of Concern and the Identification of a Newly Emerging Variant with Spike L452R Mutation
Authors: Wang Huanyu , Jean Sophonie , Eltringham Richard , Madison John , Snyder Pamela , Tu Huolin , Jones Daniel M. , Leber Amy L.
Published: May 2021

The emergence of more transmissible and/or more virulent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOC) has triggered intensive genomic surveillance, which is costly and difficult to sustain operationally over the long term. To address this problem, we developed a set of four multiplex mutation-specific PCR-based assays with same-day reporting that can detect five VOC and three variants of interest (VOI), as defined in the March 2021 guidelines from the U.S.
Targeting Conserved Sequences Circumvents the Evolution of Resistance in a Viral Gene Drive against Human Cytomegalovirus
Authors: Walter Marius , Perrone Rosalba , Verdin Eric
Published: May 2021

The use of defective viruses that interfere with the replication of their infectious parent after coinfecting the same cells—a therapeutic strategy known as viral interference—has recently generated a lot of interest. The CRISPR-based system that we recently reported for herpesviruses represents a novel interfering strategy that causes the conversion of wild-type viruses into new recombinant viruses and drives the native viral population to extinction.
Management of an unusual cause of life-threatening haemoptysis: a multidisciplinary approach
Authors: Pramanik Kim , Webb Philip , Hamid RanaShoaib
Published: May 2021

We present to you a case of life-threatening haemoptysis secondary to non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis complicated by bronchial artery pseudoaneurysms. We discuss this patient’s emergency medical management using intravenous tranexamic acid, which resulted in successful resuscitation and eventual survival, and evaluate the need for urgent anaesthetic and interventional radiology input in such a case.
Case of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease associated with multiple myeloma
Authors: Fauzi Luqman Safwan , Unadkat Vidhi , Abd Hadi Siti Nadhirah Binti , Rinaldi Ciro
Published: May 2021

We present a 47-year-old, South-African origin, woman with a background of stable monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) who attended A&E with a history of coryzal symptoms associated with persistent fever, lymphadenopathy and a new onset of rash, not responding to antibiotics and paracetamol. A trial of high-dose steroids resolved symptoms. Bone marrow biopsy confirmed a progression of MGUS into multiple myeloma and her axillary lymph node biopsy analysis supported a diagnosis of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD). This is an unusual presentation where KFD has been noted alongside MGUS progression to multiple myeloma. Haematology follow-up is underway.
Consistency of causal claims in observational studies: a review of papers published in a general medical journal
Authors: Olarte Parra Camila , Bertizzolo Lorenzo , Schroter Sara , Dechartres Agnès , Goetghebeur Els
Published: May 2021

Objective

To evaluate the consistency of causal statements in observational studies published inThe BMJ.

Design

Review of observational studies published in a general medical journal.

Data source

Cohort and other longitudinal studies describing an exposure-outcome relationship published inThe BMJin 2018. We also had access to the submitted papers and reviewer reports.

Main outcome measures

Proportion of published research papers with ‘inconsistent’ use of causal language. Papers where language was consistently causal or non-causal were classified as ‘consistently causal’ or ‘consistently not causal’, respectively. For the ‘inconsistent’ papers, we then compared the published and submitted version.

Results

Of 151 published research papers, 60 described eligible studies. Of these 60, we classified the causal language used as ‘consistently causal’ (48%), ‘inconsistent’ (20%) and ‘consistently not causal’(32%). Eleven out of 12 (92%) of the ‘inconsistent’ papers were already inconsistent on submission. The inconsistencies found in both submitted and published versions were mainly due to mismatches between objectives and conclusions. One section might be carefully phrased in terms of association while the other presented causal language. When identifying only an association, some authors jumped to recommending acting on the findings as if motivated by the evidence presented.

Conclusion

Further guidance is necessary for authors on what constitutes a causal statement and how to justify or discuss assumptions involved. Based on screening these papers, we provide a list of expressions beyond the obvious ‘cause’ word which may inspire a useful more comprehensive compendium on causal language.
Disability status and multi-dimensional personal well-being among adolescents in the Southern Highlands Region of Tanzania: results of a cross-sectional study
Authors: Quinones Sarah , Palermo Tia M , Lukongo Tumpe Mnyawami , Luchemba Paul , Mitti Respichius , Devries Karen , de Groot Richard , Khurshid Atif , Kuper Hannah
Published: May 2021

Objective

Examine how disability status among adolescents is associated with the following domains of personal well-being: schooling, livelihoods, health, violence and psychosocial well-being. It is hypothesised that adolescents with a disability will have greater deficits in these areas of well-being compared with their healthier counterparts.

Design

Cross-sectional data from 2018 were obtained from the second round of an on-going study of adolescents living in poor households in two regions of the Southern Highlands of Tanzania (Iringa and Mbeya). We use the Washington Group (WG) Short Set indicators to measure disability and undertook logistic and linear multivariate regressions to understand the association between disability and the outcomes of interest.

Participants

The sample included 2274 participants aged 15–20 years living in households participating in a government social protection programme targeted to households living in extreme poverty.

Results

Overall, 310 participants (14%) were classified as having disabilities. Outcomes not associated with disability status included literacy, schooling, livelihoods and self-efficacy. Adolescents with disabilities were less likely to report good or very good health (adjusted OR (aOR)=0.39, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.52) and had increased odds of reporting depressive symptoms in (aOR=1.46, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.90), emotional violence (aOR=2.18, 95% CI 1.49 to 3.20) and physical violence (aOR=1.71, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.59), compared with those without disabilities. Reports of depression were higher among men, and violence was more prevalent among women. Patterns of association were generally similar between men and women, although the association of disability with markers of well-being reached statistical significance more often among men.

Conclusion

This study highlights areas where adolescents with disabilities are falling behind their peers in terms of personal well-being. These findings suggest that interventions may be needed to mainstream disability in programmes and policies aiming to improve well-being, mental health and violence prevention among adolescents.

Trial registration number

Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR201804003008116).