bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decentralized full-state constrained adaptive tracking control for interconnected time delay systems with input saturation
Authors: Gao Zhifeng , Hu Shipeng , Qian Moshu
Published: October 2021

In this article, the problem of decentralized full-state constrained adaptive tracking control is investigated for interconnected time delay systems with input saturation. The extreme learning machine is applied to approximate the unknown nonlinear function in the design process. By selecting the appropriate Lyapunov–Krasovskii function, the time delay interconnection term could be compensated. A unified barrier function is introduced to ensure that the constraints imposed on all states are not violated. The Nussbaum function is introduced to deal with the problem of input saturation. By applying adaptive backstepping procedures, a novel decentralized full-state constrained adaptive tracking control strategy is proposed for the considered interconnected time delay systems. In terms of Lyapunov stability theory, it is proved that all the signals of the closed-loop systems are semi-global ultimately uniformly bounded and all state variables could be constrained within the time varying asymmetric boundaries. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed scheme is illustrated by a simulation example of a two-stage chemical reactor.
Effects of human occupation on soil loss over the past two millennia in the Teotihuacan Valley, central Mexico
Authors: González-Arqueros María Lourdes , Navarrete-Segueda Armando , Vázquez-Selem Lorenzo , McClung de Tapia Emily
Published: October 2021

Soil erosion is one of the greatest risks worldwide for land degradation. Avoiding it is one of the greatest socio-environmental and economic challenges within sustainable development in connection with food production and maintenance of soil functions in the context of climate change. This study will allow us to answer how long-term occupation dynamics influenced by notable changes in the landscape have led to soil erosion through time. We used Geographical Information Systems to apply the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation to assess soil erosion on prehispanic and present occupation scenarios that differ in climate and land use management in the Teotihuacan Valley, central Mexico. We analyzed how a heterogeneous landscape and its occupation dynamics over the last two millennia were affected by soil erosion in order to identify which biophysical and anthropogenic components affect soil loss. The settlements extended during Aztec periods over previously forested hillslopes which caused an increase in erosion rates. The greatest soil loss occurred during the humid Aztec period, followed by the Modern period. The differences between average erosion and potential erosion of these periods demonstrate greater effectiveness in controlling erosion during the Aztec period. The most relevant factors involved were land use and soil management, followed by climate and support practices. Our results indicate that in the face of climatic variations, soil management has a significant impact, even greater than rain erosivity. Our results suggest that pre-Hispanic cultures in the highlands of central Mexico may have caused soil erosion at least at rates similar to or even higher than those at present. The comparisons of the scenarios enable researchers and decision makers to identify high-risk areas and to implement sustainable measures against soil erosion.
Scutellarin alleviates type 2 diabetes (HFD/low dose STZ)-induced cardiac injury through modulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and fibrosis in mice
Authors: Huo Yan , Mijiti Abudureheman , Cai Ruonan , Gao Zhaohua , Aini Maierpu , Mijiti Abudukadier , Wang Zhaoling , Qie Rui
Published: October 2021

Background

Diabetes is a serious global health concern which severely affected public health as well as socio-economic growth worldwide. Scutellarin (SCU), a bioactive flavonoid, is known for its efficacious action against a range of ailments including cardiovascular problems. The present study was conducted to find out possible protective effect and its associated mechanisms of SCU on experimental type 2 diabetes-induced cardiac injury.

Methods

Type 2 diabetes was induced by treating animals with high fat diet for 4 weeks and a single intraperitoneal dose (35 mg/kg body weight) of streptozotocin and diabetic animals received SCU (10 or 20 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks.

Results

Scutellarin attenuated type 2 diabetes-induced hyperglycemia, bodyweight loss, hyperlipidaemia, cardiac functional damage with histopathological alterations and fibrosis. Scutellarin treatment to type 2 diabetic mice ameliorated oxidative stress, inflammatory status and apoptosis in heart. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms for such mitigation of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in heart involved modulation of Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB mediated inflammatory pathway and intrinsic (mitochondrial) apoptosis pathway, respectively.

Conclusions

The current findings suggest that SCU is effective in protecting type 2 diabetes-induced cardiac injury by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammatory responses and apoptosis, and it is also worth considering the efficacious potential of SCU to treat diabetic cardiomyopathy patients.
Communicating consent in sport: A typological model of athletes’ consent practices within combat sports
Authors: Channon Alex , Matthews Christopher R.
Published: October 2021

This paper provides a systematic attempt to empirically describe the ways in which athletes’ consent to take part in sport is socially constructed, communicated and understood by others. Due to a notable lack of prior research on this topic, we draw on insights from sex research to theorise consent as a communicative social practice, specifically applying this notion to interpreting the world of competitive combat sports. To do so, we combine data from across numerous studies using the method of concatenated exploration, producing a post hoc, longitudinal, cross-contextual qualitative analysis of the ways in which consent is practiced in such settings. We then outline a four-point typology of how consent is performed, including the following categories: overt communication; subtle communication; assumed consent and deferred consent. We conclude by arguing that the apparent predominance of subtle, assumed and deferred consent presents some worrying implications for athletes’ freedom, potentially undermining the morally transformative potential of consent within these ostensibly ‘violent’, often injurious sports contexts.
Platformizing family production: The contradictions of rural digital labor in China
Authors: Zhang Lin
Published: October 2021

How is the rise of platform capitalism reinventing the traditional regime of familial production, while at the same time being energized by it? How do the historically informed, lived experiences of rural e-commerce entrepreneurs or workers in China help reconceptualize digital labor and platform studies? Deploying the analytic of platformized family production, this article addresses these questions through a deep description of the experiences of variously positioned platform-based and mediated laborers in an e-commerce village in East China. I argue that the ongoing process of platformizing family production is profoundly contradictory. As an alternative to a model of development based on unevenness and the rural-urban divide, village e-commerce has created opportunities for peasants and marginalized urban youth to achieve social mobility. However, it also shapes a new regime of value that privileges the individualized e-commerce entrepreneur as an ideal subject, and fetishizes and instrumentalizes innovation and creativity in conformity with the global intellectual property regime. These tendencies not only contradict the reality of collective labor organization both on e-commerce platforms and in villages, but also conflict with the indispensable role of manual labor in the production process—reinforcing rather than overcoming existing inequalities and stratification in rural China.
Third-Generation Minimally Invasive Chevron-Akin Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus Produces Similar Clinical and Radiological Outcomes as Scarf-Akin Osteotomy at 2 Years: A Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Tay Adriel You Wei , Goh Graham S. , Koo Kevin , Yeo Nicholas Eng Meng
Published: October 2021

Background:

The minimally invasive chevron-Akin (MICA) osteotomy is an increasingly popular technique for the correction of hallux valgus. However, there is a paucity of literature comparing it with traditional open techniques. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of the MICA osteotomy using a new-generation MICA screw and scarf-Akin osteotomy for hallux valgus correction.

Methods:

Thirty cases of MICA osteotomy were propensity score matched 1:1 with a control group of 30 scarf-Akin osteotomy cases. The groups were matched for age, sex, body mass index, preoperative visual analog scale (VAS) score, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) metatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal (MTP-IP) score, 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS), preoperative hallux valgus angle (HVA) and intermetatarsal angle (IMA), and concomitant procedures. Outcomes were compared at 6 and 24 months postoperatively. Early postoperative VAS scores were also compared.

Results:

Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in VAS score, AOFAS score, and SF-36 PCS and MCS at 6 and 24 months postoperatively. For the MICA group, HVA improved from 23.5 to 7.7 degrees, and IMA improved from 13.5 to 7.5 degrees. For the scarf-Akin osteotomy group, HVA improved from 23.7 to 9.3 degrees, and IMA improved from 13.6 to 7.8 degrees. The first 24-hour postoperative VAS score was significantly lower in the MICA group compared with the scarf-Akin group (2.0 ± 2.0 vs 3.4 ± 2.6, P = .029). However, there was no significant difference in clinical or radiological outcomes between the groups at 6 and 24 months.

Conclusion:

The MICA procedure with the new-generation MICA screw is an attractive option for the correction of hallux valgus, yielding similar midterm radiological and clinical outcomes compared with the well-established scarf-Akin osteotomy. The first 24-hour postoperative VAS score in the MICA group was also statistically lower, although its clinical significance remains to be determined.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Use of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: A multicenter real-world experience
Authors: Chen Angela , Ha Vincent H , Ghosh Sunita , Chambers Carole R , Sawyer Michael B
Published: October 2021

Introduction

The metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma clinical trial (MPACT) trial established gemcitabine (gem) and nab-paclitaxel (nab) as a standard treatment for pancreatic cancer utilizing granulocyte colony-stimulating factors to manage neutropenia. This was a challenge for jurisdictions that do not use granulocyte colony-stimulating factors in palliative settings. We developed dosage guidelines to dose modify gem and nab without granulocyte colony-stimulating factors. We undertook a retrospective review to determine the efficacy and safety of these dose adjustment guidelines in the real world.

Methods

A multi-centered, retrospective chart review was performed on pancreatic patients between December 1, 2014, and August 21, 2018. Provincial electronic medical health records were reviewed. Using Log-rank statistics we determined the patient's progression-free survival and overall survival.

Results

Of 248 patients, 209 met patient selection criteria. Patients were excluded if they were lost to follow-up, on gem alone prior to nab/gem combination therapy or did not receive nab or gem. Patients who received nab/gem as first-line therapy had a median progression-free survival of 6.3 months (95% CI, 5.1–7.4), and median overall survival of 11.1 months (95% CI, 9.5–12.8). Those who received gem/nab in the second line had a median progression-free survival of 4.6 months (95% CI, 2.8–6.5), and median overall survival of 19.3 months (95% CI, 12.6–26.0).

Conclusions

The patient’s progression-free survival and overall survival taking nab/gem using our dose modification algorithm were equivalent or superior to the MPACT trial's progression-free survival and overall survival. Gem/nab can be given by our dose modification scheme without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.
Apoptotic Effects of a Thioether Analog of Vitamin K3 in a Human Leukemia Cell Line
Authors: Asami Satoru , Suzuki Mikana , Nakayama Toshimitsu , Shimoda Yasuyo , Miura Motofumi , Kato Koichi , Tokuda Eiichi , Ono Shinichi , Kawakubo Takashi , Nishizawa Kenji , Yamanaka Kenzo , Suzuki Takashi
Published: October 2021

Research suggests that thioether analogs of vitamin K3 (VK3) can act to preserve the phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptors by blocking enzymes (phosphatases) responsible for their dephosphorylation. Additionally, these derivatives can induce apoptosis via mitogen-activated protein kinase and caspase-3 activation, inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and apoptosis. However, vitamin K1 exhibits only weak inhibition of phosphatase activity, while the ability of VK3 to cause oxidative DNA damage has raised concerns about carcinogenicity. Hence, in the current study, we designed, synthesized, and screened a number of VK3 analogs for their ability to enhance phosphorylation activity, without inducing off-target effects, such as DNA damage. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay revealed that each analog produced a different level of cytotoxicity in the Jurkat human leukemia cell line; however, none elicited a cytotoxic effect that differed significantly from that of the control. Of the VK3 analogs, CPD5 exhibited the lowest EC50, and flow cytometry results showed that apoptosis was induced at final concentrations of ≥10 μM; hence, only 0.1, 1, and 10 μM were evaluated in subsequent assays. Furthermore, CPD5 did not cause vitamin K-attributed ROS generation and was found to be associated with a significant increase in caspase 3 expression, indicating that, of the synthesized thioether VK3 analogs, CPD5 was a more potent inducer of apoptosis than VK3. Hence, further elucidation of the apoptosis-inducing effect of CPD5 may reveal its efficacy in other neoplastic cells and its potential as a medication.
Gay Israeli Fathers: Reframing Societal Views on Surrogacy
Authors: Tsfati Maya , Ben-Ari Adital
Published: October 2021

The present study aims to explore gay Israeli fathers’ responses and resistance to societal criticism on their decision to become parents through transnational surrogacy.

The authors interviewed 39 Israeli gay men who became parents via transnational gestational surrogacy using in-depth, semistructured interviews. Analysis of the interviews suggest that the gay fathers responded to societal perceptions on their choice of surrogacy, which they interpreted as heterosexist and hostile, by relating them to Israeli dominant ideologies and constructing a counter discourse that frames surrogacy as an intimate process fostering gender and parental change. Yet, while the participants portray surrogacy as a catalyst for social change, their accounts are embedded within an Israeli context defined by pronatalist and neoliberal ideologies, showing how accounts of change are intertwined within hegemonic ideologies.
Using Social Psychology to Constructively Involve Colleagues in Internal Evaluation
Authors: Rogers Alison , Kelly Leanne M. , McCoy Alicia
Published: October 2021

Internal evaluators can lead positive, helpful, promotive interactions among colleagues to make evaluation more appropriate, understandable, and accessible. As the motivations and abilities of non-evaluator colleagues are highly varied, interpersonal skills help facilitate cooperation and promote evaluation. Social interdependence theory from social psychology can assist with understanding teamwork and developing interpersonal competence. While the literature links social interdependence theory with evaluation, there is limited understanding of its application in practice. In this article, we share our internal evaluation experiences in three Australian nonprofit organizations to elucidate how we harnessed social connections and interpersonal dynamics to achieve cooperative goals. The purpose of this article is to share our process for using theory and literature to assist with reflecting, planning, and acting, around the way we interact with colleagues. Evaluators may find this process useful when considering how to personalize professional development around interpersonal competencies for evaluation.
Vernal keratoconjunctivitis activity induces decrease of ocular surface CD14, TLR-4 and TLR-9 expression
Authors: Sacchetti Marta , Nebbioso Marcella , Segatto Marco , Abicca Irene , Bruscolini Alice , Zicari Anna Maria , Lambiase Alessandro
Published: October 2021

Purpose:

CD14 is involved in the modulation of immune reaction via toll-like receptors (TLR) and may influence the development of allergic diseases. The role of CD14 in vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study is to evaluate changes of tear soluble sCD14 and conjunctival CD14, TLR-4 and 9 expression in patients with VKC in the active and quiescent phases.

Methods:

Eighteen patients with VKC during active inflammation (group A, N = 9), in the quiescent phase (group Q, N = 5) and after recovery (group R, N = 4) and 10 healthy subjects were included. Expression of sCD14 in tears and of CD14, TLR-4, and TLR-9 by conjunctival epithelium were evaluated by Western Blot in all groups.

Results:

Expression of tear sCD14 and of conjunctival CD14, TLR-4, and TLR-9 was significantly decreased in group A when compared with healthy subjects and with VKC group Q and R. Lower expression of sCD14, CD14, TLR-4, and TLR-9 were significantly correlated with the severity of papillary reaction, while the lower sCD14 was correlated with severity of conjunctival hyperemia.

Conclusions:

Tear sCD14, and conjunctival CD14, TLR4, and TLR-9 decreased during ocular surface inflammatory reaction in patients with VKC. CD14 and TLRs ocular surface evaluation may represent biomarkers of VKC activity and novel therapeutic target.
Combined transconjunctival sutureless three-port vitrectomy and scleral fixation of intraocular lens
Authors: Danese Carla , Lanzetta Paolo
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The aim of this article is to describe an innovative and minimally invasive surgical technique for posterior vitrectomy combined with secondary intraocular lens implantation, using a sutureless scleral fixation Carlevale intraocular lens (I71 FIL SSF Carlevale lens. Soleko IOL Division, Italy).

Methods

The technique was conducted with only three transconjunctival sclerotomies and a corneal tunnel to perform intraocular lens explantation, posterior vitrectomy and Carlevale intraocular lens implantation. It is easier, quicker, and less invasive than the traditional technique with conjunctival peritomy, two scleral flaps and five sclerotomies.

Results

Surgery was performed uneventfully on three eyes of three patients. Two of them presented a luxation of the intraocular lens into the vitreous chamber, while one patient presented an intraocular lens subluxation. No complications were observed after a 5 to 8 months of follow-up. The intraocular lenses were well positioned, no conjunctival erosion was noted, and the intraocular pressure remained normal at all stages.

Conclusions

This is the first report of a combined procedure of IOL explantation, posterior vitrectomy and secondary IOL implantation using only three transconjunctival sclerotomies. This appears to be less invasive and it causes less discomfort to the patient. We suggest considering this technique in all those cases requiring a combined procedure in absence of a proper capsular support.
Stuart Cunningham: From creative industries to creative economies, and beyond
Authors: Gillies Malcolm GW
Published: October 2021

This paper explores Stuart Cunningham’s thought leadership in ‘creative’ spaces since the turn of the millennium. It presents the author's personal glimpses of Cunningham's contributions to scholarship and advocacy, ranging from Cunningham and Hartley's exposé on the recently-titled creative industries at the National Humanities and Social Sciences Summit (Canberra, 2001), through the establishment of QUT's Centre of Excellence (Brisbane, 2005) and its European node (London, 2008), to Cunningham's more recent work with creative economies and their opportunities, including his influence upon Australia's Cultural and Creative Economy: A 21st-Century Guide (Canberra, 2020). The paper concludes with some comments about continuing resistance to substantial investment in Australia's creative industries, and Cunningham's call for a more united voice in their advocacy.
Film thickness in elastohydrodynamically lubricated slender elliptic contacts: Part I – numerical studies of central film thickness
Authors: Wolf Marius , Solovyev Sergey , Arshia Fatemi
Published: October 2021

In this paper, analytical equations for the central film thickness in slender elliptic contacts are investigated. A comparison of state-of-the-art formulas with simulation results of a multilevel elastohydrodynamic lubrication solver is conducted and shows considerable deviation. Therefore, a new film thickness formula for slender elliptic contacts with variable ellipticity is derived. It incorporates asymptotic solutions, which results in validity over a large parameter domain. It captures the behaviour of increasing film thickness with increasing load for specific very slender contacts. The new formula proves to be significantly more accurate than current equations. Experimental studies and discussions on minimum film thickness will be presented in a subsequent publication.
Influence of magnetorheological lubricant behavior on the performance of annular recessed orifice compensated non-textured/textured thrust pad bearing
Authors: Kumar Narendra , Sharma Satish C
Published: October 2021

Fluid film bearings operated with smart lubricants have been successfully used to enhance the lubricating performance. This article proposes a computational model to analyze the influence of magnetorheological lubricant on the performance of an annular recessed hybrid thrust bearing system. The governing modified Reynolds equation for circular thrust pad orifice compensated bearing is solved by finite element method. Further, for simulating the flow behavior of magnetorheological lubricant, a constitutive relation for the Bingham model Dave equation, has been used. The numerical results reveal that using magnetorheological lubricant improves the loading carrying capacity and damping coefficient of both annular and circular recess hybrid thrust bearings. Additionally, bearing lubricated with magnetorheological lubricant requires a lesser quantity of flow and hence less pumping power.
Reappraisal of CSF-specific oligoclonal bands in Asia
Authors: Kim Ki Hoon , Kim Su-Hyun , Park Na Young , Hyun Jae-Won , Kim Ho Jin
Published: October 2021

The prevalence of cerebrospinal fluid–specific oligoclonal bands (CSF-OCBs) was reported to be low in Asian people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) compared to that in Western pwMS. It is yet to be determined whether it is a genuine feature of Asian pwMS or a misapprehension owing to past mis-classification of MS-mimicking diseases as MS. We aimed to reappraise the prevalence of CSF-OCBs in Korean pwMS after carefully excluding other central nervous system-inflammatory demyelinating diseases since 2017. Among 88 subjects, 78 (88.6%) were positive for CSF-OCBs, which suggests the prevalence of CSF-OCBs is not different between Korean and Western pwMS.
One-year stability of physical education-centered physical literacy indicators on objectively measured physical activity
Authors: Yli-Piipari Sami , Gråstén Arto , Huhtiniemi Mikko , Salin Kasper , Jaakkola Timo
Published: October 2021

One of the central goals of school physical education (PE) is to improve physical literacy in youth to nurture their ability, confidence, and desire to be physically active for life. The aim of this study was to examine the stability of the selected PE-centered physical literacy indicators on school students’ objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA). This study was a follow-up study tracking a sample of 450 Finnish children ( M  =  11.26[0.32]; nfemales  =  194; nmales   =  256) across upper elementary school from fifth (T1) to sixth (T2) grade. A set of independent variables (motor competence, health-related fitness, in-class PE MVPA, and PE motivation and enjoyment) and total MVPA as a dependent variable were collected, and gender and body mass index were controlled in the analyses. The entire model explained almost 29% of MVPA in T1 and 26% in T2. While cardiorespiratory endurance (β  =  0.29) and MVPA in PE (β  =  0.20) were statistically significant predictors of MVPA in T1, MVPA in PE (β  =  0.23), and identified regulation (β  =  0.16) were statistically significant predictors at T2. Across the time, boys had higher levels of MVPA compared to girls (T1: β  =  −0.12; T2: β  =  −0.14), whereas the relationship was inverted in motor coordination (T1: β  =  0.13; T2: β  =  0.12). The findings of this study suggest that MVPA in PE is an important contributor to children's MVPA, and its role is eminent during the last two grades of elementary school.
The paradox of poor representation: How voter–party incongruence curbs affective polarisation
Authors: Marchal Nahema , Watson David S
Published: October 2021

Research on the relationship between ideology and affective polarisation highlights ideological disagreement as a key driver of animosity between partisan groups. By operationalising disagreement on the left–right dimension, however, existing studies often overlook voter–party incongruence as a potential determinant of affective evaluations. How does incongruence on policy issues impact affective evaluations of mainstream political parties and their leaders? We tackle this question by analysing data from the British Election Study collected ahead of the 2019 UK General Election using an instrumental variable approach. Consistent with our expectations, we find that voter–party incongruence has a significant causal impact on affective evaluations. Perceived representational gaps between party and voter drive negative evaluations of the in-party and positive evaluations of the opposition, thus lowering affective polarisation overall. The results offer a more nuanced perspective on the role of ideological conflict in driving affective polarisation.
A Rigged Game? How Candidate, Partisan, and Electoral Factors Shape Elite Support for the Party Nomination Process
Authors: Jewitt Caitlin E. , Shufeldt Gregory
Published: October 2021

The 2016 presidential nominations revealed deep, yet distinct, divisions within each major party. These divisions persisted and permeated the general election campaign and were reflected in voters’ dissatisfaction with the candidates. Movements such as the “Bernie or Bust” supporters and the “Never-Trumpers” indicated that vocal portions of the parties were dissatisfied with the party nominees or the processes that selected those candidates. There were also indications that many party elites were not pleased with the nomination processes or the outcome; yet, we lack a comprehensive understanding of the extent to which party elites support the nomination process and their party’s nominee and what explains this support. By combining the 2016 Convention Delegate Study and an original dataset of the nomination electoral rules utilized by the states, we assess how candidate, partisan, and electoral factors shape delegate support for the nomination process and nominee. Our analysis reveals that candidate and party-centric explanations better explain delegate views toward the nomination process and nominee than factors related to the electoral context.
Reliability and availability evaluation of subsea high integrity pressure protection system using stochastic Petri net
Authors: Wang Chuan , Gou Jun , Tian Yingcheng , Jin Hao , Yu Chao , Liu Yupeng , Ma Jiajun , Xia Yong
Published: October 2021

In this paper, a safety evaluation method of subsea High Integrity Pressure Protection System (HIPPS) based on a generalized stochastic Petri net model is proposed. Different test methods were used to detect different types of failures and to analyze the reliability of HIPPS components under the influence of common cause failures and incomplete repair. The reliability curve of a diagnostic system consisting of a transmitter system and a logic system under the influence of uncertainty over time is analyzed. The safety of HIPPS with diverse test methods were quantitatively analyzed. The results show a significant improvement in the performance of the system after testing and maintenance. Both partial-stroke testing and increased partial-stroke test coverage can be used to increase the HIPPS performance compared to traditional methods. The analysis of the Partial stroke test (PST) strategy can afford a academic basis for the selection of PST frequency and Functional test (FT) interval in practical engineering.
Collective memory or the right to be forgotten? Cultures of digital memory and forgetting in the European Union
Authors: Stainforth Elizabeth
Published: October 2021

This article investigates cultures of digital memory and forgetting in the European Union. The article first gives some background to key debates in media memory studies, before going on to analyse the shaping of European Commission and European Union initiatives in relation to Google’s activities from the period 2004–present. The focus of inquiry for the discussion of memory is the Google Books project and Europeana, a database of digitized cultural collections drawn from European museums, libraries and archives. Attention is then given to questions of forgetting by exploring the tension between Google’s search and indexing mechanisms and the right to be forgotten. The article ends by reflecting on the scale of the shift in contemporary cultures of memory and forgetting, and considers how far European regulation enables possible interventions in this domain.
Predictors of adherence and persistence to disease-modifying therapies in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Zanga Gisela , Drzewiscki Estefania , Tagliani Paula , Smietniansky Maximiliano , Esnaola y Rojas Maria M. , Caruso Diego
Published: October 2021

Background and Aims:

In multiple sclerosis (MS), non-adherence/non-persistence is related to suboptimal response to treatment, including disease relapses and the need for more expensive healthcare. The aim of this study was to identify predictors related to adherence to disease modifying therapies (DMTs) in a cohort of Argentinian MS patients.

Methods:

We conducted a cross-sectional study at the National Medical Care Program from Argentina. MS patients with at least one claim for a DMT from 1 January 2017 to 1 October 2017 were identified. A telephone survey was performed to assess clinical and demographic factors. The medication possession ratio (MPR) was used to estimate adherence; MPR <80% defined non-adherence. Associations were studied using a logistic regression model.

Results:

Our database included 648 MS patients. A total of 360 patients (60% females, mean age 55.3 years) accepted to participate. Of these, 308 (85.5%) patients were receiving DMT at the time of the survey. Some 198 (63.7%) were receiving injectable therapies. Optimal adherence was 47.7%. Adherence was associated with oral medication [odds ratio (OR) 1.83 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13–3.00, p = 0.014]. A factor related to oral drugs was higher educational level (OR 2.86 95%CI 1.41–5.81, p = 0.004).

Conclusion:

This real-world study showed better adherence and persistence on treatment with oral therapies in MS patients in Argentina.
Ingroup Projection in American Politics: An Obstacle to Bipartisanship
Authors: Bell Angela C. , Eccleston Collette P. , Bradberry Leigh A. , Kidd William C. , Mesick Catherine C. , Rutchick Abraham M.
Published: October 2021

One potential obstacle to cooperation between political parties is ingroup projection, the tendency for members of subgroups to define superordinate groups based on characteristics of their own ingroups. In five studies spanning 11 years and three presidential administrations, we demonstrated that ingroup projection can be an obstacle that prevents bipartisanship between Republicans and Democrats. Study 1 showed that Americans perceived political ingroups as more prototypical of Americans than outgroups and that the degree of mismatch between the outgroup and the superordinate group was associated with ingroup bias. Studies 2–5 demonstrated that perceiving the outgroup as poorly fitting the prototype of the superordinate group predicted opposition to bipartisan cooperation and a lower likelihood of having engaged in bipartisan behavior (Studies 4 and 5). These studies provide evidence for ingroup projection among American political parties and suggest that it contributes to political polarization.
Heterogeneity between proximal and distal aspects of occlusive thrombi on pretreatment imaging in acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Hashimoto Tetsuya , Kunieda Takenobu , Honda Tristan , Scalzo Fabien , Sharma Latisha K , Hinman Jason D , Rao Neal M , Nour May , Bahr-Hosseini Mersedeh , Saver Jeffrey L , Raychev Radoslav , Liebeskind David S
Published: October 2021

Background

The potential heterogeneity in occlusive thrombi caused by in situ propagation by secondary thrombosis after embolic occlusion could obscure the characteristics of original thrombi, preventing the clarification of a specific thrombus signature for the etiology of ischemic stroke. We aimed to investigate the heterogeneity of occlusive thrombi by pretreatment imaging.

Methods

Among consecutive stroke patients with acute embolic anterior circulation large vessel occlusion treated with thrombectomy, we retrospectively reviewed 104 patients with visible occlusive thrombi on pretreatment non-contrast computed tomography admitted from January 2015 to December 2018. A region of interest was set on the whole thrombus on non-contrast computed tomography under the guidance of computed tomography angiography. The region of interest was divided equally into the proximal and distal segments and the difference in Hounsfield unit densities between the two segments was calculated.

Results

Hounsfield unit density in the proximal segment was higher than that in the distal segment (mean difference 4.45; p < 0.001), regardless of stroke subtypes. On multivariate analysis, thrombus length was positively correlated (β = 0.25; p < 0.001) and time from last-known-well to imaging was inversely correlated (β = −0.0041; p = 0.002) with the difference in Hounsfield unit densities between the proximal and distal segments.

Conclusions

The difference in density between the proximal and distal segments increased as thrombi became longer and decreased as thrombi became older after embolic occlusion. This time/length-dependent thrombus heterogeneity between the two segments is suggestive of secondary thrombosis initially occurring on the proximal side of the occlusion.
Diabetes mellitus in dialysis and renal transplantation
Authors: Ben-David Eyal , Hull Richard , Banerjee Debasish
Published: October 2021

Diabetes mellitus is the commonest cause of end-stage kidney failure worldwide and is a proven and significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Renal impairment has a significant impact on the physiology of glucose homeostasis as it reduces tissue sensitivity to insulin and reduces insulin clearance. Renal replacement therapy itself affects glucose control: peritoneal dialysis may induce hyperglycaemia due to glucose-rich dialysate and haemodialysis often causes hypoglycaemia due to the relatively low concentration of glucose in the dialysate. Autonomic neuropathy which is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes increases the risk for asymptomatic hypoglycaemia. Pharmacological options for improving glycaemic control are limited due to alterations to drug metabolism. Impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes are also common in the post-kidney-transplant setting and increase the risk of graft failure and mortality. This review seeks to summarise the literature and tackle the intricacies of glycaemic management in patients with CKD who are either on maintenance haemodialysis or have received a kidney transplant. It outlines changes to glycaemic targets, monitoring of glycaemic control, the use of oral hypoglycaemic agents, the management of severe hyperglycaemia in dialysis and kidney transplantation patients.
Distance learning during COVID-19 in Afghanistan: Challenges and opportunities
Authors: Sarwari Kawita , Kakar Ahmad Fawad , Golzar Jawad , Miri Mir Abdullah
Published: October 2021

This study examined students’ attitudes toward distance learning, and its relationship with the duration of using Telegram and schooling. It specifically explored students’ experiences of the challenges and opportunities that distance learning created during the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, two null hypotheses were formulated: (1) there is no significant relationship between students’ attitudes toward distance learning and the duration of using Telegram; and (2) there is no significant relationship between students’ attitudes towards distance learning and the duration of schooling. Data were collected from a survey questionnaire and in-depth semi-structured interviews with students from the English Department of Herat University, Afghanistan. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, an independent samples t-test, and ANOVA. The results of the t-test showed that the first hypothesis should be accepted, meaning there is no relationship between students’ attitudes toward e-learning and years of Telegram use. Further, the one-way ANOVA test showed that the second null hypothesis was affirmed. Moreover, the qualitative findings indicated that distance learning via Telegram is associated with context-specific challenges and several opportunities.
Clinical frailty as a key characteristic of the patient population of the NHS Nightingale North West COVID-19 temporary emergency field hospital: cohort study April to June 2020
Authors: Trent Herdman M. , Seers Tim , Ng Cassandra , Davenport Rebecca , Sibley Sarah , Mannion Steve , Balasegaram Sooria , Redmond Anthony D
Published: October 2021

Objectives

COVID-19 temporary emergency ‘field’ hospitals have been established in the UK to support the surge capacity of the National Health Service while protecting the community from onward infection. We described the population of one such hospital and investigated the impact of frailty on clinical outcomes.

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

NHS Nightingale Hospital North West, April–June 2020.

Participants

All in-patients with COVID-19.

Main Outcome Measures

Mortality and duration of admission.

Methods

We analysed factors associated with mortality using logistic regression and admission duration using Cox's regression, and described trends in frailty prevalence over time using linear regression.

Results

A total of 104 COVID-19 patients were admitted, 74% with moderate-to-severe frailty (clinical frailty score, CFS > 5). A total of 84 were discharged, 14 transferred to other hospitals, and six died on site. High C-reactive protein (CRP) > 50 mg/dL predicted 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio 11.9, 95%CI 3.2–51.5, p < 0.001). Patients with CFS > 5 had a 10-day median admission, versus 7-day for CFS ≤ 5 and half the likelihood of discharge on a given day (adjusted hazard ratio 0.51, 95%CI 0.29–0.92, p  =  0.024). CRP > 50 mg/dL and hospital-associated COVID-19 also predicted admission duration. As more frail patients had a lower rate of discharge, prevalence of CFS > 5 increased from 64% initially to 90% in the final week (non-zero slope p < 0.001). Conclusions: The NNW population was characterized by high levels of frailty, which increased over the course of the hospital's operation, with subsequent operational implications. Identifying and responding to the needs of this population, and acknowledging the risks of this unusual clinical context, helped the hospital to keep patients safe.
Daily Exercise and Alcohol Use Among Young Adult College Students
Authors: Stamates Amy L. , Linden-Carmichael Ashley N. , Lau-Barraco Cathy
Published: October 2021

The present study examined associations between exercise and alcohol use at the between- and within-person levels, including temporal sequencing and the impact of gender. Participants were 221 college students that completed an online survey and 14 daily surveys assessing their daily exercise and alcohol use. Individuals who reported higher exercise scores also consumed more alcohol, on average. On days when individuals reported consuming fewer drinks than usual, they also reported greater exercise scores. Individuals reported lower exercise scores following a day with heavier alcohol use than usual or a day with heavy episodic drinking. Exercise was unassociated with next-day alcohol use. There were mixed findings on the impact of gender. Exercise may have a more proximal influence on drinking. Exercise interventions for alcohol use could target days with higher probabilities of drinking to reduce levels of alcohol use among college students.
On the Strategic Complementarity of Skilled Workers and Technological Innovation: Which Determines Which?
Authors: Accinelli Elvio , García Armando , Carrera Edgar J. Sánchez , Zazueta Jorge
Published: October 2021

In this document, we analyse the strategic complementarity between technological investment and investment in training by workers. We show that, beyond the importance of the answer to the question about which factor determines which, initial minimal conditions in both factors are required to start a long-run social development process. If these minimums are not met, the economy can become a self-satisfied economy, with a social mediocre performance but, at least in the short run, successful from the individual point of view. We consider that either manager of firms as workers are rational agents who make decisions about their future behaviour, considering the current state of the economy, understanding for such, the percentage of innovative and non-innovative firms in the market and the percentage of skilled and unskilled workers in the labour market. While managers decide the best way to invest, workers decide whether to invest or not in the upgrade or in the development of their skills to face the new challenges posed by technological change. The evolution of the economy is summarized in a complex dynamical system represented by a coupled dynamical system very close to the replicator dynamics considered in evolutionary game theory. In this way, we show that the initial conditions play a crucial role to understand the possibilities of future performance of the economy in each country, and, on the other hand, we analyse the conditions that make possible or necessary the intervention of the government in the economy.

JEL Classifications: C72, C73, O11, O55, K42
Presentation, Clinical Characteristics, and Treatment Outcomes among Tuberculous Meningitis Patients with and Without HIV Infection at Vajira Hospital, Thailand: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Boonyagars Lakkana , Sangketchon Chunlanee , Pholtawornkulchai Kittisak
Published: October 2021

To compare the characteristics, presentation, investigations, and outcomes in tuberculous meningitis (TBM) patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult (age > 18 years) patients whose final diagnosis was TBM and who were treated at Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Thailand, between January 2005 and December 2016. A final total of 174 individuals were included in the study. Of these, 97 (55.75%) were HIV positive. Treatment was successful in 53 (30.5%) individuals. In HIV-infected TBM patients, there were higher proportions of patients who were younger in age (≤40 years), patients with a low body mass index, history of previous tuberculosis infection, or hepatitis C virus coinfection. A successful treatment outcome rate was lower in HIV-infected TBM patients than in HIV-uninfected TBM patients. Since HIV infection decreases the chance of successful treatment outcomes of TBM patients, future studies are needed to determine the clinical indicators for poorer survival outcomes in HIV-positive TBM patients.
Unusual Findings in Trials Evaluating Adjuncts to Scaling and Root Planing: Meta-analysis (Part 1)
Authors: Gunsolley J.C. , Al-Abedalla K. , Shaqman M. , Ioannidou E.
Published: October 2021

Background:

A number of studies in patients with periodontitis have compared scaling and root planning (SRP) combined with an adjunctive treatment to SRP alone. Within that literature, an array of studies with overlapping investigators has consistently yielded substantially greater effects of adjunctive treatments than had been previously noted. This report investigates discrepancies between that cluster of research and the most recent American Dental Association (ADA) systematic review.

Methods:

This review was preregistered at https://osf.io/4meyd/ . A search using the Scopus platform identified 32 articles published from 2010 to 2017 by investigators affiliated with the Government Dental College and Research Institute (GDCRI) in Bangalore, India. The primary outcome used in this meta-analysis was the change in clinical attachment level (CAL) after 6 mo. Effect sizes were estimated using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software after categorizing agents into groups based on pharmacologic similarity.

Results:

The search identified 32 studies encompassing 5 sets of adjunctive agents. Across the GDCRI studies, the CAL averaged 1.67 mm (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43–1.91 mm), substantially exceeding values reported in the ADA review (mean: 0.39 mm, 95% CI: 0.27–0.51 mm). For categories of studies in which comparable subgroup estimates were available, the evaluations yielded overlapping estimates of SRP alone, but CAL estimates were discrepant for both locally delivered antimicrobials (GDCRI studies: mean: 1.45 mm, 95% CI: 0.63–2.27 mm; ADA review: mean: 0.38 mm, 95% CI: 0.16 –0.60 mm) and systemic antibiotics (GDCRI studies: mean: 1.35 mm, 95% CI: 0.97–1.73 mm; ADA review: mean: 0.39 mm, 95% CI: 0.21–0.57 mm).

Conclusion:

In the literature on adjunctive agents supplementing SRP, findings from investigators linked to GDCRI stand out as having significantly more favorable estimated effects. Meanwhile, some agents studied by GDCRI-linked investigators have not been investigated by other researchers. In the absence of a clear explanation for discrepant results, it is recommended that unusually favorable reported effects of adjunctive agents be viewed with caution.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

The present meta-analysis observed an unusually large effect size of adjunctive agents to scaling and root planning in studies conducted by the same research group. These results were not consistent with trials on adjunctive agents and previous reports. As this research group has exclusively tested most of the agents, their results must be viewed with caution until other independent groups replicate the studies and reproduce the effect size.