bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cost of illness of oral lichen planus: a multicenter university hospital–based outpatient observational study
Authors: C Lajolo , C Rupe , G Gioco , M Giuliani , M Contaldo , T Salo , M Siponen
Published: January 2022

Objectives

To estimate the economic costs of oral lichen planus (OLP) through a multicenter university hospital–based outpatient study conducted in Italy and Finland.

Materials and methods

A multicenter retrospective study was conducted on patients affected by OLP to evaluate the economic cost of managing the disease. Direct costs concerning diagnostic procedures, therapeutic management, and follow-up visits were obtained from clinical records. Statistics was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics.

Results

One hundred and eight patients with a confirmed diagnosis of OLP (81 women and 27 men), 58 Italians and 50 Finnish, were enrolled in this study. The mean annual cost was 1087.2 euros per patient. The mean annual cost was higher in Finnish than in Italian cohort (1558.7 euros vs. 680.7 euros—p < 0.05). Within the Italian cohort, the local immunosuppressive therapy group and atrophic and erosive OLP type had a higher cost (p < 0.05). Within the Finnish cohort, the local immunosuppressive therapy group had a higher cost (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

OLP-related costs are very similar to other chronic oral disorders (i.e., periodontitis) with differences between investigated countries. Moreover, patients with more severe clinical features, who need immunosuppressive therapy, are facing more expensive costs.

Clinical relevance.

In this multicenter cost of illness study, we estimated the direct health care costs of OLP and we found that patients with more severe clinical features, who therefore need symptomatic therapy, are facing more expensive costs.
Relative palatability and efficacy of brodifacoum-25D conservation rodenticide pellets for mouse eradication on Midway Atoll
Authors: Kappes Peter J. , Siers Shane R. , Leinbach Israel L. , Sugihara Robert T. , Jolley Wesley J. , Plissner Jonathan H. , Flint Elizabeth N. , Goodale Kelly L. , Howald Gregg R.
Published: January 2022

Invasive mice (Mus spp.) can negatively impact island species and ecosystems. Because fewer island rodent eradications have been attempted for mice compared to rats (Rattus spp.), less is known about efficacy and palatability of rodenticide baits for mouse eradications. We performed a series of bait acceptance and efficacy cage trials using a standard formulation of brodifacoum-based rodenticide on wild-caught mice from Sand Island, Midway Atoll, to help inform a proposed eradication there. Mice were offered ad libitum brodifacoum pellets along with various alternative food sources, and a “no choice” treatment group received only bait pellets. Mortality in the no choice trial was 100%; however, when offered alternative foods, mice preferred the alternative diets to the bait, leading to low mortality (40%). Because there was concern that the bittering agent Bitrex® in the formulation may have reduced palatability, we conducted a subsequent trial comparing brodifacoum bait with and without Bitrex. Mortality in the with-Bitrex treatment group was slightly higher, indicating that the bittering agent was not likely responsible for low efficacy. Laboratory trials cannot account for the numerous environmental and behavioral factors that influence bait acceptance nor replicate the true availability of alternative food sources in the environment, so low efficacy results from these trials should be interpreted cautiously and not necessarily as a measure of the likelihood of success or failure of a proposed eradication.
Synwalk: community detection via random walk modelling
Authors: Toth Christian , Helic Denis , Geiger Bernhard C.
Published: January 2022

Complex systems, abstractly represented as networks, are ubiquitous in everyday life. Analyzing and understanding these systems requires, among others, tools for community detection. As no single best community detection algorithm can exist, robustness across a wide variety of problem settings is desirable. In this work, we present Synwalk, a random walk-based community detection method. Synwalk builds upon a solid theoretical basis and detects communities by synthesizing the random walk induced by the given network from a class of candidate random walks. We thoroughly validate the effectiveness of our approach on synthetic and empirical networks, respectively, and compare Synwalk’s performance with the performance of Infomap and Walktrap (also random walk-based), Louvain (based on modularity maximization) and stochastic block model inference. Our results indicate that Synwalk performs robustly on networks with varying mixing parameters and degree distributions. We outperform Infomap on networks with high mixing parameter, and Infomap and Walktrap on networks with many small communities and low average degree. Our work has a potential to inspire further development of community detection via synthesis of random walks and we provide concrete ideas for future research.
Epistemic Emotions and Co-inquiry: A Situated Approach
Authors: Candiotto Laura
Published: January 2022

This paper discusses the virtue epistemology literature on epistemic emotions and challenges the individualist, unworldly account of epistemic emotions. It argues that epistemic emotions can be truth-motivating if embedded in co-inquiry epistemic cultures, namely virtuous epistemic cultures that valorise participatory processes of inquiry as truth-conducive. Co-inquiry epistemic cultures are seen as playing a constitutive role in shaping, developing, and regulating epistemic emotions. Using key references to classical Pragmatism, the paper describes the bridge between epistemic emotions and co-inquiry culture in terms of habits of co-inquiry that act as the scaffolding of epistemic emotions.The result is a context-sensitive and practice-oriented approach to epistemic emotions that conceives of those emotions as being shaped by co-inquiry epistemic cultures.
Parathyroidectomy May Cause Remission of Uraemic Tumoral Calcinosis in Haemodialysis Patients
Authors: Huang Haiting , Lu Jun , Guo Pengwei , Pang Jun , Ma Jing , He Linlin , You Yanwu
Published: January 2022

Few cases of uraemic tumoral calcinosis (UTC) have been reported. This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of parathyroidectomy for UTC. Historical clinical data of patients with end-stage renal disease and UTC who underwent parathyroidectomy were analysed. Absorption of metastatic calcification was compared before and after operation. Changes in intact parathyroid hormone, serum calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase levels were analysed before parathyroidectomy and at 1 week and 3, 6, and 12 months after parathyroidectomy. Eight patients met the enrolment criteria (men, 6; mean age, 38.6 SD 10.9 years). Uraemic tumoral calcinosis, which developed 2–8 years after dialysis began, was caused by secondary hyperparathyroidism. Massive calcium deposition was found in the shoulder (n = 6), hip (n = 3), and elbow (n = 2). Four patients had > 2 joints affected, and a single joint was involved for four patients. Seven patients had rapid remission (< 6 months) of the masses after parathyroidectomy. In one patient, the mass remained unabsorbed until 6 months postoperatively. Hypocalcaemia occurred in all patients where parathyroidectomy was successful, and calcium supplementation was required 1 year postoperatively. Serum intact parathyroid hormone levels on day 7 and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively decreased significantly from baseline and remained low 1 year postoperatively (22.015 SD33.134 pg/mL). Postoperative phosphorus levels were significantly lower than preoperative levels (p < 0.05), but no significant difference was found in alkaline phosphatase levels (p > 0.05). Parathyroidectomy has promising efficacy for UTC treatment and regulation of serum intact parathyroid hormone and phosphorus. Hypocalcaemia is a common complication after parathyroidectomy. Current Controlled Trials ChiCTR2000041311, date of registration: Dec. 23, 2020.
CASPA-ADM: a mission concept for observing thermospheric mass density
Authors: Siemes Christian , Maddox Stephen , Carraz Olivier , Cross Trevor , George Steven , van den IJssel Jose , Kiss-Toth Marton , Pastena Massimiliano , Riou Isabelle , Salter Mike , Sweeney Helen , Trigatzis Mike , Valenzuela Tristan , Visser Pieter
Published: January 2022

Cold Atom technology has undergone rapid development in recent years and has been demonstrated in space in the form of cold atom scientific experiments and technology demonstrators, but has so far not been used as the fundamental sensor technology in a science mission. The European Space Agency therefore funded a 7-month project to define the CASPA-ADM mission concept, which serves to demonstrate cold-atom interferometer (CAI) accelerometer technology in space. To make the mission concept useful beyond the technology demonstration, it aims at providing observations of thermosphere mass density in the altitude region of 300–400 km, which is presently not well covered with observations by other missions. The goal for the accuracy of the thermosphere density observations is 1% of the signal, which will enable the study of gas–surface interactions as well as the observation of atmospheric waves. To reach this accuracy, the CAI accelerometer is complemented with a neutral mass spectrometer, ram wind sensor, and a star sensor. The neutral mass spectrometer data is considered valuable on its own since the last measurements of atmospheric composition and temperature in the targeted altitude range date back to 1980s. A multi-frequency GNSS receiver provides not only precise positions, but also thermosphere density observations with a lower resolution along the orbit, which can be used to validate the CAI accelerometer measurements. In this paper, we provide an overview of the mission concept and its objectives, the orbit selection, and derive first requirements for the scientific payload.
Influences of hydraulic boundary conditions on the deep fluid flow in a 3D regional model (central Upper Rhine Graben)
Authors: Koltzer Nora , Kommana Giulia , Cacace Mauro , Frick Maximilian , Bott Judith , Scheck-Wenderoth Magdalena
Published: January 2022

Knowledge of groundwater flow is of high relevance for groundwater management or the planning of different subsurface utilizations such as deep geothermal facilities. While numerical models can help to understand the hydrodynamics of the targeted reservoir, their predictive capabilities are limited by the assumptions made in their setup. Among others, the choice of appropriate hydraulic boundary conditions, adopted to represent the regional to local flow dynamics in the simulation run, is of crucial importance for the final modelling result. In this work, we systematically address this problematic in the area of the central part of the Upper Rhine Graben. We quantify how and to which degree different upper boundary conditions and vertical cross-boundary fluid movement influence the calculated deep fluid flow conditions in the area under study. Robust results, which are insensitive to the choice of boundary condition, are: (i) a regional groundwater flow component descending from the graben shoulders to rise at its centre and (ii) the presence of heterogeneous hydraulic potentials at the rift shoulders. Contrarily, results affected by the chosen boundary conditions are: (i) calculated flow velocities, (ii) the absolute position of the upflow axis, and (iii) the evolving local flow dynamics. If, in general, the investigated area is part of a supra-regional flow system—like the central Upper Rhine Graben is part of the entire Upper Rhine Graben—the inflow and outflow across vertical model boundaries need to be considered.
MiR-200c-3p inhibits LPS-induced M1 polarization of BV2 cells by targeting RIP2
Authors: Zhao Lei , Liu Xiaosong , Yang Jiankai , Wang Xiaoliang , Liu Xiaomeng , Wu Jianliang , Li Chen , Xu Donggang , Hu Yuhua
Published: January 2022

Background

Microglia are important immune cells, which can be induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into M1 phenotype that express pro-inflammatory cytokines. Some studies have shown that microRNAs play critical roles in microglial activation.

Objective

This study was designed to investigate the role of miR-200c-3p in regulating inflammatory responses of LPS-treated BV2 cells.

Methods

The expression of miR-200c-3p in BV2 cells was detected by real-time PCR. Receptor-interacting protein 2 (RIP2) was predicted as a target gene of miR-200c-3p. Their relationship was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The function of miR-200c-3p and RIP2 in microglial polarization and NF-κB signaling was further evaluated.

Results

LPS treatment reduced miR-200c-3p expression in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner in BV2 cells. LPS treatment increased the expression of M1 phenotype markers inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and major histocompatibility complex class (MHC)-II, promoted the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and enhanced the nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) p65. Reversely, miR-200c-3p mimics down-regulated the levels of these inflammatory factors. Furthermore, RIP2 was identified to be a direct target of miR-200c-3p. RIP2 knockdown had a similar effect to miR-200c-3p mimics. Overexpression of RIP2 eliminated the inhibitory effect of miR-200c-3p on LPS-induced M1 polarization and NF-κB activation in BV2 cells.

Conclusions

MiR-200c-3p mimics suppressed LPS-induced microglial M1 polarization and NF-κB activation by targeting RIP2. MiR-200c-3p/RIP2 might be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuroinflammation-associated diseases.
Wahrgenommene Einschränkungen während der COVID-19-Pandemie bei älteren Personen in der Schweiz
Authors: Seifert Alexander , Hassler Benedikt , Pfeuffer Andreas
Published: January 2022

Hintergrund

Die aktuelle Coronapandemie wirkt sich unterschiedlich auf das Alltagsleben älterer Menschen aus. Im Rahmen der pandemiebedingten Schutzmaßnahmen wurden insbesondere Personen ab 65 Jahren gebeten, direkte Kontakte und den Aufenthalt im öffentlichen Raum zu meiden.

Ziel

Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, wie sich die Pandemie auf das Gefühl der eingeschränkten täglichen Versorgung, auf die Bewegung im Freien und die sozialen Kontakte bei Personen ab 50 Jahren ausgewirkt hat.

Material und Methode

Zwischen Mai und Juni 2020 wurden 1011 in der Schweiz lebende Personen ab 50 Jahren telefonisch befragt. Das Durchschnittsalter der Befragten liegt bei 65 Jahren, und 53 % der befragten Personen sind Frauen.

Ergebnisse

Die Untersuchung zeigt, dass die befragten Personen insgesamt kaum negative Veränderungen in Bezug auf ihre Versorgung mit Dingen des alltäglichen Gebrauchs oder Bewegung im Freien spürten. Jedoch gaben 43 % der Befragten an, während der Pandemie und den damit verbundenen Schutzmaßnahmen häufiger das Gefühl gehabt zu haben, zu wenig Zeit mit Menschen verbringen zu können, die ihnen wichtig sind. Multivariate Auswertungen zeigen, dass bei der Bewertung der drei Alltagsbereiche der Faktor Bildung eine Rolle spielt.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Studie zeigt mögliche Alltagseinschränkungen älterer Menschen unter Pandemiebedingungen auf und sollte zur Diskussion anregen, um die subjektiven Wahrnehmungen der älteren Menschen in der praktischen gerontologischen Arbeit besser berücksichtigen zu können.
Qualität als Thema organisationaler Selbstbeschreibungen: Marketing und Verbraucher*innenschutz?
Authors: Klusemann Stefan , Kilinc Marlena , Nittel Dieter
Published: January 2022

Als die Qualitätsdiskussion im Erziehungs- und Bildungswesen an Intensität gewann, spielte auch der ursprünglich im Wirtschaftssystem verortete Verbraucher*innenschutz eine Rolle. Wir gehen der Frage nach, in welcher Relation dieses ursprüngliche Motiv und ein damit korrespondierendes Marketing zur Form und zum Inhalt organisationaler Selbstbeschreibungen (OSB) von pädagogischen Organisationen im System des lebenslangen Lernens steht. Auf der Basis einer Dokumentenanalyse von 80 OSB von Einrichtungen in vier Segmenten (Elementarbereich; Sekundarstufe II; Weiterbildung; Sozialarbeit/Sozialpädagogik) zeigen wir, dass der Verbraucher*innenschutz eine zentrale Rolle spielt: das Marketing, in das der Qualitätsbegriff eingebunden ist, wird nicht einseitig durch anpreisende, werbeaffine Sprachmittel dominiert; es übernimmt vielmehr Informationsfunktionen. Zwar erfüllen die Qualitätsmanagementsysteme nicht die ursprünglich erwartete Orientierungsfunktion; das aus der Privatwirtschaft stammende Konzept des Verbraucher*innenschutzes ist bereichsübergreifend jedoch als emphatische Klient*innenorientierung angeeignet worden sowie in Form eines Selbstverständnis der Einrichtungen als lernende Organisationen, einschließlich der Überprüfung und Bewertung der eigenen Arbeit durch die Adressat*innen. Diese bereichsübergreifende Homologie konstituiert eine systemweite Definition guter pädagogischer Praxis, die den Aspekt des Verbraucher*innenschutzes systemimmanent adaptiert hat. Damit verdeutlichen die Daten Systembildungstendenzen hin zu einem gemeinsamen System des lebenslangen Lernens. Von einer bloßen Ökonomisierung des Systems durch die Adaptierung des Qualitätskonzepts kann nicht die Rede sein. Den Befunden kommt in mehreren Punkten Praxisrelevanz zu: Einrichtungen könnten den Aspekt des Verbraucher*innenschutzes expliziter aufgreifen; dieser Aspekt von Ökonomisierung kann mit positivem Selbstverständnis hervorgehoben werden und die Anerkennung des Systems stärken. Zudem sollten Einrichtungen die Textsorte der OSB im Internet in ihrer Bedeutung noch ernster nehmen. Einzelne Einrichtungen sehen darin ein notwendiges Übel; OSB sind jedoch für die Einrichtungen und das System objektiv relevant.
Lower Extremity Artery Disease and Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Turowicz Agnieszka , Czapiga Alina , Malinowski Maciej , Dorobisz Tadeusz , Czapla Bartłomiej , Janczak Dariusz
Published: January 2022

Background

The association between cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment is well known, but the impact of lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) on neuropsychological performance is less established.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of LEAD on cognitive impairment.

Materials and Methods

A total of 20 patients with LEAD, classified by Fountain’s stage IIB, qualified for revascularization surgery has been included in this prospective study. Neuropsychological assessments have been done using MoCA and CANTAB test. Fifteen patients qualified for hernia surgery, without peripheral artery disease served as a control group. Linear regression model has been applied to assess the connection between LEAD and cognitive impairment.

Results

Differences between the study groups reach significance in both MoCA and CANTAB test. In MoCA test, patients with LEAD had lower levels of performance in attention (p = 0.0254), visuospatial/executive (p = 0.0343) and delayed recall (p = 0.0032). The mean MoCA score was below 26 points. In CANTAB test, patients with LEAD performed worse in visual memory and learning. After adjusted for common cerebrovascular risk factors, LEAD was significantly correlated with cognitive impairment defined as MoCA score < 26 points.

Conclusions

Lower extremity artery disease is associated with cognitive impairment independently of cerebrovascular risk factors.
Models for Assessing Strategies for Improving Hospital Capacity for Handling Patients during a Pandemic
Authors: Shahverdi Bahar , Miller-Hooks Elise , Tariverdi Mersedeh , Ghayoomi Hadi , Prentiss David , Kirsch Thomas D.
Published: January 2022

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of key hospital units associated with emergency care of both routine emergency and pandemic (COVID-19) patients under capacity enhancing strategies.

Methods:

This investigation was conducted using whole-hospital, resource-constrained, patient-based, stochastic, discrete-event, simulation models of a generic 200-bed urban U.S. tertiary hospital serving routine emergency and COVID-19 patients. Systematically designed numerical experiments were conducted to provide generalizable insights into how hospital functionality may be affected by the care of COVID-19 pandemic patients along specially designated care paths, under changing pandemic situations, from getting ready to turning all of its resources to pandemic care.

Results:

Several insights are presented. For example, each day of reduction in average ICU length of stay increases intensive care unit patient throughput by up to 24% for high COVID-19 daily patient arrival levels. The potential of 5 specific interventions and 2 critical shifts in care strategies to significantly increase hospital capacity is also described.

Conclusions:

These estimates enable hospitals to repurpose space, modify operations, implement crisis standards of care, collaborate with other health care facilities, or request external support, thereby increasing the likelihood that arriving patients will find an open staffed bed when 1 is needed.
Factors Preventing Nosocomial Outbreak Following a Single case of COVID-19 Diagnosed During Hospitalization: A Retrospective Review
Authors: Park I-Nae
Published: January 2022

Objective:

Our hospital experienced a hospital shutdown and 2 week quarantine after a case of COVID-19 was diagnosed during hospitalization. We analyzed the reopening process following hospital closure and possible factors that prevented hospital spread.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed the confirmed patient’s medical records and results of epidemiological survey available from the infection control team of our hospital.

Results:

A total of 117 hospital staff members were tested, 26 of whom were self-isolated. Of the 54 inpatients tested, 28 on the same floor, and 2 close contacts in the endoscopic room were quarantined in a single room. Finally, all quarantined hospital staff, inpatients and outpatients were tested for COVID-19 on the 14th day of close contact. The results were all negative, and the hospital work resumed completely.

Conclusion:

Although closing and isolating the hospital appeared to have played a useful role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 inside the hospital and to the local community, it is still debated whether or not the duration of hospital closure or quarantine was appropriate. The lessons from the 2-week hospital closure suggest that wearing a mask, hand hygiene and the ward environment are important factors in preventing nosocomial outbreaks of COVID-19.
Shared Decision-Making for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators: Policy Goals, Metrics, and Challenges
Authors: Rao Birju R. , Merchant Faisal M. , Howard David H. , Matlock Daniel , Dickert Neal W.
Published: January 2022

Shared decision-making has become a new focus of health policy. Though its core elements are largely agreed upon, there is little consensus regarding which outcomes to prioritize for policy-mandated shared decision-making.
“Damned If You Do, Doomed If You Don’t”: A Socio-Medical Commentary on “Of Athletes, Bodies and Rules: Making Sense of Caster Semenya”
Authors: Holtzman Bryan , Ackerman Kathryn E.
Published: January 2022

As medical professionals, we outline the science underlying disorders or differences of sexual development (DSD), discuss the nuances of sex and gender and how terminology can differ based on medical vs. non-medical context, briefly review the evidence of the ergogenic effects of hyperandrogenism, and discuss the medical complications with the hormonal contraceptive use currently dictated by World Athletics to allow DSD athletes to compete in the female category.
Big Data, Surveillance Capitalism, and Precision Medicine: Challenges for Privacy
Authors: Rothstein Mark A.
Published: January 2022

Surveillance capitalism companies, such as Google and Facebook, have substantially increased the amount of information collected, analyzed, and monetized, including health information increasingly used in precision medicine research, thereby presenting great challenges for health privacy.
A Global Pandemic Treaty Must Address Antimicrobial Resistance
Authors: Wilson Lindsay A. , Van Katwyk Susan Rogers , Weldon Isaac , Hoffman Steven J.
Published: January 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the defining global health threats of our time, but no international legal instrument currently offers the framework and mechanisms needed to address it. Fortunately, the actions needed to address AMR have considerable overlap with the actions needed to confront other pandemic threats.
A LAST EASTER SEPULCHRE: THOMAS WEVER AND ST MARY’S CHURCH, TARRANT HINTON, DORSET
Authors: Connor Timothy P
Published: January 2022

The defaced and probably unfinished Easter sepulchre at St Mary’s Church, Tarrant Hinton, in Dorset is exceptional in its scale and sophisticated renaissance decoration, in comparison to other sixteenth-century structures associated with contemporary Easter liturgy. Previous notice of it has been impeded by failure to assess properly the upper part of the monument, which new photography now renders accessible. This demonstrates a remarkable resemblance between its (defaced) angels and the bronze angels by Benedetto da Rovezzano being prepared at Westminster in the late 1520s for the tomb of Cardinal Wolsey; while the lower part of the structure displays influence from contemporary French decoration.

This structure is assessed in the contexts of other monuments of the early sixteenth century intended to support a temporary Easter sepulchre and of what can be reconstructed of the career of the minor but wealthy cleric who was responsible for its erection. Thomas Wever MA (d. 1536) made additions to two of his rectories besides building substantial extensions on the north side of Tarrant Hinton church. It is suggested that both his building there and the Easter sepulchre itself are unfinished and were abandoned at his death as a result of his continued indebtedness. The sepulchre itself suggests a direction that English church decoration never took.
ON STARK’S CLASS NUMBER CONJECTURE AND THE GENERALISED BRAUER–SIEGEL CONJECTURE
Authors: WONG PENG-JIE
Published: January 2022

Stark conjectured that for any
$h\in \Bbb {N}$
, there are only finitely many CM-fields with class number h. Let
$\mathcal {C}$
be the class of number fields L for which L has an almost normal subfield K such that
$L/K$
has solvable Galois closure. We prove Stark’s conjecture for
$L\in \mathcal {C}$
of degree greater than or equal to 6. Moreover, we show that the generalised Brauer–Siegel conjecture is true for asymptotically good towers of number fields
$L\in \mathcal {C}$
and asymptotically bad families of
$L\in \mathcal {C}$
.
Bridging Work and Global Asias: Stars and Sandbars
Authors: Leong Andrew Way
Published: January 2022

Proposals for Global Asias as an emerging field that “bridges” Asian studies and Asian American studies should attend to the residual debris of older understandings of global bridging work. This response explores two motifs for speculating about what bridging work in Global Asias could be: stars, as understood in terms of interimperial constellations, and sandbars, as a metaphor for more local, coalitional, and temporary aggregations.
The Challenge of Studying the Pacific as a “Global Asia”: Problematizing Deep-Rooted Institutional Hindrances for Bridging Asian Studies and Asian American Studies
Authors: Azuma Eiichiro
Published: January 2022

This essay aims to address the structural barriers that deter the study of “Global Asias”—or even something smaller in scale, the study of the “Pacific”—in the context of the institutional split between Asian studies and Asian American studies.
How dangerous can a small fısh be? A greater weever attack
Authors: Delibas V , Ocar G , Ugurlugulbuken G , Guney Z , Alagoz S , Ozdas T , Kuran G
Published: January 2022

Background

Thraconian fish (weever fish) are poisonous fish found mostly in the eastern Mediterranean region, but also in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and European coastal areas. Greater weever fish belong to the Trachinus draco family; these fish have spines on their dorsal fins and gill covers that secrete a high dose of dracotoxin venom.

Methods

This paper reports a 35-year-old female who presented with widespread body aches, respiratory distress and hoarseness following a greater weever attack. It discusses respiratory distress and other findings that occur after a greater weever attack in rare otolaryngological emergency cases.

Conclusion

While greater weever fish are more likely to attack limbs such as arms and legs, patients stung on the neck who develop respiratory distress are considered an ENT emergency.
Analysis of tinnitus severity and associated risk factors in patients with chronic otitis media: data from the multinational collaborative Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire-12 study
Authors: Tailor B V , Phillips J S , Nunney I , Yung M W , Doruk C , Kara H , Kong T , Quaranta N , Peñaranda A , Bernardeschi D , Dai C , Kania R , Denoyelle F , Tono T
Published: January 2022

Background

Subjective tinnitus is a common symptom, and there is often an underlying otological cause. This study investigated the degree of tinnitus-related annoyance in patients with chronic otitis media and analysed whether associations with tinnitus severity exist.

Method

The multinational collaborative Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire-12 study collected prospective data on 478 adult patients suffering from chronic otitis media across 9 otology referral centres in 8 countries. Based on this dataset, we investigated tinnitus severity using participant responses to item 7 of a native version of the Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire-12.

Results

With respect to tinnitus severity, 23.8 per cent, 17.4 per cent, 15.5 per cent, and 43.4 per cent of participants reported no, minor, moderate, and major inconvenience or greater, respectively. The absence of ear discharge, absence of cholesteatoma, and poorer disease-specific health-related quality-of-life were associated with increased tinnitus severity in patients with chronic otitis media, whereas age, hearing disability and geographical region showed no association.

Conclusion

This analysis provided novel insight into potential risk factors for tinnitus in patients with chronic otitis media.
A systematic review: impact of in-office biopsy on safety and waiting times in head and neck cancer
Authors: Lim A E , Rogers A D G , Owusu-Ayim M , Ranjan S , Manickavasagam J , Montgomery J
Published: January 2022

Objective

This study aimed to assess the current literature on the safety and impact of in-office biopsy on cancer waiting times as well as review evidence regarding cost-efficacy and patient satisfaction.

Method

A search of Cinahl, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, Prospero, PubMed and Web of Science was conducted for papers relevant to this study. Included articles were quality assessed and critically appraised.

Results

Of 19 741 identified studies, 22 articles were included. Lower costs were consistently reported for in-office biopsy compared with operating room biopsy. Four complications requiring intervention were documented. In-office biopsy is highly tolerated, with a procedure abandonment rate of less than 1 per cent. When compared with operating room biopsy, it is associated with significantly reduced time-to-diagnosis and time-to-treatment initiation. It is linked to improved overall three-year survival.

Conclusion

In-office biopsy is a safe procedure that may help certain patients avoid general anaesthetic. It was shown to significantly reduce time-to-diagnosis and time-to-treatment initiation when compared with operating room biopsy. This may have important implications for oncological outcomes. In-office biopsy requires fewer resources and is likely to be cost-saving five-years following introduction. With high rates of sensitivity and specificity, in-office biopsy should be considered as the first-line procedure to achieve tissue diagnosis.
Effect of wearing an N95 respirator on the internal nasal valve and the association with external nasal anatomy – a cohort study
Authors: Leung I O S , Lui K C M , Chau S K Y , Abdullah V J , Hui T S C , Ku P K M , van Hasselt A , Tong M C F
Published: January 2022

Objectives

To determine whether: the N95 respirator affects nasal valve patency; placement on the bony vault improves patency; and external nasal anatomy affects the outcome.

Methods

A prospective study with 50 participants was conducted. Nasal patency was measured by the minimal cross-sectional area via acoustic rhinometry, and using the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation survey, before and after wearing the N95 respirator and after adjustment.

Results

The minimal cross-sectional area was narrowed by 27 per cent when wearing the N95 respirator (p < 0.001), and improved by 9.2 per cent after adjustment (p = 0.003). The total Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation score increased from 10.2 to 25.4 after donning the N95 respirator (p < 0.001), and decreased from 25.4 to 15.6 after adjustment (p < 0.001). There was no correlation with external nasal anatomy parameters.

Conclusion

Wearing the N95 respirator causes narrowing of the nasal valve, and adjustment onto the bony vault improves symptoms. The findings were not affected by external nasal anatomy.
Non-opioid analgesics and post-operative pain following transoral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal cancer
Authors: Van Abel K M , Sauer A B , Kruthiventi S C , Weingarten T N , Noel D B , Price D L , Kasperbauer J L , Janus J R , Olsen K D , Moore E J
Published: January 2022

Objective

To investigate associations between multimodal analgesia and post-operative pain among patients undergoing transoral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

Records of patients who underwent surgery from 5 September 2012 to 30 November 2016 were abstracted. Associations were assessed using multivariable analysis.

Results

A total of 216 patients (mean age of 59.1 years, 89.4 per cent male) underwent transoral robotic surgery (92.6 per cent were human papilloma virus positive, 87.5 per cent had stage T1–T2 tumours, and 82.9 per cent had stage N0–N1 nodes). Gabapentin (n = 86) was not associated with a reduction in severe pain. Ibuprofen (n = 72) was administered less often in patients with severe pain. Gabapentin was not associated with increased post-operative sedation (p = 0.624) and ibuprofen was not associated with increased bleeding (p = 0.221). Post-operative opioid usage was not associated with surgical duration, pharyngotomy, bilateral neck dissections, tumour stage, tumour size, subsite or gabapentin.

Conclusion

Scheduled low-dose gabapentin was not associated with improved pain control or increased respiratory depression. Ibuprofen was not associated with an increased risk of bleeding and may be under-utilised.
Hanging Matters: Petty Theft, Sentence of Death, and a Lost Statute of Edward I
Authors: Summerson Henry
Published: January 2022

This article discusses an important aspect of the law relating to theft in thirteenth-century England, and one of the ways in which that law developed. Central to it is the argument that the treatise The Mirror of Justices and references in court records and reports show that a short statute enacted early in the reign of Edward I, probably in 1278, categorically defined 12d. as the amount, whether in goods or money, at which larceny became a capital felony, incurring judgment of death. As well as setting out the evidence for this hitherto overlooked ordinance, the article also argues that the statute can be associated with some significant developments in the way petty theft was treated subsequently. In particular it had the effect of promoting the development of penal imprisonment, while since the task of valuation was given to trial juries, it further enhanced the leading role of the latter in determining the fates of the men and women whose lives depended on their verdicts.
The Figurative Foundations of Rousseau's Politics
Authors: Planinc Emma
Published: January 2022

Rousseau claims that the lawgiver must “persuade without convincing,” binding this legislative communication to the “first language,” which would, Rousseau writes, “persuade without convincing, and depict without arguing.” Drawing on a wide range of contextual sources, I show that this first language of Rousseau's is figurative, imagistic, and modeled on ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, which William Warburton claimed were “the uniform voice of nature” in his Divine Legation of Moses. More importantly, I demonstrate that Rousseau was himself using this lost ancient language to provide a figuration of his own: the “illusory image” of natural man. Through the Second Discourse, men could be persuaded that they were by nature free, preparing the way for a social contract in which they could legitimately give themselves law. This is an image that I argue has been effectively persuasive up to the present day—and our politics, like Rousseau's, thus seemingly rests on figurative foundations.
Labor Unions and Voter Turnout in the American States: Direct Versus Indirect Mobilization
Authors: Kim Gidong
Published: January 2022

I examine the relationship between labor unions and voter turnout in the American states. Though it is well known that unions increase turnout directly, we know less about their indirect effects. Moreover, the indirect effects may consist of nonmember mobilization and aggregate strength. To examine the direct and indirect mechanisms, I analyze both state-level panel data and individual-level data with a multilevel approach. First, my panel analysis shows that unions are positively associated with turnout as expected. Yet, the association is observed only in midterm elections, but not in presidential elections. Second, more importantly, my individual-level analysis suggests that indirect nonmember mobilization and indirect aggregate strength are positively related to turnout, while direct member mobilization is not. The findings imply that the direct effects are limited and, thus, that decreasing levels of voter turnout due to recently declining union membership come primarily from indirect mobilization rather than direct mobilization.
Net‐Zero CO2 Germany—A Retrospect From the Year 2050
Authors: Mengis Nadine , Kalhori Aram , Simon Sonja , Harpprecht Carina , Baetcke Lars , Prats‐Salvado Enric , Schmidt‐Hattenberger Cornelia , Stevenson Angela , Dold Christian , El Zohbi Juliane , Borchers Malgorzata , Thrän Daniela , Korte Klaas , Gawel Erik , Dolch Tobias , Heß Dominik , Yeates Christopher , Thoni Terese , Markus Till , Schill Eva , Xiao Mengzhu , Köhnke Fiona , Oschlies Andreas , Förster Johannes , Görl Knut , Dornheim Martin , Brinkmann Torsten , Beck Silke , Bruhn David , Li Zhan , Steuri Bettina , Herbst Michael , Sachs Torsten , Monnerie Nathalie , Pregger Thomas , Jacob Daniela , Dittmeyer Roland
Published: January 2022

Germany 2050: For the first time Germany reached a balance between its sources of anthropogenic CO2 to the atmosphere and newly created anthropogenic sinks. This backcasting study presents a fictional future in which this goal was achieved by avoiding (∼645 Mt CO2), reducing (∼50 Mt CO2) and removing (∼60 Mt CO2) carbon emissions. This meant substantial transformation of the energy system, increasing energy efficiency, sector coupling, and electrification, energy storage solutions including synthetic energy carriers, sector‐specific solutions for industry, transport, and agriculture, as well as natural‐sink enhancement and technological carbon dioxide options. All of the above was necessary to achieve a net‐zero CO2 system for Germany by 2050.
Subsurface Imaging With Ocean‐Bottom Distributed Acoustic Sensing and Water Phases Reverberations
Authors: Spica Zack J. , Castellanos Jorge C. , Viens Loïc , Nishida Kiwamu , Akuhara Takeshi , Shinohara Masanao , Yamada Tomoaki
Published: January 2022

Seismic waves from earthquakes recorded on the seafloor are composed of complex multiple arrivals. Here, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) observations along a cable located offshore the Sanriku Coast, Japan, show that the local earthquake wavefield is particularly rich in Scholte waves. We introduce a processing pipeline to extract these surface waves from DAS records. We then invert hundreds of dispersion curves along a section of the cable to form a shallow high‐resolution shear‐wave velocity model. Moreover, we focus on the possible generation mechanisms of Scholte waves through a series of 2D and 3D full‐wavefield numerical simulations. We show that water phase reverberations greatly contribute to the generation of Scholte waves on the ocean floor. This study demonstrates the potential of DAS to observe and better understand a poorly known marine wave phenomenon and image the offshore shallow seismic structure with an unprecedented spatial resolution.
Dynamic Synoptic Eddy Feedbacks Contributing to Maintenance and Propagation of Intraseasonal NAO
Authors: Ren Hong‐Li , Zhou Fang , Nie Yu , Zhao Shuo
Published: January 2022

This study examines the dynamic feedbacks generated from synoptic eddies that contribute to maintenance and propagation of the intraseasonal North Atlantic Oscillation (ISNAO) which has significant 20−60‐day variability and features clearly westward and slightly northward propagations. The ISNAO‐related eddy‐vorticity fluxes and induced forcing contribute the positive in‐phase feedback and upstream feedback to ISNAO. Due to the accumulated shearing effect of ISNAO zonal wind anomalies, synoptic eddy structures can be statistically changed in a zonally titling way, which forms quadrupole patterns of anomalous eddy structure and further generates meridional eddy‐vorticity fluxes by multiplying basic eddy velocity by anomalous eddy vorticity. These meridional fluxes diverge from the ISNAO pattern and the area in its west and mainly induce the eddy‐vorticity forcing pattern in phase with and upstream of ISNAO, where the in‐phase feedback maintains ISNAO and the upstream feedback with a northward shift contributes to the westward and northward propagations of ISNAO.
Contributions of Anomalous Large‐Scale Circulations to the Absence of Tropical Cyclones Over the Western North Pacific in July 2020
Authors: Liu Hao‐Yan , Gu Jian‐Feng , Wang Yuqing , Xu Jing
Published: January 2022

No tropical cyclone (TC) formed over the western North Pacific (WNP) in July 2020, which is record‐breaking. Some recent studies suggested that this extreme event was mainly caused by the strong WNP subtropical high (WNPSH) in July 2020, which might not be the only reason. In this study, results from statistical and composite analyses indicate that the strong WNPSH, the strong South Asian high, the westward extended tropical upper‐tropospheric trough, and the weak South Asian summer monsoon are all detrimental to TC genesis over the WNP and might contribute to the absence of TCs in July 2020. Results from sensitivity experiments using a regional atmospheric model that can resolve TCs further demonstrate that it was the collective effect, not any of the individual large‐scale circulation anomalies, that induced the extremely unfavorable conditions for TC genesis and thus led to the record‐breaking inactive TC month.
Fine Ash‐Bearing Particles as a Major Aerosol Component in Biomass Burning Smoke
Authors: Adachi Kouji , Dibb Jack E. , Scheuer Eric , Katich Joseph M. , Schwarz Joshua P. , Perring Anne E. , Mediavilla Braden , Guo Hongyu , Campuzano‐Jost Pedro , Jimenez Jose L. , Crawford James , Soja Amber J. , Oshima Naga , Kajino Mizuo , Kinase Takeshi , Kleinman Lawrence , Sedlacek Arthur J. , Yokelson Robert J. , Buseck Peter R.
Published: January 2022

Biomass burning (BB) events are occurring globally with increasing frequency, and their emissions are having more impacts on human health and climate. Large ash particles are recognized as a BB product with major influences on soil and water environments. However, fine‐ash particles, which have diameters smaller than several microns and characteristic morphologies and compositions (mainly Ca and Mg carbonates), have not yet been explicitly considered as a major BB aerosol component either in field observations or climate models. This study measured BB aerosol samples using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ion chromatography during the Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality (FIREX‐AQ) campaign. We show that significant amounts of fine ash‐bearing particles are transported >100 km from their fire sources. Our environmental chamber experiments suggest that they can act as cloud condensation and ice nuclei. We also found considerable amounts of fine ash‐bearing particles in the TEM samples collected during previous campaigns (Biomass Burning Observation Project and Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations). These ash particles are commonly mixed with organic matter and make up ∼8% and 5% of BB smoke by number and mass, respectively, in samples collected during the FIREX‐AQ campaign. The measured ash‐mass concentrations are approximately five times and six times greater than those of BB black carbon and potassium, respectively, scaling to an estimated global emission of 11.6 Tg yr−1with a range of 8.8–16.3 Tg yr−1. Better characterization and constraints on these fine ash‐bearing particles will improve BB aerosol measurements and strengthen assessments of BB impacts on human health and climate.
40Ar/39Ar Age Constraints on HP/LT Metamorphism in Extensively Overprinted Units: The Example of the Alpujárride Subduction Complex (Betic Cordillera, Spain)
Authors: Bessière Eloïse , Scaillet Stéphane , Augier Romain , Jolivet Laurent , Miguel Azañón Jose , Booth‐Rea Guillermo , Romagny Adrien , Duval Florian
Published: January 2022

Widespread overprinting of early high‐pressure/low‐temperature (HP/LT) subduction stages due to subsequent collisional or late‐orogenic tectono‐metamorphic events is a common feature affecting the interpretation of geochronologic data from HP/LT orogens. The Betic‐Rif orogen is exemplary in this connection as a great majority of published radiometric ages are found to cluster around 20 Ma. This clustering is commonly interpreted as reflecting a short, yet complex, succession of tectono‐metamorphic events spanning only over a few Myr, including back‐arc extension and overthrusting of the Internal Zones on the External Zones. An alternative explanation consists in the poor preservation of a much earlier HP/LT metamorphic event, presumably Eocene, coeval with subduction and crustal thickening in the Internal Zones, and particularly the Alpujárride Complex. However, this age is vividly debated due to widespread resetting by the Early Miocene HT/LP overprint. In this study, we provide new 40Ar/39Ar evidence from white micas selected along an E‐W section of the Internal Betics, from the central to the eastern Alpujárride Complex. Our new data show (a) that exceptionally well‐preserved HP/LT parageneses in this unit retain a well‐defined Eocene age around 38 Ma, and (b) that widespread 20 Ma ages recorded all along the section correspond to a regional stage of exhumation, coeval with a major change in the kinematics of back‐arc extension. Our study provides conclusive evidence that 40Ar/39Ar dating of carefully targeted HP/LT associations can overcome the problem of extensive late‐orogenic overprinting, testifying for an Eocene HP event around 38 Ma in the Betic‐Rif orogen.