bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Prior Cyclic Loading on Triaxial Compression Strength of Sliding Zone Soil of the Huangtupo Landslide
Authors: Chen Qiong , Cui Deshan , Chen Yu , Tao Xianyu , Xiang Wei
Published: November 2021

Earthquakes or cyclic loadings cause significant changes in the strength characteristics of soil. These changes, especially for sliding zone soil, can lead to catastrophic landslides. Taking into account this characteristic, this paper investigates the effects of prior cyclic loading on the consolidated undrained triaxial compression strength of sliding zone soil with the KTL triaxial automated system. Our experimental results indicate that the prior cyclic loading has a significant effect on the strength behaviour of saturated sliding zone soil. Under different confining pressures, cycle periods, and number of cycles, the samples exhibit the characteristics of strain‐hardening. Deviatoric stress under cyclic loading condition is smaller than that with monotonic loading condition under different confining pressures, cycle periods, and number of cycles. As the confining pressure and cycle period increase, the failure stress ratio decreases. The axial strain exhibits a steep rise first and then stays stable under a cycle period of 90 s, while the axial strain shows a linear increase with an increase in the number of cycles under a cycle period of 10 s under confining pressures of 100 kPa and 400 kPa, respectively. The logarithmic relation correlates well with the failure stress ratio in the cyclic loading tests, which preliminary validates the applicability of logarithmic relation for sliding zone soil influenced by prior cyclic loading, providing a theoretical basis and guidance for the further understanding of strength characteristics of sliding zone soil.
Are Two Meshes Better than One in Sacrocolpopexy for Pelvic Organ Prolapse? Comparison of Single Anterior versus Anterior and Posterior Vaginal Mesh Procedures
Authors: d’Altilia Nicola , Mancini Vito , Falagario Ugo , Chirico Marco , Illiano Ester , Balzarro Matteo , Annese Pasquale , Busetto Gian Maria , Bettocchi Carlo , Cormio Luigi , Sanguedolce Francesca , Schiavina Riccardo , Brunocilla Eugenio , Costantini Elisabetta , Carrieri Giuseppe
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Sacrocolpopexy (SC) is the main treatment option for the repair of anterior and apical pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Indications and technical aspects are not standardized, and the question remains whether it is necessary to place a mesh on both anterior and posterior vaginal walls, particularly in cases with only minor or no posterior compartment prolapse. The present study aimed to compare the anatomical and functional outcomes of single anterior mesh only versus anterior and posterior mesh procedures in SC. Materials and Methods: Our prospectively maintained database on POP was used to identify patients who had undergone either abdominal or mini-invasive SC from January 2006 to October 2019. Patients with symptomatic or unmasked stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were not included in the study and were treated using the pubo-vaginal cystocele sling procedure. Objective outcomes included clinical evaluation of pre-existing or de novo POP by the halfway system and POP-q classifications, as well as the development of de novo SUI. Subjective outcomes were assessed using the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ-7) with questions on bladder, bowel, and vaginal functions. Persistent or de novo constipation and overactive bladder were defined as bowel symptoms and urinary urgency/frequency/urinary incontinence after surgery. Results: Ninety-five women with symptomatic anterior and apical POP underwent SC. Forty-one patients were treated with only anterior vaginal mesh (group A), and 54 with anterior and posterior mesh (group B). There were no differences between the pre- and post-operative characteristics of the 2 groups. In group B, there were 2 blood transfusions, 1 wound dehiscence, and 3 mesh erosions/extrusion after abdominal SC (Clavien-Dindo II), and in group A, there was 1 ileal lesion after laparoscopic SC (Clavien-Dindo III). There were no differences between the 2 groups in either anatomical or functional outcomes during 3 years of follow-up. Conclusions: SC with single anterior vaginal mesh has similar results to SC with combined anterior/posterior mesh, regardless of the surgical approach. The single anterior mesh may reduce the risk of complications (mesh erosion/extrusion), and offers better subjective outcomes with improved quality of life. Anterior/posterior mesh may be justified in the presence of clinically significant posterior POP.
The woody flora of Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary, central Western Ghats of Karnataka, India - A checklist
Authors: Kanda Naveen Babu , Kurian Ayushi  , Vincy K. Wilson  , Narayanan Ayyappan  , Narayanaswamy Parthasarathy
Published: November 2021

Documenting the biodiversity of protected areas and reserve forests is important to researchers, academicians and forest departments in their efforts to establish policies to protect regional biodiversity. Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) is an important protected area located in the central Western Ghats of Karnataka state known for its diverse flora and fauna with distinct ecological features. For the last four decades the sanctuary has witnessed the loss of forest cover, yet the vegetation in few locations is relatively undisturbed. The current inventory was undertaken during 2019–2020 to provide a checklist of woody species from SWS under-researched earlier. The list comprises 269 species of trees, lianas and shrubs distributed in 207 genera and 68 families. The most diverse families are Fabaceae, Moraceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae, Lauraceae, Apocynaceae, Meliaceae, Malvaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and Anacardiaceae, representing 48% of total woody flora. The sanctuary shelters 263 native and six exotic plant species. Thirty-nine species were endemic to the Western Ghats, five species to peninsular India and one species to the Western Ghats and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Four forest types, i.e., dry deciduous, moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen forests, are represented in the sanctuary. Of the total species, only seven occurred in all forest types, while 111 species are exclusive to a single forest type. One-hundred-and-four taxa were assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List. Ten species that fall under Near Threatened, Vulnerable, and Endangered categories were encountered occasionally. The baseline data generated on plant diversity will be useful in highlighting the importance of these forests for species conservation and forest management. Such data form a cornerstone for further research. For instance, to understand the effect of invasive species and human impacts on the diversity of the region.
Cohen über Spinoza: Das Denken der Natur und die Natur des Denkens
Authors: Bertolino Luca
Published: November 2021

This analysis of Cohen’s reception of Spinoza’s thought draws attention to theoretical issues: the nature of thinking and the thinking of nature. In a synoptic way it refers to several of Cohen’s works, trying to determine continuity and discontinuity in his interpretation of Spinoza, with a specific focus on Ethica ordine geometrico demonstrata. Thus, Cohen’s reception of Spinoza’s thought seems to be characterized by a continuity similar to what we can find in Cohen’s philosophical system as a whole. Discrepancies in his interpretation of Spinoza correspond to a progressive refinement of his own speculative approach.
Luria, Schelling, and Freud: From Zimzum to the Oedipus Complex
Authors: Sharvit Gilad
Published: November 2021

In contrast to previous attempts to establish a direct relation between Freud and Kabbalah, this article argues for an indirect relationship mediated by way of Schelling’s philosophy. My claim is that Freud’s Oedipus complex partly originated in Schelling’s idea of God’s contraction, which he arguably derived from the Lurianic doctrine of zimzum. Furthermore, in thinking of the oedipal complex, and of repression more generally, as a late development of the Lurianic and Schellingian imagination of what I call “productive negativity,” I suggest that an important conceptual horizon is opened for the Freudian concept, one that transcends the widespread but narrow formulation of repression as a retroactive and regressive mental mechanism.
Marduk’s Basket and the Heavenly Treasury: Comparing Charity in the Dialogue of Pessimism and Sirach
Authors: Geist Andrew
Published: November 2021

The article treats the value of economic generosity (usātu) in the Babylonian Dialogue of Pessimism and compares it to almsgiving in the biblical book of Sirach. It attempts to resolve a longstanding obscurity: whether usātu is placed in Marduk’s “ring” (kippatu) or “basket” (qappatu). External evidence suggests that, while both readings have support and a similar theological significance, the reading “basket” (qappatu) is preferable and should be related to the temple quppu, “cash box,” used for collecting donations. The article then addresses the relevance of mortality to the Dialogue’s discussion of doing usātu. Appeal to other Akkadian wisdom literature suggests that doing usātu was connected with a reward of extra life. An analysis of the theological structure of usātu in the Dialogue and Akkadian wisdom literature leads to a comparison with the theology of almsgiving and the heavenly treasury in Ben Sira and other Second Temple Jewish literature.
Heroic Mother and Wise Wife
Authors: Wang Di
Published: November 2021

Thirteenth-century sources provide us with striking images of Mongol noblewomen, which are not eclipsed by the heroic conquests and military exploits of their men. While recognising the complexity of gender roles in pre-imperial Mongol society, this article aims to explore the specific responsivities carried by Hö’elün and Börte in the narrative of The Secret History of the Mongols. The selective presentation of their characters and duties further reveals the goal of the Secret Historian to create a ruling model, which includes a brave widowed mother and an intelligent wife for the Qan of the empire.
The Politics of History in Russia and Theatricalisation of Traumatic Events
Authors: Guchinova Elza-Bair
Published: November 2021

This article examines how historical representation of the deportation of Kalmyks to Siberia has changed in compliance with the politics of history in Russia. It traces the shift from silence on this topic under communism to the dramatisation of it in the 1990s when the communists lost their power, and finally to the softening of this event in the last decades when state ideology under Putin’s administration is striving to unite the peoples of Russia around the victory in the World War II, leaving the history of the ‘purged peoples’ on the sidelines of this triumph. This evolution from a tragic to a more positive narrative is reflected in the messages of public spectacles about the deportation. The softened approach to this traumatic event was also linked to generational change: its eldest witnesses today are the people who were born between 1943 and 1956 and who were too young to remember its hardships. The author analyses classic theatre performances (‘Arash’, 1995, and ‘Kalmychka’, 2018) and mass agitational campaigns, such as the Trains of Remembrance which took present-day Kalmyks to Siberia to express gratitude symbolically to Siberians who helped them in the difficult period. These spectacles are not mere historical illustrations of the past, but new revisions of it.
Animals, Socialism, and Continuity
Authors: Linden Kenneth E.
Published: November 2021

Leaders and hunters in the Mongolian People’s Republic embarked on a campaign to exterminate wolves who were major threats to the livestock economy. Despite common claims of Mongolian reverence of wolves, the campaign was an intensification and professionalisation of earlier wolf-hunting efforts. Wolf extermination was closely tied up in leaders’ promotion and execution of the second collectivisation campaign (1956–60) both as an external promotion to convince herders to join and an internal measure of success. State planners monitored numbers of livestock killed by wolves and how many wolf pelts were harvested. Professional hunters produced books and participated in conferences to discuss and spread methods of hunting which they articulated as Marxist labour necessary to build socialism. After the end of socialism, centralised wolf-hunting campaigns faded away and many herders point to wolf predation as a societal ill.
Flesh and Blood
Authors: Fox Elizabeth
Published: November 2021

Normative understandings of Mongolian kinship have long revolved around metaphors of flesh, blood and bone, while substantive approaches have focused on materials such as umbilical cords and photographic montages. In this article, I argue that the flesh of livestock has been largely overlooked in considerations of Mongolian kinship, and I address the role of meat in making and maintaining relations, both among people and between people and their homelands (nutag). In pastoral Mongolia, herd animals enact and enable a wide range of social relations. However, in the ethnographic context discussed here – the Ulaanbaatar ger districts – urban-rural migrants live at a distance from animals. No longer herders, their access to nutag meat is reliant on their connections to countryside relatives, rendering meat a kinship-making substance in new ways. This paper begins the work of analysing the shift from animal to meat-based enactments of relatedness in the age of the market.
Two new species and one new record of Hyalopsora (Pucciniastraceae) on ferns in China
Authors: WANG LEI , LIU SHI-TONG , LIU YUN , LIANG YING-MEI
Published: November 2021

Three rust fungi belonging to the genus Hyalopsora occurring on ferns were found in China. Hyalopsora minispora and H. tibetica are described as new species in this paper. Hyalopsora minispora can be distinguished from known species by its relatively small urediniospores (19.5–23.0 × 12.0–19.0 μm) with 4–6 scattered germ pores and amphispores in a common pustule. Hyalopsora tibetica is mainly characterized by urediniospores with 2–6 scattered germ pores and amphispores. Hyalopsora neocheilanthis is described and reported as a new record for China. The phylogenetic relationships of Hyalopsora species and related taxa were examined by comparing the sequences of their internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) barcode and 28S rDNA gene segments. Hyalopsora is supported with strong bootstrap support and it differs from the two other fern-infecting genera viz. Milesina and Uredinopsis.
Aristolochia luudamcui (Aristolochiaceae), a new species from northern Vietnam
Authors: PHAN LONG KE , WANKE STEFAN , NEINHUIS CHRISTOPH , DO TRUONG VAN
Published: November 2021

Aristolochia luudamcui (Aristolochia subgen. Siphisia, Aristolochiaceae), a new species from Vietnam, previously misidentified as A. utriformis, is described and illustrated here. The new species is most similar to A. pseudoutriformis and A. utriformis concerning the morphology of the leaf lamina, the color of the perianth, and the shape of the limb, but A. luudamcui can be distinguished from the other two species by having a deeply 3-lobed limb and a glabrous, yellow inner surface of limb lobes. A detailed description, information on ecology, phenology, distribution, usage, a provisional assessment of the conservation status of the new species, and a comparison with morphologically similar species are provided as well.
Two new frog species from the Litoria rubella species group from eastern Australia
Authors: ROWLEY J. J. L. , MAHONY M. J. , HINES H. B. , MYERS S. , PRICE L.C. , SHEA G.M. , DONNELLAN S. C.
Published: November 2021

The bleating tree frog (Litoria dentata) is one of the more prominent pelodryadid frogs of eastern Australia by virtue of its extremely loud, piercing, male advertisement call. A member of the Litoria rubella species group, L. dentata has a broad latitudinal distribution and is widespread from coastal and subcoastal lowlands through to montane areas. A recent mitochondrial DNA analysis showed a deep phylogeographic break between populations of L. dentata on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. Here we extended the mitochondrial survey with more geographically comprehensive sampling and tested the systematic implications of our findings with nuclear genome wide single-nucleotide polymorphism, morphological and male advertisement call datasets. While similar in appearance and in male advertisement call, our integrative analysis demonstrates the presence of three species which replace each other in a north-south series. We redescribe Litoria dentata, which is restricted to coastal north-eastern New South Wales, and formally describe Litoria balatus sp. nov., from south-eastern Queensland, and Litoria quiritatus sp. nov., from the mid-coast of New South Wales to north-eastern Victoria.
Redescriptions of six Japanese species of the genus Pulvinaria (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) with four new synonymies
Authors: TANAKA HIROTAKA , KAMITANI SATOSHI
Published: November 2021

Six Japanese species of the genus Pulvinaria Targioni Tozzetti (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha; Coccidae): P. aurantii Cockerell, 1896, P. hazeae Kuwana, 1902, P. idesiae Kuwana, 1914, P. kuwacola Kuwana, 1907, P. nipponica Lindinger, 1933 and P. photiniae Kuwana, 1914, are redescribed and illustrated based on type specimens and some newly collected adult females. In addition, Pulvinaria decorata Borchsenius, 1957 syn. nov. and P. ornata Froggatt, 1921 (nec Hempel, 1912) syn. nov. are proposed as new junior synonyms of P. aurantii, and Pulvinaria fujisana Kanda, 1960 syn. nov. and P. hydrangeae Steinweden, 1946 syn. nov. are proposed as new junior synonyms of P. kuwacola. Lectotypes are designated for P. idesiae, P. nipponica and P. photiniae from the syntypes of these species and, in the absence of any original material, neotypes are designated for P. hazeae and P. kuwacola, respectively, using specimens collected from the type localities. To facilitate comparisons, a table containing diagnostic morphological character states of the redescribed species and the type species of the genus, P. vitis (Linnaeus, 1758), is provided.
The Gyrinidae (Coleoptera) fauna of Thailand: Key to tribes and genera, with new records and keys to species of Dineutini and Gyrinini
Authors: SUKSAI BENJAMART , GUSTAFSON GREY T. , SITES ROBERT W. , SANGPRADUB NARUMON
Published: November 2021

Eighteen species and four genera of the family Gyrinidae are recorded from Thailand. Seven species, belonging to three genera in the tribes Dineutini and Gyrinini, are here treated in detail. Dineutus sitesi Gustafson, Hájek & Miller, D. spinosus (Fabricius), D. unidentatus Aubé, Porrorhynchus marginatus Laporte and Gyrinus sericeolimbatus Régimbart were already known, whereas D. australis (Fabricius) and Gyrinus smaragdinus Régimbart are recorded for the first time. Diagnoses, distribution maps and keys to tribes, genera, and all species of Dineutus and Gyrinus occurring in Thailand are provided. The fourth genus, Patrus (tribe Orectochilini), has been partly revised in a preceding paper.
Taxonomic notes on the Australian skyhopper genus Kosciuscola Sjöstedt (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Oxyinae)
Authors: SONG HOJUN , MUSCHETT GISELLE R. , WOLLER DEREK A. , SLATYER RACHEL A. , TATARNIC NIKOLAI J. , UMBERS KATE D. L.
Published: November 2021

The Australian skyhopper genus Kosciuscola Sjöstedt consists of brachypterous species that inhabit the Australian alpine and subalpine region. The genus used to include 5 species and 1 subspecies, but according to a recent phylogenomic study, there could be as many as 14 species in the genus, that are genetically and geographically isolated from each other. This study represents the first step in describing and documenting the diversity of this interesting genus. In this study, we redefine the type species K. tristis, and elevate its subspecies K. tristis restrictus as a valid species on the basis of distinct morphological traits, geographical isolation, and phylogenomic evidence.
Character correlation and its use for identification
Authors: HAYDEN JAMES E.
Published: November 2021

A method is presented for correlating phylogenetic characters through cladistic analysis. It extends the use of phylogenetic datasets for diagnostic purposes. It improves matrix-based identification tools by predicting novel character-state combinations that were not observed when the key was constructed. By interpreting homoplasy as analytical error, hypothetical character-state combinations are tested for the homoplasy that they would add to the shortest tree(s). The correlation is equal to the homoplasy summed across all state combinations, divided by a maximum possible value. The results depend on uncertainty about the sequence of state transitions and their overlap among characters. A correlation index r is proposed for sets of non-additive characters; it is a kind of multiple-regression value, and its ensemble value R is a statistic of a whole matrix. This approach can be used to select sets of the best "proxy" characters to substitute for unobservable characters of interest. The concept can be extended to continuous characters. Worked examples are given with datasets of various insect orders.
First record of Bursaphelenchus hildegardae Braasch et al., 2006 (Nematoda) in New Zealand with updated information on morphology, sequencing and a key to species of the eggersi-group
Authors: ZHAO ZENG QI , SURREY MICHAEL , HO WELLCOME , MARINOV MILEN , BLEACH CAROLYN , ROGAN BRENT , ALEXANDER BRETT
Published: November 2021

Bursaphelenchus hildegardae Braasch et al., 2006 was collected from pine wood (Pinus radiata) growing in Kaingaroa Timberlands, and a bark beetle, Hylastes ater Paykull, 1800 in New Zealand. This is a new record for B. hildegardae, occuring in New Zealand, and the second report from the southern hemisphere in addition to Australia. In general, the New Zealand isolate of B. hildegardae corresponds well with the description of B. hildegardae given by Braasch et al. (2006) from Germany. The New Zealand isolate is characterized by having an adult body length of 807–1190 μm, medium a ratios (47.5–58.5 for female and 44.6–60.1 for male), b ratios of 9.8–14.5 (female) and 10.2–12.7 (male), c ratios of 18.8–25.2 (female) and 21.6–32.4 (male), c’ ratios of 4.0–4.4 (female) and 2.1–2.7 (male), and is characterised by having three incisures in the lateral fields, thorn-shaped spicules with a distinctly dorsally-bent thin hook-like condylus, and a dorso-ventally visible terminal bursa. In addition, molecular phylogeny using near full length small subunit (SSU), D2/D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU) and the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1 and 2) of the ribosomal rDNA supports the identification. A key to Bursaphelenchus species in the eggersi-group is given.
An expansion planning method for extending distributed energy system lifespan with energy storage systems
Authors: Tercan Said Mirza , Elma Onur , Gokalp Erdin , Cali Umit
Published: November 2021

The recent advances in the modern power grids, such as growing energy demand and penetration of higher amounts of distributed energy generators like renewable energy resources, caused additional grid integration challenges for the distributed energy system operators. Besides, deep electrification impacts triggered by a growing share of electric vehicles as additional electric loads made it essential for the distributed energy system operators to re-investigate their upgrade plans in terms of distributed energy system lines and corresponding infrastructure investments. An energy storage system offers the opportunity to use energy flexibly, resulting in deferring the inevitable upgrade costs of the distribution grid elements and increasing the power quality. In this study, a new method is proposed to extend the lifespan of distributed energy systems with an energy storage system and reduce line upgrade costs. The proposed method is tested on the IEEE-33 with different case studies. The findings of this study indicated that the investigated energy storage option has a positive impact on the distributed energy system components and assets in terms of extending their lifespan and helping to mitigate growing demand peaks because of the load increase. According to the results, the proposed method reduces the total cost by up to 66%. Furthermore, the power losses are reduced by an average of 34.8%, and the voltage profiles are improved with the energy storage system.
Anti-Nuclear Movement in India: Protests in Kudankulam and Jaitapur
Authors: Khan Ajmal
Published: November 2021

This article discusses two prominent protest movements in India responding to nuclear energy expansion, protests related to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu and the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in Maharashtra. Partly based on ethnographic fieldwork at both sites, the article argues that these protest movements are substantially different from anti-nuclear mobilisations outside South Asia. Indian nuclear-related protest movements problematise the tensions of development and environment from a grassroots perspective but struggle with opposing claims that more energy is needed. Locally, project-affected people do not trust government agencies to protect them and the local environment against creeping pollutions and potential disasters. Above all, local grievances are directed against high-handed procedures of compensating project-affected persons. Seen from this angle, these protest movements are in effect contributing to the arduous process of democratisation of governance regarding the constantly changing modalities of expanding energy provisions in India.
Perceived Need for Mental Health Care and Associated Factors and Outcomes in Older Adults Consulting in Primary Care
Authors: Lamoureux-Lamarche Catherine , Berbiche Djamal , Vasiliadis Helen-Maria
Published: November 2021

Objective

To assess the individual and health system factors and health-related outcomes associated with perceived need for mental health care in older adults consulting in primary care.

Method

This longitudinal cohort study was conducted among 771 cognitively intact older adults aged ≥65 years recruited in primary care practices in Quebec between 2011 and 2013 and followed 4 years later. Predisposing, enabling and need factors were based on Andersen’s framework on help-seeking behaviors. Health-related outcomes included course of common mental disorders (CMDs), change in quality of life and societal costs. Perceived need for care (PNC) was categorized as no need, met and unmet need. Multinomial regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between study variables and PNC in the overall and the subsample of participants with a CMD at baseline.

Results

As compared with individuals reporting no need, those with an unmet need were more likely to have cognitive decline and lower continuity of care; while those with a met need were more likely to report decreased health-related quality of life. As compared with individuals with an unmet need, those reporting a met need were more likely to report ≥ 3 physical diseases and an incident and persistent CMD, and less likely to show cognitive decline. In participants with a CMD, individuals reporting a met as compared with no need were more likely to be categorized as receiving minimally adequate care and a persistent CMD. Need for care was not associated with societal costs related to health service use.

Conclusions

Overall, physicians should focus on individuals with cognitive impairment and lower continuity of care which was associated with unmet mental health need. Improved follow-up in these populations may improve health care needs and outcomes.
Navigating Ethical Quandaries with Close Personal Contacts in Qualitative Research
Authors: Iannacone Jeannette I. , Anderson Lindsey B.
Published: November 2021

There are a variety of ethical situations that qualitative communication researchers must navigate. This point is especially true when the research involves close personal contacts, such as friends and family members. In order to problematize the ethical frameworks that guide qualitative inquiry and illuminate the complexities of relational ethics, we—the authors—reflected on our past experiences engaging in research with close personal contacts. Specifically, we took a collaborative autoethnographic approach that involved sharing personal stories, drafting autoethnographic narratives, and engaging in individual and collaborative sensemaking. In doing so, we highlight the following three quandaries specific to conducting research with close personal contacts: (1) challenging/affirming identity anchors, (2) challenging/affirming power relations, and (3) challenging/affirming ownership. We explicate each of these themes using autoethnographic vignettes and conclude by offering five lessons learned of relational ethics, which are organized using the phases of qualitative research: conceptualization and design, data collection, and representation.
The Efficacy of Fiscal Vs Monetary Policies in the Asia-Pacific Region: The St. Louis Equation Revisited
Authors: Mahanty Ghanashyama , Dwivedi Dwijendra Nath , Gopalakrishnan Badri Narayanan
Published: November 2021

This study’s main objective is to assess the relative importance of fiscal and monetary policies on the Asia-Pacific Economies. We have empirically investigated both the original St. Louis equation and its expanded version to study the comparative relevance of one over the other. Our empirical results indicate that both monetary and fiscal policies are essential in promoting economic growth. In both models, monetary policy is more effective than fiscal policy. In the expanded St. Louis model, exports, exchange rate and inflation variables substantially impact gross domestic product than the conventional monetary and fiscal measures.
Crowdfunding: Exploring the Factors That Could Motivate People to Raise Fund or Make Investment Through Crowdfunding Platforms in Emerging Countries
Authors: Sharma Anita , Vij Sanket , Kumar Ajay
Published: November 2021

This study aims to explore the factors motivating the prospective investors towards adopting crowdfunding for making investments and assess the impact of motivators on the intention of the investors to invest in the crowdfunding projects in emerging countries. This study used a survey research to collect perceptions regarding motivators for crowdfunding investments. Also, a structural modelling equation has been adopted to model and analyse data. Motivators like monetary utility, personal utility, campaign and campaign owner, social and sense of belongingness and societal utility have been identified from the literature and empirically investigated in the study. This study has been conducted in an emerging country which could limit its generalization for this spectrum. Further studies considering the perceptual factors herein adopted could be run in developed countries in order to understand if the findings remain the same or any other contrasting evidence is observed. The model built in this study could be used by anyone who is planning to raise funds through crowdfunding. The crowdfunding platforms through the research findings can extend advice to the fund seeker and ensure that campaigns posted on his portal has the necessary ingredients. The model built is positively an initial attempt to understand the motivators which pushes the prospective investors towards crowdfunding campaigns in emerging countries. This study contributes especially to the emerging countries, in which crowdfunding concept and initiatives are still few widespread. By the understanding of perceptual factors, policy-makers may act successfully on fostering initiatives regarding crowdfunding developments. This can enhance economic and social aspects of those countries through several innovation developments. The existing literary talks about crowdfunding in developed economies, very few studies have taken place in emerging economies and moreover no study has focused on building a model which could encompass all the factors impacting investors’ decision making towards crowdfunding. This research is novel since the concept of crowdfunding is relatively new and the factors which could possibly motivate the prospective investors to consider projects for investments are not known, mainly in emerging countries and hence has been studied in the current research.
The association of blood urea nitrogen levels upon emergency admission with mortality in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Chen Lan , Chen Lijun , Zheng Han , Wu Sunying , Wang Saibin
Published: November 2021

Background and purpose

High blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is associated with an elevated risk of mortality in various diseases, such as heart failure and pneumonia. Heart failure and pneumonia are common comorbidities of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). However, data on the relationship of BUN levels with mortality in patients with AECOPD are sparse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between BUN level and in-hospital mortality in a cohort of patients with AECOPD who presented at the emergency department (ED).

Methods

A total of 842 patients with AECOPD were enrolled in the retrospective observational study from January 2018 to September 2020. The outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and logistic regression models were performed to evaluate the association of BUN levels with in-hospital mortality in patients with AECOPD. Propensity score matching was used to assemble a cohort of patients with similar baseline characteristics, and logistic regression models were also performed in the propensity score matching cohort.

Results

During hospitalization, 26 patients (3.09%) died from all causes, 142 patients (16.86%) needed invasive ventilation, and 190 patients (22.57%) were admitted to the ICU. The mean level of blood urea nitrogen was 7.5 ± 4.5 mmol/L. Patients in the hospital non-survivor group had higher BUN levels (13.48 ± 9.62 mmol/L vs. 7.35 ± 4.14 mmol/L, p < 0.001) than those in the survivor group. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.76 (95% CI 0.73–0.79, p < 0.001), and the optimal BUN level cutoff was 7.63 mmol/L for hospital mortality. As a continuous variable, BUN level was associated with hospital mortality after adjusting respiratory rate, level of consciousness, pH, PCO2, lactic acid, albumin, glucose, CRP, hemoglobin, platelet distribution width, D-dimer, and pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03–1.17, p=0.005). The OR of hospital mortality was significantly higher in the BUN level ≥7.63 mmol/L group than in the BUN level <7.63 mmol/L group in adjusted model (OR 3.29, 95% CI 1.05–10.29, p=0.041). Similar results were found after multiple imputation and in the propensity score matching cohort.

Conclusions

Increased BUN level at ED admission is associated with hospital mortality in patients with AECOPD who present at the ED. The level of 7.63 mmol/L can be used as a cutoff value for critical stratification.
Reflection of the Ictal Electrocorticographic Discharges Confined to the Medial Temporal Lobe to the Scalp-Recorded Electroencephalogram
Authors: Mukae Nobutaka , Shimogawa Takafumi , Sakata Ayumi , Uehara Taira , Shigeto Hiroshi , Yoshimoto Koji , Morioka Takato
Published: November 2021

Objective: Previous reports on the simultaneous recording of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocorticography (ECoG) have demonstrated that, in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), ictal ECoG discharges with an amplitude as high as 1000 μV originating from the medial temporal lobe could not be recorded on EEG. In contrast, ictal EEG discharges were recorded after ictal ECoG discharges propagated to the lateral temporal lobe. Here, we report a case of TLE in which the ictal EEG discharges, corresponding to ictal ECoG discharges confined to the medial temporal lobe, were recorded. Case report: In the present case, ictal EEG discharges were hardly recognized when the amplitude of the ECoG discharges was less than 1500 μV. During the evolution and burst suppression phase, corresponding to highly synchronized ECoG discharges with amplitudes greater than 1500 to 2000 μV, rhythmic negative waves with the same frequency were clearly recorded both on the lateral temporal lobe and scalp. The amplitude of the lateral temporal ECoG was approximately one-tenth of that of the medial temporal ECoG. The amplitude of the scalp EEG was approximately one-tenth of that of the lateral temporal ECoG. Conclusions: Highly synchronized ictal ECoG discharges with high amplitude of greater than 1500 to 2000 μV in the medial temporal lobe could be recorded on the scalp as ictal EEG discharges via volume conduction.
Bell's palsy
Authors: Cull Frith , Coleman Holli
Published: November 2021

Bell's palsy is the term given to an idiopathic lower motor neurone facial nerve paresis or paralysis. It is of rapid onset, almost always unilateral, and may be associated with facial or retro-auricular pain or otalgia. It is the most common diagnosis associated with facial nerve palsy; a GP will see a case approximately every 2 years in practice in the United Kingdom. Early diagnosis and steroid treatment increase the likelihood of full recovery, whereas ocular complications can be prevented by lubricants and lid taping. Over 70% of patients recover within a year. Options to improve facial appearance and function, in those who do not experience a complete recovery, include surgery.
Automatic extraction of 12 cardiovascular concepts from German discharge letters using pre-trained language models
Authors: Richter-Pechanski Phillip , Geis Nicolas A , Kiriakou Christina , Schwab Dominic M , Dieterich Christoph
Published: November 2021

Objective

A vast amount of medical data is still stored in unstructured text documents. We present an automated method of information extraction from German unstructured clinical routine data from the cardiology domain enabling their usage in state-of-the-art data-driven deep learning projects.

Methods

We evaluated pre-trained language models to extract a set of 12 cardiovascular concepts in German discharge letters. We compared three bidirectional encoder representations from transformers pre-trained on different corpora and fine-tuned them on the task of cardiovascular concept extraction using 204 discharge letters manually annotated by cardiologists at the University Hospital Heidelberg. We compared our results with traditional machine learning methods based on a long short-term memory network and a conditional random field.

Results

Our best performing model, based on publicly available German pre-trained bidirectional encoder representations from the transformer model, achieved a token-wise micro-average F1-score of 86% and outperformed the baseline by at least 6%. Moreover, this approach achieved the best trade-off between precision (positive predictive value) and recall (sensitivity).

Conclusion

Our results show the applicability of state-of-the-art deep learning methods using pre-trained language models for the task of cardiovascular concept extraction using limited training data. This minimizes annotation efforts, which are currently the bottleneck of any application of data-driven deep learning projects in the clinical domain for German and many other European languages.
Influential Factors Under Labor Law Adhere to ILO: An Analysis in the Fish Farming Industry of Bangladesh
Authors: Syed Robayet , Bhattacharjee Nanda , Khan Repon
Published: November 2021

This article evaluates different factors under the Bangladesh Labor Act 2006 for promoting work satisfaction in the fish farming workers in Bangladesh. How far does this industry comply with standard labor laws adheres to international labor policy, and promotion of labor rights is another focus of this study. This study shows that yearly increment, overtime payment, weekly holiday, amount of compensation, appointment by appointment letter, and job security significantly influence the fish farming workers’ minds in Bangladesh. The Qualitative part of the study finds that the State must protect the workers’ rights by enacting a standard labor policy that adheres to international instruments, which it is unwilling to do so. This study helps in evaluating the opinion of the fishers’ work satisfaction as well as policy planning for the development of the fish farming industry. It will add value by creating awareness of labor rights in the Asian developing setting.
Postpartum Hemorrhage and its Associated Factors Among Women who Gave Birth at Yirgalem General Hospital, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia
Authors: Amanuel Tedla , Dache Azmach , Dona Aregahegn
Published: November 2021

Background

Globally, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. In developing countries, it accounts for more than 30% of all maternal deaths. So, understanding its burden in the health care setting is significant. Thus, this study aimed to assess the magnitude of PPH and its associated factors among women who gave birth at Yirgalem General Hospital, Sidama Region, Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 12 to 26, 2020 among randomly selected 298 women. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered, structured, and pretested questionnaire. EpiData version 3.1 and SPSS version 20 were used to enter and analyze the data, respectively. Descriptive statistics, bivariable, and multivariable logistic regression analysis were done. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to measure the presence and strength of association between the independent and the outcome variables. A P-value ≤.05 was considered to declare statistical significance.

Result

The magnitude of PPH was 9.4% [95% CI: 6.0, 12.8]. Prolonged labor (≥24 h) [AOR = 3.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 9.9], giving birth by cesarean section [AOR = 5.8, 95% CI: 1.1, 22.0], and instrumental vaginal delivery [AOR = 3.7, 95% CI: 1.1, 12.7], and having a history of the uterine atony [AOR = 4.8, 95% CI: 1.4, 16.6] during their last delivery were factors significantly associated with PPH.

Conclusion

The magnitude of PPH was high. Healthcare professionals should manage the progress of labor and take all necessary measures at right time. Also, giving attention to the safety of delivery-related procedures and early related potential risks is crucial.
Stopping to Listen: Using Qualitative Methods to Inform a Web-Based Platform for Adults With Neurofibromatosis
Authors: Lester Ethan G. , Popok Paula J. , Grunberg Victoria A. , Baez Alejandro , Herrawi Farahdeba , Vranceanu Ana-Maria
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Psychosocial care for people with neurofibromatosis (NF) is challenging to access. Therefore, we sought to develop a self-guided web-based treatment platform for people with NF based on the live video relaxation response resiliency program for NF (3RP-NF). Here we report on qualitative interviews with adult patients who participated in the 3RP-NF to: (a) understand participant perceptions of the 3RP-NF program and (b) gather feedback for a self-guided web-based treatment platform (i.e., NF-Web). Methods: We conducted individual semistructured interviews ( N = 23; videoconferencing). We utilized both the Framework method and a hybrid deductive and inductive approach to analyze qualitative data. Results: We examined findings within the following themes for both 3RP-NF and NF-Web: (a) general attitudes, (b) barriers and facilitators, and (c) program-specific factors. Participants endorsed positive attitudes towards the 3RP-NF and NF-Web and described unique barriers and facilitators to each and provided suggestions regarding technology, NF-specific needs, and ways to promote social support virtually. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of gathering participant feedback when designing novel, illness-specific interventions. In future studies, we aim to provide people with NF effective and efficient access to psychosocial support that matches their needs and life context. Results are informing NF-Web development.
NeuRank: learning to rank with neural networks for drug–target interaction prediction
Authors: Wu Xiujin , Zeng Wenhua , Lin Fan , Zhou Xiuze
Published: November 2021

Background

Experimental verification of a drug discovery process is expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, recently, the demand to more efficiently and effectively identify drug–target interactions (DTIs) has intensified.

Results

We treat the prediction of DTIs as a ranking problem and propose a neural network architecture, NeuRank, to address it. Also, we assume that similar drug compounds are likely to interact with similar target proteins. Thus, in our model, we add drug and target similarities, which are very effective at improving the prediction of DTIs. Then, we develop NeuRank from a point-wise to a pair-wise, and further to list-wise model.

Conclusion

Finally, results from extensive experiments on five public data sets (DrugBank, Enzymes, Ion Channels, G-Protein-Coupled Receptors, and Nuclear Receptors) show that, in identifying DTIs, our models achieve better performance than other state-of-the-art methods.
The mtDNA mutation spectrum in the PolG mutator mouse reveals germline and somatic selection
Authors: Maclaine Kendra D. , Stebbings Kevin A. , Llano Daniel A. , Havird Justin C.
Published: November 2021

Background

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) codes for products necessary for electron transport and mitochondrial gene translation. mtDNA mutations can lead to human disease and influence organismal fitness. The PolG mutator mouse lacks mtDNA proofreading function and rapidly accumulates mtDNA mutations, making it a model for examining the causes and consequences of mitochondrial mutations. Premature aging in PolG mice and their physiology have been examined in depth, but the location, frequency, and diversity of their mtDNA mutations remain understudied. Identifying the locations and spectra of mtDNA mutations in PolG mice can shed light on how selection shapes mtDNA, both within and across organisms.

Results

Here, we characterized somatic and germline mtDNA mutations in brain and liver tissue of PolG mice to quantify mutation count (number of unique mutations) and frequency (mutation prevalence). Overall, mtDNA mutation count and frequency were the lowest in the D-loop, where an mtDNA origin of replication is located, but otherwise uniform across the mitochondrial genome. Somatic mtDNA mutations have a higher mutation count than germline mutations. However, germline mutations maintain a higher frequency and were also more likely to be silent. Cytosine to thymine mutations characteristic of replication errors were the plurality of basepair changes, and missense C to T mutations primarily resulted in increased protein hydrophobicity. Unlike wild type mice, PolG mice do not appear to show strand asymmetry in mtDNA mutations. Indel mutations had a lower count and frequency than point mutations and tended to be short, frameshift deletions.

Conclusions

Our results provide strong evidence that purifying selection plays a major role in the mtDNA of PolG mice. Missense mutations were less likely to be passed down in the germline, and they were less likely to spread to high frequencies. The D-loop appears to have resistance to mutations, either through selection or as a by-product of replication processes. Missense mutations that decrease hydrophobicity also tend to be selected against, reflecting the membrane-bound nature of mtDNA-encoded proteins. The abundance of mutations from polymerase errors compared with reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage supports previous studies suggesting ROS plays a minimal role in exacerbating the PolG phenotype, but our findings on strand asymmetry provide discussion for the role of polymerase errors in wild type organisms. Our results provide further insight on how selection shapes mtDNA mutations and on the aging mechanisms in PolG mice.