bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does an innovative paper-based health information system (PHISICC) improve data quality and use in primary healthcare? Protocol of a multicountry, cluster randomised controlled trial in sub-Saharan African rural settings
Authors: Bosch-Capblanch Xavier , Oyo-Ita Angela , Muloliwa Artur Manuel , Yapi Richard B , Auer Christian , Samba Mamadou , Gajewski Suzanne , Ross Amanda , Krause L Kendall , Ekpenyong Nnette , Nwankwo Ogonna , Njepuome Anthonia Ngozi , Lee Sofia Mandjate , Sacarlal Jahit , Madede Tavares , Berté Salimata , Matsinhe Graça , Garba Abdullahi Bulama , Brown David W
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Front-line health workers in remote health facilities are the first contact of the formal health sector and are confronted with life-saving decisions. Health information systems (HIS) support the collection and use of health related data. However, HIS focus on reporting and are unfit to support decisions. Since data tools are paper-based in most primary healthcare settings, we have produced an innovative Paper-based Health Information System in Comprehensive Care (PHISICC) using a human-centred design approach. We are carrying out a cluster randomised controlled trial in three African countries to assess the effects of PHISICC compared with the current systems.

Methods and analysis

Study areas are in rural zones of Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Nigeria. Seventy health facilities in each country have been randomly allocated to using PHISICC tools or to continuing to use the regular HIS tools. We have randomly selected households in the catchment areas of each health facility to collect outcomes’ data (household surveys have been carried out in two of the three countries and the end-line data collection is planned for mid-2021). Primary outcomes include data quality and use, coverage of health services and health workers satisfaction; secondary outcomes are additional data quality and use parameters, childhood mortality and additional health workers and clients experience with the system. Just prior to the implementation of the trial, we had to relocate the study site in Mozambique due to unforeseen logistical issues. The effects of the intervention will be estimated using regression models and accounting for clustering using random effects.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics committees in Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Nigeria approved the trials. We plan to disseminate our findings, data and research materials among researchers and policy-makers. We aim at having our findings included in systematic reviews on health systems interventions and future guidance development on HIS.

Trial registration number

PACTR201904664660639; Pre-results.
A case for restoring unity between biotelemetry and bio-logging to enhance animal tracking research
Authors: Cooke Steven J. , Lennox Robert J. , Brownscombe Jacob W. , Iverson Sara J. , Whoriskey Frederick G. , Millspaugh Joshua J. , Hussey Nigel E. , Crossin Glenn T. , Godley Brendan J. , Harcourt Robert
Published: July 2021

Monitoring animals with electronic tags is an increasingly important tool for fundamental and applied ecological research. Based on the size of the system under study, the ability to recapture the animal, and research medium (e.g., aerial, freshwater, saltwater, terrestrial), tags selected may either log data in memory (bio-logging), transmit it to a receiver or satellite (biotelemetry), or have a hybrid design. Over time, we perceive that user groups are diverging based on increasing use of technology specific terms, favouring either bio-logging or biotelemetry. It is crucial to ensure that a divide does not become entrenched in the community because it will likely hinder efforts to advance field and analytical methods and reduce accessibility of animal tracking with electronic tags to early-career and new researchers. We discuss the context for this emerging problem and the evidence that this is manifesting within the scientific community. Finally, we suggest how the animal tracking community may work to address this issue to maximize the benefits of information transfer and integration between users of the two technologies.
Design and development of autonomous amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle for in situ water quality assessment and water sampling
Authors: Manoharan Dinesh , Gajendran C. , Padmanabhan M.K. , Vignesh S. , Rajesh S. , Bhuvaneshwaran G.D.
Published: July 2021

This paper presents the design and development of an autonomous amphibious unmanned aerial vehicle (AAUAV) system with hybrid version of a multicopter and a hovercraft that can vertically take-off and land as well as travel on water and smooth earth surfaces for water-based applications like water quality assessment, water sampling, remote sensing, underwater mapping, etc. Based on the conceptual design, parameters such as aircraft overall dimensions, weight estimation, aircraft performance, power requirement, and endurance of the UAV were calculated and evaluated. Using these computed parameters, a suitable propulsion system was selected. A 3D CAD model of the UAV was developed, and 2D manufacturing drawings were made. Finally, a prototype of the UAV was fabricated, assembled, and all the sub-systems were integrated. Initial trial runs were made to check the proper functioning of all sub-systems as intended. Subsequently, to verify and validate the UAV’s concept and design configuration, ground and field tests were conducted to test the vertical take-off and landing, flying, and amphibious capabilities of the developed unmanned system. Results of the tests have proven that a well-conceived design and development has been successfully completed.
A Retargetable Model-Driven Framework for the Development of Mobile User Interfaces
Authors: Khan Mehreen , Azam Farooque , Rashid Muhammad , Samea Fatima , Anwar Muhammad Waseem , Muzaffar Abdul Wahab , Butt Wasi Haider
Published: July 2021

Since the emergence of mobile devices, the architecture of mobile applications has been transformed significantly. In mobile applications, the User Interface (UI) is one of the major elements, but its development is complex and time-consuming. Existing practices do not support various presentation issues of the UI at a higher abstraction level, in a retargetable fashion, with complete tool support. Therefore, it is critical to develop a simple and automated framework for the development of mobile UIs by exploiting model-driven engineering concepts. In this paper, a Unified Modeling language (UML) profile for Mobile User Interfaces (UMMUI) has been proposed, which employs some standard UML notations for representing the mobile UI requirements at a higher abstraction level. Subsequently, a complete open-source transformation engine has been developed to automatically transform the high-level source models (in UMMUI) into the target low-level React Native implementation. Finally, the applicability of the proposed framework is validated through two benchmark case studies, i.e., Patient Management System and Library Application. The results verify that the proposed framework allows the modeling of UIs with simplicity and generates the target code automatically with minimum transformation losses.
Syntheses and characteristics of push–pull derivatives for quadruply fused porphyrins
Authors: Ishizuka Tomoya , Saegusa Yuta , Kojima Takahiko
Published: July 2021

“Push–pull” derivatives (2 – 4) of zinc(II) complexes having quadruply fused porphyrinato (QFP) ligands have been synthesized to elucidate the impact of the “push–pull” effects on the electronic structure of QFP. Each ZnQFP derivative of 2 – 4 has an electron-withdrawing group (EWG) such as nitro group and a methoxy group as an electron-donating group (EDG) at the diagonal positions of the molecule. Owing to the extended [Formula: see text]-conjugation of 2– 4 reaching to the substituted positions of the EWG and EDG, charge-transfer (CT) bands, which are sensitive to the solvent polarity, have been observed in the UV-vis spectra. In contrast, the corresponding “push–pull” derivatives of tetraphenylporphyrin, whose [Formula: see text]-conjugation is disconnected at the bonds between the meso-carbon and meso-aryl group, do not exhibit any CT transitions derived from the substituents.
Investigation of type-I conformations of A2B4-[26]hexaphyrins(1.1.1.1.1.1) bearing strongly electron-withdrawing aryl substituents at 5,20-positions
Authors: Nagano Yoichi , Suzuki Masaaki
Published: July 2021

The dumbbell-shaped type-I conformation is the inherent structure of the [26]hexaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1) framework without any perturbations from its peripheral substituents. Conversely, the rectangular type-II conformation can be regarded as a more general structure seen in stable [26]hexaphyrins(1.1.1.1.1.1) because of not only the synthetic limitations but also the steric influences related to the meso-aryl substituents. In this study, the synthesis of [26]hexaphyrins(1.1.1.1.1.1) bearing a series of electron-withdrawing groups and their conformational characterizations were investigated. The 1H NMR spectra showed that [26]hexaphyrin with 3,5-dinitrophenyl groups at the 5,20-positions was obtained as the sole type-I conformer, whereas most other [26]hexaphyrins are in equilibrium between type-I, type-II, and type-II[Formula: see text] conformers. Moreover, UV-vis absorption measurements revealed that type-I conformations can utilize the electronic features of their 5,20-substituents owing to their relatively co-planar arrangements with the macrocycles.
On the Power of Symmetric Linear Programs
Authors: Atserias Albert , Dawar Anuj , Ochremiak Joanna
Published: July 2021

We consider families of symmetric linear programs (LPs) that decide a property of graphs (or other relational structures) in the sense that, for each size of graph, there is an LP defining a polyhedral lift that separates the integer points corresponding to graphs with the property from those corresponding to graphs without the property. We show that this is equivalent, with at most polynomial blow-up in size, to families of symmetric Boolean circuits with threshold gates. In particular, when we consider polynomial-size LPs, the model is equivalent to definability in a non-uniform version of fixed-point logic with counting (FPC). Known upper and lower bounds for FPC apply to the non-uniform version. In particular, this implies that the class of graphs with perfect matchings has polynomial-size symmetric LPs, while we obtain an exponential lower bound for symmetric LPs for the class of Hamiltonian graphs. We compare and contrast this with previous results (Yannakakis 1991), showing that any symmetric LPs for the matching and TSP polytopes have exponential size. As an application, we establish that for random, uniformly distributed graphs, polynomial-size symmetric LPs are as powerful as general Boolean circuits. We illustrate the effect of this on the well-studied planted-clique problem.
Spatial Coevolution for Generative Adversarial Network Training
Authors: Hemberg Erik , Toutouh Jamal , Al-Dujaili Abdullah , Schmiedlechner Tom , O’Reilly Una-May
Published: July 2021

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) are difficult to train because of pathologies such as mode and discriminator collapse. Similar pathologies have been studied and addressed in competitive evolutionary computation by increased diversity. We study a system, Lipizzaner, that combines spatial coevolution with gradient-based learning to improve the robustness and scalability of GAN training. We study different features of Lipizzaner’s evolutionary computation methodology. Our ablation experiments determine that communication, selection, parameter optimization, and ensemble optimization each, as well as in combination, play critical roles. Lipizzaner succumbs less frequently to critical collapses and, as a side benefit, demonstrates improved performance. In addition, we show a GAN-training feature of Lipizzaner: the ability to train simultaneously with different loss functions in the gradient descent parameter learning framework of each GAN at each cell. We use an image generation problem to show that different loss function combinations result in models with better accuracy and more diversity in comparison to other existing evolutionary GAN models. Finally, Lipizzaner with multiple loss function options promotes the best model diversity while requiring a large grid size for adequate accuracy.
Dileucine ingestion is more effective than leucine in stimulating muscle protein turnover in young males: a double blind randomized controlled trial
Authors: Paulussen Kevin J.M. , Alamilla Rafael A. , Salvador Amadeo F. , McKenna Colleen F. , Askow Andrew T. , Fang Hsin-Yu , Li Zhong , Ulanov Alexander V. , Paluska Scott A. , Rathmacher John A. , Jäger Ralf , Purpura Martin , Burd Nicholas A.
Published: July 2021

The role of dipeptides as anabolic agents remains unresolved in humans. We show that the ingestion of 2 g dileucine increased plasma dileucine concentrations and resulted in an enhancement of muscle protein turnover by stimulating an increase in muscle protein synthesis rates in healthy young males. The ingestion of 2 g leucine, however, did not stimulate an increase in muscle protein turnover. Our work provides the first insights into the effects of dipeptides on human protein metabolism.
Utilization of Rituximab for Refractory Rowell Syndrome
Authors: Singh Sukhraj , Sheffield Sandra , Chowdhury Nisha , Nuthulaganti Swetha , Vaghaiwalla Zareen , Ramsubeik Karishma
Published: July 2021

Rowell syndrome describes the occurrence of erythema multiforme-like lesions in patients with cutaneous lesions of lupus erythematosus. The clinical picture of atypical erythema multiforme-like lesions, presence of chilblains, speckled ANA pattern, anti-Ro/SSA, or anti-La/SSB antibodies, and absence of infectious or pharmacologic triggers in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus are some of the classic clinical and serologic features. Histopathologic and serologic findings can help differentiate this process from erythema multiforme. We present a case of young woman with systemic lupus erythematosus, end-stage renal disease due to lupus nephritis, and a remote history of Steven–Johnson syndrome due to sulfa allergy who presented to the hospital with a recurrent, progressive, targetoid erythematous rash involving more than 60% of her body surface area. Our patient had several hospitalizations in the recent past for this erythematous rash and had failed oral therapy with prednisone 1 mg/kg and hydroxychloroquine. In view of the minimal improvement and increasing severity and patient exhibiting early features of mast cell activation syndrome, the patient was treated with pulse intravenous glucocorticoids followed by rituximab with an excellent response. We highlight a unique case report of progressive Rowell syndrome refractory to standard of care with an excellent response to rituximab.
Deep Learning-Based CT Imaging in Perioperative Period and Nursing of Esophageal Carcinoma Patients
Authors: Wang Qiaoli , Zhu Jinfu
Published: July 2021

The study focused on the performance of Convolutional Neural Network- (CNN-) based lymph node recognition model as well as the effects of different rehabilitation nursing methods on patients with esophageal cancer. Specifically, the activation function and loss function were optimized by CNN, to establish a U-Net lymph node recognition model. It was compared with Mean Shift and Fuzzy C-means (FCM) algorithm for the loss value, the mean pixel accuracy (mPA), and intersection over union (IOU). 158 patients with esophageal cancer undergoing radical resection were selected as research subjects. With pathological diagnosis results as the gold standard, the role of CT imaging was evaluated in the diagnosis of esophageal cancer lymph nodes. All subjects were divided into control group (routine nursing) and intervention group (routine nursing + rehabilitation nursing) according to different nursing methods, with 79 cases in each. The two groups were compared in terms of the time in bed, hospital stay, indwelling chest tube time, and VAS scores. It was found that the loss value of the U-Net model was close to 0 when it was stable, and its IOU value and mPA value were significantly higher than those of the Mean Shift and FCM algorithms. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the U-Net model were 84.37%, 80.74%, 88.65%, 85.02%, and 87.16%, respectively. When it came to lymph node metastasis number of 1-2, there were notable differences between CT results and postoperative pathology results, and the difference was statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

). As for their identifying lymph node metastasis area, there was no statistically significant difference (

P
>
0.05

). The intervention group exhibited lower postoperative VAS score, shorter time in bed, and shorter hospital stay and indwelling chest tube time versus the control group (

P
<
0.01

). It suggested that the U-Net model optimized by CNN has high diagnostic efficiency for lymph nodes, and the rehabilitation nursing intervention significantly mitigates postoperative pain and accelerates postoperative recovery.
Ammunition Type Optimization Based on Damage Ability Matching
Authors: Li Yuan , Shi Xianming , Li Yajuan , Xia Wei , Zhao Jiangbo
Published: July 2021

At present, there exist many kinds of new ammunition, with great differences in application occasions. In the process of ammunition preparation, it is usually necessary to configure a variety of ammunition to meet the needs of attacking different targets. It is essentially a multiple criteria decision-making problem to select the appropriate ammunition type for different targets and provide a reliable decision support for accurate ammunition support. On this basis, the matching degree of ammunition target damage ability is selected as the ammunition type optimization standard, the objective weighting method, entropy weight method, is selected to determine the evaluation index weight, and the VIKOR method is used to gather the ammunition type optimization evaluation value, which overcomes the uncertainty caused by subjective weighting and the information loss caused by index value conversion and takes into account the group benefit value and individual regret value. Through an example, the sensitivity analysis of the decision mechanism coefficient in the VIKOR method is carried out, and the results are compared with those of the TOPSIS method to verify the stability and effectiveness of this method in the process of ammunition type optimization.
Land Use/Land Cover Change Impact on Hydrological Process in the Upper Baro Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Getu Engida Tewodros , Nigussie Tewodros Assefa , Aneseyee Abreham Berta , Barnabas John
Published: July 2021

Understanding the hydrological process associated with Land Use/Land Cover (LU/LC) change is vital for decision-makers in improving human wellbeing. LU/LC change significantly affects the hydrology of the landscape, caused by anthropogenic activities. The scope of this study is to investigate the impact of LU/LC change on the hydrological process of Upper Baro Basin for the years 1987, 2002, and 2017. The Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used for the simulation of the streamflow. The required data for the SWAT model are soils obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization; Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and LU/LC were obtained from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The meteorological data such as Rainfall, Temperature, Sunshine, Humidity, and Wind Speeds were obtained from the Ethiopian National Meteorological Agency. Data on discharge were obtained from Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity. Ecosystems are deemed vital. Landsat images were used to classify the LU/LC pattern using ERDAS Imagine 2014 software and the LU/LC were classified using the Maximum Likelihood Algorithm of Supervised Classification. The Sequential Uncertainty Fitting (SUFI-2) global sensitivity method within SWAT Calibration and Uncertainty Procedures (SWAT-CUP) was used to identify the most sensitive streamflow parameters. The calibration was carried out using observed streamflow data from 01 January 1990 to 31 December 2002 and a validation period from 01 January 2003 to 31 December 2009. LU/LC analysis shows that there was a drastic decrease of grassland by 15.64% and shrubland by 9.56% while an increase of agricultural land and settlement by 18.01% and 13.01%, respectively, for 30 years. The evaluation of the SWAT model presented that the annual surface runoff increased by 43.53 mm, groundwater flow declined by 27.58 mm, and lateral flow declined by 5.63 mm. The model results showed that the streamflow characteristics changed due to the LU/LC change during the study periods 1987–2017 such as change of flood frequency, increased peak flows, base flow, soil erosion, and annual mean discharge. Curve number, an available water capacity of the soil layer, and soil evaporation composition factor were the most sensitive parameters identified for the streamflow. Both the calibration and validation results disclosed a good agreement between measured and simulated streamflow. The performance of the model statistical test shows the coefficient of determination (R2) and Nash–Sutcliffe (NS) efficiency values 0.87 and 0.81 for calibration periods of 1990–2002 and 0.84 and 0.76 for the validation period of 2003 to 2009, respectively. Overall, LU/LC significantly affected the hydrological condition of the watershed. Therefore, different conservation strategies to maintain the stability and resilience of the ecosystem are vital.
Evaluation Algorithm of Teaching Work Quality in Colleges and Universities Based on Deep Denoising Autoencoder Network
Authors: Liu Yu
Published: July 2021

One of the most significant components of the teaching department’s evaluation of teaching quality is evaluating teachers’ performance. With the acceleration of educational informatization, modern information processing technology can be used effectively to evaluate teachers’ teaching quality in traditional teaching. In this context, combined with some computational intelligence algorithms, it is critical to developing a targeted teaching quality evaluation system. This paper studies teacher teaching evaluation’s characteristics and existing problems and analyzes the fundamental theories and methods of teacher teaching evaluation in colleges and universities. A novel combination of deep denoising autoencoder and support vector machine was proposed for evaluating teacher’s teaching quality. Moreover, support vector regression is used to predict the model’s output layer to achieve supervised assessment prediction. To capture the data’s key properties, the model comprises numerous hidden layers and conducts various feature transformations during unsupervised training to minimize the mean square error between the reconstructed output data and the original input data. As a result, the proposed model achieved the highest recognition accuracy of 85.23% and convergence compared to other models. Thus, the method can be employed to evaluate and forecast the quality of university teaching activity successfully.
Hypochondriasis and Personality Traits of Patients with Chronic Plaque Psoriasis
Authors: Gisondi Paolo , Geat Davide , Ferrazzi Anna , Bellinato Francesco , Girolomoni Giampiero
Published: July 2021

Background: Plaque psoriasis has been associated with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and various personality traits. However, studies on hypochondriasis, i.e. the belief of serious illness despite having no or only mild symptoms, are currently scarce. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess hypochondriasis and personality traits in psoriasis patients using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Methods: We conducted an observational study on patients with plaque psoriasis who underwent MMPI-2 testing. Demographic and clinical data, including comorbidities, alcohol consumption, and smoking, were collected. Results: A total of 136 consecutive psoriatic patients were included. The mean age (±SD) was 53.7 (±13.5), mean PASI (Psoriasis Area Severity Index) was 12.4 (±9.9), and mean disease duration was 23.3 (±15.7) years. Pathologically elevated scores in the Hypochondriasis scale were observed in 27.9% of patients. Furthermore, in a few other MMPI-2 scales (Anxiety, Fears and Negative Treatment Indicators) ≥25% of patients obtained pathologically elevated scores. Conversely, the scales that had the highest proportion of low scorers were Ego Strength and Dominance. At regression analysis, higher psoriasis severity and female gender were associated with higher scores in the Hypochondriasis scale (p = 0.03 and 0.001). Finally, 72.8% reported any alcohol consumption and 8.1% heavy alcohol consumption. Conclusion: About one third of patients with psoriasis have high scores in the MMPI-2 hypochondriasis evaluation scale. Poor individual coping resources also appeared to be distinctive psychological features in a significant proportion of psoriatic patients.
Secondary Metabolites Governing Microbiome Interaction of Staphylococcal Pathogens and Commensals
Authors: Torres Salazar Benjamin O. , Heilbronner Simon , Peschel Andreas , Krismer Bernhard
Published: July 2021

Various Staphylococcus species colonize skin and upper airways of warm-blooded animals. They compete successfully with many other microorganisms under the hostile and nutrient-poor conditions of these habitats using mechanisms that we are only beginning to appreciate. Small-molecule mediators, whose biosynthesis requires complex enzymatic cascades, so-called secondary metabolites, have emerged as crucial components of staphylococcal microbiome interactions. Such mediators belong to a large variety of compound classes and several of them have attractive properties for future drug development. They include, for instance, bacteriocins such as lanthipeptides, thiopeptides, and fibupeptides that inhibit bacterial competitor species; signaling molecules such as thiolactone peptides that induce or inhibit sensory cascades in other bacteria; or metallophores such as staphyloferrins and staphylopine that scavenge scant transition metal ions. For some secondary metabolites such as the aureusimines, the exact function remains to be elucidated. How secondary metabolites shape the fitness of Staphylococcus species in the complex context of other microbial and host defense factors remains a challenging field of future research. A detailed understanding will help to harness staphylococcal secondary metabolites for excluding the pathogenic species Staphylococcus aureus from the nasal microbiomes of at-risk patients, and it will be instrumental for the development of advanced anti-infective interventions.
Association between Vitamin D and Risk of Stroke: A PRISMA-Compliant Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Su Cen , Jin Biao , Xia Haiping , Zhao Kangren
Published: July 2021

Background: Previous studies have shown inconsistent results for associations between vitamin D and risk of stroke. We gathered the existing published articles and conducted this meta-analysis with the aim to explore the association between vitamin D and risk of stroke. Methods: We searched for articles exploring the association between vitamin D and risk of stroke and published before April 2021 in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. All statistical analyses were made using STATA 12.0 software. Q test and I2 were applied to examine heterogeneities between studies. Results: For the association between serum levels of 25(OH) vitamin D and risks of stroke, the present analysis included 20 cohort studies (including 213,276 participants) and a case-control analysis (including 13,642 participants). Additionally, the analysis included 15 studies (including 41,146 participants given vitamin D supplementation and 41,163 participants given placebo) to evaluate the influence of vitamin D supplementation on risk of stroke. Higher circulating levels of 25(OH) vitamin D were associated with a reduced risk of stroke (odds ratio/relative risk = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70–0.86, I2 = 41.5%, p = 0.025). However, the present analysis showed that vitamin D supplementation did not influence the risk of stroke (hazard ratio = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.96–1.14, I2 = 2.3%, p = 0.425). Conclusions: Our analysis indicated that lower circulating level of vitamin D was associated with an elevated risk of stroke, but extra supplement of vitamin D failed to show benefit in decreasing the risk of stroke. Further research and study are also needed to show the role of vitamin D in relation to stroke.
Renin‐Angiotensin Aldosterone System Inhibitors in Primary Prevention and COVID‐19
Authors: Loader Jordan , Lampa Erik , Gustafsson Stefan , Cars Thomas , Sundström Johan
Published: July 2021

Background

Considering the widespread risk of collider bias and confounding by indication in previous research, the associations between renin‐angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor use and COVID‐19 remain unknown. Accordingly, this study tested the hypothesis that RAAS inhibitors influence the summation effect of COVID‐19 and its progression to severe outcomes.

Methods and Results

This nationwide cohort study compared all residents of Sweden, without prior cardiovascular disease, in monotherapy (as of January 1, 2020) with a RAAS inhibitor to those using a calcium channel blocker or a thiazide diuretic. Comparative cohorts were balanced using machine‐learning‐derived propensity score methods. Of 165 355 people in the analysis (51% women), 367 were hospitalized or died with COVID‐19 (246 using a RAAS inhibitor versus 121 using a calcium channel blocker or thiazide diuretic; Cox proportional hazard ratio [HR], 0.97; 95% CI, 0.74–1.27). When each outcome was assessed separately, 335 people were hospitalized with COVID‐19 (HR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.70–1.22), and 64 died with COVID‐19 (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.68–2.19). The severity of COVID‐19 outcomes did not differ between those using a RAAS inhibitor and those using a calcium channel blocker or thiazide diuretic (ordered logistic regression odds ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.89–1.14).

Conclusions

Despite potential limitations, this study is among the best available evidence that RAAS inhibitor use in primary prevention does not increase the risk of severe COVID‐19 outcomes; presenting strong data from which scientists and policy makers alike can base, with greater confidence, their current position on the safety of using RAAS inhibitors during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Incidence of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Northern Tanzania: A Modeling Approach Within a Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Hertz Julian T. , Madut Deng B. , Rubach Matthew P. , William Gwamaka , Crump John A. , Galson Sophie W. , Maro Venance P. , Bloomfield Gerald S. , Limkakeng Alexander T. , Temu Gloria , Thielman Nathan M. , Sakita Francis M.
Published: July 2021

Background

Rigorous incidence data for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in sub‐Saharan Africa are lacking. Consequently, modeling studies based on limited data have suggested that the burden of AMI and AMI‐associated mortality in sub‐Saharan Africa is lower than in other world regions.

Methods and Results

We estimated the incidence of AMI in northern Tanzania in 2019 by integrating data from a prospective surveillance study (681 participants) and a community survey of healthcare‐seeking behavior (718 participants). In the surveillance study, adults presenting to an emergency department with chest pain or shortness of breath were screened for AMI with ECG and troponin testing. AMI was defined by the Fourth Universal Definition of AMI criteria. Mortality was assessed 30 days following enrollment via in‐person or telephone interviews. In the cluster‐based community survey, adults in northern Tanzania were asked where they would present for chest pain or shortness of breath. Multipliers were applied to account for AMI cases that would have been missed by our surveillance methods. The estimated annual incidence of AMI was 172 (207 among men and 139 among women) cases per 100 000 people. The age‐standardized annual incidence was 211 (263 among men and 170 among women) per 100 000 people. The estimated annual incidence of AMI‐associated mortality was 87 deaths per 100 000 people, and the age‐standardized annual incidence was 102 deaths per 100 000 people.

Conclusions

The incidence of AMI and AMI‐associated mortality in northern Tanzania is much higher than previously estimated and similar to that observed in high‐income countries.
Enabling Communities of Practice Surrounding the Design and Use of Custom Accessible Music Technology
Authors: Lucas Alex , Schroeder Franziska , Ortiz Miguel
Published: July 2021

In this article, the research group Performance without Barriers reflect on the process of collaboratively designing a custom guitar-inspired instrument with Eoin Fitzpatrick, a physically disabled musician from the Drake Music Project, Northern Ireland. As part of a longitudinal ethnographic case study designed to uncover factors that contribute to the longevity of custom assistive music technology, the authors monitored Fitzpatrick using this instrument over two months. The findings of this study inform a reflection on the social, technical, and environmental factors that the provision of such technology a reality. The authors make suggestions for ways to achieve long-term, sustained use. Custom technologies, seemingly unique on the surface, may well utilize similar underlying hardware and software components. Those involved in its design, fabrication, facilitation, and use could benefit from a concerted effort to share resources, knowledge, and skill as a mobilized community of practitioners. In such a pursuit, the authors recommend that practitioners consider strategies for managing the inherent complexity of digital technology. Fostering shared mental models within open-source communities can result in improved efficiency in the development of accessible music technology.
Levels of Detail in Visual Augmentation for Novice and Expert Audiences
Authors: Capra Olivier , Berthaut Florent , Grisoni Laurent
Published: July 2021

Digital musical instruments offer countless opportunities for musical expression by allowing artists to produce sound without the physical constraints of analog instruments. By breaking the intuitive link between gestures and sound they may hinder the audience experience, however, making the musician's contribution and expressiveness difficult to discern. To cope with this issue without altering the instruments, researchers and artists have designed techniques to augment their performances with additional information, through audio, haptic, or visual modalities. These techniques have, however, only been designed to offer a fixed level of information, without taking into account the variety of spectators' expertise and preferences. In this article, we introduce the concept of controllable levels of details (LODs) for visual augmentation. We investigate their design, implementation, and effect on objective and subjective aspects of audience experience. We conduct a controlled experiment with 18 participants, including novices and experts in electronic music. Our results expose the subjective nature of expertise and its biases. We analyze quantitative and qualitative data to reveal contrasts in the impact of LODs on experience and comprehension for experts and novices. Finally, we highlight the diversity of usage of LODs in visual augmentation by spectators and propose a new role on stage, the augmenter.
Sexual size dimorphism and life history traits in an island-mainland system: an overview of the lizard genus Microlophus
Authors: Toyama Ken S. , Boccia Christopher K.
Published: July 2021

Opposing life history strategies are a common result of the different ecological settings experienced by insular and continental species. Here we present a comprehensive compilation of data on sexual size dimorphism (SSD) and life history traits of Microlophus, a genus of lizards distributed in western South America and the Galápagos Islands, and test for differences between insular and continental species under life history theory expectations. Contrary to our predictions, we found no differences in SSD between localities or evidence that Microlophus follows Rensch’s rule. However, as expected, head dimensions and maturity sizes were significantly larger in insular species while continental species had larger clutches. Our results show that Microlophus exhibits some of the patterns expected from an island-mainland system, but unexplained patterns will only be resolved through future ecological, morphological and behavioural studies integrating both faunas.
Case Comment: Do Indigenous Peoples Have a Right to Limit Religious Proselytism Activities in Their Territories?
Authors: Aguilar Trilce Gabriela Valdivia
Published: July 2021

In ruling T-1022/01, the Colombian Constitutional Court responded to a claim brought by a member of the United Pentecostal Church of Colombia against the Yanacona Indigenous Council. The claimants alleged the violation of their rights to freedom of conscience, worship, and dissemination of thought based on two facts: (a) the refusal of their petition to carry out a “Spiritual Renewal Day” in the main square of the indigenous reservation of Caquiona, and (b) the interruption of the religious gatherings of the United Pentecostal Church of Colombia, as well as the prohibition of their pastors entering the indigenous reservation territory. The Court found no violation of the rights alleged. The purpose of this comment is to explore the understanding by the Colombian Constitutional Court of the right to cultural identity of indigenous communities, focusing particularly on whether it encompasses the right to be free from religious proselytism.
Giovanni Bellini’s Madonna of the Meadow, ‘Meditational Poesia’, and the Imitatio Christi
Authors: Steele Brian D.
Published: July 2021

This essay examines Giovanni Bellini’s Madonna of the Meadow as a ‘meditational poesia’, focusing upon formal aspects that differentiate between embracing landscape and figural group and upon Bellini’s approach to this landscape and its contrasting staffage that elicits contemplative reflection. I examine three treatises that may have stimulated the artist and contend that Thomas à Kempis’s Imitation of Christ (translated as Imitatione de Cristo, Venice, 1488) provides thematic structures that most closely align with those characterizing Bellini’s painting and intimate its role in articulating a meditational approach by which a viewer can effectively appraise the Madonna of the Meadow.
Boundary Stones and the Rebellion of Nature
Authors: Burroughs Charles
Published: July 2021

Boundaries demarcate property throughout European history, though the utopian dream of terrain without boundaries recurs, not least in association with the figure of the free-roaming god Pan. Ancient Rome had a god of boundaries, Terminus, associated by Horace with venerable, quasi-natural landscapes of human occupation. In Renaissance culture, Terminus is represented as a hybrid figure—part human; part lithic; often incorporated into architecture. This essay identifies a composite object in a Roman sculpture collection, noted for figures of Pan, as a model for Erasmus’s widely divulged emblem of Terminus, featured in images by major artists. Initially identifying himself with Terminus’s resistance to divine authority, Erasmus met with criticism for arrogance. In response, he drew on Horace’s ethically colored evocation of Terminus, now in connection with the ultimate boundary, that between life and death, as appears in Hans Holbein’s moving design for a monument to the humanist.
Jean Delville’s ‘L’ Allégorie de l’ Enfer’ (c. 1890)—or, Azrael and the Death of Solomon
Authors: Cole Brendan
Published: July 2021

Jean Delville was one of the most talented artists of his generation, producing a prolific body of paintings, drawings, poetry, and essays. This essay explores the relationship between a previously unknown drawing by the artist, recently come to light, and a long narrative-poem published in one of his earliest anthologies: Les Horizons Hanté (1892), titled ‘Azrael’. These early works reveal themes that were to become a mainstay of the artist’s oeuvre concerning the mystery of death, transcendence, and the path of the Initiate.
The Virus of Surveillance: How the covid-19 Pandemic Is Fuelling Technologies of Control
Authors: Tréguer Félix
Published: July 2021

While it is too early to provide a definitive analysis of the impact that the covid-19 health crisis will have on digital state surveillance, this article aims to provide a first assessment. It starts by situating states’ response to the crisis in the longer history of epidemics and their connections to what philosopher Michel Foucault called “regimes of power.” By surveying various surveillance discourses and practices in countries like France, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States or Israel in the Spring of 2020, the article identifies three key trends magnified by the crisis, namely, the crystallisation of new public-private assemblages in the management of health data, a shift towards health-based justification regimes for legitimising controversial surveillance and urban policing technologies, as well as mounting human rights threats and oversight failures in a context marked by a “state of health emergency”.
Notes on the genus Chinattus Logunov, 1999 from India, Pakistan and Nepal (Arachnida: Araneae: Salticidae)
Authors: LOGUNOV DMITRI V.
Published: July 2021

A new species—Chinattus mikhailovi sp. nov. (♂♀, from Pakistan, Peshawar)—is diagnosed, described and illustrated. New records of Chinattus validus (Xie, Peng et Kim, 1993) from Nepal, India (Himachal Pradesh) and Vietnam, and C. chichila Logunov, 2003 from Nepal are presented. The collecting localities of all three species are mapped. A brief discussion of the state of knowledge of the genus Chinattus Logunov, 1999 is provided as well.
The new species Gorytes mikhailovi sp. nov. from Kazakhstan with a key to the Palaearctic species of Gorytes Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Crabronidae)
Authors: MOKROUSOV MIKHAIL V. , PROSHCHALYKIN MAXIM YU.
Published: July 2021

Gorytes mikhailovi sp. nov. is described and illustrated from southeastern Kazakhstan (Zhambyl and Almaty Regions). The species groups of the Palaearctic Gorytes Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Crabronidae) are reviewed and an updated key to the Palaearctic species is provided.
Resurrection of the spider genus Bucliona Benoit, 1977, with a description of a new species from Kenya (Araneae, Clubionidae)
Authors: ZHANG JIANSHUANG , MARUSIK YURI M. , OKETCH AMBATA D. , KIOKO ESTHER N. , YU HAO , LI SHUQIANG
Published: July 2021

The monotypic genus Bucliona Benoit, 1977 (type Clubiona dubia O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1870 from Saint Helena Island), previously considered a junior synonym of Clubiona Latreille, 1804, is resurrected. Three species are assigned to the genus Bucliona: B. dubia comb. reval., B. kirilli sp. n. (♂, Kenya), and B. jucunda (Karsch, 1879) comb. n., ex Clubiona (♂♀, Far East Asia).
Glebych minutissimus gen. et sp. nov., the smallest cobweb spider (Araneae: Theridiidae)
Authors: ESKOV KIRILL Y. , MARUSIK YURI M.
Published: July 2021

Glebych minutissimus gen. et sp. n., (♂♀), a minute six-eyed and apparently lungless theridiid spider, inhabiting epiphytes in foggy-forest belt at Peruvian Andes is described, representing the smallest (total length varies from 0.79 to 0.92 mm, carapace length ca. 0.36 mm) member of the family. Glebych gen. n. is related to the Neotropic genus Styposis Simon, 1894, which is small-sized and six-eyed as well.
Lamentacja dla przyrody – (bez)nadzieja „Ziemskiego lamentu”?
Authors: Łopuszyńska Hanna
Published: July 2021

A Lamentation for Nature – the (Dis)consolation of “Ziemski Lament”?Founded in 2019, the “Ziemski Lament” [Earthly Lament] initiative revitalizes and recontextualizes the folk rite of singing lamentations and dirges which come from traditional rural culture. The group, which I describe using the category of communitas, performs songs taken from Śpiewnik Pelpliński, an extensive 19-century collection of religious songs. This type of communal expression is used to work through negative emotions caused by the consequences of the climate disaster and of exploitation of non-human nature. It is also an instrument of criticism of the strategies responsible for these phenomena. This article takes the study of the lamentation’s essential features and ways of circulation as the point of departure for a reflection on the functionality of this form of ecological protest. Lamentacja dla przyrody – (bez)nadzieja „Ziemskiego lamentu”?Powstała w 2019 roku inicjatywa „Ziemski lament” rewitalizuje i rekontekstualizuje obrzęd śpiewu pieśni lamentacyjnych oraz żałobnych pochodzący z wiejskiej kultury tradycyjnej. Grupa, którą opisuję w kategoriach communitas, wykonuje utwory zaczerpnięte ze Śpiewnika Pelplińskiego. Ten rodzaj wspólnotowej ekspresji służy do przepracowywania negatywnych emocji wywołanych konsekwencjami katastrofy klimatycznej i eksploatacji pozaludzkiej przyrody. Jest także narzędziem krytyki odpowiedzialnych za te zjawiska strategii. Zawarte w artykule badanie cech gatunkowych oraz własności obiegu lamentacji stanowi punkt wyjścia do rozważań o funkcjonalności tej formy protestu ekologicznego.
A Literary Piece as a Sociological Work: The Concept of Modernity in Karel Čapek’s "War With the Newts"
Authors: Hlaváček Karel
Published: July 2021

A literary Piece as a Sociological Work: The Concept of Modernity in Karel Čapek’s War With the NewtsIn this text, I interpret Karel Čapek’s novel War With the Newts (1936) as a sociological work and analyze the concept of the modern age that it presents. First, I show in what sense Čapek’s work was sociological. Following Theodor Adorno, I suggest that the difference between literature and sociology is not of a fundamental but of a historical and analytical nature, and that what defines sociology is not method, empiricism, or explicitly defined concepts, but the insightful notion of social totality. In Čapek, I analyze a social totality that I find in his concept of the modern age. Such an analysis provides insight into the self-destructive power of modern society. I suggest that Čapek’s portrayal of modernity still applies today and that we can recognize the same patterns he presented in the world around us. Utwór literacki jako dzieło socjologiczne. Koncepcja nowoczesności w Inwazji jaszczurów Karela ČapkaW artykule analizuję powieść Karela Čapka Inwazja jaszczurów (1936) jako pracę socjologiczną, skupiając się na zaprezentowanej w niej koncepcji nowoczesności. W pierwszej części tekstu pokazuję, w jakim sensie można uznać pracę Čapka za socjologiczną. Podążając śladami Theodora W. Adorna, uważam, że różnica między literaturą a socjologią nie jest fundamentalna, a jedynie historyczna i analityczna, oraz że wyróżnikiem socjologii nie są metoda, empiryzm czy jednoznacznie zdefiniowane koncepcje, lecz dające głęboki wgląd pojęcie całości społecznej. W drugiej części tekstu analizuję zidentyfikowane przeze mnie u Čapka pojęcie całości społecznej, jakie stanowi jego koncepcja nowoczesności. Analiza ta pozwala uzyskać wgląd w autodestrukcyjną moc nowoczesnego społeczeństwa. Staram się dowieść, że przedstawiona przez tego autora wizja nowoczesności jest wciąż aktualna, a opisane przez niego wzory możemy zaobserwować w otaczającym nas świecie.