bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
C﻿hief digital officers: the state of the art and the road ahead
Authors: Kessel Lena , Graf-Vlachy Lorenz
Published: June 2021

There is a lively debate on chief digital officers (CDOs). Some practitioners stress CDOs’ critical role in recrafting digital strategies and accelerating digital transformation, while others predict their disappearance. Academics have also recently begun to study this new executive position and conducted research on CDOs which is, however, scattered across different disciplines and publication outlets. We conduct a systematic literature review that consolidates these initial gains in knowledge. Specifically, we integrate findings on theoretical lenses, research designs, and key themes in studies on CDOs and we propose a framework that organizes CDO research in three broad themes: antecedents of CDO presence, the CDO role, and consequences of CDO presence. We then build on identified gaps to develop an extensive agenda for future research on CDOs. For academic researchers, we not only offer a discipline-spanning overview of knowledge on the topic at hand but also provide useful direction towards fruitful avenues for future research on CDOs. For practitioners, we offer a summary of the current scientific literature on CDOs, including relevant insights on CDO appointments, governance, and performance consequences.
Effects of urban street trees on human thermal comfort and physiological indices: a case study in Changchun city, China
Authors: Ren Zhibin , Zhao Hongbo , Fu Yao , Xiao Lu , Dong Yulin
Published: June 2021

Planting trees along urban streets is one of the most important strategies to improve the urban thermal environment. However, the net impacts of urban street trees on human thermal comfort and physiological parameters are still less clear. On three similar east–west orientated streets with different degrees of tree cover—low (13%), medium (35%), and high (75%), urban microclimatic parameters and human physiological indices for six male students were simultaneously measured on three cloudless days in summer 2018. The results show that the differences in tree cover were predominant in influencing urban thermal environment and comfort. The street with the highest tree cover had significantly lower physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and more comfortable than the other two streets. The frequency of strong heat stress (PET > 35 °C) was 64%, 11%, and 0%, respectively, for streets with low, medium, and high tree cover. For the six male university students, human physiological indices varied greatly across the three streets with different tree cover. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate increased with decreasing tree cover. The results also suggest that urban thermal environment and comfort had considerable impact on human physiological parameters. Our study provides reasons for urban planners to plant trees along streets to improve the thermal environment and promote urban sustainability.
Spinal Cord Perfusion Pressure Correlates with Anal Sphincter Function in a Cohort of Patients with Acute, Severe Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries
Authors: Hogg Florence R. A. , Kearney Siobhan , Gallagher Mathew J. , Zoumprouli Argyro , Papadopoulos Marios C. , Saadoun Samira
Published: June 2021

Background

Acute, severe traumatic spinal cord injury often causes fecal incontinence. Currently, there are no treatments to improve anal function after traumatic spinal cord injury. Our study aims to determine whether, after traumatic spinal cord injury, anal function can be improved by interventions in the neuro-intensive care unit to alter the spinal cord perfusion pressure at the injury site.

Methods

We recruited a cohort of patients with acute, severe traumatic spinal cord injuries (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grades A–C). They underwent surgical fixation within 72 h of the injury and insertion of an intrathecal pressure probe at the injury site to monitor intraspinal pressure and compute spinal cord perfusion pressure as mean arterial pressure minus intraspinal pressure. Injury-site monitoring was performed at the neuro-intensive care unit for up to a week after injury. During monitoring, anorectal manometry was also conducted over a range of spinal cord perfusion pressures.

Results

Data were collected from 14 patients with consecutive traumatic spinal cord injury aged 22–67 years. The mean resting anal pressure was 44 cmH2O, which is considerably lower than the average for healthy patients, previously reported at 99 cmH2O. Mean resting anal pressure versus spinal cord perfusion pressure had an inverted U-shaped relation (Ȓ2 = 0.82), with the highest resting anal pressures being at a spinal cord perfusion pressure of approximately 100 mmHg. The recto-anal inhibitory reflex (transient relaxation of the internal anal sphincter during rectal distension), which is important for maintaining fecal continence, was present in 90% of attempts at high (90 mmHg) spinal cord perfusion pressure versus 70% of attempts at low (60 mmHg) spinal cord perfusion pressure (P < 0.05). During cough, the rise in anal pressure from baseline was 51 cmH2O at high (86 mmHg) spinal cord perfusion pressure versus 37 cmH2O at low (62 mmHg) spinal cord perfusion pressure (P < 0.0001). During anal squeeze, higher spinal cord perfusion pressure was associated with longer endurance time and spinal cord perfusion pressure of 70–90 mmHg was associated with stronger squeeze. There were no complications associated with anorectal manometry.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that spinal cord injury causes severe disruption of anal sphincter function. Several key components of anal continence (resting anal pressure, recto-anal inhibitory reflex, and anal pressure during cough and squeeze) markedly improve at higher spinal cord perfusion pressure. Maintaining too high of spinal cord perfusion pressure may worsen anal continence.
Thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology: association between nodule size, histopathological characteristics and clinical outcome in differentiated thyroid carcinomas — a multicenter retrospective cohort study on 761 patients
Authors: Cozzani Federico , Bettini Dario , Rossini Matteo , Bonati Elena , Nuzzo Simona , Loderer Tommaso , Pedrazzi Giuseppe , Zaccaroni Alberto , Del Rio Paolo
Published: June 2021

A great number of surgical diagnostic procedures are performed every year for thyroid nodules that are included in undetermined cytological classes that reveal to be malignant thyroid carcinomas in one-third of cases. In the most recent guidelines, lobectomy is the most recommended surgical approach for this classes of nodules, but total thyroidectomy is the recommended treatment for undetermined nodules larger than 4 cm. The main study aim is to support or question the dimensional criteria as an independent clinical decision element for undetermined thyroid nodules management. We examined data regarding 761 patients undergoing thyroid surgery for undetermined thyroid nodules at two high-volume endocrine surgery units in Italy. Patients were divided into three groups based on the preoperative size of the nodules (N < 1, 1 < N < 4, N > 4 cm). Among the patients belonging to the different groups, we analyzed: differences in malignancy rate, histological characteristics of invasiveness and neoplastic aggressiveness, rates of recurrence and response to therapy. Nodule size (evaluated as a categorical variable and as a continuous variable) did not show any statistically significant correlation with the rate of malignancy, histopathological characteristics of tumor aggressiveness and the patient’s clinical outcome. Most of the tumors found were included in the low risk class (79.2%) and only one was classified as high risk. Follow up of cancer cases showed excellent results in terms of survival, response to therapy and disease recurrence. Malignant thyroid tumors of any size resulting from a nodule identified as cytologically indeterminate are usually characterized by a low risk follicular pattern, well-differentiated and with an excellent outcome. As a result, preferring an extended surgical attitude for undetermined nodules based on tumor size, in absence of other risk factors, can lead to overtreatment in a significant percentage of cases.
Amine-modified silica for removing aspirin from water
Authors: Danil de Namor A. F. , Al Nuaim M. , Fairclough G. , Khalife R. , Al Hakawati N.
Published: June 2021

The synthesis and structural characterisation (Fourier transform infrared, FTIR spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, SEM and energy-dispersive X-ray, EDX) of amino-modified silicates (unloaded L1, and aspirin-loaded, L2) are reported. The optimal conditions for the extraction of aspirin from water by the modified silicate material were determined as a function of the mass of the extracting agent and the pH of the aqueous solution. The optimum mass was found to be 0.08–0.10 g with 99.9% removal of aspirin. Maximum extraction of aspirin by the material was observed at pH 4. The kinetics, the removal capacity of the material, as well as its recycling, were investigated. The results indicate that (i) the process is fast and (ii) the removal capacity for the drug is greater than that of previously reported materials and (iii)the modified silicate can be easily recycled. These data along with the low cost involved in the production of the material led to the conclusion that the modified silicate has the required potential for industrial use. Molecular simulation calculations suggest that one unit of aspirin interacts with one unit of the modified silicate L1 through hydrogen bond formation between the amine functional group of the silicate and the oxygen donor atoms of aspirin. Final conclusions are given.
Quantitative normal approximations for the stochastic fractional heat equation
Authors: Assaad Obayda , Nualart David , Tudor Ciprian A. , Viitasaari Lauri
Published: June 2021

In this article we present aquantitativecentral limit theorem for the stochastic fractional heat equation driven by a a general Gaussian multiplicative noise, including the cases of space–time white noise and the white-colored noise with spatial covariance given by the Riesz kernel or a bounded integrable function. We show that the spatial average over a ball of radiusRconverges, asRtends to infinity, after suitable renormalization, towards a Gaussian limit in the total variation distance. We also provide a functional central limit theorem. As such, we extend recently proved similar results for stochastic heat equation to the case of the fractional Laplacian and to the case of general noise.
Towards decent work in the digital age: introducing the fairwork project in Germany
Authors: Bertolini Alessio , Borkert Maren , Ferrari Fabian , Graham Mark
Published: June 2021

The Fairwork Project is an international action-research project that currently operates in over 20 countries. The project focuses on working conditions in the platform economy, in order to develop ‘fairness ratings’ for digital labour platforms. With respect to Germany, the project evaluated the working conditions offered by ten digital labour platforms, by scoring them against the Fairwork principles and producing a national league table. We found that even in a highly regulated labour market context like the German one, platform workers experience precarity and insecurity and have limited access to employment rights. A number of platform workers are classified as employees rather than self-employed, and this guarantees a number of employment rights, including entitlement to minimum wage, health and safety protection and social protection. However, the existence of an employment relationship does not necessarily ensure platform work to be fair as other factors, including the existence of complex networks of subcontracting, erode labour standards and deprive workers of basic employment rights.

Practical Relevance: While there are tens of millions of digital platform workers around the world performing functions essential to society—as demonstrated drastically by the Covid-19 pandemic—by supplying food, care and passenger transportation services, many platform workers face low pay, precarity as well as poor and dangerous working conditions. Exposing fracture lines of inequalities affecting particularly women, migrants and minority-ethnic groups who form the core part of the gig workforce, the international Fairwork research project aims not just to understand the gig economy, but to change it.
Erratum zu: Das polyzystische Ovar-Syndrom – Entstehung, Behandlung und neue Erkenntnisse
Authors: Borzan Valentin , Mayr Anna , Obermayer-Pietsch Barbara
Published: June 2021

Ein Erratum zu dieser Publikation wurde veröffentlicht: 10.1007/s41969-021-00135-y
Surface photosensitization of ZnO by ZnS to enhance the photodegradation efficiency for organic pollutants
Authors: Sunaina  , Devi Sapna , Nishanthi S. T. , Mehta S. K. , Ganguli A. K. , Jha Menaka
Published: June 2021

It is challenging to develop a material which has low cost, high activity, good stability and recyclability under light exposure. Apart from these properties, the photocatalyst should also have good visible region absorbance and low electron-hole pair recombination rate. Keeping all this in view, we have designed a simple scalable synthesis of ZnO–ZnS heterostructures for the photocatalytic treatment of industrial waste (p-nitrophenol and methyl orange). The ZnO–ZnS heterostructures are synthesized via a solvent-free route by thermal annealing of solid-state mixture of ZnO and thiourea (a sulphur source) which results in ZnO–ZnS core shell kind of heterostructure formation. The interface formation between the ZnO–ZnS heterostructure favored the band-gap reduction in comparison to the bare ZnO and ZnS nanoparticles. Further, these ZnO–ZnS heterostructures were utilized as a photocatalyst for the degradation of toxic phenolic molecules (p-nitrophenol) and harmful organic dyes (methyl orange) present in the water under the light exposure (> 390 nm).
Detection and molecular characterization of enteric adenovirus in treated wastewater in the Brazilian Federal District
Authors: Quintão T. S. C. , Silva F. G. , Pereira A. L. , Araújo W. N. , Oliveira P. M. , Souza M. B. L. D. , Lamounier T. A. , Haddad R.
Published: June 2021

Human enteric viruses, such as enteric adenoviruses (HAdV), are known to be involved with gastrointestinal disorders, especially acute gastroenteritis. Several studies have used HAdV as an indicator of water quality, since they are considered highly stable and widely distributed viruses in water matrices. The aim of this study was to detect and genotype HAdVs in water matrices impacted by discharges of treated effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Wastewater treatment plants from the sanitary system of the Brazilian Federal District were assessed in 2018 and 2019. Samples were collected upstream and downstream from discharge points for each WWTP. Viral concentration based on adsorption-elution and conventional PCR was used for molecular detection, and positive samples were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. Pluviosity data for the period in which the samples were collected were obtained. Our results demonstrated the presence of HAdVs in 27.2% (61/224) of the samples. The positivity was significantly higher in downstream samples compared to upstream. Moreover, the HAdV positivity was higher in downstream samples collected from receiving water bodies impacted by secondary-level WWTPs in comparison with those impacted by tertiary-level WWTPs. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the presence of genotypes 40 and 41, with prevalence of HAdV genotype 41. Despite the predominance of HAdV-41, an increasing frequency of the HAdV-40 was associated with higher pluviosity. In conclusion, this study is the first documentation in the Brazilian Federal District dealing with the prevalence and diversity of HAdVs in several WWTP, along with their correlation with rainfall index.
Personnel Power: Governing State-Owned Enterprises
Authors: Leutert Wendy , Vortherms Samantha A.
Published: June 2021

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) retain a strong presence in many economies around the world. How do governments manage these firms given their dual economic and political nature? Many states use authority over executive appointments as a key means of governing SOEs. We analyze the nature of this “personnel power” by assessing patterns in SOE leaders’ political mobility in China, the country with the largest state-owned sector. Using logit and multinomial models on an original dataset of central SOE leaders’ attributes and company information from 2003 to 2017, we measure the effects of economic performance and political connectedness on leaders’ likelihood of staying in power. We find that leaders of well-performing firms and those with patronage ties to elites in charge of their evaluation are more likely to stay in office. These findings suggest that states can leverage personnel power in pursuit of economic and political stability when SOE management is highly politically integrated.
War on Waste: Challenges and Experiences in COVID-19 Waste Management
Authors: Gowda Naveen R. , Siddharth Vijaydeep , Inquillabi Khalid , Sharma D. K.
Published: June 2021

Objective:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed formidable challenges, including overwhelming biomedical waste management. Guidelines have been rapidly changing along with the mounting pressure of waste generation.

Methods:

These challenges were managed by smart re-engineering of structure and processes for the desired outcomes. Dedicated staff, in personal protective equipment with appropriate training, were deployed to collect waste using dedicated trolleys. A dedicated route plan was drawn with a dedicated elevator meant for COVID-19. A new temporary holding area was created. Dedicated trucks with requisite labels were deployed to transport COVID-19 waste to a common biomedical waste treatment facility. Communication challenges were addressed through timely circulars, which were further reinforced and reiterated during various on-going training programs.

Results:

Before the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of biomedical waste generated was 1.93 kg/bed/day; currently, the quantity of COVID-19 biomedical waste generated is 7.76 kg/COVID bed/day. Daily COVID-19 waste generation data are maintained and uploaded in an android application monitored by Central Pollution Control Board, Government of India. To date, none of the workers handling COVID-19 waste has acquired health-care associated COVID-19 infection, which reflects on the soundness of the new system and the infection control practices in the institute.

Conclusions:

A responsive leadership harmonizing with a robust communication and training system has augmented timely re-engineering of structure and processes for better outcomes in the war on waste.
WHY DIVIDE MIGRANTS BY THEIR TYPES?: CONTACTS AND PERCEPTIONS OF MIGRANTS IN JAPAN
Authors: Woo Yujin
Published: June 2021

This article compares the public perceptions of various types of migrants in Japan and examines whether Japanese view them equally. Using an original survey, which presented six types of migrants that Japanese people most commonly face in their daily lives, I show several interesting results. First, respondents express the most negative views toward labor migrants. Second, respondents who have migrant friends tend to have more positive feelings for all types of migrants. In contrast, simple coexistence with migrants fails to enhance public sentiment toward labor migrants, particularly those whose stay is temporary. Overall, my statistical results suggest that Japanese people are not pessimistic about every kind of migrant, and their openness increases as migrants acculturate into Japanese society and interact with Japanese people. These findings provide evidence to influence policy discussions on whether Japan should recruit labor migrants in its current form in order to fight its aging population.
Surface mass balance and energy balance of the 79N Glacier (Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden, NE Greenland) modeled by linking COSIPY and Polar WRF
Authors: Blau M. T. , Turton J. V. , Sauter T. , Mölg T.
Published: June 2021

To get a better overview of atmosphere-driven mass changes at the 79N Glacier (Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden Glacier), the largest outlet glacier of the northeast Greenland ice stream, the surface mass balance (SMB) is modeled by linking the COupled Snowpack and Ice surface energy and mass-balance model in PYthon (COSIPY) with the output of a regional atmospheric model (Polar WRF) for the years 2014–2018. After a manual model optimization, the model produces reliable results when compared to observations in the region and to values from the literature. High spatial resolution (1 km) simulations reveal strong interannual variability of the SMB. Stronger surface melting increased the ablation and runoff in years with high mass loss (2016 and 2017) whereas in other years (2015 and 2018) melting and refreezing inside the snowpack dominated the mass balance (MB). A cooler regional climate with higher snowfall-driven accumulation, higher albedo and reduced surface melt in the ablation period of 2018 resulted in a positive SMB in 2018, however, the annual total MB remained negative. The results suggest a promising new dataset for gaining more insights into mass-balance processes and their contribution to the acceleration of glacier retreat in northeast Greenland.
COUNTABLY PERFECTLY MEAGER SETS
Authors: POL ROMAN , ZAKRZEWSKI PIOTR
Published: June 2021

We study a strengthening of the notion of a perfectly meager set. We say that a subset A of a perfect Polish space X is countably perfectly meager in X, if for every sequence of perfect subsets
$\{P_n: n \in \mathbb N\}$
of X, there exists an
$F_\sigma $
-set F in X such that
$A \subseteq F$
and
$F\cap P_n$
is meager in
$P_n$
for each n. We give various characterizations and examples of countably perfectly meager sets. We prove that not every universally meager set is countably perfectly meager correcting an earlier result of Bartoszyński.
Lifting of recollements and gluing of partial silting sets
Authors: Saorín Manuel , Zvonareva Alexandra
Published: June 2021

This paper focuses on recollements and silting theory in triangulated categories. It consists of two main parts. In the first part a criterion for a recollement of triangulated subcategories to lift to a torsion torsion-free triple (TTF triple) of ambient triangulated categories with coproducts is proved. As a consequence, lifting of TTF triples is possible for recollements of stable categories of repetitive algebras or self-injective finite length algebras and recollements of bounded derived categories of separated Noetherian schemes. When, in addition, the outer subcategories in the recollement are derived categories of small linear categories the conditions from the criterion are sufficient to lift the recollement to a recollement of ambient triangulated categories up to equivalence. In the second part we use these results to study the problem of constructing silting sets in the central category of a recollement generating the t-structure glued from the silting t-structures in the outer categories. In the case of a recollement of bounded derived categories of Artin algebras we provide an explicit construction for gluing classical silting objects.
HANKEL DETERMINANTS OF FACTORIAL FRACTIONS
Authors: CHU WENCHANG
Published: June 2021

By making use of the Cauchy double alternant and the Laplace expansion formula, we establish two closed formulae for the determinants of factorial fractions that are then utilised to evaluate several determinants of binomial coefficients and Catalan numbers, including those obtained recently by Chammam [‘Generalized harmonic numbers, Jacobi numbers and a Hankel determinant evaluation’, Integral Transforms Spec. Funct.30(7) (2019), 581–593].
True complexity of polynomial progressions in finite fields
Authors: Kuca Borys
Published: June 2021

The true complexity of a polynomial progression in finite fields corresponds to the smallest-degree Gowers norm that controls the counting operator of the progression over finite fields of large characteristic. We give a conjecture that relates true complexity to algebraic relations between the terms of the progression, and we prove it for a number of progressions, including $x, x+y, x+y^{2}, x+y+y^{2}$ and $x, x+y, x+2y, x+y^{2}$. As a corollary, we prove an asymptotic for the count of certain progressions of complexity 1 in subsets of finite fields. In the process, we obtain an equidistribution result for certain polynomial progressions, analogous to the counting lemma for systems of linear forms proved by Green and Tao.
Epidemiological approach to nematode polyparasitism occurring in a sympatric wild ruminant multi-host scenario
Authors: Carrau Tessa , Martínez-Carrasco Carlos , Garijo María Magdalena , Alonso Francisco , Vizcaíno Luis León , Herrera-Russert José , Tizzani Paolo , Ruiz de Ybáñez Rocío
Published: June 2021

The epidemiology behind multi-host/multi-parasite systems is particularly interesting to investigate for a better understanding of the complex dynamics naturally occurring in wildlife populations. We aimed to approach the naturally occurring polyparasitism of gastrointestinal nematodes in a sympatric wild ruminant scenario present in south-east Spain. To this end, the gastrointestinal tract of 252 wild ruminants of four different species (red deer,Cervus elaphus; mouflon,Ovis aries musimon; Iberian ibex,Capra pyrenaicaand fallow deer,Dama dama) were studied in Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park (Andalusia, Spain). Of the analysed animals, 81.52% were positive for parasite infection and a total of 29 nematode species were identified. Out of these, 25 species were detected in at least two host species and 11 parasitized all ruminant species surveyed. The multi-host interaction between these nematodes and the four host species is discussed under the perspective of host family-based differences.
When decentralisation undermines representation: ethnic exclusion and state ownership in DR Congo's new provinces
Authors: Bezares Calderon Alma , Englebert Pierre , Jené Lisa
Published: June 2021

African regimes commonly use strategies of balanced ethnic representation to build support. Decentralisation reforms, often promoted in order to improve political representation and state access, can undermine such strategies. In this article we use the example of the DR Congo to show the extent to which the multiplication of decentralised provinces is upending a political system largely based until now upon collective ethnic representation in the state. Not only are Congo's new provinces more ethnically homogeneous than their predecessors, but many of them have also witnessed political takeover and monopolisation by the province's dominant ethnic group. In addition, the increased number of Congolese who now find themselves non-autochthonous to their province of residence heightens their vulnerability and the potential for local conflict. Decentralisation, whose intent was proximity to governance, might well end up excluding more Congolese from the benefits of political representation. The article uses original empirical evidence on provincial ethnic distributions to support its claims.
Military parade in Mali: understanding Malian politics through spectacle
Authors: Sow Alioune
Published: June 2021

This essay argues that the Independence Day's military parade in Mali has become a strategic site to negotiate fragile military and civil relations, and a repository to promote social change through the military experience. Drawing on field observations of the parade of the 50th anniversary of Independence in Bamako and the literature on political transitions, this essay demonstrates that military parades constitute meaningful sites for alternative engagements with democratic transitions. It examines the tactics and mechanisms deployed by the Malian national army to negotiate past human rights violations and authoritarian practices, as well as to seek the army's rehabilitation following the collapse of the military regime. By analysing military parades as a form and practice consolidating the ‘social contract’ between the army and the public after the political transition, this article contributes to the scholarship on transition and the study of military parades within the African continent.
Taxonomic And Distributional Notes on The Genus Sphaerophorus
(Caliciales) In the Southern Hemisphere
Authors: Wedinal Mats
Published: June 2021

Sphaerophorus diplotypus Vainio is reported
as new to mainland Africa (Tanzania). Sphaerophorus
digitaius Wang-Yang & Lai is reduced to a synonym of
S. diplotypus. The name
Sphaerophorus dodgei Ohlsson is validated and
a description of the species is given. Sphaerophorus
dodgei is recorded as being widespread and common in the
Valdivian rainforest of Chile and Argentina. Sphaerophorus
imshaugii Ohlsson is reported as new to the North and
South Islands of New Zealand. Sphaerophorus
macrocarpus Ohlsson is reported as new to South America
(Chile). In S. dodgei and S.
macrocarpus the spore ornamentation consists of mazaedial
material added to the spore wall after the spores have been released from
the asci. Concentric bodies occur in young ascospores of S.
macrocarpus. A protocetraric-acid-deficient strain of
S. microsporus Ohlsson is reported for the
first time. Sphaerophorus tibellii Wedin, from
northern New Zealand, is described as new.
Toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons to Brachyuran crabs: a review of deleterious effects of oil-related xenobiotics on life stages
Authors: Karam Qusaie , Al-Wazzan Zainab
Published: June 2021

Petroleum hydrocarbons (PH) toxicity and bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms have been investigated for almost 50 years. Continuous oil spillages necessitate a further understanding of the toxicological effects of PH on brachyuran crabs. Crabs can be exposed to PH through various routes such as the water column, sediment and diet. Numerous investigations have been dedicated to evaluating PH toxicity on different life stages of crab species, but the majority of them have focused on the blue crab Callinectes sapidus as it represents an edible and favourable seafood commodity for human consumption. The objective of the review is to critically assess studies related to PH toxicity on different life stages of 41 crab species representing 13 families across the world. Several physiological, biochemical and genetic endpoints of marine crabs were evaluated in addition to the sublethal effects of PH on crab metabolism, behaviour, moulting, growth and survival. A concise summary of PH deleterious effects on different taxonomic species of marine crabs is discussed and provides evidence that crabs can be used as indicator organisms of biomarker significance for marine pollution. Overall, larval stages appeared to be the most sensitive to the deleterious effects of PH compared with juveniles and adults. However, adult stages have received more research attention than other life stages, followed by larval stages, and juvenile stages are the least investigated stages with respect to PH toxicity. Finally, hepatopancreas and gills were the organs where greatest accumulation of PH was recorded.
The muʿtazila's arguments against divine command theory
Authors: Morvarid Hashem
Published: June 2021

The Muʿtazilī theologians, particularly the later Imāmī ones, developed numerous interesting arguments against divine command theory. The arguments, however, have not received the attention they deserve. Some of the arguments have been discussed in passing, and some have not been discussed at all. In this article, I aim to present and analyse the arguments. To that end, I first distinguish between different semantic, ontological, epistemological, and theological theses that were often conflated in the debate, and examine the logical relation among them. Then I go over the Muʿtazila's arguments determining, among other things, which of the theses was targeted by each argument. In presenting the arguments, I focus mainly on the latekalāmperiod, the period falling roughly between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries of the common era, as the arguments were at their most sophisticated level by this time.
Time, trauma, and the brain: How suicide came to have no significant precipitating event
Authors: Lloyd Stephanie , Larivée Alexandre
Published: June 2021

Argument

In this article, we trace shifting narratives of trauma within psychiatric, neuroscience, and environmental epigenetics research. We argue that two contemporary narratives of trauma – each of which concerns questions of time and psychopathology, of the past invading the present – had to be stabilized in order for environmental epigenetics models of suicide risk to be posited. Through an examination of these narratives, we consider how early trauma came to be understood as playing an etiologically significant role in the development of suicide risk. Suicide, in these models, has come to be seen as a behavior that has no significant precipitating event, but rather an exceptional precipitating neurochemical state, whose origins are identified in experiences of early traumatic events. We suggest that this is a part of a broader move within contemporary neurosciences and biopsychiatry to seelife as post: seeing life as specific form of post-traumatic subjectivity.
Decades of cholera in Odisha, India (1993–2015): lessons learned and the ways forward
Authors: Khuntia Hemant Kumar , Ramamurthy Thandavarayan , Bal Madhusmita , Pati Sanghamitra , Ranjit Manoranjan
Published: June 2021

Cholera is one of the major public health problems in the state of Odisha, India since centuries. The current paper is a comprehensive report on epidemiology of cholera in Odisha, which was documented from 1993. PubMed and Web of Knowledge were searched for publications reporting cholera in Odisha during the period 1993–2015. The search was performed using the keywords ‘Odisha’ and/or ‘Orissa’ and ‘Cholera’. In addition, manual search was undertaken to find out relevant papers. During the study period, a total of 37 cholera outbreaks were reported with an average of >1.5 cholera outbreaks per year and case fatality ratio was 0.3%.Vibrio choleraeO1 Ogawa serotype was the major causative agent in most of the cholera cases. The recent studies demonstrated the prevalence ofV. choleraeO1, El Tor variants carryingctxB1,ctxB7and Haitian varianttcpAallele associated with polymyxin B sensitivity and these variants are replacing the proto type El Tor. The first report of variantctxB7in Odisha during super-cyclone 1999 predicted its emergence and subsequent spread causing cholera outbreaks. The prevalence of multidrug-resistantV. cholerae at different time periods created alarming situation. The efficacy trial of oral cholera vaccine (OCV, Shanchol) in a public health set-up in Odisha has shown encouraging results which should be deployed for community level vaccination among the vulnerable population. This paper has taken an effort to disseminate the valuable information of epidemiology of cholera that will influence the policy-makers and epidemiologists for constant surveillance in other parts of Odisha, India and around the globe.
Evidence of on-going transmission of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 following a foodborne outbreak
Authors: Butt Saira , Smith-Palmer Alison , Shand Allan , McDonald Eisin , Allison Lesley , Maund Jane , Fernandes Anand , Vishram Bhavita , Greig David R. , Jenkins Claire , Elson Richard
Published: June 2021

In August 2019, public health surveillance systems in Scotland and England identified seven, geographically dispersed cases infected with the same strain (defined as isolates that fell within the same five single nucleotide polymorphism single linage cluster) of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7. Epidemiological analysis of enhanced surveillance questionnaire data identified handling raw beef and shopping from the same national retailer (retailer A) as the common exposure. Concurrently, a microbiological survey of minced beef at retail identified the same strain in a sample of minced beef sold by retailer A, providing microbiological evidence of the link. Between September and November 2019, a further four primary and two secondary cases infected with the same strain were identified; two cases developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome. None of the four primary cases reported consumption of beef from retailer A and the transmission route of these subsequent cases was not identified, although all four primary cases visited the same petting farm. Generally, outbreaks of STEC O157:H7 in the UK appear to be distinct, short-lived events; however, on-going transmission linked to contaminated food, animals or environmental exposures and person-to-person contact do occur. Although outbreaks of STEC caused by contaminated fresh produce are increasingly common, undercooked meat products remain a risk of infection.
The “Plague of Cyprian”: A revised view of the origin and spread of a 3rd-c. CE pandemic
Authors: Huebner Sabine R.
Published: June 2021

Kyle Harper's article on the “Plague of Cyprian” that appeared in this journal in 2015 constitutes the only comprehensive study to date of this important disease outbreak in the third quarter of the 3rd c. CE. The current article revisits the main evidence for this epidemic and corrects and improves our understanding of its origin, timeline, and spread. It contends that the disease entered the Roman Empire via Gothic invasions on the Danube rather than traveling up the Nile from inner Africa. It further argues that the disease reached the Roman Empire only after the death of Decius and cannot be connected with the latter's edict commanding sacrifices to the Roman gods, issued in 249 CE. While the pestilence indubitably exacerbated the political and military crisis of the third quarter of the 3rd c. CE, it should probably not be considered as the root of the crisis itself, as Harper has suggested.
Early extubation strategy after congenital heart surgery: 1-year single-centre experience
Authors: Simeonov Lyudmil , Pechilkov Dimitar , Kaneva Anna , McLellan Mary C. , Jenkins Kathy
Published: June 2021

Introduction:

Our aim was to present the initial experience with a protocol-driven early extubation strategy and to identify risk factors associated with failed spontaneous breathing trials within 12 hours after surgery.

Methods:

A single institutional retrospective study of children up to 18 years of age was conducted in post-operative cardiac surgical patients over a 1-year period. A daily spontaneous breathing trial protocol was used to assess patients’ readiness for extubation. The study population (n = 129) was stratified into two age groups: infants (n = 84) and children (n = 45), and further stratified according to ventilation time: early extubation (ventilation time less than 12 h, n = 86) and deferred extubation (ventilation time more than 12 h, n = 43). Mann–Whitney U-test and binomial logistic regression were used for statistical analysis.

Results:

Early extubated infants had shorter ICU (4 versus 6 days, p = 0.003) and hospital length of stays (16 versus 19 days, p = 0.006), lower re-intubation rates (1 versus 7 patients, p = 0.003), and lower mortality (0 versus. 4 patients, p = 0.01) than deferred extubated infants. There was no significant difference in the studied outcomes in the children group. Malnourished infants and longer cardiopulmonary bypass times were independently associated with failed spontaneous breathing trials within 12 hours after cardiac surgery.

Conclusions:

Early extubated infants after cardiac surgery had shorter ICU and hospital length of stay, without an increase in morbidity and mortality, compared to infants who deferred extubation. Nutritional status and longer cardiopulmonary bypass times were risk factors for failed spontaneous breathing trial.
A novel parent selection strategy for the development of drought-tolerant cotton cultivars
Authors: Chattha Waqas Shafqat , Ahmad Hafiz Basheer , Farooq Muhammad Awais , Shafqat Waqar , Yaseen Muhammad , Ihsan Muhammad Zahid , Alghabari Fahad , Alzamanan Saleh Mahdi
Published: June 2021

Drought is a devastating factor for crop production worldwide. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to study genetics for some agro-physiological traits in cotton under drought stress. The 13 parental cotton genotypes along with their 30 F1 hybrids were planted under normal and drought conditions. The mean performance of the genotypes was assessed through principal component and heat map analyses. The principal component analyses revealed 53.99 and 53.15% in the first two principal components of variability for normal and drought conditions, respectively. Heat map analysis revealed that three cotton genotypes i.e. FH-207 × NS-131, FH-207 × KZ-191 and S-15 × AA-703 attained higher values for all the traits except for canopy temperature under drought conditions. These crosses may proliferate to further filial generations to identify transgressive segregates for drought tolerance. The heritable differences of F̅1 and mid-parent showed dominance and non-additive gene action under drought conditions. Heritable differences between F̅1 and P̅1 showed over dominance and partial dominance under drought conditions. Heritable differences between F̅1 and P̅2 indicated negative over dominance and partial dominance for all traits under drought conditions. Proline contents and the bolls per plant showed high heritability and genetic advance through additive gene action. Therefore, these two traits can be used as a means of selection in future breeding programmes of drought tolerance.
The labor-managed firm, Oliver Williamson, and me
Authors: Dow Gregory K.
Published: June 2021

More than 30 years ago, I engaged in a debate with Oliver Williamson over the theoretical structure of transaction cost economics (TCE). This debate had its origins in our conflicting views of the labor-managed firm (LMF). Williamson believed that such firms were rare due to their inefficiency while I believed they might be rare due to market failures. Here I clarify my criticisms of TCE and contrast Williamson's view of the LMF with my own approach. I discuss empirical evidence that can distinguish between these two approaches and take up Williamson's challenge to identify policy interventions that could yield net social gains.
The discursive construction of digitalization: a comparative analysis of national discourses on the digital future of work
Authors: Marenco Matteo , Seidl Timo
Published: June 2021

New forms of work intermediation – the gig economy – and the growing use of advanced digital technologies – the new knowledge economy – are changing the nature of work. The digitalization of work, however, is shaped by how countries respond to it. But how countries respond to digitalization, we argue, depends on how digitalization is perceived in the first place. Using text-as-data methods on a novel corpus of translated newspaper and policy documents from eight European countries as well as qualitative evidence from interviews and secondary sources, we show that there are clear country effects in how digitalization is framed and fought over. Drawing on discursive–institutionalist and coalitional approaches, we argue that institutional differences explain these discursive differences by structuring interpretative struggles in favor of the social coalitions that support them. Actors, however, can also challenge these institutions by using the discursive agency to change these underlying support coalitions.
Prediction of parental alienation on depression in left-behind children: A 12-month follow-up investigation
Authors: Sun Xiaoxiao , Qin Xuemei , Zhang Mengjia , Yang Aigang , Ren Xiaomei , Dai Qin
Published: June 2021

Aims

Alienation towards parents often occurs when parents divorce; however, it can also occur when one or both parents leave for work for more than 6 months. Our previous investigation has confirmed a high level of feelings of alienation towards parents among Chinese left-behind children. However, the longitudinal prediction of alienation on children's mental health outcomes remains largely unknown. This study aims to observe the prediction of alienation towards parents on children's depression 12 months later and potential mediators and moderators.

Methods

A total of 1090 Chinese left-behind children took part in this 12-month follow-up investigation, using the Chinese version of the Inventory of Alienation towards Parents (IAP), the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), the Adolescent Self-Rating Life-events Checklist (ASLEC), and the Adolescent Resilience Scale.

Results

Alienation towards parents was high (16.42 ± 7.27 for mother, 15.63 ± 7.17 for father) in left-behind children, and 21.01% of children reported depression. Alienation towards parents predicted current depression of children directly and later depression indirectly; children's alienation toward their mothers was a stronger predictor of depression than alienation towards fathers. In models, stressful life-events acted as a risk mediator. Previous depression was the strongest risk predictor, resilience was the strongest protective factor, and duration of fathers’ absence and parents’ marital status moderated the predictive effects.

Conclusions

This study is among the first to longitudinally confirm that alienation towards parents is a predictor of children's later depression. The results provide important suggestions for families and schools; i.e. to prevent depression in left-behind children, parent−child bonds especially alienation towards mothers, should be carefully considered, and individuals with more negative life-events and weaker resilience need further attention.
Multispacecraft Current Density Estimates in the Low‐ and Mid‐Latitude F‐Region Ionosphere Using the Swarm Constellation
Authors: Fillion M. , Hulot G. , Alken P. , Chulliat A. , Vigneron P.
Published: June 2021

We present a new application of a multispacecraft method which provides estimates of the full electric current density vector in the ionospheric low‐ and mid‐latitude F region. The method uses the three satellites of the Swarm constellation in configurations when they were close to each other. The current density is calculated inside triangular prisms defined by the satellite positions. The technique is inspired by similar approaches such as the curlometer. Here, we propose an alternative mathematical treatment, which involves the use of the well‐known curl‐B technique and a least squares minimization. The proposed formalism provides a rigorous way to propagate the errors through the problem and special care is taken to validate the algorithm and assess the relevance of the derived currents. Such techniques are powerful tools to study the F‐region ionosphere currents as they naturally exclude all the other contributions outside the considered volumes. The F region is known to host currents with a complex spatiotemporal variability. Besides the intrinsic interest of this system itself, understanding the dynamics of these currents is also critical for global geomagnetic field modeling as they are an important source of error in the models. In this paper, we present the full algorithm and test the method on both synthetic and real Swarm satellite data on February 15, 2014. Several sources of error are investigated. Additionally, the results reveal expected characteristics of F‐region interhemispheric field‐aligned currents. Some new characteristics of F‐region currents, potentially associated with dynamo and pressure currents, are also observed.