bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optical coherence tomography reveals retinal thinning in schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Authors: Boudriot Emanuel , Schworm Benedikt , Slapakova Lenka , Hanken Katharina , Jäger Iris , Stephan Marius , Gabriel Vanessa , Ioannou Georgios , Melcher Julian , Hasanaj Genc , Campana Mattia , Moussiopoulou Joanna , Löhrs Lisa , Hasan Alkomiet , Falkai Peter , Pogarell Oliver , Priglinger Siegfried , Keeser Daniel , Kern Christoph , Wagner Elias , Raabe Florian J.
Published: August 2022

Background

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) are presumed to be associated with retinal thinning. However, evidence is lacking as to whether these retinal alterations reflect a disease-specific process or are rather a consequence of comorbid diseases or concomitant microvascular impairment.

Methods

The study included 126 eyes of 65 patients with SSDs and 143 eyes of 72 healthy controls. We examined macula and optic disc measures by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCT-A). Additive mixed models were used to assess the impact of SSDs on retinal thickness and perfusion and to explore the association of retinal and clinical disease-related parameters by controlling for several ocular and systemic covariates (age, sex, spherical equivalent, intraocular pressure, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, smoking status, and OCT signal strength).

Results

OCT revealed significantly lower parafoveal macular, macular ganglion cell–inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), and macular retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and thinner mean and superior peripapillary RNFL in SSDs. In contrast, the applied OCT-A investigations, which included macular and peripapillary perfusion density, macular vessel density, and size of the foveal avascular zone, did not reveal any significant between-group differences. Finally, a longer duration of illness and higher chlorpromazine equivalent doses were associated with lower parafoveal macular and macular RNFL thickness.

Conclusions

This study strengthens the evidence for disease-related retinal thinning in SSDs.
Claudin-18 expression in small bowel adenocarcinoma: a clinico-pathologic study
Authors: Arpa Giovanni , Fassan Matteo , Guerini Camilla , Quaquarini Erica , Grillo Federica , Angerilli Valentina , Guzzardo Vincenza , Lonardi Sara , Bergamo Francesca , Lenti Marco Vincenzo , Pedrazzoli Paolo , Paulli Marco , Di Sabatino Antonio , Vanoli Alessandro
Published: August 2022

Non-ampullary small bowel adenocarcinoma is a rare neoplasm with an ominous prognosis, whose incidence is higher in some chronic immuno-inflammatory conditions, such as coeliac and Crohn’s disease. Recently, claudin 18.2, a transmembrane protein normally expressed in gastric mucosa, has been recognized as a novel pan-cancer therapeutic target, and several clinical trials with claudin-18-directed drugs have shown promising results on various gastrointestinal malignancies. This is the first study focusing on claudin-18 expression in small bowel adenocarcinomas. The immunohistochemical expression of claudin-18 (clone 43-14A) was assessed in 81 small bowel adenocarcinomas of diverse aetiologies and correlated with several clinico-pathologic features and patient survival. We found that 28% of adenocarcinomas were immunoreactive for claudin-18, with cutoff values of ≥1% at any intensity, while 6% of cancers showed immunoexpression of ≥75% with 2+/3+ score. Moreover, claudin-18 (≥1%) was positively associated with cytokeratin 7 (CK7) and MUC5AC expression, showing CK7+/MUC5AC+ carcinomas the highest rate of positive cases, whereas a negative correlation was found between claudin-18 and CDX2 expression. In addition, some cancer-adjacent dysplastic growths and foci of gastric-type metaplasia in Crohn’s disease-associated cases showed claudin-18 immunoreactivity. Survival analysis showed a non-significant trend towards a worse cancer-specific survival for claudin-18-positive cases. A fraction of small bowel adenocarcinomas, mainly sporadic or Crohn’s disease-associated, and often exhibiting a non-intestinal immunoprofile, expressed claudin-18, suggesting that claudin-18-directed targeted therapy is worth investigating in such cancers.
Low-volume magmatism linked to flank deformation on Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos Archipelago, using cosmogenic 3He exposure and 40Ar/39Ar dating of fault scarps and lavas
Authors: Schwartz D. M. , Harpp K. , Kurz M. D. , Wilson E. , Van Kirk R.
Published: August 2022

Isla Santa Cruz is a volcanic island located in the central Galápagos Archipelago. The island’s northern and southern flanks are deformed by E–W-trending normal faults not observed on the younger Galápagos shields, and Santa Cruz lacks the large summit calderas that characterize those structures. To construct a chronology of volcanism and deformation on Santa Cruz, we employ 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of lavas and 3He exposure dating of fault scarps from across the island. The combination of Ar–Ar dating with in situ-produced cosmogenic exposure age data provides a powerful tool to evaluate fault chronologies. The 40Ar/39Ar ages indicate that the island has been volcanically active since at least 1.62 ± 0.030 Ma (2SD). Volcanism deposited lavas over the entire island until ~ 200 ka, when it became focused along an E–W-trending summit vent system; all dated lavas < 200 ka were emplaced on the southern flank. Structural observations suggest that the island has experienced two major faulting episodes. Crosscutting relationships of lavas indicate that north flank faults formed after 1.16 ± 0.070 Ma, but likely before 416 ± 36 ka, whereas the faults on the southern flank of the island initiated between 201 ± 37 and 32.6 ± 4.6 ka, based on 3He exposure dating of fault surfaces. The data are consistent with a model wherein the northeastern faults are associated with regional extension owing to the young volcano’s location closer to the Galápagos Spreading Center at the time. The second phase of volcanism is contemporaneous with the formation of the southern faults. The expression of this younger, low-volume volcanic phase was likely related to the elongate island morphology established during earlier deformation. The complex feedback between tectonic and volcanic processes responsible for southward spreading along the southern flank likely generated persistent E-W-oriented magmatic intrusions. The formation of the Galápagos Transform Fault and sea-level fluctuations may be the primary causes of eruptive and deformational episodes on Santa Cruz.
The association between early childhood onset epilepsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 3237 children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): a historical longitudinal cohort data linkage study
Authors: Carson Lauren , Parlatini Valeria , Safa Tara , Baig Benjamin , Shetty Hitesh , Phillips-Owen Jacqueline , Prasad Vibhore , Downs Johnny
Published: August 2022

Children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have an increased risk of comorbidities, such as epilepsy and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, little is known about the relationship between early childhood epilepsy (below age 7) and later ADHD diagnosis (at age 7 or above) in ASD. In this historical cohort study, we examined this relationship using an innovative data source, which included linked data from routinely collected acute hospital paediatric records and childhood community and inpatient psychiatric records. In a large sample of children and young people with ASD (N = 3237), we conducted a longitudinal analysis to examine early childhood epilepsy as a risk factor for ADHD diagnosis while adjusting for potential confounders, including socio-demographic characteristics, intellectual disability, family history of epilepsy and associated physical conditions. We found that ASD children and young people diagnosed with early childhood epilepsy had nearly a twofold increase in risk of developing ADHD later in life, an association which persisted after adjusting for potential confounders (adjusted OR = 1.72, CI95% = 1.13–2.62). This study suggests that sensitive monitoring of ADHD symptoms in children with ASD who have a history of childhood epilepsy may be important to promote early detection and treatment. It also highlights how linked electronic health records can be used to examine potential risk factors over time for multimorbidity in neurodevelopmental conditions.
Body computed tomography in sepsis: predictors of CT findings and patient outcomes in a retrospective medical ICU cohort study
Authors: Pohlan Julian , Witham Denis , Farkic Lara , Anhamm Melina , Schnorr Alexandra , Muench Gloria , Breiling Karim , Ahlborn Robert , Herz Enrico , Rubarth Kerstin , Praeger Damaris , Dewey Marc
Published: August 2022

Background

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate focus identification and control. However, international sepsis guidelines do not provide information on imaging choice.

Purpose

To identify predictors of CT findings and patient outcomes in a population of septic patients from a medical ICU.

Material and methods

A full-text search in the radiological information system (RIS) retrieved 227 body CT examinations conducted to identify infectious sources in 2018. CT reports were categorized according to identified foci and their diagnostic certainty. Diagnostic accuracy of CT was compared to microbiological results. Clinical and laboratory information was gathered. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric tests and logistic regression analysis.

Results

CT revealed more positive infectious foci 52.4% (n = 191/227) than microbiological tests 39.3% (n = 79/201). There were no significant differences between focus-positive CT scans with regard to positive microbiological testing (p = 0.32). Sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores were slightly but nonsignificantly higher in patients with a focus-positive CT, odds ratio (OR) = 0.999 (95% CI 0.997–1.001) with p = 0.52. Among C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and leukocytes, in focus-positive versus focus-negative CT scans, CRP showed a minor but statistically significant elevation in the group with focus-positive CT scans (OR = 1.004, 95% CI = 1.000–1.007, p = 0.04). No significant association was found for PCT (OR = 1.007, 95% CI = 0.991–1.023; p = 0.40) or leukocytes (OR = 1.003, 95% CI = 0.970–1.038; p = 0.85). In 33.5% (n = 76/227) of cases, the CT findings had at least one therapeutic consequence. In 81.6% (n = 62/76), the CT findings resulted in one consequence, in 14.5% (n = 11/76) in two consequences, and in 3.9% (n = 3/76) in three consequences. There was no significant association between focus-positive CT scans and mortality (p = 0.81).

Conclusion

In this population of septic patients in medical intensive care, microbiological analysis complemented CT findings. Both clinical and laboratory parameters were not predictive of CT findings. While therapeutic consequences of CT findings in this study population underline the role of CT for decision making in septic patients, CT findings do not predict patient outcomes in this retrospective analysis.
Environmental adjustment of the EU27 GDP: an econometric quantitative model
Authors: Galiano Bastarrica Luis Antonio , Buitrago Esquinas Eva M. , Caraballo Pou María Ángeles , Yñiguez Ovando Rocío
Published: August 2022

The use of natural resources as an input to economic growth and the interactions between economic and ecological systems have resulted in an accumulation of environmental externalities. This accumulation can negatively affect future levels of welfare and economic growth. In this paper, such dynamics are assessed and quantified by introducing explicit environmental externality variables in a production function. This is performed in an endogenous growth model where cumulative environmental externalities interact with economic growth. Using efficiency analysis, a dynamic econometric model is estimated showing the significance of a negative influence of past levels of use of natural resources on GDP over a broad range of stochastic frontier analysis estimations. The results are applied to propose an alternative specification to the production function of a modelling tool used by the European Commission for the assessment of climate policies in the European Union. The findings show that observed GDP is overestimated when environmental externalities are not considered.
Complementarity of two approaches based on the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry for the determination of multi-class antibiotics in water. Photodegradation studies and non-target screenings
Authors: Vazquez Lua , Llompart Maria , Dagnac Thierry
Published: August 2022

The development of analytical methodologies to monitor different antibiotic families in water and the implementation of alternatives for their efficient elimination are a great challenge. The aim of this research was to develop a method based on solid-phase extraction followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry to analyse multi-class antibiotics, including macrolides, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides and diaminopyrimidines, in waters. Several parameters affecting the extraction such as the sample pH, type of sorbent and cartridge, elution volume and breakthrough volume were optimized. The method was validated in real samples, and matrix effect was assessed, demonstrating that the use of isotopically labelled surrogate compounds was mandatory to avoid standard addition calibration for each individual samples. Urban and hospital wastewater samples, as well as natural waters, were analysed, confirming the presence of 12 of the 14 target compounds at concentrations up to 3.5 µg L−1. Non-target analysis based on data-independent workflow was also performed, enabling the identification of 94 pollutants. Preliminary photodegradation experiments were also assessed, revealing the total removal of many target compounds after the first 5–10 min of UVC irradiation. In addition, 20 by-products formed after photolysis could be identified using a non-target approach.
Pompe Disease: a Clinical, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Overview
Authors: Stevens David , Milani-Nejad Shadi , Mozaffar Tahseen
Published: August 2022

Purpose of Review

This review summarizes the clinical presentation and provides an update on the current strategies for diagnosis of Pompe disease. We will review the available treatment options. We examine newly approved treatments as well as upcoming therapies in this condition. We also provide commentary on the unmet needs in clinical management and research for this disease.

Recent Findings

In March 2015, Pompe disease was added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) and since then a number of states have added Pompe disease to their slate of diseases for their Newborn Screening (NBS) program. Data emerging from these programs is revising our knowledge of incidence of Pompe disease. In 2021, two randomized controlled trials involving new forms of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) were completed and one new product is already FDA-approved and on the market, whereas the other product will come up for FDA review in the fall. Neither of the new ERT were shown to be superior to the standard of care product,alglucosidase. The long-term effectiveness of these newer forms of ERT is unclear. Newer versions of the ERT are in development in addition to multiple different strategies of gene therapy to deliver GAA, the gene responsible for producing acid alpha-glucosidase, the defective protein in Pompe Disease. Glycogen substrate reduction is also in development in Pompe disease and other glycogen storage disorders.

There are significant unmet needs as it relates to clinical care and therapeutics in Pompe disease as well as in research. The currently available treatments lose effectiveness over the long run and do not have penetration into neuronal tissues and inconsistent penetration in certain muscles. More definitive gene therapy and enzyme replacement strategies are currently in development and testing.
METTL13 facilitates cell growth and metastasis in gastric cancer via an eEF1A/HN1L positive feedback circuit
Authors: Wu Qiong , Hu Qingqing , Hai Yanan , Li Yandong , Gao Yong
Published: August 2022

Although improved treatment could inhibit progression of gastric cancer (GC), the recurrence and metastasis remain challenging issues. Methyltransferase like 13 (METTL13) has been implicated in most human cancers, but its function and mechanism in GC remain elusive. In the present study, we evaluated its expression in GC samples and found it was aberrantly overexpressed in cancer tissues than that in normal stomach tissues. High expression of METTL13 was closely associated with age, tumor size and T classification. Biological experiments showed that silencing METTL13 suppressed gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in vivo and vitro, whereas opposite effects were observed upon METTL13 overexpression. Further mechanistic explorations revealed that METTL13 regulated the expression of HN1L (Hematological and neurological expressed 1-like), which is reported to be an oncogene in various cancers. Knockdown of HN1L dampened gastric cancer cell growth induced by METTL13. Eukaryotic translation elongation factor-1A (eEF1A), the present sole methylation substrate of METTL13, was involved in the regulation of HN1L by METTL13 in a K55 methylation independent manner. In addition, we also found HN1L could facilitate METTL13 expression in GC cells consistent with a previous report in hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, these findings demonstrate a METTL13/eEF1A/HN1L positive feedback circuit promoting gastric cancer development and metastasis. It will help develop promising diagnostic and therapeutic targets for this disease.
Broadband light management in hydrogel glass for energy efficient windows
Authors: Fu Jia , Feng Chunzao , Liao Yutian , Mao Mingran , Liu Huidong , Liu Kang
Published: August 2022

Windows are critically important components in building envelopes that have a significant effect on the integral energy budget. For energy saving, here we propose a novel design of hydrogel-glass which consists of a layer of hydrogel and a layer of normal glass. Compared with traditional glass, the hydrogel-glass possesses a higher level of visible light transmission, stronger near-infrared light blocking, and higher mid-infrared thermal emittance. With these properties, hydrogel-glass based windows can enhance indoor illumination and reduce the temperature, reducing energy use for both lighting and cooling. Energy savings ranging from 2.37 to 10.45 MJ/m2 per year can be achieved for typical school buildings located in different cities around the world according to our simulations. With broadband light management covering the visible and thermal infrared regions of the spectrum, hydrogel-glass shows great potential for application in energy-saving windows.

Graphical Abstract
Quantum computing
Authors: Rietsche Roman , Dremel Christian , Bosch Samuel , Steinacker Léa , Meckel Miriam , Leimeister Jan-Marco
Published: August 2022

Quantum computing promises to be the next disruptive technology, with numerous possible applications and implications for organizations and markets. Quantum computers exploit principles of quantum mechanics, such as superposition and entanglement, to represent data and perform operations on them. Both of these principles enable quantum computers to solve very specific, complex problems significantly faster than standard computers. Against this backdrop, this fundamental gives a brief overview of the three layers of a quantum computer: hardware, system software, and application layer. Furthermore, we introduce potential application areas of quantum computing and possible research directions for the field of information systems.
Formulation of tizanidine hydrochloride–loaded provesicular system for improved oral delivery and therapeutic activity employing a 23 full factorial design
Authors: Mohsen Amira Mohamed , El-Hashemy Hadeer Ahmed , Salama Abeer , Darwish Asmaa Badawy
Published: August 2022

Tizanidine hydrochloride (TZN) is one of the most effective centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants. The objective of this study is to prepare TZN-loaded proniosomes (TZN-PN) aiming at enhanced oral delivery and therapeutic activity. TZN-PN were prepared by coacervation phase separation method. The developed vesicles were characterized via entrapment efficiency percentage (EE%), vesicular size (VS), and zeta potential (ZP). A 23 full factorial design was employed to attain an optimized TZN-PN formulation. The optimized TZN-PN were further characterized via in vitro release study and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In vivo rotarod test was employed for determination of the muscle relaxant activities of rats and levels of GABA and EAAT2 were detected. The developed TZN-PN exhibited relatively high EE% (75.78–85.45%), a VS ranging between (348–559 nm), and a ZP (−26.47 to −59.64). In vitro release profiles revealed sustained release of TZN from the optimized TZN-PN, compared to free drug up to 24 h. In vivo rotarod study revealed that the elevation in coordination was in the following order: normal control < free TZN < market product < TZN-PN (F6). Moreover, the optimized TZN-PN exhibited significant elevated coordination activity by 39% and 26% compared to control group and market product group, respectively. This was accompanied with an elevation in both GABA and EAAT2 serum levels. Thus, it could be concluded that encapsulation of TZN in the provesicular nanosystem proniosomes has enhanced the anti-nociceptive effect of the drug and consequently its therapeutic activity.

Graphical abstract
Prioritizing farm management interventions to improve climate change adaptation and mitigation outcomes—a case study for banana plantations
Authors: Fernandez Eduardo , Do Hoa , Luedeling Eike , Luu Thi Thu Giang , Whitney Cory
Published: August 2022

Intervening into agricultural systems necessarily includes risks, uncertainties, and ultimately unknown outcomes. Decision analysis embraces uncertainty through an interdisciplinary approach that involves relevant stakeholders in evaluating complex decisions. We applied decision analysis approaches to prioritize 21 farm management interventions, which could be considered in certification schemes for banana production. We estimated their contribution to climate change adaptation and mitigation as well as ecological outcomes. We used a general model that estimated the impacts of each intervention on adaptation (benefits minus costs), mitigation (global warming potential), ecological parameters (e.g., biodiversity and water and soil quality), and farming aspects (e.g., yield, implementation costs and production risks). We used expert and documented knowledge and presented uncertainties in the form of 90% confidence intervals to feed the model and forecast the changes in system outcomes caused by each intervention compared to a baseline scenario without the measure. By iterating the model function 10,000 times, we obtained probability distributions for each of the outcomes and farm management interventions. Our results suggest that interventions associated with nutrient management (e.g., composting and nutrient management plan) positively affect climate change adaptation, mitigation, and ecological aspects. Measures with no direct yield benefits (e.g., plastic reduction) correlate negatively with adaptation but have positive impacts on ecology. Creating buffer zones and converting low-productivity farmland (incl. unused land) also have positive ecological and adaptation outcomes. Decision analysis can help in prioritizing farm management interventions, which may vary considerably in their relationship with the expected outcomes. Additional work may be required to elaborate a comprehensive assessment of the underlying aspects modulating the impacts of a given measure on the evaluated outcome. Our analysis provides insights on the most promising interventions for banana plantations and may help practitioners and researchers in focusing further studies.
Exploring the intersection of racism, antimicrobial resistance, and vaccine equity
Authors: Abdul-Mutakabbir Jacinda C. , Simiyu Brenda
Published: August 2022

Structural racism and systemic health inequities have an overwhelming and deadly impact on racially and ethnically minoritized groups. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is widely considered a global public health threat, and concerns that minoritized groups are disproportionately affected are increasing. With the emergence and spread of AMR, novel therapies and prevention strategies are imperative. Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has highlighted stark imbalances in the hospitalization and death rates of minoritized individuals compared to their White counterparts, irrespective of the availability of targeted preventive therapies (ie, vaccinations). Thus, dialogue regarding the utility of vaccines used prophylactically to decrease the number of infectious diseases cases and the historical lack of vaccine equity and uptake across minoritized groups is needed. All of these factors work in concert to increase the burden of AMR and ultimately health disparities within minoritized communities. Herein, we provide historical context pertaining to the impact of structural racism on healthcare inequities in the United States, we explore racial and ethnic disparities in AMR, and we discuss the intersection of racism, AMR, and vaccine equity. Lastly, we offer recommendations to mitigate the described inequities.
The EU’s Draft Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive: A First Assessment
Authors: Patz Christopher
Published: August 2022

In February this year, the European Commission finally released its proposal for an EU-wide Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (‘the draft directive’).1 The draft directive, which follows the 2017 French devoir du vigilance (Duty of Vigilance) and the 2021 German Lieferkettengesetz (Supply Chain Law) as well as a 2020 European Parliament draft law on the same topic,2 is in various respects the most ambitious of its kind.3 Nonetheless, the move to legalize the concept of human rights and environmental due diligence as derived from the international standards has once again tempted European policy-makers (often in the name of ‘legal certainty’) to amend and limit aspects of the internationally agreed and -established concept, with the ultimate effect of reducing decade-long established responsibilities for companies.
Porterville Alternate Care Site Provision of Oxygen at COVID-19 Pandemic Peak
Authors: Montauk Lance
Published: August 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic peak, the author deployed twice to an emergency Alternate Care Site in Porterville, California. The provision of oxygen to patients there, as seen from a physician’s perspective, does not fully support the description in a recently published article of how the State of California approached oxygen logistics during the COVID-19 surge. To inform future planning, an adequate logistical assessment must include not only approaches for solving technical resource challenges, but also reliable numbers regarding end-user resource utilization, and non-utilization, as well as program costs, benefits, and unintended consequences.
Enhancing Artificial Intelligence for Twitter-based Public Discourse on Food Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Martin Nina M. , Poirier Lisa , Rosenblum Andrew J. , Reznar Melissa M. , Gittelsohn Joel , Barnett Daniel J.
Published: August 2022

Objective:

Food security during public health emergencies relies on situational awareness of needs and resources. Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized situational awareness during crises, allowing the allocation of resources to needs through machine learning algorithms. Limited research exists monitoring Twitter for changes in the food security-related public discourse during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aim to address that gap with AI by classifying food security topics on Twitter and showing topic frequency per day.

Methods:

Tweets were scraped from Twitter from January 2020 through December 2021 using food security keywords. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling was performed, followed by time-series analyses on topic frequency per day.

Results:

237,107 tweets were scraped and classified into topics, including food needs and resources, emergency preparedness and response, and mental/physical health. After the WHO’s pandemic declaration, there were relative increases in topic density per day regarding food pantries, food banks, economic and food security crises, essential services, and emergency preparedness advice. Threats to food security in Tigray emerged in 2021.

Conclusions:

AI is a powerful yet underused tool to monitor food insecurity on social media. Machine learning tools to improve emergency response should be prioritized, along with measurement of impact. Further food insecurity word patterns testing, as generated by this research, with supervised machine learning models can accelerate the uptake of these tools by policymakers and aid organizations.
SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Potential and Policy Changes in South Carolina, February 2020 – January 2021
Authors: Davies Margaret R. , Hua Xinyi , Jacobs Terrence D. , Wiggill Gabi I. , Lai Po-Ying , Du Zhanwei , DebRoy Swati , Robb Sara Wagner , Chowell Gerardo , Fung Isaac Chun-Hai
Published: August 2022

Introduction:

We aimed to examine how public health policies influenced the dynamics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) time-varying reproductive number (R
t
) in South Carolina from February 26, 2020, to January 1, 2021.

Methods:

COVID-19 case series (March 6, 2020, to January 10, 2021) were shifted by 9 d to approximate the infection date. We analyzed the effects of state and county policies on R
t
using EpiEstim. We performed linear regression to evaluate if per-capita cumulative case count varies across counties with different population size.

Results:

R
t
shifted from 2-3 in March to <1 during April and May. R
t
rose over the summer and stayed between 1.4 and 0.7. The introduction of statewide mask mandates was associated with a decline in R
t
(−15.3%; 95% CrI, −13.6%, −16.8%), and school re-opening, an increase by 12.3% (95% CrI, 10.1%, 14.4%). Less densely populated counties had higher attack rates (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

The R
t
dynamics over time indicated that public health interventions substantially slowed COVID-19 transmission in South Carolina, while their relaxation may have promoted further transmission. Policies encouraging people to stay home, such as closing nonessential businesses, were associated with R
t
reduction, while policies that encouraged more movement, such as re-opening schools, were associated with R
t
increase.
The microbiome in adult acute appendicitis
Authors: Lee Mei Sze , Sulit Arielle , Frizelle Frank , Purcell Rachel
Published: August 2022

Acute appendicitis is a common acute surgical emergency; however, the pathogenesis of adult appendicitis remains poorly understood. The microbiome is increasingly thought to play a key role in inflammatory disease of the bowel and similarly, may play a role in appendicitis. This study aimed to characterise the microbiome of adult acute appendicitis in a prospective cohort. We recruited 60 adults with acute appendicitis and 20 healthy controls. Rectal swabs were taken from each patient. After DNA extraction, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was carried out for analysis of diversity and taxonomic abundance. Phylogenetic sequencing of the samples indicated that there is a difference between the microbial composition of those with acute appendicitis and healthy controls, with a statistically significant decrease in alpha diversity in rectal swabs of appendicitis patients compared to healthy controls. At the genus level, we saw an increased abundance of potential pathogens, for example, Parvimonas and Acinetobacter, and a decrease in commensal taxa such as Faecalibacterium, Blautia and Lachnospiraceae in appendicitis patients compared to healthy controls. There was a reduction in diversity and loss of commensals in the microbiome of those with acute appendicitis, which may play a role in the cascade leading to acute appendicitis or the result of this.
General solutions of linear poro-viscoelastic materials in spherical coordinates
Authors: Moradi Moslem , Shi Wenzheng , Nazockdast Ehssan
Published: August 2022

The cell cytoskeleton is a dynamic assembly of semi-flexible filaments and motor proteins. The cytoskeleton mechanics is a determining factor in many cellular processes, including cell division, cell motility and migration, mechanotransduction and intracellular transport. Mechanical properties of the cell, which are determined partly by its cytoskeleton, are also used as biomarkers for disease diagnosis and cell sorting. Experimental studies suggest that in whole cell scale, the cell cytoskeleton and its permeating cytosol may be modelled as a two-phase poro-viscoelastic (PVE) material composed of a viscoelastic (VE) network permeated by a viscous cytosol. We present the first general solution to this two-phase system in spherical coordinates, where we assume that both the fluid and network phases are in their linear response regime. Specifically, we use generalized linear incompressible and compressible VE constitutive equations to describe the stress in the fluid and network phases, respectively. We assume a constant permeability that couples the fluid and network displacements. We use these general solutions to study the motion of a rigid sphere moving under a constant force inside a two-phase system, composed of a linear elastic network and a Newtonian fluid. It is shown that the network compressibility introduces a slow relaxation of the sphere and non-monotonic network displacements with time along the direction of the applied force. Our results can be applied to particle-tracking microrheology to differentiate between PVE and VE materials, and to measure the fluid permeability as well as VE properties of the fluid and the network phases.
The International Folk Music Council Twenty-One Years
Authors: Karpeles Maud
Published: August 2022

The Year 1968 marked the coming of age of the International Folk Music Council. As I was in some measure responsible for its birth twenty-one years earlier, the Executive Board invited me to give an account of its activities during that time.
La conjoncture économique de la Belgique
Authors: Woitrin Michel
Published: August 2022

Au cours des trois derniers mois, la conjoncture a poursuivi son évolution ascendante, tant en Belgique que dans le monde.

Les prix de gros et tous les prix sensibles ont ainsi continué leur mouvement de hausse rapide. L,es freins d'origines diverses qui avaient pesé sur les prix de détail et les produits finis n'ont pas été assez puissants pour maintenir le mouvement de baisse des prix de détail belges ébauché des octobre 1950.

L'évolution financière est également dominée complètement par la haute conjoncture, quoique dans les dernières semaines on observe une certaine détente dans ce domaine.
Les finances publiques belges en 1950
Authors: Janssen Albert-Edouard
Published: August 2022

Au cours de certaines années après la libération, les Ministres des finances belges ont trouvé un appoint substantiel dans les plus-values des recettes fiscales provoquées par la reprise spectaculaire de l'activité industrielle du pays et par une fiscalité déjà fondamentalement aggravée pendant la guerre quant au taux et encore accrue en charge, par après, par le jeu de l'accroissement des prix et des salaires.

Pendant ces mêmes années, le Trésor a été avantagé par les remboursements d'avances faites antérieurement. Aussi bien pendant le dernier trimestre de l'année 1944 que pendant l'année 1945 de très importantes sommes ont dû être avancées par le Trésor, et cela pour diverses raisons. La récupération d'une grande partie de ces avances s'est échelonnée sur les années suivantes et a constitué, elle aussi, une aide non négligeable pour ceux qui présidaient à la direction de nos finances publiques.
Le commerce extérieur de la Belgique en 1950
Authors: Jussiant Jean
Published: August 2022

I. — I/ÉVOLUTION DE LA SITUATION ÉCONOMIQUE INTERNATIONALE

La fin de l'année 1949, avec les rajustements monétaires qui l'avaient accompagnée, avait marqué une étape décisive de l'évolution économique d'après-guerre. Elle avait vu la plupart des pays abandonner les politiques d'inflation plus ou moins contrôlée, de réglementation et de déficit chroniques de la balance commerciale, qui avaient été suivies presque partout immédiatement après la guerre.

Cette évolution a tout d'abord continué pendant une partie de l'année 1950. Les effets favorables de la nouvelle orientation sur l'équilibre interne des économies respectives, se firent sentir de plus en plus nettement et l'expérience de la Belgique, qui avait été un des premiers pays à adopter pareille ligne de conduite, il y a plusieurs années déjà, s'en trouva ainsi une nouvelle fois confirmée. L'amélioration des diverses balances de paiement permit, d'autre part, d'entamer une large action de réduction des obstacles aux échanges internationaux.
Le mouvement social en 1951
Authors: Lagasse André
Published: August 2022

L'année 1951 se révèle pleine d'enseignements sur le plan social pour ceux qui veulent prendre la peine de la scruter attentivement. I,e sociologue, l'économiste, l'homme politique auront été frappés surtout par les deux graves poussées de revendications qui l'ont marquée, à l'arrivée du printemps et puis au début de l'automne, ainsi que par la façon dont ces deux crises ont été dénouées. Le juriste, et spécialement celui qui se soucie de l'avenir du droit social, aura sans doute relevé avant toute autre chose l'importance accrue des « décisions » prises par des groupements et organismes qui, au regard des structures juridiques traditionnelles, sont étrangers à la fonction législative.
Le commerce extérieur de la Belgique en 1951
Authors: d'Ursel Charles
Published: August 2022

L'économie mondiale a continué en 1951 a être fortement influencée par les hostilités en Corée, déclenchées à la fin de juin de l'année précédente. Mais cette influence s'est exercée surtout à travers les réactions qui se sont manifestées aux Etats-Unis.

Les six à neuf premiers mois de guerre en Corée, des programmes d'armement ambitieux ont été élaborés aux Etats-Unis, provoquant des réactions spéculatives très violentes dans le domaine des matières premières, et cela d'autant plus que le gouvernement américain procédait à des achats massifs en vue de la constitution de stocks stratégiques.
Le travail en double équipe dans I'industrie
Authors: Vercruysse Paul
Published: August 2022

Le travail par équipes successives permet de poursuivre la production pendant un temps plus long que la journée normale de travail, sans que les prestations de la main-d'œuvre s'en trouvent allongées.

La continuation de l'œuvre productrice est assurée par deux équipes de travailleurs, ou davantage, qui accomplissent le même travail en se succédant aux mêmes machines, dans les mêmes ateliers ou sur les mêmes chantiers. L/identité des tâches accomplies aux différents postes est une condition essentielle pour qu'il y ait travail par équipes successives.
Prix, consommation, balance et revenus en 1957
Authors: Baudhuin Fernand
Published: August 2022

Le mouvement des prix n'a apporté aucune surprise véritable, durant l'année 1957. Les tendances antérieures se sont simplement confirmées, et l'économie belge n'a pris en cette matière aucune initiative qui lui eût été propre : elle a été visiblement entraînée par la conjoncture mondiale, et par le mouvement des prix sur les marchés internationaux.

Il y a peu de chose à dire de nos prix de gros, qui suivent les tendances fondamentales. La comparaison des index des différents pays est peu significative, car leur mouvement dépend avant tout des articles qui sont observés. En Belgique, l'index des prix de gros porte sur une gamme étendue de produits allant des matières premières dominées par des cours mondiaux à, des produits finis dont les prix sont rendus rigides par les salaires étroitement incorporés.
Classrooms of democracy: cultivating change and social cohesion through rural community centres in postwar Hesse
Authors: Hall Kevin T
Published: August 2022

Influenced by proposals (spanning back to the Kaiser Reich) to hinder the urban-rural divide, Hessian Social Democrats introduced the Hessenplan in 1951 to rebuild the war-torn cities, reconstruct state infrastructure, and integrate displaced persons. A key component of this plan was the establishment of rural community centres, which provided modern amenities and leisure activities, attempted to reduce the hardship of the rural lifestyle through the mechanisation of labour, as well as reinforced democratic principles – all in an attempt to hinder the rural exodus. Branded ‘Castles of Peace’, the rural community centres also represented an environment and a tool for political transformation through democratic re-education. They provided an opportunity to help balance the social, cultural, and economic inequalities between urban and rural communities, were used to prevent further individual anomie, and to instill within the rural populace the importance of becoming responsible citizens in the new democratic age.
Les finances privées
Authors: Roger Charles
Published: August 2022

En dépit du maintien de pratiques restrictives sur le marché du créait, les banques privées et les organismes paraétatiques ont développé, en 1947, une activité particulièrement intense. En raison des besoins de financement de la reprise économique et des transactions du commerce extérieur, les appels au marché des capitaux, bien que plus considérables qu’en 1946, sont restés cependant très inférieurs aux besoins. Les entreprises ont généralement suivi une politique d’auto-financement. Le marché boursier des titres à revenus variables est resté dans un marasme complet qui, ne pouvant s’expliquer par la haute conjoncture internationale, apparaît en partie attribuable à la politique d’assainissement monétaire.
La situation inquiétante de l’industrie houillère belge
Authors: De Lespaul Charles Demeure
Published: August 2022

De nouveaux progrès ont été accomplis en 1947 dans le relèvement de notre production de houille, qui s’est accrue de plus d’un million six cent mille tonnes par rapport à l’année précédente.

Nos mines ont réussi, en effet, à compenser le départ des prisonniers de guerre allemands par la mise au travail d’importants contingents d’ouvriers étrangers, dont elles ont effectué l’apprentissage en un temps très court. I’effectif du personnel présent dans nos charbonnages a pu être maintenu, de cette manière, à son niveau précédent, supérieur d’environ 7 % à celui de 1939. D’autre part, son rendement s’est légèrement amélioré, passant à 77 % de celui de 1939 en décembre 1947, contre 72 % en décembre 1946. Nous avons pu produire ainsi, l’an dernier, 82 % du charbon que nous avions extrait pendant la dernière année normale d’avant-guerre.

Mais le prix de revient de ce charbon a subi de nouvelles et inquiétantes augmentations, à la suite des nouvelles majorations de salaires et de charges sociales imposées par le Gouvernement aux charbonnages belges. Il s’établit nettement au-dessus du prix de vente fixé par ce même Gouvernement, et constitue ainsi l’ensemble de nos mines en perte—une perte qui n’est plus compensée qu’en partie par des subsides de l’Etat. Quoique les mines à bas prix de revient soient contraintes de céder la plus grande part de leurs bénéfices aux mines à prix de revient élevé, ces dernières ne voient apurer ainsi qu’une partie de leur déficit. Leur situation s’aggrave de jour en jour, et va acculer un certain nombre d’entre elles à la fermeture, ou plutôt, en vertu des récentes dispositions légales, à la réquisition par les pouvoirs publics.
Analyse économétrique des émissions privées en Belgique Premiers éléments, 1948-1957
Authors: Dréze Jacques
Published: August 2022

Le présent article constitue à la fois une introduction méthodologique et un rapport préliminaire relatifs à une analyse économétrique du marché des capitaux — actions et obligations de sociétés — en Belgique. Cette analyse a été entreprise à des fins didactiques dans le cadre du cours d'économétrie figurant au programme de la licence en sciences économiques à l'Université Catholique de Louvain. L'analyse est loin d'être terminée: des travaux en cours, qui seront intensifiés dans le courant de l'année académique 1960-1961, feront l'objet d'une publication ultérieure.
Le mouvement social
Authors: Woronoff André
Published: August 2022

La physionomie de l’année 1948 apparaîtra, aux yeux des observateurs du mouvement social en Belgique, très différente de celle des années précédentes, écoulées depuis la fin de la guerre.

Jusqu’en 1947, en effet, l’accroissement du volume de l’emploi avait été constant, une hausse continue des salaires et des avantages sociaux avait tout naturellement suivi cette expansion, et des mesures, telles que la mobilisation civile, avaient dû être prises pour pallier les effets de la pénurie de main-d’œuvre. Mais en 1948 l’expansion prit fin. Le retour à des conditions considérées comme normales devenant de règle pour toute la vie économique du pays, une tendance à la normalisation se fit jour également dans le domaine des relations sociales entre employeurs et travailleurs. On peut en voir le signe dans l’abrogation du régime de la mobilisation civile ainsi que dans le retour progressif à la liberté des négociations collectives et au système de la liaison entre les salaires et l’indice des prix.

D’autre part, la principale réforme introduite dans notre législation sociale depuis 1944 fut le vote, par les Chambres, de la loi du 20 septembre 1948 portant organisation de l’économie. Jointe à d’autres réformes dites « de structure », telles que la modification des statuts de la Banque nationale (dont il ne peut être question dans le cadre limité du présent article), elle apporte une transformation importante, encore que non révolutionnaire, dans la vie interne de l’économie belge en général et surtout, dans la vie des entreprises.

Par contre, la législation en matière d’assurance et de.prévoyance sociales n’a subi que peu de retouches au cours de l’année sous revue.
Reflections on China’s primary care response to COVID-19: roles, limitations and implications
Authors: Tan Xiao , Liu Chaojie , Wu Hao
Published: August 2022

This study focuses on the role of primary care in China’s response to COVID-19. A retrospective, reflective approach was taken using data available to one of the authors who led the national community response to COVID-19, first in Wuhan and then multiple cities in ten provinces/municipalities across the country. At the peak of the pandemic, primary care providers shoulder various public health responsibilities and work in close partnerships with other key stakeholders in the local communities. Primary care providers keep playing a ‘sentinel’/surveillance role in identifying re-emerging cases after the elimination of community transmissions of COVID-19. Critically, however, the pandemic once again highlights some key limitations of the primary care sector, including the lack of gatekeeping, limited capacity and weak integration between medical care and public health.
Yet Another Galant Schema: The Dominant Pedal Accompanied by a Chromatic Descent
Authors: Demeyere Ewald
Published: August 2022

It is now well established that stock voice-leading patterns were an essential component of eighteenth-century compositional and improvisational practices both in Italy and abroad. In this article I focus on one of those patterns, which, as far as I am aware, remains unscrutinized: a dominant pedal point in the bass with a paradigmatic upper voice that descends chromatically from scale steps 5 to 2. In the first two sections, I deal with this pattern successively in eighteenth-century music pedagogy, with special emphasis on the teaching of the Neapolitan maestro Fedele Fenaroli, and in actual galant repertory, thereby exploring both its voice-leading and its syntactic possibilities. In the third section, I compare how this dominant pedal relates to other, already identified pedal-based patterns.