bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ECMWF Subseasonal to Seasonal Precipitation Forecast for Use as a Climate Adaptation Tool Over Nigeria
Authors: Akeh Ugbah Paul , Woolnough Steve , Olaniyan Olumide A.
Published: May 2021

Farmers in most parts of Africa and Asia still practice subsistence farming which relies minly on seasonal rainfall for Agricultural production. A timely and accurate prediction of the rainfall onset, cessation, expected rainfall amount, and its intra-seasonal variability is very likely to reduce losses and risk of extreme weather as well as maximize agricultural output to ensure food security.

Based on this, a study was carried out to evaluate the performance of the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) numerical Weather Prediction Model and its Subseasonal to Seasonal (S2S) precipitation forecast to ascertain its usefulness as a climate change adaptation tool over Nigeria. Observed daily and monthly CHIRPS reanalysis precipitation amount and the ECMWF subseasonal weekly precipitation forecast data for the period 1995–2015 was used. The forecast and observed precipitation were analyzed from May to September while El Nino and La Nina years were identified using the Oceanic Nino Index. Skill of the forecast was determined from standard metrics: Bias, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and Anomaly Correlation Coefficient (ACC).

The Bias, RMSE, and ACC scores reveal that the ECMWF model is capable of predicting precipitation over Southern Nigeria, with the best skill at one week lead time and poorest skills at lead time of 4 weeks. Results also show that the model is more reliable during El Nino years than La-Nina. However, some improvement in the model by ECMWF can give better results and make this tool a more dependable tool for disaster risk preparedness, reduction and prevention of possible damages and losses from extreme rainfall during the wet season, thus enhancing climate change adaptation.
The Multifaceted Glioblastoma: From Genomic Alterations to Metabolic Adaptations
Authors: Quinones Addison , Le Anne
Published: May 2021

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) develops on glial cells and is the most common as well as the deadliest form of brain cancer. As in other cancers, distinct combinations of genetic alterations in GBM subtypes induce a diversity of metabolic phenotypes, which explains the variability of GBM sensitivity to current therapies targeting its reprogrammed metabolism. Therefore, it is becoming imperative for cancer researchers to account for the temporal and spatial heterogeneity within this cancer type before making generalized conclusions about a particular treatment’s efficacy. Standard therapies for GBM have shown little success as the disease is almost always lethal; however, researchers are making progress and learning how to combine therapeutic strategies most effectively. GBMs can be classified initially into two subsets consisting of primary and secondary GBMs, and this categorization stems from cancer development. GBM is the highest grade of gliomas, which includes glioma I (low proliferative potential), glioma II (low proliferative potential with some capacity for infiltration and recurrence), glioma III (evidence of malignancy), and glioma IV (GBM) (malignant with features of necrosis and microvascular proliferation). Secondary GBM develops from a low-grade glioma to an advanced-stage cancer, while primary GBM provides no signs of progression and is identified as an advanced-stage glioma from the onset. The differences in prognosis and histology correlated with each classification are generally negligible, but the demographics of individuals affected and the accompanying genetic/metabolic properties show distinct differentiation [3].
Introduction
Authors: Greiner Rasmus
Published: May 2021

This chapter introduces the term histosphere to refer to the “sphere” of a cinematically modeled, physically experienceable historical world. The prefix “histo-” denotes here not just (popular conceptions of) history, but also a particular bodily dimension. In the phenomenological space between audiovisual figurations and historical experience, a histosphere functions—in the manner of histology—as an innervated tissue that relays the potential semiotic meanings of the cinematically constructed past via physical-sensory stimuli. Against the general assumption that the constitutive feature of historical films is that they represent history, it is instead their audiovisual modeling and figuration of a historical world, which enables an immediate experience of history.
Immersion and Empathy
Authors: Greiner Rasmus
Published: May 2021

The aim of this chapter is to investigate histospheres as multi-immersive perceptual spaces that not only model a historical world but also profoundly influence our conceptions and interpretations of history. In this context, the first section examines the role of aesthetically modeled atmospheres and the moods they evoke. The second section builds on this examination by considering filmic space.Filmic atmospheresand spatial figurations of movement bring us physically and mentally closer to the action of the film. Another potent mechanism of perspectivation is film characters, and so the third section focuses onimaginative empathywith the characters who inhabit a film’s historical world. In combination with film experience as a mode ofembodied perception, this inner perspective provokes interpretations and evaluations that we can extend to the filmic depiction’s historical references.
Modeling Financial Opinions
Authors: Chen Chung-Chi , Huang Hen-Hsen , Chen Hsin-Hsi
Published: May 2021

In this chapter we lay out the primary background of a financial opinion and the relation between opinions and financial instruments. Together, these constitute an overall picture of opinion-based market interaction. Following this discussion we propose several research issues. First, in Sect. 2.1, we discuss the components in a financial opinion one by one, as well as potential research directions; we also explain why we need to extract components and estimate their quality (or influence).
Sources and Corpora
Authors: Chen Chung-Chi , Huang Hen-Hsen , Chen Hsin-Hsi
Published: May 2021

In this chapter, we focus on the sources of financial opinions; we group these sources by the opinion holders: insiders (Sect. 3.1), professionals (Sect. 3.2), social media users (Sect. 3.3), and journalists (Sect. 3.4). Each opinion holder may have his/her own goals when expressing opinions, resulting in different opinions from unique viewpoints.
Exact four point function for large q SYK from Regge theory
Authors: Choi Changha , Mezei Márk , Sárosi Gábor
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Motivated by the goal of understanding quantum systems away from maximal chaos, in this note we derive a simple closed form expression for the fermion four point function of the largeqSYK model valid at arbitrary temperatures and to leading order in 1/N. The result captures both the large temperature, weakly coupled regime, and the low temperature, nearly conformal, maximally chaotic regime of the model. The derivation proceeds by the Sommerfeld-Watson resummation of an infinite series that recasts the four point function as a sum of three Regge poles. The location of these poles determines the Lyapunov exponent that interpolates between zero and the maximal value as the temperature is decreased. Our results are in complete agreement with the ones by Streicher [1] obtained using a different method.
Radiative muon mass models and (g − 2)μ
Authors: Baker Michael J. , Cox Peter , Volkas Raymond R.
Published: May 2021

Abstract

Recent measurements of the Higgs-muon coupling are directly probing muon mass generation for the first time. We classify minimal models with a one-loop radiative mass mechanism and show that benchmark models are consistent with current experimental results. We find that these models are best probed by measurements of (g − 2)μ, even when taking into account the precision of Higgs measurements expected at future colliders. The current (g − 2)μ anomaly, if confirmed, could therefore be a first hint that the muon mass has a radiative origin.
New physics effects in leptonic and semileptonic decays
Authors: Bečirević Damir , Jaffredo Florentin , Peñuelas Ana , Sumensari Olcyr
Published: May 2021

Abstract

We discuss the possibilities of extracting the constraints on New Physics by using the current data on the leptonic and semileptonic decays of pseudoscalar mesons. In doing so we use a general low energy Lagrangian that besides the vector and axial operators also includes the (pseudo-)scalar and tensor ones. In obtaining constraints on New Physics couplings, we combine the experimental information concerning several decay modes with the accurate and precise lattice QCD results for the hadronic matrix elements. We propose to study new observables that can be extracted from the angular analysis of the semileptonic decays and discuss their values both in the Standard Model and in some specific scenarios of physics beyond the Standard Model.
Birational geometry of moduli spaces of perverse coherent sheaves on blow-ups
Authors: Koseki Naoki
Published: May 2021

In order to study the wall-crossing formula of Donaldson type invariants on the blown-up plane, Nakajima–Yoshioka constructed a sequence of blow-up/blow-down diagrams connecting the moduli space of torsion free framed sheaves on projective plane, and that on its blow-up. In this paper, we prove that Nakajima–Yoshioka’s diagram realizes the minimal model program. Furthermore, we obtain a fully-faithful embedding between the derived categories of these moduli spaces.
Heterogeneity of SARS-CoV-2 virus produced in cell culture revealed by shotgun proteomics and supported by genome sequencing
Authors: Gallais Fabrice , Pible Olivier , Gaillard Jean-Charles , Debroas Stéphanie , Batina Hélène , Ruat Sylvie , Sandron Florian , Delafoy Damien , Gerber Zuzana , Olaso Robert , Gas Fabienne , Bellanger Laurent , Deleuze Jean-François , Grenga Lucia , Armengaud Jean
Published: May 2021

COVID-19 is the most disturbing pandemic of the past hundred years. Its causative agent, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has been the subject of an unprecedented investigation to characterize its molecular structure and intimate functioning. While markers for its detection have been proposed and several diagnostic methodologies developed, its propensity to evolve and evade diagnostic tools and the immune response is of great concern. The recent spread of new variants with increased infectivity requires even more attention. Here, we document how shotgun proteomics can be useful for rapidly monitoring the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We evaluated the heterogeneity of purified SARS-CoV-2 virus obtained after culturing in the Vero E6 cell line. We found that cell culture induces significant changes that are translated at the protein level, such changes being detectable by tandem mass spectrometry. Production of viral particles requires careful quality control which can be easily performed by shotgun proteomics. Although considered relatively stable so far, the SARS-CoV-2 genome turns out to be prone to frequent variations. Therefore, the sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 variants from patients reporting only the consensus genome after its amplification would deserve more attention and could benefit from more in-depth analysis of low level but crystal-clear signals, as well as complementary and rapid analysis by shotgun proteomics.

Graphical abstract
Fast, inexpensive, and reliable HPLC method to determine monomer fractions in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)
Authors: Duvigneau Stefanie , Kettner Alexander , Carius Lisa , Griehl Carola , Findeisen Rolf , Kienle Achim
Published: May 2021

The determination of the monomer fractions in polyhydroxyalkanoates is of great importance for research on microbial-produced plastic material. The development of new process designs, the validation of mathematical models, and intelligent control strategies for production depend enormously on the correctness of the analyzed monomer fractions. Most of the available detection methods focus on the determination of the monomer fractions of the homopolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate). Only a few can analyze the monomer content in copolymers such as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), which usually require expensive measuring devices, a high preparation time or the use of environmentally harmful halogenated solvents such as chloroform or dichloromethane. This work presents a fast, simple, and inexpensive method for the analysis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) with high-performance liquid chromatography. Samples from a bioreactor experiment for the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) with Cupriavidus necator H16 were examined regarding their monomer content using the new method and gas chromatography analysis, one of the most frequently used methods in literature. The results from our new method were validated using gas chromatography measurements and show excellent agreement.

Key points

∙ The presented HPLC method is an inexpensive, fast and environmentally friendly alternative to existing methods for quantification of monomeric composition of PHBV.

∙ Validation with state of the art GC measurement exhibits excellent agreement over a broad range of PHBV monomer fractions.
Possible semi-circumglobal teleconnection across Eurasia driven by deep convection over the Sahel
Authors: Nakanishi Tomoe , Tachibana Yoshihiro , Ando Yuta
Published: May 2021

The Sahel region, located between the tropical rainforests of Africa and the Sahara Desert, has rainfall that varies widely from year to year, associated with extremely deep convection. This deep convection, strongly heated by water vapor condensation, suggests the possibility of exerting a remote influence on mid- and high-latitude climate similar to the well-known influences of tropical oceanic convection on global climate. Here we investigate the possibility that deep convection over the Sahel initiates a semi-circumglobal teleconnection extending to eastern Eurasia. Statistical analysis and numerical experiments support the possible existence of this teleconnection at an interannual time scale. We propose that the anomalous heat source due to deep convection over the Sahel in the late monsoon season influences meandering of the mid-latitude jet stream over Europe through the combination of a Matsuno-Gill response and advection of absolute vorticity. This subtropical jet meander may in turn drive an eastward propagation of a Rossby wave across Eurasia as far as East Asia. Because deep convection over other subtropical land areas may exert a similar remote influence upon extratropical extreme weather, further studies of the influence of overland convection may provide us with an expanded comprehension of teleconnections.
Digital therapeutics in neurology
Authors: Abbadessa G. , Brigo F. , Clerico M. , De Mercanti S. , Trojsi F. , Tedeschi G. , Bonavita S. , Lavorgna L.
Published: May 2021

Digital therapeutics (DTx) is a section of digital health defined by the DTx Alliance as “delivering evidence-based therapeutic interventions to patients that are driven by software to prevent, manage, or treat a medical disorder or disease. They are used independently or in concert with medications, devices, or other therapies to optimize patient care and health outcomes”. Chronic disabling diseases could greatly benefit from DTx. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of DTx in the care of patients with neurological dysfunctions.
Retrograde endovascular revascularization for chronic total occlusion of the internal carotid artery: a case report
Authors: Uno Takeshi , Shojima Masaaki , Oyama Yuta , Yamane Fumitaka , Matsuno Akira
Published: May 2021

Endovascular revascularization of a chronically occluded internal carotid artery (ICA) is challenging because the occlusive segment can be long and tortuous. A case is presented of a successful recanalization of a chronically occluded ICA by retrograde passing of a guidewire from the intracranial ICA to the cervical ICA via the posterior communicating artery. This case suggests that a retrograde approach for reopening an occluded artery may be useful during neurovascular interventions, similar to percutaneous coronary interventions. In this patient, daily transient ischemic attacks disappeared after successful recanalization of the ICA.
Regulatory non-coding RNAs: a new frontier in regulation of plant biology
Authors: Bhogireddy Sailaja , Mangrauthia Satendra K. , Kumar Rakesh , Pandey Arun K. , Singh Sadhana , Jain Ankit , Budak Hikmet , Varshney Rajeev K. , Kudapa Himabindu
Published: May 2021

Beyond the most crucial roles of RNA molecules as a messenger, ribosomal, and transfer RNAs, the regulatory role of many non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in plant biology has been recognized. ncRNAs act as riboregulators by recognizing specific nucleic acid targets through homologous sequence interactions to regulate plant growth, development, and stress responses. Regulatory ncRNAs, ranging from small to long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), exert their control over a vast array of biological processes. Based on the mode of biogenesis and their function, ncRNAs evolved into different forms that include microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), miRNA variants (isomiRs), lncRNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs), and derived ncRNAs. This article explains the different classes of ncRNAs and their role in plant development and stress responses. Furthermore, the applications of regulatory ncRNAs in crop improvement, targeting agriculturally important traits, have been discussed.
Mathematical Modelling of Residual-Stress Based Volumetric Growth in Soft Matter
Authors: Huang Ruoyu , Ogden Raymond W. , Penta Raimondo
Published: May 2021

Growth in nature is associated with the development of residual stresses and is in general heterogeneous and anisotropic at all scales. Residual stress in an unloaded configuration of a growing material provides direct evidence of the mechanical regulation of heterogeneity and anisotropy of growth. The present study explores a model of stress-mediated growth based on the unloaded configuration that considers either the residual stress or the deformation gradient relative to the unloaded configuration as a growth variable. This makes it possible to analyze stress-mediated growth without the need to invoke the existence of a fictitious stress-free grown configuration. Furthermore, applications based on the proposed theoretical framework relate directly to practical experimental scenarios involving the “opening-angle” in arteries as a measure of residual stress. An initial illustration of the theory is then provided by considering the growth of a spherically symmetric thick-walled shell subjected to the incompressibility constraint.
The Interactions Between Oxide Film Inclusions and Inoculation Particles TiB2 in Aluminum Melt
Authors: Yang Jiawei , Bao Sarina , Akhtar Shahid , Li Yanjun
Published: May 2021

In this work, a systematic study on the interactions between aluminum oxide films and TiB2 grain refiner particles and their effect on grain refinement behavior have been conducted. Oxide films were introduced into a commercial purity aluminum melt by adding AA 6061 alloy chips while the grain refiner particles were introduced by adding Al-3T-1B master alloy. Strong sedimentation of TiB2 grain refiner particles was observed in aluminum melt without chip addition during long-time settling. Most of the TiB2 particles were settled and accumulated at the bottom of crucible. In contrast, the sedimentation of TiB2 particles is much less in the melt with the addition of oxide films. A large fraction of TiB2 particles were found to be adhered to the oxide films located at the top part of the crucible, which inhibited the sedimentation of grain refiner particles. TP-1 type tests were also done to study the grain refinement efficiency of Al-3Ti-1B master alloy under different melt cleanliness and settling time. It is found that sedimentation of TiB2 particles greatly reduces the grain refinement efficiency. The introduction of oxide films seems to slightly alleviate the fading effect. This is owing to the strong adherence between the oxide films and TiB2 particles, which leads to a retardation of particle sedimentation.
Risk of eating disorders in a representative sample of Italian adolescents: prevalence and association with self-reported interpersonal factors
Authors: D’Anna Giulio , Lazzeretti Marco , Castellini Giovanni , Ricca Valdo , Cassioli Emanuele , Rossi Eleonora , Silvestri Caterina , Voller Fabio
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Adolescence represents a critical period for the onset of eating disorders (EDs). The present study aimed to provide the prevalence of individuals at risk for EDs psychopathology in a representative population of adolescents aged 14–19 and to characterize this population regarding interpersonal and psychological factors.

Methods

The percentage of participants at risk for EDs in a representative high school population was assessed through the SCOFF screening questionnaire (cut-off score: 3) in the total sample (N: 6551) and in gender-based subgroups for different body mass index (BMI) categories. Odds ratios for being at risk of ED (SCOFF ≥ 3) were esteemed in a multivariable analysis including self-reported parental education, quality of family and peer relationships, bullying victimization, age at first sexual intercourse, and psychological distress.

Results

A SCOFF score ≥ 3 was found in 31.0% of participants (boys: 19.4%; girls: 44.6%), with a greater prevalence among higher BMI categories. Bad family relationships, being bullied, having the first sexual intercourse before the age of 14, and experiencing high distress were associated with this risk condition. Among girls, bad peer relationships were associated with a low-risk SCOFF score.

Conclusion

A remarkable percentage of adolescents reported significant body image or eating concerns. Screening programs are deeply needed, and particular attention should be devoted to interpersonal factors, such as the quality of family relationships and interactions with peers, which represent potential indicators of this vulnerability.

Level of evidence

Level V – Cross-sectional study.
A Solitary Fetal Cardiac Rhabdomyoma: A Hemodynamically Unstable Left Ventricular Tumor with Autopsy and Histopathology Findings
Authors: Philip Saji , Thampy Linta
Published: May 2021

Fetal primary cardiac tumors are rare, but they may cause complications which are sometimes life threatening, including arrhythmias, hydrops fetalis, ventricular outflow/inflow obstruction, cardiac failure, and even sudden death in utero. Rhabdomyoma is the most common cardiac tumor in fetuses and is usually diagnosed in the third trimester of pregnancy. It has a benign course in the majority of cases and is often associated with tuberous sclerosis complex. We report a rare solitary large left ventricular tumor, rhabdomyoma with pericardial effusion, causing unstable hemodynamics and threatening intrauterine life with impending nonimmune hydrops. This was confirmed and further described with autopsy and histopathology findings.
Long-term remission of acromegaly after somatostatin analogues withdrawal: a single-centre experience
Authors: Sala E. , Carosi G. , Del Sindaco G. , Mungari R. , Cremaschi A. , Serban A. L. , Ronchi C. L. , Ferrante E. , Arosio M. , Mantovani G.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

A long-lasting remission of acromegaly after somatostatin analogues (SAs) withdrawal has been described in some series. Our aim was to update the disease evolution after SAs withdrawal in a cohort of acromegalic patients.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 21 acromegalic patients previously included in a multicentre study (Ronchi et al. 2008), updating data at the last follow-up. We added further 8 patients selected for SAs withdrawal between 2008–2018. Pituitary irradiation represented an exclusion criterion. The withdrawal was suggested after at least 9 months of clinical and hormonal disease control. Clinical and biochemical data prior and after SAs withdrawal were analysed.

Results

In the whole cohort (29 patients) mean age was 50 ± 14.9 years and 72.4% were females. In 69% pituitary surgery was previously performed. Overall, the median time of treatment before SAs withdrawal was 53 months (IQR = 24–84). At the last follow up in 2019, 23/29 patients (79.3%) had a disease relapse after a median time of 6 months (interquartile range or IQR = 3–12) from the drug suspension, while 6/29 (20.7%) were still on remission after 120 months (IQR = 66–150). IGF-1 levels were significantly lower before withdrawal in patients with persistent remission compared to relapsing ones (IGF-1 SDS: -1.5 ± 0.6 vs -0.11 ± 1, p = 0.01). We did not observe any other difference between patients with and without relapse, including SAs formulation, dosage and treatment duration.

Conclusion

A successful withdrawal of SAs is possible in a subset of well-controlled acromegalic patients and it challenges the concept that medical therapy is a lifelong requirement.
Europäische Perspektiven auf den Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz: Impulse für eine globaler orientierte Arbeitswissenschaft
Authors: Windel Armin , Haus-Rybicki Sebastian
Published: May 2021

In den vergangenen Jahrzehnten hat sich die Sicherheit und Gesundheit der Erwerbstätigen in Europa stetig verbessert, was nicht zuletzt auf die Umsetzung arbeitswissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse zurückzuführen ist. Gleichwohl stehen die europäischen Arbeitsschutzsysteme vor einer Reihe von Herausforderungen, die nicht zuletzt im Zuge der Covid-19-Pandemie verstärkt in das Bewusstsein der Politik und der Öffentlichkeit gerückt sind. Der Beitrag thematisiert beispielhaft einige dieser zentralen Herausforderungen des Arbeitsschutzes aus einer europäischen Perspektive. Grundlage ist ein Positionspapier, das unter Federführung der Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (BAuA) gemeinsam mit den führenden europäischen Arbeitsschutzinstituten aus dem Forschungsnetzwerk PEROSH anlässlich des Konsultationsprozesses der EU-Kommission für eine neue europäische Arbeitsschutzstrategie entstanden ist. In diesem Beitrag geht es dabei nicht nur darum, die europäische Dimension vieler Herausforderungen herauszustellen. Vielmehr skizziert er diese auch als strategische Handlungsfelder, um die Potenziale der Arbeitswissenschaft bezüglich der Erarbeitung gemeinsamer europäischer Lösungsansätze – als Grundlage für die Lösung von Problemen der Globalisierung – hervorzuheben.
Fuzzy rule-based set point weighting for fuzzy PID controller
Authors: Mitra Pubali , Dey Chanchal , Mudi Rajani K.
Published: May 2021

The objective of this work is to design a fuzzy rule-based set point weighting mechanism for fuzzy PID (FPID) controller so that an overall improved closed-loop performance may be achieved for linear as well as nonlinear process models. Till date, tuning criteria for FPID controllers are not well defined. Trial-and-error approach is primarily adopted and it is quite time-consuming and does not always ensure improved overall closed-loop behaviour. Hence, to ascertain satisfactory closed-loop performance with an initially tuned fuzzy controller, a fuzzy rule-based set point weighting mechanism is reported here. The proposed scheme is capable of providing performance enhancement with instantaneous weighting factor calculated online for each instant based on the latest process operating conditions. The proposed methodology is capable of ascertaining acceptable performances during set point tracking as well as load recovery phases. Efficacy of the proposed scheme is verified for linear as well as nonlinear process models through simulation study along with real-time verification on servo position control in comparison with the others’ reported performance augmentation schemes as well as fuzzy sliding mode control.
Analysis and modeling of the thermal behavior of an improved pellet cookstove
Authors: Vitoussia Théophile , Brillard Alain , Bertsch Justin , Allgaier Olivier , Leyssens Gontrand , Schönnenbeck Cornélius , Njeugna Ebenezer , Brilhac Jean-François
Published: May 2021

In Sub-Saharan countries, cooking is usually done at a domestic scale using rudimentary stoves with wood or charcoal as combustibles. To improve the cooking behavior and reduce the deforestation, an improved pellet cookstove was conceptualized with guiding ideas in mind such as simplicity, robustness and ability to burn pellets built with local wood residues under a natural draught. Combustion and water ebullition tests were performed with two configurations of the upper part of the cookstove: thick steel plate or ring, and with standardized EN+ pellets as combustible. The main pollutant gases (CO, CO2 and NOx), together with O2, were continuously measured at different positions of the cookstove during a water ebullition test with the ring configuration. The levels measured above the pot were lower than the thresholds currently proposed by the World Health Organization. Simple and phenomenological thermal models were proposed to simulate the plate, or ring, and water temperatures during the combustion or water ebullition tests and to determine the intrinsic convection coefficients. The maximal relative differences between the experimental and simulated temperatures were computed between 7 and 21%. The stove power was evaluated at 4336 ± 23 W. The cookstove yield for the water ebullition test with the ring configuration was computed equal to 12.3 ± 0.1%, slightly lower than that of cookstoves previously analyzed in the literature.
Non-smooth atomic decomposition of variable 2-microlocal Besov-type and Triebel–Lizorkin-type spaces
Authors: Gonçalves Helena F.
Published: May 2021

In this paper we provide non-smooth atomic decompositions of 2-microlocal Besov-type and Triebel–Lizorkin-type spaces with variable exponents $$B^{\varvec{w}, \phi }_{p(\cdot ),q(\cdot )}({\mathbb {R}}^n)$$

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. Of big importance in general, and an essential tool here, are the characterizations of the spaces via maximal functions and local means, that we also present. These spaces were recently introduced by Wu et al. and cover not only variable 2-microlocal Besov and Triebel–Lizorkin spaces $$B^{\varvec{w}}_{p(\cdot ),q(\cdot )}({\mathbb {R}}^n)$$

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, but also the more classical smoothness Morrey spaces $$B^{s, \tau }_{p,q}({\mathbb {R}}^n)$$

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. Afterwards, we state a pointwise multipliers assertion for this scale.
Trade‐offs between male fertility reduction and selected growth factors or the klotho response in a lipopolysaccharide-dependent mouse model
Authors: Solek Przemyslaw , Mytych Jennifer , Sujkowska Ewelina , Grzegorczyk Magdalena , Jasiewicz Patrycja , Sowa-Kucma Magdalena , Stachowicz Katarzyna , Koziorowski Marek , Tabecka-Lonczynska Anna
Published: May 2021

The increasing number of depression cases leads to a greater need for new antidepressant treatment development. It is postulated that antidepressants may harm male fertility, but the cellular mechanism is still poorly understood. The role of growth factors and klotho protein in maintaining normal male reproductive function is well documented. Hence, the study aimed to investigate the effect of the antidepressant drug – imipramine (tricyclic AD), and other substances with antidepressant potential (ALS), administered in combination or in combination with LPS (an animal model of depression) on gene expression and protein synthesis of IGF-2 (insulin-like growth factor 2), TGF-β1 (transforming growth factor β1), NGF (nerve growth factor), KGF (keratinocyte growth factor) and protein synthesis of VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor A), IGF-IR (insulin-like growth factor receptor 1), EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and klotho in the testis of mice. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with selected ALS and LPS or 10% DMSO (controls) (n = 7/group) once a day for 14 days. Animals were decapitated and testes collected for RNA and protein purification. PCR and western blot methods were employed for the evaluation of growth factors and klotho expression. The results obtained indicated a decreased level of most of the analyzed genes and proteins, except KGF; its expression increased after treatment with MTEP and IMI administrated individually and after NS-398, and IMI in combination with LPS. Our results may suggest that the tested ALS and LPS can contribute to a reduction of male fertility, but NS-398, IMI, and IMI+NS-398 may also act as stimulants after LPS.
The Importance of Minimally Invasive Remote Sensing Methods in Huron-Wendat Archaeology
Authors: Warrick Gary , Glencross Bonnie , Lesage Louis
Published: May 2021

The Huron-Wendat have had their ancestors’ villages and burial sites investigated archaeologically for over 170 years. Past and ongoing land disturbance and invasive archaeological excavation have erased dozens of Huron-Wendat village sites in Ontario, hindering Huron-Wendat duty to care for their ancestors. Consequently, over the last 20 years, in addition to large-scale repatriation of ancestral remains, the Huron-Wendat have requested that archaeologists make every effort to avoid any further excavation of ancestral sites. This poses a new challenge for archaeologists about how to learn about the Huron-Wendat past with minimal disturbance to ancestral sites. Honoring the cultural responsibilities of the Huron-Wendat, the authors have employed minimally invasive remote sensing methods of investigation on Ahatsistari, a forested early seventeenth-century Huron-Wendat village site in Simcoe County, Ontario. Remote sensing methods (e.g., magnetic susceptibility survey, high-resolution soil chemistry sampling, and metal detector survey) have revealed village limits and the possible location and orientation of longhouses, providing essential information in support of the Huron-Wendat imperative to find, assess, and preserve as many of their archaeological sites as possible. This is to protect the ancestors, learn from the ancestors, and preserve ancestral sites and related landscapes for future generations.
Efficacy of relatively low-cost ultraviolet-C light devices against Candida auris
Authors: Pearlmutter Basya S. , Haq Muhammed F. , Cadnum Jennifer L. , Jencson Annette L. , Carlisle Matthew , Donskey Curtis J.
Published: May 2021

Background:

Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light devices could be useful to reduce environmental contamination with Candida auris. However, variable susceptibility of C. auris strains to UV-C has been reported, and the high cost of many devices limits their use in resource-limited settings.

Objective:

To evaluate the efficacy of relatively low-cost (<$15,000 purchase price) UV-C devices against C. auris strains from the 4 major phylogenetic clades.

Methods:

A modification of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard quantitative disk carrier test method (ASTM E 2197) was used to examine and compare the effectiveness of UV-C devices against C. auris, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and bacteriophage Phi6. Reductions of 3 log10 were considered effective. UV-C irradiance measurements and colorimetric indicators were used to assess UV-C output.

Results:

Of 8 relatively low-cost UV-C devices, 6 met the criteria for effective decontamination of C. auris isolates from clades I and II, MRSA, and bacteriophage Phi6, including 3 room decontamination devices and 3 UV-C box devices. Candida auris isolates from clades III and IV were less susceptible to UV-C than clade I and II isolates; 1 relatively low-cost room decontamination device and 2 enclosed box devices met the criteria for effective decontamination of clade III and IV isolates. UV-C irradiance measurements and colorimetric indicator results were consistent with microorganism reductions.

Conclusions:

Some relatively low-cost UV-C light technologies are effective against C. auris, including isolates from clades III and IV with reduced UV-C susceptibility. Studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of UV-C devices in clinical settings.
“Under ye Lash of ye Law”: The State and the Law in the Post-Culloden Scottish Highlands
Authors: Dziennik Matthew P.
Published: May 2021

In the aftermath of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, the British state enacted a series of restrictive legal measures designed to pacify the Scottish Highlands and crush the military power of the Gael. With the evolution of scholarly work on the British state, these measures are increasingly seen through the prism of state power, with the Scottish Gàidhealtachd cast as the victim of a fiscal-military system determined to impose obedience on its territory and peoples. In analyzing the implementation and enforcement of the laws passed between 1746 and 1752, this article challenges this narrative. By focusing attention on the legal system—particularly with regards enforcement—this article considers the local reception of the laws and the ideological, legal, and bureaucratic limitations to state authority. Yet it also explores how clan chiefs and traditional elites, who were the primary target of the legislation, quickly turned the laws to their own advantage. This analysis challenges the idea of effective state intervention in the Gàidhealtachd after 1746 and instead brings attention to how parliamentary legislation was mobilized by regional actors to local ends in ways that cast a long shadow over the history of the Scottish Highlands.
Untying Knots: A New Interpretation of Irenaeus, Adversus haereses 3.22.4
Authors: Guignard Christophe
Published: May 2021

Adversus haereses 3.22.4 is one of the key texts for Irenaeus’ views about the virgin Mary’s role in the “economy” of salvation. Among the many interpretative riddles of this passage, this paper discusses the function of the metaphor of the knots in Irenaeus’ argument. A close analysis suggests that the lines in question are not the conclusion of the preceding section (as implied by the Latin version—and modern interpreters), but the opening of a concluding development that sums up the role of the New Adam and the New Eve. As a result, the metaphor of knots should not be understood in exclusive connection with Mary: it applies to both Christ and her— though it is particularly fitting for expressing Mary’s role as New (and Anti-) Eve.
“Gathering the Dispersed of Israel”: The Evolution of a Kabbalistic Prayer Addendum for Tiqqun Qeri
Authors: Koch Patrick Benjamin
Published: May 2021

This article traces the evolution of a kabbalistic prayer supplication that was designed to purify male Jews from pollution caused by improper seminal emission. In doing so, it focuses on the metaphysical rationale behind it, its function, and its metamorphosis from a highly technical practice into a mainstream devotional practice. It addresses how notions of sexual pollution (qeri) were contextualized in Lurianic Kabbalah and how they were later embedded in kabbalistic manuals and prayer books. Furthermore, the article examines Jewish-Christian and inner- Jewish debates that emerged in connection with the effects of spilling semen in vain. Special attention is paid to possible social factors that may have impacted the increased anxiety about male bodily fluids and “misguided” desires. In addition to the available research on the theological and general historical background of the prohibition of wasting seed, the following analysis offers a microhistory of this short yet highly influential text.
The Work of Translation
Authors: Cho Paul K.-K.
Published: May 2021

Edward L. Greenstein, who has recently published a most accomplished translation of the biblical book of Job, gives an indication of the extent of the labor required to produce such a translation: “I have been deeply engaged by the challenges of the book of Job—its themes, literary affiliations, language, and poetics—for over four decades” (xvii). That Greenstein has more than endured what he rightly characterizes as “this intimate endeavor” (xvii), including especially “the painstaking work of original philological investigation” (xviii), demonstrates that he is not only a long-suffering “scholar of difficult language” but indeed a “lover of words,” and of the work of words (ix). Further proof of his love lies in the stated altruism of his goals (xvii). He has aimed “to make good sense of the text of Job” and “to convey something of the text’s poetics” (x, xxxvi). That is, he has tried to recreate in English something of the theological and literary genius of the ancient Joban writers, better than others have done previously. And fellow students of Job and lovers of words, including the present author, owe a debt of gratitude to Greenstein for his labor of love and this work of translation. For, true to his goals, the still enigmatic biblical book begins to make (stunning) good sense and, here and there, lays bare more of its (sinuous) literary genius in Greenstein’s new translation.1
Boston in New England, Intoxicant Town
Authors: Peterson Mark
Published: May 2021

This article explores the relationship between a distinctive early modern city, Boston, Massachusetts, and the dramatic expansion of the production and consumption of intoxicants in the emergent Atlantic world. In particular, it attempts to draw together two strands of Boston's history seldom considered together: its origins as an aspirational settlement of English puritans aiming to build a godly city, and the deep involvement of its merchants and consumers in the overseas trade in intoxicants – tobacco, sugar, rum, wine, coffee, tea, chocolate, and others. By considering the cultures of consumption associated with godliness alongside other clusters of consumption in which intoxicants also played a part, it attempts to open new avenues for thinking about the many ways in which new forms and objects of desire transformed the economy and material culture of early modernity.
Radiographic appearance of extracorporeal membrane oxygenations versus left ventricular assist device
Authors: Mackie Phillip M , Peek Giles J , Jacobs Jeffrey P , Bleiweis Mark S
Published: May 2021

Chest radiography compares left ventricular decompression in the same patient supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with atrial septal fenestration and subsequently supported with left ventricular assist device with apical cannulation.
Impact of FDG-PET/CT on restaging and response evaluation of locally advanced head and neck cancer patient management
Authors: Moneim Rabab A , Habib Emmad , Nagi Radfan , Yasser M , Aldaly Moustafa
Published: May 2021

Background:

Head and neck cancer (HNC) accounts for 5% of all new cancer cases and most were locally advanced. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in radiotherapy practice in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is being used in staging and proper contouring. Proper staging is essential for accurate treatment decision.

Methods:

This is a prospective phase II study conducted as a single institute centre to evaluate the role of PET/CT-treatment in staging, contouring and response evaluation of 30 patients with locally advanced HNSCC in contrast to CT scan. Our cases did not undergo radical surgery for the primary tumour, and biopsy was taken with PET/CT post-treatment to evaluate response.

Results:

Median age of patients was 49·4 years (minimum age of 32 years and maximum of 68 years). Males were predominant 22 (73·3%). Nasopharynx was the predominant site 16/30 (53·3%). PET/CT changed the overall staging in 40% of the patients (upstaged in 36·7% and downstaged in 3·3%). Gross tumour volume (GTV) of PET/CT was smaller in 23 patients (76·7%) and larger in 5 (16·7%) than the GTV of conventional CT, whereas GTV of lymph nodes of PET/CT was larger in 20 patients (67·7%) and smaller in 4 (13·3%). PET/CT study detected bone metastasis in two nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients and two cases of 2nd primary tumours which were not detected using conventional CT. The Cox-regression model showed that the median standardised uptake volume (SUV) of the initial tumour had been a dependent predictor of death in patients with HNSCC (p-value = 0·033) where the risk of death was 0·725 times among patients with high SUV of the initial tumour. Consequently, the size of GTV of the tumour was significant in the prediction of death (p = 0·018).

Conclusions:

18F-FDG-PET/CT is useful for staging, radiotherapy delineation as well as aiding proper decision making, in addition to assessment of treatment response in HNSCC patients.
Mapping ‘wild zones’ of globalisation: on private actors and the rule of law
Authors: Mak Chantal
Published: May 2021

While private corporations have become increasingly influential in the global economy, a comprehensive legal framework for their activities is missing. Although international and regional legal instruments may govern some aspects of, for instance, international investments and the supply of goods and services, there is no overarching structure for assessing the impact of large-scale private projects. In the absence of such a comprehensive framework, specific rules of private law allow profit-seeking companies to expand their activities on an economic basis, mostly without having to heed social concerns (Pistor, 2019). This is particularly problematic insofar as multinational companies have obtained power to set the rules for their engagement with states, organisations and individuals, for instance in the form of transnational investment contracts. Given the fragmented nature of the legal sphere in which such contracts are elaborated and performed, those who face the harmful consequences of such investments may not be able to participate in decision-making processes. The contracts remain in ‘wild zones’ of globalisation (Fraser, 2014, p. 150), where powerful private companies rule.
Improvising with Peter
Authors: Ramshaw Sara
Published: May 2021

When listening to a recently rediscovered home cassette recording of South African musician and activist Hugh Masekela, which was a gift from the late legal theorist Peter Fitzpatrick in 2004, unleashed are a series of recollections and reflections on the distinctiveness and significance of Fitzpatrick's scholarship, especially in relation to the emerging field of critical legal studies in improvisation. This short piece recalls Peter's boundless wisdom, kindness and generosity, and the lasting impact that his thought and texts have had on his students, colleagues and readers the world over.
Radar‐Sounding Characterization of the Subglacial Groundwater Table Beneath Hiawatha Glacier, Greenland
Authors: Bessette Jonathan T. , Schroeder Dustin M. , Jordan Thomas M. , MacGregor Joseph A.
Published: May 2021

Radar‐sounding surveys associated with the discovery of a large impact crater beneath Hiawatha Glacier, Greenland, revealed bright, flat subglacial reflections hypothesized to originate from a subglacial groundwater table. We test this hypothesis using radiometric and hydrologic analysis of those radar data. The dielectric loss between the reflection from the top of the basal layer and subglacial reflection and their reflectivity difference represent dual constraints upon the complex permittivity of the basal material. Either ice‐cemented debris or fractured, well‐drained bedrock explain the basal layer's radiometric properties. The subglacial reflector's geometry is parallel to isopotential hydraulic head contours, located 7.5–15.3 m below the interface, and 11 ± 7 dB brighter than the ice–basal layer reflection. We conclude that this subglacial reflection is a groundwater table and that its detection was enabled by the wide bandwidth of the radar system and unusual geologic setting, suggesting a path for future direct radar detection of subglacial groundwater elsewhere.