bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Räumliche und zeitliche Auflösung der Wiederherstellungsdynamik der Photorezeptoren nach Behandlung mit Voretigen Neparvovec
Authors: Stingl Krunoslav , Kempf Melanie , Bartz-Schmidt Karl U. , Dimopoulos Spyridon , Reichel Felix , Jung Ronja , Kelbsch Carina , Kohl Susanne , Körtum Friederike Charlotte , Nasser Fadi , Peters Tobias , Wilhelm Barbara , Wissinger Bernd , Wozar Fabian , Zrenner Eberhart , Fischer M. Dominik , Stingl Katarina
Published: August 2021

Hintergrund:Voretigen Neparvovec ist ein gentherapeutischer Wirkstoff zur Behandlung von Netzhautdystrophien, die durch biallelische RPE65-Mutationen verursacht werden. In der vorliegenden Studie berichten wir über eine neuartige und objektive Beurteilung der retinotopen Wiederherstellung der Photorezeptoren. Methoden:Sieben (7) Augen von 5 Patienten (im Alter von 14, 21, 23, 24 und 36 Jahren, davon 1 Mann und 4 Frauen) mit biallelischen RPE65-Mutationen wurden mit Voretigen Neparvovec behandelt. Die klinischen Untersuchungen beinhalteten Visusbestimmungen, einen dunkeladaptierten Vollfeld-Lichtempfindlichkeits-Schwellenwert-Test (full-field stimulus threshold, FST), eine dunkeladaptierte chromatische Perimetrie (dark-adapted chromatic perimeter, DAC) mit einem 30-Grad-Raster und eine skotopische und photopische chromatische Pupillenkampimetrie (CPC) mit einem 30-Grad-Raster. Alle Untersuchungen und die Spectral-Domain-optische Kohärenztomographie wurden bei Baseline sowie nach 1 Monat und nach 3 Monaten durchgeführt. Ergebnisse:Außer bei dem ältesten Patienten war bei allen Patienten nach einem Monat eine messbare Verbesserung der Stäbchenfunktion gemäß FST, DAC oder skotopischer CPC nachweisbar. Der Visus verbesserte sich leicht oder blieb bei allen Augen stabil. Bei drei Augen zeigte sich eine Verbesserung der Zapfenfunktion in der photopischen CPC. Der Anstieg der dunkeladaptierten Lichtempfindlichkeitsschwelle beim FST-Test (blau) und den DAC-Reizen (cyan) korrelierte im Durchschnitt eng mit dem Alter (R2 > 0,7). Die Verbesserung der Pupillenreaktion in der skotopischen CPC korrelierte mit dem Ausgangswert des lokalen Netzhautvolumens (R2 = 0,5). Schlussfolgerungen:Die vorgestellten Protokolle ermöglichen eine Beurteilung der individuellen räumlichen und zeitlichen Effekte der Gentherapie. Darüber hinaus untersuchten wir Parameter, die mit dem Therapieerfolg korrelierten. Die CPC und DAC, die komplementäre Aspekte der Netzhautfunktion messen, bieten eine neue und schnelle Möglichkeit, funktionelle Veränderungen in den retinotopen Karten der Stäbchen- und Zapfenfunktion zu beurteilen.
Retinal Blood Flow as a Predictor of Recurrence of Macular Edema after Intravitreal Ranibizumab Injection in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion
Authors: Takano Yurika , Noma Hidetaka , Yasuda Kanako , Yamaguchi Tomoe , Goto Hiroshi , Shimura Masahiko
Published: August 2021

Introduction: To investigate the relationship between retinal blood flow and the presence or absence of macular edema (ME) recurrence after intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IRI) in patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 16 eyes with ME associated with CRVO. All eyes had received pro re nata IRI. Repeat IRI was performed if the central macular thickness was ≥300 µm. At 12 months, patients without additional IRI in the past 6 months were assigned to the resolved group, and those with additional IRI, to the recurrence group. We used laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) to measure the mean blur rate (MBR) of the optic disc before and after IRI. Results: Ten of the 16 eyes were assigned to the resolved group, and the other 6 eyes to the recurrence group. At several visits in the 12 months after IRI, MBR was significantly higher in the resolved group than in the recurrence group. Percent change of MBR (%Δ MBR) from baseline was significantly higher in the resolved group than in the recurrence group at 1 month (initial %Δ MBR) and 11 and 12 months. Multivariate stepwise analysis showed that the initial %Δ MBR was significantly and negatively correlated with the number of IRIs. Discussion/Conclusion: These findings suggest that determining %Δ MBR in LSFG may be a useful way to determine the likelihood of ME recurrence in CRVO patients.
Blood Pressure and Left Ventricular Geometric Changes: A Directionality Analysis
Authors: Yun Miaoying , Li Shengxu , Yan Yinkun , Sun Dianjianyi , Guo Yajun , Fernandez Camilo , Bazzano Lydia , He Jiang , Zhang Tao , Chen Wei
Published: August 2021

This study assessed the temporal relationship of elevated blood pressure (BP) with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and geometric changes in a longitudinal cohort of adults. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI), relative wall thickness (RWT), and BP were measured at 2 time points 4.1 to 14.9 years apart between 2000 and 2016 among 984 adults (677 White and 307 Black people; 41.1% men; age range, 24.2–56.7 years) in the Bogalusa Heart Study cohort. Cross-lagged path analysis models were used to examine the temporal relationship of BP with LVMI and RWT in subjects who did not take antihypertensive medications (n=693). The cross-lagged path coefficients did not differ significantly between race and sex groups. In the combined sample, the path coefficients from baseline systolic BP to follow-up LVMI/RWT were significantly greater than the path coefficients from baseline LVMI/RWT to follow-up systolic BP (0.111 versus −0.005 for LVMI,
P
=0.010 for difference; 0.146 versus 0.004 for RWT,
P
=0.002 for difference). Hypertensive subjects at baseline had a significantly higher incidence rate of concentric LVH at follow-up compared with normotensive subjects (19.4% versus 9.7%,
P
<0.001 for difference), but incident eccentric LVH did not show such a difference between hypertensive and normotensive subjects (5.4% versus 4.4%,
P
=0.503 for difference). Diastolic BP showed similar results to those of systolic BP. In conclusion, the findings on these one-directional paths provide strong and fresh evidence that elevated BP precedes the development of LVH, especially concentric LVH, during the young-to-midlife adult age period.
The Use of Spot-Hrv Data for the Mapping of the Land Cover (Applied upon East-Mono, Central Togo)
Authors: De Vliegher Beata Maria
Published: August 2021

The mapping of the land use in a tropical wet and dry area (East-Mono, Central Togo) is made using remote sensing data, recorded by the satellite SPOT. The negative, multispectral image data set has been transferred into positives by photographical means and afterwards enhanced using the diazo technique. The combination of the different diazo coloured images resulted in a false colour composite, being the basic document for the visual image interpretation. The image analysis, based upon differences in colour and texture, resulted in a photomorphic unit map. The use of a decision tree including the various image characteristics allowed the conversion of the photomorphic unit map into a land cover map. For this, six main land cover types could be differentiated resulting in 16 different classes of the final map.
Plant Ecology of the Namib Desert
Authors: van Damme Patrick
Published: August 2021

The Namib desert is reportedly the oldest desert in the world. It consists of a number of very distinct ecosystems, six of which are dealt with in this text. Among them are the sand dune, the dry river bed and the domed inselbergs vegetation. The importance of fog water absorption for the Namib flora is discussed. Two important and noteworthy endemic plant species, i.e. Welwitschia mirabilis and Acanthosicyos horrida are treated extensively, because of their great interest for plant physiology and ethnobotany, resp. Special attention is given to the imponance of the CAM photosynthetic system for Namib desert plant survival. Where possible the ethnobotanic importance of the species is discussed.
Beyond the rhetoric of international human rights standards in the struggle to decriminalise homosexual conduct in Uganda
Authors: Lubaale Emma Charlene
Published: August 2021

In 2014, Uganda’s Constitutional Court struck down the problematic Anti-Homosexuality Act. (AHA). However, since the decision of the court was based on procedural rather than on substantive grounds, the AHA may very well be reintroduced, or, other anti-homosexuality laws in place can still be relied on to criminalise consensual homosexual conduct. The ideal solution is to have all the anti-homosexuality laws struck down in light of Uganda’s international human rights ob• ligations. However, although a number of international human rights instruments lend impetus to the cause of decriminalisation in Uganda; these international standards have thus far not fully persuaded Uganda to have these discriminatory laws struck down. In this article, I argue that whereas arguments based on Uganda’s international and constitutional obligations form a good foundation for reform, these standards cannot of themselves form a complete solution to the problem. Drawing on the various actors that were at the fore in the struggle towards the striking down of the AHA, I argue that translating the rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people into a reality will require conscious efforts from a number of actors including the judiciary, international and national human rights defenders and faith-based organisations. I identify some of the mistakes made by the foregoing actors in advocating for the striking down of the AHA, and how these mistakes should be addressed if the cause of decriminalisation is to be effectively advanced. Although Uganda is placed at the heart of the discussion, the conclusions drawn are relevant to other African countries battling with this subject.
Female genital cutting and the politics of Islamicate practices in Egypt: debating development and the religious/secular divide
Authors: Raemdonck An Van
Published: August 2021

My PhD dissertation examined discourses on Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in contemporacy Egypt, particularly concerning the relation between FGC and religion. FGC is practiced by both Muslims and Christians and Egypt is among the countries with the highest prevalence rates. Through ethnographic research, the study analysed the vemacularization of transnational activism as an important intervention into local cultural and social debates on gender, sexuality and family norms, in addition to understandings of Islam, Muslim-Christian relations and concepts of race, nation and progress. I argue that FGC is best characterized as an Islamicate practice. A narrow, reifying conceptualization of religion precludes lived understandings of the relation of FGC to Islam and subsequently, precludes more profound social and cultural debate on gendered practices.
Carbonation of recycled aggregate and its effect on properties of recycled aggregate concrete: A review
Authors: Liu Kaiwei , Xu Wanyu , Sun Daosheng , Tang Jinhui , Wang Aiguo , Chen Dong
Published: August 2021

The over exploitation of stone quarries, the generation of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and the steady increase in the cost of preparing additional landfill space have caused great challenges to the environment and economy. Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), as one of the sustainable construction material, has become a research hotspot and has received widespread attention. However, the formation of weak interface transition zone (ITZ) which caused by the existence of residual old mortar will exert a negative impact on the performance of RAC. Therefore, various treatments have been proposed to enhance the properties of the residual old mortar, including mechanical treatment, soaking, carbonation and so on. And it has been proved that carbonation is an effective and sustainable way to both improve the water absorption of RA and strengthen the ITZ of RAC. So, firstly, this article is devoted to reviewing the current research on the application of carbonized RA to RAC, focusing on two parts: (1) RA: the changes of physical properties under different conditions; (2) RAC: the microstructure, workability, mechanical properties and durability of the concrete with carbonized RA. Thereafter, it is known from the summarized literatures that carbonation can improve physical properties of RA and the optimal effect can be achieved by adjusting carbonation conditions. RAC with carbonized RA has denser both new and old ITZs, the microstructure, performance of it are also improved. Finally, this work may provide a reference for the research of carbonation and the application of RA in engineering in the future.
Informational Determinants of Large-Area Hurricane Evacuations
Authors: Dormady Noah , Fasano Anthony , Roa-Henriquez Alfredo , Flanagan Drew , Welch William , Wood Dylan
Published: August 2021

This study reports on two experiments to investigate the informational determinants of hurricane evacuation decisions (temporal and spatial). Whereas most observational and experimental studies in this domain address the public’s response to forecast information, this study addresses emergency management decisions. Using a subject sample of emergency managers and other public safety leaders, contrasted with a more typical university subject pool, this study presents an experimental design that overcomes the counterfactual problem present in all prior published experiments, by relying on an actual storm (Hurricane Rita) with a known outcome. Several methodological advancements are presented, including the use of an established numeracy instrument, integration of advanced hydrodynamic forecasts, and use of a loss aversion frame to improve generalizability. Results indicate that the availability of additional forecast information (e.g., wind speed, forecast tracks) significantly increases the probability and improves the timing of early voluntary evacuation. However, we observe that more numerate subjects are less likely to avoid relying upon forecast information that is characterized by probability (e.g., the uncertainty in the forecast track, sometimes referred to as the “cone of uncertainty”). Consequently, more numerate emergency managers are almost twice as likely as less numerate ones to provide additional evacuation time to their coastal communities, and they do so by longer than a typical workday (8.8 h). Results also indicate that subjects knowingly overevacuate large populations when making spatial mandatory evacuation orders. However, results indicate that numeracy mitigates this effect by more than half in terms of the population subject to mandatory evacuation.
Acute Liver Failure Triggered by Therapeutic Dose of Acetaminophen in a Patient with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Goodman Adam , Grenn Emily E. , Koller Felicitas L. , Petrasek Jan
Published: August 2021

Here we present the case of a cystic fibrosis (CF) patient with preserved pulmonary function who developed acute liver failure requiring liver transplant following an episode of binge drinking and ingestion of a modest amount of acetaminophen. Cystic Fibrosis Liver Disease (CFLD) is the third most common cause of death among CF patients. The pathogenesis of CFLD is complex and still not fully understood. It is important that patients suffering from CF know about the possible dangers associated with acetaminophen and ethanol ingestion. Our case report highlights the need for more research that needs to be done to truly understand the underlying pathogenesis of CFLD and the significant risk factors that play a part in the development of acute liver failure in patients with CF.
Risk Factors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Splenectomy in Liver Cirrhotic Patients
Authors: Honmyo Naruhiko , Kobayashi Tsuyoshi , Kuroda Shintaro , Ide Kentaro , Ohira Masahiro , Tahara Hiroyuki , Morimoto Hiroshi , Tanimine Naoki , Hamaoka Michinori , Yamaguchi Megumi , Yamamoto Masateru , Takei Daisuke , Aikata Hiroshi , Chayama Kazuaki , Ohdan Hideki
Published: August 2021

Background

Splenectomy is sometimes indicated for portal hypertension caused by cirrhosis, which is a risk for hepatic carcinogenesis. This study aimed to identify risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development after splenectomy.

Methods

This retrospective study included 65 patients who underwent splenectomy for portal hypertension between 2009 and 2017. Cox regression analyses were performed to identify factors related to HCC development after splenectomy. The predictive index for HCC development was constructed from the results of multivariate analysis, and 3 risk-dependent groups were defined. Discrimination among the groups was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test.

Results

Post-splenectomy, 36.9% of patients developed HCC. In the univariate analysis, the etiology of cirrhosis (hepatitis C virus antibody, P = .005, and hepatitis B surface antigen, P = .008, referring to non-B and non-C patients, respectively), presence of HCC history ( P < .001), and preoperative hemoglobin level ( P = .007) were related to HCC development, and the presence of HCC history ( P = .002) and preoperative hemoglobin level ( P = .022) were independent risk factors. The predictive index classified three groups at risk; the hazards in each group were significantly different (low vs middle risk, P = .035, and middle vs high risk, P = .011).

Discussion

The etiology of cirrhosis, presence of HCC history, and hemoglobin level were associated with HCC development after splenectomy. The predictive model may aid in HCC surveillance after splenectomy for patients with portal hypertension.
Supervisors’ Perceptions of Their Integration of Strength-Based and Multicultural Approaches to Supervision
Authors: Wiley Erica D. , Phillips Julia C. , Palladino Schultheiss Donna E.
Published: August 2021

This study explored how, and to what degree, clinical supervisors utilize and integrate strength-based and multicultural approaches. We conducted a qualitative investigation using a grounded theory paradigm and consensual qualitative research methodology and analysis. Participants included 14 licensed psychologists. We organized the data into four domains: (a) supervisory approaches, (b) multicultural content/integration of multicultural approaches, (c) strength-based content/integration of strength-based approaches, and (d) supervisor power and supervisee empowerment. Results suggested that participants were keenly aware of multiculturalism and multicultural competence, and infused these perspectives throughout their supervision. Supervisors as a group were less aware of the ways that they used strength-based approaches with their supervisees, although a subset of participants intentionally used strength-based interventions. Notably, some supervisors used multicultural and strength-based perspectives in an integrative fashion by recognizing that strengths vary depending on the cultural context. We discuss implications for supervision practice, advocacy, theory, and research.
La Clinica In LaK’ech: Establishing a Practicum Site Integrating Practice, Advocacy, and Research With Latinx Clients
Authors: Delgado-Romero Edward A. , Mahoney Grace-Ellen , Muro-Rodriguez Nancy J. , Atilano Ruben , Cárdenas Bautista Elizabeth , De Los Santos Jhokania , Durán Maritza Y. , Espinoza Leslie , Fuentes Jacqueline , Gomez Sandra N. , Ingram Estevez Rebekah E. , Jimenez-Ruiz Jocelyn , Monroig Garcia Marlaine M. , Mora-Ozuna Charmaine J. , Ordaz Ana Carina , Rappaport Brooke , Suazo-Padilla Keishla , Vazquez Marjory
Published: August 2021

This article concerns the establishment and development of La Clinica In LaK’ech, a bilingual mental health clinic collectively founded and staffed by a counseling psychologist and doctoral students in a counseling psychology doctoral program in the Southeast United States. During over 5 years of existence, the clinic has blended bilingual counseling psychology services, advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and research with the Latinx population. The authors describe the development of the clinic and resultant clinical, training, and ethical issues that confronted the clinic in terms of providing services to a marginalized community in a state where anti-immigrant rhetoric, detention, and deportations were escalating. Also discussed are implications for training in practice, advocacy, service, and research for counseling psychologists working with Latinx communities.
Community Environment and Attitudes Toward Retirement Among Chinese Older Adults: A Moderated Mediation Study
Authors: Xin Yujia , Shen Dan , Xu Yuebin
Published: August 2021

This study explored the effects of community environment on older adults’ attitudes toward retirement based on a sample survey of 1,979 retired workers in a suburban district of Beijing, China. After controlling for demographic characteristics, it is found that older people’s satisfaction with the community environment has a positive and direct effect on their retirement attitudes; community participation plays a mediating role in the relationship; and the mediating effect of community participation is moderated by a higher level of self-efficacy. Our results have practical significance for improving the quality of retirement life among older adults.
The Cycle of Dependency 50 Years Later
Authors: Katz Claudio
Published: August 2021

Dependency theory faces a new scenario in Latin America, with cycles and crises impacting a weakened industry and fragmented consumption. The primacy of agricultural and mining exports contributes to imbalances in all models, while, in contrast to the South Korean case, the exploitation of the workforce has been more decisive than the commercial opening. The relationship with China recreates patterns of subordination, and there is no state income management such as is seen in other countries. Geopolitical action has contradictory effects on development, and ruling classes, bureaucracies, and governments act under severe conditioning. A general reconsideration of Marxist dependency theory points to a way in which it can be revived and expanded.

La teoría de la dependencia afronta otro escenario en América Latina. Los ciclos y crisis impactan sobre una industria debilitada y un consumo fragmentado. La primacía de la exportación agro-minera potencia los desequilibrios en todos los modelos.La explotación de la fuerza de trabajo ha sido más determinante que la apertura comercial en el contraste con Corea del Sur. La relación con China recrea subordinaciones y no existe el manejo estatal de la renta que se observa en otros países. La acción geopolítica tiene efectos contradictorios sobre el desarrollo. Clases dominantes, burocracias y gobiernos actúan bajo severos condicionamientos. Una reconsideración general indica cómo renovar y ampliar el dependentismo marxista.
A novel long short-term memory network for lithium-ion battery health diagnosis using charging curve
Authors: Lin Mingqiang , Wu Denggao , Zheng Gengfeng , Wu Ji
Published: August 2021

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used as the power source in electric vehicles. The state of health (SOH) diagnosis is very important for the safety and storage capacity of lithium-ion batteries. In order to accurately and robustly estimate lithium-ion battery SOH, a novel long short-term memory network (LSTM) based on the charging curve is proposed for SOH estimation in this work. Firstly, aging features that reflect the battery degradation phenomenon are extracted from the charging curves. Then, considering capture the long-term tendency of battery degradation, some improvements are made in the proposed LSTM model. The connection between the input gate and the output gate is added to better control output information of the memory cell. Meanwhile, the forget gate and input gate are coupled into a single update gate for selectively forgetting before the accumulation of information. To achieve more reliability and robustness of the SOH estimation method, the improved LSTM network is adaptively trained online by using a particle filter. Furthermore, to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, we compare the proposed method with two data-driven methods on the public battery data set and the commercial battery data set. Experimental results demonstrate the proposed method can obtain the highest SOH accuracy.
Assessing school community needs during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic: Teacher, parent and student perceptions
Authors: Hatzichristou Chryse , Georgakakou-Koutsonikou Niki , Lianos Panayiotis , Lampropoulou Aikaterini , Yfanti Theodora
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the lives of adults and children worldwide. Schools were among the first settings to be influenced by this crisis. Home confinement and school closure were implemented as necessary preventive measures creating a new way of living based on web-based communication. The aim of the study is to explore school community needs during the COVID-19 outbreak in Greece. The study followed a mixed methods design, consisting of a teacher, a parent and an adolescent survey. The sample entailed 1,157 participants (414 teachers, 487 parents and 256 adolescents). Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires. Qualitative data were collected using open-ended questions to explore participants’ adjustment and needs during the pandemic. Parents and teachers showed high propensity for anxiety and high levels of resilient coping. Health and adaptation concerns were evident in all samples. Teachers, parents and adolescents described helpful coping practices, primarily related to social support. The findings highlight the importance of supporting all school community members to cope with feelings of stress and anxiety during the pandemic and to identify and make use of helpful personal and social resources.
Improving personalised query reformulation with embeddings
Authors: Zhang Xiaojuan
Published: August 2021

As a mechanism to guide users towards a better representation of their information needs, the query reformulation method generates new queries based on users’ historical queries. To preserve the original search intent, query reformulations should be context-aware and should attempt to meet users’ personal information needs. The mainstream method aims to generate candidate queries first, according to their past frequencies, and then score (re-rank) these candidates based on the semantic consistency of terms, dependency among latent semantic topics and user preferences. We exploit embeddings (i.e. term, user and topic embeddings) to use contextual information and individual preferences more effectively to improve personalised query reformulation. Our work involves two major tasks. In the first task, candidate queries are generated from an original query by substituting or adding one term, and the contextual similarities between the terms are calculated based on the term embeddings and augmented with user personalisation. In the second task, the candidate queries generated in the first task are evaluated and scored (re-ranked) according to the consistency of the semantic meaning of the candidate query and the user preferences based on a graphical model with the term, user and topic embeddings. Experiments show that our proposed model yields significant improvements compared with the current state-of-the-art methods.
Tele-Case Work Consultation to Woman Survivor of Domestic Violence During COVID 19 Pandemic
Authors: Vranda Mysore Narasimha
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 have resulted in social isolation, reduced social support system, and increased domestic violence (DV) cases against women and children. The governments and NGOs have taken several measures to prevent DV by starting helpline, WhatsApp numbers, and counseling services during the lockdown to safeguard the women. This paper describes a case scenario of how we offered tele-case work consultation during the lockdown period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the procedure adopted, and preventive measures followed while providing a tailor-made psychosocial intervention to a DV survivor. It also discusses the strengths and challenges while offering tele-consultation and possible steps to overcome the technological barriers to mental health professionals.
Clinicopathological analysis of primary carcinoid tumour of the ovary arising in mature cystic teratomas
Authors: Yan Fengcai , Zhou Quan , Lin Yulin , Yu Chunkai , Chang Hong , Li Yan
Published: August 2021

Objective

To investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of patients with primary ovarian carcinoid tumours arising in mature cystic teratomas.

Methods

This retrospective case series analysed the data from patients with primary ovarian carcinoid tumours arising in mature cystic teratomas.

Results

The study enrolled four patients. Histopathological analysis of the tumours identified the following subtypes: insular ( n = 1), trabecular ( n = 1) and strumal ( n = 2). All four primary ovarian carcinoid tumours originated from a mature teratoma. The morphology of the primary ovarian carcinoids was similar to other neuroendocrine tumours. Strumal carcinoids were composed of different proportions of thyroid tissue intimately admixed with carcinoid tumour. Tumour tissue was arranged in insular and/or trabecular patterns. The nucleus of tumour cells displayed exquisite chromatin without obvious mitotic figures. Tumour tissues were positively stained for neuroendocrine markers chromogranin A, synaptophysin and CD56 to varying degrees. Strumal carcinoid tumours were cytokeratin 19 positive and thyroid transcription factor 1 negative. No recurrence or metastasis occurred during follow-up (12–71 months).

Conclusion

Primary ovarian carcinoid tumours arising in mature cystic teratomas are rare. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis should be confirmed by clinical features, histopathological characteristics and specific immunophenotyping.
Comparative assessment of health-related quality of life with and without anticonvulsant therapy in patients with childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes
Authors: An Olga , Nagae Lidia Mayumi , Aringazina Altyn , Winesett Steven Parrish
Published: August 2021

Objective

To estimate anti-seizure medication (ASM) treatment burden and its effects on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in new-onset childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (CECTS) using different treatment approaches in Kazakhstan.

Methods

Forty-three patients were followed prospectively during 2015 to 2020 for at least 2 years. Patients were divided into three groups: (1) history of ≤3 seizures (n = 32); (2) ≥4 seizures (n = 6); (3) cerebral palsy coexisting with CECTS (n = 5). The first group was subdivided into treated (n = 8) and observed (n = 24) subgroups. The shortened Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE-55) was completed by parents after 6 months of follow-up.

Results

At the end of the study, all children had a sustained remission from seizures for at least 2 years. Differences were identified in emotional, social, and physical subscales between patients in the low seizure frequency group. Signs of low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, limited social interaction owing to pharmacotherapy, painful medical procedures, and stigma were reasons for decreased HRQOL in the treated subgroup. Overall HRQOL in treated (89.2 ± 5.2) patients was significantly decreased compared with observed children with low seizure frequency (98.0 ± 3.0).

Conclusion

ASM therapy does not necessarily improve and may decrease HRQOL in children with low seizure frequency CECTS.
Perceptual Awareness of Optic Flows Paced Optimally and Non-optimally to Walking Speed
Authors: Motyka Paweł , Kozłowska Zuzanna , Litwin Piotr
Published: August 2021

Previous research suggests that visual processing depends strongly on locomotor activity and is tuned to optic flows consistent with self-motion speed. Here, we used a binocular rivalry paradigm to investigate whether perceptual access to optic flows depends on their optimality in relation to walking velocity. Participants walked at two different speeds on a treadmill while viewing discrepant visualizations of a virtual tunnel in each eye. We hypothesized that visualizations paced appropriately to the walking speeds will be perceived longer than non optimal (too fast/slow) ones. The presented optic flow speeds were predetermined individually in a task based on matching visual speed to both walking velocities. In addition, perceptual preference for optimal optic flows was expected to increase with proprioceptive ability to detect threshold-level changes in walking speed. Whereas faster (more familiar) optic flows showed enhanced access to awareness during faster compared with slower walking conditions, for slower visual flows, only a nonsignificant tendency for the analogous effect was observed. These effects were not dependent on individual proprioceptive sensitivity. Our findings concur with the emerging view that the velocity of one’s locomotion is used to calibrate visual perception of self-motion and extend the scope of reported action effects on visual awareness.
Examining the Impact on Road Safety Performance of Socioeconomic Variables in Turkey
Authors: Bektaş Salih
Published: August 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that each year, 1.35 million people worldwide die in traffic accidents, 20 to 50 million people are injured, and many of those who are injured are disabled. This article uses time-series data for the period 1970 to 2018 in Turkey short- and long-term social economic variables between the number of road accidents, energy consumption, gross domestic product per capita, vehicle kilometers traveled, number of motor vehicles, divided road length, and population growth to investigate the causal relationship. In the analysis, the vector error correction model (VECM) and the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model were used for the short and long term, respectively. The results show that a 1% increase in the number of motor vehicles increases the number of accidents by 2.83% in the long term and has a positive relationship with traffic accidents. It has been determined that a 1% increase in the population increases the number of accidents by 9.43% in the short term and has a positive relationship with traffic accidents. It has been observed that a 1% increase in the length of the divided highway (LNDR [-2]) reduces accidents by 1.21% in the short term and there is a negative relationship between energy consumption and divided roads. This result supports the decision of the administrators in the country to construct a divided road.
‘Arbitrary and cruel punishments’: Trends in Royal Navy courts martial, 1860–1869
Authors: Johnston Andrew
Published: August 2021

Despite minor amendments to the Royal Navy's Articles of War throughout the eighteenth century, and a major reworking in 1749, both capital and corporal punishments were frequently employed as punishment for minor offences in a system that made England's ‘Bloody Code’ look positively humane. The 1860 Naval Discipline Act provided the first substantive overhaul of the original Articles of War, but historians have generally lamented this act as providing little comprehensive change to the governance of the navy. Using statistical data collected from thousands of courts martial records, this article takes a broad look at trends in naval courts martial, studying how these courts interacted with the legislative changes of the 1860s. Viewing how charges and sentences altered on the global scale, it becomes clear that the ‘arbitrary and cruel punishments’ of the previous century had at last given way to a centralized, formal expression of discipline.
The Psychological Effects of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on Health Care Workers in Israel—A Personal Experience
Authors: Kassif Lerner Reut
Published: August 2021

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had an ongoing global influence with high prevalence of psychological effects on both patients and health-care workers. The effect of anxiety and depression on medical professionals was substantial, as most medical resources have been used for treatment of patients; therefore, the availability of psychological services was insufficient. The situation in Israel was no different, and no society, including my own, was prepared for the psychological toll that COVID-19 has taken on us. This is a narrative of a pediatric intensivist working at the adult COVID-19 critical care unit, and a desperate call to mobilize resources to provide the psychological care that we all need.
The emergence of the idea of ‘the welfare state’ in British political discourse
Authors: Garland David
Published: August 2021

This article traces the emergence of the term welfare state in British political discourse and describes competing efforts to define its meaning. It presents a genealogy of the concept's emergence and its subsequent integration into various political scripts, tracing the struggles that sought to name, define, and narrate what welfare state would be taken to mean. It shows that the concept emerged only after the core programmes to which it referred had already been enacted into law and that the referents and meaning of the concept were never generally agreed upon – not even at the moment of its formation in the late 1940s. During the 1950s, the welfare state concept was being framed in three distinct senses: (a) the welfare state as a set of social security programmes; (b) the welfare state as a socio-economic system; and (c) the welfare state as a new kind of state. Each of these usages was deployed by opposing political actors – though with different scope, meaning, value, and implication. The article argues that the welfare state concept did not operate as a representation reflecting a separate, already-constituted reality. Rather, the use of the concept in the political and economic arguments of the period – and in later disputes about the nature of the Labour government's post-war achievements – was always thoroughly rhetorical and constitutive, its users aiming to shape the transformations and outcomes that they claimed merely to describe.
Diamond tool wear monitoring by sensory analysis in milling of absolute black granite
Authors: Turchetta Sandro , Sorrentino Luca , Parodo Gianluca
Published: August 2021

Diamond tools suitable for machining operations of natural stones can be divided into two groups: cutting tools, including blades, the circular blades and the wires, and the surface machining ones, involving mills and grinders, that can be of different shapes. For the stone sawing process, the most adopted tool type is the diamond mill, whose duration and performance are influenced by various elements such as: the mineralogical characteristics of the material to be machined; the working conditions such as the depth of cut, the feed rate and the spindle speed; the production process of the diamond segment and the characteristics of both the matrix and the diamond, such as the size, the type and the concentration of the diamonds and the metal bond formulation hardness. This work allows to indirectly assess the wear of sintered diamond tools by signal analysis (in time and frequency domain) of the cutting force components acquired in the process. The results obtained represent a fundamental step for the development of a sensory supervision system capable of assessing the tool wear and hence to modify the process parameters in process, in order to optimize cutting performance and tool life.
Microstructural administered mechanical properties and corrosion behaviour of wire plus arc additive manufactured SS 321 plate
Authors: Mohan Kumar S , Sasikumar R , Rajesh Kannan A , Pramod R , Pravin Kumar N , Siva Shanmugam N , Vishnukumar M
Published: August 2021

Wire plus arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technology with higher deposition rate and efficient material utilization was employed to fabricate a stainless steel 321 (SS 321) wall for the first time. In this work, the microstructural characteristics, mechanical properties and corrosion performance of as-built SS 321 were evaluated. The micrographs confirmed the presence of columnar and equiaxed dendrites along the building direction, and recrystallization of grains was noticed due to the re-melting of former layers. The microstructure was dominantly austenite with a small fraction of ferrite within the austenitic matrix. Better tensile properties were noticed for as-printed SS 321 WAAM samples in-comparison to wrought counterpart. This is corroborated to the equiaxed and columnar dendritic microstructure with small fraction of ferrite (FN). The hardness decreased from bottom (247 HV) to top (196 HV) region in SS 321 WAAM plate and is attributed to the microstructural difference with varying amount of ferrite (6.3 to 3.7 FN). The impact strength of samples in the horizontal and vertical direction was 116  ±  2 J and 114  ±  2.5 J respectively, and is comparable with the wrought AISI 321 (123  ±  1.5 J). The reduction in impact toughness is attributed to the ferrite (<6.3 FN) fraction. Polarization curves and Nyquist plots elucidate the excellent pitting resistance of SS 321 WAAM specimens, and the corrosion rate was less than 1 mils per year (mpy). Corrosion cracks were absent, and the passive film formation in the WAAM specimens were compact and highly stable for corrosive environments.
Fracture prediction in spin forming of anisotropic metal sheets
Authors: Li Rui , Zheng Zebang , Zhan Mei , Zhang Hongrui , Lei Yudong
Published: August 2021

Fracture often occurs in the spin forming process of thin-walled metal sheets, due to the limited fracture strain and local large plastic deformation of the sheets during the process. However, the accurate fracture prediction is a huge challenge due to the combinations of material anisotropy, complex deformation history and contact boundary conditions in the process. Though there are scattered uncoupled ductile fracture criteria proposed with various deformation mechanisms, reasons for their different fracture prediction abilities remain unclear. Thus in this study, eight popular uncoupled ductile fracture criteria i.e., Freudenthal, C-L, R-T, Brozzo, Oh, Oyane, MMC4 and DF2016, are embedded into an anisotropic constitutive model through VUMAT interface in the ABAQUS simulation software and then realized their fracture prediction in the spin forming process of an anisotropic metal sheet. The results show that the damage accumulation in the spin forming process occurs in a wide range of stress triaxiality, and the most damage accumulation occurs in the stress triaxiality range of 0–1/2. Furthermore, the eight fracture criteria have different prediction abilities in the process and a new deformation history related equivalent fracture strain is proposed to explain these differences. In addition, there exists the abnormal phenomenon that some simple damage models, as Oyane, Oh, etc. provide the more accurate fracture prediction ability than the complex and advanced MMC4 and DF2016 models in the process, and reasons for this phenomenon are explained.
Experimental study on cutting factors of multi-layer machining for large aerospace thin-walled structural parts
Authors: Yu Hangzhuo , Zhong Han , Chen Yong , Lin Lei , Shi Jing , Yue Tao , Shen Yong
Published: August 2021

Large aerospace thin-walled structures will produce deformation and vibration in the machining process, which will cause machining error. In this paper, a cutting experimental method based on multi-layer machining is proposed to analyze the influence of cutting tool, cutting path, and cutting parameters on machining error in order to obtain the optimal cutting variables. Firstly, aiming at the situation that the inner surface of the workpiece deviates from the design basis, the laser scanning method is used to obtain the actual shape of the inner surface, and the method of feature alignment is designed to realize the unification of the measurement coordinate system and machining coordinate system. Secondly, a series of cutting experiments are used to obtain the machining errors of wall thickness under different cutting tools, cutting paths, and cutting parameters, and the variation of machining errors is analyzed. Thirdly, a machining error prediction model is established to realize the prediction of machining error, and the multi-objective optimization method is used to optimize the cutting parameters. Finally, a machining test was carried out to validate the proposed cutting experimental method and the optimal cutting parameters.
Measuring the Employment Vulnerability Among Female Workers in Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Kumar Nomita P. , Srivastava Achala
Published: August 2021

This article attempts to measure employment vulnerability among women workers in Uttar Pradesh by constructing a multidimensional vulnerability index (MVI). The index is based on 23 dichotomous (binary) variables corresponding to various dimensions of vulnerability related to employment. A composite index of vulnerability is developed for each occupational category, sector of employment and gender. Here, MVI is the average of five indices which are computed for the respective dimensions of employment vulnerability. The findings suggest high levels of vulnerability among informal workers with the MVI values ranging from 0.087 (low) to 0.783 (high).The overall MVI (measured by principal component loading [PCA]) was 0.768 for the construction and domestic workers, followed by tailors (0.629) and garment workers (0.635). Appropriate policies are needed to help lift women from the cumulative neglect that they experience in unorganised labour market.
Quality of Life in Patients With Velopharyngeal Insufficiency in West China
Authors: Lu Lidan , Yakupu Aipiziguli , Wu Yanhui , Li Xiangnan , Zhang Pengxin , Aihaiti Guliziba , Xu Hui
Published: August 2021

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the quality of life (QOL) of patients with cleft lip and palate and velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) in relation to sex, age, age at initial cleft lip surgery, and age at initial cleft palate surgery.

Design

This is a cross-sectional study.

Setting

The study was conducted in a tertiary medical center.

Participants

The participants were caregivers of 72 patients with cleft lip and palate and VPI aged 4 to 20 years.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Participants completed the Chinese version of the caregiver report of the VPI Effects on Life Outcomes (VELO) questionnaire. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to evaluate the patients’ sex, age, age at initial cleft lip repair, and age at initial cleft palate repair in relation to VELO total score and domains. Spearman correlation analysis was completed including all study variables. Associations between the study variables and the VELO total score were tested using a generalized linear mixed model.

Results

In the univariate analysis, patients’ age and age at initial cleft palate surgery influenced the QOL of patients with VPI. There were no differences in the VELO total score or domains based on sex or age at first cleft lip surgery. In the generalized linear mixed model, patients older than 8 years had higher VELO total scores.

Conclusions

By caregiver report, the QOL of patients under age 8 years with VPI was lower than older patients. In addition, the caregiver impact domain was higher for parents of children who had their initial cleft palate surgery at age 2 years or younger.