bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Active Transportation of Liposome Enhances Tumor Accumulation, Penetration, and Therapeutic Efficacy
Authors: Wang Guowei , Wu Bihan , Li Qunying , Chen Siqin , Jin Xiaoqin , Liu Yajing , Zhou Zhuxian , Shen Youqing , Huang Pintong
Published: October 2020

Liposomes are the first and mostly explored nanocarriers for cancer drug delivery, which have shown great promise in clinical applications, but their limited accumulation and penetration into the tumor interstitial space, significantly reduce the therapeutic efficacy. Here, a γ‐glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT)‐triggered charge‐switchable approach is reported that can trigger the fast endocytosis and transcytosis of the liposome in tumor microenvironments to overcome the harsh biological barriers in tumor tissues. The active transporting liposomal nanocarrier (GCSDL) is prepared by surface modification with a glutathione (GSH) moiety and encapsulated with doxorubicin (DOX). When the GCSDL contacts with tumor vascular endothelial cells, the overexpressed GGT enzyme on cytomembrane catalyzes the hydrolysis of GSH to generate cationic primary amines. The cationic GCSDL triggers fast caveolae‐mediated endocytosis and vesicle‐mediated transcytosis, resulting in sequential transcytosis to augment its tumor accumulation and penetration. Along with continual intercellular transportation, GCSDL can release DOX throughout the tumor to induce cancer cell apoptosis, resulting in complete eradication of hepatocellular carcinoma and cessation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma's progression. This study develops an efficient strategy to realize high tumor accumulation and deep penetration for the liposomal drug delivery system via active transcytosis.
Methoden zur Bewertung der Ermüdungssicherheit bestehender Stahlbrücken
Authors: Friedl Roland , Bauer Matthias , Bulicek Hans
Published: October 2020

Begründet in der Einführung neuartiger Schweißverfahren sowie schweißgeeigneter Stahlsorten kam es in der zweiten Hälfte des vergangenen Jahrhunderts zu einer rasanten Entwicklung neuer Bau‐ und Konstruktionsweisen im Stahlbrückenbau. Insbesondere im Zuge der Entwicklung der orthotropen Fahrbahnplatte sowie der Ausführung zunehmend komplexer Knotenpunkte in der Form hoch tragfähiger Schweißkonstruktionen wurden die daraus resultierenden Auswirkungen auf die Ermüdungssicherheit in Verbindung mit stetig steigenden Verkehrsbeanspruchungen anfänglich unterschätzt. Daher existiert eine große Anzahl an nicht ausreichend ermüdungssicher konstruierten Stahlbrücken, deren Standsicherheit und Zukunftsfähigkeit auch im Hinblick auf ein ressourcenoptimiertes Erhaltungsmanagement zu bewerten sind. Am Beispiel einer Stabbogenbrücke mit abgehängter orthotroper Fahrbahn werden unterschiedliche Methoden zur Bewertung der Ermüdungssicherheit bestehender Stahlbrücken aufgezeigt und insbesondere im Hinblick auf deren praktische Anwendbarkeit im Zuge einer Brückennachrechnung diskutiert.
Films Fabricated with Native and Ball‐Milled Modified Glutinous Rice Starch: Physicochemical and Mucoadhesive Properties
Authors: Soe May Thu , Pongjanyakul Thaned , Limpongsa Ekapol , Jaipakdee Napaphak
Published: October 2020

This study aims to investigate the physicochemical and mucoadhesive properties of films made of glutinous rice starch (GRS), native (NGRS), and ball‐milled modified GRS (MGRS), in comparison with the reference mucoadhesive polymers. By using the solvent casting technique with glycerol (30% w/w of starch mass) as a plasticizer, all GRS films exhibit satisfactory and comparable thickness and weight uniformity, surface pH, and moisture content. ATR‐FTIR indicates that the hydrogen bonds are formed between GRS and glycerol. The absence of crystalline structure of GRS in glycerol plasticized films is confirmed using ATR‐FTIR and XRD. The films made of NGRS and MGRS have similar swelling behavior (751 ± 75 to 1002 ± 104%), whereas those made of longer milling time MGRS demonstrate higher erosion (27.1 ± 4.2%) (p < 0.05). MGRS films exhibit greater flexibility with lower tensile strength (9.6 ± 1.7 to 9.8 ± 1.0 MPa) but higher elongation (162.5 ± 6.5 to 165.7 ± 2.5%) compared to native systems (13.7 ± 0.5 MPa and 128.1 ± 5.0%, respectively) (p < 0.05). The MGRS films show comparable mucoadhesiveness expressed as detachment force and work of adhesion to those of sodium carboxymethylcellulose, but higher than those of NGRS, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and chitosan (p < 0.05). This study reveals the potential exploitation of GRS as a mucoadhesive film former for pharmaceutical application.
Mapping the Persistence and Evolution of the Quincunx
Authors: Colonnese Fabio
Published: October 2020

The quincunx is a pattern that passes through different ages and cultures of Western world. It spread in the Byzantine era; it flourishes during the Renaissance, either in combination or as an alternative to the Vitruvian proportioning criteria; it suffers from a process of mathematization in the eighteenth century; it arrives at the twentieth century in the form of the so-called “nine-square grid problem” and is further re-evaluated in its historical prospective at the end of the century, in the Post-modern context. This article provides a mapping of its diffusion and inquires its development and evolution through the centuries.
A tiny, long-legged raptor from the early Oligocene of Poland may be the earliest bird-eating diurnal bird of prey
Authors: Mayr Gerald , H. Hurum Jørn
Published: October 2020

We report a small hawk-like diurnal bird from the early Oligocene (30–31 million years ago) of Poland. Aviraptor longicrus, n. gen. et sp. is of a size comparable with the smallest extant Accipitridae. The new species is characterized by very long legs, which, together with the small size, suggest an avivorous (bird-eating) feeding behavior. Overall, the new species resembles extant sparrowhawks (Accipiter spp.) in the length proportions of the major limb bones, even though some features indicate that it convergently acquired an Accipiter-like morphology. Most specialized avivores amongst extant accipitrids belong to the taxon Accipiter and predominantly predate small forest passerines; the smallest Accipiter species also hunts hummingbirds. Occurrence of a possibly avivorous raptor in the early Oligocene of Europe is particularly notable because A. longicrus coexisted with the earliest Northern Hemispheric passerines and modern-type hummingbirds. We therefore hypothesize that the diversification of these birds towards the early Oligocene may have triggered the evolution of small-sized avivorous raptors, and the new fossil may exemplify one of the earliest examples of avian predator/prey coevolution.
A discussion on the potential impact of residential radon exposure on the quality of exposure and risk assessment for former uranium miners
Authors: Chen Jing
Published: October 2020

Epidemiological evidence of lung cancer risk from radon is based mainly on studies of underground miners where occupational exposures were, historically, relatively high in comparison to residential indoor exposure. However, radiation protection measures have caused radon levels in uranium mines to decrease significantly in more recent periods. Miners’ occupational exposure is limited to their working years while they are exposed to environmental radon at home over their entire lifetime. Even during their limited working years, workers spend much more time at home than in workplaces. The biological effect of radon in mines cannot be distinguished from the biological effect of residential radon. Therefore, for an exposure–risk relationship study of former uranium miners, excess radon-induced lung cancer cases should be related to the combined radon exposure cumulated in workplaces and at homes in excess of the radon exposure of the reference population. This is especially important when residential radon levels differ or vary significantly between miners and the reference population over the course of extended follow-up years. This paper reviews some recent studies on former uranium miners, shares what seems controversial to the author and wonders whether lifetime exposure at home to widely varying radon concentrations can actually impact the quality of exposure assessment, and hence impact the results of the exposure–risk relationship.
Characterisation of LV myocardial exercise function by 2-D strain deformation imaging in elite adolescent footballers
Authors: Pieles Guido E. , Gowing Lucy , Ryding Diane , Perry Dave , McNally Steven R. , Stuart A. Graham , Williams Craig A.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Few data exist on the descriptions of LV myocardial mechanics and reserve during dynamic exercise of adolescent athletes. The aim of this study was to describe the LV myocardial and cardiopulmonary changes during exercise using 2-D strain deformation imaging.

Methods

Elite adolescent male football players (n = 42) completed simultaneous cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and exercise echocardiography measurement of LV myocardial deformation by 2-D strain imaging. LV longitudinal and circumferential 2-D strain and strain rates were analyzed at each stage during incremental exercise to a work rate of 150 W. Additionally, exercise LV myocardial deformation and its relation to metabolic exercise parameters were evaluated at each exercise stage and in recovery using repeated measures ANOVA, linear regression and paired t tests.

Results

LV peak systolic baseline 2-D strain (longitudinal: − 15.4 ± 2.5%, circumferential: − 22.5 ± 3.1%) increased with each exercise stage, but longitudinal strain plateaued at 50 W (mean strain reserve − 7.8 ± 3.0) and did not significantly increase compared to subsequent exercise stages (P > 0.05), whilst circumferential strain (mean strain reserve − 11.6 ± 3.3) significantly increased (P < 0.05) throughout exercise up to 150 W as the dominant mechanism of exercise LV contractility increase. Regression analyses showed LV myocardial strain increased linearly relative to HR, VO2 and O2 pulse (P < 0.05) for circumferential deformation, but showed attenuation for longitudinal deformation.

Conclusion

This study describes LV myocardial deformation dynamics by 2-D strain and provides reference values for LV myocardial strain and strain rate during exercise in adolescent footballers. It found important differences between LV longitudinal and circumferential myocardial mechanics during exercise and introduces a methodology that can be used to quantify LV function and cardiac reserve during exercise in adolescent athletes.
Anticipating the future of the child and family in pediatric palliative care: a qualitative study into the perspectives of parents and healthcare professionals
Authors: Verberne Lisa M. , Fahner Jurrianne C. , Sondaal Stephanie F. V. , Schouten–van Meeteren Antoinette Y. N. , de Kruiff Chris C. , van Delden Johannes J. M. , Kars Marijke C.
Published: October 2020

Preparing for future scenarios in pediatric palliative care is perceived as complex and challenging by both families and healthcare professionals. This interpretative qualitative study using thematic analysis aims to explore how parents and healthcare professionals anticipate the future of the child and family in pediatric palliative care. Single and repeated interviews were undertaken with 42 parents and 35 healthcare professionals of 24 children, receiving palliative care. Anticipating the future was seen in three forms: goal-directed conversations, anticipated care, and guidance on the job. Goal-directed conversations were initiated by either parents or healthcare professionals to ensure others could align with their perspective regarding the future. Anticipated care meant healthcare professionals or parents organized practical care arrangements for future scenarios with or without informing each other. Guidance on the job was a form of short-term anticipation, whereby healthcare professionals guide parents ad hoc through difficult situations.

Conclusion: Anticipating the future of the child and family is mainly focused on achievement of individual care goals of both families and healthcare professionals, practical arrangements in advance, and short-term anticipation when a child deteriorates. A more open approach early in disease trajectories exploring perspectives on the future could allow parents to anticipate more gradually and to integrate their preferences into the care of their child.What is Known:• Anticipating the future in pediatric palliative care occurs infrequently and too late.What is New:• Healthcare professionals and parents use different strategies to anticipate the future of children receiving palliative care, both intentionally and unwittingly. Strategies to anticipate the future are goal-directed conversations, anticipated care, and guidance on the job.• Parents and healthcare professionals are engaged to a limited extent in ongoing explorative conversations that support shared decision-making regarding future care and treatment.
Structure of unital 3-fields
Authors: Duplij Steven , Werner Wend
Published: October 2020

We investigate fields in which addition requires three summands. These ternary fields are shown to be isomorphic to the set of invertible elements in a local ring $$\mathcal{R}$$
R
having $$\mathbb{Z}\diagup 2\mathbb{Z}$$

Z
/
2
Z

as a residual field. One of the important technical ingredients is to intrinsically characterize the maximal ideal of $$\mathcal{R}$$
R
. We include a number of illustrative examples and prove that the structure of a finite 3‑field is not connected to any binary field.
Using a proper orthogonal decomposition to elucidate features in granular flows
Authors: Higham J. E. , Shahnam M. , Vaidheeswaran A.
Published: October 2020

We apply proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) technique to analyze granular rheology in a laboratory-scale pulsed-fluidized bed. POD allows us to describe the inherent dynamics and energy budget in the dominant spatio-temporal modes in addition to identifying spatial coherence. This enables us to elucidate non-linear interactions between the different mechanisms which has been a shortcoming of conventional statistics-based approaches. The bubbling pattern is a result of interplay between the harmonic and sub-harmonic components. The mesoscopic flow features which contribute to the pattern are dependent on the modal energy budget which change with the pulsing frequency. It is also observed that the granular dynamics can be sufficiently reconstructed by the leading POD modes despite the presence of bubbles which represent kinematic shocks contributing to higher-order modes. In short, we highlight the utility of POD while analyzing fluidized granular flows, and pave the way for future analyses.

Graphic abstract
Gibt es ein Post-COVID-Syndrom?
Authors: Lamprecht Bernd
Published: October 2020

Für kritisch kranke COVID-19-Patienten könnte das Überleben der Akutphase evtl. nur die Bewältigung der ersten Etappe eines insgesamt langen und herausfordernden Weges sein. Körperliche, kognitive und psychologische Folgen sind realistisch. Aber stellen residuale Symptome bei Patienten mit mikrobiologischer Normalisierung tatsächlich ein „Post-COVID-Syndrom“ dar, und welche Symptome sind in diesem Zusammenhang prinzipiell denkbar und in der Lage, dieses zu begründen? Dass kritisch kranke Patienten oftmals über einen längeren Zeitraum nach ihrer Krankenhausentlassung noch funktionelle Einschränkungen erleben, ist nicht neu. Für die Diagnose eines Post-COVID-Syndroms ist es aber in den meisten Fällen bei COVID-19 jetzt noch zu früh. Dafür müssen die Symptome mindestens 6 Monate anhalten. Aktuell kann man daher wohl nur von postinfektiöser Fatigue sprechen. Und selbst wenn sich Betroffene körperlich wieder erholen, so sind sie evtl. besonders gefährdet, an lang anhaltenden mentalen Gesundheitsproblemen zu leiden bzw. eine reduzierte Lebensqualität zu empfinden. Solche Beobachtungen gibt es jedoch nicht nur nach einem ARDS („acute respiratory distress syndrome“), viele Intensivpatienten verzeichnen lange anhaltende Beschwerden, die auch als „post-intensive care syndrome“ (PICS) bezeichnet werden. In Summe bestehen jedenfalls ausreichend Hinweise für die mögliche Existenz eines „Post-COVID-Syndroms“ bzw. für die Berechtigung, die denkbaren Folgeerscheinungen mit persistierenden Symptomen so zu bezeichnen. Es sind alle Anstrengungen gerechtfertigt, die eine vollständige funktionelle Wiederherstellung und eine Rückkehr in ein Leben nach Corona ermöglichen.
Agglomeration of cellulose nanocrystals: the effect of secondary sulfates and their use in product separation
Authors: Metzger Christoph , Auber David , Dähnhardt-Pfeiffer Stephan , Briesen Heiko
Published: October 2020

This study was aimed at the development of a better understanding of the agglomeration behavior of sulfated cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) in the presence of sulfates with monovalent (NH4+, K+, Na+) and divalent (Ca2+) cations, and to demonstrate their potential in simple and efficient product separation. Protonated CNCs were counterion-exchanged and their ionic strength was increased by adding sulfates of the respective cation to trigger agglomeration. The critical concentrations of agglomeration (CAC) and peptization (CPC) were determined. We found that the agglomeration behavior of CNCs could be attributed to matching affinities between the cations and the sulfate half-ester groups on the CNC surfaces. Based on these findings, a facile and efficient downstream process was designed to separate CNCs from neutralized reactant solutions using CAC and CPC. This method provides colloidally stable CNCs at high yield provided by centrifugation. When salt concentrations in the product are maintained below the CAC, as prepared CNCs from neutralized reactant solutions might be used in hydrogels and emulsions.
How to blame and make a difference: perceived responsibility and policy consequences in two Swedish pro-migrant campaigns
Authors: Johannesson Livia , Weinryb Noomi
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we explore the assumption that blame-attribution can be an effective rhetorical strategy for non-elite interest groups who want power holders to be attentive to their demands. Through a qualitative analysis of two pro-migrant campaigns led by grassroot activists in Sweden, one taking place in 2005 and the other in 2017, we offer a nuanced empirical examination of non-elite initiated blame-games. We show how perceived responsibility influences these blame-games, and explore which policy consequences might emanate from them. We demonstrate that blame-making, under certain conditions, can be a successful strategy to gain policy influence, but that this strategy is conditioned by the complexity and transparency of the institutional arrangements of accountability within the policy sector. The focus on non-elite blame-making in order to change policies enables us to contribute to the theoretical discussion on the relationship between anticipatory and reactive forms of blame-avoidance behaviours, and to discuss the democratic implications of blame-games in both shorter and longer time perspectives. One implication of this study is that successful non-elite blame-making at one point in time actually can lower the chances of successful blame-making in the future.
Analysis of the Promoter of Emb5 from Zea mays Identifies a Region of 523 bp Responsible for Its Embryo-Specific Activity
Authors: Li Yang , Yu Liping , Wang Qiushuang , Zhao Xiangyu , Li Xinzheng , Qi Baoxiu
Published: October 2020

The maize Emb5 is an abscisic acid–responsive gene which is specifically expressed in the late embryo during seed maturity. To further dissect and identify the elements specific for its embryo expression pattern, we investigated the activity of the − 1653 bp upstream of the “full-length” promoter region of this gene in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. We first confirmed that the “full-length” promoter could indeed drive the expression of β-glucuronidase reporter gene (GUS) in the transgenic Arabidopsis seed embryo. Subsequently, DNA fragments of ~ 500 bp in length were generated after a series of progressive deletions from positions − 1653 bp to − 1 bp relative to the transcriptional initiation site. These fragments were fused with GUS and introduced into Arabidopsis. Measurement of the GUS activity in the immature seeds isolated from the transgenic plants revealed that the region between positions − 523 bp and − 1 bp, namely ProEm-D, is absolutely required and sufficient for the temporal and embryo-specific expression of GUS with an activity comparable with the full-length Emb5 promoter in Arabidopsis. Therefore, our results clearly demonstrated that the 523 bp ProEm-D can replace the − 1653 bp Emb5 promoter to drive embryo-specific expression in Arabidopsis seed. Because of its small size and strong embryo-specific activity, it could become the promoter of choice in metabolic pathway engineering to transfer multiple genes for the production of valuable pharmaceutical products in seeds, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oils, or pro-vitamin A where at least three transgenes are required to assemble the entire metabolic pathways.
Contribution of Val/Ile87 residue in the extracellular domain in agonist-induced current responses of the human and rat P2X7 receptors
Authors: Caseley Emily A , Muench Stephen P , Jiang Lin-Hua
Published: October 2020

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is an ATP-gated cation channel with a critical role in many physiological and pathological processes, and shows prominent functional differences across mammalian species, exemplified by larger current responses of the rat (r) P2X7R to ATP and its analogue BzATP and a greater sensitivity to agonists compared with the human (h) P2X7R. Here, we showed that substitution of Val87 residue in the extracellular domain of the hP2X7R with isoleucine in the rP2X7R increased the current responses of the hP2X7R to both ATP and BzATP. Conversely, introduction of reciprocal I87V mutation in the rP2X7R led to a noticeable but statistically insignificant reduction in the current responses of the rP2X7R to ATP and BzATP. The mutations did not affect the sensitivity of the human and rat P2X7Rs to ATP and BzATP. These results suggest a contribution of Val/Ile87 in agonist-induced current responses of human and rat P2X7Rs, which helps to better understand the molecular determinants for species-dependent function of the mammalian P2X7Rs.
Association between genetically predicted telomere length and facial skin aging in the UK Biobank: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhan Yiqiang , Hägg Sara
Published: October 2020

Are shorter telomeres causal risk factors for facial aging on a large population level? To examine if longer, genetically predicted telomeres were causally associated with less facial aging using Mendelian randomization analysis. Two-sample Mendelian randomization methods were applied to the summary statistics of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for self-reported facial aging from 417, 772 participants of the UK Biobank data. Twenty single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were of genome-wide significance were selected as instrumental variables for leukocyte telomere length. The main analyses were performed primarily using the random-effects inverse-variance weighted method and were complemented with the MR-Egger regression, weighted median, and weighted mode approaches. The intercept of MR-Egger regression was used to assess horizontal pleiotropy. Longer genetically predicted telomeres were associated with a lower likelihood of facial aging (β = − 0.02, 95% confidence interval: − 0.04, − 0.002). Comparable results were obtained using MR-Egger regression, weighted median, and weighted mode approaches. The intercept of MR-Egger regression was close to zero (0.002) that was not suggestive of horizontal pleiotropy. Our findings provided evidence to support a potential causal relationship between longer genetically predicted telomeres and less facial aging.
Supporting school teachers’ rapid engagement with online education
Authors: Abaci Serdar , Robertson Judy , Linklater Holly , McNeill Fiona
Published: October 2020

In response to Philipsen et al.'s (Educ Technol Res Dev 67:1145–1174, 2019) article titled “Improving teacher professional development [TPD] for online and blended learning [OBL]: a systematic meta-aggregative review”, we apply their proposed framework of important components of TPD for OBL to the support we provided to primary and secondary teachers as they engaged with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. We reflect on observations of particular challenges for school teachers and the reasons behind them. While this framework is a useful reflection tool to guide professional learning for teachers beyond the emergency situations, we found that it is biased towards TPD for OBL in higher education settings. Thus, we suggest future work to differentiate educational levels in order to account for operational differences.
Multilocus phylogeny- and fruiting feature-assisted delimitation of European Cyclocybe aegerita from a new Asian species complex and related species
Authors: Frings Roman A. , Maciá-Vicente Jose G. , Buße Sandra , Čmoková Adéla , Kellner Harald , Hofrichter Martin , Hennicke Florian
Published: October 2020

Cyclocybe aegerita(synonym:Agrocybe aegerita) is a widely cultivated edible and reportedly almost cosmopolitan mushroom species that serves as a model fungus for basidiome formation and as producer of useful natural products and enzymes. Focusing on strains from different continents, here, we present a phylogenetic analysis of this species and some adjacent taxa that employs four phylogenetic markers. In addition, we tested the strains’ capability to fructify on agar media. Our analysis reveals that “C. aegerita sensu lato” splits up into the following two well-supported monophyletic geographic lineages: a European clade and an Asian clade. The European one is closely associated with the Chinese speciesCyclocybe salicaceicola. In contrast, the Asian lineage, which we preliminarily designate asCyclocybe chaxinguagg., may comprise several species (species complex) and clusters with the Pacific speciesCyclocybe parasitica(New Zealand). In addition, fruiting properties differ acrossC. aegeritaand its Asian and Pacific relatives; however, strains from the Asian clade andC. parasiticatend to form larger basidiomes with relatively big caps and long stipes and strains from the European clade exhibit a more variable fruiting productivity with the tendency to form more basidiomes, with smaller caps and shorter stipes. Moreover, some strains showed individual fruiting patterns, such as the preference to fruit where they were exposed to injuring stimuli. In conclusion, the delimitation of the newly delimited Asian species complex from our multilocus phylogeny of “C. aegerita sensu lato”, which is supported by phenotypic data, depicts an exemplary case of biogeographic diversity within a previously thought homogeneous species of near worldwide distribution.
Distinct transport mechanism in Candida albicans methylammonium permeases
Authors: Neuhäuser B.
Published: October 2020

It is crucial for the growth and development of an organism whether ammonium is transported across its membranes in a form of NH4+ or NH3. The transport of both molecules follows different pH-dependent gradients across membranes and transport of both substrates differentially affects the internal and external pH. As a consequence, they directly influence the physiology and organism development. CaMep2 from Candida albicans shows a dual transceptor function in ammonium transport and sensing. CaMep2 senses low ammonium availability and induces filamentous growth. CaMep1, by contrast, is only active in transport, but not involved in ammonium signaling. Here, both proteins were heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. This study identified electrogenic NH4+ transport by CaMep1 and electroneutral NH3 transport by CaMep2, which might be a prerequisite for the induction of pseudohyphal growth.
An Agonistic Approach to Technological Conflict
Authors: Popa Eugen Octav , Blok Vincent , Wesselink Renate
Published: October 2020

Traditional approaches to conflict are oriented towards establishing (or re-establishing) consensus, either in the form of a resolution of the conflict or in the form of an ‘agree-to-disagree’ standstill between the stakeholders. In this paper, we criticize these traditional approaches, each for specific reasons, and we propose and develop the agonistic approach to conflict. Based on Chantal Mouffe’s agonistic democratic theory, the agonistic approach to conflict is more welcoming of dissensus, replacing discussion stoppers with discussion starters and replacing standstills with contestation. We illustrate such replacements and develop this approach, we analyse technological conflicts in a concrete R&D setting: the global hydrogen economy. From this context, we focus on the conflict between the proponents of blue hydrogen (drawn from fossil fuels) and those of green hydrogen (created through electrolysis). We conclude by highlighting the advantage of the agonistic approach but also drawing attention to its own specific risk, namely, antagonism.
A Dynamic Emergency Decision-Making Method Based on Group Decision Making with Uncertainty Information
Authors: Zheng Jing , Wang Yingming , Zhang Kai , Liang Juan
Published: October 2020

In emergency decision making (EDM), it is necessary to generate an effective alternative quickly. Case-based reasoning (CBR) has been applied to EDM; however, choosing the most suitable case from a set of similar cases after case retrieval remains challenging. This study proposes a dynamic method based on case retrieval and group decision making (GDM), called dynamic case-based reasoning group decision making (CBRGDM), for emergency alternative generation. In the proposed method, first, similar historical cases are identified through case similarity measurement. Then, evaluation information provided by group decision makers for similar cases is aggregated based on regret theory, and comprehensive perceived utilities for the similar cases are obtained. Finally, the most suitable historical case is obtained from the case similarities and the comprehensive perceived utilities for similar historical cases. The method is then applied to an example of a gas explosion in a coal company in China. The results show that the proposed method is feasible and effective in EDM. The advantages of the proposed method are verified based on comparisons with existing methods. In particular, dynamic CBRGDM can adjust the emergency alternative according to changing emergencies. The results of application of dynamic CBRGDM to a gas explosion and comparison with existing methods verify its feasibility and practicability.
Outdoor Walking Speeds of Apparently Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Murtagh Elaine M. , Mair Jacqueline L. , Aguiar Elroy , Tudor-Locke Catrine , Murphy Marie H.
Published: October 2020

Background

Walking outdoors can be used by many individuals to meet public health guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity. The speed at which adults walk may be a proxy for intensity. Traditional estimates of indoor walking speed are unlikely to reflect self-selected usual or other instructed paces of outdoor walking speed.

Objective

To inform estimates of pace-based walking speed of apparently healthy adults in outdoor settings.

Methods

We searched four electronic databases for articles published in English between January 1970 and March 2019. Studies that reported walking speed (m/s), cadence (steps/min), or intensity (mL/kg/min) of ambulatory, apparently healthy, and community-dwelling adults (> 18 years) were included. Walking speed categories were defined according to the description provided in each study. Meta-analysis was used to synthesise speed, cadence, and intensity data by slow, usual, medium, fast, and maximal pace (where reported).

Results

Thirty-five studies, representing 14,015 participants (6808 women, 5135 men, and 2072 sex not specified), were identified. The mean (95% CI) walking speed for slow, usual, medium, fast, and maximal pace was 0.82 (0.77–0.86), 1.31 (1.27–1.35), 1.47 (1.44–1.49), 1.72 (1.64–1.81), and 1.62 (1.45–1.79) m/s, respectively. Mean cadence (95% CI) for usual and fast paces were 116.65 (114.95–118.35) and 126.75 (121.87–131.63) steps/min, respectively. The mean oxygen consumption (95% CI) for the usual and medium paces was 11.97 (11.69–12.25) and 13.34 (12.94–13.73) mL/kg/min, respectively.

Conclusion

These findings provide greater clarity with regard to how various indicators of enacted walking pace, speed, and intensity overlap and how each can be best communicated in the real-world setting to optimise health-related outcomes. Pace-based instructions can be used to support walking in outdoor settings within public health guidelines.
An educational workshop designed for research ethics consultants to educate investigators on ethical considerations
Authors: Yanagawa Hiroaki , Chuma Masayuki , Takechi Kenshi , Yagi Kenta , Sato Yasutaka , Kane Chikako , Sakaguchi Satoshi , Doi Kaori , Inoue Yusuke , Matsui Kenji
Published: October 2020

The role of research ethics consultants in biomedical research has increased to the point that they have an advisory capacity at all research institutes. For such professionals, we have established an educational system, which includes teaching materials, training methods, and nationwide educational workshops. These workshops have served to examine the developed system’s usefulness and to provide realistic training for consultant candidates. In addition, we have used the current workshop to encourage clinical research investigators (and related personnel) to participate. Subsequently, we examined its usefulness as an opportunity to provide exposure to research ethics. In October 2019, we held a 1-day pilot workshop in Tokushima, Japan, which included a basic lecture in research ethics. During the lecture, two sets of materials were used for case discussion: case 1, covering issues related to a clinical trial, and case 2, covering issues related to human biological specimens. At the end of the workshop, a 30-item self-reporting anonymous questionnaire was provided. Of the 13 total participants, 9 (70%) were clinical research investigators and related personnel, while 6 (46%) had no direct intention to act as consultants. Respondents indicated that case 2 was more difficult than case 1. However, both cases were generally accepted as educational materials; thus, satisfaction was expressed in relation to both. As the evaluations of the cases were generally positive, we will further examine the usefulness of participation in the workshop in the cultivation of research ethics in the investigator community.
Holonomic extended least angle regression
Authors: Härkönen Marc , Sei Tomonari , Hirose Yoshihiro
Published: October 2020

One of the main problems studied in statistics is the fitting of models. Ideally, we would like to explain a large dataset with as few parameters as possible. There have been numerous attempts at automatizing this process. Most notably, the Least Angle Regression algorithm, or LARS, is a computationally efficient algorithm that ranks the covariates of a linear model. The algorithm is further extended to a class of distributions in the generalized linear model by using properties of the manifold of exponential families as dually flat manifolds. However this extension assumes that the normalizing constant of the joint distribution of observations is easy to compute. This is often not the case, for example the normalizing constant may contain a complicated integral. We circumvent this issue if the normalizing constant satisfies a holonomic system, a system of linear partial differential equations with a finite-dimensional space of solutions. In this paper we present a modification of the holonomic gradient method and add it to the extended LARS algorithm. We call this the holonomic extended least angle regression algorithm, or HELARS. The algorithm was implemented using the statistical software , and was tested with real and simulated datasets.
From Transcripts to Insights for Recommending the Curriculum to University Students
Authors: Mai Thong Le , Chung Minh Thanh , Le Van Thanh , Thoai Nam
Published: October 2020

Student data play an important role in evaluating the effectiveness of educational programs in the universities. All data are aggregated to calculate the education criteria by year, region, or organization. Remarkably, recent studies showed the data impacts when making exploration to predict student performance objectives. Many methods in terms of data mining were proposed to be suitable to extract useful information in regards to data characteristics. However, the reconciliation between applied methods and data characteristics still exists some challenges. Our paper will demonstrate the analysis of this relationship for a specific dataset in practice. The paper describes a distributed framework based on Spark for extracting information from raw data. Then, we integrate machine learning techniques to train the prediction model. The experiments results are analyzed through different scenarios to show the harmony between the influencing factors and applied techniques.
State Responsibility in the International Legal Order
Authors: Creutz Katja
Published: October 2020

State responsibility in international law is considered one of the cornerstones of the field. For a long time it remained the exclusive responsibility system due to the primacy of States as subjects of international law. Its unique position has nonetheless been challenged by several developments both within and outside the international legal order, such as the rise of alternative responsibility ideas and practices, as well as globalization and its consequences.

This book adopts a critical and holistic approach to the law of State responsibility and analyzes the functionality of the general rules of State responsibility in a changed international landscape characterized by the fragmentation of responsibility. It is argued that State responsibility is not equally relevant across the broad spectrum of international obligations, and that alternative constructions of responsibility, namely international criminal law and international liability, have increased in standing.
Taste and Knowledge in Early Modern England
Authors: Swann Elizabeth L.
Published: October 2020

Elizabeth Swann investigates the relationship between the physical sense of taste and taste as a figurative term associated with knowledge and judgment in early modern literature and culture. She argues that - unlike aesthetic taste in the eighteenth century - discriminative taste was entwined with embodied experience in this period. Although taste was tarnished by its associations with Adam and Eve's fall from Eden, it also functioned positively, as a source of useful, and potentially redemptive, literary, spiritual, experimental, and intersubjective knowledge. Taste and Knowledge in Early Modern England juxtaposes canonical literary works by authors such as Shakespeare with a broad range of medical, polemical, theological, philosophical, didactic, and dietetic sources. In doing so, the book reveals the central importance of taste to the experience and articulation of key developments in the literate, religious, and social cultures of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Latin and Greek Monasticism in the Crusader States
Authors: Hamilton Bernard , Jotischky Andrew
Published: October 2020

Monasticism was the dominant form of religious life both in the medieval West and in the Byzantine world. Latin and Greek Monasticism in the Crusader States explores the parallel histories of monasticism in western and Byzantine traditions in the Near East in the period c.1050-1300. Bernard Hamilton and Andrew Jotischky follow the parallel histories of new Latin foundations alongside the survival and revival of Greek Orthodox monastic life under Crusader rule. Examining the involvement of monasteries in the newly founded Crusader States, the institutional organization of monasteries, the role of monastic life in shaping expressions of piety, and the literary and cultural products of monasteries, this meticulously researched survey will facilitate a new understanding of indigenous religious institutions and culture in the Crusader states.
“The Problem of Witchcraft”: Violence and the Supernatural in Global African Refugee Mobilities
Authors: Luongo Katherine
Published: October 2020

Over the last two decades, witchcraft violence has emerged steadily as a “push factor” for African asylum seekers who argue that being accused of witchcraft or targeted with witchcraft renders them members of a “particular social group” (PSG), subject to persecution and eligible for refugee protection under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. This article examines the refugee status determination (RSD) processes through which immigration regimes in Canada and Australia have adjudicated allegations about witchcraft violence made by asylum seekers from across Anglophone Africa. It critiques the utility of expanding PSG along cultural lines without a commensurate expansion in adjudicators’ knowledge.
“The Important Consideration, After All, Is Disability”: Physical Standards for Teachers in Los Angeles, 1930–1970
Authors: Chmielewski Kristen
Published: October 2020

Ideas and norms about disability shaped the experiences and careers of every teacher and prospective teacher in the Los Angeles public schools between 1930 and 1970. Medical doctors created and conducted the extensive medical examinations that teaching candidates and practicing teachers needed to pass to enter or remain in the classroom. The Los Angeles City Board of Education capitalized on existing disability-related retirement policies, targeting educators with age-related disabilities and enacting a compulsory retirement age for all teachers. Teachers accused of disability-related incompetence could only retain their positions if they could disprove their diagnoses. By adding this discussion of teachers’ bodies and disability to the historiography of teachers, we can better understand teachers’ experiences and the ways in which school leaders attempted to define and enforce standards of normality.
Home Economics, “Handicapped Homemakers,” and Postwar America
Authors: Puaca Laura Micheletti
Published: October 2020

In the two decades following World War II, a loose network of home economists at colleges and universities across the United States turned their attention to homemaking methods for women with physical disabilities. Often in consultation with physically disabled homemakers, these home economists researched and designed assistive devices, adaptive equipment, and work simplification techniques for use in the home. Their efforts signaled a new field of study, “homemaker rehabilitation,” which helped to enlarge the broader vocational rehabilitation system beyond its historic focus on male veterans and wage earners while also expanding the boundaries of home economics itself. Home economists’ work with disabled homemakers both bolstered and challenged postwar domesticity, middle-class gender roles, and able-bodied normalcy. Calling attention to these contradictions reveals much about how home economists engaged with and understood disability and how their work intersected with burgeoning movements for disability rights.
Extended use or reuse of single-use surgical masks and filtering face-piece respirators during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: A rapid systematic review
Authors: Toomey Elaine C. , Conway Yvonne , Burton Chris , Smith Simon , Smalle Michael , Chan Xin-Hui S. , Adisesh Anil , Tanveer Sarah , Ross Lawrence , Thomson Iain , Devane Declan , Greenhalgh Trish
Published: October 2020

Background:

Shortages of personal protective equipment during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have led to the extended use or reuse of single-use respirators and surgical masks by frontline healthcare workers. The evidence base underpinning such practices warrants examination.

Objectives:

To synthesize current guidance and systematic review evidence on extended use, reuse, or reprocessing of single-use surgical masks or filtering face-piece respirators.

Data sources:

We used the World Health Organization, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Public Health England websites to identify guidance. We used Medline, PubMed, Epistemonikos, Cochrane Database, and preprint servers for systematic reviews.

Methods:

Two reviewers conducted screening and data extraction. The quality of included systematic reviews was appraised using AMSTAR-2. Findings were narratively synthesized.

Results:

In total, 6 guidance documents were identified. Levels of detail and consistency across documents varied. They included 4 high-quality systematic reviews: 3 focused on reprocessing (decontamination) of N95 respirators and 1 focused on reprocessing of surgical masks. Vaporized hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation were highlighted as the most promising reprocessing methods, but evidence on the relative efficacy and safety of different methods was limited. We found no well-established methods for reprocessing respirators at scale.

Conclusions:

Evidence on the impact of extended use and reuse of surgical masks and respirators is limited, and gaps and inconsistencies exist in current guidance. Where extended use or reuse is being practiced, healthcare organizations should ensure that policies and systems are in place to ensure these practices are carried out safely and in line with available guidance.
The conflict between market competition and worker solidarity: moving from consumer to a citizen welfare standard in competition law
Authors: Cengiz Firat
Published: October 2020

This paper critically investigates the law and economics of competition law enforcement in conflicts between workers and employers in the EU and the US. The conflict between worker solidarity and market competition attracts significant public attention due to the legal conundrum facing precariously employed gig workers. This paper reveals that in light of the strict consumer welfare standard underlying competition rules, competition law has become an overall disciplining mechanism impeding collective worker action beyond the limited case of the gig economy. Using a holistic theoretical framework comprising of neoclassical and Marxist exploitation theories, the paper shows that sound economic analysis justifies resolving the competition–solidarity conflict in favour of solidarity. After showing that the consumer welfare standard overlooks the idiosyncratic qualities of labour as a ‘fictitious’ commodity, the paper offers an original and inclusive ‘citizen welfare’ standard that takes into consideration how anti-competitive behaviour affects workers as well as consumers. As a result, the paper also contributes to the post-2008 debate on whether and how competition law could contribute to equality by shedding light on competition law's treatment of workers and their welfare.
Triangles whose sides form an arithmetic progression
Authors: Abu-Saymeh Sadi , Hajja Mowaffaq
Published: October 2020

This article is motivated by, and is meant as a supplement to, the recent paper [1]. That paper proves three geometric characterisations of triangles whose sides are in arithmetic progression, or equivalently triangles in which one of the sides is the arithmetic mean of the other two. More precisely, it gives three geometric contexts in which such triangles appear. In this Article, we supply references for the results in [1] and we provide more proofs of these results. We also add more contexts in which such triangles appear, and we raise related issues for future work. We hope that this will be a source of problems for training for, and for including in, mathematical competitions.
How close is the approximation by Bernstein polynomials?
Authors: Jameson G. J. O.
Published: October 2020

A famous theorem of Weierstrass, dating from 1885, states that any continuous function can be uniformly approximated by polynomials on a bounded, closed real interval.