bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract 11883: Mineral Metabolism Predictors of Poor Outcomes in Stable Coronary Artery Disease With and Without Impaired Renal Function
Authors: Acena Alvaro , Lopez-Castillo Marta , Pello Ana M , Martinez-milla Juan , Gaebelt Hans P , Gutierrez Landaluce Carlos , Cristobal Carmen , Tarin Nieves , Huelmos Ana , Gonzalez Casaus Maria L , lorenzo oscar , Canovas Ester , Kallmeyer Andrea , Alonso Joaquin , tunon Jose
Published: March 2022

Background:
Parathormone (PTH) is a component of the Mineral Metabolism (MM) system that has been shown recently to add prognostic value in stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) and average renal function. However, the influence of renal function on the prognostic role of PTH in pts with SCAD has not been shown yet. Our aim is to assess the influence of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) on the prognostic role of PTH and other MM markers in pts. with SCAD.

Methods:
We analyzed the prognostic value of MM markers (PTH, klotho, phosphate, calcidiol [25-hydroxyvitamin D3], and fibroblast growth factor-23 [FGF-23]) in 964 pts. with SCAD and eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (LGFR) vs pts. with eGFR≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (HGFR) included in five hospitals of Spain. The main outcome was the combination of death with ischemic events (any acute coronary syndrome, ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack). eGFR was calculated by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation (CKD-EPI).

Results:
There were 790 pts. with HGFR and 174 with LGFR. Median follow-up was 5.1 years. In HGFR pts., predictors of ischemic events or death were plasma levels of calcidiol [HR= 0.023 (0.94-0.99) p=0.023], FGF23 [HR= 1.00 (1.00-1.003) p=0.036], non-HDL cholesterol [HR= 1.01 (1.00-1.01) p=0.026] and high sensitivity troponin [HR= 5.12 (1.67-15.59) p= 0.004], along with age [HR= 1.03 (1.01-1.05) p=0.01], treatment with statins [HR=0.36 (0.19-0.68) p=0.002], nitrates [HR= 1.13 (1.07-2.79) p=0.027], dihydropyridines [HR= 1.71 (1.05-2.77) p= 0.032], verapamil [HR= 5.71 (1.35-24.1) p= 0.018], and Proton-pump inhibitors [HR= 2.23 (1.36-3.68) p= 0.002]. In the LGFR subgroup, predictors of death or ischemic events were PTH plasma levels, [HR=1.01 (1.00-1.01) p=0.005], the eGFR [HR=0.96 (0.94-0.99) p=0.004], age [HR=1.06 (1.02-1.10) p=0.003], caucasian race [HR=0.04 (0.004-0.380) p=0.005], and treatment with insulin [HR=2.6 (1.20-5.63) p=0.015].

Conclusions:
In pts. with SCAD, PTH is an independent predictor of poor outcomes only in those with eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73 m2 , while in pts. with eGFR≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2 calcidiol and FGF-23 become the only components of MM that may predict prognosis. Then, renal function influences the predictive power of MM markers in pts. with SCAD.
Abstract 11887: High Agreement Between 2D and 3D Echocardiography in Measuring Dimensions of the Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Infants
Authors: Juergensen Stephan , Springston Christine , Bunker Michael J , Moore Phillip , Anwar Shafkat
Published: March 2022

Introduction:
The patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common lesion in infants. Two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) is standard for PDA imaging. Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) is often used for complex anatomy and for procedural planning. Very limited data exist on use of 3DE of the PDA in infants despite its value in planning interventions. We aim to determine the agreement between 2DE and 3DE in measuring PDAs in infants.

Hypothesis:
Significant agreement exists between 2DE and 3DE for PDA measurements.

Methods:
Infants with a known PDA underwent 2DE and 3DE imaging by an IRB-approved protocol. Subjects were <1 year old, >32 weeks corrected gestation (CGA), >1kg, and clinically stable. Parasternal short axis (PSAX) and suprasternal notch (SSN) PDA images were taken. Two blinded observers measured the pulmonic (PA) and aortic (Ao) end of the PDA. Interobserver variability was assessed by interclass correlation (ICC), Bland-Altman (BA), and coefficient of variability (COA). 2DE to 3DE agreement was assessed by BA.

Results:
For 19 subjects acquired, median CGA 38.0 weeks (IQR 35.6-39.1), median weight 3.07kg (IQR 2.83-4.34). ICC for 2DE and 3DE in all views was >0.98 with narrow limits of agreement (LOA) (Table 1). BA showed low bias and narrow LOA. COA was <3.6%. Paired 2DE-3DE comparison had low bias and narrow LOA (Table 2).

Conclusions:
PDA measures by 2DE and 3DE have strong interobserver agreement. Paired 2DE-3DE measures show low bias and variability. A larger cohort will test agreement with variable subject size, ductal size & type, and compare to angiography. Preliminary data show promise for 3DE in future use for PDA procedural planning.
Abstract 11890: Timing of Surgery for Infective Endocarditis: A Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Aedma Surya , Naik Anant , Vadiyala Mounika Reddy , mahajan pranav , Jadav Raja S , Gupta Rahul , Mahajan Sugandhi , Aedma Keirthana , Mehta Sanjay , Kanmanthareddy Arun K
Published: March 2022

Introduction:
Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with in-hospital mortality of 15-30%. Surgery is recommended in approximately 50%. The best available evidence from meta-analyses has demonstrated benefit of early surgical intervention (SI) for the management of IE. However, the timing of surgery has not been further sub-stratified and internally compared

Methods:
We performed a frequentist network meta-analysis adhering to PRISMA Guidelines. Observational studies comparing SI for infective endocarditis at different time points - SI performed <48 hours of diagnosis, 2-7 days, 7-14 days, 14-28 days, 28+ days - were included for analysis. In-hospital mortality, all-cause mortality, in-hospital embolic events, and recurrence of endocarditis were used as outcome variables. All analysis was performed on R, using the open-source net meta-package.

Results:
A total of 28 studies met our inclusion criteria. Figure 1A shows forest plots for each outcome. SI at any time period improved all-cause mortality. However, only Surgery > 21 days resulted in improved in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.19 (0.04-0.85)). Intervention at any specific surgical window did not improve in-hospital embolic events or recurrence of endocarditis. Figure 1B shows SUCRA-dependent hierarchical ranking. Surgery greater than 21 days (S = 0.9443), followed by Surgery < 48 hours (S = 0.7133) was superior to other intervention windows. Surgery < 48 hours also was found to have a higher rank for in-hospital embolic events (S = 0.947).

Conclusions:
Our results supplement the existing society consensus statements and guidelines to opt for early SI, by positing the value of SI within 48 hours. If the patient is stable SI can be performed after 21 days for better in hospital mortality rates. Randomized control trials need to be performed to evaluate further.
Abstract 11891: Greater Rates of Readmission and Length of Stay Among Heart Failure Patients With Cardiac Amyloidosis Than Those Without
Authors: Masri Abdallah F , Jabbar Umair , Murthi Mukunthan , Malhotra Saurabh
Published: March 2022

Introduction:
Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) portends a poor prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients. While CA is being diagnosed with an increasing frequency, it is not known whether the knowledge of a diagnosis of CA influences HF readmissions or hospital length of stay (LOS).

Methods:
Data on HF readmission and hospital LOS was collected for patients undergoing Technetium pyrophosphate (PYP) imaging for CA between January 2018 to December 2020 from our institution’s Business Intelligence reports. CA was confirmed by a combination of PYP imaging and assessment of monoclonal proteins. Number of readmissions per patient per year and the mean cumulative LOS per year were calculated for those with and without confirmed CA. Date of confirmatory testing was used as a cut-off for comparison of HF readmission and LOS prior to and after diagnosis of CA.

Results:
A total of 112 patients underwent PYP imaging during the study period, of which 30 (27%) had CA (transthyretin=26; light-chain=4). Patients with CA were similar in proportion of African Americans (90%) and gender (57% women) compared to those without CA, but were older on average (76.7 vs 69.4 years, p=0.002).

Patients with CA had more frequent HF readmissions prior to and after their diagnosis compared to those without CA (Figure). While both had similar LOS prior to confirmatory testing, LOS was significantly higher in CA patients following diagnosis. Patients without CA saw a significant decline in HF readmission and LOS after performance of confirmatory testing, contrasting with CA patients whose readmissions rates and LOS remained unchanged before and after confirmation of the diagnosis.

Conclusions:
Patients with CA have more frequent HF readmissions and a higher annual LOS when compared to those without CA. Confirmation of CA diagnosis has no effect on these outcomes. Patients with CA may require more tailored interventions to reduce their acute care healthcare utilization.
Abstract 11894: Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Late-Life is Associated With Risk of Heart Failure With Preserved and Reduced Ejection Fraction - The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
Authors: Hegde Sheila M , Kim Andy , Claggett Brian , Evenson Kelly R , Folsom Aaron R , Lutsey Pamela L , Florido Roberta , Ndumele Chiadi E , Kitzman Dalane W , Mosley Thomas , Chang Patricia , Shah Amil M
Published: March 2022

Introduction:
Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is associated with lower heart failure (HF) risk. However, reported associations with incident HF with preserved (HFpEF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) differ and whether these associations persist into-late life is unclear.

Methods:
We evaluated 5017 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study who attended visit 5 (2011-2013) and did not have prior HF or significant valvular heart disease. LTPA was assessed by the Baecke questionnaire, summarized in metabolic equivalent (MET)-minutes/week, and related to incident HFpEF (EF ≥ 50%) and HFrEF (EF < 50%) using multivariable Cox regression and restricted cubic splines. All models were adjusted for age, sex, race, center, and smoking status.

Results:
The mean age was 75.5 ± 5.0 years, 41% were male, 21% Black, and median LTPA was 624 [IQR 0-1270] MET-min/wk. Over a median follow-up of 7.2 years, 435 participants developed HF (208 HFpEF, 166 HFrEF, 61 unknown EF). Compared to those with low LTPA levels (1
st
tertile; <139 MET-min/wk), higher levels of LTPA (3
rd
tertile; >1053 MET-min/wk) were significantly associated with lower HF risk (HR 0.48 [95% CI 0.37-0.62]) after adjusting for age, sex, race, center, and smoking status. The 2
nd
and 3
rd
tertile remained associated with lower HFpEF risk (2
nd
tertile: HR 0.69 [0.50-0.96]; 3
rd
tertile: 0.43 [0.29-0.62]), and lower HFrEF risk (2
nd
tertlle: HR 0.55 [0.37-0.81]; 3
rd
tertile: 0.57 [0.39-0.85]) in the adjusted model. Restricted cubic splines demonstrated a graded response between higher levels of LTPA and incident HFpEF and HFrEF (Figure). With further adjustment for HF risk factors that may be considered mediators, the association of higher LTPA with lower risk of HFpEF was preserved while the association with HFrEF risk was attenuated.

Conclusions:
In older adults, higher levels of LTPA are associated with a lower risk of both incident HFpEF and HFrEF.
Abstract 11895: Impact of Prehospital Mobile Cloud ECG System to Reduce Door to Balloon Time and Onset to Recanalization Time in STEMI
Authors: Unoki Takashi , Kametani Motoko , Matsura Junya , Nakayama Tomoko , Konami Yutaka , Suzuyama Hiroto , Inoue Masayuki , horio eiji , Yufu Tetsuo , Kodama Kazuhisa , Yamamuro Megumi , Taguchi Eiji , Sawamura Tadashi , NAKAO KOICHI , Sakamoto Tomohiro
Published: March 2022

Background:
Clinical guidelines strongly recommend patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) receive timely mechanical reperfusion, defined as door-to-balloon time (DTBT) ≤90 minutes. Recently, mobile cloud 12-lead ECG transmission system (C-ECG) were becoming popular at low cost. Medical staff can immediately review the ECG via PC or personal hand-held devices, and also track the location of the ambulance in a real time manner.

Objective:
Evaluate the impact of the prehospital C-ECG on DTBT and mortality in patients with STEMI.

Methods:
In June 2018, eight mobile C-ECG systems (SCUNA®, MEHERGEN GROUP) were integrated into the Uki city and Kamimashiki city regional EMS departments in Kumamoto Prefecture, We compared the DTBT, onset to recanalization time (OTRT) and mortality rates of STEMI cases for 3 years prior to and 3 years after the C-ECG system.

Results:
For 6 years study period, 267 STEMI patients were transferred by ambulances from two EMS departments. After excluding 14 patients with onset to arrival time more than 24 hours and 54 patients who were transferred without C-ECG, 199 consecutive STEMI cases underwent emergency PCI in which 100 were prior to C-ECG introduction (Pre-C-ECG, from June 2015 to May 2018) and 99 were after C-ECG (Post-C-ECG, from June 2018 to May 2021).

Results:
No significant differences were found in age, gender, and Killip classification between the groups. The DTBT and OTRT were significantly shorter in the post-C-ECG compared to the pre-C-ECG (Pre: 68 min [IQR; 43-76] vs. Post: 50 min [IQR; 43-76]; p=0.005, Pre: 190 min [IQR; 138-294] vs. Post: 157 min [IQR; 112-276]; P=0.04, respectively). However, peak-CPK and the in-hospital mortality were not significantly different (Pre: 2068 IU/L [IQR; 1168-4200] vs. Post: 2105 IU/L [IQR; 872-4528]; p=0.8, Pre: 7.0% vs. Post: 5.1%; p=0.6, respectively).

Conclusion:
Although the prehospital mobile C-ECG system significantly reduced both DTBT and OTRT, the DTBT at our institution was short enough that C-ECG did not reduce the peak CPK or mortality.
Mitochondrial Fission Mediates Endothelial Inflammation
Authors: Forrester Steven J. , Preston Kyle J. , Cooper Hannah A. , Boyer Michael J. , Escoto Kathleen M. , Poltronetti Anthony J. , Elliott Katherine J. , Kuroda Ryohei , Miyao Masashi , Sesaki Hiromi , Akiyama Tomoko , Kimura Yayoi , Rizzo Victor , Scalia Rosario , Eguchi Satoru
Published: March 2022

Endothelial inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction have been implicated in cardiovascular diseases, yet, a unifying mechanism tying them together remains limited. Mitochondrial dysfunction is frequently associated with mitochondrial fission/fragmentation mediated by the GTPase Drp1 (dynamin-related protein 1). Nuclear factor (NF)-κB, a master regulator of inflammation, is implicated in endothelial dysfunction and resultant complications. Here, we explore a causal relationship between mitochondrial fission and NF-κB activation in endothelial inflammatory responses. In cultured endothelial cells, TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) or lipopolysaccharide induces mitochondrial fragmentation. Inhibition of Drp1 activity or expression suppresses mitochondrial fission, NF-κB activation, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 induction, and leukocyte adhesion induced by these proinflammatory factors. Moreover, attenuations of inflammatory leukocyte adhesion were observed in Drp1 heterodeficient mice as well as endothelial Drp1 silenced mice. Intriguingly, inhibition of the canonical NF-κB signaling suppresses endothelial mitochondrial fission. Mechanistically, NF-κB p65/RelA seems to mediate inflammatory mitochondrial fission in endothelial cells. In addition, the classical anti-inflammatory drug, salicylate, seems to maintain mitochondrial fission/fusion balance against TNF-α via inhibition of NF-κB. In conclusion, our results suggest a previously unknown mechanism whereby the canonical NF-κB cascade and a mitochondrial fission pathway interdependently regulate endothelial inflammation.
SOVEREIGN CREDIT DEFAULT SWAP (CDS) SPREADS CHANGES IN VARIOUS ECONOMIC CONJUNCTURES: EVIDENCE FROM TURKEY BY MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHMS
Authors: KARTAL Mustafa Tevfik , KILIÇ DEPREN Serpil , DEPREN Özer
Published: March 2022

The study aims to define the sources of Turkey’s sovereign CDS spread changes to develop policies that stabilize CDS spreads since they have a volatile and increasing trend, especially in the last two years. In this context, monthly data of 13 factors related to international, macroeconomic, and market between 2011/1 and 2019/12 are used by dividing the dataset into three periods as the full period (2011-2019), the stability period (2011-2017), and the macroeconomic turbulent period (2018-2019) and performing 4 different machine learning algorithms. The empirical results prove that (i) Treasury bond interest rate should be lower than 8% in the stability period and gold prices should be lower than TL 5.500 in the macroeconomic turbulent period to have low-level CDS spreads; (ii) NPL volume has no significant effect on in any period examined; (iii) the significance of factors on sovereign CDS spreads vary over the periods.
Intentionality and Kabbalistic Practices in Early Modern East-Central Europe
Authors: Paluch Agata
Published: March 2022

Kavanot, or mystical intentions, have acquired varied meanings and interpretations in kabbalistic literatures, from the practice of harmonising one’s mind with the requirement of performed ritual to elaborate processes of mental focus, exercised during prayer and other ritual acts, on divine attributes signified by divine names and stipulated meticulously in kabbalistic prayer-books. Early modern practical kabbalistic manuals also, to no surprise, abound with instructions which recommend a variety of kavanot. In many of these manuals and books of recipes, it is the intention that enables extending of one’s mind toward matter, and builds a new type of continuity between the practitioner and the outside world. Intentionality in kabbalistic practice thus channels the emergence of the performing, knowledgeable self, engaged in shaping the material world, a development which runs parallel to the emergence of new configurations of knowledge in the early modern period. This rise of intentional self, manifest in kabbalistic practices as expressed in early modern handwritten books of recipes of East-Central European provenance, will be the focus of this article.
Kabbalah Practices / Practical Kabbalah
Authors: Chajes J.H.
Published: March 2022

Kabbalistic trees—ilanot, in Hebrew—are not merely arboreal diagrams illustrating the sefirot and other symbols associated with them. By the fifteenth century, the term ilan (singular) referred to a genre of kabbalistic creativity that fused this schema with a specific medium: an ilan was a diagram of the sefirot inscribed on a parchment sheet or rotulus. Ilanot had a variety of functions, from meditative to mnemonic. The present essay isolates a common element in the various uses of ilanot: they are performative, ritually-used artefacts. The ilan is thus a tool of kabbalistic practice, but is it to be considered part of so-called “Practical Kabbalah”? By the nineteenth century, ilanot were being produced specifically to serve as amulets; these apotropaic rotuli are certainly classifiable as artefacts of Practical Kabbalah. Ilanot not produced as amulets are best regarded as magical—but in the sense that they facilitate opportunities for ritual identification with the divine image that they map, and therefore participation in and manipulation of the divine.
R. Aqiba and the Relatives Disqualified from Giving Testimony
Authors: Sabato Mordechai
Published: March 2022

M. San. 3:4 records two lists of relatives who are disqualified from giving testimony: a list attributed to “the first Mishnah” and one assigned to R. Aqiba. The first Mishnah disqualifies relatives who are eligible to be the person’s heir, to the maximum degree of a cousin. R. Aqiba abolished the inheritance criterion and drew up a list that includes even relatives who are ineligible to be heirs. Based on an analysis of expositions from which the sages derived the disqualification of relatives from giving testimony, this article examines the reason for the change introduced by R. Aqiba. It concludes that, in R. Aqiba’s view, the relevant criterion is not the possibility of inheritance but only the degree of kinship.
Judicial Reasoning and Non-State Participation before Inter-State Courts and Tribunals
Authors: McGarry Brian , Suedi Yusra
Published: March 2022

The present article explores the premise that the participation of non-State actors may in some instances be necessary to the conduct of contentious or advisory proceedings before inter-State courts and tribunals. It first considers whether such necessity may be directly asserted as a legal requirement, in the absence of lex specialis treaty mechanisms or party consent. The article thus considers the potential to apply general principles of law, customary international law, and doctrinal concepts to this question. Unsatisfied with reliance on the stated legal considerations of international courts and tribunals, however, it turns to assess the root causes of such necessity, beneath pronouncements of legal sources and doctrine. The authors identify these as practicality – which speaks to what a court or tribunal must do to fulfil its mandate today – and legitimacy, which speaks to what it should do to ensure that its mandate is respected tomorrow.
Appointment and Dis-Appointment at the CJEU: Part II – The Sharpston Litigation
Authors: Bradley Kieran
Published: March 2022

This second and concluding part of a two-part article considers the annulment actions by Advocate General Sharpston of the CJEU seeking to challenge the premature termination of her term of office as a result of a decision of the Member State governments, following withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. While in its case law the Court of Justice has been in the vanguard in ensuring the protection of judicial independence in the courts of the Member States and the right of judges to a review of decisions entailing their dismissal, Ms. Sharpston’s proceedings were rejected by both the General Court and on appeal the Court of Justice essentially on grounds of lack of jurisdiction. The Courts’ reasoning is incomplete and unconvincing, and doubts remain as to whether the former Advocate General has been afforded effective judicial protection of her claimed right to finish out her term of office.
International Procedure between Past and Future – Procedural Developments in Law of the Sea Dispute Settlement in 2021
Authors: Oral Nilüfer , Lando Massimo
Published: March 2022

Only two decisions in law of the sea dispute settlement cases were issued in 2021. Not a single arbitral award was issued in 2021, and the only case decided by the International Court of Justice was on the merits in the maritime dispute between Somalia and Kenya. Finally, a Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea rendered a judgment on preliminary objections in the maritime dispute between Mauritius and the Maldives.
The Institutional Tragedy of Pandemic Triage Regulation in Italy and Germany
Authors: Domenici Irene , Engeser Franciska
Published: March 2022

This article adopts a comparative approach exploring the reactions to the scarcity of resources resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy and Germany. Both countries showed a fragmented structure including individual hospitals, medical associations and recommendatory interdisciplinary bodies, such as ethics councils. Against this background, the authors use the different constitutional frameworks in which the healthcare systems are embedded to assess the legitimacy of the intervention by non-legislative bodies. It is demonstrated that, in both jurisdictions, a certain level of parliamentary involvement in establishing triage criteria or procedures is constitutionally required, as in situations of extreme scarcity the prioritisation decision cannot be determined by a mere clinical analysis but rather demands a normative choice.
Law and Religion: A Comparative Approach to the Management of Religious Intolerance in Brazil and Canada
Authors: Nicácio Camila Silva
Published: March 2022

The issue of religious intolerance, despite its antiquity, currently poses new problems, due to globalization, cultural diversity, the speed of exchanges and the phenomenon of migration, the latter being forced or not. How can we guarantee a coexistence that respects, at the same time, religious freedom and cultural pluralism, religious diversity included? The Canadian experience based notably on the notion of “reasonable accommodation” seems to represent a demanding effort to reconcile diversity and unity. It is not, however, exempt from criticism, such as the one elaborated by Lori Beaman from the notion of “deep equality”. This article comments on that experience and the criticism addressed to it, relating it to the existing ways to deal with religious intolerance in Brazil.
Reading Ibāḍī Women’s Legacies through Stone Town’s Built Environment
Authors: Wortmann Kimberly T.
Published: March 2022

This article explores how women of means in nineteenth-century Zanzibar used their built legacies to convey their piety and authority even though they were not active in public religious life. The focus of the study is an old Ibāḍī mosque named after its founder, ‘Aisha bint Jumʻa al-Mughayri, and the tombstone of her younger female relative Muhayra bint Jumʻa al-Mughayri. While the details of the two women’s lives, works and property do not appear prominently in the written record of Zanzibar, this article asks what we can glean about their religious and economic commitments from the built legacies and religious endowments they left behind, as well as from the writings of their male contemporaries, British colonial officials and their descendants. The article also demonstrates how the conservation and upkeep of historic religious institutions in Zanzibar today depends greatly on collaborations between local family members, state institutions and transnational faith-based organizations (fbo s).
An Embassy from the Sultan of Darfur to the Sublime Porte in 1791
Authors: Peacock A.C.S.
Published: March 2022

This article presents documents relating to the embassy sent by Sultan ʿAbd al-Raḥmān of Darfur to the Ottoman Sultan Selim III in 1791. These include an original Arabic letter which is an unusually early surviving example of sultanic correspondence from the Sahel. The documents permit a new interpretation of the purposes of the embassy, as well as an examination of chancery practice in Darfur, and offer an insight into Darfuri views of the outside world. To aid the analysis, the article compares this letter with a second surviving letter from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān addressed to Napoleon Bonaparte around 1800, of which the Arabic text has not previously been published.
Marker assisted introgression of semi-dwarfing (sd1) gene in Katarni rice (Oryza sativa L.) landrace
Authors: Kumar Mankesh , Vaibhav Kumar , Chandra Anamika , Suvidha Kumari , Mahto Divya , Satyendra  , Singh Suresh Prasad , Singh Prabhash Kumar , Sinha Sweta
Published: March 2022

‘Katarni Rice’ is a fine quality scented rice landrace of Bihar, India and has tremendous export potential and commercial value. This is a preferred rice in the state due to its flavour, palatability and popcorn like essence before and after cooking. But its area has been shrunken drastically in recent years due to its low yielding (25–30 Q/ha) ability caused due tall and week stature and lodging tendency at maturity. To overcome this problem, marker assisted introgression of semi-dwarfing (sd1) gene from semi-dwarf and high yielding rice varieties Rajendra Sweta and BPT5204 was attempted. Parental polymorphism was obtained through 109 SSR markers. The gene specific markers for fragrance and semi-dwarfing genes were used in the segregants to track their transfer. Recombinant selection was done for the donor genome segments flanking to the target gene i.e., sd1 followed by background selection through genome wide polymorphic SSR markers. More than 90% recurrent parent genome recovery was observed and the selected plants showed a reduction of plant height and flowering time in comparison to Katarni in the successive backcross generation along with the retention of aroma. The identified lines can be evaluated further in multilocation trials to release it as a sustainable high yielding aromatic genotype.
Discontent with Procedural and Meritocratic Democracy
Authors: van der Haak Donovan , Deweer Dries
Published: March 2022

Although there is much literature on populism and its causes, Michael Sandel’s particular contribution to this field of study has received little attention so far. The purpose of this essay is to explain what Sandel adds to the status questionis on the causes of populism, and to evaluate the remedy that follows from his analysis. We argue that Sandel’s earlier works incorporate aspects of the Durkheimian mass society thesis, as they emphasize how the public discontent with liberal individualism stimulates populist sentiments. Sandel’s later works, however, are more similar to the Downsian economic thesis, as he therein focusses on the role of markets, meritocracy and globalization processes. We end by analysing Sandel’s republican approach as an alternative solution to the rise of populism.
Twenty two years later: An updated checklist of Neotropical spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)
Authors: FERNÁNDEZ FERNANDO , RODRIGUEZ JUANITA , WAICHERT CECILIA , DECKER BRENNA , PITTS JAMES
Published: March 2022

Twenty two years after the first checklist of Neotropical Spider Wasps, a new list of genera and species is offered, including novelties in phylogeny and systematics, as well as reviews, synonyms and descriptions since the year 2000. Sixty three genera and 946 species of Pompilidae are listed.
Accommodation Use and Academic Outcomes for College Students With Disabilities
Authors: Blasey Julia , Wang Cixin , Blasey Ralph
Published: March 2022

Despite the availability of disability support services, college students with disabilities continue to face poorer academic outcomes than their peers without disabilities. The majority of eligible college students with disabilities do not register with their campus disability service to receive accommodations or supports. Among those who do utilize disability services, findings have been mixed regarding the relation between service use and students’ academic outcomes. Further, few studies have measured the use of disability services over time. The current study used secondary data to examine the relation between accommodation use and academic outcomes of undergraduate students with disabilities ( N = 1980) who registered with the campus disability service during a 4-year study period. Descriptive findings for academic and accommodation use patterns are discussed with regard to gender, race/ethnicity, and disability type. Regression analyses showed that earlier registration with the disability service and longer duration of service use predicted more positive student outcomes, as measured by cumulative GPA and time to graduation. Continued accommodation use also positively predicted within-subject changes in students’ semester GPAs across the study period. However, services appear to be under-utilized, with 25% of participants only using accommodations for a single semester across the study period. This work has implications for improving service delivery within university disability offices to ensure students with disabilities can access needed supports in college.
Distributed fixed-time average-tracking for multi-agent systems with mismatched and matched disturbances
Authors: Li Yu-Ling , Liu Cheng-Lin , Zhang Ya , Chen Yang-Yang
Published: March 2022

In this paper, distributed fixed-time average-tracking problem is discussed for second-order multi-agent systems (MASs) with mismatched and matched disturbances. To address this issue, we first propose a novel distributed fixed-time average estimator for each agent to estimate the average value of multiple time-varying reference signals (TVRSs). Then, to tackle with the case in the presence of external mismatched and matched disturbances, a disturbance observer is constructed to estimate them in a fixed time. Finally, based on the disturbance observer, a fixed-time average-tracking protocol is designed to drive each agent to track the average value of multiple TVRSs within a fixed time. Simulation experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed fixed-time anti-disturbance average-tracking algorithm.
Laboratory and imaging findings of necrotizing otitis externa are associated with pathogen type and disease outcome: A retrospective analysis.
Authors: Margulis Itai , Cohen-Kerem Raanan , Roitman Ariel , Gez-Reder Hadar , Aviram Ariel , Bitterman-Fisher Sivan , Kugelman Nir , Doweck Ilana
Published: March 2022

Objective

To examine associations of laboratory and imaging data with diagnostic parameters of necrotizing otitis externa (NOE) and its severity, and to compare between bacterial and fungal infections.

Methods

Records of patients diagnosed with NOE during 2010–2018 at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery were reviewed retrospectively for demographics; disease characteristics; and laboratory, scintigraphy, and imaging results.

Results

Of 48 patients with NOE, the mean age is 73±11.6 years; 32 (67%) were males; 83% had diabetes mellitus. Common pathogens were pseudomonas (49%) and fungi (33%). Sensitivities of the technetium-scan (SPECT ratio ≥1.5), temporal bone computed tomography (CT), and gallium-scan (SPECT ratio ≥1.3) were: 78.7%, 48.8%, and 31.4%, respectively. Gallium-scan results correlated positively with CT bone involvement (p=0.002) and hospital length of stay (p=0.0014). C-reactive protein (CRP) level correlated with hospital length of stay (p=0.028) and positive technetium-scan results (p=0.012). Fungal infection had a higher technetium SPECT ratio (2.16 vs. 1.77, p=0.04), gallium SPECT ratio (1.4 vs. 1.2, p=0.02), longer duration of systemic treatment (87.4 vs. 37.9 days, p=0.014), and longer hospital length of stay (31.6 vs. 15.2 days, p=0.004) compared to non-fungal infection. Eight (17%) patients had responded poorly to treatment. Fungal pathogens, facial nerve paresis, extra-auricular, and bilateral disease were more prevalent among the non-responders.

Conclusion

The technetium scan has higher sensitivity than temporal bone CT for diagnosing NOE. The gallium scan and CRP correlated well with hospital length of stay. A high rate of fungal infection was found, with significantly higher technetium and gallium SPECT ratios and worse outcome compared to bacterial infection. Fungal NOE remains therapeutically challenging.
Enhanced Draping for Oculoplastic Surgery to Minimize Respiratory Exposure During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Chow Audrey , Silkiss Rona Z.
Published: March 2022

Surgeons and surgical staff operating on the face are at risk of respiratory-based infectious transmission given their proximity to the patient’s nose and mouth in the surgical field. We describe a modified sterile draping technique that creates a midface seal with inferior ventilation that minimizes surgeon and staff exposure to patient respiratory emissions and potential transmission of infectious diseases, as well as mitigates fire risk during oculoplastic surgery and other surgeries involving the upper face.
Workflow assessing the effect of Achilles tendon rupture on gait function and metatarsal stress: Combined musculoskeletal modeling and finite element analysis
Authors: Sun Dong , Song Yang , Cen Xuanzhen , Wang Meizi , Baker Julien Steven , Gu Yaodong
Published: March 2022

Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) incidence has increased among badminton players in recent years. The foot internal stress was hard to obtain through experimental testing. The purpose of the current research is to develop a methodology that could improve the finite element model derived foot internal stress prediction for ATR clinical and rehabilitation applications. A subject-specific musculoskeletal model was combined with a 3D finite element model to predict the metatarsal stress. The 80% point during the push-off phase of walking was selected for the comparing between injured and uninjured sides. The surgical repaired Achilles tendon (AT) after 12 months was elongated by 5.5% than the uninjured tendon. At 80% point of stance phase, the ankle plantarflexion angle and AT force decreased by 39.6% and 21.9% on the injured side, respectively. The foot inversion degree increased by 22.9% and was accompanied by the redistribution of metatarsals von Mises stress. The stresses on the fourth and fifth metatarsals were increased by 59.5% and 85.9% on the injured side. The workflow is available to assess musculoskeletal disorders and obtain foot internal stress after ATR. The decreased ankle plantar flexor force may be affected by triceps surae muscle atrophy and weakened force transmission ability of elongated AT. The increased von Mises stress on fourth and fifth metatarsals accompanied by higher foot inversion may increase the ankle lateral sprain injury risk.
Racial disparities in COVID-19 test positivity among people living with HIV in the United States
Authors: Islam Jessica Y , Madhira Vithal , Sun Jing , Olex Amy , Franceschini Nora , Kirk Gregory , Patel Rena
Published: March 2022

Objective

This study aimed to compare COVID-19 positivity by HIV status and race/ethnicity using data from the U.S. National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C).

Methods

The N3C cohort (≥ 18 years) includes patients with any encounter after 1/1/2020 with SARS-CoV-2 laboratory tests. Detailed electronic medical records are centralized and harmonized across health-care organizations (34 sites). COVID-19 diagnosis was defined by RT-PCR or antibody testing. HIV infection was defined by standard diagnostic codes within 2 years prior to COVID-19 testing. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were utilized to compare COVID-19 positivity and HIV status by patient’s race/ethnicity.

Results

Over 2.1 million patients were captured in the N3C as of 01/29/2021, of whom 372,716 (15%) were positive for COVID-19; 17,820 (0.7%) were PLWH of whom 2428 (13.6%) tested positive for COVID-19. COVID-19 positive PLWH were more likely to be 30+ years of age (90% vs. 70%; χ2 p < 0.001), male (67% vs. 46%, χ2 p < 0.001), and Black (44% vs. 15%, χ2 p < 0.001) compared to HIV-negative patients. Compared to non-Hispanic/Latinx (NH)-White PLWH, NH-Black (aOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.37–1.86), Latinx (aOR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.68–2.83), and NH-Asian (aOR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.30–3.63) PLWH were more likely to have COVID-19 after adjustment for age, sex, and CharlsonDeyo comorbidity score.

Conclusion

PLWH and minoritized communities, including NH-Black and Latinx or Hispanic adults, appear to be disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the nature of implicit motives
Authors: Asma Lieke Joske Franci
Published: March 2022

David McClelland’s research on the different kinds of (implicit) motives and how to measure them has had a substantial influence on contemporary psychology of motivation. He did not, however, reflect on the nature of implicit motives in much detail. In this article, I fill this gap. I argue that implicit motives should not be understood as mental states the agent has no introspective access to. Instead, I propose that the implicit motives that McClelland and others in the field distinguish—the power, achievement, and affiliation motive—are generic descriptions of specific ends an agent may act for. These motives are implicit, because they are not explicitly expressed but merely implied in what the agent does, thinks, and feels. Establishing whether an agent acts for or has a certain implicit motive, then, is a matter of interpreting the agent’s expressions. This proposal is in line with and explains the empirical findings.
Robust dynamic backstepping averaged sub-gradient integral sliding mode control for navigation of mobile robots
Authors: Hernandez Sanchez Alejandra , Poznyak Alexander , Andrianova Olga , Chairez Isaac
Published: March 2022

The main goal of the current investigation is to present an output feedback robust control that regulates the motion of mobile robotic autonomous devices based on the application of the dual averaged sub-gradient descendant method. Sub-gradient realization aims to solve the design of a proposed extremum seeking control to stabilize the trajectory tracking error between the three-dimensional position of mobile robotic autonomous devices and some attainable reference trajectories in the same spatial domain. The controller belongs to a class of sliding mode controller with variable gain based on a sliding surface depending on the tracking error and its time derivative. This derivative is estimated with the application of a distributed time-dependent super-twisting robust differentiator. The proposed mobile robotic autonomous device dynamics considers the dynamics of actuators (direct current motors) which drives the mobilization of mobile robotic autonomous devices. The dynamic nature of the mobile robotic autonomous devices regulated by motor actuators induces a backstepping-like controller design based on a two-stage sequential application of the sub-gradient strategy, one for the mobile robotic autonomous devices and the second for the motor dynamics. The mixed strategy appears as a novel formulation to solve the path track for reference trajectories of mobile robotic systems. The proposed control considers the optimization of the tracking error dependent functional without the full knowledge of the mobile robotic autonomous device dynamics. With the aim of proving the effectiveness of the suggested design, two numerical examples are developed. In these examples, the tracking performance, minimization of the proposed functional as well as control evolution are evaluated. The controlled tracking outcomes of the proposed integral sliding mode control are contrasted with the outcomes produced by a set of proportional–derivative and selected sliding mode (first-order type) controllers. The suggested controller shows a superior tracking of the reference trajectory than the other two comparative controllers, using quality measures such as least mean square error and its integral.
Dynamic analysis of dielectric elastomer membrane for actuation in soft fish robots
Authors: Tewary Moumita , Roy Tarapada
Published: March 2022

Soft robots often show overwhelming performances. In the present work, mathematical formulations have been derived for nonlinear dynamic analysis of axial stretch in convex tapered dielectric elastomer considering temperature dependent material properties. The present formulation is based on the Gent model of hyperelasticity and the standard rheological model. The fish tail is modeled as bimorph dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) for propulsion of soft fish robot. Based on the obtained axial stretch of the active layer, flapping movements of fish tail have been determined. The dependency of frequency, temperature, viscoelasticity, and taper effects on the dynamic performance in the active layer of bimorph DEA is studied. Investigation of time-dependent actuation, phase portraits, Poincare maps, bifurcation diagrams, and hysteresis loop associated in this system is carried out. The results reveal that at lower temperature more actuation is attained. At low frequency, time-dependent data show very small amplitude. With the increase in height taper, it is declared that the actuation increased. Thus, it is also observed that taper effects have significant role on the axial stretch. Subsequently, with the obtained stretch, deflection of bimorph DEA is determined through mathematical formulation in order to predict the bending actuation of fish tail.
Platformed intimacies: Professional belonging on social media
Authors: Soronen Anne , Koivunen Anu
Published: March 2022

This article explores how social media presence and platform engagements inform and affect creative workers’ sense of professional agency and craft. Focusing on Finnish theatre, film and TV actors’ perceptions of their social media interactions, the article proposes the concept of platformed intimacy to capture the simultaneous importance and ambivalence of mobile attachments that characterise actors’ platformed lives. The research participants consisted of 15 freelancers and theatre employees, aged between 29 and 64 years. The analysis was based on the diary-interview method and close reading. In this article, we suggest that to understand the complexities involved in creative workers’ presence on social media platforms, it is important to broaden the investigation from self-promotion to questions of professional identities and communities. The concept of platformed intimacy captures how actors experience social network sites and apps, such as Instagram and Facebook, as ‘grey areas’ in which they deal with the frequent uncertainty about the meaning of social media visibility for their employability and future collaborations. For actors in our study, social media presence is intimately entangled with their sense of professionalism and desire of to belong to a professional community of peers. As such it articulates senses of proximity and reciprocity as well as feelings of discomfort and anxiety.
I was never in it for the money: Media narratives of celebrity chefs and the gastro-capitalist social entrepreneur
Authors: Müller Anders Riel , Sørensen Bo Ærenlund
Published: March 2022

This article critically interrogates media coverage of Claus Meyer, Danish gastro-entrepreneur, founder of New Nordic Cuisine, and co-founder of the restaurant noma. The article analyzes how the Danish press has constructed Meyer as an exemplary social entrepreneur on a mission to take on established agro-industrial interests and change the ways we produce and consume food. We argue that uncritical media narratives, that positioned Claus Meyer as the little man who successfully took on the establishment, in fact helped to produce brand value for his company in part by glossing over his close ties to state and corporate interests as well as Meyer’s quite conventional business practices. The media’s portrayal of Meyer as an entrepreneur on a social mission constitutes an uncritical celebration of the social entrepreneur and the marketization of society.
The politics and aesthetics of humour in an age of comic controversy
Authors: Nieuwenhuis Ivo , Zijp Dick
Published: March 2022

In this introductory article to a special issue on ‘the politics and aesthetics of humour’, we argue that today in the Global North, humour forms a heavily debated topic, which is deeply embedded in political struggles over who are included and excluded in post-9/11 nation states. Under influence of the recent shift from post-politics to hyper-politics in the European and Anglo-American public sphere, we observe a repoliticisation of humour. To understand how humour in this cultural conjuncture is related to processes of power distribution and contestation, a cultural studies approach is needed. We outline the following four main characteristics of such an approach: (1) it studies humour in the plural, as a set of cultural and aesthetic conventions embodied in practices that are not guided by one grand social or political function, (2) it seeks to understand how humour is embedded in relationships of power, and contributes to the negotiation, contestation and maintaining of social hierarchies, (3) it looks specifically at the form and style of humour, its aesthetics and how on this formal level, political meaning is created and (4) it contends that, while humour often purposefully creates confusion and ambiguity, through its rhetorical and aesthetic operations it also has the ability to foreground particular interpretations, thus making the meaning of comic utterances less undecided than is often claimed.