bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On algebraic abstractions for concurrent separation logics
Authors: Farka František , Nanevski Aleksandar , Banerjee Anindya , Delbianco Germán Andrés , Fábregas Ignacio
Published: January 2021

Concurrent separation logic is distinguished by transfer of state ownership upon parallel composition and framing. The algebraic structure that underpins ownership transfer is that of partial commutative monoids (PCMs). Extant research considers ownership transfer primarily from the logical perspective while comparatively less attention is drawn to the algebraic considerations. This paper provides an algebraic formalization of ownership transfer in concurrent separation logic by means of structure-preserving partial functions (i.e., morphisms) between PCMs, and an associated notion of separating relations. Morphisms of structures are a standard concept in algebra and category theory, but haven't seen ubiquitous use in separation logic before. Separating relations. are binary relations that generalize disjointness and characterize the inputs on which morphisms preserve structure. The two abstractions facilitate verification by enabling concise ways of writing specs, by providing abstract views of threads' states that are preserved under ownership transfer, and by enabling user-level construction of new PCMs out of existing ones.
Precise subtyping for asynchronous multiparty sessions
Authors: Ghilezan Silvia , Pantović Jovanka , Prokić Ivan , Scalas Alceste , Yoshida Nobuko
Published: January 2021

Session subtyping is a cornerstone of refinement of communicating processes: a process implementing a session type (i.e., a communication protocol)
T
can be safely used whenever a process implementing one of its supertypes
T
′ is expected, in any context, without introducing deadlocks nor other communication errors. As a consequence, whenever
T
T
′ holds, it is safe to replace an implementation of
T
′ with an implementation of the subtype
T
, which may allow for more optimised communication patterns.

We present the first formalisation of the
precise
subtyping relation for
asynchronous multiparty
sessions. We show that our subtyping relation is
sound
(i.e., guarantees safe process replacement, as outlined above) and also
complete
: any extension of the relation is unsound. To achieve our results, we develop a novel
session decomposition
technique, from
full
session types (including internal/external choices) into
single input/output session trees
(without choices).

Previous work studies precise subtyping for
binary
sessions (with just two participants), or multiparty sessions (with any number of participants) and
synchronous
interaction. Here, we cover
multiparty
sessions with
asynchronous
interaction, where messages are transmitted via FIFO queues (as in the TCP/IP protocol), and prove that our subtyping is both operationally and denotationally precise. In the asynchronous multiparty setting, finding the precise subtyping relation is a highly complex task: this is because, under some conditions, participants can permute the order of their inputs and outputs, by sending some messages earlier or receiving some later, without causing errors; the precise subtyping relation must capture
all
such valid permutations — and consequently, its formalisation, reasoning and proofs become challenging. Our session decomposition technique overcomes this complexity, expressing the subtyping relation as a composition of refinement relations between single input/output trees, and providing a simple reasoning principle for asynchronous message optimisations.
Petr4: formal foundations for p4 data planes
Authors: Doenges Ryan , Arashloo Mina Tahmasbi , Bautista Santiago , Chang Alexander , Ni Newton , Parkinson Samwise , Peterson Rudy , Solko-Breslin Alaia , Xu Amanda , Foster Nate
Published: January 2021

P4 is a domain-specific language for programming and specifying packet-processing systems. It is based on an elegant design with high-level abstractions like parsers and match-action pipelines that can be compiled to efficient implementations in software or hardware. Unfortunately, like many industrial languages, P4 has developed without a formal foundation. The P4 Language Specification is a 160-page document with a mixture of informal prose, graphical diagrams, and pseudocode, leaving many aspects of the language semantics up to individual compilation targets. The P4 reference implementation is a complex system, running to over 40KLoC of C++ code, with support for only a few targets. Clearly neither of these artifacts is suitable for formal reasoning about P4 in general.

This paper presents a new framework, called Petr4, that puts P4 on a solid foundation. Petr4 consists of a clean-slate definitional interpreter and a core calculus that models a fragment of P4. Petr4 is not tied to any particular target: the interpreter is parameterized over an interface that collects features delegated to targets in one place, while the core calculus overapproximates target-specific behaviors using non-determinism.

We have validated the interpreter against a suite of over 750 tests from the P4 reference implementation, exercising our target interface with tests for different targets. We validated the core calculus with a proof of type-preserving termination. While developing Petr4, we reported dozens of bugs in the language specification and the reference implementation, many of which have been fixed.
Formally verified speculation and deoptimization in a JIT compiler
Authors: Barrière Aurèle , Blazy Sandrine , Flückiger Olivier , Pichardie David , Vitek Jan
Published: January 2021

Just-in-time compilers for dynamic languages routinely generate code under assumptions that may be invalidated at run-time, this allows for specialization of program code to the common case in order to avoid unnecessary overheads due to uncommon cases. This form of software speculation requires support for deoptimization when some of the assumptions fail to hold. This paper presents a model just-in-time compiler with an intermediate representation that explicits the synchronization points used for deoptimization and the assumptions made by the compiler's speculation. We also present several common compiler optimizations that can leverage speculation to generate improved code. The optimizations are proved correct with the help of a proof assistant. While our work stops short of proving native code generation, we demonstrate how one could use the verified optimization to obtain significant speed ups in an end-to-end setting.
Taming x86-TSO persistency
Authors: Khyzha Artem , Lahav Ori
Published: January 2021

We study the formal semantics of non-volatile memory in the x86-TSO architecture. We show that while the explicit persist operations in the recent model of Raad et al. from POPL'20 only enforce order between writes to the non-volatile memory, it is equivalent, in terms of reachable states, to a model whose explicit persist operations mandate that prior writes are actually written to the non-volatile memory. The latter provides a novel model that is much closer to common developers' understanding of persistency semantics. We further introduce a simpler and stronger sequentially consistent persistency model, develop a sound mapping from this model to x86, and establish a data-race-freedom guarantee providing programmers with a safe programming discipline. Our operational models are accompanied with equivalent declarative formulations, which facilitate our formal arguments, and may prove useful for program verification under x86 persistency.
A graded dependent type system with a usage-aware semantics
Authors: Choudhury Pritam , Eades III Harley , Eisenberg Richard A. , Weirich Stephanie
Published: January 2021

Graded Type Theory provides a mechanism to track and reason about resource usage in type systems. In this paper, we develop GraD, a novel version of such a graded dependent type system that includes functions, tensor products, additive sums, and a unit type. Since standard operational semantics is resource-agnostic, we develop a heap-based operational semantics and prove a soundness theorem that shows correct accounting of resource usage. Several useful properties, including the standard type soundness theorem, non-interference of irrelevant resources in computation and single pointer property for linear resources, can be derived from this theorem. We hope that our work will provide a base for integrating linearity, irrelevance and dependent types in practical programming languages like Haskell.
Intensional datatype refinement: with application to scalable verification of pattern-match safety
Authors: Jones Eddie , Ramsay Steven
Published: January 2021

The pattern-match safety problem is to verify that a given functional program will never crash due to non-exhaustive patterns in its function definitions. We present a refinement type system that can be used to solve this problem. The system extends ML-style type systems with algebraic datatypes by a limited form of structural subtyping and environment-level intersection. We describe a fully automatic, sound and complete type inference procedure for this system which, under reasonable assumptions, is worst-case linear-time in the program size. Compositionality is essential to obtaining this complexity guarantee. A prototype implementation for Haskell is able to analyse a selection of packages from the Hackage database in a few hundred milliseconds.
Abstracting gradual typing moving forward: precise and space-efficient
Authors: Bañados Schwerter Felipe , Clark Alison M. , Jafery Khurram A. , Garcia Ronald
Published: January 2021

Abstracting Gradual Typing (AGT) is a systematic approach to designing gradually-typed languages. Languages developed using AGT automatically satisfy the formal
semantic
criteria for gradual languages identified by Siek et al. Nonetheless, vanilla AGT semantics can still have important shortcomings. First, a gradual language's runtime checks should preserve the
space-efficiency
guarantees inherent to the underlying static and dynamic languages. To the contrary, the default operational semantics of AGT break proper tail calls. Second, a gradual language's runtime checks should enforce basic modular type-based invariants expected from the static type discipline. To the contrary, the default operational semantics of AGT may fail to enforce some invariants in surprising ways. We demonstrate this in the GTFL
≲
language of Garcia et al.

This paper addresses both problems at once by refining the theory underlying AGT's dynamic checks. Garcia et al. observe that AGT involves
two
abstractions of static types: one for the static semantics and one for the dynamic semantics. We recast the latter as an abstract interpretation of
subtyping
itself, while gradual types still abstract static types. Then we show how
forward-completeness
(Giacobazzi and Quintarelli) is key to supporting both space-efficient execution and reliable runtime type enforcement.
Optimization of Crude Oil Trade Structure: A Complex Network Analysis
Authors: Dong Gaogao , Qing Ting , Tian Lixin , Du Ruijin , Li Jingjing
Published: January 2021

With the contradiction between supply and demand being intensified, the unreasonable crude oil trade structure has become increasingly prominent. Therefore, optimizing the supply and demand structure of the global crude oil trade is an urgent problem, which has become one of the crucial factors affecting the energy strategy and economic development of each country. This paper builds an optimization model that aims at minimizing crude oil trade costs based on the complex network theory. Meanwhile, an optimal solution generation approach is proposed and developed in this paper. Compared with the preoptimized trade network, the proposed model can effectively reduce the trade cost. By topological analysis of the trade network and its optimal configuration, we obtain that both the preoptimized and optimized crude oil trade networks follow power‐law distribution. By using the minimum spanning tree, we find that the major crude oil net exporting countries have the most significant influence and are at the core in the optimized trade structure. This work focuses on the sustainable development of the global crude oil trade and provides a fresh perspective for the optimal crude oil trade system. Moreover, the methodology and model may be applied in the investigation of optimization for other energy system structures.
More Constructions of 3-Weight Linear Codes
Authors: Ma Lingyong , Li Guanjun , Liu Fengyan
Published: January 2021

Linear codes with few weights have become an interesting research topic and important applications of cryptography and coding theory. In this paper, we apply some ternary near-bent and 2-plateaued functions or

r

-ary functions to construct more 3-weight linear codes, where

r

is a prime. Moreover, we determine the weight distributions of the resulted linear codes by means of some exponential sums.
Autoimmune Hepatitis with Elevated Serum IgG4 Levels Have a High Prevalence of Cirrhosis at Diagnosis
Authors: Xue Mei , Shen Yi , Fan Xiaoli , Shen Mengyi , Yang Li
Published: January 2021

Background. Some autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients have elevated serum IgG4 levels, and the clinical characteristics of such patients are currently incompletely characterized. Aim. To analyze the clinical features and possible pathogenesis of AIH with elevated serum IgG4 levels. Methods. According to their serum IgG4 value, patients were divided into elevated IgG4 (IgG4 > 1.35 g/l) and normal IgG4 (IgG4 ≤ 1.35 g/l) groups. Results. Among the 152 patients included in this study, those in the elevated IgG4 group had the following characteristics: older onset age (56 ± 11.43 years vs. 49.49 ± 13.04 years,

P
=
0.005

), higher proportion of males (34.15% vs. 12.61%,

P
=
0.002

), higher prevalence of cirrhosis (56.10% vs. 36.04%,

P
=
0.026

), lower prevalence of extrahepatic autoimmune diseases (9.76% vs. 27.3%,

P
=
0.023

), and higher levels of IL-17 and IL-22 (

P
<
0.05

). Logistic regression analysis results showed that elevated serum IgG4 levels and male sex were risk factors for AIH cirrhosis (male: odds ratio (OR) = 4.293, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.592–11.575,

P
=
0.004

; and elevated serum IgG4: OR = 2.566, 95% CI: 1.065–6.187,

P
=
0.036

). No significant differences were found for the remission rate within 6 months between the two groups (69.70% vs. 76.14%,

P
=
0.470

). Conclusion. The male proportion and cirrhosis prevalence were higher in AIH with elevated serum IgG4 levels at the time of diagnosis. Male sex and elevated serum IgG4 levels are independent risk factors for AIH cirrhosis, and TH17 cells are more likely involved in the pathogenesis of this type of AIH.
A Case Study of Cyclic Top Coal Weakening Process Based on Highly Tough Coal Seam with Partings
Authors: Wu Zhaopeng , Wang Junhui , Wan Zhijun , Cheng Jingyi , Xiong Luchang , Zhao Lizhu , Liu Xiaogang
Published: January 2021

The top coal weakening process is an effective mean to increase the coal output, reduce the coal resource waste, and promote the sustainable development in a mine. The conventional blast weakening process and water injection weakening process are more widely applied in fully mechanized caving mining of hard thick coal seams, but under some special complex geological conditions, no desirable performance has been achieved in top coal weakening by one weakening process alone after substantial investment in capital and equipment. In the context of highly tough top coal with partings at working face 110501 for fully mechanized top coal caving mining in Yushutian Coal Mine, effects of parting band and high toughness on top coal breaking were studied in terms of mechanism and extent, a multifunctional compound drilling field integrating blast weakening, water injection weakening, and gas extraction was purposefully designed, and a cyclic top coal weakening process for highly tough coal seams with partings was proposed. Engineering practice and performance testing show that degree of fragmentation and mobility of top coal was improved, mean top coal recovery ratio at the working face increased by about 35%, coal resource waste decreased, and potential risks of gas explosion and mine fire were eliminated, which provides reference for top coal weakening process under similarly complex engineering conditions.
Clinical Efficacy and Possible Mechanism of Endoscopic Vidian Neurectomy for House Dust Mite-Sensitive Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Shen Li , Wang Jun , Kang Xue , Han Mei , Li Mengyue , Huang Zhiqun , Luo Liping , Tu Junhao , Ye Jing
Published: January 2021

Background/Aims: Endoscopic vidian neurectomy (EVN) for allergic rhinitis (AR) has good clinical effects. However, the pathophysiological basis of the effect of EVN on AR is still poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of EVN on house dust mite (HDM)-sensitive AR and the dynamic changes of serum immunoglobulin E and some immune regulatory factors. Methods: Twenty HDM-sensitive AR patients were treated with bilateral EVN (EVN group), 15 HDM-sensitive AR patients were treated with subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT group), and 15 healthy subjects served as healthy controls. Quality of daily life was assessed by the scores of the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQs). The visual analog scale was used to assess clinical efficacy. Serum molecules were measured by ELISA and the UNICAP system. Results: Compared with the SCIT group, the RQLQs in the EVN group were lower 12 months after treatment (both p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in improving nasal itching and sneezing (both p > 0.05), but the clinical efficacy of bilateral EVN was greater than SCIT in improving nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, eye itching, and lachrymation 12 months after treatment (all p < 0.05). Compared with before treatment, the serum levels of total immunoglobulin E (tIgE), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus- and Dermatophagoides farinae-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the EVN group and the serum levels of TNF-α and interleukin-4 in the SCIT group were lower 12 months after treatment (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: The short-term efficacy of bilateral EVN is more effective than SCIT in treating HDM-sensitive AR. This may be because the surgery reduced the tIgE and sIgE levels. TNF-α may be involved in the therapeutic mechanism.
An Academic Clinician’s Road Map to Hypertension Genomics
Authors: Magavern Emma F. , Warren Helen R. , Ng Fu L. , Cabrera Claudia P. , Munroe Patricia B. , Caulfield Mark J.
Published: January 2021

At the dawn of the new decade, it is judicious to reflect on the boom of knowledge about polygenic risk for essential hypertension supplied by the wealth of genome-wide association studies. Hypertension continues to account for significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, with increasing prevalence anticipated. Here, we overview recent advances in the use of big data to understand polygenic hypertension, as well as opportunities for future innovation to translate this windfall of knowledge into clinical benefit.
Intrinsic Frequencies of Carotid Pressure Waveforms Predict Heart Failure Events
Authors: Cooper Leroy L. , Rong Jian , Pahlevan Niema M. , Rinderknecht Derek G. , Benjamin Emelia J. , Hamburg Naomi M. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Larson Martin G. , Gharib Morteza , Mitchell Gary F.
Published: January 2021

Intrinsic frequencies (IFs) derived from arterial waveforms are associated with cardiovascular performance, aging, and prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, prognostic value of these novel measures is unknown. We hypothesized that IFs are associated with incident CVD risk. Our sample was drawn from the Framingham Heart Study Original, Offspring, and Third Generation Cohorts and included participants free of CVD at baseline (N=4700; mean age 52 years, 55% women). We extracted 2 dominant frequencies directly from a series of carotid pressure waves: the IF of the coupled heart and vascular system during systole (ω
1
) and the IF of the decoupled vasculature during diastole (ω
2
). Total frequency variation (Δω) was defined as the difference between ω
1
and ω
2
. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to relate IFs to incident CVD events during a mean follow-up of 10.6 years. In multivariable models adjusted for CVD risk factors, higher ω
1
(hazard ratio [HR], 1.14 [95% CI], 1.03–1.26];
P
=0.01) and Δω (HR, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.03–1.30];
P
=0.02) but lower ω
2
(HR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.77–0.99];
P
=0.03) were associated with higher risk for incident composite CVD events. In similarly adjusted models, higher ω
1
(HR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.07–1.42];
P
=0.004) and Δω (HR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.05–1.50];
P
=0.01) but lower ω
2
(HR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.66–0.99];
P
=0.04) were associated with higher risk for incident heart failure. IFs were not significantly associated with incident myocardial infarction or stroke. Novel IFs may represent valuable markers of heart failure risk in the community.
K and output: Two Student Publications in Light of Mid-Twentieth Century Graphic Design Education
Authors: Bischler Sandra
Published: January 2021

Previous historiography of graphic design education in the mid-twentieth century is shaped by published theories and educational principles of a limited circle of design teachers. As a counterbalance, this article stresses the relevance of a marginalized source: design student magazines. It juxtaposes K and output, published in the early 1960s at the Basel School of Design and the Ulm School of Design. Both magazines intended to open critical debates at their schools, but took opposite paths regarding design, editorial concept, content of articles, and critical engagement with their respective schools' design philosophies. An analysis of their reception and context reveals the magazines' corrective potential for design education by raising crucial issues within the design discourse of the 1960s.
Hausa ‘Native’ Speakers and the Racialisation of Knowledge Production
Authors: Buba Malami
Published: January 2021

The colonial encounter between the Hausa and the British produced multiple layers of experiences both for the coloniser and the colonised. In addition to its violent history of conquest and domination, it created a ‘text’ of learning through which ideas of ‘mixing truth with falsehood’ were presented, localised and propagated as counterweight to the dominant Muslim epistemology. Mediating and navigating these spaces require deeper understanding and the skilful weaving of divergent epistemologies of the world. In this article, the role of the ‘native speaker’ as a cultural broker is explored.
“My parents did everything for us but nothing with us”: Parenting and mothering in Vietnamese immigrant families in the Czech Republic
Authors: Souralová Adéla
Published: January 2021

This article investigates the impact of migration on parent-child ties. It draws upon in-depth interviews with 15 Vietnamese mothers and 20 children (ages 16–25) who either migrated to or were born in the Czech Republic. It asks: How do first-generation mothers and second-generation children make sense of their parents’ migration in terms of their relationships with each other? What is the meaning of migration for mothers’ and children’s comprehension of parenthood and motherhood? The analysis of the interviews illuminates the tensions and ambivalences in narratives about migration and post-migratory situations. The article benefits from the inclusion of two perspectives—mothers’ and children’s—and contributes to scholarship on family migration, migrant childhood and migrant parenthood.
Organization Theory and the Resource-Based View of the Firm: The Great Divide
Authors: Davis Gerald F. , DeWitt Theodore
Published: January 2021

The resource-based view of the firm has become dominant within the field of strategic management, yet it has had surprisingly little influence within organization theory. In this article, we document the divide between strategy and organization theory and propose an interpretation. Choices of theories are largely driven by a researcher’s dependent variables, and the questions “Why do firms do what they do?” and “Why do some firms perform better than others?” can have distinct answers. Thus, strategic management scholars and organization theorists are like howler monkeys and spider monkeys, coexisting peacefully in the same ecosystem by dining on different dependent variables. We further speculate on the looming existential crisis for both fields as traditional firms are increasingly unsustainable due to the transformation wrought by the digital revolution in product markets and the markets for capital, labor, and supplies.
An exploratory study of the all-author bibliographic coupling analysis: Taking scientometrics for example
Authors: Yanhui Song , Lijuan Wu , Shiji Chen
Published: January 2021

All-author bibliographic coupling analyses (AABCA) take all authors of the article into account when constructing author coupling relationships. Taking scientometrics as an example, this article takes the papers from 2010 to 2019 as data sample and divides them into two periods (limited to 5 years) to discuss the performance of AABCA in discovering potential academic communities and intellectual structure of this discipline. It is found that when all authors of the paper are considered, the relationship between the bibliographic coupling authors presents a certain regularity and the bibliographic coupling is likely to be passed between different pairs of authors. With the transitivity of the coupling relationship, AABCA can effectively identify and discover the potential academic groups of this discipline, and more fully reflect the degree of cooperation among authors. AABCA is an effective method to reveal the intellectual structure in the field of scientometrics, and it is easier to find some small research topics with weak correlation. In addition, AABCA is also an ideal way to explore the author’s research interests over time.
Identification as translation: The art of choosing the right spokespersons at the securitized border
Authors: Pelizza Annalisa
Published: January 2021

This article pursues a translational approach to the securitization of migration. It argues that sociotechnical processes of identification at the border can be conceived of as translations into legible identities of individuals who are unknown to authorities. The article contributes to the materiality debate on securitization across Critical Security Studies (CSS) and Science and Technology Studies (STS) by answering the call to conduct empirical explorations of security, and by revisiting the potential of the early sociology of translation (i.e. actor-network theory) to account for the identification of border crossers. Data collection was conducted at four identification facilities in the Hellenic Republic. Three sets of implications for the CSS-STS debate on the materiality of securitization are discussed. First, a translational approach can replace a representational understanding of identity with a performative apprehension of identification. Second, adopting a translational approach leads to acknowledge that the identification encounter is mediated by multiple, heterogeneous actors. It thus helps to open technological black boxes and reveal the key role of material qualities, affordances and limitations of artefacts. Third, a translational approach to the securitization of migration can help advance the field of ‘alterity processing’ by appreciating the de facto re-arrangements of institutional orders elicited by techno-political alignments with global security regimes.
Post-earthquake Repositioning in a High-Value Heritage Context
Authors: Bertin Mattia , Negretto Vittore , Musco Francesco
Published: January 2021

This paper examines how a town affected by a catastrophe can be restored by repositioning. We describe how we locally applied a method for building back better with participation. To do it, we merged some already known techniques. We learned three lessons. First, the methodology that we deployed can support a nonconflictive recovery process. Second, the building’s physical forms for the reconstruction according to the preferences of residents must be deeply investigated before proposing a model. Third, a post-disaster recovery plan has several problems in application, and where possible a pre-disaster recovery plan is preferable.
Maritime cultural encounters and consumerism of turtles and manatees: An environmental history of the Caribbean
Authors: Harris Lynn B.
Published: January 2021

By the mid-eighteenth century, a distinctive maritime commerce in turtle and manatee products existed in the Caribbean. It was especially prevalent amongst English-speaking inhabitants, from the Cayman Islands and Jamaica to the outposts of Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the Colombian islands. Consumption patterns led to a variety of encounters between indigenous Indians, Europeans, Africans and Creoles. Commerce in these natural resources, especially turtles, grew steadily, creating prodigious consumer demands for medical uses, culinary and fashion trends in Europe and the North America by the late-nineteenth century. This study intertwines themes of environmental history, maritime cultural encounters, fisheries and food history. Topics such as indigenous hunting techniques, processing, transportation, marketization, utilitarian and luxury consumerism and evolution of social attitudes towards natural resources are addressed. It is based on contemporary sources and covers various aspects of the supply and utilization of these marine animals over the longue durée.
Playing maritime capital: The Baltic Sea in the touristic representations of St. Petersburg
Authors: Kraikovski Alexei , Bogachev Nikita , Lomakina Ivanna
Published: January 2021

This paper presents the first findings of a research investigation into understudied aspects of the touristic use of St. Petersburg’s cultural heritage, notably the development of the ‘Maritime Capital of Russia’ as a tourist brand. We argue that the effectiveness of this imaginary ‘Maritime City’ entails a complex approach based on the concept of ‘Maritimity’. Through this perspective we consider the numerous maritime heritage sites of the city as a dynamic playground for the cultural play of heritage consumption. Using guidebooks as a key historical source, we demonstrate how and why touristic representations of St. Petersburg’s maritime past have been transformed, and explore the link between the general development of the country between 1980 and 2003 and the maritime element in the vision of St. Petersburg as a tourist destination.
Characterization of Risk Factors for Neural Tube Defects: A Case-Control Study in Bogota and Cali, Colombia, 2001-2018
Authors: Salazar-Reviakina Alexander , Sierra-Bretón Manuela , Rumbo Jose , Madariaga Ithzayana , Tovar Catherin , Uribe Mateo , Sequera Carolina , Rodríguez Catherin , Holguín Jorge , Sarmiento Karen , Hurtado-Villa Paula , Zarante Ignacio
Published: January 2021

Worldwide prevalence of neural tube defects is between 1.2 and 124.1 per 10 000 live births. This study analyzes risk factors linked with neural tube defects. The study focused on the Surveillance and Monitoring Programs of Congenital Anomalies databases in Bogota and Cali. Births were monitored between 2001 and 2018. Liveborn or stillborn with neural tube defects were defined as cases, using a case-control ratio of 1:4. Paternal age, folic acid supplementation, birth weight, urban or rural origin, maternal and paternal studies, and socioeconomic levels were analyzed. Across the 215 730 births monitored, 147 cases with a rate of 6.82/10 000 live births were found (6.79-6.85). In isolated cases, lower birth weight had a P <.01. Paternal age >45 years showed an odds ratio (OR) of 4.24 (1.54-11.65), socioeconomic status 1 and 2, OR of 2.49 (1.63-3.82), maternal primary schooling or lower OR 2.61 (1.28-5.31), and housing in urban areas OR 2.4 (1.4-4.09).
Treatment Timing, EEG, Neuroimaging, and Outcomes After Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy in Children
Authors: Appavu Brian , Foldes Stephen , Fox Jordana , Shetty Sheetal , Oh Ann , Bassal Freddy , Marku Iris , Mangum Tara , Boerwinkle Varina , Neilson Derek , Kruer Michael
Published: January 2021

Background:

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) is a rare condition associated with rapid progression to coma and high incidence of morbidity and mortality.

Methods:

Clinical, electroencephalographic (EEG), and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics and immunomodulatory therapy timing were retrospectively analyzed in children with ANE. ANE severity scores (ANE-SS) and MRI scores were also assessed. The associations of patient characteristics with 6-month modified Rankin scale (mRS) and length of hospitalization were determined using either univariate linear regression or one-way analysis of variance.

Results:

7 children were retrospectively evaluated. Normal EEG sleep spindles ( P = .024) and early treatment ( R 2 = .57, P = .030) were associated with improved outcomes (ie, decreased mRS). Higher ANE-SS ( R 2 = .79, P = .011), higher age ( R 2 = .62, P = .038), and presence of brainstem lesions ( P = .015) were associated with longer length of hospitalization. Other patient characteristics were not significantly associated with mRS or length of hospitalization.

Conclusion:

Early immunomodulatory therapy and normal sleep spindles are associated with better functional outcome in children with ANE.
Search evolution for ease and speed: A call to action for what’s been lost
Authors: Tucker Virginia M. , Edwards Sylvia L.
Published: January 2021

In recent years, leading website search engines have abandoned vital search features supporting complex information needs, evolving instead for the marketplace and for users seeking speedy answers to easy questions. The consequences are troubling, for researchers and for information science educators, with concerns ranging from the very relevance of search results and the unknowing of what is missing, to the novice searcher’s waning ability to frame potent queries and to learn ways to refine results. We report on a grounded theory study of search experiences of information professionals and graduate students (n = 20) that contributes a holistic understanding of web searching, using its findings both to frame what is lacking in the design evolution of search engines for complex information needs and to outline a way forward. One goal of the study was to evaluate an established model of web searching, called Net Lenses, a theoretical framework shown to be highly relevant during the study’s grounded theory secondary literature review. The original Net Lenses research used phenomenography to identify variation in the web search experiences of university students (n = 41), evidencing four categories according to the characteristics of searcher awareness, approach to learning, response to obstacles and search outcomes. This study validated the model and led to an expanded version, Net Lenses 2.0, with five categories of search experience, reflecting the complex information needs of more advanced searchers. This resultant Net Lenses 2.0 model is discussed with its implications for search engine design, for advanced searchers and also for learning-to-search modes, much needed by searchers seeking to develop their abilities. The study’s implications coalesce in a call to action for more inclusive search interface design, and an agenda is put forth for how information researchers, educators and literacy advocates can move forward in their intersecting domains.
Dabigatran Reversal With Idarucizumab in 2 Patients With Portal Vein Thrombosis Undergoing Orthotopic Liver Transplantation
Authors: Williams Cynthia , Stewart Erin , Conzen Kendra D. , Wolf Scott , Tran Timothy T.
Published: January 2021

There are limited data to guide the use of anticoagulation in cirrhotic patients prior to liver transplantation especially when using direct oral anticoagulants. In this article, we present 2 cases. The first is a 42-year-old male with cirrhosis complicated by portal vein thrombosis (PVT) treated with dabigatran who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation without complication. The second case is a 65-year-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis complicated by PVT treated with dabigatran who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation and required reoperation for surgical bleeding. Both patients were treated with dabigatran’s reversal agent idarucizumab prior to incision. In this case series, we discuss the treatment of cirrhotic patients with various anticoagulants, considerations for anticoagulant selection and reversal prior to liver transplant, and questions for future investigation.
With group power comes great (individual) responsibility
Authors: Miller Erin L
Published: January 2021

When a group does harm, sometimes there’s no obvious individual who bears moral responsibility, and yet we still intuit that someone is to blame. This apparent ‘deficit’ of moral responsibility has led some scholars to posit that groups themselves can be responsible, and that this responsibility is distributed in some uniform fashion among group members. This solution to the deficit, however, risks providing a scapegoat for individuals who have acted wrongly and shifting blame onto those who have not. Instead, this article argues that, in most deficit cases, moral responsibility is borne not by the group but by specific individual members. When an individual acts within a group, she gains an increased potential for doing harm – and, accordingly, heightened duties of care toward others. These duties can, depending on the individual’s position, require amending the group’s rules, procedures, and norms. In most deficit cases, it is individuals who have failed to fulfill these duties who are responsible.
Who are our owners? Exploring the ownership links of businesses to identify illicit financial flows
Authors: Aziani Alberto , Ferwerda Joras , Riccardi Michele
Published: January 2021

This article investigates the patterns of business ownership in Europe, using a unique dataset on the nationality of 28.7 million shareholders of companies registered in 41 European countries. By means of an exploratory multivariate analysis, it tests whether ownership links between different countries are driven exclusively by social and macroeconomic variables – such as trade or geographical or cultural proximity – or are also related to measures of financial secrecy, corruption and lack of compliance with anti-money laundering regulations. The results indicate that factors other than licit economic incentives explain the international ownership structure of European companies. European firms have an abnormal number (that is, above the predicted value) of owners from tax havens and countries with poor financial transparency, which may suggest the use of holding companies for money laundering and tax evasion and to conceal illicit financial flows. However, ceteris paribus, the number of owners is abnormal in countries where rule of law and the control of corruption are more effective, suggesting that a high level of corruption may be a cost in money laundering activities. The findings contribute to the current international debate on illicit financial flows – as framed by United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16.4 – and can be used by public agencies and private actors to detect anomalies in business ownership and prevent potential financial crime schemes at corporate level.
Early childhood teacher research and social-emotional learning: Implications for the development of culturally sensitive curriculum in Singapore
Authors: Yang Weipeng , Peh Jaslene , Ng Siew Chin
Published: January 2021

Teacher research has been promoted as a context-relevant approach to improving children’s learning experiences in early childhood settings. In this article, we focus on social-emotional learning (SEL), a crucial domain of the early childhood curriculum, to illustrate the role of teacher research in changing early childhood teachers’ everyday practices. We present an informative project on facilitating toddlers’ conflict resolution to exemplify the process of early childhood teacher research for supporting SEL. Evidence of the teacher research project revealed that integrating the child-focused approach into the existing curriculum was beneficial for promoting children’s conflict resolution skills and self-regulation. As situated in the particular context of Singapore, this case of teacher research presents how to successfully innovate early childhood curriculum practices within sociocultural realities, which include the hierarchical management culture, the imbalance between pressure upon and support for teachers, and limited time and resources. Suggestions and implications for early childhood practitioners and policymakers are also discussed.
Evaluation of the Significance of Constant Laser Therapy, 532 nm, in Various Exposure Times on the Healing Process of Wounds Infected by Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Al-Timimi Zahra
Published: January 2021

Many considerable investigations focused on the stimulation of therapeutic manners of infected injuries in mice. The exaggerated pathogens that induced wounds were gram-positive like staphylococcal and gram-negative, for example, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Acinetobacter can generate a scale range of an infection that may be received in a hospital or any wellness concern facility. In order to know the significance of laser 532 nm with a constant irradiance at various exposure times on the healing process of wounds infected by Acinetobacter baumannii, this study was performed on the BALB/C mice. An elliptical full-thickness skin injury was made on the backside of 45 adult female (BALB/C) mice. Injuries were affected via Acinetobacter baumannii and were randomly assigned into 3 groups. Semiconductor diode continuous wave laser, λ = 532 nm, with output power 40 mW was used. The power density was 5.71 mW/cm2, while the fluencies were 1.7 J/cm2 and 5.14 J/cm2. Fifteen mice were classified according to the times of irradiation. The first group was infected and presented as control, without irradiation. The second group was infected and irradiated for 5 minutes. The third group, likewise, was infected but irradiated for 15 minutes. All groups were subdivided according to the following period, 3, 5, and 10 days, after irradiation and the animals were killed after the treatment. Wound healing was made by measuring the rate of wound closure and histopathological evaluation. The study determined that 532 nm laser therapy had an obvious and positive influence on the healing of infected wounds with fluence (5.14 J/cm2).
Analyzing the topology characteristic and effectiveness of the China city network
Authors: Wang Liang , Xue Xiaolong , Zhou Xun , Wang Zeyu , Liu Rui
Published: January 2021

The topology characteristic and effectiveness of city network play critical roles in guiding transportation infrastructure planning and construction. From empirical evidence of three types of transportation infrastructure in China’s urbanization process—railway, civil aviation, and highway—we propose a new city network construction method based on the transportation infrastructure links between cities. Degree centrality, closeness centrality, and betweenness centrality are selected as measuring indicators for analyzing the topology characteristic of the China city network, and the shortest path length is used to measure the effectiveness of the China city network from the node level and the overall level. Based on public and open data and combining analysis methodologies, we explore the topology characteristic and effectiveness of the China city network. The analysis results show that the topology characteristic of the China city network presents disequilibrium on geographical distribution. Network node effectiveness is positively correlated to the economic development level of cities in the China city network, and different sub-networks present different overall network effectiveness. The analysis results of the Dalian–Yantai subsea tunnel show that although the effectiveness of the China city network can be greatly improved through increasing links between cities with no direct link, transportation infrastructure planning and construction has different impacts on the topology characteristic of the China city network. The topology characteristic and effectiveness of each city in the China city network should be considered comprehensively in the process of transportation planning and construction.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: SOX2 Regulates lncRNA CCAT1/MicroRNA-185-3p/FOXP3 Axis to Affect the Proliferation and Self-Renewal of Cervical Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Zhang Li , Guo Chunjie , Ji Tiefeng , Chen Xin
Published: January 2021

It has been presented the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cervical cancer (CC). We aim to discuss the effect of sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2)/lncRNA colon cancer-associated transcript-1 (CCAT1)/microRNA-185-3p (miR-185-3p)/forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3) on the proliferation and self-renewal ability of CC stem cells. MiR-185-3p, SOX2, CCAT1 and FOXP3 expressions were tested in CC tissues and cells. The relationship between SOX2/CCAT1 expression and clinicopathological features in CC patients was verified. Loss- and gain-of-function investigations were conducted in CD44+HeLa cells to discuss biological functions and self-renewal capacity. Finally, the relationships among SOX2, CCAT1, FOXP3 and miR-185-3p were verified. miR-185-3p expression was decreased, while SOX2, CCAT1 and FOXP3 expressions were increased in CC tissues and cells. SOX2 and CCAT1 expressions were linked to tumor size, lymph node metastasis and international federation of gynecology and obstetrics stage of CC. Down-regulating SOX2 or CCAT1 and up-regulating miR-185-3p resulted in inhibition of proliferation, invasion, migration and cell sphere number as well as apoptosis acceleration of CD44+HeLa cells. SOX2 could bind to CCAT1 which affected miR-185-3p expression, and FOXP3 was targeted by miR-185-3p.
Social listening – revealing Parkinson’s disease over day and night
Authors: Zhang Hui , Meng Fanwen , Li Xingyu , Ning Yali , Cai Meng
Published: January 2021

Background

Nocturnal symptoms in Parkinson’s disease are often treated after management of daytime manifestations. In order to better understand the unmet needs of nocturnal symptoms management, we analyzed the characteristics and burden of nocturnal symptoms from patients’ perspectives and explored their changes over time. Overall symptoms (occurring at day or night) were collected to compare whether the unmet needs related to nocturnal symptoms and to overall symptoms are different.

Methods

We used a Social Listening big-data technique to analyze large amounts of Parkinson’s disease symptoms in dialogues available from social media platforms in 2016 to 2018. These symptoms were classified as either overall symptoms or nocturnal symptoms. We used share of voice (SOV) of symptoms as a proportion of total dialogues per year to reflect the characteristics of symptoms. Negative sentiment score of symptoms was analyzed to find out their related burden.

Results

We found the SOV for overall motor symptoms was 79% and had not increased between 2016 and 2018 (79%,p = 0.5). The SOV for non-motor symptoms was 69% and had grown by 7% in 2018 (p <  0.01). The SOV for motor complications was 9% and had increased by 6% in 2018 (p <  0.01). The SOV of motor symptoms was larger than non-motor symptoms and motor complications (p <  0.01). The SOV of non-motor symptoms was larger than motor complications (p <  0.01). For nocturnal symptoms, 45% of the analyzed PD population reported nocturnal symptoms in 2018, growing by 6% (p <  0.01). The SOV for nocturnal-occurring motor symptoms was higher than most non-motor symptoms. However, non-motor symptoms had the higher increases and evoked higher negative sentiment regardless of whether they occurred during the day or night. For symptoms that can occur at either day or night, each nocturnal symptom was rated with a higher negative sentiment score than the same symptom during the day.

Conclusions

The growing SOV and the greater negative sentiment of nocturnal symptoms suggest management of nocturnal symptoms is an unmet need of patients. A greater emphasis on detecting and treating nocturnal symptoms with 24-h care is encouraged.