bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eine Antwort auf die «Krise der Medizin»? Die Moderne Konstitutionslehre im Krisendiskurs 1925 bis 1933
Authors: Metzger Nadine
Published: December 2020

Discussing the alleged «crisis of medicine» (ca. 1925–33) German physicians addressed the underlying mindset of medical theory and practice. Identifi ed as «scientifi c crisis», they called the scientifi c epistemology of medicine into question. Since 1911 modern constitutional medicine had offered concepts potentially useful to overcome this «crisis». Besides similar topics the two discussions shared prominent voices, presenting their ideas for better medicine in both discourses. However, this paper shows the minor role constitutional medicine actually played in the «crisis» discussion. It was rarely put forward as a solution to the supposed «crisis» and is conspicuously often discovered in discussions of historical background. Far more often, concepts designed to overcome constitutional medicine are invoked as a potential crisis solution, fi rst and foremost the so-called «constitutional therapy» fathered by Vienna gynaecologist Bernhard Aschner which evokes pre-modern humoral pathology.
Whither Mutual Trust? Brexit, Achmea and the Future of Investor-State Arbitration in the EU-UK Investment Relations
Authors: Florou Aikaterini
Published: December 2020

A lot of ink has been devoted to Brexit: when (and if) it will happen, under what terms, and what its legal effects will be. Some have enquired whether Brexit can create an avalanche of investor-state disputes potentially based on the frustration of the investors’ legitimate expectations. This article takes a step back from the current volatility of the ongoing negotiations and addresses a bigger policy question, which has been emerging steadily also in other contexts: what will be the actual interplay between international, EU and domestic laws for the resolution of investment disputes after Brexit? To address this question, this article first examines the Withdrawal Agreement and the new arbitration mechanism that it establishes. Second, it explores the interaction between international and domestic laws, in light of the current developments in EU law, especially the Achmea judgment and the Member States’ Declarations on Achmea, as well as implications for the enforceability of arbitral awards in the UK post-Brexit. The article concludes with the remark that policy makers need to address the current underlying tensions between the three laws of international investment; domestic, EU, and international, by paying due respect to international law.
Álvarez y Marín Corporación and Others v. Panama, ICSID Case No. ARB/15/14, Award, 12 October 2018
Authors: Chan Kai-chieh
Published: December 2020

In Álvarez y Marín Corporación and others v. Panama, the majority declined to take jurisdiction over a dispute arising from an investment made in indigenous regions of Panama due to the investors’ serious breach of Panamanian law. Although the tribunal found no explicit requirement of legality in the relevant treaties, it held that such a requirement is inherent to the very notion of investment and can be implied by general principles of good faith and nemo auditur propriam turpitudinem allegans. After examining the timing of the breach as well as the seriousness of it, the majority concluded that it was proportionate to deprive the investors of treaty protection. The Álvarez y Marín award sheds light on many important yet highly contentious legal issues concerning legality requirements. This includes the qualification of the admission clause, the implied legality requirement, the material scope of such requirement and whether legality goes into jurisdiction or merits. It is submitted that the Álvarez y Marín tribunal has adopted many innovative approaches toward these issues and, consequently, the case is expected to have a significant impact on the practice of investment arbitration going forward.
The Chevron Saga: The Denial of Justice Standard under the Fair and Equitable Treatment and Customary International Law
Authors: Jaroslavsky Pablo , Wajnman Florencia
Published: December 2020

The Chevron saga is a paramount example of parallel proceedings. It includes several judicial proceedings in Ecuador and the U.S., different settlements, decisions at all levels of the Ecuadorian judicial system, and enforcement proceedings before the courts of several countries. In 2009, Chevron Corporation and Texaco Petroleum initiated arbitration proceedings against the Republic of Ecuador claiming that Ecuador had breached Article ii of the Treaty between the United States of America and Ecuador concerning the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investment (the BIT) by failing to provide them fair and equitable treatment. Further, they also claimed that Ecuador committed a denial of justice. In its recent decision, the arbitral tribunal analysed the denial of justice standard under the fair and equitable treatment provision of the treaty and customary international law and concluded that Ecuador had in fact committed a denial of justice. The purpose of this case-note is to analyse the Tribunal’s findings on the denial of justice standard.
The Rong Ngeng of the Andaman Coast: History, Ecology, and the Preservation of a Traditional Performing Art
Authors: Ross Lawrence
Published: December 2020

This article examines recent grassroots strategies for preserving traditional performing arts along southern Thailand’s Andaman Sea Coast, focusing on rong ngeng, an idiomatic form of social dance and music, widely popular there in the post-World War Two years. Between 1935 and 1960 a small, mixed cohort of rural performing artists created networks of communities, scattered on Thai-Andaman, with a distinctive regional culture based in the shared repertoire of songs and dances they adapted, created an innovative lyrical style called phleng tanyong (Tanyong song), and a star system that turned village performers into local celebrities (Ross 2017, 68). More than a mere vibrant, short-lived micro-tradition which declined in the wake of a growing, hegemonic pan-Thai performing arts culture, however, rong ngeng has, since the 2000s, experienced a revival. The new incarnation was tied to economics, nostalgia, and a reawakening of local identity. Using a broadly cultural ecology approach which draws on more than a decade of fieldwork in the Thailand-Malaysia border region, oral accounts of rong ngeng performers, past and present, and comparisons with performance practices across the regions, this paper argues that efforts toward revival and sustainability have seen their greatest success among communities that possess several characteristics, including strong historical and genealogical links to erstwhile cultural practices, participatory forms of entertainment, and the ability among its members to articulate the relevance of performing arts to the society-at-large.
Interpretive Constructs in Contrast: The Case of Flattery in Hebrew and in Palestinian Arabic
Authors: Danziger Roni , Kampf Zohar
Published: December 2020

The contrastive study of interpretive constructs, the end products of evaluative processes, enables identification of patterns of meaning-making that may result in cross-cultural misunderstandings. The study focuses on judgments of flattery in Israeli Hebrew and Palestinian Arabic. Using contrastive metapragmatic methodology, it examines how flattery is used and perceived in two neighbouring speech communities with different cultural speaking styles: Israeli dugri (and its related firgun) and Arabic musayara. Findings indicate more similarities than differences in the performance and evaluation of flattery, with a slight departure with regard to evaluation and stance. We hypothesize that following the asymmetrical contact between Hebrew speakers and Arabic speakers in Israel, younger Arabic speakers tend to adopt the majority group’s patterns of politeness.
Further notes on the genus Stenaelurillus Simon, 1885 from India (Araneae: Salticidae)
Authors: LOGUNOV DMITRI V.
Published: December 2020

Three new Indian species of Stenaelurillus Simon, 1885 are diagnosed, illustrated and described: S. indicus sp. nov. (♂♀, from Andhra Pradesh), S. tettu sp. nov. (♂♀, from Andhra Pradesh), and S. wandae sp. nov. (♂♀, from Odisha). A lectotype (♂) for S. lesserti Reimoser, 1934 from India is designated. A new record of S. lesserti from Andhra Pradesh and comments about its presence in Sri Lanka are provided. The localities of all the described and recorded species is mapped.
New species of Langona Simon, 1901 and Neaetha Simon, 1884 (Araneae: Salticidae) from Thailand
Authors: ŻABKA MAREK , PATOLETA BARBARA M.
Published: December 2020

The genera Langona Simon, 1901 and Neaetha Simon, 1884 are recorded from Thailand. Langona pattayensis sp. nov. (♂♀) and Neaetha wesolowskae sp. nov. (♂♀) are described and diagnosed. Distributional maps and remarks on the relationships of both genera and species are provided.
Partial revision of the Afrotropical Ballini, with the description of seven new genera (Araneae: Salticidae)
Authors: AZARKINA GALINA N. , HADDAD CHARLES R.
Published: December 2020

The jumping spider tribe Ballini is reviewed in the Afrotropical Region. The genera Afromarengo Benjamin, 2004 and Goleta Peckham & Peckham, 1894 are redefined. In Afromarengo, A. coriacea (Simon, 1900) is illustrated and A. ghanaensis sp. nov. (♀, from Ghana) and A. ugandensis sp. nov. (♂♀, from Uganda and D.R. Congo) are newly described. For Goleta, the type species, Goleta workmani (Peckham & Peckham, 1885), is redescribed from both sexes. Seven new genera and twelve new species are described, including three monotypic genera, Ballagascar gen. nov., with B. insularis (Peckham & Peckham, 1885) comb. nov. (ex Colaxes Simon, 1900) from Madagascar (♂♀) as the type species; Mondeku gen. nov., with M. albopilosum sp. nov. (♂♀, from Kenya) as the type species; and Oviballus gen. nov., with O. vidae sp. nov. (♂♀, from South Africa) as the type species. We also describe Planamarengo gen. nov., with P. bimaculata (Peckham & Peckham, 1903) comb. nov. (ex Afromarengo) from South Africa (♂♀) as the type species, as well as P. gatamaiyu sp. nov. (♂, from Kenya) and P. kenyaensis sp. nov. (♂♀, from Kenya); Propiomarengo gen. nov., with P. plana (Haddad & Wesołowska, 2013) comb. nov. (ex Afromarengo) from South Africa (♀) as the type species, as well as P. foordi sp. nov. (♂, from South Africa); Tenuiballus gen. nov., with T. minor sp. nov. (♂, from South Africa) as the type species, and also including T. coronatus sp. nov. (♂, from South Africa); and Wandawe gen. nov., with W. benjamini (Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013) comb. n. (ex Colaxes) from South Africa (♂♀) as the type species, and also including W. australe sp. nov. (♂♀, from South Africa) and W. tigrinа sp. nov. (♂♀, from Kenya and Uganda). A new combination for Copocrossa albozonata Caporiacco, 1949, Afromarengo albozonata comb. nov. is provided, and the name A. albozonata is treated as a nomen dubium. A new species of Padilla Peckham & Peckham, 1894, a genus only known from the Afrotropical Indian Ocean islands, P. wandae sp. nov. (♂♀, from Madagascar), is described. New data and illustrations for Sadies Wanless, 1984, as well as two Asian species of Colaxes, are provided. The recently revised Pachyballus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus Simon, 1900 are not treated further. A key to the genera of Afrotropical Ballinae is presented, as well as new data on their natural history, biogeography, and a discussion of the evolution of mimicry of various arthropod groups by balline jumping spiders. A putative synapomorphy and the new composition of Ballini sensu novo are proposed.
New species of Peckhamia Simon, 1900 (Salticidae: Dendryphantini: Synagelina) from the Greater Antilles
Authors: CALA-RIQUELME FRANKLYN , BUSTAMANTE ABEL A. , CREWS SARAH C. , CUTLER BRUCE
Published: December 2020

Four new species of Peckhamia Simon, 1900 (P. wesolowskae sp. nov. and P. surcaribensis sp. nov. from Cuba, P. espositoae sp. nov. from Jamaica and P. areito sp. nov. from the Dominican Republic) from the Greater Antilles are described. Additionally, Sarinda glabra Franganillo, 1930, Descanso montanus Bryant, 1943, D. formosus Bryant, 1943 and D. magnus Bryant, 1943 are transferred to Peckhamia and provide new combinations, P. glabra comb. nov., P. montana comb. nov., P. formosa comb. nov. and P. magna comb. nov.. Peckhamia glabra is stated as a nomen dubium. Diagnostic illustrations and a distribution map are provided for the new species.
Filozoficzne i religijne korzenie narodowego socjalizmu
Authors: Strutyński Maciej
Published: December 2020

Philosophical and Religious Roots of National SocialismUnderstanding the sources of national socialism requires exploring religious and philosophical sources of German culture. Such research was carried out by Bogdan Suchodolski and Leon Halban, whose work was included in this book. Their research shows that it is necessary to refer to axiological issues when analyzing contemporary political phenomena. Filozoficzne i religijne korzenie narodowego socjalizmuPoznanie źródeł narodowego socjalizmu wymaga odniesienia się do religijnych i filozoficznych źródeł kultury niemieckiej. Takie badania przeprowadzili Bogdan Suchodolski oraz Leon Halban, których prace zostały zamieszczone w recenzowanej książce. Ich badania pokazują, że także przy analizowaniu współczesnych zjawisk politycznych konieczne jest sięgnięcie do zagadnień aksjologicznych.
Tożsamości rozmyte. Tożsamość kulturowa pogranicza polsko-niemieckiego w XXI wieku. Zarys problemów
Authors: Dudziak Maciej J.
Published: December 2020

Fuzzy Identities. Cultural Identity of the Polish-German Borderland in the 21st Century: An OutlineThis text is an attempt to summarize the three decades (1989–2019) of NGO activity in the broadly understood Polish-German borderland, with a particular emphasis on the area of the so-called Central Nadodrze. Two organizations, The Society of Witnica’s Friends and the daughter organization of the Polish-German Educatio Association “Pro Europa Viadrina,” were chosen as an exemplification of a certain way of coping with cultural reality, also in the historical aspect in the border area. Tożsamości rozmyte. Tożsamość kulturowa pogranicza polsko-niemieckiego w XXI wieku. Zarys problemówNiniejszy tekst stanowi próbę podsumowania trzech dekad (1989–2019) działalności organizacji pozarządowych na szeroko rozumianym pograniczu polsko-niemieckim, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem obszaru tzw. Środkowego Nadodrza. Jako egzemplifikację pewnego sposobu radzenia sobie z rzeczywistością kulturową, również w aspekcie historycznym na obszarze pogranicza, wybrano Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Witnicy oraz organizację-córkę Polsko-Niemieckie Stowarzyszenie Educatio „Pro Europa Viadrina”. Autor zarysował problematykę tzw. tożsamości rozmytych jako odmianę tożsamości kulturowej pogranicza polsko-niemieckiego w XXI wieku.
Spatiotemporal Lightning Activity Detected by WWLLN over the Tibetan Plateau and Its Comparison with LIS Lightning
Authors: Ma Ruiyang , Zheng Dong , Zhang Yijun , Yao Wen , Zhang Wenjuan , Cuomu Deqing
Published: December 2020

Herein, we compared data on the spatiotemporal distribution of lightning activity obtained from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) with that from the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS). The WWLLN and LIS both suggest intense lightning activity over the central and southeastern Tibetan Plateau (TP) during May–September. Meanwhile, the WWLLN indicates relatively weak lightning activity over the northeastern TP, where the LIS suggests very intense lightning activity, and it also indicates a high-density lightning center over the southwestern TP that is not suggested by the LIS. Furthermore, the WWLLN lightning peaks in August in terms of monthly variation and in late August in terms of 10-day variation, unlike the corresponding LIS lightning peaks of July and late June, respectively. Other observation data were also introduced into the comparison. The blackbody temperature (TBB) data from the Fengyun-2E geostationary satellite (as a proxy of deep convection) and thunderstorm-day data support the spatial distribution of the WWLLN lightning more. Meanwhile, for seasonal variation, the TBB data are more analogous to the LIS data, whereas the cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning data from a local CG lightning location system are closer to the WWLLN data. It is speculated that the different WWLLN and LIS observation modes may cause their data to represent different dominant types of lightning, thereby leading to differences in the spatiotemporal distributions of their data. The results may further imply that there exist regional differences and seasonal variations in the electrical properties of thunderstorms over the TP.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for COVID-19-Associated Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in a 5-year-old
Authors: Schwartz Stephanie P. , Walker Tracie C. , Kihlstrom Margaret , Isani Mubina , Smith Melissa M. , Smith Rebecca L. , McLean Sean E. , Clement Katherine C. , Phillips Michael R.
Published: December 2020

Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) that ranges from mild symptoms to cardiopulmonary collapse. A 5-year-old girl presented with shock and a rapid decline in left ventricular function requiring intubation. SARS-CoV-2 was diagnosed by viral Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and she received remdesivir and COVID-19 convalescent plasma. Initial echocardiogram (ECHO) demonstrated low normal left ventricular function and mild left anterior descending coronary artery dilation. She remained hypotensive, despite high-dose epinephrine and norepinephrine infusions as well as stress-dose hydrocortisone. Admission SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay was positive, meeting the criteria for MIS-C. An ECHO 9 hours after admission demonstrated a severe decline in left ventricular function. Due to severe cardiogenic shock, she was cannulated for venoarterial extracorporeal support (ECMO). During her ECMO course, she was treated with remdesivir, intravenous methylprednisolone, intravenous immunoglobulin, and anakinra. She was decannulated on ECMO day 7, extubated the following day, and discharged home 2 weeks later without respiratory or cardiac support. The use of ECMO for cardiopulmonary support for pediatric patients with MIS-C is feasible and should be considered early as part of the treatment algorithm for patients with severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
Tramadol and Opioid Prescription Rates in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Before and After the 2016 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Opioid Guideline
Authors: Leja Noah , Genord Cheryl K. , Berriman Sarah M. , Ellis Jessica J.
Published: December 2020

Objectives. The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the impact of the 2016 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain (GPOCP) on tramadol and opioid prescription rates in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), (2) to identify if tramadol was being properly dosed based on kidney function, and (3) to identify the number of clinically relevant drug-drug interactions related to tramadol. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants. Patients with a diagnosis of CKD stage IV or V or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with a hospital discharge were identified. Participants were distributed into a pre-GPOCP cohort (January to December 2015) and post-GPOCP cohort (January 2017 to May 31, 2018) based on their hospital discharge date. Participants were then further divided into three categories: those who were discharged with a new prescription for tramadol, those who were discharged with a prescription for another opioid product, or those who were discharged with no new opioid or tramadol prescription. Outcome Measures. The primary outcome was incidence of new outpatient tramadol and opioid hospital discharge prescriptions. The secondary outcomes were the number of correctly dosed tramadol discharge prescriptions based on kidney function and incidence of clinically significant drug-drug interactions with tramadol. Results. New tramadol and opioid prescription rates upon hospital discharge for CKD stage IV and V and ESRD patients decreased from 76 (2.5%) to 54 (1.1%) and from 145 (4.7%) to 119 (2.5%), respectively ( P < .001). Among the patients discharged with a new tramadol prescription, 113 (86.9%) patients did not have any clinically significant drug-drug interactions, and 94 (72.3%) patients were dosed correctly based on kidney function. Conclusion. The incidence of new outpatient tramadol and opioid prescriptions at discharge was significantly lower after the CDC GPOCP publication than before the publication.
Are Online Resources for Evidence-Based Practices Useful?
Authors: Hitt Sara Beth , Kwiatek Stephen , Voggt Ashley , Chang Wen-hsuan , Gadd Sonja , Test David W.
Published: December 2020

Because many websites claim to provide information about evidence-based practices (EBPs), consumers must know the information and practices are based upon quality research. Practitioners may intend to locate trustworthy online sources providing EBPs, but if those sources are not easy to navigate and lack implementation resources (i.e., are accessible), then practitioners may be more likely to access less trustworthy sources for instructional strategies and materials. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate websites, identified as trust or trust with caution, to determine whether they demonstrate a level of usefulness for practitioners. Thirty websites, classified as trust and trust with caution, were reviewed for usefulness and results indicated 14 (46.7%) websites were found to be useful, nine (30%) websites were categorized as somewhat useful, and seven (23.3%) websites were determined to be not useful. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are provided.
Illuminating the Concept of Community (Group)-Level Procedural Justice: A Qualitative Analysis of Protestors’ Group-Level Experiences With the Police
Authors: Jonathan-Zamir Tal , Perry Gali , Weisburd David
Published: December 2020

“Procedural justice” (PJ) has traditionally been thought of as an intragroup model, characterizing interpersonal interactions between police officers and specific individuals. O’Brien et al. recently proposed that PJ is also a useful framework for examining intergroup dynamics, and can thus be used to typify interactions between the police and communities/social groups as a whole. Yet, as a novel construct, its precise content remains unclear. We use qualitative, in-depth interviews with individuals who encountered police as a group of protestors, to illuminate the constituent elements of group-level PJ. We identify four concerns with group-level treatment: respect for the existence and cause of the group, partnership with the group, recognizing the individual within the group, and displaying the “right” motivation: allowing group activities to take place safely. We discuss the implications of our findings, arguing that they pave the way for more exhaustive modeling of the fairness embedded in authorities’ treatment.
Examining Racial Discrimination’s Association With Depressive Symptoms Through Metadehumanization Among African Americans: Does Racial Identity Matter?
Authors: Mekawi Yara , Watson-Singleton Natalie N.
Published: December 2020

Though considerable empirical work has documented the ways in which African Americans are dehumanized by other racial groups, there is no research examining how perceiving dehumanization (i.e., metadehumanization) is associated with the mental health of African Americans. In this study, we examined the indirect effect of racial discrimination on depressive symptoms through metadehumanization and explored whether this indirect effect was contingent on racial identity (i.e., centrality, private regard). African American students completed measures in a university lab located in the Midwestern region of the United States ( N = 326; Mage = 19.7, 72.4% women). We found that the degree to which racial discrimination was indirectly associated with depressive symptoms through metadehumanization was contingent on racial identity dimensions. Specifically, the indirect effect of racial discrimination on depressive symptoms through metadehumanization was only significant for individuals who were relatively higher on centrality and private regard. This research suggests that the role of metadehumanization is stronger among African Americans who strongly identify with and have positive views of their racial group. We discuss these results in the context of social cognitive theories.
The Bad Test-Taker Identity
Authors: Holmes Jeffrey D.
Published: December 2020

There is widespread belief that test-taking ability is an influential component of academic success distinct from domain knowledge and comprehension. Most of today’s college students took many more tests over the course of their primary and secondary education than students of previous generations, and also participated in regular training to strengthen their test-taking skills. Although such training and experience should equalize students on any isolated test-taking ability, the present study reveals that the vast majority students in a college sample believe that students can simply be bad test-takers. Moreover, the majority of students believe that they themselves are bad test-takers, a perspective which is maladaptive in light of relevant research. Accordingly, the data show that students who identify in this way also tend to possess other maladaptive academic attitudes.
The optimal displacement control for fractional incommensurate mass-spring oscillators by Shifted Legendre polynomials
Authors: Jin Yitong , Zhou Xingde , Shi Xianzeng , Wang Chunxiu
Published: December 2020

Based on the Riemann–Liouville fractional derivative, an optimal displacement control strategy for fractional incommensurate mass-spring oscillators has been presented. According to the calculus of variations and the Lagrange multiplier technique, the optimality conditions for the given problem are obtained. Using Shifted Legendre polynomials, the problem of solving differential equations is transformed into the problem of solving a set of algebraic equations. The validity, high efficiency and applicability of the proposed method are demonstrated through the simulation results.
Exploring Bullying: Fifth Graders’ Interpretations and Understandings
Authors: Barone Diane , Barone Rebecca
Published: December 2020

This study explored understandings shared by fifth-grade gifted students as they read the book Restart, which explores bullying. Students read, created representations, and discussed the text. Grounded by Langer’s stances of envisionment, this descriptive case study analyzed student representations and conversations. Each of the stances was represented with most responses being represented in Stances 1 (getting a sense of the text), 2 (interpreting text), and 4 (analyzing the text). In addition, most students viewed bullies and their behavior as being in a fixed state, which was tied to the perceived power a bully held. The results from this study have implications for teachers who work with gifted and talented students, counselors who work with students in mental health and resilience programs, and the collaboration of these school personnel.
Digital 3D Topographic Microscopy: Bridging the Gaps Between Macroscopy, Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy
Authors: Rousselle Serge D.
Published: December 2020

Re-endothelialization of vascular lumen after endovascular procedures is a critical healing milestone and is subjected to routine pathological evaluation during preclinical safety assessment of new cardiovascular devices. Gross evaluation, microscopic evaluation, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are the methods of choice for evaluation of vascular surfaces. In this article, we present a new digital imaging approach of surface topography herein referred to as topographical digital microscopy (TDM) that is able to meet the objectives of endovascular healing assessment in a single instrumental platform combined with the same sample preparation techniques as for histology or SEM. This platform is taking advantage of digitally managed illumination, X-Y stitching, and Z-stacking to enable direct optical imaging of tissue surfaces at levels of details ranging from the macroscopic to the cellular level. This technique is enabled by advances in digital optical microscopy and provides images in color and 3 dimensions that can help in the analysis, especially in distinguishing biologically meaningful observations from technical preparation artifacts and in visualizing surface topography.
Psychometric properties of the Cumulated Ambulation Score French translation
Authors: Jérôme Valcarenghi , Esfandiar Chahidi , Morten Tange Kristensen , Amandine Ledoux , Harold Jennart , Matteo Luisetto , Lindsey Heurion , Jacques Hernigou , Thibaut Thüngen
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To examine measurement properties (inter-rater reliability, agreement, validity, and responsiveness) of the Cumulated Ambulation Score French translation in patients with hip fracture.

Design:

Methodological study.

Setting:

A 20-bed orthopedic unit and 20-bed geriatric unit.

Subjects:

About 140 consecutive patients with a mean (SD) age of 83 (12) years.

Interventions:

The English version of the Cumulated Ambulation Score used to evaluate basic mobility was translated into French following international guidelines. Two raters independently assessed all patients on postoperative days one, two, three, and 30 after a hip fracture surgery. Relative and absolute inter-rater reliability and responsiveness (effect size for improvement from postoperative day two to 30) were evaluated. Convergent validity was analyzed by Spearman’s correlation coefficient comparing the Cumulated Ambulation Score with two other measures on postoperative day two and 30.

Main measure:

Cumulated Ambulation Score.

Results:

The weighted Kappa value ranged from 0.89 to 1.0. The standard error of measurement and the smallest real difference of the Cumulated Ambulation Score ranged, respectively, from 0.12 to 0.23 and from 0.32 to 0.6 points, while the effect size reached 1.03 (95% CI 0.87–1.26). There was a strong positive correlation comparing the Cumulated Ambulation Score with the French Tinetti Assessment Tool ( r ⩾ 0.83) and the French Mini Motor Test ( r ⩾ 0.79).

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate that the Cumulated Ambulation Score’s French version is a reliable and valid tool to assess patients’ basic mobility with hip fractures.
Observer Ratings of Shared Decision Making Do Not Match Patient Reports: An Observational Study in 5 Family Medicine Practices
Authors: Diendéré Gisèle , Farhat Imen , Witteman Holly , Ndjaboue Ruth
Published: December 2020

Background

Measuring shared decision making (SDM) in clinical practice is important to improve the quality of health care. Measurement can be done by trained observers and by people participating in the clinical encounter, namely, patients. This study aimed to describe the correlations between patients’ and observers’ ratings of SDM using 2 validated and 2 nonvalidated SDM measures in clinical consultations.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 238 complete dyads of health professionals and patients in 5 university-affiliated family medicine clinics in Canada. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires before and after audio-recorded medical consultations. Observers rated the occurrence of SDM during medical consultations using both the validated OPTION-5 (the 5-item “observing patient involvement” score) and binary questions on risk communication and values clarification (RCVC-observer). Patients rated SDM using both the 9-item Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q9) and binary questions on risk communication and values clarification (RCVC-patient).

Results

Agreement was low between observers’ and patients’ ratings of SDM using validated OPTION-5 and SDM-Q9, respectively (ρ = 0.07; P = 0.38). Observers’ ratings using RCVC-observer were correlated to patients’ ratings using either SDM-Q9 ( rpb = −0.16; P = 0.01) or RCVC-patients ( rpb = 0.24; P = 0.03). Observers’ OPTION-5 scores and patients’ ratings using RCVC-questions were moderately correlated ( rφ = 0.33; P = 0.04).

Conclusion

There was moderate to no alignment between observers’ and patients’ ratings of SDM using both validated and nonvalidated measures. This lack of strong correlation emphasizes that observer and patient perspectives are not interchangeable. When assessing the presence, absence, or extent of SDM, it is important to clearly state whose perspectives are reflected.
Broadening Anti-Consumption Research: A History of Right-Wing Prohibitions, Boycotts, and Resistance to Sustainability
Authors: Witkowski Terrence H.
Published: December 2020

Anti-consumption scholarship has been ideologically one-sided. It has established a research domain aligned with projects favored by the global political left, such as being environmentally sustainable, consuming ethically, and resisting corporate capitalism, while overlooking strains of anti-consumption thought and action driven by conservative interests. It has advanced knowledge of individuals, their reasoning, and market behavior patterns in the here and now, but has neglected the state-sponsored and temporal dimensions of anti-consumption phenomena. This article seeks to redress this imbalance and broaden the field through a historical counternarrative illustrating right-wing prohibitions, boycotts of media content, brands, and companies, and, most recently, resistance to sustainable consumption. The different interests served, effects on consumption behavior, and market and societal impacts of these anti-consumption efforts in the American experience are analyzed. Implications for the domain of anti-consumption and macromarketing research and opportunities for potential global study are discussed.
Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is associated with favorable outcomes in patients with sepsis: an updated meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Chenyang , Han Dong , Feng Xiaojing , Wu Jing
Published: December 2020

Objectives

The efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of sepsis is controversial. We conducted an updated meta-analysis to clarify the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids in patients with sepsis.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in adults with sepsis.

Results

Twenty eligible RCTs involving 1514 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was linked to reductions of mortality ( I2 = 0, relative risk [RR] = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.69–0.97), the duration of mechanical ventilation (DMV; I2 = 74%, weighted mean difference [WMD] = −2.20, 95% CI = −4.00 to −0.40), and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS; I2 = 91%, WMD = −3.86, 95% CI = −5.72 to −2.01). Subgroup analysis illustrated that mortality was significantly reduced in patients with sepsis and gastrointestinal dysfunction (RR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.29–0.86, I2 = 0).

Conclusion

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation might be associated with reduced mortality in patients with sepsis, especially those with gastrointestinal dysfunction. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acid administration could shorten DMV and ICU LOS.
Clinical characteristics and quality of life among Sri Lankan patients with chronic pancreatitis
Authors: Jayarajah Umesh , Widyarathne Thisaru , Nawarathne Metthananda , Raguvaran Sivananthan , Subramaniam Nishanthan , Riza Rishdha , De Zoysa Ishan , Seneviratne Suranjith L
Published: December 2020

Objective

We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and patient quality of life (QOL) in a resource-limited setting.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study including patients with clinical and radiological features of CP. We collected clinical data and assessed QOL using the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire.

Results

We included 103 patients (median age 44 years, 84 men). Median age at symptom onset was 36 (4–78) years. Around 70% of patients had diabetes mellitus and 62.1% had consumed alcohol; 36 (35%) were current smokers. The mean overall global QOL score was 68.7. Most patients (91.3%) sought treatment from multiple centers. Nineteen (18.5%) had pancreatic stone disease, 38 (36.9%) had persistent abdominal pain (median severity 7.8/10, 59 (57.3%) had steatorrhea, and 56 (54.4%) had jaundice. Poor QOL was significantly associated with weight loss, loss of appetite, and intractable pain. No correlation with age, sex, or alcohol consumption was noted.

Conclusion

A considerable proportion of patients with CP had troublesome symptoms. Intractable pain, loss of appetite, and weight loss were significantly associated with poor QOL. Further assessment is needed of patients’ psychosocial well-being and its association with QOL.
Outcomes of combination treatment with MARS and TIPS for hepatic veno-occlusive disease: a report of 12 cases
Authors: Deng Li , Yin Xiuli , Zhao Yingying , Yang Jing , Yang Hongli , Xu Changqing , Li Kun
Published: December 2020

Background

In patients with acute liver injury caused by hepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD), molecular adsorbent recirculation system (MARS) may be used to improve liver function in conjunction with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) to reduce portal hypertension.

Methods

Twelve patients were admitted to our hospital following treatment for HVOD for 10 to 21 days at other hospitals. All patients were treated with a combination of MARS and TIPS, and they were evaluated clinically including liver function tests.

Results

After the initial treatment with MARS, liver function improved significantly in all patients. TIPS placement decreased the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) to 10.17 ± 2.26 mmHg from a pre-TIPS HVPG of 23.58 ± 9.43 mmHg. The outcomes of combination treatment with MARS and TIPS in 12 patients with HVOD were as follows: 1) improvement of various clinical and biological parameters leading to full recovery in 1 year in 6 patients; 2) full recovery following liver transplantation for acute liver failure in three patients; and 3) three patients died due to hepatic failure after TIPS placement.

Conclusion

The combination of MARS and TIPS creation is promising as a potential treatment for acute HVOD, and it showed an improvement in overall survival.
Accreditation Sanctions as Quality Signals in a Competitive Market for Students
Authors: Burnett Christopher A.
Published: December 2020

Tuition-dependent colleges and universities face increasing competition for students. This study examined whether accreditation sanctions might serve as signals of quality and relate to enrollment. Results of a panel analysis showed enrollment declined for institutions after being placed on sanction with their regional accreditor. Specifically, 4-year private not-for-profit institutions had a 7.7% decline in FTE enrollment 2 years after warning ( p < .05) and public 4- and 2-year institutions had a 5.5% and an 9.4% relative decline in FTE 2 years after probation, respectively ( p < .05). Additional results demonstrated that a relationship remained up to 4 years post-sanction.
Incremental bending of conic profiles on CNC hydraulic bending machines
Authors: Frohn-Sörensen Peter , Hochstrate Wolfram , Schneider Dominique , Schiller Michael , Engel Bernd
Published: December 2020

Sheet metal forming processes for manufacturing truncated cones can be divided into methods which use shape related tooling to produce the required form, for example, spinning and deep drawing, and processes that utilise kinematics to produce the required geometry, for example, roller, air and swivel bending. Such kinematic forming methods can achieve high degrees of forming flexibility but require process models to avoid elaborate trial and error approaches. For the incremental manufacture of cones, CNC swivel bending as yet lacks such a process model. In addition, with the current ‘state of the art’ processes, the manufactured cones exhibit geometric defects with respect to concentricity and skewing. In this study, the operation of a CNC bending machine fitted with an upper beam that can be inclined was investigated. The proposed inclination of the beam corresponds to the desired conical shape of the product. The machine was provided with a radial sheet feed mechanism (back-gauge) to feed material in even segments between bent corners thus avoiding geometric imperfections. A plasto-mechanic process model was developed to deliver the process parameters for swivel bending of specific conical geometries. The process model was validated by numerical simulations and practical bending experiments. Coarsely segmented conical shapes can be manufactured using the analytically calculated process parameters. For conical geometries, the process modifications of sequential swivel bending showed satisfactory improvements in the initial bending defects, that is, lack of concentricity and skewing. Compared with the target geometries, a tendency towards larger diameters remained in the experiments and is explained by the boundary conditions of the sequential process and if a larger number of bending increments is carried out. The present study delivers a first approach to determine the process parameters for the sequential operation of a swivel bending machine in order to provide relevant process parameters for the industrial production of conical components.
Vacant parking slot detection and tracking during driving and parking with a standalone around view monitor
Authors: Li Wei , Cao Libo , Yan Lingbo , Liao Jiacai , Wang Zhen
Published: December 2020

Due to distortion, limitations of vision, and occlusion, most of the existing vacant parking slot detection methods with a standalone around view monitor (AVM) are prone to miss some parking slots and incorrectly identify whether the parking slot is vacant. To overcome this problem, we propose a complete method for vacant parking slot detection and tracking during driving and parking. Considering the different conditions of driving and parking, two different deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) are used to detect parking slots, of which the vacant parking slot detection network (VPS-Net) is used to detect vacant parking slots during driving, and the directional marking point detection network (DMPR-PS) is used to detect the directional marking points of the target parking slot during parking. Furthermore, in the driving process, we design a new matching rule and tracking management rule based on the Kernelized Correlation Filter (KCF) to track the parking slots, and fuse classification results of multiple frames to determine the occupancy status. In the parking process, since the parking slot is easily blocked by the vehicle, we design another new tracker to track the directional marking points and infer the complete parking slot using tracking results and prior geometric information. To evaluate the proposed method, a labeled video sequence dataset is established. Experiments show that the proposed method has improved the accuracy and continuity of vacant parking slots detection and positioning whether in the driving process or parking process.
Modelling and characteristics of hybrid coupling hydro-pneumatic suspension for a seven-axle vehicle
Authors: Wen-Peng Tian , Jian-Ming Dou , Xin-Xin Xu
Published: December 2020

A hybrid coupling scheme of parallel connection and contralateral cross-linking was proposed based on the characteristics of high centroid position and low rollover threshold on hydro-pneumatic suspension (HPS) for a seven-axle elevated platform vehicle. A dynamic model with 20 DOFs which can comprehensively reflect vehicle coupling vibration including vertical-lateral-longitudinal-transverse and the joint simulation model of Simulink and AMESim were established based on the structural characteristics of the vehicle. Furthermore, the random road surface model linking the wheels was constructed by filter shaping white noise. Based on the model of hybrid coupling HPS, the study of joint simulation and test on the whole vehicle were conducted, and improved ant colony algorithm (IACA) was applied to the multi-objective optimisation study of HPS parameter matching. The comparison between simulation and test data shows that the weighted acceleration PSD curve is in good agreement, and the relative error of weighted acceleration RMS is small, which indicated that the theoretical model was accurate. The results of simulation and testing show that the optimal parameter matching scheme output by IACA can improve vehicle ride comfort and stability to a significant extent.
“All Human Beings are of Equal Status Since Birth”: Caste, Inequality and B.R. Ambedkar’s Universal Claim for Human Equality
Authors: Yadav Vivek Kumar , Dasgupta Shomik , Kumar Bharath
Published: December 2020

Focusing on caste-based oppression, B.R. Ambedkar made a universal claim for human equality and dignity which appeared long before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Taking the case of the Mahad movement, we argue that Ambedkar developed a significant egalitarian approach by pointing out how the caste system perpetuated existing inequalities. This article, specifically, aims to explore two central questions: first, what was the central focus of Ambedkar’s concerns at Mahad? Second, how can these concerns then provide a better understanding of his approach, with inequality and articulation of human equality and dignity? This article concludes that Ambedkar offered a distinct anti-caste philosophy and charted out a new path of civic and social liberation. His actions had moral philosophical implications for the question, what it fundamentally means to be a human, and what are the social processes that lead to the coming of an egalitarian society. From this philosophical standpoint, Ambedkar formulated the ethics of everyday social life.
Importance of Primary Healthcare in Delhi in the Times of COVID-19
Authors: Bailwal Neha , Kaushik Rituparna , Sah Taniya
Published: December 2020

Mohalla clinics have not been engaged so far in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, though they have emerged as an important segment of the primary healthcare infrastructure and services in Delhi. In this article, we argue that these clinics could have played a significant role in tackling the virus by carrying out COVID testing and creating awareness among the public about the virus. The states such as Kerala and Himachal Pradesh, which have successfully mitigated the corona crisis, in comparison, have effectively employed their well-developed primary healthcare system during the pandemic. Drawing from these experiences, we conclude with policy suggestions to make the mohalla clinics an integral part of the strategy to fight this public health crisis in the national capital.
What is Good for Christ is Good for the Cosmos: Affirming the Resurrection of Creation
Authors: Starkenburg Keith
Published: December 2020

Many churches and scholars affirm that God renews the cosmos at the eschaton. Some scholars have begun to say the cosmos is resurrected in Christ, without much warrant for that discourse. With a focus on N.T. Wright and Richard Middleton, this article shows why some scholars have begun to say that the creation is resurrected in Christ, along with the relative paucity of an argument for this claim. The article begins to fulfill this need by making a theological argument from biblical sources, utilizing an interpretive approach outlined by David Yeago. It suggests that, for some scholars, the idea that the creation is not destroyed at the eschaton may motivate resistance to the claim that creation is resurrected.