bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Therapeutic Properties of Plants Used Traditionally to Treat Gastrointestinal Disorders on Groote Eylandt, Australia
Authors: Mazerand Cécile , Cock Ian Edwin
Published: November 2020

The First Australians had well‐developed healing systems. Groote Eylandt inhabitants used a variety of plant species to treat diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal illnesses. This study was undertaken to test, identify, and evaluate traditional medicines to treat these conditions against gastrointestinal bacterial, protozoal, and viral pathogens, as well as against cancer cell proliferation. Six plant species (Buchanania obovata Engl., Casuarina equisetifolia L., Eucalyptus tetrodonta F. Muell., Planchonia careya (F. Muell.) R. Knuth, Terminalia carpentariae C. T. White, and Vigna vexillata (L.) A. Rich.) were selected from a survey of a panel of elders from the Warnindhilyagwa tribe and compared with the published literature. Decoctions prepared according to traditional methods were screened for growth inhibitory activity of a panel of diarrhoea‐causing bacterial pathogens by disc diffusion and liquid dilution MIC assays. Inhibitory activity against the gastrointestinal protozoal parasite Giardia duodenalis and antiproliferative activity against human colorectal (Caco2) and cervical (HeLa) cancer cell lines were evaluated using MTS‐based colorimetric cell proliferation assays. Preliminary antiviral screening was accomplished using an MS2 bacteriophage plaque reduction assay. Toxicity was evaluated using Artemia franciscana nauplii mortality and HDF cell viability bioassays. All traditional medicines tested inhibited bacterial growth, often with MIC values substantially <1000 μg/mL. T. carpentariae was particularly noteworthy, with MIC values of 230–350 μg/mL against Citrobacter freundii, Salmonella newport, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. This species also had MICs 450–950 μg/mL against all other bacterial pathogens. B. obovata Engl. and E. tetrodonta were also good inhibitors of bacterial growth, albeit with substantially higher MIC values than determined for T. carpentariae. The T. carpentariae decoction was also the best inhibitor of MS2 phage replication (IC50 = 427 μg/mL) and Caco2 and HeLa proliferation (IC50 values of 885 and 85 μg/mL, respectively). None of the extracts were particularly strong inhibitors of Giardia duodenalis growth. All decoctions were nontoxic in the Artemia nauplii and HDF cell viability bioassays, indicating their suitability for therapeutic use.
Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Omentin‐1 and Spexin Levels, Inflammatory Parameters, Lipid Profile, and Anthropometric Indices in Obese and Overweight Adults with Vitamin D Deficiency under Low‐Calorie Diet: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial
Authors: Cheshmazar Elhameh , Hosseini Agha Fatemeh , Yazdani Bahareh , Razmpoosh Elham , Zarrati Mitra
Published: November 2020

Background and Aims. Improved vitamin D levels can have a favorable effect on some metabolic variables. The objective of the current study was to determine the effects of vitamin D supplementation during a weight‐loss intervention on the levels of omentin‐1, spexin, lipid profiles, and inflammatory factors in obese and overweight participants. Methods and Materials. In this double‐blind placebo‐controlled randomized clinical trial, 70 overweight and obese participants with vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D ≤ 20 nmol/L) were assigned into the intervention (a daily dose of 2,000 IU vitamin D + low‐calorie diet) and placebo (placebo + low‐calorie diet) groups for 8 weeks. Anthropometric parameters, serum levels of 25‐hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D), lipid profiles, omentin‐1 and spexin levels, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (sICAM‐1) concentrations were assessed before and after the intervention. Results. Vitamin D supplementation after the intervention led to a significant decrease in triglycerides (TG) (P = 0.02), very‐low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (VLDL‐C) (P = 0.02), and hs‐CRP (P = 0.03) concentrations and a significant increase in the serum vitamin D level (P < 0.001). Furthermore, after adjusting for baseline values, age, and baseline BMI, the levels of serum high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (HDL‐C) (P = 0.01) increased significantly, and a significant reduction was observed in the concentration of sICAM‐1 (P = 0.01) in the intervention group. However, we did not find any significant difference in serum omentin‐1 and spexin concentrations between the groups after intervention. Conclusions. Vitamin D supplementation along with a low‐calorie diet (LCD) program for 8 weeks significantly decreased the inflammatory markers in obese individuals, while it did not alter serum omentin‐1 and spexin concentrations.
Mechanism of Action of Acupotomy in Inhibiting Chondrocyte Apoptosis in Rabbits with KOA through the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
Authors: Huang Xiao-shuang , Geng Kai , Luo Shi-yu , Liu Cun-bin , Yang Kai-ning , Zhai Ao , Yang Yong-hui
Published: November 2020

Objective. We examined the effects of acupotomy on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to elucidate the mechanism of action of acupotomy on articular chondrocyte apoptosis among rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods. New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to a healthy control group, placebo group, acupotomy group, and drug group, with 10 rabbits in each group. Changes in chondrocytes were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and articular chondrocyte apoptosis was measured by electron microscopy and immunofluorescence. The mRNA and protein expression levels of PI3K and Akt were measured by real‐time quantitative PCR and Western blot. Results. In contrast, less chromatin margination and clear and smooth nuclear envelope boundary were visible in the acupotomy group and drug group. The number of apoptotic chondrocytes in the knee joint of rabbits was significantly higher in the placebo group than that in the acupotomy group and drug group (P < 0.05). The acupotomy group had a nonsignificantly lower number of apoptotic chondrocytes than the drug group (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the mRNA and protein expression levels of PI3K and Akt were significantly higher in the acupotomy group and drug group than those in the placebo group (P < 0.05) and were closer to normal levels in the acupotomy group than those in the drug group (P < 0.05). PI3K and Akt expression levels were negatively correlated with chondrocyte apoptosis in the knee joint of rabbits in all groups. Conclusion. Inhibiting chondrocyte apoptosis in the knee joint of KOA rabbits by upregulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway may be a possible mechanism of acupotomy in treating KOA.
Qualitative Analysis of the Effect of Weeds Removal in Paddy Ecosystems in Fallow Season
Authors: Zhou Leru , Liu Zhigang , Zhou Tiejun
Published: November 2020

In the paper, we introduce a differential equations model of paddy ecosystems in the fallow season to study the effect of weeds removal from the paddy fields. We found that there is an unstable equilibrium of the extinction of weeds and herbivores in the system. When the intensity of weeds removal meets certain conditions and the intrinsic growth rate of herbivores is higher than their excretion rate, there is a coexistence equilibrium state in the system. By linearizing the system and using the Routh–Hurwitz criterion, we obtained the local asymptotically stable conditions of the coexistence equilibrium state. The critical value formula of the Hopf bifurcation is presented too. The model demonstrates that weeds removal from paddy fields could largely reduce the weeds biomass in the equilibrium state, but it also decreases the herbivore biomass, which probably reduces the content of inorganic fertilizer in the soil. We found a particular intensity of weeds removal that could result in the minimum content of inorganic fertilizer, suggesting weeds removal should be kept away from this intensity.
Study of the Long‐Term Deformation Characteristics of Municipal Sludge Solidified Soil under the Coupling Action of Dry‐Wet Cycles and Initial Static Deviatoric Stress
Authors: Yang Aiwu , Yang Shaokun , Xu Guofang , Zhang Wei
Published: November 2020

A self‐developed curing agent is used to solidify the municipal sludge taken from Tianjin. Then, the long‐term deformation characteristics of the sludge solidified soil are investigated by means of unconsolidated undrained creep tests with different dry‐wet cycles for considering the influence of climate. The experimental results show that the attenuation rate of the shear peak strength of municipal sludge solidified soil decreases gradually with the increase of the number of dry‐wet cycles, and the strength remains unchanged when the number of dry‐wet cycles is greater than 10. The variation laws under different initial static deviatoric stresses are basically identical. When the applied stress is less than the yield stress of the sludge solidified soil, the duration curves of creep show only attenuated stage, i.e., with very small deformation, and the deformation reaches a constant in a short period of time. When the deviatoric stress reaches the long‐term strength of the soil, the instantaneous deformation of the sludge solidified soil becomes large and damage occurs quickly. Under the same deviatoric stress, the creep deformation increases with the increase of the number of dry‐wet cycles. When the load applied in each step is of the same magnitude, the higher the initial static deviatoric stress is, the larger the deformation of sludge solidified soil will be. It is found that the stress‐strain relationship and the relationship between creep strain and time can be well described by an exponential function and a hyperbolic function, respectively. On this basis, a creep model is proposed for the long‐term deformation considering the effect of dry‐wet cycle times and initial static deviatoric stress. The model is further validated by comparing the predictions with the test results under different deviatoric stresses; the good agreement between which shows the potential application of the model to relevant practical engineering.
Algorithm and Simulation of Association Rules of Drug Relationship Based on Network Model
Authors: Teng Hui , Ma Yukun , Teng Di
Published: November 2020

Studying drug relationships can provide deeper information for the construction and maintenance of biomedical databases and provide more important references for disease treatment and drug development. The research model has expanded from the previous focus on a certain drug to the systematic analysis of the pharmaceutical network formed between drugs. Network model is suitable for the study of the nonlinear relationship of the pharmaceutical relationship by modeling the data learning. Association rule mining is used to find the potential correlations between the various sets of massive data. Therefore, based on the network model, this research proposed an algorithm for drug interaction under improved association rules, which achieved accurate analysis and decision-making of drug relationship. Meanwhile, this research applied the established association rule algorithm to discuss the relationship between Chinese medicine and mental illness medicine and conducted the algorithm research and simulation analysis of the association relationship. The results showed the association rule algorithm based on the network model constructed was better than other association algorithms. It had reliability and superiority in decision-making in improving the drug-drug relationship. It also promoted the rational use of medicines and played a guiding role in pharmaceutical research. This provides scientific research personnel with research basis and research ideas for disease-related diagnosis.
Layout Design of Stiffened Plates for Large-Scale Box Structure under Moving Loads Based on Topology Optimization
Authors: Wang Zhaohua , Yang Chenglong , Xu Xiaopeng , Song Dezhuang , Wu Fenghe
Published: November 2020

As the main load-bearing structure of heavy machine tools, cranes, and other high-end equipment, the large-scale box structures usually bear moving loads, and the results of direct topology optimization usually have some problems: the load transfer skeleton is difficult to identify and all working conditions are difficult to consider comprehensively. In this paper, a layout design method of stiffened plates for the large-scale box structures under moving loads based on multiworking-condition topology optimization is proposed. Based on the equivalent principle of force, the box structures are simplified into the main bending functional section, main torsional functional section, and auxiliary functional section by the magnitude of loads and moments, which can reduce the structural dimension and complexity in topology optimization. Then, the moving loads are simplified to some multiple position loads, and the comprehensive evaluation function is constructed by the compromise programming method. The mathematical model of multiworking-condition topology optimization is established to optimize the functional sections. Taking a crossbeam of superheavy turning and milling machining center as an example, optimization results show that the stiffness and strength of the crossbeam are increased by 17.39% and 19.9%, respectively, while the weight is reduced by 12.57%. It shows that the method proposed in this paper has better practicability and effectiveness for large-scale box structures.
Higher Order of Convergence with Multivalued Contraction Mappings
Authors: Liu Jia-Bao , Butt Asma Rashid , Nadeem Shahzad , Ali Shahbaz , Shoaib Muhammad
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we establish some theorems of fixed point on multivalued mappings satisfying contraction mapping by using gauge function. Furthermore, we use

Q

- and

R

-order of convergence. Our main results extend many previous existing results in the literature. Consequently, to substantiate the validity of proposed method, we give its application in integral inclusion.
The Impact of COVID‐19 Pandemic on Long‐Term Care Facilities Worldwide: An Overview on International Issues
Authors: Thompson Dana-Claudia , Barbu Madalina-Gabriela , Beiu Cristina , Popa Liliana Gabriela , Mihai Mara Madalina , Berteanu Mihai , Popescu Marius Nicolae
Published: November 2020

The COVID‐19 pandemic had a great negative impact on nursing homes, with massive outbreaks being reported in care facilities all over the world, affecting not only the residents but also the care workers and visitors. Due to their advanced age and numerous underlying diseases, the inhabitants of long‐term care facilities represent a vulnerable population that should benefit from additional protective measures against contamination. Recently, multiple countries such as France, Spain, Belgium, Canada, and the United States of America reported that an important fraction from the total number of deaths due to the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection emerged from nursing homes. The scope of this paper was to present the latest data regarding the COVID‐19 spread in care homes worldwide, identifying causes and possible solutions that would limit the outbreaks in this overlooked category of population. It is the authors’ hope that raising awareness on this matter would encourage more studies to be conducted, considering the fact that there is little information available on the impact of the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic on nursing homes. Establishing national databases that would register all nursing home residents and their health status would be of great help in the future not only for managing the ongoing pandemic but also for assessing the level of care that is needed in this particularly fragile setting.
An In-Depth Study on Load Distribution Characteristics of the Planetary Threaded Roller Bearing
Authors: Zheng Shicheng , Fu Yongling , Pan Junlin , Li Linjie , Wang Deyi
Published: November 2020

To lay a solid base for the property analysis and structural optimization on the high-strength planetary threaded roller bearing (PTRB) which is commonly used in mountain-walking robotic platforms, this research mainly focuses on characterizing the load distribution on the bearing under different loading conditions. An in-depth analysis was performed on the structural components and the contact characteristics of the PTRB. Based on the space meshing and Hertz contact theories, the elastic deformation of both inner and outer rings and the threaded roller was evaluated when the bearing was subjected to an axial or radial load. Meanwhile, a calculation method was proposed to obtain the load distribution coefficients of the PTRB according to the compatibility equations. In this way, an analysis on the load distribution of the PTRB was provided on the basis of the theoretical models. The results indicated that the effect of the applied load was very limited on the load distribution coefficients under an axial loading condition. The maximum value was found at the first thread of the inner ring-threaded roller contact pair, while no obvious effect was found when the bearing was carrying a radial load. It was indicated that the uniformity of the load distribution was effectively improved for axial and radial loading conditions through adjusting the distance between threads and increasing the threaded roller numbers, respectively. Therefore, both the rated load and the life cycle of the bearing can be further improved, while the friction torque can be minimized within a limited space. The research provides an important guidance for the property analysis, design, and optimization of the PTRB.
Testis-Preserving Tumor Enucleation Is Applicable in Children with Immature Testicular Teratoma
Authors: Li Zhenwu , Zhang Weiping , Song Hongcheng , Sun Ning
Published: November 2020

Introduction: This study investigated the biological characteristics of immature testicular teratoma in children and explored the feasibility of testis-preserving tumor enucleation. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 23 children who received a pathologic diagnosis of immature testicular teratoma between January 2005 and December 2018. Ages ranged from 16 days to 13 months (mean: 6 months and 5 days). Painless testicular enlargement was the main clinical manifestation, and the course of disease ranged from 20 days to 4 months (mean: 1.4 months). The tumor volume ranged from 1.5 × 1.2 × 0.5 to 6 × 5 × 4.5 cm. Elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein were measured in 21 patients. Preoperative ultrasound examination showed a cystic/solid mass with calcification. Results: Excision of the affected testis was done in 10 patients and testis-preserving tumor excision in 13 patients. Postoperative chemotherapy was not employed. Nineteen patients were followed up for 1–10 years, and all showed disease-free survival without recurrence or metastasis. Conclusion: Immature testicular teratoma is found predominantly in children aged <1 year, and its biological characteristics are different from those in adults. Immature testicular teratoma is largely benign in children and can be managed by testis-preserving tumor enucleation, as for other benign tumors (such as mature teratoma). Postoperative monitoring and follow-up are necessary.
Anticoagulation and Risk of Stroke Recurrence in Patients with Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source Having No Potential Source of Embolism
Authors: Sato Noriko , Matsuo Ryu , Kiyuna Fumi , Nakamura Kuniyuki , Hata Jun , Wakisaka Yoshinobu , Ago Tetsuro , Kamouchi Masahiro , Kitazono Takanari ,   collab on behalf of the Fukuoka Stroke Registry Investigators
Published: November 2020

Background: This study aimed to determine whether use of oral anticoagulants (OACs) was associated with a reduced risk of recurrent stroke compared with use of antiplatelets (APs) in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) having no potential source of embolism. Methods: Of 8,790 patients with acute ischemic stroke registered at 7 centers in the Fukuoka Stroke Registry from June 2007 to May 2017, we included 681 patients (mean age 69.7 [SD 14.1] years, 48.3% men) who experienced ESUS without a potential source of embolism and received OAC alone or AP alone. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidential intervals (CIs) of recurrent ischemic stroke or any stroke after discharge using a Cox proportional hazards model and Fine and Gray model. Results: During a mean follow-up of 3.4 (SD 1.7) years, event rates of recurrent ischemic stroke were 4.4 per 100 person-years in 489 patients treated with AP and 2.0 per 100 person-years in 192 patients treated with OAC. OAC use was associated with a reduced risk of recurrent ischemic stroke, even after adjusting for potential confounding factors (multivariable-adjusted HR [95% CI], 0.42 [0.23–0.80]) and when additionally considering death as a competing risk (0.45 [0.24–0.85]). The reduced risk of recurrent ischemic stroke was still observed in patients treated with OAC (0.32 [0.15–0.67]) in reference to propensity score-matched patients treated with AP. These associations were maintained for all types of stroke, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Conclusions: This nonrandomized observational study suggests that anticoagulation therapy might be associated with a reduced risk of recurrent stroke compared with antiplatelet therapy in patients with ESUS in whom no potential source of embolism was identified. Further study should be performed in consideration of a potential source of embolism even in patients with ESUS.
The Epidemiology of Noise Sensitivity in New Zealand
Authors: Shepherd Daniel , Heinonen-Guzejev Marja , Heikkilä Kauko , Welch David , Dirks Kim N. , McBride David
Published: November 2020

Background: Sensitivity to noise, or nuisance sounds that interrupt relaxation and task-related activities, has been shown to vary significantly across individuals. The current study sought to uncover predictors of noise sensitivity, focussing on possible social and cultural determinants, including social position, education, ethnicity, gender, and the presence of an illness. Method: Data were collected from 746 New Zealand adults residing in 6 areas differentiated by social position. Participants responded to questions probing personal characteristics, noise sensitivity, illness, neighbourhood problems, and noise annoyance. It was hypothesized that those in high-deprivation areas and/or experiencing illness report higher levels of noise sensitivity. Results: Approximately 50 and 10% of the participants reported being moderately or very noise sensitive, respectively. Significant predictors of noise sensitivity included age, length of residence, level of social deprivation, and self-reported illness. Conclusion: There is evidence of social determinants of noise sensitivity, including social position and residential factors.
Regulatory Systems Supporting Innovation: Lessons from the Development of the 2004 Ballast Water Management Convention
Authors: Tsimplis Michael
Published: November 2020

The 2004 Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) demands the development of new technology in order to ensure improved environmental performance by ships. However, the successful development of innovation through technology requires characteristics missing from the rather conservative shipping sector in general and also from the BWMC as a legal instrument in particular. The authorisations granted under the BWMC with respect to ballast water treatment systems indicate that the innovation cycle was already completed before the adopted performance standards became legally binding. The innovative efforts were restricted to shipbuilding countries and were not accompanied by incentives to develop suitable sampling techniques to ensure efficient implementation. Innovation through regulation requires evolving standards, benefits for innovators and first movers as well as impact assessments on the efficiency of the chosen technological solutions in resolving the environmental problem. A revised BWMC, to be efficient, needs to take these factors into account.
The Atheist's Bible
Authors: Warman Caroline
Published: November 2020

‘Love is harder to explain than hunger, for a piece of fruit does not feel the desire to be eaten’: Denis Diderot’s Éléments de physiologie presents a world in flux, turning on the relationship between man, matter and mind. In this late work, Diderot delves playfully into the relationship between bodily sensation, emotion and perception, and asks his readers what it means to be human in the absence of a soul.

The Atheist’s Bible challenges prevailing scholarly views on Diderot’s Éléments, asserting its contemporary philosophical importance, and prompting its readers to inspect more closely this little-known and little-studied work. This book is accompanied by a digital edition of Jacques-André Naigeon’s Mémoires historiques et philosophiques sur la vie et les ouvrages de Denis Diderot (1823), a work which, Warman argues, represents the first publication of Diderot’s Éléments, long before its official publication date of 1875.

The Atheist’s Bible constitutes a major contribution to the field of Diderot studies, and will be of further interest to scholars and students of materialist natural philosophy in the Age of Enlightenment and beyond.
1. Introduction
Authors: Warman Caroline
Published: November 2020

Describing the Éléments de physiologie as ‘one long series of jolts’, Warman opens The Atheist’s Bible by arguing that Diderot’s oft-overlooked work made an electrifying contribution to existing discourses on matter, the natural world, and human consciousness. The human being, for Diderot, is not a supreme life form but rather a composite of shifting elements and assemblages. In the context of the eighteenth century, this materialist conception of the body was considered to be a transgressive rejection of theism and, as a result, the Éléments was published only after Diderot’s death. The chapter also briefly outlines the structure and contents of both the Éléments de physiologie and The Atheist’s Bible, as Warman sets up Diderot’s work as a potential answer to the universal question of human nature in both its moral and physiological aspects.
2. ‘Toutes les imperfections de l’inachèvement’
Authors: Warman Caroline
Published: November 2020

Chapter Two maps current scholarship on the Éléments de physiologie and traces the existing view of this text as a bundle of working notes back to Diderot himself. Within the foreword to an early draft of the Éléments, Diderot recounts the story of an author who, interrupted by death, leaves behind an incomplete piece of writing made from ‘scattered and separate scraps of paper’. Warman argues that Diderot was alluding here to Blaise Pascal’s posthumous Pensées, a puzzling collection of fragments that represented Pascal’s defence of Christianity. This chapter subsequently identifies common reference points between Pascal’s and Diderot’s writings such as animalistic instinct, physical pleasure, and bodily monstrosity. Warman concludes by stating that Diderot positioned Pascal as a ‘crucial interlocutor’ in order to present his own Éléments as an atheistic response to - and rebuttal of - religious accounts of man and nature.
5. 1790: Naigeon and the Adresse à l’Assemblée nationale
Authors: Warman Caroline
Published: November 2020

Setting the Éléments de physiologie within the wider cultural landscape of the French Revolution, Warman explains how the publication of Jacques-André Naigeon’s ferociously anti-clerical Adresse à l’Assemblée nationale tarnished Diderot’s name by association. As Diderot’s literary executor, Naigeon drew extensively from a range of unpublished Diderotian sources within his Adresse; in particular, Warman focuses on two longer passages taken from Diderot’s Plan d’une université, various extracts from letters, and, most crucially, three glancing quotations from the Éléments. To varying degrees, each of these references poses troubling questions about the role of God, the nature of priesthood, and the institution of religion as a whole. Although Naigeon never explicitly mentions Diderot by name, he attributes many of his direct quotations to ‘un philosophe’. Warman moves to discuss Naigeon’s broader theories on readership, timeliness, and publication, describing how Naigeon formulated the image of an ‘attentive and intelligent reader’ who could successfully trace his various allusions to Diderot back to their source material. Conversely, the ‘ideal writer’ must remain unconcerned about the risk of censorship and speak only in clear, transparent terms. Warman highlights Naigeon’s self-contradiction here, demonstrating how he makes complex cross-references to and borrows snippets of texts from other writers without concrete citation. Overall, Warman argues that Diderot used his Adresse to disseminate Diderot’s unpublished manuscripts to the masses, and that, in doing so, caused great damage to Diderot’s public reputation.
7. 1794: ‘Le citoyen Garron’, the Comité d’instruction publique, and the Lost Manuscript of the Éléments de physiologie
Authors: Warman Caroline
Published: November 2020

On 24 March 1794, the Comité d’instruction publique received a letter and full-length manuscript of Diderot’s Éléments de physiologie from a so-called ‘citoyen Garron’. Warman considers the fate of this floating manuscript, which remains unlocated to this day, and addresses the mystery of its keeper’s identity. The Comité published numerous decrees relating to the preservation of valuable manuscripts during the year 1974, and had adopted a proposal specifically regarding the creation of an arts and sciences inventory just nine days before Garron’s letter was sent. Due to the ground-breaking contents of the Éléments as well as Diderot’s own prominence, Warman argues that this particular manuscript was most likely intercepted or stolen rather than merely lost in the Comité’s vast network of archiving and cataloguing. Warman then presents several candidates for the enigmatic ‘Garron’ figure, suggesting that the name may have been mistranscribed or even a homonym. Although no concrete conclusion can be drawn from such circumstantial evidence, Warman tentatively proposes that Dominique-Joseph Garat, who was both an active member of the Republican government and a personal acquaintance of Diderot, is the most plausible contender for this role.
10. 1798, 1802: Naigeon, the OEuvres de Diderot, and the Censored Preface to Montaigne
Authors: Warman Caroline
Published: November 2020

This chapter considers Naigeon’s approach to and feelings towards his role as Diderot’s literary executor, as well as examining Naigeon’s general remarks about the editorial process. Within the preface to his fifteen-volume Œuvres de Diderot, Naigeon refers to himself as Diderot’s ‘censor’ and emphasises his duty to exercise judgement regarding which manuscripts to publish and which to suppress. In particular, he harshly criticises two of Diderot’s novels (Jacques le fataliste and La Religieuse) by describing their severe lack of unified thought. Warman argues here that Naigeon’s desire for textual ‘oneness’ echoes a Diderotian motif that appears across the philosopher’s corpus of work, including his Éléments de physiologie. A similar commentary on the role of editor can be found in Naigeon’s original preface to a new edition of Michel de Montaigne’s Essais, which was censored and suppressed due its anti-authoritarian content. Analysing a passage within which Naigeon celebrates the editor’s ability to bring any text to a state of perfection, Warman shows how Naigeon positions the work of the editor above that of the writer. For Warman, these comments provide a useful framework through which to examine Naigeon’s Mémoires, which is discussed in Chapter Twelve of The Atheist’s Bible.
13. Conclusion
Authors: Warman Caroline
Published: November 2020

For Warman, The Atheist’s Bible is the culmination of two separate narratives. On one level, it rigorously tracks Naigeon’s repeated allusions to and explicit quotations of the Éléments de physiologie across his corpus of work, and shows how these various references are brought together in his Mémoires on Diderot. At the same time, Warman recognises how she herself performs the role of ‘textual detective’ by magnifying hints and traces of the Éléments as they appear in the writings of Pierre-Jean-Georges Cabanis, Antoine Louis Claude Destutt de Tracy, and Dominique-Joseph Garat. In this way, The Atheist’s Bible not only provides a detailed study of Diderot’s hardline materialist work. Warman’s monograph simultaneously offers a historicist account of the French Revolution in terms of its various research committees, educational institutions, theological debates, and political transformations.
Force on Dielectric by the Fringe Field: Comparison to Dielectrophoretic Force
Authors: Lee Kyung-Min
Published: November 2020

In this manuscript, the force exerted on the dielectric in the fringe field from the two conducting parallel plates with applied electrical potential was calculated and found to be an effective micro/nanoscale manipulation tool. The conformal mapping was employed to obtain the fringe
field generated from the edges of the plates. The strong gradient of the fringe field near the edges was manifested in both parametric mapping and simulation. It was found that the force analytically obtained from the fringe field was proportional and directed to the gradient of the squared
electric field. The result was compared to dielectrophoresis (DEP).
Revisiting Feldstein–Horioka Puzzle: Evidence from SAARC Economies
Authors: Mishra P. K. , Mishra S. K.
Published: November 2020

In the macroeconomic perspective, domestic saving and investment constitute two important wheels that keep the growth process moving on towards stability. But when domestic savings tend to fly away to foreign countries for excess returns, the warranted domestic investment remains unattained thereby which impair the growth trend unless the gap is bridged by the foreign investment inflows. However, excess inflows of foreign investments may deteriorate current account balances, if not appropriately absorbed. In this pretext, this article revisited the Feldstein–Horioka puzzle with the twin-deficit hypothesis for SAARC countries. The results lend to support the validity of the twin-deficit hypothesis along with a low degree of association between domestic savings and investment in the region thereby justifying the argument that international capital movements or financial integration have increased in the post-reform era. This observation has significant policy implications for the sustained growth of the SAARC nations.
Science Youth Action Research: A Curricular Framework and Instructional Approach to Promote Democratic Citizenship
Authors: Coleman Elizabeth R. , Leider Megan M.
Published: November 2020

Science Youth Action Research (Sci-YAR) is presented here as a curricular framework and instructional approach intended to enhance youth’s participation as democratic citizens. First, we frame the theoretical foundations for science curricula that promote democratic citizenship and explore models of scientific inquiry and action research that inform Sci-YAR’s design. Then, we describe Sci-YAR’s key features, explaining how Sci-YAR is designed to help youth construct views of themselves as agents who use science to bring about personal and social transformation. Finally, implications for using curricular frameworks like Sci-YAR in schools to leverage youth’s science learning for enhanced democratic participation are discussed.
Predicting Learning: Comparing Study Techniques, Perseverance, and Metacognitive Skill
Authors: Gurung Regan A. R. , Mai Theresa , Nelson Matthew , Pruitt Sydney
Published: November 2020

Background:

Instructors and students are on a continuing quest to identify predictors of learning.

Objective:

This study examines the associations between self-reported exam score and study techniques among students in two courses, Introductory Psychology and Computer Science.

Method:

We used an online survey to measure the extent students ( N = 249) used 10 techniques studied in cognitive science. We also measured students’ perseverance, metacognitive skill, distractions, and procrastination.

Results:

Student use of specific study techniques varied between the two courses and a high utility technique, practice testing, was well used. Students reported low levels of spaced practice. Perseverance and metacognitive skills both correlated significantly with many of the study techniques. While no study techniques predicted exam scores in Introductory Psychology beyond variance predicted by GPA, the use of spaced practice predicted a significant portion of variance in students in Computer Science.

Conclusions:

Students’ use of study techniques varies between their courses and while related to GPA and exam scores, are not unique predictors of variance in learning. Additional moderators and mediators of learning need to be identified.

Teaching Implications:

We discuss ways instructors can help prepare students in Introductory Psychology and key needs for future research on studying.
Concomitant Dehiscences of the Temporal Bone: A Case-Based Study
Authors: Barbara Maurizio , Margani Valerio , Voltattorni Anna , Monini Simonetta , Covelli Edoardo
Published: November 2020

Otic capsule dehiscences create a pathological third window in the inner ear that results in a dissipation of the acoustic energy consequent to the lowered impedance. Superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) was identified by Minor et al in 1998 as a syndrome leading to vertigo and inner ear conductive hearing loss. The authors also reported the relation between the dehiscence and pressure- or sound-induced vertigo (Tullio’s phenomenon). Prevalence rates of SSCD in anatomical studies range from 0.4% to 0.7% with a majority of patients being asymptomatic. The observed association with other temporal bone dehiscences, as well as the propensity toward a bilateral or contralateral “near dehiscence,” raises the question of whether a specific local bone demineralization or systemic mechanisms could be considered. The present report regard a case of a patient with a previous episode of meningitis, with a concomitant bilateral SSCD and tegmen tympani dehiscence from the side of meningitis. The patient was affected by dizziness, left moderate conductive hearing loss, and pressure/sound-induced vertigo. Because of disabling vestibular symptoms, the patient underwent surgical treatment. A middle cranial fossa approach allowed to reach both dehiscences on the symptomatic side, where bone wax and fascia were used for repair. At 6 months from the procedure, hearing was preserved, and the vestibular symptoms disappeared.
From a Hashtag to a Movement: Black Women Movement Actors’ Challenges to Leading a Radical Movement in a “Postracial America”
Authors: Destine Shaneda
Published: November 2020

There is limited literature on the connections of local political organizations affiliated with M4BL, led and facilitated by black women movement actors (BWMA). To address this gap in the literature, I conducted five focus groups in Maryland and the District of Colombia in 2016 to identify the challenges facing BWMA (i.e., leaders, organizers, and protestors) in local organizations connected to the Movement for Black Lives. Theoretically grounded in intersectionality and Black radical social movement theories, themes emerging from these focus groups identify a deep racial capital, but challenges a broader vision for movement work rooted in a global analysis. Findings also reveal the challenges presented to BWMA are the following: social media activism as a dominant participation mode, participants’ goals toward colorblind reform policies, and challenges to class-consciousness and coalition-building that signal a racial consciousness among these focus groups and healthy skepticism toward national and global coalitions. This research provides a nuanced discussion of the struggle to build a global working-class movement in local anti-racist organizations which would outline the schism from theory to action. The disconnection between global and local goals is a persistent theme. Implications for future research are discussed.
Measuring professional self and collective efficacy for dietary advice in Primary Health Care
Authors: Lígia Reis , Patricia Jaime
Published: November 2020

Background:

There is a lack of instruments to measure the ability of health professionals to promote dietary advice according to dietary guidelines.

Aim:

To develop and validate a web-based and self-applied scale for measuring primary health care (PHC) professionals’ self-efficacy and collective efficacy to apply the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines for dietary advice.

Methods:

Methodological procedures comprised six steps: development of the items; content validation with panel of experts; face validation through focus group conducted with PHC professionals; online reevaluation by the participants of content and face validation panels; online application with PHC professionals working all over Brazil’s macro-regions; confirmatory factorial analysis to test construct validity.

Results:

The scale was initially developed with 22 items. After content and face validation panels, changes in content and semantics were performed. The second version consisted of 24 items equally divided into part A (self-efficacy) and B (collective efficacy). All items, when reevaluated, were considered clear and representative of the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines’ chapters. The multidimensional model was shown to have excellent fit indices in the confirmatory factorial analysis. The scale’s peak of information was centered around the mean, indicating that both domains are more precise for perception of self-efficacy and collective efficacy on average values.

Conclusion:

The scale demonstrated validity for measuring PHC professionals’ perceived self-efficacy and collective efficacy to apply the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines. To our knowledge, this is the first valid scale for measuring the capability of PHC professionals to apply national dietary guidelines for healthy diet promotion.
Achieving structured knowledge management with a novel online group decision support system
Authors: Shu Wesley , Pang Songquan , Chen Minder
Published: November 2020

Knowledge management (KM) is a complicated process that involves socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization and requires close collaboration among the people involved. Although Nonaka proposed the SECI (Socialization, Externalization, Combination, Internalization) model and the concept of Ba, which provides a process-oriented view of knowledge creation and transfer, practicing it is rather ad hoc. COVID-19 has provided a chance for practitioners to find a new method for KM. In this study, we adapted a group problem-solving system called TeamSpirit and structured it as a Ba for the SECI model. We then compared TeamSpirit with two other implementations of Ba, email and face-to-face communication, to evaluate their effects on knowledge externalization, knowledge combination, and knowledge internalization. Then, we evaluated whether these knowledge-conversion processes could improve knowledge acquisition and intention to share knowledge. A 3 × 2 mixed factorial design experiment was conducted. The results show that (a) TeamSpirit was better than the others, and face-to-face was better than email for each of the three knowledge conversion processes (externalization, combination, and internalization) and (b) the better the team’s knowledge conversion process lead, the stronger its knowledge acquisition and knowledge-sharing intention.
Radiologic findings and the molecular expression profile of diffuse midline glioma H3 K27M mutant
Authors: Seong Minjung , Kim Sung Tae , Noh Jung Hyun , Kim Yi Kyung , Kim Hyung-Jin
Published: November 2020

Background

Diffuse midline glioma H3 K27M-mutant (DMG) are reported to show heterogeneous radiologic imaging features in children. We hypothesized that other genetic mutations may contribute to this heterogeneity.

Purpose

To describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of DMG in adult patients and to correlate the imaging findings with the molecular expression profile.

Material and Methods

Eighteen patients with pathologically proven DMG were enrolled. On preoperative MRI, the following were evaluated: location; size of the lesion; ratio of non-enhancing (NE) and contrast-enhancing (CE) area; presence of cortical invasion and necrotic component; maximum relative cerebral blood volume ratio (rCBV ratio) of NE and CE portions; and minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of NE and CE portions, among others. Molecular profiles including ATRX expression and p53 mutation were reviewed to find correlation with imaging features.

Results

Thalamus was the most commonly involved location, followed by pons and tectum. Five patients showed loss of normal ATRX expression. p53 mutation was positive in 12 patients. 40% of normal ATRX expression patients had cortical involvement and 20% had leptomeningeal seeding; none of the patients with ATRX loss had cortical involvement or leptomeningeal seeding. Patients with normal ATRX expression showed significantly higher rCBV ratio and lower ADC value in the NE area than patients with ATRX loss ( P=0.04, 0.016). p53 mutation status did not correlate with any imaging finding.

Conclusion

Cortical invasion, leptomeningeal tumor spread, lower ADC value and higher rCBV ratio in NE areas of DMG may be related to normal expression of ATRX.
Role of modern neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced thymic epithelial neoplasms
Authors: Zhai Yirui , Chen Dazhi , Gao Yushun , Hui Zhouguang , Xue Liyan , Zhou Zongmei , Luo Yang , Xiao Zefen , Feng Qinfu
Published: November 2020

Purpose:

To improve resectability in patients with stage III–IVA thymic epithelial neoplasms, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are considered. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant therapies using modern techniques in thymic epithelial neoplasms.

Methods:

We included 32 patients with Masaoka stage III–IV disease treated at our institution from January 2010 to December 2017. Data regarding clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment protocols, toxicities, and survival were collected. Response was evaluated according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours 1.1. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Adverse events were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.

Results:

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy alone, chemotherapy alone, sequence chemoradiotherapy, and concurrent chemoradiotherapy were administered to 10 (31.3%), 9 (28.1%), 3 (9.4%), and 10 (31.3%) patients, respectively. Twenty-nine patients (90.6%) underwent R0 resection. The median follow-up time was 38.0 months (3.3–109.5 months). After neoadjuvant therapy, 18 patients (56.3%) achieved partial response and 14 (43.8%) had stable disease. Pathologic complete response was achieved in 6 patients (18.8%), all of whom had thymic carcinoma. The 5-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 90.9% and 67.5%, respectively. For patients with thymic carcinoma, the 5-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 80.0% and 66.2%, respectively. Grade 3 toxicities were observed in only 1 patient (leukopenia).

Conclusions:

For patients with primary unresectable thymic neoplasms, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is an efficient and safe choice, with favorable response and survival and moderate toxicities. Patients with thymic carcinoma might benefit more from neoadjuvant therapies.