bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple Hierarchical Heterojunction g-C3N4/LDH/Ag3PO4 With Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity for Cr(Vi) Reduction
Authors: Chen Chao-Rong , Zeng Hong-Yan , Xiong Jie , An De-Shun , Li Song
Published: May 2021

Semiconductor photocatalysis has been regarded as one of the most promising methods for treatment of Cr(VI)-containing wastewater, but the high recombination rate of photogenerated carriers and photocorrosion have limited severely its practical application. The objective of the current study was to employ a layered double hydroxide (LDH) to mitigate these problems by designing and constructing a multiple heterojunction system of g-C3N4/LDH/Ag3PO4 (CNLDHAP) through a two-step hydrothermal route. The structures, morphologies, chemical states, and optical properties of the products were investigated systematically. The CNLDHAP composite showed superior photocatalytic activity for Cr(VI) reduction than that of the individual components under visible-light irradiation. The composite exhibited high photocatalytic reduction stability after five recycles. The enhanced photocatalytic performance may originate from the very efficient separation of photogenerated carriers of the multiple heterojunction system. Possible photocatalytic mechanisms for the reduction of Cr(VI) over the CNLDHAP composite photocatalyst are proposed.
Le vécu subjectif et émotionnel des personnes qui ont une déficience intellectuelle, à propos de leurs liens fraternels et de leurs relations extra-familiales
Authors: Poujol Anne-Laure , Scelles Régine
Published: May 2021

Dans un contexte où la politique inclusive favorise une diversification des relations des personnes en situation de handicap, l’objectif de cette recherche a été d’appréhender le vécu subjectif et émotionnel des personnes qui ont une déficience intellectuelle (DI), dans leurs relations aux autres, ceci à partir de ce qu’ils disent de leurs relations familiales et extra-familiales. Les théories mobilisées sont dans le domaine de la psychologie clinique, de la sociologie concernant les réseaux sociaux, et de la philosophie concernant le concept de capabilités. Cette étude a impliqué 23 adultes ayant une DI. Durant trois rencontres, ils ont évoqué leurs relations aux pairs 1/ lors d’un entretien semi-directif; 2/ avec l’outil projectif “Family Apperception Test”; 3/ avec un sociogramme. La conduite d’entretien et les outils ont été adaptés pour permettre aux personnes ayant une déficience intellectuelle de s’exprimer au mieux. L’analyse a permis de repérer deux formes de réseaux différents, qui sont impactées par plusieurs facteurs: les relations fraternelles; la scolarité inclusive ou ségrégative; la subjectivation des déficiences et de leurs conséquences. Cette étude ouvre sur la nécessité de porter attention aux réseaux relationnels aux pairs dès l’enfance en y impliquant la famille et les institutions.
Restorative Therapies for Erectile Dysfunction: Position Statement From the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA)
Authors: Liu James L. , Chu Kevin Y. , Gabrielson Andrew T. , Wang Run , Trost Landon , Broderick Gregory , Davies Kelvin , Brock Gerald , Mulhall John , Ramasamy Ranjith , Bivalacqua Trinity J.
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Current non-invasive treatments for erectile dysfunction (ED) include oral medications, intracavernosal injections, and vacuum-assisted devices. Though these therapies work well for many, a subset of patients have contraindications or are unsatisfied with these options. Restorative therapies for ED are a new frontier of treatments focused on regenerating diseased tissue and providing a potential “cure” for ED.

Aim

The aim of this position statement is to examine existing clinical trial data for restorative therapies and identify elements that require further research before widespread adoption.

Methods

A literature review was performed to identify all clinical trials performed with regenerative therapy for ED. This includes treatments such as stem cell therapy (SCT), platelet rich plasma (PRP), and restorative related technologies like low-intensity shockwave therapy (LiSWT).

Main Outcome Measures

Most clinical trials in restorative therapies were assessed for safety, feasibility, or efficacy. This included recording adverse events, changes in sexual function and erectile function questionnaires, and diagnostics measures.

Results

To date there is an absence of robust clinical data supporting the efficacy of restorative therapies regarding ED, though technologies such as LiSWT have established relative safety.

Conclusions

Restorative therapies are a promising technology that represents a new frontier of treatment geared towards reversing disease pathology rather than just treating symptoms. However, current published clinical studies are limited. Future work needs to be adequately powered, multi-center, randomized, sham/placebo-controlled trials in well-characterized patient populations to ensure safety and demonstrate efficacy. Until these studies are done, restorative therapies should be reserved for clinical trials and not offered in routine clinical practice.
Single-Cell Analysis Technologies for Immuno-Oncology Research: From Mechanistic Delineation to Biomarker Discovery
Authors: Bai Zhiliang , Su Graham , Fan Rong
Published: May 2021

The successes with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy in treating multiple cancer types have established immunotherapy as a powerful curative option for patients with advanced cancers. Unfortunately, many patients do not derive benefit or long-term responses, highlighting a pressing need to perform complete investigation of the underlying mechanisms and the immunotherapy-induced tumor regression or rejection. In recent years, a large number of single-cell technologies have leveraged advances in characterizing immune system, profiling tumor microenvironment, and identifying cellular heterogeneity, which establish the foundations for lifting the veil on the comprehensive crosstalk between cancer and immune system during immunotherapies. In this review, we introduce the applications of the most widely used single-cell technologies in furthering our understanding of immunotherapies in terms of underlying mechanisms and their association with therapeutic outcomes. We also discuss how single-cell analyses help to deliver new insights into biomarker discovery to predict patient response rate, monitor acquired resistance, and support prophylactic strategy development for toxicity management. Finally, we provide an overview of applying cutting-edge single-cell spatial-omics to point out the heterogeneity of tumor–immune interactions at higher level that can ultimately guide to the rational design of next-generation immunotherapies.
Making Commercial Law through Practice 1830–1970
Authors: Cranston Ross
Published: May 2021

Making Commercial Law Through Practice 1830–1970 adds a new dimension to the history of Britain's commerce, trade manufacturing and financial services, by showing how they have operated in law over the last one hundred and forty years. In the main law and lawyers were not the driving force; regulation was largely absent; and judges tended to accommodate commercial needs, so that market actors were able to shape the law through their practices. Using legal and historical scholarship, the author draws on archival sources previously unexploited for the study of commercial practice and the law's role in it. This book will stimulate parallel research in other subject areas of law. Modern commercial lawyers will learn a great deal about the current law from the story of its evolution, and economic and business historians will see how the world of commerce and trade operated in a legal context.
Private Selves
Authors: Lindroos-Hovinheimo Susanna
Published: May 2021

Data protection has become such an important area for law – and for society at large – that it is important to understand exactly what we are doing when we regulate privacy and personal data. This study analyses European privacy rights focusing especially on the GDPR, and asks what kind of legal personhood is presupposed in privacy regulation today. Looking at the law from a deconstructive angle, the philosophical foundations of this highly topical field of law are uncovered. By analysing key legal cases in detail, this study shows in a comprehensive manner that personhood is constructed in individualised ways. With its clear focus on issues relating to European Union law and how its future development will impact wider issues of privacy, data protection, and individual rights, the book will be of interest to those trying to understand current trends in EU law.
Ethics and Engineering
Authors: Taebi Behnam
Published: May 2021

The world population is growing, yet we continue to pursue higher levels of well-being, and as a result, increasing energy demands and the destructive effects of climate change are just two of many major threats that we face. Engineers play an indispensable role in addressing these challenges, and whether they recognize it or not, in doing so they will inevitably encounter a whole range of ethical choices and dilemmas. This book examines and explains the ethical issues in engineering, showing how they affect assessment, design, sustainability, and globalization, and explores many recent examples including the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Dieselgate, 'naked scanners' at airports, and biofuel production. Detailed but accessible, the book will enable advanced engineering students and professional engineers to better identify and address the ethical problems in their practice.
Earliest Evidence for Geophyte Use in North America: 11,500-Year-Old Archaeobotanical Remains from California's Santarosae Island
Authors: Gill Kristina M. , Braje Todd J. , Smith Kevin , Erlandson Jon M.
Published: May 2021

There is growing evidence for human use of geophytes long before the advent of agriculture. Rich in carbohydrates, geophytes were important in many coastal areas where protein-rich marine foods are abundant. On California's Channel Islands, scholars have long questioned how maritime peoples sustained themselves for millennia with limited plant resources. Recent research demonstrates that geophytes were heavily used on the islands for 10,000 years, and here we describe geophyte and other archaeobotanical remains from an approximately 11,500-year-old site on Santa Rosa Island. Currently the earliest evidence for geophyte consumption in North America, our data extend geophyte use on the Channel Islands by roughly 1,500 years and document a diverse and balanced economy for early Paleocoastal peoples. Experimental return rates for a key island geophyte support archaeological evidence that the corms of blue dicks (Dipterostemon capitatus) were a high-ranked staple resource throughout the Holocene.
Understanding and applying the RE-AIM framework: Clarifications and resources
Authors: Holtrop Jodi Summers , Estabrooks Paul A. , Gaglio Bridget , Harden Samantha M. , Kessler Rodger S. , King Diane K. , Kwan Bethany M. , Ory Marcia G. , Rabin Borsika A. , Shelton Rachel C. , Glasgow Russell E.
Published: May 2021

Introduction:

Understanding, categorizing, and using implementation science theories, models, and frameworks is a complex undertaking. The issues involved are even more challenging given the large number of frameworks and that some of them evolve significantly over time. As a consequence, researchers and practitioners may be unintentionally mischaracterizing frameworks or basing actions and conclusions on outdated versions of a framework.

Methods:

This paper addresses how the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework has been described, summarizes how the model has evolved over time, and identifies and corrects several misconceptions.

Results:

We address 13 specific areas where misconceptions have been noted concerning the use of RE-AIM and summarize current guidance on these issues. We also discuss key changes to RE-AIM over the past 20 years, including the evolution to Pragmatic Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model, and provide resources for potential users to guide application of the framework.

Conclusions:

RE-AIM and many other theories and frameworks have evolved, been misunderstood, and sometimes been misapplied. To some degree, this is inevitable, but we conclude by suggesting some actions that reviewers, framework developers, and those selecting or applying frameworks can do to prevent or alleviate these problems.
Designing a Mobile Eye Hospital to Support Health Systems in Resource-Scarce Environments
Authors: McMaster David , Clare Gerry
Published: May 2021

Eye health is an integral part of well-being that may be at increased risk when health service delivery is affected by sudden-onset disasters, complex humanitarian events, or conflict in resource-scarce environments. This study proposes a design plan for a mobile eye hospital to support health systems between the initial emergency response and recovery of health infrastructure in resource-scarce environments of low- and middle-income countries. The facility benefits from high mobility and modularity, it can be assembled and operated by minimal personnel, and easily expanded as necessary. It has capacity to host high-volume ophthalmological services without the logistical complexity of large-scale emergency medical team responses or military operations. The design provides a medium-term service that can either operate from a fixed location or be redeployed in-country with ease. Mobile eye hospitals may provide a useful facility for local governments suffering damaged health systems, or as a way to complement current eye health provision. The design may also be used by charitable nongovernmental organizations during an initial emergency response, with the ability to quickly deploy to a target location and establish eye services.
A novel laser shock post-processing technique on the laser-induced damage resistance of 1ω HfO2/SiO2 multilayer coatings
Authors: Pu Tangyang , Liu Wenwen , Wang Yueliang , Pan Xiaoming , Chen Leiqing , Liu Xiaofeng
Published: May 2021

The laser shock processing implemented by a laser-induced high-pressure plasma which propagates into the sample as a shockwave is innovatively applied as a post-processing technique on HfO2/SiO2 multilayer coatings for the first time. The pure mechanical post-processing has provided evidence of a considerable promotion effect of the laser-induced damage threshold, which increased by a factor of about 4.6 with appropriate processing parameters. The promotion mechanism is confirmed to be the comprehensive modification of the intrinsic defects and the mechanical properties, which made the applicability of this novel post-processing technique on various types of coatings possible. Based on experiments, an interaction equation for the plasma pressure is established, which clarifies the existence of the critical pressure and provides a theoretical basis for selecting optimal processing parameters. In addition to the further clarification of the underlying damage mechanism, the laser shock post-processing provides a promising technique to realize the comprehensive and effective improvement of the laser-induced damage resistance of coatings.
The impact of workload on hand hygiene compliance: Is 100% compliance achievable?
Authors: Chang Nai-Chung N. , Schweizer Marin L. , Reisinger Heather Schacht , Jones Michael , Chrischilles Elizabeth , Chorazy Margaret , Huskins W. Charles , Herwaldt Loreen
Published: May 2021

Hand hygiene compliance decreased significantly when opportunities exceeded 30 per hour. At higher workloads, the number of healthcare worker types involved and the proportion of hand hygiene opportunities for which physicians and other healthcare workers were responsible increased. Thus, care complexity and risk to patients may both increase with workload.
The Middle Pleistocene to early Holocene subsurface geology of the Norderney tidal basin: new insights from core data and high-resolution sub-bottom profiling (Central Wadden Sea, southern North Sea)
Authors: Schaumann Robin M. , Capperucci Ruggero M. , Bungenstock Friederike , McCann Tom , Enters Dirk , Wehrmann Achim , Bartholomä Alexander
Published: May 2021

Pleistocene strata of the Wadden Sea region are mostly covered by an up to 10m thick sediment wedge deposited during the Holocene transgression. However, tidal inlets cut deep into the Holocene succession, causing Middle Pleistocene to early Holocene glacial and interglacial deposits to outcrop at the channel bottom. To investigate how the lithological properties and/or morphologies of these deposits affect the development of Holocene tidal inlets (e.g. limiting erosional processes), we analysed a series of eight cores to verify three high-resolution sub-bottom transects – and thus – to extend point-based data over a broader area. Furthermore, eight additional new cores (16 WASA cores in total), and 14 reinterpreted cores from the LBEG (Geological Survey of Lower Saxony) log database, were correlated to generate three short cross-sections at the transition from the tidal inlet (Riffgat channel) to the island of Norderney, revealing a number of new aspects for the reconstruction of the Pleistocene palaeoenvironments, i.e. the last two glacials (Saalian and Weichselian) and interglacials (Holsteinian? and Eemian). A succession of Middle Pleistocene lacustrine delta deposits, belonging either to the Holsteinian or the Dömnitz temperate stage, suggests the presence of Elsterian tunnel valleys located below the island. Furthermore, we verified the presence of an Eemian mixed tidal-flat system overlain by an Eemian sand tidal flat below the western head of Norderney which is, in contrast to suggestions from previous studies, not fully eroded in this area. Finally, we demonstrate that the Saalian moraine (Drenthe Main Till) functions as a limiting constraint in the vertical development of the Holocene/modern Riffgat channel. Our results provide a better understanding of the Quaternary stratigraphy of the central Wadden Sea as well as the influence of the subsurface geology on the architecture and evolution of tidal channels.
Adherence to cancer prevention recommendations is associated with a lower breast cancer risk in black urban South African women
Authors: Jacobs Inarie , Taljaard-Krugell Christine , Wicks Mariaan , Cubasch Herbert , Joffe Maureen , Laubscher Ria , Romieu Isabelle , Biessy Carine , Gunter Marc J. , Huybrechts Inge , Rinaldi Sabina
Published: May 2021

Breast cancer prevention is of great importance to reduce high incidence in South Africa. This study aimed to investigate adherence to the 2018 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) Cancer Prevention Recommendations and the association with breast cancer risk in black urban women from Soweto, South Africa. A total of 396 breast cancer cases and 396 population-based controls from the South African Breast Cancer study (SABC) matched on age and demographic settings were included. Validated questionnaires were used to collect dietary and epidemiological data. To assess adherence to these recommendations, an eight-point adherence score was developed, using tertiles among controls for scoring each recommendation (0, 0·5 and 1) with zero indicating the lowest adherence to the recommendations. OR and 95 % CI were estimated using multivariate logistic regression models to analyse associations between the WCRF/AICR score and breast cancer risk. Greater adherence (>4·5v. <3·25) to the 2018 WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations was associated with a significant inverse association with breast cancer risk overall (OR = 0·54, 95 % CI 0·35, 0·91) and specifically in postmenopausal women (OR = 0·55, 95 % CI 0·34, 0·95), in cases with oestrogen positive and progesterone positive breast cancer subtypes (OR = 0·54, 95 % CI 0·39, 0·89 and OR = 0·68, 95 % CI 0·43, 0·89, respectively) and in obese women (OR = 0·52, 95 % CI 0·35, 0·81). No significant association with breast cancer risk was observed in premenopausal women. Greater adherence to the 2018 WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations may reduce breast cancer risk in this black urban population of Soweto. Adherence thereof should be encouraged and form a part of cost-effective breast cancer prevention guidelines.
Subjective global nutritional assessment as a nutritional tool in childhood chronic liver disease
Authors: Pawaria Arti , Khanna Rajeev , Sood Vikrant , Siloliya Manish , Benjamin Jaya J. , Kumar Guresh , Alam Seema
Published: May 2021

Objective of the study was to assess subjective global nutritional assessment (SGNA) in children with chronic liver diseases (CLD). Children aged 3 months to 18 years with CLD were prospectively enrolled (January 2016 to October 2018). SGNA was performed as per validated pro forma for children. Nutritional categories were categorised into three groups: A (well-nourished), B (moderately malnourished) and C (severely malnourished). Agreement between SGNA and anthropometric measures, prediction of morbidity and death or liver transplantation (LT) at 1-year post-enrolment by SGNA and inter-observer reliability of SGNA were assessed. Ninety-two subjects were enrolled, median age 23·5 (3–216) months. SGNA classified 47 patients (51·1 %) in group A, 26 (28·3 %) in group B and 19 (20·6 %) in group C. Kendall coefficients disclosed significant association of SGNA with all anthropometric measurements, greatest with weight for age (r= −0·637), height for age (r= −0·581) and mid-arm fat area (r= −0·449). At 12 months follow-up, twenty children died and four received LT. A significantly higher number of children with malnutrition (groups B and C) had poor outcome (OR 6·74 (95 % CI 2·21, 20·55),P= 0·001), increased risk of hospital readmission (OR 12·2 (95 % CI 4·60, 35·88),P= 0·001), higher rate of infectious complications (OR 22·68 (95 % CI 7·29, 70·53),P< 0·0001) and lower median survival with native liver (Log Rank < 0·001) as compared with group A. Inter-observer agreement in assessment of SGNA was good (90·2 %). SGNA, in contrast to anthropometric measures, is a better nutritional assessment tool. It is reliable, comprehensive and predicts poor outcome in childhood CLD.
What Countries Select More Experienced Leaders? The PolEx Measure of Political Experience
Authors: Baturo Alexander , Elkink Johan A.
Published: May 2021

How can one assess which countries select more experienced leaders for the highest office? There is wide variation in prior career paths of national leaders within, and even more so between, regime types. It is therefore challenging to obtain a truly comparative measure of political experience; empirical studies have to rely on proxies instead. This article proposes PolEx, a measure of political experience that abstracts away from the details of career paths and generalizes based on the duration, quality and breadth of an individual's experience in politics. The analysis draws on a novel data set of around 2,000 leaders from 1950 to 2017 and uses a Bayesian latent variable model to estimate PolEx. The article illustrates how the new measure can be used comparatively to assess whether democracies select more experienced leaders. The authors find that while on average they do, the difference with non-democracies has declined dramatically since the early 2000s. Future research may leverage PolEx to investigate the role of prior political experience in, for example, policy making and crisis management.
Demography ofMythimna separata(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) at outdoor fluctuating temperatures
Authors: Li Bo-Liao , Li Mei-Mei , Li Tian-Tian , Wu Jun-Xiang , Xu Xiang-Li
Published: May 2021

The oriental armywormMythimna separata(Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a major migratory pest of cereal crops in East Asia, South Asia and Australia. To comprehensively understand the ecological tolerance ofM. separata, we collected life table data of individuals from four consecutive generations reared under outdoor natural fluctuating temperatures from 15 April to 17 October 2018 in Yangling, Shaanxi, China. The results showed that the immature stage in early summer and summer were shorter than in spring and autumn. High mortality in late larval instar and pupal stages was observed in the summer generation. The adult pre-oviposition period in autumn was longer than the other seasons. The population in the earlier two seasons had heavier pupae and higher fecundity than the population in the latter two seasons. The intrinsic rate of increase and the finite rate of increase was the highest in early summer (r= 0.1292 day−1,λ= 1.1391 day−1), followed by spring (r= 0.1102 day−1,λ= 1.1165 day−1), and was the lowest in summer (r= 0.0281 day−1,λ= 1.0293 day−1). The results of this study would be useful to predict the population dynamics ofM. separataand deepen our standing of the adaptiveness of this migratory pest in natural fluctuating ambient environments.
Does Exclusion Follow the Flag? Merchant Sailors and US Imperial Expansion, 1895–1906
Authors: Riddell William D.
Published: May 2021

This paper examines how class conflict affected US imperial expansion between 1898 and 1906. It focuses on West-Coast-based white merchant sailors and relies on union publications, legislative records, and congressional testimony to reveal how domestic class conflict shaped the boundaries, both internally and externally, of the emerging US empire. The struggle of the sailors’ unions over these imperial boundaries illustrates the real-life consequences they held for working people. These were not just abstractions. These lines often determined the type of labor systems under which workers would toil. Specifically, this article centers on the American Federation of Labor's successful effort to apply the Chinese Exclusion Act to the United States’ empire on the Pacific in 1902 as well as the Sailor's Union of the Pacific's unsuccessful attempt to apply exclusion to US-flagged merchant vessels. With that in mind, I argue that the line between domestic and foreign or nation and empire was a contested space of racially inflected class conflict. For white working people, the most pertinent question in the aftermath of the Spanish American War was not, does the constitution follow the flag? But rather, does exclusion follow the flag?
Becoming a Continent of Immigration: Charting Europe's Migration History, 1919–2019
Authors: Glynn Irial
Published: May 2021

Widespread belief in economic liberalism in the second half of the nineteenth century, combined with the development of safer, faster, and cheaper transportation, paved the way for huge migration to occur. Between 1850 and 1914, 55 million people departed Europe, with the vast majority heading to the Americas during what Hatton and Williamson term “the age of mass migration”. According to McKeown, something similar in scale and duration took place at approximately the same time – albeit enduring for slightly longer – involving Indians and southern Chinese moving to Southeast Asia and people from north-eastern Asia and Russia to North Asia. However, “the booming of the guns of August 1914 brought to a sudden close the era during which foreigners were relatively free to traverse borders”, according to John Torpey. States in Europe and North America, in particular, reintroduced passport controls with vigour during World War I and instead of lifting these bellicose measures at the end of the conflict, they generally reinforced them. The United States led the way in introducing such restrictions. Following on from the imposition of the 1917 Literacy Act came the 1921 and 1924 US Immigration Acts, which limited arrivals by introducing quotas for countries. The development in much of Europe of the modern welfare state in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century simultaneously gave rise to more restrictive immigration policies in Europe, thereby leading to an even greater distinction between citizens and non-citizens.
Multiple realities around sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among adolescents in Ghana
Authors: Amo-Adjei Joshua
Published: May 2021

The multiple realities around the sexual and reproductive health of Ghanaian adolescents are explored in this paper. Female and male adolescents (aged 10–19 years, N=298) participated in 40 focus group discussions in 20 communities. A comparative inductive approach has been used to present, analyse and document the sexual and reproductive realities of adolescents in their communities. The findings reveal commonalities as well as differences in the realities among participants. Common realities, regardless of age and sex, were teenage pregnancy and abortion, sexual violence (defilement, rape and coercive sex) and parental neglect. These aside, there were divergent realities for older adolescent girls in particular, e.g. lack of access to contraceptives and understanding of the fertility cycle, and the influences and pressures of social media and varied notions about sexual harassment between female and male adolescents. The findings, overall, underscore the complexity and nuanced lives of adolescents in traversing the sexual and reproductive maturation processes. These events unfold in communities where adolescents are ‘required’ to be silent and ‘play’ innocent regardless of their daily struggles, compounded by limited opportunities to learn and unlearn embedded norms about sexual and reproductive functioning. Some implications for sexual health promotion programmes are outlined.
Simple, general, realistic, robust, analytic tokamak equilibria. Part 2. Pedestals and flow
Authors: Guazzotto L. , Freidberg J. P.
Published: May 2021

Part 1 described a wide range of analytic tokamak equilibria modelling smooth limiter surfaces, double- and single-null divertor surfaces, arbitrary aspect ratio, elongation, triangularity and beta. Part 2 generalizes the analysis to further include edge pedestals and toroidal flow. Specifically, edge pedestals are allowed in the pressure, pressure gradient and toroidal current density. Also, an edge-localized contribution to the bootstrap current is treated. In terms of flow, analytic solutions are obtained for two cases: a

$\gamma = 2$

adiabatic and a

$\gamma = \infty $

incompressible energy conservation relation.
Three-dimensional magnetic reconnection in particle-in-cell simulations of anisotropic plasma turbulence
Authors: Agudelo Rueda Jeffersson A. , Verscharen Daniel , Wicks Robert T. , Owen Christopher J. , Nicolaou Georgios , Walsh Andrew P. , Zouganelis Ioannis , Germaschewski Kai , Vargas Domínguez Santiago
Published: May 2021

We use three-dimensional (3-D) fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations to study the occurrence of magnetic reconnection in a simulation of decaying turbulence created by anisotropic counter-propagating low-frequency Alfvén waves consistent with critical-balance theory. We observe the formation of small-scale current-density structures such as current filaments and current sheets as well as the formation of magnetic flux ropes as part of the turbulent cascade. The large magnetic structures present in the simulation domain retain the initial anisotropy while the small-scale structures produced by the turbulent cascade are less anisotropic. To quantify the occurrence of reconnection in our simulation domain, we develop a new set of indicators based on intensity thresholds to identify reconnection events in which both ions and electrons are heated and accelerated in 3-D particle-in-cell simulations. According to the application of these indicators, we identify the occurrence of reconnection events in the simulation domain and analyse one of these events in detail. The event is related to the reconnection of two flux ropes, and the associated ion and electron exhausts exhibit a complex 3-D structure. We study the profiles of plasma and magnetic-field fluctuations recorded along artificial-spacecraft trajectories passing near and through the reconnection region. Our results suggest the presence of particle heating and acceleration related to small-scale reconnection events within magnetic flux ropes produced by the anisotropic Alfvénic turbulent cascade in the solar wind. These events are related to current structures of the order of a few ion inertial lengths in size.
Iron, iodine and vitamin D deficiencies during pregnancy: epidemiology, risk factors and developmental impacts
Authors: Kiely Mairead E. , McCarthy Elaine K. , Hennessy Áine
Published: May 2021

Micronutrient deficiency persists throughout the world, and although the burden is higher in low-resource settings, it is also prevalent in wealthy countries, a phenomenon termed ‘hidden hunger’. Due to their high requirements for vitamins and minerals relative to their energy intake, young women and children are particularly vulnerable to hidden hunger. As they share several risk factors and impact on overlapping outcomes, we consider how deficiency of iron, iodine and vitamin D can have profound impacts on perinatal health and infant development. We review the epidemiology of these micronutrient deficiencies during pregnancy, including social, environmental and dietary risk factors. We identify the main challenges in defining nutritional status of these nutrients using validated diagnostic criteria linked with meaningful clinical outcomes. Public health strategies are urgently required to improve the overall health and nutritional status of women of reproductive age. Obesity prevention and early detection of malnutrition with standardised screening methods would detect pregnant women at increased risk of iron deficiency. Development of sensitive, individual biomarkers of iodine status is required to protect maternal health and fetal/infant brain development. Risk assessments of vitamin D requirements during pregnancy need to be revisited from the perspective of fetal and neonatal requirements. International consensus on standardised approaches to micronutrient assessment, analysis and reporting as well as sensitive, clinically validated infant and child neuro-behavioural outcomes will enable progression of useful observational and intervention studies.
Teaching drunk: Work, the online economy, and uncertainty in action
Authors: Kramer Max F.
Published: May 2021

Technological developments have led to the digitization of certain sectors of the economy, and this has many authors looking ahead to the prospects of a post-work society. While it is valuable to theorize about this possibility, it is also important to take note of the present state of work. For better or worse, it is what we are currently stuck with, and as the COVID-19 pandemic has ensured, much of that work is now taking place online. Though a ‘return to normalcy’ is on the horizon, part of that normalcy involves online work, which is itself a significant change in the lives of many workers. Here I develop an account of work on which work is teleologically structured. This gives the result that working is something we can fail at doing, even when we try, and we can also be unsure of whether we've succeeded or failed. The shift of certain work from in-person to online modes generates a persistent uncertainty for workers in affected professions. Because our ability to work is something we typically value, this uncertainty has significant negative consequences for a worker's self-conception. Indeed, it is analogous to disorders of agency and generates a kind of alienation.
Mental health symptoms and suicidality in Iranian gay men
Authors: Kabir Amir , Brinsworth Jordan
Published: May 2021

Background

No published data is currently available on mental health symptoms and suicidality in Iranian gay men – a population facing serious legal threats including capital punishment.

Methods

The present study provides initial data on this topic by assessing mental health symptoms (SCL-90) and suicidality (BSSI) in N = 213 gay men in Tehran, Iran.

Results

Last-week mental health symptoms were severe in 4.2% of gay men, moderate in 7.5%, minor in 27.7%, and absent in 61.6% of Iranian gay men. Regarding last-week suicidality: 1.9% were highly likely to attempt suicide, 7.5% reported having threatened to commit suicide, 19.7% reported suicidal ideation, and 80.28% revealed no suicidality. Last-week mental health symptoms and last-week suicidality were correlated in gay men to a high degree.

Conclusions

When descriptively comparing the SCL-90 and BSSI scores with those in the general Iranian population reported in previous studies, gay men reported more serious mental health symptoms, and more suicidal ideation, threats, and attempts. The decriminalization of same-sex sexual encounters and accepting social attitudes towards gay men are needed in Iran to help improve this population's mental health and reduce their suicidality.
Desired model compensation-based position constrained control of robotic manipulators
Authors: Gul Samet , Zergeroglu Erkan , Tatlicioglu Enver , Kilinc Mesih Veysi
Published: May 2021

This work presents the design and the corresponding stability analysis of a desired model-based, joint position constrained, controller formulation for robotic manipulators. Specifically, provided that the initial joint position tracking error signal starts within some predefined region, the proposed controller ensures that the joint tracking error signal remains inside this region and approaches to zero asymptotically. Extensive numerical simulations and experimental studies performed on a two-link direct-drive planar robot are provided in order to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed controller.
Age-Friendly Cities and Older Indigenous People: An Exploratory Study in Prince George, Canada
Authors: Nelson Sarah E. , Rosenberg Mark W.
Published: May 2021

Cities around the world are responding to aging populations and equity concerns for older people by developing age-friendly communities plans, following the World Health Organization’s guidelines. Such plans, however, often fail to account for the wide diversity of older people in cities, with the result that some older people, including Indigenous older people, do not see their needs reflected in age-friendly planning and policies. This article reports on a study involving 10 older First Nations and Métis women in the city of Prince George, Canada, comparing the expressed needs of these women with two age-friendly action plans: that of the city of Prince George, and that of the Northern Health Authority. Four main categories were raised in a group discussion and interview with these women at the Prince George Native Friendship Centre: availability of health care services, accessibility and affordability of programs and services, special roles of Indigenous Elders, and experiences of racism and discrimination. There are many areas of synergy between the needs expressed by the women and the two action plans; however, certain key areas are missing from the action plans; in particular, specific strategies for attending to the needs of Indigenous and other older populations who often feel marginalized in health care and in age-friendly planning.
Importance of real-time measurement of sperm head morphology in intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Authors: Itoi Fumiaki , Miyamoto Toshinobu , Himaki Takehiro , Honnma Hiroyuki , Sano Miho , Ueda Jun
Published: May 2021

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an important technique in male infertility treatment. Currently, sperm selection for ICSI in human assisted reproductive technology (ART) is subjective, based on a visual assessment by the operator. Therefore, it is desirable to develop methods that can objectively provide an accurate assessment of the shape and size of sperm heads that use low-magnification microscopy available in most standard fertility clinics. Recent studies have shown a correlation between sperm head size and shape and chromosomal abnormalities, and fertilization rate, and various attempts have been made to establish automated computer-based measurement of the sperm head itself. For example, a dictionary-learning technique and a deep-learning-based method have both been developed. Recently, an automatic algorithm was reported that detects sperm head malformations in real time for selection of the best sperm for ICSI. These data suggest that a real-time sperm selection system for use in ICSI is necessary. Moreover, these systems should incorporate inverted microscopes (×400–600 magnification) but not the fluorescence microscopy techniques often used for a dictionary-learning technique and a deep-learning-based method. These advances are expected to improve future success rates of ARTs. In this review, we summarize recent reports on the assessment of sperm head shape, size, and acrosome status in relation to fertility, and propose further improvements that can be made to the ARTs used in infertility treatments.
A qualitative study exploring risk perception in congenital cardiac surgery: the perspective of UK surgeons
Authors: Lotto Robyn R , Seaton Sarah E , Jones Ian D , Lotto Attilio A
Published: May 2021

Introduction:

Managing risk is central to clinical care, yet most research focuses on patient perception, as opposed to how risk is enacted within the clinical setting by healthcare professionals.

Aim:

To explore how surgical risk is perceived, encountered, and managed by congenital cardiac surgeons.

Methods:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 congenital cardiac surgeons representing every unit across England and Wales. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, with analysis based on the constant comparative approach.

Findings:

Three themes were identified, reflecting the interactions between personal, institutional, and political context in which risk is encountered and managed. First, “communicating risk” highlights the complexity and variability in methods employed by surgeons to balance legal/moral obligations with parental need and expectations. Universally, surgeons described the need for flexibility in their approach in order to meet the needs of individual patients. Second, “scrutiny and accountability” captures the spectrum of opinion arising from the binary nature of the outcomes collated and the way in which they are perceived to be interpreted. Third, “nature of the job” highlights the personal and professional implications of conveying and managing risk and the impact of recent policy changes on the way this is enacted.

Conclusion:

Variations in approaches to communicating risk demonstrate a lack of consensus, compounded by insufficient evidence to determine or monitor a “best-care” approach. With current surgical outcomes suggesting little room for increasing survival rates, future care needs should shift to the “soft skills” in order to continue to drive improvements in parental and patient experience.
Development and external validation of the ‘Flower-FFQ’: a FFQ designed for the Lifelines Cohort Study
Authors: Brouwer-Brolsma Elske M , Perenboom Corine , Sluik Diewertje , van de Wiel Anne , Geelen Anouk , Feskens Edith JM , de Vries Jeanne HM
Published: May 2021

Objective:

FFQ assess habitual dietary intake and are relatively inexpensive to process, but may take up to 60 min to complete. This article describes the validation of the Flower-FFQ, which consists of four short FFQ measuring the intake of energy and macronutrients or specific (micro)nutrients/foods that can be merged into one complete daily assessment using predefined algorithms.

Design:

Participants completed the Flower-FFQ and validated regular-FFQ (n 401). Urinary N (n 242) and K excretions (n 361) were measured. We evaluated: (1) group-level bias, (2) correlations and (3) cross-classification.

Setting:

Observational study.

Participants:

Dutch adults, 54 ± 11 (mean ± SD) years.

Results:

Flower-FFQ1, Flower-FFQ2, Flower-FFQ3 and Flower-FFQ4 were completed in ±24, 9, 8 and 9 min (±50 min total), respectively. The regular-FFQ was completed in ±43 min. Mean energy (flower v. regular: 7953 v. 8718 kJ/d) and macronutrient intakes (carbohydrates: 204 v. 222 g/d; protein: 75 v. 76 g/d; fat: 74 v. 83 g/d; ethanol: 8 v. 12 g/d) were comparatively similar. Spearman correlations between Flower-FFQ and regular-FFQ ranged from 0·60 to 0·80 for macronutrients and from 0·40 to 0·80 for micronutrients and foods. For all micronutrients and foods, ≥ 78 % of the participants classified in the same/adjacent quartile. The Flower-FFQ underestimated urinary N and K excretions by 24 and 18 %; 75 and 73 % of the participants ranked in the same/adjacent quartile.

Conclusion:

Completing the Flower-FFQ required 50 min with a maximum of 25 min per short FFQ. The Flower-FFQ has a moderate to good ranking ability for most nutrients and foods and performs sufficiently to study diet–disease associations.
Validation of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) FFQ for use among adults in Lebanon
Authors: Khaled Karim , Hundley Vanora , Bassil Maya , Bazzi Mira , Tsofliou Fotini
Published: May 2021

Objective:

To validate the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) FFQ in Lebanon.

Design:

Validation of the EPIC FFQ was done against three 24-h recalls (24-HR). Unadjusted and energy-adjusted correlations, Bland–Altman plots and weighed kappa statistics were used to assess the agreement between the two methods.

Setting:

Lebanon.

Participants:

119 adults (staff and students) at a Lebanese University.

Results:

Good unadjusted and energy-adjusted correlation coefficients were found between data from the two methods which ranged from –0·002 (vitamin A) to 0·337 (carbohydrates) and were all statistically significant except for vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A, Se and niacin. Slight/fair agreement was reported through weighed kappa estimates for unadjusted data ranging from –0·05 (vitamin C) to 0·248 (Mg) and for energy-adjusted data ranging from –0·034 (vitamin A) to 0·203 (P). Individuals were categorised into exact and adjacent quartiles with an average of 78 % for unadjusted data and 70 % for energy-adjusted data, indicating a very good agreement between the EPIC FFQ and the average of the 24-HR data. The visual inspection of the Bland–Altman plots revealed an overestimation of energy, carbohydrates, protein and fat intakes by the FFQ method.

Conclusion:

Overall, when all tests were taken into consideration, the current study demonstrated an acceptable agreement of the EPIC FFQ with the 24-h dietary recall method and significantly good correlations between dietary intakes. Therefore, the EPIC FFQ can be considered a valid tool for assessing diet in epidemiological studies among Lebanese adults.
A wearable wrist haptic display for motion tracking and force feedback in the operational space
Authors: Laghi Marco , Catalano Manuel G. , Grioli Giorgio , Bicchi Antonio
Published: May 2021

Force feedback is often beneficial for robotic teleoperation, as it enhances the user’s remote perception. Over the years, many kinesthetic haptic displays (KHDs) have been proposed for this purpose, which have different types of interaction and feedback, depending on their kinematics and their interface with the operator, including, for example, grounded and wearable devices acting either at the joint or operational space (OS) level. Most KHDs in the literature are for the upper limb, with a majority acting at the shoulder/elbow level, and others focusing on hand movements. A minority exists which addresses wrist motions. In this paper, we present the Wearable Delta (W

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), a proof-of-concept wearable wrist interface with hybrid parallel–serial kinematics acting in the OS, able to render a desired force directly to the hand involving just the forearm–hand subsystem. It has six degrees of freedom (DoFs), three of which are actuated, and is designed to reduce the obstruction of the range of the user’s wrist. Integrated with positions/inertial sensors at the elbow and upper arm, the W

$ \Delta $

allows the remote control of a full articulated robotic arm. The paper covers the whole designing process, from the concept to the validation, as well as a multisubject experimental campaign that investigates its usability. Finally, it presents a section that, starting from the experimental results, aims to discuss and summarize the W

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advantages and limitations and look for possible future improvements and research directions.