bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconsidering the Everyday Ambedkar: Notes towards an Alternative Hero Worship
Authors: Kumar Umesh
Published: August 2021

The main concern in the present article is to bring out the heroic portrait and life-world of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar as witnessed by followers living around/with him from the ‘mundaneness’ of every day. By taking recourse into the autobiographical evidences produced by his followers, the article attempts to investigate how the heroic capital of Ambedkar is continuously (re)produced, (re)imagined and disseminated in the contemporary Dalit life/thought. It is my contention that in the post-independent India, the problematic of hero worship has become an important signpost for floating the questions of representation, identity, self-respect, power and historicity which eventually metamorphoses the upholder/beholder of these qualities (Dr Ambedkar in the present case) to that of a God. In academe, we have models to study such transitions. However, in the present context, the hero worship around Ambedkar is that of an alternative kind, channelized through ‘human concerns and impressions’. Instead of transforming him into a God, the followers here attempt to humanize Dr Ambedkar. The humanization of Ambedkar is extracted by plunging into his household, conjugality, paternal instincts, food, clothes and passion for entertainment, among others, categorized usually within the mundaneness of everyday. The article further attempts to argue that the concerns from everyday offer a contest to bring forth the contested stories; that attempt to (re)interpret as well as (re)count the asymmetry and discrimination of caste dynamics in India’s cultural life and Ambedkar’s subsequent combative response to them. The discussion concludes by formulating that these concerns and anecdotes from everyday also give an alternative twist to the process and context of hero worship itself.
Scalar politics of Indigenous waterscapes in Navajo Nation and Nepal: Conflict, conservation and development
Authors: Mustafa Daanish , Nyaupane Gyan , Shrestha Krishna , Buzinde Christine , Thanet Dol Raj , Vandever Vanessa
Published: August 2021

We use case studies of the Diné in the United States of America, and the Musahar people in Nepal, to understand how indigeneity is enacted in relation to the developmental and conservationist impulses of the dominant American and Nepalese states. We mobilize the concept of ‘waterscapes’ as assemblages of practices, technologies, emotions and worldviews, to unpack how geographical scales are produced and contested through symbolic and material practices. We find that the Diné of the Navajo Nation have socially differentiated engagement with the techno-legal assemblages embedded in the US Western water law and the water development infrastructure, e.g. the Glen Canyon Dam, that enables the tourism economy. The Musahar people, much like the Diné, have been excluded from their customary livelihoods as global-scale conservation was enacted in their waterscapes through techno-legal assemblages including the Chitwan National Park and water development and conservation policies for the Narayani River. In both the United States and Nepal, centralized agencies of the US federal government and the Nepali state tend to perpetuate exclusionary geographies of access to water and Indigenous livelihoods in the waterscapes. The national and international scales, at times, violently constrict local-scale Indigenous spaces. But the oppositional symbolic and material practices, of both the Diné and the Musahar, destabilize the dominant ontologies on local waterscapes. This paper demonstrates that across vast distances of history, geography and wealth, indigeneity does not just get repressed or occluded by the dominant state but is instead constantly reimagined and re-enacted in creative ways by the Indigenous People themselves.
Antioxidant supplements in age-related macular degeneration: are they actually beneficial?
Authors: Banerjee Mousumi , Chawla Rohan , Kumar Atul
Published: August 2021

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is one of the prominent causes of central visual loss in the older age group in the urbanized, industrialized world. In recent years, many epidemiological studies and clinical trials have evaluated the role of antioxidants and micronutrients to prevent the progression of ARMD. In this article, we review some of these major studies. In addition, we review the absorption and bioavailability and possible undesirable effects of these nutrients after ingestion. The role of genotypes and inappropriate use of these supplements are also discussed. From all the above evidence, we conclude that it may not be prudent to prescribe these formulations without a proper assessment of the individual’s health and dietary status. The effectiveness of all the components in antioxidant formulations is controversial. Thus, these supplements should not be prescribed just for the purpose of providing patients some kind of therapy, which may give a false sense of mental satisfaction.
Effect of Economic and Environmental Policies on the Mangrove Economy: A General Equilibrium Framework
Authors: Ray Debabrata , Sen Anindita
Published: August 2021

This article attempts to provide a theoretical model of a small local mangrove economy. The structure of the model is based on observations from a qualitative field survey conducted in the Sunderbans region of West Bengal. The study showed that fishery is the primary source of income in this region. Agriculture is practised by many, but due to soil salinity, the sector, at best, provides sustenance for the family. Most of the other requirements are met from goods bought from outside. The role of the forest cover on shrimp cultivation is captured through the productivity effect, which increases the output per unit of labour and capital. In this structure, an optimum tariff on the timber industry is derived, and it is shown that the optimum tariff depends on the intensity of the productivity effect.
A case–control study of factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers in Colombia
Authors: Rodriguez-Lopez Merida , Parra Beatriz , Vergara Enrique , Rey Laura , Salcedo Mercedes , Arturo Gabriela , Alarcon Liliana , Holguin Jorge , Osorio Lyda
Published: August 2021

Background

Healthcare Workers (HCW) are repeatedly exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection among HCW in one of the largest cities in Colombia.

Methods

We conducted a case–control study, where cases had a positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and controls had a negative result. Participants were randomly selected and interviewed by phone. Analyses were performed using logistic regression models.

Results

A total of 110 cases and 113 controls were included. Men (AdjOR 4.13 95% CI 1.70–10.05), Nurses (AdjOR 11.24 95% CI 1.05–119.63), not using a high-performance filtering mask (AdjOR 2.27 95% CI 1.02–5.05) and inadequate use of personal protective equipment (AdjOR 4.82 95% CI 1.18–19.65) were identified as risk factors. Conversely, graduate (AdjOR 0.06 95% CI 0.01–0.53) and postgraduate (AdjOR 0.05 95% CI 0.005–0.7) education, feeling scared or nervous (AdjOR 0.45 95% CI 0.22–0.91), not always wearing any gloves, caps and goggles/face shields (AdjOR 0.10 95% CI 0.02–0.41), and the use of high-performance filtering or a combination of fabric plus surgical mask (AdjOR 0.27 95% CI 0.09–0.80) outside the workplace were protective factors.

Conclusion

This study highlights the protection provided by high-performance filtering masks or double masking among HCW. Modifiable and non-modifiable factors and the difficulty of wearing other protective equipment needs to be considered in designing, implementing and monitoring COVID-19 biosafety protocols for HCW.
Cortisol concentration affects fat and muscle mass among Polish children aged 6–13 years
Authors: Pruszkowska-Przybylska Paulina , Sitek Aneta , Rosset Iwona , Sobalska-Kwapis Marta , Słomka Marcin , Strapagiel Dominik , Żądzińska Elżbieta , Morling Niels
Published: August 2021

Background

Cortisol is a steroid hormone acting as a stress hormone, which is crucial in regulating homeostasis. Previous studies have linked cortisol concentration to body mass and body composition.

Methods

The investigations were carried out in 2016–2017. A total of 176 children aged 6–13 years in primary schools in central Poland were investigated. Three types of measurements were performed: anthropometric (body weight and height, waist and hip circumferences), body composition (fat mass FM (%), muscle mass – MM (%), body cellular mass - BCM (%), total body water - TBW (%)), and cortisol concentration using saliva of the investigated individuals. Information about standard of living, type of feeding after birth, parental education and maternal trauma during pregnancy was obtained with questionnaires.

Results

The results of regression models after removing the environmental factors (parental education, standard of living, type of feeding after birth, and maternal trauma during pregnancy) indicate a statistically significant association between the cortisol concentration and fat mass and muscle mass. The cortisol concentration was negatively associated with FM (%) (Beta=-0.171; p = 0.026), explaining 2.32 % of the fat mass variability and positively associated with MM (%) (Beta = 0.192; p = 0.012) explaining 3.09 % of the muscle mass variability.

Conclusions

Cortisol concentration affects fat and muscle mass among Polish children.

Trial registration

The Ethical Commission at the University of Lodz (nr 19/KBBN-UŁ/II/2016).
Predicting change in symptoms and function in patients with persistent shoulder pain: a prognostic model development study
Authors: Rønnow Mathias Moselund , Stæhr Thor André Brøndberg , Christiansen David Høyrup
Published: August 2021

Background

Persistent shoulder pain causes considerable disruption of the individual’s life and imposes high costs on healthcare and society. Well-informed treatment and referral pathways are crucial as unsuccessful interventions and longer duration of symptoms minimizes the likelihood of success in future interventions. Although physiotherapy is generally recommended as first line treatment, no prognostic model or clinical prediction rules exists to help guide the treatment of patients with persistent shoulder pain undergoing physiotherapy.

Thus, the objective of this study was to develop a prognostic model to inform clinical decision making and predict change in symptoms and function in patients with persistent shoulder pain.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study of 243 patients with persistent shoulder pain referred to outpatient physiotherapy rehabilitation centres. Data was collected at baseline and six-month follow-up. The outcome was change in shoulder symptoms and function as measured by the shortened version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (QuickDASH) from baseline to 6 months follow up. Potential predictors were included in a multivariable linear regression model which was pruned using modified stepwise backwards elimination.

Results

The final model consisted of seven predictors; baseline QuickDASH score, employment status, educational level, movement impairment classification, self-rated ability to cope with the pain, health-related quality of life and pain catastrophizing. Together these variables explained 33% of the variance in QuickDASH-change scores with a model root mean squared error of 17 points.

Conclusion

The final prediction model explained 33% of the variance in QuickDASH change-scores at 6 months. The root mean squared error (model SD) was relatively large meaning that the prediction of individual change scores was quite imprecise. Thus, the clinical utility of the prediction model is limited in its current form. Further work needs be done in order to improve the performance and precision of the model before external validity can be examined along with the potential impact of the model in clinical practice. Two of the included predictors were novel and could be examined in future studies; movement impairment classification based on diagnosis and health-related quality of life.
Delayed primary fascia closure of Björck grade 4 open abdomen with enteroatmospheric fistulas after repeated surgery for adhesive small bowel obstruction: a case report
Authors: Akashi Yoshimasa , Ogawa Koichi , Sasaki Kaoru , Kim Jaejeong , Enomoto Tsuyoshi , Hisakura Katsuji , Ohara Yusuke , Owada Yohei , Takahashi Kazuhiro , Shimomura Osamu , Hashimoto Shinji , Sekido Mitsuru , Oda Tatsuya
Published: August 2021

Background

An open abdomen with frozen adherent bowels is classified as grade 4 in Björck’s open abdomen classification, and skin grafting after wound granulation is a typical closure option. We achieved delayed primary fascia closure for a patient who developed open abdomen with enteroatmospheric fistulas due to severe adherent small bowel obstruction. We present here the details of his management.

Case presentation

A 52-year-old man suffered acute abdominal pain during a flight and received an emergency laparotomy due to adhesive small bowel obstruction. Repeated laparotomies were required, and later open abdomen and proximal site jejunostomy were selected. After negative pressure wound therapy, he was transferred to our institution. Two enteroatmospheric fistulas emerged on the exposed intestine, and we diagnosed the condition as a Björck grade 4 open abdomen. After 8 months of wound care and parenteral nutrition, we decided to attempt primary wound closure because the patient required permanent oral restriction and total parenteral nutrition due to short bowel syndrome. A circular incision along the circumference of the exposed bowel allowed us to take a safe approach into the abdominal cavity. We removed the intestinal adhesions completely and resected the bowels, including the fistulas and anastomosed parts. Finally, the abdominal wall defect was reconstructed using the component separation technique, and the patient was discharged without an ostomy.

Conclusions

Primary fascia closure for grade 4 open abdomen is hard, but leaving a long interval before radical surgery and applying pertinent wound management may help solve this adverse situation.
Dietary protein sources and risk of diabetic nephropathy in women: A case-control study
Authors: Aziz Monireh , Jalilpiran Yahya , Nekouimehr Mehdi , Fattahi Shaahin , Mokhtari Pari , Jayedi Ahmad , Yekaninejad Mir Saeed , Mirzaei Khadijeh
Published: August 2021

Background

Several studies have investigated the association between dietary protein and the risk of diabetic nephropathy (DN); however, there is no agreement on the type of dietary protein sources that might increase the risk of DN. This study was conducted to investigate the associations between different protein sources and the odds of DN developing in Iranian women with existing type 2 diabetes.

Methods

In this case-control study, 105 women with DN and 105 controls, matched for age and diabetes duration, were selected from the Kowsar Diabetes Clinic in Semnan, Iran. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated and reliable food frequency questionnaire. Dietary protein patterns were estimated using the factor analysis method. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to examine the association between protein patterns and the odds of developing DN.

Results

Two patterns were identified: the Mediterranean-based Dietary Protein Sources (MDPS) pattern which is rich in low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, soy, and legumes, and the Western-based Dietary Protein Sources (WDPS) pattern, rich in red and processed meats, eggs, and high-fat dairy. After adjusting for several confounders, greater adherence (third vs. the first tertile) to the MDPS pattern was associated with lower odds of DN (OR = 0.03; 95 % CI: 0.00, 0.10). In contrast, a strong positive association was observed between adherence to the WDPS pattern and DN (OR = 2.81; 95 % CI: 1.09–7.21).

Conclusions

Our results show that there is a potential association between the type of protein sources consumed and the odds of DN development in women with type 2 diabetes. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Provider perspectives on the provision of safe, equitable, trauma-informed care for intimate partner violence survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study
Authors: Williams Emma E. , Arant Kaetlyn R. , Leifer Valia P. , Balcom Mardi Chadwick , Levy-Carrick Nomi C. , Lewis-O’Connor Annie , Katz Jeffrey N.
Published: August 2021

Background

Early research suggests the COVID-19 pandemic worsened intimate partner violence (IPV) in the US. In particular, stay-at-home orders and social distancing kept survivors in close proximity to their abusers and restricted access to resources and care. We aimed to understand and characterize the impact of the pandemic on delivery of IPV care in Boston.

Methods

We conducted individual interviews with providers of IPV care and support in the Greater Boston area, including healthcare workers, social workers, lawyers, advocates, and housing specialists, who continued to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using thematic analysis, we identified themes describing the challenges and opportunites providers faced in caring for survivors during the pandemic.

Results

Analysis of 18 interviews yielded four thematic domains, encompassing 18 themes and nine sub-themes. Thematic analysis revealed that the pandemic posed an increased threat to survivors of IPV by exacerbating external stressors and leading to heightened violence. On a system level, the pandemic led to widespread uncertainty, strained resources, amplified inequities, and loss of community. On an individual level, COVID-19 restrictions limited survivors’ abilities to access resources and to be safe, and amplified pre-existing inequities, such as limited technology access. Those who did not speak English or were immigrants experienced even more difficulty accessing resources due to language and/or cultural barriers. To address these challenges, providers utilized video and telephone interactions, and stressed the importance of creativity and cooperation across different sectors of care.

Conclusions

While virtual care was essential in allowing providers to care for survivors, and also allowed for increased flexibility, it was not a panacea. Many survivors faced additional obstacles to care, such as language barriers, unequal access to technology, lack of childcare, and economic insecurity. Providers addressed these barriers by tailoring services and care modalities to an individual’s needs and circumstances. Going forward, some innovations of the pandemic period, such as virtual interactions and cooperation across care sectors, may be utilized in ways that attend to shifting survivor needs and access, thereby improving safe, equitable, and trauma-informed IPV care.
Inequity in health care utilization for common childhood illnesses in India: measurement and decomposition analysis using the India demographic and health survey 2015–16
Authors: Maharatha Tulasi Malini , Dash Umakant
Published: August 2021

Background

Though child mortality has dropped remarkably, it is considerably high in South Asia. Across the globe, 5.2 million children under 5 years of age died in 2019, and India accounts for a significant portion of these deaths. Common childhood illnesses are the leading cause of these deaths. Seeking care from formal providers can reduce these avoidable deaths. Inequity is a crucial blockage in optimum utilization of medical treatment for children. Hence, the present study analyzes the inequalities and horizontal inequities in utilizing the medical treatment for diarrhea, fever, acute respiratory infection (ARI), and any of these common childhood illnesses in India and across the Indian states. The study also attempts to locate significant contributors to these inequalities.

Methods

The study used 0 to 59 months children’s data sourced from the Demographic and Health Survey, India (2015–16). Concentration Index (CI) and Erreygers Corrected Concentration Index (EI) were used to measure the inequalities. The Horizontal Inequity Index (HII) was deployed to estimate inequity. The decomposition method introduced by Erreygers was applied to determine the significant contributors of inequalities.

Results

The EI in medical treatment-seeking for common childhood illnesses was 0.16, while the HII was 0.15. The highest inequality was perceived in the utilization of medical treatment for ARI (0.17). The primary contributing factors of these inequalities were continuum of maternal care (18.7%), media exposure (12%), affordability (9.3%), place of residence (9.1%), mother’s education (8.5%), and state groups (8.8%). The North-Eastern states showed the highest level of inequality across the Indian states.

Conclusion

The study reveals that the horizontal inequity in medical treatment utilization for children in India is pro-rich. The findings of the study suggest that attuning the efforts of existing maternal and child health programs into one seamless chain of care can bring the inequalities down and improve the utilization of child health care services. The spread of health education through different media sources, reaching out to rural and remote places with adequate health personnel, and easing out the financial hardship in accessing medical treatment could be the cornerstone in accelerating the utilization level amongst the impoverished children.
Exome sequencing identifies novel and known mutations in families with intellectual disability
Authors: Rasheed Memoona , Khan Valeed , Harripaul Ricardo , Siddiqui Maimoona , Malik Madiha Amin , Ullah Zahid , Zahid Muhammad , Vincent John B. , Ansar Muhammad
Published: August 2021

Background

Intellectual disability (ID) is a phenotypically and genetically heterogeneous disorder.

Methods

In this study, genome wide SNP microarray and whole exome sequencing are used for the variant identification in eight Pakistani families with ID. Beside ID, most of the affected individuals had speech delay, facial dysmorphism and impaired cognitive abilities. Repetitive behavior was observed in MRID143, while seizures were reported in affected individuals belonging to MRID137 and MRID175.

Results

In two families (MRID137b and MRID175), we identified variants in the genesCCSandELFN1, which have not previously been reported to cause ID. In four families, variants were identified inARX,C5orf42,GNEandMETTL4. A copy number variation (CNV) was identified inIL1RAPL1gene in MRID165.

Conclusion

These findings expand the existing knowledge of variants and genes implicated in autosomal recessive and X linked ID.
Variability in body weight and the risk of cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes: results from the Swedish National Diabetes Register
Authors: Ceriello Antonio , Lucisano Giuseppe , Prattichizzo Francesco , Eliasson Björn , Franzén Stefan , Svensson Ann-Marie , Nicolucci Antonio
Published: August 2021

Background

There is a high incidence of cardiovascular disease in diabetes. Weight variability has been reported as independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease in the general population and preliminarily also in people with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

Using data from the Swedish National Diabetes Register the possible link between visit-to-visit body weight variability and the risk of cardiovascular complications among people with type 2 diabetes and without prevalent cardiovascular diseases at baseline has been evaluated. Overall, 100,576 people with type 2 diabetes, with at least five measurements of body weight taken over three consecutive years, were included. Variability was expressed as quartiles of the standard deviation of the measures during the three years. The primary composite outcome included non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, and all-cause mortality and was assessed during five years following the first 3 years of exposure to weight variability.

Results

After adjusting for known cardiovascular risk factors, the risk of the primary composite outcome significantly increased with increasing body weight variability [upper quartile HR = 1.45; 95% confidence interval 1.39–1.52]. Furthermore, elevated body weight variability was associated with almost all the other cardiovascular complications considered (non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, all-cause mortality, peripheral arterial disease, peripheral vascular angioplasty, hospitalization for heart failure, foot ulcer, and all-cause mortality).

Conclusions

High body weight variability predicts the development of cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes. These data suggest that any strategy to reduce the body weight in these subjects should be aimed at maintaining the reduction in the long-term, avoiding oscillations.
Multigenerational endometriosis : consequence of fetal exposure to diethylstilbestrol ?
Authors: Gaspari Laura , Soyer-Gobillard Marie-Odile , Paris Françoise , Kalfa Nicolas , Hamamah Samir , Sultan Charles
Published: August 2021

Background

Endometriosis, which affects 10–15 % of women of reproductive age, is an estrogen-driven condition influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Exposition to estrogen-like endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been reported to contribute to the fetal origin of this disease.

Case presentation

We report here an informative family in which all prenatally DES-exposed daughters and subsequent granddaughters presented endometriosis, whereas the unexposed first daughter and her progeny presented no gynecological disorders. Moreover, the only post-pubertal great-granddaughter, who presents chronic dysmenorrhea that remains resistant to conventional therapy, is at risk of developing endometriosis. The mother (I-2) was prescribed DES (30 mg/day for 3 months) to inhibit lactation after each delivery.

Conclusions

Although a direct causal link between the grandmother’s treatment with DES and the development of endometriosis in possibly three exposed generations remains speculative, this report strengthens the suspicion that fetal exposition to DES contributes to the pathogenesis of adult diseases, such as endometriosis. It also highlights a multigenerational and likely transgenerational effect of EDCs.
Life history traits and reproductive ecology of North American chorus frogs of the genus Pseudacris (Hylidae)
Authors: Ethier Jeffrey P. , Fayard Aurore , Soroye Peter , Choi Daeun , Mazerolle Marc J. , Trudeau Vance L.
Published: August 2021

Amphibian biodiversity is declining globally, with over 40% of species being considered threatened to become extinct. Crucial to the success of conservation initiatives are a comprehensive understanding of life history and reproductive ecology of target species. Here we provide an overview of thePseudacrisgenus, including breeding behaviour, reproduction, development, survival and longevity. We present an updated distribution map of the 18 species found throughout North America. We also summarize the conservation status at the national and subnational (state, provincial, and territorial) levels, in Canada, USA, and Mexico, to evaluate the relationship between life history traits and extinction risk. Results show a high degree of consistency in the life history traits ofPseudacrisspecies considering their relative diversity and wide distribution in North America. However, data are lacking for several species, particularly in the Fat Frog and West Coast clades, causing some uncertainties and discrepancies in the literature. We also found that the most threatened populations of chorus frog were located in the east coast of the USA, potentially as a result of increased levels of anthropogenic disturbance. We suggest that the similarities in life history traits among chorus frog species provides an opportunity for collaboration and united efforts for the conservation of the genus.
BRIE2: computational identification of splicing phenotypes from single-cell transcriptomic experiments
Authors: Huang Yuanhua , Sanguinetti Guido
Published: August 2021

RNA splicing is an important driver of heterogeneity in single cells through the expression of alternative transcripts and as a determinant of transcriptional kinetics. However, the intrinsic coverage limitations of scRNA-seq technologies make it challenging to associate specific splicing events to cell-level phenotypes. BRIE2 is a scalable computational method that resolves these issues by regressing single-cell transcriptomic data against cell-level features. We show that BRIE2 effectively identifies differential disease-associated alternative splicing events and allows a principled selection of genes that capture heterogeneity in transcriptional kinetics and improve RNA velocity analyses, enabling the identification of splicing phenotypes associated with biological changes.
Temporal variations of magma composition, eruption style and rate at Fuji Volcano, Japan
Authors: Yamamoto Takahiro , Nakano Shun , Ishizuka Yoshihiro
Published: August 2021

Mt. Fuji is an active basaltic volcano near the Tokyo metropolitan area; future eruptions could thus have serious nationwide impacts. To better understand recent volcanism at Fuji Volcano, we here clarify temporal variations of eruption rate and magma composition since 5.6 ka based on time-series volumetric and geochemical data of eruptive products in a new stratigraphic sequence. Volcanic activity during the studied period consisted of (i) the emission of many lava flows that formed a new volcanic edifice between 5.6 and 3.45 ka, (ii) a period dominated by explosive events both at the summit and on the flanks of the volcano between 3.45 and 2.25 ka, and (iii) a period dominated by flank fissure eruptions since 2.25 ka. The eruption rate (dense-rock equivalent, DRE) was 3.5 km3 DRE/kyr during the edifice-building period, decreased to 0.8 km3 DRE/kyr during the explosive period, and then increased to 2.0 km3 DRE/kyr since 1.5 ka. Erupted magmas were dominantly basaltic and geochemically similar through time, except for increased Sr contents and decreased Ca/Sr ratios during the explosive period. Similarly, the geochemical properties of the parental magmas did not change greatly, although the Sr contents and Ca/Sr ratios of magmas erupted during the explosive period reflect the delayed fractionation of plagioclase due to the increased water contents of the parental magmas at that time.
A comparative study on the stress image and adaptive parameter-modified methods for implementing free surface boundary conditions in elastic wave numerical modeling
Authors: Chen Jing-Bo , Cao Jian , Li Zheng
Published: August 2021

The stress image method is a simple and effective approach for implementing the free surface boundary conditions in elastic wave numerical modeling. This method assumes that the normal and shear stresses perpendicular to the free surface are antisymmetric with respect to the free surface. In this way, the values of the normal and shear stresses above the free surface can be updated. However, the stress image method is based on an intuitive viewpoint and lacks a physical foundation. The adaptive parameter-modified method is a recently proposed approach for implementing the free surface boundary conditions. Through adaptive modifications of the density and elastic parameters at the free surface, the implementation of the free surface boundary conditions is achieved. Based on the adaptive parameter-modified method, a new interpretation of the stress image method is used. We determine that the stress image method is equivalent to the adaptive parameter-modified method in terms of the staggered-grid finite-difference scheme for the elastic wave equation in displacement form. This result provides a physical foundation and explanation of the stress image method. Therefore, we can further develop the stress image method from a physical viewpoint. Numerical examples are also developed to perform the theoretical analysis.
Lymphatic Node Metastasis Risk Scoring System: A Novel Instrument for Predicting Lymph Node Metastasis After Thymic Epithelial Tumor Resection
Authors: Cheng Xinxin , Lu Yaxin , Chen Sai , Yang Weilin , Xu Bo , Zou Jianyong , Chen Zhenguang
Published: August 2021

Background

The authors aimed to create a novel model to predict lymphatic metastasis in thymic epithelial tumors.

Methods

Data of 1018 patients were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 2004 to 2015. To construct a nomogram, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used to select candidate features of the training cohort from 2004 to 2013. A simple model called the Lymphatic Node Metastasis Risk Scoring System (LNMRS) was constructed to predict lymphatic metastasis. Using patients from 2014 to 2015 as the validation cohort, the predictive performance of the model was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results

The LASSO regression model showed that age, extension, and histology type were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, which were used to construct the nomogram. Through analysis of the area under the curve (AUC), the nomogram achieved a AUC value of 0.80 (95 % confidence interval [Cl] 0.75–0.85) in the training cohort and 0.82 (95 % Cl 0.70–0.93) in the validation cohort, and had closed calibration curves. Based on the nomogram, the authors constructed the LNMRS model, which had an AUC of 0.80 (95 % Cl 0.75–0.85) in the training cohort and 0.82 (95% Cl 0.70–0.93) in the validation cohort. The ROC curves indicated that the LNMRS had excellent predictive performance for lymph node metastasis.

Conclusion

This study established a nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis. The LNMRS model, constructed to predict lymphatic involvement of patients, was more convenient than the nomogram.
Chemical Feedstock Recovery from Hard-to-Recycle Plastics through Pyrolysis-Based Approaches and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography
Authors: Kumagai Shogo , Yoshioka Toshiaki
Published: August 2021

The entire world is moving toward carbon neutrality, and Japan is aiming to achieve a carbon neutral society by 2050. Generation of waste plastic is annually increasing, and the demand for waste plastic recycling is rapidly and globally growing to allow sustainable plastic use. Therefore, rapid and substantial promotion of plastic recycling technology is a global preferential task. The authors believe that pyrolysis is a promising strategy for recovering chemical feedstock from waste plastics, which improves global recycling capacity. Herein, global trends in waste plastic recycling were summarized in the first chapter, and feedstock recycling through pyrolysis-based approaches for hard-to-recycle plastic wastes such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyurethanes (PUs) were reviewed in the second chapter. Finally, the applicability of pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC) was verified by the investigation of the pyrolysis reaction mechanism, in situ pyrolyzate monitoring, and rapid screening of pyrolysis and catalytic reaction conditions.
The Difficulty of Easy Projects
Authors: Dziuda Wioletta , Gitmez A. Arda , Shadmehr Mehdi
Published: August 2021

We consider binary private contributions to public good projects that succeed when the number of contributors exceeds a threshold. We show that for standard distributions of contribution costs, valuable threshold public good projects are more likely to succeed when they require more contributors. Raising the success threshold reduces free-riding incentives, and this strategic effect dominates the direct effect. Common intuition that easier projects are more likely to succeed only holds for cost distributions with right tails fatter than Cauchy. Our results suggest government grants can reduce the likelihood that valuable threshold public good projects succeed. (JEL D71, H41, H81)
The Long-Run Effects of School Racial Diversity on Political Identity
Authors: Billings Stephen B. , Chyn Eric , Haggag Kareem
Published: August 2021

How do early-life experiences shape political identity? We examine the end of race-based busing in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, an event that led to large changes in school racial composition. Using administrative data, we compare party affiliation in adulthood for students who had lived on opposite sides of newly drawn school boundaries. Consistent with the contact hypothesis, we find that a 10 percentage point increase in the share of minorities in a White student’s assigned school decreased their likelihood of registering as a Republican by 2 percentage points (12 percent). Our results suggest that schools in childhood play an important role in shaping partisanship. (JEL D72, H75, I21, I28, J15)
Foodscapes in urban spaces of Africa: implications for food and nutrition security among the urban poor
Authors: Dake Fidelia A. A.
Published: August 2021

Food security has been a global development agenda for several decades, and rightly so: nearly 945 million people were food insecure in 2005 and a decade later, this number declined to 784 million in 2014, only to rise to 821 million three years later in 2017. These global figures, however, mask variations in the extent of progress in different regions of the world. Progress towards achieving food security has been much slower in sub-Saharan Africa, and the region continues to be the worst hit by food insecurity. Furthermore, it is increasingly being recognised that food insecurity is prevalent in urban, and not just rural areas, and that the urban poor rather than the rural poor are particularly vulnerable, and at increased risk of being food insecure. Additionally, nutrition insecurity, a closely related component of food insecurity, is common among the urban poor and contributes to malnutrition. While several factors have been explored in trying to address the issue of food security, the potential role of foodscapes in urban spaces of Africa has been less researched. Recent evidence, however, indicates that foodscapes in urban areas of sub-Saharan Africa potentially contribute to food and nutrition insecurity, particularly among the urban poor. Addressing food and nutrition insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa will thus first require reframing the discourse about these issues from solely a rural to also an urban problem, and secondly improving access, especially availability of healthy and nutritious options that are also economically accessible, for vulnerable and at-risk groups; in particularly, the urban poor.
Labor Unions and Product Quality Failures
Authors: Kini Omesh , Shen Mo , Shenoy Jaideep , Subramaniam Venkat
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we study the impact of labor unions on product quality failures. We use a product recall as our measure of quality failure because it is an objective metric that is applicable to a broad cross-section of industries. Our analysis employs a union panel setting and close union elections in a regression discontinuity design framework to overcome identification issues. In the panel regressions, we find that firms that are unionized and those that have higher unionization rates experience a greater frequency of quality failures. The results obtain even at a more granular establishment level in a subsample in which we can identify the manufacturing establishment associated with the recalled product. When comparing firms in close elections, we find that firms with close union wins are followed by significantly worse product quality outcomes than those with close union losses. These results are amplified in non–right-to-work states, where unions have a relatively greater influence on the workforce. We find that unionization increases firms’ costs and operating leverage and, consequently, crowds out investments that potentially impact quality. We also find some suggestive evidence that unions may compromise quality by hurting employee morale and by resisting technological upgrades in the firm. Overall, our results suggest that unions have an adverse impact on product recalls, and thus, product quality is an important dimension along which unions impact businesses.

This paper was accepted by Gustavo Manso, finance.
Approximation Method for Estimating Search Times for On-Street Parking
Authors: Fulman Nir , Benenson Itzhak
Published: August 2021

We propose an approximation method for estimating the probability [Formula: see text] of searching for on-street parking longer than time [Formula: see text] from the start of a parking search near a given destination [Formula: see text] based on high-resolution maps of parking demand and supply in a city. We verify the method by comparing its outcomes to the estimates obtained with an agent-based simulation model of on-street parking search. As a practical example, we construct maps of cruising time for the Israeli city of Bat Yam and demonstrate that, despite the low overall demand-to-supply ratio of 0.65, excessive demand in the city center results in a significant share of parking searches that last longer than 5 or even 10 minutes. We discuss the application of the proposed approach for urban planning.
A New Algorithm for the Single Source Weber Problem with Limited Distances
Authors: Righini Giovanni
Published: August 2021

The single source Weber problem with limited distances (SSWPLD) is a continuous optimization problem in location theory. The SSWPLD algorithms proposed so far are based on the enumeration of all regions of [Formula: see text] defined by a given set of n intersecting circumferences. Early algorithms require [Formula: see text] time for the enumeration, but they were recently shown to be incorrect in case of degenerate intersections, that is, when three or more circumferences pass through the same intersection point. This problem was fixed by a modified enumeration algorithm with complexity [Formula: see text], based on the construction of neighborhoods of degenerate intersection points. In this paper, it is shown that the complexity for correctly dealing with degenerate intersections can be reduced to [Formula: see text] so that existing enumeration algorithms can be fixed without increasing their [Formula: see text] time complexity, which is due to some preliminary computations unrelated to intersection degeneracy. Furthermore, a new algorithm for enumerating all regions to solve the SSWPLD is described: its worst-case time complexity is [Formula: see text]. The new algorithm also guarantees that the regions are enumerated only once.
Ultrasound as a diagnostic tool for femoral head containment disorders in children between one and 12 years of age
Authors: Berger-Groch Josephine , Jandl Nico Maximilian , Strahl Andre , Bechler Ulrich , Beil Frank Timo , Stuecker Markus H.F.
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Ultrasound has been used to diagnose hip dysplasia in neonates and to screen until the end of their first year. For older children, femoral head containment disorders such as developmental dysplasia of the hip, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease or cerebral palsy are usually diagnosed with plain radiographs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate ultrasound in comparison with radiographic imaging in children up to age 12 years and to determine reference values for sonographic containment parameters.

Methods

Hip ultrasound and radiographic imaging were acquired on the same day and then compared. As a reference, normal acetabular angle and acetabulum head index were determined on radiographs. Lateral cartilage distance (LCD), lateral head distance (LHD) and femoral head extrusion angle (HA) were measured on ultrasound images.

Results

We included 96 patients with 167 healthy hips in the study. A total of 55 patients were female and 41 male. The mean age was 5.2 years (sd 3.3; 1.0 to 11.9). LCDultrasound, LHDultrasound and HAultrasound correlated significantly with radiographic parameters. The following ultrasound values were calculated as limits for impending loss of containment: LCDultrasound ≥ 6.5 mm, LHDultrasound ≥ 3.3 mm and HAultrasound ≥ 27.6°.

Conclusion

Ultrasound is a simple, radiation-free diagnostic tool to detect femoral head containment disorders, even in children older than one year. This study provides reference values for hip ultrasound in children up to 12 years.

Level of evidence

III
Hot-Rolled, Heavy-Rail Image Recognition Based on Deep-Learning Network
Authors: Changgui Xie , Hao Xu , Yuxi Liu , Ping Chen
Published: August 2021

A new method for image-defect recognition is proposed that is based on a convolution network with repeated stacking of small convolution kernels and a maximum pooling layer. By improving the speed and accuracy of image-defect recognition, this new method can be applied to image recognition such as heavy-rail images with high noise and many types of defects. The experimental results showed that the new algorithm effectively improved the accuracy of heavy-rail image-defect recognition. As evidenced by the simulation study, the proposed method has a lower error rate in heavy-rail image recognition than traditional algorithms, and the method may also be applied to defect recognition of nonlinear images under strong noise conditions. Its robustness and nonlinear processing ability are impressive, and the method is featured with high theoretical depth and important application value.
Primary hyperparathyroidism causing posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: a case report
Authors: Cagney D , Razzaq Z , Majeed M , O’Leary DP , Redmond HP
Published: August 2021

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a reversible leukoencephalopathy characterised by subcortical vasogenic oedema and neurological signs. We present the case of a 64-year-old woman who presented to hospital with symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism. Her parathyroid hormone (PTH) level on admission was elevated at 1,330ng/l (normal range15–68ng/l) and her serum calcium measured 4.83mmol/l (normal range 2.25–2.54mmol/l). Technectium-99m sestamibi scan demonstrated a focus of radiotracer uptake consistent with a right upper parathyroid adenoma or carcinoma. After commencing appropriate medical treatment, the patient developed intractable seizures necessitating endotracheal intubation. Magnetic resonance imaging of her brain revealed bilateral symmetrical T2 hyperintensities in the posterior circulation consistent with PRES. Following stabilisation and further medical treatment for hypercalcaemia, the patient underwent a parathyroidectomy. Preoperative rapid PTH assay measured 1,021ng/l. Following excision, PTH levels fell to just 10ng/l. She was extubated in the intensive care unit on postoperative day 1 and made an uneventful recovery. At her 6-week follow-up appointment, all neurological symptoms had resolved. PRES is a rare neurological entity more often seen in the setting of hypertension, immunosuppression and renal failure. The development of new neurological manifestations in the setting of known risk factors should raise suspicion for the underlying diagnosis.
Spontaneous thyroid abscesses without underlying malignancy: a differential diagnosis for recent onset or rapidly growing thyroid masses
Authors: McAllister J , Balasubramanian SP
Published: August 2021

Thyroid abscess is a rare cause of neck swelling in patients. The rich iodine environment, good vasculature and protective capsule make bacterial growth suboptimal. We present two cases of thyroid abscess without underlying thyroid cancer in immunocompromised patients presenting to a thyroid unit. The demographics, clinical details, investigation, management and outcomes of two patients with thyroid abscess were reviewed. Two octogenarian women were referred with neck lumps originating in the thyroid gland. Ultrasound demonstrated fluid collection in the thyroid, aspiration of which demonstrated Escherichia coli. The patients had underlying diabetes mellitus and raised inflammatory markers at presentation. Both were treated with antibiotics and follow-up demonstrated complete resolution of infection with no underlying thyroid neoplasm. Thyroid abscesses are an important differential diagnosis in rapidly growing thyroid masses due to the potential for rapid deterioration, especially in patients with conditions or medications causing immunosuppression. Urgent admission should be considered to facilitate prompt intervention and rapid recovery.