bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eight‐Year Follow‐up of Modified Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Sundman Joar , Browaldh Nanna , Fehrm Johan , Friberg Danielle
Published: July 2020

Objective

To investigate whether modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remained effective after 8 years.

Methods

Prospective intervention study. Sixty‐five patients with OSA were offered re‐evaluation with polysomnography and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) 8 years after UPPP. Results were compared with baseline and with a previous 2‐year follow‐up. Baseline predictors were analyzed with regression analyses.

Results

The dropout rate at the 8‐year follow‐up was 28%. The mean decrease in apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) between baseline and the 8‐year follow‐up was significant, 14.0 events/hour (from 52.9 to 38.9), 27% (P < .001). The mean increase in AHI between the 2‐year and the 8‐year follow‐up was significant, 14.7 events/hour (from 24.2 to 38.9), 61% (P < .0001). Overweight at baseline predicted an AHI at the 8‐year follow‐up that was 22.9 events higher compared to patients with normal weight (P = .015). An increase in body mass index (BMI) of 1 kg/m2 between baseline and the 8‐year follow‐up predicted a mean AHI increase of 3.8 events/hour (P = .015). The median decrease in ESS between baseline and the 8‐year follow‐up was significant, 7 (from 13.0 to 6.0), 54% (P < .0001). The median increase in ESS between the 2‐year and the 8‐year follow‐up was not significant, 1.0 (from 5.0 to 6.0), 20%.

Conclusion

Modified UPPP was effective as a long‐term treatment for OSA in selected patients, although the effect on AHI decreased over time. Daytime sleepiness remained improved even in the long term. High BMI at baseline and an increase in BMI predicted a reduced long‐term respiratory outcome.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 131:E307–E313, 2021
Physical drivers facilitating a toxigenic cyanobacterial bloom in a major Great Lakes tributary
Authors: Matson Paul G. , Boyer Gregory L. , Bridgeman Thomas B. , Bullerjahn George S. , Kane Douglas D. , McKay Robert M. L. , McKindles Katelyn M. , Raymond Heather A. , Snyder Brenda K. , Stumpf Richard P. , Davis Timothy W.
Published: July 2020

The Maumee River is the primary source for nutrients fueling seasonal Microcystis‐dominated blooms in western Lake Erie's open waters though such blooms in the river are infrequent. The river also serves as source water for multiple public water systems and a large food services facility in northwest Ohio. On 20 September 2017, an unprecedented bloom was reported in the Maumee River estuary within the Toledo metropolitan area, which triggered a recreational water advisory. Here we (1) explore physical drivers likely contributing to the bloom's occurrence, and (2) describe the toxin concentration and bacterioplankton taxonomic composition. A historical analysis using 10‐years of seasonal river discharge, water level, and local wind data identified two instances when high‐retention conditions occurred over ≥ 10 d in the Maumee River estuary: in 2016 and during the 2017 bloom. Observation by remote sensing imagery supported the advection of cyanobacterial cells into the estuary from the lake during 2017 and the lack of an estuary bloom in 2016 due to a weak cyanobacterial bloom in the lake. A rapid‐response survey during the 2017 bloom determined levels of the cyanotoxins, specifically microcystins, in excess of recreational contact limits at sites within the lower 20 km of the river while amplicon sequencing found these sites were dominated by Microcystis. These results highlight the need to broaden our understanding of physical drivers of cyanobacterial blooms within the interface between riverine and lacustrine systems, particularly as such blooms are expected to become more prominent in response to a changing climate.
Entropy for semigroup actions on general topological spaces
Authors: Souza Josiney A. , Santana Alexandre J.
Published: July 2020

This paper introduces both notions of topological entropy and invariance entropy for semigroup actions on general topological spaces. We use the concept of admissible family of open coverings to extending and studying the notions of Adler–Konheim–McAndrew topological entropy, Bowen topological entropy, and invariance entropy to the general theory of topological dynamics.
Phenotypic expansion in Zhu‐Tokita‐Takenouchi‐Kim syndrome caused by de novo variants in the SON gene
Authors: Slezak Ryszard , Smigiel Robert , Rydzanicz Malgorzata , Pollak Agnieszka , Kosinska Joanna , Stawinski Piotr , Malgorzata Sasiadek Maria , Ploski Rafal
Published: July 2020

Background

The genetic etiology of intellectual and psychomotor disability without a defined spectrum of dysmorphic features is usually monogenic. As no diagnostic criteria for such diseases are established, the clinical diagnosis becomes to be a challenge. The object of our paper is to present two patients with non‐specific clinical symptoms for whom whole‐exome‐sequencing identified the new SON mutations and thus allowed for establishing the diagnosis of Zhu‐Tokita‐Takenouchi‐Kim (ZTTK) syndrome. In both patients, the same symptoms including hypotonia, developmental and speech delay, feeding difficulties as well as frequent infections of the respiratory tract and internal ear were observed. However, both cases presented also with exceptional symptoms such as in case 1 ventriculomegaly and asymmetry of ventricles, hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), intellectual disability, intestinal malrotation, gastroparesis, and duodenal atresia and in the case 2 febrile seizures and reduced IgA levels. We will be presenting the patients and comparing them to 30 previously described cases.

Methods

Whole‐exome sequencing (WES) was performed on the probands’ DNA and paired‐end sequenced (2x100 bp) on HiSeq 1500. Variants considered as disease‐causing were validated in the proband and studied in all available family members by amplicon deep sequencing performed using Nextera XT Kit and sequenced on HiSeq 1500.

Results

We have identified two new variants in SON gene. In case 1 it has been a heterozygous frameshift variant p.(Ala1340GlnfsTer26), while in case 2 it has been a heterozygous frameshift variant, p.(Asp1640GlyfsTer7). Both variants are described for the first time and up to now, are not mentioned in any database.

Conclusion

As there are no precise criteria established for the clinical diagnosis of ZTTK, an identification of SON gene mutation by whole‐exome‐sequencing is the best method that allows for a diagnosis of this syndrome.
Asymptotic profiles of the endemic equilibrium of a diffusive SIS epidemic system with saturated incidence rate and spontaneous infection
Authors: Zhang Jialiang , Cui Renhao
Published: July 2020

A susceptible‐infected‐susceptible (SIS) epidemic reaction‐diffusion model with saturated incidence rate and spontaneous infection is considered. We establish the existence of endemic equilibrium by using a fixed‐point theorem. The global asymptotic stability of the constant endemic equilibrium is discussed in the case of homogeneous environment. We mainly investigate the effects of diffusion and saturation on asymptotic profiles of the endemic equilibrium. When the saturated incidence rate tends to infinity, the susceptible and infective distributes in the habitat in a nonhomogeneous way; this result is in strong contrast with the case of no spontaneous infection, where the endemic equilibrium tends to the disease free equilibrium. Our analysis shows that the spontaneous infection can enhance the persistence of an infectious disease and may provide some useful implications on disease control.
Evaluating Temperature and Pressure Shock to Create Gynogenetic Cloned Progeny in Southern Flounder
Authors: Silvy Elizabeth H , Sink Todd D
Published: July 2020

To address the needs of the growing aquaculture industry, we evaluated methodologies for creating gynogenetic female clones of Southern Flounder Paralichthys lethostigma. The primary objective was to determine which treatment to stop ejection of the second polar body, pressure or cold shock, would induce diploid genesis in ova that were activated with irradiated sperm and produce more viable offspring in Southern Flounder. The cold-shock and pressure-shock treatments with irradiated milt had similar egg-activation rates and embryonic development rates of 1.3% (SE = 0.9) and 5.8% (SE = 2.7), respectively. However, pressure-shock represents the most practical method for creating gynogenetic clones of the female.
Coupling three‐dimensional peridynamics and high‐order one‐dimensional finite elements based on local elasticity for the linear static analysis of solid beams and thin‐walled reinforced structures
Authors: Pagani A. , Carrera E.
Published: July 2020

Peridynamics is a nonlocal theory which has been successfully applied to solid mechanics and crack propagation problems over the last decade. This methodology, however, may lead to large computational calculations which can soon become intractable for many problems of practical interest. In this context, a technique to couple—in a global/local sense–three‐dimensional peridynamics with one‐dimensional high‐order finite elements based on classical elasticity is proposed. The refined finite elements employed in this work are based on the well‐established Carrera Unified Formulation, which the previous literature has demonstrated to provide structural formulations with unprecedented accuracy and optimized computational efficiency. The coupling is realized by using Lagrange multipliers that guarantee versatility and physical consistency as shown by the numerical results, including the linear static analyses of solid and thin‐walled beams as well as of a reinforced panel of aeronautic interest.
A novel multi‐objective optimization method: Input values effect on responses (IVER)
Authors: Akben Selahaddin Batuhan
Published: July 2020

In this study, a novel multi‐objective optimization method based on the best effect of unique input (independent variable) values on responses (dependent variables) was proposed. The proposed method was compared with optimization using Derringer & Suich function that is still the most used. The comparison was made using the response values measured in real experiments and available in the literature. The advantages of the proposed method such as not needing the polynomial model aiming to predict the response values, no parameter selection problem, being able to offer optimum range instead of single optimum value, being suitable for use with existing experimental designs and being simple and interpretable were demonstrated as a result of comparison. It was also suggested how the proposed method will be effective according to experimental designs, and application for the users' application was presented.
The antecedents of charity trust and its influence on charity supportive behavior
Authors: Wymer Walter , Becker Annika , Boenigk Silke
Published: July 2020

This study develops and tests a model that evaluates eight antecedents of charity trust and its influence on volunteering and donating. Secondary data from a national Australian survey (N = 1,377) was collected and data was analyzed using partial least square path analysis. Key findings include identifying individual and organizational antecedents of charity trust and its influence on charity supportive behavior. Results show that organizational transparency is a very strong antecedent, followed by the individual awareness level of an individual towards the organization. We also examined the effect of gender as a moderating influence but did not find a significant effect. We conclude with managerial implications and areas for future research.
Ubuntu and climate change governance: Moving beyond conceptual conundrum
Authors: Okoliko Dominic A. , David James O.
Published: July 2020

Discussions on the utility of Ubuntu in resolving modern challenges remain inconclusive, as some have argued that ubuntu is out of sync with modern realities. Similarly, lingering political disagreements on human‐induced climate change have continued to negatively affect climate change governance (CCG). The recent philosophical conversation among Matolino, Kwindingwi, Metz and Chimakonam are reminiscent of the first issue. Likewise, sustainable CCG is being undermined by political languages that pose a threat to already overdue global action towards curbing climate change. President Trump's poignant stand toward the issue and the reluctance of some members of the G20 in taking decisive actions are typical. These incidences have direct implication for Africa whose contribution in the CCG debate has hitherto remained minimal. Juxtaposing these two serious issues, this study critically engages the debate on Ubuntu as a viable ethical theory vis‐à‐vis the climate change governance (CCG) challenges. Invigorated by the philosophical “conversation,” this study argues that Ubuntu provides a robust alternative framework to address global common problems such as climate change. It also concedes that the “conversation” on the status of Ubuntu is a necessity for the project of developing an African contribution to practical global issues.
New dosing nomogram and population pharmacokinetic model for young and very young children receiving busulfan for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation conditioning
Authors: Poinsignon Vianney , Faivre Laura , Nguyen Laurent , Neven Benedicte , Broutin Sophie , Moshous Despina , Bourget Philippe , Dufour Christelle , Dalle Jean‐Hugues , Galambrun Claire , Devictor Benedicte , Kemmel Veronique , De Berranger Eva , Gandemer Virginie , Vannier Jean Pierre , Jubert Charlotte , Bondu Sabrina , Mir Olivier , Petain Aurelie , Vassal Gilles , Paci Angelo
Published: July 2020

Background

Busulfan (Bu) is the cornerstone of conditioning regimens prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, widely used in both adults and children for the treatment of malignant and nonmalignant diseases. Despite an intravenous formulation, interindividual variability (IIV) remains high and optimal exposure difficult to achieve, especially in neonates and infants.

Procedure

To ensure both efficacy and safety, we set up in 2005 an observational study designed for children not fully assessed during the drug registration procedure. From a large cohort of 540 patients, we developed a Bu population pharmacokinetic model based on body weight (BW) and maturation concepts to reduce IIV and optimize exposure. A new dosing nomogram was evaluated to better fit the population pharmacokinetic model.

Results

Bu clearance IIV was significantly decreased from 61.3% (covariate‐free model) to 28.6% when combining BW and maturation function. Median Bu area under the curve (AUC) was 1179 µmol/L × min compared to 1025 with the EMA dosing nomogram for children <9 kg. The target AUC was reached for each BW strata, significantly increasing the percentages of patients achieving reaching the targeted AUC as compared to FDA schedule.

Conclusion

This new model made it possible to propose a novel dosing nomogram that better considered children below 16 kg of BW and allowed better initial exposure as compared to existing dosing schedules. This nomogram, which would be easy to use to determine an optimal dosing schedule in daily practice, will need to be validated in clinical routine. Therapeutic drug monitoring remains strongly advisable for small children and those with specific diseases.
Different 18F‐FDG PET parameters for the prediction of histological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in pediatric Ewing sarcoma family of tumors
Authors: El‐Hennawy Gihan , Moustafa Hosna , Omar Walid , Elkinaai Naglaa , Kamel Ahmad , Zaki Iman , Farid Nesma , El‐Kholy Esraa
Published: July 2020

Background

The histological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in pediatric patients with Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) can predict the disease‐free survival. Therefore, a noninvasive method for response assessment is needed. Using the currently established imaging modalities, mass reduction does not always correlate with the percentage of necrosis.

Objective

To determine the potential role of 18fluorine‐labeled fluoro‐2‐deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F‐FDG PET) metabolic parameters in the prediction of poor histological response to NAC in pediatric patients with ESFT.

Methods

Thirty‐six patients who were treated with NAC and surgery at the Children's Cancer Hospital, Egypt, were prospectively included in this study. All patients underwent two studies; a PET/CT study before NAC and another one after NAC completion. Metabolic PET parameters were measured in each study. The ability of each of these parameters, their pretreatment and pre‐local control values, as well as the percentage reduction between their pretreatment and pre‐local control values, were evaluated to differentiate between good and poor responders using the histological response as a standard reference.

Results

Neither the pretreatment value nor the percentage reduction of any of the measured PET parameters predicted poor histological response. After NACcompletion, metabolic tumor volume (MTV) at the threshold of an SUV of 2.5 isocontour (MTV(2.5)post), MTV at the threshold of hepatic reference SUVmean (MTV(HR)post), and total lesion glycolysis at the threshold of hepatic reference SUVmean (TLG(HR)post) predicted poor histological response (P  = 0.006, 0.018, and 0.003, respectively). The cutoff values of 90% reduction of TLG(HR) and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax)post≤2.5 could differentiate between good and poor responders.

Conclusion

FDG PET parameters can predict poor histological response to NAC in ESFT patients. MTV and TLG at the thresholds of an SUV of 2.5 isocontour and hepatic reference SUVmean are the two most promising thresholds in predicting the response of patients. The cutoff value of SUVmaxpost≤2.5 predicts poor histological response.
Where do immigrants move in Germany? The role of international migration in regional disparities in population development
Authors: Heider Bastian , Stroms Peter , Koch Jannik , Siedentop Stefan
Published: July 2020

We examine the impact of foreign migration on regional disparities in population development in Germany by analysing spatial patterns and determinants at the county level for the period of 2007–2017. Counterfactual analyses show that international migration has been the major component of population growth across German regions. However, immigration has mainly been directed towards large cities and highly urbanised areas and has therefore reinforced the existing spatial disparities in population development. Spatial econometric models nonetheless reveal that international migrants are not attracted by agglomeration per se. The location choices of international migrants were mainly driven by existing regional ethnic networks and factors that are related to different personal life stages, such as education or changes in family status. Furthermore, the estimated regional determinants vary strongly across migrant groups from different geographical backgrounds as well as between the external and internal migration of foreigners.
The effect of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) on lipid profiles and glycemic indices in Type 2 diabetic adults: Randomized double blinded trials
Authors: Moradi Arezoo , Tarrahi Moahammad‐Javad , Ghasempour Sara , Shafiepour Mohammadreza , Clark Cain C. T. , Safavi Sayyed‐Morteza
Published: July 2020

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of okra consumption on serum levels of lipid profiles and glycemic indices in Type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients. The present study was a randomized, double‐blinded clinical trial, carried out in Kerman, Iran. Sixty T2D patients were randomized into intervention and control groups and received 10 g okra powder blended in 150 g conventional yogurt or conventional yogurt alone, along with dinner and lunch, for 8 weeks. Glycemic markers and lipid profile were assessed, as well as anthropometric measures, at the beginning and end of study. The findings showed that 8 weeks okra consumption resulted in a significant decrease in fasting plasma glucose (−15.61 ± 19.44 vs. −3.40 ± 24.78; p = .02), homeostatic model of assessment for insulin resistance (−1.17 ± 1.61 vs. −0.14 ± 1.64; p = .01), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (0.01 ± 0.007 vs. 0.00 ± 0.01; p = .004), triacylglycerol (−22.30 ± 32.46 vs. −3.86 ± 30.57; p = .001), total cholesterol (−10.23 ± 10.36 vs. −2.03 ± 13.94; p = .004), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C; −8.15 ± 10.01 vs. −2.31 ± 9.37; p = .02), and LDL‐C/high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) ratio (−0.28 ± 0.37 vs. −0.08 ± 0.24; p = .01). No significant difference was observed between groups in HDL‐C, glycated hemoglobin, fasting insulin levels, and anthropometric measures. The present study suggests that okra consumption can elicit improvements in lipid profile, as well as glycemic markers, among T2D patients.
The future of precision health is data‐driven decision support
Authors: Sperger John , Freeman Nikki L. B. , Jiang Xiaotong , Bang David , de Marchi Daniel , Kosorok Michael R.
Published: July 2020

In the applied sciences, the ultimate goal is not just to acquire knowledge but to turn knowledge into action. The next wave for data disciplines may be experimental designs and analytical methods for closing the gap between the “real‐world” situations faced by decision‐makers and their idealized representations in optimization problems, and the health sciences are poised to be the discipline where these developments substantially improve lives. We discuss three recent trends in research—experimental designs and analytical methods for precision medicine and pragmatic trials; technological developments in sensors, wearables, and smartphones for measuring health data; and methods addressing algorithmic bias and model interpretability—and argue that these seemingly disparate trends point to a future where data‐driven decision support tools are increasingly used to promote wellbeing.
Design and sample size considerations for valuation studies of multi‐attribute utility instruments
Authors: Shams Shahriar , Pullenayegum Eleanor
Published: July 2020

The EQ‐5D, a widely used multiattribute utility instrument, is commonly used in health economic evaluations where the goal is to decide on which treatments to reimburse. Like other instruments, value sets of the EQ‐5D are constructed using valuation studies typically valuing a subset of the health states and using predicted values from a regression model for the unvalued health states. In current practice the prediction errors associated with the value sets are substantial. The goal of this work is 2‐fold. First, derive a formula of the mean squared error (MSE) of a value set assuming that the value set is estimated using a linear mixed model with either an independent or a Gaussian spatial correlation on the model misspecification error. Second, explore the effect of the number of health states directly valued, the number of participants and the correlation structure on the MSE. Keeping the total number of participants and the total number of valuations fixed, valuing all 242 health states of the EQ‐5D‐3L was found to reduce the MSE considerably compared with the common practice of valuing only 42 health states. Furthermore, an independent correlation structure with 3773 participants valuing 42 health states produced the MSE that can be achieved with less than 600 participants valuing all 242 health states under a Gaussian spatial correlation structure. Based on the comparison of the MSE values of some of the well‐known designs our suggestion is to value more health states and to use a model with spatially correlated misspecification errors.
The timing of geographic power
Authors: Joseph Anny‐Claude , Calder Catherine A. , Wheeler David C.
Published: July 2020

In many studies on the spatial risk of disease, investigators use geographic locations at the time of disease diagnosis in spatial models to search for individual areas of elevated risk. However, these studies often fail to find a significant spatial signal. This may be due to the misspecification of the timing and location of pertinent exposures. Environmental exposures related to cancer risk vary over space and time, and many cancers have long latencies. When these factors are considered in conjunction with a mobile population, it is likely that the spatial signal related to relevant historic environmental exposures is obscured. To investigate this hypothesis, we conducted simulation studies to characterize the effect of residential mobility on the ability of generalized additive models to detect areas of significantly elevated historic environmental exposure. We generated data based on the residential histories of participants in the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results non‐Hodgkin lymphoma study, and varied the duration and intensity of the environmental exposure. Results showed that the probability of detection, mean spatial sensitivity, and mean spatial specificity of models decreased steadily as the time since relevant exposure increased. This suggests that for diseases with long latencies, spatial areas of high risk due to high‐intensity exposure of relatively short duration will be difficult to detect over time when using residential locations at the time of diagnosis in mobile study populations.
An improved closed procedure for testing multiple hypotheses
Authors: Lu Zeng‐Hua
Published: July 2020

Clinical trials routinely involve multiple hypothesis testing. The closed testing procedure (CTP) is a fundamental principle in testing multiple hypotheses. This article presents an improved CTP in which intersection hypotheses can be tested at a level greater than such that the control of the familywise error rate at level remains. Consequently, our method uniformly improves the power of discovering false hypotheses over the original CTP. We illustrate that an improvement by our method exists for many commonly used tests. An empirical study on the effectiveness of a glucose‐lowering drug is provided.
Energetic Triazolo‐Triazolo‐Furazano‐Pyrazines: A Promising Fused Tetracycle Building Block with Diversified Functionalities and Properties
Authors: Maan Anjali , Mathpati Ramling S. , Ghule Vikas D.
Published: July 2020

In this study, high energy materials (HEMs) derived from 1,2,4‐triazolo[3,4‐d]‐1,2,4‐triazolo[3,4‐f]furazano[3,4‐b]pyrazine (TTFP) substituted with −NH2, −NHNO2, −ONO2, −NO2, and −N3 explosophoric groups were designed and computationally characterized. Density functional calculations with B3PW91/6‐31G(d,p) method were used to explore the optimized structures, energetic properties, and sensitivity of TTFP derivatives. It is found that the TTFP is an effective molecular backbone for improving the energy content and energetic performance of the designed compounds. The effect of various explosophoric groups on energy content, density, detonation performance, and sensitivity was investigated. The energetic evaluation indicated that TTFP derivatives having −NHNO2 (F4), −ONO2 (F5), and −NO2 (F6) groups demonstrate good detonation performances and exceed the performance of TNT and close to that of RDX. Compounds F4‐F6 displays the best energetic properties (density > 1.85 g/cm3, detonation velocity >8.30 km/s, detonation pressure > 32.0 GPa). Considering the energetic properties, the TTFP backbone can be regarded as an energy‐rich unit, which can be substituted with suitable explosophoric groups for constructing HEMs.
Multifunctional Nickel Sulfide Nanosheet Arrays for Solar‐Intensified Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Zhang Yajing , Wang Yuchao , Jiang Heqing , Huang Minghua
Published: July 2020

Electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen production is currently hindered by the sluggish kinetic of anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). By integrating photothermal materials into electrocatalytic network and thus allowing solar energy to work as additional driving force, the OER is expected to be boosted. However, the rational design of such electrochemical system still remains a challenge due to the spatial inconsistency between photothermal component and electrocatalytic component. Herein, it is reported that multifunctional nickel sulfide (Ni3S2) nanosheet arrays show both photothermal and electrocatalytic properties for solar‐intensified electrocatalytic system, which well eliminates the spatial inconsistency between the aforementioned two types of functional components by using one bifunctional material. The deliberate design of nanoarray architecture formed by the interconnected Ni3S2 nanosheets endows larger surface area and higher surface roughness, thus enhancing light absorption by suppressing diffuse reflection and facilitating electron transfer in electrocatalytic reactions. Therefore, the OER activity is significantly improved. Under light illumination, the current density of Ni3S2 nanosheets could reach 492.2 mA cm−2 at 1.55 V, about 2.5‐fold that in dark conditions, with a Tafel slope of as low as 60 dec−1. The solar‐intensified electrochemical system based on multifunctional material presents prospective potential in electrochemical water splitting for efficient hydrogen production.
Multi‐enzyme Cascade Reactions in Metal‐organic Frameworks
Authors: Liang Jieying , Liang Kang
Published: July 2020

Multi‐enzyme cascade reactions are indispensable in biotechnology and many industrial (bio)chemical processes. However, most natural enzymes have poor stability and reusability, and tend to inactivate in toxic media or high temperature, which significantly limit their broader applications. Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising candidates for enzymes immobilization to produce nanocomposite structures that not only could shield the enzymes from harsh environments, but also facilitate selective diffusion of substrates and intermediates to the reactive site via their tailorable and ordered pore network. Multi‐enzyme cascade reactions in MOFs have recently attracted considerable attention. This Personal Account discusses the different strategies for multi‐enzyme‐MOF interfaces and their cutting‐edge applications from biosensing and catalytic nanomedicine to artificial/hybrid cells. At last, we provide a critical evaluation and future prospects to outline future research directions.
Assessment of genetic diversity and genetic relationships of farm and laboratory quail populations in Japan using microsatellite DNA markers
Authors: Nunome Mitsuo , Yoshioka Rie , Shinkai Takuro , Kino Katsutoshi , Matsuda Yoichi
Published: July 2020

Background

The Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) is an important poultry species owing to their high economic efficiency and biological advantages. The genetic diversity of farm quail populations has rarely been studied.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity of farm quail populations and their genetic relationships, which could provide important information for designing breeding programmes to maintain egg and/or meat production efficiency.

Methods

Molecular phylogenetic and STRUCTURE analyses were conducted for seven farm populations and six laboratory lines using 50 microsatellite markers previously developed by us.

Results

The genetic diversity within each farm population was relatively high despite long‐term breeding within closed colonies. However, the genetic variation between populations was absent. Twenty highly polymorphic markers, selected based on Ne, He and FST values, enabled the construction of reliable phylogenetic trees and STRUCTURE plots.

Conclusions

In the farm populations analysed in the present study, gene flow between genetically distant populations is needed to restore genetic diversity between farm populations, which could exploit heterosis and decrease the risk of inbreeding depression. Our findings demonstrate that these markers are useful for examining the genetic structure of farm quail populations.
Emerging pollutants—Part II: Treatment
Authors: Liu Bo , Zhang Shen‐gen , Chang Chein‐Chi
Published: July 2020

Emerging pollutants (EPs) refer to a class of pollutants, which are emerging in the environment or recently attracted attention. EPs mainly include pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). EPs have potential threats to human health and ecological environment. In recent years, the continuous detections of EPs in surface and ground water have brought huge challenges to water treatment and also made the treatment of EPs become an international research hotspot. This paper summarizes some research results on EPs treatment published in 2019. This paper may be helpful to understand the current situations and development trends of EP treatment technologies.
Groundwater pollution: Occurrence, detection, and remediation of organic and inorganic pollutants
Authors: Kurwadkar Sudarshan , Kanel Sushil R. , Nakarmi Amita
Published: July 2020

Groundwater pollution is a result of natural and anthropogenic activities. While the elevated levels of various inorganic constituents could be attributed to natural processes, such as geological weathering and aquifer characteristics, many times, anthropogenic activities also substantially pollute the groundwater. On the contrary, the occurrence of organic pollutants is primarily due to various anthropogenic activities. Extensive groundwater mining, the hydraulic connection between groundwater and other surface water bodies, and leaking underground buried infrastructure also contribute to groundwater pollution. Water resources are scarce commodities, and preserving groundwater quality is of critical concern. This paper documents instances of groundwater quality impact during the year 2019 due to both natural and anthropogenic activities throughout the world.

Practitioner points

Groundwater pollution problems reported during the year 2019 are reviewed and documented.

Occurrence of organic, inorganic, and microbial pollutants in groundwater is reported.

Remediation technologies for selected inorganic pollutants are reviewed and documented.
Introduction: Menstruation as Lens—Menstruation as Opportunity
Authors: Bobel Chris
Published: July 2020

The field of critical menstruation studies is burgeoning. And so this Handbook arrives just in time to capture a robust and carefully curated view of where we are now and where we might go next. But it is 2020, and menstruation is as old as humanity itself. Why is this the first handbook to bring together this body of knowledge? To state the obvious, menstruation and more broadly, the menstrual cycle are often dismissed and derided. The same goes for menopause, at the further end of the reproductive life span.
Personal Narrative: Caste Is My Period
Authors: Sukumar Deepthi
Published: July 2020

Deepthi Sukumar uses her personal experiences of menstruation as a Dalit woman to bring out the intersectionality of caste and gender in menstrual taboos. She explains the different cultural backgrounds of women in India and the patriarchal design of using menstrual taboos for male supremacy and caste hierarchy. While exploring and analyzing the different patterns of menstrual taboos and their implications, Sukumar shows the gaps in feminist understanding of the intersectionality of caste and patriarchy. She concludes by observing that the discourse on menstrual taboos should become the focal point to build inclusion and understand gender inequality and oppression within the framework of intersectionality.
Menstrual Taboos: Moving Beyond the Curse
Authors: Gottlieb Alma
Published: July 2020

Why do so many communities surround menstruation with taboos? And, are all menstrual taboos created equal? Gottlieb opens this chapter with an anthropological approach to the nature of “taboo” itself. From there, the chapter explores the wide variety of ways that the Hebrew Bible in particular, as well as several other religious traditions, have shaped menstrual taboos (including, but going well beyond, the notion of a “curse”). Such taboos have operated in diverse ways and diverse places, hence this chapter also explores how both individual and whole communities may experience them differently, including offering less negative interpretations. As such, the chapter introduces readers to a striking diversity of menstrual experiences. Moreover, people and communities in both the Global North and the Global South increasingly challenge taboos with creative activism. The chapter concludes with a brief survey of what has become a menstrual movement.
Transnational Engagements: Cultural and Religious Practices Related to Menstruation
Authors: Maharaj Trisha , Winkler Inga T.
Published: July 2020

This transnational engagement brings together participants from various cultural and religious backgrounds in a dialogue about menstrual practices. They are asked to consider their own experiences with these practices and reflect on how the practices have affected them. The discussion makes clear that participants have varying understandings and views of traditional menstrual practices, and that these views often challenge the common depiction of traditional practices as restrictions that are forced upon women.
Introduction: Menstruation as Embodied
Authors: Roberts Tomi-Ann
Published: July 2020

This section begins where the subfield itself began—at the site of the human body. Of course we experience menstruation in the body, which is always already embedded in particular interactional and sociocultural discourses.
Introduction: Menstruation as Fundamental
Authors: Winkler Inga T.
Published: July 2020

Most articles on menstruation start by pointing out that menstruation is a normal biological process. This, of course, is true. But at the same time, menstruation is so much more for many people; in fact, it is fundamental. Menstruation unites the personal and the political, the intimate and the public, and the physiological and the socio-cultural. The chapters in this section demonstrate the importance—and indeed urgency—of considering the lived experiences of all menstruators. These vary widely and are shaped by a range of different factors including religion, culture, political systems, socialization, caste, disability, place of residence, among many others. In many cases, an intersection of factors such as gender and disability, or gender, religion, and caste determine menstrual experiences and the underlying power relations.
Learning About What’s “Down There”: Body Image Below the Belt and Menstrual Education
Authors: Stubbs Margaret L. , Sterling Evelina W.
Published: July 2020

Stubbs and Sterling begin this chapter by discussing pubescent girls’ negative attitudes about their bodies ‘below the belt’ within the context of preparation for menstruation during pubertal education. As menstrual education presents mostly negative expectations for girls, the authors argue that it is a key contributor to girls’ negative attitudes about ‘down there.’ Instead, Stubbs and Sterling offer that menstrual education is a valuable opportunity to provide girls with a more accurate, positive, and embodied view of their genitals to access as they develop a sexual sense of themselves. The authors conclude with suggestions for improving this avenue of learning about ‘down there.’
Living in Uncertain Times: Experiences of Menopause and Reproductive Aging
Authors: Dillaway Heather
Published: July 2020

This chapter explores the everyday experiences of women living in and passing through the stages of perimenopause and menopause, a transition that brings both physical change and identity change. Dillaway approaches this subject by examining the myriad uncertainties that women face during this transition, attributing many of them to confusion around the definitions of perimenopause and menopause; ambiguous signs and symptoms; conflicted feelings about ageing; and reflections on both previous and current motherhood and family experiences. Women think about and navigate these uncertainties in varied ways, Dillaway says, and she concludes that part of the everyday experience of this reproductive- and life-course transition is learning to live in and with uncertainty.
Transnational Engagements: From Debasement, Disability, and Disaster to Dignity—Stories of Menstruation Under Challenging Conditions
Authors: Perianes Milena Bacalja , Roberts Tomi-Ann
Published: July 2020

This exchange, our second transnational engagement, is placed against the backdrop of a global increase in attention to both research and advocacy efforts in the menstrual experience, however cognizant of how some voices and bodies remain silent, invisible, and displaced from global efforts The authors argue that these include the experiences of the most vulnerable, who are physically limited in their ability to manage their menstrual health. To demonstrate, this study looks through the lens of women living under three challenging circumstances—women with disabilities, incarcerated women, and women living in a disaster zone—to explore how they understand, manage, and respond to their menstrual needs. The authors show how the double stigma of the women’s condition or context, with that of their menstruating status, exacerbates their vulnerability, creating further boundaries to their health and well-being.
Introduction: Menstruation as Rationale
Authors: Fahs Breanne
Published: July 2020

Menstruation has been used as an excuse in many contexts. There is much legal and historical precedent linking menstruation to the category woman, and the limited political rights offered to persons therein. This section looks, in part, at the ways that menstruation has been used as a rationale to purposely curtail women’s political rights, access to legal processes, and/or benefits of citizenship. The way that stories of exclusion are built, often through norms of constructing menstruation as disabling and as a liability, constitute the core of this section.
Empowered Bleeders and Cranky Menstruators: Menstrual Positivity and the “Liberated” Era of New Menstrual Product Advertisements
Authors: Przybylo Ela , Fahs Breanne
Published: July 2020

Przybylo and Fahs examine a series of new menstrual product advertisements, arguing that they push consumer capitalist goals of selling menstrual gear with an “empowered” message at the expense of co-opting feminist discourses of body and menstrual positivity. Drawing on feminist menstrual scholarship, they argue that menstrual positivity is thinned and transformed when commodified. They argue that “positivity”—while important to feminist menstrual activism, praxis, and theorizing—is easily co-optable within neoliberal marketing cultures. While the authors acknowledge the importance of affirmative messaging, they nevertheless develop a “menstrual crankiness” that draws on positivity but also holds it critically at bay. Aligned with queer theoretical work on the political import of negative affects, they assert the importance of menstrual crankiness in pushing at sexist, transphobic, ableist, and white discourses around bodies and embodiment, arguing that menstrual crankiness is vital to thinking about the material pains and pleasures of menstrual bleeding.
Transnational Engagement: Designing an Ideal Menstrual Health (MH) Curriculum—Stories from the Field
Authors: Fahs Breanne , Perianes Milena Bacalja
Published: July 2020

This transnational exchange captures the diverse voices of those working in the menstrual health field to provide insight on the current state of menstrual education. The discussions in this chapter suggest that menstrual education has moved far beyond the confines of schools, and as such, beyond the limitations of traditional models of a relatively limited, short-term intervention given only to girls in a traditional educational setting. Instead, those working in the field specify that menstruators are taught about menstrual health and menstrual decision-making outside of school, with emphases on health literacy and education through a human-rights or justice-based learning experience. These pieces explore just some of the current integrated approaches to menstrual health that draw upon new technologies, new modes of education, and new kinds of curriculum and learning.
Introduction: Menstruation as Structural
Authors: Winkler Inga T.
Published: July 2020

To recognize menstruation as structural, we must tune into the very political dimensions that undergird our institutions, laws, policies, budgets, guidelines, taxation, programs, and data collection. Historically, decision-makers have paid limited attention to menstruation—either due to oversight and neglect or due to deliberate exclusion. Yet, the last decade has seen enormous developments; at various levels, menstruation is rising to the level of global awareness. This might be what most distinguishes the current state of the menstrual movement from its past. Menstruation is gaining traction. Against this background, this section offers an overview and early assessment of these developments at various levels including those driven by practitioners, policy-makers, activists, and civil society actors. It seeks to capture these trends and initiatives through a combination of practice-based and research-based chapters that bring together different perspectives, voices, and experiences. This diversity is essential to engage different types of emerging knowledge in this field and to combine practical experience with critical reflection.
Practice Note: Menstrual Hygiene Management—Breaking Taboos and Supporting Policy Change in West and Central Africa
Authors: Aidara Rockaya , Gassama Mbaye Mbarou
Published: July 2020

This chapter shares the policies and practices enacted as a result of a pilot program in menstrual hygiene management undertaken from 2014 to 2018 in West and Central Africa. Aidara and Gassame Mbaye describe a culture of silence and taboo around menstruation. The pilot program, implemented by the UN Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and UN Women, sought to address women’s and girls’ needs, specifically in the WASH sector. In reviewing results from the program, Aidara and Gassama Mbaye show that operational research in and with communities is key to inform public policies. The authors especially focus on the policy dialogue and sensitization efforts undertaken to promote gender equality in the WASH sector.
U.S. Policymaking to Address Menstruation: Advancing an Equity Agenda
Authors: Weiss-Wolf Jennifer
Published: July 2020

Weiss-Wolf explains why the menstrual equity frame—which makes the case for an agenda that advances systemic solutions to address the societal and financial impact of menstruation—is distinct in its direct linkage to core principles of democratic participation, citizen engagement, gender parity, and economic opportunity. She describes a social movement that has coalesced in the United States and details recent policy advocacy in which momentum has been both unusually bipartisan and swift. She also shows how related tools can be leveraged—in particular, law and litigation, coupled with extensive use of traditional and social media. Finally, Weiss-Wolf concludes with a preview of policy proposals ripe for further advocacy.
Personal Narrative: Bloody Precarious Activism in Uganda
Authors: Nyanzi Stella
Published: July 2020

In her essay, Stella Nyanzi describes and analyzes her dissident activism against the president’s unfulfilled promise of providing sanitary pads to schoolgirls in resource-poor communities in Uganda. Named #Pads4GirlsUg, the campaign enabled local and global citizens to contribute toward the distribution of menstrual products and provide critical menstrual health education. Stella Nyanzi powerfully examines the strategies she used for popularizing the campaign, mobilizing citizen participation, and smashing the silence and taboo around menstruation. Above all, she dissects the countertactics employed by the government to discredit and criminalize the campaign. Stella Nyanzi demonstrates that menstruation and women’s bodies are political and politicized—to the extent that her activism and criticism has led to her imprisonment.