bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lymphocyte‐to‐C‐Reactive Protein Ratio as a Novel Marker for Predicting Oncological Outcomes in Patients with Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Takeuchi Masashi , Kawakubo Hirofumi , Hoshino Shota , Matsuda Satoru , Mayanagi Shuhei , Irino Tomoyuki , Fukuda Kazumasa , Nakamura Rieko , Wada Norihito , Kitagawa Yuko
Published: August 2021

Background

Esophageal cancer has a poor prognosis because of its rapid progression and early and extensive lymph node metastasis. Simple, objective indicators for predicting long‐term outcomes are needed to select optimal perioperative treatment and appropriate follow‐up for patients with esophageal cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the lymphocyte‐to‐C‐reactive protein ratio (LCR) and the survival of patients with esophageal cancer, by performing time‐dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The results were compared to those of traditional inflammation‐based markers.

Methods

This study enrolled 495 patients who underwent thoracic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer as the primary treatment between 2000 and 2019 in our department. We investigated the predictability of the LCR for oncological outcomes compared to that of other traditional inflammatory markers.

Results

The 3‐year overall survival (OS) and recurrence‐free survival (RFS) were 72.6% and 57.5%, respectively. Low LCR was significantly associated with higher cancer stage, included depth of invasion (p < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001) and cStage (p < 0.001). The LCR had the highest AUC value (0.675) for predicting OS compared to the other examined inflammatory markers. In multivariate analysis, the LCR (optimal cutoff threshold = 19,000) was identified as a significant predictor of death (hazard ratio, 2.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.61–3.12; p < 0.001) and recurrence (hazard ratio, 1.97; 95%CI, 1.48–2.63; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The LCR is novel indicator for oncological outcomes for patients with esophageal cancer and may assist to facilitate personalized multidisciplinary treatments.
Comparison of the effects between MPL and JAK2V617F on thrombosis and peripheral blood cell counts in patients with essential thrombocythemia: a meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Erpeng , Wang Mingjing , Wang Ziqing , Li Yujin , Wang Xueying , Ming Jing , Xiao Haiyan , Quan Richeng , Liu Weiyi , Hu Xiaomei
Published: August 2021

To assess the effects between MPL and JAK2V617F on the thrombosis risk and peripheral blood cell counts in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET), we identified eligible studies from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Seven studies were ultimately included in this meta-analysis. All studies reported the peripheral blood cell counts of ET patients, and three of them reported the eligible thrombotic events. In comparing the effect of MPL versus JAK2V617F on thrombosis, 1257 ET patients (73 MPL + and 1184 JAK2V617F +) were included. MPL-positive (MPL +) ET patients had a higher risk of thrombosis than JAK2V617F-positive (JAK2V617F +) ET patients [RR = 1.80 (1.08–3.01), P = 0.025]. And 3453 ET patients (138 MPL + and 3315 JAK2V617F +) were included in the comparison of peripheral blood cell counts. Platelet counts of MPL + ET patients were higher than that of JAK2V617F + ET patients [WMD = 81.18 (31.77–130.60), P = 0.001]. MPL + ET patients had lower hemoglobin [WMD =  − 11.66 (− 14.32 to − 9.00), P = 0.000] and white blood cell counts [WMD =  − 1.01 (− 1.47 to − 0.56), P = 0.000] than JAK2V617F + ET patients. These findings indicate that the MPL mutation is a high-risk factor for thrombosis in ET patients, and it may be rational to include MPL mutation in the revised IPSET as a criterion for thrombosis prediction scores. And given the differences in peripheral blood, it is necessary to further study whether MPL + ET patients differ from JAK2V617F + ET patients in bleeding and survival.
Partitioning of Fe2O3 in peridotite partial melting experiments over a range of oxygen fugacities elucidates ferric iron systematics in mid-ocean ridge basalts and ferric iron content of the upper mantle
Authors: Davis Fred A. , Cottrell Elizabeth
Published: August 2021

Basalts and peridotites from mid-ocean ridges record fO2 near the quartz-fayalite-magnetite buffer (QFM), but peridotite partial melting experiments have mostly been performed in graphite capsules (~ QFM-3), precluding evaluation of ferric iron’s behavior during basalt generation. We performed experiments at 1.5 GPa, 1350–1400 °C, and fO2 from about QFM-3 to QFM+3 to investigate the anhydrous partitioning behavior of Fe2O3 between silicate melts and coexisting peridotite mineral phases. We find spinel/melt partitioning of Fe2O3 ($${D}_{\mathrm{Fe}2\mathrm{O}3}^{\mathrm{spl}/\mathrm{melt}}$$

D

Fe
2
O
3

spl
/
melt

) increases as spinel Fe2O3 concentrations increase, independent of increases in fO2, and decreases with temperature, which is consistent with new and previous experiments at 0.1 MPa. We find $${D}_{\mathrm{Fe}2\mathrm{O}3}^{\mathrm{opx}/\mathrm{melt}}$$

D

Fe
2
O
3

opx
/
melt

= 0.63 ± 0.10 and $${D}_{\mathrm{Fe}2\mathrm{O}3}^{\mathrm{cpx}/\mathrm{melt}}$$

D

Fe
2
O
3

cpx
/
melt

= 0.78 ± 0.30. MORB Fe2O3 and Na2O concentrations are consistent with a modeled MORB source with Fe2O3 = 0.48 ± 0.03 wt% (Fe3+/ΣFe = 0.053 ± 0.003) at potential temperatures (TP) from 1320 to 1440 °C. The temperature-dependence of the $${D}_{\mathrm{Fe}2\mathrm{O}3}^{\mathrm{spl}/\mathrm{melt}}$$

D

Fe
2
O
3

spl
/
melt

function alone allows ~ 40% of the variation in MORB compositions. If we allow $${D}_{\mathrm{Fe}2\mathrm{O}3}^{\mathrm{opx}/\mathrm{melt}}$$

D

Fe
2
O
3

opx
/
melt

and $${D}_{\mathrm{Fe}2\mathrm{O}3}^{\mathrm{opx}/\mathrm{melt}}$$

D

Fe
2
O
3

opx
/
melt

to also vary with temperature by tying them to spinel Fe2O3 through intermineral partitioning, then all the MORB data are within error of the model. Our model Fe2O3 concentration for the MORB source would require that the convecting mantle be more oxidized at a given depth than recorded by continental mantle xenoliths. Our result is supported by thermodynamic models of mantle with Fe3+/ΣFe = 0.03 that predict fO2 of ~ QFM-1 near the garnet-spinel transition, which is inconsistent with fO2 of MORB. Our results support previous suggestions that redox melting may occur between 200 and 250 km depth.
SARS-CoV-2-assoziierter Pneumothorax, Pneumomediastinum und Weichteilemphysem. Klinische Implikationen anhand einer Fallserie
Authors: Mykoliuk Iurii , Maier Alfred , Lindenmann Jörg , Smolle-Jüttner Freyja-Maria
Published: August 2021

Dass 2019 neu aufgetretene Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) bewirkt ein breites Spektrum an Symptomen und Verläufen. Pneumothorax, Pneumomediastinum und Weichteilemphysem sind seltene Komplikationen im Rahmen pulmonaler Beteiligung. Sie entstehen auf Basis der schweren, virusbedingten Lungenveränderungen und werden durch das Erfordernis hoher Beatmungsdrücke aggraviert. Pneumothorax und ektope Luft in Mediastinum und Weichteilen sind damit Indikatoren für gravierende Lungenschäden. Gerade deshalb müssen auch kleine bzw. multipel rekurrierende Pneumothoraxe durch Drainage therapiert werden.
Affinoid Dixmier Modules and the Deformed Dixmier-Moeglin Equivalence
Authors: Jones Adam
Published: August 2021

The affinoid enveloping algebra $\widehat {U({\mathscr{L}})}_{K}$

U
(
L
)

̂

K

of a free, finitely generated $\mathbb {Z}_{p}$

ℤ

p

-Lie algebra ${\mathscr{L}}$
L
has proven to be useful within the representation theory of compact p-adic Lie groups, and we aim to further understand its algebraic structure. To this end, we define the notion of a Dixmier module over $\widehat {U({\mathscr{L}})}_{K}$

U
(
L
)

̂

K

, a generalisation of the Verma module, and we prove that when ${\mathscr{L}}$
L
is nilpotent, all primitive ideals of $\widehat {U({\mathscr{L}})}_{K}$

U
(
L
)

̂

K

can be described in terms of annihilator ideals of Dixmier modules. Using this, we take steps towards proving that this algebra satisfies a version of the classical Dixmier-Moeglin equivalence.
Evaluation of timber floor in-plane retrofitting interventions on the seismic response of masonry structures by DEM analysis: a case study
Authors: Gubana Alessandra , Melotto Massimo
Published: August 2021

The seismic response of existing masonry structures is strongly influenced by floor and roof in-plane properties. A strengthening intervention is often needed for traditional timber floors to overcome their low in-plane stiffness and to preserve historical buildings. In this study, the effects of unreinforced and reinforced timber floors on the seismic behaviour of an existing listed masonry building are investigated with dynamic non-linear analyses by means of the Discrete Element Method (DEM). With this approach, the failure processes and collapse sequences of masonry structures can be captured in detail. A previously developed model of the floor cyclic behaviour, based on experimental data, is applied herein to DEM models of the masonry building. Different seismic ground accelerations, different floor types and different floor-to-wall connections are considered. The results highlight the effectiveness of the analysed floor strengthening solution in reducing the out-of-plane displacements of masonry walls. With adequate connections, the reinforced floor is able to transfer the seismic forces to the shear-resistant walls up to the shear-sliding collapse of the structural sidewalls. A comparison with the ideal rigid diaphragm case confirms the good performance of the strengthened floors. The small observed out-of-plane displacements are compatible with the masonry wall capacity, and the reinforced floor hysteretic cycles contribute to dissipate part of the input energy. Moreover, different designs of the connections can also cap the transferred seismic forces to an acceptable level for shear-resistant walls.
Coronary CT angiography derived FFR in patients with left main disease
Authors: Riedl Katharina A. , Jensen Jesper M. , Ko Brian S. , Leipsic Jonathon , Grove Erik L. , Mathiassen Ole N. , Bøtker Hans Erik , Nørgaard Bjarne L.
Published: August 2021

The presence of left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) is associated with an unfavorable clinical outcome. The clinical utility of FFRCTtesting for non-invasive physiological assessment in LMCAD remains largely unknown. In this single center observational study LMCAD patients were retrospectively identified between November 2015 and December 2017. We evaluated the relationship between LMCAD diameter stenosis and downstream FFRCTvalues, and the clinical consequences following FFRCTtesting in patients with LMCAD. The composite endpoint (all-cause death, myocardial infarction, unplanned revascularization) was determined over a median follow-up of 1.1 years. LMCAD was registered in 432 of 3202 (13%) patients having coronary CTA. FFRCTwas prescribed in 213 (49%), while 59 (14%) patients were referred directly to invasive angiography or myocardial perfusion imaging. FFRCTwas performed in 195 (45%) patients. LM stenosis severity was inversely related to downstream FFRCTvalues. In patients with simple LMCAD with stenosis ≥ 50%, > 80% had FFRCT> 0.80 in non-diseased proximal and downstream segments (n = 7). No patients with simple LMCAD and FFRCT > 0.80 (n = 20) suffered an adverse clinical outcome. FFRCTtesting in patients with LMCAD is feasible. LM stenosis severity is inversely related to FFRCTvalue. Patients with LMCAD and FFRCT > 0.80 have favorable clinical outcomes at short-term follow-up. Large-scale studies assessing the clinical utility and safety of deferring invasive catheterization following FFRCTtesting in patients with LMCAD are warranted.
Competition effects in EU external aid supply tenders funded with the Pre-accession and Neighbourhood instruments
Authors: García Lafuente Luis Mario , Mochón Sáez Asunción
Published: August 2021

This paper investigates empirically the competition effects on procurement costs for Europe Aid funded supply tenders in countries benefiting from the EU Pre-accession (IPA) and Neighbourhood (ENI) financial instruments. We use a dataset created and curated by us from supply tender dossiers published by Europe Aid. We determine a reference price for each procured lot based on the contracting authority’s requirement to establish a participation tender guarantee. We estimate controlling for potential endogeneity how the entry of new bidders in the tendering procedure affects procurement cost savings regarding this reference price. Finally, we discuss the expected additional savings in the management of these funds that may be obtained by further promoting competition.
Derivational Complexity and Context-Sensitive Rewriting
Authors: Lucas Salvador
Published: August 2021

Context-sensitive rewriting is a restriction of rewriting where reduction steps are allowed on specific arguments $$\mu (f)\subseteq \{1,\ldots ,k\}$$

μ
(
f
)
⊆
{
1
,
…
,
k
}

of k-ary function symbols f only. Terms which cannot be further rewritten in this way are called $$\mu $$
μ
-normal forms. For left-linear term rewriting systems (TRSs), the so-called normalization via$$\mu $$
μ
-normalization procedure provides a systematic way to obtain normal forms by the stepwise computation and combination of intermediate $$\mu $$
μ
-normal forms. In this paper, we show how to obtain bounds on the derivational complexity of computations using this procedure by using bounds on the derivational complexity of context-sensitive rewriting. Two main applications are envisaged: Normalization via $$\mu $$
μ
-normalization can be used with non-terminating TRSs where the procedure still terminates; on the other hand, it can be used to improve on bounds of derivational complexity of terminating TRSs as it discards many rewritings.
Yesterday’s Work–Home Conflict and Actigraphically Recorded Sleep-Onset Latency as Predictors of Today’s Cognitive Failure
Authors: Kottwitz Maria Undine , Wehrt Wilken , Gerhardt Christin , Augusto Coelho Diana , Schmutz Damian , Elfering Achim
Published: August 2021

Cognitive failures are errors in routine action regulation that increase with higher mental demands. In particular, in occupations where guidance such as teaching or supervision is essential, cognitive failures harm one’s performance and also negatively impact knowledge transfer. The aim of this study is to investigate yesterday’s work–home conflict (WHC) and objectively assessed sleep-onset latency as antecedents of a next-day increase in cognitive failures. Fifty-three teachers were assessed during a working week, in the morning, after work, and in the evening on each working day, as well as on Saturday morning. Sleep-onset latency was assessed with ambulatory actimetry. The multi-level analyses showed both WHC and sleep-onset latency predict cognitive failures the next working day (controlling for cognitive failures from the previous day, sleep quantity, and leisure time rumination until falling asleep). However, there was no association between yesterday’s WHCs and the nightly sleep-onset latency. Thus, nightly sleep-onset latency did not mediate the effects of yesterday’s WHCs on today’s cognitive failures. Our results highlight the importance of sleep and a good work–life balance for daily cognitive functioning. In order to promote the cognitive functioning of employees as well as occupational safety, good working conditions and recovery should both be considered.
Inhibitory Mechanisms in the Processing of Negations: A Neural Reuse Hypothesis
Authors: Beltrán David , Liu Bo , de Vega Manuel
Published: August 2021

Negation is known to have inhibitory consequences for the information under its scope. However, how it produces such effects remains poorly understood. Recently, it has been proposed that negation processing might be implemented at the neural level by the recruitment of inhibitory and cognitive control mechanisms. On this line, this manuscript offers the hypothesis that negation reuses general-domain mechanisms that subserve inhibition in other non-linguistic cognitive functions. The first two sections describe the inhibitory effects of negation on conceptual representations and its embodied effects, as well as the theoretical foundations for the reuse hypothesis. The next section describes the neurophysiological evidence that linguistic negation interacts with response inhibition, along with the suggestion that both functions share inhibitory mechanisms. Finally, the manuscript concludes that the functional relation between negation and inhibition observed at the mechanistic level could be easily integrated with predominant cognitive models of negation processing.
Fundamental solutions and Hadamard states for a scalar field with arbitrary boundary conditions on an asymptotically AdS spacetimes
Authors: Dappiaggi Claudio , Marta Alessio
Published: August 2021

We consider the Klein-Gordon operator on ann-dimensional asymptotically anti-de Sitter spacetime (M,g) together with arbitrary boundary conditions encoded by a self-adjoint pseudodifferential operator on∂Mof order up to 2. Using techniques fromb-calculus and a propagation of singularities theorem, we prove that there exist advanced and retarded fundamental solutions, characterizing in addition their structural and microlocal properties. We apply this result to the problem of constructing Hadamard two-point distributions. These are bi-distributions which are weak bi-solutions of the underlying equations of motion with a prescribed form of their wavefront set and whose anti-symmetric part is proportional to the difference between the advanced and the retarded fundamental solutions. In particular, under a suitable restriction of the class of admissible boundary conditions and setting to zero the mass, we prove their existence extending to the case under scrutiny a deformation argument which is typically used on globally hyperbolic spacetimes with empty boundary.
Unified analysis for variational time discretizations of higher order and higher regularity applied to non-stiff ODEs
Authors: Becher Simon , Matthies Gunar
Published: August 2021

We present a unified analysis for a family of variational time discretization methods, including discontinuous Galerkin methods and continuous Galerkin–Petrov methods, applied to non-stiff initial value problems. Besides the well-definedness of the methods, the global error and superconvergence properties are analyzed under rather weak abstract assumptions which also allow considerations of a wide variety of quadrature formulas. Numerical experiments illustrate and support the theoretical results.
Willingness to report treatment-related symptoms of immunotherapy among patients with non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Martin Mona L. , Chung Helena , Rydén Anna
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Immunotherapy is an evolving therapeutic approach for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study explored factors involved in patients’ perceptions about reporting or not reporting treatment-related symptoms experienced while undergoing immunotherapy.

Methods

Patients receiving immunotherapy for NSCLC were recruited in the USA and Europe. Qualitative interviews were conducted to elicit treatment-related symptoms and explore patients’ reasons and motivations for either reporting or not reporting these to their medical teams. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded for qualitative analysis.

Results

Sixty-six patients were interviewed (mean age: 62 years; 55% male; 91% with stage IV NSCLC). The most frequent symptoms that patients experienced but did not report were gastrointestinal (23% of patients), respiratory (17%), and energy related (12%). The most common reasons for not reporting symptoms included a perception that they were not severe enough, being unsure whether the experiences were side effects, and deciding that the experiences were expected and could be managed without assistance. Fear of having treatment discontinued was also mentioned but was not a prominent reason. The most common reasons for reporting symptoms were to ascertain if these were normal and expected, and to let the medical team know. Patients emphasized the importance of survival over treatment burden when balancing symptoms with treatment benefits.

Conclusion

Patients have a range of reasons for not reporting their treatment-related symptoms when undergoing immunotherapy for NSCLC. Reasons are more strongly related to determination of the severity versus manageability of patients’ experiences of symptoms than they are to the fear of having treatment discontinued.
Quantum-chemical study on the relative stability of sildenafil tautomers
Authors: Oziminski Wojciech Piotr , Wiśniewski Igor
Published: August 2021

The tautomeric equilibrium of sildenafil molecule was theoretically studied using B3LYP and M06-2X density functional theory (DFT) methods in connection with aug-cc-pVDZ correlation consistent basis set. Calculations were performed for gas phase and water solution conditions modelled by polarizable continuum model (PCM). Three tautomeric forms are possible. Two keto forms: A — where the tautomeric proton in more distant from carbonyl group and B — where it is closer, and one enol form denoted, C. Both DFT methods qualitatively give similar tautomer stability order: B > A > C. The B tautomer is dominant in gas phase and water environment, whereas the C tautomer is too high in energy to be present in the tautomeric mixture. Regarding the A tautomer, it is not present in the gas phase but is present in small amounts in water solution. According to B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ, the relative Gibbs-free energies for A and C relative to B are 10.05 kcal/mol and 11.91 kcal/mol for gas phase and 5.49 kcal/mol and 12.49 kcal/mol for water solution. According to M06-2X/aug-cc-pVDZ, the relative Gibbs-free energies for A and C are 9.12 kcal/mol and 10.60 kcal/mol for gas phase and 4.27 kcal/mol and 10.23 kcal/mol for water solution. Therefore, for in vivo conditions, we expect that the B tautomer is dominant, and there may exist small amounts of the A tautomer. The C enol tautomer is not present at all. This picture is very different from the parent tautomeric system: 4-hydroxypyrimidine/4-pyrimidinone where the C enol tautomer is less stable than keto B only by about 1 kcal/mol in the gas phase and the A keto tautomer is the least stable and not present in the tautomeric mixture. In order to understand these differences, we performed additional calculations for a series of parent molecules starting from 4-hydroxypyrimidine/4-pyrimidinone, going through two in-between model molecules and ending at Sildenafil molecule. We found that the most important reasons of C form destabilization are dearomatization of the 6-membered ring caused by the fusion with pyrazole ring, lack of strong intramolecular hydrogen bond in C form of sildenafil and presence of destabilizing steric interaction of oxygen and nitrogen atoms of two 6-memberd rings in this tautomer.
The Golgi-Associated PDZ Domain Protein Gopc/PIST Is Required for Synaptic Targeting of mGluR5
Authors: Klüssendorf Malte , Song Inseon , Schau Lynn , Morellini Fabio , Dityatev Alexander , Koliwer Judith , Kreienkamp Hans-Jürgen
Published: August 2021

In neuronal cells, many membrane receptors interact via their intracellular, C-terminal tails with PSD-95/discs large/ZO-1 (PDZ) domain proteins. Some PDZ proteins act as scaffold proteins. In addition, there are a few PDZ proteins such as Gopc which bind to receptors during intracellular transport. Gopc is localized at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and binds to a variety of receptors, many of which are eventually targeted to postsynaptic sites. We have analyzed the role of Gopc by knockdown in primary cultured neurons and by generating a conditional Gopc knockout (KO) mouse line. In neurons, targeting of neuroligin 1 (Nlgn1) and metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) to the plasma membrane was impaired upon depletion of Gopc, whereas NMDA receptors were not affected. In the hippocampus and cortex of Gopc KO animals, expression levels of Gopc-associated receptors were not altered, while their subcellular localization was disturbed. The targeting of mGlu5 to the postsynaptic density was reduced, coinciding with alterations in mGluR-dependent synaptic plasticity and deficiencies in a contextual fear conditioning paradigm. Our data imply Gopc in the correct subcellular sorting of its associated mGlu5 receptor in vivo.
Fry Survival Rate as a Predictive Marker of Optimal Production of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Valenciennes 1844): A Biostatistical Study in Deroua Fish Farm, Morocco
Authors: Majdoubi Fatima-Zahra , Ouizgane Anouar , Farid Sana , Mossetti Laura , Droussi Mohammed , Guerriero Giulia , Hasnaoui Mustapha
Published: August 2021

Several indicators show that the world population is rapidly increasing with prospects of reaching close to 10 billion people in 2050. Optimal production of fish is a tentative goal to ensure human feeding and resources sustainability. The present study was performed on eggs of the silver carp, collected during the breeding season of consecutive years with different environmental temperature profiles at the Deroua Fisheries Station to evaluate the seasonal and inter-seasonal changes of eggs quality in order to promote a predictive marker for optimal production of silver carp. The viability of the obtained eggs was detected using ANOVA  followed by the Tukey test to analyze fertilization rate, embryos survival rate, and fry survival rate. Data analysis showed no significant difference in the fertilization and survival rate of the embryos during the two breeding seasons, and therefore these can not be used as an adequate criterion to predict the viability of the fry of silver carp. Although the survival rate of the fry did not change during the first season, it changed significantly during the second when there was an increase in the environmental temperature. This factor could be responsible for the disturbance of the females' oogenesis and consequently the degradation of the eggs' quality. The results showed that the fry survival rate could be used as a parameter to predict the yield of silver carp production rather than the success of fertilization and the survival of embryos. This paper discusses the importance and scope of this approach.
Data Protection and Competition Law Enforcement in the Digital Economy: Why a Coherent and Consistent Approach is Necessary
Authors: Wiedemann Klaus
Published: August 2021

This contribution argues that a coherent and consistent interpretation of data protection and competition law is both possible and adequate. To illustrate this need, the ongoing abuse-of-dominance investigation by the French Autorité de la Concurrence against Apple is analysed. Representatives of the online advertising industry lodged a complaint against the introduction of Apple’s “App Tracking Transparency framework”. The latter includes a de facto obstacle to third-party tracking which shuts down advertisers’ access to those precious personal data that can be used for online advertising. With the Apple case in mind and by way of example, this paper argues that the regulation of consent to the processing of personal data under the GDPR serves as a dogmatic link between data protection and competition law, as this legal basis is at the heart of many digital business models. The GDPR provides a normative framework to determine when consent has been “freely given”. This can be a fruitful starting point for a competitive assessment, too, as both legal regimes pursue the objective of protecting consumer autonomy and consumer choice. The paper finishes by finding that its dogmatic approach corresponds to recent developments within competition law legislation and enforcement.
Knowledge, experience and perception regarding molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) among dentists and dental hygienists in Oslo, Norway
Authors: Skaare A. B. , Houlihan C. , Nybø C. J. , Brusevold I. J.
Published: August 2021

Aim

The aim of this study is to gather baseline information on knowledge, perceptions, clinical experience and treatment options regarding MIH among dental care providers in Oslo, Norway, before a larger epidemiological study.

Methods

An electronic questionnaire was distributed to dentists (n = 88) and dental hygienists (n = 47) working in the Public Dental Service (PDS) in Oslo. The questionnaire consisted of five sections related to sociodemographic, clinical experience, perceptions, clinical management and preferences for further training. Descriptive statistics with chi-squared test was used, and level of statistical significance was set to 5%.

Results

Replies were obtained from 74.1% (n = 100) after two reminders. All respondents encountered MIH in their practice. The respondents’ perception of the prevalence of MIH in Oslo varied. The majority felt confident when diagnosing MIH (86%). The clinicians qualified in the last 10 years felt more confident than those who had qualified earlier (p = 0.016). Most were self-confident when treating these patients (68.3%), however, nearly all (88%) agreed that MIH was a clinical problem. The clinician’s treatment of MIH varied. Difficulties achieving adequate local anaesthetic (71.4%) and the child’s behavioural problems (84.1%) were treatment barriers for the dentists. Approximately two thirds (69%) would like further training, in particular on the aetiology (70%), diagnosis (57%) and treatment (77%) of the developmental disorder.

Conclusion

All clinicians were familiar with the diagnosis of MIH and experienced the condition to be a clinical problem. Continuing education on aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of MIH is requested by dental health personnel.
Chlorogenic acid reduces inflammation in murine model of acute pancreatitis
Authors: Tarasiuk Aleksandra , Bulak Kamila , Talar Marcin , Fichna Jakub
Published: August 2021

Background

The pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP) initiation and progression is still unknown, and effective treatment is limited to supportive care. Many phytochemicals have the potential to alleviate AP symptoms and may be a useful and effective supplement to standard AP treatment. The objective of the study was to examine the potential role of chlorogenic acid (CGA), a polyphenol known for anti-inflammatory effect, in the treatment of experimental AP in mice.

Methods

Two intraperitoneal (ip) injections of L-arginine (dosage 400 mg/100 g BW) were given 1 h apart to generate the AP murine model. Mice were separated into two experimental groups after 12 h from the first L-arginine injection: AP mice treated with CGA (oral gavage (po) every 12 h; 20 mg/kg BW) and non-treated AP mice (po vehicle, 5% dimethyl sulfoxide every 12 h). Every 12 h, control mice were given an equivalent volume of vehicle. At 72 h, mice were slaughtered. Histology, as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) and amylase activity assays, were performed on pancreatic tissues.

Results

In murine mouse model of AP po administration of CGA decreased MPO vs. AP (40.40 ± 2.10 U vs. 7.39 ± 0.34; p < 0.001) as well as amylase activity vs. AP (1444 ± 56 mU/mL vs. 3340 ± 144 mU/mL, Fig. 2B; p < 0.001). When comparing CGA mice to AP mice, histological research demonstrated that the severity of AP was reduced following CGA treatment.

Conclusions

The current study found that CGA might have anti-inflammatory effect on L-arginine-induced pancreatitis. Dietary intervention with CGA may be advised as a supportive treatment for AP, according to our findings.

Graphic abstract
Democratic Norms of Earth System Governance
Authors: Baber Walter F. , Bartlett Robert V.
Published: August 2021

Deliberative democracy is well-suited to the challenges of governing in the Anthropocene. But deliberative democratic practices are only suited to these challenges to the extent that five prerequisites – empoweredness, embeddedness, experimentality, equivocality, and equitableness – are successfully institutionalized. Governance must be: created by those it addresses, applicable equally to all, capable of learning from (and adapting to) experience, rationally grounded, and internalized by those who adopt and experience it. This book analyzes these five major normative principles, pairing each with one of the Earth System Governance Project's analytical problems to provide an in-depth discussion of the minimal conditions for environmental governance that can be truly sustainable. It is ideal for scholars and graduate students in global environmental politics, earth system governance, and international environmental policy. This is one of a series of publications associated with the Earth System Governance Project. For more publications, see www.cambridge.org/earth-system-governance.
On the correction of temperatures derived from meteor wind radars due to geomagnetic activity
Authors: Hall C. M. , Johnsen M. G.
Published: August 2021

Radars used to observe meteor trails in the mesosphere deliver information on winds and temperature. Use of these radars is becoming a standard method for determining mesospheric dynamics and temperatures worldwide due to relatively low costs and ease of deployment. However, recent studies have revealed that temperatures may be overestimated in conditions such as high geomagnetic activity. The effect is thought to be most prevalent at high latitude, although this is not yet proven. Here, we demonstrate how temperatures might be corrected for geomagnetic effects; the demonstration is for a particular geographic location (Svalbard, 78°N, 16°E) because it is local geomagnetic disturbances that affects local temperature measurements, therefore requiring co-located instruments. We see that summer temperatures require a correction (reduction) of a few Kelvin, but winter estimates are more accurate.
ASSOCIATIVITY OF THE MORLEY PRODUCT OF INVARIANT MEASURES IN NIP THEORIES
Authors: CONANT GABRIEL , GANNON KYLE
Published: August 2021

In light of a gap found by Krupiński, we give a new proof of associativity for the Morley (or “nonforking”) product of invariant measures in NIP theories.
Are there de jure objections to Mādhvic belief?
Authors: Gupta Akshay
Published: August 2021

Recently, Erik Baldwin and Tyler McNabb have brought Madhva's epistemological framework into active dialogue with Alvin Plantinga's religious epistemology and have argued that individuals within Madhva's tradition cannot make full use of Plantinga's epistemology, according to which, Christian belief resists de jure objections and can also have warrant. While I do not contest this specific claim, I demonstrate that an analysis of Madhva's epistemological framework reveals that this framework has its own resources through which it can resist de jure objections. I address various objections to the rationality of Mādhvic belief and conclude that there are no de jure objections to Mādhvic belief that are independent of de facto objections.
Women in Southern Africa: A Note on the Zimbabwean “Success Story”
Authors: Made Patricia A. , Whande Nyorovai
Published: August 2021

Five years ago, women in Africa moved to the center stage of the continent. The U.N. Decade for Women Conference held in Nairobi brought together women from all over the world to exchange ideas and discuss future strategies. African women turned out for the meeting in force. Women representing governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and grass-roots women's clubs converged on Nairobi to tell their story to other women in the common struggle for equality, justice and peace.
Angola: The Present Opportunity
Authors: Marcum John A.
Published: August 2021

As remote and improbable a venue for a crisis in American foreign policy as Quemoy or the Gulf of Tonkin, Angola (1975) came to assume a Munich-like symbolism in the calculations of Americans who perceived a threat of Soviet expansionism into the third world during the latter years of the Brezhnev era. Smarting from a political/military shutout in Angola that came on the heels of a humiliating American exodus from Saigon, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger pointed to Angola as the “principal” cause of a deterioration in U.S.-Soviet relations. Subsequent policy confrontations over Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Nicaragua and Cambodia reinforced this perception of Angola as the beginning of the end of detente.
Refugees, War and Famine in the Sudan
Authors: Winter Roger P.
Published: August 2021

Sudan today is confronting the possibility of preventable human death on a massive scale. The framework for responding has dramatically deteriorated in the last year. The scope of the disaster is essentially nationwide with 9 to 11 million people in jeopardy of starvation. About half of the at-risk population is war-related, and half drought-related— but the two forces are interacting to produce the level of vulnerability. This contrasts somewhat with the at-risk population in 1988, which was made up primarily of war affected southerners, of whom a quarter-of-a-million died.
Report of a Visit to Rwanda: September 1-22, 1994
Authors: Mujawamariya Monique
Published: August 2021

It is 35-40 kilometers from the Burundi border to the town of Butare. Over the entire route, I saw only four people, two on the road and two at a riverbank, about to do their washing. [This, in what was formerly one of the most densely populated areas of the country.] In the fields were unharvested beans and sorghum; banana groves had not been maintained; the coffee trees in flower had not received mulch; the harvest will be mediocre. The paths to each homestead were overrun by weeds. The destroyed homes of Tutsi or other “nuisances” [Hutu opponents to the former regime or those who protected Tutsi] appeared as gaping sores in the countryside.
The Antiapartheid Struggle did It/Could it Challenge Racism in the U.S.?
Authors: Rubin Rachel
Published: August 2021

Between the 1970s and 1990s, many whites, including myself, embraced antiapartheid work, partly because we were outraged at the horror of South Africa but also because it gave us a way to fight racism and do antiracism work here in the United States. I had always seen and disapproved of racism and from a very young age felt a need to fight against it. The anti-apartheid struggle gave me a solid way to do that. In the mid 70’s when I was in college, the campus that I was on was so segregated and the institutional policies so paternalistic and racist that there were very few forums for blacks and whites to work together. The first fully-fledge antiapartheid group at my university, which I joined on its inception, was established by an African-American who was a visiting artist on campus.
South Africa to the Future: Challenges of African Politics
Authors: Ba’Nikongo Nikongo
Published: August 2021

Contemporary Africa has little to be proud of. Between starvation, political corruption and economic inefficiency on the one hand and political unrest, political delegitimation and increasing refugization of widespread populations on the other, it is little wonder that many are writing off Africa. Some writers have stated emphatically that Africa is “Falling Off the Map.” African problems are many; African solutions seem to be few and far between. In a world where power is being redefined, where the New World Order presents new realities of geopolitic, it is no longer sufficient for Third World nations to play one super-power off against another. Africa is lost.
African Women in the Age of Transformation: Voices from the Continent
Authors: Okeke Philomina E.
Published: August 2021

I agreed to undertake the task of editing this volume, regarding such an opportunity as one more point of entry into a larger academic discourse that must be forced to rethink the content and direction of its discourse. In a recent publication, I stressed the need to restructure existing relations among African and Africanist female scholars in order to give voice to the conditions of African women’s lives as articulated by the former. I drew attention to the diminishing presence of indigenous female voices, especially those in the continent, in shaping the study of African women and feminist scholarship at large. Admittedly, the African case is, in part, a product of the social, economic and political trends which have already weakened both academic networks and infrastructures, distancing us from the very human situations and institutional ties which must define and mediate our research.
The New Geostrategic Situation in Central Africa
Authors: Reyntjens Filip
Published: August 2021

The war that brought Laurent-Désiré Kabila and the AFDL (Alliance of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo/Zaire) into power in Kinshasa must be placed in the broader context of three conflicts—that of the Great Lakes, of course, which is the most immediately obvious, but also those of Sudan and Angola. The proximity of these unstable locations and the game of alliances (every actor uses the “my enemy’s enemy is my friend” logic) brought these conflicts together, creating a potential war zone from Asmara to Luanda. Zaire is the connection among these three wars: Mobutu’s government supported Khartoum’s regime against the South Sudanese guerrillas, in particular the SPLA, who are supported in turn by Asmara, Addis Ababa, and Kampala. Zaire’s territory served as a rear base for attacks by the diverse armed movements against Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.
The Political Economy of Nigeria’s Local Government Elections of December 1998
Authors: Amuwo ’Kunle
Published: August 2021

To all appearances, the transition program of General Abdusalam Abubakar has, from the beginning, been torn between two contradictory policy and strategic choices. The first is whether to appease the prodemocracy and human rights groups by accepting the convocation of a sovereign national conference, with all this entails, including a postponement of the disengagement date. The second is whether to ignore these groups, and organize a rapid, short, and sharp transition program, even if fundamental issues, such as the “National Question,” and restructuring the federation and the military, are sidetracked. By choosing the latter, the Abubakar junta demonstrated first that it would undertake the transition mainly on its own terms and with its own ideas.
Generics in society
Authors: Gelman Susan A.
Published: August 2021

This article examines two interrelated issues: (i) how considering generics within their social contexts of use contributes to theories of generics, and (ii) how contemporary work on generics provides promising directions for the study of language as an aspect of social life. Examining the function of generics in meaningful interactions stands in contrast to standard treatments, which consider generics as isolated, context-free propositions. Additionally, recent psychological approaches suggest new questions that can enrich sociolinguistic and linguistic anthropological research. These include, for example, when and why generics serve not just negative functions (such as stereotyping) but also positive functions (such as meaning-making), how generics gain their power from what is unstated as opposed to stated, and how generic language distorts academic writing. Ultimately, the study of language in society has the potential to enrich the study of generics beyond what has been learned from their study in linguistics, philosophy, and psychology. (Generics, concepts, categories, stereotyping, induction)*
Generic reference and social ontology in Vietnamese conversation
Authors: Sidnell Jack
Published: August 2021

Generic expressions play a key role in the interactional articulation, social circulation, and temporal reproduction of ideology. Here I examine fragments from a conversation between four middle-class participants which took place at a café in Hanoi. After briefly describing the particular grammatico-textual patterns by which specific and generic references are accomplished in Vietnamese, I turn to consider two extended stretches of talk in which these people weave generic reference into the warp and weft of their interaction. I argue that generic reference is intimately tied to social ontology which consists, in part, of ideas about distinct and essentialized ‘kinds of persons’. Deployed in what appears, on the surface at least, as ordinary, mundane conversation, not only does such generic reference serve to position those referred to as ‘ontological other’ (Wynter 1987), it also constitutes an ‘act of alterity’ (Hastings & Manning 2004) by which the participants tacitly characterize themselves. (Reference, Vietnamese, social ontology, alterity, stereotype, essentialism)*
Impact of educational programs on nurses’ knowledge and attitude toward pediatric palliative care
Authors: Abuhammad Sawsan , Almasri Ruaa
Published: August 2021

Objective

This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude of nurses toward pediatric palliative care (PPC) and examine the impact of an educational program on pediatric nurses’ knowledge and attitude regarding PPC for children facing life-threatening illnesses or chronic diseases in Jordan.

Method

A quasi-experimental design was used. Exactly 120 pediatric nurses participated in the study, of which 60 were in the intervention group and 60 in the control group.

Results

The results of the study showed that nurses had a low score in knowledge and attitude toward PPC. The mean knowledge score of PPC for the control group is 6.88 (SD = 2.26), while that of the intervention group was 7.92 (SD = 1.99; p = 0.052). The mean attitude for PPC score for the control group was 95.88 (SD = 7.90), while that of the intervention group was 100 (SD = 10.95; p = 0.009). Also, the educational intervention had a significant positive effect on the knowledge and attitude toward PPC among nurses.

Significance of the results

Based on the result of this study, the authors found strong evidence of the effectiveness of the PPC educational program when it came to improving the nurses’ knowledge and attitude toward PPC services and offer us an effective educational program.
Mutual reinforcement of academic reputation and fossil fuel divestment
Authors: Mikkelson Gregory M. , Avidan Miron , Conevska Aleksandra , Etzion Dror
Published: August 2021

Non-technical summary

By the end of 2020, 190 universities and colleges worldwide had publicly committed to divest partially or fully from fossil fuel holdings, to help mitigate global heating. We find a statistical correlation between the status of universities in the world rankings and decisions to divest endowments from fossil fuel. Further analysis suggests causation in both directions. Not only do the best divest, but divestors get better.

Technical summary

Previous studies have explored connections between environmental responsibility and the financial performance of business firms. Here, we explore connections between a particular form of environmental responsibility, divestment from fossil fuel, and the reputational status of a different form of organization, universities. We find a strong and robust link between world university rankings and commitments to divest endowments from the fossil fuel industry, with higher-ranked universities divesting at higher rates compared to lower-ranked universities. Rates of divestment also differ significantly between countries, and according to the political orientations of provinces and states. We do not find evidence for links between divestment treated as a binary variable and a university's number of students, size of endowment, or type of endowment. We use time lags to test whether the rank-divestment correlation may arise due to effects of rank on divestment and/or vice versa. These tests indicate influence in both directions. In light of these results, we predict universities that have not yet divested will face mounting peer pressure to do so.

Social media summary

Higher-ranked universities divest more frequently, and divesting universities improve more in the rankings.