bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expectations with Endogenous Information Acquisition: An Experimental Investigation
Authors: Fuster Andreas , Perez-Truglia Ricardo , Wiederholt Mirko , Zafar Basit
Published: October 2020

We use a survey experiment to generate direct evidence on how people acquire and process information. Participants can buy different information signals that could help them forecast future national home prices. We elicit their valuations and exogenously vary the cost of information. Participants put substantial value on their preferred signal and, when acquired, incorporate the signal in their beliefs. However, they disagree on which signal to buy. As a result, making information cheaper does not decrease the cross-sectional dispersion of expectations. We provide a model with costly acquisition and processing of information, which can match most of our empirical results.
An Econometric Model of International Growth Dynamics for Long-Horizon Forecasting
Authors: Müller Ulrich K. , Stock James H. , Watson Mark W.
Published: October 2020

We develop a Bayesian latent factor model of the joint long-run evolution of GDP per capita for 113 countries over the 118 years from 1900 to 2017. We find considerable heterogeneity in rates of convergence, including rates for some countries that are so slow that they might not converge (or diverge) in century-long samples, and a sparse correlation pattern (“convergence clubs”) between countries. The joint Bayesian structure allows us to compute a joint predictive distribution for the output paths of these countries over the next 100 years. This predictive distribution can be used for simulations requiring projections into the deep future, such as estimating the costs of climate change. The model's pooling of information across countries results in tighter prediction intervals than are achieved using univariate information sets. Still, even using more than a century of data on many countries, the 100-year growth paths exhibit very wide uncertainty.
Occurrence of plant-parasitic nematodes on enset (Ensete ventricosum) in Ethiopia with focus on Pratylenchus goodeyi as a key species of the crop
Authors: Kidane Selamawit A. , Meressa Beira H. , Haukeland Solveig , Hvoslef-Eide Trine , Magnusson Christer , Couvreur Marjolein , Bert Wim , Coyne Danny L.
Published: October 2020

Enset (Ensete ventricosum) is an important starch staple crop, cultivated primarily in south and southwestern Ethiopia. Enset is the main crop of a sustainable indigenous African system that ensures food security in a country that is food deficient. Related to the banana family, enset is similarly affected by plant-parasitic nematodes. Plant-parasitic nematodes impose a huge constraint on agriculture. The distribution, population density and incidence of plant-parasitic nematodes of enset was determined during August 2018. A total of 308 fields were sampled from major enset-growing zones of Ethiopia. Eleven plant-parasitic nematode taxa were identified, with Pratylenchus (lesion nematode) being the most prominent genus present with a prominence value of 1460. It was present in each sample, with a highest mean population density per growing zone of 16 050 (10 g root)−1, although densities as high as 25 000 were observed in fields at higher altitudes in Guraghe (2200-3000 m a.s.l.). This lesion nematode is found in abundance in the cooler mountainous regions. Visible damage on the roots and corms was manifested as dark purple lesions. Using a combination of morphometric and molecular data, all populations were identified as P. goodeyi and similar to populations from Kenya, Uganda and Spain (Tenerife). Differences in population densities amongst cultivars indicate possible resistance of enset to P. goodeyi.
Internment or Assigned Residence of Palestinian Protected Persons without Trial or Charge: Victims of War Crimes
Authors: al-Zoughbi Basheer
Published: October 2020

This article examines internment or assigned residence of protected persons without trial or charge under the laws and customs of war. It then explores Israel’s (as the Occupying Power) resort to such measures and the role of its judiciary. It further considers the grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention (war crime) of deportation of scores of Palestinian persons to prisons and detention centres outside the frontiers of their occupied territory. Simultaneously, it considers how the violations of the rules and procedures on internment or assigned residence have amounted to four grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention (war crimes). These are: inhuman treatment, wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, unlawful confinement and wilfully depriving a protected person of the right to fair and lawful trial.
Substantivization of adjectives
Authors: Höfler Stefan
Published: October 2020

The process of deriving substantives from adjectives in the classical Indo-European languages can be accomplished in two fundamentally different ways. The first possibility is a derivational one, i.e. the adjective is substantivized by a word-formation process that typically consists of an overt morphological or morphonological operation such as suffixation, accent shift, introduction of new ablaut grades, or a combination thereof. The second process, on the other hand, is a gradual one: an adjective can be substantivized through the ellipsis of a head noun that this adjective was originally paired with. In this paper, I intend to outline the differences and similarities between these two mechanisms and discuss their role in the interpretation of Proto-Indo-European stems in *-(e-)h2-.
The XyloPhone: toward democratizing access to high-quality macroscopic imaging for wood and other substrates
Authors: Wiedenhoeft Alex C.
Published: October 2020

One rate-limiting factor in the fight against illegal logging is the lack of powerful, affordable, scalable wood identification tools for field screening. Computer vision wood identification using smartphones fitted with customized imaging peripherals offers a potential solution, but to date, such peripherals suffer from one or more weaknesses: low image quality, lack of lighting control, uncontrolled magnification, unknown distortion, and spherical aberration, and/or no access to or publication of the system design. To address cost, optical concerns, and open access to designs and parameters, I present the XyloPhone, a 3D printed research quality macroscopic imaging attachment adaptable to virtually any smartphone. It provides a fixed focal distance, exclusion of ambient light, selection of visible light or UV illumination, uses the lens from a commercially available loupe, is powered by a rechargeable external battery, is fully open-sourced, at a price point of less than USD 110 is a highly affordable tool for the laboratory or the field, and can serve as the foundational hardware for a scalable field-deployable computer vision wood identification system.
New materials of trichocerid and ptychopterid dipterans from the earliest Late Jurassic of Jiyuan Basin, China

Authors: LIU YU-MING , HUANG DI-YING
Published: October 2020

Trichoceridae, species of which are commonly known as winter crane flies, is a rather small family that includes 79 fossil species and ca. 160 extant ones (Krzemińska et al., 2009; Dong et al., 2014). Among them, 10 species have been described from the Middle-Upper Jurassic Haifanggou Formation at Daohugou, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, North China (Zhang, 2006; Krzemińska et al., 2009; Liu et al., 2012; Dong et al., 2014). The subgenus Archaeotrichocera of Eotrichocera contains seven species, described mainly from the Middle–Late Jurassic Daohugou biota of China (Zhang, 2006; Krzemińska et al., 2009; Dong et al., 2014) with one species found from the Early Cretaceous of Kempendyay in Yakutia, Russia (Krzemińska et al., 2009).
The oldest record of window fly supports a Gondwanan origin of the family (Diptera: Scenopinidae)

Authors: JOUAULT CORENTIN , NEL ANDRÉ
Published: October 2020

Palaeobiogeographic hypotheses need to be based on accurate palaeomaps and phylogenies of the concerned clades with a fossil record as complete as possible. Here we re-analyse the palaeobiogeography of the small fly family Scenopinidae, based on its first record in the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber that we describe herein as Burmaprorates alagracilis gen. et sp. nov. and we assign to the subfamily Proratinae. At that time, the corresponding palaeobiota was an isolated island in the Southern part of the Tethys Ocean far away from the Laurasian plate and with general wind circulation unfavorable for aerial transport from Laurasia to the “Burmese Terrane”. Our results challenge and question the hypothesis of a North-Central American origin for the Scenopinidae at the beginning of the Cretaceous, and support a new hypothesis of a South Gondwanan origin.
New psychodid flies from the Upper Cretaceous Yantardakh amber and Eocene Sakhalin amber (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae)

Authors: AZAR DANY , MAKSOUD SIBELLE
Published: October 2020

Four new psychodid flies, Yantarpsychodus szadziewskii gen. et sp. nov., Sakhalinopsychoda krzeminskii gen. et sp. nov., Sakhalinopericoma russiaensis gen. et sp. nov., and Tonnoira sakhalinensis sp. nov. are characterised, illustrated and described from the Late Cretaceous Santonian Yantardakh amber and the Paleogene mid-Eocene Sakhalin amber. These newly described taxa are the first studied representatives of the Psychodidae from Yantardakh and Sakhalin fossil resins.
Where Are the Most Extraordinary Lightning Megaflashes in the Americas?
Authors: Peterson Michael
Published: October 2020

The Geostationary Lightning Mappers (GLMs) on NOAA’s current Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) map the lateral development of lightning flashes across the Western Hemisphere up to 54° latitude. As staring instruments that continuously observe the Americas (GOES-16) and the Pacific Ocean (GOES-17), the GLMs resolve the spatial extent of even the rarest and most exceptional lightning flashes. GOES-16 GLM observations that include the Americas’ hotspots for the largest and longest-lasting lightning “megaflashes” are used to document where and when mesoscale lightning occurs that exceeds the largest (321 km) and longest-lasting (7.74 s) flashes that have been measured by ground-based instruments. The most exceptional GLM megaflashes in terms of extent (709 km) and duration (16.730 s) were recently recognized as global lightning extremes by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These world record cases beat the next-largest flash by 36 km and the next-longest-lasting flash by 1.5 s. The top GLM megaflashes between 1 January 2018 and 15 January 2020 that exceed the previous LMA records are concentrated in the central United States (most frequently along the Oklahoma–Arkansas border) and southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul) and Uruguay. The top North American megaflashes are most common from April through June and occur on between 4 and 14 nights per month. The top South American megaflashes are most frequent between October and January and likewise have a nocturnal preference following the diurnal cycle of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). Potential future field programs that aim to observe extreme megaflashes should focus on these regions and seasons.
A Triple-Moment Representation of Ice in the Predicted Particle Properties (P3) Microphysics Scheme
Authors: Milbrandt Jason A. , Morrison Hugh , Dawson II Daniel T. , Paukert Marco
Published: October 2020

In the original Predicted Particle Properties (P3) bulk microphysics scheme, all ice-phase hydrometeors are represented by one or more “free” ice categories, where the physical properties evolve smoothly through changes to the four prognostic variables (per category), and with a two-moment representation of the particle size distribution. As such, the spectral dispersion cannot evolve independently, which thus results in limitations in representation of ice—in particular, hail—due to necessary constraints in the scheme to prevent excessive gravitational size sorting. To overcome this, P3 has been modified to include a three-moment representation of the size distribution of each ice category through the addition of a fifth prognostic variable, the sixth moment of the size distribution. The details of the three-moment ice parameterization in P3 are provided. The behavior of the modified scheme, with the single-ice-category configuration, is illustrated through simulations in a simple 1D kinematic model framework as well as with near large-eddy-resolving (250-m grid spacing) 3D simulations of a hail-producing supercell. It is shown that the three-moment ice configuration controls size sorting in a physically based way and leads to an improved capacity to simulate large, heavily rimed ice (hail), including mean and maximum sizes and reflectivity, and thus an overall improvement in the representation of ice-phase particles in the P3 scheme.
Do Better Operative Reports Equal Better Surgery? A Comparative Evaluation of Compliance With Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery
Authors: Reeves Matthew E. , Mudgway Ross , Lee Sarah K. , Kadakia Nikita , Santos Chelsea , Malek Kirollos , Solomon Naveenraj L. , Lum Sharon S.
Published: October 2020

To improve the quality of cancer operations, the American College of Surgeons published Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, which has been incorporated into Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation requirements. We sought to determine if compliance with operative standards was associated with technical surgical outcomes. Oncologic operative reports from 2017 at a CoC and non-CoC institution were examined for documentation of Operative Standards essential steps. Lymph node (LN) yield for lung and colon cases and re-excision rates for breast cases were recorded. Correct documentation was poor for colon, breast, and lung cases with numerous elements documented in <10% of operative reports at both centers. For lung cases, there was no significant difference in meeting ≥10 LN benchmark or average LN yield between the 2 institutions. For colon cases, average lymph node yield was lower in the non-CoC facility, but there was no significant difference in meeting ≥12 LN benchmark. For breast cases, re-excision rates were similar in both programs. Many essential steps in Operative Standards were poorly documented in operative reports, regardless of CoC status. Achieving benchmark technical surgical outcomes was not associated with documented compliance with these standards. Whether improved documentation leads to better surgical outcomes requires further investigation.
Prevalence of Hearing Loss, and Middle Ear Disease in 1351 School Age Children in Mekelle, Ethiopia
Authors: Birhanu Betelhem , Shimeles Abel , Gebremeskel Filmawit , Cager Gabrielle , Redleaf Miriam
Published: October 2020

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to begin to measure the prevalence of elevated hearing thresholds in Ethiopia, with audiometric equipment, including bone oscillators and tympanometers. To that end Ethiopian nationals were trained in audiometric techniques to obtain sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and conductive hearing loss (CHL) rates in school age children.

Methods:

Five mainstreamed public grade schools in northern Ethiopia were the sites for audiometry campaigns examining 1351 children and testing them with behavioral audiometry.

Results:

Seven percent of students had SNHL > 20 dB in at least 1 frequency in at least 1 ear, and 0.6% of ears had SNHL > 50 dB. Eighteen percent8% of students had CHL > 20 dB in 1 or both ears. The frequency with the highest incidence of elevated pure tone thresholds was at 8000 Hz. Seven percent of students had an air bone gap at 2000 and/or 4000 Hz of at least 15 dB. Air bone gap is not obtained at 8000 Hz. There were 22 perforated tympanic membranes in 17 children (0.8% of tympanic membranes, 1% of students).

Conclusion:

This study gives a baseline for the prevalence of hearing loss in school age children in mainstreamed northern Ethiopian schools. It is the first of its kind and perhaps can help in estimated hearing health needs there.

Level of Evidence:

2
‘A presumption of trust’ in international society
Authors: Wheeler Nicholas J
Published: October 2020

This article reflects on Nicholas J. Rengger’s 1997 article in International Affairs on ‘The ethics of trust in world politics’. The article has received comparably little attention, which is a shame because as I explore in my contribution it remains two decades on a highly important intervention in the on-going debate over the possibilities for developing and sustaining trust in an anarchic international system. Rengger argued that international cooperation, and the idea of international society it rests on, cannot be sustained in the absence of what he called ‘a presumption of trust’. However, he viewed this presumption in late modernity as an increasingly fragile one, and whilst he offered some ways to shore up the crumbling foundation of trust, his moral skepticism as to the possibilities of realising this run through his thinking. Rengger’s concern was that as the practices that ‘ground’ trust erode, cooperation will come to depend solely on rational egoist, interest-based calculations, and that such a basis is unstable and prone to breakdown. The problem that Rengger identified of how to ground authoritative practices of trust in international society remains an urgent one at a time when great power relations are characterised by increasing distrust. Having engaged with some of his key arguments in the article, I end by briefly identifying three problems that his essay would have benefited from considering further. These are (1) the relationship between trust and trustworthiness; (2) the neglect of security community theory; and (3) the potential of ‘godparenting’ (a concept Rengger borrows and develops from the moral philosopher Annette Baier) in international relations.
Human Territoriality in P2P Accommodation: An Examination of Guest Experience
Authors: Wang Yuan , Li Xiang (Robert)
Published: October 2020

Peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation concerns economic transactions that involve people’s private territory. To provide a fresh perspective on P2P accommodation, this article emphasizes the territorial complexity in such accommodation and proposes to understand guest experience through the lens of human territoriality. Following an interpretative phenomenological approach, this article examined the lived experiences of Airbnb guests. Results suggest that P2P accommodation guests could possess two territorial senses simultaneously: a sense of being in their own territory and of being in others’ territory. Themes related to hosts’ territorial behaviors and guests’ reactions to host territoriality were also identified. Findings of this article highlight the relevance of human territoriality in P2P accommodation and provide novel insights for guest experience research.
NEEDED: Grassroots Leaders to Lead Systems Change Efforts that Reduce Infant Mortality
Authors: Marquam Nathan , Irby Ashley , Swigonski Nancy , Casavan Kara , Turman Jack
Published: October 2020

The death of an infant devastates a mother, family and community. The United States has one of the highest infant mortality rates among the world’s high income nations. Infant mortality is a key indicator of a population’s health and societal well-being, yet interventions aimed at improving societal well-being are rarely a priority when devising infant mortality reduction strategies. Historically, grassroots movements have been critical in advancing social change to improve women’s health and empowerment in marginalized communities. Understanding strategic and infrastructure elements of these grassroots movements is a critical first step to efficiently growing USA grassroots movements to address social systems associated with poor birth outcomes. We provide an analysis of the diverse array of grassroots structures and strategies utilized to improve maternal and child health outcomes. It is time for grassroots movements to form and be recognized as vital players in efforts to sustainably reduce infant mortality in the United States. It is essential to foster grassroots leaders and movements that improve long standing social structures that contribute to poor birth outcomes. The personal and community knowledge of these leaders and community members are desperately needed to save women and infants in our nation.
E-justice evaluation factors: The case of Smart Court of China
Authors: Yu Jia , Xia Jun
Published: October 2020

As information and communication technologies (ICT) continue to impact and shape modern society, and e-justice has gained momentum in recent years. China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) set up a trial management information system that connects all courts in China. Designed to be online, transparent, and intelligent, China’s Smart Court development began in 2016. In practice, SPC promoted modernization of the trial systems to improve the flow of information between courts throughout China. However, significant investments in ICT e-justice services have caused some to question whether these investments have achieved the expected ends. Thus, how to evaluate e-justice services becomes an urgent theoretical and policy issue in the process of e-justice construction in China. E-justice value is not clearly defined in theory in China, nor is easy to measure in practice. Because of the sensitive and complex nature of such evaluation, little research has been conducted in this regard. The objective of this paper is to fill this gap. Relevant literature is reviewed before the article moves on to describe various approaches withe regard to e-government and e-justice evaluation, as well as the characteristics of China’s Smart Court. Evaluation factors and constructs are found based on the Chinese circumstances. This study contributes to the development of a holistic evaluation framework for e-justice system. It also adds the Chinese case to the existing literature. Evaluation factors found in this article can also serve as a foundation for future development and study of e-justice services.
Expanding Access to COVID-19 Tests through US Postal Service Facilities
Authors: Singh Bismark , Risanger Simon , Morton David , Pignone Michael , Meyers Lauren Ancel
Published: October 2020

Widespread, convenient access to COVID-19 testing has been challenging in the United States. We make a case for provisioning COVID-19 tests through the United States Postal Service (USPS) facilities and demonstrate a simple method for selecting locations to improve access. We provide quantitative evidence that even a subset of USPS facilities could provide broad access, particularly in remote and at-risk communities with limited access to health care. Based on daily travel surveys, census data, locations of USPS facilities, and an established care-seeking model, we estimate that more than 94% of the US population would be willing to travel to an existing USPS facility if warranted. For half of the US population, this would require traveling less than 2.5 miles from home; for 90%, the distance would be less than 7 miles. In Georgia, Illinois, and Minnesota, we estimate that testing at USPS facilities would provide access to an additional 4.1, 3.1, and 1.3 million people and reduce the median travel distance by 3.0, 0.8, and 1.2 miles, respectively, compared with existing testing sites per 28 July 2020. We also discuss the option of distributing test-at-home kits via USPS instead of private carriers. Finally, our proposal provides USPS an opportunity to increase revenues and expand its mission, thus improving its future prospects and relevance.
Impact of smoking on psoriasis risk and treatment efficacy: a meta-analysis
Authors: Zhou Hang , Wu Ruifang , Kong Yi , Zhao Ming , Su Yuwen
Published: October 2020

Objective

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease with skin and joint manifestations. Smoking is considered an unfavorable lifestyle factor for psoriasis. We aimed to explore the association between smoking, disease risk, and treatment efficacy in relation to psoriasis.

Methods

We searched the Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed databases for studies examining the relationship between smoking and psoriasis, up to 12 April 2020. We then conducted a meta-analysis using a fixed-effects model to obtain odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Ever, current, and former smokers all had higher risks of developing psoriasis than non-smokers (pooled ORs (95% CIs): 1.60 (1.51–1.69), 1.63 (1.48–1.80), and 1.36 (1.13–1.64), respectively). Ever smokers were less likely to show disease improvement at 6 months following treatment with biologic agents than non-smokers (pooled OR (95% CI): 0.80 (0.67–0.95)).

Conclusions

Smoking increases psoriasis risk and negatively impacts the benefits of biologic agents. However, the number of reports is limited and more studies are needed to confirm the effects of smoking and smoking cessation on therapeutic response in patients with psoriasis. Education to encourage a healthy lifestyle remains a valuable approach in clinical practice.
Incidence and Risk Factors of Subsequent Meniscal Surgery After Successful Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Retrospective Study With a Minimum 2-Year Follow-up
Authors: Kimura Yuka , Sasaki Eiji , Yamamoto Yuji , Sasaki Shizuka , Tsuda Eiichi , Ishibashi Yasuyuki
Published: October 2020

Background:

One of the goals of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a meniscal protective effect on the knee. Despite the advancement of ACL reconstruction techniques, subsequent meniscal tears after ACL reconstruction remain a problem, and the risk factors for recurring lesions are still unclear.

Purpose:

To investigate the incidence of subsequent meniscal surgery after primary ACL reconstruction without revision ACL surgery and to determine the risk factors associated with this reoperation.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Overall, 518 patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction between 2004 and 2012 at one instution participated in this study. Data on body mass index, graft type and femoral tunnel-drilling technique of ACL reconstruction, and location and type of meniscal injury and its treatment at ACL reconstruction were collected from medical records. Clinical outcomes were investigated, including side-to-side difference of anterior laxity, pivot-shift grade, and subsequent meniscal surgery without ACL insufficiency (at minimum 2-year follow-up).

Results:

The prevalence of tears to the medial meniscus (MM) at the primary ACL reconstruction was 43.6% (226/518), 140 of which were repaired; on the contrary, tears of the lateral meniscus (LM) had a prevalence of 55.8% (289/518), 42 of which were repaired. At a mean 30.3 months (range, 8-124 months) after ACL reconstruction, 20 patients (3.9%; 14 MM tears, 3 LM tears, 3 MM + LM tears) required meniscal surgery without ACL reinjury or recurrence of instability. Of these, 14 MMs and 3 LMs had been repaired at primary ACL reconstruction. The failure rates of repaired MM and LM were 10.0% (14/140) and 7.1% (3/42), respectively. The failure rate of MM repair using the all-inside technique (6/36) was significantly higher compared with no treatment, inside-out repair, or partial resection ( P = .045). In multiple regression analysis, the presence of MM injury at the time of ACL reconstruction (odds ratio [OR], 7.81; P = .003), the side-to-side difference of postoperative anterior tibial translation (OR, 1.91; P = .032), and follow-up period after ACL reconstruction (OR, 1.02; P = .003) were risk factors of subsequent meniscal surgery after ACL reconstruction.

Conclusion:

Incidence of subsequent meniscal surgery after successful ACL reconstruction was <5%. Presence of MM tear at the time of ACL reconsturuction, small amount of increased anterior laxity, and long-term period after ACL reconstruction were predictive of subsequent meniscal surgery.
Quality of Life and Disability-free Survival in the Elderly: The Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in Aizu Cohort Study
Authors: Hsieh Cheng-Tzu , Yamazaki Hajime , Wang Jui , Kamitani Tsukasa , Yamamoto Yosuke , Fukuhara Shunichi
Published: October 2020

Objectives: The Short Form 12 Survey (SF-12) three-component model is used to compute health-related quality of life (QoL): it includes physical, mental, and role-social QoL. We asked whether the SF-12 three-component model is associated with disability-free survival. Methods: People ≥65 years old were included ( n = 2634). SF-12 scores were assessed at baseline. The outcome was a composite of loss of independence (LoI) and death. LoI was defined using Japan’s long-term care insurance categories. Hazard ratios (HRs) for LoI or death were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Better physical QoL was inversely associated with LoI or death (adjusted HR per 10-point increase: .88 [95% CI: .81–.96]), but mental QoL was not. Better role-social QoL was inversely associated with LoI or death only among participants with higher than average physical QoL (adjusted HR per 10-point increase: .79 [95% CI: .65–.96], p for interaction = .04). Discussion: Physical QoL was associated with disability-free survival, and role-social QoL was associated with disability-free survival among those with better physical QoL.
Schooling, nation building and industrialization
Authors: Hauk Esther , Ortega Javier
Published: October 2020

We consider a Gellnerian model to study the transformation of a two-region state into a nation state. Industrialization requires the elites to finance schooling. The implementation of statewide education generates a common national identity, which enables cross-regional production, while regional education does not. We show that statewide education is chosen when cross-regional production opportunities and productivity are high, especially when the same elite holds power at both geographical levels. By contrast, a dominant regional elite might prefer regional schooling, even at the loss of large cross-regional production opportunities if it is statewide dominated. The model is consistent with evidence for five European countries in 1860–1920.
Dynamic mechanical behaviour of kevlar and carbon-kevlar hybrid fibre reinforced polymer composites
Authors: Priyanka Pragati , Mali Harlal Singh , Dixit Anurag
Published: October 2020

Comprehensive experimental results of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of polymer reinforced textile composites are presented in the current investigation. Plain and 2x2 twill woven multilayer fabrics of monolithic kevlar and hybrid carbon-kevlar (C-K) are reinforced into the thermoset polymer matrix. Kevlar/epoxy and C-K/epoxy composite laminates are fabricated using an in-house facility of the vacuum-assisted resin infusion process. Variation of the visco-elastic behaviour (storage modulus, damping factor and glass transition temperature, Tg) along with time, temperature and frequency is studied for the composites. Dynamic mechanical analysis is performed under temperature sweep with frequency ranging from 1-50 Hz. Results depict the effect of inter yarn hybridisation of carbon with kevlar yarns on the storage modulus, damping performance, and creep behaviour of dry textile composites. Temperature swept dynamic characterisation is also performed to evaluate the degradation and damping performance of the composite laminates soaked in the deionised water at glass transition temperature Tg, ½ Tg, and ¾ Tg. The morphological study has been performed post the dynamic mechanical analysis using field emission scanning electron microscope.
2020 European guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea in adults
Authors: Unemo M , Ross JDC , Serwin AB , Gomberg M , Cusini M , Jensen JS
Published: October 2020

Gonorrhoea is a major public health concern globally. Increasing incidence and sporadic ceftriaxone-resistant cases, including treatment failures, are growing concerns. The 2020 European gonorrhoea guideline provides up-to-date evidence-based guidance regarding the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea. The updates and recommendations emphasize significantly increasing gonorrhoea incidence; broad indications for increased testing with validated and quality-assured nucleic acid amplification tests and culture; dual antimicrobial therapy including high-dose ceftriaxone and azithromycin (ceftriaxone 1 g plus azithromycin 2 g) OR ceftriaxone 1 g monotherapy (ONLY in well-controlled settings, see guideline for details) for uncomplicated gonorrhoea when the antimicrobial susceptibility is unknown; recommendation of test of cure (TOC) in all gonorrhoea cases to ensure eradication of infection and identify resistance; and enhanced surveillance of treatment failures when recommended treatment regimens have been used. Improvements in access to appropriate testing, test performance, diagnostics, antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance and treatment, and follow-up of gonorrhoea patients are essential in controlling gonorrhoea and to mitigate the emergence and/or spread of ceftriaxone resistance and multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant gonorrhoea. For detailed background, evidence base and discussions, see the background review for the present 2020 European guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea in adults (Unemo M, et al. Int J STD AIDS. 2020).
The Efficacy of Autologous Myoblast Sheet Transplantation to Prevent Perforation After Duodenal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection in Porcine Model
Authors: Matsumoto Ryo , Kanetaka Kengo , Maruya Yasuhiro , Yamaguchi Shun , Kobayashi Shinichiro , Miyamoto Daisuke , Ohnita Ken , Sakai Yusuke , Hashiguchi Keiichi , Nakao Kazuhiko , Eguchi Susumu
Published: October 2020

The recent advent of endoscopy has enabled the endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of superficial nonampullary duodenal epithelial tumors. However, the substantially thin wall and presence of bile and pancreatic juice make it technically difficult to perform duodenal ESD without perforation, which leads to lethal complications. The present study evaluated the efficacy of autologous myoblast sheet transplantation for the prevention of late perforation after duodenal ESD in a porcine model. Two weeks before ESD, skeletal muscle was surgically excised from the femur of pigs, and myoblasts were isolated and seeded in temperature-responsive culture dishes to prepare sheets. Immediately after ESD, the autologous myoblast sheets were attached to the serosal surface at the ESD site with omentopexy. The pigs were divided into two groups: the autologous myoblast sheet group ( n = 5), where the myoblast cell sheet was attached to the ESD ulcer part from the duodenal serous side, and the Omentum group ( n = 5), where only the omentum was used. The pigs were sacrificed and analyzed macroscopically and histologically on postoperative day 3. The macroscopic examination of the abdominal cavity revealed perforation in the ESD ulcer area and leakage of bile in the Omentum group but no perforation in the Sheet group. A histopathological examination revealed that continuity of the duodenal wall at the ESD site was maintained with dense connective tissue in the Sheet group. In conclusion, autologous myoblast sheets were useful for preventing perforation after duodenal ESD.
End Stage Chronic Pain (ESCP): Naming Complex Suffering in the Opioid Crisis Era
Authors: Comerci George , Marr Lisa , Finlay Esme
Published: October 2020

The “opioid crisis” stemming from overprescribing of prescription opioids describes an iatrogenic situation which has resulted in a rise in opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose deaths. Many of these patients suffer from chronic non-cancer pain syndromes (CNCP) who have been injudiciously treated with opioids. Some patients with CNCP are treated successfully with opioids in accordance with modern guidelines. There is a very complex, small group of patients with CNCP who require higher than recommended dosages of opioids when other modalities and treatments have failed. We describe such a patient and believe that there is a subset of patients with unremitting suffering from chronic pain which we have called end-stage chronic pain (ESCP). These patients, despite receiving expert chronic pain care, often require high doses of opioids and suffer a dramatic decline in quality of life (QOL), function and an increase in their suffering when their opioids are tapered or discontinued. We have responded to the treatment of this group of patients by critically examining our approach to the use of opioids for their pain and attempting to reconcile high dose opioids in the setting of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. We describe a patient with severe chronic pain from congenital spinal disease who experienced increased pain and suffering when his opioids were tapered. We will discuss our approach to this patient and in doing so discuss the concept of ESCP and proposed criteria for the use of high dose opioids in such patients.
Dynamic platform modeling for concurrent product-production reconfiguration
Authors: Landahl Jonas , Jiao Roger Jianxin , Madrid Julia , Söderberg Rikard , Johannesson Hans
Published: October 2020

To meet a wide range of customer needs, a variety of product concepts can be modeled employing a platform approach. Whereas frequent market changes can be accommodated by dynamically modifying product concepts in iterations, capabilities in production are seldom well incorporated as part of design iterations. In this paper, a dynamic platform modeling approach that supports concurrent product-production reconfiguration is presented. The approach builds on Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE) processes and a function modeling technique is used to represent product-production variety streams inherent in a production operation model. To demonstrate the approach, a comprehensive case from the aerospace industry is presented. Conceptual representations of a set of aero engine sub-systems and a variety of welding configurations, including their inherent constraints, are mutually modeled and assessed. The results show that a set of product-production alternatives can be dynamically controlled by integrating product-production constraints using a production operation model. Following SBCE processes, inferior alternatives can be put aside until new information becomes available and a new set of alternatives can be reconfigured. The dynamics and concurrency of the approach can potentially reduce the risk of late and costly modifications that propagate from design to production.
Conceptual and Application Considerations of Emotionally Focused Therapy With White Heterosexual Working-Class Rural Males
Authors: Ceniza Mackenzie , Allan Robert
Published: October 2020

Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) is an empirically supported approach to couple’s therapy and offers a clear structure and map for working with this population. There are few publications in the research literature that focus on White heterosexual working-class rural males in coupled relationships. This article offers several specific applications and a case conceptualization to demonstrate EFT with this population. Specific responses to stressors affecting the therapeutic relationship involve normalizing the help-seeking process, exploring the impact of alexithymia, and unearthing how hegemonic masculinity has affected emotional expression. EFT is effective for work with White heterosexual working-class rural males in monogamous coupled relationships because of its focus on the attachment bond. EFT builds a secure relationship foundation for the individual and the couple to explore the impact of masculinity within the relationship.
HPV Vaccine Beliefs and Correlates of Uptake Among Hispanic Women and Their Children on the US-Mexico Border
Authors: Calderón-Mora Jessica , Ferdous Tamanna , Shokar Navkiran
Published: October 2020

Introduction:

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection nationally. Although preventable, uptake of the HPV vaccine is low. The purpose of this study was to describe HPV vaccine knowledge and beliefs and psychosocial correlates of vaccine uptake among adult females and their children in a US-Mexico border community.

Materials and Methods:

We conducted a survey of uninsured women aged 21-65 years living in Texas who were due for cervical cancer screening. We utilized descriptive statistics to report demographic and psychosocial variables. We used logistic regression analysis to identify correlates of prior vaccine uptake.

Results:

599 women completed surveys: mean age was 44.69 years, 97.8%, were Hispanic and 86% were Spanish speaking; 5% had been vaccinated. Awareness of HPV infection & HPV vaccine was 81.6% & 68.6% respectively. Scores for mean perceived susceptibility was low and mean perceived benefits was high; the mean score for knowledge was 3.69 out of 6. Common parental barriers to child vaccination were cost, lack of accessibility and lack of information. Correlates of past HPV vaccine uptake among adult women were younger age, monthly income of $2,500-$5,000, full-time employment, US birth, and higher perceived severity of HPV. Older age was a correlate of vaccine uptake for daughters.

Discussion and Conclusion:

Findings revealed low HPV vaccine uptake among adult Hispanic women, but high vaccine acceptability for their sons and daughters. Culturally tailored educational interventions are needed to improve HPV knowledge and HPV vaccine uptake among adults and their children.
Clinical Analysis of Acinar Cell Carcinoma of the Pancreas: A Single-Center Experience of 45 Consecutive Cases
Authors: Zhou Wentao , Han Xu , Fang Yuan , Han Siyang , Cai Yumeng , Kuang Tiantao , Lou Wenhui , Wang Dansong
Published: October 2020

Backgrounds:

Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas is a rare malignancy, and its features remain unclear. We aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of acinar cell carcinoma with our institutional case series.

Methods:

Patients diagnosed with acinar cell carcinoma in our hospital between 2005 and 2019 were reviewed. Investigations on clinicopathological features, treatment details and long-term survival were performed.

Results:

A total of 45 pathologically confirmed acinar cell carcinomas were identified. The median age at diagnosis was 58 years with a male-to-female ratio of 3.1:1. There were 24 (53.3%) localized, 5 (11.1%) locally advanced and 16 (35.6%) metastatic cases, with a pancreatic head-to-body/tail ratio of 1:1.4 for all the primary lesions. In the localized group, there were 10 pancreatoduodenectomy, 12 distal pancreatectomy, 1 total pancreatectomy, and 1 distal pancreatectomy combined with proximal gastrectomy. Among the locally advanced and metastatic cases, 13 patients received chemotherapy, 1 received concurrent radiochemotherapy, 1 underwent synchronous resection of primary tumor and liver metastasis, 1 underwent palliative operation, 1 underwent exploratory laparotomy, and 4 required no treatment. The median overall survival of this series was 18.9 months with a 5-year survival rate of 19.6%. Moreover, the resected acinar cell carcinoma patients were associated with prolonged survival compared with the unresected cases (36.6 vs. 8.5 months, P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Surgical resection could improve the long-term survival of acinar cell carcinoma patients, which might also improve the prognosis of selected metastatic cases. Large-scale studies are needed to further clarify the biological behavior and clinical features, and to seek the optimal treatments.
Massive and Microscopic Sensemaking During COVID-19 Times
Authors: Markham Annette N. , Harris Anne , Luka Mary Elizabeth
Published: October 2020

How does this pandemic moment help us to think about the relationships between self and other, or between humans and the planet? How are people making sense of COVID-19 in their everyday lives, both as a local and intimate occurrence with microscopic properties, and a planetary-scale event with potentially massive outcomes? In this paper we describe our approach to a large-scale, still-ongoing experiment involving more than 150 people from 26 countries. Grounded in autoethnography practice and critical pedagogy, we offered 21 days of self guided prompts to for us and the other participants to explore their own lived experience. Our project illustrates the power of applying a feminist perspective and an ethic of care to engage in open ended collaboration during times of globally-felt trauma.
Identifying Actions to Control and Mitigate the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Construction Organizations: Preliminary Findings
Authors: Raoufi Mohammad , Fayek Aminah Robinson
Published: October 2020

Construction organizations face many challenges in coping with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and the construction work environment. Although each organization is implementing its own strategies to mitigate this pandemic’s impact on operations and workers, the construction industry as a whole urgently needs to identify the most effective strategies for mitigating the effects of COVID-19 on its operations in the short term while preparing response plans and long-term recovery plans. This article presents preliminary findings of a survey conducted with construction organizations primarily in North America to identify and assess mitigation actions taken. Recommendations based on these findings are provided to help construction organizations during this pandemic. The results of this study will help in developing evidence-based operational strategies to identify new modes of operating for construction organizations during both the current pandemic and any future pandemics.
The Association Between Very Premature Infant Body Temperatures Over Time and Respiratory Care
Authors: Ralphe Jane L. , Silva Susan G. , Dail Robin B. , Brandon Debra H.
Published: October 2020

Background:

Due to global immaturity, very low birthweight (VLBW) infants (<1,500 g) require auxiliary thermal and respiratory care. However, the impact of respiratory care on infant thermal stability remains unclear.

Aims:

Examine the association between VLBW infant body temperatures over time and respiratory support type (mechanical ventilation (MV), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), room air (RA)), respiratory care interventions, and nursing care.

Design:

Exploratory, longitudinal, and correlational design.

Subjects:

12 infants <29 weeks’ gestation (median = 27.1, 25.9–27.9) and <1,200 g (median = 865 g, 660–1,050 g).

Measurements:

Minute-to-minute body temperatures and continuous video data were collected over the first 5 days of life. Video data was coded with Noldus Observer®XT software. Respiratory support was retrieved from the electronic health record. Hierarchical multi-level, mixed-effects models for intensive longitudinal data examined the associations.

Results:

Body temperatures were associated with respiratory support type, respiratory care, and care events (all p < .0001). Pairwise comparison found significant differences in body temperatures between all respiratory support types (all p < .0001). The covariate-adjusted risk of hypothermia (<36.5 °C) was significantly greater during MV vs. RA ( aOR = 2.6); CPAP vs. MV ( aOR = 1.2); CPAP vs RA ( aOR = 3.1); respiratory care vs. other types of care (aOR = 1.5); care event vs. closed portholes ( aOR = 2.6).

Conclusion:

Our results found an association between VLBW infant thermal instability and respiratory support type, respiratory care, and care events. Larger studies with advanced longitudinal analysis are needed to assess the causal impact of these interventions on infant temperatures over time, as well as the implications of longitudinal thermal instability on infant outcomes.