bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AhNPR3 regulates the expression of WRKY and PR genes, and mediates the immune response of the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Authors: Han Suoyi , Zhou Ximeng , Shi Lei , Zhang Huayang , Geng Yun , Fang Yuanjin , Xia Han , Liu Hua , Li Pengcheng , Zhao Shuzhen , Miao Lijuan , Hou Lei , Zhang Zhongxin , Xu Jing , Ma Changle , Wang Zhenyu , Li Hongyan , Zheng Zheng , Huang Bingyan , Dong Wenzhao , Zhang Jun , Tang Fengshou , Li Shaojian , Gao Meng , Zhang Xinyou , Zhao Chuanzhi , Wang Xingjun
Published: February 2022

Systemic acquired resistance is an essential immune response that triggers a broad‐spectrum disease resistance throughout the plant. In the present study, we identified a peanut lesion mimic mutant m14 derived from an ethyl methane sulfonate‐mutagenized mutant pool of peanut cultivar “Yuanza9102.” Brown lesions were observed in the leaves of an m14 mutant from seedling stage to maturity. Using MutMap together with bulked segregation RNA analysis approaches, a G‐to‐A point mutation was identified in the exon region of candidate gene Arahy.R60CUW, which is the homolog of AtNPR3 (Nonexpresser of PR genes) in Arabidopsis. This point mutation caused a transition from Gly to Arg within the C‐terminal transactivation domain of AhNPR3A. The mutation of AhNPR3A showed no effect in the induction of PR genes when treated with salicylic acid. Instead, the mutation resulted in upregulation of WRKY genes and several PR genes, including pathogenesis‐related thaumatin‐ and chitinase‐encoding genes, which is consistent with the resistant phenotype of m14 to leaf spot disease. Further study on the AhNPR3A gene will provide valuable insights into understanding the molecular mechanism of systemic acquired resistance in peanut. Moreover, our results indicated that a combination of MutMap and bulked segregation RNA analysis is an effective method for identifying genes from peanut mutants.
Detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in herpetofauna in Central Appalachia
Authors: Verma Ashutosh , Brandt LaRoy , Runser Samantha , Gruszynski Karen , Gallatin Kenneth , Morgan Joey , Barnhart Hanna , Duke Conner , Brovarney Scott , Geer Allison , Willems Emily , Strobel Raeshelle , Bryant Christian , Pawlowski Emma , Thaker Ashana
Published: February 2022

Leptospirosis is a water borne zoonotic disease of global significance that is caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira. Pathogenic leptospires live in the kidneys of reservoir or infected animals and are shed in their urine contaminating water, soil, etc. Rodents are considered the primary reservoir of leptospirosis, but little is known about the role of herpetofauna (non‐avian reptiles and amphibians) in the epidemiology of the disease. To address this, various species of amphibians and reptiles in the Cumberland Gap Region of the Central Appalachia were screened for the presence of Leptospira spp. Kidneys harvested from of a total of 116 amphibians and reptiles belonging to seven species of snakes, seven species of salamanders, seven species of frogs/toads, seven species of turtles and one species of lizards were tested using a highly specific TaqMan based qPCR that targets lipl32 gene of pathogenic Leptospira spp. Overall, 15 of the tested 116 amphibians and reptiles were positive (12.9%; 95% CI: 7.4%–20.4%). Of the 101 amphibians, 11 were positive (10.9%; 95% CI: 5.6%–18.7%), and 4 of the 15 reptiles tested positive (26.7%; 95% CI: 7.8%–55.1%). The amplified gene fragments of lipl32 from qPCR positive kidneys were sequenced and found to be identical with known pathogenic Leptospira spp. These results suggest that although the proportion of reptiles and amphibians transmitting pathogenic Leptospira spp. within the environment may be low as compared to rodents, they pose a risk to other susceptible hosts that share their habitats and may have role in maintaining a baseline infection in the environment.
Two new Rhyncaphytoptus species (Acariformes: Eriophyoidea: Diptilomiopidae) from Fagaceae in northern Iran
Authors: Varandi Forough Ranjbar , Irani-Nejad Karim Haddad , Lotfollahi Parisa
Published: February 2022

Two new Rhyncaphytoptus species (Diptilomiopidae: Rhyncaphytoptinae) including R. fagientalis sp. nov. and R. quercivagrans sp. nov. were collected from Fagus orientalis Lipsky. (Fagaceae) and Quercus castaneifolia C. A. Mey., 1831 (Fagaceae), respectively in Sari county, Mazandaran province, North of Iran. They are described and illustrated.
A new species, Stibarokris nielseni sp. nov. (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) parasitizing Puffinus puffinus (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae) in Iceland, with notes on host associations of the genus Stibarokris
Authors: Skoracki Maciej , Sikora Bozena , Zmudzinski Mateusz , Skirnisson Karl , Hromada Martin
Published: February 2022

A new syringophilid mite species, Stibarokris nielseni sp. nov., from Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus is described. This finding is the third record of quill mite species for Iceland and the first one outside Galliformes. The new species differs from all other species of this genus in the following characters: tarsal claws of legs III and IV are distinctly more massive and strongly curved in comparison to claws of legs I and II (vs. tarsal claws are similar in shape and size in other Stibarokris species); the hysteronotal teeth are replaced ventrally (vs. situated laterally). The distribution of the quill mites of the genus Stibarokris on birds strongly corresponds to avian lineages grouped in the recently established clade Feraequornithes comprising the orders Pelecaniformes, Suliformes, Ciconiiformes, and Procelariiformes. Of these orders, quill mites were not confirmed only on representatives of Sphenisciformes. Probable explanation could be their highly specialized way of life and/or insufficient sampling efforts. Additionally, considering the recent reconstructions of avian phylogeny, the presence of Stibarokris on flamingos (Phoenicopteriformes), which are distant from Feraequornithes, is most likely the result of successful host switching.
Generative Adversarial Networks for Spatio-temporal Data: A Survey
Authors: Gao Nan , Xue Hao , Shao Wei , Zhao Sichen , Qin Kyle Kai , Prabowo Arian , Rahaman Mohammad Saiedur , Salim Flora D.
Published: February 2022

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have shown remarkable success in producing realistic-looking images in the computer vision area. Recently, GAN-based techniques are shown to be promising for spatio-temporal-based applications such as trajectory prediction, events generation, and time-series data imputation. While several reviews for GANs in computer vision have been presented, no one has considered addressing the practical applications and challenges relevant to spatio-temporal data. In this article, we have conducted a comprehensive review of the recent developments of GANs for spatio-temporal data. We summarise the application of popular GAN architectures for spatio-temporal data and the common practices for evaluating the performance of spatio-temporal applications with GANs. Finally, we point out future research directions to benefit researchers in this area.
Mining Willing-to-Pay Behavior Patterns from Payment Datasets
Authors: Wen Yu-Ting , Yang Hui-Kuo , Peng Wen-Chih
Published: February 2022

The customer base is the most valuable resource to E-commerce companies. A comprehensive understanding of customers’ preferences and behavior is crucial to developing good marketing strategies, in order to achieve optimal customer lifetime values (CLVs). For example, by exploring customer behavior patterns, given a marketing plan with a limited budget, a set of potential customers is able to be identified to maximize profit. In other words, personalized campaigns at the right time and in the right place can be treated as the last stage of consumption. Moreover, effective future purchase estimation and recommendation help guide the customer to the up-selling stage. The proposed willing-to-pay prediction model (W2P) exploits the transaction data to predict customer payment behavior based on a probabilistic graphical model, which provides semantic explanation of the estimated results and deals with the sparsity of payment data from each customer. Existing work in this domain ranks the customers by their probabilities of purchase in different conditions. However, the customer with the highest purchase probability does not necessarily spend the most. Therefore, we propose a CLV maximization algorithm based on the prediction results. In addition, we improve the model by behavioral segmentation wherein we group the customers by payment behaviors to reduce the size of the offline models and enhance the accuracy for low-frequency customers. The experiment results show that our model outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in purchase behavior prediction.
FairSR: Fairness-aware Sequential Recommendation through Multi-Task Learning with Preference Graph Embeddings
Authors: Li Cheng-Te , Hsu Cheng , Zhang Yang
Published: February 2022

Sequential recommendation (SR) learns from the temporal dynamics of user-item interactions to predict the next ones. Fairness-aware recommendation mitigates a variety of algorithmic biases in the learning of user preferences. This article aims at bringing a marriage between SR and algorithmic fairness. We propose a novel fairness-aware sequential recommendation task, in which a new metric,
interaction fairness
, is defined to estimate how recommended items are fairly interacted by users with different protected attribute groups. We propose a multi-task learning-based deep end-to-end model, FairSR, which consists of two parts. One is to learn and distill personalized sequential features from the given user and her item sequence for SR. The other is fairness-aware preference graph embedding (FPGE). The aim of FPGE is two-fold: incorporating the knowledge of users’ and items’ attributes and their correlation into entity representations, and alleviating the unfair distributions of user attributes on items. Extensive experiments conducted on three datasets show FairSR can outperform state-of-the-art SR models in recommendation performance. In addition, the recommended items by FairSR also exhibit promising interaction fairness.
Structural Studies of LiMn204-based Spinels for Li Rechargeable Batteries
Authors: Horne Craig R.
Published: February 2022

A Summary Report to The Electrochemical Society for the 1997 Department of Energy Summer Research Fellowship.
Coupling Vibration Analysis of Turbine Shared Support Rotor-Bearing System with Squeeze Film Dampers
Authors: Han Jiaqi , Luo Guihuo , Chen Wei , Wang Fei , Liu Lulu , Zhao Zhenhua , Luo Gang
Published: February 2022

The turbine shared support structure is used widely in aeroengines, but theoretical and experimental research on a rotor-bearing system containing a shared turbine support structure is lacking. This paper reports research into the coupling vibration response of a squeeze-film-damper rotor-bearing system that has two spools with different rotation speeds and is supported by a turbine shared support structure. The problem is addressed by means of experimental tests and the finite-element method. Based on the features of a turboshaft engine with a turbine shared support structure, a rotor-bearing test system with a shared support structure and squeeze film damper is designed, and a finite-element model of the test system is built based on Timoshenko beam elements. The experimental and simulation results indicate that the unbalanced response of the rotor-bearing system with a shared support structure may involve either the sum or difference of the fundamental frequencies of the rotors of the gas generator and power turbine. The simulations show that the unbalance of the power turbine rotor, the radial and bending stiffnesses of the shared support structure, and the radial clearances of squeeze film dampers at the shared support structure of the rotor-bearing system all affect the coupling response. The amplitude of the coupling response can be suppressed effectively by (i) selecting reasonable parameter values for the turbine shared support structure and (ii) exerting strict control over the spool unbalance.
Towards an Ethic of Being-With. An Islamic-Phenomenological Perspective on Human-Animal Encounters
Authors: El Maaroufi (أسماء المعروفي) Asmaa
Published: February 2022

It is hard to imagine human beings without animals: they surround them incessantly. Be it the pets in their own homes, the farm animals in the fields, the birds in the sky, or the insects in the gardens. Human beings cannot be without animals. It may therefore not be surprising that the Qurʾān, as a message addressed to human beings, also refers to animals: dozens of different animals are mentioned in the Qurʾān. Thus, we find the narration of the ant who speaks (Q 27:17–19), the hoopoe who gives advice (Q 27:20–26), and even the raven who taught Qābīl a lesson (Q 5:31). The Qurʾān is full of such narratives that break with traditional images of animals by turning them into supposed aides, giving them voices, and even portraying them as creatures capable of praise, living in communities. God Himself seems to interact with animals in the Qurʾān, even allowing them to become actors in interactions with the Prophets. But how can these narratives be understood? What added value can they offer to the question of the ethically appropriate and just treatment of animals? To answer these questions, this article intends to turn to selected Qurʾānic narratives about encounters between humans and animals by using a hermeneutic-phenomenological approach. For this purpose, this text will deal with the encounters between humans and animals to explore how an ethical coexistence of human beings and animals can be conceived on the basis of being-with (-each other).
The Cold War and Return Migration: The West German Response to Yugoslavia's Efforts to Influence its Workers Abroad
Authors: Molnar Christopher A.
Published: February 2022

Every state that signed a labour-recruitment agreement with West Germany attempted to exert influence over their citizens who lived in West Germany. But because most of the states with which West Germany signed agreements – with the exception of Italy – were ruled, at least for a time, by dictators or military juntas, the efforts by sending states to influence their citizens abroad at times proved problematic for the democratic and liberalizing West German state. This article examines West Germany's response to Yugoslavia's efforts to ‘govern the seventh republic’, that is, to exert a profound influence upon its citizens in West Germany. It focuses on the establishment, operation, and West German response to Yugo Clubs, institutions with which Yugoslav officials sought to bind their citizens more tightly to the Yugoslav state. This history represents, in some ways, a distinctive case, because Yugoslavia was the only communist state with which West Germany signed a labour-recruitment agreement. Shifts in the Cold War context, and especially the rise of détente and Willy Brandt's new Ostpolitik during the late 1960s, are thus critical to understanding West Germany's response to Yugoslavia's efforts to influence its citizens abroad. During the 1960s, West German officials, fearing a communist infiltration, resisted Yugoslavia's efforts to assert influence over Yugoslav labour migrants. But with the emergence of détente in the late 1960s and into the 1970s, West German officials supported Yugoslavia's attempts to influence Yugoslav guest workers, even when some troubling aspects of these efforts came to light. Finally, some German officials supported the clubs because they believed they would keep Yugoslav guest workers closely linked to their homeland, thereby increasing the likelihood that they would eventually return home. This belief, in turn, supported the West German fiction that it was not a land of immigration.
Can One Size Fit All: A Multi-group Analysis of Indian Corporates
Authors: Jha Aruna , Kapoor Madhavi , Nidhi
Published: February 2022

This study aims to investigate the relationship among the various institutional pressures, corporate social responsibility, legitimacy, and reputation in the context of Indian corporates. It also provides an in-depth industry-wise analysis for the said relationship. BSE 500 listed companies form the population for this pan-India primary research. PLS-SEM is the statistical technique adopted to examine the relationship between research constructs. The overall industry analysis established a positive association between all six institutional pressures and CSR activities, but the comprehensive multigroup industrial analysis revealed that kind of institutional pressures that are important to corporates vary across industries. Multi-group analysis points out that—local communities, peers, and media are statistically significant for high as well as low impact industries. But government and NGOs are not statistically significant pressure groups for low impact industries. However, industry associations are not important as a pressure group for both high impact as well as low impact industries. Furthermore, legitimacy is seen to fully mediate the relationship between CSR and reputation for the national level survey.
Construction and comprehensive analysis of the competing endogenous RNA network in endometrial adenocarcinoma
Authors: Feng Chong , Cui Lei , Jin Zhen , Sun Lei , Wang Xiaoyan , Chi Xinshu , Sun Qian , Lian Siyu
Published: February 2022

Background

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is one of the most common gynecological malignant tumors. In this study, we constructed gene co-expression networks to identify key modules and hub genes involved in the pathogenesis of EC.

Results

The MEturquoise module was found to be significantly related to hypertension and the MEbrown module was significantly related to the history of other malignancies. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the MEturquoise module was associated with the GO biological process terms of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, positive regulation of male gonad development, endocardial cushion development, and endothelial cell differentiation. The MEbrown module was associated with GO terms DNA binding, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter. A total of 10 hub genes were identified and compared with the available datasets at transcriptional and translational levels.

Conclusions

The identified ceRNAs may play a critical role in the progression and metastasis of EC and are thus candidate therapeutic targets and potential prognostic biomarkers. The two modules constructed further provide a useful reference that will advance understanding of the mechanisms of tumorigenesis in EC.
Approaches to multiplicity in publicly funded pragmatic randomised controlled trials: a survey of clinical trials units and a rapid review of published trials
Authors: Pike Katie , Reeves Barnaby C. , Rogers Chris A.
Published: February 2022

Background

Opinions and practices vary around the issue of performing multiple statistical tests in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). We carried out a study to collate information about opinions and practices using a methodological rapid review and a survey, specifically of publicly funded pragmatic RCTs that are not seeking marketing authorisation. The aim was to identify the circumstances under which researchers would make a statistical adjustment for multiplicity.

Methods

A review was performed extracting information from articles reporting primary analyses of pragmatic RCTs in one of seven high quality medical journals, in January to June (inclusive) 2018. A survey (Survey Monkey) eliciting opinions and practices around multiplicity was distributed to the 47 registered clinical trials units (CTUs) in the UK.

Results

One hundred and thirty-eight RCTs were included in the review, and survey responses were received from 27/47 (57%) CTUs. Both the review and survey indicated that adjusting for multiplicity was considered most important for multiple treatment comparisons; adjustment was performed for 11/23 (48%) published trials, and 24/27 (89%) CTU statisticians reported they would consider adjustment. Opinions and practices varied around adjustment for multiplicity arising from multiple primary outcomes and interim analyses. Adjustment was considered less important for multiplicity due to multiple secondary outcomes (adjustment performed for 17/136 [13%] published trials and 3/27 [11%] CTU statisticians would consider adjustment) and subgroup analyses (8/85 [9%] published trials adjusted and 6/27 CTU [22%] statisticians would consider adjustment).

Conclusions

There is variation in opinions about adjustment for multiplicity among both statisticians reporting RCTs and applied statisticians working in CTUs. Further guidance is needed on the circumstances in which adjustment should be considered in relation to primary trial hypotheses, and if there are any situations in which adjustment would be recommended in the context of secondary analyses.
Vater’s ampullary carcinoma increases the risk of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A retrospective and propensity score-matched analysis
Authors: Yang Yifei , Fu Xu , Zhu Saisai , Cai Zhenghua , Qiu Yudong , Mao Liang
Published: February 2022

Background

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is a frequent complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). This study aimed to investigate the impact of Vater’s ampullary carcinoma (VAC) on clinically relevant POPF (CR-POPF) in patients undergoing PD.

Methods

Clinical data were gathered retrospectively from January 2018 to December 2020 for all patients undergoing PD. The univariate and multivariate analysis were used to identify independent risk factors of CR-POPF. A propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis at a ratio of 1:1 was performed to minimize bias from baseline characteristics between VAC and non-VAC groups. Main postoperative complications were compared between the two groups after PSM.

Results

In 263 patients, 94 (35.7%) patients were diagnosed as VAC. CR-POPF occurred in 99 (37.6%) patients and VAC was identified as an independent risk factor of CR-POPF in multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR = 0.548, 95% CI = 0.327–0.920, P = 0.023). After PSM, there were similar baseline characteristics between the VAC and non-VAC group. Moreover, VAC group had a higher rate of CR-POPF (P = 0.025) and intra-abdominal infection (P = 0.015) compared to the non-VAC group.

Conclusions

In patients undergoing PD, VAC increases the risk of CR-POPF and several other postoperative complications.
Dynamic chaotic gravitational search algorithm-based kinetic parameter estimation of hepatocellular carcinoma on 18F-FDG PET/CT
Authors: He Jianfeng , Wang Tao , Li Yongjin , Deng Yinglei , Wang Shaobo
Published: February 2022

Background

Kinetic parameters estimated with dynamic 18F-FDG PET/CT can help to characterize hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aim to evaluate the feasibility of the gravitational search algorithm (GSA) for kinetic parameter estimation and to propose a dynamic chaotic gravitational search algorithm (DCGSA) to enhance parameter estimation.

Methods

Five-minute dynamic PET/CT data of 20 HCCs were prospectively enrolled, and the kinetic parameters k1 ~ k4 and the hepatic arterial perfusion index (HPI) were estimated with a dual-input three-compartment model based on nonlinear least squares (NLLS), GSA and DCGSA.

Results

The results showed that there were significant differences between the HCCs and background liver tissues for k1, k4 and the HPI of NLLS; k1, k3, k4 and the HPI of GSA; and k1, k2, k3, k4 and the HPI of DCGSA. DCGSA had a higher diagnostic performance for k3 than NLLS and GSA.

Conclusions

GSA enables accurate estimation of the kinetic parameters of dynamic PET/CT in the diagnosis of HCC, and DCGSA can enhance the diagnostic performance.
Quantitative CT comparison between COVID-19 and mycoplasma pneumonia suspected as COVID-19: a longitudinal study
Authors: Liu Junzhong , Wang Yuzhen , He Guanghui , Wang Xinhua , Sun Minfeng
Published: February 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study was to compare imaging features between COVID-19 and mycoplasma pneumonia (MP).

Materials and methods

The data of patients with mild COVID-19 and MP who underwent chest computed tomography (CT) examination from February 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The Pneumonia-CT-LKM-PP model based on a deep learning algorithm was used to automatically quantify the number, volume, and involved lobes of pulmonary lesions, and longitudinal changes in quantitative parameters were assessed in three CT follow-ups.

Results

A total of 10 patients with mild COVID-19 and 13 patients with MP were included in this study. There was no difference in lymphocyte counts at baseline between the two groups (1.43 ± 0.45 vs. 1.44 ± 0.50, p = 0.279). C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in MP group than in COVID-19 group (p < 0.05). The number, volume, and involved lobes of pulmonary lesions reached a peak in 7–14 days in the COVID-19 group, but there was no peak or declining trend over time in the MP group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Based on the longitudinal changes of quantitative CT, pulmonary lesions peaked at 7–14 days in patients with COVID-19, and this may be useful to distinguish COVID-19 from MP and evaluate curative effects and prognosis.
Prevalence and predictors of stroke among individuals with prediabetes and diabetes in Florida
Authors: Khan Md Marufuzzaman , Roberson Shamarial , Reid Keshia , Jordan Melissa , Odoi Agricola
Published: February 2022

Background

The prevalence of both prediabetes and diabetes have been increasing in Florida. These increasing trends will likely result in increases of stroke burden since both conditions are major risk factors of stroke. However, not much is known about the prevalence and predictors of stroke among adults with prediabetes and diabetes and yet this information is critical for guiding health programs aimed at reducing stroke burden. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence and identify predictors of stroke among persons with either prediabetes or diabetes in Florida.

Methods

The 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey data were obtained from the Florida Department of Health and used for the study. Weighted prevalence estimates of stroke and potential predictor variables as well as their 95% confidence intervals were computed for adults with prediabetes and diabetes. A conceptual model of predictors of stroke among adults with prediabetes and diabetes was constructed to guide statistical model building. Two multivariable logistic models were built to investigate predictors of stroke among adults with prediabetes and diabetes.

Results

The prevalence of stroke among respondents with prediabetes and diabetes were 7.8% and 11.2%, respectively. The odds of stroke were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher among respondents with prediabetes that were ≥ 45 years old (Odds ratio [OR] = 2.82; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.74, 10.69), had hypertension (OR = 5.86; CI = 2.90, 11.84) and hypercholesterolemia (OR = 3.93; CI = 1.84, 8.40). On the other hand, the odds of stroke among respondents with diabetes were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher if respondents were non-Hispanic Black (OR = 1.79; CI = 1.01, 3.19), hypertensive (OR = 3.56; CI = 1.87, 6.78) and had depression (OR = 2.02; CI = 1.14, 3.59).

Conclusions

Stroke prevalence in Florida is higher among adults with prediabetes and diabetes than the general population of the state. There is evidence of differences in the importance of predictors of stroke among populations with prediabetes and those with diabetes. These findings are useful for guiding health programs geared towards reducing stroke burden among populations with prediabetes and diabetes.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health assessment of seafarers working on ocean-going vessels during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Baygi Fereshteh , Blome Christine , Smith Andrew , Khonsari Nami Mohammadian , Agoushi Arash , Maghoul Arman , Esmaeili-Abdar Mohammad , Gorabi Armita Mahdavi , Qorbani Mostafa
Published: February 2022

Background

There are increasing concerns about mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic among seafarers. This study aims to assess the effects of the current global health pandemic on life satisfaction and adverse psychological outcomes among seafarers.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 470 multinational seafarers working on board ships of two international shipping companies were assessed. Mental health outcomes were assessed by the general anxiety disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD-8) questionnaire, and patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) depressive severity score. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association of demographic and work-related variables with mental health outcomes.

Results

Overall, 439 out of 470 invited seafarers with a mean age of 34.5 (SD: 8.05) years participated in this study (participation rate: 93.4%). The prevalence of anxiety, depressive, and post-traumatic stress symptoms was 12.4, 14.1, and 37.3%, respectively. In the multivariate model, the current vessel’s signing duration was directly associated with the odds of depressive and intrusion symptoms. Moreover, the duration of work per week was inversely associated with hyper-vigilance and avoidance. Also, non-officers, compared to officers, experienced significantly lower anxiety and depressive symptoms, hyper-vigilance, and avoidance.

Conclusion

The present study revealed a high prevalence of mental health problems among seafarers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend that more evidence is generated regarding psychosocial health issues for this vulnerable occupation.
“MYH9 mutation and squamous cell cancer of the tongue in a young adult: a novel case report”
Authors: Yabe Takako Eva , King Kylie , Russell Susan , Satgunaseelan Laveniya , Gupta Ruta , Chen James , Ashford Bruce
Published: February 2022

Background

The incidence of tongue cancer in young adults is on the rise. This trend is more pronounced in females. Although the aetiology is still unclear, there is mounting evidence that genetic syndromes can play a key role in development of oral cancers in this patient group. We report the first case of oral squamous cell carcinoma (oSCC) in a young adult with an MYH9-related disorder (MYH9-RD).

Case presentation

A 19-year-old female with a germlineMYH9variant (missense variant in exon 2: c.287C > T, (p.Ser96Leu)) was referred to the head and neck surgery department for investigation of a painful, thick right tongue ulcer. She was diagnosed with Epstein syndrome, an MYH9-RD, at 12 years of age. Her main phenotypic features were profound thrombocytopenia and marked renal impairment. The tongue biopsy confirmed SCC. Preoperative positron emission tomography (PET) revealed avidity in the right tongue and ipsilateral level 2A neck lymph node. With substantial preoperative multidisciplinary input, she underwent cancer ablation and microvascular free flap reconstruction. Her pathology showed a 35 mm diameter, 14 mm thick moderately differentiated SCC with perineural and lymphovascular invasion. Two out of 38 right neck nodes were positive for metastasis with extranodal extension. None of the 34 left neck nodes was involved.

She had an uneventful recovery and was discharged home on day 6 postoperative day. On day 15 postoperative day, she had catastrophic bleeding in the neck with a respiratory arrest after a forceful cough. She required an emergency tracheostomy and returned to the theatre for haemostasis. Following a short inpatient stay, she was again discharged home and underwent adjuvant therapy consisting of external beam radiotherapy of 60Gy in 30 fractions. On clinical examination and PET at 6 months after surgery, she had no evidence of disease recurrence.

Conclusions

MYH9-RD can present with advanced locoregional oral cavity malignancy at an early age. The combination of profound thrombocytopenia and marked renal impairment can impact heavily on routine major head and neck cancer surgery and adjuvant treatment. This rare and challenging condition underlines the importance of early detection of cancer and multidisciplinary team input.
Post-harvest losses of crops and its determinants in Ethiopia: tobit model analysis
Authors: Debebe Sisay
Published: February 2022

Background

Reduction of post-harvest loses of crops are crucial tasks in ensuring food and nutrition security. However, a lack of knowledge on the extent of post-harvest losses and its associated impeding factors are posing major challenges to effectiveness of grain post-harvest loss management strategy and to scale up for all other crop types in Ethiopia. The study estimates the magnitude of post-harvest losses of all crops and identifies its determinants.

Methodology

A national-level agriculture survey data were obtained from the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Tobit model analysis techniques.

Results

The analysis shows 25.81% perceived annual average post-harvest losses of crops were obtained with considerable variation across the crop types. The main factors impeding post-harvest losses of crops were households with larger adult family size, higher levels of education attendance, and wealth status, large landholding size and damage of stored crops by insect pests infestation and/or rodent feeding due to utilization of traditional storage equipments, access to extension support services, cooperative marketing membership, and being far away from both all weathered roads and near local market centers due to a higher transaction costs associated with a lack of market information, contamination, and mechanical injuries.

Conclusion

Minimization of post-harvest losses of crops could be achieved through a holistic approach by providing short and long-term training on post-harvest management practices, promoting the use of post-harvest technologies, paying special attention to the institutional support systems (agriculture extension and rural credit services), strengthening the support for post-harvest handling technologies, reinforcing the existing farmer cooperative marketing, and improvements of the local market and road networking infrastructures of rural areas should be undertaken by the government in collaboration with non-government organizations.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - Prevention, diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Mazurek Aleksandra , Cyboran Katarzyna , Kuc Monika , Machaj Dominik , Machaj Damian
Published: February 2022

CRPS different from other chronic pain conditions by the presence of signs indicating autonomic and inflammatory changes in the area of ​​pain.[4]Otherwise called Sudeck syndrome, it is characterized by pain and swelling of the affected limb, and in the final stage - contractures in the joints. The skin becomes dry and trophically changed. If the cause of the symptoms is known, causal treatment is used, if not - the following attempts are made to treat this syndrome.The pathophysiology of CRPS is unknown, so diagnostic tests are used to rule out a pathology other thanComplex Regional PainSyndrome.The average age of onset is 42 years. Statistically, women suffer from the disease three times more often than men. [7]
Elite or grassroots? A feminist institutionalist examination of the role equalities organisations play in delivering representation and participation in a third sector–government partnership
Authors: Sanders Amy
Published: February 2022

This study examines institutional discourses about representation and participation in the Welsh third sector–government partnership. It applies a feminist institutionalist lens to understand how the representation of equalities third sector organisations is enabled and constrained. The theoretical foundation brings together diverging literatures on third sector–state relations, democracy theory and understandings of descriptive representation in the equalities literature. Using semi-structured elite interviews, it employs critical discourse analysis to scrutinise policy actors’ partnership accounts. Findings reveal how equalities representation is restricted by institutional expectations for the third sector’s unified voice. Furthermore, institutionalist discourses about the the ‘usual suspects’ and scrutiny of the grassroot–professional paradox reveal how Welsh equalities representation is under threat. This analysis reveals the complex interaction of diverging uses of representation and participation that serve to undermine the legitimacy of expert knowledge on inequalities to inform state policy making in favour of populist constructions of the wider citizen voice.
Girls who learn to serve: an ethnography exploring the gendered experience of school-based volunteering
Authors: Lau Emily
Published: February 2022

This is a study of a school-based volunteering programme; an ethnography of six girls enrolled onto the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme (DofE) at their secondary school in a deprived coastal community in the United Kingdom. Building on voluntary sector research into young people’s volunteering and feminist research into the systematic gender inequalities created by school structures, this article explores how often young people were coerced into school-based volunteering and how, in this case, the coercion was gendered. The researcher observed how the school’s prefect group, based on relations with school leaders and teachers, were recruited onto the DofE and then divided by gendered norms that ensured the girls and boys volunteered with different motivations and were incentivised and rewarded differently. Classed and gendered constructed identities, reinforced by school structures and practices, were evident in gendered school duties and caring responsibilities given to the girls. This article raises important considerations for voluntary sector–school partnerships that aim to empower and improve student opportunities. In this study, rather than challenge and empower young people, school-based volunteering served to reproduce societal classed and gendered inequalities.
Dr Tatu Kamau vs The Attorney General and Others: problems and prospects in Kenya’s 2021 High Court ruling to uphold the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act 2011 - a reply to ‘The prosecution of Dawoodi Bohra women’ by Richard Shweder
Authors: Ahmadu Fuambai Sia , Kamau Tatu
Published: February 2022

‘[The] average third world woman leads an essentially truncated life based on her feminine gender (read: sexually constrained) and being “third world” (read: ignorant, poor, uneducated, tradition-bound, domestic, family-oriented, victimized, etc.). This, I suggest, is in contrast to the (implicit) self-representation of Western women as educated, modern, as having control over their own bodies and sexualities, and the freedom to make their own decisions’ (Mohanty, 2003: 337). Not much has changed regarding Western views of the ‘third world woman’ in the 37 years since Chandra Mohanty made these remarks – this is especially so when it comes to the heated topic of female circumcision, female genital cutting or what opponents refer to as female genital mutilation among African and Muslim women. In Richard Shweder’s (2022) conclusion of the target article, he outlines four key considerations that justify male circumcision and argues that these factors ought to also determine the acceptability of female circumcision in liberal democracies: (1) the practice is broadly supported by the communities that uphold them; (2) the practice is motivated by the fundamental principle of gender equality; (3) the practice is not more physically invasive than what is legally allowed for male circumcision; and (4) there is scant evidence of harm. Shweder (2022) points out that all four conditions are consistent with the practice of khatna – a mild, barely visible form of female circumcision among the Dawoodi Bohra. In this response article, we consider these four standards in our discussion of Kenya’s High Court ruling this year to uphold the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act 2011. It first describes the legal context for challenging the constitutionality of the Act and outlines the key provisions within the Kenyan Constitution and its Bill of Rights that the plaintiff identified in her petition, focusing especially on the rights of Kenyan women to bodily autonomy and cultural expression. It then delves into the complex symbolic, cultural and socio-religious nuances of gender-inclusive circumcision rituals, citing various case studies in our reflection on the four points Shweder proposes for legitimising female circumcision.
‘No one was clapping for us’: care, social justice and family carer wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales
Authors: Cheshire-Allen Maria , Calder Gideon
Published: February 2022

The inequalities laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic have had particular implications for the wellbeing of family carers. This article considers these impacts from a social justice perspective, drawing on elements of the ethics of care and the capabilities approach, as well as findings from interviews with 30 family carers in Wales, UK, during the initial months of ‘lockdown’ in 2020. In the interviews, key themes emerged around the sense of loss, poorer outcomes, ‘caring solidarity’ and its absence, and concerns about the dominant discourse on care. Although rooted in the specifics of the pandemic experience, all have wider implications for how we understand wellbeing itself, and, in particular, its application to questions of social justice. We argue for the value of an extended conception of wellbeing – one that avoids the individualistic tendencies of some accounts and incorporates the importance of relationality and extrinsic material factors.
Direct optical wire bonding through open-to-air polymerization for silicon photonic chips: publisher’s note
Authors: Rhee Hyun-Woo , Shim Joonsup , Kim Jae-Yong , Bang David Juseong , Yoon Hyeonho , Kim Myeongho , Kim Chong Cook , You Jong-Bum , Park Hyo-Hoon
Published: February 2022

This publisher’s note contains a correction to Opt. Lett.
47, 714
(2022)OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.445526.
Luxury industry as a pioneer for sustainability through improved communication: A consumer perspective
Authors: Rajaprakasam Preethi
Published: February 2022

Sustainability has become a pervasive issue for luxury businesses ever since the tendency towards mass luxury production. In this context, the emerging middle class from the Global South positions itself as the target consumers for the current landscape. The purpose of this article is to examine how luxury brand marketers can balance sustainability measures and communications while maintaining their exclusivity in this evolving market. Prior research suggests that consumers do not regard luxury and sustainability as compatible, whilst the concept of ‘sustainable luxury’ is gaining attention among researchers and businesses. This article explores how this apparent contradiction, or even paradox, can be negotiated to implement sustainable luxury in practice. Existing research has highlighted the growing yet fragmented evidence on the new wave of consumers from the Global South, in particular India and Latin America. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with the Indian middle class followed by a thematic analysis. This article looked into three major aspects: (1) the existing knowledge on luxury–sustainability relationship, (2) the existence of an attitude–behaviour gap, and (3) the benefits of improved communication from businesses to consumers. A new consumer perspective emerged from the study, which can be added to existing literature, namely a positive correlation (rather than an inherent contradiction) between the two concepts of ‘luxury’ and ‘sustainability’. This can make the luxury industry a pioneer for sustainability through improved, nuanced communication. The positive correlation was based on consumers’ belief in buying a certain package when purchasing a luxury product that includes sustainability as a highly desirable inherent trait due to its high price and nature of the concept. The findings further highlight a shift in consumers’ mind that demands improved communication in the form of grounded measures and two-way dialogue to tackle lack of transparency and trust on the industry. Increased communication is identified to be a positive influence on consumer purchase decisions if convincing forms of communication are included. By adding a second viewpoint, this article is seen as bridging the gap between the scholarly perspective of convergence (sustainable luxury) and the consumer perspective of controversy (contradiction). The discussion elaborates on what it means for theory and practice, and some pragmatic recommendations are made in the conclusion. This future is mainly based on communication, which helps to break down the luxury–sustainability contradiction and the existing attitude–behaviour gap.
Exploring disrupting scenarios in the fashion retail and communication paradigms
Authors: Iannilli Valeria M. , Linfante Vittorio
Published: February 2022

The growing complexity in the economic sphere, the accelerating rate of change, the new information technology and the globalization of cultural processes create a new landscape. The new tech habits are reshaping customer behaviours and businesses. Contaminations, hybridizations and negotiations increasingly characterize today’s retail landscape. The future of retail is connected to how well brands adapt and take advantage of digital change. Within this framework, the fashion system can catch the opportunity to reflect and redesign the entire production and cultural system. Today, the shopping experience is realized thanks to multiform sensory and informational solicitations and the different distribution and communication channels, both physical and digital, defining new needs, strategies, technologies and even new aesthetic forms. In this renewed context, retail becomes increasingly relevant both in its physical and digital form and above all in the ‘phygital’ one, between virtual and real. A form that creates new sales space through the creation of experiences and interactions between the physical space and the intangibility of the digital world: from the multichannel, we move towards increasingly integrated strategies that use omnichannel sales and communication methods. In this context, new paradigms and new retail concepts emerge, bridging communication and distribution. Communication actions that are increasingly transversal, enriched with new languages and tools capable of reverberating the aura of fashion through the creation of real cultural palimpsests such as the Dior Talks and Possible Conversations by Prada, the Alexander McQueen Floral Challenge or the Trivia by Salvatore Ferragamo. Projects between communication, art and marketing that redefine the fashion point of view on the relationship between real and digital; as well as the Sunnei Canvas project that uses 3D design tools both for the development of the collection and for the creation of animated avatars that will guide the final translation of the brand’s lexicon.
Power-games behind the conceptualization of contagion
Authors: Založnik Jasmina
Published: February 2022

In this contribution, I will draw parallels between the notion of contagion of diseases and the potential effect of movement as contagion, while juxtaposing some of the selected theoretical approaches that analyse the term contagion as a threat on the one hand and as a potential weapon in the processes of sensibilization of humanity, emphasizing empathy as a tool and medium for social politicization on the other. I will try to answer to the following questions: what does it mean to see the contagioned body as infectious toward other bodies? What is the impact of the medical-epidemiological concept of infection on the wider political discourse? How have the metaphoric notions of contagion been used as its counter-side? How contagious are social and artistic practices and what are the reasons for their success or/and their downfall?