bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imaging of calcific tendinopathy around the shoulder: usual and unusual presentations and common pitfalls
Authors: Albano Domenico , Coppola Alessandra , Gitto Salvatore , Rapisarda Santi , Messina Carmelo , Sconfienza Luca Maria
Published: November 2020

Rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy (RCCT) is a very common condition, characterized by calcium deposition over fibrocartilaginous metaplasia of tenocytes, mainly occurring in the supraspinatus tendon. RCCT has a typical imaging presentation: in most cases, calcific deposits appear as a dense opacity around the humeral head on conventional radiography, as hyperechoic foci with or without acoustic shadow at ultrasound and as a signal void at magnetic resonance imaging. However, radiologists have to keep in mind the possible unusual presentations of RCCT and the key imaging features to correctly differentiate RCCT from other RC conditions, such as calcific enthesopathy or RC tears. Other presentations of RCCT to be considered are intrabursal, intraosseous, and intramuscular migration of calcific deposits that may mimic infectious processes or malignancies. While intrabursal and intraosseous migration are quite common, intramuscular migration is an unusual evolution of RCCT. It is important also to know atypical regions affected by calcific tendinopathy as biceps brachii, pectoralis major, and deltoid tendons. Unusual presentations of RCCT may lead to diagnostic challenge and mistakes. The aim of this review is to illustrate the usual and unusual imaging findings of RCCT that radiologists should know to reach the correct diagnosis and to exclude other entities with the purpose of preventing further unnecessary imaging examinations or interventional procedures.
A generative flow-based model for volumetric data augmentation in 3D deep learning for computed tomographic colonography
Authors: Uemura Tomoki , Näppi Janne J. , Ryu Yasuji , Watari Chinatsu , Kamiya Tohru , Yoshida Hiroyuki
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Deep learning can be used for improving the performance of computer-aided detection (CADe) in various medical imaging tasks. However, in computed tomographic (CT) colonography, the performance is limited by the relatively small size and the variety of the available training datasets. Our purpose in this study was to develop and evaluate a flow-based generative model for performing 3D data augmentation of colorectal polyps for effective training of deep learning in CADe for CT colonography.

Methods

We developed a 3D-convolutional neural network (3D CNN) based on a flow-based generative model (3D Glow) for generating synthetic volumes of interest (VOIs) that has characteristics similar to those of the VOIs of its training dataset. The 3D Glow was trained to generate synthetic VOIs of polyps by use of our clinical CT colonography case collection. The evaluation was performed by use of a human observer study with three observers and by use of a CADe-based polyp classification study with a 3D DenseNet.

Results

The area-under-the-curve values of the receiver operating characteristic analysis of the three observers were not statistically significantly different in distinguishing between real polyps and synthetic polyps. When trained with data augmentation by 3D Glow, the 3D DenseNet yielded a statistically significantly higher polyp classification performance than when it was trained with alternative augmentation methods.

Conclusion

The 3D Glow-generated synthetic polyps are visually indistinguishable from real colorectal polyps. Their application to data augmentation can substantially improve the performance of 3D CNNs in CADe for CT colonography. Thus, 3D Glow is a promising method for improving the performance of deep learning in CADe for CT colonography.
The role of the combination of echo-HRCT score as a tool to evaluate the presence of pulmonary hypertension in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Refini Rosa Metella , Bettini Gloria , Kacerja Esmeralda , Cameli Paolo , d’Alessandro Miriana , Bergantini Laura , De Negri Ferdinando , Rottoli Paola , Sestini Piersante , Bargagli Elena , Mazzei Maria Antonietta
Published: November 2020

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined as an elevated mean pulmonary artery pressure at rest (mPAP ≥ 25 mmHg), evaluated by right heart catheterization (RHC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate HRCT findings in relation to transthoracic echocardiographic data to better characterize PH in IPF patients and to identify a non-invasive composite index with high predictive value for PH in these patients. 37 IPF patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients underwent a complete assessment for PH, including transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, HRCT scan and right heart catheterization. Right heart catheterization was done in 19 patients (51.3%) as pre-lung transplant assessment and in 18 patients (48.6%) to confirm PH, suspected on the basis of echocardiography. Twenty out of 37 patients (54%) were confirmed to have PH by RHC. Multivariate regression showed that the combination of sPAP, PA area measured by HRCT and the ratio of the diameter of the segmental artery to that of the adjacent bronchus in the apicoposterior segment of the left upper lobe was strongly correlated with mPAP (R2 = 0.53; p = 0.0009). The ROC analysis showed that 931.6 was the ULN for PA area, with 86% sensitivity and 61% specificity (0.839 AUC); 20.34 was the ULN for the ratio of PA area to ascending aorta diameter, with 100% sensitivity and 50% specificity (0.804 AUC). The composite index proposed in the present study could help early detection of IPF patients suspected of PH requiring confirmation by RHC (if deemed clinically necessary).
Durability of vitreous enamel coatings and their resistance to abrasion, chemicals, and corrosion: a review
Authors: Rossi Stefano , Russo Francesca , Calovi Massimo
Published: November 2020

Vitreous enamels represent a class of coatings with different technological properties, mainly appreciated for the protection they guarantee to the covered substrates. This review introduces enamel coatings, describing their production technologies and presenting the main properties affecting the enamel’s durability. Firstly, this review article introduces the most important studies regarding the improvement in abrasion resistance, highlighting both successes and failures. Afterward, the work reveals an outlook about the resistance to chemicals, underlining the good resistance of enamels toward acidic chemicals and discussing the results of studies aimed to improve their performances toward alkaline solutions. This review also considers the corrosion protection property of enamels, highlighting the high barrier effect they provide against the absorption of aggressive substances toward metal substrates. Finally, new perspectives and possible future research paths are presented, being aware that this kind of coating offers both good product protection and functional integrity over time.
Evaluation of Major Minerals and Trace Elements in Wild and Domesticated Edible Herbs Traditionally Used in the Mediterranean Area
Authors: Ceccanti Costanza , Brizzi Andrea , Landi Marco , Incrocci Luca , Pardossi Alberto , Guidi Lucia
Published: November 2020

The human diet is characterized by the intake of major minerals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, N) and trace elements (Zn, Mn, Se, Cu, Fe, Co, I, Cr, F, Pb, Cd) for their key role in many metabolic functions. Nowadays, the research of sources able to improve their intake is in continuous evolution, especially in the undeveloped countries. In this sense, wild edible herbs, commonly used since ancient times, can represent a good alternative to improve the daily human intake of minerals. In this study, four wild edible species, Rumex acetosa, Picris hieracioides, Cichorium intybus, and Plantago coronopus, were analyzed for their content in Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn and, besides, three domestications (named “soilless,” pot, and open field) were evaluated in the analyzed species in the prospective of their commercialization as valuable sources of minerals in the human diet. Nitrate and oxalate contents were also evaluated, given their negative impact on human health. Results unveil that open field domestication allowed the plants to maintain the content of major minerals similar to those measured in wild plants, especially in C. intybus and P. hieracioides. The trace elements Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn were not recorded at high content irrespectively to the wild collection or domestications. Finally, plants grown in the open field also accounted for a high oxalate and nitrate content, especially in R. acetosa. Further researches should be aimed at decreasing the oxalate and nitrate content in the domesticated species and to promote the commercialization of the domesticated species.
Classic but unexpected: a case of Jefferson fracture
Authors: Gassend Jean-Loup , Braham Mohamed Yassine , Vilarino Raquel , Magnin Virginie
Published: November 2020

A man was found lying dead next to a ladder, with only a laceration surrounded by an abrasion visible upon external examination. No skull fractures were palpable. A CT scan and MRI showed a Jefferson fracture of the atlas, associated to a posterior displacement of the skull, a fracture of the dens of the axis, and fractures of the bodies of C5 and C6. Jefferson fractures typically result from a blow to the apex of the skull. In such cases, forensic pathologists should suspect the existence of a Jefferson fracture, particularly when no severe injuries are visible externally.
Association between dating violence and personality type in Mexican university students
Authors: Cortés-Treviño Karla L. , Garduño-Alanis Adriana , Monroy Guadalupe Villalobos
Published: November 2020

Violence against women is a global health problem. Some pathological personality traits have been associated with violence. However, the relation between personality type and dating violence, especially in Mexican students, is not fully known. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the relation between personality type and dating violence in female university students of the State of Mexico, Mexico. Cross-sectional study conducted from February to September 2019 at a private university in the State of Mexico, Mexico. Female students of the bachelor’s degrees in the field of health sciences were included. Socio-demographic data, dating violence, and personality type were evaluated through questionnaires. Adjusted logistic regression models were applied, using STATA v.13. Students with an extroverted personality were 2.45 more likely to suffer dating violence (95% CI 1.29 to 4.63), adjusted for covariates. Those who reported childhood abuse (OR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.08 to 5.01) and whom their partners had a history of drug use (OR = 2.78, 95% CI 1.17 to 6.60) or who currently use drugs (OR = 4.85, 95% CI 0.92 to 25.7), were more likely to suffer dating violence, adjusted for covariates. Students with extroverted personality were more likely to experience dating violence, compared to those with introverted personality. The results show the need to produce further research to identify specific traits within extroverted female population which makes them vulnerable to dating violence.
Collagenous colitis and atezolizumab therapy: an atypical case
Authors: Gallo Antonella , Talerico Rosa , Novello Luca , Giustiniani Maria Cristina , D’Argento Ettore , Bria Emilio , Montalto Massimo
Published: November 2020

Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4), anti-PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1), and PD-L1 (programmed cell death protein-ligand 1) are emerging drugs that have radically changed treatment and prognosis of different types of tumors. However, despite their considerable benefits, immune checkpoint inhibitors are associated with numerous side effects involving several organs. Gastrointestinal toxicities represent some of these most common adverse events. While clinical presentation usually ranges from mild diarrhea to life-threatening colitis, typical endoscopic and histologic findings of immune-mediated colitis often resemble those of inflammatory bowel diseases. However, less common patterns are lymphocytic colitis and, rarely, collagenous colitis. Physician and pathologists must be aware of the wide spectrum of clinical and histological findings that may be encountered in immune-related gastro-intestinal toxicities. We report a rare and atypical case of collagenous colitis occurred in a woman affected by stage IV lung adenocarcinoma, on atezolizumab therapy.
Efficient hydrothermal deoxygenation of tall oil fatty acids into n-paraffinic hydrocarbons and alcohols in the presence of aqueous formic acid
Authors: Konwar Lakhya Jyoti , Oliani Benedetta , Samikannu Ajaikumar , Canu Paolo , Mikkola Jyri-Pekka
Published: November 2020

Hydrothermal deoxygenation of tall oil fatty acids (TOFA) was investigated in the presence of aqueous formic acid (0.5–7.5 wt%) as a H2 donor in the presence of subcritical H2O pressure (569–599 K). Pd and Ru nanoparticles supported on carbon (5% Pd/CSigma, 5% Ru/CSigma, 10% Pd/CO850_DP, and 5% Ru/COPcomm_DP) were found to be efficient catalysts for deoxygenation of TOFA. The reaction pathway was mainly influenced by the concentration of formic acid and the catalyst. In case of Pd catalysts, in the presence of 0–2.5 wt% formic acid, decarboxylation was the dominant pathway producing n-paraffinic hydrocarbons with one less carbon atom (heptadecane yield up to 94 wt%), while with 5–7.5% formic acid, a hydrodeoxygenation/hydrogenation mechanism was favored producing C18 deoxygenation products octadecanol and octadecane as the main products (yields up to 70 wt%). In contrast, Ru catalysts produced a mixture of C5-C20 (n-and iso-paraffinic) hydrocarbons via decarboxylation, cracking and isomerization (up to 58 wt% C17 yield and total hydrocarbon yield up to 95 wt%) irrespective of formic acid concentration. Kinetic studies showed that the rates of deoxygenation displayed Arrhenius type behavior with apparent activation energies of 134.44 ± 31.36 kJ/mol and 148.92 ± 3.66 kJ/mol, for the 5% Pd/CSigma and 5% Ru/CSigma catalyst, respectively. Furthermore, the experiments with glycerol tristearate, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed biodiesel, and hydrolyzed rapeseed oil produced identical products confirming the versatility of the aforementioned catalytic systems for deoxygenation of C18 feedstocks.
Assessment of renal impairment using estimated glomerular filtration rate among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in North-East Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Taderegew Mitku Mammo
Published: November 2020

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the known cause of morbidity and mortality among diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Targeted screening of renal impairment based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among DM patients has potential benefits in early identification and treatment of CKD. Hence, this study was aimed to estimate the magnitude of renal impairment using eGFR among type 2 DM patients.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February-1 to April 30/2020 among 422 type 2 DM patients in Northeast Ethiopia. Data were collected by the semi-structured questioner and serum creatinine measurement. The collected data were edited into Epi-data manager version 4.4.1.0, and the analysis was performed by SPSS-25. The Simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology (CKD-EPI), and Cockcroft-Gault (C-G) equations were used to calculate eGFR.

Results

Of all study participants, 82(19.4%), 92(21.8%), and 103(24.4%) had eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, according to the MDRD, CKD-EPI, and C-G equations, respectively. Female sex, (MDRD:AOR = 4.44, 95%CI:1.97–9.97, CKD-EPI:AOR = 3.17, 95%CI:1.27–6.17, and C-G:AOR = 2.65, 95%CI:1.35–5.21), duration ≥ 10 years (MDRD:AOR = 3.38, 95%CI:1.45–7.92, CKD-EPI:AOR = 3.09, 95%CI:1.07–7.77, and C-G:AOR = 2.92, 95%CI:1.29–6.61), age ˃60 years (MDRD:AOR = 2.29, 95%CI:1.09–4.77, CKD-EPI:AOR = 4.12, 95%CI:1.68–6.78, and C-G: AOR = 3.42, 95%CI:1.77–6.60), hypertension (MDRD:AOR = 3.12, 95%CI:1.51–6.45, CKD-EPI: AOR = 4.21,95%CI:2.07–7.98, and C-G:AOR = 3.99, 95%CI:2.08–7.65), poor glycemic control (MDRD:AOR = 2.82, 95%CI:1.13–7.05, and C-G:AOR = 2.34, 95%CI:1.09–5.04), and body mass index (MDRD:AOR = 1.11, 95%CI:1.01–1.22, and CKD-EPI:AOR = 2.43, 95%CI:1.27–5.76) were significantly associated with renal impairment.

Conclusion

Renal impairment was prevalent among type 2 DM patients. Older age, female sex, duration, hypertension, poor glycemic control, and BMI were significantly associated with renal impairment.
Soziale Kontrolle. Begriff – Probleme beim Umgang mit ihm – Seine Aktualität
Authors: Peters Helge
Published: November 2020

Zunächst geht es um den Begriff „soziale Kontrolle“. Sie wird als Handeln verstanden, das auf den Erhalt von Normkonformität in dem Bereich zielt, in dem es ausgeübt wird. Es zielt nicht einfach auf die Konformität ihrer AdressatInnen. Sodann wird die Rezeption des Begriffs „soziale Kontrolle“ in neueren devianz-, kontroll- und herrschaftssoziologischen Texten dargestellt. Gezeigt werden Widersprüchlichkeiten und Tendenzen, nach denen Maßnahmen als soziale Kontrolle beschrieben werden, die auf den Machterhalt ihrer Akteure, nicht jedoch auf den Erhalt von Normkonformität zielen. Problematisiert werden auch die empirischen Grundlagen der sog. Punitivitätsthese. Schließlich wird das Gewicht erörtert, das die gegenwärtige deutsche Soziologie dem Begriff „soziale Kontrolle“ beimisst. Es ergibt sich, dass der Begriff an soziologischer Relevanz eingebüßt hat. Dies wird bedauert. Mit dieser Einbuße könne auch die soziologische Aufmerksamkeit für das mögliche Verfehlen der Kontrollziele und für Devianzkonstrukte schwinden, die von Instanzen sozialer Kontrolle hergestellt werden.
Cytoplasmic Transfer Improves Human Egg Fertilization and Embryo Quality: an Evaluation of Sibling Oocytes in Women with Low Oocyte Quality
Authors: Sobek Ales , Tkadlec Emil , Klaskova Eva , Prochazka Martin
Published: November 2020

The aim of this study was to evaluate if cytoplasmic transfer can improve fertilization and embryo quality of women with oocytes of low quality. During ICSI, 10–15% of the cytoplasm from a fresh or frozen young donor oocyte was added to the recipient oocyte. According to the embryo quality, we defined group A as patients in which the best embryo was evident after cytoplasmic transfer and group B as patients in which the best embryo was evident after a simple ICSI. We investigated in the period of 2002–2018, 125 in vitro fertilization cycles involving 1011 fertilized oocytes. Five hundred fifty-seven sibling oocytes were fertilized using ICSI only and 454 oocytes with cytoplasmic transfer. Fertilization rates of oocytes were 67.2% in the cytoplasmic transfer and 53.5% in the ICSI groups (P < 0.001). A reduction in fertilization rate was observed with increased women age in the ICSI but not in the cytoplasmic transfer groups. The best embryo quality was found after cytoplasmic transfer in 78 cycles (62.4%) and without cytoplasmic transfer in 40 cycles (32%, P < 0.001). No significant differences were detected between the age, hormonal levels, dose of stimulation drugs, number of transferred embryos, pregnancy rate and abortion rate between A and B groups. Cytoplasmic transfer improves fertilization rates and early embryo development in humans with low oocyte quality. All 28 children resulting from cytoplasmic transfer are healthy.
One-stage operation without intraoperative colonic irrigation for left-sided colonic obstruction: Case series study
Authors: Nguyen Hai V. , Le Luu H. , Do Phuong TT.
Published: November 2020

ABSTRACT

Background:

To perform a one-stage operation safely in selected patients with left-sided colonic obstruction, many surgeons have considered intraoperative colonic irrigation as an indispensable step. Recently, studies have shown that step is unnecessary. The aim of this study was to identify the early results of a one-stage operation without intraoperative colonic irrigation in the treatment of left-sided colonic obstruction.

Methods:

This case series included patients who had resectable left-sided colonic obstruction and were admitted to Nhan Dan Gia Dinh Hospital from January 2008 to December 2018. All patients were treated by one-stage operation without intraoperative colonic irrigation. The early results were described, focusing on mortality, anastomotic-related complications, operative time and length of hospital stay.

Results:

There were 74 patients with a mean age of 50 years (range 20–81 years). Colorectal cancer accounted for 86.4% of cases. The median operative time was 158 ± 42 min (range 65–285 min). One patient (1.4%) died on postoperative day 6 due to pneumonia and multiorgan failure. Three patients (4.1%) had major anastomotic leakage, 4 patients (5.4%) had minor anastomotic leakage, 9 patients (12.2%) had wound infection, 4 patients (5.4%) had intraabdominal fluid collection, and 1 patient (1.4%) had an early adhesive small bowel obstruction. The median length of hospital stay was 9 ± 3 days (range 5–24 days). The method was successful in 70/74 patients (94.6%).

Conclusions:

With properly selected patients and experienced GI surgeons, a one-stage operation without intraoperative colonic irrigation is an effective and safe alternative for resectable left-sided colonic obstruction.

Highlights:
An Introduction to Metamaterials and Nanophotonics
Authors: Simovski Constantin , Tretyakov Sergei
Published: November 2020

Metamaterials have established themselves as one of the most important topics in physics and engineering, and have found practical application across a wide variety of fields including photonics, condensed matter physics, materials science, and biological and medical physics. This modern and self-contained text delivers a pedagogical treatment of the topic, rooted within the fundamental principles of nanophotonics. A detailed and unified description of metamaterials and metasurfaces is developed, beginning with photonic crystals and their underlying electromagnetic properties before introducing plasmonic effects and key metamaterial configurations. Recent developments in research are also presented along with cutting-edge applications in the field. This advanced textbook will be invaluable to students and researchers working in the fields of optics and nanophotonics.
Data-Driven Computational Neuroscience
Authors: Bielza Concha , Larrañaga Pedro
Published: November 2020

Data-driven computational neuroscience facilitates the transformation of data into insights into the structure and functions of the brain. This introduction for researchers and graduate students is the first in-depth, comprehensive treatment of statistical and machine learning methods for neuroscience. The methods are demonstrated through case studies of real problems to empower readers to build their own solutions. The book covers a wide variety of methods, including supervised classification with non-probabilistic models (nearest-neighbors, classification trees, rule induction, artificial neural networks and support vector machines) and probabilistic models (discriminant analysis, logistic regression and Bayesian network classifiers), meta-classifiers, multi-dimensional classifiers and feature subset selection methods. Other parts of the book are devoted to association discovery with probabilistic graphical models (Bayesian networks and Markov networks) and spatial statistics with point processes (complete spatial randomness and cluster, regular and Gibbs processes). Cellular, structural, functional, medical and behavioral neuroscience levels are considered.
Modernism in the Metrocolony
Authors: Vandertop Caitlin
Published: November 2020

While literary modernism is often associated with Euro-American metropolises such as London, Paris or New York, this book considers the place of the colonial city in modernist fiction. From the streets of Dublin to the shop-houses of Singapore, and from the botanical gardens of Bombay to the suburbs of Suva, the monumental landscapes of British colonial cities aimed to reinforce empire's universalising claims, yet these spaces also contradicted and resisted the impositions of an idealised English culture. Inspired by the uneven landscapes of the urban British empire, a group of twentieth-century writers transformed the visual incongruities and anachronisms on display in the city streets into sources of critique and formal innovation. Showing how these writers responded to empire's metrocolonial complexities and built legacies, Modernism in the Metrocolony traces an alternative, peripheral history of the modernist city.
Enhanced cruise range prediction for narrow-body turbofan commercial aircraft based on QAR data
Authors: Atasoy V.E. , Cetek C.
Published: November 2020

Aircraft performance parameters play a critical role in maintaining economic and environmental sustainability in aviation. Furthermore, the ability to calculate aircraft performance parameters accurately for the cruise range contributes to aviation in areas such as the preliminary design of aircraft and air traffic management. This study is focused on cruise range performance, as this is critical to both the evaluation and understanding of the economic and environmental impacts of commercial aircraft. Quick Access Recorders (QAR) data were used for more accurate analysis of the cruise range. The QAR data used in this study included 6,574 short-distance domestic flights by narrow-body turbofan commercial aircraft between 31 different city pairs. To obtain a more accurate cruise range equation, parameters affecting the cruise range performance were determined and studied. First, the drag polar model was improved to take the cambered profile, compressibility effects and cruise airspeeds of commercial aircraft into consideration using the real flight data. Second, Thrust-Specific Fuel Consumption (TSFC) models were compared and the most suitable one for the cruise phase was selected. After these steps, cruise range values were calculated using the Breguet range equation with these improved parameters. When the results of this enhanced range model were compared with the real flight data, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was found to be 2.5% for all the Aircraft and Engine Type Groups (AETGs) considered in the data. This figure corresponds to a 7.9% smaller error than provided by previous range models based on simple parabolic drag polar and TSFC models. According to these results, the application of a simple parabolic drag polar and TSFC is not appropriate for cruise range calculations.
Data-driven design: the new challenges of digitalization on product design and development
Authors: Cantamessa Marco , Montagna Francesca , Altavilla Stefania , Casagrande-Seretti Alessandro
Published: November 2020

Digitalization and the momentous role being assumed by data are commonly viewed as pervasive phenomena whose impact is felt in all aspects of society and the economy. Design activity is by no means immune from this trend, and the relationship between digitalization and design is decades old. However, what is the current impact of this ‘data revolution’ on design? How will the design activity change? What are the resulting research questions of interest to academics? What are the main challenges for firms and for educational institutions having to cope with this change? The paper provides a comprehensive conceptual framework, based on recent literature and anecdotal evidence from the industry. It identifies three main streams: namely the consequences on designers, the consequences on design processes and the role of methods for data analytics. In turn, these three streams lead to implications at individual, organizational and managerial level, and several questions arise worthy of defining future research agendas. Moreover, the paper introduces relational diagrams depicting the interactions between the objects and the actors involved in the design process and suggests that what is occurring is by no means a simple evolution but a paradigmatic shift in the way artefacts are designed.
BIRDS AND BEASTS WERE MANY: THE ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE OF THE GUANZHONG BASIN IN THE PRE-IMPERIAL PERIOD
Authors: Lander Brian
Published: November 2020

This paper reviews current knowledge on the geography, climate, flora, and fauna of Shaanxi's Guanzhong 關中 Basin, a region that has been particularly well studied because it was a capital region of the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties. Humans have so thoroughly transformed the region that it is hard to imagine that it was ever full of wild plants and animals. And since much of the English-language scholarship on the Zhou period focuses on the texts and ideas of urban elites, it is easy to forget that most people were rural farmers living in environments full of wild plants and animals, and that many places had no humans at all. Scholars in various fields have produced abundant new information on the environments of ancient China, making it possible to reconstruct climate and ecology far more accurately than was possible before. This research shows that, contra older claims that ancient North China had a subtropical climate, the climate of the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods was only slightly warmer and wetter than the present. The most important factor in the transformation of the region's ecosystems has been humans, not climate. We will focus on the pre-imperial period because various lines of evidence suggest that the first millenniumb.c.e. was a period of population growth in which agricultural societies wiped out many of the natural ecosystems of lowland North China. Only by reconstructing what North China looked like thousands of years ago will we be able to understand how humans came to be the dominant force in the region's ecology.
Those were the days: welfare nostalgia and the populist radical right in the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden
Authors: Schreurs Sven
Published: November 2020

In academia and beyond, it has become commonplace to regard populist parties – in particular, those on the radical right – as the archetypical embodiment of politics of nostalgia. Demand-side studies suggest that nostalgic sentiments motivate populist radical-right (PRR) voting and welfare chauvinist attitudes, yet systematic analyses of the nostalgic discourse that these parties promote have not been forthcoming. This paper seeks to fill that lacuna by analysing how the Freedom Party of Austria, the Dutch Party for Freedom and the Sweden Democrats framed the historical fate of the welfare state in their electoral discourse between 2008 and 2018. It demonstrates that their commitment to welfare chauvinism finds expression in a common repertoire of “welfare nostalgia,” manifested in the different modes of “reaction,” “conservation” and “modernisation.” Giving substance to a widespread intuition about PRR nostalgia, the paper breaks ground for further research into nostalgic ideas about social policy.
Spectral albedo of coastal landfast sea ice in Prydz Bay, Antarctica
Authors: Hao Guanghua , Pirazzini Roberta , Yang Qinghua , Tian Zhongxiang , Liu Changwei
Published: November 2020

The surface spectral albedo was measured over coastal landfast sea ice in Prydz Bay (off Zhongshan Station), East Antarctica from 5 October to 26 November of 2016. The mean albedo decreased from late-spring to early-summer, mainly responding to the change in surface conditions from dry (phase I) to wet (phase II). The evolution of the albedo was strongly influenced by the surface conditions, with alternation of frequent snowfall events and katabatic wind that induce snow blowing at the surface. The two phases and day-to-day albedo variability were more pronounced in the near-infrared albedo wavelengths than in the visible ones, as the near-infrared photons are more sensitive to snow metamorphism, and to changes in the uppermost millimeters and water content of the surface. The albedo diurnal cycle during clear sky conditions was asymmetric with respect to noon, decreasing from morning to evening over full and patchy snow cover, and decreasing more rapidly in the morning over bare ice. We conclude that snow and ice metamorphism and surface melting dominated over the solar elevation angle dependency in shaping the albedo evolution. However, we realize that more detailed surface observations are needed to clarify and quantify the role of the various surface processes.
Use of information and communication technologies in small-scale dairy production systems in central Mexico
Authors: García-Villegas Juan de Dios , García-Martínez Anastacio , Arriaga-Jordán Carlos Manuel , Ruiz-Torres Monica Elizama , Rayas-Amor Adolfo Armando , Dorward Peter , Martínez-García Carlos Galdino
Published: November 2020

The objective of the study was to characterize small-scale dairy production systems to identify the technological preferences according to the farmer and farm characteristics and to analyze the importance and role of the information communication technologies (ICTs) in the dissemination of information related to management and livestock activities. To collect the data, a survey was applied to 170 small-scale dairy farmers from central Mexico. To characterize the farms, a factor analysis (FA) and cluster analysis (CA) were performed. To compare and identify differences between groups, a Kruskal–Wallis test was conducted. Four factors that explain 70.93% of the accumulated variance were identified; these factors explain the use of technology, production characteristics, social connections, and use of ICTs. The cluster analysis identified four groups. Group 1 was integrated by farmers with more experience and the largest farms. Group 2 had higher studies and use of ICTs. Group 3 was formed by young farmers but had a low use of technology. Group 4 contained older farmers with a low use of technology. The young farmers with higher studies have begun to incorporate ICTs into their daily activities on the farm, as observed in Group 2. Smartphones were the most used and were considered important by the farmers of the four groups, since they enable interaction with other farmers and the dissemination of topics of interest related with the farm. In conclusion, four group of farmers were differentiated; therefore, different extension approaches should be implemented to take into account the preferences and the technologies considered most important for each group. The ICTs are emerging technologies among small-scale dairy farmers to communicate information related to livestock management, mainly by young farmers with studies of secondary, as observed in Group 2.
Underground Multiculturalism: Contentious Cultural Politics in Gold-Mining Regions in Chocó, Colombia
Authors: Jonkman Jesse
Published: November 2020

This article maps the contentious forms of political life that emerge when multicultural rights and non-formal gold extraction coincide. Specifically, it shows how, in the Colombian department of Chocó, Afro-descendant community councils have produced a unique form of mining governance that, while depending for its legitimacy on everyday uses of Afro-Colombian legislation, consists of the organisation, taxation and policing of mining activities that are in tension with official notions of extractive and multicultural law. In exploring such ‘underground’ cultural politics, the article highlights the limits of state-centric analyses of ‘neoliberal multiculturalism’ and, accordingly, underscores the instrumental role that governed subjects play in the on-the-ground unfolding of multicultural governance regimes.
Transition to adulthood of refugee and immigrant children in Canada
Authors: Yoshida Yoko , Amoyaw Jonathan
Published: November 2020

The majority of refugees are children and youth and their integration and life-course transitions are a research priority. This paper examines the timing of refugee children and youths’ entrance into the labour market and family formation (marriage/common law union and parenthood). It does so by examining how admission category, knowledge of a host country’s official languages, and age at arrival shape their transition to adulthood. Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Immigration Database and Heckman selection estimation, the paper finds minimal variation in refugee children and youths’ entry into the labour market compared to children of other immigrant streams. It also finds that refugee children and youth start forming families at a younger age than children of economic class immigrants, but at an older age than family class children. The analysis also shows limited effects of knowledge of official language prior to arrival while age at arrival has a robust impact on their adulthood transitions. These findings shed light on the unique patterns of life-course transition among refugee children and youth and contribute to a better conceptualization of their experiences relative to children and youth of other immigrants.
Association between season of vaccination and antibody levels against infectious diseases
Authors: Abreu T. C. , Boshuizen H. , Mollema L. , Berbers G. A. M. , Korthals Altes H.
Published: November 2020

Vaccination has reduced the disease burden of vaccine-preventable diseases. However, the extent to which seasonal cycles of immunity could influence vaccine-induced immunity is not well understood. A national cross-sectional serosurveillance study performed in the Netherlands (Pienter-2) yielded data to investigate whether season of vaccination was associated with antibody responses induced by DT-IPV (diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis), MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and meningococcus C (MenC) vaccines in children. In total, 434 children met the inclusion criteria to study DT-IPV immunity, 811 for MMR and 311 for MenC. Differences in log(antibody levels) by season of vaccination were investigated with linear multivariable regression analyses. Seroconversion rates varied according to season of vaccination for rubella (90% of autumn-vaccinated childrenvs.99% of winter-vaccinated had concentrations above cut-off levels). Summer-vaccinated boys showed a slower decline of tetanus antibodies (6% per month), in comparison with winter-vaccinated boys. In conclusion, season of vaccination showed little association with immunological protection. However, a number of associations were seen with aP-value of about 0.03; and adding data from a just-completed nationwide serological study might add more power to the current study. Further immunological and longitudinal investigations could help understand the mechanisms of seasonal influence in vaccine-induced responses.
The drivers, trends and dietary impacts of non-nutritive sweeteners in the food supply: a narrative review
Authors: Russell Cherie , Grimes Carley , Baker Phillip , Sievert Katherine , Lawrence Mark A.
Published: November 2020

Poor diets, including excess added sugar consumption, contribute to the global burden of disease. Subsequently, many nutrition policies have been implemented to reduce added sugar intake and improve population health, including taxes, education, labelling and environmental interventions. A potential consequence of these policy actions is the substitution of added sugars with non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) in a variety of foods and beverages. NNS are used to reduce the energy and sugar content of foods and beverages while maintaining their palatability. Evidence of the toxicological risks of NNS is inconsistent, though concerns have been raised over the potential substitution effects of ultra-processed foods containing NNS for whole foods. This review aimed to provide an overview of current NNS food supply and consumption patterns, assess added sugar-reduction policies and their impact on NNS, and determine the impact of NNS on food choice, energy intake and diet quality. NNS are widely available in a variety of products, though most commonly in carbonated beverages, dairy products, confectionery, table-top sweeteners and fruit drinks. However, the longitudinal trends of different product categories, and differences between geographies and economy-income levels, require further study. Few studies have examined NNS consumption trends globally, though an increase in NNS consumption in beverages has been observed in some regions. Research examining how the increased availability of low-sugar, NNS-containing products affects global dietary patterns is limited, particularly in terms of their potential substitution effects.
Tail bounds on hitting times of randomized search heuristics using variable drift analysis
Authors: Lehre P. K. , Witt C.
Published: November 2020

Drift analysis is one of the state-of-the-art techniques for the runtime analysis of randomized search heuristics (RSHs) such as evolutionary algorithms (EAs), simulated annealing,etc. The vast majority of existing drift theorems yield bounds on the expected value of the hitting time for a target state, for example the set of optimal solutions, without making additional statements on the distribution of this time. We address this lack by providing a general drift theorem that includes bounds on the upper and lower tail of the hitting time distribution. The new tail bounds are applied to prove very precise sharp-concentration results on the running time of a simple EA on standard benchmark problems, including the class of general linear functions. On all these problems, the probability of deviating by anr-factor in lower-order terms of the expected time decreases exponentially withr. The usefulness of the theorem outside the theory of RSHs is demonstrated by deriving tail bounds on the number of cycles in random permutations. All these results handle a position-dependent (variable) drift that was not covered by previous drift theorems with tail bounds. Finally, user-friendly specializations of the general drift theorem are given.
Before the ‘locomotive’ runs: the impact of the 1973–1974 oil shock on Japan and the international financial system
Authors: Yago Kazuhiko
Published: November 2020

This article offers a Japanese perspective on the debate about the international financial system immediately after the first oil shock of 1973–4. Using archival records from the OECD and Bank of Japan, I analyze the three key policy issues discussed at the meetings of Working Party 3 (WP3) of the OECD: petrodollar recycling, balance-of-payments adjustments, and the management of global growth. Documents show that the Japanese approach to capital controls, exchange rate management, state-led growth orientation and international banking strategies was rather strengthened by the impact of the oil shock. By 1975 the OECD viewed Japan, together with Germany and the United States, as one of the ‘locomotives’ that would trigger a revival of economic growth in the industrialized West.
Poverty and Prosperity: Political Economics in Eighteenth-Century Ireland
Authors: Hight Marc A.
Published: November 2020

I draw attention to a group of thinkers in Ireland in the first half of the eighteenth century that made significant contributions to the philosophy of political economy. Loosely organized around the Dublin Philosophical Society founded in 1731, these individuals employed a similar set of assumptions and shared a common interest in the well-being of the Irish people. I focus on Samuel Madden (1686-1765), Arthur Dobbs (1689-1765), and Thomas Prior (1680–1751) and argue for two main theses. First, these Irish thinkers shared a number of commonalities with the English mercantilist thinkers of the eighteenth century, and to the degree that they did, their proposals to aid Ireland and reduce poverty were largely doomed to failure. Second, these Irish thinkers also importantlydivergedfrom typical eighteenth-century mercantilist thinking in several ways. These modifications to mercantilism resulted in large part from the unusual political situation of Ireland (as a nation politically dependent on England) and helped orient their economic thinking along more institutional lines. In particular, the emphasis of the Irish on full employment and on the modification of social as well as political institutions is an early step forward in making political economy more sophisticated.
From Pathology to ‘Born Perfect’: Science, Law, and Citizenship in American LGBTQ+ Advocacy
Authors: Wuest Joanna
Published: November 2020

In recent years, there has been an explosion of legislative and litigation campaigns to ban conversion therapy for sexual orientation and gender identity. In championing such bans, the American LGBTQ+ advocacy movement has incorporated its massive network of scientific and medical allies into legal arguments, legislative testimonies, educational materials, and political cultural discourse more generally. By linking these recent campaigns to the long history of scientific influence in LGBTQ+ politics, I demonstrate how biomedical and mental health institutions and ideas have become foundational to the character of American LGBTQ+ advocacy. I do so by marrying theories and methodological approaches to studying political identity and social movements, American political development, and public opinion to those in Science and Technology Studies (STS) and biopolitical citizenship studies. This joint perspective reveals both the power of scientific authority as well as the political, legal, and normative pitfalls that attend certain biomedical articulations of identity and personhood, legal rights claims, and demands for full and equal citizenship. This approach demonstrates how scholars might conceptualize and study the role of extra-political institutions and ideas that become constitutive components of minority rights coalitions.
Dietary inflammatory index significantly affects lipids profile among	adults: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Vajdi Mahdi , Farhangi Mahdieh Abbasalizad , Mahmoudi-Nezhad Mahsa
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Background: The available data on the relationship between dietary inflammatory index (DII®) and serum lipids are controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the relationship between DII® and serum lipids, including total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) in general populations. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to December 2019. Case-control, cohort or cross-sectional studies that evaluated the relationship between DII® and serum lipids were included. The random-effects model was applied to evaluate the pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: In total, twenty-four cross-sectional and one case-control studies with a total sample size of 129,759 were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that the highest category of DII® was associated with 5.16 mg/dl increase in TC (Pooled WMD: 5.16; 95% CI: 0.58–9.73, p = 0.02) and 3.99 mg/dl increase in LDL-C (Pooled WMD: 3.99; 95% CI: 1.16–6.81, p = 0.006). However, no significant association between DII® scores, HDL-C and TG was found. In subgroup analysis, the geographical region, gender, and dietary assessment methods were potent sources of heterogeneity. Conclusion: This study showed that a higher level of DII® was associated with higher levels of TC and LDL-C in apparently healthy populations. Since the included studies had observational designs, therefore, no conclusion of causality was possible. More studies with interventional designs are required to elucidate the causality of the observed association between DII® and the risk of abnormal lipid profile.