bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond nudge: advancing the state-of-the-art of behavioural public policy and administration
Authors: Ewert Benjamin , Loer Kathrin , Thomann Eva
Published: September 2020

This Special Issue features theoretical, methodological, and empirical advancements of the state-of-the-art in behavioural public policy and administration. In this introduction, we develop a behaviourally-informed, integrated conceptual model of the policy process that embeds individual attitudes and behaviour into context at the meso and macro level. We argue that behavioural approaches can be situated within a broader tradition of methodological individualism. Despite focusing on the micro level of policy processes, the contributions in this issue demonstrate that the behavioural study of public policy and administration can go beyond the individual level and give important insights into policy and societal outcomes. Our model enables us to draw more substantial lessons from behavioural research by moving beyond the verification of individual behaviour change. If based on a broad conceptual design and methodological pluralism, behavioural policies bear the potential to better understand, investigate and shape social outcomes.
A consequence of a tragedy: nowcasting poverty rate in Syria
Authors: Hamati Samer
Published: September 2020

It seems that the current conflict in Syria is finishing, and a new phase of rebuilding is starting sooner. Setting a rebuilding strategy requires finding detailed and up-to-date figures, a challenging task to do in a time of conflict. We take the venture and compute poverty figures and profile during the conflict using nowcasting techniques based on a sample of households covered in the household income and expenditure survey (HIES) 2009. In addition to the practical importance of this article regarding the rebuilding process strategy of Syria, the article makes a methodological contribution to nowcast the poverty rates in countries plagued with civil conflicts.
Integrating work and home when patients are dying: a mixed-methods study of hospice care workers and work–family conflict in the US
Authors: Cain Cindy L. , Lam Jack
Published: September 2020

Scholars of work and family have argued that flexibility in hours and location may support integration between work and home. Home-based hospice care is a type of work that has a great deal of flexibility but it is not clear that it is used to support workers. Using interview and survey data from 179 US hospice workers, we show that the speeding up of care and culture of self-sacrifice make integration difficult. Almost a third of workers report that work takes too much time from home life, which is associated with higher turnover intention, higher burnout and lower life satisfaction.
IA-net: informative attention convolutional neural network for choroidal neovascularization segmentation in OCT images
Authors: Xi Xiaoming , Meng Xianjing , Qin Zheyun , Nie Xiushan , Yin Yilong , Chen Xinjian
Published: September 2020

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a characteristic feature of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Quantification of CNV is useful to clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of CNV disease. Before quantification, CNV lesion should be delineated by automatic CNV segmentation technology. Recently, deep learning methods have achieved significant success for medical image segmentation. However, some CNVs are small objects which are hard to discriminate, resulting in performance degradation. In addition, it’s difficult to train an effective network for accurate segmentation due to the complicated characteristics of CNV in OCT images. In order to tackle these two challenges, this paper proposed a novel Informative Attention Convolutional Neural Network (IA-net) for automatic CNV segmentation in OCT images. Considering that the attention mechanism has the ability to enhance the discriminative power of the interesting regions in the feature maps, the attention enhancement block is developed by introducing the additional attention constraint. It has the ability to force the model to pay high attention on CNV in the learned feature maps, improving the discriminative ability of the learned CNV features, which is useful to improve the segmentation performance on small CNV. For accurate pixel classification, the novel informative loss is proposed with the incorporation of an informative attention map. It can focus training on a set of informative samples that are difficult to be predicted. Therefore, the trained model has the ability to learn enough information to classify these informative samples, further improving the performance. The experimental results on our database demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms traditional CNV segmentation methods.
Transceiver technologies for passive optical networks: past, present, and future [Invited Tutorial]
Authors: Houtsma Vincent , Mahadevan Amitkumar , Kaneda Noriaki , van Veen Doutje
Published: September 2020

This paper provides an overview of transceiver technologies to be used for current and next-generation passive optical networks (PONs). The uninterrupted scaling of PONs to higher bitrates in a cost-effective way to meet future bandwidth demands will drive the need for continuous improvement in PON transceiver technologies. In this paper we try to analyze the requirements needed and the impact on this for next-generation transceiver technologies based on past and present PON transceiver designs.
Analysis of numerical diffraction calculation methods: from the perspective of phase space optics and the sampling theorem
Authors: Zhang Wenhui , Zhang Hao , Sheppard Colin J. R. , Jin Guofan
Published: September 2020

Diffraction calculations are widely used in applications that require numerical simulation of optical wave propagation. Different numerical diffraction calculation methods have their own transform and sampling properties. In this study, we provide a unified analysis where five popular fast diffraction calculation methods are analyzed from the perspective of phase space optics and the sampling theorem: single fast Fourier transform-based Fresnel transform, Fresnel transfer function approach, Fresnel impulse response approach, angular spectrum method, and Rayleigh–Sommerfeld convolution. The evolutions of an input signal’s space-bandwidth product (SBP) during wave propagation are illustrated with the help of a phase space diagram (PSD) and an ABCD matrix. It is demonstrated that all of the above methods cannot make full use of the SBP of the input signal after diffraction; and some transform properties have been ignored. Each method has its own restrictions and applicable range. The reason why different methods have different applicable ranges is explained with physical models. After comprehensively studying and comparing the effect on the SBP and sampling properties of these methods, suggestions are given for choosing the proper method for different applications and overcoming the restrictions of corresponding methods. The PSD and ABCD matrix are used to illustrate the properties of these methods intuitively. Numerical results are presented to verify the analysis, and potential ways to develop new diffraction calculation methods are also discussed.
Three-dimensional sensing of arbitrarily shaped nanoparticles by whispering gallery mode resonators
Authors: Guendelman Gabriel , Lovsky Yulia , Yacoby Eyal , Mor Ori Ezrah , Kaplan-Ashiri Ifat , Goldbart Ohad , Dayan Barak
Published: September 2020

Whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) microresonators are a promising platform for highly sensitive, label-free detection and probing of individual nano-objects. Our work expands these capabilities by providing the analysis tools required for three-dimensional (3D) characterization of arbitrarily shaped nanoparticles. Specifically, we introduce a theoretical model that describes interactions between nanoparticles and WGM resonators, taking into account effects that were often not considered, such as the elliptical polarization of the transverse-magnetic (TM) mode, the possible non-spherical shape of the nanoparticle, its finite size, and the open-system nature of the modes. We also introduce a self referencing measurement method that allows the extraction of information from measurements done at arbitrary positions of the nanoparticles within the WGM. We verify our model by experimentally probing a single Tungsten-disulfide (WS2) nanotube with a silica microtoroid resonator inside a scanning electron-microscope (SEM) and perform 3D characterization of the nanotube.
Mid-wave infrared polarization imaging system for detecting moving scene
Authors: Yang Min , Xu Wenbin , Sun Zhenyuan , Wu Hao , Tian Yuze , Li Longting
Published: September 2020

In this Letter, a polarimetric analyzer is designed for a mid-wave infrared camera. This kind of infrared camera transforms into the mid-wave infrared polarization imaging system to measure the infrared polarization characteristics of the object in the moving scene. The polarimetric analyzer is designed by using the ultra-high-speed and high-position method to drive the polarizer to rotate uniformly at the speed of 900 rpm. The polarization state of the object scene is changed, and the mid-wave infrared camera synchronously acquires the infrared intensity image in different polarized directions, those of 0°, 120°, and 240°. Then, a Stokes vector model is established with the basic rotation angles, and a sort-iteration method is proposed to process the original infrared intensity image. Three continuously neighboring infrared intensity images are used to calculate the degree of linear polarization (DoLP) and the angle of polarization (AoP), which make the infrared polarization image the same imaging frame as the infrared intensity image. Test results show that the mid-wave infrared polarization imaging system can complete the acquisition of the DoLP and the AoP images well with the frame frequency of 45 fps, which is suitable for the infrared polarization detection of the moving scenes. The study has great potential for polarization remote sensing and marine object detection.
Multiport swept-wavelength interferometer with laser phase noise mitigation employing a broadband ultra-weak FBG array
Authors: Chen Haoshuo , Fontaine Nicolas K. , Alvarado-Zacarias Juan Carlos , Cheng Cheng , Bigot Marianne , Sillard Pierre , Ryf Roland , Mazur Mikael , Neilson David T. , Amezcua-Correa Rodrigo , Yang Minghong
Published: September 2020

Optical vector network analyzers (OVNAs) based on swept-wavelength interferometry are applied widely in optical metrology and sensing to measure the complex transfer functions of optical components, devices, and fibers. Phase noise from laser sweep nonlinearities degrades the measurement quality as the distance increases and limits the usage of the OVNA in characterizing systems with long impulse responses as required in space-division multiplexing links with a high mode count or in the presence of large modal differential group delay (DGD). In this Letter, we use a densely distributed broadband ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating array to directly measure the distortion due to phase noise at a 5-m increment up to 400 m and use this measured data to directly eliminate the distortion. We experimentally extend the measurement range of the swept-wavelength OVNA over 400 m and successfully characterize a 2-km six-mode multimode fiber link with an accumulated impulse response as wide as 20 ns.
Fabrication of antireflection microstructures on the surface of GaSe crystal by single-pulse femtosecond laser ablation
Authors: Bushunov Andrey A. , Teslenko Andrei A. , Tarabrin Mikhail K. , Lazarev Vladimir A. , Isaenko Lyudmila I. , Eliseev Alexander P. , Lobanov Sergei I.
Published: September 2020

GaSe crystals are promising as nonlinear optical converters in the mid- and far-IR ranges. However, it is challenging to increase the GaSe surface transmittance of 77% with conventional antireflection coatings because of poor surface quality, leading to coating adhesion problems. Antireflection microstructures (ARMs) offer an alternative way of increasing surface transmittance. In this work, ARMs were fabricated on the surface of a GaSe plate by single-pulse femtosecond laser ablation. An average GaSe surface transmittance of 94% in the 7–11 µm range and a maximum transmittance of 97.8% at 8.5 µm were obtained. The proposed method can be used to increase the efficiency of GaSe-based nonlinear converters.
Sounds, sufferings, memories and emotions
Authors: Seidler Victor Jeleniewski
Published: September 2020

Social researchers have long known that playing music to people can evoke memories of their pasts and bring people into a different relationship with themselves as the sounds move them to make connections with an earlier period in their lives. It has been discovered in patients with
dementia that it could revive people to hear songs they have loved, which can help to bring them back from a state of inner withdrawal. Some researchers have given people portable music listening devices so that they can listen to music that evokes memories from particular moments that they
might be willing to share as part of an oral history or ethnographic project. This is to invoke processes that we can acknowledge ourselves as we realize the very special relationship we seem to have with music from our teenage years ‐ processes that have helped to shape a generational
experience and sensibility. Hearing old tracks from the past can move us to make connections and can invoke emotions and feelings in us that we might not have felt for years. It can restore memories of times past as we feel the presence of the past through the mediation of the sounds. This
article explores the significance of sound and voice memory for traumatic suffering in the form of an autoethnographic study of Amy Berg’s documentary Janis: Little Girl Blue (2015), transgenerational trauma, sexual trauma, feminism, therapy and the truths of memory.
The Aesthetics of Meaning and Thought: The Bodily Roots of Philosophy, Science, Morality, and Art, Mark Johnson (2018)
Authors: Overbeek Ninke
Published: September 2020

Review of: The Aesthetics of Meaning and Thought: The Bodily Roots of Philosophy, Science, Morality, and Art, Mark Johnson (2018)Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 304 pp.,ISBN 978-0-22653-894-5, p/bk, USD 30
PANDEMIA E TERRITÓRIO: RITMO DE DIFUSÃO DA COVID-19 ENTRE MUNICÍPIOS BRASILEIROS DE 25 DE FEVEREIRO A 11 DE MAIO DE 2020 DE ACORDO COM FATORES DE PROXIMIDADE SOCIAL EXTRAMUNICIPAL
Authors: Pereira Augusto dos Santos , Paula Caroline Busatta Vaz de , Noronha Lucia de , Paula Eduardo Vedor de
Published: September 2020

Diante da gravidade da pandemia de COVID-19 e da consequente necessidade de medidas sobre o padrão de difusão territorial da doença para balizamento de tomadas de decisão, o trabalho tem o objetivo de identificar de que forma fatores de proximidade social extramunicipal condicionam o grau de exposição das populações nos diferentes municípios brasileiros ao risco de contaminação por SARS-CoV-2. Para tanto, foram analisados dados referentes a hierarquia urbano-regional, concentração populacional, volume de riqueza, integração territorial por trânsito de bens e pessoas, bem como graus de relevância de turismo, comparando-os com as notificações realizadas entre 25 de fevereiro e 11 de maio de 2020. Os indicadores selecionados, com exceção do PIB per capita, apresentam relação clara com padrões temporais de exposição à introdução do vírus na população dos municípios brasileiros. Observa-se uma lógica topológica de difusão, em que, a despeito da distância, os municípios primeiramente afetados são aqueles com os mais altos graus de proximidade social extramunicipal, sendo seguidos por aqueles em seu entorno imediato. O trabalho contribui com a discussão sobre o padrão de difusão da COVID-19 ao apontar indicadores e limiares que delimitam classes de municípios com distintos graus de exposição ao risco ao longo do tempo.
HLA-B27-associated uveitis: an independent disease or a variant of spondyloarthritis?
Authors: Godzenko A. A. , Razumova I. Yu. , Guseva I. A.
Published: September 2020

The paper highlights the relationship between HLA-B27-associated uveitis and spondyloarthritis (SpA). It presents the genetic aspects of inflammation of the eyes and musculoskeletal system, the role of the HLA-B27 histocompatibility antigen, and the contribution of other genes to the development of uveitis and spondylitis. The authors characterize the general pathogenetic mechanisms of the development of these diseases: the importance of factors of innate immunity, proinflammatory cytokines in the initiation of inflammation of the eyes and joints. The detection rate of SpA is analyzed in various forms of uveitis; the predictors of SpA development are identified in the patients. An algorithm is presented, which makes it possible to timely diagnose SpA in the presence of acute anterior uveitis. HLA-B27, inflammation in the ocular anterior chamber, unilateral alternating eye lesions, an acute recurrent course, and uveitis onset at the age of less than 30 years are singled out as the most significant signs associated with SpA in patients with uveitis. The features of the course and the frequency of complications in uveitis with and without SpA are compared. It is shown that exacerbations of uveitis and associated complications occur statistically significantly more frequently in SpA. There is evidence for the need for a close interaction between ophthalmologists and rheumatologists in the management of patients with uveitis.
What do we know about the possibility of predicting the potential efficacy and safety of methotrexate, by measuring the concentration of its metabolites in rheumatoid arthritis?
Authors: Gridneva G. I. , Aronova E. S. , Sygyrta V. S. , Kudryavtseva A. V. , Nurbaeva K. S.
Published: September 2020

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by a progressive course with the formation of joint deformities and the development of severe functional disorders. The most favorable conditions for changing the course of the disease emerge in the first months after its onset. Methotrexate (MTX) occupies a leading position in the treatment of RA. There is a need to develop tools that will be able to predict the efficacy and tolerability of MTX at the earliest stages of RA treatment. The concentration of active metabolites of MTX is considered as a potential biomarker that enables one to predict what response to therapy with this drug will be.

The paper analyzes the most relevant works devoted to the study of the concentration of active MTX metabolites polyglutamates (MTX PGs) in patients with RA. It is shown that the presented studies do not cover all the possibilities of therapeutic drug monitoring, in particular the determination of the levels of MTX PGs in mononuclear cells over time. Further investigation is needed to develop an objective approach to prescribing MTX in RA patients.
Psoriatic arthritis: clinical and ultrasound parallels
Authors: Fairushina I. F. , Kirillova E. R. , Abdulganieva D. I. , Sukhorukova E. V. , Mukhametshina E. I.
Published: September 2020

Objective: to assess the relationship of the clinical characteristics and laboratory inflammatory markers to the ultrasound signs of synovitis and enthesitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Patients and methods. Examinations were made in 63 patients diagnosed with PsA according to the 2006 Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR) criteria. Among the patients, the majority were females (54.2%); the mean age was 42.9±10.3 years; the median (Me) PsA duration was 7 [3; 10] years; Me Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) was 16.5 [11.6; 25] years.All the patients underwent estimation of tender joint count, swollen joint count, tender entheseal count, inter alia using the Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI), Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesis Score (MASES), and Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC). The investigators determined PsA activity by DAPSA and the prevalence and severity of psoriasis by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and also estimated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) levels. Ultrasonography was used to assess bilateral upper and lower limb joints, by calculating joint counts (JC) with synovitis signs (SJC), as well as tendon and ligament entheses (a total number of 54 in one patient), by determining the presence of vascularized enthesis count (VEC) and structurally changed enthesis count (SCEC) and using the ultrasound indices (Glasgow Ultrasound Enthesitis Scoring System (GUESS), Belgrade Ultrasound Enthesitis Score (BUSES), Madrid Sonography Enthesitis Index (MASEI), Sonographic Enthesitis Index (SEI)).

Results and discussion. There were no significant differences in the frequency of damage to the upper (15.7%) and lower (19.3%) limb joints (p>0.05), whereas inflammation in the entheses of the lower limbs (23.2%) was significantly more common than that in the upper limbs (15.3%) (p<0.01). A weak relationship was established between SPARCC and SEI (r=0.276; p<0.05). A positive correlation was found between VEC and hs-CRP levels (r=0.323, p=0.01), ESR (r=0.332, p<0.01). Ultrasound imaging showed that SJC (p<0.01), enthesitis count (p<0.01), and SCEC (p<0.05) increased with age. The relationship between SCEC and GUESS (r=0.724; p<0.01) and that between the VEC and BUSES (r=0.562, p<0.01) proved to be more pronounced.

Conclusion. Ultrasound imaging indicates that the entheses of the lower limbs are more frequently affected in patients with PsA. There is no relationship between DAPSA and ultrasound inflammatory changes in the joints and extra-articular structures. A strong relationship is established between enthesiseal structural and inflammatory changes and GUESS and BUSES, respectively, which allows one to recommend the use of these indices for assessing enthesitis in PsA. Entheseal vascularization associated with inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, ESR) (p<0.05) is a manifestation of PsA activity regardless of age and DAPSA.
Association of ERAP1 and IL23R gene polymorphisms with ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Yakubova U. A. , Bugrova O. V. , Nagornova K. A.
Published: September 2020

Currently, the causes of extra-axial and extra-skeletal manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and the possible impact of genetic aspects on its course and clinical features remain unresolved.

Objective: to investigate the association of the polymorphic markers rs10050860 and rs17482078 in the ERAP1 gene and rs11209026 in the IL23R gene with the development and clinical manifestations of AS.

Patients and methods. An allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assay was carried out to assess the alleles and corresponding genotypes of ERAP1 and IL23R gene polymorphisms in 70 patients (49 men and 21 women; mean age, 38 [31; 49] years) with AS and in 20 healthy donors. The activity indices, ESR, CRP, and extra-axial and extra-skeletal manifestations of AS were assessed in patients at the time of the investigation and in their history.

Results and discussion. The results of genotyping showed a significant association of the studied markers with AS. The carriage of the C/T genotype of the polymorphic markers rs10050860 and rs17482078 in the ERAP1 gene was associated with the history of peripheral arthritis (p=0.029) and the presence of incomplete right bundle branch block (IRBBB) (p=0.003 and p=0.006); the carriage of the G/A genotype of the marker rs11209026 in the IL23R gene was significantly associated with psoriasis (p=0.017) and IRBBB (p=0.03) in patients with AS.

Conclusion. The polymorphic markers of the ERAP1 and IL23R genes are associated with the risk of developing AS in this sample of patients. There is a significant correlation between the studied polymorphisms and some clinical manifestations of AS, which can be considered as a predictor of a more severe disease course.
Evaluation of the efficiency and safety of combined therapy with a symptomatic sustained-release drug and hyaluronic acid versus monotherapy with hyaluronic acid in patients with knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Berdyugin K. A. , Kadyntsev I. V. , Berdyugina O. V. , Taskina E. A. , Kashevarova N. G.
Published: September 2020

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease. Searching for new treatment methods and regimens for OA is relevant.

Objective: to evaluate the efficiency and safety of therapy with a symptomatic sustained-release drug (Alflutop) in combination with intra-articular hyaluronic acid (HA) injection versus monotherapy with HA in patients with knee OA in routine clinical practice.

Patients and methods. A post-registration open-labeled prospective comparative randomized study was conducted to assess the results of treatment in 76 patients (31 men and 45 women; mean age, 49.3±8.5 years; body mass index, 28.4±0.8 kg/m2 ) in two clinical centers in Yekaterinburg and Perm. The patients were randomized into two equal groups, were homogeneous in terms of gender, the frequency of comorbidities, and vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate).Group 1 patients received Alflutop as 1-ml daily intramuscular injections (a total of 20 injections) + 2 ml of 1% intraarticular (IA) HA solution injections three times at 1-week intervals; Group 2 patients were given 2 ml of 1% intraarticular HA solution injections three times at 1-week intervals. As an additional therapy, the use of meloxicam 7.5–15 mg/day was permitted, and, if non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were contraindicated, paracetamol 1–3 g/day might be used.

Results and discussion. During treatment, both groups of patients showed improvement (compared to the baseline levels). At the same time, evaluating the intergroup values revealed clear differences: a more pronounced decrease in all WOMAC indicators in Group 1 patients: pain scores, 2 [1; 3] vs. 4 [2; 5] in Group 2 (p<0.001); stiffness, 1 [0; 2] vs. 2 [1; 4] (p<0.001); functional insufficiency, 8 [3; 12] vs. 15.5 [12; 20] (p<0.001); and total WOMAC scores, 12 [7; 13] vs. 21.5 [15; 28] (p<0.001). Pain-intensity assessment using the visual analogue scale also showed the more pronounced positive effect of the combination therapy in Group 1 (p<0.001).Alflutop used in combination with HA was shown to be more preferable than HA monotherapy, which was confirmed by the results achieved for all WOMAC indicators. At 6 months, by the last visit, there were pronounced positive changes in all the analyzed parameters in both groups. At the same time, the most significant changes were recorded in the Alflutop + HA group than in the HA group (p<0.001). Perhaps, the mechanism in exhibiting the found synergistic effect of these drugs lies in their different effect on the pathogenesis of the disease. However, further study of this issue is required in multicenter randomized controlled trials.The good safety of the drugs was confirmed: not a single adverse event was revealed.

Conclusion. The patients receiving the combination therapy with Alflutop + HA had the best treatment results in all the parameters assessed.
The use of injectable chondroitin sulfate in combination with dosed physical exercise for the treatment of patients with hand osteoarthritis
Authors: Vasilyeva L. V. , Evstratova E. F. , Suslova E. Yu.
Published: September 2020

Objective: to evaluate the efficiency and the safety of treatment with injectable chondroitin sulfate (ICS) in combination with dosed physical exercise (exercise therapy (ET)) for hand osteoarthritis (HOA).

Patients and methods. A study group consisted of 68 patients with HOA; the diagnosis of which was established in accordance with the 1991 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. The investigators identified two groups: 1) 36 women and 4 men; mean age, 62.2±3.4 years (a study group); 2) 20 women and 8 men; mean age, 61.7±6.5 years (a control group). Group 1 patients received treatment with 25 intramuscular ICS (Chondroguard) injections per cycle and underwent ET under the guidance of a trainer. In the first 3–5 days, the patients could take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Group 2 patients were prescribed a magnetic therapy cycle (alternating pulsed magnetic field, 15–20-minute hand exposure, a total of 10 sessions). They could also take NSAIDs within the first 3–5 days. A visual analogue scale (VAS, mm) was used to analyze hand pain severity over time: at baseline, at 3 weeks, and at 3 months after the start of treatment.

Results and discussion. The dynamics of VAS joint pain was statistically more significant in Group 1 than in Group 2: 69.1±2.83 and 71.1±2.15 mm at baseline; 42.6±1.16 and 57.14±1.96 mm at 3 weeks (p<0.05), and 36.4±2.96 and 62.8±3.26 mm at 3 months (p<0.001). Similarly, Group 1 versus Group 2 showed a greater improvement in indicators, such as a decrease in the duration of morning stiffness in the hands and an increase in their grip strength. No adverse reactions requiring discontinuation of treatment or special therapy were noted in both groups.

Conclusion. The investigation showed the advantage of ICS used in combination with ET over magnetotherapy in the treatment of patients with HOA.
Bone mineral density in patients with coronary artery disease and sarcopenia
Authors: Grigorieva I. I. , Raskina T. A. , Letaeva M. V. , Ivanov V. I. , Masenko V. L.
Published: September 2020

Objective: to assess the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and the muscular apparatus in male patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

Patients and methods. The investigation enrolled 79 male patients (median age, 63 [57; 66] years) with an established diagnosis of CHD verified by coronary angiography.Muscle mass was assessed by multispiral computed tomography, by determining the axial muscle tissue area (cm2 ) at the level of LIII. Muscle strength was measured with a wrist dynamometer. Muscle function was examined using the tests of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). BMD at the neck and proximal femur as a whole and at the lumbar spine was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.For comparative analysis, the patients were divided into three groups (EWGSOP, 2010). Group 1 included 31 patients without sarcopenia; Group 2 consisted of 21 patients with presarcopenia; and Group 3 comprised 27 patients with sarcopenia.

Results and discussion. Osteopenic syndrome was diagnosed in 34 (43%) patients: osteopenia and osteoporosis in 31 (39%) and 3 (4%) patients, respectively. Normal BMD values were observed in 45 (57%) men. The prevalence of osteopenic syndrome was significantly higher in the patients with sarcopenia than in those with presarcopenia (p=0.050) and was comparable to that in men without sarcopenia (p>0.050). BMD at the neck and proximal femur as a whole was significantly lower in the patients with sarcopenia than in those without sarcopenia or with presarcopenia (p<0.050). There was a direct correlation between BMD and the characteristics of muscle mass and muscle strength. Regression analysis showed that the total skeletal muscle area at the level of LIII had a significant direct impact on BMD at the neck and proximal femur as a whole, and the reverse – walking speed.

Conclusion. The relationship between the characteristics of the muscular apparatus and BMD requires further investigation.
The first results of a 6-year follow-up study of a patient with early psoriatic arthritis treated with a treat-to-target strategy
Authors: Tremaskina P. O. , Loginova E. Yu. , Korotaeva T. V. , Sukhinina A. V.
Published: September 2020

The paper characterizes the basic principles of a treat-to-target (T2T) strategy for spondyloarthritis, including psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The data from observational cohort studies suggest that inadequate therapy for PsA increases the risk of structural progression. The results, obtained in the international randomized controlled Tight Control of Psoriatic Arthritis (TICOPA) trial and the Russian open-label observational REMARCA study, have justified the necessity of using the T2T strategy for early-stage PsA. The authors have analyzed their own results of a 6-year follow-up study of a patient with early PsA, in whom the T2T strategy was used.
Geodesic orbit Randers metrics on spheres
Authors: Zhang Shaoxiang , Yan Zaili
Published: September 2020

Studying geodesic orbit Randers metrics on spheres, we obtain a complete classification of such metrics. Our method relies upon the classification of geodesic orbit Riemannian metrics on the spheres S
n
in [17] and the navigation data in Finsler geometry. We also construct some explicit U(n + 1)-invariant metrics on S2n+1 and Sp(n + 1)U(1)-invariant metrics on S4n+3.
“Do you understand (me)?” negotiating mutual understanding by using gaze and environmentally coupled gestures between two deaf signing participants
Authors: Sivunen Nina , Tapio Elina
Published: September 2020

In this paper we explore the use of multimodal and multilingual semiotic resources in interactions between two deaf signing participants, a researcher and an asylum seeker. The focus is on the use of gaze and environmentally coupled gestures. Drawing on multimodal analysis and linguistic ethnography, we demonstrate how gaze and environmentally coupled gestures are effective semiotic resources for reaching mutual understanding. The study provides insight into the challenges and opportunities (deaf) asylum seekers, researchers, and employees of reception centres or the state may encounter because of the asymmetrical language competencies. Our concern is that such asymmetrical situations may be created and maintained by ignoring visual and embodied resources in interaction and, in the case of deaf asylum seekers, by unrealistic expectations towards conventionalized forms of international sign.
Free-edge effects of corrugated laminates
Authors: Filipovic Daniel T. , Kress Gerald R.
Published: September 2020

Due to their high numerical efficiency, homogenization models are often employed in the analysis of corrugated laminates. They are usually derived assuming periodic behavior in the corrugated direction and generalized plane strain in the out-of-plane direction, which corresponds to the assumption of infinite dimensions of the structure. As a consequence, any influences of edge effects are not mapped, although they can have a significant impact on the mechanical behavior of a given structure. The objective of this manuscript is to investigate the influence of boundary conditions - a combination of free-edges and clamping - on the structural stiffness of corrugated laminates. A total of six load cases are investigated which correspond to the line loads considered in the classical theory of laminated plates. The results of this parameter study allow the identification of several critical loading situations, where free edges can significantly alter structural stiffness. The given investigations hence contribute to the investigation of the validity range of homogenization models.
Emergency COVID-19 Legislation in the Area of Insolvency and Restructuring Law
Authors: Madaus Stephan , Arias F. Javier
Published: September 2020

The appearance of the COVID-19 in Europe has prompted lawmakers to introduce public health measures that inevitably hurt the economy by reducing economic activity and business revenues. The foreseeable risk that the pandemic could be followed immediately by a bankruptcy epidemic led to the adoption of rules related to insolvency and restructuring laws in emergency legislation in most European countries. These rules aim at avoiding businesses to become insolvent either by suspending insolvency tests (see II.) or by providing cash support and debt moratoria (see III.). They may also contain measures that indirectly affect insolvency and restructuring proceedings (see IV.). This paper explains the logic behind emergency legislation and the specific rules adopted in European countries.
Banning Cassandra from the Market? An Empirical Analysis of Short-Selling Bans during the Covid-19 Crisis
Authors: Siciliano Gianfranco , Ventoruzzo Marco
Published: September 2020

During the recent COVID-19 pandemic crisis, stock markets around the world have witnessed an abrupt decline in security prices and an unprecedented increase in security volatility. In response to a week of financial turmoil on the main European stock markets, some market regulators in Europe, including France, Austria, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Belgium, passed temporary short-selling bans in an attempt to stop downward speculative pressures on the equity market and stabilize and maintain investors’ confidence. This paper examines the effects of these short-selling bans on market quality during the recent pandemic caused by the spread of COVID-19. Our results suggest that during the crisis, banned stocks had higher information asymmetry, lower liquidity, and lower abnormal returns compared with non-banned stocks. These findings confirm prior theoretical arguments and empirical evidence in other settings that short-selling bans are not effective in stabilizing financial markets during periods of heightened uncertainty. In contrast, they appear to undermine the policy goals market regulators intended to promote.
Extra, Extra, Reddit All About it: What Reddit can Teach us About Local Politics
Authors: Lê Adam , Farris Emily M. , Sumner Jane L. , Warmka Josephine M.
Published: September 2020

Although local government is a rich, important arena for understanding politics, local politics presents a few challenges for understanding and participating in it. To better explore comparative urban politics, we turn to reddit, a social media, news, and discussion platform. We ask if city subreddits are places of discussion of local politics and what can we learn about the salience of local topics, and about local politics, from the content of these subreddits. Using visualization and text analysis, we find that city subreddits are indeed forums for political discussion, finding that approximately a quarter of the topics on city subreddits are political in nature. We observe that people discuss matters including, but not limited to, taxation, policing and crime, homelessness, and education. We conclude with areas for future study, including, most prominently, the rise of nationalized local politics, such as minimum wage increases and body cameras, increasingly discussed and organized on the national stage.
Isatin-3-thiosemicarbazone as Chromogenic Sensor for the Selective Detection of Fluoride Anion
Authors: Rasheed Safia , Ahmed Mukhtiar , Faisal Muhammad , Naseer Muhammad Moazzam
Published: September 2020

In this study, we describe the anion recognition ability of isatin-3-thiosemicarbazone 2, which contains two different anion recognition units i.e. isatin NH and the thiourea moiety. Both have the ability to act as proton donors. Most importantly, a significant colour change of 2 was observed (from light yellow to reddish orange) in organic medium only after the addition of the F– anion. No such colour change could be observed for any other anions including Cl–, Br–, I–,

H
2

PO

4

−

,

${{\text{H}}_{2}}\text{P}{{\text{O}}_{4}}^{-},$

NO

2

−

,

$\text{N}{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}}}^{-},$

PF

4

−

$\text{P}{{\text{F}}_{4}}^{-}$

etc. The UV-Vis spectroscopic studies also indicate the potential of this compound for selective detection of fluoride anions. 1H-NMR titrations clearly indicate the formation of the 2.F– anionic complex. The Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations are also performed to get further insights on the formation of 2.F– complex.
The effect of M (M = Ce, Zr, Ce–Zr) on rolling microstructure and mechanical properties of FH40
Authors: Xianghai Meng , Mengxing Li , Meng Wang , Zhe Wang , Yungang Li
Published: September 2020

Ce, Zr and Ce–Zr composite experimentl steel were prepared by vacuum induction furnace and 550 twin-roll reversible rolling mill. Optical microscope (OM), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) were used to observe the rolling microstructure of the experimental steel. The mechanical properties of the experimental steel were tested and analyzed. The effect of cerium zirconium oxide inclusions on nucleation, tensile and impact fracture mechanism of intragranular acicular ferrite (IAF) was investigated. The results show that the rolling microstructure of steel containing 0.0052% Ce and the steel under composite treatment containing 0.0053% Ce and 0.0055% Zr is refined. IAF generation can be induced by Al–Ce–O inclusion of the size of 4 µm or induced by Al–Ce–Zr–O + MnS inclusion of the size of 3 µm. The yield strength and tensile strength of the steel treated by Ce–Zr are 428 and 590 MPa, respectively, the elongation is 23.55%, the longitudinal impact energy at −60°C is 189 J, which are 31, 45, 46 J and 6.25%, respectively, higher than those of the matrix steel. The dimple of the experimental steel at the fracture surface is larger and deeper than that of the matrix steel. The small inclusions in uniform distribution contribute to the high tensile strength of the experimental steel.
Fabry Perot laser properties with high pump lasers for upgrading fiber optic transceiver systems
Authors: Eid Mahmoud M. A. , Rashed Ahmed Nabih Zaki , Shafkat Araf , Ahmed Kawsar
Published: September 2020

The work has outlined the Fabry Perot laser properties with high pump lasers for upgrading fiber optic transceiver systems. The physical structures of the light source are taken into account such as active layer length and active layer width. High pump laser is used for providing strength to the signal through the transmission/reception stages. Peak and minimum signal power levels are measured in the spectral frequency domain and time domain. Signal amplitude level margin is also measured with the optimum physical parameters of the light source. The optimum operation system performance efficiency is achieved with an active layer length of 0.06 cm, and active layer width suitable is 1.5 × 10−4 cm.
The influence of field size, goal size and number of players on the average number of goals scored per game in variants of football and hockey: the Pi-theorem applied to team sports
Authors: Blondeau Julien
Published: September 2020

In this paper, we investigate the correlation between the main physical characteristics of eight variants of football and hockey (such as field size, goal size, player velocity, ball velocity, player density, and game duration) and the resulting average numbers of goals scored per game. To do so, the Pi-theorem in physics is extended to sport science and a non-dimensional parameter of interest is defined. It is based on the ratio between the duration of the game and the order of magnitude of the time needed to cross the midfield, which depends on the average velocity of the ball and the players, the player density and the size of the goals. An excellent correlation is found between the proposed parameter and the average number of goals scored per game during recent international competitions. Using the derived correlation, the effect of any modification of the main characteristics of football and hockey (and their variants) on the scoring pace can be assessed. For instance, it can be predicted that decreasing the length of football fields by 20 m would raise the average number of goals scored to 3.6 (±0.6) per game, versus the 2.6 goals scored during the most recent men’s World Cup.
Remark on subgroup intersection graph of finite abelian groups
Authors: Zhao Jinxing , Deng Guixin
Published: September 2020

Let G be a finite group. The subgroup intersection graph

Γ
(
G
)

\text{Γ}(G)

of G is a graph whose vertices are non-identity elements of G and two distinct vertices x and y are adjacent if and only if

|
〈
x
〉
∩

〈

y
〉
|
>
1

|\langle x\rangle \cap \langle y\rangle |\gt 1

, where

〈
x
〉

\langle x\rangle

is the cyclic subgroup of G generated by x. In this paper, we show that two finite abelian groups are isomorphic if and only if their subgroup intersection graphs are isomorphic.
Comprehensive evaluation of the industrial processing effects on the fiber properties of the pulps from wood residues
Authors: Chen Yuan , Shen Kuizhong , Li Gaiyun
Published: September 2020

Wood processing residue, as an essential forest resource, is underestimated in the industrial applications. With the development of pulping technology, fiber quality and cost control have become the important prospects. It is very crucial to investigate the influencing factors of pulping, designed to reveal the relationship between fiber separation and physical performances. In this study, a range of effect factors of large-scale pulping process, including wood species, pretreatment, mechanical conditions, and post-bleaching treatment, were comprehensively investigated. The results illustrated that the industrial pulping process affected the dimensions of the fibers, their surface morphology, chemical structure, and thermal stability. The separated positions of the fibers were determined collectively by the mechanical temperature, time, and wood species. In addition, mild bleaching could effectively increase the crystallinity index, accessibility of the hydroxyl groups, and water retention values. However, it exerted a negative influence on the thermal stability. Further, chemical-assisted-refinement can replace higher temperature and prolonged ones to obtain pulp fibers with high quality while consuming less energy. Improved knowledge of how the industrial affects the fiber separation of a wood matrix and pulp quality is required as a basis for the development of the pulp and paper industry.
The Invisible and the Hidden within the Phenomenological Situation of Appearing
Authors: Nitsche Martin
Published: September 2020

This study focuses on various phenomenological conceptions of the invisible in order to consider to what extent and in what way they involve moments of hiddenness. The relationship among phenomenality, invisibility, and hiddenness is examined in the works of Husserl, Heidegger, Henry, and Merleau-Ponty. The study explains why phenomenologists prefer speaking about the invisible over a discourse of the hidden. It shows that the phenomenological method does not display the invisibility as a limit of experience but rather as a dynamic component of relational nature of any experience, including the religious one. Special attention is paid to topological moments of the relationship between the visible and the invisible.
Electrochemical flow systems enable renewable energy industrial chain of CO2 reduction
Authors: Hung Sung-Fu
Published: September 2020

The development of a comprehensive renewable energy industrial chain becomes urgent since renewable energy will soon dominate the power generation. Among the industries, carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), which uses energy to convert carbon dioxide into high-value products and reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, is regarded as a promising and potential industrial application. The conventional H-type reactor shows limited catalytic activity toward CO2RR, leading to the incompatible combination with the massive renewable energy. The flow systems – flow-cell reactor and the membrane electrode assemblies – show the promising selectivity and activities of CO2RR products, meeting the criteria for industrial mass production. In this Perspective, I start by comparing the market price and annual global production of major CO2RR products with the necessary costs using technoeconomic analysis for industrial utilization. Subsequently, I systematically summarize the catalytic performances of the same copper catalyst in these reactors for CO2RR and discuss the possibility of industrialization. Owing to the distinctive catalytic behaviors in flow systems, I finally present prospects to investigate the catalytic mechanisms by developing various in-situ techniques in these flow systems to speed up the renewable energy industry.