bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Setting the Stage: Being Successful and Negotiating New (Mainstream) Identities
Authors: Schneider Jens , Konyali Ali , Waldring Ismintha , Pulinx Reinhilde
Published: June 2022

This chapter focuses on self-definitions among professionally successful members of the second generation in four European countries: Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. The analysis departs from a concept of identity that allows for simultaneous and intersecting references to different categories of belonging, and looks for the ways in which second-generation professionals in Western Europe position themselves in relation to three main relevant aspects: (a) being successful professionals in their specific fields; (b) being socially mobile, thus having achieved a middle-class status; and (c) being ‘second generation’, i.e. being raised in a country to which their parents had migrated from another country. The analysis looks at personal strategies for navigating the discursive challenges and external ascriptions between feelings of home and success, on the one side, and Othering experiences and ‘home country’ references in their families etc., on the other. The results indicate that high levels of education and professional and middle-class positions open up a range of possibilities to make more active choices in self-defining their belonging and individual ‘life worlds’ – including places of residence, the intensity of family relations, choice of social relations and preferred working environments.
New Social Mobility: Pioneers and Their Potentials for Change
Authors: Crul Maurice , Schneider Jens , Pott Andreas
Published: June 2022

This chapter discusses the wider societal and theoretical implications of the empirical outcomes presented in the previous chapters. It highlights the importance of what has been described as the ‘multiplier effect’ whereby social climbers accumulate relevant social and cultural capital step-by-step to compensate for the lack of directly useful resources in their families. It revisits some of the other central theoretical frameworks referred to in this book, such as Bourdieu’s capital theory and the integration context theory. The empirical chapters emphasize the importance of social and cultural capital, but not as it is set out in Bourdieu’s reproduction theory. In this book, these forms of capital, mostly acquired along the way, help to explain the extraordinary social mobility of this pioneering group. The integration context theory, originally developed to aid understanding of educational careers, also proved to be of use when trying to understand labour market careers in specific professional sectors. It underlines the importance of gatekeepers and national or context specific arrangements in certain professional fields which together produce the particular types of pathways in this study. We further describe some of the paradoxes that especially characterize the situation of social mobility pioneers from immigrant families. In addition to the well-known ‘integration paradox’, the authors identify a ‘meritocratic paradox’, a ‘discrimination paradox’, a ‘social and cultural capital paradox’ and an ‘ethnic capital paradox’ that all originate in a social setup in which (a) the population of ‘migrant background’ continues to be widely seen as ‘different’ and ‘Other’ to the imagined National Self, and (b) socially upwardly mobile individuals still represent a small minority in many leading professional fields. The chapter ends by underlining the potential that societies miss out on by not taking more active steps to incorporate the native-born ‘second generation’. It summarizes what we believe is new about New Social Mobility as compared to similar processes among young working-class people without a migration background.
Categories of Differentiable Polynomial Circuits for Machine Learning
Authors: Wilson Paul , Zanasi Fabio
Published: June 2022

Reverse derivative categories (RDCs) have recently been shown to be a suitable semantic framework for studying machine learning algorithms. Whereas emphasis has been put on training methodologies, less attention has been devoted to particular model classes: the concrete categories whose morphisms represent machine learning models. In this paper we study presentations by generators and equations of classes of RDCs. In particular, we propose polynomial circuits as a suitable machine learning model. We give an axiomatisation for these circuits and prove a functional completeness result. Finally, we discuss the use of polynomial circuits over specific semirings to perform machine learning with discrete values.
Introduction to History, Theory, and Research in ODDE
Authors: Xiao Junhong
Published: June 2022

This introductory chapter explores the interrelationship and interplay between history, theory, and research in ODDE, demonstrating how they inform research and practice covered in the Handbook. It is argued that lack of historical knowledge about ODDE, unawareness of ODDE theories, and negligence of the abundant research literature on ODDE have contributed to the marginalization of and prejudice against the field in the wider education eco-system, despite the fact that it has entered the “mainsteam” of education now. Compelling arguments are advanced for the relevance of history, importance of theories, and necessity of research to the sustainable growth of ODDE. The chapter then goes on to explain the structure of the section, drawing the readers’ attention to issues worthy of further attention. It concludes with several implications from the other chapters in the section and a call for using them as a stepping stone to reimagining ODDE for the twenty-first century.
Non-BPS black branes in M-theory over Calabi-Yau threefolds. (Non-)uniqueness and recombination of non-BPS black strings in single modulus CICY and THCY models
Authors: Marrani Alessio , Mishra Anshul , Tripathy Prasanta K.
Published: June 2022

Abstract

We study extremal solutions arising in M-theory compactifications on Calabi-Yau threefolds, focussing on non-BPS attractors for their importance in relation to the Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC); M2 branes wrapped on two-cycles give rise to black holes, whereas M5 branes wrapped on four-cycles result in black strings. In the low-energy/field theory limit one obtains minimal N = 2, D = 5 supergravity coupled to Abelian vector multiplets. By making use of the effective black hole potential formalism with Lagrange multipliers and of the Attractor Mechanism, we obtain the explicit expressions of the attractor moduli for BPS and non-BPS solutions, and we compute the Bekenstein-Hawking black hole entropy and the black string tension. Furthermore, by focussing on one modulus complete intersection (CICY) or toric hypersurface (THCY) Calabi-Yau threefolds, we investigate the possible non-uniqueness of the attractor solutions, as well as the stability of non-BPS black holes and black strings (restricting to doubly-extremal solutions, for simplicity’s sake). In all models taken into consideration, we find that both BPS and non-BPS extremal black hole attractors are always unique for a given, supporting electric charge configuration; moreover, non-BPS black holes are always unstable, and thus they decay into constituent BPS/anti-BPS pairs: this confirms the WGC, for which macroscopic non-supersymmetric solutions are bound to decay. For what concerns extremal black strings, it is well known they are unique in the BPS case; we confirm uniqueness also for non-BPS strings in one-modulus CICY models. On the other hand, we discover multiple non-BPS extremal black string attractors (with different tensions) in most of the one-modulus THCY models, and we determine the corresponding magnetic configurations supporting them; this indicates the existence of volume-minimizing representatives in the same homology class having different values of their local minimal volume. Moreover, we find that non-BPS (doubly-) extremal black strings, both for single and multiple solutions, are kinematically stable against decay into their constituent BPS/anti-BPS pairs; in Calabi-Yau geometry, this means that the volume of the representative corresponding to the black string is less than the volume of the minimal piecewise-holomorphic representative, predicting recombination for those homology classes and thus leading to stable, non-BPS string solutions, which for the WGC are microscopic with small charges.
Existence of Hölder Continuous Solutions for a Class of Degenerate Fourth-Order Elliptic Equations
Authors: Cirmi G. R. , D’Asero S. , Leonardi S.
Published: June 2022

This paper deals with the existence of bounded and locally Hölder continuous weak solutions of a homogeneous Dirichlet problem related to a class of nonlinear fourth-order elliptic equations with strengthened degenerate ellipticity condition.
„Deprescribing“ von Antipsychotika bei Demenz
Authors: Roßmeier Carola , Gast Jennifer , Riedl Lina , Hartmann Julia , Kohl Sarah , Hartmann Florentine , Diehl-Schmid Janine
Published: June 2022

Hintergrund

In Leitlinien zur Behandlung von psychischen und Verhaltenssymptomen bei Demenz („Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia“ [BPSD]) wird empfohlen, Antipsychotika im Falle einer notwendigen Therapie zeitlich begrenzt und in möglichst geringer Dosis einzusetzen.

Fragestellung

Um das Bewusstsein für die Risiken einer Antipsychotikabehandlung bei Patient:innen mit Demenz und die dadurch begründete Notwendigkeit einer zeitlich begrenzten und möglichst niedrig dosierten Antipsychotikabehandlung zu schärfen, wurden Handlungsempfehlungen zum Deprescribing von Antipsychotika bei Menschen mit Demenz entwickelt.

Material und Methoden

Die Entwicklung der Handlungsempfehlungen erfolgte in einem mehrstufigen Prozess: 1. Literaturrecherche unter besonderer Würdigung von konsentierten Leitlinienempfehlungen und Ergebnissen einer eigenen Interventionsstudie (READY-Studie), 2. Diskussion und Konsentierung in einem Expert:innengremium, 3. Onlineumfrage von in Deutschland tätigen ärztlichen Demenzexpert:innen.

Ergebnisse

Aus 51 im ersten Entwurf zusammengestellten Aussagen wurden nach der Diskussion im multiprofessionellen Expert:innengremium 32 Aussagen zum „Deprescribing“ (Reduktion und Ausschleichen) von Antipsychotika formuliert. 25 der 32 Aussagen wurden nach Konsentierung in einer Onlineumfrage durch ärztliche Demenzexpert:innen final übernommen.

Diskussion

In Deutschland gibt es bislang keine konkreten Empfehlungen zur Vorgehensweise bei Reduktion und Absetzen von Antipsychotika, die zur Behandlung von BPSD bei Menschen mit Demenz eingesetzt werden. Die vorgelegte Arbeit soll als Handlungsempfehlung für Haus- und Fachärzt:innen dienen. Bei den Empfehlungen handelt es sich um keine Leitlinien, sie ersetzen nicht die Eigenverantwortlichkeit der Behandelnden und das individuell notwendige Vorgehen in Abhängigkeit von der Behandlungssituation.
The Lagrangian, constraint qualifications and economics
Authors: Flåm Sjur D. , Rückmann Jan-J.
Published: June 2022

Considering constrained choice, practitioners and theorists frequently invoke a Lagrangian to generate optimality conditions. Regular use of that vehicle requires, however, some constraintqualification. Yet many economists go easy on the mathematics of that issue. Conversely, few mathematicians elaborate on the economics of the context. Thereby both parties leave some lacunas as to didactics or intuition. This note attempts to shed some light on these matters.
The Effect of Anti-rheumatic Drugs on the Skeleton
Authors: Hauser B. , Raterman H. , Ralston S. H. , Lems W. F.
Published: June 2022

The therapeutic armamentarium for rheumatoid arthritis has increased substantially over the last 20 years. Historically antirheumatic treatment was started late in the disease course and frequently included prolonged high-dose glucocorticoid treatment which was associated with accelerated generalised bone loss and increased vertebral and non-vertebral fracture risk. Newer biologic and targeted synthetic treatments and a combination of conventional synthetic DMARDs prevent accelerated systemic bone loss and may even allow repair of cortical bone erosions. Emerging data also gives new insight on the impact of long-term conventional synthetic DMARDs on bone health and fracture risk and highlights the need for ongoing studies for better understanding of “established therapeutics”. An interesting new antirheumatic treatment effect is the potential of erosion repair with the use of biologic DMARDs and janus kinase inhibitors. Although several newer anti-rheumatic drugs seem to have favorable effects on bone mineral density in RA patients, these effects are modest and do not seem to influence the fracture risk thus far. We summarize recent developments and findings of the impact of anti-rheumatic treatments on localized and systemic bone integrity and health.
Microbial ecology of biofiltration used for producing safe drinking water
Authors: Bai Xi , Dinkla Inez J. T. , Muyzer Gerard
Published: June 2022

Biofiltration is a water purification technology playing a pivotal role in producing safe drinking water. This technology attracts many interests worldwide due to its advantages, such as no addition of chemicals, a low energy input, and a high removal efficiency of organic compounds, undesirable taste and odours, and pathogens. The current review describes the microbial ecology of three biofiltration processes that are routinely used in drinking water treatment plants, i.e. (i) rapid sand filtration (RSF), (ii) granular activated carbon filtration (GACF), and (iii) slow sand filtration (SSF). We summarised and compared the characteristics, removal performance, and corresponding (newly revealed) mechanisms of the three biofiltration processes. Specifically, the microbial ecology of the different biofilter processes and the role of microbial communities in removing nutrients, organic compounds, and pathogens were reviewed. Finally, we highlight the limitations and challenges in the study of biofiltration in drinking water production, and propose future perspectives for obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the microbial ecology of biofiltration, which is needed to promote and optimise its further application.

Key points

• Biofilters are composed of complex microbiomes, primarily shaped by water quality.

• Conventional biofilters contribute to address safety challenges in drinking water.

• Studies may underestimate the active/functional role of microbiomes in biofilters.
Estimates of Treatable Deaths Within the First 20 Years of Life from Scaling Up Surgical Care at First‐Level Hospitals in Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries
Authors: Sykes Alicia G. , Seyi‐Olajide Justina , Ameh Emmanuel A. , Ozgediz Doruk , Abbas Alizeh , Abib Simone , Ademuyiwa Adesoji , Ali Abdelbasit , Aziz Tasmiah Tahera , Chowdhury Tanvir Kabir , Abdelhafeez Hafeez , Ignacio Romeo C. , Keller Benjamin , Klazura Greg , Kling Karen , Martin Benjamin , Philipo Godfrey Sama , Thangarajah Hariharan , Yap Ava , Meara John G. , Bundy Donald A. P. , Jamison Dean T. , Mock Charles N. , Bickler Stephen W. ,   the Global Initiative for Children's Surgery
Published: June 2022

Background

Surgical care is an important, yet often neglected component of child health in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). This study examines the potential impact of scaling up surgical care at first‐level hospitals in LMICs within the first 20 years of life.

Methods

Epidemiological data from the global burden of disease 2019 Study and a counterfactual method developed for the disease control priorities; 3rd Edition were used to estimate the number of treatable deaths in the under 20 year age group if surgical care could be scaled up at first‐level hospitals. Our model included three digestive diseases, four maternal and neonatal conditions, and seven common traumatic injuries.

Results

An estimated 314,609 (95% UI, 239,619–402,005) deaths per year in the under 20 year age group could be averted if surgical care were scaled up at first‐level hospitals in LMICs. Most of the treatable deaths are in the under‐5 year age group (80.9%) and relates to improved obstetrical care and its effect on reducing neonatal encephalopathy due to birth asphyxia and trauma. Injuries are the leading cause of treatable deaths after age 5 years. Sixty‐one percent of the treatable deaths occur in lower middle‐income countries. Overall, scaling up surgical care at first‐level hospitals could avert 5·1% of the total deaths in children and adolescents under 20 years of age in LMICs per year.

Conclusions

Improving the capacity of surgical services at first‐level hospitals in LMICs has the potential to avert many deaths within the first 20 years of life.
Laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated appendicitis in children: does the post-operative peritoneal drain make any difference? A pilot prospective randomised controlled trial
Authors: Human M. J. , Tshifularo N. , Mabitsela M.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This was a pilot randomised, prospective study, which aimed to determine and compare the post-operative complications of paediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) for complicated appendicitis, with and without a peritoneal drain.

Methods

Patients younger than 13 years, undergoing LA for complicated appendicitis at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH), over a 15-month period during 2019–2020 were enrolled. Randomisation was achieved by a blocked randomisation plan. Patients were randomised in a 1:1 ratio into the “drain” (D) and “no drain” (ND) groups.

Results

Thirty-four patients were included in this study; seventeen in each group. The complication rate was 26%. Intra-abdominal collection accounted for 89% of the complications. The complication rate in the “D” group was 18% and 35% in the “ND” group, with no statistically significant difference. Complication rates were higher (38%) in patients with generalised pus when compared to localised pus (7%), although not statistically significant. The mean theatre time, hospital stay, and duration of antibiotic use did not differ significantly between the groups.

Conclusion

From our study, the post-operative peritoneal drain did not make any statistically significant difference in patient outcome. The amount of intra-abdominal contamination is more likely to contribute in the development of complications.

Trial registration number

SMUREC/M/15/2019: PG.
Fat embolism after intraosseous catheters in pediatric forensic autopsies
Authors: Castiglioni C. , Carminati A. , Fracasso T.
Published: June 2022

In our center, we performed the autopsy of a child who died from drowning and presented, at autopsy, a major pulmonary fat embolism (PFE). A cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed, including infusion by intraosseous catheter (IIC). No other traumatic lesions and diseases classically related to a risk of PFE were detected. According to some animal studies, we considered the IIC as the only possible cause for PFE. However, we could not find literature to confirm this hypothesis in humans, especially in a pediatric population. To verify the occurrence of PFE after IIC in a pediatric population, we retrospectively selected 20 cases of pediatric deaths autopsied in our center, in which a CPR was performed, without bone fractures or other possible causes of PFE: 13 cases with IIC (group A) and 7 cases without IIC (group B). Several exclusion criteria were considered. The histology slides of the pulmonary tissue were stained by Oil Red O. PFE was classified according to the Falzi scoring system. In group A, 8 cases showed PFE: 4 cases with a score 1 of Falzi and 4 cases with a score 2 of Falzi. In group B, no case showed PFE. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant. The results of our study seem to confirm that IIC can lead to PFE in a pediatric population and show that the PFE after IIC can be important (up to score 2 of Falzi). To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first specifically focused on the occurrence of PFE after IIC in a pediatric population by using autoptic data.
Potential role of passively increased muscle temperature on contractile function
Authors: Rodrigues Patrick , Trajano Gabriel S. , Stewart Ian B. , Minett Geoffrey M.
Published: June 2022

Declines in muscle force, power, and contractile function can be observed in older adults, clinical populations, inactive individuals, and injured athletes. Passive heating exposure (e.g., hot baths, sauna, or heated garments) has been used for health purposes, including skeletal muscle treatment. An acute increase in muscle temperature by passive heating can increase the voluntary rate of force development and electrically evoked contraction properties (i.e., time to peak twitch torque, half-relation time, and electromechanical delay). The improvements in the rate of force development and evoked contraction assessments with increased muscle temperature after passive heating reveal peripheral mechanisms’ potential role in enhancing muscle contraction. This review aimed to summarise, discuss, and highlight the potential role of an acute passive heating stimulus on skeletal muscle cells to improve contractile function. These mechanisms include increased calcium kinetics (release/reuptake), calcium sensitivity, and increased intramuscular fluid.
Re-interpreting mesenteric vascular anatomy on 3D virtual and/or physical models, part II: anatomy of relevance to surgeons operating splenic flexure cancer
Authors: Andersen Bjarte Tidemann , Stimec Bojan V. , Kazaryan Airazat M. , Rancinger Peter , Edwin Bjørn , Ignjatovic Dejan
Published: June 2022

Background

The splenic flexure is irrigated from two vascular areas, both from the middle colic and the left colic artery. The challenge for the surgeon is to connect these two vascular areas in an oncological safe procedure.

Materials and methods

The vascular anatomy, manually 3D reconstructed from 32 preoperative high-resolution CT datasets using Osirix MD, Mimics Medical and 3-matic Medical Datasets, were exported as STL-files, video clips, stills and supplemented with 3D printed models.

Results

Our first major finding was the difference in level between the middle colic and the inferior mesenteric artery origins. We have named this relationship a mesenteric inter-arterial stair. The middle colic artery origin could be found cranial (median 3.38 cm) or caudal (median 0.58 cm) to the inferior mesenteric artery. The lateral distance between the two origins was 2.63 cm (median), and the straight distance 4.23 cm (median). The second finding was the different trajectories and confluence pattern of the inferior mesenteric vein. This vein ended in the superior mesenteric/jejunal vein (21 patients) or in the splenic vein (11 patients). The inferior mesenteric vein confluence could be infrapancreatic (17 patients), infrapancreatic with retropancreatic arch (7 patients) or retropancreatic (8 patients). Lastly, the accessory middle colic artery was present in ten patients presenting another pathway for lymphatic dissemination.

Conclusion

The IMV trajectory when accessible, is the solution to the mesenteric inter-arterial stair. The surgeon could safely follow the IMV to its confluence. When the IMV trajectory is not accessible, the surgeon could follow the caudal border of the pancreas.

Graphical abstract
High critical currents for dendrite penetration and voiding in potassium metal anode solid-state batteries
Authors: Spencer Jolly Dominic , Perera Johann , Pu Shengda D. , Melvin Dominic L. R. , Adamson Paul , Bruce Peter G.
Published: June 2022

Potassium metal anode solid-state cells with a K-beta”-alumina ceramic electrolyte are found to have relatively high critical currents for dendrite penetration on charge of approximately 4.8 mA/cm2, and voiding on discharge of approximately 2.0 mA/cm2, at 20 °C under 2.5 MPa stack-pressure. These values are higher than generally reported in the literature under comparable conditions for Li and Na metal anode solid-state batteries. The higher values for potassium are attributed to its lower yield strength and its readiness to creep under relatively low stack-pressures. The high critical currents of potassium anode solid-state batteries help to confirm the importance of the metal anode mechanical properties in the mechanisms of dendrite penetration and voiding.
Metaheuristic-based support vector regression for landslide displacement prediction: a comparative study
Authors: Ma Junwei , Xia Ding , Guo Haixiang , Wang Yankun , Niu Xiaoxu , Liu Zhiyang , Jiang Sheng
Published: June 2022

Recently, integrated machine learning (ML) metaheuristic algorithms, such as the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm, genetic algorithm (GA), gray wolf optimization (GWO) algorithm, particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, and water cycle algorithm (WCA), have become predominant approaches for landslide displacement prediction. However, these algorithms suffer from poor reproducibility across replicate cases. In this study, a hybrid approach integrating k-fold cross validation (CV), metaheuristic support vector regression (SVR), and the nonparametric Friedman test is proposed to enhance reproducibility. The five previously mentioned metaheuristics were compared in terms of accuracy, computational time, robustness, and convergence. The results obtained for the Shuping and Baishuihe landslides demonstrate that the hybrid approach can be utilized to determine the optimum hyperparameters and present statistical significance, thus enhancing accuracy and reliability in ML-based prediction. Significant differences were observed among the five metaheuristics. Based on the Friedman test, which was performed on the root mean square error (RMSE), Kling-Gupta efficiency (KGE), and computational time, PSO is recommended for hyperparameter tuning for SVR-based displacement prediction due to its ability to maintain a balance between precision, computational time, and robustness. The nonparametric Friedman test is promising for presenting statistical significance, thus enhancing reproducibility.
Coronavirus and Paramyxovirus Shedding by Bats in a Cave and Buildings in Ethiopia
Authors: Lane Jennifer K. , Negash Yohannes , Randhawa Nistara , Kebede Nigatu , Wells Heather , Ayalew Girma , Anthony Simon J. , Smith Brett , Goldstein Tracey , Kassa Tesfu , Mazet Jonna A. K. , Consortium PREDICT , Smith Woutrina A.
Published: June 2022

Bats are important hosts of zoonotic viruses with pandemic potential, including filoviruses, MERS-Coronavirus (CoV), SARS-CoV -1, and likely SARS-CoV-2. Viral infection and transmission among wildlife are dependent on a combination of factors that include host ecology and immunology, life history traits, roosting habitats, biogeography, and external stressors. Between 2016 and 2018, four species of insectivorous bats from a readily accessed roadside cave and buildings in Ethiopia were sampled and tested for viruses using consensus PCR assays for five viral families/genera. Previously identified and novel coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses were identified in 99 of the 589 sampled bats. Bats sampled from the cave site were more likely to test positive for a CoV than bats sampled from buildings; viral shedding was more common in the wet season; and rectal swabs were the most common sample type to test positive. A previously undescribed alphacoronavirus was detected in two bat species from different taxonomic families, sampling interfaces, geographic locations, and years. These findings expand knowledge of the range and diversity of coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses in insectivorous bats in Ethiopia and reinforce that an improved understanding of viral diversity and species-specific shedding dynamics is important for designing informed zoonotic disease surveillance and spillover risk reduction efforts.
G-invariant spin structures on spheres
Authors: Daura Serrano Jordi , Kohn Michael , Lawn Marie-Amélie
Published: June 2022

We examine which of the compact connected Lie groups that act transitively on spheres of different dimensions leave the unique spin structure of the sphere invariant. We study the notion of invariance of a spin structure and prove this classification in two different ways; through examining the differential of the actions and through representation theory.
An overview of mixing augmentation methods and augmentation strategies
Authors: Lewy Dominik , Mańdziuk Jacek
Published: June 2022

Deep Convolutional Neural Networks have made an incredible progress in many Computer Vision tasks. This progress, however, often relies on the availability of large amounts of the training data, required to prevent over-fitting, which in many domains entails significant cost of manual data labeling. An alternative approach is application of data augmentation (DA) techniques that aim at model regularization by creating additional observations from the available ones. This survey focuses on two DA research streams: image mixing and automated selection of augmentation strategies. First, the presented methods are briefly described, and then qualitatively compared with respect to their key characteristics. Various quantitative comparisons are also included based on the results reported in recent DA literature. This review mainly covers the methods published in the materials of top-tier conferences and in leading journals in the years 2017–2021.
VPint: value propagation-based spatial interpolation
Authors: Arp Laurens , Baratchi Mitra , Hoos Holger
Published: June 2022

Given the common problem of missing data in real-world applications from various fields, such as remote sensing, ecology and meteorology, the interpolation of missing spatial and spatio-temporal data can be of tremendous value. Existing methods for spatial interpolation, most notably Gaussian processes and spatial autoregressive models, tend to suffer from (a) a trade-off between modelling local or global spatial interaction, (b) the assumption there is only one possible path between two points, and (c) the assumption of homogeneity of intermediate locations between points. Addressing these issues, we propose a value propagation-based spatial interpolation method called VPint, inspired by Markov reward processes (MRPs), and introduce two variants thereof: (i) a static discount (SD-MRP) and (ii) a data-driven weight prediction (WP-MRP) variant. Both these interpolation variants operate locally, while implicitly accounting for global spatial relationships in the entire system through recursion. We evaluated our proposed methods by comparing the mean absolute error, root mean squared error, peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity of interpolated grid cells to those of 8 common baselines. Our analysis involved detailed experiments on a synthetic and two real-world datasets, as well as experiments on convergence and scalability. Empirical results demonstrate the competitive advantage of VPint on randomly missing data, where it performed better than baselines in terms of mean absolute error and structural similarity, as well as spatially clustered missing data, where it performed best on 2 out of 3 datasets.
Biodiversity policy and subnational implementation in the remote regions of France
Authors: Ferraro Gianluca , Failler Pierre , Touron-Gardic Gregoire
Published: June 2022

Biological diversity in the marine and coastal environment is declining globally. Several layers of governance intertwine in the regulation of biodiversity with multiple strains of policy developments taking place at the international, national and subnational levels. In particular, the subnational level of governance has become crucial in the implementation of biodiversity protection. The article aims at better understanding how governance mechanisms in defence of biodiversity can be developed and implemented at the subnational level and what obstacles they may face. For this purpose, the article relies on a single-case study: it analyses biodiversity policy in France and explains its subnational implementation in Reunion. Major achievements and impediments are also discussed for policy tools adopted for the protection of areas and species. The study reveals important bureaucratic, political and societal pressures that can affect subnational implementation together with the availability of material and immaterial resources. The article concludes with policy recommendations that are specific to Reunion but concern aspects common to other Outermost Regions of the European Union: centre-local coordination, regional strategy, public engagement and transnational collaboration.
Being “in-tact” and well: metaphysical and phenomenological annotations on temporal well-being
Authors: Sieroka Norman
Published: June 2022

Well-being depends not only on what happens but also on when it happens. There are temporal aspects of well-being, and to a large extent those aspects are about relative timing—about being “in-tact.” On the one hand, there is a perspectival aspect about being in-tact with one’s past, present, and future or, in a less involved sense, with one’s life as a whole. On the other hand, there is a synchronization aspect of being in-tact; and this aspect occurs on different levels: It might be about the alignment between different temporal domains—such as time as individually perceived and physical or intersubjective time. Or it might be about a single domain, especially the inner dynamics of individual time. The danger of not experiencing and acknowledging the relational character of these different timings likely leads to a substantial loss in the variety of human experience. Important aspects of subjective and intersubjective experience might fade away. The present paper discusses these aspects of well-being along the lines of distinctions and concepts prominently used in the metaphysics and the phenomenology of time. Thus, the paper also aims to complement the existing literature by bringing together important strands of current philosophical research.
Management of neurofibromatosis type 2 and schwannomatosis associated peripheral and intraspinal schwannomas: influence of surgery, genetics, and localization
Authors: Gugel Isabel , Grimm Florian , Tatagiba Marcos , Schuhmann Martin U. , Zipfel Julian
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Peripheral and intraspinal schwannomas are common and clinically complex pathologies in patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) and Schwannomatosis (SWNT). Functional preservation and pain relief are the major goals in treating these tumors.

Methods

This retrospective observational study investigates the clinical and functional outcome of 205 operated peripheral (n = 148, 72%) and intraspinal (n = 57, 28%) schwannomas in 85 patients (53 NF2, 32 SWNT) treated at our department between 2006 and 2017. Associated factors such as genetics, age, and location were evaluated.

Results

Persisting drug-resistant pain was the most common symptom (84%, n = 173) and indication for surgery (54%, n = 110). Improvement in pain intensity was postoperatively seen in 81%. Peripheral nerve schwannomas exhibited worse pain intensity preoperatively compared to intraspinal lesions (p = 0.017 NF2, p = 0.029 SWNT). More total resections could be achieved in 93% of SWNT vs. 82% of NF2-associated tumors, p = 0.030). NF2 patients with intraspinal lesions were more neurologically affected (p < 0.05). Perioperative comparison of both tumor syndromes showed more neurological deficits (p = 0.027), and less pain (p = 0.024) in NF2-associated tumors. Mosaic NF2 patients had worse pain levels before surgery, and SWNT patients had a worse neurological function and more pain compared to non-mosaic or non-mutated cases.

Conclusions

Resection of peripheral and intraspinal schwannomas is an effective and low-risk treatment in both NF2 and SWNT. Patients with severe pain have a particular benefit from surgical treatment. Intraspinal lesions are associated with worse neurological function whereas peripheral lesions showed a higher pain intensity. The influence of mutations needs to be further investigated in larger cohorts.
A theory of implicit commitment
Authors: Łełyk Mateusz , Nicolai Carlo
Published: June 2022

The notion of implicit commitment has played a prominent role in recent works in logic and philosophy of mathematics. Although implicit commitment is often associated with highly technical studies, it remains an elusive notion. In particular, it is often claimed that the acceptance of a mathematical theory implicitly commits one to the acceptance of a Uniform Reflection Principle for it. However, philosophers agree that a satisfactory analysis of the transition from a theory to its reflection principle is still lacking. We provide an axiomatization of the minimal commitments implicit in the acceptance of a mathematical theory. The theory entails that the Uniform Reflection Principle is part of one’s implicit commitments, and sheds light on why this is so. We argue that the theory has significant epistemological consequences in that it explains how justified belief in the axioms of a theory can be preserved to the corresponding reflection principle. The theory also improves on recent analyses of implicit commitment based on truth or epistemic notions.
Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents in Bangladesh
Authors: Ria Israt Irean , Biswas Raaj Kishore , Alam Asraful , Rakshit Pradipto Vaskar , Tahsin Sadia
Published: June 2022

Adolescent mental well-being hardly took precedence in Bangladesh, which is reflected in both policies and literature. This study assessed the common symptoms of depression among school-going adolescents (aged 10–19 years) in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected during October–November 2019 from 289 participants in four schools using a questionnaire based on the WHO global school-based student health survey and WHO stepwise approach to NCD (Tools version 9.5). Sadness (45.3%) and aggression (40.5%) were the most common depressive symptoms found in the study, followed by confusion (27.7%), worthlessness (21.8%), fatigue (21.5%), and insomnia (18.0%). The sex of the student, grade of study, and duration of daily sleep showed differential associations with these symptoms. These findings indicate a crucial stage of adolescence, where the different societal pressures often ignored by primary carers, could have detrimental effect on children. There is an urgent need to address the growing adolescent mental health issue in Bangladesh and a need for health system to recognize its precedence.
Balancing Quarantine and Self-Distancing Measures in Adaptive Epidemic Networks
Authors: Horstmeyer Leonhard , Kuehn Christian , Thurner Stefan
Published: June 2022

We study the relative importance of two key control measures for epidemic spreading: endogenous social self-distancing and exogenous imposed quarantine. We use the framework of adaptive networks, moment-closure, and ordinary differential equations to introduce new model types of susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) dynamics. First, we compare computationally expensive, adaptive network simulations with their corresponding computationally efficient ODE equivalents and find excellent agreement. Second, we discover that there exists a critical curve in parameter space for the epidemic threshold, which suggests a mutual compensation effect between the two mitigation strategies: as long as social distancing and quarantine measures are both sufficiently strong, large outbreaks are prevented. Third, we study the total number of infected and the maximum peak during large outbreaks using a combination of analytical estimates and numerical simulations. Also for large outbreaks we find a similar compensation mechanism as for the epidemic threshold. This means that if there is little incentive for social distancing in a population, drastic quarantining is required, and vice versa. Both pure scenarios are unrealistic in practice. The new models show that only a combination of measures is likely to succeed to control epidemic spreading. Fourth, we analytically compute an upper bound for the total number of infected on adaptive networks, using integral estimates in combination with a moment-closure approximation on the level of an observable. Our method allows us to elegantly and quickly check and cross-validate various conjectures about the relevance of different network control measures. In this sense it becomes possible to adapt also other models rapidly to new epidemic challenges.
Consensus-led recommendations defining practical principles of achieving optimal surgical outcomes in robotic colorectal surgery in the Asia–Pacific region
Authors: Lynch A. C. , Ngu J. , Ng S. S. M. , Tsukamoto S. , Shiomi A. , Lai X. , Wang J. Y. , Scoble T.
Published: June 2022

Recent innovations within the field of robotic surgery have particular relevance to colorectal surgery. Although a robotic approach has been associated with satisfactory outcomes, there remains a wide variation in levels of adoption. In particular, this study focuses on patient positioning, docking, and table placement, with the intent of understanding the strength of opinion of colorectal surgeons in the Asia–Pacific region to the practical application of these developments to achieve optimal surgical outcomes. Using a modified Delphi methodology, a steering group of colorectal surgeons with experience in robotic surgery from across the Asia–Pacific region identified 35 consensus statements. An online 4-point Likert scale questionnaire was distributed to surgeons in the Asia–Pacific region using convenience sampling. Respondents were excluded from further analysis if they did not perform colorectal surgery or had no experience in robotic surgery. A total of 140 responses (71.8% response rate) were received between August and October 2021. 22 statements attained a very high degree of agreement (≥ 90%). High agreement (< 90% and ≥ 75%) was achieved in another 12, and one failed to meet the consensus threshold (< 75%). A set of five recommendations were developed based on these results. The high levels of agreement demonstrate recognition amongst colorectal surgeons within the Asia–Pacific region of the potential advantage of recent improvements in robotic surgery technology to further improve surgical outcomes. The recommendations may inform a set of practical principles to help standardise the use of colorectal robotic surgery, which may also be relevant to other surgical fields.
Oilfield chemical-formation interaction and the effects on petrophysical properties: a review
Authors: Peretomode Ebikapaye , Oluyemi Gbenga , Faisal Nadimul Haque
Published: June 2022

Oil and gas recovery may cause formation damage during drilling, completion, and production phases. As a result of fundamental chemical, thermal, mechanical, and biological interactions, formation damage can occur due to impairment of permeability and porosity, causing undesirable operational and economic problem. The fluid-rock interactions resulting from oilfield chemicals injection during drilling, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) such as chemical flooding, or formation treatment could negatively impact on the formation properties such as geomechanical and geochemical, leading to alteration of the rock’s petrophysical properties. These chemical-rock interactions induce changes in both pore space geometry and rock strength. The resultant impact includes weakening of the formation bonding materials, formation damage, reduced production and consequently sand production simultaneously with reservoir fluids. It is therefore critical to evaluate these variables prior to designing any geo-sequestration, reservoir stimulation or EOR projects. Studies have shown that rock properties, especially permeability, porosity and strength, are altered or damaged during drilling, cementing, perforating, producing, stimulating, and injecting water or chemicals for EOR. Petroleum companies are likely to suffer significant financial losses due to this. This study provides a review on the influence of oilfield chemical-formation interactions on the formation rock properties both geophysical and mechanical, leading to formation damage and sand production. This study aims to provide researchers with a single document that gives insight and new perspectives on oilfield chemical-rock interactions through compilation of recent studies relating to the effect of chemical-rock interactions on rock's petrophysical properties, as well as geomechanical properties due to geochemical reactions that cause formation damage and eventually sand production. Having a solid understanding of fluid-rock interactions and how they impact petrophysical properties and cause formation damage is essential in predicting sand production and would help in minimizing economic losses, downtime and technicalities.
Open Science: Recommendations for Research on School Bullying
Authors: Noret Nathalie , Hunter Simon C. , Pimenta Sofia , Taylor Rachel , Johnson Rebecca
Published: June 2022

The open science movement has developed out of growing concerns over the scientific standard of published academic research and a perception that science is in crisis (the “replication crisis”). Bullying research sits within this scientific family and without taking a full part in discussions risks falling behind. Open science practices can inform and support a range of research goals while increasing the transparency and trustworthiness of the research process. In this paper, we aim to explain the relevance of open science for bullying research and discuss some of the questionable research practices which challenge the replicability and integrity of research. We also consider how open science practices can be of benefit to research on school bullying. In doing so, we discuss how open science practices, such as pre-registration, can benefit a range of methodologies including quantitative and qualitative research and studies employing a participatory research methods approach. To support researchers in adopting more open practices, we also highlight a range of relevant resources and set out a series of recommendations to the bullying research community.
Burkholderia cepacia Infections at Sites Other than the Respiratory Tract: A Large Case Series from a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Lebanon
Authors: Kwayess Rola , Al Hariri Housam Eddine , Hindy Joya-Rita , Youssef Nada , Haddad Sara F. , Kanj Souha S.
Published: June 2022

Objectives

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), which was originally thought to be a single species, represents a group of 24 distinct species that are often resistant to multiple antibiotics, and usually known to cause life-threatening pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis patients. Herein we describe a series of non-respiratory Bcc infections, the risk factors and epidemiologic factors, in addition to the clinical course.

Patients and methods

This is a retrospective chart review of 44 patients with documented B. cepacia infections isolated from sites other than the respiratory tract admitted between June 2005 and February 2020 to the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), a tertiary referral hospital for Lebanon and the Middle East region. The epidemiological background of these patients, their underlying risk factors, the used antibiotic regimens, and the sensitivities of the B. cepacia specimens were collected.

Results

The majority of the Bcc infections (26/44, 59.1%) were hospital-acquired infections. The most common nationality of the patients was Iraqi (18/44, 40.9%), and the most common site of infection was bacteremia (17/44, 38.6%), followed by skin and soft tissues infections (16/44, 36.4%) and vertebral osteomyelitis (8/44, 18.2%). Most of the isolated B. cepacia were susceptible to ceftazidime, carbapenems, followed by TMP-SMX. Patients responded well to therapy with good overall outcome.

Conclusions

Bcc can cause infections outside the respiratory tract, mostly as hospital-acquired infections and in immunocompromised patients. Most patients were referred from countries inflicted by wars raising the possibility of a potential role of conflicts which need to be investigated in future studies. Directed therapy according to susceptibility results proved effective in most patients.