bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of tocilizumab therapy in critically ill patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Authors: Saffo Zaid , Guo Weixia , Springer Kylie , Maksimowicz-McKinnon Kathleen , Kak Vivek , McKinnon John E. , Bhargava Pallavi 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Context
Tocilizumab (TCZ), an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor antagonist, has been approved for use in rheumatoid arthritis and cytokine storm syndrome (CSS) associated with chimeric antigen receptor T cells treatment. Although TCZ is currently utilized in the treatment of critically ill coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) patients, data on survival impact is minimal.

Objectives
To assess the mortality rate of patients presenting with COVID-19 who received TCZ for suspected CSS.

Methods
This retrospective cohort study was conducted at Henry Ford Health System between March 10, 2020 and May 18, 2020. Data collection began in May 2020 and was completed in June 2020. Patients included in the study required hospital admission and had positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal swab. Eligibility criteria to receive TCZ, per hospital protocol, included any of the following: persistent fever, defined as 38.0 °C for at least 6 hours; a diagnosis of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); serum ferritin ≥1,000 (ng/mL) or doubling within 24 hours; D-Dimer ≥ 5 (mg/L); serum lactate dehydrogenase ≥500 (IU/L); or interlukin-6 level ≥5 times the upper limit of normal. Dosing was initially determined by weight, then changed to a fixed 400 mg per hospital protocol. A comparator cohort was created from patients with COVID-19 and ARDS who did not receive TCZ. Patient survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared by log rank test. A multivariable cox regression was applied to evaluate the association between TCZ and mortality.

Results
One hundred and thirty patients were evaluated in the study, 54 (41.5%) of whom received TCZ. Patients who received TCZ were younger (mean age, 63.8 vs. 69.4 years; p=0.0083) and had higher body mass indices (mean, 33.9 vs. 30.4; p=0.005). Of the comorbid conditions evaluated, heart disease was more common in the comparator group than the TCZ group (27 patients [35.5%] vs. 10 patients [18.5%]; p=0.034). A Kaplan–Meier survival curve demonstrated no difference in survival between TCZ and comparator patients (log rank p=0.495). In the multivariable Cox regression model for mortality at 30 days, treatment with TCZ was not associated with decreased mortality (hazard ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 0.53–2.3; p=0.77). Lower mean C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were demonstrated within 48 hours of disposition in the TCZ group (mean TCZ, 4.9 vs. mean comparator, 13.0; p=<0.0001).

Conclusions
In this cohort study, no difference in survival was observed in critically ill patients treated with TCZ.
Agronomic and economic performance of maize (Zea mays L.) as influenced by seed bed configuration and weed control treatments
Authors: Imoloame Emmanuel Oyamedan 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Poor method of weed control and indiscriminate use of herbicides led to low yields, economic returns, and increasing environmental pollution in the southern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. These prompted the conduct of field trials in the 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons to determine the effects of seed bed configuration and weed control treatments on the agronomic and economic performance of maize. The treatments consisted of flat and ridge seed beds and six weed control treatments. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with split plot arrangement and replicated thrice. Results showed that seed bed configuration had significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on weed density, but not on maize grain yield. All the weed control treatments significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced weed infestation and increased maize grain yields compared to the weedy check. Furthermore, Primextra at 1.5 kg active ingredient per hectare (kg a.i. ha−1) + One supplementary hoe weeding (SHW) at 6 weeks after sowing (WAS), Primextra + Paraforce at 1.5 + 0.7 kg a.i. ha−1, and Primextra + Guard force at 1.5 + 0.03 kg a.i. ha−1 applied on flat seed beds and two hoe weeding at 3 and 6 WAS + ridge produced higher yields, profit, and economic returns. Therefore, the above reduced herbicide rates applied on flat seed beds are recommended to farmers as alternatives to two hoe weeding at 3 and 6 WAS for profitable production of maize.
Drawing inspiration from nature to develop anti-fouling coatings: the development of biomimetic polymer surfaces and their effect on bacterial fouling
Authors: McClements Jake , Gomes Luciana C. , Spall Joshua , Saubade Fabien , Akhidime Devine , Peeters Marloes , Mergulhão Filipe J. , Whitehead Kathryn A. 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
The development of self-cleaning biomimetic surfaces has the potential to be of great benefit to human health, in addition to reducing the economic burden on industries worldwide. Consequently, this study developed a biomimetic wax surface using a moulding technique which emulated the topography of the self-cleaning Gladiolus hybridus (Gladioli) leaf. A comparison of topographies was performed for unmodified wax surfaces (control), biomimetic wax surfaces, and Gladioli leaves using optical profilometry and scanning electron microscopy. The results demonstrated that the biomimetic wax surface and Gladioli leaf had extremely similar surface roughness parameters, but the water contact angle of the Gladioli leaf was significantly higher than the replicated biomimetic surface. The self-cleaning properties of the biomimetic and control surfaces were compared by measuring their propensity to repel Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes attachment, adhesion, and retention in mono- and co-culture conditions. When the bacterial assays were carried out in monoculture, the biomimetic surfaces retained fewer bacteria than the control surfaces. However, when using co-cultures of the bacterial species, only following the retention assays were the bacterial numbers reduced on the biomimetic surfaces. The results demonstrate that such surfaces may be effective in reducing biofouling if used in the appropriate medical, marine, and industrial scenarios. This study provides valuable insight into the anti-fouling physical and chemical control mechanisms found in plants, which are particularly appealing for engineering purposes.
Experimental and modeling investigations of the behaviors of syntactic foam sandwich panels with lattice webs under crushing loads
Authors: Chen Zhilin , Zhang Yu , Wang Jun , GangaRao Hota , Liang Ruifeng , Zhang Yuanhui , Hui David 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
The composite sandwich structures with foam core and fiber-reinforced polymer skin are prone to damage under local impact. The mechanical behavior of sandwich panels (glass fiber-reinforced polymer [GFRP] skin reinforced with lattice webs and syntactic foams core) is studied under crushing load. The crushing behavior, failure modes, and energy absorption are correlated with the number of GFRP layers in facesheets and webs, fiber volume fractions of facesheets in both longitudinal and transverse directions, and density and thickness of syntactic foam. The test results revealed that increasing the number of FRP layers of lattice webs was an effective way to enhance the energy absorption of sandwich panels without remarkable increase in the peak load. Moreover, a three-dimensional finite-element (FE) model was developed to simulate the mechanical behavior of the syntactic foam sandwich panels, and the numerical results were compared with the experimental results. Then, the verified FE model was applied to conduct extensive parametric studies. Finally, based on experimental and numerical results, the optimal design of syntactic foam sandwich structures as energy absorption members was obtained. This study provides theoretical basis and design reference of a novel syntactic foam sandwich structure for applications in bridge decks, ship decks, carriages, airframes, wall panels, anticollision guard rails and bumpers, and railway sleepers.
Two Different Storage Environments for Palm Leaf Manuscripts: Comparison of Deterioration Phenomena
Authors: Zhang Meifang , Song Xin , Wang Yaya 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Precious palm leaf manuscripts are kept in public libraries, archives, museums, and temples in China. Recently, private collectors have gained interest in collecting such manuscripts as well. Different storage environments and preservation measures may have an impact on the overall condition and deterioration of manuscripts depending on the respective collecting entirety. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the storage situation of palm leaf manuscripts in different storage conditions, identify their state of deterioration and further analyze the underlying reasons. This research focuses on the palm leaf manuscripts stored at the Cultural Palace Library of Nationalities and in the Fandian Palace. Deterioration phenomena, such as acidification, staining, mold, tearing and blurred ink have occurred. The main problems could be identified as inadequate storage materials and acidification of the wrapping materials. Unfavorable storage conditions also affect aging and deterioration. By comparing palm leaf manuscripts of the two collections, we found that the manuscripts of The Cultural Palace Library of Nationalities are well preserved as a whole, with few signs of deterioration and slight damage, while the manuscripts of the Fandian Palace show more serious problems. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the storage conditions at the latter location and take some measures to prevent the palm leaf manuscripts from continuing to deteriorate.
The Institutions of Privacy: Data Protection Versus Property Rights to Data
Authors: Schneider Henrique 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
This paper investigates the conceptual possibility for, and the institutions relating to a positive right of private property to data. To do so, it distinguishes between structured data, as a designator, and datapoints, which are data embedded in the timeline. The reasoning being explored here is: the agents generating datapoints – he source of the data – have a right to private property to the datapoints they generate. The agents, then, can choose to retain the datapoints or to sell them to data-users, aggregators, etc. Once these data-users render property of data themselves, they can further market it. There are, however, challenges to this view. One is the relative high cost of managing private property to data versus the relative low cost of misappropriating data and datapoints. The other is network effects: more precisely, data created or enriched in networks.
Disorder and Discontinuity in Law and Morality
Authors: Katz Leo , Sandroni Alvaro 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

For every legal concept X, there are clear instances exemplifying an X and clear instances exemplifying a non-X. The cases that come before courts are those that seem to lie in between, being neither clearly an X nor clearly a non-X. It is tempting to think that, being in-between, they should receive an in-between treatment, that is, to the extent that they are an X they should be treated as an X. If they are sixty percent toward being an X, they should get sixty percent of the treatment due an X. But this presupposes that in-between cases can be rank-ordered at least roughly according to the degree of their X-ness. This Article explains why that generally cannot be done and why courts therefore go for an either/or approach: something gets treated either as an X or as a non-X. The explanation is rooted in the kind of phenomena explored in the theory of social choice and multi-criterial decision-making.
All-or-Nothing, or Something – Proportional Liability in Private Law
Authors: Pelled Omer Y. 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Judges and juries often make factual decisions even if the facts are disputed and there is no clear-cut evidence available. Despite this common state of uncertainty, verdicts are thought of as having clear winners and losers––either the plaintiff wins and receives a full remedy, or the defendant wins and the plaintiff gets nothing. In private disputes, factfinders base their binary factual determinations on the preponderance of the evidence. There are, however, several doctrines that allow for partial remedy, discounted by the probability that the facts support the plaintiff’s case, given the available evidence (proportional liability). This Article offers a general theory for proportional liability in private law. It identifies three types of factual uncertainty—mutual uncertainty, unilateral uncertainty, and institutional uncertainty—and shows that legal economists should support proportional liability when the state of uncertainty is shared by the parties and the court (mutual uncertainty), and they should adopt an all-or-nothing rule whenever the information is observable but unverifiable (institutional uncertainty). In cases where one party holds private information (unilateral uncertainty), proportional liability is sometimes, but not always, superior to an all-or-nothing rule.
The Charitable Continuum
Authors: Kades Eric 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
There are powerful fairness and efficiency arguments for making charitable donations to soup kitchens 100% deductible. These arguments have no purchase for donations to fund opulent church organs, yet these too are 100% deductible under the current tax code. This stark dichotomy is only the tip of the iceberg. Looking at a wider sampling of charitable gifts reveals a charitable continuum. Based on sliding scales for efficiency, multiple theories of fairness, pluralism, institutional competence and social welfare dictate that charitable deductions should in most cases be fractions between zero and one. Moreover, the Central Limit Theorem strongly suggests that combining this welter of largely independent criteria with the wide variety of charitable gifts results in a classic bell-shaped normal curve of optimal deductions, with a peak at some central value and quickly decaying to zero at the extremes of 0% and 100%. Given that those are the only two options under the current tax code, the current charitable deduction regime inevitably makes large errors in most cases. Actually calculating a precise optimal percentage for each type of charitable donation is of course impractical. This Article suggests, however, that we can do much better than the systematically erroneous current charitable deduction. Granting a 100% deduction only for donations to the desperately poor, along with 50%, 25%, and 0% for gifts yielding progressively fewer efficiency, fairness, pluralism, and institutional competence benefits, promises to deliver a socially more desirable charitable deduction.
Das Präteritum im Alemannischen Südwestdeutschlands
Authors: Leonhard Jens 
Published: July 2021

ZusammenfassungThis paper analyses the increase in the use of the preterite in spoken Alemannic in south-western Germany. There are almost no recent studies that explore the preterite in Upper German because of the widespread hypothesis that there is no preterite in Upper German (except for the verbsein‘to be’) due to the loss of the preterite in Upper German (Oberdeutscher Präteritumschwund). In contrast to this, I account for a language change in the timespan from 1974 to 2013 in which the preterite becomes more frequent in relation to the perfect and is now part of the spoken Alemannic in south-western Germany. To account for this, I use a combination of a real time and an apparent time analysis. Additionally, all verbs forming a preterite have a specific semantic value, i. e. an inherent meaning of state. This means they are durative (=the situation lasts for a certain period of time), atelic (=the situation has no terminal point at which the situation is complete) and non-dynamic (=the situation involves no change). Perfect forms on the other hand do not have this specific semantic value.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome in a case of diabetic ketoacidosis requiring ECMO support
Authors: Darrat Milad , Gilmartin Brian , Kennedy Carmel , Smith Diarmuid 
Published: July 2021

Summary
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a rare but life-threatening complication of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). We present the case of a young female, with no previous diagnosis of diabetes, presenting in DKA complicated by ARDS requiring extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) ventilator support. This case report highlights the importance of early recognition of respiratory complications of severe DKA and their appropriate management.

Learning points

ARDS is a very rare but life-threatening complication in DKA.

The incidence of ARDS remains unknown but less frequent than cerebral oedema in DKA.

The mechanism of ARDS in DKA has multifactorial aetiology, including genetic predisposition.

Early recognition and consideration of rare pulmonary complication of DKA can increase survival rate and provide very satisfactory outcomes.

DKA patients who present with refractory ARDS can be successfully rescued by ECMO support.
Dental Students’ Self-Perception: Health and Academics During COVID-19 Quarantine
Authors: Frias Emilio , López-Santacruz Hiram Daniel , Ayala-Herrera José Luis 
Published: July 2021

The aim of this study was to analyze the self-perceived general health, oral care, stress, academic environment, and harmful habits of Mexican dental students during the COVID-19 quarantine period. This descriptive observational study consisted of a self-perception survey that was sent to dental students undergoing virtual classes. Five sections were analyzed: General Health, Oral Health, Stress, Academic Environment and Habits. For each question, students were asked to rate their perception prior to, and during the contingency, which allowed a comparison to be made between both times for each inquiry. The answers were collected into Microsoft Excel and the statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v.20. A statistically significant difference was observed between the academic years for the variables: “physical exercise” prior to quarantine, “emotional problems” and “work-load” during quarantine, and “academic efficiency” for both times. A trend towards unfavorable perception in relation to general health, academic environment, and harmful habits was observed among dental students during social isolation derived from the pandemic. It is notable that 1st-year students presented a greater impact on all the variables of interest.
Relation Between Religion and Film: The Commodication of Quranic Verses in Indonesian Religious Films 2008-2020
Authors: Rahmatikawati Yayan , Rusmana Dadan , Jauhari Akhmad 
Published: July 2021

This article describes the use of Quranic verses in Indonesian religious films released in 2008-2020. This study investigates Indonesian religious movies based on the Quranic verses, the contexts, and the purposes for which they are used. The theories applied on the religious films by Rachel Dwyer (2006) and relations of religion from films by Gregory J. Watkins (2008). The method used in this research is descriptive, in which the researcher interprets the religious film based on text through content analysis. The results show that there are films that use religious interpretation, such as presenting cultural values related to religion, encourage religious life, and religious critic.
Kualitas Hidup Remaja Berstatus Sosial Ekonomi Rendah: Bagaimana Kontribusi Resiliensi Keluarga?
Authors: Ramadhanty Fathin Nazifa , Kinanthi Melok Roro 
Published: July 2021

Adolescents from low socioeconomic status are prone to have poor quality of life. To gain optimal functioning, it is important to ensure they experience good quality of life. This study aims to examine whether family resilience affect quality of life among adolescent from low socioeconomic status in Jakarta. There were 130 participants in this quantitative study. Convenience sampling were applied to select participants. We used Indonesian version of WHOQoLBREF to assess quality of life and Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire to assess family resilience. Data were analyzed by regression analysis and stated family resilience has significant positively contribution to quality of life among participants. For each dimension, the contribution of family resilience to quality of life was 7% to 16.4%. It may indicate that family strength-based approach should be added in developing intervention to enhance quality of life among adolescents from low socioeconomic status in Jakarta.
Od znaków czasu do czasu znaków. Teologiczne mankamenty nauczania ks. Dominika Chmielewskiego w Kecharitomene
Authors: Wiśniewski Sebastian 
Published: July 2021

W artykule wskazane zostały pewne wątpliwości teologiczne, jakie nasuwają się podczas lektury książki ks. Dominika Chmielewskiego zatytułowanej Kecharitomene. Omawiana książka cieszy się zainteresowaniem wielu katolików w Polsce. Literatura religijna zajmuje ważne miejsce w formacji religijnej osób wierzących. Dobrze się dzieje, jeśli katoliccy autorzy dążą do wyjaśniania nauki Kościoła. Tymczasem treść prezentowanej publikacji nie jest wolna od pewnych kłopotliwych zwrotów i twierdzeń, które mogą ukierunkować czytelnika na meandry teologii.
Enhanced electrochemical performance of Li-rich cathode material for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Xiao Jun , Li Xiao , Tang Kaikai , Long Mengqi , Chen Jun , Wang Dandan , Gao Hong , Liu Hao 
Published: July 2021

Lithium (Li)-rich cathodes have attracted great attention due to their high specific capacity and energy density. However, their dramatic capacity fading limits their practical application for lithium-ion batteries. Surface coating is recognized as a universal technology for improving the capacity retention of electrodes for many energy-storage applications. In this work, an aluminum fluoride (AlF3)-coated lithium-rich cathode with a rod-shaped structure is synthesized through a hydrothermal method, followed by a chemical coprecipitation process. The aluminum fluoride protective layer provides ideal elastic buffer interspace to ameliorate the structure stability and expedite the lithium-ion (Li+) diffusion dynamics, ensuring excellent electrochemical performance. Thereby the as-prepared aluminum fluoride-coated electrode has a high reversible discharge capacity of 195.6 mAh/g after 130 cycles at 0.1 C, corresponding to 89.9% of its initial specific capacity. A discharge capacity of 133.4 mAh/g can be achieved even at 2 C, much higher than that of the bare lithium-rich electrode (101.5 mAh/g). These results indicate that aluminum fluoride coating is an effective strategy to improve the electrochemical performance of lithium-rich cathodes.