bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Marginal Placental Cord Insertion by Prenatal Ultrasound Was Found Not to Be Predictive of Adverse Perinatal Outcomes
Authors: Lutz Amanda Brosius , Young‐Lin Nichole , Leon‐Martinez Daisy , Bianco Isabel C. , Seckel Elizabeth , Mrazek‐Pugh Barbora , Bianco Katherine
Published: December 2020

Objectives

The clinical importance of marginal cord insertion (MCI) is currently controversial. In this study, we examined the association between MCI and adverse perinatal outcomes. We also evaluated the ultrasound‐measured distance from the site of placental cord insertion (PCI) to the placental margin (PCI distance) and perinatal outcomes.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of MCI and control pregnancies presenting to a single institution between September 2014 and August 2016. Marginal cord insertion was diagnosed on routine anatomy ultrasound scans at 20 weeks’ gestation. The primary outcome was fetal intolerance to labor. Secondary outcomes of interest included mode of delivery, gestational age at delivery, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes, birth weight, delivery complications, and neonatal intensive care unit admission. The PCI distance was determined by an ultrasound review. Statistical significance was evaluated by a χ2 analysis, descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon tests, and regression models with log‐transformed outcomes, the PCI distance, or both as needed.

Results

Of 675 abnormal cord insertion cases, we identified 183 that met inclusion criteria. We found no statistically significant association between MCI and fetal intolerance to labor (odds ratio, 1.24 [95% confidence interval, 0.55–2.80]; P = .71) or secondary outcomes. Furthermore, we found no significant correlation between perinatal outcomes and the PCI distance.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that MCI pregnancies, regardless of the specific PCI distance, might not be at increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. This finding questions the need for heightened antepartum surveillance of this patient population.
Arsenic biomineralization by iron oxidizing strain (Ochrobactrum sp.) isolated from a paddy soil in Hunan, China
Authors: Luo Xinghua , Jiang Xingxing , Xue Shengguo , Tang Xianjin , Zhou Chuhui , Wu Chuan , Qian Ziyan , Wu Kaikai
Published: December 2020

The biogeochemistry of iron (Fe) could affect arsenic (As) fate and change its availability. Fe(II) oxidation mediated by Fe oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) has the potential for As contamination remediation due to the formation of biogenic minerals. However, microbial Fe(II) oxidation coupled with the immobilization of As and the effect of FeOB on As remediation in soils has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, a FeOB was isolated from a paddy soil and identified as Ochrobactrum sp. EEELCW01. The kinetics reactions were used to investigate how biological and chemical reactions were involved in the Fe(II)‐NO3−‐FeOB system. Microbial Fe(II) oxidation coupled As mineralization, as well as its application in As contaminated paddy soils was studied. The results suggested that biological pathway contributed to the Fe(II) oxidation and NO3− reduction in the whole process, in which the chemical Fe(II) oxidation by biogenic NO2− was involved. Meanwhile, Fe(II) facilitated the reduction of NO2− while inhibited the reduction of NO3−. Adding 2% or more bacteria led to a significant removal effect for aqueous As, resulting in the formation of lepidocrocite and two As‐containing minerals (angelellite, loellingite). With the simultaneous application of FeOB and NO3−, the available As content in soils decreased by 37.6% and stabilized at 0.80 mg kg−1 finally. In addition, the immobilization showed long‐term effect compared to the treatment with Fe(II) or NO3− alone. The study proved that the isolated FeOB had a significant ability for As mineralization and immobilization, which provided theoretical and application basis for the remediation of As contaminated soils.
Application of different geophysical techniques to study Technosol developed on metallurgical wastes
Authors: Magiera Tadeusz , Żogała Bogdan , Łukasik Adam , Pierwoła Jolanta
Published: December 2020

Research conducted in a municipal park in a small town located in the Province of Silesia (southern Poland) showed that the park vegetation was growing on a Technosol, formed on highly magnetic anthropogenic material. The metallurgical waste came from the local steel mill and foundry and creates a subsoil in a significant part of the municipal park. This waste is covered with an organic layer of approximately 10 cm. Utilizing specific magnetic and geoelectrical properties of the wastes, we proposed a unique combination of integrated geophysical measuring techniques including soil magnetometry, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) with varying unit electrode spacing, and electromagnetic profiling (EM) to assess continuity, thickness, and the depth of the anthropogenic layer of metallurgical wastes. The maximal thickness of the metallurgical wastes was identified in the western part of the studied area, and the same material was found in the eastern part of the park forming individual lenses or nests within 8 m deep zone in the area of a buried ravine where the historical railway line was located. The shallow ERT profiles (with unit electrode spacing 0.5 m) also revealed a thin layer of material with high resistivity (>500 Ωm). Thermomagnetic analyses have shown that the sources of the extremely high magnetic susceptibility of the wastes were magnetite and metallic iron (αFe). The detected high concentration of Fe and Mn was not accompanied by potentially toxic metals and, at relatively high pH values (6.5–9.0), does not constitute a significant ecological threat.
Pterostilbene Alleviates Aβ1‐42‐Induced Cognitive Dysfunction via Inhibition of Oxidative Stress by Activating Nrf2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Xu Jikai , Liu Jingyu , Li Qing , Mi Yan , Zhou Di , Meng Qingqi , Chen Gang , Li Ning , Hou Yue
Published: December 2020

Scope

In the present study, effect of pterostilbene on β‐amyloid 1‐42 (Aβ1‐42) induced cognitive impairment in mice is investigated and explored its possible mechanism of action.

Methods and results

The behavior results show that pterostilbene alleviated Aβ1‐42‐induces cognitive dysfunction assessed using the Y‐maze test, novel object recognition task, Morris water maze test, and passive avoidance test. Pterostilbene alleviates neuron loss and accumulation of reactive oxygen species in Aβ1‐42 treated mouse brain. Additionally, pterostilbene promotes nuclear factor‐E2 p45‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation and enhance the transcription and expression of antioxidant genes such as heme oxygenase‐1 and superoxide dismutase both in vivo and in vitro. Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 reverses the antioxidant function of pterostilbene in SH‐SY5Y cells. Nrf2 is the master regulator of oxidative homeostasis and can be activated by substrate adaptor sequestosome‐1 (also named p62). Pterostilbene promotes the binding of Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 and p62, which enhanced activation of Nrf2.

Conclusion

The present study reports that pterostilbene alleviated Aβ1‐42‐induces cognitive dysfunction in mice. The mechanism of pterostilbene can be associated to the inhibition of oxidative stress through the Nrf2 signaling pathway.
The constrained forward shortest path tour problem: Mathematical modeling and GRASP approximate solutions
Authors: Carrabs Francesco , D'Ambrosio Ciriaco , Ferone Daniele , Festa Paola , Laureana Federica
Published: December 2020

This paper deals with the Constrained Forward Shortest Path Tour Problem, an NP‐complete variant of the Forward Shortest Path Tour Problem. Given a directed weighted graph G = (V, A), where the set of nodes V is partitioned into clusters T1, …, TN, the aim is determining a shortest path between two given nodes, s and d, with the properties that clusters must be visited according to a given order, and each arc can be crossed at most once. We introduce a mathematical formulation of the problem, and a reduction procedure to reduce the number of variables involved in the model. Furthermore, we propose a Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure (GRASP) algorithm to solve large instances of the problem. Computational tests show that the reduction procedure is very effective and its application significantly speeds up the resolution of the model. Moreover, the computational results certify the effectiveness of GRASP that often finds the optimal solution and, in general, provides quickly high‐quality sub‐optimal solutions.
Semi‐analytical treatment of spherical solids in smoothed‐particle hydrodynamics fluid simulations
Authors: Kostorz Wawrzyniec , Esmail‐Yakas Anton
Published: December 2020

A method for modeling mobile spherical solids in Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics simulations utilizing the semi‐analytical boundary formulation is given. The technique relies on evaluating individual contributions from ideally spherical bodies to the normalization factor and its gradient. A derivation is provided in both two and three dimensions (3D) and a close‐form solution is given for an arbitrary polynomial kernel function in 3D. The method is validated and implemented in an Smoothed‐Particle Hydrodynamics‐Discrete Element Method code to evaluate the solid fraction and results are compared to the previous standard.
Addendum to the paper “High‐order symmetric cubature rules for tetrahedra and pyramids”
Authors: Jaśkowiec Jan , Sukumar N.
Published: December 2020

In Jaśkowiec and Sukumar (Int J Numer Methods Eng, doi: 10.1002/nme.6528, 2020), we presented high‐order (p = 2–20) symmetric cubatures rules for tetrahedra and pyramids. This algorithm was sensitive to the initial location of the cubature nodes, and it did not converge for p > 11 over prisms and hexahedra (cubes). In this addendum, we resolve this issue and obtain high‐order symmetric rules over prisms and cubes. For the prism, we use the initial guess for the cubature rule as the tensor product of a cubature rule over a triangle and a univariate Gauss quadrature rule, and for the cube the initial guess is the tensor product of univariate Gauss quadrature rules. Verification and convergence tests are presented to affirm the accuracy of the cubature rules. On applying the cubature algorithm described in Jaśkowiec and Sukumar (Int J Numer Methods Eng, 121(11), 2418–2436, 2020), we also construct nonsymmetric high‐order (p = 2–20) cubature rules over prisms, cubes, and pyramids. In the supplementary materials, all cubature rules (128 digits of precision) are provided in a text file and in format.
Adjoint sensitivity analysis of steady laminar flows with respect to nongeometrical parameters
Authors: Dolci Daiane I. , de Sá Brasil Lima João , Privato Tomas S. , Carmo Bruno S. , Volpe Ernani V.
Published: December 2020

This work explores an alternative approach to computing sensitivity (derivatives) of functionals with respect to a broader range of control parameters in fluid flow problems. It builds upon the complementary character of the boundary problems that underlie the flow and the corresponding adjoint equations. Such complementarity is used to ensure well‐posedness of the latter, which then yields a solution that conveys information on a broad range of sensitivities. This formulation of the boundary problem can extend the range of applications of the adjoint method to a host of new possibilities. The methodology is applied to internal and external laminar steady flows and the results are compared to those obtained with a finite‐difference approach. Good agreement is observed in all cases, which demonstrates the correctness and applicability of the method.
Higher medication complexity in persons with HIV is associated with lower tenofovir diphosphate in dried blood spots
Authors: Saderup Austin M. , Morrow Mary , Libby Anne M. , Coyle Ryan P. , Coleman Stacey S. , Zheng Jia‐Hua , Ellison Lucas , Bushman Lane R. , Kiser Jennifer J. , MaWhinney Samantha , Anderson Peter L. , Castillo‐Mancilla Jose R.
Published: December 2020

Study Objective

To assess the association between tenofovir diphosphate (TFV‐DP) in dried blood spots (DBS), a measure of cumulative tenofovir‐based antiretroviral (ART) adherence, with medication regimen complexity in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH).

Design

Prospective clinical cohort (up to three visits over 48 weeks).

Setting

Academic‐based HIV clinic.

Patients

PWH receiving tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)‐based ART.

Measurements

DBS for TFV‐DP were collected at every study visit. Baseline patient‐level medication regimen complexity index (pMRCI) scores were calculated and categorized into three sub‐scores (disease‐specific [ART], non‐ART, and over‐the‐counter [OTC]). The pMRCI scores were evaluated to assess the association with TFV‐DP in DBS <350 fmol/punch after adjusting for clinical covariates. pMRCI scores were also categorized to estimate the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of having a TFV‐DP <350 fmol/punch between pMRCI quartiles.

Main Results

Data from 525 participants (1,146 person‐visits) were analyzed. Baseline median (interquartile range [IQR]) pMRCI scores for participants with TFV‐DP in DBS <350 vs. ≥350 fmol/punch were 4 (3, 8) vs. 4 (2, 6) for ART, 27 (12, 31) vs. 12 (5, 22) for non‐ART, and 0 (0, 1) vs. 0 (0, 2) for OTC, respectively. For the non‐ART scores, the aRR for having a TFV‐DP in DBS <350 fmol/punch was 6.4 (95% CI: 2.0, 20.6; P=0.002) when comparing participants in the highest pMRCI quartile with those in the lowest quartile.

Conclusions

Higher pMRCI for non‐ART medications is associated with lower adherence as measured by TFV‐DP in DBS. Future research should investigate whether reducing non‐ART medication complexity improves ART adherence and exposure in PWH.
Psychedelic‐assisted therapy for functional neurological disorders: A theoretical framework and review of prior reports
Authors: Stewart Benjamin , Dean Jon G. , Koek Adriana , Chua Jason , Wabl Rafael , Martin Kayla , Davoodian Naveed , Becker Christopher , Himedan Mai , Kim Amanda , Albin Roger , Chou Kelvin L. , Kotagal Vikas
Published: December 2020

Functional neurological disorders (FNDs), which are sometimes also referred to as psychogenic neurological disorders or conversion disorder, are common disabling neuropsychiatric disorders with limited treatment options. FNDs can present with sensory and/or motor symptoms, and, though they may mimic other neurological conditions, they are thought to occur via mechanisms other than those related to identifiable structural neuropathology and, in many cases, appear to be triggered and sustained by recognizable psychological factors. There is intriguing preliminary evidence to support the use of psychedelic‐assisted therapy in a growing number of psychiatric illnesses, including FNDs. We review the theoretical arguments for and against exploring psychedelic‐assisted therapy as a treatment for FNDs. We also provide an in‐depth discussion of prior published cases detailing the use of psychedelics for psychosomatic conditions, analyzing therapeutic outcomes from a contemporary neuroscientific vantage as informed by several recent neuroimaging studies on psychedelics and FNDs.
Potential herbal constituents for psoriasis treatment as protective and effective therapy
Authors: Dabholkar Neha , Rapalli Vamshi K. , Singhvi Gautam
Published: December 2020

Psoriasis is a multifactorial and chronic skin disorder. It is a recurrent disease that requires incessant therapy. Psoriasis treatment includes topical and systemic routes using synthetic drugs that lead to severe unwanted adverse effects. Herbal therapy is widely used for thousands of years in countries like China and India. The use of herbal therapy in the developed region enhanced to a great extent and showed better efficacy towards psoriasis alone or as adjuvant to synthetic therapy. Herbal medicines have gained great attention in the treatment of psoriasis due to their lesser side effects compared to synthetic drugs. In this review, the various plant sources which have been found effective in psoriasis and can be used to develop novel therapeutics have been discussed. The mechanisms by which the phytoconstituents elicit anti‐psoriatic activity and various research studies that have proven the effectiveness of these natural products have also been compiled in this review.
Effect of the defect localization and size on the success of third-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation in the knee joint
Authors: Niethammer Thomas R. , Gallik David , Chevalier Y. , Holzgruber Martin , Baur-Melnyk Andrea , Müller Peter E. , Pietschmann Matthias F.
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Femoral and patellar cartilage defects with a defect size > 2.5 cm2 are a potential indication for an autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI). However, the influence of the localization and the absolute and relative defect size on the clinical outcome has not yet been determined. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of the localization and the absolute and relative defect size on the clinical outcome after third-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation.

Methods

A total of 50 patients with cartilage defects of the knee were treated with third-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation (Novocart® 3D). A match paired analysis was performed of 25 treated femoral and 25 treated patella defects with a follow-up of three years. MRI data was used to do the manual segmentation of the cartilage layer throughout the knee joint. The defect size was determined by taking the defect size measured in the MRI in relation to the whole cartilage area. The clinical outcome was measured by the IKDC score and VAS pre-operatively and after six, 12, 24, and 36 months post-operatively.

Results

IKDC and VAS scores showed a significant improvement from the baseline in both groups. Femoral cartilage defects showed significantly superior clinical results in the analyzed scores compared to patellar defects. The femoral group improved IKDC from 33.9 (SD 18.1) pre-operatively to 71.5 (SD 17.4) after three years and the VAS from 6.9 (SD 2.9) pre-operatively to 2.4 (SD 2.5) after three years. In the patellar group, IKDC improved from 36.1 (SD 12.6) pre-operatively to 54.7 (SD 20.3) after three years and the VAS improved from 6.7 (SD 2.8) pre-operatively to 3.4 (SD 2.) after three years. Regarding the defect size, results showed that the same absolute defect size at med FC (4.8, range 2–15) and patella (4.6, range 2–12) has a significantly different share of the total cartilaginous size of the joint compartment (med FC: 6.7, range 1.2–13.9; pat: 18.9, range 4.0–47.0). However, there was no significant influence of the relative defect size on the clinical outcome in either patellar or femoral localization.

Conclusion

Third-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation in ACI-treated femoral cartilage defects leads to a superior clinical outcome in a follow-up of three years compared with patellar defects. No significant influence of the defect size was found in either femoral or patellar cartilage defects.
Twin robotic x-ray system in small bone and joint trauma: impact of cone-beam computed tomography on treatment decisions
Authors: Grunz Jan-Peter , Pennig Lenhard , Fieber Tabea , Gietzen Carsten Herbert , Heidenreich Julius Frederik , Huflage Henner , Gruschwitz Philipp , Kuhl Philipp Josef , Petritsch Bernhard , Kosmala Aleksander , Bley Thorsten Alexander , Gassenmaier Tobias
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Trauma evaluation of extremities can be challenging in conventional radiography. A multi-use x-ray system with cone-beam CT (CBCT) option facilitates ancillary 3-D imaging without repositioning. We assessed the clinical value of CBCT scans by analyzing the influence of additional findings on therapy.

Methods

Ninety-two patients underwent radiography and subsequent CBCT imaging with the twin robotic scanner (76 wrist/hand/finger and 16 ankle/foot/toe trauma scans). Reports by on-call radiologists before and after CBCT were compared regarding fracture detection, joint affliction, comminuted injuries, and diagnostic confidence. An orthopedic surgeon recommended therapy based on reported findings. Surgical reports (N = 52) and clinical follow-up (N = 85) were used as reference standard.

Results

CBCT detected more fractures (83/64 of 85), joint involvements (69/53 of 71), and multi-fragment situations (68/50 of 70) than radiography (all p < 0.001). Six fractures suspected in radiographs were ruled out by CBCT. Treatment changes based on additional information from CBCT were recommended in 29 patients (31.5%). While agreement between advised therapy before CBCT and actual treatment was moderate (κ = 0.41 [95% confidence interval 0.35–0.47]; p < 0.001), agreement after CBCT was almost perfect (κ = 0.88 [0.83–0.93]; p < 0.001). Diagnostic confidence increased considerably for CBCT studies (p < 0.001). Median effective dose for CBCT was 4.3 μSv [3.3–5.3 μSv] compared to 0.2 μSv [0.1–0.2 μSv] for radiography.

Conclusions

CBCT provides advantages for the evaluation of acute small bone and joint trauma by detecting and excluding extremity fractures and fracture-related findings more reliably than radiographs. Additional findings induced therapy change in one third of patients, suggesting substantial clinical impact.

Key Points

• With cone-beam CT, extremity fractures and fracture-related findings can be detected and ruled out more reliably than with conventional radiography.

• Additional diagnostic information provided by cone-beam CT scans has substantial impact on therapy in small bone and joint trauma.

• For distal extremity injury assessment, one-stop-shop imaging without repositioning is feasible with the twin robotic x-ray system.
Role of Ural blocking in Arctic sea ice loss and its connection with Arctic warming in winter
Authors: Cho Dong-Jae , Kim Kwang-Yul
Published: December 2020

Ural blocking (UB) is suggested as one of the contributors to winter sea ice loss in the Barents–Kara Seas (BKS). This study compares UB with Arctic warming (AW) in order to delineate the role of UB on winter sea ice loss and its potential link with AW. A detailed comparison reveals that UB and AW are partly linked on sub-seasonal scales via a two-way interaction; circulation produced by AW affects UB and advection induced by UB affects temperature in AW. On the other hand, the long-term impacts of AW and UB on the sea ice concentration in the BKS are distinct. In AW, strong turbulent flux from the sea surface warms the lower troposphere, increases downward longwave radiation, and broadens the open sea surface. This feedback process explains the substantial sea ice reduction observed in the BKS in association with long-term accelerating trend. Patterns of turbulent flux, net evaporation, and net longwave radiation at surface associated with UB are of opposite signs to those associated with AW, which implies that moisture and heat flux is suppressed as warm and moist air is advected from mid-latitudes. As a result, vertical feedback process is hindered under UB. The qualitative and quantitative differences arise in terms of their impacts on sea ice concentrations in the BKS, because strong turbulent flux from the open sea surface is a main driving force in AW whereas heat and moisture advection is a main forcing in UB.
Building information modelling knowledge harvesting for energy efficiency in the Construction industry
Authors: Hodorog Andrei , Petri Ioan , Rezgui Yacine , Hippolyte Jean-Laurent
Published: December 2020

The recent adoption of building information modelling (BIM), and the quest to decarbonise our built environment, has impacted several segments of the supply chain, including design and engineering practitioners, prompting the need to redefine the construction personnel positions along with associated skills and competencies. The research informs ways in which practitioners can fully embrace the potential of BIM for energy efficiency to promote sustainable interventions by improving existing training practices and identifying new training requirements as BIM evolves and as practitioners’ ICT (Information and Communications Technology) maturity levels improve. This is achieved by adopting a novel text-mining approach which analyses social media alongside secondary sources of evidence to establish a level of correlation between BIM roles and skills. The use of ontological dependency analysis has helped to understand the degree of correlation of skills with roles as a method to inform training and educational programmes. A key outcome from the research is a semantic web-based mining environment which determines BIM roles and skills, as well as their correlation factor, with an application for energy efficiency. The paper also evidences that (a) construction skills and roles are dynamic in nature and evolve over time, reflecting the digital transformation of the Construction industry, and (b) the importance of socio-organisational aspects in construction skills and related training provision.

Graphic abstract
Are teachers’ subjective feelings linked with need-supportive and need-thwarting motivating styles? A cross-lagged pilot study in physical education
Authors: Burel Nicolas , Tessier Damien , Langdon Jody
Published: December 2020

This article examines the relations between the teachers’ subjective feeling and their motivating teaching style during physical education lessons. Doing so, it aimed at better understanding the emotional antecedents of the teaching behaviors. Twelve volunteer physical education teachers were filmed with their respective classes to assess the motivating style they used during their intervention. Immediately after, the subjective feelings they felt during the lesson were assessed using the affective slider in a video-based session. Cross-lagged multilevel modeling was then performed, controlling for emotional exhaustion level and demographic factors. Results showed that, at the within level, subjective pleasant feelings predicted positively the relatedness-supportive dimension of the motivating style, and negatively the controlling dimension. At the between level, the controlling dimension of the motivating style was positively related to the pleasant subjective feelings while the relatedness-thwarting dimension was negatively related to them. While literature has mainly examined the cognitive antecedents of teachers’ motivating styles, this study emphasizes the emotional processes occurring during the lesson. Based on the conceptual framework of teachers’ emotions model proposed by Frenzel (2014), results indicate that teachers react to their subjective feelings, modifying the way they interact with students accordingly. In parallel with cognitive determinants of teaching, the emotional dimension thus deserves to be more deeply considered in future teaching training programs.
Blunting EU Regulation 1107/2009: following a regulation into a system of agricultural innovation
Authors: Payne-Gifford Sophie , Srinivasan C. S. , Dorward Peter
Published: December 2020

This paper explores the role of regulation and legislation on influencing the development and diffusion of technologies and methods of crop production. To do this, the change in pesticide registration under European Regulation 1107/2009 ‘Placing Plant Protection Products on the Market’ was followed through the UK’s agricultural system of innovation. Fieldwork included: a series of interviews conducted with scientists, agronomists and industry organisations; a programme of visiting agricultural events; as well as sending an electronic survey to British potato growers. The innovation system is noted to have made the legislation less restrictive than originally proposed. The most notable system response to the legislation is the adjustment of agrochemical company pesticide discovery strategy and their expansion into biologically derived treatments. There have also been other innovation responses: agricultural seed companies have been breeding in pathogen resistance in their cultivars; agricultural consultancies are prepared to recommend pathogen-resistant seeds; scientists are using the change as justification for adopting their solutions; the agricultural levy boards funded research into off-label pesticide uses; and producers, potato growers in particular, have been seeking advice, but not changing their growing practices.
Concentration of dioxin and screening level ecotoxicity of pore water from bottom sediments in relation to organic carbon contents
Authors: Baran Agnieszka , Urbaniak Magdalena , Szara Magdalena , Tarnawski Marek
Published: December 2020

The information about concentrations of dioxin in pore water, ecotoxicity and DOC and TOC content can be key factor for the prediction of the fate of dioxins in the aquatic environment as well as an ecological risk assessment. The aims of the study were to assess the concentration of PCDDs/PCDFs and ecotoxicity of pore water and to compare above results in relation to the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total organic carbon (TOC) content. The concentration of dioxins was assessed using an enzyme-linked immunoassay test, while the ecotoxicity of pore water was determined using a crustacean Daphnia magna and bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri. The studies were conducted on two different dammed reservoirs Rożnów (catchment basin of an agricultural character) and Rybnik (catchment basin of an industrial character) located in southern Poland. The concentration of dioxins in pore water was between 8.56 to 90.92 ng EQ/L, with a significantly higher concentration in the pore water from the Rożnów Reservoir than the Rybnik Reservoir. The DOC content in pore water was from 30.29 to 63.02 mg/L (Rożnów Reservoir) and from 35.46 to 60.53 mg/L (Rybnik Reservoir). Higher toxic responses were recorded for A. fischeri than for D. magna. Moreover a significantly higher toxicity for both tested organisms was indicated in pore water from the Rożnów Reservoir. Besides of TOC and DOC, the fine fractions of the sediments were particularly important in the concentration of dioxin in pore water. The other pore water parameters, such as pH and EC can influence the toxicity of water for organisms. The result indicate complex relationships between the PCDD/F, ecotoxicity and DOC, TOC concentration in pore water and confirms that these parameters are important in terms of water environmental contamination.
Review: The Use of Bench-Scale Tests to Determine Toxic Organic Compounds in Fire Effluents and to Subsequently Estimate Their Impact on the Environment
Authors: Peeters Kelly , Ursič Matija , Tavzes Črtomir , Knez Friderik
Published: December 2020

Generated fire effluents are toxic and responsible for the majority of fire deaths and injuries. Therefore, measures of fire safety and the assessment of toxic effects of fires on humans, which are the key factors to assess fire hazards, have been researched in the last decades. However, it is more and more recognized that there is also a need to assess the environmental impact of toxic compounds within fire effluents. Since ecotoxicology investigates the toxic effects of fire effluents on populations, interactions between ecology and toxicology are very important. These interactions may be complex and may involve research of food chains with several different trophic levels. This makes tracing of toxicants, to obtain reliable results, a real challenge. To tackle it, the bench-scale test is a cheaper and less complex method than large-scale fire simulations. Progress in the field of ecotoxicological studies is important because long-term exposure from the environment and bioaccumulation of toxic compounds in the human food chain may cause indirect health effects on humans. It is also an important tool for the general protection of the environment and biodiversity. Last, with data obtained from these studies, databases for the Life Cycle Assessment of construction materials can be improved.
Effects of phosphorus control on primary productivity and deep-water oxygenation: insights from Lake Lugano (Switzerland and Italy)
Authors: Lepori Fabio , Capelli Camilla
Published: December 2020

Attempts to restore Lake Lugano, Switzerland and Italy, from eutrophication have produced weak responses in the target variables (primary productivity and hypolimnetic oxygen concentrations), indicating shortcomings in the underlying eutrophication model. An analysis of monitoring data showed that the decrease in phosphorus concentration, although nearly compliant with restoration targets, produced only slight decreases in primary productivity and no change in hypolimnetic oxygen conditions. These target variables were equally or more sensitive to factors external to trophic state, including plankton structure, which influenced primary productivity, and the depth of mixing during turnovers, which influenced hypolimnetic oxygen. To improve the chance of success, the restoration approach should revise the phosphorus concentration target and explicitly account for the influence of external variation, especially mixing depth.
Digital Nudging in Social Media Disaster Communication
Authors: Mirbabaie Milad , Ehnis Christian , Stieglitz Stefan , Bunker Deborah , Rose Tanja
Published: December 2020

Social media has become an important channel of communication in emergency and disaster management. Emergency Management Agencies can distribute helpful and important information to the general public and also gather information to enrich their management efforts. This, however, remains challenging since several communication-related barriers occur. This study investigates how the concept of Nudging, a form of behaviour adjustment, can be applied to address these barriers. A Systematic Literature Review and qualitative social media data analysis methods were applied to explore the potential of digital nudges on social media. Twelve forms of digital nudges could be identified in the data that influenced the visibility of the messages they occurred in. The results suggest that Digital Nudging on Social Media is a promising approach to use in emergency and disaster communication.
Cultured and packed sea grapes (Caulerpa lentillifera): effect of different irradiances on photosynthesis
Authors: Stuthmann Lara Elisabeth , Springer Karin , Kunzmann Andreas
Published: December 2020

The green macroalga Caulerpa lentillifera (sea grapes, green caviar) is a promising source for future nutrition due to its beneficial composition for human consumption. It is cultured in tidal ponds, mainly in Vietnam and the Philippines, and stored for shipment and retail in plastic containers, like polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), exhibiting different properties. This study investigates the influence of irradiances on the physiology of sea grapes under culture and packaging ambience in PET using pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry. Fv/Fm values of C. lentillifera significantly decreased < 0.54 ± 0.06 standard deviation (SD) after 7 days of culture under 100 μmol photons m−2 s−1, but with the potential of recovery. In packaging ambience in the state of desiccation, sea grapes exposed to room irradiances (3 μmol photons m−2 s−1) for 12 days were still physiologically in a good condition (Fv/Fm = 0.70 ± 0.06). However, 12 days under irradiances of 70 μmol photons m−2 s−1 leads to decreased Fv/Fm (0.42 ± 0.11) and a moisture content of 88.2 ± 3.3% of initial. After re-immersion in sea water under room irradiances, Fv/Fm values recovered to a certain degree. In darkness, desiccation was followed by a decrease of Fv/Fm to 0.09 ± 0.19 and moisture content of 49.3 ± 20.2% of initial with no recovery after re-immersion under room irradiances. Results suggest shading of C. lentillifera in pond culture and PET containers as suitable packaging for sea grapes, but a dim light source should be provided during storage.
The Pregnancy Outcomes Among Newly Arrived Asylum-Seekers in Italy: Implications of Public Health
Authors: Fontanelli Sulekova Lucia , Spaziante Martina , Vita Serena , Zuccalà Paola , Mazzocato Valentina , Spagnolello Ornella , Lopalco Maurizio , Pacifici Laura Elena , Bello Luca , Borrazzo Cristian , Angeletti Silvia , Ciccozzi Massimo , Ceccarelli Giancarlo
Published: December 2020

Background

Migration has a significant impact on overall health and pregnancy outcome. Despite the fact that growing volume of migration flows significantly engaging the public health system of European host countries, there is a lack of evidence concerning pregnancy outcomes of newly arrived asylum-seeking women.

Methods

Data about pregnant asylum seekers hosted in the Italian Reception Centers between the 1 st June 2016 and the 1st June 2018 were retrospectively collected and analysed in the present study. We examined the following pregnancy outcomes: miscarriage, self-induced abortion, voluntary pregnancy termination, live-birth; and studied potentially related socio-demographic factors.

Results

Out of the 110 pregnant women living in the reception centers, 44 (40%) had eutocic delivery, 8 (7.3%) dystocic delivery, 15 (13.6%) miscarriage, 17 (15.5%) self-induced abortion and 26 (23.6%) underwent voluntary pregnancy termination. Nigerian women were at a significantly higher risk of abortive outcomes for voluntary pregnancy termination (p < 0.001), miscarriage (p = 0.049) and self-induced abortion (p < 0.001). Being unmarried was significantly associated with voluntary pregnancy termination and self-induced abortion. Women who chose to undergo unsafe abortion did not result to have significantly lower educational levels, compared to women who preferred medical abortion.

Conclusion

This study offers first insights into pregnancy outcomes among asylum-seeking women in Italy. The country of origin and marital status seem to significantly impact on pregnancy outcome. We identified sub-groups of migrant women at increased risk of abortive outcomes, and highlight the need to improve care in order to promote migrant women’s reproductive health.
Conditional t-SNE: more informative t-SNE embeddings
Authors: Kang Bo , García García Darío , Lijffijt Jefrey , Santos-Rodríguez Raúl , De Bie Tijl
Published: December 2020

Dimensionality reduction and manifold learning methods such as t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) are frequently used to map high-dimensional data into a two-dimensional space to visualize and explore that data. Going beyond the specifics of t-SNE, there are two substantial limitations of any such approach: (1) not all information can be captured in a single two-dimensional embedding, and (2) to well-informed users, the salient structure of such an embedding is often already known, preventing that any real new insights can be obtained. Currently, it is not known how to extract the remaining information in a similarly effective manner. We introduce conditional t-SNE (ct-SNE), a generalization of t-SNE that discounts prior information in the form of labels. This enables obtaining more informative and more relevant embeddings. To achieve this, we propose a conditioned version of the t-SNE objective, obtaining an elegant method with a single integrated objective. We show how to efficiently optimize the objective and study the effects of the extra parameter that ct-SNE has over t-SNE. Qualitative and quantitative empirical results on synthetic and real data show ct-SNE is scalable, effective, and achieves its goal: it allows complementary structure to be captured in the embedding and provided new insights into real data.
Acclimation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to extremely strong light
Authors: Virtanen Olli , Khorobrykh Sergey , Tyystjärvi Esa
Published: December 2020

Most photosynthetic organisms are sensitive to very high light, although acclimation mechanisms enable them to deal with exposure to strong light up to a point. Here we show that cultures of wild-type Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain cc124, when exposed to photosynthetic photon flux density 3000 μmol m−2 s−1 for a couple of days, are able to suddenly attain the ability to grow and thrive. We compared the phenotypes of control cells and cells acclimated to this extreme light (EL). The results suggest that genetic or epigenetic variation, developing during maintenance of the population in moderate light, contributes to the acclimation capability. EL acclimation was associated with a high carotenoid-to-chlorophyll ratio and slowed down PSII charge recombination reactions, probably by affecting the pre-exponential Arrhenius factor of the rate constant. In agreement with these findings, EL acclimated cells showed only one tenth of the 1O2 level of control cells. In spite of low 1O2 levels, the rate of the damaging reaction of PSII photoinhibition was similar in EL acclimated and control cells. Furthermore, EL acclimation was associated with slow PSII electron transfer to artificial quinone acceptors. The data show that ability to grow and thrive in extremely strong light is not restricted to photoinhibition-resistant organisms such as Chlorella ohadii or to high-light tolerant mutants, but a wild-type strain of a common model microalga has this ability as well.
Halimium as an ectomycorrhizal symbiont: new records and an appreciation of known fungal diversity
Authors: Leonardi Marco , Furtado Ariadne Nóbrega Marinho , Comandini Ornella , Geml József , Rinaldi Andrea C.
Published: December 2020

Halimium is a genus of Cistaceae, containing a small group of shrub species found in open vegetation types and in degraded forest patches throughout the western and central Mediterranean region. We recently described the morpho-anatomical features of the ectomycorrhizae formed by Scleroderma meridionale on Halimium halimifolium, but the mycorrhizal biology of this host plant genus is still largely unexplored. Here, we report new data on the ectomycorrhizal fungal symbionts of Halimium, based on the collection of sporocarps and ectomycorrhizal root tips in pure stands occurring in Sardinia, Italy. To obtain a broader view of Halimium mycorrhizal and ecological potential, we compiled a comprehensive and up-to-date checklist of fungal species reported to establish ectomycorrhizae on Halimium spp. on the basis of field observations, molecular approaches, and mycorrhiza synthesis. Our list comprises 154 records, corresponding to 102 fungal species and 35 genera, revealing a significant diversity of the Halimium ectomycorrhizal mycobiota. Key ectomycorrhizal genera like Russula, Lactarius/Lactifluus, Amanita, Inocybe, and Cortinarius account for more than half of all mycobionts. A large proportion of Halimium fungal species are shared with other host plants in various ecological settings, suggesting a critical role of common mycorrhizal networks in the function played by this shrub in various Mediterranean ecosystems.
Modeling Static Recrystallization in Al-Mg Alloys
Authors: Buken Heinrich , Kozeschnik Ernst
Published: December 2020

In the present work, the influence of Mg on recrystallization kinetics in Al is analyzed by computer simulation. A comprehensive state parameter-based microstructure model is developed, which describes recrystallization in terms of nucleation and growth. The mechanism of solute drag is fully incorporated, thus accounting for the decrease of grain boundary mobility in the presence of impurity atoms. On the basis of the present approach, the solute binding energy between Mg atoms and grain boundaries is assessed and compared to experimentally measured values. Furthermore, the influence of Mg on dislocation production during strain hardening is modeled. The simulations of the composition and temperature-dependent recrystallization kinetics are verified on experimental studies where excellent agreement is achieved. Both simulation and experiment show that increasing Mg content first decelerates and, later on, accelerates recrystallization kinetics.
Experimental study of enhanced oil recovery by CO2 huff-n-puff in shales and tight sandstones with fractures
Authors: Zhu Chao-Fan , Guo Wei , Wang You-Ping , Li Ya-Jun , Gong Hou-Jian , Xu Long , Dong Ming-Zhe
Published: December 2020

The fractures and kerogen, which generally exist in the shale, are significant to the CO2 huff-n-puff in the shale reservoir. It is important to study the effects of fractures and kerogen on oil recovery during CO2 huff-n-puff operations in the fracture–matrix system. In this study, a modified CO2 huff-n-puff experiment method is developed to estimate the recovery factors and the CO2 injectivity in the fractured organic-rich shales and tight sandstones. The effects of rock properties, injection pressure, and injection time on the recovery factors and CO2 usage efficiency in shales and sandstones are discussed, respectively. The results show that although the CO2 injectivity in the shale is higher than that in the sandstone with the same porosity; besides, the recovery factors of two shale samples are much lower than that of two sandstone samples. This demonstrates that compared with the tight sandstone, more cycles are needed for the shale to reach a higher recovery factor. Furthermore, there are optimal injection pressures (close to the minimum miscible pressure) and CO2 injection volumes for CO2 huff-n-puff in the shale. Since the optimal CO2 injection volume in the shale is higher than that in the sandstone, more injection time is needed to enhance the oil recovery in the shale. There is a reference sense for CO2 huff-n-puff in the fractured shale oil reservoir for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) purposes.
Microstructure of laser metal deposited duplex stainless steel: Influence of shielding gas and heat treatment
Authors: Valiente Bermejo Maria Asuncion , Thalavai Pandian Karthikeyan , Axelsson Björn , Harati Ebrahim , Kisielewicz Agnieszka , Karlsson Leif
Published: December 2020

This research work is the first step in evaluating the feasibility of producing industrial components by using Laser Metal Deposition with duplex stainless steel Wire (LMDw). The influence of Ar and N2shielding gases was investigated in terms of nitrogen loss and in the microstructure and austenite content of different deposited geometries. The evolution of the microstructure in the build-up direction of the Ar and N2-shielded blocks was compared in the heat-treated and as-deposited conditions. The susceptibility for oxygen pick-up in the LMDw deposits was also analyzed, and oxygen was found to be in the range of conventional gas-shielded weldments. Nitrogen loss occurred when Ar-shielding was used; however, the use of N2-shielding prevented nitrogen loss. Austenite content was nearly doubled by using N2-shielding instead of Ar-shielding. The heat treatment resulted in an increase of the austenite content and of the homogeneity in the microstructure regardless of the shielding gas used. The similarity in microstructure and the low spread in the phase balance for the as-deposited geometries is a sign of having achieved a stable and consistent LMDw process in order to proceed with the build-up of more complex geometries closer to industrial full-size components.
Ultrasound Guided Intrasac Methotrexate Instillation for Live Cesarean Scar Ectopic Pregnancy
Authors: Singh Chanchal , Ahuja Meenakshi , Sharma Preety
Published: December 2020

A 38-year-old G5P2 with previous 2LSCS, 2D&Cs and hysteroscopic myomectomy presented with a live Cesarean scar ectopic of 7 weeks gestation. Transabdominal ultrasound-guided intrasac potassium chloride and methotrexate instillation was performed under local anesthesia leading to a successful resolution of the ectopic pregnancy.