bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel phenotype with prominent cerebellar oculomotor dysfunction in spastic paraplegia type 39
Authors: Viertauer Sebastian , Kurth Ingo , Eggermann Katja , Eggers Christian
Published: August 2022

Objectives

The term hereditary spastic paraplegia comprises an ever-expanding array of neurological disorders with distinct aetiologies. Spastic paraplegia gene 39 is one of the many genetically defined types with features of other organs and neurological systems in addition to paraspasticity. We describe a large kindred with a novel clinical phenotype as, in addition to spastic paraplegia, affected subjects suffered from a prominent cerebellar oculomotor dysfunction with two hitherto undescribed mutations of PNPLA6.

Methods

Three of five genetically tested family members of a large kindred were affected by spastic gait and a unique and prominent cerebellar oculomotor dysfunction. Further clinical, imaging, laboratory and videonystagmographic data were analyzed. Genetic analysis was done using next-generation sequencing.

Results

The most salient clinical feature, in addition to paraspasticity, in three of five subjects was cerebellar oculomotor dysfunction with an upbeating nystagmus provoked by downward gaze. Genetic analysis revealed two hitherto unknown sequence variants in the PNPLA6 gene, a splice-site variant c.1635 + 3G > T and a missense variant c.3401A > T, p.(Asp1134Val). In addition to cerebellar oculomotor dysfunction, compound-heterozygous siblings presented with paraspasticity and a moderate hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in the female. A paternal uncle being homozygous for the splice-site variant of PNPLA6 presented with increased lower limb reflexes and an unstable gait. Treatment with 4-aminopyridine, a potassium channel blocker, lead to meaningful improvement of clinical symptoms.

Conclusions

The unique and prominent cerebellar ocular motor disorder in our family broadens the spectrum of clinical phenotypes associated with variations in the PNLA6 gene. The finding of paraspasticity with cerebellar oculomotor dysfunction alongside inconspicuous brainstem imaging may raise suspicion of complex HSP with PNPLA6 mutations.
A three-minute all-out test performed in a remote setting does not provide a valid estimate of the maximum metabolic steady state
Authors: Maunder Ed , Rothschild Jeffrey A. , Ramonas Andrius , Delcourt Matthieu , Kilding Andrew E.
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The three-minute all-out test (3MT), when performed on a laboratory ergometer in a linear mode, can be used to estimate the heavy–severe-intensity transition, or maximum metabolic steady state (MMSS), using the end-test power output. As the 3MT only requires accurate measurement of power output and time, it is possible the 3MT could be used in remote settings using personal equipment without supervision for quantification of MMSS.

Methods

The aim of the present investigation was to determine the reliability and validity of remotely performed 3MTs (3MTR) for estimation of MMSS. Accordingly, 53 trained cyclists and triathletes were recruited to perform one familiarisation and two experimental 3MTR trials to determine its reliability. A sub-group (N = 10) was recruited to perform three-to-five 30 min laboratory-based constant-work rate trials following completion of one familiarisation and two experimental 3MTR trials. Expired gases were collected throughout constant-work rate trials and blood lactate concentration was measured at 10 and 30 min to determine the highest power output at which steady-state $${{\dot{V}O}}_{2}$$

V
˙

O

2

(MMSS-$${{\dot{V}O}}_{2}$$

V
˙

O

2

) and blood lactate (MMSS-[La−]) were achieved.

Results

The 3MTR end-test power (EPremote) was reliable (coefficient of variation, 4.5% [95% confidence limits, 3.7, 5.5%]), but overestimated MMSS (EPremote, 283 ± 51 W; MMSS-$${{\dot{V}O}}_{2}$$

V
˙

O

2

, 241 ± 46 W, P = 0.0003; MMSS-[La−], 237 ± 47 W, P = 0.0003). This may have been due to failure to deplete the finite work capacity above MMSS during the 3MTR.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the 3MTR should not be used to estimate MMSS in endurance-trained cyclists.
HMGA1 gene expression level in cancer tissue and blood samples of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients: preliminary report
Authors: Saed Lias , Balcerczak Ewa , Łochowski Mariusz , Olechnowicz Ewa , Sałagacka-Kubiak Aleksandra
Published: August 2022

The study aimed to assess the HMGA1 gene expression level in NSCLC patients and to evaluate its association with selected clinicopathological features and overall survival of patients. The expression of the HMGA1, coding non-histone transcription regulator HMGA1, was previously proved to correlate with the ability of cancer cells to metastasize the advancement of the disease. The prognostic value of the HMGA1 expression level was demonstrated in some neoplasms, e.g., pancreatic, gastric, endometrial, hepatocellular cancer, but the knowledge about its role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still limited. Thus, the HMGA1 expression level was evaluated by real-time PCR method in postoperative tumor tissue and blood samples collected at the time of diagnosis, 100 days and 1 year after surgery from 47 NSCLC patients. Mean HMGA1 expression level in blood decreased systematically from the time of cancer diagnosis to 1 year after surgery. The blood HMGA1 expression level 1 year after surgery was associated with the tobacco smoking status of patients (p= 0.0230). Patients with high blood HMGA1 expression levels measured 100 days after surgery tend to have worse overall survival than those with low expression levels (p= 0.1197). Tumor HMGA1 expression level was associated with neither features nor the overall survival of NSCLC patients. Moreover, no correlation between HMGA1 expression level measured in tumor tissue and blood samples was stated. Blood HMGA1 mRNA level could be a promising factor in the prognostication of non-small cell lung cancer patients.
Was bringen Ufergehölze für die Wasser- und Sedimentqualität von Bächen in landwirtschaftlichen Regionen?
Authors: Weigelhofer Gabriele , Leopold Melanie , Akbari Elmira , Farnleitner Andreas , Kirschner Alexander
Published: August 2022

Landwirtschaft führt zu einer Belastung von Bächen durch Nährsalze und Fäkalkeime. Das Ziel der Studie ist, das Potenzial von Ufergehölzen zu untersuchen, derartige Belastungen zu reduzieren und zu einer verbesserten Wasser- und Sedimentqualität zu gelangen. Wir analysierten, wie Ufergehölze die Sedimentstruktur, den Sauerstoffverbrauch, die Aufnahmekapazität für Phosphor und die Akkumulation von eingetragenen Fäkalkeimen beeinflussen. Dazu untersuchten wir die Wasser- und Sedimentqualität von 20 Bachabschnitten mit und ohne Ufergehölzen in landwirtschaftlichen Regionen in Niederösterreich. Die Proben wurden jeweils am Ende eines 1 km langen Abschnitts mit Ufergehölzstreifen sowie unmittelbar davor entnommen.

Die Ergebnisse rangierten zwischen einer deutlichen Verbesserung der Sedimentqualität (reduzierte Feinsedimentanteile, geringerer Sauerstoffverbrauch) bis hin zu einer Verschlechterung. An sieben Bächen konnte eine verbesserte Aufnahmekapazität für Phosphor in den Abschnitten mit Ufergehölzen beobachtet werden. Auch Bäche mit geringen Keimzahlen im fließenden Wasser zeigten Akkumulationen von Fäkalkeimen in den Sedimenten. Gründe für eine fehlende Wirkung von Ufergehölzstreifen auf die Wasser- und Sedimentqualität waren zu kurze, lückenhafte Ufergehölzstreifen, konvergente Wasserpfade, die die Gehölzstreifen durchbrachen, oder eine zu hohe Belastung aus darüberlegenden Strecken. Das Projekt zeigt, dass Ufergehölzstreifen die Wasser- und Sedimentqualität von Bächen in landwirtschaftlichen Einzugsgebieten verbessern können, wenn deren Beschaffenheit und Länge den stofflichen Belastungen entsprechen.
Assessing vascular complexity of PAOD patients by deep learning-based segmentation and fractal dimension
Authors: Bruno Pierangela , Spadea Maria Francesca , Scaramuzzino Salvatore , De Rosa Salvatore , Indolfi Ciro , Gargiulo Giuseppe , Giugliano Giuseppe , Esposito Giovanni , Calimeri Francesco , Zaffino Paolo
Published: August 2022

The assessment of vascular complexity in the lower limbs provides relevant information about peripheral artery occlusive diseases (PAOD), thus fostering improvements both in therapeutic decisions and prognostic estimation. The current clinical practice consists of visually inspecting and evaluating cine-angiograms of the interested region, which is largely operator-dependent. We present here an automatic method for segmenting the vessel tree and compute a quantitative measure, in terms of fractal dimension (FD), of the vascular complexity. The proposed workflow consists of three main steps: (i) conversion of the cine-angiographies to single static images with a broader field of view, (ii) automatic segmentation of the vascular trees, and (iii) calculation and assessment of FD as complexity index. In particular, this work defines (1) a method to reduce the inter-observer variability in judging vascular complexity in cine-angiography images from patients affected by peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD), and (2) the use of Fractal Dimension as a metric of shape complexity of vascular tree. The inter-class correlation coefficient (ICC) is computed as inter-observer agreement metric and to account for possible systematic error, that depends on the experience of the raters. The automatic segmentation of vascular tree achieved an Area Under the Curve mean value of $$0.77~\pm ~0.07$$

0.77

±

0.07

, with a min-max range of $$0.57-0.87$$

0.57
-
0.87

. Absolute operator agreement was higher over the segmented image ($$ICC=0.96$$

I
C
C
=
0.96

) compared to the video ($$ICC=0.76$$

I
C
C
=
0.76

) and the a broader field of view image ($$ICC=0.92$$

I
C
C
=
0.92

). Fractal Dimension computed on both manual segmented images (ground truths) and automatically showed a good correlation with the clinical score (0.85 and 0.75, respectively). Experimental analyses suggest that extracting the vascular tree from cine-angiography can substantially improve the reliability of visual assessment of vascular complexity in PAOD. Results also reveal the effectiveness of FD in evaluating complex vascular tree structures.
Health-related quality of life with enzalutamide versus flutamide in castration-resistant prostate cancer from the AFTERCAB study
Authors: Uemura Hiroji , Kobayashi Kazuki , Yokomizo Akira , Hinotsu Shiro , Horie Shigeo , Kakehi Yoshiyuki , Nonomura Norio , Ogawa Osamu , Oya Mototsugu , Suzuki Kazuhiro , Saito Atsushi , Asakawa Keiko , Uno Satoshi , Naito Seiji
Published: August 2022

Background

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures can provide valuable information in evaluating patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Post hoc analysis of the AFTERCAB study was conducted to evaluate the HRQoL benefit of enzalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) compared to flutamide plus ADT for the treatment of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in Japan.

Methods

The open-label AFTERCAB study was conducted from November 2016 to March 2020 in Japanese men aged ≥ 20 years with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic CRPC. Patients received enzalutamide plus ADT or flutamide plus ADT, respectively, as first-line alternative androgen therapy (AAT). HRQoL was analyzed through the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Prostate, EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level instruments, Brief Pain Inventory–Short Form, and Brief Fatigue Inventory. The longitudinal changes in HRQoL, HRQoL deterioration based on minimally important difference (MID), and time to HRQoL deterioration were evaluated for first-line AAT.

Results

Overall, HRQoL between the enzalutamide and flutamide groups was similar during first-line treatment. No statistically significant HRQoL difference in change from baseline to week 61 (least square mean difference; p value) was observed. Furthermore, proportions of pain progression, symptom worsening, and HRQoL deterioration based on MID, were not significantly different between groups.

Conclusions

The results were similar in all subscales of each PRO, demonstrating similar HRQoL deterioration based on MID criteria between the enzalutamide and flutamide groups.
Phase I study of lurbinectedin in combination with weekly paclitaxel with or without bevacizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors
Authors: Calvo Emiliano , Sessa Cristiana , Harada Guilherme , de Miguel Maria , Kahatt Carmen , Luepke-Estefan Xarles Erik , Siguero Mariano , Fernandez-Teruel Carlos , Cullell-Young Martin , Stathis Anastasios , Drilon Alexander
Published: August 2022

Lurbinectedin and paclitaxel showed synergism in preclinical studies and have non-completely overlapping toxicity profiles. This phase I trial evaluated a combination of paclitaxel and lurbinectedin with/without bevacizumab in advanced tumors. This trial was divided into Group A, which evaluated weekly paclitaxel (60 or 80 mg) plus lurbinectedin (3.0–5.0 mg flat dose [FD] or 2.2 mg/m2) every 3 weeks in advanced solid tumors; and Group B, which evaluated bevacizumab (BEV, 15 mg/kg) added to the recommended dose (RD) defined in Group A in advanced epithelial ovarian or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 67 patients (A, n = 55; B, n = 12) were treated. The RD was paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 on Day (D)1,D8 plus lurbinectedin 2.2 mg/m2 on D1. At this RD, myelotoxicity was reversible and manageable, and most non-hematological toxicities were mild/moderate. Adding BEV did not notably change tolerability. Twenty-five confirmed responses were observed: 20/51 evaluable patients in Group A (overall response rate [ORR] = 39% at all dose levels and at the RD), and 5/10 evaluable patients in Group B (ORR = 50%). Most responders had breast (n = 7/12 patients), small cell lung (SCLC) (n = 5/7), epithelial ovarian (n = 3/9) and endometrial cancer (n = 3/11) in Group A, and epithelial ovarian (n = 3/4) and NSCLC (n = 2/6) in Group B. Clinical benefit rate was 61% in Group A (58% at the RD), and 90% in Group B. No major pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions were observed. Paclitaxel/lurbinectedin and paclitaxel/lurbinectedin/BEV are feasible combinations. Further development is warranted of paclitaxel/lurbinectedin in SCLC, breast, and endometrial cancer, and of paclitaxel/lurbinectedin/BEV in epithelial ovarian cancer.
Controlling non-controllable scallops
Authors: Zoppello Marta , Morandotti Marco , Bloomfield-Gadêlha Hermes
Published: August 2022

A swimmer embedded on an inertialess fluid must perform a non-reciprocal motion to swim forward. The archetypal demonstration of this unique motion-constraint was introduced by Purcell with the so-called “scallop theorem”. Scallop here is a minimal mathematical model of a swimmer composed by two arms connected via a hinge whose periodic motion (of opening and closing its arms) is not sufficient to achieve net displacement. Any source of asymmetry in the motion or in the forces/torques experienced by such a scallop will break the time-reversibility imposed by the Stokes linearity and lead to subsequent propulsion of the scallop. However, little is known about the controllability of time-reversible scalloping systems. Here, we consider two individually non-controllable scallops swimming together. Under a suitable geometric assumption on the configuration of the system, it is proved that controllability can be achieved as a consequence of their hydrodynamic interaction. A detailed analysis of the control system of equations is carried out analytically by means of geometric control theory. We obtain an analytic expression for the controlled displacement after a prescribed sequence of controls as a function of the phase difference of the two scallops. Numerical validation of the theoretical results is presented with model predictions in further agreement with the literature.
Reduction of FeO in Molten Slag by Solid Carbonaceous Materials for HIsarna Alternative Ironmaking Process
Authors: Khasraw Darbaz , Yan Zhiming , Hage Johannes L. T. , Meijer Koen , Li Zushu
Published: August 2022

To investigate the use of biomass in the novel HIsarna technology, the reduction of FeO in the slag by chars produced from thermal coal (TC), charcoal (CC), and Bana grass char (BGC) was studied. A drop tube furnace coupled with a quadrupole mass spectrometer (DTF-QMS) was employed to study the injection of chars into pre-melted slag in the temperature range between 1450 °C and 1525 °C. The reduction rate was calculated from evolved gases and the extent of FeO reduction was confirmed by wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF). The FeO reduction proceeds through two stages, starting with a rapid reduction, which is dependent on the carbon type, and followed by gradual leveling off. The reduction rate with the charcoal char (CC) was the highest, over 60 pct reduction was achieved in the first 500 seconds at 1500 °C, while ~ 50 and 40 pct achieved with TC and BGC chars, respectively, for the same reaction time. The kinetic analysis suggests that the first and second stages of the reaction can be described by the second-order (F2) and three-dimensional diffusion (D3) models, respectively. The apparent activation energy values for the first stage were 290, 229 and 267 kJ/mol for reactions with TC, CC and BGC chars, while 265, 369, and 282 kJ/mol were obtained for the second stage. Based on the experimental data and kinetic results, it can be concluded that the first stage is controlled by chemical reactions on the carbon surface, and the second stage is influenced by a mixed-controlling mechanism.
Fiber structures and material science in optical fiber magnetic field sensors
Authors: Zhang Jing , Wang Chen , Chen Yunkang , Xiang Yudiao , Huang Tianye , Shum Perry Ping , Wu Zhichao
Published: August 2022

Magnetic field sensing plays an important role in many fields of scientific research and engineering applications. Benefiting from the advantages of optical fibers, the optical fiber-based magnetic field sensors demonstrate characteristics of light weight, small size, remote controllability, reliable security, and wide dynamic ranges. This paper provides an overview of the basic principles, development, and applications of optical fiber magnetic field sensors. The sensing mechanisms of fiber grating, interferometric and evanescent field fiber are discussed in detail. Magnetic fluid materials, magneto-strictive materials, and magneto-optical materials used in optical fiber sensing systems are also introduced. The applications of optical fiber magnetic field sensors as current sensors, geomagnetic monitoring, and quasi-distributed magnetic sensors are presented. In addition, challenges and future development directions are analyzed.

Graphical Abstract
Temperature Gradient Analyses of a Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Fueled by Methanol
Authors: Xu Qidong , Guo Meiting , Xia Lingchao , Li Zheng , He Qijiao , Zhao Dongqi , Zheng Keqing , Ni Meng
Published: August 2022

Thermal management in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) is a critical issue due to non-uniform electrochemical reactions and convective flows within the cells. Therefore, a 2D mathematical model is established herein to investigate the thermal responses of a tubular methanol-fueled SOFC. Results show that unlike the low-temperature condition of 873 K, where the peak temperature gradient occurs at the cell center, it appears near the fuel inlet at 1073 K because of the rapid temperature rise induced by the elevated current density. Despite the large heat convection capacity, excessive air could not effectively eliminate the harmful temperature gradient caused by the large current density. Thus, optimal control of the current density by properly selecting the operating potential could generate a local thermal neutral state. Interestingly, the maximum axial temperature gradient could be reduced by about 18% at 973 K and 20% at 1073 K when the air with a 5 K higher temperature is supplied. Additionally, despite the higher electrochemical performance observed, the cell with a counter-flow arrangement featured by a larger hot area and higher maximum temperature gradients is not preferable for a ceramic SOFC system considering thermal durability. Overall, this study could provide insightful thermal information for the operating condition selection, structure design, and stability assessment of realistic SOFCs combined with their internal reforming process.
Two new species of Staurogyne (Acanthaceae) from northern Myanmar
Authors: Wood John R. I. , Nwe Thet Yu , Armstrong Kate E.
Published: August 2022

Two new species of Staurogyne, S. yamokmehong J.R.I.Wood & K.Armstr. and S. filisepala J.R.I.Wood & K.Armstr. from Hkamti District, Sagaing Region in northern Myanmar, are described and illustrated. Notes on their affinities, conservation status and habitat are included. Attention is drawn to the medicinal uses of S. yamokmehong by Shan Ni communities living in Hkamti District.
Perception, Action, and Sense Making: The Three Realms of the Aesthetic
Authors: van Heusden Barend
Published: August 2022

It is argued that Kull’s approach to aesthetics complements a cognitive semiotic approach to culture. The concept of ‘ecological, semiotic fitting’ allows us to connect the three main concepts of beauty we encounter in discussions about the aesthetic, where the term beauty is, firstly, used to refer a positive experience in relation to what is perceived, or, secondly, to a positive experience in relation to an intentional action or, thirdly, to a positive experience in relation to a sense making process. Kull makes a strong case for the ‘ecological, semiotic fitting’ being the common underlying structure of all three manifestations of the aesthetic.
Recent Air Quality Deterioration on Weekends in Seoul, South Korea: a Focus on External Contribution
Authors: Choi Woosuk , Ho Chang-Hoi , Heo Jin-Woo , Kim Ka-Young , Kim Sang-Woo , Kim Jinwon
Published: August 2022

This study has found that the wintertime (November–March) air quality in Seoul, Korea had been deteriorated in weekends during the period of 2016–2019. Specifically, the concentration of particulate matters (PMs) of aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) in weekends (Saturday–Sunday) was up to 30% higher than that in the mid-week (Wednesday–Thursday) days (probability value < 0.01). As the weekend PM concentration had been lower than the mid-week values by 10% until 2015, such a sudden change in the intra-weekly air quality is unexpected. This study finds out that the deterioration of air quality in weekends can be attributed primarily to secondary particle formations and external transports from China (Shandong and northeast provinces) and domestic provinces (southern Gyeonggi and Chungcheong in Korea) to Seoul. High concentration of PM2.5 on weekend could be partially explained by the differences in the concentrations of inorganic PM components including nitrate, ammonium, and sulfate between weekends and mid-week days. About 40% of the differences are attributed to the domestic sources located in the southern region to Seoul. However, domestic emission from power generations and industry sector in southern source region on weekends does not well explain the variations of the PM precursors in weekends. Therefore, a clear strategy for improving air quality on the weekend in Seoul requires steady efforts to accurately calculate regional emissions and to reveal missing emissions sources.
Amplification of Flood Risks by the Compound Effects of Precipitation and Storm Tides Under the Nonstationary Scenario in the Coastal City of Haikou, China
Authors: Xu Hongshi , Zhang Xi , Guan Xinjian , Wang Tianye , Ma Chao , Yan Denghua
Published: August 2022

In the context of climate change, coastal cities are at increased risk of extreme precipitation and sea level rise, and their interaction will aggravate coastal floods. Understanding the potential change of compound floods is valuable for flood risk reduction. In this study, an integrated approach coupling the hydrological model and copula-based design of precipitation and storm tides was proposed to assess the compound flood risk in a coastal city—Haikou, China. The copula model, most-likely weight function, and varying parameter distribution were used to obtain the combined design values of precipitation and storm tides under the nonstationary scenario, which were applied to the boundary conditions of the 1D-2D hydrological model. Subsequently, the change of the bivariate return periods, design values, and compound flood risks of precipitation and storm tides were investigated. The results show that the bivariate return period of precipitation and storm tides was reduced by an average of 34% under the nonstationary scenario. The maximum inundation areas and volumes were increased by an average of 31.1% and 45.9% respectively in comparison with the stationary scenario. Furthermore, we identified that the compound effects of precipitation and storm tides would have a greater influence on the flood risk when the bivariate return period is more than 50 years, and the peak time lag had a significant influence on the compound flood risk. The proposed framework is effective in the evaluation and prediction of flood risk in coastal cities, and the results provide some guidance for urban disaster prevention and mitigation.
Topology-based UAV path planning for multi-view stereo 3D reconstruction of complex structures
Authors: Shang Zhexiong , Shen Zhigang
Published: August 2022

This paper introduces a new UAV path planning method for creating high-quality 3D reconstruction models of large and complex structures. The core of the new method is incorporating the topology information of the surveyed 3D structure to decompose the multi-view stereo path planning into a collection of overlapped view optimization problems that can be processed in parallel. Different from the existing state-of-the-arts that recursively select the vantage camera views, the new method iteratively resamples all nearby cameras (i.e., positions/orientations) together and achieves a substantial reduction in computation cost while improving reconstruction quality. The new approach also provides a higher-level automation function that facilitates field implementations by eliminating the need for redundant camera initialization as in existing studies. Validations are provided by measuring the variance between the reconstructions to the ground truth models. Results from three synthetic case studies and one real-world application are presented to demonstrate the improved performance. The new method is expected to be instrumental in expanding the adoption of UAV-based multi-view stereo 3D reconstruction of large and complex structures.
Flue gas analysis for biomass and coal co-firing in fluidized bed: process simulation and validation
Authors: Zhakupov Daulet , Kulmukanova Lyazzat , Sarbassov Yerbol , Shah Dhawal
Published: August 2022

Coal-conversion technologies, although used ubiquitously, are often discredited due to high pollutant emissions, thereby emphasizing a dire need to optimize the combustion process. The co-firing of coal/biomass in a fluidized bed reactor has been an efficient way to optimize the pollutants emission. Herein, a new model has been designed in Aspen Plus® to simultaneously include detailed reaction kinetics, volatile compositions, tar combustion, and hydrodynamics of the reactor. Validation of the process model was done with variations in the fuel including high-sulfur Spanish lignite, high-ash Ekibastuz coal, wood pellets, and locally collected municipal solid waste (MSW) and the temperature ranging from 1073 to 1223 K. The composition of the exhaust gases, namely, CO/CO2/NO/SO2 were determined from the model to be within 2% of the experimental observations. Co-combustion of local MSW with Ekibastuz coal had flue gas composition ranging from 1000 to 5000 ppm of CO, 16.2%–17.2% of CO2, 200–550 ppm of NO, and 130–210 ppm of SO2. A sensitivity analysis on co-firing of local biomass and Ekibastuz coal demonstrated the optimal operating temperature for fluidized bed reactor at 1148 K with the recommended biomass-to-coal ratio is 1/4, leading to minimum emissions of CO, NO, and SO2.
Lack of ethics or lack of knowledge? European upper secondary students’ doubts and misconceptions about integrity issues
Authors: Johansen Mikkel Willum , Goddiksen Mads Paludan , Centa Mateja , Clavien Christine , Gefenas Eugenijus , Globokar Roman , Hogan Linda , Merit Marcus Tang , Nielsen Søren Saxmose , Olsson I. Anna S. , Poškutė Margarita , Quinn Una , Santos Júlio Borlido , Santos Rita , Schöpfer Céline , Strahovnik Vojko , Wall P. J. , Sandøe Peter , Lund Thomas Bøker
Published: August 2022

Plagiarism and other transgressions of the norms of academic integrity appear to be a persistent problem among upper secondary students. Numerous surveys have revealed high levels of infringement of what appear to be clearly stated rules. Less attention has been given to students’ understanding of academic integrity, and to the potential misconceptions and false beliefs that may make it difficult for them to comply with existing rules and handle complex real-life situations.

In this paper we report findings from a survey of European upper secondary students’ views on issues relating to academic integrity. We relate these findings to the students’ training about academic integrity, self-reported level of questionable behavior and country of study.

A total of 1654 students at 51 institutions located in 6 European countries participated in the study. The participants generally believed they had a good understanding of the rules applying to them and knew how to behave in compliance with norms of academic integrity. The results indicate, however, that often, in practice, this belief was mistaken. Many students had an inadequate understanding of core elements of academic integrity. They were uncertain about how to act, and they struggled in the handling of complex situations that require context-sensitive judgement. While some differences between countries were identified, they were modest and exhibited no clear pattern. Our results also suggest that reducing students’ level of uncertainty and, to a lesser degree, improving their level of knowledge could lead them to engage less in certain types of questionable behaviours. Surprisingly, the effect of academic training is modest and ambiguous. The study also confirms that perception of peer behaviour has the strongest association with student engagement in questionable behaviours. Thus, academic integrity at the upper secondary level cannot be explained simply in terms of individual ethics or knowledge.
Multiple tumorous lesions of the pituitary gland
Authors: Schöning Jannik von , Flitsch Jörg , Lüdecke Dieter K. , Fahlbusch Rudolf , Buchfelder Michael , Buslei Rolf , Knappe Ulrich J. , Bergmann Markus , Schulz-Schaeffer Walter J. , Herms Jochen , Glatzel Markus , Saeger Wolfgang
Published: August 2022

Purpose/Objective

Multiple tumorous lesions in one pituitary gland are rare and mostly described in case reports. Their incidences and combinations are defined in larger collectives. Therefore, we analyzed our large collection for double tumors and combinations of tumors, cysts, and inflammation.

Methods

The German Registry of Pituitary Tumors, including cases from 1990 to 2018, served as the database. Our collection comprises a total of 16,283 cases up until the end of 2018. Of these cases, 12,673 originated from surgical and 3,610 from autopsy material. All specimens were fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin. The sections were stained with hematoxylin–eosin and PAS. Monoclonal (prolactin, TSH, FSH, LH, and α subunit) or polyclonal (GH and ACTH) antibodies were used to detect pituitary hormones in the lesions. Since 2017, antibodies against the transcription factors Pit-1, T-Pit, and SF-1 have been used in difficult cases. The criteria of the 2017 WHO classification have been basic principles for classification since 2018 (Osamura et al. 2017). For differentiation of other sellar tumors, such as meningiomas, chordomas, or metastases, the use of additional antibodies was necessary. For these cases, it was possible to use a broad antibody spectrum. Autopsy pituitaries were generally studied by H&E and PAS sections. If any lesions were demonstrated in these specimens, additional immunostaining was performed.

Results

Multiple tumorous lesions with more than one pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET) respectively adenoma make up 1.4% (232 cases) in our collection. Within the selected cases, synchronous multiple pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) account for 17.3%, PANCH cases (pituitary adenoma with neuronal choristoma) for 14.7%, PitNETs and posterior lobe tumors for 2.2%, PitNETs and metastases for 5.2%, PitNETs and mesenchymal tumors for 2.6%, PitNETs and cysts for 52.2%, and PitNETs and primary inflammation for 6.0%. The mean patient age was 53.8 years, with a standard deviation of 18.5 years. A total of 55.3% of the patients were female and 44.7% were male. From 1990 to 2018, there was a continuous increase in the number of multiple tumorous lesions.

Conclusion

From our studies, we conclude that considering possible tumorous double lesions during surgeries and in preoperative X-ray analyses is recommended.
Levelized costs of the energy chains of new energy vehicles targeted at carbon neutrality in China
Authors: Qiu Xiaohan , Zhao Jinyang , Yu Yadong , Ma Tieju
Published: August 2022

The diffusion of new energy vehicles (NEVs), such as battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), is critical to the transportation sector’s deep decarbonization. The cost of energy chains is an important factor in the diffusion of NEVs. Although researchers have addressed the technological learning effect of NEVs and the life cycle emissions associated with the diffusion of NEVs, little work has been conducted to analyze the life cycle costs of different energy chains associated with different NEVs in consideration of technological learning potential. Thus, relevant information on investment remains insufficient to promote the deployment of NEVs. This study proposes a systematic framework that includes various (competing or coordinated) energy chains of NEVs formed with different technologies of power generation and transmission, hydrogen production and transportation, power-to-liquid fuel, and fuel transportation. The levelized costs of three typical carbon-neutral energy chains are investigated using the life cycle cost model and considering the technological learning effect. Results show that the current well-to-pump levelized costs of the energy chains in China for BEVs, FCVs, and internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) are approximately 3.60, 4.31, and 2.21 yuan/GJ, respectively, and the well-to-wheel levelized costs are 4.50, 6.15, and 7.51 yuan/GJ, respectively. These costs primarily include raw material costs, and they vary greatly for BEVs and FCVs from resource and consumer costs. In consideration of the technological learning effect, the energy chains’ well-to-wheel levelized costs are expected to decrease by 24.82% for BEVs, 27.12% for FCVs, and 19.25% for ICEVs by 2060. This work also summarizes policy recommendations on developing energy chains to promote the diffusion of NEVs in China.
Measuring the Success of a Project ECHO Implementation: Results from an International e-Delphi Study
Authors: Moss Perrin , Hartley Nicole , Newcomb Dana , Russell Trevor
Published: August 2022

There is an increasing global need for organisations to utilise high-quality telementoring models to support workforce development and mentorship. Project ECHO is a validated telementoring model that has been adopted by over 700 organisations globally across multiple sectors. To date there is no consolidated list of success indicators by which organisational teams can assess or benchmark their implementation of Project ECHO across sectors. An e-Delphi methodology was adopted to facilitate a comprehensive means of identifying indicators that could be used to assess the implementations of Project ECHO globally. This paper presents a consolidated framework of indicators that support teams to assess their implementation of Project ECHO. These indicators have been derived by an international panel of experts across the healthcare, education, and university sectors. The final framework identified 54 distinct indicators across four domains: (1) spoke participant engagement, (2) ECHO Hub/teleECHO Network design and operation, (3) ECHO Hub team engagement and (4) Local Impact. This paper highlights that Project ECHO implementation indicators can vary between being dynamic, static, and iterative, depending on the phase of implementation. These findings are significant because they are generalisable to any organisation/sector implementing Project ECHO or similar telementoring models.
Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components in Urban Cambodia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Tamaoki Miharu , Honda Ikumi , Nakanishi Keisuke , Cheam Sophathya , Okawada Manabu , Sakakibara Hisataka
Published: August 2022

Background

The incidence of noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus, is increasing in Cambodia. Urbanization and lifestyle changes due to rapid economic development have affected the components of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MetS, MetS components, and health status among Cambodians living in urban areas.

Methods

This cross-sectional study enrolled adult Cambodians (age ≥ 20 years) who underwent a health checkup at a Japanese hospital in Phnom Penh. MetS was defined based on the harmonized diagnostic definition from the joint interim statement.

Results

Among the 6090 (3174 men and 2916 women) participants who were enrolled in the study, the prevalence of MetS was 60.1% in men and 52.4% in women. The prevalence of elevated blood pressure was 73.2% in men and 65.3% in women, and was the highest MetS component in both men and women. In contrast, the lowest prevalence rates were observed for abdominal obesity (44.8%) in men and for high triglyceride levels (33.5%) in women. The MetS group showed a significantly higher proportion of patients with hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity compared with the non-MetS group.

Conclusion

The high prevalence of MetS in this study was attributed to urbanization, as in economically developed countries. It is necessary to explore the lifestyle habits of Cambodians that contribute to MetS and to develop preventive measures to reduce the incidence and prevalence of MetS.
Mobile Money, Agricultural Intensification, and Household Welfare: Panel Evidence from Rural Uganda
Authors: Tabetando Rayner , Matsumoto Tomoya , Fani Djomo Choumbou Raoul
Published: August 2022

We examine the impact of the rapidly expanding mobile banking service “mobile money” on rural households’ decision to adopt modern agricultural inputs and its resultant effect on agricultural income using plot, household, and community-level panel data from rural Uganda. The main findings indicate that mobile money adoption increases per capita farm income by 13%. Pathway analyses show that mobile money adoption increases the likelihood of using chemical fertilizer on maize plots by 11 percentage points. Mobile money adoption increases the likelihood of high-yielding maize seeds adoption on maize plots by 8.2 percentage points. In the Ugandan context of rapid decline in soil fertility and very low adoption of fertilizer and modern seeds, mobile money provides an avenue to finance agricultural intensification.
Pouvoir normatif et crise sanitaire à la lumière du droit tunisien
Authors: Bouzid Maysoun
Published: August 2022

Les crises sanitaires produisent des effets transversaux sur la santé publique et l’ordre socio‑politique. Aux yeux des citoyens, c’est le pouvoir normatif qui s’est trouvé discrédité par la crise sanitaire liée à la Covid-19. Bousculée à plusieurs reprises, la norme juridique a perdu beaucoup de sa normativité et de sa valeur dans la conscience collective. Face aux différentes formes de désarticulation subies par le pouvoir normatif, il paraît urgent d’envisager des perspectives de réforme visant à rénover la fonction et le processus de création des normes juridiques. L’application des outils de la légistique et l’adoption d’une conception plus partenariale que régalienne de la fonction normative peuvent concourir au changement souhaité de la culture normative.
Social policy and the judicial making of Europe: capital, social mobilisation and minority social influence
Authors: Alexandris Polomarkakis Konstantinos
Published: August 2022

This article puts forward a cohesive narrative to explain the contribution of European social policy to the judicial making of Europe. By making a case for the inclusion of social policy as part of the discourse on the constitutional practice of the Court of Justice of the European Union, together with focusing on a socio-legal deconstruction of four seminal social policy judgments of the Court (Defrenne II, Von Colson, Harz and Francovich), the article undertakes a systematic approach to tracing the contribution of the field, and more specifically of its labour and non-discrimination law strands. To formulate its socio-legal analysis, the article adopts an explanatory framework, which draws on Bourdieu’s concepts of capital and field, the theory of legal mobilisation and Moscovici’s minority social influence, and which is applied to the selected judgments as a case-study. The framework enables the analysis to shed light on the dynamics between stakeholders in the social dimension of the European legal field and to persuasively showcase how social policy case-law, despite its sui generis dynamics, merits to have a place in the conversations surrounding the transformation of Europe.
Dispersion of motile bacteria in a porous medium
Authors: Dentz Marco , Creppy Adama , Douarche Carine , Clément Eric , Auradou Harold
Published: August 2022

Understanding flow and transport of bacteria in porous media is crucial to technologies such as bioremediation, biomineralization and enhanced oil recovery. While physicochemical bacteria filtration is well documented, recent studies showed that bacterial motility plays a key role in the transport process. Flow and transport experiments performed in microfluidic chips containing randomly placed obstacles confirmed that the distributions of non-motile bacteria stays compact, whereas for the motile strains, the distributions are characterized by both significant retention as well as fast downstream motion. For motile bacteria, the detailed microscopic study of individual bacteria trajectories reveals two salient features: (i) the emergence of an active retention process triggered by motility, (ii) enhancement of dispersion due to the exchange between fast flow channels and low flow regions in the vicinity of the solid grains. We propose a physical model based on a continuous time random walk approach. This approach accounts for bacteria dispersion via variable pore-scale flow velocities through a Markov model for equidistant particle speeds. Motility of bacteria is modelled by a two-rate trapping process that accounts for the motion towards and active trapping at the obstacles. This approach captures the forward tails observed for the distribution of bacteria displacements, and quantifies an enhanced hydrodynamic dispersion effect that originates in the combined effect of pore-scale flow variability and bacterial motility. The model reproduces the experimental observations, and predicts bacteria dispersion and transport at the macroscale.
Sky God: Remaking the Heavens and Divinity in the Nineteenth-Century United States
Authors: MacNamara Trent
Published: August 2022

In the early nineteenth century, the “cosmological revolution” reached Americans with no special education or astronomical expertise. New ideas about the scale and nature of the cosmos, some of which had been gestating among elites for centuries, forced ordinary people to reevaluate traditional associations between higher places, higher beings, and higher meaning. As the old “heavens” became more like the modern “space”—larger, emptier, less morally alive—God and his kingdom became more abstract. This trend often mattered to people in ways that esoteric doctrine did not. It divided Americans. A placeless God and “state of being” afterlife found readier acceptance among educated people accustomed to thinking in abstract, immaterial terms and pursuing abstract, immaterial goods. Among nonintellectuals, the new heavens caused unsettling debates between people, and within them, about the locality and reality of higher things. Well before better-remembered disputes over Darwinism and geology, these cosmological debates opened foundational divisions in popular ideas, as some laypeople reluctantly accommodated the new heavens while others turned to defiant cosmic conservatism. On balance, Americans moved toward reformed conceptions of God and heaven, rebuilding divinity in the image of the new cosmos.
Dietary lactose and galactose intakes are associated with a later onset of natural menopause among women in a Japanese community
Authors: Yamakawa Michiyo , Wada Keiko , Nakashima Yuma , Nagata Chisato
Published: August 2022

Galactose and its metabolites, primarily derived from lactose, may have toxic effects on the ovary. We aimed to prospectively examine the associations of galactose and lactose intakes with the onset of natural menopause. The data of a population-based cohort study in a Japanese community (the Takayama study) initiated in 1992 were analysed, with follow-up data collected in 2002. Among the participants of the Takayama study, premenopausal women (n3115) aged 35–56 years at baseline were included in this study. Dietary intake, including lactose and galactose was assessed only at baseline using a FFQ. The menopausal status and age at menopause were determined based on the participants’ self-reports, and natural menopause was defined as the absence of menstruation for 12 months or more. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI. A total of 1790 women experienced natural menopause within the 10-year follow-up. Lactose and galactose intakes were associated with a later onset of natural menopause after adjusting for potential confounding factors and the HR (95 % CI) for the highestv. lowest quartile were 0·80 (0·69, 0·92) (P-trend = 0·001) in lactose and 0·86 (0·74, 1·00) in galactose (P-trend = 0·036), respectively. High intakes of lactose and galactose were associated with a later onset of natural menopause. Despite the presumed ovotoxicity effects, lactose and galactose intakes at usual levels may not be deleterious to the ovarian aging process among Japanese community-dwelling women.
Suing the State: Relative Deprivation and Peasants’ Resistance in Land Expropriation in China
Authors: Lu Shenghua , Zhou Xiang , Yao Yuting , Wang Hui
Published: August 2022

Land expropriation, where peasants’ property rights are encroached by the state, has been recognized as a primary source of social dissension in rural China. Since the end of the last century, the Administrative Litigation Law (ALL) has provided people with a legal weapon to defend themselves against violations by state power. Drawing on the theory of relative deprivation, this paper proposes that peasants are more likely to sue the state when they feel deprived. To examine this hypothesis, we first present a case study to depict the causal process and then use quantitative research to improve the external validity of our findings. We created a novel and unique database of prefecture-level administrative litigations and relative deprivation for Poisson regression analysis. The quantitative results prove that the more peasants feel relatively deprived, the more likely they are to sue the state. Furthermore, the positive effect of relative deprivation on administrative litigations has become more significant over time, implying peasants’ growing awareness of legal resistance. This paper concludes that a critical step towards eliminating social inequity and maintaining social stability in rural China is to reduce the relative deprivation of peasants by, for example, allowing them to share in land value appreciation in the process of urbanization.