bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental and theoretical analysis for steel CHS K‐shaped joints stiffened with joint plates
Authors: Peng Peng , Zhang Dachang , Cui Mingcheng , Gao Chenzhong
Published: October 2021

K‐shaped intersecting joint is a common type of joint in steel tubular structures, and its bearing capacity has an important effect on the structural performance. The relevant literatures and design codes are still lacking of the calculation theory on bearing capacity of steel tubular K‐shaped joints stiffened with joint plates, by which the effect of well‐welded stiffeners could not be considered. Four steel tubular K‐shaped joints with or without stiffened plates are designed, and their tests and nonlinear FEAs are carried out to investigate the bearing capacity characteristics, failure modes, and the effectiveness of stiffeners. The tests shown that the stiffened plates can significantly improve the bearing capacities of K‐shaped joints, and the plates should be looked as joint plates to evaluate its contribution to intensity, not just as stiffeners. Then, the parameter simulations and their influences on bearing capacities of stiffened K‐shaped joints are performed, in which the different sizes of chords, braces, and stiffened plates are selected. Compared with the test and simulation results, the bearing capacity of tubular K‐shaped joints with no stiffened plates could be calculated well by the theory in the relevant design codes. Using the superposition method of bearing capacities, the annular strength model and the calculation theory of stiffened tubular K‐shaped joints are proposed, in which the coefficients of multiparameter model are determined through regression analysis. Lastly, the theoretical bearing capacities of stiffened K‐shaped joints are analyzed and have good agreements with the test values. It can be concluded that the proposed calculation theory can be used to calculate the bearing capacity of stiffened K‐shaped joints with plates.
Polyacetylene Glycosides: Isolation, Biological Activities and Synthesis
Authors: Santos Jonh A. M. , Santos Cláudia L. A. A. , Freitas Filho João R. , Menezes Paulo H. , Freitas Juliano C. R.
Published: October 2021

Polyacetylene glycosides (PAGs) constitute a relatively small class of secondary metabolites characterized by the presence of a sugar unit anomerically connected to a polyacetylene. These compounds are found in fungi, seaweed, and more often in plants. PAGs exhibit a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities and, as a result, the literature of these compounds has grown exponentially in recent years.
Bisphenol A induced apoptosis via oxidative stress generation involved Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway and mitochondrial dependent pathways in human retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE‐19) cells
Authors: Chiang Yun‐Wei , Su Chun‐Hung , Sun Han‐Yin , Chen Shih‐Pin , Chen Chun‐Jung , Chen Wen‐Ying , Chang Chia‐Che , Chen Chuan‐Mu , Kuan Yu‐Hsiang
Published: October 2021

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogen‐like compound, and an environmental hormone, that is commonly used in daily life. Therefore, it may enter the human body through food or direct contact, causing BPA residues in blood and urine. Because most studies focused on the analysis of BPA in reproductive cells or tissues, regarding evidence the effect of BPA on human retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE‐19) cells unavailable. Accordingly, the present study explored the cytotoxicity of BPA on ARPE‐19 cells. After BPA treatment, the expression of Bcl‐XL an antiapoptotic protein, in the mitochondria decreased, and the expression of Bax, a proapoptotic protein increased. Then the mitochondrial membrane potential was affected. BPA changed in mitochondrial membrane potential led to the release of cytochrome C, which activated caspase‐9 to promote downstream caspase‐3 leading to cytotoxicity. The nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO‐1) pathway play a major role in age‐related macular degeneration. Our results showed that expression of HO‐1 and Nrf2 suppressed by BPA. Superoxide dismutase and catalase, which Nrf2 downstream antioxidants, were degraded by BPA. AMP‐activated kinase (AMPK), which can regulate the phosphorylation of Nrf2, and the phosphorylation of AMPK expression was reduced by BPA. Finally, BPA‐induced ROS generation and cytotoxicity were reduced by N‐acetyl‐l‐cysteine. Taken together, these results suggest that BPA induced ARPE‐19 cells via oxidative stress, which was associated with down regulated Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway, and the mitochondria dependent apoptotic signaling pathway.
Tanshinone IIA inhibits gastric cancer cell stemness through inducing ferroptosis
Authors: Ni Haiwei , Ruan Guojing , Sun Cheng , Yang Xuan , Miao Zhenyan , Li Jifei , Chen Ying , Qin Hai , Liu Yichen , Zheng Lufeng , Xing Yingying , Xi Tao , Li Xiaoman
Published: October 2021

Tanshinone IIA is the active constituent extracted from Salvia Miltiorrhza. Numerous studies have shown that Tanshinone IIA could inhibit tumor proliferation and metastasis, including gastric cancer. However, the effect of Tanshinone IIA on gastric cancer cell stemness stays unclear. Here, we found that Tanshinone IIA could reduce gastric cancer cell stemness through detecting spheroid‐forming, flow cytometry analysis, and the expression of stemness markers (OCT3/4, ALDH1A1, and CD44). Mechanistically, Tanshinone IIA increased the level of lipid peroxides and decreased glutathione level in gastric cancer cells, both of which are the markers of ferroptosis. Similarly, ferroptosis inducers (erastin, sulfasalazine, and sorafenib) reduced gastric cancer cell stemness. Additionally, the inhibitory effects of Tanshinone IIA on GC cell stemness were reversed by ferroptosis inhibitor (Fer‐1) or overexpression of SLC7A11, which is a critical ferroptosis inhibitor. Therefore, we revealed that Tanshinone IIA inhibited the stemness of gastric cancer cells partly through inducing ferroptosis.
Comorbidity, poverty and social vulnerability as risk factors for mortality in pregnant women with confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection: analysis of 13 062 positive pregnancies including 176 maternal deaths in Mexico
Authors: Torres‐Torres J. , Martinez‐Portilla R. J. , Espino‐y‐Sosa S. , Estrada‐Gutierrez G. , Solis‐Paredes J. M. , Villafan‐Bernal J. R. , Medina‐Jimenez V. , Rodriguez‐Morales A. J. , Rojas‐Zepeda L. , Poon L. C.
Published: October 2021

Objective

Mortality in pregnancy due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is a current health priority in developing countries. Identification of clinical and sociodemographic risk factors related to mortality in pregnant women with COVID‐19 could guide public policy and encourage such women to accept vaccination. We aimed to evaluate the association of comorbidities and socioeconomic determinants with COVID‐19‐related mortality and severe disease in pregnant women in Mexico.

Methods

This is an ongoing nationwide prospective cohort study that includes all pregnant women with a positive reverse‐transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) from the Mexican National Registry of Coronavirus. The primary outcome was maternal death due to COVID‐19. The association of comorbidities and socioeconomic characteristics with maternal death was explored using a log‐binomial regression model adjusted for possible confounders.

Results

There were 176 (1.35%) maternal deaths due to COVID‐19 among 13 062 consecutive SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive pregnant women. Maternal age, as a continuous (adjusted relative risk (aRR), 1.08 (95% CI, 1.05–1.10)) or categorical variable, was associated with maternal death due to COVID‐19; women aged 35–39 years (aRR, 3.16 (95% CI, 2.34–4.26)) or 40 years or older (aRR, 4.07 (95% CI, 2.65–6.25)) had a higher risk for mortality, as compared with those aged < 35 years. Other clinical risk factors associated with maternal mortality were pre‐existing diabetes (aRR, 2.66 (95% CI, 1.65–4.27)), chronic hypertension (aRR, 1.75 (95% CI, 1.02–3.00)) and obesity (aRR, 2.15 (95% CI, 1.46–3.17)). Very high social vulnerability (aRR, 1.88 (95% CI, 1.26–2.80)) and high social vulnerability (aRR, 1.49 (95% CI, 1.04–2.13)) were associated with an increased risk of maternal mortality, while very low social vulnerability was associated with a reduced risk (aRR, 0.47 (95% CI, 0.30–0.73)). Being poor or extremely poor were also risk factors for maternal mortality (aRR, 1.53 (95% CI, 1.09–2.15) and aRR, 1.83 (95% CI, 1.32–2.53), respectively).

Conclusion

This study, which comprises the largest prospective consecutive cohort of pregnant women with COVID‐19 to date, has confirmed that advanced maternal age, pre‐existing diabetes, chronic hypertension, obesity, high social vulnerability and low socioeconomic status are risk factors for COVID‐19‐related maternal mortality. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
In vitro study of chlorine dioxide on porcine intestinal epithelial cell gene markers
Authors: Palócz Orsolya , Noszticzius Zoltán , Kály‐Kullai Kristóf , Bradley Emma , Csikó György
Published: October 2021

Background

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is an inorganic, potent biocide and is available in highly purified aqueous solution. It can be administered as an oral antiseptic in this form.

Objectives

Our aim is to determine the level of inflammatory markers and cytochrome genes expressed by enterocytes exposed to different concentrations of hyperpure chlorine dioxide solution.

Methods

Porcine jejunal enterocyte cell (IPEC‐J2) cultures were treated with the aqueous solution of hyper‐pure chlorine dioxide of various concentrations. We determined the alterations in mRNA levels of inflammatory mediators, such as IL6, CXCL8/IL8, TNF, HSPA6 (Hsp70), CAT and PTGS2 (COX2); furthermore, the expression of three cytochrome genes (CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP3A29) were analysed by quantitative PCR method.

Results

The highest applied ClO2 concentration reduced the expression of all three investigated CYP genes. The gene expression of PTGS2 and CAT were not altered by most concentrations of ClO2. The expression of IL8 gene was reduced by all applied concentrations of ClO2. TNF mRNA level was also decreased by most ClO2 concentrations used.

Conclusions

Different concentrations of chlorine dioxide exhibited immunomodulatory activity and caused altered transcription of CYP450 genes in porcine enterocytes. Further studies are needed to determine the appropriate ClO2 concentration for oral use in animals.
Affective adaptation = effective transformation? Shifting the politics of climate change adaptation and transformation from the status quo
Authors: Nightingale Andrea J. , Gonda Noémi , Eriksen Siri H.
Published: October 2021

Alarming rates of environmental change have catalyzed scholars to call for fundamental transformations in social‐political and economic relations. Yet cautionary tales about how power and politics are constitutive of these efforts fill the literature. We show how a relational framing of adaptation and transformation demands a political, cross‐scalar, and socionatural analysis to probe the affects and effects of climate change and better grasp how transformative change unfolds. We bring affect theory into conversation with the literature on adaptation politics, socio‐environmental transformations, subjectivity, and our empirical work to frame our analysis around three under investigated aspects of transformation: (i) the uncertain and unpredictable relations that constitute socionatures; (ii) other ways of knowing; and (iii) the affective and emotional relations that form a basis for action. Affective adaptation represents a different ontological take on transformation by reframing the socionatural, normative and ethical aspects as relational, uncertain, and performative. This directs analytical attention to processes rather than outcomes. The emphasis on the encounter between bodies in affect theory points to the need for experiential and embodied ways of knowing climate to effect transformative change. Effective transformation requires recognizing uncertainty and unpredictability aspart oftransformative processes. This is not because all outcomes are acceptable, but rather because uncertainty and unpredictability are elements which help generate affects (action) and emotional commitment to shared human and more than human relations in action, projects, and policies.

This article is categorized under:

Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Values‐Based Approach to Vulnerability and Adaptation
Thermodynamic cycles for solar thermal power plants: A review
Authors: Muñoz Marta , Rovira Antonio , Montes María José
Published: October 2021

Solar thermal power plants for electricity production include, at least, two main systems: the solar field and the power block. Regarding this last one, the particular thermodynamic cycle layout and the working fluid employed, have a decisive influence in the plant performance. In turn, this selection depends on the solar technology employed. Currently, the steam Rankine cycle is the most widespread and commercially available option, usually coupled to a parabolic trough solar field. However, other configurations have been implemented in solar thermal plants worldwide. Most of them are based on other solar technologies also coupled to a steam Rankine cycle, although integrated solar combined cycles have a significant level of implementation. In the first place, power block configurations based on conventional thermodynamic cycles—Rankine, Brayton, and combined Brayton–Rankine—are described. The achievements and challenges of each proposal are highlighted, for example, the benefits involved in hybrid solar source/fossil fuel plants. In the second place, proposals of advanced power block configurations are analyzed, standing out: supercritical CO2 Brayton cycles, advanced organic Rankine cycles, and innovative integrated solar combined cycles. Each of these proposals shows some advantages compared to the conventional layouts in certain power or source temperature ranges and hence they could be considered attractive options in the medium term. At last, a brief review of proposals of solar thermal integration with other renewable heat sources is also included.

This article is categorized under:

Concentrating Solar Power > Systems and Infrastructure

Energy Efficiency > Systems and Infrastructure

Energy Research & Innovation > Systems and Infrastructure
How do you solve a problem like Maria? The politics of disaster response in Puerto Rico, Florida and Texas
Authors: Willison Charley E. , Singer Phillip M. , Creary Melissa S. , Vaziri Soha , Stott Jerry , Greer Scott L.
Published: October 2021

COVID‐19 is not the first, nor the last, public health challenge the US political system has faced. Understanding drivers of governmental responses to public health emergencies is important for policy decision‐making, planning, health and social outcomes, and advocacy. We use federal political disaster‐aid debates to examine political factors related to variations in outcomes for Puerto Rico, Texas, and Florida after the 2017 hurricane season. Despite the comparable need and unprecedented mortality, Puerto Rico received delayed and substantially less aid. We find bipartisan participation in floor debates over aid to Texas and Florida, but primarily Democrat participation for Puerto Rican aid. Yet, deliberation and participation in the debates were strongly influenced by whether a state or district was at risk of natural disasters. Nearly one‐third of all states did not participate in any aid debate. States' local disaster risk levels and political parties' attachments to different racial and ethnic groups may help explain Congressional public health disaster response failures. These lessons are of increasing importance in the face of growing collective action problems around the climate crisis and subsequent emergent threats from natural disasters.
The elusive challenge of leadership development at faith‐based institutions
Authors: Jun Alexander , Aronson Samuel J.
Published: October 2021

This article describes the rationale given by many faith‐based institutions of higher education for creating and promoting leadership programs. A brief overview of the history of faith based educational institutions is followed by an explanation of the motivations of several different schools for creating and funding leadership programs, as well as the limitations of those programs. The article concludes with suggestions for how these programs can benefit more students and the wider community.
Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) role in the development of Latinx student leaders
Authors: Venegas Kristan M.
Published: October 2021

According to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) are defined as colleges, universities, or system/districts where total Hispanic enrollment constitutes a minimum of 25% of the total enrollment. Due to the enrollment dependent nature of HSIs, an institution's designation may change over time. This article will include a discussion of how HSIs develop campus cultures that go beyond their designation to support the leader development of students.
Leadership education in professional and graduate schools
Authors: Simen Janice Hoffman , Meyer Tina
Published: October 2021

This article makes a case for the need of graduate leadership curricula, including professional programs such as health care, law, and engineering. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is focused on as a critical piece of this leadership curricula.
J‐ADMM for a multi‐contact problem in electro‐elastostatics
Authors: Essoufi El‐Hassan , Zafrar Abderrahim
Published: October 2021

In this work we apply a regularized alternating direction method of multiplier of Jacobi type (J‐ADMM) to a frictional multi‐contact (both unilateral and bilateral) problem between an electro‐elastic material and a rigid non conductive foundations. The frictional contact is modelled by the Coulomb friction law. The resulted problem is non symmetric and non coercive. By dissociating the electric potential from the mechanical field, we obtain a symmetric and coercive problem which can be reformulated as a convex minimization problem. We then apply a J‐ADMM for the numerical approximation to the resulting perturbed elastic problem. The resolution of obtained sub‐problems is based on convex dualities. Numerical experiments are proposed to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed approach.
Luteal phase length, endometrial edema, and behavior differentiate post‐ovulatory events in a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
Authors: Magnus Gabriel , Dutton Christopher , Mastromonaco Gabriela , Gartley Cathy , MacDonald Suzanne , Franke Maria
Published: October 2021

Despite decades of reproductive research on the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), the post‐ovulatory phase continues to confound zoologists in conservation and breeding centers around the world, often resulting in significant investments of time and resources without reproductive success. The purpose of this project was to document and compare post‐ovulatory characteristics during a non‐productive and productive breeding in the same individual in consecutive years. A multidisciplinary approach was used to monitor the visiting female giant panda at the Toronto Zoo through the luteal phase of her first two full reproductive cycles in 2014 and 2015. Monitoring occurred via urine‐endocrine analysis, weekly ultrasound examinations, and continuous behavioral observations. The 2014 reproductive cycle consisted of a pseudopregnancy, characterized by an extended luteal phase (241 days), the identification of endometrial edema and folding during ultrasound examinations, and a lack of strong association between behavior patterns and urinary progestagen secretion. The 2015 reproductive cycle included increased feeding time through the primary progestagen rise compared to the previous year, followed by simultaneous decrease in appetite and increases in inactivity, resting, sitting upright, and pre‐partum‐associated behaviors. These changes began 25 days before the birth of twins on Day 153 post‐ovulation. Both fetuses were detected via ultrasound 15 days pre‐partum. These results suggest that an absence of pre‐partum behaviors, ultrasound evidence of endometrial edema without a fetus, and an extended luteal phase may be indicative of pseudopregnancy in giant pandas. Simultaneous monitoring of morphology, behavior, and urinary‐endocrine profiles showed clear differences between successful and unsuccessful reproductive years.
Bubble bag end: a bubbly resolution of curvature singularity
Authors: Bah Ibrahima , Heidmann Pierre
Published: October 2021

Abstract

We construct a family of smooth charged bubbling solitons in $$ \mathbbm{M} $$
M
4×T2, four-dimensional Minkowski with a two-torus. The solitons are characterized by a degeneration pattern of the torus along a line in $$ \mathbbm{M} $$
M
4 defining a chain of topological cycles. They live in the same parameter regime as non-BPS non-extremal four-dimensional black holes, and are ultracompact with sizes ranging from miscroscopic to macroscopic scales. The six-dimensional framework can be embedded in type IIB supergravity where the solitons are identified with geometric transitions of non-BPS D1-D5-KKm bound states. Interestingly, the geometries admit a minimal surface that smoothly opens up to a bubbly end of space. Away from the solitons, the solutions are indistinguishable from a new class of singular geometries. By taking a limit of large number of bubbles, the soliton geometries can be matched arbitrarily close to the singular spacetimes. This provides the first classical resolution of a curvature singularity beyond the framework of supersymmetry and supergravity by blowing up topological cycles wrapped by fluxes at the vicinity of the singularity.
Fünf Jahre AAC-Netzwerk: Ein digitales System zur Amtshilfe bei der Lebens- und Futtermittelkontrolle im Europäischen Wirtschaftsraum
Authors: Schweigel Christine , Jagurinoski Nikolčo , Mellenthin Annett
Published: October 2021

Das Netzwerk für Amtshilfe und Zusammenarbeit (Administrative Assistance and Cooperation, kurz AAC) ist gemäß Titel IV der Verordnung (EU) 2017/625 von den Kontrollbehörden der Mitgliedstaaten zu verwenden, um Informationen zu Verstößen in der Lebensmittelproduktionskette auszutauschen. Nach einer erfolgreichen Einsatzphase im Bereich Lebensmittelbetrug wurde 2016 eine Onlineplattform zum Informationsaustausch in der Allgemeinen Amtshilfe initiiert, um einfache Verstöße gegen das Lebensmittel- und Futtermittelrecht schneller adressieren zu können. Seitdem arbeitet das Netzwerk auf Grundlage eines effizienten, digitalen Informationsmanagementsystems. Der vorliegende Artikel beleuchtet Hintergründe und Entwicklung des behördeninternen Systems.
Cerebral derailment after myocardial infarct: mechanisms and effects of the signaling from the ischemic heart to brain
Authors: Gelosa Paolo , Castiglioni Laura , Rzemieniec Joanna , Muluhie Majeda , Camera Marina , Sironi Luigi
Published: October 2021

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of death among ischemic heart diseases and is associated with several long-term cardiovascular complications, such as angina, re-infarction, arrhythmias, and heart failure. However, MI is frequently accompanied by non-cardiovascular multiple comorbidities, including brain disorders such as stroke, anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment. Accumulating experimental and clinical evidence suggests a causal relationship between MI and stroke, but the precise underlying mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. Indeed, the risk of stroke remains a current challenge in patients with MI, in spite of the improvement of medical treatment among this patient population has reduced the risk of stroke. In this review, the effects of the signaling from the ischemic heart to the brain, such as neuroinflammation, neuronal apoptosis, and neurogenesis, and the possible actors mediating these effects, such as systemic inflammation, immunoresponse, extracellular vesicles, and microRNAs, are discussed.
Electoral systems and income inequality: a tale of political equality
Authors: Zuazu Izaskun
Published: October 2021

The link between democracy and within-country income inequality remains an unresolved quest in the literature of political economy. To look into this debate, I propose exploring the implications of electoral systems, rather than political regimes, on income inequality. I surmise that proportional representation systems should be associated with lower income inequality than majoritarian or mixed systems. Further, I conjecture that the relationship between electoral systems and income inequality hinges on the de facto distribution of real political power, namely political equality. I use data on 85 countries covering the period 1960–2016 and specify models able to capture the persistence and mean reversion of income inequality. The estimates fail to significantly associate democracy with income inequality, and find other political institutions to significantly shape income inequality. The paper finds a robust association between more proportional systems and lower income inequality. However, this association depends on political equality. Changes towards proportional representation systems seem to lower income inequality at low and medium levels of political equality. Strikingly, instrumental variable estimates show that changes in electoral systems in political equal societies increases income inequality.
Effects of methylphenidate on reinforcement learning depend on working memory capacity
Authors: Rostami Kandroodi Mojtaba , Cook Jennifer L. , Swart Jennifer C. , Froböse Monja I. , Geurts Dirk E. M. , Vahabie Abdol-Hossein , Nili Ahmadabadi Majid , Cools Roshan , den Ouden Hanneke E. M.
Published: October 2021

Rationale

Brain catecholamines have long been implicated in reinforcement learning, exemplified by catecholamine drug and genetic effects on probabilistic reversal learning. However, the mechanisms underlying such effects are unclear.

Objectives and methods

Here we investigated effects of an acute catecholamine challenge with methylphenidate (20 mg, oral) on a novel probabilistic reversal learning paradigm in a within-subject, double-blind randomised design. The paradigm was designed to disentangle effects on punishment avoidance from effects on reward perseveration. Given the known large individual variability in methylphenidate’s effects, we stratified our effects by working memory capacity and trait impulsivity, putatively modulating the effects of methylphenidate, in a large sample (n = 102) of healthy volunteers.

Results

Contrary to our prediction, methylphenidate did not alter performance in the reversal phase of the task. Our key finding is that methylphenidate altered learning of choice-outcome contingencies in a manner that depended on individual variability in working memory span. Specifically, methylphenidate improved performance by adaptively reducing the effective learning rate in participants with higher working memory capacity.

Conclusions

This finding emphasises the important role of working memory in reinforcement learning, as reported in influential recent computational modelling and behavioural work, and highlights the dependence of this interplay on catecholaminergic function.
Motion blur treatment utilizing deep learning for time-resolved particle image velocimetry
Authors: Oh Jeong Suk , Lee Hoonsang , Hwang Wontae
Published: October 2021

A new method is hereby presented to reduce motion blur induced error of time-resolved particle image velocimetry. The Monte-Carlo method (MCM) was applied to synthetic images to quantify the error due to blurred particle images. As the size of the streaks grew, it caused large errors in estimating displacements and increased the frequency of outliers beyond 20% for some cases. The mean displacement error was also about 0.2 – 0.55 px, which is larger than the nominally accepted PIV uncertainty of 0.1 px. A novel deblur filter (i.e., the generator) using a generative adversarial network (GAN) was developed, using 1 million synthetic images. The generator was verified using unlearned data from the MCM. The frequency of outliers, which was originally higher than 20% for the worst case, decreased to about 6%, and the displacement error was reduced to less than 0.3 px. The generator was applied to actual experimental images of a synthetic jet that had image blur and resulted in a substantial reduction of outliers. We also checked the performance of the generator in a uniform channel flow, and found that the deblurred images resulted in less PIV velocity error, and was closer to the results from the sharp images than those from the blurry images.

Graphic abstract
A systematic review of the use of subcortical intraoperative electrical stimulation mapping for monitoring of executive deficits and neglect: what is the evidence so far?
Authors: Landers Maud J. F. , Sitskoorn Margriet M. , Rutten Geert-Jan M. , Mandonnet Emmanuel , De Baene Wouter
Published: October 2021

Background

Over the past decade, the functional importance of white matter pathways has been increasingly acknowledged in neurosurgical planning. A method to directly study anatomo-functional correlations is direct electrical stimulation (DES). DES has been widely accepted by neurosurgeons as a reliable tool to minimize the occurrence of permanent postoperative motor, vision, and language deficits. In recent years, DES has also been used for stimulation mapping of other cognitive functions, such as executive functions and visuospatial awareness.

Methods

The aim of this review is to summarize the evidence so far from DES studies on subcortical pathways that are involved in visuospatial awareness and in the following three executive functions: (1) inhibitory control, (2) working memory, and (3) cognitive flexibility.

Results

Eleven articles reported on intraoperative electrical stimulation of white matter pathways to map the cognitive functions and explicitly clarified which subcortical tract was stimulated. The results indicate that the right SLF-II is involved in visuospatial awareness, the left SLF-III and possibly the right SLF-I are involved in working memory, and the cingulum is involved in cognitive flexibility.

Conclusions

We were unable to draw any more specific conclusions, nor unequivocally establish the critical involvement of pathways in executive functions or visuospatial awareness due to the heterogeneity of the study types and methods, and the limited number of studies that assessed these relationships. Possible approaches for future research to obtain converging and more definite evidence for the involvement of pathways in specific cognitive functions are discussed.
Microvascular decompression in trigeminal neuralgia: predictors of pain relief, complication avoidance, and lessons learned
Authors: Herta Johannes , Schmied Tobias , Loidl Theresa Bettina , Wang Wei-te , Marik Wolfgang , Winter Fabian , Tomschik Matthias , Ferraz-Leite Heber , Rössler Karl , Dorfer Christian
Published: October 2021

Objective

To analyze characteristics associated with long-term pain relief after microvascular decompression (MVD) for trigeminal neuralgia (TGN). Description of associated morbidity and complication avoidance.

Methods

One hundred sixty-five patients with TGN underwent 171 MVD surgeries at the authors’ institution. Patient characteristics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) datasets were obtained through the hospital’s archiving system. Patients provided information about pre- and post-operative pain characteristics and neurologic outcome. Favorable outcome was defined as a Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity score of I to III with post-operative improvement of I grade.

Results

Type of TGN pain with purely paroxysmal pain (p = 0.0202*) and TGN classification with classical TGN (p = 0.0372*) were the only significant predictors for long-term pain relief. Immediate pain relief occurred in 90.6% of patients with a recurrence rate of 39.4% after 3.5 ± 4.6 years. MRI reporting of a neurovascular conflict had a low negative predictive value of 39.6%. Mortality was 0% with major complications observed in 8.2% of patients. Older age was associated with lower complication rates (p = 0.0009***). Re-MVD surgeries showed improved long-term pain relief in four out of five cases.

Conclusions

MVD is a safe and effective procedure even in the elderly. It has the unique potential to cure TGN if performed on a regular basis, and if key surgical steps are respected. Early MVD should be offered in case of medical treatment failure and paroxysmal pain symptoms. The presence of a neurovascular conflict on MRI is not mandatory. In case of recurrence, re-MVD is a good treatment option that should be discussed with patients.

Highlights

• Long-term analysis of pain relief after MVD.

• Positive predictors for outcome: classical TGN and purely paroxysmal pain.

• Presence of neurovascular conflict in MRI is not mandatory for MVD surgery.

• Analysis of complications and surgical nuances for avoidance.

• MVD is a safe procedure also in the elderly.
Insulin stimulates β-alanine uptake in skeletal muscle cells in vitro
Authors: Santos Lívia , Gonçalves L. S. , Bagheri-Hanei Shirin , Möller Gabriella Berwig , Sale Craig , James Ruth M. , Artioli Guilherme Giannini
Published: October 2021

We evaluated whether insulin could stimulate β-alanine uptake by skeletal muscle cells in vitro. Mouse myoblasts (C2C12) (n = 3 wells per condition) were cultured with β-alanine (350 or 700 µmol·L−1), with insulin (100 µU·mL−1) either added to the media or not. Insulin stimulated the β-alanine uptake at the lower (350 µmol·L−1) but not higher (700 µmol·L−1) β-alanine concentration in culture medium, indicating that transporter saturation might blunt the stimulatory effects of insulin.
Improving data quality in large-scale repositories through conflict resolution
Authors: Kulmukhametov Artur , Rauber Andreas , Becker Christoph
Published: October 2021

Digital repositories rely on technical metadata to manage their objects. The output of characterization tools is aggregated and analyzed through content profiling. The accuracy and correctness of characterization tools vary; they frequently produce contradicting outputs, resulting in metadata conflicts. The resulting metadata conflicts limit scalable preservation risk assessment and repository management. This article presents and evaluates a rule-based approach to improving data quality in this scenario through expert-conducted conflict resolution. We characterize the data quality challenges and present a method for developing conflict resolution rules to improve data quality. We evaluate the method and the resulting data quality improvements in an experiment on a publicly available document collection. The results demonstrate that our approach enables the effective resolution of conflicts by producing rules that reduce the number of conflicts in the data set from 17 to 3%. This replicable method for presents a significant improvement in content profiling technology for digital repositories, since the enhanced data quality can improve risk assessment and preservation management in digital repository systems.
Stress calculation on bevel gears with FEM influence vectors
Authors: Mieth Frederik , Ulrich Carsten , Schlecht Berthold
Published: October 2021

In order to be able to carry out an optimal gear design with the aim of cost reduction and the careful handling of resources, load capacity is an important criterion for the evaluation of a gear. For the calculation of the flank and root load capacity, a precise loaded tooth contact analysis (LTCA) is necessary. With LTCA software like BECAL, influence numbers are used to calculate the deformation of the gear. These influence numbers are calculated with a BEM-module and considered for calculating the local root stress. This method simplifies the coupling stiffness in tooth width direction with a decay function and neglects the influence of local differences in tooth stiffness. In this publication, this simplification shall be questioned and evaluated.

Therefore, a new method for calculating stress with FEM influence vectors is presented. This method enables the calculation of full stress tensors at any desired location in the gear with the efficiency of the influence number method. Additionally, the influence of local stiffness variations in the gear is taken into account. Various gear examples show the influence of material connections at the pinion root and the influence of the rim thickness of a wheel on the root stress. To validate the accuracy and the time efficiency of the new calculation method and to compare the results to current state-of-the-art simulations, a well-documented series of tests from the literature is recalculated and evaluated.
Intra- and interspecific variation in self-control capacities of parrots in a delay of gratification task
Authors: Brucks Désirée , Petelle Matthew , Baldoni Cecilia , Krasheninnikova Anastasia , Rovegno Eleonora , von Bayern Auguste M. P.
Published: October 2021

Forgoing immediate satisfaction for higher pay-offs in the future (delayed gratification) could be adaptive in situations that wild animals may encounter. To explain species-differences in self-control, hypotheses based on social complexity, feeding ecology, brain size and metabolic rate have been proposed. To explore these hypotheses in a comparative setting, we tested three macaw species (neotropical parrots)—great green macaws (N = 8), blue-throated macaws (N = 6), blue-headed macaws (N = 6)—and the distantly related African grey parrots (afrotropical parrots;N = 8) in a modified rotating tray task, in which subjects are required to inhibit consuming a constantly available low-quality reward in favour of a high-quality reward that becomes available only after an increasing delay (min. 5 s, max. 60 s). All four species successfully waited for a minimum of 8.3 s ± 11.7 s (group level mean ± SD) with African greys reaching a delay of 29.4 ± 15.2 s, and great green macaws—as best performing macaw species—tolerating delays of 20 s ± 8 s. The best performing African grey individual reached a maximum delay of 50 s, whereas, a great green and a blue-throated macaw tolerated a delay of 30 s max. Females tolerated higher maximum delays than males. Engaging in distraction behaviours enhanced waiting performance across species and all birds were able to anticipate the waiting duration. Our results suggest that both feeding and socio-ecological complexity may be a factor in self-control, but further systematically collected comparative data on self-control of different (parrot) species are required to test the evolutionary hypotheses rigorously.
On the order of convergence of Broyden’s method
Authors: Mannel Florian
Published: October 2021

We present two theoretical results and two surprising conjectures concerning convergence properties of Broyden’s method for smooth nonlinear systems of equations. First, we show that when Broyden’s method is applied to a nonlinear mapping $$F:\mathbb {R}^n\rightarrow \mathbb {R}^n$$

F
:

R

n

→

R

n

with $$n-d$$

n
-
d

affine component functions and the initial matrix $$B_0$$

B
0

is chosen suitably, then the generated sequence $$(u^k,F(u^k),B_k)_{k\ge 1}$$

(

u
k

,
F

(

u
k

)

,

B
k

)

k
≥
1

can be identified with a lower-dimensional sequence that is also generated by Broyden’s method. This property enables us to prove, second, that for such mixed linear–nonlinear systems of equations a proper choice of $$B_0$$

B
0

ensures 2d-step q-quadratic convergence, which improves upon the previously known 2n steps. Numerical experiments of high precision confirm the faster convergence and show that it is not available if $$B_0$$

B
0

deviates from the correct choice. In addition, the experiments suggest two surprising possibilities: It seems that Broyden’s method is $$(2d-1)$$

(
2
d
-
1
)

-step q-quadratically convergent for $$d>1$$

d
>
1

and that it admits a q-order of convergence of $$2^{1/(2d)}$$

2

1
/
(
2
d
)

. These conjectures are new even for $$d=n$$

d
=
n

.
Maternal–Fetal Surgery: Does Recognising Fetal Patienthood Pose a Threat to Pregnant Women’s Autonomy?
Authors: Begović Dunja
Published: October 2021

Maternal–fetal surgery (MFS) encompasses a range of innovative procedures aiming to treat fetal illnesses and anomalies during pregnancy. Their development and gradual introduction into healthcare raise important ethical issues concerning respect for pregnant women’s bodily integrity and autonomy. This paper asks what kind of ethical framework should be employed to best regulate the practice of MFS without eroding the hard-won rights of pregnant women. I examine some existing models conceptualising the relationship between a pregnant woman and the fetus to determine what kind of framework is the most adequate for MFS, and conclude that an ecosystem or maternal–fetal dyad model is best suited for upholding women’s autonomy. However, I suggest that an appropriate framework needs to incorporate some notion of fetal patienthood, albeit a very limited one, in order to be consistent with the views of healthcare providers and their pregnant patients. I argue that such an ethical framework is both theoretically sound and fundamentally respectful of women’s autonomy, and is thus best suited to protect women from coercion or undue paternalism when deciding whether to undergo MFS.
Understanding the Academic Success of Academically Talented College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Reis Sally M. , Gelbar Nicholas W. , Madaus Joseph W.
Published: October 2021

Little is known about the academic and extra-curricular experiences of academically talented students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study focused on how these capable students with ASD successfully navigated and completed high school, and specifically, the experiences that enabled them to attend competitive colleges. Using comparative case studies and directed content analysis, data were derived from semi-structured interviews with 40 students who had been identified as academically talented with ASD, and were enrolled in, or recently graduated from, highly competitive colleges in the United States. The majority were identified as having academic talents, participated in challenging honors classes, enrichment opportunities, interest-based extra-curricular activities, residential summer programs, and pursued other advanced educational experiences. Implications for educational and talent development services are included.
An informationally complete Wigner function for the Tavis–Cummings model
Authors: Rundle Russell P. , Everitt Mark J.
Published: October 2021

Here we consider an informationally complete Wigner function approach to look at multiple atoms (qubits) coupled to a field mode. We consider the Tavis–Cummings interaction between a single field mode with two qubits and then with five.
Sustainable urban mobility: evidence from three developed European countries
Authors: Punzo Gennaro , Panarello Demetrio , Castellano Rosalia
Published: October 2021

The importance acquired by private cars as the leading travel mode in most advanced countries has drawn attention to concerns related to pro-environmental travel behaviour. Indeed, the car has brought great benefits to society, albeit causing a whole lot of environmental and socio-economic consequences. In this perspective, we exploit Eurobarometer data on the attitudes of Europeans towards urban mobility to investigate the main motivations of citizens’ public transport use frequency. Ordered logistic regressions are estimated by country (Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands) and by gender. Our results suggest the key role played by a comprehensive set of socio-demographic, economic, and environmental aspects in determining urban travel behaviour. Moreover, our investigation brings to light some relevant cross-country and cross-gender commonalities and differences. The provided evidence may give policymakers a better knowledge of travel behaviour, useful for designing new interventions for environmentally-sustainable travelling.
Association between metabolic syndrome components and chronic kidney disease among 37,533 old Chinese individuals
Authors: Xu Lingling , Liu Jin , Li Dongling , Yang Hua , Zhou Yang , Yang Junwei
Published: October 2021

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a worldwide health problem among aging populations. However, epidemiological information on Chinese elderly people with CKD is still lacking. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological features and associated risk factors of CKD in aging population in China.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, a total of 37,533 individuals aged ≥ 65 years were enrolled in Binhai from January to December 2018. The crude and standardized prevalence of CKD were calculated. Associations of metabolism-related indicators with CKD were examined using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

The overall prevalence of CKD was 17.7% (95% confidence interval 17.3–18.1%) in this Chinese elderly population. The prevalence was 17.5% among men (95% CI 17.0–18.1%) and 17.8% among women (95% CI 17.3–18.4%). The mean eGFR was 84.22 (SD ± 12.87) mL/min/1.73 m2, with the median value higher for women than for men.

Conclusion

Our study shows a high prevalence of CKD among Chinese elderly population. Aging, pre-HTN, HTN, elevated triglyceride, and FBG were associated with the risk of CKD. More attention should be paid to metabolic diseases to prevent CKD in the elderly.
A comparative mapping of plant species diversity using ensemble learning algorithms combined with high accuracy surface modeling
Authors: Zhao Yapeng , Yin Xiaozhe , Fu Yan , Yue Tianxiang
Published: October 2021

Plant species diversity (PSD) has always been an essential component of biodiversity and plays an important role in ecosystem functions and services. However, it is still a huge challenge to simulate the spatial distribution of PSD due to the difficulties of data acquisition and unsatisfactory performance of predicting algorithms over large areas. A surge in the number of remote sensing imagery, along with the great success of machine learning, opens new opportunities for the mapping of PSD. Therefore, different machine learning algorithms combined with high-accuracy surface modeling (HASM) were firstly proposed to predict the PSD in the Xinghai, northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. Spectral reflectance and vegetation indices, generated from Landsat 8 images, and environmental variables were taken as the potential explanatory factors of machine learning models including least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso), ridge regression (Ridge), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Random Forest (RF). The prediction generated from these machine learning methods and in situ observation data were integrated by using HASM for the high-accuracy mapping of PSD including three species diversity indices. The results showed that PSD was closely associated with vegetation indices, followed by spectral reflectance and environmental factors. XGBoost combined with HASM (HASM-XGBoost) showed the best performance with the lowest MAE and RMSE. Our results suggested that the fusion of heterogeneous data and the ensemble of heterogeneous models may revolutionize our ability to predict the PSD over large areas, especially in some places limited by sparse field samples.