bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organ manifestations of COVID-19: what have we learned so far (not only) from autopsies?
Authors: Jonigk Danny , Werlein Christopher , Acker Till , Aepfelbacher Martin , Amann Kerstin U. , Baretton Gustavo , Barth Peter , Bohle Rainer M. , Büttner Andreas , Büttner Reinhard , Dettmeyer Reinhard , Eichhorn Philip , Elezkurtaj Sefer , Esposito Irene , Evert Katja , Evert Matthias , Fend Falko , Gaßler Nikolaus , Gattenlöhner Stefan , Glatzel Markus , Göbel Heike , Gradhand Elise , Hansen Torsten , Hartmann Arndt , Heinemann Axel , Heppner Frank L. , Hilsenbeck Julia , Horst David , Kamp Jan C. , Mall Gita , Märkl Bruno , Ondruschka Benjamin , Pablik Jessica , Pfefferle Susanne , Quaas Alexander , Radbruch Helena , Röcken Christoph , Rosenwald Andreas , Roth Wilfried , Rudelius Martina , Schirmacher Peter , Slotta-Huspenina Julia , Smith Kevin , Sommer Linna , Stock Konrad , Ströbel Philipp , Strobl Stephanie , Titze Ulf , Weirich Gregor , Weis Joachim , Werner Martin , Wickenhauser Claudia , Wiech Thorsten , Wild Peter , Welte Tobias , von Stillfried Saskia , Boor Peter
Published: April 2022

The use of autopsies in medicine has been declining. The COVID-19 pandemic has documented and rejuvenated the importance of autopsies as a tool of modern medicine. In this review, we discuss the various autopsy techniques, the applicability of modern analytical methods to understand the pathophysiology of COVID-19, the major pathological organ findings, limitations or current studies, and open questions. This article summarizes published literature and the consented experience of the nationwide network of clinical, neuro-, and forensic pathologists from 27 German autopsy centers with more than 1200 COVID-19 autopsies. The autopsy tissues revealed that SARS-CoV-2 can be found in virtually all human organs and tissues, and the majority of cells. Autopsies have revealed the organ and tissue tropism of SARS-CoV-2, and the morphological features of COVID-19. This is characterized by diffuse alveolar damage, combined with angiocentric disease, which in turn is characterized by endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, (micro-) thrombosis, vasoconstriction, and intussusceptive angiogenesis. These findings explained the increased pulmonary resistance in COVID-19 and supported the recommendations for antithrombotic treatment in COVID-19. In contrast, in extra-respiratory organs, pathological changes are often nonspecific and unclear to which extent these changes are due to direct infection vs. indirect/secondary mechanisms of organ injury, or a combination thereof. Ongoing research using autopsies aims at answering questions on disease mechanisms, e.g., focusing on variants of concern, and future challenges, such as post-COVID conditions. Autopsies are an invaluable tool in medicine and national and international interdisciplinary collaborative autopsy-based research initiatives are essential.
Cytomegalovirus immune evasion sets the functional avidity threshold for protection by CD8 T cells
Authors: Hamdan Sara , Reddehase Matthias J. , Holtappels Rafaela
Published: April 2022

Conflicting hallmarks are attributed to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. CMVs are viewed as being master tacticians in “immune evasion” by subverting essentially all pathways of innate and adaptive immunity. On the other hand, CMV disease is undeniably restricted to the immunologically immature or immunocompromised host, whereas an intact immune system prevents virus spread, cytopathogenic tissue infection, and thus pathological organ manifestations. Therefore, the popular term “immune evasion” is apparently incongruous with the control of CMV infections in the immunocompetent human host as well as in experimental non-human primate and rodent models. Here, we review recent work from the mouse model that resolves this obvious discrepancy for the example of the virus-specific CD8 T-cell response. Immune evasion proteins encoded by murine CMV (mCMV) interfere with the cell surface trafficking of antigenic peptide-loaded MHC class-I (pMHC-I) complexes and thereby reduce their numbers available for interaction with T-cell receptors of CD8 T cells; but this inhibition is incomplete. As a consequence, while CD8 T cells with low interaction avidity fail to receive sufficient signaling for triggering their antiviral effector function in the presence of immune evasion proteins in infected cells, a few pMHC-I complexes that escape to the cell surface are sufficient for sensitizing high-avidity CD8 T cells. It is thus proposed that the function of immune evasion proteins is to raise the avidity threshold for activation, so that in the net result, only high-avidity cells can protect. An example showing that immune evasion proteins can make the difference between life and death is the lacking control of infection in a mouse model of MHC-I histoincompatible hematopoietic cell transplantation (allogeneic-HCT). In this model, only low-avidity CD8 T cells become reconstituted by HCT and almost all infected HCT recipients die of multiple-organ CMV disease when immune evasion proteins are expressed. In contrast, lowering the avidity threshold for antigen recognition by deletion of immune evasion proteins allowed control of infection and rescued from death.
Prevalence and diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites across islands of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea
Authors: Amaya-Mejia Wilmer , Dodge Molly , Morris Brett , Dumbacher John P. , Sehgal Ravinder N. M.
Published: April 2022

The taxonomically diverse and relatively understudied avifauna of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) island archipelagos provide a unique ecological framework for studying haemosporidian parasite differentiation and geographic structure. We implemented molecular and phylogenetic analyses of partial mitochondrial DNA sequences to assess the host distribution of 3 genera of vector-transmitted avian blood parasites (Plasmodium,LeucocytozoonandHaemoproteus) across a range of islands off the southeastern tip of PNG. We identified 40 new lineages of haemosporidians, including five lineages belonging toLeucocytozoon, a genus not previously described in this region.Leucocytozooninfections were only observed on the larger, human-inhabited islands. Lineages belonging toHaemoproteuswere diverse and had broad geographic distribution. Compared to the mainland,Haemoproteusparasites on the smaller, more distant islands had greater host specificity and lower infection prevalence. The black sunbird (Leptocoma aspasia), a commonly caught species, was shown to be a rare host forHaemoproteusspp. infections. Moreover, although birds of the genusPitohuiharbor a neurotoxin (homobatrachotoxin), they demonstrated an infection prevalence comparable to other bird species. The islands of PNG display heterogeneous patterns of haemosporidian diversity, distribution and host-specificity and serve as a valuable model system for studying host-parasite-vector interactions.
Current status of intestinal parasitosis among patients attending teaching hospitals in Zagazig district, Northeastern Egypt
Authors: Omar Marwa , Abdelal Heba O.
Published: April 2022

Almost 80% of health problems in the developing world are due to malnutrition and infectious diseases, which are mainly parasitic. Updated records on the prevalence of parasitic infections and the potential risk factors are essential to enhancing control strategies. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the current situation of intestinal parasitism among patients attending teaching hospitals in Zagazig district, Northeastern Egypt. The study involved five hundred cases. They were all subjected to faecal examination using direct smear measure and two commercial faecal concentrators: Mini-Parasep® solvent-free and Mini-FLOTAC procedures. Mini-FLOTAC was performed with two solutions (FS2: saturated sodium chloride and FS7: zinc sulphate). The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 56%. Different species were identified, likeGiardia lamblia(12.6%),Entamoeba histolytica/dispar(10%),Ascaris lumbricoides(8.8%) andHymenolepis nana(8.6%). Data analyses revealed a significant association of intestinal parasitism with different socio-demographic features of the participants. Our results showed a better diagnostic performance of Mini-Parasep® in the overall recovery of intestinal parasites. It was more accurate than Mini-FLOTAC in diagnosing both helminths and protozoan infections. Mini-FLOTAC (FS2) exhibited a higher sensitivity than FS7 for helminth recovery (74.6% vs 53.4%), while FS7 was more sensitive for protozoan infections (50.6% vs 43.8%). Intestinal parasitosis remains a challenging health problem in Zagazig city, wherever reliable diagnostic approaches are limited. Thus, our study has proposed the value of the commercial concentrators (Mini-Parasep® and Mini-FLOTAC) as alternative techniques for diagnosing a large variety of parasite species in resource-constrained settings.
First description of Eucoleus garfiai (Gallego and Mas-Coma, 1975) in wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Italy
Authors: Pacifico Laura , Sgadari Maria Francesca , D’Alessio Nicola , Buono Francesco , Restucci Brunella , Sgroi Giovanni , Ottaviano Martina , Antoniciello Martina , Fioretti Alessandro , Tamponi Claudia , Varcasia Antonio , Veneziano Vincenzo
Published: April 2022

Eucoleus garfiai (syn. Capillaria garfiai) is a nematode infecting lingual tissue of domestic and wild swine. Prevalence data for this parasite are scant and often related to accidental findings, occurring only in Japan and a few European countries. In this study, an epidemiological survey was performed in order to identify E. garfiai in wild boar from the Campania region, southern Italy. A total of 153 wild boar carcasses were inspected over the course of two hunting seasons (2019–2020). Histological examinations were performed on tongue samples fixed and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. The scraping of dorsal tongue tissue was carried out to collect adult worms for parasitological examination. Out of 153 wild boars, 40 (26.1%, 95% CI: 19.8–33.6%) tested positive for helminths and/or eggs in tongue tissues. Parasites were identified morphologically and identification was confirmed by molecular analysis of the 18S rRNA gene, showing a 99% nucleotide match with E. garfiai sequences available in literature. No statistically significant differences were found according to age, sex nor hunting province. Our findings agree with previous histopathological data confirming the low pathogenic impact of this nematode. The present study represents the first report of E. garfiai in wild boar from Italy.
A continuous model for the simulation of manufacturing swarm robotics
Authors: Auricchio Ferdinando
Published: April 2022

Manufacturing large and/or complex structural components is today non-trivial and far-too expensive, due to limitations in the state-of-the-art production processes. Swarm robotics could then bring a different perspective and it may promise flexible, autonomous, and highly robust solutions for a large variety of applications; hence, its adoption in industry and construction may change manufacturing rules. The present contribution introduces a continuous model to capture the behavior of a swarm of manufacturing agents (e.g., drones, 3D printers, etc.. ) as well as a very simple, but effective, numerical implementation to simulate the evolution of such a swarm. The paper also presents one- and two-dimensional examples, showing the potentiality of the proposed approach in predicting swarm behaviors.
Deviation from proportionality and Lorenz-domination for claims problems
Authors: Mirás Calvo Miguel Ángel , Núñez Lugilde Iago , Quinteiro Sandomingo Carmen , Sánchez-Rodríguez Estela
Published: April 2022

The Lorenz order is commonly used to compare rules for claims problems. In this paper, we incorporate the average of awards rule, the mean value of the set of awards vectors for a claims problem, to the ranking of the standard rules by proving some properties that are satisfied by this rule. We define a pair of coefficients, inspired by the Gini index, aimed at measuring, for any given claims problem, the discrepancy between the awards assigned by a rule and the proportional division. We generalize the proportionality deviation indices by introducing coefficients that measure the deviation between the awards selected by any two division rules. We show how these deviation indices are related to the Lorenz order.
Development of a transition readiness score for adolescents living with perinatally-acquired HIV and transitioning to adult care
Authors: Zanoni Brian C. , Musinguzi Nicholas , Archary Moherndran , Sibaya Thobekile , Haberer Jessica E.
Published: April 2022

We created a transition readiness score for adolescents with perinatally-acquired HIV as they transition from pediatric to adult care. Of the 199 adolescents who transitioned to adult care, 84 (42%) had viral suppression (< 200 copies/ml) one year after transition. Adolescents on first-line ART, with documented HIV status disclosure, and higher rating on the HIV Adolescent Readiness to Transition Scale had significantly higher odds of viral suppression after transition. Conversely, females, those with older age at ART initiation, and those with prior alcohol use had significantly lower odds of viral suppression after transition. Using these data, we created a transition readiness score organized into low, intermediate, and high levels of transition readiness. This transition readiness score can be used to identify adolescents who are likely ready to transition to adult care and identify additional areas for intervention to improve the likelihood of successful transition for those with lower transition readiness scores.
Mechanistic understanding of the toxic effects of arsenic and warfare arsenicals on human health and environment
Authors: Muzaffar Suhail , Khan Jasim , Srivastava Ritesh , Gorbatyuk Marina S. , Athar Mohammad
Published: April 2022

Worldwide, more than 200 million people are estimated to be exposed to unsafe levels of arsenic. Chronic exposure to unsafe levels of groundwater arsenic is responsible for multiple human disorders, including dermal, cardiovascular, neurological, pulmonary, renal, and metabolic conditions. Consumption of rice and seafood (where high levels of arsenic are accumulated) is also responsible for human exposure to arsenic. The toxicity of arsenic compounds varies greatly and may depend on their chemical form, solubility, and concentration. Surprisingly, synthetic organoarsenicals are extremely toxic molecules which created interest in their development as chemical warfare agents (CWAs) during World War I (WWI). Among these CWAs, adamsite, Clark I, Clark II, and lewisite are of critical importance, as stockpiles of these agents still exist worldwide. In addition, unused WWII weaponized arsenicals discarded in water bodies or buried in many parts of the world continue to pose a serious threat to the environment and human health. Metabolic inhibition, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and epigenetic alterations including micro-RNA-dependent regulation are some of the underlying mechanisms of arsenic toxicity. Mechanistic understanding of the toxicity of organoarsenicals is also critical for the development of effective therapeutic interventions. This review provides comprehensive details and a critical assessment of recently published data on various chemical forms of arsenic, their exposure, and implications on human and environmental health.

Graphical abstract
Cerebrospinal Fluid Profile of Lipid Mediators in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Do Khanh V. , Hjorth Erik , Wang Ying , Jun Bokkyoo , Kautzmann Marie-Audrey I. , Ohshima Makiko , Eriksdotter Maria , Schultzberg Marianne , Bazan Nicolas G.
Published: April 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) develops into dementia over a period of several years, during which subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can be used as intermediary diagnoses of increasing severity. Chronic neuroinflammation resulting from insufficient resolution is involved in the pathogenesis of AD and is associated with cognitive impairment. Specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (LMs) that promote the resolution of inflammation may be valuable markers in AD diagnosis and as therapeutic targets. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze pro-resolving and pro-inflammatory LMs in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with cognitive impairment ranging from subjective impairment to a diagnosis of AD and correlated to cognition, CSF tau, and β-amyloid. Resolvin (Rv) D4, RvD1, neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1), maresin 1 (MaR1), and RvE4 were lower in AD and/or MCI compared to SCI. The pro-inflammatory LTB4 and 15-HETE were higher in AD and MCI, respectively, while PGD2, PGE2, and PGF2a were decreased in AD, compared to SCI. RvD4 was also negatively correlated to AD tangle biomarkers, and positive correlations to cognitive test scores were observed for both pro-resolving LMs and their precursor fatty acids. In this exploratory study of the lipidome in CSF of AD, MCI, and SCI, the results indicate a shift in the LM profile from pro-resolving to pro-inflammatory in progression to AD, suggesting that it may be of use as a biomarker when followed by confirmation by replication studies.

Graphical Abstract
Additive free choice items
Authors: Fălăuş Anamaria , Nicolae Andreea C.
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we aim to account for the distribution and interpretation of a novel class of free choice items in Romanian, which we refer to as additive free choice items (ADD-FCIs). We show that the internal composition of ADD-FCIs, as well as their distribution, differs from that attested for other free choice paradigms discussed in the literature. Morphologically, ADD-FCIs are a more complex variant of regular universal FCIs, by virtue of an additional morpheme. This morpheme plays an additive role when it functions as a stand-alone particle, and we propose that its role is similarly additive when it functions as an infix in ADD-FCIs. Couched in an exhaustification framework, we put forward a novel compositional account that can derive the interpretation of these ADD-FCIs. As for their distribution, these elements are only found in the presence of the conditional mood, as well as unconditional structures. We show how our analysis, coupled with the Viability Constraint used to explain the distribution of regular FCIs, can also account for their restricted distribution. In doing so, we further show how the pattern we investigate opens new perspectives regarding the licensing of free choice items in unconditionals.
Benchmarking Advantage and D-Wave 2000Q quantum annealers with exact cover problems
Authors: Willsch Dennis , Willsch Madita , Gonzalez Calaza Carlos D. , Jin Fengping , De Raedt Hans , Svensson Marika , Michielsen Kristel
Published: April 2022

We benchmark the quantum processing units of the largest quantum annealers to date, the $$5000+$$

5000
+

qubit quantum annealer Advantage and its 2000+ qubit predecessor D-Wave 2000Q, using tail assignment and exact cover problems from aircraft scheduling scenarios. The benchmark set contains small, intermediate, and large problems with both sparsely connected and almost fully connected instances. We find that Advantage outperforms D-Wave 2000Q for almost all problems, with a notable increase in success rate and problem size. In particular, Advantage is also able to solve the largest problems with 120 logical qubits that D-Wave 2000Q cannot solve anymore. Furthermore, problems that can still be solved by D-Wave 2000Q are solved faster by Advantage. We find, however, that D-Wave 2000Q can achieve better success rates for sparsely connected problems that do not require the many new couplers present on Advantage, so improving the connectivity of a quantum annealer does not per se improve its performance.
Onion under Microscope: An in-depth analysis of the Tor Web
Authors: Bernaschi Massimo , Celestini Alessandro , Cianfriglia Marco , Guarino Stefano , Lombardi Flavio , Mastrostefano Enrico
Published: April 2022

Tor is an open source software that allows accessing various kinds of resources, known as hidden services, while guaranteeing sender and receiver anonymity. Tor relies on a free, worldwide, overlay network, managed by volunteers, that works according to the principles of onion routing in which messages are encapsulated in layers of encryption, analogous to layers of an onion. The Tor Web is the set of web resources that exist on the Tor network, and Tor websites are part of the so-called dark web. Recent research works have evaluated Tor security, its evolution over time, and its thematic organization. Nevertheless, limited information is available about the structure of the graph defined by the network of Tor websites, not to be mistaken with the network of nodes that supports the onion routing. The limited number of entry points that can be used to crawl the network, makes the study of this graph far from being simple. In the present paper we analyze two graph representations of the Tor Web and the relationship between contents and structural features, considering three crawling datasets collected over a five-month time frame. Among other findings, we show that Tor consists of a tiny strongly connected component, in which link directories play a central role, and of a multitude of services that can (only) be reached from there. From this viewpoint, the graph appears inefficient. Nevertheless, if we only consider mutual connections, a more efficient subgraph emerges, that is, probably, the backbone of social interactions in Tor.
Response—Liminality and the Mirage of Settlement
Authors: Hooker Claire , Kerridge Ian
Published: April 2022

Little and colleagues’ (1998) paper describing a key aspect of cancer patients’ experience, that of “liminality,” is remarkable for giving articulation to a very common and yet mostly overlooked aspect of patient experience. Little et. al. offered a formulation of liminality that deliberately set aside the concept’s more common use in analysing social rituals, in order to grasp at the interior experience that arises when failing bodily function and awareness of mortality are forced into someone’s consciousness, as occurs with a diagnosis of cancer. We set out the reasons as to why this analysis was so significant in 1998—but we also consider how the “liminality” described by Little and colleagues was (as they suggested) a feature of modernity, founded on what we term “the mirage of settlement.” We argue that this mirage is impossible to sustain in 2022 amid the many forms of un-settling that have characterized late modernity, including climate change and COVID-19. We argue that many people in developed nations now experience liminality as a result of the being forced into the consciousness of living in a continued state of coloniality. We thus rejoin the social aspects of liminality to the interior, Existential form described by Little et. al.
SEOM-GETTHI clinical guideline for the practical management of molecular platforms (2021)
Authors: de la Haba-Rodriguez Juan , Lloret Ferran Ferragut , Salgado Maria Angeles Vaz , Arce Martín Oré , Gutiérrez Ana Cardeña , Jiménez Jesús García-Donas , Zambrano Carmen Beato , Alonso Rosa María Rodríguez , López Rafael López , Salas Nuria Rodriguez
Published: April 2022

The improvement of molecular alterations in cancer as well as the development of technology has allowed us to bring closer to clinical practice the determination of molecular alterations in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The use of multidetermination platforms is spreading in most Spanish hospitals. The objective of these clinical practice guides is to review their usefulness, and establish usage guidelines that guide their incorporation into clinical practice.
Investigation of the possible role of the Central Paratethys as a migration route and speciation area of the ancestors of Mediterranean Larroussius, Paraphlebotomus and Phlebotomus species
Authors: Trájer Attila J.
Published: April 2022

The Oligocene and Miocene tectonic and biogeographical alterations of the peri-Mediterranean area could strongly impact the speciation processes and migrations of Mediterranean sandfly species. To understand the possible former role of this palaeobiogeographic factor on ancestral sandfly species, the potential suitability values of fiveLarroussius, twoParaphlebotomusand onePhlebotomusspecies were modelled from the Rupelian to the Tortonian stage in the Central Paratethys. The bioclimatic extrema of this sandfly species and the Coexistence Approach-based palaeoclimatic reconstructions made the basis of hypothesis testing. In the case of the Tortonian stage, a georeferenced climatic model was created. The models indicate that the suitability values could notably vary by species and periods. The monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate of the Oligocene epoch could be less suitable for the ancestors of Mediterranean sandfly taxa than the later, drier humid subtropical climates-characterised Miocene stages. The Central Paratethys area could be less suitable for ancestors of the extantParaphlebotomus, andPhlebotomusin the Miocene epoch compared toLarroussiusspecies. It may indicate that the Central Paratethys formed a barrier against the east-to-west migration of the ancestors ofPhlebotomusandParaphlebotomusspecies.In contrast,Larroussiusspecies could prefer the Miocene climate of the Central Paratethys. In the Tortonian stage, mainly the coastal areas of the sea could be colonised by sandflies. These results indicate that the coasts of the Central Paratethys should be not only considered as a potential former migration route but could be a part of the speciation area ofLarroussiussandflies.
Modification of YSZ fiber composites by Al2TiO5 fibers for high thermal shock resistance
Authors: Liu Wei , Xie Yongshuai , Deng Zhezhe , Peng Ying , Dong Jianhong , Zhu Ze , Ma Dehua , Zhu Luyi , Zhang Guanghui , Wang Xinqiang
Published: April 2022

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) fiber composites are highly efficient thermal insulating materials; however, the poor thermal shock resistance limits their versatile applications. In the present study, YSZ fiber was mixed directly with Al2TiO5 fiber, which had an extremely low thermal expansion coefficient, to prepare YSZ−Al2TiO5(ZAT) fiber composites by compression molding and heat treatment. The minimum thermal expansion coefficient of the prepared ZAT fiber composites was measured to be 7.74×10−6K−1, which was 26% lower than that of the YSZ fiber composites (10.42×10−6K−1). It was shown that the prepared ZAT fiber composites maintain the integrity after undergoing 51 thermal shock cycles between 1100 °C and room temperature. Whereas, YSZ fiber composites burst immediately after only one thermal shock cycle under the same condition. In addition, the ZAT fiber composites also exhibit considerable mechanical and thermal insulating performance.
Laser-Derived Interfacial Confinement Enables Planar Growth of 2D SnS2 on Graphene for High-Flux Electron/Ion Bridging in Sodium Storage
Authors: Xu Xiaosa , Xu Fei , Zhang Xiuhai , Qu Changzhen , Zhang Jinbo , Qiu Yuqian , Zhuang Rong , Wang Hongqiang
Published: April 2022

Establishing covalent heterointerfaces with face-to-face contact is promising for advanced energy storage, while challenge remains on how to inhibit the anisotropic growth of nucleated crystals on the matrix. Herein, face-to-face covalent bridging in-between the 2D-nanosheets/graphene heterostructure is constructed by intentionally prebonding of laser-manufactured amorphous and metastable nanoparticles on graphene, where the amorphous nanoparticles were designed via the competitive oxidation of Sn-O and Sn-S bonds, and metastable feature was employed to facilitate the formation of the C-S-Sn covalent bonding in-between the heterostructure. The face-to-face bridging of ultrathin SnS2 nanosheets on graphene enables the heterostructure huge covalent coupling area and high loading and thus renders unimpeded electron/ion transfer pathways and indestructible electrode structure, and impressive reversible capacity and rate capability for sodium-ion batteries, which rank among the top in records of the SnS2-based anodes. Present work thus provides an alternative of constructing heterostructures with planar interfaces for electrochemical energy storage and even beyond.
A Modified Procedure to Diagnose Erectile Dysfunction Using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-6) Combined With the Premature Ejaculation Diagnosis Tool (PEDT) via an Internet Survey
Authors: Wang Chunlin , Zhang Hui , Liu Zhuojie , Tu Xuchong , Zhang Yan
Published: April 2022

Background

The reliability of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) in diagnosing erectile dysfunction (ED) is significantly decreased for the population with premature ejaculation (PE).

Aim

We aimed to illustrate a better way of diagnosing ED among the general population through a web survey study.

Methods

We collected online surveys from 2,746 men between the ages of 18 and 65. Two methods were used to determine the prevalence of ED, and these 2 methods were compared. Additionally, we divided our sample into 2 equally sized groups by median age and repeated the analyses for each group. In Method Ⅰ (M Ⅰ), men with an IIEF-5 score ≤ 21 were diagnosed with ED. In Method Ⅱ (M Ⅱ), PE was defined as a PEDT score ≥ 9, and no-PE was defined as a PEDT score ≤ 8. We used an IIEF-6 score cutoff of ≤ 24 among the PE population and a cutoff of ≤ 25 among the no-PE population to diagnose ED.

Main outcome measures

We examined the results from the IIEF-5, PEDT, and IIEF-6.

Results

Of the 2,746 men, 1,540 were in a stable heterosexual relationship, and the prevalence of ED among these men was determined. The prevalence of ED, as measured by Method Ⅰ, was significantly higher than that measured by Method Ⅱ. The kappa coefficients between the 2 methods were 0.595, 0.704, and 0.430 for the overall, no-PE, and PE populations, respectively. The internal consistency of the IIEF-5 for the PE population increased if Question 5 (intercourse satisfaction) was removed. Similar trends were observed for the groups, and there were no substantial differences.

Clinical implications

Our research suggests that before using the erectile function assessment scale to evaluate erectile function, ejaculatory function should be assessed with the PEDT.

Strengths and limitations

This was the first study to highlight the importance of evaluating ejaculatory function using the PEDT before diagnosing ED via an internet survey. There may have been recruitment bias because our study was an internet survey.

Conclusion

Establishing the prevalence of ED by using a combination of the IIEF-6 and PEDT was more reliable than using the IIEF-5 alone. Further validation of the modified procedure, especially regarding the effects of age on the results, in future studies is required.
Publishing in Wales
Authors: Rawlins Jacob D.
Published: April 2022

The creation of texts preserves culture, literature, myth, and society, and provides invaluable insights into history. Yet we still have much to learn about the history of how those texts were produced and how the production of texts has influenced modern societies, particularly in smaller nations like Wales. The story of publishing in Wales is closely connected to the story of Wales itself. Wales, the Welsh people, and the Welsh language have survived invasion, migration, oppression, revolt, resistance, religious and social upheaval, and economic depression. The books of Wales chronicle this story and the Welsh people's endurance over centuries of challenges. Ancient law-books, medieval manuscripts, legends and myths, secretly printed religious works, poetry, song, social commentary, and modern novels tell a story of a tiny nation, its hardy people, and an enduring literary legacy that has an outsized influence on culture and literature far beyond the Welsh borders.
An integrated approach to improve clinical trial efficiency: Linking a clinical trial management system into the Research Integrated Network of Systems
Authors: Sampson Royce , Shapiro Steve , He Wenjun , Denmark Signe , Kirchoff Katie , Hutson Kyle , Paranal Rechelle , Forney Leila , McGhee Kimberly , Harvey Jillian
Published: April 2022

Low-accruing clinical trials delay translation of research breakthroughs into the clinic, expose participants to risk without providing meaningful clinical insight, increase the cost of therapies, and waste limited resources. By tracking patient accrual, Clinical and Translational Science Awards hubs can identify at-risk studies and provide them the support needed to reach recruitment goals and maintain financial solvency. However, tracking accrual has proved challenging because relevant patient- and protocol-level data often reside in siloed systems. To address this fragmentation, in September 2020 the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute, with an academic home at the Medical University of South Carolina, implemented a clinical trial management system (CTMS), with its access to patient-level data, and incorporated it into its Research Integrated Network of Systems (RINS), which links study-level data across disparate systems relevant to clinical research. Within the first year of CTMS implementation, 324 protocols were funneled through CTMS/RINS, with more than 2600 participants enrolled. Integrated data from CTMS/RINS have enabled near-real-time assessment of patient accrual and accelerated reimbursement from industry sponsors. For institutions with bioinformatics or programming capacity, the CTMS/RINS integration provides a powerful model for tracking and improving clinical trial efficiency, compliance, and cost-effectiveness.
Partisanship and Permanence: How Congress Contested the Origins of the Interstate Highway System and the Future of American Infrastructure
Authors: Arcadi Teal
Published: April 2022

In the mid-1950s, the Eisenhower administration and Congress erupted in a sharp partisan debate over how to pay for the novel National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, slated to become the most expensive and expansive public works project in United States history. Republicans advocated for interest-bearing bonded debt borrowed from banks, while Democrats preferred to avoid debt service costs and apply a direct tax-and-pave approach to the enormous state building project. The chosen fiduciary practices promised to be as permanent as the physical infrastructure they paid to construct and maintain. Consequently, the fraught episode saw the two parties contest not only transportation infrastructure and the capital supply upon which it depended, but indeed the very nature and future of American political economy. When the tax-and-pave approach prevailed, it saved taxpayers interest costs, but came with its own perilous consequences as it set near-limitless development in motion.
Coalition Mood in European Parliamentary Democracies
Authors: Imre Michael , Ecker Alejandro , Meyer Thomas M. , Müller Wolfgang C.
Published: April 2022

The success and longevity of coalition governments depends on the ability to keep conflicts between coalition members at bay. The risk of such conflicts is often assessed by drawing on proxy measures, such as the ideological heterogeneity among government parties. This article presents a new approach to measuring the atmosphere between government parties. The ‘coalition mood’ is a time-varying measure that draws on applause patterns between coalition partners during legislative debates. The article exemplifies the measurement approach based on automated analyses of over 105,000 plenary debates in Germany and Austria. The article then assesses the measure's face, concurrent and predictive validity. It finds the measure well aligned with qualitative evidence, shows that the coalition mood is correlated with poll ratings of the government parties and helps to predict the duration of legislative processes. The conclusion highlights future applications of the coalition mood for research on coalition politics and public policy.
Putting Neoliberalism in a Place: A Memory Site, Urban Restructuring, and Property’s Entanglements in Chile
Authors: Murphy Edward
Published: April 2022

This paper analyzes a housing project in Santiago, Chile that now lies in ruins and has become a contested memory site. The project was once an ambitious, modernist project that housed former squatters during Salvador Allende’s socialist presidency (1970–1973) and its demise has subsequently become emblematic of the violent processes of neoliberal urban restructuring that marked the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990). Yet efforts to memorialize the site also contain within them certain silences and elisions, gaps which can help to reveal the complex, embedded nature of liberal property relations in Chile. These relations underscore certain dynamics through which squatters have historically been able to gain housing rights and a foothold in the city. They also provide a key location through which to better understand the specific contours of neoliberalism’s trajectory, including its haunted forms of ruination, its points of tension, its limits, and the making of its counterpublics.
Potential role of salivary cortisol levels to reflect stress response in children undergoing congenital heart surgery
Authors: Taşar Serçin , Dikmen Nur , Bulut İsmail , Haskılıç Yunus Emre , Saç Rukiye Ünsal , Şenes Mehmet , Taşar Medine Ayşin , Taşar Mehmet
Published: April 2022

Aim:

This study aimed to provide baseline information on the potential role of salivary cortisol in reflecting the stress response in children undergoing congenital heart surgery.

Patients and methods:

Children underwent congenital cardiac surgery, aged between one and seventeen years were included. Saliva samples were collected pre- and postoperatively by the health caregiver immediately after the children woke up (07:00–09:00 am) and at 06:00 pm in the evening. Salivary cortisol levels were compared with the reference index values from a large database.

Results:

Median baseline preoperative morning salivary cortisol levels were significantly lower than the reference values in both < 5-year-old females (p = 0.01) and males (p = 0.04) and in males between 11 and 20 years of age (p = 0.01). Median baseline preoperative evening salivary cortisol levels were significantly higher than the reference value in < 5-year-old females (p = 0.01) and between 5 and 10 years of age (p = 0.04) and in between 11- and20-year-old males (p = 0.01). Median postoperative morning salivary cortisol levels were significantly lower than the reference value in both < 5-year-old females (p = 0.01) and males (p = 0.04) and females between 5 and 10 year of age (p = 0.04). Median postoperative evening salivary cortisol levels were significantly higher than the reference value in < 5-year-old females (p = 0.01) and between 5- and 10-year-old females (p = 0.04).

Conclusion:

Diurnal variability of salivary cortisol levels in children undergoing congenital heart surgery may be different from normal reference values both in preoperative and postoperative periods that can be a predictive indicator of anxiety on pre- and postoperative period for children that undergoing cardiac surgery.
Quantitative Strain and Topography Mapping of 2D Materials Using Nanobeam Electron Diffraction
Authors: Sickel Julian , Asbach Marcel , Gammer Christoph , Bratschitsch Rudolf , Kohl Helmut
Published: April 2022

It is known that 2D materials can exhibit a nonflat topography, which gives rise to an inherent strain. Since local curvature and strain influence mechanical, optical, and electrical properties, but are often difficult to distinguish from each other, a robust measurement technique is needed. In this study, a novel method is introduced, which is capable of obtaining quantitative strain and topography information of 2D materials with nanometer resolution. Relying on scanning nanobeam electron diffraction (NBED), it is possible to disentangle strain from the local sample slope. Using the positions of the diffraction spots of a specimen at two different tilts to reconstruct the locations and orientations of the reciprocal lattice rods, the local strain and slope can be simultaneously retrieved. We demonstrate the differences to strain measurements from a single NBED map in theory, simulation, and experiment. MoS2 monolayers with different shapes are used as simulation test structures. The slope and height information are recovered, as well as tensile and angular strain which have an absolute difference of less than 0.2% and 0.2° from the theoretical values. An experimental proof of concept using a freely suspended WSe2 monolayer together with a discussion of the accuracy of the method is provided.
Research programmes arising from ‘Oumuamua considered as an alien craft
Authors: Elvis Martin
Published: April 2022

The controversial hypothesis that ‘Oumuamua (1I/2017 U1) was an alien craft dominated by a solar sail is considered using known physics for the two possible cases: controlled and uncontrolled flight. The reliability engineering challenges for an artefact designed to operate for ~105–106 year are also considerable. All three areas generate research programmes going forward. The uncontrolled case could be either ‘anonymous METI’ (messaging extraterrestrial intelligence) or ‘inadvertent METI’. In the controlled case the nature of the origin star, trajectory guidance from the origin star to the Sun, and the identity of a destination star are all undecided. The ‘controlled’ case has more strikes against it than the ‘uncontrolled’ case, but neither suffers a knock-out blow, as yet. Some of the issues turn out not to be major obstacles to the alien craft hypothesis, but others weaken the case for it. Most, however, imply new studies. Some of these, e.g. intercept missions for new interstellar objects, are concepts being developed, and will be of value whatever these objects turn out to be. Overall, these considerations show that a many-pronged, targeted, research programme can be built around the hypothesis that ‘Oumuamua is an alien craft. The considerations presented here can also be applied to other interstellar visitors, as well as to general discussions of interstellar travel.
Family Intervention Projects as Poverty-Alleviating Measures: Results from a Norwegian Cluster-Randomised Study
Authors: Malmberg-Heimonen Ira , Tøge Anne Grete
Published: April 2022

This cluster-randomised study analyses the implementation of a family intervention model (the HOLF model) on four target areas: parental employment, the financial and housing situations, and the social inclusion of children. The study compares family coordinators implementing the HOLF model including tools, schemes and supervision structures, with those implementing local family intervention practices. All twenty-nine participating Labour and Welfare offices received two family coordinators per office, with a caseload of twenty-one families. Of the offices, fifteen were randomised to implement the HOLF model, while fourteen implemented local family intervention practices. In a twelve-month follow-up of 862 parents, baseline and T2 questionnaires and administrative data show a significant improvement on financial situation and children’s social inclusion; however, with no differences between offices implementing the HOLF model and those implementing local family intervention practices. The results show the need for further analyses of key elements and implementation practices within family intervention projects.
REDUCTIONS OF -DIMENSIONAL SEMISTABLE REPRESENTATIONS WITH LARGE -INVARIANT
Authors: Bergdall John , Levin Brandon , Liu Tong
Published: April 2022

We determine reductions of
$2$
-dimensional, irreducible, semistable, and non-crystalline representations of
$\mathrm {Gal}\left (\overline {\mathbb {Q}}_p/\mathbb {Q}_p\right )$
with Hodge–Tate weights
$0 < k-1$
and with
$\mathcal L$
-invariant whose p-adic norm is sufficiently large, depending on k. Our main result provides the first systematic examples of the reductions for
$k \geq p$
.
Freshwater Mussel Shells May Retain Record of Alpine Snowpack
Authors: Kish Stacy
Published: April 2022

A new study explores a possible proxy for seasonal freshwater input that could elucidate changes in alpine snowpack as the planet warms.
Pyrenees Glaciers Are Rapidly Disappearing
Authors: Learn Joshua
Published: April 2022

Three of the remaining glaciers in the Spanish mountain range have stopped flowing in the past decade.
On the Importance of Using Event‐Specific Wave Diffusion Rates in Modeling Diffuse Electron Precipitation
Authors: Yu Yiqun , Hosokawa Keisuke , Ni Binbin , Jordanova Vania K. , Miyoshi Yoshizumi , Cao Jinbin , Tian Xingbin , Ma Longxing
Published: April 2022

A few to tens of keV electron precipitation that carries substantial energy source down to the upper atmosphere to create aurora is manifested as an important magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling process. The precipitation is usually caused by scattering processes associated with plasma waves in the magnetosphere. The scattering process is often quantified by wave diffusion rates that indicate how fast an electron is scattered. Global models commonly use diffusion coefficients that are derived from statistical wave models. However, due to the statistical nature, many localized, transient features could be smeared out. In this study, we investigate electron precipitation using event‐specific diffusion coefficients that are obtained based on simultaneous in‐situ measured/inferred, rather than statistical, chorus wave dynamics. We find that the application of the event‐specific diffusion coefficients associated with a more dynamic and intense chorus wave model leads more electrons, particularly at several to tens of keV in the dawn‐to‐noon sector at L > 3, to precipitate than using statistical coefficients. The new simulation roughly captures both the intensity and variability of the precipitating flux as detected by the NOAA/POES satellites. Ionospheric electron density in the lower E region (100–120 km) observed by the mid‐latitude Millstone Hill radar is also much better reproduced, while the case using statistical diffusion coefficients underestimates the ionization rate. This study implies the importance of using event‐specific diffusion rates in simulating the diffuse electron precipitation and understanding the magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling.
Long‐Term Weakening Processes and Short‐Term Seismic Slip Behavior of an Intraplate Mature Fault Zone: A Case Study of the Yangsan Fault, SE Korea
Authors: Kim Chang‐Min , Cheon Youngbeom , Lee Tae‐Ho , Choi Jin‐Hyuck , Ha Sangmin , Jeong Jong Ok
Published: April 2022

An intraplate tectonic fault evolves with repeated seismic cycles that may exhibit multi‐mode slip behaviors (continuous aseismic sliding, slow slip with silent earthquakes, and earthquakes resulting from stick‐slip frictional instability). Here, we show long‐term (geological time scale) fault zone weakening processes and short‐term (seismic cycle scale) fault behavior of the Yangsan Fault, SE Korea, based on structural and mineralogical observations of an across‐strike fault zone sequence retrieved by inclined borehole drilling. Since the Late Cretaceous, physical and chemical weakening processes have formed a wide and complex fault zone characterized by interconnected clay‐rich fault core strands and fractured lenses. The deformation is more concentrated in the eastern block (Cretaceous sedimentary rock with felsic dikes) of the fault zone than in the western block (Paleogene granite) of the fault zone. The asymmetrical deformation pattern is controlled by the distinct properties of the different host rocks and differential fluid‐assisted reaction softening involving hydrothermal processes. Of the five main strands and numerous subsidiary strands in the wide fault zone, strand S1 between the sedimentary rock and granite has accommodated the largest displacements. In particular, the smectite‐rich, <2‐cm‐wide principal slip zone within S1 has acted as the major pathway for past seismic slip. Our findings consider that slow deformation in the sedimentary rocks formed the asymmetrical wide fault zone over long geological time, whereas that the preferential propagation of repeated seismic slip events propagated preferentially along the narrow principal slip zone of S1.