bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The child ecosystem and childhood pulmonary tuberculosis: A South African perspective
Authors: DeAtley Teresa , Workman Lesley , Theron Grant , Bélard Sabine , Prins Margaretha , Bateman Lindy , Grobusch Martin P. , Dheda Keertan , Nicol Mark P. , Sorsdahl Katherine , Kuo Caroline , Stein Dan J. , Zar Heather J.
Published: March 2021

Introduction

This study investigates drivers of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) using a childhood ecosystem approach in South Africa. An ecosystem approach toward identifying risk factors for PTB may identify targeted interventions.

Methods

Data were collected as part of a prospective cohort study of children presenting at a primary care facility or tertiary hospital with possible TB. Characterization of the childhood ecosystem included proximal, medial, and distal determinants. Proximal determinants included child characteristics that could impact PTB outcomes. Medial determinants included relational factors, such as caregiver health, which might impact interactions with the child. Distal determinants included macro‐level determinants of disease, such as socioeconomic status and food insecurity. Children who started on TB treatment were followed for up to 6 months. Multivariate regression models tested independent associations between factors associated with PTB in children.

Results

Of 1202 children enrolled, 242 (20%) of children had confirmed PTB, 756 (63%) were started on TB treatment, and 444 (37%) had respiratory conditions other than TB. In univariate analyses, childhood malnutrition and caregiver smoking were associated with treated or confirmed PTB. In multivariate analyses, proximal factors, such as male gender and hospitalization, as well as low socioeconomic status as a distal factor, were associated with PTB.

Conclusions

Interventions may need to target subgroups of children and families with elevated proximal, medial, and distal risk factors for PTB. Screening for risk factors, such as caregiver's health, may guide targeting. The provision of social protection programs to bolster economic security may be an important intervention for attenuating childhood exposure to risk factors.
Variety of size and form of GRM2 bacterial microcompartment particles
Authors: Cesle Eva Emilija , Filimonenko Anatolij , Tars Kaspars , Kalnins Gints
Published: March 2021

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are bacterial organelles involved in enzymatic processes, such as carbon fixation, choline, ethanolamine and propanediol degradation, and others. Formed of a semi‐permeable protein shell and an enzymatic core, they can enhance enzyme performance and protect the cell from harmful intermediates. With the ability to encapsulate non‐native enzymes, BMCs show high potential for applied use. For this goal, a detailed look into shell form variability is significant to predict shell adaptability. Here we present four novel 3D cryo‐EM maps of recombinant Klebsiella pneumoniae GRM2 BMC shell particles with the resolution in range of 9 to 22 Å and nine novel 2D classes corresponding to discrete BMC shell forms. These structures reveal icosahedral, elongated, oblate, multi‐layered and polyhedral traits of BMCs, indicating considerable variation in size and form as well as adaptability during shell formation processes.
Postoperative peripheral neuropathies associated with patient positioning during robot‐assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP): A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Cornelius Julian , Mudlagk Jonas , Afferi Luca , Baumeister Philipp , Mattei Agostino , Moschini Marco , Iselin Christophe , Mordasini Livio
Published: March 2021

Objective

To perform a systematic review of the literature concerning postoperative peripheral neuropathies associated with patient positioning during robot‐assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Patients and Methods

A systematic review on articles published from January 1, 1990 to March 15, 2020 was performed in accordance with the PRISMA declaration (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis). The electronic search was done searching through the Cochrane Registry, PubMed/EMBASE, Medline, and Scopus. Relevant papers addressing postoperative peripheral neuropathies related to patient positioning during RARP were integrated into the analyses.

Results

After screening 4975 articles, one randomized controlled trial and five retrospective studies with a total of 63,667 patients were included in this review. Peripheral neuropathies of the upper extremities were documented in three articles with a total of 15 patients, peripheric neuropathies of the lower extremities were reported in five articles with a total of 76 patients. Analysis of the data was exploratory, since screening techniques, systematically reporting, and description of positioning techniques was not standardized or not reported.

Conclusions

The incidence of peripheral neuropathies at RARP varies between 1.3% and 10.8%. Lower extremities are more affected than upper extremities and the most important risk factors are intraoperative time duration, patients comorbidities, and ASA score. High‐quality prospective randomized studies to better assess the impact of patient positioning during RARP on the development postoperative peripheral neuropathies are needed.
Saltational evolution of a pesticide‐metabolizing cytochrome P450 in a global crop pest
Authors: Joußen Nicole , Heckel David G
Published: March 2021

BACKGROUND

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), is a damaging insect pest threatening agricultural crops worldwide as a result of its resistance to insecticides. Metabolic resistance to pyrethroid insecticides is conferred by the chimeric P450 enzyme CYP337B3, produced by unequal crossing‐over between CYP337B1 and CYP337B2. CYP337B3 is 99.7% similar to CYP337B1 except for the 177 N‐terminal amino acids (AAs) containing the substrate recognition site 1 from CYP337B2. Here, we studied the structure–function relationship of CYP337B3 and CYP337B1 to determine the AAs that enable CYP337B3 to efficiently hydroxylate the 4′‐carbon position of fenvalerate, which neither CYP337B1 nor CYP337B2 can do.

RESULTS

Site‐directed mutagenesis showed that the L114F substitution in CYP337B3 reduced its 4′‐hydroxylation activity by 89%, but the reciprocal F114L substitution in CYP337B1 increased its 4′‐hydroxylation activity to only 49% of the level of CYP337B3. Docking models showed that AA 114 seems to have different functions in CYP337B1 and CYP337B3. Antibodies detected two‐ to three‐fold more CYP337B1 than CYP337B3 in larval cuticle, which along with a 49% 4′‐hydroxylation activity increase due to a F114L substitution in vivo might be expected to provide as much protection for the larva against exposure to fenvalerate as CYP337B3. However, CYP337B3 is present at much higher frequencies than CYP337B1‐CYP337B2 in most populations, including those recently invading South America.

CONCLUSION

The metabolic resistance to pyrethroids in H. armigera has evolved by saltational evolution – by a single mutation, an unequal crossing‐over, producing a larger selective advantage than could be attained gradually by stepwise improvement of the parental enzyme. © 2021 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Manipulating Perovskite Precursor Solidification toward 21% Pristine MAPbI3 Solar Cells
Authors: Guo Yuanhang , Wu Haotian , Liu Zhixin , Shan Shiqi , Niu Benfang , Lian Xiaomei , Zuo Lijian , Chen Hongzheng
Published: March 2021

Controlling the crystallization of perovskite film is critical for high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PVSCs), and temperature is the key factor dominating the nucleation and crystal growth. Herein, it is demonstrated that the inconspicuous ambient temperature plays an important role in reaching high‐quality perovskite film and high‐performance PVSCs. It is observed that the ambient temperature greatly affects the composition of as‐prepared perovskite film, which dramatically influences the perovskite film morphology during the subsequent annealing process. Remarkably, the device prepared at the optimal ambient temperature of 29 °C exhibits the best power conversion efficiency of 20.91% with little hysteresis. This represents one of the best results for inverted PVSCs based on pristine MAPbI3 system. In addition, the PVSC prepared at 29 °C shows good stability with 80% of its initial efficiency after 30d in air with a humidity of 45%. Overall, the importance of ambient temperature for crystallization of the perovskite film is emphasized, and this work should have implications for controlling the morphology for high‐performance PVSCs.
Emerging Low‐Dimensional Crystal Structure of Metal Halide Perovskite Optoelectronic Materials and Devices
Authors: Chu Zema , Chu Xinbo , Zhao Yang , Ye Qiufeng , Jiang Ji , Zhang Xingwang , You Jingbi
Published: March 2021

Metal halide perovskites with 3D crystal structures have been attracting widespread attention in the past decade for their outstanding optoelectronic properties and applications. The emergence of low‐dimensional perovskites, which have been successfully demonstrated in varying electronic and optoelectronic applications, offers a number of advantages compared with 3D counterparts due to their tunable and diverse properties. Herein, at first, it is focused on the fundamental understanding about the crystal structure and the unique optical and electronic properties of low‐dimensional perovskite, which are addressed in comparison with 3D perovskites. Moreover, recent developments in application using low‐dimensional perovskite, especially in layered perovskites, are summarized, including solar cells, light‐emitting diodes, photodetectors, lasers, and white‐light emissions, where the main strategies and parameters for enhancing materials properties and the devices performance in varying application are addressed. Finally, the perspectives for the current challenges and the future opportunities of low‐dimensional perovskites are discussed to provide a roadmap to the development in the future.
The effects of a zoo environment on free‐living, native small mammal species
Authors: Elwell Emily , Leeson Christopher , Vaglio Stefano
Published: March 2021

One of the main threats to native species conservation is urbanisation. It is causing changes to natural habitats and species composition. Urban green spaces have shown to have conservation value for native species by providing safe spaces in urban areas. They typically contain a variety of habitats and plant species which is correlated with greater abundance and diversity of small mammal species. Zoos are a vital resource for animal conservation and, in some instances, could be considered as an urban green space for native species conservation. Their unique environment provides free‐living, native species an abundance of resources including food and shelter. This project involved the live trapping of free‐living small mammal species (<40 g) between enclosures in Dudley Zoological Gardens to study the effects of the zoo environment. There were no significant differences found between the total number of captures and trap proximity to enclosures. There was a significant difference in total captures found between different enclosure trapping areas. Generalized linear mixed models were fitted to the data and there were significant relationships between abundance and both habitat type and enclosure species. Habitats associated with semi‐natural woodland had the greatest diversity and total captures of small mammals. Total captures were lower in trapping areas that were associated with predatory species. Similar to research on green spaces, habitat was an important factor determining abundance, but predator enclosures were a factor unique to zoos. This study illustrates the potential of zoos as an urban green space and for the study of small mammals.
Climate Change Adaptation Mechanism for Sustainable Development Goal 1 in Nigeria: Legal Imperative
Authors: Orie Erimma Gloria
Published: March 2021

Despite international efforts on poverty reduction in the last decade, poverty is rampant in many countries including Nigeria. Poverty remains a principal challenge for development in twenty-first century and a threat to achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1, which is a global attempt, among others, to end poverty by 2030. Meanwhile, 13 out of the 15 countries where extreme poverty is rising are in Africa. According to the World Poverty Clock, Nigeria, by 2018, had the largest extreme poverty population of 86.9 million, thus making the people vulnerable to malnutrition, armed conflict, migration, and other socioeconomic and environmental shocks. Whereas these impacts are exacerbated by climate change (CC), unfortunately, Nigeria’s adaptation efforts are inadequate due to certain impediments. The chapter finds that Nigeria lacks the CC law to properly regulate institutional and policy interventions to impacts of CC. It argues that although adaptation as opposed to mitigation is interim, yet integrating adaptation measures into Sustainable Development (SD) framework and poverty reduction strategies is a potent means of addressing CC impacts on the poor and achieve SDG1 target. The chapter therefore recommends the establishment of CC law in Nigeria that incorporates adaptation measures in poverty reduction strategies and mainstreaming of CC issues.
Correction to: Educational Situation of Portuguese Ciganos: Social Changes versus Social Continuities
Authors: Mendes Maria Manuela , Magano Olga
Published: March 2021

The original version of the Chapter was inadvertently published without incorporating the author’s proof corrections. The chapter has now been corrected and approved by the author.
Theoretical Foundations of the Relationship Management Mid-Range Theory
Authors: Deszczyński Bartosz
Published: March 2021

In this chapter the domain of relationship management (RM) is discussed and the notion of the RM mid-range theory is introduced. The first section highlights the socio-economic duality of RM and presents the core characteristics of the RM business model. The diversity of partly overlapping relational constructs is commented on, and a uniform semantic programme for RM is proposed that links the notion of relationship capital and three RM dimensions: structural, psychological and behavioral. In the second section, the role of mid-range theories in linking macro and micro theoretical levels is presented. The theoretical boundaries (the content) of the envisioned RM mid-range theory are outlined, which link the RM business model, the key relational activities and approaches, and business performance. A hypothetical system of theories for competitive advantage is drafted, where the general theory level is occupied by the Resource-Advantage Theory of Competition followed by the upper mid-range theory level; where the RM mid-range theory is placed, completed by the specific market type mid-range theory level; and where network-based and market-based relational theories are positioned.
Validating the Relationship Management Maturity Concept
Authors: Deszczyński Bartosz
Published: March 2021

This chapter operationalizes and tests the preliminary proposal of the RM maturity model in field research. The first section discusses the design of the 40-question questionnaire, which aims to verify the links between RM maturity and sustainable competitive advantage. Different classes of research biases are addressed on a semantic level, and a scoring method based on the Net Promoter Score methodology is introduced. The second section presents the analytical strategy and the design of the empirical test, encompassing the self-reporting of business respondents and machine learning analytical techniques. The product of this analysis is a set of association rules, which separate a ‘basket’ of 10 critical RM activities and approaches linked by 16 rules, typically in a reciprocal way. The third section comments on the detailed empirical results on RM maturity and sustainable competitive advantage, which are found to be much in line with business ethics. The hallmark of an ethical RM-mature firm is open internal vertical and horizontal communication, which enables the company to be a meaningful partner in the relationships with its customers and other stakeholders.
Einleitung
Authors: Bednorz David
Published: March 2021

Gesamtüberblick: Die vorliegende Einleitung dient dazu, einen generellen Überblick über die Intentionen der Konzeptualisierung eines Instruments zur sprachlichen Veränderung von mathematischen Textaufgaben und über die Strukturen dieser Arbeit zu geben. Theoretische und empirische Befunde zur Rolle von Sprache im Mathematikunterricht motivierten das Ziel der Forschung, ein Instrument zu entwickeln, das die sprachlichen Merkmale in einer mathematischen Textaufgabe verändern kann und damit einen Ansatzpunkt bietet, Anpassungen von mathematischen Textaufgaben zu liefern (Kapitel 1.1). Im Hinblick auf die Einordnung der bereits in der Literatur bestätigten Erkenntnisse von Sprache als Lernvoraussetzung und -hindernis sowie der Möglichkeiten der sprachlichen Anpassung ergeben sich für die Arbeit das Untersuchungsziel eines Instruments zur sprachlichen Veränderung von Textaufgaben (Kapitel 1.2).
Ausblick und mögliche Anschlussfragen
Authors: Bednorz David
Published: March 2021

Gesamtüberblick: Die Ergebnisse der Entwicklung des Instruments lassen sich für zukünftige Anschlussfragestellungen weiterentwickeln. Das betrifft Möglichkeiten der Weiterentwicklung des Instruments besonders aufgrund gewisser limitierender Aspekte der zweiten quantitativen Analyse (Abschnitt 11.1). Außerdem lassen sich für das Instrument Ableitungen bezüglich des Einsatzes sowohl in Leistungs- als auch in Lernsituationen treffen (Abschnitt 11.2).
Zusammenhang zwischen Sprache und Mathematik
Authors: Bednorz David
Published: March 2021

Gesamtüberblick: Sprache ist für mathematische Lehr- und Lernprozesse relevant, sowohl in Bezug auf sprachlich-kommunikative als auch auf inhaltliche Aspekte. Die Bedeutung, die Sprache für den Mathematikunterricht in den letzten Jahren dazugewonnen hat, ist anhand von internationalen Vergleichs- und Folgestudien zu erklären (Abschnitt 2.1). Anhand dieser Arbeiten sind die sprachlichen Voraussetzungen von Lernenden unter der Perspektive von heterogenen Lerngruppen ein substanzieller Gesichtspunkt, der im Mathematikunterricht mitgedacht werden muss (Abschnitt 2.2).
Zweite quantitative Studie
Authors: Bednorz David
Published: March 2021

Der zweite quantitative Teil der Arbeit basiert auf den in Kapitel 7 extrahierten Faktoren. In Abschnitt 6.1 wurden die Zielvoraussetzungen der Ermittlung des Effektes der Faktoren auf die Schwierigkeit von Testaufgaben für das Instrument zur sprachlichen Variation von Textaufgaben formuliert. Die Ermittlung des Effektes der Faktoren auf die Schwierigkeit von Testaufgaben ist bedeutsam, um Kenntnisse darüber zu erlangen, welche praktischen Implikationen sich für Anpassungsstrategien von mathematischen Textaufgaben ergeben.
Qualitative Vertiefungsanalyse
Authors: Bednorz David
Published: March 2021

Die dritte Teilstudie der Arbeit ist eine qualitative Vertiefungsanalyse. In Kapitel 3 und Kapitel 4 wurde die Relevanz von sprachlichen und kontextuellen Veränderungen geschildert. Aus diesem Grund ist es das Ziel der qualitativen Vertiefungsanalyse, fachliche und kontextuelle Merkmale von Textaufgaben in Beziehung mit den in Kapitel 7 extrahierten sprachlichen Faktoren zu bringen.
Complexity and momentum
Authors: Susskind Leonard , Zhao Ying
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Previous work has explored the connections between three concepts — operator size, complexity, and the bulk radial momentum of an infalling object — in the context of JT gravity and the SYK model. In this paper we investigate the higher dimensional generalizations of these connections. We use a toy model to study the growth of an operator when perturbing the vacuum of a CFT. From circuit analysis we relate the operator growth to the rate of increase of complexity and check it by complexity-volume duality. We further give an empirical formula relating complexity and the bulk radial momentum that works from the time that the perturbation just comes in from the cutoff boundary, to after the scrambling time.
Differenzialdiagnosen des entzündlichen Hüftgelenks
Authors: Weidekamm Claudia , Teh James
Published: March 2021

Die Differenzialdiagnosen der entzündlichen Hüfterkrankung spielen für die Diagnose des Hüftschmerzes eine bedeutende Rolle. Die rheumatologischen/entzündlichen Veränderungen des Hüftschmerzes mit dem entsprechenden Einsatz der Bildgebung wurden in Teil 1 des CME-Artikels abgehandelt. In diesem zweiten Teil wird ein systematischer Zugang erläutert, um die zahlreichen rheumatologischen Erkrankungen von Degenerationen, synovialen Tumoren und Infektionen zu unterscheiden. Die Interpretation der Pathologien in der Bildgebung im Zusammenhang mit dem klinischen Erscheinungsbild wird für die einzelnen Differenzialdiagnosen genauer erläutert. Das zeitgleiche Auftreten von unterschiedlichen Erkrankungen, zum Teil als sekundäre Komplikation, hat einen erheblichen Einfluss auf die Therapieplanung und sollte vom Radiologen erkannt werden.
Genomic prediction models trained with historical records enable populating the German ex situ genebank bio-digital resource center of barley (Hordeum sp.) with information on resistances to soilborne barley mosaic viruses
Authors: Gonzalez Maria Y. , Zhao Yusheng , Jiang Yong , Stein Nils , Habekuss Antje , Reif Jochen C. , Schulthess Albert W.
Published: March 2021

Key message

Genomic prediction with special weight of major genes is a valuable tool to populate bio-digital resource centers.

Phenotypic information of crop genetic resources is a prerequisite for an informed selection that aims to broaden the genetic base of the elite breeding pools. We investigated the potential of genomic prediction based on historical screening data of plant responses against the Barley yellow mosaic viruses for populating the bio-digital resource center of barley. Our study includes dense marker data for 3838 accessions of winter barley, and historical screening data of 1751 accessions for Barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) and of 1771 accessions for Barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV). Linear mixed models were fitted by considering combinations for the effects of genotypes, years, and locations. The best linear unbiased estimations displayed a broad spectrum of plant responses against BaYMV and BaMMV. Prediction abilities, computed as correlations between predictions and observed phenotypes of accessions, were low for the marker-assisted selection approach amounting to 0.42. In contrast, prediction abilities of genomic best linear unbiased predictions were high, with values of 0.62 for BaYMV and 0.64 for BaMMV. Prediction abilities of genomic prediction were improved by up to ~ 5% using W-BLUP, in which more weight is given to markers with significant major effects found by association mapping. Our results outline the utility of historical screening data and W-BLUP model to predict the performance of the non-phenotyped individuals in genebank collections. The presented strategy can be considered as part of the different approaches used in genebank genomics to valorize genetic resources for their usage in disease resistance breeding and research.
Research, education and capacity building priorities for violence, abuse and mental health in low- and middle-income countries: an international qualitative survey
Authors: Keynejad Roxanne C. , Bentley Abigail , Bhatia Urvita , Nalwadda Oliva , Mekonnen Fikru Debebe , Ali Parveen A. , McGarry Julie
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Despite the World Health Organization and United Nations recognising violence, abuse and mental health as public health priorities, their intersection is under-studied in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). International violence, abuse and mental health network (iVAMHN) members recognised the need to identify barriers and priorities to develop this field.

Methods

Informed by collaborative discussion between iVAMHN members, we conducted a pilot study using an online survey to identify research, education and capacity building priorities for violence, abuse and mental health in LMICs. We analysed free-text responses using thematic analysis.

Results

35 senior (29%) and junior researchers (29%), non-government or voluntary sector staff (18%), health workers (11%), students (11%) and administrators (3%) completed the survey. Respondents worked in 24 LMICs, with 20% working in more than one country. Seventy-four percent of respondents worked in sub-Saharan Africa, 37% in Asia and smaller proportions in Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Respondents described training, human resource, funding and sensitivity-related barriers to researching violence, abuse and mental health in LMICs and recommended a range of actions to build capacity, streamline research pathways, increase efficiency and foster collaborations and co-production.

Conclusion

The intersection between violence, abuse and mental health in LMICs is a priority for individuals with a range of expertise across health, social care and the voluntary sector. There is interest in and support for building a strong network of parties engaged in research, service evaluation, training and education in this field. Networks like iVAMHN can act as hubs, bringing together diverse stakeholders for collaboration, co-production and mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and skills.
Early life mental health and problematic drinking in mid-adulthood: evidence from two British birth cohorts
Authors: Ning Ke , Patalay Praveetha , L. Maggs Jennifer , Ploubidis George B.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Accumulating evidence suggests that externalising problems are consistently associated with alcohol use behaviours, but findings are inconsistent regarding the role of internalising problems. We investigate whether externalising and internalising problems are associated with problematic drinking in mid-adulthood, and whether potential associations are modified by age, sex and cohort.

Methods

The National Child Development Study (NCDS58, n = 17,633) and 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70, n = 17,568) recruited new-borns in Great Britain in a single week in 1958 and 1970. Mental health was assessed with the Rutter Behaviour Questionnaire at ages 7, 11, and 16 in NCDS58 and ages 5, 10 and 16 in BCS70. Problematic drinking was measured with the CAGE questionnaire at age 33 in NCDS58 and age 34 in BCS70, and the AUDIT scale at age 44/45 in NCDS58 and age 46 in BCS70. Latent scores of externalising and internalising problems were added chronologically into lagged logistic regression models.

Results

Externalising and internalising problems were associated in opposite directions with problematic drinking in mid-adulthood. Externalising was a risk factor (OR [95% CI] ranging from 1.06 [1.03, 1.10] to 1.11 [1.07, 1.15] for different ages), and internalising was a protective factor (OR [95% CI] ranging from 0.95 [0.92, 0.99] to 0.90 [0.86, 0.94] for different ages). Associations between early life mental health and mid-adulthood problematic drinking did not differ by developmental timing but were stronger in males.

Conclusion

Our study provides new insights on links of externalising and internalising difficulties with alcohol use and has implications for public policy in the UK.
A broadband VLBI system using transportable stations for geodesy and metrology: an alternative approach to the VGOS concept
Authors: Sekido Mamoru , Takefuji Kazuhiro , Ujihara Hideki , Kondo Tetsuro , Tsutsumi Masanori , Kawai Eiji , Hachisu Hidekazu , Nemitz Nils , Pizzocaro Marco , Clivati Cecilia , Perini Federico , Negusini Monia , Maccaferri Giuseppe , Ricci Roberto , Roma Mauro , Bortolotti Claudio , Namba Kunitaka , Komuro Jun’ichi , Ichikawa Ryuichi , Suzuyama Tomonari , Watabe Ken-ichi , Leute Julia , Petit Gérard , Calonico Davide , Ido Tetsuya
Published: March 2021

We have developed a broadband VLBI (very long baseline interferometry) system inspired by the concept of the VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS). The new broadband VLBI system was implemented in the Kashima 34 m antenna and in two transportable stations utilizing 2.4 m diameter antennas. The transportable stations have been developed as a tool for intercontinental frequency comparison but are equally useful for geodesy. To enable practical use of such small VLBI stations in intercontinental VLBI, we have developed the procedure of node-hub style VLBI: In joint observation with a large, high sensitivity ‘hub’ antenna, the closure delay relation provides a virtual delay observable between ‘node’ stations. This overcomes the limited sensitivity of the small diameter node antennas, while error sources associated with large diameter antennas, such as gravitational deformation and delay changes in necessarily long signal cables, are eliminated. We show that this scheme does not result in an increased sensitivity to radio source structure if one side of the baseline triangle is kept short. We have performed VLBI experiments utilizing this approach over both short range and intercontinental distance. This article describes the system components, signal processing procedure, experiment, and results in terms of baseline repeatability. Our measurements reveal signatures of structure effects in the correlation amplitude of several of the observed radio sources. We present a model of the frequency-dependent source size for 1928+738 derived from correlation amplitude data observed in four frequency bands.
HPLC-MS/MS method applied to an untargeted metabolomics approach for the diagnosis of “olive quick decline syndrome”
Authors: Di Masi Sabrina , De Benedetto Giuseppe E. , Malitesta Cosimino , Saponari Maria , Citti Cinzia , Cannazza Giuseppe , Ciccarella Giuseppe
Published: March 2021

Olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) is a disorder associated with bacterial infections caused by Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca ST53 in olive trees. Metabolic profile changes occurring in infected olive trees are still poorly investigated, but have the potential to unravel reliable biomarkers to be exploited for early diagnosis of infections. In this study, an untargeted metabolomic method using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS) was used to detect differences in samples (leaves) from healthy (Ctrl) and infected (Xf) olive trees. Both unsupervised and supervised data analysis clearly differentiated the groups. Different metabolites have been identified as potential specific biomarkers, and their characterization strongly suggests that metabolism of flavonoids and long-chain fatty acids is perturbed in Xf samples. In particular, a decrease in the defence capabilities of the host after Xf infection is proposed because of a significant dysregulation of some metabolites belonging to flavonoid family. Moreover, oleic acid is confirmed as a putative diffusible signal factor (DSF). This study provides new insights into the host-pathogen interactions and confirms LC-HRMS-based metabolomics as a powerful approach for disease-associated biomarkers discovery in plants.

Graphical abstract
Selected nutrients determining the quality of different cuts of organic and conventional pork
Authors: Wójciak Karolina M. , Halagarda Michał , Sascha Rohn  , Kęska Paulina , Latoch Agnieszka , Stadnik Joanna
Published: March 2021

Organic meat products are gaining consumer interest worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of organic and conventional meat origin on nutritional determinants of the following pork meat cuts: loin, ham, and shoulder. Nutritional value of meat was based on selected indicators such as proximate composition, the concentration of cholesterol, vitamin E content and minerals and trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, iron, and zinc, and the composition of fatty acids. The results of this study demonstrated that higher contents of protein and selected mineral compounds, as well as lower vitamin E concentration and different fatty acids (i.e., C12:0, C17:0, C17:1 n-7, C18:3 n-6, C24:0 and total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)) distinguish organic pork meat cuts from the conventional counterparts. The organically meat parts, especially the shoulder, were identified as a better source of copper, calcium, iron and zinc, while organic ham and loin had more potassium. On the other hand, organic hams were shown to have lower content of vitamin E in comparison to their conventional equivalents present. Also, in organic shoulders showed a higher n-6/n-3 ratio compared to meat of conventional origin.
How Should We Treat Pancreatic Metastases from Renal Cell Carcinoma? A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Hirashita Teijiro , Iwashita Yukio , Endo Yuichi , Fujinaga Atsuro , Shin Toshitaka , Mimata Hiromitsu , Inomata Masafumi
Published: March 2021

Background

The treatment strategy for pancreatic metastasis (PM) from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is unclear due to its rarity. The aim of this study was to reveal the role of surgery for PM from RCC.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and the Cochrane Library. The effectiveness of surgery for PM was evaluated based on the primary outcome of overall survival (OS), which was investigated in relation to surgical procedures and metastatic sites via subgroup analyses.

Results

There was no significant difference in the rate of 2‐year OS between the surgery and control group (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.14–1.26, P = 0.12). However, the rate of 5‐year OS was significantly higher in the surgery group than the control group (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.18–0.93, P = 0.03). The rates of the complications and OS were not significantly different between radical and conservative pancreatectomies. The rate of 5‐year OS of the patients with PM was higher than that with other metastases (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.20–0.74, P = 0.004).

Conclusion

Surgical resection for PM from RCC is associated with good prognosis. Limited surgery may be a useful option depending on the location of the lesion.
Renal toxicity of targeted therapies for renal cell carcinoma in patients with normal and impaired kidney function
Authors: Mielczarek Łukasz , Brodziak Anna , Sobczuk Paweł , Kawecki Maciej , Cudnoch-Jędrzejewska Agnieszka , Czarnecka Anna M.
Published: March 2021

The introduction of novel targeted therapies during the last 2 decades has led to a significant improvement in patients' clinical outcomes with renal cell carcinoma. However, this improvement came at the price of a whole new spectrum of adverse events, including renal toxicity. Systemic treatment of patients with kidney neoplasms who often present with impairment of kidney function, even prior to treatment, poses an increasing diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for clinicians. Common lifestyle-related comorbidities, i.e., hypertension and diabetes, may contribute to further impairment of kidney function. The lack of official guidelines and the exclusion of patients with reduced kidney function from the clinical trials of recently approved drugs complicate the issue even further. Early detection and correct management of renal toxic effects are crucial to preserve kidney function and ensure the optimal administration of life-prolonging therapies. This review presents detailed information on the renal toxicities of three groups of drugs commonly used in renal cell carcinoma treatment: tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. We outline the incidence and underlying mechanisms of renal adverse effects with a focus on patients on renal replacement therapy, as well as present suggestions for their management.
Systematic evaluation of laryngeal impairment in Sjögren’s syndrome
Authors: Graf S. , Kirschstein L. , Knopf A. , Mansour N. , Jeleff-Wölfler O. , Buchberger A. M. S. , Hofauer B.
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS) causes malfunction of the salivary and lacrimal glands. Consequently, patients suffer from xerostomia and keratoconjunctivitis sicca. This can further affect the voice and swallowing function resulting in an impaired quality of life. Aim of this study is the systematic evaluation of the impact on voice and swallowing-related quality of life in patients with SjS.

Material and methods

SjS patients were classified according to the American–European Consensus Group (AECG) criteria; antibodies to Ro (SS-A) or La (SS-B) antigens were detected, ESSPRI was completed. We used the following quality of life questionnaires: EORTC QLQ H&N 35, Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (ADI) and Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Patients additionally received a detailed phoniatric examination (auditory perception, videostroboscopy, acoustic analysis, Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI), aerodynamics measurements).

Results

Almost all the 54 patients (96.3%) had a limited quality of life due to their swallowing problems and 48% due to their voice problems. Both values correlated significantly with the degree of xerostomia. In the phoniatric examination, 77.8% had an increased DSI and two-thirds had abnormalities in videostroboscopy.

Conclusions

A reasonable impairment of quality of life in patients with SjS due to the limitations in voice and swallowing function was observed. As SjS does not limitate life expectancy, preservation of quality of life is important. Detection of voice and swallowing problems as potential reasons for quality of life impairment should be detected and, if diagnosed, treated accordingly.
An examination of five theoretical foundations associated with localized thermosensory testing
Authors: Temel Mevra , Johnson Andrew A. , Havenith George , Arnold Josh T. , West Anna M. , Lloyd Alex B.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

To assess five theoretical foundations underlying thermosensory testing using local thermal stimuli.

Methods

Thermal sensation, discomfort and the confidence of thermal sensation scores were measured in 9 female and 8 male volunteers in response to 17 physical contact temperature stimuli, ranging between 18–42 °C. These were applied to their dorsal forearm and lateral torso, across two sessions.

Results

Thermal sensation to physical temperature relationships followed a positive linear and sigmoidal fit at both forearm (r2 = 0.91/r2 = 0.91, respectively) and lateral torso (r2 = 0.90/ r2 = 0.91, respectively). Thermal discomfort to physical temperature relationships followed second and third-order fits at both forearm (r2 = 0.33/r2 = 0.34, respectively) and lateral torso (r2 = 0.38/r2 = 0.39, respectively) test sites. There were no sex-related or regional site differences in thermal sensation and discomfort across a wide range of physical contact temperatures. The median confidence of an individual’s thermal sensation rating was measured at 86%.

Conclusion

The relation between thermal sensation and physical contact temperature was well described by both linear and sigmoidal models, i.e., the distance between the thermal sensation anchors is close to equal in terms of physical temperatures changes for the range studied. Participants rated similar thermal discomfort level in both cold and hot thermal stimuli for a given increase or decrease in physical contact temperature or thermal sensation. The confidence of thermal sensation rating did not depend on physical contact temperature.
High performance of multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization to simultaneous detection of BCL2 and BCL6 rearrangements: useful application in the characterization of DLBCLs
Authors: Marino Federica Zito , Aquino Gabriella , Brunelli Matteo , Scognamiglio Giosuè , Pedron Serena , Ronchi Andrea , Cozzolino Immacolata , Sparano Lucianna , Botti Gerardo , Panico Luigi , De Chiara Anna , Franco Renato ,   on behalf of the Gruppo Ematopatologia Campano
Published: March 2021

Chromosomal rearrangements involving BCL2, BCL6 and MYC are commonly found in the most frequent B cell lymphomas, namely follicular lymphomas (FLs) and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs). Particularly, BCL2-rearrangement represents a diagnostic hallmark in FLs, whereas MYC translocation can occur simultaneously with BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements, defining a specific category of DLBCLs with a poorer prognosis. In this study, we aim to validate the diagnostic performance of multiplex BCL2/BCL6 FISH approach in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded FLs and DBCLs and cytological samples of DLBCL comparing to the classic set of single break-apart probes. We collected a series of lymphomas, including 85 DLBCLs, 45 FLs and 36 other B-cell lymphoma histotypes and 16 cytological samples of DLBCLs. MYC, BCL2 and BCL6 rearrangements were previously assessed by a classic FISH test using single break-apart probes. All samples were analysed by a multiplex FISH assay. In the FL series, 38 cases showed BCL2-R; in the DLBCLs series, MYC-R was detected in 21 out of 85 DLBCL patients, BCL2-R in 10 out of 85 and BCL6-R in 33 out of 85. In the DLBCL cytological series, MYC-R was detected in 4 out of 16, BCL2-R in 4 out of 16 and BCL6-R in 1 out of 16. Notably, in FFPE, 13 double-hit lymphomas (DHLs) and 3 triple-hit lymphomas (THLs) were detected; in the cytological series, only 3 DHL cases were observed. The dual BCL2/BCL6 FISH probe test results were fully concordant with the results obtained using classic BCL2 and BCL6 single break apart. Particularly, multiplex FISH to simultaneously detect BCL2-R and BCL6-R on a single slide could find a wide application in the characterisation of double- and triple-hit DLBCLs.
Liouville quantum gravity and the Brownian map III: the conformal structure is determined
Authors: Miller Jason , Sheffield Scott
Published: March 2021

Previous works in this series have shown that an instance of a $$\sqrt{8/3}$$

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-Liouville quantum gravity (LQG) sphere has a well-defined distance function, and that the resulting metric measure space (mm-space) agrees in law with the Brownian map (TBM). In this work, we show that given just the mm-space structure, one can a.s. recover the LQG sphere. This implies that there is a canonical way to parameterize an instance of TBM by the Euclidean sphere (up to Möbius transformation). In other words, an instance of TBM has a canonical conformal structure. The conclusion is that TBM and the $$\sqrt{8/3}$$

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-LQG sphere are equivalent. They ultimately encode the same structure (a topological sphere with a measure, a metric, and a conformal structure) and have the same law. From this point of view, the fact that the conformal structure a.s. determines the metric and vice-versa can be understood as a property of this unified law. The results of this work also imply that the analogous facts hold for Brownian and $$\sqrt{8/3}$$

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-LQG surfaces with other topologies.
Internet of things to protect the environment: a technological transdisciplinary project to develop mathematics with ethical effects
Authors: Tortoriello F. S. , Veronesi I.
Published: March 2021

In a society that has to reconcile two areas which are conceptually very distant from each other, such as interdisciplinarity and specialization, the education for young people is essential to form a thought to understand complexity, thanks also to the stimuli deriving from increasingly powerful and interconnected technological and IT environments. So, it is essential to identify teaching–learning processes and methods that allow students to understand and act adequately with a constantly evolving reality. Transdisciplinary themes can be introduced to enrich the students' curriculum by anchoring them strongly to the wealth of emerging technologies, using their potential and designing educational activities focused on technology and attractive to the various spheres of knowledge. In this paper is presented an experimental activity of designing Smart objects in the Internet of Things conducted with students of the “Mathematical High School” project.
El Niño and forecastability of oil-price realized volatility
Authors: Bouri Elie , Gupta Rangan , Pierdzioch Christian , Salisu Afees A.
Published: March 2021

We forecast monthly realized volatility (RV) of the oil price based on an extended heterogenous autoregressive (HAR)-RV model that incorporates the role of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), as captured by the Equatorial Southern Oscillation Index (EQSOI). Based on the period covering 1986 January to 2020 December and studying various rolling-estimation windows and forecast horizons, we find that the EQSOI has predictive value for oil-price RV particularly at forecast horizons from 2 to 4 years, and for rolling-estimation windows of length 4 to 6 years. We show that this result holds not only based on standard tests of out-of-sample predictability, but also under an asymmetric loss function.
Distributed detection of sequential anomalies in univariate time series
Authors: Schneider Johannes , Wenig Phillip , Papenbrock Thorsten
Published: March 2021

The automated detection of sequential anomalies in time series is an essential task for many applications, such as the monitoring of technical systems, fraud detection in high-frequency trading, or the early detection of disease symptoms. All these applications require the detection to findallsequential anomalies possiblyfaston potentially verylargetime series. In other words, the detection needs to be effective, efficient and scalable w.r.t. the input size. Series2Graph is an effective solution based on graph embeddings that are robust against re-occurring anomalies and can discover sequential anomalies of arbitrary length and works without training data. Yet, Series2Graph is no t scalable due to its single-threaded approach; it cannot, in particular, process arbitrarily large sequences due to the memory constraints of a single machine. In this paper, we propose our distributed anomaly detection system, short DADS, which is an efficient and scalable adaptation of Series2Graph. Based on the actor programming model, DADS distributes the input time sequence, intermediate state and the computation to all processors of a cluster in a way that minimizes communication costs and synchronization barriers. Our evaluation shows that DADS is orders of magnitude faster than S2G, scales almost linearly with the number of processors in the cluster and can process much larger input sequences due to its scale-out property.