bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Childhood adversity, pubertal timing and self-harm: a longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Russell Abigail Emma , Joinson Carol , Roberts Elystan , Heron Jon , Ford Tamsin , Gunnell David , Moran Paul , Relton Caroline , Suderman Matthew , Mars Becky
Published: March 2021

Background

The occurrence of early childhood adversity is strongly linked to later self-harm, but there is poor understanding of how this distal risk factor might influence later behaviours. One possible mechanism is through an earlier onset of puberty in children exposed to adversity, since early puberty is associated with an increased risk of adolescent self-harm. We investigated whether early pubertal timing mediates the association between childhood adversity and later self-harm.

Methods

Participants were 6698 young people from a UK population-based birth cohort (ALSPAC). We measured exposure to nine types of adversity from 0 to 9 years old, and self-harm when participants were aged 16 and 21 years. Pubertal timing measures were age at peak height velocity (aPHV – males and females) and age at menarche (AAM). We used generalised structural equation modelling for analyses.

Results

For every additional type of adversity; participants had an average 12–14% increased risk of self-harm by 16. Relative risk (RR) estimates were stronger for direct effects when outcomes were self-harm with suicidal intent. There was no evidence that earlier pubertal timing mediated the association between adversity and self-harm [indirect effect RR 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00–1.00 for aPHV and RR 1.00, 95% CI 1.00–1.01 for AAM].

Conclusions

A cumulative measure of exposure to multiple types of adversity does not confer an increased risk of self-harm via early pubertal timing, however both childhood adversity and early puberty are risk factors for later self-harm. Research identifying mechanisms underlying the link between childhood adversity and later self-harm is needed to inform interventions.
Changes of profession, employer and work tasks in later working life: an empirical overview of staying and leaving
Authors: Garthe Nina , Hasselhorn Hans Martin
Published: March 2021

Occupational change encompasses change of profession, employer and work tasks. This study gives an overview on occupational change in later working life and provides empirical evidence on voluntary, involuntary and desired occupational changes in the older workforce in Germany. The analyses were based on longitudinal data from 2,835 participants of the German lidA Cohort Study, a representative study of employees born in 1959 or 1965. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed in order to characterise the change groups in their previous job situation. The findings indicate that occupational change among older workers is frequent. In four years, 13.4 per cent changed employer, 10.5 per cent profession and 45.1 per cent work tasks. In addition, the desire for change often remains unfulfilled: the share of older workers who wanted to but did not change was 17.6 per cent for profession, 13.2 per cent for employer and 8.9 per cent for work tasks. The change groups investigated differ in terms of their socio-demographic background, health and job factors such as seniority and leadership quality. In times of ageing populations, the potential of occupational change among older workers requires more consideration in society, policy and research. Special attention should also be paid to the group of workers who would have liked to change but feel that they cannot leave.
Developing contextually aware ship domains using machine learning
Authors: Rawson Andrew , Brito Mario
Published: March 2021

Developing risk models to predict where collisions between vessels might occur is hindered by the relative sparsity of collisions. To address this, vessel encounters and near-misses have been used as a surrogate indicator of collision risk, referred to as ‘domain analysis’. When constructed empirically, using historical information, previous work is challenged by the multitude of factors which influence the passing distances between vessels. Within this paper, we conduct data mining of big vessel traffic datasets to determine the encounter characteristics across different waterways, vessel types and speeds, weather conditions and other exploratory variables. To achieve this, we utilise a novel approach of machine learning through a random forest algorithm to predict the critical passing distance between vessels in a multitude of conditions. We contribute a far greater range of influencing factors on domain size and shape than previous studies. Finally, we investigate the potential advantages of this approach to assess the spatial risk of collision across a large region. The results help to establish the factors that influence collision risk between navigating vessels and enable empirical maritime risk assessments.
Risk factors of pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Lei Yunxia , Zhang Xiao , Feng Yuan , Wang Jieying , Luo Riqiang
Published: March 2021

Objectives:

Pulmonary arterial hypertension symptoms in systemic lupus erythematosus patients are non-specific and early diagnosis and intervention are challenging. It remains essential to explore risk factors for pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic lupus erythematosus patients to identify high risk patients and allow intensive monitoring.

Methods:

From January 2010 to December 2018, 84 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and pulmonary arterial hypertension and 160 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus but without pulmonary arterial hypertension were enrolled. Clinical manifestations and laboratory test results were compared between the two groups to identify predictors of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Candidate pulmonary arterial hypertension risk factors were further compared among systemic lupus erythematosus-pulmonary arterial hypertension patients with different characteristics.

Results:

Among collected patient characteristics, Raynaud’s phenomenon (OR 2.32, 95% CI: 1.17–4.61), digital vasculitis (OR 4.12, 95% CI: 1.48–11.49), pericardial effusion, pulmonary interstitial lesions, positive anti-u1 ribonucleoprotein antibodies, and positive anticardiolipin antibodies immunoglobulin G were associated with significantly higher risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Among these candidate risk factors, positive anti-u1 ribonucleoprotein antibody was independently associated with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension and more active disease. Digital vasculitis was independently associated with systemic lupus erythematosus alleviation, while pericardial effusion was associated with systemic lupus erythematosus deterioration. Pericardial effusion was associated with longer pulmonary arterial hypertension duration.

Conclusion:

The significant association between studied clinical and laboratory indicators and risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary arterial hypertension and systemic lupus erythematosus characteristics suggested that these factors can be used to identify patients at higher risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension and adverse outcomes. Close monitoring may be indicated in patients with these risk factors, especially with more than one risk factor.
Surgical treatment of isolated unilateral absence of pulmonary artery with pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Hasegawa Moyu , Iwai Shigemitsu , Ishimaru Kazuhiko
Published: March 2021

A one-and-a-half-month-old patient with isolated unilateral absence of the right proximal pulmonary artery with prominent left pulmonary hypertension was diagnosed using CT. Medication therapy was initiated first. Left pulmonary artery pressure decreased after the initiation of medication therapy, and single-stage reconstruction of the right pulmonary artery was performed. The patient is asymptomatic 14 months postoperatively.
Tetralogy of Fallot: stent palliation or neonatal repair?
Authors: Banjoko Adeolu , Seyedzenouzi Golnoush , Ashton James , Hedayat Fatemeh , Smith Natalia N. , Nixon Henry , Tarmahomed Abdulla , Ashry Amr , Harky Amer
Published: March 2021

Surgical repair of Tetralogy of Fallot has excellent outcomes, with over 90% of patients alive at 30 years. The ideal time for surgical repair is between 3 and 11 months of age. However, the symptomatic neonate with Tetralogy of Fallot may require earlier intervention: either a palliative intervention (right ventricular outflow tract stent, ductal stent, balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty, or Blalock-Taussig shunt) followed by a surgical repair later on, or a complete surgical repair in the neonatal period. Indications for palliation include prematurity, complex anatomy, small pulmonary artery size, and comorbidities. Given that outcomes after right ventricular outflow tract stent palliation are particularly promising – there is low mortality and morbidity, and consistently increased oxygen saturations and increased pulmonary artery z-scores – it is now considered the first-line palliative option. Disadvantages of right ventricular outflow tract stenting include increased cardiopulmonary bypass time at later repair and the stent preventing pulmonary valve preservation. However, neonatal surgical repair is associated with increased short-term complications and hospital length of stay compared to staged repair. Both staged repair and primary repair appear to have similar long-term mortality and morbidity, but more evidence is needed assessing long-term outcomes for right ventricular outflow tract stent palliation patients.
The National Animal Health Monitoring System's perspective on respiratory disease in dairy cattle
Authors: Short Diana M. , Lombard Jason E.
Published: March 2021

In 1991, USDA's National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) conducted its first dairy study, a baseline assessment that focused on the health and management of heifer calves. During the study, producers ranked respiratory disease among the top two most common health problems affecting dairy calves. Over the last 25 years, U.S. dairy producers have participated in six NAHMS studies, yielding a rich repository of information that has helped identify needs for research, extension, and education in the dairy industry. NAHMS’ most recent dairy study, conducted in 2014, provides the latest estimates on dairy cattle health and includes another in-depth look at heifer-calf health. While overall mortality in calves has decreased, bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains an important cause of morbidity in calves. This raises the concern that BRD mitigation may be at a standstill on dairies. Research and on-farm experience have done much to elucidate the challenges associated with detection and perceived impacts of this complex disease. Continued development and implementation of new methods for monitoring health and detecting disease will provide additional tools to upend stalemating factors associated with BRD control, helping the dairy industry ‘turn a corner’ on this important disease.
Behavior assessment and applications for BRD diagnosis: beef
Authors: Richeson John T.
Published: March 2021

Assessment of behavior is a longstanding strategy to assist the diagnosis of clinical bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in beef cattle. Cattle with systemic inflammation caused by infectious pathogen(s) display predictable behavioral adaptations compared to healthy cohorts. Behavioral alterations in BRD-affected cattle include lethargy, social isolation, and anorexia. However, behavior assessment to support BRD case definition in the production setting is challenging because: (1) other bovine diseases cause behavior alterations similar to BRD; (2) cattle have inherent prey instinct to disguise sickness behavior during human evaluation; (3) labor constraints dictate very brief observation of animal behavior; and (4) traditional behavior assessment is subjective and agreement is often poor. Some of these challenges may be overcome with the use of advanced technologies that allow continuous, remote, and objective behavior assessment of individual cattle. Automated methodologies for behavior assessment include three-axis accelerometers that quantify physical behaviors, systems that document feeding/watering behavior, and triangulation systems that document spatial behavior. Each of these behavior-monitoring approaches generates unique information and may facilitate early detection of BRD compared to traditional methods. Nevertheless, adoption of behavior assessment technologies for BRD diagnosis in beef operations hinges upon improved detection, positive return on investment, and successful integration within existing BRD management practices.
BRD treatment failure: clinical and pathologic considerations
Authors: Ollivett T. L.
Published: March 2021

In cattle treated for respiratory disease, resolution of clinical signs has been the mainstay of determining treatment response and treatment efficacy. Through the use of calf lung ultrasound, we have found that pneumonia can persist or recur in the face of antibiotic therapy, despite improved clinical signs, leading to greater risk of clinical disease and more antibiotic use in the future. This review will discuss the pros and cons of using clinical signs to define resolution of disease and discuss how to implement lung ultrasound to improve our ability to accurately measure the impact of antibiotic therapy in cattle with respiratory disease.
A case study of bureaucratic discretion: heterogeneous application of market entry regulation in Germany
Authors: Runst Petrik
Published: March 2021

All law is relatively coarse after its initial implementation as the legislature cannot foresee all contingencies that can arise in the actual application of the law. Therefore, decisions need to be made by street-level administrators as novel and particular circumstances arise. Economists have largely ignored the political science literature on street-level bureaucrats, such as policemen, welfare case managers, or regulatory agents. I present a case study in the context of market entry regulation in Germany. Qualitative and quantitative evidence suggests that bureaucratic discretion exists, that is, administrative actions can be found on different ends of a decision space, and that its effects are potentially large. Administrators do not apply legislation in a uniform manner and we observe a systematically different application of rules across subnational jurisdictions.
THE LOGIC OF THE EVIDENTIAL CONDITIONAL
Authors: RAIDL ERIC , IACONA ANDREA , CRUPI VINCENZO
Published: March 2021

In some recent works, Crupi and Iacona proposed an analysis of ‘if’ based on Chrysippus’ idea that a conditional holds whenever the negation of its consequent is incompatible with its antecedent. This paper presents a sound and complete system of conditional logic that accommodates their analysis. The soundness and completeness proofs that will be provided rely on a general method elaborated by Raidl, which applies to a wide range of systems of conditional logic.
Evaluation of an Antenna Selection Strategy for Reduced Massive MIMO Complexity
Authors: Challita Frédéric , Liénard Martine , Gaillot Davy P. , Molina‐Garcia‐Pardo Jose‐Maria
Published: March 2021

Massive Multiple‐Input Multiple‐Output (MIMO) is emerging as one promising technology for the fifth generation (5G), but the hardware and software complexity arising from the sheer number of transmitting elements is a bottleneck. Antenna selection strategies have been reported as an appealing solution for hybrid beamforming architectures to select a number of radio‐frequency (RF) chains less than the total number of antennas but are yet to be fully defined and evaluated. In this work, a generic strategy relying on the receiver (Rx) spatial correlation is investigated to select the best antenna subset from a full array. It is evaluated from ray‐traced massive MIMO radio channels using propagation metrics, and also sum‐rate capacity computation. The results demonstrate that (1) for a fixed number of users, a subset with wisely selected distributed elements outperforms a collocated one for all studied metrics with performance close to the full array and (2) using a proposed optimization algorithm for a dynamic number of users, the number of active Tx antennas can be further optimized for the different studied subsets. Moreover, for a fixed number of users, the best antenna subset presenting the lowest Rx correlation values is found to reach the optimal sum‐rate capacity using simple linear precoders compared with dirty paper coding. This is achieved with only a third of the initial RF chain hardware complexity, thus validating the proposed approach. Also, experimental measurements, presented for an industrial scenario, validate the proposed approach.
Reply to Comment by R. Parkinson on “Increasing Rates of Carbon Burial in Southwest Florida Coastal Wetlands” by J. Breithaupt et al.
Authors: Breithaupt Joshua L. , Smoak Joseph M. , Bianchi Thomas S. , Vaughn Derrick , Sanders Christian J. , Radabaugh Kara R. , Osland Michael J. , Feher Laura C. , Lynch James C. , Cahoon Donald R. , Anderson Gordon H. , Whelan Kevin R. T. , Rosenheim Brad E. , Moyer Ryan P. , Chambers Lisa G.
Published: March 2021

Breithaupt et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JG005349) investigated why rates of organic carbon (OC) burial in coastal wetlands appear to increase over the past ∼120 years. After comparing dating methods and applying biogeochemical analyses, we concluded that neither dating method nor carbon degradation contribute to the observed trend. Rather, we concluded that OC burial has increased in the past century. Parkinson's (2021) Comment disagrees with our conclusion, contending that: (1) use of a density correction to account for soil auto‐compaction is a flawed methodology that artificially shortens a core's length, (2) there is limited evidence for an acceleration in the regional sea‐level rise (SLR) rate, and (3) vertical accretion rates in previous papers by Breithaupt et al. (2014, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JG002715; 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2017.07.002) are lower than the regional mean rate of SLR and are not to be believed as these wetlands should have converted to open water by now. We reject these contentions because: (1) no density correction was applied to the cores in this study, (2) local tide gauge records and analyses in the literature support an increase in SLR rates coinciding with the timeframe of our OC burial records, and (3) Parkinson's comparison of the 100‐yr mean rate of SLR neglects temporal variability and uncertainties in the long‐term sea‐level record, as well as biophysical feedbacks between wetland surface elevation and SLR. Here, we provide detailed responses to Parkinson's contentions and establish the importance of differentiating operational definitions of OC burial and accretion to clarify why an auto‐compaction correction is not applicable for OC burial measurements.
Zero uncertainty states in the presence of quantum memory
Authors: Zhu Huangjun
Published: March 2021

The uncertainty principle imposes a fundamental limit on predicting the measurement outcomes of incompatible observables even if complete classical information of the system state is known. The situation is different if one can build a quantum memory entangled with the system. Zero uncertainty states (in contrast with minimum uncertainty states) are peculiar quantum states that can eliminate uncertainties of incompatible von Neumann observables once assisted by suitable measurements on the memory. Here we determine all zero uncertainty states of any given set of nondegenerate observables and determine the minimum entanglement required. It turns out all zero uncertainty states are maximally entangled in a generic case, and vice versa, even if these observables are only weakly incompatible. Our work establishes a simple and precise connection between zero uncertainty and maximum entanglement, which is of interest to foundational studies and practical applications, including quantum certification and verification.
On the existence of soliton-like collective modes in liquid water at the viscoelastic crossover
Authors: Zakhvataev V. E. , Kompaniets L. A.
Published: March 2021

The problem of large-density variations in supercooled and ambient water has been widely discussed in the past years. Recent studies have indicated the possibility of nanometer-sized density variations on the subpicosecond and picosecond time scales. The nature of fluctuating density heterogeneities remains a highly debated issue. In the present work, we address the problem of possible association of such density variations with the dynamics of terahertz longitudinal acoustic-like modes in liquid water. Our study is based on the fact that the subpicosecond dynamics of liquid water are essentially governed by the structural relaxation. Using a mode coupling theory approach, we found that for typical values of parameters of liquid water, the dynamic mechanism coming from the combination of the structural relaxation process and the finiteness of the amplitude of terahertz longitudinal acoustic-like mode gives rise to a soliton-like collective mode on a temperature-dependent nanometer length scale. The characteristics of this mode are consistent with the estimates of the amplitudes and temperature-dependent correlation lengths of density fluctuations in liquid water obtained in experiments and simulations. Thus, the fully dynamic mechanism could contribute to the formation and dynamics of fluctuating density heterogeneities. The soliton-like collective excitations suggested by our analysis may be relevant to different phenomena connected with supercooled water and can be expected to be associated with some ultrafast biological processes.
Indirect effects of invasive rat removal result in recovery of island rocky intertidal community structure
Authors: Kurle Carolyn M. , Zilliacus Kelly M. , Sparks Jenna , Curl Jen , Bock Mila , Buckelew Stacey , Williams Jeffrey C. , Wolf Coral A. , Holmes Nick D. , Plissner Jonathan , Howald Gregg R. , Tershy Bernie R. , Croll Donald A.
Published: March 2021

Eleven years after invasive Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) were eradicated from Hawadax Island, in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, the predicted three-level trophic cascade in the rocky intertidal, with native shorebirds as the apex predator, returned, leading to a community resembling those on rat-free islands with significant decreases in invertebrate species abundances and increases in fleshy algal cover. Rats had indirectly structured the intertidal community via their role as the apex predator in a four-level trophic cascade. Our results are an excellent example of an achievable and relatively short-term community-level recovery following removal of invasive animals. These conservation successes are especially important for islands as their disproportionately high levels of native biodiversity are excessively threatened by invasive mammals.
Chemical characterization of Saudi propolis and its antiparasitic and anticancer properties
Authors: Alanazi Samyah , Alenzi Naif , Alenazi Fouza , Tabassum Hajera , Watson David
Published: March 2021

Propolis, is a gummy material produced by honey bees from different parts of plants and is enriched with varied biological active compounds like flavonoids, phenolics and phenolic acids with wide applicability in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. The current report is focused on the characterisation of propolis collected from Asir region, South-west of Saudi Arabia and its effect on Trypanosoma brucei (the causative organism of African sleeping sickness) and cytotoxic effect against U937 human leukemia cells. The Chemical composition and spectral characteristics of Saudi propolis was studied by Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS) and High-performance liquid chromatography–evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC–ELSD).The two main active compounds isolated from Saudi propolis via column chromatography and size exclusion chromatography were fisetinidol and ferulic acid. High resolution electrospray ionization–mass spectrophotometer (HRESI–MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used to elucidate the structures of the isolated compounds. All crudes extracts, fractions as well as isolated compounds were subjected for biological testing against Trypanosoma brucei (S427 WT), and their cytotoxicity against U937 human leukemia cells. Amongst the various samples investigated, S-6 fraction demonstrated highest anti-trypanosomal activity at 2.4 µg/ml MIC followed by fisetinidol at 4.7 µg/ml reflecting that the anti-trypanosomal activity is attributable to the presence of fisetinidol in the fraction. Similarly, all the tested samples exhibited cytotoxicity with an IC50 > 60 µg/ml. S-6 fractions exhibited highest cytotoxic activity against U937 cells with an IC50 of 58.7 µg/ml followed by ferulic acid with an IC50 87.7 µg/ml indicating that the cytotoxic effect of propolis might be due to the presence of ferulic acid. In conclusion, the biological activity of propolis could be attributed to the synergistic action of the two active compounds-ferulic acid and fisetinidol. The data obtained in the study is thus indicative of the role of propolis as potential anti-trypanosomal and anticancer agent for effective cancer therapy.
Slow life history leaves endangered snake vulnerable to illegal collecting
Authors: Jolly Chris J. , Von Takach Brenton , Webb Jonathan K.
Published: March 2021

Global wildlife trade is a multibillion-dollar industry and a significant driver of vertebrate extinction risk. Yet, few studies have quantified the impact of wild harvesting for the illicit pet trade on populations. Long-lived species, by virtue of their slow life history characteristics, may be unable to sustain even low levels of collecting. Here, we assessed the impact of illegal collecting on populations of endangered broad-headed snakes (Hoplocephalus bungaroides) at gated (protected) and ungated (unprotected) sites. Because broad-headed snakes are long-lived, grow slowly and reproduce infrequently, populations are likely vulnerable to increases in adult mortality. Long-term data revealed that annual survival rates of snakes were significantly lower in the ungated population than the gated population, consistent with the hypothesis of human removal of snakes for the pet trade. Population viability analysis showed that the ungated population has a strongly negative population growth rate and is only prevented from ultimate extinction by dispersal of small numbers of individuals from the gated population. Sensitivity analyses showed that the removal of a small number of adult females was sufficient to impose negative population growth and suggests that threatened species with slow life histories are likely to be especially vulnerable to illegal collecting.
Homotaurine limits the spreading of T cell autoreactivity within the CNS and ameliorates disease in a model of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Tian Jide , Song Min , Kaufman Daniel L.
Published: March 2021

Most multiple sclerosis (MS) patients given currently available disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) experience progressive disability. Accordingly, there is a need for new treatments that can limit the generation of new waves T cell autoreactivity that drive disease progression. Notably, immune cells express GABAA-receptors (GABAA-Rs) whose activation has anti-inflammatory effects such that GABA administration can ameliorate disease in models of type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and COVID-19. Here, we show that oral GABA, which cannot cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB), does not affect the course of murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In contrast, oral administration of the BBB-permeable GABAA-R-specific agonist homotaurine ameliorates monophasic EAE, as well as advanced-stage relapsing–remitting EAE (RR-EAE). Homotaurine treatment beginning after the first peak of paralysis reduced the spreading of Th17 and Th1 responses from the priming immunogen to a new myelin T cell epitope within the CNS. Antigen-presenting cells (APC) isolated from homotaurine-treated mice displayed an attenuated ability to promote autoantigen-specific T cell proliferation. The ability of homotaurine treatment to limit epitope spreading within the CNS, along with its safety record, makes it an excellent candidate to help treat MS and other inflammatory disorders of the CNS.
Culture and differentiation of rabbit intestinal organoids and organoid-derived cell monolayers
Authors: Kardia Egi , Frese Michael , Smertina Elena , Strive Tanja , Zeng Xi-Lei , Estes Mary , Hall Robyn N.
Published: March 2021

Organoids emulate many aspects of their parental tissue and are therefore used to study pathogen-host interactions and other complex biological processes. Here, we report a robust protocol for the isolation, maintenance and differentiation of rabbit small intestinal organoids and organoid-derived cell monolayers. Our rabbit intestinal spheroid and monolayer cultures grew most efficiently in L-WRN-conditioned medium that contained Wnt, R-spondin and Noggin, and that had been supplemented with ROCK and TGF-β inhibitors. Organoid and monolayer differentiation was initiated by reducing the concentration of the L-WRN-conditioned medium and by adding ROCK and Notch signalling inhibitors. Immunofluorescence staining and RT-qPCR demonstrated that our organoids contained enterocytes, enteroendocrine cells, goblet cells and Paneth cells. Finally, we infected rabbit organoids with Rabbit calicivirus Australia-1, an enterotropic lagovirus that—like many other caliciviruses—does not grow in conventional cell culture. Despite testing various conditions for inoculation, we did not detect any evidence of virus replication, suggesting either that our organoids do not contain suitable host cell types or that additional co-factors are required for a productive infection of rabbit organoids with Rabbit calicivirus Australia-1.
Coculture with hiPS-derived intestinal cells enhanced human hepatocyte functions in a pneumatic-pressure-driven two-organ microphysiological system
Authors: Shinohara Marie , Arakawa Hiroshi , Oda Yuuichi , Shiraki Nobuaki , Sugiura Shinji , Nishiuchi Takumi , Satoh Taku , Iino Keita , Leo Sylvia , Kato Yusuke , Araya Karin , Kawanishi Takumi , Nakatsuji Tomoki , Mitsuta Manami , Inamura Kosuke , Goto Tomomi , Shinha Kenta , Nihei Wataru , Komori Kikuo , Nishikawa Masaki , Kume Shoen , Kato Yukio , Kanamori Toshiyuki , Sakai Yasuyuki , Kimura Hiroshi
Published: March 2021

Examining intestine–liver interactions is important for achieving the desired physiological drug absorption and metabolism response in in vitro drug tests. Multi-organ microphysiological systems (MPSs) constitute promising tools for evaluating inter-organ interactions in vitro. For coculture on MPSs, normal cells are challenging to use because they require complex maintenance and careful handling. Herein, we demonstrated the potential of coculturing normal cells on MPSs in the evaluation of intestine–liver interactions. To this end, we cocultured human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived intestinal cells and fresh human hepatocytes which were isolated from PXB mice with medium circulation in a pneumatic-pressure-driven MPS with pipette-friendly liquid-handling options. The cytochrome activity, albumin production, and liver-specific gene expressions in human hepatocytes freshly isolated from a PXB mouse were significantly upregulated via coculture with hiPS-intestinal cells. Our normal cell coculture shows the effects of the interactions between the intestine and liver that may occur in vivo. This study is the first to demonstrate the coculturing of hiPS-intestinal cells and fresh human hepatocytes on an MPS for examining pure inter-organ interactions. Normal-cell coculture using the multi-organ MPS could be pursued to explore unknown physiological mechanisms of inter-organ interactions in vitro and investigate the physiological response of new drugs.
A low cost and open access system for rapid synthesis of large volumes of gold and silver nanoparticles
Authors: Ross Alex , Muñoz Marcelo , Rotstein Benjamin H. , Suuronen Erik J. , Alarcon Emilio I.
Published: March 2021

Rapid synthesis of nanomaterials in scalable quantities is critical for accelerating the discovery and commercial translation of nanoscale-based technologies. The synthesis of metal nanogold and silver in volumes larger than 100 mL is not automatized and might require of the use of harsh conditions that in most cases is detrimental for the production of nanoparticles with reproducible size distributions. In this work, we present the development and optimization of an open-access low-cost NanoParticle Flow Synthesis System (NPFloSS) that allows for the rapid preparation of volumes of up to 1 L of gold and silver nanoparticle aqueous solutions.
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy coupled with machine learning as a tool for olive oil authenticity and geographic discrimination
Authors: Gyftokostas Nikolaos , Stefas Dimitrios , Kokkinos Vasileios , Bouras Christos , Couris Stelios
Published: March 2021

Olive oil is a basic element of the Mediterranean diet and a key product for the economies of the Mediterranean countries. Thus, there is an added incentive in the olive oil business for fraud through practices like adulteration and mislabeling. In the present work, Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) assisted by machine learning is used for the classification of 139 virgin olive oils in terms of their geographical origin. The LIBS spectra of these olive oil samples were used to train different machine learning algorithms, namely LDA, ERTC, RFC, XGBoost, and to assess their classification performance. In addition, the variable importance of the spectral features was calculated, for the identification of the most important ones for the classification performance and to reduce their number for the algorithmic training. The algorithmic training was evaluated and tested by means of classification reports, confusion matrices and by external validation procedure as well. The present results demonstrate that machine learning aided LIBS can be a powerful and efficient tool for the rapid authentication of the geographic origin of virgin olive oil.
Direct measurement of radiation exposure dose to individual organs during diagnostic computed tomography examination
Authors: Yamashita Kazuta , Higashino Kosaku , Hayashi Hiroaki , Takegami Kazuki , Hayashi Fumio , Tsuruo Yoshihiro , Sairyo Koichi
Published: March 2021

Ionizing radiation from Computed tomography (CT) examinations and the associated health risks are growing concerns. The purpose of this study was to directly measure individual organ doses during routine clinical CT scanning protocols and to evaluate how these measurements vary with scanning conditions. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeters were surgically implanted into individual organs of fresh non-embalmed whole-body cadavers. Whole-body, head, chest, and abdomen CT scans were taken of 6 cadavers by simulating common clinical methods. The dosimeters were extracted and the radiation exposure doses for each organ were calculated. Average values were used for analysis. Measured individual organ doses for whole-body routine CT protocol were less than 20 mGy for all organs. The measured doses of surface/shallow organs were higher than those of deep organs under the same irradiation conditions. At the same tube voltage and tube current, all internal organ doses were significantly higher for whole-body scans compared with abdominal scans. This study could provide valuable information on individual organ doses and their trends under various scanning conditions. These data could be referenced and used when considering CT examination in daily clinical situations.
A one-pot synthesis of AgBr/Ag3PO4 composite photocatalysts
Authors: Su Jiahang , Fan Yitao , Yan Yu , Liu Tao , Li Hongshuang , Li Zhenyu , Song Fujiao
Published: March 2021

In this study, an AgBr/Ag3PO4 (ABAP) photocatalyst has been prepared via a facile one-pot anion-exchange method.
Relationship between penta-coordinated Al3+ sites in the Al2O3 supports and CH4 combustion activity of Pd/Al2O3 catalysts
Authors: Murata Kazumasa , Shiotani Takumi , Ohyama Junya , Wakabayashi Ryutaro , Maruoka Hirokazu , Kimura Tatsuo , Satsuma Atsushi
Published: March 2021

Pd/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared using various Al2O3 supports with different structural features, revealing a significant insight into the methane (CH4) combustion activity of Pd nanoparticles with the fraction of penta-coordinated Al3+ sites in the Al2O3 supports.
Palladium-catalyzed cascade 5-exo-trig radical cyclization/aromatic C–H alkylation with unactivated alkyl iodides
Authors: Sun Xi , Dong Xu , Yang Yi , Fu Jiangchen , Wang Yan , Li Zirui , Liu Yuying , Liu Hui
Published: March 2021

A novel and convenient palladium-catalyzed cascade 5-exo-trig radical cyclization/aromatic C–H alkylation with unactivated alkyl iodides has been described.
Effective nitenpyram detection in a dual-walled nitrogen-rich In(iii)/Tb(iii)–organic framework
Authors: Li Aijuan , Chu Qianqian , Zhou Huifang , Yang Zhipeng , Liu Bo , Zhang Jiwen
Published: March 2021

A heterometallic MOF probe with the advantages of strong fluorescence, simple synthesis, high density of Lewis acidic and basic sites, and repeatable use, has been designed and synthesized, which exhibits a rapid and sensitive reaction to nitenpyram.
Fe-BPsalan complex catalyzed highly enantioselective Diels–Alder reaction of alkylidene β-ketoesters
Authors: Ping Yuan-Ji , Zhou Yi-Ming , Wu Liang-Liang , Li Zong-Rui , Gu Xin , Wan Xiao-Long , Xu Zhen-Jiang , Che Chi-Ming
Published: March 2021

A practical Fe-BPsalan-catalyzed asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction of various alkylidene β-ketoesters and dienes was developed to afford estrone analogues in excellent yields, good to high diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities.
An organophotoredox-catalyzed redox-neutral cascade involving N-(acyloxy)phthalimides and maleimides
Authors: Das Sanju , Parida Sushanta Kumar , Mandal Tanumoy , Hota Sudhir Kumar , Roy Lisa , De Sarkar Suman , Murarka Sandip
Published: March 2021

A mild and efficient organophotoredox-catalyzed redox-neutral cascade involving maleimides and N-(acyloxy)phthalimides allowing the synthesis of otherwise inaccessible Z-selective alkoxy-alkylidenesuccinimides is achieved.
Efficient stereoselective synthesis of chiral 3,3′-dimethyl-(2,2′-bipyridine)-diol ligand and applications in FeII-catalysis
Authors: Lauzon Samuel , Caron Laurent , Ollevier Thierry
Published: March 2021

A seven step synthesis of a chiral 2,2′-bipyridinediol ligand with 3,3′-dimethyl substituents was achieved starting from commercially available materials.
Synthetic platform for mono-functionalised tridentate macrocycles as key precursors of mechanically-linked macromolecular systems
Authors: Sharma Atul Kumar , Malineni Jagadeesh , Box Simon , Ghiassinejad Sina , van Ruymbeke Evelyne , Fustin Charles-André
Published: March 2021

Macrocycles bearing a variety of functional groups give access to a wide range of synthetic methods for further derivatisation or preparation of more complex structures such as mechanically interlocked molecules or polymeric materials.
Resonant vibration of a thin polymer film under optical excitation
Authors: Emile Janine , Emile Olivier , Gaudriault Pierre
Published: March 2021

The breathing mode vibration of a thermoplastic polymer film under optical radiation pressure force resonant excitation leads to a mean thinning of the film, measured by an optical interference technique.
Intelligent control of horizontal vibration of high-speed elevator based on gas–liquid active guide shoes
Authors: He Qin , Zhang Peng , Cao Shunxin , Zhang Ruijun , Zhang Qing
Published: March 2021

Aiming at the inconsistency between the vibration of the car and the car frame in the actual operation of a high-speed elevator and the horizontal vibration caused by the roughness excitation of the guide rail, this study designs a gas–liquid active guide shoe and establishes a horizontal vibration model of the 8-DOF high-speed elevator car system separated from the car and the car frame. Then, the correctness of the model is verified by experiments. Based on this, a fuzzy neural network intelligent vibration reduction controller based on the Mamdani model is designed and simulated by MATLAB. The results show that the root mean square value, mean value, and maximum value of vibration acceleration are reduced by more than 55% after using the fuzzy neural network control method, and the suppression effect is better than that of BP neural network control. Therefore, the intelligent vibration absorption controller designed by this research institute can effectively suppress the horizontal vibration of high-speed elevators.
ORES: a chassis dynamometer for off-road vehicles
Authors: Kanchwala Husain
Published: March 2021

Off-Road Environment Simulator (ORES) is a Real-time Hardware-in-the-Loop (RT-HIL) platform to simulate the dynamic response of off-road vehicles. This paper primarily focuses on the vehicle model development and validation using both field and rig testing using the ORES platform. Off-road vehicles are capable of operating on bumpy terrains where they are subjected to different resistive wheel torques due to non-unique ground friction conditions and wheel loads. If the powertrain torque output is not distributed in accordance with the resistive wheel torques, it may lead to transmission windup resulting in premature failure of various driveline components. In this study, the vehicle is driven over discrete bumps both in rig simulation and field trial. Different terrain enveloping models were evaluated namely the single point, radial-spring contact model and two-point follower (usingcircularandsinusoidalbasis). These models were evaluated against the measured wheel acceleration responses. The two-point follower with sinusoidal basis strongly correlates with the measured responses and the ground excitations so obtained were used as inputs to asevendegree-of-freedom vehicle ride model. Ride model calculates the wheel loads and is eventually integrated with longitudinal dynamics, tire, driveline and test-rig models. Vehicle axle acceleration, wheel speed and drive torque responses are measured for validating the simulation results against field and rig trials. The field responses matches fairly well which validates the suitability of the proposed modeling approach.
Green closed-loop supply chain network design: a novel bi-objective chance-constraint approach
Authors: Kalantari Khalil Abad Amin Reza , Pasandideh Seyed Hamid Reza
Published: March 2021

In this paper, a novel chance-constrained programming model has been proposed for handling uncertainties in green closed loop supply chain network design. In addition to locating the facilities and establishing a flow between them, the model also determines the transportation mode between facilities. The objective functions are applied to minimize the expected value and variance of the total cost CO2 released is also controlled by providing a novel chance-constraint including a stochastic upper bound of emission capacity. To solve the mathematical model using the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) software, four multi-objective decision-making (MODM) methods were applied. The proposed methodology was subjected to various numerical experiments. The solutions provided by different methods were compared in terms of the expected value of cost, variance of cost, and CPU time using Pareto-based analysis and optimality-based analysis. In Pareto-based analysis, a set of preferable solutions were presented using the Pareto front; then optimality-based optimization was chosen as the best method by using a Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method. Experimental experiments and sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the performance of the goal attainment method was 13% and 24% better that of global criteria and goal programming methods, respectively.
Challenges to regional universities in Russia: The case of Ural Federal Okrug
Authors: Vidrevich Marina , Pervukhina Irina
Published: March 2021

The paper aims to analyze the state of the higher education system in Russia and its role in the regional development. It also provides some recommendations on how to modernize universities, modify their functions and eventually integrate universities into the regional economy in order to lay down the foundation for a quantum leap in the implementation of the National Education Project at the regional level.It is shown that the way out might be creation of well-functioning co-ordinating bodies at the regional level that comprise the key regional actors including private sector and that take a long-term wider view of regional development, not just focusing on economic but also social, cultural and environmental development.
Psychological safety as a characteristic feature of common education environment of higher educational institutions in times of globalization
Authors: Nichiporenko Nadezhda , Zhemchugova Anna
Published: March 2021

The article is devoted to the analysis of the results of monitoring carried out in higher educational institutions of the Republic of Tatarstan (more than 30 universities, institutes and their regional subdivisions). 47433 students were surveyed for the present analysis. The goal of the research was to study the parameters of educational environment that might potentially influence on individual’s psychological need for security. During the monitoring the students’ depression and aggression levels were measured. Questionnaire touched upon psychological security problems, such as relationships with teaching staff, relationships with peers, situations of psychological abuse (bullying and mobbing), emotional attitude towards studying. According to correlation analysis that was carried out, it was possible to single out multiple cases of correlation between aggression and depression with various security components of educational environment. The article reflects the fact that depression and aggression represent not only generalized, obscuredly specific patterns of psychological ill-being of a certain person, but they are known to be adjustment mechanisms that help to cope with adverse circumstances. Being closely related to different factors of schooling, depression and aggression can serve as secure and valid subjective markers of psychological security of a certain person in the educational environment.
Quality of the master's program: factors and regulatory framework
Authors: Vlasova Natalia , Karkh Dmitriy
Published: March 2021

The quality of educational programs and the assessment criteria is a debatable point. Universities pay special attention to the management and evaluation of the master's program quality to improve competitiveness. Approaches to an external and internal assessment of the quality of master's programs have changed over the past 20 years in Russia. The paper analyses the approach to internal university monitoring of the master's programs, taking into account external requirements and all stakeholders’ opinions. The analysis of the preferences of employers and students allowed us to determine the parameters of internal monitoring of the quality of master's programs. Focused interviews with representatives of local government bodies allowed to identify the blocks of disciplines that need to be further integrated into the master's program in public administration. It is emphasized that the approach to quality assessment should be more flexible in order to respond to the challenges of the external environment.