bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of PFAS treatment technology: Alkaline ozonation
Authors: Thomas Ryan , Jenkins Kristen , Landale Beth , Trigger Grant , Holsen Thomas M. , Dore Sophia , Pope Donald , Wasielewski Jennifer
Published: June 2020

A bench‐scale treatability study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of alkaline ozonation on removing per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present in groundwater at a former industrial site in Michigan. The study involved testing the PFAS‐impacted groundwater under alkaline ozonating conditions under a range of experimental conditions, including modifying pH, hydrogen peroxide‐to‐ozone molar ratio doses, length of ozonation pretreatment times, and sampling techniques. PFAS‐spiked samples were used to determine if inorganic ions such as fluoride (F−), sulfate (SO42−), formate (HCOO−), acetate (CH3COO−), and trifluoroacetate (CF3COO−) were generated or if there were decreases in total organic fluorine resulting from PFAS treatment. The results from all tests indicate that decreases in PFAS concentrations were due to a combination of removal and destructive mechanisms with enhanced removal under acidic pH ozonation pretreatment conditions. Short‐chain PFAS concentrations increased during the experiments followed by an overall decrease in concentration under continuous alkaline ozonation conditions. Reductions in concentrations in perfluorooctane sulfonic acid of 75–97% were observed. Reductions in concentrations were also observed in other PFAS such as 6:2 FTS, PFHxS, PFOA, and PFNA. To our best knowledge, this is the first time that alkaline ozonation has been performed on PFAS‐impacted water while monitoring a larger suite of PFAS analytes in addition to destruction byproducts. Treatment of PFAS under the conditions discussed in this paper suggests that alkaline ozonation may be a viable remediation option for PFAS‐impacted waters.
Design and Synthesis of New Vancomycin Derivatives
Authors: Ma Chunying , He Na , Ou Yangyan , Feng Wenhua
Published: June 2020

To explore the structure‐activity relationships (SAR) of vancomycin and find more effective new chemical entities than known glycopeptides for the treatment of antibacterial infection, 11 novel vancomycin analogues 7 carrying N‐acyl‐substituted lipophilic substitutions on the vancosamine moiety and polar moieties on the seventh‐amino acid phenyl ring were designed and synthesized. These analogues 7 a–k have been evaluated in vitro for their antibacterial activities against S. epidermidis, S. aureus, E. faecalis and E. faecium (sensitive and resistant strains). Compounds 7 c, 7 f, and 7 i showed more potent antibacterial activity against S. aureus than vancomycin. In addition, compounds 7 f and 7 j showed promising antibacterial activity against sensitive S. epidermidis.
CuX2 Mediated Facile Halocyclization of N‐Allyl Thioureas
Authors: Rai Vishakha , Sorabad Ganesh Shivayogappa , Maddani Mahagundappa Rachappa
Published: June 2020

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of thiazoline derivatives via electrophilic cyclization of N‐allyl thiourea derivatives with the low‐cost and readily available cupric halides has been developed. The notable features of this reaction are the formation of new C‐X and C‐S bonds, mild reaction conditions, short reaction time and the excellent yields. The present method was also employed for the preparation of corresponding oxazoline derivatives in very good yields.
Identification of a Novel DNA Gyrase Inhibitor via Design and Synthesis of New Antibacterial Pyrido[1′,2′:1,2]pyrimido[4,5‐e][1,3,4]thiadiazin‐5‐ol Derivatives
Authors: Khalil Hosam H. , Khattab Sherine N. , Toughan Mayada M. , El‐Saghier Ahmed M. M. , El‐Wakil Marwa H.
Published: June 2020

Two new series of pyrido[1′,2′:1,2]pyrimido[4,5‐e][1,3,4]thiadiazin‐5‐ol Schiff's bases (4 a‐j) and 1,3,5‐triazinylaminobenzamides (6 a‐e) as effective antibacterial agents targeting E.coli DNA gyrase were designed and synthesized. Compound 6 e was found to be the most promising antibacterial agent among the screened compounds. Further evaluation of the inhibitory activity of 6 e against E.coli DNA gyrase in the supercoiling assay revealed its potential inhibitory activity (IC50=4.86 μM) more than reference drug ciprofloxacin (IC50=4.98 μM). Comparison of molecular electrostatic potential maps between 6 e and ciprofloxacin revealed similar regions of positive and negative potentials. While docking studies illustrated the predicted binding mode of 6 e inside the active site of E.coli DNA gyrase which involved key binding interactions with the essential amino acid residues. Additional in silico computation of physicochemical parameters, ADMET and ligand efficiency indices pointed out to the potential drug‐like properties of 6 e as a lead compound for future optimization and development.
Synthesis of Optically Active Graft Copolymers Carrying Polylactide Arms as Fluorescent Sensor for Recognition of Pyroglutamic Acid Enantiomer
Authors: Li Quan , Peng Yanyan , Han Shuo , Lan Tianqi , Zhang Jin , Cao Jing
Published: June 2020

Polylactide is rarely used as a kind of fluorescence sensor material due to lack of luminescent group. To make up for this lack of features, in this paper, achiral 9,9‐dipropynylfluorene‐2‐methanol (DODH) as a starting material was used to construct a luminescent oligomer (poly‐(S)‐DODH) via asymmetric coupling reaction, which exhibits good emission ability but low optical rotation value. Then, the oligomer was grafted onto chiral lactide (LLA) to produce polylactic acid side chain, giving a high optically active graft oligomer poly‐(S)‐DODH‐LAA with molecular brush structure. This graft oligomer as a fluorescence sensor for several chiral enantiomers was investigated. Although the oligomer itself almost showed no recognition ability for all these enantiomers, interestingly, the recognition performance for pyroglutamic acid enantiomer was obviously enhanced in the presence of Cu2+.
Catalytic Hydroconversion of Runbei Lignite over a Highly Active Solid Superacid
Authors: Niu Shuo , Wei Xian‐Yong , Li Zhi‐Xin , Zhang Di , Zong Zhi‐Min , Kang Yu‐Hong
Published: June 2020

A highly active solid superacid, denoted as TFMSA/CNOFW, was prepared by calcining Ni‐organic framework (NOFW) to get calcined NOFW (CNOFW), into which trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMSA) was impregnated. It was used to catalyze the hydroconversions of both oxybis(methylene)dibenzene (OBMDB) and the extraction residue (ERRL) from Runbei lignite (RL). The results show that over TFMSA/CNOFW, OBMDB was hydrocracked to toluene as the main product, indicating that TFMSA/CNOFW can heterolytically spit H2 to relatively mobile H+ and immobile H− attached on TFMSA/CNOFW. The addition of H+ to the oxygen atom (OA) in OBMDB produces phenylmethylium (PMI) and phenylmethanol (PMII). Toluene was yielded by the following 2 reactions: (1) the abstraction of H− by PMI from the TFMSA/CNOFW surface and (2) H+ addition to the OA in PMII, subsequent dehydration to form PMI, and the abstraction of H− by PMI from the TFMSA/CNOFW surface. In the similar mechanism, ERRL was hydrocracked to acetone‐soluble portion in the yield of 78.6% over TFMSA/CNOFW under 4 MPa of initial hydrogen pressure at 310 °C for 4 h.
Complete Liquid‐Phase Preparation of CuFe‐Based Catalysts and Their Application in the Synthesis of Higher Alcohols from Syngas
Authors: Bai Nan , Gao Zhihua , Hao Chunyao , Deng Haoyue , Zhang Sai , Huang Wei
Published: June 2020

CuFe‐based catalysts with different Cu/Fe molar ratios were prepared by the complete liquid‐phase method and applied in the synthesis of higher alcohols from syngas in a slurry bed reactor. The characterization results demonstrated that the CuFe‐based catalysts existed CuFe alloy and CuFe2O4. The molar ratio of Cu/Fe had an obvious effect on the synergistic interaction of CuFe bimetallic and its performance. The CuFe‐based catalyst with Cu/Fe molar ratio of 2 (Cu2Fe1) was the best catalyst, which showed better dispersibility and intimate contact between bimetal, and more spinel on the metal surface. The activity evaluation results exhibited that low temperature and low pressure were favorable for the formation of higher alcohols. The total alcohols selectivity was 46.87% and the higher alcohols mass fraction in total alcohols was 83.44% at 493 K and 3 MPa. This work may provide a novel method in preparing a highly efficient catalyst for higher alcohols synthesis from syngas under milder reaction conditions.
Converting inventions into innovations in large firms: How inventors at Xerox navigated the innovation process to commercialize their ideas
Authors: Vinokurova Natalya , Kapoor Rahul
Published: June 2020

Research Summary

How can inventors in large firms navigate their organizations' innovation processes to commercialize breakthrough inventions? Using historical case studies of three breakthrough inventions at Xerox—office workstations, personal computers, and laser printers, we illustrate how inventors navigated multiple evaluation criteria across different organizational units to attract resources toward inventions. These criteria stemmed from Xerox's first successful breakthrough invention, the 914 copier and the specific objectives of the organizational units. We highlight two approaches deployed by Xerox inventors—searching across the organization for more favorable evaluation criteria and shaping the evaluation criteria to help attract resources. While searching leveraged the heterogeneity of evaluation criteria across the different organizational units, shaping required the presence of evaluative uncertainty with respect to the appropriate criteria for evaluating breakthrough inventions.

Managerial Summary

The challenges of commercializing breakthrough inventions in large firms have been studied extensively through a lens of managerial decision‐making and resource allocation. This perspective has characterized the innovation process in large firms as one in which inventors confine themselves to idea generation, leaving idea commercialization to other actors, subject to organizational inertia. We develop a complementary perspective of the innovation process in which inventors may navigate organizational inertia by going beyond idea generation to attracting resources toward commercializing their breakthrough inventions. By offering a novel account of how inventors at Xerox navigated multiple evaluation criteria to commercialize their inventions, the study sheds light on an important yet overlooked aspect of the innovation process in large firms that can facilitate the commercialization of breakthrough inventions.
Embedding co‐sleeping practice within the family systems paradigm: Novel theoretical conceptualization and initial empirical exploration
Authors: Neophytou Kleanthis , Rodríguez‐González Martiño , Lampis Jessica
Published: June 2020

A critical co‐sleeping literature review revealed individualistic and dyadic guided approaches taken insofar, ridden by conflicting results. Thereby, we situated our approach beyond the individual and dyad area where we developed anew a systemic co‐sleeping paradigm, resulting in theoretical and preliminary empirical findings. Initial cross‐gender analyses associated significantly co‐sleeping with Bowen Family Systems Theory's cornerstone constructs. However, once the moderating effect of gender was examined, significance disappeared across the board for females yet persisted for males. Specifically, male‐children time‐persistent co‐sleeping was associated negatively with differentiation and positively with chronic anxiety and other hypothesized maladjustment effects (guilty feelings and abandonment feelings if moved away from parents). Effects drew attention to Bowen's systemic construct of intergenerational emotional fusion. Guided by the empirical associations, we focused on gender development differences literature. We suggest that triangulation processes dynamically embed co‐sleeping within the family systems paradigm, with the embedment appearing to be significantly gendered.
Analysis of Fluid Flow of Liquid Steel through Clogged Nozzles: Thermodynamic Analysis and Flow Simulations
Authors: González-Solórzano Maria Guadalupe , Morales Rodolfo Dávila , Gutiérrez Enif , Guarneros Javier , Chattopadhyay Kinnor
Published: June 2020

Selected raw materials, surface treatment, and control of the internal flow fundamentals are applied to manufacture an anticlogging nozzle. This nozzle is compared with another one manufactured with a conventional alumina–graphite (AG) composite in a plant trial. The two nozzles, with and without clogging, are replicated with plastic and rubber materials and the flows, under unclogged and clogged conditions, are characterized using water modelling and mathematical simulations. The new nozzle material yields considerably less clogging than the nozzle with the conventional AG after casting four heats, yet, there is still clogging. Flow patterns, because of clogging, change radically and represent serious conditions for slab integrity and the productivity of the caster.
Toward a Better Understanding of Blast Furnace Raceway Blockages
Authors: Puttinger Stefan , Stocker Hugo
Published: June 2020

Operational data of two small size blast furnaces (BFs) with respect to the occurrence of raceway blockages are analyzed. These blockages mainly occur due to erratic movements in the burden. In a previous project, the authors have investigated the various types of raceway blockages and tested different approaches to implement a reliable way to detect such blockages at a very early stage. Early detection of severe blockage events is important to avoid tuyere damages and trigger operational reactions like, e.g., the shutdown of pulverized coal injection (PCI) branches. The most promising algorithm of the previous project has been implemented in the process control system of the BFs and enhanced with the additional calculation of a strength factor serving as an indicator for the severity of a blockage event. The system is now collecting data on raceway blockages since the beginning of 2019. As there is now a good data basis available, herein, the latest findings on blockage event statistics and the correlation with other operational data of the BF are presented.
Parametric numerical study on service‐load deflections of reinforced recycled aggregate concrete slabs and beams based on fib Model Code 2010
Authors: Tošić Nikola , Kurama Yahya
Published: June 2020

Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is entering into structural design codes such as the new Eurocode 2. However, serviceability limit state (SLS) behavior of RAC, especially deflections, can be significantly greater than for natural aggregate concrete. Proposals for deflection control of RAC exist, but there still have not been significant studies on their implications for SLS design. In this paper, a comprehensive numerical parametric study on the sustained service‐load deflections of reinforced RAC slabs and beams is described. First, a concrete material model for the time‐dependent analysis of reinforced concrete structures is described, validated, and calibrated, incorporating fib Model Code 2010 creep and shrinkage models in the OpenSees structural analysis program. Then, service‐load deflection analyses are conducted on RAC one‐way slabs and T‐beams considering the amount of coarse recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), concrete strength class, element height, span, statical system, relative humidity, and quasi‐permanent load‐to‐design load ratio. The results show that RCA begins to have an appreciable effect on deflections only for coarse aggregate replacement percentages above 25%. At 50% replacement, the maximum spans to satisfy deflection limits can be considerably reduced; however, these reductions are smaller for T‐beams and higher class concrete. The results confirm the versatility of the numerical model, as well as the applicability and limitations of RAC in SLS design.
Influence of calcined diatomite content and elevated temperatures on the properties of high strength mortars produced with basalt sand
Authors: Sarıdemir Mustafa , Çelikten Serhat , Çiflikli Murat , Karahancer Mustafa
Published: June 2020

In this paper, the effect of calcined diatomite (CDT) content on the mechanical, microstructural, and mineralogical properties of high strength mortars (HSMs) exposed to 25, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000°C temperatures is investigated. The percentages of CDT that replace Portland cement (PC) in this work are 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%, by weight. The researched properties of the HSMs are the unit weight (Uw), ultrasonic pulse velocity (Upv), flexural strength (fs), compressive strength (fc) and the analyses of X‐ray powder diffraction, polarized light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy. The experimental results show that the CDT has a potential to be successfully employed as a partial replacement of PC in the HSMs exposed to elevated temperatures. The optimal replacement level of PC by CDT is determined as 15% from strength tests. Besides, the Uw, Upv, fs, and fc values progressively reduce as the temperatures subjected to the HSMs increase. The CDT has a positive effect on the fs and fc values the HSMs after exposure to elevated temperatures.
Coherent X-ray Imaging
Authors: Salditt Tim , Robisch Anna-Lena
Published: June 2020

This chapter briefly summarizes some main concepts of coherent X-ray imaging. More specifically, we consider lensless X-ray imaging based on free-space propagation. It is meant as primer and tutorial which should help to understand later chapters of this book devoted to X-ray imaging, phase contrast methods, and optical inverse problems. We start by an introduction to scalar wave propagation, first in free space, followed by propagation of short wavelength radiation within matter. This provides the basic tools to consider the mechanisms of coherent image formation in a lensless X-ray microscope. The recorded intensities are inline holograms created by self-interference behind the object. We then present single-step and iterative fixed-point techniques based on alternating projections onto constraint sets as tools to decode the measured intensities (phase retrieval). The chapter closes with a brief generalization of two dimensional coherent imaging to three dimensional imaging by tomography.
Proximal Methods for Image Processing
Authors: Luke D. Russell
Published: June 2020

In this tutorial on proximal methods for image processing we provide an overview of proximal methods for a general audience, and illustrate via several examples the implementation of these methods on data sets from the collaborative research center at the University of G$$\ddot{o}$$

o
¨

ttingen. The ProxToolbox is a collection of routines that process simulated and raw image data. We use the toolbox not only for research purposes, but also as a teaching tool, to give beginning students access to relevant, laboratory data, upon which they can test their understanding of algorithms and experiment with new ideas.
Reversibly Switchable Fluorescent Proteins for RESOLFT Nanoscopy
Authors: Jensen Nickels A. , Jansen Isabelle , Kamper Maria , Jakobs Stefan
Published: June 2020

Diffraction-limited lens-based optical microscopy fails to discern fluorescent features closer than $$\sim $$
∼
200 nm. All super-resolution microscopy (nanoscopy) approaches that fundamentally overcome the diffraction barrier rely on fluorophores that can adopt different states, typically a fluorescent ‘on-’state and a dark, non-fluorescent ‘off-’state. In reversible saturable optical linear fluorescence transitions (RESOLFT) nanoscopy, light is applied to induce transitions between two states and to switch fluorophores on and off at defined spatial coordinates. RESOLFT nanoscopy relies on metastable reversibly switchable fluorophores. Thereby, it is particularly suited for live-cell imaging, because it requires relatively low light levels to overcome the diffraction barrier. Most implementations of RESOLFT nanoscopy utilize reversibly photoswitchable fluorescent proteins (RSFPs), which are derivatives of proteins from the green fluorescent protein (GFP) family. In recent years, analysis of the molecular mechanisms of the switching processes have paved the way to a rational design of new RSFPs with superior characteristics for super-resolution microscopy. In this chapter, we focus on the newly developed RSFPs, the light-driven switching mechanisms and the use of RSFPs for RESOLFT nanoscopy.
Effect of back reaction on entanglement and subregion volume complexity in strongly coupled plasma
Authors: Chakrabortty Shankhadeep , Pant Sanjay , Sil Karunava
Published: June 2020

Abstract

The back reaction imparted by a uniform distribution of heavy static fundamental quarks on large N

c
strongly coupled gauge theory can be holographically realized as a deformation in AdS blackhole background. The presence of back reaction brings significant changes in to the entanglement structure of the strongly coupled boundary theory at finite temperature. Since the deformed blackhole geometry still remains asymptotically AdS, the gauge/ gravity duality allows us to explore the entanglement structure of back reacted plasma in a quantitative way by computing various measures, e.g holographic en­ tanglement entropy (HEE) and entanglement wedge cross section (EWCS). We explicitly study the variation of those entanglement measures with respect to the uniform density of heavy static fundamental quarks present in the boundary theory. In particular, we notice enhancement of both HEE and EWCS with respect to quark density. We also study the effect of back reaction on the holographic subregion volume complexity. In this analysis we observe an occurrence of logarithmic divergence proportional to the quark density parameter.
Homogeneous Levi non-degenerate hypersurfaces in $${{\mathbb {C}}}^3$$
Authors: Doubrov Boris , Medvedev Alexandr , The Dennis
Published: June 2020

We classify all (locally) homogeneous Levi non-degenerate real hypersurfaces in $${{\mathbb {C}}}^3$$

C

3

with symmetry algebra of dimension $$\ge 6$$

≥
6

.
Personzentriertes diagnostisches Verstehen und der ganzheitliche Blick auf das Individuum
Authors: Brückl Marieluise
Published: June 2020

Im Personzentrierten Ansatz wird der Mensch in seiner Gesamtheit betrachtet und die Ursache für Störungen in der Konstellation der Selbststruktur angenommen. In der therapeutischen Arbeit mit Jugendlichen gilt es zu verstehen, welche der vielfältigen Erfahrungen in das Selbstkonzept vollständig integriert werden konnten und welche vielleicht nur verzerrt aufgenommen oder ganz verleugnet werden mussten. Diagnostik im personzentrierten Verständnis ist ein Teil der Therapie bzw. eine den Prozess begleitende Diagnostik und wird an Hand der Arbeit mit einer fünfzehnjährigen Jugendlichen beschrieben.
Blind Source Separation for Compositional Time Series
Authors: Nordhausen Klaus , Fischer Gregor , Filzmoser Peter
Published: June 2020

Many geological phenomena are regularly measured over time to follow developments and changes. For many of these phenomena, the absolute values are not of interest, but rather the relative information, which means that the data are compositional time series. Thus, the serial nature and the compositional geometry should be considered when analyzing the data. Multivariate time series are already challenging, especially if they are higher dimensional, and latent variable models are a popular way to deal with this kind of data. Blind source separation techniques are well-established latent factor models for time series, with many variants covering quite different time series models. Here, several such methods and their assumptions are reviewed, and it is shown how they can be applied to high-dimensional compositional time series. Also, a novel blind source separation method is suggested which is quite flexible regarding the assumptions of the latent time series. The methodology is illustrated using simulations and in an application to light absorbance data from water samples taken from a small stream in Lower Austria.
Right drug, wrong dosage: insights from the PAVE-AF antithrombotic study in older patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Tzeis Stylianos , Savvari Paraskevi , Skiadas Ioannis , Patsilinakos Sotirios , Stamatelopoulos Kimon , Kourouklis Spyridon , Kyrikos Sotirios , Tsatiris Konstantinos , Menegas Damianos , Hahalis George , Giannakoulas George ,   the PAVE-AF study group, Chryssos Dimitrios , Diakakis Georgios , Gkouias Konstantinos , Kafkala Krystallenia , Kantziou Maria , Kapetanopoulos Athanasios , Kikas Petros , Kirytopoulos Petros , Korres Dimitrios , Koulouris Efstathios , Kyratlidis Konstantinos , Laina Aggeliki , Lampropoulos Stylianos , Lymperopoulos Georgios , Makrygiannis Dimitrios , Maragiannis Athanasios , Michailidis Theodoros , Mpourni Irini , Nasothymiou Efthymia , Olympios Christoforos , Papadogiannis Dimitrios , Paphianou Eleni , Papoulidis Neofytos , Protogerou Athanasios , Ralli Dionysia , Rigopoulos Panagiotis , Sihlimiris Ilias , Spanodimos Stavros , Stathopoulos Christos , Toumpourleka Maria , Tsigkas Grigorios , Tziakas Dimitrios , Tzimas Thomas , Vrettos Nikiforos , Zafiriou Tsilla , Zafiris Aristides , Zonios Georgios
Published: June 2020

Optimal antithrombotic treatment of older patients is usually impeded by several prevailing misconceptions. The aim of our study was to assess the type, dosage and predictors of antithrombotic therapy in older patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). PAVE-AF was a prospective, cross-sectional study, including NVAF patients ≥ 80 years from 30 participating centers. Demographic data, comorbidities and treatment patterns were documented in a single visit. Patients treated with non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) were further classified into three dosing categories (recommended, underdosing and overdosing). Among 1018 patients (85.4±4.0 years), 88.4% received anticoagulants (AC), 8% antiplatelets (AP) and 3.6% no treatment. The primary reason for AP administration was physician concern of bleeding followed by patient denial. Patients ≥90 years had two times greater probability to receive AP therapy compared to patients < 90 years. Among patients treated with AC, one third received vitamin K antagonists, while two thirds received NOACs [34.6% apixaban, 9.5% dabigatran and 22.6% rivaroxaban]. Independent predictors of AC prescription over AP or no treatment were low HAS-BLED score, hypertension, labile INR, permanent AF, absence of uncontrolled hypertension, prior stroke/systemic embolism, age and male gender. In total, 37% of NOAC recipients received inappropriate dosage, while the number of patients receiving recommended dosing differed significantly among NOAC subgroups (p < 0.001). In our study, a minority of older NVAF patients received AP or no therapy for stroke prevention. Among patients treated with anticoagulants, two thirds were on NOAC treatment, though with a considerable proportion of inappropriate dosing.
Meditation experience is associated with lower levels of repetitive negative thinking: The key role of self-compassion
Authors: Schlosser Marco , Jones Rebecca , Demnitz-King Harriet , Marchant Natalie L.
Published: June 2020

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between meditation experience and repetitive negative thinking (RNT) in regular meditators with a wide range of experience, and to examine the extent to which self-compassion and mindfulness mediate this relationship. RNT is a transdiagnostic process that is implicated in the development and maintenance of several mental health disorders. Converging evidence suggests that meditation practice is associated with improved mental health and may reduce levels of RNT. Increased levels of self-compassion and mindfulness have been associated with decreased levels of RNT and proposed as theoretically consistent mediators by which meditation practice exerts its beneficial effects; however, they are seldom considered in combination. In a cross-sectional design, 1281 meditators (mean age = 44.7 years, SD = 13.9, 53.7% female) completed questionnaires about meditation experience, RNT, self-compassion, and mindfulness. Linear regression and generalised structural equation models were used to examine the data. Longer duration of meditation experience was associated with lower levels of RNT and higher levels of self-compassion and mindfulness. Meditation experience was associated with RNT indirectly through self-compassion, but not through mindfulness. The results offer preliminary support for longer-term meditation as a potential means for reducing the maladaptive process of RNT. Clinically, self-compassion could be identified as a promising treatment target for interventions.
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome: from basic to clinics
Authors: Qin Hua , Zhao Andong
Published: June 2020

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has occurred in China and around the world. SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with severe pneumonia rapidly develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and die of multiple organ failure. Despite advances in supportive care approaches, ARDS is still associated with high mortality and morbidity. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy may be an potential alternative strategy for treating ARDS by targeting the various pathophysiological events of ARDS. By releasing a variety of paracrine factors and extracellular vesicles, MSC can exert anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-microbial, and pro-angiogenic effects, promote bacterial and alveolar fluid clearance, disrupt the pulmonary endothelial and epithelial cell damage, eventually avoiding the lung and distal organ injuries to rescue patients with ARDS. An increasing number of experimental animal studies and early clinical studies verify the safety and efficacy of MSC therapy in ARDS. Since low cell engraftment and survival in lung limit MSC therapeutic potentials, several strategies have been developed to enhance their engraftment in the lung and their intrinsic, therapeutic properties. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the mechanisms and optimization of MSC therapy in ARDS and highlighted the potentials and possible barriers of MSC therapy for COVID-19 patients with ARDS.
Overview of Steel Bridges Containing High Strength Steel
Authors: Skoglund Oskar , Leander John , Karoumi Raid
Published: June 2020

The use of high strength steel has the potential to reduce the amount of steel used in bridges and thereby, facilitate a more sustainable construction. A survey of existing bridges built using high strength steel is presented in this paper with emphasis on the Swedish bridge stock. The survey aimed at identifying the steel grades that were used and where in the cross-section they have been used. A case study on the influence of fatigue shows that today’s regulations make it more difficult to use high strength steel in comparison to previous regulations.
Counting on Potential Grandparents? Adult Children’s Entry Into Parenthood Across European Countries
Authors: Rutigliano Roberta
Published: June 2020

As populations age and longevity rises, the structure of the extended family is changing. Parents of young children are increasingly turning to the children’s grandparents to provide childcare and help them reconcile work and family. This study is the first to investigate whether would-be grandparents’ propensity to care for their grandchildren influences the adult children’s transition to parenthood. Because grandparental childcare provision is not observable at the time of the transition to the first birth, I built a measure based on the characteristics of both actual grandparents and adult children to act as a proxy for the childcare that prospective grandparents are expected to provide in the future. Using data from the first two waves of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe, I examine changes in the likelihood of having a first birth by different levels of expected future childcare provision. Given that the role grandparents play varies depending on the national context, I estimate distinct models for different groups of countries. Furthermore, I analyze different intensities of grandparental childcare: regular, occasional, and any other type of positive childcare. The comparison across 11 countries reveals that grandparental propensity to provide occasional childcare has a positive effect on the transition to parenthood in all country clusters and that grandparental propensity to provide regular childcare has a positive and significant association with having a first child in both pro-natalist (Belgium and France) and pro-traditional countries (Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland).
Acute and Sub-Acute Toxicological Evaluations of Bioactive Alkaloidal Extract from Melodinus henryi and Their Main Chemical Constituents
Authors: Yang Meilian , Wang Yudan , Fan Zhifeng , Xue Qingwang , Njateng Guy Sedar Singor , Liu Yaping , Cao Jianxin , Zhao Tianrui , Cheng Guiguang
Published: June 2020

Melodinus henryi is a good source of terpenoid indole alkaloids, and traditionally used as a folk medicine in the treatment of meningitis and fracture. In order to further exploit their potential uses, its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities, safety evaluations and chemical profiles have been illustrated. Compared to the crude methanol extract from M. henryi and its non-alkaloidal fraction, the total alkaloidal fraction (MHTA) had the strongest anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities. In the acute oral toxicity assay, the half lethal dose (LD50) of MHTA was more than 2000 mg/kg. The sub-acute toxicity assay for consecutive 28 days exhibited MHTA at a lower concentrations of less than 500 mg/kg might be regarded as safe, and might damage spleen, liver, kidney, and heart when the dose is higher than 1000 mg/kg. In addition, a phytochemical investigation on MHTA led to the isolation of 15 monoterpenoid indole alkaloids. Thus, in regard with the potent side effects of MHTA, it should be used with caution in the development of phytomedicine.

Graphic Abstract
Overview and methods of correlation filter algorithms in object tracking
Authors: Liu Shuai , Liu Dongye , Srivastava Gautam , Połap Dawid , Woźniak Marcin
Published: June 2020

An important area of computer vision is real-time object tracking, which is now widely used in intelligent transportation and smart industry technologies. Although the correlation filter object tracking methods have a good real-time tracking effect, it still faces many challenges such as scale variation, occlusion, and boundary effects. Many scholars have continuously improved existing methods for better efficiency and tracking performance in some aspects. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the background, key technologies and algorithms of single object tracking, this article focuses on the correlation filter-based object tracking algorithms. Specifically, the background and current advancement of the object tracking methodologies, as well as the presentation of the main datasets are introduced. All kinds of methods are summarized to present tracking results in various vision problems, and a visual tracking method based on reliability is observed.
Are Asian elephants afraid of honeybees? Experimental studies in northern Thailand
Authors: Dror Shany , Harich Franziska , Duangphakdee Orawan , Savini Tommaso , Pogány Ákos , Roberts John , Geheran Jessica , Treydte Anna C.
Published: June 2020

In many parts of South and Southeast Asia, rural farmers living at the borders of protected areas frequently encounter Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) raiding their crops and threatening farmers lives and livelihoods. Traditional deterrent methods often have limited success as elephants become habituated or alternate their movement and behavior. While African bees (Apis mellifera scutellate) have been shown to effectively and sustainably deter African elephants (Loxodonta africana) little is known about their Asian counterparts. We conducted two experiments to estimate the effectiveness of bees as an Asian elephant deterrent method. We analyzed the behavioral reaction of seven captive Asian elephants when confronted with a fence ofA. melliferahives blocking their way to a desired source of food. In addition, we explored the defensive reaction of fiveA. ceranahives and sixA. melliferahives to an artificial disturbance during both day and night time. The elephants crossed the beehive fence in 51% of the cases, the probability of crossing increased over time and the number of exposures had a significant effect on an elephant’s crossing probability, indicating that elephants became habituated to the presence of the beehive fence. In the bee experiment, only one out of fiveA. ceranahives and one out of sixA. melliferahives reacted to the disturbance during the daytime, while during nighttime, none of them reacted defensively after being disturbed. We, therefore, conclude that neitherA. melliferanorA. ceranabees are likely to be effective in deterring wild Asian elephants from entering crop fields.
Psychosocial Predictors of Love Satisfaction Among College Students from Madeira
Authors: Soares Luísa , Cruz Orlanda , Oliveira Filipa , Lucas Carla V. , Neto Félix
Published: June 2020

This study examined three sets of psychosocial variables (love styles, perceived social support, and social and emotional loneliness) as predictors of satisfaction with love life among 357 college students from Madeira (57% females). The participants completed four scales, including the Love Attitudes Scale (LAS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Support (MSPSS), the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale (SELSA-S), and the Satisfaction with Love Life Scale (SWLLS). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensionality of the SWLLS among college students in Madeira region. Overall, satisfaction with love life was significantly predicted by indicators of love styles, perceived social support, and social and emotional loneliness, accounting respectively for 51%, 28%, and 60% of the variance being explained. The study provided additional evidence of the importance of love styles, social support and loneliness in satisfaction with love life.
Quartz grain characteristics of the late Pleistocene hard clay in the Yangtze River delta and implications for sedimentary environment and provenance
Authors: Wu Chao , Qian Peng , Zheng Xiangmin , Zhou Limin , Wang Hui , Xu Hongyang
Published: June 2020

The sedimentologic fingerprinting in detrital deposit is vital to reconstruct sedimentary environments and discriminate sources. In this study, grain size and microtextural characteristics of quartz from the late Pleistocene hard clay in the Yangtze River delta (YRD) were analyzed by using a laser particle size analyzer and a scanning electron microscope. Subaqueous quartz from the Yangtze River and Yellow River sediments and eolian quartz from the Chinese Loess Plateau loess were also analyzed by scanning electron microscopy to obtain the microtextural characteristics. Quartz grains of the hard clay were characterized by poor sorting, fine skew, bimodal grain-size distributions, and numerous eolian microtextures. The comparison of the quartz grain characteristics of the hard clay with these in eolian loess indicated that the hard clay belonged to an eolian deposition. Moreover, the fine quartz grains of the hard clay were dominated by eolian microtextural characteristics, representing long-distance transportation. The coarse quartz grains of the hard clay exhibited more subaqueous microtextural characteristics, which indicated that the coarse fraction of the hard clay was derived from the proximal source regions in the YRD. The determination of buried eolian deposition with multiple sources in the YRD implies a southward westerly jet stream, strengthened eolian dust transportation, and extensive aridification in the YRD due to the increased Northern Hemisphere ice sheets in Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 2.
Higher ultra-processed food intake is associated with higher DNA damage in healthy adolescents
Authors: Edalati Sareh , Bagherzadeh Farzaneh , Asghari Jafarabadi Mohammad , Ebrahimi-Mamaghani Mehrangiz
Published: June 2020

Ultra-processed food is one of the main contributors to energy supply and consumption in food systems worldwide, and evidence of their detrimental health outcomes in humans is emerging. This study aimed to assess ultra-processed food intake and its association with urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, in 139 healthy adolescents in Karaj City in Iran. Usual dietary intake was measured using a 168-item validated FFQ. The daily intake of ultra-processed food consumption was determined through the classification of NOVA, and general linear models were used to compare the urinary levels of 8-OHdG/creatinine (ng/mg creatinine) within tertiles of ultra-processed food intake. Adolescents in the higher tertile of ultra-processed food consumption had a significantly higher mean level of urinary 8-OHdG/creatinine in comparison with the lower tertiles in the crude model (Pfor trend: 0·003) and after adjustment for confounding variables, including total energy intake, sex, age, BMI for ageZ-score, obesity and physical activity (Pfor trend: 0·004). This association was still significant after adjusting for dietary intake of whole grains, nuts, legumes, the ratio of MUFA:SFA (g/d) and Mediterranean dietary score (Pfor trend: 0·002). More studies are needed to explore the determinants of ultra-processed food supply, demand, consumption and health effects; such studies should be applied to develop evidence-informed policies and regulatory mechanisms to improve children’s and adolescents’ food environment policymaking and legislation with special attention to ultra-processed food.
Changes in plant-based diet quality and health-related quality of life in women
Authors: Baden Megu Y. , Kino Shiho , Liu Xiaoran , Li Yanping , Kim Yongjoo , Kubzansky Laura D. , Pan An , Okereke Olivia I. , Willett Walter C. , Hu Frank B. , Kawachi Ichiro
Published: June 2020

Few studies have evaluated the association between a healthful plant-based diet and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We followed 50 290 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS; 1992–2000) and 51 784 women in NHSII (1993–2001) for 8 years to investigate changes in plant-based diet quality in relation to changes in physical and mental HRQoL. Plant-based diet quality was assessed by three plant-based diet indices: overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful PDI (hPDI) and unhealthful PDI (uPDI). Physical and mental HRQoL were measured by physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. Diet was assessed 2 years before the HRQoL measurements and both were updated every 4 years. The associations between 4-year changes in PDIs and HRQoL were evaluated. Each 10-point increase in PDI was associated with an improvement of 0·07 (95 % CI 0·01, 0·13) in PCS and 0·11 (95 % CI 0·05, 0·16) in MCS. A 10-point increase in hPDI was associated with an increment of 0·13 (95 % CI 0·08, 0·19) in PCS and 0·09 (95 % CI 0·03, 0·15) in MCS. Conversely, a 10-point increase in uPDI was associated with decreases in PCS and MCS (−0·07 (95 % CI −0·12, −0·02) and −0·10 (95 % CI −0·16, −0·05), respectively). Compared with a stable diet, an increase in hPDI was significantly associated with improvements in physical HRQoL in older women and with mental HRQoL in younger women. In conclusion, adherence to a healthful plant-based diet was modestly associated with improvements in both physical and mental dimensions of HRQoL.
Religion and fertility patterns: comparison of life history traits in Catholics and Protestants, Hallstatt (Austria) 1733–1908
Authors: Gavrus-Ion Alina , Sjøvold Torstein , Hernández Miguel , González-José Rolando , Martínez-Abadías Neus , Esteban Torné María Esther , Esparza Mireia
Published: June 2020

Catholicism and Protestantism have different ways of promoting the family unit that could influence survival and fertility at a population level. Parish records in the Austrian village of Hallstatt allowed the reconstruction of Catholic and Protestant genealogies over a period of 175 years (1733–1908) to evaluate how religion and social changes affected reproduction and survival. Life history traits such as lifespan beyond 15 years, number of offspring, reproductive span, children born out of wedlock and child mortality were estimated in 5678 Catholic and 3282 Protestant individuals. The interaction of sex, time and religion was checked through non-parametric factorial ANOVAs. Religion and time showed statistically significant interactions with lifespan >15 years, number of offspring and age at birth of first child. Protestants lived longer, had a larger reproductive span and an earlier age at birth of first child. Before the famine crisis of 1845–1850, Protestants showed lower values of childhood mortality than Catholics. Comparison of the number of children born out of wedlock revealed small differences between the two religions. Religion influenced reproduction and survival, as significant differences were found between Catholics and Protestants. This influence could be explained in part by differential socioeconomic characteristics, since Protestants may have enjoyed better living and sanitary conditions in Hallstatt.
The Papacy, Conciliarism and Crusade, 1449–1517
Authors: HOUSLEY NORMAN
Published: June 2020

Between the Council of Basle and the Fifth Lateran Council the papal curia was subject to much pressure to convene a new general council to address the urgent need for a crusade. This essay examines the relationship between the forceful lobbying for a council by Europe's rulers, and the persistence of conciliarist sentiments in society at large, particularly among its educated elite. While secular rulers were exploiting the vulnerability of the popes for their own ends, it would be reductive to interpret their demands for a council as crudely manipulative rather than as the expression of broadly-based fears and aspirations.
Examining pathways between genetic liability for schizophrenia and patterns of tobacco and cannabis use in adolescence
Authors: Jones Hannah J. , Hammerton Gemma , McCloud Tayla , Hines Lindsey A. , Wright Caroline , Gage Suzanne H. , Holmans Peter , Jones Peter B , Davey Smith George , Linden David E. J. , O'Donovan Michael C. , Owen Michael J. , Walters James T. , Munafò Marcus R. , Heron Jon , Zammit Stanley
Published: June 2020

Background

It is not clear to what extent associations between schizophrenia, cannabis use and cigarette use are due to a shared genetic etiology. We, therefore, examined whether schizophrenia genetic risk associates with longitudinal patterns of cigarette and cannabis use in adolescence and mediating pathways for any association to inform potential reduction strategies.

Methods

Associations between schizophrenia polygenic scores and longitudinal latent classes of cigarette and cannabis use from ages 14 to 19 years were investigated in up to 3925 individuals in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Mediation models were estimated to assess the potential mediating effects of a range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral phenotypes.

Results

The schizophrenia polygenic score, based on single nucleotide polymorphisms meeting a training-set p threshold of 0.05, was associated with late-onset cannabis use (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.08,1.41), but not with cigarette or early-onset cannabis use classes. This association was not mediated through lower IQ, victimization, emotional difficulties, antisocial behavior, impulsivity, or poorer social relationships during childhood. Sensitivity analyses adjusting for genetic liability to cannabis or cigarette use, using polygenic scores excluding the CHRNA5-A3-B4 gene cluster, or basing scores on a 0.5 training-set p threshold, provided results consistent with our main analyses.

Conclusions

Our study provides evidence that genetic risk for schizophrenia is associated with patterns of cannabis use during adolescence. Investigation of pathways other than the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral phenotypes examined here is required to identify modifiable targets to reduce the public health burden of cannabis use in the population.