bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender‐specified mediation of depression between sleep quality and short‐term memory in older adults: Study in a semi‐closed Island of Xiamen, China
Authors: Yuan Manqiong , Wu Zhilin , Luo Bei , Sha Yude , Zhang Hemin , Bi Min , Fang Ya
Published: April 2021

Background

Both the quality of sleep and depression impact short‐term memory (STM) while they influence each other. However, the underlying mechanisms are not yet clear. Herein, we aimed to explore the mediating effect of depression between sleep quality and STM in older adults and further test the gender differences in this relationship.

Methods

A cluster sampling survey was carried out among 903 residents that were aged 60+ years in a semi‐closed island of Xiamen, China, in 2019. The subjects' sleep quality and depression were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS‐15), respectively. The three‐item recall test was utilized to measure STM function. Mediation analyses were performed using the structural equation model and bias‐corrected bootstrap method. Next, the Wald‐test was utilized to determine gender differences in the pathway.

Results

Overall, 355 men and 508 women, with a mean age of 69.55 and 70.97, respectively, had valid data on the main variables. Depression was found to mediate the effect of sleep quality on STM (a*b = −0.076, p < 0.05). Interestingly, while this indirect effect existed in the female group (af*bf = −0.126, p < 0.05), it did not in the male group (am*bm = 0.017, p = 0.677). The Wald‐test indicated no gender differences in the pathway from sleep quality to depression (p = 0.303). However, the pathway from depression to STM function was found to be significantly stronger for females than males (p = 0.0198).

Conclusion

Higher sleep quality was found to be associated with improved STM function. Furthermore, the association was found to be regulate indirectly by lower depressive symptoms for females, but directly for males. Therefore, appropriate psychological interventions may be beneficial to the maintenance of STM for older adults, particularly for women.
Legal and Ethical Issues in the Report Heritable Human Genome Editing
Authors: Cohen I. Glenn , Adashi Eli Y.
Published: April 2021

This essay discusses the new report, Heritable Human Genome Editing, by the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society. After summarizing the report, we argue that the report takes four quite bold steps away from prior reports, namely (1) rejecting an omnibus approach to heritable human genome editing (HHGE) in favor of a case‐by‐case analysis of possible uses of HHGE, accepting that HHGE is acceptable in some cases; (2) recognizing that the interest in having children who are genetically related to both would‐be rearing parents is one that the regulation of HHGE should honor; (3) patterning a regulatory model for HHGE on the United Kingdom's approach to regulating mitochondrial replacement techniques; and (4) conveying skepticism that international regulation is possible while showing a strong preference for a default into national regulatory regimes for HHGE.
Heat and mass transfer in MHD boundary layer flow of a second‐grade fluid past an infinite vertical permeable surface
Authors: N. Ameer Ahamad , Veera Krishna M. , Aljohani A. F.
Published: April 2021

Heat and mass transfer of non‐Newtonian fluids is increasingly being studied by researchers due to its applications in many branches of science and engineering, such as metallurgical processes, polymer extrusion, glass blowing, crystal growing, and so forth. The present work is mainly concerned with the unsteady laminar magnetohydrodynamic flow of a heat‐generating or absorbing second‐grade fluid past an infinite vertical porous plate. The nondimensional governing equations are solved for the best analytical solution. Results for various flow characteristics are presented through graphs and tables delineating the effect of various parameters characterizing the flow. For engineering interest, the shear stresses, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number are computed and exchanged of views with reference to the important parameters. Our analysis explored that the influences of a chemical reaction and fluid oscillations reduced the concentration distribution in the entire liquid region. The rotation effect decreases the shear stress, whereas it is augmented through an increase in the permeability of porous medium and second‐grade fluid parameters' impact.
Effect of multilayered groundwater mounds on water dynamics beneath a recharge basin: Numerical simulation and assessment of surface injection
Authors: Lu Peirong , Sheng Zhuping , Zhang Zhanyu , Miller Gretchen , Reinert Scott , Huang Mingyi
Published: April 2021

Interactions between groundwater mounds caused by a geologic layer contrast affect the efficiency of managed aquifer recharge in arid areas. However, research has rarely examined the roles of groundwater mounding size variations on soil water dynamics in a stratified vadose zone in response to a sustained infiltration source. Numerical experiments were conducted on a two‐dimensional vertical‐section domain using HYDRUS software to simulate the behaviours of two adjacent (upper and lower) groundwater mounds underlying an infiltration basin subjected to clay loam and sandy alternately‐layered soil profiles. The model successfully predicted the volume and extent of perched water and approximated vertical travel times during events generating downward fluxes from the surface injection. The response time of the mounding width (lateral extension) to the surface injection was delayed as compared to that of the mounding height (vertical extension), especially for the lower water mound. The mounding heights and widths show a strongly positive correlation with the infiltration rates of both high‐ and low‐permeability layers where the injected water mounded, while the water storage amounts in the high‐ and low‐permeability layers were governed by the mounding height and width, respectively. Exploratory simulations were then employed to assess the dependence of groundwater mounding behaviours and recharge performances on surface injection strategies. Results suggest that, by reducing injection rate or shortening injection duration, the near‐term fraction of the surface injection converted to deep recharge is likely to be increased due to the narrowed groundwater mounding size, which would be limited by the water‐retarding effect of layer contrasts. This study has important implications for predicting and understanding multilayered groundwater mounding behaviours and associated water mass balance under the geologic stratification, and is expected to aid in optimizing the infiltration basin operation for aquifer recharge.
INZ-701 Prevents Ectopic Tissue Calcification and Restores Bone Architecture and Growth in ENPP1-Deficient Mice
Authors: Cheng Zhiliang , O'Brien Kevin , Howe Jennifer , Sullivan Caitlin , Schrier Denis , Lynch Angela , Jungles Steven , Sabbagh Yves , Thompson David
Published: April 2021

Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) is the major enzyme that cleaves extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to generate pyrophosphate (PPi), an inorganic metabolite with potent anticalcification activity. Loss-of-function mutations cause hypopyrophosphatemia and lead to a state of ENPP1 deficiency, which has an acute infantile phase known as generalized arterial calcification of infancy (GACI) and a pediatric to adult phase known as autosomal-recessive hypophosphatemic rickets type 2 (ARHR2). ENPP1 deficiency manifests as ectopic calcification of multiple tissues, neointimal proliferation, premature mortality, impaired growth, and bone deformities. INZ-701, a human ENPP1-Fc protein, is in clinical development as an enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of ENPP1 deficiency. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile and therapeutic effect of INZ-701 were investigated in Enpp1asj/asj mice, a murine model of ENPP1 deficiency. Enpp1asj/asj mice have undetectable plasma PPi, lower plasma phosphate, and higher FGF23 levels compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Enpp1asj/asj mice on the acceleration diet, containing high phosphate and low magnesium, quickly develop clinical signs, including dehydration, rough hair coat, pinned ears, stiffed legs, and hunched back. Enpp1asj/asj mice treated with vehicle had aforementioned clinical signs plus severe ectopic calcification in multiple tissues and bone defects, characteristics of the clinical phenotype observed in GACI and ARHR2 patients. Our results showed a durable PPi response for more than 3 days after a single dose of INZ-701. Treatment of ENPP1-deficient mice every other day with INZ-701 for 8 weeks restored circulating levels of PPi, prevented pathological calcification in all the tested organs, restored growth parameters, corrected bone defects, improved clinical signs, and decreased mortality in Enpp1asj/asj mice, demonstrating the potential of INZ-701 to treat ENPP1 deficiency. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Editorial Peer Reviewers as Shepherds, Rather Than Gatekeepers
Authors: Boerckel Joel D , Plotkin Lilian I , Sims Natalie A
Published: April 2021

The journals of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research [JBMR] and its sister journal JBMR Plus) recognize peer review, whether pre- or post-publication, as an essential guard of scientific integrity and rigor that shapes academic discourse in our field. In this Perspective, we present a vision and philosophy of peer review in a rapidly changing publishing landscape. We emphasize the importance of journal peer reviewers as active players in shaping collegial behavior in the musculoskeletal research community and provide information about benefits and resources available for reviewers and reviewers-in-training. Publishing is becoming increasingly transparent, bringing benefits to authors, to reviewers, and to the scientific community at large. We discuss new initiatives such as transparent peer review and preprint servers, the ways they are changing scientific publishing, and how JBMR is responding to broaden the impact of musculoskeletal research. We emphasize the need to change any perception of peer reviewers as gatekeepers to viewing them as shepherds, who partner with authors and editors in the publishing endeavor. Promoting access, transparency, and collegiality in the way we assess science in our community will elevate its quality, clarify its communication, and increase its societal impact. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Retracted: Two new Cd(II) complexes: Luminescent properties and treatment activity on infantile bronchial pneumonia by reducing the over releasing of the inflammatory cytokines
Authors: Chen Mei‐Ling , Wang Wang , Xu Ling , Zhu Jin‐Feng
Published: April 2021

Reactions of polycarboxylate ligand (2,2′‐H2bpdc or H3OABDC), N‐donor auxiliary ligand (4‐bpmh) with Cd(II) salts under solvothermal conditions resulted in two coordination polymers formulated as [Cd(2,2′‐bpdc)(4‐bpmh)(H2O)]n·n(H2O) (1) and [Cd3(OABDC)2(4‐bpmh)2(H2O)4]n·2n(H2O) (2) (2,2′‐H2bpdc = diphenic acid, H3OABDC = 5‐oxyacetate isophthalic acid, and 4‐bpmh is N,N‐bis‐pyridin‐4‐ylmethylene‐hydrazine). Meanwhile, the investigations of luminescent performances and thermal stabilities suggest that the two compounds are candidate materials for the fluorescent emitting material. The assessment of their application values on the infantile bronchial pneumonia was carried out and their specific mechanism was investigated in the meantime.
Survey of Dental Anesthesiology program directors’ preferences regarding the candidate application and interview process
Authors: Whitmer Thomas , Saraghi Mana , Badner Victor
Published: April 2021

Purpose/Objectives

Dental Anesthesiology recently gained specialty recognition in 2019. Program directors’ preferences for candidates applying to this newly recognized specialty are not well known. This study sought to assess these preferences by surveying the program directors of advanced dental education programs in Dental Anesthesiology.

Methods and materials

The survey consisted of eleven questions on candidate qualities, academic application criteria, standardized examinations, shadowing, externships, sedation experience, and interview format.

Results

The survey achieved a response rate of 100% with all nine program directors completing the survey. The study found that program directors tended to rank integrity, interpersonal/communication skills, assumes responsibility, team player, and reliability among the top five candidate qualities. Program directors tended to rank professional evaluations, institutional evaluations, externship, shadowing (a practicing anesthesiologist), and standardized tests among the top five academic application criteria. Program directors largely preferred differentiating candidates with a standardized examination, such as the Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) or the creation of a new examination specific for Dental Anesthesiology application. Program directors largely recommended shadowing and externships but were largely indifferent to a candidate's experience or certification in sedation. All nine program directors opted for virtual interviews in 2020.

Conclusions

The findings of this descriptive, cross‐sectional study may have significant implications for the candidate application and interview process into the field of Dental Anesthesiology.
Challenging dogmas: How transgenerational epigenetics reshapes our views on life
Authors: Wang Harrison D. , Allard Patrick
Published: April 2021

The emergence of the field of transgenerational epigenetics inheritance (TEI) has profoundly reshaped our understanding of the relationships between environment, soma, and germ cells as well as of heredity. TEI refers to the changes in chromatin state, gene expression, and/or phenotypes that are transmitted across several generations without involving changes to the DNA sequences. TEI has direct connections with, and feeds from, the fields of molecular biology, genetics, developmental biology, and reproductive biology, among others. However, the expansion of TEI‐related research, has profoundly reshaped boundaries within each field and often led to the erosion of theories and concepts considered as tenets of biology. We first explore how the molecularization of biology has shifted the definition of epigenetics to include the notion of heredity and how epigenetics has refined our understanding of the central dogma of biology. The demonstrated transfer of environmental information from soma to germ cell through extracellular vesicles and subsequent alteration of health outcomes in offspring has put a definite end to the long‐held principle of the Weismann barrier. TEI has also simultaneously led to the revival of the inheritance of acquired characteristics while further eroding the concept of an epigenetic “blank slate” in mammals. Using an historical framework, and via the exploration of central studies in the field, in this perspective article, we will draw a compelling argument for the revolutionary aspect of TEI in biology.
One‐pot rapid synthesis of 4H‐1‐benzopyran derivatives in a deep eutectic solvent
Authors: Xie Zongbo , Li Hongxia , Wang Bo , Wu Zhiwen , Le Zhanggao
Published: April 2021

A method for introducing a biologically active heterocycle, 2‐methylquinoline into the 4‐position of a 2‐amino‐4H‐1‐benzopyran skeleton is described. Choline chloride/glucose (1:1 molar ratio) was used as both the solvent and catalyst in the reaction of a salicylaldehyde, methylquinoline, and cyanoacetate to obtain 2‐amino‐4H‐1‐benzopyran derivatives in 48%–80% yields after short reaction times. The effects of the deep eutectic solvent type, substrate molar ratio, cosolvent, temperature, and reaction time were examined. The method has the advantages of simple steps, environmental friendliness, mild conditions, and wide substrate applicability. This is the first attempt to synthesize methylquinoline derivatives of 4H‐1‐benzopyran.
Leptin Supplementation During Lactation Restores Key Liver Metabolite Levels Malprogrammed by Gestational Calorie Restriction
Authors: Yau‐Qiu Zhi Xin , Madrid‐Gambin Francisco , Brennan Lorraine , Palou Andreu , Rodríguez Ana María
Published: April 2021

Introduction

Perinatal nutritional factors can program offspring metabolic phenotype and risk to obesity. This study investigates the potential role of leptin supplementation (during lactation) in ameliorating the malprogrammed effects caused by mild maternal calorie restriction during gestation, on young rat offspring liver metabolic response.

Methods and Results

Untargeted and targeted metabolomics studies on liver samples are performed by NMR and GC‐MS, respectively. Global DNA methylation and the expression by RT‐PCR of key genes involved in different pathways are also determined. By NMR, 15 liver metabolites are observed to be altered in the offspring of gestational calorie‐restricted dams (CR group), at days 25–27 of life. Physiological leptin supplementation during lactation partially reverted the effect of CR condition for most of these metabolites. Moreover, targeted fatty acid analysis by GC‐MS shows a significant decrease in the hepatic concentration of certain very long‐chain fatty acids (VLCFA) in CR offspring, partially or totally reverted by leptin supplementation. No remarkable changes are found in global DNA methylation or mRNA expression.

Conclusion

Physiological leptin supplementation during lactation contributes to the reversion of changes caused by maternal mild calorie restriction on the liver metabolome. This agrees with a putative role of leptin supplementation preventing or reversing metabolic disturbances caused by gestational metabolic malprogramming.
Maternal and Paternal Distress in Early Childhood and Child Adiposity Trajectories: Evidence from the Millennium Cohort Study
Authors: Tommerup Kristiane , Lacey Rebecca E.
Published: April 2021

Objective

The current study investigated associations between mothers’ and fathers’ distress reported in early childhood (at ages 9 months and 3 years) and childhood adiposity trajectories from ages 5 to 14 years.

Methods

Linear mixed‐effects models were undertaken in the Millennium Cohort Study. Self‐reported maternal and paternal distress was measured at ages 9 months and 3 years. BMI and fat mass index (FMI) were modeled from ages 5 to 14 years, adjusting for socioeconomic and child characteristics and stratifying by child sex.

Results

Maternal distress reported at 9 months was associated with steeper increases in BMI and FMI trajectories for girls (BMI: β = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.11; FMI: β = 0.04; 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.08). Paternal distress reported at 9 months was associated with steeper increases in BMI and FMI for both girls (BMI: β = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.12, FMI: β = 0.05; 95% CI: −0.02 to 0.10) and boys (BMI: β = 0.09; 95% CI:  0.03 to 0.15, FMI: β = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.10). Maternal “moderate” distress at 3 years was associated with steeper BMI and FMI trajectories for girls only (BMI: β = 0.08; 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.12, FMI; β = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.10).

Conclusions

Maternal and paternal distress experienced in early childhood, particularly during infancy, was associated with steeper adiposity trajectories for children from ages 5 to 14 years.
Weight Can’t Wait: A Guide to Discussing Obesity and Organizing Treatment in the Primary Care Setting
Authors: Gallagher Christine , Corl Amelia , Dietz William H.
Published: April 2021

Objective

The objective of this study was to develop a simple and practical guide for discussing and managing obesity in primary care settings.

Methods

This study convened representatives from 12 primary care and obesity specialty organizations for a series of roundtable meetings to discuss the key components of obesity treatment in primary care. Attendees identified the need for a guide for primary care providers that outlined the key steps for discussing obesity with patients and managing their care while recognizing the significant time constraints on such provider/patient encounters.

Results

Prevailing themes from the roundtable sessions suggested that the key components of addressing obesity in primary care settings are obtaining patient permission, addressing weight bias, providing a diagnosis, and emphasizing shared decision‐making. A modified "6A" framework with the steps “Ask,” “Assess,” “Advise,” “Agree,” “Assist,” and “Arrange” was deemed appropriate to organize the process of weight management in primary care. An algorithm was developed to provide a script for the patient/provider encounter.

Conclusions

The expert panel developed a short, accessible, practical, and informative guide for obesity management by primary care clinicians. Efforts are under way to disseminate the guide to primary care providers through the 11 participating organizations that have endorsed it.
A multi‐state k‐out‐of‐n:F balanced system with a rebalancing mechanism
Authors: Wang Siqi , Zhao Xian , Zuo Ming J.
Published: April 2021

Balanced systems have extensive applications in engineering fields such as new energy storage and aeronautics. The reliability analysis of such systems has been reported in literature. However, most existing studies focus on the binary‐state situation, and research on multi‐state cases and the relevant rebalancing mechanism is still limited. To fill this gap, a multi‐state k‐out‐of‐n:F balanced system with a rebalancing mechanism is studied in this paper. Both components and the system have multiple states, and all the components are required to be working in similar states to ensure that the system operates in a balanced condition. It means that the difference between the maximum and minimum component states should not exceed a threshold. Otherwise, the system is out of balance and should be rebalanced by identifying the components whose states are too high and adjusting them into lower states. A continuous‐time Markov process is used to describe the component operation process and relevant reliability indices are derived accordingly. An age maintenance strategy is also proposed and an optimization model is constructed to obtain the optimal results. Finally, numerical examples based on a product line balancing problem are presented to demonstrate the application of the proposed model.
Deep Learning‐Enabled Label‐Free On‐Chip Detection and Selective Extraction of Cell Aggregate‐Laden Hydrogel Microcapsules
Authors: White Alisa M. , Zhang Yuntian , Shamul James G. , Xu Jiangsheng , Kwizera Elyahb A. , Jiang Bin , He Xiaoming
Published: April 2021

Microfluidic encapsulation of cells/tissues in hydrogel microcapsules has attracted tremendous attention in the burgeoning field of cell‐based medicine. However, when encapsulating rare cells and tissues (e.g., pancreatic islets and ovarian follicles), the majority of the resultant hydrogel microcapsules are empty and should be excluded from the sample. Furthermore, the cell‐laden hydrogel microcapsules are usually suspended in an oil phase after microfluidic generation, while the microencapsulated cells require an aqueous phase for further culture/transplantation and long‐term suspension in oil may compromise the cells/tissues. Thus, real‐time on‐chip selective extraction of cell‐laden hydrogel microcapsules from oil into aqueous phase is crucial to the further use of the microencapsulated cells/tissues. Contemporary extraction methods either require labeling of cells for their identification along with an expensive detection system or have a low extraction purity (<≈30%). Here, a deep learning‐enabled approach for label‐free detection and selective extraction of cell‐laden microcapsules with high efficiency of detection (≈100%) and extraction (≈97%), high purity of extraction (≈90%), and high cell viability (>95%) is reported. The utilization of deep learning to dynamically analyze images in real time for label‐free detection and on‐chip selective extraction of cell‐laden hydrogel microcapsules is unique and may be valuable to advance the emerging cell‐based medicine.
Scalable Manufacture of High‐Performance Battery Electrodes Enabled by a Template‐Free Method
Authors: Xiong Ruoyu , Zhang Yun , Wang Yunming , Song Lan , Li Maoyuan , Yang Hui , Huang Zhigao , Li Dequn , Zhou Huamin
Published: April 2021

Ion transport kinetics is identified as the major challenge of thick electrode design for high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries. The introduction of vertically‐oriented structure pores, which provide fast transport pathways for Li+, can maximize the rate‐performance of electrodes while holding a high energy density. To overcome the harsh manufacturing requirements of traditional template‐based methods for the oriented‐pore electrodes, a template‐free strategy is developed to meet the large‐scale fabrication demand, in which controllable oriented microchannels are facilely constructed by vertically aggregated bubbles generated from thermal decomposition. The proposed method is demonstrated to be applicable for different active materials and compatible with industrial roll‐to‐roll manufacturing. The oriented‐pore electrodes exhibit a seven times higher capacity at 5C rate and show double the power density relative to the state of the art while maintaining a high level of energy density. The balance between the ion transport kinetics through the channels and in the matrix manifests an optimal design of the electrode structures, enabling the desired superior performance of the electrodes toward practical applications.
Assessment of the potentially toxic element contamination in water of Şehriban Stream (Black Sea Region, Turkey) by using statistical and ecological indicators
Authors: Tokatli Cem , Mutlu Ekrem , Arslan Naime
Published: April 2021

In the present study, the spatial–temporal variations of iron, lead, copper, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and zinc accumulations in the water of Şehriban Stream (northern Turkey) were investigated. Water Quality Index (WQI), Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI), Pearson Correlation Index (PCI), and Factor Analysis (FA) were used in analyzing the water quality. Sampling was performed in 12 stations on monthly basis between February 2019 and January 2020 (a hydrological year). The data showed that the Şehriban Stream had significantly high water quality characteristics and the investigated toxicants were not found as dangerous for health. Although there was a slight decrease in the water quality from upstream to downstream, the stream was found to have 1st class water quality in general. As a result of WQI and HEI, although it was determined that the water quality decreased slightly in autumn, the stream was found to be “A Grade – Excellent (<50)” and “Low Contamination (<10),” respectively. As a result of PCI, strong positive correlations were found between almost all the toxicants investigated here (p < 0.01). As a result of FA, 2 factors (“Agriculture – Forestry” and “Rock Structure”) explained 86% of the total variance.
Finite element treatment for nanofluids flow within enclosures filled with hydrodynamically and thermally anisotropic porous media: Impacts of sinusoidal heating
Authors: Ahmed Sameh E.
Published: April 2021

The local thermal non‐equilibrium model (LTNEM) in case of a sinusoidal heating is applied to investigate the unsteady nanofluid flow and thermal fields inside an inclined enclosure filled with a thermally and hydrodynamically anisotropic porous medium. The Galerkin finite element method (GFEM) together with the Characteristic‐based Split (CBS) Scheme is used to solve the dimensionless governing equations. Impacts of the controlling parameters are studied in two cases, namely, non‐Darcy Regime in which values of the Darcy number and the Rayleigh number are, respectively, and the Darcy regime where . Parametric studies are performed for wide ranges of the permeability ratio , the Nield number , the inclination angle , the nanoparticles volume fraction , the inclination of the principal axes , the amplitude ratio and the phase deviation . The main outcomes revealed that the sinusoidal heating results in multicellular flow components inside the geometry. Also, the increase in the Nield number causes that the system converts from the LTNE state to local thermal equilibrium (LTE) state. For the non‐Darcy regime, the convective process and the rate of the heat transfer are augmented as the inclination of the principal axes is increased.
The asymptotic profile of solutions to damped Euler equations
Authors: Xu Dongsheng , Yang Xiongfeng
Published: April 2021

This paper is concerned with the asymptotic behavior of solution to the damped Euler equation far away from vacuum. First of all, the global existence together with the decay rate of the solution and its derivatives are derived by the standard energy method. The decay rates of the solution operator are further improved by Green function method. Finally, the solution of damped Euler equation is confirmed to converge its best asymptotic profile when the initial data is in a certain weighted function space, which establishes the upper and lower bounds of the decay rate to the solution of the damped Euler equation. Here, we provide a new way to check the optimal decay rate of the solutions to the damped Euler equation when the initial data is set in L1, which also could be applied to some other diffusive evolution system.
Stability near equilibrium to the full compressible magnetohydrodynamic equations
Authors: Dan Yuanyuan , Zhai Xiaoping , Chen Fei , Li Yongsheng
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we consider the stability near equilibrium to the full compressible magnetohydrodynamic equations on the torus . We prove the global regular solutions converge to equilibrium with an exponential rate provided that the magnetic B is bounded, the density ρ and the temperature θ are bounded above and away from zero.
The two-loop perturbative correction to the (g − 2)μ HLbL at short distances
Authors: Bijnens Johan , Hermansson-Truedsson Nils , Laub Laetitia , Rodríguez-Sánchez Antonio
Published: April 2021

Abstract

The short-distance behaviour of the hadronic light-by-light (HLbL) contribution to (g − 2)μ has recently been studied by means of an operator product expansion in a background electromagnetic field. The leading term in this expansion has been shown to be given by the massless quark loop, and the non-perturbative corrections are numerically very suppressed. Here, we calculate the perturbative QCD correction to the massless quark loop. The correction is found to be fairly small compared to the quark loop as far as we study energy scales where the perturbative running for the QCD coupling is well-defined, i.e. for scales μ ≳ 1 GeV. This should allow to reduce the large systematic uncertainty associated to high-multiplicity hadronic states.
Improved genomic prediction of clonal performance in sugarcane by exploiting non-additive genetic effects
Authors: Yadav Seema , Wei Xianming , Joyce Priya , Atkin Felicity , Deomano Emily , Sun Yue , Nguyen Loan T. , Ross Elizabeth M. , Cavallaro Tony , Aitken Karen S. , Hayes Ben J. , Voss-Fels Kai P.
Published: April 2021

Key message

Non-additive genetic effects seem to play a substantial role in the expression of complex traits in sugarcane. Including non-additive effects in genomic prediction models significantly improves the prediction accuracy of clonal performance.

In the recent decade, genetic progress has been slow in sugarcane. One reason might be that non-additive genetic effects contribute substantially to complex traits. Dense marker information provides the opportunity to exploit non-additive effects in genomic prediction. In this study, a series of genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) models that account for additive and non-additive effects were assessed to improve the accuracy of clonal prediction. The reproducible kernel Hilbert space model, which captures non-additive genetic effects, was also tested. The models were compared using 3,006 genotyped elite clones measured for cane per hectare (TCH), commercial cane sugar (CCS), and Fibre content. Three forward prediction scenarios were considered to investigate the robustness of genomic prediction. By using a pseudo-diploid parameterization, we found significant non-additive effects that accounted for almost two-thirds of the total genetic variance for TCH. Average heterozygosity also had a major impact on TCH, indicating that directional dominance may be an important source of phenotypic variation for this trait. The extended-GBLUP model improved the prediction accuracies by at least 17% for TCH, but no improvement was observed for CCS and Fibre. Our results imply that non-additive genetic variance is important for complex traits in sugarcane, although further work is required to better understand the variance component partitioning in a highly polyploid context. Genomics-based breeding will likely benefit from exploiting non-additive genetic effects, especially in designing crossing schemes. These findings can help to improve clonal prediction, enabling a more accurate identification of variety candidates for the sugarcane industry.
The impact of symptoms on daily life as perceived by patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A disease
Authors: Tozza Stefano , Bruzzese Dario , Severi Daniele , Spina Emanuele , Iodice Rosa , Ruggiero Lucia , Dubbioso Raffaele , Iovino Aniello , Aruta Francesco , Nolano Maria , Santoro Lucio , Manganelli Fiore
Published: April 2021

Introduction

In Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A (CMT1A) patients, daily life is mainly influenced by mobility and ambulation dysfunctions. The aim of our work was to evaluate the perception of disturbances that mostly impact on daily life in CMT1A patients and its difference on the basis of age, gender, disability, and quality of life.

Methods

Forty-one CMT1A patients underwent neurological assessment focused on establishing clinical disability through the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Neuropathy Score (CMTNS) and quality of life through the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. We identified from CMT disturbances 5 categories [weakness in lower limbs (WLL), weakness in upper limbs (WUL), skeletal deformities (SD), sensory symptoms (SS), balance (B)] and patients classified the categories from the highest to the lowest impact on daily life (1: highest; 5: lowest). Ranking of the 5 categories, in the overall sample and in the different subgroups (dividing by gender, median of age and disease duration, CMTNS, domains of SF-36), was obtained and differences among subgroups were assessed using a bootstrap approach.

Results

Rank analysis showed that WLL was the most important disturbance on daily life whereas WUL had the lowest impact. In the older CMT1A group, the most important disturbance on daily life was B that was also the most relevant disturbance in patients with a greater disability. SD influenced daily life in younger patients. SS had less impact on daily life, with the exception of patients with a milder disability.

Discussion

Our findings demonstrated that the perception of disturbances that mostly impact on CMT1A patients’ daily life changes over the lifetime and with degree of disability.
VC investors’ venture screening: the role of the decision maker’s education and experience
Authors: Moritz Alexandra , Diegel Walter , Block Joern , Fisch Christian
Published: April 2021

We assess whether and how VC investors’ education and experience influence their screening decisions of potential investee candidates. Empirically, we perform an experimental choice-based-conjoint (CBC) analysis with 564 individual VC investors. Our results highlight that the level and field of education, as well as the decision maker’s investment and entrepreneurial experience, moderate the relative importance of different screening criteria. More specifically, we find that international scalability seems to become more important for decision makers with higher education and those with entrepreneurial experience. Whereas decision makers with a background in natural science focus on the value-added of the product or service, engineers seem to value a break even profitability and focus less on the management team. Investment experience, on the other hand, leads to a stronger focus on the management team. Our study contributes to the literature investigating the influence of human capital characteristics of the decision maker in venture financing. Practical implications exist for entrepreneurial ventures seeking financing and for risk capital investors making investments in such ventures.
Cervical Sympathetic Trunk-Centered Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor Complicated with Postoperative First Bite Syndrome
Authors: Yang Liu , Li Wen
Published: April 2021

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) in the head and neck region are common, but those with sympathetic trunk involvement are extremely rare. Here we present a case of cervical sympathetic trunk-centered IMT which is also accompanied by ipsilateral carotid artery, internal jugular vein, and vagus nerve involvement. The patient initially complained of an episodic painful swelling on the right side of the neck and underwent surgery. Preoperative and postoperative serum IgG4 level during 3-year follow-up time is within normal limits. Immunohistochemical study of the tumor has also revealed negativity to IgG4. Postoperative first bite syndrome (FBS) was observed. Surgery seems to be first-line therapy in the patient with IgG4-negative IMT.
Effect of Paper vs. Bioplastic Bags on Food Waste Collection and Processing
Authors: Dolci Giovanni , Catenacci Arianna , Malpei Francesca , Grosso Mario
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The most abundant among the separately collected waste materials in Italy is food waste. This research aims to evaluate the influence of the type of collection bag on the food waste management chain. In Italy, the food waste collection is mainly based on bioplastic bags. As an alternative, a new type of recycled paper bag shows potential advantages.

Methods

The two types of collection bag were compared evaluating the weight loss of food waste during the household storage, by means of an experimental assessment simulating the domestic dynamic bag filling. Moreover, the biomethane production of bags under anaerobic conditions was measured at the lab-scale level with Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests.

Results

During the household storage, the breathable fabric of the paper allows for higher weight losses, ranging on average between + 29 and + 44% compared to bioplastic. BMP tests, carried out under different conditions (temperature, inoculum), showed a 2–14 times higher generation of methane by paper bags compared to bioplastic bags, when referred to 1 kg of inserted food waste.

Conclusions

Collecting the food waste inside paper bags shows advantages compared to the use of bioplastic bags. First, the waste collection is benefitted thanks to the lower weight of material to be transported to treatment plants, leading also to the possibility of decreasing the collection frequency. Moreover, paper resulted more compatible than bioplastic with the anaerobic digestion treatment, which is currently rapidly increasing as a food waste management option.

Graphic Abstract
Why Do We Go to the Cemetery? Religion, Civicness, and the Cult of the Dead in Twenty-First Century Italy
Authors: Colombo Asher D. , Vlach Eleonora
Published: April 2021

Background

While attitudes towards death and dying have attracted much scholarly attention, surprisingly little is known about the practice of visiting cemeteries. According to the secularization thesis, the fate of cemetery visits conforms with declining church attendance. A de-secularization theory suggests that, in the modern world, cemeteries increasingly became spaces for a society of families rather than for a religious community, suggesting that visiting the tombs of the dead might grow alongside secularization. Finally, a ‘civic community’ theory, inspired by Putnam's work, sees cemetery visits as an expression of a social obligation among and across generations rather than a religious activity.

Purpose

Analyzing one of the least secular countries in Europe, Italy, we attempt to respond to an apparent paradox: Why is the share of people paying tribute to their deceased loved ones at cemeteries in areas of greater secularization higher than in more religious areas?

Methods

We take advantage of a rich time use dataset from a representative sample of Italian families surveyed in 2013. To test our hypotheses, we run a series of nested logistic regressions for the probability of visiting the cemetery, jointly considering both individual and contextual features.

Results

Our results confirm that individual religiosity is a pivotal predictor of cemetery visits. Yet, even after controlling for religiosity, the probability of visiting a cemetery remains higher among people living in the more secularized part of the country. Our models show that one important reason for this divide is the different level of civicness, here measured at province level. Hence, net of individual religiosity, the frequency of cemetery visits increases with level of civicness in a community.

Conclusions and Implications

If religious people visit cemeteries in order to pray for the dead, our results also provide support for the hypothesis that the non-religious people living in civic societies visit cemeteries as way to connect with past generations and with their own communities. Our results are thus consistent with the civicness hypothesis, with the caveat that religion and civicness do not seem to cancel each other out.
Cost Effectiveness of Ranibizumab vs Aflibercept vs Bevacizumab for the Treatment of Macular Oedema Due to Central Retinal Vein Occlusion: The LEAVO Study
Authors: Pennington Becky , Alshreef Abualbishr , Flight Laura , Metry Andrew , Poku Edith , Hykin Philip , Sivaprasad Sobha , Prevost A. Toby , Vasconcelos Joana C. , Murphy Caroline , Kelly Joanna , Yang Yit , Lotery Andrew , Williams Michael , Brazier John
Published: April 2021

Background

We aimed to assess the cost effectiveness of intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis), aflibercept (Eylea) and bevacizumab (Avastin) for the treatment of macular oedema due to central retinal vein occlusion.

Methods

We calculated costs and quality-adjusted life-years from the UK National Health Service and Personal Social Services perspective. We performed a within-trial analysis using the efficacy, safety, resource use and health utility data from a randomised controlled trial (LEAVO) over 100 weeks. We built a discrete event simulation to model long-term outcomes. We estimated utilities using the Visual-Functioning Questionnaire-Utility Index, EQ-5D and EQ-5D with an additional vision question. We used standard UK costs sources for 2018/19 and a cost of £28 per bevacizumab injection. We discounted costs and quality-adjusted life-years at 3.5% annually.

Results

Bevacizumab was the least costly intervention followed by ranibizumab and aflibercept in both the within-trial analysis (bevacizumab: £6292, ranibizumab: £13,014, aflibercept: £14,328) and long-term model (bevacizumab: £18,353, ranibizumab: £30,226, aflibercept: £35,026). Although LEAVO did not demonstrate bevacizumab to be non-inferior for the visual acuity primary outcome, the three interventions generated similar quality-adjusted life-years in both analyses. Bevacizumab was always the most cost-effective intervention at a threshold of £30,000 per quality-adjusted life-year, even using the list price of £243 per injection.

Conclusions

Wider adoption of bevacizumab for the treatment of macular oedema due to central retinal vein occlusion could result in substantial savings to healthcare systems and deliver similar health-related quality of life. However, patients, funders and ophthalmologists should be fully aware that LEAVO could not demonstrate that bevacizumab is non-inferior to the licensed agents.
Perspective in German and French: Divergences in Formal Marking and Temporal Anchoring
Authors: Becker Martin , Egetenmeyer Jakob , Hinterwimmer Stefan
Published: April 2021

In narratives, either a narrator or a protagonist may be the perspective taker. Importantly, shifts between the two are possible. German and French differ with respect to the means which indicate that the perspective is shifted. While German may use a specific pronoun to indicate that the perspective is shifted from the protagonist to the narrator, French may display tense-aspect forms deviating from the expected ones. In our analysis, we take into account larger strings of context, thus committing to the discourse level. We apply a staged translation approach. This allows us to determine more precisely the diverging functioning of the language-specific means of perspective marking. The comparison of the means indicating perspective shifts opens a second question. If French allows for deviating tense-aspect forms, may the temporal anchoring diverge between the two languages? We confirm this on the grounds of a comparison of translations of German free indirect discourse to French.
Business Model Experimentation for the Circular Economy: Definition and Approaches
Authors: Bocken Nancy M. P. , Weissbrod Ilka , Antikainen Maria
Published: April 2021

Business model experimentation has been identified as a key driver for business competitiveness but is underexplored in the sustainability and circular economy spheres. What is business model experimentation for the circular economy? This study follows a two-step approach: a literature analysis followed by a qualitative practitioner study. Based on these, circular business model experimentation is defined as an iterative approach to develop and test circular value propositions in a real-life context with customers and stakeholders, starting with a shared goal. It involves rapid learning based on empirical data to provide evidence on the viability of circular value propositions. Iterations involve increased complexity of experiments. There is a learning focus on initiating wider transitions, such as transforming consumer behaviours for the circular economy. We visualise the emerging research landscape, including research streams from business, transitions, engineering, and design. Practically, we illuminate how practitioners view the concept and current experimentation tools and approaches.
The Greek vs. the Cypriot guaranteed minimum income schemes: an exploratory comparative analysis
Authors: Lalioti Varvara , Koutsampelas Christos
Published: April 2021

This exploratory paper utilises a comparative research approach to shed light upon the developmental trajectories of the Greek and Cypriot guaranteed minimum income (GMI) schemes. Our analysis indicates that, despite similarities (e.g. in the emergence of the two schemes, as part of the extensive reforms imposed during the financial crisis on the Greek and Cypriot welfare systems), there are also significant differences. These mainly relate to implementation and, ultimately, the “success” of the two schemes in attaining their declared goals. Moreover, we argue that the developmental paths followed by the Greek and Cypriot GMI schemes should be interpreted in the light of key variables (“functionalist,” “political” and “institutional”), often used to explain the establishment and further evolution of such schemes. Within this context, the relatively “superior” performance of the Cypriot GMI, compared with the Greek scheme, is largely attributed to factors such as government effectiveness and political stability.