bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A layered metal‐organic framework with acidic sites as a multiphase catalyst for Knoevenagel condensation
Authors: Lin Wenxin , Chen Ke , Lu Wenwen , Ma Xiaomin , Chen Fengfeng , Xu Feng , Li Yuanqiang
Published: April 2023

A layered metal‐organic framework Zn‐TPN was designed and fabricated by solvothermal reaction. The crystal structure was a lamellar structure, and the unique coordination pattern provided Lewis acid sites that could be employed as efficient catalytic sites. Zn‐TPN displayed a satisfactory catalytic effect for Knoevenagel condensation of malononitrile and benzaldehyde. At 75 °C, the conversion rate reached 96.96 % basing on the acidic sites after 1 hour, and it showed ideal catalytic activities for Knoevenagel condensation containing various aldehydes. Zn‐TPN could be utilized as a promising heterogeneous catalyst for Knoevenagel condensation.
An integrable road to a perturbative plateau
Authors: Blommaert Andreas , Kruthoff Jorrit , Yao Shunyu
Published: April 2023

Abstract

As has been known since the 90s, there is an integrable structure underlying two-dimensional gravity theories. Recently, two-dimensional gravity theories have regained an enormous amount of attention, but now in relation with quantum chaos — superficially nothing like integrability. In this paper, we return to the roots and exploit the integrable structure underlying dilaton gravity theories to study a late time, large eSBH double scaled limit of the spectral form factor. In this limit, a novel cancellation due to the integrable structure ensures that at each genus g the spectral form factor grows like T2g+1, and that the sum over genera converges, realising a perturbative approach to the late-time plateau. Along the way, we clarify various aspects of this integrable structure. In particular, we explain the central role played by ribbon graphs, we discuss intersection theory, and we explain what the relations with dilaton gravity and matrix models are from a more modern holographic perspective.
Missing corner in the sky: massless three-point celestial amplitudes
Authors: Chang Chi-Ming , Ma Wen-Jie
Published: April 2023

Abstract

We present the first computation of three-point celestial amplitudes in Minkowski space of massless scalars, photons, gluons, and gravitons. Such amplitudes were previously considered to be zero in the literature because the corresponding scattering amplitudes in the plane wave basis vanish for generic momenta due to momentum conservation. However, the delta function for the momentum conservation has support in the soft and colinear regions, and contributes to the Mellin and shadow integrals that give non-zero celestial amplitudes. We further show that when expanding in the (shadow) conformal basis for the incoming (outgoing) particle wave functions, the amplitudes take the standard form of correlators in two-dimensional conformal field theory. In particular, the three-point celestial gluon amplitudes take the form of a three-point function of a spin-one current with two spin-one primary operators, which strongly supports the relation between soft spinning particles and conserved currents. Moreover, the three-point celestial amplitudes of one graviton and two massless scalars take the form of a correlation function involving a primary operator of conformal weight one and spin two, whose level-one descendent is the supertranslation current.
Early ACL reconstruction shows an improved recovery of isokinetic thigh muscle strength compared to delayed or chronic cases
Authors: Wenning Markus , Mauch Marlene , Heitner Albrecht H. , Bode Gerrit , Sofack Ghislain , Ritzmann Ramona
Published: April 2023

Introduction

The recovery of periarticular strength is a major criterion in return-to-play testing. The rationale of the study was to assess the impact of the delay of surgery (∆ between injury and surgery) on knee extensor and knee flexor strength of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient patients six months after reconstruction.

Materials and methods

In a retrospective cohort study, all patients with ACL ruptures between 03/2015 and 12/2019 were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were isolated ACL rupture without any associated lesions undergoing a reconstruction using ipsilateral hamstring tendon autograft and adherence to isokinetic strength testing before and at 5–7 months postoperatively. These patients were then clustered into three groups: EARLY reconstruction (∆ < 42 days), DELAYED reconstruction (∆42-180d), and CHRONIC (∆ > 180d). Knee extensor and flexor strength of the ipsi- and contralateral leg were analyzed by concentric isokinetic measurement (60°/s). Primary outcomes were the maximal knee extension and flexion torque, hamstrings-to-quadriceps ratio (H/Q) ratio), and the corresponding limb symmetry indices.

Results

n = 444 patients met the inclusion criteria. From EARLY to DELAYED to CHRONIC, a progressive reduction in postoperative strength performance was observed in knee extension (1.65 ± 0.45 to 1.62 ± 0.52 to 1.51 ± 0.5 Nm/kg resp.) and flexion (1.22 ± 0.29 to 1.18 ± 0.3 to 1.13 ± 0.31 Nm/kg resp.) strength on the ACL reconstructed leg. This general loss in periarticular strength was already apparent in the preoperative performance even on the healthy side. When controlling for the preoperative performance using ANCOVA analysis, EARLY performed significantly better than DELAYED (extension p = 0.001, flexion p = .02) and CHRONIC (extension p = 0.005, flexion p < 0.001). Also, there were significantly higher values for H/Q ratio in the injured leg across all groups where the H/Q ratio increased from EARLY to CHRONIC and from pre- to postoperative values.

Conclusions

With respect to the force generating capacity when returning-to-play, it is advantageous to seek for an early ACL reconstruction within the first 12 weeks after the injury. The increasing loss of thigh muscle strength observed in delayed or chronic cases affects the injured and also the non-injured leg.

Level of Evidence

III, retrospective cohort study.
Nitrazepam and 7-aminonitrazepam studied at the macroscopic and microscopic electrified liquid-liquid interface
Authors: Stelmaszczyk Paweł , Kwaczyński Karolina , Rudnicki Konrad , Skrzypek Sławomira , Wietecha-Posłuszny Renata , Poltorak Lukasz
Published: April 2023

Two benzodiazepine type drugs, that is, nitrazepam and 7-aminonitrazepam, were studied at the electrified liquid-liquid interface (eLLI). Both drugs are illicit and act sedative in the human body and moreover are used as date rape drugs. Existence of the diazepine ring in the concerned chemicals structure and one additional amine group (for 7-aminonitrazepam) allows for the molecular charging below their pKa values, and hence, both drugs can cross the eLLI interface upon application of the appropriate value of the Galvani potential difference. Chosen molecules were studied at the macroscopic eLLI formed in the four electrode cell and microscopic eLLI formed within a microtip defined as the single pore having 25 μm in diameter. Microscopic eLLI was formed using only a few μL of the organic and the aqueous phase with the help of a 3D printed cell. Parameters such as limit of detection and voltammetric detection sensitivity are derived from the experimental data. Developed methodology was used to detect nitrazepam in pharmaceutical formulation and both drugs (nitrazepam and 7-aminonitrazepam) in spiked biological fluids (urine and blood).

Graphical abstract
Schulische Inklusion in Österreich
Authors: Biewer Gottfried
Published: April 2023

Der Beitrag zur schulischen Inklusion in Österreich versucht, eine Bestandsaufnahme zum schulischen Sektor zu machen, gleichzeitig aber auch Punkte zu benennen, die für künftige Entwicklungen relevant sein können. Das 1993 eingeführte Elternwahlrecht für Kinder mit sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf ermöglicht die Wahl zwischen integrativer und Sonderbeschulung, wobei sich beide Systeme die Waage halten. Da die UN-Behindertenrechtskonvention die Einführung inklusiver Strukturen empfiehlt, wurden Maßnahmen zur Förderung des inklusiven Unterrichts in den Nationalen Aktionsplan aufgenommen, bisher aber nur halbherzig und in geringem Ausmaß umgesetzt. Umgesetzt wurde aber die Reform der Lehrer*innenbildung mit einem Schwerpunkt Inklusive Pädagogik. Was fehlt, sind die ministeriellen Steuerungsmaßnahmen.
Novel pyrazolothienopyridinones as potential GABAA receptor modulators
Authors: Vega Alanis Blanca Angelica , Wimmer Laurin , Ernst Margot , Schnürch Michael , Mihovilovic Marko D.
Published: April 2023

The synthesis of novel pyrazolothienopyridinone derivatives as potential GABAA receptor modulators was performed and is herein described. A crucial step of the synthesis involving handling unstable aminothiophenes was managed via two different synthetic strategies delivering a set of 8 target compounds.

Graphical abstract
Pointing in the third-person: an exploration of human motion and visual pointing aids for 3D virtual mirrors
Authors: Woodworth Jason W. , Borst Christoph W.
Published: April 2023

A “virtual mirror” is a promising interface for virtual or augmented reality applications in which users benefit from seeing themselves within the environment, such as serious games for rehabilitation exercise or biological education. While there is extensive work analyzing pointing and providing assistance for first-person perspectives, mirrored third-person perspectives have been minimally considered, limiting the quality of user interactions in current virtual mirror applications. We address this gap with two user studies aimed at understanding pointing motions with a mirror view and assessing visual cues that assist pointing. An initial two-phase preliminary study had users tune and test nine different visual aids. This was followed by in-depth testing of the best four of those visual aids compared with unaided pointing. Results give insight into both aided and unaided pointing with this mirrored third-person view, and compare visual cues. We note a pattern of consistently pointing far in front of targets when first introduced to the pointing task, but that initial unaided motion improves after practice with visual aids. We found that the presence of stereoscopy is not sufficient for enhancing accuracy, supporting the use of other visual cues that we developed. We show that users perform pointing differently when pointing behind and in front of themselves. We finally suggest which visual aids are most promising for 3D pointing in virtual mirror interfaces.
Dauer larva-derived extracellular vesicles extend the life of Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Ma Jing , Wang Yi-ting , Chen Ling-hui , Yang Bang-ya , Jiang Yong-zhu , Wang Lan-xi , Chen Zhi-qi , Ma Guan-rong , Fang Liao-qiong , Wang Zhi-biao
Published: April 2023

There is growing evidence that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a functional role in tissue repair and anti-aging by transferring the contents of donor cells to recipient cells. We hypothesized that Dauer (C. elegans), known as “ageless” nematodes, can also secrete extracellular vesicles and influence the lifespan of C. elegans. Here, we isolated EVs of dauer larvae (dauer EVs). Dauer EVs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Western blot analysis. Wild-type C. elegans were fed in the presence or absence of dauer EVs and tested for a range of phenotypes, including longevity, mobility and reproductive capacity. Results showed that dauer EVs increased the average lifespan of nematodes by 15.74%, improved mobility, slowed age-related pigmentation as well as body length, and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and lipids, while not impairing nematode reproductive capacity. These findings suggest that dauer EVs can extend the lifespan of C. elegans as well as the healthy lifespan by reducing ROS accumulation, with potential anti-aging capacity.
On numerical methods for the semi-nonrelativistic limit system of the nonlinear Dirac equation
Authors: Jahnke Tobias , Kirn Michael
Published: April 2023

Solving the nonlinear Dirac equation in the nonrelativistic limit regime numerically is difficult, because the solution oscillates in time with frequency of $${\mathscr {O}} \! \left( \varepsilon ^{-2}\right) $$

O

ε

-
2

, where $$0<\varepsilon \ll 1$$

0
<
ε
≪
1

is inversely proportional to the speed of light. Yongyong Cai and Yan Wang have shown, however, that such solutions can be approximated up to an error of $${\mathscr {O}} \! \left( \varepsilon ^2\right) $$

O

ε
2

by solving the semi-nonrelativistic limit system, which is a non-oscillatory problem. For this system, we construct a two-step method, called the explicit exponential midpoint rule, and prove second-order convergence of the semi-discretization in time. Furthermore, we construct a benchmark method based on standard techniques and compare the efficiency of both methods. Numerical experiments show that the new integrator reduces the computational costs per time step to 40% and within a given runtime improves the accuracy significantly.
Structure, magnetic, and photocatalysis of La0.7Sr0.3MO3 (M = Mn, Co, and Fe) perovskite nanoparticles: Novel photocatalytic materials
Authors: Ghozza Mohamed H. , Yahia Ibrahim S. , Hussien Mai S. A.
Published: April 2023

The present study, La0.7Sr0.3MO3 (M = Mn-, Co-, and Fe-), perovskite, has successfully been synthesized via co-precipitation and sol–gel auto-combustion. XRD, SEM, and EDX characterized the prepared samples. XRD and SEM showed that the as-prepared La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 and La0.7Sr0.3CoO3 have multiphase. La0.7Sr0.3FeO3, in comparison, is nanosized, has a single-phase perovskite, and has a rather homogenous particle size distribution. Additionally, EDX mapping analysis shows that all pieces are distributed uniformly. According to X-ray diffractometer results, all calcined powders contain 100% LSF, more than 15% perovskite phase of LSC, 47% LSM, and other secondary phases, such as cobalt oxide. Aِt room temperature and magnetic field of ± 20 kG, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 exhibited weak ferromagnetic behavior in a low magnetic field, whereas diamagnetic behavior was seen in a high magnetic field. La0.7Sr0.3FeO3 samples behave as strong ferromagnetic. On the contrary, the photodegradation of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 is 99% compared to 75% and 91% for other samples under UVC lights of wavelength = 254 nm. The degradation rate for La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 is 0.179 higher, about 3.25 and 2.23, than the other samples. A La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanocomposite performs as a photocatalyst to enhance the efficiency of methylene blue photodegradation. This study boosts good UVC photocatalysts with high efficiency for different kinds of dyes. Hence, the catalyst possessed high stability and efficiency for continuous wastewater treatment.
Plasma metabolomic signatures of dual decline in memory and gait in older adults
Authors: Tian Qu , Shardell Michelle D. , Kuo Pei-Lun , Tanaka Toshiko , Simonsick Eleanor M. , Moaddel Ruin , Resnick Susan M. , Ferrucci Luigi
Published: April 2023

Older adults experiencing dual decline in memory and gait have greater dementia risk than those with memory or gait decline only, but mechanisms are unknown. Dual decline may indicate specific pathophysiological pathways to dementia which can be reflected by circulating metabolites. We compared longitudinal changes in plasma metabolite biomarkers of older adults with and without dual decline in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Participants were grouped into 4 phenotypes based on annual rates of decline in verbal memory and gait speed: no decline in memory or gait, memory decline only, gait decline only, and dual decline. Repeated measures of plasma metabolomics were measured by biocrates p500 kit during the same time of memory and gait assessments. In BLSA, 18 metabolites differed across groups (q-value < 0.05). Metabolites differentially abundant were enriched for lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPC C18:0,C16:0,C17:0,C18:1,C18:2), ceramides (d18:2/24:0,d16:1/24:0,d16:1/23:0), and amino acids (glycine) classes. Compared to no decline, the dual decline group showed greater declines in lysoPC C18:0, homoarginine synthesis, and the metabolite module containing mostly triglycerides, and showed a greater increase in indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity. Metabolites distinguishing dual decline and no decline groups were implicated in metabolic pathways of the aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, histidine metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. Older adults with dual decline exhibit the most extensive alterations in metabolic profiling of lysoPCs, ceramides, IDO activity, and homoarginine synthesis. Alterations in these metabolites may indicate mitochondrial dysfunction, compromised immunity, and elevated burden of cardiovascular and kidney pathology.
GPU-based parallelisation of a versatile video coding adaptive loop filter in resource-constrained heterogeneous embedded platform
Authors: Saha Anup , Roma Nuno , Chavarrías Miguel , Dias Tiago , Pescador Fernando , Aranda Víctor
Published: April 2023

This paper presents a GPU-based parallelisation of an optimised versatile video decoder (VVC) adaptive loop filter (ALF) filter on a resource-constrained heterogeneous platform. The GPU has been comprehensively utilised to maximise the degree of parallelism, making the programme capable of exploiting the GPU capabilities. The proposed approach enables to accelerate the ALF computation by an average of two times when compared to an already fully optimised version of the software decoder implementation over an embedded platform. Finally, this work presents an analysis of energy consumption, showing that the proposed methodology has a negligible impact on this key parameter.
An anthropological point of view: exploring the Chinese and Japanese issues of translation about teaching resources
Authors: Wang Chongyang , Shinno Yusuke , Xu Binyan , Miyakawa Takeshi
Published: April 2023

The aim of this study is to advance understading of teachers’ and researchers’ work, in particular its cultural specificities, from a resource perspective by exploring the issues and challenges faced during the translation of a theoretical framework, the Documentational Approach to Didactics (DAD), from Western (English and French) to East Asian languages (Chinese and Japanese). A basic assumption is that the challenges encountered while translating are driven by the cultural and linguistic differences that exist between the West and East. Adopting the perspective of the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic (ATD), we frame the translation work as a transposition process of research praxeology (a model of the researchers’ practices and knowledge) from a Western to an Eastern institution. We investigate this process to identify cultural elements at different levels (school, society, civilization, etc.) using the ATD framework. After translating a DAD article into Chinese and Japanese separately, we then worked collaboratively to identify similar or diverse translation issues and investigated their origins. Consequently, the results revealed a considerable difference between the West and East, and ample similarities between China and Japan, especially in terms of the researchers’ work and its relationship with the teachers’ work.
InterLINCing Chromatin Organization and Mechanobiology in Laminopathies
Authors: Shah Parisha P. , Santini Garrett T. , Shen Kaitlyn M. , Jain Rajan
Published: April 2023

Purpose of review

In this review, we explore the chromatin-related consequences of laminopathy-linked mutations through the lens of mechanotransduction.

Recent findings

Multiple studies have highlighted the role of the nuclear lamina in maintaining the integrity of the nucleus. The lamina also has a critical role in 3D genome organization. Mutations in lamina proteins associated with various laminopathies result in the loss of organization of DNA at the nuclear periphery. However, it remains unclear if or how these two aspects of lamin function are connected. Recent data suggests that unlinking the cytoskeleton from the nuclear lamina may be beneficial to slow progress of deleterious phenotypes observed in laminopathies.

In this review, we highlight emerging data that suggest interlinked chromatin- and mechanical biology-related pathways are interconnected in the pathogenesis of laminopathies.
The Influence of Case Characteristics, Attitude, and Affect on Citizens’ Willingness to Help Search for a Missing Person
Authors: Lam Jerôme , Kop Nicolien , Kerstholt José
Published: April 2023

Not all missing persons are treated equally. Research shows that certain types of victims are overrepresented in the media, but it is not clear whether these patterns also reflect differences in people’s propensity to help certain types of victims. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether the characteristics of a missing person’s case influence respondents’ willingness to help find the missing person. Using a 2 × 2 × 2 vignette study (N = 675), gender (male/female) and background of a missing person (western/non-western) and police involvement (yes/no) were manipulated to test respondents’ subsequent willingness to search. We further examined the influence of two-person specific factors among potential searchers: the respondent’s attitude toward searching and levels of perceived positive and negative affect. This study found that, despite a small but significant effect of gender, respondents’ intention to search is primarily determined by affect and attitude, with the former having relatively the strongest influence. Of the two affective states, positive affect had the strongest effect, about twice that of negative affect. Affect not only fully mediated the effects of gender on intention, but also had an independent influence on willingness to help that exceeded the indirect effect of gender. Therefore, it can be concluded that willingness to help find someone depends primarily on the (positive) affective state of the potential searcher than on specific characteristics of the missing person case or considerations regarding the search itself. The study has important practical implications for engaging citizens in missing persons cases.
Harmony or Cacophony? A Disaggregated Analysis of Aid Fragmentation
Authors: Carlitz Ruth D. , Ziaja Sebastian
Published: April 2023

Aid effectiveness is widely understood to suffer when multiple donors operate in the same space, but recent studies indicate benefits of fragmentation. We posit that these mixed findings may reflect differences across aid sectors — and also show how the level of implementation can condition the interpretation of results. Cross-national time-series analysis of 152 countries implies aid fragmentation can promote child survival and improve governance. However, analysis of subnational variation in Sierra Leone and Nigeria suggests the presence of more donors is associated with worse health outcomes, but better governance outcomes. Having more donors in a locality may thus be beneficial when they are working to improve the systems through which policies are implemented, but harmful if they target policy outcomes directly. A survey of Nigerian civil servants suggests potential mechanisms: fragmentation in health aid may lead to internal “brain drain” and pressure to alter projects, whereas diversity in governance aid might promote meritocratic behavior.
The influence of sociodemographic variables and traumatic life events on the alcohol consumption of homeless people in Spain
Authors: Fajardo-Bullon Fernando , Esnaola Igor , Hermans Koen , Anderson Isobel
Published: April 2023

This article uses the latest Spanish Survey on Homeless People to address whether traumatic experiences, sociodemographic characteristics, and homeless categories are associated with being an abstainer, a risky drinker, or a high-risk drinker. The sample was composed of 3,407 Spanish homeless adults ranging from 18 to 93 years old (Mage = 41.30, SD = 13.86). A multinomial logistic regression model was used. Results showed that experiencing childhood problems and demographic factors, such as being male, single, over 50, living in insecure or inadequate housing, and having lived in a shelter for less than three months were associated with alcohol consumption. Likewise, traumatic life events, such as a parent having been in prison, illness, disabilities, and alcohol problems in the family or themselves, are also risk factors in alcohol use. The findings from Spain support that early intervention strategies both disrupt cumulative inequality and empower those at risk of homelessness to develop their skills and improve their wellbeing.
SbtB — der fehlende Sensor für anorganischen Kohlenstoff in Cyanobakterien
Authors: Selim Khaled A. , Zimmer Erik
Published: April 2023

PII superfamily consists of signal transduction proteins found in all domains of life. PII-like proteins evolved to fulfill diverse, yet poorly understood cellular functions. We recently identified the PII-like protein SbtB in cyanobacteria as a sensor of various adenine nucleotides including the second messengers cAMP and c-di-AMP. This highlights SbtB as a central switch-point in cyanobacterial physiology, integrating not only signals from the energy state and carbon supply, but also signals from the day/night status, to regulate the glycogen metabolism.
Strukturierte RNAs in Viren
Authors: Ochsenreiter Roman , Wolfinger Michael T.
Published: April 2023

Evolutionarily conserved RNAs in untranslated regions are key regulators of the viral life cycle. Exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs (xrRNAs) are particularly interesting examples of structurally conserved elements because they actively dysregulate the messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation machinery of host cells, thereby mediating viral pathogenicity. We review the principles of RNA structure conservation in viruses and discuss potential applications of xrRNAs in synthetic biology and future mRNA vaccines.
Developments in Fungal Serology
Authors: White P. Lewis
Published: April 2023

Purpose of Review

The true incidence of fungal disease is hampered by conventionally poor diagnostic tests, limited access to advanced diagnostics, and limited surveillance. The availability of serological testing has been available for over two decades and generally underpins the modern diagnosis of the most common forms of fungal disease. This review will focus on technical developments of serological tests for the diagnosis of fungal disease, describing advances in clinical performance when available.

Recent Findings

Despite their longevity, technical, clinical, and performance limitations remain, and tests specific for fungal pathogens outside the main pathogens are lacking. The availability of LFA and automated systems, capable of running multiple different tests, represents significant developments, but clinical performance data is variable and limited.

Fungal serology has significantly advanced the diagnosis of the main fungal infections, with LFA availability increasing accessibility to testing. Combination testing has the potential to overcome performance limitations.
The Musical Turn in Biosemiotics
Authors: Slayton Matthew A , Hendlin Yogi Hale
Published: April 2023

Human music and language are two systems of communication and expression that, while historically considered to overlap, have become increasingly divergent in their approach and study. Music and language almost certainly co-evolved and emerged from the same semiotic field, and this relationship as well as co-origin are actively researched and debated. For the sake of evaluating the semiotic content of zoomusicology, we investigate music from a ‘bottom-up’ biosemiotic functionalist account considering iconic, indexical, and symbolic forms of meaning not in a hierarchy but according to their effects on agents. Such an approach avoids overintellectualizing the representational aspects of music, and instead inverts, as it were, the traditional hierarchy of semiotic categories to produce illocutionary effects. Understanding aesthetics and action not as a priori separate but rather fundamentally co-arising elements of the same events. The focus of musicality again returns to interpretation and how semiosis precipitates expression.
The Uncanny Effect of Speech: The Impact of Appearance and Speaking on Impression Formation in Human–Robot Interactions
Authors: Gurung Neelu , Grant Janie Busby , Hearth Damith
Published: April 2023

This study explores the impact of appearance and speech on human perceptions of faces in human- robot interactions. Three videos were generated depicting the real face of an artist and two virtual versions of the same artist, with increasing resolution and fidelity. Each video was presented with and without speech, with matching levels of fidelity to the faces (real human speech and machine- generated speech of two levels of realism). Participants viewed all six videos and rated them on measures such as convincing, trustworthy, realistic, likable, showed biological movement, reassuring, friendly, familiar, and humanness. We found that the inclusion of speech (real) had a significant positive impact on the impression formation of real human appearance. In contrast, perceptions of the virtual avatars were more negative when speech (machine-like) was incorporated. This study illustrates the differential effects that speech can have on virtual faces in interactive settings.
Coexistence of a novel SETD2-ALK, EML4-ALK double-fusion in an advanced lung adenocarcinoma patient after alectinib resistant and response to immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy: a case report
Authors: Zhu Lin , Qin Jing
Published: April 2023

The single echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4) gene and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene fusion is the most common variant of ALK rearrangements in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein, we firstly report that coexistence of a novel histone methyltransferase (SETD2)-ALK, EML4-ALK double-fusion is sensitive to alectinib as first-line therapy, and response to immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy after resistant. The patient responded to alectinib as a first-line therapy and achieved progression-free survival (PFS) for 26 months. After resistance, liquid biopsy showed that the reason of drug resistance was the disappearance of SETD2-ALK and EML4-ALK fusion variants. In addition, chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy subsequently achieved a survival benefit of more than 25 months. Therefore, alectinib may be a viable therapeutic option for NSCLC patients with double ALK fusion and immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy may be a viable therapeutic option when double ALK fusion loss may be the mechanism of alectinib resistance.
Acoustic preliminary design of a low-noise fan stage considering a variable-area nozzle and variable-pitch rotor blades
Authors: Moreau A. , Schnell R. , Mennicken M.
Published: April 2023

A low-noise low-pressure ultra-high-bypass-ratio fan stage to be implemented in the next generation of aircraft engines is described and evaluated acoustically with semi-empirical and analytical methods suited for preliminary design. As expected, good reduction potentials are observed for the jet noise and fan tonal noise components when the UHBR design is compared to current fans in service. However, concerns are identified for fan broadband noise, which are attributed to the off-design operation of the UHBR fan too close from its stability limit. By unloading the fan and thus reducing the size of the rotor wakes, the variable-area nozzle provides a substantial fan broadband noise reduction with a nozzle opened by around 15% from its design value. Alternatively, with the variable-pitch fan, closing the rotor blades by roughly 5° turns out to be an even more effective method to reduce fan noise, as the unloading mechanism is combined with a stronger tilting of the rotor wakes and a lower intra-stage flow Mach number. Opening the nozzle or closing the blades beyond the setting that provides the best fan efficiency is not recommended as the acoustic benefit progressively vanishes, whereas technical feasibility becomes more challenging. Finally, the presence of one of these systems may allow for the design of a low-solidity rotor, with a smaller contribution from the rotor wakes and thus a weaker fan noise emission.
Against the grain: environmental laws, local botanical knowledge, and housing access in Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Lesser Chris N. , Brandes Arno F. N.
Published: April 2023

This article considers how the construction practices of marginalized communities in Rio de Janeiro link the provision of essential housing to distant forest environments and markets for wood building materials. As elsewhere in Brazil, many families without access to real estate markets have built their own homes using locally available materials, a right protected by the 1988 Constitution and federal law. Today, these houses are typically built from reinforced concrete and clay bricks and finished with a roof of clay tile or cheaper fiber-cement corrugate. Production and sale of fiber-cement, which contains asbestos, were restricted by Rio de Janeiro State law in 2001 and ruled unconstitutional by Brazil’s Supreme Court in 2017. But little attention has been given to the human and environmental health effects of other building materials. This article examines the timber frame to which roof tiles are affixed. Maçaranduba is the main wood used in roof construction and is the most traded wood in Brazil, with production practices linked to environmental and social violence. Brazil’s laws presently subsidize plantation-grown pine and eucalyptus as “sustainable” alternatives to native hardwoods. The chemical treatments commonly applied to render these woods resistant to decay, however, contain potent environmental toxins. Moreover, the degree to which builders of essential housing actually use these products is unstudied. We argue that legislation has moved “against the grain” or without close attention to the botanical knowledge expressed in vernacular architectures and the needs of marginalized socio-ecologies intimately linked through the production of essential housing.
A Globally Applicable Method for NDVI Estimation from Sentinel-1 SAR Backscatter Using a Deep Neural Network and the SEN12TP Dataset
Authors: Roßberg Thomas , Schmitt Michael
Published: April 2023

Vegetation monitoring is important for many applications, e.g., agriculture, food security, or forestry. Optical data from space-borne sensors and spectral indices derived from their data like the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) are frequently used in this context because of their simple derivation and interpretation. However, optical sensors have one major drawback: cloud coverage hinders data acquisition, which is especially troublesome for moderate and tropical regions. One solution to this problem is the use of cloud-penetrating synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors. Yet, with very different image characteristics of optical and SAR data, an optical sensor cannot be easily replaced by SAR sensors. This paper presents a globally applicable model for the estimation of NDVI values from Sentinel-1 C-band SAR backscatter data. First, the newly created dataset SEN12TP consisting of Sentinel-1 and -2 images is introduced. Its main features are the sophisticated global sampling strategy and that the images of the two sensors are time-paired. Using this dataset, a deep learning model is trained to regress SAR backscatter data to NDVI values. The benefit of auxiliary input information, e.g., digital elevation models, or land-cover maps is evaluated experimentally. After selection of the best model configuration, another experimental evaluation on a carefully selected hold-out test set confirms that high performance, low error, and good level of spatial detail are achieved. Finally, the potential of our approach to create dense NDVI time series of frequently clouded areas is shown. One limit of our approach is the neglect of the temporal characteristics of the SAR and NDVI data, since only data from a single date are used for prediction.
Quality assessment of higher resolution images and videos with remote testing
Authors: Göring Steve , Rao Rakesh Rao Ramachandra , Raake Alexander
Published: April 2023

In many research fields, human-annotated data plays an important role as it is used to accomplish a multitude of tasks. One such example is in the field of multimedia quality assessment where subjective annotations can be used to train or evaluate quality prediction models. Lab-based tests could be one approach to get such quality annotations. They are usually performed in well-defined and controlled environments to ensure high reliability. However, this high reliability comes at a cost of higher time consumption and costs incurred. To mitigate this, crowd or online tests could be used. Usually, online tests cover a wider range of end devices, environmental conditions, or participants, which may have an impact on the ratings. To verify whether such online tests can be used for visual quality assessment, we designed three online tests. These online tests are based on previously conducted lab tests as this enables comparison of the results of both test paradigms. Our focus is on the quality assessment of high-resolution images and videos. The online tests use AVrate Voyager, which is a publicly accessible framework for online tests. To transform the lab tests into online tests, dedicated adaptations in the test methodologies are required. The considered modifications are, for example, a patch-based or centre cropping of the images and videos, or a randomly sub-sampling of the to-be-rated stimuli. Based on the analysis of the test results in terms of correlation and SOS analysis it is shown that online tests can be used as a reliable replacement for lab tests albeit with some limitations. These limitations relate to, e.g., lack of appropriate display devices, limitation of web technologies, and modern browsers considering support for different video codecs and formats.
Bioelectrical impedance analysis in the BaSAlt cohort-study: the phase angle as an additional parameter for sarcopenia quantification among German nursing home residents?
Authors: Haigis Daniel , Wagner Silas , Thiel Ansgar , Nieß Andreas M. ,   the BaSAlt study team
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Sarcopenia is characterized by the loss of muscle mass, strength, and physical functioning. The bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a simplify method for the measurement of muscle quantity and quality. But there is a lack of evidence in the interpretation of the muscle quality parameter phase angle (PhA), which was recommended by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2). We hypothesize that the PhA shows differences between sarcopenia categorized groups and can be used as an additional parameter for sarcopenia quantification among residents of nursing homes (NH).

Methods

Based on EWGSOP2 specifications, 78 residents from five German NH was categorized into sarcopenia groups. Group comparisons with Kruskal–Wallis tests, Dunn–Bonferroni post-hoc-Tests, and correlations with Spearman coefficients were conducted with the muscle quality parameter PhA.

Results

Significant group differences by Kruskal–Wallis test for PhA was detected (H = 8.150, p = 0.017). The Dunn–Bonferroni post-hoc-Test showed significant results by group comparison for “confirmed/ severe sarcopenia” (4.1° [3.1–5.0]) with “no sarcopenia” (4.6° [3.7–11.2]; p =0 .049) and “probable sarcopenia” (4.7° [3.4–13.5]; p = 0.016), respectively.

Conclusions

There is a limitation for differentiation in preliminary stage of sarcopenia among multimorbid NH residents by PhA. Moreover, further research for specific cut-off-values and the individual sarcopenia progression monitoring by PhA are needed.

Trial registration

No. AZ A2.5.4-096_aa (Date of approval: July 2019).
Adoption of online mathematics learning in Ugandan government universities during the COVID-19 pandemic: pre-service teachers’ behavioural intention and challenges
Authors: Kansiime Geofrey , Batiibwe Marjorie Sarah Kabuye
Published: April 2023

In the wake of COVID-19, higher education institutions worldwide were forced to continue teaching and learning through online means. However, it was only during the pandemic that institutions in Uganda, such as Kabale University, embraced online learning. Against this background, one could not predict how students drastically adapted to the new normal, especially in mathematics, which requires a lot of practice. Thus, this study sought to establish the relationship between behavioural intention to use technology and the adoption of online mathematics learning among pre-service teachers at Kabale University. We conceptualized behavioural intention to use technology according to the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as comprising four factors: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, and social influence. This mixed methods study followed a cross-sectional correlational survey and hermeneutic phenomenological research designs. We collected data from 140 pre-service mathematics teachers, who were sampled using stratified and simple random sampling techniques, through a self-administered questionnaire. Also, we collected qualitative data through nine face-to-face interviews of pre-service mathematics teachers using criterion sampling, where the most prominent criterion was the participant's experience with the phenomenon under study. Using Pearson’s linear correlation, results showed that all UTAUT constructs were related to the adoption of online learning. Simple linear regression revealed that facilitating conditions were the strongest predictor. Furthermore, the narrative analysis indicated that, among others, a lack of technological knowledge hindered learners’ effective participation in online mathematics lectures. Therefore they barely benefited from online learning. Thus, we recommend government universities enhance teachers’ and learners’ technological knowledge, among other facilitating conditions such as establishing strong on-campus Wi-Fi connections as online learning continues.
Hegel and the Representative Constitution
Authors: Buchetmann Elias
Published: April 2023

Hegel and the Representative Constitution provides the first comprehensive historical discussion of the institutional dimension of G. W. F. Hegel's political thought. Elias Buchetmann traces this much-neglected aspect in unprecedented contextual detail and makes the case for reading the Philosophy of Right from 1820 as a contribution to the lively and widespread public debate on the constitutional question in contemporary Central Europe. Drawing on a broad range of primary source material, this volume illuminates the wider political discourse in post-Napoleonic Germany, carefully locates Hegel's institutional commitments within their immediate cultural and political context, and reveals him as something closer to a public intellectual. By exploring this indispensable thinker's demand for the constitutional protection of popular participation in government, it contributes beyond Hegel scholarship to shed new light on the history of democratic theory in early nineteenth-century Europe and encourages critical reflection on questions of representation today.
Families of Varieties of General Type
Authors: Kollár János
Published: April 2023

This book establishes the moduli theory of stable varieties, giving the optimal approach to understanding families of varieties of general type. Starting from the Deligne–Mumford theory of the moduli of curves and using Mori's program as a main tool, the book develops the techniques necessary for a theory in all dimensions. The main results give all the expected general properties, including a projective coarse moduli space. A wealth of previously unpublished material is also featured, including Chapter 5 on numerical flatness criteria, Chapter 7 on K-flatness, and Chapter 9 on hulls and husks.
Circulating Political Information in Colombia: Written and Oral Communication Practices in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century
Authors: Galán-Guerrero Luis Gabriel
Published: April 2023

This article examines how people gathered and transmitted political information in Colombia during the second half of the nineteenth century. Existing scholarship has predominantly focused on the study of the press in Colombia and Latin America. However, few historians have explored other forms of information, such as telegrams, rumours and letters, or how Colombians combined these. By focusing on how various forms of information circulated through political, familial and commercial networks, this study offers a new dimension to our understanding of communications in Colombia. It argues that this was a period of increasing circulation of information due to social, political and economic change, as well as new links between oral and written practices. Thus, this article illuminates how Colombians circulated political information in a society of restricted literacy in post-colonial Latin America, offering new insights into politics, communications and the interplay between written and oral culture.
Being European Becomes a Sin: Zinnie Harris’ How to Hold Your Breath as a Modern Morality Play
Authors: Pekşen Yakar Azime
Published: April 2023

Zinnie Harris’ play, How to Hold Your Breath, predominantly involves Dana’s journey to Alexandria for a job interview. During her journey, Europe goes into financial collapse, and Dana and her sister Jasmine’s pride and sense of security, only because they are Europeans, are recurrently tested and gradually shatter due to a series of nightmarish experiences and encounters. The play deals, in particular, with the current discussions of the refugee crisis and the concept of Europe as the gist of civilization, yet it satirizes the latter by reducing it to an illusion that easily dissolves. Hence, even though the play is concerned with contemporary politics, it is curiously categorized, referring to the medieval genre, as a modern morality play. In this respect, this article analyses the concepts of being European as a sin – specifically pride, one of the seven deadly sins – in How to Hold Your Breath, and of Europe as a system that provides shelter to individuals in times of economic hardships. Accordingly, it explores Harris’ fusion of the medieval and the contemporary in Dana’s story, including the appalling conditions she has to endure as a refugee, so as to offer a novel perspective on the debates regarding Europe, Brexit, and the refugee crisis.
Psychometric properties of the PG-13-R scale to assess prolonged grief disorder among bereaved Iranian adults
Authors: Ashouri Ahmad , Yousefi Shahab , Prigerson Holly G.
Published: April 2023

Objectives

The PG‐13‐Revised (PG-13-R) is a self-report measure to assess prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in terms of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth revision, Text Revision. This measure has been shown to yield good psychometric properties in Western samples. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian PG-13-R.

Methods

Three hundred forty-seven individuals (209 women and 138 men) fully completed the scales. The participants were recruited using convenience sampling. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent and divergent validity, and reliability of the Persian version of the PG-13-R were evaluated.

Results

CFA results of a unidimensional model support the construct validity of this version of the PG-13-R. The results of this study demonstrated that this version of the PG-13-R has internal consistency reliability (omega coefficient of 0.93), and the test–retest reliability with an interval of 6 weeks was 0.89. The convergent and divergent validity was shown with significant correlations between the PG-13-R and measures of depression, PTSD, functional impairment, and hope.

Significance of results

Overall, the Persian version of the PG-13-R showed good psychometric properties in the Iranian population.