bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deformation superposition effect of asphalt mixture based on experiments and micromechanical modeling
Authors: Li Chun , Bian Xinxing , Dong Qifeng , Xu Huining
Published: October 2021

Under multi-wheel heavy load, the asphalt mixture is prone to exhibit the deformation superposition effect, which exacerbates the damage of pavement structure. Multi-point penetration tests and numerical simulations by discrete element method (DEM) are performed to investigate the deformation superposition effect and micromechanical characteristics of asphalt mixture. The effect of wheel spacing, wheel group, and the evolution of micromechanical deformation superposition behavior are analyzed. Results indicate that the deformation superposition resistance of the asphalt mixture under the multi-wheel load decreases dramatically with the decrease in wheel spacing and the increase in the number of wheels, specifically the wheel spacing is 54 mm and the number of wheels is 4. The DEM simulations reflect the micromechanical property of asphalt mixture in the multi-point penetration test. The reduction of tensile chains is the internal reason for asphalt mixture deformation superposition, indicating the decrease of the adhesive strength of the material. A remarkably positive correlation is found between the reduction of the tensile chain and the deformation effect coefficient. In the process of superposition, the aggregate skeleton force chains are gradually destroyed and decrease to zero until cracking. The numerical simulation outcome is consistent with the laboratory penetration test outcome.
Da “movimentação” ao mandato
Authors: Brasil Flávia de Paula Duque , Anelli Fernando Resende , Bechtlufft Rodolfo Pinhón
Published: October 2021

O artigo tem por objetivo analisar o conjunto de inovações democráticas construídas durante as candidaturas e os mandatos coletivos das “Muitas pela cidade que queremos” em Belo Horizonte. As “Muitas” surgem em 2015, com o intuito de agregar atores de diversos movimentos e coletivos sociais a fim de construir candidaturas coletivas para disputar as eleições municipais de 2016. Com o slogan de campanha “votou em uma, votou em todas”, foram lançadas 12 candidaturas para vereança, marcadas por pautas progressistas e de representatividade de gênero, raça e orientação sexual. Foram eleitas duas vereadoras, que propuseram uma série de inovações democráticas com objetivo de compartilhar a tomada de decisões e realizar um mandato participativo. A partir da discussão em torno da democracia, participação social e representação, bem como do conceito de inovações democráticas, busca-se compreender quais e como foram construídas as inovações democráticas ao longo da trajetória das Muitas, bem como seus potenciais democratizantes. Para isso, além de levantamento documental, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com uma parlamentar e ativistas envolvidos. A pesquisa sinaliza que as inovações em foco contribuíram, ainda que com limitações, para a oxigenação da representação política e da institucionalidade democrática no âmbito legislativo no município.
Neoliberalismo e política criminal no Brasil após 1988
Authors: Camargos Pedro
Published: October 2021

O artigo propõe uma análise de alguns pontos relevantes da política criminal implementada pelo governo federal brasileiro no decênio seguinte à promulgação da Constituição de 1988, com o objetivo de investigar possíveis relações de tais políticas com o processo de transição neoliberal verificado no país ao longo do período em questão. Nesse sentido, pretende-se contribuir com as análises sobre a tensão entre as pretensões de efetivação de direitos previstos no texto constitucional e a realidade excludente dos ajustes neoliberais. Em linhas gerais, partindo de uma leitura cruzada de aportes marxistas e foucaultianos ao conceito de neoliberalismo, pôde-se verificar no período uma “ressignificação ativa” (Dagnino, 2004) de noções como “cidadania” e “direitos humanos”, que passaram a ser utilizados, no plano governamental, como justificativas para o incremento da repressão no país. A partir disso, busca-se contribuir com o debate sobre os processos de “desdemocratização” (Brown, 2015) desencadeados pelo espraiamento de uma racionalidade neoliberal às diferentes esferas do tecido social, bem como com as discussões sobre a convergência entre neoliberalismo e acirramento dos mecanismos de punição e controle social.
A relação liberdade-governo em tempos de pandemia no Brasil e na Argentina
Authors: López Ruiz Osvaldo , Méndez Pablo Martin , Cruz Junior Brauner Geraldo
Published: October 2021

Este artigo propõe analisar a relação entre liberdade e governo através dos discursos e medidas governamentais implementadas no Brasil e na Argentina por ocasião da COVID-19. Para isso, considera duas variáveis que se tornaram relevantes à medida que a pandemia se desenvolveu: 1) a disjuntiva entre o “econômico” e a “saúde” e 2) os níveis nacional/federal, provincial/estadual e municipal de governo como cenários na luta contra a pandemia – analisando os casos específicos de São Paulo e Buenos Aires. O objetivo é compreender as experiências do Brasil e da Argentina com base nos conhecimentos, cálculos e nas técnicas de governo implementadas para garantir o difícil e frágil equilíbrio entre a liberdade individual e a segurança comum. O período de estudo está delimitado ao ano de 2020. Desta forma, esperamos contribuir para a análise das respostas que ambos os países deram à crise governamental durante o primeiro ano de pandemia, a partir da perspectiva das práticas e dos discursos governamentais.
Neoliberalização e Mercadejação na transmissão de energia elétrica no Brasil
Authors: Werner Deborah
Published: October 2021

O artigo identifica, a partir da análise sobre a reestruturação da atividade de transmissão de energia elétrica no Brasil, apreendida à luz do processo de mercadejação neoliberal, elementos que contribuem para a compreensão da crise elétrica no Amapá, em 2020. O caso expressa a vulnerabilidade a que o serviço de transmissão está exposto, prestado por concessionárias cujas dinâmicas se vinculam a mercados globais, cada vez mais financeirizados. Tais aspectos podem impor desafios à regulação setorial exercida pela Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica (ANEEL). Em termos metodológicos, o aporte interdisciplinar da geografia econômica, do direito econômico, da gestão pública e da economia política subsidia a análise de documentos setoriais, informações governamentais, com ênfase na ANEEL, e veiculadas na imprensa. Integra a metodologia, a elaboração de um banco de dados, com base nos contratos de transmissão, para a análise da configuração setorial que se consolida com a reestruturação da atividade de transmissão no Brasil.
Capitalismo, neoliberalismo progressista e lutas emancipatórias no pensamento de Nancy Fraser
Authors: Gammardella Rizzi Ester , Tranjan Tiago
Published: October 2021

Para entender o atual cenário de crise internacional do ideário neoliberal – dos quais o Brexit, bem como a eleição de Trump e de Bolsonaro, seriam sintomas      –, Nancy Fraser propõe uma ampla análise da estrutura do capitalismo, a qual engloba, mas ultrapassa, a caracterização marxista usual. De sua análise surge uma importante chave de leitura histórica: a hegemonia das últimas décadas não seria apenas do neoliberalismo, mas do que ela chama de “neoliberalismo progressista”; e a crise não é apenas do neoliberalismo, mas do progressismo que o acompanhou. Trata-se de uma análise política, que supera as análises frequentemente moralistas que têm sido feitas da ascensão de líderes populistas de direita. A reflexão acerca do caso brasileiro a partir desse instrumental pode ajudar a estabelecer, assim esperamos, cursos de ação para o futuro.
Políticas públicas, neoliberalismo e participação social
Authors: De Paula Ana Paula Paes , Prezotti Palassi Márcia , Zanon Rogério Silveira
Published: October 2021

O objetivo deste artigo é evidenciar como os pesquisadores brasileiros abordaram as políticas públicas participativas nos últimos anos, elaborando algumas categorizações teóricas sobre as experiências participativas a partir da literatura relevante, para em seguida avaliar seus limites diante das transições e dos dilemas do contexto político, especialmente no que se refere às mudanças no perfil do neoliberalismo. Para isso, na primeira parte, apresentamos um breve histórico das experiências participativas no âmbito da administração pública e políticas públicas no Brasil. Na segunda parte, interrogamos como os pesquisadores brasileiros trataram a questão dos novos arranjos institucionais participativos e sua dinâmica nos últimos anos a partir de um levantamento não sistemático dos artigos teóricos sobre o tema publicados entre 1980 e 2020, para apresentar duas vertentes predominantes de investigação: a analítica e a crítica. Na terceira parte, realizamos uma discussão sobre a recente virada conservadora e o recrudescimento do neoliberalismo, que apresenta uma nova face e ameaça a participação social no Brasil, e suas repercussões nas vertentes de investigação identificadas. Nas considerações finais, apresentamos alguns limites do artigo, bem como novas questões para discussão e debate.
MindKind: A mixed-methods protocol for the feasibility of global digital mental health studies in young people
Authors:   The MindKind Consortium
Published: October 2021

Background: While an estimated 14-20% of young adults experience mental health conditions worldwide, the best strategies for prevention and management are not fully understood. The ubiquity of smartphone use among young people makes them excellent candidates for collecting data about lived experiences and their relationships to mental health. However, not much is known about the factors affecting young peoples’ willingness to share information about their mental health.

Objective: We aim to understand the data governance and engagement strategies influencing young peoples’ (aged 16-24) participation in app-based studies of mental health. We hypothesize that the willingness to participate in research is impacted by their ability to be involved in how their data is collected, shared, and used.

Methods: Here, we describe the MindKind Study, which employs mixed methods to understand the feasibility of global, smartphone-based studies of youth mental health. A pilot 12-week app-based substudy will query participants’ willingness to engage with remote mental health studies. Participants will be randomized into one of four different data governance models designed to understand their preferences, as well as the acceptability of models that allow them more or less control over how their data are accessed and used. Enrolees will receive one of two different engagement strategies. A companion qualitative study will employ a deliberative democracy approach to examine the preferences, concerns and expectations of young people, with respect to remote mental health research. We also detail our engagement with young people as co-researchers in this study. This pilot study is being conducted in India, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Conclusions: This study is expected to generate new insights into the feasibility of, and best practices for, remote smartphone-based studies of mental health in youth and represents an important step toward understanding which approaches could help people better manage their mental health.
The genome sequence of the small white, Pieris rapae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Authors: Lohse Konrad , Ebdon Sam , Vila Roger ,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: October 2021

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Pieris rapae (the small white; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Pieridae). The genome sequence is 256 megabases in span. The majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 26 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the W and Z sex chromosome assembled. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl has identified 12,390 protein coding genes.
Qualification of Consumer Contracts for the Supply of Digital Services under Estonian Law
Authors: Koll Kristiina
Published: October 2021

The EU Digital Content Directive provides for overarching regulation of the supply of digital content and services. In this light, the article presents analysis of how contracts for the supply of digital content or digital services can be qualified under Estonian law. More specific focus is placed on contracts for digital services such as storage in a cloud service or use of Web based software, because it is not entirely clear whether the underlying contracts should be considered some type of contract for use or, rather, some kind of contract for provision of services.

The article examines the distinctive characteristics of particular types of contracts for use and for services, such as the possible object of the specific type of contract at issue and the main obligations of the parties, for purposes of determining whether they are suitable for the supply of digital content or digital services.

This distinction is important for understanding of the directive’s relationship with national law and how existing rules function in conjunction with the rules of the directive. Also, it regulates only certain aspects of contract law, while the remainder of the contractual relationship is determined by national law – such as that pertaining to obligations of consumers and legal remedies available to traders. These rules may differ between contract types.

The article’s analysis is based on comparison of Estonian and German law.
Reflections on the COVID-19 Restrictions in Belgium and the Rule of Law
Authors: Praet Patrick
Published: October 2021

The paper examines the legality and legitimacy of Belgium’s COVID-19-related restrictions in light of national and international guidelines. Its discussion proceeds from the most vital characteristic of any law-based state: the government being subject to standards of substantive and procedural legality, even during a pandemic. After this, the effect of the crisis on the Belgian Rechtsstaat is examined, with special emphasis on the functioning of the separation of powers and on the unprecedented predominance of the executive power, alongside the legal basis for the latter’s actions. The author concludes that the Belgian measures against the virus’s spread have failed to meet the cumulative requirements of the rule-of-law test. Discussion then turns to the possibly huge ramifications for some wider debates in the field of philosophy of law, both for classic topoi ( such as law and morality or utilitarianism) and for contemporary current debates such as constitutionalism, sovereignty, and juristocracy. In its concluding remarks, the paper raises issues of the unspoken social contract between the people and the state: will the restrictions amid the pandemic go down in history as a singular, unique event or, instead, as a step on the slippery slope toward permanent crisis management in the name of a new sanitary order?
Alveolopleural Fistula In COVID-19 Treated with Bronchoscopic Occlusion with a Swan-Ganz Catheter
Authors:   MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center, Des Moines, IA USA, Hitt Nathaniel z , Tagintsev Aleksey , Summerfield Douglas , Schmitz Evan
Published: October 2021

Pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum are known complications of COVID-19 patients. They have been documented to occur both with and without mechanical ventilation. There are several reports of cases further complicated by alveolopleural or bronchopleural fistulas. However, there are no studies and only a few case reports on the treatment options used for alveolopleural fistulas in COVID-19 patients. To our knowledge, there is only one report of bronchoscopic treatment with endobronchial valves in a COVID-19 patient. We present the case of a 63-year-old male with COVID-19, pneumothorax, and an alveolopleural fistula that was successfully sealed using bronchoscopic occlusion with a Swan-Ganz catheter.
Simulating scan formation in multimodal optical coherence tomography: angular-spectrum formulation based on ballistic scattering of arbitrary-form beams
Authors: Matveyev Alexander L. , Matveev Lev A. , Moiseev Aleksandr A. , Sovetsky Alexander A. , Gelikonov Grigory V. , Zaitsev Vladimir Y.
Published: October 2021

We present a computationally highly efficient full-wave spectral model of OCT-scan formation with the following features: allowance of arbitrary phase-amplitude profile of illuminating beams; absence of paraxial approximation; utilization of broadly used approximation of ballistic scattering by discrete scatterers without limitations on their density/location and scattering strength. The model can easily incorporate the wave decay, dispersion, measurement noises with given signal-to-noise ratios and arbitrary inter-scan displacements of scatterers. We illustrate several of such abilities, including comparative simulations of OCT-scans for Bessel versus Gaussian beams, presence of arbitrary aberrations at the tissue boundary and various scatterer motions. The model flexibility and computational efficiency allow one to accurately study various properties of OCT-scans for developing new methods of their processing in various biomedical applications.
Confocal hyperspectral microscopic imager for the detection and classification of individual microalgae
Authors: Luo Jing , Zhang Haodong , Forsberg Erik , Hou Saimei , Li Shuo , Xu Zhanpeng , Chen Xiang , Sun Xiaohong , He Sailing
Published: October 2021

We propose a confocal hyperspectral microscopic imager (CHMI) that can measure both transmission and fluorescent spectra of individual microalgae, as well as obtain classical transmission images and corresponding fluorescent hyperspectral images with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, the system can realize precise identification, classification, and location of microalgae in a free or symbiosis state. The CHMI works in a staring state, with two imaging modes, a confocal fluorescence hyperspectral imaging (CFHI) mode and a transmission hyperspectral imaging (THI) mode. The imaging modes share the main light path, and thus obtained fluorescence and transmission hyperspectral images have point-to-point correspondence. In the CFHI mode, a confocal technology to eliminate image blurring caused by interference of axial points is included. The CHMI has excellent performance with spectral and spatial resolutions of 3 nm and 2 µm, respectively (using a 10× microscope objective magnification). To demonstrate the capacity and versatility of the CHMI, we report on demonstration experiments on four species of microalgae in free form as well as three species of jellyfish with symbiotic microalgae. In the microalgae species classification experiments, transmission and fluorescence spectra collected by the CHMI were preprocessed using principal component analysis (PCA), and a support vector machine (SVM) model or deep learning was then used for classification. The accuracy of the SVM model and deep learning method to distinguish one species of individual microalgae from another was found to be 96.25% and 98.34%, respectively. Also, the ability of the CHMI to analyze the concentration, species, and distribution differences of symbiotic microalgae in symbionts is furthermore demonstrated.
Development of electrical substitution Fourier transform spectrometry for absolute optical power measurements
Authors: Neira J. E. , Woods S. I. , Proctor J. E. , Rice J. P.
Published: October 2021

We have demonstrated the first continuous-scan electrical substitution Fourier transform spectrometer (ES-FTS), which serves initially as an apparatus for absolute spectral responsivity calibrations of detectors over the wavelength range from 1.5 µm to 11 µm. We present data on the realization of a spectral detector-comparator system with high accuracy, high dynamic range, high spectral resolution and fast measurement in the infrared region, which is tied directly to an absolute power scale through electrical substitution. The ES-FTS apparatus employs a commercial Fourier transform spectrometer and a custom electrical substitution bolometer detector to enable spectrally-resolved absolute optical power measurements. A generalization of electrical substitution techniques enables determination of the voltage waveform that must be applied to the bolometer’s electrical heater to cancel the optical signal from a Michelson interferometer in order to quantify the time-dependent optical power incident on the bolometer. The noise floor of the electrical substitution bolometer is on the order of 10 pW/Hz½ and its response is expected to be linear from the noise floor to 1 mW. A direct comparison between a pyroelectric standard detector and the ES-FTS has been performed, and experimental results reported here show great potential for this technique.
Improving spatial resolution with an edge-enhancement model for low-dose propagation-based X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography
Authors: Zhang Lin , Zhao Huijuan , Zhou Zhongxing , Jia Mengyu , Zhang Limin , Jiang Jingying , Gao Feng
Published: October 2021

Propagation-based X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography (PB-PCCT) has been increasingly popular for distinguishing low contrast tissues. Phase retrieval is an important step to quantitatively obtain the phase information before the tomographic reconstructions, while typical phase retrieval methods in PB-PCCT, such as homogenous transport of intensity equation (TIE-Hom), are essentially low-pass filters and thus improve the signal to noise ratio at the expense of the reduced spatial resolution of the reconstructed image. To improve the reconstructed spatial resolution, measured phase contrast projections with high edge enhancement and the phase projections retrieved by TIE-Hom were weighted summed and fed into an iterative tomographic algorithm within the framework of the adaptive steepest descent projections onto convex sets (ASD-POCS), which was employed for suppressing the image noise in low dose reconstructions because of the sparse-view scanning strategy or low exposure time for single phase contrast projection. The merging strategy decreases the accuracy of the linear model of PB-PCCT and would finally lead to the reconstruction failure in iterative reconstructions. Therefore, the additive median root prior is also introduced in the algorithm to partly increase the model accuracy. The reconstructed spatial resolution and noise performance can be flexibly balanced by a pair of antagonistic hyper-parameters. Validations were performed by the established phase-contrast Feldkamp-Davis-Kress, phase-retrieved Feldkamp-Davis-Kress, conventional ASD-POCS and the proposed enhanced ASD-POCS with a numerical phantom dataset and experimental biomaterial dataset. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the conventional ASD-POCS in spatial evaluation assessments such as root mean square error (a ratio of 9.78%), contrast to noise ratio (CNR) (a ratio of 7.46%), and also frequency evaluation assessments such as modulation transfer function (a ratio of 66.48% of MTF50% (50% MTF value)), noise power spectrum (a ratio of 35.25% of f50% (50% value of the Nyquist frequency)) and noise equivalent quanta (1-2 orders of magnitude at high frequencies). Experimental results again confirm the superiority of proposed strategy relative to the conventional one in terms of edge sharpness and CNR (an average increase of 67.35%).
Maximum power transfer in a real metal slit: an analytic approach
Authors: Pati Amrita , Gordon Reuven
Published: October 2021

We present a fully analytic theory to study the power and field enhancement inside a real metal slit. A generalized formula for the reflection coefficient at the interface of the slit is derived. The resulting expression is purely analytic and the reflection coefficient can be simply evaluated to provide physical insight, while not requiring complicated numerical simulations. The calculated values of reflection phase and amplitude are then used in the Fabry-Pérot formalism to compute the electric field and the power inside the slit. It is shown that the power attains its maximum value when the scattering and the absorption cross-sections of the slit are equal, a confirmation of the maximum power transfer theorem for this case. The analytic results agree well with numerical simulations, which is promising for optimizing performance in applications ranging from modulators to optical tweezers.
Freeform gradient-index media: a new frontier in freeform optics
Authors: Lippman David H. , Kochan Nicholas S. , Yang Tianyi , Schmidt Greg R. , Bentley Julie L. , Moore Duncan T.
Published: October 2021

Freeform optics enable irregular system geometries and high optical performance by leveraging rotational variance. To this point, for both imaging and illumination, freeform optics has largely been synonymous with freeform surfaces. Here a new frontier in freeform optics is surveyed in the form of freeform gradient-index (F-GRIN) media. F-GRIN leverages arbitrary three-dimensional refractive index distributions to impart unique optical influence. When transversely variant, F-GRIN behaves similarly to freeform surfaces. By introducing a longitudinal refractive index variation as well, F-GRIN optical behavior deviates from that of freeform surfaces due to the effect of volume propagation. F-GRIN is a useful design tool that offers vast degrees of freedom and serves as an important complement to freeform surfaces in the design of advanced optical systems for both imaging and illumination.
Stretchable optical diffraction grating from poly(acrylic acid)/polyethylene oxide stereocomplex
Authors: He Jinghan , Kovach Andre , Wang Yunxiang , Wang William , Wu Wei , Armani Andrea M.
Published: October 2021

Advances in optical materials, which were initially static elements, have enabled dynamically tunable optical diffraction gratings to be designed. One common tuning strategy relies on mechanical deformation of the grating pitch to modify the diffraction pattern. In the present work, we demonstrate an all-polymer tunable diffraction grating fabricated using a modified replica molding process. The poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)/polyethylene oxide (PEO) polymer stereocomplex films exhibit optical transmittance at or above 80% from 500 nm to 1400 nm and stretchability over 800% strain with reversibility under 70% strain. The imprinted gratings are characterized at 633 nm and 1064 nm under a range of strain conditions. The measured tunability agrees with finite element method modeling.
Flexible terahertz opto-electronic frequency comb light source tunable over 3.5  THz
Authors: Theiner Dominik , Limbacher Benedikt , Jaidl Michael , Unterrainer Karl , Darmo Juraj
Published: October 2021

We demonstrate a terahertz (THz) frequency comb that is flexible in terms of its frequency range and the number and spacing of comb lines. We use a combination of near-infrared laser diodes, phase modulation, and opto-electronic frequency conversion. The THz comb lines are characterized to be

<

10

M
H
z

by resolving the pressure-dependent collisional broadening of an ammonia molecule rotational mode.
High-sensitivity multi-channel refractive-index sensor based on a graphene-based hybrid Tamm plasmonic structure
Authors: Hu Jinlei , Huang Yulan , Chen Yuxuan , Hu Zheng-da , Wu Jingjing , Wang Jicheng
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we propose a high-performance refractive-index sensor at a near-infrared band based on a hybrid Tamm structure. The optical properties of this graphene-based hybrid Tamm plasmonic structure are analyzed and investigated by using the transfer matrix method (TMM). Due to the excitation of the guide mode resonance (GMR) and Tamm plasmon polariton (TPP) resonance, the structure can realize multi-channel perfect absorption. This structure can be utilized as a refractive index sensor because the position of the absorption peak is sensitive to the refractive index of the ambient layer. Therefore, we obtain the sensitivity to 950 nm per refractive index unit (nm/RIU) and figure of merit (FoM) of 161 RIU-1 after studying the performance under different structural parameters. We believe that the proposed configuration is expected to be used to manufacture high-performance biosensors or gas sensor devices and other related applications in the near-infrared band.
State transitions through inhibitory interneurons in a cortical network model
Authors: Bryson Alexander , Berkovic Samuel F. , Petrou Steven , Grayden David B.
Published: October 2021

Inhibitory interneurons shape the spiking characteristics and computational properties of cortical networks. Interneuron subtypes can precisely regulate cortical function but the roles of interneuron subtypes for promoting different regimes of cortical activity remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the impact of fast spiking and non-fast spiking interneuron subtypes on cortical activity using a network model with connectivity and synaptic properties constrained by experimental data. We found that network properties were more sensitive to modulation of the fast spiking population, with reductions of fast spiking excitability generating strong spike correlations and network oscillations. Paradoxically, reduced fast spiking excitability produced a reduction of global excitation-inhibition balance and features of an inhibition stabilised network, in which firing rates were driven by the activity of excitatory neurons within the network. Further analysis revealed that the synaptic interactions and biophysical features associated with fast spiking interneurons, in particular their rapid intrinsic response properties and short synaptic latency, enabled this state transition by enhancing gain within the excitatory population. Therefore, fast spiking interneurons may be uniquely positioned to control the strength of recurrent excitatory connectivity and the transition to an inhibition stabilised regime. Overall, our results suggest that interneuron subtypes can exert selective control over excitatory gain allowing for differential modulation of global network state.
Cytogenetic evidence supports Avena insularis being closely related to hexaploid oats
Authors: Fominaya Araceli , Loarce Yolanda , González Juan M. , Ferrer Esther
Published: October 2021

Cytogenetic observations, phylogenetic studies and genome analysis using high-density genetic markers have suggested a tetraploid Avena species carrying the C and D genomes (formerly C and A) to be the donor of all hexaploid oats (AACCDD). However, controversy surrounds which of the three extant CCDD tetraploid species—A. insularis, A. magna and A. murphyi—is most closely related to hexaploid oats. The present work describes a comparative karyotype analysis of these three CCDD tetraploid species and two hexaploid species, A. sativa and A. byzantina. This involved the use of FISH with six simple sequence repeats (SSRs) with the motifs CT, AAC, AAG, ACG, ATC and ACT, two repeated ribosomal sequences, and C genome-specific repetitive DNA. The hybridization pattern of A. insularis with oligonucleotide (AC)10 was also determined and compared with those previously published for A. sativa and A. byzantina. Significant differences in the 5S sites and SSR hybridization patterns of A. murphyi compared to the other CCDD species rule out its being directly involved in the origin of the hexaploids. In contrast, the repetitive and SSR hybridization patterns shown by the D genome chromosomes, and by most of the C genome chromosomes of A. magna and A. insularis, can be equated with the corresponding chromosomes of the hexaploids. Several chromosome hybridization signals seen for A. insularis, but not for A. magna, were shared with the hexaploid oats species, especially with A. byzantina. These diagnostic signals add weight to the idea that the extant A. insularis, or a direct ancestor of it, is the most closely related progenitor of hexaploid oats. The similarity of the chromosome hybridization patterns of the hexaploids and CCDD tetraploids was taken as being indicative of homology. A common chromosome nomenclature for CCDD species based on that of the hexaploid species is proposed.
Peritoneal dialysis modality transition and impact on phosphate and potassium serum levels
Authors: Peruzzo Daniela , Guedes Murilo , Larkin John W. , Yokoyama Guilherme , dos Santos Taynara Lopes , Pecoits-Filho Roberto , Ribeiro Silvia Carreira , Ramos Alfonso , Barretti Pasqual , de Moraes Thyago Proença ,   on behalf of the BRAZPD Investigators
Published: October 2021

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) modalities affect solute removal differently. However, the impacts of switching PD modalities on serum levels of biomarkers of different sizes are not known. Our objective was to analyze whether a change in the PD modality associates with the levels of two routine biochemical laboratories. In this multicentric prospective cohort study. we selected all patients who remained on a PD modality for at least 6 months and switched PD modality. Patients were also required to be treated with the same PD modality for at least 3 months before and after the modality change. The primary outcome was change in potassium and phosphate serum levels. We identified 737 eligible patients who switched their PD modality during the study. We found mean serum phosphate levels increased during the 3 months after switching from CAPD to APD and conversely decreased after switching to from APD to CAPD. In contrast, for potassium the difference in the mean serum levels was comparable between groups switching from CAPD to APD, and vice versa. In conclusion, CAPD seems to be as efficient as APD for the control of potassium serum levels, but more effective for the control of phosphate serum levels. The effect of a higher removal of middle size molecules as result of PD modalities in terms of clinical and patient-reported outcomes should be further explored.
The effect of exchanging drawings with peers on the happiness of children with cancer, aged 7–11 years: A clinical trial
Authors: Palvan Somayeh , Zareii Khadijah , Sadat Hoseini Akram Sadat , Haghani Hamid
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Improving the mental status of children with cancer is part of nurses’ duties in planning nursing care and is achieved in different ways. This study attempts to combine drawing with peer interaction to improve the mental status of sick children and investigate the effect of exchanging drawings with peers on these children’s happiness.

Method

This clinical trial was conducted on a sample of 66 children with cancer, ages 7–11 years, who were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention was carried out over five weeks by the exchange of drawings between healthy children at school and children with cancer. Both groups of children drew one drawing each week. The children’s happiness was measured by the researcher before and after the intervention (i.e., week five) using a questionnaire.

Results

The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of happiness after the intervention. The happiness score was 3.15 ±0.34 in the control group and 3.02 ±0.3 in the intervention group before the intervention; afterwards, this score was 3.022± 0.22 among the controls and 3.11± 0.25 among the patients. The comparison of the two groups using the t-test showed P = 0.075 before the intervention and P = 0.11 after the intervention.

Conclusion

Given the results obtained, future studies are recommended to administer lengthier interventions and enable the physical presence of healthy peers along sick children or to use the exchange of drawings with peers in combination with other psychological interventions so as to promote happiness in children with cancer.
Rural E-commerce development and farmers’ digital credit behavior: Evidence from China family panel studies
Authors: Yu Gao , Xiang Hu
Published: October 2021

This paper examines the impact of rural e-commerce development on rural households’ digital credit behavior at the micro-level by using a multivariate Probit model and propensity score matching method with rural residents in the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database. Specifically, we examine the complementary or substitution relationship between digital credit and traditional bank credit and the impact of participation in e-commerce on the scale of digital credit of rural households. The empirical results show that there is a substitution relationship between digital credit and traditional bank credit. Participation in e-commerce has a positive impact on the scale of digital credit and the full scale of credit obtained by farmers, with an increase of $0.922 million and $37.49 million in the scale of digital credit and real credit received by farmers who participate in e-commerce, respectively, compared with those who do not participate in e-commerce. Further tests revealed that the difference in capital endowment was an essential reason for the disparity in the size of digital credit received among e-commerce farmers.
Structural analysis of the boronic acid β-lactamase inhibitor vaborbactam binding to Pseudomonas aeruginosa penicillin-binding protein 3
Authors: Kumar Vijay , Viviani Samantha L. , Ismail Jeeda , Agarwal Shreya , Bonomo Robert A. , van den Akker Focco
Published: October 2021

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mediated by β-lactamases is the major and leading cause of resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins among Gram-negative bacteria. β-Lactamases, periplasmic enzymes that are widely distributed in the bacterial world, protect penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), the major cell wall synthesizing enzymes, from inactivation by β-lactam antibiotics. Developing novel PBP inhibitors with a non-β-lactam scaffold could potentially evade this resistance mechanism. Based on the structural similarities between the evolutionary related serine β-lactamases and PBPs, we investigated whether the potent β-lactamase inhibitor, vaborbactam, could also form an acyl-enzyme complex with Pseudomonas aeruginosa PBP3. We found that this cyclic boronate, vaborbactam, inhibited PBP3 (IC50 of 262 μM), and its binding to PBP3 increased the protein thermal stability by about 2°C. Crystallographic analysis of the PBP3:vaborbactam complex reveals that vaborbactam forms a covalent bond with the catalytic S294. The amide moiety of vaborbactam hydrogen bonds with N351 and the backbone oxygen of T487. The carboxyl group of vaborbactam hydrogen bonds with T487, S485, and S349. The thiophene ring and cyclic boronate ring of vaborbactam form hydrophobic interactions, including with V333 and Y503. The active site of the vaborbactam-bound PBP3 harbors the often observed ligand-induced formation of the aromatic wall and hydrophobic bridge, yet the residues involved in this wall and bridge display much higher temperature factors compared to PBP3 structures bound to high-affinity β-lactams. These insights could form the basis for developing more potent novel cyclic boronate-based PBP inhibitors to inhibit these targets and overcome β-lactamases-mediated resistance mechanisms.
Heading towards a dead end: The role of DND1 in germ line differentiation of human iPSCs
Authors: Mall Eva M. , Lecanda Aaron , Drexler Hannes C. A. , Raz Erez , Schöler Hans R. , Schlatt Stefan
Published: October 2021

The DND microRNA-mediated repression inhibitor 1 (DND1) is a conserved RNA binding protein (RBP) that plays important roles in survival and fate maintenance of primordial germ cells (PGCs) and in the development of the male germline in zebrafish and mice. Dead end was shown to be expressed in human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), PGCs and spermatogonia, but little is known about its specific role concerning pluripotency and human germline development. Here we use CRISPR/Cas mediated knockout and PGC-like cell (PGCLC) differentiation in human iPSCs to determine if DND1 (1) plays a role in maintaining pluripotency and (2) in specification of PGCLCs. We generated several clonal lines carrying biallelic loss of function mutations and analysed their differentiation potential towards PGCLCs and their gene expression on RNA and protein levels via RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry. The generated knockout iPSCs showed no differences in pluripotency gene expression, proliferation, or trilineage differentiation potential, but yielded reduced numbers of PGCLCs as compared with their parental iPSCs. RNAseq analysis of mutated PGCLCs revealed that the overall gene expression remains like non-mutated PGCLCs. However, reduced expression of genes associated with PGC differentiation and maintenance (e.g., NANOS3, PRDM1) was observed. Together, we show that DND1 iPSCs maintain their pluripotency but exhibit a reduced differentiation to PGCLCs. This versatile model will allow further analysis of the specific mechanisms by which DND1 influences PGC differentiation and maintenance.
Catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment after caesarean section in Sierra Leone: An evaluation of the free health care initiative
Authors: van Duinen Alex J. , Westendorp Josien , Ashley Thomas , Hagander Lars , Holmer Hampus , Koroma Alimamy P. , Leather Andrew J. M. , Shrime Mark G. , Wibe Arne , Bolkan Håkon A.
Published: October 2021

Background

Utilizing surgical services, including caesarean sections, can result in catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment. In 2010, Sierra Leone introduced the Free Health Care Initiative (FHCI), a national financial risk protection program for the most vulnerable groups. Aim of this study was to investigate catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment related to caesarean section in Sierra Leone and evaluate the impact of the FHCI.

Methods

Women who delivered by caesarean section in nine hospitals were followed up with home visits one month after surgery, and data on medical and non-medical expenditures were collected. Individual income was estimated based on household characteristics and used to determine catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment for each patient. The impact of the FHCI was assessed by comparing actual expenditure with counterfactual expenditures had the initiative not existed.

Results

For the 1146 patients in the study, the median expenditure was 23 (IQR 4; 56) international dollars (Int$). Patients in the poorest quintile spent a median Int$ 59 (IQR 28; 76), which was significantly more than patients in the richest quintile, who spent a median Int$ 17 (IQR 2; 38, p<0.001). Travel (32.9%) and food (28.7%) were the two largest expenses. Catastrophic expenditure was encountered by 12.0% and 4.0% (10% and 25% threshold, respectively) of the women. Without the FHCI, 66.1% and 28.8% of the women would have encountered catastrophic expenditure.

Conclusion

Many women in Sierra Leone face catastrophic expenditure related to caesarean section, mainly through food and travel expenses, and the poor are disproportionally affected. The FHCI is effective in reducing the risk of catastrophic expenditure related to caesarean section, but many patients are still exposed to financial hardship, suggesting that additional support is needed for Sierra Leone’s poorest patients.
De-novo non-convulsive status epilepticus in adult medical inpatients without known epilepsy: Analysis of mortality related factors and literature review
Authors: García-Villafranca Alba , Barrera-López Lucía , Pose-Bar Marta , Pardellas-Santiago Elva , Montoya-Valdés Jonathan G. , Paez-Guillán Emilio , Novo-Veleiro Ignacio , Pose-Reino Antonio
Published: October 2021

Background

Non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) often goes unnoticed and is not easily detected in patients with a decreased level of consciousness, especially in older patients. In this sense, lack of data in this population is available.

Aims

The aim of the present study was to examine daily clinical practice and evaluate factors that may influence the prognosis of NCSE in non-epileptic medical inpatients.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis including patients admitted by any cause in an Internal Medicine ward. All patients with compatible symptoms, exclusion of other causes, clinical suspicion or diagnosis of NCSE, and compatible EEG were included. Patients with a previous diagnosis of epilepsy were excluded. We also conducted a literature review by searching the PubMed/Medline database with the terms: Nonconvulsive Status OR Non-Convulsive Status.

Results

We included 54 patients, mortality rate reached 37% and the main factors linked to it were hypernatremia (OR = 16.2; 95% CI, 1.6–165.6; P = 0.019) and atrial fibrillation (OR = 6.7; 95% CI, 1.7–26; P = 0.006). There were no differences regarding mortality when comparing different diagnosis approach or treatment regimens. Our literature review showed that the main etiology of NCSE were neurovascular causes (17.8%), followed by antibiotic treatment (17.2%) and metabolic causes (17%). Global mortality in the literature review, excluding our series, reached 20%.

Discussion

We present the largest series of NCSE cases in medical patients, which showed that this entity is probably misdiagnosed in older patients and is linked to a high mortality.

Conclusion

The presence of atrial fibrillation and hypernatremia in patients diagnosed with NCSE should advise physicians of a high mortality risk.
Delta neutrophil index and shock index can stratify risk for the requirement for massive transfusion in patients with primary postpartum hemorrhage in the emergency department
Authors: Kong Taeyoung , Lee Hye Sun , Jeon So Young , You Je Sung , Lee Jong Wook , Chung Hyun Soo , Chung Sung Phil
Published: October 2021

Background

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) constitutes a major risk for maternal mortality and morbidity. Unfortunately, the severity of PPH can be underestimated because it is difficult to accurately measure blood loss by visual estimation. The delta neutrophil index (DNI), which reflects circulating immature granulocytes, is automatically calculated in hematological analyzers. We evaluated the significance of the DNI in predicting hemorrhage severity based on the requirement for massive transfusion (MT) in patients with PPH.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from a prospective registry to evaluate the association between the DNI and MT. Moreover, we assessed the predictive ability of the combination of DNI and shock index (SI) for the requirement for MT. MT was defined as a transfusion of ≥10 units of red blood cells within 24 h of PPH. In total, 278 patients were enrolled in this study and 60 required MT.

Results

Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the DNI and SI were independent predictors of MT. The optimal cut-off values of ≥3.3% and ≥1.0 for the DNI and SI, respectively, were significantly associated with an increased risk of MT (DNI: positive likelihood ratio [PLR] 3.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5–5.1 and negative likelihood ratio [NLR] 0.48, 95% CI 0.4–0.7; SI: PLR 3.21, 95% CI 2.4–4.2 and NLR 0.31, 95% CI 0.19–0.49). The optimal cut-off point for predicted probability was calculated for combining the DNI value and SI value with the equation derived from logistic regression analysis. Compared with DNI or SI alone, the combination of DNI and SI significantly improved the specificity, accuracy, and positive likelihood ratio of the MT risk.

Conclusion

The DNI and SI can be routinely and easily measured in the ED without additional costs or time and can therefore, be considered suitable parameters for the early risk stratification of patients with primary PPH.