bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of short‐term bilberry supplementation on glycemic control, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and antioxidant status in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Chan Sze Wa , Chu Tanya T. W. , Choi Siu Wai , Benzie Iris F. F. , Tomlinson Brian
Published: February 2021

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) is one of the richest natural sources of anthocyanins which are powerful antioxidants and reported to have antiinflammatory, antidyslipidemic, antihypertensive, and hypoglycemic effects. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of bilberry supplementation on biomarkers of glycemic control, lipid profile, antioxidant, and inflammatory status in patients with type 2 diabetes in a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled cross‐over study. Twenty patients were randomized to receive either bilberry supplementation (1.4 g/day of extract) daily for 4 weeks followed by 6 weeks of washout and then an additional 4 weeks of matching placebo or vice versa. Blood pressure, metabolic parameters, antioxidant status, and oxidative stress were measured before and after each period. Results showed no effect on body weight, blood pressure, or lipid profile. HbA1c was reduced by 0.31 ± 0.58% during bilberry supplementation, but this change was not significantly different from that with placebo. Antioxidant status, oxidative stress, and inflammatory status showed no significant differences across treatments. This short‐term study of bilberry supplementation did not show significant effects on cardiovascular risk factors or antioxidant status, but the tendency for improved glycemic control may suggest a longer treatment period may be effective in diabetic patients.
Quantitative determination of the oleophobicity of food packaging paper using headspace gas chromatographic technique
Authors: Dai Yi , Yu Zhen‐Hua , Wang Hao , Zhan Jian‐Bo , Xie Jiao , Yue Bao‐Shan , Chai Xin‐Sheng
Published: February 2021

This study demonstrates a method to quantitatively measure the oleophobicities of food packaging paper via using a tracer‐assisted headspace gas chromatography by adding a 40‐μL droplet of toluene‐doped oil onto a sample surface, wherein toluene behaves as volatile tracer. After 20 s, the sample was turned vertically to remove the oil and placed in a headspace vial. The amount of toluene in the residual oil adhered to the sample surface was quantified using headspace gas chromatography under full‐evaporation conditions. The results exhibit satisfactory precision (RSDs < 2.5%) and provide quantitative information on oleophobicity. The proposed method is simple, efficient and suitable for batch sample testing.
Neuro‐adaptive distributed output‐feedback containment control for multiagent systems with nonstrict‐feedback nonlinear dynamics and input constraints
Authors: Peydayesh Amirhossein , Arefi Mohammad Mehdi
Published: February 2021

In this article, distributed adaptive controllers are designed for containment control of multiagent systems (MASs) with high‐order nonlinear dynamics in nonstrict‐feedback form. To broaden the application horizon, the agents' dynamics are considered heterogeneous, and the control saturation is taken into account. Moreover, the agents' dynamics, as well as their full state information, are assumed unknown. An adaptive observer is designed in the first step for each agent to estimate the agents' states using available output measurements. An adaptive backstepping controller is then integrated with the observer to solve the containment control problem. The computational complexity of the controller is reduced by adopting the command filtered adaptive backstepping approach to the containment control of MASs. The effect of the input saturation is also compensated by employing an auxiliary system throughout the design procedure. The proposed control approach guarantees that the states of all agents are cooperatively semiglobally uniformly ultimately bounded and containment errors converge to a small neighborhood of the origin. Finally, the effectiveness of the presented control algorithm is confirmed by a simulation example.
Observer‐based quantized state feedback stabilization for nonlinear systems with external disturbance
Authors: Ren Wei , Xiong Junlin
Published: February 2021

This article studies the quantized feedback stabilization problem for nonlinear control systems with external disturbance. To ensure the transmission data rate as minimal as possible, a coarse quantizer is applied, and the quantization procedure has two stages: zooming‐out stage and zooming‐in stage. To detect the effects of the disturbance and to utilize quantization regions as less as possible, both zooming‐out stage and zooming‐in stage are divided into two substages. Based on the quantization mechanism with four substages, a new control strategy is proposed. Using the proposed control strategy and the state trajectory based method, the state feedback stabilization is studied, and sufficient conditions are established to guarantee input‐to‐input stability of the closed‐loop system. Finally, two numerical examples are presented to illustrate the derived results.
Robust model predictive control of uncertain nonlinear time‐delay systems via control contraction metric technique
Authors: Duan Zhengyi , Wei Caisheng , Xie Wei
Published: February 2021

This article is concerned with the problem of robust model predictive control (MPC) for uncertain nonlinear time‐delay systems. In order to reduce the computational conservativeness of the existing robust MPC given in the min–max optimization formulation, a novel tube‐based MPC method is investigated via exploring MPC and control contraction metric (CCM) technique. Based on the Kyapunov–Krasovskii arguments, the MPC is designed as a nominal controller to generate a reference trajectory. By constructing a functional formulation of the inner product on tangent space, the CCM technique is applied to develop a local ancillary controller to guarantee the actual trajectory being contained within a robust invariant tube. In addition, to alleviate the burden of computing geodesic in the design of CCM technique, we propose a direct method using the neural network to search for the minimal geodesic online. By employing the sequential quadratic programming algorithm, this method improves the efficiency of online calculation with high accuracy. Finally, numerical simulation is employed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Effects of increasing water activity on the relationship between water vapor sorption and clay content
Authors: Song Xue , Chen Chong , Arthur Emmanuel , Tuller Markus , Zhou Hu , Ren Tusheng
Published: February 2021

The dependence of the relationship between hygroscopic water content (θh) and clay content on water activity is not well understood. Here, we determined the correlation coefficients between θh(or the slope of soil water vapor adsorption isotherms,Svai) and clay content at nine water activity levels (i.e., 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9) and investigated the evolution of correlation coefficients with increasing water activity for 65 soils with mixed and illitic clay mineralogy. The correlation coefficient between θh0.1(water content at a water activity of 0.1) and clay content was the lowest (.82) due to the differences in soil‐specific hydration processes. At the water activity range from 0.1 to 0.6, theSvaishowed stronger correlations (r= .91–.93) with clay content than θh0.1because the multilayer sorption controlled by van der Waals force is related to clay content. When water activity increased from 0.1 to 0.6, the observed strong correlation betweenSvaiand clay content resulted in an increase of correlation coefficient between θhand clay content from .82 to .96. Compared with the correlation (r = .96) between θhand clay content at the beginning of condensation process, a weaker correlation (r= .87–.92) betweenSvaiand clay content was observed during condensation process, which led to a slight strengthening of the correlation between θhand clay content at high water activities (>0.6). This was explained by the different clay particle properties and water activity thresholds for initiation of condensation.
Volunteer initiative engages students, boosts visibility
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: February 2021

Service to the community has been a long‐standing tradition at Long Island University. Students volunteer more than 150,000 hours annually, said Randy Burd, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. New initiatives in LIU's Global Service Institute build on that tradition.
Test, track, and treat negative opinion outbreaks
Authors: Raines Karla , Morris Renea
Published: February 2021

Frequent media reports show new students are changing their views of institutions’ plans on a daily basis. Confronted with uncertainty, many students and their parents are questioning your commitment to their best interests. One disgruntled parent's feelings about paying full tuition for an online‐only experience creates a flurry of shared sentiment in a matter of hours. Soon you discover a new Facebook group is gaining members, each with a complaint about your college. Even if your campus is off to a smooth start, your students and families are influenced by the opinions of others.
Did court dismiss student's Title IX claim?
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: February 2021

Jane Doe, a Sarah Lawrence College student, attended a party. She claimed a male student “Robert” gave her vodka at the party, causing her to become intoxicated, and Robert sexually assaulted her later that evening.
Health Literacy Profiling in Persons with Psoriasis – A Cluster Analysis
Authors: Larsen M.H. , Hermansen Å. , Borge C.R. , Strumse Y. Staalesen , Andersen M.H. , Wahl A.K.
Published: February 2021

Objective

To explore health literacy (HL) profiles within a cohort of people with psoriasis. A cluster approach identifies groups of individuals that have similar HL profiles. The method unmasks sub-groups with particular HL strengths, or subgroups with limitations, which require tailored healthcare services to improve.

Methods

A cross-sectional sample of 792 patients from the Norwegian Climate Helio Therapy Programme in Gran Canaria participated. The HL questionnaire assessed nine HL dimensions. Using Ward's Hierarchical Clustering Method (Stata version 16), we looked for subgroups of patients across the dimensions. We also explored whether these clusters had specific demographic features and associations to outcomes such as psoriasis knowledge, quality of life and self-management capacity.

Result

The analysis revealed four unique clusters identifying clinically meaningful subgroups. Two groups stood out as especially interesting. One cluster representing 26.6% of the sample presented severe HL limitations associated with lower psoriasis knowledge, quality of life, self-management and self-efficacy. HL domains connected to cooperation with healthcare professionals showed deficient scores. The other cluster included a smaller percentage (7.7%) with high HL compared to the total sample. This cluster was associated with higher self-management, quality of life and better self-efficacy.

Conclusion

The cluster analysis revealed substantial differences in HL profiles within the sample. These results support the importance of a holistic understanding of the HL needs and the vulnerabilities within a psoriasis cohort. Implementing one size fits all approaches, may not be sufficient in psoriasis context to target HL.
Conformation Transition Kinetics of Silk Fibroin in Aqueous Solution Explored Using Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy
Authors: Lee Sora , Kim Soo Hyun , Jo You‐Young , Ju Wan‐Taek , Kim Hyun‐Bok , Kweon HaeYong
Published: February 2021

Silk fibroin (SF) solution is characterized by its structural instability. Despite many efforts to uncover the structural features of SF, the time‐dependent conformation transition behaviors of SF solutions prepared under different conditions have not yet been investigated in detail. Therefore, in this study, the conformation transition changes of SF were dynamically monitored in an aqueous state using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic analysis. CD spectra of SF continuously change during ethanol treatment and storage, showing growth with a positive peak at 197 nm and a negative peak at 218 nm, consistent with β‐sheet development. Additionally, the time points for SF to begin and complete changing structures, including its changing rates, were confirmed. In particular, the transition kinetics follow the one‐phase exponential decay function, quantitatively showing a longer dissolution time and lower storage temperature delay for the development of β‐sheets with lower rate constants. In conclusion, our investigation provides useful information on the intrinsic properties of SF and environmental factors that can affect the structural stability of SF.
Modeling the mindfulness‐to‐meaning theory's mindful reappraisal hypothesis: Replication with longitudinal data from a randomized controlled study
Authors: Hanley Adam W. , de Vibe Michael , Solhaug Ida , Farb Norman , Goldin Phillipe R. , Gross James J. , Garland Eric L.
Published: February 2021

The Mindfulness to Meaning Theory provides a detailed process model of the mechanisms by which mindfulness may promote well‐being. Central to the Mindfulness to Meaning Theory is the mindful reappraisal hypothesis (MRH), which suggests mindfulness training promotes well‐being by facilitating positive reappraisal. Emerging evidence from interconnected domains of research supports the MRH. However, it remains unclear whether mindful reappraisal continues to develop after a mindfulness training course and whether this continued development encourages well‐being over time. As such, this randomized controlled study compared participants receiving a mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) course with participants receiving no mindfulness training on positive reappraisal use and well‐being over the course of 6 years. Latent growth curve modeling revealed that mindfulness training increased well‐being by significantly increasing the trajectory of positive reappraisal over time. The MRH was then unpacked by examining whether MBSR also stimulated decentering and broadened awareness, core components of the MRH. Multivariate path analysis revealed that mindfulness training increased decentering, which in turn broadened awareness, which was then associated with positive reappraisal, ultimately promoting well‐being. Taken together, these findings suggest that MBSR cultivates a downstream cascade of adaptive psychological processes that continue to promote quality of life 6‐years after mindfulness training.
Nanoporous Metal Phosphonate Hybrid Materials as a Novel Platform for Emerging Applications: A Critical Review
Authors: Lv Xian‐Wei , Weng Chen‐Chen , Zhu Yun‐Pei , Yuan Zhong‐Yong
Published: February 2021

Nanoporous metal phosphonates are propelling the rapid development of emerging energy storage, catalysis, environmental intervention, and biology, the performances of which touch many fundamental aspects of portable electronics, convenient transportation, and sustainable energy conversion systems. Recent years have witnessed tremendous research breakthroughs in these fields in terms of the fascinating pore properties, the structural periodicity, and versatile skeletons of porous metal phosphonates. This review presents recent milestones of porous metal phosphonate research, from the diversified synthesis strategies for controllable pore structures, to several important applications including adsorption and separation, energy conversion and storage, heterogeneous catalysis, membrane engineering, and biomaterials. Highlights of porous structure design for metal phosphonates are described throughout the review and the current challenges and perspectives for future research in this field are discussed at the end. The aim is to provide some guidance for the rational preparation of porous metal phosphonate materials and promote further applications to meet the urgent demands in emerging applications.
Boosting Room Temperature Phosphorescence Performance by Alkyl Modification for Intravital Orthotopic Lung Tumor Imaging
Authors: Gao Heqi , Gao Zhiyuan , Jiao Di , Zhang Jingtian , Li Xiaolin , Tang Qiyun , Shi Yang , Ding Dan
Published: February 2021

Pure organic persistent room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials have attracted wide attention owing to their great potential in various applications, particularly in bioimaging. However, it is still a challenge to manufacture organic RTP materials possessing quite high efficiency and long lifetime, owing to the high requirements for triplet excitons. In this study, a series of keto derivatives with efficient RTP in crystals are developed through the regulation of molecular aggregation states by simple alkyl groups, resulting in impressive luminescence performance with a longer lifetime and higher efficiency of up to 868 ms and 51.59%, respectively. All the alkyl‐substituted derivatives exhibit bright RTP intensities after heavy grinding with a pestle, indicating their robust RTP features, which are suitable for many fields. Encouraged by the excellent RTP performance of these luminogens in the crystalline state, successful orthotopic lung tumor imaging with a high signal‐to‐background ratio (SBR) of 65 is demonstrated in this study to provide the promise of pure organic RTP materials for disease diagnosis, which hold the advantages of low autofluorescence interference and high signal‐to‐background ratio.
Porous Carbon Nitride Thin Strip: Precise Carbon Doping Regulating Delocalized π‐Electron Induces Elevated Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Li Qi , Zhang Luoming , Liu Jianan , Zhou Jing , Jiao Yanqing , Xiao Xudong , Zhao Chen , Zhou Yang , Ye Sheng , Jiang Baojiang , Liu Jian
Published: February 2021

The photocatalytic efficiency of polymeric carbon nitride is hampered by high carrier recombination rate and low charge transfer. Herein, these issues are addressed by constructing 1D strip‐like carbon nitride with a large π‐electron conjugated system from carbon‐doping, realizing the synchronization control of its electronic structure and morphology. Nicotinic acid, a monomer with the carboxyl group and pyridine ring, and melamine are selected for assembling the strip‐like supramolecular via hydrogen bond under hydrothermal process. Both peripheral pyridine unit and hydrogen bond have significant effect on self‐assembly process of nicotinic acid and melamine along one dimension to form a strip‐like precursor. Subsequently, 1D thin porous strip‐like carbon nitride is obtained by calcination treatment of precursor. The as‐prepared 1D strip‐like carbon nitride with effective π delocalization from carbon‐doping and porous structure can accelerate charges and mass transfer and provide extra active sites. Both theoretical and experimental results demonstrate that carbon doping (pyridine heterocycle) narrows the bandgap via manipulating the band position and increases the π electron density. Thus, the 1D porous thin strip‐like carbon nitride realizes compelling hydrogen evolution rate (126.2 µmol h−1), far beyond (≈18 fold) the value of polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) (7.2 µmol h−1) under visible light irradiation.
Dynamic bond stress‐slip model for smooth bars in concrete under transverse tensile‐compressive stresses
Authors: Li Xin‐Ru , Wu Zhi‐Min , Zheng Jian‐Jun
Published: February 2021

Most old‐type reinforced concrete (RC) buildings reinforced with smooth bars are often subjected to dynamic loads and the structural joints are usually in a complex tensile‐compressive stress state. To evaluate the safety and durability of RC structures with the finite element method, the dynamic bond performance of smooth bars in concrete under transverse tensile‐compressive stresses needs to be well understood. Therefore, an experimental study including 248 pull‐out specimens is performed to characterize the dynamic bond properties of smooth bars in concrete under transverse tensile‐compressive stresses. Based on the experimental results and other data, the effects of various factors on the peak bond stress, the slip at the peak bond stress, and the shape of the softening branch are analyzed in detail. With two bond parameters and one shape parameter, a simple bond stress‐slip model is proposed. Through comparison with experimental results, the validity of the model is verified.
Re‐envisioning the ESOL classroom through a virtues‐based curriculum: Contributions to critical dialogic education
Authors: Karam Fares J.
Published: February 2021

English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classrooms for recently arrived immigrant English learners are important contexts to help students acquire language skills and adapt to the host country’s social norms. In the United States, resources on how to help these learners navigate moral and cultural norms expected in the school system are almost nonexistent, and there is limited research on this topic. Framed in critical dialogic education (Kibler, Valdés, & Walqui, 2020), this study addressed this gap by examining one ESOL teacher’s implementation of her self‐designed virtues‐based curriculum and how she negotiated classroom interactions with one of her refugee‐background students. Data included fieldnotes from observations, interviews, and classroom artifacts. Findings reveal that the teacher adopted critical and dialogic approaches to implementing her curriculum, creating opportunities for the student to assume the role of a legitimate partner in classroom talk. More importantly, he engaged in critical dialogic interactions not only with teachers or peers, but with his own dynamic beliefs, critically interrogating these beliefs and his perceptions of the world and the inequalities in it. The author presents theoretical and pedagogical implications for how critical dialogic education can facilitate students’ academic and social adjustment in ESOL contexts.
The effect of reproductive toxicity induced byZnO NPsin mice during early pregnancy through mitochondrial apoptotic pathway
Authors: Chen Ling , Wu Haifang , Hong Wuding , Aguilar Zoraida P. , Fu Fen , Xu Hengyi
Published: February 2021

The potential toxicity of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) to human beings has become a widespread concern. This study explored the reproductive toxicity and the mechanism of toxicity of ZnO NPs in early pregnant mice. The results showed that abnormal weight changes, induced inflammation, reduced level of serum sex hormones, damaged uterus, increased abortion, and abnormal development of fetus. In the uterus, the transcription levels of ZnT‐1, HO‐1, Bax, Bax/Bcl‐2, JNK, and Caspase‐3 were significantly up‐regulated while Bcl‐2, ER‐1 and PR were significantly down‐regulated. The TUNEL‐positive cells increased that were exposed to high levels of ZnO NPs. In summary, those results indicated that Zn from high levels of exposure to ZnO NPs accumulated in the uterus that could have caused the formation of ROS that led to oxidative stress, which might have activated the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway that could have caused the uterine injury which induced the observed reproductive toxicity.
A draft phased assembly of the diploid Cascade hop (Humulus lupulus) genome
Authors: Padgitt‐Cobb Lillian K. , Kingan Sarah B. , Wells Jackson , Elser Justin , Kronmiller Brent , Moore Daniel , Concepcion Gregory , Peluso Paul , Rank David , Jaiswal Pankaj , Henning John , Hendrix David A.
Published: February 2021

Hop (Humulus lupulus L. var Lupulus) is a diploid, dioecious plant with a history of cultivation spanning more than one thousand years. Hop cones are valued for their use in brewing and contain compounds of therapeutic interest including xanthohumol. Efforts to determine how biochemical pathways responsible for desirable traits are regulated have been challenged by the large (2.8 Gb), repetitive, and heterozygous genome of hop. We present a draft haplotype‐phased assembly of the Cascade cultivar genome. Our draft assembly and annotation of the Cascade genome is the most extensive representation of the hop genome to date. PacBio long‐read sequences from hop were assembled with FALCON and partially phased with FALCON‐Unzip. Comparative analysis of haplotype sequences provides insight into selective pressures that have driven evolution in hop. We discovered genes with greater sequence divergence enriched for stress‐response, growth, and flowering functions in the draft phased assembly. With improved resolution of long terminal retrotransposons (LTRs) due to long‐read sequencing, we found that hop is over 70% repetitive. We identified a homolog of cannabidiolic acid synthase (CBDAS) that is expressed in multiple tissues. The approaches we developed to analyze the draft phased assembly serve to deepen our understanding of the genomic landscape of hop and may have broader applicability to the study of other large, complex genomes.
Natural variations in a pectin acetylesterase gene, MdPAE10, contribute to prolonged apple fruit shelf life
Authors: Wu Bei , Shen Fei , Chen Chi Jie , Liu Li , Wang Xuan , Zheng Wen Yan , Deng Yang , Wang Ting , Huang Zhen Yu , Xiao Chen , Zhou Qian , Wang Yi , Wu Ting , Xu Xue Feng , Han Zhen Hai , Zhang Xin Zhong
Published: February 2021

Room‐temperature shelf life is a key factor in fresh market apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) quality and commercial value. To investigate the genetic and molecular mechanism underlying apple shelf life, quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified using bulked segregant analysis via sequencing (BSA‐seq). Ethylene emission, flesh firmness, or crispness of apple fruit from 1,273 F1 plants of M. asiatica Nakai ‘Zisai Pearl’ × M. domestica ‘Golden Delicious’ were phenotyped prior to and during 6 wk of room‐temperature storage. Segregation of ethylene emission and the flesh firmness or crispness traits was detected in the population. Thirteen QTL, including three major ones, were identified on chromosome 03, 08, and 16. A candidate gene encoding pectin acetylesterase, MdPAE10, from the QTL Z16.1 negatively affected fruit shelf life. A 379‐bp deletion in the coding sequence of MdPAE10 disrupted its function. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the MdPAE10 promoter region reduced its transcription activity. These findings provided insight into the genetic control of fruit shelf life and can be potentially used in apple marker‐assisted selection.
Manufacturing‐induced surface contaminations
Authors: Gerhard Christoph , Dobis Alexander
Published: February 2021

In the course of classical optics manufacturing glass components are in permanent direct contact with aqueous operating materials. Such contact leads to a certain absorption of water and hydrogenous compounds that may induce severe glass defects. In this contribution, absorption of hydrogen and other contaminants during grinding of glass was observed and qualitatively detected via laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy. It is shown that hydrogen, calcium, magnesium, and carbon are implanted into the glass surface where the contaminant concentration increases over grinding time or contact time of the glass surface with water and the grinding tool, respectively. The contaminants hydrogen, calcium, and magnesium can be attributed to the water used as lubricant. In contrast, carbon most likely originates from wear debris of the used silicon carbide grinding pads. Several possible mechanisms that lead to such surface contamination of glasses during grinding – diffusion, accumulation in micro cracks as well as the formation of hydrated silica – are finally introduced.
Backstreaming of pump oil vapors in vacuum systems
Authors: Gaines J. R. , Healy Matthew D. , Rankin Lou
Published: February 2021

Backstreaming, or back‐migration, of vacuum pump oils can prevent a vacuum system from reaching its lowest possible pressure and may contaminate vacuum‐enable processes, such as thin film deposition. There are several circumstances which may lead to backstreaming, methods to measure the rate of oils reaching a vacuum chamber, and techniques to reduce or eliminate the problem. This article serves as an introduction to these issues and provides support on causes, measurement and mitigation.
Suspected sulfasalazine‐induced acute hepatic necrosis in a dog after one year of continuous treatment
Authors: Pena‐Ramos Jorge , Hinchliffe Tom Andrew , Costa Marta , Sanchez‐Redondo Sonia
Published: February 2021

An 18‐month‐old male entire golden retriever presented with inappetence and a 12‐hour history of episodic vomiting. The dog had been receiving sulfasalazine 15 mg/kg twice daily for one year for the treatment of lymphoplasmacytic colitis, which was well controlled prior to presentation. The dog had no history of other drug or toxin exposure. Investigations initially revealed raised liver enzymes, which increased during hospitalisation along with development of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. During hospitalisation, acute hepatic necrosis was diagnosed histologically, and the dog recovered completely with supportive treatment and discontinuation of the sulfasalazine. The hepatic necrosis was believed to be associated with a toxic‐metabolite dependent idiosyncrasy due to the long‐term use of sulfasalazine. Unlike other cases previously reported, this dog developed these clinical signs after one year of treatment rather than immediately after therapy initiation. This may raise awareness about possible late‐onset reactions when using long courses of sulfonamides.
Investigation of a diagnostic group of Bronze Age pottery (Dark Rimmed Orange Bowl ware) from the upper Tigris Valley, Turkey
Authors: Bayazit Murat , Işık İskender , Kozbe Gülriz , Güngör Akarcan , İssi Ali
Published: February 2021

This study focuses on the archaeometry characterization of representative Dark Rimmed Orange Bowl wares from different sites of the upper Tigris Valley and dated to the Bronze Age. The chemical composition of the potsherds divided the sample set into three main groups which suggested different raw material sources. The mineral content and rock type of the potteries respectively indicated that the raw materials were derived from the calcareous clay deposits and they were soil or alluvia formed mostly by weathering in volcanic (basalt) province. Considering the geological structure of the region, it was deduced that the raw materials have presumably been supplied from the region or at least from the near vicinity of the upper Tigris Valley. X‐ray diffraction results showed that the firing temperature range of the potsherds changes between 750 and 950°C, and approximately around 800–900°C in general. This assumption was also supported by the low vitrification degree observed on scanning electron microscopic images of the samples. The results also suggested that such type of pottery would have likely been produced using a sensitively adjusted kiln so as to control the firing atmosphere (reducing/oxidizing) and achieve the desired colorings, particularly the bichrome effect (i.e., black/gray on red).
Process Indicators
Authors: López-Villar Olga
Published: February 2021

There are different tools to evaluate the efficacy of the system. Indicators are one of them. An indicator is a measure done in a critical point and the resulting value has to be within a pre-determined range. A deviation in the result of an indicator requires a study of the cause and an action to improve the system in that particular issue.
The Accreditation Process
Authors: Magri Mara , Martín Raquel Espada
Published: February 2021

Achieving accredited status for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) programme shows an ongoing commitment to the quality and safety of the services offered and of the activities performed. Accreditation is considered a standard through which a healthcare facility or service is shown to offer quality and healthcare that meet minimum standards and guidelines offered by different quality boards (at national and international levels). Among the most well-known accreditation agencies in the world are the Joint Commission and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JC and JCAHO), the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. (ACHC), the Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation (HQAA) and, specifically for HCT programmes, the FACT and the JACIE.

Any patient entering a healthcare facility wants and deserves to know that staff is trained and facilities are clean and well maintained and that procedures follow standards that reduce chances of error, infection or negligence.
Data Management
Authors: Hussain Fazal , El Fakih Riad , Aljurf Mahmoud
Published: February 2021

Effective data management is critical for quality research in any hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) center for accuracy, reliability, and validity of the data. HSCT research is a dynamic and multi-domain process encompassing innovative therapeutic modalities, techniques, and interventions to change the existing standard of care and optimize survival outcomes and patients’ quality of life. Research has evolved as one of the core competencies for the standardization, accreditation, and academic standing of the transplant center. The Data Unit is the center of gravity and the hub of research (databases, registries, translational research, and randomized control trials) in a quality cancer care facility. HSCT data collection, collation, and interpretation have become an integral part of the treatment rather than an option. Quality assurance (QA) and continuous quality improvement (CQI) in data management are pivotal for credibility, measurable/quantifiable outcomes, clinically significant impact, and setting benchmarks. Quality assurance, ethical conduct, and monitoring of HSCT data are the hallmarks of a center of excellence in galvanizing the therapeutic interventions and optimizing the outcomes.
Maintaining the Quality Management Program
Authors: van Sinderen Nick
Published: February 2021

Abstracts

Establishing and maintaining a quality management program (QMP) is easy in theory but difficult in practice. It requires considerable time, energy, and the full commitment of everyone involved, starting with the program management. The time involved in establishing a QMP varies in terms of time, depending on the scope of your system and the starting point. The initial question you need to ask is, “What standards, knowledge, do we already have?” In almost every case, the answer is “a considerable amount!” These days many hospitals already have accreditations or certifications like Joint Commission International (JCI), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), standards issued by the government and institutions and professional organizations. The most important pool of knowledge, however, is the education and experience of staff. All standards are initially created by colleagues in the field and, at least for FACT-JACIE, also further developed in a 3-year review cycle.
Training Programme
Authors: Kozanoglu Ilknur , Tepebasi Songul
Published: February 2021

Cell therapy is a complex field, with a plethora of therapeutic procedures that widely differ among and within countries. An effective and efficient quality management (QM) system is essential to ensure the safety of patients, donors, and medical personnel, and to ensure that all aspects of the cell therapy process from product select to infusion are safe. Risk minimisation requires all personnel involved in cell therapy to be familiar with the procedures as well as cooperate with personnel from other disciplines. Staff training plays a key role in the implementation of cell therapy and in QM. New cell therapy applications are constantly being developed. Appropriate training of personnel will improve both the effectiveness of cell therapy and patient survival.
Audits
Authors: López-Villar Olga , Dolva Julie
Published: February 2021

There are different tools to measure the efficacy of the quality system and of its processes. Among them, internal audits are essential components since they cover all aspects of the program. Auditing is a systematic and documented process to ensure compliance with requirements. Preparing and planning are important parts of a good audit and the selection of the auditor must be based on expertise and competency. The appropriate analysis of the results of the audit and implementation of the corrective action, preventive action, or process improvements after the audit will help the program to improve year after year.
Third-Party Agreements
Authors: Emmett Anne
Published: February 2021

Third-party agreements can take many forms and can be a difficult area in which to determine clear-cut definitions. It is intended that this chapter will clarify some of the differences and identify some of the similarities.

Agreements can be between any two or more organisations. It would be unusual, though not inappropriate, for there to be agreements between two departments within the same organisation. Agreements may occur in this case when, for example, a new process is introduced on a trial basis and it has not yet become ‘business as usual’ and part of the normal internal interaction.

There will always be local variations in the naming of contract types, so this should be considered in interpretation.

Any organisation with which there is an agreement, of whatever structure, should be validated and audited.
Higher-form symmetries of 6d and 5d theories
Authors: Bhardwaj Lakshya , Schäfer-Nameki Sakura
Published: February 2021

Abstract

We describe general methods for determining higher-form symmetry groups of known 5d and 6d superconformal field theories (SCFTs), and 6d little string theories (LSTs). The 6d theories can be described as supersymmetric gauge theories in 6d which include both ordinary non-abelian 1-form gauge fields and also abelian 2-form gauge fields. Similarly, the 5d theories can also be often described as supersymmetric non-abelian gauge theories in 5d. Naively, the 1-form symmetry of these 6d and 5d theories is captured by those elements of the center of ordinary gauge group which leave the matter content of the gauge theory invariant. However, an interesting subtlety is presented by the fact that some massive BPS excitations, which includes the BPS instantons, are charged under the center of the gauge group, thus resulting in a further reduction of the 1-form symmetry. We use the geometric construction of these theories in M/F-theory to determine the charges of these BPS excitations under the center. We also provide an independent algorithm for the determination of 1-form symmetry for 5d theories that admit a generalized toric construction (i.e. a 5-brane web construction). The 2-form symmetry group of 6d theories, on the other hand, is captured by those elements of the center of the abelian 2-form gauge group that leave all the massive BPS string excitations invariant, which is much more straightforward to compute as it is encoded in the Green-Schwarz coupling associated to the 6d theory.
The Drell-Yan process with pions and polarized nucleons
Authors: Bastami S. , Gamberg L. , Parsamyan B. , Pasquini B. , Prokudin A. , Schweitzer P.
Published: February 2021

Abstract

The Drell-Yan process provides important information on the internal struc- ture of hadrons including transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions (TMDs). In this work we present calculations for all leading twist structure functions de- scribing the pion induced Drell-Yan process. The non-perturbative input for the TMDs is taken from the light-front constituent quark model, the spectator model, and available parametrizations of TMDs extracted from the experimental data. TMD evolution is im- plemented at Next-to-Leading Logarithmic precision for the first time for all asymmetries. Our results are compatible with the first experimental information, help to interpret the data from ongoing experiments, and will allow one to quantitatively assess the models in future when more precise data will become available.
Quantum extremal islands made easy. Part III. Complexity on the brane
Authors: Hernandez Juan , Myers Robert C. , Ruan Shan-Ming
Published: February 2021

Abstract

We examine holographic complexity in the doubly holographic model introduced in [1, 2] to study quantum extremal islands. We focus on the holographic complexity=volume (CV) proposal for boundary subregions in the island phase. Exploiting the Fefferman-Graham expansion of the metric and other geometric quantities near the brane, we derive the leading contributions to the complexity and interpret these in terms of the generalized volume of the island derived from the induced higher-curvature gravity action on the brane. Motivated by these results, we propose a generalization of the CV proposal for higher curvature theories of gravity. Further, we provide two consistency checks of our proposal by studying Gauss-Bonnet gravity and f(ℛ) gravity in the bulk.
Organisational responses to the ethical issues of artificial intelligence
Authors: Stahl Bernd Carsten , Antoniou Josephina , Ryan Mark , Macnish Kevin , Jiya Tilimbe
Published: February 2021

The ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) is a widely discussed topic. There are numerous initiatives that aim to develop the principles and guidance to ensure that the development, deployment and use of AI are ethically acceptable. What is generally unclear is how organisations that make use of AI understand and address these ethical issues in practice. While there is an abundance of conceptual work on AI ethics, empirical insights are rare and often anecdotal. This paper fills the gap in our current understanding of how organisations deal with AI ethics by presenting empirical findings collected using a set of ten case studies and providing an account of the cross-case analysis. The paper reviews the discussion of ethical issues of AI as well as mitigation strategies that have been proposed in the literature. Using this background, the cross-case analysis categorises the organisational responses that were observed in practice. The discussion shows that organisations are highly aware of the AI ethics debate and keen to engage with ethical issues proactively. However, they make use of only a relatively small subsection of the mitigation strategies proposed in the literature. These insights are of importance to organisations deploying or using AI, to the academic AI ethics debate, but maybe most valuable to policymakers involved in the current debate about suitable policy developments to address the ethical issues raised by AI.
Absolutely Continuous Spectrum for Quantum Trees
Authors: Anantharaman Nalini , Ingremeau Maxime , Sabri Mostafa , Winn Brian
Published: February 2021

We study the spectra of quantum trees of finite cone type. These are quantum graphs whose geometry has a certain homogeneity, and which carry a finite set of edge lengths, coupling constants and potentials on the edges. We show the spectrum consists of bands of purely absolutely continuous spectrum, along with a discrete set of eigenvalues. Afterwards, we study random perturbations of such trees, at the level of edge length and coupling, and prove the stability of pure AC spectrum, along with resolvent estimates.
Ambulatory high-dose methotrexate administration as central nervous system prophylaxis in patients with aggressive lymphoma
Authors: Bernard S. , Hachon L. , Diasonama J. F. , Madaoui C. , Aguinaga L. , Miekoutima E. , Moatti H. , Perrial Emeline , Madelaine I. , Brice P. , Thieblemont Catherine
Published: February 2021

High-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) at 3 g/m2 is one of the strategies for central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis in the first-line treatment of aggressive lymphomas, especially in diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients with high-risk CNS-International Prognostic Index. The objective of our study was to retrospectively analyze the safety of 2 cycles of systemic HD-MTX administered as an ambulatory regimen. Between January 2013 and December 2016, 103 patients were carefully selected on 6 criteria, including age < 60, albumin > 34, performance status 0 or 1, normal renal and hepatic functions, good understanding of practical medical guidance, and no loss of weight. Strict procedures of HD-MTX infusion were observed including alkalinization, urine pH monitoring, and leucovorin rescue. Renal and hepatic functions were monitored at days 2 and 7. MTX clearance was not monitored. Toxicities and grades of toxicity were collected according to the NCI-CTCAE (version 4.0). Among the 103 selected patients, 92 (89%) patients successfully completed the planned 2 cycles of HD-MTX on an outpatient basis. Eleven patients completed only 1 cycle, 3 because of lymphoma progression and 8 because of toxicity including 3 grade II hepatotoxicity, 2 grade I/II renal toxicity, 1 grade III neutropenia, 1 active herpetic infection, and 1 grade III ileus reflex. Reported adverse events (AE) included 92 (84%) grade I/II and 18 (16%) grade III/IV. Grade III hepatotoxicity, mostly cytolysis, was the most frequent AE observed with 8 (8%) events. Grade III/IV hematologic toxicities concerned 9 patients with 8 grade III/IV neutropenia and 1 thrombocytopenia. Renal toxicity was rare, mild, and transient, observed with 4 (4%) grade I/II events. Ambulatory administration of HD-MTX at 3 g/m2 without MTX clearance monitoring is safe with strict medical guidance. It requires careful selection of patients before administration, and a renal and hepatic monitoring after the administration.
Fibrosis-5 predicts end-stage renal disease in patients with microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis without substantial liver diseases
Authors: Kwon Hyeok Chan , Song Jason Jungsik , Park Yong-Beom , Lee Sang-Won
Published: February 2021

We previously reported that fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) was associated with poor outcomes of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and granuloma with polyangiitis (GPA). We also investigated the potential of FIB-5, a novel index, in predicting all-cause mortality and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) during follow-up in patients with MPA and GPA without substantial liver diseases. Clinical and laboratory data at diagnosis were collected by reviewing the medical records of 180 patients with MPA and GPA. FIB-5 was obtained by a following equation: FIB-5 = (serum albumin (g/L) × 0.3 + platelet count (109/L) × 0.05) − (alkaline phosphatase (IU/L) × 0.014 + aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio × 6 + 14). The median age of the patients at diagnosis was 61.0 years. FIB-5 at diagnosis could not reflect the cross-sectional vasculitis activity. The cutoffs of FIB-5 for poor outcomes was set as 0.82 (the lowest tertile) and -0.42 (the lowest quartile) at diagnosis. In Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, patients with FIB-5 < 0.82 and those with FIB-5 < -0.42 exhibited lower ESRD-free survival rates than those without. However, it could not predict all-cause mortality. In multivariable Cox hazards analysis, both FFS (Hazard ratio (HR) 1.554) and FIB-5 < 0.82 (HR 2.096) as well as both FFS (HR 1.534) and FIB-5 < -0.42 (HR 2.073) at diagnosis independently predicted ESRD during follow-up. In conclusion, FIB-5 < 0.82 and FIB-5 < -0.42 at diagnosis could predict the occurrence of ESRD, but not all-cause mortality, during follow-up in patients with MPA and GPA without substantial liver diseases.
Mehr Transparenz durch das Lobbyregister?
Authors: Polk Andreas
Published: February 2021

In Deutschland soll ein Lobbyregister eingeführt werden. Fraglich ist, ob das vorgesehene Gesetz ausgewogene Regelungen vorsieht, um für hinreichende Transparenz in der Einflussnahme zu sorgen. Die vorgeschlagenen Maßnahmen reichen nicht aus, um die Einflussnahme vollständig und aktuell abzubilden.