bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Search for Meaning in Life Through Continuing and/or Transforming the Bond to a Deceased Spouse in Late Life
Authors: Vähäkangas Auli , Saarelainen Suvi-Maria , Ojalammi Jonna
Published: October 2021

Bereavement is an ongoing process of negotiation and meaning-making in which widows and widowers make sense of the changed nature of their relationship with their deceased spouse. We analyzed the experiences of meaning in life among older widows and widowers (aged 65+) using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA; see Smith et al. in Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research, Sage, 2009), with the following question: How do widows and widowers search for meaning through continuing and/or transforming their bond to their deceased spouse? The results demonstrate that some of the widowed persons sought meaning through rituals or various means of after-death communication with their deceased spouses. Other participants transformed the bond, for example, through clearing out their deceased spouse’s belongings or a process of reconciliation. Many continued and transformed the bond simultaneously, which shows that negotiation of the relationship after the death of a spouse is an ongoing process in which both continuity and change are present. The experience of a violation of meaning in life affected the participants’ capacity to continue their bond with their deceased spouse.
An analysis of top author citations in software engineering and a comparison with other fields
Authors: Petersen Kai , Ali Nauman Bin
Published: October 2021

Ioannidis et al. provided a science-wide database of author citations. The data offers an opportunity to researchers in a field to compare the citation behavior of their field with others. In this paper, we conduct a systematic analysis of citations describing the situation in software engineering and compare it with the fields included in the data provided by Ioannidis et al. For comparison, we take the measures used by Ioannidis into consideration. We also report the top-scientists and investigate software engineering researchers’ activities in other fields. The data was obtained and provided by Ioannidis et al. based on the Scopus database. Our method for analysis focuses on descriptive statistics. We compared software engineering with other fields and reported demographic information for the top authors. The analysis was done without any modifications to the ranking. In the later analysis, we observed that 37% of researchers listed as software engineers were not in the software engineering field. On the other hand, the database included a large portion of top authors (ca. 60% to 80%) identified in other software engineering rankings. Other fields using the database are advised to review the author lists for their fields. Our research’s main risk was that researchers are listed that do not belong to our studied field.
Are firms withdrawing from basic research? An analysis of firm-level publication behaviour in Germany
Authors: Krieger Bastian , Pellens Maikel , Blind Knut , Gruber Sonia , Schubert Torben
Published: October 2021

Previous research has expressed concerns about firms engaging less in basic research. We contribute to this debate by studying trends in the scientific publishing activities of firms located in Germany. Our results indicate that the firms’ aggregate volume of scientific publications stayed constant between 2008 and 2016. However, the number and share of publishing firms declined, and publication activities became more concentrated among publishing firms. Beyond that, we observe positive trends in publishing in basic research journals compared to journals focused on applied research, and publishing in collaboration with academic partners compared to publishing alone. Thus, our results paint an ambiguous picture. While they do not confirm a decrease in firms’ basic research engagement in the aggregate, the figures document a concentration of publishing activities on fewer firms. We argue that this concentration of basic research activities in firms may pose a threat to the longer-term innovativeness of the German economy.
Impact and visibility of Norwegian, Finnish and Spanish journals in the fields of humanities
Authors: Sanz-Casado Elías , De Filippo Daniela , Benavent Rafael Aleixandre , Røeggen Vidar , Pölönen Janne
Published: October 2021

This article analyses the impact and visibility of scholarly journals in the humanities that are publishing in the national languages in Finland, Norway and Spain. Three types of publishers are considered: commercial publishers, scholarly society as publisher, and research organizations as publishers. Indicators of visibility and impact were obtained from Web of Science, SCOPUS, Google Metrics, Scimago Journal Rank and Journal Citation Report. The findings compiled show that in Spain the categories “History and Archaeology” and “Language and Literature” account for almost 70% of the journals analysed, while the other countries offer a more homogeneous distribution. In Finland, the scholarly society publisher is predominant, in Spain, research organization as publishers, mostly universities, have a greater weighting, while in Norway, the commercial publishers take centre stage. The results show that journals from Finland and Norway will have reduced possibilities in terms of impact and visibility, since the vernacular language appeals to a smaller readership. Conversely, the Spanish journals are more attractive for indexing in commercial databases. Distribution in open access ranges from 64 to 70% in Norwegian and Finish journals, and to 91% in Spanish journals. The existence of DOI range from 31 to 41% in Nordic journals to 60% in Spanish journals and has a more widespread bearing on the citations received in all three countries (journals with DOI and open access are cited more frequently).
Living with Reduced Income: An Analysis of Household Financial Vulnerability Under COVID-19
Authors: Midões Catarina , Seré Mateo
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 crisis has led to substantial reductions in earnings. We propose a new measure of financial vulnerability, computable through survey data, to determine whether households can withstand a certain income shock for a defined period of time. Using data from the ECB Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS) we analyse financial vulnerability in seven EU countries. We find that, out of the 243 million individuals considered, 47 million are vulnerable to a three month long income shock (the average length of the first wave COVID-19 lockdown), i.e., they cannot afford food and housing expenses for three months without privately earned income. Differences across countries are stark. Individuals born outside the EU are especially likely to be vulnerable. Being younger, a single parent, and a woman are also statistically significant risk factors. Through a tax-benefit microsimulation exercise, we look into the COVID-19 employment protection benefits, the largest income support measure in the countries considered. Considering as our sample individuals in households where someone receives a salary, we derive household net income when employees are laid-off and awarded the COVID-19 employment protection benefits enacted. Our findings suggest that the employment protection schemes are extremely effective in reducing the number of vulnerable individuals. The relative importance of rent and mortgage suspensions, (likewise, widespread COVID-19 policies), in alleviating vulnerability, is highly country dependent.
Implications of environmental toxicants on ovarian follicles: how it can adversely affect the female fertility?
Authors: Priya Keerthi , Setty Manjunath , Babu Uddagiri Venkanna , Pai Karkala Sreedhara Ranganath
Published: October 2021

The pool of primordial follicles formed in the ovaries during early development determines the span and quality of fertility in the reproductive life of a woman. As exposure to occupational and environmental toxicants (ETs) has become inevitable, consequences on female fertility need to be established. This review focuses on the ETs, especially well-studied prototypes of the classes endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), heavy metals, agrochemicals, cigarette smoke, certain chemicals used in plastic, cosmetic and sanitary product industries etc that adversely affect the female fertility. Many in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological studies have indicated that these ETs have the potential to affect folliculogenesis and cause reduced fertility in women. Here, we emphasize on four main conditions: polycystic ovary syndrome, primary ovarian insufficiency, multioocytic follicles and meiotic defects including aneuploidies which can be precipitated by ETs. These are considered main causes for reduced female fertility by directly altering the follicular recruitment, development and oocytic meiosis. Although substantial experimental evidence is drawn with respect to the detrimental effects, it is clear that establishing the role of one ET as a risk factor in a single condition is difficult as multiple conditions have common risk factors. Therefore, it is important to consider this as a matter of public and wildlife health.
Loss and Assimilation: Lived Experiences of Brexit for British Citizens Living in Luxembourg
Authors: Knight Stephanie , Fido Dean , Lennon Henry , Harper Craig A.
Published: October 2021

Inconsistent political realities are associated with mental health issues such as hopelessness, anxiety, and depression. The psychological impact of Brexit is clearly an important and timely issue, but hitherto has been understudied. This study uses a critical realist approach to qualitatively explore the lived experiences of British citizens living in Luxembourg during the Brexit era. The study reports on semi-structured interviews conducted with 6 British citizens aged 18–65. An experientially focused thematic analysis was conducted, exploring two main themes: Loss (with psychological and broader social implications) and Integration (contrasting the mover’s community with the receiving community). This study demonstrates the psychological impact of Brexit and highlights the urgency for future researchers and mental health practitioners alike — both in the UK and overseas — to consider the human consequences associated with political upheaval. Open access materials for this project can be viewed here: https://osf.io/38rg7/?view_only=b8c04dfc3fe5474f9aff4897e370b3e6.
Validation of the Spanish Version of Fear of COVID-19 Scale: its Association with Acute Stress and Coping
Authors: Piqueras J. A. , Gomez-Gomez M. , Marzo J. C. , Gomez-Mir P. , Falco R. , Valenzuela B. ,   PSICORECUR-SOS COVID-19 study group, Falcó Raquel , Lopez-Nuñez Alfonso , Martínez-González Agustín E. , Marzo Juan Carlos , Mateu Ornela , Moreno-Amador Beatriz
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 is a “unique” stressor, which can produce physical and psychological trauma. Coping styles can buffer this psychological impact. Consequently, this paper aims to psychometrically adapt the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) to Spanish and examines the relationships between FCV-19S, stress response, and coping strategies. The sample comprised a convenience sample of 1146 participants (12–83 years), 880 from Spain (76.8%), and 266 from Dominican Republic (23.2%). Overall, the findings support a one-factor structure for FCV-19S, consisting of 7-items, and was invariant across age, sex, occupational status, and cross-national. Therefore, indicating evidences of construct validity. Evidences of reliability were also observed (Cronbach’s α = .86, McDonald’s ω = .86, Guttmann’s λ6 = .86, greatest lower bound = .91, composite reliability = .85, and average variance extracted = .44). Moreover, as regards criterion-related validity, the mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between FCV-19S and acute stress was positive and high, with maladaptive coping styles mediating the relationship, and with a stronger mediation for men. The findings give evidences of the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of FCV-19S among Spanish-speaker participants, which provides the chance of cross-cultural studies.
Shoulderless Friction Stir Welding: a low-force solid state keyhole joining technique for deep welding of labile structures
Authors: Hossfeld Max
Published: October 2021

This paper reports on the possibility of performing Friction Stir Welding (FSW) without the usual immanent shoulder to enable FS processing to deep welding of narrow and labile structures and applications where backing is not possible. Requirements and prerequisites, advantages and limitations for Shoulderless Friction Stir Welding (SLFSW) are discussed and an industrial application of the joining technology is presented. For leaving the shoulder out, its central functions in FSW have to be transferred to the pin. The resulting tool design of SLFSW is comparably small and slim and so reduces contact area and effective lever and in turn forces and heat input during processing. SLFSW allows welding paths almost at the edge of components and enables a complete and gap-free joining while a deformation of overhanging structures can be avoided. Compared to standard FSW processes, force reductions of about 80–85 % and power reductions of about 75–80 % were found in this study for a 6.5 mm deep weld opening up additional potential for integration with other spindle processes like milling. The locally very limited process impact of SLFSW resulted in comparably low distortion with a part precision reached of +/− 0.05 mm.
Function of Oncogene Mycn in Adult Neurogenesis and Oligodendrogenesis
Authors: Chen Jiao , Guan Zhonghui
Published: October 2021

Human MYCN is an oncogene amplified in neuroblastoma and many other tumors. Both human MYCN and mouse Mycn genes are important in embryonic brain development, but their functions in adult healthy nerve system are completely unknown. Here, with Mycn-eGFP mice and quantitative RT-PCR, we found that Mycn was expressed in specific brain regions of young adult mice, including subventricular zone (SVZ), subgranular zone (SGZ), olfactory bulb (OB), subcallosal zone (SCZ), and corpus callosum (CC). With immunohistochemistry (IHC), we found that many Mycn-expressing cells expressed neuroblast marker doublecortin (DCX) and proliferation marker Ki67. With Dcx-creER and Mki67-creER mouse lines, we fate mapped Dcx-expressing neuroblasts and Mki67-expressing proliferation cells, along with deleting Mycn from these cells in adult mice. We found that knocking out Mycn from adult neuroblasts or proliferating cells significantly reduced cells in proliferation in SVZ, SGZ, OB, SCZ, and CC. We also demonstrated that the Mycn-deficient neuroblasts in SGZ matured quicker than wild-type neuroblasts, and that Mycn-deficient proliferating cells were more likely to survive in SVZ, SGZ, OB, SCZ, and CC compared to wild type. Thus, our results demonstrate that, in addition to causing tumors in the nervous system, oncogene Mycn has a crucial function in neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis in adult healthy brain.
Social dominance orientation predicts civil and military intelligence analysts’ utilitarian responses to ethics-of-intelligence dilemmas
Authors: Margoni Francesco , Pili Giangiuseppe
Published: October 2021

What is the real ethical framework of an intelligence analyst? We addressed this question by presenting a group of civil and military intelligence analysts (N = 41), and a control group of non-professionals (N = 41), with a set of dilemmas depicting intelligence agents facing the decision whether to violate a deontological rule where that would benefit their work (ethics-of-intelligence dilemmas). Participants judged how much violating the rule was acceptable. Next, we measured participants’ individual differences in social dominance orientation (using the Social Dominance Orientation scale which measures the proclivity to endorse intergroup hierarchy and anti-egalitarianism), their deontological and utilitarian response tendencies (using classical moral dilemmas), and how much they value rule conformity, traditions, and safety and stability in the society (using the Value Survey). A multiple regression analysis revealed that, among all the factors, only social dominance significantly helped explain variability in intelligence analysts’ but not non-professionals’ resolutions of the ethics-of-intelligence dilemmas. Specifically, social dominance positively predicted the tendency to judge violating the deontological rule acceptable, possibly suggesting that analysts who show a stronger proclivity to desire their country or company to prevail over others are also more lenient toward deontological violations if these result in a greater good for the state or the company. For the first time in the open literature, we elucidated some key aspects of the real ethics of intelligence.
ASCO 2021–Gastroesophageal tumor highlights
Authors: Ilhan-Mutlu Aysegül
Published: October 2021

The oncological community witnessed several practice-changing clinical reports in this years’ annual congress of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Many immunotherapeutic agents were shown to be beneficial for upper gastrointestinal tumors. For advanced squamous cell carcinoma, immunotherapy and chemotherapy combinations revealed by the CheckMate 648 and ESCORT-1st trials have been implemented into the clinical practice. The updates on the CheckMate 649 and CheckMate 577 trials again underlined the significant clinical contribution of nivolumab in advanced and localized gastroesophageal cancer, respectively. However, this effect seems to be dependent to PD-L1 expression. Not only immunotherapy trials, but also targeted therapy studies such as the FIGHT trial investigating the anti-FGFR2b monoclonal antibody bemarituzumab attracted huge interest, not only due to extension of survival in experimental group, but also due to the innovative design of this trial. This review summarizes the highlights regarding gastroesophageal tumors at the ASCO 2021 congress.
Die Endozytose — ein zellulärer Aufnahmeweg mit vielfältigen Funktionen
Authors: Maritzen Tanja
Published: October 2021

The plasma membrane harbors a specific set of transmembrane proteins which enable diverse cellular functions such as nutrient uptake, ion homeostasis and cellular signaling. The surface levels of these proteins need to be dynamically regulated to allow for plastic changes in cellular behaviour e. g. upon cell stress or during neuronal communication. Endocytosis is a powerful mechanism for quickly adapting the surface proteome via protein internalization. Here, I discuss how endocytosis contributes to brain function and counteracts cell stress.
„Schiffe Versenken“: Optimierung einer hochaktiven Saccharose-Isomerase
Authors: Pilak Patrick , Skerra Arne
Published: October 2021

The sucrose isomerase SmuA from Serratia plymuthica catalyses the production of isomaltulose, an artificial sweetener used in the food industry. To suppress the formation of the hygroscopic by-product trehalulose we applied a semirational protein engineering strategy inspired by the “battleship” board game. After seven cycles of introducing amino acid exchanges around the active site and investigating their influence on the enzymatic product profile we obtained a triple mutant that showed 2.3 times less trehalulose formation but had retained high catalytic efficiency.
Erythropoietin Abrogates Post-Ischemic Activation of the NLRP3, NLRC4, and AIM2 Inflammasomes in Microglia/Macrophages in a TAK1-Dependent Manner
Authors: Heinisch Ole , Zeyen Thomas , Goldmann Tobias , Prinz Marco , Huber Michael , Jung Jennifer , Arik Eren , Habib Shahin , Slowik Alexander , Reich Arno , Schulz Jörg B. , Habib Pardes
Published: October 2021

Inflammasomes are known to contribute to brain damage after acute ischemic stroke (AIS). TAK1 is predominantly expressed in microglial cells and can regulate the NLRP3 inflammasome, but its impact on other inflammasomes including NLRC4 and AIM2 after AIS remains elusive. EPO has been shown to reduce NLRP3 protein levels in different disease models. Whether EPO-mediated neuroprotection after AIS is conveyed via an EPO/TAK1/inflammasome axis in microglia remains to be clarified. Subjecting mice deficient for TAK1 in microglia/macrophages (Mi/MΦ) to AIS revealed a significant reduction in infarct sizes and neurological impairments compared to the corresponding controls. Post-ischemic increased activation of TAK1, NLRP3, NLRC4, and AIM2 inflammasomes including their associated downstream cascades were markedly reduced upon deletion of Mi/MΦ TAK1. EPO administration improved clinical outcomes and dampened stroke-induced activation of TAK1 and inflammasome cascades, which was not evident after the deletion of Mi/MΦ TAK1. Pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 in microglial BV-2 cells did not influence post-OGD IL-1β levels, but increased NLRC4 and AIM2 protein levels, suggesting compensatory activities among inflammasomes. Overall, we provide evidence that Mi/MΦ TAK1 regulates the expression and activation of the NLRP3, NLRC4, AIM2 inflammasomes. Furthermore, EPO mitigated stroke-induced activation of TAK1 and inflammasomes, indicating that EPO conveyed neuroprotection might be mediated via an EPO/TAK1/inflammasome axis.

Graphical Abstract
Morphological and molecular variability of Peridinium volzii Lemmerm. (Peridiniaceae, Dinophyceae) and its relevance for infraspecific taxonomy
Authors: Holzer Victoria J. C. , Kretschmann Juliane , Knechtel Johanna , Owsianny Paweł M. , Gottschling Marc
Published: October 2021

Contemporary delimitation of species and populations in the microbial domain relies on an integrative approach combining molecular and morphological techniques. In case of the dinophytePeridinium volzii, a considerable number of infraspecific taxonomic entities have been reported, but it is unclear at present whether the corresponding traits are stable within reproductively isolated units or refer to intraspecific variability. We established 26 monoclonal strains from Central Europe with a morphology that is consistent forP. volziiand characterised them by sequences gained from the rRNA operon. Ten of such strains, representative for the entire diversity observed, were investigated in detail morphologically using light and electron microscopy. In the molecular tree,P. volziiwas monophyletic, sister group ofPeridinium willei, and three ITS ribotypes could be distinguished. Some traits corresponding to previously described varieties and forms were found in individual cells across the strains under investigation, but not as stable characters correlating to certain ribotypes. We also observed new morphological variability (e.g., unusual shape of plate 4″). Cell size and displacement of the cingulum were significantly different between certain ribotypes but in turn, such diagnostic traits are impossible to assign to already described taxa due to their ambiguity. Based on the small first apical plate as diagnostic trait and putative apomorphy,P. volziiis a characteristic species but the present data given, we are reserved to accept more than a single reproductive unit. Thus, more research is necessary, including a focus on species delimitation to putative close relatives such asPeridinium maeandricum.
Sonographic Estimation of the Fetal Head Circumference: Accuracy and Factors Affecting the Error
Authors: Poojari Vidyashree Ganesh , Jose Aiswarya , Pai Muralidhar V.
Published: October 2021

Background

Sonographic measurement of fetal head circumference (HC) is an essential parameter for the estimation of fetal weight as well as in cases with abnormal fetal head size. Since there is a lack of data, the present study was to assess the accuracy of ultrasonographic estimation of fetal HC and to identify factors that affect the accuracy of fetal HC estimation.

Material and Methods

A prospective cohort observational study was conducted for a year. Sonographic fetal biometry including HC was performed, and fetal HC was measured postnatally. Measures of accuracy and various factors which affect the accuracy are analyzed.

Results

Ultrasonographic HC underestimated actual postnatal HC in 87.5% and overestimated actual HC in 12.5%. Sonographic underestimation of HC persisted throughout gestation and became more pronounced as gestational age increased. Error in HC was statistically significant in those with low liquor and anterior placenta and in those who had instrumental delivery. Parity, fetal presentation, and maternal diabetes did not affect the error in ultrasonographic measurement of head circumference. When the HC was beyond 95th centile on ultrasound, the error detected postnatally was significant (− 14 mm vs. − 8 mm), though not statistically significant (p value 0.82). The difference between the sonographic and postnatal HC was also related to the mode of delivery with the highest error seen in those who had instrumental vaginal delivery (p value 0.031).

Conclusion

The ultrasound estimation of fetal HC is associated with significant underestimation of the actual HC measured postnatally. The error in measuring fetal HC increased in those with advanced gestational age, low liquor, and anterior location of the placenta and in those who had instrumental vaginal delivery. The measurement error may have important implications in specific clinical scenarios like monitoring pregnancy with fetal growth restriction, suspected fetal head growth abnormalities, and labor outcome.
Biogeochemical consequences of a changing Arctic shelf seafloor ecosystem
Authors: März Christian , Freitas Felipe S. , Faust Johan C. , Godbold Jasmin A. , Henley Sian F. , Tessin Allyson C. , Abbott Geoffrey D. , Airs Ruth , Arndt Sandra , Barnes David K. A. , Grange Laura J. , Gray Neil D. , Head Ian M. , Hendry Katharine R. , Hilton Robert G. , Reed Adam J. , Rühl Saskia , Solan Martin , Souster Terri A. , Stevenson Mark A. , Tait Karen , Ward James , Widdicombe Stephen
Published: October 2021

Unprecedented and dramatic transformations are occurring in the Arctic in response to climate change, but academic, public, and political discourse has disproportionately focussed on the most visible and direct aspects of change, including sea ice melt, permafrost thaw, the fate of charismatic megafauna, and the expansion of fisheries. Such narratives disregard the importance of less visible and indirect processes and, in particular, miss the substantive contribution of the shelf seafloor in regulating nutrients and sequestering carbon. Here, we summarise the biogeochemical functioning of the Arctic shelf seafloor before considering how climate change and regional adjustments to human activities may alter its biogeochemical and ecological dynamics, including ecosystem function, carbon burial, or nutrient recycling. We highlight the importance of the Arctic benthic system in mitigating climatic and anthropogenic change and, with a focus on the Barents Sea, offer some observations and our perspectives on future management and policy.
One-year follow-up—case report of secondary tension pneumothorax in a COVID-19 pneumonia patient
Authors: Endres Felix , Spiro Judith Eva , Bolt Toki Anna , Tufman Amanda , Ockert Ben , Helfen Tobias , Gilbert Fabian , Holzapfel Boris M. , Böcker Wolfgang , Siebenbürger Georg
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) may result not only in acute symptoms such as severe pneumonia, but also in persisting symptoms after months. Here we present a 1 year follow-up of a patient with a secondary tension pneumothorax due to COVID-19 pneumonia.

Case presentation

In May 2020, a 47-year-old male was admitted to the emergency department with fever, dry cough, and sore throat as well as acute chest pain and shortness of breath. Sputum testing (polymerase chain reaction, PCR) and computed tomography (CT) confirmed infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Eleven days after discharge, the patient returned to the emergency department with pronounced dyspnoea after coughing. CT showed a right-sided tension pneumothorax, which was relieved by a chest drain (Buelau) via mini open thoracotomy. For a period of 3 months following resolution of the pneumothorax the patient complained of fatigue with mild joint pain and dyspnoea. After 1 year, the patient did not suffer from any persisting symptoms. The pulmonary function and blood parameters were normal, with the exception of slightly increased levels of D-Dimer. The CT scan revealed only discrete ground glass opacities (GGO) and subpleural linear opacities.

Conclusion

Tension pneumothorax is a rare, severe complication of a SARS-CoV-2 infection but may resolve after treatment without negative long-term sequelae.

Level of evidence

V.
Interpolation of Beilinson–Kato elements and p-adic L-functions
Authors: Benois Denis , Büyükboduk Kâzım
Published: October 2021

Our objective in this series of two articles, of which the present article is the first, is to give a Perrin-Riou-style construction ofp-adicL-functions (of Bellaïche and Stevens) over the eigencurve. As the first ingredient, we interpolate the Beilinson–Kato elements over the eigencurve (including the neighborhoods of$$\theta $$θ-critical points). Along the way, we prove étale variants of Bellaïche’s results describing the local properties of the eigencurve. We also develop the local framework to construct and establish the interpolative properties of thesep-adicL-functions away from$$\theta $$θ-critical points.
Characterizing financial markets from the event driven perspective
Authors: Torkar Miha , Mladenic Dunja
Published: October 2021

In this work we study how company co-occurrence in news events can be used to discover business links between them. We develop a methodology that is able to process raw textual data, embed it into a numerical form, and extract a meaningful network of connections. Each news event is considered as a node on the graph and we define the similarity between the two events as the cosine similarity between their vectors in the embedded space. Using this procedure, we contribute to the literature by successfully reconstructing business links between companies, which is usually a difficult task since the data on this topic is either outdated, incomplete or not widely available. We then demonstrate possible uses of this network in two forecasting applications. First, we show how the network can be used as an exogenous feature vector, which improves the prediction of the correlation between companies in the network. This correlation is determined from their realized variance as well as using a wide set of machine learning models for prediction. Second, we demonstrate the use of network for predicting future events with point processes. Our methodology can be applied on any series of events, where we have demonstrated and evaluated its applicability on news events and large market moves. For most of the tested algorithms the experimental results show an improvement in performance when including information from our graphs. More specifically, in certain sectors using Neural Networks shows improved performance by up to 50%.
Screening of Solanum (sections Lycopersicon and Juglandifolia) germplasm for reactions to the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV)
Authors: Jewehan Ahmad , Salem Nida , Tóth Zoltán , Salamon Pál , Szabó Zoltán
Published: October 2021

The reaction of 636 Solanum (sections Lycopersicon and Juglandifolia) accessions were evaluated under greenhouse conditions after mechanical inoculation with a Jordanian isolate of the new tobamovirus tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). Local and systemic infections were assayed by symptoms evaluation and virus detection via biotests and RT-PCR. All cultivated tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and the great majority of wild tomato accessions proved susceptible to ToBRFV. They showed a wide range of symptoms (mosaic, leaf deformations, mottling, shoestring, and stunting). Twenty-six accessions representing S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme, S. pimpinellifolium, S. habrochaites, and S. chilense were tolerant. High levels of resistance have been demonstrated in three accessions of S. ochrantum, a close relative to wild tomatoes (member of the sect. Juglandifolia) not only to ToBRFV but also to the tobamoviruses, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and tomato mosaic virus (ToMV). After mechanical inoculation, the three tobamoviruses could be detected only in inoculated leaves in the accessions LA2160, LA2162, and LA 2166, which remained symptomless. However, two other S. ochrantum accessions PI 473,498 and PI 230,519 reacted unusually. They were demonstrated highly resistant to TMV and ToMV, but proved transiently susceptible to ToBRFV showing mild systemic mosaic followed by total recovery from symptoms and the virus.
Relational Autonomy, the Right to Reject Treatment, and Advance Directives in Japan
Authors: Asagumo Anri
Published: October 2021

Although the patient’s right to decide what they want for themselves, which is encompassed in the notion of ‘patient-centred medicine’ and ‘informed consent’, is widely recognised and emphasised in Japan, there remain grave problems when it comes to respecting the wishes of the no-longer-competent when death is imminent. In general, it is believed that the concepts above do not include the right to refuse treatment when treatment withdrawal inevitably results in death, even when the patient previously expressed the wish to exercise this right when competent. In this paper, I first explain the current social and legal situation in Japan, where the lack of legal clarity regarding the right to reject treatment tends to result in doctors adopting the interpretation of patients’ words that is least conducive to treatment withdrawal. I then argue that the right to refuse treatment should be taken seriously, even when the patient is no longer competent, or the treatment refusal will result in death. I suggest that the concept of relational autonomy might have some practical and valuable implications in a country where individual autonomy is considered incompatible with societal values. Finally, I answer possible objections to relational autonomy and address the widespread societal concern about sliding down the slippery slope from allowing the right to refuse treatment to the obligation to die.
Numerical investigation of mixed convection boundary layer flow for nanofluids under quasilinearization technique
Authors: Maji Srimanta , Sahu Akshaya K.
Published: October 2021

The study of boundary layer flow under mixed convection has been investigated numerically for various nanofluids over a semi-infinite flat plate which has been placed vertically upward for both buoyancy-induced assisting and buoyancy-induced opposing flow cases. To facilitate numerical calculations, a suitable transformation has been made for the governing partial differential equations (PDEs). Then, similarity method has been applied locally to approximate the nonlinear PDEs into a coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Then, quasilinearization method has been taken for linearizing the nonlinear terms which are present in the governing equations. Thereafter, implicit trapezoidal rule has been taken for integration numerically along with principle of superposition. The effect of physical parameters which are involved in the study are analyzed on the flow and heat transfer characteristics. This study reveals the presence of dual solutions in case of opposing flow. Further, this study shows that with increasing $$\phi$$
ϕ
and Pr, the range of existence of dual solutions becomes wider. Also, it has been noted that nanofluids enhance the process of heat transfer for buoyancy assisting flow and it delays the separation point in case of opposing flow.
Analysis of Sorghum Stalks and Fibres for Use in the Production of Low-Cost Housing Materials
Authors: Abdel-Magid Taghried , Walker Pete , Paine Kevin , Allen Stephen
Published: October 2021

Research into low-cost housing solutions, especially for low- and middle-income countries, has grown in recent years. Greater use of natural materials, both mineral and bio-based, offers opportunities for more affordable and sustainable materials and products. In the low- and middle-income countries, residential buildings are too expensive for most people due to the use of the concrete in buildings. Utilisation of agricultural wastes can serve a threefold purpose: (i) minimise the impact of construction products on the environment, (ii) reduce waste, and (iii) decrease the cost. The aim of this study was to investigate fibres and stalks from the sorghum plant as potential additives in low-cost brick production. Analysis of the sorghum fibres and stalks has included microstructural examination using a scanning electron microscope and mercury intrusion porosimetry, together with tensile strength testing of fibres. Fibres and stalks did not undergo chemical pre-treatment. Sorghum stalks and fibres were found to have comparable tensile strength to fibres currently used for brick production, and the methods used to prepare stalks were not found to adversely affect their strengths. Consequently, this research has shown that fibres produced from local agricultural wastes have potential for use in low-cost housing such as one-storey residential load-bearing structures and buildings.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Patient-Focused Drug Development Initiative: Experience with Integration of Patient-Experience Data in a New Drug Application for Esketamine Nasal Spray Plus a Newly Initiated Oral Antidepressant for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Authors: Katz Eva G. , McNulty Pauline , Levitan Bennett , Treichler Patricia , Martynowicz Jadwiga , Jamieson Carol
Published: October 2021

The Patient-Focused Drug Development initiative of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aims to ensure that the patient experience of disease and treatment is an integral component of the drug development process. The 21st Century Cures Act and Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) VI require the FDA to publicly report the type of patient-experience data reviewed in a new drug application (NDA) to inform regulatory decision-making. This report describes a recent approach adopted at Janssen of integrating patient-experience data into the NDA for esketamine (SPRAVATO®) nasal spray with a newly initiated oral antidepressant (esketamine + AD) for treatment-resistant depression. During the development of esketamine + AD, patient-experience data were collected using several patient-reported outcomes, including the Sheehan Disability Scale and 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Additionally, a patient-preference study assessed the relative importance of benefits and harms that patients allocated to different attributes of treatment. Preferences were collected from patients enrolled in phase 3 esketamine trials and from an online panel of primarily ketamine-naive patients. Patient-experience data were integrated into the esketamine NDA, the FDA advisory committee meeting briefing document, and the Sponsor’s presentation. The FDA acknowledged reviewing the patient-experience data and determined that they supported esketamine + AD for treatment-resistant depression. This report highlights the importance of integrating patient-experience methods early in drug development, their impact on assessing patient-relevant benefits and risks, and how they can help improve clinical program design.
Clinical outcomes of relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma patients after contemporary first-line treatment: a German Hodgkin Study Group analysis
Authors: Bröckelmann Paul J. , Müller Horst , Gillessen Sarah , Yang Xiaoqin , Koeppel Larissa , Pilz Veronika , Marinello Patricia , Kaskel Peter , Raut Monika , Fuchs Michael , Borchmann Peter , Engert Andreas , von Tresckow Bastian
Published: October 2021

To evaluate patterns of rrHL after contemporary first-line treatment we studied 409 patients with first rrHL (HD13: n = 87, HD14: n = 118, HD15: n = 188, HDR3i: n = 51) at a median age of 37.4 years (18.4–76.8) from the GHSG database. Time to first relapse was ≤12 months in 49% and stage III/IV rrHL present in 52% of patients. In total, 291 patients received high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) and intended ASCT failed in 38 patients. ASCT was primarily not intended in 80 patients largely due to low risk disease or age/comorbidities. Overall, 10-year progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates after first relapse were 48.2% (95% CI 41.9–54.2%) and 59.4% (95% CI 53.0–65.2%), respectively, with significant differences between subgroups. Inferior survival was observed with no ASCT due to advanced age/comorbidities (five-year PFS 36.2%, 95% CI 17.7–55.0%) or failure of salvage therapy (five-year PFS 36.3%, 95% CI 19.7–53.2%). Similarly, presence of primary refractory disease or stage IV at rrHL conferred inferior survival. In patients with low-risk disease, however, survival appeared favorable even without ASCT (10 y PFS 72.6%, 95% CI 53.7–84.8%). We herein confirm the curative potential of current rrHL treatments providing a robust benchmark to evaluate novel therapeutic strategies in rrHL. Approximately 50% of rrHL patients experienced a consecutive relapse.
Inter-species interactions alter antibiotic efficacy in bacterial communities
Authors: Bottery Michael J , Matthews Jessica L , Wood A Jamie , Johansen Helle Krogh , Pitchford Jon W , Friman Ville-Petri
Published: October 2021

The efficacy of antibiotic treatments targeting polymicrobial communities is not well predicted by conventional in vitro susceptibility testing based on determining minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in monocultures. One reason for this is that inter-species interactions can alter the community members’ susceptibility to antibiotics. Here we quantify, and identify mechanisms for, community-modulated changes of efficacy for clinically relevant antibiotics against the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa in model cystic fibrosis (CF) lung communities derived from clinical samples. We demonstrate that multi-drug resistant Stenotrophomonas maltophilia can provide high levels of antibiotic protection to otherwise sensitive P. aeruginosa. Exposure protection to imipenem was provided by chromosomally encoded metallo-β-lactamase that detoxified the environment; protection was dependent upon S. maltophilia cell density and was provided by S. maltophilia strains isolated from CF sputum, increasing the MIC of P. aeruginosa by up to 16-fold. In contrast, the presence of S. maltophilia provided no protection against meropenem, another routinely used carbapenem. Mathematical ordinary differential equation modelling shows that the level of exposure protection provided against different carbapenems can be explained by differences in antibiotic efficacy and inactivation rate. Together, these findings reveal that exploitation of pre-occurring antimicrobial resistance, and inter-specific competition, can have large impacts on pathogen antibiotic susceptibility, highlighting the importance of microbial ecology for designing successful antibiotic treatments for multispecies communities.
Influence of polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia and resilience on the cognition of individuals at-risk for psychosis
Authors: He Qin , Jantac Mam-Lam-Fook Célia , Chaignaud Julie , Danset-Alexandre Charlotte , Iftimovici Anton , Gradels Hauguel Johanna , Houle Gabrielle , Liao Calwing ,   ICAAR study group, Amado Isabelle , Bourgin Julie , Daban-Huard Claire , Magaud Emilie , Plaze Marion , Rivollier Fabrice , Dion Patrick A. , Rouleau Guy A. , Kebir Oussama , Krebs Marie-Odile , Chaumette Boris
Published: October 2021

Cognitive impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia which precedes the onset of full psychotic symptoms, even in the ultra-high-risk stage (UHR). Polygenic risk scores (PRS) can be computed for many psychiatric disorders and phenotyping traits, including scores for resilience. We explored the correlations between several PRS and neurocognition in UHR individuals. We included 107 UHR individuals; 29.9% of them converted to psychosis (UHR-C) while 57.0% did not (UHR-NC) during the 1-year follow-up. Cognitive performances were assessed with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale estimating the Intelligence Quotient (IQ), the Trail Making Test, the verbal fluency, the Stroop test, and the Wisconsin card sorting test. Linear regression models were used to test their association with the PRS for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, ADHD, cross-disorders, cognitive performance, intelligence, education attainment, and resilience to schizophrenia. UHR-C had a lower IQ than UHR-NC. The PRS for schizophrenia negatively correlated with IQ, while the PRS for cognitive performance and for resilience positively correlated with IQ. PRS for schizophrenia showed a significant correlation with working memory and processing speed indices. PRS for schizophrenia showed a higher effect on IQ in UHR-NC, and UHR-NC with high PRS for schizophrenia had a similar IQ as UHR-C. Conversely, UHR-C with a high PRS for resilience performed as well as UHR-NC. Our findings suggest that cognitive deficits may predate the onset of psychosis. The genetic architecture of schizophrenia seems to impacts the cognition in UHR-NC. Cognition is also mediated by PRS for resilience.
p53-mediated redox control promotes liver regeneration and maintains liver function in response to CCl4
Authors: Humpton Timothy J. , Hall Holly , Kiourtis Christos , Nixon Colin , Clark William , Hedley Ann , Shaw Robin , Bird Thomas G. , Blyth Karen , Vousden Karen H.
Published: October 2021

The p53 transcription factor coordinates wide-ranging responses to stress that contribute to its function as a tumour suppressor. The responses to p53 induction are complex and range from mediating the elimination of stressed or damaged cells to promoting survival and repair. These activities of p53 can modulate tumour development but may also play a role in pathological responses to stress such as tissue damage and repair. Using a p53 reporter mouse, we have previously detected strong induction of p53 activity in the liver of mice treated with the hepatotoxin carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Here, we show that p53 functions to support repair and recovery from CCl4-mediated liver damage, control reactive oxygen species (ROS) and limit the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in part through the activation of a detoxification cytochrome P450, CYP2A5 (CYP2A6 in humans). Our work demonstrates an important role for p53-mediated redox control in facilitating the hepatic regenerative response after damage and identifies CYP2A5/CYP2A6 as a mediator of this pathway with potential prognostic utility in human HCC.