bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No Strong Sense of Belonging and the EU as a Security-Provider: How Young People in Rural Poland Perceive EU Citizenship
Authors: Stosik Jolanthe , Sekunda Tomasz
Published: July 2023

This chapter analyses how students in secondary and vocational schools in peripheral areas in Poland perceive the EU and EU citizenship. It shows that most students do not feel particularly connected to other EU citizens. However, a security-providing EU could create a certain basis for a sense of belonging, as for example through health services, the joint protection of the EU’s external borders in Poland or in providing a guaranteed workplace. Most of the students reported that the EU seems to be very distant while national issues are much more present in the media, and thus perceived as more important. Yet, the majority considered EU elections important and expressed a desire to learn more about the EU and the EP elections through a comprehensible information campaign enabling young people to understand what is at stake.
Low Attachment to an EU that Is Associated with Mobility. Students’ EU Perceptions in Two Romanian Peripheral Towns
Authors: Ferenczi Andreea , Micu Cornel
Published: July 2023

In Romania, the EU accession was overwhelmingly supported by the people but over time the support, although still high, started to dwindle. As a contribution to understand the opinions regarding the EU in Romanian society, this chapter reports the empirical findings of group discussions with students aged 16 and 17 in two Romanian small towns in peripheral areas. The two selected towns, Moreni in the southern part of Romania and Caransebeș in Transylvania, are rather different with regard to their general layout and history. Despite these differences, the students viewed the debated issues in broadly the same way. As the report reveals, they emphasised the lack of information regarding the EU and the rights associated with EU citizenship, and expressed interest in learning more about these topics. They didn’t fully relate to the European identity values and prioritised their national or local identity instead.
Pedagogical Experimentalism and the Principle of Verification. A Quest for Non-affirmative Educational Research
Authors: Su Hanno , Bellmann Johannes
Published: July 2023

Starting from the ongoing debate over whether education should take a non-affirmative stance towards reality, we pose the question of whether adopting a non-affirmative theory of education necessarily calls for a non-affirmative concept of educational research. We argue that dominant paradigms of both qualitative and quantitative research on education, respectively, assume a specific affirmative stance, which not only leads them to ignore the productive freedom of the practice of education that they investigate but also reproduces a dichotomy between education and research instead of inscribing themselves in the project of verification of the principles that are at stake in education. We do so by revisiting, first, Benner’s early outline of Pedagogy as a practically experimenting science as an alternative to dominant research paradigms, second, Mollenhauer’s critical pedagogy and its attempt to conceptualize non-affirmative educational research, and, third, Rancière’s interventional empiricism with a particular focus on the concept of practical “verification.” In this vein, we aim to contribute to the contemporary concept of non-affirmative educational research, which allows for a more precise understanding of the ways in which such an approach is at the same time affirmative with respect to the principles which are “verified” in the practice of education.
On the Normativity of Data-Driven Curriculum Policy-Making: A Discursive and Non-affirmative Approach
Authors: Nordin Andreas
Published: July 2023

This paper raises a critical argument on the normativity of data-driven curriculum policy-making in shaping and reshaping education at all levels along an evaluative rationale. The critique evolves in two steps, the first step is deconstructive in character and draws on the work of Porter (Trust in numbers: The pursuit of objectivity in science and public life. Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1995) and research on data-driven education. The second step is reconstructive in character, making use of the non-affirmative theory in education (Benner, On affirmativity and non-affirmativity in the context of theories of education and Bildung. In M. Uljens (Ed.), Non-affirmative Theory of Education and Bildung. Springer, 2023; Uljens, Revista Tempos e Espaços em Educação 18(9): 121–132, 2016; Trans Curric Inquiry 15(2): 4–25, 2018; Uljens & Ylimaki, Nord J Stud Educ Policy 1, 30–43, 2015; Bridging educational leadership, curriculum theory and didaktik: Non-affirmative theory of education. Springer, Cham, 2017) to elaborate on a more reflexive position. The critical examination shows how competitiveness, objectivity, and distance operate as educational ideals within the discourse of data-driven curriculum policy-making, narrowing the educational imagination to what can be expressed in league tables and ranking lists and promoting easy answers to complex questions of what works. These ideals are challenged by non-affirmative theory, which proposes a more reflexive approach to curriculum policy-making, emphasising process rather than outcome and questions rather than answers as drivers of such processes.
Netzwerkanalyse
Authors: Jünger Jakob , Gärtner Chantal
Published: July 2023

Dieses Kapitel führt in die Methode der Netzwerkanalyse ein. Sie lernen Grundbegriffe und Kennwerte der Netzwerkanalyse kennen und erlernen Techniken zur Erhebung, Aufbereitung und Analyse von Netzwerkdaten.

Im Online-Repositorium unter https://github.com/strohne/cm finden Sie begleitend zum Kapitel weitere Materialien, auf die wir im Text mit ☛ verweisen.
Programmierung
Authors: Jünger Jakob , Gärtner Chantal
Published: July 2023

Dieses Kapitel führt in die Programmierung mit R und Python ein. Sie erlernen die Grundlagen der beiden Programmiersprachen, um erste Erfahrungen mit der Datenaufbereitung und -analyse zu sammeln.

Im Online-Repositorium unter https://github.com/strohne/cm finden Sie begleitend zum Kapitel weitere Materialien, auf die wir im Text mit ☛ verweisen.
Textanalyse
Authors: Jünger Jakob , Gärtner Chantal
Published: July 2023

Dieses Kapitel führt in die automatisierte Textanalyse ein. Sie lernen, wie man Wortfrequenzanalysen durchführt und Texte mithilfe von Diktionären analysiert. Zudem werden grundlegende Konzepte von automatisierten Inhaltsanalysen sowie von Natural Language Processing vorgestellt.

Im Online-Repositorium unter https://github.com/strohne/cm finden Sie begleitend zum Kapitel weitere Materialien, auf die wir im Text mit ☛ verweisen.
Catalytic antibodies in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy patients cleave desmoglein 2 and N-cadherin and impair cardiomyocyte cohesion
Authors: Yeruva Sunil , Stangner Konstanze , Jungwirth Anna , Hiermaier Matthias , Shoykhet Maria , Kugelmann Daniela , Hertl Michael , Egami Shohei , Ishii Norito , Koga Hiroshi , Hashimoto Takashi , Weis Michael , Beckmann Britt-Maria , Biller Ruth , Schüttler Dominik , Kääb Stefan , Waschke Jens
Published: July 2023

Aims

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) is a severe heart disease predisposing to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death caused by mutations affecting intercalated disc (ICD) proteins and aggravated by physical exercise. Recently, autoantibodies targeting ICD proteins, including the desmosomal cadherin desmoglein 2 (DSG2), were reported in AC patients and were considered relevant for disease development and progression, particularly in patients without underlying pathogenic mutations. However, it is unclear at present whether these autoantibodies are pathogenic and by which mechanisms show specificity for DSG2 and thus can be used as a diagnostic tool.

Methods and Results

IgG fractions were purified from 15 AC patients and 4 healthy controls. Immunostainings dissociation assays, atomic force microscopy (AFM), Western blot analysis and Triton X-100 assays were performed utilizing human heart left ventricle tissue, HL-1 cells and murine cardiac slices. Immunostainings revealed that autoantibodies against ICD proteins are prevalent in AC and most autoantibody fractions have catalytic properties and cleave the ICD adhesion molecules DSG2 and N-cadherin, thereby reducing cadherin interactions as revealed by AFM. Furthermore, most of the AC-IgG fractions causing loss of cardiomyocyte cohesion activated p38MAPK, which is known to contribute to a loss of desmosomal adhesion in different cell types, including cardiomyocytes. In addition, p38MAPK inhibition rescued the loss of cardiomyocyte cohesion induced by AC-IgGs.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that catalytic autoantibodies play a pathogenic role by cleaving ICD cadherins and thereby reducing cardiomyocyte cohesion by a mechanism involving p38MAPK activation. Finally, we conclude that DSG2 cleavage by autoantibodies could be used as a diagnostic tool for AC.
Digital twins for the rapid startup of manufacturing processes: a case study in PVC tube extrusion
Authors: Bovo Enrico , Sorgato Marco , Lucchetta Giovanni
Published: July 2023

In this work, a soft sensor–based digital twin (DT) was developed to reduce the startup time in manufacturing plastic tubes and enable real-time product quality monitoring, i.e., the weight per unit length and the inner and outer diameters of the tube. An experimental campaign was conducted on a real tube extrusion line using three polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compounds and different process conditions, and machine learning regression algorithms were trained and tested to create the models of the extruder and the extrusion die the DT is based on. The characterization of the considered material, whose properties were given as input to the digital models, was carried out according to a procedure based only on the data collected by the production line. The DT was tested for the startup of the production of a single-layer tube and allowed to achieve the specified customer requirements (thickness and weight) in a few minutes. The proposed solution thus proved to be a valuable tool for reducing the setup time, thus increasing the efficiency of the process.
Rechtsmedizin im „forensischen Medienmarkt“
Authors: Ritz-Timme S. , Paganini C. , Duttge G. , Hansson N. , Turnsek A. , Fangerau H.
Published: July 2023

Die „breite Öffentlichkeit“ zeigt ein großes Interesse an der Rechtsmedizin, die dadurch in den Fokus des Medienmarktes rückt. Zunehmend gewähren Rechtsmedizinerinnen und Rechtsmediziner auch Einblicke in die Realität des Faches, mittlerweile auch in selbst produzierten Beiträgen in den Social Media. Diese Entwicklung (die „Mediatisierung der deutschen Rechtsmedizin“) ist Gegenstand von Forschung anderer Disziplinen.

Danach besitzt die Rechtsmedizin ein großes „mediales Kapital“, das sowohl aus dem Interesse der Öffentlichkeit an Einblicken in das Tätigkeitsfeld an sich wie auch an den bearbeiteten Fällen (True Crime) resultiert. Die Nutzung dieses Kapitals mit der öffentlichen „Vermarktung“ rechtsmedizinischer Inhalte und von Bildern Verstorbener wirft Fragen nach Grenzen des juristisch und ethisch Zulässigen auf.

Rechtliche Fragen betreffen insbesondere die Zulässigkeit der Nutzung von im Rahmen einer Sachverständigentätigkeit erlangten Informationen oder Bildern für eine Präsentation in (Massen‑)Medien. Aus ethischer Sicht werden u. a. die kommerzielle Nutzbarmachung der Faszination von Gewalttaten, bei Einsatz von Bildern auch die Risiken einer emotionalen Überforderung des Publikums und eine „Objektwerdung“ Verstorbener kritisiert. Da der Erfolg eines Formates mit dem Grad effektheischender Präsentation steigt, resultiert die Gefahr einer schiefen Ebene weg von der Information zur Sensation. Eine primär sensationsgetriebene Präsentation rechtsmedizinischer Inhalte wird problematisch gesehen.

Die Nutzung des medialen Kapitals der Rechtmedizin hat Implikationen für die Außenwahrnehmung des Faches. Deshalb sollte die Mediatisierung der Rechtsmedizin nicht nur von anderen Disziplinen beforscht und diskutiert werden, sondern Gegenstand eines Diskurses auch innerhalb des Faches sein.
Sudden cardiac death of a 16-year-old boy with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Bohnert Simone , Heinsen Helmut , Preiß Ulrich , Bohnert Michael
Published: July 2023

In Europe, 350,000 people die suddenly and unexpectedly every year. The majority of sudden deaths are caused by cardiac alterations and known as sudden cardiac death (SCD). The interpretation of medicolegal findings is especially difficult in those SCDs where there is no morphological correlate and no antemortem electrocardiograms or relevant medical history are available. The Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, in which an accessory electrical conduction pathway exists between the atrium and the ventricle in addition to the physiological conduction system, is mostly a benign disease of the heart, which may lead to cardiac arrhythmia. A 16-year-old boy with a known history of WPW syndrome since the second year of life had consumed alcohol before death and was found sitting on the toilet fully dressed. The autopsy performed on the deceased 3 days postmortem showed a marked mass increase of the heart with left ventricular concentric hypertrophy and macroscopic signs of cardiomyopathy. In the microscopic examination, the right and left ventricles and the atria were found to have a regular structure with normal vessels. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and elastica-van-Gieson (EvG) staining disclosed a thin accessory muscle bridge connecting the left atrium with the left ventricle as a possible morphological correlate of a fatal cardiac arrhythmia.
Responsive Janus droplets as modular sensory layers for the optical detection of bacteria
Authors: Zeininger Lukas
Published: July 2023

The field of biosensor development is fueled by innovations in new functional transduction materials and technologies. Material innovations promise to extend current sensor hardware limitations, reduce analysis costs, and ensure broad application of sensor methods. Optical sensors are particularly attractive because they enable sensitive and noninvasive analyte detection in near real-time. Optical transducers convert physical, chemical, or biological events into detectable changes in fluorescence, refractive index, or spectroscopic shifts. Thus, in addition to sophisticated biochemical selector designs, smart transducers can improve signal transmission and amplification, thereby greatly facilitating the practical applicability of biosensors, which, to date, is often hampered by complications such as difficult replication of reproducible selector-analyte interactions within a uniform and consistent sensing area. In this context, stimuli-responsive and optically active Janus emulsions, which are dispersions of kinetically stabilized biphasic fluid droplets, have emerged as a novel triggerable material platform that provides as a versatile and cost-effective alternative for the generation of reproducible, highly sensitive, and modular optical sensing layers. The intrinsic and unprecedented chemical-morphological-optical coupling inside Janus droplets has facilitated optical signal transduction and amplification in various chemo- and biosensor paradigms, which include examples for the rapid and cost-effective detection of major foodborne pathogens. These initial demonstrations resulted in detection limits that rival the capabilities of current commercial platforms. This trend article aims to present a conceptual summary of these initial efforts and to provide a concise and comprehensive overview of the pivotal kinetic and thermodynamic principles that govern the ability of Janus droplets to sensitively and selectively respond to and interact with bacteria.

Graphical abstract
Postharvest monitoring and consumer choice on traditional and modern apricot cultivars
Authors: Taiti Cosimo , Vivaldo Gianna , Masi Elisa , Giordani Edgardo , Nencetti Valter
Published: July 2023

Apricot (Prunus armeniacaL.) fruit qualities are affected by harvest date and rapid off-tree ripening progression that limits their shelf life and marketability. Nowadays, consumers are generally dissatisfied with the sensory quality of apricot fruit sold on large-scale retail channels. Pomological analysis (color, firmness, total soluble solids, and total acidity), volatile organic compounds fingerprint and sensory evaluation were performed during the postharvest in two different apricot genotypes with the objective to: (1) characterize and compare two different apricot cultivars at harvest and at different postharvest times; (2) understand how the sensory quality changes during the postharvest process; (3) elucidate which sensory quality parameters drive the consumer's choice. For this purpose, ‘Portici’ (traditional cultivar) and ‘Lady Cot’ (modern one) grown in the same environment, were evaluated at commercial maturity harvest and for the following 15 days. Results indicate that the sensory quality of the selected cultivars was different, with ‘Portici’ showing better performances in terms of aroma, sweetness and juiciness, while ‘Lady Cot’ stood out in terms of firmness. Results also indicate a different trend of the traits analyzed and of the shelf-life, that was reduced for the traditional cultivar.

Graphical abstract
Trends in use of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) in Australia in the era of increased evidence of their cardiovascular benefits (2014–2022)
Authors: Lin Jialing , Pearson Sallie-Anne , Greenfield Jerry R. , Park Kyeong Hye , Havard Alys , Brieger David , Day Richard O. , Falster Michael O. , de Oliveira Costa Juliana
Published: July 2023

Purpose

To investigate trends in SGLT2i and GLP-1RA use in Australia in the era of increased evidence of their cardiovascular benefits.

Methods

We used national dispensing claims for a 10% random sample of Australians to estimate the number of prevalent and new users (no dispensing in the prior year) of SGLT2i or GLP-1RA per month from January 2014 to July 2022. We assessed prescriber specialty and prior use of other antidiabetic and cardiovascular medicines as a proxy for evidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular conditions, respectively.

Results

We found a large increase in the number of prevalent users (216-fold for SGLT2i; 11-fold for GLP-1RA); in July 2022 approximately 250,000 Australians were dispensed SGLT2i and 120,000 GLP-1RA. Most new users of SGLT2i or GLP-1RA had evidence of both T2D and cardiovascular conditions, although from 2022 onwards, approximately one in five new users of SGLT2i did not have T2D. The proportion of new users initiating SGLT2i by cardiologists increased after 2021, reaching 10.0% of initiations in July 2022. Among new users with evidence of cardiovascular conditions, empagliflozin was the most commonly prescribed SGLT2i, while dulaglutide or semaglutide was the most common GLP-1RA.

Conclusion

SGLT2i and GLP-1RA use is increasing in Australia, particularly in populations with higher cardiovascular risk. The increased use of SGLT2i among people without evidence of T2D suggests that best-evidence medicines are adopted in Australia across specialties, aligning with new evidence and expanding indications.
Rat bite fever mimicking ANCA-associated vasculitis
Authors: Błaż Aleksandra , Zalewski Jan , Masiak Anna , Kujawa Mariusz J. , Gosz Monika , Buda Natalia
Published: July 2023

Rat bite fever (RBF) is a rare infectious zoonotic disease caused by two bacterial species: the Gram-negative rod Streptobacillus moniliformis and the Gram-negative coiled rod Spirillum minus. The association between RBF and skin vasculitis and arthritis has been observed. The aim of this paper was to present a case of rat-bite fever with symptoms of skin vasculitis and arthritis, associated with high titers of ANCA antibodies and anti-endothelial cell antibodies suggestive of primary vasculitis. The patient was successfully treated with antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, leading to significant improvement. Based on the presented case, we discuss the differential diagnosis of the signs and the role of infection in the induction of ANCA antibodies. We reviewed the English language literature for cases of RBF presenting with symptoms of vasculitis and/or antibody presence. A literature review was performed in PubMed and Google using the keywords “rat bite fever” AND “vasculitis”, “systemic vasculitis”, “ANCA”, “antiendothelial antibodies”. No cases of rat-bite fever with the presence of ANCA antibodies or AECA antibodies in its course have been described thus far. Rat bite fever is a rare disease with nonspecific symptoms. In its course, general weakness, intermittent fever, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and arthritis are reported. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of ANCA positivity associated with RBF.
Spectral Stability of Shock-fronted Travelling Waves Under Viscous Relaxation
Authors: Lizarraga Ian , Marangell Robert
Published: July 2023

Reaction-nonlinear diffusion partial differential equations can exhibit shock-fronted travelling wave solutions. Prior work by Li et al. (Physica D 423:132916, 2021) has demonstrated the existence of such waves for two classes of regularizations, including viscous relaxation (see Li et al. in Physica D 423:132916, 2021). Their analysis uses geometric singular perturbation theory: for sufficiently small values of a parameter $$\varepsilon > 0$$

ε
>
0

characterizing the ‘strength’ of the regularization, the waves are constructed as perturbations of a singular heteroclinic orbit. Here we show rigorously that these waves are spectrally stable for the case of viscous relaxation. Our approach is to show that for sufficiently small $$\varepsilon >0$$

ε
>
0

, the ‘full’ eigenvalue problem of the regularized system is controlled by a reduced slow eigenvalue problem defined for $$\varepsilon = 0$$

ε
=
0

. In the course of our proof, we examine the ways in which this geometric construction complements and differs from constructions of other reduced eigenvalue problems that are known in the wave stability literature.
Digital droplet PCR-based quantification of ccfHPV-DNA as liquid biopsy in HPV-driven cervical and vulvar cancer
Authors: Thangarajah Fabinshy , Busshoff Jana , Salamon Janina , Pruss Marie-Sandrine , Lenz Caroline , Morgenstern Bernd , Hellmich Martin , Schlößer Hans Anton , Lenz Maximilian , Domröse Christian , Mallmann Michael R. , Mallmann Peter , Weiß Jonathan , Franzen Fabian , Merkelbach-Bruse Sabine , Binot Elke , Eich Marie-Lisa , Büttner Reinhardt , Schultheis Anne Maria , Alidousty Christina
Published: July 2023

Purpose

More than 99% of cervical cancers and up to 40% of vulvar cancers are human papillomavirus (HPV) related. HPV 16 and 18 are the most relevant subtypes. Novel technologies allow the detection of minimal amounts of circulating cell-free HPV DNA (ccfHPV-DNA). The aim of this study was to evaluate ccfHPV-DNA assessed by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) as a biomarker for molecular therapy monitoring in early, advanced, relapsed and metastatic HPV-driven cervical and vulvar cancer.

Methods

Inclusion criteria of the study were histologically proven HPV 16/18-driven cervical and vulvar cancer with first diagnosed disease, newly diagnosed recurrence, or progression of disease. Blood samples were taken pre- and post-therapeutically. Circulating cell-free HPV DNA was quantified using ddPCR and the results were correlated with clinical data.

Results

The mean copy number of ccfHPV-DNA was 838.6 (± 3089.1) in pretreatment and 2.3 (± 6.4) in post-treatment samples (p < 0.05). The copy number of ccfHPV-DNA increased with higher FIGO stages (p < 0.05), which are commonly used for clinical staging/assessment. Furthermore, we compared the distribution of copy numbers between T-stage 1 versus T-stage 2/3. We could show higher copy number level of ccfHPV-DNA in T-stage 2/3 (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Therapy monitoring with determination of ccfHPV-DNA by ddPCR with a small amount of plasma reflects response to therapy and appears feasible for patients in advanced cancer stages of cervical and vulvar cancer. This promising tool should be examined as marker of therapy monitoring in particular in novel HPV-directed therapies.
Hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism in RMND1-related mitochondrial disease
Authors: Kömhoff Martin , Gracchi Valentina , Dijkman Henry , Beck Bodo B. , Monnens Leo
Published: July 2023

Background

RMND1 is a nuclear gene needed for proper function of mitochondria. A pathogenic gene will cause multiple oxidative phosphorylation defects. A renal phenotype consisting of hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, and acidosis is frequently reported, previously considered to be due to aldosterone insensitivity.

Methods

Clinical features and pathophysiology of three patients will be reported. DNA of these patients was subjected to exome screening.

Results

In the first family, one pathogenic heterozygous and one highly probable heterozygous mutation were detected. In the second family, a homozygous pathogenic mutation was present. The electrolyte disbalance was not due to aldosterone insensitivity but to low plasma aldosterone concentration, a consequence of low plasma renin activity. This disbalance can be treated. In all three patients, the kidney function declined. In the first family, both children suffered from an unexplained arterial thrombosis with dire consequences.

Conclusions

Hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism is the mechanism causing the electrolyte disbalance reported in patients with RMND1 mutations, and can be treated.
Japanese written pseudowords can be conditioned to Japanese spoken words with positive, negative, and active emotions
Authors: Ando Misa , Kambara Toshimune
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to examine whether Japanese participants condition spoken words’ meanings to written pseudowords. In Survey 1, we selected spoken words associated with negative (α = .91) and positive (α = .79) features for Experiment 1 and passive (α = .90) and active (α = .80) features for Experiment 2. In Experiment 1, participants evaluated four written pseudowords’ emotional valence using a 7-point semantic differential scale (1: negative; 7: positive) before and after conditioning spoken words with negative, neutral, or positive features to each pseudoword. In the conditioning phase, participants read each pseudoword, listened to a spoken word, and verbally repeated each spoken word. The results showed that a pseudoword was conditioned to spoken words with positive and negative features. In Experiment 2, participants evaluated four pseudowords’ activeness using a 7-point semantic differential scale (1: passive; 7: active) before and after conditioning spoken words of passive, neutral, and active features to each written pseudoword. In the conditioning phase, the participants read each written pseudoword, listened to a spoken word, and repeated the spoken word. The results showed that the activeness evaluations were more increased for pseudowords conditioned to spoken words of active and neutral features after conditioning than before conditioning but were unchanged for a pseudoword conditioned to those with passive features before and after conditioning. Additonally, Survey 2’s results showed that although the positiveness and activeness responses of the words used in Experiments 1 and 2 were controlled well, the lack of significant differences among positiveness responses of words may influence the evaluative conditioning in Experiment 2. That is, when participants condition passive (low arousal) words’ activeness (arousal) ratings to those of pseudowords, words’ positiveness (valence) ratings would be important in the evaluative conditioning. Our findings suggest that participants can condition spoken word meanings of preference and activeness to those of written pseudowords. It also indicates that linguistically evaluative conditioning’s effects are robust in a non-alphabetic language.
adaptNMT: an open-source, language-agnostic development environment for neural machine translation
Authors: Lankford Séamus , Afli Haithem , Way Andy
Published: July 2023

adaptNMT streamlines all processes involved in the development and deployment of RNN and Transformer neural translation models. As an open-source application, it is designed for both technical and non-technical users who work in the field of machine translation. Built upon the widely-adopted OpenNMT ecosystem, the application is particularly useful for new entrants to the field since the setup of the development environment and creation of train, validation and test splits is greatly simplified. Graphing, embedded within the application, illustrates the progress of model training, and SentencePiece is used for creating subword segmentation models. Hyperparameter customization is facilitated through an intuitive user interface, and a single-click model development approach has been implemented. Models developed by adaptNMT can be evaluated using a range of metrics, and deployed as a translation service within the application. To support eco-friendly research in the NLP space, a green report also flags the power consumption and kgCO$$_{2}$$

2

emissions generated during model development. The application is freely available (http://github.com/adaptNMT).
Why to Study Peptides from Venomous and Poisonous Animals?
Authors: de Oliveira Ana Novo , Soares Andreimar Martins , Da Silva Saulo Luís
Published: July 2023

Venom and poison peptides are powerful biological weapons and have proven immense pharmacological potential because of their high binding affinity to a wide range of molecular targets. Nonetheless, many of these peptides cannot directly be used as medicines due to their toxicity but their derivatives are very valuable to explore and can be a great treasure trove for the development of novel drugs. This review presents a detailed overview of venom peptides present in reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, gastropods, clitellatas, fish, insects, and mammals. We address the most recent findings that underline their therapeutic potential against a wide variety of diseases from cancer to vascular, autoimmune, and inflammatory diseases.

Graphical Abstract
The usefulness of the Munsell colour indices for identification of drained soils with various content of organic matter
Authors: Łachacz Andrzej , Załuski Dariusz
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of the Munsell colour indices for identification of drained soils with various content of organic matter, developed on the sandy substrate.

Methods

The analysed soils, according to the Polish Soil Classification (PSC 2019), belong to thin murshic soils (WRB 2022: Murshic Histosols/Histic Gleysols), typical semimurshic soils (Mollic/Umbric Gleysols (Arenic, Drainic, Mulmic)) and to postmurshic soils (Umbric Gleysols (Arenic, Drainic, Nechic)). The following dry colour indices: value (V), chroma (Ch), V+Ch, V+0.5Ch, V×Ch and V/Ch, were correlated with soil variables (LOI, Corg., Ntot., C:N and FeHCl, MnHCl—elements extracted with 0.5 M HCl).

Results

The strongest correlation with the SOM content was displayed by the Munsell value, which allows one to estimate the SOM, Corg., Ntot. content in the soils studied. The classification and regression trees (C&RT) revealed that the analysed soil materials could be successfully divided based on the Munsell value alone. The V/Ch quotient demonstrated significant correlations with LOI, Corg., Ntot., C:N, FeHCl and MnHCl. This quotient equalled 1–2 for murshic (≥ 12% Corg.) and semimurshic (≥ 6.0 Corg. < 12.0%), but varied greatly (1–5) for postmurshic (≥ 0.6 Corg. < 6.0% Corg.) soil materials.

Conclusion

The analysed soil materials had the Munsell value differentiated enough to enable their identification. The V/Ch quotient can help to trace the origin of postmurshic soils. Its narrow value (1–2) indicates that the postmurshic soil developed through advanced transformation of murshic soil materials, whereas a broader value (2–5) indicates that the postmurshic soil originated from dewatered Gleysols.
The primacy of morphology in English braille spelling: an analysis of bridging contractions
Authors: Englebretson Robert , Holbrook M. Cay , Treiman Rebecca , Fischer-Baum Simon
Published: July 2023

This study examines the use of braille contractions in a corpus of spelling tests from braille-reading children in grades 1-4, with particular attention to braille contractions that create mismatches with morphological structure. Braille is a tactile writing system that enables people who are blind or visually impaired to read and write. In English and many other languages, reading and writing braille is not simply a matter of transliterating between print letters and their braille equivalents; Unified English Braille (the official braille system used in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and several other English-speaking countries) contains 180 contractions—one or more braille cells that represent whole words or strings of letters. In some words, the prescriptive rules for correct braille usage cause contractions to bridge morphological boundaries and to obscure the spellings of stems and affixes. We demonstrate that, when the prescriptive rules for correct braille usage flout morphological structure, young braille spellers generally follow the morphology rather than the orthographic rules. This work establishes that morphology matters for young braille learners. We discuss the potential impact of our findings on braille research, development, and pedagogy, and we suggest ways in which our findings contribute to understanding the nature of orthographic morphemes and the place of braille in the reading sciences.
Experience matters for robotic assistance: an analysis of case data
Authors: Brian Riley , Oh Daniel , Ifuku Kelli Ann , Sarin Ankit , O’Sullivan Patricia , Chern Hueylan
Published: July 2023

Many robotic procedures require active participation by assistants. Most prior work on assistants’ effect on outcomes has been limited in procedural focus and scope, with studies reporting differing results. Knowing how assistant experience affects operating room time could inform operating room case scheduling and provide an impetus for additional assistant training. As such, this retrospective cohort study aimed to determine the association between assistant experience and operating room time for 2291 robotic-assisted operations performed from 2016 to 2022 at our institution. Linear regression showed a significant association between the presence of a junior resident and increased case length differential with an increase of 26.9 min (p = 0.01). There were no significant associations between the presence of a senior resident (p = 0.52), presence of a fellow (p = 0.20), or presence of a physician assistant (p = 0.43) and case length differential. The finding of increased operating room time in the presence of a junior resident during robotic cases supports consideration of the adoption of formal assistant training programs for residents to improve efficiency.
A standardised communication tool reduces radiation exposure associated with intraoperative fluoroscopy
Authors: McAleese Timothy , Price Alexander , Ryan Anthony G. , Rowan Fiachra E.
Published: July 2023

Background

The widespread use of intraoperative fluoroscopy in orthopaedic procedures has revolutionised surgical practice. However, there are risks associated with using ionising radiation. Efforts to reduce radiation exposure include low-dose imaging protocols and lead protective equipment. Current communication during fluoroscopic procedures can be inefficient and lead to excessive radiation exposure for patients and staff.

Aims

This study aims to implement a communication tool with standardised commands to reduce radiation exposure in an Irish orthopaedic department.

Methods

Radiation exposure was evaluated using dose-area product (DAP) measured in uGy/m2. A control group was recorded before implementing the communication tool. Training sessions were conducted and posters of the standardised commands were displayed. Feedback was collected from surgeons and radiographers via surveys. Statistical analysis was performed to compare pre- and post-intervention groups.

Results

A total of 673 surgical cases were included over 6 months. The post-intervention group showed a mean reduction in radiation exposure from 59.8 to 36.4 uGy/m2 (p < 0.011). Subset analyses revealed reduced radiation exposure for ORIF of the distal radius, ankle, humerus, and phalanges. Surgeons and radiographers recognised the need for improved communication and expressed willingness to learn the new tool.

Conclusions

Implementation of a standardised communication tool effectively reduced patient and staff radiation exposure. It was also believed to have a positive effect on theatre staff morale. Incorporating a universal language tool into training programmes could be beneficial. Surgeons and radiographers provided several suggestions to improve the effectiveness and implementation of this tool into other units.
Understanding the Ultra-Rare Disease Autosomal Dominant Leukodystrophy: an Updated Review on Morpho-Functional Alterations Found in Experimental Models
Authors: Neri Irene , Ramazzotti Giulia , Mongiorgi Sara , Rusciano Isabella , Bugiani Marianna , Conti Luciano , Cousin Margot , Giorgio Elisa , Padiath Quasar S. , Vaula Giovanna , Cortelli Pietro , Manzoli Lucia , Ratti Stefano
Published: July 2023

Autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD) is an ultra-rare, slowly progressive, and fatal neurodegenerative disorder associated with the loss of white matter in the central nervous system (CNS). Several years after its first clinical description, ADLD was found to be caused by coding and non-coding variants in the LMNB1 gene that cause its overexpression in at least the brain of patients. LMNB1 encodes for Lamin B1, a protein of the nuclear lamina. Lamin B1 regulates many cellular processes such as DNA replication, chromatin organization, and senescence. However, its functions have not been fully characterized yet. Nevertheless, Lamin B1 together with the other lamins that constitute the nuclear lamina has firstly the key role of maintaining the nuclear structure. Being the nucleus a dynamic system subject to both biochemical and mechanical regulation, it is conceivable that changes to its structural homeostasis might translate into functional alterations. Under this light, this review aims at describing the pieces of evidence that to date have been obtained regarding the effects of LMNB1 overexpression on cellular morphology and functionality. Moreover, we suggest that further investigation on ADLD morpho-functional consequences is essential to better understand this complex disease and, possibly, other neurological disorders affecting CNS myelination.

Graphical Abstract
Metabolic Functional Profiles of Microbial Communities in Methane Production Systems Treating Winery Wastewater
Authors: Vital-Jácome Miguel , Carrillo-Reyes Julián , Buitrón Germán
Published: July 2023

This study investigated the impact of process configuration and conditions on microbial communities and metabolic pathways in the anaerobic digestion of winery effluents. Four system configurations were analyzed for taxonomic and functional profiles using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and Tax4Fun2. Sporolactobacillus, Prevotella, and Acetobacter dominated (> 70%) in the acidogenic reactor with 5277 conserved functions across configurations. In the methanogenic reactor, methane production relied on Methanosaeta in the single-stage configuration (13%) and five archaea genera in the two-stage configuration (18%). Thermophilic conditions favored syntrophic acetate oxidation and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis by Methanothermobacter (65%), significantly changing due to temperature. The two-stage configuration exhibited 3.0 times higher functional redundancy than the single-stage configuration. Mesophilic conditions displayed 2.5 times greater functional redundancy than thermophilic conditions. High organic loading rate and short hydraulic retention time reduced functional redundancy by 1.5 times. Assessing microbial functionality beyond their composition is crucial to understand stability and performance of anaerobic digestion systems.
Stability of hypersurfaces with constant mean curvature trapped between two parallel hyperplanes
Authors: Koiso Miyuki , Miyamoto Umpei
Published: July 2023

Static equilibrium configurations of continua supported by surface tension are given by constant mean curvature (CMC) surfaces which are critical points of a variational problem to extremize the area while keeping the volume fixed. CMC surfaces are used as mathematical models of a variety of continua, such as tiny liquid drops, stars, and nuclei, to play important roles in both mathematics and physics. Therefore, the geometry of CMC surfaces and their properties such as stability are of special importance in differential geometry and in a variety of physical sciences. In this paper we examine the stability of CMC hypersurfaces in arbitrary dimensions, possibly having boundaries on two parallel hyperplanes, by investigating the second variation of the area. We determine the stability of non-uniform liquid bridges or unduloids for the first time in all dimensions and all parameter (the ratio of the neck radius to bulge radius) regimes. The analysis is assisted by numerical computations.
A fast and efficient particle packing generation algorithm with controllable gradation for discontinuous deformation analysis
Authors: Ma Jianjun , Ding Wenjie , Lin Yuexiang , Chen Wanxiang , Huang Linchong
Published: July 2023

A systematic geometric algorithm is developed to generate particle packing with high density, controllable gradation, and uniform spatial distribution for discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA). The algorithm incorporates a lattice searching technique to expedite overlap detection and reduce computational costs during particle packing generation. Additionally, a Fourier transformation method is utilized to analytically handle overlap detections on arbitrary irregular boundaries. To evaluate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method, a series of comparisons are made between existing methods and the proposed approach. Numerical modelling of engineering problems is conducted using the proposed method and a self-developed numerical program called DDA. The modelling results demonstrate that the proposed particle generation method has wide applications in generating complex particle models for discontinuous numerical analysis. The algorithm exhibits excellent performance in both geometric and numerical analyses, further confirming its efficiency and accuracy.
Continuous flow process development for the synthesis of an industrial raw material via solvent-free aromatic Claisen rearrangement
Authors: Petrovic Nikola , Ötvös Sándor B. , Kappe C. Oliver
Published: July 2023

A high-temperature continuous flow protocol is reported for the intensified synthesis of an important industrial raw material via aromatic Claisen rearrangement of the corresponding diallyl ether precursor. The process takes advantage of solvent-free conditions, thereby maximizing productivity whilst reducing cost and environmental impact. By precise control over reaction temperature and residence times, a high-yielding and selective synthesis is achieved that ensures improved safety and scalability of the exothermic transformation compared with earlier batch methodologies.

Graphical Abstract
The Publications of The Bedfordshire Historical Record Society Volume XII
Authors: Blundell Joseph Hight , Chambers Lewis Henry , Emmison F. G.
Published: July 2023

Includes 'In Memoriam, W. A.' (William Austin).

'A Calendar of the Feet of Fines for Bedfordshire Pt. III for the Reign of Edward I with Some Earlier Fines', edited by G. Herbert Fowler (1273-1307 and 1183-1272).

'Belverge of Sharpenhoe', by Joseph Hight Blundell (A minor gentry family c.1200-1415).

'The Meeting Places of Stodden and Redbournstoke Hundreds', by F. G. Emmison.

'The Writer of the Warrant for the Arrest of John Bunyan', by F. G. Emmison (On William Johnson, notary and deputy registrar; 1674-5.).

'Bedfordshire Bells, c.1710’, compiled by L. H. Chambers.

'Note on the Name Helder’, by Joseph Hight Blundell (Discusses the evolution of the surname Spicer to Spicer alias Helder and then simply to Helder, in the period 1500-1542 in Luton and in Lilley, Offley and Hexton (Herts), on the evidence of the register of the Guild of the Holy Trinity of Luton.).
The Life and Letters of Sir Lewis Dyve 1599-1669
Authors: Tibbutt H. G.
Published: July 2023

Sir Lewis Dyve was born in Bromham on 3 November 1599; matriculated at Oxford in 1614; and was knighted in 1620. He was an MP, although not sitting for Bedford or Bedfordshire. During the Civil War he was a staunch royalist. His correspondence and other papers are transcribed in this volume and arranged to recount his life under the headings: early years; life in Dorset and London; the approach of war; first campaigns; war in Bedfordshire; war in the south-west; the siege of Sherborne; imprisonment in London; Preston, the Isle of Man, Ireland; the Low Countries and Paris; France; France and Italy; London and Somerset.
An outbreak investigation of parechovirus-A3 in a newborn nursery
Authors: Aizawa Yuta , Saeki Keisuke , Mori Kazuetsu , Ikuse Tatsuki , Izumita Ryohei , Saitoh Akihiko
Published: July 2023

Objective:

To investigate parechovirus-A3 (PeV-A3) transmission in a newborn nursery, after encountering 3 neonates with fever and rash.

Design:

An observational study.

Setting:

At a newborn nursery at the general hospital in Hyogo, Japan.

Participants:

Symptomatic neonates and their family members, and asymptomatic neonates born during the same period.

Methods:

PCR assays for PeV-A and genotyping were used for the investigation of PeV-A3. Preserved umbilical cords were used to identify the route of transmission.

Results:

PeV-A3 infection was confirmed in the three symptomatic neonates. The index case had fever and rash, and the 2 neonates treated later became symptomatic and had serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and stool specimens that were positive for PeV-A3 on PCR. The umbilical cord of the index case was positive for PeV-A3 on PCR. The family members of the index case, including the mother, were asymptomatic before delivery. The older sister and cousin of the PeV-A3–infected neonate had positive PCR results. The sequence analysis suggested 2 possible transmission routes: vertical and horizontal transmission in a newborn nursery and/or a family outside the hospital. The incubation period of PeV-A3 infection was estimated to be 1–3 days (maximum, 7 days).

Conclusion:

Horizontal transmission of PeV-A3 was confirmed in a newborn nursery. Vertical transmission was suggested by the detection of RNA in an umbilical cord sample from the index case. These observations indicate that PeV-A3 can be horizontally transmitted in a newborn nursery and that special caution is required to prevent healthcare-associated transmission of PeV-A3.