bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Grundlagen einer ethisch-fachlich fundierten Pflege und Betreuung von Menschen mit Demenz
Authors: Ritzi Sebastian
Published: November 2022

In diesem Kapitel sollen übergeordnete Grundlagen analysiert und diskutiert werden, die die Voraussetzungen einer ethisch sowie fachlich fundierten Pflege und Betreuung von Menschen mit Demenz bilden. Dabei bildet die Anerkennung der Personalität von Menschen mit Demenz (Abschn. 3.1) den Ausgangspunkt jeder abgeleiteten ethischen Forderung. Die Anerkennung der Personalität sollte dabei jedoch stets von einer Anerkennung der Vulnerabilität des Menschen mit Demenz begleitet sein, die sich bei genauerem Hinsehen als Versichtbarung der prinzipiellen Vulnerabilität aller Menschen erweist (Absch. 3.2). Auch wenn diesen Grundlagen zunächst eine gewisse Abstraktheit zu eignen scheint, wird es im Verlauf dieses Kapitels stets auch darum gehen, die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse auf die Problematik von FeM anzuwenden, um deren unmittelbare Relevanz für die vorliegende Thematik aufzuzeigen. Eine besondere Bedeutung kommt dabei der Konzeption der Leiblichkeit zu, da diese jeweils hilft, die konkrete phänomenale Erfahrbarkeit von Personalität und Vulnerabilität aufzuweisen. Auch soll am Ende dieser beiden Abschnitte jeweils die Frage thematisiert werden, wie sich die ethischen Implikationen des Personalitäts- bzw. des Vulnerabilitätskonzeptes mithilfe pflegetheoretischer Ansätze in die pflegerische Praxis übersetzen lassen. Das Kapitel schließt mit einem Zwischenfazit (Abschn. 3.3).
Leptogenesis and dark matter through relativistic bubble walls with observable gravitational waves
Authors: Borah Debasish , Dasgupta Arnab , Saha Indrajit
Published: November 2022

Abstract

We study a scenario where both dark matter and heavy right handed neutrino (RHN) responsible for leptogenesis acquire masses by crossing the relativistic bubble walls formed as a result of a TeV scale supercooled first order phase transition (FOPT). While this leads to a large out-of-equilibrium abundance of right handed neutrino inside the bubble sufficient to produce the required lepton asymmetry, the dark matter being lighter can still remain in equilibrium with its relic being set by subsequent thermal freeze-out. A classical conformal symmetry ensures the origin of mass via FOPT induced by a singlet scalar while also ensuring supercooling leading to enhanced gravitational wave amplitude within the sensitivity of the LISA experiment. A minimal scenario with three RHN, one inert scalar doublet and one singlet scalar as additional fields beyond the standard model is sufficient to realize this possibility which also favours inert RHN dark matter over inert scalar doublet.
DMRG study of the higher-charge Schwinger model and its ’t Hooft anomaly
Authors: Honda Masazumi , Itou Etsuko , Tanizaki Yuya
Published: November 2022

Abstract

The charge-q Schwinger model is the (1 + 1)-dimensional quantum electrodynamics (QED) with a charge-q Dirac fermion. It has the ℤq 1-form symmetry and also enjoys the ℤq chiral symmetry in the chiral limit, and there is a mixed ’t Hooft anomaly between those symmetries. We numerically study the charge-q Schwinger model in the lattice Hamiltonian formulation using the density-matrix renormalization group (DMRG). When applying DMRG, we map the Schwinger model to a spin chain with nonlocal interaction via Jordan-Wigner transformation, and we take the open boundary condition instead of the periodic one to make the Hilbert space finite-dimensional. When computing the energy density or chiral condensate, we find that using local operators significantly reduces the boundary effect compared with the computation of corresponding extensive quantities divided by the volume. To discuss the consequence of the ’t Hooft anomaly, we carefully treat the renormalization of the chiral condensates, and then we confirm that Wilson loops generate the discrete chiral transformations in the continuum limit.
Hydrogen sulfide as a therapeutic option for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other muscle-related diseases
Authors: Kaziród Katarzyna , Myszka Małgorzata , Dulak Józef , Łoboda Agnieszka
Published: November 2022

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been known for years as a poisoning gas and until recently evoked mostly negative associations. However, the discovery of its gasotransmitter functions suggested its contribution to various physiological and pathological processes. Although H2S has been found to exert cytoprotective effects through modulation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and pro-angiogenic responses in a variety of conditions, its role in the pathophysiology of skeletal muscles has not been broadly elucidated so far. The classical example of muscle-related disorders is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most common and severe type of muscular dystrophy. Mutations in theDMDgene that encodes dystrophin, a cytoskeletal protein that protects muscle fibers from contraction-induced damage, lead to prominent dysfunctions in the structure and functions of the skeletal muscle. However, the main cause of death is associated with cardiorespiratory failure, and DMD remains an incurable disease. Taking into account a wide range of physiological functions of H2S and recent literature data on its possible protective role in DMD, we focused on the description of the ‘old’ and ‘new’ functions of H2S, especially in muscle pathophysiology. Although the number of studies showing its essential regulatory action in dystrophic muscles is still limited, we propose that H2S-based therapy has the potential to attenuate the progression of DMD and other muscle-related disorders.
Extended tolerance modelling of dynamic problems for thin uniperiodic cylindrical shells
Authors: Tomczyk B. , Gołąbczak M. , Litawska A. , Gołąbczak A.
Published: November 2022

Dynamic problems of thin linearly elastic Kirchhoff–Love-type circular cylindrical shells having geometrical, elastic and inertial properties densely and periodically varying in circumferential direction (uniperiodic shells) are studied. In order to take into account the effect of a cell size on the global dynamic behaviour of such shells (the length-scale effect), a new mathematical averaged non-asymptotic model is formulated. This so-called the general tolerance model is derived by applying a certain extended version of the well-known tolerance modelling technique. Governing equations of this averaged model have constant coefficients depending also on a microstructure size, contrary to the starting exact shell equations with periodic, non-continuous and highly oscillating coefficients (the well-known governing equations of linear Kirchhoff–Love theory of thin elastic cylindrical shells). The effect of a cell size on the transversal free vibrations of an uniperiodic shell strip is studied. It will be shown that within this general tolerance model not only fundamental cell-independent, but also the new additional cell-dependent free vibration frequencies can be derived and analysed. The obtained results will be compared with the corresponding results derived from the knownnon-asymptotic standard tolerance model and from the asymptotic one.
Urban density and COVID-19: understanding the US experience
Authors: Carozzi Felipe , Provenzano Sandro , Roth Sefi
Published: November 2022

This paper revisits the debate around the link between population density and the severity of COVID-19 spread in the USA. We do so by conducting an empirical analysis based on graphical evidence, regression analysis and instrumental variable strategies borrowed from the agglomeration literature. Studying the period between the start of the epidemic and the beginning of the vaccination campaign at the end of 2020, we find that the cross-sectional relationship between density and COVID-19 deaths changed as the year evolved. Initially, denser counties experienced more COVID-19 deaths. Yet, by December, the relationship between COVID deaths and urban density was completely flat. This is consistent with evidence indicating density affected the timing of the outbreak—with denser locations more likely to have an early outbreak—yet had no influence on time-adjusted COVID-19 cases and deaths. Using data from Google, Facebook, the US Census and other sources, we investigate potential mechanisms behind these findings.
Comparative study of error determination of machine tools
Authors: Elmelegy Ahmed , Zahwi Sarwat
Published: November 2022

The increasing demands of highly precise industrial products lead to continuous seeking for the improvements in cabapility of manufacturing machines, i.e., machine tools. Machine tools include different types of manufacturing machines, i.e., turning, lathe, drilling, and milling machines whatever computerized numerical control (CNC) type or manual type. The cabaplity improvement in machine tools requires a real understanding of their productivity, accuracy, and operating parameters, i.e., their geometrical errors. These errors can be accurately identified through measurements with highly accurate measuring instruments. These machine errors have different error sources. The angular errors, horizontal and vertical straightness errors, paralleism errors, and squarness errors are clear examples for these sources. In this work, a comparative study for the determination of machine tools errors is carried out. Two main instruments of laser interferometer system and autocollimator system are used. The geometric errors are identified, measured, and analyzed.
Investigations into the concentration and metabolite profiles of stanozolol and LGD-4033 in blood plasma and seminal fluid using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Breuer Johanna , Thomas Andreas , Delahaut Philippe , Schänzer Wilhelm , Geyer Hans , Thevis Mario
Published: November 2022

Potential scenarios as to the origin of minute amounts of banned substances detected in doping control samples have been a much-discussed problem in anti-doping analysis in recent years. One such debated scenario has been the contamination of female athletes’ urine with ejaculate containing doping agents and/or their metabolites. The aim of this work was to obtain complementary information on whether relevant concentration ranges of doping substances are excreted into the ejaculate and which metabolites can be detected in the seminal fluid (sf) and corresponding blood plasma (bp) samples. A method was established to study the concentration and metabolite profiles of stanozolol and LGD-4033—substances listed under anabolic substances (S1) on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List—in bp and sf using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). For sf and bp, methods for detecting minute amounts of these substances were developed and tested for specificity, recovery, linearity, precision, and reliability. Subsequently, sf and bp samples from an animal administration study, where a boar orally received stanozolol at 0.33 mg/kg and LGD-4033 at 0.11 mg/kg, were measured. The developed assays proved appropriate for the detection of the target substances in both matrices with detection limits between 10 and 40 pg/mL for the unmetabolized drugs in sf and bp, allowing to estimate the concentration of stanozolol in bp (0.02–0.40 ng/mL) and in sf (0.01–0.25 ng/mL) as well as of LGD-4033 in bp (0.21–2.00 ng/mL) and in sf (0.03–0.68 ng/mL) post-administration. In addition, metabolites resulting from different metabolic pathways were identified in sf and bp, with sf resembling a composite of the metabolic profile of bp and urine.

Graphical Abstract
Characterisation of cytotoxicity and immunomodulatory effects of glycolipid biosurfactants on human keratinocytes
Authors: Adu Simms A. , Twigg Matthew S. , Naughton Patrick J. , Marchant Roger , Banat Ibrahim M.
Published: November 2022

Skin irritation and allergic reactions associated with the use of skincare products formulated with synthetically derived surfactants such as sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES) have encouraged the search for naturally derived and biocompatible alternatives. Glycolipid biosurfactants such as sophorolipids (SL) and rhamnolipids (RL) offer a potential alternative to SLES. However, most studies on the bioactive properties of microbial glycolipids were determined using their mixed congeners, resulting in significant inter-study variations. This study aims to compare the effects of highly purified SL (acidic and lactonic) and RL (mono-RL and di-RL) congeners and SLES on a spontaneously transformed human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT cells) to assess glycolipids’ safety for potential skincare applications. Preparations of acidic SL congeners were 100% pure, lactonic SL were 100% pure, mono-RL were 96% pure, and di-RL were 97% pure. Cell viability using XTT assays, cell morphological analyses, and immunoassays revealed that microbial glycolipids have differing effects on HaCaT cells dependent on chemical structure. Compared with SLES, acidic SL and mono-RL have negligible effects on cell viability, cell morphology, and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, at non-inhibitory concentrations, di-RL significantly attenuated IL-8 production and CXCL8 expression while increasing IL-1RA production and IL1RN expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated HaCaT cells. Although further studies would be required, these results demonstrate that as potential innocuous and bioactive compounds, microbial glycolipids could provide a substitute to synthetic surfactants in skincare formulations and perform immunopharmacological roles in topical skin infections such as psoriasis.

Key points

• Purified glycolipid congeners have differing effects on human keratinocytes.

• Compared with SLES, acidic sophorolipids and mono-rhamnolipids have innocuous effects on keratinocytes.

• Di-rhamnolipids and mono-rhamnolipids modulate cytokine production in lipopolysaccharide stimulated human keratinocytes.
Diprenylated cyclodipeptide production by changing the prenylation sequence of the nature’s synthetic machinery
Authors: Li Wen , Coby Lindsay , Zhou Jing , Li Shu-Ming
Published: November 2022

Ascomycetous fungi are often found in agricultural products and foods as contaminants. They produce hazardous mycotoxins for human and animals. On the other hand, the fungal metabolites including mycotoxins are important drug candidates and the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of these compounds are valuable biocatalysts for production of designed compounds. One of the enzyme groups are members of the dimethylallyl tryptophan synthase superfamily, which mainly catalyze prenylations of tryptophan and tryptophan-containing cyclodipeptides (CDPs). Decoration of CDPs in the biosynthesis of multiple prenylated metabolites in nature is usually initiated by regiospecificC2-prenylation at the indole ring, followed by second and third ones as well as by other modifications. However, the strict substrate specificity can prohibit the further prenylation of unnaturalC2-prenylated compounds. To overcome this, we firstly obtainedC4-,C5-,C6-, andC7-prenylatedcyclo-l-Trp-l-Pro. These products were then used as substrates for the promiscuousC2-prenyltransferase EchPT1, which normally uses the unprenylated CDPs as substrates. Four unnatural diprenylatedcyclo-l-Trp-l-Pro including the unique unexpectedN1,C6-diprenylated derivative with significant yields were obtained in this way. Our study provides an excellent example for increasing structural diversity by reprogramming the reaction orders of natural biosynthetic pathways. Furthermore, this is the first report that EchPT1 can also catalyzeN1-prenylation at the indole ring.

Key points

• Prenyltransferases as biocatalysts for unnatural substrates.

• Chemoenzymatic synthesis of designed molecules.

• A cyclodipeptide prenyltransferase as prenylating enzyme of already prenylated products.

Graphical Abstract
Prognostic value of the nutritional risk index in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma
Authors: Zhang Limei , Chen Shuzhao , Huang Mayan , Wang Weida , Liang Yang , Wang Yun
Published: November 2022

The nutritional risk index (NRI), which is based on weight and albumin levels, is closely associated with the prognosis of many cancers. However, its prognostic value has not been investigated in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). We aimed to assess the association between the NRI and survival outcomes in patients with NDMM. We retrospectively collected and analyzed clinical and laboratory data from patients with NDMM between 2005 and 2019 at our center. Patients were stratified into the high NRI (> 89) and low NRI (≤ 89) groups for prognostic analysis. The NRI and other variables were also explored to evaluate their prognostic value for overall survival (OS). A total of 638 patients diagnosed with NDMM were retrospectively included. Patients in the high NRI group had a significantly better median OS than those in the low NRI group (64 months vs 43 months, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, a high NRI was shown to be an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio, 0.758; 95% confidence interval, 0.587–0.977; p = 0.033). Age, performance status, transplant status, and lactate dehydrogenase level were also independent prognostic factors for OS. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the NRI is a simple and useful predictor of survival outcomes in patients with NDMM.
Effect of immunosuppressive medication on postoperative complications following abdominal surgery in Crohn’s disease patients
Authors: Lahes Saleh , Fischer Celine , Spiliotis Antonios E. , Schulz Antje , Gäbelein Gereon , Igna Dorian , Glanemann Matthias
Published: November 2022

Background

Immunosuppressants represent an effective pharmacological treatment for the remission and management of Crohn’s disease (CD); however, it has not been well-defined if these medications are associated with an increased incidence of postoperative complications after intestinal surgery. This retrospective study evaluated the association between immunosuppressive treatment and complications following bowel resection in patients with CD.

Methods

A total of 426 patients with CD who underwent abdominal surgery between 2001 and 2018 were included in the study. The participants were divided into two groups. In the first group, patients were under immunosuppressive treatment at the time of surgical resection, while in the second group, patients had never received pharmacological therapy for CD before surgery.

Results

No statistically significant difference was found in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups. Double or triple immunosuppressive therapy was not associated with increased complications compared to monotherapy or no pharmacological treatment. Preoperative risk factors such as hypoalbuminemia, abscess, fistula, intestinal perforation, long duration of symptoms, and the intraoperative performance of more than one anastomosis were related to increased rates of postoperative complications. Factors affecting the occurrence of postoperative complications in the univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis using a stepwise logistic regression model, and these factors were also related to increased rates of postoperative surgical complications.

Conclusion

Immunosuppressive therapy was not associated with increased rates of postoperative complications following bowel resection in patients with CD.
Lazy Queue Layouts of Posets
Authors: Alam Jawaherul Md. , Bekos Michael A. , Gronemann Martin , Kaufmann Michael , Pupyrev Sergey
Published: November 2022

We investigate the queue number of posets in terms of their width, that is, the maximum number of pairwise incomparable elements. A long-standing conjecture of Heath and Pemmaraju asserts that every poset of width w has queue number at most w. The conjecture has been confirmed for posets of width $$w=2$$

w
=
2

via so-called lazy linear extension. We extend and thoroughly analyze lazy linear extensions for posets of width $$w > 2$$

w
>
2

. Our analysis implies an upper bound of $$(w-1)^2 +1$$

(
w
-
1
)

2

+
1

on the queue number of width-w posets, which is tight for the strategy and yields an improvement over the previously best-known bound. Further, we provide an example of a poset that requires at least $$w+1$$

w
+
1

queues in every linear extension, thereby disproving the conjecture for posets of width $$w > 2$$

w
>
2

.
Nature-based Solutions im Wasserbau – Die Bedeutung natürlicher Prozesse zur Erzielung ökologischer und sozioökonomischer Ziele
Authors: Flödl Peter , Hauer Christoph
Published: November 2022

Fließgewässer sind eines der am stärksten veränderten Ökosysteme weltweit. Anthropogene Veränderungen von Flüssen dienen zur energetischen Nutzung, dem Schutz vor Hochwässern sowie wasserwirtschaftlichen Themen (u. a. Trinkwasserversorgung, Einleiten von Abwässern). Zusätzlich werden die Folgen des Klimawandels immer deutlicher. Für den Schutz und Erhalt der aquatischen Ökologie bedarf es daher neuer Konzepte und Maßnahmen im Wasserbau. Dieser Fachartikel zeigt die Möglichkeiten von Nature-based Solutions für ausgewählte Themenbereiche im (naturnahen) Wasserbau auf. Diese können in Ergänzung zu bekannten Renaturierungs- und Restrukturierungsmaßnahmen gesehen werden. Durch ein vertieftes Prozessverständnis sollen Nature-based Solutions im Wasserbau künftig eine Verbesserung der Ökologie und gesellschaftlichen Anforderungen ermöglichen. Nature-based Solutions haben hierbei den Vorteil, bereits im Planungsprozess sozioökonomische und ökologische Aspekte berücksichtigen zu können.
A social VR-based collaborative exergame for rehabilitation: codesign, development and user study
Authors: Shah Syed Hammad Hussain , Karlsen Anniken Susanne T. , Solberg Mads , Hameed Ibrahim A.
Published: November 2022

Immersive virtual reality (VR)-based exercise video games (exergames) are increasingly being employed as a supportive intervention in rehabilitation programs to promote engagement in physical activity, especially for elderly users. A multifaceted and iterative codesign process is essential to develop sustainable exergaming solutions. The social aspect is considered one of the key motivating factors in exergames; however, research on the social aspect of VR exergames has been limited. Previous studies have relied on competitiveness in exergames, but research has shown that competition can lead to adverse effects on users. With the aim of motivating elderly individuals to participate in physical exercise and improving social connectedness during rehabilitation, this work presents a social VR-based collaborative exergame codesigned with elderly participants and therapists. This exergame stimulates full-body exercise and supports social collaboration among users through a collaborative game task. Furthermore, this article presents a user study based on a mixed-methods approach to gather user feedback on exergame design and the effect of social collaboration versus playing alone in a VR exergame in terms of physical exertion and motivation. This study spanned five weeks (99 exergaming sessions) with 14 elderly participants divided into two groups, one playing collaboratively and the other playing individually. Between-group comparisons were performed at baseline (first week) and in the fourth week, and within-group comparisons were performed in the fifth week, when the participants played the exergame in counterbalanced order. In contrast to the first week, the participants exergaming collaboratively in the fourth week reported significantly higher intrinsic motivation on all subscales (enjoyment: p < 0.02, effort: p < 0.002, usefulness: p < 0.01) and physical exertion (p < 0.001) than those playing alone. Thereafter, exergaming in counterbalanced order during the fifth week resulted in significant differences (medium to large effect size) within groups. The participants found the social VR gameplay enjoyable and agreed that collaboration played a vital role in their motivation. They reported various health benefits, a minimal increase in symptoms of simulator sickness, and excellent usability scores (83.75±13.3). In this work, we also identify various key design principles to support healthcare professionals, researchers and industrial experts in developing ergonomic and sustainable VR-based exergames for senior citizens.
Flow simulation-based particle swarm optimization for developing improved hemolysis models
Authors: Torner B. , Frank D. , Grundmann S. , Wurm F.-H.
Published: November 2022

The improvement and development of blood-contacting devices, such as mechanical circulatory support systems, is a life saving endeavor. These devices must be designed in such a way that they ensure the highest hemocompatibility. Therefore, in-silico trials (flow simulations) offer a quick and cost-effective way to analyze and optimize the hemocompatibility and performance of medical devices. In that regard, the prediction of blood trauma, such as hemolysis, is the key element to ensure the hemocompatibility of a device. But, despite decades of research related to numerical hemolysis models, their accuracy and reliability leaves much to be desired. This study proposes a novel optimization path, which is capable of improving existing models and aid in the development of future hemolysis models. First, flow simulations of three, turbulent blood flow test cases (capillary tube, FDA nozzle, FDA pump) were performed and hemolysis was numerically predicted by the widely-applied stress-based hemolysis models. Afterward, a multiple-objective particles swarm optimization (MOPSO) was performed to tie the physiological stresses of the simulated flow field to the measured hemolysis using an equivalent of over one million numerically determined hemolysis predictions. The results show that our optimization is capable of improving upon existing hemolysis models. However, it also unveils some deficiencies and limits of hemolysis prediction with stress-based models, which will need to be addressed in order to improve its reliability.
Understanding hepatitis B vaccination willingness in the adult population in Indonesia: a survey among outpatient and healthcare workers in community health centers
Authors: Machmud Putri Bungsu , Mikolajczyk Rafael , Gottschick Cornelia
Published: November 2022

Aim

This study aimed to assess factors associated with the willingness to be vaccinated against hepatitis B among Indonesia’s adult population, considering cultural and geographic differences by analysing the two provinces of Aceh and Yogyakarta.

Subject and methods

An institution-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in 16 community health centres. A multivariable logistic regression model stratified by province was employed to assess variables associated with the willingness to receive hepatitis B vaccination.

Results

We found that participants from Yogyakarta more often had a higher knowledge and risk perception of hepatitis B and were more often willing to get vaccinated than participants from Aceh. We also found that a high-risk perception of hepatitis B infection was associated with the willingness to be vaccinated against hepatitis B in participants from both Aceh and Yogyakarta. Furthermore, in Yogyakarta, a fair and high knowledge of hepatitis B infection and vaccination, being female, and having health insurance covering hepatitis B vaccination costs were associated with the willingness to be vaccinated. In Aceh, health care workers in high-risk units for hepatitis B had a higher willingness to be vaccinated than those who were not high-risk health care workers.

Conclusion

Given the different factors associated with the willingness to be vaccinated against hepatitis B in Aceh and Yogyakarta, this study also highlights the need of a locally adjusted, culture-based approach to improve the hepatitis B vaccination programme.
Creatively Destructive Hurricanes: Do Disasters Spark Innovation?
Authors: Noy Ilan , Strobl Eric
Published: November 2022

We investigate whether disasters can lead to innovation. We construct a US county-level panel of hurricane damages using climate data, hurricane tracks, and a wind field model and match these to patent applications by the location of their inventor over the last century in the United States. We examine both general innovation and patents that explicitly mention the terms ’hurricane’ or ’storm.’ In line with the current literature that hypothesizes innovative activity driven by shocks, in particular innovation intended to mitigate future shocks, we find that hurricanes lead to temporary boost in damage-mitigating patents a few years after the event. However, we also show there is long-term, lasting over two decades, general reduction of innovation after a damaging storm. We conclude that hurricanes, and possibly other types of disasters, cannot be viewed as a ’benefit in disguise,’ and that these events are unlikely to generate longer-term beneficial dynamics in an adversely affected location.
From perception to the Digital World: phenomenological observations
Authors: Taddio Luca
Published: November 2022

This article is based on Gibson’s “experimental phenomenology” and ecological perspective. It aims to develop Merleau-Ponty’s concept of “incarnate” by relating it to the more general concept of “illusion” in order to apply it to digital environments and immersive virtual realities. First of all, we should clarify, from a phenomenological point of view, the notion of “world.” Although the concept of “world” is closely linked to that of “reality,” it cannot be superimposed on it. We will analyze this distinction by focusing on specific cases of optical-geometric illusions and their ontological and epistemological implications. We will then extend them from the natural to the digital world.
Citizen Science: Schoolteachers’ Motivation, Experiences, and Recommendations
Authors: Aristeidou Maria , Lorke Julia , Ismail Nashwa
Published: November 2022

Citizen science offers teachers a way to bring authentic scientific research into their classrooms by providing both teachers and their students with opportunities to contribute to authentic research. The potential of citizen science for science education has already been highlighted in various fields and by various stakeholders. More and more studies underpin this potential by providing evidence for the learning outcomes achieved through participation in citizen science projects. In formal education settings, teachers are the gatekeepers for teaching innovations and, hence, the ones who decide whether to engage students in citizen science. However, the expertise of teachers who have already participated in citizen science with their students has not been studied on a broad international level. Therefore, to investigate their experience and learn from their expertise, this study employed a concurrent triangulation design and invited teachers to participate in a survey (N = 56) and an interview (N = 11), independent of their country of residence, their school type, and their teaching subject. The results provide insights into teachers’ motivation, the engagement techniques and types of activities they used, the challenges they faced, and their recommendations for implementing citizen science in formal education settings. The present findings have important implications for the design of professional development programmes and support networks for teachers in citizen science.
Toys as Teachers: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Object Use and Enskillment in Hunter–Gatherer Societies
Authors: Riede Felix , Lew-Levy Sheina , Johannsen Niels N. , Lavi Noa , Andersen Marc Malmdorf
Published: November 2022

Studies of cultural transmission—whether approached by archaeological or ethnographic means—have made great strides in identifying formal teaching and learning arrangements, which in turn can be closely aligned with models of social learning. While novices and apprentices are often in focus in such studies, younger children and their engagement with material culture have received less attention. Against the backdrop of a cross-cultural database of ethnographically documented object use and play in 54 globally distributed foraging communities, we here discuss the ways in which children make and use tools and toys. We provide a cross-cultural inventory of objects made for and by hunter–gatherer children and adolescents. We find that child and adolescent objects are linked to adult material culture, albeit not exclusively so. Toys and tools were primarily handled outside of explicit pedagogical contexts, and there is little evidence for formalised apprenticeships. Our data suggests that children’s self-directed interactions with objects, especially during play, has a critical role in early-age enskillment. Placed within a niche construction framework, we combine ethnographic perspectives on object play with archaeological evidence for play objects to offer an improved cross-cultural frame of reference for how social learning varies across early human life history and what role material culture may play in this process. While our analysis improves the systematic understanding of the role and relevance of play objects among hunter–gatherer societies, we also make the case for more detailed studies of play objects in the context of ethnographic, archival and archaeological cultural transmission research.
Bregman Three-Operator Splitting Methods
Authors: Jiang Xin , Vandenberghe Lieven
Published: November 2022

The paper presents primal–dual proximal splitting methods for convex optimization, in which generalized Bregman distances are used to define the primal and dual proximal update steps. The methods extend the primal and dual Condat–Vũ algorithms and the primal–dual three-operator (PD3O) algorithm. The Bregman extensions of the Condat–Vũ algorithms are derived from the Bregman proximal point method applied to a monotone inclusion problem. Based on this interpretation, a unified framework for the convergence analysis of the two methods is presented. We also introduce a line search procedure for stepsize selection in the Bregman dual Condat–Vũ algorithm applied to equality-constrained problems. Finally, we propose a Bregman extension of PD3O and analyze its convergence.
Intimacy, Anonymity, and “Care with Nothing in the Way” on an Abortion Hotline
Authors: Karlin Jennifer , Hodge Caroline C.
Published: November 2022

This essay is an ethnographic account of a volunteer, anonymous hotline of physicians and advanced practice providers who offer medical advice and guidance to those who are taking medications on their own to end their pregnancies. Attending to the phenomenology of caring on the Hotline reveals a new form of medical expertise at play, which we call “care with nothing in the way.” By operating outside the State’s scrutiny of abortion provision, the Hotline offers its volunteers a way to practice abortion care that aligns with their professional and political commitments and that distances them from the direct harm they see caused by the political, financial, and bureaucratic constraints of their clinical work. By delineating the structure of this new regime of care, these providers call into question the notion of the “good doctor.” They radically re-frame widely shared assumptions about the tenets of the ideal patient–doctor relationship and engender a new form of intimacy–one based, ironically, out of anonymity and not the familiarity that is often idealized in the caregiving relationship. We suggest the implications of “care with nothing in the way” are urgent, not only in the context of increasing hostility to abortion rights, but also for a culture of medicine plagued by physician burnout.
Bispectrality of $$AG_2$$ Calogero–Moser–Sutherland System
Authors: Feigin Misha , Vrabec Martin
Published: November 2022

We consider the generalised Calogero–Moser–Sutherland quantum integrable system associated to the configuration of vectors $$AG_2$$

A

G
2

, which is a union of the root systems $$A_2$$

A
2

and $$G_2$$

G
2

. We establish the existence of and construct a suitably defined Baker–Akhiezer function for the system, and we show that it satisfies bispectrality. We also find two corresponding dual difference operators of rational Macdonald–Ruijsenaars type in an explicit form.
ESPRIT versus ESPIRA for reconstruction of short cosine sums and its application
Authors: Derevianko Nadiia , Plonka Gerlind , Razavi Raha
Published: November 2022

In this paper we introduce two algorithms for stable approximation with and recovery of short cosine sums. The used signal model contains cosine terms with arbitrary real positive frequency parameters and therefore strongly generalizes usual Fourier sums. The proposed methods both employ a set of equidistant signal values as input data. The ESPRIT method for cosine sums is a Prony-like method and applies matrix pencils of Toeplitz + Hankel matrices while the ESPIRA method is based on rational approximation of DCT data and can be understood as a matrix pencil method for special Loewner matrices. Compared to known numerical methods for recovery of exponential sums, the design of the considered new algorithms directly exploits the special real structure of the signal model and therefore usually provides real parameter estimates for noisy input data, while the known general recovery algorithms for complex exponential sums tend to yield complex parameters in this case.
Institutional coordination arrangements as elements of policy design spaces: insights from climate policy
Authors: von Lüpke Heiner , Leopold Lucas , Tosun Jale
Published: November 2022

This study offers insights into the institutional arrangements established to coordinate policies aiming at the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. Drawing on the literature on policy design, we highlight institutional arrangements as elements of policy design spaces and contend that they fall into four categories that either stress the political or problem orientation of this activity: optimal, technical, political, and sub-optimal. We use original data on 44 major economies and greenhouse gas-emitting countries to test this expectation. These data capture various properties of national coordination arrangements, including the types of coordination instruments in place, the degree of hierarchy, the lead government agency responsible for coordination, and the scope of cross-sectoral policy coordination. The dataset also captures the degree to which non-state actors are involved in coordination and whether coordination processes are supported by scientific knowledge. Using cluster analysis, we show that the institutional arrangements for the horizontal coordination of climate policy do indeed fall into the four above-mentioned categories. The cluster analysis further reveals that a fifth, hybrid category exists. Interestingly, the political orientation dominates in the institutional arrangements for the horizontal coordination of climate change mitigation, whereas the problem orientation is more important in the arrangements for the horizontal coordination of climate change adaptation.
Effect of replacing soybean meal (Glycine max) with sesame meal (Sesamum indicum) on productive traits, carcass characteristics, and gross profit margin in fattening lamb’s diets
Authors: Pérez-Trejo Eleazar , Andrade-Montemayor Héctor M. , Robles-Jimenez Lizbeth E. , Humarán María Concepción Méndez Gómez , Orozco-Estrada Elba , Hernández-Hernandez Jesús , Vargas-Bello-Pérez Einar , Gonzalez-Ronquillo Manuel
Published: November 2022

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of replacing soybean meal (Glycine max) with sesame meal (Sesamum indicum) on productive traits, carcass characteristics, and gross profit margin (GMP) in fattening lamb’s diets. For this, 42 Katahdin lambs were divided into three treatments in duplicate: basal diet + soybean meal (100S), basal diet + sesame meal/soybean meal (50/50SA), and basal diet + sesame meal (100A). Dry matter intake, daily weight gain (DWG), total kg gained (KgT), feed conversion (FC), and feed efficiency (FE) were evaluated; upon reaching the weight for sale, the animals were slaughtered, and hot carcass weight (HCW) was evaluated. The results were analyzed with a completely randomized design with repeated measures. Regarding time, no differences were found between treatments, for DWG (0.171 ± 0.006 kg/d), FC (6.7 ± 0.55), FE (0.175 ± 0.02), KgT (2.86 ± 0.13 kg), HCW (50.97 ± 0.79 kg), as well as for chest depth (26.96 ± 0.33 cm), leg width (20.63 ± 0.028 cm), leg diameter (60.7 ± 0.44 cm), and ribs width (24.05 ± 0.14 cm). GPM was 16.50%, 18.63%, and 19.97% for 100S, 50/50SA, and 100A, respectively. Overall, in fatting lamb diets, replacing soybean meal with sesame meal by either 50% or 100% substitution could be a feasible feeding strategy as in both cases, gross profit was increased, and no negative effects were found for productive traits and carcass quality.
Negotiating State-Civil Society Relations in Turkey: The Case of Refugee-Supporting Organizations
Authors: Kayali Nihal
Published: November 2022

How do nonstate organizations carry out their programs in political contexts hostile to civil society activity? This paper examines the case of refugee-supporting organizations in Turkey, which hosts over 3.6 million Syrians under a temporary protection regime. While the Turkish state has taken a central role in refugee reception, nonstate organizations have played a sizeable role in refugee support. Analyzing interviews with key personnel across 23 organizations in Istanbul, the paper finds that organizational capacity and organizational identity together explain variations in CSO-state relations. While high-capacity organizations that adopt a variety of “rights-based” and “needs-based” identities will cooperate with state institutions, lower-capacity organizations use comparable signifiers to justify selective engagement or avoidance of state institutions. The paper argues that analyzing how organizations negotiate their identities can help explain variations in CSO-state relations in restrictive contexts without relying on a priori assumptions about CSO alignment with or opposition to the state.
Shame and Blame in Gambling: Relationship with Emotion Regulation and Gambling Motives
Authors: Estévez Ana , Momeñe Janire , Jauregui Paula , Etxaburu Nerea
Published: November 2022

Gambling disorder is a problem that is affecting increasingly more people. It is associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, gambling motives, blame, and shame. This study aims to study the relationship between gambling severity, blame, and shame, independently and together with emotion regulation and gambling motives; to analyse the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between gambling severity and shame; and to compare mean differences in the study variables according to the sample group. For this purpose, a clinical and non-clinical sample of 158 individuals (119 males and 39 females) ranging in age from 12 to 30 years (M = 19.70, SD = 5.35) was divided into three groups. The questionnaires were administered online and on paper. The results showed that blame and shame are related to the severity of gambling. In the case of shame, this relationship was found to be partially mediated by the emotion regulation strategy of self-blame. Gambling severity, blame and shame were also found to be related to various gambling motives and different emotion regulation strategies. All this information can be of great use in the prevention and treatment of gambling problems.
Two new root endophyte and nematode cyst parasite species of the widely distributed genus Laburnicola
Authors: Knapp Dániel G. , Akhmetova Galiya K. , Kovács Gábor M. , Dababat Abdelfattah A. , Maier Wolfgang , Ashrafi Samad
Published: November 2022

Fungal root endophytes, including the common form group of dark septate endophytes (DSEs), represent different taxonomic groups with potentially diverse life strategies. During surveys of DSE communities and of nematode cysts colonizing fungi, isolates representing Laburnicola (Didymosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales) lineages were discovered. Here we carried out a comprehensive study of the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of fungi collected from plant roots in Hungary, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan and from eggs of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi in Turkey. In addition to the study of the morphology and culture characteristics of the strains, four loci (internal transcribed spacer, partial large and small subunit regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha) were used to infer the molecular phylogenetic relationships of the strains within Laburnicola. The isolates were found to represent two distinct lineages, which are described here as novel species, Laburnicola nematophila and L. radiciphila. The interaction of the strains with plants and nematodes was examined using in vitro bioassays, which revealed endophytic interactions with the plant roots and parasitic interactions with the nematode eggs. Analyses of similar ITS sequences found in public databases revealed that members of the genus Laburnicola are widely distributed characteristic members of the plant microbiome, and they are reported as parasites of plant parasitic cyst nematodes here for the first time.
Application of 123I-MIBG myocardial maximum standardized uptake value to characterize cardiac function in patients with pheochromocytoma: comparison with echocardiography
Authors: Nakajo Masatoyo , Horizoe Yoshihisa , Kawaji Kodai , Jinguji Megumi , Tani Atsushi , Fukukura Yoshihiko , Ohishi Mitsuru , Yoshiura Takashi
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study examined the usefulness of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of myocardial [123I]-metaiodobenzylguanidine ([123I]-MIBG) to characterize myocardial function by comparing it with echocardiographic parameters in patients with pheochromocytoma.

Materials and methods

This study included 18 patients with pheochromocytoma who underwent both planar and [123I]-MIBG single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography scans and echocardiography before surgery. Myocardial [123I]-MIBG visibility and SUVmax were compared with echocardiographic parameters related to systolic and diastolic functions. The Mann–Whitney U test, Fisher exact test, or Spearman rank correlation assessed differences or relationships between two quantitative variables.

Results

On visual analysis, 6 patients showed normal myocardial [123I]-MIBG uptake, whereas 12 patients showed decreased myocardial [123I]-MIBG uptake. No patients showed systolic dysfunction. A significant difference was observed in the incidence of diastolic dysfunction between the groups with normal and decreased uptake (p = 0.009), and left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction was observed in 9 (75%) of 12 patients with decreased myocardial uptake. The myocardial SUVmax was significantly lower in 9 patients with LV diastolic dysfunction than in 9 patients with normal cardiac function (1.67 ± 0.37 vs. 3.03 ± 1.38, p = 0.047). Myocardial SUVmax was positively correlated with septal e′ (early diastolic velocity of septal mitral annulus) (ρ = 0.51, p = 0.031) and negatively correlated with the septal E/e′ ratio (early mitral E-velocity to early diastolic velocity of septal mitral annulus; ρ =  − 0.64, p = 0.004), respectively.

Conclusions

LV diastolic dysfunction was inversely related to myocardial [123I]-MIBG uptake. Myocardial [123I]-MIBG SUVmax may be useful for characterizing cardiac function in patients with pheochromocytoma.

Second abstract.

The semiquantitative analysis using the myocardial SUVmax in 123I-MIBG SPECT/CT was found to be potentially useful for characterizing cardiac function in patients with pheochromocytoma.