bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mikrobiom als natürlicher Schutzfaktor
Authors: Bosch Thomas C. G.
Published: June 2021

Hintergrund

Eine neue Generation von Technologien deckt eine große Zahl von Mikroorganismen auf, die mit der Haut in einer engen und oft funktionellen Beziehung stehen. Störungen dieser Partnerschaft haben erhebliche Konsequenzen. Seit Jahrzehnten schreitet die Verarmung des Mikrobioms im Zuge eines modernen, globalisierten Lebensstils voran. Bei der Aufrechterhaltung der Gesundheit sind neben den genetischen Aspekten auch die auf der Haut und anderen Organen lebenden Mikroben zu berücksichtigen. Alle Epithelien einschließlich der Haut sind mit einer Vielzahl von Mikroben besiedelt.

Fragestellung

Betrachtet wird die Funktion des Mikrobioms in der Haut und anderen Organen.

Material und Methode

Es erfolgt eine Diskussion von Grundlagenarbeiten.

Ergebnisse

Das Mikrobiom der Haut ist für die Aufrechterhaltung der Gesundheit von großer Bedeutung.

Schlussfolgerungen

Wir brauchen das Verständnis unseres Körpers als multiorganismischer Metaorganismus, um intelligent auf die Herausforderungen einer sich immer rascher ändernden Umwelt reagieren zu können.
COVID-19: a crisis of the female self-employed
Authors: Graeber Daniel , Kritikos Alexander S. , Seebauer Johannes
Published: June 2021

We investigate how the economic consequences of the pandemic and the government-mandated measures to contain its spread affect the self-employed — particularly women — in Germany. For our analysis, we use representative, real-time survey data in which respondents were asked about their situation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings indicate that among the self-employed, who generally face a higher likelihood of income losses due to COVID-19 than employees, women are about one-third more likely to experience income losses than their male counterparts. We do not find a comparable gender gap among employees. Our results further suggest that the gender gap among the self-employed is largely explained by the fact that women disproportionately work in industries that are more severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis of potential mechanisms reveals that women are significantly more likely to be impacted by government-imposed restrictions, e.g., the regulation of opening hours. We conclude that future policy measures intending to mitigate the consequences of such shocks should account for this considerable variation in economic hardship.
Physiological MRI of microvascular architecture, neovascularization activity, and oxygen metabolism facilitate early recurrence detection in patients with IDH-mutant WHO grade 3 glioma
Authors: Stadlbauer Andreas , Heinz Gertraud , Oberndorfer Stefan , Zimmermann Max , Kinfe Thomas M. , Buchfelder Michael , Dörfler Arnd , Kremenevski Natalia , Marhold Franz
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aimed to determine the diagnostic performance of physiological MRI biomarkers including microvascular perfusion and architecture, neovascularization activity, tissue oxygen metabolism, and tension for recurrence detection of IDH-mutant WHO grade 3 glioma.

Methods

Sixty patients with IDH-mutant WHO grade 3 glioma who received overall 288 follow-up MRI examinations at 3 Tesla after standard treatment were retrospectively evaluated. A conventional MRI protocol was extended with a physiological MRI approach including vascular architecture mapping and quantitative blood-oxygen-level-dependent imaging which required 7 min extra data acquisition time. Custom-made MATLAB software was used for the calculation of MRI biomarker maps of microvascular perfusion and architecture, neovascularization activity, tissue oxygen metabolism, and tension. Statistical procedures included receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results

Overall, 34 patients showed recurrence of the WHO grade 3 glioma; of these, in 15 patients, recurrence was detected one follow-up examination (averaged 160 days) earlier by physiological MRI data than by conventional MRI. During this time period, the tumor volume increased significantly (P = 0.001) on average 7.4-fold from 1.5 to 11.1 cm3. Quantitative analysis of MRI biomarkers demonstrated microvascular but no macrovascular hyperperfusion in early recurrence. Neovascularization activity (AUC = 0.833), microvascular perfusion (0.682), and oxygen metabolism (0.661) showed higher diagnostic performance for early recurrence detection of WHO grade 3 glioma compared to conventional MRI including cerebral blood volume (0.649).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the targeted assessment of microvascular features and tissue oxygen tension as an early sign of neovascularization activity provided valuable information for recurrence diagnostic of WHO grade 3 glioma.
Clinicopathological Significance of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Located in the Isthmus: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Lyu Young Sang , Pyo Jung Soo , Cho Won Jin , Kim Sang Yong , Kim Jin Hwa
Published: June 2021

Background

The thyroid isthmus is located directly anterior to the trachea and is covered by the strap muscles. Several studies have suggested that papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in the isthmus is more aggressive and is associated with a poor prognosis. The purpose of this meta‐analysis was to assess the clinicopathological characteristics and recurrence rates of PTC in the isthmus compared to PTC at other sites.

Methods

Relevant articles were obtained by searching the PubMed database. A meta‐analysis was performed using 11 eligible studies.

Results

The rate of extrathyroidal extension was 0.502 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.239–0.764) and 0.454 (95% CI: 0.331–0.582) for isthmus PTC and PTC at other site, respectively; however, the difference in the rates was not statistically significant. Lymphovascular invasion did not significantly differ between isthmus PTC (0.179 [95% CI: 0.102–0.297]) and PTC at other sites (0.114 [95% CI: 0.066–0.188]). The rate of central lymph node (LN) metastasis was significantly higher in isthmus PTC (0.527 [95% CI: 0.435–0.617]) than in PTC at other sites (0.352 [95% CI: 0.280–0.432]). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of lateral cervical LN metastasis rate. Isthmus PTC was more likely to have a prominent recurrence rate (0.046 [95% CI: 0.022–0.094]) than PTC at other sites (0.010 [95% CI: 0.001–0.070]); however, the difference was not statistically significant (because of the small number of included studies).

Conclusions

The results of this meta‐analysis indicated that isthmus PTC was associated with an increased risk of central LN metastasis. Isthmus PTC seems to have a slightly higher recurrence rate than PTC at other sites. Therefore, considering the potential of the isthmus location as an unfavorable factor, more attention should be focused on isthmus PTC, and a more aggressive approach such as prophylactic central LN dissection might provide better outcomes in PTC management.
Rückenschmerz: ein Phänomen des Alters?
Authors: Stueckle Christoph Alexander , Talarczyk Sarah , Stueckle Kerstin Frauke , Beisenherz Christian , Haage Patrick
Published: June 2021

Hintergrund

Unter der Vorstellung, dass ein gewisses Maß an Degeneration im Alter normal ist, sollten die Veränderungen erkannt werden, die signifikant zu Beschwerden führen. Es sollte sichergestellt werden, dass der geriatrische Patient adäquat behandelt wird und schnell wieder in sein normales, schmerzfreies Leben zurückfinden kann.

Methodik

Durchgeführt wurde eine prospektive Untersuchung an symptomatischen Patienten, die zu einer MR-Untersuchung der Wirbelsäule kamen. Es wurden das Vorliegen einer Spinalkanalstenose, osteochondrotische und spondylarthrotische Veränderungen sowie Nervenwurzelaffektionen beurteilt. In einem Kurzinterview wurden die Beeinträchtigungen im Alltag, Dauer der Beschwerden bis zur Kontaktaufnahme mit dem Arzt und daraus resultierende Beeinträchtigungen erhoben. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit dem Alter, der Gruppe der Patienten unter und über 65 Lebensjahre sowie mit dem Schmerzscore korreliert.

Ergebnisse

Das Alter ist signifikant positiv korreliert mit der Facettengelenkarthrose, spinaler Einengung, osteochondrotischen Veränderungen und der intraforaminalen Nervenwurzelaffektion. Es zeigt sich keine signifikante Korrelation zwischen Schmerzscore und Lebensalter.

Der Schmerzscore zeigt eine signifikante Korrelation für die Nervenwurzelaffektion, Facettengelenkarthrose und spinale Enge. Die Schmerzdauer ist beim älteren Patienten signifikant kürzer, bis er den behandelnden Arzt aufsucht, während die Beeinträchtigungen im Alltag signifikant stärker ausgeprägt sind.

Schlussfolgerung

Das Alter selbst ist nicht mit Schmerzempfinden korreliert. Isolierte Merkmale wie Nervenwurzelaffektion und Facettengelenkarthrose zeigen eine positive Korrelation zum Schmerz. Der ältere Patient geht schneller zum Arzt, da er den Rückenschmerz als Einschränkung seines täglichen Lebens empfindet.
The subcellular arrangement of alpha-synuclein proteoforms in the Parkinson’s disease brain as revealed by multicolor STED microscopy
Authors: Moors Tim E. , Maat Christina A. , Niedieker Daniel , Mona Daniel , Petersen Dennis , Timmermans-Huisman Evelien , Kole Jeroen , El-Mashtoly Samir F. , Spycher Liz , Zago Wagner , Barbour Robin , Mundigl Olaf , Kaluza Klaus , Huber Sylwia , Hug Melanie N. , Kremer Thomas , Ritter Mirko , Dziadek Sebastian , Geurts Jeroen J. G. , Gerwert Klaus , Britschgi Markus , van de Berg Wilma D. J.
Published: June 2021

Various post-translationally modified (PTM) proteoforms of alpha-synuclein (aSyn)—including C-terminally truncated (CTT) and Serine 129 phosphorylated (Ser129-p) aSyn—accumulate in Lewy bodies (LBs) in different regions of the Parkinson’s disease (PD) brain. Insight into the distribution of these proteoforms within LBs and subcellular compartments may aid in understanding the orchestration of Lewy pathology in PD. We applied epitope-specific antibodies against CTT and Ser129-p aSyn proteoforms and different aSyn domains in immunohistochemical multiple labelings on post-mortem brain tissue from PD patients and non-neurological, aged controls, which were scanned using high-resolution 3D multicolor confocal and stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy. Our multiple labeling setup highlighted a consistent onion skin-type 3D architecture in mature nigral LBs in which an intricate and structured-appearing framework of Ser129-p aSyn and cytoskeletal elements encapsulates a core enriched in CTT aSyn species. By label-free CARS microscopy we found that enrichments of proteins and lipids were mainly localized to the central portion of nigral aSyn-immunopositive (aSyn+) inclusions. Outside LBs, we observed that 122CTT aSyn+ punctae localized at mitochondrial membranes in the cytoplasm of neurons in PD and control brains, suggesting a physiological role for 122CTT aSyn outside of LBs. In contrast, very limited to no Ser129-p aSyn immunoreactivity was observed in brains of non-neurological controls, while the alignment of Ser129-p aSyn in a neuronal cytoplasmic network was characteristic for brains with (incidental) LB disease. Interestingly, Ser129-p aSyn+ network profiles were not only observed in neurons containing LBs but also in neurons without LBs particularly in donors at early disease stage, pointing towards a possible subcellular pathological phenotype preceding LB formation. Together, our high-resolution and 3D multicolor microscopy observations in the post-mortem human brain provide insights into potential mechanisms underlying a regulated LB morphogenesis.
Hybrid dynamics of multi-species resource exploitation
Authors: Radi Davide , Lamantia Fabio , Tichý Tomáš
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we analyze a bio-economic model of exploitation of renewable commercial resources. To take into account the typically continuous-time modeling of biological species and, instead, of the specialized harvesting activities, which by its nature cannot change continuously, the resulting dynamic system is of the hybrid type, i.e. continuous for biological variables and discrete for the economic ones. Through a discretization of the continuous variables, the problem is then reformulated by means of a three-dimensional map. Of this map, we study the dynamic properties to understand how economic parameters influence the long-run availability of resources.
Effect of Pt Particle Size and Phosphorous Addition on Furfural Hydrogenation Over Pt/Al2O3
Authors: Agote-Arán Miren , Alijani Shahram , Coffano Chiara , Villa Alberto , Ferri Davide
Published: June 2021

Pt/Al2O3 catalysts with different Pt particle sizes and after phosphorous deposition were studied for liquid phase catalysed furfural hydrogenation. The activity and selectivity were related to various physico-chemical properties studied by scanning transmission electron microscopy, N2 physisorption, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance, diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy. The results indicate that the large particles obtained upon calcination of 1 wt% Pt/Al2O3 at 600 °C exhibited higher turnover frequency per surface Pt; nonetheless, the overall activity decreased due to the loss of surface Pt upon sintering. While in certain cases phosphorous can act as promoter, the addition of this element to Pt/Al2O3 resulted in catalyst poisoning, which was ascribed to Pt encapsulation/blockage effects related to formation of AlPO4. Finally, gradual deactivation of Pt/Al2O3 was observed over five consecutive catalytic cycles which was caused by Pt sintering (from 0.6 to 2.0 nm) as well as by irreversible adsorption of organic reaction intermediates.

Graphic Abstract
A co-cultivation process of Nannochloropsis oculata and Tisochrysis lutea induces morpho-physiological and biochemical variations potentially useful for biotechnological purposes
Authors: Maglie Michele , Baldisserotto Costanza , Guerrini Alessandra , Sabia Alessandra , Ferroni Lorenzo , Pancaldi Simonetta
Published: June 2021

The biotechnological potential of microalgae has gained considerable importance in many applied fields: biomass production for food and feed, cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical products, energy and phytoremediation. The driving force that inspires the progress in microalgae production is the need for new cultivation systems to obtain simultaneously the maximum yield, reduction of water and nutrients use, and production of economically interesting molecules, such as pigments, fatty acids and polysaccharides. We aim to test, for the first time, the co-cultivation in saline medium of Tisochrysis lutea (Haptophyta) and Nannochloropsis oculata (Ochrophyta) to obtain valuable compounds, i.e. pigments and lipids characteristic of each species, using a single culture process. Mono-cultures of each strain were used as controls. The two strains showed an increase in the concentration of chlorophylls and carotenoids in co-culture. At the end of the experiment, the fatty acid profile was analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The lipids in the co-cultivated cell extracts were mainly attributable to N. oculata, which represented 97% of the total cells (ca. 83% of the total biomass) at the end of the experiment. Nevertheless, the ω-3 characteristic of T. lutea (DHA and SDA, absent in N. oculata) was also detectable. Although the co-cultivation of these two phylogenetically different species of microalgae did not show positive effects on the growth and on the total lipid production, however, this process resulted in a reduction of the production costs and a lower consumption of water and nutrients.
Human-centred design in industry 4.0: case study review and opportunities for future research
Authors: Nguyen Ngoc Hien , Lasa Ganix , Iriarte Ion
Published: June 2021

The transition to industry 4.0 has impacted factories, but it also affects the entire value chain. In this sense, human-centred factors play a core role in transitioning to sustainable manufacturing processes and consumption. The awareness of human roles in Industry 4.0 is increasing, as evidenced by active work in developing methods, exploring influencing factors, and proving the effectiveness of design oriented to humans. However, numerous studies have been brought into existence but then disconnected from other studies. As a consequence, these studies in industry and research alike are not regularly adopted, and the network of studies is seemingly broad and expands without forming a coherent structure. This study is a unique attempt to bridge the gap through the literature characteristics and lessons learnt derived from a collection of case studies regarding human-centred design (HCD) in the context of Industry 4.0. This objective is achieved by a well-rounded systematic literature review whose special unit of analysis is given to the case studies, delivering contributions in three ways: (1) providing an insight into how the literature has evolved through the cross-disciplinary lens; (2) identifying what research themes associated with design methods are emerging in the field; (3) and setting the research agenda in the context of HCD in Industry 4.0, taking into account the lessons learnt, as uncovered by the in-depth review of case studies.
Public space as a medium for emerging governance networks in post-privatised large housing estates in Tartu and Vilnius
Authors: Pirrus Johanna , Leetmaa Kadri
Published: June 2021

In most post-socialist cities modernist mass housing comprises a remarkable share of urban housing with a substantial population living there. Therefore, socialist large housing estates (LHEs) have been a fruitful source for research to gather systematic knowledge concerning segregation and housing preferences. Less is known, however, of contemporary LHE-related urban policies and planning interventions. This study asks how in the post-privatisation era, when former governance structures had disappeared, did new urban governance arrangements related to LHEs begin to emerge. We take a closer look at two LHE areas in post-Soviet cities: Annelinn (Tartu, Estonia) and Žirmunai Triangle (Vilnius, Lithuania). The research is based on expert interviews and document analysis exploring the formation of governance networks in both cities since the 2000s and the rationale behind recent planning initiatives. A common new spatial expectation for housing estates’ residents and contemporary urban planners seems to be a perceptible differentiation of the public, semi-public and private spaces, instead of the former modernist concept of free planning and large open areas between buildings. As the heightened planning interest came at a time when European cohesion measures supported urban budgets, it also has led to tangible investments, and builds the consensus that the public sector should return to post-privatised LHEs. We argue that public space has been a great medium for modern governance networks and bringing LHEs back to the urban agenda in post-socialist cities and that the lessons learned in the post-socialist context provide an insight for the wider global marketization debate.
A parameter-less algorithm for tensor co-clustering
Authors: Battaglia Elena , Pensa Ruggero G.
Published: June 2021

The majority of the data produced by human activities and modern cyber-physical systems involve complex relations among their features. Such relations can be often represented by means of tensors, which can be viewed as generalization of matrices and, as such, can be analyzed by using higher-order extensions of existing machine learning methods, such as clustering and co-clustering. Tensor co-clustering, in particular, has been proven useful in many applications, due to its ability of coping with n-modal data and sparsity. However, setting up a co-clustering algorithm properly requires the specification of the desired number of clusters for each mode as input parameters. This choice is already difficult in relatively easy settings, like flat clustering on data matrices, but on tensors it could be even more frustrating. To face this issue, we propose a new tensor co-clustering algorithm that does not require the number of desired co-clusters as input, as it optimizes an objective function based on a measure of association across discrete random variables (called Goodman and Kruskal’s $$\tau$$
τ
) that is not affected by their cardinality. We introduce different optimization schemes and show their theoretical and empirical convergence properties. Additionally, we show the effectiveness of our algorithm on both synthetic and real-world datasets, also in comparison with state-of-the-art co-clustering methods based on tensor factorization and latent block models.
Understanding the patient experience in hepatocellular carcinoma: a qualitative patient interview study
Authors: Patel Nikunj , Maher Joshua , Lie Xandra , Gwaltney Chad , Barzi Afsaneh , Karwal Mark , Macarulla Teresa , Sun Hui-Chuan , Trojan Jörg , Meyers Oren , Workman Christina , Morgan Shethah , Negro Alejandra , Cohen Gordon
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aimed to elucidate the patient experience of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to guide patient-centered outcome measurement in drug development.

Methods

Patients with HCC participated in qualitative interviews to elicit disease-related signs/symptoms and impacts, using discussion guides developed from literature searches and discussions with oncologists. Interview participants rated the disturbance of their experiences (0–10 scale). A conceptual model was developed and mapped against patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments identified from database reviews.

Results

Interviews were conducted with 25 individuals with HCC (68% were men; median age: 63 years; 12% Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage A; 32% stage B; and 56% stage C) in the USA. Fifty-one HCC-related concepts were identified from the interviews and were grouped into eight sign/symptom categories (eating behavior/weight changes; extremities [arms, legs]; fatigue and strength; gastrointestinal; pain; sensory; skin; other) and four impact categories (emotional; physical; cognitive function; other) for the conceptual model. The most prevalent and disturbing experiences across the disease stages were fatigue/lack of energy and emotional impacts such as frustration, fear, and depression. Abdominal pain and skin-related issues were particularly common and disturbing in individuals with HCC stage C. The EORTC QLQ-C30 and HCC18 were identified as commonly used PRO instruments in HCC studies and captured the relevant signs/symptoms associated with the patient experience.

Conclusion

Patients with HCC reported a range of signs/symptoms and impacts that negatively affect daily functioning and quality of life. Including PRO measures in HCC clinical trials can provide meaningful patient perspectives during drug development.
Risk of burnout in French entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 crisis
Authors: Torrès Olivier , Benzari Alexandre , Fisch Christian , Mukerjee Jinia , Swalhi Abdelaziz , Thurik Roy
Published: June 2021

The COVID-19 crisis presents manifest threats for entrepreneurs since their business survival is often directly at stake given the alarming economic downturn. This existential threat, together with their crucial role in the economy, is the reason for the plethora of public financial support schemes being implemented throughout the entire world. However, support schemes for mental health are lacking. We aim to investigate, first, whether burnout levels have increased during the crisis and, second, whether burnout levels during the COVID-19 crisis depend on the threat of becoming ill, having to stay at home due to the lockdown, and/or having to file for bankruptcy due to the economic downturn. We do so using seven data sets of French entrepreneurs with a temporal comparison of averages and two data sets of French entrepreneurs with a cross-sectional analysis of individuals. Our findings show that indeed, the risks of burnout have increased during the pandemic and that the threat of bankruptcy is the dominant threat. As an increasing number of studies in the entrepreneurship literature indicate that entrepreneurs’ mental health influences their activities, as well as the growth and sustainability of their ventures, our study is important and timely in its contribution, as it takes a close look at the perception of burnout in general and more specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plain English Summary

The risk of burnout in French entrepreneurs has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which calls for not only financial support but also other forms of support. The COVID-19 pandemic presents many threats for entrepreneurs since their business survival is often directly at stake. These threats are not just financial but also related to health, such as the threat of burnout. The findings of our study show that for French entrepreneurs, the threat of burnout increased after the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. This finding raises the question whether this outcome is due to the threat to health, the effects of the lockdown, or the threat of bankruptcy. It appears that all three factors play important roles, although the financial threat is the dominant threat. These findings call for the extension of entrepreneurial support systems beyond the financial area by also involving an “entrepreneurship care” aspect, which includes telephone support, webinars, and mental help facilities.
Severe liver disease resembling PSC in mice with K5-Cre mediated deletion of Krüppel-like factor 5 (Klf5)
Authors: Bergström Åsa , Gerling Marco , Van Hul Noémi , Fernández Moro Carlos , Rozell Björn , Toftgård Rune , Sur Inderpreet
Published: June 2021

Chronic cholestatic liver diseases including primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) present a complex spectrum with regards to the cause, age of manifestation and histopathological features. Current treatment options are severely limited primarily due to a paucity of model systems mirroring the disease. Here, we describe the Keratin 5 (K5)-Cre; Klf5fl/fl mouse that spontaneously develops severe liver disease during the postnatal period with features resembling PSC including a prominent ductular reaction, fibrotic obliteration of the bile ducts and secondary degeneration/necrosis of liver parenchyma. Over time, there is an expansion of Sox9+ hepatocytes in the damaged livers suggestive of a hepatocyte-mediated regenerative response. We conclude that Klf5 is required for the normal function of the hepatobiliary system and that the K5-Cre; Klf5fl/fl mouse is an excellent model to probe the molecular events interlinking damage and regenerative response in the liver.
Dynamic Event-triggered Control and Estimation: A Survey
Authors: Ge Xiaohua , Han Qing-Long , Zhang Xian-Ming , Ding Derui
Published: June 2021

The efficient utilization of computation and communication resources became a critical design issue in a wide range of networked systems due to the finite computation and processing capabilities of system components (e.g., sensor, controller) and shared network bandwidth. Event-triggered mechanisms (ETMs) are regarded as a major paradigm shift in resource-constrained applications compared to the classical time-triggered mechanisms, which allows a trade-off to be achieved between desired control/estimation performance and improved resource efficiency. In recent years, dynamic event-triggered mechanisms (DETMs) are emerging as a promising enabler to fulfill more resource-efficient and flexible design requirements. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the latest developments in dynamic event-triggered control and estimation for networked systems. Firstly, a unified event-triggered control and estimation framework is established, which empowers several fundamental issues associated with the construction and implementation of the desired ETM and controller/estimator to be systematically investigated. Secondly, the motivations of DETMs and their main features and benefits are outlined. Then, two typical classes of DETMs based on auxiliary dynamic variables (ADVs) and dynamic threshold parameters (DTPs) are elaborated. In addition, the main techniques of constructing ADVs and DTPs are classified, and their corresponding analysis and design methods are discussed. Furthermore, three application examples are provided to evaluate different ETMs and verify how and under what conditions DETMs are superior to their static and periodic counterparts. Finally, several challenging issues are envisioned to direct the future research.
Levering change: the contributory role of a mathematics teaching framework
Authors: Adler Jill
Published: June 2021

Levering change is hard, and an incremental process. In the education process it requires an interaction between teachers, resources and learners. Levering change with human resources—teachers themselves, is a long term, time-intensive process requiring investment and commitment. The teacher–resources relationship is complex and not always optimal, particularly in disadvantaged educational environments where resources are constrained, and the education system is centralized and highly regulated. This article posits a mathematics teaching framework developed in a low-income educational context to make more transparent the relationship between teachers and resources to the benefit of learning both of teachers and of learners.
Autoantibodies in Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (NPSLE): Can They Be Used as Biomarkers for the Differential Diagnosis of This Disease?
Authors: Manca Elias
Published: June 2021

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex immunological disease where both environmental factors and genetic predisposition lead to the dysregulation of important immune mechanisms. Eventually, the combination of these factors leads to the production of self-reactive antibodies that can target any organ or tissue of the human body. Autoantibodies can form immune complexes responsible for both the organ damage and the most severe complications. Involvement of the central nervous system defines a subcategory of the disease, generally known with the denomination of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus. Neuropsychiatric symptoms can range from relatively mild manifestations, such as headache, to more severe complications, such as psychosis. The evaluation of the presence of the autoantibodies in the serum of these patients is the most helpful diagnostic tool for the assessment of the disease. The scientific progresses achieved in the last decades helped researchers and physicians to discover some of autoepitopes targeted by the autoantibodies, although the majority of them have not been identified yet. Additionally, the central nervous system is full of epitopes that cannot be found elsewhere in the human body, for this reason, autoantibodies that selectively target these epitopes might be used for the differential diagnosis between patients with and without the neuropsychiatric symptoms. In this review, the most relevant data is reported with regard to mechanisms implicated in the production of autoantibodies and the most important autoantibodies found among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with and without the neuropsychiatric manifestations.
Solving the Cauchy problem for the Helmholtz equation using cubic smoothing splines
Authors: Nanfuka Mary , Berntsson Fredrik , Mango John
Published: June 2021

We consider the Cauchy problem for the Helmholtz equation defined in a rectangular domain. The Cauchy data are prescribed on a part of the boundary and the aim is to find the solution in the entire domain. The problem occurs in applications related to acoustics and is illposed in the sense of Hadamard. In our work we consider regularizing the problem by introducing a bounded approximation of the second derivative by using Cubic smoothing splines. We derive a bound for the approximate derivative and show how to obtain stability estimates for the method. Numerical tests show that the method works well and can produce accurate results. We also demonstrate that the method can be extended to more complicated domains.
The Effects of Limosilactobacillus reuteri LR-99 Supplementation on Body Mass Index, Social Communication, Fine Motor Function, and Gut Microbiome Composition in Individuals with Prader–Willi Syndrome: a Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Kong Xue-Jun , Liu Kevin , Zhuang Patrick , Tian Ruiyi , Liu Siyu , Clairmont Cullen , Lin Xiaojing , Sherman Hannah , Zhu Junli , Wang Yelan , Fong Michelle , Li Alice , Wang Bryan K. , Wang Jinghan , Yu Zhehao , Shen Chen , Cui Xianghua , Cao Hanyu , Du Ting , Wan Guobin , Cao Xia
Published: June 2021

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder associated with developmental delay, obesity, and neuropsychiatric comorbidities. Limosilactobacillus reuteri (Lactobacillus reuteri, Lact. reuteri) has demonstrated anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects in previous studies. In the present study, we aim to evaluate the effects of Lact. reuteri supplementation on body mass index (BMI), social behaviors, and gut microbiota in individuals with PWS. We conducted a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 71 individuals with PWS aged 6 to 264 months (64.4 ± 51.0 months). Participants were randomly assigned to either receive daily Lact. reuteri LR-99 probiotic (6 × 1010 colony forming units) or a placebo sachet. Groupwise differences were assessed for BMI, ASQ-3, and GARS-3 at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks into treatment. Gut microbiome data was analyzed with the QIIME2 software package, and predictive functional profiling was conducted with PICRUSt-2. We found a significant reduction in BMI for the probiotic group at both 6 weeks and 12 weeks relative to the baseline (P < 0.05). Furthermore, we observed a significant improvement in social communication and interaction, fine motor function, and total ASQ-3 score in the probiotics group compared to the placebo group (P < 0.05). Altered gut microbiota was observed in the probiotic group to favor weight loss and improve gut health. The findings suggest a novel therapeutic potential for Lact. reuteri LR-99 probiotic to modulate BMI, social behaviors, and gut microbiota in Prader–Willi syndrome patients, although further investigation is warranted.

Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1900022646
Don’t be reviewer 2! Reflections on writing effective peer review comments
Authors: Watling Chris , Ginsburg Shiphra , Lingard Lorelei
Published: June 2021

None
Atrial fibrillation is a predictor of nonobstructive coronary artery disease in elective angiography in old age: a cross-sectional study in Poland and Russia
Authors: Rogalska Ewelina , Kuźma Łukasz , Wojszel Zyta B. , Kurasz Anna , Napalkov Dmitry , Sokolova Anastasiya , Tomaszuk-Kazberuk Anna
Published: June 2021

Background

Significant changes in the coronary vessels are not confirmed in a large proportion of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.

Aims

The present study aimed to determine correlates and independent predictors of nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in older adults referred for elective coronary angiography.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 2,214 patients referred to two medical centers (in Poland and Russia) between 2014 and 2016 for elective coronary angiography due to exacerbated angina, despite undergoing optimal therapy for CAD. The median age was 72 years (IQR: 68–76), and 49.5% patients were women.

Results

Significant stenosis (defined as stenosis of 50% or more of the diameter of the left main coronary artery stem or stenosis of 70% or more of the diameter of the remaining major epicardial vessels) was diagnosed only in 1135 (51.3%) patients. Female sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.44–3.72; p < 0.001) and atrial fibrillation (OR, 1.87; 95% CI 1.45–2.40; p < 0.001) were the main independent predictors of nonobstructive CAD. Significantly lower ORs were observed for diabetes (OR, 0.75; 95% CI 0.59–0.95; p = 0.02), chronic kidney disease (OR, 0.76; 95% CI 0.61–0.96; p = 0.02), and anemia (OR, 0.69; 95% CI 0.50–0.95; p = 0.02) after controlling for age, chronic heart failure, BMI, and study center.

Discussion and conclusions

The results confirmed that nonobstructive CAD occurs in a high percentage of older patients referred for elective coronary angiography. This suggests the need to improve patient stratification for invasive diagnosis of CAD, especially for older women and patients with atrial fibrillation.

Trial registration number and date of registration: NCT04537507, September 3, 2020.
Highly Sensitive Pseudocapacitive Iontronic Pressure Sensor with Broad Sensing Range
Authors: Gao Libo , Wang Meng , Wang Weidong , Xu Hongcheng , Wang Yuejiao , Zhao Haitao , Cao Ke , Xu Dandan , Li Lei
Published: June 2021

Highlights

The iontronic pressure sensor achieved an ultrahigh sensitivity (Smin > 200 kPa−1, Smax > 45,000 kPa−1).

The iontronic pressure sensor exhibited a broad sensing range of over 1.4 MPa.

Pseudocapacitive iontronic pressure sensor using MXene was proposed.

Flexible pressure sensors are unprecedentedly studied on monitoring human physical activities and robotics. Simultaneously, improving the response sensitivity and sensing range of flexible pressure sensors is a great challenge, which hinders the devices’ practical application. Targeting this obstacle, we developed a Ti3C2Tx-derived iontronic pressure sensor (TIPS) by taking the advantages of the high intercalation pseudocapacitance under high pressure and rationally designed structural configuration. TIPS achieved an ultrahigh sensitivity (Smin > 200 kPa−1, Smax > 45,000 kPa−1) in a broad sensing range of over 1.4 MPa and low limit of detection of 20 Pa as well as stable long-term working durability for 10,000 cycles. The practical application of TIPS in physical activity monitoring and flexible robot manifested its versatile potential. This study provides a demonstration for exploring pseudocapacitive materials for building flexible iontronic sensors with ultrahigh sensitivity and sensing range to advance the development of high-performance wearable electronics.
Rutting and moisture-induced damage potential of foamed warm mix asphalt (WMA) containing RAP
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Ashiqur , Ghabchi Rouzbeh , Zaman Musharraf , Ali Syed Ashik
Published: June 2021

Despite significant economic and environmental benefits, performance of warm mix asphalt (WMA) containing reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) remains a matter of concern. Among the current WMA technologies, the plant foaming technique (called “foamed WMA” in this study) has gained the most attention, since it eliminates the need for chemical additives. In the present study, the laboratory performance, namely rutting and moisture-induced damage potential of foamed WMA containing RAP were evaluated and compared with those of similar hot mix asphalt (HMA) containing identical amount of RAP. Dynamic modulus, Hamburg wheel tracking (HWT) and flow number tests were performed to assess the rutting resistance of the mixes. Also, stripping inflection point from HWT tests and tensile strength ratio after AASHTO T 283 and moisture induced sensitivity test (MIST) conditioning were used to evaluate the moisture-induced damage of asphalt mixes. It was found that MIST conditioning effectively simulates the moisture-induced damage and can capture the propensity of asphalt mixes to moisture damage more distinctly compared to AASHTO T 283 method due to application of cyclic loadings. The foamed WMA was found to exhibit higher rutting and moisture-induced damage potential due to lower mixing and compaction temperatures compared to HMA. However, the increase in RAP content was found to reduce rutting and moisture-induced damage potential for WMA. Therefore, the lower stiffness of foamed WMA may be compensated with the addition of stiffer binder from RAP.
Cultural Effects on Organizational Resilience: Evidence from the NAFTA Region
Authors: Fietz Bernhard , Hillmann Julia , Guenther Edeltraud
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of national culture on organizational resilience, the effects of which are analyzed for companies from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) region. This paper utilizes an etic approach to study this relationship and has an empirical design with a sample ofN = 464. The direct effect of national culture on organizational resilience is investigated. To measure national culture, this paper relies on the dimensions of Hofstede. A multiple regression analysis is applied to answer the hypotheses. Results show that the dimensions of power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and indulgence have a significant direct effect on an organization’s resilience. This paper confirms the necessity for reflecting upon the importance of national cultures to globally-working organizations. Organizations that are dedicated to proactive development in their organizational resilience must understand the cultural circumstances that might hinder resilience development. Indeed, cultural influences play a significant role in human resource trainings, choices of location, leadership styles, and managing stakeholders and external alliances to improve organizational resilience. This paper is the first to quantitatively study the relationship of national culture on organizational resilience.
Choice Behavior in Innovation Exchange Between Buyers and Sellers
Authors: Wäldchen Daniel , Glas Andreas H. , Essig Michael
Published: June 2021

This article extends the research on Behavioral Supply Management, and specifically characterizes the decision to exchange supplier–developed innovations. For the innovation exchange to take place, both actors in the dyad must actually make the decision to exchange an innovation with one another. Therefore, buyers’ as well as suppliers’ decision making are part of this research. The decision to exchange innovation is highly relevant, as innovations play an increasingly important role in business research. The applied methodology is a mouse-lab process-tracing experiment. The study is based on computer cursor moving and click data from 658 managers. As the conceptualized decision situation is highly specific, practitioners can build upon their business experience and are the experiment respondents. The sample includes buyer and supplier sub-groups. We differentiate our findings based on innovation intensity (i.e., incremental vs. disruptive innovations). The findings show that the intensity of an innovation does not imply different decision-making per se, although distinguishing incremental from disruptive innovation is often proposed. Furthermore, the relevance of exclusiveness (i.e., a buyer has exclusive access to a supplier’s innovation) is of minor relevance for the supplier but also for the buyer, even when these innovations are disruptive. Finally, the intensity of innovations is only relevant in high-quality buyer–supplier relationships. Under these circumstances, decision makers show irrational behavior, as they prefer alternatives with low economic benefits. That aspect points to the identification of relational decision traps and other theoretical and managerial implications.
The Colony Predation Algorithm
Authors: Tu Jiaze , Chen Huiling , Wang Mingjing , Gandomi Amir H.
Published: June 2021

This paper proposes a new stochastic optimizer called the Colony Predation Algorithm (CPA) based on the corporate predation of animals in nature. CPA utilizes a mathematical mapping following the strategies used by animal hunting groups, such as dispersing prey, encircling prey, supporting the most likely successful hunter, and seeking another target. Moreover, the proposed CPA introduces new features of a unique mathematical model that uses a success rate to adjust the strategy and simulate hunting animals’ selective abandonment behavior. This paper also presents a new way to deal with cross-border situations, whereby the optimal position value of a cross-border situation replaces the cross-border value to improve the algorithm’s exploitation ability. The proposed CPA was compared with state-of-the-art metaheuristics on a comprehensive set of benchmark functions for performance verification and on five classical engineering design problems to evaluate the algorithm’s efficacy in optimizing engineering problems. The results show that the proposed algorithm exhibits competitive, superior performance in different search landscapes over the other algorithms. Moreover, the source code of the CPA will be publicly available after publication.
Novel serotonin 5-HT2A receptor antagonists derived from 4-phenylcyclohexane-5-spiro-and 5-methyl-5-phenyl-hydantoin, for use as potential antiplatelet agents
Authors: Czopek Anna , Kubacka Monika , Bucki Adam , Siwek Agata , Filipek Barbara , Pawłowski Maciej , Kołaczkowski Marcin
Published: June 2021

Background

Antiplatelet drugs have been used in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes and for the prevention of recurrent events. Unfortunately, many patients remain resistant to the available antiplatelet treatment. Therefore, there is a clinical need to synthesize novel antiplatelet agents, which would be associated with different pathways of platelet aggregation, to develop an alternative or additional treatment for resistant patients. Recent studies have revealed that 5-HT2A receptor antagonists could constitute alternative antiplatelet therapy.

Methods

Based on the structures of the conventional 5-HT2A receptor ligands, two series of compounds with 4-phenylcyclohexane-5-spiro- or 5-methyl-5-phenyl-hydantoin core linked to various arylpiperazine moieties were synthesized and their affinity for 5-HT2A receptor was assessed. Further, we evaluated their antagonistic potency at 5-HT2A receptors using isolated rat aorta and cells expressing human 5-HT2A receptors. Finally, we studied their anti-aggregation effect and compared it with ketanserin and sarpogrelate, the reference 5-HT2A receptor antagonists. Moreover, the structure–activity relationships were studied following molecular docking to the 5-HT2A receptor model.

Results

Functional bioassays revealed some of the synthesized compounds to be moderate antagonists of 5-HT2A receptors. Among them, 13, 8-phenyl-3-(3-(4-phenylpiperazin-1-yl)propyl)-1,3-diazaspiro[4.5]decane-2,4-dione, inhibited collagen stimulated aggregation (IC50 = 27.3 μM) being more active than sarpogrelate (IC50 = 66.8 μM) and comparable with ketanserin (IC50 = 32.1 μM). Moreover, compounds 2–5, 9–11, 13, 14 inhibited 5-HT amplified, ADP- or collagen-induced aggregation.

Conclusions

Our study confirmed that the 5-HT2A antagonists effectively suppress platelet aggregation and remain an interesting option for the development of novel antiplatelet agents with an alternative mechanism of action.