bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Molecular Achirality to Mesoscopic Helicity: Toward the Development of Circularly Polarized Luminescence‐Emitting Liquid Crystal Displays
Authors: Wu Wenjie , Zhang Jing , Song Fengyan , Lam Jacky Wing Yip , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: August 2020

Display devices with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) can realize sophisticated functions. However, the generation of mesoscopic chirality and CPL is usually very difficult, especially for those devices fabricated from achiral molecules. Herein, a very simple device is fabricated by achiral twisted nematic liquid crystals (LCs) doped with achiral aggregation‐induced emission luminogens, which exerts high‐performance CPL through molecular assembly. Full‐colored CPL with relatively high luminescence dissymmetry factor of 10−2 is achieved. This study thus not only provides new insights in constructing high‐performance CPL‐emitting devices but also promotes the development of LC display techniques.
Milkweed Establishment in Restored Central Missouri Prairie
Authors: Kurzejeski Eric W. , Vangilder Larry D. , Saltsgaver Nason L. , Hanks Wesley A.
Published: August 2020

The decline of the Eastern North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) population continues to be a major concern among conservationists. Numerous publications and organizations suggest that establishing milkweed (Asclepias spp.), at a landscape scale, is necessary to increase the monarch population. The translocation of commercially grown containerized plugs is commonly recommended to establish milkweed. During 2017, we used a split‐plot design to examine the factors of age of prairie restoration, plant type, and land preparation method on survival of translocated milkweed in restored prairie in central Missouri, USA. Milkweeds were translocated to 16 0.81‐ha sites, half classified as young (<8 yr) and half as old (>9 yr) prairie restorations. We randomly selected 8 sites to establish bare‐root milkweed seedlings and 8 sites were planted with milkweed seedling plugs. Each site contained paired 0.4‐ha plots. At the plot level we tested 2 land preparation techniques, disking with the application of pre‐emergent herbicide and application of a grass herbicide. Milkweeds were planted at the density of 200 milkweeds/0.40 ha as suggested by the Missouri Monarch and Pollinator Conservation Plan. We conducted a census to determine milkweed survival 2 growing seasons after establishment. Two‐year survival of translocated bare‐root milkweed ( = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.12–0.49) was nearly 5 times greater than that of milkweed seedling plugs ( = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.02–0.13). Milkweed in disked plots had greater survival ( = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.10–0.31) than in plots treated with grass herbicide ( = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.04–0.16). Milkweed survival in older restored prairies ( = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.03–0.18) was lower than that in newer prairie plantings ( = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.09–0.41). Our results suggest translocation of bare‐root milkweed seedlings, combined with disking and application of pre‐emergent herbicide, is the preferred alternative. We suggest translocation of milkweed may be a feasible method of enhancing monarch habitat. However, meeting the challenge of restoring milkweed at recommended densities in established grasslands may be limited if milkweed seedling plugs are used. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.
Combining Noninvasive Electromagnetic and Hemodynamic Measures of Human Brain Activity
Authors: Lin Fa-Hsuan , Witzel Thomas , Hämäläinen Matti S. , Nummenmaa Aapo
Published: August 2020

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is directly sensitive to postsynaptic neuronal activity with the millisecond temporal resolution. MEG is ideally to complement functional MRI (fMRI), which measures hemodynamic responses secondary to neuronal activity with the millimeter spatial resolution, for noninvasive imaging of human brain function. Here, using the Minimum-Norm Estimate as an example, we review how fMRI can be integrated with MEG (and electroencephalography, EEG) source modeling and summarize potential advantages and pitfalls of this data fusion technique. Neurovascular coupling as the physiological basis for MEG/EEG/fMRI integration is also discussed. Ultimately, we expect to develop multimodal MEG/EEG/fMRI neuroimaging methodology for characterizing spatiotemporal functional connectivity in large-scale neural networks of the human brain with high sensitivity and accuracy.
Using Anatomical Human Body Model for FEM SAR Simulation of a 3T MRI System
Authors: Prokop Alexander , Wittig Tilmann , Morey Abhay
Published: August 2020

Specific absorption rate (SAR) is calculated according to the upcoming IEC/IEEE 62704-4 Standard for Determining the Peak Spatial-Average SAR in the Human Body from Wireless Communications Devices, 30 MHz–6 GHz: General Requirements for Using the Finite Element Method on a tetrahedral mesh and compared to results with the finite integration technique on the hexahedral mesh according to IEC/IEEE 62704-1. The Female Visible Human body model Nelly is applied in a generic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) coil tuned for a 3 Tesla MRI system. Accuracy and computational effort are compared.
Profiling General-Purpose Fast Multipole Method (FMM) Using Human Head Topology
Authors: Pham Dung Ngoc
Published: August 2020

In this study, we characterize the performance of the fast multipole method (FMM) in solving the Laplace and Helmholtz equations. We use the FMM library developed by the group of Dr. L. Greengard. This version of the FMM algorithm is multilayer with no priori limit on the number of levels of the FMM tree, although, after about thirty levels, there may be floating point issues. A collection of high-resolution human head models is used as test objects. We perform a detailed analysis of the runtime and memory consumption of the FMM in a wide range of frequencies, problem sizes, and precisions required. Although we focus on two-manifold test cases, the results are generalizable to other topologies as well. The tests are conducted on both Windows and Linux platforms. The results obtained in this study can serve as a general benchmark for the performance of FMM. It can also be employed to pre-estimate the efficiency of numerical modeling methods (e.g., the boundary element method) accelerated by FMM.
Example of Steady-State Electric-Current Modeling of a Complicated Cellular Topology with Boundary Element Fast Multipole Method
Authors: Iyer Vishwanath , Wartman William A. , Nummenmaa Aapo , Makarov Sergey N.
Published: August 2020

In this study, we demonstrate the ability of the boundary element fast multipole method (BEM-FMM) to perform electrical modeling of a rather complicated microbiological surface topology in a reasonable amount of time. As an example, we consider a Computer Aided Design (CAD)-based SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein structure. This structure is crucial to the mechanism by which the coronavirus attaches to a target object. Only classic DC steady-state modeling has been performed, in an isotropic continuous medium.
Improving Tumor-Treating Fields with Skull Remodeling Surgery, Surgery Planning, and Treatment Evaluation with Finite Element Methods
Authors: Mikic Nikola , Korshoej Anders R.
Published: August 2020

Tumor-treating fields (TTFields) are alternating fields (200 kHz) used to treat glioblastoma (GBM), which is one of the deadliest cancer diseases of all. Glioblastoma is a type of malignant brain cancer, which causes significant neurological deterioration and reduced quality of life, and for which there is currently no curative treatment. TTFields were recently introduced as a novel treatment modality in addition to surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The fields are induced noninvasively using two pairs of electrode arrays placed on the scalp. Due to low electrical conductivity, significant currents are shielded from the intracranial space, potentially compromising treatment efficacy. Recently, skull remodeling surgery (SR-surgery) was proposed to address this issue. SR-surgery comprises the formation of skull defects or thinning of the skull over the tumor to redirect currents toward the pathology and focally enhance the field intensity. Safety and feasibility of this concept were validated in a clinical phase 1 trial (OptimalTTF-1), which also indicated promising survival benefits. This chapter describes the FE methods used in the OptimalTTF-1 trial to plan SR-surgery and assess treatment efficacy. We will not present detailed modeling results from the trial but rather general concepts of model development and field calculations. Readers are kindly referred to Wenger et al. [1] for a more general overview of the clinical implications and applications of TTFields modeling.
A Computational Parcellated Brain Model for Electric Field Analysis in Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Authors: Callejón-Leblic M. A. , Miranda Pedro C.
Published: August 2020

Recent years have seen the use of increasingly realistic electric field (EF) models to further our knowledge of the bioelectric basis of noninvasive brain techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Such models predict a poor spatial resolution of tDCS, showing a non-focal EF distribution with similar or even higher magnitude values far from the presumed targeted regions, thus bringing into doubt the classical criteria for electrode positioning. In addition to magnitude, the orientation of the EF over selected neural targets is thought to play a key role in the neuromodulation response. This chapter offers a summary of recent works which have studied the effect of simulated EF magnitude and orientation in tDCS, as well as providing new results derived from an anatomically representative parcellated brain model based on finite element method (FEM). The results include estimates of mean and peak tangential and normal EF values over different cortical regions and for various electrode montages typically used in clinical applications.
Super throats with non trivial scalars
Authors: Astesiano D. , Cacciatori S.L.
Published: August 2020

Abstract

We find new BPS solutions in N = 2 D = 4 Fayet-Iliopoulos gauged super- gravity with STU prepotential. These are stationary solutions carrying a Kerr-Newman throat spacetime geometry and are everywhere regular. One of the three scalar vector fields is non constant. Moreover, they carry non vanishing magnetic fluxes and dipolar electric fields.
Muon g − 2 and CKM unitarity in extra lepton models
Authors: Endo Motoi , Mishima Satoshi
Published: August 2020

Abstract

We investigate the impact of extra leptons on observed tensions in the muon g − 2 and the first-row CKM unitarity. By introducing a new SU(2)
L
doublet lepton and a SU(2)
L
triplet lepton, we find that both of the tensions can be explained simultaneously under constraints from electroweak precision observables and Higgs-boson decays. Our model could be tested by measurements of h → μμ at future collider experiments.
Factorisation of 3d $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 twisted indices and the geometry of vortex moduli space
Authors: Crew Samuel , Dorey Nick , Zhang Daniel
Published: August 2020

Abstract

We study the twisted indices of

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 4 supersymmetric gauge theories in three dimensions on spatial S
2 with an angular momentum refinement. We demonstrate factorisation of the index into holomorphic blocks for the T[SU(N)] theory in the presence of generic fluxes and fugacities. We also investigate the relation between the twisted index, Hilbert series and the moduli space of vortices. In particular, we show that each holomorphic block coincides with a generating function for the χ

t
genera of the moduli spaces of “local” vortices. The twisted index itself coincides with a corresponding generating function for the χ

t
genera of moduli spaces of “global” vortices in agreement with a proposal of Bullimore et al. We generalise this geometric interpretation of the twisted index to include fluxes and Chern-Simons levels. For the T[SU(N)] theory, the relevant moduli spaces are the local and global versions of Laumon space respectively and we demonstrate the proposed agreements explicitly using results from the mathematical literature. Finally, we exhibit a precise relation between the Coulomb branch Hilbert series and the Poincaré polynomials of the corresponding vortex moduli spaces.
Leptons in the proton
Authors: Buonocore Luca , Nason Paolo , Tramontano Francesco , Zanderighi Giulia
Published: August 2020

Abstract

As is the case for all light coloured Standard Model particles, also photons and charged leptons appear as constituents in ultrarelativistic hadron beams, and admit a parton density function (PDF). It has been shown recently that the photon PDF can be given in terms of the structure functions and form factors for electron-proton scattering. The same holds for lepton PDFs. In the present work we set up a calculation of the lepton PDFs at next-to-leading order, using the same data input needed in the photon case. A precise knowledge of the lepton densities allows us to study lepton-initiated processes even at a hadron collider, with all possible combinations of same-charge, opposite-charge, same-flavour, different-flavour leptons and leptons-quarks, most of which cannot be realized in any other forseable experiment. The lepton densities in the proton are extremely small, so that their contribution to Standard Model processes is generally shadowed by processes initiated by coloured partons. We will show, however, that there are cases where these processes can be relevant, giving rise to rare Standard Model signatures and to new production channels, that can enlarge the discovery potential of New Physics at the LHC and future high energy colliders with hadrons in the initial state.
The role of right-handed neutrinos in $$ b\to c\tau \overline{v} $$ anomalies
Authors: Mandal Rusa , Murgui Clara , Peñuelas Ana , Pich Antonio
Published: August 2020

Abstract

Motivated by the persistent anomalies reported in the

$$ b\to c\tau \overline{v} $$

b
→
cτ

v
¯

data, we perform a general model-independent analysis of these transitions, in the presence of light right-handed neutrinos. We adopt an effective field theory approach and write a low-energy effective Hamiltonian, including all possible dimension-six operators. The corresponding Wilson coefficients are determined through a numerical fit to all available experimental data. In order to work with a manageable set of free parameters, we define eleven well- motivated scenarios, characterized by the different types of new physics that could mediate these transitions, and analyse which options seem to be preferred by the current measurements. The data exhibit a clear preference for new-physics contributions, and good fits to the data are obtained in several cases. However, the current measurement of the longitudinal D

∗
polarization in

$$ B\to {D}^{\ast}\tau \overline{v} $$

B
→

D
∗

τ

v
¯

cannot be easily accommodated within its experimental 1σ range. A general analysis of the three-body

$$ B\to D\tau \overline{v} $$

B
→
Dτ

v
¯

and four-body

$$ B\to {D}^{\ast}\left(\to D\pi \right)\tau \overline{v} $$

B
→

D
∗

→
Dπ

τ

v
¯

angular distributions is also presented. The accessible angular observables are studied in order to assess their sensitivity to the different new physics scenarios. Experimental information on these distributions would help to disentangle the dynamical origin of the current anomalies.
Positive geometries and differential forms with non-logarithmic singularities. Part I
Authors: Benincasa Paolo , Parisi Matteo
Published: August 2020

Abstract

Positive geometries encode the physics of scattering amplitudes in flat space- time and the wavefunction of the universe in cosmology for a large class of models. Their unique canonical forms, providing such quantum mechanical observables, are characterised by having only logarithmic singularities along all the boundaries of the positive geometry. However, physical observables have logarithmic singularities just for a subset of theories. Thus, it becomes crucial to understand whether a similar paradigm can underlie their structure in more general cases. In this paper we start a systematic investigation of a geometric-combinatorial characterisation of differential forms with non-logarithmic singularities, focusing on projective polytopes and related meromorphic forms with multiple poles. We introduce the notions of covariant forms and covariant pairings. Covariant forms have poles only along the boundaries of the given polytope; moreover, their leading Laurent coefficients along any of the boundaries are still covariant forms on the specific boundary. Whereas meromorphic forms in covariant pairing with a polytope are associated to a specific (signed) triangulation, in which poles on spurious boundaries do not cancel completely, but their order is lowered. These meromorphic forms can be fully characterised if the poly- tope they are associated to is viewed as the restriction of a higher dimensional one onto a hyperplane. The canonical form of the latter can be mapped into a covariant form or a form in covariant pairing via a covariant restriction. We show how the geometry of the higher di- mensional polytope determines the structure of these differential forms. Finally, we discuss how these notions are related to Jeffrey-Kirwan residues and cosmological polytopes.
Screening of food supplements for toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids
Authors: Kaltner Florian , Kukula Verena , Gottschalk Christoph
Published: August 2020

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) and PA-N-oxides (PANO) are a group of more than 660 secondary plant metabolites with hepatotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic effects in animals and humans. The phytotoxins can enter the food chain by transfer of PA/PANO between plants via the soil, unintended co-harvesting of PA/PANO-producing weeds, as well as by honeybees collecting pollen and nectar of these plants. Thus, bee- and plant-based products, e.g. (herbal) teas, spices and culinary herbs were identified to be a main source of consumers’ exposure to PA/PANO. Consequently, food supplements based on those ingredients may as well be contaminated with PA/PANO, but so far there are only very few studies available on this topic. Therefore, the current study investigated 50 herbal and bee product-based food supplements available in German retail pharmacies, drugstores, and online on the occurrence of 44 PA/PANO. In total, 19 samples contained PA/PANO with sum contents ranging from 0.1 to 105.1 ng/g in solid samples and from 0.03 to 2.20 ng/mL in liquid preparations. Considering the recommended daily consumption, the sum contents were of no or little concern for the health risk of adults, whereas in case of children the contents of singular samples could significantly contribute to the overall PA/PANO exposure.
The bilinear Hilbert transform in UMD spaces
Authors: Amenta Alex , Uraltsev Gennady
Published: August 2020

We prove$$L^p$$Lp-bounds for the bilinear Hilbert transform acting on functions valued in intermediate UMD spaces. Such bounds were previously unknown for UMD spaces that are not Banach lattices. Our proof relies on bounds on embeddings from Bochner spaces$$L^p(\mathbb {R};X)$$Lp(R;X)into outer Lebesgue spaces on the time-frequency-scale space$$\mathbb {R}^3_+$$R+3.
Characterization of the glycans involved in sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus reversible adhesion
Authors: Simão Mariana , Moço Mariana , Marques Luís , Santos Romana
Published: August 2020

Sea urchins have hundreds of specialized adhesive organs, the tube feet, which play a key role in locomotion, substrate attachment and food capture. Tube feet are composed by two functional units: a proximal cylindrical stem that is mobile and flexible, attached to a distal flattened disc that produces adhesive secretions. Oral tube feet discs possess a specialized duo-glandular epidermis that produces adhesive and de-adhesive secretions, enabling strong but reversible adhesion to the substrate. Due to the growing interest in biomimetic adhesives, several studies have been carried out to characterize sea urchin adhesives, and up to date, it has been shown that it is composed by proteins and glycans. The protein fraction has been the subject of several studies, that pin-pointed several adhesion-related candidates. Contrastingly, little is known about the glycans that compose sea urchin adhesives. This study aims at contributing to this topic by focusing on the characterization of the glycosidic fraction of the adhesive secreted by the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816), using a battery of 22 lectins, applied to 3 complementary techniques. Our results show that five lectins label exclusively the disc adhesive epidermis and simultaneously the secreted adhesive, being, therefore, most likely relevant for sea urchin adhesion. In addition, it was possible to determine that the glycosidic fraction of the adhesive is composed by a high molecular weight glycoprotein containing N-acetylglucosamine oligomers.
Trimmed sums of twists and the area Siegel–Veech constant
Authors: Gadre Vaibhav
Published: August 2020

We relate trimmed sums of twists in cylinders along a typical Teichmüller geodesic to the area Siegel–Veech constant.
Multiparametric MR mapping in clinical decision-making for diffuse liver disease
Authors: Thomaides-Brears Helena B. , Lepe Rita , Banerjee Rajarshi , Duncker Carlos
Published: August 2020

Accurate diagnosis, monitoring and treatment decisions in patients with chronic liver disease currently rely on biopsy as the diagnostic gold standard, and this has constrained early detection and management of diseases that are both varied and can be concurrent. Recent developments in multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) suggest real potential to bridge the diagnostic gap between non-specific blood-based biomarkers and invasive and variable histological diagnosis. This has implications for the clinical care and treatment pathway in a number of chronic liver diseases, such as haemochromatosis, steatohepatitis and autoimmune or viral hepatitis. Here we review the relevant MRI techniques in clinical use and their limitations and describe recent potential applications in various liver diseases. We exemplify case studies that highlight how these techniques can improve clinical practice. These techniques could allow clinicians to increase their arsenals available to utilise on patients and direct appropriate treatments.
Systemic therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the first-line setting: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Mori Keiichiro , Mostafaei Hadi , Miura Noriyoshi , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Luzzago Stefano , Schmidinger Manuela , Bruchbacher Andreas , Pradere Benjamin , Egawa Shin , Shariat Shahrokh F.
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Management of metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) has undergone a paradigm shift with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in the first-line setting. However, direct comparative data are inadequate to inform treatment decisions. Therefore, we aimed to assess first-line therapy for mRCC and indirectly compare the efficacy and safety of currently available treatments.

Materials and methods

Multiple databases were searched for articles published before June 2020. Studies that compared overall and/or progression-free survival (OS/PFS) and/or adverse events (AEs) in mRCC patients were considered eligible.

Results

Six studies matched our eligibility criteria. For OS, pembrolizumab plus axitinib [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% credible interval (CrI) 0.73–0.98] and nivolumab plus ipilimumab (HR 0.86, 95% CrI 0.75–0.99) were significantly more effective than sunitinib, and pembrolizumab plus axitinib was probably the best option based on analysis of the treatment ranking. For PFS, pembrolizumab plus axitinib (HR 0.86, 95% CrI 0.76–0.97) and avelumab plus axitinib (HR 0.85, 95% CrI 0.74–0.98) were statistically superior to sunitinib, and avelumab plus axitinib was likely to be the preferred option based on analysis of the treatment ranking, closely followed by pembrolizumab plus axitinib. Nivolumab plus ipilimumab had significantly lower rates of serious AEs than sunitinib.

Conclusion

Pembrolizumab plus axitinib seemed to be the most efficacious first-line agents, while nivolumab plus ipilimumab had the most favorable efficacy–tolerability equilibrium. These findings may facilitate individualized treatment strategies and inform future direct comparative trials in an expanding treatment options without direct comparison between approved drugs.
Mitochondria, immunosenescence and inflammaging: a role for mitokines?
Authors: Conte Maria , Martucci Morena , Chiariello Antonio , Franceschi Claudio , Salvioli Stefano
Published: August 2020

A global reshaping of the immune responses occurs with ageing, indicated as immunosenescence, where mitochondria and mitochondrial metabolism play an important role. However, much less is known about the role of mitochondrial stress response in this reshaping and in particular of the molecules induced by such response, collectively indicated as mitokines. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the role of mitokines in modulating immune response and inflammation focusing on GDF15, FGF21 and humanin and their possible involvement in the chronic age-related low-grade inflammation dubbed inflammaging. Although many aspects of their biology are still controversial, available data suggest that these mitokines have an anti-inflammatory role and increase with age. Therefore, we hypothesize that they can be considered part of an adaptive and integrated immune-metabolic mechanism activated by mitochondrial dysfunction that acts within the framework of a larger anti-inflammatory network aimed at controlling both acute inflammation and inflammaging.
MiRNAs expression profiling of rat ovaries displaying PCOS with insulin resistance
Authors: Zhang Chunren , Yu Chuyi , Lin Zengxian , Pan Haixia , Li Kunyin , Ma Hongxia
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The present study established microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles for rat ovaries displaying polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with insulin resistance and explored the underlying biological functions of differentially expressed miRNAs.

Methods

A PCOS with insulin resistance rat model was created by administering letrozole and a high-fat diet. Total RNA was extracted from the ovaries of PCOS with insulin resistance rats and normal rats. Three ovaries from each group were used to identify differentially expressed miRNAs by deep sequencing. A hierarchical clustering heatmap and volcano plot were used to display the pattern of differentially expressed miRNAs. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were conducted to explore the potential target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs and identify their putative biological function. Nine of the differentially expressed miRNAs were selected for validation by Real-time Quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR).

Results

A total of 58 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in the rat ovaries exhibiting PCOS with insulin resistance compared with control ovaries, including 23 miRNAs that were upregulated and 35 miRNAs that were downregulated. GO and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that the predicted target genes were related to metabolic processes, cellular processes, and metabolic pathways. Furthermore, qRT-PCR confirmed that miR-3585-5p and miR-30-5p were significantly upregulated and miR-146-5p was downregulated in the ovaries of PCOS with insulin resistance rats compared with the controls.

Conclusion

These results indicate that differentially expressed miRNAs in rat ovaries may be involved in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance in PCOS. Our study may be beneficial in establishing miRNAs as novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for insulin resistance in PCOS.
The Antwerp Vestibular Compensation Index (AVeCI): an index for vestibular compensation estimation, based on functional balance performance
Authors: Verbecque Evi , Wuyts Floris L. , Vanspauwen Robby , Van Rompaey Vincent , Van de Heyning Paul , Vereeck Luc
Published: August 2020

Purpose

To create an index that is a measure of the amount of vestibular compensation and for which only functional balance performance is needed.

Methods

The medical charts of 62 eligible peripheral vestibular dysfunction (PVD) patients were analyzed retrospectively. To be included, the following vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and balance performance data had to be available: (1) caloric and sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test (SHA) and (2) standing balance sum-eyes closed (SBS-EC), Timed Up and Go Test and Dynamic Gait Index. Patients were divided into three groups: normal caloric- and SHA test (group 1), abnormal caloric- and normal SHA test (group 2, PVD compensated) and abnormal caloric- and SHA test (group 3, PVD uncompensated). Next to the use of non-parametric tests to study the VOR and balance variables, logistic regression was used to identify the balance measures that predict whether PVD patients were compensated or uncompensated. This resulted also in the construction of a continuous measure representing the degree of compensation.

Results

Logistic regression identified SBS-EC and age to classify uncompensated from compensated patients with sensitivity of 83.9% and specificity of 72.4%. Then an index was created, called the Antwerp Vestibular Compensation Index, AVeCI = − 50 + age × 0.486 + SBS-EC × 0.421. A patient belongs to the uncompensated group when AVeCI < 0 and to the compensated group when AVeCI > 0, with respective group means of − 5 and 5.

Conclusion

AVeCI stages the degree of compensation of PVD patients and can serve to evaluate rehabilitation effects.
Managing liquidity with portfolio staleness
Authors: Buccheri Giuseppe , Pirino Davide , Trapin Luca
Published: August 2020

Liquidity is a risk factor of primary relevance that can significantly affect the asset allocation decisions of investors. In this paper, we introduce the concept of portfolio staleness and propose a simple framework to manage portfolio liquidity, intended as the cost needed to liquidate the portfolio. Within this framework, the traditional minimum variance problem is solved under the additional constraint that portfolio staleness must be smaller than a given threshold. We show that a dynamic asset allocation strategy based on the staleness constrained portfolio can significantly enhance portfolio liquidity over the standard minimum variance solution. Meanwhile, the increase in portfolio risk is limited, generating large liquidity gains per unit of risk.
Vom Fuße des Himalaya – Wertschöpfungskette Äpfel in Indien
Authors: Golombek Sabine , Blanke Michael
Published: August 2020

Trotz eines geringen Apfelkonsums von nur ca. 2 kg/Kopf/Jahr ist Indien mit ca. 2,3 Mio. t (2017) Äpfeln – auf 314.000 ha – nach China, USA, Polen und der Türkei – der fünftgrößte Apfelproduzent der Welt; dabei macht der Apfelanbau nur 2,4 % der gesamten Obstproduktion des Landes aus und konzentriert sich auf die 4 nordwestlichen Provinzen Jammu und Kaschmir (ca. 70 %), Himachal Pradesh (ca. 20 %), Uttarakhand (ca. 10 %) und Arunachal Pradesh, wo in Höhen von 1000–3500 m am Fuße des Himalaya mit 800–1600 Kältestunden (CH – Chilling hours) ausreichend Kältereiz für die Blütenbildung zur Verfügung steht. Apfel ist für Kleinbauern – im Vergleich zu Gemüse – eine lukrative Kultur, trotz geringer Ernteerträge auf Hanglagen von durchschnittlich 10 t/ha aus der ‘Red Delicious‘-Gruppe, ursprünglich auf Sämlingsunterlage.

Erhebliche Verluste entstehen durch unsachgemäße Ernte, Mangel an Obstlagern und für die langen Entfernungen und schlechten Straßen häufig unzureichende (plastikfreie) Verpackung aus Stroh und Zeitungspapier in Kartons oder hohen harten Holzkisten und Transport ohne Kühlung.

Exportiert werden Mangos, Tafeltrauben und Granatäpfel und ca. 18.000 t Äpfel imWert von 9 Mio. US $ in das angrenzende Bangladesh und Nepal. Ein Importembargo für Äpfel aus China seit Mai 2017, offiziell wegen Schädlingsbefall, reduzierte die Apfelimporte von 370.000 t (2016/17) auf 250.000 t in 2017/18 und 270.000 t in 2018/19. Importiert werden Äpfel der Sorten ‘Fuji‘, ‘Red Delicious‘, ‘Gala‘, ‘Granny Smith‘ u. a. aus US, (China), Neuseeland, Chile und Südtirol; bisher stammte die Hälfte der Apfelimporte aus Washington State, deren Einfuhrzoll nach Wirtschaftssanktionen von 50 auf 75 % angehoben wurde.

Der indische Markt bzw. Konsument bevorzugt große, rote (oder grüne) Äpfel mit geringen Schalenfehlern.Die hohen Großhandelspreise von 28–35 Rs/kg (0,34–0,43 €/kg) für heimische und 56–145 Rs/kg (0,69–1,77 €/kg) für Importäpfel im Januar 2019 bieten Apfelexporteuren ein Marktpotential von ca. 200 Mio. € jährlich.Hohe Preise und Handarbeit dominieren in der Apfel-Wertschöpfungskette, die so auch vielen ungelernten Menschen ein Einkommen sichert.
Scaffolding Collaborative Case-Based Learning during Research Ethics Training
Authors: Tammeleht Anu , Rodríguez-Triana María Jesús , Koort Kairi , Löfström Erika
Published: August 2020

As development of research ethics competencies is in the focus in higher education (HE) institutions, it is crucial to understand how to support the learning process during such training. While there is plenty of research on how to scaffold children’s learning of cognitive skills, there is limited knowledge on how to enhance collaborative case-based learning of research ethics competencies in HE contexts. Our aim was to identify whether, how and when scaffolding is needed with various expertise levels to support development of ethics competencies. To identify and evaluate scaffolding during collaborative case-based ethics training we synthesised a scaffolding framework consisting of three levels: techniques, mechanisms and process. We organised 5 training sessions where 46 participants (including bachelor, master and PhD students as well as junior and senior academics) were involved. Data was collected as part of action research from group-work recordings and transcribed verbatim. Deductive qualitative analysis was implemented on transcripts based on the scaffolding framework. Our analysis revealed that structural scaffolding alone (learning material) is not always efficient with bachelor level students, they also require oral scaffolding when the need becomes apparent. Master’s level students benefited most from wording the issues they needed to focus on. Doctoral students and senior academics needed scaffolding to maintain goal orientation. We end our article with some recommendations for facilitators of ethics education, and encourage using the scaffolding framework also in complex problem-solving beyond ethics training.
COVID-19 and the ethics of quarantine: a lesson from the Eyam plague
Authors: Spitale Giovanni
Published: August 2020

The recent outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is posing many different challenges to local communities, directly affected by the pandemic, and to the global community, trying to find how to respond to this threat in a larger scale. The history of the Eyam Plague, read in light of Ross Upshur’s Four Principles for the Justification of Public Health Intervention, and of the Siracusa Principles on the Limitation and Derogation Provisions in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, could provide useful guidance in navigating the complex ethical issues that arise when quarantine measures need to be put in place.
Exposure to airborne gold nanoparticles: a review of current toxicological data on the respiratory tract
Authors: De Berardis Barbara , Marchetti Magda , Risuglia Anna , Ietto Federica , Fanizza Carla , Superti Fabiana
Published: August 2020

In recent years, the introduction of innovative low-cost and large-scale processes for the synthesis of engineered nanoparticles with at least one dimension less than 100 nm has led to countless useful and extensive applications. In this context, gold nanoparticles stimulated a growing interest, due to their peculiar characteristics such as ease of synthesis, chemical stability and optical properties. This stirred the development of numerous applications especially in the biomedical field. Exposure of manufacturers and consumers to industrial products containing nanoparticles poses a potential risk to human health and the environment. Despite this, the precise mechanisms of nanomaterial toxicity have not yet been fully elucidated. It is well known that the three main routes of exposure to nanomaterials are by inhalation, ingestion and through the skin, with inhalation being the most common route of exposure to NPs in the workplace. To provide a complete picture of the impact of inhaled gold nanoparticles on human health, in this article, we review the current knowledge about the physico-chemical characteristics of this nanomaterial, in the size range of 1–100 nm, and its toxicity for pulmonary structures both in vitro and in vivo. Studies comparing the toxic effect of NPs larger than 100 nm (up to 250 nm) are also discussed.
Stress Enhances Proinflammatory Platelet Activity: the Impact of Acute and Chronic Mental Stress
Authors: Koudouovoh-Tripp Pia , Hüfner Katharina , Egeter Jonas , Kandler Christina , Giesinger Johannes M. , Sopper Sieghart , Humpel Christian , Sperner-Unterweger Barbara
Published: August 2020

The role of platelets in hemostasis and thrombosis has long been recognized, recently their contribution to immunological and inflammatory processes is emerging. Platelets could be the missing link between cardiovascular disease, chronic stress and depressive symptoms. Both physical and mental stressors cause platelet activation reflected by changes in platelet bioactivity and aggregation. Here we evaluate the proinflammatory platelet response to acute and chronic mental stress. In a prospective study design an acute mental stress test was administered to 55 healthy male participants once without and once in the presence of chronic mental stress. Blood was collected prior to and at three time points following an acute mental stress test (0, 30, 60 min). Platelet proinflammatory activation markers, were assessed using FACS analysis and aggregability was measured in response to ADP or epinephrine using PFA-100. A linear mixed model was used for analysis. Chronic mental stress lead to a significant increase in state anxiety (p < 0.001), depressive symptoms (p = 0.045) and perceived stress (p = 0.001). The factor “chronic mental stress” was significantly associated with increased numbers of CD63+ platelets (p = 0.009). The factor “acute mental stress” was associated with alterations in CD62P+ platelets (p < 0.001), CD63+ platelets (p = 0.011), PAC-1+ platelets (p < 0.001) as well as platelet leucocyte aggregates (p = 0.019). The recovery of CD62P function following the acute mental stress exposure was significantly impaired by chronic stress (p = 0.023). Aggregation was affected by chronic and acute mental stress. In conclusion, mental stress is linked to an increased and prolonged proinflammatory platelet bioactivity. This proinflammatory and immunomodulatory stimuli could help to explain the link between mental and somatic disorders.
Interactive mapping of language and memory with the GE2REC protocol
Authors: Banjac Sonja , Roger Elise , Cousin Emilie , Perrone-Bertolotti Marcela , Haldin Célise , Pichat Cédric , Lamalle Laurent , Minotti Lorella , Kahane Philippe , Baciu Monica
Published: August 2020

Previous studies have highlighted the importance of considering cognitive functions from a dynamic and interactive perspective and multiple evidence was brought for a language and memory interaction. In this study performed with healthy participants, we present a new protocol entitled GE2REC that interactively accesses the neural representation of language-and-memory network. This protocol consists of three runs related to each other, providing a link between tasks, in order to assure an interactive measure of linguistic and episodic memory processes. GE2REC consists of a sentence generation (GE) in the auditory modality and two recollecting (2REC) memory tasks, one recognition performed in the visual modality, and another one recall performed in the auditory modality. Its efficiency was evaluated in 20 healthy volunteers using a 3T MR imager. Our results corroborate the ability of GE2REC to robustly activate fronto-temporo-parietal language network as well as temporal mesial, prefrontal and parietal cortices in encoding during sentence generation and recognition. GE2REC is useful because it: (a) requires simultaneous and interactive language-and-memory processes and jointly maps their neural basis; (b) explores encoding and retrieval, managing to elicit activation of mesial temporal structures; (c) is easy to perform, hence being suitable for more restrictive settings, and (d) has an ecological dimension of tasks and stimuli. GE2REC may be useful for studying neuroplasticity of cognitive functions, especially in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy who show reorganization of both language and memory networks. Overall, GE2REC can provide valuable information in terms of the practical foundation of exploration language and memory interconnection.
Performance of an activated sludge followed by membrane process (AS-MP) treating simulated industrial wastewaters: effects of operating factors and feed characteristics
Authors: Rahimi S. , Zinatizadeh A. A. , Mohammadi P. , Zinadini S. , Asadi A.
Published: August 2020

The main aim of the present study is to determine the optimum operating conditions for different feed compositions with less irreversible membrane fouling in an activated sludge followed by membrane process (AS-MP). In this regard, three different wastewaters with different BOD5/COD ratios (0.83 for soft drink, 0.63 for pineapple fruit juice and 0.36 for amoxicillin) as an index of biodegradability were selected. The AS-MP system was operated with biomass concentration of 7000–8000 mg/l and different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) in the range of 4–20 h. The optimal HRT was decreased as BOD5/COD ratio was increased. In order to investigate fouling behavior of membranes in the AS-MP, a commercial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microfiltration (MF) membrane and high-performance synthetic ZnFe2O4/SiO2 embedded polyether sulfone (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane were applied. As a result, the UF membrane indicated the highest flux recovery ratio (FRR) for pineapple fruit juice wastewater relative to the other wastewaters. Soft drink wastewater had the maximum permeability and FRR for MF membrane due to low turbidity of the feed and low interaction with MF membrane composition, whereas this wastewater showed a lower permeability and FRR in the UF membrane, implying an effective interaction between the residual soluble microbial products and the UF membrane composition. Both membranes showed almost the same performance for amoxicillin wastewater.
Good and bad events: combining network-based event detection with sentiment analysis
Authors: Moutidis Iraklis , Williams Hywel T. P.
Published: August 2020

The huge volume and velocity of media content published on the Web presents a substantial challenge to human analysts. In prior work, we developed a system (network event detection, NED) to assist analysts by detecting events within high-volume news streams in real time. NED can process a heterogeneous stream of news articles or social media user posts, combining text mining and network analysis to detect breaking news stories and generate an easy-to-understand event summary. In this paper, we expand the NED event detection and summarisation approach in two ways. First, we introduce a new approach to named entity disambiguation for tweets, which contain minimal information due to brevity. Second, we apply sentiment analysis techniques to documents associated with a detected event to characterise the event as either broadly ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ based on media portrayal. Our expansion focuses on Twitter streams since Twitter has become an important news dissemination platform and is often the site where emerging events are first seen. To test the extended methodology, we apply it here to three data sets related to political elections in the UK and the USA. The addition of sentiment analysis to the NED event detection methodology improves the insight gained by the user by allowing quick evaluation of the perceived impact of an event. This approach may have potential applications in domains where public sentiment is relevant to decision-making around events, such as financial markets and politics.
Investigation of residual stresses in polypropylene using hot plate welding
Authors: Wübbeke Andrea , Schöppner Volker , Geißler Bastian , Schmidt Michael , Magnier Arnaud , Wu Tao , Niendorf Thomas , Jakob Fabian , Heim Hans-Peter
Published: August 2020

During the cooling process of the molten material, residual stresses appear because the reduced volume of the cooled material cannot fully fill the space formerly occupied by the molten material. The morphology in and around the weld is formed by different factors depending on the material and process parameters. Different morphological structures relate to different mechanical properties. The process parameters and the welding results including morphology and residual stress are linked together. In this article, residual stresses and the mechanical properties of a hot-plate-welded polypropylene specimen with 0.1 wt.-% content of carbon black are investigated in relation to the morphology. Different measurement positions and joining displacements of parts to be joined result in different residual stress states and morphological structures. The higher the joining displacement, the higher the residual stress. Investigations of the morphology show a relation between the size of the alpha spherulites and the joining displacement. Diffractions patterns of wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) are not able to resolve the beta phase of the specimen.
A review of recent progress in thermoelectric materials through computational methods
Authors: Gutiérrez Moreno J. Julio , Cao Jiang , Fronzi Marco , Assadi M. Hussein N.
Published: August 2020

Reducing our overwhelming dependence on fossil fuels requires groundbreaking innovations in increasing our efficiency in energy consumption for current technologies and moving towards renewable energy sources. Thermoelectric materials can help in achieving both goals. Moreover, because of recent advances in high-performance computing, researchers more increasingly rely on computational methods in discovering new thermoelectric materials with economically feasible performance. In this article, significant thermoelectric materials discovered through these computational methods are systematically reviewed. Furthermore, the primary computational tools that aid the design of the next-generation thermoelectric materials are introduced and discussed. These techniques include various levels of density functional theory, electronic transport simulations, and phonon calculations.