bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of safety glasses, body height and magnification on the occupational eye lens dose during pelvic vascular interventions: a phantom study
Authors: Gangl Alexander , Deutschmann Hannes Alexander , Portugaller Rupert Horst , Stücklschweiger Georg
Published: September 2021

Objective

By simulating a fluoroscopic-guided vascular intervention, two differently designed radiation safety glasses were compared. The impacts of changing viewing directions and body heights on the eye lens dose were evaluated. Additionally, the effect of variable magnification levels on the arising scattered radiation was determined.

Methods

A phantom head, replacing the operator’s head, was positioned at different heights and rotated in steps of 20° in the horizontal plane. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD), placed in the left orbit of the phantom, detected eye lens doses under protected and completely exposed conditions. In a second step, radiation dose values with increasing magnification levels were detected by RaySafe i3 dosimeters.

Results

Changing eye levels and head rotations resulted in a wide range of dose reduction factors (DRF) from 1.1 to 8.5. Increasing the vertical distance between the scattering body and the protective eyewear, DRFs markedly decreased for both glasses. Significant differences between protection glasses were observed. Increasing magnification with consecutively decreasing FOV size variably reduced the dose exposure to the eye lens between 47 and 83%, respectively.

Conclusion

The safety glasses in the study effectively reduced the dose exposure to the eye lens. However, the extent of the protective effect was significant depending on eye levels and head rotations. This may lead to a false sense of safety for the medical staff. In addition, the application of magnification reduced the quantity of scattering dose significantly. To ensure safe working in the Cath-lab, additional use of protective equipment and the differences in design of protective eyewear should be considered.

Key Points

• Eye lens dose changes with physical size of the interventionist and viewing direction.

• The use of magnification during fluoroscopic-guided interventions reduces scattered radiation.
Similarity-Reduced Diversities: the Effective Entropy and the Reduced Entropy
Authors: Bavaud François
Published: September 2021

The paper presents and analyzes the properties of a new diversity index, the effective entropy, which lowers Shannon entropy by taking into account the presence of similarities between items. Similarities decrease exponentially with the item dissimilarities, with a freely adjustable discriminability parameter controlling various diversity regimes separated by phase transitions. Effective entropies are determined iteratively, and turn out to be concave and subadditive, in contrast to the reduced entropy, proposed in Ecology for similar purposes. Two data sets are used to illustrate the formalism, and underline the role played by the dissimilarity types.
Influence of receptor selectivity on benefits from SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with heart failure: a systematic review and head-to-head comparative efficacy network meta-analysis
Authors: Täger Tobias , Frankenstein Lutz , Atar Dan , Agewall Stefan , Frey Norbert , Grundtvig Morten , Clark Andrew L. , Cleland John G. F. , Fröhlich Hanna
Published: September 2021

Background

Receptor selectivity of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) varies greatly between agents. The overall improvement of cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in heart failure (HF) patients varies between trials. We, therefore, evaluated the comparative efficacy of individual SGLT2i and the influence of their respective receptor selectivity thereon.

Methods

We identified randomized controlled trials investigating the use of SGLT2i in patients with HF—either as the target cohort or as a subgroup of it. Comparators included placebo or any other active treatment. The primary endpoint was the composite of hospitalization for HF or CV death. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, CV mortality, hospitalization for HF, worsening renal function (RF), and the composite of worsening RF or CV death. Evidence was synthesized using network meta-analysis. In addition, the impact of receptor selectivity on outcomes was analysed using meta-regression.

Results

We identified 18,265 patients included in 22 trials. Compared to placebo, selective and non-selective SGLT2i improved fatal and non-fatal HF events. Head-to-head comparisons suggest superior efficacy with sotagliflozin as compared to dapagliflozin, empagliflozin or ertugliflozin. No significant difference was found between canagliflozin and sotagliflozin. Meta-regression analyses show a decreasing benefit on HF events with increasing receptor selectivity of SGLT2i. In contrast, receptor selectivity did not affect mortality and renal endpoints and no significant difference between individual SGLT2i was noted.

Conclusion

Our data point towards a class-effect of SGLT2i on mortality and renal outcomes. However, non-selective SGLT2i such as sotagliflozin may be superior to highly selective SGLT2i in terms of HF outcomes.
Molecular profiling of pediatric meningiomas shows tumor characteristics distinct from adult meningiomas
Authors: Kirches Elmar , Sahm Felix , Korshunov Andrey , Bluecher Christina , Waldt Natalie , Kropf Siegfried , Schrimpf Daniel , Sievers Philipp , Stichel Damian , Schüller Ulrich , Schittenhelm Jens , Riemenschneider Markus J. , Karajannis Matthias A. , Perry Arie , Pietsch Torsten , Boekhoff Svenja , Capper David , Beck Katja , Paramasivam Nagarajan , Schlesner Matthias , Brastianos Priscilla K. , Müller Hermann L. , Pfister Stefan M. , Mawrin Christian
Published: September 2021

In contrast to adults, meningiomas are uncommon tumors in childhood and adolescence. Whether adult and pediatric meningiomas differ on a molecular level is unclear. Here we report detailed genomic analyses of 37 pediatric meningiomas by sequencing and DNA methylation profiling. Histologically, the series was dominated by meningioma subtypes with aggressive behavior, with 70% of patients suffering from WHO grade II or III meningiomas. The most frequent cytogenetic aberrations were loss of chromosomes 22 (23/37 [62%]), 1 (9/37 [24%]), 18 (7/37 [19%]), and 14 (5/37 [14%]). Tumors with NF2 alterations exhibited overall increased chromosomal instability. Unsupervised clustering of DNA methylation profiles revealed separation into three groups: designated group 1 composed of clear cell and papillary meningiomas, whereas group 2A comprised predominantly atypical meningiomas and group 2B enriched for rare high-grade subtypes (rhabdoid, chordoid). Meningiomas from NF2 patients clustered exclusively within groups 1 and 2A. When compared with a dataset of 105 adult meningiomas, the pediatric meningiomas largely grouped separately. Targeted panel DNA sequencing of 34 tumors revealed frequent NF2 alterations, while other typical alterations found in adult non-NF2 tumors were absent. These data demonstrate that pediatric meningiomas are characterized by molecular features distinct from adult tumors.
Maximal strength training-induced increase in efferent neural drive is not reflected in relative protein expression of SERCA
Authors: Tøien Tiril , Haglo Håvard , Nyberg Stian Kwak , Rao Shalini Vasudev , Stunes Astrid Kamilla , Mosti Mats Peder , Wang Eivind
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Maximal strength training (MST), performed with heavy loads (~ 90% of one repetition maximum; 1RM) and few repetitions, yields large improvements in efferent neural drive, skeletal muscle force production, and skeletal muscle efficiency. However, it is elusive whether neural adaptations following such high intensity strength training may be accompanied by alterations in energy-demanding muscular factors.

Methods

Sixteen healthy young males (24 ± 4 years) were randomized to MST 3 times per week for 8 weeks (n = 8), or a control group (CG; n = 8). Measurements included 1RM and rate of force development (RFD), and evoked potentials recordings (V-wave and H-reflex normalized to M-wave (M) in the soleus muscle) applied to assess efferent neural drive to maximally contracting skeletal muscle. Biopsies were obtained from vastus lateralis and analyzed by western blots and real-time PCR to investigate the relative protein expression and mRNA expression of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) 1 and SERCA2.

Results

Significant improvements in 1RM (17 ± 9%; p < 0.001) and early (0–100 ms), late (0–200 ms) and maximal RFD (31–53%; p < 0.01) were observed after MST, accompanied by increased maximal Vmax/Msup-ratio (9 ± 14%; p = 0.046), with no change in H-reflex to M-wave ratio. No changes were observed in the CG. No pre- to post-training differences were found in mRNA or protein expressions of SERCA1 and SERCA2 in either group.

Conclusion

MST increased efferent neural drive to maximally contracting skeletal muscle, causing improved force production. No change was observed in SERCA expression, indicating that responses to high intensity strength training may predominantly be governed by neural adaptations.
The role of expertise in the aesthetic evaluation of mathematical equations
Authors: Hayn-Leichsenring Gregor U. , Vartanian Oshin , Chatterjee Anjan
Published: September 2021

There is a notion that mathematical equations can be considered aesthetic objects. However, whereas some aesthetic experiences are triggered primarily by the sensory properties of objects, for mathematical equations aesthetic judgments extend beyond their sensory qualities and are also informed by semantics and knowledge. Therefore, to the extent that expertise in mathematics represents the accumulation of domain knowledge, it should influence aesthetic judgments of equations. In a between-groups study design involving university students who majored in mathematics (i.e., experts) or not (i.e., laypeople), we found support for the hypothesis that mathematics majors exhibit more agreement in their aesthetic judgments of equations—reflecting a greater degree of shared variance driven by formal training in the domain. Furthermore, their judgments were driven more strongly by familiarity and meaning than was the case for laypeople. These results suggest that expertise via advanced training in mathematics alters (and sharpens) aesthetic judgments of mathematical equations.
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vulvar cancer with and without inguinal lymph node involvement
Authors: Brambs Christine E. , Horn Lars-Christian , Mende Meinhard , Höckel Michael , Eckey Christine , Hiller Gesine Grit Ruth , Höhn Anne Kathrin
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with increased metastatic spread and poor prognosis. Data on vulvar carcinoma are limited.

Methods

Thirty-two cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva (16 with and 16 without inguinal lymph node metastases) and their lymph node deposits were evaluated for immunohistochemical expression of EMT markers (vimentin, cyclin D1, e-cadherin), p16, p53 and Ki-67. Results of EMT-immunostainings were compared to lymph node involvement and expression of p53 and p16. The micro-anatomical staining pattern for EMT markers comparing the tumor center with the front of invasion was analysed in each tumor.

Results

There was no difference in the expression of EMT markers between node negative and node positive tumors. Staining for vimentin and cyclin D1 was seen within tumor cells at the front of invasion in 100 and 84.4% of the tumors, respectively. The majority of cases (68.7%) showed negative or reduced staining for e-cadherin in this micro-anatomical localization. Tumor cells within the lymph node metastases showed positive staining for e-cadherin in 75% and for cyclin D1 in 49% of the cells but were negative for vimentin in 13 out of 16 cases (81.3%). Tumors with aberrant p53 staining represented a non-significant higher vimentin but significantly higher cyclin D1 expression at the front of invasion than those with p53 wild-type pattern.

Conclusion

The present study shows no differences in the expression of EMT markers between node positive and node negative vulvar cancers. The evaluation of immunostaining within the micro-anatomical context indicates that an EMT-phenotype is restricted to the tumor cells at the front of invasion. Paired analyses of vulvar carcinomas and their lymph node deposits suggest mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) in the metastatic deposits. Immunohistochemical staining results may suggest that EMT is more prevalent in vulvar cancer with aberrant p53 staining.
Accessible wayfinding and navigation: a systematic mapping study
Authors: Prandi Catia , Barricelli Barbara Rita , Mirri Silvia , Fogli Daniela
Published: September 2021

Urban environments, university campuses, and public and private buildings often present architectural barriers that prevent people with disabilities and special needs to move freely and independently. This paper presents a systematic mapping study of the scientific literature proposing devices, and software applications aimed at fostering accessible wayfinding and navigation in indoor and outdoor environments. We selected 111 out of 806 papers published in the period 2009–2020, and we analyzed them according to different dimensions: at first, we surveyed which solutions have been proposed to address the considered problem; then, we analyzed the selected papers according to five dimensions: context of use, target users, hardware/software technologies, type of data sources, and user role in system design and evaluation. Our findings highlight trends and gaps related to these dimensions. The paper finally presents a reflection on challenges and open issues that must be taken into consideration for the design of future accessible places and of related technologies and applications aimed at facilitating wayfinding and navigation.
Family Firms Amidst the Global Financial Crisis: A Territorial Embeddedness Perspective on Downsizing
Authors: Amato Stefano , Patuelli Alessia , Basco Rodrigo , Lattanzi Nicola
Published: September 2021

This study explores the downsizing propensity of family and non-family firms by considering their territorial embeddedness during both periods of economic stability and financial crisis. By drawing on a panel dataset of Spanish manufacturing firms for the period 2002–2015, we show that, all things being equal, family firms have a lower propensity to downsizing than non-family firms. When considering the effect of territorial embeddedness, we found that territorially embedded family firms have an even lower propensity to downsizing than their non-family counterparts. Furthermore, the concern of territorially embedded family firms for their employees’ welfare was particularly pronounced during the years of the global financial crisis. This result is explained by the existence of socially proximate relationships with the firms’ immediate surroundings, based on similarity and a sense of belonging, which push deeply rooted family firms to treat their employees as salient stakeholders during hard times. Overall, our study stresses the importance of local roots in moderating the relationship between family firms and downsizing.
Do Stringent Environmental Policies Deter FDI? M&A versus Greenfield
Authors: Bialek Sylwia , Weichenrieder Alfons J.
Published: September 2021

Strict environmental regulation may deter foreign direct investment (FDI). The paper develops the hypothesis that regulation predominantly discourages FDI that is conducted as Greenfield investment rather than mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The hypothesis is tested with German firm-level FDI data. Empirically, stricter regulation reduces new Greenfield projects in polluting industries, but indeed has a much smaller impact on the number of M&As. This significant difference is compatible with the fact that existing operations often benefit from grandfathering rules, which provide softer regulation for pre-exisiting plants, and with the expectation that for M&As part of the regulation is capitalized in the purchase price. The heterogeneous effects help explaining mixed results in previous studies that have neglected the mode of entry.
Research on Roof Fracture Characteristics of Gob-Side Entry Retaining with Roof Cutting and Non-pillar Mining in Thick Coal Seam, China
Authors: Zhao Mengye , Zhu Lei , Huang Qingxiang , Xu Kai , Wu Yuyi , Gu Wenzhe
Published: September 2021

Based on the S1201-2 large height mining in the 2–2 coal seam of Ningtiaota colliery with on-site microseismic measurement, physical simulation and theoretical analysis methods, this paper explores the rule of roof movement in thick coal seams with roof cutting and non-pillar (hereinafter referred to as RCN-P) mining, so as to obtain scientific and effective theoretical basis for entry support and to summarize the regional structural characteristics and dynamic periodic fracture characteristics. As can be seen from microseismic events, the entry roof is featured by "two zones and one line" along the horizontal direction, namely, the crack generation area, the roof movement area. Additionally, and the obvious lateral breaking of the entry roof on the coal wall is a typical feature of the thick coal seam with RCN-P mining. The roof is vertically divided into "three zones", the crack generation area, the roof movement area and the crack development area. The roof cutting activity mainly affects the overburden activity within the basic roof height range, which is also the roof movement area. In addition, the distribution frequency and the intensity of microseismic events indicate the roof periodic breaking characteristics. The "breaking pressure relief,” “advanced crack development,” and “the limit breaking state” of roof breaking corresponds to the initial, middle, and final stage of breaking in the periodic weighting process, respectively. Compared with the normal mining, the RCN-P mining reduces the periodic weighting length and increases the pressure strength. As is shown in the physical simulation experiment, the basic roof and the cutting control layer in the "regional structural characteristics" constitute the “large” and “small” structures with RCN-P mining. The basic roof key layer is the core to control the stability of the strata, and the breaking process from the cantilever beam to the short masonry beam of the roof-cutting control layer is the main cause of the entry stress. Correspondingly, the basic structure model of “short masonry-hinged” roof was proposed and the calculation method of support was established for the entry with RCN-P mining in thick coal seam, providing a research foundation for scientific and effective rock formation control.
Timing of Health Service Use Among Truck Drivers After a Work-Related Injury or Illness
Authors: Xia Ting , Collie Alex , Newnam Sharon , Lubman Dan I. , Iles Ross
Published: September 2021

PurposesTimely delivery of treatment and rehabilitation is generally acknowledged to support injury recovery. This study aimed to describe the timing of health service use by injured truck drivers with work-related injury and to explore the association between demographic and injury factors and the duration of health service use.MethodsRetrospective cohort study of injured truck drivers with accepted workers’ compensation claims in the state of Victoria, Australia. Descriptive analyses examined the percentage of injured truck drivers using health services by service type. Logistic regression model examined predictors of any service use versus no service use, and predictors of extended service use (≥ 52 weeks) versus short-term use.ResultsThe timing of health service use by injured truck drivers with accepted workers’ compensation claims varies substantially by service type. General practitioner, specialist physician, and physical therapy service use peaks within the 14 weeks after compensation claim lodgement, whilst the majority of mental health services were accessed in the persistent phase beyond 14 weeks after claim lodgement. Older age, being employed by small companies, and claiming compensation for mental health conditions were associated with greater duration of health service use.ConclusionsInjured truck drivers access a wide range of health services during the recovery and return to work process. Delivery of mental health services is delayed, including for those making mental health compensation claims. Health service planning should take into account worker and employer characteristics in addition to injury type.
Pretense as alternative sense-making: a praxeological enactivist account
Authors: Weichold Martin , Rucińska Zuzanna
Published: September 2021

The project of this paper is to synthesize enactivist cognitive science and practice theory in order to develop a new account of pretend play. Pretend play is usually conceived of as a representationalist phenomenon where a pretender projects a fictional mental representation onto reality. It thus seems that pretense can only be explained in representationalist terms. In this paper, we oppose this usual approach. We instead propose not only new explanatory tools for pretend play, but also a fundamental reconceptualization of the phenomena of pretend play, that is, of the very explanandum of theories of pretense. To do so, we suggest combining the turn to action and embodiment in the cognitive sciences with the practice turn in the humanities. From our point of view, pretend play has to be seen in its role in human life as a whole, which is to help children to learn to master the complex sociocultural contingencies of the manifold social practices that make up social reality. Pretend play should therefore be conceived as alternative sense-making that is always related, in varying ways, to ordinary social practices. Pretenders do not need to project mental representations onto reality, but make sense of their surroundings in different ways than encultured adults in ordinary practices. In the paper, we spell out this view and show how it enables an enactivist reconceptualization of imagination, intentions and knowledge, which are usually thought of as being available only to representationalist accounts of pretense.
Tracking probabilistic truths: a logic for statistical learning
Authors: Baltag Alexandru , Rad Soroush Rafiee , Smets Sonja
Published: September 2021

We propose a new model for forming and revising beliefs about unknown probabilities. To go beyond what is known with certainty and represent the agent’sbeliefsabout probability, we consider a plausibility map, associating to each possible distribution a plausibility ranking. Beliefs are defined as in Belief Revision Theory, in terms of truth in the most plausible worlds (or more generally, truth in all the worlds that are plausible enough). We consider two forms of conditioning or belief update, corresponding to the acquisition of two types of information: (1) learning observable evidence obtained by repeated sampling from the unknown distribution; and (2) learning higher-order information about the distribution. The first changes only the plausibility map (via a ‘plausibilistic’ version of Bayes’ Rule), but leaves the given set of possible distributions essentially unchanged; the second rules out some distributions, thus shrinking the set of possibilities, without changing their plausibility ordering.. We look at stability of beliefs under either of these types of learning, defining two related notions (safe belief and statistical knowledge), as well as a measure of the verisimilitude of a given plausibility model. We prove a number of convergence results, showing how our agent’s beliefs track the true probability after repeated sampling, and how she eventually gains in a sense (statistical) knowledge of that true probability. Finally, we sketch the contours of a dynamic doxastic logic for statistical learning.
Digitalization in Buildings and Smart Cities on the Way to 6G
Authors: Konhäuser Walter
Published: September 2021

The energy turnaround created a high volatility in the energy production based on renewable energy. To integrate renewable energy economically in buildings and smart cities an additional concept of energy storage and energy supply based on energy management concepts must be claimed. The political views have changed during the last years and energy efficiency in buildings is seen important because 35% of greenhouse gas is produced by the final energy consumption. The deployment of local energy production concepts is an important step to energy turnaround. To generate and distribute energy effectively in buildings, digital components such as sensors, actuators, meters, and energy management systems must be installed in the buildings and the digital components must be able to communicate via communication networks. The paper describes systems for local energy generation, necessary communication networks for buildings and smart cities and digitization applications in industrial buildings. As an example of energy management, the Oktett64 system is presented, which is based on Enterprise IT technology and has implemented AI and blockchain technology. Digitalization with platforms such as Oktett64 are based on technologies that are superior to today's often commercially available Programmable Logic Controllers. The article also shows how the future mobile communications standards 5G beyond and 6G can offer special solutions for the digitization of buildings in their edge clouds.
A Test Can Have Multiple Reliabilities
Authors: Ellis Jules L.
Published: September 2021

It is argued that the generalizability theory interpretation of coefficient alpha is important. In this interpretation, alpha is a slightly biased but consistent estimate for the coefficient of generalizability in a subjects x items design where both subjects and items are randomly sampled. This interpretation is based on the “domain sampling” true scores. It is argued that these true scores have a more solid empirical basis than the true scores of Lord and Novick (1968), which are based on “stochastic subjects” (Holland, 1990), while only a single observation is available for each within-subject distribution. Therefore, the generalizability interpretation of coefficient alpha is to be preferred, unless the true scores can be defined by a latent variable model that has undisputed empirical validity for the test and that is sufficiently restrictive to entail a consistent estimate of the reliability—as, for example, McDonald’s omega. If this model implies that the items are essentially tau-equivalent, both the generalizability and the reliability interpretation of alpha can be defensible.
Study of a surface coating present on a Renaissance Piety from the Museum of Ancient Art (Castello Sforzesco, Milan)
Authors: Fermo Paola , Colella Mario , Malagodi Marco , Fiocco Giacomo , Albano Michela , Marchioron Silvia , Guglielmi Vittoria , Comite Valeria
Published: September 2021

The surface coating present on a marble Piety dating to the Renaissance period and stored at the Castello Sforzesco-Museum of Ancient Art (Milan, Italy) was studied and chemically characterised. For this purpose, both portable non-invasive (XRF and colorimetric measurements) and micro-invasive techniques (FTIR-ATR and SEM-EDS), have been applied. The statue has been recently submitted to a restoration, since its surface appeared dark and yellowed, before an exhibition at the Louvre Museum and the original appearance of the marble surface recovered thanks to the surface coating removal. Through the analytical characterisation carried out before and after the marble cleaning, the presence of a degradation layer composed by gypsum was evidenced on the stone. The origin of this layer is ascribable to the exposure of the statue to outdoor environment and interaction with atmospheric pollution. The chemical nature of the coating applied at the end of nineteenth century also responsible for the surface alteration was hypothesized.
Generating novel plant genetic variation via genome editing to escape the breeding lottery
Authors: Schleif Nathaniel , Kaeppler Shawn M. , Kaeppler Heidi F.
Published: September 2021

Plant breeding relies on the presence of genetic variation, which is generated by a random process of mutagenesis that acts on existing gene pools. This variation is then recombined into new forms at frequencies impacted by the local euchromatin and heterochromatin environment. The result is a genetic lottery where plant breeders face increasingly low odds of generating a “winning” plant genotype. Genome editing tools enable targeted manipulation of the genome, providing a means to increase genetic variation and enhancing the chances for plant breeding success. Editing can be applied in a targeted way, where known genetic variation that improves performance can be directly brought into lines of interest through either deletion or insertion. This empowers approaches that are traditionally difficult such as novel domestication and introgression of wild accessions into a germplasm pool. Furthermore, broader editing-mediated approaches such as recombination enhancement and targeted random mutagenesis bring novel ways of variation creation to the plant breeding toolbox. Continued development and application of plant genome editing tools will be needed to aid in meeting critical global crop improvement needs.
Neoadjuvant versus adjuvant management of resectable pancreas cancer: A review of the literature
Authors: Schlick Konstantin
Published: September 2021

Neoadjuvant therapy is well-accepted in the treatment of borderline resectable and locally advanced PC, the benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with resectable disease, however,  is currently not so clear. Here we provide an up date on the literature.
A Review of the Use of Psychoacoustic Indicators on Soundscape Studies
Authors: Engel Margret Sibylle , Fiebig André , Pfaffenbach Carmella , Fels Janina
Published: September 2021

This work reviews the literature of 46 peer-reviewed papers and presents the current status on the use of psychoacoustic indicators in soundscape studies. The selection of papers for a systematic review followed the PRISMA method. Afterwards, descriptive analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were realised. For the PCA, the following parameters extracted from the papers were analysed: psychoacoustic indicator, hypothesis, statistical units, data collection method and major findings for each investigated psychoacoustic indicator. The results show an overview of the use of psychoacoustic indicators, through main hypothesis and findings for each psychoacoustic indicator i.e. the importance of statistical units, such as percentiles, to investigate the hypothesis related to the description of auditory descriptors and perceptual attributes. Another important finding is that many papers lack the specification of computation methods limiting the comparability of study results and impeding the meta-analyses.
Near-Instantaneously Self-Healing Coating toward Stable and Durable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
Authors: Zou Lihua , Lan Chuntao , Zhang Songlin , Zheng Xianhong , Xu Zhenzhen , Li Changlong , Yang Li , Ruan Fangtao , Tan Swee Ching
Published: September 2021

Durable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is highly desired, as electromagnetic pollution is a great concern for electronics’ stable performance and human health. Although a superhydrophobic surface can extend the service lifespan of EMI shielding materials, degradation of its protection capability and insufficient self-healing are troublesome issues due to unavoidable physical/chemical damages under long-term application conditions. Here, we report, for the first time, an instantaneously self-healing approach via microwave heating to achieve durable shielding performance. First, a hydrophobic 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (POTS) layer was coated on a polypyrrole (PPy)-modified fabric (PPy@POTS), enabling protection against the invasion of water, salt solution, and corrosive acidic and basic solutions. Moreover, after being damaged, the POTS layer can, for the first time, be instantaneously self-healed via microwave heating for a very short time, i.e., 4 s, benefiting from the intense thermal energy generated by PPy under electromagnetic wave radiation. This self-healing ability is also repeatable even after intentionally severe plasma etching, which highlights the great potential to achieve robust and durable EMI shielding applications. Significantly, this approach can be extended to other EMI shielding materials where heat is a triggering stimulus for healing thin protection layers. We envision that this work could provide insights into fabricating EMI shielding materials with durable performance for portable and wearable devices, as well as for human health care."Image missing"
„Herren der Information“
Authors: Kniep Ronja
Published: September 2021

Dieser Beitrag analysiert digitale Geheimdienstüberwachung als Phänomen transnationaler Ordnungsbildung. Diese geht im Sinne von Pierre Bourdieus Feldbegriff einher mit der Herausbildung einer relativen Autonomie und symbolischer Herrschaft, also der Durchsetzung legitimer Deutungen. Mit einer konzeptionellen Differenzierung doxischer (unbestrittener) und orthodoxer (umstrittener) Formen symbolischer Herrschaft lässt sich eine Antwort darauf formulieren, warum digitale Überwachung trotz, und teilweise durch ihre Kontestation so gut funktioniert, ohne dabei den Wandel von Überwachungsdebatten zu vernachlässigen. Illustriert wird dieser Wandel anhand der Unterscheidung zwischen inländischer und ausländischer Kommunikation im Feld Signals Intelligence (Sigint). Die Inland-Ausland Unterscheidung wird im post-Snowden Diskurs aufgebrochen, aber nicht aufgelöst. Sie wird von einer stillen Form symbolischer Herrschaft in eine streitbare transformiert, also von einer durch Schweigen akzeptieren Selbstverständlichkeit (Doxa) zur herrschenden Meinung (Orthodoxie), der ein heterodoxer Bürger- und Menschenrechtsdiskurs gegenübersteht. Die politische Soziologie transnationaler Geheimdienstüberwachung soll sowohl zum Verständnis von Überwachung als auch zu einer neuen Betrachtungsweise von Macht und Herrschaft in der digitalen Konstellation beitragen. Die vorgeschlagene Feldperspektive ermöglicht zudem das Nachdenken über die von Regierungen relativ unabhängige, regelsetzenden Macht von Geheimdiensten, ohne dabei auf die Idee eines ‚deep state‘ zurückzugreifen.
Mach Wave and Acoustical Wave Structure in Nonequilibrium Gas-Particle Flows
Authors: Liu Joseph T. C.
Published: September 2021

In this Element, the gas-particle flow problem is formulated with momentum and thermal slip that introduces two relaxation times. Starting from acoustical propagation in a medium in equilibrium, the relaxation-wave equation in airfoil coordinates is derived though a Galilean transformation for uniform flow. Steady planar small perturbation supersonic flow is studied in detail according to Whitham's higher-order waves. The signals owing to wall boundary conditions are damped along the frozen-Mach wave, and are both damped and diffusive along an effective-intermediate Mach wave and diffusive along the equilibrium Mach wave where the bulk of the disturbance propagates. The surface pressure coefficient is obtained exactly for small-disturbance theory, but it is considerably simplified for the small particle-to-gas mass loading approximation, equivalent to a simple-wave approximation. Other relaxation-wave problems are discussed. Martian dust-storm properties in terms of gas-particle flow parameters are estimated.
Comparison of structural model reduction methods applied to a large-deformation wing box
Authors: Medeiros R.R. , Cesnik C.E.S. , Stodieck O. , Calderon D.E. , Cooper J.E. , Coetzee E.B.
Published: September 2021

In this paper, the accuracy and practical capabilities of three different reduced-order models (ROMs) are explored: an enhanced implicit condensation and expansion (EnICE) model, a finite element beam model, and a finite volume beam model are compared for their capability to accurately predict the nonlinear structural response of geometrically nonlinear built-up wing structures. This work briefly outlines the different order reduction methods, highlighting the associated assumptions and computational effort. The ROMs are then used to calculate the wing deflection for different representative load cases and these results are compared with the global finite element model (GFEM) predictions when possible. Overall, the ROMs are found to be able to capture the nonlinear GFEM behaviour accurately, but differences are noticed at very large displacements and rotations due to local geometrical effects.
Experimental and numerical investigation on a supersonic inlet with large bleed window
Authors: Yuan HC. , Zhang JS. , Wang YF. , Huang GP.
Published: September 2021

The design of a two-dimensional supersonic inlet with large bleed window at low Mach number was developed. Numerical simulation and wind tunnel experiments were carried out to investigate the aerodynamic performance and variable geometric rules of the inlet. The result indicates that the single-degree-of-freedom variable geometry scheme adopted in this paper guarantees the steady work of the inlet over a wide speed range. The large bleed window caused by rotation of the compression ramp appears near the throat at low Mach number. Low-pressure airflow near the bleed window neutralises the original high-pressure airflow behind the shock train, which decreases the overall pressure of the downstream region of the internal contraction section. To match the lower pressure, the structure of the shock train changes from strong $\lambda$-type to weak $\lambda$-type, and finally to a normal shock wave as backpressure increases at Mach number 2.5. Herein, the total pressure recovery coefficient of the inlet near the critical condition improves by 8.5% as the backpressure ratio (Pe/P0) adds from 13 to 14.6 at Mach number 2.5. It proves that the scheme is effective on terminal shock wave control and inlet performance improvement. In addition, due to the background wave and the bleed window, two kinds of shock wave oscillation occur when the backpressure ratio is 13.1.
Dimension estimates for iterated function systems and repellers. Part II
Authors: FENG DE-JUN , SIMON KÁROLY
Published: September 2021

This is the second part of our study on the dimension theory of
$C^1$
iterated function systems (IFSs) and repellers on
$\mathbb {R}^d$
. In the first part [D.-J. Feng and K. Simon. Dimension estimates for
$C^1$
iterated function systems and repellers. Part I. Preprint, 2020, arXiv:2007.15320], we proved that the upper box-counting dimension of the attractor of every
$C^1$
IFS on
${\Bbb R}^d$
is bounded above by its singularity dimension, and the upper packing dimension of every ergodic invariant measure associated with this IFS is bounded above by its Lyapunov dimension. Here we introduce a generalized transversality condition (GTC) for parameterized families of
$C^1$
IFSs, and show that if the GTC is satisfied, then the dimensions of the IFS attractor and of the ergodic invariant measures are given by these upper bounds for almost every (in an appropriate sense) parameter. Moreover, we verify the GTC for some parameterized families of
$C^1$
IFSs on
${\Bbb R}^d$
.
Dietary fibre and the gut–brain axis: microbiota-dependent and independent mechanisms of action
Authors: La Torre Danique , Verbeke Kristin , Dalile Boushra
Published: September 2021

Dietary fibre is an umbrella term comprising various types of carbohydrate polymers that cannot be digested nor absorbed by the human small intestine. Consumption of dietary fibre is linked to beneficial effects on cognitive and affective processes, although not all fibres produce the same effects. Fibres that increase short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production following modulation of the gut microbiota are thought to be the most potent fibres to induce effects on cognitive and affective processes. SCFAs can exert their effects by improving central, peripheral and systemic immunity, lowering hypertension and enhancing intestinal barrier integrity. Here, we propose additional mechanisms by which dietary fibres may contribute to improvements in affective and cognitive processes. Fibre-induced modulation of the gut microbiota may influence affective processes and cognition by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Depending on the physicochemical properties of dietary fibre, additional effects on affect and cognition may occur via non-microbiota-related routes, such as enhancement of the immune system and lowering cholesterol levels and subsequently lowering blood pressure. Mechanistic randomised placebo-controlled trials are needed to establish the effects of dietary fibre consumption and the magnitude of explained variance in affect and cognition when incorporating measurements of microbiota-dependent and microbiota-independent mechanisms in humans.
Anti-MOG autoantibody-associated schizophreniform psychosis
Authors: von Zedtwitz Katharina , Matteit Isabelle , Michel Maike , Feige Bernd , Runge Kimon , Denzel Dominik , Schlump Andrea , Nickel Kathrin , Schiele Miriam A. , Berger Benjamin , Prüss Harald , Urbach Horst , Domschke Katharina , Tebartz van Elst Ludger , Endres Dominique
Published: September 2021

Objectives:

Autoimmune mechanisms are related to disease development in a subgroup of patients with psychosis. The contribution of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is mainly unclear in this context.

Methods:

Therefore, two patients with psychosis and anti-MOG antibodies – detected in fixed cell-based and live cell-based assays – are presented.

Results:

Patient 1 suffered from late-onset psychosis with singular white matter lesions in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and intermittent electroencephalography (EEG) slowing. Patient 2 suffered from a chronic paranoid–hallucinatory disorder with intermittent confusional states, non-specific white matter alterations on MRI, a disorganised alpha rhythm on EEG, and elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein. Both patients had anti-MOG antibody titres of 1 : 320 in serum (reference < 1 : 20).

Conclusions:

The arguments for and against a causal role for anti-MOG antibodies are discussed. The antibodies could be relevant, but due to moderate titres, they may have caused a rather ‘subtle clinical picture’ consisting of psychosis instead of ‘classical’ MOG encephalomyelitis.
Roman History
Authors: Corke-Webster James
Published: September 2021

After a focus on social and cultural history in the last issue, this issue's offerings return us to more traditional subjects – political institutions, and historiography. That spring review ended with religion, which is where we start here: an apposite reminder that religion pervades all aspects of the Roman world. It is precisely that principle which undergirds our first book, Dan-el Padilla Peralta's Divine Institutions. Padilla Peralta is interested, at root, in how the Roman state became such through the third and fourth centuries bce. That is a story usually told – in a tradition going back to the ancient historians themselves – via a swashbuckling tale of successive military campaigns. Padilla Peralta, however, sets that anachronistic narrativization aside, and instead builds a careful case that between the siege of Veii and the end of the Second Punic War ‘the Roman state remade and retooled itself into a republic defined and organized around a specific brand of institutionalized ritual practices and commitments’ (1). Specifically, he shows that the construction of temples and the public activities they facilitated were a key mechanism – one as important as warfare – by which the consensus necessary to state formation was generated:

the Republic more or less stumbles into a bootstrapping formula that proves to be unusually felicitous: high visibility monumental enterprises are paired with new incentives for human mobility in ways that dramatically and enduringly reorganize the rhythms of civic and communal experience. (17–18)

In particular, Padilla Peralta argues that output was greater than input; that the genius – whether accidental or deliberate – of this formula was that it facilitated a confidence game whereby the res publica appeared more capable – via the apparent support of the gods whom its visible piety secured – than was in fact the case.
The Simony Crisis of the Eleventh Century and the ‘Letter of Guido’
Authors: WEST CHARLES
Published: September 2021

The Epistola Widonis, or ‘Letter of Guido’, is a key source for the simony debates of the eleventh century, since it is usually considered the first major text to cast doubt on the validity of simoniacal ordinations. After examining the grounds for the letter's conventional dating to c. 1031 and attribution to Guido of Arezzo, this article makes the case for instead locating the letter's origins in the 1060s, and explores the implications of a re-dating for the dynamics of the eleventh-century ‘moral panic’ about simony.
Metabolic syndrome in antipsychotic-naïve patients with first-episode psychosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Garrido-Torres Nathalia , Rocha-Gonzalez Idalino , Alameda Luis , Rodriguez-Gangoso Aurora , Vilches Ana , Canal-Rivero Manuel , Crespo-Facorro Benedicto , Ruiz-Veguilla Miguel
Published: September 2021

Background

It is unclear what the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in drug-naïve first-episode of psychosis (FEP) is, as previous meta-analyses were conducted in minimally exposed or drug-naïve FEP patients with psychotic disorder at any stage of the disease; thus, a meta-analysis examining MetS in naïve FEP compared with the general population is needed.

Methods

Studies on individuals with FEP defined as drug-naïve (0 days exposure to antipsychotics) were included to conduct a systematic review. A meta-analysis of proportions for the prevalence of MetS in antipsychotic-naïve patients was performed. Prevalence estimates and 95% CI were calculated using a random-effect model. Subgroup analyses and meta-regressions to identify sources and the amount of heterogeneity were also conducted.

Results

The search yielded 4143 articles. After the removal of duplicates, 2473 abstracts and titles were screened. At the full-text stage, 112 were screened, 18 articles were included in a systematic review and 13 articles in the main statistical analysis. The prevalence of MetS in naïve (0 days) FEP is 13.2% (95% CI 8.7–19.0). Ethnicity accounted for 3% of the heterogeneity between studies, and diagnostic criteria used for MetS accounted for 7%. When compared with controls matched by sex and age, the odds ratio is 2.52 (95% CI 1.29–5.07; p = 0.007).

Conclusions

Our findings of increased rates of MetS in naïve FEP patients suggest that we are underestimating cardiovascular risk in this population, especially in those of non-Caucasian origin. Our findings support that altered metabolic parameters in FEPs are not exclusively due to antipsychotic treatments.