bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Spirituality and Religiosity in Healthcare During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review of the Scientific Literature
Authors: de Diego-Cordero Rocío , Ávila-Mantilla Amanda , Vega-Escaño Juan , Lucchetti Giancarlo , Badanta Bárbara
Published: March 2022

The pandemic caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has been affecting populations globally since the end of 2019. Previous studies have indicated that spirituality in these times of crisis serves as a source of hope and well-being that helps people get through the day. This study investigated the role of spirituality and religiosity in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. An integrative review of the scientific literature available on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases and a review of the gray literature in the Information System on Gray Literature in Europe (OpenGrey) were carried out. From a total of 1,338 articles searched; 25 articles were included in this review (22 quantitative observational, 2 qualitative and one randomized controlled trial). Our findings revealed the importance of including spirituality in clinical practice for both health professionals and patients. On the one hand, spirituality can be considered a good coping strategy used by healthcare professionals to promote mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting in greater patient satisfaction with the care given. On the other hand, addressing spiritual needs of individuals leads to a reduction in stress, anxiety, depression, and an increase in resilience and hope among patients.
Can There be Thought Without Words?—Donald Davidson on Language and Animal Minds
Authors: Couto Diana
Published: March 2022

In a couple of short papers, Donald Davidson holds that a creature cannot think unless it is the interpreter of the speech of another. At first blush, speaking a language is, therefore, a necessary condition for thought. His controversial claims has led many to regard him as a follower of the Cartesian tradition wherein languageless creatures are nothing but mindless machines. Against this widely shared interpretation, in this paper we put forward a more charitable interpretation of Davidson’s claims. According to our reading, Davidson never meant to argue that languageless creatures do not think. Instead, the only thing his arguments purport to show is that one will never be in a position to confirm that they do. This paper consists of a defense of the idea that Davidson is better seen as endorsing radical skepticism as to whether languageless creatures think.
Quantification and Degradation of 2,2-Dibromo-3-Nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA) in Bioethanol Fermentation Coproducts
Authors: Simpson J. V. , Wiatr C. L.
Published: March 2022

2,2-Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA) has been used as a biocide in industrial water applications due to its instantaneous antimicrobial activity and rapid chemical breakdown. In this study, DBNPA is considered a potential alternative for antibiotics used for bacterial control during corn-to-ethanol fermentation. A method using LC/MS/MS was developed to accurately quantify DBNPA in water. When this method was applied to quantify DBNPA concentration in a fermentation matrix, DBNPA was found to be unstable and to decay rapidly, preventing validation of the method or quantitation. This method was then used to evaluate the degradation rate of DBNPA in whole stillage, which is the nonvolatile residue produced by removal of ethanol from corn-based fermentation beer by distillation through the relative decrease in measured signal. In addition, a method was developed and validated to quantify bromide, one of the degradation products of DBNPA, in whole stillage using LC/MS/MS. The degradation rate of DBNPA in whole stillage was found to display first-order kinetics with a calculated half-life of 85 min. Laboratory analytical chemistry results on DBNPA degradation were confirmed based on a bacterial viability assay in field trials.
A novel approach to the analytical modelling of an auger conveyor system for lunar regolith transportation
Authors: Benedi Jorge , Just Gunter H. , Roy Matthew J. , Smith Katharine L.
Published: March 2022

Auger-based transportation systems are a promising method to transport lunar regolith for in situ resource utilisation. An analytical model based on terrestrial auger conveyor industry guidelines is used to predict the behaviour and performance parameters of an auger conveyor system under a range of initial conditions. Key aspects of the model have been validated with published experimental data. The proposed model produces more accurate predictions than previous methods and calculates the inclination angle with the best conveying efficiency. The proposed model output flow predictions have on average $$47\%$$

47
%

less deviation from the experimental data mean than previous model predictions, while the predictions for power requirements without considering energy losses present 42.9% and $$59.2\%$$

59.2
%

less deviation than previous predictions. When the losses are considered, the proposed model predictions are 70% and $$86.4\%$$

86.4
%

more accurate than the previous models, which have been found to underestimate the power requirements of this type of conveyors.
Effect of Drought Stress on Bioactives and Starch in Chilean Potato Landraces
Authors: Lacavé Guillaume , Soto-Maldonado Carmen , Walter Achim , Zúñiga-Hansen María , Pérez-Torres Eduardo
Published: March 2022

Despite the importance that environmental stress plays in the agronomic performance of plants, there is little agreement on its effect on bioactive compounds in tuber crops. A field study was carried out with eight diverse Chilean potato landraces and the commercial variety Désirée. Plants were subjected to drought stress for 6 weeks starting at 88 or 110 days after planting. As expected, the treatments had a strong impact on the yield and the number of tubers produced per plant (P<0.01). Surprisingly, there was no significant effect of the treatments on the content of phenolic compounds, anthocyanins or antioxidant activity (P>0.05). Resistant starch content is reported for the first time in these landraces, with values between 26 and 44% DW for raw samples and 5 and 7% DW for boiled samples in plants under well-watered conditions. Bioactive content in general was genotype-dependent and it changed significantly after boiling. Furthermore, our results suggest that bioactive content in raw samples is not necessarily a good predictor for the composition of boiled samples. This is highly relevant considering that screening of varieties with high bioactive content is often carried out in raw tubers. Our results provide valuable information regarding the effect of drought stress in tuber composition and highlight the unexplored potential of the Chilean potato gene pool in the development of varieties with higher bioactive content.
The moderating role of CEO sustainability reporting style in the relationship between sustainability performance, sustainability reporting, and cost of equity
Authors: Lopatta Kerstin , Kaspereit Thomas , Tideman Sebastian A. , Rudolf Anna R.
Published: March 2022

This paper explores the role of individual managers in the relationship between sustainability performance, sustainability reporting, and cost of equity. Based on prior research showing that both sustainability performance and reporting reduce the risk premium, this paper contributes to the literature by acknowledging that the true motives behind a manager’s corporate sustainability engagement are not apparent to investors. Thus, investors need to rely on further information to assess the relationship between sustainability performance and risk. We argue that CEOs’ values and preferences drive their decisions regarding sustainability activities. Thus, their fixed effect on sustainability reporting conveys a signal to investors about the motives behind corporate sustainability engagement and the extent of reporting. In the first step of our empirical analysis, we document that a CEO’s specific reporting style indeed has significant statistical power in explaining a company’s level of sustainability reporting. In the second step, we find that improved sustainability performance is associated with increased cost of equity when the CEO exerts a strong personal influence on sustainability reporting. However, cost of equity declines if the CEO’s influence on the reporting of improved sustainability performance is low. Our results are consistent with the argument that investors interpret CEO’s fixed-effect on sustainability reporting as a signal. That is, for a high CEO fixed-effect, increases in sustainability engagement are conflated with the CEO's self-interested values. In further tests, we show that the signal seems to be particularly important for normative sustainability activities (vs. legal sustainability activities).
Redistribution of Minor and Trace Elements During Roasting of Cu-Rich Complex Concentrate in Inert Atmosphere
Authors: Prasad Pande Nishant , Thomas Helen , Lennartsson Andreas , Samuelsson Caisa
Published: March 2022

A Cu-rich polymetallic complex concentrate produced at the Garpenberg Mines of Boliden Mineral AB, Sweden is investigated. Roasting at 700 °C in N2 leads to extensive liquid formation. The calcine obtained after cooling down to the room temperature is found to be severely sintered, entrapping numerous melt nuggets. This work focuses on analyzing redistribution of the minor (Ag) and trace elements consequent to the roasting treatment. Advanced micro-analytical techniques such as quantitative evaluation of minerals by scanning electron microscopy (QEMSCAN), laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) are used in conjunction for detailed characterization of the initial concentrate and the roasted calcine, especially the melt nuggets (which symbolizes the phases which were molten at 700 °C). The minor element—Ag is primarily in the silver-antimonide and tetrahedrite mineral phases in the initial concentrate. Ag separates out of tetrahedrite when the later interacts with galena to form a liquid phase. Furthermore, Mn, Cd, Tl and Hg are the relevant trace elements in the Garpenberg concentrate. Sphalerite is the major host of Mn, Cd and Hg. Tl is mainly in galena. Consequent to liquid formations at 700 °C, the trace elements redistribute and tend to segregate in low-melting phase-fractions. Statistical methods such as correlation matrices and clustering analysis are used effectively in evaluating the data from laser-ablation ICP-MS measurements on sulphide samples.

Graphical Abstract
Investigation of the Damage Mechanism of CrN and Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings on Precipitation-Hardened and Duplex-Treated X42Cr13/W Tool Steel by 3D Scratch Testing
Authors: Siddiqui Shiraz Ahmed , Favaro Gregory , Berkes Maros Maria
Published: March 2022

The present work deals with the characterization of the scratch resistance of two different types of coatings, i.e., chromium nitride (CrN) and diamond-like carbon prepared on X42Cr13/W (1.2083) plastic mold tool steel by physical vapor deposition and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, respectively. Our study focuses on the influence of the duplex treatment, i.e., plasma nitriding + ceramic coating on the scratch resistance of the tool steel. An advanced 3D scratch testing methodology has been used to investigate the coating adhesion and damage mechanism during scratching. The scratch analysis is completed by ball cratering test and micro-Vickers test to determine the thickness and hardness of the coatings. The test results demonstrate that the applied duplex treatment is an unambiguously advantageous surface technological process which manifests itself in higher loadability and lower sensitivity for cracking of the duplex coatings, increasing the critical forces. The scratch resistance of the combined substrate/coating material system is enhanced by the harder substrate material, providing a better interfacial bonding for both types of the ceramic coatings without changing the basic damage mechanisms.
Vocational Students’ Perceptions of Self-Regulated Learning in Work-Based VET
Authors: Pylväs Laura , Nokelainen Petri , Rintala Heta
Published: March 2022

This study’s aim is to examine vocational students’ perceptions of self-regulated learning in work-based settings regarding Finnish vocational education and training (VET). We examined the participants’ self-reported thoughts and experiences of VET learning and vocational development that were reflected against SRL theory. The interview data (N = 33) included apprentices (n = 15) in work-based and students in school-based VET (n = 18) in the fields of social and healthcare, business and administration, and construction. Overall, the results indicated that learning at work promoted vocational students’ cognitive engagement and motivation. The interviews also introduced certain SRL strategies that guided the participants’ efforts to learn. In particular, many of the vocational students had taken the initiative to set goals, done strategic planning, and monitored their own performance jointly with their teachers or co-workers. However, the self-reports also revealed some shortcomings in the students’ SRL behaviour. The importance and availability of social support and positive feedback from VET teachers and workplace trainers/co-workers to vocational students’ learning and self-efficacy were underlined in the self-reports.
Phototrophe Biofilme für die kontinuierliche Produktion von Chemikalien
Authors: Siebert Nina Antonia , Franz Alexander , Karande Rohan
Published: March 2022

Cyanobacteria are considered to be promising host organisms to perform whole-cell biotransformations and for the sustainable production of value-added compounds. However, for their commercial applications, scalable photobioreactors that allow high cell density cultivation, stable and long-term catalytic performance, and high product formation are necessary. Cyanobacterial biofilms in capillary reactors present a promising alternative to overcome some of these challenges.
Resistenzbestimmung nicht-kultivierbarer Bakterien
Authors: Fleischmann Susanne , Robben Christian , Mester Patrick
Published: March 2022

To cope with environmental stress, bacteria can enter resistant dormancy states such as the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state, in which cells do not divide but remain alive with the potential to resuscitate. Present in both food and clinical environments, VBNC cells are a serious health risk and a challenge for conventional analytical methods. By detecting growth-independent viability parameters, it is possible to investigate resistance of VBNC cells and identify effective antimicrobials.
Möglicher Einfluss von Viren auf die Ausbreitung von Proteinaggregaten
Authors: Heumüller Stefanie-Elisabeth , Vorberg Ina Maja
Published: March 2022

Neurodegenerative diseases are associated with misfolding of proteins into highly-ordered amyloid fibrils. These protein aggregates can be transmitted to other cells in which they induce aggregation of proteins of the same kind. Mechanisms of intercellular transfer include direct cell contact or transfer of aggregates within extracellular vesicles. Recent research suggests that viral proteins can increase the intercellular spreading of protein aggregation by promoting the required membrane interactions.
Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure reduces cost of care independent of the institutional cumulative caseload in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation
Authors: D’Ancona G. , Arslan F. , Safak E. , Weber D. , Ince H.
Published: March 2022

Background

Data on the impact of the cumulative percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) caseload on cardiovascular outpatient and hospitalisation costs are limited.

Methods

The present single-institution analysis includes patients treated consecutively from the beginning of our LAAC experience in January 2012 until December 2016. Pre- and post-LAAC costs for hospitalisation and ambulatory visits were included.

Results

A total of 676 patients underwent percutaneous LAAC (using the Watchman device): 49 (2012), 78 (2013), 211 (2014), 210 (2015), and 129 (2016). LAAC procedural costs were stable over the years (overall median €9639; 2012: €9630; 2013: €10,003; 2014: €9841; 2015: €9394; 2016: €9530; p = 0.8) and there was no correlation between cumulative caseload and procedural costs (p = 0.9). Although annualised cardiovascular management costs after LAAC were lower than before LAAC (median difference between pre-LAAC and post-LAAC yearly costs: €727; 2012: €235; 2013: €1187; 2014: €716; 2015: €527; 2016: €1052; p = 0.5 among years analysed) from the beginning of the cumulative procedural experience, a significant reduction in costs was observed only from 2014 onwards. Institutional cumulative LAAC caseload and year of procedure were not related to the amount of reduction in the costs for cardiovascular care.

Conclusion

LAAC led to cost-of-care savings from the beginning of our institutional procedural experience.
Species composition of Discomedusae jellyfish (Scyphozoa) in the coastal waters of Eastern Surabaya, East Java
Authors: Gómez Daglio Liza , Hayati Ria , Coleman Tiffany , Han Yoo-Min , Muzaki Farid , Aunurohim  , de Bellard Maria Elena , Saptarini Dian
Published: March 2022

The Indo-Pacific is recognized as a hotspot for marine diversity. The taxonomy of certain taxa, such as Discomedusae jellyfish, has been neglected, despite its importance in the fishery industry. This study documents the first records of Discomedusae for the Java Sea using an integrative approach and provide notes about its distribution in the area. We used up to 53 morphological and meristic characters and amplified one mitochondrial marker (COI). The comparison and assessment of these data resulted in the recognition of seven species of Discomedusae, from which five has been recorded for the Indo-Pacific area. Two other species require a taxonomic revision to confirm the species assignation. The distribution of jellyfish in the coast of Java Sea might be correlated with the jellyfish life history and species-specific ranges of tolerance, and not solely determined by the environmental parameters. These findings provide the foundations for extending the taxonomic research in the area; the description of the biodiversity will increase the understanding of the population dynamics and its implications in the fisheries.
The impact of male factors and their correct and early diagnosis in the infertile couple's pathway: 2021 perspectives
Authors: Pallotti F. , Barbonetti A. , Rastrelli G. , Santi D. , Corona G. , Lombardo F.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The current clinical practice in reproductive medicine should pose the couple at the centre of the diagnostic–therapeutic management of infertility and requires intense collaboration between the andrologist, the gynaecologist and the embryologist. The andrologist, in particular, to adequately support the infertile couple, must undertake important biological, psychological, economical and ethical task. Thus, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the multifaceted role of the andrologist in the study of male factor infertility.

Methods

A comprehensive Medline, Embase and Cochrane search was performed including publications between 1969 and 2021.

Results

Available evidence indicates that a careful medical history and physical examination, followed by semen analysis, always represent the basic starting points of the diagnostic work up in male partner of an infertile couple. Regarding treatment, gonadotropins are an effective treatment in case of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and FSH may be used in men with idiopathic infertility, while evidence supporting other hormonal and nonhormonal treatments is either limited or conflicting. In the future, pharmacogenomics of FSHR and FSHB as well as innovative compounds may be considered to develop new therapeutic strategies in the management of infertility.

Conclusion

To provide a high-level of care, the andrologist must face several critical diagnostical and therapeutical steps. Even though ART may be the final and decisive stage of this decisional network, neglecting to treat the male partner may ultimately increase the risks of negative outcome, as well as costs and psychological burden for the couple itself.
Inibitori dei checkpoint immunitari e patologia tiroidea
Authors: Patti Luca , Musso Laura , Ferone Diego , Albertelli Manuela
Published: March 2022

Sommario

Gli inibitori dei checkpoint immunitari (ICIs) causano frequentemente eventi avversi immuno-correlati di tipo endocrino. La tiroide, in particolare, è l’organo maggiormente interessato e l’ipotiroidismo risulta essere la disfunzione più comune durante la terapia con ICIs. È importante, quindi, effettuare un adeguato monitoraggio clinico e biochimico nei pazienti trattati con ICIs, in modo da ridurre le complicanze e ottenere una maggiore aderenza terapeutica al trattamento oncologico.
Hierarchical edge-aware network for defocus blur detection
Authors: Zhao Zijian , Yang Hang , Luo Huiyuan
Published: March 2022

Defocus blur detection (DBD) aims to separate blurred and unblurred regions for a given image. Due to its potential and practical applications, this task has attracted much attention. Most of the existing DBD models have achieved competitive performance by aggregating multi-level features extracted from fully convolutional networks. However, they also suffer from several challenges, such as coarse object boundaries of the defocus blur regions, background clutter, and the detection of low contrast focal regions. In this paper, we develop a hierarchical edge-aware network to solve the above problems, to the best of our knowledge, it is the first trial to develop an end-to-end network with edge awareness for DBD. We design an edge feature extraction network to capture boundary information, a hierarchical interior perception network is used to generate local and global context information, which is helpful to detect the low contrast focal regions. Moreover, a hierarchical edge-aware fusion network is proposed to hierarchically fuse edge information and semantic features. Benefiting from the rich edge information, the fused features can generate more accurate boundaries. Finally, we propose a progressive feature refinement network to refine the output features. Experimental results on two widely used DBD datasets demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms the state-of-the-art approaches.
Chemical investigation of epicuticular wax obtained from Euphorbia milii leaves
Authors: Hujon Fitzerald , Saral A. Mary
Published: March 2022

Epicuticular wax analysis was performed on the leaves of chloroform extract obtained from the plant Euphorbia milii (‘Christ’s plant’). Aim of the study is to identify the chemical constituents and to discover how they were distributed within the cuticle. Column chromatographic separations based on polarity and GC–MS analysis led to the identification of the pentacyclic triterpenoids, its acetates and hydrocarbons that are found to be present in the epicuticular wax. The study revealed that the plant wax contains Lupenone, Glutinol, Lupeol acetate, Glutinyl acetate, Friedelan-3-ol,D:A-Friedooleanan-28-acetate 3beta hydroxyl in fraction1. The second fraction was found to contain Friedooleanan-3-ol, Friedooleanan-3-aceteate along with hydrocarbons of carbon chain length from C23–C33. Hydrocarbons in the form of alkanes and alkenes were identified as the major constituents in the third fraction of the leaf extracts and found to vary from carbon chain C18 to C34. Cuticular wax was found to be dominated by triterpenoids in the first two fractions. The last fraction contains hydrocarbons as the major constituent. The functional group analysis through FTIR-HATR study reveals the presence of characteristic peaks of waxes. The finding suggests that the biomass of the plant Euphorbia milii can be an important source for hydrocarbon.
Prevention of Preterm Birth by Cervical Pessary Combined with Vaginal Progesterone: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis with Trial Sequential Analysis
Authors: Zhuang Yanyan , Li Huan , Na Quan , Yin Shaowei , Li Na
Published: March 2022

This study was to assess the effectiveness of cervical pessary combined with vaginal progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth (PTB). Ten studies about singleton [five randomized controlled trials (RCTs), vs vaginal progesterone; four cohorts, vs vaginal progesterone; two cohorts, vs cervical cerclage + vaginal progesterone] and two cohort studies about multiple pregnancies (vs vaginal progesterone) were included after searching electronic databases. For singleton pregnancies, the meta-analysis of three non-RCTs [relative risk (RR) = 0.41,p = 0.001] or total trials in non-Asian country (RR = 0.56,p = 0.03) revealed that compared with vaginal progesterone alone, cervical pessary + vaginal progesterone treatment had significant effectiveness on preventing PTB < 34 weeks, but not for five RCTs; meta-analysis of two trials showed that cervical pessary + vaginal progesterone had no significant prevention effects of PTB compared with cervical cerclage + vaginal progesterone. For multiple pregnancies, meta-analysis of two trials showed that compared with vaginal progesterone, cervical pessary + vaginal progesterone treatment increased neonatal birth weight (standardized mean difference = 0.50,p = 0.01). Trial sequential analysis implied additional studies were required. Four studies vs other controls (pessary, three-combined, tocolysis, conservative or no treatment; one study, each) were selected for systematic review. In conclusion, cervical pessary combined with vaginal progesterone may be safe and effective to prevent PTB in singleton pregnancies and increase neonatal birth weight in the multiple pregnancies compared with vaginal progesterone alone.
Ist TikTok toxisch? – die Sicht von Jugendlichen auf postdigitale ästhetisch-kulturelle Praktiken in sozialen Medien
Authors: Kaptan Derya , Siewert Kira , Howahl Stephani , Steinberg Claudia
Published: March 2022

Der Beitrag gibt Einblick in zwei Tanzbildungsformate, die explizit mit digitalen Tools gearbeitet haben, und zielt darauf ab, die unterschiedlichen Rezeptionsweisen webbasierter Videoplattformen und die damit einhergehenden Innenperspektiven der Jugendlichen empirisch nachzuzeichnen. Datengrundlage bilden insgesamt n = 10 Interviews mit Jugendlichen zwischen 16 und 21 Jahren (w = 8, m = 2). Sechs Interviews stammen aus dem Forschungsprojekt #digitanz, welches in einem schulischen Setting die Erprobung digitaler Tools zum Ziel hatte. Ergänzt werden diese durch aktuell erhobene Interviews (n = 4) mit Teilnehmenden eines außerschulischen Tanzangebotes (Tanz dein Leben). Inhaltlich wurden beide Datensätze auf Aussagen bezüglich der Rezeption tänzerischer Inhalte über die Apps TikTok, YouTube und Instagram analysiert. Die Daten wurden zur Verdichtung zentraler Kategorien inhaltsanalytisch in einem iterativen Verfahren computergestützt mittels MAXQDA (2020) codiert. Die Auswertung erfolgte zunächst induktiv mittels offener Codierung im Wechselspiel mit bereits bestehenden theoretischen Vorannahmen der Befragungsdaten (vgl. Kuckartz 2018; Mayring 2010). Zur Analyse wurden theoretische Bezüge einer soziokulturellen Perspektive des Mobilen Lernens aus der Medienpädagogik fruchtbar gemacht, die soziale und technologische Strukturen, Handlungsweisen und kulturelle Praktiken berücksichtigt (vgl. Pachler et al. 2010). Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Jugendlichen den Umgang mit videobasierten Social-Media-Plattformen als sehr ambivalent erleben. Apps wie TikTok und Instagram verbinden und trennen Konsument*innen zugleich. Sie stellen Jugendlichen einen Raum zur Verfügung, in dem sie sich eigenständig erproben und mutig einem breiten Publikum präsentieren können. Das birgt ein großes Potenzial für das persönliche Wachstum Einzelner. Gleichzeitig werden Instagram und Co. als toxisch, schnelllebig und anstrengend empfunden.
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Type 1 Narcolepsy Comorbid With Sleep and Psychiatric Disturbances: A Case Report
Authors: Zečević Ivan
Published: March 2022

There is currently a lack of clinical research that would strongly support the application of CBT in the treatment of narcolepsy type 1. Despite that, there are several guidelines that suggest some techniques should be routinely applied. Currently, there is still a lack of results on what to do with patients who have comorbid sleep and psychiatric disorders or other psychosocial comorbidities and problems. This case study concerns a 27-year-old female who had narcolepsy type 1 and history of sleep, psychosocial, and psychiatric problems. Her main problems included cataplexy, daily tiredness and sleepiness, a problem with daily physical activity, and problems in her psychosocial functioning. The patient received 7 session of CBT treatment based on recommended techniques for patients with hypersomnia. Self-reported measure of sleep, anxiety, and depression were collected at the start and 1-month post-treatment. Objective psychological measures recorded positive changes in post-treatment assessment of CBT effect on her sleep pattern, significant reduction of cataplexy, depressive and anxiety symptoms, daily activity, and tiredness during the day.
Development and scaling of turbulent, twin round jets
Authors: Taddesse Taye Melaku , Mathew Joseph
Published: March 2022

The velocity field of stationary, turbulent, twin round jets has been found to scale with an intrinsic velocity

$U_0$

and length

$L_0$

, both depending linearly on inflow plane parameters – jet velocity

$U_j$

, diameter

$d$

and distance between jets

$S$

. Flow fields were obtained from large-eddy simulations at these conditions in two experiments: (1) at Reynolds number

${Re}=230\,000$

based on

$U_j$

and

$d$

, and

$S/d=5$

; and (2) at

${Re} = 25\,000$

,

$S/d = 2, 4, 8$

. Each jet develops independently and then merges into a single jet with an elliptic cross-section. Downstream, the jet becomes circular after a mild overshoot. Close quantitative agreement with experiment was obtained in all cases. As the merged jets develop, fluctuation levels over a central half-width are nearly uniform and scale with the local maximum mean velocity. In all cases, the mean streamwise velocity along the centreline of the configuration,

$U_c$

, rises to a peak

$U_0$

at a distance

$L_0$

from the inflow plane. The velocity

$U_0$

decreases and

$L_0$

increases with

$S$

. For all nozzle spacings, a similar development was observed:

$U_c/U_0$

is a function of distance

$x/L_0$

only, and is essentially independent of

$S/d$

and

${Re}$

. Further, these intrinsic and input quantities are connected by simple relations:

$U_0 = U_j/(1.02S/d + 0.44)$

and

$L_0/d = 5.58S/d - 1.16$

. The far field development of the merged jet can also be scaled with

$U_0$

and

$S$

, analogous to round jet scaling with

$U_j$

and

$d$

. Thus all twin round jets may be described by these new intrinsic scales.
SAR and thermal distribution of pregnant woman and child inside elevator cabin
Authors: Karatsi Ioanna , Bakogianni Sofia , Koulouridis Stavros
Published: March 2022

A detailed dosimetry study of electromagnetic absorption and temperature rise under real scenarios is delivered when a mobile phone is used inside an elevator cabin. Numerically accurate human models of a 7th month pregnant woman and a 5-year-old female child are utilized as the exposed subjects. The female child acts as the phone user. The mobile phone is modeled in three talk positions (parallel, tilt, and cheek) operating at 1000 MHz and 1800 MHz. From the obtained numerical results for the specific absorption rate (SAR) and temperature rise induced by the mobile radiofrequency (RF) radiation, it is found that the child's RF exposure is significantly affected by the phone position and less affected by the relevant position of the human models. The exact opposite case applies for the pregnant woman model and its fetus. Almost all numerical investigations are carried out inside a metallic elevator cabin.
Magnitude‐Frequency Distributions and Slip‐History Predictions for Earthquakes Using Cellular Automata and Absorbing Markov Chains
Authors: Kravchinsky Edouard , van der Baan Mirko
Published: March 2022

Cellular automata have proven effective in obtaining statistical insights into expected time series, magnitude‐frequency distributions, and average slip histories of earthquakes by confirming, for instance, the Gutenberg‐Richter magnitude‐frequency distribution and the existence of scaling functions for slip histories. Yet, exhaustive modeling is often required to obtain such insights since the model behavior is generally difficult to predict from fixed input parameters, such as the dissipation and long‐range stress interaction distance. We demonstrate that the temporal dynamics of a cellular automaton (CA), representing discretized equations of motion, can be simplified and modeled as an absorbing Markov chain with transition matrices that are fully determined by CA parameters. Time series, frequency‐size distributions, and slip histories of the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and CA models are stochastically equivalent. The proposed method is a mean‐field approximation that replicates temporal CA statistics by ignoring spatial components. Fundamentally, the temporal portion of CA can be represented as a memoryless process in which the current outcome only depends on the immediate past. We believe the transparency of the statistical model may provide pertinent insights into the mean‐field behavior of a variety of physical applications near a critical state, including earthquake and avalanche patterns. For instance, the average slip histories display a typical but asymmetric shape due to a preferred path through probability space with initial acceleration of slip rate to peak size followed by slower deceleration toward rupture arrest.
Tensorial‐Analysis‐of‐Networks Applied to Bandpass Negative‐Group‐Delay Analysis of Resistorless LC‐Coupler‐Network
Authors: Ravelo Blaise , Nebhen Jamel , Guerin Mathieu , Chan George , Rahajandraibe Wenceslas
Published: March 2022

This paper develops a bandpass (BP) negative‐group‐delay (NGD) analysis of multi‐port topology. The circuit under study consists of resistorless symmetric coupler constituted by passive LC‐networks. By using the tensorial‐analysis‐of‐networks (TAN) formalism, an innovative study enables to verify if the four‐port circuit is susceptible to exhibit the unfamiliar BP‐NGD function. Using the TAN formalism, the different steps of the method is described from the branch and mesh spaces via the tensor connectivity to determine the equivalent S‐parameters. The general methodology of the S‐matrix modeling is expressed in the function of the coupler L and C parameters. To validate the BP‐NGD behavior, an arbitrary parametrized lumped four‐port coupler is considered as a proof‐of‐concept. The feasibilities of the TAN S‐parameter modeling added by the BP‐NGD function is validated comparison results between TAN mathematical calculations and simulations from a commercial tool. Excellent correlations between the calculated and simulated results are confirmed with BP‐NGD behavior of the connections between port 1 and port 2 with −30 ns NGD value at the center frequency, 124 MHz, and between port 1 and port 4 with −27 ns NGD value at the center frequency, 92 MHz. The present results confirm a scientific result never being found before, the first time, which demonstrates the possibility to generate the BP‐NGD function with a four‐port resistorless circuit. The TAN method flexibility advantages are the flexibility to lumped and distributed circuits. However, the sensitivity to the component inaccuracies constitute the main drawbacks.
Authigenic Clays Versus Carbonate Formation as Products of Marine Silicate Weathering in the Input Sequence to the Sumatra Subduction Zone
Authors: Torres M. E. , Milliken K. L. , Hüpers A. , Kim J.‐H. , Lee S.‐G.
Published: March 2022

We use geochemical and petrographic data from anoxic sequences of the Nicobar Fan to document extensive marine silicate weathering (MSiW) in the input sediment of the Sumatra subduction zone and the conditions that result in authigenic minerals originating from this reaction: precipitation of authigenic carbonate—which sequesters carbon—and formation of authigenic clay—which releases CO2. Increase in 87Sr/86Sr in pore fluids from International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 362 (Site U1480 to 0.71376 and Site U1481 to 0.71296) reveals a radiogenic strontium contribution from alteration of the Himalayan continental sediment that dominates the Nicobar Fan. Peaks in the dissolved strontium isotope data coincide with zones of methane presence, consistent with MSiW reactions driven by CO2 generation during methanogenesis. Later‐stage fan sequences from 24 to 400 mbsf (meters below seafloor) contain only minor carbonate with 87Sr/86Sr ratios that deviate only slightly from the co‐eval seawater values (0.70920–0.70930); geochemical data in this zone point to a contribution of authigenic clay formation. In contrast, microscopy and elemental mapping of the carbonate‐cemented zones in the earliest fan deposits (>780 mbsf) show replacement of feldspars and dense minerals by carbonate, which ranges in volume from a few percent of the grain to near total grain obliteration. This deeper authigenic carbonate is significantly enriched in radiogenic 87Sr (0.71136–0.71328). Thus, MSiW leads to distinct products, likely in response to a weathering‐derived supply of silica in the younger setting versus calcium enrichment via diffusion from oceanic basement in the older sequence.
Non-persistent exposures from plasticizers or plastic constituents in remote Arctic communities: a case for further research
Authors: Aker Amira , Caron-Beaudoin Élyse , Ayotte Pierre , Ricard Sylvie , Gilbert Véronique , Avard Ellen , Lemire Mélanie
Published: March 2022

Background

Persistent organic pollutant exposures are well-documented in the Arctic, but fewer studies examined non-persistent chemicals, despite increased market food and consumer product consumption.

Objective

To measure phenol, paraben, phthalate, and alternative plasticizer concentrations in Inuit adults.

Methods

The study included 30 pooled urine samples from Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey (Q2017) participants. Creatinine-adjusted geometric mean concentrations (GM) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were compared across sex, age, and regions, and compared to those in the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) and the First Nations Biomonitoring Initiative (FNBI).

Results

Q2017 bisphenol-A concentrations were double the CHMS 2018–2019 concentrations [GM (95% CI): 1.98 (1.69–2.31) versus 0.71 (0.60–0.84) µg/g creatinine], but in line with FNBI [1.74 (1.41–2.13) µg/g creatinine]. Several phthalate concentrations were higher in Q2017 versus CHMS, particularly monobenzyl phthalate, which was was 19-fold higher in Q2017 versus CHMS 2018–2019 [45.26 (39.35–52.06) versus 2.4 (2.0–2.9) µg/g creatinine] and four-fold higher than FNBI. There were also four-fold higher concentrations of the two alternate plasticizer 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate (TIXB) metabolites in Q2017 compared to CHMS 2018–2019. Women and people living in Ungava Bay had generally higher concentrations of non-persistent chemicals.

Significance

The results suggest higher concentrations of certain non-persistent chemicals in Inuit versus the general Canadian population.

Impact

Few studies have explored non-persistent chemical distributions in Northern communities, despite the increasing consumer product and market food consumption. We analyzed 30 pooled samples from the Qanuilirpitaa? Nunavik Inuit Health Survey 2017 to assess exposures to common plasticizes and plastic constituents and compare their levels with the general Canadian population and First Nation groups. We observed particularly higher levels of bisphenol-A, of monobenzyl phthalate, and of two 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate (TXIB) metabolites among Nunavimmiut compared to the general Canadian population, notably among women and Ungava Bay residents. Larger studies are required to confirm our findings and identify potential adverse health effects from these exposures.
Linking complex disease and exposure data—insights from an environmental and occupational health study
Authors: Ives Cataia , Pan Huaqin , Edwards Stephen W. , Nelms Mark , Covert Hannah , Lichtveld Maureen Y. , Harville Emily W. , Wickliffe Jeffrey K. , Zijlmans Wilco , Hamilton Carol M.
Published: March 2022

The disparate measurement protocols used to collect study data are an intrinsic barrier to combining information from environmental health studies. Using standardized measurement protocols and data standards for environmental exposures addresses this gap by improving data collection quality and consistency. To assess the prevalence of environmental exposures in National Institutes of Health (NIH) public data repositories and resources and to assess the commonality of the data elements, we analyzed clinical measures and exposure assays by comparing the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health study with selected NIH environmental health resources and studies. Our assessment revealed that (1) environmental assessments are widely collected in these resources, (2) biological assessments are less prevalent, and (3) NIH resources can help identify common data for meta-analysis. We highlight resources to help link environmental exposure data across studies to support data sharing. Including NIH data standards in environmental health research facilitates comparing and combining study data, and the use of NIH resources and adoption of standard measures will allow integration of multiple studies and increase the scientific impact of individual studies.
Global transcriptomic characterization of T cells in individuals with chronic HIV-1 infection
Authors: Wang Xiang-Ming , Zhang Ji-Yuan , Xing Xudong , Huang Hui-Huang , Xia Peng , Dai Xiao-Peng , Hu Wei , Zhang Chao , Song Jin-Wen , Fan Xing , Wu Feng-Ying , Liu Fu-Hua , Ke Yuehua , Zhao Yifan , Jiang Tian-Jun , Wang Li-Feng , Jiao Yan-Mei , Xu Ruo-Nan , Jin Lei , Shi Ming , Bai Fan , Wang Fu-Sheng
Published: March 2022

To obtain a comprehensive scenario of T cell profiles and synergistic immune responses, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on the peripheral T cells of 14 individuals with chronic human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection, including nine treatment-naive (TP) and eight antiretroviral therapy (ART) participants (of whom three were paired with TP cases), and compared the results with four healthy donors (HD). Through analyzing the transcriptional profiles of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, coupled with assembled T cell receptor sequences, we observed the significant loss of naive T cells, prolonged inflammation, and increased response to interferon-α in TP individuals, which could be partially restored by ART. Interestingly, we revealed that CD4+ and CD8+ Effector-GNLY clusters were expanded in TP cases, and persistently increased in ART individuals where they were typically correlated with poor immune restoration. This transcriptional dataset enables a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection and is also a rich resource for developing novel immune targeted therapeutic strategies.
Cpx-signalling facilitates Hms-dependent biofilm formation by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
Authors: Gahlot Dharmender K. , Wai Sun N. , Erickson David L. , Francis Matthew S.
Published: March 2022

Bacteria often reside in sessile communities called biofilms, where they adhere to a variety of surfaces and exist as aggregates in a viscous polymeric matrix. Biofilms are resistant to antimicrobial treatments, and are a major contributor to the persistence and chronicity of many bacterial infections. Herein, we determined that the CpxA-CpxR two-component system influenced the ability of enteropathogenicYersinia pseudotuberculosisto develop biofilms. Mutant bacteria that accumulated the active CpxR~P isoform failed to form biofilms on plastic or on the surface of theCaenorhabditis elegansnematode. A failure to form biofilms on the worm surface prompted their survival when grown on the lawns ofY. pseudotuberculosis. Exopolysaccharide production by thehmsloci is the major driver of biofilms formed byYersinia. We used a number of molecular genetic approaches to demonstrate that active CpxR~P binds directly to the promoter regulatory elements of thehmsloci to activate the repressors ofhmsexpression and to repress the activators ofhmsexpression. Consequently, active Cpx-signalling culminated in a loss of exopolysaccharide production. Hence, the development ofY. pseudotuberculosisbiofilms on multiple surfaces is controlled by the Cpx-signalling, and at least in part this occurs through repressive effects on the Hms-dependent exopolysaccharide production.
HPV16 infection decreases vaccine-induced HPV16 antibody avidity: the CVT trial
Authors: Tsang Sabrina H. , Schiller John T. , Porras Carolina , Kemp Troy J. , Herrero Rolando , Schussler John , Sierra Monica S. , Cortes Bernal , Hildesheim Allan , Lowy Douglas R. , Rodríguez Ana Cecilia , Romero Byron , Çuburu Nicolas , Shing Jaimie Z. , Pinto Ligia A. , Sampson Joshua N. , Kreimer Aimée R. ,   on behalf of the Costa Rica HPV Vaccine Trial Group, Cortés Bernal , González Paula , Herrero Rolando , Jiménez Silvia E. , Porras Carolina , Rodríguez Ana Cecilia , Hildesheim Allan , Kreimer Aimée R. , Lowy Douglas R. , Schiffman Mark , Schiller John T. , Sherman Mark , Wacholder Sholom , Pinto Ligia A. , Kemp Troy J. , Sidawy Mary K. , Quint Wim , van Doorn Leen-Jan , Struijk Linda , Palefsky Joel M. , Darragh Teresa M. , Stoler Mark H.
Published: March 2022

The HPV vaccine has shown sustained efficacy and consistent stabilization of antibody levels, even after a single dose. We defined the HPV16-VLP antibody avidity patterns over 11 years among women who received one- or three doses of the bivalent HPV vaccine in the Costa Rica HPV Vaccine Trial. Absolute HPV16 avidity was lower in women who received one compared to three doses, although the patterns were similar (increased in years 2 and 3 and remained stable over the remaining 8 years). HPV16 avidity among women who were HPV16-seropositive women at HPV vaccination, a marker of natural immune response to HPV16 infection, was significantly lower than those of HPV16-seronegative women, a difference that was more pronounced among one-dose recipients. No differences in HPV16 avidity were observed by HPV18 serostatus at vaccination, confirming the specificity of the findings. Importantly, point estimates for vaccine efficacy against incident, six-month persistent HPV16 infections was similar between women who were HPV16 seronegative and seropositive at the time of initial HPV vaccination for both one-dose and three-dose participants. It is therefore likely that this lower avidity level is still sufficient to enable antibody-mediated protection. It is encouraging for long-term HPV-vaccine protection that HPV16 antibody avidity was maintained for over a decade, even after a single dose.