bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prekäre Kopräsenz. Raum, Sozialräume und geteiltes Erleben in Zeiten der Pandemie
Authors: Wabel Thomas
Published: April 2021

The article explores changes in public self-awareness resulting from the reduction of social interaction in physical presence during the Covid-19 pandemic. Following the three dimensions of shared public space, social interaction in direct encounter, and shared meaning, the text argues that dwindling opportunities to experience social cohesion may become paradigmatic for more fundamental deficiencies in societal interaction. Seen in this light, church services in physical presence can help to maintain a sense for public life in physical presence, unmediated by digital tools.
Gottesdienst in ›Corona‹-Zeiten oder: Drei Variationen zum Thema Präsenz
Authors: Deeg Alexander
Published: April 2021

The article focuses on liturgical questions caused by the Corona-pandemic and concentrates on the question of liturgical presence. For the Reformation, the presence of Christ/of God’s word and the presence of the congregation as an active subject in worship is central: Worship is all about the communio in a vertical and horizontal perspective and the participation of the whole congregation. Seen in this perspective, the discussion about the possibility of (Sunday) services in physical co-presence in 2020 was notably reduced. The article reflects (1) on bodily presence in digital contexts, (2) on the presence of the Church in the public sphere, and (3) on God’s presence in worship. The article aims to overcome dualistic concepts of ‘digital vs. analogue’ and reevaluate the chances of digital presence and physical co-presence in liturgical contexts.
Bauen nach dem Bauhaus
Authors: Schwarting Andreas
Published: April 2021

Hermann Blomeier is one of around 80 graduates from the Bau- und Ausbauabteilung, a comparatively small group among the more than 1200 students at the Bauhaus who have only recently come under the spotlight of research. The biographies of several graduates are known, such as Franz Ehrlich, Erich Consemüller, Howard Dearstyne, Selman Selmanagić, Herbert Hirche or Arieh Sharon; many more are lost, however. Although the Bauhaus was not a ›school‹ in the sense of a unified design approach and a binding canon of forms, it is instructive on an individual level to study the work of Blomeier, one of the Bauhaus graduates and students of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe who has so far received little attention. On the basis of three projects from the 1950s, the viability of the design approaches conveyed at the Bauhaus for the construction tasks of the post-war period are examined.

First, the ferry ports connecting Konstanz and Meersburg will be considered as the first major project by Blomeier after the Second World War. The buildings for the Bodensee-Wasserversorgung – at times the largest construction site in West Germany of the 1950s – represent an outstanding example of industrial architecture and technical infrastructure in their fusion of art, technology and landscape. The smallest of the three projects, the building for the rowing club Neptun, located directly opposite the old town of Konstanz on the Seerhein, points with its innovative modular primary structure well beyond contemporary architecture and anticipates developments of the late 1960s, such as the Japanese Metabolists or the Plug-In-City of Archigram.
A clinical set-up for noninvasive blood pressure monitoring using two photoplethysmograms and based on convolutional neural networks
Authors: Esmaelpoor Jamal , Sanat Zahra Momayez , Moradi Mohammad Hassan
Published: April 2021

Blood pressure is a reliable indicator of many cardiac arrhythmias and rheological problems. This study proposes a clinical set-up using conventional monitoring systems to estimate systolic and diastolic blood pressures continuously based on two photoplethysmogram signals (PPG) taken from the earlobe and toe. Several amendments were applied to conventional clinical monitoring devices to construct our project plan. We used two monitors to acquire two PPGs, one ECG, and invasive blood pressure as the reference to evaluate the estimation accuracy. One of the most critical requirements was the synchronization of the acquired signals that was accomplished by using ECG as the time reference. Following data acquisition and preparation procedures, the performance of each PPG signal alone and together was investigated using deep convolutional neural networks. The proposed architecture was evaluated on 32 records acquired from 14 patients after cardiovascular surgery. The results showed a better performance for toe PPG in comparison with earlobe PPG. Moreover, they indicated the algorithm accuracy improves if both signals are applied together to the network. According to the British Hypertension Society standards, the results achieved grade A for both blood pressure measurements. The mean and standard deviation of estimation errors were +0.3 ± 4.9 and +0.1 ± 3.2 mmHg for systolic and diastolic BPs, respectively. Since the method is based on conventional monitoring equipment and provides a high estimation consistency, it can be considered as a possible alternative for inconvenient invasive BP monitoring in clinical environments.
An application of finite element method in material selection for dental implant crowns
Authors: Şensoy Abdullah T. , Çolak Murat , Kaymaz Irfan , Findik Fehim
Published: April 2021

Materials used for dental crowns show a wide range of variety, and a dentist’s choice can depend on several factors such as patient desires, esthetics, tooth factors, etc. One of the most important issues for implant surgery is the primary stability and it should be provided to minimize the risks of screw loosening, failed osseointegration, or nonunion. The current study aims to present the Finite Element Analysis (FEA)-based material selection strategy for a dental crown in terms of reducing the aforementioned risks of dental implants. A virtual surgery mandible model obtained using MIMICS software was transferred to the ANSYS and material candidates determined using CES software were compared using FEA. The results indicated that Zr02+Y2O3 (zirconia) has shown a 12.79% worse performance compared to Au83-88/Pt4-12/Pd4.5-6 alloy in terms of abutment loosening. On the other hand, zirconia is the most promising material for dental crowns in terms of the stability of the bone-implant complex. Therefore, it may show the best overall performance for clinical use. Moreover, as suggested in this study, a better outcome and more accurate predictions can be achieved using a patient-specific FEA approach for the material selection process.
Audit of sweat chloride testing reveals analytical errors
Authors: Prenzel Freerk , Ceglarek Uta , Adams Ines , Hammermann Jutta , Issa Ulrike , Lohse Gerhild , Mainz Jochen G. , Meister Jochen , Spittel Dana , Thoss Karin , Vogel Mandy , Duckstein Franziska , Henn Constance , Hentschel Julia
Published: April 2021

Objectives

Sweat chloride testing (SCT) is the mainstay for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF) and biomarker in the evaluation of CFTR-modifying drugs. To be a reliable and valid tool, analytical variance (CVA) must be minimized. However, external quality assessments have revealed significant deviations in routine clinical practice. Our goal was to identify and quantify technical errors through proficiency testing and simulations.

Methods

Chloride concentrations of three blinded samples (each as triplicates) were measured in 9 CF centers using a chloridometer in a routine setting. Technical errors were simulated and quantified in a series of measurements. We compared imprecision and bias before and after a counseling session by evaluating coefficients of variation (CV), adherence to tolerance limits, and inter-rater variability coefficients.

Results

Pipetting errors resulting in changes in sample volume were identified as the main source of error with deviations up to 41%. After the counseling session, the overall CVA decreased from 7.6 to 5.2%, the pass rate increased from 67 to 92%, and the inter-rater variability diminished. Significant deviations continued to be observed in individual centers.

Conclusions

Prevention of technical errors in SCT decreases imprecision and bias. Quality assurance programs must be established in all CF centers, including staff training, standard operating procedures, and proficiency testing.
Laboratory medicine in the COVID-19 era: six lessons for the future
Authors: Plebani Mario
Published: April 2021

The lockdown due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a major healthcare challenge, is a worldwide threat to public health, social stability, and economic development. The pandemic has affected all aspects of society, dramatically changing our day-to-day lives and habits. It has also changed clinical practice, including practices of clinical laboratories. After one year, it is time to rethink what has happened, and is still happening, in order to learn lessons for the future of laboratory medicine and its professionals. While examining this issue, I was inspired by Italo Calvino’s famous work, “Six memos for the next millennium”.But I rearranged the Author’s six memos into “Visibility, quickness, exactitude, multiplicity, lightness, consistency”.
“The fair draught of Óðinn”
Authors: Eggertsdóttir Margrét
Published: April 2021

Icelandic poets in the 16th and 17th century had great interest in formal features such as rhyme, kennings, and periphrasis. Rímur poets made use of Eddic diction and imagery but the use of kennings was not limited to rímur; it can also be found in other kinds of poetry. Baroque delight in periphrasis and metrical complexity ensured a favorable reception for the renewed interest in dróttkvætt measure, with its aurally intriguing rhymes and complex kennings. The paper discusses the use of kennings and the connection between kennings, riddles and metaphors and also between kennings and Eddic and classical myths.
Den kriminelle romanen og leseren
Authors: Omdal Gerd Karin
Published: April 2021

In the article KYKA / 1984 is studied as a concrete experiment with the printed book as a medium and with the double-book-format. Karin Moe is in this text dealing with questions concerning the relationship between work and text, and between work, text and reader. The article is an exploration of the design and the composition of the book, and it also explores several kinds of transtextuality, which are establishing interconnections with other literary works and genres. Questions raised by Moe in KYKA / 1984 concerning language and gender are also examined. An important objective of the article is to uncover how and why an experimental and critical investigation is carried out in a book copying a well-known commercial format.
Kenningar in den metrischen Runeninschriften der Wikingerzeit und des Mittelalters
Authors: Krüger Jana
Published: April 2021

There are several reasons why it is of great importance to include the kennings of the metrical runic inscriptions in thorough investigations of kennings, albeit their number is not particularly high. One reason for this is that there are Viking-Age metrical inscriptions with kennings attested from Eastern Scandinavia, and mostly in eddic metres. Further, some of these kennings belong to the oldest kennings we know at all from Scandinavia, e. g. the kennings of the Theoderic-stanza on the Swedish Rök stone are older than the work of Bragi Boddason. To make it easier for further research to include these kennings, this article gives a short overview of this material. It is worth considering the kennings of the metrical runic inscriptions, for they show a great variety and they are highly developed. Beside the use of tvíkennt and rekit kennings, they testify the knowledge of half-kennings and the poetic device of ofljóst in medieval Norway.
Kennings and variability
Authors: Wills Tarrin
Published: April 2021

A casual examination of the skaldic corpus suggests that a very large proportion of kennings are unique, that is, the nouns that form a kenning are very unlikely to appear elsewhere as a kenning, even when grammatical variation is taken into account. This enormous productivity is due to the principle of variability and substitution in kennings. The phenomenon is discussed in Fidjestøl’s 1974 structural analysis of the kenning system and presented there as a reversal of the principle of linguistic economy. This paper investigates this phenomenon by quantitatively analysing the kenning corpus as recorded in the skaldic database, in order to identify matching kennings within the corpus. The results are broken down according to the complexity of the kennings in question and are then examined in relation to the structural framework of the kenning system. It is shown, firstly, that a relatively small number of kennings are repeated (10–12 % of kennings are repeated), but that there is a fairly high amount of repetition among simple kennings (at least 25 % of simple kennings are found elsewhere in the corpus), suggesting that the kenning system has quantitative similarities with other linguistic systems, albeit with a much higher level of variability.
Lene Asks Kjære Rikard som utgangspunkt for utvikling av emosjonell literacy og mentaliseringsevne
Authors: Myhr Annika Bøstein , Bergland Oda Helene , Hovind Bente Jeannine
Published: April 2021

The article explores whether reading Lene Ask’s documentary graphic novel Kjære Rikard (‘Dear Rikard’) may provide children and adults with training in, and an increased awareness of the importance of, emotional literacy and theory of mind. In order to investigate this question, the authors of the article conduct a close reading of Ask’s novel, using terminology from narratology, picture book and comics’ theory, and look for connections between the findings from the analyses and insights from reader-response theory and cognitive literary studies. The authors suggest that in combination, Ask’s fictive and documentarist drawings and the excerpts from the hand-written correspondence between young Rikard in Stavanger and his father, a missionary in Madagaskar in the 1890s, invite both children and adult readers to develop a keen sense of the value of emotional literacy and theory of mind.
Strain-dependent wicking behavior of cotton/lycra elastic woven fabric for sportswear
Authors: Wang Yong , Qiao Qifan , Ding Zuowei , Sun Fengxin
Published: April 2021

The strain-dependent vertical and horizontal wicking of as-prepared cotton/lycra elastic woven fabric was systematically studied. The experimental results revealed that the fabric exhibited a strain strengthening effect. A higher tensile strain results in a higher equilibrium wicking height, and vice versa. Moreover, the results indicated that the proposed Laughlin–Davies model is capable of tracking well the experimental data and replicating the wicking characteristics of fabric under different levels of stretch. In addition, the wetting time and wicking area of fabric under different strains and height regimes were examined during horizontal wicking. It was found that the wetting time decreased with an increase of strain and/or water drop height. The strain-enhanced and height-weakened effects of wicking area were revealed. The spreading mechanism of water drop in elastic fabric was also proposed. Such fundamental work provides a basic support for the in-depth investigation of wicking behavior of complex stretchable textile structures.
Synthesis, characterization, biological activities, and catalytic applications of alcoholic extract of saffron (Crocus sativus) flower stigma-based gold nanoparticles
Authors: Alhumaydhi Fahad A. , Khan Ibrahim , Rauf Abdur , Qureshi Muhammad Nasimullah , Aljohani Abdullah S. M. , Khan Shahid Ali , Khalil Anees Ahmed , El-Esawi Mohamed A , Muhammad Naveed
Published: April 2021

Currently, nanotechnology is gaining massive attention compared to conventional methods as the biosynthesis of plant-based nanoparticles is considered safe, effective, and ecofriendly. Therefore, keeping in view the importance of nanotechnology, the present study was designed to synthesize, characterize, and evaluate the biological effectiveness of saffron stigma-based gold nanoparticles (SS-AuNPs) for theirin vitroandin vivobiological properties. These gold nanoparticles were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The highest antibacterial effect was observed by the saffron extract againstEscherichia coli(22 mm). SS-AuNPs significantly inhibited the activity of enzyme urease (54.98%) and CA-II (64.29%). However, the nonsignificant inhibitory effect was observed in the case of α-chymotrypsin. Maximum analgesic (84.98%) and antiinflammatory (88.98%) effects were observed for SS-AuNPs (10 mg/kg). Similarly, SS-AuNPs demonstrated a significant (P< 0.01) sedative effect at all tested doses.
Ein Schierlingsbecher oder ein Sprung ins Barathron? Hinrichtungsformen im klassischen Athen
Authors: Carlà-Uhink Filippo
Published: April 2021

Der Aufsatz behandelt die drei unterschiedlichen Hinrichtungsformen, die im 5. und 4. Jahrhundert v. Chr. in Athen angedroht wurden: apotympanismós, Sturz ins Barathron und Schierling. Eine solche Untersuchung verspricht reichen Aufschluss über die demokratische Ideologie, die entsprechenden Diskurse und ihre stetige Verstärkung durch Prozesse und Bestrafungen. Der Aufsatz vertritt dabei die These, dass eine chronologische Analyse dieser Hinrichtungsformen einen wichtigen und bisher unerforschten Beitrag zur Debatte über Kontinuität und Diskontinuität in der athenischen Demokratie vor und nach der Tyrannis der Dreißig leisten kann. Er zeigt, dass die Formen, in denen die Todesstrafe angedroht wurde, das Ausmaß der Änderungen in den Diskursen in der und über die athenische Demokratie nach der Niederlage im Peloponnesischen Krieg erkennen lässt. Die Unterschiede in den Exekutionsformen können einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Verständnis der Verschiebung des Begriffes der „Gleichheit“ vom 5. ins 4. Jahrhundert v. Chr. leisten.
Staatsbildung im Prozess? Neue Perspektiven auf eine Meistererzählung zur französischen Geschichte: Der Fall des Jourdain de l’Isle (1323)
Authors: Jostkleigrewe Georg
Published: April 2021

Ausgehend vom Beispiel des Jourdain de l’Isle, der 1323 als Verräter und Majestätsverbrecher gehängt wurde, setzt sich der Aufsatz mit einem bis heute dominierenden Paradigma der mediävistischen Frankreichforschung auseinander. Dieses sieht in der Zähmung des fürstlichen und baronialen Adels und dem zielgerichteten Aufbau monarchischer Staatlichkeit durch das Königtum und seine Amtsträger das zentrale Faktum der spätmittelalterlichen französischen Geschichte. Das Verfahren gegen Jourdain de l’Isle, der zahlreiche Fehden im südwestfranzösischen Raum geführt hatte, fügt sich auf den ersten Blick gut in diese Erzählung ein. Es scheint einen ersten Schritt auf dem Weg zur Unterdrückung adliger Eigengewalt und zur Herausbildung eines monarchischen Gewaltmonopols darzustellen. Die genaue Untersuchung erweist das Fallbeispiel allerdings als erheblich vielschichtiger. Jourdains schmähliches Ende war nicht das Ergebnis zielgerichteter königlicher Politik, sondern ergab sich vielmehr aus seiner Verstrickung in zwei einander überschneidende Parteikonflikte am französischen Hof und der avignonesischen Kurie. Erst dieser Kontext erlaubte es Jourdains lokalen Gegnern, die königlichen Gerichtsinstanzen für die Ausschaltung ihres Kontrahenten zu instrumentalisieren. Angesichts dessen mündet der Aufsatz in das Plädoyer, die Verdichtung staatlicher Strukturen im spätmittelalterlichen Frankreich als „statebuilding from below“ zu analysieren und zugleich die Bedeutung faktionaler Konflikte stärker als bisher zu berücksichtigen. Zugleich zeigt er Perspektiven für die Untersuchung weiterer „politischer“ Prozesse des 14. und 15. Jahrhunderts auf.
Characterization and thermal properties of chitosan/perlite nanocomposites
Authors: Doğan Mehmet , Yüksel Hatice , Kizilduman Berna Koçer
Published: April 2021

In this study, chitosan/perlite nanocomposites were synthesized using the solvent casting method and then characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, optical contact angle, differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Zetasizer NanoS devices. Perlite was determined to be dispersed in nano size and homogeneously in the chitosan matrix. Chitosan/perlite nanocomposite was generally more thermally stable compared to pure chitosan polymer. The fact that the amount of perlite in the nanocomposite increased showed that the hydrophilic properties of nanocomposites increased. In addition, antibacterial activities of the samples were investigated using the agar-disk diffusion method and hemocompatibility testing was also performed.
Design and investigation of N1-class next-generation passive optical network-2 (NG-PON2) coexistence architecture in the presence of Kerr effect and four-wave mixing (FWM) for fiber to the home (FTTX) access networks
Authors: Pagare Rajendraprasad A. , Kumar Santosh , Mishra Abhilasha
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we investigated N1-class Time and Wavelength Division Multiplexing (TWDM) Next-Generation Passive Optical Network-2 (NG-PON2) supporting symmetric and coexistence configuration in a worst-case scenario. The network is optimized in the presence of linear and nonlinear impairments such as chromatic dispersion (CD), self-phase modulation (SPM), cross-phase modulation (XPM), and four-wave mixing (FWM). On-off key (OOK) modulation technique incorporating hybrid optical distribution network (ODN) i.e., wavelength select (WS) and wavelength-routed (WR) ODN is used to connect downstream (D/S) and upstream (U/S) channels supporting symmetric 80 Gbps data rate operating at 2.5/2.5 and 10/10 Gbps, respectively. G.652 single-mode (SM) fiber channel is modeled for fiber launch power PTODN = 3 dBm and 4 dBm for D/S and U/S channels to implement N1-class network. The D/S and U/S receiver sensitivity (Rxs) demonstrated are −44.23/−37.46 dBm and −28.46/−35.32 dBm and inter-channel crosstalk (Cc) is −31.97/−31.39 dB accommodating 640 splitter configuration at 50 km in the presence of impairments at 10E-7 bit error rate (BER) and Quality (Q)-factor of 5 for 10 Gbps channel.
Osteopathic manipulative medicine in the management of headaches associated with postconcussion syndrome
Authors: Esterov Dmitry , Thomas Alphonsa , Weiss Kyle
Published: April 2021

Context

Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) for various headache types, with limited evidence of its use for headaches related to mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). No studies prior studies were found regarding OMT for headaches in patients with postconcussion syndrome (PCS), defined as symptom persistence for longer than 3 months after MTBI.

Objectives

To evaluate OMT for headaches in patients with PCS.

Methods

A controlled pilot study was conducted of patients with PCS who presented to an outpatient interdisciplinary rehabilitation clinic; patients with symptoms lasting longer than 3 months were enrolled and randomly assigned to an OMT treatment group or a control group. Primary outcome measures were immediate change in headache scores according to a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and change in the six item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) between baseline and follow up visits. The participants in the control group completed the HIT-6 between baseline and follow up visits but did not receive OMT and did not complete the VAS. Mean immediate VAS score change for the treatment group and mean improvement in HIT-6 scores for both groups between baseline and follow up were analyzed for statistical significance.

Results

A total of 26 patients were included in this study: 13 (50%) in the treatment group and 13 (50%) in the control group. Six patients (23.1%), three from each group, did not complete the study, so 10 subjects in each group were included in the final analysis. Statistically significant improvement in VAS scores was seen immediately after OMT in the treatment group (mean change, 2.1;p=0.002). Mean HIT-6 scores showed improvement in the treatment group compared with the control group, although the change was not statistically significant (p=0.15) from baseline to follow up visit. No adverse effects from treatments were noted.

Conclusions

Patients with headaches secondary to PCS showed immediate benefit in headache pain intensity after OMT. However, no sustained benefit was found on the follow up visit compared with the control group.
Meaningful use of COMSAE Phase 1 in preparation for COMLEX-USA Level 1
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Maeda Hotaka , Craig Brandon , Tsai Tsung-Hsun , Sandella Jeanne M. , Fleury Marie
Published: April 2021

Context

The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA) is a three level national standardized licensure examination for the practice of osteopathic medicine. The Comprehensive Medical Self Assessment Examination (COMSAE) is a three phase self assessment tool designed to gauge the base knowledge and ability of candidates preparing for COMLEX-USA.

Objectives

To investigate how COMSAE Phase 1 (Phase 1) was used by candidates and how completing Phase 1 impacted their performance on the COMLEX-USA Level 1 (Level 1) examination.

Methods

Using data from the 2018–2019 administration of Level 1 and Phase 1 examinations, we counted the frequency of the unique Phase 1 forms taken by the candidates and calculated the correlation between the candidates’ first attempt Phase 1 scores and the number of Phase 1 forms taken. We then calculated the correlation between the Level 1 scores and the Phase 1 scores. Next, we applied a multilevel regression model to examine the candidates’ score improvement on the multiple Phase 1 forms taken. Finally, we investigated the effect of practicing through Phase 1 on the candidates’ Level 1 performance using logistic regression models.

Results

The majority of candidates took one (2,414; 33.9%) to two (2,196; 30.8%) timed Phase 1 forms prior to the Level 1 examination. There was a significant negative correlation (r=−0.48, t
(6,505)=−44.05, p<0.001) between the candidates’ first attempt Phase 1 scores and the number of Phase 1 forms taken. There was a strong and positive correlation (r=0.66 to 0.74, p<0.001) between Phase 1 and Level 1 scores. With other variables controlled, on average, candidates’ Phase 1 scores increased 23.2 points on one attempt from the previous attempt. Having the most recent Phase 1 score controlled, a greater number of Phase 1 forms taken was associated with an improvement on the Level 1 performance.

Conclusions

The significant correlation between Phase 1 and Level 1 performance provided validity evidence for Phase 1. Moreover, our results suggested that candidates, especially those with lower performance on their initial Phase 1 attempt, might improve their Level 1 performance by taking multiple Phase 1 forms to monitor their academic improvement and gauge their readiness for Level 1.
Evidence based management of sports related concussion
Authors: Pickett Brent , Bytomski Jeffrey R. , Zafonte Ross D.
Published: April 2021

Sports related concussion (SRC) is a common condition evaluated by healthcare professionals. In an article entitled “Return to Play After Concussion: Clinical Guidelines for Young Athletes” published in the December 2019 issue of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, guidelines for the management of SRC were presented to assist healthcare professionals in the management of patients with SRC. However, much of the information presented in that article is contradicted by current expert recommendations and evidence based practice guidelines. The management of SRC has evolved to a nuanced, domain driven diagnosis requiring a multidisciplinary treatment team and a customized management plan for each patient to ensure competent treatment of patients with SRC. As such, this Commentary summarizes current recommendations for diagnosis and management of SRC.
Analysis of the CAG tract length in the Androgen Receptor gene in Mexican patients with nonsyndromic cryptorchidism
Authors: Landero-Huerta Daniel A. , Vigueras-Villaseñor Rosa M. , Taja-Chayeb Lucía , García-Andrade Fabiola , Aréchaga-Ocampo Elena , Yokoyama-Rebollar Emiy , Díaz-Chávez José , Herrera Luis A. , Chávez-Saldaña Margarita D.
Published: April 2021

Objectives

Cryptorchidism is the most common genitourinary birth defect in live newborn males and is considered as an important risk factor for testicular germ cell tumors and infertility. The Androgen Receptor gene is important in this pathology due to its participation, mainly, in the inguinoscrotal phase of testicular descent. We determine the length of the CAG tract in the Androgen Receptor (AR) gene in Mexican patients with nonsyndromic cryptorchidism.

Methods

One hundred and 15 males were included; of these, 62 had nonsyndromic cryptorchidism and 53 were healthy volunteers. DNA was extracted from a peripheral blood samples, subsequently, the CAG tract in exon 1 of AR gene was amplified by PCR and sequenced.

Results

Mexican patients with nonsyndromic cryptorchidism presented 25.03 ± 2.58 repeats of CAG tract in the AR gene compared to 22.72 ± 3.17 repeats of CAG tract in Mexican healthy individuals (p≤0.0001; t value of 4.3). Furthermore, the deletion of codon 57 that corresponds to the deletion of a leucine residue at position 57 (Del L57) in the AR gene was found for the first time in a nonsyndromic cryptorchidism patient. This molecular alteration has been related previously to testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT).

Conclusions

The CAG tract in the AR gene is longer in patients with nonsyndromic cryptorchidism than in healthy individuals, supporting the association between this polymorphism of the AR gene and nonsyndromic cryptorchidism in the Mexican population.
Two Kindred Neo-Kantian Philosophies of Science: Pap’sThe A Priori in Physical Theoryand Cassirer’sDeterminism and Indeterminism in Modern Physics
Authors: Mormann Thomas
Published: April 2021

The main thesis of this paper is that Pap’sThe Functional A PrioriinPhysical Theoryand Cassirer’sDeterminism and Indeterminism in Modern Physicsmay be conceived as two kindred accounts of a late Neo-Kantian philosophy of science. They elucidate and clarify each other mutually by elaborating conceptual possibilities and pointing out affinities of neo-Kantian ideas with other currents of 20th century’s philosophy of science, namely, pragmatism, conventionalism, and logical empiricism. Taking into account these facts, it seems not too far fetched to conjecture that under more favorable circumstances Pap could have served as a mediator between the “analytic” and “continental” tradition thereby overcoming the dogmatic dualism of these two philosophical currents that has characterized philosophy in the second half the 20th century.
Identifying and Evaluating the Critical Success Factors for Academic Information Management and Evaluation Centers: The Case of Iran
Authors: Noroozi Chakoli Abdolreza , Samadi Laleh
Published: April 2021

Identifying the factors affecting the success of academic information management and evaluation centers is one of the most important studies on how its results can increase the productivity of these centers. This research attempts to investigate the effect of five critical success factors for three centers of academic information management and evaluation in Iran as a developing country. These centers play a key role in the management and evaluation of theses, research projects, papers, and patents nationally. Semi-structured interviews, studies of literature, and providing questionnaires have been used to collect the material for the research. The research population was selected using purposive sampling and consists of managers and all the employees in the three centers who had at least a master’s degree. Their viewpoints were surveyed and the data was analyzed using ANOVA, Scheffe, and Pearson’s correlation test. The findings affirm that “management stability” makes it possible to perform long-term plans in these centers. However, “independency” acts as a factor to strike the balance between responsibilities and authorities, “manager’s speciality” improves the plans and performances in a specific and professional way, “information technology” reduces the expenses and facilitates the presentation of faster services, and finally “distance from authorities” influences the speed of reporting and providing facilities. The results show each of these five factors, not only independently but also together and as a whole, affects the success of these kinds of centers. Moreover, while confirming the correlation between these factors, it was revealed which of these factors has a greater impact on their success.
Exploring Sub-Saharan Africa’s Communication of COVID-19-Related Health Information on Social Media
Authors: Asubiaro Toluwase , Badmus Oluwole , Ikenyei Uche , Popoola Biliamin , Igwe Ebelechukwu
Published: April 2021

Social media presents a robust stage for disseminating time-sensitive information that is needed during a public health disease of global concern such as COVID-19. This study finds out how the 23 anglophone Sub-Saharan African countries’ national health ministries and infectious disease agencies disseminated COVID-19 related information through their social media accounts within the first three months after the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 related qualitative and quantitative data types were collected from the social media accounts of the surveyed national health ministries and agencies for analysis. Over 86% of the African countries had presence on social media; Facebook was the most popular, though Twitter contained more posts. One of the credibility issues that was noticed is that most of the health ministries’ and agencies’ social media accounts were unverified and access to the social media accounts was not provided on most of their official websites. Information dissemination became more deliberate and increased significantly after the announcement of the fist cases of COVID-19 in the countries under review. Awareness creation, updates and news constituted the major categories of information that were disseminated, mostly in the form of derivative social media information before the announcement of the first COVID-19 case in the surveyed African countries. Campaigns against misinformation were barely undertaken by most of the countries. Strategies used by some countries included the employment of social media influencers and creation of content in local languages. Strategies that include development of health information content that targets different groups in African societies and the inclusion of elderly in the community and religious leaders as non-state actors in health information communication were recommended.
Knockdown of circ_0003204 alleviates oxidative low-density lipoprotein-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells injury: Circulating RNAs could explain atherosclerosis disease progression
Authors: Su Qiuxia , Dong Xianhua , Tang Chonghui , Wei Xiaojie , Hao Youguo , Wu Jun
Published: April 2021

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a serious cardiovascular disease. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play an important role in the progression of many diseases, including AS. However, the role of circ_0003204 in AS is not clear. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to construct an AS cell model in vitro. Cell viability was assessed using cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) assay. Flow cytometry and caspase-3 activity were used to measure cell apoptosis. The contents of inflammatory cytokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Oxidative stress marker expression and cell injury marker activity were detected by their corresponding Assay Kits. Besides, the expression levels of circ_0003204, miR-330-5p, and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The interaction between miR-330-5p and circ_0003204 or TLR4 was examined by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay. Western blot (WB) analysis was used to determine the levels of TLR4 protein and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway-related protein. Our data suggested that ox-LDL could suppress viability and promote apoptosis, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress in HUVECs. circ_0003204 was highly expressed in ox-LDL-induced HUVECs, and its silencing could inhibit ox-LDL-induced HUVECs injury. miR-330-5p could be sponged by circ_0003204, and its inhibitor could reverse the inhibition effect of silenced circ_0003204 on ox-LDL-induced HUVECs injury. Further, TLR4 could be targeted by miR-330-5p, and its overexpression could invert the suppression effect of miR-330-5p on ox-LDL-induced HUVECs injury. The activity of the NF-κB signaling pathway was regulated by the circ_0003204/miR-330-5p/TLR4 axis. Our results indicated that circ_0003204 silencing could alleviate ox-LDL-induced HUVECs injury, suggesting that circ_0003204 might be a novel target for AS treatment.
Role of cesarean section in the development of neonatal gut microbiota: A systematic review
Authors: Shaterian Negin , Abdi Fatemeh , Ghavidel Nooshin , Alidost Farzane
Published: April 2021

Background

The delivery mode is one of the factors affecting the type of colonization of the human gut. Gut colonization affects all stages of the human life cycle, and the type of gut microbiome can contribute to immune system function, the development of some diseases, and brain development; and it has a significant impact on a newborn’s growth and development.

Methods

Terms defined as MeSH keywords were searched by the databases, and web search engines such as PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, Embase, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched between 2010 and 2020. The quality of each study was assessed according to the Newcastle–Ottawa scale, and seven eligible and high-quality studies were analyzed.

Finding

The abundances of Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium during the first 3 months of life; Lactobacillus and Bacteroides during the second 3 months of life; Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium during the second 6 months of life; and Bacteroides, Enterobacter, and Streptococcus after the first year of life were higher in vaginal delivery-born infants. While infants born by cesarean section (CS) had higher abundances of Clostridium and Lactobacillus during the first 3 months of life, Enterococcus and Clostridium during the second 3 months of life, and Lactobacillus and Staphylococcus after the first year of life.

Discussion

Delivery mode can affect the type of the human intestinal microbiota. The CS-born babies had lower colonization rates of Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides, but they had higher colonization rates of Clostridium, Lactobacillus, Enterobacter, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcus. Given the effect of microbiota colonization on neonatal health, it is therefore recommended to conduct further studies in order to investigate the effect of the colonization on the delivery mode and on baby’s growth and development.

Application to practice

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of CS in the development of the neonatal gut microbiota.
Plasmonic hot-electron photodetection with quasi-bound states in the continuum and guided resonances
Authors: Wang Wenhao , Besteiro Lucas V. , Yu Peng , Lin Feng , Govorov Alexander O. , Xu Hongxing , Wang Zhiming
Published: April 2021

Hot electrons generated in metallic nanostructures have shown promising perspectives for photodetection. This has prompted efforts to enhance the absorption of photons by metals. However, most strategies require fine-tuning of the geometric parameters to achieve perfect absorption, accompanied by the demanding fabrications. Here, we theoretically propose a Ag grating/TiO2 cladding hybrid structure for hot electron photodetection (HEPD) by combining quasi-bound states in the continuum (BIC) and plasmonic hot electrons. Enabled by quasi-BIC, perfect absorption can be readily achieved and it is robust against the change of several structural parameters due to the topological nature of BIC. Also, we show that the guided mode can be folded into the light cone by introducing a disturbance to become a guided resonance, which then gives rise to a narrow-band HEPD that is difficult to be achieved in the high loss gold plasmonics. Combining the quasi-BIC and the guided resonance, we also realize a multiband HEPD with near-perfect absorption. Our work suggests new routes to enhance the light-harvesting in plasmonic nanosystems.
The crystal structure of hexakis(1-propylimidazole-κ1
N)copper(II) dichloride, C36H60Cl2CuN12
Authors: He Qingpeng , Liu Gang , Xue Zechun
Published: April 2021

C36H60Cl2CuN12, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 8.3112(2) Å, b = 15.9513(4) Å, c = 17.1068(4) Å, β = 99.671(2)° V = 2235.69(9) Å3, Z = 2, R

gt
(F) = 0.0523, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1606, T = 298(2) K.
Crystal structure of (E)-N-(1-((2-chlorothiazol-5-yl)methyl)pyridin-2(1H)-ylidene)-2,2,2-trifluoroacetamide, C11H7ClF3N3OS
Authors: Zhao Benbo , Yuan Changchun , Xun Miao-Miao , Fu Kai
Published: April 2021

C11H7ClF3N3OS, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a = 21.9623(8) Å, b = 9.7431(4) Å, c = 16.1379(5) Å, β = 132.0530(10)°, V = 2564.09(16) Å3, Z = 8, R

gt
(F) = 0.0456, wR

ref
(F
2) = 0.0938, T = 170 K.
The Impact of Medicaid Expansions on Nonprofit Hospitals
Authors: Wang Rui , AbouAssi Khaldoun
Published: April 2021

The 2010 Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid eligibility to states’ residents with incomes below the federal poverty line, creating both opportunities and challenges to hospitals in states that adopted the new Medicaid eligibility. This article explores the effect of Medicaid expansions on nonprofit hospitals. Using data from Internal Revenue Service and a difference-in-differences design, this article examines the impact of the expansions on the number of, contributions to, and profitability of nonprofit hospitals. The results suggest that Medicaid expansions did not affect the number and profitability of nonprofit hospitals; however, the expansions were associated with a reduction in contributions to certain types of hospitals by around 23%. Therefore, the effects of policy changes vary by the type of nonprofit hospitals, which then need to find better strategies to cope with these changes.
Development of a nonwetting coating for packaging substrate surfaces using a novel and easy to implement method
Authors: Koşak Söz Çağla , Özomay Zafer , Unal Semra , Uzun Muhammet , Sönmez Sinan
Published: April 2021

This study is about preparing different paper substrates with chemically stable hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surface coatings through spraying a mixture of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and inorganic particles. The method is easy to implement, reproducible and requires inexpensive starting materials. Non-colored and colored types of (i) raw paper (UC), (ii) glossy coated paper (GC) and (iii) matte coated paper (MC) surfaces were selected for surface modification through the coating application. Both water-based ink (WB) and solvent-based ink (SB) formulations were used to dye substrate surfaces. Investigations including surface wetting, optical and physical properties of the coated paper substrates revealed that the coating application method proposed is a promising lacquer alternative for packaging purposes.
Electrophoretic deposition of graphene on basalt fiber for composite applications
Authors: Mittal Garima , Rhee Kyong Y.
Published: April 2021

Basalt fiber (BF), because of having high strength-to-cost ratio, could be suitable for industrial applications replacing the carbon and glass fibers. However, the lack of surface functionality restricts its potential interfacial interactions with the reinforced matrix. Various surface modification approaches are used to tailor the surface properties of BFs such as coating nanomaterials and attaching chemical moieties. In this study, a successful deposition of graphene on basalt fabric was done using eco-friendly and simple electrophoretic deposition method. The confirmation of attached graphene oxide and graphene was done through the scanning electron microscope, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectroscopy. Later, the effect of graphene coating on the thermal properties of BF was studied through thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Results show that the graphene was successfully coated on BF, and in the presence of graphene coating, the crystallization of BF delayed from 697 to 716°C because of the formation of a protective layer of graphene. Graphene-coated BF could be used further in fiber-reinforced composites to improve the interfacial interaction between the matrix and fiber.
The gender gap among scientists in Africa: results from the global survey and recommendations for future work
Authors: Gledhill Irvy M. A. , Okeke Francisca Nneka , Ouedraogo Marie-Francoise , Potgieter Maria
Published: April 2021

Science in Africa is expanding, but it is important to establish whether the scientific community experiences a gender gap. Where survey results from the project “A Global Approach to the Gender Gap in Mathematical, Computing, and Natural Sciences: How to Measure It, How to Reduce It?” are available for Africa, they indicate that the gender gaps in science are comparable to those in other regions of the world. The major significant survey result for Africa is that approximately 22% of respondents who are women, and 4% of men, report first-hand experience of sexual harassment. Recommendations are quoted from the regional meeting of African scientists at the final conference of the project. The activities of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), and the International Mathematical Union (IMU) in Africa are described, and ways of working for change are recommended.
Initiatives to tackle the gender gap in astronomy
Authors: Primas Francesca
Published: April 2021

In today professional world and especially in STEM related fields, gender balance (or the lack thereof) remains a hotly debated topic. Gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls is the fifth goal set by the United Nations in 2015 (out of 17 Sustainable Development Goals in total) that is intended to be achieved by the year 2030. It is in fact fully understood that we cannot simply afford missing out on half (actually more) of the human capital and potential and one of the key factors to achieve this is education for all. Together with broader themes like diversity and inclusion, gender equality has also made it to the top of many institutions/organizations agendas, because diverse teams are more creative, more productive and improve the working experience and environment for everybody. To this end, a significant push has also come from regular reports published by international or consultancy agencies like the World Economic Forum (WEF) or Mc Kinsey that have often made the news headlines with highly visible and provocative titles. The most recent WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2020 clearly states that “It will take us another 99.5 years to reach gender parity” and that “It will be the year 2277 when the gender pay gap will close”. In this review, the focus will be on a specific STEM field that has always fascinated generations of people, just by looking up at the peaceful beauty of a night sky: astronomy.