bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of crocin (the main active saffron constituent) on the cognitive functions, craving, and withdrawal syndrome in opioid patients under methadone maintenance treatment
Authors: Abbaszadeh‐Mashkani Samira , Hoque Shahanara Sunjida , Banafshe Hamid Reza , Ghaderi Amir
Published: October 2020

Individuals under methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programs are susceptible to several complications, including withdrawal syndrome, craving, and cognitive deficits. This study was designed to elevate the effect of crocin administration on withdrawal syndrome, craving, and cognitive function in subjects under MMT programs. It was a clinical trial that was conducted among 60 patients referred to Soltan Mirahmad Clinic for addict patients in Kashan, Iran. The patients were allocated to two groups including placebo and intervention groups. The intervention group received 30 mg/day crocin (n = 30) and placebo (n = 30) once a day, in 12 weeks. Withdrawal syndrome, craving, and cognitive function parameters were measured before and after the intervention in subjects under MMT programs. Compared with the placebo group, crocin resulted in a significant improvement in craving score (p = .03), and withdrawal symptoms score (p = .01) in the intervention group. In addition, crocin supplementation did not affect cognitive function parameters (e.g., TMT, FAS test, and DGSP score). Overall, crocin supplementation for 12 weeks to patients under MMT programs had beneficial effects on craving and withdrawal symptoms score, but did not affect the cognitive function parameters.
Asian American women in STEM in the lab with “White Men Named John”
Authors: Castro Athena R. , Collins Christopher S.
Published: October 2020

Asian American women occupy a paradoxical space within the context of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, simultaneously overrepresented as Asian Americans and underrepresented as women. For Asian American female doctoral students, the complex layering and weaving of these intersections involves the constant negotiation of science, racial, and gendered identities. This study explored how the intersections of science, race, and gender shaped their student experiences. We positioned these frameworks not only as mutually constitutive systems but also emphasize science as an epistemology, which informs conceptions of knowledge, the practice of inquiry, and who has epistemic authority. As a qualitative study, we utilized intersectionality theory to explore identity development in the context of STEM environments and grounded theory methods in our analysis. We interviewed 23 women who self‐identified as Asian Americans and were either currently in a doctoral program or were within 5 years of earning their degrees in STEM fields.

Examining the intersections of science, race, and gender for Asian American female doctoral students in STEM allows a richer, more nuanced exploration of science as it is currently defined and understood and permits the conceptual critique of science to remake STEM environments into more inclusive spaces
Unexpected Side Products of Chemical Transformations in Cobalt(II) Pseudoclathrochelates: An X‐Ray Diffraction Study
Authors: Nelyubina Yu. V. , Belov A. S. , Belova S. A. , Zubavichus Y. V. , Malinkin S. , Voloshin Y. Z.
Published: October 2020

It is generally accepted that transition metal (pseudo)clathrochelates, a unique class of coordination compounds are easily obtained by a simple template condensation of appropriate oximes, boronic acids and metal salts. Our X‐ray diffraction study of single crystals unexpectedly found in the reaction mixtures of different pseudoclathrochelates, however, shows that other compounds are sometimes identified among the products of their synthesis or chemical transformations occurring in different media; those can interfere with their future practical applications.
Ethyl‐2‐cyano‐2‐(2‐nitrophenylsulfonyloximino)acetate (ortho‐ NosylOXY) Mediated Acetalization and Thioacetalization of Aldehydes
Authors: Kalita Tapasi , Rao Manne Srinivasa , Mandal Bhubaneswar
Published: October 2020

We demonstrate a simple and effective methodology for acetalization and thioacetalization of aldehydes by catalytic amount of ethyl‐2‐cyano‐2‐(2‐nitrophenylsulfonyloximino)acetate (ortho‐NosylOXY), a novel peptide coupling reagent. This safe reagent successfully transforms the aldehydes into cyclic acetals, 1,3‐dithiolanes, and 1,3‐dithianes. The reaction is compatible with electron‐withdrawing and donating substituents containing aldehydes and different kinds of diols and dithiols. Also, the reaction worked well with an α,β‐unsaturated aldehyde, and an aliphatic aldehyde. Yields are impressive (71 to 95 %) at a moderate temperature and short time. Hence, broad substrate scope, high yield, easy isolation of the products, and catalytic nature of the reagent make this methodology an environment‐friendly alternative to the existing ones.
Application of Bismuth Catalysts for the Methanolysis of End‐of‐Life Poly(lactide)
Authors: Alberti Christoph , Kricheldorf Hans Rytger , Enthaler Stephan
Published: October 2020

The chemical recycling of poly(lactide) (PLA) was investigated especially the depolymerization for generating useful monomers/polymer precursors. In more detail, applying catalytic amounts of bismuth compounds PLA was converted to methyl lactate using methanol as depolymerization reagent. An excellent performance was observed for bismuth subsalicylate with turnover frequencies of up to 13,800 h−1using microwave heating. Moreover, the usefulness of the bismuth subsalicylate catalyst was demonstrated in the depolymerization of various PLA goods. Interestingly, the bismuth subsalicylate was easily recovered after the reaction and was sent again to depolymerization revealing recyclability of the catalyst.
Antibody Micropatterned Lubricant‐Infused Biosensors Enable Sub‐Picogram Immunofluorescence Detection of Interleukin 6 in Human Whole Plasma
Authors: Shakeri Amid , Jarad Noor Abu , Terryberry Jeff , Khan Shadman , Leung Ashlyn , Chen Simeng , Didar Tohid F.
Published: October 2020

Recent studies have shown a correlation between elevated interleukin 6 (IL‐6) concentrations and the risk of respiratory failure in COVID‐19 patients. Therefore, detection of IL‐6 at low concentrations permits early diagnosis of worst‐case outcome in viral respiratory infections. Here, a versatile biointerface is presented that eliminates nonspecific adhesion and thus enables immunofluorescence detection of IL‐6 in whole human plasma or whole human blood during coagulation, down to a limit of detection of 0.5 pg mL−1. The sensitivity of the developed lubricant‐infused biosensor for immunofluorescence assays in detecting low molecular weight proteins such as IL‐6 is facilitated by i) producing a bioink in which the capture antibody is functionalized by an epoxy‐based silane for covalent linkage to the fluorosilanized surface and ii) suppressing nonspecific adhesion by patterning the developed bioink into a lubricant‐infused coating. The developed biosensor addresses one of the major challenges for biosensing in complex fluids, namely nonspecific adhesion, therefore paving the way for highly sensitive biosensing in complex fluids.
Impact of Mg2+ and Al3+ Substitutions on the Structural and Electrochemical Properties of NASICON‐NaxVMn0.75M0.25(PO4)3 (M = Mg and Al) Cathodes for Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Ghosh Subham , Barman Nabadyuti , Senguttuvan Premkumar
Published: October 2020

Sodium superionic conductor (NASICON)‐Na4VMn(PO4)3 (NVMP) cathode is attractive for sodium‐ion battery application due to its reduced cost and toxicity, and high energy density (≈425 Wh kg−1). However, it exhibits significant polarization, limited rate and cycling performances due to its lower electronic conductivity and formation of Jahn–Teller active Mn3+ during cycling. In this report, a chemical approach is presented to partially replace Mn2+ of the NVMP framework by Mg2+ and Al3+ substitutions. The Mg‐ and Al‐substituted NVMP cathodes present smoother voltage profiles, facile sodium (de)intercalation, enhanced rate performances (80 mA h g−1 at 5C rate) and capacity retention (≈96% after 100 cycles) in comparison with the unsubstituted sample. Their enhanced performances are attributed to suppressed Jahn–Teller effect, increased covalent character and sodium ion vacancies of the NASICON framework. These results highlight the significance of fine tuning the chemical compositions to attain high performance NASICON cathodes.
Probing the Superiority of Diselenium Bond on Docetaxel Dimeric Prodrug Nanoassemblies: Small Roles Taking Big Responsibilities
Authors: Zuo Shiyi , Sun Bingjun , Yang Yinxian , Zhou Shuang , Zhang Yu , Guo Mengran , Sun Mengchi , Luo Cong , He Zhonggui , Sun Jin
Published: October 2020

The current state of chemotherapy is far from satisfaction, restricted by the inefficient drug delivery and the off‐target toxicity. Prodrug nanoassemblies are emerging as efficient platforms for chemotherapy. Herein, three docetaxel dimeric prodrugs are designed using diselenide bond, disulfide bond, or dicarbide bond as linkages. Interestingly, diselenide bond‐bridged dimeric prodrug can self‐assemble into stable nanoparticles with impressive high drug loading (≈70%, w/w). Compared with disulfide bond and dicarbide bond, diselenide bond greatly facilitates the self‐assembly of dimeric prodrug, and then improves the colloidal stability, blood circulation time, and antitumor efficacy of prodrug nanoassemblies. Furthermore, the redox‐sensitive diselenide bond can specifically respond to the overexpressed reactive oxygen species and glutathione in tumor cells, leading to tumor‐specific drug release. Therefore, diselenide bond bridged prodrug nanoassemblies exhibit discriminating cytotoxicity between tumor cells and normal cells, significantly alleviating the systemic toxicity of docetaxel. The present work gains in‐depth insight into the impact of diselenide bond on the dimeric prodrug nanoassemblies, and provides promising strategies for the rational design of the high efficiency–low toxicity chemotherapeutical nanomedicines.
Cryptanalysis and improvement of biometric based content distribution framework for digital rights management systems
Authors: Rana Saurabh , Mishra Dheerendra
Published: October 2020

Digital contents are utilized and transmitted over the public network. Thus, the evolution of an emphatic mechanism to ensure authorized access to digital content is the topmost priority of the multimedia industry. Digital right management (DRM) is a tool that aims to ensure authorized access multimedia content to the right holders. However, over the years, several other challenges associated with DRM systems have also emerged such as efficient computation, user privacy, the security of existing protocols. For the scalable distribute digital content, an efficient, secure and authorized content distribution protocol is required. This paper proposed a biometric‐based content technique for a DRM system, which enables to deliver content key among mutually authentic entities. The security of the proposed protocol has been proved under the widely recognized random oracle model, which indicates that the proposed protocol is provably secure under probabilistic polynomial time adversary. The proposed scheme achieves anonymity and unlinkability. Moreover, comparative analysis shows that the proposed scheme address efficiency along with security.
Graphene Derivatives and Graphene Composite Electrocatalysts for N2 Reduction Reaction
Authors: Wang Fei , Mao Limin , Xie Hongtao , Mao Jian
Published: October 2020

Ammonia (NH3) plays a key role in human society. The conventional Haber–Bosch process under high temperature and pressure is widely used to synthesize NH3, resulting in huge energy costs and serious environmental issues. At present, the electrochemical conversion of nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O) into NH3 at ambient conditions is considered as a promising and alternative method, and electrocatalysts are critical for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) to realize NH3 synthesis. Graphene as an emerging 2D material has received significant attention in electrocatalysis NRR due to its unique properties such as high conductivity, specific surface area, a distinct 2D structure, and simplicity for modification. Herein, the electrochemical basis for NRR is provided including reactions in the NRR system, NRR mechanisms, criteria for NRR electrocatalysts (density functional theory and experiments), and verifying the nitrogen source and electrolytes. Then, the effect of doping (nonmetallic elements and single/dual metal atoms) and intrinsic defects on the NRR performance for graphene derivatives is reviewed, and the graphene composite electrocatalysts for NRR are summarized. Furthermore, deep sights and existing issues toward the further development of graphene derivatives and graphene composite electrocatalysts on NRR are discussed.
Analysis of the influence of climate change on the fatigue lifetime of offshore wind turbines using imprecise probabilities
Authors: Hübler Clemens , Rolfes Raimund
Published: October 2020

When discussing the connection of wind energy and climate change, normally, the potential of wind energy to reduce green house gas emissions is emphasised. Hence, effects of wind energy on climate change are analysed. However, what about the other direction? What is the impact of climate change on wind energy? Recently, the effect of a reversal in global terrestrial stilling,that is, an increase in global wind speeds in the last decade, on the wind energy production has been analysed. Certainly, knowledge about potential changes in energy production is essential to plan future energy supply. Nonetheless, at least similarly important is the effect on loads acting on wind turbines. Increasing loads due to higher wind speeds might reduce wind turbine lifetimes and yield higher costs. Moreover, especially for already existing turbines, it might even affect the structural reliability. Since the impact of climate change on wind turbine loads is largely unknown, it is studied in this work in more detail. For this purpose, different existing models for predicted changes in wind speed and air temperature and their uncertainties are used to forecast the environmental conditions an exemplary offshore wind turbine is exposed to. Subsequently, for this turbine, the lifetime fatigue damages are calculated for different prediction models. It is shown that the expected changes in lifetime fatigue damages are present but relatively small compared to other uncertainties in the fatigue damage calculation.
Re‐investigation of Barium‐Gold(I)‐Tetra‐Thiostannate(IV), Ba[Au2SnS4], with Short AuI···AuI Separation Showing Luminescence Properties
Authors: Teske Christoph Ludwig , Terraschke Huayna , Mangelsen Sebastian , Bensch Wolfgang
Published: October 2020

New investigations combining single crystal‐ and synchrotron‐based powder X‐ray diffraction data revealed that Ba[Au2SnS4] crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system in space group C2221 instead of P21212 as reported earlier. While the principle crystal structure is not altered, there are significant differences of the interatomic distances Au‐S and Sn‐S. A salient property of this crystal structure is the partial framework composed of AuS2 dumbbells and SnS4 tetrahedra to form chains [(Au2SnS4)2–]∞ propagating in the [100] direction. Within the chains a short Au···Au separation of 2.9538(13) Å is observed, while the interchain Au···Au separation is longer at 3.383 Å. The Ba2+ cation is eightfold coordinated by S2– anions in a distorted bicapped trigonal prismatic environment BaS8. These polyhedra share all S2– anions thus generating a three‐dimensional network. This connection Scheme generates voids along [100] hosting [(Au2SnS4)2–]∞ chains. In addition, the compound has been shown to be luminescent at the blue‐green spectral range with emission maximum at approximately 21000 cm–1.
Do Online Trolling Strategies Differ in Political and Interest Forums: Early Results
Authors: Paakki Henna , Salovaara Antti , Vepsäläinen Heidi
Published: October 2020

This study compares the effectiveness of different trolling strategies in two online contexts: politically oriented forums that address issues like global warming, and interest-based forums that deal with people’s personal interests. Based on previous research, we consider trolling as context-bound and suggest that relevance theory and common grounding theory can explain why people may attend and react to certain types of troll posts in one forum, but pay scant attention to them in another. We postulate two hypotheses on how successful (i.e., disruptive) trolling varies according to context: that trolls’ messaging strategies appear in different frequencies in political and interest forums (H1), and that context-matching strategies also produce longer futile conversations (H2). Using Hardaker’s categorization of trolling strategies on a covert–overt continuum, our statistical analysis on a dataset of 49 online conversations verified H1: in political forums covert strategies were more common than overt ones; in interest forums the opposite was the case. Regarding H2 our results were inconclusive. However, the results motivate further research on this phenomenon with larger datasets.
Students Assessing Digital News and Misinformation
Authors: Nygren Thomas , Wiksten Folkeryd Jenny , Liberg Caroline , Guath Mona
Published: October 2020

Previous research has highlighted how young people struggle to distinguish news from misinformation. In this study, we investigate how ca. 400 students determine the trustworthiness of false, biased and credible news. We find that students use different strategies depending on what they evaluate. For example, students who fail to debunk a manipulated image often rely on what they see in the image in contrast to students who determine credibility upon what is not in the image. Students finding junk news credible may have special problems separating different kinds of sources. We identify potentials and pitfalls among students important for further investigation, research and a focus on education.
Identifying Political Sentiments on YouTube: A Systematic Comparison Regarding the Accuracy of Recurrent Neural Network and Machine Learning Models
Authors: Röchert Daniel , Neubaum German , Stieglitz Stefan
Published: October 2020

Since social media have increasingly become forums to exchange personal opinions, more and more approaches have been suggested to analyze those sentiments automatically. Neural networks and traditional machine learning methods allow individual adaption by training the data, tailoring the algorithm to the particular topic that is discussed. Still, a great number of methodological combinations involving algorithms (e.g., recurrent neural networks (RNN)), techniques (e.g., word2vec), and methods (e.g., Skip-Gram) are possible. This work offers a systematic comparison of sentiment analytical approaches using different word embeddings with RNN architectures and traditional machine learning techniques. Using German comments of controversial political discussions on YouTube, this study uses metrics such as F1-score, precision and recall to compare the quality of performance of different approaches. First results show that deep neural networks outperform multiclass prediction with small datasets in contrast to traditional machine learning models with word embeddings.
Sonic hedgehog signaling in astrocytes
Authors: Hill Steven A. , Fu Marissa , Garcia A. Denise R.
Published: October 2020

Astrocytes are complex cells that perform a broad array of essential functions in the healthy and injured nervous system. The recognition that these cells are integral components of various processes, including synapse formation, modulation of synaptic activity, and response to injury, underscores the need to identify the molecular signaling programs orchestrating these diverse functional properties. Emerging studies have identified the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway as an essential regulator of the molecular identity and functional properties of astrocytes. Well established as a powerful regulator of diverse neurodevelopmental processes in the embryonic nervous system, its functional significance in astrocytes is only beginning to be revealed. Notably, Shh signaling is active only in discrete subpopulations of astrocytes distributed throughout the brain, a feature that has potential to yield novel insights into functional specialization of astrocytes. Here, we discuss Shh signaling and emerging data that point to essential roles for this pleiotropic signaling pathway in regulating various functional properties of astrocytes in the healthy and injured brain.
Bandwidth-limited few-cycle pulses by nonlinear compression in a dispersion-alternating fiber
Authors: Lüpken Niklas M. , Fallnich Carsten
Published: October 2020

We demonstrate an improved concept for nearly bandwidth-limited nonlinear pulse compression down to the few-cycle regime in a fiber chain with alternating sign of dispersion. Whereas the normally dispersive fiber segments generate bandwidth via self-phase modulation, the anomalously dispersive fiber segments recompress the broadened spectral bandwidth by an appropriate amount of group velocity dispersion. Nonlinear pulse compression from 80 fs input pulses to nearly bandwidth-limited 25 fs pulses at 1560 nm was achieved, resulting in a pulse compression factor of 3.2. The use of a specific dispersion-compensating fiber eliminated the impact of higher-order dispersion, such that a high spectral coherence was ensured. We show that nonlinear Schrödinger equation simulations were in good agreement with the experimental results and investigated the transfer of input fluctuations to the output. The concept is transferable to longer input pulse durations, resulting in compression factors of 83 for 10 ps input pulses.
Anatomy of inferior end of palatopharyngeus: its contribution to upper esophageal sphincter opening
Authors: Fukino Keiko , Tsutsumi Masahiro , Nimura Akimoto , Miwa Koh , Ono Takashi , Akita Keiichi
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The palatopharyngeus is one of the longitudinal pharyngeal muscles which contributes to swallowing. It is reported that the palatopharyngeus has muscle bundles in various directions and with attachment sites, and each muscle bundle has a specific function. Although previous reports suggest that the palatopharyngeus is partly interlaced with some parts of the inferior constrictor, the precise relationship remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the precise manner of the connection between the palatopharyngeus and inferior constrictor, and to examine the histological characteristics of this connection.

Methods

We examined 15 halves of nine heads from Japanese cadavers (average age: 76.1 years); 12 halves, macroscopically, and three halves, histologically.

Results

Our observation suggests that the palatopharyngeus spreads radially on the inner aspect of the pharyngeal wall. The most inferior portion of the palatopharyngeus extended to the inner surface of the cricopharyngeal part of the inferior constrictor. Histological analysis showed that the inferior end of the palatopharyngeus continued into the dense connective tissue located at the level of the cricoid cartilage. The dense connective tissue not only covered the inner surface of the inferior constrictor but also entered its muscle bundles and enveloped them.

Conclusion

Therefore, the palatopharyngeus interlaced the cricopharyngeal part of the inferior constrictor through the dense connective tissues. The findings of this study show that the palatopharyngeus may act on the upper esophageal sphincter directly and help in its opening with the aid of the pulling forces in the superolateral direction.
Synthesis and ultrastructural observation of arbutoid mycorrhizae of black truffles (Tuber melanosporum and T. aestivum)
Authors: Ori Francesca , Leonardi Marco , Faccio Antonella , Sillo Fabiano , Iotti Mirco , Pacioni Giovanni , Balestrini Raffaella
Published: October 2020

Arbutus unedo (the strawberry tree) is a Mediterranean shrub which forms arbutoid mycorrhizae with a variety of Asco- and Basidiomycetes. After the discovery of the mycorrhizal symbiosis between A. unedo and Tuber borchii, in this study, arbutoid mycorrhizae were synthetized in greenhouse with Tuber aestivum and Tuber melanosporum. Six months after inoculation, both species colonized the roots of all inoculated A. unedo seedlings, but mature mycorrhizae were only observed after 12 months. Ultrastructure analysis of Tuber arbutoid mycorrhizae was described for the first time, showing, as observed in typical endosymbiosis, a rearrangement of host cells and the creation of an interface compartment with both truffle species. Immunolabelling experiments suggested that pectins are not present in the interface matrix surrounding the intracellular hyphae. Thus, the ability to establish symbiosis with A. unedo seems to be a common feature in the genus Tuber, opening up the possibility to use this plant for mycorrhization with valuable truffles. This could represent an important economic opportunity in Mediterranean areas by combining the production of truffles, edible fruits and valued honey.
15 Years MR-encephalography
Authors: Hennig Juergen , Kiviniemi Vesa , Riemenschneider Bruno , Barghoorn Antonia , Akin Burak , Wang Fei , LeVan Pierre
Published: October 2020

Objective

This review article gives an account of the development of the MR-encephalography (MREG) method, which started as a mere ‘Gedankenexperiment’ in 2005 and gradually developed into a method for ultrafast measurement of physiological activities in the brain. After going through different approaches covering k-space with radial, rosette, and concentric shell trajectories we have settled on a stack-of-spiral trajectory, which allows full brain coverage with (nominal) 3 mm isotropic resolution in 100 ms. The very high acceleration factor is facilitated by the near-isotropic k-space coverage, which allows high acceleration in all three spatial dimensions.

Methods

The methodological section covers the basic sequence design as well as recent advances in image reconstruction including the targeted reconstruction, which allows real-time feedback applications, and—most recently—the time-domain principal component reconstruction (tPCR), which applies a principal component analysis of the acquired time domain data as a sparsifying transformation to improve reconstruction speed as well as quality.

Applications

Although the BOLD-response is rather slow, the high speed acquisition of MREG allows separation of BOLD-effects from cardiac and breathing related pulsatility. The increased sensitivity enables direct detection of the dynamic variability of resting state networks as well as localization of single interictal events in epilepsy patients. A separate and highly intriguing application is aimed at the investigation of the glymphatic system by assessment of the spatiotemporal patterns of cardiac and breathing related pulsatility.

Discussion

MREG has been developed to push the speed limits of fMRI. Compared to multiband-EPI this allows considerably faster acquisition at the cost of reduced image quality and spatial resolution.
Integrating formal specifications into applications: the ProB Java API
Authors: Körner Philipp , Bendisposto Jens , Dunkelau Jannik , Krings Sebastian , Leuschel Michael
Published: October 2020

The common formal methods workflow consists of formalising a model followed by applying model checking and proof techniques. Once an appropriate level of certainty is reached, code generators are used in order to gain executable code. In this paper, we propose a different approach: instead of generating code from formal models, it is also possible to embed a model checker or animator into applications in order to use the formal models themselves at runtime. We present a Java API to the ProB animator and model checker. We describe several case studies that use this API as enabling technology to interact with a formal specification at runtime.
Asylum-Seeking Children with Medical Complexity and Rare Diseases in a Tertiary Hospital in Switzerland
Authors: Buser S. , Brandenberger J. , Gmünder M. , Pohl C. , Ritz N.
Published: October 2020

The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of asylum-seeking children with medical complexity visiting a tertiary care hospital in Switzerland, detailing their underlying medical conditions and management. Asylum-seeking patients with frequent visits between January 2016 and December 2017 were identified using administrative and electronic health records. Of 462 patients, 19 (4%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria with 811 (45%) visits. The age of the 19 patients ranged from 0 to 16.7 years (median of 7 years) with two main age groups identified: < 2 years and > 12 years. Nine (47%) patients originated from Syria. A total of 34/811(4%) visits were hospital admissions, 66/811 (8%) emergency department visits and 320/811(39%) outpatient department visits. In children < 2 years genetic diseases (5/8; 63%) and nutritional problems (6/8; 75%) were most common; in adolescents, orthopedic diseases (4/8; 50%) and mental health problems (4/8; 50%). Asylum-seeking children with medical complexity represent a small but important group of patients requiring frequent medical consultations. The high proportion of young patients with genetic diseases and severe nutritional problems suggests that new strategies are required in the management of this specific group of asylum-seeking children. This could be achieved by improved co-ordination between hospital and non-hospital care exploring options for integrated care.
A Pituitary Society update to acromegaly management guidelines
Authors: Fleseriu Maria , Biller Beverly M. K. , Freda Pamela U. , Gadelha Monica R. , Giustina Andrea , Katznelson Laurence , Molitch Mark E. , Samson Susan L. , Strasburger Christian J. , van der Lely A. J. , Melmed Shlomo
Published: October 2020

Guidelines and consensus statements ensure that physicians managing acromegaly patients have access to current information on evidence-based treatments to optimize outcomes. Given significant novel recent advances in understanding acromegaly natural history and individualized therapies, the Pituitary Society invited acromegaly experts to critically review the current literature in the context of Endocrine Society guidelines and Acromegaly Consensus Group statements. This update focuses on how recent key advances affect treatment decision-making and outcomes, and also highlights the likely role of recently FDA-approved therapies as well as novel combination therapies within the treatment armamentarium.
Reliability and validity of the 6-item Headache Impact Test in chronic migraine from the PROMISE-2 study
Authors: Houts Carrie R. , McGinley James S. , Wirth R. J. , Cady Roger , Lipton Richard B.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

We examined the reliability and validity of the 6-item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) specifically on patients with chronic migraine (CM) from the PROMISE-2 clinical trial.

Methods

The conceptual framework of HIT-6 was evaluated using baseline data from the PROMISE-2 study (NCT02974153;N = 1072). A unidimensional graded response model within the item response theory (IRT) framework was used to evaluate model fit and item characteristics. Using baseline and week 12 data, convergent and discriminant validity of the HIT-6 was evaluated by correlation coefficients. Sensitivity to change was assessed by evaluating correlations between HIT-6 scores and change scores for other established reference measures. All examined correlations were specified a priori with respect to direction and magnitude. Known-groups analyses were anchored using Patient Global Impression of Change and monthly headache days at week 12.

Results

A unidimensional model fit the data well, supporting that the 6 items measure a single construct. All item slopes and thresholds were within acceptable ranges. In both the validity and sensitivity to change analyses, all observed correlations conformed to directional expectations, and most conformed to magnitude expectations. Known-groups analyses demonstrated that the HIT-6 total score can distinguish between clinically meaningful CM subgroups.

Conclusion

The HIT-6 was successfully calibrated using IRT with data from PROMISE-2. Results from these analyses were generally consistent with previous literature and provided supportive evidence that the HIT-6 is well suited for measuring the impact of headache and migraine in the CM population.
Is the selfish life-cycle model more applicable in Japan and, if so, why? A literature survey
Authors: Horioka Charles Yuji
Published: October 2020

The selfish life-cycle model or hypothesis is, together with the dynasty or altruism model, the most widely used theoretical model of household behavior in economics, but does this model apply in the case of a country like Japan, which is said to have closer family ties than other countries? In this paper, we first provide a brief exposition of the simplest version of the selfish life-cycle model and then survey the literature on household saving and bequest behavior in Japan in order to answer this question. The paper finds that almost all of the available evidence suggests that the selfish life-cycle model applies to at least some extent in all countries but that there is more consistent support for this model in Japan than in the United States and other countries. It then explores possible explanations for why the life-cycle model is more consistently supported in Japan than in other countries, attributing this finding to government policies, institutional factors, economic factors, demographic factors, and cultural factors. Finally, it shows that the findings of the paper have many important implications for economic modeling and for government tax and expenditure policies.
Opportunistic wetland formation, characterization, and quantification on landforms reclaimed to upland ecosites in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region
Authors: Hawkes Virgil C. , Miller Michael T. , Novoa Julio , Ibeke Ebere , Martin Joshua P.
Published: October 2020

Surface mine operators in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) of northeastern Alberta are required by regulation to mitigate habitat impacts resulting from their operations, including impacts to wetlands. To date, most land reclamation efforts have focused on recreating upland forestlands that resemble the surrounding natural (dry) boreal forest. However, the surficial conditions on these reclaimed upland sites can also promote spontaneous wetland development. At Suncor’s Base Plant mine, opportunistic wetlands occurring on reclamation sites have not been formally included in the current inventory of reclaimed wetland areas and remain largely unquantified. We characterized and delineated an estimated 210 ha of opportunistic wetlands (consisting of shallow open water, marshes, and swamps) using aerial photo interpretation and remote sensing analysis in combination with follow-up field verifications. The remote-based (desktop) delineations consistently underestimated actual wetland extents, due mainly to underestimations in the extent of non-inundated vegetation zones (e.g., wet meadow) as well as shrubby swamp. After field corrections, opportunistic wetland habitat was estimated to constitute ~ 17% of the total study area (1209 ha), representing more than a fourfold increase in aerial wetland extent associated with reclaimed landforms over that delineated prior to this study. The interspersion of opportunistic wetlands with upland reclaimed landforms, although unintended, more closely reflects the pre-disturbance landscape, which was characterized by a matrix of forestlands, peatlands, and mineral wetlands (in contrast to the more peatland-dominated lowlands). At Suncor, wetland vegetation composition varied significantly across the study area and was influenced by topographic variation (e.g., in elevation and % slope) in combination with the reclamation substrates (soils) that were placed prior to seeding/planting. Thus, the inclusion of opportunistic wetland delineation in reclamation tracking and closure planning merits consideration as does the opportunity to manipulate current reclamation practices to promote the establishment and persistence of wetlands on reclaimed landforms.
Wafer Level Solid Liquid Interdiffusion Bonding: Formation and Evolution of Microstructures
Authors: Vuorinen V. , Dong H. , Ross G. , Hotchkiss J. , Kaaos J. , Paulasto-Kröckel M.
Published: October 2020

Wafer-level solid liquid interdiffusion (SLID) bonding, also known as transient liquid-phase bonding, is becoming an increasingly attractive method for industrial usage since it can provide simultaneous formation of electrical interconnections and hermetic encapsulation for microelectromechanical systems. Additionally, SLID is utilized in die-attach bonding for electronic power components. In order to ensure the functionality and reliability of the devices, a fundamental understanding of the formation and evolution of interconnection microstructures, as well as global and local stresses, is of utmost importance. In this work a low-temperature Cu-In-Sn based SLID bonding process is presented. It was discovered that by introducing In to the traditional Cu-Sn metallurgy as an additional alloying element, it is possible to significantly decrease the bonding temperature. Decreasing the bonding temperature results in lower CTE induced global residual stresses. However, there are still several open issues to be studied regarding the effects of dissolved In on the physical properties of the Cu-Sn intermetallics. Additionally, partially metastable microstructures were observed in bonded samples that did not significantly evolve during thermal annealing. This indicates the Cu-In-Sn SLID bond microstructure is extremely stable.
Indies in Scotland: Exploring the Unique Role of Independent Bookshops in Scotland’s Towns and Villages
Authors: Laing Audrey
Published: October 2020

This project explores the business practices and cultural place of independent bookshops in Scotland. The research examines the connections that independent bookshops have with their various stakeholders, and investigates the support and policy change bookshops require in order to survive and prosper. The research finds a wealth of expertise and business acumen across Scottish independent booksellers, uniquely driven by a commitment to literacy, community and a love of books. A strong contribution to communities, welfare and social capital is identified. Policy recommendations are made, which recognise the cultural and community contributions made by bookshops, as well as proposing that bookshops be at the centre of policy planning around the regeneration of high streets.
Theoretical and experimental investigation of effect of salinity and asphaltene on IFT of brine and live oil samples
Authors: Soleymanzadeh Aboozar , Rahmati Ahmadreza , Yousefi Mohammad , Roshani Babak
Published: October 2020

Several factors influence the IFT of oil and formation water. These factors are rooted in the complex composition of oil, presence of different salts in water, water salinity, temperature, and pressure of reservoir. In the first part of this paper, effect of salinity on IFT between brine and an Iranian live oil sample has been studied experimentally. It is observed that IFT increases almost linearly with brine concentration. Also, linear increasing behavior of IFT with respect to pressure is obviously seen. Then, using thermodynamic properties such as surface excess concentration, chemical potential, chemical activity, and activity coefficient, results were analyzed and observed effect of salinity and pressure were justified thermodynamically. In the second part, the effect of asphaltene on IFT reduction has been studied. In previous works, the investigators extracted resin and asphaltene and then examined their effects on IFT in the absence of other fractions of oil phase. We believe that all fractions play a role in this phenomenon so, in this paper, the effect of natural surfactants of oil phase on IFT has been investigated in presence of all fractions of oil. Hence, SARA test was performed on all samples. Then, IFT between oil samples and brine were measured using captive drop instrument at 25 °C and 3000 psia. Results showed that neither asphaltene content nor asphaltene/resin ratio is a good indicator for effect of asphaltene on IFT, whereas colloidal instability index could be a useful tool to predict asphaltene effect on IFT.
Oil price pass-through into inflation in Spain at national and regional level
Authors: Topan Ligia , Castro César , Jerez Miguel , Barge-Gil Andrés
Published: October 2020

Oil price showed sharp fluctuations in recent years which revived the interest in its effect on inflation. In this paper, we discuss the relationship between oil price and inflation in Spain, at national and regional levels, and making the distinction between energy and non-energy inflation. To this end, we fit econometric models to measure the effect of oil price shocks on inflation and to predict them under different scenarios. Our results show that almost half of the volatility of changes in total inflation is explained by changes in oil price. As could be expected, the energy component of inflation drives this effect. We also find that, under the most likely scenarios, 1-year ahead total inflation will be moderate, with relevant differences across regions.
Operation of an employee suggestion system in administration and production departments of a remanufacturing company
Authors: Ostrowski Damian , Jagodziński Jacek
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The aim of the article is to discuss the issues of the employee suggestion system (ESS) in a remanufacturing enterprise. ESS is a tool used in many modern management philosophies like continuous improvement, Kaizen, lean etc. A number of factors influencing the operation of the employee suggestion system (ESS) were examined in the literature. However, none considers the fact that within various departments, the nature of this tool may vary.

Methodology/approach

Based on the data from a representative international company, the system performance was assessed. Using statistical tests, it was examined whether the ESS works identically in different departments of the company. The article reviews the literature and attempts to explain the reasons for the results.

Findings

On the basis of statistical tests, it has been proved that despite the same implementation and occurrence of the same types of waste in various departments, the number of employee suggestions and thus the functioning of the system is different. According to the authors, the reason for this is the fact that the company performs remanufacturing processes. Managing an enterprise using lean remanufacturing has a specific character in relation to classic lean.

Recommendations

Since the article presents only one example of a company in which this phenomenon appeared and the lack of this issue in the literature, further analysis of this problem is necessary.
Lagerindicine, a New Pyrrole Alkaloid Isolated from the Flowers of Lagerstroemia indica Linnaeus
Authors: Chen Yi , Li Song-Wei , Yin Fang-Zhou , Yang Min , Huan Xia-Juan , Miao Ze-Hong , Wang Xiao-Ming , Guo Yue-Wei
Published: October 2020

A phytochemical investigation of the EtOH extract of the flowers of Lagerstroemia indica L. led to the isolation and characterization of a new pyrrole alkaloid, named lagerindicine (1), along with four known compounds (2–5). Their structures were elucidated by the detailed spectroscopic analysis and comparison with literature data, whereas the structure, in particularly, the absolute configuration (AC) of 1, was firmly determined by total synthesis. All the isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxic effects against human colon cancer cell (HCT-116), and compound 3 exhibited weak cytotoxicity with IC50 value of 28.4 μM.

Graphic Abstract
Implications of Medical and Recreational Marijuana Laws for Neuroscience Research: a Review
Authors: Hasin Deborah S. , Aharonovich Efrat
Published: October 2020

Purpose of Review

Review of US medical and recreational marijuana laws (MML and RML), their effects on cannabis potency, prevalence of non-medical cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) in adolescents and adults, and implications for neuroscience research, given what is known about the relationship of cannabis to neurocognitive impairments and underlying brain functioning.

Recent Findings

Cannabis potency may be increasing faster in states with MML or RML than in other states. MML and RML have not impacted prevalence in adolescents but have consistently been shown to increase rates of adult non-medical use and CUD.

Recent neurocognitive or neuroimaging studies may be more impacted by cannabis than studies conducted when MML and RML were less common. Neurocognitive or neuroimaging studies conducted in MML or RML states should carefully test potential participants for recent cannabis use. More research is needed on cannabis and cognition in medical marijuana patients.
Estimating the Value of Electricity Storage in Chile Through Planning Models with Stylized Operation: How Wrong Can It Be?
Authors: Pereira-Bonvallet Eduardo , Moreno Rodrigo , Muñoz Francisco D.
Published: October 2020

Purpose of Review

In light of the increased renewables penetration in power systems around the world, policy-makers, regulators, planners, and investors are significantly interested in determining the participation of energy storage in prospective scenarios of future generation capacity. In this context, this paper demonstrates the numerical errors associated with electricity planning models with stylized operation, which are of common use nowadays. We particularly focus on errors when quantifying the benefits of pumped hydro storage (PHS).

Recent Findings

The latest research identifies important distortions in the results of infrastructure expansion planning problems originated due to a stylized representation of power system operation. These distortions have been particularly emphasized in power systems with increased penetration of renewables generation that necessitate higher levels of flexibility to deal with variability and uncertainty.

Apart from providing a comprehensive literature review in this subject, we provide additional and novel quantitative evidence focusing on the impacts of additional PHS capacity in power systems. Thus, we compare the outputs from two models: (i) a planning model with a stylized operation that ignores operational details in long-term investment analysis, approximating operational costs through a discretized version of the load curve (i.e., time slice representation), and (ii) a state-of-the-art, advanced planning model that recognizes operational details, including hourly resolution and technical limitations of generation plants (through the so-called unit commitment variables and constraints). Both models co-optimize generation and transmission capacity by minimizing total system investment and operational costs. Through several case studies on the Chilean power network by 2025, it is demonstrated that the benefits in terms of cost savings from PHS are significantly underestimated by the stylized model that ignores operational details. In effect, the stylized model undermines both peaking generation capacity and network capacity deferred by storage as well as the operational cost savings due to reserves and flexibility provisions from PHS. Moreover, it is shown that while CO2 emissions are reduced in the advanced model (as expected), these are increased in the stylized model, which corresponds to a remarkable misleading result. Finally, revenue projections of PHS by using primal and dual information are calculated from both optimization approaches, demonstrating that the stylized approach is biased and erroneously diminishes the PHS revenue in the case of a bulk, transmission-connected PHS in Chile. These conclusions are of particular interest for policy-makers, regulators, planners, and investors in Chile who seek to identify both PHS projects that are socially optimal (minimizing overall system costs) and privately profitable (whose revenues exceed costs).