bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meaningless Descriptors Increase Price Judgments and Decrease Quality Judgments
Authors: Baskin Ernest , Liu Peggy J.
Published: January 2021

Consumers commonly encounter products with descriptors. Descriptors with meanings understood by consumers clearly affect judgments of the described products. However, can descriptors for which consumers do not know the word’s semantic meaning (as is increasingly common in a globalized world) still affect judgments in systematic ways, via altering the product’s perceived prototypicality? We examine two kinds of judgments that typically move in the same direction, but which we propose are affected by prototypicality in opposite directions: (a) judgments of how expensive the product is and (b) expectations of the subjective quality of the product. Four experiments show that meaningless descriptors lead consumers to assume that a product is a less prototypical version in its category, increasing price judgments but decreasing quality expectations. Altogether, meaningless descriptors lead to more negative attitudes toward products. This research thus sheds light on the impact of encountering descriptor words with unknown meaning, showing that encountering such words does not lead to the typical effects wherein factors that lift price judgments also lift quality expectations.
The Cultural Closet: The South Asian American Experience of Keeping Romantic Relationships Secret
Authors: Khera Gagan S. , Ahluwalia Muninder K.
Published: January 2021

Many South Asian Americans face challenges when they are in romantic relationships outside of their racial, ethnic, or religious group. Because of values associated with dating and marriage, one challenge is disclosing the relationship to family. South Asian Americans often hide their relationships, and we propose that this experience has parallels to the closet for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals. In this article, we name this experience the “cultural closet” and discuss the associated theory, context, consequences, and counseling implications.

Muchos americanos surasiáticos afrontan desafíos cuando se encuentran en relaciones amorosas fuera de su grupo racial, étnico o religioso. Uno de los desafíos es revelar la relación a su familia, a causa de los valores asociados con las citas y el matrimonio. Con frecuencia, los americanos surasiáticos ocultan sus relaciones, y proponemos que esta experiencia tiene correspondencias con el armario para personas lesbianas, gais, bisexuales, transexuales y queer. En este artículo, denominamos esta experiencia el “armario cultural” y discutimos la teoría, el contexto, las consecuencias y las implicaciones para la consejería asociadas.
Exploring insights of syntaxin superfamily proteins from Entamoeba histolytica: a prospective simulation, protein‐protein interaction, and docking study
Authors: Batra Sagar , Pancholi Puranjaya , Roy Mrinalini , Kaushik Sanket , Jyoti Anupam , Verma Kuldeep , Srivastava Vijay Kumar
Published: January 2021

Entamoeba histolytica (Eh), a parasitic protozoan and the causative agent of invasive Amoebiasis, invade the host tissue through an effective secretory pathway. There are several lines of evidence suggesting that amoebic trophozoite pore‐forming complex amoebapore and a large class of proteases enzymes including rhomboid proteases, cysteine proteases, and metalloproteases are implicated in host tissue invasion. For successful delivery of these molecules/cargos, trophozoites heavily rely on sorting machinery from the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi to plasma membrane. Although, sole secretion machinery in E. histolytica is not characterized yet. Therefore, here our aim is to understand the properties of key molecules N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive fusion protein attached to protein receptors (SNAREs) in E. histolytica. SNAREs proteins are an important component of the membrane‐trafficking machinery and have been associated in a range of processes including vesicle tethering, fusion as well as specificity of vesicular transport in all eukaryotic cells. SNARE proteins are architecturally simple, categorized by the presence of one copy of a homologous coiled‐coil forming motif. However, the structural information and protein‐protein interaction study of Eh‐associated syntaxin proteins are still not known. Here, we characterize the syntaxin 1 like molecule and VAMP from Eh through physiochemical profiling, modeling, atomistic simulation, protein‐protein interaction, and docking approaches on the proteins containing SNARE and synaptobrevin domain. The modeled structures and the critical residues recognized through protein interaction and docking study may provide better structural and functional insights into these proteins and may aid in the development of newer diagnostic assays.
Performance and feasibility of universal PCR admission screening for SARS‐CoV‐2 in a German tertiary care hospital
Authors: Krüger Sören , Leskien Miriam , Schuller Patricia , Prifert Christiane , Weißbrich Benedikt , Vogel Ulrich , Krone Manuel
Published: January 2021

Anamnestic screening of symptoms and contact history is applied to identify coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients on admission. However, asymptomatic and presymptomatic patients remain undetected although the viral load may be high. In this retrospective cohort study, all hospitalized patients who received polymerase chain reaction (PCR) admission testing from March 26th until May 24th, 2020 were included. Data on COVID‐19‐specific symptoms and contact history to COVID‐19 cases were retrospectively extracted from patient files and from contact tracing notes. The compliance to the universal testing protocol was high with 90%. Out of 6940 tested patients, 27 new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 infections (0.4%) were detected. Seven of those COVID‐19 cases (26% of all new cases) were asymptomatic and had no positive contact history, but were identified through a positive PCR test. The number needed to identify an asymptomatic patient was 425 in the first wave of the epidemic, 1218 in the low incidence phase. The specificity of the method was above 99.9%. Universal PCR testing was highly accepted by staff as demonstrated by high compliance. The costs to detect one asymptomatic case in future studies need to be traded off against the costs and damage caused by potential outbreaks of COVID‐19.
Validation of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale and psychological features in patients with periodontitis
Authors: Deng Yongmei , He Songlin , Wang Jinhua
Published: January 2021

Background

To investigate the psychometric properties of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and 10‐item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS‐10) in patients with periodontitis and to evaluate the psychological features of patients with periodontitis.

Methods

Overall, 460 individuals with periodontitis were enrolled. The HADS and the PSS‐10 were administered to all patients. Methodology testing included the exploratory factor analysis, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), test‐retest reliability, as well as internal consistency.

Results

Regarding the CFA results of the HADS, as well as the PSS‐10, a bifactor model fitted the data best. The Cronbach alpha value, as well as the intra‐class correlation coefficients value of the two measures were all >0.70. The anxiety, depression, distress manifestations, and moderate‐to‐high perceived stress prevalence were 35.2%, 18.2%, 24.6%, and 43.9%, respectively. Severity of periodontitis, age, smoking, and disease comorbidities were identified as independent prognosticators of the presence of psychological manifestations in periodontitis.

Conclusion

The HADS and the PSS‐10 can be used as general measures for psychological assessment in patients with periodontitis.
Combination of temperature‐assisted ternary phase homogenous liquid–liquid extraction with deep eutectic solvent–based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the extraction of phytosterols from cow milk and cream samples
Authors: Ebadnezhad Hassan , Afshar Mogaddam Mohammad Reza , Mohebbi Ali , Farajzadeh Mir Ali , Nemati Mahboob , Torbati Mohammadali
Published: January 2021

A three‐phase homogenous liquid–liquid extraction method followed by deep eutectic solvent–based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction has been used for the extraction and preconcentration of some phytosterols from cow milk and cream samples. In this method, cow milk or melted cream was transferred into a glass test tube and a mixture of sodium hydroxide solution (as fatty acids saponification agent) and acetonitrile (as extraction/dispersive solvent) was added to the solution. The mixture was shaken manually and placed in a water bath. After dissolving sodium chloride and centrifugation, the obtained supernatant phase (acetonitrile) was removed and mixed with ethyl methyl ammonium chloride: phenyl acetic acid deep eutectic solvent at microliter level. Under optimum conditions, low limits of detection (1.6–4.1 μg/L) and quantification (5.3–13.1 μg/L), high enrichment factors (138–207), and extraction recoveries (55–83%), and good precision (relative standard deviations ≤ 6.8%) can be obtained. The method was done on different milk and cream samples and the results showed that total phytosterols level in all samples were in the permitted level established by the National Standard Organization Guidelines, except for three cream samples.
HPLC coupled with quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry for analysis of glycosylated components from the fresh flowers of two congeneric species: Robinia hispida L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L
Authors: Ma Xiao‐li , Chen Jing‐zhi , Lu Xing , Zhe Ya‐ting , Jiang Zhi‐bo
Published: January 2021

Developing methods for the systematic and rapid identification of the chemical compositions of fresh plant tissues has long attracted the attention of phytochemists and pharmacologists. In the present study, based on highly efficient sample pretreatment and high‐throughput analysis of high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry data using molecular networks, a method was developed for systematically analyzing the chemical constituents of the fresh flowers of Robinia hispida L. and Robina pseudoacacia L., two congeneric ornamental species that lack prior consideration. A total of 44 glycosylated structures were characterized. And on the basis of establishing of the fragmentation pathways of 11 known flavonoid glycosides, together with the molecular networking analysis, 18 other ions of flavonoid glycosides in five classes were clustered. Moreover, 15 soyasaponins/triterpenoid glycosides were tentatively identified by comparison of their tandem mass spectrometry characteristic ions with those reported in the literature or the online Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking database. The water extracts were separated by flash chromatography, which resulted in the discovery of one new compound, named rohispidascopolin, along with five known entities. The pharmacological targets were predicted by SwissTargetPrediction.
Neurocranial abnormalities in the Middle Pleistocene Homo erectus fossils from Hexian, China
Authors: Wu Xiu‐Jie , Bae Christopher J. , Guo Xiao‐Cong , Liu Wu
Published: January 2021

The Middle Pleistocene Homo erectus cranium from Hexian (Hexian 1, PA 830), in central eastern China, has been studied fairly extensively with respect to its evolutionary position. However, analysis of a series of neurocranial abnormalities identified on the Hexian fossil has never been attempted. Here, we present the first study of these abnormalities identified on the Hexian cranium, including (1) multiple breakages (including cracking) that fracture radially across the whole vault, caused by taphonomic modifications; (2) postmortem erosional lacunae with a matrix layer on the external surface of the supraorbital torus; (3) and two healed lesions with resorption and new bone formation on the back of the head, likely the result of trauma (tensile trauma to the scalp or partial scalp removal) or burning (with damage to the scalp and superficial neurocranium). The Hexian 1 individual was a young adult and had experienced multiple neurocranial alterations of antemortem traumatic lesions and postmortem taphonomic damage. The Hexian 1 specimen adds to the growing list of examples of bone surface modifications on Pleistocene hominin fossils across the Old World—a list that documents clearly the high level of risk experienced by Middle Pleistocene hominins.
Impact of EMA regulatory label changes on hydroxyzine initiation, discontinuation and switching to other medicines in Denmark, Scotland, England and the Netherlands: An interrupted time series regression analysis
Authors: Morales Daniel R. , Macfarlane Tatiana , MacDonald Thomas M. , Hallas Jesper , Ernst Martin Thomsen , Herings Ron M. C. , Smits Elisabeth , Overbeek Jetty A. , Mitchell Lyn , Morant Steven , Mackenzie Isla , Doney Alexander S. F. , Robertson Chris , Bennie Marion , Wei Li , Nicholson Lizzie , Morris Carole , Flynn Robert W. F.
Published: January 2021

Background

Hydroxyzine is indicated for the management of anxiety, skin and sleep disorders. In 2015, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concluded that hydroxyzine was pro‐arrhythmogenic and changes to the product information were implemented in Europe. This study aimed to evaluate their impact in Denmark, Scotland, England and the Netherlands.

Method

Quarterly time series analyses measuring hydroxyzine initiation, discontinuation, and switching to other antihistamines, benzodiazepines and antidepressants in Denmark, England, Scotland and the Netherlands from 2009 to 2018. Data were analysed using interrupted time series regression.

Results

Hydroxyzine initiation in quarter one 2010 in Denmark, Scotland, England and the Netherlands per 100 000 was: 23.5, 91.5, 35.9 and 34.4 respectively. Regulatory action was associated with a significant: immediate fall in hydroxyzine initiation per 100 000 in England (−12.05, 95%CI −18.47 to −5.63) and Scotland (−19.01, 95%CI −26.99 to −11.02); change to a negative trend in hydroxyzine initiation per 100 000/quarter in England (−1.72, 95%CI −2.69 to −0.75) and Scotland (−2.38, 95%CI −3.32 to −1.44). Regulatory action was associated with a significant: immediate rise in hydroxyzine discontinuation per 100 000 in England (3850, 95%CI 440‐7240). No consistent changes were observed in the Netherlands or Denmark. Regulatory action was associated with no switching to other antihistamines, benzodiazepines or antidepressants following hydroxyzine discontinuation in any country.

Conclusion

The 2015 EMA regulatory action was associated with heterogeneous impact with reductions in hydroxyzine initiation varying by country. There was limited impact on discontinuation with no strong evidence suggesting unintended consequences of major switching to other antihistamines, benzodiazepines or antidepressants.
How strong is the evidence that it is possible to get SARS‐CoV‐2 twice? A systematic review
Authors: Farrukh Larabe , Mumtaz Aqsa , Sana Muhammad K.
Published: January 2021

With a large number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) patients being discharged from hospital with negative test results for SARS‐CoV‐2, it has been reported that several recovered cases tested positive after discharge (re‐positive, RP). This finding has raised several important questions for this novel coronavirus and Covid‐19 disease. In this review, we have discussed several important questions, including: (1) Can the virus re‐infect recovered individuals? (2) What are the possible causes of the re‐positive reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) test in recovered patients? (3) What are the implications of these re‐positive cases concerning the spread of the virus? Understanding how recovery from Covid‐19 confers immunity to decrease the risk of re‐infection is needed to inform current efforts to safely scale back population‐based interventions, such as physical distancing. We have also described what is currently known about the immune response to Covid‐19, highlighted key gaps in knowledge, and identified opportunities for future research. Overall, the quality of the evidence is poor and we describe the features that should be described for future cases.
Moving beyond the diatribe on ultrasound vs MRI
Authors: Di Mascio D. , Buca D. , D'Antonio F.
Published: January 2021

Linked article: This Correspondence comments on van der Knoop et al. Click here to view the article.
Artificial miRNAs as therapeutic tools: Challenges and opportunities
Authors: Kotowska‐Zimmer Anna , Pewinska Marianna , Olejniczak Marta
Published: January 2021

RNA interference (RNAi) technology has been used for almost two decades to study gene functions and in therapeutic approaches. It uses cellular machinery and small, designed RNAs in the form of synthetic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) or vector‐based short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs), and artificial miRNAs (amiRNAs) to inhibit a gene of interest. Artificial miRNAs, known also as miRNA mimics, shRNA‐miRs, or pri‐miRNA‐like shRNAs have the most complex structures and undergo two‐step processing in cells to form mature siRNAs, which are RNAi effectors. AmiRNAs are composed of a target‐specific siRNA insert and scaffold based on a natural primary miRNA (pri‐miRNA). siRNAs serve as a guide to search for complementary sequences in transcripts, whereas pri‐miRNA scaffolds ensure proper processing and transport. The dynamics of siRNA maturation and siRNA levels in the cell resemble those of endogenous miRNAs; therefore amiRNAs are safer than other RNAi triggers. Delivered as viral vectors and expressed under tissue‐specific polymerase II (Pol II) promoters, amiRNAs provide long‐lasting silencing and expression in selected tissues. Therefore, amiRNAs are useful therapeutic tools for a broad spectrum of human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancers and viral infections. Recent reports on the role of sequence and structure in pri‐miRNA processing may contribute to the improvement of the amiRNA tools. In addition, the success of a recently initiated clinical trial for Huntington's disease could pave the way for other amiRNA‐based therapies, if proven effective and safe.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Processing > Processing of Small RNAs

Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > RNAi: Mechanisms of Action

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease
Intangible and Indirect Costs of Adaptation to Climate Variability Among Maize Farmers: Chirumanzu District, Zimbabwe
Authors: Kori Dumisani Shoko , Francis Joseph , Zuwarimwe Jethro
Published: January 2021

Maize farming in resettlement areas of Chirumanzu District of Zimbabwe is vulnerable to climatic variations. The Government of Zimbabwe encourages maize farmers in resettlement areas to adapt to climate variability through conservation farming and diversification among other measures. It is envisaged that the measures will improve maize farmers’ resilience and ability to safeguard food and nutrition security in the country. However, the process of adaptation is dynamic, complex, and multifaceted in nature. Several problems and dangers accompany the process of adaptation. The problems and dangers are associated with intangible and indirect costs. The focus of this chapter is to explore intangible and indirect costs associated with measures adopted by maize farmers in resettlement areas of Chirumanzu in Zimbabwe. Fifty-four maize farmers from four resettlement wards provided the data through semi-structured interviews. Diversification, changing planting dates, use of drought tolerant varieties were some of the measures adopted. Several problems and dangers accompanied the adaptation measures adopted. Intangible costs such as pain and suffering, embarrassment, ridicule, and stereotyping were experienced. Indirect costs including additional and unplanned costs were also encountered. This chapter concludes that intangible and indirect costs associated with adaptation may result in reduced adaptive capacity and resilience of maize farmers. Therefore, national governments should exercise extreme caution and desist from only encouraging farmers to adapt. Rather, they should consider intangible and indirect costs involved while providing solutions to reduce them to avoid situations where farmers are worse off while facilitating sustainable adaptation.
Spectral decoupling in many-body quantum chaos
Authors: Cotler Jordan , Hunter-Jones Nicholas
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We argue that in a large class of disordered quantum many-body systems, the late time dynamics of time-dependent correlation functions is captured by random matrix theory, specifically the energy eigenvalue statistics of the corresponding ensemble of disordered Hamiltonians. We find that late time correlation functions approximately factorize into a time-dependent piece, which only depends on spectral statistics of the Hamiltonian ensemble, and a time-independent piece, which only depends on the data of the constituent operators of the correlation function. We call this phenomenon “spectral decoupling”, which signifies a dynamical onset of random matrix theory in correlation functions. A key diagnostic of spectral decoupling isk-invariance, which we refine and study in detail. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of symmetries, and connections betweenk-invariance, scrambling, and OTOCs. Disordered Pauli spin systems, as well as the SYK model and its variants, provide a rich source of disordered quantum many-body systems with varied symmetries, and we studyk-invariance in these models with a combination of analytics and numerics.
Real-time virtual sonography-assisted radiofrequency ablation in liver tumors with conspicuous or inconspicuous images or peritumoral landmarks under ultrasonography
Authors: Huang Hsin-Chih , Gatchalian L. B. , Hsieh Yi-Chung , Chen Wei-Ting , Lin Chen-Chun , Lin Shi-Ming
Published: January 2021

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to determine the primary technique effectiveness (PTE), to compare the complete response and local recurrence rates between conspicuous and inconspicuous tumors using single and switching electrodes of real-time virtual sonography (RVS)-assisted radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in conspicuous and inconspicuous hepatic tumors under conventional ultrasonography (US).

Subjects and method

We compared the complete ablation of inconspicuous tumors with and without anatomical landmark (N = 54) with conspicuous liver tumors (N = 272). Conventional US imaging was done initially, and then these images were fused with CT or MRI arterial-venous-wash-out cross-sectional studies and synchronized with real-time US images.

Results

RVS-assisted RFA was technically feasible in all patients. The PTE rate after the first ablation was 94% (245/261) for conspicuous tumors, 88% (7/8) in inconspicuous tumors with landmark, and 78% (36/46) in inconspicuous tumors without landmark. The complete response (p = 0.1912 vs. p = 0.4776) and local recurrence rate (p = 0.1557 vs. p = 0.7982) were comparable in conspicuous tumors of both HCC and liver metastasis group when single or multiple switching was used. The cumulative local recurrence in the conspicuous and inconspicuous tumors of the HCC group (p = 0.9999) was almost parallel after 12 (10% vs. 4%) and 24 (13% vs. 4%) months of follow-up. In the liver metastasis group, the cumulative local recurrence for conspicuous tumors (p = 0.9564) was nearly equal after 12 and 24 months of monitoring (24% vs. 27%) while no recurrence was incurred for the inconspicuous tumors.

Conclusion

RVS-assisted RFA is an effective tool for the treatment of conspicuous and inconspicuous HCC and hepatic metastasis.
Effective conspecific communication with aberrant calls in the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
Authors: Moskát Csaba , Taylor David M. , Hauber Márk E.
Published: January 2021

The obligate brood parasitic common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is best known for its two-note “cu-coo” call, which is uttered repeatedly by adult males during the breeding season. This call advertises the male’s claim for his territory. A rare, aberrant version (“cu-kee”) was discovered in a population of cuckoos in central Hungary. In a playback experiment, we simulated conspecific territorial intrusions using either aberrant call sequences or normal calls (as control). Cuckoos responded to both calls similarly by approaching the speaker, flying around it several times, and perching on nearby trees. To identify the role of each note of these cuckoo calls, we also played sequences of the first (“cu”) or second (“coo” or “kee”) notes of the calls. Territorial males responded to first notes at similarly high frequencies as to each of the full calls, whereas responses toward either second note type were nearly absent. Thus, the first notes of both typical and aberrant cuckoo calls contain sufficient information to recognize conspecific males and the novel calls did not reduce the efficiency of male-male communication in cuckoos because the aberration occurred in the less functional second note.

Significance statement

Birds use songs and calls to communicate with each other, including advertising their territories to keep competitors away. However, when the acoustic signal is atypical and distorted, the receiver individual may not process it correctly. Common cuckoos recognize a territorial intruder by their well-known “cu-coo” calls. We studied a rare, aberrant version of the common cuckoo call (“cu-kee”), which differed from the normal call in the second note of the two-partite call. However, cuckoos responded similarly to both of the normal and aberrant calls in a playback experiment. When the first or second parts of the different calls were played separately, only the first part of the cuckoo calls was effective in eliciting territorial defence. Consequently, the aberrant second note did not reduce cuckoos’ communication efficiency.
The Local Mission: Improving Access to Surgical Care in Middle‐Income Countries
Authors: Nagengast Eric S. , Munabi Naikhoba C. O. , Xepoleas Meredith , Auslander Allyn , Magee William P. , Chong David
Published: January 2021

Background

Billions of people lack access to quality surgical care. Short‐term missions are used to supplement the delivery of surgical care in regions with poor access to care. Traditionally known for using international teams, Operation Smile has transitioned to using a local mission model, where surgical service is delivered to areas of need by teams originating within that country. This study investigates the proportion and location of Operation Smile missions that use the local mission model.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed of the Operation Smile mission database for fiscal years 2014 to 2019. Missions were classified into local or international missions. Countries were also classified by their income levels as well as their specialist surgical workforce (SAO) density. As no individual patient or provider data was recorded, ethics board approval was not warranted.

Results

Between 2014 and 2019, Operation Smile held an average of 144.8 (range 135–154) surgical missions per year. Local missions accounted for 97 ± 5.6 (67%) of the missions. Of the 34 program countries, 26 (76%) used local missions. Of the countries that had only international missions, six (75%) were low‐income countries and the average SAO density was 1.54 (range 0.19–5.88) providers per 100,000 people. Of the countries with local missions, 24 (92%) were middle‐income, and the average SAO density was 30.9 (range 3.4–142.4).

Conclusion

International investments may assist in the creation of local surgical teams. Once teams are established, local missions are a valuable way to provide specialized surgical care within a country's own borders.
Left and right atrial appendage functional features as predictors for voltage-defined left atrial remodelling in patients with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation
Authors: Kiedrowicz Radoslaw Marek , Wielusinski Maciej , Wojtarowicz Andrzej , Kazmierczak Jaroslaw
Published: January 2021

It was hypothesised that left atrial (LA) fibrosis identified by the presence of low-voltage areas (LVA) may influence the mechanical and electrical function of the left (LAA) and right (RAA) atrial appendage among the long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (LSPAF) population. 140 consecutive patients underwent voltage mapping of LA with a multielectrode catheter following pulmonary vein isolation and restoration of sinus rhythm with cardioversion. Echocardiography determined LAA peak outflow and inflow velocities and intracardiac catheter-based mean LAA and RAA AF cycle length (AFCL) were obtained during AF before ablation. The impact of flow velocities and AFCL on the prevalence and location of LVA was further evaluated. LVA were detected in 54% of the patients. 14% of the patients presented severe global LVA burden > 20% of the total LA surface area. 29% of the patients presented a disseminated pattern of remodelling as 3 out of 5 LA segments were affected. LAA AFCL, RAA AFCL, LAA flow velocities did not predict the absolute presence of LVA. However LAA AFCL > 155 ms predicted disseminated LVA pattern and LAA AFCL > 165 ms severe LVA incidence. LAA AFCL > 155 ms was predictive for existence of LVA within antero-septal LA segments whilst LAA emptying velocity ≤ 0.2 m/s within lateral wall. Moreover RAA AFCL > 165 ms was strongly related to the presence of LAA AFCL > 15 ms and > 165 ms. LAA and RAA functional assessment was predictive of the presence of advanced stages of voltage-defined LA fibrosis and its regional distribution among LSPAF population
Big data simulations for capacity improvement in a general ophthalmology clinic
Authors: Kern Christoph , König André , Fu Dun Jack , Schworm Benedikt , Wolf Armin , Priglinger Siegfried , Kortuem Karsten U.
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Long total waiting times (TWT) experienced by patients during a clinic visit have a significant adverse effect on patient’s satisfaction. Our aim was to use big data simulations of a patient scheduling calendar and its effect on TWT in a general ophthalmology clinic. Based on the simulation, we implemented changes to the calendar and verified their effect on TWT in clinical practice.

Design and methods

For this retrospective simulation study, we generated a discrete event simulation (DES) model based on clinical timepoints of 4.401 visits to our clinic. All data points were exported from our clinical warehouse for further processing. If not available from the electronic health record, manual time measurements of the process were used. Various patient scheduling models were simulated and evaluated based on their reduction of TWT. The most promising model was implemented into clinical practice in 2017.

Results

During validation of our simulation model, we achieved a high agreement of mean TWT between the real data (229 ± 100 min) and the corresponding simulated data (225 ± 112 min). This indicates a high quality of the simulation model. Following the simulations, a patient scheduling calendar was introduced, which, compared with the old calendar, provided block intervals and extended time windows for patients. The simulated TWT of this model was 153 min. After implementation in clinical practice, TWT per patient in our general ophthalmology clinic has been reduced from 229 ± 100 to 183 ± 89 min.

Conclusion

By implementing a big data simulation model, we have achieved a cost-neutral reduction of the mean TWT by 21%. Big data simulation enables users to evaluate variations to an existing system before implementation into clinical practice. Various models for improving patient flow or reducing capacity loads can be evaluated cost-effectively.
The influence of tillage and fertilizer on the flux and source of nitrous oxide with reference to atmospheric variation using laser spectroscopy
Authors: Ostrom Peggy H. , DeCamp Samuel , Gandhi Hasand , Haslun Joshua , Ostrom Nathaniel E.
Published: January 2021

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the third most important long-lived greenhouse gas and agriculture is the largest source of N2O emissions. Curbing N2O emissions requires understanding influences on the flux and sources of N2O. We measured flux and evaluated microbial sources of N2O using site preference (SP; the intramolecular distribution of 15N in N2O) in flux chambers from a grassland tilling and agricultural fertilization experiments and atmosphere. We identified values greater than that of the average atmosphere to reflect nitrification and/or fungal denitrification and those lower than atmosphere as increased denitrification. Our spectroscopic approach was based on an extensive calibration with 18 standards that yielded SP accuracy and reproducibility of 0.7 ‰ and 1.0 ‰, respectively, without preconcentration. Chamber samples from the tilling experiment taken ~ monthly over a year showed a wide range in N2O flux (0–1.9 g N2O-N ha−1 d−1) and SP (− 1.8 to 25.1 ‰). Flux and SP were not influenced by tilling but responded to sampling date. Large fluxes occurred in October and May in no-till when soils were warm and moist and during a spring thaw, an event likely representing release of N2O accumulated under snow cover. These high fluxes could not be ascribed to a single microbial process as SP differed among chambers. However, the year-long SP and flux data for no-till showed a slight direct relationship suggesting that nitrification increased with flux. The comparative data in till showed an inverse relationship indicating that high flux events are driven by denitrification. Corn (Zea mays) showed high fluxes and SP values indicative of nitrification ~ 4 wk after fertilization with subsequent declines in SP indicating denitrification. Although there was no effect of fertilizer treatment on flux or SP in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), high fluxes occurred ~ 1 month after fertilization. In both treatments, SP was indicative of denitrification in many instances, but evidence of nitrification/fungal denitrification also prevailed. At 2 m atmospheric N2O SP had a range of 31.1 ‰ and 14.6 ‰ in the grassland tilling and agricultural fertilization experiments, respectively. These data suggest the influence of soil microbial processes on atmospheric N2O and argue against the use of the global average atmospheric SP in isotopic modeling approaches.
Influence of polysiloxane microspheres on hydrophobicity, structure and mechanical properties of paper materials
Authors: Pospiech Piotr , Olejnik Konrad , Mizerska Urszula , Zakrzewska Joanna
Published: January 2021

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of three types of polysiloxane microspheres on the barrier properties, structure and mechanical properties of paper. An influence of new silicon filler on properties of cellulose paper sheet was analyzed. Polysiloxane microspheres were used as an additive introduced into the network of cellulosic fibers in order to obtain new functional properties of the paper. The following types of microspheres were used in the research: M1 hydrophilic of average diameter 23.5 µm, M2 hydrophobic of average diameter 3.1 µm and M3 hydrophobic of average diameter 23.5 µm. The obtained handsheets were analyzed for changes in apparent density, roughness, tensile strength, bursting strength, and tear resistance. Wettability and resistance to liquid were characterized by contact angle measurement, penetration dynamics analysis  and uniformity of liquid penetration measured using an extended liquid penetration analyser. It was found that the presence of M2 (small diameter) microspheres improved significantly the paper’s hydrophobicity without changing the mechanical properties. The addition of M1 and M3 (large diameter) microspheres decreased the mechanical properties of the paper samples and did not improve their hydrophobicity. However, M1 microspheres resulted in increased uniformity of liquid penetration through the paper structure. The presented studies also show that it is possible to obtain paper with high hydrophobic properties only through the filling application when polysiloxane microspheres are used for this purpose. The results also indicate that it is not necessary to hydrophobize the entire material structure in order to achieve its high hydrophobicity.

Graphic abstract
One-step chemical bath co-precipitation method to prepare high hydrogen-producing active ZnxCd1-xS solid solution with adjustable band structure
Authors: Lu Lili , Ma Yongjin , Dong Rui , Tan Pengfei , Chen Yi , Pan Jun
Published: January 2021

A series of ZnxCd1−xS solid solutions were synthesized through a simple one-step chemical bath co-precipitation route. The microstructure, morphology, composition and optical properties had been thoroughly investigated. The results showed that the as-obtained ZnxCd1−xS samples exhibited monodisperse spherical feature. These monodisperse ZnxCd1−xS spheres were composed of a large number of 5–10 nm crystal grains. The chemical composition of the ZnxCd1−xS solid solutions can be controlled by adjusting the ratio of Zn source to Cd source and the dosage of ammonia solution. Meanwhile, the energy band structure and photocatalytic properties can be optimized. The photocatalysis experiment results revealed that the as-synthesized Zn0.30Cd0.70S sample exhibited optimum water splitting performance. The satisfactory hydrogen evolution rate (HER) of Zn0.30Cd0.70S reached 27.004 mmol g−1 h−1 even without any cocatalysts, which was more than 48 times that of pure CdS (0.561 mmol g−1 h−1). This enhancing effect can owe to the balance between light absorption capacity and redox potential caused by the incorporation of Zn in the ZnxCd1−xS solid solutions.
Systematic literature review paper: the regional innovation system-university-science park nexus
Authors: Theeranattapong T. , Pickernell D. , Simms C.
Published: January 2021

Recent work on Region Innovation Systems (RIS) has emphasised the importance of universities. Until recently, however, related insights into the dynamics of this relationship in respect of the specific role of the science park have been limited. This paper presents a systematic review identifying the key roles of each actor in relation to innovation. We link the dynamic roles performed by the university between science parks and the RIS. Our results enable us to identify how the key activities performed by the university change during its interrelations within the RIS and with the science park. Our analysis of the literature distinguishes between three sets of relationships through which the university plays differing roles: RIS-university, RIS-university-science park, and university-science park. Respectively, the University’s relationships between these different RIS actors focuses on: resource sharing, brokerage, and commercialisation-exploitation. Secondly, we find that within each of these relationship types the university can perform three types of roles: on knowledge co-creation, acting as conduit, and inter-organisational relationship building. Distinguishing between these differing relationships and roles enables us to identify a total of nine dynamic roles performed by the University, which include: provision of information, channels of communication, infrastructure, regional networking, building research collaboration, acting as knowledge intermediaries, economic development, technological change and commercialisation processes, and start up creation and commercialisation. The review identifies several gaps in the literature in need of further research, and suggests that university relationships with RIS, interlinked with those between the university and science park itself, are important factors affecting science park innovation performance.
The group home as moral laboratory: tracing the ethic of autonomy in Dutch intellectual disability care
Authors: van der Weele Simon , Bredewold Femmianne , Leget Carlo , Tonkens Evelien
Published: January 2021

This paper examines the prevalence of the ideal of “independence” in intellectual disability care in the Netherlands. It responds to a number of scholars who have interrogated this ideal through the lens of Michel Foucault’s vocabulary of governmentality. Such analyses hold that the goal of “becoming independent” subjects people with intellectual disabilities to various constraints and limitations that ensure their continued oppression. As a result, these authors contend, the commitment to the ideal of “independence” – the “ethic of autonomy” – actually threatens to become an obstacle to flourishing in the group home. This paper offers an alternative analysis. It does so by drawing on a case study taken from an ethnographic study on group home life in the Netherlands. Briefly put, the disagreement stems from differing conceptualizations of moral life. Put in the vocabulary of moral anthropologist Cheryl Mattingly, the authors propose to approach the group home more from a “first-person” perspective rather than chiefly from a “third-person” perspective. They then draw on Mattingly to cast the group home as a “moral laboratory” in which the ethic of autonomy is not just reproduced but also enacted, and in which the terms of (in)dependence constantly get renegotiated in practice. What emerges is not only a new perspective on the workings of the “ethic of autonomy” in the group home, but also an argument about the possible limitations of the vocabulary of governmentality for analysing care practices.
Multimodal Interaction Analysis: a Powerful Tool for Examining Plurilingual Students’ Engagement in Science Practices
Authors: Wilmes Sara E. D. , Siry Christina
Published: January 2021

Science teaching and learning are discursive practices, yet analysis of these practices has frequently been grounded in theorizations that place language at the forefront of interaction and meaning-making. Such language-centric analytic approaches risk overlooking key embodied, enacted aspects of students’ engagement in science practices. This manuscript presents a case of a plurilingual student’s participation in science inquiry to demonstrate how multimodal interaction analysis can be used to examine the highly diverse array of communicative resources that she draws upon while participating in science, including gestures, facial expressions, vocal intonations, and languages. Grounded in dialogic theorizations of language, we first detail the multimodal interaction approach, and second, we show how multimodal interaction analysis beginning first with her embodied engagement, then coupled with her subsequent written and spoken engagement, reveals robust views of her engagement in science practices. Key to this methodological approach is multilayered analysis that backgrounds verbal or spoken communication to allow for an identification of embodied interaction resources employed. We emphasize how this analytical method allows us to conceptualize science as a practice that unfolds through and in interaction, as compared to a static body of concepts to be learned.
What Drives Cross-Country Health Inequality in the EU? Unpacking the Role of Socio-economic Factors
Authors: Mazeikaite Gintare , O’Donoghue Cathal , Sologon Denisa M.
Published: January 2021

Despite comparable living standards and a nearly universal healthcare provision, there are large cross-country differences in population health in the European Union. More than half of this variation remains unexplained after accounting for macro-level factors. This paper investigates how individual-level differences in demographic characteristics, education, labour market factors and income shape the prevalence of poor self-assessed health in the EU. A semi-parametric decomposition approach is used, which relies on constructing synthetic distributions of health that would prevail in each country if they had similar distributions of socio-economic factors as the country with the best self-assessed population health—Ireland. We find clustering of decomposition results within EU regions. When compared with Ireland, differences in the examined factors explain up to a third of excess poor health in the Southern and Central and Eastern European countries. On the other hand, we could not explain health differences between Ireland and the other Western European countries, which tend to have poorer self-assessed population health but more favourable distributions of socio-economic factors. Cultural differences in reporting styles may be responsible for this result.
Chronic kidney disease predicts poor outcomes of COVID-19 patients
Authors: Gok Mahmut , Cetinkaya Hakki , Kandemir Tugba , Karahan Erdem , Tuncer İzzet Burak , Bukrek Cengiz , Sahin Gulizar
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 rapidly spread worldwide. Comorbid diseases are determinants of the severity of COVID-19 infection and mortality. The aim of this study was to explore the potential association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the severity of COVID-19 infection.

Methods

The study included 609 consecutive adult patients (male: 54.52%, mean age: 59.23 ± 15.55 years) hospitalized with the diagnosis of COVID-19 in a tertiary level hospital. Data were collected from the electronic health records of the hospital. The patients were separated into two groups: Group I included COVID-19-positive patients with CKD stage 1–2, and Group II included COVID-19-positive with CKD stage 3–5. The relationships were examined between CKD stage, laboratory parameters and mortality.

Results

Significant differences were determined between the groups in respect of the inflammation parameters and the parameters used in prognosis. In Group II, statistically significantly higher rates were determined of comorbid diseases [hypertension (p < 0.001) and diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001), acute kidney injury (AKI), which was found to be associated with mortality (p < 0.001), and mortality (p < 0.001)]. In multivariate regression analysis, CKD stage 3–5, AKI, male gender, hypertension, DM and malignancy were found to be significant independent variables increasing mortality.

Conclusion

The prevelance of CKD stage 3–5 on admission is associated with a high risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19. Close follow-up can be recommended for patients with a reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
An evaluation of water quality at Sandhill Wetland: implications for reclaiming wetlands above soft tailings deposits in northern Alberta, Canada
Authors: Hartsock Jeremy A. , Piercey Jessica , House Melissa K. , Vitt Dale H.
Published: January 2021

The experimental Sandhill Wetland is the first permanent reclamation of a composite tailings deposit, and annual water quality monitoring is of specific interest for evaluating and predicting long-term reclamation performance. Here, we present water chemistry monitoring data obtained from Sandhill Wetland (years 2009–2019) and compare results to twelve natural reference wetlands and to environmental quality guidelines for Alberta surface waters. By comparing water quality at Sandhill Wetland and natural sites to established guidelines, we can begin to document the natural background water quality of wetlands in the region and examine if guideline exceedances are seen in natural undisturbed environments, or appear only at active reclamation sites. At Sandhill Wetland the dominant ions in near-surface water were bicarbonate, sulfate, chloride, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Since the first growing season concentrations for these ions have increased annually, causing concurrent increases in electrical conductivity. In year 2019, water chemistry at Sandhill Wetland was most comparable to regional saline fens, systems that exhibit elevated electrical conductivity and high sodicity. Near-surface water at Sandhill Wetland exceeded water quality guidelines for three substances/properties (dissolved chloride, iron, and total alkalinity) in the most recent year of monitoring. The saline fen natural sites also exceeded water quality guidelines for the same chemical substances/properties, suggesting guideline exceedances are a norm for some natural wetland site types in the region. Of note, in each year of monitoring at Sandhill Wetland, dissolved organic compounds evaluated in sub- and near-surface water were below detection limits.