bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The SiaABC threonine phosphorylation pathway controls biofilm formation in response to carbon availability in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Poh Wee-Han , Lin Jianqing , Colley Brendan , Müller Nicolai , Goh Boon Chong , Schleheck David , El Sahili Abbas , Marquardt Andreas , Liang Yang , Kjelleberg Staffan , Lescar Julien , Rice Scott A. , Klebensberger Janosch
Published: November 2020

The critical role of bacterial biofilms in chronic human infections calls for novel anti-biofilm strategies targeting the regulation of biofilm development. However, the regulation of biofilm development is very complex and can include multiple, highly interconnected signal transduction/response pathways, which are incompletely understood. We demonstrated previously that in the opportunistic, human pathogen P. aeruginosa, the PP2C-like protein phosphatase SiaA and the di-guanylate cyclase SiaD control the formation of macroscopic cellular aggregates, a type of suspended biofilms, in response to surfactant stress. In this study, we demonstrate that the SiaABC proteins represent a signal response pathway that functions through a partner switch mechanism to control biofilm formation. We also demonstrate that SiaABCD functionality is dependent on carbon substrate availability for a variety of substrates, and that upon carbon starvation, SiaB mutants show impaired dispersal, in particular with the primary fermentation product ethanol. This suggests that carbon availability is at least one of the key environmental cues integrated by the SiaABCD system. Further, our biochemical, physiological and crystallographic data reveals that the phosphatase SiaA and its kinase counterpart SiaB balance the phosphorylation status of their target protein SiaC at threonine 68 (T68). Crystallographic analysis of the SiaA-PP2C domain shows that SiaA is present as a dimer. Dynamic modelling of SiaA with SiaC suggested that SiaA interacts strongly with phosphorylated SiaC and dissociates rapidly upon dephosphorylation of SiaC. Further, we show that the known phosphatase inhibitor fumonisin inhibits SiaA mediated phosphatase activity in vitro. In conclusion, the present work improves our understanding of how P. aeuruginosa integrates specific environmental conditions, such as carbon availability and surfactant stress, to regulate cellular aggregation and biofilm formation. With the biochemical and structural characterization of SiaA, initial data on the catalytic inhibition of SiaA, and the interaction between SiaA and SiaC, our study identifies promising targets for the development of biofilm-interference drugs to combat infections of this aggressive opportunistic pathogen.
Liposome/gold hybrid nanoparticle encoded with CoQ10 (LGNP-CoQ10) suppressed rheumatoid arthritis via STAT3/Th17 targeting
Authors: Jhun Jooyeon , Moon Jeonghyeon , Ryu Jaeyoon , Shin Yonghee , Lee Seangyoun , Cho Keun-Hyung , Kang Taewook , Cho Mi-La , Park Sung-Hwan
Published: November 2020

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), also known as ubiquinone, is a fat-soluble antioxidant. Although CoQ10 has not been approved as medication by the Food and Drug Administration, it is widely used in dietary supplements. Some studies have shown that CoQ10 has anti-inflammatory effects on various autoimmune disorders. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of liposome/gold hybrid nanoparticles encoded with CoQ10 (LGNP-CoQ10). Both CoQ10 and LGNP-CoQ10 were administered orally to mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) for 10 weeks. The inflammation pathology of joint tissues of CIA mice was then analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin and Safranin O staining, as well as immunohistochemistry analysis. We obtained immunofluorescence staining images of spleen tissues using confocal microscopy. We found that pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly decreased in LGNP-CoQ10 injected mice. Th17 cell and phosphorylated STAT3-expressed cell populations were also decreased in LGNP-CoQ10 injected mice. When human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were treated with CoQ10 and LGNP-CoQ10, the IL-17 expression of PBMCs in the LGNP-CoQ10-treated group was significantly reduced. Together, these results suggest that LGNP-CoQ10 has therapeutic potential for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Effect of living arrangement on anthropometric traits in first-year university students from Canada: The GENEiUS study
Authors: Sharma Tanmay , Langlois Christine , Morassut Rita E. , Meyre David
Published: November 2020

Background

The transition to university often involves a change in living arrangement for many first-year students. While weight gain during first year of university has been well documented, Canadian literature on the impact of living arrangement within this context is limited. The objective of this investigation was to explore the effect of living arrangement on anthropometric traits in first-year university students from Ontario, Canada.

Methods

244 first-year undergraduate students were followed longitudinally with data collected early in the academic year and towards the end of the year. Anthropometric parameters including weight, waist and hip circumference, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were examined. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for pairwise comparison of traits from the beginning to end the year in the absence of adjustments. Additionally, linear regression models with covariate adjustments were used to investigate effect of the type of living arrangement (i.e. on-campus, off-campus, or family home) on the aforementioned traits.

Results

In the overall sample, a significant weight increase of 1.55kg (95% CI: 1.24–1.86) was observed over the school year (p<0.001), which was also accompanied by significant gains in BMI, and waist and hip circumferences (p<0.001). At baseline, no significant differences were found between people living on-campus, off-campus, and at home with family. Stratified analysis of change by type of living arrangement indicated significant gains across all traits among students living on-campus (p<0.05), and significant gains in weight and BMI among students living at home with family. Additionally, a comparison between living arrangements revealed that students living on campus experienced significantly larger gains in weight and BMI compared to students living off-campus (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that living arrangement is associated with different weight gain trajectories in first-year university students.
Expression, purification and characterization of α-synuclein fibrillar specific scFv from inclusion bodies
Authors: Gupta Vijay , Sudhakaran Indulekha P. , Islam Zeyaul , Vaikath Nishant N. , Hmila Issam , Lukacsovich Tamas , Kolatkar Prasanna R. , El-Agnaf Omar M. A.
Published: November 2020

Aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) has been implicated in multiple neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), collectively grouped as synucleinopathies. Recently, recombinant antibody fragments (Fab, scFvs and diabodies) against α-syn have emerged as an alternative to the traditional full-length antibody in immunotherapeutic approaches owing to their advantages including smaller size and higher stability, specificity and affinity. However, most of the recombinant antibody fragments tend to be expressed as inclusion bodies (IBs) making its purification extremely challenging. In the current study, a single-chain variable fragment (scFv-F) antibody, targeting the pathogenic α-syn fibrils, was engineered and expressed in E. coli. Majority of the expressed scFv-F accumulated in insoluble aggregates as IBs. A variety of mild and harsh solubilizing conditions were tested to solubilize IBs containing scFv-F to obtain the active protein. To preserve secondary structure and bioactivity, a mild solubilizing protocol involving 100 mM Tris, pH 12.5 with 2 M urea was chosen to dissolve IBs. Slow on-column refolding method was employed to subsequently remove urea and obtain active scFv-F. A three-dimensional (3D) model was built using homology modeling and subjected to molecular docking with the known α-syn structure. Structural alignment was performed to delineate the potential binding pocket. The scFv-F thus purified demonstrated high specificity towards α-syn fibrils compared to monomers. Molecular modeling studies suggest that scFv-F shares the same structural topology with other known scFvs. We present evidence through structural docking and alignment that scFv-F binds to α-syn C-terminal region. In conclusion, mild solubilization followed by slow on-column refolding can be utilized as a generalized and efficient method for hard to purify disease relevant insoluble proteins and/or antibody molecules from IBs.
Performance of a lymphocyte t interferon gamma test (Quantiferon-TB gold in tube) in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis in HIV-infected children
Authors: Sanogo Bintou , Ouermi Alain Saga , Barro Makoura , Millogo Anselme , Ouattara Ad Bafa Ibrahim , Abdoul Salam Ouédraogo , Nacro Boubacar
Published: November 2020

Objective

Evaluate the performance of QuantiFERON ® -TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT), to improve the diagnosis of active tuberculosis (TB) in Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV)-infected children.

Method

Sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of QFT-GIT were assessed in 58/63 HIV-infected children who were suspected of having TB.

Results

Sensitivity of QFT-GIT was 20.69%, specificity 96.55%, PPV/NPV respectively 85.71% and 54.90%.

Conclusion

QFT-GIT appears to be of little contribution to the diagnosis of active TB in children living with HIV in a TB-endemic country.
A hierarchical Bayesian Belief Network model of household water treatment behaviour in a suburban area: A case study of Palu—Indonesia
Authors: Daniel D. , Sirait Mita , Pande Saket
Published: November 2020

Understanding the determinants of household water treatment (HWT) behavior in developing countries is important to increase the rate of its regular use so that households can have safe water at home. This is especially so when the quality of the water source is not reliable. We present a hierarchical Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) model supported by statistical analysis to explore the influence of household’s socio-economic characteristics (SECs) on the HWT behavior via household’s psychological factors. The model uses eight SECs, such as mother’s and father’s education, wealth, and religion, and five RANAS psychological factors, i.e., risk, attitude, norms, ability, and self-regulation to analyse HWT behavior in a suburban area in Palu, Indonesia. Structured household interviews were conducted among 202 households. We found that mother’s education is the most important SEC that influences the regular use of HWT. An educated mother has more positive attitude towards HWT and is more confident in her ability to perform HWT. Moreover, self-regulation, especially the attempt to deal with any barrier that hinders HWT practice, is the most important psychological factor that can change irregular HWT users to regular HWT users. Hence, this paper recommends to HWT-program implementers to identify potential barriers and discuss potential solutions with the target group in order to increase the probability of the target group being a regular HWT user.
Serological prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Luanda (Angola): Geospatial distribution and its association with socio-demographic and clinical-obstetric determinants
Authors: Vueba Amélia Nkutxi , Faria Clarissa Perez , Almendra Ricardo , Santana Paula , Sousa Maria do Céu
Published: November 2020

We report a study on toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Luanda, Angola, determining the seroprevalence, geospatial distribution and its association with socio-economic features, dietary habits and hygiene and health conditions. Anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM were quantified in serum samples of women attended at the Lucrecia Paim Maternity Hospital between May 2016 and August 2017. The IgG avidity test and qPCR assay were used for dating the primary infection. Data were collected by questionnaire after written consent, and spatial distribution was assessed through a Kernel Density Function. The potential risk factors associated with Toxoplasma infection were evaluated using bivariate and multivariate binomial logistic regression analysis. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were quantified in 878 pregnant women, and 346 (39.4%) samples were IgG positive, 2 (0.2%) positive for IgM and IgG, and 530 (60.4%) negative for both immunoglobulins. The longitudinal study showed that none of the seronegative women seroconverted during the survey. Regarding other infections, 226 (25.7%) were positive for hepatitis B, while 118 (13.4%) were HIV-positive. The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis was similar in most municipalities: 43.8% in Cazenga (28 of 64); 42.5% in Viana (88 of 207); 42.3% in Cacuaco (22 of 52); and 41.1% in Luanda ((179 of 435). In contrast, the seroprevalence in municipality of Belas was lower (25.8%; 31 of 120) and bivariate and multivariate analysis has shown a lower risk for toxoplasmosis in this area (OR 0.479, CI: 0.305–0.737; OR 0.471, CI: 0.299–0.728). The multivariate analysis has shown a significant increased risk for toxoplasmosis in women in the last trimester of pregnancy (OR 1.457, CI: 1.011–2.102), suffering spontaneous abortion (OR 1.863, CI: 1.014–3.465) and having pets at home (OR 1.658, CI: 1.212–2.269). Also, women who tested positive for hepatitis B (OR 1.375, CI: 1.008–1.874) and HIV (OR 1.833, CI: 1.233–2.730) had a significant increased risk for T. gondii infection. In conclusion, our study showed that a large number of pregnant women are not immunized for toxoplasmosis and identified the risk factors for this infection in Luanda. It is crucial to establish the diagnosis of primary maternal infection as well as the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis. Our results underlined the need for diagnostic and clinical follow-up of toxoplasmosis, HIV and hepatitis B during pregnancy.
Effects of stanniocalcin-1 overexpressing hepatocellular carcinoma cells on macrophage migration
Authors: Leung Cherry C. T. , Wong Chris K. C.
Published: November 2020

Human stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) is a glycoprotein known to participate in inflammation and tumor progression. However, its role in cancer-macrophage interaction at the tumor environment is not known. In this study, the co-culture of the human metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (MHCC97L) stably transfected with a control vector (MHCC97L/P), or STC1-overexpressing vector (MHCC97L/S1) with human leukemia monocytic cell line (THP-1) was conducted. We reported that MHCC97L/S1 suppressed the migratory activity of THP-1. Real-time PCR analysis revealed the downregulation of the pro-migratory factors, monocyte-chemoattractant protein receptors, CCR2 and CCR4, and macrophage-migratory cytokine receptor, CSF-1R. Transcriptomic analysis of the THP-1 cells co-cultured with either MHCC97L/P or MHCC97L/S1, detected 1784 differentially expressed genes. The Ingenuity Canonical Pathway analysis predicted that RhoA signaling was associated with the inhibition of the cell migration. Western blot analysis revealed a significant reduction of Ser19-phosphorylation on MLC2, a Rho-A downstream target, in the THP-1 cells. Xenograft tumors derived from MHCC97/S1 in mice showed a remarkable decrease in infiltrating macrophages. Collectively, this is the first report to demonstrate the inhibitory effect of STC1-overexpressing cancer cells on macrophage migration/infiltration. Our data support further investigations on the relationship between tumor STC1 level and macrophage infiltration.
Effects of orientation and structure on solar radiation interception in Chinese solar greenhouse
Authors: Xu Demin , Li Yiming , Zhang Yue , Xu Hui , Li Tianlai , Liu Xingan
Published: November 2020

In order to further improve the utilization of solar energy in Chinese Solar Greenhouse (CSG), this paper systematically studied the effects of orientation and structure on solar radiation interception in CSG. A solar radiation model has been developed based on the previous research, which taking solar motion law, meteorological data, and optical properties of materials into consideration. The established model was used to optimize the orientation and structure of CSG. The analysis of structure considered two major structural parameters, which are the ridge height and the horizontal projection of the rear roof. Moreover, the widely used Liao-Shen type Chinese solar greenhouse (CSG-LS) has been taken as the prototype in the present research, and the measured data of the typical clear day was used for the model validation. The results showed that the ridge height has a remarkable influence on the solar energy captured by CSG-LS. Compared with the optimization of a single factor, the comprehensive optimization of orientation and structure can increase the solar radiation interception of the rear wall by 3.95%. Considering the limiting factor of heat storage-release capacity and the shading effect on the greenhouse structure, the optimal lighting construction of the CSG-LS (with a span of 9.0 m) was specified as 7~9° from south to west of azimuth angle, 4.5~4.7 m ridge height, and 1.4~1.6 m horizontal projection of the rear roof at 42°N latitude. The proposed solar radiation model can provide scientific guidance for the CSG-LS construction in different areas.
Circulating inflammatory biomarkers and academic performance in adolescents: DADOS study
Authors: Adelantado-Renau Mireia , Beltran-Valls Maria Reyes , Mota Jorge , Moliner-Urdiales Diego
Published: November 2020

Objective

The present study aimed (1) to examine the association between circulating inflammatory biomarkers and academic performance in adolescents, and (2) to identify the ability of circulating inflammatory biomarkers to predict low academic performance.

Methods

A total of 244 adolescents (13.9±0.3 years, 112 girls) from the DADOS study were included in the analysis. Four inflammatory biomarkers were quantified: white blood cell (WBC) count, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Academic performance was assessed through academic grades and the Spanish version of the Science Research Associates Test of Educational Abilities.

Results

TNF-α was inversely associated with math, Spanish and grade point average (β ranging from -0.166 to -0.124; all p<0.05), while CRP was inversely associated with verbal ability (β = -0.128; p<0.05). Overall, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analyses showed discriminatory ability of WBC and TNF-α in identifying low academic performance (all p<0.05). Moreover, logistic regression analyses indicated that students with levels of WBC and TNF-α above the ROC cut-offs values showed between 78% to 87% increased likelihood of lower academic performance (p<0.05).

Conclusions

Our findings suggested that some circulating inflammatory biomarkers were associated with academic performance in adolescents. Further larger longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to clarify the short-term and long-term relationship between inflammation and academic performance in youths.
The association of primary aldosteronism with glaucoma-related fundus abnormalities
Authors: Ohshima Yoshimi , Higashide Tomomi , Sakaguchi Kimikazu , Sasaki Makoto , Udagawa Sachiko , Ohkubo Shinji , Yoneda Takashi , Sugiyama Kazuhisa
Published: November 2020

Purpose

To elucidate glaucoma-related fundus abnormalities in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA).

Methods

The study compared 272 eyes from 137 PA patients and 352 eyes from 177 control subjects selected randomly from 1173 participants of a public glaucoma screening. The presence of glaucomatous optic disc appearance (rim thinning and cup enlargement) and retinal nerve fiber layer defects (RNFLDs) was determined independently from fundus photographs. The results were compared between the PA and control groups.

Results

There were 9 patients (6.6%) with glaucomatous optic disc abnormalities in the PA group and 10 cases (5.6%) identified in the control group (p = 0.92). RNFLDs were detected more frequently in the PA group (55 eyes, 20.2%) than in the control group (26 eyes, 7.4%; p<0.001). The two types of RNFLDs were classified as either having their central ends at the disc margin (D) or away from the disc margin and around the retinal vessels (V). Type D and V RNFLDs were detected in 35 (12.9%) and 26 (9.6%) eyes in the PA group and in 25 (7.1%) and 4 (1.1%) eyes in the control group, respectively. Both types of RNFLDs were more frequent in the PA group than in the control group (Type D and V, p = 0.03, <0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

Although the prevalence of glaucomatous optic disc appearance did not differ between the two groups, RNFLDs were more frequent in PA patients than in the control group. Moreover, RNFLDs with their central ends located around retinal vessels were characteristic of PA patients.
Grids and Datums
Authors: Mugnier Clifford J.
Published: November 2020

The Grids & Datums column has completed an exploration of every country on the Earth. For those who did not get to enjoy this world tour the first time, PE&RS is reprinting prior articles from the column. This month's article on the Lebanese Republic was originally printed
in 2002 but contains updates to their coordinate system since then.
VNIR-SWIR Superspectral Mineral Mapping: An Example from Cuprite, Nevada
Authors: Johnson Kathleen E. , Koperski Krzysztof
Published: November 2020

Cuprite, Nevada, is a location well known for numerous studies of its hydrothermal mineralogy. This region has been used to validate geological interpretations of airborne hyperspectral imagery (AVIRIS HSI ), Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER ) imagery,
and most recently eight-band WorldView-3 shortwave infrared (SWIR ) imagery. WorldView-3 is a high-spatial-resolution commercial multispectral satellite sensor with eight visible-to-near-infrared (VNIR ) bands (0.42–1.04 μm) and eight SWIR bands (1.2–2.33 μm). We have applied
mineral mapping techniques to all 16 bands to perform a geological analysis of the Cuprite, Nevada, location. Ground truth for the training and validation was derived from AVIRIS hyperspectral data and United States Geological Survey mineral spectral data for this location. We present the
results of a supervised mineral-mapping classification applying a random-forest classifier. Our results show that with good ground truth, WorldView-3 SWIR + VNIR imagery produces an accurate geological assessment.
Motif Politik dalam Kelahiran dan Pembentukan Gerakan Arah Baru Indonesia (Garbi)
Authors: Saputra Arfan Ashari , Al-Hamdi Ridho
Published: November 2020

Tulisan ini mengkaji motif politikdalam kasuskelahiran dan pembentukan Gerakan Arah Baru Indonesia (Garbi). Kemunculannya dinilai oleh tiga motif politik: motif insentif material, insentif solidaritas, dan insentif idealisme.Sementara pembentukan diukur oleh struktur kesempatan politik, mobilisasi, dan framing. Secara metodologis, ini adalah penelitian kualitatif dengan menerapkan dua teknik pengumpulan data, yakni wawancara mendalam dan dokumenter. Temuan penulis menunjukkan bahwa di antara tiga motif, insentif solidaritas dapat dibuktikan sebagai faktor penentu yang mempengaruhi munculnya Garbi. Sementara itu, framing adalah struktur yang mendominasi satu dengan lainnya. Ini menunjukkan bahwa Garbi bukan hanya gerakan elit karena kekuatan solidaritas yang murni berasal dari pengikutGarbi di akar rumput. Dengan memanfaatkan strategi framing, formasi Garbi bisa mendominasi persepsi publik.
Dinamika Kelembagaan Perhutanan Sosial di Wilayah Pehutani: Studi Kasus di KPH Telawa, Jawa Tengah
Authors: Raharjo S. Agung S. , Hastanti Baharinawati W. , Haryanti Nana
Published: November 2020

Perhutanan Sosial pada awalnya merupakan inisiatif Perum Perhutani yang mulai diimplementasikan pada tahun 1972. Pada tahun 2017, ada perkembangan baru terkait Perhutanan Sosial di area Perhutani yang dipelopori oleh Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan (KLHK)  melalui Izin Pemanfaatan Hutan Perhutanan Sosial (IPHPS). Karena inisiatif dari kementerian, sementara implementasi IPHPS ada di dalam Kawasan Perhutani, maka di lapangan terdapat implikasi-implikasi kelembagaan yang menarik untuk dikaji. Kajian ini menggambarkan dinamika kelembagaan Perhutanan Sosial di dalam kawasan Perum Perhutani setelah keluarnya kebijakan IPHPS. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, dengan metode pengumpulan data yang menggunakan studi literatur, wawancara dan observasi. Analisis data deskriptif dimaksudkan untuk memberikan gambaran dinamika kelembagaan sebelum dan setelah penerapan IPHPS. Tulisan ini difokuskan pada aspek kelembagaan pemerintah dan petani (yang menggarap perhutanan sosial) di level bawah (tanah garapan). Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan struktur kelembagaan pemerintah di dalam program IPHPS lebih kompleks dibandingkan dengan program sebelumnya, yakni program Pengelolaan Sumber Daya Hutan Bersama Masyarakat (PHBM).  Kelembagaan petani, di sisi lain, tidak terlalu banyak perbedaan, baik selama masa penerapan program PHBM maupun IPHPS. Kelembagaan petani masih belum mampu mandiri sehingga penguatan kelembagaan petani perlu menjadi prioritas
Mergers and digital transformation in Danish research libraries
Authors: Larsen Svend
Published: November 2020

The Danish Ministry of Culture and Danish universities have pursued a policy of consolidation of research libraries. The wish to benefit from economies of scale was an important factor. Sustainability was another factor, the point being that the consolidation of scattered library-professional competencies will establish a secure basis for the necessary development of new library services to higher education and research. A distinctive feature are mergers, and a significant result is the current Det Kgl. Bibliotek/Royal Danish Library (RDL) which delivers service to five of the eight Danish universities. In this article, RDL’s strategy and governance are outlined.
Automatic synthesis of compliant forceps for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery
Authors: Sun Yilun , Xu Lingji , Zhang Dingzhi , Lueth Tim C.
Published: November 2020

Due to its monolithic structure and high dexterity, the compliant mechanism becomes an emerging solution to miniaturize surgical forceps for minimally invasive procedures. However, it is complicated and inefficient to use traditional rigid-link-based kinematic method to synthesize compliant forceps. In this paper, we present a topology-optimization-based method to automatically synthesize compliant forceps for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RMIS). The basic geometry modeling tool and the automatic synthesis algorithm were both implemented in Matlab. Several synthesis examples were presented to show the performance of the proposed method. The realized forceps and a continuum manipulator have been constructed and 3D-printed, which demonstrated the application of the automatic synthesis method in RMIS.
Development of a home-based wrist range-of-motion training system for children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Mittag Christina , Leiss Regina , Lorenz Katharina , Seel Thomas
Published: November 2020

This paper presents the proof-of-concept of a home-based gamified wrist rehabilitation training system for children with cerebral palsy (CCP). We describe the user-centered design process of this system, which is composed of a wrist-worn inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a tangible device with an embedded IMU. The system employs a quaternion-based algorithm for automatic real-time estimation of the range of motion (RoM) covered by adduction/abduction and flexion/extension motions of the wrist. Experimental validation shows that the RoM can be determined with sufficient accuracy to control a game and that the algorithm is applicable in CCP. A serious game, which uses the presented algorithm and enables feedback as well as motivating stimuli, is implemented and evaluated by physiotherapists.
Robust model predictive control of an anaesthesia workstation ventilation unit
Authors: Männel Georg , Siebert Marlin , Brendle Christian , Rostalski Philipp
Published: November 2020

Respiratory support is a key element of modern medical care, ranging from oxygen therapy to full ventilatory support. A central component of mechanical ventilation is the control of the resulting pneumatic quantities such as pressure and flow. In this article the use of robust model predictive control for pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation is proposed, with the goal of increasing the safety of the patient by considering physiological safety constraints. The uncertainty in the estimation of physiological model parameters as well as model uncertainties are considered as disturbances to the system, which are taken into account through the proposed robust model predictive control framework. The practical applicability of this control approach is illustrated in an implementation on a research demonstrator of the ventilation unit from an anaesthesia workstation.
Silver-loaded carbon nanofibers for ammonia sensing
Authors: Yu Yang , Xin Xin , Zhang Shanxiang , Sui Jinxia , Yu Jing , Wang Xiaoxiong , Long Yun-Ze
Published: November 2020

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared by electrospinning, and silver (Ag) ions were grown on the surface of the CNFs by in situ solution synthesis. The structure and morphology of obtained Ag-doped CNFs (Ag-CNFs) were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The gas sensibility of the composite fiber was investigated by ammonia (NH3) obtained by natural volatilization from 1 to 4 mL of NH3 solution at room temperature. It was found that the fibers exhibited a sensitive current corresponding to different NH3 concentrations and a greater response at high concentrations. The sensing mechanism was discussed, and the good absorptivity was demonstrated. The results show that Ag-CNF is a promising material for the detection of toxic NH3.
Bayesian Estimation of an M/M/𝑅 Queue with Heterogeneous Servers Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo Method
Authors: Deepthi V. , Jose Joby K.
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we consider the Bayesian inference of M/M/𝑅 queue with 𝑅 heterogeneous servers with service rates \mu_{1},\mu_{2},\ldots,\mu_{R}, where \mu_{1}>\mu_{2}>\cdots>\mu_{R}.
Assuming multivariate gamma prior distribution for service rates and gamma prior distribution for arrival rate 𝜆, we derive the conditional posterior densities of mean arrival rate and mean service rates.
We apply the Markov chain Monte Carlo method and compute the Bayes estimates and credible interval for the M/M/3 queue, as a particular case of the M/M/𝑅 queue under squared error loss function, entropy loss function and linex loss function corresponding to a different set of hyperparameters.
Surrogate-in-Chief: Did Bill Clinton’s Campaign Visits Help (or Hurt) Hillary Clinton in 2016?
Authors: Devine Christopher J. , Weinschenk Aaron C.
Published: November 2020

In this article, we examine the role that campaign visits by spouses and surrogates play in modern presidential campaigns. Specifically, we analyze the strategy and effectiveness of Bill Clinton’s campaign visits in 2016. Given the former president’s widespread name recognition and reputation as a legendary campaigner, we argue that he represents an ideal test case for determining whether the spouse of a presidential or vice presidential candidate can influence vote choice, via campaign visits. Our analysis indicates that Bill Clinton was, in fact, very active on the campaign trail in 2016 – making nearly as many visits as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. However, Bill Clinton mostly followed in Hillary Clinton’s footsteps on the campaign trail, giving him little opportunity to win over voters that she could not reach. His campaign visits also had no discernible effect on county-level voting, generally, in the 10 states to which he traveled. Yet, when we examine the effect of Clinton’s visits within states, we find that he had a positive and statistically significant effect on Democratic vote share in the battleground state of Florida. He had no such effect in the two states to which he traveled most often, however (North Carolina and Ohio). Overall, we find very limited evidence that campaign surrogates – and candidate spouses, specifically – can influence vote choice via their campaign visits. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research on the role of campaign surrogates, and their relevance to the 2020 presidential campaign.
The Changing Politics of American Men, Updated
Authors: Kaufmann Karen , Petrocik John R.
Published: November 2020

This analysis updates through 2016 the gender gap analysis in voting and party identification published by Kaufmann and Petrocik 20 years ago. Some, e.g., Box-Steffensmeier, J. M., S. DeBoef, and T. M. Lin. 2004. “The Dynamics of the Partisan Gender Gap.” American Political Science Review 98 (3): 515–28 suggested that the original findings would diminish in magnitude, but the updated data show that the gender gap continues to reflect male-only changes in party identification. Public officials, political operatives, and the media misstate, sometimes specifically but often only by implication, the nature of the gap. Commentary highlights the lower level of support among women for the Republican Party in both the vote and party identification. Their support for the GOP is considerably lower than it is among men as this paper reaffirms. However, as Kaufmann, K. M., and J. R. Petrocik. 1999. “The Changing Politics of American Men: Understanding the Sources of the Gender Gap.” American Journal of Political Science 43 (3): 864–87 noted, the gap emerged and has continued to grow because of changed attitudes and behavior among men.
Exploring the relationship between language and Europe from a cognitive-linguistic perspective using Concept Maps
Authors: Krämer Corinna
Published: November 2020

This paper aims to explore the mentally represented and linguistically bound concepts of Europe of young learners. Special attention is not given to the declarative and school generated knowledge about the EU, but rather to the lexical-semantic knowledge of the learners, which is activated at the lexical impulse {euro[pa/ä]} as part of a concept in the mental lexicon. It aims to find out which knowledge elements learners link with the lexical impulse and which dispositions and pre-concepts the learners have when it comes to Europe in the school context, in educational media or in everyday teaching-learning-situations. Therefore, concept maps are used as a survey instrument and evaluated using a corpus-linguistic approach.
Redefining pragmatic competence among modular interactions and beyond
Authors: Mao Tiaoyuan
Published: November 2020

Language is a perfect system that satisfies the conditions imposed by the external performance/interpretive systems, but how the external systems interact with the core syntax is partially understood. With reference to Chomsky’s dichotomy of grammatical and pragmatic competences, this paper tentatively reformulates an integrated model of pragmatic competence, consisting of an internal and an external part. The former originates from the interaction of the internal syntactic submodule with external but organism-internal submodules, such as semantic, pragmatic and phonological-phonetic modules, and among three external submodules, thus creating thinking activities. The latter refers to the interaction between all organism-internal submodules and organism-external sociocultural factors, namely, mapping the computational results of the organism-internal submodules into the specific sociocultural contexts in communication. Meanwhile, this paper assumes an organism-internal pragmatic module in the Conceptual-Intentional system, providing linguistic and socio-cultural pragmatic knowledge in the operation of the internal and the external pragmatic competences, facilitating both pure thought and sociocultural communications.
Getchell’s method for conversion of Cartesian-geocentric to geodetic coordinates – Its properties and Newtonian alternative
Authors: Kadaj Roman
Published: November 2020

The paper concentrates on the iterative Getchell’s method (formulated in 1972) and its alternative Newtonian implementation for conversion of Cartesian geocentric coordinates into geodetic coordinates. The same basic equation formulated in the Getchell’s method is used in both cases. The equation has a stable form in the whole range of argument (latitude) variation

⟨
−
π
/
2
,
π
/
2
⟩

\langle -\pi /2,\pi /2\rangle

. The original Getchell’s method (somehow “forgotten”) has a simple geometric interpretation and its applications turn out to be particularly effective. Many studies on iterative algorithms usually omit theoretical proofs of convergence replacing them with conclusions based on numerical examples. This paper presents theoretical proofs of algorithms convergence both for the Getchell’s method and the Newton procedure. The convergence parameter and numerical error of results were estimated in each case. Numerical tests were carried out for a set of points distributed on the Earth’s space, also for extreme h values. For typical practical applications of the Getchell’s method, sufficiently accurate results are obtained after 1–3 iterations, while in the Newton procedure already after one iteration, assuming the same numerical error and initial conditions. The accuracy of the geodetic coordinates determinations meets all practical requirements with some margin. For example an absolute numerical error for latitude is approx.

0.4
·

10

−
13

0.4\cdot {10^{-13}}

 [rad] i. e. about 0.00026 mm in the length of the meridian arc. The proposed methods were compared with other methods (algorithms), including in terms of stability and non-singularity in the entire usable space of the Earth, but excluding the near geocenter, which has no practical significance. Both the modification of the Getchell method and its Newtonian alternative are very good determined in this area (in the Earth’s poles, the final solution is directly the starting value of iterative algorithms). The discussed algorithms were implemented in the form of procedures in DELPHI language.
Heart rate variability during cardiovascular reflex testing: the importance of underlying heart rate
Authors: Macartney Michael J. , McLennan Peter L. , Peoples Gregory E.
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Heart rate variability (HRV) is often measured during clinical and experimental cardiovascular reflex tests (CRT), as a reflection of cardiac autonomic modulation, despite limited characterization of the rapid responses that occur. Therefore, we evaluated the responsiveness of HRV indices in 20 healthy young adults (age, 27 ± 6 y; mass, 76.9 ± 16.8 kg; height, 1.79 ± 0.12 m) during four separate established CRT.

Methods

These included the [I] orthostatic challenge, [II] isometric handgrip, [III] cold pressor and [IV] cold diving reflex tests. Electrocardiogram was recorded throughout, with HRV derived from RR intervals at rest and from each CRT. On a separate day, a subgroup of participants (n=9) completed the same protocol for a second time.

Results

The maximal slope of heart rate change (dTdt) was significantly different between all CRT, with the orthostatic challenge producing the fastest increase (2.56 ± 0.48) and the cold pressor the fastest reduction (−1.93 ± 0.68) in heart rate. Overall HRV, reflected by Poincaré plot ratio (SD1:SD2), was significantly reduced during all CRT ([I], −0.41 ± 0.12; [II], −0.19 ± 0.05; [III], −0.36 ± 0.12; [IV], −0.44 ± 0.11; p<0.05) relative to baseline and this was reproducible in time-series. However, when HRV indices were correlated to mean-RR an exponential growth-like relationship was evident (R2 ranging from: 0.52–0.62).

Conclusions

These unique outcomes demonstrate that short-term alterations in HRV are evident during CRT, while indicating the importance of adjusting for, or at least reporting, underlying heart rate when interpreting such measures.
Mozart und seine Subskription der drei Klavierkonzerte KV 413-415 von 1783
Authors: Monti Alessandro
Published: November 2020

The research on the history of pricing strategies and decisions by companies and individuals has not received much attention up to now. This is surprising, as pricing is the most important profit driver, and thus an inquiry into the historic origins of price-related decisions by the early modern market operators can yield important insights for both historians and current practitioners on successful marketing strategies. The following article contributes to the research on business history by proposing, first of all, a framework for the conceptual definition between a revenue and a price model. Furthermore, it is shown that subscription-based revenue was generated as early as 1617. The revenue model of the subscription – an early antecedent of today’s crowdfunding scheme – will then be covered in detail by investigating the case of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s piano concertos KV 413-415. The influential composer decided to appeal to a broader target group by using a subscription-based pricing scheme for these three piano concertos in 1783. The subscription however was unsuccessful, and the major reason for this failure as well as Mozart’s probable economic reasoning are elaborated. Finally, the rising modern market forc es, that steered the Viennese music market of the late 18th century towards modern*structures, made sure that market operators at that time tried to adapt to these forces by offering modern and innovative revenue and price models, such as highly differentiated, content-based and time-definite subscriptions.
Why Did German Early Industrial Capitalists Suggest Workers’ Pensions, Arbitration Boards and Minimum Wages?
Authors: Reckendrees Alfred
Published: November 2020

Today at the beginning of the 21st century, there is a debate across Europe about how much welfare society should provide, and how much private insurance is possible. Two hundred years ago, in the formative period of industrial capitalism, social problems had long been left to private initiative. Commodification of labour and its concentration in large factories, however, created demand for social protection beyond the limited shelter provided by charity. Representatives of industry in Aachen suggested compulsory factory rules granting rights to workers, compulsory workers’ pension funds, minimum wages and maximum working hours. The article argues that the industrialists’ aim was to stabilize the social order of industrial capitalism by using ideas of social partnership. Labour should not just be pacified, but reconciled with capitalist society. While interpreting social policy as a capitalist aim, the article aims to contribute to the discussion about the origins of the welfare state.
Führen digitales Geld und digitale Bezahlsysteme zu finanzieller Inklusion und Wirtschaftswachstum?
Authors: Pleitgen Verena
Published: November 2020

The article discusses current proposals and developments in digital currencies and digital payment systems. The focus is on projects for the introduction of central bank digital currencies, cryptocurrencies, the experiences from the Unified Payments Interface in India, E-Wallets and similar offers from big technology companies and the Libra project. Against this background the article tried to shed light on the question of financial inclusion and economic growth as there are still a great number of people without access to bank accounts or internet access worldwide.
The profinite completion of multi-EGS groups
Authors: Thillaisundaram Anitha , Uria-Albizuri Jone
Published: November 2020

The class of multi-EGS groups is a generalisation of the well-known Grigorchuk–Gupta–Sidki (GGS-)groups.
Here we classify branch multi-EGS groups with the congruence subgroup property and determine the profinite completion of all branch multi-EGS groups.
Additionally, our results show that branch multi-EGS groups are just infinite.
Evidence of a T/V distinction in European Hebrew
Authors: Yampolskaya Sonya
Published: November 2020

This article presents research on the system of T/V distinction in Hebrew from the 16th to the 20th century. As the article is the first attempt to describe the phenomenon, it aims to give a general overview of the T/V distinction in European Hebrew, introducing new language data, and posing new questions. One book served as terminus a quo for the whole article: Course of the Russian Language by Zalkind (Epstein, Zalkind. 1869. Учебная книга Русскаго Языка. מסלת הלמוד או ספר ללמד לשון רוסיא עם העתקה אל לשון עברי [Course of the Russian language. Path of learning or book to study the language of Russia with translation into Hebrew]. Warsaw: Schriftgisser), written in Hebrew, contains approximately 100 pages of everyday dialogues in both Hebrew and Russian. The question of whether the Hebrew language of the 19th century was a dead or living language is still a matter of debate. In that regard, the course book provides valuable material that does not fit into the framework of the general idea of the history of the Hebrew language. Basic elements of conversational politeness are the focus of the analysis. The system, in which V-forms of address are expressed by a third-person singular, is reconstructed from the conversations in the Epstein’s book and traced back to the 16th century in a wide range of various Hebrew sources. The T/V distinction in Hebrew is also compared to the similar phenomena in Polish and German. Originating before the 16th century, the T/V distinction disappeared in modern Israeli Hebrew. However, it is still in use in some specific communication situations, which can be regarded as residues of earlier forms of traditional speech practices.
To the question of the digital platform “bioinformatics” creating and its system-forming solutions
Authors: Kratov Sergey , Zybarev Yurii
Published: November 2020

The article reports the main provisions of the concept and solutions for creating the digital platform in the field of bioinformatics and the formation of the thematically oriented and industrial digital ecosystems on its basis. The composition and structure of the digital platform are discussed: information repositories, data and knowledge bases, thematically oriented software repository, task-oriented services for various target groups of users. Within the framework of the platform, it is also planned to organize a system of high-quality access to specialized data centres and high-performance computing infrastructure. Particular attention is devoted to one of the components of such platform - the project office for bioresource collections management. The project office has registered such types of collections as animal collections: wild and laboratory animals, live breeding, museum zoological animal collections, farm animals; plant collections: herbarium funds of plants biological diversity, living collections of natural flora, agricultural plants. Collection types such as collections of human biomaterials, cell culture collections, microorganism collections are important for medical research.