bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
APPLICATION OF PIEZOSENSORS BASED ON THE MOLECULARLY IMPRINTED POLYIMIDE FOR DETERMI-NATION OF CAFFEINE IN TEA
Authors: Cao Nhat Linh , Duvanova Ol'ga Vasil'yevna , Zyablov Aleksandr Nikolayevich , Nguyen Anh Tien
Published: July 2021

In this article the molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been synthesized on the surface of piezosensors. The starting polymer for MIPs production was polyamic acid, which is a copolymer of 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid and 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether. The caffeine served as the template. The quantum-chemical simulation was performed by the Gaussian 09 software using the DFT method at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level with the basis set superposition error (BSSE) at the preliminary stage of the synthesis of the MIP for caffeine. The prepolymerization complexes were calculated to establish intermolecular interactions and obtain the optimum molar ratio between the template and polyamiс acid. It is shown that the constitutional repeating units of polyamic acid interact with the caffeine by forming H-bonds via carboxyl groups. The interaction energy first increases and then decreases with increasing the molar ratio of imprinting. Based on the quantum-chemical calculations, the optimal ratio of the reagents in prepolymerization mixture was set to 1 : 3 with the highest interaction energy (96.7 kJ/mol). Applying thermal imidization of solution of polyamic acid in the presence of a template, the molecularly imprinted polyimide has been synthesized by the non-covalent imprinting method. The ability of the obtained piezosensors to recognize the tempalte in model mixtures was experimentally evaluated. It was found that the range of detectable concentrations of caffeine is 3.1.10-6-10-1 mol/dm3 and the detection limit is 10-6 mol/dm3. Correctness of the caffeine determination in model solutions was verified in the spike/recovery tests. Piezosensors based on MIP were approved for the determination of the caffeine in tea varieties. It is shown that the concentration of caffeine in the aqueous solution increases with increasing brewing time. The relative standard deviation is less than 8%.
METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE TOTAL CONTENT OF PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS IN PLANT EXTRACTS WITH FOLIN-DENIS REAGENT AND FOLIN-CHOCALTEU REAGENT: MODIFICATION AND COMPARISON
Authors: Nikolaeva Tat'yana Nikolayevna , Lapshin Petr Vladimirovich , Zagoskina Natal'ya Viktorovna
Published: July 2021

A modification of the method for determining the total content of phenolic compounds in plant tissue extracts with the Folin-Denis reagent and the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent has been carried out, allowing to establish the correspondence of the results obtained when using them. The method using the Folin-Denis reagent is adapted for conducting determinations in microvolumes. For the method using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, the concentration of the latter (0.4 N, a 5-fold dilution of the standard reagent) and the composition of the reaction mixture were selected, using which the optical densities of the reduction products of the Folin-Denis and Folin-Ciocalteu reagents containing polyphenols in ethanol extracts from wheat, buckwheat and calus tissue of tea were almost the same. The absorption spectra of the reduction products of these reagents by gallic acid, rutin, (-)-epicatechin, as well as ethanol extracts from wheat, buckwheat, and tea calus tissue, were located in the same region (680–770 nm) and had similar characteristics. Calibration graphs of the dependence of the optical density of solutions on the concentration of standard substances (gallic acid, (-)-epicatechin, rutin), constructed using the Folin-Denis and Folin-Ciocalteu reagents, had a linear character within the concentration range of 10–100 μg/ml and practically coincided. The results of determining the content of phenolic compounds in ethanol extracts of plants, differing in their ability to accumulate, showed very similar and statistically significant values when using these two reagents.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF METABOLITES OF SPECIES OF THE GENUS ARCTIUM L.
Authors: Kolomiets Natalia Eduardovna , Boev Roman Sergeevich , Zhalnina Lyudmila Vladimirovna , Tikhomirova Valeria Andreevna , Kashapov Denis Radikovich , Bondarchuk Ruslan Anatolievich , Novozheeva Tatyana Petrovna , Abramets Natal'ya Yur'yevna , Safronov Sergei Mikhailovich , Ali Abduljalil Qaid Hasan
Published: July 2021

The review summarizes information from the literature on the distribution, study of the composition and biological activity of metabolites, total extracts of plants of the genus Arctium L. of the world flora. In Russia, the roots of three species are allowed to be harvested and used: A. lappa, A. tomentosum, A. minus. To date, the most studied composition of metabolites and pharmacological properties of great burdock. The chemical composition of A. atlanticum, A. debrayi, A. leiobardanum, A. neumani, A. platylepis, A. pseudarctium, A. sardaimionense, A. scanicum, A. nemorosum and A. palladini has not been studied. About 360 substances related to polysaccharides, sesquiterpenes, triterpenes, fatty acids, phenolcarbonic acids, tannins, vitamins, lignans, sterols, polyacetylenes, amino acids, alkaloids, flavonoids, macro-and microelements and other were isolated and identified from the studied species. There are only a few publications about pharmacological activity of Arctium nemorosum, A. palladini, A. tomentosum and A. minus, and there is no information for other types. Total extracts and individual compounds of the studied burdock species in the experiment have a wide range of pharmacological activity. The information provided in the review shows that plants of the genus Arctium L., are promising for creating effective medicines. In addition, the fragmentation and lack of information on the composition of metabolites, pharmacological activity of most species of the genus burdock opens up great opportunities for researchers.
CP MAS 13C NMR SPECTROSCOPY IN DETERMINATION OF SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES IN COMPOSITION OF WOOD
Authors: Kostryukov Sergey Gennad'yevich , Petrov Pavel Sergeevich , Masterova Yuliya Yurevna , Idris Tulfikar Djasim , Hamdamov Salohiddin Safarjonovich , Yunusov Iskandarkhodzha Askarkhodzhaevich , Kostryukov Nikita Sergeevich
Published: July 2021

In recent years solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy using the technique of cross-polarization (CP) and sample rotation at a magic angle (MAS) has been used in the analysis of plant materials, including wood. Knowledge of the composition, structure and behavior of wood components in different conditions is of great importance, since the properties of wood materials depend on this. In this work differences in the composition of various tree species wood in central Russia (birch, aspen, spruce, and larch) were revealed using CP MAS 13C NMR spectroscopy. Assignment of various peaks in CP MAS 13C NMR spectra with the main components of wood was carried out. It was shown that cellulose is presented in amorphous and crystalline forms, the presence of lignin is unambiguously confirmed by signals of aromatic carbon atoms, and hemicellulose is detected by signals from carbon atoms of methyl groups of acetylxylose and L-rhamnose. According to the integral intensities, the total proportion of cellulose and hemicellulose in relation to lignin was determined: the largest amount of lignin was found in coniferous wood (spruce, larch), and the smallest amount of lignin was detected in deciduous species (aspen and birch).
"PALLADIUM ON COAL" CATALYST OBTAINED BY PYROLYSIS OF POWDER CELLULOSE GRANULES IM-PREGNATED WITH PALLADIUM NITRATE
Authors: Shishmakov Andrey Borisovich , Mikushina Yuliya Vladimirovna , Koryakova Ol'ga Vasil'yevna
Published: July 2021

By pyrolysis of powdered cellulose granules impregnated with palladium nitrate, catalysts of 1–8% Pd / C were obtained. Pyrolysis was carried out in a reactor with a water seal at 600 ° C. Metal reduction was carried out with pyrolysis gases and matrix carbon. It was found that the ash content of powdered cellulose granules is ~ 40 times less than the ash content of sulfate cellulose, from which they were made. It was shown by X-ray phase analysis and electron microscopy that palladium in the catalysts is present in the form of Pd (0) nanoparticles uniformly covering carbon fibers and shapeless massive metal precipitates up to 20 μm in diameter. In catalysts 1–3% Pd / С, nanoparticles 10–40 nm dominate (> 95%), in 8% Pd / С, 20–70 nm. The share of massive metal formations in Pd (1%) / C, Pd (3%) / C and Pd (8%) / C is: ~ 2%, ~ 5% and ~ 60%, respectively. They consist of aggregated spherical particles 0.05–0.15 µm in diameter. XRD palladium oxide was not detected in the catalysts. The presence of palladium nitrate in powdered cellulose during its carbonization has a significant effect on the formation of the carbon matrix. With an increase in the content of palladium nitrate in powdered cellulose, the yield of carbon material decreases and its total porosity increases. Infrared spectroscopy revealed the presence of oxygen-containing ether groups in the carbon matrix of palladium catalysts. The activity of catalysts in the model process of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide increases with increasing dispersion of palladium nanoparticles.
ANTIRADICAL ACTIVITY OF EXTRACTIVES FROM THE ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM L. OF THE SIBERIAN REGION
Authors: Efremov Aleksandr Alekseyevich , Zykova Irina Dement'yevna
Published: July 2021

In model reactions with a free stable 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, the antiradical properties of extractives of common yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) growing in the Krasnoyarsk Territory were studied: water-alcohol extracts with an alcohol content of 20, 40 and 70% and essential oil. Whole essential oil is obtained by exhaustive hydro-steam distillation for 11 hours. In addition, separate oil fractions were obtained: the first after 20 minutes from the start of distillation, the second after the next 50 minutes, the third after the next 180 minutes, and the fourth after the next 360 minutes.

The results of the DPPH test showed that ARA is minimal for alcohol-soluble substances and increases for aqueous-alcoholic extracts from 20.3% in the case of a 20% extract to 21.8% for a 70% aqueous-alcoholic extract. ARA of the obtained samples of essential oil surpasses the ARA values of aqueous, alcoholic and aqueous-alcoholic extracts. It was found that the APA value for 1 fraction of oil is 29.7% and increases with the transition to subsequent fractions to 54.3%. Whole Yarrow essential oil has an ARA value of 52.8%.

According to the ARA value, the extractives of yarrow can be arranged in the following row: whole essential oils> 70% aqueous-alcoholic extract> 40% extract> 20% extract> aqueous extract> 96% alcoholic extract.
SYNTHESIS, STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC GELS BASED ON LARCH BARK TANNINS AND HY-DROLYSIS LIGNIN
Authors: Mikova Nadezhda Mikhailovna , Mazurova Elena Valentinovna , Ivanov Ivan Petrovich , Kuznetsov Boris Nikolayevich
Published: July 2021

For the first time, tannin-lignin-formaldehyde and tannin-lignin-furfuryl organic gels were obtained on the basis of larch bark tannins and hydrolysis lignin by sol-gel condensation with formaldehyde and furfuryl alcohol. Their physico-chemical properties were studied by varying the content of lignin (from 5 to 30 wt%) and a fixed mass ratio of polyphenolic substances to the crosslinking reagent (1 : 1.5). With an increase in the lignin content the density of tannin-lignin formaldehyde gels decreases from 0.83 to 0.53 g/ cm3, and that of tannin-lignin-furfuryl gels is from 0.32 to 0.14 g / cm3. According to the FTIR data, the structures of tannin-lignin-formaldehyde and tannin-lignin-furfuryl gels are formed by aromatic fragments cross-linked with methylene and methylene-ether bridges. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the addition of appropriate amounts of lignin to tannins (up to 10 wt% when using formaldehyde and up to 20 wt% when using furfuryl alcohol) promotes the formation of gels with a more developed porous structure. In the case of tannin-lignin-formaldehyde gel, the specific surface area and sorption of methylene blue are 12 m2 / g and 43 mg / g and for tannin-lignin-furfuryl gel – 72 m2 / g and 114.5 mg/g, respectively. It was found that an increase in the lignin content in the gel composition over 20 wt.% is accompanied by the phase localization of lignin (precipitation), which reduces the strength of the resulting gel and reduces its specific surface area.
Humanoid Robot Path Planning Using Rapidly Explored Random Tree and Motion Primitives
Authors: Szumowski Maksymilian , Zielińska Teresa
Published: July 2021

Path planning is an essential part of the control system of any mobile robot. In this article the path planner for a humanoid robot is presented. The short description of an universal control framework and the Motion Generation System is also presented. Described path planner utilizes a limited number of motions called the Motion Primitives. They are generated by Motion Generation System. Four different algorithms, namely the: Informed RRT, Informed RRT with random bias, and RRT with A* likeheuristics were tested. For the last one the version with biased random function was also considered. All mentioned algorithms were evaluated considering three dif ferent scenarios. Obtained results are described and discussed.
HuBeRo - a Framework to Simulate Human Behaviour in Robot Research
Authors: Karwowski Jarosław , Dudek Wojciech , Węgierek Maciej , Winiarski Tomasz
Published: July 2021

Social robots' software is commonly tested in a simulation due to the safety and convenience reasons as well as an environment configuration repeatability assurance. An interaction between a robot and a human requires taking a person presence and his movement abilities into consideration. The purpose of the article is to present the HuBeRo framework, which can be used to simulate human motion behaviour. The framework allows independent control of each individual's activity, which distinguishes the presented approach from state-of-the-art, open-source solutions from the robotics domain. The article presents the framework assumptions, architecture and an example application with respect to presented scenarios.
A New Approach to the Histogram-Based Segmentation of Synthetic Aperture Radar Images
Authors: Siemiątkowska Barbara , Gromada Krzysztof
Published: July 2021

Radar machine vision is an emerging research field in the mobile robotics. Because Synthetic ApertureRadars (SAR) are robust against weather and light condition, they provide more useful and reliable in formation than optical images. On the other hand, the data processing is more complicated and less researched than visible light images processing. The main goal of our reasarch is to build simple and efficient method of SAR image analysis. In this article we describe our research related to SAR image segmenta tion and attempts to detect elements such as the build ings, roads and forest areas. Tests were carried out for the images made available by Leonardo Airborne & Space System Company.
A prototype of an advanced ship autopilot implemented in the CPDev environment
Authors: Świder Zbigniew
Published: July 2021

Ship autopilots can be divided into conventional, only capable of maintaining a given course, and advanced, which can additionally follow a “track” connecting the given navigation points along the ship’s route. The article presents the structure of the prototype autopilot of the ship implemented in the CPDev environment and the formulas allowing to determine the settings of the course controller (PID) and track controller (PI) in the cascade control. For each of them, individual design parameters were adopted to define the dynamics of the closed control loop. These rules were applied in the software of the autopilot prototype, created in cooperation with a Dutch company designing control and visualization systems for ships.
The Performance of Executing Intermediate Code for Control Systems Using STM32 Architecture
Authors: Hubacz Marcin , Sadolewski Jan , Trybus Bartosz
Published: July 2021

The article presents performance tests of code executed by STM32 microcontrollers using a virtual machine (so-called intermediate code) dedicated to control systems. The ARM architecture used in these chips has limitations related to access to non-aligned addresses. Three ways to overcome these limitations have been proposed, and each has been subjected to a suite of tests to determine their performance. Tests were conducted for two operating modes, i.e. with 16- and 32-bit addressing for different generations of chips. The test results allow to choose the right solution for a specific platform.
Smart Indoor Navigation System: INCREDISCOPE
Authors: Dominik Paweł , Marcinkowski Jacek
Published: July 2021

The paper presents a newly developed, innovative idea on a global scale system for indoor navigation INCREDISCOPE. The system is fully autonomic, and it is based on e-paper displays technology. The original positioning and navigation system for people inside buildings gives the possibility to intuitively and naturally lead a person to the desired destination. The paper consists of four parts. In the beginning, the short introduction and basic assumptions about indoor navigation and positioning are given. Then the core idea of the system and basic assumptions are introduced. In the third section, some technical information of prepared software is presented. Three different applications were prepared – intended for the system administrator; designated for e-paper displays and a mobile application for users who move inside buildings with their smartphones. The recognition of the users is based on Bluetooth technology. In the paper, two versions of the administrator interface were presented (Admin 1.0 and Admin 2.0). The operation logic of each version is completely different. The first one was too time-consuming during relations table creation. The second one is more intuitive. The last part of the article includes conclusions and prospects for further development of the system.
Hidden Security Breaches in Automatic Control of Technological Processes
Authors: Szuster Marcin , Kozioł Bartłomiej
Published: July 2021

The progressing automation and robotization in the industrial plants as well as the increasing complexity of the control systems of integrated machines make it necessary to constantly improve the functional safety of machines through the correct validation of safety systems. Despite the validation process carried out, the potential software errors may reveal during the usage of the machine as hidden security breaches. The article presents examples of security breaches of real machine tools and attempts to implement solutions of automated mechanisms for detecting security problems. Another aspect of the article is the new approach for detecting hidden security breaches. Using the „digital twin” model of the machine, a program that generates a sequence of events for testing control systems, and the use of a virtual reality (visual verification of the safety programs), it is possible to maximize the functional safety functions of the machine.
En casa con mi bebé. Cuidado infantil en sectores medios profesionales urbanos
Authors: De Grande Pablo
Published: July 2021

El artículo realiza un estudio del cuidado de niños menores de un año en sectores medios profesionales de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Para esto, se analizan las actividades, interacciones y sentimientos observados en cuatro horas de cuidado entre una mamá y su bebé de 11 meses de edad, en el contexto de una serie de entrevistas dirigidas a madres y padres de este estrato socioeconómico. El trabajo se enmarca en los estudios sociales del cuidado y la sociología de las emociones, campos que han buscado comprender mejor las motivaciones y vivencias de los actores sociales en sus prácticas afectivas con otros. Como hipótesis principal se plantea que las dinámicas y ritmos del cuidado en sectores medios pueden asumir organizaciones temporales singulares, ligadas a la simultaneidad, la alternancia, el vínculo continuo y la disponibilidad permanente entre los niños y sus cuidadores.
The effect of drone transport on the stability of biochemical, coagulation and hematological parameters in healthy individuals
Authors: Perlee Desirée , van der Steege Klaas Henk , den Besten Gijs
Published: July 2021

Objectives

Transport of blood tubes is mainly by car or pneumatic transport. The transportation of blood tubes by drones is a novel approach for rapid transportation of blood tubes over long distances. However, limited data on the stability of biochemical, coagulation and hematological parameters is available after transport of blood tubes by drone.

Methods

To investigate the effect of drone transport on the stability of blood parameters, four test flights were performed. Blood was drawn from 20 healthy individuals and 39 of the most frequently measured blood parameters were compared between 4 groups; immediate measurement (control), late measurement, transport by car and transport by drone. Total allowable error (TAE) of the EFLM Biological Variation Database was used to determine the clinical relevance of significant differences.

Results

The majority of blood parameters were not affected by drone transport. Eight of the measured parameters showed significant differences between all the groups; glucose, phosphate, potassium, chloride, hemoglobin, platelet count, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LD). A clinically relevant increase for LD after transport and a decrease for glucose values in time and after transport compared with the control group was shown.

Conclusions

Transportation of blood tubes from healthy individuals by drones has a limited clinically relevant effect. From the 39 investigated blood parameters only LD and glucose showed a clinically relevant effect.
Driver intervention performance assessment as a key aspect of L3–L4 automated vehicles deployment
Authors: Rodak Aleksandra , Budziszewski Paweł , Pędzierska Małgorzata , Kruszewski Mikołaj
Published: July 2021

In L3–L4 vehicles, driving task is performed primarily by automated driving system (ADS). Automation mode permits to engage in non-driving-related tasks; however, it necessitates continuous vigilance and attention. Although the driver may be distracted, a request to intervene may suddenly occur, requiring immediate and appropriate response to driving conditions. To increase safety, automated vehicles should be equipped with a Driver Intervention Performance Assessment module (DIPA), ensuring that the driver is able to take the control of the vehicle and maintain it safely. Otherwise, ADS should regain control from the driver and perform a minimal risk manoeuvre. The paper explains the essence of DIPA, indicates possible measures, and describes a concept of DIPA framework being developed in the project.
Influence of the applied pressure of the transducer on the propagation speed of the ultrasonic wave in wood
Authors: Carrasco Edgar V.M. , Alves Rejane C. , Smits Mônica A. , Pizzol Vinnicius D. , Oliveira Ana Lucia C. , Mantilla Judy N. R.
Published: July 2021

The non-destructive wave propagation technique is used to estimate the wood’s modulus of elasticity. The propagation speed of ultrasonic waves is influenced by some factors, among them: the type of transducer used in the test, the form of coupling and the sensitivity of the transducers. The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of the contact pressure of the transducers on the ultrasonic speed. Ninety-eight tests were carried out on specimens of the species Eucalyptus grandis, with dimensions of 120 × 120 × 50 mm. The calibration of the pressure exerted by the transducer was controlled by a pressure gauge using a previously calibrated load cell. The robust statistical analysis allowed to validate the experimental results and to obtain consistent conclusions. The results showed that the wave propagation speed is not influenced by the pressure exerted by the transducer.
Correlates of food intake and mealtime behaviors among Kuwaiti adolescents
Authors: Zafar Tasleem A. , Alkazemi Dalal
Published: July 2021

Objectives

Eating meals with the family improves the food choices of adolescents. Studies conducted on Kuwaiti adolescents have reported suboptimal dietary intake; however, it is unclear what meal-related behaviors and family dynamics influence dietary choices in young Kuwaiti adolescents. This study explored the food intake and meal-related behaviors of young adolescents in relation to their mother’s educational level, parental employment, and family size and to identify meal-related behaviors associated with poor dietary choices.

Content

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a modified and validated version of the International Health Behavior in School Children questionnaire recruiting 774 adolescents aged 14–16 years from all six governorates of Kuwait.

A higher level of the mother’s education was associated with higher odds of eating fruits and breakfast. A stay-at-home mother was associated with higher odds of consuming milk and home-made desserts. Larger family size was associated with higher odds of eating fruits, and a higher frequency of family meals was associated with higher odds of consuming vegetables and whole grain bread. All unhealthy snacks, including sweets, potato chips, french fries, home-made desserts, and sugar-sweetened beverages, were associated with higher odds of watching TV during mealtime.

Outlook

A higher level of mother’s education level, large family size, and family meals encouraged consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread, milk, and breakfast, but consuming empty calorie snacks is very common. Family involvement in developing healthy meal-related behaviors is imperative for shaping healthy eating habits of adolescents.
Multiple incompatible datum points identification in vertical control network for high-speed railway based on likelihood ratio test
Authors: Yan Guangfeng , Li Yangtenglong , Liu Chunyan
Published: July 2021

The high-speed railway (HSR) surveying system in China has developed into a modern large-scale precision surveying system with multi-stage structure, large scale, and high precision and reliability requirements. The effective control of the surveying data quality in each stage and each link is a complex but important issue in the processing of surveying data. However, as an important part of surveying system, the study on the data quality control of vertical control network has not attracted as much attention as that of plane control network. Constrained adjustment is the essential link of surveying data processing of HSR vertical control network to obtain the height of new control points. Before that, in addition to the gross errors checking of observations, the compatibility diagnosis of datum points should also be an important step, which is often neglected in practice. In this paper, the likelihood ratio (LR) test with the highest power among all the competitors for simple hypotheses problem is extended to solve the problem of composite hypothesis, resulting in a new multiple incompatible datum points identification strategy (ICDPI-LR). With a benchmark along route control network and a CPIII vertical control network as the example, the performance of the proposed method is demonstrated, and showing the importance and necessity of the identification of incompatible datum points in vertical control network for HSR.
Increase in SARS-CoV-2 infected biomedical waste among low middle-income countries: environmental sustainability and impact with health implications
Authors: Olaniyan Olugbemi T. , Dare Ayobami , Okoli Bamidele , Adetunji Charles O. , Ibitoye Babatunde O. , Okotie Gloria E. , Eweoya Olugbenga
Published: July 2021

Studies have shown that severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly infectious disease, with global deaths rising to about 360,438 as of 28 May 2020. Different countries have used various approaches such as lockdown, social distancing, maintenance of personal hygiene, and increased establishment of testing and isolation centers to manage the pandemic. Poor biomedical waste (BMW) management, treatment, and disposal techniques, especially SARS-CoV-2 infected BMW, may threaten the environmental and public health in most developing countries and, by extension, impact the economic status of individuals and the nation at large. This may increase the potential for the transmission of air/blood body fluid-borne pathogens, increase the growth of microorganisms, risk of mutagenesis, and upsurge of more virulent strain. In contrast, uncontrolled substandard burning could increase the potential spread of nosocomial infection and environmental exposure to toxic organic compounds, heavy metals, radioactive, and genotoxic bio-aerosols which might be present in the gaseous, liquid, and solid by-products. The paucity of understanding of pathophysiology and management of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has also necessitated the need to put in place appropriate disposal techniques to cater for the sudden increase in the global demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) and pharmaceutical drugs to manage the pandemic and to reduce the risk of preventable infection by the waste. Therefore, there is a need for adequate sensitization, awareness, and environmental monitoring of the impacts of improper handling of SARS-CoV-2 infected BMWs. Hence, this review aimed to address the issues relating to the improper management of increased SARS-CoV-2 infected BMW in low middle-income countries (LMICs).
Universal solvability of group equations
Authors: Nitsche Martin , Thom Andreas
Published: July 2021

We give a new criterion for solvability of group equations, providing proofs of various generalizations of the Kervaire–Laudenbach conjecture for Connes-embeddable groups.
Changes in the presentation of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes in children during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary center in Southern Turkey
Authors: Dilek Semine Özdemir , Gürbüz Fatih , Turan İhsan , Celiloğlu Can , Yüksel Bilgin
Published: July 2021

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health problem with high morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate patients who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during the pandemic and evaluate the effect of the pandemic on the clinical findings of these patients by comparing them with findings from a year prior.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus between 2019 and 2021 were separated into two groups: Patients diagnosed prepandemic and those diagnosed during the pandemic.

Results

The number of newly diagnosed diabetes cases increased from 46 in the prepandemic period to 74 in the pandemic period. The number of cases diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in the clinic increased from 58.7 to 91.9%. We found that moderate and severe DKA rates from 18.5 and 14.8% to 23.5 and 22.1%, respectively. Besides, the average HbA1c was higher, while the average bicarbonate was lower in cases diagnosed during the pandemic period compared to the prepandemic period (p=0.048 and p<0.001, respectively). We found that celiac autoantibody positivity antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (anti GAD) positivity, and islet cell antibodies (ICA), ICA and anti GAD positivity coexistence were higher (p=0.045, p=0.008, and p=0.007, respectively) among the patients diagnosed during the pandemic.

Conclusions

We observed an increase in the number of patients newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus, an increase in autoantibody positivity, and higher rates and severity of DKA during the COVID-19 pandemic period compared to the prepandemic period.
The usefulness of copeptin for the diagnosis of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus in infancy: a case report
Authors: Bitencourt Letícia , Fischer Bruna Luisa , de Oliveira Campos Juliana Lacerda , Vaz de Castro Pedro Alves Soares , Soares de Brito Stephanie Bruna Camilo , Versiani Carolina Mazieiro , Soares Beatriz Santana , Drummond Juliana Beaudette , Simões e Silva Ana Cristina
Published: July 2021

Objectives

We report a case of an infant with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) diagnosed by the measurement of serum copeptin. There is only one study that previously evaluated the use of copeptin measurement in a pediatric patient.

Case presentation

We present a 10-month-old child with polyuria–polydipsia syndrome (PPS) and hypernatremia that could not support water restriction due to increased risk of dehydration and worsening of his condition. Therefore, plasma measurement of copeptin allowed the diagnosis of NDI.

Conclusions

The water deprivation test (WDT) is considered the gold standard for diagnosis in PPS. However, WDT has serious limitations regarding its interpretation. Furthermore, the WDT can cause dehydration and hypernatremia, especially in young children. Therefore, the measurement of plasma copeptin seems to be a promising method to perform an earlier, safer, and accurate investigation of PPS. Up to now, our study is the second to report the usefulness of copeptin in children.
Strong coupling of a plasmonic nanoparticle to a semiconductor nanowire
Authors: Jin Yingying , Yang Liu , Pan Chenxinyu , Shi Zhangxing , Cui Bowen , Xu Peizhen , Yang Yuxin , Zhou Ning , Guo Xin , Wang Pan , Tong Limin
Published: July 2021

By placing a single Au nanoparticle on the surface of a cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanowire, we demonstrate strong coupling of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) modes in the nanoparticle and whispering gallery modes (WGMs) in the nanowire. For a 50-nm-diameter Au-nanosphere particle, strong coupling occurs when the nanowire diameter is between 300 and 600 nm, with a mode splitting up to 80 meV. Using a temperature-induced spectral shift of the resonance wavelength, we also observe the anticrossing behavior in the strongly coupled system. In addition, since the Au nanosphere has spherical symmetry, the supported LSPR mode can be selectively coupled with transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) WGMs in the nanowire. The ultracompact strong-coupling system shown here may provide a versatile platform for studying hybrid “photon–plasmon” nanolasers, nonlinear optical devices, and nanosensors.
Edge detection with meta-lens: from one dimension to three dimensions
Authors: Chen Mu Ku , Yan Yue , Liu Xiaoyuan , Wu Yongfeng , Zhang Jingcheng , Yuan Jiaqi , Zhang Zhengnan , Tsai Din Ping
Published: July 2021

Meta-lens has successfully been developed for a variety of optical functions. We demonstrate a light-field edge detection imaging system with a gallium nitride achromatic meta-lens array. It enables edge detection from one dimension to three dimensions. The designed meta-lens array consists of 60 by 60 achromatic meta-lenses, which operate in the visible range from 400 to 660 nm. All of the light field information of objects in the scene can be captured and computed. The focused edge images from one dimension to three dimensions are extracted with depth estimation by image rendering. Three dimensions edge detection is two dimensions edge imaging with depth information. The focused edge images can be obtained by the sub-image reconstruction of the light field image. Our multidimensional edge detection system by achromatic meta-lens array brings novel advantages, such as broadband detection, data volume reduction, and device miniaturization capacity. Results of our experiments show new insight into applications of biological diagnose and robotic vision.
Spiritual Care als Lehrangebot an der Universität Zürich
Authors: Hasenfratz Karin , Rodenkirch Rahel , Köster Silvia , Mörgeli Hanspeter , Peng-Keller Simon
Published: July 2021

Spiritual Care etabliert sich im klinischen Kontext zunehmend als interprofessionelle Aufgabe, was einer angemessenen Form der Ausbildung bedarf. Dieser Artikel beleuchtet das an der Universität Zürich seit 2016 angebotene Wahlpflichtmodul „Spiritual Care“ für Medizin- und Theologiestudierende, welches informative, formative und transformative Bildungsdimensionen berücksichtigt. Präsentiert werden die quantitativen Ergebnisse einer Studie, die die Einstellungen und die Lernprozesse der beteiligten Studierenden befragte. Untersucht wurden die Einstellungen der Studierenden zu Spiritualität und Religiosität, Hinderungsgründe für Gespräche über spirituelle Aspekte und Veränderung dieser Einschätzungen während des Moduls. Dazu wurden die Daten von insgesamt 72 Teilnehmenden aus 5 Kohorten (Herbstsemester 2016 bis Herbstsemester 2018) ausgewertet. Die Studierenden füllten zu Beginn und am Ende des Moduls einen Fragebogen aus, der in Anlehnung an die deutsche Version des NERSH-Fragebogens gestaltet wurde und vorwiegend Antwortmöglichkeiten auf einer Likert-Skala enthält. Der Lernprozess führte dazu, dass die Studierenden sich am Ende des Moduls als kompetenter einschätzten, spirituelle Themen in Gesprächen mit Patienten und Patientinnen anzusprechen. Zudem befürchteten die Studierenden weniger, sich selber emotional in solchen Gesprächen zu überfordern oder die Balance zwischen professioneller Distanz und zwischenmenschlicher Nähe nicht halten zu können.
The State of Custom: Gerd Spittler’s “Dispute settlement in the shadow of Leviathan” (1980) today
Authors: Beyer Judith , Girke Felix
Published: July 2021

In our article, we engage with the anthropologist Gerd Spittler’s pathbreaking article “Dispute settlement in the shadow of Leviathan” (1980) in which he strives to integrate the existence of state courts (the eponymous Leviathan’s shadow) in (post-)colonial Africa into the analysis on non-state court legal practices. According to Spittler, it is because of undesirable characteristics inherent in state courts that the disputing parties tended to rather involve mediators than pursue a state court judgment. The less people liked state courts, the more likely they were to (re-)turn to dispute settlement procedures. Now how has this situation changed in the last four decades since its publication date? We relate his findings to contemporary debates in legal anthropology that investigate the relationship between disputing, law and the state. We also show through our own work in Africa and Asia, particularly in Southern Ethiopia and Kyrgyzstan, in what ways Spittler’s by now classical contribution to the field of legal anthropology in 1980 can be made fruitful for a contemporary anthropology of the state at a time when not only (legal) anthropology has changed, but especially the way states deal with putatively “customary” forms of dispute settlement.
Heparan Sulfated Glypican-4 Is Released from Astrocytes by Proteolytic Shedding and GPI-Anchor Cleavage Mechanisms
Authors: Huang Kevin , Park Sungjin
Published: July 2021

Astrocytes provide neurons with diffusible factors that promote synapse formation and maturation. In particular, glypican-4/GPC4 released from astrocytes promotes the maturation of excitatory synapses. Unlike other secreted factors, GPC4 contains the C-terminal GPI-anchorage signal. However, the mechanism by which membrane-tethered GPC4 is released from astrocytes is unknown. Using mouse primary astrocyte cultures and a quantitative luciferase-based release assay, we show that GPC4 is expressed on the astrocyte surface via a GPI-anchorage. Soluble GPC4 is robustly released from the astrocytes largely by proteolytic shedding and, to a lesser extent, by GPI-anchor cleavage, but not by vesicular release. Pharmacological, overexpression, and loss of function screens showed that ADAM9 in part mediates the release of GPC4 from astrocytes. The released GPC4 contains the heparan sulfate side chain, suggesting that these release mechanisms provide the active form that promotes synapse maturation and function. Overall, our studies identified the release mechanisms and the major releasing enzyme of GPC4 in astrocytes and will provide insights into understanding how astrocytes regulate synapse formation and maturation.
A Direct Comparison of Afferents to the Rat Anterior Thalamic Nuclei and Nucleus Reuniens: Overlapping But Different
Authors: Mathiasen Mathias L. , Nelson Andrew J. D. , Amin Eman , O’Mara Shane M. , Aggleton John P.
Published: July 2021

Both nucleus reuniens and the anterior thalamic nuclei are densely interconnected with medial cortical and hippocampal areas, connections that reflect their respective contributions to learning and memory. To better appreciate their comparative roles, pairs of different retrograde tracers were placed in these two thalamic sites in adult rats. Both thalamic sites receive modest cortical inputs from layer V that contrasted with much denser projections from layer VI. Despite frequent overlap in layer VI, ventral prefrontal and anterior cingulate inputs to nucleus reuniens were concentrated in the deepest sublayer (VIb). Meanwhile, inputs to the anterior thalamic nuclei originated more evenly from both sublayers VIa and VIb, with the result that they were often located more superficially than the projections to nucleus reuniens. Again, while the many hippocampal (subiculum) neurons projecting to nucleus reuniens and the anterior thalamic nuclei were partially intermingled within the deep cellular parts of the subiculum, cells projecting to nucleus reuniens consistently tended to lie even deeper (i.e., immediately adjacent to the alveus). Variable numbers of double-labeled cells were present in those cortical and subicular portions where the two cell populations intermingled, though they remained in a minority. Our data also show how projections to these two thalamic sites are organized in opposing dorsal/ventral and rostral/caudal gradients across both the cortex and hippocampal formation. While the anterior thalamic nuclei are preferentially innervated by dorsal cortical sites, more ventral frontal sites preferentially reach nucleus reuniens. These anatomic differences may underpin the complementary cognitive functions of these two thalamic areas.
SCD Inhibition Protects from α-Synuclein-Induced Neurotoxicity But Is Toxic to Early Neuron Cultures
Authors: Nicholatos Justin W. , Groot Joost , Dhokai Shekhar , Tran David , Hrdlicka Lori , Carlile Thomas M. , Bennion Melissa , Dalkilic-Liddle Isin , Hirst Warren D. , Weihofen Andreas
Published: July 2021

Here, we report the independent discovery and validation of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) as a modulator of α-synuclein (αSyn)-induced pathology and toxicity in cell-based Parkinson’s disease (PD) models. We identified SCD as top altered gene from transcriptional profiling in primary neurons exogenously expressing αSyn with the amplified familial PD mutation 3K. Thus, we sought to further explore SCD as a therapeutic target in neurodegeneration. We report that SCD inhibitors are toxic to early human and rat neuron cultures while displaying minimal toxicity to late cultures. The fatty acid product of SCD, oleic acid (OLA), fully rescues this toxicity in early cultures, suggesting on-target toxicity. Furthermore, SCD inhibition rescues αSyn 3K-induced toxicity in late primary neurons. We also confirm that SCD inhibitors reduce formation of αSyn accumulations, while OLA increases these accumulations in an αSyn 3K neuroblastoma model. However, we identify a caveat with this model where αSyn 3K levels can be suppressed by high SCD inhibitor concentrations, obscuring true effect size. Further, we show that both SCD1 or SCD5 knock-down reduce αSyn 3K accumulations and toxicity, making both a putative drug target. Overall, we confirm key findings of published data on SCD inhibition and its benefits in αSyn accumulation and stress models. The differential neurotoxicity induced by SCD inhibition based on neuron culture age must be accounted for when researching SCD in neuron models and has potential clinical implications. Lastly, our gene profiling studies also revealed novel putative genes connected to αSyn neurotoxicity that are worth further study.
General Anesthesia Disrupts Complex Cortical Dynamics in Response to Intracranial Electrical Stimulation in Rats
Authors: Arena A. , Comolatti R. , Thon S. , Casali A. G. , Storm J. F.
Published: July 2021

The capacity of human brain to sustain complex cortical dynamics appears to be strongly associated with conscious experience and consistently drops when consciousness fades. For example, several recent studies in humans found a remarkable reduction of the spatiotemporal complexity of cortical responses to local stimulation during dreamless sleep, general anesthesia, and coma. However, this perturbational complexity has never been directly estimated in non-human animalsin vivopreviously, and the mechanisms that prevent neocortical neurons to engage in complex interactions are still unclear. Here, we quantify the complexity of electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to intracranial electrical stimulation in rats, comparing wakefulness to propofol, sevoflurane, and ketamine anesthesia. The evoked activity changed from highly complex in wakefulness to far simpler with propofol and sevoflurane. The reduced complexity was associated with a suppression of high frequencies that preceded a reduced phase-locking, and disruption of functional connectivity and pattern diversity. We then showed how these parameters dissociate with ketamine and depend on intensity and site of stimulation. Our results support the idea that brief periods of activity-dependent neuronal silence can interrupt complex interactions in neocortical circuits, and open the way for further mechanistic investigations of the neuronal basis for consciousness and loss of consciousness across species.
Sharing an Open Stimulation System for Auditory EEG Experiments Using Python, Raspberry Pi, and HifiBerry
Authors: Corneyllie Alexandra , Perrin Fabien , Heine Lizette
Published: July 2021

In auditory behavioral and EEG experiments, the variability of stimulation solutions, for both software and hardware, adds unnecessary technical constraints. Currently, there is no easy to use, inexpensive, and shareable solution that could improve collaborations and data comparisons across different sites and contexts. This article outlines a system composed by a Raspberry Pi coupled with Python programming and associated with a HifiBerry sound card. We compare its sound performances with those of a wide variety of materials and configurations. This solution achieves the high timing accuracy and sound quality important in auditory cognition experiments, while being simple to use and open source. The present system shows high performances and results along with excellent feedback from users. It is inexpensive, easy to build, share, and improve on. Working with such low-cost, powerful, and collaborative hardware and software tools allows people to create their own specific, adapted, and shareable system that can be standardized across different collaborative sites, while being extremely simple and robust in use.
“Hey there, Brian”: Voicing Mormon Cosmopolitanism in a College Apartment
Authors: Van Woerkom Clayton
Published: July 2021

In this paper, I discuss a humorous form of voicing called Brian Voice (BV) used by myself and my former roommates, all of whom are students at Brigham Young University and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bringing the tools and methods of linguistic anthropology together with the anthropology of morality (especially ordinary ethics), I demonstrate the ways in which my roommates and I use this voicing to simultaneously inhabit the two seemingly contradictory identities of, on the one hand, a reverent Mormon and, on the other, a modern cosmopolitan. BV facilitates this identity by enabling speakers to voice both irreverence and anti- cosmopolitanism without incurring the normal social consequences associated with those stances. I contend that BV accomplishes this mitigation of negative consequences through indexing ridiculousness and absurdity. By situating BV within its Mormon context, I demonstrate that in distancing speakers from both hyper-reverence and irreverence, BV entails a practical engagement with the ethics, principles, and ideals of both Mormon morality and cosmopolitan morality, thus allowing speakers to inhabit a simultaneously Mormon and cosmopolitan self.