bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Granulomatosis (Wegener's granulomatosis) with polyangiitis presented as pulmonary manifestation: a case report
Authors: Lazim Qusay Jummaa , Atrah Sinan Shakir Gheni , Mutlag Khalid Jawad , Alhilfi Haider Saadoon Qasim , Fahad Ahmed Muhi , Alshewered Ahmed Salih
Published: October 2020

Pulmonary vasculitis can be the manifestation of several systemic illnesses such as primary systemic vasculitis, collagen vascular diseases, and systemic diseases associated with autoantibodies. It may be associated with granulomatous, eosinophilic, lymphoplasmacytic and neutrophilic inflammatory diseases. In this case report, we describe a 22‐year‐old female presented with intermittent fever, sweating and shivering, haemoptysis, sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, non‐projectile vomiting, dizziness, and dark coloured urine. The diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis was made utilizing biochemical and radiological tests. Several pharmacological therapies were tried including rituximab. The patient made a good recovery and was discharged home after 12 days of hospitalization. The knowledge of the main radiographic and computed tomography (CT) scan findings, in association with clinical and laboratory data, often enables non‐invasive diagnosis of pulmonary vasculitis.
Mesoporous Si‐MCM‐41/Polymer as a pH‐Responsive Drug Delivery System for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Maghsoudi Mina , Abbasian Mojtaba , Farhadi Khalil , Mahmoodzadeh Farideh , Ghorbani Marjan , Hoseinzadeh Mehdi
Published: October 2020

Nano‐controlled drug delivery systems such as polymer nanocomposites introduce new strategies for the cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we designed a biocompatible polymer Nanocomposites (NCs) based on modified mobil composition of matter No. 41 (MCM‐41) nanoparticles (MCM‐41‐NH2) and copolymer grafted chitosan by acrylamide and acrylic acid (CS‐graft‐poly (AAm‐co‐AA) as a pH‐sensitive polymer, and employed for targeted anticancer drug delivery. Doxorubicin (DOX) is a potent drug for cancer therapy. DOX was loaded into the synthesized polymer NCs MCM‐41‐NH2‐CS‐graft‐poly (AAm‐co‐AA) by formation electrostatic attraction between the positive charge of the DOX and the anionic charge of the poly acrylic acid (PAA), and poly acrylamide (PAAm). Free DOX diffuse rapidly into nucleus, and kill cancerous cells by interaction with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). But, keeping active of free anticancer drugs after reaching at the nucleus is difficult due to the bio barriers. Using DOX‐loaded into the mentioned polymer NCs can be decreased the toxicity effects (side effects) of DOX on the normal cells and enhance its efficiency on the tumorous cells The release of DOX from the MCM‐41‐NH2‐CS‐g‐poly (AAm‐co‐AA) was studied at acidic conditions (on the human breast epithelial adenocarcinoma (MCF‐7) cancer cells, pH 5.3 and 40 °C). The cytotoxicity of the DOX loaded into MCM‐41‐NH2‐CS‐g‐poly (AAm‐co‐AA) on the (MCF‐7) cancer cells was evaluated by using MTT (3‐(4,5‐Dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromidefor). The results show that synthetic mesoporous Si‐MCM‐41/ polymer can act as a targeted drug delivery system for the treatment of MCF‐7 cancerous cell.
Kinetics and Mechanism of Leaching Potassium from Biotite in H2SO4 Solution
Authors: Ma Xi , Ma Hongwen , Yuan Jiangyan
Published: October 2020

Biotite is a potential potassium mineral resource and the dissolution of biotite in H2SO4 solution is a green chemistry approach for recovering potassium. To estimate the efficiency of leaching process and to understand the behavior of leaching reactors, the kinetics and mechanism of leaching potassium from biotite in H2SO4 solution were studied in this work. The leaching experiments show that leached fractions of K2O increase with the increasing of temperatures and H2SO4 concentrations, and yet with the decreasing of biotite particle sizes. According to the shrinking core model, the leached fractions of K2O were fitted better by diffusion through product layer. A kinetics expression of diffusion‐controlled model on three parameters was acquired and it is appropriate to predict the leached fractions of K2O from biotite in H2SO4 solution. The dissolution of biotite in H2SO4 solution was interpreted by electrochemical mechanism coupling with characterization of the acid‐leached residues. This research results can aid in the design of leaching process for recovering potassium sustainably from biotite.
Regulation of Ferroelectric Polarization to Achieve Efficient Charge Separation and Transfer in Particulate RuO2/BiFeO3 for High Photocatalytic Water Oxidation Activity
Authors: Shah Jafar H. , Huang Biaohong , Idris Ahmed M. , Liu Yong , Malik Anum S. , Hu Weijin , Zhang Zhidong , Han Hongxian , Li Can
Published: October 2020

Exploiting spontaneous polarization of ferroelectric materials to achieve high charge separation efficiency is an intriguing but challenging research topic in solar energy conversion. This work shows that loading high work function RuO2 cocatalyst on BiFeO3 (BFO) nanoparticles enhances the intrinsic ferroelectric polarization by efficient screening of charges to RuO2 via RuO2/BFO heterojunction. This leads to enhancement of the surface photovoltage of RuO2/BFO single nanoparticles nearly 3 times, the driving force for charge separation and transfer in photocatalytic reactions. Consequently, efficient photocatalytic water oxidation is achieved with quantum efficiency as high as 5.36 % at 560 nm, the highest activity reported so far for ferroelectric materials. This work demonstrates that, unlike low photocurrent density in film‐based ferroelectric devices, high photocatalytic activity could be achieved by regulating the ferroelectric spontaneous polarization using appropriate cocatalyst to enhance driving force for efficient separation and transfer of photogenerated charges in particulate ferroelectric semiconductor materials.
Melt Electrospinning of Nanofibers from Medical‐Grade Poly(ε‐Caprolactone) with a Modified Nozzle
Authors: Großhaus Chiara , Bakirci Ezgi , Berthel Marius , Hrynevich Andrei , Kade Juliane C. , Hochleitner Gernot , Groll Jürgen , Dalton Paul D
Published: October 2020

Melt electrospun fibers, in general, have larger diameters than normally achieved with solution electrospinning. This study uses a modified nozzle to direct‐write melt electrospun medical‐grade poly(ε‐caprolactone) onto a collector resulting in fibers with the smallest average diameter being 275 ± 86 nm under certain processing conditions. Within a flat‐tipped nozzle is a small acupuncture needle positioned so that reduces the flow rate to ≈0.1 µL h−1 and has the sharp tip protruding beyond the nozzle, into the Taylor cone. The investigations indicate that 1‐mm needle protrusion coupled with a heating temperature of 120 °C produce the most consistent, small diameter nanofibers. Using different protrusion distances for the acupuncture needle results in an unstable jet that deposited poor quality fibers that, in turn, affects the next adjacent path. The material quality is notably affected by the direct‐writing speed, which became unstable above 10 mm min−1. Coupled with a dual head printer, first melt electrospinning, then melt electrowriting could be performed in a single, automated process for the first time. Overall, the approach used here resulted in some of the smallest melt electrospun fibers reported to date and the smallest diameter fibers from a medical‐grade degradable polymer using a melt processing technology.
Case study: The Harbor Bridge in Bratislava
Authors: Venglár Michal , Sokol Milan
Published: October 2020

Bratislava Harbor Bridge is an important part of Slovak highway and railway network. The authorities of the bridge (Railways of the Slovak Republic and National Motorway Company) cannot afford to close it. In the case of closure, traffic in Bratislava would be paralyzed, as up to 100,000 vehicles pass the bridge daily. Because of that, only dynamic tests during operation are possible, but the mentioned companies do not possess a sophisticated measurement system for structural health monitoring purposes. Therefore, a preliminary proposal of a measuring system has been prepared, in accordance with the fact that the bridge is one of the most complex structures in Slovakia. An initial and subsequent validated and verified FEM model have been used for numerical calculations. Time history analysis has also been used for verification and validation of the FEM model. This article also presents a comparison of current results of operational modal analysis and results of numerical analysis. It includes the recommendations for the fib Model Code 2020 (MC2020) as well.
Making Time: Pausing to Coordinate Video Instructions and Practical Tasks
Authors: Tuncer Sylvaine , Lindwall Oskar , Brown Barry
Published: October 2020

Using video recordings as data to study how dyads follow instructional videos to achieve practical tasks, this article focuses on how participants coordinate the temporality of the video with that of their task by pausing the video. We examine three types of pausing, each displaying participants' online understanding of the instructions and different articulations between demonstrations and practical task: pausing to raise a correspondence problem, to keep up with the video, and to turn to action. From this exemplar case, we discuss how ordinary people experience and make time with interactive media.
Finding Meaning in Intermedial Gaps
Authors: Simonson Mary
Published: October 2020

Media is generally conceptualized as any communicative conduit that conveys ideas or meaning between one place or person and another. However, media products—and particularly intermedial products—do not always transmit meanings and ideas smoothly. This chapter explores a series of historical and contemporary media objects and performances that do not facilitate “successful” transfers of meaning, partly due to their intermedial configurations. Each of these media objects and performances both conceal and reveal, either accidentally as a byproduct of experimentation with the medium’s modalities or purposefully as an aesthetic, social, or cultural intervention. The author argues that these concealments and intermedial “gaps” generate new modes of expression, new artistic experiences for audiences and performers, and new conceptual understandings of existing genres and media.
Towards an Intermedial Ecocriticism
Authors: Bruhn Jørgen
Published: October 2020

The starting point for this chapter is that natural scientific research on the ecological crisis must be communicated by media products to the general public, industries, and policymakers. Such communication takes place via a wide array of different media types, from arts and literature to journalism and politics—media types that are, broadly speaking, the objects of environmental humanities. The problem is that it is very difficult to analyse, discuss, and compare such a diversity of texts or media products (here called ecomedia). This chapter tries to combine the basic ideas of ecocriticism concerning the environmental crisis with the vocabulary and analytical possibilities developed in intermedial studies to perform such a task, resulting in what the author calls intermedial ecocriticism. The chapter sketches out the main theoretical backgrounds of this position and suggests taking an analytical approach. It also compares and discusses two different media products: an online popular science article from CarbonBrief and a Danish novel about climate change.
Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Resources
Authors: Giuli Marco
Published: October 2020

The discoveries of sizeable gas resources in the Eastern Mediterranean have raised expectations in Europe for two main reasons: the possibility of enhancing Europe’s energy security by way of an additional source of supply; and the possibility that the development of these resources could trigger political stability in a volatile section of the EU neighborhood. This chapter will explore the opportunities for Europe and the technical, commercial, and political obstacles with Eastern Mediterranean energy resources, arguing that despite the potential, Eastern Mediterranean resources are no game changer for the EU’s energy security, and that regional stability remains a precondition to their development rather than an outcome of it.
Understanding Trust and Cloud Computing: An Integrated Framework for Assurance and Accountability in the Cloud
Authors: Lynn Theo , van der Werff Lisa , Fox Grace
Published: October 2020

Trust is regularly cited as one the main barriers for increased adoption of cloud computing, however conceptualisations of trust in cloud computing literature can be simplistic. This chapter briefly introduces the trust literature including definitions and antecedents of trust. Following an overview of cloud computing, we discuss some of the cited barriers to trust in cloud computing, and proposed mechanisms for building trust in the cloud. We present a high-level framework for exploring assurance (trust building) and accountability (trust repair) in the cloud and call for a more integrated multi-stakeholder approach to trust research in this multi-faceted context.
Dear Cloud, I Think We Have Trust Issues: Cloud Computing Contracts and Trust
Authors: Lynn Theo
Published: October 2020

Cloud computing is the dominant paradigm in modern computing, used by billions of Internet users worldwide. It is a market dominated by a small number of hyperscale cloud service providers. The overwhelming majority of cloud customers agree to standard form click-wrap contracts, with no opportunity to negotiate specific terms and conditions. Few cloud customers read the contracts that they agree to. It is clear that contracts in cloud computing are primarily an instrument of control benefiting one side, the cloud service provider. This chapter provides an introduction to the relationship between psychological trust, contracts and contract law. It also offers an overview of the key contract law issues that arise in cloud computing and introduces some emerging paradigms in cloud computing and contracts.
Ethics and Cloud Computing
Authors: Murphy Brid , Rocchi Marta
Published: October 2020

While the benefits of cloud computing are widely acknowledged, it raises a range of ethical concerns. The extant cloud computing literature reports specific ethical perspectives on focussed topics in this domain, but does not explicitly refer to a specific ethical conception or reference point. This chapter provides an overview of ethics and ethical theories, which can be used to analyse the use of cloud technology and the complex multi-stakeholder structure of the industry. It is critical that cloud providers and users recognise that they effectively shape the morality of the cloud computing context through their interactions with other providers and users, and with the platform itself. Both stakeholder sets must be accountable for the possibilities offered by the technology. While pertinent regulation is continuously evolving, it is unlikely to advance at a similar rapid pace to that of innovation in the cloud computing industry. It is therefore essential that ethics is carefully considered to orient cloud computing towards the good of society.
Trustworthy Cloud Computing
Authors: Alofe Olasunkanmi Matthew , Fatema Kaniz
Published: October 2020

Trustworthy cloud computing has been a central tenet of the European Union cloud strategy for nearly a decade. This chapter discusses the origins of trustworthy computing and specifically how the goals of trustworthy computing—security and privacy, reliability, and business integrity—are represented in computer science research. We call for further inter- and multi-disciplinary research on trustworthy cloud computing that reflect a more holistic view of trust.
Chemical Breath
Authors: Hardon Anita
Published: October 2020

Chemical Breathpresents two focused ethnographies that look at the relationship between young people and the inhaling of tobacco and synthetic cannabinoids. The first comes from a group of young people in Paris who smoke electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), who refer to themselves as “vapoteurs,” and the second comes from a group of young people in Makassar who smoke synthetic cannabinoids. The young people partaking in these popular practices value the social bonding they experience; they are also bombarded with social media messages encouraging the use of these products. And both face harms that may increase the precariousness of their lives: the Makassarian youth face imprisonment if discovered, and the health consequences of these synthetics are not fully understood. Similarly, the Parisian youth also risk lung damage, as vaping, while advertised as “safer” and sought out as a means to reduce the harms associated with cigarette smoke, exposes consumers to chemicals that either are understudied or known to be threats to health. The chapter concludes by pointing how these young people’s lives would benefit from sensible government regulation.
Chemical Creativity
Authors: Hardon Anita
Published: October 2020

The microdosing of mind-altering substances, like LSD and magic mushrooms, is a trend among young creatives, who report enhanced creativity, improved focus, and other productivity-enhancing effects. This chapter,Chemical Creativity, describes how both users and researchers have been exploring the range of effects of microdosing, including through more experimental ethnographic research. Using virtual ethnography, we analyzed drug users’ narratives of their personal experiences, practices, and motivations with microdosing. We also collaborated with participants using online platforms focused on drug experimentation to generate data, combining their collective experiences while acknowledging individual expertise. Finally, we reviewed research on clinical trials that compare the effects of psychoactive substances, like LSD, with placebos. What emerges is a clearer picture of the benefits of microdosing, how dosages are tweaked, and how users engage in “harm reduction from below” by spreading their cautionary tales within the microdosing world. In so doing, we offer a glimpse into how this relatively new practice develops, as it gains popularity with both laypeople and the academic and scientific communities.
Chemical Futures
Authors: Hardon Anita
Published: October 2020

Here we turn to the strategies that young people use to prevent chemical harms, not just those related to single chemicals but also those related to the feedback loops and compounding effects generated by the multiplicity of chemicals in daily life.Chemical Futurestakes as an example youth activists in France, the Générations Cobayes, and their mobilization against endocrine-disrupting chemicals. We examine what contributes to the relative invisibility of toxic risk, pointing especially to the role of corporations in generating uncertainty about scientific evidence. The ChemicalYouth project engaged in a range of collaborative, youth-led projects that demonstrate the many ways youth may be engaged in “harm reduction from below.” We suggest that a ChemicalYouth 2.0 project might involve a wider range of researchers, advisors, and laboratories, to make more visible the multiple toxicities that make up young people’s everyday lives. Finally, we argue that governments should team up with youth and complement their efforts with “harm reduction from above” initiatives to regulate unsafe chemicals and support youths’ efforts to observe the effects of chemicals on their bodies and share information with others.
National Memory in the Making: Gendered Re-Configurations of Martyrdom in Post-revolutionary Tunisia
Authors: Lachenal Perrine
Published: October 2020

Treating the category of “martyr” as socially constructed and contested along gendered and political lines, this chapter examines how heroes and martyrs have been produced and deployed in post-revolutionary Tunisia. It begins by examining governmental attempts, launched soon after the revolution, to monopolize and institutionally define who could benefit from official recognition as a martyr. It then unpacks the differences in definitions of “martyrdom” between official institutions and families of the deceased, arguing that “martyr” is a moral category, the boundaries of which are often drawn in terms of differing masculinities. The chapter goes on to demonstrate how the category of “martyrs of the nation” has progressively overshadowed the category of “martyrs of the revolution” in official memorial practices, as the commemoration of the revolution has progressively focused on its uniformed victims, leaving out the civilian ones.
The Year 1979 as a Turning Point in Syrian Theatre: From Politicization to Critical Humanism
Authors: Pannewick Friederike
Published: October 2020

This chapter investigates a crucial turning point in the writing of Syrian dramatist Saadallah Wannous (1941–1997) in the late 1970s. This internationally acclaimed author belonged to a generation of Arab intellectuals and artists whose political and artistic identities were strongly shaped by the question of Palestine. After the Camp David Accords of 1978 and the resulting Egypt-Israel peace treaty, signed in 1979, Wannous attempted suicide and stopped writing plays for more than ten years. This chapter shows how the plays he published after this self-imposed silence moved away from a didactic, political theater and towards psychological studies focusing on individuals as well as minority and gender issues. This chapter asks whether the significant aesthetic and conceptual turn in Wannous’s work from the early 1990s onwards might go beyond the concerns of a specific individual artist. To what extent does it mark a generational shift in regard to the meaning and connotations of political art?
1968 and the “Long 1960s”: A Transregional Perspective
Authors: Derichs Claudia
Published: October 2020

The year 1968 has a special meaning in some parts of the world, but other regions do not attach as much importance to it. While the view from Europe tends to assert the existence of a “global 1968,” the timeline may look quite different from another vantage point. This chapter addresses “1968 and beyond” or the “long 1960s,” as the period is often referred to, as a time of global transformations, but with particular local manifestations in terms of ideological underpinnings and legitimations for (violent) action. Israel’s defeat of Arab armies and Indonesia’s tragic events of the 1960s paved the way for a gradual strengthening of various Islamic missionary and activist movements that spread across both regions and gained huge mobilizing momentum subsequently. This period had vast repercussions for decades to come (e.g. in terms of “Islamization” in many countries around the globe).
Erratum to: Hunting for vectorlike quarks
Authors: Dermíšek Radovan , Lunghi Enrico , Shin Seodong
Published: October 2020

The two lower panels of figure 1 are mildly modified while all other numerical results are unaffected. In tables 3–5 we adopt a more useful parameterization for the branching ratios in the case of a vectorlike quark doublet with couplings to Hu and Hd.
Non-linearly realized discrete symmetries
Authors: Das Saurav , Hook Anson
Published: October 2020

Abstract

While non-linear realizations of continuous symmetries feature derivative interactions and have no potential, non-linear realizations of discrete symmetries feature non-derivative interactions and have a highly suppressed potential. These Goldstone bosons of discrete symmetries have a non-zero potential, but the potential generated from quantum corrections is inherently very highly suppressed. We explore various discrete symmetries and to what extent the potential is suppressed for each of them.
A family of equivalent norms for Lebesgue spaces
Authors: Fiorenza Alberto , Jain Pankaj
Published: October 2020

If $$\psi :[0,\ell ]\rightarrow [0,\infty [$$

ψ
:
[
0
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→
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∞
[

is absolutely continuous, nondecreasing, and such that $$\psi (\ell )>\psi (0)$$

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>
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, $$\psi (t)>0$$

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>
0

for $$t>0$$

t
>
0

, then for $$f\in L^1(0,\ell )$$

f
∈

L
1

(
0
,
ℓ
)

, we have $$\begin{aligned} \Vert f\Vert _{1,\psi ,(0,\ell )}:=\int \limits _0^\ell \frac{\psi '(t)}{\psi (t)^2}\int \limits _0^tf^*(s)\psi (s)dsdt\approx \int \limits _0^\ell |f(x)|dx=:\Vert f\Vert _{L^1(0,\ell )},\quad (*) \end{aligned}$$

‖
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where the constant in $$ > rsim $$
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depends on $$\psi $$
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we denote the decreasing rearrangement of f. When applied with f replaced by $$|f|^p$$

|
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, $$1<p<\infty $$

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<
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, there exist functions $$\psi $$
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so that the inequality $$\Vert |f|^p\Vert _{1,\psi ,(0,\ell )}\le \Vert |f|^p\Vert _{L^1(0,\ell )}$$

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is not rougher than the classical one-dimensional integral Hardy inequality over bounded intervals $$(0,\ell )$$

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. We make an analysis on the validity of $$(*)$$

(

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under much weaker assumptions on the regularity of $$\psi $$
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, and we get a version of Hardy’s inequality which generalizes and/or improves existing results.
Biomarker testing in oncology – Requirements for organizing external quality assessment programs to improve the performance of laboratory testing: revision of an expert opinion paper on behalf of IQNPath ABSL
Authors: Dufraing K. , Fenizia F. , Torlakovic E. , Wolstenholme N. , Deans Z. C. , Rouleau E. , Vyberg M. , Parry S. , Schuuring E. , Dequeker Elisabeth M. C. ,   on behalf of IQNPath ABSL, Normanno N. , Cheetham M. H. , Patton S. , Keppens C. , van Casteren K. , van Krieken J. H. , Fairley J. A. , Grassow-Narlik M. , Jöhrens K. , Pagliuso J.
Published: October 2020

In personalized medicine, predictive biomarker testing is the basis for an appropriate choice of therapy for patients with cancer. An important tool for laboratories to ensure accurate results is participation in external quality assurance (EQA) programs. Several providers offer predictive EQA programs for different cancer types, test methods, and sample types. In 2013, a guideline was published on the requirements for organizing high-quality EQA programs in molecular pathology. Now, after six years, steps were taken to further harmonize these EQA programs as an initiative by IQNPath ABSL, an umbrella organization founded by various EQA providers. This revision is based on current knowledge, adds recommendations for programs developed for predictive biomarkers by in situ methodologies (immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization), and emphasized transparency and an evidence-based approach. In addition, this updated version also has the aim to give an overview of current practices from various EQA providers.
Patient ambassador support in newly diagnosed patients with acute leukemia during treatment: a feasibility study
Authors: Nørskov Kristina Holmegaard , Overgaard Dorthe , Boesen Jannie , Struer Anne , El-Azem Sarah Elke Weber Due , Tolver Anders , Lomborg Kirsten , Kjeldsen Lars , Jarden Mary
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study investigated the feasibility of patient ambassador support in newly diagnosed patients with acute leukemia during treatment.

Methods

A multicenter single-arm feasibility study that included patients newly diagnosed with acute leukemia (n = 36) and patient ambassadors previously treated for acute leukemia (n = 25). Prior to the intervention, all patient ambassadors attended a 6-h group training program. In the intervention, patient ambassadors provided 12 weeks of support for patients within 2 weeks of being diagnosed. Outcome measures included feasibility (primary outcome), safety, anxiety, and depression measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, quality of life by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Leukemia and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, and symptom burden by MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, the Patient Activation Measure, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale.

Results

Patient ambassador support was feasible and safe in this population. Patients and patient ambassadors reported high satisfaction with the individually adjusted support, and patients improved in psychosocial outcomes over time. Patient ambassadors maintained their psychosocial baseline level, with no adverse events, and used the available support to exchange experiences with other patient ambassadors and to manage challenges.

Conclusion

The patient ambassador support program is feasible and has the potential to be a new model of care incorporated in the hematology clinical care setting, creating an active partnership between patients and former patients. This may strengthen the existing supportive care services for patients with acute leukemia.

Trial registration

NCT03493906
Enhancing seed conservation in rural communities of Guatemala by implementing the dry chain concept
Authors: Guzzon Filippo , Bello Pedro , Bradford Kent J. , Mérida Guzman María de los Angeles , Costich Denise E.
Published: October 2020

Seed conservation in rural communities of low- and middle-income countries located in tropical areas is particularly problematic, due to high relative humidity that promotes insect and fungal infestations and leads to rapid losses in seed viability. Seed conservation in those areas is affected by unreliable power supplies that do not allow the use of dehumidifying and refrigeration systems recommended for the long-term storage of seeds. We tested the dry chain, i.e., initial seed drying with a reusable desiccant in the form of zeolite beads followed by seed conservation in hermetic containers, in rural communities of Guatemala (Huehuetenango Department). In this region, a network of community seed reserves (CSRs) has been established to provide a safety backup for seed and to conserve local agrobiodiversity. Using a local maize variety in three communities, we compared the dry chain with the seed conservation methodology employed in the CSRs (i.e., undried seeds in hermetic flasks) as well as with seed conservation in open storage, both in the local CSR and in a farmer’s granary. Seed conserved using the dry chain treatment maintained very high seed viability (> 80%) throughout the whole experiment (6 months) and reduced fungal and insect infestations (< 3%). In the other treatments, the viability declined significantly to an average of 52% non-viable and 19% infested seeds after 6 months of storage. The dry chain was demonstrated to be an excellent solution for enhancing seed conservation in biodiversity hotspots of tropical areas as well as for improving seed security for farmers.
Myocardial adaptation as assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography after isolated mitral valve surgery for primary mitral regurgitation
Authors: Gerçek Muhammed , Faber Lothar , Rudolph Volker , Fox Henrik , Puehler Thomas , Omran Hazem , Wolf Lisa Katharina , Paluszkiewicz Lech , Zeiher Andreas M. , Hakim-Meibodi Kavous , Gummert Jan , Dimitriadis Zisis
Published: October 2020

The risk of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) maladaptation after surgery for isolated primary mitral regurgitation (PMR) is poorly defined. We aimed to evaluate LV and RV contractile function using speckle-tracking analysis alongside with quantification of exercise tolerance in patients with PMR after mitral valve surgery. All consecutive patients with symptomatic PMR undergoing mitral valve surgery between July 2015 and May 2017 were prospectively enrolled. Sequential echocardiographic studies along with clinical assessment were performed before and three months after surgery. Mean age in 138 patients was 65.8 ± 12.7 years, 48.2% (66) of whom were female. Mean LV ejection fraction decreased from 57 ± 12% to 50 ± 11% (p < 0.001), LV global longitudinal strain deteriorated from −19.2 ± 4.1% to −15.7 ± 3.8% (p < 0.001), and mechanical strain dispersion increased from 88 ± 12 to 117 ± 115 ms (p = 0.004). There was a reduction in tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion from 22 ± 5 mm to 18 ± 4 mm (p < 0.001), as well as a slight deterioration of RV free wall mean longitudinal strain from −16.9 ± 5.6% to −15.7 ± 4.1% (p = 0.05). The rate of moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation significantly decreased (p < 0.005). Regarding exercise tolerance, the New York Heart Association class improved (p < 0.001) and the walking distance increased (p < 0.001). During mid-term follow up after surgery for PMR, a deterioration of LV and RV contractile function measures could be observed. However, the clinical status, LV dimensions, and concomitant tricuspid regurgitation improved which in particular imply more effective RV contractile pattern.
Novel Anti-inflammatory Effects of Canagliflozin Involving Hexokinase II in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells
Authors: Uthman Laween , Kuschma Marius , Römer Gregor , Boomsma Marleen , Kessler Jens , Hermanides Jeroen , Hollmann Markus W. , Preckel Benedikt , Zuurbier Coert J. , Weber Nina C.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Vascular inflammation and disturbed metabolism are observed in heart failure and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Glycolytic enzyme hexokinase II (HKII) is upregulated by inflammation. We hypothesized that SGLT2 inhibitors Canagliflozin (Cana), Empagliflozin (Empa) or Dapagliflozin (Dapa) reduces inflammation via HKII in endothelial cells, and that HKII-dependent inflammation is determined by ERK1/2, NF-κB. and/or AMPK activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs).

Methods

HCAECs were pre-incubated with 3 μM or 10 μM Cana, 1 μM, 3 μM or 10 μM Empa or 0.5 μM, 3 μM or 10 μM Dapa (16 h) and subjected to 3 h LPS (1 μg/mL). HKII was silenced via siRNA transfection. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) release was measured by ELISA. Protein levels of HK I and II, ERK1/2, AMPK and NF-κB were detected using infra-red western blot.

Results

LPS increased IL-6 release and ERK1/2 phosphorylation; Cana prevented these pro-inflammatory responses (IL-6: pg/ml, control 46 ± 2, LPS 280 ± 154 p < 0.01 vs. control, LPS + Cana 96 ± 40, p < 0.05 vs. LPS). Cana reduced HKII expression (HKII/GAPDH, control 0.91 ± 0.16, Cana 0.71 ± 0.13 p < 0.05 vs. control, LPS 1.02 ± 0.25, LPS + Cana 0.82 ± 0.24 p < 0.05 vs. LPS). Empa and Dapa were without effect on IL-6 release and HKII expression in the model used. Knockdown of HKII by 37% resulted caused partial loss of Cana-mediated IL-6 reduction (pg/ml, control 35 ± 5, LPS 188 ± 115 p < 0.05 vs. control, LPS + Cana 124 ± 75) and ERK1/2 activation by LPS. In LPS-stimulated HCAECs, Cana, but not Empa or Dapa, activated AMPK. AMPK activator A769662 reduced IL-6 release.

Conclusion

Cana conveys anti-inflammatory actions in LPS-treated HCAECs through 1) reductions in HKII and ERK1/2 phosphorylation and 2) AMPK activation. These data suggest a novel anti-inflammatory mechanism of Cana through HKII.
A survey of community detection methods in multilayer networks
Authors: Huang Xinyu , Chen Dongming , Ren Tao , Wang Dongqi
Published: October 2020

Community detection is one of the most popular researches in a variety of complex systems, ranging from biology to sociology. In recent years, there’s an increasing focus on the rapid development of more complicated networks, namely multilayer networks. Communities in a single-layer network are groups of nodes that are more strongly connected among themselves than the others, while in multilayer networks, a group of well-connected nodes are shared in multiple layers. Most traditional algorithms can rarely perform well on a multilayer network without modifications. Thus, in this paper, we offer overall comparisons of existing works and analyze several representative algorithms, providing a comprehensive understanding of community detection methods in multilayer networks. The comparison results indicate that the promoting of algorithm efficiency and the extending for general multilayer networks are also expected in the forthcoming studies.
A chronic strain of the cystic fibrosis pathogen Pandoraea pulmonicola expresses a heterogenous hypo-acylated lipid A
Authors: Pither Molly D. , McClean Siobhán , Silipo Alba , Molinaro Antonio , Di Lorenzo Flaviana
Published: October 2020

Pandoraea sp. is an emerging Gram-negative pathogen in cystic fibrosis causing severe and persistent inflammation and damage of the lungs. The molecular mechanisms underlying the high pathogenicity of Pandoraea species are still largely unknown. As Gram-negatives, Pandoraea sp. express lipopolysaccharides (LPS) whose recognition by the host immune system triggers an inflammatory response aimed at the bacterial eradication from the infected tissues. The degree of the inflammatory response strongly relies on the fine structure of the LPS and, in particular, of its glycolipid moiety, i.e. the lipid A. Here we report the structure of the lipid A isolated from the LPS of a chronic strain of P. pulmonicola (RL 8228), one of the most virulent identified so far among the Pandoraea species. Our data demonstrated that the examined chronic strain produces a smooth-type LPS with a complex mixture of hypoacylated lipid A species displaying, among other uncommon characteristics, the 2-hydroxylation of some of the acyl chains and the substitution by an additional glucosamine on one or both the phosphate groups.
Sandstone Ground Stone Technology: a Multi-level Use Wear and Residue Approach to Investigate the Function of Pounding and Grinding Tools
Authors: Cristiani E. , Zupancich A.
Published: October 2020

Ground stone tool (GST) technology includes artefacts utilized in pounding or grinding activities and characterized by long life cycles and multiple uses. The introduction of such technology dates back to early prehistory, and for this reason, it is used as prime evidence for tackling a wide range of archaeological questions such as the origins of technology, patterns of daily subsistence and lifeways. In this paper, we contribute to the field of study of GSTs by discussing the application of a novel multi-level analytical approach combining use wear and residue observations at low and high magnification with residue spatial distribution investigated using GIS. We aim to assess the potential of a combined use wear and residue approach to (1) discriminate specific gestures and worked materials on sandstone GSTs and (2) understand the potential of residue distributions for reconstructing ancient GST functions and, more specifically, the role of GSTs recovered at Mesolithic sites of the Danube Gorges region in the Central Balkans. We identified diagnostic surface modifications associated with the use of GSTs in different activities involving both animal and plant materials. Morphological characteristics of residues have been described under reflected and transmitted light and characterized using biochemical staining. Finally, we mapped residues across the utilized surfaces of experimental tools to link patterns of residue spatial distribution to specific materials and gestures. We expect our methodological approach will be taken up by other researchers in order to produce comparable datasets on GSTs and improve our understanding of their ancient functional biographies.
The Dawn of the Mesolithic on the Plains of Poland
Authors: Płonka Tomasz , Bobak Dariusz , Szuta Michał
Published: October 2020

In this article we take a fresh look at the population dynamics of the Polish Plain in the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene, using Bayesian analysis and modelling of radiocarbon dates, and contrast the results with data from the North German Plain. We argue against simple adaptationalist models and instead see the cultural landscape as a complex patchwork of old forms and the emerging new traits of the early Mesolithic. We argue that the Mesolithic directly follows the Final Palaeolithic on the Polish Plain, without the chronological hiatus of 150–300 years that is often assumed for that region; while, by contrast, the two cultural patterns—Final Palaeolithic and microlith-based Mesolithic—overlapped significantly in time on the adjacent North German Plain.
Mechanochemical and microwave treatment of precipitated zirconium dioxide and study of its physical–chemical, thermal and photocatalytic properties
Authors: Kucio Karolina , Sydorchuk Volodymyr , Khalameida Svitlana , Charmas Barbara
Published: October 2020

The effects of the microwave treatment (MWT) and mechanochemical treatment (MChT) on the structure and physicochemical properties of precipitated zirconium oxide were investigated. The obtained materials were characterized using the N2 adsorption/desorption, thermogravimetry (TG, DTG, DTA), XRD and UV–Vis/DRS methods. Photocatalytic properties of the samples were also studied as regards the rhodamine B (RhB) degradation in the aqueous solution. The results show that the microwave and MChT, differing in mill rotation speed, temperature or treatment media, causes significant changes in the porous structure of the obtained samples. In most samples, the specific surface area increase was observed. The DTA and XRD results showed the formation of crystalline structure during MWT. As follows from the investigations, each way of modification results in the shift of the absorption edge toward higher wavelength values and causes photocatalytic degradation of RhB under UV irradiation and makes the obtained materials effective photocatalysts in the visible region.
La notion de tiers-espace et la traduction juridique : quelle articulation ?
Authors: Flöter-Durr Margarete , Nowak-Korcz Paulina
Published: October 2020

In recent years, we have noticed in many research areas a growing interest in the translation paradigm. In this article we discuss the theory of “cultural translation”, developed by Homi Bhabha in the context of postcolonial studies, and his concept of “Third Space” (2007). This theory aims to describe the different processes at play in the creation of identity within a space in which several cultures coexist. According to Bhabha, “the Third Space, though unrepresentable in itself, constitutes the discursive conditions of enunciation that ensure that the meaning and symbols of culture have no primordial unity or fixity; even the same signs can be appropriated, translated, rehistorised and read anew”. In this article, we aim to examine to what extent this theory can be applied to translation, especially to legal translation. The concepts of “Third Space” and hybridity developed by Bhabha undoubtedly have a certain appeal for the translator. However, from the methodological point of view other approaches seem to allow for a better understanding of the translation aspects raised by Bhabha in his theory. We therefore provide an interesting analysis of the “Third Space” based on the concept ofintervalby Cassin (Éloge de la traduction. Compliquer l’universel, Fayard, Paris, 2016), which is defined as a complex zone of interactions and interferences. This analysis is completed by examining the concept of frontiers by Moréteau (Revue internationale de droit comparé 4(61):695–713, 2009. DOI: 10.3406/ridc.2009.19911) which is implicitly present in the concept ofinterval. In order to analyse the concept of hybridity, the methodological framework of transdifference developed by Srubar (Kultur und Semantik, VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden, 2009) can also be used.
Social dimensions of a forest-based bioeconomy: A summary and synthesis
Authors: Ranacher Lea , Wallin Ida , Valsta Lauri , Kleinschmit Daniela
Published: October 2020

How perceptions of the forest-based bioeconomy differ across country contexts and social groups is important as it opens possibilities for the development of more inclusive, locally and socially relevant bioeconomy policies and strategies. Therefore, this special section explores the social dimensions of the forest-based bioeconomy by focusing on discourses and perceptions of different actor groups in Europe. We introduce six articles that range from review and discursive approaches to consumer studies. The section adds to the existing literature by focusing not only on political decision makers, stakeholders, and experts but also on the public, media and students. Patterns in the presented discourses and perceptions can be identified but more is needed to validate these and respond to the question of representativeness.
Recommendations for the treatment of epilepsy in adult and pediatric patients in Belgium: 2020 update
Authors: Boon Paul , Ferrao Santos Susana , Jansen Anna C. , Lagae Lieven , Legros Benjamin , Weckhuysen Sarah
Published: October 2020

To guide health care professionals in Belgium in selecting the appropriate antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for their epilepsy patients, a group of Belgian epilepsy experts developed recommendations for AED treatment in adults and children (initial recommendations in 2008, updated in 2012). As new drugs have become available, others have been withdrawn, new indications have been approved and recommendations for pregnant women have changed, a new update was pertinent. A group of Belgian epilepsy experts (partly overlapping with the group in charge of the 2008/2012 recommendations) evaluated the most recent international guidelines and relevant literature for their applicability to the Belgian situation (registration status, reimbursement, clinical practice) and updated the recommendations for initial monotherapy in adults and children and add-on treatment in adults. Recommendations for add-on treatment in children were also included (not covered in the 2008/2012 publications). Like the 2008/2012 publications, the current update also covers other important aspects related to the management of epilepsy, including the importance of early referral in drug-resistant epilepsy, pharmacokinetic properties and tolerability of AEDs, comorbidities, specific considerations in elderly and pregnant patients, generic substitution and the rapidly evolving field of precision medicine.
Capturing the wisdom of the crowd: health professions’ educators meet at a virtual world café
Authors: McKimm Judy , Ramani Subha , Kusurkar Rashmi A. , Fornari Alice , Nadarajah Vishna Devi , Thampy Harish , Filipe Helena P. , Kachur E. K. , Hays Richard
Published: October 2020

Background Conversations about educational challenges and potential solutions among a globally and culturally diverse group of health professions’ educators can facilitate identity formation, mentoring relationships and professional network building. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more important to co-create and disseminate knowledge, specifically regarding online and flexible learning formats.

Approach Based on the principles of social learning, we combined speed mentoring and world café formats to offer a virtual Zoom™ workshop, with large and small group discussions, to reach health professions’ educators across the globe. The goal was to establish a psychologically safe space for dialogue regarding adaptation to online teaching-learning formats.

Evaluation We aimed to establish psychological safety to stimulate thought-provoking discussions within the various small groups and obtain valuable contributions from participants. From these conversations, we were able to formulate ‘hot tips’ on how to adapt to (sometimes new) online teaching-learning formats while nurturing teacher and student wellbeing.

Reflection Through this virtual workshop we realized that despite contextual differences, many challenges are common worldwide. We experienced technological difficulties during the session, which needed rapid adaptation by the organising team. We encouraged, but did not pressure, participants to use video and audio during breakout discussions as we wanted them to feel safe and comfortable. The large audience size and different time zones were challenging; therefore, leadership had to be resilient and focussed. Although this virtual format was triggered by the pandemic, the format can be continued in the future to discuss other relevant global education topics.