bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Production of Recombinant Proteins by Agrobacterium-Mediated Transient Expression
Authors: Spiegel Holger , Schillberg Stefan , Nölke Greta
Published: May 2022

The agroinfiltration of plant tissue is a robust method that allows the rapid and transient expression of recombinant proteins. Using wild-type plants as biomass, agroinfiltration exploits the ability of plants to synthesize even complex multimeric proteins that require oxidative folding and/or post-translational modifications, while avoiding the expensive and time-consuming creation of stably transformed plant lines. Here we describe a generic method for the transient expression of recombinant proteins inNicotiana benthamianaat the small to medium laboratory scale, including appropriate binary vectors, the design and cloning of expression constructs, the transformation, selection, and cultivation of recombinantAgrobacterium tumefaciens, the infiltration of plants using a syringe or vacuum device, and finally the extraction of recombinant proteins from plant tissues.
Guiding Refugees Through European Bureaucracy: Designing a Trustworthy Mobile App for Document Management
Authors: Amard Alexandre , Hoess Alexandra , Roth Tamara , Fridgen Gilbert , Rieger Alexander
Published: May 2022

After being granted asylum in European countries, refugees need to go through a multitude of administrative processes before they can participate in society. However, these processes are often challenging, as refugees struggle to understand them, lack instructions for managing paperwork, and do not possess the required language skills. Prior research emphasizes the role of information and communication technologies to simplify and enable refugee-friendly administrative processes. However, recent research and existing applications mainly focus on information retrieval and do not offer assistance for understanding official letters, completing administrative forms, and managing corresponding documents. Furthermore, refugees are often reluctant to use existing applications as they do not trust their host country’s governments and public authorities. In this research, we aim to address this functional and trust gap. We follow a design science research approach to develop a design for a refugee-centric and trustworthy mobile application that assists refugees along administrative processes. In doing so, we identify three design principles that may guide the development of such applications for refugees.
Comments on classical AdS flux vacua with scale separation
Authors: Apers Fien , Montero Miguel , Van Riet Thomas , Wrase Timm
Published: May 2022

Abstract

AdS flux vacua with a parametric separation between the AdS and KK scales have been conjectured to be in the Swampland. We study flux compactifications of massive IIA supergravity with O6 planes which are claimed to allow moduli-stabilised and scale separated AdS3 and AdS4 vacua at arbitrary weak coupling and large volume. A recent refinement of the AdS Distance Conjecture is shown to be inconsistent with this class of AdS3 vacua because the requisite discrete higher form symmetries are absent. We further perform a tree-level study of non-perturbative decays for the nonsupersymmetric versions of the AdS3 solutions, and find that the vacua are stable within this approximation. Finally, we provide an initial investigation of the would-be dual CFT2s and CFT3s. We study roughly a dozen different models and find for all AdS4 DGKT-type vacua that the dual operators to the lightest scalars have integer dimensions. For the putative CFT2 dual theories of the AdS3 vacua we find no integer dimensions for the operators.
Uniqueness for degenerate parabolic equations in weighted $$L^1$$ spaces
Authors: Nobili Camilla , Punzo Fabio
Published: May 2022

We study uniqueness of solutions to degenerate parabolic problems, posed in bounded domains, where no boundary conditions are imposed. Under suitable assumptions on the operator, uniqueness is obtained for solutions that satisfy an appropriate integral condition; in particular, such condition holds for possibly unbounded solutions belonging to a suitable weighted $$L^1$$

L
1

space.
Exposing implicit biases and stereotypes in human and artificial intelligence: state of the art and challenges with a focus on gender
Authors: Marinucci Ludovica , Mazzuca Claudia , Gangemi Aldo
Published: May 2022

Biases in cognition are ubiquitous. Social psychologists suggested biases and stereotypes serve a multifarious set of cognitive goals, while at the same time stressing their potential harmfulness. Recently, biases and stereotypes became the purview of heated debates in the machine learning community too. Researchers and developers are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that some biases, like gender and race biases, are entrenched in the algorithms some AI applications rely upon. Here, taking into account several existing approaches that address the problem of implicit biases and stereotypes, we propose that a strategy to cope with this phenomenon is to unmask those found in AI systems by understanding their cognitive dimension, rather than simply trying to correct algorithms. To this extent, we present a discussion bridging together findings from cognitive science and insights from machine learning that can be integrated in a state-of-the-art semantic network. Remarkably, this resource can be of assistance to scholars (e.g., cognitive and computer scientists) while at the same time contributing to refine AI regulations affecting social life. We show how only through a thorough understanding of the cognitive processes leading to biases, and through an interdisciplinary effort, we can make the best of AI technology.
Source and rank-dependent utility
Authors: Abdellaoui Mohammed , Zank Horst
Published: May 2022

Foundations are provided for rank-dependent preferences within the popular two-stage framework of Anscombe–Aumann, in which risk and ambiguity feature as distinct sources of uncertainty. We advance the study of attitudes towards ambiguity without imposing expected utility for risk. As a result, in our general model, ambiguity attitude can be captured by non-additive subjective probabilities as under Choquet expected utility or by a specific utility for ambiguity as in recursive expected utility or, if required, by both. The key property for preferences builds on (discrete) rates of substitution which are standardly applied in economics. By demanding consistency for these rates of substitution across events and within or across sources of uncertainty, we obtain a model that nests popular theories for risk and ambiguity. This way, new possibilities for theoretical and empirical analyses of these theories emerge.
A survey on computational taste predictors
Authors: Malavolta Marta , Pallante Lorenzo , Mavkov Bojan , Stojceski Filip , Grasso Gianvito , Korfiati Aigli , Mavroudi Seferina , Kalogeras Athanasios , Alexakos Christos , Martos Vanessa , Amoroso Daria , Di Benedetto Giacomo , Piga Dario , Theofilatos Konstantinos , Deriu Marco Agostino
Published: May 2022

Taste is a sensory modality crucial for nutrition and survival, since it allows the discrimination between healthy foods and toxic substances thanks to five tastes, i.e., sweet, bitter, umami, salty, and sour, associated with distinct nutritional or physiological needs. Today, taste prediction plays a key role in several fields, e.g., medical, industrial, or pharmaceutical, but the complexity of the taste perception process, its multidisciplinary nature, and the high number of potentially relevant players and features at the basis of the taste sensation make taste prediction a very complex task. In this context, the emerging capabilities of machine learning have provided fruitful insights in this field of research, allowing to consider and integrate a very large number of variables and identifying hidden correlations underlying the perception of a particular taste. This review aims at summarizing the latest advances in taste prediction, analyzing available food-related databases and taste prediction tools developed in recent years.
Discovery of Slow Variables in a Class Of Multiscale Stochastic Systems Via Neural Networks
Authors: Zieliński Przemysław , Hesthaven Jan S.
Published: May 2022

Finding a reduction of complex, high-dimensional dynamics to its essential, low-dimensional “heart” remains a challenging yet necessary prerequisite for designing efficient numerical approaches. Machine learning methods have the potential to provide a general framework to automatically discover such representations. In this paper, we consider multiscale stochastic systems with local slow-fast timescale separation and propose a new method to encode in an artificial neural network a map that extracts the slow representation from the system. The architecture of the network consists of an encoder–decoder pair that we train in a supervised manner to learn the appropriate low-dimensional embedding in the bottleneck layer. We test the method on a number of examples that illustrate the ability to discover a correct slow representation. Moreover, we provide an error measure to assess the quality of the embedding and demonstrate that pruning the network can pinpoint essential coordinates of the system to build the slow representation.
C-reactive protein elevation predicts in-hospital deterioration after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Alessandro Ostini , Rene Warschkow , Stefan Wolf , Miodrag Filipovic , Martin Seule , Oliver Bozinov , Urs Pietsch
Published: May 2022

Background

There is increasing evidence that inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and in the development of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). However, the assessment and interpretation of classically defined inflammatory parameters is difficult in aSAH patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between easily assessable findings (hyperventilation, fever, white blood cell count (WBC), and C-reactive protein (CRP)) and the occurrence of DCI and unfavorable neurological outcome at discharge in aSAH patients.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from a single center cohort. We evaluated the potential of clinical signs of inflammation (hyperventilation, fever) and simple inflammatory laboratory parameters CRP and WBC to predict unfavorable outcomes at discharge and DCI in a multivariate analysis. A cutoff value for CRP was calculated by Youden’s J statistic. Outcome was measured using the modified Rankin score at discharge, with an unfavorable outcome defined as modified Rankin scale (mRS) > 3.

Results

We included 97 consecutive aSAH patients (63 females, 34 males, mean age 58 years) in the analysis. Twenty-one (22%) had major disability or died by the time of hospital discharge. Among inflammatory parameters, CRP over 100 mg/dl on day 2 was an independent predictor for worse neurological outcome at discharge. The average C-reactive protein level in the first 14 days was higher in patients with a worse neurological outcome (96.6, SD 48.3 vs 56.3 mg/dl, SD 28.6) in the first 14 days after aSAH. C-reactive protein on day 2 was an indicator of worse neurological outcome. No inflammatory parameter was an independent predictor of DCI. After multivariate adjustment, DCI, increased age, and more than 1 day of mechanical ventilation were significant predictors of worse neurological outcome.

Conclusions

Early elevated CRP levels were a significant predictor of worse neurological outcome at hospital discharge and may be a useful marker of later deterioration in aSAH.
Tooth agenesis in German orthodontic patients with non-syndromic craniofacial disorder: a retrospective evaluation of panoramic radiographs
Authors: Weise C. , Lehmann M. , Schulz M. C. , Reinert S. , Koos B. , Weise H.
Published: May 2022

Objectives

The study objective was to evaluate the tooth agenesis in German orthodontic patients with non-syndromic cleft lip and/or palate and Robin sequence compared to a control group without craniofacial disorder.

Materials/methods

A total of 108 panoramic radiographs were examined using the binary system of Tooth Agenesis Code (TAC) (excluding the third molar). Patients were divided into the craniofacial disorder group 1 (n = 43) and the healthy control group 2 (n = 65). Parameters such as skeletal class malformation, sex, localization of the cleft, craniofacial disorder, and interobserver reliability were assessed.

Results

Permanent tooth agenesis was observed in 44% of group 1 and 14% in group 2 with a statistically significant higher prevalence (p = 0.00162 (χ2)). Fourteen different TAC patterns were observed in group 1, ten of these occurring only once in separate patients. The distribution of the TAC codes in group 2 showed nine different possibilities of TAC code patterns; seven TACs were unique. In group 1, the most frequently absent teeth were the maxillary lateral incisor of the left side (30%); in group 2, the second premolar of the lower jaw on the right side (9%). Male patients with craniofacial disorder showed a higher percentage of tooth agenesis than female.

Conclusion

The data presented here shows a statistically significant higher prevalence of tooth agenesis in German patients with non-syndromic craniofacial disorder.

Clinical relevance

Radiographic evaluation enables the diagnosis of tooth agenesis. Recognizing early on the higher prevalence of tooth agenesis in patients exhibiting a craniofacial disorder is an important issue when developing long-term and comprehensive interdisciplinary treatment.
On the minimum number of resources for a perfect schedule
Authors: Benmansour Rachid , Braun Oliver
Published: May 2022

In the single-processor scheduling problem with time restrictions there is one main processor and B resources that are used to execute the jobs. A perfect schedule has no idle times or gaps on the main processor and the makespan is therefore equal to the sum of the processing times. In general, more resources result in smaller makespans, and as it is in practical applications often more economic not to mobilize resources that will be unnecessary and expensive, we investigate in this paper the problem to find the smallest number B of resources that make a perfect schedule possible. We show that the decision version of this problem is NP-complete, derive new structural properties of perfect schedules, and we describe a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MIP) formulation to solve the problem. A large number of computational tests show that (for our randomly chosen problem instances) only $$B=3$$

B
=
3

or $$B=4$$

B
=
4

resources are sufficient for a perfect schedule.
Out of the shadows: automatic fish detection from acoustic cameras
Authors: Connolly R. M. , Jinks K. I. , Shand A. , Taylor M. D. , Gaston T. F. , Becker A. , Jinks E. L.
Published: May 2022

Efficacious monitoring of fish stocks is critical for efficient management. Multibeam acoustic cameras, that use sound-reflectance to generate moving pictures, provide an important alternative to traditional video-based methods that are inoperable in turbid waters. However, acoustic cameras, like standard video monitoring methods, produce large volumes of imagery from which it is time consuming and costly to extract data manually. Deep learning, a form of machine learning, can be used to automate the processing and analysis of acoustic data. We used convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to detect and count fish in a publicly available dual-frequency identification sonar (DIDSON) dataset. We compared three types of detections, direct acoustic, acoustic shadows, and a combination of direct and shadows. The deep learning model was highly reliable at detecting fish to obtain abundance data using acoustic data. Model accuracy for counts-per-image was improved by the inclusion of shadows (F1 scores, a measure of the model accuracy: direct 0.79, shadow 0.88, combined 0.90). Model accuracy for MaxN per video was high for all three types of detections (F1 scores: direct 0.90, shadow 0.90, combined 0.91). Our results demonstrate that CNNs are a powerful tool for automating underwater acoustic data analysis. Given this promise, we suggest broadening the scope of testing to include a wider range of fish shapes, sizes, and abundances, with a view to automating species (or ‘morphospecies’) identification and counts.
Characterization of a value for games under restricted cooperation
Authors: Albizuri M. Josune , Masuya Satoshi , Zarzuelo José M.
Published: May 2022

The object of this paper is to study restricted cooperative games, that is, cooperative games for which the worth of some coalitions is unknown. We consider a value for these restricted cooperative games whose definition is based on the Harsanyi’s dividends approach, and can therefore be seen as an extension of the Shapley value. We provide a characterization of this value with three axioms: Carrier, Symmetric-partnership and Additivity, which are similar to those proposed by Shapley (in: Kuhn and Tucker (eds) Contributions to the theory of games, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1953). In addition, we characterize this value on the subclass of restricted cooperative simple games. Finally, we apply this value for restricted cooperative games to analyze the power distribution of the Catalonian Parliament in 1980 and compare the results with those of the coalitional value in Carreras and Owen (Math Soc Sci 15:87–92, 1988).
Elastic Deformations of Spherical Core-Shell Systems Under an Equatorial Load
Authors: Kolker Jannis , Fischer Lukas , Menzel Andreas M. , Löwen Hartmut
Published: May 2022

Macroscopic elastic core-shell systems can be generated as toy models to be deformed and haptically studied by hand. On the mesoscale, colloidal core-shell particles and microgels are fabricated and investigated by different types of microscopy. We analyse, using linear elasticity theory, the response of spherical core-shell systems under the influence of a line density of force that is oriented radially and acts along the equator of the outer surface. Interestingly, deformational coupling of the shell to the core can determine the resulting overall appearance in response to the forces. We address various combinations of radii, stiffness, and Poisson ratio of core and shell and illustrate the resulting deformations. Macroscopically, the situation could be realized by wrapping a cord around the equator of a macroscopic model system and pulling it tight. On the mesoscale, colloidal microgel particles symmetrically confined to the interface between two immiscible fluids are pulled radially outward by surface tension.
Psychological Coping and Behavioral Adjustment Among Older Adults in Times of COVID-19: Exploring the Protective Role of Working Memory and Habit Propensity
Authors: Brinkhof Lotte P. , Ridderinkhof K. Richard , van de Vijver Irene , Murre Jaap M. J. , Krugers Harm J. , de Wit Sanne
Published: May 2022

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, well-being, and behavior is likely influenced by individual characteristics that determine one’s capacity for resilience. In this exploratory study, we examined whether individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity and habit propensity (HP), measured before the outbreak, could predict variation in subsequent psychological coping efficacy (as operationalized by measures of depression, mental well-being, perceived stress, and loneliness) and behavioral adjustment (by evaluating compliance and self-reported automaticity of four COVID-19 guidelines) among Dutch older adults (n = 36) during the pandemic (measured April 25 to May 6, 2020). While we found elevated levels of depression and emotional loneliness, overall mental well-being, and perceived stress were not affected by the pandemic. Contrary to our expectations, we found no robust evidence for a protective role of WM in predicting these outcomes, although our findings hint at a positive relationship with perceived change in mental well-being. Interestingly, WM and HP were found to affect the self-reported automaticity levels of adherence to behavioral COVID-19 guidelines (i.e., washing hands, physical distancing), where a strong HP appeared beneficial when deliberate resources were less available (e.g., low WM capacity). These novel and preliminary findings offer new potential avenues for investigating individual differences in resilience in times of major life events or challenges.
Chemomechanical weakening of muscovite quantified with in situ liquid nanoindentation
Authors: Mook William M. , Ilgen Anastasia G. , Jungjohann Katherine L. , DelRio Frank W.
Published: May 2022

Chemomechanical weakening of layered phyllosilicate muscovite mica was studied as a function of chemical environment via in situ liquid-nanoindentation under four conditions (dry, deionized water, and two NaCl solutions of different pH). While traditional indentation analyses of layered materials with extreme mechanical anisotropy have been limited due to displacement bursts (pop-ins), here the bursts were used as proxies for delamination, fracture, and spalling events. Since displacement bursts during an indent represent a stochastic process, 120 indents were conducted for each condition to generate statistically significant amounts of data. In total, over 9000 bursts were assessed using a load–displacement threshold criterion, classifying this as a high-throughput nanoscale fracture technique. For each burst, initiation load, initiation displacement, plastic zone volume at initiation, and energy dissipation were analyzed. A power-law relationship between the burst load and burst energy was noted which separated the bursts into two continuous distributions: (1) bursts due only to the mechanics of the indent and (2) bursts due to both the mechanics of the indent and the environment. By using a cumulative probability distribution, it was found that the NaCl solutions decreased the minimum plastic zone volume necessary to initiate a displacement burst by an order of magnitude relative to the dry condition. Finally, the underlying mechanisms explaining the trends in initiation volume as a function of environment were discussed, with a focus on the chemomechanical degradation processes via chemical attack and cation exchange.
Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities of Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra) depend on climate and tree age in natural forests of the Alps
Authors: Mandolini Edoardo , Bacher Margit , Peintner Ursula
Published: May 2022

Background and Aims

Pinus cembra represent a typical and important tree species growing in European subalpine and alpine habitats. The ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities associated to this tree under natural conditions are largely unknown.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the ECM fungal abundance and composition at four high-altitude sites (two northern-exposed and two southern-exposed habitats) in South Tyrol (Italy), and included also two different age classes of P. cembra. The ECM partners were characterized morphologically, and identified by rDNA ITS sequence analysis.

Results

The degree of mycorrhization in adult P. cembra was typically 100% in these natural habitats, with a total species diversity of 20 ECM species. The four high-altitude sites were similar concerning their species richness and mycobiont diversity, but they differed significantly in ECM species composition. Young P. cembra had a mycorrhization degree of 100% and a total of 10 species were observed. All mycorrhizal partners of naturally regenerated young P. cembra were only detected in one specific location, with the exception of Cenococcum sp. and Amphinema sp. which were detected at two sites. Young trees harbour a distinct ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity, which is clearly lower than the diversity detected in adult P. cembra trees. The P. cembra bolete (Suillus plorans) is the most important symbiotic partner of P. cembra at Southern Tyrolean high-altitude sites and is known for its strict, species-specific host association.

Conclusions

The ectomycorrhizal fungal community composition strongly depends on geographic region and on the slope exposure (north or south) of the site.
How do higher education students regulate their learning with video modeling examples, worked examples, and practice problems?
Authors: van Harsel Milou , Hoogerheide Vincent , Janssen Eva , Verkoeijen Peter , van Gog Tamara
Published: May 2022

Presenting novices with examples and problems is an effective and efficient way to acquire new problem-solving skills. Nowadays, examples and problems are increasingly presented in computer-based learning environments, in which learners often have to self-regulate their learning (i.e., choose what type of task to work on and when). Yet, it is questionable how novices self-regulate their learning from examples and problems, and to what extent their choices match with effective principles from instructional design research. In this study, 147 higher education students had to learn how to solve problems on the trapezoidal rule. During self-regulated learning, they were free to select six tasks from a database of 45 tasks that varied in task format (video examples, worked examples, practice problems), complexity level (level 1, 2, 3), and cover story. Almost all students started with (video) example study at the lowest complexity level. The number of examples selected gradually decreased and task complexity gradually increased during the learning phase. However, examples and lowest level tasks remained relatively popular throughout the entire learning phase. There was no relation between students' total score on how well their behavior matched with the instructional design principles and learning outcomes, mental effort, and motivational variables.
Successful restoration of archived ovine formalin fixed paraffin-embedded tissue DNA and single nucleotide polymorphism analysis
Authors: Kravitz Amanda , Tyler Ron , Manohar B. Murali , Ronald B. Samuel Masilamoni , Collins Michael T. , Sriranganathan Nammalwar
Published: May 2022

Archived formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues are powerful tools in medicine, capable of harboring diagnostic and genetic answers to challenging clinical questions. Successful utilization of DNA derived from FFPE samples is dependent upon repairing DNA damage generated from the fixation process. Methods to repair FFPE DNA have been successful in human medicine for a variety of research and clinical applications, yet remain underutilized in veterinary medicine. Despite the available technology, our study is the first to evaluate the repair of FFPE derived DNA from veterinary species for single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis using the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip and Illumina FFPE QC and DNA Restore kit. To accomplish this, 48 ovine FFPE samples were run using the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip with and without restoration. Compared to pre-restore data, we found increased sample call rates, SNP call frequency, and assay metrics for all samples post-restoration. Further, we utilized four sheep with available parallel fresh DNA and FFPE DNA to compare assay metrics and genotype calls between the two starting sample types. Although fresh samples generated increased call rates, we found 99% concordance in allele calls between restored FFPE and fresh DNA for all four samples. Our results indicate successful restoration and genotyping of ovine FFPE samples using this technology, with potential for utilization in other veterinary species.
Differences between boulderers and top rope climbers in the relationship between anxiety and disordered eating
Authors: Modaberi Shaghayegh , van Andel Steven , Saemi Esmaeel , Joubert Lanae M. , Taheri Morteza
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Disordered eating (DE) has been associated with elevated anxiety, high stress, and low self-esteem and occurs often in sports where weight is a limiting factor. Sport climbing in general provides a combination in these aspects but the relevance of a low body weight differs in the different climbing types (e.g., weight supported top rope climbing vs non-supported bouldering). To date, these differences have yet been investigated, while they might provide useful insight into the mechanisms of disordered eating and potential preventative strategies. This study aimed to assess the influence of different types of climbing (bouldering vs top rope) on the relation between anxiety and DE.

Methods

59 rock climbers (male, n = 38; female, n = 21; mean age = 28.33 ± 7.4 years) completed a survey (including the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, Mental toughness Questionnaire, Cattell's Anxiety Scale Questionnaire) investigating preferred climbing style, trait anxiety, mental toughness, and eating behavior.

Results

Boulderers showed a higher anxiety score compared to top rope climbers. Among boulderers, higher anxiety levels were associated with lower mental toughness. Among top rope climbers, anxiety was associated with emotional and external eating behavior.

Conclusion

Findings showed a higher anxiety in boulderers but no greater measures of DE. It is possible that, through their experience in a high anxiety environment, boulderers have been able to develop effective coping strategies that have a protective effect against DE.
Brain partial volume correction with point spreading function reconstruction in high-resolution digital PET: comparison with an MR-based method in FDG imaging
Authors: Ibaraki Masanobu , Matsubara Keisuke , Shinohara Yuki , Shidahara Miho , Sato Kaoru , Yamamoto Hiroyuki , Kinoshita Toshibumi
Published: May 2022

Objective

In quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) of the brain, partial volume effect due mainly to the finite spatial resolution of the PET scanner (> 3 mm full width at half maximum [FWHM]) is a primary source of error in the measurement of tracer uptake, especially in small structures such as the cerebral cortex (typically < 3 mm thickness). The aim of this study was to evaluate the partial volume correction (PVC) performance of point spread function-incorporated reconstruction (PSF reconstruction) in combination with the latest digital PET scanner. This evaluation was performed through direct comparisons with magnetic resonance imaging (MR)-based PVC (used as a reference method) in a human brain study.

Methods

Ten healthy subjects underwent brain 18F-FDG PET (30-min acquisition) on a digital PET/CT system (Siemens Biograph Vision, 3.5-mm FWHM scanner resolution at the center of the field of view) and anatomical T1-weighted MR imaging for MR-based PVC. PSF reconstruction was applied with a wide range of iterations (4 to 256; 5 subsets). FDG uptake in the cerebral cortex was evaluated using the standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) and compared between PSF reconstruction and MR-based PVC.

Results

Cortical structures were visualized by PSF reconstruction with several tens of iterations and were anatomically well matched with the MR-derived cortical segments. Higher numbers of iterations resulted in higher cortical SUVRs, which approached those of MR-based PVC (1.76), although even with the maximum number of iterations they were still smaller by 16% (1.47), corresponding to approximately 1.5-mm FWHM of the effective spatial resolution.

Conclusion

With the latest digital PET scanner, PSF reconstruction can be used as a PVC technique in brain PET, albeit with suboptimal resolution recovery. A relative advantage of PSF reconstruction is that it can be applied not only to cerebral cortical regions, but also to various small structures such as small brain nuclei that are hardly visualized on anatomical T1-weighted imaging, and thus hardly recovered by MR-based PVC.
Band-like transport in non-fullerene acceptor semiconductor Y6
Authors: Chen Kaixuan , Wei Huan , Chen Ping-An , Liu Yu , Guo Jing , Xia Jiangnan , Xie Haihong , Qiu Xincan , Hu Yuanyuan
Published: May 2022

The recently reported non-fullerene acceptor (NFA) Y6 has been extensively investigated for high-performance organic solar cells. However, its charge transport property and physics have not been fully studied. In this work, we acquired a deeper understanding of the charge transport in Y6 by fabricating and characterizing thin-film transistors (TFTs), and found that the electron mobility of Y6 is over 0.3–0.4 cm2/(V⋅s) in top-gate bottom-contact devices, which is at least one order of magnitude higher than that of another well-known NFA ITIC. More importantly, we observed band-like transport in Y6 spin-coated films through temperature-dependent measurements on TFTs. This is particularly amazing since such transport behavior is rarely seen in polycrystalline organic semiconductor films. Further morphology characterization and discussions indicate that the band-like transport originates from the unique molecule packing motif of Y6 and the special phase of the film. As such, this work not only demonstrates the superior charge transport property of Y6, but also suggests the great potential of developing high-mobility n-type organic semiconductors, on the basis of Y6.

Graphical Abstract
Chronotherapy based on modified-release hydrocortisone to restore the physiological cortisol diurnal rhythm
Authors: Whitaker Martin J. , Huatan Hiep , Ross Richard J.
Published: May 2022

In this inspirational note, we describe the development of an endocrine chronotherapy to restore the physiological rhythm of the essential adrenal stress hormone, cortisol. The challenges included demonstrating the circadian rhythm of the drug target, creating a drug formulation that replicated that rhythm and then proving benefit in clinical trials. The physiological cortisol circadian rhythm is well defined with cortisol levels high on waking and low on going to sleep. We experimented with different formulation technologies including modified-release tablets and multi-particulates to replicate the cortisol rhythm where absent through disease. We describe the development of Efmody®, a modified-release formulation of hydrocortisone, which replicates the cortisol diurnal rhythm and improves the disease control of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, the commonest hereditary form of adrenal insufficiency. This program shows it is possible, through modified-release technology, to treat chronic endocrine diseases with physiological replacement to preserve health for life.
Cognitive dysfunction following COVID-19 infection
Authors: Hadad Rafi , Khoury Johad , Stanger Chen , Fisher Tali , Schneer Sonia , Ben-Hayun Rachel , Possin Katherine , Valcour Victor , Aharon-Peretz Judith , Adir Yochai
Published: May 2022

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is still evolving, causing hundreds of millions of infections around the world. The long-term sequelae of COVID-19 and neurologic syndromes post COVID remain poorly understood. The present study aims to characterize cognitive performance in patients experiencing cognitive symptoms post-COVID infection. Patients evaluated at a post COVID clinic in Northern Israel who endorsed cognitive symptoms were referred for neurologic consultation. The neurologic work-up included detailed medical history, symptom inventory, neurological examination, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), laboratory tests and brain CT or MRI. Between December 2020 and June 2021, 46 patients were referred for neurological consultation (65% female), mean age 49.5 (19–72 years). On the MoCA test, executive functions, particularly phonemic fluency, and attention, were impaired. In contrast, the total MoCA score, and memory and orientation subscores did not differ from expected ranges. Disease severity, premorbid condition, pulmonary function tests and hypoxia did not contribute to cognitive performance. Cognitive decline may affect otherwise healthy patients post-COVID, independent of disease severity. Our examination identified abnormalities in executive function, attention, and phonemic fluency. These findings occurred despite normal laboratory tests and imaging findings.
Long-term evaluation of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on acute stroke management: an analysis of the 21-month data from a medical facility in Tokyo
Authors: Mitsuhashi Takashi , Tokugawa Joji , Mitsuhashi Hitoshi
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global public health crisis and profoundly impacted acute treatment delivery. This study conducted long-term evaluations of the impact of the pandemic on acute stroke management.

Methods

Data from a university-owned medical facility in Tokyo, Japan, were retrospectively analyzed. The number of hospital admissions for stroke and time metrics in the management of patients with acute ischemic stroke were evaluated. A year-over-year comparison was conducted using data from April 2019 to December 2021 to assess the impact of the pandemic.

Results

The year-over-year comparison demonstrated that the number of admissions of patients with stroke and patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), and thrombectomy during the pandemic remained comparable to the pre-COVID data. However, we found a decrease in the number of admissions of patients with stroke alerts and stroke when hospital cluster infection occurred at this facility and when the region hosted the Tokyo Olympics games during the surge of infection. The door-to-computed tomography time in 2021 was affected. This is plausibly due to the reorganization of in-hospital stroke care pathways after hospital cluster infection. However, no significant difference was observed in the onset-to-door, door-to-MRI, door-to-needle, or door-to-groin puncture times.

Conclusions

We did not observe long-term detrimental effects of the pandemic at this site. Prevention of hospital cluster infections remains critical to provide safe and timely acute stroke management during the pandemic.
Association of dynamic changes in serum levels of HBV DNA and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xu Xin , Jiang Jie , Song Ci , Yu Chengxiao , Zhu Liguo , Qian Jiao , Tian Ting , Ding Yuqing , Zhu Fengcai , Hu Zhibin , Zhai Xiangjun
Published: May 2022

Background and aims

We aimed to examine the risk of HCC associated with the long-term change patterns in HBV DNA levels.

Methods

We conducted a longitudinal study of 6,301 participants with chronic HBV infection (CHB) from October 2012 to June 2019 and measured serum levels of HBV DNA at enrollment and during follow-up. The dynamic change patterns of HBV DNA were identified by group-based trajectory models. The associations between change patterns of HBV DNA and HCC were estimated using Cox regression models.

Results

During 35,112 person-years of follow-up, 182 participants developed HCC (518.34 per 105 person-years). Five trajectory groups of repeated measurement of HBV DNA were identified. The risk of HCC was significantly higher for the “high, fast-declined” group whose HBV DNA spontaneously decreased from > 2000 IU/mL at baseline compared with those with persistent undetected HBV DNA (reference group; 963.96 per 105 person-years, HR = 2.62, 95% CI, 1.82 to 3.77, P < 0.001). In addition, the “rebound” group whose HBV DNA level increased from undetectable level to > 20,000 IU/mL from baseline to the end of follow-up also showed an obviously higher cumulative HCC incidence rate (1193.29 per 105 person-years, HR = 4.17, 95% CI, 1.87 to 9.31, P < 0.001). The positive association remained stable after taking the potential effect of time-dependent antiviral treatment into account.

Conclusions

Significant variability in serum levels of HBV DNA presented during long-term follow-up. Regular monitoring of serum levels of HBV DNA and antiviral treatment are required for the clinical management of CHB patients, as well as those with undetected HBV DNA.
Treatment of Urethral Intercourse and Impact on Female Sexual Function
Authors: Djordjevic ML , Bizic M , Stojanovic B , Ivanovski O , Purohit R
Published: May 2022

Background

Urethral intercourse is a very rare entity which usually presents as urinary incontinence during and after intercourse and is most commonly seen in patients with vaginal agenesis (Mayer–Rokitansky–Hauser Syndrome) or hypoplasia, or other rear vaginal anomalies.

Aim

To evaluate management and outcomes for vaginal and urethral consequences of urethral intercourse, including urinary incontinence.

Methods

Between February 2006 and March 2021, 8 women aged from 17 to 22 years underwent genital and urethral reconstruction due to consequences of urethral sexual intercourse. Vaginal reconstruction included sigmoid vaginoplasty and introitoplasty with division of the vaginal septum in cases of vaginal agenesis (5 cases) and vaginal duplication (3 cases), respectively. Incontinence was treated by sling procedures in 5 women with longer history of urethral coitus and evident bladder neck prolapse.

Outcomes

Sexual and psychosexual outcomes assessment was based on the Female Sexual Function Index and standardized questionnaires.

Results

Follow-up ranged from 9 to 188 months (mean 78 months). Good esthetical and functional results were achieved in all 8 women. All patients reported satisfactory sexual intercourse. All 5 incontinent women who had underwent sling procedure were continent. In one of 3 nontreated cases, additional sling treatment was indicated 6 months after vaginal reconstruction with satisfactory outcome. One patient with vaginal duplication reported a successful pregnancy with a Caesarean section delivery.

Clinical Implications

Urinary incontinence with megalourethra in young women, along with the presence of Mullerian anomalies should raise suspicion of urethral coitus. Surgical treatment includes correction of vaginal anomalies and management of consequences.

Strengths and Limitations

This study represents one of the largest series for urethral intercourse, with assessment of psychosexual outcome. The limitation is the lack of statistical analysis due to small sample size.

Conclusion

Urethral intercourse is very rare, but it can cause severe consequences. It is important to recognize this occurrence and treat it by well-known vaginal or urethral reconstructive procedures.
The Science of Learning and Development in Education
Authors: Kim Minkang , Sankey Derek
Published: May 2022

All teachers need to know how children and adolescents learn and develop. Traditionally, this knowledge had been informed by a mix of speculative and scientific theory. However, in the past three decades there has been substantial growth in new scientific knowledge about how we learn. The Science of Learning and Development in Education provides an exciting and comprehensive introduction to this field. This innovative text introduces readers to brain science and the science of complex systems as it applies to human development. Section 1 examines the science of learning and development in the 21st century; Section 2 explores the emotional, cultural, moral and empathetic brain; and Section 3 focuses on learning, wellbeing and the ecology of learning environments. Written in an engaging style by leading experts and generously illustrated with colour photographs and diagrams, The Science of Learning and Development in Education is an essential resource for pre-service teachers.
Coalitions of the Weak
Authors: Shih Victor C.
Published: May 2022

For the first time since Mao, a Chinese leader may serve a life-time tenure. Xi Jinping may well replicate Mao's successful strategy to maintain power. If so, what are the institutional and policy implications for China? Victor C. Shih investigates how leaders of one-party autocracies seek to dominate the elite and achieve true dictatorship, governing without fear of internal challenge or resistance to major policy changes. Through an in-depth look of late-Mao politics informed by thousands of historical documents and data analysis, Coalitions of the Weak uncovers Mao's strategy of replacing seasoned, densely networked senior officials with either politically tainted or inexperienced officials. The book further documents how a decentralized version of this strategy led to two generations of weak leadership in the Chinese Communist Party, creating the conditions for Xi's rapid consolidation of power after 2012.
Understanding Sexual Serial Killing
Authors: Toates Frederick , Coschug-Toates Olga
Published: May 2022

Why do some people engage in serial killing for sexual pleasure? This book considers the phenomenon of sexual serial killing from the perspective of motivation theory, as advanced in psychology and neuroscience. By examining biological, psychological and social determinants, it develops a model of sexual killing that integrates widely dispersed existing literature. The first part of the book reviews scientific data and theories, while the second part presents biographical sketches of 80 sexual killers and links their early development and later killing to current theoretical understanding. The book examines cases of serial killers from the USA, Western Europe, Iran, Australia and South Africa, and it also includes an account of killers from the USSR, made available to non-Russian speakers for the first time. Deliberately written to avoid jargon, Understanding Sexual Serial Killing is accessible to students, scholars and professionals across psychology, sociology, forensic science and law.
The Borges Enigma
Authors: Stephens Cynthia Lucy
Published: May 2022

This book explores Borges's supreme literary craftsmanship and the intimate puzzles of his fictions.
Blood Waters
Authors: Rogers Nicholas
Published: May 2022

Far from the romanticised image of the swashbuckling genre of maritime history, the eighteenth-century Caribbean was a 'marchlands' in which violence was a way of life and where solidarities were transitory and highly volatile.
The Epic Mirror
Authors: Choi Imogen
Published: May 2022

How did Spanish-American writers and veterans in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century use epic poetry to search for ethical solutions to the violent conflicts of their age?
Painting for a Living in Tudor and Early Stuart England
Authors: Tittler Robert
Published: May 2022

Examines the often overlooked political, social, and economic contexts in which painters in Tudor and Early Stuart England lived and worked.
Masquerade and Money in Urban Nigeria
Authors: Fenton Jordan A.
Published: May 2022

Examines the economic and spatial importance of performance arts in West Africa through a close analysis of the masquerade culture of Calabar, the capital city of Nigeria's Cross River State.
The Creative Labor of Music Patronage in Interwar France
Authors: Epstein Louis K.
Published: May 2022

This book challenges the longstanding perception that modernist composers made art, not money, and that those who made money somehow failed to make art.
Exhibitions, Music and the British Empire
Authors: Kirby Sarah
Published: May 2022

Combining approaches from reception studies and historical musicology, this book demonstrates how the representation of music at exhibitions drew the press and public into debates about music's role in society.
Karl Straube (1873-1950)
Authors: Anderson Christopher
Published: May 2022

The first thorough examination of the most renowned and influential organist in early-twentieth-century Germany and of his complex relationship to his country's tumultuous and shifting sociopolitical landscape.
Urban Government and the Early Stuart State
Authors: Patterson Catherine F.
Published: May 2022

This study examines relations between centre and localities in seventeenth-century England by looking at early Stuart government through the lens of provincial towns.
The National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant, 1660-1696
Authors: Walters James
Published: May 2022

This book examines how the form and function of the Covenants were shorn of religious implications and repurposed, serving a pluralistic vision of the role of religion in politics and public life.
Harmonisation of Transactions Avoidance Laws
Authors: Bork Reinhard , Veder Michael
Published: May 2022

This book focuses on the harmonisation of transactions avoidance laws in the EU. Based on national reports and input from twenty-five jurisdictions and employing a principle-based approach, it proposes a new Model Law which, in nine sections, provides for legal certainty as to which transactions should (or should not) be challengeable in all Member States under the same conditions.