bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In–Vitro Anticancer and Antibacterial Activities of Brominated Indeno[1,2‐b]qinoline Amines Supported with Molecular Docking and MCDM**
Authors: Aydın Ali , Ökten Salih , Erkan Sultan , Bulut Merve , Özcan Evrencan , Tutar Ahmet , Eren Tamer
Published: April 2021

The present study describes mono substituted indeno[1,2‐b]quinolines (3 a–c and 5) have much more antiproliferative potentials than positive controls against A549, HeLa, MCF7 and Hep3B cell lines (IC50 values 1.1–29.6 μg/mL) and show similar cytotoxicity (14.3 % to 19.8 %) to cells such as controls. Moreover, the mono substituted indeno[1,2‐b]quinoline amines (3 a–c and 5) exhibit significant antimicrobial activity with MIC values between 15.62 μg/mL and 250 μg/mL. The compounds can also bind to DNA in the groove binding mode with a binding constant range of 1.1×103–1.1×105 M−1. The anticancer and antibacterial properties of compounds were confirmed with the molecular docking simulation for their pharmacokinetic. As a result, the preliminary experimental data and a multi‐criteria decision‐making methodology (MCDM) indicated that the mono substituted indeno[1,2‐b]quinoline amine derivatives, especially 3 a and 5, exhibit effective pharmacological properties. parameters and their interaction with related cells at the molecular level.
Microwave Plasma Assisted Sol‐Gel Synthesis of TiO2 Photocatalyst for DC Plasma Jet Driven Degradation of Methylene Blue
Authors: Ayyaz Muhammad , Shukrullah Shazia , Naz Muhammad Y. , AbdEl‐Salam Nasser M. , Ibrahim Khalid A. , Mohamed Hassan F.
Published: April 2021

A new microwave plasma assisted sol‐gel (MPAS) technique was adopted to produce Titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalyst by using pure and mixed stabilizers. The crystalline phases, composition, bandgap energy and surface morphology of TiO2 were studied through SEM, XRD, FT‐IR, UV‐Visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The average particle size of MPAS synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles remained smaller than the simple sol‐gel method while bandgap energy increased by 40 %. The rutile content and crystallinity of nanoparticles were also found higher in MPAS synthesized TiO2 than the simple sol‐gel method. The type of stabilizer only effected the particle size but not the phase transformations of TiO2 nanoparticles. TiO2 photocatalyst with band gap of 3.06 eV was used to degrade methylene blue dye in water under the exposure of open atmosphere argon plasma jet. UV radiation intensity of the plasma jet at a distance of 2 cm was 576 μW/cm2, which reduced to 149 μW/cm2 at 10 cm. The plasma jet produced some highly reactive species and UV radiations. The reactive species reacted with dye molecules while UV radiations promoted the activity of TiO2. The dye degradation efficiency of the process, under the combined effect of reactive species and TiO2 activity, reached to 95 % after 30 min of plasma exposure time.
Tandem Conjugate Addition/Aromatization/Acyl Transfer Reaction between 3‐Aryl‐2‐nitropropanoates and Quinone Monoimines
Authors: Cheng Shao‐Bing , Liu Hui , Jing Yi , Cao Lian‐Yi , Zhang Xiao‐Mei
Published: April 2021

A tandem conjugate addition/aromatization/acyl transfer reaction between 3‐aryl‐2‐nitropropanoates and quinone monoimines was described. In the presence of NMM, the reaction proceeded smoothly to give various 1,2‐diarylnitroethanes in low to good yields. The structure of one product was determined by an X‐ray crystal structural analysis. Accordingly, a plausible reaction mechanism was proposed.
Synthesis of α‐Amidoacrylates Containing a 3‐Ylideneoxindole Motif
Authors: Song Shuai , Li Ya , Chen De‐Yin , Wang Xiao‐Ping , Liu Yong‐Liang , Chen Ling‐Yan
Published: April 2021

Both the α‐amidoacrylate and 3‐ylideneooxindole frameworks are important in medicinal chemistry because of their associated biological activities. We report a novel approach to accessing α‐amidoacrylates containing a 3‐ylideneoxindole motif through a novel cascade process involving condensation between 3‐fluorooxindoles and α‐iminoacetates followed by elimination of HF. This protocol has a broad substrate scope: N‐alkyl‐, N‐aryl‐, N‐allyl‐, N‐propargyl 3‐fluorooxindoles and 3‐fluorooxindoles with different substituents on the aromatic rings were all suitable for this reaction. A plausible reaction pathway is also presented.
Sustainable Synthesis of Amides from Ethyl 3‐(4‐Hydroxyphenyl) Propionate
Authors: Lima Rafaely N. , de L. L. Vaz Artur , Clososki Giuliano C. , Porto André L. M.
Published: April 2021

Biocatalytic methods have shown to be a versatile choice for obtaining a large number of organic compounds under a non‐natural reaction condition. Another efficient approach is the continuous‐flow system, which when combined with enzyme catalysis can make the process even more environmentally friendly. Based on this, amides from ethyl 3‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl) propanoate were obtained, catalyzed by Lipase B of Candida Antarctica (CAL−B) (41 %–75 %, 6–24 h) or in a free solvent/catalyst system (69–99 %, 72 h). The efficiency of amide synthesis was improved using a continuous‐flow system, reducing the reaction time to 10 min of residence in presence of CAL−B. These results represent a contribution to the sustainable synthesis of compounds with cosmetic potential and pharmacological properties.
Role of knowledge management in developing higher education partnerships: Towards a conceptual framework
Authors: Elezi Enis
Published: April 2021

This research study discusses the role of knowledge management (KM) in facilitating the composition and development of higher education (HE) partnerships. The paper identifies and discusses the KM behavioural constructs, in other words, the fundamental elements that indicate the behaviour of higher education institutions (HEIs) and that impact the development of a partnership. Furthermore, this work explores institutional and partnership factors that affect the development of partnerships and compiles a list of KM activities deemed necessary to assist HEIs in exchanging knowledge in a partnership setting. The proposed conceptual framework can serve as a diagnostic instrument, assisting HE executives, managers, practitioners and researchers in being able to assess institutional capabilities for collaborative undertakings. The work presented in this paper aims to encourage further academic discussions as to how KM concepts can be used to assist HEIs in working together and overcoming challenges for sustainable development in the digital era.
Three new V‐shape dicarboxylate coordination polymers: syntheses, crystal structures and properties
Authors: Chen Yu‐Hong
Published: April 2021

Three new coordination polymers (CPs) with the formulas of [Zn2(SDBA)2(im)4]n (1), [CdCa(SDBA)2(DMA)(H2O)]n ⋅ 2n(DMA) (2) and [Cu(SDBA)0.5(μ2‐OH)]n (3) (H2SDBA=4,4’‐dicarboxybiphenyl sulfone, im=imidazole, DMA=N,N’‐dimethylacetamide) have been synthesized under hydro(solvo)thermal conditions and characterized by elemental analyses, powder x‐ray diffraction analyses, thermogravimetric analyses and single crystal X‐ray structural analyses. CP 1 displays a 1D double chain structure consolidated by N−H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds, which are further extended into a 3D supramolecular framework via the help of intermolecular N−H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds. CP 2 features a 2D layered structure based on 1D −[Cd−(COO)2−Ca]n− chains. Interestingly, in this 2D layer there exists large 1D channels that are occupied by the coordinated DMA molecules, coordinated water molecules and free DMA molecules. CP 3 has a 3D framework based on 1D −[Cu−(COO)(μ2‐OH)−Cu]n− chains. The luminescent properties of CPs 1 and 2, gas adsorption properties of 2 a (solvent‐free form of CP 2), and photocatalytic property of CP 3 were also investigated.
Poisson equation for genus two string invariants: a conjecture
Authors: Basu Anirban
Published: April 2021

Abstract

We consider some string invariants at genus two that appear in the analysis of the D8ℛ4 and D6ℛ5 interactions in type II string theory. We conjecture a Poisson equation involving them and the Kawazumi-Zhang invariant based on their asymptotic expansions around the non-separating node in the moduli space of genus two Riemann surfaces.
On the long-run dynamics of income and wealth inequality
Authors: Ghoshray Atanu , Malki Issam , Ordóñez Javier
Published: April 2021

We analyse top income and wealth shares data, by conducting a robust estimation of trends, tests for structural breaks, and tests for determining persistence. We include Anglo-Saxon countries, continental Europe and Asian countries, grouped under different percentiles and deciles, spanning a period that is at least close to a century. We find that the top income shares for almost all countries are characterised by broken trends, or level shifts. The preponderance of trend breaks appears in the 1970s and 1980s where after a negative trend changes in magnitude or direction. Finally, shocks to the top income share data are not transitory, which have consequences for policy such as advocating redistributive measures.
Efficient numerical simulation of the human voice
Authors: Maurerlehner Paul , Schoder Stefan , Freidhager Clemens , Wurzinger Andreas , Hauser Alexander , Kraxberger Florian , Falk Sebastian , Kniesburges Stefan , Echternach Matthias , Döllinger Michael , Kaltenbacher Manfred
Published: April 2021

The process of voice production is a complex process and depends on the correct interaction of the vocal folds and the glottal airstream inducing the primary voice source, which is subsequently modulated by the vocal tract. Due to the restricted access to the glottis, not all aspects of the three-dimensional process can be captured by measurements without influencing the measurement object. Hence, the application of a numerical tool capturing the physical process of phonation can provide an extended database for voice treatment and, therefore, can contribute to an increased effectiveness of voice treatment. However, such numerical models involve complex and demanding procedures to model the material behavior and the mechanical contact of the vocal folds and to realize moving boundaries of the involved physical domains. The present paper proposes a numerical model calledsimVoice, which circumvents these computational expenses by prescribing the experimentally obtained vocal fold motion within the simulation. Additionally, a hybrid approach for sound computation further enhances the computational efficiency and yields good agreement with acoustic measurements. An analysis of the computational workloads suggests that the key factor for a further increase in efficiency is an optimized flow simulation and source term computation.
Construction of projective special Kähler manifolds
Authors: Mantegazza Mauro
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we present an intrinsic characterisation of projective special Kähler manifolds in terms of a symmetric tensor satisfying certain differential and algebraic conditions. We show that this tensor vanishes precisely when the structure is locally isomorphic to a standard projective special Kähler structure on $$\mathrm {SU}(n,1)/\mathrm {S}(\mathrm {U}(n)\mathrm {U}(1))$$

SU
(
n
,
1
)
/
S
(
U
(
n
)
U
(
1
)
)

. We use this characterisation to classify 4-dimensional projective special Kähler Lie groups.
Dyskinesia-hyperpyrexia syndrome in Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review
Authors: Wang Miao , Wang Wei , Gao Zhongbao , Yin Xi , Chen Tong , Jiang Ziying , Wang Zhenfu
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Dyskinesia-hyperpyrexia syndrome (DHS) is a rare but life-threatening disease. The clinical manifestations of this syndrome overlap substantially with Parkinson hyperpyrexia syndrome and serotonin syndrome and are often confused by clinicians. The purpose of this review was to enable clinicians to recognize this syndrome and thereby reach a correct diagnosis and provide optimal treatments to improve prognosis in clinical practice.

Methods

Using the methodology described in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, we conducted a literature search of the PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases using keywords in titles and abstracts of published literature. Quality assessment was performed using the modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

Results

A total of 11 patients obtained from nine publications were included in this systematic review. All of the cases occurred in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) of long disease duration. High ambient temperature was the most common trigger of this syndrome. Hyperpyrexia and dyskinesias were present in all cases. The consciousness disturbances of this syndrome included confusion, hallucination, and lethargy or stupor. Autonomic dysfunction (except for hyperpyrexia) is uncommon in DHS, and only two patients presented with tachycardia. The treatment of this syndrome included supportive interventions (including rehydration, anti-pyretic and anti-infection treatments, and maintaining electrolyte balance), dopaminergic drug reduction and sedation. Two patients died due to DHS.

Conclusions

We summarized the triggers, clinical features, and treatments of all reported dyskinesia-hyperpyrexia syndrome cases, proposed guiding diagnostic criteria, and established a flow chart to guide diagnoses to quickly identify these three syndromes in clinical practice.
Speckle tracking echocardiography in primary mitral regurgitation: should we reconsider the time for intervention?
Authors: Pastore Maria Concetta , Mandoli Giulia Elena , Dokollari Aleksander , Bisleri Gianluigi , D’Ascenzi Flavio , Santoro Ciro , Miglioranza Marcelo Haertel , Focardi Marta , Cavigli Luna , Patti Giuseppe , Valente Serafina , Mondillo Sergio , Cameli Matteo
Published: April 2021

Thanks to the improvement in mitral regurgitation (MR) diagnostic and therapeutic management, with the introduction of minimally invasive techniques which have considerably reduced the individual surgical risk, the optimization of the timing for MR “open” or percutaneous surgical treatment has become a main concern which has highly raised scientific interest. In fact, the current indications for intervention in MR, especially in asymptomatic patients, rely on echocardiographic criteria with high severity cut-offs that are fulfilled only when not only mitral valve apparatus but also the cardiac chambers’ structure and function are severely impaired, which results in poor benefits for post-operative clinical outcome. This led to the need of new indices to redefine the optimal surgical timing in these patients. Speckle tracking echocardiography provides early markers of cardiac dysfunction due to subtle myocardial impairment; therefore, it could offer pivotal information in this setting. In fact, left ventricular and left atrial strains have already shown evidence about their usefulness in recognizing MR impact not only on symptoms and quality of life but also on cardiovascular events and new-onset atrial fibrillation in these patients. Moreover, right ventricular strain could be used to identify those patients with advanced cardiac damage and different grades of right ventricular dysfunction, which entails higher risks for cardiac surgery that could overweigh surgical benefits. This review aims to describe the importance of reconsidering the timing of intervention in MR and to analyze the potential additive value of speckle tracking echocardiography in this clinical setting.
Norwegian Shelters for Victims of Domestic Violence in the COVID-19 Pandemic – Navigating the New Normal
Authors: Bergman Solveig , Bjørnholt Margunn , Helseth Hannah
Published: April 2021

This study elucidates the responses of shelters and their adaptations to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effects on their services to victims of violence, as well as how shelter managers assess the situation for victims, including changes in the rates and character of the violence observed by the shelters. A web-based survey was distributed twice to all Norwegian shelters (N = 46): first during the lockdown in spring 2020 and second during the relaxation of infection control measures in summer 2020. The shelters in Norway remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority saw a reduction in the number of requests during the lockdown, while the rates returned to normal when the strictest infection control measures were lifted. They expressed concern about the decline in requests during the lockdown as well as the well-being of some groups, such as victims from ethnic minority backgrounds, children, and victims with additional challenges. A majority of the shelters did not report changes in the content of the requests. Nevertheless, a third of them had observed instances of the virus and/or infection control measures being used by perpetrators as part of the violence and coercive control strategies. The shelters in Norway, as an integrated part of the welfare state, in general seem to have met the needs of their clients during the pandemic. Yet, the study revealed important inequalities and deficiencies in access to services for some groups, and in the general support and recognition by authorities of the shelters.
The Role of Exposure to Neighborhood and School Poverty in Understanding Educational Attainment
Authors: Nieuwenhuis Jaap , Kleinepier Tom , van Ham Maarten
Published: April 2021

Because the demographic composition of neighborhoods and schools overlaps, their effects on educational attainment are not independent of each other. Throughout the early teenage years, the timing and duration of exposure to neighborhood and school contexts can vary, advocating for a longitudinal approach when studying schooling outcomes. This study uses Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children data (N = 4502; 49% female) to examine how exposure to poverty between ages 10–16 predicts educational attainment. The results indicate that enduring exposure to neighborhood poverty relates to educational attainment, while timing does not. For school poverty, longer exposure is related to lower attainment, but earlier exposure has a stronger impact than later exposure. Adolescents who were exposed to poverty in both contexts for the full observation period had the lowest educational attainment. The findings highlight the importance of understanding when and how long adolescents are exposed to contextual poverty.
Material Environments and the Shaping of Anorexic Embodiment: Towards A Materialist Account of Eating Disorders
Authors: Eli Karin , Lavis Anna
Published: April 2021

Anorexia nervosa is a paradoxical disorder, regarded across disciplines as a body project and yet also an illness of disembodied subjectivity. This overlooks the role that material environments—including objects and spaces—play in producing embodied experiences of anorexia both within and outside treatment. To address this gap, this paper draws together two ethnographic studies of anorexia to explore the shared themes unearthed by research participants’ engagements with objects that move across boundaries between treatment spaces and everyday lives. Demonstrating how the anorexic body is at once both phenomenologically lived and socio-medically constituted, we argue that an attention to materiality is crucial to understanding lived experiences. A materialist account of anorexia extends the literature on treatment resistance in eating disorders and offers a reconceptualisation of ‘the body in treatment’, showing how  objects and spaces shape, maintain, and even ‘trigger’ anorexia. Therefore, against the background of the high rates of relapse in eating disorders, this analysis calls for consideration of how interventions can better take account of eating disordered embodiment as shaped by material environments.
Irradiance Variations of the Sun and Sun-Like Stars – Overview of Topical Collection
Authors: Kopp Greg , Shapiro Alexander
Published: April 2021

This topical collection summarizes recent advances in observing and modeling irradiance variations of the Sun and Sun-like stars, emphasizing the links between surface magnetic fields and the resulting solar and stellar variability. In particular, the articles composing this collection summarize recent progress in i) solar-irradiance measurements; ii) modeling of solar- and stellar-irradiance variability; and iii) understanding of the effects of such variability on Earth’s climate and exoplanet environments. This topical-collection overview article gives background and more details on these aspects of variability.
Textbook process as a composite quality indicator for in-hospital hip fracture care
Authors: Voeten Stijn C. , Wouters Michel W. J. M. , Würdemann Franka S. , Krijnen Pieta , Schipper Inger B. , Hegeman J. H. ,   The DHFA Indicator Task Force, Geragthy O. , De Klerk G. , Luning H. A. F. , Niggebrugge A. H. P. , Regtuijt M. , Snoek J. , Stevens C. , Van der Velde D. , Verleisdonk E. J.
Published: April 2021

Summary

Individual process indicators often do not enable the benchmarking of hospitals and often lack an association with outcomes of care. The composite hip fracture process indicator, textbook process, might be a tool to detect hospital variation and is associated with better outcomes during hospital stay.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine hospital variation in quality of hip fracture care using a composite process indicator (textbook process) and to evaluate at patient level whether fulfilment of the textbook process indicator was associated with better outcomes during hospital stay.

Methods

Hip fracture patients aged 70 and older operated in five hospitals between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018 were included. Textbook process for hip fracture care was defined as follows: (1) assessment of malnutrition (2) surgery within 24 h, (3) orthogeriatric management during admission and (4) operation by an orthopaedic trauma certified surgeon. Hospital variation analysis was done by computing an observed/expected ratio (O/E ratio) for textbook process at hospital level. The expected ratios were derived from a multivariable logistic regression analysis including all relevant case-mix variables. The association between textbook process compliance and in-hospital complications and prolonged hospital stay was determined at patient level in a multivariable logistic regression model, with correction for patient, treatment and hospital characteristics. In-hospital complications were anaemia, delirium, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, in-hospital fall, heart failure, renal insufficiency, pulmonary embolism, wound infection and pressure ulcer.

Results

Of the 1371 included patients, 753 (55%) received care according to textbook process. At hospital level, the textbook compliance rates ranged from 38 to 76%. At patient level, textbook process compliance was significantly associated with fewer complications (38% versus 46%) (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52–0.84), but not with hospital stay (median length of hospital stay was 5 days in both groups) (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.78–1.30).

Conclusion

The textbook process indicator for hip fracture care might be a tool to detect hospital variation. At patient level, this quality indicator is associated with fewer complications during hospital stay.
Additive predictions of aboveground stand biomass in commercial logs and harvest residues for rotation age Pinus radiata plantations in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Qiao Xixi , Bi Huiquan , Li Yun , Ximenes Fabiano , Weston Christopher J. , Volkova Liubov , Ghaffariyan Mohammad Reza
Published: April 2021

Two systems of additive equations were developed to predict aboveground stand level biomass in log products and harvest residue from routinely measured or predicted stand variables forPinus radiataplantations in New South Wales, Australia. These plantations were managed under three thinning regimes or stand types before clear-felling at rotation age by cut-to-length harvesters to produce sawlogs and pulpwood. The residue material following a clear-fell operation mainly consisted of stumps, branches and treetops, short off-cut and waste sections due to stem deformity, defects, damage and breakage. One system of equations did not include dummy variables for stand types in the model specification and was intended for more general use in plantations where stand density management regimes were not the same as the stand types in our study. The other system that incorporated dummy variables was for stand type-specific applications. Both systems of equations were estimated using 61 plot-based estimates of biomass in commercial logs and residue components that were derived from systems of equations developed in situ for predicting the product and residue biomass of individual trees. To cater for all practical applications, two sets of parameters were estimated for each system of equations for predicting component and total aboveground stand biomass in fresh and dry weight respectively. The two sets of parameters for the system of equations without dummy variables were jointly estimated to improve statistical efficiency in parameter estimation. The predictive performances of the two systems of equations were benchmarked through a leave-one-plot-out cross validation procedure. They were generally superior to the performance of an alternative two-stage approach that combined an additive system for major components with an allocative system for sub-components. As using forest harvest residue biomass for bioenergy has increasingly become an integrated part of forestry, reliable estimates of product and residue biomass will assist harvest and management planning for clear-fell operations that integrate cut-to-length log production with residue harvesting.
Aggressive Behavior and Psychiatric Inpatients: a Narrative Review of the Literature with a Focus on the European Experience
Authors: Caruso Rosangela , Antenora Fabio , Riba Michelle , Belvederi Murri Martino , Biancosino Bruno , Zerbinati Luigi , Grassi Luigi
Published: April 2021

Purpose of Review

We summarized peer-reviewed literature on aggressive episodes perpetrated by adult patients admitted to general hospital units, especially psychiatry or emergency services. We examined the main factors associated with aggressive behaviors in the hospital setting, with a special focus on the European experience.

Recent Findings

A number of variables, including individual, historical, and contextual variables, are significant risk factors for aggression among hospitalized people. Drug abuse can be considered a trans-dimensional variable which deserves particular attention.

Although mental health disorders represent a significant component in the risk of aggression, there are many factors including drug abuse, past history of physically aggressive behavior, childhood abuse, social and cultural patterns, relational factors, and contextual variables that can increase the risk of overt aggressive behavior in the general hospital. This review highlights the need to undertake initiatives aimed to enhance understanding, prevention, and management of violence in general hospital settings across Europe.
Contract killings: a crime script analysis
Authors: de Korte Laura R. , Kleemans Edward R.
Published: April 2021

This article contributes to our existing knowledge through a crime script analysis of contract killings, based on six extensively analyzed police investigations in the Netherlands. Starting from a universal crime script, a more specific crime script for contract killings is elaborated. To provide a clear picture of the whole process, the description of the scenes focuses on requirements, facilitators, modi operandi, and preparatory actions. A comparison of liquidation investigations is made through a crime script analysis, which results in three types of requirements: vehicles, automatic weapons, and technical equipment, including PGP-telephones and beacons. In addition, spy shops turn out to play a major role in liquidations as facilitators. Due to a lack of licensing and regulations, the owners of spy shops can decide to a large extent on their own procedures. This leads to the possibility of buying and selling equipment anonymously and with large amounts of cash, which facilitates the preparation of liquidations and crime in general. Hitmen are the second type of important facilitators. The analysis reveals that all liquidation investigations contain indications of a principal to whom account has to be held. Two investigations clearly demonstrate financial rewards for contract killings.
Shaping space. A conceptual framework on the connections between organised crime groups and territories
Authors: Sergi Anna , Storti Luca
Published: April 2021

This paper, which is the introduction to this special issue on ‘Spaces of Organised Crime’, aims to analyse the nexus between organised crime groups and territories. Such groups are able to exploit resources that circulate within territorial contexts in which they are embedded. They also operate concretely as entities that can take part to the transformation ofspacesintoplaces. Accordingly, we will lay out an analytical model about the processes through which organised crime groups contribute to create and shapeterritories. We show how these processes link with the main types of organised crime groups on a differentiated basis. In the last section of this introduction, we present the papers included in the special issue and the logic connecting them to one another.
Infidelity in Relation to Sex and Gender: The Perspective of Sociobiology Versus the Perspective of Sociology of Emotions
Authors: Wróblewska-Skrzek Joanna
Published: April 2021

It is not the main intention of this paper to prove that people are unfaithful, neither does it present the scale of the phenomenon, as it is hard, for objective reasons, to obtain reliable data on the subject. The text analyses the motives for, and consequences of infidelity from two different perspectives: sociobiology and the sociology of emotions, while gender constitutes the axis of analysis. Regardless of whether we will explain infidelity as motivated by human nature, drives, desires and genes, or treat it as a social construct, the argumentation for infidelity remains different for men and for women. What is more, both subdisciplines bring into light different consequences of infidelity for representatives of either sex.
Why is LCIS Important—Pathological Review
Authors: Shaaban Abeer M.
Published: April 2021

Purpose of Review

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) encompasses classical LCIS and other rarer and more recently recognised variants, namely pleomorphic LCIS (PLCIS) and florid LCIS. Each of those entities has characteristic histological diagnostic criteria, different rates of underestimation of malignancy and recommended management. In addition, those lesions can mimic a number of benign and malignant breast lesions and can particularly be mistaken for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Accurate diagnosis of those lesions is critical to ensuring the appropriate patient management.

Recent Findings

Several international guidelines refining the pathological classification, staging and management of those lesions have recently been updated. This review will provide an up-to-date pathological overview of the current knowledge of LCIS with emphasis on the multidisciplinary management implications.

Close correlation between imaging and pathology in a multidisciplinary pathway is essential in LCIS management. Classical LCIS on core biopsy/vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) is coded as B3 and, if without discordant imaging, should further be sampled by vacuum-assisted excision (VAE). PLCIS should be coded and managed as per high-grade DCIS. Florid LCIS is a rare entity that is thought to be more aggressive than classical LCIS. Excision with clear margin is advised.
The purification of wastewater on a small scale by using plants and sand filter
Authors: Saini Geeta , Kalra Shweta , Kaur Urminder
Published: April 2021

The canteen and laboratory of every academic organization need a lot of clean water, and it generates equivalent amount of wastewater every hour which is neither purified nor reused. Due to water scarcity, the recycling and reusing of wastewater become very essential. The present study describes the simple and cost-effective method for the design of a small-scale wastewater treatment plant for the purification of wastewater generated by household, canteen and laboratory of an academic institute. The current study explored the process of phytoremediation by Typha latifolia L. and Canna indica L. for removal of metal ions and phosphate ions from the wastewater. The partially treated water after phytoremediation was further purified by sand filtration. The various water quality parameters (pH, hardness, dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity, total dissolved solids and metal ions) of the treated and untreated water were analyzed. It was observed that there are significant reduction in hardness, turbidity and chemical oxygen demand and increase in dissolved oxygen value. The treated water can be reused for various household works and agriculture.
Characterization of multiple metal resistant Bacillus licheniformis and its potential use in arsenic contaminated industrial wastewater
Authors: Sher Shahid , Sultan Sikander , Rehman Abdul
Published: April 2021

In the present study, the arsenic bioremediation ability of Bacillus licheniformis (dubbed as A6) was determined. The strain was isolated from metal polluted wastewater and was identified on the basis of 16S rRNA sequence homology with accession number of KX 785,171. The bacterium showed resistance against multiple toxic heavy metals, and MIC against arsenic was 3000 µg/ml. Resistance of the bacterium against other toxic metal ions was 3000 µg/ml (Cr), 50 µg/ml (Hg), 1000 µg/ml (Mn), 4000 µg/ml (Se), 500 µg/ml (Pb), 100 µg/ml (Co), 70 µg/ml (Cd) and 100 µg/ml (Zn). The optimum growth temperature was 37 °C while pH was 7. The strain also showed resistance against commonly used antibiotics except ceftriaxone 30 µg and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid (2:1) 3 µg. B. licheniformis could oxidize arsenite into arsenate 86 and 98% after 48 and 96 h from the medium at optimum growth conditions. Due to its high oxidation potential, B. licheniformis can be used in the biological treatment of wastewater containing arsenic.
Analysis of Turbulence Effects in a Patient-Specific Aorta with Aortic Valve Stenosis
Authors: Manchester Emily L. , Pirola Selene , Salmasi Mohammad Yousuf , O’Regan Declan P. , Athanasiou Thanos , Xu Xiao Yun
Published: April 2021

Blood flow in the aorta is often assumed laminar, however aortic valve pathologies may induce transition to turbulence and our understanding of turbulence effects is incomplete. The aim of the study was to provide a detailed analysis of turbulence effects in aortic valve stenosis (AVS).

Methods

Large-eddy simulation (LES) of flow through a patient-specific aorta with AVS was conducted. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed and used for geometric reconstruction and patient-specific boundary conditions. Computed velocity field was compared with 4D flow MRI to check qualitative and quantitative consistency. The effect of turbulence was evaluated in terms of fluctuating kinetic energy, turbulence-related wall shear stress (WSS) and energy loss.

Results

Our analysis suggested that turbulence was induced by a combination of a high velocity jet impinging on the arterial wall and a dilated ascending aorta which provided sufficient space for turbulence to develop. Turbulent WSS contributed to 40% of the total WSS in the ascending aorta and 38% in the entire aorta. Viscous and turbulent irreversible energy losses accounted for 3.9 and 2.7% of the total stroke work, respectively.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the importance of turbulence in assessing aortic haemodynamics in a patient with AVS. Neglecting the turbulent contribution to WSS could potentially result in a significant underestimation of the total WSS. Further work is warranted to extend the analysis to more AVS cases and patients with other aortic valve diseases.
Ethnographie als Interaktionsprozess – Zur ethnographischen Untersuchung hybrider Lernorte
Authors: Cafantaris Karola
Published: April 2021

Der Beitrag thematisiert die ethnographische Erforschung hybrider Lernorte innerhalb der Erwachsenenbildung. Es werden forschungsbezogene Merkmale hybrider Lernsettings herausgestellt und die Herausforderungen und Stärken der ethnographischen Forschungsmethode für die Erschließung hybrider Lernsettings hervorgehoben. Dabei werden insbesondere die subjektiven Bezugnahmen der Forschenden auf das Untersuchungsfeld und die dabei entstehenden interaktionalen Prozesse fokussiert. Indem der ethnographische Forschungsprozess als Interaktion rekonstruiert wird, soll ein Beitrag zur Methodendiskussion innerhalb der Erwachsenenbildung geleistet und damit zugleich darauf gezielt werden, weitere Möglichkeiten der Erforschung hybrider Lernsettings auszuloten.
Optimization of a 3D-printed tubular reactor for free radical polymerization by CFD
Authors: Hapke Sören , Luinstra Gerrit Albert , Zentel Kristina Maria
Published: April 2021

A flow reactor for the complex reaction network of the free radical solution polymerization of n-butyl acrylate was optimized by a combination of kinetic modeling, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and additive manufacturing. CFD was used to model a flow reactor with SMX mixing elements. An optimized geometry was 3D-printed from polypropylene. The modeled residence time behavior was compared to relevant experiments, giving a validation for the flow behavior of the reactor. A kinetic model for the free radical solution polymerization of n-butyl acrylate (BA) was in addition implemented into the CFD model. It was used to predict the polymerization behavior in the flow reactor and the resulting product properties. The experimental and computational results were in acceptable agreement.

Graphical abstract
Bioengineering of the Uterus
Authors: Yoshimasa Yushi , Maruyama Tetsuo
Published: April 2021

Impairment of uterine structure and function causes infertility, pregnancy loss, and perinatal complications in humans. Some types of uterine impairments such as Asherman’s syndrome, also known as uterine synechiae, can be treated medically and surgically in a standard clinical setting, but absolute defects of uterine function or structure cannot be cured by conventional approaches. To overcome such hurdles, partial or whole regeneration and reconstruction of the uterus have recently emerged as new therapeutic strategies. Transplantation of the whole uterus into patients with uterine agenesis results in the successful birth of children. However, it remains an experimental treatment with numerous difficulties such as the need for continuous and long-term use of immunosuppressive drugs until a live birth is achieved. Thus, the generation of the uterus by tissue engineering technologies has become an alternative but indispensable therapeutic strategy to treat patients without a functional or well-structured uterus. For the past 20 years, the bioengineering of the uterus has been studied intensively in animal models, providing the basis for clinical applications. A variety of templates and scaffolds made from natural biomaterials, synthetic materials, or decellularized matrices have been characterized to efficiently generate the uterus in a manner similar to the bioengineering of other organs and tissues. The goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview and perspectives of uterine bioengineering focusing on the type, preparation, and characteristics of the currently available scaffolds.
Local content implementation and development in Ghana’s upstream oil and gas sector for sustainable development: contemporary issues on policy management
Authors: Suleman Shafic , Zaato Joshua Jebuntie
Published: April 2021

The need to develop and boost the potentials of Ghana’s upstream oil and gas activities has been advocated by policymakers, academics, and financial institutions since the discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantities. It has been argued that if well implemented, upstream activities have a trickledown effect on the local content policy linkages that apart from taxes, can lead to improved financial and social benefits. In this study, how Ghana can use local content policy in upstream oil and gas operations to maximum economic and social benefits for the good of the Ghana government, citizens, and the Multinational Oil Companies, is the main question to be answered? To address this question, comprehensive analysis of local content laws and policies and stakeholder consultations are conducted. The paper argues that an effective local content policy towards achieving sustainability in the upstream oil and gas industry demands balancing the needs of policymakers, local communities, Multinational Oil Companies, and regulators to succeed. The study recommends a local content implementation master plan; active participation of key stakeholders (government, citizens and Multinational Oil Companies); and integration of forward and backward linkages in the implementation of Ghana’s upstream local content laws and policies.
Separation technology enables hydrogen to be extracted from natural gas pipeline networks
Authors: Atkinson Simon
Published: April 2021

Speciality chemicals company Evonik Industries AG, and industrial gases and engineering firm Linde, have been working together to provide a way of extracting hydrogen from natural gas pipeline networks through which it can be conveyed. By combining different technologies, the aim is to enable existing natural gas infrastructure to be used more extensively to transport this gas – in particular green hydrogen – so that it can be used in industrial applications or as a source of energy.
Bidding behavior in auctions versus posted prices: comparisons of mean and marginal effects
Authors: Wu Shang , Fooks Jacob R. , Li Tongzhe , Messer Kent D. , Delaney Deborah A.
Published: April 2021

Economic experiments have been widely used to elicit individuals' evaluation for various commodities. Common elicitation methods include auction and posted price mechanisms. A field experiment is designed to compare willingness-to-pay (WTP) estimates between these two mechanisms. Despite both of these formats being theoretically incentive compatible and demand revealing, results from 115 adult consumers indicate that WTP estimates obtained from an auction are 32–39 percent smaller than those from a posted price mechanism. A comparison in statistical significance shows that auctions require a smaller sample size than posted price mechanisms in order to detect the same preference change. Nevertheless, the signs of marginal effects for different product characteristics are consistent in both mechanisms.
Barriers to physical distancing among healthcare workers on an academic hospital unit during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
Authors: Keller Sara C. , Pau Sara , Salinas Alejandra B. , Oladapo-Shittu Opeyemi , Cosgrove Sara E. , Lewis-Cherry Robin , Vecchio-Pagan Briana , Osei Patience , Gurses Ayse P. , Rock Clare , Sick-Samuels Anna C. ,   for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epicenters Program
Published: April 2021

Background:

Physical distancing among healthcare workers (HCWs) is an essential strategy in preventing HCW-to-HCWs transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Objective:

To understand barriers to physical distancing among HCWs on an inpatient unit and identify strategies for improvement.

Design:

Qualitative study including observations and semistructured interviews conducted over 3 months.

Setting:

A non–COVID-19 adult general medical unit in an academic tertiary-care hospital.

Participants:

HCWs based on the unit.

Methods:

We performed a qualitative study in which we (1) observed HCW activities and proximity to each other on the unit during weekday shifts July–October 2020 and (2) conducted semi-structured interviews of HCWs to understand their experiences with and perspectives of physical distancing in the hospital. Qualitative data were coded based on a human-factors engineering model.

Results:

We completed 25 hours of observations and 20 HCW interviews. High-risk interactions often occurred during handoffs of care at shift changes and patient rounds, when HCWs gathered regularly in close proximity for at least 15 minutes. Identified barriers included spacing and availability of computers, the need to communicate confidential patient information, and the desire to maintain relationships at work.

Conclusions:

Physical distancing can be improved in hospitals by restructuring computer workstations, work rooms, and break rooms; applying visible cognitive aids; adapting shift times; and supporting rounds and meetings with virtual conferencing. Additional strategies to promote staff adherence to physical distancing include rewarding positive behaviors, having peer leaders model physical distancing, and encouraging additional safe avenues for social connection at a safe distance.
The Two Faces of the Hungarian Empire
Authors: Varga Bálint
Published: April 2021

This article investigates the uses of the term “Hungarian Empire” during the long nineteenth century. It argues that the term “empire” emerged in the Hungarian political discourse in the Vormärz era and it was used to denote the imagined integrity of Hungary proper, Transylvania, Croatia, Slavonia, and eventually Dalmatia on the grounds of the historic rights of the Holy Crown of Hungary in the form of a composite nation-state. This usage of the term became ubiquitous after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise. A second meaning pertaining to imperialist foreign policy entered the dictionary of Hungarian political discourse in the late nineteenth century. Fed by the recently created memory of the medieval Hungarian great power, several pressure groups in fin-de-siècle Hungary lobbied for a Hungarian (informal) empire in Southeastern Europe and beyond. While several lobby groups were firmly embedded in the framework of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, some of these visionaries imagined a Hungarian empire independent from the Habsburg structures. A short comparison with the Croatian and Czech political discourses illuminates that the first meaning of empire (composite nation-state) did not differ in substance from contemporary terminology in other Habsburg lands but the second meaning (imperialism) was indeed a unique phenomenon in the Habsburg monarchy.
Ester, a Missing Clasp, and Jewish Pawnbroking Networks in Renaissance Prague
Authors: Parker Anna
Published: April 2021

In 1577, a petty pawnbroker named Ester lost a clasp belonging to a Prague noblewoman, Lady Juliana the Fifth. Having been traded repeatedly between anonymous pawnbrokers, the clasp was eventually tracked down in the Polish city of Poznań, by which time Ester had already fled Prague and taken refuge in Cracow. In this essay, I use the subsequent criminal court case to explore this illuminating episode in the history of the city's Jewish Quarter. Taking place in the late Renaissance, during what has often been referred to as the Jewish “Golden Age,” I argue that this dramatic event provides access to the realities of an era often characterized as harmonious. I position pawnbroking as an industry that invited intimate and regular cross-confessional contact, and one that therefore offers up new opportunities to consider the nature of coexistence. By following the movement of both Ester and the pawned clasp from Prague to Poland, I also show how attention to pawnbroking can illuminate a constellation of transregional connections that stretched from Bohemia to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to its east, revealing the otherwise unrecorded ways in which Prague's Jews were connected to the Ashkenazi diaspora.