bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the role of usable security in developers' intention toward security enhancement in service‐oriented applications
Authors: Jalali Foad , Alidoost Nia Mehran , Ermakova Tatiana , Abdollahi Meisam , Fabian Benjamin
Published: December 2021

Security threats have increased in recent years. To motivate the developers to stick to the security policies, the notion of usable security is investigated. Enhancing the usability of security services leads to developing software products that are resilient against security threats. In this paper, we investigate the role of usable security in developers' intention toward fulfilling the security considerations through the development process. To study this, we conducted empirical research on 25 experts in the field of software development. We proposed a model for analyzing the research outcome using statistical inference based on an extension of the theory of planned behavior. In particular, we posit that attitude toward the development of usable services, subjective norms, and moral obligation are determinants of intention to develop usable security services. We developed 11 security services that are used in the development of service‐oriented software. We asked the experts to integrate the security services in the software and studied the integration process using a detailed questionnaire. The findings indicate a strong positive influence of all correlations, which describe developers' intentions to develop usable secure services to 52%. Our insights enhance the understanding of developers' intentions toward developing usable secure services and their fulfillment.
Non‐secreting parathyroid carcinoma in a dog
Authors: Tremolada Giovanni , Schaffer Paula , Pitt Kathryne
Published: December 2021

Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare condition affecting dogs. These tumour types are most commonly not palpable on physical exam and cause hypercalcaemia. Patients with this tumour usually present for clinical signs related to their hypercalcaemic status. This case report describes the first case of a dog with a palpable ventral cervical mass diagnosed as a non‐secreting parathyroid carcinoma. After surgical excision and adjuvant chemotherapy, the dog was alive and presumed disease‐free 16 months after surgery. The prognosis in the dog presented here with non‐secreting parathyroid carcinoma seems to be favourable, but the role of adjunctive chemotherapy is still uncertain. A non‐secreting parathyroid carcinoma should be included as a differential diagnosis in dogs presenting with a ventral cervical mass and no evidence of hypercalcaemia.
Parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis in hydrological modeling
Authors: Herrera Paulo A. , Marazuela Miguel Angel , Hofmann Thilo
Published: December 2021

Nowadays, mathematical models of hydrological systems are used routinely to guide decision making in diverse subjects, such as: environmental and risk assessments, design of remediation strategies for contaminated sites, and evaluation of the impact of climate change on water resources. The correct development and use of them is relevant beyond the realm of hydrology. The continuous improvement in computational power and data collection are leading to the development of increasingly complex models, which integrate multiple coupled physical processes to achieve a better representation of the modeled system. Most of the parameters included in models are difficult to measure directly, so they must be estimated from collected data through a calibration procedure. Furthermore, when models are used to make forecasts about future or hypothetical scenarios, it is important to bound the uncertainty of their results. Therefore, the application of systematic approaches for parameter estimation, sensitivity, and uncertainty analysis to integrate data and models and quantify potential errors, is more necessary now than it was in the past. Even though methodological frameworks for these purposes exist, they have had a slow adoption due to their high computational cost and the required technical knowledge to apply them. We analyze existing methodologies, discuss remaining challenges, and present a survey of emerging trends for the application of parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis in hydrological modeling. Thus, the main objective of this overview article is contributing to improving the quality of models and to their correct use as support tools for decision‐making.

This article is categorized under:

Science of Water

Science of Water > Hydrological Processes

Science of Water > Methods
CUBIC DIRAC OPERATORS AND THE STRANGE FREUDENTHAL–DE VRIES FORMULA FOR COLOUR LIE ALGEBRAS
Authors: MEYER PHILIPPE
Published: December 2021

The aim of this paper is to define cubic Dirac operators for colour Lie algebras. We give a necessary and sufficient condition to construct a colour Lie algebra from an ϵ-orthogonal representation of an ϵ-quadratic colour Lie algebra. This is used to prove a strange Freudenthal–de Vries formula for basic colour Lie algebras as well as a Parthasarathy formula for cubic Dirac operators of colour Lie algebras. We calculate the cohomology induced by this Dirac operator, analogously to the algebraic Vogan conjecture proved by Huang and Pandžić.
Commercial AI solutions in detecting COVID-19 pneumonia in chest CT: not yet ready for clinical implementation?
Authors: Jungmann Florian , Müller Lukas , Hahn Felix , Weustenfeld Maximilian , Dapper Ann-Kathrin , Mähringer-Kunz Aline , Graafen Dirk , Düber Christoph , Schafigh Darius , Pinto dos Santos Daniel , Mildenberger Peter , Kloeckner Roman
Published: December 2021

Objectives

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many researchers have developed artificial intelligence (AI) tools to differentiate COVID-19 pneumonia from other conditions in chest CT. However, in many cases, performance has not been clinically validated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of commercial AI solutions in differentiating COVID-19 pneumonia from other lung conditions.

Methods

Four commercial AI solutions were evaluated on a dual-center clinical dataset consisting of 500 CT studies; COVID-19 pneumonia was microbiologically proven in 50 of these. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and AUC were calculated. In a subgroup analysis, the performance of the AI solutions in differentiating COVID-19 pneumonia from other conditions was evaluated in CT studies with ground-glass opacities (GGOs).

Results

Sensitivity and specificity ranges were 62–96% and 31–80%, respectively. Negative and positive predictive values ranged between 82–99% and 19–25%, respectively. AUC was in the range 0.54–0.79. In CT studies with GGO, sensitivity remained unchanged. However, specificity was lower, and ranged between 15 and 53%. AUC for studies with GGO was in the range 0.54–0.69.

Conclusions

This study highlights the variable specificity and low positive predictive value of AI solutions in diagnosing COVID-19 pneumonia in chest CT. However, one solution yielded acceptable values for sensitivity. Thus, with further improvement, commercial AI solutions currently under development have the potential to be integrated as alert tools in clinical routine workflow. Randomized trials are needed to assess the true benefits and also potential harms of the use of AI in image analysis.

Key Points

• Commercial AI solutions achieved a sensitivity and specificity ranging from 62 to 96% and from 31 to 80%, respectively, in identifying patients suspicious for COVID-19 in a clinical dataset.

• Sensitivity remained within the same range, while specificity was even lower in subgroup analysis of CT studies with ground-glass opacities, and interrater agreement between the commercial AI solutions was minimal to nonexistent.

• Thus, commercial AI solutions have the potential to be integrated as alert tools for the detection of patients with lung changes suspicious for COVID-19 pneumonia in a clinical routine workflow, if further improvement is made.
Empfehlungen zur konservativen Therapie und Sekundärprävention der peripheren arteriellen Verschlusskrankheit (PAVK): Eine evidenzbasierte Informationsbroschüre für Betroffene
Authors: Rosenberg Yvonne , Görtz Hartmut , Rother Ulrich , Uhl Christian , Stavroulakis Konstantinos , Pfeiffer Manfred , Pfeiffer-Krahl Mechtild , Behrendt Christian-Alexander
Published: December 2021

Die periphere arterielle Verschlusskrankheit (PAVK) gilt als Volkskrankheit mit weltweit mehr als 230 Mio. Betroffenen und schlechter Prognose. Durch den systemischen und progressiven Charakter der Atherosklerose sowie den Befall vieler Gefäßbereiche ist neben dem Risiko für gefäßbedingte Amputationen auch die generelle Lebenserwartung deutlich eingeschränkt. Die strikte Ausschöpfung der konservativen Therapie gilt als wichtiges Fundament der komplementären Behandlung, wird aber nicht immer erfolgreich umgesetzt. Neben dem strukturierten Gehtraining, Raucherentwöhnung, Optimierung von Ernährung und Körpergewicht, Blutdrucktherapie sowie Normalisierung von Blutzucker- und Blutfettwerten gilt die optimale Arzneimitteltherapie als zentrales Behandlungsziel. Dieser Artikel soll laienverständliche evidenzbasierte Empfehlungen zur Optimierung des sogenannten Best Medical Treatment in der Behandlung der PAVK geben.
Immersive virtual-reality computer-assembly serious game to enhance autonomous learning
Authors: Checa David , Miguel-Alonso Ines , Bustillo Andres
Published: December 2021

Immersive virtual reality (VR) environments create a very strong sense of presence and immersion. Nowadays, especially when student isolation and online autonomous learning is required, such sensations can provide higher satisfaction and learning rates than conventional teaching. However, up until the present, learning outcomes with VR tools have yet to prove their advantageous aspects over conventional teaching. The project presents a VR serious game for teaching concepts associated with computer hardware assembly. These concepts are often included in any undergraduate’s introduction to Computer Science. The learning outcomes are evaluated using a pre-test of previous knowledge, a satisfaction/usability test, and a post-test on knowledge acquisition, structured with questions on different knowledge areas. The results of the VR serious game are compared with another two learning methodologies adapted to online learning: (1) an online conventional lecture; and (2) playing the same serious game on a desktop PC. An extensive sample of students (n = 77) was formed for this purpose. The results showed the strong potential of VR serious games to improve student well-being during spells of confinement, due to higher learning satisfaction. Besides, ease of usability and the use of in-game tutorials are directly related with game-user satisfaction and performance. The main novelty of this research is related to academic performance. Although a very limited effect was noted for learning theoretical knowledge with the VR application in comparison with the other methodologies, this effect was significantly improved through visual knowledge, understanding and making connections between different concepts. It can therefore be concluded that the proposed VR serious game has the potential to increase student learning and therefore student satisfaction, by imparting a deeper understanding of the subject matter to students.
Microvascular myocutaneous and cutaneous free flap reconstruction in patients with terminal esophagostomy after complicated oncological esophagus resection
Authors: Poelsler Lukas , Koch Oliver , Gaggl Alexander , Presl Jaroslav , Hutter Joerg , Brandtner Christian , Emmanuel Klaus
Published: December 2021

Background

Persisting anastomotic leakage after oncological esophagectomy is a severe problem associated with high mortality and morbidity. Unfortunately, treatment options with promising results are scarce, especially when conventional operative and endoscopic methods have failed. Due to limitation of oral intake and the need for artificial nutrition, quality of life (QOL) is reduced. Microvascular myocutaneous and cutaneous free flap (MFF) reconstruction could be a promising alternative.

Methods

This retrospective case series presents 7 patients treated between March 2017 and November 2020 at our surgical department, with persisting postoperative anastomotic leakage without further feasible treatment options. All patients received anastomotic MFF reconstruction; used flaps and important intraoperative factors like microvascular anastomosis were evaluated. Complications and patient contentment was assessed.

Results

The included 7 male patients had median age of 65.15 years (range: 48–75). MFF function was adequate in 6/7 patients, one flap necrosis was encountered. Whereas 5 patients initially had good results, surgical revision was performed in 1 patient to ensure graft function. Postoperative complications appeared in 6/7 patients. Mean duration of inpatient care was 63 days (range: 24–156). At the time of evaluation, 1 patient has died of his malignant disease. No more additional nutrition was needed in 3/6 patients with adequate graft function. Most patients reported improved QOL after MFF.

Conclusion

MFF free flap can be an alternative treatment option for patients with terminal esophagostomy after complicated oncological esophagus resection without further treatment options. The renewed ability of oral food intake results in a significant improvement of QOL.
An effective simulation- and measurement-based workflow for enhanced diagnostics in rhinology
Authors: Waldmann Moritz , Grosch Alice , Witzler Christian , Lehner Matthias , Benda Odo , Koch Walter , Vogt Klaus , Kohn Christopher , Schröder Wolfgang , Göbbert Jens Henrik , Lintermann Andreas
Published: December 2021

Physics-based analyses have the potential to consolidate and substantiate medical diagnoses in rhinology. Such methods are frequently subject to intense investigations in research. However, they are not used in clinical applications, yet. One issue preventing their direct integration is that these methods are commonly developed as isolated solutions which do not consider the whole chain of data processing from initial medical to higher valued data. This manuscript presents a workflow that incorporates the whole data processing pipeline based on a environment. Therefore, medical image data are fully automatically pre-processed by machine learning algorithms. The resulting geometries employed for the simulations on high-performance computing systems reach an accuracy of up to 99.5% compared to manually segmented geometries. Additionally, the user is enabled to upload and visualize 4-phase rhinomanometry data. Subsequent analysis and visualization of the simulation outcome extend the results of standardized diagnostic methods by a physically sound interpretation. Along with a detailed presentation of the methodologies, the capabilities of the workflow are demonstrated by evaluating an exemplary medical case. The pipeline output is compared to 4-phase rhinomanometry data. The comparison underlines the functionality of the pipeline. However, it also illustrates the influence of mucosa swelling on the simulation.
Eine alternative Methode zur Behandlung von Tinnitus: Sporttherapie zur Verbesserung des subjektiven Wohlbefindens
Authors: Schulze Carolin
Published: December 2021

Hintergrund

Trotz nachgewiesener positiver Wirkungen auf die psychische, physische und soziale Gesundheit werden sporttherapeutische Interventionen momentan äußerst selten bei der Behandlung von Tinnitus eingesetzt.

Fragestellung

Wirkt sich ein sporttherapeutisches Interventionsprogramm positiv auf die individuelle Belastung durch den Tinnitus, das globale Wohlbefinden und die subjektiv wahrgenommene Lautstärke bei PatientInnen mit Tinnitusbeschwerden aus?

Material und Methode

Es wurde ein Prä-Post-Design mit Interventions- und Kontrollgruppe (Sportprogramm vs. keine Intervention) durchgeführt. Die gekürzte Fassung des Tinnitusfragebogens (Erfassung der individuellen Belastung), der Gesichterskala (Erfassung des globalen Wohlbefindens) und einer selbstkonstruierten Skala zur Erhebung der subjektiv eingeschätzten Lautstärke wurden als Erhebungsinstrumente eingesetzt.

Ergebnisse

Insgesamt nahmen 64 Personen an der Untersuchung teil (jeweils 32 in der Interventions- und Kontrollgruppe). Signifikante Gruppenunterschiede resultierten bezüglich der Veränderung der individuellen Belastung (2,84 ± 1,11 Punkte; F = 2,64; p = 0,010) und der subjektiv eingeschätzten Lautstärke (2,56 ± 0,68 Punkte; F = 3,79; p = 0,000). Die Interventionsgruppe zeigte eine signifikant stärkere Abnahme im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe. Hinsichtlich der Veränderung der globalen Stimmung resultierten keine signifikanten Gruppenunterschiede (−0,53 ± 0,38 Punkte; F = −1,39; p = 0,690).

Schlussfolgerungen

Sport zeigt vielfältige positive Wirkungen auf die selbst eingeschätzte Symptomatik einer Tinnituserkrankung und sollte dementsprechend innerhalb der Therapie häufiger eingesetzt werden.
Partizipative Forschung mit Menschen mit Behinderungen
Authors: Gillitzer Stefanie , Thienel C. , Duda A. , Renner J. , Hornberg C.
Published: December 2021

Hintergrund

Partizipative Gesundheitsforschung (PGF) gewinnt zunehmend an Bedeutung. Durch die Beteiligung der zu beforschenden Zielgruppe können lebensweltnahe, praxisorientierte Ergebnisse generiert und gesundheitsbezogene Veränderungen angestoßen werden. Dies bietet auch Potenziale zur Verbesserung der Teilhabe und Gesundheit von Menschen mit Behinderungen. Viele Forschungsprojekte setzen jedoch nur niedrige Stufen der Partizipation um.

Ziel des Beitrags

Es werden Herausforderungen und entsprechende Lösungsansätze von PGF mit der Zielgruppe Menschen mit Behinderungen diskutiert. Der Beitrag soll Forschenden eine Orientierung zur Erreichung hoher Stufen von Partizipation bieten.

Material und Methode

Es wurde ein Modellvorhaben zur Entwicklung und Umsetzung gesundheitsfördernder Maßnahmen in Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen (WfbM) durchgeführt, das die Erreichung hoher Partizipationsstufen durch PGF mit Menschen mit Behinderungen zum Ziel hatte. Der Prozess wurde durch Interviews und Fragebögen evaluiert.

Ergebnisse

Herausforderungen waren die Diversität der in der Lebenswelt WfbM arbeitenden Menschen, komplexe Strukturen von WfbM, die Verfügbarkeit personeller, zeitlicher und finanzieller Ressourcen sowie lange Kommunikationswege. Der Einbezug der gesamten Lebenswelt, die Nutzung bekannter Kommunikationsmittel und ein häufiger Austausch mit den Beteiligten waren besonders zielführend. Für die Motivation sowie die Verstetigung der entwickelten Maßnahmen war die Wertschätzung gegenüber der Zielgruppe essenziell.

Schlussfolgerungen

Wenn die Herausforderungen von PGF überwunden werden, ermöglicht dies vielfältige Einblicke in die Lebenswelt von Menschen mit Behinderungen, bedarfs- und bedürfnisorientierte Gesundheitsförderung sowie hohe Motivation aller Beteiligten, diese umzusetzen.
Control of noise-induced coherent oscillations in three-neuron motifs
Authors: Bönsel Florian , Krauss Patrick , Metzner Claus , Yamakou Marius E.
Published: December 2021

The phenomenon of self-induced stochastic resonance (SISR) requires a nontrivial scaling limit between the deterministic and the stochastic timescales of an excitable system, leading to the emergence of coherent oscillations which are absent without noise. In this paper, we numerically investigate SISR and its control in single neurons and three-neuron motifs made up of the Morris–Lecar model. In single neurons, we compare the effects of electrical and chemical autapses on the degree of coherence of the oscillations due to SISR. In the motifs, we compare the effects of altering the synaptic time-delayed couplings and the topologies on the degree of SISR. Finally, we provide two enhancement strategies for a particularly poor degree of SISR in motifs with chemical synapses: (1) we show that a poor SISR can be significantly enhanced by attaching an electrical or an excitatory chemical autapse on one of the neurons, and (2) we show that by multiplexing the motif with a poor SISR to another motif (with a high SISR in isolation), the degree of SISR in the former motif can be significantly enhanced. We show that the efficiency of these enhancement strategies depends on the topology of the motifs and the nature of synaptic time-delayed couplings mediating the multiplexing connections.
A contribution on versatile process chains: joining with adaptive joining elements, formed by friction spinning
Authors: Wischer Christian , Homberg Werner
Published: December 2021

Nowadays, manufacturing of multi-material structures requires a variety of mechanical joining techniques. Mechanical joining processes and joining elements are used to meet a wide range of requirements, especially on versatile process chains. Most of these are explicitly adapted to only one, specific application. This leads to a less flexibility process chain due to many different variants and high costs. Changes in the boundary conditions like sheet thickness, or layers, lead to a need of re-design over the process and thus to a loss of time. To overcome this drawback, an innovative approach can be the use of individually manufactured and application-adapted joining elements (JE), the so-called Friction Spun Joint Connectors (FSJC). This new approach is based on defined, friction-induced heat input during the manufacturing and joining of the FSJC. This effect increases the formability of the initial material locally and permits them to be explicitly adapted to its application area. To gain a more detailed insight into the new process design, this paper presents a detailed characterization of the new joining technique with adaptive joining elements. The effects and interactions of relevant process variables onto the course and joining result is presented and described. The joining process comprises two stages: the manufacturing of FSJC from uniform initial material and the adaptive joining process itself. The following contribution presents the results of ongoing research work and includes the process concept, process properties and the results of experimental investigations. New promising concepts are presented and further specified. These approaches utilize the current knowledge and expand it systematically to open new fields of application.
Holistic investigation chain for the experimental determination of fracture mechanical material parameters with special specimens
Authors: Weiß Deborah , Schramm Britta , Kullmer Gunter
Published: December 2021

In addition to the classical strength calculation, it is important to design components with regard to fracture mechanics because defects and cracks in a component can drastically influence its strength or fatigue behavior. Cracks can propagate due to operational loads and consequently lead to component failure. The fracture mechanical analysis provides information on stable or unstable crack growth as well as about the direction and the growth rate of a crack. For this purpose, sufficient information has to be available about the crack location, the crack length, the component geometry, the component loading and the fracture mechanical material parameters. The fracture mechanical properties are determined experimentally with standardized specimens as defined by the guidelines of the American Society for Testing and Materials. In practice, however, especially in the context with damage cases or formed material fracture mechanical parameters directly for a component are of interest. However, standard specimens often cannot be extracted at all due to the complexity of the component geometry. Therefore, the development of special specimens is required whereby certain arrangements have to be made in advance. These arrangements are presented in the present paper in order to contribute to a holistic investigation chain for the experimental determination of fracture mechanical material parameters with special specimens.
Digital Transformations of the Public Arena
Authors: Jungherr Andreas , Schroeder Ralph
Published: December 2021

Digital technologies have changed the public arena, but there is little scholarly consensus about how they have done so. This Element lays out a new framework for the digitally mediated public arena by identifying structural changes and continuities with the pre-digital era. It examines three country cases – the United States, Germany, and China. In these countries and elsewhere, the emergence of new infrastructures such as search engines and social media platforms increasingly mediate and govern the visibility and reach of information, and thus reconfigure the transmission belt between citizens and political elites. This shift requires a rethinking of the workings and dysfunctions of the contemporary public arena and ways to improve it.
In the Shadow of the Holocaust
Authors: Fleming Michael
Published: December 2021

In the midst of the Second World War, the Allies acknowledged Germany's ongoing programme of extermination. In the Shadow of the Holocaust examines the struggle to attain post-war justice and prosecution. Focusing on Poland's engagement with the United Nations War Crimes Commission, it analyses the different ways that the Polish Government in Exile (based in London from 1940) agitated for an Allied response to German atrocities. Michael Fleming shows that jurists associated with the Government in Exile made significant contributions to legal debates on war crimes and, along with others, paid attention to German crimes against Jews. By exploring the relationship between the UNWCC and the Polish War Crimes Office under the authority of the Polish Government in Exile and later, from the summer of 1945, the Polish Government in Warsaw, Fleming provides a new lens through which to examine the early stages of the Cold War.
Orphanage Trafficking in International Law
Authors: van Doore Kathryn E.
Published: December 2021

Orphanage Trafficking in International Law explores the process of orphanage trafficking as a form of child trafficking in international law, examining the contexts in which it occurs and providing a comprehensive, holistic approach to addressing the issue as a form of trafficking. In doing so, this book establishes the method and process of orphanage trafficking as an issue of international concern. It reconceptualises the activity of orphanage tourism as a demand driver for child trafficking and a form of exploitation, and makes recommendations for how countries where orphanage trafficking occurs, as well as countries that contribute to orphanage trafficking via funding and volunteers, should tackle the issue.
Electronic Sensor Design Principles
Authors: Tartagni Marco
Published: December 2021

Get up to speed with the fundamentals of electronic sensor design with this comprehensive guide, and discover powerful techniques to reduce the overall design timeline for your specific applications. Includes a step-by-step introduction to a generalized information-centric approach for designing electronic sensors, demonstrating universally applicable practical approaches to speed up the design process. Features detailed coverage of all the tools necessary for effective characterization and organization of the design process, improving overall process efficiency. Provides a coherent and rigorous theoretical framework for understanding the fundamentals of sensor design, to encourage an intuitive understanding of sensor design requirements. Emphasising an integrated interdisciplinary approach throughout, this is an essential tool for professional engineers and graduate students keen to improve their understanding of cutting-edge electronic sensor design.
The Ethics of Employment-at-Will: An Institutional Complementarities Approach
Authors: Bhargava Vikram R. , Young Carson
Published: December 2021

Employment-at-will (EAW) is the legal presumption that employers and employees may terminate an employment relationship for any or no reason. Defenders of EAW have argued that it promotes autonomy and efficiency. Critics have argued that it allows for the domination, subordination, and arbitrary treatment of employees. We intervene in this debate by arguing that the case for EAW is contextual in a way that existing business ethics scholarship has not considered. In particular, we argue that the justifiability of EAW for a given jurisdiction depends on existing complementarities among the institutions that constitute the jurisdiction’s political economy. Notably, our view takes seriously the ethical concerns EAW critics have raised by showing how these concerns can be mitigated through public policy measures that do not require eliminating EAW.
Comparison of 4 Different Threshold Values of Shock Index in Predicting Mortality of COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Ak Rohat , Doğanay Fatih
Published: December 2021

Objective:

The object of this study was to examine the accuracy in prehospital shock index (SI) for predicting intensive care unit (ICU) requirement and 30-d mortality among from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients transported to the hospital by ambulance.

Methods:

All consecutive patients who were the age ≥18 y, transported to the emergency department (ED) by ambulance with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in the prehospital frame were included in the study. Four different cutoff points were compared (0.7, 0.8, 0.9, and 1.0) to examine the predictive performance of both the mortality and ICU requirement of the SI. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) was used to evaluate each cut-off value discriminatory for predicting 30-d mortality and ICU admission.

Results:

The total of 364 patients was included in this study. The median age in the study population was 69 y (range, 55-80 y), of which 196 were men and 168 were women. AUC values for 30-d mortality outcome were calculated as 0.672, 0.674, 0.755, and 0.626, respectively, for threshold values of 0.7, 0.8, 0.9 and 1.0. ICU admission was more likely for the patients with prehospital SI > 0.9. Similarly, the mortality rate was higher in patients with prehospital SI > 0.9.

Conclusions:

Early triage of COVID-19 patients will ensure efficient use of health-care resources. The SI could be a helpful, fast, and powerful tool for predicting mortality status and ICU requirements of adult COVID-19 patients. It was concluded that the most useful threshold value for the shock index in predicting the prognosis of COVID-19 patients is 0.9.
Exposure to the anthelmintic dinitroaniline oryzalin causes changes in meiotic prophase morphology and loss of synaptonemal complexes in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Goldstein Paul
Published: December 2021

The anthelmintic dinitroaniline oryzalin interferes with the formation of microtubules and inhibits meiosis and mitosis in nematodes. Exposure to oryzalin resulted in deterioration in morphology of the oocytes and loss of synaptonemal complexes at meiotic prophase I. The nuclear matrix and envelope were poorly formed, and the central rachis was diminished. These results provide the basis for the loss of fecundity after treatment with the oryzalin resulting in control of parasitic nematodes.
Incorporating rainy season and reproductive phenology into the survival and transition rates of the invasive speciesSambucus nigra: an approximation with multistate models
Authors: Bonilla-Valencia Leticia , Hernández-Apolinar Mariana , Zúñiga-Vega J. Jaime , Espinosa-García Francisco J. , Martínez-Orea Yuriana , Castillo-Argüero Silvia
Published: December 2021

Although it has been demonstrated that environmental changes within a year can affect the reproduction, survival, and growth of invasive species, these factors have rarely been incorporated into demographic analyses. Therefore, we applied multistate demographic models (based on capture–recapture animal methods accounting for imperfect detectability of individuals in natural conditions) to evaluate the effects of reproductive phenology and rainy season on the survival and transition/retrogression rates among stage categories of black elderberry (Sambucus nigraL.)—an invasive tree species widely distributed in temperate forests of Europe and America. In theAbies religiosatemperate forest, Mexico City, a multistate demographic model ofS. nigrawas built using bimonthly censuses during a year. We selected the best-fitting model according to Akaike’s information criterion adjusted for small sample sizes (AICc). We determined the response of reproductive phenology ofS. nigrato the rainy season for 2 yr through repeatability and phenotypic plasticity indexes. Our results showed that the reproductive phenology ofS. nigrahas a low repeatability index and a high phenotypic plasticity index. We demonstrated that additive and interactive effects of reproductive phenology and rainy season promote changes in survival and transition/retrogression rates among stage categories. During the rainy season, the survival probability of seedlings and transition probability toward the adult category increased. Therefore, our study represents a significant contribution to the knowledge of the demographic dynamics of invasive species on an intra-annual scale.
Law of bounded dissipation and its consequences in turbulent wall flows
Authors: Chen Xi , Sreenivasan Katepalli R.
Published: December 2021

The dominant paradigm in turbulent wall flows is that the mean velocity near the wall, when scaled on wall variables, is independent of the friction Reynolds number

$Re_\tau$

. This paradigm faces challenges when applied to fluctuations but has received serious attention only recently. Here, by extending our earlier work (Chen & Sreenivasan, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 908, 2021, p. R3) we present a promising perspective, and support it with data, that fluctuations displaying non-zero wall values, or near-wall peaks, are bounded for large values of

$Re_\tau$

, owing to the natural constraint that the dissipation rate is bounded. Specifically,

$\varPhi _\infty - \varPhi = C_\varPhi \,Re_\tau ^{-1/4},$

where

$\varPhi$

represents the maximum value of any of the following quantities: energy dissipation rate, turbulent diffusion, fluctuations of pressure, streamwise and spanwise velocities, squares of vorticity components, and the wall values of pressure and shear stresses; the subscript

$\infty$

denotes the bounded asymptotic value of

$\varPhi$

, and the coefficient

$C_\varPhi$

depends on

$\varPhi$

but not on

$Re_\tau$

. Moreover, there exists a scaling law for the maximum value in the wall-normal direction of high-order moments, of the form

$\langle \varphi ^{2q}\rangle ^{{1}/{q}}_{max}= \alpha _q-\beta _q\,Re^{-1/4}_\tau$

, where

$\varphi$

represents the streamwise or spanwise velocity fluctuation, and

$\alpha _q$

and

$\beta _q$

are independent of

$Re_\tau$

. Excellent agreement with available data is observed. A stochastic process for which the random variable has the form just mentioned, referred to here as the ‘linear

$q$

-norm Gaussian’, is proposed to explain the observed linear dependence of

$\alpha _q$

on

$q$

.
Confined self-propulsion of an isotropic active colloid
Authors: Picella Francesco , Michelin Sébastien
Published: December 2021

To spontaneously break their intrinsic symmetry and self-propel at the micron scale, isotropic active colloidal particles and droplets exploit the nonlinear convective transport of chemical solutes emitted/consumed at their surface by the surface-driven fluid flows generated by these solutes. Significant progress was recently made to understand the onset of self-propulsion and nonlinear dynamics. Yet, most models ignore a fundamental experimental feature, namely the spatial confinement of the colloid, and its effect on propulsion. In this work the self-propulsion of an isotropic colloid inside a capillary tube is investigated numerically. A flexible computational framework is proposed based on a finite-volume approach on adaptative octree grids and embedded boundary methods. This method is able to account for complex geometric confinement, the nonlinear coupling of chemical transport and flow fields, and the precise resolution of the surface boundary conditions, that drive the system's dynamics. Somewhat counterintuitively, spatial confinement promotes the colloid's spontaneous motion by reducing the minimum advection-to-diffusion ratio or Péclet number,

${Pe}$

, required to self-propel; furthermore, self-propulsion velocities are significantly modified as the colloid-to-capillary size ratio

$\kappa$

is increased, reaching a maximum at fixed

${Pe}$

for an optimal confinement

$0<\kappa <1$

. These properties stem from a fundamental change in the dominant chemical transport mechanism with respect to the unbounded problem: with diffusion now restricted in most directions by the confining walls, the excess solute is predominantly convected away downstream from the colloid, enhancing front-back concentration contrasts. These results are confirmed quantitatively using conservation arguments and lubrication analysis of the tightly confined limit,

$\kappa \rightarrow 1$

.
A universal velocity profile for turbulent wall flows including adverse pressure gradient boundary layers
Authors: Subrahmanyam Matthew A. , Cantwell Brian J. , Alonso Juan J.
Published: December 2021

A recently developed mixing length model of the turbulent shear stress in pipe flow is used to solve the streamwise momentum equation for fully developed channel flow. The solution for the velocity profile takes the form of an integral that is uniformly valid from the wall to the channel centreline at all Reynolds numbers from zero to infinity. The universal velocity profile accurately approximates channel flow direct numerical simulation (DNS) data taken from several sources. The universal velocity profile also provides a remarkably accurate fit to simulated and experimental flat plate turbulent boundary layer data including zero and adverse pressure gradient data. The mixing length model has five free parameters that are selected through an optimization process to provide an accurate fit to data in the range

$R_\tau = 550$

to

$R_\tau = 17\,207$

. Because the velocity profile is directly related to the Reynolds shear stress, certain statistical properties of the flow can be studied such as turbulent kinetic energy production. The examples presented here include numerically simulated channel flow data from

$R_\tau = 550$

to

$R_\tau =8016$

, zero pressure gradient (ZPG) boundary layer simulations from

$R_\tau =1343$

to

$R_\tau = 2571$

, zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer experimental data between

$R_\tau = 2109$

and

$R_\tau = 17\,207$

, and adverse pressure gradient boundary layer data in the range

$R_\tau = 912$

to

$R_\tau = 3587$

. An important finding is that the model parameters that characterize the near-wall flow do not depend on the pressure gradient. It is suggested that the new velocity profile provides a useful replacement for the classical wall-wake formulation.
Exploring interleukin-6, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor following 12 weeks of adjunctive minocycline treatment for depression
Authors: Hasebe Kyoko , Mohebbi Mohammadreza , Gray Laura , Walker Adam J. , Bortolasci Chiara C. , Turner Alyna , Berk Michael , Walder Ken , Maes Michael , Kanchanatawan Buranee , Ashton Melanie M. , Berk Lesley , Ng Chee H. , Malhi Gin S. , Singh Ajeet B. , Dean Olivia M.
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to explore effects of adjunctive minocycline treatment on inflammatory and neurogenesis markers in major depressive disorder (MDD). Serum samples were collected from a randomised, placebo-controlled 12-week clinical trial of minocycline (200 mg/day, added to treatment as usual) for adults (n = 71) experiencing MDD to determine changes in interleukin-6 (IL-6), lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). General Estimate Equation modelling explored moderation effects of baseline markers and exploratory analyses investigated associations between markers and clinical outcomes. There was no difference between adjunctive minocycline or placebo groups at baseline or week 12 in the levels of IL-6 (week 12; placebo 2.06 ± 1.35 pg/ml; minocycline 1.77 ± 0.79 pg/ml; p = 0.317), LBP (week 12; placebo 3.74 ± 0.95 µg/ml; minocycline 3.93 ± 1.33 µg/ml; p = 0.525) or BDNF (week 12; placebo 24.28 ± 6.69 ng/ml; minocycline 26.56 ± 5.45 ng/ml; p = 0.161). Higher IL-6 levels at baseline were a predictor of greater clinical improvement. Exploratory analyses suggested that the change in IL-6 levels were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms (HAMA; p = 0.021) and quality of life (Q-LES-Q-SF; p = 0.023) scale scores. No other clinical outcomes were shown to have this mediation effect, nor did the other markers (LBP or BDNF) moderate clinical outcomes. There were no overall changes in IL-6, LBP or BDNF following adjunctive minocycline treatment. Exploratory analyses suggest a potential role of IL-6 on mediating anxiety symptoms with MDD. Future trials may consider enrichment of recruitment by identifying several markers or a panel of factors to better represent an inflammatory phenotype in MDD with larger sample size.
Pain and suicide: what should we tell our trainees?
Authors: Pakniyat-Jahromi Soroush , Korenis Panagiota , Sher Leo
Published: December 2021

Chronic pain is a debilitating medical condition affecting a significant percentage of the population worldwide. Considerable evidence suggests that pain is an independent risk factor for suicide and inadequately managing pain has been identified as a risk for suicidal behaviour. Additionally, medications used to treat pain may also contribute to suicidal behaviour. Extensive research on pain highlights deficiencies in the clinical management on pain with more gaps in care when patients have pain in combination with mental illness and suicidal behaviour. Providing trainees additional knowledge and equipping them with relevant tools to screen and manage chronic pain efficiently is a potential strategy to mitigate suicide risk. Also, trainees need to be educated on how to screen for suicidality in individuals with pain and apply suicide prevention interventions. This paper will emphasise the necessity to improve education about pain, its close relationship with suicide and effective suicide screening as well as management strategies for medical providers. With additional research, it is the hope that novel treatment modalities will be developed to treat pain to improve the quality of life of individuals suffering from this condition and to decrease suicide risk in this patient population.
Periodic solutions for one-dimensional nonlinear nonlocal problem with drift including singular nonlinearities
Authors: Carrero Lisbeth , Quaas Alexander
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we prove existence results of a one-dimensional periodic solution to equations with the fractional Laplacian of order $s\in (1/2,1)$, singular nonlinearity and gradient term under various situations, including nonlocal contra-part of classical Lienard vector equations, as well other nonlocal versions of classical results know only in the context of second-order ODE. Our proofs are based on degree theory and Perron's method, so before that we need to establish a variety of priori estimates under different assumptions on the nonlinearities appearing in the equations. Besides, we obtain also multiplicity results in a regime where a priori bounds are lost and bifurcation from infinity occurs.
The role of Mediterranean diet in the course of subjective cognitive decline in the elderly population of Greece: results from a prospective cohort study
Authors: Vlachos George S. , Yannakoulia Mary , Anastasiou Costas A. , Kosmidis Mary H. , Dardiotis Efthimios , Hadjigeorgiou Georgios , Charisis Sokratis , Sakka Paraskevi , Stefanis Leonidas , Scarmeas Nikolaos
Published: December 2021

Very few data are available regarding the association of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MeDi) with Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) evolution over time. A cohort of 939 cognitively normal individuals reporting self-experienced, persistent cognitive decline not attributed to neurological, psychiatric or medical disorders from the Hellenic Epidemiological Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet (HELIAD study) was followed-up for a mean period of 3·10 years. We defined our SCD score as the number of reported SCD domains (memory, language, visuoperceptual and executive), ranging from 0 to 4. Dietary intake at baseline was assessed through a food frequency questionnaire; adherence to the MeDi pattern was evaluated through the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) that ranged from 0 to 55, with higher values indicating greater adherence to the MeDi. The mean SCD score in our cohort increased by 0·20 cognitive domains during follow-up. After adjustment for multiple potential confounders, we showed that an MDS higher by 10 points was associated with a 7% reduction in the progression of SCD within one year. In terms of food groups, every additional vegetable serving consumption per day was associated with a 2·2% reduction in SCD progression per year. Our results provide support to the notion that MeDi may have a protective role against the whole continuum of cognitive decline, starting at the first subjective complaints. This finding may strengthen the role of the MeDi as a population-wide, cost-effective preventive strategy targeting the modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline.
History and Turning the Antitrust Page
Authors: Cheffins Brian R.
Published: December 2021

Present-day advocates of antitrust reform referred to as “New Brandeisians” have invoked history in pressing the case for change. The New Brandeisians bemoan the upending of a mid-twentieth-century “golden age” of antitrust by an intellectual movement known as the Chicago School. In fact, mid-twentieth-century enforcement of antitrust was uneven and large corporations exercised substantial market power. The Chicago School also was not as decisive an agent of change as the New Brandeisians suggest. Doubts about the efficacy of government regulation and concerns about foreign competition did much to foster the late twentieth-century counterrevolution that antitrust experienced.