bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of pelvic movements of a gait training system for stroke patients: a single blind, randomized, parallel study
Authors: Son Choonghyun , Lee Anna , Lee Junkyung , Kim DaeEun , Kim Seung-Jong , Chun Min Ho , Choi Junho
Published: December 2021

Background

Aging societies lead to higher demand for gait rehabilitation as age-related neurological disorders such as stroke and spinal cord injury increase. Since conventional methods for gait rehabilitation are physically and economically burdensome, robotic gait training systems have been studied and commercialized, many of which provided movements confined in the sagittal plane. For better outcomes of gait rehabilitation with more natural gait patterns, however, it is desirable to provide pelvic movements in the transverse plane. In this study, a robotic gait training system capable of pelvic motions in the transverse plane was used to evaluate the effect of the pelvic motions on stroke patients.

Method

Healbot T, which is a robotic gait training system and capable of providing pelvic movements in the transverse plane as well as flexion/extension of the hip and knee joints and adduction/abduction of the hip joints, is introduced and used to evaluate the effect of the pelvic movement on gait training of stroke patients. Gait trainings in Healbot T with and without pelvic movements are carried out with stroke patients having hemiparesis.

Experiment

Twenty-four stroke patients with hemiparesis were randomly assigned into two groups and 23 of them successfully completed the experiment except one subject who had dropped out due to personal reasons. Pelvis-on group was provided with pelvic motions whereas no pelvic movement was allowed for pelvis-off group during 10 sessions of gait trainings in Healbot T. Electromyography (EMG) signals and interaction forces as well as the joint angles of the robot were measured. Gait parameters such as stride length, cadence, and walking speed were measured while walking on the ground without assistance of Healbot T after gait training on 1st, 5th, and 10th day.

Result

Stride length significantly increased in both groups. Furthermore, cadence and walking speed of the pelvis-on group were increased by 10.6% and 11.8%. Although interaction forces of both groups except the thighs showed no differences, EMG signals from gluteus medius of the pelvis-on group increased by 88.6% during stance phase. In addition, EMG signals of biceps femoris, gastrocnemius medial, and gastrocnemius lateral of the pelvis-on group increased whereas EMG signals of the pelvis-off group except gastrocnemius lateral showed no difference after gait trainings.

Conclusion

Gait training using a robotic gait training system with pelvic movements was conducted to investigate the effects of lateral and rotational pelvic movements in gait training of stroke patients. The pelvic movements affected to increase voluntary muscle activation during the stance phase as well as cadence and walking speed.

Clinical trial registration

KCT0003762, 2018-1254, Registered 28 October 2018, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/search_result_st01_kren.jsp?seq=14310<ype=&rtype=
The role of vascular endothelial growth factor as a prognostic and clinicopathological marker in osteosarcoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Chao , Wang Lin , Xiong Chuang , Zhao Runhan , Liang Hao , Luo Xiaoji
Published: December 2021

Background

In recent years, numerous investigations have been conducted to determine the clinical significance and critical functions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in various malignant cancers. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to comprehensively evaluate the prognostic and clinicopathological value of VEGF in patients with osteosarcoma.

Methods

We performed a systematic literature retrieval of available databases. Odds ratios (ORs) or standard mean difference (SMD) for clinicopathological parameters, hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival and disease-free survival were calculated to assess the correlation between VEGF expression and prognosis in patients with osteosarcoma.

Results

A total of 22 studies with 1144 patients were included in our study. Pooled analyses showed that VEGF overexpression predicted worse overall survival (HR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.87–3.11, p < 0.001) and disease-free survival (HR, 2.604; 95% CI, 1.698–3.995, p < 0.001), respectively. Furthermore, investigation regarding osteosarcoma clinicopathologic characteristics suggested that high VEGF expression was significantly associated with metastasis (OR, 4.39; 95% CI, 2.77–6.95; p < 0.001), clinical stage (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.62–0.87; p < 0.001), and microvessel density (SMD, 3.33, 95% CI,1.57–5.10, p < 0.001), but not associated with tumor location, gender, age, local recurrence, and chemotherapy response.

Conclusion

Our meta-analysis findings suggest that elevated VEGF expression may be a predictive biomarker for poor prognosis and adverse clinicopathological characteristics in patients with osteosarcoma.
Age-dependent differences in the prognostic relevance of body composition-related variables in type A aortic dissection patients
Authors: Luo Zeng-Rong , Chen Xiao-Dong , Chen Liang-wan
Published: December 2021

Background

The current research is allocated to appraise the association between the parameters of body composition and findings in type A aortic dissection (TAAD) cases in diverse age groups.

Methods

Data from consecutive TAAD patients undergoing implantation of modified triple-branched stent-graft from January 2017 and December 2019 were prospectively collected and analyzed. A regression model of Cox proportional hazard was employed to assess correlations among body composition-related variables (body mass index [BMI], lean body mass [LBM], body surface area [BSA], and LBM index) as well as cumulative mortality.

Results

Overall, 258 patients (53.9 ± 11.1 years old; 72.9% male) were separated into young (n = 110) and elderly (n = 148) age groups based upon whether they were younger or older than 50 years of age. Of these patients, 247 survivors were included in subsequent analyses over an average 26.8 ± 11.6 month follow-up duration. Multivariate analyses in the elderly group instead of young group indicated that increased BMI (p = 0.042), BMI ≤ 18.5 kg/m2 (p = 0.025), and lower LBM index values (p = 0.019) were significant predictors of increased total all-cause cumulative mortality. BMI was considerably positively correlated with estimated all-cause cumulative mortality in elderly but not young TAAD cases.

Conclusion

Briefly, these results suggest that BMI and LBM indices are only significant predictors of TAAD patient all-cause mortality in elderly patient cohorts, whereas they do not offer significant prognostic value for younger patients. As such, these age differences must be taken into consideration when conducting stratified risk assessments based upon TAAD patient body composition characteristics.
MiR-423-5p activated by E2F1 promotes neovascularization in diabetic retinopathy by targeting HIPK2
Authors: Xiao Qing , Zhao Yinu , Sun Hongjing , Xu Jia , Li Wenjie , Gao Limo
Published: December 2021

Background

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a diabetic complication and the primary cause of blindness in the world. However, the treatments of DR are challenging given its complicated pathogenesis. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of DR by focusing on the function of E2F1/miR-423-5p/HIPK2/HIF1α/VEGF axis.

Methods

Cultured retinal endothelial cells (hRMECs, hRECs) were treated with 25 mM glucose to mimic the high glucose-induced DR in vitro. Streptozotocin (STZ) was injected into mice to induce DR in mice. qRT-PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and ELISA were employed to measure levels of E2F1, miR-423-5p, HIPK2, HIF1α, and VEGF. H&E staining was utilized to examine retinal neovascularization. CCK-8 assay, transwell assay, and vascular tube formation assay were used to assess the cell viability, migration, and angiogenesis. Dual luciferase assay was performed to validate interactions between E2F1 and miR-423-5p, miR-423-5p and HIPK2.

Results

HG treatment increased the cell viability, migration, and angiogenesis accompanied by upregulation of E2F1, miR-423-5p, HIF1α, and VEGF levels, but reduction in HIPK2 expression. Knockdown of E2F1 or miR-423-5p suppressed the HG-induced increases in cell viability, migration, and angiogenesis. E2F1 transcriptionally activated miR-423-5p expression and miR-423-5p mimics blocked the effects of E2F1 knockdown on angiogenesis. Moreover, miR-423-5p directly targeted HIPK2 to disinhibit HIF1α/VEGF signaling. Knockdown of HIPK2 reversed the effects of miR-423-5p inhibitor on cell viability, migration, and angiogenesis. Knockdown of E2F1 suppressed neovascularization during DR in vivo.

Conclusions

E2F1 activates miR-423-5p transcription during DR to promote angiogenesis via suppressing HIPK2 expression to disinhibit HIF1α/VEGF signaling. Strategies targeting E2F1/miR-423-5p/HIPK2 axis could be potentially used for DR treatment.
Methadone initiation in a bridge clinic for opioid withdrawal and opioid treatment program linkage: a case report applying the 72-hour rule
Authors: Laks Jordana , Kehoe Jessica , Farrell Natalija M. , Komaromy Miriam , Kolodziej Jonathan , Walley Alexander Y. , Taylor Jessica L.
Published: December 2021

Background

In the United States, methadone for opioid use disorder (OUD) is limited to highly regulated opioid treatment programs (OTPs), rendering it inaccessible to many patients. The “72-hour rule” allows non-OTP providers to administer methadone for emergency opioid withdrawal management while arranging ongoing care. Low-barrier substance use disorder (SUD) bridge clinics provide rapid access to buprenorphine but offer an opportunity to treat acute opioid withdrawal while facilitating OTP linkage. We describe the case of a patient with OUD who received methadone for opioid withdrawal in a bridge clinic and linked to an OTP within 72 h.

Case presentation

A 54-year-old woman with severe OUD was seen in a SUD bridge clinic requesting OTP linkage and assessed with a clinical opiate withdrawal scale (COWS) score of 12. She reported daily nasal use of 1 g heroin/fentanyl. Prior OUD treatment included buprenorphine-naloxone, which was only partially effective. Her acute opioid withdrawal was treated with a single observed oral dose of methadone 20 mg. She returned the following day with persistent opioid withdrawal (COWS score 11) and was treated with methadone 40 mg. On day 3, the patient was successfully admitted to a local OTP, where she remained engaged 3 months later.

Conclusions

While patients continue to face substantial access barriers, bridge clinics can play an important role in treating opioid withdrawal, building partnerships with OTPs to initiate methadone on demand, and preventing life-threatening delays to methadone treatment. Federal policy reform is urgently needed to make methadone more accessible to people with OUD.
Organosolv lignin aggregation behaviour of soluble lignin extract from Miscanthus x giganteus at different ethanol concentrations and its influence on the lignin esterification
Authors: Hamzah Muhammad Hazwan , Bowra Steve , Cox Philip
Published: December 2021

Background

Lignin is the second most abundant naturally occurring biopolymer from lignocellulosic biomass. While there are several lignin applications, attempts to add value to lignin are hampered by its inherent complex and heterogenous chemical structure. This work assesses the organosolv lignin aggregates behaviour of soluble lignin extract derived fromMiscanthus × giganteususing different ethanol concentrations (50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% and 1%). The effect of two different lignin concentrations using similar ethanol concentration on the efficacy of esterification was studied.

Results

Overall, particle size of lignin analysis showed that the particle size of lignin aggregates decreased with lower ethanol concentrations. 50% ethanol concentration of soluble lignin extract showed the highest particle size of lignin (3001.8 nm), while 331.7 nm of lignin particle size was recorded at 1% ethanol concentration. Such findings of particle size correlated well with the morphology of the lignin macromolecules. The lignin aggregates appeared to be disaggregated from population of large aggregates to sub-population of small aggregates when the ethanol concentration was reduced. Light microscopy images analysis by ImageJ shows that the average diameter and circularity of the corresponding lignin macromolecules differs according to different ethanol concentrations. The dispersion of lignin aggregates at low ethanol concentration resulted in high availability of hydroxyl group in the soluble lignin extract. The efficacy of the lignin modification via esterification was evidenced directly via FTIR using the similar ethanol concentration of soluble lignin extract at different lignin concentrations.

Conclusion

This study provided the understanding of detail analysis on particle size determination, microscopic properties and structural insights of lignin aggregates at wider ethanol concentrations. The esterified lignin derived at 5 mg/mL is suggested to expand greater lignin functionality in the preparation of lignin bio-based materials.
Comparison of caregivers’ characteristics, stigma, and disease burden of children with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit disorder in Egypt
Authors: Gabra Romany H. , Hashem Doaa F.
Published: December 2021

Background

Studies show that autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder place a significant stigma and burden on caregivers, economically as well as socially, psychologically, and emotionally. The current study aims to assess caregivers of those children with reference to stigma and disease burden, evaluation of different psychiatric symptoms, and quality of life. Also, it aims to compare the extent of such disruption related to the type of the disorder (ASD versus ADHD). A cross-sectional, analytical study was designed including 72 caregivers {38 caregivers of autism versus 34 caregivers of ADHD}; all of them were assessed for (1) stigma; (2) disease burden; (3) depression, anxiety, and sensitivity; and (4) quality of life.

Results

The current results show that caregivers of ASD and ADHD have a higher score of stigmas, burden, depression, anxiety, and a poorer QoL than normal; all these variables are worse in ASD caregivers than ADHD caregivers.

Conclusion

This study supports the notion that both ADHD and ASD pose a great challenge for their caregivers which is higher in ASD than ADHD caregivers.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Examining the Impact of Age on Perioperative Inflammatory Biomarkers
Authors: Patel Abhilasha , Zhang MengQi , Liao Gary , Karkache Wassim , Montroy Joshua , Fergusson Dean A. , Khadaroo Rachel G. , Tran Diem T. T. , McIsaac Daniel I. , Lalu Manoj M.
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND:

Dysregulation of immune responses to surgical stress in older patients and those with frailty may manifest as differences in inflammatory biomarkers. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine differences in perioperative inflammatory biomarkers between older and younger patients, and between patients with and without frailty.

METHODS:

MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases were searched (Inception to June 23, 2020). Observational or experimental studies reporting the perioperative level or activity of biomarkers in surgical patients stratified by age or frailty status were included. The primary outcome was inflammatory biomarkers (grouped by window of ascertainment: pre-op; post-op: <12 hours, 12–24 hours, 1–3 days, 3 days to 1 week, and >1 week). Quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Inverse-variance, random-effects meta-analysis was conducted.

RESULTS:

Forty-five studies (4263 patients) were included in the review, of which 36 were pooled for meta-analysis (28 noncardiac and 8 cardiac studies). Two studies investigated frailty as the exposure, while the remaining investigated age. In noncardiac studies, older patients had higher preoperative levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), lower preoperative levels of lymphocytes, and higher postoperative levels of IL-6 (<12 hours) and CRP (12–24 hours) than younger patients. In cardiac studies, older patients had higher preoperative levels of IL-6 and CRP and higher postoperative levels of IL-6 (<12 hours and >1 week).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings demonstrate a paucity of frailty-specific studies; however, the presence of age-associated differences in the perioperative inflammatory response is consistent with age-associated states of chronic systemic inflammation and immunosenescence. Additional studies assessing frailty-specific changes in the systemic biologic response to surgery may inform the development of targeted interventions.
The End of Pax Americana
Authors: Sakai Naoki
Published: December 2021

In The End of Pax Americana, Naoki Sakai focuses on U.S. hegemony's long history in East Asia and the effects of its decline on contemporary conceptions of internationality. Engaging with themes of nationality in conjunction with internationality, the civilizational construction of differences between East and West, and empire and decolonization, Sakai focuses on the formation of a nationalism of hikikomori, or “reclusive withdrawal”—Japan’s increasingly inward-looking tendency since the late 1990s, named for the phenomenon of the nation’s young people sequestering themselves from public life. Sakai argues that the exhaustion of Pax Americana and the post--World War II international order—under which Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and China experienced rapid modernization through consumer capitalism and a media revolution—signals neither the “decline of the West” nor the rise of the East, but, rather a dislocation and decentering of European and North American political, economic, diplomatic, and intellectual influence. This decentering is symbolized by the sense of the loss of old colonial empires such as those of Japan, Britain, and the United States.
All That Was Not Her
Authors: Meyers Todd
Published: December 2021

While studying caregiving and chronic illness in families living in situations of economic and social insecurity in Baltimore, anthropologist Todd Meyers met a woman named Beverly. In All That Was Not Her Meyers presents an intimate ethnographic portrait of Beverly, stitching together small moments they shared scattered over months and years and, following her death, into the present. He meditates on the possibilities of writing about someone who is gone—what should be represented, what experiences resist rendering, what ethical challenges exist when studying the lives of others. Meyers considers how chronic illness is bound up in the racialized and socioeconomic conditions of Beverly’s life and explores the stakes of the anthropologist’s engagement with one subject. Even as Meyers struggles to give Beverly the final word, he finds himself unmade alongside her. All That Was Not Her captures the complexity of personal relationships in the field and the difficulty of their ending.
Workers' Compensation Association With Clinical Outcomes After Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion
Authors: Cha Elliot D. K. , Lynch Conor P. , Jacob Kevin C. , Patel Madhav R. , Parrish James M. , Jenkins Nathaniel W. , Geoghegan Cara E. , Jadczak Caroline N. , Mohan Shruthi , Singh Kern
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND:

Research has suggested that workers' compensation (WC) status can result in poor outcomes after anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF).

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the influence WC status has on postoperative clinical outcomes after ACDF.

METHODS:

A surgical database was reviewed for patients undergoing primary or revision single-level ACDF. Patients were grouped into WC vs Non-WC, and differences in baseline characteristics were assessed. Postoperative improvement was assessed for differences in mean scores between WC subgroups for visual analog scale (VAS) arm, VAS neck, 12-item Short Form Physical Composite Score, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System physical function (PF), and Neck Disability Index (NDI) at preoperative and postoperative time points. Minimum clinically important difference (MCID) achievement was compared between groups.

RESULTS:

The patient cohort included 44 with WC and 95 without. The cohort was 40% female with an average age of 48 years and mean body mass index of 30. Mean VAS arm, VAS neck, NDI, 12-item Short-Form Physical Composite Score, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System PF scores differed between groups; however, the difference was not sustained at the 1-yr time point. MCID achievement among WC subgroups was different for VAS arm (6 wk through 6 mo, P = .005), VAS neck (3 and 6 mo, P < .01), and NDI (3 and 6 mo, P < .05). No statistically significant difference was noted between cohorts for overall rates of MCID achievement for all patient-reported outcome measures collected.

CONCLUSION:

WC patients reported similar preoperative and 1-yr postoperative neck and arm pain compared with non-WC patients after ACDF. One-yr MCID achievement rates were similar between cohorts for disability and PF scores.
Flavokawains, Plant-derived Chalcones, Inhibit Differentiation of Murine Pre-adipocytes
Authors: Hanif Novriyandi , Iswantini Dyah , Hioki Yusuke , Murni Anggia , Kita Masaki , Tanaka Junichi
Published: December 2021

Efforts to isolate compounds from an Indonesian member of the ginger family, Kaempferia angustifolia, yielded three known molecules, identified as (+)-crotepoxide (1), (+)-pipoxide chlorohydrin (2), and flavokawain A (FKA, 3). All three compounds strongly inhibited triglyceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 murine pre-adipocytes at 10 µg/mL, and compounds 1 and 2 were both cytotoxic at this concentration. To determine the biological activities of natural 3, flavokawains A (3), B (4) and C (5) were synthesized. While 4 was cytotoxic, both 3 and 5 potently inhibited differentiation of murine pre-adipocytes and reduced triglyceride accumulation (EC50 = 64.4 and 26.1 µM, respectively) with relatively weak cytotoxicity. Thus, the electron-donating group on the aromatic B ring may contribute to the highly selective anti-obesity activity.
Two-dimensional Imaging of a Model Pharmaceutical Dosage Tablet Using a Scanning Vibrational Circular Dichroism System
Authors: Sato Hisako , Aisawa Sumio , Ida Honoka , Shimizu Masaru , Watanabe Keisuke , Koshoubu Jun , Yoshida Jun , Kawamura Izuru
Published: December 2021

A vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) system with a quantum-cascade laser was used to obtain a two-dimensional image of VCD signals on a pharmaceutical tablet. A KBr disc of a model dosage form was prepared using tartaric acid and phenylalanine as chiral multi-reagents and layered double hydroxides as excipients. VCD spectra were obtained in the range 1500–1700 cm−1 at a 1 mm i.d. spatial resolution. The results demonstrated the utility of the proposed system in quality control during drug manufacturing.
Electric Double Layer Action of High-quality Ionic Liquid Crystal Thin Films
Authors: Komatsu Haruka , Tanaka Miyuki , Kaminaga Kenichi , Maruyama Shingo , Matsumoto Yuji
Published: December 2021

We successfully prepared high-quality vacuum-deposited thin films of ionic liquid crystal 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C16mim][PF6]). The key point is to anneal the films in vacuum at the liquid crystal temperature of [C16mim][PF6], thereby much improving their crystallinity, surface smoothness, and air-exposure stability. The differential capacitance measurement of such a high-quality thin film revealed that an electric double layer was formed in the liquid crystalline phase, while it behaves like a normal dielectric in the crystal phase.
Hydrodeoxygenation of Aromatic Ketones under Mild Conditions over Pd-loaded Hydrogen Molybdenum Bronze with Plasmonic Features
Authors: Kuwahara Yasutaka , Okada Masahiro , Ge Hao , Yamashita Hiromi
Published: December 2021

Reduction of α-MoO3via “hydrogen spillover” process mediated by noble metal nanoparticles leads to a formation of hydrogen molybdenum bronze with plasmon-induced optical features. We herein report that Pd-loaded hydrogen molybdenum bronze effectively promotes the hydrodeoxygenation of aromatic ketones to the corresponding alkyl aromatics at room temperature and under atmospheric pressure of H2. The catalyst shows a further enhanced catalytic activity under the irradiation of visible light due to the plasmonic effect.
The Relative Efficiency of Skilled Labor across Countries: Measurement and Interpretation
Authors: Rossi Federico
Published: December 2021

I study how the relative efficiency of high- and low-skill labor varies across countries. Using microdata for countries at different stages of development, I document that differences in relative quantities and wages are consistent with high-skill workers being relatively more productive in rich countries. I exploit variation in the skill premia of foreign-educated migrants to discriminate between two possible drivers of this pattern: cross-country differences in the skill bias of technology and in the relative human capital of skilled labor. I find that the former is quantitatively more important, and discuss the implications of this result for development accounting. (JEL I26, J24, J31, J61, L16, O15)
When Should There Be Vertical Choice in Health Insurance Markets?
Authors: Marone Victoria R. , Sabety Adrienne
Published: December 2021

We study the welfare effects of offering choice over coverage levels—“vertical choice”—in regulated health insurance markets. We emphasize that heterogeneity in efficient coverage level is not sufficient to motivate choice. When premiums cannot reflect individuals’ costs, it may not be in consumers’ best interest to select their efficient coverage level. We show that vertical choice is efficient only if consumers with higher willingness to pay have a higher efficient level of coverage. We investigate this condition empirically and find that as long as a minimum coverage level can be enforced, the welfare gains from vertical choice are either zero or economically small. (JEL D82, G22, H75, I13, I21)
Essays on the economics of regional economic growth and perspectives of industrial evolution
Authors: Κεχαγιά Αδαμαντία
Published: December 2021

Η επίδραση των διαρθρωτικών ταμείων της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης (Ε.Ε.) στην περιφερειακή ανάπτυξη αποτελεί θέμα πολιτικής και οικονομικής σημασίας. Οι μεγάλες και τακτικές πληρωμές που πραγματοποιήθηκαν στις Ευρωπαϊκές χώρες και περιφέρειες είχαν και έχουν σκοπό την ανάπτυξη και την προώθηση δομικών αλλαγών με σκοπό την υλοποίηση επενδύσεων και οικονομικών μεταρρυθμίσεων. Αλλά πόσοι από αυτούς τους στόχους έχουν επιτευχθεί; Σε αυτή την διατριβή παρέχουμε σημαντική εμπειρική απόδειξη ότι οι περιφέρειες έχουν, κατά πλειοψηφία, επωφεληθεί από τις διάφορες πληρωμές των Ευρωπαϊκών διαρθρωτικών ταμείων μελετώντας το παράδειγμα της Ελλάδας. Επικεντρώνοντας το ενδιαφέρον μας στον τρόπο απορρόφησης των πληρωμών αυτών και πως αυτές συνεισέφεραν στην Ελληνική ανάπτυξη. Επίσης, θέτουμε ερωτήματα σχετικά με την βιωσιμότητα και την παραγωγική δομή της Ελληνικής Οικονομίας και την υπερβολική εξάρτηση της από τον τουρισμό. Τα αποτελέσματα μας συγκλίνουν στη θετική επίδραση των πληρωμών θέτοντας προβληματισμούς για την ορθή κατανομή τους, την απορρόφηση τους και την τελική επίδραση τους στον οικονομικό κύκλο της χώρας.Το δεύτερο μέρος της διατριβής αποτελεί μια εισαγωγή στα ιστορικά γεγονότα που επηρέασαν την Αμερικανική οικονομία και τις μεγάλες αλλαγές που συντελέστηκαν στον χρόνο. Η βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση συνοδεύεται από μία σειρά από ελέγχους υποδείγματος διαφορών μεταξύ όλων των μεταβλητών της έρευνας. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας μας, μας οδηγούν στο συμπέρασμα ότι οι αλλαγές που συντελέστηκαν στην Αμερικανική οικονομία και την βιομηχανία περιορίστηκαν στα έτη 1950-1980. Αυτή η περίοδος χαρακτηρίζεται μεταβατική για την Αμερική οικονομία και βιομηχανία καθώς η παραδοσιακή τεχνολογία αντικαταστάθηκε αργά από καινούριες μεθόδους παραγωγής, αυξήθηκε ο όγκος παραγωγής, ενισχύθηκε η ανταγωνιστικότητα και αντικαταστάθηκαν οι εισαγωγές της χώρας. Όλα αυτά τα γεγονότα είχαν σημαντική επίδραση στους μισθούς σε όλους τους οικονομικούς τομείς όπως φαίνεται και στα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας μας.
Participative opposition applied
Authors: Lacková Ľudmila
Published: December 2021

Opposition theory is one of the main outcomes of structural linguistics of the last century. While it is still valid and used in the field of phonology, it has not had the same fortune in other linguistic disciplines and has been replaced by other theoretical concepts. The present paper aims to revisit the opposition theory, particularly Louis Hjelmslev’s theory of participative opposition. Participative opposition seems to have a high application potential not only in linguistics but also in other scientific fields. The first part of the paper outlines a brief history of the binary opposition theory within structural linguistics, while the second part introduces the somewhat forgotten concept of participative opposition, shows its explanatory power and, finally, its possible applicability in biology.
Kafka, Roth y Buber: en torno a dos relatos (I).
Authors: Herrero-Velarde Gabriel Insausti
Published: December 2021

Un diálogo entre los relatos “Ante la Ley” de Kafka y La leyenda del santo bebedor de Roth, dos relatos cuya datación casi coincide literalmente con el periodo de entreguerras, propicia una comparación de interpretaciones en la que participan Benjamin, Arendt, Mann, Scholem, Adorno, Steiner, Magris... Al fondo de esa comparación surge una pregunta por la justicia que en manos de autores como Hugo Bergmann, Frank Rosenzweig y Martin Buber dio pie a un replanteamiento del judaísmo centroeuropeo, hoy casi olvidado, que sin embargo testimonia más allá de la crisis del hebraísmo la de la propia cultura europea.
Lo siniestro amenaza a todo lo viviente en las Carceri d’ivenzioni (1745-1760) de Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Authors: Díaz Lucena Antonio
Published: December 2021

El espacio representado en los grabados Carceri d’ivenzioni (1745-1760) de Giovanni Battista Piranesi parece envolver y disolver a la figura humana. Plantea un hábitat hostil hacia todo lo orgánico e, innova, —con su arquitectura y trazado— el concepto tradicional de cárcel o presidio, apuntando hacia la problemática futura que generaron las grandes urbes y metrópolis. Pensamos que la experiencia de lo siniestro emerge gracias a la asociación del fondo con todo lo inanimado formando un paisaje interior que parece haber sido dotado de vida y que amedrenta a toda la materia viva que contiene. Además, creemos que estas imágenes resultan realmente actuales en tanto que pudieran formar parte de la puesta en escena de films distópicos posmodernos. Intentaremos demostrar estas hipótesis a lo largo de este artículo mediante el análisis textual de las Carceri d’ivenzioni.
Dynamic Discretization Discovery Algorithms for Time-Dependent Shortest Path Problems
Authors: He Edward Yuhang , Boland Natashia , Nemhauser George , Savelsbergh Martin
Published: December 2021

Finding a shortest path in a network is a fundamental optimization problem. We focus on settings in which the travel time on an arc in the network depends on the time at which traversal of the arc begins. In such settings, reaching the destination as early as possible is not the only objective of interest. Minimizing the duration of the path, that is, the difference between the arrival time at the destination and the departure from the origin, and minimizing the travel time along the path from origin to destination, are also of interest. We introduce dynamic discretization discovery algorithms to efficiently solve such time-dependent shortest path problems with piecewise linear arc travel time functions. The algorithms operate on partially time-expanded networks in which arc costs represent lower bounds on the arc travel time over the subsequent time interval. A shortest path in this partially time-expanded network yields a lower bound on the value of an optimal path. Upper bounds are easily obtained as by-products of the lower bound calculations. The algorithms iteratively refine the discretization by exploiting breakpoints of the arc travel time functions. In addition to time discretization refinement, the algorithms permit time intervals to be eliminated, improving lower and upper bounds, until, in a finite number of iterations, optimality is proved. Computational experiments show that only a small fraction of breakpoints must be explored and that the fraction decreases as the length of the time horizon and the size of the network increases, making the algorithms highly efficient and scalable.

Summary of Contribution: New data collection techniques have increased the availability and fidelity of time-dependent travel time information, making the time-dependent variant of the classic shortest path problem an extremely relevant problem in the field of operations research. This paper provides novel algorithms for the time-dependent shortest path problem with both the minimum duration and minimum travel time objectives, which aims to address the computational challenges faced by existing algorithms. A computational study shows that our new algorithm is indeed significantly more efficient than existing approaches.
“Just Words? Just Speeches?” On the Economic Value of Charismatic Leadership
Authors: Antonakis John , d’Adda Giovanna , Weber Roberto A. , Zehnder Christian
Published: December 2021

Leadership theories in sociology and psychology argue that effective leaders influence follower behavior not only through the design of incentives and institutions, but also through personal abilities to persuade and motivate. Although charismatic leadership has received considerable attention in the management literature, existing research has not yet established causal evidence for an effect of leader charisma on follower performance in incentivized and economically relevant situations. We report evidence from field and laboratory experiments that investigate whether a leader’s charisma—in the form of a stylistically different motivational speech—can induce individuals to undertake personally costly but socially beneficial actions. In the field experiment, we find that workers who are given a charismatic speech increase their output by about 17% relative to workers who listen to a standard speech. This effect is statistically significant and comparable in size to the positive effect of high-powered financial incentives. We then investigate the effect of charisma in a series of laboratory experiments in which subjects are exposed to motivational speeches before playing a repeated public goods game. Our results reveal that a higher number of charismatic elements in the speech can increase public good contributions by up to 19%. However, we also find that the effectiveness of charisma varies and appears to depend on the social context in which the speech is delivered.

This paper was accepted by Yan Chen, behavioral economics and decision analysis.
¿Una ardilla que vuela?
Authors: Vargas Miranda Bárbara , Ballesteros-Barrera Claudia
Published: December 2021

En una noche oscura en un bosque, escuchamos ruidos en los árboles, algunas ramas se han movido. De pronto vemos una pequeña silueta surcar el cielo: “no es un ave, no es un avión, no es Superman, es ¡Glaucomys volans, la ardilla voladora!”.
A qualitative exploration of the media's influence on UK women's views of breastfeeding
Authors: Srivastava Kiron , Norman Alyson , Ferrario Hannah , Mason Eleanor , Mortimer Samantha
Published: December 2021

Background

In the UK, rates of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months are at 1%, highlighting the need to encourage and improve the support provided to women to initiate and continue breastfeeding and to improve infant and maternal health. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the influence of media on the intention to initiate and continue breastfeeding.

Methods

This ethnographic study recruited 40 women; 31 with children and nine of childbearing age (19–28 years), with the intention to have children. Data were collected with semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Five themes associated with sociocultural influences on breastfeeding perceptions and behaviour were identified: family influence, privacy, media as a double-edged sword, negative exposure to breastfeeding and planned behaviour versus experience.

Conclusions

Media influences strengthened preconceived notions of breastfeeding. Social media can play an important role in maintaining breastfeeding though support but can also put undue negative pressure on mothers who struggle to breastfeed.
Developing a fast-track COVID-19 vaccination clinic for pregnant people
Authors: Cater Kirsty , Yazbek Jonathan , Morris Paul , Watts Karen , Whitehouse Claire
Published: December 2021

A pilot fast-track COVID-19 vaccination clinic was created in the east of England to provide expert advice, education and support for pregnant people. As the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed, it is clear that pregnant people are at high risk of becoming seriously unwell with the COVID-19 virus. Establishment of the clinic led to a 20% increase in COVID-19 vaccine uptake in this group, with 211 vaccinations between 28 June and 30 September 2021. Almost two-thirds (59%) of pregnant people reported they would not have taken up the vaccination if they had not discussed it as part of this service. Over half of those attending (50.2%) reside within the index of multiple deprivation levels 1–4, the most severely deprived areas. This article explores the development of the fast-track vaccination service and seeks to support others wishing to replicate its delivery in their areas.
Supervisors’ Perspectives on Graduate Students’ Problems in Academic Writing
Authors: Hawari Omar Moh'd Amer , Al-Shboul Yasser , Huwari Ibrahim Fathi
Published: December 2021

Writing is very important for learners; it is a dynamic and creative skill. Although studies on students’ problems when writing a dissertation among Native Speakers (NS) are widely done, studies on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) are limited, especially those which examine problems faced while writing dissertations among Ph.D. EFL learners, in particular, Jordanian Ph.D. candidates. Studies on the supervisors' perspectives of writing a dissertation are scarce among EFL learners, particularly Arab learners. This study aims at focusing on supervisors' perspectives of writing dissertations among Jordanian Ph.D. students who are studying abroad. This study is a qualitative case study. The researchers interviewed nine Malaysian supervisors who supervised 21 Jordanian Ph.D. candidates. The results show that six main themes emerged from the supervisors' perspectives, and they are grammatical mistakes, lack of vocabulary and verbs reporting, personal effects, lack of motivation, writing apprehension, and the problem with generic thesis structure. This paper contributes with a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical perspectives on problems Ph.D. students face when writing a dissertation. The study also fills in the gap in the field of supervisors' perspectives of writing a dissertation. Based on the results found, the researchers suggest a number of recommendations and further research that might help supervisors understand the reasons behind such difficulties.
Is Segregated Language Support Fit for Purpose? Insights From German Language Support Classes in Austria
Authors: Erling Elizabeth J. , Gitschthaler Marie , Schwab Susanne
Published: December 2021

In Austria, segregated German language support classes (GLSC) were introduced in the school year 2018/19 to intensively support students who had previously little or no contact with German, the official language of instruction. These classes have been widely criticised; however, a formal evaluation of their effects has yet to be published. In absence of this evaluation, this article describes the language support model as it currently exists in Austria and reviews existing evidence about its efficacy. The literature review synthesises findings from educational research undertaken in other contexts that offer insight into features of ‘good practice’ in language support models. The article then explores the extent to which GLSC comply with these features. As such, this review allows insights into ways of ensuring students’ language and socio-emotional development – all central aspects of academic success – in language support models. It therefore allows research-informed understanding of the effects of the newly implemented model of German support classes in Austria and makes recommendations for further development.
Photon-efficient 3D reconstruction employing a edge enhancement method
Authors: Zhao Xiaochen , Jiang Xiaoduo , Han Aojie , Mao Tianyi , He Weiji , Chen Qian
Published: December 2021

Photon-efficient 3D reconstruction under sparse photon conditions remains challenges. Especially for scene edge locations, the light scattering results in a weaker echo signal than non-edge locations. Depth images can be viewed as smooth regions stitched together by edge segmentation, yet none of the existing methods focus on how to improve the accuracy of edge reconstruction when performing 3D reconstruction. Moreover, the impact of edge reconstruction to overall depth reconstruction hasn’t been investigated. In this paper, we explore how to improve the edge reconstruction accuracy from various aspects such as improving the network structure, employing hybrid loss functions and taking advantages of the non-local correlation of SPAD measurements. Meanwhile, we investigate the correlation between the edge reconstruction accuracy and the reconstruction accuracy of overall depth based on quantitative metrics. The experimental results show that the proposed method achieves superior performance in both edge reconstruction and overall depth reconstruction compared with other state-of-the-art methods. Besides, it proves that the improvement of edge reconstruction accuracy promotes the reconstruction accuracy of depth map.
Enhanced transverse optical gradient force on Rayleigh particles in two plane waves
Authors: Zhang Yusen , Xiu Ziheng , Fan Xiangsuo , Li Ruxue , Chen Huajin , Zheng Hongxia , Lu Wanli , Lin Zhifang
Published: December 2021

Based on the full wave simulation and the Maxwell stress tensor theory, we demonstrate an enhanced transverse optical gradient force acting on Rayleigh particles immersed in a simple optical field formed by two linearly polarized plane waves. The optical gradient force acting on a conventional dielectric particle can be enhanced by two orders of magnitude via coating an extremely thin silver shell, whose thickness is only about one-tenth of the dielectric core. The analytical results based on the multipole expansion theory reveal that the enhanced optical gradient force comes mostly from the interaction between the incident field and the electric quadrupole excited in the core-shell particle. It is worth noting that the force expression within the dipole approximation commonly used for Rayleigh particles is invalid in our situation, even the particle is within the Rayleigh regime. In addition, both the optical potential energy and the optical trapping stiffness for the core-shell particle exhibit a great enhancement by two orders of magnitude stronger than a conventional dielectric particle and thus is favorable to a stable optical trapping. These results may extend the application range of optical tweezers and enrich optical manipulation techniques.
Evolution of the frequency-comb structure and coherence from a Keldysh multiphoton into a tunneling regime
Authors: Liang Chang-Tong , Wu Yuan-Yuan , Wang Zhi-Bin , Li Peng-Cheng
Published: December 2021

We present a theoretical study of the characteristics of the frequency-comb structure and coherence via high-order harmonic generation (HHG) driven by the laser pulse trains when the ionization process is pushed from Keldysh multiphoton into tunneling regime. HHG is obtained by solving accurately the time-dependent Schrödinger equation by means of the time-dependent generalized pseudospectral method. We find that the nested comb structures are formed from each harmonic order in the Keldysh multiphoton ionization regime. But it is severely suppressed or even disappeared in the Keldysh tunneling ionization regime. It implies that the temporal coherence of the emitted frequency comb modes is very sensitive to the Keldysh ionization regime. To understand the evolution of frequency-comb structure and coherence, we perform the calculation of the time-dependent ionization probability and the spectral phase of frequency-comb HHG. We find that the frequency-comb HHG driven by the laser pulse trains in the Keldysh multiphoton regime has a good coherence because the ionization probability of the atom driven by each laser pulse is stable, leading to a phase-coherent frequency-comb structure rather than those cases in the Keldysh tunneling regime with high laser intensity. Our results shed light on current interest and significance to the experimental realization of controllable and frequency-comb vacuum-ultraviolet light sources.
Delta/Jagged-mediated Notch signaling induces the differentiation of agr2-positive epidermal mucous cells in zebrafish embryos
Authors: Lu Yu-Fen , Liu Da-Wei , Li I-Chen , Lin Jamie , Wang Chien-Ming , Chu Kuo-Chang , Kuo Hsiao-Hui , Lin Che-Yi , Yih Ling-Huei , Jiang Yun-Jin , Hwang Sheng-Ping L.
Published: December 2021

Teleosts live in aquatic habitats, where they encounter ionic and acid-base fluctuations as well as infectious pathogens. To protect from these external challenges, the teleost epidermis is composed of living cells, including keratinocytes and ionocytes that maintain body fluid ionic homeostasis, and mucous cells that secret mucus. While ionocyte progenitors are known to be specified by Delta-Notch-mediated lateral inhibition during late gastrulation and early segmentation, it remains unclear how epidermal mucous cells (EMCs) are differentiated and maintained. Here, we show that Delta/Jagged-mediated activation of Notch signaling induces the differentiation of agr2-positive (agr2+) EMCs in zebrafish embryos during segmentation. We demonstrated that agr2+ EMCs contain cytoplasmic secretory granules and express muc5.1 and muc5.2. Reductions in agr2+ EMC number were observed in mib mutants and notch3 MOs-injected notch1a mutants, while increases in agr2+ cell number were detected in notch1a- and X-Su(H)/ANK-overexpressing embryos. Treatment with γ-secretase inhibitors further revealed that Notch signaling is required during bud to 15 hpf for the differentiation of agr2+ EMCs. Increased agr2+ EMC numbers were also observed in jag1a-, jag1b-, jag2a- and dlc-overexpressing, but not jag2b-overexpressing embryos. Meanwhile, reductions in agr2+ EMC numbers were detected in jag1a morphants, jag1b mutants, jag2a mutants and dlc morphants, but not jag2b mutants. Reduced numbers of pvalb8-positive epidermal cells were also observed in mib or jag2a mutants and jag1a or jag1b morphants, while increased pvalb8-positive epidermal cell numbers were detected in notch1a-overexpressing, but not dlc-overexpressing embryos. BrdU labeling further revealed that the agr2+ EMC population is maintained by proliferation. Cell lineage experiments showed that agr2+ EMCs are derived from the same ectodermal precursors as keratinocytes or ionocytes. Together, our results indicate that specification of agr2+ EMCs in zebrafish embryos is induced by DeltaC/Jagged-dependent activation of Notch1a/3 signaling, and the cell population is maintained by proliferation.