bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SUITMAs as an archive of the human past: educational implications
Authors: Urbańska Magdalena , Charzyński Przemysław
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The relics of the industry are widely used for educational and touristic purposes. There are many examples of brownfield sites turned into tourist attractions. Interest in post-industrial areas concerns not only an infrastructure and ruins but also the soil cover. Soils in such areas should be also considered as important element of this type of landscape due to the artefacts’ stored. This article aim is to present educational potential of post-industrial soils and artefacts to be found there on the example of the area of “Polchem”.

Methods and materials

This publication is based on the analysis of soils’ artefacts in the non-reclaimed area of former chemical plant. Photographic material and literature studies focus on technogenic soils and its functions. The history of “Polchem”, industrial tourism and industrial archaeology as well as verbal communication of people associated with the company were important components of this publication.

Results and discussion

Soils play many ecological functions, one of them is archiving human history. In this approach, archaeology is combined with soil science serving as a tool in archaeological research. Such cooperation within two scientific fields leads often to valuable scientific achievements. Relatively young post-industrial areas are generally out of interest of archaeology. However, they can form the basis of soil education activities targeted at a larger number of recipients.

Conclusions

Soils within cities are interesting due to recorded marks of human activity. Artefacts in soils can be used in various ways. One of them is an educational purpose. “Polchem” area is out of use now so it can be accessed by visitors (students and teachers). Artefact’s diversity allows for quick finding and recognition of industrial history of the former plant. In this way, it could be present an important soil function—protecting cultural heritage.
Fear of COVID-19 and Depression: A Comparative Study Among the General Population and Healthcare Professionals During COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis in Bangladesh
Authors: Sakib Najmuj , Akter Tahmina , Zohra Fatematuz , Bhuiyan A. K. M. Israfil , Mamun Mohammed A. , Griffiths Mark D.
Published: February 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic affects individuals’ mental health that can result in fear of getting COVID-19 infection and depression. As there is no prior study available, we evaluated these mental health outcomes and associated factors among the general population and healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Bangladesh. This nationwide cross-sectional study comprised 3388 individuals including 834 HCPs. The measures included socio-demographics, healthcare, and patient-care related information, the Bangla Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Bangla Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors. Just over one-quarter of the participants were depressed, and was significantly associated with COVID-19 fear. Regression analyses showed that, both in general population and HCPs, depression and fear of COVID-19 were strongly predicted by being female; however, depression was inversely associated with being married. Particularly, among the HCPs, being restless while examining a patient with flu-like symptoms and while examining a patient returning from abroad was found to be significant predictor for both depression and fear of COVID-19. HCPs who were using single protective equipment for a week had greater depression and those who felt insecure due to the pandemic had a high level of COVID-19 fear. The findings identified major psychological impacts among the participants, suggesting the urgent need to promote mental wellbeing in both general population and medical professionals.
Qualitative research: extending the range with flexible pattern matching
Authors: Bouncken Ricarda B. , Qiu Yixin , Sinkovics Noemi , Kürsten Wolfgang
Published: February 2021

The flexible pattern matching approach has witnessed increasing popularity. By combining deduction with induction in logic, flexible pattern matching is well suited for exploration and theory development. The paper discusses its logic, advantages and process of this approach while offering a review of research adopting this approach. We also compare and contrast it with another popular qualitative data analysis technique, the grounded theory approach, to further ground the method on the established knowledge and elaborate its strength and fitting context. This paper advances the flexible pattern matching approach by suggesting a five-step roadmap to conduct qualitative research with the approach.
Designing and enacting instruction that enhances language for mathematics learning: a review of the state of development and research
Authors: Erath Kirstin , Ingram Jenni , Moschkovich Judit , Prediger Susanne
Published: February 2021

After four decades of research and development on language in mathematics classrooms, there is consensus that enhancing language is crucial for promoting students’ mathematics learning. After briefly sketching the theoretical contexts for work on this topic, in this paper we present six design principles for instruction that enhances language for mathematics learning. We then review the research that provides an empirical foundation for these principles, (a) concerning the design of learning environments to enhance language for mathematics learning and (b) on teaching practices (including teacher moves and classroom norms) involved in the enactment of those designed learning environments. Without claiming completeness, this review of the state of development and research shows that some aspects of design and instruction that enhance language for mathematics learning have been well researched, whereas research gaps for other aspects persist.
EDTA interfacial chelation Ca2+ incorporates superhydrophobic coating for scaling inhibition of CaCO3 in petroleum industry
Authors: Zhu Ming-Liang , Qian Hui-Juan , Yuan Rui-Xia , Zhao Dong-Yan , Huang Hai-Chao , Wang Huai-Yuan
Published: February 2021

In this paper, the superhydrophobic poly(vinylidene fluoride)/fluorinated ethylene propylene/SiO2/CNTs-EDTA (PFSC-EDTA) composite coating was successfully fabricated and applied for anti-scaling performance. The deposition of CaCO3 on the surface of the superhydrophobic PFSC-EDTA composite coating reached 0.0444 mg/cm2 for 192-h immersion into the supersaturated CaCO3 solution, which was only 11.4% that of the superhydrophobic PFSC composite coating. At the interface between the CaCO3 solution and the PFSC-EDTA coating, the Ca2+ could be firstly chelated by EDTA that was benefit for improving the anti-scaling performance of the superhydrophobic PFSC-EDTA composite coating. In another hand, the addition of EDTA to the CNTs played an important role in fabricating the SiO2-centric and CNTs-EDTA-surrounded multilevel micro–nanostructure in the superhydrophobic PFSC-EDTA composite coating, in favor of maintaining the air film under the water and the stability of the superhydrophobic surface. The research supplies a new way of improving anti-scaling performance of superhydrophobic coating by incorporating the organic chelating agent at the interface and changing the traditional way of scale prevention.
Decoding Cortical Glial Cell Development
Authors: Li Xiaosu , Liu Guoping , Yang Lin , Li Zhenmeiyu , Zhang Zhuangzhi , Xu Zhejun , Cai Yuqun , Du Heng , Su Zihao , Wang Ziwu , Duan Yangyang , Chen Haotian , Shang Zicong , You Yan , Zhang Qi , He Miao , Chen Bin , Yang Zhengang
Published: February 2021

Mouse cortical radial glial cells (RGCs) are primary neural stem cells that give rise to cortical oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and olfactory bulb (OB) GABAergic interneurons in late embryogenesis. There are fundamental gaps in understanding how these diverse cell subtypes are generated. Here, by combining single-cell RNA-Seq with intersectional lineage analyses, we show that beginning at around E16.5, neocortical RGCs start to generate ASCL1+EGFR+ apical multipotent intermediate progenitors (MIPCs), which then differentiate into basal MIPCs that express ASCL1, EGFR, OLIG2, and MKI67. These basal MIPCs undergo several rounds of divisions to generate most of the cortical oligodendrocytes and astrocytes and a subpopulation of OB interneurons. Finally, single-cell ATAC-Seq supported our model for the genetic logic underlying the specification and differentiation of cortical glial cells and OB interneurons. Taken together, this work reveals the process of cortical radial glial cell lineage progression and the developmental origins of cortical astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
Clinicopathological predictors of postoperative upstaging to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) in patients preoperatively diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study
Authors: Tanaka Kiyo , Masuda Norikazu , Hayashi Naoki , Sagara Yasuaki , Hara Fumikata , Kadoya Takayuki , Matsui Akira , Miyazaki Chieko , Shien Tadahiko , Tokunaga Eriko , Hayashi Takako , Niikura Naoki , Maeda Shigeto , Komoike Yoshihumi , Bando Hiroko , Kanbayashi Chizuko , Iwata Hiroji
Published: February 2021

Background

We conducted a prospective study with the intention to omit surgery for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. We aimed to identify clinicopathological predictors of postoperative upstaging to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) in patients preoperatively diagnosed with DCIS.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively analyzed patients with DCIS diagnosed through biopsy between April 1, 2010 and December 31, 2014, from 16 institutions. Clinical, radiological, and histological variables were collected from medical records.

Results

We identified 2,293 patients diagnosed with DCIS through biopsy, including 1,663 DCIS (72.5%) cases and 630 IDC (27.5%) cases. In multivariate analysis, the presence of a palpable mass (odds ratio [OR] 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–2.6), mammography findings (≥ category 4; OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2–2.6), mass formations on ultrasonography (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2–2.5), and tumor size on MRI (> 20 mm; OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2–2.4) were independent predictors of IDC. Among patients with a tumor size on MRI of ≤ 20 mm, the possibility of postoperative upstaging to IDC was 22.1%. Among the 258 patients with non-palpable mass, nuclear grade 1/2, and positive for estrogen receptor, the possibility was 18.1%, even if the upper limit of the tumor size on MRI was raised to ≤ 40 mm.

Conclusion

We identified four independent predictive factors of upstaging to IDC after surgery among patients with DCIS diagnosed by biopsy. The combined use of various predictors of IDC reduces the possibility of postoperative upstaging to IDC, even if the tumor size on MRI is larger than 20 mm.
Auditory Phenotypic Variability in Friedreich’s Ataxia Patients
Authors: Koohi Nehzat , Thomas-Black Gilbert , Giunti Paola , Bamiou Doris-Eva
Published: February 2021

Auditory neural impairment is a key clinical feature of Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA). We aimed to characterize the phenotypical spectrum of the auditory impairment in FRDA in order to facilitate early identification and timely management of auditory impairment in FRDA patients and to explore the relationship between the severity of auditory impairment with genetic variables (the expansion size of GAA trinucleotide repeats, GAA1 and GAA2), when controlled for variables such as disease duration, severity of the disease and cognitive status. Twenty-seven patients with genetically confirmed FRDA underwent baseline audiological assessment (pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem response). Twenty of these patients had additional psychophysical auditory processing evaluation including an auditory temporal processing test (gaps in noise test) and a binaural speech perception test that assesses spatial processing (Listening in Spatialized Noise-Sentences Test). Auditory spatial and auditory temporal processing ability were significantly associated with the repeat length of GAA1. Patients with GAA1 greater than 500 repeats had more severe auditory temporal and spatial processing deficits, leading to poorer speech perception. Furthermore, the spatial processing ability was strongly correlated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an association between genotype and auditory spatial processing phenotype in patients with FRDA. Auditory temporal processing, neural sound conduction, spatial processing and speech perception were more severely affected in patients with GAA1 greater than 500 repeats. The results of our study may indicate that auditory deprivation plays a role in the development of mild cognitive impairment in FRDA patients.
History and Current Status of Sugarcane Breeding, Germplasm Development and Molecular Genetics in Brazil
Authors: Cursi D. E. , Hoffmann H. P. , Barbosa G. V. S. , Bressiani J. A. , Gazaffi R. , Chapola R. G. , Fernandes Junior A. R. , Balsalobre T. W. A. , Diniz C. A. , Santos J. M. , Carneiro M. S.
Published: February 2021

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of sugarcane and one of the leading suppliers of sugar and ethanol worldwide. In the 2019–2020 crop season, the country produced 642.7 million tons of sugarcane in a harvest area of 8.44 million hectares. Historically, sugarcane breeding has contributed continuously to increasing yields by regularly releasing superior cultivars for use by the Brazilian industry. In the last 40 years, an average annual increase of 155.7 kg ha−1 of sugar yield has been reported, about half of which may be attributed to breeding programs. However, due to the size of the country, the intensive expansion of the crop to low-fertility soils in the last few years, especially in degraded pasture areas, and the widespread adoption of mechanization, new challenges have been imposed on national breeding programs. This review covers the current situation with sugarcane breeding in Brazil and the main advances that have allowed the country to maintain world leadership in developing the industry. Additionally, the history of sugarcane breeding, current national breeding institutions, germplasm development, key breeding objectives, selection stages and methodologies are summarized. An overview is also presented of biotechnological approaches which have become key tools for improving Brazilian traditional breeding programs. The adoption of strategies to increase Brazilian sugarcane yield, aiming to consolidate crop production in a food and energy matrix, is also discussed.
PeppeRecycle: Improving Children’s Attitude Toward Recycling by Playing with a Social Robot
Authors: Castellano Giovanna , De Carolis Berardina , D’Errico Francesca , Macchiarulo Nicola , Rossano Veronica
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we investigate the use of a social robot as an engaging interface of a serious game intended to make children more aware and well disposed towards waste recycle. The game has been designed as a competition between the robot Pepper and a child. During the game, the robot simultaneously challenges and teaches the child how to recycle waste materials. To endow the robot with the capability to play as a game opponent in a real-world context, it is equipped with an image recognition module based on a Convolutional Neural Network to detect and classify the waste material as a child would do, i.e. by simply looking at it. A formal experiment involving 51 primary school students is carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the game in terms of different factors such as the interaction with the robot, the users’ cognitive and affective dimensions towards ecological sustainability, and the propensity to recycle. The obtained results are encouraging and draw promising scenarios for educational robotics in changing children’s attitudes toward recycling. Indeed Pepper turns out to be positively evaluated by children as a trustful and believable companion and this allows children to be concentrated on the “memorization” task during the game. Moreover, the use of real objects as waste items during the game turns out to be a successful approach not only for perceived learning effectiveness but also for the children’s engagement.
Short- and long-term haemodynamic consequences of transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale
Authors: Jin X. , Hummel Y. M. , Tay W. T. , Nauta J. F. , Bamadhaj N. S. S. , van Melle J. P. , Lam C. S. P. , Voors A. A. , Hoendermis E. S.
Published: February 2021

Background

Transcatheter atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure might have opposite short- and long-term haemodynamic consequences compared with restricted interatrial shunt creation, which recently emerged as a potential treatment modality for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Given the opposing approaches of ASD and PFO closure versus shunt creation, we investigated the early and sustained cardiac structural and functional changes following transcatheter ASD or PFO closure.

Methods

In this retrospective study, adult secundum-type ASD and PFO patients with complete echocardiography examinations at baseline and at 1‑day and 1‑year follow-up who also underwent transcatheter closure between 2013 and 2017 at the University Medical Centre Groningen, the Netherlands were included.

Results

Thirty-nine patients (mean age 48 ± standard deviation 16 years, 61.5% women) were included. Transcatheter ASD/PFO closure resulted in an early and persistent decrease in right ventricular systolic and diastolic function. Additionally, transcatheter ASD/PFO closure resulted in an early and sustained favourable response of left ventricular (LV) systolic function, but also in deterioration of LV diastolic function with an increase in LV filling pressure (LVFP), as assessed by echocardiography. Age (β = 0.31, p = 0.009) and atrial fibrillation (AF; β = 0.24, p = 0.03) were associated with a sustained increase in LVFP after transcatheter ASD/PFO closure estimated by mean E/e’ ratio (i.e. ratio of mitral peak velocity of early filling to diastolic mitral annular velocity). In subgroup analysis, this was similar for ASD and PFO closure.

Conclusion

Older patients and patients with AF were predisposed to sustained increases in left-sided filling pressures resembling HFpEF following ASD or PFO closure. Consequently, these findings support the current concept that creating a restricted interatrial shunt might be beneficial, particularly in elderly HFpEF patients with AF.
The Mandalovoo–Gurvansayhan terranes in the southern Gobi of Mongolia: new insights from the Bayankhoshuu Ruins section
Authors: Munkhjargal A. , Königshof P. , Waters J. A. , Carmichael S. K. , Gonchigdorj S. , Thassanapak H. , Udchachon M. , Davaanyam Sh.
Published: February 2021

The Bayankhoshuu Ruins section in southern Mongolia is characterized by strongly thrusted and folded sequences. Overall, three sections ranging from Ordovician to Carboniferous rocks were studied. Facies analysis combined with stratigraphic data provide improved lithostratigraphic descriptions of Palaeozoic successions in the Mushgai region. The overall marine sedimentary sequence is punctuated by volcanic rocks–basaltic lava of Silurian and Middle Devonian age and volcaniclastic bentonite and tuff in the Middle to Late Devonian and Mississippian suggesting an island arc setting. The Minjin Member of the Botuulkhudag Formation (Middle Devonian to Late Devonian) is primarily composed of thick basaltic and subaerial volcanic rocks with minor silicified siltstone and chert inclusions. Thicker successions of limestone occur in the Ordovician/Silurian, Early Devonian, and the Mississippian. The macrofauna is scarce, except distinct limestone horizons where different fossil groups were recognized. Microfossils, such as radiolarians and conodonts, are scarce and generally poorly preserved. However, based on the re-study of collections from earlier publications and new conodont data, a more detailed biostratigraphic record of the Khoyormod, Botuulkhudag, and Arynshand formations of the Bayankhoshuu Ruins section can be developed. For instance, the Arynshand Formation likely ranges from the late Bispathodus ultimus conodont biozone to the Scaliognathus anchoralis–Doliognathus latus conodont biozone. A tectonic breccia occurs in the early Mississippian and is overlain by a red shale of remarkable thickness at the top of this formation which points to subaerial exposure in the early Mississippian (near the Tournaisian/Visean transition). Due to strong tectonic overprint and/or facies, some unconformities/hiatuses occur. Most strata are intensively folded and faulted, ranging from centimeter to meter scale. Overall, deposition likely occurred on either the Mandalovoo or Gurvansayhan Terrane.
Comparison of Atmospheric Vertical Motion over China in ERA-Interim, JRA-55, and NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis Datasets
Authors: Xu Jiayu , Tian Rongxiang , Feng Song
Published: February 2021

Vertical motion is an important feature of the atmosphere, being closely linked to clouds and precipitation. Here, we present a comparison of the vertical velocity of air over China, with particular focus on the Tibetan Plateau, during the period 1981–2010 using three reanalysis datasets: ERA-Interim, JRA-55 and NCEP/NCAR. Analysis methods including empirical orthogonal functions analysis and correlation analysis were used to examine consistency between the datasets and their suitability in research and application in China. Our results show that the vertical velocity fields from ERA-Interim and JRA-55 are more consistent than they are with those from NCEP/NCAR. The atmospheric vertical velocity fields from NCEP/NCAR lack details compared with those obtained from ERA-Interim and JRA-55, and part of values for the upper troposphere over the ocean south of 15°N are contrary to the other datasets and the climatic reality. Therefore, use of ERA-Interim or JRA-55 may be preferable over NCEP/NCAR. The intensity of atmospheric vertical motion in the lower troposphere in JRA-55 is significantly higher than in ERA-Interim and NCEP/NCAR. In summer, the JRA-55 data are closest to the observed wind fields and the data stability best for the Tibetan Plateau region. Our results provide guidance for better application of reanalysis data and more accurate climate prediction for this region.
Re-examining utopia in contemporary consumption: conceptualization and implications for marketing
Authors: Atanasova Aleksandrina
Published: February 2021

This paper introduces liquid consumer utopias, defined as market-mediated expressions of individuals’ desires to re-imagine and re-construct reality, and to re-frame the present. This conceptual lens illuminates previously untheorized consumption phenomena, which are socially constructed, and often critical, efforts to enact an alternative way of being in an increasingly uncertain and unpredictable world. Three key characteristics of liquid utopias are outlined—immediacy, transience and hyper-individualization––each pointing to liquid consumer utopias’ function to facilitate present-oriented and short-lived re-imaginings of reality. Co-existing alongside the solid and collective utopian consumption of interest to prior research, these emergent forms of liquid consumer utopias articulate a re-imagining of the present (rather than the future), have an emphasis on individual (rather than communal) experiences of betterment, and an orientation toward temporary re-framings of the experienced reality (rather than a pursuit of permanence and long-lasting change). Implications are discussed for retailing, experiential consumption, and consumer self-optimization.
Statistical analyses of groundwater chemistry in the Qingdong coalmine, northern Anhui province, China: implications for water–rock interaction and water source identification
Authors: Chen Kai , Sun Linhua , Xu Jiying
Published: February 2021

Hydrochemistry of groundwater is important in coal mines because it can be used for understanding water–rock interaction and inrush water source identification. In this study, major ion concentrations of groundwater samples from the loose layer aquifer (LA), coal-bearing aquifer (CA) and Taiyuan Formation limestone aquifer (TA) in the Qingdong coal mine, northern Anhui province, China, have been analyzed by a series of statistical methods for identifying the source of chemical constituents in groundwater and the source of inrush water. The results indicate that the mean concentration of the major ions in the LA were ordered as follows: HCO3− > SO42− > Na+ + K+  > Cl− > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > CO32−, whereas average values of the CA in decreasing order are SO42−, Na+ + K+, HCO3−, Cl−, Ca2+, Mg2+ and CO32−, and the major ion concentrations of the TA have the following order: SO42− > Na+ + K+ > Ca2+  > HCO3− > Cl− > Mg2+ > CO32−, and most of the samples are Na-SO4 and Ca-SO4 types. TDS content in water increases with aquifer depth, whereas the pH values ranged from 7.1 to 8.9, indicating a weak alkaline environment. Two sources (weathering of silicate minerals and dissolution of evaporate minerals) have been identified by principal component analysis responsible for the chemical variations of the groundwater, and their contribution ratios have been quantified by Unmix model. Moreover, based on the Q-mode cluster and discriminant analyses, the samples with known sources have been identified correctly to be 95.7% and 97.6%, respectively, and the samples with unknown sources have been determined with high probability (78–100%).
Sensorimotor Representation Learning for an “Active Self” in Robots: A Model Survey
Authors: Nguyen Phuong D. H. , Georgie Yasmin Kim , Kayhan Ezgi , Eppe Manfred , Hafner Verena Vanessa , Wermter Stefan
Published: February 2021

Safe human-robot interactions require robots to be able to learn how to behave appropriately in spaces populated by people and thus to cope with the challenges posed by our dynamic and unstructured environment, rather than being provided a rigid set of rules for operations. In humans, these capabilities are thought to be related to our ability to perceive our body in space, sensing the location of our limbs during movement, being aware of other objects and agents, and controlling our body parts to interact with them intentionally. Toward the next generation of robots with bio-inspired capacities, in this paper, we first review the developmental processes of underlying mechanisms of these abilities: The sensory representations of body schema, peripersonal space, and the active self in humans. Second, we provide a survey of robotics models of these sensory representations and robotics models of the self; and we compare these models with the human counterparts. Finally, we analyze what is missing from these robotics models and propose a theoretical computational framework, which aims to allow the emergence of the sense of self in artificial agents by developing sensory representations through self-exploration.
Potentiating CD8+ T cell antitumor activity by inhibiting PCSK9 to promote LDLR-mediated TCR recycling and signaling
Authors: Yuan Juanjuan , Cai Ting , Zheng Xiaojun , Ren Yangzi , Qi Jingwen , Lu Xiaofei , Chen Huihui , Lin Huizhen , Chen Zijie , Liu Mengnan , He Shangwen , Chen Qijun , Feng Siyang , Wu Yingjun , Zhang Zhenhai , Ding Yanqing , Yang Wei
Published: February 2021

Metabolic regulation has been proven to play a critical role in T cell antitumor immunity. However, cholesterol metabolism as a key component of this regulation remains largely unexplored. Herein, we found that the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), which has been previously identified as a transporter for cholesterol, plays a pivotal role in regulating CD8+ T cell antitumor activity. Besides the involvement of cholesterol uptake which is mediated by LDLR in T cell priming and clonal expansion, we also found a non-canonical function of LDLR in CD8+ T cells: LDLR interacts with the T-cell receptor (TCR) complex and regulates TCR recycling and signaling, thus facilitating the effector function of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs). Furthermore, we found that the tumor microenvironment (TME) downregulates CD8+ T cell LDLR level and TCR signaling via tumor cell-derived proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) which binds to LDLR and prevents the recycling of LDLR and TCR to the plasma membrane thus inhibits the effector function of CTLs. Moreover, genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of PCSK9 in tumor cells can enhance the antitumor activity of CD8+ T cells by alleviating the suppressive effect on CD8+ T cells and consequently inhibit tumor progression. While previously established as a hypercholesterolemia target, this study highlights PCSK9/LDLR as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy as well.
Case report. Emfysemateuze pyelonefritis bij kinderen
Authors: Jacobs Rens A. L. , Callewaert Piet R. H.
Published: February 2021

Samenvatting

In dit case report beschrijven wij het diagnose- en behandeltraject van een 12-jarige patiënt met een emfysemateuze pyelonefritis (EPN) ten gevolge van een pyelo-ureterale junctie stenose. Een EPN bij kinderen is uiterst zeldzaam. De exacte pathogenese van EPN is onbekend, maar het voorkomen lijkt geassocieerd te zijn met obstructie van de urinewegen, stenen of een gestoorde afweer. In tegenstelling tot bij de volwassen populatie met EPN lijkt diabetes mellitus bij kinderen geen risicofactor. Het klinisch beeld van EPN kan variëren van symptomen die passen bij een klassieke pyelonefritis tot een ernstige septische shock. Computertomografisch onderzoek vormt de beste diagnostische modaliteit. Behandeling bestaat uit spoedige resuscitatie van de septische patiënt in combinatie met drainage van de nier in geval van obstructie. De klinische uitkomst bij kinderen is over het algemeen goed.
Converted Structures: Exploring Material Expressions of the Sacred and Secular
Authors: Hartson Taylor E.
Published: February 2021

Background

Increasingly across the Western world, traditional religious buildings are being converted for secular use, like housing, restaurants, or performance halls. At the same time, congregations are appearing in formerly secular spaces, adapting old shopping malls, storefronts, and movie theaters for their spaces of worship.

Purpose

This study employs a novel methodology to identify where these hybrid buildings are located and to explore what these buildings might mean in the context of the American religious landscape.

Methods

Using a database of addresses identified as potential converted structure candidates, I conduct one of the first known attempts to systematically identify these building conversions. I employed the Google Street View tool to locate these buildings in six mid-sized cities in the United States. Once these buildings had been located, I collected visual data of the exteriors using Google Street View and identified the presence of sacred and secular formal and functional elements present in the buildings.

Results

Based on the formal and functional elements identified in each conversion, I expanded Hackworth and Gullikson's (2013) typology for converted structures to include eight potential categories of conversion, five of which are represented by cases from my sample. I located 175 secular-to-sacred building conversions and 12 sacred-to-secular building conversions. Of the 175 secular-to-sacred building conversions, 89 buildings fell into the “secular form, mixed function” category, while 86 fell into the “secular form, sacred function” category. Of the 12 sacred-to-secular building conversions, 10 fell into the “sacred form, secular function” category, while 2 fell into the “mixed form, secular function” category. Additionally, while not an initial focus of this study, my sample included 2 building conversions that fell into the “sacred form, sacred function” category, revealing the third direction of building conversion: sacred-to-sacred.

Conclusions and Implications

While these findings are limited in their scope, I argue that continued exploration of these structures by expansion of this methodology and the addition of ethnographic research foreground the interaction between material objects and human relationships in the construction, deconstruction, and preservation of sacred and secular boundaries.
Variations on a Conjecture of C. C. Yang Concerning Periodicity
Authors: Liu Xinling , Korhonen Risto , Liu Kai
Published: February 2021

The generalized Yang’s Conjecture states that if, given an entire function f(z) and positive integers n and k, $$f(z)^nf^{(k)}(z)$$

f

(
z
)

n

f

(
k
)

(
z
)

is a periodic function, then f(z) is also a periodic function. In this paper, it is shown that the generalized Yang’s conjecture is true for meromorphic functions in the case $$k=1$$

k
=
1

. When $$k\ge 2$$

k
≥
2

the conjecture is shown to be true under certain conditions even if n is allowed to have negative integer values.
Determining the potential link of self-compassion with eating pathology and body image among women: a longitudinal mediational study
Authors: Turk Fidan , Kellett Stephen , Waller Glenn
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This longitudinal study aims to determine what factors mediate the previously established link between self-compassion and eating pathology/body image concerns, over a 6-month period.

Methods

A community sample of 274 adult women (M = 29.50 years) completed standardised validated measures of self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale), rumination (Ruminative Thought Style Questionnaire), shame (Other as Shamer Scale), perfectionism (Short Form of the Revised Almost Perfect Scale), self-criticism (Levels of Self-Criticism Scale), eating pathology (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire) and body image (Body Shape Questionnaire). They reported levels of: self-compassion at Time 1, potential mediators (rumination, shame, self-criticism, perfectionism) at 3 months; and eating pathology and body dissatisfaction a further 3 months later. Missing data were handled using multiple imputation. Stepwise multiple regression showed that shame was the most consistent mediator.

Results

Shame acted as a full mediator of the self-compassion-eating/body image relationship {respectively, [B = .04, SE = .01, t(268) = 3.93, p < .001], [B = .33, SE = .15, t(268) = 2.25, p < .05]}. Discrepancy perfectionism also played a mediating role in the link between self-compassion and body image dissatisfaction [B = .59, SE = .28, t(268) = 2.10, p < .05].

Conclusion

These results support the hypothesis that self-compassion is relevant to eating pathology and body image disturbance, and demonstrate that shame is an important mechanism in that relationship. This pattern suggests that interventions that reduce shame should be considered when addressing issues relating to self-compassion and its links to eating disorders.

Level of evidence

Level IV, multiple time series without intervention.
The patterns and burden of multimorbidity in geriatric patients with prolonged use of addictive medications
Authors: Cheng Socheat , Siddiqui Tahreem Ghazal , Gossop Michael , Wyller Torgeir Bruun , Kristoffersen Espen Saxhaug , Lundqvist Christofer
Published: February 2021

Background

Multimorbidity and prolonged use of addictive medications are prevalent among older patients, and known to increase the risk of adverse drug events. Yet, the relationship between these two entities has remained understudied.

Aims

This study explored the association between multimorbidity burden and prolonged use of addictive medications in geriatric patients, adjusted for clinically important covariates. Furthermore, we identified comorbidity patterns in prolonged users.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study on a consecutive sample of 246 patients, aged 65–90 years, admitted to a large public university hospital in Norway. We defined prolonged use of addictive medications as using benzodiazepines, opioids and/or z-hypnotics beyond the duration recommended by clinical guidelines (≥ 4 weeks). Multimorbidity was assessed with the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics (CIRS-G), based on diagnoses made by independent physicians.

Results

Compared to non-prolonged use, prolonged use was significantly more common among patients who had psychiatric (19/27, 70%), liver (19/22, 86%), upper gastrointestinal tract (21/32, 66%), musculoskeletal (52/96, 54%), or nervous system disorders (46/92, 50%). Patients with prolonged use had a higher multimorbidity burden than those without such use (CIRS-G score, mean = 7.7, SD = 2.7 versus mean = 4.6, SD = 2.2, p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression indicated a significant association between multimorbidity burden and prolonged addictive medication use (OR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.42–2.08). Predictive margins postestimation showed a systematic increase in the predicted CIRS-G scores when the number of addictive drug used increases.

Conclusions

Multimorbidity is strongly associated with prolonged use of addictive medications. Multiple substance use may aggravate disease burden of older patients.
Entwicklung und empirische Validierung eines kontextorientierten Skalenmodells zur Erfassung des Interesses von Schüler*innen am Klimawandel
Authors: Thieroff Bernhard , Schubert Jan Christoph , Gölitz Dietmar
Published: February 2021

Der Klimawandel stellt eine der wesentlichen Herausforderungen des 21. Jahrhunderts dar und gilt durch seine Struktur als hochrelevantes Thema im Geographieunterricht. Gleichzeitig stellt Interesse eine der zentralen themenspezifischen Voraussetzungen für fachliches Lernen dar. Bezogen auf den Klimawandel ist dieses bisher allerdings nur in Ansätzen erforscht. Die vorliegende Studie entwickelte daher auf Basis themenspezifischer sowie geographiedidaktischer Vorüberlegungen einen Fragebogen zur Erfassung kontextbezogenen Schüler*inneninteresses am Klimawandel. Im Zuge einer Faktorenanalyse ergaben sich fünf eindeutige Faktoren mit jeweils angemessenen bis hohen Reliabilitätswerten. Auf Ebene der unterrichtlichen Kontexte zeigten sich die lebensweltlich orientierten und individuell geprägten Kontexte Handlung sowie räumliche Nähe als besonders gewichtige Determinanten des Schüler*inneninteresses. Weiterhin ergab sich der Kontext Messung/Methodik. Mit Blick auf die fachlich-inhaltliche Struktur des Themas konnten die Faktoren globale Ursachen sowie Folgen als interesseleitend identifiziert werden. Es zeigte sich, dass das Interesse am Klimawandel vor allem durch die Lebenswelt sowie den Alltag der Schüler*innen betreffende Kontexte (z. B. den Nah‑/Heimatraum) determiniert wird. Die inhaltlichen Facetten des Themas spielen – zumindest soweit diese Kontexte berührt werden – eine nachgeordnete Rolle. Somit liegt ein hochreliables Verfahren zur Erfassung des Schüler*inneninteresses am Klimawandel gegen Ende der Sekundarstufe I vor, das eine Ausdifferenzierung des derzeitigen Forschungsstandes sowie eine interessenbezogene Wirksamkeitsprüfung unterrichtlicher Interventionen ermöglicht.
Vescicole extracellulari e metabolismo osseo: ruolo e possibili implicazioni cliniche
Authors: Bianciardi Simone , Merlotti Daniela , Materozzi Maria
Published: February 2021

Sommario

Le vescicole extracellulari (EV) sono secrete da vari tipi cellulari e veicolano cargo specifici destinati alle cellule target, mediando così effetti paracrini in meccanismi fisiologici e patologici. Negli ultimi anni lo studio delle EV si è affermato in moltissimi ambiti, compreso il mondo del metabolismo osseo. In questa rassegna riportiamo i più recenti e promettenti studi sul ruolo biologico delle EV nel tessuto osseo e il loro potenziale utilizzo in strategie terapeutiche.
Dietary intake in adults on hemodialysis compared with guideline recommendations
Authors: Saglimbene Valeria M. , Su Guobin , Wong Germaine , Natale Patrizia , Ruospo Marinella , Palmer Suetonia C. , Craig Jonathan C. , Carrero Juan J. , Strippoli Giovanni F. M.
Published: February 2021

Background

Clinical practice guidelines of dietary management are designed to promote a balanced diet and maintain health in patients undergoing haemodialysis but they may not reflect patients’ preferences.
We aimed to investigate the consistency between the dietary intake of patients on maintenance haemodialysis and guideline recommendations.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis of the DIET-HD study, which included 6,906 adults undergoing haemodialysis in 10 European countries. Dietary intake was determined using the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA2LEN) Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and compared with the European Best Practice Guidelines. Consistency with guidelines was defined as achieving the minimum daily recommended intake for energy (≥ 30 kcal/kg) and protein (≥ 1.1 g/kg), and not exceeding the maximum recommended daily intake for phosphate (≤ 1000 mg), potassium (≤ 2730 mg), sodium (≤ 2300 mg) and calcium (≤ 800 mg).

Results

Overall, patients’ dietary intakes of phosphate and potassium were infrequently consistent with guidelines (consistent in 25% and 25% of patients, respectively). Almost half of the patients reported that energy (45%) and calcium intake (53%) was consistent with the guidelines, while the recommended intake of sodium and protein was consistent in 85% and 67% of patients, respectively. Results were similar across all participating countries. Intake was consistent with all six guideline recommendations in only 1% of patients.

Conclusion

Patients on maintenance haemodialysis usually have a dietary intake which is inconsistent with current recommendations, especially for phosphate and potassium.
Selbsteinschätzung des persönlichen Verhaltens und Erlebens bei traumatisierten und nichttraumatisierten Personen
Authors: Thielmann Beatrice , Wonneberger Antje , Böckelmann Irina
Published: February 2021

Hintergrund

Potenziell traumatisierende Erlebnisse sind vielfältig, und deren Chronifizierung sollte vermieden werden. Ziel der Arbeit war es, zu untersuchen, ob die Personen, die traumatische Situationen erlebt haben, andere Persönlichkeitsmerkmale, d. h. anderes Verhalten und Erleben in Situationen, zeigen.

Material und Methoden

Es wurden 96 Bankangestellte (Alter: 42,6 ± 9,56 Jahre) befragt. Die Gruppeneinteilung erfolgte anhand des Fragebogens Impact of Event Scale: potenziell traumatisches Ereignis erlebt (Gruppe T) oder nicht (Gruppe kT). Mittels des Inventars zur Persönlichkeitsdiagnostik in Situationen (IPS) wurde die Selbsteinschätzung des persönlichen Verhaltens und Erlebens in beiden Gruppen untersucht.

Ergebnisse

Insgesamt 28 (29,2 %) Befragten gaben subjektiv ein potenziell traumatisches Ereignis an. Die geschätzte PTBS-Prävalenz lag bei 3,1 %. Statistische Unterschiede fanden sich nur im Leistungsverhalten (Lebensbereich Zufriedenheit) zwischen Gruppe T und Gruppe kT. Die Probanden, die eine traumatische Situation erlebt haben, hatten jedoch mehr interventionsbedürftige IPS-Profile. Beide Gruppen wiesen ein eher gering ausgeprägtes Erholungsverhalten auf.

Diskussion

Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse zur Selbsteinschätzung der Bankangestellten der Situationen zeigen die Notwendigkeit der frühzeitigen Prävention psychischer Erkrankungen infolge traumatischer Ereignisse. Selbsteinschätzung des Erlebens bei der Auseinandersetzung mit potenziell traumatisierten Situation kann dabei eine Rolle in der Entstehung der PTBS spielen. Die interdisziplinären Angebote und Kooperationen erscheinen sehr wichtig zu sein und sollten im Rahmen von Präventionsteams genutzt werden.
A holistic FMEA approach by fuzzy-based Bayesian network and best–worst method
Authors: Yucesan Melih , Gul Muhammet , Celik Erkan
Published: February 2021

Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is a risk analysis tool widely used in the manufacturing industry. However, traditional FMEA has limitations such as the inability to deal with uncertain failure data including subjective evaluations of experts, the absence of weight values of risk parameters, and not considering the conditionality between failure events. In this paper, we propose a holistic FMEA to overcome these limitations. The proposed approach uses the fuzzy best–worst (FBWM) method in weighting three risk parameters of FMEA, which are severity (S), occurrence (O), and detection (D), and to find the preference values of the failure modes according to parameters S and D. On the other side, it uses the fuzzy Bayesian network (FBN) to determine occurrence probabilities of the failure modes. Experts use a procedure using linguistic variables whose corresponding values are expressed in trapezoidal fuzzy numbers, and determine the preference values of the failure modes according to parameter O in the constructed BN. Thus, the FBN including expert judgments and fuzzy set theory addresses uncertainty in failure data and includes a robust probabilistic risk analysis logic to capture the dependence between failure events. As a demonstration of the approach, a case study was conducted in an industrial kitchen equipment manufacturing facility. The results of the approach have also been compared with existed methods demonstrating its robustness.
Thermomechanical Behavior of Steels in Tension Studied with Synchronized Full-Field Deformation and Temperature Measurements
Authors: Soares G.C. , Vázquez-Fernández N.I. , Hokka M.
Published: February 2021

Despite tensile testing being commonly used for investigating the mechanical behavior of materials, the occurrence of heterogeneous strain and increasing temperature at high strain rates make the experiment much more complex. This work presents a method integrating synchronous full-field stereo Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and Infrared Thermography (IRT). This method enabled high resolution investigations of the development of local temperatures and strains of the specimen during tensile loading of four steels at strain rates ranging from 2.5·10−4 to 900 s−1. The tests were monitored by a stereo setup of optical cameras and an infrared camera. Data acquisition was synchronized, and a pinhole camera model was used to translate the images from all cameras to the same three-dimensional space. The displacement vector fields from DIC were subtracted from the IRT images to represent the temperature maps in a Lagrangian coordinate system. The overall thermomechanical response of the materials was shown as 3D waterfall plots, which represent localized strain and temperature as a function of position and engineering strain. The results show that temperature increased homogeneously during uniform deformation at higher strain rates (10−2-900 s−1) and increased markedly with the onset of necking on the region of localized strain. At these strain rates, the localized increase of strain and temperature during necking were observed at the same global engineering strain and position, evidencing the spatial and temporal synchronization. The described method was used to accurately investigate the evolution of localized strain and temperature in both low and high strain rate regime.
Nebennierenvenensampling bei primärem Hyperaldosteronismus machbar?
Authors: Beiglböck Hannes , Baumgartner-Parzer Sabina , Krebs Michael
Published: February 2021

Der primäre Hyperaldosteronismus (Morbus Conn) ist die häufigste Ursache einer sekundären Hypertonie. Der Nachweis einer erhöhten Aldosteronproduktion bei unterdrückter Reninfreisetzung ist wegweisend für die Diagnose. Als Screeningtest hat sich die Aldosteron-Renin-Ratio etabliert. Bei Erhöhung dieser Ratio sollte ein Bestätigungstest durchgeführt werden. Eine Bildgebung der Nebennieren mittels CT folgt als nächster Schritt. Zur Bestimmung der Lateralisierung der erhöhten Aldosteronproduktion und vor geplanter Adrenalektomie sollte ein Nebennierenvenensampling durchgeführt werden. Da dies für den interventionellen Radiologen eine technisch sehr anspruchsvolle Intervention ist und die Erfolgsraten durchwachsen sind, kann ein Cortisol-Schnelltest verwendet werden, der die intraoperative Beurteilung der korrekten Abnahmestelle unterstützen kann.