bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immunogenicity and safety of a booster COVID‐19 vaccination in patients with chronic liver disease: A multicenter study
Authors: Wang Jitao , Ai Jingwen , Xiang Huiling , Zhang Yanliang , Hou Zhiyun , Zhang Qiran , Lv Jiaojian , Chen Shubo , Liu Chuan , Li Qianqian , Liang Jing , Xie Faren , Jiang Shujun , Zhang Nina , Zhang Aiguo , Lan Xiaolin , Zhang Xuying , Li Jinlong , Liu Dengxiang , Wang Wenchuan , Rao Wei , Qun Zhang , Tian Qiuju , Qi Xiaolong , Zhang Wenhong
Published: September 2023

Aim

Patients with chronic liver disease (CLD), especially cirrhosis, are at a high risk of severe illness or death from coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) and may have a suboptimal immune response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) vaccine. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the COVID‐19 booster vaccination in patients with CLD.

Methods

The study protocol was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (No. NCT05204602) after approval by the Ethics Committee. Adult participants with CLD were enrolled in this multicenter prospective study. They completed two doses of the inactivated COVID‐19 vaccine and received booster doses at least 6 months later. Adverse reactions were recorded within 14 days after the booster dose. Serum samples of the enrolled patients were collected before and after booster vaccination and tested for SARS‐CoV‐2 receptor‐binding domain (RBD) immunoglobulin G and neutralizing antibodies. The chi‐squared or Fisher's exact test was used to compare categorical data, and the Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare continuous variables. Two‐sided p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

In total, 63 patients were enrolled from four hospitals in China, including 29 patients with cirrhosis. The median age of all patients was 55 years, and 61.9% (39/63) were male. The vaccines were well tolerated; most adverse reactions were mild and transient, and injection site pain (6.4%; 4/63) and fatigue (3.2%, 2/63) were the most frequent local and systemic adverse events. Following the booster vaccination, our results showed that in the whole cohort, the levels and positive rates of anti‐RBD IgG and neutralizing antibodies were significantly higher than baseline levels (all p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The inactivated COVID‐19 booster vaccine was safe and significantly increased antibody levels and positivity rates following standard vaccination regimens in patients with CLD, especially those with cirrhosis.
The translocation of a polymer through a nanopore with sandglass‐like geometry
Authors: Qian Jun‐Lin , Li Haibin , Sun Li‐Zhen
Published: September 2023

In recent years, non‐uniformly geometrical nanopores, such as conical nanopores, have gained significant attention in nanopore sensing technology due to their advantages in analyte manipulation and clear output signals. This paper focuses on the polymer translocation through a sandglass‐like nanopore, characterized by a double‐conical geometry with a tip at the middle. We systematically investigate the effects of pore geometry on the translocation dynamics through computational simulations and theoretical analyses. The polymer translocation process is divided into three stages: approaching, threading, escaping, corresponding to the movement from the entry to the tip, through the tip, and from the tip to the exit, respectively. Our findings reveal that the duration of the approaching stage highly depends on the polymer conformations, while the durations of the threading and escaping stages are primarily influenced by the driving force associated with the pore geometry and the accompanying free energy change. Additionally, we report a relationship between the threading speed of the polymer at the tip and the combination of the driving force there and the free energy change during the threading stage.
Communication preferences and perceptions of cancer patient during their first medical oncology appointment
Authors: Vicente Rodrigo Santos , Freitas Ana Rita , Ferreira Ricardo Miguel Azevedo , Prada Sofia Parada , Martins Telma Sofia , Martins Telma Caleça , Duarte Mendes Ana , Vitorino Marina Miguel , Chaves Andreia Filipa , Santos Catarina Castro , Alpuim Costa Diogo , Custódio Maria Paula , Barbosa Miguel
Published: September 2023

Background

The first medical oncology appointment serves as a platform for patients to comprehend their diagnosis and prognostic implications of cancer. This study aimed to determine patients' communication preferences during their first medical oncology appointment and to assess the disparities between patients' preferences and perceptions.

Methods

A total of 169 cancer patients participated by completing the Communication in First Medical Oncology Appointment Questionnaire (C‐FAQ), a two‐section questionnaire designed to assess patients’ preferences and perceptions regarding Content (information provided and its extent), Facilitation (timing and location of information delivery), and Support (emotional support) during their first medical oncology appointment. A comparative analysis was conducted to assess the variations between preferences and perceptions.

Results

Content emerged as the most significant dimension compared to Facilitation and Support. The physician's knowledge, honesty, and ability to provide clear information were considered the most important attributes. Patients evaluated most of their preferences as “very important”. Patients’ perception of the communication dimensions present during their appointment was below preferences for 11 items, indicating significant discrepancies in clinical practice.

Conclusions

Patients highly valued their preferences concerning Content, Facilitation, and Support dimensions of communication. However, patient preferences were more prominently oriented towards the Content dimension. The discrepancies between preferences and perceptions should be viewed as an opportunity for enhancing communication skills through training.
Peasant traders, migrant workers and “supermarkets”: Low‐cost provisions and the reproduction of migrant labor in China
Authors: Nguyen Minh T. N. , Wei Lan
Published: September 2023

This article analyzes the social and spatial dynamics of the mobile trade in low‐cost goods by rural people from a mountainous region of China's Zhejiang province and how these interact with the mobility and social reproductive patterns of the rural–urban migrant workers they cater to. Also formally categorized as peasants, the traders not only supply the goods necessary for the maintenance of the workers but also of their spatially divided household, thus contributing to the reproduction of migrant labor power more generally. In doing so, they assume mobility trajectories that align with those of factory production and experience familial trade‐offs commonly experienced by migrant workers. Meanwhile, the provision of low‐cost goods to migrant workers has enabled a thriving economy employing peasant families for whom agricultural livelihoods slowly disappear. These dynamics indicate the mutual connection between waged and self‐employed labor that works in the interest of capital accumulation at the same time with the differentiation of migrant labor. As in other comparable Asian contexts, their connection lies at the heart of the state‐sponsored production regime premised on the low‐cost reproduction of flexible migrant labor.
Molecular design and properties of a P‐N synergistic flame retardant epoxy resin curing agent
Authors: Cheng Hengxing , Guo Junhong , Zhao Tianjing , Ye Yuan , Yang Baoping , Cui Jinfeng , Mu Bo , Bao Xuemei , Tian Li , Zhang Xiujun , Zhou Yingping
Published: September 2023

The utilization of epoxy resin (EP) is widespread across various industries. Nevertheless, its combustibility restricts its broader utilization. Additive flame retardants have proven effective in enhancing EP flame retardancy in recent decades. However, poor weather and aging resistance have always been the defects of added flame retardants. A reactive flame retardant (VPD) was synthesized from 3, 5‐diamino‐1, 2, 4‐triazole and phenylphosphonic dichloride, and was used to prepare VPD/EP flame retardant epoxy thermosets. The mechanical properties of the VPD/EP flame retardant epoxy thermosets are lower than those of pure epoxy, because the distance between molecules of VPD is increased compared with that of DDM, the cross‐linking density of the polymer after curing is decreased, and the intermolecular force is reduced. The VPD/EP flame retardant epoxy thermosets have a 40% reduction in total heat release compared to pure EP, an increase in limiting oxygen index value from 24.7% (pure EP) to 29.4%, and a V‐1 rating in UL‐94 testing. The obtained EP has not only good flame retardancy but also better weather resistance and aging resistance than additive flame retardants.

Highlights

An intrinsic flame‐retardant P and N coacting EP was designed and synthesized.

The intrinsic flame‐retardant EP has excellent weather and aging resistance.

The presence of the P, the residual char generated by combustion is denser.
Similarity contrastive estimation for image and video soft contrastive self-supervised learning
Authors: Denize Julien , Rabarisoa Jaonary , Orcesi Astrid , Hérault Romain
Published: September 2023

Contrastive representation learning has proven to be an effective self-supervised learning method for images and videos. Most successful approaches are based on Noise Contrastive Estimation (NCE) and use different views of an instance as positives that should be contrasted with other instances, called negatives, that are considered as noise. However, several instances in a dataset are drawn from the same distribution and share underlying semantic information. A good data representation should contain relations between the instances, or semantic similarity and dissimilarity, that contrastive learning harms by considering all negatives as noise. To circumvent this issue, we propose a novel formulation of contrastive learning using semantic similarity between instances called Similarity Contrastive Estimation (SCE). Our training objective is a soft contrastive one that brings the positives closer and estimates a continuous distribution to push or pull negative instances based on their learned similarities. We validate empirically our approach on both image and video representation learning. We show that SCE performs competitively with the state of the art on the ImageNet linear evaluation protocol for fewer pretraining epochs and that it generalizes to several downstream image tasks. We also show that SCE reaches state-of-the-art results for pretraining video representation and that the learned representation can generalize to video downstream tasks. Source code is available here: https://github.com/juliendenize/eztorch.
A Keynesian–Minskian perspective on the transformation of industrial into financial capitalism
Authors: Heise Arne
Published: September 2023

During the past decades, industrial capitalism has been transformed into something which has been dubbed ‘Casino Capitalism’, ‘Turbo Capitalism’ or ‘Money Manager Capitalism’ by different authors: financial accumulation has outpaced real accumulation. This process of ‘financialisation’ has been discussed quite intensively in the literature with respect to its historical determinants and its macroeconomic effects, yet it has not been studied thoroughly whether the shift from the production and allocation of commodities and services towards the origination and distribution of loans and assets as the main activity of non-financial companies challenges our theoretical principles and, therefore, demands a new macroeconomic approach. The objective of this paper is to argue in a preliminary way that financialisation is not merely to be understood as the relative growth of the financial sector based on a deepening of financial intermediation but as a structural transformation of the core business of non-financial firms. This is based on an extended post-Keynesian theory of monetary production and an application of Minskian short- and long-term instability cycles.
Echinochrome exhibits anti-asthmatic activity through the suppression of airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and histopathological alterations in ovalbumin-induced asthma in BALB/c mice
Authors: Abdelmawgood Islam Ahmed , Mahana Noha A. , Badr Abeer Mahmoud , Mohamed Ayman Saber
Published: September 2023

Asthma is a chronic pulmonary disease with marked infiltrating inflammatory cells and reduced respiratory performance. Echinochrome (Ech) is a dark-red pigment isolated from the sea urchin spines, shells, and ova. It has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, but whether it can be used in asthma treatment has yet to be investigated. In this research, we aimed to study the inhibitory actions of Ech on allergic asthma symptoms in mice. Mice were divided into 4 groups (n = 8 for each): control, ovalbumin-challenged, and Ech-treated (0.1 and 1 mg/kg). At the end of the experiment, nasal scratching, lung oxidative stress, airway inflammation, and remodeling were assessed. In ovalbumin-challenged BALB/C mice, treatment with Ech significantly decreased nasal scratching, lung oxidative stress, inflammatory cell infiltration, mucus hyperproduction and hyperplasia of goblet cells, IgE levels, and inflammatory cytokines. It also inhibited NF-κB phosphorylation. This is the first study to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of Ech against allergic asthma in mice. According to our findings, we imply that Ech may be utilized as a treatment for allergic asthma.

Graphical Abstract
Moment maps and cohomology of non-reductive quotients
Authors: Bérczi Gergely , Kirwan Frances
Published: September 2023

Let $H$
H
be a complex linear algebraic group with internally graded unipotent radical acting on a complex projective variety $X$
X
. Given an ample linearisation of the action and an associated Fubini–Study Kähler form which is invariant for a maximal compact subgroup $Q$
Q
of $H$
H
, we define a notion of moment map for the action of $H$
H
, and under suitable conditions (that the linearisation is well-adapted and semistability coincides with stability) we describe the (non-reductive) GIT quotient $X/\!/H$
X
/
/
H
introduced in (Bérczi et al. in J. Topol. 11(3):826–855, 2018) in terms of this moment map. Using this description we derive formulas for the Betti numbers of $X/\!/H$
X
/
/
H
and express the rational cohomology ring of $X/\!/H$
X
/
/
H
in terms of the rational cohomology ring of the GIT quotient $X/\!/T^{H}$
X
/
/

T
H

, where $T^{H}$

T
H

is a maximal torus in $H$
H
. We relate intersection pairings on $X/\!/H$
X
/
/
H
to intersection pairings on $X/\!/T^{H}$
X
/
/

T
H

, obtaining a residue formula for these pairings on $X/\!/H$
X
/
/
H
analogous to the residue formula of (Jeffrey and Kirwan in Topology 34(2):291–327, 1995). As an application, we announce a proof of the Green–Griffiths–Lang and Kobayashi conjectures for projective hypersurfaces with polynomial degree.
Strong Stationarity for Optimal Control Problems with Non-smooth Integral Equation Constraints: Application to a Continuous DNN
Authors: Antil Harbir , Betz Livia , Wachsmuth Daniel
Published: September 2023

Motivated by the residual type neural networks (ResNet), this paper studies optimal control problems constrained by a non-smooth integral equation associated to a fractional differential equation. Such non-smooth equations, for instance, arise in the continuous representation of fractional deep neural networks (DNNs). Here the underlying non-differentiable function is the ReLU or max function. The control enters in a nonlinear and multiplicative manner and we additionally impose control constraints. Because of the presence of the non-differentiable mapping, the application of standard adjoint calculus is excluded. We derive strong stationary conditions by relying on the limited differentiability properties of the non-smooth map. While traditional approaches smoothen the non-differentiable function, no such smoothness is retained in our final strong stationarity system. Thus, this work also closes a gap which currently exists in continuous neural networks with ReLU type activation function.
Electrochemical transport modelling and open-source simulation of pore-scale solid–liquid systems
Authors: Barnett Robert , Municchi Federico , King John , Icardi Matteo
Published: September 2023

The modelling of electrokinetic flows is a critical aspect spanning many industrial applications and research fields. This has introduced great demand in flexible numerical solvers to describe these flows. The underlying phenomena are microscopic, non-linear, and often involving multiple domains. Therefore often model assumptions and several numerical approximations are introduced to simplify the solution. In this work we present a multi-domain multi-species electrokinetic flow model including complex interface and bulk reactions. After a dimensional analysis and an overview of some limiting regimes, we present a set of general-purpose finite-volume solvers, based on OpenFOAM® , capable of describing an arbitrary number of electrochemical species over multiple interacting (solid or fluid) domains (Icardi and Barnett in F Municchi spnpFoam, 2021. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4973896). We provide a verification of the computational approach for several cases involving electrokinetic flows, reactions between species, and complex geometries. We first present three one-dimensional verification test-cases, and then show the capability of the solver to tackle two- and three-dimensional electrically driven flows and ionic transport in random porous structures. The purpose of this work is to lay the foundation of a general-purpose open-source flexible modelling tool for problems in electrochemistry and electrokinetics at different scales.
Effects of 12 weeks of neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the quadriceps muscles on the function and physio-biochemical traits in functionally fit female nursing-home residents aged 75 + years: a pilot study
Authors: Zarzeczny Ryszard , Nawrat-Szołtysik Agnieszka , Polak Anna
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Muscular changes induced by neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) are well recognized, but knowledge of how NMES influences the physio-biochemical traits of the oldest old is still limited. This study investigated the effect of NMES applied for 12 weeks to the quadriceps muscles of female nursing-home residents aged 75 + on their functional capability and inflammatory, bone metabolism, and cardiovascular traits.

Methods

Nineteen women regularly taking part in two body conditioning sessions per week were randomized into an electrical stimulation group (ES; n = 10; 30 min sessions, 3 times per week) or a control group (CON; n = 9). At baseline and study week 12, all women performed the 30 s chair stand test (30sCST), the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and the instrumented timed up and go test (iTUG). Resting heart rates, blood pressure, and the blood concentrations of inflammatory and bone metabolism markers were also measured twice.

Results

NMES increased the strength of participants’ quadriceps muscles and their performance on the 30sCST and 6MWT while lowering resting arterial blood pressure and inflammatory marker levels; osteoclast activity showed a tendency to decrease. Changes in the iTUG results were not observed. A multiple regression analysis found that the results of functional tests in the ES group were best correlated with pulse pressure (the 30sCST and iTUG tests) and diastolic blood pressure (the 6MWT test).

Conclusion

Twelve weeks of NMES treatment improved participants’ functional capacity and inflammatory, bone metabolism, and cardiovascular traits. The ES group participants’ performance on functional tests was best predicted by hemodynamic parameters.
Systemic inflammatory biomarkers as prognostic tools in patients with gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Puhr Hannah C. , Weirauch Clemens C. , Selimi Flora , Oberreiter Karin , Dieterle Martin A. , Jomrich Gerd , Schoppmann Sebastian F. , Prager Gerald W. , Berghoff Anna S. , Preusser Matthias , Ilhan-Mutlu Aysegül
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma is associated with poor prognosis, even in resectable stages. Systemic inflammation plays a key role in cancer progression. Yet, information on prognostic values of systemic inflammatory parameters in European cohorts is scarce.

Methods

We analysed systemic inflammatory biomarkers (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), leucocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (LLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) and modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS)) at the time of cancer diagnosis and their association with overall survival (OS) in patients with gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma treated at the Medical University of Vienna between 1990 and 2020.

Results

In this analysis of 769 patients with gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma, higher mGPS (0–2) scores were associated with shorter OS in the overall cohort (24.9 versus 11.9 versus 7.6 months; HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.549–1.056; p < 0.001), in locally advanced (31.1 versus 19.8 versus 13.9 months, HR 1.561, 95% CI 1.274–1.912; p < 0.001) and in advanced/metastatic settings (12.3 versus 7.3 versus 5.8 months; HR 1.377, 95% CI 1.777–1.611; p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, the association of mGPS with the OS stayed statistically significant in the locally advanced cohort (HR 1.397, 95% CI 1.068–1.828; p = 0.015), whereas NLR, LLR, PLR and SIRI did not. mGPS was associated with more advanced stages (p < 0.001) and weight loss (p = 0.002).

Conclusion

mGPS poses a feasible prognostic tool in patients with locally advanced gastroesophageal cancer.
Surgical timing and indications for decompressive craniectomy in malignant stroke: results from a single-center retrospective analysis
Authors: Hernández-Durán Silvia , Hautmann Xenia , Rohde Veit , von der Brelie Christian , Mielke Dorothee
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Acute ischemic stroke induces rapid neuronal death and time is a key factor in its treatment. Despite timely recanalization, malignant cerebral infarction can ensue, requiring decompressive surgery (DC). The ideal timing of surgery is still a matter of debate; in this study, we attempt to establish the ideal time to perform surgery in this population.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of patients undergoing DC for stroke at our department. The indication for DC was based on drop in level of consciousness and standard imaging parameters. Patients were stratified according to the timing of DC in four groups: (a) “ultra-early” ≤12 h, (b) “early” >12≤24 h, (c) “timely” >24≤48 h, and (d) “late” >48 h. The primary endpoint of this study was in-house mortality, as a dependent variable from surgical timing. Secondary endpoint was modified Rankin scale at discharge.

Results

In a cohort of 110 patients, the timing of surgery did not influence mortality or functional outcome (p=0.060). Patients undergoing late DC were however significantly older (p=0.008), and those undergoing ultra-early DC showed a trend towards a lower GCS at admission.

Conclusions

Our results add to the evidence supporting an extension of the time window for DC in stroke beyond 48 h. Further criteria beyond clinical and imaging signs of herniation should be considered when selecting patients for DC after stroke to identify patients who would benefit from the procedure.
Long-term golimumab persistence: Five-year treatment retention data pooled from pivotal Phase III clinical trials in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Weinstein Cindy L. J. , Meehan Alan G. , Lin Jianxin , Briscoe Steven D. , Govoni Marinella
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Golimumab, a monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α), is used widely for treatment of rheumatic diseases. Long-term persistence is an important factor influencing therapeutic benefit and is a surrogate measure of efficacy. We compared five-year golimumab treatment persistence across studies, indications, and lines of therapy using pooled data from pivotal golimumab Phase III clinical trials.

Methods

This post-hoc analysis evaluated use of golimumab administered subcutaneously (50 or 100 mg every four weeks) for up to five years in 2228 adult participants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; GO-BEFORE, GO-AFTER, and GO-FORWARD studies), psoriatic arthritis (PsA; GO-REVEAL study), or ankylosing spondylitis (AS; GO-RAISE study). Retention rate differences were evaluated by study, indication, and line of therapy using log-rank tests, and probability of treatment persistence was estimated by Kaplan–Meier analysis.

Results

Golimumab retention rates at Year 5 were consistently high when used as 1st-line therapy (69.8%) and did not differ significantly across the three indications tested (p = 0.5106) or across 1st-line studies (p = 0.2327). Retention at Year 5 was better in participants using golimumab as 1st-line than in those using it as 2nd-line (41.6%) therapy. Participants on 2nd-line golimumab therapy had a longer disease duration (median 9.2 years versus 3.7 years) than those on 1st-line golimumab therapy.

Conclusions

These data support the value of long-term golimumab therapy in patients with chronic, immune-mediated rheumatic diseases when used as 1st-line (RA, PsA, AS) or 2nd-line (RA) therapy.

Key Points• Golimumab is a human monoclonal antibody directed against tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α) and is approved widely for the treatment of rheumatic autoimmune diseases.• We compared the probability of treatment persistence, or the time of continuous drug use, for golimumab across five Phase III studies spanning multiple rheumatic indications over five years.• Treatment persistence was favorable and did not differ significantly for participants with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, but persistence was greater when golimumab was used as 1st-line than as 2nd-line biologic therapy.
Use of rasburicase to improve kidney function in children with hyperuricemia and acute kidney injury
Authors: Herrero-Goñi María , Zugazabeitia Irazábal Amaia , Madariaga Leire , Chávarri Gil Estibaliz , Gondra Leire , Aguirre Meñica Mireia
Published: September 2023

Background

Hyperuricemia contributes to decrease in kidney function and induces additional renal damage in children with acute kidney injury (AKI). Rasburicase oxidizes uric acid (UA), decreasing its serum quantities in less than 24 h.

Methods

This is a retrospective study involving hospitalized patients under 18 years of age with underlying pathology diagnosed with AKI and severe hyperuricemia treated with rasburicase over a 4-year period.

Results

We describe 15 patients from 4 days of life to 18 years (median: 4.4 years). Seventy-three percent had known underlying pathologies. All presented worsening of basal renal function or AKI data. All received the usual medical treatment for AKI without response. Twenty percent received an extrarenal depuration technique. All had hyperuricemia with a mean (± SD) of 13.1 (± 2.19) mg/dl. After rasburicase administration UA levels fell to a mean (± SD) of 0.76 (± 0.62) mg/dl (p < 0.001) in less than 24 h. In parallel, a decrease in the mean plasma creatinine was observed (2.92 mg/dl to 1.93 mg/dl (p = 0.057)) together with a significant improvement of the mean glomerular filtration rate (16.3 ml/min/1.73 m2 to 78.6 ml/min/1.73 m2) (p = 0.001)). No side effects were recorded. Kidney function normalized in all cases or returned to baseline levels.

Conclusions

Although the use of rasburicase is not routinely approved in pediatric patients with severe hyperuricemia and AKI, it has been used successfully without complications, and helped prevent progressive kidney damage. This study could serve as a basis for suggesting the off-label use of rasburicase for the management of complex pediatric patients in whom UA plays an important role in the development of AKI.
Insect diversity in heterogeneous agro-environments of Central Europe
Authors: Habel Jan Christian , Ulrich Werner , Segerer Andreas H. , Greifenstein Thomas , Knubben Johannes , Morinière Jerôme , Bozicevic Vedran , Günter Armin , Hausmann Axel
Published: September 2023

Insect diversity has been decreasing significantly during the past decades. A main driver causing this negative trend is agricultural intensification, which causes habitat destruction and a deterioration of habitat quality. We caught flying arthropods with 28 Malaise traps and two light traps across a heterogeneous Central European agro-environment in southern Germany over a period of four years. The arthropods captured with Malaise traps were assigned to barcode index numbers (BINs) based on metabarcoding. Lepidopterans caught with light traps and light towers were identified based on morphological characters. Within the four years study, a total of 11,984 insect operational taxonomic units (OTUs) related to unique BINs on BOLD (> 95% similarity) were recorded across this agro-environment. 7835 of them could be assigned to insect order and the vast majority of them represent different species. Different estimates of the total species richness ranged between 8188 and 11,512 OTUs (a proxy for species). This number corresponds to about 26–36% of the total German insect fauna. Light trapping also yielded a high species diversity and returned 502 Lepidoptera species (compared to 784 species captured with Malaise traps). The overlap between light and Malaise traps was less than 45%. The Malaise trap catches showed that insects are more diverse along forest edges than in the centre of meadows. Our findings underline the high value of heterogeneous agro-environments for biodiversity, and the high value when combining data collected with different sampling techniques.
Online work-based learning: A systematic literature review
Authors: Rienties Bart , Divjak Blazenka , Iniesto Francisco , Pažur Aničić Katarina , Žižak Mirza
Published: September 2023

It is widely acknowledged that graduates need to develop skills and competences beyond the theoretical knowledge nurtured within higher education curricula. In the last twenty years there has been an increased interest in supporting learners with work-based learning (WBL) (e.g. apprenticeships, practice-based lab sessions, project-based learning). The experience of COVID-19-related lockdowns has ignited a push to support and provide these opportunities for skills development online. In this systematic literature review, the authors explored (1) which innovative technologies and online WBL typologies are implemented in online WBL in higher education; and (2) to what extent there is evidence that online WBL is effective. From an initial pool of 269 studies identified from two datasets, the authors selected thirteen studies which implemented and evaluated online WBL. In total, 1,015 respondents were included in these studies (M = 84.58, SD = 118.28, range: 7–390). The authors’ findings indicate that most studies used descriptive, qualitative approaches to explore the lived experiences of participants, mostly from Australia. Substantial differences were found in the designs of online WBL practices and technologies, although there was limited robust evidence of effectiveness due to a lack of evidence-based evaluation approaches. The authors encourage WBL researchers to be more precise in their design parameters of online WBL, and to consider (quasi)experimental designs to measure the impact of their approaches.
Friction and Lubrication of Eye/Lens/Lid Interface: The Effect of Lubricant and Contact Lens Material
Authors: Nečas David , Kulíšek Vlastimil , Štěpán Petr , Ondreáš František , Čípek Pavel , Huerta-Angeles Gloria , Vrbka Martin
Published: September 2023

Irritation of the eye in the case of contact lens users may imply dry eye syndrome (DES), commonly treated by eye drops. The paper focuses on measuring the friction coefficient with the simultaneous observation of lubricating film formation of the simulated eye/lens/lid interface. The experiments are performed in a pin-on-plate setup under the linear reciprocal motion. The contact is lubricated by twelve different solutions as the potential ingredients for eye drops, focusing on the role of mucin, buffer type, and molecular weight (MW) of hyaluronic acid (HA). Two commercially available contact lenses are studied, while overall lens performance is evaluated, among others. The results showed that the lens material, the presence of mucin, and the type of buffer have a decisive influence on the contact behavior. Specifically, it is concluded that the selection of eye drops should reflect the type of lens the wearers use and the conditions of their tear film. The appropriate ingredient for Acuvue Oasys and Biofinity contact lenses is suggested based on the score of the biotribological performance of the lubricant, taking both friction and lubrication into account.
Laparoscopic assisted dismembered pyeloplasty versus open pyeloplasty in UPJO with poorly function kidney in pediatrics
Authors: Daboos Mohammad , Lamiri Rachida , Aziza Bochra , Marzougui Mohamed , Kechiche Nahla , Sahnoun Lassaad , Abdelaziz Mohamed , Abdelmaboud Mohamed , Azab Ahmed , Shaban Mahmoud
Published: September 2023

Background

The management of UPJO with poor function kidney, less than 10%, has been the subject of debate for more than a decade. Some authors have recommended nephrectomy, while others favor renal salvage (pyeloplasty). We report our experience with laparoscopic assisted pyeloplasty in pediatric patients with poorly functioning kidneys in comparison with an open approach.

Materials and methods

A retrospective study was conducted to review 65 patients who were diagnosed with hydronephrosis and had impaired renal function due to UPJO. The study was conducted in the pediatric surgery departments of Al-Azhar University Hospital and Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital of Monastir over a period of 20 years. Limited to pediatric patients with UPJO with ≥ Grade III hydronephrosis, antero-posterior pelvic diameter ≥ 20 mm, as well as a renal function equal to or less than 10%, was corrected by laparoscopic assisted or open pyeloplasty.

Results

There were 40 cases in group A who underwent laparoscopic assisted pyeloplasty, and 25 cases in group B who underwent open pyeloplasty. There were no complications or difficulties during the operation. The mean operative time in group A was 90 ± 12 min, while in group B, it was 120 ± 11 min. The renal assessment parameters significantly improved in both groups. In group A, the mean split renal function was 7.9 ± 1.3% and increased to 22.2 ± 6.3%. In group B, the mean split renal function was 8.1 ± 1.1% and increased to 24.2 ± 5.1%. However, the differences between both groups in terms of pre-operative and post-operative renal functions were statistically insignificant.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic assisted pyeloplasty is an effective treatment for patients with poorly functioning kidneys, especially those with less than 10% function. While this surgical procedure requires shorter operative times, it yields functional outcomes that are comparable to open approach.
Widely tunable and high resolution mid-infrared laser based on BaGa4Se7 optical parametric oscillator
Authors: Ye Qing , Kong Hui , Bian Jintian , Yao Jiyong , Wang Enlong , Wu Yunlong , Xu Haiping , Wen Kaihua , Hu Yihua
Published: September 2023

The widely tunable and high resolution mid-infrared laser based on a BaGa4Se7 (BGSe) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) was demonstrated. A wavelength tuning range of 2.76–4.64 μm and a wavelength tuning resolution of about 0.3 nm were obtained by a BGSe (56.3°, 0°) OPO, which was pumped by a 1064 nm laser. It is the narrowest reported wavelength tuning resolution for BGSe OPO, and was obtained by simultaneously controlling the angle and temperature of BGSe.

Graphical Abstract
68Ga-FAPi: Pathways and Diagnosis in Cardiac Imaging
Authors: Popescu Cristina Elena , Ferro Paola , Gotuzzo Irene , Burger Irene , Rominger Axel , Caobelli Federico
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

Myocardial fibrosis is a response to myocardial injury and plays a pivotal role in ventricular remodeling. Different patterns of fibrosis are associated with different disease states, but the presence and amount of fibrosis provide a different impact on prognosis.

Recent Findings

In the latest years, fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPi) positron emission tomography (PET) gain interest for its potential in detecting myocardial fibrosis, in differentiating between active and chronic disease, and in the assessment of disease progression and response to treatment.

We aim to highlight the most relevant current applications of FAPi PET/CT in cardiovascular imaging, focusing on its applications, advantages, limitations, and to underline future clinical perspective.
Distinguishing between research and monitoring programs in environmental science and management
Authors: Arciszewski T. J. , Roberts D. R. , Mahaffey A. , Hazewinkel R. R. O.
Published: September 2023

The terms “research” and “monitoring” are commonly used interchangeably to describe the data-gathering, information-generating, and knowledge-translating activities in environmental science and management. While research and monitoring share many attributes, such as the tools used, they may also differ in important ways, including the audience and their stability. In any environmental program, any potential differences between research and monitoring may be inconsequential, but distinguishing between these two activities, especially when both words are used casually, may be necessary to ensure the alignment between the tools and approaches and the expectations and goals of the program. Additionally, the importance of distinguishing between research and monitoring becomes greater when many participants from varying backgrounds with differing expectations are involved in the design, execution, and governance of the program. In this essay, we highlight differences between environmental research and monitoring, provide potential criteria to define them, and discuss how their activities interact and overlap. In our view, environmental monitoring programs are typically standardized and designed to address stakeholder concerns, to ensure activities comply with regulatory statutes or other known objectives. In contrast, environmental research may be esoteric, driven by a specific line of inquiry, and may lack a defined endpoint. Although potential difficulties with categorizing some programs or portions of combined programs will likely always remain, explicitly identifying the attributes of a program is necessary to achieve its objectives.
Polish Takeover Regulation: The Recent Chapter in the Long Story of Flawed Rules, Legislative Hesitation and Policy Mistakes
Authors: Regucki Tomasz
Published: September 2023

This paper presents a critical examination of recent Polish takeover regulation from a perspective of evolution of capital market law in Poland. The study is based on both legal analysis and an empirical and statistical approach. Firstly, as a starting point, it briefly describes the mandatory bid rule and Takeover Bids Directive as well as the development of early Polish provisions. Secondly, the paper elaborates on the normative model of takeovers, which was in force until 2022. Using a case study and a comprehensive statistical examination of all mandatory bids carried out between 2008 and 2017, it shows how the unusual and incorrect legislative structure of two thresholds of control (33% and 66% of votes) allowed the actual circumvention of mandatory bids, to the detriment of minority shareholders. The paper also describes political considerations and political influences on the legislative process, which led to the failure of the 2014–2015 takeover law proposal. The core of the paper is devoted to the current takeover rules. Statistical research of ownership structures in Poland shows that the threshold of control set at 50% of votes is undoubtedly too high, which entails risks to investor protection that may arise from the adopted model. Based on research on significant holdings in Polish listed companies, the paper further elaborates on the notion of control over a public company and proposes a regulatory utility function to determine the desired threshold of control. This leads to the conclusion that the optimal regulatory threshold of control, given the characteristics of the Polish capital market, is 30% of votes.
Bridging the offline and online: 20 years of offline meeting data of the German-language Wikipedia
Authors: Schwitter Nicole
Published: September 2023

Wikipedia is one of the most visited websites worldwide. Thousands of volunteers are contributing to it daily, making it an example of how productive non-market collaboration on a very wide scale is not only viable but also sustainable. Wikipedia’s freely available data on the online actions conducted make it a popular source of data, particularly for computer scientists and computational social scientists. This data brief will present the dewiki meetupdataset which covers the offline component of the German-language version of the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia: informal offline gatherings between Wikipedia contributors. These gatherings are organised online and information about who is attending them, where they take place and what has happened at these meetings is shared publicly. The dewiki meetup dataset covers almost 20 years of offline activity of the German-language Wikipedia, containing 4418 meetups that have been organised with information on attendees, apologies, date and place of meeting, and minutes recorded. It is a valuable source of data for social science research: it captures the development of the offline network over time of one of the largest and most sustainable online public goods and communities. The data can easily be merged with online activity data on Wikipedia which allows us to bridge the gap between offline and online behaviour.
Synthesis and characterization of CuO-MgO-ZnO and CuO-Co3O4-CeO2
Authors: Dias Leonardo Francisco Gonçalves , Pimentel Gabriel Junior Cavalcante , Rheinheimer João Pedro Costa , Gomes Orisson Ponce , de Almeida Bianca Gottardo , Volanti Diogo Paschoalini , de Almeida Margarete Teresa Gottardo , Lisboa-Filho Paulo Noronha
Published: September 2023

The synthesis of trioxides offers unique properties for different applications due to the combination of multiple oxides; however, few studies have reported on the properties of these materials, especially in terms of their ability to create reactive oxygen species, which are helpful for antibacterial and antifungal activity. This study aimed to evaluate the surface properties of CuO-MgO-ZnO and CuO-Co3O4-CeO2 trioxides synthesized via precipitation assisted by an ultrasonic bath or sonication. The structural analysis indicated the formation of micrometric particles consisting of individual phases of each oxide, with no apparent influence of the preparation method on their morphology. UV–Vis spectroscopy revealed that CuO-MgO-ZnO particles have a band gap near 5.5 eV, while CuO-Co3O4-CeO2 has a single value at 4.2 eV. Zeta potential measurements indicated changes in the materials' outermost layer composition due to the synthesis method. Additionally, biological assays showed that the materials could completely inhibit the growth of Candida species and Staphylococcus aureus but not Klebsiella pneumoniae. These results suggest that the materials may be suitable for self-cleaning surfaces and medical device coatings.
The digital transition for a sustainable mobility regime? A long-run perspective
Authors: Hippe Ralph , Demailly Damien , Diebolt Claude
Published: September 2023

While the newest Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as the internet, are in some ways unique, in other respects they have historical predecessors. For example, the experiences of the introduction of the telegraph and the telephone provide certain parallels with newer ICTs. Their history is full of promises – and sometimes fears, that did not materialize. New ICTs have often been praised to massively transform our economies, and to be the foundation of a new and more sustainable mobility regime. But will they? And if so, how could ICTs help building it? This paper reviews the literature on the connection between ICTs and mobility and shows that ‘older’ ICTs have transformed our mobility regime in significant and unpredictable ways. In particular, they have supported and made more efficient new transport modes. They also contributed to the geographical concentration and dispersion trends of economic activities and changed how and how much we connect to our families and friends. Thus, ICTs can help building a more sustainable mobility regime, for instance by making transport more efficient or reducing mobility demand. Overall, the interactions between mobility and ICTs turn out to be important, diverse and  complex.
The effect of Navier slip on the rheology of a dilute two-dimensional suspension of plate-like particles
Authors: Kamal Catherine , Botto Lorenzo
Published: September 2023

Through boundary integral simulations and asymptotic analysis, we investigate the effect of a finite Navier slip length on the rheological proprieties of a dilute two-dimensional suspension of plate-like particles in the creeping flow limit. Specifically, we study the effects of Navier slip, particle thickness and Péclet number on the effective shear viscosity and average normal stress difference of an isolated two-dimensional plate-like particle in an unbounded shear flow field. We find that Navier slip induces a significant reduction in the effective viscosity and increases the average normal stress difference. The effect of slip becomes more enhanced as the thickness of the particle decreases and as the Péclet number increases. Remarkably, the analysis suggests that it is theoretically possible for a dilute suspension of slip plate-like particles at high Péclet numbers to have a shear viscosity smaller than that of the suspending fluid.
On the relationship between manipulated inter-scale phase and energy-efficient turbulent drag reduction
Authors: Deshpande Rahul , Chandran Dileep , Smits Alexander J. , Marusic Ivan
Published: September 2023

We investigate the role of inter-scale interactions in the high-Reynolds-number skin-friction drag reduction strategy reported by Marusic et al. (Nat. Commun., vol. 12, 2021). The strategy involves imposing relatively low-frequency streamwise travelling waves of spanwise velocity at the wall to actuate the drag generating outer scales. This approach has proven to be more energy efficient than the conventional method of directly targeting the drag producing inner scales, which typically requires actuation at higher frequencies. Notably, it is observed that actuating the outer scales at low frequencies leads to a substantial attenuation of the major drag producing inner scales, suggesting that the actuations affect the nonlinear inner–outer coupling inherently existing in wall-bounded flows. In the present study, we find that increased drag reduction, through imposition of spanwise wall oscillations, is always associated with an increased coupling between the inner and outer scales. This enhanced coupling emerges through manipulation of the phase relationships between these triadically linked scales, with the actuation forcing the entire range of energy-containing scales, from the inner (viscous) to the outer (inertial) scales, to be more in phase. We also find that a similar enhancement of this nonlinear coupling, via manipulation of the inter-scale phase relationships, occurs with increasing Reynolds number for canonical turbulent boundary layers. This indicates improved efficacy of the energy-efficient drag reduction strategy at very high Reynolds numbers, where the energised outer scales are known to more strongly superimpose and modulate the inner scales. Leveraging the inter-scale interactions, therefore, offers a plausible mechanism for achieving energy-efficient drag reduction at high Reynolds numbers.