bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Phytophthora infestans Isolates from Two Potato Varieties in the Highlands Agro-Ecological Zone of Cameroon
Authors: Lontsi Sylvere Landry Dida , Heu Alain , Fovo Joseph Djeugap , Tueguem William Norbert Kuate , Biamen Mbatkam , Gbaporo Fabrice Christian Gbaporo , Ambang Zachee
Published: September 2020

Background: Late blight caused by Oomycete Phytophthora infestans remains a huge problem in potato production and one of the most severe crop diseases worldwide. In Cameroon, the populations characterization of this pathogen remain very little known.

Aims: This study aims to characterize isolates of P. infestans collected in twelve localities of Highlands zone of Cameroon.

Study Design: Twelve localities in three main potato production areas of the Highlands agro-ecological zone (HAZ) in Cameroon were selected for sample collection. The phenotypic parameters of sporangia were measured. The presence of mating types and pathogenicity tests on detached leaflets of two potato varieties (MANATE and CIPIRA) were assessed.

Results: A total of 36 isolates were collected. Height (08) Sporangia shape of P. infestans were obtain and 02 new different shape were pip form and oval to ellipsoid. Sporangia length/width ratio ranged from 1.62 to 2.18. Mating types A1 and A2 were present in the studied areas. Pathogenicity test on detached potato leaflets was positive with all the 36 isolates. The isolate HPBT02 from Tsela locality was more aggressive (P<0.05). MANATE variety was more susceptible.

Conclusion: The study shows that mating types A1 and A2 of P. infestans exit in Cameroon and the morphology of sporangia varies according to the localities. Molecular characterization is needed.
Extraction, Charaterization and Preparation of Soap from Legenaria siceraria Seed Oil
Authors: Kaigama Williams Nashuka , Benjamin Abu Emmanuel , Usman Ibrahim , Daniel Thankgod
Published: September 2020

Due to the high demand for vegetable oil by soap industries, the quest for alternative raw material is on the increase. In this study, vegetable oil was extracted from the underutilise seeds of Lagenaria siceraria using n-hexane; The Physico-chemical properties of the oil were analysed: iodine value 65 Ig/100 g, acid value 2.50 mg/KOH/g, saponification value 256 mgKOH/g, pH 6.20, specific gravity 0.902, the refractive index of 1.47 and oil yield 52%. The properties of the oil were compared with oil extracted from other sources. The properties of the oil suggest it can use for both commercial and industrial purposes. The extracted oil was then used to prepared soap and its properties were compared with the properties of soaps prepared from other oils. The physicochemical parameters of the prepared soaps which include foam height, hardness, pH and cleansing power were evaluated. The soap made from Lagenaria siceraria seeds oil has foam height of 2.0 cm lower than palm kernel oil (2.1 cm) and higher than soya beans (0.55 cm). Soap made from Lagenaria siceraria seed oil has an appreciable degree of hardness and good cleansing power compared to soaps prepared from other oils. The pH of all the soaps prepared is within the standard of the regulating agency in Nigeria. From the result obtained, it shows the underutilised Lagenaria siceraria seed oil can use as an alternative raw material in the commercial production of soap.
Evaluation of Toxicity and Bioremediation of Contaminated Drinking Water Sources in Delta State, Nigeria
Authors: Olorunfemi Daniel , Uzakah Richard , Ofomata Romeo , Okoruwa Charles
Published: September 2020

Drinking water samples were collected from boreholes in six locations in Ughelli and environs in Delta State of Nigeria and were treated by filtration through a substrate colonized with mycelium of Pleurotus tuber-regium. Water samples were analysed for pH, heavy metal concentration and microbiological content before and after filtration. Results obtained showed that the pH of unfiltered water samples were acidic (5.0 – 5.8) and below the WHO and SON permissible limits for drinking water. The same trend was followed by the concentrations of heavy metals such as lead, iron, zinc and chromium. Water samples from all six locations also had high total bacterial and coliform counts. Filtration through the mycelium colonized substrate showed adjustment of pH to a range within the WHO permissible limits. Reduction in heavy metal concentration ranged from  45.0 – 100%. Total bacterial count of mycofiltered water samples was impressively reduced by 77.3 – 100% and coliform count was not detected. The results obtained in this study makes mycofiltration a potential cost-effective and efficient technique for the treatment of potable water for domestic use.
Optimization of Proportional Integral Derivative Parameters of Brushless Direct Current Motor Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Adebayo Isaiah , Aborisade David , Adetayo Olugbemi
Published: September 2020

Optimal performance of the Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motor is to be realized using an efficient Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller. However, conventional tuning technique fails to perform satisfactorily under parameter variations, nonlinear conditions and time delay. Also using conventional technique to tune the parameters gain of the PID controller is a difficult task. To overcome these difficulties, modern heuristic optimization technique are required to optimally tune the Proportional, Integral, Derivative of the controller for optimal speed control of three phase BLDC motor. Thus, genetic algorithm (GA) based PID controller was used to achieve a high dynamic control performance. The Brushless DC Motor mathematical equation which describes the voltage and corresponding rotational angular speed and torque of the brushless DC motor was employed using electrical DC Machines theorem. The Genetic algorithm was further analyzed by adopting the three common performance indices i.e. Integral Time Absolute Error (ITAE), Integral Square Error (ISE) and Integral Absolute Error (IAE) in order to capture and compare the most suitable BLDC Motor speed and torque control characteristics. All simulations were done using MATLAB (R2018a). The simulation result showed that the system with GA-PID controller had the better system response when compared with the existing technique of ZN-PID controller.
Package Substrate Die Pad Roughening Innovative Solution to Strengthened Die Attach Adhesion
Authors: Capili Michael D.
Published: September 2020

Poor die adhesion to substrate resulting to stray dice issue for the MEMS package was encountered. This die bond failure mechanism has a downstream effect specifically on the mold process. The presence of the stray die resulted to mold compound leakage outside the tool cavity due to planarity not achieved. The mold compound that leaks affected the overall package thickness, thus exposing the wires.

Using the Design of Experiment methodology, the team generated different simulations and validations to resolve the stray die problem. Based on the simulation and experiments, it was established that an optimum substrate roughness is necessary to achieve a better adhesion between the Die adhesive and the substrate. 

This paper presents a systematic study on how the substrate roughness can improve the adhesion of Die Attach film (DAF) to the substrate thereby resolving the Stray Die problem.  Results showed that the die adhesion strength on the substrate increases as the substrate surface roughness increased from Ra 0.05 um to Ra 1.5 ~ 2.0 mm. Consequently, the rejection rate of stray dice was eliminated. This new learning will be used to establish a standard on surface roughness for substrate-based material that can be applied to new packages.
Addressing Package Voids on Extremely Small Leadframe Device
Authors: Jr. A. Sumagpang , Gomez F. R.
Published: September 2020

The paper focused in addressing the package voids defect of a semiconductor device utilizing an extremely small leadframe technology. Potential risk analysis and pareto diagram were completed to identify the top reject contributors and eventually come-up with the robust solution. A comprehensive design of experiments (DOE) was completed and solution validation was performed to formulate the effective corrective actions. Results revealed that package voids were addressed by optimizing the molding process focusing on the molding temperature and curing time. A significant improvement of 95 % for package voids reduction was achieved. For future works, the parameters and learnings could be used on devices with similar configuration.
Battle with COVID-19: Role of Vitamin D and Zinc as a Preventive Strategy
Authors: Ramaiah Pushpamala , Elfaki Badria Abd Alla Mohamed , Mustafa Hassanat Elbashir Mohammed
Published: September 2020

The immune system protects us by producing antibodies against viruses and diseases. Currently,  there is no cure in treating patients infected with COVID-19.  Even though many nations declared extrapolate findings on the COVID-19 vaccine trial, this will require months to develop an effective vaccine successfully. Meanwhile, an immune-enhancing preventive approach can be considered in order to strengthen the immune system that would enhance the host's resistance to infection. Although the leading health authorities of national and international health institutions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), and the World Health Organization (WHO) consistently providing standard guidelines focusing on treatment, prevention, and promotion perspectives, this article discussed the promising alternative prophylactic solutions in enhancing host immunity with a highly valuable supplements Zinc, Vitamin D to protect human beings from COVID-19 pandemic disease.
A functional equation of tail-balance for continuous signals in the Condorcet Jury Theorem
Authors: Alpern Steve , Chen Bo , Ostaszewski Adam J.
Published: September 2020

Consider an odd-sized jury, which determines a majority verdict between two equiprobable states of Nature. If each juror independently receives a binary signal identifying the correct state with identical probability p, then the probability of a correct verdict tends to one as the jury size tends to infinity (Marquis de Condorcet in Essai sur l’application de l’analyse à la probabilité des décisions rendues à la pluralité des voix, Imprim. Royale, Paris, 1785). Recently, Alpern and Chen (Eur J Oper Res 258:1072–1081, 2017, Theory Decis 83:259–282, 2017) developed a model where jurors sequentially receive independent signals from an interval according to a distribution which depends on the state of Nature and on the juror’s “ability”, and vote sequentially. This paper shows that, to mimic Condorcet’s binary signal, such a distribution must satisfy a functional equation related to tail-balance, that is, to the ratio $$\alpha (t)$$

α
(
t
)

of the probability that a mean-zero random variable satisfies X$$>t$$

>
t

given that $$|X|>t$$

|
X
|
>
t

. In particular, we show that under natural symmetry assumptions the tail-balances $$\alpha (t)$$

α
(
t
)

uniquely determine the signal distribution and so the distributions assumed in Alpern and Chen (Eur J Oper Res 258:1072–1081, 2017, Theory Decis 83:259–282, 2017) are uniquely determined for $$\alpha (t)$$

α
(
t
)

linear.
Matching Numbers and the Regularity of the Rees Algebra of an Edge Ideal
Authors: Herzog Jürgen , Hibi Takayuki
Published: September 2020

The regularity $${\text {reg}}R(I(G))$$

reg
R
(
I
(
G
)
)

of the Rees ring R(I(G)) of the edge ideal I(G) of a finite simple graph G is studied. It is shown that, if R(I(G)) is normal, one has $${\text {mat}}(G) \le {\text {reg}}R(I(G)) \le {\text {mat}}(G) + 1$$

mat
(
G
)
≤
reg
R
(
I
(
G
)
)
≤
mat
(
G
)
+
1

, where $${\text {mat}}(G)$$

mat
(
G
)

is the matching number of G. In general, the induced matching number is a lower bound for the regularity, which can be shown by applying the squarefree divisor complex.
Transcription factors that shape the mammalian pancreas
Authors: Jennings Rachel E. , Scharfmann Raphael , Staels Willem
Published: September 2020

Improving our understanding of mammalian pancreas development is crucial for the development of more effective cellular therapies for diabetes. Most of what we know about mammalian pancreas development stems from mouse genetics. We have learnt that a unique set of transcription factors controls endocrine and exocrine cell differentiation. Transgenic mouse models have been instrumental in studying the function of these transcription factors. Mouse and human pancreas development are very similar in many respects, but the devil is in the detail. To unravel human pancreas development in greater detail, in vitro cellular models (including directed differentiation of stem cells, human beta cell lines and human pancreatic organoids) are used; however, in vivo validation of these results is still needed. The current best ‘model’ for studying human pancreas development are individuals with monogenic forms of diabetes. In this review, we discuss mammalian pancreas development, highlight some discrepancies between mouse and human, and discuss selected transcription factors that, when mutated, cause permanent neonatal diabetes.
The making of insulin in health and disease
Authors: Vasiljević Jovana , Torkko Juha M. , Knoch Klaus-Peter , Solimena Michele
Published: September 2020

The discovery of insulin in 1921 has been one of greatest scientific achievements of the 20th century. Since then, the availability of insulin has shifted the focus of diabetes treatment from trying to keep patients alive to saving and improving the life of millions. Throughout this time, basic and clinical research has advanced our understanding of insulin synthesis and action, both in healthy and pathological conditions. Yet, multiple aspects of insulin production remain unknown. In this review, we focus on the most recent findings on insulin synthesis, highlighting their relevance in diabetes.
Are lizards capable of inhibitory control? Performance on a semi-transparent version of the cylinder task in five species of Australian skinks
Authors: Szabo Birgit , Hoefer Sebastian , Whiting Martin J.
Published: September 2020

Inhibitory control, the inhibition of prepotent actions, is essential for higher-order cognitive processes such as planning, reasoning, and self-regulation. Individuals and species differ in inhibitory control. Identifying what influences inhibitory control ability within and between species is key to understanding how it evolved. We compared performance in the cylinder task across five lizard species: tree skinks (Egernia striolata), gidgee skinks (Egernia stokesii), eastern blue-tongue skinks (Tiliqua s. scincoides), sleepy lizards (Tiliqua r. asper), and eastern water skinks (Eulamprus quoyii). In our task, animals had to inhibit the prepotent motor response of directly approaching a reward placed within a semi-transparent mesh cylinder and instead reach in through the side openings. Additionally, in three lizard species, we compared performance in the cylinder task to reversal learning to determine the task specificity of inhibitory ability. Within species, neither sex, origin, body condition, neophobia, nor pre-experience with other cognitive tests affected individual performance. Species differed in motor response inhibition: Blue-tongue skinks made fewer contacts with the semi-transparent cylinder wall than all other species. Blue-tongue skinks also had lower body condition than the other species which suggest motivation as the underlying cause for species differences in task performance. Moreover, we found no correlation between inhibitory ability across different experiments. This is the first study comparing cylinder task performance among lizard species. Given that inhibitory control is probably widespread in lizards, motor response inhibition as exercised in the cylinder task appears to have a long evolutionary history and is likely fundamental to survival and fitness.

Significance

The study of lizard cognition is receiving increasing attention. Lizards are a diverse group with a wide range of ecological attributes and represent a model system through which we can test a wide range of hypotheses relating to cognitive evolution. Furthermore, considering their evolutionary history, studying non-avian reptile cognition can help understand the evolution of different cognitive abilities including inhibitory control. Here, we provide a comparison of inhibitory control ability in five lizard species. Consequently, we are able to, firstly, validate a method (the cylinder task) initially developed for the use in mammals and birds, for use in lizards, and secondly, collect valuable data on inhibitory control in a poorly studied group with respect to cognitive ability. Our study suggests non-cognitive factors as a major influence on cylinder task performance, which is in agreement with previous studies of other vertebrates.
Resident-invader dynamics of similar strategies in fluctuating environments
Authors: Cai Yuhua , Geritz Stefan A. H.
Published: September 2020

We study resident-invader dynamics in fluctuating environments when the invader and the resident have close but distinct strategies. First we focus on a class of continuous-time models of unstructured populations of multi-dimensional strategies, which incorporates environmental feedback and environmental stochasticity. Then we generalize our results to a class of structured population models. We classify the generic population dynamical outcomes of an invasion event when the resident population in a given environment is non-growing on the long-run and stochastically persistent. Our approach is based on the series expansion of a model with respect to the small strategy difference, and on the analysis of a stochastic fast-slow system induced by time-scale separation. Theoretical and numerical analyses show that the total size of the resident and invader population varies stochastically and dramatically in time, while the relative size of the invader population changes slowly and asymptotically in time. Thereby the classification is based on the asymptotic behavior of the relative population size, and which is shown to be fully determined by invasion criteria (i.e., without having to study the full generic dynamical system). Our results extend and generalize previous results for a stable resident equilibrium (particularly, Geritz in J Math Biol 50(1):67–82, 2005; Dercole and Geritz in J Theor Biol 394:231-254, 2016) to non-equilibrium resident population dynamics as well as resident dynamics with stochastic (or deterministic) drivers.
Standardisierte histomorphologische Aufarbeitung von Peritonealbiopsien im Rahmen des Deutschen Peritonealbiopsieregisters (GRIP, German Registry In PD)
Authors: Pfister Frederick , Büttner-Herold Maike , Kitsche Benno , Bulian Dirk R. , Kielstein Jan , Wanninger Reinhard , Eden Gabriele , Alscher Dominik , Nebel Michael , Schwenger Vedat , Amann Kerstin
Published: September 2020

Das Peritoneum stellt als seröse Haut, die mit ihrem viszeralen und parietalen Anteil den Bauchraum auskleidet, ein interessantes Organ dar, welches bei der sog. Peritoneal- oder Bauchfelldialyse (PD) klinische Beachtung findet. Bei diesem Nierenersatzverfahren wird die Semipermeabilität des Peritoneums genutzt, um mittels unterschiedlich osmolarer Dialyseflüssigkeiten die sog. harnpflichtigen Substanzen aus dem Körper zu eliminieren. Dies ist insbesondere bei jungen Patienten eine ideales Nierenersatzverfahren und funktioniert in der Regel zumindest einige Zeit sehr gut. Vorschäden des Peritoneums durch die Grunderkrankung der chronischen Niereninsuffizienz oder assoziierte Komorbiditäten sowie v. a. entzündliche Veränderungen während der PD führen zu einem morphologischen Umbau des Peritoneums mit der Konsequenz des Verlusts der Filtereigenschaften, sodass die PD beendet und auf ein anderes Nierenersatzverfahren gewechselt werden muss. Die Kenntnis des morphologischen Umbaus des Peritoneums sowie möglicher begünstigender Faktoren, zu denen es derzeit noch zu wenige Daten gibt, ist wichtig für die Therapie und Prognose der Patienten, die mit PD behandelt werden. Aus diesem Grund wurde vor einigen Jahren das Deutsche Peritonealbiopsieregister (GRIP, German Registry In PD) gegründet, das mittlerweile knapp 1700 Biopsate umfasst und an diesen standardisiert klinische und histomorphologische Parameter erhebt und dokumentiert.
Aortic valve calcification is subject to aortic stenosis severity and the underlying flow pattern
Authors: Veulemans Verena , Piayda Kerstin , Maier Oliver , Bosbach Georg , Polzin Amin , Hellhammer Katharina , Afzal Shazia , Klein Kathrin , Dannenberg Lisa , Zako Saif , Jung Christian , Westenfeld Ralf , Kelm Malte , Zeus Tobias
Published: September 2020

Sex- and flow-related aortic valve calcification (AVC) studies are still limited in number, and data on the exact calcium quantity and distribution are scarce. Therefore, we aimed to (1) re-define the best threshold of AVC load to distinguish severe from moderate aortic stenosis (AS) in common AS entities and to (2) evaluate differences in the aortic annulus and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) calcium load. Nine hundred and thirty-eight patients with contrast-enhanced cardiac MSCT and moderate-to-severe aortic stenosis (AS) were retrospectively enrolled. Patients with severe AS ≤ 1.0 cm2 (n = 841) were further separated into three AS entities: high gradient (HGAS, n = 370, 44.0%), paradoxical low gradient (pLGAS, n = 333, 39.6%), and classical low gradient (LGAS, n = 138, 16.4%). AVC, leaflet, and LVOT calcification were quantified. Aortic valve calcification scores were highest in severe HGAS, and lower in severe pLGAS and classical LGAS. In all severity and AS entities, the non-coronary cusp (NCC) was the most calcified one. LVOT calcification was consistently comparable between gender and AS entities. Accuracy of logistic regression was the highest in HGAS (male vs. female: AVC > 2156 Agatston units (AU), c-index 0.76; vs. AVC > 1292 AU, c-index 0.85; or AVC density > 406 AU/cm2, c-index 0.82; vs. > 259 AU/cm2, c-index 0.86; each p < 0.0001*) to diagnose severe AS. AVC could only be used in men to differentiate between severe LGAS and moderate AS. Data from this retrospective analysis indicate that the NCC is subject to pre-dominant degeneration throughout gender, AS severity, and several AS entities. AVC was consistently comparable in severe pLGAS and classical LGAS, but only AVC in severe LGAS could sufficiently distinguish from moderate AS in men. LVOT calcification failed to be a reliable indicator of accelerating AS.
Calibration of material parameters based on 180$$^\circ $$ and 90$$^\circ $$ ferroelectric domain wall properties in Ginzburg–Landau–Devonshire phase field models
Authors: Flaschel Moritz , De Lorenzis Laura
Published: September 2020

Ferroelectric phase field models based on the Ginzburg–Landau–Devonshire theory are characterized by a large number of material parameters with problematic physical interpretation. In this study, we systematically address the relationship between these parameters and the main properties of ferroelectric domain walls. A variational approach is used to derive closed form solutions for the polarization fields at the phase transition regions as well as for the propagation velocities of the domain walls. Introducing a modified set of material parameters, which appropriately scales different contributions to the free energy, we are able to accurately calibrate these parameters based on domain wall thickness and energy of both 180$$^\circ $$∘and 90$$^\circ $$∘domain walls. Moreover, the mobility parameter appearing in the Ginzburg–Landau evolution equation can be accurately calibrated based on the propagation velocity of the domain walls.
An isogeometric finite element approach to fibre-reinforced composites with fibre bending stiffness
Authors: Witt Carina , Kaiser Tobias , Menzel Andreas
Published: September 2020

In the modelling of fibre-reinforced composites, it is well established to consider the fibre direction in the stored energy in order to account for the transverse isotropy of the overall material, induced by a single family of fibres. However, this approach does not include any length scale and therefore lacks in the prediction of size effects that may occur from the fibre diameter or spacing. By making use of a generalised continuum model including non-symmetric stresses and couple-stresses, the gradient of the fibre direction vector can be taken into account as an additional parameter of the stored energy density function. As a consequence, the enhanced model considers the bending stiffness of the fibres and includes information on the material length scale. Along with additional material parameters, increased continuity requirements on the basis functions follow in the finite element analysis. The isogeometric finite element method provides a framework which can fulfil these requirements of the corresponding weak formulation. In the present contribution, the method is applied to two representative numerical examples. At first, the bending deformation of a cantilever beam is studied in order to analyse the influence of the fibre properties. An increasingly stiff response is observed as the fibre bending stiffness increases and as the fibre orientation aligns with the beam’s axis. Secondly, a fibre-reinforced cylindrical tube under a pure azimuthal shear deformation is considered. The corresponding simulation results are compared against a semi-analytical solution. It is shown that the isogeometric analysis yields highly accurate results for the boundary value problem under consideration.
Modality compatibility in task switching depends on processing codes and task demands
Authors: Friedgen Erik , Koch Iring , Stephan Denise Nadine
Published: September 2020

Modality compatibility denotes the match between sensory stimulus modality and the sensory modality of the anticipated response effect (for example, vocal responses usually lead to auditory effects, so that auditory–vocal stimulus–response mappings are modality-compatible, whereas visual–vocal mappings are modality incompatible). In task switching studies, it has been found that switching between two modality-incompatible mappings (auditory-manual and visual–vocal) resulted in higher switch costs than switching between two modality-compatible mappings (auditory–vocal and visual-manual). This finding suggests that with modality-incompatible mappings, the anticipation of the effect of each response primes the stimulus modality linked to the competing task, creating task confusion. In Experiment 1, we examined whether modality-compatibility effects in task switching are increased by strengthening the auditory–vocal coupling using spatial-verbal stimuli relative to spatial-location stimuli. In Experiment 2, we aimed at achieving the same goal by requiring temporal stimulus discrimination relative to spatial stimulus localisation. Results suggest that both spatial-verbal stimuli and temporal discrimination can increase modality-specific task interference through a variation of the strength of anticipation in the response-effect coupling. This provides further support for modality specificity of cognitive control processes in task switching.
Characterization and computation of ancestors in reaction systems
Authors: Barbuti Roberto , Bernasconi Anna , Gori Roberta , Milazzo Paolo
Published: September 2020

In reaction systems, preimages and nth ancestors are sets of reactants leading to the production of a target set of products in either 1 or n steps, respectively. Many computational problems on preimages and ancestors, such as finding all minimum-cardinality nth ancestors, computing their size or counting them, are intractable. In this paper, we characterize all nth ancestors using a Boolean formula that can be computed in polynomial time. Once simplified, this formula can be exploited to easily solve all preimage and ancestor problems. This allows us to directly relate the difficulty of ancestor problems to the cost of the simplification so that new insights into computational complexity investigations can be achieved. In particular, we focus on two problems: (i) deciding whether a preimage/nth ancestor exists and (ii) finding a preimage/nth ancestor of minimal size. Our approach is constructive, it aims at finding classes of reactions systems for which the ancestor problems can be solved in polynomial time, in exact or approximate way.
Ethische Fragen zum Kindeswohl: Gelingen und Misslingen von Entwicklung
Authors: Beck Matthias
Published: September 2020

Kinder sind sehr vulnerabel. Für eine gute Entwicklung benötigen sie stabile Beziehungen und gute Umgebungsbedingungen. Sie haben ein Bedürfnis nach körperlicher Unversehrtheit und Sicherheit sowie nach Erfahrungen, die auf ihre individuellen Unterschiede zugeschnitten sind. Wichtig ist das Wissen um ihre Herkunft. Weiterhin wollen sie Erfahrungen machen, die ihrem Entwicklungsstand angemessen sind. Sie brauchen Grenzen und Strukturen, unterstützende Gemeinschaften und kulturelle Kontinuität. Diese sollen ihnen helfen, ihre ungesicherte Zukunft zu sichern. Allerdings bleibt die Welt endlich und ungesichert. Eine stabile Sicherung erlangt man nur im eigenen Inneren. Hier ist der Ort des Religiösen. Eine gute religiöse Erziehung sollte gerade jungen Menschen einen festen Eigenstand vermitteln. Sie haben ein Recht darauf, ihre existenziellen Fragen nach dem Sinn des Lebens und nach den letzten Dingen des Seins beantwortet zu bekommen.
Automated model analysis tools and techniques presented at FASE 2019
Authors: Hähnle Reiner , van der Aalst Wil
Published: September 2020

This special issue contains substantially revised and extended versions of some of the best papers presented at the 22nd International Conference on Fundamental Approaches to Software Engineering in 2019. All papers share the common theme that they are either concerned with model-based analysis of systems or they develop methods in its service.
Application and clinical impact of the RESIST-4 O.K.N.V. rapid diagnostic test for carbapenemase detection in blood cultures and clinical samples
Authors: Roth Sophie , Berger Fabian K. , Link Andreas , Nimmesgern Anna , Lepper Philipp M. , Murawski Niels , Bittenbring Jörg T. , Becker Sören L.
Published: September 2020

Invasive infections caused by carbapenemase-producing bacteria are associated with excess mortality. We applied a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) on clinical samples with an elevated likelihood of carbapenemase-producing bacteria and documented its impact on antibiotic treatment decisions. Among 38 patients, twelve tested positive for infections caused by carbapenemase-producing bacteria (31.6%), mainly in blood cultures. KPC (n = 10) was more frequent than OXA-48 (n = 2). RDT-based carbapenemase detection led to a treatment modification to ceftazidime/avibactam-containing regimens in all patients before detailed antibiotic testing results became available. Eleven patients (92%) survived the acute infection, whereas one patient with a ceftazidime/avibactam- and colistin-resistant OXA-48-positive isolate died.
A loose Benders decomposition algorithm for approximating two-stage mixed-integer recourse models
Authors: van der Laan Niels , Romeijnders Ward
Published: September 2020

We propose a new class of convex approximations for two-stage mixed-integer recourse models, the so-called generalized alpha-approximations. The advantage of these convex approximations over existing ones is that they are more suitable for efficient computations. Indeed, we construct a loose Benders decomposition algorithm that solves large problem instances in reasonable time. To guarantee the performance of the resulting solution, we derive corresponding error bounds that depend on the total variations of the probability density functions of the random variables in the model. The error bounds converge to zero if these total variations converge to zero. We empirically assess our solution method on several test instances, including the SIZES and SSLP instances from SIPLIB. We show that our method finds near-optimal solutions if the variability of the random parameters in the model is large. Moreover, our method outperforms existing methods in terms of computation time, especially for large problem instances.
Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals the mechanistic basis of Pib-mediated broad spectrum resistance against Magnaporthe oryzae
Authors: Qiu Jiehua , Lu Feifei , Xiong Meng , Meng Shuai , Shen Xianglin , Kou Yanjun
Published: September 2020

Rice blast, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is a highly damaging disease. Introducing genes, which confer a broad spectrum resistance to the disease, such as Pib, makes an important contribution to protecting rice production. However, little is known regarding the mechanistic basis of the products of such genes. In this study, transcriptome of the cultivar Lijiangxintuanheigu (LTH) and its monogenic IRBLb-B which harbors Pib treated with M. oryzae were compared. Among the many genes responding transcriptionally to infection were some encoding products involved in the metabolism of ROS (reactive oxygen species), in jasmonate (JA) metabolism, and WRKY transcription factors, receptor kinases, and resistance response signal modulation. The down-regulation of genes encoding peroxiredoxin and glutathione S transferases implied that the redox homeostasis is essential for the expression of Pib-mediated resistance. The up-regulation of seven disease resistance-related genes, including three encoding a NBS-LRR protein, indicated that disease resistance-related genes are likely tend to support the expression of Pib resistance. These data revealed that potential candidate genes and transcriptional reprogramming were involved in Pib-mediated resistance mechanisms.
Towards continuous industrial bioprocessing with solventogenic and acetogenic clostridia: challenges, progress and perspectives
Authors: Vees Charlotte Anne , Neuendorf Christian Simon , Pflügl Stefan
Published: September 2020

The sustainable production of solvents from above ground carbon is highly desired. Several clostridia naturally produce solvents and use a variety of renewable and waste-derived substrates such as lignocellulosic biomass and gas mixtures containing H2/CO2 or CO. To enable economically viable production of solvents and biofuels such as ethanol and butanol, the high productivity of continuous bioprocesses is needed. While the first industrial-scale gas fermentation facility operates continuously, the acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation is traditionally operated in batch mode. This review highlights the benefits of continuous bioprocessing for solvent production and underlines the progress made towards its establishment. Based on metabolic capabilities of solvent producing clostridia, we discuss recent advances in systems-level understanding and genome engineering. On the process side, we focus on innovative fermentation methods and integrated product recovery to overcome the limitations of the classical one-stage chemostat and give an overview of the current industrial bioproduction of solvents.
Engaging Tomorrow’s Doctors in Clinical Ethics: Implications for Healthcare Organisations
Authors: Machin Laura L. , Proctor Robin D.
Published: September 2020

Clinical ethics can be viewed as a practical discipline that provides a structured approach to assist healthcare practitioners in identifying, analysing and resolving ethical issues that arise in practice. Clinical ethics can therefore promote ethically sound clinical and organisational practices and decision-making, thereby contributing to health organisation and system quality improvement. In order to develop students’ decision-making skills, as well as prepare them for practice, we decided to introduce a clinical ethics strand within an undergraduate medical curriculum. We designed a programme of clinical ethics activities for teaching and assessment purposes that involved using ethical frameworks to analyse hypothetical and real-life cases in uni- and inter- professional groups. In this paper, we draw on medical student feedback collected over 6 years to illustrate the appeal to students of learning clinical ethics. We also outline the range of benefits for students, healthcare organisations, and the field of clinical ethics arising from tomorrow’s doctors experiencing clinical ethics early in their training. We conclude by briefly reflecting on how including clinical ethics within tomorrow’s doctors curricular can secure and continue future engagement in clinical ethics support services in the UK, alongside the dangers of preparing students for organisational cultures that might not (yet) exist. We anticipate the findings presented in the paper will contribute to wider debates examining the impact of ethics teaching, and its ability to inform future doctors’ practice.
Effects of limited irrigation water volumes on near-isohydric ‘Montepulciano’ vines trained to overhead trellis system
Authors: Silvestroni Oriana , Palliotti Alberto , Di Lena Bruno , Nuzzo Vitale , Sabbatini Paolo , Lattanzi Tania , Lanari Vania
Published: September 2020

The thermal increase, due to the changed climatic context, is leading to marked variations in the yield and quality of the grapes and causing an increase in the use of water resources in several viticultural areas. Nevertheless, in some environments, rainfalls are scarce and there is no water availability. In this study, we compared the impact of low water irrigation volumes (DI, replacement of 70% of crop evapotranspiration) with respect to non-irrigated vines (NI), on the physiological, yield and qualitative performances of near-isohydric variety ‘Montepulciano’, trained to overhead trellis system, which requires a high-water supply. The stomatal conductance and photosynthesis values, in basal and median leaves, were higher in DI vines. All NI leaves suffered water stress, showing in the youngest leaves (position 20 and 25 along the main shoot) higher carbon isotope discrimination (δ13C) (− 25.38‰ and 25–25.77‰, respectively). At harvest, DI vines showed yield higher of 30% and 33% than NI vines in 2005 and 2006, respectively, and 18% in 2007. In environments with prolonged water shortage and low water resource, near-isohydric ‘Montepulciano’ vines, trained to overhead trellis system and irrigated with limited volumes, determined a significant improvement of ‘vineyard efficiency’ with a yield of 19.2 t/ha with respect to 13.4 t/ha of NI vines, ensuring also more sugar content (+ 31%), anthocyanin concentration (+ 13%) and polyphenolic substances (+ 8%) than NI vines.
Effects of embedded questions in recorded lectures
Authors: van der Meij Hans , Bӧckmann Linn
Published: September 2020

Online video-recorded lectures have become an increasingly more important means for student learning (e.g., in flipped classrooms). However, getting students to process these lectures sufficiently to come to class well-prepared is a challenge for educators. This paper investigates the effectiveness of open-ended embedded questions for accomplishing that. An experiment compared a video-recorded lecture presented online with and without such questions. No feedback was given on responses to the questions. University students (N = 40) viewed the lecture, responded to a questionnaire on self-efficacy and usability, and completed a knowledge test. User logs revealed that the students engaged significantly more with the embedded questions lecture. Engagement was not related to knowledge test results, however. Uniformly high appraisals were given for self-efficacy, usefulness, ease of use and satisfaction. Mean test scores were significantly higher for the embedded questions condition. It is concluded that open-ended embedded questions without feedback can increase the effectiveness of online video-recorded lectures as learning resources.
Fractional flow equation in fractured aquifer using dual permeability model with non-singular kernel
Authors: Agarwal Ritu , Yadav Mahaveer Prasad , Agarwal Ravi P.
Published: September 2020

In this paper, a finite fractured aquifer, bounded by a stream and impervious layers on the other sides, has been considered. Variation in the level of groundwater is analyzed in confined aquifer for the unsteady flow. The governing differential equation for piezometric head involves the Caputo–Fabrizio fractional derivative operator with respect to time and is based on dual-porosity model with the assumption that the flow from fracture to block is in pseudo steady state. The obtained solutions can be used to anticipate the fluctuations in the waterlevels of the confined aquifer and for the numerical validation of a model in an aquifer.
Human cerebral organoids and consciousness: a double-edged sword
Authors: Lavazza Andrea
Published: September 2020

Human cerebral organoids (HCOs) are three-dimensional in vitro cell cultures that mimic the developmental process and organization of the developing human brain. In just a few years this technique has produced brain models that are already being used to study diseases of the nervous system and to test treatments and drugs. Currently, HCOs consist of tens of millions of cells and have a size of a few millimeters. The greatest limitation to further development is due to their lack of vascularization. However, recent research has shown that human cerebral organoids can manifest the same electrical activity and connections between brain neurons and EEG patterns as those recorded in preterm babies. All this suggests that, in the future, HCOs may manifest an ability to experience basic sensations such as pain, therefore manifesting sentience, or even rudimentary forms of consciousness. This calls for consideration of whether cerebral organoids should be given a moral status and what limitations should be introduced to regulate research. In this article I focus particularly on the study of the emergence and mechanisms of human consciousness, i.e. one of the most complex scientific problems there are, by means of experiments on HCOs. This type of experiment raises relevant ethical issues and, as I will argue, should probably not be considered morally acceptable.
Following Mixed Tree Nut Biscuit Challenge, Are the Nuts Still Included in the Diet?
Authors: Itotoh Benedicta , Roche Ingrid , Power Catherine
Published: September 2020

We studied the introduction rate after a negative challenge to mixed tree nut biscuit. This is a retrospective review of patients who underwent and passed mixed tree nut biscuit challenges performed at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) between 2016 and 2018. Follow-up phone calls were made to families to ascertain if the tree nuts included in the tree nut biscuit were still included in the child’s diet 1 to 3 years following negative oral food challenge (OFC). A total of 162 children underwent mixed tree nut biscuit challenge between 2016 and 2018 at Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, Western Australia. A total of 141 (87%) passed mixed tree nut biscuit challenge. Of the 133 children that were contacted (8 children could not be contacted), 104 children still included some or all of the challenge nuts in the child’s diet; with 24 children completely eliminating the challenge nuts (18%), 5 children eliminated some of the challenge nuts (3.5%). We found a high introduction rate (82%); however, some families may require more support to maintain the tree nuts in the child’s diet following a negative OFC.
H2O Sense: a WSN-based monitoring system for fish tanks
Authors: Qayyum Khushboo , Zaman Idrees , Förster Anna
Published: September 2020

In oceans, fish usually live in an environment that is best suited for their growth. When these fish are introduced into man-made environment, e.g. in mariculture and aquaculture set-ups, the physical parameters might stray from their ideal values, resulting in improper growth and undesired outcomes. Hence, to prevent these undesirable outcomes, continuous monitoring of the physical parameters of the water such as pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen is required. In this work, we present a system called H2O sense, which continuously monitors the physical parameters of the water in tanks and alerts the user in case the values deviate from ideal. We use only low-power, low-cost hardware and open-source development tools, which makes the system easily applicable to various settings. The deployment of our system in the Maritime Laboratory of the University of Namibia shows its efficacy. Furthermore, we evaluate in detail the performance of our system and discuss its applicability in similar challenged environments.
Current management of fistulizing perianal Crohn’s disease based on serum anti-tumor necrosis factor levels and magnetic resonance imaging monitoring
Authors: Wolker Felipe Bernardi , Marchiori Julia Gabriela Oliveira , Miranda Eron Fabio
Published: September 2020

Perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease (PFCD) is one of the most complex challenges in the colorectal surgery nowadays, because, even with combined clinical and surgical treatment, the rate of healing of the fistulas is approximately 50%. In this context, the monitoring of serum levels of anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor (anti-TNF) drugs appears as a crucial tool for the optimization of treatment, since there is a probable correlation between higher serum levels of infliximab and adalimumab with better outcomes of the disease, higher healing rates and lower recurrence rates. This review describes evidence on the use of serum anti-TNF levels and their relationship to clinical and radiological efficacy.
Challenges in Pandemic Disaster Preparedness: Experience of a Saudi Academic Medical Center
Authors: AlAssaf Wajdan
Published: September 2020

In December 2019, a pneumonia of unknown etiology was detected in Wuhan, China. This outbreak was then declared an international public emergency in January 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the announcement activated disaster management plans worldwide. This global crisis created several challenges for the health-care sector. This study reviews the challenges faced by a middle-sized urban academic hospital that are likely present to some extent in all health-care sectors, regardless of their existing disaster plans and policies. While preparing this Saudi academic hospital with a capacity of 192 beds for the emerging pandemic, obstacles arose despite its extensive prior disaster planning and training. Specifically, these challenges were related to health-care workers, supplies, and patient care. We review the actions taken to overcome and resolve these difficulties and provide future planning suggestions for each area to potentially assist other hospitals in their disaster planning and preparedness.