bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A study about return policies in the presence of consumer social learning
Authors: Liu Bingsheng , Zhu Wenwen , Shen Yinghua , Chen Yuan , Wang Tao , Chen Fengwen , Liu Maggie Wenjing , Zhou Shi‐Hao
Published: March 2022

Sellers are conventionally generous with their return policies for valuation‐uncertain products, such as experience products and new products. However, with the development of online review platforms, an increasing number of consumers are engaging in social learning by referring to others' reviews to reduce valuation uncertainty. In this study, we investigate how social learning interacts with sellers' return policies. There are three main conclusions. First, when sellers have a relatively higher expectation of product quality (or simply the product quality is high), social learning makes the sellers offering either no‐refund policies or partial‐refund policies better off in terms of the increased profit. It will cause the no‐refund sellers to choose higher prices and inventory, and the partial‐refund sellers to set lower prices and refund amounts. Second, under social learning, the partial‐refund policy tends to be more beneficial to sellers than both full‐refund and no‐refund policies; although, when the product quality is high, the no‐refund policy tends to bring more benefits to sellers than the full‐refund policy. Hence, sellers may finally switch to the partial‐refund policy. Third, for partial‐refund policies, more often than not, social learning increases social welfare when the product quality is high; specifically, in many cases, it increases not only the profit of the seller but also the welfare of consumers.
Microfinance competition and multiple borrowing: Evidence using panel data from Bangladesh
Authors: Mahmud Minhaj , Sawada Yasuyuki , Tanaka Mari
Published: March 2022

We examine the causes and consequences of multiple borrowing in rural Bangladesh using long‐term household and village panel data covering the years 2000–2014. We find that the sharply growing number of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in a wider set of villages over time coincides with a corresponding increase in household borrowing from multiple MFIs and households accessing loans generally as well as significant rises in the total values of household assets, especially in the form of agricultural equipment. Although the increasing number of MFIs resulted in some households borrowing to repay previous loans, the fraction of such households is relatively small.
Is emotion regulation impacted by executive functions? An experimental study
Authors: Mohammed Abdul‐Raheem , Kosonogov Vladimir , Lyusin Dmitry
Published: March 2022

The ability to exert influence on our emotions plays a significant role in the attainment of our goals. To have control over when and how we experience emotions is thought to be impacted by higher cognitive processes such as executive functions. However, there is inadequate research to support this notion. Hence, we examined the relationship between executive functions – updating, shifting, and inhibition – and emotion regulation strategies – cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. We predicted that updating would positively relate to cognitive reappraisal, while inhibition would positively relate to expressive suppression. Shifting would positively relate to both cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Participants completed updating, shifting, and inhibition tasks. Then, they used expressive suppression or cognitive reappraisal strategies in response to unpleasant pictures, accompanied by a physiological recording. Faster updating was associated with a larger heart rate deceleration during reappraisal. Inhibition was associated with more frequent use of suppression. Overall, the results confirm the idea that a higher level of executive functions is partially related to the effective application of emotion regulation strategies. The content of executive function tasks does not affect the association between executive functions and emotion regulation. These findings are important for psychotherapy, as training executive functions could partially help in the treatment of mood‐related disorders.
The Enigma of an Emerging Pink Economy in China: Pain Points, Entrepreneurial Opportunities, and Organizational Legitimacy1
Authors: Liu Xingshu
Published: March 2022

This article examines why an aboveground pink economy has emerged in mainland China, where equal rights for gay people are repressed and public attitudes toward homosexuality are overwhelmingly negative. Drawing on interviews, supplemented with a minimal amount of media data, this article demonstrates that in China there was a group of gay people wishing to fulfill needs mainstream businesses disregard and that such consumer needs necessitate China’s pink sector. More importantly, the state set the stage for the nascent sector to emerge: Government policies triggered a surge in funding resources and technology infrastructure upgrades that laid the material foundations for pink entrepreneurship. Despite being born in an institutional void, pink ventures employed legitimizing strategies to hedge against risk and uncertainty, thereby consolidating this new market. China’s pink economy developed independently of the influence of the gay movement and even expanded, as never before, at the low ebb of the movement. This research gives credence to the notion that an aboveground pink economy could precede political rights but, unlike American scholarship, questions a similar causal relationship between the two in the Chinese context.
Cover crop effects on soil structure and early sugar beet growth
Authors: Grunwald Dennis , Stracke Alexander , Koch Heinz‐Josef
Published: March 2022

Cover crops can improve soil properties, especially soil structure, through organic matter input and rooting activity. However, large variations exist among cover crops, which may lead to differences in the extent of these effects. In this study, cover crops with differing properties were compared regarding soil structure and subsequent sugar beet growth. Field experiments were conducted at two Luvisol sites in Central Germany. Four cover crops (oil radish, saia oat, spring vetch and winter rye) were compared with fallow. Cover crop effects on soil water, Nmin content, soil structure and subsequent early sugar beet growth were studied. Additionally, sugar beet received either no or optimal N fertilizer application. Rye and radish had the highest and vetch the lowest above‐ and belowground biomass. Soil water content was hardly affected by cover cropping, while topsoil Nmin contents in April were increased. Penetration resistance was lowered, and aggregate stability was increased by the cover crops, especially oil radish, while values after spring vetch were similar to those of fallow. Differences among the cover crops might be because of a differing root biomass. Independent of N fertilizer application, sugar beet biomass in May tended to be higher after all cover crops, in particular under oil radish. The higher aggregate stability and lower penetration resistance were found to be beneficial for early sugar beet growth. Thus, sugar beet can benefit from a 1‐year cultivation of preceding cover crops. Modifications of this effect through cover crop root biomass and architecture as well as repeated cover cropping need to be investigated in further studies.
On consciousness of the decision to discontinue blood donation: Intention to return and effective recovery activities
Authors: Saltzmann Carolin , Boenigk Silke
Published: March 2022

Objectives

This study aims to (1) explore the consciousness of blood donors' decision to stop donating blood, (2) analyse the association with the donors' intention to return to blood donation and the various reasons for discontinuation, and (3) identify effective activities for the recovery of donors who are no longer donating blood.

Materials/methods

Survey data of former German blood donors who did not donate blood for >36 months were collected (n = 1263). The data were analysed using multivariate linear regression and mediation analyses.

Results

This study provides new insights into the consciousness of blood donors' decision to stop donating blood. Former blood donors may be located at distinct stages of consciousness about their decision of discontinuation. The results indicate that 44.9% of the former blood donors did not consciously decide to stop blood donation. Of the lapsed donors, 16.9% decided consciously and 18.2% were in between. Furthermore, 25.2% of the respondents who did not consciously decide to stop donating blood were willing to restart the same. The most effective activities for recovery are more flexible donation hours (29.1%), appointment‐scheduling online (24.8%), and sending out reminders (18.1%).

Conclusion

Addressing unconsciously lapsed donors is promising. Blood donation service providers should implement measures that support busy people; such measures may include appointment scheduling or pause‐options. The implementation of a systematic recovery management, entailing an analysis of the decision to discontinue blood donation with subsequent segmentation is advisable. This can help to foster individualised communication with blood donors.
Radiation Grafted Ion Conducting Membranes for Electrochemical Energy Systems: Status of Developmental and Upscaled Membranes
Authors: Nasef Mohamed Mahmoud
Published: March 2022

Ion conducting membranes (ICMs) play a crucial role in the development of electrochemical energy systems supporting the conversion, storage, and management of renewable energy in various fields. Thus, this class of materials has received continuous intensive research efforts to obtain membranes/separators with superior properties, including high conductivity, durability, and cost-attractiveness. Radiation induced graft copolymerization (RIGC) techniques have been found to be most effective in developing a variety of IEMs due to their efficient endowment of the desired type and level of ionic functionality to preformed films to form hybrid materials with integrated physico-chemical properties. Various articles have reviewed the fundamental research aspects of radiation grafted ICMs’ and battery separators’ developments in many laboratories with little attention given to research activities at the developmental scale paving the way to commercialization of such materials. This article reviews the status of the development of emerging radiation grafted ICMs and separators for various types of fuel cells, batteries, and water electrolysers with a special focus on those undergoing developmental research activities and others successfully commercialized.
Uma Constituição à Beira do Colapso. A Captura do Estado e o Desmonte do Sistema Constitucional de Proteção Social
Authors: Santiago Marcus Firmino
Published: March 2022

A Constituição de 1988 foi redigida em um contexto histórico único, no qual as barreiras tradicionalmente postas à participação social ampla foram derrubadas, dando origem a um texto orientado por valores democráticos e humanistas e comprometido com o combate à desigualdade e à exclusão. O projeto desenhado naquele momento, contudo, nunca foi completamente implementado, sofrendo com resistências oriundas de vários setores, contrários aos avanços propostos, e com a fragilidade econômica do Estado, que sempre relutou em priorizar o compromisso social trazido pela Constituição. Nos últimos cinco anos, o país tem vivido um período de retração econômica, com efeitos terríveis especialmente sobre os mais pobres, e as respostas concebidas para enfrentar tais dificuldades têm penalizado ainda mais este grupo. Amparado em um discurso que demoniza o bem estar social e a própria Constituição, entra em marcha um processo de desmonte de seu projeto, que coloca em risco tudo com o que o povo sonhou em 1988.
A Defensoria Pública no Brasil: Gênero, Raça e Poder
Authors: Silva Érika Costa da , Flauzina Ana Luiza Pinheiro
Published: March 2022

Esse trabalho visa analisar o perfil institucional das Defensorias Públicas Estaduais no Brasil. Parte da hipótese de que existe uma linha de teorias sobre a Defensoria Pública, que oculta a influência e a presença do projeto patriarcal, colonialista e aristocrático, que estrutura o Brasil e seu sistema de justiça, excluindo a instituição da agenda de discussões críticas e políticas acerca do quadro histórico de violações a direitos fundamentais imposto às mulheres e às pessoas negras. O universo da pesquisa é composto por dados institucionais colhidos nos sites oficiais das Defensorias Públicas Estaduais do país e dos dados oficiais divulgados pelo IV Diagnóstico da Defensoria Pública no Brasil (2015), pelo I Censo da Defensoria Pública do Estado da Bahia (2020), pelo 1º Diagnóstico de Gênero da Defensoria Pública do Rio de Janeiro (2018) e pela Relação Anual de Informações Sociais (2017). Foi utilizada a metodologia documental, com perspectiva analítica, em uma abordagem que combinou a forma qualitativa e quantitativa. O estudo, a partir da análise crítica dos dados pesquisados, percorre o seguinte caminho: (a) apresenta a formação e estruturação das Defensorias Públicas Estaduais no Brasil; (b) categoriza e analisa, considerando aspectos de gênero e raça, os dados sobre o perfil institucional das Defensorias Públicas. Após essas leituras, conclui-se que há necessidade de se trazer a Defensoria Pública para o centro das discussões sobre práticas institucionais de manutenção de desigualdades, sendo urgente a utilização das categorias de análise que levem em conta dimensões de gênero, raça, classe e sexualidade na atuação institucional das Defensorias Públicas Estaduais no Brasil.
Candidaturas Trans no Brasil e o Papel do Tribunal Superior Eleitoral
Authors: Freitas Sarah Roriz de , Oliveira André Macedo de
Published: March 2022

O presente artigo destina-se a traçar um panorama da participação das pessoas trans e a atualizar o perfil das candidaturas trans nas eleições brasileiras de 2002 a 2020, quando se inaugurou o novo paradigma – do nome social – para os pleitos municipais, a partir da resposta dada pelo Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE) à Consulta nº 060405458. Utilizaram-se bases de dados fornecidas pelo TSE, apresentadas em artigos publicados e construídas por associações e organizações que militam em prol dos direitos dos transgêneros. Identificada uma divergência entre os dados, referentes às eleições de 2020, fornecidos pela Justiça Eleitoral e pela Associação Nacional dos Travestis e Transexuais, propôs-se um diálogo entre as instituições para que se busque a evolução dos registros, como medida voltada ao fortalecimento da participação política das pessoas trans no Brasil.
LA RELEVANCIA ESTRATÉGICA DE VENEZUELA A PARTIR DE LA PERSPECTIVA DE LA SEGURIDAD ENERGÉTICA CHINA
Authors: Nunes Ticiana amaral
Published: March 2022

El propósito del artículo consiste en analizar la profundización de las relaciones bilaterales entre China y Venezuela desde mediados del siglo XXI, insertando sus principales motivaciones dentro de un contexto geopolítico. La hipótesis central del artículo considera que esa aproximación posee un fuerte carácter geopolítico y está intrínsecamente relacionada con la búsqueda, emprendida por China, por medios de reducir su vulnerabilidad energética. En ese sentido, el mantenimiento de las relaciones con Venezuela sería estratégico por tres razones principales: dos de naturaleza geográfica (su ubicación y abundancia de petróleo); y otra política (distanciamiento de la influencia norteamericana). Se considera que el entendimiento de esas relaciones, en diversas ocasiones, tiende a ser simplificado, al ahorcar sólo aspectos económicos. La metodología utilizada consiste en dos etapas: una revisión teórica de los aspectos geopolíticos que permean la seguridad energética de China y una sección empírica, destacando las principales instancias que componen el acercamiento con Venezuela.
Design of a Planar Cable-Driven Parallel Crane Without Parasitic Tilt
Authors: Étienne Lionel , Cardou Philippe , Métillon Marceau , Caro Stéphane
Published: March 2022

Cable-driven parallel robots (CDPRs) offer high payload capacities, large translational workspace, and high dynamics performances. Their rotational workspace is generally far more limited, however, which can be resolved using cable loops, as was shown in previous research. In the case of fully constrained CDPRs, cable loops can induce unwanted torques on the moving-platform (MP), causing it to tilt and move away from its intended position, which we call parasitic tilt. Hence, the orientation accuracy of such robots is usually limited. This paper deals with the design, modeling, and prototyping of a planar CDPR with infinite rotations, without parasitic tilt and without an additional motor. This robot, which we call a cable-driven parallel crane (CDPC), is composed of a mobile platform (MP) with an embedded mechanism and a transmission module. The MP is linked to the frame by four cables, three of them acting in parallel, forming in effect a double parallelogram. Among these three parallel cables, two form a cable loop, i.e., they are two strands of the same cable redirected to and from the MP through an embedded pulley. The two-degree-of-freedom (dof) motions of the moving-platform of the CDPC and the internal dof of its embedded mechanism are driven by a total of three actuators, which are fixed to the frame. As a consequence, the overall system is fully actuated, its total mass and inertia in motion is reduced, and it is free of parasitic tilts.
Modeling, Control, and Simulation of a 3-Degrees of Freedom Mechanism Actuated by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for Upper Limb Prosthesis Application
Authors: Markus A. T. , Sobczyk M. R. , Perondi E. A.
Published: March 2022

This work reports advances in enabling the use of pneumatic artificial muscles (PAM) as an alternative to electromechanical actuators in upper-limb prostheses to take advantage of their low weight, clean, renewable energy source, and force compliance, which is especially suitable for interactions between machines and humans. It describes the model, simulation, and control of a 3-degrees of freedom (DOF) mechanism representing a prosthetic finger using PAM actuators. Its main contribution is the combination and expansion of classic nonlinear models and control methods for robotic systems to allow PAM actuators in the intended application, especially regarding transient effects in the generation of PAM forces. The effectiveness of the proposed mechanism and its associated controller is verified through both numeric simulations and experimental results.
An Improved Parameterized Interpolation Method Based on Modified Chord Length
Authors: Xu Hanwen , Zhao Gongwei , Liu Yating , Ye Nanhai
Published: March 2022

Aiming at the problem of smoothness of the B-spline curve interpolation, an improved parameterized interpolation method based on modified chord length is proposed. We construct a series of interpolation arcs using the relationship between the chord length and chord angle of given data points and then calculate the global knot parameters by replacing the chord length with the arc length. In addition, we propose curve smoothness index based on the relationship between the radius of curvature and the cumulative curve length and compare it with other classical methods to construct cubic B-spline curves in the tests; at the same time, the deviation error is used to evaluate the swing of the curve. Furthermore, two sets of point cloud data are used to test the surface interpolation for different parameterization methods, and the Gauss curvature map is used to evaluate the smoothness of interpolated surfaces. As a result, the proposed method performs better than other methods; the constructed curves and surfaces maintain a good performance.
Long Short-Term Memory-Based Cutting Depth Monitoring System for End Milling Operation
Authors: Vaishnav Shubham , Desai K. A.
Published: March 2022

The technologies related to manufacturing processes monitoring, optimization, and control are becoming prevalent to achieve autonomous operations in Smart Manufacturing. The present work establishes an edge-level system based on the long short-term memory (LSTM) model for monitoring significant variations of cutting depths during end milling of near-net-shaped components. The proposed system consists of a trained LSTM model that decodes force data to identify cutting depths and an edge-level interface for displaying abnormal changes to the operator. The LSTM model development requires considerable labeled data consisting of cutting force sequences and corresponding depth classes generated using machining experiments. The present work proposes to develop the LSTM model using synthetic datasets generated using the mechanistic force model to minimize experimental efforts. The optimum configuration was derived by investigating the effect of network parameters and adaptive learning methods. The performance of an optimal network was substantiated by conducting tests using previously unseen synthetic datasets derived from the mechanistic model. The optimal network architecture was integrated with a dynamometer and an edge-level system to capture end milling force data and display cutting depth information. A set of end milling experiments are carried over a range of parameters to examine the efficacy of the proposed approach in estimating cutting depth deviations. It has been demonstrated that the approach can be effectively used as an edge-level system to capture significant cutting depth variations during the end milling and alert machine operators.
Enabling Traceability in Agri-Food Supply Chains Using an Ontological Approach
Authors: Ameri Farhad , Wallace Evan , Yoder Reid , Riddick Frank
Published: March 2022

Traceability of food products to their sources is critical for quick responses to food emergencies. US law now requires stakeholders in the agri-food supply chain to support traceability by tracking food materials they acquire and sell. However, having the complete and consistent information needed to quickly investigate sources and identify affected material has proven difficult. There are multiple reasons that food traceability is a challenging task, including diversity of stakeholders and their lexicons, standards, tools, and methods; unwillingness to expose information about internal operations; lack of a common understanding of the steps in a supply chain; and incompleteness of data. The objective of this work is to address the traceability challenge by developing a formal ontology that can provide a shared and common understanding of the traceability model across all stakeholders in bulk food supply chains. A formal ontology can support semantic mediation, data integration, and data exploration, thus improving the intelligence and reliability of trace and track process. The Industrial Ontologies Foundry (IOF) procedures and principles are employed in the development of the supply chain traceability ontology. Basic Formal Ontology (BFO) is selected as the top-level ontology. A bottom-up approach is also adopted in a sense that a real use case related to the bulk grain domain is selected to be used for requirements definition and ontology validation. A software tool for visualization of the traceability graph is developed to validate the developed ontology based on simulated data. The test and validation results indicate that the developed ontology has the expressivity needed to represent the semantics of traceability data models within the scope of the selected use case. Also, it was observed that the developed supply chain traceability tool can effectively facilitate the track and trace process through visualizing the Resource Description Framework (RDF) triples, thus eliminating the need to formulate complex SPARQL queries for information retrievals.
A Review on the Use of Chemicals as Steam Additives for Thermal Oil Recovery Applications
Authors: Du Xuan , Xi Changfeng , Shi Lanxiang , Wang Bojun , Qi Zongyao , Liu Tong , Zhou You , Lee Jungin , Babadagli Tayfun , Li Huazhou
Published: March 2022

We summarize the major recovery mechanisms of both steam-based recovery process and steam-chemical-based recovery process. Next, we review the previous lab-scale/field-scale studies examining the applications of surfactants, alkali, and novel chemicals in the steam-based oil recovery process. Among the different surfactants studied, alpha-olefin sulfonate (AOS) and linear toluene sulfonate are the recommended chemicals for their foam control/detergency effect. In particular, AOS was observed to perform especially well in residual oil saturation (ROS) reduction and sweep efficiency improvement when being co-injected with alkali. Application of organic alkali (alone or with a co-surfactant) has also drawn wide attention recently, but its efficacy in the field requires further investigation and the consumption of alkali by sands/clay is often an inevitable issue and, therefore, how to control the alkali loss requires further investigation. Novel chemical additives tested in the past five years include fatty acids (such as tail oil acid, TOA-Na+), biodiesel (o/w emulsion), along with other types of chemical additives including switchable hydrophilicity tertiary amines, chelating agents, deep eutectic solvents, graphite and SiO2 particles, ionic liquids, and urea. High thermal stability of some of the novel chemicals and their potential in increasing displacement efficiency and ROS reduction efficiency in the lab studies require further investigation for their optimized application in the field settings to minimize the use of steam while improving the recovery effectively.
Numerical Investigation of Aerosolization in the Venturi Dustiness Tester: Aerodynamics of a Particle on a Hill
Authors: Palakurthi Nithin Kumar , Ghia Urmila , Turkevich Leonid A.
Published: March 2022

Understanding particle detachment from surfaces is necessary to better characterize dust generation and entrainment. Previous work has studied the detachment of particles from flat surfaces. This work generalizes this to investigate the aerodynamics of a particle attached to various locations on a model hill. This work serves as a model for dust aerosolization in a tube, as powder is injected into the Venturi dustiness tester (VDT). The particle is represented as a sphere in a parallel plate channel, or, in two dimensions, as a cylinder oriented perpendicular to the flow. The substrate is modified to include a conical hill (3D) or wedge (2D), and the test particle is located at various positions on this hill. The governing incompressible Navier–Stokes equations are solved using the finite volume fluent code. The coefficients of lift and drag are compared with the results on the flat substrate. Enhanced drag and significantly enhanced lift are observed as the test particle is situated near the summit of the hill.
No-Load Power Loss of a Rear Axle Gear Transmission: Measurement and Validation
Authors: Cruz Justino A. O. , Marques Pedro M. T. , Seabra Jorge H. O. , Castro Jorge D.
Published: March 2022

This work studies the power loss in a real axle box gear transmission under no-load operating conditions. The influence of the rotational speed and of the lubricant viscosity was considered. An experimental strategy was adopted in order to measure the overall power loss of the axle box, as well as to isolate the power loss contribution of the major components: crown wheel, pinion, seals, and the tandem taper roller bearings supporting the pinion shaft and the crown assembly. Although it was not possible to directly measure the power loss generated by each component, the results allowed to identify the major contributions to the rear axle inefficiency. In particular, those from the crown wheel churning, from the lubricant squeezing due to the pocketing between the pinion and crown gear teeth, and from the friction in the preloaded tapered roller bearings of the pinion shaft and of the crown assembly. In average, the tapered roller bearings supporting the pinion shaft are responsible for 74% of the overall power loss of the axle box. A numerical model was developed to predict the power loss of the axle box and of its components, which was correlated with the experimental measurements with high accuracy (R2 = 0.9990). The combination of the experimental measurements with the model predictions allowed a full understanding of the axle box power loss behavior under no-load operating conditions. This analysis can be used for the design of an axle box with improved efficiency.
Study on the Three-Dimensional Tribo-Dynamic Analysis of Piston Ring Pack Considering the Influence of Piston Secondary Motion
Authors: Liu Zhan , Meng Xianghui , Zhang Limin , Cheng Weisheng , Wang Xing
Published: March 2022

More detailed and accurate modeling is very important for analyzing and optimizing the tribological performance of the piston-ring-cylinder liner system. However, due to the difficulty of modeling and solving, theoretical studies on the three-dimensional (3D) tribodynamics of piston rings are limited. The tribodynamic model which couples the dynamics, mixed lubrication, and blow-by of piston-ring pack assemblies has not been found yet. Therefore, in this study, a 3D tribodynamic model of the piston-ring pack is developed considering the influence of piston secondary motion and the interaction forces and moments between piston ring and cylinder liner as well as between piston ring and ring groove. In addition to the ring end gaps, the influence of ring dynamics is also contained in the blow-by model. Coupled with gas flows and piston rotation, ring motions in the ring groove are investigated. It is found that ring dynamics has significant effects on the tribological performance, the axial reversing movement of piston ring is the main cause of gas pressure oscillation, piston motion has an obvious influence on the ring dynamics, the interaction forces and moments between piston and rings increase the secondary motion amplitude of piston, especially near the fire top dead center.
Regulating MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell adhesion on laser-patterned surfaces with micro- and nanotopography
Authors: Kanidi M. , Papadimitropoulou A. , Charalampous C. , Chakim Z. , Tsekenis G. , Sinani A. , Riziotis C. , Kandyla M.
Published: March 2022

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer observed in women. Communication with the tumor microenvironment allows invading breast cancer cells, such as triple negative breast cancer cells, to adapt to specific substrates. The substrate topography modulates the cellular behavior among other factors. Several different materials and micro/nanofabrication techniques have been employed to develop substrates for cell culture. Silicon-based substrates present a lot of advantages as they are amenable to a wide range of processing techniques and they permit rigorous control over the surface structure. We investigate and compare the response of the triple negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) on laser-patterned silicon substrates with two different topographical scales, i.e., the micro- and the nanoscale, in the absence of any other biochemical modification. We develop silicon surfaces with distinct morphological characteristics by employing two laser systems with different pulse durations (nanosecond and femtosecond) and different processing environments (vacuum, SF6 gas, and water). Our findings demonstrate that surfaces with microtopography are repellent, while those with nanotopography are attractive for MDA-MB-231 cell adherence.
Pseudomonas Synergizes with Fluconazole against
Candida
during Treatment of Polymicrobial Infection
Authors: Hattab Siham , Dagher Anna-Maria , Wheeler Robert T.
Published: March 2022

Polymicrobial infections are challenging to treat because we don’t fully understand how pathogens interact during infection and how these interactions affect drug efficacy.
Candida albicans
and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
are opportunistic pathogens that can be found in similar sites of infection such as in burn wounds and most importantly in the lungs of CF and mechanically ventilated patients.
C. albicans
is particularly difficult to treat because of the paucity of antifungal agents, some of which lack fungicidal activity. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of anti-fungal treatment during
C. albicans
-
P. aeruginosa
coculture
in vitro
and co-infection in the mucosal zebrafish infection model analogous to the lung.
Epistasis at the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain Interface and the Propitiously Boring Implications for Vaccine Escape
Authors: Rochman Nash D. , Faure Guilhem , Wolf Yuri I. , Freddolino Lydia , Zhang Feng , Koonin Eugene V.
Published: March 2022

Emergence of vaccine escape variants of SARS-CoV-2 is arguably the most pressing problem during the COVID-19 pandemic as vaccines are distributed worldwide. We employed a computational approach to assess the risk of antibody escape resulting from mutations in the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein of the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as the Delta, Gamma, and Omicron variants.
Draft Genome Sequences of 23
Tenacibaculum
Isolates from Farmed Norwegian Lumpfish,
Cyclopterus lumpus
Authors: Spilsberg Bjørn , Nilsen Hanne K. , Gulla Snorre , Lagesen Karin , Olsen Anne Berit , Colquhoun Duncan J.
Published: March 2022

Draft genome sequences of 23
Tenacibaculum
sp. strains that were isolated from
Cyclopterus lumpus
(lumpfish) were investigated to elucidate possible routes of transmission between
Salmo salar
(Atlantic salmon) and lumpfish.
Leptospira
Is an Environmental Bacterium That Grows in Waterlogged Soil
Authors: Yanagihara Yasutake , Villanueva Sharon Y. A. M. , Nomura Naoki , Ohno Marumi , Sekiya Toshiki , Handabile Chimuka , Shingai Masashi , Higashi Hideaki , Yoshida Shin-ichi , Masuzawa Toshiyuki , Gloriani Nina G. , Saito Mitsumasa , Kida Hiroshi
Published: March 2022

Since research on
Leptospira
has focused on pathogenic leptospires, which are supposed to multiply only in animal hosts, the life cycle of saprophytic leptospires has long been a mystery. This study demonstrates that both pathogenic and saprophytic leptospires multiply in the waterlogged soil, which mimics the postflooding environment.
Unusual cause of light chain cast nephropathy
Authors: Chen Kai Wen , Rees David Owen , Watson David , Owen-Casey Mared
Published: March 2022

Acute kidney injury due to light chain cast nephropathy is increasingly recognised in patients with haematological malignancies; however, the management and prognosis of this disease remain poorly understood. We describe a case of a 78-year-old woman with known chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) who presented with fatigue and weight loss. She was found to have acute kidney injury, which rapidly worsened during admission. Kidney biopsy showed light chain cast nephropathy and bone marrow biopsy confirmed B-cell CLL. She was started on ibrutinib, halting further deterioration in her renal function and avoiding renal replacement therapy in the first 8 months.
Managing hepatic complications of pregnancy: practical strategies for clinicians
Authors: Morrison Maura Alice , Chung Yooyun , Heneghan Michael A
Published: March 2022

Liver disorders specific to pregnancy are rare but can have potentially serious consequences for mother and fetus. Pregnancy-related liver disorders are the most common cause of liver disease in otherwise healthy pregnant women and pose a challenge to physicians because of the need to take into account both maternal and fetal health. A good knowledge of these disorders is necessary as prompt diagnosis and appropriate management results in improved maternal and fetal outcomes. This review will focus on pregnancy-specific disorders and will aim to serve as a guide for physicians in their diagnosis, management and subsequent monitoring.
Healthcare’s new frontier: the digital front door
Authors: Rastogi Namrata
Published: March 2022

Primary care has faced long-standing access challenges in the UK National Health Service (NHS) due to an increased demand on services caused by an ageing population, inadequate funding, a shortage of General Practitioners (GPs) and GP trainees and inefficient administrative processes. The pandemic accelerated digital adoption in primary care as policy and reimbursement changes led to new ways of working including telephone triage, video consultations, remote monitoring, online consultations, and text and email communication between clinicians and patients. The agenda has moved to how innovation teams lead digital transformation to drive long term and sustainable benefits in primary care. The digital front door is defined as the channels and framework through which patients access network-wide services in a digitally enabled system. Pillars to this front door include navigation, triage, increased electronic health record (EHR) functionality, shared care records with interoperability, a skilled workforce, key stakeholder engagement and digital inclusion. Out of hospital care has become an integrated community of health, wellness and social care providers. Primary care organisations are presented with a unique opportunity to redesign their access points, to re-evaluate how to navigate and triage users most effectively through their systems, to leverage health data and analytics to derive more insights from the EHR than ever before, and to build a skilled workforce that meets the evolving needs of the community as we move towards a more equitable health system.
Feasibility and safety of physical exercise in men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy and radiotherapy: a study protocol
Authors: Bressi Barbara , Iotti Cinzia , Cagliari Maribel , Cavuto Silvio , Fugazzaro Stefania , Costi Stefania
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and radiotherapy (RT) increase survival in selected patients with prostate cancer. Nevertheless, the side effects of these therapies are associated with an increased risk of accidental falls and fractures and a decreased quality of life. Preliminary evidence suggests that physical exercise can be a valid strategy to reduce the side effects of ADT and RT in men with prostate cancer. Despite this knowledge, most patients with prostate cancer are insufficiently active, and there is a lack of data on the safety and adherence to the recommended dose of physical exercise. This study protocol is designed to examine the feasibility and safety of a multicomponent experimental physical exercise intervention targeting psychophysical and cognitive functions and the quality of life in this population.

Methods and analysis

This is a pilot feasibility study. Twenty-five men currently treated with ADT and RT for prostate cancer will be invited to participate in a 20-week, multicomponent physical exercise intervention, including supervised and unsupervised exercise sessions and meeting the current recommendation for exercise in cancer. The primary outcomes are physical exercise feasibility (recruitment, adherence and drop-out rates) and safety (adverse events related and unrelated to the intervention). The secondary outcomes are muscle strength, balance, fatigue, symptoms of anxiety and depression, cognitive function, quality of life, and patient satisfaction. We will also record the number of accidental falls and fractures occurring during the intervention and at 1 year of follow-up.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has received ethics approval from The Area Vasta Nord Local Ethics Committee (Province of Reggio Emilia, 23 June 2020, Number 520/2020/SPER/IRCCSRE). Recruitment began in September 2020 and will be completed in September 2021. The results will be disseminated through scientific journals and conference presentations.

Trial registration number

NCT04500080.
Acute effect of breaking up prolonged sitting on cognition: a systematic review
Authors: Chueh Ting-Yu , Chen Yung-Chih , Hung Tsung-Min
Published: March 2022

Objectives

To review the current evidence on the acute effects of interrupting prolonged periods of sitting with intermittent physical activity (PA) on cognition in healthy populations.

Design

This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines.

Methods

Studies were included if they investigated the acute effects of taking regular PA breaks from sitting on cognition in healthy populations without any cardiovascular disease, history of brain injury, or psychiatric or neurological disorder. Four electronic databases—PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE and ProQuest—were searched for eligible studies on 20 September 2020. Study quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale.

Results

Seven studies, involving 168 participants aged between 18 and 80 years, were eligible for inclusion in this review. Three of the seven studies found positive effects of interrupting sitting with either (a) 3 min of relatively high-intensity (6 km/hour) walking every 30 min on attention and inhibitory control in young adults; (b) hourly breaks with progressively longer duration (10–30 min) of very light-intensity cycling/walking on attention, working memory and cognitive flexibility in adults with obesity; or (c) an initial bout of continuous moderate-intensity exercise, followed by interruption of post-exercise sitting with 3 min breaks of light-intensity walking (3.2 km/hour) every 30 min, on working memory in older adults with overweight.

Conclusion

Given the limited evidence with mixed findings on this topic in the literature and the heterogeneity of PA protocols across the included studies, the results regarding the effectiveness of interrupting prolonged sitting with PA breaks in improving cognition warrant further verification.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020147536.
Psychometric properties of self-reported measures of active ageing: a systematic review protocol using COSMIN methodology
Authors: Han Shuyu , Ji Mengmeng , Leng Minmin , Zhou Jia , Wang Zhiwen
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Evaluation of active ageing is helpful in making public health policies, improving older adults’ quality of life and confronting global ageing challenges. However, there remains no systematic review to summarise all active ageing assessment tools and report their psychometric properties. This study aims to apply the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) methodology to review the psychometric properties of active ageing assessment tools obtained by multiple validation studies.

Methods and analysis

Studies that aim to validate patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of active ageing in older adults aged 60 and over and report one or more psychometric properties are eligible for this systematic review. We will consider studies conducted in any country or setting published either in English or Chinese. The following databases will be searched: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, CNKI, and Wanfang. Data extraction, assessment of methodological quality, summary of the quality of PROMs and grading of quality of evidence will be conducted according to the COSMIN methodology.

Ethics and dissemination

This study will not collect individual data. Therefore, obtaining ethical approval is not applicable. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences and will help researchers choose active ageing assessment tools.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021287395.
Prognostic value of National Early Warning Scores (NEWS2) and component physiology in hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a multicentre study
Authors: Scott Lauren J , Tavaré Alison , Hill Elizabeth M , Jordan Lesley , Juniper Mark , Srivastava Seema , Redfern Emma , Little Hannah , Pullyblank Anne
Published: March 2022

Background

National Early Warning Scores (NEWS2) are used to detect all-cause deterioration. While studies have looked at NEWS2, the use of virtual consultation and remote monitoring of patients with COVID-19 mean there is a need to know which physiological observations are important.

Aim

To investigate the relationship between outcome and NEWS2, change in NEWS2 and component physiology in COVID-19 inpatients.

Methods

A multi-centre retrospective study of electronically recorded, routinely collected physiological measurements between March and June 2020. First and maximum NEWS2, component scores and outcomes were recorded. Areas under the curve (AUCs) for 2-day, 7-day and 30-day mortality were calculated.

Results

Of 1263 patients, 26% died, 7% were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) before discharge and 67% were discharged without ICU. Of 1071 patients with initial NEWS2, most values were low: 50% NEWS2=0–2, 27% NEWS2=3–4, 14% NEWS2=5–6 and 9% NEWS2=7+. Maximum scores were: 14% NEWS2=0–2, 22% NEWS2=3–4, 17% NEWS2=5–6 and 47% NEWS2=7+. Higher first and maximum scores were predictive of mortality, ICU admission and longer length of stay. AUCs based on 2-day, 7-day, 30-day and any hospital mortality were 0.77 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.84), 0.70 (0.65 to 0.74), 0.65 (0.61 to 0.68) and 0.65 (0.61 to 0.68), respectively. The AUCs for 2-day mortality were 0.71 (0.65 to 0.77) for supplemental oxygen, 0.65 (0.56 to 0.73) oxygen saturation and 0.64 (0.56 to 0.73) respiratory rate.

Conclusion

While respiratory parameters were most predictive, no individual parameter was as good as a full NEWS2, which is an acceptable predictor of short-term mortality in patients with COVID-19. This supports recommendation to use NEWS2 alongside clinical judgement to assess patients with COVID-19.
Residential mobility and potentially avoidable hospitalisations in a population-based cohort of New Zealand children
Authors: Nathan Kim , Robertson Oliver , Atatoa Carr Polly , Howden-Chapman Philippa , Pierse Nevil
Published: March 2022

Background

Residential moves are common in early childhood and associations have been found between residential mobility and adverse child health and well-being outcomes. Although there are studies on potentially avoidable hospitalisations (PAH) in children, few have examined PAH in relation to residential mobility. Our aim, therefore, was to investigate residential mobility and PAH in a population-based cohort of New Zealand children.

Methods

Using a retrospective cohort design, we analysed data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure for a cohort of 314 283 children born since the start of 2004, who had at least one residential address recorded by 2 years of age. Residential mobility was derived from address data and PAH were determined from hospital discharge data.

Results

Half of the cohort children (52%) experienced at least one residential move by 2 years of age, and 22% experienced two or more moves. Fifteen per cent of the cohort experienced one or more PAH between 2 and 4 years of age. A linear association between residential mobility and PAH was found (relative risk (RR)=1.18, CI 1.17 to 1.19) and this remained robust when adjusting for several covariates. Sensitivity analyses for ambulatory care sensitive hospitalisations (ACSH) and PAH attributable to the housing/physical environment (PAH-HE) produced results very similar to those for PAH (ACSH: adjusted RR (aRR)=1.10, CI 1.09 to 1.11; PAH-HE: aRR=1.11, CI 1.10 to 1.12).

Conclusion

This study found a linear association between higher residential mobility and an increased likelihood of PAH in young children. Avenues for further investigation are suggested.