bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Population genetic structure of intensively exploited pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) in Lake Balaton (Hungary)
Authors: Bánó Bálint , Benedek Ildikó , Zsolnai Attila , Specziár András , Takács Péter , Molnár Tamás
Published: August 2023

Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca Linnaeus, 1758) is a wide-ranged percid predator fish characterised by a great ecological value in the Eurasian freshwater and brackish ecosystems. It is also one of the most famous fish species of Lake Balaton (Hungary), where a unique (genetically separated) pikeperch stock lives. However, until now, no detailed information was available about the pikeperch population genetic structure in Lake Balaton. In the present study, the population genetic structure of the pikeperch assemblages in the lake was revealed by using microsatellite markers. Commercial fishery and angler catch data going back more than 100 years verified that the pikeperch has always been a key element of Lake Balaton’s fish stock utilization. Results of genetic data analyses showed that the pikeperch in the Lake Balaton forms a metapopulation system, in which only the westward stocks show certain separation. Moreover, it seems that the exploitation and mass fish kills that happened in the 1960s and 1970s may have had only a slight impact on the population genetic structure of Balaton pikeperch stocks. The information about genetic features and utilization changes of pikeperch stocks can help to develop area-specific management plans and ensure the long-term survival of this carnivore fish species characteristic of Lake Balaton.
Distinguishing laboratory characteristics in giant cell arteritis: a real-world retrospective cohort study
Authors: Goel Raghav , Usmani Eiman , Bacchi Stephen , Simon Sumu , Chan Weng Onn
Published: August 2023

Background

Untreated Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) has the potential to cause serious complications such as vision loss. Appropriate initial assessment by General Practitioners, early treatment and specialist referral are therefore essential in reducing morbidity. However, lack of awareness around the range of presentations can lead to a delay in diagnosis.

Objective

We aim to evaluate the discriminative diagnostic performance of laboratory characteristics associated with GCA in our population over a period of 18 months.

Discussion

This is a real-world retrospective review of patients referred to ophthalmology services with concern for GCA. The pre-test probability of a patient referred with suspected GCA was 13.9% to have GCA, highlighting the need for specialist referrals to continue. White Cell Count (p = 0.01), Platelet Count (p = 0.02), Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p = 0.004) and C-reactive protein (p = 0.002) were significantly different between GCA and non-GCA cases. Moreover, this study demonstrates that absolute neutrophil count (p = 0.02) can be a useful parameter in initial investigations for GCA.
How 18-month-olds with Later Autism Look at Other Children Interacting: The Timing of Gaze Allocation
Authors: Viktorsson Charlotte , Bölte Sven , Falck-Ytter Terje
Published: August 2023

When observing other people during naturally paced and dynamic interactions, it is essential to look at specific locations at the right time to extract a maximum of socially informative content. In this study, we aimed to investigate the looking behavior of typically developing toddlers and toddlers later diagnosed with autism when observing other children interact. The sample consisted of 98 toddlers; 22 in a low-likelihood of autism group, 60 in an elevated likelihood of autism group who did not receive a subsequent diagnosis, and 16 in an elevated likelihood group who did receive an autism diagnosis. Participants performed an eye tracking task at 18 months of age and were assessed for diagnostic outcome at 36 months. The video stimuli consisted of two children interacting, where a boy reaches out for a toy and a girl refuses to give it to him. The low likelihood group showed an expected increase in ratio of looking at the girl’s face after the boy requested the toy, as compared to before (t(21) = -3.337, p = .003). Toddlers with later autism showed a significantly lower ratio of looking at the girl’s face during this time window, as compared to the other groups (F(2,91) = 3.698, p = .029). These findings provide new leads on how social gaze may be different in children with autism in everyday life (e.g., kindergarten), and highlight the need of studying the dynamics of gaze on short time scales.
Microstructural characterization of rapidly solidified Al-13.5 at.% Cr and Al-13.5 at.% V alloys for catalytic applications
Authors: Zięba Amelia , Stan-Głowińska Katarzyna , Rogal Łukasz , Czaja Paweł , Przewoźnik Janusz , Chulist Robert , Duraczyńska Dorota , Lityńska-Dobrzyńska Lidia
Published: August 2023

Intermetallic compounds, due to their well-defined stoichiometry, arrangement of atoms and controlled crystal structure, are a promising alternative to expensive noble metal catalysts. In this paper, the catalytic properties of Al-13.5 at.% Cr and Al-13.5 at.% V alloys, corresponding to the quasicrystalline approximants Al45Cr7 and Al45V7, were investigated for the first time.

The alloys in the form of fragmented brittle ribbons were produced by the melt-spinning. The microstructure of the ribbons, both in the as-spun state and after heat treatment (100 h at 600 °C), was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In the as-spun state, the ribbons showed a multiphase microstructure. In addition to the Al45Cr7 phase in the Al-Cr alloy and the Al3V phase in the Al-V alloy, they also contained α(Al) solid solution and icosahedral quasicrystalline phases. After heat treatment, the alloys became almost single phase, consisting mainly of stable monoclinic phases: Al45Cr7 or Al45V7. The catalytic performance of the phenylacetylene hydrogenation reaction was tested on as-spun and heat-treated alloys that had previously been pulverized and sieved to select a powder fraction of less than 32 µm. All the tested materials show high substrate conversion, above 80% after 1 h reaction, along with high activity rate. The homogenized powders demonstrated a slightly better properties in relation to as-spun materials. These results confirm the potential of intermetallic catalysts, including the tested alloys, in hydrogenation reactions and verify the possibility of using the metallurgical method to obtain catalytically active materials.

Graphical abstract
Inhibition of grain growth by pearlite improves hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of the ultra-low carbon ferritic steel: the influence of H-assisted crack initiation and propagation mechanisms
Authors: Pichler Stefanie , Bendo Artenis , Mori Gregor , Safyari Mahdieh , Moshtaghi Masoud
Published: August 2023

The influence of grain growth inhibition by pearlite on hydrogen embrittlement (HE) behavior of ultra-low carbon ferritic steels was studied. The Fe-0.02C alloy has a considerable sensitivity to HE, while the Fe and Fe-0.1C materials have lower HE sensitivity. The high fraction of high-angle grain boundaries (HAGB) is responsible for the shift of the peak to a higher temperature in the Fe-0.1C alloy. The trapping of hydrogen by HAGBs was observed by hydrogen mapping. Higher density of HAGBs contributes to higher trap density in Fe-0.1C alloy and lower H diffusion coefficient. The coexistence of hydrogen enhanced decohesion (HEDE) and hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity (HELP) mechanisms was identified and discussed. The results indicate that HEDE is active in the initial stage of the tensile loading during crack initiation and HELP in the rest of tensile testing duration that controls the crack propagation. Due to the reduction in grain size caused by the addition of pearlite, the normalized hydrogen content per HAGB length is significantly lower than Fe-0.1C, which means that the critical amount of local hydrogen required for crack initiation is less likely to accumulate due to the weakening of cohesive interatomic strength. In Fe-0.02C alloy, the ciritcal local content was built up at HAGBs, and resulting in activation of HEDE mechanism for crack initiation. In Fe-0.1C, a lower possibility of accumulating the critical H concentration at HAGBs, resulting in limited activation of HEDE-based crack initiation at HAGB and less crack propagation events based on the HELP mechanism.
Zabczyk Type Criteria for Asymptotic Behavior of Dynamical Systems and Applications
Authors: Dragičević Davor , Sasu Adina Luminiţa , Sasu Bogdan , Şirianţu Ana
Published: August 2023

We obtain new characterizations for nonuniform and uniform asymptotic behaviors of variational systems in infinite dimensional spaces, following the line of studies recently developed in Dragičević et al. (J Differ Equ 268:4786–4829, 2020, J Dyn Differ Equ 34:1107–1137, 2022, Appl Math Comput 414:1–22, 2022, J Math Anal Appl 515:1–37, 2022). First, we give complete descriptions for both nonuniform and uniform stability by means of some nonuniform conditions of convergence for series of suitable nonlinear trajectories. We apply our criteria to present a novel method of exploring the robustness of the nonuniform exponential stability under additive and multiplicative perturbations and we also deduce some consequences for the robustness of the uniform exponential stability. After that, we obtain characterizations for nonuniform and uniform instability in terms of certain nonuniform conditions imposed to the sums of some well-chosen series of nonlinear trajectories. We apply our results to provide a new technique of exploring the robustness of the nonuniform exponential instability under additive and multiplicative perturbations and discuss the consequences for uniform exponential instability. Hence, for both stability and instability we generalize the previous Zabczyk type results and extend their applicability. Next, as another class of applications, we provide nonuniform criteria of Rolewicz type for stability and instability of skew-product semiflows. Thus, we extend the Zabczyk–Rolewicz type methods in two directions: by giving local conditions for global behaviors and by employing specific nonuniform boundedness conditions. Our criteria can be applied to broad classes of discrete and continuous variational dynamical systems.
Social Support Seeking Among Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Analysis of Lived Experiences
Authors: Puente-Martínez Alicia , Reyes-Sosa Hyram , Ubillos-Landa Silvia , Iraurgi-Castillo Ioseba
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Intimate partner violence against women is a major source of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. In this study, 131 testimonies of female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) are examined to study the factors associated with victims’ decision to seek social support (formal and informal).

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with female victims of IPV in Spain. The IRaMuTeQ 7 software was used to analyze the discourses. A total of 10,845 words with 1183 different forms were examined.

Results

The analysis identified six clusters. Cluster 1 (18% of the total content) reflects the emotional component of aggression (fear of death). Cluster 2 (13.1%) describes psychological aggression (threatening), and Cluster 3 (17.2%) refers to the use of power within relationships (control). Cluster 6 (13.8%) includes different types of physical aggression (hitting); and Clusters 4 (21%) and 5 (16.9%) refer to formal (judging) and informal (friends) social support.

Conclusions

Results indicated a strong association between emotions (e.g., fear of dying) and physical and psychological aggression. Non-fatal strangulation represented an extreme form of physical violence that was used to control women increasing the risk of violence becoming lethal. Women tended to seek more support when the violence increased, and they perceived a greater risk to their children. There was an association between suffering violence, power, control, and seeking formal and informal social support. Results have significant implications to interrupt coercive control processes and to motivate help seeking behaviors in victims of IPV.
Behavioural Tracking and Profiling Studies Involving Objective Data Derived from Online Operators: A Review of the Evidence
Authors: Delfabbro Paul , Parke Jonathan , Catania Maris
Published: August 2023

Studies involving the analysis of objective data from online operators attempt to address common concerns about biases in self-report research. This paper surveys the progress in this area of research over the last 15 years. The findings highlight many areas of achievement, including: the development of a set of behavioural markers that reliably differentiate variations in gambler risk. Online gamblers can be grouped into clusters based on the intensity and frequency of gambling; behavioural variability; or, signs of over-commitment (e.g., deposit frequency or expenditure patterns). Behavioural indicators have also been successfully used to predict proxies of harm such as self-exclusion or account closures. However, relatively few studies have combined objective data with self-report data to achieve independent validation of the risk-status of gamblers. Evidence also supports the potential value of short-term responsible gambling interventions involving the use of voluntary and mandatory limits, messages and behavioural feedback. Less work has, on the other hand, addressed the comparative risk of different online gambling products. The findings suggest the need for further validation of findings against independent measures of gambling risk; consistent definitions of indicators; a greater focus on the differentiation of product risk; and, on the long-term impact of RG interventions.
The Prohibition of Suicide and Its Theological Rationale in Catholic Moral and Canonical Tradition: Origins and Development
Authors: Adamiak Stanisław , Dohnalik Jan
Published: August 2023

This paper analyzes the nuances of the Roman Catholic Church’s opposition to suicide. First, we analyze biblical suicide cases, showing that these were not usually met with clear condemnation. Next, we show the development of the Roman Catholic Church’s moral teachings, with special attention to Augustine. The canon law of the Middle Ages still made some distinctions regarding motivation, but at this point, Roman Catholic funerals started to be refused to those having committed suicide as discouragement to others. This was maintained by the Council of Trent. In the twentieth century, the Roman Catholic Church followed modern psychiatry in attributing suicide to mental illness, and the ban on Roman Catholic funerals was lifted. Currently, the Roman Catholic Church tries to discourage suicide while accompanying people in need.
Novel robust upcycling approach for the manufacture of value-added polymers based on mixed (poly)urethane scraps
Authors: Beyerlein Gerd-Sebastian , Ratke Lorenz
Published: August 2023

Plastic pollution undoubtedly is a big global issue for present and future generations. Despite numerous activities in the field, the recycling of thermoset polymers still poses an immense challenge to the chemical industry. The present work proposes a new solution to the plastics pollution issue by developing a novel technology for the transformation of polyurethane (PUR) scraps into value-added polymers. In contrast to conventional methods, which usually involve elaborate but costly methods for sorting and separating different plastics into single-origin material flows, the feasibility of direct upcycling of valueless, mixed PUR-based production scraps into polymer aerogels will be shown. Despite the impurity of the feedstock, the aerogels synthesized in this work possess a well-defined and tuneable meso-porous microstructure and a very low thermal conductivity in the range of comparable high-performance insulation materials. The transfer of this newly developed approach to other polymers as well as bio-based precursors could significantly accelerate the development of holistic circular economies.

Graphical Abstract
Effects of counter-urbanization on Mediterranean rural landscapes
Authors: Herrero-Jáuregui C. , Concepción E. D.
Published: August 2023

Context

Counter-urbanization, or the reverse migration from the city to the countryside, is a well-known demographic trend associated with rural restructuring since the 1980s. Counter-urbanization is particularly relevant in social-ecological systems with a long history of human land use, such as the Mediterranean ones. However, the extent and impacts of this phenomenon are largely unknown, particularly in this region.

Objectives

We aim to review the state of the issue of counter-urbanization in the Mediterranean region. We focus on the particular determinants and outcomes of this phenomenon in Mediterranean landscapes.

Methods

We conducted a bibliographic review using the Web of Science. We summarized and classified the main findings in different categories according to the socio-economic drivers of this process and its impacts on the landscape along the land sharing-sparing gradient.

Results

We found 31 studies that met the criteria to be reviewed and classified them as follows: a first group of studies focused on counter-urbanization as an urban sprawl driver; a second group linked counter-urbanization to rural gentrification. These two groups point to a twofold trend of land intensification or abandonment resulting in land-sparing landscapes. A third group of studies explored the urban–rural migration motivated by economic crisis and rural areas’ role as refugees that support land-sharing landscapes. A fourth group focused on multi-functional, land-sharing landscapes enhanced by rural newcomers.

Conclusions

Although counter-urbanization can follow the usual path of urbanization and gentrification, it may also constitute an alternative way to reverse the current trends of rural abandonment and land-use intensification in Mediterranean landscapes. Public policies play a major role to drive this movement toward the maintenance or recovery of multifunctional landscapes, and to minimize their undesirable impacts.
Research in the greenwashing field: concepts, theories, and potential impacts on economic and social value
Authors: Bernini Francesca , La Rosa Fabio
Published: August 2023

This paper aims to define a theoretical background for investigating greenwashing from a business economic perspective. We consider possible research questions in the relevant field of study, which is business economics studies. The first research step proposes a path that will orient scholars to the multifaceted perspectives of greenwashing. The second step analyzes the main theories that can support researchers and might motivate the possible greenwashing strategies. The third step highlights the potential link between greenwashing, reputational and relational capital, and a broad concept of value that includes the social dimension. Finally, we propose a conceptual framework that highlights some emerging research issues and anticipates the effects of greenwashing. Considering that self-regulation is not effective in reducing the gap between substantive and symbolic behaviors, the main practical implication of this study lies in addressing the need for stronger regulation and effective legal enforcement, not only to improve mandatory environmental disclosure but also to develop an audit process of such disclosure. Our analysis offers a number of suggestions for future research. Considering the centrality of disclosure in the theoretical framework we defined for greenwashing, future research could adopt the legitimacy theory perspective to focus on the role of mandatory environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) disclosure as well. Further, our conceptual framework highlights a possible research issue that investigates how a social value destruction resulting from inconsistent environmental strategies, may impact shareholders’ economic value.
Defending explicability as a principle for the ethics of artificial intelligence in medicine
Authors: Adams Jonathan
Published: August 2023

The difficulty of explaining the outputs of artificial intelligence (AI) models and what has led to them is a notorious ethical problem wherever these technologies are applied, including in the medical domain, and one that has no obvious solution. This paper examines the proposal, made by Luciano Floridi and colleagues, to include a new ‘principle of explicability’ alongside the traditional four principles of bioethics that make up the theory of ‘principlism’. It specifically responds to a recent set of criticisms that challenge the supposed need for such a principle to perform an enabling role in relation to the traditional four principles and therefore suggest that these four are sufficient without the addition of explicability. The paper challenges the critics’ premise that explicability cannot be an ethical principle like the classic four because it is explicitly subordinate to them. It argues instead that principlism in its original formulation locates the justification for ethical principles in a midlevel position such that they mediate between the most general moral norms and the contextual requirements of medicine. This conception of an ethical principle then provides a mold for an approach to explicability on which it functions as an enabling principle that unifies technical/epistemic demands on AI and the requirements of high-level ethical theories. The paper finishes by anticipating an objection that decision-making by clinicians and AI fall equally, but implausibly, under the principle of explicability’s scope, which it rejects on the grounds that human decisions, unlike AI’s, can be explained by their social environments.
Two-Sided Boundary Points of Sobolev Extension Domains on Euclidean Spaces
Authors: García-Bravo Miguel , Rajala Tapio , Takanen Jyrki
Published: August 2023

We prove an estimate on the Hausdorff dimension of the set of two-sided boundary points of general Sobolev extension domains on Euclidean spaces. We also present examples showing lower bounds on possible dimension estimates of this type.
Who is responsible for ‘responsible AI’?: Navigating challenges to build trust in AI agriculture and food system technology
Authors: Alexander Carrie S. , Yarborough Mark , Smith Aaron
Published: August 2023

This article presents findings from interviews that were conducted with agriculture and food system researchers to understand their views about what it means to conduct ‘responsible’ or ‘trustworthy’ artificial intelligence (AI) research. Findings are organized into four themes: (1) data access and related ethical problems; (2) regulations and their impact on AI food system technology research; (3) barriers to the development and adoption of AI-based food system technologies; and (4) bridges of trust that researchers feel are important in overcoming the barriers they identified. All four themes reveal gray areas and contradictions that make it challenging for academic researchers to earn the trust of farmers and food producers. At the same time, this trust is foundational to research that would contribute to the development of high-quality AI technologies. Factors such as increasing regulations and worsening environmental conditions are stressing agricultural systems and are opening windows of opportunity for technological solutions. However, the dysfunctional process of technology development and adoption revealed in these interviews threatens to close these windows prematurely. Insights from these interviews can support governments and institutions in developing policies that will keep the windows open by helping to bridge divides between interests and supporting the development of technologies that deserve to be called “responsible” or “trustworthy” AI.
Is Cognitive Reserve a Determinant of Functional and Mental Health in Older People of the Sardinian Blue Zone? A Mediational Approach
Authors: Fastame Maria Chiara , Brandas Benedetta , Pau Massimiliano
Published: August 2023

The main purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of cognitive reserve in the relationship between functional health (expressed through the amount and intensity of performed physical activity objectively assessed using wearable accelerometers) and psychological well-being (i.e., assessed in terms of self-reported depressive signs) of older people living in an area of exceptional longevity, the so-called Sardinian Blue Zone. A further goal was to investigate the impact of gender on the cognitive reserve and physical health of our participants, using global cognitive functioning as a covariate. A battery of tests assessing motor efficiency, cognitive reserve, global cognitive functioning, and self-reported depressive symptoms was individually presented to 120 community dwellers (Mage = 82 years, SD = 8.4 years) of the Sardinian Blue Zone. Significant associations were found between cognitive reserve, motor efficiency, and self-reported depressive signs. Moreover, three mediation analyses documented that distinct indexes of cognitive reserve and motor efficiency explain 27.2-31% of the variance in the self-reported depression condition. Following this, it was also found that people with scarce cognitive reserve tended to exhibit significant signs of depression and showed worse motor abilities. In addition, after controlling for the effect of global cognitive functioning, motor efficiency, and cognitive reserve were generally more preserved in males than in females. Overall, these findings suggest that cognitive reserve is a compensatory resource that contributes significantly to the enhancement of health-related quality of life in the last decades of life.
Is the home literacy environment different depending on the media? Paper vs. tablet-based practices
Authors: Jáñez Álvaro , Rosales Javier , De Sixte Raquel , Ramos Marta
Published: August 2023

The Home Literacy model predicts different outcomes depending on formal and informal literacy practices carried out at home. However, this model does not explicitly consider the potential differences that the media (paper vs. tablets) in which these practices are carried out can have on performance. The present study explored this issue. Participants were 136 children aged 6–7 years old and their parents. The different activities performed at home were analysed through reports of the parents, and children were assessed at school for their reading performance (decoding and comprehension). Results showed how formal practices using traditional materials predicted reading comprehension, but informal practices did not predict any performance measure. The digital home literacy environment showed no impact on reading performance, suggesting that two different environments (paper and digital) might exist, each one of them having differential impacts on performance. Implications for research and education are discussed.
Coxiella burnetii infections from animals and ticks in South Africa: a systematic review
Authors: Diseko Letlhogonolo J. , Tsotetsi-Khambule Ana M. , Onyiche ThankGod E. , Ramatla Tsepo , Thekisoe Oriel , Gcebe Nomakorinte
Published: August 2023

Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic intracellular bacterium that is widely distributed and affects domestic animals, wildlife, humans and non-mammalian species. This systematic review was aimed at synthesizing research findings on C. burnetii in both domestic and wild animals of South Africa. The systematic review protocol was registered with Open Society Foundations of systematic reviews (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/8WS). PRISMA guidelines were followed to collect and evaluate relevant scientific articles published on C. burnetii infecting domestic and wild animals in South Africa. Published articles were sourced from five electronic databases, namely, Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect, EBSCO and Scopus. Results showed 11 eligible studies involving four domestic animals, three wild animals and one ectoparasite species from seven provinces across South Africa. The occurrence of C. burnetii infection was high in Ceratotherium simum (white rhinoceros) (53.9%), medium in sheep (29.0%) and low in pigs (0.9%). Limpopo province (26%) had the most recorded infections followed by KwaZulu-Natal (19%) and Free State (3%) had the least reported occurrence of C. burnetii. The current study discovered that there is scarcity of published research on prevalence and distribution of C. burnetii infecting domestic and wild animals in South Africa, and this is of concern as this bacterium is an important zoonotic pathogen of “One Health” importance.
Die ärztliche Wahrnehmung von ME/CFS-Erkrankten (myalgische Enzephalomyelitis/chronisches Fatigue-Syndrom) als „schwierige Patienten“
Authors: Habermann-Horstmeier Lotte , Horstmeier Lukas M.
Published: August 2023

Hintergrund

Vielen Ärzt:innen in Deutschland ist die Erkrankung myalgische Enzephalomyelitis/chronisches Fatigue-Syndrom (ME/CFS) noch unbekannt. Innerhalb des Gesundheitssystems zeigen sich erhebliche Defizite im Umgang mit ME/CFS-Erkrankten. Dabei spielt die Arzt-Patient-Beziehung (AP-Beziehung) eine zentrale Rolle. Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist es, aus Sicht der Betroffenen das Auftreten und Verhalten der Ärzt:innen als einen wichtigen Faktor der AP-Beziehung bei ME/CFS genauer zu analysieren.

Methode

Im Rahmen eines explorativen qualitativen Surveys wurden 549 ME/CFS-Erkrankte (> 20 Jahre; n = 456 ♀, n = 93 ♂) mit ärztlicher ME/CFS-Diagnose nach ihren subjektiven Erfahrungen im Hinblick auf das Auftreten und Verhalten der behandelnden Ärzt:innen befragt. Das Sampling erfolgte durch Selbstaktivierung und über das Schneeballprinzip. Der Fragebogen war analog zu einem fokussierten, standardisierten Leitfadeninterview aufgebaut. Die Auswertung der Fragebögen erfolgte im Rahmen einer qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring.

Ergebnisse

Die Proband:innen nannten als einen zentralen Faktor einer problematischen AP-Beziehung bei ME/CFS das geringschätzende, als unangenehm empfundene Auftreten und Verhalten der behandelnden Ärzt:innen. Sie berichteten von fehlender Empathie, Sensibilität und Sozialkompetenz. Viele hatten das Gefühl, von den Ärzt:innen nicht ernstgenommen und als „schwierige Patient:innen“ eingeordnet zu werden. Weder würden ihre interaktionellen Grundbedürfnisse berücksichtigt, noch gebe es eine Beziehung auf Augenhöhe. Zudem sei eine Abwehrhaltung den Patient:innen gegenüber spürbar. Darunter leide die AP-Beziehung.

Schlussfolgerungen

Das Auftreten und Verhalten der konsultierten Ärzt:innen ist aus Sicht der ME/CFS-Erkrankten ein zentraler Aspekt einer von ihnen als problematisch erlebten AP-Beziehung. Auf der Basis dieser Erkenntnisse sollen nun weitere Faktoren analysiert werden, die das AP-Verhältnis bei ME/CFS charakterisieren. Zudem sollen die gesundheitlichen Auswirkungen eines problematischen AP-Verhältnisses aus Sicht der Betroffenen untersucht werden.
Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency 12 Years After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass a Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study
Authors: Bjerkan Kirsti K. , Sandvik Jorunn , Nymo Siren , Græslie Halvor , Johnsen Gjermund , Mårvik Ronald , Hyldmo Åsne A. , Kulseng Bård Eirik , Sommerseth Sandra , Høydal Kjetil Laurits , Hoff Dag Arne L.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Micronutrient deficiencies are common after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). This study explores whether vitamin and mineral deficiency was associated with adherence to recommended supplementation 12 years after RYGB.

Materials and Methods

The cross-sectional Bariatric Surgery Observation Study (BAROBS) was conducted in 2018–2020 at three hospitals in Central Norway. We report data on 490 patients’ self-reported adherence to recommended supplements and vitamin and mineral levels in the blood. The patients, who had RYGB between 2003 and 2009, were recommended an over-the-counter multivitamin-mineral supplement, calcium/vitamin D (1000 mg/20 µg) and vitamin B12 injections (reimbursed), since bariatric supplements were not available then.

Results

Mean (SD) age was 40.1 ± 9 years at RYGB, and time to follow-up 11.7 ± 1.6 years. Of 490 patients, 393 (80%) were women. Among 361 (74%) patients’ adherent to multivitamin-mineral supplements; folate, vitamin B2, and vitamin B6 deficiency were present in 39 (11%), 103 (29%), and 63 (17%) patients, respectively. The same deficiencies occurred in 44 (34%), 67 (52%), and 67 (52%) patients’ non-adherent to recommendations. Although 466 (95%) patients reported adherence to vitamin B12 supplements, sub-optimal levels were found in 73 (16%) patients.

Though 336 (69%) patients adhered to calcium/vitamin D supplements (1000 mg/20 µg), sub-optimal vitamin D levels (< 75 nmol/l) were found in 174/336 (52%) adherent patients and 120/154 (78%) non-adherent patients.

Conclusion

Twelve years after RYGB, adherence to supplements, though in sub-optimal doses of new recommendations, decreases the probability of vitamin and mineral deficiency, especially for thiamine, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, but does not eliminate it.

Graphical Abstract
Sailboat navigation control system based on spiking neural networks
Authors: Giraldo Nelson Santiago , Isaza Sebastián , Velásquez Ricardo Andrés
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we presented the development of a navigation control system for a sailboat based on spiking neural networks (SNN). Our inspiration for this choice of network lies in their potential to achieve fast and low-energy computing on specialized hardware. To train our system, we use the modulated spike time-dependent plasticity reinforcement learning rule and a simulation environment based on the BindsNET library and USVSim simulator. Our objective was to develop a spiking neural network-based control systems that can learn policies allowing sailboats to navigate between two points by following a straight line or performing tacking and gybing strategies, depending on the sailing scenario conditions. We presented the mathematical definition of the problem, the operation scheme of the simulation environment, the spiking neural network controllers, and the control strategy used. As a result, we obtained 425 SNN-based controllers that completed the proposed navigation task, indicating that the simulation environment and the implemented control strategy work effectively. Finally, we compare the behavior of our best controller with other algorithms and present some possible strategies to improve its performance.
Predicting Changes in Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure of Hypertensive Patients in Indonesia Using Machine Learning
Authors: Nuryunarsih Desy , Herawati Lucky , Badi’ah Atik , Donsu Jenita Doli Tine , Okatiranti
Published: August 2023

Purpose of Review

This retrospective study investigated factors that influence the occurrence of decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure including sociodemographic and economic factors, hypertension duration, cigarette consumption, alcohol consumption, duration of smoking, type of cigarettes, exercise, salt consumption, sleeping pills consumption, insomnia, and diabetes. These factors were applied to predict the reality of systolic and diastolic decrease using the machine learning algorithm Naïve Bayes, artificial neural network, logistic regression, and decision tree.

Recent Findings

The increase in blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic, is very harmful to the health because uncontrolled high systolic and diastolic blood pressure can cause various diseases such as congestive heart failure, kidney failure, and cardiovascular disease. There have been many studies examining the factors that influence the occurrence of hypertension, but few studies have used machine learning to predict hypertension.

The machine learning models performed well and can be used for predicting whether a person with hypertension with certain characteristics will experience a decrease in their systolic or diastolic blood pressure after treatment with antihypertensive drugs.
Adoption, Fostering, and Parental Absence in Vanuatu
Authors: Brandl Eva , Emmott Emily H. , Mace Ruth
Published: August 2023

Alloparenting, wherein people provide care to children who are not their biological offspring, is a key aspect of human child-rearing. In the Pacific, many children are adopted or fostered by custodial alloparents even when both biological parents are still alive. From a behavioral ecology perspective, such behaviors are puzzling: why parent someone else’s child at your expense? Furthermore, little is known about how these arrangements are made in Pacific Islander societies today, who provides care, and what kinds of outcomes fostered children experience. A better understanding of these proximate factors may help reveal the ultimate drivers behind custodial alloparenting. Here, we report findings from a survey carried out with the caregivers of 282 children in rural areas of Vanuatu, an island nation in Melanesia. Most fostered and adopted children lived with relatives such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents (87.5%) rather than unrelated caregivers, with a strong preference for maternal kin. The most common reasons for these arrangements were that the parents had separated (16.7%), were engaging in labor migration (27.1%), or a combination of both (27.1%). Results for investment in children’s education and their educational outcomes were mixed, although children removed from crisis situations did more poorly than children removed for aspirational reasons. Our findings suggest that custodial alloparenting helps families adapt to socioeconomic transitions and changing marriage practices. Outcomes may depend on a range of factors, such as the reason children were transferred out of the natal home to begin with.
Challenges in prevention, early detection, and management of febrile neutropenia in adult patients with solid tumors
Authors: Popov Petar
Published: August 2023

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a common oncologic emergency where quick patient assessment and prompt initiation of antimicrobial treatment is crucial. Guidelines provide detailed recommendations on prevention and treatment; however, their real-world implementation can prove to be difficult. Score systems for outcome risk are effective in identifying low-risk patients with FN. After initiation of therapy, regular re-evaluation of antimicrobial treatment is necessary, and further diagnostic studies should be tailored to each patient. Use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) prophylactically in chemotherapy regimens with intermediate FN risk as well as therapeutically in patients with manifest FN is variable in clinical practice and needs to be better defined. Future steps of reducing risk of FN involve investigating underlying genetic factors. Regarding early detection of FN, patient education is paramount. This short review gives an overview of current guidelines and highlights key challenges in management of FN.
Improved Prognostic Performance of Right Atrial Pressure-Corrected Cardiac Power Output in Pulmonary Hypertension and Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Wu Yihang , Tian Pengchao , Liang Lin , Chen Yuyi , Feng Jiayu , Huang Boping , Huang Liyan , Zhao Xuemei , Wang Jing , Guan Jingyuan , Li Xinqing , Zhang Jian , Zhang Yuhui
Published: August 2023

Cardiac power output (CPO) is a powerful predictor of adverse outcomes in heart failure (HF). However, the original formula of CPO included the difference between mean arterial pressure and right atrial pressure (RAP). The prognostic performance of RAP-corrected CPO (CPORAP) remains unknown in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We studied 101 HF patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction > 40% who had pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease. CPORAP was significantly more discriminating than CPO in predicting outcomes (Delong test, P = 0.004). Twenty-five (24.8%) patients presented with dis-concordantly high CPORAP and low CPO when stratified by the identified CPORAP threshold of 0.547 W and the accepted CPO threshold of 0.803 W. These patients had the lowest RAP, and their cumulative incidence was comparable with those with concordantly high CPO and CPORAP (P = 0.313). CPORAP might identify patients with right ventricular involvement, thereby providing better prognostic performance than CPO in HFpEF.

Graphical Abstract
A review of acoustofluidic separation of bioparticles
Authors: Hossein Fria , Angeli Panagiota
Published: August 2023

Acoustofluidics is an emerging interdisciplinary research field that involves the integration of acoustics and microfluidics to address challenges in various scientific areas. This technology has proven to be a powerful tool for separating biological targets from complex fluids due to its label-free, biocompatible, and contact-free nature. Considering a careful designing process and tuning the acoustic field particles can be separated with high yield. Recently the advancement of acoustofluidics led to the development of point-of-care devices for separations of micro particles which address many of the limitations of conventional separation tools. This review article discusses the working principles and different approaches of acoustofluidic separation and provides a synopsis of its traditional and emerging applications, including the theory and mechanism of acoustofluidic separation, blood component separation, cell washing, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, circulating tumor cell isolation, and exosome isolation. The technology offers great potential for solving clinical problems and advancing scientific research.
Normative Diagrams as a Tool for Representing Legal Systems
Authors: Sasdelli Diogo , Trivisonno Alexandre Travessoni Gomes
Published: August 2023

The paper at hand introduces and discusses a diagrammatic method to represent legal norms first developed by the second author. It is shown how this method can be used to represent not only norms and argument forms originating from classic legal methodology (legal subsumption, analogy, appeal to the contrary), but also more complex legal-theoretical phenomena, especially legal antinomies. Beyond its didactic virtues, the diagram is a useful theoretical tool for investigating how norms interact with each other and how singular actions can be considered as satisfying or violating a given norm.
Force capacity of trunk muscle extension and flexion in healthy inactive, endurance and strength-trained subjects—a pilot study
Authors: Schönau Tim , Anders Christoph
Published: August 2023

Recreational sports are becoming increasingly important in overcoming the drawbacks of our modern sedentary lifestyle. We wanted to know whether ambitious strength or endurance training has a systematic effect on the maximum strength capacity of the trunk muscles compared to no sport at all. We investigated two groups of physically active men who practised either endurance (ET; cycling and triathlon, n = 13) or strength training (ST; power lifting, n = 13), and a group of healthy physically inactive men (control [C], n = 12). Training intensity was at competition level in both active groups. All participants performed isometric maximum voluntary contractions in flexion and extension direction. Independent of force direction maximum torque levels were highest for the ST group (p < 0.001 vs. ET and C), but after normalizing to the subject’s upper body weight these differences decreased, together with a drop in significance levels (extension: p < 0.01 vs. C; flexion: p < 0.05 vs. ET; p < 0.01 vs. C). With respect to the ratio between extension and flexion maximum forces due to the small group size no systematic differences could be detected between the groups, but effect sizes imply relevant effects (ET vs. ST: d = 0.588, ST vs C: d = −0.811). The results of this pilot study indicate that ST show higher functional force capacity values for flexion compared to the other groups. For extension, ST and ET did not differ. These results imply relevant differences for the extension to flexion force ratio.
Effects of metalloprotease ADAMTS12 on cervical cancer cell phenotype and its potential mechanism
Authors: Zou Ruanmin , Gu Ruihong , Tu Xinyu , Chen Jiani , Liu Songjun , Xue Xiangyang , Li Wensu , Zhang Yuyang
Published: August 2023

ADAMTS12 is a gene widely expressed in human tissues. We studied the expression level of ADAMTS12 in cervical cancer tissue and its relationship with clinicopathological features. We also explored the function of ADAMTS12 in cervical cancer cells and its underlying mechanisms. We found the higher expression level of ADAMTS12 in cancer tissues, which was associated with the worse overall survival rate. The immunofluorescence assay showed that the cytoplasm of cervical cancer cells is the main expression site of ADAMTS12. Overexpression of ADAMTS12 in HeLa and CaSki cells prominently promoted the cell proliferation, migration and invasion. We found that 2032 genes were correlated with ADAMTS12, which was mainly related to extracellular matrix, TGF-β signaling pathway. The phosphorylation levels of mTOR and 4E-BP1 were upregulated in ADAMTS12-overexpressing cells. Co-Immunoprecipitation combined with protein mass spectrometry showed that TGF-β signaling pathway-related proteins interacting with ADAMTS12 were screened from HeLa cells with ADAMTS12 overexpression. Therefore, we concluded that ADAMTS12 may affect the mTOR signaling pathway through the interacting with TGF-β1, and then affect the biological function of cervical cancer cells.
One-year safety and effectiveness of the Agent paclitaxel-coated balloon for the treatment of small vessel disease and in-stent restenosis
Authors: Nakamura Masato , Isawa Tsuyoshi , Nakamura Shigeru , Ando Kenji , Namiki Atsuo , Shibata Yoshisato , Shinke Toshiro , Ito Yoshiaki , Fujii Kenshi , Shite Junya , Kozuma Ken , Saito Shigeru , Yamaguchi Junichi , Yamazaki Seiji , Underwood Paul , Allocco Dominic J.
Published: August 2023

The Agent device consists of a semi-compliant balloon catheter, which is coated with a therapeutic low-dose formulation of paclitaxel (2 µg/mm2) blended with an inactive excipient acetyl-tri-n-butyl citrate (ATBC). AGENT Japan SV is a randomized controlled study that enrolled 150 patients from 14 Japanese sites treated with Agent or SeQuent Please paclitaxel-coated balloon. This study also includes a single-arm substudy evaluating the safety and effectiveness of Agent in patients with in-stent restenosis (ISR). Patients with a single de novo native lesion (lesion length ≤ 28 mm and reference diameter ≥ 2.00 to  < 3.00 mm) were randomized 2:1 to receive either Agent (n = 101) or SeQuent Please (n = 49). The ISR substudy enrolled 30 patients with lesion length ≤ 28 mm and reference diameter ≥ 2.00 to  ≤ 4.00 mm. In the SV RCT, target lesion failure (TLF) at 1 year occurred in four patients treated with Agent (4.0%) versus one patient with SeQuent Please (2.0%; P = 1.00). None of the patients in either treatment arm died. There were no significant differences in the rates of myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization and target lesion thrombosis through 1 year. In the ISR substudy, the 1-year rates of TLF and target lesion thrombosis were 6.7% and 0.0%, respectively. These data support the safety and effectiveness of the Agent paclitaxel-coated balloon in patients with small vessels and ISR.