bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between Unlearning and Innovation Ambidexterity with the Performance of New Product Development Teams
Authors: Açıkgöz Atif , Demirkan Irem , Latham Gary P. , Kuzey Cemil
Published: May 2021

Previous research has suggested that unlearning is not linked to performance improvements in a team setting. Further, unlearning may have deleterious effects on performance outcomes because when it happens, teams are likely to lose the way they perform tasks and the reasons for their operational existence. In contrast, this study predicts that teams can conduct exploitative and exploratory activities in a balanced manner predicated on unlearning practices to improve new product development (NPD) performance. We hypothesized that while unlearning allows NPD teams to balance exploitative and exploratory learning activities, simultaneous yet balanced exploitation and exploration at high levels, namely innovation ambidexterity, links unlearning practices to NPD performance. This occurs by providing task-relevant knowledge for the replacement of outdated routines and beliefs during NPD processes. Data were collected from 198 NPD teams (i.e., 464 individual participants). The examination of ordinary least squares regression-based path analyses revealed that innovation ambidexterity mediates the relationship of unlearning with NPD performance, operationalized as product development speed, cost, and product success. Overall, this study shows that the unlearning-performance relationship occurs through simultaneous exploitative and exploratory learning activities in a balanced manner.
Machine learning to determine the main factors affecting creep rates in laser powder bed fusion
Authors: Sanchez Salomé , Rengasamy Divish , Hyde Christopher J. , Figueredo Grazziela P. , Rothwell Benjamin
Published: May 2021

There is an increasing need for the use of additive manufacturing (AM) to produce improved critical application engineering components. However, the materials manufactured using AM perform well below their traditionally manufactured counterparts, particularly for creep and fatigue. Research has shown that this difference in performance is due to the complex relationships between AM process parameters which affect the material microstructure and consequently the mechanical performance as well. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the impact of different AM build parameters on the mechanical performance of parts. Machine learning (ML) models are able to find hidden relationships in data using iterative statistical analyses and have the potential to develop process–structure–property–performance relationships for manufacturing processes, including AM. The aim of this work is to apply ML techniques to materials testing data in order to understand the effect of AM process parameters on the creep rate of additively built nickel-based superalloy and to predict the creep rate of the material from these process parameters. In this work, the predictive capabilities of ML and its ability to develop process–structure–property relationships are applied to the creep properties of laser powder bed fused alloy 718. The input data for the ML model included the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) build parameters used—build orientation, scan strategy and number of lasers—and geometrical material descriptors which were extracted from optical microscope porosity images using image analysis techniques. The ML model was used to predict the minimum creep rate of the Laser Powder Bed Fused alloy 718 samples, which had been creep tested at $$650\,^\circ $$

650

∘

C and 600 MPa. The ML model was also used to identify the most relevant material descriptors affecting the minimum creep rate of the material (determined by using an ensemble feature importance framework). The creep rate was accurately predicted with a percentage error of $$1.40\%$$

1.40
%

in the best case. The most important material descriptors were found to be part density, number of pores, build orientation and scan strategy. These findings show the applicability and potential of using ML to determine and predict the mechanical properties of materials fabricated via different manufacturing processes, and to find process–structure–property relationships in AM. This increases the readiness of AM for use in critical applications.
Archival research on integrated reporting: a systematic review of main drivers and the impact of integrated reporting on firm value
Authors: Velte Patrick
Published: May 2021

Integrated reporting (IR) represents an innovative approach to business reporting especially by Public Interest Entities (PIEs). In addition to financial capital, the integrated report includes material information about manufactured, intellectual, human, social and relational, and natural capitals. Although there has been a steady growth in empirical IR research, there is—as yet—no literature review on the business case for IR. Thus, the purpose of this study is to convey a detailed understanding of the governance-, (non) financial performance-, and reporting-related determinants of IR and its contribution to firm value in line with the business case argument. To do so, we selected 85 quantitative peer-reviewed archival studies on that topic. We have then differentiated said studies between those that focus on IR adoption versus those that focus on IR quality, with a legitimacy- and stakeholder-theory-based framework. This differentiation is crucial, to stress the challenges of greenwashing policies and information overload. Here, in contrast to former literature reviews on IR, we provide new insights into this emerging research topic and concentrate on archival IR research. We are also interested in recent moderator- and mediator analysis in archival IR research since the business case argument for IR may require a specific environment, in addition to the main variables we have included. We likewise give a detailed overview of included variables and proxies and compare their main statistical effects. Our literature review demonstrates that (1) board composition and (2) stakeholder pressure positively influence IR quality; whereas (3) (non) financial performance leads to increased IR adoption and quality. We also find that both IR adoption and IR quality are linked with positive consequences on firm valuation, as they lead to higher total performance measures. Last but not least, this analysis includes useful recommendations for future IR research.
Radical epistemology, structural explanations, and epistemic weaponry
Authors: Pettigrew Richard
Published: May 2021

When is a belief justified? There are three families of arguments we typically use to support different accounts of justification: (1) arguments from our intuitive responses to vignettes that involve the concept; (2) arguments from the theoretical role we would like the concept to play in epistemology; and (3) arguments from the practical, moral, and political uses to which we wish to put the concept. I focus particularly on the third sort (3), and specifically on arguments of this sort offered by Clayton Littlejohn in Justification and the Truth-Connection (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2012) and Amia Srinivasan in ‘Radical Externalism’ (Philos Rev 129(3): 395–431, 2018) in favour of externalism. I counter Srinivasan’s argument in two ways: (a) first, I show that the internalist’s concept of justification might figure just as easily in the sorts of structural explanation Srinivasan thinks our political goals require us to give; and (b) I argue that the internalist’s concept is needed for a particular political task, namely, to help us build more effective defences against what I call epistemic weapons. I conclude that we should adopt an Alstonian pluralism about the concept of justification.
Modern Monetary Theory: A Solid Theoretical Foundation of Economic Policy?
Authors: Prinz Aloys L. , Beck Hanno
Published: May 2021

This paper shows that so-called modern monetary theory (MMT) lacks a sound economic foundation for its far-reaching policy recommendations. This paper’s main contribution to the literature concerns the theoretical foundation of MMT. A simple macroeconomic model shows that MMT is indistinguishable from the Keynesian cross model, as well as a neoclassical macroeconomic model, even when taking account of money in the sense of MMT. This result is in stark contrast to the claims of MMT proponents. Accordingly, it is asserted that MMT is a fundamentally new theory of money and monetary economics. However, MMT is admittedly based on the functional finance concept of the 1940s and money is modelled as an accounting identity. In addition, the fundamental connection between government expenditures for goods and services and the steady state equilibrium value of the national income, the so-called fiscal stance, is a well-known result that is not only consistent with MMT. The interpretation of the fiscal stance, in combination with the accounting identity for money, is a major issue because an equilibrium condition should have a certain causal direction of effects. Based on this reading of the equilibrium condition, policy recommendations encompass the fiscal dominance of monetary policy via monetization of public debt, a job guarantee by the state, along with a so-called Green New Deal. According to the results of this paper, these policy recommendations cannot be justified with MMT.
Association between depression and sleep quality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Yin Rulan , Li Lin , Xu Lan , Sui Wenjie , Niu Mei’e , Xu Rong , Srirat Chomphoonut
Published: May 2021

Background

Currently, there is no consistent understanding of the relationship between depression and sleep quality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study aimed to explore the correlation between depression and sleep quality in SLE patients.

Methods

Five English (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL) databases were systematically searched from inception to January 12, 2021. Two authors independently screened publications and extracted data according to set inclusion and exclusion criteria. Statistical analyses were performed with STATA 16.0. Data were pooled using a random-effects model.

Results

A total of 9 identified studies matched the inclusion criteria, reporting on 514 patients with SLE in the analysis. A moderate correlation of depression with sleep quality was found (pooled r = 0.580 [0.473, 0.670]). Compared to good sleepers, patients with SLE and poor sleep quality had higher levels of depression (standardized mean difference =  − 1.28 [− 1.87, − 0.69]). Depression was associated with subjective sleep quality (r = 0.332 [0.009, 0.592]), sleep latency (r = 0.412 [0.101, 0.649]), sleep disturbances (r = 0.405 [0.094, 0.645]), daytime dysfunction (r = 0.503 [0.214, 0.711]), the four dimensions of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while no significant correlation was found in the other three PSQI dimensions.

Conclusion

Depression had a moderate correlation with sleep quality in patients with SLE. Patients with poor sleep quality tended to have higher level of depression than that of good sleepers. Awareness of the correlation may help rheumatology physicians and nurses to assess and prevent depression and improve sleep quality in patients with SLE.
Regulation of TDP-43 phosphorylation in aging and disease
Authors: Eck Randall J. , Kraemer Brian C. , Liachko Nicole F.
Published: May 2021

Insoluble inclusions of phosphorylated TDP-43 occur in disease-affected neurons of most patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and about half of patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-TDP). Phosphorylated TDP-43 potentiates a number of neurotoxic effects including reduced liquid–liquid phase separation dynamicity, changes in splicing, cytoplasmic mislocalization, and aggregation. Accumulating evidence suggests a balance of kinase and phosphatase activities control TDP-43 phosphorylation. Dysregulation of these processes may lead to an increase in phosphorylated TDP-43, ultimately contributing to neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration in disease. Here we summarize the evolving understanding of major regulators of TDP-43 phosphorylation as well as downstream consequences of their activities. Interventions restoring kinase and phosphatase balance may be a generalizable therapeutic strategy for all TDP-43 proteinopathies including ALS and FTLD-TDP.
Impact of Thermal Oxidation on Morphological, Structural and Magnetic Properties of Fe-Ni Wire-Like Nanochains
Authors: Krajewski Marcin , Tokarczyk Mateusz , Lewińska Sabina , Bochenek Kamil , Ślawska-Waniewska Anna
Published: May 2021

This work presents the evolution of morphological, structural and magnetic properties of amorphous Fe-Ni wire-like nanochains caused by thermal oxidation. The initial Fe1−x
Ni
x
samples (x = 0.75; 0.50; 0.25) were prepared through the magnetic-field-induced synthesis, and then they were heated in dry air at 400 °C and 500 °C. These treatments led to two competing simultaneous processes occurring in the investigated samples, i.e., (i) a conversion of amorphous material into crystalline material, and (ii) their oxidation. Both of them strictly affected the morphological and structural properties of the Fe-Ni nanochains which, in turn, were associated with the amount of iron in material. It was found that the Fe0.75Ni0.25 and Fe0.50Ni0.50 nanochains were covered during thermal treatment by the nanoparticle oxides. This coverage did not constitute a good barrier against oxidation, and these samples became more oxidized than the Fe0.25Ni0.75 sample which was covered by oxide nanosheets and contained additional Ni3B phase. The specific morphological evolutions of the Fe-Ni nanochains also influenced their saturation magnetizations, whereas their coercivities did not vary significantly. The obtained results constitute an important source of information for future application of the thermally treated Fe-Ni nanochains which could be applied in the energy storage devices or catalysis.
Projective Anthropomorphism as a Dialogue with Ourselves
Authors: Jones Raya A.
Published: May 2021

This paper introduces an original concept (projective anthropomorphism) towards exploring a psychological dimension that is irreducible to the forms of anthropomorphism investigated in both cognitive science and social robotics. Projective anthropomorphism is an unconscious bias towards anticipating humanlike characteristics in robots. An overview of the variety of ways in which projection has been conceptualised in psychology and psychoanalysis is provided before discussing implications for theorising projective anthropomorphism. The proposed concept alludes to the projection of existential anxieties and desires onto myths, legends, linguistic tropes, and science-fiction motifs of humanoid automata. Such motifs and their associated narratives populate contemporary popular culture, and feed into social representations of robots. The importance of considering projective anthropomorphism lies in the extent to which its phenomena channel people’s expectations and attitudes towards technological artefacts, as well as steering technological possibilities.
The influence of solid-phase organic carbon on the sorption of hydrophobic organic pollutants in landfill barriers, UK
Authors: Huang Pin-Ru , Stringfellow Anne , Smallman Dave , Marshall John
Published: May 2021

The Oxford Clay from Bletchley, the Kimmeridge Clay from Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset, and Tertiary mud (Wittering Formation) from Whitecliff, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom were used as sorbent samples because of their distinctive organic material characteristics (Amorphous organic matter rich and/or phytoclast rich). Organic material was isolated for identification and analysis using a non-acid extraction method (heavy liquid) extraction and traditional methods involving HF digestion. These organic materials were then used to determine influences of extraction on hydrophobic organic contaminants, (toluene and naphthalene) sorption. Organic petrology classification was applied to identify the various types of isolated organic material. Amorphous organic matter from the Kimmeridge Clay displayed a higher sorption capacity (Sorption–desorption distribution coefficient (Kd), Kd = 6,481, 59, 670; for toluene and naphthalene, respectively) compared to literature values. Amorphous organic matter-rich sorbent extracts demonstrated a higher absorption capacity than the phytoclast-rich sorbents (e.g., Wittering Formation, Kd = 219, 10, 134; for toluene and naphthalene, respectively). Implications of results in landfill design/risk assessment and modelling are discussed.
COVID-19 and the selection problem in national cause-of-death statistics
Authors: Lindahl B. I. B.
Published: May 2021

The World Health Organization has issued international instructions for certification and classification (coding) of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as cause of death. Central to these instructions is the selection of the underlying cause of death for a public health preventive purpose. This article focuses on two rules for this selection: (1) that a death due to COVID-19 should be counted independently of pre-existing conditions that are suspected of triggering a severe course of COVID-19 and (2) that COVID-19 should not be considered as due to anything else. The article argues that observance of the first rule may not always lead to an optimal selection from a preventive point of view and that in the future the ascertainment of an animal source of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) would make it possible to reconceptualize ‘COVID-19′ and create a zoonotic classification code by means of which a factor of a greater preventive value could be selected than what is currently possible.
Die Sectionarbe im gynäkologischen Ultraschall
Authors: Brezinka Christoph
Published: May 2021

Bei Sectioraten von bis zu 40 % werden viele Frauen im Rahmen eines gynäkologischen Routineultraschalls eine Sectionarbe aufweisen. Die Größe der in der Folge der Sectio entstandenen Nische im Gewebe kann beurteilt und vermessen werden. Dies ist nicht nur in Bezug auf eine geplante weitere Schwangerschaft wichtig, zahlreiche Frauen haben durch Nischenbildungen in der Sectionarbe Zwischenblutungen, Fluor und Schmerzen. Beim Legen von IUD (intrauterine device [„Spirale“]) und bei der Durchführung von Inseminationen kann eine Sectionarbe zu einer „fausse route“ und einer Perforation verleiten. Das Erkennen und Dokumentieren von Sectionarben sollte ein fixer Bestandteil des gynäkologischen Ultraschalls und des Ultraschalls in der Frühschwangerschaft sein.
Controversial information spreads faster and further than non-controversial information in Reddit
Authors: Jasser Jasser , Garibay Ivan , Scheinert Steve , Mantzaris Alexander V.
Published: May 2021

Online users discuss and converse about all sorts of topics on social networks. Facebook, Twitter, Reddit are among many other networks where users can have this freedom of information sharing. The abundance of information shared over these networks makes them an attractive area for investigating all aspects of human behavior on information dissemination. Among the many interesting behaviors, controversiality within social cascades is of high interest to us. It is known that controversiality is bound to happen within online discussions. The online social network platform Reddit has the feature to tag comments as controversial if the users have mixed opinions about that comment. The difference between this study and previous attempts at understanding controversiality on social networks is that we do not investigate topics that are known to be controversial. On the contrary, we examine typical cascades with comments that the readers deemed to be controversial concerning the matter discussed. This work asks whether controversially initiated information cascades have distinctive characteristics than those not controversial in Reddit. We used data collected from Reddit consisting of around 17 million posts and their corresponding comments related to cybersecurity issues to answer these emerging questions. From the comparative analyses conducted, controversial content travels faster and further from its origin. Understanding this phenomenon would shed light on how users or organization might use it to their help in controlling and spreading a specific beneficiary message.
Association of Bicycle-Related Genital Numbness and Female Sexual Dysfunction: Results From a Large, Multinational, Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Lui Hansen , Mmonu Nnenaya , Awad Mohannad A. , Namiri Nikan K. , Zheng Micha Y. , Amend Gregory M. , Eisenberg Michael L. , Breyer Benjamin N.
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Cycling can lead to microtrauma due to increased perineal pressure, possibly contributing to genital numbness and sexual dysfunction in female cyclists.

Aim

We aim to explore the associations between cycling characteristics, female genital numbness, and female sexual dysfunction.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study on female cyclists and sexual wellness. Participants were recruited through Facebook® advertisements and online outreach at athletic clubs. Participants were asked about their cycling characteristics, genital numbness, and female sexual function using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Univariate and multivariable linear and logistic regression were used to assess risk factors for genital numbness and the association between genital numbness and the FSFI.

Outcome Measures

The outcome measures were cycling characteristics, questions regarding numbness (intensity, duration, location), and the FSFI score.

Results

Eight-hundred and seventy-five women were included in the study. Total lifetime miles cycled, biking duration, frequency, distance, speed, and biking surface were not significantly associated with genital numbness. Higher handlebar height was associated with less numbness. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in the cohort was 52%. Genital numbness was significantly associated with sexual dysfunction (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.05 – 1.95). Sub-group analysis for location of numbness demonstrated significant increase in risk for sexual dysfunction in cyclists who described numbness aro‘und the perineum (OR: 2.72, 95% CI: 1.05 – 7.02) and the vulva (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.13 – 2.13). There was also a significant increase in the risk of sexual dysfunction in cyclists who reported a longer duration of numbness (OR: 6.58, 95% CI: 2.27 – 19.07).

Conclusions

Genital numbness is common in women who cycle and is associated with increased risk of FSD and lower average sexual response scores on FSFI.
George Smart and Nineteenth-Century London Concert Life
Authors: Carnelley John
Published: May 2021

Sir George Thomas Smart (1776-1867) was a significant musical animateur of the early nineteenth century, who earned his living primarily as a conductor but was also significant as an organist, composer and recorder of events. Smart established successful and pioneering London concert series, was a prime mover in the setting up of the Philharmonic Society and the Royal Academy of Music, and taught many of the leading singers of the day, being well versed in the Handelian concert tradition. He also conducted the opera at the Covent Garden Theatre and introduced significant new works to the public - he was most notably an early champion of the music of Beethoven. His journeys to Europe, and his contacts with the leading European musical figures of the day (including Weber, Meyerbeer, Spohr, and Mendelssohn), were crucial to the direction music was to take in nineteenth-century Britain.

This detailed account of Smart's life and career presents him within the context of the vibrant concert life of London and wider European musical culture. It is the first full length, critical study of this influential musical figure. John Carnelley is Deputy Director of Music and Head of Academic Music, Dulwich College, London. He holds a PhD in Historical Musicology from the University of London (Goldsmiths College) and has previously published research on the eighteenth-century organ manuscripts of John Reading, held in the Dulwich College Archive.
Diet quality in middle-aged and older women with and without body weight dissatisfaction: results from a population-based national nutrition survey in Switzerland
Authors: Chatelan Angéline , Carrard Isabelle
Published: May 2021

Body weight dissatisfaction is associated with unhealthy dietary behaviours in young adults, but data are scarce regarding how this relationship evolves with age. The objectives of the present study were to assess the prevalence of body weight dissatisfaction and the association between body weight dissatisfaction, nutrient intake and diet quality in middle-aged and older women. We used data of a population-based sample of 468 middle-aged (50–64 y/o) and older (65–75 y/o) women, extracted from the cross-sectional 2014–15 Swiss National Nutrition Survey. Body weight dissatisfaction was assessed by questionnaire. Dietitians assessed dietary intakes using two non-consecutive computer-assisted multi-pass 24-h dietary recalls and performed anthropometric measurements. Nutrient intakes were calculated and compared with national dietary guidelines, and diet quality scored with the 2010 Alternate Healthy Eating Index (2010-AHEI). 41⋅1 % of women reported body weight dissatisfaction, and 49⋅8 % wanted to lose weight. Body weight dissatisfaction was associated with weight loss desire and a higher body mass index (BMI; P < 0⋅001). Women with body weight dissatisfaction consumed significantly less carbohydrates and dietary fibres, even when BMI was controlled for (P < 0⋅05). They also fell short of national dietary guidelines for magnesium and iron. Body weight dissatisfied women obtained lower 2010-AHEI scores than satisfied women (β −4⋅36, 95 % CI −6⋅78, −1⋅93). However, this association disappeared when the BMI was introduced in the equation. This highlights the importance of targeting both body dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating in obesity prevention and treatment at all ages.
New perspectives on Aspersentis Megarhynchus (Acanthocephala: Heteracanthocephalidae) from Notothenia Coriiceps Richardson (Nototheniidae) in the West Antarctic, with emended generic diagnosis
Authors: Amin O.M. , Heckmann R.A. , Dallarés S. , Constenla M. , Rubtsova N.Yu. , Kuzmina T.
Published: May 2021

A number of variable descriptive accounts of Aspersentis megarhynchus (von Linstow, 1892) Golvan, 1960 have been reported from specimens collected from many species of fish in various locations off Antarctic islands. We have described a new population from Notothenia coriiceps Richardson (Nototheniidae) off Galindez Island, West Antarctica, and features not previously reported, resolved the taxonomic controversies and nomenclature, and emended and updated the generic diagnosis taking into account the newly observed structures. These are depicted in microscopic images and include the outer spiral wall of the proboscis receptacle, the thicker dorsal wall of the receptacle compared to the ventral wall, parts of the female reproductive system, the separate cement gland ducts, the dorsal position of the male gonopore and more detail of proboscis hooks and trunk spines. It is surprising that the newly observed features were missed from the many descriptions of A. megarhynchus created since the original description. The variability in A. megarhynchus is noted with a comparison of the morphometrics of our specimens vs. those in six other descriptions. We also analysed the metal composition of hooks and spines using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and concluded a molecular characterization of the species based on 18S DNA gene, with related phylogenetic analyses.
Using Mendelian randomization analysis to better understand the relationship between mental health and substance use: a systematic review
Authors: Treur Jorien L. , Munafò Marcus R. , Logtenberg Emma , Wiers Reinout W. , Verweij Karin J. H.
Published: May 2021

Background

Poor mental health has consistently been associated with substance use (smoking, alcohol drinking, cannabis use, and consumption of caffeinated drinks). To properly inform public health policy it is crucial to understand the mechanisms underlying these associations, and most importantly, whether or not they are causal.

Methods

In this pre-registered systematic review, we assessed the evidence for causal relationships between mental health and substance use from Mendelian randomization (MR) studies, following PRISMA. We rated the quality of included studies using a scoring system that incorporates important indices of quality, such as the quality of phenotype measurement, instrument strength, and use of sensitivity methods.

Results

Sixty-three studies were included for qualitative synthesis. The final quality rating was ‘−’ for 16 studies, ‘– +’ for 37 studies, and ‘+’for 10 studies. There was robust evidence that higher educational attainment decreases smoking and that there is a bi-directional, increasing relationship between smoking and (symptoms of) mental disorders. Another robust finding was that higher educational attainment increases alcohol use frequency, but decreases binge-drinking and alcohol use problems, and that mental disorders causally lead to more alcohol drinking without evidence for the reverse.

Conclusions

The current MR literature increases our understanding of the relationship between mental health and substance use. Bi-directional causal relationships are indicated, especially for smoking, providing further incentive to strengthen public health efforts to decrease substance use. Future MR studies should make use of large(r) samples in combination with detailed phenotypes, a wide range of sensitivity methods, and triangulate with other research methods.
Design of a new multi-epitope vaccine against Brucella based on T and B cell epitopes using bioinformatics methods
Authors: Chen Zhiqiang , Zhu Yuejie , Sha Tong , Li Zhiwei , Li Yujiao , Zhang Fengbo , Ding Jianbing
Published: May 2021

Brucellosis is one of the most serious and widespread zoonotic diseases, which seriously threatens human health and the national economy. This study was based on the T/B dominant epitopes of Brucella outer membrane protein 22 (Omp22), outer membrane protein 19 (Omp19) and outer membrane protein 28 (Omp28), with bioinformatics methods to design a safe and effective multi-epitope vaccine. The amino acid sequences of the proteins were found in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database, and the signal peptides were predicted by the SignaIP-5.0 server. The surface accessibility and hydrophilic regions of proteins were analysed with the ProtScale software and the tertiary structure model of the proteins predicted by I-TASSER software and labelled with the UCSF Chimera software. The software COBEpro, SVMTriP and BepiPred were used to predict B cell epitopes of the proteins. SYFPEITHI, RANKpep and IEDB were employed to predict T cell epitopes of the proteins. The T/B dominant epitopes of three proteins were combined with HEYGAALEREAG and GGGS linkers, and carriers sequences linked to the N- and C-terminus of the vaccine construct with the help of EAAAK linkers. Finally, the tertiary structure and physical and chemical properties of the multi-epitope vaccine construct were analysed. The allergenicity, antigenicity and solubility of the multi-epitope vaccine construct were 7.37–11.30, 0.788 and 0.866, respectively. The Ramachandran diagram of the mock vaccine construct showed 96.0% residues within the favoured and allowed range. Collectively, our results showed that this multi-epitope vaccine construct has a high-quality structure and suitable characteristics, which may provide a theoretical basis for future laboratory experiments.
Mental illness among 500 people living homeless and referred for psychiatric evaluation in Lisbon, Portugal
Authors: Monteiro Fernandes Ana , Gama Marques João , Bento António , Telles-Correia Diogo
Published: May 2021

Background

Our goal was to identify the demographic profile of the people living homeless with mental illness in Lisboa, Portugal, and their relationship with the national healthcare system. We also tried to understand which factors contribute to the number and duration of psychiatric admissions among these homeless people.

Methods

We used a cross-sectional design, collecting data for 4 years among homeless people, in Lisboa, Portugal, that were referred as possible psychiatric patients to Centro Hospitalar Psiquiátrico de Lisboa (CHPL). In total, we collected data from 500 homeless people, then cross-checked these people in our CHPL hospital electronic database and obtained 467 patient matches.

Results

The most common psychiatric diagnosis in our sample was drug abuse (34%), followed by alcohol abuse (33%), personality disorder (24%), and acute stress reaction (23%). Sixty-two percent of our patients had multiple diagnoses, a subgroup with longer follow-ups, more psychiatric hospitalizations, and longer psychiatric hospitalizations. The prevalence of psychotic disorders was high: organic psychosis (17%), schizophrenia (15%), psychosis not otherwise specified (14%), and schizoaffective disorder (11%), that combined altogether were present in more than half (57%) of our homeless patients.

Conclusion

The people living homeless with multiple diagnoses have higher mental health needs and worse determinants of general health. An ongoing effort is needed to identify and address this subgroup of homeless people with mental illness to improve their treatment and outcomes.
Characterization of 1Sty13, a novel high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit from Elymus sibiricus L.
Authors: Yan Mei , Li Muzi , Yang Zaidong , Yu Feng , Du Xuye
Published: May 2021

High-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) is a key factor affecting dough-processing quality. 1Sty13 is a novel HMW-GS found in the tetraploid species, Elymus sibiricus L. 1Sty13 has faster electrophoretic mobility than the 1Dy12 subunit on sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The gene encoding the 1Sty13 subunit was composed of 1803 nucleotide base pairs with an open reading frame that was 599 amino acids in length. Analysis of the predicted amino acid sequence of 1Sty13 indicated that the N-terminal domain was similar to the y-type subunit, whereas the C-terminal domains were similar to the x-type subunit. Five cysteine residues were found in 1Sty13, which is one less than the published HMW-GS in the St genome. The 1Sty13 protein was purified at a scale sufficient for incorporation into flour for the SDS sedimentation test, which indicated that incorporating 1Sty13 improved dough quality.
Urolithiasis
Authors: Umbehr Martin H. , Müntener Michael
Published: May 2021

Zusammenfassung. Die Urolithiasis ist eine sehr häufige Erkrankung mit einem Lebenszeitrisiko von 10 – 15 % in den industrialisierten Ländern. Während die Steinbildung in aller Regel asymptomatisch innerhalb des Nierenbeckenkelchsystems erfolgt und somit das Bild der Nephrolithiasis generiert, kommt es zur klinischen Manifestation beim Übertritt dieser Konkremente in den Ureter und somit Ureterolithiasis. Die typische Klinik zeichnet sich primär durch starke, kolikartige Flankenschmerzen aus. Die Ureterolithasis ist somit eine der wichtigsten Differenzialdiagnosen bei Flankenschmerzen und bedarf einer sofortigen und akkuraten Diagnostik. Die Diagnose des Steinleidens erfolgt mittels Bildgebung, die CT-Schichtbildgebung ist dabei dem Ultraschall in Bezug auf die Steinbilanzierung, welche für die Therapieplanung wichtig ist, deutlich überlegen. Neben der Steinbilanzierung ist die Erfassung von Anamnese, Vital- und Labor-Parametern essenziell zum Ausschluss oder Erkennen einer begleitenden Infektion im Harntrakt. Während die Nephrolithiasis kaum akute Probleme bereitet, kann die Ureterolithiasis nebst der häufig sehr eindrücklichen Schmerz-Klinik in kürzester Zeit zu einem sehr gefährlichen bis lebensbedrohlichen Problem werden, nämlich dann, wenn die durch das Konkrement bedingte Obstruktion gleichzeitig mit einem Infekt im Harntrakt auftritt. In diesem Fall ist die notfallmässige Entlastung des Harntraktes die wichtigste Massnahme.
Metabolische Abklärung von Nierensteinen
Authors: Bonny Olivier , Bosshard Piet
Published: May 2021

Zusammenfassung. Nach dem Abgang eines Nierensteins müssen Patienten sorgfältig untersucht werden, um die zugrundeliegende Ursache der Steinbildung zu ermitteln. Dies erlaubt die Einleitung von Präventivmassnahmen und einer gezielten Behandlung. Allgemeine Empfehlungen können allen Nierensteinbildnern angeboten werden. Eine individualisierte Beratung inklusive einer Nachsorge mit Anpassung der Therapie im Verlauf bedarf jedoch einer fundierten Diagnostik und Beurteilung. Die metabolische Abklärung für wiederkehrende Steinbildner basiert auf der Analyse eines 24 h-Sammelurins. Dies ermöglicht eine umfassende Beurteilung der Ernährung des Patienten und die Identifikation behandelbarer metabolischer Erkrankungen und von renalen Tubulopathien. Zusätzliche spezifische Untersuchungen können einen Urinansäuerungstest (bei Verdacht auf partielle distal renal-tubuläre Azidose), die Abklärung einer Hyperkalziurie oder eine Osteodensitometrie umfassen. Stoffwechseluntersuchungen müssen im Laufe der Zeit wiederholt werden und dienen als Wegweiser für therapeutische Interventionen, sowohl diätetischer als auch medikamentöser Art.
Metaphylaxe von Nierensteinen mittels medikamentöser und diätetischer Massnahmen
Authors: Fuster Daniel G.
Published: May 2021

Zusammenfassung. Nierensteinkoliken sind äusserst traumatische Ereignisse für die Betroffenen, das Rezidivrisiko ist hoch. Die Prävalenz und Inzidenz von Nierensteinen steigen weltweit an, die damit verbundenen Kosten sind astronomisch hoch. Eine effektive, verträgliche und kostengünstige Metaphylaxe von Nierensteinen ist daher unabdingbar. In diesem Artikel werden die metaphylaktischen Möglichkeiten bei idiopathischen kalziumhaltigen Nierensteinen und Harnsäuresteinen behandelt, welche zusammen für 90 – 95 % aller Nierensteinepisoden verantwortlich sind. Formal kann zwischen diätetischen und pharmakologischen Massnahmen unterschieden werden. In der Praxis müssen häufig beide Massnahmen kombiniert werden, um eine effektive Rezidivreduktion zu erreichen. Die grösste Schwierigkeit bei der Nierensteinmetaphylaxe besteht im Erreichen einer dauerhaften Adhärenz an die empfohlenen Massnahmen bei den betroffenen Patienten.
Ein individualisierter Psychotherapieansatz für depressive Patient_innen mit kognitiven Symptomen
Authors: Aschenbrenner Steffen , Bossert Magdalena
Published: May 2021

Zusammenfassung. Diese übersichtsarbeit stellt den aktuellen Forschungsstand zu neurokognitiven Symptomen bei Depression dar und stellt eine daraus abgeleitete Anpassung des psychotherapeutischen Vorgehens vor. Bei einer Vielzahl von Patient_innen mit Depression treten kognitive Beeinträchtigungen auf und bestehen auch nach Remission der akuten Psychopathologie fort. Die kognitiven Symptome beeinflussen maßgeblich das psychosoziale Funktionsniveau und den Erfolg psychotherapeutischer Interventionen. Sie sind ein Prädiktor für das Wiederauftreten der Erkrankung. Vor dem Hintergrund wird von den Autor_innen ein Konzept für die Anpassung des psychotherapeutischen Vorgehens vorgeschlagen, das die Bereiche (1) Diagnostik und Identifikation, (2) Strukturierung, (3) Kompensation, (4) Erfahrungsorientierung, (5) aktivierende Stimulation und (6) restitutives Training umfasst.
Patientenrelevanter Endpunkt Mobilität: Beurteilung der Fahreignung bei demenziellen Erkrankungen
Authors: Brunnauer Alexander , Laux Gerd , Falkenstein Michael , Töpper Max
Published: May 2021

Zusammenfassung. Mobilität ist für Ältere von zentraler Bedeutung für die Alltagsfunktionalität, mit besonderen Herausforderungen an die Verkehrssicherheit insbesondere im Falle einer demenziellen Erkrankung. Ob Menschen mit Demenz im Einzelfall noch in der Lage sind, ein Kraftfahrzeug sicher zu führen, ist abhängig von der Art und Schwere des jeweiligen Demenzsyndroms. Einigkeit besteht darin, dass bei mittel- und schwergradig ausgeprägten Demenzen in der Regel keine Fahreignung mehr vorliegt. Allerdings unterscheiden sich die unterschiedlichen Demenzformen hinsichtlich der Ausprägung fahrrelevanter kognitiver und nichtkognitiver Symptome mit unterschiedlichen Auswirkungen auf die Fahrsicherheit. Insbesondere Erkrankte aus der Gruppe der Nicht-Alzheimer-Demenzen sollten aufgrund fahrrelevanter Beeinträchtigungen frühzeitig im Krankheitsverlauf einer engmaschigen Kontrolle und Mobilitätsberatung zugeführt werden.
Measurements of Total OH Reactivity During CalNex‐LA
Authors: Hansen R. F. , Griffith S. M. , Dusanter S. , Gilman J. B. , Graus M. , Kuster W. C. , Veres P. R. , de Gouw J. A. , Warneke C. , Washenfelder R. A. , Young C. J. , Brown S. S. , Alvarez S. L. , Flynn J. H. , Grossberg N. E. , Lefer B. , Rappenglueck B. , Stevens P. S.
Published: May 2021

Total OH reactivity was measured during the California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change field campaign at the Pasadena ground site using a turbulent flow tube reactor with laser‐induced fluorescence detection of the OH radical. Collocated measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), inorganic species, and meteorological parameters were made and used to calculate the total OH reactivity, which was then compared to the measured values. An analysis of the OH reactivity measurements finds that although the measured reactivity correlated well with the calculated reactivity, the measurements were consistently greater than the calculations for all times during the day, with an average missing OH reactivity of 8–10 s−1, accounting for approximately 40% of the measured total OH reactivity. An analysis of correlations with both anthropogenic tracers of combustion and oxygenated VOCs as well as air trajectories during the campaign suggest that the missing OH reactivity was likely due to a combination of both unmeasured local emissions and unmeasured oxidation products transported to the site. Approximately 50% of the missing OH reactivity may have been due to emissions of unmeasured volatile chemical products, such as pesticides, cleaning agents, and personal care products.
Scientists Hope Atmospheric Modeling Can Predict Meteotsunamis
Authors: Hornyak Tim
Published: May 2021

The first extensively documented air pressure–driven meteotsunami on one of the Great Lakes presents an opportunity to use existing weather models to predict when these potentially deadly waves will strike.
Effect of Slit/Robo signaling on regeneration in lung emphysema
Authors: Park Jin-Soo , Cho RyeonJin , Kang Eun-Young , Oh Yeon-Mok
Published: May 2021

Emphysema, a pathological component of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, causes irreversible damage to the lung. Previous studies have shown that Slit plays essential roles in cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and organ development. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Slit2 on the proliferation and migration of mouse lung epithelial cells and its role in regeneration in an emphysema lung mouse model. Here, we have shown that Slit2/Robo signaling contributes to the regeneration of lungs damaged by emphysema. Mouse epithelial lung cells treated with Slit2 exhibited increased proliferation and migration in vitro. Our results also showed that Slit2 administration improved alveolar regeneration in the emphysema mouse model in vivo. Furthermore, Slit2/Robo signaling increased the phosphorylation of ERK and Akt, which was mediated by Ras activity. These Slit2-mediated cellular signaling processes may be involved in the proliferation and migration of mouse lung epithelial cells and are also associated with the potential mechanism of lung regeneration. Our findings suggest that Slit2 administration may be beneficial for alveolar regeneration in lungs damaged by emphysema.
Base-edited CAR T cells for combinational therapy against T cell malignancies
Authors: Georgiadis Christos , Rasaiyaah Jane , Gkazi Soragia Athina , Preece Roland , Etuk Aniekan , Christi Abraham , Qasim Waseem
Published: May 2021

Targeting T cell malignancies using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells is hindered by ‘T v T’ fratricide against shared antigens such as CD3 and CD7. Base editing offers the possibility of seamless disruption of gene expression of problematic antigens through creation of stop codons or elimination of splice sites. We describe the generation of fratricide-resistant T cells by orderly removal of TCR/CD3 and CD7 ahead of lentiviral-mediated expression of CARs specific for CD3 or CD7. Molecular interrogation of base-edited cells confirmed elimination of chromosomal translocations detected in conventional Cas9 treated cells. Interestingly, 3CAR/7CAR co-culture resulted in ‘self-enrichment’ yielding populations 99.6% TCR−/CD3−/CD7−. 3CAR or 7CAR cells were able to exert specific cytotoxicity against leukaemia lines with defined CD3 and/or CD7 expression as well as primary T-ALL cells. Co-cultured 3CAR/7CAR cells exhibited highest cytotoxicity against CD3 + CD7 + T-ALL targets in vitro and an in vivo human:murine chimeric model. While APOBEC editors can reportedly exhibit guide-independent deamination of both DNA and RNA, we found no problematic ‘off-target’ activity or promiscuous base conversion affecting CAR antigen-specific binding regions, which may otherwise redirect T cell specificity. Combinational infusion of fratricide-resistant anti-T CAR T cells may enable enhanced molecular remission ahead of allo-HSCT for T cell malignancies.
Deeply learned broadband encoding stochastic hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Zhang Wenyi , Song Hongya , He Xin , Huang Longqian , Zhang Xiyue , Zheng Junyan , Shen Weidong , Hao Xiang , Liu Xu
Published: May 2021

Many applications requiring both spectral and spatial information at high resolution benefit from spectral imaging. Although different technical methods have been developed and commercially available, computational spectral cameras represent a compact, lightweight, and inexpensive solution. However, the tradeoff between spatial and spectral resolutions, dominated by the limited data volume and environmental noise, limits the potential of these cameras. In this study, we developed a deeply learned broadband encoding stochastic hyperspectral camera. In particular, using advanced artificial intelligence in filter design and spectrum reconstruction, we achieved 7000–11,000 times faster signal processing and ~10 times improvement regarding noise tolerance. These improvements enabled us to precisely and dynamically reconstruct the spectra of the entire field of view, previously unreachable with compact computational spectral cameras.
Infant inhibited temperament in primates predicts adult behavior, is heritable, and is associated with anxiety-relevant genetic variation
Authors: Fox Andrew S. , Harris Ronald A. , Rosso Laura Del , Raveendran Muthuswamy , Kamboj Shawn , Kinnally Erin L. , Capitanio John P. , Rogers Jeffrey
Published: May 2021

An anxious or inhibited temperament (IT) early in life is a major risk factor for the later development of stress-related psychopathology. Starting in infancy, nonhuman primates, like humans, begin to reveal their temperament when exposed to novel situations. Here, in Study 1 we demonstrate this infant IT predicts adult behavior. Specifically, in over 600 monkeys, we found that individuals scored as inhibited during infancy were more likely to refuse treats offered by potentially-threatening human experimenters as adults. In Study 2, using a sample of over 4000 monkeys from a large multi-generational family pedigree, we demonstrate that infant IT is partially heritable. The data revealed infant IT to reflect a co-inherited substrate that manifests across multiple latent variables. Finally, in Study 3 we performed whole-genome sequencing in 106 monkeys to identify IT-associated single-nucleotide variations (SNVs). Results demonstrated a genome-wide significant SNV nearCTNNA2, suggesting a molecular target worthy of additional investigation. Moreover, we observed lowerpvalues in genes implicated in human association studies of neuroticism and depression. Together, these data demonstrate the utility of our model of infant inhibited temperament in the rhesus monkey to facilitate discovery of genes that are relevant to the long-term inherited risk to develop anxiety and depressive disorders.