bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do I Own It? U.S. and Chinese college students' digital ownership perceptions
Authors: Zhu Xiaohua , Yang Tao
Published: October 2019

The notion of ownership of digital media content is complicated and fragmented, because of the interplay of intellectual property law, personal property rights, and contractual arrangements. Using a framework with multiple configurations of digital content ownership, we surveyed American and Chinese college students about their perceptions of ownership of digital media content—e‐books, digital music, and digital movies—as well as their perceptions of the importance of various digital rights associated with digital media content. The results revealed many differences between the two groups. Overall, participants from China attributed more importance to most of the digital rights than their U.S. peers did, their variability was smaller, and they displayed a narrower, more uncertain conception of ownership than the Americans did. The study suggests directions and potential factors for future investigation, including familiarity with digital content, the sharing culture, and possession as a cultural dimension.
Exploring the function of citations in ancient Chinese literature
Authors: Shu Fei , Qiu Junping , Shu Shibin , Larivière Vincent
Published: October 2019

Over the last 40 years, several studies have attempted to better understand the function of citations in scholarly communication. While the normative theory claims that researchers acknowledge the intellectual influence to their peers through citations, constructive theory suggests that authors cite to persuade their readers. This study explores this topic by analyzing citations found in ancient Chinese literature and finds that most ancient Chinese authors cite to convince their readers.
Definitions, formulas, and simulated examples for plagiarism detection with FAIR metrics
Authors: Craig Adam , Ambati Adarsh , Dutta Shiladitya , Mehrotra Arush , Taswell S. Koby , Taswell Carl
Published: October 2019

In prior work, we proposed a family of metrics as a tool to quantify adherence to or deviation from good citation practices in scholarly research and publishing. We called this family of metrics FAIR as an acronym for Fair Attribution to Indexed Reports and Fair Acknowledgment of Information Records, and introduced definitions for these metrics with counts of instances of correct or incorrect attribution or nonattribution in primary research articles with citations for previously published references. In the present work, we extend our FAIR family of metrics by introducing a collection of ratio‐based metrics to accompany the count‐based metrics described previously. We illustrate the mathematical properties of the ratio‐based metrics with various simulated examples in order to assess their suitability as a means of identifying papers under peer review as more or less likely to be suspicious for plagiarism. These FAIR metrics would alert peer reviewers to prioritize low‐scoring manuscripts for closer scrutiny. Finally, we outline our planned strategy for future validation of the FAIR metrics with an approach using both expert human analysts and automated algorithms for computerized analysis.
Online behavior of the alzheimer's disease patient caregivers on croatian online discussion forum
Authors: Erdelez Sanda , Tanacković Sanjica Faletar , Balog Kornelija Petr
Published: October 2019

ABSTRACT

This paper presents findings from a study which investigated the information needs of caregivers (CGs) of persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) in Croatia, a country where the health and social care systems for AD patients and their CGs are not fully established nor efficient. The study was conducted with the help of qualitative content analysis on the total population of initial posts (N = 83) on the Croatian Internet Forum (Forum.hr) from May 2005 through January 2019. The analysis revealed that CGs' information needs fall into the following categories: information about the disease, medication/treatment, coping with the disease, physicians, available services, general care for the AD patient, legal and financial issues, and faith. The analysis further revealed that CGs post on this online discussion list not only when they require specific information or advice, but also to describe their situation and experiences and to share practical information that they think will help others, and also to seek emotional support.
Data science education in the iSchool context
Authors: Oh Sam , Song Il‐Yeol , Mostafa Javed , Zhang Yin , Wu Dan
Published: October 2019

The Data Science (DS) has grown in depth, breadth, and relevance in recent years as a prominent multidisciplinary field. iSchools have been among many contributing units in DS education; however, the question remains as to what unique characteristics and core curricula iSchools can best fit in and provide in the DS education landscape. This panel presents the iSchool Data Science Curriculum Committee (iDSCC)’s initiatives to address this question and report on related progress. It will also engage discussion with and seek input from the conference audience in an effort to uncover additional input on the unique characteristics of DS education in the iSchool context and core DS curriculum for iSchools.
Semi‐random graph process
Authors: Ben‐Eliezer Omri , Hefetz Dan , Kronenberg Gal , Parczyk Olaf , Shikhelman Clara , Stojaković Miloš
Published: October 2019

We introduce and study a novel semi‐random multigraph process, described as follows. The process starts with an empty graph on n vertices. In every round of the process, one vertex v of the graph is picked uniformly at random and independently of all previous rounds. We then choose an additional vertex (according to a strategy of our choice) and connect it by an edge to v. For various natural monotone increasing graph properties , we prove tight upper and lower bounds on the minimum (extended over the set of all possible strategies) number of rounds required by the process to obtain, with high probability, a graph that satisfies . Along the way, we show that the process is general enough to approximate (using suitable strategies) several well‐studied random graph models.
Role of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Spinal Cord Astrocytes in the Functional Maturation of Motor Neurons in a Multielectrode Array System
Authors: Taga Arens , Dastgheyb Raha , Habela Christa , Joseph Jessica , Richard Jean-Philippe , Gross Sarah K. , Lauria Giuseppe , Lee Gabsang , Haughey Norman , Maragakis Nicholas J.
Published: October 2019

The ability to generate human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural cells displaying region-specific phenotypes is of particular interest for modeling central nervous system biology in vitro. We describe a unique method by which spinal cord hiPSC-derived astrocytes (hiPSC-A) are cultured with spinal cord hiPSC-derived motor neurons (hiPSC-MN) in a multielectrode array (MEA) system to record electrophysiological activity over time. We show that hiPSC-A enhance hiPSC-MN electrophysiological maturation in a time-dependent fashion. The sequence of plating, density, and age in which hiPSC-A are cocultured with MN, but not their respective hiPSC line origin, are factors that influence neuronal electrophysiology. When compared to coculture with mouse primary spinal cord astrocytes, we observe an earlier and more robust electrophysiological maturation in the fully human cultures, suggesting that the human origin is relevant to the recapitulation of astrocyte/motor neuron crosstalk. Finally, we test pharmacological compounds on our MEA platform and observe changes in electrophysiological activity, which confirm hiPSC-MN maturation. These findings are supported by immunocytochemistry and real-time PCR studies in parallel cultures demonstrating human astrocyte mediated changes in the structural maturation and protein expression profiles of the neurons. Interestingly, this relationship is reciprocal and coculture with neurons influences astrocyte maturation as well. Taken together, these data indicate that in a human in vitro spinal cord culture system, astrocytes support hiPSC-MN maturation in a time-dependent and species-specific manner and suggest a closer approximation of in vivo conditions. Stem Cells Translational Medicine  2019;8:1272&1285
Photocatalytic Degradation of 5‐Fluorouracil by Diatomite‐Supported Titanium Dioxide under UV‐A Irradiation
Authors: Djediai Houria , Benrabaa Rafik , Gombert Bertrand , N'Guettia Roland Kossonou
Published: October 2019

The aim of this work is the photocatalytic degradation of 5‐fluorouracil from water with titanium dioxide supported on Algerian diatomite. Different methods and amounts of titanium dioxide (30 and 50% weight) are used to synthesize photo‐catalysts which are characterized (X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), The specific surface area (BET) and X‐ray fluorescence). The degradation efficiency is enhanced by the increasing of TiO2 amount in diatomite matrix. Under our experimental conditions, diatomite supported commercial TiO2 showed the higher performance for the removal of 5‐fluorouracil.
Group maturity, team efficiency, and team effectiveness in software development: A case study in a CMMI‐DEV Level 5 organization
Authors: Ramírez‐Mora Sandra L. , Oktaba Hanna , Patlán Pérez Juana
Published: October 2019

Group aspects are essential to the success of software projects; however, almost no research regarding group maturity in CMMI‐DEV Level 5 organizations has been conducted. The objective of this work is to investigate group maturity and its relationship to the efficiency and effectiveness of Agile Software Development teams in a CMMI‐DEV Level 5 organization. A case study was conducted, and three data collection methods were used: a validated questionnaire was given to nine agile software teams (59 people) to measure specific aspects of group maturity, team efficiency, and team effectiveness; the effort to develop Use Case Points and a group rate (related to productivity and salary) were collected to investigate team efficiency, and focus group sessions and semi‐structured interviews were conducted with project managers and team leaders to explore group issues in software development. Aspects of group maturity were correlated with team effectiveness and team efficiency measures. Communication was found to be strongly correlated with team effectiveness and group rate, and conformity and the clarity of roles and goals were found to be strongly correlated with team efficiency. The results suggest that group maturity has a positive influence on software teams in CMMI‐DEV Level 5 organizations.
Stand der züchterischen Erzeugung amylosereicher Maisstärke und der technischen Amylosegewinnung
Authors: Augustat S.
Published: October 2019

Seit der Ausarbeitung exakter Methoden zur Trennung der beiden Stärkekonstituenten Amylose und Amylopektin interessiert sich die Industrie in immer stärkerem Maße für die Amylosegewinnung in technischem Maßstabe. Zur Erreichung dieses Zieles bedient man sich zweier Wege. Durch Züchtung von Maissorten mit extrem hohem Amylosegehalt wird versucht, eine möglichst amylopektinfreie Stärke zu erhalten. Während der Amylosegehalt der meisten Stärkearten etwa in den Grenzen 15‐27% liegt, beträgt er bei den hochamylosigen Stärken weit über 50%. Der höchste Amylosegehalt wurde bisher bei einer Maisstärke mit 82% erzielt.

Der zweite Weg der technischen Amylosegewinnung besteht in der Fraktionierung von Stärke und befindet sich in Holland bereits im Produktionsstadium. Dieses Fraktionierungsverfahren beruht auf der Anwendung von konzentrierter Magnesiumsulfatlösung und wird auf Kartoffelstärke angewandt.

Angesichts der zu erwartenden Steigerung der Produktion von Amylose wird letztere auf Grund ihrer vorzüglichen Eigenschaften vor allem in bezug auf Film‐ und Faserbildung zu einem vielbegehrten industriellen Rohstoff werden.
The effects of irradiation by high energy cathode rays on starch
Authors: Radley J. A.
Published: October 2019

Schlußfolgerung Die Bestrahlung der Stärke mit Kathodenstrahlen scheint unterhalb einer Bestrahlungsdosis von 0,5 times 106 rad keinen merklichen Abbau hervorzurufen, wie die Messung der physikalischen Eigenschaften ergab. Somit können Nahrungsmittel und Nahrungsprodukte ohne weiteres zum Zwecke der Sterilisation mit Bestrahlungsdosierungen bis zu dieser Höhe behandelt werden. Für eine Reihe von Backprodukten reicht diese Dosierung bei bestimmten Schimmelpilzen nicht aus und unter Einfluß von einigen der übrigen Komponenten wird der Geschmack beeinträchtigt (7). Oberhalb des genannten Wertes wird die Stärke selbst angegriffen und bei einer Dosis von 100 times 106 rad verliert sie alle diejenigen physikalischen Eigenschaften, die sie als Handelsware so wertvoll erscheinen lassen.

Die Endprodukte stellen ein Gemisch aus reduzierenden Zuckern, Hexosen, Glucuronsäure und möglicherweise anderen Säuren von niedrigem Molekulargewicht dar.
Vergleichende Betrachtungen der europäischen und der amerikanischen Stärkeforschung und Stärkeindustrie
Authors: Kempf W.
Published: October 2019

Der Schwerpunkt der Stärkeforschung in den USA, sowohl an den Universitätsinstituten und staatlichen Forschungsanstalten als auch in der Stärkeindustrie selbst, liegt auf dem Gebiet der Entwicklung von chemisch abgebauten und derivatisierten Stärken mit verbesserten oder großenteils auch völlig neuen Eigenschaften mit dem Ziel, den Absatz von Stärke zu steigern und damit die Produktion zu erhöhen. Diese Entwicklung wird weitgehend von den ungeheueren Überschüssen an Mais und Weizen in den USA bestimmt. Da ein solcher Getreideüberschuß in Europa, insbesondere in Deutschland, nicht besteht, sondern praktisch das gesamte Rohmaterial importiert werden muß, liegt das Schwergewicht der europäischen, bzw. der deutschen Stärkeforschung und Stärkeindustrie, abgesehen von der Grundlagenforschung an einigen Universitäts‐ und Hochschulinstituten sowie staatlichen Forschungsanstalten, auf maschinentechnischem Gebiet im Sinne einer Qualitätsverbesserung und Ausbeuteerhöhung. Dementsprechend liegen auch beispielsweise die Ausbeuten der amerikanischen Maisstärkefabriken mit durchschnittlich 64 bis 68% unter denjenigen der europäischen Maisstärkeindustrie. Die Besichtigungen der amerikanischen Maisstärke‐, Weizenstärke‐, Kartoffelstärke‐, Stärkesirup‐ und Dextrosefabriken haben gezeigt, daß ein großer Teil der Verbesserungen und Neuentwicklungen auf maschinentechnischem Gebiet aus Europa stammt, woran die deutsche Maschinenindustrie einen erfreulich hohen Anteil hat.
The effect of divalent cation complexation on anaerobically digested enhanced biological phosphorus removal sludge dewatering performance
Authors: Mangrum C. Robert L. , Jenkins David
Published: October 2019

The effect of mono‐ and divalent cation concentrations on digested sludge dewatering characteristics was investigated in a full‐scale study at the Harrisonburg‐Rockingham Regional Sewer Authority, VA (HRRSA) and at an additional POTW (POTW B). At HRRSA, anaerobic digesters were fed with primary sludge, enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) WAS, and trucked‐in DAF solids from a poultry processing facility, and digested sludge was dewatered by belt filter press. The POTW B digesters received EBPR WAS and primary sludge, and dewatering was by centrifuge. Visual MINTEQ 3.1 (Gustafsson, 2014, Visual MINTEQ 3.1. User's manual) was used to determine cation speciation and struvite, tricalcium phosphate, vivianite, and ferrous sulfide formation at a range of digestion conditions. Significant Mg and Ca complexation was predicted at all conditions evaluated, and the majority of the complexes were monovalent cations. Complexation reduced the divalent cation concentration on the order of 40%. The HRRSA and POTW B data both showed that dewatered cake total solids (TS) increased linearly with uncomplexed divalent cation concentration and that there was an increase of 1.0%–1.1% TS for every additional 1.0 meq/L of uncomplexed divalent cations. Because POTW B used centrifuge dewatering, this relationship could be independent of dewatering technique. Further, the relationship between uncomplexed divalent cation concentration and dewaterability suggests that the selectivity of exocellular polymeric substances cation exchange sites is much greater for divalent cations so that monovalent cations only bind to them when their concentrations are much higher than those of the uncomplexed divalent cations. Thus, monovalent cation concentration may not be important in anaerobic digestion or other high alkalinity environments.

Practitioner points

It is important to account for complexation in high alkalinity environments such as anaerobic digesters;

The findings of this study suggest that dewatering characteristics of anaerobically digested enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) waste sludge can be significantly improved by preserving cation‐mediated exocellular polymeric substances bonding in the solids stream by reducing struvite formation;

Data from two full‐scale POTW’s indicated that dewatered cake TS was increased by 1.0%–1.1% for every 1.0 meq/L of dissolved uncomplexed divalent cations in the anaerobic digestate bulk solution;

This relationship existed for dewatering both by a belt filter press and by a centrifuge suggesting that this relationship is independent of dewatering technology;

Dissolved monovalent cation concentrations may not be important in anaerobic digestion or other high alkalinity environments unless their concentrations are much greater than those of the dissolved divalent cations.
Blockchain for explainable and trustworthy artificial intelligence
Authors: Nassar Mohamed , Salah Khaled , ur Rehman Muhammad Habib , Svetinovic Davor
Published: October 2019

The increasing computational power and proliferation of big data are now empowering Artificial Intelligence (AI) to achieve massive adoption and applicability in many fields. The lack of explanation when it comes to the decisions made by today's AI algorithms is a major drawback in critical decision‐making systems. For example, deep learning does not offer control or reasoning over its internal processes or outputs. More importantly, current black‐box AI implementations are subject to bias and adversarial attacks that may poison the learning or the inference processes. Explainable AI (XAI) is a new trend of AI algorithms that provide explanations of their AI decisions. In this paper, we propose a framework for achieving a more trustworthy and XAI by leveraging features of blockchain, smart contracts, trusted oracles, and decentralized storage. We specify a framework for complex AI systems in which the decision outcomes are reached based on decentralized consensuses of multiple AI and XAI predictors. The paper discusses how our proposed framework can be utilized in key application areas with practical use cases.

This article is categorized under:

Technologies > Machine Learning

Technologies > Computer Architectures for Data Mining

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Key Design Issues in Data Mining
Efficacy of automated detection of motion in wildlife monitoring videos
Authors: Marcot Bruce G. , Lorenz Teresa J. , Fischer Philip , Weinstein Ben G. , Cowell Samuel
Published: October 2019

Documenting biodiversity and wildlife behavior is time‐consuming and potentially invasive. Remotely placed cameras often are used to increase sampling and minimize disturbance of focal animals. Such wildlife monitoring programs can entail numerous and lengthy videos requiring massive amounts of time to analyze their content. We evaluated the efficacy of a computer program, MotionMeerkat (http://benweinstein.weebly.com/motionmeerkat.html), for automated detection of motion in 21 continuous, 3‐hour‐long videos monitoring woodpecker (Picidae) nest cavities during 2016 in Washington, USA. The program produces still‐image frame captures from the video where motion was detected, files logging the video time‐stamps of each frame, and x,y coordinates within each frame where motion was detected. We compared program results with video reviews conducted by students using a standard protocol for identifying movement events and species identification. The program tagged 60% more motion events of all types, and 38% more motion events of target species (woodpeckers and potential predators), than were found by student reviews. We also conducted sensitivity analyses of the program by varying program input settings; results suggest that optimal settings depend on the video quality, environmental conditions, desired target species, and type of motion. We conclude that automated motion‐detection programs such as MotionMeerkat can play important roles in use of continuous videos for wildlife monitoring, but results need to be reviewed by the researcher. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.
Irregular Migration as Survival Strategy: Narratives from Youth in Urban Nigeria
Authors: Ikuteyijo Lanre Olusegun
Published: October 2019

Nigerian youths constitute the largest population in an increasing flow of migration from countries in the Global South to Europe and other countries in the Global North. Using in-depth interviews and focus groups with Nigerian youths, this study explored: (1) the extent to which youths who were susceptible toward migration were aware of irregular migration and conditions that characterize it, and (2) the attitudes and survival strategies adopted by returnee irregular migrants. The study revealed that most of the youths who migrated under irregular circumstances were motivated by economic reasons and influenced by family dynamics and social media. The paper concluded that the perception of youths on irregular migration as survival strategy to escape from the harsh economy in Nigeria had dire consequences.
“To Become Somebody in the Future”: Exploring the Content of University Students’ Goals in Nigeria
Authors: Mac-Ikemenjima Dabesaki
Published: October 2019

Youths’ self-articulated goals in sub-Saharan Africa are often missing from scholarly and development discourses, creating a challenge for those aiming to establish effective development programs and policies. This chapter explores the goals of undergraduate university students in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, drawing on data from 23 in-depth interviews, 7 focus group discussions, and a survey of 267 undergraduate students in universities in Port Harcourt, Nigeria collected between July 2012 and September 2013. Through a grounded theory analysis of the data collected, 40 specific goals were identified and developed into four categories: achievement, material, generativity, and relationship. The findings are useful for further research on aspirations and the design, monitoring, and evaluation of development programs that are sensitive and relevant to the needs of young people.
Someone Has to Tell These Children: “You Can Be As Good As Anybody!”
Authors: Fiaka Cecilia
Published: October 2019

This chapter is a personal narrative by the founder and director of the Nneka Youth Foundation, a nonprofit organization serving youth in rural Ghana. The chapter begins with the author’s childhood and journey to Accra to work as a house help. It then deals with the author’s education, which she continued in her village and in Accra under the same conditions as a maidservant. The final section describes the formation of the Nneka Youth Foundation. This chapter is also a tribute to all mothers, and especially the author’s mother. Through all these life stages, one thing stood paramount: mother’s care. Thus, the Nneka Youth Foundation received its name from the exclamation from Chinua Achebe’s book, Things Fall Apart: “Nneka!”, which means “Mother is really supreme!”
On the Concept of “Energy” from a Transcultural Perspective
Authors: Oostveen Daan F.
Published: October 2019

This chapter gives an overview of the concept of energy from a transcultural perspective. Often, energy is only approached by means of the stipulative definition as used in science. This usage disregards the specific philosophical origins of the concept. In the comparative philosophy of Ulrich Libbrecht, the concept of energy is used as a comparative category, which has related concepts in each of the various ideal types of worldviews—the Greek, the Indian, and the Chinese—his comparative model describes. By informing ourselves of particularly Buddhist and Chinese perspectives on energy and ethics, we can transform and expand our understanding of energy, in order to increase its explanatory power, with regard to contemporary questions of energy justice. This includes a posthuman approach towards it.
The Kazakh Ethical Tradition and Anti-nuclear Ethics
Authors: Nurysheva Gulzhikhan , Amrebayeva Zhyldyz , Amrebayev Aydar
Published: October 2019

The article analyses the contribution of the Kazakh traditional ethics to the formation of a modern harmonious world. The peaceful and harmonizing nature of the philosophical ethics of various civilizations at different stages of history characterizes the diversity and unity of human aspirations for peace and harmony. The development of nuclear weapons in the modern world is a serious challenge to this concept of development. Ethical ideas of different nations can be used as a weighty argument in favour of the refusal of mankind from nuclear weapons. The authors focus on the harmonious worldview of the nomads, who understood the interconnectedness of the world of man and the world of nature.
Gender in Electricity Policymaking in India, Nepal and Kenya
Authors: Govindan Mini , Palit Debajit , Murali Rashmi , Sankar Deepa
Published: October 2019

Electricity is regarded as a basic amenity fundamental to improving human well-being and overall economic development. It also contributes to improving gender parity and social inclusion, especially in situations where women are challenged by harsh living conditions. This chapter examines how gender issues that were considered are addressed in the policies related to electricity in India, Kenya, and Nepal. The analysis reveals that whilst more than half of the reviewed documents were devoid of any explicit mention of gender concerns, an increasing number of electricity policies are now reflecting gender considerations. The predominantly “gender-blind” approach towards the potential benefits of electricity access emanates from a reluctance to explicitly acknowledge gender based differences in needs in creating equitable outcomes. The assumption that electricity access itself is enough for associated benefits to trickle down, that too equitably for men and women, stems from limited awareness. This is aggravated further by the absence of documented evidence on the merit of including gender elements in electrification policies and programmes. Based on the review of existing electricity policies, this chapter provides specific recommendations for incorporating gender in the electricity policies with a view to support and address the broader energy justice concerns.
Effects of the monoamine stabilizer (-)OSU6162 on cognitive function in alcohol dependence
Authors: Khemiri Lotfi , Steensland Pia , Guterstam Joar , de Manzano Örjan , Franck Johan , Jayaram-Lindström Nitya
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Alcohol dependence (AD) is associated with a dysregulated mesolimbocortical dopamine system—a pathway which is also implicated in both reward and cognition. The monoamine stabilizer (-)-OSU6162 (OSU) is a novel pharmacological compound with the ability to reduce ethanol intake and ethanol seeking in long-term drinking rats as well as reducing alcohol craving in AD patients. Dopaminergic drugs can both impair and improve cognitive functions, and the aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of OSU treatment on cognitive functioning in AD patients.

Method

In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, 56 individuals with AD received 14 days of OSU or placebo treatment. Neuropsychological tasks from the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery (CANTAB®) and other tasks were used to evaluate treatment effect on executive function/impulsivity, working memory, attention, emotional recognition, and divergent thinking.

Results

Treatment with OSU did not impair neuropsychological function in any of the cognitive domains investigated (all p > 0.1). In fact, OSU treatment did, compared to placebo, improve future planning ability (F(1,46) = 6.9; p = 0.012; Cohen’s d = 0.54), verbal divergent thinking (F(1,44) = 10.1; p = 0.003; d = 0.96), and response time for emotional recognition (F(1,47) = 6.7; p = 0.013; d = 0.44).

Conclusion

OSU treatment did not cause short-term cognitive side effects, further supporting the potential of OSU as a clinically feasible pharmacological treatment in AD patients. OSU treatment might improve future planning, verbal divergent thinking, and emotional recognition latency, which in turn may have a beneficial impact on alcohol use outcomes. Future studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
[18F]Florbetapir PET/MR imaging to assess demyelination in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Carotenuto Antonio , Giordano Beniamino , Dervenoulas George , Wilson Heather , Veronese Mattia , Chappell Zachary , Polychronis Sotirios , Pagano Gennaro , Mackewn Jane , Turkheimer Federico E. , Williams Steven C. R. , Hammers Alexander , Silber Eli , Brex Peter , Politis Marios
Published: October 2019

Purpose

We evaluated myelin changes throughout the central nervous system in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients by using hybrid [18F]florbetapir PET-MR imaging.

Methods

We included 18 relapsing-remitting MS patients and 12 healthy controls. Each subject performed a hybrid [18F]florbetapir PET-MR and both a clinical and cognitive assessment. [18F]florbetapir binding was measured as distribution volume ratio (DVR), through the Logan graphical reference method and the supervised cluster analysis to extract a reference region, and standard uptake value (SUV) in the 70–90 min interval after injection. The two quantification approaches were compared. We also evaluated changes in the measures derived from diffusion tensor imaging and arterial spin labeling.

Results

[18F]florbetapir DVRs decreased from normal-appearing white matter to the centre of T2 lesion (P < 0.001), correlated with fractional anisotropy and with mean, axial and radial diffusivity within T2 lesions (coeff. = −0.15, P < 0.001, coeff. = −0.12, P < 0.001 and coeff. = −0.16, P < 0.001, respectively). Cerebral blood flow was reduced in white matter damaged areas compared to white matter in healthy controls (−10.9%, P = 0.005). SUV70–90 and DVR are equally able to discriminate between intact and damaged myelin (area under the curve 0.76 and 0.66, respectively; P = 0.26).

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that [18F]florbetapir PET imaging can measure in-vivo myelin damage in patients with MS. Demyelination in MS is not restricted to lesions detected through conventional MRI but also involves the normal appearing white matter. Although longitudinal studies are needed, [18F]florbetapir PET imaging may have a role in clinical settings in the management of MS patients.
Monocytes reprogrammed with lentiviral vectors co-expressing GM-CSF, IFN-α2 and antigens for personalized immune therapy of acute leukemia pre- or post-stem cell transplantation
Authors: Bialek-Waldmann Julia K. , Heuser Michael , Ganser Arnold , Stripecke Renata
Published: October 2019

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia in adults and overall survival remains poor. Chemotherapy is the standard of care for intensive induction therapy. Patients who achieve a complete remission require post-remission therapies to prevent relapse. There is no standard of care for patients with minimal residual disease (MRD), and stem cell transplantation is a salvage therapy. Considering the AML genetic heterogeneity and the leukemia immune-suppressive properties, novel cellular immune therapies to effectively harness immunological responses to prevent relapse are needed. We developed a novel modality of immune therapy consisting of monocytes reprogrammed with lentiviral vectors expressing GM-CSF, IFN-α and antigens. Preclinical studies in humanized mice showed that the reprogrammed monocytes self-differentiated into highly viable induced dendritic cells (iDCs) in vivo which migrated effectively to lymph nodes, producing remarkable effects in the de novo regeneration of T and B cell responses. For the first-in-man clinical trial, the patient’s monocytes will be transduced with an integrase-defective tricistronic lentiviral vector expressing GM-CSF, IFN-α and a truncated WT1 antigen. For transplanted patients, pre-clinical development of iDCs co-expressing cytomegalovirus antigens is ongoing. To simplify the product chain for a de-centralized supply model, we are currently exploring a closed automated system for a short two-day manufacturing of iDCs. A phase I clinical trial study is in preparation for immune therapy of AML patients with MRD. The proposed cell therapy can fill an important gap in the current and foreseeable future immunotherapies of AML.
Is Preoperative Fibrinogen Associated with the Survival Prognosis of Gastric Cancer Patients? A Multi‐centered, Propensity Score‐Matched Retrospective Study
Authors: Zhao Lin‐Yong , Zhao Yong‐Liang , Wang Jun‐Jiang , Zhao Qi‐Di , Yi Wen‐Qi , Yuan Qing , Chen Xin‐Zu , Li Yong , Yang Kun , Chen Xiao‐Long , Zhang Wei‐Han , Liu Kai , Pang Hua‐Yang , Galiullin Danil , Wang Hui , Sun Li‐Fei , Song Xiao‐Hai , Zheng Jia‐Bin , Yao Xue‐Qing , Zhou Zong‐Guang , Yu Pei‐Wu , Hu Jian‐Kun
Published: October 2019

Background

The prognostic significance of preoperative plasma fibrinogen in patients with operable gastric cancer remains under debate. This study aimed to elucidate the prognostic value of fibrinogen in gastric cancer patients underwent gastrectomy.

Methods

A total of 4351 patients with gastric cancer collected from three comprehensive medical centers were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were categorized by minimum P value using X‐tile, while the baseline confounders for fibrinogen was balanced through propensity score matching (PSM). The relationships between fibrinogen and other clinicopathologic features were evaluated, and nomogram was constructed to assess its prognostic improvement compared with TNM staging system.

Results

Fibrinogen was significantly correlated with macroscopic type, tumor differentiation, tumor size, and T and N stage. The factors, fibrinogen and T stage as well as N stage, were identified to be independent prognostic factors after PSM. Nomogram based on fibrinogen demonstrated a smaller Akaike information criterion (AIC) and a larger concordance index (C‐index) than TNM staging system, illustrating that fibrinogen might be able to improve the prognostic accuracy.

Conclusions

Preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels in gastric cancer patients were significantly correlated with tumor progression, which could be regarded as a reliable marker for survival prognostic prediction.
Vertical silicon nanowire-based racetrack resonator optical sensor
Authors: Sherif S. M. , Elsayed M. Y. , Shahada L. A. , Swillam M. A.
Published: October 2019

We propose a highly sensitive optical sensor which is built from silicon nanowires. The silicon nanowires are arranged to form a ring resonator. The silicon nanowires cladding and voids are filled with the analyte. The sensor has a small footprint of 16 μm × 16.5 μm. The insertion loss of the sensor is only 0.4 dB, while it is characterized by its high sensitivity of 430 nm/RIU. As a biosensor, our device showed a 100 nm/RIU sensitivity when a thin biolayer of 10 nm thickness is attached to the silicon nanowire structures.
Sumbawanga Augencamp follow-up Studie 2019
Authors: Irle S. , Msigomba E. , Paust K.
Published: October 2019

Hintergrund

Im Jahr 2019 hat das deutsche Komitee zur Verhütung von Blindheit (DKVB) ein Augencamp in der tansanischen Stadt Sumbawanga durchgeführt. Bei Patienten mit maturer Katarakt und intakter Lichtscheinwahrnehmung wurden Katarakte als „manual small incision cataract surgery“ (MSICS) operiert. Erstmalig wurde bei diesem Camp die Ergebnisqualität der durchgeführten Kataraktoperationen gemessen.

Ziel der Arbeit

Ziel war es, die Qualität der durchgeführten Kataraktoperationen darzustellen und die Ergebnisse in Zusammenhang mit den Vorgaben der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) zu bewerten.

Methoden

Patienten, die in den ersten Tagen des Augencamps kataraktoperiert worden waren, wurden in der zweiten Woche im Hinblick auf die Parameter Visus, Refraktion, spaltlampenmikroskopischer Befund und Komplikationen nachuntersucht, die Daten retrospektiv ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit den Vorgaben der WHO verglichen.

Ergebnisse

Es konnten 42 Patienten des Augencamps nach 5 bis 9 Tagen nachuntersucht werden. Folgende Parameter wurden gefunden: mittlere postoperative Sehschärfe 0,26, sphärisches Äquivalent −2,82 dpt, Astigmatismus −2,2 dpt/113 Grad; Visus >0,3 in 14,2% (WHO 80%), Visus 0,1–0,3 62% (WHO 15%), Visus <0,1 in 23,8% (WHO 5%); verzögerter Heilungsverlauf in 29% der Fälle.

Schlussfolgerung

Obwohl es zu einer Besserung des Sehvermögens kam, sind die Ergebnisse ernüchternd im Vergleich zu den Vorgaben der WHO. Postoperativ zeigen sich ein myoper Shift und ein Astigmatismus gegen die Regel. Die Gründe sind: okuläre Komorbiditäten, eingeschränkte diagnostische und therapeutische Möglichkeiten, Ausbildungscharakter des Camps, erschwerte Rahmenbedingungen und fortgeschrittene Befunde. Die Ergebnisse der Studie sind wichtig, um die Qualität der eigenen Arbeit einschätzen zu können und um das Potenzial für künftige Verbesserungen ausloten zu können.
Demenzsensibilität in Akutkrankenhäusern
Authors: Kirchen Peters Sabine , Krupp Elisabeth
Published: October 2019

Hintergrund

In Deutschland stellt sich immer noch die Frage, warum die Demenzsensibilität von Akutkrankenhäusern so wenig verbreitet ist, obwohl bereits fast vor zwei Dekaden die ersten Konzepte erfolgreich erprobt wurden.

Ziel des Beitrags

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt in Form einer Übersicht Umsetzungsbarrieren und zeigt Wege zu einer besseren Praxis auf.

Material und Methoden

Die vorgestellten Ergebnisse der „Analyse zum Modellprogramm Demenz im Krankenhaus“ der Robert Bosch Stiftung basieren auf einer Dokumentenanalyse, auf der Auswertung von Fokusgruppen und Vernetzungstreffen sowie auf Experteninterviews. Zudem fließen Ergebnisse einer früheren Untersuchung des iso-Instituts für die Deutsche Alzheimer Gesellschaft ein.

Ergebnisse

Aus den Erfahrungen in Modellprojekten lassen sich typische Barrieren für eine demenzsensible Ausrichtung auf individueller, arbeitsorganisatorischer und übergeordneter Ebene beschreiben, deren Systematisierung einen Ansatzpunkt zur Überwindung dieser Hürden liefert. Zudem kann aus den Projekten eine Reihe von Gelingensfaktoren für die Umsetzung guter Praxis herausgearbeitet werden. So hat es sich als entscheidend herausgestellt, an der Haltung des Personals zu Menschen mit kognitiven Einschränkungen zu arbeiten und Abläufe an die besonderen Bedürfnisse dieser Patientengruppe anzupassen. In diesem Zusammenhang spielen die Leitungskräfte sowie eine fachlich fundierte Strukturierung von Veränderungsprozessen eine Schlüsselrolle.

Diskussion

Vielfältige Anregungen können Verantwortliche und Beschäftigte aus Akutkrankenhäusern zukünftig einem umfassenden Leitfaden des iso-Instituts zur modularen Implementierung demenzsensibler Krankenhäuser entnehmen, der durch erprobte und wirksame Handlungshilfen, Instrumente, Prozessbeschreibungen usw. unterlegt ist.
Attitudes towards emergent autonomous robots in Austria and Germany
Authors: Gnambs Timo
Published: October 2019

Autonomous robotic systems are an indispensable component of work in many industries that are on the brink of entering many other areas of people’s lives such as transportation or healthcare. Because attitudes towards new technologies shape consumers’ decision to adopt these innovations, the present study examines the public opinion toward emergent robotic systems in Austria and Germany. The results showed that, in general, attitudes seemed rather positive in both countries. However, for Austria a rather ambivalent picture emerged: although Austrians exhibited the largest adoption rate of robotic technologies in Europe, at the same time they evaluated robots most unfavorably as compared to other European countries. Thus, experiences with robots seemed to have intensified potential downsides of automation that resulted in more concerns regarding the widespread use of robots.
Microbial diversity of bioaerosol inside sports facilities and antibiotic resistance of isolated Staphylococcus spp.
Authors: Małecka-Adamowicz Marta , Kubera Łukasz , Jankowiak Emilia , Dembowska Ewa
Published: October 2019

In the modern world, healthy habits and physical and mental fitness are more important than ever. A growing number of people participate in sports to improve their overall health. However, the conditions in which people exercise are seldom examined. It is obvious that the air in buildings, including sports facilities, can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms, causing infections and allergies. Our study was aimed at assessing microbial air quality inside several sports facilities (fitness room, martial arts room, swimming pool, sports hall, gym) and at a sports field. Another objective was to evaluate the antibiotic resistance of isolated Staphylococcus strains. Air samples were collected with MAS-100 sampler, using selective substrates. Antibiotic resistance of mannitol-positive staphylococci was assessed using a disk diffusion method in accordance with EUCAST recommendations. The results indicated large fluctuations in average concentrations of heterotrophic bacteria, ranging from 38 CFU m−3 (swimming pool) to 1036 CFU m−3 (sports hall). Generally, bacteria were more abundant inside the buildings, while fungi in the sports field (658 CFU m−3 on average). In all facilities, airborne fungal communities were dominated by the genus Cladosporium, followed by Penicillium, Fusarium and Acremonium. Alternaria and Aureobasidium constituted only a small percentage of isolated molds. We recorded only low concentrations of mannitol-positive staphylococci (on average ranging from 1 CFU m−3 at the swimming pool and sports field to 9 CFU m−3 in the martial arts room). Of all isolated Staphylococcus strains, 73% were resistant to benzopenicillin, while more than 90% were sensitive to gentamycin, levofloxacin and rifampicin.
Stochastic optimization strategies applied to the OLYMPUS benchmark
Authors: Silva V. L. S. , Cardoso M. A. , Oliveira D. F. B. , de Moraes R. J.
Published: October 2019

In this work, we discuss the application of stochastic optimization approaches to the OLYMPUS case, a benchmark challenge which seeks the evaluation of different techniques applied to well control and field development optimization. For that matter, three exercises have been proposed, namely, (i) well control optimization; (ii) field development optimization; and (iii) joint optimization. All applications were performed considering the so-called OLYMPUS case, a synthetic reservoir model with geological uncertainty provided by TNO (Fonseca 2018). Firstly, in the well control exercise, we successfully applied an ensemble-based approximate gradient method in a robust optimization formulation. Secondly, we solve the field development exercise using a genetic algorithm framework designed with special features for the problem of interest. Finally, in order to evaluate further gains, a sequential optimization approach was employed, in which we run one more well control optimization based on the optimal well locations. Even though we utilize relatively well-known techniques in our studies, we describe the necessary adaptations to the algorithms that enable their successful applications to real-life scenarios. Significant gains in the expected net present value are obtained: in exercise (i) a gain of 7% with respect to reactive control; for exercise (ii) a gain of 660% with respect to a initial well placement based on an engineering approach; and for (iii) an extra gain of 3% due to an additional well control optimization after the well placement optimization. All these gains are obtained with an affordable computational cost via the extensive utilization of high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. We also apply a scenario reduction technique to exercise (i), with similar gains obtained in the full ensemble optimization, however, with substantially inferior computational cost. In conclusion, we demonstrate how the state-of-the-art optimization technology available in the model-based reservoir management literature can be successfully applied to field development optimization via the conscious utilization of HPC facilities.
Uncertainties in Long-Term Twenty-First Century Process-Based Coastal Sea-Level Projections
Authors: van de Wal R. S. W. , Zhang X. , Minobe S. , Jevrejeva S. , Riva R. E. M. , Little C. , Richter K. , Palmer M. D.
Published: October 2019

Many processes affect sea level near the coast. In this paper, we discuss the major uncertainties in coastal sea-level projections from a process-based perspective, at different spatial and temporal scales, and provide an outlook on how these uncertainties may be reduced. Uncertainty in centennial global sea-level rise is dominated by the ice sheet contributions. Geographical variations in projected sea-level change arise mainly from dynamical patterns in the ocean response and other geophysical processes. Finally, the uncertainties in the short-duration extreme sea-level events are controlled by near coastal processes, storms and tides.
Think Tanks: New Organizational Actors in a Changing Swedish Civil Society
Authors: Åberg Pelle , Einarsson Stefan , Reuter Marta
Published: October 2019

Policy institutes, or “think tanks”, are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in our societies. In this article, we conceptualize think tanks explicitly as a civil society phenomenon, linking the proliferation of this relatively new type of actor to the transformation of civil society structures and of systems of interest representation. Using the case of Sweden as an illustration, we argue that the recent decades’ rise of think tanks in institutional settings outside of the USA can only be understood if we take into account the particular features and institutional policy access opportunities of the domestic civil society in each national case, and that think tanks should be analytically understood as the allies of, rather than competitors to, the older, established forces in civil society.
Mild Zellweger syndrome due to functionally confirmed novel PEX1 variants
Authors: Lipiński Patryk , Stawiński Piotr , Rydzanicz Małgorzata , Wypchło Maria , Płoski Rafał , Stradomska Teresa Joanna , Jurkiewicz Elżbieta , Ferdinandusse Sacha , Wanders Ronald J. A. , Vaz Frederic M. , Tylki-Szymańska Anna
Published: October 2019

Zellweger spectrum disorders (ZSD) constitute a group of rare autosomal recessive disorders characterized by a defect in peroxisome biogenesis due to mutations in one of 13 PEX genes. The broad clinical heterogeneity especially in late-onset presenting patients and a mild phenotype complicates and delays the diagnostic process. Here, we report a case of mild ZSD, due to novel PEX1 variants. The patient presented with an early hearing loss, bilateral cataracts, and leukodystrophy on magnetic resonance (MR) images. Normal results of serum very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA) and phytanic acid were found. Molecular diagnostics were performed to uncover the etiology of the clinical phenotype. Using whole exome sequencing, there have been found two variants in the PEX1 gene—c.3450T>A (p.Cys1150*) and c.1769T>C (p.Leu590Pro). VLCFA measurement in skin fibroblasts and C26:0-lysoPC in dried blood spot therefore was performed. Both results were in line with the diagnosis of ZSD. To conclude, normal results of routine serum VLCFA and branched-chain fatty acid measurement do not exclude mild forms of ZSD. The investigation of C26:0-lysoPC should be included in the diagnostic work-up in patients with cataract, hearing loss, and leukodystrophy on MR images suspected to suffer from ZSD.