bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Separation of variables in AdS/CFT: functional approach for the fishnet CFT
Authors: Cavaglià Andrea , Gromov Nikolay , Levkovich-Maslyuk Fedor
Published: June 2021

Abstract

The major simplification in a number of quantum integrable systems is the existence of special coordinates in which the eigenstates take a factorised form. Despite many years of studies, the basis realising the separation of variables (SoV) remains unknown in $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 SYM and similar models, even though it is widely believed they are integrable. In this paper we initiate the SoV approach for observables with nontrivial coupling dependence in a close cousin of $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 SYM — the fishnet 4D CFT. We develop the functional SoV formalism in this theory, which allows us to compute non-perturbatively some nontrivial observables in a form suitable for numerical evaluation. We present some applications of these methods. In particular, we discuss the possible SoV structure of the one-point correlators in presence of a defect, and write down a SoV-type expression for diagonal OPE coefficients involving an arbitrary state and the Lagrangian density operator. We believe that many of the findings of this paper can be applied in the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 SYM case, as we speculate in the last part of the article.
Products and polarizations of super-isolated abelian varieties
Authors: Marseglia Stefano , Scholl Travis
Published: June 2021

In this paper we study super-isolated abelian varieties, that is, abelian varieties over finite fields whose isogeny class contains a single isomorphism class. The goal of this paper is to (1) characterize whether a product of super-isolated varieties is super-isolated, and (2) characterize which super-isolated abelian varieties admit principal polarizations, and how many up to polarized isomorphisms.
Prediction Model for Failure of Nonoperative Management of Uncomplicated Appendicitis in Adults
Authors: Kobayashi Toshimichi , Hidaka Eiji , Koganezawa Itsuki , Nakagawa Masashi , Yokozuka Kei , Ochiai Sigeto , Gunji Takahiro , Ozawa Yosuke , Hikita Kosuke , Sano Toru , Tomita Koichi , Tabuchi Satoshi , Chiba Naokazu , Kawachi Sigeyuki
Published: June 2021

Background

Prediction of failure of nonoperative management (NOM) in uncomplicated appendicitis (UA) is difficult. This study aimed to establish a new prediction model for NOM failure in UA.

Methods

We included 141 adults with UA who received NOM as initial treatment. NOM failure was defined as conversion to operation during hospitalization. Independent predictors of NOM failure were identified using logistic regression analysis. A prediction model was established based on these independent predictors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the Hosmer–Lemeshow test were used to assess the discrimination and calibration of the model, respectively, and risk stratification using the model was performed.

Results

Among 141 patients, NOM was successful in 120 and unsuccessful in 21. Male sex, maximal diameter of the appendix, and the presence of fecalith were identified as independent predictors of NOM failure for UA. A prediction model with scores ranging from 0 to 3 was established using the three variables (male sex, maximal diameter of the appendix ≥ 15 mm, and the presence of fecalith). The area under the ROC curve for the new prediction model was 0.778, and the model had good calibration (P = 0.476). A score of 2 yielded a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 90.8%. Patients were stratified into low (0–1), moderate (2), and high (3) risk categories, which had NOM rates of 5.2%, 47.1%, and 77.8%, respectively.

Conclusions

Our prediction model may predict NOM failure in UA with good diagnostic accuracy and help surgeons select appropriate treatments.
Complement in metabolic disease: metaflammation and a two-edged sword
Authors: King B. C. , Blom A. M.
Published: June 2021

We are currently experiencing an enduring global epidemic of obesity and diabetes. It is now understood that chronic low-grade tissue inflammation plays an important role in metabolic disease, brought upon by increased uptake of a so-called Western diet, and a more sedentary lifestyle. Many evolutionarily conserved links exist between metabolism and the immune system, and an imbalance in this system induced by chronic over-nutrition has been termed ‘metaflammation’. The complement system is an important and evolutionarily ancient part of innate immunity, but recent work has revealed that complement not only is involved in the recognition of pathogens and induction of inflammation, but also plays important roles in cellular and tissue homeostasis. Complement can therefore contribute both positively and negatively to metabolic control, depending on the nature and anatomical site of its activity. This review will therefore focus on the interactions of complement with mechanisms and tissues relevant for metabolic control, obesity and diabetes.
Cardiac autonomic function and cognitive performance in patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Hämmerle Peter , Aeschbacher Stefanie , Springer Anne , Eken Ceylan , Coslovsky Michael , Dutilh Gilles , Moschovitis Giorgio , Rodondi Nicolas , Chocano Patricia , Conen David , Osswald Stefan , Kühne Michael , Zuern Christine S.
Published: June 2021

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with loss of cognition and dementia. Cardiac autonomic dysfunction has been linked to cognitive decline. We aimed to investigate if reduced cardiac autonomic function (CAF) is associated with cognitive impairment in AF patients.

Methods

Patients with paroxysmal, persistent and permanent AF were enrolled from a multicenter cohort study if they had AF (“AF group”) or sinus rhythm (“SR group”) on a baseline 5 min ECG recording. Parameters quantifying CAF (heart rate variability triangular index (HRVI), mean heart rate (MHR), RMSSD, SDNN, total power and power in the VLF, LF, HF ranges) were calculated. We used the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to assess global cognitive function.

Results

1685 AF patients with a mean age of 73 ± 8 years, 29% females, were included. MoCA score was 24.5 ± 3.2 in the AF group (N = 710 patients) and 25.4 ± 3.2 in the SR group (N = 975 patients). After adjusting for multiple confounders, lower HRVI was associated with lower MoCA scores, both in the SR group [β = 0.049; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.016–0.081; p = 0.003] and in the AF group (β = 0.068; 95% CI 0.020–0.116; p = 0.006). In the AF group, higher MHR was associated with a poorer performance in the MoCA (β =  − 0.008; 95% CI − 0.014 to − 0.002; p = 0.014). We found no convincing evidence of association for other CAF parameters with cognition.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that impaired CAF is associated with worse cognitive performance in patients with AF. Among standard HRV parameters, HRVI might be the most promising ECG index.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02105844.

Graphic abstract
Polit-ökonomische Aspekte des Berichts zur Lage der Verbraucher:innen
Authors: Wagner Gert G.
Published: June 2021

Der Sachverständigenrat für Verbraucherfragen hat erstmals ein breit angelegtes Gutachten zur Lage der Verbraucher:innen in Deutschland vorgelegt. Gert G. Wagner, Mitglied im Sachverständigenrat für Verbraucherfragen, stellt aus seiner persönlichen Sicht ausgewählte Analysen, Ergebnisse und Empfehlungen vor. Über das Gutachten hinausgehend wird auch auf relevante Ereignisse hingewiesen, die nach Abschluss des Gutachtens stattfanden: die Vorlage des EU-Verordnungsvorschlags „Artificial Intelligence Act“, das Klimaschutz-Urteil des Bundesverfassungsgerichts und der Gesetzentwurf zum autonomen Fahren.
Aluminum-free glass ionomer cements containing 45S5 Bioglass® and its bioglass-ceramic
Authors: Zandi Karimi Alireza , Rezabeigi Ehsan , Drew Robin A. L.
Published: June 2021

Although the incorporation of bioactive glasses into glass ionomer cements (GICs) has led to promising results, using a bioactive glass as the only solid component of GICs has never been investigated. In this study, we developed an Al-free GIC with standard compressive strength using various combinations of 45S5 Bioglass® and its glass-ceramic as the solid component. The glass-ceramic particles with 74% crystallinity were used for this purpose as they can best act as both remineralizing and reinforcing agents. Strengthening mechanisms including crack deflection and crack-tip shielding were activated for the GICs containing 50–50 wt% bioglass and bioglass-ceramic as the optimum ratio. The progression of the GIC setting reaction at its early stages was also monitored and verified. We also discussed that our bimodal particle size distribution containing both micron- and nanosized particles may enhance the packing density and integrity of the structure of the cements after setting. In such GICs produced in this study, the toxic effects of Al are avoided while chemical bonds are expected to form between the cement and the surrounding hard tissue(s) through interfacial biomineralization and adhesion.
A story of bodying in science education
Authors: Byers Christie C. , Wallace Maria F. G.
Published: June 2021

In poetic dialogue withBecomingAlivewithinScienceEducation(Research):ThinkingwithLifeHistory(ies),BodiesandStickiness, stories of bodying and body(ies) of work are playfully explored.
Mask-R$$^{2}$$CNN: a distance-field regression version of Mask-RCNN for fetal-head delineation in ultrasound images
Authors: Moccia Sara , Fiorentino Maria Chiara , Frontoni Emanuele
Published: June 2021

Background and objectives

Fetal head-circumference (HC) measurement from ultrasound (US) images provides useful hints for assessing fetal growth. Such measurement is performed manually during the actual clinical practice, posing issues relevant to intra- and inter-clinician variability. This work presents a fully automatic, deep-learning-based approach to HC delineation, which we named Mask-R$$^{2}$$

2

CNN. It advances our previous work in the field and performs HC distance-field regression in an end-to-end fashion, without requiring a priori HC localization nor any postprocessing for outlier removal.

Methods

Mask-R$$^{2}$$

2

CNN follows the Mask-RCNN architecture, with a backbone inspired by feature-pyramid networks, a region-proposal network and the ROI align. The Mask-RCNN segmentation head is here modified to regress the HC distance field.

Results

Mask-R$$^{2}$$

2

CNN was tested on the HC18 Challenge dataset, which consists of 999 training and 335 testing images. With a comprehensive ablation study, we showed that Mask-R$$^{2}$$

2

CNN achieved a mean absolute difference of 1.95 mm (standard deviation $$=\pm 1.92$$

=
±
1.92

 mm), outperforming other approaches in the literature.

Conclusions

With this work, we proposed an end-to-end model for HC distance-field regression. With our experimental results, we showed that Mask-R$$^{2}$$

2

CNN may be an effective support for clinicians for assessing fetal growth.
The contribution of Geomatics to increase safety and security in ports
Authors: Soldani Maurizio
Published: June 2021

In this paper, the advantages achievable from the use of two prototype systems that are being developed to increase safety and security in ports are shown. Both systems start by monitoring environmental parameters in harbors, and then process data acquired. The first system has been conceived to be helpful to port communities (port authorities, pilots) to optimize harbor waterside management (ship’s navigation and cargo, dock performances, boat moorings, refloating of stranded ships, water quality control). By monitoring and processing sea level and atmospheric pressure in port areas, it can help port communities, e.g., to choose the best time when a ship with a certain draft can enter or leave a harbor, or to plan the best route inside the basin for that vessel (port safety). The second system, instead, has been designed for port protection purposes: by monitoring and processing the Earth’s magnetic field below the sea surface in harbors (where the natural field is disturbed by a high artificial component), it is able to detect the possible presence of intruders (e.g., divers) swimming underwater in prohibited areas (port security). Here, the results of monitoring and processing activities of the two systems performed in Livorno and La Spezia harbors are shown (Italy). The processing procedures and the graphical interfaces of the systems are based on applications under development by the research team the author belongs to, by using C# and C++ languages; Matlab environment has been employed for simulations.
A lifelong spam emails classification model
Authors: Mohammad Rami Mustafa A.
Published: June 2021

Spam emails classification using data mining and machine learning approaches has enticed the researchers' attention duo to its obvious positive impact in protecting internet users. Several features can be used for creating data mining and machine learning based spam classification models. Yet, spammers know that the longer they will use the same set of features for tricking email users the more probably the anti-spam parties might develop tools for combating this kind of annoying email messages. Spammers, so, adapt by continuously reforming the group of features utilized for composing spam emails. For that reason, even though traditional classification methods possess sound classification results, they were ineffective for lifelong classification of spam emails duo to the fact that they might be prone to the so-called “Concept Drift”. In the current study, an enhanced model is proposed for ensuring lifelong spam classification model. For the evaluation purposes, the overall performance of the suggested model is contrasted against various other stream mining classification techniques. The results proved the success of the suggested model as a lifelong spam emails classification method.
Predictive modeling of turning operations under different cooling/lubricating conditions for sustainable manufacturing with machine learning techniques
Authors: Cica Djordje , Sredanovic Branislav , Tesic Sasa , Kramar Davorin
Published: June 2021

Sustainable manufacturing is one of the most important and most challenging issues in present industrial scenario. With the intention of diminish negative effects associated with cutting fluids, the machining industries are continuously developing technologies and systems for cooling/lubricating of the cutting zone while maintaining machining efficiency. In the present study, three regression based machine learning techniques, namely, polynomial regression (PR), support vector regression (SVR) and Gaussian process regression (GPR) were developed to predict machining force, cutting power and cutting pressure in the turning of AISI 1045. In the development of predictive models, machining parameters of cutting speed, depth of cut and feed rate were considered as control factors. Since cooling/lubricating techniques significantly affects the machining performance, prediction model development of quality characteristics was performed under minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) and high-pressure coolant (HPC) cutting conditions. The prediction accuracy of developed models was evaluated by statistical error analyzing methods. Results of regressions based machine learning techniques were also compared with probably one of the most frequently used machine learning method, namely artificial neural networks (ANN). Finally, a metaheuristic approach based on a neural network algorithm was utilized to perform an efficient multi-objective optimization of process parameters for both cutting environment.
The Roman Republic to 49 BCE
Authors: Yarrow Liv Mariah
Published: June 2021

The narrative of Roman history has been largely shaped by the surviving literary sources, augmented in places by material culture. The numerous surviving coins can, however, provide new information on the distant past. This accessible but authoritative guide introduces the student of ancient history to the various ways in which they can help us understand the history of the Roman republic, with fresh insights on early Roman-Italian relations, Roman imperialism, urban politics, constitutional history, the rise of powerful generals and much more. The text is accompanied by over 200 illustrations of coins, with detailed captions, as well as maps and diagrams so that it also functions as a sourcebook of the key coins every student of the period should know. Throughout, it demystifies the more technical aspects of the field of numismatics and ends with a how-to guide for further research for non-specialists.
Gender, Space and Experience at the Renaissance Court
Authors: Maurer Maria F.
Published: June 2021

Gender, Space, and Experience at the Renaissance Court investigates the dynamic relationships between gender and architectural space in Renaissance Italy. It examines the ceremonial use and artistic reception of the Palazzo Te from the arrival of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1530 to the Sack of Mantua in 1630. This book further proposes that we conceptualise the built environment as a performative space, a space formed by the gendered relationships and actors of its time. The Palazzo Te was constituted by the gendered behaviors of sixteenth-century courtiers, but it was not simply a passive receptor of gender performance. Through its multivalent form and ceremonial function, Maria F. Maurer argues that the palace was an active participant in the construction and perception of femininity and masculinity in the early modern court.
Shifting ground: A case study in researching an artist's collection
Authors: Klumpp Kerri
Published: June 2021

Writers, artists and academics have long used primary source material to inspire creative projects or uncover new evidence. Over time, different approaches have been taken to investigate and interpret one particular artist's collection, the Daphne Mayo Papers (UQFL119) at the Fryer Library, University of Queensland.1 Mapping the shift in research approaches, using text and image as well as more speculative modes of working, this article provides a case study into the past, present and future adaptation of the Daphne Mayo Papers as physical modes converge with digital ones.
UN Guiding Principles at 10: Permeating Narratives or Yet Another Silo?
Authors: JÄGERS Nicola
Published: June 2021

The endorsement of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) triggered a remarkable process accelerating the recognition of human rights responsibilities for corporations in law and governance. Perhaps even more important is the emergence of an authoritative narrative on business and human rights (BHR), which arguably has the potential to overcome the often-fragmented approach to global issues. This article discusses the degree to which the BHR narrative has been able to penetrate competing powerful narratives that shape societal and regulatory responses. To what extent is the need to address the responsibility and accountability of corporations for human rights violations acknowledged? This is an especially pertinent question where it concerns imminent major global challenges such as climate change, which poses one of the greatest threats to human rights. Two major milestones of the last decade in the area of (environmental) sustainability are analysed: the Paris Climate Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. What role does the BHR narrative play in this context?
“I think Canadians look like all sorts of people”: ethnicity, political leadership, and the case of Jagmeet Singh
Authors: Bouchard Joanie
Published: June 2021

Research into the impact of a politician's sociodemographic profile on vote choice in Westminster-style systems has been hindered by the relative sociodemographic homogeneity of party leaders. Past research has focused mainly on the evaluation of local candidates in the American context, but given that elections in plurality systems are far less candidate-oriented , the evaluation of local candidates tells us little about the prevalence of affinity or discrimination in other contexts. This article investigates the effect of political leaders' ethnicity on political behavior by looking at the case of Jagmeet Singh in Canada, the first federal party leader of color in the country's history. While the literature has shown that the gender of leaders in Canada can matter, little is known about the attitudes of Canadians toward party leaders of color specifically. We are interested in the evaluations of Singh and his party, as well as the shifts in voting intentions between elections in 2015 and 2019. We uncover affinity-based behaviors from individuals who identify as Sikh, as well as a negative reception of Singh's candidacy in Quebec.
Outcomes for head and neck cancer patients admitted to intensive care in Australia and New Zealand between 2000 and 2016
Authors: Frauenfelder C A , Raith E P , Krishnan S , Udy A , Pilcher D
Published: June 2021

Objective

To report intensive care unit admission outcomes for head and neck cancer patients.

Methods

A retrospective, observational cohort analysis of all Australian and New Zealander head and neck cancer patient intensive care unit admissions from January 2000 to June 2016, including data from 192 intensive care units.

Results

There were 10 721 head and neck cancer patients, with a median age of 64 years (71.6 per cent male). Of admissions, 76.4 per cent were in public hospitals, 96.9 per cent were post-operative and 43.6 per cent required mechanical ventilation. Annual head and neck cancer admissions increased from 2000 to 2015 (from 348 to 1132 patients), but the overall proportion of intensive care unit admissions remained constant. In-hospital mortality was 2.7 per cent, and intensive care unit mortality was 0.7 per cent. The in-hospital mortality risk decreased three-fold (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Head and neck cancer patients had low mortality in the intensive care unit and in hospital. Risk of dying decreased despite more intensive care unit admissions. This is the first large-scale cohort study quantifying intensive care unit utilisation by head and neck cancer patients. It informs future work investigating alternatives to the intensive care unit for these patients.
Phonetics of White Hmong vowel and tonal contrasts
Authors: Garellek Marc , Esposito Christina M.
Published: June 2021

Hmong languages, particularly White Hmong, are well studied for their complex tone systems that incorporate pitch, phonation, and duration differences. Still, prior work has made use mostly of tones elicited in their citation forms in carrier phrases. In this paper, we provide a detailed description of both the vowel and tone systems of White Hmong from recordings of read speech. We confirm several features of the language, including the presence of nasal vowels (rather than derived nasalized vowels through coarticulation with a coda [ŋ]), the description of certain tone contours, and the systematic presence of breathy and creaky voice on two of the tones. We also find little evidence of additional intonational f0 targets. However, we show that some tones vary greatly by their position in utterance, and propose novel descriptions for several of them. Finally, we show that
$\textrm{H}1^{\!*}$
–H2*, a widely used measure of voice quality and phonation in Hmong and across languages, does not adequately distinguish modal from non-modal phonation in this data set, and argue that noise measures like Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPP) are more robust to phonation differences in corpora with more variability.
Alternate Possibilities, Divine Omniscience and Critique of Judgement §76
Authors: Brewer Kimberly
Published: June 2021

A philosophically and historically influential section of the Critique of Judgement presents an ‘intuitive intellect’ as a mind whose representation is limited to what actually exists, and does not extend to mere possibilities. Kant’s paradigmatic instance of such an intellect is however also the divine mind. This combination threatens to rule out the reality of the mere possibilities presupposed by Kant’s theory of human freedom. Through an analysis of the relevant issues in metaphysical cosmology, modal metaphysics and philosophical theology, I show that Kant in fact possesses the resources to reconcile the philosophical claims of §76 of the Critique of Judgement with his keystone commitment to the reality of human freedom.
Histological, Histochemical, and Ultrastructural Approach to the Ductus Deferens in Male Nile Monitor Lizard (Varanus niloticus)
Authors: Awad Mahmoud , Alshehri Mohammed , Hassaneen Ahmed Saad A.
Published: June 2021

The ductus deferens is a fundamental part of the male genital tract and the continuation of the epididymal duct. As a male secondary sex organ, the ductus deferens plays a crucial role in the nourishment, storage, and maturation of spermatozoa. Some studies have provided information about the ductus deferens structure in reptiles; however, the full description of the ductus deferens remains to be clarified. The current study aimed to describe the Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus)ductus deferens from histological, histochemical, and ultrastructural perspectives. The results revealed that the ductus deferens is formed histologically from two main cell types: principal and basal. The principal cells were tall and filled with periodic acid Schiff (+)/alcian blue (−) cytoplasmic granules. The basal cells were found just above the basement membrane. By transmission electron microscopy, the principal cells exhibited typical protein-secreting cell features. Additionally, some intraepithelial cells, such as halo cells, undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, and agranular leukocytes, were identified. This study presents the first detailed description of theVaranus niloticusductus deferens. Further immunohistochemical studies are required to explore the function(s) of the cellular components.
Prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among family caregivers of palliative care patients at Hospice Africa Uganda
Authors: Dipio Racheal , Acuda Wilson , Namisango Eve , Nalubega-Mbowa Mary Gorrethy
Published: June 2021

Caregiving for cancer and HIV/AIDS patients is complex, and the burden may vary with the type of disease, stages of the illness, and the type of palliative care intervention. Cancer and HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment adversely affect not only the patients but also their families and caregivers. They are vulnerable to stress, distress, and depression. Studies in developed countries have shown high prevalence of depression among family caregivers, but the scale of the problem among family caregivers in Uganda is not known.

Objective

This study aimed to establish the prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among family caregivers of palliative care patients at Hospice Africa Uganda.

Method

We used a mixed method study to determine the prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among family caregivers of palliative care patients at Hospice Africa Uganda. We assessed depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and collected socio-demographic data using a tailored questionnaire. We used binary logistic regression to assess for the association between depressive symptomatology and caregiver socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.

Results

We recruited 161 family caregivers, 64% of whom were female. The study revealed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms (46%) (n = 74) among the family caregivers. Education status and religious affiliation were significantly associated with depressive symptomatology.

Significance of results

Family caregivers of palliative care patients face a high burden of depressive symptoms. Efforts to care for family caregivers within palliative care should include assessment and management of depressive symptoms in this population.
Quality of life among relatives of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A prospective and longitudinal study
Authors: Larsson Birgitta Jakobsson , Ozanne Anneli , Nordin Karin , Nygren Ingela
Published: June 2021

Objective

Relatives are often central in caring for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), involving considerable physical, emotional, and social challenges. The aim of this study was to describe individual quality of life (iQoL) among relatives of patients with ALS, from diagnosis through disease progression.

Method

A total of 31 relatives were included. Data collection was performed at five time points: 1–3 months after their relatives had been diagnosed with ALS and every 6 months for 2 years. Quality of life was determined using the Schedule of Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life — Direct Weighting (SEIQoL-DW), emotional distress with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the illness severity of the patients was determined with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALS FRS-R).

Results

The SEIQoL-DW involves participants nominating the important life areas. The most nominated areas were family, friends, health, and leisure. Although most relatives had overall good and stable iQoL, several had scores indicating poor iQoL on some occasions during the disease trajectory. The relatives’ iQoL correlated with emotional well-being and the patient's physical function at different time points.

Significant of result

Social relations, emotional well-being, and rapid decline in the patient's physical function influence the relatives’ iQoL. Measuring both emotional well-being and iQoL, with a focus on the relatives’ own descriptions of perceived iQoL and those factors contributing to their iQoL during the disease trajectory may improve the possibility of identifying and supporting those relatives with poor iQoL.
What should be measured to assess the quality of community-based palliative care? Results from a collaborative expert workshop
Authors: Williams Nicole , Boumans Nicole , Luymes Nicole , White Nancy E. , Lemonde Manon , Guthrie Dawn M.
Published: June 2021

Objectives

The need for palliative care (PC) will continue to increase in Canada with population aging. Many older adults prefer to “age in place” and receive care in their own homes. Currently, there is a lack of standardized quality indicators (QIs) for PC delivered in the community in Canada.

Methods

A one-day workshop collected expert opinions on what should be measured to capture quality PC. Three brainstorming sessions were focused on addressing the following questions: (1) what is important to measure to support quality PC, regardless of setting? (2) Of the identified measures, are any of special importance to care provided in the home? (3) What are the challenges, barriers, and opportunities for creating these measures? The National Consensus Project (NCP) for Quality Palliative Care framework was used as a guide to group together important comments into key themes.

Results

The experts identified four themes that are important for measuring quality, regardless of care setting, including access to care in the community by a multidisciplinary team, care for the individual with PC needs, support for the informal caregiver (e.g., family, friends), and symptom management for individuals with PC needs. Two additional themes were of special importance to measuring quality PC in the home, including spiritual care for individuals with PC needs and home as the preferred place of death. The challenges, barriers, and potential opportunities to these quality issues were also discussed.

Significance of results

PC experts, through this collaborative process, made a substantial contribution to the creation of a standardized set of QIs for community-based PC. Having a standardized set of QIs will enable health care professionals and decision makers to target areas for improvement, implement interventions to improve the quality of care, and ultimately, optimize the health and well-being of individuals with a serious illness.
The RNA-binding protein LUC7L2 mediates MITA/STING intron retention to negatively regulate innate antiviral response
Authors: Li Chen , Feng Lu , Luo Wei-Wei , Lei Cao-Qi , Li Mi , Shu Hong-Bing
Published: June 2021

MITA (also known as STING) is an ER-located adaptor protein, which mediates DNA-triggered innate immune response and is critically involved in autoimmune diseases and tumorigenesis. MITA is regulated by post-translational modifications, but how post-transcriptional mechanisms are involved in the regulation of MITA is still largely unknown. Here, we identified the RNA-binding protein LUC7L2 as a negative regulator of DNA virus-triggered innate immune response. LUC7L2-deficient mice exhibited resistance to lethal herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection and reduced HSV-1 loads in the brain. Mechanistically, LUC7L2 directly bound to intron 3 of MITA precursor messenger RNA, inhibited its splicing and promoted its nonsense-mediated decay, leading to its downregulation at protein level. LUC7L2-deficient cells had markedly increased MITA level, leading to heightened innate antiviral response. Finally, LUC7L2 was induced following HSV-1 infection. Our findings reveal a feedback negative post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism for regulation of MITA-mediated innate immune response to viral and aberrant cellular DNA.
The immune cell landscape of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from PNS patients
Authors: Ye Qing , Zhou Chao , Li Sisi , Wang Jingjing , Liu Fei , Liu Zhixia , Mao Jianhua , Fu Haidong
Published: June 2021

Existing research suggests that the human immune system and immune cells are involved in the pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome, but there is still a lack of direct evidence. This study tried to analyze the profiling of immune cells in the peripheral blood of steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) patients and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) patients before and after standard steroid treatment to clarify the immunological mechanism of nephrotic syndrome patients. The number and proportion of CD4 + T cells in patients with nephrotic syndrome remained unchanged. However, there is an imbalance of Th1 and Th2 and an excessive increase of Th17 cells. The number of CD8 + T cells and the number of effector CD8 + T cells in them increased significantly, but only in SSNS, the number of activated CD8 + T cells increased, and the number of activated Tregcells decreased significantly. Nephrotic syndrome patients also have B cell disorder, and it is more prominent in SSNS patients. Compared with the normal control, only the number of B cells and plasmablast in SSNS patients increased significantly (Z = − 2.20,P = 0.028). This study also observed that transitional B cells decreased in both SSNS and SRNS patients, but SSNS patients' decrease was lower than in SRNS patients. Compared with normal controls, monocytes in patients with nephrotic syndrome decreased significantly. The main reason was that Non-classical Monocyte decreased, while Classical Monocyte increased slightly. The total number of NK cells did not change, but the internal cell subgroups' composition occurred. Changes, realized as CD56hi NK cells increased, CD56low NK cells decreased; and the above trend is more evident in SSNS patients. Patients with nephrotic syndrome have immune disorders, including T cells, B cells, Monocytes, and NK cells. It can be confirmed that immune factors are involved in the pathogenesis of the nephrotic syndrome.
Application of tandem fast protein liquid chromatography to purify intact native monomeric/aggregated Tamm–Horsfall protein from human urine and systematic comparisons with diatomaceous earth adsorption and salt precipitation: yield, purity and time-consumption
Authors: Noonin Chadanat , Kapincharanon Chompunoot , Sueksakit Kanyarat , Kanlaya Rattiyaporn , Thongboonkerd Visith
Published: June 2021

The efficiency of tandem FPLC (Mono Q anion-exchange/Superdex 200 size-exclusion) for purification of intact Tamm–Horsfall protein (uromodulin) from human urine was compared with two conventional methods, i.e., salt precipitation and DE adsorption.
The effect of the flavonol rutin on serum and liver iron content in a genetic mouse model of iron overload
Authors: Hawula Zachary J. , Secondes Eriza S. , Wallace Daniel F. , Rishi Gautam , Subramaniam V. Nathan
Published: June 2021

The flavonol rutin has been shown to possess antioxidant and iron chelating properties in vitro and in vivo. These dual properties are beneficial as therapeutic options to reduce iron accumulation and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) resultant from excess free iron. The effect of rutin on iron metabolism has been limited to studies performed in wildtype mice either injected or fed high-iron diets. The effect of rutin on iron overload caused by genetic dysregulation of iron homoeostasis has not yet been investigated. In the present study we examined the effect of rutin treatment on tissue iron loading in a genetic mouse model of iron overload, which mirrors the iron loading associated with Type 3 hereditary haemochromatosis patients who have a defect in Transferrin Receptor 2 (TFR2). Male TFR2 knockout (KO) mice were administered rutin via oral gavage for 21 continuous days. Following treatment, iron levels in serum, liver, duodenum and spleen were assessed. In addition, hepatic ferritin protein levels were determined by Western blotting, and expression of iron homoeostasis genes by quantitative real-time PCR. Rutin treatment resulted in a significant reduction in hepatic ferritin protein expression and serum transferrin saturation. In addition, trends towards decreased iron levels in the liver and serum, and increased serum unsaturated iron binding capacity were observed. This is the first study to explore the utility of rutin as a potential iron chelator and therapeutic in an animal model of genetic iron overload.
A Novel Protocol Designed to Treat Spastic Dysarthria Secondary to Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case Study
Authors: Galek Kristine , Bice Ed M. , Allen Katie
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Spastic dysarthria is a motor speech disorder produced by bilateral damage to the activation pathways of the central nervous system. Its speech characteristics reflect the effects of hypertonicity and weakness of the bulbar musculature in a way that slows movement and reduces range of motion and force. Perceptually, speech has a high-pitched, strained, hypernasal vocal quality with decreased intelligibility.

Purpose

The purpose is to present a case illustration describing the use of a novel treatment protocol to improve speech intelligibility in the presence of spastic dysarthria.

Method

An underlying framework, including principles of exercise, neuroplasticity, and motor learning with adjunctive biofeedback, is described. The protocol consisted of four sessions per week for 4 weeks with daily homework.

Results

The participant exhibited improvements in intelligibility, patient satisfaction, lingual, and jaw range of motion, nasality, and tongue strength.

Conclusion

The use of a novel protocol using biofeedback and incorporating principles of exercise science, neuroplasticity, and motor learning for the treatment of spastic dysarthria demonstrated positive outcomes.
Effects of Repeated Exposure to Synthetic and Digitized Natural Speech by Individuals With Aphasia
Authors: Wollersheim Madeline , Brown Jessica A. , Hux Karen , Knollman-Porter Kelly , Wallace Sarah E.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Technological supports provide multimodal presentation of text, which may increase understandability of written materials by people with aphasia (PWA). Extant literature reveals that digitized natural speech and synthetic computer-generated speech within these supports are comprehensible by PWA at discrete time points; however, understandability following repeated exposure is unexplored. This pilot study evaluated understanding of, and preference regarding, synthetic and digitized natural speech during and following repeated exposures by PWA.

Method

This multiple–case-study project included four adults with aphasia. Participants independently completed various listening tasks in a single digitized natural speech condition and one of two synthetic speech conditions across a 2-week period. Participants completed sessions to evaluate maintenance effects and generalization to novel stimuli and an untrained synthetic voice condition 1 week and 1 month following daily practice.

Results

Study participants demonstrated understandability evident by at- or near-ceiling performance during baseline, practice, and follow-up sessions in the digitized natural condition and one synthetic speech condition. Individuals with mild aphasia achieved relatively consistent performance during independent practice, whereas performance of individuals with moderate aphasia fluctuated in both conditions. All four participants demonstrated variable understanding during generalization and maintenance tasks at follow-up time points. Participants most frequently indicated preference for digitized natural speech over either synthetic speech condition.

Conclusions

Findings hold important clinical implications when considering feasibility of utilizing these speech forms as compensatory strategies for PWA. Further research is needed to more fully understand the effects of repeated exposure to synthetic speech on comprehension among PWA.
A compact broadband ESD protection circuit using multi‐layer helical inductor
Authors: Zou Wang‐Hui , Tang Peng , Zhu Zhi‐Hua
Published: June 2021

Here, a broadband electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit using area‐efficient multi‐layer helical inductors is presented. The proposed concept was verified in a 0.18 μm 1P6M CMOS process, and the circuit area is only 54 × 63 μm2. The measurement results show that a bandwidth of around 30 GHz is achieved, and the impedance matching is kept under –20 dB up to 40 GHz. The measured TLP and VF‐TLP currents reach 2.19 and 5.80 A, respectively, which indicates a good ESD robustness.
A parallel multi‐block alternating direction method of multipliers for tensor completion
Authors: Zhu Hu , Wang Zhongyang , Yan Taiyu , Yu Yu‐Feng , Deng Lizhen , Bao Bing‐Kun
Published: June 2021

This paper proposes an algorithm for the tensor completion problem of estimating multi‐linear data under the limitation of observation rate. Many tensor completion methods are based on nuclear norm minimization, they may fail to achieve the global solution for solving nuclear norm minimization in tensor completion problem with high missing ratio. To tackle this issue, an adaptive tensor completion method based on parallel multi‐block alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm is proposed, it can derive the model from the initial estimate and compute the next estimate from the current solution. The parallel multi‐block ADMM with global convergence is adopted to solve the dual problem, which greatly improves the processing power and reliability of the algorithm.
An improved hysteresis current control scheme during grid voltage zero‐crossing for grid‐connected three‐level inverters
Authors: Wang Haifeng , Wu Xinzhen , Zheng Xiaoqin , Yuan Xibo
Published: June 2021

For three‐level inverters, hysteresis current control (HCC) has been widely used in applications such as active power filters due to its fast‐dynamic response, and it does not need to control each frequency separately with multiple controllers, which makes it simpler. However, the large fluctuation range of switching frequency is a serious disadvantage of hysteresis current control. Especially, the switching frequency decreases significantly during grid voltage zero‐crossing. This frequency fluctuation will cause low‐frequency harmonics. The purpose of this paper is to propose a sampling compensation scheme, which can solve the problem of switching frequency fluctuation near the zero‐crossing of grid voltage. Based on the variable hysteresis band strategy, the virtual sampling and switching time prediction algorithm is designed, which does not need to increase the sampling frequency or add additional controller. Therefore, nearly fixed switching frequency can be achieved while maintaining the control performance. Both simulation and experimental tests have verified the efficacy of the proposed scheme.
Tracing the magnetic field morphology of the LDN 1172/1174 cloud complex
Authors: Saha Piyali , Gopinathan Maheswar , Sharma Ekta , Won Lee Chang , Ghosh Tuhin , Kim Shinyoung
Published: June 2021

Context. The LDN 1172/1174 cloud complex in the Cepheus Flare region presents a hub-filament structure with the reflection nebula, NGC 7023, illuminated by a Herbig Be star, HD 200775, which consists of the hub with a ~5 pc long narrow filament attached to it. Formation of a sparse cluster of low- and intermediate-mass stars is presently taking place in the hub.

Aims. The aim of this work is to map the magnetic field geometry of LDN 1172/1174 to understand the role played by the field lines in the formation of the molecular cloud.

Methods. Unpolarized background stars can be used to measure dichroically polarized light produced by the magnetically aligned grains present in molecular clouds. As these dust grains get aligned with their minor axes parallel to the ambient magnetic field, the polarization measurements can provide the plane-of-sky component of the magnetic field. We made R-band polarization measurements of 249 stars projected on the entire LDN 1172/1174 cloud complex to map the geometry of the magnetic field of this region.

Results. The magnetic field geometry constructed from our R-band polarization measurements is found to be parallel to the elongated structure inferred from the column density distribution of the cloud produced using the Herschel images. Our R-band polarization measurements are found to be in good agreement with those obtained from Planck. There is evidence of a possible distortion of the magnetic fields toward the northwestern part of the cloud by HD 200775. The magnetic field strength is estimated as ~30 μG. The estimated star formation rate (SFR)/mass of 2.0 ± 1.3% Myr−1 and 0.4 ± 0.3% Myr−1 for LDN 1172/1174 and the neighboring cloud complex, LDN 1147/1158, respectively, are found to be consistent with the mean SFR/mass found for the clouds with magnetic field orientations parallel and perpendicular to their elongated structures, respectively. These results support earlier findings that the clouds with magnetic field lines parallel to their long axes seem to have higher SFRs compared to those with the magnetic field orientation perpendicular to the cloud elongation.
The efficiency of application urea with urease inhibitor to increase potato yield
Authors: Vizirskaya Maria , Shchepeleva Anna , Akanova Natalia , Zhdanov Vasilii , Sherstobitov Sergey
Published: June 2021

In the article are presented the investigation results, which shows the effectiveness of urea with urease inhibitor – nBPT in potato growing agroecosystems. The advantages of the new fertilizer are the yield increase, and quality improvement. Urea with nBPT lead to formation bigger tuber size what is one of the most important characteristic for marketable potato. Fertilizer was tested in experimental fields and in real farm conditions.