bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α and platelet-rich plasma enhance bone regeneration and angiogenesis simultaneously in situ in rabbit calvaria
Authors: Zhang Zhengye , Zheng Yang , Zu Jianing , Zhuang Jinpeng , Xu Gongping , Yan Jinglong , Liu Xiaoqi
Published: September 2021

The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of chemokine stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on bone formation and angiogenesis, and to assess whether SDF-1α and PRP could function synergistically. Four evenly distributed defects (8 mm in diameter) were generated in the calvarial bones of New Zealand white rabbits. All rabbits received four treatment regimens containing autogenous bone particles (AB), SDF-1α, or PRP. AB group presented significantly less bone formation compared with the other three groups 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. The amount of newly formed bone in the AB+PRP+SDF-1α group was similar to that in the AB + SDF-1α group at the 4-week time-point (p = 0.65), and was much greater than that in the AB and AB+PRP group (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, more new blood vessels were formed in the AB+PRP, AB+SDF-1α, and AB+PRP+SDF-1α group versus the AB group. AB+PRP+SDF-1α group showed statistically increased angiogenesis compared with the AB+PRP and AB+SDF-1α groups (bothp < 0.05) after treatment for 2 and 4 weeks. These findings indicated that SDF-1α and PRP might exhibit synergistic effects to promote angiogenesis in early bone regeneration.
Dying like a dog: the convergence of concepts of a good death in human and veterinary medicine
Authors: Selter Felicitas , Persson Kirsten , Risse Johanna , Kunzmann Peter , Neitzke Gerald
Published: September 2021

Standard views of good death in human and veterinary medicine considerably differ from one another. Whereas the good death ideal in palliative medicine emphasizes the positive aspects of non-induced dying, veterinarians typically promote a quick and painless killing with the aim to end suffering. Recent developments suggest a convergence of both professions and professional attitudes, however. Palliative physicians are confronted with patients wishing to be ‘put to sleep’, while veterinarians have begun to integrate principles and practices from hospice care. We will argue that the discourses on good human and animal deaths are not distinct, but that they interact and influence each other. On the one hand, veterinary medicine adapts techniques like chemotherapy or sedation from palliative end-of-life care. On the other hand, philosophers, veterinarians, pet owners, patients and the general public alike make certain assumptions about the (dis)analogy of human and animal dying or killing. Unfortunately, these interactions have only scarcely been reflected normatively, especially on the part of human medicine. Conflicts and misattributions with potential serious negative consequences for the (animal and human) patients’ wellbeing are provoked. For these reasons, palliative physicians and veterinarians are invited to engage in the debate around human and animal end-of-life care.
One or two? A Process View of pregnancy
Authors: Meincke Anne Sophie
Published: September 2021

How many individuals are present where we see a pregnant individual? Within a substance ontological framework, there are exactly two possible answers to this question. The standard answer—two individuals—is typically championed by scholars endorsing the predominant Containment View of pregnancy, according to which the foetus resides in the gestating organism like in a container. The alternative answer—one individual—has recently found support in the Parthood View, according to which the foetus is a part of the gestating organism. Here I propose a third answer: a pregnant individual is neither two individuals nor one individual but something in between one and two. This is because organisms are better understood as processes than as substances. With a special focus on the Parthood View, I explain why a Process View of pregnancy, according to which a pregnant individual is a bifurcating hypercomplex process, surpasses the substance ontological approaches.
The institutional foundations of surf break governance in Atlantic Europe
Authors: Rode Martin
Published: September 2021

The sport of surfing is best enjoyed with one rider on one wave, but crowding makes that optimal assignment increasingly hard to attain. This study examines the phenomenon of surf localism, whereby competitors are excluded from waves by intimidation and the threat of violence. An alternative way to accommodate crowds is contained in the surfer’s code, which sets informal rules and self-enforced regulations to avoid conflict in the water. Both regimes establish property rights over common pool resources with no state intervention, creating a setting wherein users face the question of cooperation or conflict. The disposition to cooperate and follow norms has been shown to vary substantially across different cultures, though. Employing data from over seven hundred surf spots on the European Atlantic coast, this study reports evidence that certain informal cultural norms significantly reduce the probability of violent exclusion, while formal state institutions mostly are irrelevant. The results also indicate that informal norms become more important with greater resource quality and, possibly, with increasing scarcity.
Reconstruction of the Sunspot Number Source Database and the 1947 Zurich Discontinuity
Authors: Clette Frédéric , Lefèvre Laure , Bechet Sabrina , Ramelli Renzo , Cagnotti Marco
Published: September 2021

The recalibration of the sunspot number series, the primary long-term record of the solar cycle, requires the recovery of the entire collection of raw sunspot counts collected by the Zurich Observatory for the production of this index between 1849 and 1980.

Here, we report about the major progresses accomplished recently in the construction of this global digital sunspot number database, and we derive global statistics of all the individual observers and professional observatories who provided sunspot data over more than 130 years.

First, we can announce the full recovery of long-lost source-data tables covering the last 34 years between 1945 and 1979, and we describe the unique information available in those tables. We then also retrace the evolution of the core observing team in Zurich and of the auxiliary stations. In 1947, we find a major disruption in the composition of both the Zurich team and the international network of auxiliary stations.

This sharp transition is unique in the history of the Zurich Observatory and coincides with the main scale-jump found in the original Zurich sunspot number series, the so-called “Waldmeier” jump. This adds key historical evidence explaining why methodological changes introduced progressively in the early 20th century could play a role precisely at that time. We conclude on the remaining steps needed to fully complete this new sunspot data resource.
A Metropolis-class sampler for targets with non-convex support
Authors: Moriarty John , Vogrinc Jure , Zocca Alessandro
Published: September 2021

We aim to improve upon the exploration of the general-purpose random walk Metropolis algorithm when the target has non-convex support$$A\subset {\mathbb {R}}^d$$A⊂Rd, by reusing proposals in$$A^c$$Acwhich would otherwise be rejected. The algorithm is Metropolis-class and under standard conditions the chain satisfies a strong law of large numbers and central limit theorem. Theoretical and numerical evidence of improved performance relative to random walk Metropolis are provided. Issues of implementation are discussed and numerical examples, including applications to global optimisation and rare event sampling, are presented.
Master regulator NtrC controls the utilization of alternative nitrogen sources in Pseudomonas stutzeri A1501
Authors: Yang Zhimin , Li Qin , Yan Yongliang , Ke Xiubin , Han Yueyue , Wu Shaoyu , Lv Fanyang , Shao Yahui , Jiang Shanshan , Lin Min , Zhang Yunhua , Zhan Yuhua
Published: September 2021

Pseudomonas stutzeri A1501 is a model strain used to study associative nitrogen fixation, and it possesses the nitrogen regulatory NtrC protein in the core genome. Nitrogen sources represent one of the important factors affecting the efficiency of biological nitrogen fixation in the natural environment. However, the regulation of NtrC during nitrogen metabolism in P. stutzeri A1501 has not been clarified. In this work, a phenotypic analysis of the ntrC mutant characterized the roles of NtrC in nitrogen metabolism and the oxidative stress response of P. stutzeri A1501. To systematically identify NtrC-controlled gene expression, RNA-seq was performed to further analyse the gene expression differences between the wild-type strain and the ∆ntrC mutant under nitrogen fixation conditions. A total of 1431 genes were found to be significantly altered by ntrC deletion, among which 147 associative genes had NtrC-binding sites, and the pathways for nitrogen fixation regulation, nitrogenous compound acquisition and catabolism and nitrate assimilation were discussed. Furthermore, the oxidative stress-related gene (katB), which was upregulated by ntrC deletion, was suggested to be a potential target gene of NtrC, thus highlighting the importance of NtrC in nitrogenase protection against oxygen damage. Based on these findings, we propose that NtrC is a high-ranking element in the regulatory network of P. stutzeri A1501 that controls a variety of nitrogen metabolic and oxidative stress responsive traits required for adaptation to complex rhizosphere environments.
Online Power Control and Optimization for Energy Harvesting Communication System Based on State of Charge
Authors: Guo Jing , Zhang Xu
Published: September 2021

In this paper, the online power control problem for energy harvesting wireless communication system with a finite storage capacity battery is addressed, where the channel state and energy harvesting rate are both unknown. A low complexity algorithm based online convex optimization is proposed to guarantee energy availability of energy harvesting node and maximize average long-term throughput. The proposed algorithm restricts maximum transmission power with the information of state of charge, and allocates transmission power based on historical information. In addition, energy availability constraint is given by rigorous theoretical analysis to guarantee the optimization of average long-term throughput. Simulations have been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm without considering probability distribution of energy arrival or channel coefficients. The proposed algorithm outperforms counterparts in different energy harvested rates.
Epigenetic clock and DNA methylation analysis of porcine models of aging and obesity
Authors: Schachtschneider Kyle M. , Schook Lawrence B. , Meudt Jennifer J. , Shanmuganayagam Dhanansayan , Zoller Joseph A. , Haghani Amin , Li Caesar Z. , Zhang Joshua , Yang Andrew , Raj Ken , Horvath Steve
Published: September 2021

DNA-methylation profiles have been used successfully to develop highly accurate biomarkers of age, epigenetic clocks, for many species. Using a custom methylation array, we generated DNA methylation data from n = 238 porcine tissues including blood, bladder, frontal cortex, kidney, liver, and lung, from domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) and minipigs (Wisconsin Miniature Swine™). Samples used in this study originated from Large White X Landrace crossbred pigs, Large White X Minnesota minipig crossbred pigs, and Wisconsin Miniature Swine™. We present 4 epigenetic clocks for pigs that are distinguished by their compatibility with tissue type (pan-tissue and blood clock) and species (pig and human). Two dual-species human-pig pan-tissue clocks accurately measure chronological age and relative age, respectively. We also characterized CpGs that differ between minipigs and domestic pigs. Strikingly, several genes implicated by our epigenetic studies of minipig status overlap with genes (ADCY3, TFAP2B, SKOR1, and GPR61) implicated by genetic studies of body mass index in humans. In addition, CpGs with different levels of methylation between the two pig breeds were identified proximal to genes involved in blood LDL levels and cholesterol synthesis, of particular interest given the minipig’s increased susceptibility to cardiovascular disease compared to domestic pigs. Thus, breed-specific differences of domestic and minipigs may potentially help to identify biological mechanisms underlying weight gain and aging-associated diseases. Our porcine clocks are expected to be useful for elucidating the role of epigenetics in aging and obesity, and the testing of anti-aging interventions.
Zukunftserwartungen der Österreicher*innen während der Coronakrise
Authors: Prandner Dimitri , Moosbrugger Robert
Published: September 2021

Was kommt nach der Coronakrise? Die Forschungsnotiz befasst sich mit den Zukunftserwartungen der Österreicher*innen während der ersten Phase der Coronapandemie. Die Daten des Austrian Corona Panel Project zeigen, dass die Zukunftserwartung für Österreich und die Erwartungen an die eigene Zukunft stark divergieren. Während mehr als 60 % Prozent der Befragten glauben, dass sich die Situation in Österreich verschlechtern wird, gehen nur 26 % von einer Verschlechterung ihrer eigenen Lebensumstände in den nächsten Jahren aus.

Anhand von Einschätzungen der Befragten zu den drei von Anhut und Heitmeyer postulierten Krisenzuständen – Struktur, Regulation, Kohäsion – lässt sich veranschaulichen, dass Vertrauen in die gesellschaftlichen Institutionen ein wesentlicher Indikator dafür ist, wie optimistisch oder pessimistisch die Menschen in Österreich ihre eigene und die gesellschaftliche Zukunft beurteilen. Darüber hinaus ist es die Wahrnehmung bestehender materieller Ungleichheiten, welche sowohl die Einschätzung der Entwicklung der persönlichen, aber auch der Lebensumstände in Österreich bestimmt. Zudem sind diejenigen, die der Politik und dem öffentlichen Leben Relevanz zusprechen, pessimistischer, wenn es um die Zukunft des Landes geht.
Connected care for endocarditis and heart failure patients: a hospital-at-home programme
Authors: van Ramshorst J. , Duffels M. , de Boer S. P. M , Bos-Schaap A. , Drexhage O. , Walburg S. , de Beij J. , van der Stoop D. , Umans V. A. W. M.
Published: September 2021

Background

Healthcare expenditure in the Netherlands is increasing at such a rate that currently 1 in 7 employees are working in healthcare/curative care. Future increases in healthcare spending will be restricted, given that 10% of the country’s gross domestic product is spent on healthcare and the fact that there is a workforce shortage. Dutch healthcare consists of a curative sector (mostly hospitals) and nursing care at home. The two entities have separate national budgets (€25 bn + €20 bn respectively)

Aim

In a proof of concept, we explored a new hospital-at-home model combining hospital cure and nursing home care budgets. This study tests the feasibility of (1) providing hospital care at home, (2) combining financial budgets, (3) increasing workforces by combining teams and (4) improving perspectives and increasing patient and staff satisfaction.

Results

We tested the feasibility of combining the budgets of a teaching hospital and home care group for cardiology. The budgets were sufficient to hire three nurse practitioners who were trained to work together with 12 home care cardiovascular nurses to provide care in a hospital-at-home setting, including intravenous treatment. Subsequently, the hospital-at-home programme for endocarditis and heart failure treatment was developed and a virtual ward was built within the e‑patient record.

Conclusion

The current model demonstrates a proof of concept for a hospital-at-home programme providing hospital-level curative care at home by merging hospital and home care nursing staff and budgets. From the clinical perspective, ambulatory intravenous antibiotic and diuretic treatment at home was effective in safely achieving a reduced length of stay of 847 days in endocarditis patients and 201 days in heart-failure-at-home patients. We call for further studies to facilitate combined home care and hospital cure budgets in cardiology to confirm this concept.
Roman lead ingots from Macedonia—the Augustan shipwreck of Comacchio (prov. Ferrara, Italy) and the reinterpretation of its lead ingots’ provenance deduced from lead isotope analysis
Authors: Bode Michael , Hanel Norbert , Rothenhöfer Peter
Published: September 2021

A shipwreck of the 3rd/2nd decade BC found near Comacchio (prov. Ferrara, Italy) in 1980 contained not only well-preserved technical equipment and commercial goods but also 102 Roman lead ingots. Since then, the origin of the ingots has been intensively discussed. Domergue et al. (2012) connected the epigraphic elements with lead isotope analyses and favored the southeastern Spanish lead ore mines being the source of the lead metal. An origin from the Balkan region (Illyricum) was favored by Dušanić (2008). Due to our investigations, both assumptions cannot be maintained. We present a new interpretation of the lead’s isotope signature which best match data of ore deposits from Chalkidiki, Thasos island, and Pangaion mountains in the northern Aegean region.
Acceptance of and satisfaction with online educational classes through the technology acceptance model (TAM): the COVID-19 situation in Korea
Authors: Han Jee-Hoon , Sa Hye Ji
Published: September 2021

This study examines the current state of acceptance of online classes using the technology acceptance model. The background of the study is the turning point in Korean education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and speculation about changes in the post-COVID educational environment. To measure the acceptance rate of online classes, a survey was conducted on a total of 313 university students taking online classes. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results of the study are as follows: First, the perceived ease of use of online classes showed a positive effect on perceived usefulness. Second, both the perceived ease of use and usefulness of online classes showed a positive effect on educational satisfaction. Third, both the perceived usefulness and satisfaction showed a positive effect on the acceptance intention of online education. However, the perceived ease of use did not have a positive effect on acceptance intention. These results suggest that satisfaction with online education can be further improved by developing online classes that are easy to use, focusing on the features that are frequently used by university students. In addition, universities should continuously provide training and advice to increase students’ perceived usefulness of online classes.
Development of Educational Print Materials for Physical Activity in Cancer: Evaluation of Readability and Suitability
Authors: Avancini Alice , Benato Giulia , Tregnago Daniela , Trestini Ilaria , Milella Michele , Lanza Massimo , Pilotto Sara
Published: September 2021

Educational health materials may be important tools to increase physical activity in cancer patients. Nevertheless, most of the available resources regarding physical activity for cancer patients were found not suitable, had a low grade of readability, and thus, represent a significant barrier to behavior change. To date, little data about development criteria and evaluation of physical activity resources for cancer before their spread exist. The purposes of this study were (i) to describe the development of a physical activity guidebook designed for cancer patients and (ii) to test its readability and suitability. The guidebook was developed through multi-step passages, including group discussions, a literature review, identification of a motivational theory, and using previous research on exercise preferences, barriers, and facilitators to target the information. Two validated formulae were used to assess the readability, whereas thirty-four judges completed the Suitability of Assessment Materials questionnaire to evaluate the suitability of the guidebook. The guidebook was found readable for patients having at least a primary education, and the judges scored it as “superior” material. Our guidebook, following a rigorous method in the development phase, was considered to be suitable and readable. Further evaluations through clinical trials could investigate its effectiveness for behavior change and its impact on cancer patients.
Trending approaches on demulsification of crude oil in the petroleum industry
Authors: Alao Kehinde Temitope , Alara Oluwaseun Ruth , Abdurahman Nour Hamid
Published: September 2021

The complicated nature of crude oil emulsions is part of the major setbacks associated with the postulation of methods for phase separation and demulsification in the oil industry. Despite the increasing efforts in generating efficient and dependable demulsification methods, the majority of emulsions cannot be shattered in reduced times. This review examines the trending techniques of crude oil demulsification in the petroleum industry. Several approaches have been examined to discover the best method of demulsification. Hence, this reports reviewed the past studies on the emulsion, formation of oil emulsions, methods of demulsification, characteristics of demulsifier, mechanism of demulsification, kinetics in demulsification, operating parameters influencing the demulsification processes, the structure of demulsifier, and formulations that are involved in the demulsification. The formulations of crude oil demulsification have been investigated to unveil adequate demulsifiers for crude oil. Therefore, demulsification approaches have several applications due to wider varieties of crude oil, separation equipment, brines, chemical demulsifiers, the method in which demulsifiers is been formulated, and product specifications.
Importance of mitigation measures for hospital transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at the onset of the epidemic: the experience of Brescia, Northern Italy
Authors: Marchese Valentina , Formenti Beatrice , Cola Gloria , Gregori Natalia , Albini Elisa , De Palma Giuseppe , Possenti Irene , Scala Marco , Castelli Francesco , Matteelli Alberto
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Since the first Italian case of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in Lombardy (Northern Italy)  Italy quickly became one of the worst-affected European countries, with a severe impact on health-care workers (HCWs). In the first epidemic, HCWs accounted for 12% of all national COVID-19 cases. We evaluated the burden of COVID-19 among HCWs and other non-health-care workers (nHCWs) in a large Italian hospital.

Methods

From March 1st to May 31st 2020, we performed a retrospective study at ASST Civil Hospital, in the Province of Brescia, Lombardy. The study population included all hospital personnel (n = 9265), categorized by professional status.

Results

A SARS-CoV-2 test was performed in 3572 workers (38.5%), with a positive result in 552 (5.9% of all hospital personnel). The temporal trend of SARS-CoV-2 cases in hospital staff broadly reflected that in the community, with a great majority of infections occurred during March 2020 (87.7%). From April onward, a steep decrease of positive cases was observed among hospital personnel, while in the community the decrease was much slower. Medical doctors (8.9%) and nurses (8.5%) were the most affected professional categories with a significantly higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 1.436 and OR 1.410, respectively p < 0.0001). HCWs in COVID-19 units presented a significantly higher risk of infection compared to HCWs in non-COVID units (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

HCWs were severely affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, probably associated with an overwhelming burden of work and lack of preparedness in prevention of nosocomial transmission of the infection. The rapid decrease of COVID-19 spread in the hospital, registered before the one in the community, suggests that the adopted preventive measures were effective.
Simulation-based usability testing of some tracking controllers for underactuated underwater vehicles using simplified criteria
Authors: Herman Przemyslaw
Published: September 2021

This paper proposes a method for the preliminary verification of known control algorithms designed for tracking the desired trajectory of underactuated underwater vehicles. It is based on simplified criteria for the selection of suitable controllers. Moreover, a certain method for the selection of controller parameters is indicated, which can be effective in the initial analysis of the suitability of selected control schemes. In order to demonstrate the possible application of the described approach, several control strategies known from the literature were selected and numerical tests for them were performed for two 3 DOF models of underwater vehicles with different dynamics. The method given here can be useful for simulation studies at the stage of controller selection without its experimental validation.
Numerical study on butterfly wings around inclusion based on damage evolution and semi-analytical method
Authors: Zhou Ye , Zhu Caichao , Chen Xiaojin , Ye Wei
Published: September 2021

Butterfly wings are closely related to the premature failure of rolling element bearings. In this study, butterfly formation is investigated using the developed semi-analytical three-dimensional (3D) contact model incorporating inclusion and material property degradation. The 3D elastic field introduced by inhomogeneous inclusion is solved by using numerical approaches, which include the equivalent inclusion method (EIM) and the conjugate gradient method (CGM). The accumulation of fatigue damage surrounding inclusions is described using continuum damage mechanics. The coupling between the development of the damaged zone and the stress field is considered. The effects of the inclusion properties on the contact status and butterfly formation are discussed in detail. The model provides a potential method for quantifying material defects and fatigue behavior in terms of the deterioration of material properties.
Efficient circuit design for content-addressable memory in quantum-dot cellular automata technology
Authors: Enayati Mohammad , Rezai Abdalhossein , Karimi Asghar
Published: September 2021

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) technology is a kind of nanotechnology utilized for building computational circuits. It can be a good technology for overcome CMOS drawbacks at nano-scale due to its low delay and area. The Content-Addressable Memory (CAM) is a very fast memory that can perform search operations in a very short time. This feature makes the relative popularity of these memories and many applications for them, especially in network routing and processors. In this study, a novel loop-based circuit is designed for the QCA memory unit, which reduces area, cell count, latency, and cost. The obtained results using QCADesigner tool version 2.0.3 demonstrate that the designed QCA memory unit utilizes 16 cells, 0.01 µm2 area, and 0.25 clock cycles and has a reduction of 33% in the number of cells, 50% in area, 50% in latency, and 75% in cost compared to existing works. Then, this memory unit is utilized to design an efficient structure for CAM circuit. The results show that the developed structure for CAM circuit has 0.75 clock cycles, 32 cells, and 0.03 µm2 area, and it has a reduction of 20% in the number of cells, 25% in area, 40% in latency, and 75% in cost compared to existing works.
Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGSIS): Cutoff Point, Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Measurement Properties in Brazilian Men
Authors: de Arruda Guilherme Tavares , da Silva Erisvan Vieira , Braz Melissa Medeiros
Published: September 2021

Background

Concerns about genital self-image (GSI) can influence sexual function and quality of life, and instruments that assess male GSI, such as the Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGSIS), need to be adapted and validated in different cultures.

Aims

To culturally adapt and validate the measurement properties of MGSIS in Brazilian men, according to the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guideline, and to create a cutoff point for satisfaction with male GSI.

Methods

We assessed the validity of content through a committee of experts and cognitive interviews. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed using Cronbach’s α and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). We also calculate measurement errors using the Bland and Altman graph. The structural validity was investigated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The hypothesis test for construct validity was assessed using Spearman correlation from MGSIS with the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Body Appreciation Scale (BAS-2) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). To create a cutoff point for satisfaction with the GSI, the item response theory and the classic test theory were used.

Outcomes

Male’s (i) GSI, (ii) sexual function, (iii) body appreciation, and (iv) self-esteem were assessed.

RESULTS

In this study, 518 men with a mean age of 33.90 (±13.83) years participated. The Brazilian version of MGSIS demonstrated good content validity and a single factor that explained 64.57% of the variance. Cronbach’s α and ICC values were 0.905 and 0.806, respectively. By assessing measurement errors, we found no systematic bias in the sample. MGSIS showed a moderate to weak correlation with IIEF, BAS-2 and RSES. A cut-off point of 23 in the MGSIS total score was found to rate satisfaction with the GSI.

Clinical Translation

MGSIS is a valid and reliable measurement instrument for measuring male GSI in Brazil.

Strengths and Limitations

This study evaluated the measurement properties of MGSIS according to COSMIN, which is a powerful and useful guideline for measurement properties. However, due to the lack of a gold standard for measuring the GSI, we have not assessed the criterion validity.

CONCLUSION

MGSIS is valid, reliable and can be useful to assess the GSI and classify the satisfaction with the GSI of Brazilian men.
Emotions and Temporalities
Authors: Pernau Margrit
Published: September 2021

This Element brings together the history of emotions and temporalities, offering a new perspective on both. Time was often imagined as a movement from the past to the future: the past is gone and the future not yet here. Only present-day subjects could establish relations to other times, recovering history as well as imagining and anticipating the future. In a movement paralleling the emphasis on the porous self, constituted by emotions situated not inside but between subjects, this Element argues for a porous present, which is open to the intervention of ghosts coming from the past and from the future. What needs investigating is the flow between times as much as the creation of boundaries between them, which first banishes the ghosts and then denies their existence. Emotions are the most important way through which subjects situate and understand themselves in time.
Consumers’ Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Organically Farmed Fish in Bangladesh
Authors: Hoque Mohammed Ziaul , Akhter Nazmoon , Mawa Zinatul
Published: September 2021

This study aims to assess the market potential for organically farmed shrimp. The rank-ordered logit model was employed to investigate consumer perceptions; the findings reveal that consumers prefer organic shrimp from mariculture, and inland-farmed shrimp to the coastal version. The willingness to pay (WTP) for conventional shrimp amongst consumers with low knowledge is less than that for organic shrimp amongst highly knowledgeable ones. In addition, the lower WTP for organic shrimp compared with safe shrimp amongst those with a medium knowledge level shows that the organically farmed shrimp market is lagging behind due to limited knowledge and confusion.
Using Vodafone mobile phone network data to provide insights into citizens mobility in Italy during the Coronavirus outbreak
Authors: Calabrese Francesco , Cobelli Enrico , Ferraiuolo Vincenzo , Misseri Giovanni , Pinelli Fabio , Rodriguez Daniel
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we present the work conducted by Vodafone to enrich the understanding of people movement in Italy during the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020, and the tool developed to support the decisions taken by the authorities during that period. We have developed a solution to anonymously monitor the daily movements of Vodafone SIMs in Italy, at aggregate level, at different spatial and temporal granularity, to provide insights into the movements of Italians.
Using participatory design to inform cyber/bullying prevention and intervention practices: Evidence-Informed insights and strategies
Authors: Spears Barbara A. , Taddeo Carmel , Ey Lesley-Anne
Published: September 2021

Bullying and cyberbullying are global phenomena negatively impacting on children’s and young people’s (CYP’s) mental health and wellbeing and affecting their school social experiences and learning outcomes. Many interventions and prevention approaches have been employed over the decades, most impacting differentially, with some success in certain contexts and situations but not universally, suggesting the need for more contextualised, nuanced approaches at the whole school, community, individual and peer-group levels. The recognition of the importance of student and teacher voice in recent years has heralded interest in co-design practices to deliver more context-relevant interventions and prevention strategies. This article considers how participatory design and co-design practices can form part of the prevention and intervention repertoire for schools, teachers, counsellors and psychologists in their quest to understand and reduce cyberbullying and/or bullying (C/B) behaviours. Two case-study exemplars are provided that reflect the importance of context and student-centred relevancy to inform practice.
New late Eocene and Oligocene plotopterid fossils from Washington State (USA), with a revision of “Tonsala” buchanani (Aves, Plotopteridae)
Authors: Mayr Gerald , Goedert James L.
Published: September 2021

We report new specimens of the Plotopteridae from Washington State (USA), an area where these flightless seabirds underwent significant diversification during the late Eocene and Oligocene. To date, five plotopterid species from western Washington have been formally named. Specimens previously assigned to Tonsala buchanani Dyke, Wang, and Habib, 2011 belong to at least two, but probably even three, different species. One of these, the large-sized “Whiskey Creek specimen” from late Eocene deposits mapped as the Makah Formation, is the oldest known plotopterid and is here tentatively assigned to ?Klallamornis clarki Mayr and Goedert, 2016. Another specimen originally referred to T. buchanani is also likely to belong to a different species and is among the most substantial records for North American plotopterids. We formally transfer T. buchanani to the taxon Klallamornis and show that the only unambiguously identified specimen of the species—the holotype—is currently poorly diagnosed from Klallamornis abyssa Mayr and Goedert, 2016, which is from coeval strata of the Pysht Formation. Although the holotype of K. abyssa is larger than that of K. buchanani, there remains a possibility that plotopterids were sexually dimorphic in size. We describe the first ungual phalanx of a plotopterid, which is referred to K. buchanani, and report previously unknown elements of the large ?K. clarki and the first records of this species from the Lincoln Creek Formation. Current data indicate that plotopterids originated in the middle or late Eocene on islands off western North America, and we hypothesize that the radiation of these birds in the North Pacific Basin may have been related to the evolution of kelp forests.
ON THE MODULARITY OF SOLUTIONS TO CERTAIN DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS OF HYPERGEOMETRIC TYPE
Authors: SABER HICHAM , SEBBAR ABDELLAH
Published: September 2021

We answer some questions in a paper by Kaneko and Koike [‘On modular forms arising from a differential equation of hypergeometric type’, Ramanujan J.7(1–3) (2003), 145–164] about the modularity of the solutions of a certain differential equation. In particular, we provide a number-theoretic explanation of why the modularity of the solutions occurs in some cases and does not occur in others. This also proves their conjecture on the completeness of the list of modular solutions after adding some missing cases.
Tribes and Tribalism in the Modern Middle East: Introduction
Authors: Wien Peter
Published: September 2021

This roundtable is the product of a conference on tribalism in the Modern Middle East held at the University of Maryland in College Park in early May 2019. In two days of scholarly exchange, the participants addressed questions on the reality of tribal life in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and its impact on politics and society. Most of the specialists who participated in the conference are also contributors in this forum. To keep the discussion concise, the case studies focus on the Arab East – Syria, Jordan, and Iraq – as well as Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Building on the findings and reflections shared in College Park, the contributors responded to the following prompt as a point of departure for their essays:

For cultural, intellectual, political, and arguably even most social historians, tribes remain an enigma. As an ideal-type, the tribe seems to be all that the modern state is not: it defies positive law, rational administrative structures, equal citizenship based on individual rights and duties, and, still, in some cases, sovereignty based on fixed territorial boundaries. As a non-state, the tribe seems to be, on the other hand, the most enduring socio-political structure of human history. It is a kind of substrate, or a hetero-stratum of social organization at least in Middle Eastern societies. Its position as such seems even more pronounced in today's period of state disintegration and instability. What is the place of tribes in modern society, how do they relate to the modern state? How can what is seemingly an atavism of pre-modern times still have currency in today's world?

The responses share the perception that tribes are not the antithesis of the modern state or of progress in the region. Researchers and politicians alike should take them into account in their analyses of modernization processes. They offer meaningful identities and forms of organization across the region and enjoy influence and power.
Crystal structure of ivermectin hemihydrate ethanolate, (C48H74O14)(H2O)0.5(C2H5OH)0.82
Authors: Kaduk James A. , Tanis Allison , Tovar Alyssa , Boaz Nicholas C. , Gindhart Amy M. , Blanton Thomas N.
Published: September 2021

The crystal structure of ivermectin hemihydrate ethanolate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional techniques. Ivermectin hemihydrate ethanolate crystallizes in space group C2 (#5) with a = 40.9374(10), b = 9.26951(6), c = 14.9488(2) Å, β = 73.047(1)°, V = 5426.12(8) Å3, and Z = 4. The structure consists of layers of ivermectin molecules parallel to the bc-plane. The water and ethanol molecules reside in small voids in the structure. The water molecule, the ethanol molecule, and hydroxyl groups act as donors in O–H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Several C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds were detected. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™.
Nicolaides–Baraitser syndrome in a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and SMARCA2 gene deletion
Authors: Foley Ross , Duignan Sophie , McArdle Linda , Betts David R. , Green Andrew , McMahon Colin J.
Published: September 2021

Nicolaides–Baraitser syndrome is a rare, neuro-developmental disorder caused by heterozygous pathogenic variants in the SMARCA2 gene, involved with chromatin regulation. Cardinal features include intellectual disability, short stature, microcephaly, triangular facies, sparse hair, brachydactyly, prominent interphalangeal joints and seizures. Genetic testing demonstrated a loss within SMARCA2 at 9p24.3 inclusive of basepairs 2094861_2141830 (hg19) in our patient. This case highlights a child with Nicolaides–Baraiter syndrome, a SMARCA2 gene deletion and a novel association of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.
Zoom; or, Obsolescence
Authors: Worthen W.B.
Published: September 2021

The signal modality of theatrical production during the pandemic crisis of 2020–21 has been Zoom theatre. While Zoom theatre responds to public health concerns regarding virus transmission, it also articulates a vision of performance at the intersection of the public and the private, at the juncture between theatre and electronic media, and as a representation of theatre as a humanizing technology. Theatre has suggestively foregrounded new technologies under the sign of obsolescence, and in the affective register of nostalgia.
Increasing Spatial Fidelity and SNR of 4D-STEM Using Multi-Frame Data Fusion
Authors: O'Leary Colum M , Haas Benedikt , Koch Christoph T , Nellist Peter D , Jones Lewys
Published: September 2021

4D-STEM, in which the 2D diffraction plane is captured for each 2D scan position in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) using a pixelated detector, is complementing, and increasingly replacing existing imaging approaches. However, at present the speed of those detectors, although having drastically improved in the recent years, is still 100 to 1,000 times slower than the current PMT technology operators are used to. Regrettably, this means environmental scanning-distortion often limits the overall performance of the recorded 4D data. Here, we present an extension of existing STEM distortion correction techniques for the treatment of 4D data series. Although applicable to 4D data in general, we use electron ptychography and electric-field mapping as model cases and demonstrate an improvement in spatial fidelity, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), phase precision, and spatial resolution.
Tendinopathien – häufige Diagnosen in der Handchirurgie
Authors: Besmens Inga S. , Frueh Florian S. , Rothenfluh Esin , Guidi Marco , Calcagni Maurizio
Published: September 2021

Zusammenfassung. Tendinopathien sind einer der häufigsten Gründe für das Aufsuchen einer Handchirurgin oder eines Handchirurgen. Die Diagnose der Erkrankungen aus diesem Formenkreis kann in aller Regel klinisch gestellt werden. Eine ergänzende Ultraschalluntersuchung hilft das Krankheitsbild zu objektivieren. Die meisten dieser Erkrankungen sprechen auf eine nicht-operative Behandlung an. Falls doch eine operative Behandlung nötig wird, kann diese in der Regel ambulant unter Lokalanästhesie erfolgen. Dieser Artikel gibt eine Übersicht über die häufigsten Tendinopathien an Hand und Handgelenk, ihre Diagnostik und Therapie.
Radar Reflectivity and Meteorological Factors Merging‐Based Precipitation Estimation Neural Network
Authors: Zhang Yonghong , Chen Shiwei , Tian Wei , Chen Shuai
Published: September 2021

The meteorological factors are important determinants of the surface rainfall. However, in studies of quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) based on Doppler radar data, meteorological elements are usually used as the weighting factors to correct precipitation, and the active role of meteorological factors in determining rainfall is neglected, which limits the improvement of radar QPE accuracy. In this study, the effectiveness of applying one‐dimensional convolutional neural network together with radar data and meteorological factor data to estimate precipitation is explored. Various combinations of meteorological factors were tested for the set of input variables. The proposed model performance was evaluated over the Shijiazhuang area at the spatial resolution of 0.01° and at the 6‐min time scale. The results indicates that the proposed model (RM‐1DCNN) provides more accurate precipitation estimation compared to the Ordinary Kriging interpolation, two Z‐R relationships, and Back Propagation Neural Network. The root mean square error of the RM‐1DCNN with temperature was 0.642 mm per 6 min and the average Threat Score exceed 55%, which was the best among all schemes.
Microdiversity characterizes prevalent phylogenetic clades in the glacier-fed stream microbiome
Authors: Fodelianakis Stilianos , Washburne Alex D , Bourquin Massimo , Pramateftaki Paraskevi , Kohler Tyler J , Styllas Michail , Tolosano Matteo , De Staercke Vincent , Schön Martina , Busi Susheel Bhanu , Brandani Jade , Wilmes Paul , Peter Hannes , Battin Tom J
Published: September 2021

Glacier-fed streams (GFSs) are extreme and rapidly vanishing ecosystems, and yet they harbor diverse microbial communities. Although our understanding of the GFS microbiome has recently increased, we do not know which microbial clades are ecologically successful in these ecosystems, nor do we understand potentially underlying mechanisms. Ecologically successful clades should be more prevalent across GFSs compared to other clades, which should be reflected as clade-wise distinctly low phylogenetic turnover. However, methods to assess such patterns are currently missing. Here we developed and applied a novel analytical framework, “phyloscore analysis”, to identify clades with lower spatial phylogenetic turnover than other clades in the sediment microbiome across twenty GFSs in New Zealand. These clades constituted up to 44% and 64% of community α-diversity and abundance, respectively. Furthermore, both their α-diversity and abundance increased as sediment chlorophyll a decreased, corroborating their ecological success in GFS habitats largely devoid of primary production. These clades also contained elevated levels of putative microdiversity than others, which could potentially explain their high prevalence in GFSs. This hitherto unknown microdiversity may be threatened as glaciers shrink, urging towards further genomic and functional exploration of the GFS microbiome.
Endocyclophotocoagulation combined with phacoemulsification in surgically naive primary open-angle glaucoma: three-year results
Authors: Yap Timothy E. , Zollet Piero , Husein Salman , Murad Mohammad M. M. , Ameen Sally , Crawley Laura , Bloom Philip A. , Ahmed Faisal
Published: September 2021

Objective

To assess the safety and efficacy of endocyclophotocoagulation with phacoemulsification (phaco-ECP) in surgically naive, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods

A retrospective case series of patients undergoing phaco-ECP between 2007 and 2017 at a single centre in London, UK. The primary outcome was intraocular pressure (IOP). Secondary outcomes were visual acuity, visual field global indices, topical medications and surgical complications. Failure criteria were: (1) IOP > 21 mmHg or <20% reduction at two consecutive visits, (2) IOP <5 mmHg and (3) further IOP-lowering surgery.

Results

Eighty-three eyes from 83 patients were eligible. Pre-operatively, mean IOP (±SD) was 18.4 ± 5.2 mmHg. The mean number of topical agents (±SD) was 2.7 ± 0.9. Mean IOP (±SD) significantly reduced to 14.3 ± 4.7 at 1 year, 14.1 ± 4.0 at 2 years and 13.6 ± 3.7 at 3 years (p < 0.0001). Topical medications were significantly reduced to 1.3 ± 1.2 at 1 year, 1.7 ± 1.2 at 2 years and 1.8 ± 1.3 at 3 years (p < 0.0001). Annual IOP ‘survival’ was 70%, 54% and 45% at year 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Complications included uveitis (6%), macular oedema (2%), IOP spikes (1%) and corneal decompensation (1%) with no episodes of hypotony or retinal detachment. One patient underwent filtration surgery within 3 years (1%).

Conclusion

Phaco-ECP facilitates significant IOP lowering and reduction of medication burden in surgically naive POAG requiring cataract extraction. The procedure is relatively safe and without the use of implants and their associated risks.