bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Financial literacy: Best practices
Authors: Colić Vana
Published: July 2022

The most commonly accepted definition of financial literacy is the one given by the OECD, which includes awareness, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours. The concept of financial literacy must be distinguished from the concepts of financial education, financial knowledge, and financial culture. The research results show that financial illiteracy is widespread, and it is generally necessary to pay more attention to this aspect of education. After defining the basic concepts, the paper presents experiences in organizing and monitoring the effects of financial education of three countries (Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands) whose students have achieved a high level of financial knowledge in international tests compared to other participating countries. The organisation of financial education in these countries is also presented, in order to assess how applicable their experiences are in our conditions. The experience thus far has shown that the best results are given by financial education beginning in high school, whose main characteristics are an interdisciplinary approach and constant support to teachers. Significant differences are also evident, that is to say, some groups of residents have a lower level of financial literacy, which indicates the need for different approaches in their education.
Use of electronic corpora in grammar teaching: Acquisition of frequent lexical bundles at higher levels of learning
Authors: Rađenović Anka
Published: July 2022

The modern approach to teaching grammar at higher levels of language proficiency is a combination of grammar and vocabulary in which a special place is occupied by the mastery of non-native speakers with frequent lexical bundles (collocations). The acquisition of frequent lexical bundles, since they are not generated through knowledge of rules or formulae, is the topic of a study on the acquisition of foreign languages, especially at higher levels of proficiency. Textbooks, dictionaries and grammars as the main source of information for students and teachers of foreign languages are insufficient tools for mastering frequent lexical bundles. For this reason, electronic corpora as sets of authentic texts represent a valuable resource for teachers and students in the process of teaching and learning a foreign language. Taking into account the specificity of the lexical-grammatical approach in the acquisition of modern Greek at higher levels of proficiency, the paper presents one of the possible approaches to the acquisition of frequent lexical bundles in grammar teaching by the use of electronic language corpora. The use of electronic corpora in grammar teaching at the university level can have implications both in the didactics of foreign languages and in the creation of curricula.
Personal nicknames in Donji Ljubeš near Aleksinac
Authors: Stefanović Dušan
Published: July 2022

This research study focuses on the male and female nicknames recorded in the village Donji Ljubeš, located near Aleksinac. The nicknames are analysed from the aspect of motivation and classified into twelve groups. Criteria to determine the motivation were received from local residents. In this field research, 160 personal nicknames were collected. There are 139 male and 21 female nicknames. As a contribution to the work, a dictionary of nicknames was compiled. The collected material was accentually and semantically processed. Considering that the research of this kind in the area of Aleksinačko Pomoravlje is in deficit, this study can significantly contribute to the onomastics of the given area.
Family as a context of informal education
Authors: Popović Daliborka , Minić Vesna , Popović Milica
Published: July 2022

Due to the changed social circumstances and the growing role of informal education in the process of personal development, the aim of the paper is to consider the importance of family activities, which hold the most dominant role in informal education. The key premise of modern society must therefore be based on establishing continuity in the process of lifelong learning, through the necessity of a holistic relationship between education and society. It is important to move away from the classical way of understanding the education as a process of knowledge transfer that takes place in the formal context and focus on the fact that learning is not limited by time, space, and institution. Starting from the fact that the family is the first and foremost system for a child, only with changed roles in different life cycles, an attempt was made to point out key effects on the family, but also on the child by the family, primarily for prosocial development. Prosocial development takes place by modelling behaviours through which the desired value system is expressed and instilled in a child. Regarding the family as educators in informal education, the paper emphasizes the need to monitor procedures that have a scientific and professional basis, with caution against "falling under the influence" of implicit theories of education that are promoted on social networks and in other, modern forms of social groups. In that sense, the necessity of supporting the family in educational activities, which represent the core of informal education in the family context, is emphasized. After considering the basic principles of formal, non-formal and informal education, the paper emphasizes the growing importance of informal education and the role of the family in this process, considering the key settings of parenting for holistic personality development, based on Kant's claim to educate. Namely, the attention was drawn to the educational activities of the family in the process of individual and social development through an informal approach, as well as to the questions of its competence to respond to the challenges posed by the social change.
Hesse's reader who no longer reads in the context of modern media
Authors: Piskač Davor
Published: July 2022

The article analyses several of Hesse's essays, with an emphasis on the 1920 essay On Reading Books, from the perspective of modern literary studies, psychology, and neuroscience. In the essay, Hesse made his classification of literary readers and anticipated the emergence of the "reader who no longer reads" as a kind of the enlightened reader, a human being who, thanks to his/her deep and dedicated understanding of emotions in literature, has the meaning of his/her life at his/her fingertips, who understands what he/she thinks and especially what he/she feels. Thus, it is the reader who really understands his/her emotions. However, nowadays, in the age of digital media, a new version of the "reader who does not read" is emerging. Such a reader is an arrogant and superficial modern reader who believes he/she knows everything only because he/she can easily reach information he/she does not even really try to understand, and who hardly thinks about emotions in literature. Therefore, the second part of the article relies on two more of Hesse's essays on reading literature, one of which anticipates the influence of multimedia on reading, and tries to explain the emergence of the modern "reader who does not read". More specifically, the article here considers the ways how literature can foster emotions and experience in the age of digital multimedia. Namely, if we want to feel and experience while reading literature, we need to develop both the cognitive and the emotional apparatus willing and able to understand what is read, but the modern media seem to stand in the way. It is good to point out the problem, but it is even better to offer the possibility of problem-solving; thus, the third part of the article addresses new/old knowledge about the effects of reading aloud on the development of our emotional and cognitive abilities. Of course, the methods of reading aloud in the multimedia context already exist, and they are successful, so the article also presents a study on stimulating emotions and empathy by the method of reading aloud.
Defining and explaining conspiracy theories: Comparing the lay representations of conspiracy believers and non-believers
Authors: Leveaux Sarah , Nera Kenzo , Fagnoni Pierre , Klein Pit P. P. L.
Published: July 2022

Despite a growing literature on the topic, little is known about how individuals perceive the label “conspiracy theory”. In two studies, we compare social representations of conspiracy theories, and how these are influenced by individuals’ own conspiracy beliefs. In addition, we examine how these representations relate to how scholars define and explain conspiracy theories. In Study 1, we used lexicometric analysis to explore the vocabulary that French participants (n = 939) spontaneously associated with the notion of ‘conspiracy theory’ and the personal definitions they provided. The representation of participants scoring high on the generic conspiracist beliefs scale was centred on the content of conspiracy theories (e.g., “lies” or “government”). By contrast, the representation of participants scoring low on the conspiracist beliefs scale was centred on the believer (e.g., “paranoia” or “cognitive biases”). They proposed definitions of conspiracy theories centred on the function(s) conspiracy theories supposedly fulfil for the believer (e.g., simplify complex realities). To make sure that these results did not merely express participants’ endorsement or rejection of conspiracy theories, we carried out a second study. In Study 2 (n = 272), we found that the more participants endorsed generic conspiracist beliefs, the less they mobilised intra-individual causes (e.g., reasoning biases) to explain why some people believe in conspiracy theories that they did not endorse themselves. This research shows that people’s representations of conspiracy theories differ depending on their conspiracy beliefs.
Curva de absorção de água em sementes de sete cascas em função do tamanho
Authors: Turazzi Heverly Nogueira , Ponce Franciely da Silva , Antunes Darley Tiago , Seabra Júnior Santino , Sobrinho Severino de Paiva
Published: July 2022

Samanea tubulosa é uma árvore ornamental usada na arborização rural e como forrageira, além disso, a madeira possui diversas funções. Encontra-se distribuída naturalmente em Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso - Pantanal Mato-grossense e Chapada dos Guimarães; sul do Pará, baixo Amazonas e Bahia no vale do São Francisco, e ainda no Paraguai, Bolívia e Peru. Apesar do seu potencial de utilização há uma carência de estudos sobre a espécie, também para saber se existe diferença na absorção de água entre sementes pequenas e grandes. Desta forma, objetivou-se caracterizar a curva de absorção de água em sementes de S. tubulosa de diferentes tamanhos. O delineamento utilizado foi inteiramente casualizados no esquema fatorial 2 x 17 (sendo 2 tamanhos de sementes e 17 períodos de embebição). As sementes apresentaram um padrão trifásico de absorção de água. As sementes pequenas e grandes apresentam as três fases de absorção de água semelhantes, com início da fase II após 48 horas de embebição, se estendendo até 108 horas, quando se iniciou a fase III. As sementes grandes e pequenas apresentam padrão trifásico de absorção de água e a duração da fase II é sempre maior para as sementes pequenas.
Efeitos de espécies arbóreas nativas na qualidade e disponibilidade de forragens na Amazônia Mato-Grossense
Authors: Olival Alexandre de Azevedo , Souza Saulo Eduardo Xavier Franco de , Leles Gessiel Mendonça
Published: July 2022

O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a influência da presença de quatro espécies arbóreas nativas na disponibilidade de matéria seca e na qualidade de Brachiaria decumbens, identificando o potencial de utilização destas espécies em sistemas silvipastoris na região norte do Estado de Mato Grosso. As espécies estudadas foram Chloroleucon acacioides, Trattinnickia rhoifolia, Cedrela fissilis e Dipteryx odorata. Foram realizadas análises bromatológicas e de digestibilidade de forragem presente sob a copa das árvores e distantes 5 metros do limite das copas. Os testes foram realizados durante o período seco e chuvoso do ano. Não foi observado nenhum efeito negativo das espécies arbóreas nas variáveis estudadas. Identificou-se aumento nos valores de proteína bruta sob condições de sombreamento bem como elevação da produtividade da forragem sob influência de algumas espécies. Todas as espécies arbóreas estudadas têm potencial de utilização em sistemas silvipastoris.
Usina hidrelétrica de Castanheira Juara Mato Grosso: planejamento e impactos socioambientais
Authors: Crubelati Ariele Mazoti , Nanaka Humberto Massahiro , Poquiviqui Agilson
Published: July 2022

Este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar um breve histórico sobre a política energética no Brasil, para ser possível compreender o contexto em que se insere o processo de planejamento para instalação da Usina Hidrelétrica Castanheira/UHE em Juara, Mato Grosso/MT, e a prospecção dos impactos do racismo ambiental que a população indígena Munduruku, ribeirinhos e pescadores poderão sofrer, uma vez que seus territórios estão na área de abrangência de tais impactos. Do ponto de vista da forma de abordagem do problema, trata-se de uma pesquisa social qualitativa, considerando as relações dos agentes sociais que foram escolhidos em vista da acessibilidade oferecida ao pesquisador, e de cunho bibliográfico, se embasa em expoentes como Siguad (1992), Vainer et al. (1992), Acserald (2002), Vainer (2007), Leme (2009), Derrosso et al. (2014), Zhouri et al. (2007). As consequências da construção da UHE consistem, em certa medida, na negação dos direitos e no desrespeito à liberdade dos atingidos, principalmente em relação aos diferentes modos de ser e estar no mundo, ou seja, não há respeito às identidades e memórias já que se percebe aparente menosprezo aos bens materiais e imateriais destes povos. Tais evidências configuram uma modalidade de racismo ambiental.
Cabaran Pelaksanaan Sistem Pengurusan Kualiti Berasaskan Syariah di Pusat Kutipan Zakat Pahang: Satu Kajian Kes
Authors:   Universiti Teknologi MARA (UITM), Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia, Musaiyadah Ahmadun  , Siti Arni Basir  ,   Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Published: July 2022

Matlamat utama kajian ini adalah bertujuan untuk menganalisis dan mengenalpasti cabaran yang dihadapi oleh Pusat Kutipan Zakat Pahang (PKZP) sepanjang pelaksanaan MS 1900 (Sistem Pengurusan Kualiti Berasaskan Syariah). Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan kajian kes sebagai strategi kajian. Temubual separa berstruktur telah digunakan sebagai kaedah pungutan data utama dan disokong dengan penilitian dokumen-dokumen penting yang berkaitan dengan prosedur Sistem Pengurusan Kualiti MS1900 di Pusat Kutipan Zakat Pahang (PKZP). Seramai lima belas orang informan yang terdiri daripada pengurusan atasan dan pegawai Pusat Kutipan Zakat Pahang (PKZP) telah ditemubual bagi mendapatkan data yang sahih dan mendalam. Bagi menganalisis data dengan lebih terperinci, metode analisis tematik telah digunapakai dengan bantuan perisian ATLAS.ti versi 7. Hasil kajian menunjukkan, terdapat beberapa cabaran yang timbul sepanjang pelaksanaan Sistem Pengurusan Kualiti MS 1900 di Pusat Kutipan Zakat Pahang (PKZP) iaitu sikap warga kerja, bebanan tugas, sumber yang terhad dan ketidakfahaman masyarakat. Cadangan penambahbaikan bagi pelaksanaan Sistem Pengurusan Kualiti MS 1900 juga akan dibincangkan bagi meningkatkan kecekapan dan keberkesanan pelaksanaan Sistem Pengurusan Kualiti di Pusat Zakat. Hasil daripada kajian ini dapat dijadikan panduan kepada pihak pengurusan organisasi awam dan korporat dalam usaha mereka untuk melaksanakan program kualiti berteraskan Syariah.
El futuro de la industria musical en la era de la inteligencia artificial
Authors: Apolo Valdivia Pedro Rolando
Published: July 2022

El presente artículo propone situar en el contexto musical no académico el recorrido tecnológico que ha proseguido a diversas técnicas referidas a la composición asistida por ordenador. Para ello, se ha efectuado una breve revisión de algunos conceptos asociados a la música algorítmica, generativa, procedural y, finalmente, a métodos que involucran el empleo de sistemas con inteligencia artificial (IA), teniendo en cuenta su actual anclaje y prospectiva dentro de la música alternativa y comercial. En consecuencia, se pretende argumentar el venidero rumbo de la industria musical, precisamente en una época en la que se evidencia una progresiva oferta de plataformas de IA en el mercado, extendidas con la consigna de innovar en los procesos de producción y distribución. Para ejemplificar esta coyuntura, se ha considerado diversos proyectos relacionados con la música ambient, electrónica, trip-hop, post-rock y pop contemporáneo, cuyas últimas realizaciones se encuentran a la par de estos avances tecnológicos.
The effect of the iciness of the soil on the depth of thawing of the road base
Authors: Galkin Aleksandr , Pankov Vladimir Yur'evich
Published: July 2022

One of the important parameters determining technical solutions in the design of highways in the cryolithozone is the depth of thawing of the soils of the road base. The aim of the work was to quantify the degree of influence of the iciness of the soil foundations of roads in the cryolithozone on the depth of their seasonal thawing. For the analysis, the classical formula for calculating the thawing depth for bodies of plane symmetry, obtained by solving the single-phase Stefan problem, was used. The results of calculations are presented in the form of 2D and 3D graphs, which allow us to visually assess the effect of the iciness of the soil and the degree of its change during the operation of the road on the depth of thawing of the road base. It was found, in particular, that the degree of change in the depth of thawing at the same value of the increase in ice content in different ranges (for example, from 10 to 20% and from 30 to 40%) for the considered typical case of the ground base of the cryolithozone decreases by almost 1.3 times. It is shown that the greater the initial iciness of the soil, the degree of decrease in the depth of thawing when the iciness changes by a constant value will be less. A 3D graph was built to determine the depth of thawing of the soils of the active layer of the road base in a wide range of possible changes in ice content during the construction and use of the highway. The availability of a schedule allows to quickly assess possible options for changing the depth of thawing and make a correct, informed technical decision when designing the road. For example, when assessing the need to use a special heat-protective layer in road clothing. Further directions of research in this area should be aimed at studying the effect of humidity (iciness) of dispersed soils on the depth of thawing of road foundations, taking into account the dependence of the density and thermal conductivity of the soil on the iciness.
Association analyses of host genetics, root-colonizing microbes, and plant phenotypes under different nitrogen conditions in maize
Authors: Meier Michael A , Xu Gen , Lopez-Guerrero Martha G , Li Guangyong , Smith Christine , Sigmon Brandi , Herr Joshua R , Alfano James R , Ge Yufeng , Schnable James C , Yang Jinliang
Published: July 2022

The root-associated microbiome (rhizobiome) affects plant health, stress tolerance, and nutrient use efficiency. However, it remains unclear to what extent the composition of the rhizobiome is governed by intraspecific variation in host plant genetics in the field and the degree to which host plant selection can reshape the composition of the rhizobiome. Here, we quantify the rhizosphere microbial communities associated with a replicated diversity panel of 230 maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes grown in agronomically relevant conditions under high N (+N) and low N (-N) treatments. We analyze the maize rhizobiome in terms of 150 abundant and consistently reproducible microbial groups and we show that the abundance of many root-associated microbes is explainable by natural genetic variation in the host plant, with a greater proportion of microbial variance attributable to plant genetic variation in -N conditions. Population genetic approaches identify signatures of purifying selection in the maize genome associated with the abundance of several groups of microbes in the maize rhizobiome. Genome-wide association study was conducted using the abundance of microbial groups as rhizobiome traits, and n=622 plant loci were identified that are linked to the abundance of n=104 microbial groups in the maize rhizosphere. In 62/104 cases, which is more than expected by chance, the abundance of these same microbial groups was correlated with variation in plant vigor indicators derived from high throughput phenotyping of the same field experiment. We provide comprehensive datasets about the three-way interaction of host genetics, microbe abundance, and plant performance under two N treatments to facilitate targeted experiments toward harnessing the full potential of root-associated microbial symbionts in maize production.
Exogenous capture accounts for fundamental differences between pro- and antisaccade performance
Authors: Goldstein Allison T , Stanford Terrence R , Salinas Emilio
Published: July 2022

To generate the next eye movement, oculomotor circuits take into consideration the physical salience of objects in view and current behavioral goals, exogenous and endogenous influences, respectively. However, the interactions between exogenous and endogenous mechanisms and their dynamic contributions to target selection have been difficult to resolve because they evolve extremely rapidly. In a recent study (Salinas et al., 2019), we achieved the necessary temporal precision using an urgent variant of the antisaccade task wherein motor plans are initiated early and choice accuracy depends sharply on when exactly the visual cue information becomes available. Empirical and modeling results indicated that the exogenous signal arrives ∼80 ms after cue onset and rapidly accelerates the (incorrect) plan toward the cue, whereas the informed endogenous signal arrives ∼25 ms later to favor the (correct) plan away from the cue. Here, we scrutinize a key mechanistic hypothesis about this dynamic, that the exogenous and endogenous signals act at different times and independently of each other. We test quantitative model predictions by comparing the performance of human participants instructed to look toward a visual cue or away from it under high urgency. We find that, indeed, the exogenous response is largely impervious to task instructions; it simply flips its sign relative to the correct choice, and this largely explains the drastic differences in psychometric performance between the two tasks. Thus, saccadic choices are strongly dictated by the alignment between salience and behavioral goals.
Flexible and efficient simulation-based inference for models of decision-making
Authors: Boelts Jan , Lueckmann Jan-Matthis , Gao Richard , Macke Jakob H
Published: July 2022

Inferring parameters of computational models that capture experimental data is a central task in cognitive neuroscience. Bayesian statistical inference methods usually require the ability to evaluate the likelihood of the model—however, for many models of interest in cognitive neuroscience, the associated likelihoods cannot be computed efficiently. Simulation-based inference (SBI) offers a solution to this problem by only requiring access to simulations produced by the model. Previously, Fengler et al. introduced likelihood approximation networks (LANs, Fengler et al., 2021) which make it possible to apply SBI to models of decision-making but require billions of simulations for training. Here, we provide a new SBI method that is substantially more simulation efficient. Our approach, mixed neural likelihood estimation (MNLE), trains neural density estimators on model simulations to emulate the simulator and is designed to capture both the continuous (e.g., reaction times) and discrete (choices) data of decision-making models. The likelihoods of the emulator can then be used to perform Bayesian parameter inference on experimental data using standard approximate inference methods like Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling. We demonstrate MNLE on two variants of the drift-diffusion model and show that it is substantially more efficient than LANs: MNLE achieves similar likelihood accuracy with six orders of magnitude fewer training simulations and is significantly more accurate than LANs when both are trained with the same budget. Our approach enables researchers to perform SBI on custom-tailored models of decision-making, leading to fast iteration of model design for scientific discovery.
Mapping the single-cell landscape of acral melanoma and analysis of the molecular regulatory network of the tumor microenvironments
Authors: He Zan , Xin Zijuan , Yang Qiong , Wang Chen , Li Meng , Rao Wei , Du Zhimin , Bai Jia , Guo Zixuan , Ruan Xiuyan , Zhang Zhaojun , Fang Xiangdong , Zhao Hua
Published: July 2022

Acral melanoma (AM) exhibits a high incidence in Asian patients with melanoma, and it is not well treated with immunotherapy. However, little attention has been paid to the characteristics of the immune microenvironment in AM. Therefore, in this study, we collected clinical samples from Chinese patients with AM and conducted single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze the heterogeneity of its tumor microenvironments (TMEs) and the molecular regulatory network. Our analysis revealed that genes, such as TWIST1, EREG, TNFRSF9, and CTGF could drive the deregulation of various TME components. The molecular interaction relationships between TME cells, such as MIF-CD44 and TNFSF9-TNFRSF9, might be an attractive target for developing novel immunotherapeutic agents.
Percepciones Sociales de los Estudiantes de Educación Superior de Élite: Un Estudio del Caso Chileno
Authors:   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Villalobos Cristóbal , Kuzmanic Danilo ,   Universidad de Chile, Valenzuela Juan Pablo ,   Universidad de Chile, Quaresma María Luisa ,   Universidad Autónoma de Chile
Published: July 2022

Se estudian las percepciones sobre el ingreso a la universidad, el esfuerzo, la meritocracia y las desigualdades sociales en los estudiantes de 8 instituciones de educación superior de élite en Chile. Usando las 1.773 respuestas de un cuestionario aplicado a una muestra estratificada de estudiantes de estas instituciones, se estiman modelos de regresión que controlan las diferencias entre grupos socioeconómicos, tipos de universidad y tiempo de estadía en la institución. Los resultados muestran que es el tipo de universidad el principal eje de diferenciación en estas percepciones, siendo los estudiantes de universidades tradicionales más escépticos de la meritocracia y las explicaciones individualistas que sus pares de universidades privadas emergentes. Además, existe una relativa homogeneidad dentro de cada tipo de universidad, salvo en aquellos ítems relacionados con el ingreso a la universidad. A raíz de esto se concluye que los diferentes tipos de instituciones de élite son una distinción relevante para comprender la diversidad de percepciones que existe entre los que transitan por estos espacios de significativa influencia a nivel nacional.
FoMO, Adicción a Facebook y Soledad como Determinantes del Phubbing en Universitarios Limeños
Authors:   Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Correa-Rojas Jossué , Grimaldo-Muchotrigo Mirian ,   Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Malvaceda Espinoza Eli ,   Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (Perú)
Published: July 2022

El phubbing es una perturbación de la comunicación que consiste en desairar la compañía de otra persona por prestar atención al teléfono móvil. Es común en jóvenes y tiene implicancias en la calidad de la interacción social. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la relación entre el Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), la adicción a Facebook, los sentimientos de soledad, la edad y el phubbing. Se seleccionaron por conveniencia 209 estudiantes de una universidad privada de Lima, Perú, cuyas edades oscilaron entre los 17 y 37 años, con una edad promedio 21,28 años (DE = 3,42), de los cuales la mayoría fueron mujeres (64,1%). La investigación siguió un diseño explicativo. Se aplicaron la Escala de Phubbing, la Escala de FoMO, la Escala de Adicción a Facebook de Bergen y la Escala de Soledad de Jong Gierveld. Los datos se analizaron a través de coeficientes de correlación lineal de Pearson y un modelo de regresión lineal, el que mostró que el FoMO y la adicción a Facebook tienen efectos directos sobre el phubbing; la edad tiene efectos indirectos sobre su varianza; la soledad no explica significativamente este comportamiento.
Table of Contents
Authors: Editors
Published: July 2022

Table of Contents
Comparative Efficacy Randomized Controlled Trials in Rheumatology Guidelines
Authors: Henry Katie , Nepal Desh , Valley Erin , Pedersen Connor , Duarte‐García Alí , Putman Michael
Published: July 2022

Background

Comparative efficacy randomized controlled trials (RCTs) compare two active interventions in a head‐to‐head design. They are useful for informing clinical practice guidelines, but the degree to which such trials inform clinical practice guidelines in rheumatology is unknown.

Methods

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) websites were searched from January 1, 2017, to June 12, 2021, for clinical practice guidelines. RCTs referenced by each guideline were identified, and information regarding design and outcomes were extracted. Clinical practice recommendations from each guideline were also analyzed.

Results

Fifteen ACR‐ and nine EULAR‐endorsed guidelines were included, which cited 609 RCTs and provided 481 recommendations. Referenced RCTs enrolled an average of 418 patients (SD 985), most commonly evaluated biologic/targeted synthetic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (70.1%), and infrequently used a head‐to‐head design (28%). A minority of recommendations received a high level of evidence (LOE) by the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology (2.9%) or an “A” grade by the Oxford Centre for Evidence based Medicine Standards (OCEBM) methodology (28.9%). LOE was higher for recommendations informed by RCTs (P < 0.001) or head‐to‐head RCTs (P = 0.008). Many recommendations received a strong recommendation despite low (8 [2.6%]) or very low (25 [8.3%]) LOE.

Conclusion

Less than one in six rheumatology guideline recommendations are informed by head‐to‐head RCTs. Recommendations that were informed by head‐to‐head RCTs were more likely to have a high LOE by both GRADE and OCEBM. Efforts to introduce more comparative efficacy RCTs should be undertaken.
Functional Trachea Reconstruction Using 3D‐Bioprinted Native‐Like Tissue Architecture Based on Designable Tissue‐Specific Bioinks
Authors: Huo Yingying , Xu Yong , Wu Xiaodi , Gao Erji , Zhan Anqi , Chen Yujie , Zhang Yixin , Hua Yujie , Swieszkowski Wojciech , Zhang Yu Shrike , Zhou Guangdong
Published: July 2022

Functional segmental trachea reconstruction remains a remarkable challenge in the clinic. To date, functional trachea regeneration with alternant cartilage‐fibrous tissue‐mimetic structure similar to that of the native trachea relying on the three‐dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology has seen very limited breakthrough. This fact is mostly due to the lack of tissue‐specific bioinks suitable for both cartilage and vascularized fibrous tissue regeneration, as well as the need for firm interfacial integration between stiff and soft tissues. Here, a novel strategy is developed for 3D bioprinting of cartilage‐vascularized fibrous tissue‐integrated trachea (CVFIT), utilizing photocrosslinkable tissue‐specific bioinks. Both cartilage‐ and fibrous tissue‐specific bioinks created by this study provide suitable printability, favorable biocompatibility, and biomimetic microenvironments for chondrogenesis and vascularized fibrogenesis based on the multicomponent synergistic effect through the hybrid photoinitiated polymerization reaction. As such, the tubular analogs are successfully bioprinted and the ring‐to‐ring alternant structure is tightly integrated by the enhancement of interfacial bonding through the amidation reaction. The results from both the trachea regeneration and the in situ trachea reconstruction demonstrate the satisfactory tissue‐specific regeneration along with realization of mechanical and physiological functions. This study thus illustrates the 3D‐bioprinted native tissue‐like trachea as a promising alternative for clinical trachea reconstruction.
A Comprehensive Categorization of Micro/Nanomechanical Resonators and Their Practical Applications from an Engineering Perspective: A Review
Authors: Ghaemi Narjes , Nikoobin Amin , Ashory Mohammad Reza
Published: July 2022

Micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (M/NEMS), especially micro/nanomechanical resonators, provide an unprecedented platform for investigating a wide range of applications in both fundamental physical phenomena (such as quantum‐level problems) and engineering and applied sciences (like sensing physical quantities and signal processing). In sensing context, these tiny resonators are invaluable tools for detecting weak forces and single molecules. Measuring such small variations in sub‐nanometer amplitudes at high frequencies has created many practical challenges. Therefore, maximizing the responsivity to a specified input parameter and minimizing the responsivity to other inputs such as noise are considered as the optimal design for the excellent performance in nanoresonators. The present review aims to summarize some of the recent progress in this rapidly advancing field. Specifically, more attention is paid to the topics related to the dynamical behaviors of micro/nanoresonator and their practical applications. First, the theory behind micro/nanoresonators is described. Then a summary is presented of the basic concepts in resonant devices. In addition, several commonly dynamical techniques to enhance sensitivity are introduced. Finally, the devices are classified based on linear and nonlinear, single and array, symmetric and asymmetric, and frequency shift‐based and amplitude shift‐based resonators, along with the relative advantages and disadvantages of each one in engineering applications.
Cellulose blends from gel extrusion and compounding with polylactic acid
Authors: Müller Kerstin , Fürtauer Siegfried , Schmid Markus , Zollfrank Cordt
Published: July 2022

Cellulose, dissolved in ionic liquids (IL), can be used successfully in the processing of thermoplastics. To recover the ionic liquid while maintaining the thermoplastic properties, other spacers than IL might be introduced into the cellulose network. Such blend materials have been prepared before by solution blending as reported in the literature. In this study, the preparation and investigation of cellulose and polylactic acid (PLA) blends using an extrusion process with an ionic liquid and co‐solvent for intermediate compatibilization is reported. The obtained transparent films show a homogeneous morphology without phase separation. Thermal analysis showed no separated glass transition for PLA, and FTIR showed hydrogen bonding between cellulose and PLA chains. Thermal stability of the blends with a degradation onset around 270°C lies between regenerated cellulose and pure PLA. The blend tensile strength and elongation of ~40 MPa and 1.3%, respectively, were comparable to a multiphase composite containing twice the molecular weight of PLA. Generally, mechanical performance of the blends was strongly influenced by degradation reactions mainly caused by the ionic liquid used, as well as blend morphology. The study shows that transfer from solution to extrusion processing is generally possible to obtain novel cellulose blends.
A dense structure constructed by flake and spherical aluminum: Simultaneously enhanced anti‐wear and anti‐corrosion properties of epoxy/polytetrafluoroethylene composite coatings
Authors: Li Guihua , Xu Haiyan , Ma Yanjun , Wu Yanping , Chen Lei , An Yulong , Zhou Huidi , Chen Jianmin
Published: July 2022

The construction of a dense structure of the coatings is the basic guarantee to ensure the good performances of the coatings, and it is also one of the problems faced by the most coatings at present. The present work attempts to build a dense coating structure by introducing flake and spherical aluminum powders into the epoxy/polytetrafluoroethylene composite coatings so as to improve the anti‐wear and anti‐corrosion properties of the coatings. As a result, the coating filled with both flake and spherical aluminum exhibited denser microstructure, which was attributed to the synergistic effect of flake and spherical aluminum particles. Among them, the flake aluminum blocked the straight‐through holes in the coating, while the spherical aluminum further filled the micropores between the flake aluminum and the gaps between the flake aluminum and the matrix. In response, the micro‐hardness of the coating was increased by 58.6% and the wear rate was reduced by 80% compared to that of coating without aluminum powders. The excellent wear resistance was attributed to the synergetic effect of the enhanced micro‐hardness of the coating and the formed high load‐bearing tribofilm on the dual ball. Moreover, the coating still maintained the maximum Rc of 3.63 × 109 Ω cm2 after 360 h of immersion owing to the improved barrier properties of the coating.
Mechanical, rheological, and carbon dioxide barrier properties of polyvinylidene fluoride/TiO2composites for flexible riser applications
Authors: Wen Jihong , Cui Yi , Huang Dong , Li Yan , Yu Xichong , Zhang Xinpeng , Meng Xiaoyu , Zhou Qiong
Published: July 2022

Nanoparticles can act as a barrier to gas penetration in the polymer matrix. However, the agglomeration of nanoparticles has a negative effect on the comprehensive properties of nanocomposites. We envisioned surface modification of 25 nm TiO2nanoparticles with KH550 to enable better dispersion in the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix and prepared PVDF/TiO2composites by the melt blending method. The effects of adding modified nanoparticles into the matrix on the thermodynamic, mechanical, rheological, and gas barrier properties were studied. We find that the dispersion of TiO2in the matrix significantly improved after modification, as observed in the SEM images. As a result, the mechanical properties of composites decreased with an increase in the content of nanoparticles, and PVDF/N‐TiO2composites showed better mechanical and CO2barrier properties. The permeability coefficient of PVDF/0.5% N‐TiO2has the lowest permeability coefficient, which is 18.30% lower than primary PVDF. At a high shear rate, the viscosity of PVDF/N‐TiO2with 0.5% and 1.0% content decreased, and the viscosity of 1.5% ratio was higher than that of primary PVDF. PVDF/0.5% N‐TiO2has the best comprehensive performance and also possesses the advantages of simple preparation, low cost, and ease of industrial production.
Facile fabrication of high performance zwitterionic P(NVP‐co‐SPE)/polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel polyelectrolyte for capacitor
Authors: Wang Jin , Bian Jingjing , Pu Bin , Wang Yuanlu , Deng Mengde
Published: July 2022

Polyelectrolyte hydrogel used for supercapacitors have the roles of both electrolyte and separator, the morphology and the strength of gel polyelectrolyte (GPE) are the keys for ionic transport properties therein. Here, the P(NVP‐co‐SPE)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) IPN hydrogel was prepared by photopolymerization and thermal polymerization, respectively. The influences of preparation method on morphology, mechanical strength and electrochemical performances were studied. Photopolymerized IPN GPE (UV‐GPE) exhibits a special regular microphase separation structure, and therefore has outstanding strength‐toughness and better electrochemical performance. The tensile strength and the toughness increased intensively from the 6.2 MPa and 3.4 MJ m−3 of thermal polymerized IPN GPE (TH‐GPE) to 28.5 MPa and 24.9 MJ m−3, respectively. The maximum swelling ratio of UV‐GPE is increased from 327% of TH‐GPE to 630%. The ionic conductivity of UV‐GPE increased from 4.29 × 10−2 S/cm of TH‐GPE to 5.82 × 10−2 S/cm. UV‐GPE has higher response current and specific capacitance. It also has the obviously better charge–discharge symmetry and cycling stability, and the capacity retention rate is still 92.3% after 1000 cycles. Thus, it brings out the fast, eco‐economic photopolymerization method is an effective way to prepare high‐performance polyelectrolyte hydrogel.
Fabrication of hierarchical porous fluoro‐PolyHIPE materials with ultra‐high specific surface area via hypercrosslinking knitting technique
Authors: Lin Junzhi , Xia Xianger , Liu Yifei , Luan Zhenchao , Chen Yezhen , Ma Kunkai , Geng Bing , Li Hui
Published: July 2022

Fluoro‐PolyHIPEs with porous structure exhibit an excellent weather resistance for adsorption, separation or catalyst support applications in extreme environments, however, the specific surface area still needs to be improved. In this study, a porous fluorinated material is prepared by using high internal phase emulsion template method, and the porous structure of fluoro‐PolyHIPE (F‐PolyHIPE) is subsequently excavated and modified by the hypercrosslinking “knitting” method. The “knitting” of micropores in the pore walls of the fluoropolymer is achieved through the Friedel‐Crafts alkylation reaction by using dimethoxymethane (FDA) as the external crosslinker. It transforms the macroporous fluoropolymer prepared based on HIPE emulsion template method into hierarchical porous fluoro‐PolyHIPE (HCPF‐PolyHIPE) with a high specific surface area. The specific surface area of the porous fluorinated material demonstrates an increment from 15.6 m2 g−1 to 353.2 m2 g−1 after hypercrosslinking. Owing to the introduction of the micropores and mesopores as well as the enrichment of the fluorine atoms in the polymer network, HCPF‐PolyHIPE can be successfully applied for CO2 adsorption, thus, representing a major achievement of the study. Moreover, HCPF‐PolyHIPE exhibits excellent thermal stability as well as acid and alkali resistance, thus, confirming potential application prospects in the fields of oil‐water separation and gas adsorption.
Improving the electrical properties of poly[2‐methoxy‐5‐(2‐ethylhexyloxy)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene] by doping with camphor sulfonic acid for energy storage applications
Authors: Uludağ Cem , Karabul Yaşar , Kılıç Mehmet , Koç Kenan , Alveroglu Esra , Özdemir Zeynep Güven
Published: July 2022

This study examines a wide range of spectroscopic, structural and electrical properties of poly[2‐methoxy‐5‐(2‐ethylhexyloxy)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene] (MEH‐PPV)/camphor sulfonic acid (CSA) composites. Incorporation of CSA into the polymer matrix is confirmed by FTIR, UV, PL, scanning electron microscope, and atomic force microscopy results, also DC conductivity analysis shows that it affects the electric nature of the polymer differently from linear change. On the other hand, when the frequency‐dependent electrical properties are evaluated, it is seen that MEH‐PPV composite with the highest CSA contribution stands out for energy storage applications compared to pure MEH‐PPV with increased and reduced values. Moreover, the electrical modulus analysis showes that the increased CSA contribution contributed to the long‐range mobility of the charge carriers. Furthermore, Cole‐Cole curves are drawn in the complex electric modulus plane both confirm a non‐Debye type relaxation and support the existence of Maxwell–Wagner type polarization in the samples.
Production of zinc protoporphyrin IX by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli
Authors: Choi Kyeong Rok , Yu Hye Eun , Lee Sang Yup
Published: July 2022

Zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPPIX) has been considered as a promising red colorant for food industries as well as an anticancer drug. However, bio‐based production of ZnPPIX from a renewable carbon source has not been reported yet. In this study, a fermentation process of the metabolically engineered Escherichia coli HAEM7 strain was optimized for the high‐level production of ZnPPIX. To repurpose the HAEM7 strain that was originally developed for the production of heme into a producer of ZnPPIX, the concentrations of iron and zinc in the culture medium were rebalanced. Next, the concentration of zinc in the feeding solution was optimized to improve ZnPPIX production. Moreover, the pH control strategy, induction point, and the strategy of increasing the cell density, which were optimized in the accompanying paper for the high‐level production of heme, were applied together. In the optimized fermentation process, the HAEM7 strain produced 2.2 g/L ZnPPIX with a productivity of 39.9 mg/L/h. The fermentation process and strategies reported here will expedite establishing industry‐level production of ZnPPIX.
An experimental protocol for teaching CRISPR/Cas9 in a post‐graduate plant laboratory course: An analysis of mutant‐edited plants without sequencing
Authors: Mayta Martín L. , Dotto Marcela , Orellano Elena G. , Krapp Adriana R.
Published: July 2022

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is widely used for editing genes in various organisms and is a very useful tool due to its versatility, simplicity, and efficiency. To teach its principles to post‐graduate students we designed a laboratory activity to obtain and analyze PDS3 mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana plants consisting of: 1) Design of guide RNAs using bioinformatics tools; 2) plant transformation (which is optional depending on the length of the course); 3) observation and evaluation of the mutant's phenotypes in the Phytoene desaturase (PDS3) gene, which exhibit an albino phenotype and different degrees of mosaicism in the editing events we evaluated; 4) PCR amplification of a fragment that includes the mutated region followed by analysis of single‐stranded DNA conformation polymorphisms (SSCP) using native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver nitrate staining to detect changes in the amplicon sequence due to gene editing. Through SSCP, the students were able to distinguish between homozygous and heterozygous edited plants. A highlight feature of this protocol is the visualization and detection of the mutation/edition without sequencing the edited fragment.
A comprehensive study of the abdominal ganglia part 3: An overview of the most commonly observed ganglion patterns
Authors: du Plessis Maira , Loukas Marios
Published: July 2022

Chronic pain from untreatable abdominal cancers or pancreatitis can severely decrease an individual's quality of life due to accompanying neuropathic pain, the most difficult pain mechanism to treat. Current treatment modalities focus on peripheral block or neurolysis procedures of the sympathetic ganglia in an attempt to curb the pain and improve quality of life. Reports indicated that these treatments are ineffective with patients either experiencing no relief or return the pain in a few weeks. The aim of this study was to investigate the location, macro‐ and microscopic morphology, and interconnections of the abdominal ganglia. The abdominal sympathetic ganglia of nine adult cadavers were investigated. The locations, morphology, interconnections, and microscopic structure were studied in 108 potential abdominal ganglia. Particular emphasis was placed on direct interconnectivity between the ganglia and histological morphology. A total of 100 ganglia were confirmed histologically to contain ganglion cells. The number and locations of most of the ganglia identified in our study does not correspond to that described by previous reports. Numerous interconnections between the different ganglia, as well as direct communications with the lumbar sympathetic chain ganglia were observed. The interconnections and presence of ganglion cells the nerves connecting the ganglia lead to the belief that the system should be considered as a unit and that pain fibers may be transmitted via alternative previously undiscovered pathways. If the pain treatments are to be reassessed with this information in mind, we believe that greater success could be achieved.