bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Foster Parents’ Parenting and the Social-Emotional Development and Adaptive Functioning of Children in Foster Care: A PRISMA-Guided Literature Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chodura Sabrina , Lohaus Arnold , Symanzik Tabea , Heinrichs Nina , Konrad Kerstin
Published: February 2021

Children in foster care (CFC) are at increased risk for negative developmental outcomes. Given the potential influence of foster parents’ parenting on the development of CFC, this literature review and meta-analysis provide an initial overview of how parenting factors in foster families relate to CFC’s developmental outcomes. We aimed to explore (1) whether foster parents’ parenting conceptualizations are related differently to various CFC developmental outcome variables and (2) how characteristics of foster parents and CFC moderate these associations. Following the recommendations of the PRISMA statement, we searched four databases in 2017 (with an update in May 2020). Forty-three primary studies were coded manually. The interrater agreement was 92.1%. Parenting variables were specified as parenting behavior, style, and goals and were distinguished further into functional and dysfunctional parenting. CFC development was divided into adaptive (including cognitive) development and maladaptive development. Meta-analyses could be performed for foster parenting behavior and developmental outcomes, as well as for functional parenting goals and maladaptive socioemotional outcomes in CFC. Associations between functional parenting behavior and adaptive child development were positive and negative for maladaptive child development, respectively. For dysfunctional, parenting effects were in the opposite direction. All effects were small to moderate. Similar results were found descriptively in the associations of parenting style and child developmental outcomes. We found similar effect sizes and directions of the associations between parenting behavior in foster families and the child’s developmental outcomes as those previously reported for biological families. These findings provide strong support for the significant role of parenting in foster families regarding children’s development in foster care.
Conservation genetics of relict tropical species of Magnolia (section Macrophylla)
Authors: Chávez-Cortázar Angélica , Oyama Ken , Ochoa-Zavala Maried , Mata-Rosas Martín , Veltjen Emily , Samain Marie-Stéphanie , Quesada Mauricio
Published: February 2021

Special conservation efforts should be made for relict species, as they usually have small population sizes and restricted distributions, placing them in critical extinction risk. To achieve conservation, information about genetic diversity distribution is needed. Here, using nine nuclear microsatellites, we analyzed 23 populations of five recently described species of Magnolia distributed in Mexico, which were previously assigned to Magnolia dealbata. We aimed to determine the level of genetic diversity and the distribution of genetic variation and proposed conservation measures. Compared to other endemic and relict species, we found a moderate level of genetic diversity in most populations; however, we identified two populations with no genetic variation. Additionally, we found evidence of positive values of inbreeding likely due to geitonogamy. We found a strong population structure, low effective population size, and no evidence of bottlenecks. Patterns of genetic differentiation did not support the morphological distinction of five species, so we hypothesized that the gene pools may instead represent well-differentiated populations of a single species. We argue that the pattern of genetic differentiation is explained by the natural fragmentation of the cloud forests after glaciation events, and the effects of genetic drift in small populations poorly connected by gene flow. Despite the moderate levels of genetic diversity, special attention is needed to guarantee conservation, with emphasis on the populations in the central region of the country as well as the valuable populations identified in the southwestern region.
A novel non-trichome based whitefly resistance QTL in Solanum galapagense
Authors: Santegoets Joris , Bovio Marcella , van’t Westende Wendy , Voorrips Roeland E. , Vosman Ben
Published: February 2021

The greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum is a major threat in tomato cultivation. In greenhouse grown tomatoes non-trichome based whitefly resistance may be better suited than glandular trichome based resistance as glandular trichomes may interfere with biocontrol, which is widely used. Analysis of a collection of recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum galapagense showed resistance to the whitefly T. vaporariorum on plants without glandular trichomes type IV. The resistance affected whitefly adult survival (AS), but not oviposition rate. This indicates that S. galapagense, in addition to trichome based resistance, also carries non-trichome based resistance components. The effectiveness of the non-trichome based resistance appeared to depend on the season in which the plants were grown. The resistance also had a small but significant effect on the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, but not on the thrips Frankliniella occidentalis. A segregating F2 population was created to map the non-trichome based resistance. Two Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for reduced AS of T. vaporariorum were mapped on chromosomes 12 and 7 (explaining 13.9% and 6.0% of the variance respectively). The QTL on chromosome 12 was validated in F3 lines.
The Thermal Diffusivity of Glass Sieves: I. Liquid Saturated Frits
Authors: Hammerschmidt Ulf , Abid Muhammad
Published: February 2021

The thermal diffusivity of evacuated and liquid-saturated borosilicate glass sieves (frits) of porosities between 20 % and 48 % is presented as measured at room temperature. The saturants cover a range in thermal diffusivity from 0.091 mm2·s−1 to 0.143 mm2·s−1. The runs were carried out using a transient hot bridge (THB) measuring instrument of an expanded uncertainty of 5 % to 10 %. The experimental results are successfully fitted to a novel transient parallel-serial (TPSC) conduction model for the time-dependent composite heat transfer in porous media. The TPSC-model is an extension of the steady-state parallel-serial conduction (PSC) model to predict the thermal conductivity. The TPSC model confirms the so-called thermal porosity of the frits under test, a term that has been introduced in a former report on the thermal conductivity of the matrices (Hammerschmidt and Abid, Int J Thermophys 42:40, 2021). The experimental findings on the conductive transport of heat by glass sieves and their accurate mathematical description in the framework of the PSC and TPSC models might effectively support improving the thermal management of electronic devices and lithium-ion batteries.
Episodic Future Thinking in Autism Spectrum Disorder and 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Association with Anticipatory Pleasure and Social Functioning
Authors: Feller Clémence , Dubois Charlotte , Eliez Stephan , Schneider Maude
Published: February 2021

Episodic future thinking (EFT) has been suggested to underlie anticipatory pleasure (AP), itself known to play a crucial role in social functioning (SF). Both AP and SF are impaired in various clinical populations, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). Therefore, the relationship between EFT, AP and SF was investigated, as well as the potential role of projecting oneself in a social vs. non-social context. Seventy-seven participants [24 with 22q11DS, 20 with ASD, 33 typically developing controls (TDs)] (aged 12–25) were included. They were assessed with a future thinking task in which they were asked to recall a memory and produce a likely event. Narratives were rated based of specificity, richness and imaginability. Participants completed questionnaires assessing AP and SF. Narratives from ASD and 22q11DS participants were rated as less vivid compared to TDs. However, the characteristics of the narratives differed between ASD and 22q11DS participants in terms of specificity and level of details, as well as in reaction to social condition. Moreover, correlations were found between AP and EFT in both ASD and 22q11DS participants, and between SF and EFT in ASD participants. These results point towards impairments in EFT in both ASD and 22q11DS participants but with a specific profile in each condition. The observed associations between EFT and AP suggest that decreased autonoetic consciousness might underlie AP impairments. In ASD individuals, the association between SF and EFT highlights the need to better characterize EFT since EFT could be another mechanism contributing to social difficulties.
Robust PCA via Regularized Reaper with a Matrix-Free Proximal Algorithm
Authors: Beinert Robert , Steidl Gabriele
Published: February 2021

Principal component analysis (PCA) is known to be sensitive to outliers, so that various robust PCA variants were proposed in the literature. A recent model, calledreaper, aims to find the principal components by solving a convex optimization problem. Usually the number of principal components must be determined in advance and the minimization is performed over symmetric positive semi-definite matrices having the size of the data, although the number of principal components is substantially smaller. This prohibits its use if the dimension of the data is large which is often the case in image processing. In this paper, we propose a regularized version ofreaperwhich enforces the sparsity of the number of principal components by penalizing the nuclear norm of the corresponding orthogonal projector. If only an upper bound on the number of principal components is available, our approach can be combined with theL-curve method to reconstruct the appropriate subspace. Our second contribution is a matrix-free algorithm to find a minimizer of the regularizedreaperwhich is also suited for high-dimensional data. The algorithm couples a primal-dual minimization approach with a thick-restarted Lanczos process. This appears to be the first efficient convex variational method for robust PCA that can handle high-dimensional data. As a side result, we discuss the topic of the bias in robust PCA. Numerical examples demonstrate the performance of our algorithm.
Exploring Latent Profiles of Psychopathology in a Sample of Lonely People Seeking Treatment
Authors: Käll Anton , Shafran Roz , Andersson Gerhard
Published: February 2021

Loneliness is a common experience in populations experiencing mental health problems. Associations with symptoms of psychopathology are prevalent, but little is known about the diversity of symptom profiles in people suffering from prolonged and distressing loneliness. The current study sought to investigate the existence of subgroups of loneliness and common forms of psychopathology in a sample of adults (n = 332) seeking treatment for their loneliness. Using latent profile analysis, five profiles were identified and differences in demographic factors were investigated. The profiles differed mainly in the severity of symptoms of depression, worry, and social anxiety, with the largest profile exhibiting minimal-to-mild symptoms (n = 109) across these indicators. The second largest group was characterized primarily by high ratings of social anxiety (n = 90). Overall, three of the five profiles, encompassing roughly half of the sample, scored at a clinical level on mental health symptom measures. Age was inversely related to symptom severity among the profiles, indicating that the older subgroups of the sample exhibited milder symptoms, particularly on social anxiety. The results provide insight into the heterogeneity of the clinical symptoms of people suffering from loneliness and add important knowledge that could help inform how to best intervene to help this population.
Is It Morally Legitimate to Punish the Late Stage Demented for Their Past Crimes?
Authors: Hallich Oliver
Published: February 2021

Are we justified in keeping the demented in prison for crimes they committed when they were still healthy? The answer to this question is an issue of considerable practical importance. The problem arises in cases where very aged criminals exhibit symptoms of dementia while serving their sentence. In these cases, one may wonder whether lodging these criminals in penal institutions rather than in normal caretaking facilities is justifiable. In this paper, I argue that there are justificatory reasons for punishing the demented for their past crimes. In part 2, I examine three theories of punishment—retributivism, prevention theories and expressivism—with regard to the question of whether they provide justificatory reasons for punishing the demented. I argue that only expressivism provides these reasons. In part 3, I defend the view that expressivism, though not convincing as a general theory of punishment, is plausible if applied only to a specific subclass of punitive actions. More precisely, expressivism, or so I argue, is plausible with regard to those acts of punishment that consist in intending to inflict sufferingwithoutactually inflicting suffering. Since the punishment of demented patients falls within this class, it can be justified on an expressivist basis. In part 4, I discuss six objections to my view and rebut them.
Sexual Interactions and Sexual Infidelity
Authors: McQueen Paddy
Published: February 2021

This paper establishes what constitutes a sexual interaction between two or more people. It does this by first defining a sexual activity as one in which the agent intends to satisfy a sexual desire (i.e. a desire for sexual pleasure). To understand what it means to engage in a sexual activity with another person, it draws from Bratman’s account of shared collaborative activity. A sexual interaction is defined as one in which two or more people engage in a sexual activity together, with the intention of satisfying a sexual desire (or some sexual desires) in a mutually responsive and mutually supportive way. The paper then uses this account to consider what things constitute sexual infidelity. The answer is a broad one: many things can count as sexual interactions and hence can be considered to be sexual infidelity. Contrary to what a lot of people think, this can include the private use of pornography.
A Full Systematic Review on the Effects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Mental Health Symptoms in Child Refugees
Authors: Lawton Katie , Spencer Angela
Published: February 2021

Global conflict in 2019 created record numbers of displaced children. These children have experienced multiple traumas and subsequently suffer high levels of mental health symptoms. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is commonly used for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, however the current evidence-base of CBT in child refugees is sparse, with mixed results. This study aimed to assess the effects of CBT on symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety in child refugees/AS. Ethics were reviewed and granted by the University of Manchester ethics committee. Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO and CINAHL were systematically searched. Studies were included if CBT was delivered to refugee/AS children with pre and post-intervention measures of symptoms. Sixteen studies fulfilled criteria. In all studies, mental health symptom scores post-intervention had reduced, suggesting an improvement in mental health following CBT. This reduction was statistically significant in twelve studies (p < 0.001–0.5), clinically significant in eight studies and maintained at follow-up periods. No adverse effects of CBT were identified. This is the first systematic review to focus solely on CBT in child refugee populations, with unanimously positive results. Its use is cautiously recommended, however the need for more methodologically rigorous studies in this population is highlighted.
Characterizing the Tumor Immune Microenvironment with Tyramide-Based Multiplex Immunofluorescence
Authors: Mori Hidetoshi , Bolen Jennifer , Schuetter Louis , Massion Pierre , Hoyt Clifford C. , VandenBerg Scott , Esserman Laura , Borowsky Alexander D. , Campbell Michael J.
Published: February 2021

Multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) allows simultaneous antibody-based detection of multiple markers with a nuclear counterstain on a single tissue section. Recent studies have demonstrated that mIF is becoming an important tool for immune profiling the tumor microenvironment, further advancing our understanding of the interplay between cancer and the immune system, and identifying predictive biomarkers of response to immunotherapy. Expediting mIF discoveries is leading to improved diagnostic panels, whereas it is important that mIF protocols be standardized to facilitate their transition into clinical use. Manual processing of sections for mIF is time consuming and a potential source of variability across numerous samples. To increase reproducibility and throughput we demonstrate the use of an automated slide stainer for mIF incorporating tyramide signal amplification (TSA). We describe two panels aimed at characterizing the tumor immune microenvironment. Panel 1 included CD3, CD20, CD117, FOXP3, Ki67, pancytokeratins (CK), and DAPI, and Panel 2 included CD3, CD8, CD68, PD-1, PD-L1, CK, and DAPI. Primary antibodies were first tested by standard immunohistochemistry and single-plex IF, then multiplex panels were developed and images were obtained using a Vectra 3.0 multispectral imaging system. Various methods for image analysis (identifying cell types, determining cell densities, characterizing cell-cell associations) are outlined. These mIF protocols will be invaluable tools for immune profiling the tumor microenvironment.
COVID-19, Contagion, and Vaccine Optimism
Authors: McGuire Kelly
Published: February 2021

Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion (2011) positions the vaccine as the end point of the arc of ​pandemic, marking both the containment of an elusive virus and ​the resumption of a life not fundamentally different from ​before the disease outbreak. ​The film reinforces the ​assumption that a pandemic will awaken ​all of us to the urgency of vaccination​, persuading us to put aside our reservations and anxieties ​and the idea that compliance is the inevitable outcome of quarantine. This article explores how pro-vaccination cultural products ​such as Contagion might in fact undermine public health efforts by promoting a false narrative, which simplifies the kind of vaccination campaign necessary for herd immunity to develop. An ethic of sacrifice and selflessness drives the public health messaging of the film but leaves intact certain individualistic tropes and plague narrative scapegoating tendencies, while the framing of the vaccine as “gift” takes it out of the realm of medical science altogether.
A synthetic peptide as an allosteric inhibitor of human arginase I and II
Authors: Gao Kai , Lunev Sergey , van den Berg Mariska P. M. , Al-Dahmani Zayana M. , Evans Stephen , Mertens Dyon A. L. J. , Meurs Herman , Gosens Reinoud , Groves Matthew R.
Published: February 2021

Arginine metabolism mediated by arginases plays a critical role in cell and tissue function. The arginine hydrolysis is deeply involved in the urea cycle, which helps the kidney excrete ammonia from blood. Upregulation of arginases affects microenvironment stability due to the presence of excess urea in blood. To regulate the arginase activities properly, a synthetic peptide based on the structure of human arginase I was designed and assessed. Preliminary data shows it inhibits human arginase I and II with an IC50 of 2.4 ± 0.3 and 1.8 ± 0.1 mmol, respectively. Our kinetic analysis indicates the inhibition is not competitive with substrate – suggesting an allosteric mechanism. This result provides a step towards specific inhibitors design.
Mobile Money and School Participation: Evidence from Africa
Authors: Rotondi Valentina , Billari Francesco C.
Published: February 2021

This paper shows that mobile money technology—an electronic wallet service that allows users to deposit, transfer, and receive money using their mobile phones—is positively correlated with increased school participation of children in school age. By using data from 4 African countries, we argue that, by reducing transaction costs, and by making it easier and less expensive to receive remittances, mobile money reduces the need for coping strategies that are detrimental to child development, such as withdrawing children from school and sending them to work. We find that mobile money increases the chances of children attending school. This finding is robust to different empirical models. In a nutshell, our results show that 1 million children could start attending school in low-income countries if mobile money was available to all.
Correction to: Language and imagined Gesellschaft: Émile Durkheim’s civil-linguistic nationalism and the consequences of universal human ideals
Authors: Tada Mitsuhiro
Published: February 2021

A Correction to this paper has been published: 10.1007/s11186-021-09436-2
Towards medical knowmetrics: representing and computing medical knowledge using semantic predications as the knowledge unit and the uncertainty as the knowledge context
Authors: Li Xiaoying , Peng Suyuan , Du Jian
Published: February 2021

In China, Prof. Hongzhou Zhao and Zeyuan Liu are the pioneers of the concept “knowledge unit” and “knowmetrics” for measuring knowledge. However, the definition on “computable knowledge object” remains controversial so far in different fields. For example, it is defined as (1) quantitative scientific concept in natural science and engineering, (2) knowledge point in the field of education research, and (3) semantic predications, i.e., Subject-Predicate-Object (SPO) triples in biomedical fields. The Semantic MEDLINE Database (SemMedDB), a high-quality public repository of SPO triples extracted from medical literature, provides a basic data infrastructure for measuring medical knowledge. In general, the study of extracting SPO triples as computable knowledge unit from unstructured scientific text has been overwhelmingly focusing on scientific knowledge per se. Since the SPO triples would be possibly extracted from hypothetical, speculative statements or even conflicting and contradictory assertions, the knowledge status (i.e., the uncertainty), which serves as an integral and critical part of scientific knowledge has been largely overlooked. This article aims to put forward a framework for Medical Knowmetrics using the SPO triples as the knowledge unit and the uncertainty as the knowledge context. The lung cancer publications dataset is used to validate the proposed framework. The uncertainty of medical knowledge and how its status evolves over time indirectly reflect the strength of competing knowledge claims, and the probability of certainty for a given SPO triple. We try to discuss the new insights using the uncertainty-centric approaches to detect research fronts, and identify knowledge claims with high certainty level, in order to improve the efficacy of knowledge-driven decision support.
Quantitative quality: a study on how performance-based measures may change the publication patterns of Danish researchers
Authors: Deutz Daniella Bayle , Drachen Thea Marie , Drongstrup Dorte , Opstrup Niels , Wien Charlotte
Published: February 2021

Nations the world over are increasingly turning to quantitative performance-based metrics to evaluate the quality of research outputs, as these metrics are abundant and provide an easy measure of ranking research. In 2010, the Danish Ministry of Science and Higher Education followed this trend and began portioning out a percentage of the available research funding according to how many research outputs each Danish university produces. Not all research outputs are eligible: only those published in a curated list of academic journals and publishers, the so-called BFI list, are included. The BFI list is ranked, which may create incentives for academic authors to target certain publication outlets or publication types over others. In this study we examine the potential effect these relatively new research evaluation methods have had on the publication patterns of researchers in Denmark. The study finds that publication behaviors in the Natural Sciences & Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) have changed, while the Health Sciences appear unaffected. Researchers in Natural Sciences & Technology appear to focus on high impact journals that reap more BFI points. While researchers in SSH have also increased their focus on the impact of the publication outlet, they also appear to have altered their preferred publication types, publishing more journal articles in the Social Sciences and more anthologies in the Humanities.
Amendments of 2020 to the Russian Constitution as an Update to Its Symbolic and Identity Programme
Authors: Sadowski Jakub
Published: February 2021

In the renewed Russian Fundamental Law, in addition to a number of provisions introducing changes to the political system, there are also statements of programmatic importance, as well as several provisions with symbolic and identity function. In this article these provisions are subject to functional and semiotic-cultural analysis. Particular emphasis has been placed on legally irrelevant content transmitted by the new regulations, on their semantic connections with the content of the preamble and on their cultural context. The research procedure carried out allows us to state that, compared with the 1993 text, the Russian Constitution in its current version participates to a much greater extent in the complex system of transmission of symbolic content, as well as the narratives that contribute to social memory, cultural and historical identity. In doing so, it goes beyond its genre limitations, opening the basic text to the functions assigned to the preamble. In the fragments I have analysed in the paper there are undoubtedly functional and genre disturbances, and with them changes the mode of semiosis of the legal text, both in its normative and programmatic form. Renewed Constitution is the case in which a legal text, by its very nature designing the possible future world, does so through ideas about the past.
The Role of Financial Fragility and Financial Control for Well-Being
Authors: Bialowolski Piotr , Weziak-Bialowolska Dorota , McNeely Eileen
Published: February 2021

Financial fragility is recognized as a substantial issue for individual well-being. Various estimates show that between 46 and 59% of American adults are financially fragile and thus vulnerable in terms of their well-being. We argue that the role of financial control in shaping well-being outcomes—despite being less recognized in the literature than the role of financial fragility—is equally or even more important. Our study is a longitudinal cohort study that made use of observational data. Two waves of the Well-Being Survey data from 1448 U.S. adults were used in the analysis. Impacts of financial fragility and financial control on 17 well-being outcomes were examined, including emotional well-being (nine outcomes), physical well-being (four outcomes), social well-being (two outcomes), in addition to an unhealthy days summary measure and the flourishing index. Financial fragility was shown to be on average less influential for the well-being outcomes than financial control. Our results suggest that financial control plays a protective role for complete well-being. Less evidence in support of a harmful role of financial fragility for well-being is provided. Tests for moderation effects revealed no interaction between financial control and financial fragility within our sample, indicating that financial control did not modify the relationship between financial fragility and well-being.
A single session with a roller massager improves hamstring flexibility in healthy athletes: a randomized placebo-controlled crossover study
Authors: Folli Anna , Ghirlanda Filippo , Cescon Corrado , Schneebeli Alessandro , Weber Céline , Vetterli Patrick , Barbero Marco
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The aim of this randomized placebo-controlled crossover study was to compare the acute effect on young athletes of a single session of roller massager (RM) with that obtained from passive static stretching (PSS) and a placebo intervention (PL) on hamstring flexibility and on strength.

Methods

Twenty-nine (23 male, 6 female) young athletes completed the study. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and two-leg sit-and-reach test were performed before and immediately after PL, PSS and RM on three different days.

Results

Results showed that all three interventions increased the flexibility of the hamstring muscles compared to the pre-test measurements (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p < 0.05). Only the RM intervention was significantly higher than the PL intervention (sham ultrasound). Stretching intervention was not significantly different from either of the other two interventions. None of the three interventions significantly changed the muscle strength in the short term.

Conclusions

RM can be considered as an effective alternative to stretching to increase the flexibility of the hamstring. This could be meaningful when stretching is contraindicated or evokes pain.
Correction to: Hull Girder Ultimate Strength Assessment Considering Local Corrosion
Authors: Vu Van Tuyen , Dong Duc Tuan
Published: February 2021

A Correction to this paper has been published: 10.1007/s11804-021-00196-0
Latent HIV-Exosomes Induce Mitochondrial Hyperfusion Due to Loss of Phosphorylated Dynamin-Related Protein 1 in Brain Endothelium
Authors: Chandra Partha K. , Rutkai Ibolya , Kim Hogyoung , Braun Stephen E. , Abdel-Mageed Asim B. , Mondal Debasis , Busija David W.
Published: February 2021

Damage to the cerebral vascular endothelium is a critical initiating event in the development of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders. To study the role of mitochondria in cerebral endothelial dysfunction, we investigated how exosomes, isolated from both cell lines with integrated provirus and HIV-1 infected primary cells (HIV-exosomes), accelerate the dysfunction of primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMVECs) by inducing mitochondrial hyperfusion, and reducing the expression of phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (p-eNOS). The quantitative analysis of the extracellular vesicles (EVs) indicates that the isolated EVs were predominantly exosomes. It was further supported by the detection of exosomal markers, and the absence of large EV-related protein in the isolated EVs. The exosomes were readily taken up by primary HBMVECs. HIV-exosomes induce cellular and mitochondrial superoxide production but reduce mitochondrial membrane potential in HBMVECs. HIV-exosomes increase mitochondrial hyperfusion, possibly due to loss of phosphorylated dynamin-related protein 1 (p-DRP1). HIV-exosomes, containing the HIV-Tat protein, and viral Tat protein reduce the expression of p-DRP1 and p-eNOS, and accelerate brain endothelial dysfunction. Finally, exosomes isolated from HIV-1 infected primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) produce more exosomes than uninfected controls and reduce both p-DRP1 and p-eNOS expressions in primary HBMVECs. Our novel findings reveal the significant role of HIV-exosomes on dysregulation of mitochondrial function, which induces adverse changes in the function of the brain microvascular endothelium.
Synergistic inhibition of polyethylene glycol and potassium chloride in water-based drilling fluids
Authors: Huang Dan-Chao , Xie Gang , Peng Ni-Yuan , Zou Jian-Guo , Xu Yao , Deng Ming-Yi , Du Wei-Chao , Xiao Yu-Rong , Huang Jin-Jun , Luo Ping-Ya
Published: February 2021

Mud shale hydration and swelling are major challenges in the development of water-based drilling fluids (WBDFs). In this work, the inhibition performance and inhibition mechanism of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and potassium chloride (KCl) were investigated by hot rolling recovery tests, linear swell tests, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic absorption spectrophotometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The experimental results show that the combination of PEG and KCl achieved higher recovery and lower linear swelling rate than those obtained by individual PEG or KCl. Compared to the d-spacing of Na-montmorillonite (Na-Mt) with PEG or KCl, the d-spacing of Na-Mt with PEG+KCl was lower, which indicates that KCl and PEG have synergistic inhibition effect. This synergistic effect can replace sodium ions and water molecules from the interlayer space of Na-Mt and decrease the d-spacing of Na-Mt. Based on the above experimental results and analysis, a method for optimizing PEG and KCl concentrations was proposed and further verified by rheological and hot rolling recovery tests of WBDFs. Hence, the results of this work can provide valuable theoretical guidance for developing other synergistic inhibitors.
Erratum to: ‘PSA-tests bij mannen ouder dan 74 jaar: zwart-wit of toch een grijs gebied’?
Authors:   ERSPC Rotterdam Study Group, Remmers Sebastiaan , Hogenhout Renée , Roobol Monique J.
Published: February 2021

In het artikel ‘PSA-tests bij mannen ouder dan 74 jaar: zwart-wit of toch een grijs gebied?’ (Tijdschrift voor Urologie, maart 2021) is de naam van de tweede auteur abusievelijk niet vermeld: prof. dr. Fritz H. Schröder, emeritus hoogleraar Urologie, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam. Prof. dr. Fritz H. Schröder is oprichter van de ERSPC Rotterdam Study group.
Diagnostic imaging in COVID-19 pneumonia: a literature review
Authors: Campagnano Sarah , Angelini Flavia , Fonsi Giovanni Battista , Novelli Simone , Drudi Francesco Maria
Published: February 2021

In December 2019 in Wuhan (China), a bat-origin coronavirus (2019-nCoV), also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified, and the World Health Organization named the related disease COVID-19. Its most severe manifestations are pneumonia, systemic and pulmonary thromboembolism, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and respiratory failure. A swab test is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of COVID-19 despite the high number of false negatives. Radiologists play a crucial role in the rapid identification and early diagnosis of pulmonary involvement. Lung ultrasound (LUS) and computed tomography (CT) have a high sensitivity in detecting pulmonary interstitial involvement. LUS is a low-cost and radiation-free method, which allows a bedside approach and needs disinfection of only a small contact area, so it could be particularly useful during triage and in intensive care units (ICUs). High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is particularly useful in evaluating disease progression or resolution, being able to identify even the smallest changes.
Demented patients and the quandaries of identity: setting the problem, advancing a proposal
Authors: Boniolo Giovanni
Published: February 2021

In the paper, after clarifying terms such as ‘identity’, ‘self’ and ‘personhood’, I propose an empirical account of identity based on the notion of “whole phenotype”. This move allows one to claim the persistence of the individuals before and after their being affected by dementia. Furthermore, I show how this account permits us to address significant questions related to demented individuals’ loss of the capacity of moral decisions.
A novel current controller design for grid-integrated PV inverter system
Authors: Ahmad Ayaz , Rajaji L. , Iqbal A.
Published: February 2021

Distributed generators are playing a vital role in supporting the grid in ever-increasing energy demands. Grid code regulation must be followed when integrating the photovoltaic inverter system to the grid. The paper investigates and analyzes a controller model for grid-connected PV inverters to inject sinusoidal current to the grid with minimum distortion. To achieve better tracking and disturbance rejection, a DSP-based current controller is designed with LCL filter. The controller gets the current feedback from the grid, compares it with reference current, and calculates duty cycle to generate PWM pulses to trigger H-bridge converters. The grid voltage is loaded to the initial value in proposed PR controller to ensure the initial inverter voltage to match the grid voltage. The paper presents a novel current controller algorithm for grid-connected inverter system, and simulation is done. A detailed analysis has been carried out to validate the proposed design algorithm. Experimental implementation of the current controller in the DC/AC converter circuits with an LCL filter is done for 5.4 kW to validate and match the simulation model.
A proposed data acquisition system and algorithm for signal processing of moving-coil geophone’s output
Authors: Mishra Preity , Chaulya Swades Kumar , Banerjee Gautam
Published: February 2021

The study of different types of vibrational and seismic movements is important for exploration in strata monitoring, machine health monitoring, earthquake detection, etc. In order to study these vibrational movements, it needs to be acquired first for analysis. Data acquisition using the seismic sensors is a challenging task. This paper presents a data acquisition system developed to acquire seismic signals from a moving-coil geophone. The paper also discusses a signal interpretation algorithm that is devised to perform automatic detection of a seismic event occurrence by separating through the waveform and non-waveform components in the sensor’s output using Gaussian naive Bayes classifier and Kernel density estimation technique. The proposed method is effective in the identification of a useful signal and identification of its nature of origin. Accuracy of the algorithm was 99% for the waveform classification. Sensitivity of the data acquisition system for the seismic sensors was 1.589 µm s–1. Further, the developed data acquisition system and the algorithm can be used in mines for seismological studies aimed at separating the vibration signal generated due to explosion and the one caused due to Earth’s tectonic and seismic activities.
Hidden Histories of the Dead
Authors: Hurren Elizabeth T.
Published: February 2021

In this discipline-redefining book, Elizabeth T. Hurren maps the post-mortem journeys of bodies, body-parts, organs, and brains, inside the secretive culture of modern British medical research after WWII as the bodies of the deceased were harvested as bio-commons. Often the human stories behind these bodies were dissected, discarded, or destroyed in death. Hidden Histories of the Dead recovers human faces and supply-lines in the archives that medical science neglected to acknowledge. It investigates the medical ethics of organ donation, the legal ambiguities of a lack of fully-informed consent and the shifting boundaries of life and re-defining of medical death in a biotechnological era. Hurren reveals the implicit, explicit and missed body disputes that took second-place to the economics of the national and international commodification of human material in global medical sciences of the Genome era. This title is also available as Open Access.
The Origins of the Roman Economy
Authors: Cifani Gabriele
Published: February 2021

In this book, Gabriele Cifani reconstructs the early economic history of Rome, from the Iron Age to the early Republic. Bringing a multidisciplinary approach to the topic, he argues that the early Roman economy was more diversified than has been previously acknowledged, going well beyond agriculture and pastoralism. Cifani bases his argument on a systematic review of archaeological evidence for production, trade and consumption. He posits that the existence of a network system, based on cultural interaction, social mobility, and trade, connected Rome and central Tyrrhenian Italy to the Mediterranean Basin even in this early period of Rome's history. Moreover, these trade and cultural links existed in parallel to regional, diversified economies, and institutions. Cifani's book thus offers new insights into the economic basis for the rise of Rome, as well as the social structures of Mediterranean Iron Age societies.
The Soundtrack of the Extreme: Nasheeds and Right-Wing Extremist Music as a “Gateway Drug” into the Radical Scene?
Authors: Möller Veronika , Mischler Antonia
Published: February 2021

Music plays an important role in both the right-wing extremist and the Salafi jihadist scenes as a unifying and radicalizing factor. It is used to share propaganda and highlight specific ideologies. Music is disseminated by various means, e.g. via social media, and used strategically to attract potential new members. The aims of right-wing extremist music and the Salafi jihadist nasheeds are, among other things, to inspire the youth, reach out to a worldwide audience of potential sympathizers, and disseminate their absolutist worldview. To achieve these goals, seemingly objective depictions of negative everyday experiences, of oppression, and the need for resistance are utilized. The songs are usually associated with violent content, and in conjunction with videos, they illustrate the perceived need to defend oneself. In this article, we will take a closer look at the content of four selected extremist songs. Our analysis of the content is based on a triangulation of sequential text analysis methods and identifies the differences and comparable elements of the ideologies in a final step. In addition to the content, the research aims to examine the possible effects of extremist groups’ music.
Analytical solution of the Burnett equations for gaseous flow in a long microchannel
Authors: Rath Aishwarya , Yadav Upendra , Agrawal Amit
Published: February 2021

This paper presents an analytical solution of the Burnett equations for gaseous flow in a long microchannel. A non-dimensional analysis is first undertaken to reduce the governing equations into somewhat simplified differential equations, which are solved to obtain the pressure and velocity fields. The exact solution for pressure has been obtained by solving the cross-stream momentum equation, while the solution for velocity is obtained from the streamwise momentum equation. The required boundary conditions are obtained from the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The obtained analytical solution is compared with the available DSMC and perturbation based solutions, and found to agree well. The work is particularly significant because analytical solutions of the Burnett equations are currently known in only a very few cases. The present analytical solution opens the possibility for further analysis by employing the expressions for pressure and velocity provided here.
Two ways to generate monotonic sequences: convexity and ratios
Authors: Jameson G. J. O.
Published: February 2021

Here we give an account of two appealingly simple techniques to generate monotonic sequences that were developed by the author and Grahame Bennett. Sadly, Bennett died in 2016 after a lifetime of distinguished contributions in the field of inequalities. This article is dedicated to him.
Insufficient iodine nutrition may affect the thyroid cancer incidence in China
Authors: Fan Lijun , Meng Fangang , Gao Yunyan , Liu Peng
Published: February 2021

Epidemiological studies have focused on the effects of iodine intake on the risk of thyroid cancer. However, their relationship is still obscure. The objective of the present study was to examine the association in the Chinese population. A new ecological study which combined the Data of Annual Report of Cancer, the Survey of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) surveillance and the Water Iodine Survey was conducted to analyse the relationship between iodine intake and the thyroid cancer incidence in China. In total, 281 counties were included. Thyroid cancer incidence was negatively correlated with the consumption rate of qualified iodised salt (CRQIS) and positively correlated with goiter prevalence (GP) of children aged 8–10 years, residents’ annual income and coastal status. Areas with a low CRQIS and areas with a high GP had a relatively high incidence of thyroid cancer. Regression models showed that a low CRQIS and a high GP in children aged 8–10 years (both reflecting iodine deficiency status) play a substantial role in thyroid cancer incidence in both males and females. Additionally, living in coastal areas and having a high annual income may also increase the risk of thyroid cancer. These findings suggest that mild iodine deficiency may contribute to the exceptionally high incidence of thyroid cancer in some areas in China. Maintaining appropriate iodine nutrition not only helps to eliminate IDD but also may help to reduce the occurrence of thyroid cancer.
Learning at Home and Abroad: How Competition Conditions the Diffusion of Party Strategies
Authors: Juhl Sebastian , Williams Laron K.
Published: February 2021

How do parties decide when to campaign on valence issues given high degrees of uncertainty? Although past studies have provided evidence of transnational emulation of parties' position-taking strategies, these findings do not directly apply to saliency strategies. Moreover, the exact diffusion mechanism remains largely elusive. Based on the issue saliency literature, this study develops novel theoretical propositions and argues that conscious learning enables parties to infer the relative utility of emphasizing consensual issues during an electoral campaign. The proposed theory gives rise to different expectations at the domestic and transnational levels because of the distinct logic of issue competition. By analyzing environmental issue emphasis in party manifestos, the authors find direct transnational dependencies and indirect spillover effects among the parties' saliency strategies. They identify conscious learning, rather than mere imitation or independent decision making, as the diffusion mechanism at work. Yet, in line with saliency-based theories, electoral competition mutes the diffusion of electoral strategies domestically.
Culture, ecology, and grounded procedures
Authors: Kwon Jung Yul , Glenberg Arthur M. , Varnum Michael E. W.
Published: February 2021

We propose that grounded procedures may help explain psychological variations across cultures. Here we offer a set of novel predictions based on the interplay between the social and physical ecology, chronic sensorimotor experience, and cultural norms.
Cleansing and separating: From modern agriculture and genocide to post-separation era
Authors: Bilewicz Michal , Bilewicz Aleksandra
Published: February 2021

We propose that the metaphor of cleansing was a by-product of modernization processes. Based on cultural and historical evidence, we claim that the activation of cleansing metaphor triggered positive associations in times when separation was a positively regarded element of human culture and agriculture, but it should not exert the same effect in times when separation became culturally anachronistic.
Grounded procedures of connection are not created equal
Authors: Wentzel Daniel , von Walter Benjamin , Scharfenberger Philipp
Published: February 2021

Lee and Schwarz propose that grounded procedures can also be related to connection rather than separation. Drawing on consumer behavior research, we point to different grounded procedures of connection – in terms of the motor actions involved, their salient properties, and their motivational conditions – and discuss how procedures of separation may be affected by the procedures of connection that precede them.
Separation/connection procedures: From cleansing behavior to numerical cognition
Authors: Felisatti Arianna , Fischer Martin H. , Kulkova Elena , Kühne Katharina , Michirev Alexej
Published: February 2021

Lee and Schwarz (L&S) suggest that separation is the grounded procedure underlying cleansing effects in different psychological domains. Here, we interpret L&S's account from a hierarchical view of cognition that considers the influence of physical properties and sensorimotor constraints on mental representations. This approach allows theoretical integration and generalization of L&S's account to the domain of formal quantitative reasoning.