bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of timing of intravenous paracetamol on perioperative pain and cytokine levels following laparoscopic bariatric surgery, a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Semyonov Michael , Bartulovic Anastasiya , Cohen Nir , Berzon Baruch , Fedorina Ekaterina , Lerman Sofia , Semionov Anastasia , Friger Michael , Acker Asaf , Geftler Alexander , Zlotnik Alexander , Brotfain Evgeni
Published: September 2022

Objective

Bariatric surgeries involve manipulation of the viscera and are associated with significant postoperative pain. Paracetamol is a nonopioid analgesic with a rapid onset, and it is effective and safe. The study compared the effects of pre‐ and postincisional intravenous paracetamol administration for optimal postoperative pain management in patients undergoing bariatric surgeries.

Methods

This is a prospective, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled randomized clinical trial of adult patients, admitted electively for laparoscopic bariatric surgery. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group of patients was given paracetamol at the beginning of the operation, prior to the surgical incision, the other group of patients received the same treatment at the end of the operation.

Results

Patients who were given preincisional intravenous paracetamol presented significantly lower visual analog scale (VAS) scores following the surgery compared with patients who were given intravenous paracetamol in the last 30 minutes of the operation (VAS, median [IQR] = 2 [2‐3] vs. 5 [3‐6]; p < 0.001). They also required fewer postoperative opioids and tramadol (in milligrams, respectively, 1 [0‐5] vs. 7.5 [5‐10] and 300 [100‐400] vs. 400 [200‐500]) compared with later analgesia administration (p < 0.001 and p = 0.03). The levels of inflammatory markers measured at fixed intervals from paracetamol administration were not statistically different between the study groups.

Conclusion

Early analgesia with intravenous paracetamol, given before the surgical incision, may result in lower VAS scores postoperatively compared with the same treatment administered toward the end of the operation.
How do women want to receive information about non‐invasive prenatal testing? Evidence from a discrete choice experiment
Authors: Wright Stuart J. , Dalal Garima , Vass Caroline M. , Georgsson Susanne , Payne Katherine
Published: September 2022

Objective

Non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) identifies the risk of abnormalities in pregnancy, potentially reducing the risk of miscarriage associated with invasive tests. This study aimed to understand the preferences of current and future mothers about the content, format and timing of information provision about NIPT.

Methods

An online discrete choice experiment was designed comprising four attributes: when in the pregnancy information is provided (4 levels); degree of detail (2 levels); information format (6 levels); cost to women for gathering information (5 levels). Respondents included women identified by an online‐panel company in Sweden. The mathematical design was informed by D‐efficient criteria. Choice data were analysed using uncorrelated random parameters logit and latent class models.

Results

One thousand Swedish women (56% current mothers) aged 18–45 years completed the survey. On average, women preferred extensive information provided at/before 9 weeks of pregnancy. There was heterogeneity in preferences about the desired format of information provision (website, mobile app or individual discussion with a midwife) in the population.

Conclusion

Women had clear preferences about the desired content, format and timing of information provision about NIPT. It is important to tailor information provision to enable informed choices about NIPT.
Electric field‐assisted preparation of PANI/TPU all‐organic composites with enhanced dielectric permittivity and anisotropic optical properties
Authors: Wu Weifei , Ren Tianli , Liu Xueqing , Huai Kai , Cui Xin , Wei Huaixiao , Hu Jinjin , Xia Yuming , Huang Shuohan , Fu Kun (Kelvin) , Zhang Jianming , Chen Yuwei
Published: September 2022

To meet the demands of multifunctional applications, developing functional composites with excellent properties (such as high dielectric permittivity, good mechanical properties, and anisotropic optical transmittance) is urgent. In this regard, preparing composites with all‐organic components is a promising strategy. Herein, we demonstrated a simple and time‐saving method for assembling and aligning polyaniline (PANI) particles in the TPU matrix by an AC electric field. The alignment of PANI in the polymer matrix not only obviously enhances dielectric permittivity but also effectively increases optical anisotropy. At the same filler loading content, the dielectric permittivity of aligned composites prepared under 10 Hz electric fields is 10.63 (10−1 Hz), which is higher than the dielectric property of random composites (8.58). The kinetics of aligning process of PANI particles are systematically studied by in situ optical microscope while an AC electric field is applied. We believe that this research work provides a potential solution to increase both dielectric permittivity and optical anisotropy of composites by the alignment of organic fillers via an electric field, which is essential for future flexible wearable electronics.
A look at the face of the molten globule: Structural model of the Helicobacter pylori apoflavodoxin ensemble at acidic pH
Authors: Galano‐Frutos Juan José , Torreblanca Renzo , García‐Cebollada Helena , Sancho Javier
Published: September 2022

Molten globule (MG) is the name given to a compact, non‐native conformation of proteins that has stimulated the imagination and work in the protein folding field for more than 40 years. The MG has been proposed to play a central role in the folding reaction and in important cell functions, and to be related to the onset of misfolding diseases. Due to its inherent intractability to high‐resolution studies, atomistic structural models have not yet been obtained. We present here an integrative atomistic model of the MG formed at acidic pH by the apoflavodoxin from the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori. This MG has been previously shown to exhibit the archetypical expansion, spectroscopic and thermodynamic features of a molten conformation. To obtain the model, we have analyzed the stability of wild‐type and 55 apoflavodoxin mutants to derive experimental equilibrium Φ values that have been used in biased molecular dynamics simulations to convert the native conformation into an MG ensemble. The ensemble has been refined to reproduce the experimental hydrodynamic radius and circular dichroism (CD) spectrum. The refined ensemble, deposited in PDB‐Dev, successfully explains the characteristic 1H‐nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and near‐UV CD spectral features of the MG as well as its solvent‐accessible surface area (SASA) change upon unfolding. This integrative model of an MG will help to understand the energetics and roles of these elusive conformations in protein folding and misfolding. Interestingly, the apoflavodoxin MG is structurally unrelated to previously described partly unfolded conformations of this protein, exemplifying that equilibrium MGs need not to reflect the properties of kinetic intermediates.
New EWMA t charts for process mean
Authors: Haq Abdul , Riasat Raheel , Khoo Michael B. C.
Published: September 2022

In practice, the process standard deviation is usually unknown or is estimated inaccurately. The ‐type charts, such as the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) chart, which works under the assumption that the process standard deviation is either known or it is estimated accurately, may not perform well when the process standard deviation is actually unknown or estimated inaccurately. To address the aforesaid setback of the EWMA‐ chart, the EWMA‐t chart was developed for monitoring the process mean when errors in estimating the process standard deviation occur or when the standard deviation is unknown. In this paper, new EWMA‐t charts, which are also robust against estimation errors in the process standard deviation and are applicable when the standard deviation is unknown, are developed for detecting mean shifts of a normal process. The new EWMA‐t charts are developed using the newly derived t‐statistics, based on the fixed sampling interval (FSI) and variable sampling interval (VSI) features. The new FSI/VSI EWMA‐t charts are found to outperform the existing FSI/VSI EWMA‐t chart, in terms of the zero‐state (ZS) and steady‐state (SS) average, median and standard deviation of the run‐length (SDRL)/time‐to‐signal criteria, for various shift sizes in the process mean, values of smoothing parameter and shift sizes in the process standard deviation. The application of the existing and new FSI/VSI‐EWMA‐t charts for detecting increases and decreases in the process mean is demonstrated with the automobile piston rings dataset.
A quasicontinuous multivariable super‐twisting observer for 2n states systems with Lipschitz nonlinearities
Authors: López‐Caamal Fernando , Moreno Jaime A.
Published: September 2022

In this article we present a global, finite‐time observer for continuous‐time nonlinear systems with states whose nonlinearities are characterized by a sufficiently small, globally Lipschitz constant. We consider the measurement of independent linear combinations of the system's states and assume that the system is subject to a class of external perturbations and/or an unknown input with a bounded norm for every time. To make use of this observer one requires the linear part of the plant to be observable. Furthermore, our design takes into account the linear part of the plant, instead of considering it as a perturbation in the observer's error dynamics. The observer is endowed with two correction terms: a Luenberger‐like gain and the nonlinearities of the generalized multivariable super‐twisting algorithm; and it is designed in the original plant's coordinates rather that designing it in a form obtained via the transformation of the state space. To finalize, we assess the observer performance via numerical simulations.
Estimating mixture effects and cumulative spatial risk over time simultaneously using a Bayesian index low‐rank kriging multiple membership model
Authors: Boyle Joseph , Ward Mary H. , Cerhan James R. , Rothman Nat , Wheeler David C.
Published: September 2022

The exposome is an ideal in public health research that posits that individuals experience risk for adverse health outcomes from a wide variety of sources over their lifecourse. There have been increases in data collection in the various components of the exposome, but novel statistical methods are needed that capture multiple dimensions of risk at once. We introduce a Bayesian index low‐rank kriging (LRK) multiple membership model (MMM) to simultaneously estimate the health effects of one or more groups of exposures, the relative importance of exposure components, and cumulative spatial risk over time using residential histories. The model employs an MMM to consider all residential locations for subjects weighted by duration and LRK to increase computational efficiency. We demonstrate the performance of the Bayesian index LRK‐MMM through a simulation study, showing that the model accurately and consistently estimates the health effects of one or several group indices and has high power to identify a region of elevated spatial risk due to unmeasured environmental exposures. Finally, we apply our model to data from a multicenter case‐control study of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), finding a significant positive association between one index of pesticides and risk for NHL in Iowa. Additionally, we find an area of significantly elevated spatial risk for NHL in Los Angeles. In conclusion, our Bayesian index LRK‐MMM represents a step forward toward bringing the ideals of the exposome into practice for environmental risk analyzes.
Highly Linear and Symmetric Synaptic Memtransistors Based on Polarization Switching in Two‐Dimensional Ferroelectric Semiconductors
Authors: Chen Yitong , Li Dingwei , Ren Huihui , Tang Yingjie , Liang Kun , Wang Yan , Li Fanfan , Song Chunyan , Guan Jiaqi , Chen Zhong , Lu Xingyu , Xu Guangwei , Li Wenbin , Liu Shi , Zhu Bowen
Published: September 2022

Brain‐inspired neuromorphic computing hardware based on artificial synapses offers efficient solutions to perform computational tasks. However, the nonlinearity and asymmetry of synaptic weight updates in reported artificial synapses have impeded achieving high accuracy in neural networks. Here, this work develops a synaptic memtransistor based on polarization switching in a two‐dimensional (2D) ferroelectric semiconductor (FES) of α‐In2Se3 for neuromorphic computing. The α‐In2Se3 memtransistor exhibits outstanding synaptic characteristics, including near‐ideal linearity and symmetry and a large number of programmable conductance states, by taking the advantages of both memtransistor configuration and electrically configurable polarization states in the FES channel. As a result, the α‐In2Se3 memtransistor‐type synapse reaches high accuracy of 97.76% for digit patterns recognition task in simulated artificial neural networks. This work opens new opportunities for using multiterminal FES memtransistors in advanced neuromorphic electronics.
Isolating Single Sn Atoms in CuO Mesocrystal to Form Ordered Atomic Interfaces: An Effective Strategy for Designing Highly Efficient Mesocrystal Catalysts
Authors: Ji Yongjun , Zhou Hui , Liu Shaomian , Kang Ting , Zhang Yu , Chen Wenxing , Fu Dongxing , Zhong Ziyi , Xu Guangwen , Gong Xue‐Qing , Su Fabing
Published: September 2022

Tuning the electronic structures of mesocrystals at the atomic level is an effective approach to obtaining unprecedented properties. Here, a lattice‐confined strategy to obtain isolated single‐site Sn atoms in CuO mesocrystals to improve catalytic performance is reported. The Sn/CuO mesocrystal composite (Sn/CuO MC) has ordered Sn–O–Cu atomic interfaces originated from the long‐range ordering of the CuO mesocrystal itself. X‐ray absorption fine structure measurements confirm that the positively charged Sn atoms can tune the electronic structure of the Cu atoms to some extent in Sn/CuO MC, quite different from that in the conventional single‐atom Sn‐modified CuO nanoparticles and nanoparticulate SnO2‐modified CuO mesocrystal catalysts. When tested for the Si hydrochlorination reaction to produce trichlorosilane, Sn/CuO MC exhibits significantly better performances than the above two catalysts. Theoretical calculations further reveal the electronic modification to the active Cu component and the induced improvement in HCl adsorption, and thus enhance the catalytic performance. This work demonstrates how to design efficient metal oxide mesocrystal catalysts through an electronic structure modification approach.
Machine Learning‐Driven 3D Plasmonic Cavity‐in‐Cavity Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering Platform with Triple Synergistic Enhancement Toward Label‐Free Detection of Antibiotics in Milk
Authors: Fang Guoqiang , Lin Xiang , Liang Xiu , Wu Jinlei , Xu Wen , Hasi Wuliji , Dong Bin
Published: September 2022

The surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique with ultrahigh sensitivity has gained attention to meet the increasing demands for food safety analysis. The integration of machine learning and SERS facilitates the practical applicability of sensing devices. In this study, a machine learning‐driven 3D plasmonic cavity‐in‐cavity (CIC) SERS platform is proposed for sensitive and quantitative detection of antibiotics. The platform is prepared by transferring truncated concave nanocubes (NCs) to an obconical‐shaped template surface. Owing to the triple synergistic enhancement effect, the highly ordered 3D CIC arrays improve the simulated electromagnetic field intensity and experimental SERS activity, demonstrating a 33.1‐fold enhancement compared to a typical system consisting of Au NCs deposited on a flat substrate. The integration of machine learning and Raman spectroscopy eliminates subjective judgments on the concentration of detectors using a single feature peak and achieves accurate identification. The machine learning‐driven CIC SERS platform is capable of detecting ampicillin traces in milk with a detection limit of 0.1 ppm, facilitating quantitative analysis of different concentrations of ampicillin. Therefore, the proposed platform has potential applications in food safety monitoring, health care, and environmental sampling.
Engineered Core–Shell Multifunctional Nano‐Tracer in Raman‐Silent Region with Highly Retained Affinity to Enhance Lateral Flow Immunoassays
Authors: Liu Sijie , Luo Xing , Shu Rui , Liao Yangjun , Dou Leina , Bu Tong , Wang Shaochi , Li Yuechun , Sun Jing , Zhang Daohong , Zhu Mingqiang , Wang Jianlong
Published: September 2022

Stimulated surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in combination with engineered nano‐tracer offers extraordinary potential in lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs). Nonetheless, the investigation execution of SERS‐LFIA is often compromised by the intricacy and overlap of the Raman fingerprint spectrum as well as the affinity‐interference of nano‐tracer to antibody. To circumvent these critical issues, an engineered core–shell multifunctional nano‐tracer (named APNPs) with precise control of the size of nano‐core (AuNPs) and coating of the nano‐shell (Prussian blue nanomaterials) is prepared for SERS‐LFIA via a modified enlarging particle size and coating modification strategy. Importantly, this nano‐tracer exhibits enhanced coupling efficiency, highly retained affinity, reinforced colloid stability, and unique SERS signal (2156 cm−1) in the silent region (1800–2800 cm−1) with high signal‐to‐background ratio simultaneously, all of which are beneficial to the enhancement of the analysis performance. With a proof‐of‐concept demonstration for detection of ractopamine (RAC), a dual‐pattern LFIA that synergizes both the enlarged particle size and coating modification supported colorimetric/biological silence Raman dual‐response (coined as the ECCRD assay) is demonstrated by integrating APNPs with the competitive‐type immunoreaction. This research may contribute to the rational design of multifunctional nano‐tracer, and the ECCRD assay can be expanded for a wide spectrum of applications in environmental monitoring and biomedical diagnosis.
Design Strategies of Tumor‐Targeted Delivery Systems Based on 2D Nanomaterials
Authors: Ding Lin , Liang Minli , Li Chenchen , Ji Xinting , Zhang Junfeng , Xie Weifen , Reis Rui L. , Li Fu‐Rong , Gu Shuo , Wang Yanli
Published: September 2022

Conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy are nonselective and nonspecific for cell killing, causing serious side effects and threatening the lives of patients. It is of great significance to develop more accurate tumor‐targeting therapeutic strategies. Nanotechnology is in a leading position to provide new treatment options for cancer, and it has great potential for selective targeted therapy and controlled drug release. 2D nanomaterials (2D NMs) have broad application prospects in the field of tumor‐targeted delivery systems due to their special structure‐based functions and excellent optical, electrical, and thermal properties. This review emphasizes the design strategies of tumor‐targeted delivery systems based on 2D NMs from three aspects: passive targeting, active targeting, and tumor‐microenvironment targeting, in order to promote the rational application of 2D NMs in clinical practice.
Low‐Temperature Phase‐Transition for Compositional‐Pure α‐FAPbI3 Solar Cells with Low Residual‐Stress and High Crystal‐Orientation
Authors: Huang Ying , Liang Jianghu , Zhang Zhanfei , Zheng Yiting , Wu Xueyun , Tian Congcong , Zhou Zhuang , Wang Jianli , Yang Yajuan , Sun Anxin , Liu Yuan , Tang Chen , Chen Zhenhua , Chen Chun‐Chao
Published: September 2022

Transition of δ‐phase formamidinium lead triiodide (δ‐FAPbI3) to pure α‐phase FAPbI3 (α‐FAPbI3) typically requires high processing temperature (150 °C), which often results in unavoidable residual stress. Besides, using methylammonium chloride (MACl) as additive in fabrication will cause MA residue in the film, compromising the compositional purity. Here, a stress‐released and compositional‐pure α‐FAPbI3 thin‐film is fabricated using 3‐chloropropylammonium chloride (Cl‐PACl) by two‐step annealing. The 2D template of n = 2 can preferentially form in perovskite with the introduction of Cl‐PACl at a temperature as low as 80 °C. Such a 2D template can guide the free components to form ordered α‐FAPbI3 and promote the transition of the formed δ‐FAPbI3 to α‐FAPbI3 by reducing the phase transition energy. As a result, the obtained perovskite films via low‐temperature phase‐transition have a high degree of crystal orientation and reduced residual stress. More importantly, most of the Cl‐PACl is volatilized during the subsequent high‐temperature annealing process accompanied by the disintegration of the 2D templates. The residual trace of Cl‐PA+ is mainly concentrated at the grain boundary near the perovskite surface layer, stabilizing α‐FAPbI3 and passivating defects. Perovskite solar cell based on pure α‐FAPbI3 achieves a power conversion efficiency of 23.03% with excellent phase stability and photo‐stability.
Occupancy modeling of habitat use by white‐tailed deer after more than a decade of exclusion in the boreal forest
Authors: Baribeau Aimie , Tremblay Jean‐Pierre , Côté Steeve D.
Published: September 2022

The exclusion of herbivores in forest areas is a strategy used to reduce the impact of selective browsing and increase the regeneration of desired plant species. On Anticosti Island (Québec, Canada), selective browsing by white‐tailed deer prevents the regeneration of balsam fir – white birch forests leading to their conversion into white spruce forests. Large deer exclosures were established for ca 10–12 years in clear‐cuts with patches of residual forest from 2001 to 2006 to assist in the natural regeneration of fir stands and to provide shelter and food resources for deer. Our objective was to assess how deer use exclosures after the removal of fences according to their spatial configuration and habitat composition. We randomly distributed automatic cameras for periods of 14 days during summer in six exclosures ranging from 3.1 to 11.2 km2(n = 25 cameras per exclosure) from which deer were reduced for 10–12 years. We compared candidate occupancy models that included spatial configuration and food resource variables while simultaneously controlling for variables affecting detection probability. We obtained weak evidence that deer habitat use increased by 19% when forage resources, represented by the cover ofCornus canadensis, increased from 0 to 100%. None of the other variables (distance between the border of exclosures and cameras and distance between forest patches and cameras) was retained, suggesting that the use of regenerating forests by deer in summer after a period of exclusion is related to forage availability and therefore, any forest management that improves food production during summer should help maintain or increase habitat use by deer.
Significance of the third‐order slip flow of graphene‐(100% water, 70% water + 30% ethylene glycol, and 50% water + 50% ethylene glycol) nanofluids flow over a stretching surface with a Cattaneo–Christov heat and mass flux model
Authors: Dawar Abdullah , Islam Saeed , Shah Zahir , Lone Showkat Ahmad
Published: September 2022

Common conductive fluids include coolants (water and ethylene glycol [EG]), lubricants (oils), polymer solutions, paraffin, and biofluids. Compared with conventional fluids, the nanofluids have superior thermophysical properties like heat transmission, thermal conductivity, viscosity, and thermal diffusion. Such types of nanofluids have many biomedical, industrial, and engineering applications due to their enhanced properties like vehicle cooling, industrial cooling, heat transfer, electronics cooling, nanocryosurgery, magnetic drugs, etc. Therefore, in this analysis, the authors have investigated the significance of thermal and mass transmission mechanisms of the nanofluids on convective motion that happens through a stretching sheet with velocity slips. The nanofluid flow includes water (H2O) and EG (C2H6O2) which are used as a mixture of base fluid (water, 70%water + 30%EG, 50%water + 50%EG) and graphene nanomaterials (graphene nanoparticle [GP]) are used as nanoparticles. The governing equations are transformed with the help of suitable similarity variables and then solved by the means of homotopy analysis method (HAM). Validation of the present analysis has been performed and has found great agreement with previous results. The effects of physical factors developed during partial differential equation (PDE)‐to‐ordinary differential equation (ODE) transformations on flow profiles have been presented. The results show that the enhancing nanoparticle volume fraction shrinks the velocity boundary layer thickness and reduces the velocity profiles, while the thermal and concentration boundary layer thicknesses enhance, which consequently augment the thermal and concentration profiles. Additionally, the increasing nanoparticle volume fraction improves skin friction, heat transfer, and mass transfer rates. The augmenting thermal and mass relaxation times factors reduce the thermal and concentration profiles. Additionally, the thermal relaxation time factor shows prompt effect for the case of Fourier's law and the concentration relaxation time factor shows prompt effect for Fick's model. It is also found that the variations in the flow profiles are always dominant for the water + GP nanofluid as compared to 70% W + 30%EG + GP and 50% W + 50%EG + GP.
The FASA model
Authors: Bellon Jacqueline , Eyssel Friederike , Gransche Bruno , Nähr-Wagener Sebastian , Wullenkord Ricarda
Published: September 2022

People usually have the ability to ‘read the room’ and strike the ‘right tone’ in interaction situations. In most cases, they know what is considered (in)appropriate in specific situations. Moreover, even though the understanding of what is and is not socially appropriate in a certain situation varies among interaction participants, human beings have an outstanding ability to coordinate with one another very quickly and effectively repair any ‘breaks’ in communication that may have arisen. Within the FASA model we propose five factors and corresponding criteria that may influence what will be deemed socially appropriate or inappropriate.
Einfluss von Richtmikrofonie auf die Höranstrengung bei Mittelohrimplantatträgern
Authors: Hollfelder Daniela , Prein Lukas , Jürgens Tim , Leichtle Anke , Bruchhage Karl-Ludwig
Published: September 2022

Hintergrund und Ziel der Arbeit

Neben dem Sprachverstehen ist die empfundene Höranstrengung im Alltag ein wichtiger Indikator für den Erfolg einer Hörhilfe und deren Signalverarbeitung. Diese Studie hat zum Ziel, die subjektive Höranstrengung für Sprache im Störgeräusch bei Patienten mit dem aktiven Mittelohrimplantat Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) für omnidirektionale und direktionale Richtwirkung und für einseitiges und beidseitiges Hören zu ermitteln.

Material und Methoden

Bei 15 VSB-Trägern wurde die subjektive Höranstrengung in einem Lautsprecherring im reflexionsarmen Raum mit der adaptiven Skalierungsmethode ACALES (Adaptive CAtegorical Listening Effort Scaling) erfasst. Verschiedene Hintergrund-Störgeräusche aus unterschiedlichen Richtungen und gleichzeitig dargebotene Sätze aus dem Oldenburger Satztest wurden zu vier alltagsnahen akustischen Szenen kombiniert.

Ergebnisse

Direktionale Richtwirkung verringerte die Höranstrengung bei VSB-Trägern im Median nur numerisch, insbesondere bei räumlich verteilten Störquellen und niedrigem Signal-Rausch-Verhältnis, allerdings ohne signifikanten Unterschied zur omnidirektionalen Einstellung. Einseitiges Hören mit VSB (bei Verschluss des kontralateralen Ohrs) führte dazu, dass im Probandenmittel alle untersuchten Höranstrengungskategorien bei signifikant höheren Signal-Rausch-Verhältnissen gemessen wurden als bei beidseitigem Hören.

Schlussfolgerung

Insgesamt konnte keine statistisch signifikant niedrigere Höranstrengung bei Verwendung des Richtmikrofonprogramms nachgewiesen werden, daher liefert diese Studie keine Empfehlung für oder gegen das Richtmikrofonprogramm. Allerdings konnte eine geringere Höranstrengung bei beidseitigem Hören im Gegensatz zu einseitigem Hören gezeigt werden. Patienten sollten daher ermutigt werden, immer mit beiden Ohren bestmöglich versorgt zu hören.
Hispanic Farmers Experience Shorter EMS Response Times but Longer Emergency Department Length of Stay Following Occupational Injuries
Authors: Young Chloe M. , Panjwani Suraj , Druar Nicholas , Cahan Mitchell A.
Published: September 2022

Background

Agriculture has the highest rate of fatal injuries by sector. Hispanic workers also experience more fatal work injuries than every other minority group combined. Pre‐hospital and initial trauma evaluation represent an important marker to understand the impact of a trauma system. We sought to investigate whether Hispanic agricultural workers in the United States (US) experience disparities following traumatic occupational injuries in terms of pre‐hospital and emergency department care.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the National Trauma Data Bank from 2012–2016 to understand differences between Hispanic and non‐Hispanic farmers in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response and transport times (minutes), transport mode, transfer rates, presentation to University or Level I trauma hospitals, Injury Severity Scores (ISS), length of stay (LOS) in the emergency department (ED, minutes) or hospital (days), need for the operating room (OR), admittance to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and mortality.

Results

A total of 6,161 farmers were included in our analyses (median age 47 years, females 7.0%). Multivariable analyses indicate differences regarding EMS response, EMS transport, and LOS in the ED. Rates of admission to the ICU, surgical operations, days on a ventilator, discharge from the hospital with supportive care, and mortality did not differ between groups.

Conclusions

Non‐Hispanic patients have longer median EMS response and total transport times. Hispanic patients have longer median LOS in the ED. However, the lack of significant differences in management variables other than EMS times and ED LOS indicate an equitable delivery of trauma care once patients were transferred from the ED.
Analysis of the annual pollen integral in Albuquerque, New Mexico, shows a negative trend with temperatures for Juniper, Cottonwood, Elm, and Mulberry
Authors: Aprea Claudia M. , Torres David J. , Cordova Melany M.
Published: September 2022

The goal of this study is to determine if the annual pollen integral (APIn) for the top tree allergens in the City of Albuquerque is correlated with meteorological variables. This analysis would be the first of its kind for this area. We used 17 consecutive years from 2004 to 2020 and data collected by the city of Albuquerque using a Spore Trap (Burkard) volumetric air sampler in a location designed to represent a typical desert environment. The pollen studied include Juniper, Elm, Ash, Cottonwood, and Mulberry. We found a negative linear correlation with early summer temperatures of the previous year and APIn for Elm, Cottonwood, and Mulberry, and early fall temperatures for Juniper. Linear regression models developed for Elm, Cottonwood, and Mulberry used the monthly mean maximum temperature for the month of June of the prior year as the independent variable to yield a R squared statistic (R2) of 0.88, 0.91 and 0.78, respectively. For Juniper, the average monthly mean minimum temperature for the previous September and October served as the independent variable and yielded the R2 value of 0.80. We also observed a positive trend for the annual maximum temperature over time and a negative trend for the total APIn. Summers in New Mexico are hot and dry, and they may be getting hotter and drier because of climate change. Our analysis predicts that climate change in this area may lead to reduced allergies if temperatures continue to increase and if precipitation patterns remain the same.
High-yield production in Escherichia coli and convenient purification of a candidate vaccine against SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Maltoni Giulia , Scutteri Lorenzo , Mensitieri Francesca , Piaz Fabrizio Dal , Hochkoeppler Alejandro
Published: September 2022

Objectives

The aim of the present work was to identify a time-saving, effective, and low-cost strategy to produce in Escherichia coli a protein chimera representing a fusion anti-SARS-CoV-2 candidate vaccine, consisting of immunogenic and antigenic moieties.

Results

We overexpressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) a synthetic gene coding for CRM197-RBD, and the target protein was detected in inclusion bodies. CRM197-RBD was solubilized with 1 % (w/v) of the anionic detergent N-lauroylsarcosine (sarkosyl), the removal of which from the protein solution was conveniently accomplished with Amberlite XAD-4. The detergent-free CRM197-RBD was then separated from contaminating DNA using polyethylenimine (PEI), and finally purified from PEI by salting out with ammonium sulfate. Structural (CD spectrum) and functional (DNase activity) assays revealed that the CRM197-RBD chimera featured a native and active conformation. Remarkably, we determined a yield of purified CRM197-RBD equal to 23 mg per litre of culture.

Conclusions

To produce CRM197-RBD, we devised the use of sarkosyl as an alternative to urea to solubilize the target protein from E. coli inclusion bodies, and the easy removal of sarkosyl by means of Amberlite XAD-4.
The Ethics and Politics of Academic Knowledge Production: Thoughts on the Future of Business Ethics
Authors: Burrell Gibson , Hyman Michael R. , Michaelson Christopher , Nelson Julie A. , Taylor Scott , West Andrew
Published: September 2022

To commemorate 40 years since the founding of the Journal of Business Ethics, the editors in chief of the journal have invited the editors to provide commentaries on the future of business ethics. This essay comprises a selection of commentaries aimed at creating dialogue around the theme The Ethics and Politics of Academic Knowledge Production. Questions of who produces knowledge about what, and how that knowledge is produced, are inherent to editing and publishing academic journals. At the Journal of Business Ethics, we understand the ethical responsibility of academic knowledge production as going far beyond conventions around the integrity of the research content and research processes. We are deeply aware that access to resources, knowledge of the rules of the game, and being able to set those rules, are systematically and unequally distributed. One could ask the question “for whom is knowledge now ethical’”? (See the Burrell commentary.) We have a responsibility to address these inequalities and open up our journal to lesser heard voices, ideas, and ways of being. Our six commentators pursue this through various aspects of the ethics and politics of academic knowledge production. Working with MacIntyre’s scheme of practices and institutions, Andrew West provides commentary on the internal good of business ethics learning and education. Inviting us to step out of the cave, Christopher Michaelson urges a clear-eyed, unblinking focus on the purposes and audiences of business ethics scholarship. As developmental editor, Scott Taylor uncovers some of the politics of peer review with the aim of nurturing of unconventional research. Mike Hyman presents his idiosyncratic view of marketing ethics. In the penultimate commentary, Julie Nelson attributes difficulties in the academic positioning of the Business Ethics field to the hegemony of a masculine-centric model of the firm. And finally, Gibson Burrell provides a powerful provocation to go undercover as researcher-investigators in a parallel ethics of the research process.
Interventions Involving Caregivers for Children and Adolescents Following Traumatic Events: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Szota Katharina , Schulte Katharina Louisa , Christiansen Hanna
Published: September 2022

Although treatment guidelines recommend interventions entailing caregiver involvement for children and adolescents following traumatic experiences, evidence on their effectiveness is inconsistent. The present systematic review and meta-analysis considered possible moderators of their effectiveness. Method. Eligible studies were (quasi-)randomized controlled trials and efficacy trials published in English or German with participants up to the age of 21 years presenting symptoms of mental disorders due to traumatic experiences. The effectiveness of interventions entailing any kind and extent of caregiver involvement had to be investigated by applying evaluated instruments. PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, COCHRANE and PSYNDEX were searched. Results. A total of 33 studies with 36 independent samples were retrieved. Child- and parent-reports on PTSD, depression, anxiety, ADHD, internalizing, externalizing symptoms and behavior problems were analyzed where available. The pooled effect size is significant and robust at post-treatment for child-reported PTSD, g = − 0.34 (95% CI = − 0.53; − 0.14), parent-reported PTSD, g = − 0.41 (95% CI = − 0.71; − 0.11), child-reported depression, g = − 0.29 (95% CI = − 0.46; − 0.11), child-reported anxiety, g = − 0.25 (95% CI = − 0.42; − 0.08), and parent-reported internalizing symptoms, g = − 0.27 (95% CI = − 0.47; − 0.07). Female sex and fulfilling diagnostic criteria appeared as potential moderators. The only significant effect size at follow-up is found for child-reported PTSD symptoms 12 months post-treatment, g = − 0.37 (95% CI = − 0.67; − 0.07). Conclusions. Interventions entailing caregiver involvement revealed greater symptom reductions than control conditions. Determinants of their effectiveness should be examined further.
Atypical Facial Expressivity in Young Children with Problematic Peer Relationships
Authors: Howe-Davies Holly , Manstead Antony S. R. , van Goozen Stephanie H. M.
Published: September 2022

Peer problems are frequently associated with difficulties in recognizing and appraising the emotions of others. It has been argued that facial responsiveness to others’ emotions—or motor empathy—is a precursor of emotion processing and affective empathy. Although mimicry impairments have been observed in studies of young people with conduct problems, to our knowledge no study has examined facial responsiveness to others’ expressions in young children and examined how this relates to peer relationship problems. Four- to 7-year-old children (n = 91) with or without teacher-reported peer relationship problems (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire) viewed three dynamic film clips depicting a sad, happy, or scared child, while their spontaneous facial emotional responses were assessed using iMotions software that codes the movement of facial muscles. Children displayed facial expressivity that was congruent with the emotional expressions in the clips. Groups with and without peer problems did not differ in their responses to seeing a happy child. However, children with peer problems exhibited reduced or atypical facial emotional responses to the negative emotional clips. Decreased or atypical facial expressivity to negative emotions was also associated with severity of peer problems; atypical facial responsivity to sadness and reduced facial responsivity to fear predicted peer problems independently of one another. We conclude that reduced or atypical facial expressiveness in response to other children’s dynamic facial expressions is associated with problematic peer relations in young children. The implications for early identification and interventions to support prosocial development are discussed.
Benefits and Limitations of the Growth Inversion Approach in Volcano Gravimetry Demonstrated on the Revisited 2004–2005 Tenerife Unrest
Authors: Vajda Peter , Camacho Antonio G. , Fernández José
Published: September 2022

We review the current geoscientific knowledge of the volcanic unrest of 2004–2005 on Tenerife (Canary Islands) and revisit its gravimetric imprint. We revise the interpretation of the observed spatiotemporal (time-lapse) gravity changes accompanying the unrest by applying the Growth inversion approach based on model exploration and free geometry growing source bodies. We interpret the Growth solution, our new gravimetric model of the unrest, in the context of structural controls and the existing volcanological and geological knowledge of the central volcanic complex (CVC) of the island. Structural controls are inferred from the updated structural subsurface CVC density model obtained by our new Growth inversion of the available complete Bouguer anomalies (CBA data). Our gravimetric picture sees the unrest as a failed eruption, due to a stalled magma intrusion in the central position below the Teide–Pico Viejo stratocones, followed by upward and lateral migration of volcanic fluids reaching the aquifer and the SW end of the caldera wall. We thus classify the volcanic unrest of 2004–2005 as hybrid, in agreement with previous studies. The Growth inversion indicates that magma propagated along the boundary between the basaltic core of the island, the Boca Tauce volcanic body and the more permeable (less compacted) volcanic rocks with lower density. This gravimetric picture of the unrest provides new insights into the potential future reactivation of the volcanic system.

Article Highlights

Current geoscientific knowledge of the Tenerife volcanic unrest of 2004–2005 is reviewed

New insights into the unrest are yielded by Growth inversion of observed time-lapse gravity changes

Role of the freely adjustable inversion parameters in the Growth methodology is demonstrated

Pros and cons of the Growth inversion approach in volcano gravimetric applications are illustrated
CMMSE: numerical analysis of a chemical targeting model
Authors: Baldonedo Jacobo , Fernández José R. , Segade Abraham , Suárez Sofía
Published: September 2022

Treating specific tissues without affecting other regions is a difficult task. It is desirable to target the particular tissue where the chemical has its biological effect. To study this phenomenon computationally, in this work we numerically study a mathematical model which is written as a nonlinear system composed by three parabolic partial differential equations. The variables involved in the model are the concentration of the chemical, the concentration of the binding protein and the concentration of the chemical bound to the protein. Our aim is to propose a fully discrete approximation of this problem, using the Finite Element Method and a semi-implicit Euler scheme, in order to solve it numerically. This discrete problem is analysed, obtaining a discrete stability property and some a priori error estimates that show the algorithm converges linearly if the continuous solution is regular enough. Also, some representative examples are shown, as well as the numerical verification of the convergence.
Optimized Rhombic Experimental Dynamic Checkerboard Designs to Elucidate Pharmacodynamic Drug Interactions of Antibiotics
Authors: Kroemer Niklas , Aubry Romain , Couet William , Grégoire Nicolas , Wicha Sebastian G.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Quantification of pharmacodynamic interactions is key in combination therapies, yet conventional checkerboard experiments with up to 10 by 10 combinations are labor-intensive. Therefore, this study provides optimized experimental rhombic checkerboard designs to enable an efficient interaction screening with significantly reduced experimental workload.

Methods

Based on the general pharmacodynamic interaction (GPDI) model implemented in Bliss Independence, a novel rhombic ‘dynamic’ checkerboard design with quantification of bacteria instead of turbidity as endpoint was developed. In stochastic simulations and estimations (SSE), the precision and accuracy of interaction parameter estimations and classification rates of conventional reference designs and the newly proposed rhombic designs based on effective concentrations (EC) were compared.

Results

Although a conventional rich design with 20-times as many combination scenarios provided estimates of interaction parameters with higher accuracy, precision and classification rates, the optimized rhombic designs with one natural growth scenario, three monotherapy scenarios per combination partner and only four combination scenarios were still superior to conventional reduced designs with twice as many combination scenarios. Additionally, the rhombic designs were able to identify whether an interaction occurred as a shift on maximum effect or EC50 with > 98%. Overall, effective concentration-based designs were found to be superior to traditional standard concentrations, but were more challenged by strong interaction sizes exceeding their adaptive concentration ranges.

Conclusion

The rhombic designs proposed in this study enable a reduction of resources and labor and can be a tool to streamline higher throughput in drug interaction screening.
Willingness to pay for automated taxis: a stated choice experiment to measure the impact of in-vehicle features and customer reviews
Authors: Yin Hao , Cherchi Elisabetta
Published: September 2022

This study aims to contribute to the limited empirical evidence on Automated Taxis (ATs) by analysing the in-vehicle features that ATs ought to have to satisfy taxi passengers requests that in a Normal Taxi (NT) are dealt with a direct communication between the passenger and the driver. Based on the results of focus groups and several pilots, two in-vehicle features are tested: change of destination and chat with an operator during the trip. The paper also contributes to the body of literature on the impact of social influence on the adoption of innovation by testing the impact of consumer reviews other than the typical measure of adoption and injunctive norms. A Stated Choice (SC) experiment was built putting particular effort in the definition and presentation of the new attributes tested. The study was applied in China among current users of NTs (i.e. with the driver). Hybrid choice models were estimated and a resampling technique was used to test the model sensitivity to the sample gathered. Results show that on average, Chinese taxi users are willing to pay 0.35 Euros to have the option to ‘change the destination’ and 0.78 Euros to be able to ‘chat with an operator’ inside the AT. Among the social influence attributes, the reviews from previous customers confirmed to be the most effective measure, users are willing to pay 1.58 Euros more to use a taxi that got good reviews for long trips (≥ 30 min) and 0.57 Euros for shorter trips. The Willingness to Pay (WTP) estimated are all significant at more than 95% and have a narrow confidence intervals.
Do political protests mobilize voters? Evidence from the Black Lives Matter protests
Authors: Engist Oliver , Schafmeister Felix
Published: September 2022

In this article, we study the local political mobilization effects of political protests in the context of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. We analyze monthly voter registration data from 2136 US counties across 32 states, leveraging variation in the exposure to BLM protests across counties in a two-way fixed-effects framework with a matched control group. In contrast to previous studies, which reported substantial mobilization effects of local protests in other contexts, we show that voter registrations in the aggregate were insensitive to the presence of local BLM protests. We further disentangle the effects along party lines and the degree to which protests were associated with violent behaviors and find similarly insignificant effects. We present some preliminary evidence that the large scale of the protests and their extensive news coverage might have reduced the importance of experiencing a protest firsthand.