bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of foreign aid on economic development: A systematic literature review and content analysis of the top 50 most influential papers
Authors: Asatullaeva Ziyoda , Aghdam Reza Fathollah Zadeh , Ahmad Nisar , Tashpulatova Laylo
Published: April 2021

The effectiveness of foreign aid in stimulating economic development is a topic of intense debate in the scientific community and among policy analysts. Numerous empirical studies are devoted to investigating the impact of foreign aid on the economic growth/development of recipient countries. This study reviews the literature relevant to this debate using the bibliometric data of scholarly papers in the Scopus database. Our intention is to identify the trends of publications, their geographical distribution and the most influential journals, authors and articles in this field of research.
Liquid crystal display defects in multiple backgrounds with visual real‐time detection
Authors: Cui Yu , Wang Sen , Wu Haibo , Xiong Binzhou , Pan Yunlong
Published: April 2021

There are kinds of defects that may appear in the process of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) manufacturing, which cannot be effectively detected, owing to the uneven illumination, low contrast, and miscellaneous patterns of defects. To improve the efficiency of defect detection and ensure the quality of LCD, three visual real‐time detection methods are adopted for detecting six different defects in multiple backgrounds, where image preprocessing methods are used to highlight the defects and facilitate the segmentation and detection. Specifically, the interclass variance (OTSU) method is used to segment and mark Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Mura and scratch defects in six kinds of solid color backgrounds; the method and the connectivity‐4 judgment criteria are adopted to label edge defects in grid display background; the gray mean and standard deviation of the segmented subregions are calculated to recognize the color gradation defect in the 32‐level gradation display background. Experimental results show that LCD Mura defects and scratches can be segmented more completely by the proposed method compared with the benchmark methods, and the edge defects can be identified accurately by the OTSU‐based method and particle‐based morphological processing with grids as the detection background, and the color gradation can also be recognized with the 32‐level gray gradation as the background.
Effects of Cu on the corrosion behavior and microstructure of Mg–Zn–Ca bulk metallic glass
Authors: Xu Saifei , Hu Yong , Yang Wen , Liu Baosheng
Published: April 2021

For the purpose of developing biodegradable magnesium alloys with suitable properties for biomedical applications, Mg–Zn–Ca–Cu metallic glasses were prepared by copper mold injection methods. In the present work, the effect of Cu doping on mechanical properties, corrosion behavior, and glass‐forming ability of Mg66Zn30Ca4 alloy was studied. The experimental findings demonstrated that the incorporation of Cu decreases the corrosion resistance of alloys, but increases the microhardness and degradation rate slightly. However, the addition of a trace amount of Cu can make the samples have antibacterial properties. Therefore, Mg–Zn–Ca–Cu has great advantages in clinical implantation and is the potential implant material.
Privacy concerns in e‐commerce: A multilevel meta‐analysis
Authors: Maseeh Haroon Iqbal , Jebarajakirthy Charles , Pentecost Robin , Arli Denni , Weaven Scott , Ashaduzzaman Md.
Published: April 2021

Whilst the rapid advancement of technology in the 21st century has facilitated the online collection, storage, retrieval, manipulation, and transmission of individuals' personal information, it has also led to a concomitant rise in privacy concerns amongst e‐commerce users. Although privacy concerns have received considerable attention in the e‐commerce literature, to date, empirical research has tended to report somewhat erratic and inconsistent findings in the context of consumer privacy. Accordingly, the relationships between the antecedents, privacy concerns, and the outcome variables in e‐commerce contexts remains unclear. To remedy such deficiencies in the literature, this study adopts the meta‐analytic approach to gather and make sense of the inconsistent and mixed empirical findings reported in the literature. The findings show that risk perceptions trigger privacy concerns while benefit perceptions, familiarity, reputation, privacy policy, and trust mitigate privacy concerns which in turn affect customer attitude and usage of e‐commerce platforms. To investigate the possible reasons for inconsistent findings, we performed a moderation analysis which suggests that methodological moderators, that is, type of article, research methods, and sample type; and contextual moderators, i.e. country where the study was carried out, and gender dominance in a sample set, can cause inconsistencies in the findings. Theoretically, this meta‐analysis contributes to the Antecedents; Privacy Concerns; Outcome variables (APCO) Model, and the literature on consumer privacy in the context of e‐commerce. Practically, the findings provide guidelines to e‐commerce businesses to effectively address customers' privacy concerns.
Advances in Injectable and Self‐healing Polysaccharide Hydrogel Based on the Schiff Base Reaction
Authors: Mo Chunxiang , Xiang Li , Chen Yuping
Published: April 2021

Injectable hydrogel possesses great application potential in disease treatment and tissue engineering, but damage to gel often occurs due to the squeezing pressure from injection devices and the mechanical forces from limb movement, and leads to the rapid degradation of gel matrix and the leakage of the load material. The self‐healing injectable hydrogels can overcome these drawbacks via automatically repairing gel structural defects and restoring gel function. The polysaccharide hydrogels constructed through the Schiff base reaction own advantages including simple fabrication, injectability, and self‐healing under physiological conditions, and therefore have drawn extensive attention and investigation recently. In this short review, the preparation and self‐healing properties of the polysaccharide hydrogels that is established on the Schiff base reaction are focused on and their biological applications in drug delivery and cell therapy are discussed.
The impact of L‐citrulline supplementation on glucose homeostasis, lipid profile, and some inflammatory factors in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes: A double‐blind randomized placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Azizi Samaneh , Mahdavi Reza , Mobasseri Majid , Aliasgharzadeh Soghra , Abbaszadeh Fatemeh , Ebrahimi‐Mameghani Mehrangiz
Published: April 2021

This study investigated the impact of L‐citrulline on glucose homeostasis, lipid profile, and inflammatory factors in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In total, 54 participants with T2D were assigned to L‐citrulline (3 g/day L‐citrulline) or placebo groups and tested for 8 weeks. Serum levels of insulin, fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), lipid profile, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), and L‐citrulline were measured pre‐ and post‐intervention. Totally, 45 patients were enrolled in the research. L‐citrulline supplementation decreased serum levels of insulin (p = .025), glucose (p = .032), HbA1c (p = .001), HOMA‐IR (p = .037), TNF‐α (p = .036), and hs‐CRP (p = .027) significantly. At the end of the study, despite the significant decrease in serum levels of triglyceride (p = .027) and the increase in high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (p < .001) in the L‐citrulline group, no significant differences were found for these parameters between the groups. Moreover, no significant inter‐ and intra‐group changes were observed for dietary intakes, anthropometric indices, total and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (p > .05). In conclusion, L‐citrulline supplementation might improve glucose homeostasis, some lipid factors and inflammatory markers in overweight and obese patients with T2D.
TD‐DFT absorption spectrum of Azure A in aqueous solution: Vibronic transitions and electronic properties
Authors: Kostjukova Lyudmila O. , Leontieva Svetlana V. , Kostjukov Victor V.
Published: April 2021

The vibronic absorption spectrum of Azure A cation (AA+) in an aqueous solution was calculated using the time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT). The calculations were performed using all hybrid functionals supported by Gaussian16 software, 6‐31++G(d,p) basis set and polarizable continuum model with external integration formalism (IEFPCM) and solvation model based on solute electron density (SMD) solvent models. The IEFPCM gave significantly underestimated values of λmax in comparison with the experiment, what is a manifestation of the well‐known TD‐DFT “cyanine failure.” However, the SMD made it possible to obtain good agreement between the calculation results and experimental data. The best fit was achieved using the X3LYP functional. The dipole moments and atomic charges of the ground and excited states of the AA+ molecule were calculated. Photoexcitation leads to an increase in the dipole moment of the dye molecule. An insignificant photoinduced electron transfer was found in the central ring of the chromophore of the dye molecule.
The Trouble With Binaries: A Perspective on the Science of Reading
Authors: Yaden David B. , Reinking David , Smagorinsky Peter
Published: April 2021

In this article, we critique the science of reading when it is positioned within the reading wars as settling disagreements about reading and how it should be taught. We frame our argument in terms of troublesome binaries, specifically between nature and nurture. We interpret that binary in relation to Overton’s distinction between split and relational metatheories, with the latter suggesting a more integrative view of nature and nurture. Focusing on the nature side of the binary, which predominates when the science of reading is promoted in the reading wars, we argue that its singular focus limits the range of scientific inquiry, interpretation, and application to practice. Specifically, we address limitations of the science of reading as characterized by a narrow theoretical lens, an abstracted empiricism, and uncritical inductive generalizations derived from brain‐imaging and eye movement data sources. Finally, we call for a relational metatheoretical stance and offer emulative examples of that stance in the field.
The impact of stress and coping strategies on life satisfaction in a national sample of adolescents: A structural equation modelling approach
Authors: Milas Goran , Martinović Klarić Irena , Malnar Ana , Saftić Vanja , Šupe‐Domić Daniela , Slavich George M.
Published: April 2021

Although stress strongly predicts life satisfaction, the psychosocial mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. To investigate the possible mediating role of coping, we conducted a cross‐sectional study that assessed youths' life stress levels, propensity to engage in three different coping styles (i.e., active coping, internal coping, & withdrawal), ​and life satisfaction in a probabilistic, two‐stage stratified cluster sample of 1830 high school seniors (986 females; age range: 17–22 years old) from 26 schools in or around the four largest cities in Croatia. We used correlational analyses and structural equation modelling to test the hypothesis that coping mediates the relation between stress and life satisfaction. The tested model was marginally acceptable: χ2 = 1613.85, df = 177, p < 0.001, goodness‐of‐fit‐index = 0.92, Comparative Fit Index = 0.91, Tucker‐Lewis Index = 0.89, root mean square error of approximation = 0.067 (90% CI = 0.064 to 0.070), standardized root mean squared residual = 0.056. As hypothesized, stress was related to life satisfaction directly (βc’ = −0.22, p < 0.01) but also indirectly (βab = −0.05, p < 0.01) by affecting youths' likelihood of engaging in withdrawal behaviours, such as avoiding problems, distracting, or using anger, alcohol, or drugs. The proportion of the total effect mediated by withdrawal was 19.4%. In contrast, neither active nor internal coping were significant mediators. Based on these results, we conclude that preventive and educational programs for enhancing youth mental health may benefit from reducing adolescents' stress levels and stress‐related withdrawal behaviour, and by encouraging youth to use active coping strategies instead.
Self‐Assembly of Hydroxyl Metal–Organic Polyhedra and Polymer into Cu‐Based Hollow Spheres for Product‐Selective CO2 Electroreduction
Authors: Yang Ru-Xin , Wang Yi-Rong , Gao Guang-Kuo , Chen Lin , Chen Yifa , Li Shun-Li , Lan Ya-Qian
Published: April 2021

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), an elegant solution to mitigate the greenhouse effect and produce high‐value feedstock, has significant hurdles in selective production of target products. Herein, a series of Cu‐based hollow spheres is synthesized through the self‐assembly of hydroxyl metal–organic polyhedra and a polymer. The obtained materials with tunable morphology and compositions enable precise generation of varied products in a flow cell. Specifically, polymer‐induced sol–gel (PISG)‐3 shows 61.1% (−0.9 V, −143 mA cm−2) Faradaic efficiency (FE) of C2H4 and negligible CH4, higher than that of PISG‐1 ( 46.7%) with solid‐sphere morphology. Interestingly, the products can be well tuned from C2H4 to CH4 by introducing CaCO3, along with increased hydrocarbon selectivity and CO2 reduction efficiency. Notably, PISG‐8 with modified composition displays drastically changed products ( 55.8% and 22.2%, −162 mA cm−2, −0.9 V). As certified by density functional theory calculations, CaCO3 is proven to decrease the possibility for coexistence of two adjacent *CHO to restrain the dimerization process and enhance the CH4 selectivity.
Making the Move Online: Interactive Read‐Alouds for the Virtual Classroom
Authors: Stoetzel Lindsay , Shedrow Stephanie J.
Published: April 2021

Interactive read‐alouds are a mainstay in traditional literacy classrooms because they support wide‐ranging goals in reading development. As educators make the transition to virtual classrooms, it is paramount that core practices, such as the interactive read‐aloud, are intentionally adapted to ensure that their purpose remains central to their use. Although the production of digital read‐alouds has flourished during the recent pandemic, many of these videos lack key components necessary to foster meaningful literacy growth. Educators need to be aware of the affordances and limitations offered by digital read‐alouds to analyze and create materials for classroom use. In this article, we offer resources to guide intentional planning to ensure that digital read‐aloud experiences go beyond passive student consumption. In addition, specific recommendations illustrate how digital read‐alouds can be positioned within synchronous and asynchronous classroom activities to preserve and amplify the sociocultural element that can be more challenging to maintain within virtual environments.
Sinkhole Hazard Caused by Inactive Mining Shafts as Illustrated by a Selected Example
Authors: Strzałkowski Piotr
Published: April 2021

Loss of stability of shafts liquidated in the past is a frequent cause of sinkhole creation on the surface. This manuscript presents such a case study. The sinkhole was created shortly after intense rainfall, so it can be assumed that displacement of the rock material in the shaft took place, i.e. the phenomenon of suffusion. One of the research aims was to confirm the assumption about the displacement of rock material filling the shaft on the basis of selected methods of sinking forecasting. Ex post forecast sinkhole creation was conducted using two methods (Bell and finite element method). It was assumed that the material filling the shaft lowered itself to a height determined on the basis of the sinkhole and shaft dimensions. Both methods gave the same results, consistent with the literature . The manuscript also presents a short overview of technologies used for decommissioning shafts and assesses their effectiveness in terms of preventing sinkhole creation. These methods have been used since the nineteenth century until present times. Considering the suffusion phenomenon, the paper proposes a way to drain rainwater from the shaft area, which was another purpose of the work. The necessity to find and verify the ways to secure decommissioned shafts from water is indicated as an important future direction of research.
Ensemble-Based Electrical Resistivity Tomography with Data and Model Space Compression
Authors: Aleardi Mattia , Vinciguerra Alessandro , Hojat Azadeh
Published: April 2021

Inversion of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data is an ill-posed problem that is usually solved through deterministic gradient-based methods. These methods guarantee a fast convergence but hinder accurate assessments of model uncertainties. On the contrary, Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms can be employed for accurate uncertainty appraisals, but they remain a formidable computational task due to the many forward model evaluations needed to converge. We present an alternative approach to ERT that not only provides a best-fitting resistivity model but also gives an estimate of the uncertainties affecting the inverse solution. More specifically, the implemented method aims to provide multiple realizations of the resistivity values in the subsurface by iteratively updating an initial ensemble of models based on the difference between the predicted and measured apparent resistivity pseudosections. The initial ensemble is generated using a geostatistical method under the assumption of log-Gaussian distributed resistivity values and a Gaussian variogram model. A finite-element code constitutes the forward operator that maps the resistivity values onto the associated apparent resistivity pseudosection. The optimization procedure is driven by the ensemble smoother with multiple data assimilation, an iterative ensemble-based algorithm that performs a Bayesian updating step at each iteration. The main advantages of the proposed approach are that it can be applied to nonlinear inverse problems, while also providing an ensemble of models from which the uncertainty on the recovered solution can be inferred. The ill-conditioning of the inversion procedure is decreased through a discrete cosine transform reparameterization of both data and model spaces. The implemented method is first validated on synthetic data and then applied to field data. We also compare the proposed method with a deterministic least-square inversion, and with an MCMC algorithm. We show that the ensemble-based inversion estimates resistivity models and associated uncertainties comparable to those yielded by a much more computationally intensive MCMC sampling.
Rechtsmedizinische Begutachtung von Knochenfunden am Gießener Institut für Rechtsmedizin
Authors: Ohlwärther T. E. N. , Holz F. , Heidorn F. , Verhoff M. A. , Birngruber C. G.
Published: April 2021

Einleitung

Funde von Knochen(fragmenten) können von Interesse für Strafverfolgungs- oder Denkmalbehörden sein. Die forensisch-osteologische Begutachtung kann zur Einordnung der Bedeutung des Fundes beitragen. Ziel der Studie war, durch eine Auswertung von am Institut für Rechtsmedizin Gießen begutachteten Knochenfunden einen Überblick über Umstände und Art der Funde sowie Umfang und Ergebnisse der Begutachtungen zu erhalten.

Material und Methoden

Für den Zeitraum von 2005 bis 2019 wurden im Institut archivierte osteologische Gutachten analysiert und Daten zu Fundort, -umständen, Humanspezifität, postmortalem Intervall, Spuren von Gewalteinwirkungen und die Ergebnisse weiterführender Untersuchungen ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Von 172 begutachteten Knochenfunden wurden 40 % in Wald- und Wiesengebieten aufgefunden. In 58 % enthielten die Funde menschliche Knochen, davon wurde in 32 % eine forensisch relevante Liegezeit nicht ausgeschlossen. Zeichen perimortaler Gewalteinwirkung fanden sich in 6 % menschlicher Knochenfunde. Ergänzende DNA-Untersuchungen wurden in 20 % aller Funde durchgeführt; davon verlief in 62 % die Typisierung humaner STR erfolgreich, und in 41 % gelang die Zuordnung zu einem antemortalen Profil. Bei den zur Begutachtung übersandten nichtmenschlichen Knochen handelte es sich am häufigsten um Knochen von Hirsch bzw. Reh (32 %), Schwein (29 %) und Rind (14 %).

Diskussion

Die Begutachtung von Knochenfunden soll Behörden ermöglichen, die (straf-)rechtliche Relevanz eines Fundes einzuordnen. Die makroskopische Untersuchung ist dafür von großer Bedeutung. Für die Identifizierung menschlicher Knochen besitzen DNA-Vergleichsuntersuchungen einen großen Stellenwert. Sie waren für 81 % der erfolgreichen Identifizierungen der Fälle mit menschlichen Knochen verantwortlich.
Gaplessness of Landau Hamiltonians on Hyperbolic Half-planes via Coarse Geometry
Authors: Ludewig Matthias , Thiang Guo Chuan
Published: April 2021

We use coarse index methods to prove that the Landau Hamiltonian on the hyperbolic half-plane, and even on much more general imperfect half-spaces, has no spectral gaps. Thus the edge states of hyperbolic quantum Hall Hamiltonians completely fill up the gaps between Landau levels, just like those of the Euclidean counterparts.
Effective training of convolutional neural networks for age estimation based on knowledge distillation
Authors: Greco Antonio , Saggese Alessia , Vento Mario , Vigilante Vincenzo
Published: April 2021

Age estimation from face images can be profitably employed in several applications, ranging from digital signage to social robotics, from business intelligence to access control. Only in recent years, the advent of deep learning allowed for the design of extremely accurate methods based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) that achieve a remarkable performance in various face analysis tasks. However, these networks are not always applicable in real scenarios, due to both time and resource constraints that the most accurate approaches often do not meet. Moreover, in case of age estimation, there is the lack of a large and reliably annotated dataset for training deep neural networks. Within this context, we propose in this paper an effective training procedure of CNNs for age estimation based on knowledge distillation, able to allow smaller and simpler “student” models to be trained to match the predictions of a larger “teacher” model. We experimentally show that such student models are able to almost reach the performance of the teacher, obtaining high accuracy over the LFW+, LAP 2016 and Adience datasets, but being up to 15 times faster. Furthermore, we evaluate the performance of the student models in the presence of image corruptions, and we demonstrate that some of them are even more resilient to these corruptions than the teacher model.
Vermehrung von Birnenbäumen der Sorte ‘Uta’ als Grünsteckling und Anbauverhalten im Vergleich zu Wurzelechten aus in vitro Vermehrung und auf zwei Unterlagen veredelten Bäumen unter biologischen Anbaubedingungen in Ostösterreich
Authors: Spornberger Andreas , Osterc Gregor , Schüller Elisabeth , Noll Daniela
Published: April 2021

In den Jahren 2004 bis 2006 wurden jeweils im Sommer an der Universität Ljubljana Versuche zur Bewurzelung von Grünstecklingen der Birnensorte ‘Uta’ durchgeführt. Dabei bewurzelten zwischen 6,1 und 23,8 % der Langstecklinge. Im Herbst 2007 wurden die so erhaltenen wurzelechten Bäume im Versuchszentrum der Universität für Bodenkultur in Wien gepflanzt und mit wurzelechten Bäumen der Sorte ‘Uta’ aus in vitro-Vermehrung und mit auf Kirchensaller Mostbirne (Sämling) und Fox 11 veredelten verglichen. Alle Bäume wurden als Spindel erzogen und nach Bio-Anbau-Richtlinien gepflegt. Die wurzelechten Bäume kamen später in den Ertrag als die veredelten. Nach elf Jahren wiesen die Bäume auf Sämling den stärksten Wuchs und Ertrag auf, gefolgt von den Veredelungen auf Fox 11 und den wurzelechten Bäumen aus in vitro Vermehrung. Deutlich schwächer wuchsen die wurzelecht vermehrten Grünstecklinge. Keine Unterschiede gab es beim spezifischen Ertrag, der bei allen Varianten im Bereich zwischen 1,1 und 1,2 kg/cm2 lag. Die nicht veredelten Bäume wiesen tendenziell größere Früchte als die beiden veredelten Varianten auf; speziell bei Fox 11 waren die Früchte kleiner. Wichtig bei den wurzelechten Bäumen ist die Verwendung kräftigerer Bäume bei der Pflanzung und die Durchführung einer Herbstpflanzung, um Baumausfälle in den ersten Jahren zu vermeiden.
Differences in empathy toward patients between medical and nonmedical students: an fMRI study
Authors: Kim Shin Ah , Lee Young-Mee , Hamann Stephan , Kim Sang Hee
Published: April 2021

There is growing concern about a potential decline in empathy among medical students over time. Despite the importance of empathy toward patients in medicine, it remains unclear the nature of the changes in empathy among medical students. Thus, we systematically investigated affective and cognitive empathy for patients among medical students using neuroscientific approach. Nineteen medical students who completed their fifth-year medical curriculum and 23 age- and sex-matched nonmedical students participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Inside a brain scanner, all participants read empathy-eliciting scenarios while adopting either the patient or doctor perspective. Brain activation and self-reported ratings during the experience of empathy were obtained. Behavioral results indicated that all participants reported greater emotional negativity and empathic concern in association with the patient perspective condition than with the doctor perspective condition. Functional brain imaging results indicated that neural activity in the posterior superior temporal region implicated in goal-relevant attention reorienting was overall increased under the patient perspective than the doctor perspective condition. Relative to nonmedical students, medical students showed decreased activity in the temporoparietal region implicated in mentalizing under the patient perspective versus doctor perspective condition. Notably, this same region showed increased activity under the doctor versus patient condition in medical students relative to nonmedical students. This study is among the first to investigate the neural mechanisms of empathy among medical students and the current findings point to the cognitive empathy system as the locus of the primary brain differences associated with empathy toward patients.
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid degradation in methanogenic mixed cultures obtained from Brazilian Amazonian soil samples
Authors: Brucha Gunther , Aldas-Vargas Andrea , Ross Zacchariah , Peng Peng , Atashgahi Siavash , Smidt Hauke , Langenhoff Alette , Sutton Nora B.
Published: April 2021

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is the third most applied pesticide in Brazil to control broadleaf weeds in crop cultivation and pastures. Due to 2,4-D’s high mobility and long half-life under anoxic conditions, this herbicide has high probability for groundwater contamination. Bioremediation is an attractive solution for 2,4-D contaminated anoxic environments, but there is limited understanding of anaerobic 2,4-D biodegradation. In this study, methanogenic enrichment cultures were obtained from Amazonian top soil (0—40 cm) and deep soil (50 -80 cm below ground) that biotransform 2,4-D (5 µM) to 4-chlorophenol and phenol. When these cultures were transferred (10% v/v) to fresh medium containing 40 µM or 160 µM 2,4-D, the rate of 2,4-D degradation decreased, and biotransformation did not proceed beyond 4-chlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol in the top and deep soil cultures, respectively. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and qPCR of a selection of microbes revealed no significant enrichment of known organohalide-respiring bacteria. Furthermore, a member of the genusCryptanaerobacterwas identified as possibly responsible for phenol conversion to benzoate in the top soil inoculated culture. Overall, these results demonstrate the effect of 2,4-D concentration on biodegradation and microbial community composition, which are both important factors when developing pesticide bioremediation technologies.
Birth characteristics and childhood leukemia in Switzerland: a register-based case–control study
Authors: Lupatsch Judith E. , Kreis Christian , Konstantinoudis Garyfallos , Ansari Marc , Kuehni Claudia E. , Spycher Ben D.
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Initial genetic alterations in the development of childhood leukemia occur in utero or before conception; both genetic and environmental factors are suspected to play a role. We aimed to investigate the associations between childhood leukemia and perinatal characteristics including birth order, birth interval to older siblings, parental age, birth weight, and multiple birth.

Methods

We identified cases diagnosed between 1981 and 2015 and born in Switzerland between 1969 and 2015 from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry and randomly sampled five controls per case from national birth records matched on date of birth, sex, and municipality of residence at birth. We used conditional logistic regression to investigate associations between perinatal characteristics and leukemia at ages 0–15 and 0–4 years, and the subtypes acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Results

The study included 1,403 cases of leukemia. We observed increased risks associated with high birth weight (adjusted OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.12–1.69) and multiple birth (1.89, 1.24–2.86). These associations were similar for ALL and stronger for leukemia at ages 0–4 years. For AML, we observed an increased risk for higher birth order (3.08, 0.43–22.03 for fourth or later born children). We found no associations with other perinatal characteristics.

Conclusion

This register-based case–control study adds to the existing evidence of a positive association between high birth weight and risk of childhood leukemia. Furthermore, it suggests children from multiple births are at an increased risk of leukemia.
Predictors of calcification distribution in severe tricuspid aortic valve stenosis
Authors: Piayda Kerstin , Dannenberg Lisa , Zako Saif , Maier Oliver , Bosbach Georg , Polzin Amin , Afzal Shazia , Jung Christian , Westenfeld Ralf , Kelm Malte , Zeus Tobias , Veulemans Verena
Published: April 2021

We investigated aortic valve calcification (AVC) distribution and predictors for leaflet calcification patterns in patients with severe tricuspid aortic valve stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Patients undergoing routine multi-sliced computed tomography (MSCT) for procedural planning were enrolled. MSCT data were transferred to a dedicated workstation for evaluation (3mensio Structural Heart™, Pie Medical Imaging BV, Maastricht, The Netherlands) and analyzed. Participants were separated into asymmetrical (AC) and symmetrical (SC) leaflet calcification and potential predictors for calcification distribution were identified with univariate and multivariate regression analysis. 567 Participants with severe tricuspid AS were divided into asymmetrical (AC, n = 443; 78.1%) and symmetrical (SC, n = 124; 21.9%) AVC. In AC, the non-coronary cusp was the most calcified cusp (n = 238; 57.7%). SC is more common in females (AC/SC: 49.2% vs. 67.7%; p < 0.0001). AVC was more severe in patients with AC, who also have larger aortic root dimensions. Multivariate analysis depicted, inter alia, left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) calcification < 25 Agatston units (OR 1.81 [1.09–3.00], p = 0.021), a mean pressure gradient < 36 mmHg (OR 1.77 [1.03–3.05], p = 0.039), and an annulo-apical angle > 67° (OR 1.68 [1.00–2.80], p = 0.049) as predictors for SC, although with only moderate predictive value. Data from this retrospective analysis indicate that SC occurs more frequently in females. The cumulative leaflet calcification burden is higher in patients with AC, who also present with larger aortic root dimensions. The predictive value for prominent calcification of different aortic valve cusps in AC patients was only low to moderate.

Trial registration number: NCT01805739.
Consumer Perceptions and Pricing Practices for Weddings
Authors: Albers N. D. , Wren A. O. , Knotts T. L. , Chupp M. G.
Published: April 2021

Weddings represent a specific consumption experience with unusual pressures (financial and emotional). Societal pressures of perfection and the experience itself, including conspicuous consumption, experience, and credence qualities, create a unique consumption and pricing environment. Study 1 provides evidence of a two-tier retail pricing approach for “regular” and “wedding” items. Study 2 suggests this phenomenon has been propagated by a tendency to attach elevated importance to wedding products. This paper documents the practice of elevated wedding pricing and offers insight into why the practice is tolerated and perpetuated.
Eight grand challenges for value sensitive design from the 2016 Lorentz workshop
Authors: Friedman Batya , Harbers Maaike , Hendry David G. , van den Hoven Jeroen , Jonker Catholijn , Logler Nick
Published: April 2021

In this article, we report on eight grand challenges for value sensitive design, which were developed at a one-week workshop, Value Sensitive Design: Charting the Next Decade, Lorentz Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, November 14–18, 2016. A grand challenge is a substantial problem, opportunity, or question that motives sustained research and design activity. The eight grand challenges are: (1) Accounting for Power, (2) Evaluating Value Sensitive Design, (3) Framing and Prioritizing Values, (4) Professional and Industry Appropriation, (5) Tech policy, (6) Values and Human Emotions, (7) Value Sensitive Design and Intelligent Algorithms, and (8) Value Tensions. Each grand challenge consists of a discussion of its importance and a set of tractable key questions.
Links with splitting number one
Authors: Lackenby Marc
Published: April 2021

We provide an algorithm to determine whether a link L admits a crossing change that turns it into a split link, under some fairly mild hypotheses on L. The algorithm also provides a complete list of all such crossing changes. It can therefore also determine whether the unlinking number of L is 1.
Serum N-glycan profiles differ for various breast cancer subtypes
Authors: Vreeker Gerda C. M. , Vangangelt Kiki M. H. , Bladergroen Marco R. , Nicolardi Simone , Mesker Wilma E. , Wuhrer Manfred , van der Burgt Yuri E. M , Tollenaar Rob A. E. M.
Published: April 2021

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women. Early detection of this disease improves survival and therefore population screenings, based on mammography, are performed. However, the sensitivity of this screening modality is not optimal and new screening methods, such as blood tests, are being explored. Most of the analyses that aim for early detection focus on proteins in the bloodstream. In this study, the biomarker potential of total serum N-glycosylation analysis was explored with regard to detection of breast cancer. In an age-matched case-control setup serum protein N-glycan profiles from 145 breast cancer patients were compared to those from 171 healthy individuals. N-glycans were enzymatically released, chemically derivatized to preserve linkage-specificity of sialic acids and characterized by high resolution mass spectrometry. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate associations of specific N-glycan structures as well as N-glycosylation traits with breast cancer. In a case-control comparison three associations were found, namely a lower level of a two triantennary glycans and a higher level of one tetraantennary glycan in cancer patients. Of note, various other N-glycomic signatures that had previously been reported were not replicated in the current cohort. It was further evaluated whether the lack of replication of breast cancer N-glycomic signatures could be partly explained by the heterogenous character of the disease since the studies performed so far were based on cohorts that included diverging subtypes in different numbers. It was found that serum N-glycan profiles differed for the various cancer subtypes that were analyzed in this study.
West and East in Ashkenaz in the Time of Judah he-Ḥasid
Authors: Barzen Rainer Josef
Published: April 2021

The present study interprets and frames a long-standing question concerning Judah he-Ḥasid’s motivations in migrating to Regensburg against the social and geographical contexts of the Jews of Ashkenaz. By examining the use of Hebrew geographic terminology during the High Middle Ages (Loter, Ashkenaz, Ashkelonia), the article demonstrates that twelfth-century Jews perceived and were engaged in contemporary political and territorial processes of the surrounding kingdom. The Hebrew terms describe the cultural tripartite division of the German kingdom (Regnum Teutonicum) in Lotharingia, the five duchies of the earlier tribes (Saxony, Franconia, Thuringia, Swabia, and Bavaria), and the still Slavic territories of the East. These imperial territories were settled and Christianized by mostly German migrants from the west of the kingdom from the eleventh century onwards. Comparable developments are evident in the movement and expansion of Jewish settlement in the German Kingdom. After many Jewish communities were founded in the Ashkenazic heartlands, beginning in cities on the Rhine, Main, and the Danube, i.e., in the territories of the five duchies (Ashkenaz), Jewish settlers founded new communities and settlements in the still Slavic areas (Ashkelonia), beyond the Elbe and Saale rivers, as part of the German settlement movement. Judah he-Ḥasid’s family’s migration is part of this development. With his relocation to Regensburg, he lived on the border of the Ashkenazic heartland (Old/West Ashkenaz) and the new Ashkenazic settlement areas in Ashkelonia (New/Eastern Ashkenaz). In Regensburg he became one of the central spiritual and halakhic authorities for the communities of the eastern neighboring territories. Through his work Judah he-Ḥasid opened the way to an “Ashkenazation” of the Jewish communities in eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe.
Global solutions of nonconvex standard quadratic programs via mixed integer linear programming reformulations
Authors: Gondzio Jacek , Yıldırım E. Alper
Published: April 2021

A standard quadratic program is an optimization problem that consists of minimizing a (nonconvex) quadratic form over the unit simplex. We focus on reformulating a standard quadratic program as a mixed integer linear programming problem. We propose two alternative formulations. Our first formulation is based on casting a standard quadratic program as a linear program with complementarity constraints. We then employ binary variables to linearize the complementarity constraints. For the second formulation, we first derive an overestimating function of the objective function and establish its tightness at any global minimizer. We then linearize the overestimating function using binary variables and obtain our second formulation. For both formulations, we propose a set of valid inequalities. Our extensive computational results illustrate that the proposed mixed integer linear programming reformulations significantly outperform other global solution approaches. On larger instances, we usually observe improvements of several orders of magnitude.
Effect of local stiffeners and warping constraints on the buckling of symmetric open thin-walled beams with high warping stiffness
Authors: Piana G. , Lofrano E. , Carpinteri A. , Ruta G.
Published: April 2021

Local stiffeners affect the behaviour of thin-walled beams (TWBs). An in-house code based on a one-dimensional model proved effective in several instances of compressive buckling of TWBs but gave counterintuitive results for locally stiffened TWBs. To clarify the matter, we investigated TWBs with multi-symmetric double I cross-section, widely used in practical applications where high bending stiffness is required. Several samples were manufactured and stiffened on purpose, closing them over a small portion of the axis at different places. The samples were tested with end constraints accounting for various warping conditions. The experimental and numerical outputs from a commercial FEM code gave a key to overcome the unexpected results by the in-house code, paving the way for further studies.
Emotional inertia emerges after prolonged states of exhaustion: Evidences from a measurement burst study
Authors: Alessandri Guido , De Longis Evelina , Cepale Gianluca
Published: April 2021

Exhaustion refers to the feeling of ongoing loss of emotional, physical and cognitive resources. The present study draws on the Conservation of Resources Theory to examine the relationship between chronic exhaustion and negative emotional inertia among 206 employees (aged between 19 and 50 years; M = 21.03; SD = 2.98), in a naturalistic setting. To this purpose, we used a measurement burst design with two intensive bursts—spaced 1 month apart—by repeatedly sampling exhaustion and negative affect with 18 daily diaries (a morning and an evening assessment each day) per burst. After controlling for potential confounders, results showed that exhaustion at Burst 1 predicted negative emotional inertia at Burst 2, and not the other way around. These findings advance the knowledge on the relationship between exhaustion and negative emotional inertia by providing further insights on the likely direction of causality between study variables, that is from exhaustion to inertia (but not vice versa). Practical implication, limitations, and directions for future research are also discussed.
Effect of ethanol and cocaine on [11C]MPC-6827 uptake in SH-SY5Y cells
Authors: Damuka Naresh , Orr Miranda , Czoty Paul W. , Weiner Jeffrey L. , Martin Thomas J. , Nader Michael A. , Bansode Avinash H. , Liyana Pathirannahel Buddhika S. , Mintz Akiva , Macauley Shannon L. , Craft Suzanne , Solingapuram Sai Kiran Kumar
Published: April 2021

Microtubules (MTs) are structural units in the cytoskeleton. In brain cells they are responsible for axonal transport, information processing, and signaling mechanisms. Proper function of these processes is critical for healthy brain functions. Alcohol and substance use disorders (AUD/SUDs) affects the function and organization of MTs in the brain, making them a potential neuroimaging marker to study the resulting impairment of overall neurobehavioral and cognitive processes. Our lab reported the first brain-penetrant MT-tracking Positron Emission Tomography (PET) ligand [11C]MPC-6827 and demonstrated its in vivo utility in rodents and non-human primates. To further explore the in vivo imaging potential of [11C]MPC-6827, we need to investigate its mechanism of action. Here, we report preliminary in vitro binding results in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells exposed to ethanol (EtOH) or cocaine in combination with multiple agents that alter MT stability. EtOH and cocaine treatments increased MT stability and decreased free tubulin monomers. Our initial cell-binding assay demonstrated that [11C]MPC-6827 may have high affinity to free/unbound tubulin units. Consistent with this mechanism of action, we observed lower [11C]MPC-6827 uptake in SH-SY5Y cells after EtOH and cocaine treatments (e.g., fewer free tubulin units). We are currently performing in vivo PET imaging and ex vivo biodistribution studies in rodent and nonhuman primate models of AUD and SUDs and Alzheimer's disease.
Narrative testimony
Authors: Fraser Rachel
Published: April 2021

Epistemologists of testimony have focused almost exclusively on the epistemic dynamics of simple testimony. We do sometimes testify by ways of simple, single sentence assertions. But much of our testimony is narratively structured. I argue that narrative testimony gives rise to a form of epistemic dependence that is far richer and more far reaching than the epistemic dependence characteristic of simple testimony.
Phenomenal roles: a dispositional account of bodily pain
Authors: Gozzano Simone
Published: April 2021

In this paper I argue that bodily pain, as a phenomenal property, is an essentially and substantial dispositional property. To this end, I maintain that this property is individuated by its phenomenal roles, which can be internal -individuating the property per se- and external -determining further phenomenal or physical properties or states. I then argue that this individuation allows phenomenal roles to be organized in a necessarily asymmetrical net, thereby overcoming the circularity objection to dispositionalism. Finally, I provide reasons to argue that these roles satisfy modal fixity, as posited by Bird, and are not fundamental properties, contra Chalmers’ panpsychism. Thus, bodily pain can be considered a substantial dispositional property entrenched in non-fundamental laws of nature.
Investigation of Post-Darcy Flow in Thin Porous Media
Authors: Jouybari Nima Fallah , Lundström T. Staffan
Published: April 2021

We present numerical simulations of post-Darcy flow in thin porous medium: one consisting of staggered arrangements of circular cylinders and one random distribution of cylinders bounded between walls. The simulations span a range of Reynolds numbers, 40 to 4000, where the pressure drop varies nonlinearly with the average velocity, covering nonlinear laminar flow to the fully turbulent regime. The results are compared to those obtained by replacing the bounding walls with symmetric boundaries with the aim to reveal the effect of bounding walls on microscopic characteristics and macroscopic measures, i.e., pressure drop, hydrodynamic dispersion and Reynolds stresses. We use large eddy simulation to directly calculate the Reynolds stresses and turbulent intensity. The simulations show that vortical structures emerge at the boundary between the cylinders and the bounding walls causing a difference between the microscopic flow in the confined and non-confined porous media. This affects the averaged values of pressure drop, the hydrodynamic dispersion and the Reynolds stresses. Finally, the distance between the bounding walls is altered with the particle Reynolds number kept constant. It is observed that the difference between results calculated in confined and non-confined cases increases when the bounding walls are narrower.
Gluten Adhesion and Shearing in a Contact-Based Coarse-Grained Model
Authors: Mioduszewski Łukasz , Cieplak Marek
Published: April 2021

We study adhesion of the gluten proteins during the shear and normal deformations as described by a coarse-grained molecular dynamics. We show that the two types of deformation have a different impact on the proteins. We also calculate the dynamic shear modulus and critical strain and find the results to be consistent with the slip-bond theory which assumes that the gluten proteins can be treated as an interconnected network of polymers.

Graphical Abstract