bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Approach of a Decision Support Matrix for the Implementation of Exoskeletons in Industrial Workplaces
Authors: Ralfs Lennart , Hoffmann Niclas , Weidner Robert
Published: December 2021

Despite the advancing trends in automation, workers in industrial workplaces often face repetitive tasks with heavy workloads. Whenever methods or adaptions in both technology and organization are insufficient to improve working conditions, personal-related interventions as exoskeletons come into question. They may prove successful in alleviating musculoskeletal disorders and relieving physical strain. The rising number of market-ready exoskeletons often challenges users or companies to select an appropriate system for their applications. In order to address this issue, this paper presents a generic approach for supporting both the selection and evaluation of exoskeletons. With respect to the task, user, and technical system, the decision support matrix (DSM) merges work profiles, motion patterns, and postures into one schematic representation. It aims to suggest exoskeletons with inherent properties matching these external requirements. In summary, the DSM may help users and companies to assess the fundamental suitability and select appropriate support devices for specific applications.
Transmitter Positioning of Distributed Large-Scale Metrology Within Line-Less Mobile Assembly Systems
Authors: Nicksch Christoph , Hüttner Alexander K. , Schmitt Robert H.
Published: December 2021

In Line-less Mobile Assembly Systems (LMAS) the mobilization of assembly resources and products enables rapid physical system reconfigurations to increase flexibility and adaptability. The clean-floor approach discards fixed anchor points, so that assembly resources such as mobile robots and automated guided vehicles transporting products can adapt to new product requirements and form new assembly processes without specific layout restrictions. An associated challenge is spatial referencing between mobile resources and product tolerances. Due to the missing fixed points, there is a need for more positioning data to locate and navigate assembly resources. Distributed large-scale metrology systems offer the capability to cover a wide shop floor area and obtain positioning data from several resources simultaneously with uncertainties in the submillimeter range. The positioning of transmitter units of these systems becomes a demanding task taking visibility during dynamic processes and configuration-dependent measurement uncertainty into account. This paper presents a novel approach to optimize the position configuration of distributed large-scale metrology systems by minimizing the measurement uncertainty for dynamic assembly processes. For this purpose, a particle-swarm-optimization algorithm has been implemented. The results show that the algorithm is capable of determining suitable transmitter positions by finding global optima in the assembly station search space verified by applying brute-force method in simulation.
Aerial Grasping and Transport Using an Unmanned Aircraft (UA) Equipped with an Industrial Suction Gripper
Authors: Lieret Markus , Kreis Benedikt , Hofmann Christian , Zwingel Maximilian , Franke Jörg
Published: December 2021

Duetotheavailabilityof highly efficient unmanned aircraft (UA) and the advancement of the necessary technologies, the use of UA for object manipulation and cargo transport is becoming a more and more relevant research area. A reliable identification and localization of cargo and interaction objects as well as maintaining the required flight precision are essential to guarantee a successful object handling. Within this paper we demonstrate the successful application of an autonomous UA equipped with a lightweight suction gripper for object interaction. We discuss the approach used for precise localization as well as the identification and pose estimation of individual gripping objects. Concluding, the overall system performance is evaluated within an industrial-oriented use case.
The Earth
Authors: Brown Marvin T.
Published: December 2021

The Earth is both our home and our provider. It’s meaning for us depends on how we interpret our human, social, and civic relationships with it. All humans exist as participants in the earth’s dynamics, from breathing its air to consuming its provisions. Our social relations with the Earth span the range from indigenous groups who see the Earth as sacred to some modern groups who see it as a commodity. We are dwellers on the Earth and our dwellings exist as homes in a natural and urban environment and yet they can be treated as nothing but real estate. Still, since Earth Day in 1972, there have been “environmental victories” in preserving the Earth’s vitality, and yet today as citizens we face a stark alternative between a stable or “hot house” Earth. Making the right choice depends on breaking through the climate of injustice that now prevents us from both repairing our relationships with each other and from restoring the Earth as a habitat for all living things.
Is There a Link Between Corporate Purpose and Performance?
Authors: Cardona Pablo , Rey Carlos
Published: December 2021

After 50 years of debate on this crucial question, the evidence is increasingly strong in favor of “yes”: companies can achieve better results if they incorporate practices that foster people’s sense of purpose. This relationship seems to be valid for very different types of industries and various business strategies within the cost-differentiation spectrum. However, causality between purpose and performance is not as linear as some literature and consultants seem to indicate. In this chapter, we discuss this relationship under the perspective of unity (the degree of mutual trust and commitment to the company experienced by people who contribute to fulfilling its purpose). Based on this perspective, we provide a framework that distinguishes four types of cultures: bureaucratic, paternalistic, aggressive and competent.
What Are Companies For?
Authors: Cardona Pablo , Rey Carlos
Published: December 2021

Management by missions (MBM) starts by asking a fundamental question: What is your company for? It seems reasonable to assume that an organization and its members should have a clear idea of why they exist. In practice, however, that is not always the case. Very often, there is great confusion and conflict of opinion on this point, even within the board of directors or executive committee. In this chapter, we explore this fundamental question first by discussing the role of profit in business (as a mean or an end). Then we propose a specific definition of purpose as the synthesis of the ends of a company. We then introduce the three dimensions of an effective purpose: Authenticity, Coherence and Integrity. Finally, we discuss the relationship between personal and corporate purpose.
Culture and Colonialism: The 1916 Shakespeare Tercentenary in Egypt
Authors: Sami Karma , Smialkowska Monika
Published: December 2021

The 300th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death in 1916 coincided with an unprecedented political crisis across the globe. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 brought to the fore the ambitions of the established and would-be colonial powers, conflicts between and within existing nation states, and disenfranchised groups’ aspirations for self-determination. Recent scholarship has demonstrated how the 1916 Shakespearean commemorations in countries such as Britain, Germany, Ireland, and the USA registered these political upheavals. However, research into the Shakespeare Tercentenary has so far neglected Egypt’s complex response to the occasion. Amidst developing political tensions, which were to culminate in the Revolution of 1919, Egyptian intellectuals nevertheless chose to commemorate Shakespeare’s Tercentenary. These commemorations, however, were marked by ambivalence: while expressing admiration for Shakespeare, Egyptian commentators questioned the appropriateness of celebrating an English writer instead of promoting Egypt’s, and the Arabs’, own national literature. This chapter examines the manifestations of these conflicting feelings, ranging from the heated press debates surrounding the occasion, through Cairo University’s celebrations, to tributes published by individual intellectuals, such as Ahmad Lutfi al-Sayyid and Mohammed Hafiz Ibrahim. In doing so, the chapter explores the ambiguities created by celebrating a cultural anniversary at a historical moment fraught with acute colonial tensions.
On the complexity of equational decision problems for finite height complemented and orthocomplemented modular lattices
Authors: Herrmann Christian
Published: December 2021

We study the computational complexity of the satisfiability problem and the complement of the equivalence problem for complemented (orthocomplemented) modular lattices L and classes thereof. Concerning a simple L of finite height, $$\mathcal {NP}$$
NP
-hardness is shown for both problems. Moreover, both problems are shown to be polynomial-time equivalent to the same feasibility problem over the division ring D whenever L is the subspace lattice of a D-vector space of finite dimension at least 3. Considering the class of all finite dimensional Hilbert spaces, the equivalence problem for the class of subspace ortholattices is shown to be polynomial-time equivalent to that for the class of endomorphism $$*$$

∗

-rings with pseudo-inversion; moreover, we derive completeness for the complement of the Boolean part of the nondeterministic Blum-Shub-Smale model of real computation without constants. This result extends to the additive category of finite dimensional Hilbert spaces, enriched by adjunction and pseudo-inversion.
Regional variations in lumbar spine surgery in Finland
Authors: Mäntymäki Heikki , Ponkilainen Ville T. , Huttunen Tuomas T. , Mattila Ville M.
Published: December 2021

Introduction

The regional variation in spine surgery rates has been shown to be large both within and between countries. This variation has been reported to be less in studies from countries with spine registers. The aim of this study was to describe the regional variation in lumbar spine surgery in Finland.

Materials and methods

This is a retrospective register study. Data from the Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register (NHDR) were used to calculate and compare the rates of lumbar disc herniation (LDH), decompression, and fusion surgeries in five University Hospital catchment areas, covering the whole Finnish population, from January 1, 1997, through December 31, 2018.

Results

A total of 138,119 lumbar spine operations (including LDH, decompression, and fusion surgery) were performed in Finland between 1997 and 2018. The regional differences in the rate of LDH surgery were over fourfold (18 vs. 85 per 100,000 person years), lumbar decompression surgery over threefold (41 vs. 129 per 100,000 person years), and lumbar fusion surgery over twofold (14 vs. 34 per 100,000 person years) in 2018. The mean age of the patients increased in all regions during the study period.

Conclusions

In Finland, the regional variations in spine surgeries were vast. In a country with a publicly funded healthcare system, this finding was surprising. The recently created national spine register may serve to shed more light on the reasons for this regional variation.
Site selection for managed aquifer recharge in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, using a multi-criteria decision analysis and geographic information system
Authors: Hussaini Mohammad Salem , Farahmand Asadullah , Shrestha Sangam , Neupane Sanjiv , Abrunhosa Manuel
Published: December 2021

While the success and sustainability of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) strongly depends on many characteristics of the site, it is necessary to integrate the site characteristics and develop suitability maps to indicate the most suitable locations. The objective of this study is to integrate geographic information system (GIS) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques to identify the most suitable areas for a MAR project in the Kabul city area, Afghanistan. Data for six effective criteria, including slope, drainage density, surface infiltration rate, unsaturated zone thickness, soil type and electrical conductivity, were collected and then a classification map was produced for each criterion in the GIS environment. By applying MCDA techniques, the weights of the effective criteria were obtained. A suitability map was generated from each technique separately based on a combination of all criteria weights and thematic layers. The result of the analytical network process (ANP) method was found to be more precise and reliable compared with that of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method. Based on the final suitability map produced from the ANP model, there is 3.7, 15.0, 37.4, 33.1 and 10.3% of the total area that is unsuitable, of low suitability, moderately suitable, suitable and very suitable for MAR application, respectively. As a final result of this work, seven sites have been prioritized based on land use. The integration of multi-criteria decision analysis and GIS is recognized as an effective method for the selection of managed aquifer recharge sites.
Metagenomic Analysis Reveals Previously Undescribed Bat Coronavirus Strains in Eswatini
Authors: Shapiro Julie Teresa , Mollerup Sarah , Jensen Randi Holm , Olofsson Jill Katharina , Nguyen Nam-phuong D. , Hansen Thomas Arn , Vinner Lasse , Monadjem Ara , McCleery Robert A. , Hansen Anders J.
Published: December 2021

We investigated the prevalence of coronaviruses in 44 bats from four families in northeastern Eswatini using high-throughput sequencing of fecal samples. We found evidence of coronaviruses in 18% of the bats. We recovered full or near-full-length genomes from two bat species: Chaerephon pumilus and Afronycteris nana, as well as additional coronavirus genome fragments from C. pumilus, Epomophorus wahlbergi, Mops condylurus, and Scotophilus dinganii. All bats from which we detected coronaviruses were captured leaving buildings or near human settlements, demonstrating the importance of continued surveillance of coronaviruses in bats to better understand the prevalence, diversity, and potential risks for spillover.
Applying Ramseyfication to Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Toppel Michael
Published: December 2021

The so-called Ramsey–Carnap approach, or Ramseyfication, has gone out of fashion in the philosophy of science. Advocates have tried to argue for a revival by writing methodological and metatheoretical studies of Ramseyfication. For this paper I have chosen a different approach; I will apply Ramseyfication to infrared spectroscopy—a method used in analytical chemistry—in order to logically analyse the relation between measurements and mathematical structures. My aim in doing so is to contribute to the debate about the Application Problem of Mathematics, thereby making a case for Ramseyfication as a method of study for scientific theories.
Wondering about the future
Authors: Torre Stephan
Published: December 2021

Will it rain tomorrow? Will there be a sea battle tomorrow? Will my death be painful? Wondering about the future plays a central role in our cognitive lives. It is integral to our inquiries, our planning, our hopes, and our fears. The aim of this paper is to consider various accounts of future contingents and the implications that they have for wondering about the future. I argue that reflecting on the nature of wondering about the future supports an Ockhamist account of future contingents according to which many of them are true. Alternative accounts which maintain that no future contingents are true, either by claiming that they are all false or by claiming that they are neither true nor false, face difficulties concerning why it is appropriate to wonder about them. Reflecting on wondering in general, and wondering about the future in particular, suggests that in wondering how the future will go, we implicitly assume that there is a determinate fact of the matter. After presenting an attractive account of interrogative attitudes that has been recently proposed by Jane Friedman and outlining some norms governing wondering, I argue that all accounts of future contingents except Ockhamism face difficulties concerning why it is appropriate to wonder about them.
Coercive Inequalities and U-Bounds on Step-Two Carnot Groups
Authors: Bou Dagher Esther , Zegarliński Bogusław
Published: December 2021

We prove Poincaré and Logβ-Sobolev inequalities for a class of probability measures on step-two Carnot groups.
Quantum absentminded driver problem revisited
Authors: Fra̧ckiewicz Piotr , Rycerz Katarzyna , Szopa Marek
Published: December 2021

The aim of the paper is to study the problem of absentminded driver in the quantum domain. In the classical case, it is a well-known example of a decision problem with imperfect recall that exhibits lack of equivalence between mixed and behavioral strategies. The optimal payoff outcome is significantly lower than the maximum payoff appearing in the game. This raises the question whether a quantum approach to the problem can increase the strategic position of the decision maker. The results that we present in the paper clearly reveal the benefits from playing the absentminded problem with the aid of quantum objects. Through appropriately chosen initial quantum state, the unitary strategies enable the decision maker to obtain the maximum possible payoff. At the same time, our scheme comes down to the classical problem with a suitable restriction of unitary strategies.
Solving Burgers’ equation with quantum computing
Authors: Oz Furkan , Vuppala Rohit K. S. S. , Kara Kursat , Gaitan Frank
Published: December 2021

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are a vital part of the design process in the aerospace industry. Although reliable CFD results can be obtained with turbulence models, direct numerical simulation of complex bodies in three spatial dimensions (3D) is impracticable due to the massive amount of computational elements. For instance, a 3D direct numerical simulation of a turbulent boundary-layer over the wing of a commercial jetliner that resolves all relevant length scales using a serial CFD solver on a modern digital computer would take approximately 750 million years or roughly 20% of the earth’s age. Over the past 25 years, quantum computers have become the object of great interest worldwide as powerful quantum algorithms have been constructed for several important, computationally challenging problems that provide enormous speed-up over the best-known classical algorithms. In this paper, we adapt a recently introduced quantum algorithm for partial differential equations to Burgers’ equation and develop a quantum CFD solver that determines its solutions. We used our quantum CFD solver to verify the quantum Burgers’ equation algorithm to find the flow solution when a shockwave is and is not present. The quantum simulation results were compared to: (i) an exact analytical solution for a flow without a shockwave; and (ii) the results of a classical CFD solver for flows with and without a shockwave. Excellent agreement was found in both cases, and the error of the quantum CFD solver was comparable to that of the classical CFD solver.
OCLC library holdings: assessing availability of academic books in libraries in print and electronic compared to citations and altmetrics
Authors: Maleki Ashraf
Published: December 2021

Although library holding data is constructed upon work format of books, it is less known how much print and electronic books in libraries contribute to the library holding counts. In response, this research is an attempt to explore the distribution of library holding data across work formats and investigate the availability of library print holdings and library electronic holdings for books as constituents of the library holding metric across fields and over time and compared with other book metrics. ISBNs, titles and author names of 119,794 Scopus-indexed book titles across 26 fields were examined for fourteen variables including OCLC Library Holdings, Scopus Citations, Google Books Citations, Goodreads engagements, and Altmetric indicators. There are three major findings: (a) library holdings are a more comprehensively available metric for books (over 97%) than any other metric and could be useful after short time after first edition publication, followed by Google Books, Goodreads and Scopus, respectively; (b) on average electronic holdings are seven times (median three times) more numerous than print holdings and their ratio is growing considerably for more recent books; (c) there is consistent downward trend in average print book holdings, suggesting that library print holding data are cumulative in nature and statistically comparable to formal citations; however, acquisition of electronic books in libraries is inconsistent in distribution plot as well as over time. In sum, the differences between print and electronic holding data are broad making them distinct metrics, suggesting that further research is needed for understanding their implications for book impact assessment.
Sleep position, patient comfort, and technical performance with two established procedures for home sleep testing
Authors: Mueller C. Emika , Li Hansen , Begasse Sophia M. , Sommer J. Ulrich , Stuck Boris A. , Birk Richard
Published: December 2021

Purpose

In patients with a high pre-test probability of suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), (cardio)-respiratory polygraphy (RP; level 3) is commonly used for home sleep testing (HST); however, testing based on peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) is increasingly recognized as an alternative method. The aim of the study was to compare sleep position, patients’ comfort, and technical failure rates of HST with RP and PAT in patients with suspected OSA.

Methods

Sleep position, patients’ comfort, and technical failure rates of RP and PAT were compared in 56 patients receiving two nights of HST with either RP or PAT in a randomized fashion.

Results

Time in supine position with PAT was significantly lower (173.7±88 min) compared to RP (181.7±103.7 min; p < 0.001), although the absolute mean difference was not clinically significant. Patients reported to sleep better, feeling less disturbed when falling asleep, losing less sensors, and fewer nightly awakenings with PAT, but experienced more pain at the side of the finger probe. Forty-five out of 56 patients (80%) rated PAT as being the superior sleep test and 49 out of 56 (88%) would prefer PAT for further investigations (p<0.001). PAT testing was associated with less technical failures.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate that HST with PAT leads to less time in supine sleep positioning, which may be clinically relevant in selected patients. Moreover, PAT is associated with less technical failures and is perceived with less discomfort during testing and a reduced number of nocturnal awakenings in patient self-reports.
Vulgar Talk and Learned Reasoning in Berkeley’s Moral and Religious Thought
Authors: Airaksinen Timo
Published: December 2021

Berkeley “argues with the learned and speaks with the vulgar.” I use his double maxim to interpret his ethics. My approach is new. The Sermons and Guardian Essays mainly speak to the vulgar and Passive Obedience and Alciphron reason with the learned. The reward of ethics is eternal bliss in a future state: religion and ethics are connected. I study a set of problems: resurrection, eternal life, happiness, benevolence, the goodness of God, and self-love. Divine bliss is unlike any earthly happiness. The idea of law does not support benevolence, even if it is a Christian duty and virtue. God is good, but how to prove it? The learned must study the complex theodicy problem; the vulgar need assurance based on their sensuous experience and fervent hope of eternal bliss. Self-love may be a vital issue to the learned, although the vulgar may not realize their need to overcome it. The main questions concern Berkeley’s two approaches to ethical problems: first, how do their topics differ, and second, are they mutually consistent?
Disparities in ACL Reconstruction: the Influence of Gender and Race on Incidence, Treatment, and Outcomes
Authors: Devana Sai K. , Solorzano Carlos , Nwachukwu Benedict , Jones Kristofer J.
Published: December 2021

Purpose of Review

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common injury that has important clinical and economic implications. We aimed to review the literature to identify gender, racial and ethnic disparities in incidence, treatment, and outcomes of ACL injury.

Recent Findings

Females are at increased risk for ACL injury compared to males. Intrinsic differences such as increased quadriceps angle and increased posterior tibial slope may be contributing factors. Despite lower rates of injury, males undergo ACL reconstruction (ACLR) more frequently. There is conflicting evidence regarding gender differences in graft failure and ACL revision rates, but males demonstrate higher return to sport (RTS) rates. Females report worse functional outcome scores and have worse biomechanical metrics following ACLR. Direct evidence of racial and ethnic disparities is limited, but present. White athletes have greater risk of ACL injury compared to Black athletes. Non-White and Spanish-speaking patients are less likely to undergo ACLR after ACL tear. Black and Hispanic youth have greater surgical delay to ACLR, increased risk for loss to clinical follow-up, and less physical therapy sessions, thereby leading to greater deficits in knee extensor strength during rehabilitation. Hispanic and Black patients also have greater risk for hospital admission after ACLR, though this disparity is improving.

Females have higher rates of ACL injury with inconclusive evidence on anatomic predisposition and ACL failure rate differences between genders. Recent literature has suggested inferior RTS and functional outcomes following ACLR in females. Though there is limited and mixed data on incidence and outcome differences between races and ethnic groups, recent studies suggest there may be disparities in those who undergo ACLR and time to treatment.
Using a cubic B-spline method in conjunction with a one-step optimized hybrid block approach to solve nonlinear partial differential equations
Authors: Ramos Higinio , Kaur Anurag , Kanwar V.
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we develop an optimized hybrid block method which is combined with a modified cubic B-spline method, for solving non-linear partial differential equations. In particular, it will be applied for solving three well-known problems, namely, the Burgers equation, Buckmaster equation and FitzHugh–Nagumo equation. Most of the developed methods in the literature for non-linear partial differential equations have not focused on optimizing the time step-size and a very small value must be considered to get accurate approximations. The motivation behind the development of this work is to overcome this trade-off up to much extent using a larger time step-size without compromising accuracy. The optimized hybrid block method considered is proved to be A-stable and convergent. Furthermore, the obtained numerical approximations have been compared with exact and numerical solutions available in the literature and found to be adequate. In particular, without using quasilinearization or filtering techniques, the results for small viscosity coefficient for Burgers equation are found to be accurate. We have found that the combination of the two considered methods is computationally efficient for solving non-linear PDEs.
Jusepe de Ribera'sFive Sensesand the Practice of Prudence
Authors: Friedman Hannah Joy
Published: December 2021

Painted in Rome around 1615, Jusepe de Ribera's series of half figures personifying the five senses invites a diplomatic audience associated with the Lincean Academy to a performance of prudence, a virtue meant to characterize the judgment of both art and of sensory experience. Ribera's series is new evidence for how the demonstration of prudence in conversation motivated ownership and display of art and shaped art's contribution to natural philosophy. Ribera's “Five Senses” articulates the distinction between sense and prudence, and reveals the importance of discussion, dissimulation, and social performance to the way early Seicento art was produced and consumed.
Material Piety: Science and Religious Culture in Seventeenth-Century Portugal
Authors: Castel-Branco Nuno
Published: December 2021

In seventeenth-century Lisbon, Jesuit mathematicians taught their students how to build blood-ejecting crucifixes and similar religious devices. Together with the activities of experts in the canonization of Isabel of Portugal and in other contexts, these situations represent rare instances in which religious devotion interacted directly with science. Informed by the histories of science, art, and religion, this essay argues that a piety centered on materiality fostered these scientific practices, which became religious ministries in themselves. This analysis brings new light to lasting debates on science and religion and to the purpose of practicing science in the early modern period.
“Incurable Megalomania” and “Fantasies of Expansion”: The German Army Reimagines Empire in Occupied Poland, 1915–1918
Authors: Kettler Mark T.
Published: December 2021

Plans for a Polish “border strip” are frequently cited to argue that the German army entered the First World War committed to pacifying conquered space through Germanization. This article contends that, in 1914, the German officer corps did not understand national homogeneity as essential for imperial security. Many influential officers insisted that Polish identity was compatible with German imperial loyalty. They supported a multinational imperial model, proposing to trade Poland its cultural and political autonomy for the acceptance of German suzerainty in foreign policy and military command. The army's preference for Germanizing space developed during the occupation of Russian Poland, as officers learned to conflate diversity with imperial fragility. Only a series of political crises after 1916 shifted military opinion against multinational imperialism. Increasingly convinced that Poland would betray the German Empire, some officers abandoned multinationalism. Others revised their plans to contain Poland and fortify Germany by annexing and Germanizing Polish space.
Central European History in the Age of COVID-19
Authors: Goeschel Christian , Reill Dominique , Riall Lucy
Published: December 2021

As COVID-19 began to spread across the globe in early 2020, few could have envisaged that it would so profoundly affect our personal and professional lives. In-class teaching soon had to be either replaced with online teaching or could only be carried out with great risk to staff and students. Working from home and a constant stream of video conferences became the norm instead of informal chats on departmental corridors. As if all of this were not bad enough, positions for junior academics, already scarce in the wake of the general financial crisis and the rise of the neoliberal university, were cut. Travel funding was slashed by many universities, and most countries closed their borders. Libraries were closed or could only be accessed with considerable difficulty. Archives were shut or, if they reopened, operated long waiting lists. In situ research, essential for historians of central Europe, became difficult, if not impossible.
Gut microbiomes from Gambian infants reveal the development of a non-industrialized Prevotella-based trophic network
Authors: de Goffau Marcus C. , Jallow Amadou T. , Sanyang Chilel , Prentice Andrew M. , Meagher Niamh , Price David J. , Revill Peter A. , Parkhill Julian , Pereira Dora I. A. , Wagner Josef
Published: December 2021

Distinct bacterial trophic networks exist in the gut microbiota of individuals in industrialized and non-industrialized countries. In particular, non-industrialized gut microbiomes tend to be enriched withPrevotellaspecies. To study the development of thesePrevotella-rich compositions, we investigated the gut microbiota of children aged between 7 and 37 months living in rural Gambia (616 children, 1,389 stool samples, stratified by 3-month age groups). These infants, who typically eat a high-fibre, low-protein diet, were part of a double-blind, randomized iron intervention trial (NCT02941081) and here we report the secondary outcome. We found that child age was the largest discriminating factor between samples and that anthropometric indices (collection time points, season, geographic collection site, and iron supplementation) did not significantly influence the gut microbiome.Prevotella copri,Faecalibacterium prausnitziiandPrevotella stercoreawere, on average, the most abundant species in these 1,389 samples (35%, 11% and 7%, respectively). Distinct bacterial trophic network clusters were identified, centred around eitherP.stercoreaorF.prausnitziiand were found to develop steadily with age, whereasP.copri, independently of other species, rapidly became dominant after weaning. This dataset, set within a critical gut microbial developmental time frame, provides insights into the development ofPrevotella-rich gut microbiomes, which are typically understudied and are underrepresented in western populations.
Biased TCR gene usage in citrullinated Tenascin C specific T-cells in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Sharma Ravi K. , Boddul Sanjay V. , Yoosuf Niyaz , Turcinov Sara , Dubnovitsky Anatoly , Kozhukh Genadiy , Wermeling Fredrik , Kwok William W. , Klareskog Lars , Malmström Vivianne
Published: December 2021

We aimed to search for common features in the autoreactive T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), focusing on the newly identified candidate antigen citrullinated Tenascin C (cit-TNC). Mononuclear cells from peripheral blood or synovial fluid of eight RA-patients positive for the RA-associated HLA-DRB1*04:01 allele were in-vitro cultured with recently identified citrullinated peptides from Tenascin C. Antigen-specific T cells were isolated using peptide-HLA tetramer staining and subsequently single-cell sequenced for paired alpha/beta TCR analyses by bioinformatic tools. TCRs were re-expressed for further studies of antigen-specificity and T cell responses. Autoreactive T cell lines could be grown out from both peripheral blood and synovial fluid. We demonstrate the feasibility of retrieving true autoreactive TCR sequences by validating antigen-specificity in T cell lines with re-expressed TCRs. One of the Tenascin C peptides, cit-TNC22, gave the most robust T cell responses including biased TCR gene usage patterns. The shared TCR-beta chain signature among the cit-TNC22-specific TCRs was evident in blood and synovial fluid of different patients. The identification of common elements in the autoreactive TCR repertoire gives promise to the possibility of both immune monitoring of the autoimmune components in RA and of future antigen- or TCR-targeted specific intervention in subsets of patients.
Improving particle collection efficiency of sampling wipes used for trace chemical detection
Authors: Gillen Greg , Lawrence Jeffrey , Sisco Edward , Staymates Matthew E. , Verkouteren Jennifer , Robinson Elizabeth L. , Bulk Alexander
Published: December 2021

Simple modification of sampling wipes improves the collection efficiency of explosive particles for trace chemical detection.
Selective crystallization of dysprosium complex from neodymium/dysprosium mixture enabled by cooperation of coordination and crystallization
Authors: Masuya-Suzuki Atsuko , Hosobori Koji , Sawamura Ryota , Abe Yumika , Karashimada Ryunosuke , Iki Nobuhiko
Published: December 2021

Cooperation between the coordination and crystallization processes enables a one-step selective crystallization of a Dy3+ complex from a Nd3+/Dy3+ mixture.
Short-term supplementation of EPA-enriched ethanolamine plasmalogen increases the level of DHA in the brain and liver of n-3 PUFA deficient mice in early life after weaning
Authors: Fu Shuai-Shuai , Wen Min- , Zhao Ying-Cai , Shi Hao-Hao , Wang Yu-Ming , Xue Chang-Hu , Wei Zi-Hao , Zhang Tian-Tian
Published: December 2021

Short-term supplementation of EPA in the ethanolamine plasmalogen (pPE) form was superior to the PC form for the contribution of DHA content in PC molecular species in liver and brain of n-3 PUFA deficient mice in early life after weaning.
Shine-through luminescent wood membranes
Authors: Ritter Maximilian , Burgert Ingo , Panzarasa Guido
Published: December 2021

Thanks to its optical anisotropy and mechanical properties, luminescent wood is a promising material for indoor lighting applications.
Emissive organogel mediated construction of a flexible covalent organic polymer for the separation of aniline for water purification
Authors: Maiti Sayan , Ghosh Tapas , Samal Arati , Das Apurba K.
Published: December 2021

A flexible covalent organic polymer (COP) synthesized via dynamic covalent gel (DCG) formation within 7 min under ambient conditions has been used for the separation of aniline for water purification.
An esterase-activatable prodrug formulated liposome strategy: potentiating the anticancer therapeutic efficacy and drug safety
Authors: Shi Linlin , Wu Xinkai , Li Tongyu , Wu Yuan , Song Liwei , Zhang Wei , Yin Luxi , Wu Yuhui , Han Weidong , Yang Yunhai
Published: December 2021

SN38 prodrug-based liposomal nanoassemblies achieved a markedly improved therapeutic efficacy and safety profile. The rational engineering of therapeutic nanomedicine is a promising approach for effective and safe drug delivery.
Minute torsional reorganization elicited a large visible-range fluorescence gain in terphenyl-derived crystals
Authors: Ghosh Tapan , Mondal Madalasa , Vijayaraghavan Ratheesh K.
Published: December 2021

A minuscule structural change of CF3TP in solid-state impacts the solid-state fluorescence behaviour heavily. A detailed experimental proof for the geometric reorganization upon temperature change or mechanical grinding is described in the manuscript.
A room-temperature self-healing elastomer with ultra-high strength and toughness fabricated via optimized hierarchical hydrogen-bonding interactions
Authors: Xia LiangLiang , Tu HongJun , Zeng Wen , Yang XiaoLing , Zhou Ming , Li Linkai , Guo Xiao
Published: December 2021

A room-temperature self-healing polyurethane elastomer synthesised via optimized hierarchical H-bonding interactions ultimately exhibited a synchronous self-healing efficiency of more than 83% with tensile strength, elongation, and toughness.
Pyridine-grafted nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes achieving efficient electroreduction of CO2to CO within a wide electrochemical window
Authors: Zhang Yuning , Jiang Hao , Niu Dongfang , Manke Ingo , Yang Chao , Zhu Minghui , Zhang Xinsheng , Chen Renjie
Published: December 2021

Grafted axial pyridine molecules can promote CO2ER and suppress the occurrence of competitive HER. Prepared composite metal-free catalyst exhibits excellent CO selectivity and considerable current density within a wide potential window.
Zwitterionic peptide-functionalized highly dispersed carbon nanotubes for efficient wastewater treatment
Authors: Huang Jie , Sui Xiaojie , Qi Haishan , Lan Xiang , Liu Simin , Zhang Lei
Published: December 2021

A novel modification strategy for enhancing the dispersity of MWCNTs was developed using a chimeric protein MPKE, which consisted of a zwitterionic peptide unit and a mussel adhesive protein unit. The MPKE-MWCNTs couldin situload AgNPs for 4-NP reduction.
X-ray spectral-timing variability of 1A 0535+262 during the 2020 giant outburst
Authors: Reig P. , Ma R. C. , Tao L. , Zhang S. , Zhang S. N. , Doroshenko V.
Published: December 2021

Context.The Be/X-ray binary 1A 0535+262 underwent a giant X-ray outburst in November 2020, peaking at ∼1 × 1038erg s−1(1–100 keV, 1.8 kpc), the brightest outburst recorded for this source so far. The source was monitored over two orders of magnitude in luminosity with Insight-HXMT, which allowed us to probe the X-ray variability in an unprecedented range of accretion rates.

Aims.Our goal is to search for patterns of correlated spectral and timing behavior that can be used to characterize the accretion states in hard X-ray transient pulsars.

Methods.We have studied the evolution of the spectral continuum emission using hardness-intensity diagrams and the aperiodic variability of the source by analyzing power density spectra. We have used phenomenological models to fit the various broadband noise components.

Results.The hardness-intensity diagram displays three distinct branches that can be identified with different accretion regimes. The characteristic frequency of the noise components correlates with the luminosity. Our observations cover the highest end of this correlation, at luminosities not previously sampled. We have found evidence for a flattening of the correlation at those high luminosities, which might indicate that the accretion disk reached the closest distance from the neutron star surface during the peak of the outburst. We also find evidence for hysteresis in the spectral and timing parameters: at the same luminosity level, the spectrum is harder and the characteristic noise frequency larger during the rise than during the decay of the outburst.

Conclusions.As in black-hole binaries and low-mass X-ray binaries, the hardness-intensity diagram represents a useful diagnostic tool for defining the source state in an accreting pulsar. Our timing analysis confirms previous findings from spectral analyses of a hysteresis pattern of variability, where the spectral and timing parameters adopt different values at similar luminosity depending on whether the source is in the rising or decaying phase of the outburst.
Operative Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy versus Open Esophagectomy for Resectable Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Chowdappa Ramachandra , Dharanikota Anvesh , Arjunan Ravi , Althaf Syed , Premalata Chennagiri S. , Ranganath Namrata
Published: December 2021

Background There is a recent rise in the incidence of esophageal carcinoma in India. Surgical resection with or without neoadjuvant chemoradiation is the current treatment modality of choice. Postoperative complications, especially pulmonary complications, affect many patients who undergo open esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) could reduce the pulmonary complications and reduce the postoperative stay.

Methodology We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of 114 patients with esophageal cancer in the department of surgical oncology at a tertiary cancer center in South India between January 2019 and March 2020. We included patients with resectable cancer of middle or lower third of the esophagus, and gastroesophageal junction tumors (Siewert I). MIE was performed in 27 patients and 78 patients underwent open esophagectomy (OE). The primary outcome measured was postoperative complications of Clavien–Dindo grade II or higher within 30 days. Other outcomes measured include overall mortality within 30 days, intraoperative complications, operative duration and the length of hospital stay.

Results A postoperative complication rate of 18.5% was noted in the MIE group, compared with 41% in the OE group (p = 0.034). Pulmonary complications were noted in 7.4% in the MIE group compared to 25.6% in the OE group (p = 0.044). Postoperative mortality rates, intraoperative complications, and other nonpulmonary postoperative complications were almost similar with MIE as with open esophagectomy. Although the median operative time was more in the MIE group (260 minutes vs. 180 minutes; p < 0.0001), the median length of hospital stay was shorter in patients undergoing MIE (9 days vs. 12 days; p = 0.0001).

Conclusions We found that MIE resulted in lower incidence of postoperative complications, especially pulmonary complications. Although, MIE was associated with prolonged operative duration, it resulted in shorter hospital stay.
Why and How Stories Matter in Treating Children with T1DM—Best Practice from CDiC
Authors: Kalra Sanjay , Shukla Rishi , Chugh Shuchy , Dinakaran P.
Published: December 2021

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a lifelong disorder that mostly happens any time during childhood. It needs constant care and attention. Self-management becomes very essential as there are multiple factors that influence management of blood glucose levels and good outcomes. Diabetes education1 is essential for this and it involves the process of providing the person with the knowledge and skills needed to perform diabetes self-care, manage crises, and to make lifestyle changes to successfully manage their life. It begins with teaching of survival skills and continues with higher learning to fit diabetes into lives of people with diabetes rather than changing the lives to manage diabetes. Although parents are responsible for this initially, children must be part of this learning and journey as they are the one who must deal with diabetes in their life.

Although knowledge transfer from scientific (truth and fact based) and narrative story (experience and meaning based) is fundamentally different but narrative or stories are better absorbed and retained. Storytelling and experience sharing are rapidly developing fields in medical education, but its potential has yet to be realized in medical education. The Changing Diabetes in Children program focused at reaching out to the economically underprivileged children with T1DM has implemented the use of stories to help the T1DM child learn to take insulin injections and understand the basic do’s and don’t’s for proper diabetes management and motivate them to become self-reliant and independent adults in long run.
Trend of Head and Neck Cancers in a National Tertiary Cancer Hospital of Nepal from 2012 to 2017
Authors: Shrestha Gambhir , Siwakoti Bhola , Mulmi Rashmi , Gautam Dejkumar
Published: December 2021

Introduction Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are increasing in Nepal and have become a major public health issue. This study aims to describe the trend of HNCs in a national tertiary cancer hospital in Nepal.

Methods This was a cross-sectional study with secondary data analysis conducted at B.P Koirala Memorial Hospital, Chitwan, Nepal. The data were obtained from the medical record section and included all new HNC cases registered from 2012 to 2017. Analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17. Subgroup analysis was done according to age, gender, site, and year.

Results A total of 4,582 new HNCs were registered, of which 3,097 (67.6%) were males and 1,482 (32.4%) were females. Lip and oral cavity cancers (46.5%) were the most common HNCs followed by tonsil and pharynx (18.0%) and larynx (15.8%). The trend of HNCs shows a steady rise in incidence with difference according to the sites. HNCs were more common among males than females except for thyroid cancer. The most common age group was 60 to 74 years.

Conclusions The trend of HNCs is increasing in Nepal especially oral cancers. Awareness of risk factors, effective screening programs, and comprehensive treatment should be focused to decrease the burden of HNCs.