bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Platform Stress in Hospitality – Focusing on the Technology dimension
Authors: Park Jae Eun , Chung Namho , Koo Chulmo
Published: January 2022

For the emergence of platform business, it is important to manage the stress that hosts receive from the business. Considering the characteristics of the platform business, stressors arise from social and technology dimension. In the global platform business (e.g., Airbnb), social dimension stressors mostly arise from the relationships among stakeholders, and technology dimension stressors arise from the system they utilize. This research aims to define this combination of social and technology stress as “Platform Stress.” Especially focusing on the technology dimension, this research empirically verified the relations of techno-stressors, burnout, and switching intention. Further, mediating effects of burnout in between the relationships demonstrates the importance of investigating the hosts’ stress. Exploring the platform stress from the technology-usage perspective, this research provides theoretical and managerial implications.
Data-Supported CRM as a Lever for DMO Success: A Social Exchange Relationship Approach
Authors: Bosio Birgit , Scheiber Melanie
Published: January 2022

Customer relationship management (CRM) is proving to be one of the most promising business strategies. However, in the field of destination marketing literature, a problem exists as to how data-supported CRM can be established. While customer data management has already been well exploited in other industries, DMOs lack customer proximity and data sovereignty. The aim of this paper is to fill this research gap and show how a data-based CRM can be deployed by DMOs based on the principles of social exchange theory. In 13 expert interviews, these aspects were examined from the DMO’s point of view. The results show that the exchange relationship must be established taking into account the DMO’s extraordinary conditions and critical success factors. In order to stimulate guests’ desire for dialogue or the willingness to disclose personal data, DMOs should offer high-quality customer benefits. A combination of hedonic and utilitarian benefits are found to be the most effective stimuli. In return, only the most necessary customer information should be requested and subsequently built passively. Only if the cost and benefit ratio of the exchange relationship is positive for both parties, a database for the CRM can be built in order to foster long-lasting relationships with potential and returning guests.
eLearning for Tourism During COVID-19 - Learning from Students’ Perspectives. A Pilot Study
Authors: Hasenzahl Lea , Ghezili Soha , Cantoni Lorenzo
Published: January 2022

This paper shows a first analysis of the experiences and challenges of studying tourism during the times of the COVID-19 pandemic. 14 tourism students from two higher education institutions in Europe participated in three focus group discussions. One generation of these students started their education in presence and had to shift online with the start of the pandemic, while the other generation started their education knowing that lessons would be mainly online. Authors used qualitative content analysis to analyze the participants’ statements. As a result of the analysis, several themes emerged, and students contextualized eLearning as an education method for a future without COVID-19.
An Empirical Study on the Impact of Prior Information Provision Methods on Participants’ Perceptions in Tasting Marketing
Authors: Masuda Hisashi , Matsumura Kengo
Published: January 2022

Tasting events are a typical example of a tourism experience that utilizes alcohol. However, it has not been sufficiently demonstrated how the prior information given to customers at tasting events affects their perception of the tasting and its marketing effects. In this study, we conducted a tasting experiment of a new Japanese sake product in California, the USA to clarify how information given to participants in advance can affect their perception of the tasting, satisfaction, and word-of-mouth intention related to the new sake product, and compared the effects of the following types of prior information: 1) no information, 2) written information, 3) video explained by a man, and 4) video explained by a woman. The results show that presenting information makes a difference in its impact as opposed to providing no information. When prior information was presented in written form, various perspectives significantly influenced the satisfaction and recommended intention more than in the cases of video. On the other hand, in the cases of video, the number of significant paths was reduced, but the influence on word-of-mouth intention was greater than in the case of written information. This study contributes to the development of a theory and empirical evidence that takes into account prior information in tasting marketing in tourism.
Escaping Loneliness Through Tourist-Chatbot Interactions
Authors: Wang Peng , Shao Jun
Published: January 2022

Social robots such as chatbots are regarded as a practical approach to alleviate loneliness. Few studies in the tourism field have focused on loneliness and its impact on the acceptance of chatbots used by the tourism industry. This paper explores the factors influencing tourists’ willingness to use chatbots from the perspective of loneliness by combining theories related to anthropomorphism and the uncanny valley effect. This paper adopts a qualitative research method by taking a semi-structured interview with 15 tourists who have used travel chatbots before. The results show that in addition to perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, there are three factors (tourist loneliness, perceived anthropomorphism, and user anxiety) that directly influence tourists’ acceptance of travel chatbots. Moreover, tourist loneliness positively influences user anxiety through perceived anthropomorphism. User anxiety has a negative effect on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. This research then proposed an extended TAM model from the perspective of tourist loneliness. This paper enriches the research on loneliness as well as chatbots in the tourism field. The results provide suggestions for the practical application of travel chatbots.
Monitoring Human-Wildlife Interactions in National Parks with Crowdsourced Data and Deep Learning
Authors: Pan Bing , Savanapelli Virinchi , Shukla Abhishek , Yin Junjun
Published: January 2022

This short paper summarizes the first research stage for applying deep learning techniques to capture human-wildlife interactions in national parks from crowd-sourced data. The results from objection detection, image captioning, and distance calculation are reported. We were able to categorize animal types, summarize visitor behaviors in the pictures, and calculate distances between visitors and animals with different levels of accuracy. Future development will focus on getting more training data and field experiments to collect ground truth on animal types and distances to animals. More in-depth manual coding is needed to categorize visitor behavior into acceptable and unacceptable ones.
Users Versus Non-users: The Impact of Experience on Hotel Guests’ Attitudes Towards Service Robots in Hotels
Authors: Brylska Patrycja , Cobanoglu Cihan , Dogan Seden
Published: January 2022

The use of robotics and artificial intelligence have created a shift in the ways the service-based hospitality and tourism industry can fulfill the needs and wants of consumers that were earlier fulfilled only by humans. Robots have added the automation and self-service experience that play a vital role in the improvements of efficiency, speed, and the overall experience for the guests using technology. While there are many benefits of using robots in the industry, there are also risks associated with the excessive usage of robots on guest experience. As a result of the pros and cons on the topic, it is very important to gather data and analyze the results to further investigate and understand what the outcomes will be for the industry, its employees, and its customers. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of the use of robots in the hotels as perceived by hotel guests who used a service robot and who did not. A self-administered survey was developed, and 939 usable responses were collected from hotel guests. Factor analysis showed that five factors emerged in the study: Advantages, Attitudes, Disadvantages, Pandemic Related, and Fear. Guests recognize the opportunities that service robots are bringing to their experience while voicing their concerns and fears about the use of them. Findings also showed that there are significant differences between users and non-users.
Shift of radiotherapy use during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic? An analysis of German inpatient data
Authors: Medenwald Daniel , Brunner Thomas , Christiansen Hans , Kisser Ulrich , Mansoorian Sina , Vordermark Dirk , Prokosch Hans-Ulrich , Seuchter Susanne A. , Kapsner Lorenz A. ,   our MII research group, Balig Julien , Bienzeisler Jonas , Buergy Daniel , Fischer Patrick , Fortmann Jonas , Fuchs Timo , Ganslandt Thomas , Gietzelt Matthias , Haverkamp Christian , Marquardt Kurt , Kadioglu Dennis , Lutz Irina , Mayer Gerhard , Michel-Backofen Achim , Renz Harald , Seidemann Christian , Stenzhorn Holger , Stolnicu Ana , Storf Holger , Kamdje Wabo Gaetan , Zohner Jochen
Published: January 2022

Objective

To assess the change in inpatient radiotherapy related to COVID-19 lockdown measures during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020.

Methods

We included cases hospitalized between January 1 and August 31, 2018–2020, with a primary ICD-10 diagnosis of C00–C13, C32 (head and neck cancer, HNC) and C53 (cervical cancer, CC). Data collection was conducted within the Medical Informatics Initiative. Outcomes were fractions and admissions. Controlling for decreasing hospital admissions during holidays, calendar weeks of 2018/2019 were aligned to Easter 2020. A lockdown period (LP; 16/03/2020–02/08/2020) and a return-to-normal period (RNP; 04/05/2020–02/08/2020) were defined. The study sample comprised a control (admission 2018/19) and study cohort (admission 2020). We computed weekly incidence and IR ratios from generalized linear mixed models.

Results

We included 9365 (CC: 2040, HNC: 7325) inpatient hospital admissions from 14 German university hospitals. For CC, fractions decreased by 19.97% in 2020 compared to 2018/19 in the LP. In the RNP the reduction was 28.57% (p < 0.001 for both periods). LP fractions for HNC increased by 10.38% (RNP: 9.27%; p < 0.001 for both periods). Admissions for CC decreased in both periods (LP: 10.2%, RNP: 22.14%), whereas for HNC, admissions increased (LP: 2.25%, RNP: 1.96%) in 2020. Within LP, for CC, radiotherapy admissions without brachytherapy were reduced by 23.92%, whereas surgery-related admissions increased by 20.48%. For HNC, admissions with radiotherapy increased by 13.84%, while surgery-related admissions decreased by 11.28% in the same period.

Conclusion

Related to the COVID-19 lockdown in an inpatient setting, radiotherapy for HNC treatment became a more frequently applied modality, while admissions of CC cases decreased.
Artificial neural network tools for predicting the functional response of ultrafast laser textured/structured surfaces
Authors: Baronti Luca , Michalek Aleksandra , Castellani Marco , Penchev Pavel , See Tian Long , Dimov Stefan
Published: January 2022

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are well-established knowledge acquisition systems with proven capacity for learning and generalisation. Therefore, ANNs are widely applied to solve engineering problems and are often used in laser-based manufacturing applications. There are different pattern recognition and control problems where ANNs can be effectively applied, and one of them is laser structuring/texturing for surface functionalisation, e.g. in generating Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS). They are a particular type of sub-micron structures that are very sensitive to changes in laser processing conditions due to processing disturbances like varying Focal Offset Distance (FOD) and/or Beam Incident Angle (BIA) during the laser processing of 3D surfaces. As a result, the functional response of LIPSS-treated surfaces might be affected, too, and typically needs to be analysed with time-consuming experimental tests. Also, there is a lack of sufficient process monitoring and quality control tools available for LIPSS-treated surfaces that could identify processing patterns and interdependences. These tools are needed to determine whether the LIPSS generation process is in control and consequently whether the surface’s functional performance is still retained. In this research, an ANN-based approach is proposed for predicting the functional response of ultrafast laser structured/textured surfaces. It was demonstrated that the processing disturbances affecting the LIPSS treatments can be classified, and then, the surface response, namely wettability, of processed surfaces can be predicted with a very high accuracy using the developed ANN tools for pre- and post-processing of LIPSS topography data, i.e. their areal surface roughness parameters. A Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) was applied as a pre-processing tool to significantly reduce the number of required experimental data. The number of areal surface roughness parameters needed to fully characterise the functional response of a surface was minimised using a combination of feature selection methods. Based on statistical analysis and evolutionary optimisation, these methods narrowed down the initial set of 21 elements to a group of 10 and 6 elements, according to redundancy and relevance criteria, respectively. The validation of ANN tools, using the salient surface parameters, yielded accuracy close to 85% when applied for identification of processing disturbances, while the wettability was predicted within an r.m.s. error of 11 degrees, equivalent to the static water contact angle (CA) measurement uncertainty.
Mucosal Congestion on the First Day Following Endoscopy Predicts Anastomotic Stricture After Esophagectomy
Authors: Ito Sono , Fujiwara Naoto , Kume Yuichiro , Tsukamoto Fumio , Saito Katsumasa , Hoshino Akihiro , Kawada Kenro , Okada Takuya , Okuno Keisuke , Sato Yuya , Matsuyama Takatoshi , Tokunaga Masanori , Kinugasa Yusuke
Published: January 2022

Background

Anastomotic stricture is a relatively common postoperative complication after esophagectomy. Previous studies have indicated that impaired perioperative blood perfusion at the anastomosis is associated with the occurrence of stricture. Therefore, we analyzed the association between endoscopically assessed blood perfusion during the early postoperative period and anastomotic stricture.

Methods

This retrospective study evaluated patients who underwent esophagectomy at Tokyo Medical and Dental University between 2010 and 2015. The patients had undergone nasal endoscopy on the 1st and 8th postoperative days. The findings were used to evaluate blood perfusion at the anastomosis and gastric tube, which was classified based on mucosal color as ischemia (white) or congestion (blue or black). Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for anastomotic stricture.

Results

The study included 197 patients and anastomotic stricture was observed in 60 patients (30.4%). The multivariable analysis revealed that postoperative gastric tube congestion was a risk factor for stricture (odds ratio [OR]: 6.440, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.660–15.600; p < 0.001). Lower risks of anastomotic stricture were associated with pathological stage III–IV disease (OR: 0.325, 95% CI: 0.161–0.656; p = 0.002).

Conclusion

This study revealed that endoscopically detected congestion at the anastomosis on the first postoperative day was a risk factor for anastomotic stricture.
Ambulante Gesundheitsversorgung von Patienten mit Anorexia nervosa und Bulimia nervosa in Sachsen
Authors: Murr Julia , Neumann Anne
Published: January 2022

Hintergrund

Anorexia nervosa (AN) und Bulimia nervosa (BN) sind schwere Erkrankungen, die vorwiegend junge Frauen betreffen und häufig mit gravierenden psychischen, somatischen und sozialen Folgen einhergehen. Behandlungsstandard beider Erkrankungen ist eine Richtlinienpsychotherapie.

Ziel der Arbeit

Zielsetzung dieser Studie ist es, die Behandlungsprävalenzen und Versorgungssituation von Patienten mit AN oder BN in Sachsen abzubilden sowie aufzuzeigen, welche Fachrichtungen die Erstdiagnose dieser Krankheiten stellen, und welche Faktoren die Vermittlung in eine psychotherapeutische Behandlung beeinflussen.

Material und Methoden

Basierend auf Routinedaten der gesetzlichen Krankenkasse AOK PLUS wurde unter allen Versicherten in Sachsen die Prävalenz von ambulant behandelten Patienten mit AN und BN im Zeitraum von 2009 bis 2014 ermittelt sowie nach Alter, Geschlecht und Wohnort des Patienten untersucht. Weiterhin wurden die Fachärzte, die die Diagnosen erstmalig kodierten, sowie die Inanspruchnahme einer ambulanten Psychotherapie nach ambulanter Erstdiagnose betrachtet.

Ergebnisse und Diskussion

Die Behandlungsprävalenzen der AN und BN zeigen für Patientinnen von 2009 bis 2014 einen signifikanten Anstieg, während die deutlich niedrigeren Behandlungsprävalenzen für Patienten stabil blieben. In den Großstädten waren die Behandlungsprävalenzen für beide Diagnosen signifikant höher als in den übrigen Regionen. Fast die Hälfte der Essstörungen wurde von Fachärzten für Allgemeinmedizin diagnostiziert, weitere 20–25 % von Fachärzten für psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie. Lediglich 25 % der AN-Patienten und 33 % der BN-Patienten nahmen im ersten Jahr nach der Diagnosestellung eine Richtlinienpsychotherapie wahr.
Synergism between feremycorrhizal symbiosis and free-living diazotrophs leads to improved growth and nutrition of wheat under nitrogen deficiency conditions
Authors: Kariman Khalil , Moreira-Grez Benjamin , Scanlan Craig , Rahimlou Saleh , Boitt Gustavo , Rengel Zed
Published: January 2022

A controlled-environment study was conducted to explore possible synergistic interactions between the feremycorrhizal (FM) fungusAustroboletus occidentalisand soil free-living N2-fixing bacteria (diazotrophs). Wheat (Triticum aestivum) plants were grown under N deficiency conditions in a field soil without adding microbial inoculum (control: only containing soil indigenous microbes), or inoculated with a consortium containing four free-living diazotroph isolates (diazotrophs treatment),A. occidentalisinoculum (FM treatment), or both diazotrophs andA. occidentalisinoculums (dual treatment). After 7 weeks of growth, significantly greater shoot biomass was observed in plants inoculated with diazotrophs (by 25%),A. occidentalis(by 101%), and combined inoculums (by 106%), compared to the non-inoculated control treatment. All inoculated plants also had higher shoot nutrient contents (including N, P, K, Mg, Zn, Cu, and Mn) than the control treatment. Compared to the control and diazotrophs treatments, significantly greater shoot N content was observed in the FM treatment (i.e., synergism between the FM fungus and soil indigenous diazotrophs). Dually inoculated plants had the highest content of nutrients in shoots (e.g., N, P, K, S, Mg, Zn, Cu, and Mn) and soil total N (13–24% higher than the other treatments), i.e., synergism between the FM fungus and added diazotrophs. Root colonization by soil indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi declined in all inoculated plants compared to control. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons revealed that the FM fungus modified the soil microbiome. Our in vitro study indicated thatA. occidentaliscould not grow on substrates containing lignocellulosic materials or sucrose, but grew on media supplemented with hexoses such as glucose and fructose, indicating that the FM fungus has limited saprotrophic capacity similar to ectomycorrhizal fungi. The results revealed synergistic interactions betweenA. occidentalisand soil free-living diazotrophs, indicating a potential to boost microbial N2fixation for non-legume crops.
A Survey of Statistical Relationships between Tropical Cyclone Genesis and Convectively Coupled Equatorial Rossby Waves
Authors: Wang Shuguang , Fang Juan , Tang Xiaodong , Tan Zhe-Min
Published: January 2022

Convectively coupled equatorial Rossby waves (ERW) modulate tropical cyclone activities over tropical oceans. This study presents a survey of the statistical relationship between intraseasonal ERWs and tropical cyclone genesis (TCG) over major global TC basins using four-decade-long outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and TC best-track datasets. Intraseasonal ERWs are identified from the OLR anomalies using an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis method without imposing equatorial symmetry. We find that westward-propagating ERWs are most significant in four tropical ocean basins over the summer hemisphere and that ERWs exhibit similar northeast-southwest (southeast-northwest) tilted phase lines in the northern (southern) hemisphere, with an appreciable poleward advance of wave energy in most TC basins. The EOF-based ERW indices quantitatively show that ERWs significantly modulate TC genesis. The convectively active (suppressed) phases of ERWs coincide with increased (reduced) TCG occurrences. The TCG modulation by ERWs achieves the maximum where the ERWs propagate through the climatological TCG hotspots. As a result, the total number of TCG occurrences in the TC basins varies significantly according to the ERW phase. The ERW-TCG relationship is significant over the northwestern Pacific Ocean, northeastern Pacific Ocean, and the northern Indian Ocean during the northern summer seasons. In the southern summer season, the ERW-TCG relationship is significant over the southern Indian Ocean, Indonesian-Australia basin, and the southwestern Pacific Ocean. However, ERW activities are weak in the main TC development region of the Atlantic Ocean; and the impact on Atlantic TCG appears to be insignificant.
Quality of work community and workers’ intention to retire
Authors: Neupane Subas , Kyrönlahti Saila , Kosonen Hanna , Prakash K. C. , Siukola Anna , Lumme-Sandt Kirsi , Nikander Pirjo , Nygård Clas-Håkan
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To study the workers’ perception of the quality of work community and its association with intention to retire early, separately among women and men working in Finnish postal service.

Methods

A questionnaire survey was sent to all Finnish postal services employees aged ≥ 50 years in 2016 and 44% (n = 2096) replied to the survey (mean age 56.3, 40% women). Employee’s intention to retire before statutory retirement was measured on a scale of 1–5 and dichotomized. The quality of work community was defined by four composite variables: equality at work, flexibility at work, supportive work environment and health or other reason and trichotomized by their tercile values. Odds ratio (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of quality of work community with intention to retire were calculated separately for men and women using log binomial regression models adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

About one-third of respondents intended to retire early with no significant gender difference in retirement intention. Low equality at work (women OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.60–4.81; men 2.84, 1.80–4.48) and low flexibility at work (women 3.30, 1.94–5.60; men 2.91, 1.88–4.50) was associated with higher likelihood of intention to retire. Among women intention to retire was found less likely due to low supportive work environment (0.52, 0.31–0.89) and among men due to intermediate health or other reason (0.65, 043–0.98).

Conclusion

The results highlight the importance of the quality of work community as well as the promotion of work-related health in order to encourage employees to remain at workforce for longer.
Comparative anatomy of the rostrosoma of Solifugae, Pseudoscorpiones and Acari
Authors: Starck J. Matthias , Belojević Jelena , Brozio Jason , Mehnert Lisa
Published: January 2022

We compare the microscopic anatomy of the mouthparts of representative species of Solifugae, Pseudoscorpiones and Parasitiformes (Acari). Specifically, we focus on the epistome, the labrum, the lateral lips (= endites of the pedipalpal coxae) and the musculature of the pharyngeal suction pump. We provide evidence that the labrum is reduced in Solifugae, but present and functional in Pseudoscorpiones and Acari. The epistome constitutes the entire dorsal face of the rostrosoma in Solifugae, but is internalized into the prosoma in Pseudoscorpiones. In Acari, the epistome shows an ancestral morphology, probably close to the ground pattern of chelicerates. The lateral lips of Solifugae contribute to the ventral face of the rostrosoma and the two lips of the mouth opening. In Solifugae, the ventral rostrosoma also includes a sclerite that might derive from a tritosternum. In Pseudoscorpiones, the lateral lips remain independent of the rostrosoma, they interlock ventral to the rostrosoma forming a perioral space. Here, the rostrosoma has an unpaired ventral lip of unresolved morphological origin, which is, however, clearly distinct from the lateral lips of Solifugae. The pharyngeal suction pump differs in all three clades in attachment, number of muscles and origin of muscles. We interpret the data as evidence for independent, parallel evolution of elements of the ground pattern of the (eu)chelicerate mouth parts. Based on the morphological elements of a common euchelicerate ground plan, the rostrosoma evolved independently in the three clades. We reject earlier hypotheses that consider the rostrosoma a character to support a phylogenetic relationship of the three clades.
Self-adhesive hydrogel meshes reduce tissue incorporation and mechanical behavior versus microgrips self-fixation: a preclinical study
Authors: Benito-Martínez Selma , Rodríguez Marta , García-Moreno Francisca , Pérez-Köhler Bárbara , Peña Estefanía , Calvo Begoña , Pascual Gemma , Bellón Juan Manuel
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Atraumatic mesh fixation for abdominal hernia repair has been developed to avoid the disadvantages of classical fixation with sutures, which is considered a cause of chronic pain and discomfort. This study was designed to analyze, in the short and medium term, the biological and mechanical behavior of two self-fixing meshes compared to that of a polypropylene (PP) mesh fixed with a cyanoacrylate (CA) tissue adhesive.

Methods

Partial abdominal wall defects (6 × 4 cm) were created in New Zealand rabbits (n = 36) and repaired using a self-adhesive hydrogel mesh (Adhesix™), a self-gripping mesh (ProGrip™) or a PP mesh fixed with CA (Surgipro™ CA). After 14 and 90 days, the host tissue incorporation, macrophage response and biomechanical strength were examined.

Results

At 14 and 90 days, the ProGrip and Surgipro CA meshes showed good host tissue incorporation; however, the Adhesix implants presented poor integration, seroma formation and a higher degree of shrinkage. The Adhesix hydrogel was completely reabsorbed at 14 days, whereas ProGrip microhooks were observed at all study times. The macrophage response was higher in the ProGrip and Surgipro CA groups at 14 and 90 days, respectively, and decreased over time. At 90 days, the ProGrip implants showed the highest tensile strength values and the Adhesix implants showed the highest failure stretch.

Conclusion

Meshes with mechanical microgrip self-fixation (ProGrip) show better biological and mechanical behavior than those with adhesive hydrogel (Adhesix) in a preclinical model of abdominal hernia repair in rabbits.
Crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and immune cells in peritoneal metastasis: inhibition in the migration of M2 macrophages and mast cells by Tranilast
Authors: Nakamura Yusuke , Kinoshita Jun , Yamaguchi Takahisa , Aoki Tatsuya , Saito Hiroto , Hamabe-Horiike Toshihide , Harada Shinichi , Nomura Sachiyo , Inaki Noriyuki , Fushida Sachio
Published: January 2022

Background

The role of tumor–stroma interactions in tumor immune microenvironment (TME) is attracting attention. We have previously reported that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) contribute to the progression of peritoneal metastasis (PM) in gastric cancer (GC), and M2 macrophages and mast cells also contribute to TME of PM. To elucidate the role of CAFs in TME, we established an immunocompetent mouse PM model with fibrosis, which reflects clinical features of TME. However, the involvement of CAFs in the immunosuppressive microenvironment remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of Tranilast at modifying this immune tolerance by suppressing CAFs.

Methods

The interaction between mouse myofibroblast cell line LmcMF and mouse GC cell line YTN16 on M2 macrophage migration was investigated, and the inhibitory effect of Tranilast was examined in vitro. Using C57BL/6J mouse PM model established using YTN16 with co-inoculation of LmcMF, TME of resected PM treated with or without Tranilast was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

Results

The addition of YTN16 cell-conditioned medium to LmcMF cells enhanced CXCL12 expression and stimulated M2 macrophage migration, whereas Tranilast inhibited the migration ability of M2 macrophages by suppressing CXCL12 secretion from LmcMF. In PM model, Tranilast inhibited tumor growth and fibrosis, M2 macrophage, and mast cell infiltration and significantly promoted CD8 + lymphocyte infiltration into the tumor, leading to apoptosis of cancer cells by an immune response.

Conclusion

Tranilast improved the immunosuppressive microenvironment by inhibiting CAF function in a mouse PM model. Tranilast is thus a promising candidate for the treatment of PM.
Mathematical models of neuronal growth
Authors: Oliveri Hadrien , Goriely Alain
Published: January 2022

The establishment of a functioning neuronal network is a crucial step in neural development. During this process, neurons extend neurites—axons and dendrites—to meet other neurons and interconnect. Therefore, these neurites need to migrate, grow, branch and find the correct path to their target by processing sensory cues from their environment. These processes rely on many coupled biophysical effects including elasticity, viscosity, growth, active forces, chemical signaling, adhesion and cellular transport. Mathematical models offer a direct way to test hypotheses and understand the underlying mechanisms responsible for neuron development. Here, we critically review the main models of neurite growth and morphogenesis from a mathematical viewpoint. We present different models for growth, guidance and morphogenesis, with a particular emphasis on mechanics and mechanisms, and on simple mathematical models that can be partially treated analytically.
Expansion of Ash Dieback towards the scattered Fraxinus excelsior range of the Italian peninsula
Authors: Migliorini Duccio , Luchi Nicola , Nigrone Emanuele , Pecori Francesco , Pepori Alessia Lucia , Santini Alberto
Published: January 2022

Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, causal agent of Ash Dieback, has posed a threat to Fraxinus excelsior (common ash) in Europe since the 1990s. In south-western Europe, optimal climatic conditions for H. fraxineus become scattered and host density decreases, reducing disease spread rates. To date, the Ash Dieback agent has not been reported from southern and most of central Italy, where native F. excelsior is present as small fragmented populations. This study examines the expansion of Ash Dieback into central Italy, and it considers the consequences of further local spread with regards to the loss of F. excelsior genetic resource. Symptomatic F. excelsior were sampled from sixteen sites in northern and central Italy during 2020. Specimens were analyzed with a culturomics and a quantitative PCR approach. A bibliographic search of F. excelsior floristic reports was conducted for the creation of a detailed range map. The combined use of both techniques confirmed the presence of H. fraxineus in all the sites of central Italy where host plants were symptomatic. These new records represent the southern limit of the current known distribution of this pathogen in Italy, and together with Montenegro, in Europe. The characterization of the F. excelsior scattered range suggests that further spread of Ash Dieback across southern Italy is a realistic scenario. This presents a threat not just to the southern European proveniences of F. excelsior, but to the species as a whole, should Ash Dieback lead to the loss of warm climate adapted genetic material, which may become increasingly valuable under climate change.
Using Commercial Aircraft Meteorological Data to Assess the Heat Budget of the Convective Boundary Layer Over the Santiago Valley in Central Chile
Authors: Muñoz Ricardo C. , Whiteman C. David , Garreaud René D. , Rutllant José A. , Hidalgo Jacqueline
Published: January 2022

The World Meteorological Organization Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) programme refers to meteorological data gathered by commercial aircraft and made available to weather services. It has become a major source of upper-air observations whose assimilation into global models has greatly improved their performance. Near busy airports, AMDAR data generate semi-continuous vertical profiles of temperature and winds, which have been utilized to produce climatologies of atmospheric-boundary-layer (ABL) heights and general characterizations of specific cases. We analyze 2017–2019 AMDAR data for Santiago airport, located in the centre of a $$40\times 100$$

40
×
100

 km$$^2$$

2

subtropical semi-arid valley in central Chile, at the foothills of the Andes. Profiles derived from AMDAR data are characterized and validated against occasional radiosondes launched in the valley and compared with routine operational radiosondes and with reanalysis data. The cold-season climatology of AMDAR temperatures reveals a deep nocturnal inversion reaching up to 700 m above ground level (a.g.l.) and daytime warming extending up to 1000 m a.g.l. Convective-boundary-layer (CBL) heights are estimated based on AMDAR profiles and the daytime heat budget of the CBL is assessed. The CBL warming variability is well explained by the surface sensible heat flux estimated with sonic anemometer measurements at one site, provided advection of the cool coastal ABL existing to the west is included. However, the CBL warming accounts for just half of the mean daytime warming of the lower troposphere, suggesting that rather intense climatological diurnal subsidence affects the dynamics of the daytime valley ABL. Possible sources of this subsidence are discussed.
Spontaneous inversion of the submicron ceramic layer deposited on steel and the copper droplet positioned on their top (case of ceramic poorly wetted by liquid Cu)
Authors: Czagány M. , Koncz-Horváth D. , Baumli P. , Kaptay G.
Published: January 2022

In this paper, 50 … 680 nm thick AlN-Al2O3 coatings are deposited by magnetron sputtering on the surface of a steel substrate and a piece of copper is melted on top of the ceramic. Upon heating the ceramic layer is cracked, and the phase inversion of the two top phases from steel/ceramic/copper configuration to the steel/copper/ceramic configuration takes place within 30 s of liquid time of copper. This phase inversion process is accompanied by a Gibbs energy change of about − 1.78 J/m2, due to good wettability of solid deoxidized steel by liquid copper in contrary to poor wettability of the ceramic by the copper. When copper is melted on AlN-Al2O3 coating with its thicknesses smaller than a critical value of about 170 ± 60 nm, liquid copper droplets hanging down into the cracks within the ceramic reach the solid steel surface at the bottom of the cracks, thus the flow of Cu down along the cracks is enabled. However, when copper is melted on AlN-Al2O3 with its thickness larger than the critical value of 170 ± 60 nm, Cu first forms a non-wetting droplet on top of the ceramics, and only after a certain incubation time it starts flowing down the cracks. This incubation time was found to depend linearly on the thickness of the ceramic, as cracks are filled from the bottom upwards by liquid copper via the evaporation–condensation mechanism. By the end of the process, the steel/copper/ceramic configuration is further stabilized by gravity.

Graphical abstract
Endometriosis detection and localization in laparoscopic gynecology
Authors: Leibetseder Andreas , Schoeffmann Klaus , Keckstein Jörg , Keckstein Simon
Published: January 2022

Endometriosis is a common gynecologic condition typically treated via laparoscopic surgery. Its visual versatility makes it hard to identify for non-specialized physicians and challenging to classify or localize via computer-aided analysis. In this work, we take a first step in the direction of localized endometriosis recognition in laparoscopic gynecology videos using region-based deep neural networks Faster R-CNN and Mask R-CNN. We in particular use and further develop publicly available data for transfer learning deep detection models according to distinctive visual lesion characteristics. Subsequently, we evaluate the performance impact of different data augmentation techniques, including selected geometrical and visual transformations, specular reflection removal as well as region tracking across video frames. Finally, particular attention is given to creating reasonable data segmentation for training, validation and testing. The best performing result surprisingly is achieved by randomly applying simple cropping combined with rotation, resulting in a mean average segmentation precision of 32.4% at 50-95% intersection over union overlap (64.2% for 50% overlap).
Allelic variation for alpha-Glucan Water Dikinase is associated with starch phosphate content in tetraploid potato
Authors: Uitdewilligen J. G. A. M. L. , Wolters A. M. A. , van Eck H. J. , Visser R. G. F.
Published: January 2022

Key message

Association analysis resulted in the identification of specific StGWD alleles causing either an increase or decrease in starch phosphate content which was verified in diploid and tetraploid potato mapping populations.

Potatoes are grown for various purposes like French fries, table potatoes, crisps and for their starch. One of the most important aspects of potato starch is that it contains a high amount of phosphate ester groups which are considered to be important for providing improved functionalization after derivatization processes. Little is known about the variation in phosphate content as such in different potato varieties and thus we studied the genetic diversity for this trait. From other studies it was clear that the phosphate content is controlled by a quantitative trait locus (QTL) underlying the candidate gene α-Glucan Water Dikinase (StGWD) on chromosome 5. We performed direct amplicon sequencing of this gene by Sanger sequencing. Sequences of two StGWD amplicons from a global collection of 398 commercial cultivars and progenitor lines were used to identify 16 different haplotypes. By assigning tag SNPs to these haplotypes, each of the four alleles present in a cultivar could be deduced and linked to a phosphate content. A high value for intra-individual heterozygosity was observed (Ho = 0.765). The average number of different haplotypes per individual (Ai) was 3.1. Pedigree analysis confirmed that the haplotypes are identical-by-descent (IBD) and offered insight in the breeding history of elite potato germplasm. Haplotypes originating from introgression of wild potato accessions carrying resistance genes could be traced. Furthermore, association analysis resulted in the identification of specific StGWD alleles causing either an increase or decrease in starch phosphate content varying from 12 nmol PO4/mg starch to 38 nmol PO4/mg starch. These allele effects were verified in diploid and tetraploid mapping populations and offer possibilities to breed and select for this trait.
The role of novel instruments of brand communication and brand image in building consumers’ brand preference and intention to visit wineries
Authors: Gómez-Rico Mar , Molina-Collado Arturo , Santos-Vijande María Leticia , Molina-Collado María Victoria , Imhoff Brian
Published: January 2022

This research aims to analyze brand communication and brand image as specific drivers of wine brand preference and their influence on wine consumers’ intention to visit associated wineries. Specifically, this paper enhances the understanding of the roles of advertising-promotion, sponsorship-public relations, corporate social responsibility, and social media in brand communication, as well as functional, emotional and reputation components in brand image development in the context of wine tourism industry. Data was collected through a structured and self-administered questionnaire from 486 visitors to wineries in Spain. Partial least squares regression was used to evaluate the measurement model and the hypotheses. The empirical analysis shows that brand communication and brand image have similar positive effects on brand preference, and that brand image mediates the relationship between brand communication and brand preference. This research suggests implications for theory and practice relative to brand management in terms of communication and image; and it proposes insights into novel communication tools and marketing activities for the winery tourism industry. Firms should employ a holistic evaluation of brand communication to involve the whole organization, which would enhance the strategic role that brand communication plays.
Development of a tool to optimize economic and environmental feasibility of food waste chains
Authors: Celli Irene , Brunori Edoardo , Eugeni Michele , Cristinariu Cecilia Andrea , Zampilli Mauro , Massoli Sara , Bartocci Pietro , Caldarelli Valentina , Saetta Stefano , Bidini Gianni , Fantozzi Francesco
Published: January 2022

The Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 focuses on food and its inedible parts that exit the supply chain and thus are lost or wasted. This work addresses the food waste problem by presenting the development of a tool to design business models to reduce the production of food waste. This has been developed within the LIFE16 project iRexfo, coordinated by the University of Perugia. The tool aims at transferring the results obtained in a pilot region (Umbria, Italy) to 4 other regions in Europe. It has been coded in Python and has a graphical user interface (GUI) to insert inputs and display outputs. The GUI has been developed in FLASK and it is hosted in the website of PythonAnywhere. A case study on the application of the software is also presented, mainly based on data retrieved in the Umbria region, Italy. Together with economic analysis, also, environmental assessment is performed.
Anaerobic co-digestion of linen, sugar beet pulp, and wheat straw with cow manure: effects of mixing ratio and transient change of co-substrate
Authors: Elsayed Mahmoud , Andres Yves , Blel Walid
Published: January 2022

This study concerns the improvement and sustainability of producing methane (CH4) from the co-digestion of cow manure (CM), sugar beet pulp (SBP), linen (Ln), and wheat straw (WS). The first step involved co-digesting CM, Ln, and WS at various mixing ratios (CM/Ln/WS) in batch reactors to ascertain the best gas production. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests were carried out under mesophilic conditions using sludge from a wastewater treatment plant as an inoculum. The highest CH4 production (351 mL/g VSadd) and volatile solids removal rate (72.87%) were observed at the mixing ratio 50/25/25 and the lowest CH4 production (187 mL/g VSadd) was recorded at the ratio 25/25/50. A kinetic analysis was carried out to suggest the best strategy for methane production based on the ratio of substrates in the mix. The second step involved co-digesting CM, SBP, Ln, and WS in a semi-continuous stirred tank reactor to study the influence of a transient change in co-substrate on gas production and reactor performance. The rate of biogas production doubled with the transient change of co-substrate from WS to SBP, which may be due to the SBP being more easily biodegradable than WS.
Comparison of fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and psychological disorders in post-COVID patients and patients after sepsis: is there a specific constellation?
Authors: Stallmach Andreas , Kesselmeier Miriam , Bauer Michael , Gramlich Judith , Finke Kathrin , Fischer Anne , Fleischmann-Struzek Carolin , Heutelbeck Astrid , Katzer Katrin , Mutschke Stephanie , Pletz Mathias W. , Quickert Stefanie , Reinhart Konrad , Stallmach Zoe , Walter Martin , Scherag André , Reuken Philipp A.
Published: January 2022

Background

Sequelae of COVID-19 can be severe and longlasting. We compared frequencies of fatigue, depression and cognitive dysfunction in survivors of SARS-CoV-2-infection and sepsis.

Methods

We performed a prospective cohort study of 355 symptomatic post-COVID patients who visited our out-patient clinic for post-COVID-19 care. We compared them with 272 symptomatic patients from the Mid-German Sepsis Cohort, which investigates the long-term courses of sepsis survivors. Possible predictors for frequent clinical findings (fatigue, signs of depression, cognitive dysfunction) in post-COVID were investigated with multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Median age of the post-COVID patients was 51 years (range 17–86), 60.0% were female, and 31.8% required hospitalization during acute COVID-19. In the post-COVID patients (median follow-up time: 163 days) and the post-sepsis patients (180 days), fatigue was found in 93.2% and 67.8%, signs of depression were found in 81.3% and 10.9%, and cognitive dysfunction was found in 23.5% and 21.3%, respectively. In post-COVID, we did not observe an association between fatigue or depression and the severity of acute COVID-19. In contrast, cognitive dysfunction was associated with hospitalization (out-patient versus in-patient) and more frequent in post-COVID patients treated on an ICU compared to the MSC patients.

Conclusion

In post-COVID patients, fatigue and signs of depression are more common than in sepsis survivors, independent from the acute SARS-CoV-2-infection. In contrast, cognitive dysfunction is associated with hospitalization. Despite the differences in frequencies, owing to the similarity of post-COVID and post-sepsis sequelae, this knowledge may help in implementing follow-up approaches after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Reveal Hydrogen Behavior at Grain Boundaries in Fe–22Mn–0.6C TWIP Steel via In Situ Micropillar Compression Test
Authors: Lu Xu , Wang Dong , Wan Di , Guo Xiaofei , Johnsen Roy
Published: January 2022

In this study, the effect of hydrogen on dislocation and twinning behavior along various grain boundaries in a high-manganese twinning-induced plasticity steel was investigated using an in situ micropillar compression test. The compressive stress in both elastic and plastic regimes was increased with the presence of hydrogen. Further investigation by transmission electron backscatter diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscope demonstrated that hydrogen promoted both dislocation multiplication and twin formation, which resulted in higher stress concentration at twin–twin and twin–grain boundary intersections.