bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inanspruchnahme von Gesundheitsleistungen bei Obdachlosen: Ergebnisse
der Hamburger Obdachlosenbefragung
Authors: Püschel Klaus , König Hans-Helmut , Hajek André , van Rüth Victoria , Bertram Franziska , Schüler Christine , Heinrich Fabian , Kretzler Benedikt
Published: July 2021

Ziel der Studie Bisher mangelt es an Studie zur Inanspruchnahme von
Gesundheitsleistungen bei Obdachlosen. Deshalb zielt diese Arbeit darauf ab, die
Inanspruchnahme von Gesundheitsleistungen bei Obdachlosen zu beschreiben.

Methodik Die Daten für diese Arbeit stammen aus der Hamburger
Obdachlosenbefragung (n=150, mittleres Alter 44,6 Jahre (SD: 12,5
Jahre)), die zwischen dem 25. Mai und dem 3. Juni 2020 in Hamburg
durchgeführt wurde. Die Inanspruchnahme von Gesundheitsleistungen wurde
im Detail erfasst (u. a., Krankenversichertenstatus, Inanspruchnahme
ambulanter und stationärer Leistungen, Medikamenteneinnahme,
Gründe für fehlende Inanspruchnahme von
Gesundheitsleistungen).

Ergebnisse Insgesamt hatten 61,2% der Obdachlosen eine
Gesundheitskarte. Ungefähr zwei Drittel (65,9%) der Obdachlosen
hatten in den letzten 12 Monaten irgendeine medizinische Leistung in Anspruch
genommen. Wesentlicher Grund für eine Nicht-Inanspruchnahme war der
fehlende Bedarf (74,6%). Insgesamt waren 39,8% in den letzten 12
Monaten mindestens einmal im Krankenhaus. Mobile Hilfen haben in den letzten 12
Monaten gut ein Drittel der Obdachlosen (34,2%) in Anspruch genommen
(primär das Krankenmobil, weniger das Zahnmobil sowie das ArztMobil
Hamburg). Insgesamt haben ca. 37,7% der Obdachlosen Medikamente
regelmäßig eingenommen. Schwierigkeiten bei dem Zugang zu
Medikamenten begründeten sich primär über zu hohe Preise
(63,6%). Knapp die Hälfte der Obdachlosen (47,0%) hatte
in den letzten 3 Monaten keinen Arzt in Anspruch genommen.

Schlussfolgerung Unsere Arbeit hat die Inanspruchnahme von
Gesundheitsleistungen bei Obdachlosen beschrieben. Es bedarf weiterer
Anstrengungen, um die sich daraus ergebenden Herausforderungen (z. B. im
Zugang zu medizinischen Leistungen) anzugehen. Weitere Forschungen in diesem
Bereich sind daher unerlässlich.
30- und 90-Tage-Letalität bei Patienten mit Lungenkarzinom im Stadium IV in Abhängigkeit der Primärtherapie
Authors: Moeller Miriam , Adner Juliane , Schuette Wolfgang , Krueger Marcus
Published: July 2021

Die frühe Letalität nach der Therapieeinleitung bei Patienten mit Lungenkarzinom im Stadium IV stand bisher selten im Fokus wissenschaftlicher Arbeiten. Die wenige verbleibende Zeit zwischen Diagnosestellung, Therapiebeginn und Todeseintritt sowie die evtl. beeinflussenden Faktoren beschäftigen jedoch Patienten und Behandler in hohem Maße. Entsprechend ist das Ziel dieser Arbeit die 30- und 90-Tage-Letalität nach Einleitung einer First-Line-Therapie zu analysieren und mögliche Einflussfaktoren auf eine frühe Letalität zu eruieren. Hierzu wurden retrospektiv die Daten von 225 Patienten mit Lungenkarzinom im Stadium IV und Behandlung im Lungenkrebszentrum Martha-Maria Halle-Dölau und in der Lungenklinik Ballenstedt im Zeitraum vom 01. 01. 2017 bis zum 18. 05. 2020 erfasst. Therapieformen und Patientenmerkmale wurden mittels Häufigkeitsverteilung analysiert und die Überlebenswahrscheinlichkeiten durch die Kaplan-Meier-Methode geschätzt. Die Analyse der frühen Letalität aller tumorspezifisch behandelten Patienten brachte zum Zeitpunkt 30 Tage nach Therapiebeginn eine Letalität von 8,5 % und nach 90 Tagen eine Rate von 23,5 %. Im direkten Vergleich der unterschiedlichen Therapiegruppen fielen die Patienten mit einer Monotherapie mit Checkpointinhibitoren mit einer höheren Letalität auf (16,6 % nach 30 Tagen und 44,3 % nach 90 Tagen). Hingegen blieb die Letalität der Patienten der anderen Therapiegruppen bei unter 10 % nach 30 Tagen und unter 23,3 % nach 90 Tagen. Als Prädiktoren für eine höhere frühe Letalität konnten ein schlechter Allgemeinzustand, eine fortgeschrittene Tumorerkrankung, eine Polymetastasierung sowie die positive Raucheranamnese eruiert werden. Dagegen bestand kein relevanter Unterschied der Letalität zwischen den unterschiedlichen Tumorentitäten, dem Geschlecht sowie dem PD-L1- und Mutationsstatus. Mit dieser Analyse konnte eine sehr hohe, mit anderen Untersuchungen vergleichbare frühe Letalität bei Patienten mit Lungenkarzinom nachgewiesen werden. Relevante Unterschiede zwischen den Therapieformen verdeutlichen die Wichtigkeit einer individuellen Patientenselektion zu den jeweiligen Therapieoptionen und die rasche Entscheidung zu einer Therapieeinleitung.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging under Sedation in Pediatric Patients: A Single-Institution Experience
Authors: Onguc Aycan Ilker , Taseli Yesim Cetintas , Temel Hakan , Dinc Bora , Coskunfirat Nesil , Sanli Suat
Published: July 2021

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans for children are a challenge for anesthesiologists since the child must be sedated enough to stand still. But anesthetic drugs used for sedation might have serious side effects and monitorization resources and accessibility to the patient during MRI scan is limited. We retrospectively examined 977 pediatric patients' files who had MRI scans in our hospital. We observed that children received one of the four combinations of anesthetic drugs: group 1 received midazolam, propofol, and ketamine; group 2 received midazolam and ketamine; group 3 received midazolam and thiopental; and group 4 received midazolam and propofol combination for sedation. The patients in group 1 had significantly higher vomiting rates than the patients in group 4 (p = 0.005). We observed bronchospasm in patients in group 1 (p = 0.006) and group 3 (p = 0.001), more than in patients in group 4. Nausea and vomiting ratios were lower in group 4. In patients with nausea and vomiting within a week after the procedure, statistically significant lower neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio values (p = 0.012) were observed. All four anesthetic combinations used in the trial provided safe anesthesia for the children, during the MRI scan. The anesthetic choice must be made according to the procedure time and patient's comorbidities. In this trial, we observed minimum side effects with midazolam and propofol combination.
3D Models as an Adjunct for Models in Studying Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Yaqinuddin Ahmed , Ikram Muhammad Faisal , Ambia Ayesha Rahman , Alaujan Raghad , Kashir Junaid
Published: July 2021

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common causes of dementia. Disease progression is marked by cognitive decline and memory impairment due to neurodegenerative processes in the brain stemming from amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition and formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Pathogenesis in AD is dependent on two main neurological processes: formation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein and deposition of extracellular senile Aβ peptides. Given the nature of the disease, the pathology and progression of AD in vivo in humans have been difficult to study in vivo. To this degree, models can help to study the disease pathogenesis, biochemistry, immunological functions, genetics, and potential pharmacotherapy. While animal and two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models have facilitated significant progress in studying the disease, more recent application of novel three-dimensional (3D) culture models has exhibited several advantages. Herein, we describe a brief background of AD, and how current animal, 2D, and 3D models facilitate the study of this disease and associated therapeutics.
Influence of gas outburst dynamic flow on mine ventilation system
Authors: Yu Jingxiao , Li Zongxiang , Wang Wenqing
Published: July 2021

This study was conducted to analyze the influence of outburst power from coal and gas on mine ventilation systems in order to avoid damage from secondary disasters to mine ventilation systems. Through the outburst dynamic experiment of a simple ventilation network system, the unsteady movement characteristics of mine air flow under the combined action of gas outburst source flow and fan ventilation are studied. In this study, the “11.8” coal and gas outburst accident that occurred in the Qunli Coal Mine was simulated numerically. The TF1M simulation program was used to analyze the entire process of the diffuse flow of the countercurrent and outburst gas in the mine ventilation system as well as the dynamic change process of the natural wind pressure in each stage. The results indicate that the power of the outburst source causes the ventilation system to run against the current, the gas in the air intake system of the mine exceeds the limit, and the airflow disturbance of the mine ventilation system is influenced by natural gas pressure and fan pressure. The air pressure of the fan cannot change the rate of air flow but can reduce the time of air flow disorder and promote the gas discharge in the ventilation system. In a word, the research achievements do have important theoretical and practical significance for disaster prevention and aid in outburst mine as well as effectively preventing the occurrence of secondary disasters.
Pulsating and cellular instabilities of hydrogen–oxygen detonations with ozone sensitization
Authors: Han Wenhu , Huang Jin , Wang Cheng
Published: July 2021

Numerical simulations have been conducted to investigate the effects of ozone (O3) sensitization on pulsating and cellular instabilities of one- and two-dimensional (1-, 2D) detonations in hydrogen–oxygen–helium (H2/O2/He) mixture with and without O3 addition. The predictions have been analyzed to illustrate the different modes of 1D detonation in H2/O2/He mixtures and its thermal sensitivity to the varying distributions of the heat release rate due to He dilution. The results are further analyzed to gain insight about the effect of O3 addition on the induction length, propagating mode of 1D detonation and its stability. Finally, the role of O3 sensitization on cellular detonation in the 2D simulations is analyzed in terms of its effect on the detonation cell size, induction length, and detonation instabilities. The results indicate considerable potential of O3 sensitization to reduce the existence of unburnt pockets, reduce cell size, and increase detonation stability.
Residual stress analysis of aluminum nitride piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers using Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Lundh James Spencer , Coleman Kathleen , Song Yiwen , Griffin Benjamin A. , Esteves Giovanni , Douglas Erica A. , Edstrand Adam , Badescu Stefan C. , Moore Elizabeth A. , Leach Jacob H. , Moody Baxter , Trolier-McKinstry Susan , Choi Sukwon
Published: July 2021

In this study, the Raman biaxial stress coefficients KII and strain-free phonon frequencies ω0 have been determined for the E2 (low), E2 (high), and A1 (LO) phonon modes of aluminum nitride, AlN, using both experimental and theoretical approaches. The E2 (high) mode of AlN is recommended for the residual stress analysis of AlN due to its high sensitivity and the largest signal-to-noise ratio among the studied modes. The E2 (high) Raman biaxial stress coefficient of −3.8 cm−1/GPa and strain-free phonon frequency of 656.68 cm−1 were then applied to perform both macroscopic and microscopic stress mappings. For macroscopic stress evaluation, the spatial variation of residual stress was measured across an AlN-on-Si wafer prepared by sputter deposition. A cross-wafer variation in residual stress of ∼150 MPa was observed regardless of the average stress state of the film. Microscopic stress evaluation was performed on AlN piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs) with submicrometer spatial resolution. These measurements were used to assess the effect of device fabrication on residual stress distribution in an individual pMUT and the effect of residual stress on the resonance frequency. At ∼20 μm directly outside the outer edge of the pMUT electrode, a large lateral spatial variation in residual stress of ∼100 MPa was measured, highlighting the impact of metallization structures on residual stress in the AlN film.
Leaf stage as a defoliation criterion for the production of high-vigour annual ryegrass seeds
Authors: Bohn Alberto , Bortolin Gabriel S. , Job Ricardo B. , Pedroso Carlos E. S. , Galviz Yutcelia C. , Dorneles Athos O. S. , Pereira Aline S. , do Amarante Luciano , Mittelmann Andrea , Deuner Sidnei
Published: July 2021

Previous research demonstrated that the interval between defoliation treatments based on the leaf stage is a promising tool for the management of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) pasture. The use of this tool, which is based on the physiological status of the plant, could also benefit the seed production. We assessed the effects of the time of defoliation based on leaf stage on seed yield and quality of annual ryegrass cut to three residual stubble heights (RSH) (50%, 25% and 0% of plant height pre-defoliation) and a second defoliation applied to certain treatments based on the leaf stage of the plant regrowth (two or three leaves per tiller). Higher defoliation intensities (lower RSH) increased the amount of harvested forage to 4.0 t DM ha–1. Moderate defoliation (50%) undertaken at the 3-leaf stage combined with intense defoliation (25% and 0%) at the 2-leaf stage resulted in the highest seed yields (1.8 t ha–1). However, lower RSH reduced mean seed weight and physiological seed quality, which was also associated with lower seed starch and protein content. Accelerated ageing (AA) tests were used to compare seed vigour between treatments. A second defoliation at the 3-leaf stage plus intense defoliation (RSH 0%) resulted in seed lots with a high rate of lipid peroxidation after the AA test, followed by lower catalase activity, germination, and seedling growth. The combination of a second defoliation at the 3-leaf stage and the retention of higher RSH (50%) promoted a greater proportion of leaf blades in the stubble, with a strong positive correlation with seed production and vigour. Antioxidant enzyme activity after the AA test is an important marker of annual ryegrass seed quality.
Effect of NaCl, copper and cadmium ions on halophytes with different types of salt resistance: accumulation, physiological and biochemical reactions
Authors: Nesterov Viktor , Bogdanova Elena , Makurina Olga , Rozina Svetlana , Rozentsvet Olga
Published: July 2021

The capacities of the euhalophyte SaLi-Cornia perennans Willd. and glycohalophyte Artemisia santonica L. to accumulate NaCl, Cu, and Cd, as well as their physiological and biochemical responses to these compounds, was investigated. Seeds were germinated in distilled water for 1–3 days and then sown in containers with sand. Plants were watered with Robinson’s nutrient solution. After 3 months, plants were divided into two groups: experimental and control. In the experimental group, soil was treated with 1M NaCl, 10 mM Cu(NO3)2, and 10 mM Cd(NO3)2 for 24 h. The exposure to high concentration of NaCl in the experiment did not affect the baseline level of Na, which was twice as high in S. perennans as in A. santonica. Plant exposure to Cu and Cd caused their accumulation in the aboveground parts of both species. The accumulation capacity of the euhalophyte was many times higher than that of the glycohalophyte. We analysed functional parameters of leaves by measuring photosynthetic pigments, structural parameters of membranes by assessing the lipid profile, and the balance of pro/antioxidant processes. Using data on changes in several biochemical parameters, the sensitivity of the two different halophytes to metal ions was as follows: for S. perennans – Cu > Na > Cd; for A. santonica – Na > Cu > Cd. Our findings suggest that S. perennans can be used for heavy metal extraction from soil in phytoremediation, whereas A. santonica will be more effective for greening of polluted territories.
Middle Pleistocene fire use: The first signal of widespread cultural diffusion in human evolution
Authors: MacDonald Katharine , Scherjon Fulco , van Veen Eva , Vaesen Krist , Roebroeks Wil
Published: July 2021

Control of fire is one of the most important technological innovations within the evolution of humankind. The archaeological signal of fire use becomes very visible from around 400,000 y ago onward. Interestingly, this occurs at a geologically similar time over major parts of the Old World, in Africa, as well as in western Eurasia, and in different subpopulations of the wider hominin metapopulation. We interpret this spatiotemporal pattern as the result of cultural diffusion, and as representing the earliest clear-cut case of widespread cultural change resulting from diffusion in human evolution. This fire-use pattern is followed slightly later by a similar spatiotemporal distribution of Levallois technology, at the beginning of the African Middle Stone Age and the western Eurasian Middle Paleolithic. These archaeological data, as well as studies of ancient genomes, lead us to hypothesize that at the latest by 400,000 y ago, hominin subpopulations encountered one another often enough and were sufficiently tolerant toward one another to transmit ideas and techniques over large regions within relatively short time periods. Furthermore, it is likely that the large-scale social networks necessary to transmit complicated skills were also in place. Most importantly, this suggests a form of cultural behavior significantly more similar to that of extant
Homo sapiens
than to our great ape relatives.
Experimental evidence for glass polymorphism in vitrified water droplets
Authors: Bachler Johannes , Giebelmann Johannes , Loerting Thomas
Published: July 2021

Significance

The question of whether a first-order liquid-to-liquid transition is at the origin of water’s anomalous properties has been controversial since the pioneering experiments by Mishima et al. in 1985 and molecular simulations by Poole et al. in 1992. Since then, experiments aimed at shedding light on this question have been performed using amorphous ices made from crystalline ice, fueling criticism about their crystal-like nature. In the present study, we avoid crystalline ice at any time of the experiment yet still observe a first-order glass-to-glass transition in vitrified liquid droplets. This makes the strong case for glass polymorphism and the direct thermodynamic connection to the liquid-to-liquid transition at higher temperatures, dismissing the criticism voiced for three decades.
Structures and implications of TBP–nucleosome complexes
Authors: Wang Haibo , Xiong Le , Cramer Patrick
Published: July 2021

Significance

The TATA box-binding protein (TBP) is highly conserved throughout eukaryotes and plays a central role in the assembly of the transcription preinitiation complex (PIC) at the promoter of genes. We show here that TBP can interact with nucleosomes containing the Widom-601 sequence at two different positions. One position comprises a TATA box-like sequence near the end of nucleosomal DNA, and the other position is GC-rich and located near the nucleosome dyad. TBP–nucleosome complexes must be resolved before PIC assembly can occur but may persist during mitosis when chromatin is condensed, possibly explaining how TBP can act as a bookmarking factor that transfers transcriptional memory.
Masked form priming with newly-learned pseudo-L2 words in novice bilinguals
Authors: Tang Rongchao , Witzel Naoko , Qiao Xiaomei
Published: July 2021

This study explores whether novice bilinguals store newly-learned pseudo-L2 words together with or separately from the L1, by testing whether pseudo-L2 words compete with their formally-similar L1 words. Although we attempted to obtain a prime lexicality effect (PLE), with newly-trained pseudo-L2 words as primes and their formally-similar words in L1 as targets (stafe-STARE) showing an inhibitory effect, and untrained nonword primes with these targets (stace-STARE) showing a facilitatory effect, no such PLE was obtained. This was the case despite the fact that these newly-learned pseudo-L2 words yielded repetition priming (stafe-STAFE), suggesting that some form of representations were developed for these words. These results are discussed in terms of how to test newly-learned pseudo-L2 words, and whether competition can be exploited to test lexical integration.
Pseudomonas savastanoi var. fraxini
. [Distribution map].
Authors: UK, CAB International
Published: July 2021

A new distribution map is provided for
Pseudomonas savastanoi
var.
fraxini
(Brown) Dowson, 1957. Hosts: Ash (Fraxinus). This map has since been incorporated into Map No. 135, Pseudomonas syringae pv. savastanoi (E.F. Smith) Young, Dye & Wilkie.
Pleiochaeta albiziae
. [Distribution map].
Authors: UK, CAB International
Published: July 2021

A new distribution map is provided for
Pleiochaeta albiziae
(Petch) S. Hughes. Hosts: Albizia spp. Information is given on the geographical distribution in Asia, Indonesia, Java, Sri Lanka.
Epigenetic and transcriptional control of interferon-β
Authors: Daman Andrew W. , Josefowicz Steven Z.
Published: July 2021

The three classes of interferons (IFNs) share the ability to inhibit viral replication, activating cell transcriptional programs that regulate both innate and adaptive responses to viral and intracellular bacterial challenge. Due to their unique potency in regulating viral replication, and their association with numerous autoimmune diseases, the tightly orchestrated transcriptional regulation of IFNs has long been a subject of intense investigation. The protective role of early robust IFN responses in the context of infection with SARS-CoV-2 has further underscored the relevance of these pathways. In this viewpoint, rather than focusing on the downstream effects of IFN signaling (which have been extensively reviewed elsewhere), we will summarize the historical and current understanding of the stepwise assembly and function of factors that regulate IFNβ enhancer activity (the “enhanceosome”) and highlight opportunities for deeper understanding of the transcriptional control of the ifnb gene.
Anti-tumor immunity in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancers requires type I IFN–driven CCL5 and CXCL10
Authors: Mowat Courtney , Mosley Shayla R. , Namdar Afshin , Schiller Daniel , Baker Kristi
Published: July 2021

Colorectal cancers (CRCs) deficient in DNA mismatch repair (dMMR) contain abundant CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) responding to the abundant neoantigens from their unstable genomes. Priming of such tumor-targeted TILs first requires recruitment of CD8+ T cells into the tumors, implying that this is an essential prerequisite of successful dMMR anti-tumor immunity. We have discovered that selective recruitment and activation of systemic CD8+ T cells into dMMR CRCs strictly depend on overexpression of CCL5 and CXCL10 due to endogenous activation of cGAS/STING and type I IFN signaling by damaged DNA. TIL infiltration into orthotopic dMMR CRCs is neoantigen-independent and followed by induction of a resident memory-like phenotype key to the anti-tumor response. CCL5 and CXCL10 could be up-regulated by common chemotherapies in all CRCs, indicating that facilitating CD8+ T cell recruitment underlies their efficacy. Induction of CCL5 and CXCL10 thus represents a tractable therapeutic strategy to induce TIL recruitment into CRCs, where local priming can be maximized even in neoantigen-poor CRCs.
A simple fabrication strategy for orientationally accurate twisted heterostructures
Authors: Debnath Rahul , Sett Shaili , Biswas Rabindra , Raghunathan Varun , Ghosh Arindam
Published: July 2021

Van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure is a type of metamaterial where multiple layers of 2D materials are vertically aligned at controlled misorientation. The relative rotation in between the adjacent layers, or the twist angle between them plays a crucial role in changing the electronic band structure of the superlattice. The assembly of multi-layers of precisely twisted two dimensional layered materials requires knowledge of the atomic structure at the edge of the flake. It may be artificially created by the ‘tear and stack’ process. Otherwise, the crystallographic orientation needs to be determined through invasive processes such as transmission electron microscopy or scanning tunneling microscopy, and via second-harmonic generation (SHG). Here, we demonstrate a simple and elegant transfer protocol using only an optical microscope as a edge identifier tool through which, controlled transfer of twisted homobilayer and heterobilayer transition metal dichalcogenides is performed with close to 100% yield. The fabricated twisted vdW heterostructures have been characterized by SHG, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminiscence spectroscopy, confirming the desired twist angle within ∼0.5° accuracy. The presented method is reliable, quick and prevents the use of invasive tools which is desirable for reproducible device functionalities.
An unsupervised learning approach to ultrasound strain elastography with spatio-temporal consistency
Authors: Delaunay Rémi , Hu Yipeng , Vercauteren Tom
Published: July 2021

Quasi-static ultrasound elastography (USE) is an imaging modality that measures deformation (i.e. strain) of tissue in response to an applied mechanical force. In USE, the strain modulus is traditionally obtained by deriving the displacement field estimated between a pair of radio-frequency data. In this work we propose a recurrent network architecture with convolutional long-short-term memory decoder blocks to improve displacement estimation and spatio-temporal continuity between time series ultrasound frames. The network is trained in an unsupervised way, by optimising a similarity metric between the reference and compressed image. Our training loss is also composed of a regularisation term that preserves displacement continuity by directly optimising the strain smoothness, and a temporal continuity term that enforces consistency between successive strain predictions. In addition, we propose an open-access in vivo database for quasi-static USE, which consists of radio-frequency data sequences captured on the arm of a human volunteer. Our results from numerical simulation and in vivo data suggest that our recurrent neural network can account for larger deformations, as compared with two other feed-forward neural networks. In all experiments, our recurrent network outperformed the state-of-the-art for both learning-based and optimisation-based methods, in terms of elastographic signal-to-noise ratio, strain consistency, and image similarity. Finally, our open-source code provides a 3D-slicer visualisation module that can be used to process ultrasound RF frames in real-time, at a rate of up to 20 frames per second, using a standard GPU.
Design of quasi-axisymmetric stellarators with variable-thickness perpendicular permanent magnets based on a two-step magnet design strategy
Authors: Lu Z.Y. , Xu G.S. , Chen D.H. , Chen L. , Zhang X.Y. , Ye M.Y. , Wan B.N.
Published: July 2021

A new method for designing stellarators with variable-thickness perpendicular permanent magnets has been developed, based on a two-step magnet design strategy that we previously proposed for designing stellarators with standardized magnet blocks. Our design strategy uses a ‘local compensation’ method to obtain an initial magnet design and a ‘global fine-tuning’ method to further optimize the initial design. The new method is compared to the previously proposed Fourier decomposition method, and the results indicate that this new method can yield a similar magnet design for an N

fp
= 2 quasi-axisymmetric stellarator at a lower computational cost. High accuracy is achieved, as demonstrated by a normal magnetic field square on the plasma surface of

χ

B

2

=
3.43
×
1

0

−
8

T

2

m

2

, a maximum residual of

B

n

=
3.44

G
s

for a ∼1 T total field, and a flux-surface-averaged residual B

n
of

B

n

/
B

=
3.16
×
1

0

−
5

relative to the total field. Furthermore, the new method can automatically yield a magnet design with large areas of continuous vacancies for ports and plasma access, which is more flexible than the Fourier decomposition method. These results indicate that the new method is robust and effective when used to design stellarators with variable-thickness perpendicular permanent magnets, and, most importantly, that the two-step magnet design strategy has great potential to develop permanent magnet design methods suitable for various magnet layouts.
An anthropomorphic deformable phantom of the vaginal wall and cavity
Authors: Somerwil Philip C , Nout Remi A , Mens Jan-Willem M , Kolkman-Deurloo Inger-Karine K , van Beekhuizen Heleen J , Dankelman Jenny , van de Berg Nick J
Published: July 2021

Brachytherapy is a common treatment in cervical, uterine and vaginal cancer management. The technique is characterised by rapid developments in the fields of medical imaging, dosimetry planning and personalised medical device design. To reduce unnecessary burden on patients, assessments and training of these technologies should preferable be done using high-fidelity physical phantoms. In this study, anthropomorphic deformable phantoms of the vaginal wall and cavity were developed for image-guided adaptive brachytherapy, in which vaginal wall biomechanics were mimicked. Phantoms were produced from both silicone and polyvinyl alcohol materials. Material characterisations were performed with uniaxial tensile tests, via which Young’s moduli and toughness were quantified. In addition, the contrast between adjacent phantom layers was quantified in magnetic resonance images. The results showed that stress-strain curves of the silicone phantoms were within the range of those found in healthy human vaginal wall tissues. Sample preconditioning had a large effect on Young’s moduli, which ranged between 2.13 and 6.94 MPa in silicone. Toughness was a more robust and accurate metric for biomechanical matching, and ranged between 0.23 and 0.28 ·106 J·m−3 as a result of preconditioning. The polyvinyl alcohol phantoms were not stiff or tough enough, with a Young’s modulus of 0.16 MPa and toughness of 0.02 ·106 J·m−3. All materials used could be clearly delineated in magnetic resonance images, although the MRI sequence did affect layer contrast. In conclusion, we developed anthropomorphic deformable phantoms that mimic vaginal wall tissue and are well visible in magnetic resonance images. These phantoms will be used to evaluate the properties and to optimise the development and use of personalised brachytherapy applicators.
Androgen-dependent and DNA-binding-independent association of androgen receptor with chromatic regions coding androgen-induced noncoding RNAs
Authors: Sawada Takahiro , Nishimura Koichi , Mori Jinichi , Kanemoto Yoshiaki , Kouzmenko Alexander , Amano Rei , Hayakawa Akira , Tokiwa Suguru , Shimmura Hiroaki , Kato Shigeaki
Published: July 2021

Androgen induces the binding of its receptor (AR) to androgen-responsive elements (AREs), while genome-wide studies showed that most androgen-induced AR binding sites on chromatin were unrelated to AREs. Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), a class of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), are transcribed from superenhancers (SEs) and trigger the formation of large ribonucleoprotein condensates of transcription factors. By in silico search, an SE is found to be located on the locus of KLK3 that encodes prostate specific antigen. On the KLK3 SE, androgen-induced expression of ncRNAs was detected and designated as KLK3eRNAs in LNCaP cells, and androgen-induced association of AR and FOXA1 on the KLK3eRNA coding regions was detected. Such androgen-induced association of an AR mutant lacking DNA binding activity on the KLK3eRNA coding regions was undetectable on an exogenous ARE. Thus, the present findings suggest a molecular basis of androgen-induced association of AR with chromatin on ARE-unrelated sequences.
Random or handedness? Use of laterally paired penises inNalaearwigs (Insecta: Dermaptera: Labiduridae)
Authors: Kamimura Yoshitaka , Matsumura Yoko , Yang Chin-Cheng Scotty , Gorb Stanislav N
Published: July 2021

Animals can show bias in their use of laterally paired organs that do not have any conspicuous anatomical differentiation between the right and left organs. Like right handedness in humans, males of the giant earwig Labidura riparia (Labiduridae: Labidurinae) preferentially (~90%) use the right one of their laterally paired penises for copulation. To elucidate the evolutionary origin of this lateralization, patterns of penis use were examined for the related species of the genus Nala (Labiduridae: Nalinae). In multiple populations and broods of both Nala lividipes and Nala nepalensis, males that were ready to use the right or left penis were equally frequent, providing a striking contrast to Labidura. Surgical ablation of one of the two penises revealed that both penises are functionally competent in N. lividipes. Nevertheless, each male almost consistently used only one of the paired penises, either the right or the left one. Changes in penis use were estimated to occur only once per 64–143 days per male. The present study is the first report of individual-level lateralization for animal genitalia that do not show any conspicuous anatomical differentiation between the right and left organs. Possible advantages of lateralization are discussed in relationship to co-evolution of the genitalia between the sexes.
Beyond bridging and bonding: the role of social capital in organizations
Authors: Williams Teshanee , McCall Jamie , Berner Maureen , Brown-Graham Anita
Published: July 2021

Social capital has been described as a vital asset that can be used to improve communities. More recently, researchers have focused on how bonding and bridging social capital functions to aid organizations. Yet, the actual mechanisms associated with organizational social capital remain unclear. The literature posits that expressive and instrumental actions may help explain the effects of social capital. Merging these concepts, we examine the role of social capital in community development organizations (CDOs). We extend the resource-based view of network theory to demonstrate the role of social capital within organizations. Findings indicate that organizations vary in their ability to access the benefits of the network. Paradoxically, there may be an underlying minimal prerequisite capacity for CDOs to access benefits in the network. Such findings challenge some traditional theoretical narratives of social capital for smaller organizations.
Atypical Intrinsic Hemispheric Interaction Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Present within the First Year of Life
Authors: Rolison Max , Lacadie Cheryl , Chawarska Katarzyna , Spann Marisa , Scheinost Dustin
Published: July 2021

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by atypical connectivity lateralization of functional networks. However, previous studies have not directly investigated if differences in specialization between ASD and typically developing (TD) peers are present in infancy, leaving the timing of onset of these differences relatively unknown. We studied the hemispheric asymmetries of connectivity in children with ASD and infants later meeting the diagnostic criteria for ASD. Analyses were performed in 733 children with ASD and TD peers and in 71 infants at high risk (HR) or normal risk (NR) for ASD, with data collected at 1 month and 9 months of age. Comparing children with ASD (n = 301) to TDs (n = 432), four regions demonstrated group differences in connectivity: posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), posterior superior temporal gyrus, extrastriate cortex, and anterior prefrontal cortex. At 1 month, none of these regions exhibited group differences between ASD (n = 10), HR-nonASD (n = 15), or NR (n = 18) infants. However, by 9 months, the PCC and extrastriate exhibited atypical connectivity in ASD (n = 11) and HR-nonASD infants (n = 24) compared to NR infants (n = 22). Connectivity did not correlate with symptoms in either sample. Our results demonstrate that differences in network asymmetries associated with ASD risk are observable prior to the age of a reliable clinical diagnosis.
Genome assembly of a Mesoamerican derived variety of lima bean: a foundational cultivar in the Mid-Atlantic USA
Authors: Wisser Randall J , Oppenheim Sara J , Ernest Emmalea G , Mhora Terence T , Dumas Michael D , Gregory Nancy F , Evans Thomas A , Donofrio Nicole M
Published: July 2021

Lima bean, Phaseolus lunatus, is closely related to common bean and is high in fiber and protein, with a low glycemic index. Lima bean is widely grown in the state of Delaware, where late summer and early fall weather are conducive to pod production. The same weather conditions also promote diseases such as pod rot and downy mildew, the latter of which has caused previous epidemics. A better understanding of the genes underlying resistance to this and other pathogens is needed to keep this industry thriving in the region. Our current study sought to sequence, assemble, and annotate a commercially available cultivar called Bridgeton, which could then serve as a reference genome, a basis of comparison to other Phaseolus taxa, and a resource for the identification of potential resistance genes. Combined efforts of sequencing, linkage, and comparative analysis resulted in a 623 Mb annotated assembly for lima bean, as well as a better understanding of an evolutionarily dynamic resistance locus in legumes.
Promoting the get healthy information and coaching service (GHS) in Australian-Chinese communities: facilitators and barriers
Authors: O’Callaghan C , Tran A , Tam N , Wen L M , Harris-Roxas
Published: July 2021

Obesity and being overweight are major public health concerns that health coaching can assist people to manage through encouraging self-management and behaviour change. The Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service (GHS) is a telephone health coaching service in Australia that has effectively improved the health of the general population but has had less participation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations. The Chinese population is the largest migrant group in Australia with increased risk of diabetes but had reduced access to the GHS program due to communication barriers. The GHS developed a pilot program for Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking) communities using bilingual coaches and translated material to address these barriers. Qualitative research was undertaken with Chinese stakeholders (14 interviews) and 11 program participants from the group which had completed the program (2 focus groups in Mandarin and Cantonese) to understand their experiences and the success of promotional activities. This research does not contain the experiences of the people that withdrew from the program. The bilingual program was culturally and linguistically appropriate and addressed risk factors for chronic conditions. Participants formed positive relationships with bilingual coaches who they preferred to interpreters. They felt the program promoted healthy eating, weight and physical activity. Although Chinese stakeholders had concerns about participants’ ability to goal set, participants said they met their health goals and were committed to the GHS program. Strategies to enhance the program included promoting the bilingual GHS to the communities and stakeholders. Factors to consider beyond language in adapting the program to the Australian Chinese communities include meeting the heterogenous needs of the older population, ensuring community engagement and addressing cultural beliefs and practices.
Constitutional rigidity: The Mexican experiment
Authors: Velasco-Rivera Mariana
Published: July 2021

The constitutional amendment mechanism of the Mexican Constitution of 1857 (reproduced in the Constitution of 1917) and Article V of the US Constitution are very similar in design. Both require a two-thirds majority of each of the houses of a bicameral Congress and ratification by the states (half of the state legislatures in Mexico and three-fourths in the United States). Both articles were the result of an experiment aiming at striking the right balance between rigidity and flexibility. Yet, while characterized by similar levels of formal rigidity, these experiments have had the exact opposite effect. While the US Constitution has been described as one of the world’s most rigid and has only been amended twenty-seven times, the Mexican Constitution of 1917 has gone through over 700 amendments. Why are the amendment rates so divergent? This article argues that Mexico’s amendment practice offers an opportunity to deepen our knowledge about how non-institutional factors condition the way amendment provisions work and, thus, to dispel the idea that amendment difficulty is institutionally determined. In particular, there are at least three lessons that may be drawn from the Mexican case: (i) constitutional scholarship needs to shift its attention to political parties and party systems; (ii) unwritten rules influencing the behavior of party members need further study; and (iii) we must carefully look at the agency of constitutional decision-makers, specifically regarding the choices they make among different means to advance their interests and agendas.
Is greener better? Associations between greenness and birth outcomes in both urban and non-urban settings
Authors: Xiao Xiang , Gao Meng , Zhou Yang , Xu Shu-Li , Knibbs Luke D , Heinrich Joachim , Dharmage Shyamali C , Morawska Lidia , Lin Shao , Jalaludin Bin , Shen Xubo , Zhou Yuanzhong , Dong Guang-Hui
Published: July 2021

Background

Beneficial effects of greenness on birth outcomes have been reported, but few studies have investigated the associations in both urban and non-urban settings. We aimed to evaluate and compare linear and nonlinear associations between greenness and birth outcomes in urban and non-urban settings.

Methods

From October 2015 to December 2018, participants were recruited into the Maoming Birth Cohort Study. A total of 11 258 live birth records were obtained. Greenness exposure was assessed using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). Linear regression and nonlinear restricted cubic spline models were implemented to investigate the associations between greenness and birthweight, birth length, gestational age, preterm birth, low birthweight, small for gestational age and the potential for effect variation under urban or non-urban settings, after adjusting for covariates.

Results

A 0.1-unit increase in NDVI-500m was significantly associated with an increase of 35.4 g in birthweight [95% confidence interval (CI): 13.2, 57.7], 0.15 cm in birth length (95% CI: 0.03, 0.26), 0.88 days in gestational age (95% CI: 0.05, 1.71) and lower odds of low birthweight [odds ratio (OR) = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.85] and preterm birth (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.85). No association with head circumference was observed. For all outcomes, no significant linear associations were observed among non-urban dwellers. Inversed ‘U-shaped’ associations between greenness exposure and birth outcomes were observed in the total study population.

Conclusions

Greenness exposure was associated with increased gestational age, birthweight and birth length in urban dwellers. Nonlinear associations assessed by restricted cubic splines suggested that health benefits could be larger when increasing greenness levels from low to medium compared with increasing greenness from medium to high levels. Further studies adopting nonlinear methods are warranted to verify our findings.
Corruption Perception and Attitude Towards Taxation in Africa
Authors: Boly Amadou , Konte Maty , Shimeles Abebe
Published: July 2021

This paper analyses the effect of the quality of governance (proxied by perceived corruption) on attitudes towards paying taxes, using the Afrobarometer surveys from thirty-six African countries over the period 2011–2015. Specifically, we find that perceived corruption in the president’s office has a significant and negative effect on reported attitude towards taxation, even after controlling for individuals’ experiences with bribe payments. Such a result indicates that improving perception about the quality of governance at the highest level of authority in a sovereign country can help promote more positive attitudes towards taxation, thereby resulting in higher tax revenues.
Profile of Head and Neck Burns During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Amin Dina , Manhan Andrew J , Abramowicz Shelly , Mittal Rohit
Published: July 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected daily activities since December 2019. Burn injuries to head and neck can result in cosmetic and functional deformities. The purpose of this study was to characterize patients with burns to head and neck during the pandemic. This cross-sectional study reviewed patients in Burn Care Quality Platform Registry. Patients were included if they were aged 18 years or older and sustained burns to head and neck. Patients were stratified according to the date of injury into 1) March 13 to September 13, 2019 (ie, before COVID-19 pandemic, BC19) or 2) March 13 to September 13, 2020. March 13, 2020 was chosen because 1) COVID-19 was announced as a national emergency on that date and 2) it was the last day of in-person schools in the state of Georgia. Data collection included patient demographics, admission details, burn details, and hospital-related variables. During the study period, 157 patients had burns to head and neck (BC19, 70; C19, 71). Our data showed a 375% increase in March following the announcement of the pandemic (BC19, 4; C19,19). Admissions from another facility were statistically more than in the C19 group (P ≤ .0001). For the C19 group, there were 53% more admissions from the emergency department than the BC19 group (P = .001). Additionally, in the BC19 group, patients presented with concomitant inhalation injuries significantly more than the C19 group (P = .04). In conclusion, the total number of burns is the same during BC19 and C19; however, there was a significant spike in the number of cases in March 2020.
Pediatric Hand Burns Requiring Emergency Care in the United States
Authors: Sorenson Thomas J , Mohr William J , Mahajan Ashish Y
Published: July 2021

Hand and finger burns represent a relatively common occurrence in children, and serious injuries may require surgical intervention to prevent long-term disability. This study examines the epidemiological characteristics of pediatric patients presenting for emergency care of hand and finger burns within the United States. We report a cross-sectional study of patients reported to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019. Patients were included in our study if they were younger than 18 years old and evaluated for an isolated hand or finger burn. U.S. census data from the same period were used for determining epidemiological estimates of injury incidence. During the 10-year study period, an estimated 300,245 pediatric hand and finger burns were treated in 778,497,380 person-years: an incidence rate of 38.6 burns per 100,000 person-years. Most treated burns occurred in the 1- to 2-year age group (28.3%) with an approximate 50% reduction in incidence for each 1-year age stratum until stabilizing at 6 years. Most burns occurred in white children (58%), but black children had a higher incidence than white children when corrected for the U.S. population (45.15 burns vs 21.45 burns per 100,000 person-years). The most common etiology was a stove or oven (1595/10,420; 15%). Pediatric hand and finger burns occurred most frequently in young children from the oven and/or stove. We urge that parents be assertively counseled about potential burn risks to their young children’s hands and fingers, especially once they reach ambulatory age.