bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of econometric and deep learning approaches for credit default classification
Authors: Baghdasaryan Vardan , Davtyan Hrant , Grigoryan Aleksandr , Khachatryan Knar
Published: May 2021

The deep‐learning model outperforms the conventional structured models developed by using econometric techniques. Instead, econometric techniques provide an important insight into specific factors and their contribution to default probability. Using data from an Armenian universal credit organization that contains financial and nonfinancial variables of more than 9,000 borrowers of agriculture loans from 2012 to 2017 years, we compare deep neural networks' performance against conventional and widely used econometric techniques. Delays on past loans, together with loan size and currency, are major factors contributing to loan default probability prediction accuracy. The set of statistically significant or important variables differs between econometric and deep learning models proving that the latter can capture nonlinear relationships.
Information and communication technologies, artificial intelligence, and the fight against money laundering in Africa
Authors: Couchoro Mawuli K. , Sodokin Koffi , Koriko Moubarak
Published: May 2021

The risk of money laundering induced by information and communication technologies (ICT) in the financial sector could be controlled by adopting artificial intelligence systems and increased security investment in Sub‐Saharan Africa. The establishment of a regulatory framework for controlling ICT is necessary to combat capital laundering effectively. Poverty and unemployment harm the struggle against money laundering. The fight against corruption and political stability contribute positively to policies against money laundering.
Antecedents of intention to adopt artificial intelligence services by consumers in personal financial investing
Authors: Atwal Glyn , Bryson Douglas
Published: May 2021

Antecedents of intention to adopt artificial intelligence and robo‐advisory services from the German private investors' perspective may guide future adoption behavior. This paper raises the question to what extent German investors' is willing to use robo‐advisory services instead of a human advisor to manage their investments. The exploratory study identified the following constructs that impact the intention to use artificial intelligence to invest: perceived risk, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influences, and intention to use. Findings from this study can help inform marketers when developing strategies to foster awareness and the adoption of robo‐advisors.
An exploratory study of the adoption of artificial intelligence in Burgundy's wine industry
Authors: Atwal Glyn , Bryson Douglas , Williams Alistair
Published: May 2021

The objective of this exploratory study is to identify which factors enable or inhibit artificial intelligence adoption within the wine sector and specifically for the Burgundy region. Findings revealed that the winegrower's adoption intention could be assessed according to (a) perceived benefits, (b) organizational readiness, and (c) external pressure.
Profiling the influence of physicochemical parameters on the microbial community and flavor substances of zaopei
Authors: Zhang Mingzhu , Wu Xuefeng , Mu Dongdong , Xu Boyang , Xu Xianghui , Chang Qiang , Li Xingjiang
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND

Strong‐flavor baijiu is a traditional distilled alcoholic beverage with a long history in China. The fermented grains play a pivotal role in the production of baijiu. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the microbiota and flavor substances present in fermented zaopei (ZP) from pits of different ages. High‐throughput sequencing, headspace solid‐phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, principal component analysis, community composition analysis, and redundancy analysis were used to analyze and evaluate the impact of environmental factors on microbial communities and flavor substances.

RESULTS

Six genera of bacteria (e.g., Caproiciproducens, Syntrophaceticus, Sedimentibacter, Hydrogenispora, Pelotomaculum and Bacillus) and seven genera of fungi (Cladosporium, Debaryomyces, Dipodascus, Auxarthron, Cephalotrichum, unclassified Stachybotryaceae, unclassified Microascaceae and Cephalotrichum) notably affected the production of hexanoic acid (an important flavor compound). Moisture and alcohol content also had considerable effects on the production of the flavor compounds such as ethyl lactate, hexanoic acid, and ethyl hexanoate. The profiles of volatile compounds present in ZP were different between the aged and new pits; these profiles were mainly reflected in the concentration and types of alcohols, aldehydes, esters, and aromatic compounds.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the physicochemical parameters, flavor substances, and microbial population distribution of ZP. Characterization of various ZP samples help to elucidate the fermentation mechanisms and offer a theoretical reference to control and enhance the quality of Baijiu. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Development of an LC‐MS/MS method for simultaneous quantitative analysis of macromolecular pharmaceutical adjuvant 2‐hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin and active pharmaceutical ingredients butylphthalide in rat plasma
Authors: Li Wanjun , Cang Song , Sun Zheng , Bi Kaishun , Li Qing , Li Zuojing , Liu Ran
Published: May 2021

Hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin, which possesses a high water solubility and low hemolycity, is widely used as a solubilizer and an excipient. It had also been reported that hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin has the activity of regulating lipid homeostasis. In order to further understand the metabolism, the primary focus was to establish a quantitative method for hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin. The analytes were extracted from plasma by protein precipitation with methanol and then carried out on a Waters CORTECS T3 column in the gradient elution of pure water and methanol. Finally, liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry was applied in multiple reaction monitoring mode to complete the quantitative analysis of hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin. This validated method had been successfully applied to investigate the interaction between hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin and butylphthalide in vivo by optimizing the extraction reagent, simplifying the experimental procedure, and improving the sensitivity while considering the difference of drug chemical properties. Results showed that the inclusion of hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin with butylphthalide significantly improved the pharmacokinetic behavior of free body hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin and 3‐n‐butylphthalide in vivo. It had been implied that the metabolism of hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin and the drug active ingredients could impact each other. It will help better application of hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin and the developed method might lay the foundation for development of hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin as a treatment drug for brain diseases.
Comparison of four extraction methods for the detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in dried blood spot samples
Authors: Bezerra Cristianne Sousa , Portilho Moyra Machado , Frota Cristiane Cunha , Villar Lívia Melo
Published: May 2021

The dried blood spot (DBS) samples are a useful resource for viral DNA isolation and important in increasing access to HBV diagnosis. However, the choice of the DNA extraction method is crucial for reliable results. We compared the reliability of four DNA extraction methods using DBS samples for the qualitative and quantitative detection of HBV. A panel of serially diluted HBV DNA in whole blood was spotted onto filter paper (Whatman 903 paper and Whatman FTA cards). Four methods were used to extract DNA: QIAamp® DNA Blood Mini Kit (Qiagen); High Pure Viral Nucleic Acid Kit (Roche); Invisorb Spin Blood Midi Kit (Invitek), and DBS Genomic DNA Isolation Kit (Norgen Biotek). Two qualitative PCRs for the core and surface gene regions of HBV were used, and in‐house real‐time PCR was also evaluated. It was possible to detect HBV DNA using all extraction and PCR protocols. The lowest limit of detection was found using Whatman 903 paper, Roche extraction, and qualitative PCR (20 copies of HBV DNA per ml) for the surface/polymerase HBV region. In the case of in‐house real‐time PCR, the lowest limit of detection was found using both Roche and Qiagen assays (estimated 2 × 103 copies per ml). These results suggest the importance of both the extraction method and PCR protocol in detecting HBV DNA in DBS. This study provides insights into the utility of DBS samples in HBV molecular diagnosis and their feasibility in low resource areas where cold storage and transportation may be difficult.
On a class of semilinear nonclassical fractional wave equations with logarithmic nonlinearity
Authors: Vo Van Au , Thi Kim Van Ho , Nguyen Anh Tuan
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we consider the initial boundary value problem for time‐fractional subdiffusive equations with Caputo derivative. Our problem has many applications in population dynamics. The source function is given in the logarithmic form. We examine the existence, uniqueness of local solutions, and their ability to continue to a maximal interval of existence. The main tool and analysis here are of applying some Sobolev embedding and some fixed point theorems.
Growth of slip surfaces in 3D conical slopes
Authors: Klein Boaz , Puzrin Alexander M.
Published: May 2021

Out‐of‐plane curvature of real submarine slopes imposes limitations on applicability of existing planar criteria for catastrophic growth of slip surfaces. In this paper, the growth of an initially weakened zone in three‐dimensional (3D) convex and concave slopes is investigated using the process zone approach. The geometry of the problem is presented in a curvilinear coordinate system for which the governing equations for the three‐dimensional slip surface growth are derived. Solution of these equations for an axisymmetric problem is obtained both analytically and numerically (using a finite differences scheme) and benchmarked against Coupled Eulerian‐Lagrangian finite element simulations. It is shown that the application of the planar slope solution to conical slopes constitutes an overestimation of the slope's stability. The closed form criteria for an unstable 3D slip surface growth in both convex and concave slopes are proposed and validated by fitting numerical results for various sizes and aspect ratios of the initially pre‐softened zone.
A multi‐vehicle covering tour problem with speed optimization
Authors: Margolis Joshua T. , Song Yongjia , Mason Scott J.
Published: May 2021

In the multi‐vehicle covering tour problem with speed optimization, we aim to construct a set of maximal coverage routes for a fleet of vehicles that serve (observe) a set of secondary sites, given a fixed time schedule and coverage requirements. We develop an exact solution approach using a branch‐and‐price framework with a label‐correcting algorithm and a set of innovative dominance rules to solve the resulting pricing problem. We also develop a two‐stage heuristic capable of finding effective initial solutions. In addition, we consider practical extensions to the model by incorporating risk thresholds, energy capacities, and time windows. To validate our proposed solution approaches, we perform an extensive set of numerical experiments. Numerical results show the computational advantage of our proposed solution approaches compared with a state‐of‐the‐art commercial solver.
Low‐rank tensor completion with sparse regularization in a transformed domain
Authors: Wang Ping‐Ping , Li Liang , Cheng Guang‐Hui
Published: May 2021

Tensor completion is a challenging problem with various applications, especially in recovering incomplete visual data. Considering a color image or gray video as a three‐dimensional tensor, many related models based on the low‐rank prior of the tensor have been proposed. However, the low‐rank prior may not be enough to recover the original tensor from the observed incomplete tensor. In this paper, we propose a tensor completion method to recover color images and gray videos by exploiting both the low‐rank and sparse prior of the observed tensor. Specifically, the tensor completion task can be formulated as a low‐rank minimization problem with a sparse regularizer. The low‐rank property is depicted by the tensor truncated nuclear norm based on tensor singular value decomposition which is a better approximation of tensor tubal rank than tensor nuclear norm. While the sparse regularizer is imposed by a ℓ1‐norm in a discrete cosine transformation domain, which can better employ the local sparse property of the incomplete data. To solve the optimization problem, we employ an alternating direction method of multipliers in which we only need to solve several subproblems which have closed‐form solutions. Substantial experiments on real‐world images and videos show that the proposed method has better performances than the existing state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Moral Distress and Resilience Associated with Cancer Care Priority Setting in a Resource-Limited Context
Authors: DeBoer Rebecca J. , Mutoniwase Espérance , Nguyen Cam , Ho Anita , Umutesi Grace , Nkusi Eugene , Sebahungu Fidele , Van Loon Katherine , Shulman Lawrence N. , Shyirambere Cyprien
Published: May 2021

Background

Moral distress and burnout are highly prevalent among oncology clinicians. Research is needed to better understand how resource constraints and systemic inequalities contribute to moral distress in order to develop effective mitigation strategies. Oncology providers in low- and middle-income countries are well positioned to provide insight into the moral experience of cancer care priority setting and expertise to guide solutions.

Methods

Semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 22 oncology physicians, nurses, program leaders, and clinical advisors at a cancer center in Rwanda. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the framework method.

Results

Participants identified sources of moral distress at three levels of engagement with resource prioritization: witnessing program-level resource constraints drive cancer disparities, implementing priority setting decisions into care of individual patients, and communicating with patients directly about resource prioritization implications. They recommended individual and organizational-level interventions to foster resilience, such as communication skills training and mental health support for clinicians, interdisciplinary team building, fair procedures for priority setting, and collective advocacy for resource expansion and equity.

Conclusion

This study adds to the current literature an in-depth examination of the impact of resource constraints and inequities on clinicians in a low-resource setting. Effective interventions are urgently needed to address moral distress, reduce clinician burnout, and promote well-being among a critical but strained oncology workforce. Collective advocacy is concomitantly needed to address the structural forces that constrain resources unevenly and perpetuate disparities in cancer care and outcomes.

Implications for Practice

For many oncology clinicians worldwide, resource limitations constrain routine clinical practice and necessitate decisions about prioritizing cancer care. To the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first in-depth analysis of how resource constraints and priority setting lead to moral distress among oncology clinicians in a low-resource setting. Effective individual and organizational interventions and collective advocacy for equity in cancer care are urgently needed to address moral distress and reduce clinician burnout among a strained global oncology workforce. Lessons from low-resource settings can be gleaned as high-income countries face growing needs to prioritize oncology resources.
Predicting performance on a statewide reading achievement test in Spanish with aimswebPlus Spanish
Authors: Klingbeil David A. , Osman David J. , Carberry Caroline K. , Carrigan Jamison E. , Berry‐Corie Kimberly
Published: May 2021

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires that states make efforts to offer statewide achievement tests in languages, other than English, that are present to a significant extent in the state. Currently, four states offer Spanish reading or language arts assessments as part of their statewide testing program. In these states, practitioners may be interested in screening students who will complete the Spanish assessments to identify those who are at risk for poor performance. Spanish versions of curriculum‐based measures of reading appear well suited for this purpose. We conducted a retrospective analysis of data collected in a high‐performing district in Texas to investigate the predictive validity and diagnostic accuracy associated with the aimswebPlus Spanish scores when predicting statewide Spanish reading assessment performance for students in Grades 3 through 5. Across grades and seasons, the aimswebPlus Spanish scores explained a small amount of variance in statewide Spanish reading assessment (r
2 = 0.17–0.30). When risk on the aimswebPlus was determined using the national 35th percentile, screening decisions were associated with poor sensitivity (range = 0.50–0.72). Decisions were associated with higher specificity (range = 0.67–0.84) with adequate specificity obtained in four of six comparisons. Limitations, practical implications, and future research directions are discussed.
Synthesis of branched polyisobutylenes via cationic copolymerization of p‐chloromethylstyrene and isobutylene
Authors: Yang Ke , Liu Qiang , Wen Shuai , Zhuang Tao
Published: May 2021

Branched polyisobutylenes (PIBs) with relatively low dispersities (1.4–1.8) and benzylic halide functionalities are synthesized by self‐condensing vinyl cationic copolymerization of p‐chloromethylstyrene (p‐CMS) and isobutylene (IB) coinitiated by TiCl4. It is found that the [IB]/[p‐CMS] feed ratio plays a crucial role for the initiating behavior of p‐CMS: the initiation arising from p‐CMS is suppressed at [IB]/[p‐CMS] ≥17; in contrast, the pendant benzyl chloride moiety of p‐CMS monomer in the formed copolymer chains can initiate branching reactions. The resulting branched PIBs are of a gradient composition as well as a gradual increase in branching density due to large disparity in reactivity ratios. This strategy is successfully employed to create branched PIBs with low to moderate molecular weights (Mn, 5 k–78 k Da) through controlling the monomer/initiator mole ratio. However, it is shown that this method failed to obtain branched PIBs with high Mn, bearing a complicated copolymerization mechanism.
Pediatric flexible bronchoscopy: A single‐center report
Authors: Ferraro Valentina Agnese , Baraldi Eugenio , Stabinger Diana , Zamunaro Andrea , Zanconato Stefania , Carraro Silvia
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Pediatric flexible laryngotracheal bronchoscopy (FB) is an integral part of diagnostics and treatment at tertiary pediatric respiratory centers.

Aim

FBs performed between 2013 and 2018 at our Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Medicine Unit of the Department of Women's and Children's Health at Padua University were examined in terms of the indications, findings, and adverse events.

Materials and Methods

The electronic medical records of pediatric patients who underwent FB at least once between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2018 were considered. Patients' clinical data, indications for FB, anatomical findings, information derived from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and bronchial brushing, and possible adverse events were analyzed.

Results

There were 447 pediatric FBs performed in 428 patients (aged from 1 month to 18 years) for diagnostic purposes (92.4%), to clear secretions (3.6%), or to monitor a known condition (4.0%). The main indications were recurrent lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI, 32.2%) and chronic wet cough (9.4%). Lower airway malacia was the most common abnormal finding in these two groups (36.1% and 28.6%, respectively). BAL bacterial culture was positive in 55 children (39.6%) with recurrent LRTI and in 25 (59.5%) with chronic wet cough, being Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Moraxella catarrhalis the microorganisms most commonly isolated. FB proved a safe procedure and was well tolerated.

Conclusions

Pediatric FB is an essential tool at our tertiary pediatric respiratory center. It helps establish the anatomical conditions underlying several chronic respiratory conditions and any correlated microbiological findings, with a significant impact on further patient management.
The order of PDZ3 and TrpCage in fusion chimeras determines their properties—a biophysical characterization
Authors: Bousova Kristyna , Bednarova Lucie , Zouharova Monika , Vetyskova Veronika , Postulkova Klara , Hofbauerová Kateřina , Petrvalska Olivia , Vanek Ondrej , Tripsianes Konstantinos , Vondrasek Jiri
Published: May 2021

Most of the structural proteins known today are composed of domains that carry their own functions while keeping their structural properties. It is supposed that such domains, when taken out of the context of the whole protein, can retain their original structure and function to a certain extent. Information on the specific functional and structural characteristics of individual domains in a new context of artificial fusion proteins may help to reveal the rules of internal and external domain communication. Moreover, this could also help explain the mechanism of such communication and address how the mutual allosteric effect plays a role in a such multi‐domain protein system. The simple model system of the two‐domain fusion protein investigated in this work consisted of a well‐folded PDZ3 domain and an artificially designed small protein domain called Tryptophan Cage (TrpCage). Two fusion proteins with swapped domain order were designed to study their structural and functional features as well as their biophysical properties. The proteins composed of PDZ3 and TrpCage, both identical in amino acid sequence but different in composition (PDZ3‐TrpCage, TrpCage‐PDZ3), were studied using circualr dichroism (CD) spectrometry, analytical ultracentrifugation, and molecular dynamic simulations. The biophysical analysis uncovered different structural and denaturation properties of both studied proteins, revealing their different unfolding pathways and dynamics.
Antioxidant Efficacy of Natural Ubiquinol Compared to Synthetic References – In Vitro Study
Authors: Ácsová Aneta , Hojerová Jarmila , Tobolková Blanka , Martiniaková Silvia
Published: May 2021

There are many studies dealing with the oxidized form (Ubiquinone) of coenzyme Q10, but only a little of its reduced form (Ubiquinol). Two yeast‐based Ubiquinols (UQH2_S, Sigma‐Aldrich; UQH2_K, Kaneka) were investigated for in vitro antioxidant efficacy compared to synthetic antioxidants. The antioxidant efficacy of UQH2_S and UQH2_K by the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl’ (DPPH) assay as well as by the 2,2’‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulfonic) acid’ (ABTS) assay was almost identical (IC50DPPH/ABTS 0.387/0.226–0.219 mM, respectively). The values were higher (p<0.05) than that of α‐tocopherol, Gallic acid, Butylhydroxyanisole, Butylhydroxytoluene. Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power’ values for Ubiquinols (0.05–0.3 mM) were higher (p<0.05) than for the other antioxidants, except Gallic acid. According to the Electron paramagnetic resonance assay, the antioxidant activity of α‐tocopherol/UQH2_S mixture was higher compared to the individual antioxidant only in specific combinations.
Nanoscaled Fe‐MIL‐88NH2 as a Turn‐On Platform for Detecting and Bioimaging Cysteine
Authors: Gao Ce , Zhang Qijia , Ma Liping , Song P. , Xia L. X.
Published: May 2021

Cysteine (Cys) is an amino acid found in the body that exerts a good antioxidant effect. Sensitive detection of Cys has far‐reaching significance both in the cosmetics industry and biochemical reports. This paper showed that Fe‐MIL‐88NH2. Fe‐MIL‐88NH2 particles were prepared using solvothermal synthesis and their structure was determined using powder X‐ray diffraction, FT‐IR, electron microscopy, as well as N2 adsorption‐desorption measurements. Because of the large channels present in the frame, Fe‐MIL‐88NH2 quickly removed hazardous cationic dyes from water within several minutes. Luminescence tests showed Fe‐MIL‐88NH2 selected Cys featuring great sensitivity in the water, with a detection limit of 5.33 μM. A CCK8 experiment found that Fe‐MIL‐88NH2 had low cytotoxicity. Additionally, the constructed fluorescent platform was used as one signaling tool in monitoring Cys for detecting exo/endogenous Cys in A549 cells.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance of NiS2/g‐C3N4/SnS2 by Improving the Charge Diffusion on Both Valence Band and Conduction Band of Carbon Nitride
Authors: Li Shengfu , Liu Wei , Zhao Siwei , Li Yi , Chen Kun
Published: May 2021

Herein, a novel Z‐scheme heterojunction of nickel disulfide (NiS2)/graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4)/(tin disulphide) SnS2 has been successfully prepared by a simple one‐step hydrothermal method. Compared to the pristine g‐C3N4, a considerable enhancement on the photocatalytic activity of the heterojunction for the photodegradation of methyl orange was obtained, which is attributed to the promoted separation and transfer of the photo‐induced exciton due to the formation of Z‐scheme mechanism in NiS2/g‐C3N4/SnS2 composites. In particular, the composite of 1 %‐NiS2/g‐C3N4/SnS2 shows the highest apparent quasi‐first‐order rate constant of 0.0633 min−1 for the photodegradation of methyl orange, which is 6.96 times and 2.50 times as large as that of the pristine g‐C3N4 and 5 %‐SnS2/g‐C3N4, respectively.
Unveiling the Chemo‐ and Regioselectivity of the [3+2] Cycloaddition Reaction between 4‐Chlorobenzonitrile Oxide and β‐Aminocinnamonitrile with a MEDT Perspective**
Authors: Domingo Luis R , Acharjee Nivedita
Published: May 2021

A molecular electron density theory (MEDT) study for the [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction of 4‐chlorobenzonitrile oxide (CBNO) and β‐aminocinnamonitrile (ACN) has been performed at the MPWB1K/6‐311G(d,p) computational level. This 32CA reaction, characterised as the zwitterionic type (zw‐type), presents an activation enthalpy of 11.8, 14.2 and 16.6 kcal mol−1, in gas phase, benzene and methanol. The formation of 3‐aryl‐5‐(β‐aminostyryl)‐1,2,4‐oxadiazole is predicted as the energetically feasible one following a non‐concertedtwo‐stage one‐stepmechanism. Thiszw‐type32CA reaction shows a total chemo and regioselectivity. The global electron density transfer at the most favourable transition state structure (TS), higher than 0.14 e, suggests some polar character. The most energetically favoured TS shows an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the amine −NH2of ACN and the oxygen of CBNO, which favours thiszw‐type32CA reaction. This behaviour is enhanced with the inclusion of a methanol molecule hydrogen bonded to this oxygen atom. The present MEDT study suggests that the best experimental conditions are to use a non‐polar solvent such as benzene containing catalytic amounts of a protic solvent such as methanol.
Copper Nanoparticles Supported on Zinc Oxide as Efficient Catalyst for the N‐Arylation of (Hetero)cyclic and Acyclic Amides
Authors: Moglie Yanina , Mascaró Evangelina , Zacconi Flavia , Radivoy Gabriel
Published: May 2021

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) supported on ZnO are highly active and selective heterogeneous catalyst for the N‐arylation of cyclic and acyclic amides (Golberg coupling). The reaction conditions are mild, featuring K3PO4 as a base and N,N’‐dimethylethylendiamine (DMEDA) as ligand in refluxing acetonitrile. The CuNPs/ZnO catalyst can be recovered and reused in six cycles with only little loss of activity. The methodology can be successfully scaled up to gram scale without decreasing the catalytic activity.
Mitochondria Encapsulation in Hydrogel‐Based Artificial Cells as ATP Producing Subunits
Authors: Westensee Isabella Nymann , Brodszkij Edit , Qian Xiaomin , Marcelino Thaís Floriano , Lefkimmiatis Konstantinos , Städler Brigitte
Published: May 2021

Artificial cells (ACs) aim to mimic selected structural and functional features of mammalian cells. In this context, energy generation is an important challenge to be addressed when self‐sustained systems are desired. Here, mitochondria isolated from HepG2 cells are employed as natural subunits that facilitate chemically driven adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis. The successful mitochondria isolation is confirmed by monitoring the preserved inner membrane potential, the respiration, and the ATP production ability. The encapsulation of the isolated mitochondria in gelatin‐based hydrogels results in similar initial ATP production compared to mitochondria in solution with a sustained ATP production over 24 h. Furthermore, luciferase is coencapsulated with the mitochondria in gelatin‐based particles to create ACs and employ the in situ produced ATP to drive the catalytic conversion of d‐luciferin. The coencapsulation of luciferase‐loaded liposomes with mitochondria in gelatin‐based hydrogels is additionally explored where the encapsulation of mitochondria and liposomes resulted in clustering effects that are likely contributing to the functional performance of the active entities. Taken together, mitochondria show potential in cell mimicry to facilitate energy‐dependent processes.
On the effect of the boundary conditions of plain concrete exposed to high temperatures under uniaxial compression
Authors: Buttignol Thomaz Eduardo Teixeira , Bittencourt Túlio Nogueira
Published: May 2021

The effect of the boundary conditions, defined as the thermal expansion restraint imposed by the external uniaxial compressive load in plain concrete subjected to high temperatures, is discussed. A numerical mesoscopic investigation uncoupled the load induced thermal strain (LITS) into three main components (aggregates and matrix strain contributions and the effect of the thermal expansion restraint). The analyses demonstrate that LITS depends on the materials properties (viscous‐plastic behavior) and also on the boundary conditions, which is function of the test setup and seems to be not related to the material properties. In this paper, the role of the boundary conditions on 1‐phase (homogeneous) and 2‐phase (matrix + aggregates) numerical analyses are investigated. A LITS semi‐empirical model is incorporated in the numerical modeling to account for the stiffness degradation. It is demonstrated that in 1‐phase models, the effect of the boundary conditions is absent, which is not true for mesoscale analyses. In this case, the effect of the boundary conditions should be taken into account and subtracted from the results to avoid an overestimation of the material response. It is important mentioning that the analyses of concrete behavior at elevated temperatures and transient creep experimental procedures completely neglect the role of the boundary conditions.
Understanding sociality and behavior change associated with a nesting event in a captive flock of great white pelicans
Authors: Brereton James E. , Fryer James , Rose Paul E.
Published: May 2021

Zoo‐housed pelicans are commonplace, but their breeding record is poor and little research is published on the activity patterns, as potential predictors of nesting, of captive flocks. Existing literature shows that comparative research can provide useful information for husbandry and conservation planning for pelican populations. The opportunity arose to investigate the time‐activity budget and social network of a breeding flock of captive great white pelicans. Three chicks were hatched in June and July 2016 and one in March 2017. Data on state behaviors, space use, and association preferences were collected around these nesting events, from October 2016 to February 2017 and July to October 2017. Results suggest that pre‐nesting periods were associated with heightened flock‐wide vigilance, suggesting that vigilance may be a precursor for courtship or nesting activity. Social network analysis revealed nonrandom associations between birds and a social structure across the flock, in which subadults seemed to associate more with each other than with adult birds. A limited visitor effect was noted; whilst no overall behavior change was apparent with different numbers of visitors, pelicans did widen their enclosure usage with increased visitor presence. These data are relevant to those attempting to breed this pelican, who wish to know more about the daily behavior patterns of this species across the season and physiological state, and who wish to understand pelican social structure, which is useful to the planning and implementation of bird moves or changes to the social environment of the flock. Further extending such research to include uninterrupted observation over a successful breeding event is recommended.
Getting Things Done
Authors: Boin Arjen , McConnell Allan , ‘t Hart Paul
Published: May 2021

This chapter reviews the main governance challenges policymakers faced during the COVID-19 crisis. It examines how governments mobilized institutional capacity to tackle these challenges. We focus on attempts to centralize crisis decision-making and discuss whether centralization contributed to government effectiveness and legitimacy.
Crafting Crisis Narratives
Authors: Boin Arjen , McConnell Allan , ‘t Hart Paul
Published: May 2021

Communication is pivotal when a society faces a sudden, disruptive and disturbing event. People want to know what is going on, why it is happening, what is done to safeguard them and what they can to protect themselves. During COVID-19, governments were the main sources of that information, at least initially. Governments tried to shape the attitudes, emotions and behaviours of citizens in accordance with their policies. Over time, alternative crisis narratives emerged and influenced citizen behaviour. This chapter examines crisis communication in the COVID-19 crisis: how did leaders try to ‘make making’ of this unprecedented threat? How did they deal with the alternative crisis frames that emerged over time?
Pathways to Resilience
Authors: Boin Arjen , McConnell Allan , ‘t Hart Paul
Published: May 2021

The COVID-19 crisis has tested public institutions, crisis leadership and societal solidarity to the core. Fault lines have come to the fore; unsuspected strengths have been noted. But will this be enough to initiate the necessary steps to prepare our societies for the future crises that will come? In this chapter, we offer the building blocks for an action agenda. We identify various pathways to enhanced resilience.
The large-c Virasoro identity block is a semi-classical Liouville correlator
Authors: Vos Gideon
Published: May 2021

Abstract

It will be shown analytically that the light sector of the identity block of a mixed heavy-light correlator in the large central charge limit is given by a correlation function of light operators on an effective background geometry. This geometry is generated by the presence of the heavy operators. It is shown that this background geometry is a solution to the Liouville equation of motion sourced by corresponding heavy vertex operators and subsequently that the light sector of the identity block matches the Liouville correlation function in the semi-classical limit. This method effectively captures the spirit of Einstein gravity as a theory of dynamical geometry in AdS/CFT. The reason being that Liouville theory is closely related to semi-classical asymptotically AdS3 gravity.
The Casimir effect in the presence of infrared transparency
Authors: Warkentin Max
Published: May 2021

Abstract

We revisit the Casimir effect perceived by two surfaces in the presence of infrared (IR) transparency. To address this problem, we study a model, where such a phenomenon naturally arises: the DGP model with two parallel 3-branes, each endowed with a localized curvature term. In that model, the ultraviolet modes of the 5-dimensional graviton are suppressed on the branes, while the IR modes can penetrate them freely. First, we find that the DGP branes act as “effective” (momentum-dependent) boundary conditions for the gravitational field, so that the (gravitational) Casimir force between them emerges. Second, we discover that the presence of an IR transparency region for the discrete modes modifies the standard Casimir force — as derived for ideal Dirichlet boundary conditions — in two competing ways: i) The exclusion of soft modes from the discrete spectrum leads to an increase of the Casimir force. ii) The non-ideal nature of the boundary conditions gives rise to a “leakage” of hard modes. As a result of i) and ii), the Casimir force becomes weaker. Since the derivation of this result involves only the localized kinetic terms of a quantum field on parallel surfaces (with codimension one), the derived Casimir force is expected to be present in a variety of setups in arbitrary dimensions.
Copper additive manufacturing using MIM feedstock: adjustment of printing, debinding, and sintering parameters for processing dense and defectless parts
Authors: Singh Gurminder , Missiaen Jean-Michel , Bouvard Didier , Chaix Jean-Marc
Published: May 2021

In the present study, an additive manufacturing process of copper using extrusion 3D printing, solvent and thermal debinding, and sintering was explored. Extrusion 3D printing of metal injection moulding (MIM) feedstock was used to fabricate green body samples. The printing process was performed with optimized parameters to achieve high green density and low surface roughness. To remove water-soluble polymer, the green body was immersed in water for solvent debinding. The interconnected voids formed during solvent debinding were favorable for removing the backbone polymer from the brown body during thermal debinding. Thermal debinding was performed up to 500 °C, and ~ 6.5% total weight loss of the green sample was estimated. Finally, sintering of the thermally debinded samples was performed at 950, 1000, 1030, and 1050°C. The highest sintering temperature provided the highest relative density (94.5%) and isotropic shrinkage. Micro-computed tomography (μCT) examination was performed on green samples and sintered samples, and qualitative and quantitative analysis of the porosity confirmed the benefits of optimized printing conditions for the final microstructure. This work opens up the opportunity for 3D printing and sintering to produce pure copper components with complicated shapes and high density, utilizing raw MIM feedstock as the starting material.
Performance des PyroMark Q48 FX Age Assay auf zwei unterschiedlichen Pyrosequenzierplattformen
Authors: Pfeifer Manuel , Greb Angelique , Bajanowski Thomas , Poetsch Micaela
Published: May 2021

Hintergrund

Der PyroMark Q48 FX Age Assay (Qiagen, Hilden, Deutschland) wurde von der Fa. Qiagen GmbH als kommerziell erhältliches Kit für die molekulare Altersschätzung auf der Grundlage von DNA-Methylierungsanalysen mithilfe eines PyroMark Q48 Autoprep (Qiagen, Hilden, Deutschland) vorgestellt.

Fragestellung

Vergleichbarkeit und Anwendbarkeit des PyroMark Q48 FX Age Assay auf den 2 unterschiedlichen Pyrosequenzierplattformen PyroMark Q48 Autoprep und PyroMark Q96 MD.

Material und Methoden

Es wurden 28 Mundschleimhautabriebe (MSA) und 15 Blutproben mithilfe des PyroMark Q48 FX Age Assay auf 2 Pyrosequenzierplattformen analysiert und jeweils eine Altersschätzung über das Schätzmodell von Zbiec-Piekarska et al. (2015) durchgeführt.

Ergebnisse

Die DNA-Methylierungswerte in den 5 Cytosin-Phosphat-Guanin(CpG)-Stellen wiesen beim Vergleich beider Geräte signifikante Unterschiede auf, wobei die DNA-Methylierungslevel des PyroMark Q96 MD sowohl in MSA als auch in den Blutproben höher waren als für den PyroMark Q48 Autoprep. So zeigte sich bei den MSA eine mittlere Abweichung der DNA-Methylierungswerte der beiden Geräte von 10,6 %, wohingegen diese bei den Blutproben 7,4 % betrug. Bei der Altersschätzung der Blutproben konnten jedoch keine deutlichen Unterschiede zwischen den Pyrosequenzern im Hinblick auf die Schätzgenauigkeit identifiziert werden. Hier beträgt die mittlere absolute Abweichung 7,9 (PyroMark Q48 Autoprep) bzw. 8,1 Jahre (PyroMark Q96 MD).

Schlussfolgerung

Die aufgetretenen Unterschiede in den DNA-Methylierungswerten sowohl bei den Blutproben als auch den MSA verdeutlichen die Schwierigkeit der Vergleichbarkeit von DNA-Methylierungswerten aus unterschiedlichen Geräten. Für die Verwendung dieses Assays mit anderen Pyrosequenziergeräten müssten weitere Proben analysiert werden, um mögliche signifikante Unterschiede detektieren zu können.
Stability and Instability of Self-Gravitating Relativistic Matter Distributions
Authors: Hadžić Mahir , Lin Zhiwu , Rein Gerhard
Published: May 2021

We consider steady state solutions of the massive, asymptotically flat, spherically symmetric Einstein–Vlasov system, i.e., relativistic models of galaxies or globular clusters, and steady state solutions of the Einstein–Euler system, i.e., relativistic models of stars. Such steady states are embedded into one-parameter families parameterized by their central redshift $$\kappa >0$$

κ
>
0

. We prove their linear instability when $$\kappa $$
κ
is sufficiently large, i.e., when they are strongly relativistic, and prove that the instability is driven by a growing mode. Our work confirms the scenario of dynamic instability proposed in the 1960s by Zel’dovich & Podurets (for the Einstein–Vlasov system) and by Harrison, Thorne, Wakano, & Wheeler (for the Einstein–Euler system). Our results are in sharp contrast to the corresponding non-relativistic, Newtonian setting. We carry out a careful analysis of the linearized dynamics around the above steady states and prove an exponential trichotomy result and the corresponding index theorems for the stable/unstable invariant spaces. Finally, in the case of the Einstein–Euler system we prove a rigorous version of the turning point principle which relates the stability of steady states along the one-parameter family to the winding points of the so-called mass-radius curve.
The selective 5-HT1A receptor biased agonists, F15599 and F13714, show antidepressant-like properties after a single administration in the mouse model of unpredictable chronic mild stress
Authors: Głuch-Lutwin Monika , Sałaciak Kinga , Gawalska Alicja , Jamrozik Marek , Sniecikowska Joanna , Newman-Tancredi Adrian , Kołaczkowski Marcin , Pytka Karolina
Published: May 2021

Rationale

The prevalence of depression is ever-increasing throughout the population. However, available treatments are ineffective in around one-third of patients and there is a need for more effective and safer drugs.

Objectives

The antidepressant-like and procognitive effects of the “biased agonists” F15599 (also known as NLX-101) which preferentially targets postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors and F13714, which targets 5-HT1A autoreceptors, were investigated in mice.

Methods

Antidepressant-like properties of the compounds and their effect on cognitive functions were assessed using the forced swim test (FST) and the novel object recognition (NOR), respectively. Next, we induced a depressive-like state by an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) procedure to test the compounds’ activity in the depression model, followed by measures of sucrose preference, FST, and locomotor activity. Levels of phosphorylated cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK1/2) were also determined.

Results

F15599 reduced immobility time in the FST over a wider dose-range (2 to 16 mg/kg po) than F13714 (2 and 4 mg/kg po), suggesting accentuated antidepressant-like properties in mice. F15599 did not disrupt long-term memory consolidation in the NOR at any dose tested, while F13714 impaired memory formation, notably at higher doses (4–16 mg/kg). In UCMS mice, a single administration of F15599 and F13714 was sufficient to robustly normalize depressive-like behavior in the FST but did not rescue disrupted sucrose preference. Both F15599 and F13714 rescued cortical and hippocampal deficits in p-ERK1/2 levels of UCMS mice but did not influence the p-CREB levels.

Conclusions

Our studies showed that 5-HT1A receptor biased agonists such as F13714 and especially F15599, due to its less pronounced side effects, might have potential as fast-acting antidepressants.
β-Glucan phosphorylases in carbohydrate synthesis
Authors: Ubiparip Zorica , De Doncker Marc , Beerens Koen , Franceus Jorick , Desmet Tom
Published: May 2021

β-Glucan phosphorylases are carbohydrate-active enzymes that catalyze the reversible degradation of β-linked glucose polymers, with outstanding potential for the biocatalytic bottom-up synthesis of β-glucans as major bioactive compounds. Their preference for sugar phosphates (rather than nucleotide sugars) as donor substrates further underlines their significance for the carbohydrate industry. Presently, they are classified in the glycoside hydrolase families 94, 149, and 161 (www.cazy.org). Since the discovery of β-1,3-oligoglucan phosphorylase in 1963, several other specificities have been reported that differ in linkage type and/or degree of polymerization. Here, we present an overview of the progress that has been made in our understanding of β-glucan and associated β-glucobiose phosphorylases, with a special focus on their application in the synthesis of carbohydrates and related molecules.

Key points

• Discovery, characteristics, and applications of β-glucan phosphorylases.

• β-Glucan phosphorylases in the production of functional carbohydrates.
Long-term and pathological outcomes of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy: implications for active surveillance
Authors: Meissner Valentin H. , Woll Mira , Ankerst Donna P. , Schiele Stefan , Gschwend Jürgen E. , Herkommer Kathleen
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The safety of active surveillance (AS) in favorable intermediate-risk (FIR) prostate cancer (PCa) remains uncertain. To provide guidance on clinical decision-making, we examined long-term and pathological outcomes of low-risk and intermediate-risk PCa patients after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Methods

The study involved 5693 patients diagnosed between 1994 and 2019 with low-risk, FIR, and unfavorable intermediate-risk (UIR) PCa (stratification according to the AUA guidelines) who underwent RP. Pathological outcomes were compared, and Kaplan–Meier analysis determined biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) at 5, 10, 15, and 20 years. Multiple Cox regression was used to simultaneously control for relevant confounders.

Results

Those at FIR had higher rates of upgrading and upstaging (12.8% vs. 7.2%, p < 0.001; 19.8% vs. 12.0%, p < 0.001) as well as pathological tumor and node stage (≥ pT3a: 18.8% vs. 11.6%, p < 0.001; pN1: 2.7% vs. 0.8%, p > 0.001) compared to patients at low risk. The 20-year BRFS was 69%, 65%, and 44% and the 20-year CSS was 98%, 95%, and 89% in low-risk, FIR, and UIR patients. On multiple Cox regression, FIR was not associated with a worse BRFS (HR 1.07, CI 0.87–1.32), UIR was associated with a worse BRFS (HR 1.49, CI 1.20–1.85).

Conclusion

Patients at FIR had only slightly worse pathological and long-term outcomes compared to patients at low risk, whereas the difference compared to patients at UIR was large. This emphasizes AS in these patients as a possible treatment strategy in well-counseled patients.