bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of diabetes mellitus on risk of major complications after hip fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Shen Qiu , Ma Yunping
Published: April 2022

Background

The impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on adverse outcomes in hip fracture patients is unclear. Furthermore, no review has synthesized evidence on this subject. Therefore, the current study was designed to answer the following research question: Does DM increase the risk of mortality and major systemic complications in patients with hip fractures?

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched from 1st January 2000 to 1st August 2021 for studies comparing DM and non-DM patients with hip fractures. Outcomes of interest were pooled using risk ratios (RR). The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021268525).

Results

Sixteen studies were included. Meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant increased risk of mortality in diabetics as compared to non-diabetics after 1 year (RR: 1.24 95% CI 1.08, 1.43 I2 = 62% p = 0.003). Pooled analysis of eight studies reporting adjusted mortality outcomes also demonstrated similar results (RR: 1.17 95% CI 1.09, 1.25 I2 = 74% p < 0.0001). We noted a statistically significant increase in the risk of cardiac complications (RR: 1.44 95% CI 1.17, 1.78 I2 = 19% p = 0.0005) and risk of renal failure in diabetics as compared to non-diabetics (RR: 1.32 95% CI 1.04, 1.68 I2 = 0% p = 0.02); but no difference in the risk of cerebrovascular (RR: 1.45 95% CI 0.74, 2.85 I2 = 47% p = 0.28), pulmonary (RR: 0.94 95% CI 0.73, 1.23 I2 = 8% p = 0.67) and thromboembolic complications (RR: 0.81 95% CI 0.56, 1.17 I2 = 28% p = 0.26).

Conclusion

Our results indicate that diabetics have an increased risk of mortality as compared to non-diabetics. Scarce data indicates that the risk of cardiac complications and renal failure are increased in patients with DM but there is no difference in the risk of cerebrovascular, pulmonary, or thromboembolic complications. Further studies are needed to strengthen the current conclusions.
RNA sensor MDA5 suppresses LINE-1 retrotransposition by regulating the promoter activity of LINE-1 5′-UTR
Authors: Yan Jiaxiu , Zhao Yifei , Du Juan , Wang Yu , Wang Shaohua , Wang Qing , Zhao Xu , Xu Wei , Zhao Ke
Published: April 2022

Background

Type 1 long interspersed elements, or LINE-1, are the only retroelements that replicate autonomously in human cells. The retrotransposition process of LINE-1 can trigger the activation of the innate immune system and has been proposed to play a role in the development of several autoimmune diseases, including Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS). In contrast, all known AGS-associated proteins, except MDA5, have been reported to affect LINE-1 activity. Thus, MDA5 is likely to also function as a LINE-1 suppressor.

Results

MDA5 was found to potently suppress LINE-1 activity in a reporter-based LINE-1 retrotransposition assay. Although MDA5 is an endogenous RNA sensor able to activate the innate immune system, increased interferon (IFN) expression only contributed in part to MDA5-mediated LINE-1 suppression. Instead, MDA5 potently regulated the promoter activity of LINE-1 5′-UTR, as confirmed by transiently expressed myc-tagged MDA5 or knockdown of endogenous MDA5 expression. Consequently, MDA5 effectively reduced the generation of LINE-1 RNA and the subsequent expression of LINE-1 ORF1p and ORF2p. Interestingly, despite MDA5 being a multi-domain protein, the N-terminal 2CARD domain alone is sufficient to interact with LINE-1 5′-UTR and inhibit LINE-1 promoter activity.

Conclusion

Our data reveal that MDA5 functions as a promoter regulator; it directly binds to the LINE-1 5′-UTR and suppresses its promoter activity. Consequently, MDA5 reduces LINE-1 RNA and protein levels, and ultimately inhibits LINE-1 retrotransposition. In contrast, MDA5-induced IFN expression only plays a mild role in MDA5-mediated LINE-1 suppression. In addition, the N-terminal 2CARD domain was found to be a functional region for MDA5 upon inhibition of LINE-1 replication. Thus, our data suggest that besides being an initiator of the innate immune system, MDA5 is also an effector against LINE-1 activity, potentially forming a feedback loop by suppressing LINE-1-induced innate immune activation.
MFN2 knockdown promotes osteogenic differentiation of iPSC-MSCs through aerobic glycolysis mediated by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway
Authors: Deng Lidi , Yi Siqi , Yin Xiaohui , Li Yang , Luan Qingxian
Published: April 2022

Background

Mitofusin-2 (MFN2) is a kind of GTPase that participates in the regulation of mitochondrial fusion, which is related to a variety of physiological and pathological processes, including energy metabolism, cell differentiation, and embryonic development. However, it remains unclear whether MFN2 is involved in the metabolism and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Methods

MFN2 knockdown (MFN2-KD) and MFN2-overexpressing (MFN2-OE) induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iPSC-MSCs) were constructed by lentivirus. The commercial kits were utilized to detect the glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) rate. Flow cytometry, Western blot, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), RNA-seq, immunofluorescence, and immunoprecipitation were employed for phenotype and molecular mechanism assessment.

Results

We demonstrated that MFN2 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway regulated glycolysis of iPSC-MSCs. The lack of MFN2 promoted the osteogenic differentiation of iPSC-MSCs, and aerobic glycolysis in the presence of sufficient oxygen, which increased glucose consumption and lactic acid production, as well as the glycolytic enzyme activity and gene expression. Inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway normalized the enhanced glycolytic rate and osteogenic differentiation of MFN2-KD iPSC-MSCs. MFN2-OE iPSC-MSCs displayed the opposite phenotype.

Conclusions

Downregulating MFN2 promotes osteogenic differentiation of iPSC-MSCs through aerobic glycolysis mediated by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our research reveals the new function of MFN2 in regulating the osteogenic differentiation and energy metabolism of MSCs, which will provide a new therapeutic target and theoretical basis for alveolar bone repair and periodontal regenerative treatment.
Overall and sex-specific risk factors for subjective cognitive decline: findings from the 2015–2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey
Authors: Schliep Karen C. , Barbeau William A. , Lynch Kristine E. , Sorweid Michelle K. , Varner Michael W. , Foster Norman L. , Qeadan Fares
Published: April 2022

Background

Prior research indicates that at least 35% of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia risk may be amenable to prevention. Subjective cognitive decline is often the first indication of preclinical dementia, with the risk of subsequent Alzheimer’s disease in such individuals being greater in women than men. We wished to understand how modifiable factors are associated with subjective cognitive decline, and whether differences exist by sex.

Methods

Data were collected from men and women (45 years and older) who completed the U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Cognitive Decline Module (2015–2018),n = 216,838. We calculated population-attributable fractions for subjective cognitive decline, stratified by sex, of the following factors: limited education, deafness, social isolation, depression, smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Our models were adjusted for age, race, income, employment, marital and Veteran status, and accounted for communality among risk factors.

Results

The final study sample included more women (53.7%) than men, but both had a similar prevalence of subjective cognitive decline (10.6% of women versus 11.2% of men). Women and men had nearly equivalent overall population-attributable fractions to explain subjective cognitive decline (39.7% for women versus 41.3% for men). The top three contributing risk factors were social isolation, depression, and hypertension, which explained three-quarters of the overall population-attributable fraction.

Conclusions

While we did not identify any differences in modifiable factors between men and women contributing to subjective cognitive decline, other factors including reproductive or endocrinological health history or biological factors that interact with sex to modify risk warrant further research.
Applications of some new Krasnoselskii-type fixed-point results for generalized expansive and equiexpansive mappings
Authors: Ahmad Niaz , Mehmood Nayyar , Akgül Ali
Published: April 2022

We consider Ω as a subset of a Banach space W and Λ as a function of Ω into W. Let Ϝ be a function whose image values lie in W and domain is $\Lambda (\Omega )\times \Omega $
Λ
(
Ω
)
×
Ω
or $\Omega \times \Omega $
Ω
×
Ω
. In this paper, we establish some fixed-point results for a generalized expansive and equiexpansive operator Ϝ such that $\Omega \subseteq \digamma (\Lambda \omega ,\Omega )$
Ω
⊆
Ϝ
(
Λ
ω
,
Ω
)
or $\Omega \subseteq \digamma (\omega ,\Omega )$
Ω
⊆
Ϝ
(
ω
,
Ω
)
. We apply our results to acquire the solutions of fractional evolution equations and certain types of integral equations. We demonstrate our results with examples, and plot approximate and exact solutions with errors.
Reimagining zoonotic malaria control in communities exposed to Plasmodium knowlesi infection
Authors: Naserrudin Nurul Athirah , Monroe April , Culleton Richard , Hod Rozita , Jeffree Muhammad Saffree , Ahmed Kamruddin , Hassan Mohd Rohaizat
Published: April 2022

Plasmodium knowlesi malaria infection in humans has been reported throughout southeast Asia. The communities at risk are those living in areas where Macaque monkeys and Anopheles mosquito are present. Zoonotic malaria control is challenging due to the presence of the reservoir host and the possibility of human-vector-human transmission. Current control measures, including insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), are insufficient to address this threat due to gaps in protection associated with outdoor and early evening vector biting and social and economic activities, such as agricultural and forest work. Understanding the challenges faced by affected communities in preventing mosquito bites is important for reducing disease transmission. This opinion paper discusses opportunities to improve P. knowlesi malaria control through understanding the challenges faced by communities at risk and increasing community engagement and ownership of control measures. The paper highlights this issue by describing how the concept of reimagining malaria can be adapted to zoonotic malaria control measures including identifying current gaps in vector control, understanding interactions between environmental, economic, and human behavioral factors, and increasing community participation in and ownership of control measures.
The effects of media and peers on negative body image among Chinese college students: a chained indirect influence model of appearance comparison and internalization of the thin ideal
Authors: Shen Jianting , Chen Jinjun , Tang Xiwen , Bao Shangfei
Published: April 2022

Background

Negative body image is a common psychological phenomenon among Chinese college students meriting investigation. Peers and the media are important factors that negatively influence body image. This study explored the mechanisms of media and peers promoting negative body image among Chinese college students.

Method

Data from 407 college students (173 men and 234 women) were collected using the Revised Social and Cultural Attitude Questionnaire of Appearance, Appearance Comparison Scale, Peer Impact Scale, and Negative Body Image Scale.

Results

Correlational analysis results demonstrated that media attention was not significantly correlated with negative body image. All other variables were significantly positively correlated. Path analysis results indicated that the direct effect of media attention on negative body image was not significant, while the direct effect of peer impact was significant. In addition, appearance comparison and internalization of the thin ideal acted as a chained indirect effect between negative body image, media attention, and peer impact.

Conclusions

The research revealed that focusing on perfect bodies displayed in the media did not produce a negative body image. However, focusing on the media and peer conversations regarding the body caused the participants to compare appearances and internalize ideal body shape standards, leading to negative self-evaluations.
Assessment approaches of English language teachers in the Saudi higher education context
Authors: Almossa Samar Yakoob , Alzahrani Sahar Matar
Published: April 2022

Assessment approaches including assessment purposes, assessment processes, fairness, and measurement theory, and English teachers’ professional development needs remain underexplored in the Middle East and North Africa regions. This study provided empirical evidence on English language teachers approaches in the Saudi higher education context. A survey was used to examine the teachers’ current approaches to classroom assessment. A total of 287 subjects (191 women and 94 men) participated in the survey. The results revealed that both the male and female participants valued and endorsed assessments alike. However, female participants were found to value assessment purposes more than their male counterparts. Fairness in assessment approaches was the least valued item in teachers’ identified assessment approaches. Experienced teachers who identified themselves as competent in their role valued assessment fairness and measurement theory more than novice teachers. The present work broadens our knowledge on teachers’ assessment approaches in relation to gender, career stage, and academic position, which support interested researchers and policy-makers in decision-making regarding designing professional development programs.
The mediating role of complex posttraumatic stress and borderline pattern symptoms on the association between sexual abuse and suicide risk
Authors: Gelezelyte Odeta , Kvedaraite Monika , Kairyte Agniete , Roberts Neil P. , Bisson Jonathan I. , Kazlauskas Evaldas
Published: April 2022

Background

The 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) includes a new diagnosis of complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). There has been very little research investigating associations between CPTSD symptoms and suicide risk following sexual abuse. This and questions concerning similarities and differences between CPTSD and borderline personality disorder (BPD), led to the current study that aimed to explore indirect associations between sexual abuse and suicide risk through the symptoms of CPTSD and borderline traits.

Methods

The study sample comprised 103 adults with a history of traumatic experiences (Mage = 32.64, SDage = 9.36; 83.5% female). In total, 26.3% of the participants reported experiencing sexual abuse during their lifetime. The clinician-administered International Trauma Interview (ITI) was used for the assessment of ICD-11 CPTSD symptoms. Self-report measures were used for the evaluation of borderline pattern (BP) symptoms and suicide risk. Mediation analyses were performed to evaluate the mediating effects of CPTSD and BP symptoms for the association between sexual trauma and suicide risk.

Results

In a parallel mediation model, CPTSD and BP symptoms mediated the association between sexual abuse and suicide risk, following adjustment for the covariates of age, gender, and whether the traumatic experience occurred in childhood or adulthood. Around 73% of participants who met diagnostic criteria for CPTSD reported previous suicide attempt(s).

Conclusions

Suicide risk assessment and intervention should be an important part of the management of victims of sexual abuse with CPTSD and BP symptoms.
Analytical effect of stabilizer volume and shape on zircon U–Pb dating by nanosecond LA-ICP-QMS
Authors: Xiong Dongyang , Guo Longfei , Liu Chenxi , Wang Long , Liu Yanrong , Tan Xijuan
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we evaluated the effect of seven stabilizers with different shapes (including cylinder, cubic and ball shape) on zircon U–Pb dating analysis by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-QMS) in detail. In the case of stabilizer volume examined, the analytical efficiency of cylinder stabilizers (21.2, 25.1, 35.3 and 125 mL) were investigated in terms of signal stabilization, signal rising/washout time and U–Pb dating accuracy. By using zircon 91500 as reference material for external calibration, the 206Pb/238U age of zircon Plešovice was determined by a nanosecond LA-ICP-QMS, where the stabilizer was placed directly after the ablation cell and sample aerosols carried by helium passed through the stabilizer and subsequently mixed with make-up gas (argon) before ICP. It was found that transient signal oscillations were invisible and signal intensities were comparable using all the stabilizers, while signal rising time was 2.0-fold and washout time was 27.6-fold for stabilizer with volume of 125 mL to that of 21.2 mL. The obtained average 206Pb/238U age of zircon Plešovice was 335.53 ± 1.02, 361.73 ± 5.04, 340.10 ± 1.98 and 341.21 ± 5.17 Ma (2σ, n ≥ 5), respectively, giving average relative deviations of a single point of age (1σ) less than 2.0%. Among the corresponding 206Pb/238U ratios, it was also found that the value (0.05343 ± 0.87‰, 1σ, n = 5) obtained using 21.2 mL of cylinder stabilizer highly agreed with that of 0.05384 ± 0.74‰ (1σ, n = 5) using the commercially available “squid” stabilizer. The analytical efficiency of the 21.2 mL of cylinder stabilizer was then compared to that of cubic shape stabilizer (18.5 mL) and ball shape stabilizer (14.1 mL). Results showed that there were no significant differences of the obtained 206Pb/238U ages using stabilizers with volume in the range of 14.1–21.2 mL. But both cubic and ball shape stabilizers exhibited washout time over 270 s. We also studied the particle filter effect of the stabilizers by packing the 21.2 mL of cylinder stabilizer with 1.0 g of stainless wire. Despite the average 206Pb/238U age deviation was only − 0.81%, spiky signals occasionally occurred which might be ascribed to the use of a nanosecond laser and relatively low density of stainless wire in the stabilizer. This study confirmed that an empty stabilizer with volume of 21.2 mL and cylinder shape was preferred to produce smoothing signals. The improved analytical accuracy of zircon U–Pb dating using such a stabilizer ensured the future application to trace element analysis by LA-ICP-QMS.
Multimodal therapy strategies based on hydrogels for the repair of spinal cord injury
Authors: Wang Yan , Lv Hong-Qian , Chao Xuan , Xu Wen-Xin , Liu Yun , Ling Gui-Xia , Zhang Peng
Published: April 2022

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious traumatic disease of the central nervous system, which can give rise to the loss of motor and sensory function. Due to its complex pathological mechanism, the treatment of this disease still faces a huge challenge. Hydrogels with good biocompatibility and biodegradability can well imitate the extracellular matrix in the microenvironment of spinal cord. Hydrogels have been regarded as promising SCI repair material in recent years and continuous studies have confirmed that hydrogel-based therapy can effectively eliminate inflammation and promote spinal cord repair and regeneration to improve SCI. In this review, hydrogel-based multimodal therapeutic strategies to repair SCI are provided, and a combination of hydrogel scaffolds and other therapeutic modalities are discussed, with particular emphasis on the repair mechanism of SCI.
Default or profit scoring credit systems? Evidence from European and US peer-to-peer lending markets
Authors: Lyócsa Štefan , Vašaničová Petra , Hadji Misheva Branka , Vateha Marko Dávid
Published: April 2022

For the emerging peer-to-peer (P2P) lending markets to survive, they need to employ credit-risk management practices such that an investor base is profitable in the long run. Traditionally, credit-risk management relies on credit scoring that predicts loans’ probability of default. In this paper, we use a profit scoring approach that is based on modeling the annualized adjusted internal rate of returns of loans. To validate our profit scoring models with traditional credit scoring models, we use data from a European P2P lending market, Bondora, and also a random sample of loans from the Lending Club P2P lending market. We compare the out-of-sample accuracy and profitability of the credit and profit scoring models within several classes of statistical and machine learning models including the following: logistic and linear regression, lasso, ridge, elastic net, random forest, and neural networks. We found that our approach outperforms standard credit scoring models for Lending Club and Bondora loans. More specifically, as opposed to credit scoring models, returns across all loans are 24.0% (Bondora) and 15.5% (Lending Club) higher, whereas accuracy is 6.7% (Bondora) and 3.1% (Lending Club) higher for the proposed profit scoring models. Moreover, our results are not driven by manual selection as profit scoring models suggest investing in more loans. Finally, even if we consider data sampling bias, we found that the set of superior models consists almost exclusively of profit scoring models. Thus, our results contribute to the literature by suggesting a paradigm shift in modeling credit-risk in the P2P market to prefer profit as opposed to credit-risk scoring models.
Exploring the effect of block copolymer architecture and concentration on the microstructure, electrical conductivity and rheological properties of PP/PS blend nanocomposites
Authors: Azubuike Lilian , Sundararaj Uttandaraman
Published: April 2022

The interface between polymer matrices and nanofillers is critical for efficient interaction to achieve the desired final properties. In this work, block copolymers were utilized to control the interface and achieve optimum interfacial interaction. Specifically, we studied the compatibilizing effects of styrene-ethylene/butadiene-styrene (SEBS) and styrene-ethylene/propylene (SEP) block copolymers on the morphology, conductivity, and rheological properties of polypropylene-polystyrene (PP/PS) immiscible blend with 2 vol% multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) at different blend compositions of PP/PS 80:20, 50:50 and 20:80.

MWCNTs induced co-continuity in PP/PS blends and did not obstruct with the copolymer migration to the interface. Copolymers at the interface led to blend morphology refinement. Adding block copolymers at a relatively low concentration of 1 vol% to compatibilize the PP/PS 80:20 blend substantially increased the electrical conductivity from 5.15*10−7S/cm for the uncompatibilized blend to 1.07*10−2S/cm for the system with SEP and 1.51*10−3S/m for the SEBS system. These values for the compatibilized blends are about 4 orders of magnitude higher due to the interconnection of the droplet domains. For the PP/PS 50:50 blend, the SEBS copolymer resulted in a huge increase in conductivity at above 3 vol% concentration (conductivity increased to 3.49*10−3S/cm from 5.16*10−7S/cm). Both the conductivity and the storage modulus increased as the SEBS copolymer content was increased. For the PP/PS 20:80 blend, we observed an initial decrease in conductivity at lower copolymer concentrations (1–3 vol%) and then an increase in conductivity to values higher than the uncompatibilized system, but only at a higher copolymer concentration of 10 vol%. The triblock copolymer (SEBS), which had 60 wt% PS content, shows a more significant increase in rheological properties compared to the diblock copolymer (SEP). The morphology shows that the interaction between MWCNT and PS is stronger than the interaction between MWCNT and PP, hence there is selective localization of the nanofiller in the PS phase as predicted by Young’s equation and by molecular simulation.
Biofeedback pelvic floor muscle training and posterior tibial nerve electrostimulation for treatment of faecal incontinence: monotherapy versus combined therapy: a prospective randomized trial
Authors: Elsawy Mervat Sheta , Saba Emmanuel Kamal Aziz
Published: April 2022

Background

Faecal incontinence is a common anorectal medical trouble among adult population. The aim was to compare the efficacy of biofeedback pelvic floor muscle training versus posterior tibial nerve electrical stimulation versus combination of both of them in treatment of patients with faecal incontinence. The study included 71 randomly selected patients with faecal incontinence. Eleven patients had one or more exclusion criteria were excluded from the study. Sixty patients were included in the trial. They were randomly assigned to receive biofeedback pelvic floor muscle training (biofeedback group), posterior tibial nerve electrostimulation (posterior tibial nerve electrostimulation group) or combined therapy (combined group). Primary outcome measure was Wexner Faecal Continence scale. Secondary outcome measures were maximal squeezing anal pressure, maximal voluntary anal contraction time and patient global assessment of effect of faecal incontinence on quality of life. The outcome measures were recorded twice, before treatment and after treatment by six weeks.

Results

No statistical significant differences were present between the three groups regarding different baseline clinical characteristics. Significant differences were present between the initial and follow-up assessment of the outcome measures within the three groups. However, there were significant differences between the three groups regarding the outcome measures within follow-up assessment. There were 14 patients (70%) showed successful outcome in the combined group versus 11 patients (55%) in the biofeedback group and 6 patients (30%) in the posterior tibial nerve electrostimulation group.

Conclusions

Combination therapy of biofeedback pelvic floor muscle training and posterior tibial nerve electrostimulation in the treatment of patient with faecal incontinence is quantitatively better than biofeedback pelvic floor muscle training therapy alone and superior to posterior tibial nerve electrostimulation therapy alone, as well as biofeedback pelvic floor muscle training therapy is superior to posterior tibial nerve electrostimulation therapy. This combination could be recommended as an effective treatment for faecal incontinence. It increases the anal sphincter squeezing pressure with improvement in the patients’ quality of life.

Trial registration: Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, PACTR202008862941254. Registered 24 August 2020—Retrospectively registered, https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=12291.
Design and structural analysis of non-pneumatic tyres for different structures of polyurethane spokes
Authors: Ali Muhammad , Maarij Muhammad , Hussain Azhar
Published: April 2022

NPTs have vast applications because of no tyre puncture, no need for air pressure, low rolling resistance, and also have higher flexibility for design and recyclability. In this research work, different structures of polyurethane (PU) spokes have been designed and analyzed under radial loading conditions which include structures like honeycomb with varying cell angles, simple spoke, and trapezoid type by keeping in view that the cell wall thickness and somehow the mass of the structures remain the same. Based on the Mooney-Rivlin hyper-elastic material model and performing 2D non-linear static structural analysis on different types of NPTs using ANSYS, it has been observed that the simple spoke structure has the lowest spoke stress and deformation values of 2.01 MPa and 11.7 mm, while HC–A1 has the least value of strain energy of 2.58 mJ, at a load of 2500 N. The above results show that the straight spoke structures like simple spoke and trapezoid type have a high load-carrying ability than the honeycomb type NPTs under same boundary conditions. While honeycomb NPTs have higher fatigue life as compared to straight-spoke NPTs.
“It Is No Longer in Fashion—More's the Pity”
Authors: Harmon Jenna
Published: April 2022

In a collected edition of his works, Charles Collé declared that “the vaudeville is thoroughly dead,” “killed off” by the latest fad on Parisian stages, the ariette. However, this narrative is in tension with the appearance of vaudevilles across many forms of print media to the end of the eighteenth century. As a result, the print record presents a narrative different from the long-standing trope of the moribund vaudeville in the latter half of the eighteenth century. This article proposes that the story of the vaudeville's demise is actually the effect of a simple but crucial conflation of two distinct song practices, both referred to as “vaudevilles,” and traces this conflation to eighteenth-century musical dictionaries. Finally, it examines extratheatrical vaudevilles in novels, newspapers, and political songbooks, showing that the genre maintained relevancy in spite of narratives to the contrary.

Au XVIIIe siècle, Charles Collé a déclaré que « le vaudeville est aujourd'hui totalement tombé », « tué » par le genre musical actuellement à la mode à Paris, l'ariette. Pourtant, cette affirmation est démentie par la présence des vaudevilles dans la culture de l'imprimé pendant la deuxième moitié du XVIIIe, et même les premières années du XIXe siècle. Les sources imprimées nous proposent donc une histoire différente de celle qui décrit un vaudeville moribond au milieu du XVIIIe siècle. Cet article affirme que l'histoire de la mort prématurée du vaudeville est l'effet d'une confusion simple mais cruciale entre deux pratiques chansonnières distinctes, mais également appelées « vaudeville ». Les origines de cette confusion remontent aux dictionnaires musicaux du XVIIIe siècle. Finalement, cet article examine le rôle des vaudevilles extra-théâtraux dans les romans, les journaux, et les chansonniers politiques pour démontrer que le vaudeville a conservé son intérêt malgré les rumeurs de sa mort.
Mobilizing Historicity and Local Color inFernand Cortez(1809)
Authors: Andries Annelies
Published: April 2022

This article interrogates why the creators of Napoleonic opera, specifically of Gaspare Spontini's Fernand Cortez (1809), were so eager to publicize their source-based method for representing history. The article frames this eagerness in broader developments toward historical realism in nineteenth-century France and its epistemological claims, namely, that history provides true knowledge about the past. These epistemological claims are foundational to how historians and artists sought to mobilize historicity and local color to champion narratives of empire as founded on the supposedly transhistorical process of civilization. In Fernand Cortez these mobilizations revised eighteenth-century skepticism toward sixteenth-century colonialism into a narrative of imperial success that the government hoped would garner support for Napoléon's Spanish campaign. Ultimately, the emphasis on historicist detail undermined the opera's specific propagandistic message, but it did provide a model that popularized and disseminated general ideologies about empire and civilization beyond France's intellectual circles.

Pourquoi les créateurs d'opéras napoléoniens étaient-ils si zélés de souligner que leur méthode de représenter l'histoire s'appuyait sur des sources de référence ? L'analyse de Fernand Cortez de Gaspare Spontini (1809) montre que ce désir s'est développé dans le cadre d'une épistémologie du « réalisme historique » qui promet une véritable connaissance du passé. Cette confiance épistémologique a poussé les historiens et les artistes à mobiliser l’ « historicité » et la « couleur locale » pour propager des récits d'empire fondés sur le processus de civilisation. Dans Cortez, ces techniques visaient à transformer le scepticisme des philosophes vis-à-vis le colonialisme du XVIe siècle en un récit de succès, en vue de susciter l'enthousiasme pour la guerre napoléonienne contre l'Espagne. Bien que ces détails historisants aient brouillé le message propagandiste de Cortez, cet opéra a réussi à fournir un modèle qui sert à vulgariser et diffuser des idéologies d'empire et de civilisation au-delà du monde savant.
Napoleonic Commemoration on the Operatic Stage
Authors: Hallman Diana R.
Published: April 2022

The retour des cendres, the commemorative return of Napoleon's remains in 1840, represented an important gesture of Napoleonic restoration in the July Monarchy, along with the creation of monuments, paintings, histories, plays, and encomiums to the defeated emperor. The monarchy's commemoration expanded to the stage of the Paris Opéra in 1841 with the appearance of La reine de Chypre, the five-act grand opera by Fromental Halévy and Henri de Saint-Georges, which reverberated with sonic, visual, literary, and political allusions to the Napoleonic legend and overt references to the ceremonial return of the emperor's ashes, including its use of the grandes trompettes from Napoléon's cortege and Invalides service. In its historical reframing of Catarina Cornaro's early fifteenth-century rise to power in Cyprus and defiance of Venetian tyranny, the nostalgic portrayal of exiled French chevaliers, particularly the dying king Lusignan, evoked France's fallen hero as it joined in the dynamic reshaping of imperial memory.

Le retour des cendres, le rapatriement commémoratif de la dépouille de Napoléon en 1840, faisait partie d'un ensemble de gestes de restauration napoléonienne pendant la monarchie de Juillet : monuments, peintures, œuvres d'histoire, pièces de théâtre et panégyriques à l'empereur vaincu. La commémoration du règne impérial par la monarchie atteint la scène de l'Opéra de Paris en 1841, avec le début de La reine de Chypre, le grand opéra en cinq actes de Fromental Halévy et Henri de Saint-Georges. L'opéra fait résonner des allusions sonores, visuelles, littéraires et politiques à la légende napoléonienne et des références manifestes au retour des cendres, y compris l'utilisation des grandes trompettes du cortège de Napoléon et de la cérémonie d'inhumation aux Invalides. Dans son remodelage historique de la montée au pouvoir en Chypre de Catarina Cornaro au début du XVe siècle et de son mépris de la tyrannie vénitienne, le portrait nostalgique des chevaliers français exilés, en particulier le roi mourant Lusignan, évoque le héros déchu de la France tout en renouvelant la mémoire impériale.
International Law and (the Critique of) Political Economy
Authors: Tzouvala Ntina
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this paper is dual, and it has to do with specificity. First, it aims to show that a “law and political economy” approach to international law has been and will be distinct from its US counterpart. To do so, it offers an overview of both the prevailing approaches to and critical engagements with the field. Having shown that neoliberal hegemony is upheld within international law by an admixture of heterogeneous modes of reasoning, the author proceed to argue that this heterogeneity also permeates critical scholarship. This heterogeneity has enabled critical approaches to flourish, but often to the detriment of a consistent, coherent, and purposeful engagement with political economy. The second aim is to show that Marxism offers a distinct and distinctly useful set of analytical tools for international law. Having offered an overview of existing strands of Marxist thought, the author also reflects on the work that remains to be done.
If You Can Unmake It Here
Authors: Whitlow John
Published: April 2022

This article starts from the premise that we are living amid a conjunctural moment, in which the neoliberal political economic and ideological paradigm has been destabilized. In moments of conjuncture, competing social groups vie—contingently and unevenly—to reconfigure a social order that is on the verge of rupture. Such acts of construction necessarily entail an engagement with—and a contestation over—the state; and they play out, in no small part, on the terrain of law. The article’s focus is on the ways in which recent political economic, organizing, and legal developments in New York City’s housing sphere illuminate a possible path forward. More specifically, the author makes the case that the successful campaign to strengthen New York’s system of rent regulation shows how law can be harnessed by grassroots, collective mobilizations to place property within the reach of democracy and—in so doing—to undertake the urgent task of unmaking the neoliberal order.
Highly E-Selective Solvent-Free Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons Reaction for the Synthesis of α-Methyl-α,β-Unsaturated Esters Using Either LiOH·H2O or Ba(OH)2·8H2O
Authors: Ando Kaori , Isomura Wakana , Uchida Nariaki , Mori Kanae
Published: April 2022

(E)-α-Methyl-α,β-unsaturated esters were prepared by the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, which stirs a mixture of aldehyde, phosphonate reagent 1, and a base without solvent. The reaction of aromatic aldehydes and triethyl 2-phosphonopropionate 1a using LiOH·H2O gave 95–99% E-selectivity in 83–97% yield. The reaction of 1a with aliphatic aldehydes gave 92–94% E-selectivity except for α-branched aldehydes, and the selectivity was improved to 97–98% using ethyl 2-(diisopropylphosphono)propionate 1b. The reaction with α-branched aliphatic aldehydes was improved using triisopropyl 2-phosphonopropionate 1c and Ba(OH)2·8H2O to give 98–>99% E-selectivity and high yields. The HWE reaction using Ba(OH)2·8H2O in THF also gave (E)-α-methyl-α,β-unsaturated esters highly selectively in high yields.
First record of a rare sinistral specimen of Pyramidula jaenensis (Clessin, 1882) (Gastropoda: Pyramidulidae) in Spain
Authors: Pérez Javier Martínez , Pacheco Miguel Carrillo , Miller Jonathan P.
Published: April 2022

Enantiomorphism in gastropods is related to the shell shape: high-spired snails present a higher proportion of enantiomorphs, in the low-spired snails it is less frequent. This could be a consequence of the way the snails mate; shell mounting mating occurs in the high-spired species and is independent of the chirality while the low-spired snails mate face-to-face which implies a certain degree of genitalia adjustment for successful copulation. Cases of sinistral Pyramidula have been reported in Eurasia, however, it is the first time it has been observed in P. jaenensis and Spain.
Search for new narrow and wide resonances, focusing on dark matter mediators, in dijet events with the CMS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider
Authors: Καρασάββας Δημήτριος
Published: April 2022

Το κύριο θέμα της διατριβής είναι η αναζήτηση φυσικής πέρα από το Καθιερωμένο Πρότυπο σε δεδομένα που συλλέχθηκαν από το πείραμα CMS στον Μεγάλο Επιταχυντή Αδρονίων του CERN σε συγκρούσεις πρωτονίου-πρωτονίου με ενέργεια στο σύστημα κέντρου-μάζας √s = 13 TeV. Νέα σωματίδια (συντονισμοί) αναζητώνται σε γεγονότα με τουλάχιστον δύο αδρονικούς πίδακες στην τελική κατάσταση χρησιμοποιώντας δεδομένα που καταγράφτηκαν κατά τις χρονικές περιόδους 2016, 2017, 2018 και αντιστοιχούν σε συνολική ολοκληρωμένη φωτεινότητα 137 fb−1. Στα πλαίσια της ανάλυσης αναπτύχθηκε μια καινοτόμα μέθοδος για την εκτίμηση του κύριου υποβάθρου προερχόμενο από γεγονότα κβαντικής χρωμοδυναμικής. Η νέα μέθοδος κατάφερε να μειώσει τις συστηματικές αβεβαιότητες της ανάλυσης δραστικά, επιτρέποντας την επέκταση της αναζήτησης σε συντονισμούς με εύρος διάσπασης έως και 55% της μάζας τους - αποτέλεσμα που ήταν αδύνατο με τις συμβατικές μεθόδους εκτίμησης υποβάθρου που χρησιμοποιούνται σε αντίστοιχες αναλύσεις τα τελευταία 20 χρόνια. Έμφαση δίνεται στην ερμηνεία των αποτελεσμάτων σε σχέση με απλουστευμένα μοντέλα σκοτεινής ύλης όπου θέτονται όρια στην σύζευξη μεταξύ των κουάρκ και του διαδότη σκοτεινής ύλης ως συνάρτηση της μάζας του διαδότη. Επιπλέον, θα παρουσιαστεί η διαδικασία ανάπτυξης αλλά και η απόδοση κριτήριων αναγνώρισης αδρονικών πιδάκων. Τα κριτήρια είναι ικανά να αποκόψουν την πλειοψηφία των αδρονικών πιδάκων που προέρχονται από θόρυβο με απόδοση σε πραγματικούς αδρονικούς πίδακες σε ποσοστό άνω του 98%. Τέλος, για τις αναλύσεις της επερχόμενης Run III (2022-2025) θα δειχθεί μια λεπτομερής μελέτη της απόδοσης, της ποιότητας και των χαρακτηριστικών της ανακατασκευής αδρονικών πιδάκων με χρήση του αλγορίθμου Particle-Flow σε επίπεδο High Level Trigger (HLT), χρησιμοποιώντας τροχιές που δημιουργούνται αποκλειστικά από μετρήσεις του pixel tracker. Χρησιμοποιώντας μόνο τα pixel tracks ο Particle-Flow αλγόριθμος επιταχύνεται έως και 30%, γεγονός που θα επιτρέψει μελλοντικά στο πείραμα να σώζει περισσότερα δεδομένα μειώνοντας το όριο καταγραφής των σκανδαλιστών (trigger thresholds) και συνεπώς να υλοποιήσει αναζητήσεις νέας φυσικής σε φασικούς και παραμετρικούς χώρους που θεωρούνταν απρόσιτοι προηγουμένως.
Internet-of-Things object model
Authors: Long Rong , Fan Xiaohui , Wei Kai , Bai Junxuan , Xiao Shanpeng
Published: April 2022

Background: With the advancement of communication technology and advanced sensors, there are massive demands for Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications in buildings, communities, factories, parks, etc. Accessing IoT devices provides convenience for scene management and monitoring, ameliorating production and life intelligently. However, due to the lack of a unified model for IoT devices, data is often skipped over IoT platforms and transmitted to applications directly. This leads to the fact that each manufacturer needs to produce its devices and develop its customized software, which hugely increases the development cycle. On the other hand, it is difficult to convey information between different systems, limiting cross- system control. Moreover, digital twin relies on large amounts of heterogeneous data, and it is impracticable to provide enough data without a unified model for device description.

Methods: First, we illustrate the motivation, design goals, and design principles for creating the Internet-of-Things Object Model (IoT-OM). Then we propose a unified description to define IoT devices. The proposed concept has been accepted by several companies, and we analyse one platform that adopts the model. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the model, we introduce two projects based on the platform. One project is an intelligent fire protection system, and another project is an intelligent air quality monitoring system.

Results: We measured the time taken by five companies when developing IoT devices and their applications, including the development cycle duration without utilizing the proposed model and the duration using the model at China Mobile’s OneNET platform. The results prove that the proposed model can significantly shorten the development cycle.

Conclusions: This paper proposes a model for IoT devices, which helps to unify heterogeneous data among different manufacturers and helps to shorten the development cycles for developers.
Role of metalinguistic awareness intraining for reading: a quasi-experimental study with Saudi EFL learners
Authors: Almarshedi Raniyah Mohammad
Published: April 2022

Background

Metalinguistic awareness plays an important role in developing foreign learners' repertoire in the underlying system of the target language. Therefore, this study addresses the research gap in the Saudi context regarding the role of metalinguistic awareness in teaching reading comprehension. Moreover, it also verifies the level of application ofmetalinguistic strategies in the English as a first language (EFL) classroom.

Methods

The study employs a quasi-experimental research design with 70 EFL Saudi learners at Hail University as the participants. The duration of the experiment was twelve weeks and results are compared between control and experimental groups who were tested for homogeneity by administering the TOEFL reading comprehension test. The impact of metalinguistic awareness in developing Saudi learners' reading comprehension skills was verified by administering a questionnaire to the participants.

Results

The findings of the study show that the reading abilities of both groups of learners developed, but the development in the experimental group was significant. Planning was not enhanced in either the experimental or control group, monitoring and assessment were enhanced only in the experimental group.

Conclusions

Consequent to the findings the study recommends that EFL instructors directly train their students on metacognitive strategies to improve their reading comprehension.
The social isolation enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic reduces the Health-Related Quality of Life score in the adult population of Metropolitan Lima, Peru
Authors: Morales-Ancajima Valeria C. , Vasquez-Velasquez Cinthya , De la Cruz Melany , Marull Maria , Tapia Vilma , Gonzales Gustavo F.
Published: April 2022

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the association between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults in Metropolitan Lima, Peru, with experienced social isolation during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic regardless of if the person was infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) adjusted by age, sex and body mass index (BMI).

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated 256 men and 382 women living in Metropolitan Lima, who were administered the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) questionnaire (SF-20) virtually to assess their health-related quality of life.

Results: Obesity (beta coefficient, 95%CI [95% confidence interval]: -262 – -116), female sex (beta coefficient, 95%CI: -151 – -59), the longest time of mandatory social confinement (beta coefficient, 95%CI: -6.8 – -0.2), and the existence of chronic disease (beta coefficient, 95%CI: -147 – -44) were associated with a low total score of the HRQoL questionnaire.

Conclusions: Mandatory social confinement may have harmed the perception of health-related quality of life.
Clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the COVID-19 Emergency Field Hospital of Bangkalan, Indonesia
Authors: Triyono Erwin Astha , Seipalla Fenska , Djaja Nathania , Akbas Ahmad Maulana Ifan , Ar-Rahmah Kurnia Auliyana , Budiono Perthdyatama Syifaq , Pamungkas Aditya Putra , Fernanda Yussika , Jam'Annuri Alfin , Maheswari Clarissa Azalia
Published: April 2022

Background: Following the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the epicenter of East Java Province, this study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 at one of the emergency field hospitals in Indonesia.

Methods: This was a single-centered, retrospective descriptive study of 763 patients admitted to the COVID-19 Emergency Field Hospital of Bangkalan from July 5 2021 to September 30 2021. The demographic data, clinical signs and symptoms, pre-existing comorbidities, therapy, and clinical outcomes of the patients were analyzed using SPSS.

Results: The clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 at the emergency hospital were varied. A total of 763 patients were included. The most common age was between 40 and 49 years (31.1%), a slight majority were women (51.5%), and most had travelled abroad in the last 14 days (99.1%). Of the 763 patients, 70.9% had no comorbidities. Half of the patients were asymptomatic (49.4%), 46% were mild cases, 4.1% were moderate, and 0.5% severe. The most common symptoms were productive cough (15.7%) and headache (15.3%). Supportive and comorbidity therapy were given which showed excellent clinical outcomes.

Conclusions: The majority of COVID-19 patients were asymptomatic, female, middle aged and had recently been overseas. Therapy without antibiotics or antivirals showed positive outcomes in COVID-19 patients.