bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyse des Nutzens von Praktika für österreichische Hochschulabsolventen unter Einbezug relevanter Mediationspfade
Authors: Bittmann Felix , Zorn Viktoria Sophie
Published: November 2020

Praktika sind für Hochschulabsolventen eine weitverbreitete Möglichkeit bereits während des Studiums Arbeitsmarkterfahrung zu sammeln und berufsbezogene Fähigkeiten zu erwerben. Allerdings ist weitgehend unklar, wie groß der tatsächliche Nutzen dieser Praktika für den Arbeitsmarkteinstieg ist und ob Einkommen, Passung des Berufs sowie Zufriedenheit signifikant beeinflusst werden. Zudem ist nicht ausreichend erforscht, ob Pflichtpraktika und freiwillige Praktika gleichermaßen wirken oder ob Unterschiede vorliegen. Mit Daten österreichischer Hochschulabsolventen quantifizieren wir die Zusammenhänge verschiedener Arten von Praktika mittels linearer und ordinal logistischer Regressionen und zeigen damit auf, dass nur freiwillige Praktika mit höherem Arbeitsmarkterfolg assoziiert sind, während dies nicht für Pflichtpraktika gilt. In weiterführenden Analysen schätzen wir darüber hinaus den Einfluss von Praktika, der über erworbene Fähigkeiten mediiert wird, und weisen damit nach, dass bis zu 47 % der Zusammenhänge durch die Fähigkeiten erklärt werden können.
A Randomized, Controlled Trial Comparing the Impact of a Low-Calorie Ketogenic vs a Standard Low-Calorie Diet on Fat-Free Mass in Patients Receiving an Elipse™ Intragastric Balloon Treatment
Authors: Schiavo Luigi , De Stefano Giovanni , Persico Francesco , Gargiulo Stefano , Di Spirito Federica , Griguolo Giulia , Petrucciani Niccolò , Fontas Eric , Iannelli Antonio , Pilone Vincenzo
Published: November 2020

Background

The Elipse™ intragastric balloon (EIGB) is a new swallowable balloon for weight loss (WL). Preserving metabolically active fat-free mass (FFM) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) during WL are crucial to maximize fat mass (FM) loss. After EIGB placement, a standard low-calorie diet (LCD) is generally prescribed. A low-calorie ketogenic diet (LCKD) has proven to be safe and effective in reducing FM while preserving FFM and RMR.

Objective

To prospectively compare the effects on WL, FM, FFM, and RMR in two groups of patients who were randomized to two different diets: LCKD and a standard LCD after EIGB placement.

Methods

WL, FM, FFM, and RMR were measured before EIGB and at 4 months in 48 patients who received either a LCKD (n = 24) or a standard LCD (n = 24). Compliance in following the prescribed diet was determined with food frequency questionnaires in all patients. The impact of LCKD and LCD on renal function was also evaluated.

Results

The LCKD group showed a significantly lower decrease in FFM and RMR when compared with the LCD group (3.55 vs 14.3%, p < 0.001; 9.79 vs 11.4%, p < 0.001, respectively). FM decreased more significantly with LCKD compared to LCD (41.6 vs 33.1%, p = 0.0606). Compliance in following the prescribed diets, without negative impact on renal function, was found.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, despite the small sample size, we were able to support the hypothesis that LCKD is associated with an increased FM loss while reducing the FFM loss and the RMR, without interfering with renal function after EIGB.
What drives citizens’ evaluation of democratic performance? The interaction of citizens’ democratic knowledge and institutional level of democracy
Authors: Wegscheider Carsten , Stark Toralf
Published: November 2020

Alongside citizens’ belief in the legitimacy of democracy, public support for the political regime is crucial to the survival of (democratic) political systems. Yet, we know fairly little about the relationship between citizens’ democratic knowledge and their evaluation of democratic performance from a global comparative perspective. In this article, we argue that the cognitive ability of citizens to distinguish between democratic and authoritarian characteristics constitutes the individual yardstick for assessing democracy in practice. Furthermore, we expect that the effect of citizens’ democratic knowledge on their evaluation of democratic performance is moderated by the institutional level of democracy. We test these assumptions by combining data from the sixth and seventh wave of the World Values Survey and the third pre-release of the European Values Study 2017, resulting in 114 representative samples from 80 countries with 128,127 respondents. Applying multilevel regression modeling, we find that the higher a country’s level of democracy, the more positive the effect of democratic knowledge on citizens’ assessment of democratic performance. In contrast, we find that the lower the level of democracy in a country, the more negative the effect of citizens’ democratic knowledge on their evaluation of democracy. Thus, this study shows that citizens who are more knowledgeable about democracy are most cognitively able to assess the level of democracy in line with country-level measures of democracy. These results open up new theoretical and empirical perspectives for related research on support for and satisfaction with democracy as well as research on democratization.
Stay Present with Your Phone: A Systematic Review and Standardized Rating of Mindfulness Apps in European App Stores
Authors: Schultchen Dana , Terhorst Yannik , Holderied Tanja , Stach Michael , Messner Eva-Maria , Baumeister Harald , Sander Lasse B.
Published: November 2020

Background

Mindfulness-based interventions show positive effects on physical and mental health. For a better integration of mindfulness techniques in daily life, the use of apps may be promising. However, only a few studies have examined the quality of mindfulness apps using a validated standardized instrument. This review aims to evaluate the content, quality, and privacy features of mindfulness-focused apps from European commercial app stores.

Methods

An automated search engine (webcrawler) was used to identify mindfulness-focused apps in the European Apple App- and Google Play store. Content, quality, and privacy features were evaluated by two independent reviewers using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). The MARS assesses the subscales engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality.

Results

Out of 605 identified apps, 192 met the inclusion criteria. The overall quality was moderate (M = 3.66, SD = 0.48). Seven apps were tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Most of the apps showed a lack of data security and no privacy policy. The five apps with the highest ratings are from a credible source, include a privacy policy, and are also based on standardized mindfulness and behavior change techniques.

Conclusions

The plethora of often low-quality apps in commercial app stores makes it difficult for users to identify a suitable app. Above that, the lack of scientific verification of effectiveness and shortcomings in privacy protection and security poses potential risks. So far, the potential of mindfulness-focused apps is not exploited in commercial app stores.
Optical Oxygen Sensors With Improved Lifetime Incorporating Titania Beads and Polydimethylsiloxane Coatings
Authors: Cirulnick Emily , Zhang Haopeng , Klotzkin David
Published: November 2020

The use of optical sensors for oxygen measurement is becoming more important because of their capability for low-cost and direct measurement, but as yet, little has been reported about their long-term performance. Phosphorescent sensors based on platinum octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP) embedded in polymer matrices tend to degrade with time. To reduce the rate of degradation, sensor films were fabricated and then coated with a layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and tested in a six-month study. The PDMS-coated sensors showed an average degradation rate of ~0.073 %/day, compared to ~0.18 %/day for uncoated sensors. Titania beads were also incorporated into the films to increase light scattering and improve the response; these beads compensated to some degree for the absorption due to the PDMS films. The films with titania beads improved the response significantly (about 40%) compared to the films without titania beads. Incorporation of titania beads also moderately improved the aging characteristics.
Uncertainty Reduction Through Data Management in the Development, Validation, Calibration, and Operation of a Hurricane Vulnerability Model
Authors: Pinelli Jean-Paul , Da Cruz Josemar , Gurley Kurtis , Paleo-Torres Andres Santiago , Baradaranshoraka Mohammad , Cocke Steven , Shin Dongwook
Published: November 2020

Catastrophe models estimate risk at the intersection of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Each of these areas requires diverse sources of data, which are very often incomplete, inconsistent, or missing altogether. The poor quality of the data is a source of epistemic uncertainty, which affects the vulnerability models as well as the output of the catastrophe models. This article identifies the different sources of epistemic uncertainty in the data, and elaborates on strategies to reduce this uncertainty, in particular through identification, augmentation, and integration of the different types of data. The challenges are illustrated through the Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model (FPHLM), which estimates insured losses on residential buildings caused by hurricane events in Florida. To define the input exposure, and for model development, calibration, and validation purposes, the FPHLM teams accessed three main sources of data: county tax appraiser databases, National Flood Insurance Protection (NFIP) portfolios, and wind insurance portfolios. The data from these different sources were reformatted and processed, and the insurance databases were separately cross-referenced at the county level with tax appraiser databases. The FPHLM hazard teams assigned estimates of natural hazard intensity measure to each insurance claim. These efforts produced an integrated and more complete set of building descriptors for each policy in the NFIP and wind portfolios. The article describes the impact of these uncertainty reductions on the development and validation of the vulnerability models, and suggests avenues for data improvement. Lessons learned should be of interest to professionals involved in disaster risk assessment and management.
On the current state of combining human and artificial intelligence for strategic organizational decision making
Authors: Trunk Anna , Birkel Hendrik , Hartmann Evi
Published: November 2020

Strategic organizational decision making in today’s complex world is a dynamic process characterized by uncertainty. Therefore, diverse groups of responsible employees deal with the large amount and variety of information, which must be acquired and interpreted correctly to deduce adequate alternatives. The technological potential of artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to offer further support, although research in this regard is still developing. However, as the technology is designed to have capabilities beyond those of traditional machines, the effects on the division of tasks and the definition of roles established in the current human–machine relationship are discussed with increasing awareness. Based on a systematic literature review, combined with content analysis, this article provides an overview of the possibilities that current research identifies for integrating AI into organizational decision making under uncertainty. The findings are summarized in a conceptual model that first explains how humans can use AI for decision making under uncertainty and then identifies the challenges, pre-conditions, and consequences that must be considered. While research on organizational structures, the choice of AI application, and the possibilities of knowledge management is extensive, a clear recommendation for ethical frameworks, despite being defined as a crucial foundation, is missing. In addition, AI,other than traditional machines, can amplify problems inherent in the decision-making process rather than help to reduce them. As a result, the human responsibility increases, while the capabilities needed to use the technology differ from other machines, thus making education necessary. These findings make the study valuable for both researchers and practitioners.
Recent advances of DNAzyme-based nanotherapeutic platform in cancer gene therapy
Authors: Huo Wendi , Li Xiaona , Wang Bei , Zhang Haoran , Zhang Jinchao , Yang Xinjian , Jin Yi
Published: November 2020

Deoxyribozyme (or denoted as DNAzyme), which is produced by in vitro screening technology, has gained extensive research interest in the field of biomedicine due to its high catalytic activity and structure identification. This review introduces the structural characteristics of RNA-cleaving DNAzyme and its application potential in cancer gene therapy, which plays a significant role in cancer-related gene inactivation by specifically cleaving target mRNA and inhibiting the expression of the corresponding protein. However, the low delivery efficiency and cellular uptake hindered the widespread usage of DNAzyme in gene therapy of cancers. Emerging nanotechnology holds great promise for DNAzyme to overcome these obstacles. This review mainly focuses on DNAzyme-based nanotherapeutic platforms in gene therapy of cancers, including oncogene antagonism therapy, treatment resistance gene therapy, immunogene therapy, and antiangiogenesis gene therapy. We also revealed the potential of DNAzyme-based nanotherapeutic platforms as emerging cancer therapy approaches and their security issues.
Global Climate Governance
Authors: Coen David , Kreienkamp Julia , Pegram Tom
Published: November 2020

Climate change is one of the most daunting global policy challenges facing the international community in the 21st century. This Element takes stock of the current state of the global climate change regime, illuminating scope for policymaking and mobilizing collective action through networked governance at all scales, from the sub-national to the highest global level of political assembly. It provides an unusually comprehensive snapshot of policymaking within the regime created by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), bolstered by the 2015 Paris Agreement, as well as novel insight into how other formal and informal intergovernmental organizations relate to this regime, including a sophisticated EU policymaking and delivery apparatus, already dedicated to tackling climate change at the regional level. It further locates a highly diverse and numerous non-state actor constituency, from market actors to NGOs to city governors, all of whom have a crucial role to play.
Medieval Antisemitism?
Authors: Soyer François
Published: November 2020

In this work, François Soyer examines the nature of medieval anti-Jewish sentiment and violence. Analysing developments in Europe between 1100 and 1500, he points to the tensions in medieval anti-Jewish thought amongst thinkers who hoped to convert Jews and blamed Talmudic scholarship for their obduracy and yet who also, conversely, often essentialized Judaism to the point that it transformed into the functional equivalent of the modern concept of race. He argues that we should not consider antisemitism as a monolithic concept but accept the existence of independent, historical meanings and thus of antisemitisms (plural), including 'medieval antisemitism' as distinct from anti-Judaism.
Coloman, King of Galicia and Duke of Slavonia (1208–1241)
Authors: Font Márta , Barabás Gábor
Published: November 2020

A figure of crucial importance to scholarship on western and eastern Europe alike, King Coloman (1208–1241) here receives long-overdue scholarly treatment as a key figure of the thirteenth century. The Árpád prince ruled over a vast area in Central Europe which remained largely affiliated to the Western Church, territories that comprise modern-day Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, and Bosnia. This study draws on Hungarian and other research that is inaccessible outside the region and places Coloman at the crossroads of Latin Christendom, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Mongol Empire.
The Mongols
Authors: May Timothy
Published: November 2020

The Mongols emerged from obscurity to establish the largest contiguous empire in history. Although they are now no longer viewed as simply an unbridled force of destruction, it remains unclear as to how they succeeded in ruling an empire that stretched from the Sea of Japan to the Black Sea. This book investigates how the Mongol adopted and adapted different ruling strategies from previous Inner Asian empires as well as Chinese and Islamic Empires to rule an empire in which they were a distinct minority, and also investigates the processes by which this empire fragmented into an increasing number of states, many of which lasted into the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Byzantium Unbound
Authors: Kaldellis Anthony
Published: November 2020

This book proposes a long view of Byzantium, one that begins in the early Roman empire and extends all the way to the modern period. It is a provocative thought-experiment which posits Byzantium as the most stable and enduring form of Greco-Roman society, forming a sturdy bridge between antiquity and the early modern period, as well as between East and West, and which sees the ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian traditions as flowing together. It offers a Byzantium unbound by other cultures and fields of study that would artificially cut it down to size.
Inclusive Curating in Contemporary Art
Authors: French Jade
Published: November 2020

Recent decades have witnessed concerns over representation, inclusion, and social justice move from the margins to the centre of museum practice. While a growing number of institutions seek to reflect the diversity of their communities in exhibition-making, gaps remain in understanding applied approaches and practices. This book presents the inclusion of new voices and perspectives into the museum via 'inclusive curating,' a facilitated process empowering a wide demographic of people to become curators. Grounded in a case study, this book offers guidance in putting inclusive curating into action alongside a range of practical resources and key debates. Curating is often considered an exclusive job for a privileged few. But, by breaking it down using methods demonstrated throughout this book, not only does curating become more usable for more people, it also contributes to understanding the process and practices by which our cultural spaces can become democratized.
Satire, Veneration, and St. Joseph in Art, c. 1300–1550
Authors: L. Williams Anne
Published: November 2020

Satire, Veneration, and St. Joseph in Art, c. 1300–1550 is the first book to reclaim satire as a central component of Catholic altarpieces, devotional art, and veneration, moving beyond humor's relegation to the medieval margins or to the profane arts alone. The book challenges humor's perception as a mere teaching tool for the laity and the antithesis of 'high' veneration and theology, a divide perpetuated by Counter-Reformation thought and the inheritance of Mikhail Bakhtin (Rabelais and His World, 1965). It reveals how humor, laughter, and material culture played a critical role in establishing St. Joseph as an exemplar in western Europe as early as the thirteenth century. Its goal is to open a new line of interpretation in medieval and early modern cultural studies by revealing the functions of humor in sacred scenes, the role of laughter as veneration, and the importance of play for pre-Reformation religious experiences.
Border Communities at the Edge of the Roman Empire
Authors: de Bruin Jasper
Published: November 2020

In Roman times, the area between the Lower Rhine and the Meuse in the present day province of South Holland in the Netherlands, was known as the administrative district of the community of the Cananefates (the civitas Cananefatium). The formation of this community, as well as the changes that took place within this group, were researched by means of a systematic analysis of the archaeological remains. In order to understand the role of the Roman state in these processes, the urban and military communities were also studied. In this way an overview was created of an administrative region in which aspects such as the interaction between the different groups, the character of the rural community and the differences with other rural groups along the borders of the Roman Empire could be studied.
The Dynamics of the Early Reformation in their Reformed Augustinian Context
Authors: Christman Robert
Published: November 2020

On July 1, 1523, Johann van den Eschen and Hendrik Voes, two Augustinians friars from Antwerp, were burned on the Grand Plaza in Brussels, thereby becoming the first victims of the Reformation. Despite being well-known, the event barely registers in most Reformation histories. By tracing its origins and examining the impact of the executions on Martin Luther, on the Reformed Augustinian world, and on the early Reformation in the Low Countries and the German speaking lands, this study definitively demonstrates that the burnings were in fact the d'nouement of broader trends within Late Medieval Reformed Augustinianism, as well as a watershed in the early Reformation. In doing so, it also reveals the central role played by the Augustinian friars of Lower Germany in shaping both the content and spread of the early Reformation, as well as Wittenberg's influence on the events leading up to these first executions.
Tropically constructed Lagrangians in mirror quintic threefolds
Authors: Mak Cheuk Yu , Ruddat Helge
Published: November 2020

We use tropical curves and toric degeneration techniques to construct closed embedded Lagrangian rational homology spheres in a lot of Calabi-Yau threefolds. The homology spheres are mirror dual to the holomorphic curves contributing to the Gromov-Witten (GW) invariants. In view of Joyce’s conjecture, these Lagrangians are expected to have special Lagrangian representatives and hence solve a special Lagrangian enumerative problem in Calabi-Yau threefolds.

We apply this construction to the tropical curves obtained from the 2,875 lines on the quintic Calabi-Yau threefold. Each admissible tropical curve gives a Lagrangian rational homology sphere in the corresponding mirror quintic threefold and the Joyce’s weight of each of these Lagrangians equals the multiplicity of the corresponding tropical curve.

As applications, we show that disjoint curves give pairwise homologous but non-Hamiltonian isotopic Lagrangians and we check in an example that$>300$mutually disjoint curves (and hence Lagrangians) arise. Dehn twists along these Lagrangians generate an abelian subgroup of the symplectic mapping class group with that rank.
COVID-19 symptoms, duration, and prevalence among healthcare workers in the New York metropolitan area
Authors: Ganz-Lord Fran A. , Segal Kathryn R. , Rinke Michael L.
Published: November 2020

Objective:

To evaluate symptoms, workforce implications, and testing patterns related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among healthcare workers (HCWs) in the New York metropolitan area during spring 2020.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study of occupational health services (OHS) records.

Setting:

A large, urban, academic medical center with 5 inpatient campuses and multiple ambulatory centers throughout Bronx and Westchester counties.

Participants:

We included HCWs who called OHS to report COVID-19 symptoms and had either severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or IgG antibody testing.

Methods:

We analyzed the impact of COVID-19–related symptoms on (1) time from symptom onset to return to work, (2) the results of SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal PCR testing, and (3) the results of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody testing in HCWs with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

Results:

The median time from symptom onset until return to work for HCWs who did not require hospitalization was 15 days (interquartile range, 10–22). Shortness of breath, fever, sore throat, and diarrhea were significantly associated with longer durations from symptom onset to return to work. Among symptomatic HCWs who had PCR testing during the study period, 51.9% tested positive. Of the previously symptomatic HCWs who had IgG antibody testing, 55.4% had reactive tests. Ageusia was associated with having both positive PCR and reactive antibody tests. Sore throat was associated with both negative PCR and nonreactive antibody tests.

Conclusion:

HCWs with COVID-19 who did not require hospitalization still had prolonged illness. Shortness of breath, fever, sore throat, and diarrhea are associated with longer durations of time away from work.
Asylum seekers and refugees in Northern Ireland: the impact of post-migration stressors on mental health
Authors: Murphy F. , Vieten U. M.
Published: November 2020

Objectives:

In recent years, Northern Ireland has seen an increase in the numbers of asylum seekers and refugees. Given its status as a post-conflict region, this is a relatively new phenomenon for the area. Northern Ireland is also the only part of the United Kingdom (UK) without a refugee integration strategy. In 2016, we conducted an extensive study for the racial equality unit of the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister in Stormont on the everyday life experience of asylum seekers and refugees in Northern Ireland with view to understanding how service delivery and notions of integration/inclusion impact.

Methods:

This was a mixed methods study using quantitative survey methods and in-depth semi-structured interviews with service providers, asylum seekers, refugees and new UK citizens. We examined a range of service provision such as education, labour, legal provision, housing and health.

Results:

This article examines the issue of mental health with respect to asylum seekers and refugees in Northern Ireland. The results delineate how asylum seekers and refugee’s mental health is dramatically impacted by the asylum system in Northern Ireland (and hence, the UK) and the dearth thereof, of particular and necessary supports and access issues in the space of health and mental health in Northern Ireland. We describe how post-migration stressors experienced through the UK asylum system further compound mental health issues. The findings provide a focus on the asylum system, housing and employment.

Conclusions:

Our research found a dearth of mental health supports in Northern Ireland and concluded that the asylum system in the UK (as a form of post-migration stressor) further exacerbates and contributes to poor mental health and well-being for many asylum seekers and refugees.
Prevalence of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) and Salmonella spp. with zoonotic potential in urban rats in Salvador, Brazil
Authors: Pimentel Sobrinho C. , Lima Godoi J. , Neves Souza F. , Graco Zeppelini C. , Espirito Santo V. , Carvalho Santiago D. , Sady Alves R. , Khalil H. , Carvalho Pereira T. , Hanzen Pinna M. , Begon M. , Machado Cordeiro S. , Neves Reis J. , Costa F.
Published: November 2020

Studies evaluating the occurrence of enteropathogenic bacteria in urban rats (Rattus spp.) are scarce worldwide, specifically in the urban environments of tropical countries. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) and Salmonella spp. with zoonotic potential in urban slum environments. We trapped rats between April and June 2018 in Salvador, Brazil. We collected rectal swabs from Rattus spp., and cultured for E. coli and Salmonella spp., and screened E. coli isolates by polymerase chain reaction to identify pathotypes. E. coli were found in 70% of Rattus norvegicus and were found in four Rattus rattus. DEC were isolated in 31.3% of the 67 brown rats (R. norvegicus). The pathotypes detected more frequently were shiga toxin E. coli in 11.9%, followed by atypical enteropathogenic E. coli in 10.4% and enteroinvasive E. coli in 4.5%. From the five black rats (R. rattus), two presented DEC. Salmonella enterica was found in only one (1.4%) of 67 R. norvegicus. Our findings indicate that both R. norvegicus and R. rattus are host of DEC and, at lower prevalence, S. enterica, highlighting the importance of rodents as potential sources of pathogenic agents for humans.
An evidence-based review of the use of vasoactive and inotropic medications in post-operative paediatric patients after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass from 2000 to 2020
Authors: King Caitlin E. , Thompson Elizabeth J. , Foote Henry P. , Zimmerman Kanecia O. , Hill Kevin D. , Chamberlain Reid , Hornik Christoph P.
Published: November 2020

Background:

Infants with moderate-to-severe CHD frequently undergo cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in childhood. Morbidity and mortality are highest in those who develop post-operative low cardiac output syndrome. Vasoactive and inotropic medications are mainstays of treatment for these children, despite limited evidence supporting their use.

Methods:

To help inform clinical practice, as well as the conduct of future trials, we performed a systematic review of existing literature on inotropes and vasoactives in children after cardiac surgery using the PubMed and EMBASE databases. We included studies from 2000 to 2020, and the patient population was defined as birth – 18 years of age. Two reviewers independently reviewed studies to determine final eligibility.

Results:

The final analysis included 37 papers. Collectively, selected studies reported on 12 different vasoactive and inotropic medications in 2856 children. Overall evidence supporting the use of these drugs in children after cardiopulmonary bypass was limited. The majority of studies were small with 30/37 (81%) enrolling less than 100 patients, 29/37 (78%) were not randomised, and safety and efficacy endpoints differed widely, limiting the ability to combine data for meta-analyses.

Conclusion:

Vasoactive and inotropic support remain critical parts of post-operative care for children after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. There is a paucity of data for the selection and dosing of vasoactives and inotropes for these patients. Despite the knowledge gaps that remain, numerous recent innovations create opportunities to rethink the conduct of clinical trials in this high-risk population.
Dosimetric comparison of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and field-in-field (FIF) technique for head-and-neck cancer
Authors: Thi Lan Nguyen , Dai Viet Hoang , Tai Duong Thanh , Chow James C. L.
Published: November 2020

Purpose:

This study compared the plan dosimetry between the intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and field-in-field (FIF) technique for head-and-neck cancer using the Elekta Monaco treatment planning system (TPS).

Materials and methods:

A total of 20 head-and-neck cancer patients were selected in this study. IMRT and FIF plans for the patients were created on the Monaco TPS (ver. 5.11.02) using the 6-MV photon beam generated by the Elekta Synergy linear accelerator. The dose–volume histograms, maximum doses, minimum doses, mean doses of the target volumes and organs-at-risk (OARs), conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI) and monitor units (MUs) were determined for each IMRT and FIF plan. All IMRT plans passed the patient-specific quality assurance tests from the 2D diode array measurements (MatriXX Evolution System, IBA Dosimetry, Germany).

Results:

The results showed that the dose distribution to the target volumes of IMRT plans was better than FIF plans, while the dose (mean or max dose) to the OAR was significantly lower than FIF plan, respectively. IMRT and FIF resulted in planning target volume coverage with mean dose of 71·32 ± 0·76 and 73·12 ± 0·62 Gy, respectively, and HI values of 0·08 ± 0·01 (IMRT) and 0·19 ± 0·06 (FIF). The CI for IMRT was 0·98 ± 0·01 and FIF was 0·97 ± 0·01. For the spinal cord tolerance (maximum dose < 45 Gy), IMRT resulted in 39·85 ± 2·04 Gy compared to 41·37 ± 2·42 Gy for FIF. In addition, the mean doses to the parotid grand were 27·27 ± 7·48 and 48·68 ± 1·62 Gy for the IMRT and FIF plans, respectively. Significantly more MUs were required in IMRT plans than FIF plans (on average, 846 ± 100 MU in IMRT and 467 ± 41 MU in FIF).

Conclusions:

It is concluded that the IMRT technique could provide a better plan dosimetry than the FIF technique for head-and-neck patients.
The one-year prevalence of nonspecific back pain in public primary health care establishments among 1.7 million people in western Sweden
Authors: Thoreson Olof , Aminoff Anna , Parai Catharina
Published: November 2020

Aim:

The one-year prevalence of diagnosed nonspecific back pain in Sweden is not known. Thus, this observational register-based study aimed to evaluate this prevalence by using data from the Region Västra Götaland, inhabiting 1.7 million people.

Methods:

Data from 2014 to 2018 were extracted from the VEGA database register. This register holds all health data from the publicly funded health care establishments in Region Västra Götaland. Aggregated data are presented as the one-year prevalence of unique individuals diagnosed with nonspecific back pain (i.e., the ICD-10 code M54). Stratification by health care level, gender, age, and M54 sub-diagnoses were made.

Findings:

Between 2014 and 2018, the annual prevalence of diagnosed nonspecific back pain in public primary health care increased from 4.8% to 6.0% (26% increase, P < 0.001, CI 25–27%). In 2018, the one-year prevalence was 7.2% among women and 4.8% among men (50% difference, P = 0.001, CI 49–52%). The one-year prevalence increased by age, and the highest figure (11%) was seen in the age group of 80–84. Low back pain, M54.5, was the most common sub-diagnosis. The one-year prevalence was significantly higher (P < 0.001) among women in all the M54 sub-diagnoses.

Conclusion:

The one-year prevalence of diagnosed nonspecific back pain was 6% in public primary health care in 2018 and has increased since 2014. Women were diagnosed considerably more frequently than men. Publicly funded rehabilitation efforts, as well as actions focusing on the prevention of back pain, is probably money well spent.
A new path loss model based on the volumetric occupancy rate for the pine forests at 5G frequency band
Authors: Genc Abdullah
Published: November 2020

In this paper, a new empirical path loss model based on frequency, distance, and volumetric occupancy rate is generated at the 3.5 and 4.2 GHz in the scope of 5G frequency bands. This study aims to determine the effect of the volumetric occupancy rate on path loss depending on the foliage density of the trees in the pine forest area. Using 4.2 GHz and the effect of the volumetric occupancy rate contributes to the literature in terms of novelty. Both the reference measurements to generate a model and verification measurements to verify the proposed models are conducted in three different regions of the forest area with double ridged horn antennas. These regions of the artificial forest area consist of regularly sorted and identical pine trees. Root mean square error (RMSE) and R-squared values are calculated to evaluate the performance of the proposed model. For 3.5 and 4.2 GHz, while the RMSEs are 3.983 and 3.883, the values of R-squared are 0.967 and 0.963, respectively. Additionally, the results are compared with four path loss models which are commonly used in the forest area. The proposed one has the best performance among the other models with values 3.98 and 3.88 dB for 3.5 and 4.2 GHz.
Time Attitude Profiles and Health-Related Behaviors: Validation of a Spanish Version of the Adolescent and Adult Time Inventory–Time Attitudes (AATI-TA)
Authors: Vásquez-Echeverría Alejandro , Álvarez-Núñez Lucía , Mello Zena , Worrell Frank C.
Published: November 2020

Temporal psychology constructs are an individual difference variable related to behavioral outcomes. Recent research has shown that there are different time attitude profiles based on different configurations of the six Adolescent and Adult Time Inventory-Time Attitude (AATI-TA) subscales. The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of AATI-TA scores in Uruguay and determine the existence of temporal profiles in this context. Participants were a convenience sample of 446 (36.5% males) adults in Uruguay with a mean age of 34.53 years (SD= 13.17, range 18–75 years). Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the AATI-TA, and questionnaires on intentions, behaviors, and attitudes towards healthy food consumption and physical activity. AATI-TA scores had good reliabilities (> .70). The six-factor solution was supported and invariance by gender and age group was established. We identified five profiles – Resilients, High Positives, Negatives, Present Negatives, and Moderate Positives – which were associated differently with healthy food consumption patterns. Negative profiles were related to higher levels of unhealthy food consumption.
THE LETTERED PUBLIC FOR THE FUNERAL ORATIONS OF POGGIO BRACCIOLINI ON FRANCESCO ZABARELLA AND LEONARDO GIUSTINIANI ON CARLO ZENO
Authors: McMANAMON JOHN M.
Published: November 2020

The contemporary efflorescence of comprehensive codicological and paleographical scholarship, supported by the swelling digitalization of extant manuscripts, allows a statistical and cultural analysis of the audience for two popular funeral orations from the early Italian Renaissance. In 1417 Poggio Bracciolini eulogized Cardinal Francesco Zabarella at the Council of Constance, and in 1418 Leonardo Giustiniani commemorated Admiral Carlo Zeno before the assembled Venetian oligarchy. The material evidence of the codices suggests that educational concerns often prompted the copying of both orations. They were generally preserved among the texts of ubiquitous miscellanies that were written on paper by more than one hand. Over 25 percent of the manuscripts belonged to professional humanists and university students. Though the contents of a miscellaneous codex are at least in part spontaneous, those with the orations of Poggio and Giustiniani had a core of works that suggest an evolving textbook of rhetorical models for public speaking. The young humanist orators presented Zabarella and Zeno as committed public servants faithful in deed to the values that they advocated. Poggio offered Zabarella as a model for the reformed cleric. As a leading churchman, Zabarella had a powerful impact on the Council where he promoted unity and grounded his pleas on the ethos of his pedagogical and pastoral service. Zeno emerged as a contrast to the typical military commander because he was as esteemed for his counsel as he was for his courage. The admiral did not shy away from combat, but he won more impressive victories through his humane clemency. Both the cardinal and the admiral embodied the Ciceronian ideal that we are not born for ourselves alone.
PROCESSIONS AND THEIR CHANTS IN THE OLD HISPANIC LITURGY
Authors: ANDRÉS FERNÁNDEZ DAVID , GUTIÉRREZ CARMEN JULIA , HORNBY EMMA , ROJO CARRILLO RAQUEL
Published: November 2020

Much is known about processions within the Roman liturgy, but the processions of the Old Hispanic rite practiced in most of Christian Iberia until ca. 1080 have not been studied. Explicit evidence about Old Hispanic processional characteristics and liturgical contexts is preserved in manuscript rubrics. Processions happened around or during Mass (for example, on Palm Sunday), at the end of Vespers or Matutinum (for example, the consecration of a basilica), or outside the usual daily liturgy (for example, votive ordos). We have collated all of the extant Old Hispanic rubrics pertaining to liturgical movement. Some of these unquestionably refer to processions, while others describe ceremonies that might better be described more informally as “liturgy in motion.” We focus primarily on the processional rubrics, while also engaging with other liturgical movement. We identify the chant genres associated with processions and outline the processional practices attested in the rubrics.
Wenn nicht mehr alles gut wird
Authors: Kaiser Marvin
Published: November 2020

Zusammenfassung. Der Tod eines geliebten Menschen ist immer eine schmerzliche Erfahrung. Doch es steht die Frage im Raum, wie sich der Trauerprozess gestaltet, wenn ein geliebter Mensch nicht auf natürliche Weise, sondern durch einen Suizid stirbt.
The Ice Content of the Dorsa Argentea Formation From Radar Sounder Data
Authors: Whitten Jennifer L. , Campbell Bruce A. , Plaut Jeffrey J.
Published: November 2020

The Dorsa Argentea Formation (DAF) is an extensive Hesperian plains unit in the south polar region of Mars that was once ice rich and may still contain a substantial fraction of water ice. Given its 3.5‐Ga age, the possibility for massive ice in the DAF has significant implications for the preservation of volatiles during large obliquity changes. Here Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) and Shallow Radar (SHARAD) sounder data are analyzed to determine whether massive water ice is present at depth by utilizing subsurface DAF reflectors to infer the loss tangent of overlying material. SHARAD (0.005 ± 0.003) and especially MARSIS (0.009 ± 0.006) loss tangent values are closer to those of dry sediment than to equatorial glaciers or the polar caps, but a fraction of remnant ice at depth may occur. Water ice is not the predominant component of the DAF, so much of the ancient ice has been lost during large obliquity changes over the past 3.5 Ga.
Analytical Prediction of Seismicity Rate Due to Tides and Other Oscillating Stresses
Authors: Heimisson Elías R. , Avouac Jean‐Philippe
Published: November 2020

Oscillatory stresses are ubiquitous on Earth and other solid‐surface bodies. Tides and seasonal signals perpetually stress faults in the crust. Relating seismicity to these stresses offers fundamental insight into earthquake triggering. We present a simple model that describes seismicity rate due to perpetual oscillatory stresses. The model applies to large‐amplitude, nonharmonic, and quasiperiodic stressing. However, it is not valid for periods similar to the characteristic time ta. We show that seismicity rate from short‐period stressing scales with the stress amplitude, but for long periods with the stressing rate. Further, that background seismicity rate r is equal to the average seismicity rate during short‐period stressing. We suggest that Aσ0 may be underestimated if stresses are approximated by a single harmonic function. We revisit Manga et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL082892), which analyzed the tidal triggering of marsquakes and provide a rescaling of their seismicity rate response that offers a self‐consistent comparison of different hydraulic conditions.
FAM3D is essential for colon homeostasis and host defense against inflammation associated carcinogenesis
Authors: Liang Weiwei , Peng Xinjian , Li Qingqing , Wang Pingzhang , Lv Ping , Song Quansheng , She Shaoping , Huang Shiyang , Chen Keqiang , Gong Wanghua , Yuan Wuxing , Thovarai Vishal , Yoshimura Teizo , O’huigin Colm , Trinchieri Giorgio , Huang Jiaqiang , Lin Shuye , Yao Xiaohong , Bian Xiuwu , Kong Wei , Xi Jianzhong , Wang Ji Ming , Wang Ying
Published: November 2020

The physiological homeostasis of gut mucosal barrier is maintained by both genetic and environmental factors and its impairment leads to pathogenesis such as inflammatory bowel disease. A cytokine like molecule, FAM3D (mouse Fam3D), is highly expressed in mouse gastrointestinal tract. Here, we demonstrate that deficiency in Fam3D is associated with impaired integrity of colonic mucosa, increased epithelial hyper-proliferation, reduced anti-microbial peptide production and increased sensitivity to chemically induced colitis associated with high incidence of cancer. Pretreatment of Fam3D−/− mice with antibiotics significantly reduces the severity of chemically induced colitis and wild type (WT) mice co-housed with Fam3D−/− mice phenocopy Fam3D-deficiency showing increased sensitivity to colitis and skewed composition of fecal microbiota. An initial equilibrium of microbiota in cohoused WT and Fam3D−/− mice is followed by an increasing divergence of the bacterial composition after separation. These results demonstrate the essential role of Fam3D in colon homeostasis, protection against inflammation associated cancer and normal microbiota composition.
Optical probes of molecules as nano-mechanical switches
Authors: Kos Dean , Di Martino Giuliana , Boehmke Alexandra , de Nijs Bart , Berta Dénes , Földes Tamás , Sangtarash Sara , Rosta Edina , Sadeghi Hatef , Baumberg Jeremy J.
Published: November 2020

Molecular electronics promises a new generation of ultralow-energy information technologies, based around functional molecular junctions. Here, we report optical probing that exploits a gold nanoparticle in a plasmonic nanocavity geometry used as one terminal of a well-defined molecular junction, deposited as a self-assembled molecular monolayer on flat gold. A conductive transparent cantilever electrically contacts individual nanoparticles while maintaining optical access to the molecular junction. Optical readout of molecular structure in the junction reveals ultralow-energy switching of ∼50 zJ, from a nano-electromechanical torsion spring at the single molecule level. Real-time Raman measurements show these electronic device characteristics are directly affected by this molecular torsion, which can be explained using a simple circuit model based on junction capacitances, confirmed by density functional theory calculations. This nanomechanical degree of freedom is normally invisible and ignored in electrical transport measurements but is vital to the design and exploitation of molecules as quantum-coherent electronic nanodevices.
Structural asymmetry governs the assembly and GTPase activity of McrBC restriction complexes
Authors: Niu Yiming , Suzuki Hiroshi , Hosford Christopher J. , Walz Thomas , Chappie Joshua S.
Published: November 2020

McrBC complexes are motor-driven nucleases functioning in bacterial self-defense by cleaving foreign DNA. The GTP-specific AAA + protein McrB powers translocation along DNA and its hydrolysis activity is stimulated by its partner nuclease McrC. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of Thermococcus gammatolerans McrB and McrBC, and E. coli McrBC. The McrB hexamers, containing the necessary catalytic machinery for basal GTP hydrolysis, are intrinsically asymmetric. This asymmetry directs McrC binding so that it engages a single active site, where it then uses an arginine/lysine-mediated hydrogen-bonding network to reposition the asparagine in the McrB signature motif for optimal catalytic function. While the two McrBC complexes use different DNA-binding domains, these contribute to the same general GTP-recognition mechanism employed by all G proteins. Asymmetry also induces distinct inter-subunit interactions around the ring, suggesting a coordinated and directional GTP-hydrolysis cycle. Our data provide insights into the conserved molecular mechanisms governing McrB family AAA + motors.