bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual Agency, Commission Levels, and the Effect on Sale Price in Residential Real Estate Market: A Questionnaire Survey on Real Estate Brokers in Japan
Authors: Shirakawa Keiichi , Okoshi Toshiyuki
Published: February 2021

In residential real estate market, agents have an incentive to steer their clients to their own listings or buyers rather than offering the best value transaction, which is derived from allowing dual agency and information asymmetry among buyers, sellers, and agents. We estimated the commission levels and sale prices of real estate brokers through a questionnaire survey and found that seven out of ten brokers are closing dual-agency deals and lowering sale prices. We could not find any effects of the number of employees, location of office, and major types of contract on dual agency.
A Study on the Relation Between Residential Land Value and the Distance to the Center of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area (1970–2016)
Authors: Ueno Kenichi
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relation between residential land value and the distance to the center of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area from 1970 to 2016. The result shows three trends in the relation: (1) residential land value had increased at all standard sites even while the interest rate was kept high; (2) when the interest rate has become lower, the shorter the distance to the center became, the higher residential land value has increased; and (3) recently the areas where residential land value fluctuate has become narrower. This paper discusses about these trends.
Guiding Urban Facilities and Functions in Compact Mixed-Use Development from the Perspective of Residents
Authors: Ishikawa Toru
Published: February 2021

This article discusses the development of compact and functionally integrated urban environments from the perspective of local residents, focusing on their psychological evaluations of mixed land use and performance-based regulation. It demonstrates the significance of residents’ perceptions and attitudes in the achievement of flexibility required for urban planning in a shrinking society. To promote planned concentration of various functions in an urban area in an appropriate way, as in the development of compact cities in a multi-polar network advocated by the Location Normalization Plan, it will have more importance than ever to conceive planning that takes the characteristics of both a region and its residents into account.
Legal Issues of Land Plots with Unknown Owners
Authors: Iwasaki Masaaki
Published: February 2021

This paper describes how and why owner unknown lands have been increasing in Japan’s shrinking population and proposes some ideas on the solution to the relating legal issues.
Proposal of System for Calculating Sky View Factor Using Google Street View
Authors: Nishio Shoko , Ito Fumiko
Published: February 2021

In recent years, big data entered use in various fields. Google Street View (hereinafter called “GSV”) can be regarded as open big data, and its images can be obtained using API. The streets can be viewed 360° horizontally and 290° vertically from each point on the web. In addition to those, zooming up is available, and the viewpoint can be moved approximately 10 m forward or backward to/from the current point. The original image to provide the view is the panoramic image associated with the latitude and longitude information on the street consecutively at intervals of 10 m, and they exist as massive data on the web. We determine the area of the sky using these images from GSV. In this research, we calculate the sky view factor (hereinafter called “SVF”) in an extended area by defining the area of the sky with the SVF and utilizing the computer.
Frontiers of Computer Vision Technologies on Real Estate Property Photographs and Floorplans
Authors: Kiyota Yoji
Published: February 2021

This article describes frontier efforts to apply deep learning technologies, which is the greatest innovation of research on artificial intelligence and computer vision, to image data such as real estate property photographs and floorplans. Specifically, attempts to detect property photographs that violate regulations or were misclassified, or to extract information that can be used as new recommendation features from property photographs, were mentioned. Besides, this article introduces an innovation created by providing data sets for academic communities.
The Efficiency of the Titling System: Perspectives of Economics
Authors: Nakagawa Masayuki
Published: February 2021

The problem of land with unknown ownership is becoming increasingly evident with Japan’s declining population, low birth rate and aging population. This paper examines the need for the titling system using perspectives from economics and considers what sorts of titling system works for which types of society and looks at ways to deal with the problem of land with unknown ownership. A series of previous researches such as Miceli et al. (Eur J Law Econ 6:305–323, 1998; J Urban Econ 47:370–389, 2000) categorize the titling systems used in many advanced countries as either registration systems or recording systems. In terms of broad categorization Japan’s titling system is categorized as a recording system. However, since the details of registered information are confirmed through various registration procedures, the system also has aspects that resemble a registration system. This can be interpreted as having selected the titling system’s strength that considerably lowers the level of litigation risk. In that case, transaction costs become very high. This could be the cause of the excessively small current level of Japanese real estate transactions. Furthermore, the result of selecting the recording system in Japan, which is a system with a very high strength, could explain why nobody takes insurance to cover the risk of title litigation. In Japan, it is highly likely that the full-fledged population decline, low birth rate and aging population will lower the profitability of land. In that case, a titling system with low strength is likely to be the best for society as indicated in the analysis above.
Land Plots with Unknown Owners: Causes and Legal Measures—The Necessity for a Thorough Reduction of Transaction Costs
Authors: Fukui Hideo
Published: February 2021

The increase of land plots with unknown owners, namely, land plots whose owner’s name and address are not easily identifiable through repeated inheritance, etc., has emerged as a prominent social issue. The major reason for this phenomenon is the Civil Code that unconditionally allows the sharing of real estate by an unlimited number of co-owners, for one thing, and the registration system of real estate that does not require the true owner to register and thus does not show the real rights of real estate, for another. To reduce the increase of land plots with unknown owners as a proactive measure and to utilize them as a reactive measure, it is necessary to establish the one-owner principle with a ban of the sharing of real estate even through inheritance, to abolish fixed asset tax on buildings and houses, to require the new owner of real estate to register the right upon the transfer of ownership and for the registration office to make it public, to amend the Land Expropriation Act to facilitate the purchase of the land plots for public purpose without owner identification, to create an institutional arrangement that allows the will of the owner to be fictionally replaced, and to amend the Civil Code to allow the disposal of shared real estate by the majority of the co-owners.
The Negative Effect Factors of the Land Acquisition System for Profit-Oriented Enterprises in Order to Promote Economic Growth
Authors: Ohya Yuichi
Published: February 2021

The Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act of 1991 in Malaysia for economic growth has institutionally enabled arbitrary land acquisition. This paper reveals what is the fundamental determinant of the negative effects on the legal system concerning land acquisition for economic growth. As a result of this study consideration, the article of property rights within the limits of the law enables governments to have a broad discretionary power and liberalizes policies governments can implement. However, this study concludes policies that make light of personal assets will obstruct economic growth in the long run.
Eigenvalue Clusters of Large Tetradiagonal Toeplitz Matrices
Authors: Böttcher Albrecht , Gasca Juanita , Grudsky Sergei M. , Kozak Anatoli V.
Published: February 2021

Toeplitz matrices are typically non-Hermitian and hence they evade the well-elaborated machinery one can employ in the Hermitian case. In a pioneering paper of 1960, Palle Schmidt and Frank Spitzer showed that the eigenvalues of large banded Toeplitz matrices cluster along a certain limiting set which is the union of finitely many closed analytic arcs. Finding this limiting set nevertheless remains a challenge. We here present an algorithm in the spirit of Richard Beam and Robert Warming that reduces testing $$O(N^2)$$

O
(

N
2

)

points in the plane for membership in the limiting set by testing only O(N) points along a one-dimensional curve. For tetradiagonal Toeplitz matrices, we describe all types of the limiting sets, we classify their exceptional points, and we establish asymptotic formulas for the analytic arcs near their endpoints.
Pseudospectrum Enclosures by Discretization
Authors: Frommer Andreas , Jacob Birgit , Vorberg Lukas , Wyss Christian , Zwaan Ian
Published: February 2021

A new method to enclose the pseudospectrum via the numerical range of the inverse of a matrix or linear operator is presented. The method is applied to finite-dimensional discretizations of an operator on an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, and convergence results for different approximation schemes are obtained, including finite element methods. We show that the pseudospectrum of the full operator is contained in an intersection of sets which are expressed in terms of the numerical ranges of shifted inverses of the approximating matrices. The results are illustrated by means of two examples: the advection–diffusion operator and the Hain–Lüst operator.
Relationship between door-to-embolization time and clinical outcomes after transarterial embolization in trauma patients with complex pelvic fracture
Authors: Kim Hohyun , Jeon Chang Ho , Kim Jae Hun , Kwon Hoon , Kim Chang Won , Kim Gil Hwan , Lee Chan Kyu , Lee Sang Bong , Jang Jae Hoon , Kim Seon Hee , Park Chan Yong , Yeom Seok Ran
Published: February 2021

Background

While transarterial embolization (TAE) is an effective way to control arterial bleeding associated with pelvic fracture, the clinical outcomes according to door-to-embolization (DTE) time are unclear. This study investigated how DTE time affects outcomes in patients with severe pelvic fracture.

Methods

Using a trauma database between November 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019, trauma patients undergoing TAE were retrospectively reviewed. The final study population included 192 patients treated with TAE. The relationships between DTE time and patients’ outcomes were evaluated. Multiple binomial logistic regression analyses, multiple linear regression analyses, and Cox hazard proportional regression analyses were performed to estimate the impacts of DTE time on clinical outcomes.

Results

The median DTE time was 150 min (interquartile range, 121–184). The mortality rates in the first 24 h and overall were 3.7% and 14.6%, respectively. DTE time served as an independent risk factor for mortality in the first 24 h (adjusted odds ratio = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20–3.34, p = 0.008). In Cox proportional hazards regression analyses, the adjusted hazard ratio of DTE time for mortality at 28 days was 1.24 (95% CI = 1.04–1.47, p = 0.014). In addition, there was a positive relationship between DTE time and requirement for packed red blood cell transfusion during the initial 24 h and a negative relationship between DTE time and ICU-free days to day 28.

Conclusion

Shorter DTE time was associated with better survival in the first 24 h, as well as other clinical outcomes, in patients with complex pelvic fracture who underwent TAE. Efforts to minimize DTE time are recommended to improve the clinical outcomes in patients with pelvic fracture treated with TAE.
Multi-omics-based prediction of hybrid performance in canola
Authors: Knoch Dominic , Werner Christian R. , Meyer Rhonda C. , Riewe David , Abbadi Amine , Lücke Sophie , Snowdon Rod J. , Altmann Thomas
Published: February 2021

Key message

Complementing or replacing genetic markers with transcriptomic data and use of reproducing kernel Hilbert space regression based on Gaussian kernels increases hybrid prediction accuracies for complex agronomic traits in canola.

In plant breeding, hybrids gained particular importance due to heterosis, the superior performance of offspring compared to their inbred parents. Since the development of new top performing hybrids requires labour-intensive and costly breeding programmes, including testing of large numbers of experimental hybrids, the prediction of hybrid performance is of utmost interest to plant breeders. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of hybrid prediction models in spring-type oilseed rape (Brassica napusL./canola) employing different omics profiles, individually and in combination. To this end, a population of 950 F1hybrids was evaluated for seed yield and six other agronomically relevant traits in commercial field trials at several locations throughout Europe. A subset of these hybrids was also evaluated in a climatized glasshouse regarding early biomass production. For each of the 477 parental rapeseed lines, 13,201 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 154 primary metabolites, and 19,479 transcripts were determined and used as predictive variables. Both, SNP markers and transcripts, effectively predict hybrid performance using (genomic) best linear unbiased prediction models (gBLUP). Compared to models using pure genetic markers, models incorporating transcriptome data resulted in significantly higher prediction accuracies for five out of seven agronomic traits, indicating that transcripts carry important information beyond genomic data. Notably, reproducing kernel Hilbert space regression based on Gaussian kernels significantly exceeded the predictive abilities of gBLUP models for six of the seven agronomic traits, demonstrating its potential for implementation in future canola breeding programmes.
Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope is Strongly Correlated to VO2peak Long-Term After Arterial Switch Operation
Authors: Terol Espinosa de los Monteros Covadonga , Van der Palen Roel L. F. , Hazekamp Mark G. , Rammeloo Lukas , Jongbloed Monique R. M. , Blom Nico A. , Harkel Arend D. J. Ten
Published: February 2021

After the arterial switch operation (ASO) for transposition of the great arteries (TGA), many patients have an impaired exercise tolerance. Exercise tolerance is determined with cardiopulmonary exercise testing by peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak). Unlike VO2peak, the oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) does not require a maximal effort for interpretation. The value of OUES has not been assessed in a large group of patients after ASO. The purpose of this study was to determine OUES and VO2peak, evaluate its interrelationship and assess whether exercise tolerance is related to ventricular function after ASO. A cardiopulmonary exercise testing, assessment of physical activity score and transthoracic echocardiography (fractional shortening and left/right ventricular global longitudinal peak strain) were performed to 48 patients after ASO. Median age at follow-up after ASO was 16.0 (IQR 13.0–18.0) years. Shortening fraction was normal (36 ± 6%). Left and right global longitudinal peak strain were reduced: 15.1 ± 2.4% and 19.5 ± 4.5%. This group of patients showed lower values for all cardiopulmonary exercise testing parameters compared to the reference values: mean VO2peak% 75% (95% CI 72–77) and mean OUES% 82(95% CI 77–87); without significant differences between subtypes of TGA. A strong-to-excellent correlation between the VO2peak and OUES was found (absolute values: R = 0.90, p < 0.001; normalized values: R = 0.79, p < 0.001). No correlation was found between cardiopulmonary exercise testing results and left ventricle function parameters. In conclusion, OUES and VO2peak were lower in patients after ASO compared to reference values but are strongly correlated, making OUES a valuable tool to use in this patient group when maximal effort is not achievable.
Indian Ocean impact on ENSO evolution 2014–2016 in a set of seasonal forecasting experiments
Authors: Mayer Michael , Balmaseda Magdalena Alonso
Published: February 2021

This study investigates the influence of the anomalously warm Indian Ocean state on the unprecedentedly weak Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) and the unexpected evolution of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) during 2014–2016. It uses 25-month-long coupled twin forecast experiments with modified Indian Ocean initial conditions sampling observed decadal variations. An unperturbed experiment initialized in Feb 2014 forecasts moderately warm ENSO conditions in year 1 and year 2 and an anomalously weak ITF throughout, which acts to keep tropical Pacific ocean heat content (OHC) anomalously high. Changing only the Indian Ocean to cooler 1997 conditions substantially alters the 2-year forecast of Tropical Pacific conditions. Differences include (i) increased probability of strong El Niño in 2014 and La Niña in 2015, (ii) significantly increased ITF transports and (iii), as a consequence, stronger Pacific ocean heat divergence and thus a reduction of Pacific OHC over the two years. The Indian Ocean’s impact in year 1 is via the atmospheric bridge arising from altered Indian Ocean Dipole conditions. Effects of altered ITF and associated ocean heat divergence (oceanic tunnel) become apparent by year 2, including modified ENSO probabilities and Tropical Pacific OHC. A mirrored twin experiment starting from unperturbed 1997 conditions and several sensitivity experiments corroborate these findings. This work demonstrates the importance of the Indian Ocean’s decadal variations on ENSO and highlights the previously underappreciated role of the oceanic tunnel. Results also indicate that, given the physical links between year-to-year ENSO variations, 2-year-long forecasts can provide additional guidance for interpretation of forecasted year-1 ENSO probabilities.
The subjective knee value is a valid single-item survey to assess knee function in common knee disorders
Authors: Plachel Fabian , Jung Tobias , Bartek Benjamin , Rüttershoff Katja , Perka Carsten , Gwinner Clemens
Published: February 2021

Introduction

The patient’s perspective plays a key role in judging the effect of knee disorders on physical function. We have introduced the Subjective Knee Value (SKV) to simplify the evaluation of individual’s knee function by providing one simple question. The purpose of this prospective study was to validate the SKV with accepted multiple-item knee surveys across patients with orthopaedic knee disorders.

Materials and methods

Between January through March 2020, consecutive patients (n = 160; mean age 51 ± 18 years, range from 18 to 85 years, 54% women) attending the outpatient clinic for knee complaints caused by osteoarthritis (n = 69), meniscal lesion (n = 45), tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (n = 23) and focal chondral defect (n = 23) were invited to complete a knee-specific survey including the SKV along with the Knee Injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee form (IKDC-S). The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to evaluate external validity between the SKV and each patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) separately. Furthermore, patient’s compliance was assessed by comparing responding rates.

Results

Overall, the SKV highly correlated with both the KOOS (R = 0.758, p < 0.05) and the IKDC-S (R = 0.802, p < 0.05). This was also demonstrated across all investigated diagnosis- and demographic-specific (gender, age) subgroups (range 0.509–0.936). No relevant floor/ceiling effects were noticed. The responding rate for the SKV (96%) was significantly higher when compared with those for the KOOS (81%) and the IKDC-S (83%) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

At baseline, the SKV exhibits acceptable validity across all investigated knee-specific PROMs in a broad patient population with a wide array of knee disorders. The simplified survey format without compromising the precision to evaluate individual’s knee function justifies implementation in daily clinical practice.

Level of evidence

II, cohort study (diagnosis).
Part-time work and other occupational risk factors for suicide among working women in the Swiss National Cohort
Authors: Wild Pascal , Bovio Nicolas , Guseva Canu Irina ,   for the Swiss National Cohort, Egger Matthias , Spörri Adrian , Zwahlen Marcel , Puhan Milo , Bopp Matthias , Röösli Martin , Oris Michel , Bochud Murielle
Published: February 2021

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe the factors associated with mortality by suicide among working women focusing on work-related factors.

Methods

The study population consisted in all Swiss residents recorded in the 1990 and/or the 2000 compulsory national censuses and were linked to emigration and mortality registers. We selected all women aged 18–65 and at work at the official census dates. Following work-related variables were available: socio-economic status, weekly hours of work, the sector of activity and the job title coded according to the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). The risk of suicide was modelled using negative binomial regression.

Results

The cohort comprised 1,771,940 women and 2526 deaths by suicide corresponding to 24.9 million person-years. The most significant non-occupational predictors of suicide were age, period, civil status, religion, nationality and geographical regions. Adjusted on these factors, part-time work was associated with increased suicide rates. According to job codes, health and social activities, in particular care-worker had the highest suicide risks.

Conclusion

Suicide among working women depended on work-related factors even taking into account other socio-demographic factors.
Shorter sleep duration is associated with potential risks for overwork-related death among Japanese truck drivers: use of the Karoshi prodromes from worker’s compensation cases
Authors: Kubo Tomohide , Matsumoto Shun , Sasaki Takeshi , Ikeda Hiroki , Izawa Shuhei , Takahashi Masaya , Koda Shigeki , Sasaki Tsukasa , Sakai Kazuhiro
Published: February 2021

Purpose

We aimed to cross-sectionally investigate how work and sleep conditions could be associated with excessive fatigue symptoms as an early sign of Karoshi (overwork-related cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases; CCVDs).

Methods

We distributed a questionnaire regarding work, sleep, and excessive fatigue symptoms to 5410 truck drivers, as the riskiest occupation for overwork-related CCVDs, and collected 1992 total samples (response rate: 36.8%). The research team collected 1564 investigation reports required for compensation for Karoshi. Of them, 190 reports listed the prodromes of Karoshi, which were used to develop the new excessive fatigue symptoms inventory.

Results

One-way analyses of variance showed that the excessive fatigue symptoms differed significantly by monthly overtime hours (p < 0.001), daily working time (p < 0.001), work schedule (p = 0.025), waiting time on-site (p = 0.049), number of night shifts (p = 0.011), and sleep duration on workdays (p < 0.001). Multivariate mixed-model regression analyses revealed shorter sleep duration as the most effective parameter for predicting excessive fatigue symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed that the occurrences of CCVDs were significantly higher in the middle [adjusted ORs = 3.56 (1.28–9.94)] and high-score groups [3.55 (1.24–10.21)] than in the low-score group.

Conclusion

The findings suggested that shorter sleep duration was associated more closely with a marked increase in fatigue, as compared with the other work and sleep factors. Hence, ensuring sleep opportunities could be targeted for reducing the potential risks of Karoshi among truck drivers.
Are sesquiterpene lactones the elusive KARRIKIN-INSENSITIVE2 ligand?
Authors: Rahimi Mehran , Bouwmeester Harro
Published: February 2021

Main conclusion

The sunflower sesquiterpene lactones 8-epixanthatin and tomentosin can bind to the hydrophobic pocket of sunflower KAI2 with an affinity much higher than for the exogenous ligand KAR.

Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) are secondary plant metabolites with a wide range of biological, such as anti-microbial, activities. Intriguingly, the STLs have also been implicated in plant development: in several Asteraceae, STL levels correlate with the photo-inhibition of hypocotyl elongation. Although this effect was suggested to be due to auxin transport inhibition, there is no structural–functional evidence for this claim. Intriguingly, the light-induced inhibition of hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis has been ascribed to HYPOSENSITIVE TO LIGHT/KARRIKIN-INSENSITIVE2 (HTL/KAI2) signaling. KAI2 was discovered because of its affinity to the smoke-derived karrikin (KAR), though it is generally assumed that KAI2 has another, endogenous but so far elusive, ligand rather than the exogenous KARs. Here, we postulate that the effect of STLs on hypocotyl elongation is mediated through KAI2 signaling. To support this hypothesis, we have generated homology models of the sunflower KAI2s (HaKAI2s) and used them for molecular docking studies with STLs. Our results show that particularly two sunflower STLs, 8-epixanthatin and tomentosin, can bind to the hydrophobic pockets of HaKAI2s with high affinity. Our results are in line with a recent study, showing that these two STLs accumulate in the light-exposed hypocotyls of sunflower. This finding sheds light on the effect of STLs in hypocotyl elongation that has been reported for many decades but without conclusive insight in the elusive mechanism underlying this effect.
The impact of social anxiety on feedback-based go and nogo learning
Authors: Peterburs Jutta , Albrecht Christine , Bellebaum Christian
Published: February 2021

The term “Pavlovian” bias describes the phenomenon that learning to execute a response to obtain a reward or to inhibit a response to avoid punishment is much easier than learning the reverse. The present study investigated the interplay between this learning bias and individual levels of social anxiety. Since avoidance behavior is a hallmark feature of social anxiety and high levels of social anxiety have been associated with better learning from negative feedback, it is conceivable that the Pavlovian bias is altered in individuals with high social anxiety, with a strong tendency to avoid negative feedback, especially (but not only) in a nogo context. In addition, learning may be modulated by the individual propensity to learn from positive or negative feedback, which can be assessed as a trait-like feature. A sample of 84 healthy university students completed an orthogonalized go/nogo task that decoupled action type (go/nogo) and outcome valence (win/avoid) and a probabilistic selection task based upon which the individual propensity to learn from positive and negative feedback was determined. Self-reported social anxiety and learning propensity were used as predictors in linear mixed-effect model analysis of performance accuracy in the go/nogo task. Results revealed that high socially anxious subjects with a propensity to learn better from negative feedback showed particularly pronounced learning for nogo to avoid while lacking significant learning for nogo to win as well as go to avoid. This result pattern suggests that high levels of social anxiety in concert with negative learning propensity hamper the overcoming of Pavlovian bias in a win context while facilitating response inhibition in an avoidance context. The present data confirm the robust Pavlovian bias in feedback-based learning and add to a growing body of evidence for modulation of feedback learning by individual factors, such as personality traits. Specifically, results show that social anxiety is associated with altered Pavlovian bias, and might suggest that this effect could be driven by altered basal ganglia function primarily affecting the nogo pathway.
The first 8 weeks of the Austrian SARS-CoV-2 epidemic
Authors: Nagel Anna , Łaszewska Agata , Haidinger Gerald , Simon Judit
Published: February 2021

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV‑2) reached Austria in February 2020. This study aims to describe the first 8 weeks of the Austrian epidemic and reflect on the potential mental health consequences as known at that time.

Methods

Data on Austrian Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) epidemiological indicators and number of tests were obtained from official registers. Relative risks (RRs) of infection and death from COVID-19 were calculated for sex and age groups (< 65 years and ≥ 65 years). Public health measures introduced to reduce the spread of COVID-19 were identified via online media research. A rapid review of initial evidence on mental health consequences of the pandemic was performed in PubMed and medRxiv.

Results

By 21 April 2020 the case count in Austria was 14,810 after a peak of new daily infections mid-March. The RR of death for age ≥ 65 years was 80.07 (95% confidence interval, CI 52.64–121.80; p < 0.0001) compared to those aged < 65 years. In men the RR of death was 1.44 (95% CI 1.20–1.73; p < 0.0001) compared to women. Wide-ranging public health measures included avoidance of case importation, limitation of social contacts, hygiene measures, testing, case tracking, and the call for COVID-19-related research. International rates of psychiatric symptoms during the initial lockdowns exceeded typical levels: anxiety (6%–51%), depression (17%–48%) and posttraumatic stress (5%–54%).

Conclusion

Data show great vulnerability of older people also in Austria. Severe mental health impacts can be expected with need for proper assessment of the long-term consequences of this pandemic.
Non-invasive prediction of the mouse tibia mechanical properties from microCT images: comparison between different finite element models
Authors: Oliviero S. , Roberts M. , Owen R. , Reilly G. C. , Bellantuono I. , Dall’Ara E.
Published: February 2021

New treatments for bone diseases require testing in animal models before clinical translation, and the mouse tibia is among the most common models. In vivo micro-Computed Tomography (microCT)-based micro-Finite Element (microFE) models can be used for predicting the bone strength non-invasively, after proper validation against experimental data. Different modelling techniques can be used to estimate the bone properties, and the accuracy associated with each is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of different microCT-based microFE models to predict the mechanical properties of the mouse tibia under compressive load. Twenty tibiae were microCT scanned at 10.4 µm voxel size and subsequently compressed at 0.03 mm/s until failure. Stiffness and failure load were measured from the load–displacement curves. Different microFE models were generated from each microCT image, with hexahedral or tetrahedral mesh, and homogeneous or heterogeneous material properties. Prediction accuracy was comparable among models. The best correlations between experimental and predicted mechanical properties, as well as lower errors, were obtained for hexahedral models with homogeneous material properties. Experimental stiffness and predicted stiffness were reasonably well correlated (R2 = 0.53–0.65, average error of 13–17%). A lower correlation was found for failure load (R2 = 0.21–0.48, average error of 9–15%). Experimental and predicted mechanical properties normalized by the total bone mass were strongly correlated (R2 = 0.75–0.80 for stiffness, R2 = 0.55–0.81 for failure load). In conclusion, hexahedral models with homogeneous material properties based on in vivo microCT images were shown to best predict the mechanical properties of the mouse tibia.
High-speed turbulent gas jets: an LES investigation of Mach and Reynolds number effects on the velocity decay and spreading rate
Authors: Bonelli Francesco , Viggiano Annarita , Magi Vinicio
Published: February 2021

The aim of this work is the investigation of Mach and Reynolds numbers effects on the behaviour of turbulent gas jets in order to gain new insights into the fluid dynamic process of turbulent jet mixing and spreading. An in-house solver (Flow-Large Eddy and Direct Simulation, FLEDS) of the Favre-filtered Navier Stokes equations has been used. Compressibility has been analyzed by considering gas jets with Mach number equal to 0.8, 1.4, 2.0 and 2.6, and Re equal to 10,000. As concerns the influence of Re on gas jets, four cases have been investigated, i.e. $$\mathrm{Re} = 2500$$

Re
=
2500

, 5000, 10,000 and 20,000, with Mach number equal to 1.4. The results show that, in accordance with previous experimental and numerical studies, the potential core length increases with Mach number. As regards the velocity decay and the spreading rate downstream of the potential core, compressibility effects are not relevant except for the jet with Mach number of 2.6. The normalized turbulent kinetic energy along the centerline as a function of the normalized streamwise distance shows a similar peak at the end of the potential core for all jets, except for the case with Mach number of 2.6. By increasing Re, the length of the potential core decreases up to the same value for all Re higher than 10,000. In the region downstream of the potential core, the velocity decay decreases as Re number increases from 10,000 to 20,000, whereas, for lower values of Re, the influence is almost negligible.
Magnetic field-induced self-assembly of chemically modified graphene oxide on cellulose fabrics for the fabrication of flexible conductive devices
Authors: Zhang Huanxia , Wu Wen , Zhou Jie , Zhang Xinchao , Zhu Tantan , Tong Mingqiong
Published: February 2021

In this present study, we have successfully fabricated the cellulose fabric with excellent electrical conductivity by depositing the graphene oxide grafted with the modified ferroferric oxide (GOF) upon fabric substrate via layer-by-layer magnetic-field-induced self-assembly apporoach and followed by chemical reduction. The results indicated that the morphologies of graphene oxide nanosheets for three-layer deposited fabrics could form the highly oriented wrinkled structures, which resulted from the synergistic interactions of magnetic induction force on magnetic doublet, hydrogen bonds and van der Waals. The volume resistivity of the three-layer deposited fabric could reach to 64.8 Ω cm compared with that of pure RGO-coated viscose fabrics (137.94 Ω cm) in the previous work, which could be favorable for improving the electrical conductivity and decreasing the graphene oxide consumption. Furthermore, the three-layer deposited fabric possessed excellent washing durability even after twelve times water laundering. Our results suggested that the flexible GOF-coated fabric had great potential in conductive devices for wearable electronics, strain sensors, smart actuators and bioelectrodes and so on.
Review of congruence between global crop wild relative hotspots and centres of crop origin/diversity
Authors: Maxted Nigel , Vincent Holly
Published: February 2021

Crop wild relatives (CWR) are important sources of adaptive diversity for plant breeding programmes. This paper aims to investigate the extent to which the centres of crop origin/diversity are congruent with areas of high CWR diversity. We established the predicted potential CWR distributions for 1,425 CWR species related to 167 crops using 334,527 known distribution locations and generated a global CWR hotspot map. This was then compared to the centres of origin/diversity proposed by Vavilov (amended by Hawkes); Zeven and Zhukovsky’s mega gene centres, Harlan’s centres and non-centres of crop domestication; and crop domestication areas identified using current archaeological evidence proposed by Purugganan and Fuller. Greatest congruence between the global CWR hotspots and other concepts was found with the concept proposed by Vavilov and amended by Hawkes, but there remained significant differences between the CWR hotspots and Vavilov’s concept. This paper concludes that all four centre concepts reviewed have some overlap with CWR diversity but that Vavilov’s original concept has the closest geographic coincidence with CWR hotspots. With the benefit of significant additional global datasets to those used by Vavilov, we were able to suggest amendments to his concept, adding further centres based on CWR hotspots in west and east USA, West Africa, South-east Brazil and Australia. As a result of this study more precise targeting of CWR and crop landrace can be implemented in future, aiding global food and nutritional security.
Intraocular lens power calculation for plus and minus lenses in high myopia using partial coherence interferometry
Authors: Fuest Matthias , Plange Niklas , Kuerten David , Schellhase Hannah , Mazinani Babac A. E. , Walter Peter , Kohnen Stephan , Widder Randolf A. , Roessler Gernot
Published: February 2021

Purpose

We assessed the accuracy of lens power calculation in highly myopic patients implanting plus and minus intraocular lenses (IOL).

Methods

We included 58 consecutive, myopic eyes with an axial length (AL) > 26.0 mm, undergoing phacoemulsification and IOL implantation following biometry using the IOLMaster 500. For lens power calculation, the Haigis formula was used in all cases. For comparison, refraction was back-calculated using the Barrett Universal II (Barrett), Holladay I, Hill-RBF (RBF) and SRK/T formulae.

Results

The mean axial length was 30.17 ± 2.67 mm. Barrett (80%), Haigis (87%) and RBF (82%) showed comparable numbers of IOLs within 1 diopter (D) of target refraction. Visual acuity (BSCVA) improved (p < 0.001) from 0.60 ± 0.35 to 0.29 ± 0.29 logMAR (> 28-days postsurgery). The median absolute error (MedAE) of Barrett 0.49 D, Haigis 0.38, RBF 0.44 and SRK/T 0.44 did not differ. The MedAE of Haigis was significantly smaller than Holladay (0.75 D; p = 0.01). All median postoperative refractive errors (MedRE) differed significantly with the exception of Haigis to SRK/T (p = 0.6): Barrett − 0.33 D, Haigis 0.25, Holladay 0.63, RBF 0.04 and SRK/T 0.13. Barrett, Haigis, Holladay and RBF showed a tendency for higher MedAEs in their minus compared to plus IOLs, which only reached significance for SRK/T (p = 0.001). Barrett (p < 0.001) and RBF (p = 0.04) showed myopic, SRK/T (p = 002) a hyperopic shift in their minus IOLs.

Conclusions

In highly myopic patients, the accuracies of Barrett, Haigis and RBF were comparable with a tendency for higher MedAEs in minus IOLs. Barrett and RBF showed myopic, SRK/T a hyperopic shift in their minus IOLs.
Potential and effects of personalizing gameful fitness applications using behavior change intentions and Hexad user types
Authors: Altmeyer Maximilian , Lessel Pascal , Jantwal Subhashini , Muller Linda , Daiber Florian , Krüger Antonio
Published: February 2021

Personalizing gameful applications is essential to account for interpersonal differences in the perception of gameful design elements. Considering that an increasing number of people lead sedentary lifestyles, using personalized gameful applications to encourage physical activity is a particularly relevant domain. In this article, we investigate behavior change intentions and Hexad user types as factors to personalize gameful fitness applications. We first explored the potential of these two factors by analyzing differences in the perceived persuasiveness of gameful design elements using a storyboards-based online study ($$N=178$$N=178). Our results show several significant effects regarding both factors and thus support the usefulness of them in explaining perceptual differences. Based on these findings, we implemented “Endless Universe,” a personalized gameful application encouraging physical activity on a treadmill. We used the system in a laboratory study ($$N=20$$N=20) to study actual effects of personalization on the users’ performance, enjoyment and affective experiences. While we did not find effects on the immediate performance of users, positive effects on user experience-related measures were found. The results of this study support the relevance of behavior change intentions and Hexad user types for personalizing gameful fitness systems further.
A next step in disruption management: combining operations research and complexity science
Authors: Dekker Mark M. , van Lieshout Rolf N. , Ball Robin C. , Bouman Paul C. , Dekker Stefan C. , Dijkstra Henk A. , Goverde Rob M. P. , Huisman Dennis , Panja Debabrata , Schaafsma Alfons A. M. , van den Akker Marjan
Published: February 2021

Railway systems occasionally get into a state of being out-of-control, meaning that barely any train is running, even though the required resources (infrastructure, rolling stock and crew) are available. Because of the large number of affected resources and the absence of detailed, timely and accurate information, currently existing disruption management techniques cannot be applied in out-of-control situations. Most of the contemporary approaches assume that there is only one single disruption with a known duration, that all information about the resources is available, and that all stakeholders in the operations act as expected. Another limitation is the lack of knowledge about why and how disruptions accumulate and whether this process can be predicted. To tackle these problems, we develop a multidisciplinary framework combining techniques from complexity science and operations research, aiming at reducing the impact of these situations and—if possible—avoiding them. The key elements of this framework are (i) the generation of early warning signals for out-of-control situations, (ii) isolating a specific region such that delay stops propagating, and (iii) the application of decentralized decision making, more suited for information-sparse out-of-control situations.
Effects of nitrogen depletion on the biosorption capacities of Neochloris minuta and Neochloris alveolaris for five heavy metals
Authors: Giarikos Dimitrios G. , Brown Jessica , Razeghifard Reza , Vo Duy , Castillo Ammy , Nagabandi Nikhil , Gaffney Justin , Zelden Miriam , Antakshinova Anna , Rodriguez Sara , Muhammad Safiyah
Published: February 2021

Neochloris minutaandNeochloris alveolarisgrown in nitrogen-rich (+ N) and nitrogen-depleted (-N) media were tested for their heavy metal maximum biosorption capacities (qmax) and adsorption percent efficiencies (R%). By removing nitrogen from the growth media, both algal species showed an increase in their lipid content and a decrease in their protein content. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms were used to determine the qmaxand adsorption efficiencies of the + N and −N algae in the recovery of Pb2+, Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and Ni2+. When comparing the two types of algae,N. alveolarisshowed the highest adsorption capacities for all five metals either in + N or -N media. The maximum adsorption efficiency percentage of the lowest concentration metal ions forN. alveolariswas 87.10% for Pb2+, 64.98% for Cd2+, 59.50% for Zn2+, 60.08% for Cu2+, and 50.61% for Ni2+. In both algae, nitrogen depletion (-N) caused an increase in the qmaxvalues for Zn2+and Cu2+. Additionally, the qmaxofN. minutafor Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+and Ni2+increased by the nitrogen depletion demonstrating that the treatment can be applied to improve the biosorption capacity of a particular alga for multiple heavy metals. The biosorption capacity for these algae for heavy metals was also discussed in terms of their biomass compositions and the type of hard or soft metal acid based on the Pearson theory of Hard and Soft, Acid and Bases (HSAB).
Analysis of measuring methods of the concentration of methylene blue in the sorption process in fixed-bed column
Authors: Ostaszewski P. , Długosz O. , Banach M.
Published: February 2021

The wastewater from industry is contaminated with dyes, which should be removed in order to prevent environmental damage. This paper presents a method for removing methylene blue from an aqueous solution using a fixed-bed adsorption process onto sawdust. In the article, the method of continuous measurement of methylene blue concentration in the process of sorption on sawdust was used. The results were compared with the results obtained by the standard method of periodic testing of the dye concentration. Continuous measurement of the dye concentration after the sorption process provides the actual nature of the process and the method offers additional information about the process, as opposed to a periodic test in which the concentration of the ingredient gives only averaged results. The kinetics of the methylene blue sorption process at variable initial dye concentrations are presented. The initial concentration of methylene blue had a significant impact on the process breakthrough curve. The increase in concentration (range of 10–90 mg/dm3) caused the extension of the penetration zone of the dye mass, thus gradually adsorbing itself on the bed. In the study of kinetics, the Bohart–Adams model was the best fit.
The potential of trace elements mapping in child’s natal tooth by laser ablation-ICPMS method
Authors: Olszewska Aneta , Hanć Anetta
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Tooth enamel might provide past chronological metabolic, nutritional status and trace metal exposure during development. Thus, the trace elements distribution embedded in tooth tissues represents an archive of the environmental conditions. The choice of biomarker is estimated as critical to the measurement of metal exposure. Natal teeth are defined as teeth being present at birth.

Methods

LA-ICP-MS provides a quantitative assessment of spatial distribution of trace elements in a natal tooth. The objective of the current study was to compare concentrations of building and other elements in a rare but reliable and valid biomarker - natal tooth.

Results

It have been reported presence of potentially toxic elements: Pb, Cu, Mn, Cd, Ni distributed in prenatally and perinatally formed enamel and dentine.

Conclusions

Analyses of deciduous enamel can provide answers into individuals’ earliest development, including critical pre- and perinatal period.
Analyse und Interpretation von Lyrik: Reichweite und Grenzen der Textlinguistik
Authors: Habscheid Stephan
Published: February 2021

Der theoretische Fluchtpunkt der allgemeinen Textlinguistik – hier verstanden als linguistische Theorie textvermittelter Kommunikation – wird in der Regel nicht darin gesehen, von der Warte eines Interpreten aus einzelne Texte in ihrem jeweiligen historischen Kontext zu verstehen und zu erklären. Es geht dementsprechend weniger um die Frage nach dem »Was« der Bedeutung als um die Frage nach dem »Wie« des potentiellen Verstehens, wie es sprach-, wissens- und wahrnehmungsabhängig von Textexemplaren her rekonstruiert werden kann. Allerdings schließt die Beantwortung der »Wie«-Frage, wenn sie sich auf einen konkreten Text bezieht, die Beantwortung der »Was«-Frage mit ein, so dass die Textlinguistik auch für die Literaturanalyse nützlich sein kann. Umgekehrt stellt sich für die Textlinguistik (nicht nur) im Blick auf literarische Texte die Frage, inwieweit und wie neben der kommunikativen Sinnerfahrung auch die ästhetisch-sinnliche Erfahrung und hierauf beruhende »Präsenzeffekte« (Gumbrecht) in eine allgemeine Rekonstruktion der Textkonstitution einbezogen werden können. Dies soll am Beispiel des Gedichts »Kilchberg« von Heinrich Detering (2012) erörtert werden.