bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management of urinary incontinence in women
Authors: Chaplin Steve
Published: January 2020

NICE's guideline on the management of urinary incontinence in women has now been expanded to include pelvic organ prolapse. This article provides an overview of the latest guidance.
Some characteristics of the heave, pitch and roll vibrations within urban delivery routes
Authors: Rouillard Vincent , Lamb Matthew
Published: January 2020

Until recently, laboratory testing of packaged systems has been undertaken by simulating vertical vibrations alone. However, with increasing demand for a reduction in packaging waste, the use lightweight systems, such as stretch film, is increasing. Such containment systems are susceptible to the lateral forces generated by the pitch and roll vibratory motion of vehicles due to road surface unevenness. If laboratory simulation is to be realistic, multi‐axial motion must be taken into account and an understanding of the relationships between the random heave, pitch, and roll vibrations is essential. This paper uses vibration data collected from a number of transport vehicles traveling along typical urban and suburban routes to establish the nature and level of the multi‐axial vibrations that exist. These are presented with average Power Density Spectra (PDS) as well as statistical distributions of the moving root‐mean‐square (rms). The paper analyses the data for correlation of the rms levels with respect to nonstationarity. This is important when simulating nonstationary (randomly fluctuating rms) vibrations for heave, pitch and roll. These statistical correlation functions are used to manage the relative rms levels of each of the three Degrees of Freedom (DoFs) when undertaking vibration simulations using multi‐axis vibration test systems. The results show that the relationships between the moving rms of heave, pitch and roll vibrations are not strongly correlated but can be characterized statistically as joint distributions to enable realistic simulation of multi‐axial random vibrations of road transport vehicles under controlled laboratory conditions.
Comparing the lens displacement profile data by using the sequential approach for selecting alternative suppliers
Authors: Lin Chen‐ju , Chuang Yuan‐chung
Published: January 2020

The lens module is a critical part of the camera module. The quality of the lens module significantly influences the auto‐focus and image stability functions of the camera module. A new approach that uses sequential tests is proposed to select the alternative suppliers that provide the qualified parts as the current supplier under the linear profile data. Having several qualified alternative suppliers can reduce the dependency on one supplier, improve bargaining power, and reduce capacity risk. The lens displacement that has a linear relationship with current is the quality characteristic for evaluating the lens module suppliers. To select the qualified alternative suppliers, the proposed sequential approach tests the profile difference between the current supplier and the investigated suppliers. The simulation results show that the power of the sequential approach is higher than the simultaneous confidence bands method in differentiating profiles. Last, the proposed approach is effectively applied to select the qualified alternative lens module suppliers for the camera module manufacturer. Procuring the lens module from the selected suppliers can maintain production quality and flexibility for the camera module manufacturer in practice.
Counting restricted orientations of random graphs
Authors: Collares Maurício , Kohayakawa Yoshiharu , Morris Robert , Mota Guilherme O.
Published: January 2020

We count orientations of avoiding certain classes of oriented graphs. In particular, we study , the number of orientations of the binomial random graph in which every copy of is transitive, and , the number of orientations of containing no strongly connected copy of . We give the correct order of growth of and up to polylogarithmic factors; for orientations with no cyclic triangle, this significantly improves a result of Allen, Kohayakawa, Mota, and Parente. We also discuss the problem for a single forbidden oriented graph, and state a number of open problems and conjectures.
1,4‐Disubstituted‐1,2,3‐triazole GABA Analogues: Synthesis, In Vitro Evaluation, Quantum QSAR and Molecular Docking against Pseudomonas fluorescens GABA‐AT
Authors: Díaz‐Peralta Lucero , Razo‐Hernández Rodrigo Said , Pastor Nina , Santiago Ángel , Guevara‐Salazar Juan Alberto , Fernández‐Zertuche Mario
Published: January 2020

We report the synthesis of a new series of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogues where the nitrogen at the ɣ‐position is contained in a 1,4‐disubstituted‐1,2,3‐triazole ring system. The triazole ring system was assembled by the Cu(I)‐catalyzed alkyne‐azide 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition (CuACC) protocol. We have identified two active compounds with 43 and 59 % inhibition respectively. A descriptive quantum QSAR study was carried out to correlate this activity with the structural changes in the GABA scaffold. The inhibitory activity of the compounds is related to the electronic properties of the triazole ring and substituents. The interaction with P. fluorescens GABA‐aminotransferase (GABA‐AT) was evaluated by molecular docking, using a homology model of the biological target. One compound showed the best interaction energy, the thiophene‐ substituted triazole 26 c, with a value that correlates well with the experimental inhibition results. The triazole ring is determinant for a proper orientation for interaction with the GABA‐AT enzyme. In addition, the molecular docking revealed the importance of a hydrophobic pocket near the PLP prosthetic group and how this pocket can be used to improve the inhibitory activity of GABA analogues. Human GABA‐AT molecular docking studies of these analogues showed their great potential as competitive inhibitors of this enzyme.
Synthesis and Properties of a Silicon‐Containing Arylacetylene Resin with 2,6‐Diphenoxypyridine Unit
Authors: Ma Manping , Li Chuan , Liu Xiaotian , Yuan Qiaolong , Huang Farong
Published: January 2020

A novel silicon‐containing arylacetylene resin called poly(dimethylsilylene‐ethylene‐phenoxypyridyloxy‐phenylene‐ethylene) (PSPPY) was made from 2,6‐bis(4‐ethynyl‐phenoxy) pyridine and dimethyldichlorosilane by Grignard reactions. The structure and properties of the resin were characterized by 1H‐NMR, FT‐IR, GPC, XRD, DSC, TGA and universal testing machine. The resin has a wide processing window ranged from 35 °C to 155 °C. The cured resin shows excellent mechanical property, low dielectric property and high thermal stability. The flexural strength of the cured resin at room temperature reaches 58.7 MPa. The cured resin has dielectric constant 3.0–3.5, dielectric loss 0.008‐0.040 in the frequency of 10−1‐106 Hz, and low water uptake (0.8 %). The degradation temperature at 5 % weight loss and the residue at 800 °C of the cured resin arrive at 500 °C and 77.1 % in nitrogen atmosphere, respectively.
Bimetallic Pd‐Sn Nanocatalysts for Selective Synthesis of Amines and Imines in Water
Authors: Mukhi Priyabrata , Roy Sujit
Published: January 2020

Aided by our interest in green chemistry, we report the synthesis of a novel Pd‐Sn nano catalyst for C−N coupling reaction in water. The catalyst has been synthesized by a simple wet chemical reduction method and fully characterized by a library of physico‐chemical techniques such as Powder X‐Ray Diffraction (PXRD), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), X‐Ray Photo Electron Spectroscopy (XPS) and UV‐Vis spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X‐Ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP‐OES). The robust Pd‐Sn catalyst shows high catalytic efficiency for the oxidative coupling of benzylamines and tandem coupling between alcohol and amine in water as solvent to give rise to the corresponding secondary amines. However, in presence of oxygen both the reactions stop at the imine stage. As a result, we could guide the reaction to obtain selectively amine or imine. The high efficiency, recyclability and good substrate scope of this Pd‐Sn nanocatalyst is noteworthy. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicated that the reactions proceed via initial activation of N−H bond of amine
Effect of Hexadecylpyridinium Bromide (HDPB) on Morphology and Electrocatalytic Performance of Porous Palladium Nanoparticles
Authors: Cui Zelin , Bai Xuefeng , Liu Teng
Published: January 2020

Structure‐controlled synthesis of palladium nanoparticles has long been a hot subject because of their remarkable catalytic performance. Herein, hexadecylpyridinium bromide (HDPB) was introduced as capping agent in the preparation of Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) through a facile none‐seeded routine using Na2PdCl4 as precursor. The as‐prepared PdNPs was in the shape of flocculus and it had a highly porous feature with an average size of 53.1 nm. The morphology evolution along with time was investigated by transmission electron microscopy and a possible formation mechanism of PdNPs was proposed. Meanwhile, the structural changes of PdNPs along with the concentration of HDPB and temperature were also studied. The relationship between structure and electrocatalytic activity were discussed. The electrocatalytic performance of PdNPs was much superior than commercial Pd/C toward methanol electro‐oxidation in the alkaline medium. The optimum electrocatalytic activity (jf=19.4 mA cm−2) was obtained catalyzing by PdNPs synthesized when n(HDPB)/n(Pd2+)=0.6 : 1 at 50°C for 3 h.
Zinc‐Catalysed Multi‐Component Reactions: An Overview
Authors: Neetha Mohan , Rohit K. R. , Saranya Salim , Anilkumar Gopinathan
Published: January 2020

Multi‐component reactions (MCRs) have gathered much attention recently due to their superior efficiency, exceptional selectivity and simplicity. Synthesis of various compounds with maximum efficiency and almost zero by‐products are their major highlights. Zinc is an easily accessible, economically feasible and environmentally viable catalyst. This first review in this topic focuses on the developments in zinc‐catalysed multi‐component reactions and covers literature up to 2019.
Morphological Influence of TiO2 Nanostructures on Charge Transfer and Tetracycline Degradation Under LED Light
Authors: Moshoeu Dimakatso E. , Sanni Saheed O. , Oseghe Ekemena O. , Msagati Titus A. M. , Mamba Bhekie B. , Ofomaja Augustine E.
Published: January 2020

In this study, TiO2 nanostructured materials (nanotube (T‐NT), nanofiber (T‐NF) and nanosphere (T‐NS)) were prepared via the hydrothermal method, characterized, and comparatively tested for surface OH density, charge mobility and in the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC). Results from the N2 sorption experiment and the pore size distribution shows that the materials are mesoporous with good Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area ranging from 127–274 m2/g and pore volume. T‐NF exhibited the best photocatalytic performance having a rate constant 0.0025 Lmg−1 min−1, which is 1.6, 5 and 6.3 times higher than T‐NT, T‐NS, and amorphous TiO2 (T‐AM) respectively. The outstanding performance of T‐NF over the other materials is due to its relatively low charge transfer, higher crystallinity, and higher surface OH density which reacts with h+ to form OH•.
Design and Synthesis of a Class of Compounds That Inhibit the Growth of Fungi Which Cause Invasive Infections
Authors: Nakada‐Motokawa Nana , Miyazaki Taiga , Mizuta Satoshi , Tanaka Yoshimasa , Hirayama Tatsuro , Takazono Takahiro , Saijo Tomomi , Yamamoto Kazuko , Imamura Yoshifumi , Izumikawa Koichi , Yanagihara Katsunori , Makimura Koichi , Takeda Kohsuke , Kohno Shigeru , Mukae Hiroshi
Published: January 2020

Invasive fungal infections are growing causes of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. However, only one antifungal drug class has been developed in the last 30 years, extremely limiting current therapeutic options. To address unmet medical needs, we performed high‐throughput screening of 9600 chemical compounds and identified an aminohydrazone derivative as a novel and potent antifungal compound. We then designed and synthesized a series of aminohydrazone derivatives, and demonstrated that 1‐[(E)‐[4‐(3′,4′‐dichlorobenxyloxy)phenyl methylidene]amino]‐guanidine had the most potent inhibitory activity and exhibited a broad spectrum of antifungal activities against Candida species (including multidrug resistant C. auris), Aspergillus species, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Rhizopus oryzae. Against C. albicans, the leading cause of Candida infections, the compound had fungicidal activity for planktonic cells at 8 μg mL−1 (25 μM) and anti‐biofilm activity at 34 μg mL−1 (100 μM). This study provides new insights for the development of a new drug class for the treatment of invasive fungal infections which are often refractory to conventional therapies.
Highly Efficient Catalysts for Conversion of CO2 into Cyclic Carbonates Based on the Ternary Layered ZIF‐8/P4VP/Au Hybrids
Authors: Fu Congcong , Zhang Yue , Ma Yehui , He Jiahui , Ge Kai , Li Zhenxing , Ye Jin , Zhou Xuejian , Wang Shuang , Yang Kai , Yang Yongfang
Published: January 2020

The P4VP with the molecular weight of 12 K and the molecular weight distribution of 1.2 was synthesized via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. Then it was added to the system for the preparation of ZIF‐8 as a surfactant. A special two‐dimensional (2D) sheet was produced because P4VP could promote the lateral growth of ZIF‐8. Additionally, the pyridine group from P4VP chains could complex Au3+ followed by in‐situ reduction under UV light to form the 2D ZIF‐8/P4VP/Au ternary hybrids. The ternary layered ZIF‐8/P4VP/Au hybrids exhibited a good yield for epoxy carbonate of 71 % and the high time‐space yield of 3.22 h−1 in the reaction of carbon dioxide with propylene oxide, which was much higher than 0.425 h−1 of the conventional homogeneous catalyst KI. Besides, the ternary layered ZIF‐8/P4VP/Au showed good stability, the catalytic performance was unchanged after three cycles.
Blueberry‐Peel‐Derived Porous Carbon for High‐Performance Supercapacitors: The Effect of N‐Doping and Activation
Authors: Zhong Yuan , Li Qin , Liu Rui
Published: January 2020

Nitrogen‐doped (N‐doped) activated porous carbon has been successfully prepared, using blueberry peel (BP) as a carbon source and melamine as a nitrogen source through a simple and effective carbonization and activation process. The obtained ABP‐1.5‐700 (ABP‐x‐y, ABP: blueberry peel derived activated porous carbon; x: BP/melamine mass ratio; y: carbonization temperature), with a nitrogen doping content of 8.29 at % presented a maximum specific capacitance of 324.3 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 in 6 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) aqueous electrolyte. It also showed an excellent cycle stability about 99.9% retention after 20000 charge‐discharge cycles. The assembled ABP‐1.5‐700‐based symmetric capacitor displayed the value of the specific capacitance was 75 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 with a maximum energy density of 13.78 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 661.25 W kg−1 (0‐1.15 V) in 6 M KOH electrolyte solution. The results showed that the porous carbon derived from blueberry peel presented a good potential for high performance supercapacitors.
Formation of N,S‐Containing Polycycles via Base Promoted Dimerization of N‐Phenacyl and N‐Benzylbenzothiazolium Bromides
Authors: Ding Bang‐Dong , Sun Jing , Jiang Wang , Jin Gong , Yan Chao‐Guo
Published: January 2020

The triethylamine promoted dimerization of N‐phenacylbenzothiazolium bromides in ethanol resulted in a mixture of N,O,S‐containing six fused‐cyclic compounds and N,S‐containing five fused‐cyclic compounds in moderate yields. On the other hand, the base promoted dimerization of N‐benzylbenzothiazolium bromides selectively afforded 2,3‐bis(4‐methylbenzyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐2,2′‐bibenzo[d]thiazoles or 3,3′‐bis(4‐methoxybenzyl)‐2,2′‐spirobi[benzo[d]thiazoles] depending on the electronic effect of the substituents on the benzyl group. The plausible formation mechanisms of the various annulation products were rationally proposed.
More habitual physical activity is linked to the use of specific, more adaptive cognitive reappraisal strategies in dealing with stressful events
Authors: Perchtold‐Stefan Corinna M. , Fink Andreas , Rominger Christian , Weiss Elisabeth M. , Papousek Ilona
Published: January 2020

Physical activity may improve stress resilience and well‐being. However, specific links to individuals' coping abilities with stressful events are sparse. This study tested whether individuals reporting more physical activity in daily life showed a higher capacity for cognitive reappraisal in dealing with potential stressors. Ninety‐eight participants reported their regular physical activity in the Freiburger Questionnaire on Physical Activity and completed a maximum performance test of their inventiveness in generating reappraisals for situations depicting real‐life stressors. The latter provides scores for overall cognitive reappraisal capacity (quantity of ideas) and preference for specific cognitive reappraisal strategies (quality of ideas; positive reinterpretation; problem‐oriented, de‐emphasizing reappraisals). Additionally, participants' anxious and depressive dispositions and general creative abilities were assessed. Results showed no association between time spent on physical activities per week and total quantity of generated reappraisal ideas. However, a higher degree of physical activity was specifically linked to a greater relative preference for the reappraisal strategy of positive reinterpretation. Opposite associations emerged for the strategy of de‐emphasizing reappraisals. The findings support the notion of more adaptive cognitive reappraisal use in more physically active individuals and may advance research on interrelationships between physical activity and cognitive and affective functions implicated in stress management.
Circadian Rhythm of Lipid Metabolism in Health and Disease
Authors: Zhang Zhihui , Xin Haoran , Li Min‐Dian
Published: January 2020

The circadian temporal organization of cellular functions segregates chemically incompatible processes into different times of the day. It is emerging that the molecular temporal organization of lipid metabolism throughout the day is crucial for physiological fitness, the dysfunction of which contributes to current epidemic metabolic diseases related to lipids. Here, current conceptual frameworks of the circadian clock system and knowledge of the circadian rhythm of lipid metabolism in different metabolic tissues and organs in health and disease are summarized. Recent advances in dietary and chemical approaches to modulate the circadian rhythm of lipids and the implications to treating human diseases are also reviewed.
Rational Microstructure Design on Metal–Organic Framework Composites for Better Electrochemical Performances: Design Principle, Synthetic Strategy, and Promotion Mechanism
Authors: Li Zhaoqiang , Ge Xiaoli , Li Caixia , Dong Shihua , Tang Rui , Wang Chengxiang , Zhang Zhiwei , Yin Longwei
Published: January 2020

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) simultaneously containing metal ions and organic ligands have recently shown great potential for application in energy storage and conversion fields due to their controllable conversion into carbon materials or various metal species, which often exhibit superior electrochemical performance as electrode materials for energy storage and conversion. Nevertheless, the electrochemical energy storage performance of MOF derivatives can still be further enhanced through building composites with other functional materials. It is of great significance in developing new strategies of fabricating MOF composites to achieve electrode materials with improved charge transfer and electrochemical redox reaction kinetics. In this review, the novel design and strategies of MOF composites with various functional components are focused on, including carbon‐based materials (carbon nanotubes, graphene, etc.), metal oxides, 3D conductive substrates, polymeric materials, and the second MOFs and metal salts, especially their derivatives for energy storage and conversion fields. The key factors for controllable synthesis of various MOF composites and electrochemical performance enhancement mechanisms are discussed in detail. It is expected that this review will provide new inspiration for the development of MOF derivatives for energy storage and conversion.
Corruption as an Occupational Choice: Endogenous Corruption and Tax Policy
Authors: Myles Gareth D. , Yousefi Hana
Published: January 2020

Corruption is endemic in many countries, and empirical studies have demonstrated how it impacts on macroeconomic indicators. Theoretical studies have generally assumed an exogenously given proportion of the population are corrupt or that the public sector is fixed in size; far fewer explore how corruption emerges endogenously. We endogenize corruption as an occupational choice. Workers choose private or public employment; public employees can be honest or corrupt. Corruption is subject to a social sanction that results in a loss of self‐esteem. Those who care little about the social sanction choose to be corrupt. When a firm meets a corrupt public employee it pays a bribe to secure a reduction in the tax rate. The economy has two self‐sustaining equilibria with different levels of corruption. Corruption reduces tax revenue and the tax rate that maximizes revenue. An increase in the social sanction reduces corruption but also reduces tax revenues if the economy is in a high‐corruption equilibrium. Paying a wage premium to public sector workers can result in all public sector workers being corrupt. Public sector audits to detect corrupt workers always reduce corruption but can only increase welfare when they are cheap to conduct and the economy is in a low‐corruption equilibrium.
A mobile data offloading framework based on a combination of blockchain and virtual voting
Authors: Hassija Vikas , Saxena Vikas , Chamola Vinay
Published: January 2020

The emergence of mobile cloud computing enables mobile users to offload computation tasks to other resource‐rich mobile devices to reduce energy consumption and enhance performance. A direct peer‐to‐peer connection among mobile devices to offload computation tasks can be a highly promising solution to provide a fast mechanism, especially for deadline‐sensitive offloading tasks. The generic blockchain‐based system might fail in such a scenario due to it being a heavyweight mechanism requiring high power consumption in the mining process. To address these issues, in this article, we propose a directed acyclic graph‐enabled mobile offloading (DAGMO) algorithm. DAGMO model is empowered by traditional blockchain features and provides additional advantages to overcome the fundamental limitations of generic blockchain. A game‐theoretic approach is used to model the interactions between mobile devices. The numerical analysis proves the proposed model to enhance the overall welfare of the participating nodes in terms of computation cost and time.
The changing water cycle: Freshwater in the Congo
Authors: Inogwabini Bila‐Isia
Published: January 2020

Climate change in Africa is manifesting itself in the distribution and quantities of freshwater which are becoming serious security issues. Central Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with its abundant water, is caught in the middle of strategies to curb future effects of droughts, water scarcity and flooding across Africa. This article reviewed the current status of water and related biodiversity in DRC using a political economy, biological data and available social knowledge. Freshwaters hold the potentials to significantly contribute to the economy of DRC. However, fish stocks in some stretches of the Congo River are fished at intensities that exceed their productivity potential; water depths are decreasing in some others. Sources of the freshwaters of the Congo Basin cross borders of many countries but proper transboundary management plans to support cross‐border sustainable management of freshwaters are lacking. Stakeholders do not own freshwater sustainable management plans; growing populations and the drying up of large portions of Africa make that freshwater of the Congo, rather than being a uniting factor of the region, instead a security threat that Congo River Basin countries need to care about immediately. Caution should prevail in ways in which the freshwaters of the Congo Basin are exploited. Particularly, lack of in‐depth ecological knowledge about the biology and the mechanics of the Congo Basin's freshwaters call for careful scrutiny of the idea to export the freshwaters of Congo to refill the Lake Chad Basin as suggested by some politicians, since this could lead to an unprecedented ecological cataclysm.

This article is categorized under:

Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness

Science of Water > Water Extremes

Engineering Water > Planning Water
Simplified automatic fault detection in wind turbine induction generators
Authors: Brigham Katharine , Zappalá Donatella , Crabtree Christopher J. , Donaghy‐Spargo Christopher
Published: January 2020

This paper presents a simplified automated fault detection scheme for wind turbine induction generators with rotor electrical asymmetries. Fault indicators developed in previous works have made use of the presence of significant spectral peaks in the upper sidebands of the supply frequency harmonics; however, the specific location of these peaks may shift depending on the wind turbine speed. As wind turbines tend to operate under variable speed conditions, it may be difficult to predict where these fault‐related peaks will occur. To accommodate for variable speeds and resulting shifting frequency peak locations, previous works have introduced methods to identify or track the relevant frequencies, which necessitates an additional set of processing algorithms to locate these fault‐related peaks prior to any fault analysis. In this work, a simplified method is proposed to instead bypass the issue of variable speed (and shifting frequency peaks) by introducing a set of bandpass filters that encompass the ranges in which the peaks are expected to occur. These filters are designed to capture the fault‐related spectral information to train a classifier for automatic fault detection, regardless of the specific location of the peaks. Initial experimental results show that this approach is robust against variable speeds and further shows good generalizability in being able to detect faults at speeds and conditions that were not presented during training. After training and tuning the proposed fault detection system, the system was tested on “unseen” data and yielded a high classification accuracy of 97.4%, demonstrating the efficacy of the proposed approach.
Loss of function in the Drosophila clock gene period results in altered intermediary lipid metabolism and increased susceptibility to starvation
Authors: Schäbler Stefan , Amatobi Kelechi M. , Horn Melanie , Rieger Dirk , Helfrich-Förster Charlotte , Mueller Martin J. , Wegener Christian , Fekete Agnes
Published: January 2020

The fruit fly Drosophila is a prime model in circadian research, but still little is known about its circadian regulation of metabolism. Daily rhythmicity in levels of several metabolites has been found, but knowledge about hydrophobic metabolites is limited. We here compared metabolite levels including lipids between period01 (per01) clock mutants and Canton-S wildtype (WTCS) flies in an isogenic and non-isogenic background using LC–MS. In the non-isogenic background, metabolites with differing levels comprised essential amino acids, kynurenines, pterinates, glycero(phospho)lipids, and fatty acid esters. Notably, detectable diacylglycerols (DAG) and acylcarnitines (AC), involved in lipid metabolism, showed lower levels in per01 mutants. Most of these differences disappeared in the isogenic background, yet the level differences for AC as well as DAG were consistent for fly bodies. AC levels were dependent on the time of day in WTCS in phase with food consumption under LD conditions, while DAGs showed weak daily oscillations. Two short-chain ACs continued to cycle even in constant darkness. per01 mutants in LD showed no or very weak diel AC oscillations out of phase with feeding activity. The low levels of DAGs and ACs in per01 did not correlate with lower total food consumption, body mass or weight. Clock mutant flies showed higher sensitivity to starvation independent of their background-dependent activity level. Our results suggest that neither feeding, energy storage nor mobilisation is significantly affected in per01 mutants, but point towards impaired mitochondrial activity, supported by upregulation of the mitochondrial stress marker 4EBP in the clock mutants.
Multiple criteria decision making based on weighted Archimedean power partitioned Bonferroni aggregation operators of generalised orthopair membership grades
Authors: Qin Yuchu , Qi Qunfen , Scott Paul J. , Jiang Xiangqian
Published: January 2020

In this paper, a multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) method based on weighted Archimedean power partitioned Bonferroni aggregation operators of generalised orthopair membership grades (GOMGs) is proposed. Bonferroni mean operator, geometric Bonferroni mean operator, power average operator, partitioned average operator, and Archimedean T-norm and T-conorm operations are introduced into generalised orthopair fuzzy sets to develop the Bonferroni aggregation operators. Their formal definitions are provided, and generalised and specific expressions are constructed. On the basis of the specific operators, a method for solving the MCDM problems based on GOMGs is designed. The working process, characteristics, and feasibility of the method are, respectively, demonstrated via a numerical example, a qualitative comparison at the aspect of characteristics, and a quantitative comparison using the example as benchmark. The demonstration results show that the proposed method is feasible that has desirable generality and flexibility in the aggregation of criterion values and concurrently has the capabilities to deal with the heterogeneous interrelationships of criteria, reduce the negative influence of biased criterion values, and capture the risk attitudes of decision makers.
On Hölder regularity of the singular set of energy minimizing harmonic maps into closed manifolds
Authors: Miśkiewicz Michał
Published: January 2020

Energy minimizing harmonic maps between manifolds are known to be smooth outside a rectifiable set of codimension 3, called the singular set. The possibility that this set is not a manifold, but has arbitrarily many small gaps in it, is not excluded in general. Here we prove that some part of the singular set—characterized by topological and analytic properties of tangent maps—is a topological manifold. In the special case of maps into the sphere $${\mathbb S}^2$$S2, we conclude that the whole top-dimensional part of the singular set is a manifold—this generalizes a similar result in four-dimensional domains, due to Hardt and Lin.
Effects of pay-for-performance on prescription of hypertension drugs among public and private primary care providers in Sweden
Authors: Ellegård Lina Maria
Published: January 2020

This study exploits policy reforms in Swedish primary care to examine the effect of pay-for-performance (P4P) on compliance with hypertension drug guidelines among public and private health care providers. Using provider-level outcome data for 2005–2013 from the Swedish Prescription Register, providers in regions using P4P were compared to providers in other regions in a difference-in-differences analysis. The results indicate that P4P improved guideline compliance regarding prescription of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers. The effect was mainly driven by private providers, suggesting that policy makers should take ownership into account when designing incentives for health care providers.
A Posteriori Error Analysis for Implicit–Explicit hp-Discontinuous Galerkin Timestepping Methods for Semilinear Parabolic Problems
Authors: Cangiani Andrea , Georgoulis Emmanuil H. , Sabawi Mohammad
Published: January 2020

A posteriori error estimates in the $$L_\infty (\mathcal {H})$$L∞(H)- and $$L_2(\mathcal {V})$$L2(V)-norms are derived for fully-discrete space–time methods discretising semilinear parabolic problems; here $$ \mathcal {V}\hookrightarrow \mathcal {H}\hookrightarrow \mathcal {V}^*$$V↪H↪V∗ denotes a Gelfand triple for an evolution partial differential equation problem. In particular, an implicit–explicit variable order (hp-version) discontinuous Galerkin timestepping scheme is employed, in conjunction with conforming finite element discretisation in space. The nonlinear reaction is treated explicitly, while the linear spatial operator is treated implicitly, allowing for time-marching without the need to solve a nonlinear system per timestep. The main tool in obtaining these error estimates is a recent space–time reconstruction proposed in Georgoulis et al. (A posteriori error bounds for fully-discrete hp-discontinuous Galerkin timestepping methods for parabolic problems, Submitted for publication) for linear parabolic problems, which is now extended to semilinear problems via a non-standard continuation argument. Some numerical investigations are also included highlighting the optimality of the proposed a posteriori bounds.
A Functional CLT for Partial Traces of Random Matrices
Authors: Nagel Jan
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we show a functional central limit theorem for the sum of the first $$\lfloor t n \rfloor $$

⌊
t
n
⌋

diagonal elements of f(Z) as a function in t, for Z a random real symmetric or complex Hermitian $$n\times n$$

n
×
n

matrix. The result holds for orthogonal or unitarily invariant distributions of Z, in the cases when the linear eigenvalue statistic $${\text {tr}}f(Z)$$

tr
f
(
Z
)

satisfies a central limit theorem (CLT). The limit process interpolates between the fluctuations of individual matrix elements as $$f(Z)_{1,1}$$

f

(
Z
)

1
,
1

and of the linear eigenvalue statistic. It can also be seen as a functional CLT for processes of randomly weighted measures.
Effect of stabilizers and nitrogen content on thermal properties of nitrocellulose granules
Authors: Cieślak Katarzyna , Gańczyk-Specjalska Katarzyna , Drożdżewska-Szymańska Katarzyna , Uszyński Michał
Published: January 2020

The granules containing nitrogen of various content (12.2–13.3%) and stabilizers (centralite I, centralite II, akardite II, triphenylamine) were obtained in laboratory scale, and the study of their physicochemical and thermal properties was conducted. It has been observed that the helium density of granules depends on the degree of gelling of nitrocellulose by the stabilizer as well as the lack of effect of the stabilizer type on the heat of combustion value. In turn, the heat of combustion depends on the content of nitrogen in nitrocellulose. Granules of 13.3% N nitrocellulose were characterized by a more rapidly developing thermal decomposition than the granules containing 12.2 and 12.9% N nitrocellulose. The maximum temperature of decomposition shifts toward higher temperatures (from 207.6 to 209.8 °C) with decreasing nitrogen content in nitrocellulose for granules containing triphenylamine as a stabilizer. All values of heat generation rate obtained for granules with triphenylamine were lower than the respective rates for granules with centralite I. Thermal properties and chemical stability of granules containing triphenylamine have better properties, when compared to other examined stabilizers. On the basis of differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry, kinetic parameters were calculated by means of Ozawa–Flynn–Wall analysis. The effect of stabilizers and nitrogen content on kinetic parameters was determined. The kinetic model of thermal decomposition of granules was adjusted—the best fit was nth-order reaction with autocatalysis. The activation energy of thermal decomposition process according to the adopted chemical reaction model increases from 190 to 239 kJ mol−1 with increasing nitrogen content in the granulate.
The Pharmacotherapy of Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder
Authors: Kruger Tillmann H. C. , Schippert Cordula , Meyer Bernhard
Published: January 2020

Purpose of Review

Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is a rare, yet debilitating, disease, which was first described at the beginning of this century and has not yet been considered by the ICD-10 or DSM-5. Since affected subjects usually suffer tremendously, this review aims at offering an overview of pharmacological approaches to treat this disorder.

Recent Findings

Until now, no randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials have been conducted on PGAD, and the international registries have not recorded any ongoing trials. Current knowledge on pharmacological options for the treatment of PGAD relies mainly on case reports/case series. Most importantly, there is evidence that some drugs such as SSRIs and SNRIs might induce or worsen PGAD.

Knowledge on pharmacological treatment options for PGAD is not yet evidence-based, while some reports even assume an induction of PGAD by serotonergic antidepressants. Nevertheless, practitioners should be aware of PGAD and carefully discuss with the patient an individual treatment trial by considering the experience up to now.
Comparative Pro-cognitive and Neurochemical Profiles of Glycine Modulatory Site Agonists and Glycine Reuptake Inhibitors in the Rat: Potential Relevance to Cognitive Dysfunction and Its Management
Authors: Fone Kevin C.F. , Watson David J.G. , Billiras Rodolphe I. , Sicard Dorothee I. , Dekeyne Anne , Rivet Jean-Michel , Gobert Alain , Millan Mark J.
Published: January 2020

Frontocortical NMDA receptors are pivotal in regulating cognition and mood, are hypofunctional in schizophrenia, and may contribute to autistic spectrum disorders. Despite extensive interest in agents potentiating activity at the co-agonist glycine modulatory site, few comparative functional studies exist. This study systematically compared the actions of the glycine reuptake inhibitors, sarcosine (40–200 mg/kg) and ORG24598 (0.63–5 mg/kg), the agonists, glycine (40–800 mg/kg), and D-serine (10–160 mg/kg) and the partial agonists, S18841 (2.5 mg/kg s.c.) and D-cycloserine (2.5–40 mg/kg) that all dose-dependently prevented scopolamine disruption of social recognition in adult rats. Over similar dose ranges, they also prevented a delay-induced impairment of novel object recognition (NOR). Glycine reuptake inhibitors specifically elevated glycine but not D-serine levels in rat prefrontal cortical (PFC) microdialysates, while glycine and D-serine markedly increased levels of glycine and D-serine, respectively. D-Cycloserine slightly elevated D-serine levels. Conversely, S18841 exerted no influence on glycine, D-serine, other amino acids, monamines, or acetylcholine. Reversal of NOR deficits by systemic S18841 was prevented by the NMDA receptor antagonist, CPP (20 mg/kg), and the glycine modulatory site antagonist, L701,324 (10 mg/kg). S18841 blocked deficits in NOR following microinjection into the PFC (2.5–10 μg/side) but not the striatum. Finally, in rats socially isolated from weaning (a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia), S18841 (2.5 and 10 mg/kg s.c.) reversed impairment of NOR and contextual fear-motivated learning without altering isolation-induced hyperactivity. In conclusion, despite contrasting neurochemical profiles, partial glycine site agonists and glycine reuptake inhibitors exhibit comparable pro-cognitive effects in rats of potential relevance to treatment of schizophrenia and other brain disorders where cognitive performance is impaired.
Never good enough: The relation between the impostor phenomenon and multidimensional perfectionism
Authors: Pannhausen Sophie , Klug Kristina , Rohrmann Sonja
Published: January 2020

The Impostor Phenomenon can be described as the tendency to attribute professional success not to one’s own abilities but to excessive effort or fortunate external circumstances. Individuals strongly experiencing those tendencies fear that one day they will be exposed as “impostors” as soon as their alleged incompetence can no longer be concealed. Typical characteristics of the Impostor Phenomenon outlined by Clance (1985) show a remarkable conceptual similarity to the personality construct of perfectionism. Thus, the present study aimed at investigating how the Impostor Phenomenon is related to various facets of dispositional perfectionism with respect to predominant conceptualizations of perfectionism by Frost et al. (1990), Hewitt and Flett (1991), as well as their combination within the bifactor model of Perfectionistic Strivings and Perfectionistic Concerns (Frost et al. 1993). A total of N = 274 individuals participated in an online survey including the Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS; Clance 1988), the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS; Frost et al. 1990), and the Hewitt und Flett Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS short form; Hewitt et al. 2008). Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to determine the differential contributions of perfectionism dimensions and factors in predicting the Impostor Phenomenon. The perfectionism dimensions Doubts about Actions, Concern over Mistakes and Socially prescribed Perfectionism appeared to be efficient predictors of the Impostor Phenomenon. Contrary to Perfectionistic Strivings, Perfectionistic Concerns as a maladaptive perfectionism factor strongly contributed to the prediction of the Impostor Phenomenon. Theoretical and practical implications of the associations between the Impostor Phenomenon and multidimensional perfectionism are discussed.
Detoxifying deoxynivalenol (DON)-contaminated feedstuff: consequences of sodium sulphite (SoS) treatment on performance and blood parameters in fattening pigs
Authors: Bahrenthien L. , Kluess J. , Berk A. , Kersten S. , Saltzmann J. , Hüther L. , Schatzmayr D. , Schwartz-Zimmermann H. E. , Zeyner A. , Dänicke S.
Published: January 2020

A 10-week feeding experiment was carried out examining the effects of deoxynivalenol (DON)-contaminated maize treated with different sodium sulphite (SoS) concentrations on performance, health and DON-plasma concentrations in fattening pigs. Two maize batches were used: background-contaminated (CON, 0.73 mg/kg maize) and Fusarium-toxin contaminated (DON, 44.45 mg/kg maize) maize. Both were wet preserved at 20% moisture content, with one of three (0.0, 2.5, 5.0 g/kg maize) sodium sulphite concentrations and propionic acid (15%). Each maize batch was then mixed into a barley-wheat-based diet at a proportion of 10%, resulting in the following 6 feeding groups: CON− (CON + 0.0 g SoS/kg maize), CON2.5 (CON + 2.5 g SoS/kg maize), CON5.0 (CON + 5.0 g SoS/kg maize), DON- (DON + 0.0 g SoS/kg maize), DON2.5 (DON + 2.5 g SoS/kg maize) and DON5.0 (DON + 5.0 g SoS/kg maize). Dietary DON concentration was reduced by ~ 36% in group DON2.5 and ~ 63% in group DON5.0. There was no impact on ZEN concentration in the diets due to SoS treatment. Pigs receiving diet DON- showed markedly lower feed intake (FI) compared to those fed the control diets. With SoS-treatment of maize, FI of pigs fed the DON diet (DON5.0: 3.35 kg/d) were comparable to that control (CON−: 3.30 kg/day), and these effects were also reflected in live weight gain. There were some effects of SoS, DON or their interaction on serum urea, cholesterol and albumin, but always within the physiological range and thus likely negligible. SoS wet preservation of Fusarium-toxin contaminated maize successfully detoxified DON to its innocuous sulfonates, thus restoring impaired performance in fatteners.
Flexible Gas Sensor Printed on a Polymer Substrate for Sub-ppm Acetone Detection
Authors: Andrysiewicz W. , Krzeminski J. , Skarżynski K. , Marszalek K. , Sloma M. , Rydosz A.
Published: January 2020

Gas sensors are widely used in many industrial and home applications. There is therefore continued need to develop novel gas sensor substrates which provide good mechanical and electrical stability, and good flexibility in comparison with the conventional alumina and silicon-based materials. In this paper, we present the experimental results on flexible gas sensors based on the Kapton foil and alumina substrate covered by copper oxide as a gas-sensitive layer. These sensors exhibited good mechanical stability and gas-sensing characteristics. The Kapton-based CuO gas sensors were tested under exposure to acetone in the 0.05–1.25 ppm range (150 °C, 50%RH). The results confirmed that sensors deposited on the flexible substrate such as Kapton can be used in the exhaled breath analyzers dedicated to diabetes biomarker detection or other applications for which the elastic substrate is needed.

Graphic Abstract
Diagnosis of Amyloidosis: A Survey of Current Awareness and Clinical Challenges Among Cardiologists in Switzerland
Authors: Mircsof Dennis
Published: January 2020

Introduction

Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is a progressive disease in which amyloid fibril deposition disrupts tissue structure and organ function. Many patients with ATTR present with cardiac involvement; recent studies indicate that ATTR prevalence is higher than expected in patients with certain heart conditions. Although long delays to diagnosis are common, recent treatment advances have made timely diagnosis critical to ensure appropriate patient management. Despite clinical guideline updates, it remains unclear how these are being implemented in routine patient care.

Methods

We performed a survey of practicing cardiologists in Switzerland to assess their knowledge of ATTR and current clinical practice.

Results

Overall, 72 cardiologists completed the questionnaire in a face-to-face interview (n = 16) or online (n = 56). Key findings highlighted wide variation in cardiologists’ knowledge about the diagnostic tests required for a differential diagnosis of ATTR. In particular, many cardiologists lacked familiarity with radiolabeled bone scintigraphy, an important non-invasive test that is part of the diagnostic algorithm for ATTR. Another challenge in diagnosing amyloidosis appears to be general awareness of ATTR among cardiologists.

Conclusions

Survey results highlight that cardiologists in Switzerland would benefit from information on the latest advances in ATTR to support them in screening heart failure patients and ensure that patients benefit from treatment advances.
Biosynthesis of Flower-Shaped CuO Nanostructures and Their Photocatalytic and Antibacterial Activities
Authors: Siddiqui Hafsa , Qureshi M. S. , Haque Fozia Zia
Published: January 2020

Copper oxide nanoflowers (CuO-NFs) have been synthesized through a novel green route using Tulsi leaves-extracted eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) as reducing agent. Characterizations results reveal the growth of crystalline single-phase CuO-NFs with monoclinic structure. The prepared CuO-NFs can effectively degrade methylene blue with 90% efficiency. They also show strong barrier against E. coli (27 ± 2 mm) at the concentration of 100 µg mL−1, while at the concentration of 25 µg mL−1 weak barrier has been found against all examined bacterial organisms. The results provide important evidence that CuO-NFs have sustainable performance in methylene blue degradation as well as bacterial organisms.