bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving physical activity within diabetes care: Preliminary effects and feasibility of a national low‐intensity group‐based walking intervention among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Regeer Hannah , Huisman Sasja D. , van Empelen Pepijn , Flim Jeroen , Bilo Henk J. G.
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Despite the positive outcomes of physical activity (PA) interventions on health and PA behavior in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), it proves rather difficult to structurally implement such interventions in daily diabetes care. The National Diabetes Challenge (NDC) was designed as a low‐intensity and low‐cost annual walking intervention for people with T2DM, with the aim to overcome potential barriers in intervention delivery. The aim of the present study was to explore the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of this approach.

Methods

This feasibility study had a pre/posttest design. First, we assessed acceptability and feasibility by means of posttest process evaluations among participants and healthcare providers. Second, to examine preliminary efficacy we studied emotional well‐being and patient activation among 822 participants with T2DM, and number of daily steps and somatic health outcomes in a subgroup of 189 participants with T2DM. These data were analyzed using paired‐samples t‐tests.

Results

The intervention was generally well‐received by both the participants and healthcare providers, people reporting satisfaction and perceived benefits. The results show improved glycemic control in participants with above target baseline HbA1c, improved patient activation in participants with lower activation at baseline, and decrease of body weight and improved emotional well‐being in all participants. Furthermore, the number of daily steps taken increased during the intervention.

Conclusions

This feasibility study did show acceptability and generally good feasibility with regard to implementation, and provides initial evidence for the effectiveness of a group‐based walking intervention with weekly group supervision, with improved behavioral, somatic and psychological outcomes in people with T2DM. Our findings highlight the potential of a low‐intensity group‐based walking intervention in increasing PA behavior in people with T2DM, while also taking into account common barriers regarding structural implementation in diabetes care. The study provides support for a more rigorous testing of the NDC program.
Late‐Onset Chorea in JAK2‐Associated Essential Thrombocythemia
Authors: Koya Kutty Shahedah , Di Lazzaro Giulia , Magrinelli Francesca , Mulroy Eoin , Latorre Anna , Bhatia Kailash P.
Published: October 2020

View Supplementary Video 1
Molecularly Imprinted Polymer‐based detection of creatinine towards smart sensing
Authors: Prabhu Sumedha N. , Mukhopadhyay Subhas C. , Gooneratne Chinthaka P. , Davidson Andrew S. , Liu Guozhen
Published: October 2020

Creatinine is a biological metabolic waste which constantly gets diffused in the human blood. It is excreted by the kidneys to reduce levels of blood toxicity thus maintaining homeostasis. In this research, a synthetic polymer for determining the creatinine levels has been developed using Molecularly Imprinted Polymerization (MIP) synthesis protocol. The polymer is highly specific towards selective adsorption of creatinine molecules. The developed MIP is capable of determining concentrations of creatinine up to 50 parts per million (ppm) which is three times higher than the normal range of creatinine concentration in the human blood. The functioning of the sensor is checked with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. Although the purpose of this work is early diagnosis of creatinine rise and to monitor kidney health for avoiding further healthcare‐associated complications, the results are accessed up to 50 ppm. The MIP functionality is accessed up to 50 ppm to confirm that even if the developed sensing technology is used for a patient having higher creatinine concentrations, the MIP polymer has the potential to adsorb creatinine and display the results. After the successful development of MIP polymer, a LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network)‐based Point‐of‐Care (PoC) sensing device has been developed in this research and results are displayed. The portable device promotes early detection of kidney injury, which will help start the treatment early. The results obtained from the system will help doctors in taking necessary measures to avoid further kidney (renal) disorders including acute kidney failure and chronic kidney failure.
Field measurements of Tropical Storm Aere (1619) via airborne GPS‐dropsondes over the South China Sea
Authors: Fu J. Y. , Shu Z. R. , Li Q. S. , Chan P. W. , Hon K. K. , He Y. C.
Published: October 2020

In the past two decades, Global Positioning System (GPS)‐dropsonde has been developed as an effective tool to explore the internal structures of tropical cyclones (TCs). To facilitate the short‐term forecasting of the TCs' intensity and track over the Hong Kong Flight Information Region (HKFIR), Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) launched in 2016 reconnaissance campaigns by using airborne GPS‐dropsondes. On October 7, 2016, when Tropical Storm Aere (1619) got close to Hong Kong, 10 dropsondes were released from a reconnaissance aircraft at 10 km altitude to sample the TC at different storm‐relative positions. This offers a valuable opportunity to examine the functional performance of the dropsonde system. In the study, the validity of dropsonde measurements is first examined, mainly by comparing the results with those collected contemporaneously by radiosonde balloons from a nearby station. Observational results of the structural characteristics are then discussed. Evidence was observed for the invasion of the storm's inner structure by background atmosphere, which was unfavourable for the intensification of Aere in the following time. Meanwhile, a height‐resolving model of the TC's pressure field is proposed. It is also observed that the parachutes of two dropsondes failed to deploy during the descending period. The results presented here are expected to provide useful information for a better understanding of the in‐situ measurements from dropsondes deployed over the HKFIR, and for advancing the knowledge on TC's inner structure.
A dual‐band high‐gain EBG resonator antenna fed by dipole in CMOS process
Authors: Lan Haokun , Zhang Jianqiang , Liu Maliang , Yang Yintang
Published: October 2020

A high‐gain dual‐band electromagnetic band‐gap (EBG) resonator antenna (ERA) which is suitable for 60 GHz short‐range communication and 77 GHz vehicle collision avoidance application is proposed. The EBG is constructed by two identical slabs over a fully reflective ground plane. A dipole in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) 65 nm process is employed to serve as a feeder of the resonator. By combining the frequency resonances of the EBG and the feeding chip fabricated on the LTCC substrate, the proposed ERA obtains dual‐band performance. Furthermore, the proposed ERA achieves a high gain by designing two slabs to have phase shifts introduced by multiple reflections of the wave between the ground and slabs at double certain frequency points. Finally, the prototype of the antenna is simulated by High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) and good agreement was achieved between simulated and measured data. The results demonstrate that it has a 10‐dB return loss bandwidth of 57.7 to 62.1 GHz and 75.2 to 77.4 GHz. Radiation efficiencies are 27.5% and 60% with 8.3 dBi gain and 14.4 dBi gain at 60 and 77 GHz, respectively.
Structure of neuroendocrine regulatory peptide‐2 in membrane‐mimicking environments
Authors: Park One‐Sung , Bang Jeong Kyu , Ryu Kyoung‐Seok , Hwang Eunha , Hong Kwan Soo , Byun Youngjoo , Cheong Chaejoon , Jeon Young Ho
Published: October 2020

Neuroendocrine regulatory peptide‐2 (NERP‐2) is involved in the maintenance of homeostasis and regulates various metabolic activities. NERP‐2 is derived from the VGF neuropeptide precursor, which is induced by various neurotrophins. Despite increasing interest in the functions of NERP‐2, the structure of this peptide has not been reported. In this study, the structure of the NERP‐2 peptide was investigated using circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. NERP‐2 exists as a partial helical structure in buffer solutions, and the helical structure exhibits more stable behaviors in hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) or dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelle. We determined its 3D structure in both HFIP and DPC micelle solutions using NMR spectroscopy. NERP‐2 adopted a predominantly helical structure in HFIP solutions, while only the central portion of the protein was helical in the DPC solutions. The amphipathic nature of helical structure implies the potential structural changes in NERP‐2 upon receptor binding.
Menstrual equity and justice in the United States
Authors: Crays Allyson
Published: October 2020

Menstrual injustice is “the oppression of menstruators, women, girls, transgender men and boys, and nonbinary persons, simply because they menstruate” (Johnson, 2019, Menstrual Justice. SSRN Scholarly Paper). This study reviews issues associated with menstrual justice and equity. Specifically, it examines the cost of menstruation, tax legislation, contents of products, transgender and nonbinary inclusion, and differences in product availability. The study demonstrates that menstrual equity and justice will not be achieved in the United States until gender equity is achieved as well. In addition, the data suggest that further research is needed on the health risks associated with products in order to address the health concerns and lack of regulations around the use of these products. Lastly, the study provides evidences for structural change being essential in creating a sustainable solution to menstrual injustice.
Efficient POSIX submatch extraction on nondeterministic finite automata
Authors: Borsotti Angelo , Trofimovich Ulya
Published: October 2020

In this paper we study the performance of POSIX submatch extraction algorithms based on nondeterministic finite automata (NFA). We propose an algorithm that combines Laurikari tagged NFA and extended Okui‐Suzuki disambiguation. The algorithm works in worst‐case O(n m2 t) time and O(m2) space (including preprocessing), where n is the length of input, m is the size of the regular expression with bounded repetition expanded and t is the number of capturing groups and subexpressions that contain them. On real‐world benchmarks our algorithm performs close to the O(n m t) complexity of leftmost‐greedy matching, although on artificial benchmarks it can be significantly slower. We propose a lazy version of the algorithm that runs much faster, but requires O(n m2) space. We show that the Kuklewicz algorithm is slower in practice, and the backward matching algorithm proposed by Cox is incorrect.
An innovative, time‐ and cost‐saving method for the quantification of asymmetric dimethylarginine in serum by high‐performance liquid chromatography without evaporation
Authors: Braun Daniel , Schlossmann Jens , Haen Ekkehard
Published: October 2020

A new time‐ and energy‐saving method for the determination of asymmetric dimethylarginine in human serum is presented. Here, a newly developed eluent was used in the sample cleanup of the solid‐phase extraction whose composition makes an evaporation step redundant. After derivatization, asymmetric dimethylarginine was quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescent detection. The conditions of the solid‐phase extraction lead to a relative recovery of asymmetric dimethylarginine of 101%. A concentration of 25 ng/mL was found as the limit of quantification and the batch was highly linear from 25 to 800 ng/mL with the correlation coefficient R2 = 0,9999. Intra‐assay coefficients of variation <2.1% and inter‐assay coefficients of variation <3.1% indicate a high precision. Since no evaporation is necessary compared to previously published methods, this newly presented method does not only save time, but also is a cost‐ and energy‐saving alternative for the routine quantification of asymmetric dimethylarginine in serum.
Exploring Visual Narratives of the Refugee Experience With Students
Authors: DeHart Jason D.
Published: October 2020

The author draws on previous work in looking at refugee literature and focuses on two different, yet arguably complimentary, examples of marginalized narratives in graphic novels that inservice teachers can use in instruction. The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks offers a fictional story yet delves into complex issues and themes. Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, and illustrated by Giovanni Rigano, takes a more realistic approach to the topic. Both graphic novels are effective and can lead to classroom applications. The author offers a description of the works and discussion about instructional steps for their use with students.
Physiological stabilization, community characterization, and nitrogen degradation dynamics in an anammox consortium from estuarine sediments
Authors: Ronzón Bravo Jaime J. , de María Cuervo‐López Flor , Andrade Torres Antonio , Arteaga‐Vázquez Mario A. , Martínez Hernández Sergio
Published: October 2020

Anammox is a cost‐effective and sustainable process for nitrogen removal; however, the production of a physiologically stable inoculum is a critical point in the start‐up process. In this work, estuarine sediments were used as incubation seeds to obtain cultures with stable anammox activity. Assays were performed in batch cultures fed with stoichiometric amounts of ammonium and nitrite, analyzing physiological response variables and the microbial community. Estuarine sediments showed a stable anammox process after 90 days, consuming ammonium and nitrite simultaneously with concomitant generation of N2 and nitrate in stoichiometric amounts. In kinetic assays, substrates were fully consumed after 210 hr, exhibiting N2 and nitrate yields of 0.85 and 0.10, respectively. The microbial community analysis using PCR‐DGGE indicated the presence of uncultured anammox bacteria and members of the genus Candidatus Jettenia. The results evidenced the achievement of anammox cultures, although their start‐up and kinetic characteristics were less favorable than those recorded in man‐made systems.

Practitioner points

Estuarine sediments were used as incubation seeds to obtain cultures with stable anammox activity.

The sediments were fed with stoichiometric amounts of ammonium and nitrite, analyzing the physiological response variables and the microbial community.

Sediments showed a stable anammox process after 90 days, converting the substrates into N2 and nitrate according to stoichiometry.

Anammox cultures were achieved although their start‐up and kinetic characteristics were less favorable than those recorded in man‐made systems.

Microbial community analysis using PCR‐DGGE indicated the presence of uncultured anaerobic ammonia‐oxidizing bacterium and members of genus Candidatus Jettenia.
Does Conservation Practice and Site Age Influence Vegetation Structure and Avian Abundance in Restored Fields?
Authors: Reiley Bryan M. , Benson Thomas J.
Published: October 2020

Farmland set‐aside programs provide important habitat for many wildlife species, yet little information exists regarding how vegetation structure and species respond to conservation practice and site age. This information could provide managers with a guide for how to implement, enhance, and maintain wildlife benefits of conservation programs. We describe how vegetation structure and avian species respond to conservation practice and time since restoration at 172 sites enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in Illinois, USA. We surveyed 172 sites enrolled in 4 different conservation practices (CP) within CREP during the breeding seasons of 2012–2015 using avian point counts and vegetation surveys. Vegetation structure and composition varied among CPs, with hardwood tree plantings (CP3A) having the greatest amount of understory vegetation and tree cover. Conversely, permanent wildlife habitat (CP4D) had the greatest grass cover and least tree cover. Many bird species were found in similar numbers across CP types; however, only dickcissel (Spiza americana) density was greater in sites enrolled as permanent wildlife habitat. Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii) and yellow‐billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) were more numerous in hardwood tree plantings. Dickcissel density decreased and field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) density increased as fields aged, but the relationships were not consistent among CP types. Differences among CPs largely resulted from differences in dominance in woody vegetation due to initial habitat management and differential succession rates. Interestingly, many of our focal species had wider successional tolerances than previously suggested. Overall, our results demonstrate that conservation benefits change over time depending on the starting CP, that there can be considerable similarity in vegetation structure and bird communities among what appear to be very different conservation practices. This information can be used to target conservation benefits toward conservation priority species. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.
Service Function Chaining Based on Segment Routing Using P4 and SR-IOV (P4-SFC)
Authors: Stockmayer Andreas , Hinselmann Stephan , Häberle Marco , Menth Michael
Published: October 2020

In this paper we describe P4-SFC to support service function chaining (SFC) based on a single P4-capable switch and off-the-shelf components. It utilizes MPLS-based segment routing for traffic forwarding in the network and SR-IOV for efficient packet handling on hosts. We describe the P4-SFC architecture and demonstrate its feasibility by a prototype using the Tofino Edgecore Wedge 100BF-32X as P4 switch. Performance test show that L2 throughput for VNFs on a host is significantly larger when connected via SR-IOV with the host’s network interface card instead of over a software switch.
Developing an instrument for an early prediction model of long-term functional outcomes in people with acquired injuries of the central nervous system: protocol and methodological aspects
Authors: Masiero Stefano , Cerrel Bazo Humberto Antonio , Rattazzi Marcello , Bernardi Laura , Munari Marina , Faggin Elisabetta , Cattelan Manuela , Pauletto Paolo , Del Felice Alessandra
Published: October 2020

Severe acquired brain injury (ABI) is a major cause of long-term disability and is the main determinant of health and societal costs. Early identification of favourable long-term recovery would allow personalized rehabilitative programs and better health care resources allocation. In light of the higher survival rate from intensive care units (ICU) in recent years, there is a growing need for early prognostication markers of functional recovery; to date, these data have been mainly collected at rehabilitation unit admission and not during the acute phase. We present the protocol and methodology to develop prediction models in people with severe acquired brain injury (GCS at admission to ICU < 8) for the functional and cognitive outcome at 12 months from the event. Predictors will be collected during the acute stage. Participants will be recruited within the first 72 h from the event in the ICUs of two teaching hospitals (Padova and Treviso). Participants will be followed up at discharge from ICU, admission and discharge from Neurorehabilitation and after 12 months from the event. Clinical and functional scales, electroencephalography, evoked potentials, magnetic resonance imaging and serological markers will be entered into a digital registry. Survival will be estimated using the Cox proportional hazard model. A multivariate prediction model will be developed for each of the functional and cognitive outcomes at 12 months from the event.
Virtual reference station-based computerized ionospheric tomography
Authors: Lu Weijun , Ma Guanyi , Wan Qingtao , Li Jinghua , Wang Xiaolan , Fu Weizheng , Maruyama Takashi
Published: October 2020

In computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) with ground-based GNSS, the voxels without satellite-receiver ray traversing cannot be reconstructed directly. We present a CIT algorithm based on virtual reference stations (VRSs), called VRS–CIT, to decrease the number of unilluminated voxels and improve the precision of the estimated ionospheric electron density (IED). The VRSs are set at the nodes of grids with a 0.5° × 0.5° resolution in longitude and latitude. We generate the virtual observations with the observations from nearby six or three stations selected according to azimuths and distances. The generation utilizes multi-quadric surface fitting with six stations and triangular linear interpolation with three stations. With the virtual observations added, the IED distribution is reconstructed by the multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique with the initial values obtained from IRI-2016. The performance of VRS–CIT is examined by using the data from 127 GNSS stations located in 24–46° N and 122–146° E to derive the IED every 30 min. The study focuses on April 29, 2014, with the adaptability of VRS–CIT analyzed by 12 days, evenly distributed around equinoxes and solstices of 2014. The accuracy of the virtual observation is about 1 TECU. Comparing to that derived from CIT with only real observations, the unsolvability of VRS–CIT declined by 4–12% for the whole region, and for the main area, the improvement can be up to 70%. Taking two IED profiles from radio occultation as reference measurements, the mean absolute error (MAE) of IED by VRS–CIT decreases by 6.88% and 8.43%, respectively. Comparing with slant total electron content (STEC) extracted from five additional GNSS stations, the MAE and the root mean square error of the estimated STEC can be reduced up to 17.24% and 33.81%, respectively.
Transforming a traditional commons-based seed system through collaborative networks of farmer seed-cooperatives and public breeding programs: the case of sorghum in Mali
Authors: Rattunde Fred , Weltzien Eva , Sidibé Mamourou , Diallo Abdoulaye , Diallo Bocar , vom Brocke Kirsten , Nebié Baloua , Touré Aboubacar , Traoré Yalaly , Sidibé Amadou , Diallo Chiaka , Diakité Soriba , Bretaudeau Alhousseïni , Christinck Anja
Published: October 2020

Malian farmers’ traditional system for managing seed of sorghum, an indigenous crop of vital importance for food security and survival, can be conceptualized as a commons. Although this system maintains a wide range of varieties and helps ensure access to seed, its ability to create and widely disseminate new varieties to meet evolving opportunities and challenges is limited. A network of farmer groups, public breeding programs, and development organizations collaborating in decentralized creation and dissemination of sorghum varieties in Mali is examined regarding (1) how the network developed and what activities it conducts; (2) the resulting varietal diversity, varietal performance and organizational models; and (3) the elements of the traditional seed system that were maintained, strengthened or transformed. A single-case study approach was used that relies on published literature, official catalogues of released varieties and a database of farmer seed-cooperative requests for foundation seed. The functioning of the network and its varietal-, seed-, and organizational- outcomes are documented and the elements of the traditional sorghum seed system that are maintained or strengthened are analyzed. The evolution of the network’s reliance on commoning as a social process and its strengthening of core Seed Commons features are discussed with a view to the network’s contributions to targeted development outcomes and potential replicability. The case demonstrates how creating a framework for collaboration, enabling actors and organizations to take on collective responsibility while maintaining distributed decision-making at local level, opens opportunities for transforming farming- and food-systems towards sustainability and resilience.
Impact of informal settlements and wastewater treatment plants on helminth egg contamination of urban rivers and risks associated with exposure
Authors: Amoah Isaac Dennis , Kumari Sheena , Reddy Poovendhree , Stenström Thor Axel , Bux Faizal
Published: October 2020

The quality of surface water could be influenced by both anthropogenic and natural factors. This study was designed to determine the impact of informal settlement and wastewater treatment plants on helminth egg contamination of urban rivers and the risks associated with everyday use. We also ascertained the accumulation of these eggs in the river sediments. The study was carried out in two rivers in the eThekwini Municipality of South Africa. Grab samples were taken at different points over a 10-month period. Ascaris spp., hookworm, Toxocara spp., Trichuris spp. and Taenia spp. were the helminth eggs detected in both the water column and sediments, with mean Ascaris spp. eggs of 0–6.3 (± 5.1)/L in the water and 0–6.8 (± 5.2)/kg in sediment samples. The helminth egg concentrations showed seasonal variation, probably due to changes in infection levels of the populations or natural factors, such as rainfall. The informal settlements had a greater impact than treated wastewater. For every 10,000 recreational users of the rivers 19 to 58 may be infected under undisturbed conditions, increasing to 29–88 individuals when the riverbed is disturbed. The risk from agricultural use of the rivers was above the tolerable risk values applicable for wastewater reuse, recommended by the World Health Organization. This calls for a re-evaluation of the policies governing surface water quality assessment, where the inclusion of helminth eggs and sediment monitoring will be critical.
Bio-processing of macroalgae Palmaria palmata: metabolite fractionation from pressed fresh material and ensiling considerations for long-term storage
Authors: Gallagher J. A. , Adams J. M. M. , Turner L. B. , Kirby M. E. , Toop T. A. , Mirza M. W. , Theodorou M. K.
Published: October 2020

Red algae, belonging to the phylum Rhodophyta, contain an abundance of useful chemicals including bioactive molecules and present opportunities for the production of different products through biorefinery cascades. The rhodophyte Palmaria palmata, commonly termed dulse or dillisk, grows predominantly on the northern coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is a well-known snack food. Due to its abundance, availability and cultivation capacity, P. palmata was selected for study as a potential candidate for a biorefinery process. In addition to studying juice and solid fractions of freshly harvested P. palmata, we have investigated the novel possibility of preserving algal biomass by ensilaging protocols similar to those employed for terrestrial forage crops. In the metabolite partitioning within the solid and liquid fractions following screw-pressing, the majority of the metabolites screened for—water soluble carbohydrates, proteins and amino acids, lipids, pigments, phenolics and antioxidant activity—remained in the solid fraction, though at differing proportions depending on the metabolite, from 70.8% soluble amino acids to 98.2% chlorophyll a and 98.1% total carotenoids. For the ensiling study, screw-pressed P. palmata, with comparative wilted and chopped, and chopped only samples, were ensiled at scale with and without Safesil silage additive. All samples were successfully ensiled after 90 days, with screw-pressing giving lower or equal pH before and after ensiling compared with the other preparations. Of particular note was the effluent volumes generated during ensiling: 26–49% of the fresh weight, containing 16–34% of the silage dry matter. This may be of advantage depending on the final use of the biomass.
Three-Dimensional and Histological Observations on Male Genital Organs of Greater Horseshoe Bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
Authors: Sohn Joon Hyuk , Fukui Dai , Nojiri Taro , Minowa Kazuhiro , Kimura Junpei , Koyabu Daisuke
Published: October 2020

Anatomy of bat genital organs has been conventionally studied by gross and microscopic observations to date. Here, we employ both histological observation and diceCT (diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography) to study the detailed three-dimensional morphological structure of the male genital organs in bats, using the greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum. This is the first study to three-dimensionally describe the whole reproductive organs of bats in detail. Our highly resolved three-dimensional reconstruction reveals that the male organs of R. ferrumequinum consist of paired testes, epididymides, deferent ducts, and five accessory genital glands. The boundary between the ampullary and vesicular glands has been difficult to identify in previous observations, but our diceCT imaging allowed us to clearly differentiate the two. We found that the ampullary gland is located at the terminal part of the deferent ducts, and the vesicular gland lies distal to the ampullary glands. This species possesses a single and carrot-shaped urethral gland, which is not found in most chiropteran families. The presence of the urethral gland in this species and its secretions suggest that after copulation this species is capable of forming a vaginal plug, which can seal the female’s vaginal orifice to block the entrance of spermatozoa from other males. The presence of the urethral gland and elongated epididymal tail and the fact that some individuals can terminate their hibernation and reactivate imply forced copulation on hibernating females can occur in R. ferrumequinum.
The communities of ectomycorrhizal fungal species associated with Betula pendula Roth and Pinus sylvestris L. growing in heavy-metal contaminated soils
Authors: Bierza Wojciech , Bierza Karolina , Trzebny Artur , Greń Izabela , Dabert Miroslawa , Ciepał Ryszard , Trocha Lidia K.
Published: October 2020

Aims

Pioneer tree species such as Betula pendula and Pinus sylvestris encroach soils contaminated with heavy metals (HMs). This is facilitated by ectomycorrhizal fungi colonizing tree roots. Thus, we evaluated the ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) communities of B. pendula and P. sylvestris growing in HM-contaminated soils compared to non-contaminated soils. We also studied the effect of HMs and soil properties on EMF communities and soil fungal biomass.

Methods

Roots of B. pendula and P. sylvestris were collected from three HM-contaminated sites and from two non-contaminated sites located in Poland. EMF species were identified using DNA barcoding. Soil fungal biomass was determined by soil ergosterol.

Results

B. pendula and P. sylvestris growing in HM-contaminated soils had similar EMF communities, where Scleroderma, Rhizopogon and Russula as well as ectomycorrhizae of the long-distance exploration type dominated. Among all of the examined soil factors studied, toxicity index (TITotal) was the most significant factor shaping the composition of EMF communities. Despite significant differences in the structure of the EMF communities of trees growing in HM-contaminated sites compared to control sites, no differences in overall diversity were observed.

Conclusions

Only well-adapted EMF species can survive toxic conditions and form ectomycorrhizal symbiosis with encroaching trees facilitating the forest succession on contaminated soils.
Quo Vadis English? The Post-Brexit Position of English as a Working Language of the EU
Authors: Kużelewska Elżbieta
Published: October 2020

“Brexit” as a word entered the European language’s scene eight years ago as a term describing what seemed as a surrealistic scenario for the British. Since then, it has become the ‘political word of 2016,’ paved its way to the Oxford English Dictionary, and globally into the computer dictionaries which no longer underline it in red as an unknown term. ‘Brexit,’ as a political campaign motto, has also transformed into a realistic political strategy and eventually into a complicated, exhausting, dividing, yet finalized process. By the time it was accomplished, everyone in Europe was tired of it, but tiredness did not change the fact that Brexit was an historical period of turmoil of an unprecedented nature. Brexit occurred on a multitude of dimensions, including the EU language policy dimension. For the past 20 years, English has been by far the most commonly used language in the Union, not only as one of the 24 official languages of the Member States, but as a working language of all the institutions, all negotiations, and all political debates. This contribution aims to analyse the legal status and the practical dimension of the European Union working languages and to explore the position of the English language among them—both presently and with possible scenarios in the future Union, without the United Kingdom as the biggest English-speaking Member State. The initial assumption states that the geopolitical weight of the English language will diminish even if the Irish and Maltese will hold the language’s position as an official language of the Union. In mathematical terms, there will be more native speakers in Hungarian or Slovak than in English. In political terms, Germany and France will have a chance to improve their influences by advocating for more efficient use of their languages. ‘Quo vadisEnglish?’ seems a timely question to ask.
An efficient secure data compression technique based on chaos and adaptive Huffman coding
Authors: Usama Muhammad , Malluhi Qutaibah M. , Zakaria Nordin , Razzak Imran , Iqbal Waheed
Published: October 2020

Data stored in physical storage or transferred over a communication channel includes substantial redundancy. Compression techniques cut down the data redundancy to reduce space and communication time. Nevertheless, compression techniques lack proper security measures, e.g., secret key control, leaving the data susceptible to attack. Data encryption is therefore needed to achieve data security in keeping the data unreadable and unaltered through a secret key. This work concentrates on the problems of data compression and encryption collectively without negatively affecting each other. Towards this end, an efficient, secure data compression technique is introduced, which provides cryptographic capabilities for use in combination with an adaptive Huffman coding, pseudorandom keystream generator, and S-Box to achieve confusion and diffusion properties of cryptography into the compression process and overcome the performance issues. Thus, compression is carried out according to a secret key such that the output will be both encrypted and compressed in a single step. The proposed work demonstrated a congruent fit for real-time implementation, providing robust encryption quality and acceptable compression capability. Experiment results are provided to show that the proposed technique is efficient and produces similar space-saving (%) to standard techniques. Security analysis discloses that the proposed technique is susceptible to the secret key and plaintext. Moreover, the ciphertexts produced by the proposed technique successfully passed all NIST tests, which confirm that the 99% confidence level on the randomness of the ciphertext.
The evolution of sinus surgery in England in the last decade – An observational study
Authors: Gupta Keshav Kumar , Jolly Karan , Bhamra Navdeep , Osborne Max Sallis , Ahmed Shahzada Khuram
Published: October 2020

Background and objective

Sinus surgery has seen significant changes over the years with advancements in instruments, endoscopes and imaging. This study aimed to use Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data to review the total number of sinus related procedures performed in both adults and children across England and identify whether there were any trends across the study period. We predicted an increase in endoscopic sinus procedures with a decline in open approaches to the paranasal sinuses.

Methods

Data from HES was extracted for the years 2010–2019. The operative (OPCS‐4) codes relevant to all sinus procedures between E12.1 and E17.9 were analysed. After examination of overall sinus related procedures, further subgroup analysis was performed with regards to open or endoscopic techniques.

Results

The total number of sinus procedures performed between 2010 and 2019 was 89,495. There was an increase in endoscopic surgeries by 21.1% and a decrease of open surgeries 35.3% during this time. There was an overall increase in maxillary, frontal and sphenoid sinus procedures, with a decrease in ethmoid sinus and lateral rhinotomy operations. There was an increase in the proportion of endoscopic cases overall by 5.7% and for all sinuses individually.

Conclusion

Overall, we see an increase in sinus surgery over the last 9 years from 2010 to 2019. These findings are in keeping with our initial hypotheses. Although our data set is limited by coding, and lack of patient factors, it represents most, if not all, of the data in England over a large study period. It is therefore useful to add to previous studies when demonstrating the increasing popularity of endoscopic sinus surgery over open procedures.
Seeing Perfection
Authors: Nyord Rune
Published: October 2020

This Element offers a new approach to ancient Egyptian images informed by interdisciplinary work in archaeology, anthropology, and art history. Sidestepping traditional perspectives on Egyptian art, the Element focuses squarely on the ontological status of the image in ancient thought and experience. To accomplish this, section 2 takes up a number of central Egyptian terms for images, showing that a close examination of their etymology and usage can help resolve long-standing question on Egyptian imaging practices. Section 3 discusses ancient Egyptian experiences of materials and manufacturing processes, while section 4 categorizes and discusses the different purposes and functions for which images were created. The Element as a whole thus offers a concise introduction to ancient Egyptian imaging practices for an interdisciplinary readership, while at the same introducing new ways of thinking about familiar material for the Egyptological reader.
Charismatic Leadership and the Formation of Hate Groups
Authors: Breen Clairissa D. , Frezza Stephen
Published: October 2020

As of 2019, there were 940 hate groups known to be active in the United States. Previous examinations of hate groups have assumed formation. This paper uses simulation modeling to test Weber’s 1947 socio-political theory of charismatic leadership. Simulation modeling creates a computer simulation that simplifies people and their interactions to mimic a real-world event or phenomena. Three models of hate group formation were created to test this theory. These experiments test the importance of personal and societal levels of hate in group formation and the influence of charismatic leadership. These experiments also tested hypotheses regarding the number of groups that form, the speed of formation, and group size. Data were collected from 13,000 model iterations to test these hypotheses. All models successfully generated hate groups. Hate groups formed at all levels of societal hate. An in-depth understanding of how hate groups form may assist in slowing the proliferation of these groups and decreasing their appeal.
Working Politically: Combining Socio-Legal Tools to Study Experiences of Law
Authors: Mant Jess
Published: October 2020

This Article provides a novel insight into how earlycareer scholars in the UK may combine different theoretical tools in their research, and the implications that this may have for the socio-legal discipline. This Article draws upon the author’s experience of combining theoretical tools from different schools of thought: Feminist legal theory, Bourdieusian theory, and Actor Network Theory, within the context of recent research into experiences of those representing themselves in family court hearings in England and Wales. Combining these theories for the first time, this Article explores the difficulties, tensions, and benefits of combining tools within socio-legal research and reflects upon the influence of the pedagogical and institutional resources that characterize the socio-legal research environment in the UK. This Article argues that the task of combining different tools provides scholars with the opportunity to work politically, because the process of reconciling tensions between different approaches requires researchers to reflect upon the worldviews that underpin their selected theories. In this sense, it argues that combining different theories within socio-legal research is a political activity, because researchers are required to reflect not only on how theoretical choices may contest, expand, or develop dominant assumptions that characterize socio-legal scholarly traditions.
Increased burden of cardiovascular risk among youth suicide attempters
Authors: Zhong Yongqi , Pham Steven , Porta Giovanna , Douaihy Antoine , Marsland Anna , Brent David , Melhem Nadine M.
Published: October 2020

Background

Suicide and cardiovascular disease rank among the leading causes of disability and premature mortality worldwide. Young adult suicide attempters are at increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease even compared to those with major depressive disorder suggesting an increased burden of cardiovascular risk factors. We compared the cardiovascular risk burden between youth attempters and other high-risk individuals.

Methods

Participants were from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), a U.S. population-based study, aged 18–30 years [suicide attempt (SA): n = 303; suicidal ideation (SI): n = 451; controls: n = 3671]; and psychiatric inpatients admitted for a SA (n = 38) or SI (n = 40) and healthy controls (n = 37) aged 15–30 years. We computed a cardiovascular risk score and high- and low-risk latent classes based on risk factors of high blood pressure, obesity, and smoking.

Results

Suicide attempters showed an increased cardiovascular risk score (CPES: B = 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31–0.54, p < 0.001; inpatient sample: B = 1.61, 95% CI 0.53–2.68, p = 0.004) compared to controls. They were also more likely to be classified in the high cardiovascular risk group (CPES: odds ratio (OR) 3.36, 95% CI 1.67–6.78, p = 0.001; inpatient sample: OR 9.89, 95% CI 1.38–85.39, p = 0.03) compared to those with SI (CPES: OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.55–2.39, p = 0.71; inpatient sample: OR 1.91, 95% CI 0.25–15.00, p = 0.53).

Conclusions

Youth attempters show an increased burden for cardiovascular risk compared to other high-risk individuals in inpatient and population-based samples. Clinicians should pay particular attention to cardiovascular risk factors among suicide attempters in order to reduce their risk for cardiovascular events.
The mycological social network a way forward for conservation of fungal biodiversity
Authors: Irga Peter J , Dominici Laura , Torpy Fraser R
Published: October 2020

Because knowledge of fungal diversity is very incomplete, it is possible that anthropogenic impacts are driving species to extinction before they have been discovered. Fungal inventories are still incomplete and do not reflect the complete diversity of this large taxon. Whilst molecular advancements are leading to an increased rate of species discovery, there is still much to be done to understand the diversity of fungi, identify rare species and establish conservation goals. Citizen science via social media could play an increasingly important role in mycological research, and its continued development should be supported and encouraged. The involvement of non-professionals in data collection helps increase public awareness, as well as extending the scope and efficiency of fungal surveys. Future academic mycological research could benefit from social media interaction and engagement with the amateur mycological community, which may accelerate the achievement of more effective conservation goals.
Forward analysis for WSTS, part I: completions
Authors: Finkel Alain , Goubault-Larrecq Jean
Published: October 2020

We define representations for downward-closed subsets of a rich family of well-quasi-orders, and more generally for closed subsets of an even richer family of Noetherian topological spaces. This includes the cases of finite words, of multisets, of finite trees, notably. Those representations are given as finite unions of ideals, or more generally of irreducible closed subsets. All the representations we explore are computable, in the sense that we exhibit algorithms that decide inclusion, and compute finite unions and finite intersections. The origin of this work lies in the need for computing finite representations of sets of successors of the downward closure of one state, or more generally of a downward-closed set of states, in a well-structured transition system, and this is where we start: we define adequate notions of completions of well-quasi-orders, and more generally, of Noetherian spaces. For verification purposes, we argue that the required completions must be ideal completions, or more generally sobrifications, that is, spaces of irreducible closed subsets.
Aorto-left ventricular tunnel: case series of a rare disease
Authors: Diraneyya Obayda M. , Alhabshan Fahad , Alghamdi Abdullah , Moafa Hussein , Alnasef Mohammed , Kabbani Mohamed S.
Published: October 2020

Introduction:

Aorto-left ventricular tunnel is a rare disease that can cause significant morbidity early in life due to volume overload and left ventricular failure. Surgical intervention is usually curative with minimal early complications. However, long-term effects and outcome are not fully determined.

Objective:

We are reporting a case series of this rare CHD with its long-term outcome.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective analysis of all children from birth to 14 years of age who were admitted between 2001 and 2020 with the diagnosis of aorto-left ventricular tunnel. Demographic, echocardiographic, and perioperative data were collected and reviewed. The pre-operative data were compared with data reviewed on the last outpatient follow-up.

Results:

Total of five patients fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Three patients were diagnosed after auscultating an incidental murmur, one had symptoms of congestive heart failure, and one had an abnormal fetal echocardiogram. Echocardiography demonstrated stenotic and regurgitant aortic valve with severely depressed left ventricle function in two patients, one of them with also single left coronary artery. The other three patients had normal aortic valve structure and normal ventricular function. All five patients had surgical repair, two by patch closure at aortic end of aorto-left ventricular tunnel, two by patch closure at both aortic and left ventricular ends, and one by aortic root replacement using a homograft. During follow-up, there was no residual aorto-left ventricular tunnel in any of our five cases, two had moderate aortic regurgitation and one had moderate residual aortic stenosis.

Conclusions:

Spectrum of presentation for aorto-left ventricular tunnel varies from an occult lesion to frank left heart failure due to volume or less commonly, pressure overload. Early surgical repair is recommended and is usually associated with complete resolution. Long-term follow-up is recommended for aortic root dilatation and aortic valve competency, as valve function need to be addressed in a timely manner to avoid further complications.