bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Co-estimating geomagnetic field and calibration parameters: modeling Earth’s magnetic field with platform magnetometer data
Authors: Kloss Clemens , Finlay Christopher C. , Olsen Nils
Published: January 2021

Models of the geomagnetic field rely on magnetic data of high spatial and temporal resolution to give an accurate picture of the Earth’s internal magnetic field and its time-dependence. The magnetic data from low-Earth orbit satellites of dedicated magnetic survey missions such as CHAMP andSwarmplay a key role in the construction of such models. Unfortunately, there are no magnetic data available from such satellites after the end of the CHAMP mission in 2010 and before the launch of theSwarmmission in late 2013. This limits our ability to recover signals on timescales of 3 years and less during this gap period. The magnetic data from platform magnetometers carried by satellites for navigational purposes may help address this data gap provided that they are carefully calibrated. Earlier studies have demonstrated that platform magnetometer data can be calibrated using a fixed geomagnetic field model as reference. However, this approach can lead to biased calibration parameters. An alternative approach has been developed in the form of a co-estimation scheme which consists of simultaneously estimating both the calibration parameters and a model of the internal part of the geomagnetic field. Here, we go further and develop a scheme, based on the CHAOS field modeling framework, that involves co-estimation of both internal and external geomagnetic field models along with calibration parameters of platform magnetometer data. Using our implementation, we are able to derive a geomagnetic field model spanning 2008 to 2018 with satellite magnetic data from CHAMP,Swarm, secular variation data from ground observatories, and platform magnetometer data from CryoSat-2 and the GRACE satellite pair. Through a number of experiments, we explore correlations between the estimates of the geomagnetic field and the calibration parameters, and suggest how these may be avoided. We find evidence that platform magnetometer data provide additional information on the secular acceleration, especially in the Pacific during the gap between CHAMP andSwarm. This study adds to the evidence that it is beneficial to use platform magnetometer data in geomagnetic field modeling.
Solar activity dependence of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances using GPS receivers in Japan
Authors: Otsuka Yuichi , Shinbori Atsuki , Tsugawa Takuya , Nishioka Michi
Published: January 2021

In order to reveal solar activity dependence of the medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) at midlatitudes, total electron content (TEC) data obtained from a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver network in Japan during 22 years from 1998 to 2019 were analyzed. We have calculated the detrended TEC by subtracting the 1-h running average from the original TEC data for each satellite and receiver pair, and made two-dimensional TEC maps of the detrended TEC with a spatial resolution of 0.15° × 0.15° in longitude and latitude. We have investigated MSTID activity, defined as $$\delta I/\overline{I}$$

δ
I
/

I
¯

, where $$\delta I$$

δ
I

and $$\overline{I}$$

I
¯

are standard deviation of the detrended TEC and the average vertical TEC within the area of 133.0°–137.0° E and 33.0°–37.0° N for 1 h, respectively. From each 2-h time series of the detrended TEC data within the same area as the MSTID activity, auto-correlation functions (ACFs) of the detrended TEC were calculated to estimate the horizontal propagation velocity and direction of the MSTIDs. Statistical results of the MSTID activity and propagation direction of MSTIDs were consistent with previous studies and support the idea that daytime MSTIDs could be caused by atmospheric gravity waves, and that nighttime MSTIDs were caused by electro-dynamical forces, such as the Perkins instability. From the current long-term observations, we have found that the nighttime MSTID activity and occurrence rate increased with decreasing solar activity. For the daytime MSTID, the occurrence rate increased with decreasing solar activity, whereas the MSTID activity did not show distinct solar activity dependence. These results suggest that the secondary gravity waves generated by dissipation of the primary gravity waves propagating from below increase under low solar activity conditions. The mean horizontal phase velocity of the MSTIDs during nighttime did not show a distinct solar activity dependence, whereas that during daytime showed an anticorrelation with solar activity. The horizontal phase velocity of the daytime MSTIDs was widely distributed from 40 to 180 m/s under high solar activity conditions, whereas it ranged between 80 and 200 m/s, with a maximum occurrence at 130 m/s under low solar activity conditions, suggesting that gravity waves with low phase velocity could be dissipated by high viscosity in the thermosphere under low solar activity conditions.
A case study of the first pregnant woman with COVID-19 in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Birindwa Etienne Kajibwami , Mulumeoderhwa Guy Mulinganya , Nyakio Olivier , Mbale Guy-Quesney Mateso , Mushamuka Serge Zigabe , Materanya Jeanne Maningo , Kahasha Pierrot Mulumeoderhwa , Bisimwa Yvette Kujirakwinja , Kampara Freddy Mirindi , Irenge Jules Mongane , Kibalama Isaac Barhishindi , Luzadi Pierre Kabuya , Malembaka Espoir Bwenge , Mayeri Daniel Garhalangwa-Na-Muntu , Baguma Marius , Balaluka Ghislain Bisimwa
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Vertical transmission of covid-19 is possible; its risk factors are worth researching. The placental changes found in pregnant women have a definite impact on the foetus.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 25-year-old woman, gravida 3, para 2 (2 alive children), with a history of two caesarean deliveries, who was infected by the SARS-CoV-2 during the last term of her pregnancy. She gave birth by caesarean at 34 weeks of gestation to a newborn baby also infected with SARS-CoV-2. The peri-operative observations noted several eruptive lesions in the pelvis, bleeding on contact. Microscopic examination of the foetal appendages revealed thrombotic vasculopathy in the placenta and in the umbilical cord vessels.

Conclusion

This case is one of the first documented cases of COVID-19 in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa. We strongly suggest obstetricians to carefully examine the aspect of the peritoneum, viscera and foetal appendages in affected pregnant women.
Lethal multiple colon necrosis and perforation due to fulminant amoebic colitis: a surgical case report and literature review
Authors: Tomino Takahiro , Ninomiya Mizuki , Minagawa Ryosuke , Matono Rumi , Yumi Oshiro  , Kitahara Daichi , Izumi Takuma , Taniguchi Daisuke , Hirose Kosuke , Kajiwara Yuichiro , Minami Kazuhito , Nishizaki Takashi
Published: January 2021

Background

Amoebiasis caused by the protozoan species Entamoeba histolytica rarely develops into fulminant amoebic colitis (FAC), but when it does, it shows an aggressive clinical course including colonic perforation, necrotizing colitis, and high mortality. Surgical treatment for FAC patients should be carried out urgently. However, even after surgery, the mortality rate can be 40–50%. Although FAC is one of the most unfavorable surgical diseases with a poor prognosis, there are a few reports on the perioperative diagnosis and management of FAC based on autopsy findings. We herein report the surgical case of a 64-year-old man who developed multiple colon necrosis and perforation due to FAC. A detailed autopsy revealed FAC as the cause of death. Additionally, we reviewed the existing literature on FAC patients who underwent surgery and followed their perioperative diagnosis and management.

Case presentation

A 64-year-old man presented with anorexia, diarrhea, and altered consciousness on arrival to our hospital. Computed tomography revealed a large mass in the upper right lobe of his lung, and the patient was admitted for close investigation. Bloody diarrhea, lower abdominal pain, and hypotension were observed soon after admission. Urgent abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan revealed extensive intestinal ischemia, intestinal pneumatosis, and free intra-abdominal gas. The preoperative diagnosis was bowel necrosis and perforation with intussusception of the small intestinal tumor. Emergency subtotal colectomy and enterectomy were performed soon after the contrast-enhanced computed tomography. He was taken to an intensive care unit after surgery. However, he could not recover from sepsis and died with disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiple organ failure on the 10th-day post-surgery. A histopathological examination of the resected colon showed transmural necrosis and massive amoebae invasion. He was diagnosed with FAC. An autopsy revealed that he had developed pulmonary large cell carcinoma with small intestinal metastasis. The death was caused by intestinal ischemia, necrosis and the perforation of the residual bowel caused by amoebae invasion.

Conclusions

Since FAC is a lethal disease with a high mortality rate and antibiotic therapies except metronidazole are ineffective, preoperative serological testing and perioperative metronidazole therapy in FAC patients can dramatically improve their survival rates.
Management practices related to the control of gastrointestinal parasites on Swedish pig farms
Authors: Pettersson Emelie , Sjölund Marie , Wallgren Torun , Lind Eva Osterman , Höglund Johan , Wallgren Per
Published: January 2021

Background

Internal parasites are common in pigs worldwide and may induce clinical disease or subclinical infections with negative effects such as poor weight gain and reduced welfare, which in turn affect productivity. Effective parasite control to reduce the negative impact of parasitic infections demands a combination of antiparasitic drugs as well as various hygiene and biosecurity practices. The aim of this study was to obtain information on current management practices and parasite control routines used on Swedish pig farms using an online questionnaire.

Results

Antiparasitic drugs were used on 69% of the farms routinely and were mainly administered to sows just prior to farrowing. Less than 5% of the herds conducted faecal analysis for parasites. Batchwise, age segregated rearing was common and overall, it was practiced for piglets, growers, and fatteners on 88, 80 and 75% of the farms, respectively. Large and medium sized farms appeared to apply stricter hygiene and biosecurity measures to the growing pigs compared to small farms. Dry sows were mainly housed in groups on deep litter straw beds and cleaning, as well as disinfection, between each group was less common compared to what was practiced for growing pigs. Outdoor access was rare and only occurred on organic and small farms. Most of the farms, 54, 74 and 82% of small, medium, and large sized herds respectively, reported to have less than 5% white spot lesions, caused by migrating A. suum larvae, registered at slaughter.

Conclusion

Several risk factors for parasite infections, such as bedding material, group housing and solid floors, are mandatory requirements by national law. However, it was evident from this study that although strategic hygiene and biosecurity practices appeared common, they were not practiced in all herds and less so for dry sows. Antiparasitic drugs were used frequently and mainly through routine prophylactic treatments without prior testing for parasites. A holistic approach is necessary when designing efficient parasite control programs, and it is essential that management factors and routine monitoring of parasites are given attention. This to achieve efficient parasite control and reduce the risk of unnecessary use of antiparasitic drugs.
Vocational rehabilitation to enhance return to work after trauma (ROWTATE): protocol for a non-randomised single-arm mixed-methods feasibility study
Authors:   On behalf of the ROWTATE study team, Kendrick Denise , das Nair Roshan , Kellezi Blerina , Morriss Richard , Kettlewell Jade , Holmes Jain , Timmons Stephen , Bridger Kay , Patel Priya , Brooks Adam , Hoffman Karen , Radford Kathryn
Published: January 2021

Background

Traumatic injuries are common amongst working-age adults. Survivors often experience physical and psychological problems, reduced quality of life and difficulty returning to work. Vocational rehabilitation improves work outcomes for a range of conditions but evidence of effectiveness for those with traumatic injuries is lacking. This study assesses feasibility of delivering a vocational rehabilitation intervention to enhance return to work and improve quality of life and wellbeing in people with at least moderate trauma to inform design of a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT).

Methods

Non-randomised, single-arm, multi-centre mixed-methods feasibility study with nested case studies and qualitative study. The case studies comprise interviews, observations of clinical contacts and review of clinical records. The qualitative study comprises interviews and/or focus groups. Participants will be recruited from two UK major trauma centres. Participants will comprise 40 patients aged 16–69 with an injury severity score of > 8 who will receive the intervention and complete questionnaires. Interviews will be conducted with 10 patients and their occupational therapists (OTs), clinical psychologists (CPs), employers and commissioners of rehabilitation services. Fidelity will be assessed in up to six patients by observations of OT and CP—patient contacts, review of patient records and intervention case report forms. OT and CP training will be evaluated using questionnaires and competence to deliver the intervention assessed using a team objective structured clinical examination and written task. Patients participating in and those declining participation in the study will be invited to take part in interviews/focus groups to explore barriers and facilitators to recruitment and retention. Outcomes include recruitment and retention rates, intervention fidelity, OT and CP competence to deliver the intervention, experiences of delivering or receiving the intervention and factors likely to influence definitive trial delivery.

Discussion

Effective vocational rehabilitation interventions to enhance return to work amongst trauma patients are urgently needed because return to work is often delayed, with detrimental effects on health, financial stability, healthcare resource use and wider society. This protocol describes a feasibility study delivering a complex intervention to enhance return to work in those with at least moderate trauma.

Trial registration

ISRCTN: 74668529. Prospectively registered on 23 January 20
Efficacy of an herbal preparation based on lovage, rosemary, and centaury on patients after extracorporal shockwave lithotripsy
Authors: Vitkovskyy Volodymyr Frankovych
Published: January 2021

Study objective

To study the effect of a herbal preparation containing a standardised BNO 1040 extract* (based on lovage root, rosemary leaves and aerial parts of centaury) on the extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) results in patients with urolithiasis (UL).

Methodology

150 patients with UL (aged 18–65 years) treated with ESWL method were divided into 2 equal groups. The main group (n = 75) received standard recommendations and herbal preparation (12 months). The control group (n = 75) received standard recommendations only. The following was evaluated: time and degree of elimination of fragments; the presence of pain and leukocyturia; recurrent stone formation.

Results

The elimination of fragments was observed up to 14 days in 94.7% of patients in the main group versus 76% of patients in the control group. Renal colic was observed in 6.7% of patients in the main group versus 10.7% of patients in the control group; cases of leukocyturia were observed within 14 days in 10.7% versus 22.7%, respectively. During the year, a recurrent lithiasis was diagnosed in 6.7% of patients in the main group and in 16% of patients in the control group.

Conclusion

The use of BNO 1040 extract in combination with ESWL: contributes to more rapid and safe elimination of fragments of the calculi and reduces the risk of recurrent stone formation.

Trial registration

DRKS ID 00021200. Registered retrospectively in German Clinical Trial Register 27.03.2020. https://www.drks.de/
Social origins, geographical mobility and occupational attainment in contemporary Italy
Authors: Ballarino Gabriele , Panichella Nazareno
Published: January 2021

This paper studies the effect in the Italian case of geographical mobility on employment and occupational attainment, defined as access to the upper class, avoidance of the working class, and avoidance of agricultural jobs. It observes the distribution of its effect over the life course. Given that migration is a gendered phenomenon, we perform separate analyses by gender. Our data set, moreover, includes residential information at the municipality level, making it possible to specify geographical mobility in different ways, according to the distance, the characteristics of origin, and destination and the frequency of individual movements. Third, it studies whether the effects of geographical mobility change according to social class of origin and geographical area of origin.

Our analyses, based on linear probability panel models with fixed effects, show a strong gender divide concerning the probability of employment and avoidance of the working class. A positive effect of geographical mobility on occupational outcomes appears to exist only as regards men, because for women the divergence between movers and stayers appears well before geographical mobility. Finally, the effects of geographical mobility are generally stronger for individuals originating from the middle and lower classes and from rural areas, but they are not so strong as to enable those individuals to substantially change their position in the occupational hierarchy.
Sulbactam pivoxil powder attributes and compatibility study with excipients
Authors: Gallo Loreana C. , Gonzalez Vidal Noelia L. , Ferreira Fabio F. , Ramírez-Rigo María V.
Published: January 2021

Background

Sulbactam pivoxil is an irreversible β-lactamase inhibitor that can be used with β-lactam antibiotics to improve antibacterial therapy by the oral route. Relevant properties of this drug for pharmaceutical manufacturing are not available in the open literature. In this work, a solid-state characterization of sulbactam pivoxil at the molecular, particle, and bulk levels was performed.

Results

Particles exhibited a mean diameter of about 350 μm, irregular shape crystals, and good flow properties. This work presents for the first time the crystal structure of this β-lactamase inhibitor obtained by X-ray diffraction analysis. Fourier-transform infrared results showed the characteristic bands of aliphatic hydrocarbons and ester groups. The differential scanning calorimetry curve exhibited a sharp endothermic peak at 109 °C corresponding to sulbactam pivoxil melting. The thermogravimetric curve revealed a mass loss at 184 °C associated with a decomposition process. This powder showed a moisture content of 0.34% and a water activity of 0.463. Potential interactions between sulbactam pivoxil and common pharmaceutical excipients were evaluated by thermal analysis. The endothermic peak and the enthalpies of melting were preserved in almost all the analyzed mixtures.

Conclusion

The powder was constituted by micro-sized crystals of sulbactam pivoxil that had suitable physicochemical properties for processing in controlled humidity environments. Thermal analyses suggested that sulbactam pivoxil is compatible with most of the evaluated excipients. The information obtained in the present study is relevant for the development, manufacturing, and storage of formulations that include sulbactam pivoxil.
Efficacy of doxycycline as a combination therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Ibrahem Eman M. , El-gendi Salwa S. , Mahmoud Amal A. , Abdel-Aal Sherif M. , Mohammed Hanan Sharaf El-Deen
Published: January 2021

Background

This single-center randomized open-label clinical trial evaluates the effectiveness of doxycycline as a combination therapy for active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with methotrexate (MTX).

Materials and methods

One hundred and sixty RA patients were recruited who fulfilled the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria. Subjects were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio into one of two treatment arms; one group was maintained on MTX alone and the other group on MTX together with doxycycline orally 200 mg daily. Follow-up clinical response, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), and disease activity score 28 (DAS28-CRP) after 3 months were done.

Results

There was a significant difference regarding DAS28-CRP between the two groups (median (IQR) 4.26 (3.6–5) for those treated with MTX alone compared with 2.8 (2.37–3.5) for those treated with MTX together with doxycycline) (p = 0.005). A higher number of patients treated with doxycycline in combination with MTX achieved remission (40.5%) compared to patients who received MTX alone (13.5%). The levels of ESR and CRP were lower in patients treated with MTX and doxycycline and this was statistically significant (p = 0.005, p = 0.003 respectively).

Conclusion

Doxycycline as a cost-effective combination therapy with MTX can achieve higher rates of remission than MTX alone in RA patients without causing increase in the adverse events profile.

Trial registration

Clinical Trials.gov, NCT03194204. Registered on 21 June 2017
Diffraction imaging using a mathematical morphological filter with a time-varying structuring element
Authors: Li Chuangjian , Zhao Jingtao , Peng Suping , Zhou Yanxin
Published: January 2021

Diffraction imaging is an important technique for high-resolution imaging because of the close relationship between diffractions and small-scale discontinuities. Therefore, we we have developed a diffraction imaging method using a mathematical morphological filter (MMF). In a common image gather, reflections have an evident energy band associated with the Fresnel zone and stationary point, whereas diffractions can be observed in a wide illumination direction and therefore have no energy band. Based on these phenomena, we analyze the amplitude distributions of the diffractions and reflections and develop a time-varying structuring element (SE) in the MMF. Based on the time-varying SE, our method can effectively suppress reflections and has the advantage of automatically preserving the diffractions energy near the stationary point. Numerical and field experiments demonstrate the efficient performance of the proposed method in imaging diffractions and obtaining high-resolution information.
Addressing unmet needs in opiate dependence: supporting detoxification and advances in relapse prevention
Authors: Herlinger Katherine , Lingford-Hughes Anne
Published: January 2021

Despite record-breaking numbers of opiate related deaths in the UK in 2019, pharmacological management of opiate dependence has evolved little since the advent of methadone in 1965. Along with harm minimisation and psychosocial interventions, the mainstay of pharmacological treatment remains opioid substitution therapy (OST) using methadone or buprenorphine, with many patients receiving OST for many years. Even with these treatments, opiate users continue to face mortality risks 12 times higher than the general population, and emerging evidence suggests that individuals who remain on long-term OST present with a range of physical and cognitive impairments. Therefore, with a growing ageing opiate dependent population who would benefit from detoxification from OST, this article provides an overview of the current state of opiate dependence in clinical practice, explores the reasons why availability and acceptability of detoxification pathways are declining, and discusses emerging pharmacological therapies that could provide benefit in relapse prevention.
First-person accounts of the processes and planning involved in a suicide attempt on the railway
Authors: Marsh Ian , Marzano Lisa , Mosse David , Mackenzie Jay-Marie
Published: January 2021

Background

The processes and planning involved in choosing and attempting to die by a particular method of suicide are not well understood. Accounts from those who have thought about or attempted suicide using a specific method might allow us to better understand the ways in which people come to think about, plan and enact a suicide attempt.

Aims

To understand from first-person accounts the processes and planning involved in a suicide attempt on the railway.

Method

Thematic analysis was conducted of qualitative interviews (N= 34) undertaken with individuals who had contemplated or attempted suicide by train.

Results

Participants explained how they decided upon a particular method, time and place for a suicide attempt. Plans were described as being contingent on a number of elements (including the likelihood of being seen or interrupted), rather than being fixed in advance. Participants mentally rehearsed and evaluated a particular method, which would sometimes involve imagining in detail what would happen before, during and after an attempt. The extent to which this involved others (train drivers, partners, friends) was striking.

Conclusions

By giving people free reign to describe in their own words the processes they went through in planning and undertaking a suicide attempt, and by not interpreting such accounts through a lens of deficit and pathology, we can arrive at important insights into how people come to think and feel about, plan and enact a suicide attempt. The findings have implications in terms of understanding suicide risk and prevention more broadly.
Post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic in carers of children in Portugal and the UK: cross-sectional online survey
Authors: Stallard Paul , Pereira Ana Isabel , Barros Luísa
Published: January 2021

Background

Although the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health have attracted interest, little attention has focused on its positive effects and possible post-traumatic growth.

Aims

To assess anxiety, well-being and post-traumatic growth in carers of children aged 6–16 years in Portugal and the UK.

Method

A cross-sectional online survey of volunteers conducted at the peak of the first wave of COVID-19 during lockdown (1 May to 27 June 2020).

Results

A total of 385 caregivers (Portuguese, n = 185; UK, n = 200), predominantly mothers (n = 341, 88.6%), completed the survey. The majority were working exclusively from home (n = 271, 70.4%), almost half reported a reduction in income (n = 174, 45.2%), most children were home taught (n = 358, 93%), and 75 (19.5%) identified a family member with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection. In total, 341 caregivers (88.6%) identified positives arising from COVID-19, most commonly related to the post-traumatic growth domains of improved relationships, a greater appreciation of life, discovering and embracing new possibilities, and positive spiritual change. A comparison of those who did (n = 341) and did not (n = 34) report any positives found a significant difference in well-being scores (t373 = 2.24, P = 0.025) but not in anxiety scores (t373 = 0.75, P = 0.45).

Conclusions

Despite experiencing considerable adversity, examples of post-traumatic growth during the lockdown were common. Although the voluntary online nature of our survey is a limitation, our findings suggest that further research exploring post-traumatic growth following pandemics is warranted.
Pharyngeal pouches provide a niche microenvironment for arch artery progenitor specification
Authors: Mao Aihua , Zhang Mingming , Li Linwei , Liu Jie , Ning Guozhu , Cao Yu , Wang Qiang
Published: January 2021

The paired pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs) are transient blood vessels connecting the heart with the dorsal aorta during embryogenesis. Although PAA malformations often occur along with pharyngeal pouch defects, the functional interaction between these adjacent tissues remains largely unclear. Here we report that pharyngeal pouches are essential for PAA progenitor specification in zebrafish embryos. We reveal that the segmentation of pharyngeal pouches coincides spatiotemporally with the emergence of PAA progenitor clusters. These pouches physically associate with pharyngeal mesoderm in discrete regions and provide a niche microenvironment for PAA progenitor commitment by expressing BMP proteins. Specifically, pouch-derived BMP2a and BMP5 are the primary niche cues responsible for activating the BMP/Smad pathway in pharyngeal mesoderm, thereby promoting progenitor specification. In addition, BMP2a and BMP5 play an inductive function in the expression of the cloche gene npas4l in PAA progenitors. cloche mutants exhibit a striking failure to specify PAA progenitors and display ectopic expression of head muscle markers in the pharyngeal mesoderm. Therefore, our results support a critical role of pharyngeal pouches in establishing a progenitor niche for PAA morphogenesis via BMP2a/5 expression.
HoxB genes regulate neuronal delamination in the trunk neural tube by controlling the expression of Lzts1
Authors: Wilmerding Axelle , Rinaldi Lucrezia , Caruso Nathalie , Lo Re Laure , Bonzom Emilie , Saurin Andrew J. , Graba Yacine , Delfini Marie-Claire
Published: January 2021

Differential Hox gene expression is central for specification of axial neuronal diversity in the spinal cord. Here, we uncover an additional function of Hox proteins in the developing spinal cord, restricted to B cluster Hox genes. We found that members of the HoxB cluster are expressed in the trunk neural tube of chicken embryo earlier than Hox from the other clusters, with poor antero-posterior axial specificity and with overlapping expression in the intermediate zone (IZ). Gain-of-function experiments of HoxB4, HoxB8 and HoxB9, respectively, representative of anterior, central and posterior HoxB genes, resulted in ectopic progenitor cells in the mantle zone. The search for HoxB8 downstream targets in the early neural tube identified the leucine zipper tumor suppressor 1 gene (Lzts1), the expression of which is also activated by HoxB4 and HoxB9. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that Lzts1, which is expressed endogenously in the IZ, controls neuronal delamination. These data collectively indicate that HoxB genes have a generic function in the developing spinal cord, controlling the expression of Lzts1 and neuronal delamination.
Widespread labeling and genomic editing of the fetal central nervous system by in utero CRISRP AAV9-PHP.eB administration
Authors: Hu Shuntong , Yang Tao , Wang Yu
Published: January 2021

Efficient genetic manipulation in the developing central nervous system is critical to investigate mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders and develop promising therapeutics. Common approaches including transgenic mice and in utero electroporation (IUE), although powerful in many aspects, have their own limitations. In this study, we delivered vectors based on the AAV9.PHP.eB pseudo-type to the fetal mouse brain and achieved widespread and extensive transduction of neural cells. When AAV9.PHP.eB coding gRNA targeting PogZ or Depdc5 was delivered to Cas9 transgenic mice, widespread gene knockout was also achieved at the whole brain level. Our studies provide a useful platform for studying brain development and devising genetic intervention for severe developmental diseases.
Dynamic patterning by morphogens illuminated by cis-regulatory studies
Authors: Irizarry Jihyun , Stathopoulos Angelike
Published: January 2021

Morphogen concentration changes in space as well as over time during development. However, how these dynamics are interpreted by cells to specify fate is not well understood. Here, we focus on two morphogens: the maternal transcription factors Bicoid and Dorsal, which directly regulate target genes to pattern Drosophila embryos. The actions of these factors at enhancers has been thoroughly dissected and provides a rich platform for understanding direct input by morphogens and their changing roles over time. Importantly, Bicoid and Dorsal do not work alone; we also discuss additional inputs that work with morphogens to control spatiotemporal gene expression in embryos.
The Application of Mathematics Learning Model to Stimulate Mathematical Critical Thinking Skills of Senior High School Students
Authors: Setiana Dafid Slamet , Purwoko Riawan Yudi , Sugiman Sugiman
Published: January 2021

The objective of this research is to analyze the twelfth graders' mathematics critical thinking skills using a mathematics learning model to stimulate fundamental critical thinking abilities of science courses in SMA Negeri, Pacitan Regency, East Java Province, Indonesia. This quasi-experimental research design was used in this study with one group posttest only design using multiple substantive posttests. The sample of 141 students from the total population of six public schools involving the twelfth graders of the natural sciences was selected through purposive sampling technique, data were taken through tests of students' critical thinking skills and interviews. The data analysis consists of five stages, namely an analysis of one sample t-test, an analysis of students' grades, an analysis of problem-solving stages, an analysis of critical thinking abilities indicators, and an analysis of mathematics critical thinking abilities indicators. The results showed (1) The results of the one sample t-test show that the mathematics learning model is effective to stimulate critical thinking, which means that the application of the mathematics learning model is effective to stimulate critical thinking; (2) the overall grades of students that met the minimum mastery criteria; (3) the data analysis of eleven problem-solving stages proves that the criteria for critical thinking abilities are categorized as good and very good. The highest score indicator considers the principle and definition of transformation, while the lowest grade indicator is mainly concerned with the questions on right and coherent steps; (4) the critical thinking skills have seven indicators that highlight the criteria of students' critical thinking abilities categorized as good and very good. The indicators that get the highest score determine the definitions of terms, while the indicators of the lowest score determine the action; (5) the results of the analysis show indicators of mathematics critical thinking skills that have eight indicators. The criteria of students' critical thinking abilities met good and very good categories along with indicators with the highest value score by considering the definitions of terms, while the indicators of the lowest score deal with the habit of caution.
Evaluation of the “Speaking” Component of a Curriculum Applied in a School of Foreign Languages: An Action Research in a State University in Turkey
Authors: Tomak Burak
Published: January 2021

Speaking is considered as a challenging skill to improve as it is a productive one which requires the learners to be unique and creative in the way they express themselves. Therefore, teaching speaking takes the attention of the researchers in the field of English language teaching. Therefore, the way “speaking” was integrated into the curriculum of a School of Foreign Languages in one of the state universities in Istanbul was investigated by the researcher to find out whether the speaking component of the program helped students improve their oral language proficiency and to learn both efficiency and sufficiency of it from the perspectives of the students as well as the instructors in that institution. For this purpose, eight students within the program were taken into five different speaking tests in five different weeks sequentially and were interviewed by the researcher afterwards. Additionally, six students who had taken this program of the school previously and were taking their departmental courses at the time of the study were also interviewed to give them the chance to reflect back on their past experiences as learners who applied the knowledge they had acquired from this school. Six different instructors working in this institution were also interviewed. One of them was also observed in her real class environment. Results showed that the program was found “efficient” in some aspects such as the importance given to “speaking” but there were some points that needed consolidation just like the materials.
Optimal concentration of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as an irrigation solution additive to reduce infection rates in rat models of contaminated wound
Authors: Lin Junqing , Gao Tao , Wei Haifeng , Zhu Hongyi , Zheng Xianyou
Published: January 2021

Aims

In wound irrigation, 1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is more efficacious than normal saline (NS) in removing bacteria from a contaminated wound. However, the optimal EDTA concentration remains unknown for different animal wound models.

Methods

The cell toxicity of different concentrations of EDTA dissolved in NS (EDTA-NS) was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). Various concentrations of EDTA-NS irrigation solution were compared in three female Sprague-Dawley rat models: 1) a skin defect; 2) a bone exposed; and 3) a wound with an intra-articular implant. All three models were contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli. EDTA was dissolved at a concentration of 0 (as control), 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, and 100 mM in sterile NS. Samples were collected from the wounds and cultured. The bacterial culture-positive rate (colony formation) and infection rate (pus formation) of each treatment group were compared after irrigation and debridement.

Results

Cell viability intervened below 10 mM concentrations of EDTA-NS showed no cytotoxicity. Concentrations of 1, 2, and 5 mM EDTA-NS had lower rates of infection and positive cultures for S. aureus and E. coli compared with other concentrations in the skin defect model. For the bone exposed model, 0.5, 1, and 2 mM EDTA-NS had lower rates of infection and positive cultures. For intra-articular implant models 10 and 50 mM, EDTA-NS had the lowest rates of infection and positive cultures.

Conclusion

The concentrations of EDTA-NS below 10 mM are safe for irrigation. The optimal concentration of EDTA-NS varies by type of wound after experimental inoculation of three types of wound. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(1):68–76.
Selling Whitefriars Stained Glass: James Hogan in the United States 1926–1940
Authors:   University of Reading, Hadley D.
Published: January 2021

A brief history of stained glass manufacture by James Powell & Sons introduces an account of the firm's success in selling windows in the USA in the interwar years, as recorded in the diaries of James Hogan, their chief designer.
Las entrevistas a distancia en Trabajo Social Forense: reflexiones teórico-prácticas
Authors: Marcón Osvaldo Agustín
Published: January 2021

La pandemia por COVID-19 impulsó el debate sobre las entrevistas a distancia (telefónicas y otras) en Trabajo Social Forense. El artículo reflexiona teóricamente sobre las mismas, estimulando su desarrollo a partir de inferencias hacia otros campos de saberes que han incorporado dichas herramientas. Así, metodológicamente, trae desarrollos extradisciplinares que considera pertinentes tanto a nivel operativo-instrumental como en el amplio marco de la racionalidad comunicativa. Postula a estas herramientas como complementarias, pero no sustitutivas de otros tipos de entrevista. Propone revisar la noción de presencialidad, relativizando el cara-a-cara como axioma aparentemente inmutable durante las intervenciones. Incursiona en la relación rostro-máscara, proponiendo atender al espacio vital como espacio a atravesar para superar la distancia transaccional que permite la acción de entrevistar. Analiza la distancia entrevistado/entrevistador y sus variantes según el tipo de presencialidad, y las posibilidades de transitar dicho camino inter-subjetivo, comparadas con las escenas tradicionales de entrevista.  Ubica el fundacional “Social Diagnosis” (Richmond, 1917) como un hito fundante y a las Nuevas Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (NTICs) como su robusto continente actual. Con énfasis prospectivo, el artículo incluye algunas recomendaciones operativas en términos de encuadre para las entrevistas a distancia, como así también para su desarrollo y cierre.
La certificación de competencias de los voluntarios como herramienta para mejorar el empleo juvenil y promover el voluntariado
Authors: Vizcaíno Candela Virginia , Medina Ruiz Elvira
Published: January 2021

Desde hace años se habla del voluntariado como generador de competencias y habilidades que pueden ser valiosas para la sociedad en general y el mundo empresarial en particular. La adquisición de esas competencias por parte de las personas voluntarias tendría un impacto directo en la mejora de la empleabilidad, especialmente en los más jóvenes. Pero para ello, es necesario que las entidades se doten de los mecanismos necesarios para poder certificar que, en efecto, se han adquirido esas competencias. La presente investigación tiene como objetivo analizar la viabilidad del reconocimiento de las competencias adquiridas a través de la realización de actividades de voluntariado, abordando y comparando distintas experiencias, para concluir cuáles son los modelos más idóneos para los/las voluntarios/as más jóvenes, teniendo en cuenta el diseño, el número de competencias, el proceso evaluador o la participación empresarial en el proceso.
Modeling of a biosensor using Tamm resonance excited by graphene
Authors: Zaky Zaky A. , Aly Arafa H.
Published: January 2021

In this paper, nanoscale pores in silicon layers are exploited to model and optimize a one-dimensional hybrid graphene-porous silicon photonic crystal biosensor. The physical nature of the proposed sensor is based on Tamm resonance. The transfer matrix method is applied to detect the change of the index of refraction in an aqueous solution. The proposed model is (

P
S
i

1

/

P
S
i

2

)

N

/

G

/

S
u
b
s
t
r
a
t
e

, in which

P
S
i

1

and

P
S
i

2

are porous silicon layers with different porosities, N is the number of periods, and G is the number of graphene layers. The numerical simulations show that the proposed sensor has good performance. The variation of the number of periods, number of graphene layers, porosities, thicknesses of silicon layers, incident angles, and the sample layer thickness affect the performance of the sensor. By varying these parameters, the sensitivity and figure of merit of the sensor can be controlled. The study shows that the sensitivity and figure of merit of the proposed sensor reach 4.75 THz/RIU and

475

R
I
U

−
1

, respectively. The proposed sensor has a good capability in biological detection within terahertz. It is the first time, to our knowledge, that graphene has been used to excite the Tamm resonance using the photonic crystal of porous silicon and using it in biosensing applications.
Robust wavefront segment registration based on a parallel approach
Authors: Berlakovich Nikolaus , Fuerst Martin , Csencsics Ernst , Schitter Georg
Published: January 2021

This paper presents a robust registration algorithm for wavefront reconstruction from multiple partial measurements. Wavefronts exceeding the dynamic range or size of the Shack–Hartmann sensor can be measured as a set of segments. The wavefront is reconstructed by parallel registration of these wavefront segments, enabling compensation for sensor misalignment as well as for phase differences. For registration, a global mismatch metric is minimized by rigid body transformations and propagation of the wavefront segments. Apart from the description of the algorithm, a simulation-based evaluation and comparison to the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm is performed. It is shown that in the case of a noisy data set, the parallel approach enables reconstruction errors that are a factor of 10 smaller than the result obtained with the ICP algorithm.
Planar terahertz filter with narrow passband and low insertion loss
Authors: Zhang Yong , Yue Ruifeng , Wang Yan
Published: January 2021

How to reduce the bandwidth and insertion loss (IL) of a planar filter
at high frequency is challenging work. We investigate the design,
simulation, fabrication, and measurement of a terahertz (THz) planar
filter with easy integration, low IL, and narrow passband. The direct
feeding microstrip filter (DFMF) has a center frequency
(

f
0

) of 140 GHz, IL of 2 dB, and 3 dB
fractional bandwidth (

F
B
W

3

d
B

) of 6%, while traditional coupled
feeding microstrip filter with the same configurations has

F
B
W

3

d
B

of 20%. The proposed DFMF filter
employs direct feeding mode to narrow bandwidth and miniaturized size.
The DFMF does not need small coupling gaps in the feeding structures,
showing good dimensional insensitivity. Benzocyclobutene is introduced
as an interlayer dielectric to reduce IL owing to its controllable
ultrathin thickness and low-loss tangent. The introduced planar
microelectromechanical system technology is suitable for large-scale
fabrication at a low cost. The test results based on
through-reflect-line de-embedding technology agree well with the
simulation results. The DFMF lays a foundation for realizing the
planarization and integration of THz systems.
Enhancement of CASSI by a zero-order image employing a single detector
Authors: Hlubuček J. , Lukeš J. , Václavík J. , Žídek K.
Published: January 2021

Coded aperture snapshot spectral imaging (CASSI) makes it possible to
recover 3D hyperspectral data from a single 2D image. However, the
reconstruction problem is severely underdetermined, and efforts to
improve the compression ratio typically make the imaging
system more complex and cause a significant loss of incoming light
intensity. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to CASSI that
enables capturing both a spectrally sheared and an integrated image of
a scene with a single camera. We performed hyperspectral imaging of
three different testing scenes in the spectral range of 500–900 nm. We
demonstrate the prominent effect of using the nondiffracted image on
the reconstruction of data from our camera. The use of the spectrally
integrated image improves the reconstruction quality, and we observed
an approximately fivefold reduction in reconstruction time.