bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive, emotional, and somatosensory behavior in professional dancers with acute and chronic pain
Authors: Paris‐Alemany Alba , Belaustegui‐Ferrández Ignacio , López‐Ruiz María , Gadea‐Mateos Luis , La Touche Roy , Suso‐Martí Luis
Published: July 2021

Background

Dance has been linked in a complex manner to pain and the physical and psychological peculiarities of this discipline could influence pain perception and chronicity of pain.

Objective

To determine the differences in cognitive, emotional, and somatosensory symptoms between dancers with acute versus chronic pain.

Design

A cross‐sectional study of professional dancers with pain.

Setting

Higher conservatory of dance.

Participants

Thirty‐four professional dancers experiencing pain were included. The cohort was divided into two subgroups: those with acute pain (<3 months duration) and those with chronic pain (>3 months duration).

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Pain intensity (as measured by the visual analogue scale or VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), pain‐related fear of movement (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia [TSK‐11]), fear avoidance beliefs (Fear‐Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire [FABQ]), self‐efficacy (Chronic Pain Self‐Efficacy Scale [CPSS]). and chronic pain severity (Chronic Pain Graded Scale [CPGS]).

Results

Dancers with chronic pain reported higher levels of pain intensity in daily activities (p < .01; t = 3.42; d = 1.17) and during exercise/dance (p = .02; t = 2.82; d = 0.82), as well as lower PPT in lumbar (p = .03; t = 3.22; d = 1.1) and tibialis regions (p = .01; t = 2.51; d = 0.86). Dancers with acute pain experienced worse psychological symptoms indicated by the fear of harm subscale of TSK‐11 (p = .04; t = −2.08; d = 0.72), physical activity subscale of FABQ (p = .03; t = −2.27; d = 0.78), and pain management subscale of CPSS (p = .01; t = −2.76; d = 0.94) and lower scores for CPGS scale (p = .01; t = 2.99; d = 0.7 to 1.26).

Conclusions

The results showed differences in pain intensity and PPT revealing higher values in dancers with chronic pain. It is possible that the physical and psychological characteristics of dancers, as well as the sociocultural aspects of this discipline, could influence the way in which this population interprets pain.
Long noncoding RNAs in respiratory viruses: A review
Authors: Kesheh Mina Mobini , Mahmoudvand Shahab , Shokri Somayeh
Published: July 2021

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are defined as RNA molecules longer than 200 nucleotides that can regulate gene expression at the transcriptional or post‐transcriptional levels. Both human lncRNAs and lncRNAs encoded by viruses can modulate the expression of host genes which are critical for viral replication, latency, activation of signalling pathways, cytokine and chemokine production, RNAi processing, expression of interferons (IFNs) and interferon‐stimulated genes (ISGs). Studies on lncRNAs as key regulators of host‐virus interactions may give new insights into therapeutic strategies for the treatment of related diseases. This current review focuses on the role of lncRNAs, and their interactions with respiratory viruses including influenza A virus (IAV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2).
Continuous positive airway pressure adherence trajectories in sleep apnea: Clustering with summed discrete Fréchet and dynamic time warping dissimilarities
Authors: Bottaz‐Bosson Guillaume , Hamon Agnès , Pépin Jean‐Louis , Bailly Sébastien , Samson Adeline
Published: July 2021

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent pharyngeal collapses during sleep. In most severe cases, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) consists in keeping the airways open by administering mild air pressure. This treatment faces adherence issues.

Objectives

Eight hundred and forty‐eight subjects were equipped with CPAP prescribed at the Grenoble University Hospital between 2016 and 2018. Their daily CPAP uses have been recorded during the first 3 months. Our aim is to cluster these adherence time series. With hierarchical agglomerative clustering, we focused on the choices of the dissimilarity measure and the internal cluster validation index (CVI).

Methods

The Euclidean distance, the dynamic time warping (DTW) and the generalized summed discrete Fréchet dissimilarity were implemented with three linkage strategies (“average,” “complete,” and “Ward”). The performances of each method (dissimilarity and linkage) were evaluated on a simulation study through the adjusted Rand index (ARI). The Ward linkage with DTW dissimilarity provided the best ARI. Then six different internal CVIs (Silhouette, Calinski Harabasz, Davies Bouldin, Modified Davies Bouldin, Dunn, and COP) were compared on their ability to choose the best number of clusters. The Dunn index beat the others.

Results

CPAP data were clustered with the Ward linkage, the DTW dissimilarity and the Dunn index. It identified six clusters, from a cluster of patients (N = 29 subjects) whose stopped the therapy early on to a cluster (N = 105) with increasing adherence over time. Other clusters were extremely good users (N = 151), good users (N = 150), moderate users (N = 235), and poor adherers (N = 178).
Community‐based system dynamics modelling of stigmatized public health issues: Increasing diverse representation of individuals with personal experiences
Authors: Deutsch Arielle R. , Lustfield Rebecca , Jalali Mohammad S.
Published: July 2021

Utility of community‐based system dynamics (CBSD) models on stigmatized public health issues and health disparities depends upon how representative the model is to real‐world experience within the community. ‘Personal experience’ participants (PEP), especially from marginalized groups, are essential model contributors but are often underrepresented in modelling groups due to multiple barriers. This study details a method to increase PEP representation for models on stigmatized issues. We use a case study from a CBSD project on health disparities within the association between alcohol misuse (AM) and intimate partner violence (IPV) for Northern Plains Indigenous women. Short group model building sessions were held at three community organizations providing relevant resources. Each model contributed unique system components, and there were few similarities between models. A consolidated model provided a rich picture of the complex system. Adding brief PEP‐based group modelling sessions can enhance PEP representation in model development for stigmatized public health issues.
A systematic review and network meta‐analysis of interventions for subjective cognitive decline
Authors: Roheger Mandy , Hennersdorf Xenia‐Serena , Riemann Steffen , Flöel Agnes , Meinzer Marcus
Published: July 2021

Background

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is considered a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), highlighting the need for identifying and ranking effective interventions. This was addressed in a systematic review and network meta‐analysis (NMA) of pharmacological and non‐pharmacological interventions for SCD.

Methods

MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, CENTRAL, and PsycINFO were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating effects on memory, global cognition, and quality of life. Random‐effect model NMAs were conducted. The Cochrane Risk‐of‐Bias‐2 tool assessed methodological quality. Prospero‐Registration: CRD42020180457.

Results

The systematic review included 56 RCTs. Education programs were most effective for improving memory, second most effective for improving global cognition. Quality of life and adverse events could not be included due to insufficient data. Overall methodological quality of studies was low.

Conclusion

Education programs were most effective for improving memory and cognition, warranting further research into effective elements of this intervention. There is urgent need to address identified methodological shortcomings in SCD intervention research.
Yesprit and Yeaseq: Applications for designing primers and browsing sequences for research using the fourSchizosaccharomycesspecies
Authors: Wang Xindi , Xu Ruoming , Wang Yichen , Liu Ziyue , Lou Ronghui , Sugiyama Tomoyasu
Published: July 2021

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based gene targeting method, which can delete a specific gene or introduce tags, has been widely utilized to study gene function in fission yeast. One of the critical steps in this method is to design primers for amplifying DNA fragments of deletion or tagging modules and for checking the integration of those DNA fragments at designated loci. Although the primer design tool Pombe PCR Primer Program (PPPP) is available forSchizosaccharomyces pombe, there is no such publicly available application for the other three fission yeast species,S. cryophilus,S. japonicus, andS. octosporus. Likewise, no application enabling DNA/protein sequence retrieval for these three fission yeast species is available either. Therefore, access to such functionality would substantially assist in retrieval of gene sequences of interest and primer design in these fission yeast species. In this report, we describe two applications for fission yeast study: Yesprit and Yeaseq. Yesprit is a primer design tool for strain construction using the PCR‐based method, and Yeaseq is a sequence viewer that can acquire the DNA/protein sequences of specific genes. Both tools can be run on the Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. We believe that the Yesprit and Yeaseq will facilitate research using the four fission yeast species.
Umschulung zum IHK-Fachinformatiker in Anwendungsentwicklung und Systemintegration
Authors: Ellmann Mathias
Published: July 2021

In diesen Artikel berichten wir über unsere Erfahrungen welche wir im Rahmen einer Umschulung zum Fachinformatiker der Anwendungsentwicklung und Systemintegration gemacht haben. Unsere Erfahrungen haben gezeigt, dass eine projektbezogene Gestaltung des Unterrichts Umschüler stetig durch ein komplexes Fach wie Datenbankdesign und Datenentwicklung motiviert. Wir begründen unser Lehrkonzept durch verschiedene Lehrtheorien und Lerntheorien und beschreiben wie dieses in einem Kurs wie Datenbankdesign und Datenbankentwicklung während einer Umschulung umgesetzt werden kann. Wir diskutieren unser Lehrkonzept und zeigen auf, welche Lehrergebnisse und Lernergebnisse wir im Vergleich zu traditionellen Lehrkonzepten erzielt haben. Traditionelle Lehrkonzepte wie das Vortragen von wissenschaftlichen Theorien aus einem Lehrbuch, ohne Praxisbezug wurden von den Teilnehmern abgelehnt oder hat sie überfordert. Es konnte die Fülle an Information oder Terminologie, die in Fachbüchern häufig verwendet wird, schwer von den Teilnehmern, meist auch Nicht-Muttersprachlern verstanden werden. Wir glauben, dass eine Vereinfachung der Lehrinhalte im Kontext eines Praxisprojektes auch Nicht-Muttersprachlern und Kursteilnehmern mit diversen Bildungsabschlüssen zugute kommt.
Cushion plants act as facilitators for soil microarthropods in high alpine Sweden
Authors: Ľuptáčik Peter , Čuchta Peter , Jakšová Patrícia , Miklisová Dana , Kováč Ľubomír , Alatalo Juha M.
Published: July 2021

Cushion plants can have positive impacts on plant richness in severe environments and possibly across trophic levels on arthropods, an under-studied topic. This study examined whether soil communities under cushions have higher richness and abundance of soil microarthropods than adjacent non-cushion vegetation, and whether differences in collembolan and mite abundance and species richness between cushions and adjacent vegetation increase with elevation. Paired soil samples were taken under cushions ofSilene acaulisalong the elevation gradient (1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400 m a.s.l.), under cushions ofDiapensia lapponicaon the exposed ridge above the treeline (1000 m a.s.l.), and under adjacent non-cushion plant vegetation. In total, 5853 individuals of collembolans (n = 1705) and mites (n = 4148) were obtained from soil samples and identified to order/species level.S. acauliscushions had a positive effect on species richness and abundance of collembolans, with richness effects from 1100 m a.s.l. upwards. Oribatid mite richness and abundance were also higher under cushions compared with adjacent vegetation. Species richness of collembolans and oribatids declined with increasing elevation from 1200 m a.s.l. Collembolan abundance peaked at mid-elevation (1200 m a.s.l.) under cushions and adjacent vegetation, while oribatid mite abundance peaked at 1300 m a.s.l. under both vegetation types.D. lapponicacushions on the exposed ridge had significant positive effects on species richness, abundance and diversity index of collembolans, and abundance of oribatids. Cushion plants play an important role in supporting the biodiversity of soil fauna in severe alpine environments, with the positive effects of cushion plants increasing with environmental severity.
Extraction of cellulose fibers from flax and hemp: a review
Authors: Manian Avinash P. , Cordin Michael , Pham Tung
Published: July 2021

The paper is a review on the extraction processes of cellulosic fibers from flax and hemp. The two lignocellulosic crops have a long history of use by humans for extraction of the bast fibers among other purposes. The utility of bast fibers declined over time with industrial advances and changes to the economy, but of late, with an increase of focus on environmental impact and sustainability, there is a renewed interest in these resources. The use of biomass-based resource requires an appreciation of plant anatomy and the agronomical variables in their cultivation and harvesting. This review provides an overview of these aspects as well as of the processes of retting for initial weakening of the plant structure in preparation for fiber extraction, degumming to isolate fiber bundles, and delignification.
The time is out of joint. Teacher subjectivity during COVID-19
Authors: Ramploud Alessandro , Funghi Silvia , Mellone Maria
Published: July 2021

In this study, we address the issue of mathematics teachers' personal and professional responsiveness to changing circumstances, such as the shift in external demands made on teacher practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For investigating a such delicate issue, we take a theoretical approach, which is quite novel in the field of mathematics education: Lacan's psychoanalytical lens. Specifically, we will use this psychoanalytical lens to analyze a case study focusing on a primary school teacher during the first lockdown in Italy, during which school was organized exclusively in the form of distance education. The analysis of the teacher’s crisis and the strategies she adopted to overcome this crisis give some suggestions about possible directions and issues to consider for future mathematics teacher training proposals.
Capacitance and Structure of Electric Double Layers: Comparing Brownian Dynamics and Classical Density Functional Theory
Authors: Cats Peter , Sitlapersad Ranisha S. , den Otter Wouter K. , Thornton Anthony R. , van Roij René
Published: July 2021

We present a study of the structure and differential capacitance of electric double layers of aqueous electrolytes. We consider electric double layer capacitors (EDLC) composed of spherical cations and anions in a dielectric continuum confined between a planar cathode and anode. The model system includes steric as well as Coulombic ion-ion and ion-electrode interactions. We compare results of computationally expensive, but “exact” , Brownian Dynamics (BD) simulations with approximate, but cheap, calculations based on classical Density Functional Theory (DFT). Excellent overall agreement is found for a large set of system parameters, including variations in concentration, ionic size- and valency-asymmetries, applied voltages and electrode separation, provided the differences between the canonical ensemble of the BD simulations and the grand-canonical ensemble of DFT are properly taken into account. In particular, a careful distinction is made between the differential capacitance $$C_N$$

C
N

at fixed number of ions and $$C_\mu $$

C
μ

at fixed ionic chemical potential. Furthermore, we derive and exploit their thermodynamic relations. In the future these relations will also be useful for comparing and contrasting experimental data with theories for supercapactitors and other systems. The quantitative agreement between simulation and theory indicates that the presented DFT is capable of accounting accurately for coupled Coulombic and packing effects. Hence it is a promising candidate to cheaply study room temperature ionic liquids at much lower dielectric constants than that of water.
An empirical comparison between stochastic and deterministic centroid initialisation for K-means variations
Authors: Vouros Avgoustinos , Langdell Stephen , Croucher Mike , Vasilaki Eleni
Published: July 2021

K-Means is one of the most used algorithms for data clustering and the usual clustering method for benchmarking. Despite its wide application it is well-known that it suffers from a series of disadvantages; it is only able to find local minima and the positions of the initial clustering centres (centroids) can greatly affect the clustering solution. Over the years many K-Means variations and initialisation techniques have been proposed with different degrees of complexity. In this study we focus on common K-Means variations along with a range of deterministic and stochastic initialisation techniques. We show that, on average, more sophisticated initialisation techniques alleviate the need for complex clustering methods. Furthermore, deterministic methods perform better than stochastic methods. However, there is a trade-off: less sophisticated stochastic methods, executed multiple times, can result in better clustering. Factoring in execution time, deterministic methods can be competitive and result in a good clustering solution. These conclusions are obtained through extensive benchmarking using a range of synthetic model generators and real-world data sets.
Using a tier classification system to evaluate the quality of bycatch estimates from fisheries
Authors: Benaka Lee R. , Chan Andrea N. , Kennelly Steven J. , Olsen Noelle A.
Published: July 2021

Bycatch continues to be a challenge to sustainable fisheries management (The term “bycatch” in this paper covers discards and does not include retained incidental catch). Bycatch estimates can inform stock status determinations by improving understanding of fishing mortality, and help managers monitor the effectiveness of regulations. Assessments of the quality of bycatch estimation programs and procedures are necessary to evaluate the precision and limitations of their results over time. NOAA Fisheries experts used a “Tier Classification System” (TCS) to compare the quality of fish bycatch data and estimation methods for U.S. commercial fisheries in 2005 and 2015. The TCS included criteria related to data adequacy and analytical approaches. A comparison of U.S. fishery tier scores demonstrated that most fisheries were classified into higher tiers in 2015 compared to 2005 due to factors including improved sampling design. In addition, this comparison identified region-specific trends (e.g., mostly improvements occurred for Alaska fisheries with more mixed results for Greater Atlantic fisheries). The improvements in bycatch data quality and estimation methods in the United States are a result of financial investments in observer programs by NOAA Fisheries and industry partners, as well as effective conservation measures implemented by regional fishery management councils and NOAA Fisheries. The TCS was also used to assess bycatch data and estimation methods in all of Australia’s fishery jurisdictions for the decade 2010–19, illustrating the international applicability of the method. Overall, Australian state fisheries scored lower than federally managed fisheries in both the United States and Australia, reflecting the fact that the latter fisheries tend to be larger (and more valuable) than those in state jurisdictions, with a larger investment in observer programs. A comparison of tier scores and estimates of discards by fishery may provide a useful input for decision-making processes regarding allocation of resources to improve bycatch monitoring.
Digitally Assisted Preservation and Restoration of a Fragmented Mural in a Tang Tomb
Authors: Yang Jinglong , Cao Jing , Yang Haoming , Li Yuhu , Wang Juanli
Published: July 2021

Digital technology is being increasingly designed and employed to support the preservation and restoration of ancient murals. The contributions of digital technologies to this study were planned from the very beginning, as the complexity of this restoration necessitated the design of innovative procedures to manage the restoration and reconstruction processes and to record the details and deformation of the mural. This paper takes the digital restoration of the "maid holding a fan" mural in the Tang Zhaoling Duan Jianbi tomb as an example. In view of the large number and dislocation of mural fragments, the application of digital restoration technology and its achievements in the restoration of this ancient mural are preliminarily explored in combination with high-precision digital information collection and recording. Technical suggestions and details regarding the digital restoration of the mural are put forward to serve as guidance for the preservation and restoration of ancient murals.
Modeling a flexible staff scheduling problem in the Era of Covid-19
Authors: Guerriero Francesca , Guido Rosita
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we propose optimization models to address flexible staff scheduling problems and some main issues arising from efficient workforce management during the Covid-19 pandemic. The adoption of precautionary measures to prevent the pandemic from spreading has raised the need to rethink quickly and effectively the way in which the workforce is scheduled, to ensure that all the activities are conducted in a safe and responsible manner. The emphasis is on novel optimization models that take into account demand requirements, employees’ personal and family responsibilities, and anti-Covid-19 measures at the same time. It is precisely considering the anti-Covid-19 measures that the models allow to define the working mode to be assigned to the employees: working remotely or on-site. The last optimization model, which can be viewed as the most general and the most flexible formulation, has been developed to capture the specificity of a real case study of an Italian University. In order to improve employees’ satisfaction and ensure the best work/life balance possible, an alternative partition of a workday into shifts to the usual two shifts, morning and afternoon, is proposed. The model has been tested on real data provided by the Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Italy. The computational experiments show good performance and underline the potentiality of the model to handle worker safety requirements and practicalities and to ensure work activities continuity. In addition, the non-cyclic workforce policy, based on the proposed workday organization, is preferred by employees, since it allows them to better meet their needs.
Making the COVID-19 crisis a real opportunity for environmental sustainability
Authors: Lehmann Paul , de Brito Mariana Madruga , Gawel Erik , Groß Matthias , Haase Annegret , Lepenies Robert , Otto Danny , Schiller Johannes , Strunz Sebastian , Thrän Daniela
Published: July 2021

An optimistic narrative has gained momentum during the first year of the pandemic: the COVID-19 crisis may have opened a window of opportunity to “rebuild better”, to spur societal transitions towards environmental sustainability. In this comment, we review first evidence of individual and political changes made so far. Findings suggest that economies worldwide are not yet building back better. Against this background, we argue that a naïve opportunity narrative may even impair the progress of transitions towards environmental sustainability because it may render green recovery measures ineffective, costly, or infeasible. Based on these observations, we derive conditions for green recovery policies to succeed. They should consist of a policy mix combining well-targeted green subsidies with initiatives to price emissions and scrap environmentally harmful subsidies. Moreover, green recovery policies must be embedded into a narrative that avoids trading off environmental sustainability with other domains of sustainability—and rather highlights respective synergies that can be realized when recovering from the COVID-19 crisis.
Educational Assimilation of First-Generation and Second-Generation Immigrants in Germany
Authors: Gries Thomas , Redlin Margarete , Zehra Moonum
Published: July 2021

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel for 1984–2018, we analyze the intergenerational education mobility of immigrants in Germany by identifying the determinants of differences in educational stocks for first- and second-generation immigrants in comparison to individuals without a migration background. Our results show that on average, first-generation immigrants have fewer years of schooling than native-born Germans and have a disproportionate share of lower educational qualifications. This gap is strongly driven by age at immigration, with immigration age and education revealing a nonlinear relationship. While the gap is relatively small among individuals who migrate at a young age, integrating in the school system at secondary school age leads to large disadvantages. Examining the educational mobility of immigrants in Germany, we identify an inter-generational catch-up in education. The gap in education between immigrants and natives is reduced for the second generation. Finally, we find that country of origin differences can account for much of the education gap. While immigrants with an ethnic background closer to the German language and culture show the best education outcomes, immigrants from Turkey, Italy, and other southern European countries and especially the group of war refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and other MENA countries, have the lowest educational attainment.
Assisting you to advance with ethics in research: an introduction to ethical governance and application procedures
Authors: Sivasubramaniam Shivadas , Dlabolová Dita Henek , Kralikova Veronika , Khan Zeenath Reza
Published: July 2021

Ethics and ethical behaviour are the fundamental pillars of a civilised society. The focus on ethical behaviour is indispensable in certain fields such as medicine, finance, or law. In fact, ethics gets precedence with anything that would include, affect, transform, or influence upon individuals, communities or any living creatures. Many institutions within Europe have set up their own committees to focus on or approve activities that have ethical impact. In contrast, lesser-developed countries (worldwide) are trying to set up these committees to govern their academia and research. As the first European consortium established to assist academic integrity, European Network for Academic Integrity (ENAI), we felt the importance of guiding those institutions and communities that are trying to conduct research with ethical principles. We have established an ethical advisory working group within ENAI with the aim to promote ethics within curriculum, research and institutional policies. We are constantly researching available data on this subject and committed to help the academia to convey and conduct ethical behaviour. Upon preliminary review and discussion, the group found a disparity in understanding, practice and teaching approaches to ethical applications of research projects among peers. Therefore, this short paper preliminarily aims to critically review the available information on ethics, the history behind establishing ethical principles and its international guidelines to govern research.

The paper is based on the workshop conducted in the 5th International conference Plagiarism across Europe and Beyond, in Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania in 2019. During the workshop, we have detailed a) basic needs of an ethical committee within an institution; b) a typical ethical approval process (with examples from three different universities); and c) the ways to obtain informed consent with some examples. These are summarised in this paper with some example comparisons of ethical approval processes from different universities. We believe this paper will provide guidelines on preparing and training both researchers and research students in appropriately upholding ethical practices through ethical approval processes.
Towards Water and Energy Self-Sufficiency: a Closed-Loop, Solar-Driven, Low-Tech Laundry Pilot Facility (LaundReCycle) for the Reuse of Laundry Wastewater
Authors: Buehler Devi , Antenen Nadine , Frei Matthias , Koller Christoph , Rousseau Diederik P. L. , Schoenborn Andreas , Junge Ranka
Published: July 2021

In the scope of this study, a pilot facility for the recycling of laundry effluent was developed and tested. With the aim to enable nearly complete energy and water self-sufficiency, the system is powered by a photovoltaic plant with second-life batteries, treats the wastewater within the unit and constantly reuses the treated wastewater for washing in a closed cycle. The technology for wastewater treatment is based on a low-tech approach consisting of a physical/mechanical pre-treatment and biological treatment in trickling filter columns. The treatment process is operated in batch mode for a capacity of five washing cycles per day. During five weeks of operation water quality, energy consumption and production, water losses and washing performance were monitored. The system recovered 69% of the used water for the washing machine while treating the wastewater to the necessary water quality levels. The average COD removal rate per cycle was 92%. Energy analysis was based on modelled data of the monitored energy consumption. With the current set-up, an internal consumption rate of 80% and self-sufficiency of 30% were modelled. Future developments aim at increasing water and energy self-sufficiency and optimizing the water treatment efficiency.
Bilateral Flank Compression Maneuver for Reducing Pain on Coughing after Abdominal Surgery: A Prospective Study
Authors: Shimoyama Hayato , Sugiyama Masanori , Suzuki Yutaka , Teruya Koji , Ohki Atsuko , Kishiki Tomokazu , Takeuchi Hirohisa , Sakamoto Yoshihiro , Sunami Eiji , Abe Nobutsugu
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND:

Despite the major advances in analgesic techniques, pain relief in coughing after abdominal surgery remains challenging. Cough-related pain causes postoperative respiratory complications by impairing sputum clearance; nevertheless, an effective technique to abolish it is not yet available. We devised the bilateral flank compression (BFC) maneuver, in which the flanks are compressed medially using both hands. We conducted a prospective, single-center, single arm, nonrandomized, open-label, interventional trial, to investigate whether the BFC maneuver relieves cough-related pain after abdominal surgery and examined the efficacy of this maneuver in relation to patient characteristics and surgical factors.

STUDY DESIGN:

Participants were patients who underwent gastroenterologic surgery (except for open inguinal hernia repair) at the Department of Surgery, Kyorin University School of Medicine. We evaluated postoperative pain, from postoperative days (PODs) 1 to 7, on coughing, with and without the BFC maneuver, using the Prince Henry pain scale.

RESULTS:

We finally analyzed 514 patients. On each of the first 7 PODs, the BFC maneuver significantly relieved cough-related pain, especially on POD1; (the mean pain scores [standard deviation] with and without the BFC maneuver were 0.98 [1.030] vs 1.63 [1.112] points, p < 0.0001). On each POD, more patients were free of cough-related pain with than without the BFC maneuver, with the most marked difference on POD7 (52.0% [208/400] vs 16.8% [67/400], p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS:

The BFC maneuver relieves cough-related pain after abdominal surgery and may help prevent of postoperative pulmonary complications.
LGBTQ+ Lawyers Experience Breakthroughs and Setbacks: Comment on Blanck, Hyseni, and Altunkol Wise’s National Study of the Legal Profession
Authors: Bizzell Wesley
Published: July 2021

The past decade has seen numerous positive developments in both legal and policy protections for those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or queer (“LGBTQ+”). Progress in this area has been decidedly uneven, however, and significant barriers still exist which thwart the full legal and societal acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals. Unfortunately, as the groundbreaking study by Peter Blanck, Fitore Hyseni, and Fatma Altunkol Wise shows, LGBTQ+ identifying lawyers, especially those with intersectional identities, continue to experience discrimination and bias in their workplaces.1
The Least Diverse Profession: Comment on Blanck, Hyseni, and Altunkol Wise’s National Study of Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession
Authors: Saks Elyn R.
Published: July 2021

Diversity and Inclusion in the American Legal Profession: Discrimination and Bias Reported by Lawyers with Disabilities and Lawyers Who Identify as LGBTQ+ (“Blanck et al.”) is an incredibly careful, thoughtful, and powerful article, and may and should lead to changes in the stigma, bias, and discrimination landscape in the legal profession.1
“THE STATE and MIGRATION IN CHINESE HISTORY”
Authors: Barbieri-Low Anthony J.
Published: July 2021

This special issue of the Journal of Chinese History is dedicated to studies of the connection between migration and the state throughout Chinese history. The special editor's introduction first surveys the major types of migration within China proper, and towards the outside world, including citations to recent scholarship. It brings the eight papers of this issue into dialogue with each other around four major themes: migration and the limits of state power, the violence and trauma of migration, migration and identity, and migration and gender/family issues.
Effects of iodine excess on serum thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels and type 2 deiodinase in the hypothalamus of Wistar rats
Authors: Sun Ying , Du Xin , Shan Zhongyan , Teng Weiping , Jiang Yaqiu
Published: July 2021

Iodine is an important element in thyroid hormone biosynthesis. Thyroid function is regulated by the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis. Excessive iodine leads to elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, but the mechanism is not yet clear. Type 2 deiodinase (Dio2) is a Se-containing protease that plays a vital role in thyroid function. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of hypothalamus Dio2 in regulating TSH increase caused by excessive iodine and to determine the effects of iodine excess on thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) levels. Male Wistar rats were randomised into five groups and administered different iodine dosages (folds of physiological dose): normal iodine, 3-fold iodine, 6-fold iodine, 10-fold iodine and 50-fold iodine. Rats were euthanised at 4, 8, 12 or 24 weeks after iodine administration. Serum TRH, TSH, total thyroxine (TT4) and total triiodothyronine (TT3) were determined. Hypothalamus tissues were frozen and sectioned to evaluate the expression of Dio2, Dio2 activity and monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8). Prolonged high iodine intake significantly increased TSH expression (P < 0·05) but did not affect TT3 and TT4 levels. Prolonged high iodine intake decreased serum TRH levels in the hypothalamus (P < 0·05). Dio2 expression and activity in the hypothalamus exhibited an increasing trend compared at each time point with increasing iodine intake (P < 0·05). Hypothalamic MCT8 expression was increased in rats with prolonged high iodine intake (P < 0·05). These results indicate that iodine excess affects the levels of Dio2, TRH and MCT8 in the hypothalamus.
Ascaris lumbricoideseggs or artefacts? A diagnostic conundrum
Authors: Maurelli M. P. , Alves L. C. , Aggarwal C. S. , Cociancic P. , Levecke B. , Cools P. , Montresor A. , Ianniello D. , Gualdieri L. , Cringoli G. , Rinaldi L.
Published: July 2021

Due to the presence of artefacts in stool samples, the copromicroscopic diagnosis ofAscaris lumbricoidesis not always straightforward, particularly in the case of fertilized decorticated eggs. A total of 286 stool samples from 115 schoolchildren in India and 171 adult immigrants in Italy were screened for the presence ofA. lumbricoideseggs by both Kato-Katz thick smear and Mini-FLOTAC. If the outer layer ofA. lumbricoideseggs was absent, two aliquots of each stool sample were preserved: one for coproculture to identify larvae after development and one to compose a pool of stool for molecular analysis. A total of 64 stool samples (22.4%) were positive forA. lumbricoidesusing the Kato-Katz thick smear; 36 (56.3%) of these showed mammillatedA. lumbricoideseggs, 25 (39.1%) showed elements resembling fertilized decorticated eggs, while three samples (4.7%) showed both mammillated and decorticated eggs. By Mini-FLOTAC, 39 stool samples (13.6%) were positive, while decorticatedA. lumbricoides-like eggs were identified as artefacts. These results were confirmed by negative coprocultures and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Mini-FLOTAC can be used for a reliable diagnosis ofA. lumbricoides, thanks to the flotation and translation features which allow a clearer view, resulting in the correct identification ofA. lumbricoideseggs.
Freedom: The History and the Future of a Disputed Idea
Authors: Whyte Jessica
Published: July 2021

Around 1882, the photographer Albert Fernique photographed a group of Parisian workers gathered around trestles and benches inside a workshop. The floor is strewn with piles of wood and the ceiling beams tower above the workmen. Even so, the space is dwarfed by a massive, sculpted shoulder, draped in Roman robes, which dominates the background of the photograph; two workers watching the scene from a beam just below the roof appear to be perched on it like sparrows. The shoulder belonged to the statue, Liberty Enlightening the World—a gift to the United States from the France of the Third Republic. Work on the statue began here, in the workshop of the sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, only a year after the suppression of the Paris Commune. More people were killed in that one Bloody Week (la semaine sanglante) in 1874 than were executed in the entire Reign of Terror following the French Revolution. If the statue was supposed to symbolize liberty, this was to be an orderly liberty far removed from the license of the armed Parisian workers and their short-lived utopian government. Unlike her ancestor Marianne, immortalized by Eugène Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People, the statue does not wear the red cap that, since ancient Rome, had symbolized freedom from slavery. In the wake of the Paris Commune, the Third Republic banned the cap and sought to banish the unruly freedom it represented.
Imaging analysis method to quantify leaf deformation in response to sub-lethal rates of dicamba
Authors: Wasacz Maggie H. , Sosnoskie Lynn M. , Elmore Matthew T. , Besançon Thierry E.
Published: July 2021

Dicamba is a synthetic auxin herbicide that is prone to off-target movement, including drift and volatilization. Due to the increased acreage of dicamba-resistant soybean to control glyphosate-resistant weeds, dicamba drift injury to neighboring vegetable crops is of concern. A method to quantify leaf deformation (often referred to as leaf cupping) caused by dicamba injury was developed and compared to visual rating techniques to determine its accuracy and suitability. A second objective was to determine the relative dicamba sensitivity of several economically important vegetable crops. Soybean, snap bean, tomato, and cucumber were grown in a greenhouse and exposed to dicamba at 0, 56, 112, 280, 560, 1,120, and 2,240 mg ae ha−1, which is, respectively, 0, 1/10,000, 1/5,000, 1/2,000, 1/1,000, 1/500, and 1/250 of the maximum recommended label rate for soybean application (560 g ae ha−1). Plants were evaluated visually and using an imaging analysis technique that measures the leaf deformation index (LDI) with a leaf area scanner. LDI is calculated by dividing the two-dimensional projection of the area of the leaf in its natural configuration by the area of the flattened leaf. Across all four crops, log-logistic regression analysis indicated the LDI method had lower I50 values with lower standard error, demonstrating that the LDI method gives more precise estimates of sensitivity. This novel method provides an objective, quantitative method for measuring dicamba drift injury and determining relative sensitivities of valuable specialty crops.
A novel concept of screening for subgrouping factors for the association between socioeconomic status and respiratory allergies
Authors: Muysers Christoph , Messina Fabrizio , Keil Thomas , Roll Stephanie
Published: July 2021

Background

The new subgroup screening tool “subscreen” aims to understand the unclear and complex association between socioeconomic status (SES) and childhood allergy. This software R package has been successfully used in clinical trials but not in large population-based studies.

Objective

To screen and identify subgrouping factors explaining their impact on the association between SES and respiratory allergies in childhood and youth.

Methods

Using the national German childhood and youth survey dataset (KiGGS Wave 2), we included 56 suspected subgrouping factors to investigate the association between SES (low vs. high) and allergic rhinitis and/or asthma in an exploratory manner. The package enabled a comprehensive overview of odds ratios when considering the SES impact per subgroup and analogously all disease proportions per subgroup.

Result

Among the 56 candidate factors, striking subgrouping factors were identified; e.g., if mothers were younger and in the low SES group, their children had a higher risk of asthma. In addition children of the teen’s age were associated with increased risks in the low SES group. For the crude proportions, factors such as (parental) smoking or having had no “contact with farm animals” were identified as strong risk factors for rhinitis.

Significance

The “subscreen” package enabled the detection of notable subgroups for further investigations exemplarily for similar epidemiological research questions.
Dysfunction of NMDA receptors in neuronal models of an autism spectrum disorder patient with a DSCAM mutation and in Dscam-knockout mice
Authors: Lim Chae-Seok , Kim Min Jung , Choi Ja Eun , Islam Md Ariful , Lee You-Kyung , Xiong Yinyi , Shim Kyu-Won , Yang Jung-eun , Lee Ro Un , Lee Jiah , Park Pojeong , Kwak Ji-Hye , Seo Hyunhyo , Kim Chul Hoon , Lee Jae-Hyung , Lee Yong-Seok , Hwang Su-Kyeong , Lee Kyungmin , Lee Jin-A , Kaang Bong-Kiun
Published: July 2021

Heterogeneity in the etiopathology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) limits the development of generic remedies, requires individualistic and patient-specific research. Recent progress in human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology provides a novel platform for modeling ASDs for studying complex neuronal phenotypes. In this study, we generated telencephalic induced neuronal (iN) cells from iPSCs derived from an ASD patient with a heterozygous point mutation in the DSCAM gene. The mRNA of DSCAM and the density of DSCAM in dendrites were significantly decreased in ASD compared to control iN cells. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that several synaptic function-related genes including NMDA receptor subunits were downregulated in ASD iN cells. Moreover, NMDA receptor (R)-mediated currents were significantly reduced in ASD compared to control iN cells. Normal NMDA-R-mediated current levels were rescued by expressing wild-type DSCAM in ASD iN cells, and reduced currents were observed by truncated DSCAM expression in control iN cells. shRNA-mediated DSCAM knockdown in control iN cells resulted in the downregulation of an NMDA-R subunit, which was rescued by the overexpression of shRNA-resistant DSCAM. Furthermore, DSCAM was co-localized with NMDA-R components in the dendritic spines of iN cells whereas their co-localizations were significantly reduced in ASD iN cells. Levels of phospho-ERK1/2 were significantly lower in ASD iN cells, suggesting a potential mechanism. A neural stem cell-specific Dscam heterozygous knockout mouse model, showing deficits in social interaction and social memory with reduced NMDA-R currents. These data suggest that DSCAM mutation causes pathological symptoms of ASD by dysregulating NMDA-R function.
Working memory, cortical dopamine tone, and frontoparietal brain recruitment in post-traumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Westphal Andrew J. , Ballard Michael E. , Rodriguez Nicholas , Vega Taylor A. , D’Esposito Mark , Kayser Andrew S.
Published: July 2021

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) leads to impairments in both cognitive and affective functioning. Animal work suggests that chronic stress reduces dopamine tone, and both animal and human studies argue that changes in dopamine tone influence working memory, a core executive function. These findings give rise to the hypothesis that increasing cortical dopamine tone in individuals with greater PTSD symptomatology should improve working memory performance. In this pharmacological functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, 30 US military veterans exhibiting a range of PTSD severity completed an emotional working memory task. Each subject received both placebo and the catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor tolcapone, which increases cortical dopamine tone, in randomized, double-blind, counterbalanced fashion. Mnemonic discriminability (calculated with d′, an index of the detectability of working memory signals) and response bias were evaluated in the context of task-related brain activations. Subjects with more severe PTSD showed both greater tolcapone-mediated improvements in d′ and larger tolcapone-mediated reductions in liberally-biased responding for fearful stimuli. FMRI revealed that tolcapone augmented activity within bilateral frontoparietal control regions during the decision phase of the task. Specifically, tolcapone increased cortical responses to fearful relative to neutral stimuli in higher severity PTSD subjects, and reduced cortical responses to fearful stimuli for lower severity PTSD subjects. Moreover, tolcapone modulated prefrontal connectivity with areas overlapping the default mode network. These findings suggest that enhancing cortical dopamine tone may represent an approach to remediating cognitive and affective dysfunction in individuals with more severe PTSD symptoms.