bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reproductive suppression of giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) under managed care using a GnRH immunological product
Authors: Moresco Anneke , Penfold Linda M. , Jankowski Gwen , McCain Stephanie , Crook Erika , Faliano Amanda , Crane John , Wack Raymund F. , Goodnight Andrea , Han Sushan
Published: September 2021

Giraffe present unique contraception challenges as males persistently pursue females during estrus. Year‐round pursuit during frequent recurring estrus can pose significant risk under slippery conditions. Complete ovarian suppression is a useful tool in giraffe because it eliminates estrous behavior, interest from the male, and controls reproduction. Effective reproduction control in giraffes has been achieved with porcine zona pellucida, oral melengestrol acetate, and depot medroxy‐progesterone acetate. However, these methods allow some degree of folliculogenesis and estrous behavior. Improvest® is a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) immunological product that elicits antibodies against GnRH and abrogates the effects of endogenous GnRH. This study evaluated the efficacy of Improvest® for gonadal suppression in seven females and one male giraffe by monitoring steroid hormones. Seven female giraffe were treated intramuscularly with an initial dose, a booster at 4 weeks and maintenance boosters at 3‐month intervals (600 µg/dose) for 12 months. Six females were on supplemental contraception during the induction phase because separation from males was not possible. In the male (treated with 400 µg), testosterone concentrations decreased after the second injection. However, even with low serum testosterone concentrations, mounting (of nontreated females) behavior was still observed occasionally. Ovarian activity was suppressed in all treated females and interest by the males stopped; supplemental contraceptives (during the induction phase) did not impede the effect of Improvest®. After 15.3 months (seven doses), Improvest® was discontinued in three females which no longer needed contraception. In these females, ovarian activity was noted approximately 90 days after the last dose.
Quixotic Conrad: Betrayal, Conversion, and Flight
Authors: Parker Jay
Published: September 2021

In Notes on Life and Letters, Conrad develops an idiosyncratic definition of conversion as an ironic double of betrayal. This chapter connects betrayal (particularly as unmasking) to critique, and conversion (as a form of positive transformation) to postcritique, and explores how conversion reveals a potentially postcritical Conrad. Secondly, through a reading practice structured by Gilles Deleuze’s thinking on betrayal and lines of flight, it makes a series of leaps, or flights, to show how Conrad’s ironic narrative in Lord Jim explores hopeful possibilities of affiliation and conversion. In so doing, it makes a case for recuperating irony, not only as the signature style of destabilizing and deconstructing, but also as a means hopefully to maintain or create solidarity and commitment across classes and cultures.
Extended corner symmetry, charge bracket and Einstein’s equations
Authors: Freidel Laurent , Oliveri Roberto , Pranzetti Daniele , Speziale Simone
Published: September 2021

Abstract

We develop the covariant phase space formalism allowing for non-vanishing flux, anomalies, and field dependence in the vector field generators. We construct a charge bracket that generalizes the one introduced by Barnich and Troessaert and includes contributions from the Lagrangian and its anomaly. This bracket is uniquely determined by the choice of Lagrangian representative of the theory. We then extend the notion of corner symmetry algebra to include the surface translation symmetries and prove that the charge bracket provides a canonical representation of the extended corner symmetry algebra. This representation property is shown to be equivalent to the projection of the gravitational equations of motion on the corner, providing us with an encoding of the bulk dynamics in a locally holographic manner.
Compact Q-balls and Q-shells in a multi-component ℂPN model
Authors: Klimas P. , Kubaski L. C. , Sawado N. , Yanai S.
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Coupled multi-component ℂPN models with V-shaped potentials are analyzed. It is shown that the model has solutions being combinations of compact Q-balls and Q-shells. The compact nature of solutions permits the existence of novel harbor-type solutions having the form of Q-balls sheltered by Q-shells. The relation between the energy E and Noether charge Q is discussed both analytically and numerically. The energy of the solutions behaves as E ∼ |Q|α, α < 1, i.e., as for the standard Q-ball. Furthermore, the ratio E/Q for various configurations in the multi-component model suggests that the solutions are at least classically stable.
Entanglement dynamics for Unruh-DeWitt detectors interacting with massive scalar fields: the Unruh and anti-Unruh effects
Authors: Zhou Yuebing , Hu Jiawei , Yu Hongwei
Published: September 2021

Abstract

We study, in the framework of open quantum systems, the entanglement dynamics for a quantum system composed of two uniformly accelerated Unruh-Dewitt detectors interacting with a bath of massive scalar fields in the Minkowski vacuum. We find that the entanglement evolution for the quantum system coupled with massive fields is always slower compared with that of the one coupled with massless fields, and this time-delay effect brought about by the field being massive can however be counteracted by a large enough acceleration, in contrast to the case of a static quantum system in a thermal bath, where this time delay is not affected by the temperature. Remarkably, the maximal concurrence of the quantum system generated during evolution may increase with acceleration for any inter-detector separation while that for static ones in a thermal bath decreases monotonically with temperature, and this can be considered as an anti-Unruh effect in terms of the entanglement generated.
Partition functions of p-forms from Harish-Chandra characters
Authors: David Justin R. , Mukherjee Jyotirmoy
Published: September 2021

Abstract

We show that the determinant of the co-exact p-form on spheres and anti-de Sitter spaces can be written as an integral transform of bulk and edge Harish-Chandra characters. The edge character of a co-exact p-form contains characters of anti-symmetric tensors of rank lower to p all the way to the zero-form. Using this result we evaluate the partition function of p-forms and demonstrate that they obey known properties under Hodge duality. We show that the partition function of conformal forms in even d + 1 dimensions, on hyperbolic cylinders can be written as integral transforms involving only the bulk characters. This supports earlier observations that entanglement entropy evaluated using partition functions on hyperbolic cylinders do not contain contributions from the edge modes. For conformal coupled scalars we demonstrate that the character integral representation of the free energy on hyperbolic cylinders and branched spheres coincide. Finally we propose a character integral representation for the partition function of p-forms on branched spheres.
Bending the Bruhat-Tits tree. Part II. The p-adic BTZ black hole and local diffeomorphism on the Bruhat-Tits tree
Authors: Chen Lin , Liu Xirong , Hung Ling-Yan
Published: September 2021

Abstract

In this sequel to [1], we take up a second approach in bending the Bruhat-Tits tree. Inspired by the BTZ black hole connection, we demonstrate that one can transplant it to the Bruhat-Tits tree, at the cost of defining a novel “exponential function” on the p-adic numbers that is hinted by the BT tree. We demonstrate that the PGL(2, Qp) Wilson lines [2] evaluated on this analogue BTZ connection is indeed consistent with correlation functions of a CFT at finite temperatures. We demonstrate that these results match up with the tensor network reconstruction of the p-adic AdS/CFT with a different cutoff surface at the asymptotic boundary, and give explicit coordinate transformations that relate the analogue p-adic BTZ background and the “pure” Bruhat-Tits tree background. This is an interesting demonstration that despite the purported lack of descendents in p-adic CFTs, there exists non-trivial local Weyl transformations in the CFT corresponding to diffeomorphism in the Bruhat-Tits tree.
The novel GCK variant p.Val455Leu associated with hyperinsulinism is susceptible to allosteric activation and is conducive to weight gain and the development of diabetes
Authors: Langer Sara , Waterstradt Rica , Hillebrand Georg , Santer René , Baltrusch Simone
Published: September 2021

Aims/hypothesis

The mammalian enzyme glucokinase (GK), expressed predominantly in liver and pancreas, plays an essential role in carbohydrate metabolism. Monogenic GK disorders emphasise the role of GK in determining the blood glucose set point.

Methods

A family with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) was examined for GCK gene variants by Sanger sequencing. A combined approach, involving kinetic analysis (also using GK activators and inhibitors), intracellular translocation assays, insulin secretion measurements and structural modelling, was used to investigate the novel variant compared with known variants.

Results

We report on the novel gain-of-function GCK variant p.Val455Leu (V455L), inherited as an autosomal dominant trait in a German family with CHI and concomitant obesity (fasting blood glucose 2.1 mmol/l, BMI 45.0 kg/m2, HOMA-IR 1.5 in an adult female family member); one male family member developed type 2 diabetes until age 35 years (with fasting glucose 2.8–3.7 mmol/l, BMI 38.9 kg/m2, HOMA-IR 4.6). Kinetic characterisation of the V455L variant revealed a significant increase in glucose affinity (glucose concentration at which reaction rate is half its maximum rate [S0.5]: mutant 2.4 ± 0.3 mmol/l vs wild-type 7.6 ± 1.0 mmol/l), accompanied by a distinct additive susceptibility to both the endogenous activator fructose 2,6-bisphosphatase and the synthetic allosteric activator RO-28-1675. The effect of RO-28-1675 was more pronounced when compared with the previously known GK variants V455M and V455E. Binding to the inhibitor glucokinase regulatory protein was unimpaired for V455L and V455E but was reduced for V455M, whereas mannoheptulose inhibited all GK variants and the wild-type enzyme. Structural analyses suggested a role for residue 455 in rearrangements between the inactive and active conformations of GK and also in allosteric activation. Comparison with V455M and V455E and an overview of activating GK variants provided a context for the novel sequence aberration in terms of altered GK enzyme characteristics caused by single amino acid changes.

Conclusion/interpretation

We provide new knowledge on the structure–function relationship of GK, with special emphasis on enzyme activation, potentially yielding fresh strategic insights into breaking the vicious circle of fluctuating blood glucose levels and the attendant risk of long-lasting metabolic changes in both CHI and type 2 diabetes.

Graphical abstract
Social factors and the prevalence of social isolation in a population-based adult cohort
Authors: Röhr Susanne , Wittmann Felix , Engel Christoph , Enzenbach Cornelia , Witte A. Veronica , Villringer Arno , Löffler Markus , Riedel-Heller Steffi G.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Social isolation has negative effects on physical and brain health across the lifespan. However, the prevalence of social isolation, specifically with regard to sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors, is not well known.

Methods

Database was the Leipzig population-based study of adults (LIFE-Adult Study, n = 10,000). The short form of the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) was used to assess social isolation (cutoff < 12 points). Sampling weights were applied to account for differences in sampling fractions.

Results

Data were available for 9392 study participants; 51.6% were women, the mean age was 45.2 years (SD = 17.3). The prevalence of social isolation was 12.3% (95% CI 11.6–13.0) across ages 18–79 years. Social isolation was more prevalent in men (13.8%, 95% CI 12.8–14.8) compared to women (10.9%, 95% CI 10.0–11.8; $$\chi^{2}$$

χ
2

(1) = 18.83, p < .001), and it showed an increase with increasing age from 5.4% (95% CI 4.7–6.0) in the youngest age group (18–39 years) to 21.7% (95% CI 19.5–24.0) in the oldest age group (70–79 years; $$\chi^{2}$$

χ
2

(4) = 389.51, p < .001). Prevalence differed largely with regard to socioeconomic status (SES); showing lower prevalence in high SES (7.2%, 95% CI 6.0–8.4) and higher prevalence in low SES (18.6%, 95% CI 16.9–20.3; $$\chi^{2}$$

χ
2

(2) = 115.78; p < .001).

Conclusion

More than one in ten individuals in the adult population reported social isolation, and prevalence varied strongly with regard to sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors. Social isolation was particularly frequent in disadvantaged socioeconomic groups. From a public health perspective, effective prevention of and intervention against social isolation should be a desired target as social isolation leads to poor health. Countermeasures should especially take into account the socioeconomic determinants of social isolation, applying a life-course perspective.
Do elections accelerate the COVID-19 pandemic?
Authors: Palguta Ján , Levínský René , Škoda Samuel
Published: September 2021

Elections define representative democracies but also produce spikes in physical mobility if voters need to travel to polling places. In this paper, we examine whether large-scale, in-person elections propagate the spread of COVID-19. We exploit a natural experiment from the Czech Republic, which biannually renews mandates in one-third of Senate constituencies that rotate according to the 1995 election law. We show that in the second and third weeks after the 2020 elections (held on October 9–10), new COVID-19 infections grew significantly faster in voting compared to non-voting constituencies. A temporarily related peak in hospital admissions and essentially no changes in test positivity rates suggest that the acceleration was not merely due to increased testing. The acceleration did not occur in the population above 65, consistently with strategic risk-avoidance by older voters. Our results have implications for postal voting reforms or postponing of large-scale, in-person (electoral) events during viral outbreaks.
Food and agriculture in Slavonia, Croatia, during the Late Middle Ages: the archaeobotanical evidence
Authors: Reed Kelly , Smuk Ana , Tkalčec Tatjana , Balen Jacqueline , Mihaljević Marija
Published: September 2021

This paper presents the results from archaeobotanical remains collected from ten medieval settlements and fort sites in the region of present-day Slavonia, Croatia. From the 12th centuryad, Slavonia was part of the Kingdom of Hungary, although the region benefited from a certain amount of autonomy. Examining the archaeobotanical data from this period shows a diverse agricultural system, where crop fields, gardens, orchards, pastures and woodlands were all used to produce a range of cereals, fruits, nuts, vegetables and herbs, as well as fibre plants. The dataset is dominated by cereal remains, especiallyTriticum aestivum/durum(free-threshing wheat),Panicum miliaceum(broomcorn millet) andSecale cereale(rye).Vitis vinifera(grape pips) were the most common fruit recovered, which corresponds with the presence of vineyards and international trade in wine noted in the literature by the late Middle Ages. Also of significance was the recovery ofCannabis sativa(hemp) andLinum usitatissimum(flax), which suggest local cultivation, possibly for linen and hemp fibres, for oil or for medicinal purposes.
Tumour-stroma ratio outperforms tumour budding as biomarker in colon cancer: a cohort study
Authors: Smit Marloes A. , van Pelt Gabi W. , Terpstra Valeska , Putter Hein , Tollenaar Rob A. E. M. , Mesker Wilma E. , van Krieken J. Han J. M.
Published: September 2021

The tumour-stroma ratio (TSR) and tumour budding (TB) are two high-risk factors with potential to be implemented in the next TNM classification. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the practical application of the two biomarkers based on reproducibility, independency and prognostic value. Patients diagnosed with stage II or III colon cancer who underwent surgery between 2005 and 2016 were included. Both TSR and TB were scored on haematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections. The TSR, based on the relative amount of stroma, was scored in increments of 10%. TB was scored following the consensus guidelines; a bud was defined as ≤ 4 tumour cells. For analysis, three categories were used. Cohen’s kappa was used for reproducibility. The prognostic value was determined with survival analysis. In total, 246 patients were included. The TSR distribution was N = 137 (56%) stroma-low and N = 109 (44%) stroma-high. The TB distribution was TB-low N = 194 (79%), TB-intermediate N = 35 (14%) and TB-high N = 17 (7%). The reproducibility of the TSR was good (interobserver agreement kappa = 0.83 and intraobserver agreement kappa = 0.82), whereas the inter- and intraobserver agreement for scoring TB was moderate (kappa 0.47 and 0.45, respectively). The survival analysis showed an independent prognostic value for disease-free survival for TSR (HR 1.57; 95% CI 1.01–2.44; p = 0.048) and for TB-high (HR 2.01; 95% CI 1.02–3.96; p = 0.043). Based on current results, we suggest the TSR is a more reliable parameter in daily practice due to better reproducibility and independent prognostic value for disease-free survival.
Non-immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions secondary to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factors
Authors: Moret E. , Ambresin A. , Gianniou C. , Bijon J. , Besse-Hayat C. , Bogiatzi S. , Hohl D. , Spertini F. , Mantel I.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

To describe a series of non-immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGFs).

Patients and methods

Retrospective report of 6 patients with cutaneous non-immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions following intravitreal anti-VEGF injections, 4 after ranibizumab, 1 after bevacizumab and 1 after aflibercept.

Results

Clinical manifestations ranged from mild maculopapular rash, purpura to severe generalized erythroderma, with or without systemic involvement such as microscopic hematuria and proteinuria or fever. In two out of the six patients, reintroduction of either the same or an alternative anti-VEGF drug did induce a recurrence of the drug hypersensitivity reaction, while 4 patients showed no recurrence.

Conclusion

Cutaneous non-immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions secondary to intravitreal anti-VEGF may occur. Continuation of the same drug or switch to another anti-VEGF may either induce recurrence or be well supported by the patient. The decision of drug discontinuation should be guided by the severity of the disease.
On the appearance of horseshoe chaos in a nonlinear hysteretic systems with negative stiffness
Authors: Youtha Ngouoko O. N. , Nana Nbendjo B. R. , Dorka U.
Published: September 2021

The problem of inhibition of horseshoe chaos in a nonlinear hysteretic systems using negative stiffness is investigated in this paper. The Bouc–Wen model is used to describe the force produced by both the purely hysteretic and linear elastic springs. The analytical investigation of the Hamiltonian shows that the appearance of separatrix in the system is directly related to the parameters of the hysteretic forces. This means that the transverse intersection between the perturbed and unperturbed separatrix can be controlled according to the shape parameters of the hysteretic model.
Krankheit und Sinn – einige philosophische Unterscheidungen
Authors: Stoecker Ralf
Published: September 2021

Ist es sinnvoll, krank zu sein? – Diese seltsam anmutende Frage bietet den Auftakt für eine philosophische Untersuchung, was unter dem Sinn einer Krankheit verstanden werden kann und was das Interessante an diesen Konzeptionen ist. Ausgangspunkt ist die Feststellung, dass der Ausdruck „Sinn“ offenkundig mehrdeutig ist. Man kann damit sprachliche Bedeutung, Zwecke oder Motive meinen. Es kann aber auch um den narrativen Sinn im biographischen Leben oder um das Verhältnis der Krankheit zum Lebenssinn eines Menschen gehen. Gerade die letzten beiden Lesarten erweisen sich als aufschlussreich: die Einbindung der Krankheiten in den Lebenslauf und Krankheiten als Anstoß, sich über das eigene Leben Gedanken zu machen. Krankheiten könnten so den Effekt haben, ein sinnvolleres Leben zu führen, sie könnten uns aber auch die ultimative Sinnlosigkeit unseres Daseins vor Augen führen.
Safety in modular process plants: demonstration of safety concepts
Authors: Pelzer Florian , Klose Anselm , Miesner Jonas , Schmauder Martin , Urbas Leon
Published: September 2021

The modularization of process plants addresses the need for flexible production options in the process industry. In order to maintain the advantages of the adaptability of modular plants, an adaptation of established engineering methods and procedures to their dynamic context of use is required. This paper describes the development and the features of a demonstrator, which makes it possible to investigate aspects of modular plant topology, the design of modular process units, and the functional safety of modules and plants. During the engineering of the modules, modular planning principles are applied and evaluated with respect to the requirements for functional safety and with a strong focus on the modification of safety systems through the exchange of PEAs and FEAs. For the design and modification of the safety systems, a safety life cycle, which meets the requirements of modular automation and takes the provisions of IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 into account, is applied. Practical insights into the construction and the implementation of the distributed Safety Instrumented System as well as the Basic Process Control System are described. In addition to the validation of safety concepts related to the interconnection of Safety Instrumented Functions, the demonstrator is used to study human working environments in modular plants.
Bubbles with constant mean curvature, and almost constant mean curvature, in the hyperbolic space
Authors: Cora Gabriele , Musina Roberta
Published: September 2021

Given a constant $$k>1$$

k
>
1

, let Z be the family of round spheres of radius $${{\,\mathrm{artanh}\,}}(k^{-1})$$

artanh

(

k

-
1

)

in the hyperbolic space $${\mathbb {H}}^3$$

H

3

, so that any sphere in Z has mean curvature k. We prove a crucial nondegeneracy result involving the manifold Z. As an application, we provide sufficient conditions on a prescribed function $$\phi $$
ϕ
on $${\mathbb {H}}^3$$

H

3

, which ensure the existence of a $$\mathcal{C}^1$$

C

1

-curve, parametrized by $$\varepsilon \approx 0$$

ε
≈
0

, of embedded spheres in $${\mathbb {H}}^3$$

H

3

having mean curvature $$k +\varepsilon \phi $$

k
+
ε
ϕ

at each point.
Das Offene Technologielabor—The Great Good Place der Kommunalentwicklung?
Authors: Schabasser Helene , Fischer Tatjana , Stöglehner Gernot
Published: September 2021

Das Offene Technologielabor (Otelo) ist ein themenoffenes Treffpunktkonzept, welches gemäß dem Konzept nach Oldenburg (1989) den Dritten Orten zugeordnet werden kann. Die Besonderheit des Otelo-Konzepts liegt darin, dass es die Förderung von Innovation und Kreativwirtschaft in ländlichen Gemeinden und deren zukunftsfähige wirtschaftliche und soziale Entwicklung zum Ziel hat. Otelo wird seit 2010 auf Vereinsbasis und vorwiegend in Österreich umgesetzt. Bisher wurde jedoch noch nicht empirisch erfasst, welche Rolle die Offenen Technologielabore – und somit der Einsatz des Konzepts der Dritten Orte – für die kommunale Entwicklung einnehmen können und in welchem räumlichen Kontext Otelo-Aktivitäten eingebettet sind. Die vorliegende Betrachtung zu 2 Zeitpunkten (Januar 2016 und September 2019) zeigt, dass Otelo sich vor allem zur Erweiterung des kommunalen Kultur- und Erholungsangebots, zur Standortaufwertung sowie zur Förderung von Initiativen, welche einem auf Wachstum fokussierten Wirtschaftssystem Alternativen einzubringen versuchen, eignet. In seiner Umsetzung hat sich gezeigt, dass sich Otelo vor allem in urbanen und regionalen Zentren sowie ländlichen Gemeinden im Umland von Zentren bewährt. Während Dritte Orte bisher vor allem im Kontext der Privatwirtschaft beschrieben wurden, bietet dieser Beitrag Orientierung zur Eignung und zu den Limitationen der Anwendung dieses Konzepts in der Kommunalentwicklung.
Drittschutz beim Vollzug von Raumordnungsplänen?
Authors: Kümper Boas
Published: September 2021

Um einen Verstoß gegen raumordnungsrechtliche Vorgaben auszuschließen, kann die Aufstellung
von Bauleitplänen, Regionalplänen und Fachplänen sowie die Zulassung raumbedeutsamer Vorhaben
eine Abweichung von den Zielen der Raumordnung nach 6 Abs. 2 ROG erfordern. Der Beitrag untersucht, inwieweit
die Zulassung einer Zielabweichung von Umweltschutzvereinigungen, Gemeinden und weiteren öffentlichen
Stellen sowie privaten Dritten gerichtlich angegriffen werden kann.
Tackling the frailty burden with an integrative value-based approach: results from a mixed-methods study
Authors: Fürstenau Daniel , Haneke Hannah , Spies Claudia , Walz Tim , Schewina Kai , Höft Moritz , Mörgeli Rudolf , Balzer Felix
Published: September 2021

Aim

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation of value-based care principles in the context of frailty in the perioperative process, highlighting the importance of an integrative perspective considering medical and patient-centric outcomes as well as costs.

Subject and methods

This mixed-methods study employs a sequential design. Qualitative observational data were used to identify needs and barriers for implementing value-based principles, and quantitative methods were subsequently used to demonstrate the value of employing such an approach using data gathered from n = 952 patients. Propensity score matching was applied to identify the frailty-associated costs of the inpatient setting for n = 381 non-frail and n = 381 (pre-)frail patients, in particular considering patient-centric outcomes.

Results

The qualitative analysis identified three main challenges when implementing value-based principles in the context of perioperative care and frailty, namely challenges related to the cost, patient-centric, and integrative perspectives. In addressing these shortcomings, a quantitative analysis of a propensity score-matched sample of patients undergoing surgery shows additional frailty-associated costs of 3583.01 [1654.92; 5511.04] EUR for (pre-)frail patients and the influence of individual patient-centric attributes. Effect size Cohen’s d was 0.26.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate that frailty should be considered from an integrative perspective, taking cost, patient-centered outcomes, and medical outcomes into account simultaneously. The results also show the value of a research design which uses qualitative data for the identification of needs and barriers, as well as quantitative data for demonstrating the usefulness of the conceived value-based approach to perioperative care delivery.
Knowledge transfer to industry: how academic researchers learn to become boundary spanners during academic engagement
Authors: Dolmans S. A. M. , Walrave B. , Read S. , van Stijn N.
Published: September 2021

Research on academic engagement and technology transfer or commercialization offers important insights into the relationship between characteristics, activities and abilities of individual academic researchers, with outcomes such as successful technology transfer and commercialization. In particular, the activity of boundary spanning proves central in the successful transfer and commercialization of university developed technologies. However, the process by which academic researchers become boundary spanners remains relatively unexplored. This investigation serves to shed new light on the matter. We draw on an in-depth case study of a large European publicly funded initiative, directed to stimulate industry adoption of a university-developed technology across Europe. Our rich dataset is a result of following the project from start to finish, triangulating from multiple sources over a three-year period. Our analyses offer novel insight into the role of perspective taking as a mechanism both enabling academics to understand knowledge boundaries faced during engagement activities and a critical input to developing and improving boundary spanning abilities. Our findings offer important implications for research on academic engagement and technology commercialization.
Anticipatory routing methods for an on-demand ridepooling mobility system
Authors: Fielbaum Andres , Kronmueller Maximilian , Alonso-Mora Javier
Published: September 2021

On-demand mobility systems in which passengers use the same vehicle simultaneously are a promising transport mode, yet difficult to control. One of the most relevant challenges relates to the spatial imbalances of the demand, which induce a mismatch between the position of the vehicles and the origins of the emerging requests. Most ridepooling models face this problem through rebalancing methods only, i.e., moving idle vehicles towards areas with high rejections rate, which is done independently from routing and vehicle-to-orders assignments, so that vehicles serving passengers (a large portion of the total fleet) remain unaffected. This paper introduces two types of techniques for anticipatory routing that affect how vehicles are assigned to users and how to route vehicles to serve such users, so that the whole operation of the system is modified to reach more efficient states for future requests. Both techniques do not require any assumption or exogenous knowledge about the future demand, as they depend only on current and recent requests. Firstly, we introduce rewards that reduce the cost of an assignment between a vehicle and a group of passengers if the vehicle gets routed towards a high-demand zone. Secondly, we include a small set of artificial requests, whose request times are in the near future and whose origins are sampled from a probability distribution that mimics observed generation rates. These artificial requests are to be assigned together with the real requests. We propose, formally discuss and experimentally evaluate several formulations for both approaches. We test these techniques in combination with a state-of-the-art trip-vehicle assignment method, using a set of real rides from Manhattan. Introducing rewards can diminish the rejection rate to about nine-tenths of its original value. On the other hand, including future requests can reduce users’ traveling times by about one-fifth, but increasing rejections. Both methods increase the vehicles-hour-traveled by about 10%. Spatial analysis reveals that vehicles are indeed moved towards the most demanded areas, such that the reduction in rejections rate is achieved mostly there.
Parallel multi-objective optimization approaches for protein encoding
Authors: Gonzalez-Sanchez Belen , Vega-Rodríguez Miguel A. , Santander-Jiménez Sergio
Published: September 2021

One of the main challenges in synthetic biology lies in maximizing the expression levels of a protein by encoding it with multiple copies of the same gene. This task is often conducted under conflicting evaluation criteria, which motivates the formulation of protein encoding as a multi-objective optimization problem. Recent research reported significant results when adapting the artificial bee colony algorithm to address this problem. However, the length of proteins and the number of copies have a noticeable impact in the computational costs required to attain satisfying solutions. This work is aimed at proposing parallel bioinspired designs to tackle protein encoding in multiprocessor systems, considering different thread orchestration schemes to accelerate the optimization process while preserving the quality of results. Comparisons of solution quality with other approaches under three multi-objective quality metrics show that the proposed parallel method reaches significant quality in the encoded proteins. In addition, experimentation on six real-world proteins gives account of the benefits of applying asynchronous shared-memory schemes, attaining efficiencies of 92.11% in the most difficult stages of the algorithm and mean speedups of 33.28x on a 64-core server-grade system.
Effects of age and sex on the content of heavy metals in the hair, liver and the longissimus lumborum muscle of roe deer Capreolus capreolus L.
Authors: Cygan-Szczegielniak Dorota , Stasiak Karolina
Published: September 2021

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of age and sex on the content of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu) in the hair, liver and the longissimus lumborum muscle of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.). In addition, correlations between heavy metals in individual tested matrices were studied as well as an attempt was made to explain the reasons for their accumulation in specific research matrices. The levels of Zn and Cu were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy (F-AAS). The levels of Pb and Cd were analysed by means of electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy (ET-AAS). In the own research, sex-related statistically significant differences in concentrations of analysed elements were confirmed. Higher levels of the elements were observed in samples collected from does (except for Cd in the liver samples of 6–7-month-old male fawns) but only in some cases, these values were statistically significantly higher. In some cases, age-related differences in the content of individual metals were also confirmed. Age-dependent increased Pb levels in the muscle and liver were reported in 6–7-month-old, <3–4-year-old, <5–6-year-old males. Similar relationships were confirmed for Zn in the bucks’ muscles. In the group of does, the increase in heavy metal concentrations with aging was observed for Zn in the muscle and for Pb in the liver. In the other cases, the trend of age-related level changes regarding heavy metals was not clearly demonstrated. Significant positive correlations between Cu and Cd were found for all samples, and significant negative correlations of Cu with Pb were found for the hair and liver. There was a negative correlation of Zn with Cu in all matrices. The study also revealed a negative correlation between Zn and Pb in muscle and a strong significant negative correlation between Zn and Cd in hair and in the liver.
Parametrizing the genioplasty: a biomechanical virtual study on soft tissue behavior
Authors: Ruggiero F. , Badiali G. , Bevini M. , Marchetti C. , Ong J. , Bolognesi F. , Schievano S. , Dunaway D. , Bianchi A. , Borghi A.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Sliding genioplasty is used to surgically correct a retruded or misaligned chin: in this procedure, an osteotomy is performed and the bony segment is repositioned. In this study we investigate the effect of surgical parameters (bony segment movement, osteotomy design) on postop soft tissue changes in a patient cohort.

Methods

Seven patients were retrospectively recruited. Cone beam computed tomography data were obtained and soft tissue and bone shape reconstructions were performed. 3D models were created and surgical cuts were replicated according to postop scans. Each model was imported in ANSYS 2019R1 (Ansys Inc, USA) for simulation: the effect of variation in osteotomy plane as well as extent of bony segment movement were assessed by means of design of experiment: surgical parameters were varied in a surgically acceptable range and the soft tissue predictions were evaluated as displacement output of five craniometric landmarks.

Results

Simulation results show the overall changes of the lower third of the face are sensitive to changes in horizontal and vertical displacement of the bony segment as well as segment rotation. No significant changes in the soft tissue response were to attribute to the osteotomy design.

Conclusions

Our results are consistent with experimental findings reported in the literature: when planning genioplasty in orthognathic surgery, particular focus on the segment movement (horizontal translation, vertical translation and rotation), rather than on the design of the osteotomy itself, should be considered.
Subtraction iodine imaging with area detector CT to improve tumor delineation and measurability of tumor size and depth of invasion in tongue squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hiyama Takashi , Kuno Hirofumi , Sekiya Kotaro , Tsushima So , Oda Shioto , Kobayashi Tatsushi
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Tumor size and depth of invasion (DOI) are mandatory assessments for tumor classification in tongue cancer but are often non-assessable on CT due to dental artifacts. This study investigated whether subtraction iodine imaging (SII) would improve tumor delineation and measurability.

Materials and methods

Fifty-seven consecutive patients with tongue cancer, who underwent scanning with a 320-row area detector CT with contrast administration and were treated with surgical resection, were retrospectively evaluated. CT was reconstructed with single-energy projection-based metallic artifact reduction (sCT). SII was generated by subtracting the pre-contrast volume scans from the post-contrast volume scans using a high-resolution deformable registration algorithm. MRI scans were also evaluated for comparing the ability of measurements. Two radiologists visually graded the tumor delineation using a 5-point scale. Tumor size and DOI were measured wherever possible. The tumor delineation score was compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank method. Spearman’s correlations between imaging and pathological measurements were calculated. Intraclass correlation coefficients of measurements between readers were estimated.

Results

The tumor delineation score was greater on sCT-plus-SII than on sCT alone (medians: 3 and 1, respectively; p < 0.001), with higher number of detectable cases observed with sCT-plus-SII (36/57 [63.2%]) than sCT alone (21/57 [36.8%]). Tumor size and DOI measurability were higher with sCT-plus-SII (29/57 [50.9%]) than with sCT alone (17/57 [29.8%]). MRI had the highest detectability (52/57 [91.2%]) and measurability (46/57 [80.7%]). Correlation coefficients between radiological and pathological tumor size and DOI were similar for sCT (0.83–0.88), sCT-plus-SII (0.78–0.84), and MRI (0.78–0.90). Intraclass correlation coefficients were higher than 0.95 for each modality.

Conclusions

SII improves detectability and measurability of tumor size and DOI in patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma, thus increasing the diagnostic potential. SII may also be beneficial for cases unevaluable on MRI due to artifacts or for patients with contraindications to MRI.
On the origins of the demographic transition: rethinking the European marriage pattern
Authors: Perrin Faustine
Published: September 2021

Why did France experience the demographic transition first? This question remains one of the greatest puzzles of economics, demography, and economic history. The French pattern is hard to reconcile with elucidations of the process as found in other countries. The present analysis goes back to the roots of the process and offers novel ways of explaining why people started to control their fertility in France and how they did so. In this paper, I track the evolution of marriage patterns to a point before the premises of the demographic transition. I identify two distinct phases. Next, I rely on exploratory methods to classify French counties based on their discriminatory features. Five profiles emerge. I discuss these profiles through the lens of the French Revolution, one of the greatest events that ever occurred in French history, which irretrievably altered its society. In particular, the results show that the fertility transition was not as linear, but more complex than previous research had argued. They show the importance of accounting for cultural factors and for individuals’ predispositions to adapt more or less quickly to societal changes. Yet cultural factors are not all. They can help to explain the timing of the transition and the choice of methods used to control fertility, but modernity and gender equality are also needed to describe the mechanisms in play behind the process.
Effect of very low-calorie ketogenic diet in combination with omega-3 on inflammation, satiety hormones, body composition, and metabolic markers. A pilot study in class I obese subjects
Authors: Rondanelli Mariangela , Perna Simone , Ilyas Zahra , Peroni Gabriella , Bazire Philip , Sajuox Ignacio , Maugeri Roberto , Nichetti Mara , Gasparri Clara
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a VLCKD combined with omega-3 supplementation (VLCKD diet only lasted for some weeks, and it was followed by a non-ketogenic LCD for the rest of the study period) on body composition, visceral fat, satiety hormones, inflammatory and metabolic markers.

Methods

It has been performed a pilot open label study lasted 90 days, in a cohort of 12 women with class I obesity aged 18 to 65 years. Data on body composition (evaluated by Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry—DXA), visceral fat, satiety hormones, inflammatory and metabolic markers were recorded.

Results

This study showed a body weight reduction mean difference over time of −13.7 kg and the waist circumference mean difference decrease of −13.3 cm. Also, the fat mass (FM) decreased—9.1 kg and visceral adipose tissue (VAT)—0.41 kg. No effects on fat-free mass (FFM) have been reported. Improvements were observed in the satiety hormones, with increased ghrelin and decreased leptin, and also in the metabolic profiles.

Conclusions

A VLCKD combined with omega-3 supplementation appears to be an effective strategy for promoting an high loss of FM with preservation of FFM in patients with class I obesity.
Saving Sex for Marriage: An Analysis of Lay Attitudes Towards Virginity and its Perceived Benefit for Marriage
Authors: Olamijuwon Emmanuel , Odimegwu Clifford
Published: September 2021

How do young people interpret virginity loss, and does saving sex for marriage have any socially constructed benefit for marriage? This study answers this question using data obtained from a peer-led Facebook group with more than 175,000 participants, mostly in African countries, particularly Nigeria. A reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze 100 public wall posts and 3860 comments posted on the group between June 2018 and May 2019. Four distinctive interpretations of virginity loss comprising the gift, precondition, stigma, and process emerged from the data. These interpretations were also gendered, such that a woman’s virginity was interpreted as a gift but a stigma for men. The wall posts and comments further suggest that saving sex for marriage may have some culturally sensitive benefits, including trust, and marital sexual satisfaction. Altogether the findings expand the current understanding of the diverse perceived benefits of virginity that move beyond honour and respect to more complex benefits like trust in a union, sexual satisfaction and ultimate satisfaction in marriage.
Taxonomy and morphology of Thalictrum (Ranunculaceae) in New Guinea
Authors: Borosova Renata , Utteridge Timothy M. A. , Schuiteman André
Published: September 2021

The genus Thalictrum L. in New Guinea is revised based on morphological evidence. Full descriptions of the genus and the four taxa recognised are given. Two species are recognised: Thalictrum papuanum, widespread across New Guinea, and a new species described here; T. umbraticola, endemic to west New Guinea. Two new varieties are described: Thalictrum papuanum var. acutisegmentum and T. papuanum var. laticarpellum. One new synonym of Thalictrum papuanum var. papuanum is established: T. papuanum var. oranjense. Keys to the taxa and distribution maps, as well as preliminary conservation assessments, are provided.
The ecology and bioactivity of some Greco-Roman medicinal minerals: the case of Melos earth pigments
Authors: Knapp C. W. , Christidis G. E. , Venieri D. , Gounaki I. , Gibney-Vamvakari J. , Stillings M. , Photos-Jones E.
Published: September 2021

Mineral compounds, as pigments and therapeutics, appeared regularly in the technical and medical texts of the Greco-Roman (G-R) world. We have referred to them as ‘G-R medicinal minerals’ and we suggest that despite their seeming familiarity, there are actually many unknowns regarding their precise nature and/or purported pharmacological attributes. Earth pigments are part of that group. This paper presents a brief overview of our work over the past twenty years relating to: a. the attempt to locate a select number of them in the places of their origin; b. their chemical/mineralogical characterization; c. the study of their ecology via the identification of the microorganisms surrounding them; d. their testing as antibacterials against known pathogens. In the process, and to fulfil the above, we have developed a novel methodological approach which includes a range of analytical techniques used across many disciplines (mineralogy, geochemistry, DNA extraction and microbiology). This paper focuses on a select number of earth pigments deriving from the island of Melos in the SW Aegean, celebrated in antiquity for itsMelian Earth, a white pigment, and asks whether they might display antibacterial activity. We demonstrate that some (but not all) yellow, green and black earth pigments do. We also show that the manner in which they were dispensed (as powders or leachates) was equally important. The results, although preliminary, are informative. Given their use since deep time, earth pigments have never lost their relevance. We suggest that the study of their ecology/mineralogy and potential bioactivity allows for a better understanding of how our perception of them, as both pigments and therapeutics, may have evolved.
The Genetic Basis of Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Mertens R. , Graupera M. , Gerhardt H. , Bersano A. , Tournier-Lasserve E. , Mensah M. A. , Mundlos S. , Vajkoczy P.
Published: September 2021

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare cerebrovascular disease characterized by progressive spontaneous bilateral occlusion of the intracranial internal cerebral arteries (ICA) and their major branches with compensatory capillary collaterals resembling a “puff of smoke” (Japanese: Moyamoya) on cerebral angiography. These pathological alterations of the vessels are called Moyamoya arteriopathy or vasculopathy and a further distinction is made between primary and secondary MMD. Clinical presentation depends on age and population, with hemorrhage and ischemic infarcts in particular leading to severe neurological dysfunction or even death. Although the diagnostic suspicion can be posed by MRA or CTA, cerebral angiography is mandatory for diagnostic confirmation. Since no therapy to limit the stenotic lesions or the development of a collateral network is available, the only treatment established so far is surgical revascularization. The pathophysiology still remains unknown. Due to the early age of onset, familial cases and the variable incidence rate between different ethnic groups, the focus was put on genetic aspects early on. Several genetic risk loci as well as individual risk genes have been reported; however, few of them could be replicated in independent series. Linkage studies revealed linkage to the 17q25 locus. Multiple studies on the association of SNPs and MMD have been conducted, mainly focussing on the endothelium, smooth muscle cells, cytokines and growth factors. A variant of the RNF213 gene was shown to be strongly associated with MMD with a founder effect in the East Asian population. Although it is unknown how mutations in the RNF213 gene, encoding for a ubiquitously expressed 591 kDa cytosolic protein, lead to clinical features of MMD, RNF213 has been confirmed as a susceptibility gene in several studies with a gene dosage-dependent clinical phenotype, allowing preventive screening and possibly the  development of new therapeutic approaches. This review focuses on the genetic basis of primary MMD only.