bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combining ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography quadruple exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry with chemometrics to identify and verify the blood‐activating components of hawthorn
Authors: Sun Fei , Wu Xiangqin , Qi Yue , Zhong Yongqi , Zeng Lu , Wang Kaiyang , Liang Shengwang
Published: June 2022

Hawthorn, one of the widely‐used Chinese herbal medicines, has been used to treat blood stasis syndrome in the clinic, but its blood‐activating components are unclear. This study combined the ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadruple exactive‐orbitrap mass spectrometry with chemometrics to identify the blood‐activating components of hawthorn. Different polar fractions of hawthorn aqueous extracts were extracted and mixed to prepare 14 samples. The contents of 25 chemical components for 14 samples were determined by the proposed quantitative method which was validated in terms of linearity, precision, stability, repeatability, and recovery, while the blood‐activating effect was evaluated by measuring the whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, and plasma fibrinogen levels. Then the partial least squares model was established on the spectrum‐effect relationship. The result showed that vitexin‐2″‐O‐rhamnoside, rutin, citric acid, malic acid, gallic acid, and fumaric acid could reduce the whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, and plasma fibrinogen levels in blood stasis model rats, and these components were the blood‐activating components of hawthorn. This study provided a scientific basis for clarifying the blood‐activating components of hawthorn, and the spectrum‐effect approach proved to be an effective approach to discovering the bioactive components of Chinese herbal medicines.
The role of precautions: Organising a medical conference during COVID‐19 pandemic—Lessons from IADVL MIDDERMACON 2021
Authors: Bhat Ramesh , Kamath Suvidha D. , Sequeira Nicole , Raina Sunil , Pai Ganesh S. , Sukumar Dandakeri , Martis Jacintha
Published: June 2022

Background

The use of virtual platforms for clinical meetings has become the default approach during this pandemic era. Organising an offline conference during a pandemic is a challenge and is possible if the participating crowd is vaccinated and is willing to follow appropriate pandemic protocols.

Objective

To determine the feasibility of conducting a conference among mostly vaccinated delegates using standard precautionary protocols.

Methods

This study was conducted at IADVL MIDDERMACON 2021, held in Mangalore, India, in late October 2021, during the phase of decline of the Delta variant of SARS‐CoV‐2. The study population included all conference attendees, including support staff. Details were collected about their vaccination status, comorbidities, and mode of travel to the conference venue. An reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) test was done randomly among the attendees for COVID‐19 infection. A post‐conference assessment and RT‐PCR tests were done at the end of 2 weeks to assess the occurrence of infections among study participants.

Results

A total of 1744 people were present at the venue, of which 576 (33.03%) participated in the study. The percentage of fully vaccinated was 88.88% (512/576). The majority had taken the vaccine Covishield (manufactured by AstraZeneca), that is, 85.06% (490/576). Infection post the conference was reported in 0.195% (1/576).

Conclusions

Holding large gatherings like medical conferences pose a challenge during a pandemic. However, to increase the benefits of the conference, it is advisable to hold them offline with vaccinated delegates, follow the advice of the conference organising committee, and practise safe precautionary measures.
The impact of fear on the effectiveness of customer empowerment‐messages in online retailing
Authors: Atalay A. Selin , El Kihal Siham , Pfrang Thilo
Published: June 2022

We explore the effectiveness of empowerment‐messages in two contexts of fear caused by an existential threat: COVID‐19 pandemic and economic fear. We show in a field experiment that an empowerment‐message, which increased sales of an online retailer by 13% before COVID‐19 lockdowns when fear was low, does not have the same effect post‐COVID‐19 lockdowns when fear is high. Three follow‐up experiments show that when fear is low, an empowerment‐message makes individuals feel responsible and increases purchase. When fear is high, an empowerment‐message does not make individuals feel responsible and does not improve purchase. We find that personal control that is generally desired, does not resonate with individuals in the context of fear caused by an existential threat. This implies that marketers should reconsider their use of marketing efforts that empower consumers in high fear contexts.
Contribution of the “Click Chemistry” Toolbox for the Design, Synthesis, and Resulting Applications of Innovative and Efficient Separative Supports: Time for Assessment
Authors: Le Droumaguet Benjamin , Guerrouache Mohamed , Carbonnier Benjamin
Published: June 2022

The last two decades have seen the rapid expansion of click chemistry methodology in various domains closely related to organic chemistry. It has notably been widely developed in the area of surface chemistry, mainly because of the high‐yielding character of reactions of the “click” type. Especially, this powerful chemical reaction toolbox has been adapted to the preparation of stationary phases from the corresponding chromatographic supports. A plethora of selectors can thus be immobilized on either organic, inorganic, or hybrid stationary phases that can be used in different chromatographic modes. This review first highlights the few different chemical ligation strategies of the “click” type that are up to now mainly devoted to the development of functionalized supports for separation sciences. Then, it gives in a second part an up‐to‐date survey of the different studies dedicated to the preparation of click chemistry‐based chromatographic supports while highlighting the powerful and versatile character of the “click” ligation strategy for the design, synthesis, and developments of more and more complex systems that can find promising applications in the area of analytical sciences, in domains as varied as enantioselective separation, glycomics, proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, etc.
A monoallelic variant in EYA1 is associated with Branchio‐Otic syndrome in a Malian family
Authors: Yalcouyé Abdoulaye , Traoré Oumou , Diarra Salimata , Schrauwen Isabelle , Esoh Kevin , Kadlubowska Magda Kamila , Bharadwaj Thashi , Adadey Samuel Mawuli , Kéita Mohamed , Guinto Cheick O. , Leal Suzanne M. , Landouré Guida , Wonkam Ambroise
Published: June 2022

Background

Branchio‐otic syndrome (BO) is one of the most common types of syndromic hearing impairment (HI) with an incidence of 1/40,000 globally. It is an autosomal dominant disorder typically characterized by the coexistence of branchial cysts or fistulae, malformations of the external, middle, and inner ears with preauricular pits or tags and a variable degree of HI. Most cases of BO have been reported in populations of European ancestry. To date, only few cases have been reported in people from African descent.

Methods

After a careful clinical examination, a pure tone audiometry was performed. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and whole exome, and Sanger sequencing were performed for genetic analysis.

Results

Eight individuals from a large non‐consanguineous Malian family, with autosomal dominant inheritance were enrolled. The ages at diagnosis ranged from 8 to 54 years. A high phenotypic variability was noted among the affected individuals. Four patients presented with a post‐lingual and mixed type of HI, one individual had conductive HI while three had normal hearing but presented other BO features namely branchial fistulae and preauricular sinus. Serum creatinine level and renal ultrasonography were normal in three affected individuals who performed them. Genetic testing identified a monoallelic pathogenic variant in EYA1 (c.1286A > G; p.Asp429Gly) segregating with BO syndrome in the family.

Conclusion

This is the first genetically confirmed case of BO syndrome caused by EYA1 variant in the sub‐Saharan African population, expanding the genetic spectrum of the condition.
Magnetorheological damper parameter identification using a novel metaheuristic algorithm
Authors: Rashidi Meybodi Mehdi , Bahar Arash , Pozo Francesc
Published: June 2022

In this study, a new optimization algorithm is proposed based on swarm intelligence theory. In the algorithm, the movement of each individual toward the best member of the population is not represented as a linear vector; instead, it can change nonlinearly according to the discrete‐time that is represented by the iteration number. By implementing this change, the speed of each member of the population can be controlled, which results in finding a better solution. As there is a dependency on the iteration number, it is named the Iteration Dependent Optimizer (IDO). The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated based on unconstrained unimodal and multimodal benchmark functions and constrained engineering optimization problems. Then the algorithm is used to solve a practical problem in civil engineering, in which unknown parameters of the model of a large‐scale magnetorheological (MR) damper, which is commonly used in structural control, are identified. The results of statistical study and direct comparisons demonstrate the advantages and capabilities of the proposed model and indicate that IDO can compete favorably with some other well‐studied algorithms.
On the approximation of the modified error function
Authors: Bougouffa Smail , Khanfer Ammar , Bougoffa Lazhar
Published: June 2022

In a recent research, the authors established an approximation to the modified error function (MEF)
for a small positive thermal conductivity coefficient
, leaving the problem open for the general case
. The approximation represents an approximate solution to the Stephan problem with linear thermal conductivity in a semi‐infinite body, which converges to the classical MEF as
. In this paper, a new approximation to the MEF is found for
and converges to the classical MEF as
. A comparative analysis shows that our proposed approximation gives a better estimate than the one in this recent reasearch by Ceratani et al.
A novel compact asymmetric Doherty PA design using symmetric transistors
Authors: Jin Liwei , Cheng Zhiqun , Wang Yonghui , Liu Guohua
Published: June 2022

A novel 7.2 dB output power back off Doherty power amplifier (DPA) based on asymmetrical load is proposed using two same transistors in this paper. To get maximum efficiency at back‐off output power and the largest saturate output power level simultaneously, the carrier power amplifier (PA) is matched to the maximum efficiency region when peaking PA is almost off, and both of the two PAs are matched to maximum power region to get largest output power. According to the proposed design methodology, high efficiency at back‐off power and high peak power DPA is designed and fabricated with two Cree's GaN HEMT CGH40010F devices. Measurements results show that the saturated output power of the DPA is over 44.5 dBm, the drain efficiency when 7.2 dB output power back off and saturate power are above 42% and 53%, respectively, in the range of 3.4–3.8 GHz. Meanwhile, better than −47.8 dBc adjacent channel leak power ratio can be achieved with digital predistortion under 20 MHz LTE signal testing at 3.4 GHz, the final design size is only 14 × 12 cm2.
IGF2R, KCNQ1, PLAGL1, and SNRPN DNA methylation is completed in bovine by the early antral follicle stage
Authors: Lafontaine Simon , Sirard Marc‐André
Published: June 2022

Imprinted genes are inherited with different DNA methylation patterns depending on the maternal or paternal origin of the allele. In cattle (Bos taurus), abnormal methylation of these genes is linked to the large offspring syndrome, a neonatal overgrowth phenotype analogous to the human Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome. We hypothesized that in bovine oocytes, some of the methylation patterns on maternally imprinted genes are acquired in the last phase of folliculogenesis. The pyrosequencing analysis of IGF2R, KCNQ1, PLAGL1, and SNRPN imprinted genes showed no clear progression of methylation in oocytes from follicles 1–2 mm (late pre antral/early antral) and up. Instead, these oocytes displayed complete methylation at the imprinted differentially methylated regions (>80%). Other mechanisms related to imprint maintenance should be investigated to explain the hypomethylation at IGF2R, KCNQ1, PLAGL1, and SNRPN maternally imprinted sites observed in some bovine embryos.
Inexact and primal multilevel FETI‐DP methods: a multilevel extension and interplay with BDDC
Authors: Sousedík Bedřich
Published: June 2022

We study a framework that allows to solve the coarse problem in the FETI‐DP method approximately. It is based on the saddle‐point formulation of the FETI‐DP system with a block‐triangular preconditioner. One of the blocks approximates the coarse problem, for which we use the multilevel BDDC method as the main tool. This strategy then naturally leads to a version of multilevel FETI‐DP method, and we show that the spectra of the multilevel FETI‐DP and BDDC preconditioned operators are essentially the same. The theory is illustrated by a set of numerical experiments, and we also present a few experiments when the coarse solve is approximated by algebraic multigrid.
Investigation on insertion mechanism of ultrasound guided insertion process based on numerical simulation
Authors: Cheng Liang , Ji Guobiao , Fei Shaohua , Li Jiangxiong , Ke Yinglin
Published: June 2022

The insertion of finer Z‐pins is the key factor for increasing the reinforcement effects of Z‐pinned composite laminates. This paper presents a three‐dimensional cohesive zone finite element (FE) model for revealing the insertion mechanism of the ultrasound guided insertion process of fine Z‐pins. The prepreg fracture is modeled based on the cohesive elements, where fracture toughness is obtained from the double insertion method. The contact between the needle and prepreg is simulated by LuGre dynamic friction model. According to model simulation and relevant experiments, compared with nonvibratory insertion, smaller insertion force, earlier surface fracture and slighter ply crimp can be observed in the ultrasound guided insertion process. In addition, the prepreg forms an initial crack firstly after needle insertion, followed by a final crack due to needle extraction and prepreg springback. The effects of needle diameter on the insertion force and crack length are discussed. It can be concluded that larger needle diameter can lead to greater insertion force and initial crack length, but has little effect on the final crack length.
Nanofiber‐Carbon black dual filler reinforced sustainable high‐performance Natural Rubber nanocomposites
Authors: Surya Koodappuzha Parameswaran , Naskar Kinsuk , Bhowmick Anil K.
Published: June 2022

In the present work, uncured and cured properties of high‐performance, sustainable Natural Rubber nanocomposites developed by leveraging the unique synergy between carbon black and fibrous nanofillers such as silicon carbide, carbon nanotubes, and aramid nanofibers were investigated. Reinforcement in these composites was analyzed using the properties of the unvulcanized compounds, which were then correlated with those of the vulcanized compounds. A 50% increment was recorded for the bound rubber content of the nanocomposites, which resulted in tremendous improvements in the reinforcement index and tensile strength of the unvulcanized nanocomposites. In contrast, the die swell index came down compared with the control compound. The formation of a percolating network due to the presence of high aspect ratio fibers resulted in a higher Payne effect in hybrid nanocomposites, which was confirmed from the scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The 100% modulus, 300% modulus, and tensile strength of the unvulcanized nanocomposites recorded an improvement of 80, 121, and 450%, respectively, by the incorporation of nanofibers. The molecular aspects of reinforcement were elucidated from theoretical calculations using Mooney–Rivlin plots. It was presumed that the improved reinforcing efficiency of the nanofibers resulted from restricted mobility of elastomer chains due to the presence of the dual filler system.
A computational study for the reaction mechanism of AIBN‐induced remote trifluoromethyl‐alkynylation of thioalkynes
Authors: Fıstıkçı Meryem
Published: June 2022

A computational study for 2,2‐azobis (isobutyronitrile) (AIBN)‐induced remote trifluoromethyl‐alkynylation of thioalkynes is carried out employing the density functional theory (DFT). According to our computations, the decomposition of AIBN, which is the initial step of the radicalic reaction, include the highest reaction energy step and indicate that the rate‐determining step is the decomposition of AIBN for the reaction scheme. Our computations show that the reaction can also proceed through the vinyl radicals 12 and 18 as well as the vinyl radicals 3 and 10 suggested by Zhu and co‐workers. The computations are compatible with experimental data. Moreover, our computations provide useful insight into the radicalic mechanism of AIBN‐induced remote trifluoromethyl‐alkynylation of thioalkynes.
Non‐Fullerene Acceptor‐Based Nanomorphology Enhancement for Efficient Ternary Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Khanam Lubna , Srivastava Shashi Bhushan , Do Thu Trang , Sonar Prashant , Singh Samarendra Pratap
Published: June 2022

Recently, the ternary active‐layer‐based organic solar cells have shown remarkable increment in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) by utilizing the synergistic effect of complementary absorption, band alignment, and nano‐scale morphology enhancement. Non‐fullerene acceptors (NFAs) are an important class of functional materials for the improved performance of ternary organic solar cells due to their role in improvising the light absorption and the morphology of the active layer. Here, the non‐fullerene (NF) molecule, NAI‐FN‐NAI (BO), is used as the third component in the bulk heterojunction of PTB7‐Th: PC71BM to fabricate the ternary organic solar cell. The magical number of the composition, i.e., 20% by weight of the NF in the ternary active layer resulted in the PCE of 8.1% devices, which is almost 35% higher efficiency than PTB7‐Th: PC71BM binary devices having the PCE of 6%. The enhanced efficiency is observed even though the lessened effect of complementary absorption and band alignment factors of the NF. Such an improved efficiency is attributed in ternary devices to the nano‐scale morphology enhancement. It could pave the way to realize the best possible bulk heterojunction blend to attain high PCE close to inorganic counterparts.
Nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy in Finland during a 21‐year period: A register‐based study
Authors: Haataja Anna , Gissler Mika , Kokki Hannu , Heino Anna , Järvelin Jutta , Porela‐Tiihonen Susanna , Kokki Merja
Published: June 2022

Objective

To assess how much and on which specialities nonobstetric surgery was performed for pregnant women in Finland during a 21‐year period, between 1997 and 2017 and the effect of Finnish guideline about preoperative evaluation affected the amount of surgery during pregnancy.

Design

Register‐based observational study.

Setting

Finnish Medical Birth Register.

Population

1 175 677 pregnancies ending with a singleton birth 1997−2017.

Methods

Amount of nonobstetric surgeries, and pregnancy foetal and maternal outcomes in Finland between 1997 and 2017 were searched.

Main Outcome Measures

The prevalence of nonobstetric surgery, and proportions of elective and emergency nonobstetric surgery performed during the three trimesters.

Results

The prevalence of nonobstetric surgery before the guideline was 0.39%, after the guideline 0.28% and after the first revision 0.39%. The prevalence of elective surgery decreased after the guideline (before 0.15%, after the guideline 0.10% and 0.07% after the first revision), but the prevalence of emergency surgery was highest after the first revision (0.24%, 0.21% and 0.29%). The guideline and the first revision had no impact on the timing of elective surgery; 35% of elective surgery was performed during the second trimester before the guideline, 36% after it and 36% after its first revision. The preterm delivery rate, 9.1%−9.4% of pregnancies with nonobstetric surgery was twofold higher than that of pregnancies without surgery.

Conclusion

The prevalence of nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy is low in Finland. The national guideline decreases the prevalence of elective surgery during pregnancy but does not impact the timing of nonobstetric surgery.
Quantifying the in‐channel contribution to suspended‐sediment concentration, a concept for sediment yield apportionment using limited data
Authors: Khettab Omar El Farouk
Published: June 2022

Recently, the focus on sediment source assessment has increased because of the importance it has in prioritizing management strategies to limit soil loss, water quality deterioration, and aquatic ecosystems degradation. In this work, a rapid integration technique is proposed to separate the sediment yield portion detached from the stream channel by water erosion and the portion supplied from the watershed or stored within the channel. The concept of the lower bound curve was established based on hysteresis analysis fundamentals. On this basis, a straightforward calculation technique was designed. The lower bound curve simplifies the estimation of sediment sources' contributions using continuous concentration‐discharge measurements. The method was tested using flood events from six United States Geological Survey stations. According to hysteresis analysis fundamentals, the method was validated relying on successive and multipeak events and sediment depletion as an indicator. The analysis of successive floods showed consistent sediment depletion criteria, indicating that the lower bound curve corresponds to the stream contribution. Consequently, the method can successfully separate and quantify the contribution of the stream channel to suspended sediment yield. Minor events were found to be unable to reach sediment depletion. However, proceeding with multi‐peak events solved this issue, which improved the sediment yield estimations compared to single‐peak processing.
Desulfurization‐Induced Formation of Amorphized Substoichiometric Tin Sulfide for Super High‐Rate Capacity and Degradation‐Free Cycling of Na Ion Storage
Authors: Xiang Jing , Jiang Zhong‐Jie , Wang Yongjie , Jiang Zhongqing
Published: June 2022

This work reports an amorphization and partial desulfurization method to improve the performance of sulfide‐based materials for Na+ storage. Specifically, the polypyrrole derived carbon coated amorphous substoichiometric tin sulfide supported on aminated carbon nanotubes (PPY‐C@SnSx/ACNTs) with amorphized and substoichiometric tin sulfide (SnSx) is synthesized by simply thermal annealing the PPY‐C@SnS2/ACNTs. The PPY‐C@SnSx/ACNTs shows stable reversible capacities of 410.2 mAh g−1 for Na+ storage at 0.1 A g−1 and excellent rate capacities of 270.2, 235.5, 217.4, and 210.0 mAh g−1 at 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, and 30.0 A g−1, respectively. Nearly zero drops on the reversible capacities can be observed when it is sodiated/desodiated at 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 A g−1 for up to 1000, 6500, 8000 cycles, respectively. Its outstanding rate capacities and degradation‐free cycling stabilities mainly arise from the amorphized and substoichiometric structure of SnSx, which improve the reversible capacities and Na+ diffusivities of the PPY‐C@SnSx/ACNTs. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the partial desulfurization can improve the electric conductivity and promote the sodiation/desodiation of SnSx. It explains why the PPY‐C@SnSx/ACNTs can exhibit high performance for Na+ storage well.
Method to integrate asynchronously produced individual influence maps into an extrapolated population influence map following the face‐to‐face stage of a structured democratic dialogue
Authors: Laouris Yiannis
Published: June 2022

We present a method that broadens the application of structured democratic dialogue (SDD). After completing the final stage of the SDD process, during which the participants explore collectively and synchronously possible influence relations between ideas using the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) algorithm, they continue the ISM process individually and asynchronously. Their respective adjacency matrices (AM) are integrated into a population AM (pAM) that reflects their least agreement denominator. The pAM is sent back to them in a few iterations, asking them to explore influence relations between additional ideas. This procedure eventually produces a model, which depicts their ‘extrapolated’ or ‘computed’ collective wisdom. The method has been applied in two projects. Participants who responded to a requested assessment (via a Likert scale) indicated that the extrapolated influence maps created asynchronously made sense.
Performance‐based design method for isolated hollow RC piers with irregularity in height
Authors: Rasouli Mahsa , Shiravand Mahmoud R. , Rasti Ardakani Reza
Published: June 2022

The bridge piers are the main components, and their destruction can cause significant damage to bridges. The concentration of failure in one or two piers of irregular bridges has led to challenges in codes and studies regarding the simultaneous failure of the substructure components. The RC hollow sections are structurally adequate for application in isolated bridges with unequal pier heights due to their large strength/mass and stiffness/mass ratios. In the previous studies, the isolation devices have been used to produce uniform lateral stiffness for different pier‐isolator systems of bridges with unequal pier heights. However, this approach leads to the flexural moment concentration in the tall piers and extra ductility demand in the short‐pier isolators. This article presents a new performance‐based design method for isolated hollow RC piers with irregularity in height to provide uniform performance along the bridge. The target performance level is achieved by proper selection of the characteristics of LRBs and pier cross‐sections. This method is used for two continuous span bridges with slight and severe irregularities, and the responses are compared with other design methods. The results show that the proposed method produces similar performance levels in all piers, besides uniform ductility demand, uniform shear strain, and simultaneous failure of all LRBs. Furthermore, the damage probability of tall piers decreases and gets close to that of the short ones.
Basalt fiber reinforced foam concrete with marble waste and calcium aluminate cement
Authors: Bayraktar Oguzhan Yavuz , Yarar Gokhan , Benli Ahmet , Kaplan Gokhan , Gencel Osman , Sutcu Mucahit , Kozłowski Marcin , Kadela Marta
Published: June 2022

As a typical cellular lightweight material, foam concrete is produced by mixing cement, water, aggregate and a suitable foaming agent and has a density usually below 1600 kg/m3. The large number of air spaces present in foam concrete ensures that the concrete has advantages such as lightweight, high fluidity during pouring, excellent thermal and sound insulation, superior fire resistance, and outstanding energy absorption capacity. Its high porosity and the connectivity of the pores, which can allow the entry of negative substances into the concrete environment, cause foam concrete to have a very low physico‐mechanical and durability performance. To eliminate or reduce these disadvantages, this study adopted the use of basalt fibers (BF) as eco‐friendly fiber type and calcium aluminate cement (CAC) as aluminous cement with waste marble powder (WMP) as aggregates in foam concrete. In that respect, 9 mixes with varying content of foaming agent (FC) and basalt fiber have been prepared. Assessment of mechanical performance was based on compressive and flexural strength after 6 h, 1, 7, and 28 days. Dry bulk density, thermal conductivity, porosity, water absorption, and sorptivity of the concretes were determined. Durability characteristics of the concretes were examined by dry shrinkage, high temperature, magnesium sulfate, sulfuric, and hydrochloric acids. The obtained results showed that the content of BF affected the compressive strength of the mixtures slightly negatively or positively depending on the FC. The lowest value in thermal conductivity was gained as 0.645 (W/m K) for the mixture incorporating 1% BF and 50 kg/m3 foam quantity. In addition, the foam concrete incorporating foam of 30 kg/m3 and 1% BF showed the best resistance against MgSO4. The mixture with 2% BF and 30 kg/m3 FC exhibited the lowest mass loss after HCI exposure.
Read‐Alouds: A Case Study of Two Preschoolers on the Autism Spectrum
Authors: Riojas‐Cortez Mari , Martinez Miriam
Published: June 2022

This study examines the types of interactions and early literacy development that occur when non‐verbal 4‐year‐old children on the autism spectrum engage with family members in read‐alouds using authentic children's literature. Findings indicate the importance of quality children's literature for read‐alouds. A key implication of the study is that teachers of young children with autism need to form partnerships with family members to encourage them to engage with their children in authentic read‐alouds.
Idiopathic generalised tremor syndrome in dogs
Authors: Phillipps Stephanie , DeDecker Steven , Gutierrez‐Quintana Rodrigo , Alcoverro Emili , Gomes Sergio A , Goncalves Rita
Published: June 2022

Background

Idiopathic generalised tremor syndrome (IGTS) causes tremor and often vestibulocerebellar signs. Previous publications on IGTS in dogs are restricted to case reports or lack exclusion of structural causes.

Methods

Medical records of 75 dogs diagnosed with IGTS that had undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain were collected retrospectively.

Results

Crossbreeds were affected most commonly (41.3%), followed by West Highland white terriers (14.7%) and cocker spaniels (10.7%). A higher proportion of females were affected than males (68.0%). Median age of the affected dogs was 17 months (range 6–121 months), and median bodyweight was 9.15 kg (range 2.9–26 kg). All dogs presented with tremors and most experienced concomitant neurological signs (93.3%). Seventeen (22.7%) were hyperthermic and 31 (41.3%) had gastrointestinal signs. MRI of the brain was normal in most of the cases, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis frequently revealed mild pleocytosis. All animals were treated with prednisolone, and 39 (51.3%) also received diazepam. Median follow‐up time was 13 months (range 0–134 months). The overall outcome was good, although 16 (21.3%) patients were reported to have relapsing clinical signs and 10 (13.2%) patients experienced persistent mild clinical signs.

Conclusions

IGTS should be suspected in any dog with generalised tremor and vestibulocerebellar signs with younger and smaller dogs more commonly affected.
Correction to: Complicities
Authors: Distiller Natasha
Published: June 2022

The book was inadvertently published without the acknowledgement texts of funding from the Library of the University of California, Berkeley, for this book in the front matter. This has been updated in the book.
Introduction
Authors: Karjalainen Katja , Tornberg Iina , Pursiainen Aleksi
Published: June 2022

Based on its chapters, this introduction of International Actors and the Formation of Laws observes the discourse that creates, modifies, and reshapes the law as well as addresses actors that participate in that discourse. After addressing the point of departure shortly (Sect. 1), it first sets forth different international actors and their impact on the formation of laws (Sect. 2), and second, introduces the authors and the material scope of each chapter (Sect. 3). The introduction illuminates, the point demonstrated by the book, that in contemporary world law is mobile and emerges in the intersection of domestic, European, international, and even transnational legal regimes. It explains how the space for traditional domestic lawmaking shrinks and how the remaining bit becomes profoundly influenced by nondomestic factors. The book demonstrates that the product, the forming law, nevertheless bears the handprint of the actors participated in its formation. By noting the background of the authors as members of the Finnish Branch of International Law Association (ILA), the introduction acknowledges that the book presents pragmatism inherent to Nordic legal tradition.
The Role of the ILA in the Restatement and Evolution of International and National Law Relating to Indigenous Peoples
Authors: Koivurova Timo , Lenzerini Federico , Wiessner Siegfried
Published: June 2022

The main goal of this chapter is to explore the International Law Association’s (ILA’s) role in the restatement and ongoing evolution of Indigenous rights in international and national law. It first examines the way in which the main instrument for Indigenous peoples from a global viewpoint came into being and what its basic content amounts to. The chapter then assesses the role played by the ILA during the period of the first ILA Committee’s (Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) mandate in restating and influencing the evolution of international law as it relates to Indigenous peoples. It also examines the contribution made by the second ILA Committee (Committee on the Implementation of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the International Law Association) in ascertaining a possible implementation gap between international standards in respect of Indigenous peoples and the reality of certain cases on the ground, as well as the development of best practices to overcome it. Thereafter, this chapter draws conclusions on the ILA’s role in the evolutionary process of the law relating to Indigenous peoples.
Choosing Wordlists for Password Guessing: An Adaptive Multi-armed Bandit Approach
Authors: Murray Hazel , Malone David
Published: June 2022

A password guesser often uses wordlists (e.g. lists of previously leaked passwords, dictionaries of words in different languages, and lists of the most common passwords) to guess unknown passwords. The attacker needs to make a decision about what guesses to make and in what order. In an online guessing environment this is particularly important as they may be locked out after a certain number of wrong guesses. In this paper, we employ a multi-armed bandit model to show that an adaptive strategy can actively learn characteristics of the passwords it is guessing, and can leverage this information to dynamically weight the most appropriate wordlist. We also show that this can be used to identify the nationality of the users in a password set, and that guessing can be improved by guessing using passwords chosen by other users of the same nationality.
Role of protozooplankton in the diet of North Sea autumn spawning herring (Clupea harengus) larvae
Authors: Bils Franziska , Aberle Nicole , van Damme Cindy J. G. , Peck Myron A. , Moyano Marta
Published: June 2022

The role of small prey (< 200 µm) in larval marine fish nutrition is largely understudied. Here, we explore the contribution of protozooplankton (PZP 20–200 µm) to larval fish diets, compared to metazoan microzooplankton (MZP 55–200 µm). More specifically, we tested whether the contribution of PZP increased during the low productivity season and decreased as larvae grow. We used North Sea autumn spawning herring (Clupea harengus) as a case study, as it is a key species with high commercial and ecological importance. In autumn and winter, the potential PZP and MZP prey was dominated by cells < 50 µm (mainly Gymnodiniales, Pronoctiluca pelagica,Tripos spp. and Strombidium spp.), while copepod nauplii and copepodites where more abundant in autumn than in winter. Based on their trophic enrichment (∆15 N), larvae preferentially grazed on small MZP < 50 µm rather than PZP both in autumn and winter. Larvae of different body size (range 8–14 mm standard length) fed at the same trophic level but on different prey (similar δ15N but different δ13C). Growth rates (based on RNA/DNA estimates) were similar in autumn and winter, suggesting that growth was not affected by station-specific differences in the composition of the prey field. Our results not only underscore the important role of MZP on larval herring diets both in autumn and wintertime, but also emphasize the limitations of bulk stable isotope analysis. Given the current low recruitment in North Sea herring, these results provide significant information for future monitoring approaches relevant to stock assessment of this species.
On transfer Krull monoids
Authors: Bashir Aqsa , Reinhart Andreas
Published: June 2022

Let H be a cancellative commutative monoid, let $$\mathcal {A}(H)$$

A
(
H
)

be the set of atoms of H and let $$\widetilde{H}$$

H
~

be the root closure of H. Then H is called transfer Krull if there exists a transfer homomorphism from H into a Krull monoid. It is well known that both half-factorial monoids and Krull monoids are transfer Krull monoids. In spite of many examples and counterexamples of transfer Krull monoids (that are neither Krull nor half-factorial), transfer Krull monoids have not been studied systematically (so far) as objects on their own. The main goal of the present paper is to attempt the first in-depth study of transfer Krull monoids. We investigate how the root closure of a monoid can affect the transfer Krull property and under what circumstances transfer Krull monoids have to be half-factorial or Krull. In particular, we show that if $$\widetilde{H}$$

H
~

is a DVM, then H is transfer Krull if and only if $$H\subseteq \widetilde{H}$$

H
⊆

H
~

is inert. Moreover, we prove that if $$\widetilde{H}$$

H
~

is factorial, then H is transfer Krull if and only if $$\mathcal {A}(\widetilde{H})=\{u\varepsilon \mid u\in \mathcal {A}(H),\varepsilon \in \widetilde{H}^{\times }\}$$

A

(

H
~

)

=

{
u
ε
∣
u
∈
A

(
H
)

,
ε
∈

H
~

×

}

. We also show that if $$\widetilde{H}$$

H
~

is half-factorial, then H is transfer Krull if and only if $$\mathcal {A}(H)\subseteq \mathcal {A}(\widetilde{H})$$

A

(
H
)

⊆
A

(

H
~

)

. Finally, we point out that characterizing the transfer Krull property is more intricate for monoids whose root closure is Krull. This is done by providing a series of counterexamples involving reduced affine monoids.
Natural history of MRI brain volumes in patients with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 3: a sensitive imaging biomarker
Authors: Hochstein Jan-Niklas , Schulz A. , Nickel M. , Lezius S. , Grosser M. , Fiehler J. , Sedlacik J. , Löbel U.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Grey matter (GM) atrophy due to neuronal loss is a striking feature of patients with CLN3 disease. A precise and quantitative description of disease progression is needed in order to establish an evaluation tool for current and future experimental treatments. In order to develop a quantitative marker to measure brain volume outcome, we analysed the longitudinal volumetric development of GM, white matter (WM) and lateral ventricles and correlated those with the clinical course.

Methods

One hundred twenty-two MRI scans of 35 patients (21 females; 14 males; age 15.3 ± 4.8 years) with genetically confirmed CLN3 disease were performed. A three-dimensional T1-weighted sequence was acquired with whole brain coverage. Volumetric segmentation of the brain was performed with the FreeSurfer image analysis suite. The clinical severity was assessed by the Hamburg jNCL score, a disease-specific scoring system.

Results

The volumes of supratentorial cortical GM and supratentorial WM, cerebellar GM, basal ganglia/thalamus and hippocampus significantly (r =  − 0.86 to − 0.69, p < 0.0001) decreased with age, while the lateral ventricle volume increased (r = 0.68, p < 0.0001). Supratentorial WM volume correlated poorer with age (r =  − 0.56, p = 0.0001). Supratentorial cortical GM volume showed the steepest (4.6% (± 0.2%)) and most uniform decrease with strongest correlation with age (r =  − 0.86, p < 0.0001). In addition, a strong correlation with disease specific clinical scoring existed for the supratentorial cortical GM volume (r = 0.85, p =  < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Supratentorial cortical GM volume is a sensitive parameter for assessment of disease progression even in early and late disease stages and represents a potential reliable outcome measure for evaluation of experimental therapies.
The FADS1 genotypes modify the effect of linoleic acid-enriched diet on adipose tissue inflammation via pro-inflammatory eicosanoid metabolism
Authors: Vaittinen Maija , Lankinen Maria A. , Käkelä Pirjo , Ågren Jyrki , Wheelock Craig E. , Laakso Markku , Schwab Ursula , Pihlajamäki Jussi
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Fatty acid desaturase (FADS) variants associate with fatty acid (FA) and adipose tissue (AT) metabolism and inflammation. Thus, the role of FADS1 variants in the regulation of dietary linoleic acid (LA)-induced effects on AT inflammation was investigated.

Methods

Subjects homozygotes for the TT and CC genotypes of the FADS1-rs174550 (TT, n = 25 and CC, n = 28) or -rs174547 (TT, n = 42 and CC, n = 28), were either recruited from the METabolic Syndrome In Men cohort to participate in an intervention with LA-enriched diet (FADSDIET) or from the Kuopio Obesity Surgery (KOBS) study. GC and LC–MS for plasma FA proportions and eicosanoid concentrations and AT gene expression for AT inflammatory score (AT-InSc) was determined.

Results

We observed a diet-genotype interaction between LA-enriched diet and AT-InSc in the FADSDIET. In the KOBS study, interleukin (IL)1 beta mRNA expression in AT was increased in subjects with the TT genotype and highest LA proportion. In the FADSDIET, n-6/LA proportions correlated positively with AT-InSc in those with the TT genotype but not with the CC genotype after LA-enriched diet. Specifically, LA- and AA-derived pro-inflammatory eicosanoids related to CYP450/sEH-pathways correlated positively with AT-InSc in those with the TT genotype, whereas in those with the CC genotype, the negative correlations between pro-inflammatory eicosanoids and AT-InSc related to COX/LOX-pathways.

Conclusions

LA-enriched diet increases inflammatory AT gene expression in subjects with the TT genotype, while CC genotype could play a protective role against LA-induced AT inflammation. Overall, the FADS1 variant could modify the dietary LA-induced effects on AT inflammation through the differential biosynthesis of AA-derived eicosanoids.
Cancer-related cognitive impairment in patients with newly diagnosed aggressive lymphoma undergoing standard chemotherapy: a longitudinal feasibility study
Authors: Gates Priscilla , Krishnasamy Meinir , Wilson Carlene , Hawkes Eliza A. , Doré Vincent , Perchyonok Yuliya , Rowe Christopher C. , Walker Adam K. , Vardy Janette L. , de Ruiter Michiel B. , Cushion Tania , Dhillon Haryana M. , Gough Karla
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a recognised adverse consequence of cancer and its treatment. This study assessed the feasibility of collecting longitudinal data on cognition in patients with newly diagnosed, aggressive lymphoma undergoing standard therapy with curative intent via self-report, neuropsychological assessment, peripheral markers of inflammation, and neuroimaging. An exploration and description of patterns of cancer-related cognitive impairment over the course of treatment and recovery was also undertaken and will be reported separately.

Methods

Eligible participants completed repeated measures of cognition including self-report and neuropsychological assessment, and correlates of cognition including blood cell–based inflammatory markers, and neuroimaging at three pre-specified timepoints, time 1 (T1) — pre-treatment (treatment naïve), time 2 (T2) — mid-treatment, and time 3 (T3) — 6 to 8 weeks post-completion of treatment.

Results

30/33 eligible patients (91%, 95% CI: 76%, 97%) were recruited over 10 months. The recruitment rate was 3 patients/month (95% CI: 2.0, 4.3 patients/month). Reasons for declining included feeling overwhelmed and rapid treatment commencement. Mean age was 57 years (SD = 17 years) and 16/30 (53%) were male. Most patients (20/30, 67%) had diffuse large B cell lymphoma or Hodgkin lymphoma (4/30, 13%). The neuroimaging sub-study was optional, 11/30 participants (37%) were eligible to take part, and all agreed. The remaining 19 participants were ineligible as their diagnostic PET/CT scan was completed prior. Retention and compliance with all assessments were 89 to 100% at all timepoints. Only one participant was withdrawn due to disease progression.

Conclusions

Findings from this study including excellent recruitment, retention, and compliance rates demonstrate it is feasible to longitudinally assess cognition in people with newly diagnosed aggressive lymphoma during their initial treatment and recovery to inform the development of future research to improve patient experiences and cognitive outcomes.

Trial registration.

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619001649101.
Custom-made hinged total knee arthroplasties in the context of extra-articular deformity: a case series
Authors: Nuutinen Timo K. , Madanat R. , Både K. W. , Ristolainen L. H. , Kauppinen H. , Manninen M. J.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Treatment of secondary knee osteoarthritis with a significant extra-articular deformity can be challenging. In such cases, an osteotomy or a custom-made hinged knee arthroplasy (CMH) are treatment options. However, there are limited data on the outcomes of using CMHs. Thus, the aim of this retrospective study was to assess the clinical results and subjective outcomes of CMHs.

Methods

We reviewed 9 CMHs (Endo-Model, LINK) in 7 patients with a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Upon the last follow-up, we evaluated MA, stability and range of movement (ROM). Oxford Knee Score (OKS) was used to evaluate patient-reported outcomes.

Results

The average age upon surgery was 61 years (48–76 years), and the follow-up period was 66 months. There were no early complications. Two CMHs were revised, one due to aseptic loosening and one due to late-onset haematogenic infection. Pre-operatively, MA varied from 18° (average 11°) valgus-deformity to 30° (average 17°) varus-deformity. Post-operatively, 7/9 (78%) of patients achieved better MA. Upon follow-up, the average OKS was 41/48, and ROM was 113°.

Conclusions

Patients treated with CMHs achieved good clinical and patient-reported outcomes. There were no early reoperations, and revision rate was relatively low. Overall, CMH could be considered for low-demand patients with increased operative risks.
The effects of the climatic change on daily maximum and minimum temperatures along 102 years (1917–2018) recorded at the Fabra Observatory, Barcelona
Authors: Lana X. , Serra C. , Martínez M. D.
Published: June 2022

Time trends and their statistical significance for daily minimum, Tmin, and maximum, Tmax, temperatures recorded at the Fabra Observatory (Barcelona) along 102 years (1917–2018) permit to analyse the evolution of every one of the 365 calendar days along the recording period. Relevant changes in the daily temperature regime have been quantified not only by time trends and the Mann–Kendall test, but also by the multifractal analysis applied to consecutive segments of daily temperature data. The evolution of several multifractal parameters (the central Hölder exponent, the spectral asymmetry and spectral amplitude, the complexity index and the Hurst exponent) provides a complementary viewpoint to describe the evolution of the thermometric regime along the 102 recorded years. At monthly scale, the effects of the climate change are characterised by significant positive trends from September to December and very moderate negative trends from April to July. With respect to changes in the calendar-day structure, it is noticeable a shift of the highest minimum and maximum daily temperature from July to August (year 2018) to the beginning of September (projections for years 2030 and 2050) and the projected highest maximum calendar-day temperature exceeding 30 °C.