bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Value of Bone SPECT/CT Using 99mTc-Methylene Diphosphonate in Patients with Unspecified Chest Wall Pain
Authors: Park Soo Bin , Lim Chae Hong , Chang Won Ho , Hwang Jung Hwa , Lee Ji Young , Kim Young Hwan , Park Jung Mi
Published: November 2021

Purpose We investigated the diagnostic performance of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) as a combination of functional and anatomic imaging, in patients with unspecified chest wall pain.

Methods Fifty-two patients with unspecified chest wall pain and no history of recent major traumatic events or cardiac disease were included. The number and location of radioactive chest wall lesions were evaluated on both planar images and SPECT/CT. The clinical diagnosis was made based on all of the clinical and imaging data and follow-up information.

Results Chest wall diseases were diagnosed in 42 patients (80.8 %). SPECT/CT showed abnormal findings in 35 (67.3 %) patients with positive predictive value (PPV) of 97.1 %. SPECT/CT revealed 56 % more lesions than planar bone scan (P = 0.002) and most of the abnormal radioactive lesions (94.6 %) showed combined morphological changes on the matched CT component. When comparing between age subgroups (< 60 y vs. ≥ 60 y), the prevalence of chest wall disease and diagnosis rate of fracture was significantly higher in the older age group. On SPECT/CT, the older age group showed higher frequency of having abnormal finding (95.8 % vs. 42.9 %, P < 0.001) and significantly more lesions were detected (a total of 189 vs. 32, P = 0.003).

Conclusion SPECT/CT showed good diagnostic performance and proved to have higher sensitivity, detecting 56 % more lesions than planar bone scan. A negative result could be helpful for excluding pathologic chest wall disease. SPECT/CT might be recommended for integration in to the diagnostic workup in patients with unspecified chest wall pain, especially in patients ≥ 60 y of age, considering the high disease prevalence and the high frequency of positive results.
Prädiktoren für die Inanspruchnahme unterschiedlicher
Leistungen zur Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben: Ein Vergleich von
Integrationsmaßnahmen, Teilqualifizierungen und
Vollausbildungen
Authors: Kölle Theresa , Schmid Lucia , Kaluscha Rainer , Kaltenbach Christina , Tepohl Lena , Krebs Klaus , Krischak Gert
Published: November 2021

Ziel der Studie Leistungen zur Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben sind ein
wesentlicher Bestandteil der rehabilitativen Maßnahmen der gesetzlichen
Rentenversicherung und sind immer dann indiziert, wenn gesundheitsbedingte
Einschränkungen die Erwerbsfähigkeit bedrohen. Es gibt
verschiedene Arten von Leistungen zur Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben, die sich
hinsichtlich Inhaltes, Struktur, Dauer, Betreuungsintensität und Kosten
voneinander unterscheiden. Ziel der Studie war es, Merkmale von Rehabilitanden
zu identifizieren, die die Inanspruchnahme unterschiedlicher Leistungen zur
Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben charakterisieren.

Methodik In die Beobachtungsstudie wurden alle Versicherten der Deutschen
Rentenversicherung Baden-Württemberg mit einbezogen, die in den Jahren
2009 bis 2014 im kooperierenden Berufsförderungswerk eine
Integrationsmaßnahme, eine Teilqualifizierung oder eine Vollausbildung
absolviert hatten. Um Hinweise auf die Prädiktoren der Inanspruchnahme
der 3 unterschiedlichen Leistungen zu erhalten, wurde eine multinomiale
logistische Regression mit der Zielgröße Maßnahmenart
berechnet. Als potenzielle Einflussgrößen wurden
soziodemografische Merkmale sowie verschiedene Parameter, die den Erwerbsstatus
der Rehabilitanden im Vorjahr der Maßnahmen abbilden, in das Modell mit
aufgenommen.

Ergebnisse In die Analysen wurden insgesamt 934 Rehabilitanden einbezogen,
die eine Integrationsmaßnahme (n=443), eine Teilqualifizierung
(n=315) oder eine Vollausbildung (n=176) absolviert haben. Im
finalen logistischen Regressionsmodell erwiesen sich Geschlecht
(p<0,0001), Alter (p<0,0001), Schulabschluss (p=0,0033),
Besitz eines Führerscheins (p<0,0001), Umzugsbereitschaft
(p=0,0012), der Antrag auf Anerkennung einer Schwerbehinderung
(p=0,0404) sowie die Beitragsart im dritten Monat vor
Maßnahmenbeginn (p=0,0020) als signifikante Prädiktoren
für die Inanspruchnahme.

Schlussfolgerung Die umfangreicheren und kostenintensiveren
Vollausbildungen werden im Vergleich zu Integrationsmaßnahmen eher von
jüngeren, männlichen, schulisch höher qualifizierten und
vor der Maßnahme im Erwerbsleben stehenden Rehabilitanden in Anspruch
genommen. Entsprechendes gilt teilweise und mit kleineren Effekten auch
für die Teilqualifizierungen.
Untersuchung von Aktivierungsmustern posturaler Muskulatur durch
Fazilitation über die Hände „Hands Induced
Posture“ (HIP) mittels OEMG- Teil 2: Erarbeitung von
Bewegungsmustern
Authors: Best Stefanie , Anders Christoph , Best Norman
Published: November 2021

Hintergrund Die sensomotorische Fazilitation über die
Hände ist eine Methode, die mutmaßlich die Rumpfmuskulatur
aktiviert und somit eine Alternative zur Kurzfußtechnik nach Janda
darstellen soll. Nach Reliabilitätsuntersuchungen zur Messmethode soll
hier der Nachweis einer Erhöhung der Muskelaktivität mittels
Oberflächen-EMG (OEMG) erbracht werden.

Methoden Mittels OEMG wurden bei 44 jungen gesunden Probanden das
Aktivierungsverhalten von 15 Muskelpaaren während der Fazilitation im
Vergleich zur Ausgangsstellung geprüft.

Ergebnisse Die Fazilitation über die Hände führte
zu einer Aktivierung der Rumpfmuskulatur, die weitgehend symmetrisch erfolgte
und für die überwiegend eine klinische Relevanz nachweisbar war
(Effektstärken>0,8). Seitensymmetrische Unterschiede im Rahmen
der Händigkeit zeigten ein höheres rechtsseitiges
Aktivitätsniveau. Die weiblichen Studienteilnehmer reagierten im Detail
anders als die männlichen Teilnehmer.

Diskussion Zur Vermeidung einer verstärkten asymmetrischen
sensomotorischen Fazilitation auf Grund der Händigkeit ist eine
therapeutische Kontrolle, zumindest zu Beginn der Behandlung, sinnvoll. Die
beobachteten geschlechtsspezifischen Besonderheiten können derzeit nicht
aufgeklärt werden und erfordern weitere Untersuchungen. Systematische
Untersuchungen zur Seitendominanz in ihrer Auswirkung auf die posturale
Rumpfmuskulatur existieren nicht, dennoch können die beobachteten
generellen Seitenabweichungen der Händigkeit zugeordnet werden.

Schlussfolgerung Die HIP eignet sich zur Fazilitation der Rumpfmuskulatur.
Weitere Untersuchungen an der eigentlichen Zielgruppe, bspw. Rollstuhlfahrer,
sind notwendig um die Aspekte gehandicapter Personen weiter zu erfassen.
Synthesis of Rigid Rod, Trigonal, and Tetrahedral Nucleobase-Terminated Molecules
Authors: Cheng Liang , Jin Xiao-Yang , Wu Chuan-Shuo , Liu An-Di , Liu Li
Published: November 2021

An efficient fragment splicing method for the construction of multiple nucleobase-terminated monomers has been developed. Conformationally fixed rod, trigonal planar and tetrahedral thymine and adenine structures were generated in moderate to good yields, which will serve as inspiring examples for exploration of nucleobases as natural hydrogen-bond components in supramolecular chemistry.
Chemotherapy-Associated Pulmonary Toxicity—Case Series from a Single Center
Authors: TVSVGK Tilak , Handa Ajay , Kumar Kishore , Mutreja Deepti , Subramanian Shankar
Published: November 2021

Background Pulmonary toxicity due to chemotherapeutic agents can occur with many established and new drugs. Strong clinical suspicion is important as the clinical presentation is usually with nonspecific symptoms like cough, dyspnea, fever, and pulmonary infiltrates. Timely discontinuation of the offending agent alone can improve the condition.

Methods A prospective observational study on patients receiving chemotherapy at an 800-bedded tertiary care hospital was performed from 2014 to 2016. Consecutive patients on chemotherapy, presenting with nonresolving respiratory symptoms were evaluated with contrast-enhanced computerized tomography of chest, diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), fiberoptic bronchoscopy with lavage, and biopsy, after excluding all causes for pulmonary infections. Descriptive data has been depicted.

Results A total of 18 patients were evaluated for persistent symptoms of dry cough, dyspnea, and fever among 624 who received chemotherapy during the study period. Ground-glass opacities on high-resolution CT was the most common imaging finding, others being patchy subpleural consolidation and pleural effusion. Lymphocyte-predominant bronchoalveolar lavage was detected in nine. Eight of the 15 patients who underwent DLCO, had abnormal results. Seven had significant histopathological findings on bronchoscopic lung biopsy, which revealed organizing pneumonia as the most common pattern. Paclitaxel, fluorouracil, gemcitabine, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors were the common culprit drugs. Discontinuation alone of the culprit drug was effective in 15 and 3 needed oral corticosteroids for relief of symptoms. None of the patients died due to the toxicity.

Conclusion An incidence of 2.8% for chemotherapy-induced lung injury was seen in our observational study of 3 years, with parenchymal, interstitial, and pleural involvement due to various chemotherapeutic agents. Oral steroids maybe required in a subset of patients not responding to discontinuation of the culprit agent.
Rete Middle Cerebral Artery Anomaly Presenting with a Large Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Case Report
Authors: Sahu Chandra Dev , Bhargava Nishant , Sahana Debabrata , Kumar Sanjeev
Published: November 2021

Rete MCA anomaly is extremely rare and has been seldomly discussed in literature. Embryologically MCA develops by fusion of multiple twigs which form a single channel. If there is failure to fuse a plexiform network of vessels persists known as rete MCA. This web like network of vessels is at high risk of haemorrhagic stroke and therefore for patients presenting incidentally correct diagnosis is paramount. Here we report a case of rete MCA anomaly in a 35-year-old gentle man who presented with a large haemorrhagic stroke in emergency. DSA showed unilateral involvement of proximal MCA, and otherwise normal intra-cranial vasculature. With this report we aim to correctly diagnose this rare condition and avoid misdiagnosis leading to unnecessary treatments.
Assessment of Knowledge, Awareness and Attitude towards Oral Precancer and Cancer among Narikuravar Population in Pondicherry State
Authors: Muthanandam Sivaramakrishnan , Babu Bontha V. , Muthu Jananni , Suganya R. , Vezhavendhan N. , Kishore M.
Published: November 2021

Objective Literature revealed that oral health status and awareness about oral hygiene measures of Narikuravar tribes were very poor. There was also an increased prevalence of tobacco usage among this population. Considering this, incidence and prevalence of oral precancerous and cancerous lesions are expected to be high in this population. Surprisingly, the literature search revealed a lack of data on the awareness, knowledge, and prevalence of oral cancer and precancer in this group. The primary objective of this survey is to assess knowledge, awareness and attitude toward oral precancer and cancer among the Narikuravar tribal population in Pondicherry state.

Materials and Methods This questionnaire survey is a part of the Model for Oral Cancer Eradication project conducted among the Narikuravar population in Pondicherry, which is funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). A total of 153 participants were recruited for the survey. A prevalidated questionnaire was used for the survey.

Results The results indicated that 47% of the participants were aware of what is oral precancer and cancer. As much as 62% knew that chewing tobacco causes oral cancer and 44% thought that the growth of tissue in the mouth could be a sign of oral cancer. Almost 100% did not think that the presence of a red lesion, white lesion, or limitation of mouth opening could be signs of cancer or precancer. Only 16% thought that oral cancer is preventable.

Conclusion Awareness about oral cancer and precancer is inadequate among the Narikuravar population of Pondicherry. Majority of the population is not aware of the risks, signs, or treatment options of oral precancer and cancer. The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) identified the people’s knowledge gaps, and improving awareness is one of the strategies of the program.
SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response among Women Infected during Pregnancy
Authors: Buckley Ayisha , Mills Ariana , Paul Keisha , Raymond Samantha , Mendu Damondara R. , DeBolt Chelsea , Rosenberg Mitchell , Wajnberg Ania , Szeto Libby , Cochrane Elizabeth , Vieira Luciana , Berkin Jill , Ferrera Lauren , Stone Joanne , Bianco Angela
Published: November 2021

Objectives Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization as of March 11, 2020. Pregnant women naturally have a reduced immune system due to immunological changes and decreased lung capacity due to respiratory adaptations, making them more susceptible to coronavirus complications. Within the Mount Sinai Health system, more than 15,000 deliveries are performed annually. We began to care for pregnant women with known COVID-19 infections in late March of 2020. In early April 2020, a policy was implemented to perform universal COVID-19 testing for all women planning to deliver within the Mount Sinai Health system. We examined the antibody response of postpartum women who delivered at Mount Sinai Hospital with a SARS-CoV-2 infection between the study intervals during March 15, 2020, through April 30, 2020.

Study Design This was a prospective observational study examining the immune response of pregnant women who delivered at Mount Sinai Hospital with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Women with a SARS-CoV-2 infection were contacted via phone to discuss participation in the study. Patients who consented were scheduled for a phlebotomy visit to assess their antibody titer levels to COVID-19. The COVID-19 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) immunoglobulin (Ig)-G antibody test was used to evaluate the patients' antibody titers. The assay detects IgG antibodies for the detection of IgG seroconversion in patients following a known recent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Results A total of 120 patients were identified with a documented SARS-CoV-2 infection who delivered within the prespecified time frame. Of those patients, 25 women agreed to participate and were included. Of them, 64.00% were Caucasian with a mean age of 35 years. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 30 kg/m2 and the majority of patients had commercial insurance (88.00%). The majority of women were asymptomatic for COVID-19 at the time of admission (80.00%) and the average gestational age of delivery and diagnosis of COVID-19 was 39 weeks' gestation. The later the gestational age at the time of diagnosis, the lower the antibody titer response. When examining the interval from diagnosis to antibody titer analysis, patients with the highest titers (2,880) tended to have a shorter interval between their COVID-19 diagnosis and the time at which the titer level was drawn. Patients with symptoms on admission had similar antibody titer levels when compared with women who were asymptomatic.

Conclusion The antibody response among women infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy appears to be greater when the patients are diagnosed at an earlier gestational age.

Key Points
The Dynamics and Role of Gender in High-Value Avocado Farming in Kenya
Authors: Muriithi Beatrice , Kabubo-Mariara Jane
Published: November 2021

We used two-wave panel data obtained from avocado growers in Murang’a County in Kenya to examine, through the perspective of gender, the dynamics of farmers’ participation in avocado production and marketing organizations (PMOs), and test whether understanding group dynamics is important for analyzing contract farming. Using a multinomial logit (MNL) model, we identify the characteristics of men and women participating in PMOs categorized as early adopters, dis-adopters, late adopters, and non-adopters. We focus on dis-adopters and late adopters because these categories are most often ignored in the literature. Moreover, without considering the dynamics, we verify the influencing factors of PMOs by estimating a random-effects logit model that controls for unobserved heterogeneity across households. Furthermore, we estimate a sequential-choice model to test whether the process of selection into group membership affects the process of selection into contracting. Our results reveal heterogeneity with regard to household, farm, and resource characteristics across categories of farmers and between gender groups. Besides, the results reveal that group and contracting dynamics are related, and ignoring the former leads to biased estimates of the determinants of contracting dynamics. Policy efforts should focus on supporting women farmers to enhance their participation in PMOs, which ultimately affects contracting. Improving access to high-yielding avocado varieties and building capacity in orchard management would enhance women’s decision-making including group participation, contracting, and marketing. Low-cost agricultural credit may also improve women’s ownership of improved avocado trees and hence their participation in high-value markets.
‘The company will fire you because you are too expensive’: a photo-ethnography of health care rights among Filipino migrant seafarers
Authors: Guillot-Wright Shannon
Published: November 2021

With fatal injuries six times the rate of all US occupations, people who live and work at sea are part of one of the most dangerous occupations. Few ships have health care workers aboard despite many seafarers being at sea for months. While seafarers are guaranteed a right to health care through maritime labor laws and conventions, it is unclear whether or how they access these rights. Therefore, photo-ethnography was used to examine what health care access means for seafarers through the lens of structural violence. The study site was the vessel the seafarers worked and lived on, which docked in the Gulf of Mexico once-a-week, flies a flag of convenience, and travels in international waters. The photo-ethnography was implemented over a one-year period and included male Filipino seafarers who worked 9-month contracts at sea. The historical, structural, and political-economic production of injury, illness, and death were questioned to understand why migrant seafarers do not have de facto access to their de jure health rights. In this way, health prevention was analyzed through the discourse of power distribution instead of risk and disease. Results from the project reveal that seafarers routinely underreport adverse work and health conditions for fear of losing future work contracts. Adverse work experiences included dangerous vessels and routes as well as being encouraged to work with little sleep or through storms. Adverse health issues included severe to moderate injury and illness, which they concealed from management. Ultimately, it was revealed that political-economic systems are internalized and embodied among migrant workers who are employed under short-term contracts, leading to decreased healthcare-seeking behaviors and increased health disparities.
Design and test of a compact beam current monitor based on a passive RF cavity for a proton therapy linear accelerator
Authors: Cardelli F. , Ampollini A. , Bazzano G. , Nenzi P. , Piersanti L. , Ronsivalle C. , Picardi L.
Published: November 2021

In a medical accelerator, real-time monitoring systems of the beam and dose delivered to the patient are mandatory. In this work, we present a compact current profile detector that has been designed and tested in the framework of the TOP-IMPLART (Intensity Modulated Proton Linear Accelerator for RadioTerapy) project. This project foresees the realization of a proton linear accelerator, currently under construction at ENEA Frascati, for proton therapy applications. The linac produces a pulsed proton beam with 3 µs duration at 50 Hz repetition rate with a pulse current between 0.5 and 50 μA. A large dynamic range and spatial constraints make the use of usual noninterceptive beam diagnostics unfeasible. Therefore, the use of a beam current monitor based on a passive RF cavity working in the TM010 mode has been proposed. This paper reports the electromagnetic design of the device guided by a simplified analytical model. A prototype of such a device has been realized, characterized, and tested on the linac with a 35 MeV beam varying the beam current. The test results in air and in vacuum, together with the signal detection systems used, are presented.
Multiscale modeling of fragmentation in an electrospray plume
Authors: Nuwal Nakul , Azevedo Victor A. , Klosterman Matthew R. , Budaraju Siddharth , Levin Deborah A. , Rovey Joshua L.
Published: November 2021

We present a 3D-particle-in-cell (PIC) approach to modeling electrospray plumes typical of those formed by externally wetted emitter devices. Numerical grid-resolution techniques suitable for capturing strong electric fields in the emitter region were explored, and grid refinement criteria were quantified. The molecular dynamics simulations of the EMIM−BF4 ionic liquid system were modeled to determine the fragmentation mechanism in the presence of an electric field and dimer temperature as well as to provide fragmentation rates for the PIC simulations. An energy analysis of the molecular dynamics (MD) fragmentation demonstrated that the key mechanism for dimer fragmentation corresponds to a decrease in the Coulomb energy between the cation and anion in the system and that dimers of temperatures 300 and 600 K are extremely stable for electric fields smaller than 1.5 V/nm. Using probabilities of fragmentation consistent with the MD simulations, we implemented a dimer fragmentation model in our PIC simulations. The ion energy distribution functions obtained from the PIC simulations were used to predict retarding potential analysis (RPA) curves that were compared directly to measurements. The sensitivity of the RPA shape to the fragmentation probability was found to be significant. By comparing predicted and measured RPA curves for both negative and positive operation modes, and the fact that dimers do not fragment for electric fields less than 0.6 V/nm, we conclude that fragmentation of dimers occurs spontaneously due to their high thermal energies.
Incorporation of Si and Sn donors in β-Ga2O3 through surface reconstructions
Authors: Wang Mengen , Mu Sai , Van de Walle Chris G.
Published: November 2021

Tin and silicon incorporate on gallium sites in Ga2O3 and act as shallow donors. The monoclinic structure of Ga2O3 has two inequivalent Ga sites; density functional theory calculations for bulk show that Sn prefers the octahedral site, while Si prefers the tetrahedral site. Experiments have indicated that Si and Sn can also incorporate on the thermodynamically less preferred site. We use density functional theory to study the adsorption of Si and Sn and also the co-adsorption of these impurities with Ga and O adatoms on the Ga2O3(010) surface. We identify a number of surface reconstructions in which Si adatoms prefer octahedral sites and Sn adatoms prefer tetrahedral sites. By applying the electron counting rule, we also study the mechanisms of the preferred adsorption sites for Si and Sn. We conclude that Si and Sn can also occupy the thermodynamically unfavored site due to surface reconstructions during the growth, which potentially leads to Si and Sn occupying both octahedral and tetrahedral sites in Ga2O3.
Parasitic excitation of fundamental-cyclotron-harmonic waves in high-harmonic gyrotrons
Authors: Kalynov Yuriy K. , Savilov Andrey V. , Semenov Eugeny S.
Published: November 2021

A typical problem of the development of high-harmonic short-wavelength gyrotrons, namely, the competition between the operating wave and a parasitic fundamental-harmonic wave, is studied. A specific case of the excitation of a far-from-cutoff parasitic wave in the backward-wave oscillator regime is considered.
High-resolution observation of cathodic arc spots in a magnetically steered arc plasma source in low pressure argon, nitrogen, and oxygen atmospheres
Authors: Oh Kyunghwan , Kalanov Dmitry , Birtel Peter , Anders André
Published: November 2021

Cathode spots in a magnetically steered arc source were studied under low-pressure noble gas (Ar) and reactive gas (N2, O2) atmospheres. The plasma was observed using a streak camera coupled with a long-distance microscope to study the evolution of cathode spots with high temporal and spatial resolution. We find two well-known types of cathode spots: “type 1” for less bright spots eroding the compound layer on the cathode surface and bright “type 2” spots on (clean) metallic surfaces. Cathode spots are characterized by a sequence of microexplosions that give the impression of a moving spot, which, in the presence of a magnetic field, is generally in the retrograde direction. However, the apparent displacement can also go in the opposite, the Amperian direction, especially when nitrogen is present. In oxygen, spot ignition often happens in approximately the same location repeatedly. For type 2 spots, we detected an apparent motion mainly in the retrograde direction with distinct jumps to new locations. Via the effects of spot appearance, we note the competing effects of cathode cleaning by spot-induced material removal (erosion) and compound formation in the presence of reactive gas. The streak images were analyzed by fast Fourier transformation, and we found that the arc fluctuations are stochastic without specific frequencies. The colored random noise (CRN) index tends to be reduced in the presence of a compound layer, indicating an enhanced spot ignition probability. A reduced CRN index implies reduced feedback (influence) of previously active spots, which is most apparent in the presence of elevated oxygen pressure.
Circular Motion on a Vertical Plane
Authors: Mårtensson-Pendrill Ann-Marie
Published: November 2021

Circular motion on a vertical plane involves a large variation of possible motions with the centripetal acceleration pointing in any direction between up, horizontal, and down and the force from the ride combining with gravity in a way that changes continuously. The different ride examples highlight that the moving body may rotate around different axes — or not at all. They aim to increase the awareness of the orientation of the body and of forces and rotation around different axes. This chapter also prepares students for rigid-body dynamics in three dimensions, which is known to be a challenging aspect of engineering mechanics. Rotation axes are less abstract when they involve our own bodies. A few cases of uniform circular motion from slow moving Ferris wheels to classic family or thrill rides are discussed before continuing with non-uniform circular motion, including flying carpet rides. Finally, a few examples of combined circular motions are introduced. Pendulum motion and roller coaster loops where the tangential forces from the ride are negligible will be discussed in Chapters 7 and 8.
Energy Transformations
Authors: Mårtensson-Pendrill Ann-Marie
Published: November 2021

Energy can never be destroyed nor created — only converted, according to the first law of thermodynamics. This chapter discusses a few types of energy conversion that are relevant for amusement park rides. The interplay between potential and kinetic energy is at the heart of pendulum and roller coaster motion. Even if some energy is always converted to heat during a swing or throughout a roller coaster ride, the losses are sufficiently small for the relation v12/2+gh1≈v22/2+gh2 to be useful for calculations of the change in speed based on change in elevation. Examples in the chapter include a roller coaster loop, as well as the influence of the position on the train. The initial energy for a roller coaster train is traditionally provided in the form of increased gravitational potential energy on the lift hill, where a chain (or other device) pulls the train to the highest point of the track. Many modern roller coasters instead give the train initial kinetic energy in the form of a launch. The chapter offers a deeper dive into the energy conversions during a hydraulic launch, as well as the heating and cooling of magnetic brakes at the end of the ride.
Illusions
Authors: Mårtensson-Pendrill Ann-Marie
Published: November 2021

An amusement park uses many illusions to immerse you in an experience that modies your surroundings to give an impression of danger while keeping you safe. Optical illusions from mirrors and lighting to forced perspectives have long traditions both in amusement parks and elsewhere. Computer graphics can make a desktop workstation into a movie studio, creating effective ride movies with special effects without the need for real tracks, buildings, or persons. Three-dimensional movies are also used to visualize scientific data, from the atom to the inside of the body and through the universe, offering an educational component to immersive experiences. Motion platforms make use of the limited precision in our perception of acceleration, slope, and rotation. More recently, Virtual Reality (VR) has been combined with physical roller coasters to create VR coasters.
Technology and Safety
Authors: Mårtensson-Pendrill Ann-Marie
Published: November 2021

Technology lies at the heart of exciting experiences in the amusement park, creating tensions between magic and reality, between the experiences of eyes and body, danger and safety. It is easy to forget how much science and technology lie behind what we take for granted. This chapter aims to help you and your students discover the technological solutions that send you on rides and keep you safe until the end. These solutions include tracks, lift hills and rollback protections, mechanical and magnetic brakes, hydraulics, pneumatics, electromagnetism and proximity sensors for block systems in roller coasters, as well as safety routines and standards.
Linked supergenes underlie split sex ratio and social organization in an ant
Authors: Lagunas-Robles German , Purcell Jessica , Brelsford Alan
Published: November 2021

Significance

Some social insects exhibit split sex ratios, wherein a subset of colonies produce future queens and others produce males. This phenomenon spawned many influential theoretical studies and empirical tests, both of which have advanced our understanding of parent–offspring conflicts and the maintenance of cooperative breeding. However, previous studies assumed that split sex ratio was not under genetic control. Here, we show that split sex ratio is associated with a large genomic region in two ant species. The discovery that sex allocation can have a genetic basis provides an additional perspective on this well-studied trait of social insects.
Coordinated bacterial and plant sulfur metabolism in
Enterobacter
sp. SA187–induced plant salt stress tolerance
Authors: Andrés-Barrao Cristina , Alzubaidy Hanin , Jalal Rewaa , Mariappan Kiruthiga G. , de Zélicourt Axel , Bokhari Ameerah , Artyukh Olga , Alwutayd Khairiah , Rawat Anamika , Shekhawat Kirti , Almeida-Trapp Marília , Saad Maged M. , Hirt Heribert
Published: November 2021

Significance

Although plant growth–promoting bacteria (PGPB) enhance the performance of plants, only a few mechanisms have been identified so far. We show that the sulfur metabolisms in both PGPB
Enterobacter
sp. SA187 and Arabidopsis plants play a key role in plant salt stress tolerance. Salt stress induces a sulfur starvation response in plants that is attenuated by SA187. Arabidopsis sulfur metabolic mutants are hypersensitive to salt stress but can be rescued by SA187. Most plant sulfur metabolism occurs in chloroplasts and is linked to stress-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species that is suppressed by SA187. This work reveals that plant salt stress tolerance requires the coordinated regulation of the sulfur metabolic pathways in both beneficial microbe and host plant.
Taylor’s law of fluctuation scaling for semivariances and higher moments of heavy-tailed data
Authors: Brown Mark , Cohen Joel E. , Tang Chuan-Fa , Yam Sheung Chi Phillip
Published: November 2021

Significance

Many quantities are extremely large extremely rarely. Examples include income, wealth, financial returns, insurance losses, firm size, and city population size; earthquake magnitude, hurricane energy, tornado outbreaks, precipitation, and flooding; and pest outbreaks, infectious epidemics, and forest fires. When such a quantity is modeled as a nonnegative random variable with a heavy upper tail, the probability of an observation larger than some threshold falls as a small power (the “tail index”) of the threshold. When the tail index is small enough, the mean and all higher moments of the random quantity are infinite. Surprisingly, the sample mean and the sample higher moments obey orderly scaling laws, which we prove and apply to estimating the tail index.
Divisive normalization unifies disparate response signatures throughout the human visual hierarchy
Authors: Aqil Marco , Knapen Tomas , Dumoulin Serge O.
Published: November 2021

Neural processing is hypothesized to apply the same mathematical operations in a variety of contexts, implementing so-called canonical neural computations. Divisive normalization (DN) is considered a prime candidate for a canonical computation. Here, we propose a population receptive field (pRF) model based on DN and evaluate it using ultra-high-field functional MRI (fMRI). The DN model parsimoniously captures seemingly disparate response signatures with a single computation, superseding existing pRF models in both performance and biological plausibility. We observe systematic variations in specific DN model parameters across the visual hierarchy and show how they relate to differences in response modulation and visuospatial information integration. The DN model delivers a unifying framework for visuospatial responses throughout the human visual hierarchy and provides insights into its underlying information-encoding computations. These findings extend the role of DN as a canonical computation to neuronal populations throughout the human visual hierarchy.
Trading bits in the readout from a genetic network
Authors: Bauer Marianne , Petkova Mariela D. , Gregor Thomas , Wieschaus Eric F. , Bialek William
Published: November 2021

Significance

Many cellular processes depend on a quantitative response to the concentration of transcription factor molecules. A plethora of different mechanisms contribute to this concentration sensing: Multiple enhancers with a combination of binding sites regulate genes together based on spatially heterogeneous transcription factors. Using the early fly embryo as an example, we investigate abstract sensors with limited capacity due to noise and optimize so that the sensors capture as much information as possible about a cell’s position in the embryo. The resulting optimal sensors have important features in common with the known mechanisms of enhancer function.
A widespread viral entry mechanism: The C-end Rule motif–neuropilin receptor interaction
Authors: Balistreri Giuseppe , Yamauchi Yohei , Teesalu Tambet
Published: November 2021

Many phylogenetically distant animal viruses, including the new coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, have surface proteins with polybasic sites that are cleaved by host furin and furin-like proteases. Other than priming certain viral surface proteins for fusion, cleavage generates a carboxy-terminal RXXR sequence. This C-end Rule (CendR) motif is known to bind to neuropilin (NRP) receptors on the cell surface. NRPs are ubiquitously expressed, pleiotropic cell surface receptors with important roles in growth factor signaling, vascular biology, and neurobiology, as well as immune homeostasis and activation. The CendR–NRP receptor interaction promotes endocytic internalization and tissue spreading of different cargo, including viral particles. We propose that the interaction between viral surface proteins and NRPs plays an underappreciated and prevalent role in the transmission and pathogenesis of diverse viruses and represents a promising broad-spectrum antiviral target.
The predictors of exam performance of Kazakh university students and secondary school pupils learning Turkish
Authors: Dewaele Jean-Marc
Published: November 2021

The present study investigates the effect of sociobiographical, emotional, attitudinal characteristics and teacher perceptions of 275 Kazakh secondary school pupils and 317 university students on their exam performance in Turkish as a foreign language (FL). Multiple regression analyses reveal that exam results in Turkish of secondary school pupils are predicted by teacher gender, participant’s age, attitude towards the FL and FL Classroom Anxiety. A very different picture emerges for university students, where FL level, participant’s gender, FL Enjoyment, FL Classroom Anxiety and teacher’s age explain more than twice as much variance. FL exam scores for both groups are thus underpinned by different sets of complex interactions between multiple learner-internal and learner-external variables and the effect of emotions is much stronger among university learners.
The burden of injuries according to maturity status and timing: A two‐decade study with 110 growth curves in an elite football academy
Authors: Monasterio Xabier , Gil Susana M. , Bidaurrazaga‐Letona Iraia , Lekue Jose A. , Santisteban Juan M. , Diaz‐Beitia Gontzal , Lee Dae‐Jin , Zumeta‐Olaskoaga Lore , Martin‐Garetxana Imanol , Bikandi Eder , Larruskain Jon
Published: November 2021

Injuries have a negative impact on the development of football players. Maturation is a potential risk factor for football injuries but available data on this topic provide limited evidence due to methodological shortcomings. The aim of this study was to describe the injury burden of male academy football players according to growth curve‐derived maturity status and timing. Injury and growth data were collected from 2000 to 2020. Longitudinal height records for 110 individual players were fitted with the Super‐Imposition by Translation and Rotation model to estimate age at peak height velocity (PHV). Players were clustered according to maturity status (pre‐, circa‐, post‐PHV, or adults) and timing (early, on‐time, late maturers). Overall and specific injury burdens (days lost/player‐season) and rate ratios for comparisons between groups were calculated. Overall injury burden increased with advanced maturity status; pre‐PHV players had 3.2‐, 3.7‐, and 5.5‐times lower burden compared with circa‐PHV, post‐PHV, and adult players, respectively. Growth‐related injuries were more burdensome circa‐PHV, while muscle and joint/ligament injuries had a higher impact post‐PHV and in adults. Further, in the pre‐PHV period, late maturers showed lower burden of overall, growth‐related, anterior inferior iliac spine osteochondrosis, and knee joint/ligament injuries compared with on‐time maturers. In adult players, however, injuries were less burdensome for early maturers than on‐time and late maturers. In addition, joint/ligament injuries of adult late maturers were 4.5‐times more burdensome than those of early maturers. Therefore, monitoring maturity seems crucial to define each player's maturation profile and facilitate design of targeted injury prevention programmes.

Highlights

Injury burden is significantly lower in football players at pre‐peak height velocity (PHV). Growth‐related injuries are most burdensome circa‐PHV, while muscle and joint/ligament injuries are more burdensome post‐PHV and especially in adults.

Before PHV, growth‐related and knee joint/ligament injuries have lower burden in players who mature late than those who mature on‐time. Adult late maturers have greater burden of overall and joint/ligament injuries than early maturers.

Football academies should regularly assess the maturity status and timing of young football players, as the impact of injuries varies with maturation status and timing.

Management of the maturity‐related injury risk profile, in combination with other relevant factors (training load, neuromuscular and biomechanical factors, physiotherapy, coaching, communication, psychosocial factors …), might help improve the success of player development programmes and protect the health of young football players.
Troponin I phosphorylation is essential for cardiac reserve
Authors: Sturgill Sarah L. , Salyer Lorien G. , Shettigar Vikram , Brundage Elizabeth A. , Biesiadecki Brandon J. , Ziolo Mark T.
Published: November 2021

With an increase in the body’s metabolic demand (e.g., exercise), the heart must increase its pumping performance. To achieve this increased performance, the heart relies on its cardiac reserve, which is the ability to increase its systolic and diastolic function. The mechanism responsible for cardiac reserve is poorly understood. The myofilaments are essential for contraction/relaxation, with troponin I (the inhibitory subunit of troponin, TnI) being a key regulatory protein. Studies have shown that TnI serine 23/24 (S23/S24) phosphorylation is a key mechanism for accelerating relaxation by decreasing Ca2+ sensitivity. However, the role of TnI in cardiac reserve is unknown. For this study, we characterized the systolic and diastolic reserve in TnI S23/S24 phosphorylation-null transgenic mice (S23/S24 mutated to alanine [AA] mice). Even with increased Ca2+ sensitivity, the AA mice exhibited normal function at resting heart rate with no difference in cardiac structure compared with wild type. To examine the role TnI S23/S24 phosphorylation in systolic and diastolic reserve, we assessed hemodynamics via left ventricular catheterization on the Bowditch effect (i.e., an increase in contractile function with increasing heart rate) by increasing heart rate (from 240 to 420 beats per minute) and sympathetic stimulation (dobutamine). Our data exhibited a clear loss of diastolic and systolic reserve in the AA mice with increasing heart rate and dobutamine. Since we observed a clear inability to increase systolic and diastolic function in AA mice, we performed speckle tracking echocardiography to quantitatively characterize function at resting heart rate. We observed that AA mice demonstrated normal systolic function (radial strain rate) and impaired directional diastolic function (reverse radial strain rate) at resting heart rate. We conclude that TnI S23/S24 phosphorylation is essential for cardiac reserve by enhancing systolic and diastolic function. A blunted cardiac reserve leads to heart disease making TnI S23/S24 phosphorylation a potential therapeutic strategy.
Voltage-induced Ca2+ release is supported by junctophilins 1, 2 and 3, and not by junctophilin 4
Authors: Perni Stefano , Beam Kurt G.
Published: November 2021

In skeletal muscle, depolarization of the plasma membrane (PM) causes conformational changes of the calcium channel CaV1.1, which then activate RYR1 to release calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Because it does not require extracellular calcium entry, this process is termed voltage-induced calcium release. In skeletal muscle, junctophilins (JPH) 1 and 2 are responsible for forming the SR–PM junctions at which voltage-induced calcium release occurs; structurally similar junctions with different molecular constituents are formed in neurons by JPH3 and JPH4. Studies on mice models demonstrated that JPH1 knockout mice can still perform voltage-induced calcium release, although the complementary approach to verify whether JPH1 alone also supports this release is not easily practicable due to the embryonic lethality of JPH2 knockout mice. In a previous work, we showed that voltage-induced calcium release could be recapitulated in HEK293-derived cells transfected with cDNAs for JPH2 and CaV1.1, β1a, Stac3, and RYR1. Here, we used this reconstitutional approach to test whether JPH1 and the more distantly related JPH3 and JPH4 can also support voltage-induced calcium release in HEK293-derived cells. Our data show that all the four isoforms colocalize with CaV1.1 at ER–PM junctions and that JPH1, JPH2, and JPH3, but not JPH4, cause colocalization of RYR1 with CaV1.1 at the junctions. To test for function, potassium depolarization was applied to cells in which WT CaV1.1 was replaced with the calcium impermeant mutant CaV1.1(N617D) to eliminate extracellular calcium entry. Calcium transients were observed in cells expressing JPH1, JPH2, and JPH3, indicating that these isoforms support voltage-induced calcium release, but not in cells expressing JPH4. Thus, the JPHs seem to act primarily to (1) form ER–PM junctions and (2) recruit the required set of signaling proteins to these junctions; voltage-induced calcium release can be supported by any JPH isoform fulfilling both of these functions.
Cryo-EM reveals local and global structural rearrangements in RYR mutants
Authors: Iyer Kavita A. , Hu Yifan , Klose Thomas , Murayama Takashi , Samsó Montserrat
Published: November 2021

Single-point mutations in ryanodine receptors (RYRs), large intracellular Ca2+ channels that play a critical role in EC coupling, are linked to debilitating and lethal disorders such as central core disease, malignant hyperthermia (for the skeletal isoform, RYR1), catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and ARVD2 (for the cardiac isoform, RYR2). Mutant RYRs result in elevated [Ca2+]cyto due to steady leak from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. To explore the nature of long-range allosteric mechanisms of malfunction, we determined the structure of two N-terminal domain mutants of RYR1, situated far away from the pore. Cryo-electron microscopy of the N-terminal subdomain A (NTDA) and subdomain C (NTDC) full-length mutants, RYR1 R163C (determined to 3.5 Å resolution), and RYR1 Y522S (determined to 4.0 Å resolution), respectively, reveal large-scale conformational changes in the cytoplasmic assembly under closed-state conditions (i.e., absence of activating Ca2+). The multidomain changes suggest that the mutations induce a preactivated state of the channel in R164C by altering the NTDA+/CD interface, and in Y522S by rearrangement of the α-helical bundle in NTDC. However, the extent of preactivation is considerably higher in Y522S as compared with R163C, which agrees with the increased severity of the Y522S mutation as established by various functional studies. The Y522S mutation represents loss of a spacer residue that is crucial for maintaining optimal orientation of α helices in NTDC, alteration of which has long-range effects felt as far away as ∼100 Å. Additionally, the structure of the Y522S mutant channel under open-state conditions also differs from RYR1 WT open channels. Our developing work with RYR mutants exhibits the diverse mechanisms by which these single-point mutations exert an effect on the channel’s function and highlight the complexity of the multidomain channel, as well as the need for targeted therapies.