bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interleukin enhancer‐binding factor 2 promotes cell proliferation and DNA damage response in metastatic melanoma
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqing , Bustos Matias A. , Gross Rebecca , Ramos Romela Irene , Takeshima Teh‐Ling , Mills Gordon B. , Yu Qiang , Hoon Dave S. B.
Published: October 2021

Background

1q21.3 amplification, which is frequently observed in metastatic melanoma, is associated with cancer progression. Interleukin enhancer‐binding factor 2 (ILF2) is located in the 1q21.3 amplified region, but its functional role or contribution to tumour aggressiveness in cutaneous melanoma is unknown.

Methods

In silico analyses were performed using the TCGA SKCM dataset with clinical annotations and three melanoma microarray cohorts from the GEO datasets. RNA in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry were utilised to validate the gene expression in melanoma tissues. Four stable melanoma cell lines were established for in vitro ILF2 functional characterisation.

Results

Our results showed that the ILF2 copy number variation (CNV) is positively correlated with ILF2 mRNA expression (r = 0.68, p < .0001). Additionally, ILF2 expression is significantly increased with melanoma progression (p < .0001), and significantly associated with poor overall survival for metastatic melanoma patients (p = .026). The overexpression of ILF2 (ILF2‐OV) promotes proliferation in metastatic melanoma cells, whereas ILF2 knockdown decreases proliferation by blocking the cell cycle. Mechanistically, we demonstrated the interaction between ILF2 and the splicing factor U2AF2, whose knockdown reverses the proliferation effects mediated by ILF2‐OV. Stage IIIB–C melanoma patients with high ILF2‐U2AF2 expression showed significantly shorter overall survival (p = .024). Enhanced ILF2/U2AF2 expression promotes a more efficient DNA‐damage repair by increasing RAD50 and ATM mRNA expression. Paradoxically, metastatic melanoma cells with ILF2‐OV were more sensitive to ATM inhibitors.

Conclusion

Our study uncovered that ILF2 amplification of the 1q21.3 chromosome is associated with melanoma progression and triggers a functional downstream pathway in metastatic melanoma promoting drug resistance.
Whole‐organ transdermal photobiomodulation (PBM) of COVID‐19: A 50‐patient case study
Authors: Williams Richard K. , Raimondo John , Cahn David , Williams Aldon , Schell Daniel
Published: October 2021

A nonrandomized 50‐person case study of COVID‐19‐positive patients was conducted employing (for the first time) a regimen of whole‐organ deep‐tissue transdermal dynamic photobiomodulation (PBM) as a primary (or exclusive) therapeutic modality in the treatment of coronavirus. Therapy sessions comprised algorithmically alternating red (650 nm) and near‐infrared (NIR; 850 nm) LEDs with an average irradiance of 11 mW/cm2 dynamically sequenced at multiple pulse frequencies. Delivered via 3D bendable polymeric pads maintaining orthogonal optical incidence to body contours over 1,000 cm2, a single 84‐minute session concurrently delivered 20 kJ to the sinuses and 15 kJ to each lung at skin temperatures below 42°C. Therapeutic outcomes observed include significant reductions in the duration and severity of disease symptoms. Acute conditions including fever, body aches (BA) and respiratory distress comprising paroxysmal coughing; lung congestion, dyspnea and hypoxia; sinus congestion; acute eye inflammation; and extreme malaise were eliminated in 41/50 patients within 4 days of commencing PBM treatments with 50/50 patients fully recovering within 3 weeks with no supplemental oxygen requirements. SpO2 concentrations improved as much as 9 points (average 2.5 points) across the entire study population. The PBM sessions required to completely resolve COVID‐19 conditions appears monotonically correlated to the time‐to‐treatment (TTTx)—the delay between the onset of a patient's symptoms and commencing PBM therapy. In contrast, acute inflammatory symptoms were resolved within 4 days irrespective of TTTx.
An approach to evaluation of the point‐spread function for 23Na magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Polak Paul , Schulte Rolf F. , Noseworthy Michael D.
Published: October 2021

Despite the technical challenges that require lengthy acquisitions to overcome poor signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), sodium (23Na) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an intriguing area of research due to its essential role in human metabolism. Low SNR images can impact the measurement of the point‐spread function (PSF) by adding uncertainty into the resulting quantities. Here, we present methods to calculate the PSF by using the modulation transfer function (MTF), and a 3D‐printed line‐pair phantom in the context of 23Na MRI. A simulation study investigated the effect of noise on the resulting MTF curves, which were derived by direct modulation (DM) and a method utilizing Fourier harmonics (FHs). Experimental data utilized a line‐pair phantom with nine spatial frequencies, filled with different concentrations (15, 30, and 60 mM) of sodium in 3% agar. MTF curves were calculated using both methods from data acquired from density‐adapted 3D radial projections (DA‐3DRP) and Fermat looped orthogonally encoded trajectories (FLORET). Simulations indicated that the DM method increased variability in the MTF curves at all tested noise levels over the FH method. For the experimental data, the FH method resulted in PSFs with a narrower full width half maximum with reduced variability, although the improvement in variability was not as pronounced as predicted by simulations. The DA‐3DRP data indicated an improvement in the PSF over FLORET. It was concluded that a 3D‐printed line‐pair phantom represents a convenient method to measure the PSF experimentally. The MTFs from the noisy images in 23Na MRI have reduced variability from a FH method over DM.
Bioallethrin activates specific olfactory sensory neurons and elicits spatial repellency in Aedes aegypti
Authors: Valbon Wilson , Andreazza Felipe , Oliveira Eugenio E , Liu Feng , Feng Bo , Hall Maura , Klimavicz James , Coats Joel R , Dong Ke
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND

Use of pyrethroid insecticides is a pivotal strategy for mosquito control globally. Commonly known for their insecticidal activity by acting on voltage‐gated sodium channels, pyrethroids, such as bioallethrin and transfluthrin, are used in mosquito coils, emanators and other vaporizers to repel mosquitoes and other biting arthropods. However, whether specific olfactory receptor neurons are activated by pyrethroids to trigger spatial repellency remains unknown.

RESULTS

We used behavioral and electrophysiological approaches to elucidate the mechanism of bioallethrin repellency in Aedes aegypti, a major vector of dengue, yellow fever, Zika and chikungunya viruses. We found that bioallethrin elicits spatial (i.e. non‐contact) repellency and activates a specific type of olfactory receptor neuron in mosquito antennae. Furthermore, bioallethrin repellency is significantly reduced in a mosquito mutant of Orco, an obligate olfactory co‐receptor that is essential for the function of odorant receptors (Ors). These results indicate that activation of specific Or(s) by bioallethrin contributes to bioallethrin repellency. In addition, bioallethrin repellency was reduced in a pyrethroid‐resistant strain that carries two mutations in the sodium channel gene that are responsible for knockdown resistance (kdr) to pyrethroids, indicating a role of activation of sodium channels in bioallethrin repellency.

CONCLUSION

Results from this study show that bioallethrin repellency is likely to be the result of co‐activation of Or(s) and sodium channels. These findings not only contribute to our understanding of the modes of action of volatile pyrethroids in spatial repellency, but also provide a framework for developing new repellents based on the dual‐target mechanism revealed. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Improved fault detection and control allocation for hypersonic re‐entry vehicle subject to intermittent fault and disturbance
Authors: Chen Fuyang , Jin Fan , Wang Zili
Published: October 2021

This study investigates the nonlinear fault detection and control allocation of a hypersonic re‐entry vehicle with intermittent faults and disturbances. The uncertain external disturbances in the inner loop system are processed on the basis of the studied intermittent fault mode. A set of residuals is generated by sliding time windows, and two hypothesis tests based on the residual mean are proposed to detect the appearance and disappearance of faults. An augmented observer is used to estimate the faults subject to the ‐gain disturbance rejection constraint. A nonlinear backstepping fault‐tolerant control is designed to generate the desired control torque and make the output attitude track the given signal. An optimization control allocation algorithm distributes the desired torque to aerodynamic surfaces and reaction control system jets. The stability of the schemes is analyzed by Lyapunov and linear matrix inequality theories. Numerical simulation and rapid prototyping results are presented to demonstrate the validity of the proposed methods.
Convenient Construction of Spiro[pyrazole‐4,1′‐pyrido[2,1‐a]isoquinoline] and Spiro[pyrazole‐4,4′‐pyrido[1,2‐a]quinoline] via Three‐Component Reaction
Authors: Fang Hui‐Ling , Sun Jing , Yan Chao‐Guo
Published: October 2021

The three‐component reaction of isoquinoline, dialkyl but‐2‐ynedioate and 4‐arylidene‐5‐methyl‐2‐phenylpyrazol‐3‐ones in acetonitrile at room temperature gave functionalized spiro[pyrazole‐4,1′‐pyrido[2,1‐a]isoquinolines] in satisfactory yields with cis/cis‐diastereoisomer as major product. On the other hand, the similar three‐component reaction with quinoline afforded both cis/cis‐ and cis/trans‐isomeric spiro[pyrazole‐4,4′‐pyrido[1,2‐a]quinolines] in nearly comparable yields. The reaction was finished with in situ generation of Huisgen’ 1,4‐dipole, sequential Michael addition and annulation reaction process.
Replacement of Loop Residues in TBA by an Abasic Ethylene Glycol Spacer: Effect on Stability, Structure and Function**
Authors: Wagh Atish A. , Ghalawat Monika , Fernandes Moneesha
Published: October 2021

This article describes the synthesis of ethyleneglycol (E) phosphoramidite and its incorporation into the thrombin binding aptamer (TBA) sequence at loop positions. Circular dichroism (CD) study revealed no major disturbances in the secondary structure of TBA by the abasic E unit and the derived oligomers exhibited a typical antiparallel chair‐like conformation similar to that of TBA. UV and CD spectroscopy, together with anti‐coagulation and HPLC studies revealed that although nuclease stability was enhanced, and anti‐coagulation reasonably good, the thermal stability of the quadruplexes was adversely affected.
One‐Pot Synthesis of Organic Carbonate from Alcohol and Alkyl Bromide under Low CO2 Pressure
Authors: Liu Kai , Liu Chun
Published: October 2021

A mild and highly efficient approach has been developed for the one‐pot synthesis of organic carbonate from CO2, alcohol and alkyl bromide using 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) as the activator. The conditions of template reaction were screened and the corresponding product butyl methyl carbonate (BMC, 1), was obtained with a high yield of 95 % in 1 h. The reaction system can be extended for the synthesis of organic carbonates from a broad range of alcohols and alkyl bromides with excellent yields under low CO2 pressure. DBU was proved to be recyclable after having been treated with KOH in ethanol. In addition, a plausible mechanism of this reaction was proposed according to the present results and literature reports.
Constructing Synergistic Covalent and Supramolecular Polymers by Combining Photodimerization with Host‐guest Interactions
Authors: Zhang Jing , Sun Ji‐Fu , Yang Bo , Gao Zhong‐Zheng
Published: October 2021

In this letter, a novel one‐dimensional supramolecular polymer has been successfully constructed from 4‐(4‐(1‐benzyl‐pyridinium)styryl)‐1‐methyl‐pyridinium chloride (BPSMP) guest molecule and a host CB[8] depending on the host‐guest interactions which was characterized by NMR, electronic absorption, ITC, DLS, ESI‐MS and fluorescence spectroscopy. Interestingly, the supramolecular polymers could transform into synergistic covalent and supramolecular polymers when irradiated with visible light, from irreversible polymerization of a preorganized supramolecular polymer through cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8])‐controlled [2+2] photodimerization.
Synthesis of Nano‐Cr/Mn Composite Metal Oxides‐SBA‐15 Material and Its Catalytic Performance in Aerobic Oxidations of Benzyl Alcohols
Authors: Fu Tangming , Yang Ning , Hu Jiawen , Qiao Minglong , Li Chunmei , Qi Chenze , Shen Zhenlu , Zhang Furen
Published: October 2021

The mesoporous silica SAB‐15 material and a series of nano‐composite bimetal oxides‐SBA‐15 materials are synthesized. The oxidation of various benzyl alcohols to aromatic aldehydes has been studied using nano‐composite bimetal oxides‐SBA‐15 materials as catalysts in air. The results indicate that the CrMnOx‐SBA‐15 material can promote the oxidation of benzyl alcohols to aromatic aldehydes with excellent yields smoothly. The microstructure and morphology of SBA‐15 and CrMnOx‐SBA‐15 materials are characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, respectively. In addition, the UHRTEM images, EDS image mapping, and the X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of CrMnOx‐SBA‐15 material also are characterized, which indicate the structure of the catalyst is advantageous to improve its catalytic activity.
Uncertainty Calculation Method for Photodiode Pyranometers
Authors: Forstinger Anne , Wilbert Stefan , Driesse Anton , Kraas Birk
Published: October 2021

For all measurements, a provision of uncertainty for each measurement point is good practice. So far, a comprehensive methodology for uncertainties for rotating shadowband irradiometers (RSIs) has not been established, as the typical methods for calculating uncertainty are oversimplified, too time‐consuming, or both when the instrument exhibits significant spectral dependence. The method presented herein allows the estimation of the uncertainty for each measurement provided by the RSIs. The methodology is tested on data from different climates, producing a comprehensive study focused mainly on measurements made with RSIs using photodiode pyranometers. The calculated expanded uncertainty for the RSI measurements matches the deviation from colocated thermopile sensors 95% of the time. Common uncertainty estimations of RSIs from the literature are confirmed using the comprehensive methodology in this article for the deviation and uncertainty calculations. The method is therefore well suited for the application in real measurement campaigns. In this study, photodiode pyranometers are also studied and the methodology for the RSI measurements also works for global horizontal irradiance measurements from photodiode pyranometers.
Nicotinamide‐Modified PEDOT:PSS for High Performance Indoor and Outdoor Tin Perovskite Photovoltaics
Authors: Yang Wen-Fan , Cao Jun-Jie , Chen Jing , Wang Kai-Li , Dong Chong , Wang Zhao-Kui , Liao Liang-Sheng
Published: October 2021

Tin perovskites are generally considered as promising candidates to solve the issue of toxicity for lead perovskites. However, the open‐circuit voltage (VOC) of tin perovskite solar cells is usually lower than expected. Herein, the hole‐transporting layer of PEDOT:PSS is treated with nicotinamide, and the tin perovskite active layer is deposited on the treated film to prepare a perovskite photovoltaic device. The fabricated device presented an increased VOC from 0.63 to 0.82 V, yielding an improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) increased from 4.77% to 8.28%. More importantly, under the weak light (1000 lux) irradiation of a simulated indoor light source, the device presented a PCE as high as 14.40%, which is the highest indoor efficiency for tin‐based perovskite photovoltaics reported so far. The promising indoor performance of tin perovskite photovoltaics paves a new way to fabricate eco‐friendly indoor photovoltaics by using lead‐free tin perovskites.
Simple Additive to MAPbI3 Solution that Enhances Film Quality of Mini‐Module Perovskite Solar Cells Fabricated under Moderate Humidity
Authors: Kotta Ashique , Kim Eun-Bi , Seo Inseok , Ansari Zubaida A. , Seo Hyung Kee
Published: October 2021

An additive to perovskite material can play a crucial role in the fabrication of perovskite solar cells (PSCs); the additive treatment investigated herein produces promising overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) enhancements. Currently, the fabrication of PSCs is mainly carried out under the dry air of a glove box to avoid moisture adsorption by methylammonium lead iodide perovskites; these tight restrictions in how PSCs are fabricated hinder the possibility of their commercialization. In this study, a technique that uses C12F4N4 as an additive to the MAPbI3 for the one‐step deposition of perovskite layers under moderate humidity is presented; this approach is able to achieve high‐quality perovskite films despite the adverse condition. The added C12F4N4 bridges the gaps between the MAPbI3 grain boundaries and significantly enhances all the photovoltaic parameters compared to using pristine methylammonium lead iodide; this method even eventually enhances the overall PCE. Both, single‐cell and optimized five‐cell integrated mini‐module devices in moderately humid conditions are fabricated. This facile method presents new possibilities for scaling up PSCs production in humid environments.
Graphene Materials for Miniaturized Energy Harvest and Storage Devices
Authors: Li Xiangyang , Wang Ying , Zhao Yang , Zhang Jing , Qu Liangti
Published: October 2021

The development of miniature energy harvesting and storage devices with considerable performance is urgently needed for the increasing demand of diverse electronics that require portable and wearable functions. With a unique 2D structure, graphene material possesses numerous fascinating physical and chemical properties which endow it as promising candidate component or building block to boost such miniature devices system with superior performance and multifunctionality, including but not limited to active material, flexible substrate, and electrically conductive additive. In this review, the recent advances of graphene‐based materials for miniature energy harvesting and storage devices are summarized, including solar cells, mechanical energy harvesters, moisture and liquid flow generators, batteries and electrochemical capacitors, and their integrated devices. The design strategies of active electrodes and devices in performance improvement and functions are specially emphasized. Finally, the challenges and future directions of graphene materials in microdevices are also provided.
Seshadri constants on principally polarized abelian surfaces with real multiplication
Authors: Bauer Thomas , Schmidt Maximilian
Published: October 2021

Seshadri constants on abelian surfaces are fully understood in the case of Picard number one. Little is known so far for simple abelian surfaces of higher Picard number. In this paper we investigate principally polarized abelian surfaces with real multiplication. They are of Picard number two and might be considered the next natural case to be studied. The challenge is to not only determine the Seshadri constants of individual line bundles, but to understand the whole Seshadri function on these surfaces. Our results show on the one hand that this function is surprisingly complex: on surfaces with real multiplication in $$\mathbb {Z}[\sqrt{e}]$$

Z
[

e

]

it consists of linear segments that are never adjacent to each other—it behaves like the Cantor function. On the other hand, we prove that the Seshadri function is invariant under an infinite group of automorphisms, which shows that it does have interesting regular behavior globally.
The augmented radiologist: artificial intelligence in the practice of radiology
Authors: Sorantin Erich , Grasser Michael G. , Hemmelmayr Ariane , Tschauner Sebastian , Hrzic Franko , Weiss Veronika , Lacekova Jana , Holzinger Andreas
Published: October 2021

In medicine, particularly in radiology, there are great expectations in artificial intelligence (AI), which can “see” more than human radiologists in regard to, for example, tumor size, shape, morphology, texture and kinetics — thus enabling better care by earlier detection or more precise reports. Another point is that AI can handle large data sets in high-dimensional spaces. But it should not be forgotten that AI is only as good as the training samples available, which should ideally be numerous enough to cover all variants. On the other hand, the main feature of human intelligence is content knowledge and the ability to find near-optimal solutions. The purpose of this paper is to review the current complexity of radiology working places, to describe their advantages and shortcomings. Further, we give an AI overview of the different types and features as used so far. We also touch on the differences between AI and human intelligence in problem-solving. We present a new AI type, labeled “explainable AI,” which should enable a balance/cooperation between AI and human intelligence — thus bringing both worlds in compliance with legal requirements. For support of (pediatric) radiologists, we propose the creation of an AI assistant that augments radiologists and keeps their brain free for generic tasks.
Modeling of single cell cancer transformation using phase transition theory: application of the Avrami equation
Authors: Fornalski Krzysztof W. , Dobrzyński Ludwik
Published: October 2021

The nucleation and growth theory, described by the Avrami equation (also called Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov equation), and usually used to describe crystallization and nucleation processes in condensed matter physics, was applied in the present paper to cancer physics. This can enhance the popular multi-hit model of carcinogenesis to volumetric processes of single cell’s DNA neoplastic transformation. The presented approach assumes the transforming system as a DNA chain including many oncogenic mutations. Finally, the probability function of the cell’s cancer transformation is directly related to the number of oncogenic mutations. This creates a universal sigmoidal probability function of cancer transformation of single cells, as observed in the kinetics of nucleation and growth, a special case of a phase transition process. The proposed model, which represents a different view on the multi-hit carcinogenesis approach, is tested on clinical data concerning gastric cancer. The results also show that cancer transformation follows DNA fractal geometry.
Mastication after craniotomy: pilot assessment of postoperative oral health-related quality of life
Authors: Gierthmuehlen Mortimer , Jarc Nadja , Plachta Dennis T. T. , Schmoor Claudia , Scheiwe Christian , Gierthmuehlen Petra Christine
Published: October 2021

Background

Neurosurgical approaches to the brain often require the mobilization of the temporal muscle. Many patients complain of postoperative pain, atrophy, reduced mouth opening, and masticatory problems. Although the pterional, frontolateral-extended-pterional, and temporal craniotomies are the most frequently used approaches in neurosurgery, a systematic assessment of the postoperative oral health-related quality of life has never been performed so far. This study evaluates the oral health-related quality of life of patients after pterional, frontolateral-extended-pterional, or temporal craniotomy using a validated and standardized dental questionnaire, compares the results with the normal values of the general population, and investigates whether this questionnaire is sensitive to changes caused by surgical manipulation of the temporal muscle.

Methods

The “Oral Health Impact Profile” (OHIP14) is a validated questionnaire to assess the oral health-related quality of life. It asks the patients to assess their oral health situation within the past 7 days in 14 questions. Possible answers range from 0 (never) to 4 (very often). Sixty patients with benign intracranial processes operated through a lateral cranial approach were included. The questionnaire was answered before surgery (baseline) and 3 months and 15 months after surgery.

Results

Overall, postoperative OHIP scores increase significantly after 3 months and decrease after 15 months, but not to preoperative values. No factors can be identified which show a considerable relationship with the postoperative OHIP score.

Conclusions

Postoperative impairment of mouth opening and pain during mastication can be observed 3 to 15 months after surgery and sometimes cause feedback from patients and their dentists. However, in line with existing literature, these complaints decrease with time. The study shows that the OHIP questionnaire is sensitive to changes caused by surgical manipulation of the temporal muscle and can therefore be used to investigate the influence of surgical techniques on postoperative complaints. Postoperatively, patients show worse OHIP scores than the general population, demonstrating that neurosurgical cranial approaches negatively influence the patient’s oral health-related wellbeing. Larger studies using the OHIP questionnaire should evaluate if postoperative physical therapy, speech therapy, or specialized rehabilitation devices can improve the masticatory impairment after craniotomy.

Trial registration

Clinical trial register: DRKS00011096.
Unique functions for Notch4 in murine embryonic lymphangiogenesis
Authors: Muley Ajit , Kim Uh Minji , Salazar-De Simone Glicella , Swaminathan Bhairavi , James Jennifer M. , Murtomaki Aino , Youn Seock Won , McCarron Joseph D. , Kitajewski Chris , Gnarra Buethe Maria , Riitano Gloria , Mukouyama Yoh-suke , Kitajewski Jan , Shawber Carrie J.
Published: October 2021

In mice, embryonic dermal lymphatic development is well understood and used to study gene functions in lymphangiogenesis. Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway that modulates cell fate decisions, which has been shown to both inhibit and promote dermal lymphangiogenesis. Here, we demonstrate distinct roles for Notch4 signaling versus canonical Notch signaling in embryonic dermal lymphangiogenesis. Actively growing embryonic dermal lymphatics expressed NOTCH1, NOTCH4, and DLL4 which correlated with Notch activity. In lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), DLL4 activation of Notch induced a subset of Notch effectors and lymphatic genes, which were distinctly regulated by Notch1 and Notch4 activation. Treatment of LECs with VEGF-A or VEGF-C upregulated Dll4 transcripts and differentially and temporally regulated the expression of Notch1 and Hes/Hey genes. Mice nullizygous for Notch4 had an increase in the closure of the lymphangiogenic fronts which correlated with reduced vessel caliber in the maturing lymphatic plexus at E14.5 and reduced branching at E16.5. Activation of Notch4 suppressed LEC migration in a wounding assay significantly more than Notch1, suggesting a dominant role for Notch4 in regulating LEC migration. Unlike Notch4 nulls, inhibition of canonical Notch signaling by expressing a dominant negative form of MAML1 (DNMAML) in Prox1+ LECs led to increased lymphatic density consistent with an increase in LEC proliferation, described for the loss of LEC Notch1. Moreover, loss of Notch4 did not affect LEC canonical Notch signaling. Thus, we propose that Notch4 signaling and canonical Notch signaling have distinct functions in the coordination of embryonic dermal lymphangiogenesis.
Cooperative and axiomatic approaches to the knapsack allocation problem
Authors: Arribillaga R. Pablo , Bergantiños G.
Published: October 2021

In the knapsack problem a group of agents want to fill a knapsack with several goods. Two issues must be considered. The first is to decide optimally what goods to select for the knapsack. This issue has been studied in many papers in the literature on Operations Research and Management Science. The second issue is to divide the total revenue among the agents. This issue has been studied in only a few papers, and this is one of them. For each knapsack problem we consider three associated cooperative games. One of them (the pessimistic game) has already been considered in the literature. The other two (realistic and optimistic games) are defined in this paper. The pessimistic and realistic games have non-empty cores but the core of the optimistic game could be empty. We then follow the axiomatic approach. We propose two rules: The first is based on the optimal solution of the knapsack problem. The second is the Shapley value of the so called optimistic game. We offer axiomatic characterizations of both rules.
AlphaPilot: autonomous drone racing
Authors: Foehn Philipp , Brescianini Dario , Kaufmann Elia , Cieslewski Titus , Gehrig Mathias , Muglikar Manasi , Scaramuzza Davide
Published: October 2021

This paper presents a novel system for autonomous, vision-based drone racing combining learned data abstraction, nonlinear filtering, and time-optimal trajectory planning. The system has successfully been deployed at the first autonomous drone racing world championship: the 2019 AlphaPilot Challenge. Contrary to traditional drone racing systems, which only detect the next gate, our approach makes use of any visible gate and takes advantage of multiple, simultaneous gate detections to compensate for drift in the state estimate and build a global map of the gates. The global map and drift-compensated state estimate allow the drone to navigate through the race course even when the gates are not immediately visible and further enable to plan a near time-optimal path through the race course in real time based on approximate drone dynamics. The proposed system has been demonstrated to successfully guide the drone through tight race courses reaching speeds up to $${8}\,{\hbox {m}/\hbox {s}}$$

8

m
/
s

and ranked second at the 2019 AlphaPilot Challenge.
Some Spanners in the Works of Grounding Mechanisms Removed
Authors: Stenwall Robin
Published: October 2021

In this paper I address two concerns with Kelly Trogdon’sgrounding mechanism view, i.e. the idea that metaphysical explanation can be modeled on causal-mechanical explanation. The first concern threatens to undermine the unity that grounding-mechanical explanations imposes on metaphysical explanation; and the second concern requires the grounding mechanic to put forth a formal condition on grounding-mechanical models. After having discussed both of these, I provide a solution to the first and argue that the second concern is unwarranted.
Water-accessibility of interfibrillar spaces in spruce wood cell walls
Authors: Penttilä Paavo A. , Zitting Aleksi , Lourençon Tainise , Altgen Michael , Schweins Ralf , Rautkari Lauri
Published: October 2021

Water interactions and accessibility of the nanoscale components of plant cell walls influence their properties and processability in relation to many applications. We investigated the water-accessibility of nanoscale pores within the fibrillar structures of unmodified Norway spruce cell walls by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and Fourier-transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. The different sensitivity of SANS to hydrogenated ($$\hbox {H}_2\hbox {O}$$

H
2

O

) and deuterated water ($$\hbox {D}_2\hbox {O}$$

D
2

O

) was utilized to follow the exchange kinetics of water among cellulose microfibrils. FTIR spectroscopy was used to study the time-dependent re-exchange of OD groups to OH in wood samples transferred from liquid $$\hbox {D}_2\hbox {O}$$

D
2

O

to $$\hbox {H}_2\hbox {O}$$

H
2

O

. In addition, the effects of drying on the nanoscale structure and its water-accessibility were addressed by comparing SANS results and the kinetics of water exchange between never-dried and dried/rewetted wood samples. The results of the kinetic analyses allowed to identify two processes with different timescales. The diffusion-driven exchange of water in the spaces between microfibrils, which was observed with both SANS and FTIR, takes place within minutes and rather homogeneously. The second, slower process appeared only in the OD/OH re-exchange followed by FTIR, and it still continued after several weeks of immersion in $$\hbox {H}_2\hbox {O}$$

H
2

O

. SANS could not detect any significant difference between the never-dried and dried/rewetted samples, whereas FTIR revealed a small portion of OD groups that resisted the re-exchange and this portion became larger with drying.

Graphic abstract
The Ways of Presentness
Authors: Torrengo Giuliano , Cassaghi Daniele
Published: October 2021

The idea that the present moment is in some sense experientially privileged has been used in variousarguments from presentnessin favour of the existence of an objective present. Roughly speaking, in the literature we find two different approaches. Either by having an experience of something present we are aware of it as present (perceptual presentness), or by having an experience located in the present we are aware of our experience as present (locational presentness). While the various ways of understanding presentness can be used to formulate different arguments in favour of the existence of an objective present, none of them is ultimately tenable. Eventually, our conclusions will suggest that eliminativism is the best attitude towards presentness.
The politics of piracy: political ideology and the usage of pirated online media
Authors: Graf-Vlachy Lorenz , Goyal Tarun , Ouardi Yannick , König Andreas
Published: October 2021

There is a lack of clarity in information systems research on which factors lead people to use or not use technologies of varying degrees of perceived legality. To address this gap, we use arguments from the information systems and political ideology literatures to theorize on the influence of individuals’ political ideologies on online media piracy. Specifically, we hypothesize that individuals with a more conservative ideology, and thus lower openness to experience and higher conscientiousness, generally engage in less online media piracy. We further hypothesize that this effect is stronger for online piracy technology that is legally ambiguous. Using clickstream data from 3873 individuals in the U.S., we find that this effect in fact exists only for online media piracy technologies that are perceived as legally ambiguous. Specifically, more conservative individuals, who typically have lower ambiguity intolerance, use (legal but ambiguously perceived) pirated streaming websites less, while there is no difference for the (clearly illegal) use of pirated file sharing websites.
A novel posttranslational modification of histone, H3 S-sulfhydration, is down-regulated in asthenozoospermic sperm
Authors: Qi Qi , Pan Hongjie , Jiang Ning , Zhang Meixin , Sun Shenfei , Wan Xiaofeng , Zhang Fangxi , Zhang Lingling , Diao Hua , Wang Jian , Li Runsheng
Published: October 2021

Oxidative stress is one of the major causes leading to male infertility including asthenozoospermia. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been widely recognized to be a potent antioxidant whose role is partially implemented by protein S-sulfhydration. However, protein S-sulfhydration has not been reported in germ cells. Therefore, we investigated whether asthenozoospermia could be associated with sperm protein S-sulfhydration. S-sulfhydrated proteins in human sperm were enriched via biotin-switch assay and analyzed using LC-MS/MS spectrometry. Two hundred forty-four S-sulfhydrated proteins were identified. Importantly, we validated that sperm histones H3.1 and H3.3 were the S-sulfhydrated proteins. Their S-sulfhydrated amino acid residue was Cysteine111. Abundances of S-sulfhydrated H3 (sH3) and S-sulfhydrated H3.3 (sH3.3) were significantly down-regulated in asthenozoospermic sperm, compared with the fertile controls, and were significantly correlated with progressive motility. Retinoic acid (RA) up-regulated level of sH3.3 in primary round spermatids and the C18-4 cells (a mouse spermatogonial stem cell line). Overexpression of the mutant H3.3 (Cysteine111 was replaced with serine) affected expression of 759 genes and raised growth rate of C18-4 cells. For the first time, S-sulfhydration H3 and H3.3 were demonstrated in the present study. Our results highlight that aberrant S-sulfhydration of H3 is a new pathophysiological basis in male infertility.
Examining Individual Differences in Social Reward Valuation: a Person-Based Approach
Authors: Smeijers Danique , Uzieblo Kasia , Glennon Jeffrey C. , Driessen Josi M. A. , Brazil Inti A.
Published: October 2021

Social reward refers to the motivational and pleasurable aspects of our interactions with other people. While some people experience social encounters as pleasurable, others experience them as aversive. However, the current knowledge on individual differences in social reward valuation in relation to pro- and antisocial personality characteristics is limited. The Social Reward Questionnaire (SRQ) was developed to assess individual differences in the value of different types of social rewards. First, the present study examined the validity and reliability of the Dutch version of the SRQ in a Dutch and Flemish community sample (N = 1892). Second, using latent profile analysis (LPA), it was investigated whether subgroups of participants existed with distinctive patterns of social reward valuation, and whether these subgroups differed in their level of psychopathic traits, aggression, and social anxiety. The results confirmed the original six-factor structure and showed good reliability and validity. The LPA identified four classes of individuals, labelled as: Low Social Interest, High Social Interest, Undifferentiated Social Reward-seekers, and Socially Cruel. These classes were further typified by distinct levels of psychopathy, reactive and proactive aggression, and social anxiety. The present findings contribute to our understanding of individual variability in the underlying motives of social behaviors.
Explaining Prosocial Behavior from the Inter-and Within-Individual Perspectives: A Role of Positive Orientation and Positive Affect
Authors: Laguna Mariola , De Longis Evelina , Mazur-Socha Zofia , Alessandri Guido
Published: October 2021

Prosocial behavior is undertaken voluntarily to benefit others and includes a range of actions, such as helping, sharing, caring, and comforting. Our study concerned psychological mechanisms stimulating prosocial behavior explaining it from both the within-individual (daily fluctuations) and inter-individual (individual differences) perspectives. We tested a model in which positive orientation and positive affect directly predict within-individual variability in prosocial behavior and in which positive affect mediates the relationship between positive orientation and daily prosocial behavior. These two-level mediation mechanisms were investigated using an intensive longitudinal study design with seven daily measurements on a sample of 181 undergraduates and 1119 daily observations. The results confirm that, with personality traits, sex, and prosocial behavior during the previous day adjusted for, inter- and within-individual variability in positive orientation predict daily prosocial behavior. Inter-individual variability in positive affect is a significant predictor of prosocial behavior and a mediator between positive orientation and daily prosocial behavior. No such mediation mechanism was detected for within-individual variability in positive affect. These results suggest several recommendations on how to stimulate prosocial behavior. By stimulating the general tendency to cultivate positive affective experiences and to view life in a positive light, it may be possible to prepare people to notice and respond to the needs of others.
On the Stochastic Magnus Expansion and Its Application to SPDEs
Authors: Kamm Kevin , Pagliarani Stefano , Pascucci Andrea
Published: October 2021

We derive the stochastic version of the Magnus expansion for linear systems of stochastic differential equations (SDEs). The main novelty with respect to the related literature is that we consider SDEs in the Itô sense, with progressively measurable coefficients, for which an explicit Itô-Stratonovich conversion is not available. We prove convergence of the Magnus expansion up to a stopping time$$\tau $$τand provide a novel asymptotic estimate of the cumulative distribution function of$$\tau $$τ. As an application, we propose a new method for the numerical solution of stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs) based on spatial discretization and application of the stochastic Magnus expansion. A notable feature of the method is that it is fully parallelizable. We also present numerical tests in order to asses the accuracy of the numerical schemes.
Strategic entrepreneurial choice between competing crowdfunding platforms
Authors: Coakley Jerry , Lazos Aristogenis , Liñares-Zegarra Jose
Published: October 2021

This paper investigates strategic entrepreneurial choice between the UK Big 3 platforms–Crowdcube, Seedrs and SyndicateRoom–that exemplify the three main equity crowdfunding (ECF) shareholder structures identified in the literature. ECF has become a strategic choice for both entrepreneurs and angel and venture capital funds as it offers mutually beneficial advantages to both, especially under the co-investment ECF model where these funds co-invest alongside the crowd. The multinomial probit results show that large founder teams are more likely to choose the co-investment model (SyndicateRoom) but are less likely to opt for the nominee ownership structure (Seedrs). Although less heterogeneous teams are more likely to choose the Seedrs and Crowdcube ownership structures, our results suggest that the probability of choosing the co-investment model (SyndicateRoom) monotonically increases as teams become more heterogeneous. The conclusion is that larger and heterogeneous teams are more likely to raise ECF funds from campaigns explicitly involving professional investors.
Longitudinal Links of Individual and Collective Morality with Adolescents’ Peer Aggression
Authors: Gini Gianluca , Thornberg Robert , Bussey Kay , Angelini Federica , Pozzoli Tiziana
Published: October 2021

Adolescents’ aggressive behavior has been often linked to biases in morality. However, limited knowledge is available regarding the relative strength of different moral correlates, both at the individual and class-level, in predicting different types of aggressive behavior over time. To address this gap, the present study tested the prospective associations of moral identity and moral disengagement with reactive and proactive aggression in a short-term longitudinal study. The sample consisted of 1158 Italian adolescents (48.7% females;Mage = 13.6 years, SD = 1.1). Participants completed self-report measures of moral identity, moral disengagement, perceived collective moral disengagement in the fall, and reactive and proactive aggression in the fall and in the spring. Multivariate multilevel analysis indicated that, at the individual level, after controlling for the stability of aggressive behavior, T2 (Time 2) reactive aggression was higher for students who reported lower moral identity and higher moral disengagement at T1 (Time 1). For proactive aggression, a significant interaction effect indicated that the negative association between T1 moral identity and T2 aggression was apparent only at high levels of T1 moral disengagement. Moreover, proactive aggression was significantly predicted by higher perceived collective moral disengagement. At the class-level, T1 collective moral disengagement helped explain between-class variability of T2 reactive and proactive aggressive behavior. How these results expand previous research on morality and aggressive behavior and their potential implications for prevention and intervention programs is discussed.
Gender diversity in academic publishing—comment on Galak and Kahn (2021)
Authors: Keller Wiebke I. Y. , Müller Franziska , Stromberg Malik , Papies Dominik
Published: October 2021

Galak and Kahn (Marketing Letters, 2021) report that females and underrepresented minorities face a less favorable organizational climate within academic marketing as compared to their respective counterparts. We complement this perspective by assessing the extent to which a gender gap is detectable in academic journal publications in marketing. To this end, we collect a data set which covers all publications of a broad range of peer-reviewed academic journals in business, including marketing, across two decades. We then develop an algorithm that allows us to determine the authors’ gender. We use these data to study a potential gender gap in academic marketing journals. Results indicate that a gender gap in academic publishing in marketing is present and substantial, although it has been declining over time. At the same time, it continues to be particularly visible in the most prestigious journals. While marketing is still far from being a role model, the gender gap is smaller in marketing compared to other fields in business. Our analysis complements the findings by Galak and Kahn (Marketing Letters, 2021) by showing that female scholars do not only experience an unfavorable organizational climate, but they are also underrepresented in academic marketing journals.
Dynamical integrity assessment of stable equilibria: a new rapid iterative procedure
Authors: Habib Giuseppe
Published: October 2021

A new algorithm for the estimation of the robustness of a dynamical system’s equilibrium is presented. Unlike standard approaches, the algorithm does not aim to identify the entire basin of attraction of the solution. Instead, it iteratively estimates the so-called local integrity measure, that is, the radius of the largest hypersphere entirely included in the basin of attraction of a solution and centred in the solution. The procedure completely overlooks intermingled and fractal regions of the basin of attraction, enabling it to provide a significant engineering quantity in a very short time. The algorithm is tested on four different mechanical systems of increasing dimension, from 2 to 8. For each system, the variation of the integrity measure with respect to a system parameter is evaluated, proving the engineering relevance of the results provided. Despite some limitations, the algorithm proved to be a viable alternative to more complex and computationally demanding methods, making it a potentially appealing tool for industrial applications.
Public contestation over agricultural pollution: a discourse network analysis on narrative strategies in the policy process
Authors: Schaub Simon
Published: October 2021

The overuse of fertilizers in agriculture and their entry into freshwater has many negative impacts on biodiversity and poses problems for drinking water resources in Germany. In response to exceeding levels of nitrate concentrations in groundwater in parts of the country, an intense public dispute evolved and a significant policy change in fertilizer regulation occurred in 2020. Based on the German case of agricultural water pollution, this study demonstrates in an innovative way how discourse network analysis is a fruitful method for the integrated study of actor coalitions and their use of narrative strategies in public debate. Theoretically, the study draws on the narrative policy framework (NPF) to explain how actor coalitions use narrative strategies to attempt to influence policymaking on water pollution by agricultural activities. The empirical analysis builds on newspaper articles and press releases disseminated between 2010 and 2020. The results demonstrate how two opposing actor coalitions with congruent policy beliefs formed in the struggle over fertilizer regulation. These not only diverged in their policy beliefs but also differed in their use of narrative strategies to try to expand or contain the policy issue. More precisely, the coalitions adapted their narratives over time in response to changes in the likelihood to win or lose. Furthermore, the results suggest the coalition in favor of stricter fertilizer regulation was more sophisticated in its effort to mobilize specific target groups. Overall, the article provides a valuable contribution to the literature on the NPF by combining research on coalition formation and policy narratives.