bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Work Demands and Work Resources: Testing a Model of Factors Predicting Turnover Intentions in Early Childhood Education
Authors: Heilala C. , Kalland M. , Lundkvist M. , Forsius M. , Vincze L. , Santavirta N. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWe studied the working conditions in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). The aim was to explore how ECEC staff experience work demands and resources and how these relate to turnover intentions. The research was based on a modified Job Demands-Resources model (Bakker and Demerouti in J Manage Psychol 22(3):309-328, 2007) according to which job strain is influenced by both job demands and resources. The sample was identified through trade union registers and the data were collected via a survey (N = 538). The findings show a rather high proportion of turnover intentions. Both general workload and emotional workload were related to turnover intentions, and they were mediated by participation. However, leadership satisfaction did not mediate the relationship between workload and turnover intentions. This study contributes to the knowledge on risk factors related to intentions to leave the ECEC profession in the Finnish as well as the international context. It is urgent to know more about factors related to turnover because a high rate undermines trust in the ECEC sector and negatively impacts staff and children.
How to Use Online Tools to Generate New Hypotheses for Mammary Gland Biology Research: A Case Study for Wnt7b
Authors: van de Grift Yorick Bernardus Cornelis , Heijmans Nika , van Amerongen Renée 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAn increasing number of ‘-omics’ datasets, generated by labs all across the world, are becoming available. They contain a wealth of data that are largely unexplored. Not every scientist, however, will have access to the required resources and expertise to analyze such data from scratch. Fortunately, a growing number of investigators is dedicating their time and effort to the development of user friendly, online applications that allow researchers to use and investigate these datasets. Here, we will illustrate the usefulness of such an approach. Using regulation ofWnt7bexpression as an example, we will highlight a selection of accessible tools and resources that are available to researchers in the area of mammary gland biology. We show how they can be used for in silico analyses of gene regulatory mechanisms, resulting in new hypotheses and providing leads for experimental follow up. We also call out to the mammary gland community to join forces in a coordinated effort to generate and share additional tissue-specific ‘-omics’ datasets and thereby expand the in silico toolbox.
Supersymmetric Cluster Expansions and Applications to Random Schrödinger Operators
Authors: Fresta Luca 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWe study discrete random Schrödinger operators via the supersymmetric formalism. We develop a cluster expansion that converges at both strong and weak disorder. We prove the exponential decay of the disorder-averaged Green’s function and the smoothness of the local density of states either at weak disorder and at energies in proximity of the unperturbed spectrum or at strong disorder and at any energy. As an application, we establish Lifshitz-tail-type estimates for the local density of states and thus localization at weak disorder.
A Uniform Series of Low-Latitude Coronal Holes in 1973–2018
Authors: Hamada A. , Asikainen T. , Mursula K. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractCoronal holes (CHs) are regions in the solar corona characterized by plasma density lower than in the surrounding quiet Sun. Therefore they appear dark in images of the solar atmosphere made, e.g., in extreme ultraviolet (EUV). Identifying CHs on solar images is difficult since CH boundaries are not sharp, but typically obscured by magnetic structures of surrounding active regions. Moreover, the areas, shapes, and intensities of CHs appear differently in different wavelengths. Coronal holes have been identified both visually by experienced observers and, more recently, by automated detection methods using different techniques. In this article, we apply a recent, robust CH identification algorithm to a new set of homogenized EUV synoptic maps based on four EUV lines measured by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SOHO/EIT) in 1996–2018 and the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO/AIA) in 2010–2018 and create corresponding CH synoptic maps. We also use CHs of the hand-drawn McIntosh archive (McA) from 1973–2009 to extend the CH database to earlier times. We discuss the success of the four EUV lines to find CHs at high or low latitudes, and confirm that the combined EIT 195 Å/AIA 193 Å series applies best for both polar and low-latitude CH detection. While the polar CH detection suffers from the vantage-point limitation, the low-latitude CH areas extracted from this line correlate with the McA CH data very well. Using the simultaneous measurements between EIT and McA and EIT and AIA, we scale the different data series to the same level and form the longest uniform series of low-latitude CHs in 1973–2018. We find that, while the solar cycle maxima of low-latitude CHs in the descending phase of Solar Cycles 21–23 attain roughly similar values, the corresponding maximum during Solar Cycle 24 is reduced by a factor of two. This suggests that magnetic flux emergence is crucial for the formation of low-latitude CHs.
Investigation of Crystal Growth in Enzymatically Induced Calcite Precipitation by Micro-Fluidic Experimental Methods and Comparison with Mathematical Modeling
Authors: von Wolff Lars , Weinhardt Felix , Class Holger , Hommel Johannes , Rohde Christian 
Published: February 2021

AbstractEnzymatically induced calcite precipitation (EICP) is an engineering technology that allows for targeted reduction of porosity in a porous medium by precipitation of calcium carbonates. This might be employed for reducing permeability in order to seal flow paths or for soil stabilization. This study investigates the growth of calcium-carbonate crystals in a micro-fluidic EICP setup and relies on experimental results of precipitation observed over time and under flow-through conditions in a setup of four pore bodies connected by pore throats. A phase-field approach to model the growth of crystal aggregates is presented, and the corresponding simulation results are compared to the available experimental observations. We discuss the model’s capability to reproduce the direction and volume of crystal growth. The mechanisms that dominate crystal growth are complex depending on the local flow field as well as on concentrations of solutes. We have good agreement between experimental data and model results. In particular, we observe that crystal aggregates prefer to grow in upstream flow direction and toward the center of the flow channels, where the volume growth rate is also higher due to better supply.
Parkinson’s Disease–Associated LRRK2 Interferes with Astrocyte-Mediated Alpha-Synuclein Clearance
Authors: Streubel-Gallasch Linn , Giusti Veronica , Sandre Michele , Tessari Isabella , Plotegher Nicoletta , Giusto Elena , Masato Anna , Iovino Ludovica , Battisti Ilaria , Arrigoni Giorgio , Shimshek Derya , Greggio Elisa , Tremblay Marie-Eve , Bubacco Luigi , Erlandsson Anna , Civiero Laura 
Published: February 2021

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative, progressive disease without a cure. To prevent PD onset or at least limit neurodegeneration, a better understanding of the underlying cellular and molecular disease mechanisms is crucial. Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene represent one of the most common causes of familial PD. In addition, LRRK2 variants are risk factors for sporadic PD, making LRRK2 an attractive therapeutic target. Mutations in LRRK2 have been linked to impaired alpha-synuclein (α-syn) degradation in neurons. However, in which way pathogenic LRRK2 affects α-syn clearance by astrocytes, the major glial cell type of the brain, remains unclear. The impact of astrocytes on PD progression has received more attention and recent data indicate that astrocytes play a key role in α-syn-mediated pathology. In the present study, we aimed to compare the capacity of wild-type astrocytes and astrocytes carrying the PD-linked G2019S mutation in Lrrk2 to ingest and degrade fibrillary α-syn. For this purpose, we used two different astrocyte culture systems that were exposed to sonicated α-syn for 24 h and analyzed directly after the α-syn pulse or 6 days later. To elucidate the impact of LRRK2 on α-syn clearance, we performed various analyses, including complementary imaging, transmission electron microscopy, and proteomic approaches. Our results show that astrocytes carrying the G2019S mutation in Lrrk2 exhibit a decreased capacity to internalize and degrade fibrillar α-syn via the endo-lysosomal pathway. In addition, we demonstrate that the reduction of α-syn internalization in the Lrrk2 G2019S astrocytes is linked to annexin A2 (AnxA2) loss of function. Together, our findings reveal that astrocytic LRRK2 contributes to the clearance of extracellular α-syn aggregates through an AnxA2-dependent mechanism.
Glomerular podocyte dysfunction in inherited renal tubular disease
Authors: Huang Li-Min , Mao Jian-Hua 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background
Hereditary renal tubular disease can cause hypercalciuria, acid-base imbalance, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, rickets, kidney stones, etc. If these diseases are not diagnosed or treated in time, they can cause kidney damage and electrolyte disturbances, which can be detrimental to the maturation and development of the child. Glomerular involvement in renal tubular disease patients has only been considered recently.

Methods
We screened 71 papers (including experimental research, clinical research, etc.) about Dent’s disease, Gitelman syndrome, and cystinosis from PubMed, and made reference.

Results
Glomerular disease was initially underestimated among the clinical signs of renal tubular disease or was treated merely as a consequence of the tubular damage. Renal tubular diseases affect glomerular podocytes through certain mechanisms resulting in functional damage, morphological changes, and glomerular lesions.

Conclusions
This article focuses on the progress of changes in glomerular podocyte function in Dent disease, Gitelman syndrome, and cystinosis for the purposes of facilitating clinically accurate diagnosis and scientific treatment and improving prognosis.
Spatio-temporal parameters for optical probing of neuronal activity
Authors: Daria Vincent R. , Castañares Michael Lawrence , Bachor Hans-A. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe challenge to understand the complex neuronal circuit functions in the mammalian brain has brought about a revolution in light-based neurotechnologies and optogenetic tools. However, while recent seminal works have shown excellent insights on the processing of basic functions such as sensory perception, memory, and navigation, understanding more complex brain functions is still unattainable with current technologies. We are just scratching the surface, both literally and figuratively. Yet, the path towards fully understanding the brain is not totally uncertain. Recent rapid technological advancements have allowed us to analyze the processing of signals within dendritic arborizations of single neurons and within neuronal circuits. Understanding the circuit dynamics in the brain requires a good appreciation of the spatial and temporal properties of neuronal activity. Here, we assess the spatio-temporal parameters of neuronal responses and match them with suitable light-based neurotechnologies as well as photochemical and optogenetic tools. We focus on the spatial range that includes dendrites and certain brain regions (e.g., cortex and hippocampus) that constitute neuronal circuits. We also review some temporal characteristics of some proteins and ion channels responsible for certain neuronal functions. With the aid of the photochemical and optogenetic markers, we can use light to visualize the circuit dynamics of a functioning brain. The challenge to understand how the brain works continue to excite scientists as research questions begin to link macroscopic and microscopic units of brain circuits.
Assessing the uptake, engagement, and safety of a self-management app, COPD.Pal®, for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: a pilot study
Authors: Knox Liam , Gemine Rachel , Rees Sarah , Bowen Sarah , Groom Phil , Taylor David , Bond Ian , Lewis Keir 
Published: February 2021

AbstractChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a widespread condition that accounts for 3 million deaths worldwide annually. Despite being extensive healthcare users, people with COPD (PwCOPD) only spend approximately 1% of their time with a healthcare professional. The rest of the time, they are encouraged to self-manage their condition. To encourage better self-management, Bond Digital Health have created a mobile phone app called COPD.Pal® that helps PwCOPD keep track of their condition. This pilot study aimed to assess the safety, engagement, and early efficacy of the app. 25 PwCOPD were recruited and given COPD.Pal® for 6-weeks. Healthcare usage, self-management knowledge, app engagement, dyspnoea, and health-related quality of life were measured at baseline and at 6-weeks. A feedback questionnaire was also collected at follow-up. T-tests investigated whether differences between the time points were evident in the data. No statistically significant differences were found between the time points for any of the variables measured. Average app engagement was 31.8 days with 84% using COPD.Pal® for 20 or more days during the 6-weeks. 89% of participants stated they would use the app regularly after the study, with 56% stating they’d use it long-term. This study determined that a digital, self-management app would be engaged with and early results indicate that the safety is non-inferior to standard care. Although self-management knowledge remained unaffected by app use, this study provided useful insights regarding how to improve this aspect. This represents one of few studies which involve end-users at an early stage of intervention development, an important strength of the research.
Smart streetlights in Smart City: a case study of Sheffield
Authors: Dizon Eisley , Pranggono Bernardi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSmart streetlights can be used to enhance public safety and well-being. However, not only it is one of the most draining structures in terms of electricity, but it is also economically straining to local government. Typically, many councils adopt a static or conventional approach to street lighting, this presents many inefficiencies as it does not take into account environmental factors such as light levels and traffic flows. This paper will present the utilities of a streetlights in Sheffield and how different councils tackle the issue by using different lighting schemes. Investigation of current implementations of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as Internet of Things (IoT) in streetlights will be necessary to understand different proposed models that are used in ‘smart’ street lighting infrastructure. Case studies from Doncaster and Edinburgh are explored as they are using similar technology and having a similar sized topology as Sheffield. To analyze different models, StreetlightSim, an open-source streetlight simulator, is used to present different lighting schemes. There will be four time-based schemes: Conventional, Dynadimmer, Chronosense and Part-Night which have varying capabilities that will be simulated to present a plethora of solutions for Sheffield’s street lighting problem. The results from the simulations showed mixed readings, the time-based schemes showed reliable data from StreetlightSim’s own evaluations, however its adaptive approach will need to be further analyzed to demonstrate its full capability.
The Key Regulator of Necroptosis, RIP1 Kinase, Contributes to the Formation of Astrogliosis and Glial Scar in Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Zhu Yong-Ming , Lin Liang , Wei Chao , Guo Yi , Qin Yuan , Li Zhong-Sheng , Kent Thomas A. , McCoy Claire E. , Wang Zhan-Xiang , Ni Yong , Zhou Xian-Yong , Zhang Hui-Ling 
Published: February 2021

AbstractNecroptosis initiation relies on the receptor-interacting protein 1 kinase (RIP1K). We recently reported that genetic and pharmacological inhibition of RIP1K produces protection against ischemic stroke-induced astrocytic injury. However, the role of RIP1K in ischemic stroke-induced formation of astrogliosis and glial scar remains unknown. Here, in a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) rat model and an oxygen and glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/Re)-induced astrocytic injury model, we show that RIP1K was significantly elevated in the reactive astrocytes. Knockdown of RIP1K or delayed administration of RIP1K inhibitor Nec-1 down-regulated the glial scar markers, improved ischemic stroke-induced necrotic morphology and neurologic deficits, and reduced the volume of brain atrophy. Moreover, knockdown of RIP1K attenuated astrocytic cell death and proliferation and promoted neuronal axonal generation in a neuron and astrocyte co-culture system. Both vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) and its receptor VEGFR-3 were elevated in the reactive astrocytes; simultaneously, VEGF-D was increased in the medium of astrocytes exposed to OGD/Re. Knockdown of RIP1K down-regulated VEGF-D gene and protein levels in the reactive astrocytes. Treatment with 400 ng/ml recombinant VEGF-D induced the formation of glial scar; conversely, the inhibitor of VEGFR-3 suppressed OGD/Re-induced glial scar formation. RIP3K and MLKL may be involved in glial scar formation. Taken together, these results suggest that RIP1K participates in the formation of astrogliosis and glial scar via impairment of normal astrocyte responses and enhancing the astrocytic VEGF-D/VEGFR-3 signaling pathways. Inhibition of RIP1K promotes the brain functional recovery partially via suppressing the formation of astrogliosis and glial scar.
Graphical Abstract
Factors Affecting Technology Transfer and Commercialization of University Research in India: a Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Ravi Ramya , Janodia Manthan D. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn recent years, there is a great emphasis on transferring inventions and technologies originating from academia to industry through technology transfer/licensing or commercialization. The efforts of the Government of India (GOI) aim to create socially useful innovation through university-industry technology transfer. The objective of the study is to examine and understand enabling factors and barriers for technology transfer among Indian universities. The study covers three key aspects: (1) the awareness and practice of patents and research commercialization among Indian academia, (2) comprehending strategies adapted to commercialize research activities, and (3) barriers in university-industry technology transfer (TT). This paper is an attempt to answer the research question whether current dynamics within Indian universities create an environment for enabling knowledge transfer/commercialization and propose plausible suggestions to enable academia-industry technology transfer. A self- assessed structured methodology is contemplated and applied. Convenience sampling methods were adopted. Administrators of 25 universities overseeing research and development activities/patent cell/incubation cell or industrial collaboration of universities were approached to participate in the study. Indian universities are categorized as (i) public funded universities and (ii) private institutes for the purpose of the study. It is interesting to understand that public funded universities have an advantage in terms of receiving funds and licensing the research to potential industrial partners. The authors further conclude that research undertaken in academia is far from the demands of the industry. Even though the relevant supporting system for enhancing university-industry collaboration is in place, such as establishing technology transfer office (TTO) in the university, they hardly channelize the resources for socially useful innovation. It is important for Indian academia to undertake commercially viable research for the benefit of society.
Least upper bound of truncation error of low-rank matrix approximation algorithm using QR decomposition with pivoting
Authors: Kawamura Haruka , Suda Reiji 
Published: February 2021

AbstractLow-rank approximation by QR decomposition with pivoting (pivoted QR) is known to be less accurate than singular value decomposition (SVD); however, the calculation amount is smaller than that of SVD. The least upper bound of the ratio of the truncation error, defined by $$\Vert A-BC\Vert _2$$

‖
A
-
B
C
‖

2

, using pivoted QR to that using SVD is proved to be $$\sqrt{\frac{4^k-1}{3}(n-k)+1}$$

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, approximated as a product of $$B\in {\mathbb {R}}^{m\times k}$$

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and $$C\in {\mathbb {R}}^{k\times n}$$

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in this study.
Isolation and identification of a 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-dioxin degrading strain and its biochemical degradation pathway
Authors: Qiu Lina , Zhang Weiwei , Gong Aijun , Li Jiandi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis study aims to find a high-efficiency degradation strain which can biodegrade the 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD). In this paper, a new fungus strain was isolated from activated sludge of Dagu Drainage River in Tianjin which was able to degrade 2,3,7,8-TCDD in the medium. Based on its morphology and phylogenetic analysis of its 18S rDNA sequence, the strain was identified as Penicillium sp. QI-1. Response surface methodology using central composite rotatable design of cultural conditions was successfully employed for optimization resulting in 87.9 % degradation of 2,3,7,8-TCDD (1 µg/mL) within 6 days. The optimum condition for degrading 2,3,7,8-TCDD was at 31℃ and pH 7.4. The biodegradation process was fitted to a first-order kinetic model. The kinetic equation was Ct=0.939e− 0.133t and its half-life was 5.21d. The fungus strain degraded 2,3,7,8-TCDD to form intermediates, they were 4,5-Dichloro-1,2-benzoquinone, 4,5-Dichlorocatechol, 2-Hydrooxy-1,4-benzoquinone, 1,2,4-Trihydroxybenzene and β-ketoadipic acid. A novel degradation pathway for 2,3,7,8-TCDD was proposed based on analysis of these metabolites. The results suggest that Penicillium sp. QI-1 may be an ideal microorganism for biodegradation of the 2,3,7,8-TCDD-contaminated environments.
A weighted distance metric for assessing ranking dissimilarity and inter-group heterogeneity
Authors: Vanacore Amalia , Pellegrino Maria Sole 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn this paper, a weighted variant of the normalized pairwise angular distance metric is proposed. The inclusion of position weights aims at penalizing inversions in the top of the ranking more than inversions in the tail of the ranking. The performance of the proposed weighted distance metric for assessing ranking dissimilarity and its impact on a procedure for testing inter-group heterogeneity have been investigated via a Monte Carlo simulation study under several scenarios—differing for group size, number of ranked alternatives and system of hypotheses—and compared against those obtained for the unweighted variant.