bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Solving optimal stopping problems under model uncertainty via empirical dual optimisation
Authors: Belomestny Denis , Hübner Tobias , Krätschmer Volker 
Published: June 2022

AbstractIn this work, we consider optimal stopping problems with model uncertainty incorporated into the formulation of the underlying objective function. Typically, the robust, efficient hedging of American options in incomplete markets may be described as optimal stopping of such kind. Based on a generalisation of the additive dual representation of Rogers (Math. Financ. 12:271–286, 2002) to the case of optimal stopping under model uncertainty, we develop a novel regression-based Monte Carlo algorithm for the approximation of the corresponding value function. The algorithm involves optimising a penalised empirical dual objective functional over a class of martingales. This formulation allows us to construct upper bounds for the optimal value with reduced complexity. Finally, we carry out a convergence analysis of the proposed algorithm and illustrate its performance by several numerical examples.
Preferences of Sjögren’s syndrome patients regarding potential new saliva substitutes
Authors: Assy Zainab , Bikker Floris J. , Mashhour Esra , Asadi Mina , Brand Henk S. 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Objectives
Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) patients should be involved in the development of new saliva substitutes at an early stage. The purpose of the current study was to explore the preferences of these patients regarding various product characteristics of potential new saliva substitutes.

Material and method
A questionnaire was distributed among SS patients. They could anonymously indicate their preferences for saliva substitute characteristics using 5-point Likert scales.

Results
Fifty-nine SS patients filled in the questionnaire. According to their opinion, the most ideal saliva substitute has a thin-watery consistency with a neutral flavour that should be applied as a spray. Patients demand a prolonged alleviation of dry mouth complaints and neutralization of harmful bacteria. The patients mainly object against the presence of artificial sweeteners and alcohol in saliva substitutes, but have limited objections against the presence of vegetable-based ingredients and natural enzymes. Major objections were against the potential side effects “bitter taste” and “discoloration of teeth”. Age and severity of xerostomia affected desire of flavours. Younger patients preferred menthol flavour, while respondents with severe xerostomia preferred the use of “neutral flavours” significantly more.

Conclusion
The most ideal saliva substitute has thin-watery consistency in spray form with a neutral flavour and providing long alleviation of dry mouth complaints. Besides, it should not contain artificial sweeteners or alcohol, and should not have a bitter taste or cause discoloration of the teeth.

Clinical relevance
Investigating the opinion of SS patients provides tailoured insights into their preference, which may contribute to the development of more effective saliva substitutes.
Fluidization of soil under increasing seepage flow: an energy perspective through CFD-DEM coupling
Authors: Nguyen Thanh T. , Indraratna Buddhima 
Published: June 2022

AbstractIncreasing seepage flow causes soil particles to migrate, i.e., from local piping to complete fluidization, resulting in reduced effectives stress and degraded shear stiffness of the soil foundation. This process has received considerable attention in the past years, however, majority of them concentrate on macro-aspects such as the internal erosion and soil deformation, while there is a lack of fundamental studies addressing the energy transport at micro-scale of fluid-soil systems during soil approaching fluidization. In this regard, the current study presents an assessment of the energy evolution in soil fluidization based on the discrete element method (DEM) coupled with computation fluid dynamics (CFD). In this paper, an upward seepage flow of fluid is modelled by CFD based on the modified Navier–Stokes equations, while soil particles are governed by DEM with their mutual interactions being computed through fluid-particle force models. The energy transformation from the potential state to kinetic forms during fluid flowing is discussed with respect to numerical (CFD-DEM) results and the energy conservation concepts. The results show that majority of the potential energy induced by fluid flows has lost due to frictional mechanisms, while only a small amount of energy is needed to cause the soil to fluidize completely. The contribution of rotational and translational components to the total kinetic energy of particles, and their changing roles during soil fluidization is also presented. The effect of boundary condition on the energy transformation and fluidization of soil is also investigated and discussed.
Graphical abstract
Faintly tired: a systematic review of fatigue in patients with orthostatic syncope
Authors: Wu Ryan E. Y. , Khan Farhaan M. , Hockin Brooke C. D. , Lobban Trudie C. A. , Sanatani Shubhayan , Claydon Victoria E. 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
Orthostatic syncope (transient loss of consciousness when standing—fainting) is common and negatively impacts quality of life. Many patients with syncope report experiencing fatigue, sometimes with “brain fog”, which may further impact their quality of life, but the incidence and severity of fatigue in patients with syncope remain unclear. In this systematic review, we report evidence on the associations between fatigue and conditions of orthostatic syncope.

Methods
We performed a comprehensive literature search of four academic databases to identify articles that evaluated the association between orthostatic syncope [postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), vasovagal syncope (VVS), orthostatic hypotension (OH)] and fatigue. Studies were independently screened using a multi-stage approach by two researchers to maintain consistency and limit bias.

Results
Our initial search identified 2797 articles, of which 13 met our inclusion criteria (POTS n = 10; VVS n = 1; OH n = 1; VVS and POTS n = 1). Fatigue scores were significantly higher in patients with orthostatic syncope than healthy controls, and were particularly severe in those with POTS. Fatigue associated with orthostatic syncope disorders spanned multiple domains, with each dimension contributing equally to increased fatigue. “Brain fog” was an important symptom of POTS, negatively affecting productivity and cognition. Finally, fatigue was negatively associated with mental health in patients with POTS.

Conclusion
In conditions of orthostatic syncope, fatigue is prevalent and debilitating, especially in patients with POTS. The consideration of fatigue in patients with orthostatic disorders is essential to improve diagnosis and management of symptoms, thus improving quality of life for affected individuals.
Clinical outcomes of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy in noncompaction cardiomyopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tukker Martijn , Schinkel Arend F. L. , Dereci Adem , Caliskan Kadir 
Published: June 2022

AbstractA subgroup of patients with noncompaction cardiomyopathy (NCCM) is at increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). In selected patients with NCCM, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy could be advantageous for preventing SCD. Currently, there is no complete overview of outcome and complications after ICD therapy in patients with NCCM. This study sought to present an overview using pooled data of currently available studies. Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were searched and returned 915 studies. After a thorough examination, 12 studies on outcome and complications after ICD therapy in patients with NCCM were included. There were 275 patients (mean age 38.6 years; 47% women) with NCCM and ICD implantation. Most of the patients received an ICD for primary prevention (66%). Pooled analysis demonstrates that the appropriate ICD intervention rate was 11.95 per 100 person-years and the inappropriate ICD intervention rate was 4.8 per 100 person-years. The cardiac mortality rate was 2.37 per 100 person-years. ICD-related complications occurred in 10% of the patients, including lead malfunction and revision (4%), lead displacement (3%), infection (2%), and pneumothorax (2%). Patients with NCCM who are at increased risk of SCD may significantly benefit from ICD therapy, with a high appropriate ICD therapy rate of 11.95 per 100 person-years and a low cardiac mortality rate of 2.37 per 100 person-years. Inappropriate therapy rate of 4.8 per 100 person-years and ICD-related complications were not infrequent and may lead to patient morbidity.
Fields of Recognition: A Dialogue Between Pierre Bourdieu and Axel Honneth
Authors: Piroddi Corrado 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThis paper aims to enrich the idea of the institutionalized sphere of recognition developed by Axel Honneth and Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of the “social field” by combining them. First, it underlines the characteristics that the two viewpoints share. Second, the paper argues that their combination can be mutually beneficial for overcoming some of their respective theoretical limits: the issue of the determination of the amplitude of the social field and the nature of the power that institutions of recognition exercise on individuals.
A novel psychometric approach to assessing intersectional hiv stigma: the geometric intersectional stigma scales
Authors: Kalichman Seth C. , Shkembi Bruno , Eaton Lisa A. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractRecent advances in stigma theories have emphasized intersectionality, but there are currently few approaches to measuring intersectional HIV stigma. Here we present a novel approach to assessing intersectional HIV stigma. Black/African American sexual minority men living with HIV (N = 437) completed newly developed measures of enacted and anticipated stigma along with a battery of instruments to examine construct validity. For each endorsed stigma item, participants rated three personal attributes ascribed to the stigma experiences, specifically race, same-sex sexual behavior, and HIV status. Based on the notion that intersecting orthogonal dimensions such as attributions for experiencing stigma can be conceptualized geometrically, we used the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate intersectional stigma scores. Results showed that the enacted and anticipated stigma scales and the assessment of intersectional stigma attributes demonstrated acceptable response rates, internal consistency and a pattern of associations with correlates that suggests construct validity. In separate tests of construct validity, regression models predicting medication adherence indicated varied results among stigma measures, demonstrating clear advantages to separating the assessment of stigma experiences from the attributes to which stigma experiences are ascribed. Findings from this geometric approach to assessing intersectional HIV stigma were promising and warrant further investigation.
The Effect of Science-Related Populism on Vaccination Attitudes and Decisions
Authors: Kohler Sarah , Koinig Isabell 
Published: June 2022

AbstractAs the COVID-19 pandemic has sadly shown, the decision against vaccination is often linked to political ideologies and populist messages among specific segments of the population: People do not only have concerns about a potential health risk associated with vaccination but seem to have also adopted more populist attitudes towards science. In this study, the relationship between science-related populism and individuals’ attitudes towards vaccination was examined, presuming that scientific-related populism also influences individual responses towards different vaccinations. As different types of diseases and their vaccines might be perceived rather distinctively by the public, different vaccinations were considered. The survey is based on responses from 870 people from Germany and Austria. Results indicate that science-related populism influences responses towards some vaccination types, especially for those that receive extensive media coverage such as COVID-19 and measles (MMR). There was no significant impact of science-related populism on individuals’ vaccination intentions for other vaccines like seasonal influenza, human papillomavirus, or tick-borne encephalitis. In conclusion, limitations and directions for future research are addressed.
A conditional random field framework for language process in product review mining
Authors: Ming Yue , Liu Xiyuan , Shen Gang , Gao Di , Wang Yu 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe Part-Of-Speech tagging is widely used in the natural language process. There are many statistical approaches in this area. The most popular one is Hidden Markov Model. In this paper, an alternative approach, linear-chain Conditional Random Fields, is introduced. The Conditional Random Fields is a factor graph approach that can naturally incorporate arbitrary, non-independent features of the input without conditional independence among the features or distributional assumptions of inputs. This paper applied the Conditional Random Fields for the car review word Part-Of-Speech tagging and then the feature extraction, which can be used as an input to an opinion mining system. To reduce the computational time, we also proposed applying the Limited-memory BFGS algorithm to train the Conditional Random Fields. Furthermore, this paper evaluated the Conditional Random Fields and the classical graph approach using the car review dataset to demonstrate that the Conditional Random Fields have a more robust result with a smaller training dataset.
Microneedle-Mediated Permeation Enhancement of Chlorhexidine Digluconate: Mechanistic Insights Through Imaging Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Kirkby Melissa , Sabri Akmal Bin , Scurr David , Moss Gary 
Published: June 2022

Abstract

Purpose
Chlorhexidine digluconate (CHG) is a first-line antiseptic agent typically applied to the skin as a topical solution prior to surgery due to its efficacy and safety profile. However, the physiochemical properties of CHG limits its cutaneous permeation, preventing it from reaching potentially pathogenic bacteria residing within deeper skin layers. Thus, the utility of a solid oscillating microneedle system, Dermapen®, and a CHG-hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) gel were investigated to improve the intradermal delivery of CHG.

Methods
Permeation of CHG from the commercial product, Hibiscrub®, and HEC-CHG gels (containing 1% or 4% CHG w/w) was assessed in intact skin, or skin that had been pre-treated with microneedles of different array numbers, using an Franz diffusion cells and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF–SIMS).

Results
Gels containing 1% and 4% CHG resulted in significantly increased depth permeation of CHG compared to Hibiscrub® (4% w/v CHG) when applied to microneedle pre-treated skin, with the effect being more significant with the higher array number. ToF–SIMS analysis indicated that the depth of dermal penetration achieved was sufficient to reach the skin strata that typically harbours pathogenic bacteria, which is currently inaccessible by Hibiscrub®, and showed potential lateral diffusion within the viable epidermis.

Conclusions
This study indicates that HEC-CHG gels applied to microneedle pre-treated skin may be a viable strategy to improve the permeation CHG into the skin. Such enhanced intradermal delivery may be of significant clinical utility for improved skin antisepsis in those at risk of a skin or soft tissue infection following surgical intervention.
Experimental Identification of Frictional Effects on Interlaminar Toughness of Composite Laminates in 4ENF Test
Authors: Ballarin P. , Airoldi A. , Aceti P. , Ghiasvand S. , Sala G. 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
Understanding and characterizing delamination in composite laminates is fundamental for analysing their structural integrity, since operational loads may promote the propagation of interlaminar defects. Propagation often occurs in mode II and is driven by shear stress. However, the methods used to characterise this propagation mode are affected by frictional effects between crack surfaces.

Objective
This work aims to build up an experimental method to identify the effect of friction in a 4 points End Notched Flexure test, which does not require the use of analytical or numerical models of the specimen.

Methods
This goal is achieved by performing a series of loading–unloading cycles before the delamination test, which helps to calibrate an analytical expression that estimates the energy dissipated by friction, and the analytical expression is then inserted into the formulation of the Irwin-Kies equation. Experimental validation is carried out considering tests on different materials and different friction conditions between the crack surfaces, as well as validation by means of a virtual experiment being performed for comparison with an analytical model presented in literature. The novelty of this method lies in the fact that it does not require the development of any analytical or numerical model of the specimen and consequently no calibration between models and the experiment is required.

Results
Tests on composite specimens show good results, the friction contribution estimated by the method is comparable with those presented in the literature. Moreover, the virtual experiment shows that there is a good match between the results obtained using this method and those obtained using an analytical model presented in the literature.

Conclusions
This method seems to provide satisfactory results for both real and virtual experiments, moreover, the procedure is relatively simple, making it a suitable method for the evaluation of frictional effects in the 4 point End Notched Flexure test.
Polyethylene glycol capped gold nanoparticles ameliorate renal ischemia–reperfusion injury in diabetic mice through AMPK-Nrf2 signaling pathway
Authors: Saleh Hanan , Salama Mohamed , Hussein Rehab Mohamed 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of polyethylene glycol capped gold nanoparticles (PEG-AuNPs) on renal ischemia–reperfusion injury (I/R)–induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in diabetic mice via the activation of adenosine 5′ monophosphate–activated protein kinase—nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor-2 (AMPK-Nrf2) pathway. Diabetes was induced in male mice (12/group) by streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days. After 4 weeks, the mice have intravenously received doses of PEG-AuNPs (40, 150, and 400 µg/kg body weight) for 3 consecutive days, and then animals were subjected to 30 min ischemia and 48 h reperfusion. Following the treatment with three different doses of PEG-AuNPs, the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were reduced. Obvious reduction in renal tubular atrophy, glomerular damage, mitochondrial damage, and necrotic area were ultra-structurally detected, and renal interstitial inflammation and apoptosis were diminished. Moreover, PEG-AuNPs increased the recovering of damaged renal cells, suppressed significantly levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), downregulated significantly the level of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β), and upregulated the AMPK-Nrf2 pathway. PEG-AuNPs exhibited a promising alternative therapeutic target for diabetic renal I/R-induced AKI through upregulation of AMPK/PI3K/AKT path which additionally stimulated Nrf2-regulated antioxidant enzymes in a dose-dependent manner.
Graphical abstract
What is the “washout” of hepatocellular carcinoma as observed on the equilibrium phase CT?: consideration based on the concept of extracellular volume fraction
Authors: Sakamoto Keiko , Tanaka Shinji , Sato Keisuke , Ito Emi , Nishiyama Marie , Urakawa Hiroshi , Arima Hisatomi , Yoshimitsu Kengo 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Purpose
To verify the hypothesis that extracellular volume fraction (ECV) and precontrast CT density are the main determinants of washout of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the equilibrium phase CT.

Materials and methods
Between 2018 and 2020, patients with surgically resected HCC were recruited who had undergone preoperative 4-phase CT. Those larger than 6 cm were excluded to minimize the possibility of intratumoral hemorrhage or degeneration. Two radiologists reviewed the whole images in consensus and divided cases into washout positive and negative groups. Washout positive group at the equilibrium phase was defined as “HCC showing relatively low density as compared to the surrounding background liver (BGL), irrespective of the presence of early enhancement or fibrous capsule”. Several clinico-pathological and radiological features, including ECV and precontrast CT density, were correlated to the presence of washout, using uni- and multi-variable analyses.

Results
27 HCC in 24 patients met the inclusion criteria. 22 (82%) and five HCC belonged to washout positive and negative groups, respectively. Univariable analysis revealed ECV of HCC and BGL, ECV difference between HCC and BGL, and presence of fibrous capsule on the equilibrium phase CT were the significant factors. Multivariable analysis showed ECV of HCC and BGL, and precontrast CT density of BGL, were the independently significant factors related to washout, suggesting washout is more likely observed with lower HCC ECV, higher BGL ECV, and higher BGL precontrast CT density.

Conclusion
Major determinants of washout of HCC may be ECV of HCC and BGL, and precontrast CT density of BGL.
Seeds of Coronilla talaverae (Fabaceae), an endemic endangered species, in Argaric Early Bronze Age levels of Punta de Gavilanes (Mazarrón, Spain)
Authors: Rivera Diego , Ros-Sala Milagros , Obón Concepción , Sánchez-Gómez Pedro , Alcaraz Francisco , Ferrer Pablo , Laguna Emilio , Lahora Agustín , Valera Javier , Coronado-Parra Maria-Teresa , Precioso Maria Luisa 
Published: June 2022

AbstractPunta de Gavilanes (Mazarrón Bay, Spain) was occupied from third millennium cal BC to the first century BC. Overall, the archaeobotanical remains suggest that agriculture and gathering coexisted in the site since the beginning of the occupation of the site. Depending on the sea level variation, the site passed from island in the middle Holocene to peninsula in the late Holocene. Seeds from this archaeological site associated with radiocarbon dates of ≈ 4200 and ≈ 1500 cal years BP include specimens of eight species of shrubs and trees, of which a winter flowering shrub (Coronilla talaverae Lahora and Sánchez-Gómez), is an endangered species that no longer occurs on Punta de Gavilanes area. The seeds of this endemic Coronilla species are associated with materials dated ≈ 3900 cal years BP in a Bronze Age cultural context. The vanished species was presumably locally exterminated by human alteration of its natural habitat or because of environmental changes. The species of Coronilla identified from Punta de Gavilanes is known from relatively distant seashore areas. This endangered species could be effectively preserved by reintroduction to areas that it occupied prior to human alteration, in particular Punta de los Gavilanes.