scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question

Showing papers by "University of Fribourg published in 2022"


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Mar 2022-Carbon
TL;DR: In this article , a sulfur-doped porous hollow carbon sphere (SPCHS) was used to obtain the regulated EMW absorber, which achieved the minimum reflection loss (RL) value of −27.2 dB, and the effective bandwidth of 4.76 GHz.

36 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A ML-based model developed to classify airborne samples (trained by >100,000 environmental particles including 6841 TWP), and its application within a one-year monitoring campaign at two Swiss sites is presented.

35 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors define, operationalize, and measure news media quality, which is difficult to define, evaluate, and evaluate, not only for its own sake but also for its political implications.
Abstract: High-quality news is important, not only for its own sake but also for its political implications However, defining, operationalizing, and measuring news media quality is difficult, because evalua

24 citations



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , a mathematical model describing the thermo-bioconvection of Sutterby nanofluid flow including motile gyrotactic microorganisms near a perforated Riga plate under the physical impacts of heat radiation, and Arrhenius kinetics associated with binary chemical reaction is formulated and simulated.
Abstract: In modern era, thermo-migration of microorganisms is an appealing research topic in bio-nanotechnology, bio engineering, and biomedical. In this context, a mathematical model describing thermo-bioconvection of Sutterby nanofluid flow including motile gyrotactic microorganisms near a perforated Riga plate under the physical impacts of heat radiation, and Arrhenius kinetics associated with binary chemical reaction is formulated and simulated here. The Darcy-Forchheimer (DF) law is applied to determine the porosity of porous media. The Grinberg term is taken for the Lorentz force owing to the parallel Riga plate wall. Appropriate translations are discharged to turn the constitutive partial differential equations (PDEs) into ordinary differential equations (ODEs), that are numerically computed by opting the Runge–Kutta-Fehlberg method (RKF-45) along with shooting strategy. The physical insights of various controlling variables on the transport profiles, Sherwood number, Nusselt number, and microorganisms density number are exemplified through requisite graphs and tables. It must be admitted that with enlarging Darcy number, the nanofluid velocity declines, while Forchheimer number has opposite consequence on it. The motile microorganisms density sharply decreases for improving values of activation parameter. The present modeling would provide preliminary guidances in a variety of biotechnological and industrial applications.

16 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors proposed a novel method for automatic sleep stage classification based on the time, frequency, and fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) domain features extracted from a single-channel EEG.

15 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , a systematic literature review and meta-analysis was performed to define the clinical significance of low-volume metastasis in cervical cancer, with a follow-up of at least 3 years.

11 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors address the question of whether integral membrane proteins can localize to the surface of lipid droplets (LDs) by fusing perilipin 3 (PLIN3), a mammalian LD-targeted protein, to ER-resident proteins.
Abstract: Lipid droplets (LDs) are globular subcellular structures that store neutral lipids. LDs are closely associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and are limited by a phospholipid monolayer harboring a specific set of proteins. Most of these proteins associate with LDs through either an amphipathic helix or a membrane-embedded hairpin motif. Here, we address the question of whether integral membrane proteins can localize to the surface of LDs. To test this, we fused perilipin 3 (PLIN3), a mammalian LD-targeted protein, to ER-resident proteins. The resulting fusion proteins localized to the periphery of LDs in both yeast and mammalian cells. This peripheral LD localization of the fusion proteins, however, was due to a redistribution of the ER around LDs, as revealed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation between ER- and LD-localized partners. A LD-tethering function of PLIN3-containing membrane proteins was confirmed by fusing PLIN3 to the cytoplasmic domain of an outer mitochondrial membrane protein, OM14. Expression of OM14-PLIN3 induced a close apposition between LDs and mitochondria. These data indicate that the ER-LD junction constitutes a barrier for ER-resident integral membrane proteins.

10 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a yeast mating-based microscopic readout was devised to monitor the transfer of LD proteins upon zygote formation, and the results of this analysis indicate that ER fusion between mating partners is required for transfer of lipid droplets and that this transfer is continuous, bidirectional and affects most LDs simultaneously, which suggests that LDs do not fuse upon mating of yeast cells, but that they form a network that is interconnected through the ER membrane.
Abstract: Lipid droplets (LDs) are globular intracellular structures dedicated to the storage of neutral lipids. They are closely associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and are delineated by a monolayer of phospholipids that is continuous with the cytoplasmic leaflet of the ER membrane. LDs contain a specific set of proteins, but how these proteins are targeted to the LD surface is not fully understood. Here, we devised a yeast mating-based microscopic readout to monitor the transfer of LD proteins upon zygote formation. The results of this analysis indicate that ER fusion between mating partners is required for transfer of LD proteins and that this transfer is continuous, bidirectional and affects most LDs simultaneously. These observations suggest that LDs do not fuse upon mating of yeast cells, but that they form a network that is interconnected through the ER membrane. Consistent with this, ER-localized LD proteins rapidly move onto LDs of a mating partner and this protein transfer is affected by seipin, a protein important for proper LD biogenesis and the functional connection of LDs with the ER membrane.

10 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jul 2022-CheM
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors reported the synthesis of porous polyisothiocyanurates through trimerization of 1,4-phenyldiisothiamothiocyclic acid (PTHI) under ionothermal conditions, which achieved a high Pd uptake capacity of 909.1 mg g−1 and fast adsorption kinetics.
Abstract: •Porous polyisothiocyanurates as efficient solid sorbets for Pd capture •Highly selective recovery of Pd from wastewater under practical conditions •The highest Pd uptake capacity of 909.1 mg g−1 and fast adsorption kinetics •Recovered Pd used as a heterogeneous catalyst for cross-coupling reactions Palladium is an indispensable metal due to its wide range of industrial applications. Pd refining, however, is an extremely energy-intensive process with a serious environmental impact. Thus, the selective recovery of Pd from secondary sources is rather important. In this direction, solid sorbents are promising candidates owing to their reusability. Here, we report the synthesis of porous polyisothiocyanurates through the trimerization of 1,4-phenyldiisothiocyanate under ionothermal conditions, named covalent isothiocyanurate frameworks (CITCFs), bearing in situ generated thiourea moieties as binding sites for Pd. High surface area of CICTFs, 1,589 m2 g−1, along with the presence of abundant sulfur atoms within a hierarchically porous network, enabled an exceptional Pd(II) uptake capacity of 909 mg g−1, fast adsorption kinetics, stable uptake over a wide pH range, and selective Pd(II) recovery from wastewater conditions. Moreover, the reduction of recovered Pd(II) within the polymer network led to highly efficient heterogeneous catalysis for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. Palladium is an indispensable metal due to its wide range of industrial applications. Pd refining, however, is an extremely energy-intensive process with a serious environmental impact. Thus, the selective recovery of Pd from secondary sources is rather important. In this direction, solid sorbents are promising candidates owing to their reusability. Here, we report the synthesis of porous polyisothiocyanurates through the trimerization of 1,4-phenyldiisothiocyanate under ionothermal conditions, named covalent isothiocyanurate frameworks (CITCFs), bearing in situ generated thiourea moieties as binding sites for Pd. High surface area of CICTFs, 1,589 m2 g−1, along with the presence of abundant sulfur atoms within a hierarchically porous network, enabled an exceptional Pd(II) uptake capacity of 909 mg g−1, fast adsorption kinetics, stable uptake over a wide pH range, and selective Pd(II) recovery from wastewater conditions. Moreover, the reduction of recovered Pd(II) within the polymer network led to highly efficient heterogeneous catalysis for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction.

9 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors used a combination of historical aerial photography, stereo satellite imagery, airborne lidar, and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM to report glacier changes for the Tapado Glacier and rock glacier complex from the 1950s to 2020 and to report mass balances for the glacier component of the complex, Tapado glacier.
Abstract: Abstract. Glaciers and rock glaciers play an important role in the hydrology of the semi-arid northern Chile. Several studies show that glaciers have rapidly lost mass in response to climate change during the last decades. The response of rock glaciers to climate change in this region is, however, less known. In this study we use a combination of historical aerial photography, stereo satellite imagery, airborne lidar, and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM to report glacier changes for the Tapado Glacier–rock glacier complex from the 1950s to 2020 and to report mass balances for the glacier component of the complex, Tapado Glacier. Furthermore, we examine high-resolution elevation changes and surface velocities between 2012 and 2020 for 35 rock glaciers in the La Laguna catchment. Our results show how Tapado Glacier has shrunk by -25.2±4.6 % between 1956 and 2020, while the mass balance of Tapado Glacier has become steadily more negative, from being approximately in balance between 1956 and 1978 (-0.04±0.08 m w.e. a−1) to showing increased losses between 2015 and 2020 (-0.32±0.08 m w.e. a−1). Climatological (re-)analyses reveal a general increase in air temperature, decrease in humidity, and variable precipitation since the 1980s in the region. In particular, the severe droughts starting in 2010 resulted in a negative mass balance of -0.54±0.10 m w.e. a−1 between 2012 and 2015. The rock glaciers within the La Laguna catchment show heterogenous changes, with some sections of landforms exhibiting pronounced elevation changes and surface velocities exceeding that of Tapado Glacier. This could be indicative of high ice contents within the landforms and also highlights the importance of considering how landforms can transition from more glacial landforms to more periglacial features under permafrost conditions. As such, we believe high-resolution (sub-metre) elevation changes and surface velocities are a useful first step for identifying ice-rich landforms.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors combines causal mediation analysis with double machine learning for a data-driven control of observed confounders in a high-dimensional setting and demonstrate that the effect estimators are asymptotically normal and $n^{-1/2}$-consistent under specific regularity conditions and investigate the finite sample properties in a simulation study when considering lasso as machine learner.
Abstract: Summary This paper combines causal mediation analysis with double machine learning for a data-driven control of observed confounders in a high-dimensional setting. The average indirect effect of a binary treatment and the unmediated direct effect are estimated based on efficient score functions, which are robust with respect to misspecifications of the outcome, mediator, and treatment models. This property is key for selecting these models by double machine learning, which is combined with data splitting to prevent overfitting. We demonstrate that the effect estimators are asymptotically normal and $n^{-1/2}$-consistent under specific regularity conditions and investigate the finite sample properties of the suggested methods in a simulation study when considering lasso as machine learner. We also provide an empirical application to the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, assessing the indirect effect of health insurance coverage on general health operating via routine checkups as mediator, as well as the direct effect.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented the synthesis and bulk co-assembly of pyrene (Pyr) and naphthalenediimide (NDI) functionalized oligodimethylsiloxanes (oDMS) of discrete length.
Abstract: The assembly of donor–acceptor molecules via charge transfer (CT) interactions gives rise to highly ordered nanomaterials with appealing electronic properties. Here, we present the synthesis and bulk co-assembly of pyrene (Pyr) and naphthalenediimide (NDI) functionalized oligodimethylsiloxanes (oDMS) of discrete length. We tune the donor–acceptor interactions by connecting the pyrene and NDI to the same oligomer, forming a heterotelechelic block molecule (NDI-oDMSPyr), and to two separate oligomers, giving Pyr and NDI homotelechelic block molecules (Pyr-oDMS and NDI-oDMS). Liquid crystalline materials are obtained for binary mixtures of Pyr-oDMS and NDI-oDMS, while crystallization of the CT dimers occurred for the heterotelechelic NDI-oDMS-Pyr block molecule. The synergy between crystallization and phase-segregation coupled with the discrete length of the oDMS units allows for perfect order and sharp interfaces between the insulating siloxane and CT layers composed of crystalline CT dimers. We were able to tune the lamellar domain spacing and donor–acceptor CT interactions by applying pressures up to 6 GPa on the material, making the system promising for soft-material nanotechnologies. These results demonstrate the importance of the molecular design to tune the CT interactions and stability of a CT material.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Mocetinostat (MGCD0103, MOCE) showed cardioprotection under hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R) in vivo and in vitro, if so, reveal its potential pharmacological mechanism as mentioned in this paper .
Abstract: Over the past decade, histone deacetylases (HDACs) has been proven to manipulate development and exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, cardiac hypertrophy, ventricular remodeling, and myocardial fibrosis. Inhibition of HDACs, especially class-I HDACs, is potent to the protection of ischemic myocardium after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Herein, we examine whether mocetinostat (MGCD0103, MOCE), a class-I selective HDAC inhibitor in phase-II clinical trial, shows cardioprotection under I/R in vivo and in vitro, if so, reveal its potential pharmacological mechanism to provide an experimental and theoretical basis for mocetinostat usage in a clinical setting. Human cardiac myocytes (HCMs) were exposed to hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R), with or without mocetinostat treatment. H/R reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and induced HCMs apoptosis. Mocetinostat pretreatment reversed these H/R-induced mitochondrial damage and cellular apoptosis and upregulated CREB, p-CREB, and PGC-1α in HCMs during H/R. Transfection with small interfering RNA against PGC-1α or CREB abolished the protective effects of mocetinostat on cardiomyocytes undergoing H/R. In vivo, mocetinostat was demonstrated to protect myocardial injury posed by myocardial I/R via the activation of CREB and upregulation of PGC-1α. Mocetinostat (MGCD0103) can protect myocardium from I/R injury through mitochondrial protection mediated by CREB/PGC-1α pathway. Therefore, activation of the CREB/PGC-1α signaling pathway via the inhibition of Class-I HDACs may be a promising new therapeutic strategy for alleviating myocardial reperfusion injury.

Journal ArticleDOI
13 Apr 2022
TL;DR: In this article , a method called MEMO-MS2 BasEd SaMple VectOrization (MEMO) was proposed to cluster large amounts of chemodiverse samples based on their LC-MS/MS profiles.
Abstract: In natural products research, chemodiverse extracts coming from multiple organisms are explored for novel bioactive molecules, sometimes over extended periods. Samples are usually analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with fragmentation mass spectrometry to acquire informative mass spectral ensembles. Such data is then exploited to establish relationships among analytes or samples (e.g., via molecular networking) and annotate metabolites. However, the comparison of samples profiled in different batches is challenging with current metabolomics methods since the experimental variation-changes in chromatographical or mass spectrometric conditions - hinders the direct comparison of the profiled samples. Here we introduce MEMO-MS2 BasEd SaMple VectOrization-a method allowing to cluster large amounts of chemodiverse samples based on their LC-MS/MS profiles in a retention time agnostic manner. This method is particularly suited for heterogeneous and chemodiverse sample sets. MEMO demonstrated similar clustering performance as state-of-the-art metrics considering fragmentation spectra. More importantly, such performance was achieved without the requirement of a prior feature alignment step and in a significantly shorter computational time. MEMO thus allows the comparison of vast ensembles of samples, even when analyzed over long periods of time, and on different chromatographic or mass spectrometry platforms. This new addition to the computational metabolomics toolbox should drastically expand the scope of large-scale comparative analysis.

Book ChapterDOI
20 Jan 2022
TL;DR: In this article , the authors provide an account of the asymmetry in population ethics by means of a person-affecting view and a structural consistency constraint, which can be integrated into a general theory that can handle cases where there are externalities in that members of the original distribution are positively or negatively affected by bringing the miserable life into existence.
Abstract: This chapter provides an account of the asymmetry in population ethics. The first half of the asymmetry is explicated by means of a person-affecting view, whereas the second half is established by means of a structural consistency constraint. This account can be integrated into a general theory that can handle (i) cases where there are externalities in that members of the original distribution are positively or negatively affected by bringing the miserable life into existence, (ii) cases in which one is concerned not only with bringing individual persons into existence but also groups of people, and (iii) situations in which it is uncertain whether an action will result in the addition of lives that are worth not living.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors highlight that selective autophagy also plays a vital role in promoting the establishment of a robust inflammatory response, which is attributed to the cytoprotective functions attributed to autoophagy.
Abstract: Limitation of excessive inflammation due to selective degradation of pro-inflammatory proteins is one of the cytoprotective functions attributed to autophagy. In the current study, we highlight that selective autophagy also plays a vital role in promoting the establishment of a robust inflammatory response. Under inflammatory conditions, here TLR3-activation by poly(I:C) treatment, the inflammation repressor TNIP1 (TNFAIP3 interacting protein 1) is phosphorylated by Tank-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) activating an LIR motif that leads to the selective autophagy-dependent degradation of TNIP1, supporting the expression of pro-inflammatory genes and proteins. This selective autophagy efficiently reduces TNIP1 protein levels early (0-4 h) upon poly(I:C) treatment to allow efficient initiation of the inflammatory response. At 6 h, TNIP1 levels are restored due to increased transcription avoiding sustained inflammation. Thus, similarly as in cancer, autophagy may play a dual role in controlling inflammation depending on the exact state and timing of the inflammatory response.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a one-factorial (corporate diplomacy with/without governmental involvement) between-subjects experimental design study surveying a representative sample of residents in the United Arab Emirates (N = 199) was conducted.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors collected information from publications in scientific journals, presentations at international congresses, the internet, and declarations of International Xenotransplantation Association members on xenotransplantation procedures in humans performed over the past 10 y.
Abstract: Following the recommendations by a panel of experts gathered by the World Health Organization in 2005, an inventory was established to collect practices of human xenotransplantation worldwide ( www.humanxenotransplant.org ). The website was activated in October 2006, in collaboration with the International Xenotransplantation Association, the University Hospital Geneva, and the World Health Organization. A first report on the collected xenotransplantation activities was published in 2010 in the journal Transplantation . In 2020, the website was redesigned, and its hosting and management were transferred to the Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital.We collected information from publications in scientific journals, presentations at international congresses, the internet, and declarations of International Xenotransplantation Association members on xenotransplantation procedures in humans performed over the past 10 y.A total of 5 new applications of human xenotransplantation were identified, with pig as source animal in all applications. The procedures involved transplantation of islets of Langerhans, skin, cornea, and choroid plexus cells. The treatments were performed in China, United States, New Zealand, and Argentina. No major complications or deaths were reported.Several clinical applications of cell or tissue xenotransplantation are ongoing around the world. Compared with the previous reported period (1995-2010, with 29 activities, mostly without governmental regulation), the recent number of clinical activities was reduced, and all were officially approved. This information should be used to inform healthcare officials, staff, and the public with the objective of encouraging good practices based on internationally harmonized guidelines driven by initiatives such as the Changsha Communiqué.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A selective medium for screening fosfomycin (FOS)-resistant Enterobacterales was developed in this paper , which was first evaluated by using cultures of a collection of 84 enterobacterial clinical strains (42 FOS susceptible and 42 FOS resistant).
Abstract: A selective medium for screening fosfomycin (FOS)-resistant Enterobacterales was developed. Performances of this medium were first evaluated by using cultures of a collection of 84 enterobacterial clinical strains (42 FOS susceptible and 42 FOS resistant).

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , two hybrid high-order (HHO) methods for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations and their robustness with respect to the Reynolds number are investigated.
Abstract: Abstract We propose two Hybrid High-Order (HHO) methods for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations and investigate their robustness with respect to the Reynolds number. While both methods rely on a HHO formulation of the viscous term, the pressure-velocity coupling is fundamentally different, up to the point that the two approaches can be considered antithetical. The first method is kinetic energy preserving, meaning that the skew-symmetric discretization of the convective term is guaranteed not to alter the kinetic energy balance. The approximated velocity fields exactly satisfy the divergence free constraint and continuity of the normal component of the velocity is weakly enforced on the mesh skeleton, leading to H-div conformity. The second scheme relies on Godunov fluxes for pressure-velocity coupling: a Harten, Lax and van Leer approximated Riemann Solver designed for cell centered formulations is adapted to hybrid face centered formulations. The resulting numerical scheme is robust up to the inviscid limit, meaning that it can be applied for seeking approximate solutions of the incompressible Euler equations. The schemes are numerically validated performing steady and unsteady two dimensional test cases and evaluating the convergence rates on h -refined mesh sequences. In addition to standard benchmark flow problems, specifically conceived test cases are conducted for studying the error behaviour when approaching the inviscid limit.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a method to extract thermodynamic quantities for nanoparticle dispersions in solvents is presented based on the study of tomograms obtained from cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET).
Abstract: Here we present a method to extract thermodynamic quantities for nanoparticle dispersions in solvents. The method is based on the study of tomograms obtained from cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET). The approach is demonstrated for gold nanoparticles (diameter < 5 nm). Tomograms are reconstructed from tilt-series 2D images. Once the three-dimensional (3D) coordinates for the centres of mass of all of the particles in the sample are determined, we calculate the pair distribution function g(r) and the potential of mean force U(r) without any assumption. Importantly, we show that further quantitative information from 3D tomograms is readily available as the spatial fluctuation in the particles' position can be efficiently determined. This in turn allows for the prompt derivation of the Kirkwood-Buff integrals with all their associated quantities such as the second virial coefficient. Finally, the structure factor and the agglomeration states of the particles are evaluated directly. These thermodynamic quantities provide key insights into the dispersion properties of the particles. The method works well both for dispersed systems containing isolated particles and for systems with varying degrees of agglomerations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors presented an upscaling approach based on a permafrost distribution model and classifications of surface and landform types to estimate the total ground ice volume and its approximate water equivalent in the study areas.
Abstract: Abstract. With ongoing climate change, there is a pressing need to better understand how much water is stored as ground ice in areas with extensive permafrost occurrence, as well as how the regional water balance may alter in response to the potential generation of meltwater from permafrost degradation. However, field-based data on permafrost in remote and mountainous areas such as the South American Andes are scarce. Most current ground ice estimates are based on broadly generalized assumptions such as volume–area scaling and mean ground ice content estimates of rock glaciers. In addition, ground ice contents in permafrost areas outside of rock glaciers are usually not considered, resulting in a significant uncertainty regarding the volume of ground ice in the Andes and its hydrological role. In Part 1 of this contribution, Hilbich et al. (2022a) present an extensive geophysical data set based on electrical resistivity tomography and refraction seismic tomography surveys to detect and quantify ground ice of different landforms and surface types in several study regions in the semi-arid Andes of Chile and Argentina with the aim to contribute to the reduction of this data scarcity. In Part 2 we focus on the development of a strategy for the upscaling of geophysics-based ground ice quantification to an entire catchment to estimate the total ground ice volume (and its approximate water equivalent) in the study areas. In addition to the geophysical data, the upscaling approach is based on a permafrost distribution model and classifications of surface and landform types. In this paper, we introduce our upscaling strategy, and we demonstrate that the estimation of large-scale ground ice volumes can be improved by including (i) non-rock-glacier permafrost occurrences and (ii) field evidence through a large number of geophysical surveys and ground truthing information. The results of our study indicate that (i) conventional ground ice estimates for rock-glacier-dominated catchments without in situ data may significantly overestimate ground ice contents and (ii) substantial volumes of ground ice may also be present in catchments where rock glaciers are lacking.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the role of fatigue from ongoing news issues for how audiences evaluate news media was investigated and the reciprocal causal relations between news users' fatigue and their evaluations of news media with focus on the Brexit issue were examined.
Abstract: News media covers certain political issues extensively for weeks or months at a time, leading users to become fatigued, avoiding them altogether. Against the background of increasing distrust in and tune out of news media observed in several countries, this study investigates the role of fatigue from ongoing news issues for how audiences evaluate news media. It examines reciprocal causal relations between news users’ fatigue from ongoing news issues and their evaluations of news media with focus on the Brexit issue. A three-wave panel survey was conducted in Switzerland from April 11 to June 11, 2019. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models show that issue fatigue leads to negative evaluations of an issue’s media coverage and vice versa. However, issue fatigue does not predict negative news coverage evaluations in general and hostile media perceptions. Implications of ongoing news issues on news media evaluations are discussed, considering citizens’ attachment to news media faltering in today’s news environment.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a library of colloidally stable, structurally tunable, and pH-responsive non-lamellar liquid crystalline nanoparticles from binary mixtures of a phospholipid (phosphatidylglycerol) and three types of omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs), prepared in the absence of a secondary emulsifier and organic solvents, were introduced.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors used electroencephalography to investigate local and network effects of selective attention while subjects attended to distinct features of identical stimuli, and found that attention-related changes in the functional brain network organization emerge shortly after stimulus onset, accompanied by an overall decrease of functional connectivity.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors assess the proportion of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physicians and therapists who consulted patients regarding COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 in Switzerland, as well as the extent to which it affected their practices during the same period.
Abstract: Abstract Background To curb the spread of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Swiss government declared a state of health emergency and ordered a legal restriction concerning the opening of healthcare institutions. In this study, we aimed to assess the proportion of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physicians and therapists who consulted patients regarding COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 in Switzerland, as well as the extent to which COVID-19 affected their practices during the same period. Methods A retrospective study was performed by using a questionnaire from January to April 2021 among a random sample of TCM physicians and therapists based in Switzerland. The survey included questions on demographic characteristics, opening status of practices, channels of communication used for the medical encounter, and experience in managing the prevention, acute, and recovery stages of COVID-19 infection. Results Among the 320 participants, 76% consulted a patient regarding COVID-19 at least once. Overall, physicians and therapists consulted more patients during recovery (76.3%) and prevention (67.8%) than during the acute stage (19.8%) of the disease. Acupuncture was the most frequently used technique among TCM therapists and physicians consulting for prevention (80.4%) and recovery (92.5%), whereas Chinese pharmacopeia was the most used technique among those consulting for the acute stage (59.3%). Of those who closed their practices from March to April 2020 but kept consulting, telephone (30.4%) and home visits (29.9%) were the two principal methods of consultation. Conclusions The restriction concerning the opening of practices induced a loss of the health workforce, especially among TCM therapists. Nonetheless, TCM therapists and physicians consulted patients regarding COVID-19, especially during the recovery stage. As there is a demand for the use of TCM in the context of COVID-19, it raises the need for a better consideration of TCM in the Swiss health care system.

Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 2022
TL;DR: In this article , the authors introduce the book "Exploring Islamic Social Work: Between Community and the Common Good" by analysing the state of research, identifying guiding questions and then developing and presenting the structure of the volume.
Abstract: Abstract Social work has been characterised in recent years by a growing sensitivity to religious and spiritual issues, both leading back to its historical roots and responding to the challenges of contemporary post-secular society. This sensitivity also requires more knowledge about and attention to the specific needs of Muslims as service users, without neglecting their great diversity. The topic of ‘Islamic social work’, situated within this context, does not only concern Muslim beneficiaries in the field of mainstream social work, but also the central, active role that Muslim communities play: it therefore calls into question a merely individual focus. For Muslim faith-based organisations, Islamically-motivated social ideas and thought are also important. In Western contexts, which are often characterised by mistrust shown to Islam and Muslims, reflection on what contribution can be made to the common good within the framework of pluralistic societies is required. Finally, Islamic social work can be considered in relation to the broader development of social work, which is characterised by a critical approach to power-relations and domination, a sensitivity to diversity and an openness to alternative forms of social work. This chapter introduces the book “Exploring Islamic Social Work. Between Community and the Common Good” by analysing the state of research, identifying guiding questions and then developing and presenting the structure of the volume. Its focus is on contexts of Islamic social work and its target groups, its theological and ethical foundations, as well as its inclusion into general social work discourse.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , a Delphi survey was carried out among a panel of French and French-speaking experts to assess the opinion of experts and obtain a consensus on the management of endometrial cancer in France and French Switzerland.
Abstract: Our aim was to assess the opinion of a panel of experts and obtain a consensus on the management of endometrial cancer in France and French Switzerland. A Delphi survey was carried out among a panel of French and French-speaking Swiss experts. The first questionnaire included 65 questions divided into eight categories: characterization of experts, histo-molecular characteristics and radiological data of endometrial cancer, and management of low-risk, intermediate-risk, intermediate–high-risk, high-risk, and metastatic cancers. The experts were asked to reply on a 9-point scale, both on the validity and the clarity of each question. After the answers were analyzed, a second questionnaire was sent to the same experts. The study took place between December 2021 and March 2022. Further, 58 (57.4%) of the 101 experts responded in the first round, and 39 recommendations were obtained (60%). Six questions were voted redundant and 20 discordant. These questions were reformulated, and, at the end of the second round, 17 recommendations were validated (85%). In total, the study presents an analysis of 56 questions and related responses. Expert advice helps to clarify non-consensual issues, standardize the management of endometrial cancer, and optimize clinical practices.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , it was shown that not every Salem number appears as the growth rate of a cocompact hyperbolic Coxeter group, and that the spectral radii of Coxeter transformations of planar planar Coxeter groups are the same as those of tetrahedral Coxeter transformation.
Abstract: We show that not every Salem number appears as the growth rate of a cocompact hyperbolic Coxeter group. We also give a new proof of the fact that the growth rates of planar hyperbolic Coxeter groups are spectral radii of Coxeter transformations, and show that this need not be the case for growth rates of hyperbolic tetrahedral Coxeter groups.