"Sensory Fit Panel" – Development of a new Advertising Claim Support method to assess aesthetic diaper fit performance in an objective, reliable and reproducible way

For the product design of diapers, the fit on the baby plays a significant role. In particular, innovation in the areas of fit and freedom of movement have become increasingly important as lower order needs like leakage are sufficiently met by most products. Today’s methods to measure diaper fit focus on technical measurements (engineering and technical fit) and parents’ subjective perceptions. While these methods are useful tools for product development purposes, they are not seen as sufficient for Advertising Claim Support needs. However, when a new fit innovation should be advertised, particularly when this is done in a competitive way, a robust technical support is needed to defend this claim in case of challenges by competitors or regulatory bodies. For this purpose, methods need to be objective and technically sound in order to be acceptable to advertising regulatory bodies. Independent, objective ratings would substantiate claims on a more reliable and reproducible base. To meet this need, the diaper fit sensory panel method was developed. This test reapplies the established sensory methodology used, e.g. to assess taste or smell in food and beverages

Applying QNLP to sentiment analysis in finance

As an application domain where the slightest qualitative improvements can yield immense value, finance is a promising candidate for early quantum advantage. Focusing on the rapidly advancing field of Quantum Natural Language Processing (QNLP), we explore the practical applicability of the two central approaches DisCoCat and Quantum-Enhanced Long Short-Term Memory (QLSTM) to the problem of sentiment analysis in finance. Utilizing a novel ChatGPT-based data generation approach, we conduct a case study with more than 1000 realistic sentences and find that QLSTMs can be trained substantially faster than DisCoCat while also achieving close to classical results for their available software implementations

Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions in Germany: Advances, Challenges, Examples

[EN] In this paper, Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions is introduced as a field of research and application. An interdisciplinary German collaboration on Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions – HOCHN – serves as an example of how this topic is addressed on a national level. Results and advances of the HOCHN collaboration are summarized. Moreover, challenges of implementing sustainability-related organizational development at universities are discussed. Focusing on Education for Sustainable Development at universities, three different methodologies are outlined that exceed conventional approaches in tertiary education: Lego® Serious Play® methodology, constellation techniques, and a coaching program on the “Five Minds for the Future”. They illustrate different ways of addressing issues of Education for Sustainable Development and skills and habits respectively that are crucial for achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals of the UN.Schmitt, C.; Bassen, A.; Müller-Christ, G. (2019). Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions in Germany: Advances, Challenges, Examples. En HEAD'19. 5th International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1009-1017. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD19.2019.9216OCS1009101

Caracterização da qualidade de diferentes substratos agrícolas para a implantação de espécies ornamentais

Diferentes substratos podem influenciar de forma significativa no desenvolvimento de espécies de plantas ornamentais. Para intensificar os estudos e conhecimentos sobre as espécies ornamentais, no presente trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar a qualidade de três diferentes substratos agrícolas comerciais para a implantação de plantas ornamentais: Esterco de galinha, Casca de pinus e Composto orgânico. Avaliaram-se as propriedades físico-químicas desses substratos, bem como a massa dos substratos em cada uma das peneiras e a umidade em função do potencial mátrico. O uso do substrato Casca de pinus é o mais indicado para os mais diversos cultivos, pois dependendo da sua granulometria, permite uma boa drenagem e retenção de água e boa aeração

Combining mass spectrometry and genetic labeling in mice to report TRP channel expression

Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels play important roles in fundamental biological processes throughout the body of humans and mice. TRP channel dysfunction manifests in different disease states, therefore, these channels may represent promising therapeutic targets in treating these conditions. Many TRP channels are expressed in several organs suggesting multiple functions and making it challenging to untangle the systemic pathophysiology of TRP dysfunction. Detailed characterization of the expression pattern of the individual TRP channels throughout the organism is thus essential to interpret data such as those derived from systemic phenotyping of global TRP knockout mice. Murine TRP channel reporter strains enable reliable labeling of TRP expression with a fluorescent marker. Here we present an optimized method to visualize primary TRP-expressing cells with single cell resolution throughout the entire organism. In parallel, we methodically combine systemic gene expression profiling with an adjusted mass spectrometry protocol to document acute protein levels in selected organs of interest. The TRP protein expression data are then correlated with the GFP reporter expression data. The combined methodological approach presented here can be adopted to generate expression data for other genes of interest and reporter mice. • We present an optimized method to systemically characterize gene expression in fluorescent reporter mouse strains with a single cell resolution. • We methodically combine systemic gene expression profiling with an adjusted mass spectrometry protocol to document acute protein levels in selected organs of interest in mice

Which patients with lower respiratory tract infections need inpatient treatment? Perceptions of physicians, nurses, patients and relatives

Despite recommendations for outpatient management, low risk patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are often hospitalized. This survey analyzed perceptions of physicians, nurses, patients and relatives about feasibility of outpatient management and required duration of hospital stay

Effect of Low-Fidelity Music (lo-fi) on Reading Comprehension in Indonesian College Students at Jabodetabek

Reading comprehension is important in the process of studying. Nowadays, low-fidelity (lo-fi) music is claimed to help people study. Lo-fi music is a music aesthetic characterised by the imperfection in recording. Previous research proved that various music can either increase or decrease our reading comprehension ability. No research has been done on the effects of lo-fi music towards reading comprehension. Thus, we conduct an online experimental study on the effects of lo-fi music on the reading comprehension in university students. 100 Jabodetabek students were equally divided into control and experimental groups by randomization. Reading comprehension was tested using a reading subtest from a Cambridge Ordinary Level (O-level) test translated into the Indonesian language. The experimental group did the test while listening to lo-fi music. The control group did the test without listening to any music. The Mann-Whitney U-test concluded that the results failed to reject the null hypothesis [(​U=3545, n1=50, n2=50, p>0,05), ΣR1=230, ΣR2=223]. In conclusion, there is no effect of listening to lo-fi music towards reading comprehension in Indonesian Jabodetabek university students. Whilst studying, students may choose to listen to lo-fi music or not.Pemahaman bacaan penting dalam proses belajar, terutama bagi mahasiswa. Musik low-fidelity (lo-fi) saat ini mulai dikenal untuk membantu proses belajar. Musik lo-fi merupakan musik rekaman estetika dengan perekaman ketidaksempurnaan teknis. Mayoritas penelitian menunjukkan terdapat pengaruh dari musik untuk meningkatkan atau menurunkan pemahaman bacaan. Belum ada penelitian mengenai pengaruh musik lo-fi terhadap pemahaman bacaan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode eksperimen secara daring untuk mengetahui apakah aliran musik lo-fi dapat memengaruhi kemampuan pemahaman bacaan mahasiswa. Penelitian dilakukan terhadap 100 mahasiswa di Jabodetabek yang dibagi menjadi kelompok eksperimen dan kontrol menggunakan randomisasi. Pengukuran pemahaman bacaan menggunakan tes bacaan Ordinary Level (O Level) Cambridge yang diterjemahkan ke dalam Bahasa Indonesia. Kelompok eksperimen mengerjakan tes sambil mendengarkan musik lo-fi dan kelompok kontrol mengerjakan tanpa mendengarkan musik. Penelitian menggunakan Mann-Whitney U-test dan menunjukkan bahwa hipotesis nol gagal ditolak [(​U=3545, n1=50, n2=50, p>0,05), ΣR1=230, ΣR2=223]. Dapat disimpulkan mendengarkan musik lo-fi tidak memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap pemahaman bacaan pada mahasiswa Indonesia di Jabodetabek. Pembelajar dapat memilih untuk belajar sambil mendengarkan musik lo-fi ataupun tidak

Characteristics and treatment of new-onset arthritis after checkpoint inhibitor therapy

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) may cause immune-related adverse events (IRAEs). Characterisation and data on treatment of musculoskeletal IRAEs are scarce. In this cohort study, patients receiving ICI therapy who experienced arthralgia were evaluated for the presence of synovitis. Data on demographics, ICI regime, time of onset, imaging and response to therapy of synovitis were prospectively collected. Arthritis was demonstrated in 14 of 16 patients of whom 7 showed monarthritis, 5 had oligoarthritis and 2 had polyarthritis. Patients with ICI-induced arthritis were predominantly male (57%) and seronegative (69%). Regarding the detection of synovitis in staging imaging, moderate sensitivity for contrast-enhanced CT with PET-CT as reference was observed. Disease burden at baseline was high and was significantly reduced after anti-inflammatory treatment. Nine patients were treated with systemic and eight patients with intra-articular glucocorticoids. Six patients who flared on glucocorticoid treatment on tapering were given methotrexate resulting in long-term remission. Patients with synovitis were more likely to have good tumour response. Patients with ICI-induced arthritis were predominantly male and seronegative showing different patterns of arthritis with high disease burden. Good efficacy and safety was observed for methotrexate, particularly for ICI-induced polyarthritis

The Role of lncRNAs TAPIR-1 and -2 as Diagnostic Markers and Potential Therapeutic Targets in Prostate Cancer

In search of new biomarkers suitable for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, genome-wide transcriptome sequencing was carried out with tissue specimens from 40 prostate cancer (PCa) and 8 benign prostate hyperplasia patients. We identified two intergenic long non-coding transcripts, located in close genomic proximity, which are highly expressed in PCa. Microarray studies on a larger cohort comprising 155 patients showed a profound diagnostic potential of these transcripts (AUC~0.94), which we designated as tumor associated prostate cancer increased lncRNA (TAPIR-1 and -2). To test their therapeutic potential, knockdown experiments with siRNA were carried out. The knockdown caused an increase in the p53/TP53 tumor suppressor protein level followed by downregulation of a large number of cell cycle- and DNA-damage repair key regulators. Furthermore, in radiation therapy resistant tumor cells, the knockdown leads to a renewed sensitization of these cells to radiation treatment. Accordingly, in a preclinical PCa xenograft model in mice, the systemic application of nanoparticles loaded with siRNA targeting TAPIR-1 significantly reduced tumor growth. These findings point to a crucial role of TAPIR-1 and -2 in PCa