bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Qualität in der Befundung von Kopf- und Halssonographien an Universitätskliniken – eine Stichprobe
Authors: Künzel J. , Bozzato A. , Ernst B. P. , Fuhrmann T. , Ugele I. , Scherl C. , Schapher M. , Volk G. F. , Mansour N. , Knopf A. , Bohr C. , Hamann K.-F.
Published: January 2021

Hintergrund

Die Ultraschalldiagnostik gilt für den Radiologen, Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Arzt (HNO) oder Mund-Kiefer-Gesichts-Chirurgen als Standard in der Abklärung zahlreicher Pathologien. Es besteht ein Konsens, dass die digitale Dokumentation heute dringend notwendig ist, um die Qualität der sonographischen Dokumentationen zu verbessern und zu standardisieren. Es häufen sich Publikationen zur Implementierung standardisierter Befunddokumentation einschließlich der Kopf- und Halssonographie.

Ziel der Arbeit

Die vorliegende Arbeit zielt darauf ab, die Qualität von routinemäßig angefertigten Kopf- und Halssonographiebefunden nach Kriterien der Kassenärztlichen Vereinigung (KV) Bayern an einer Auswahl deutscher HNO-Universitätskliniken stichprobenartig zu ermitteln.

Material und Methoden

Insgesamt wurden retrospektiv 70 zufällig ausgewählte, anonymisierte schriftliche Befunde einschließlich Bildmaterial von insgesamt 7 HNO-Universitätskliniken stichprobenartig nach KV-Kriterien durch einen erfahrenen Prüfer der KV Bayern ausgewertet und deskriptiv analysiert.

Ergebnisse

Von 70 Befunden konnten 69 ausgewertet werden. Die Dokumentationsvollständigkeit lag im Mittel bei 80,6 %. Neun Befunde waren vollständig korrekt dokumentiert (13 %). Die Dokumentationsvollständigkeit der einzelnen Kliniken lag zwischen 68,1 % und 93 %. Mit 88,5 % vs. 75 % erbrachte eine strukturierte Befundung eine höhere Befundvollständigkeit. In 75 % der Fälle verfügten die Kliniken mit strukturiertem Befund auch über digitale Dokumentationslösungen.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Vollständigkeit und Qualität von routinemäßig angefertigten Kopf- und Halssonographiebefunden an einer Auswahl von HNO-Universitätskliniken ist insgesamt optimierbar. Die Implementierung strukturierter Befundmasken und die Umstellung der analogen Dokumentation auf digitale Lösungen sowie Vernetzung mit dem Klinikinformationssystem (KIS) und Bildarchivierungs- und Kommunikationssystem (PACS) sollte weiter vorangetrieben werden. Darüber hinaus sind leitende Ärzte dazu angehalten, die Befundqualität unerfahrener Kollegen regelmäßig zu prüfen und im Rahmen der Facharztausbildung auf die Erfüllung entsprechender Standards wie der KV-Ultraschallvereinbarung hinzuarbeiten.
Abklärung der akuten Bewusstseinsstörung bei Säuglingen, Kindern und Jugendlichen
Authors: Plecko Barbara
Published: January 2021

Die akute Bewusstseinstrübung stellt in jedem Lebensalter einen medizinischen Notfall dar. Beim jungen Säugling ist sie aufgrund langer Schlafphasen besonders schwer erkennbar. Beurteilung und Maßnahmen folgen den ABCDE-Regeln. Die Einstufung der Bewusstseinslage mithilfe der (altersadaptierten) Glasgow Coma Scale (Alter<5 Jahre) ermöglicht die untersucherunabhängige Verlaufsbeurteilung. In der neurologischen Untersuchung ist auf Meningismuszeichen, die Bulbusstellung, Pupillomotorik, Körperhaltung, Tonuslage und fokale Defizite zu achten. Intrakranielle (z. B. Schädel-Hirn-Trauma, epileptische Anfälle, Entzündungen, Hirndrucksteigerung, Schlaganfall) werden von extrakraniellen Ursachen (z. B. Hypoglykämie, Elektrolytstörungen, Intoxikationen, Stoffwechselentgleisungen) unterschieden. Die strukturierte Abklärung mithilfe der Notfalllaborbestimmungen, ggf. ergänzt durch Liquoranalyse, die kraniale Bildgebung und das EEG, erlauben die rasche Orientierung und Einleitung gezielter Therapiemaßnahmen.
Virtueller Praktikumstag Urologie
Authors: Kidess Marc , Schmid Sebastian C. , Pollak Sebastian , Gschwend Jürgen E. , Berberat Pascal O. , Autenrieth Michael E.
Published: January 2021

Hintergrund und Einleitung

Die COVID-19-Pandemie stellte die Universitätskliniken vor eine große Herausforderung: Wie kann eine praktische Ausbildung angehender Mediziner ohne deren Präsenz in der Klinik erfolgen? Als Alternative zum regulären Praktikumstag haben wir innerhalb kurzer Zeit ein virtuelles Ersatzangebot mittels Lehrvideos zu unterschiedlichen urologischen Themen auf einer universitären Online-Plattform geschaffen. Ziel der Videos war die Vermittlung des Fachs Urologie in Theorie und Praxis.

Material und Methoden

Die Videos wurden durch Mitarbeiter der Klinik anhand eines ausgearbeiteten Konzepts gefilmt und bearbeitet. Anschließend wurden diese Videos auf der universitären Online-Lehrplattform Moodle zur Verfügung gestellt. Zur Erfolgskontrolle mussten die Studierenden zu jedem Themenkomplex eine Frage beantworten. Eine Teilnahmebescheinigung wurde generiert, sobald die Studierenden mindestens 60 % aller Fragen richtig beantwortet hatten und an einer abschließenden Evaluation teilgenommen haben.

Ergebnisse

Der virtuelle Praktikumstag wurde von 164 Teilnehmern absolviert. Die Evaluationen sind mit einem sehr positiven Gesamturteil ausgefallen – mit einer Schulnote von 1,2. Insgesamt war die Akzeptanz des Ersatzangebotes hoch.

Diskussion

Das virtuelle Format als Alternative zum Präsenzunterricht wurde von den Studierenden sehr gut angenommen. Mit dem virtuellen Praktikumstag wurde eine schnelle und kontaktlose Alternative zum Präsenzunterricht geschaffen.
On the dimension of Voisin sets in the moduli space of abelian varieties
Authors: Colombo E. , Naranjo J. C. , Pirola G. P.
Published: January 2021

We study the subsets $$V_k(A)$$

V
k

(
A
)

of a complex abelian variety A consisting in the collection of points $$x\in A$$

x
∈
A

such that the zero-cycle $$\{x\}-\{0_A\}$$

{
x
}

-

{

0
A

}

is k-nilpotent with respect to the Pontryagin product in the Chow group. These sets were introduced recently by Voisin and she showed that $$\dim V_k(A) \le k-1$$

dim

V
k

(
A
)

≤
k
-
1

and $$\dim V_k(A)$$

dim

V
k

(
A
)

is countable for a very general abelian variety of dimension at least $$2k-1$$

2
k
-
1

. We study in particular the locus $${\mathcal {V}}_{g,2}$$

V

g
,
2

in the moduli space of abelian varieties of dimension g with a fixed polarization, where $$V_2(A)$$

V
2

(
A
)

is positive dimensional. We prove that an irreducible subvariety $${\mathcal {Y}} \subset {\mathcal {V}}_{g,2}$$

Y
⊂

V

g
,
2

, $$g\ge 3$$

g
≥
3

, such that for a very general $$y \in {\mathcal {Y}}$$

y
∈
Y

there is a curve in $$V_2(A_y)$$

V
2

(

A
y

)

generating A satisfies $$\dim {\mathcal {Y}}\le 2g - 1.$$

dim
Y
≤
2
g
-
1
.

The hyperelliptic locus shows that this bound is sharp.
Compromised Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue is a Risk Factor for Postoperative Septic Complications in HIV‐Seropositive Trauma Patients
Authors: Mauser Martin , Kruger Deirdré , Pather Sugeshnee , Plani Frank
Published: January 2021

Background

The gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) is an important part of the immune system and compromised in HIV treatment‐naïve as well as in HIV‐seropositive patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART) due to HIV‐induced changes. The influence of the impaired GALT on the postoperative complication rate after surgery for penetrating abdominal trauma has not been investigated and the hypothesis that the HIV‐induced changes of the GALT contribute to septic complications postoperatively was tested.

Material and methods

This prospective study included patients who required a small bowel resection due to abdominal gunshot wounds. A bowel specimen was obtained in the index operation, and the T‐lymphocytic quantity in the specimen was analyzed via immunohistochemistry to scrutinize whether these lymphocyte numbers had an impact on the postoperative outcome. Septic and postoperative complications were documented during the in‐hospital course and the first month after discharge.

Results

In total, 62 patients were included in the study of which 38 patients were HIV‐seronegative and 24 were HIV‐seropositive. HIV‐seropositive patients had a significantly lower quantity of CD4 + T cells in the GALT compared to the HIV‐seronegative patients (p = 0.0001), which was also associated with a significantly higher rate of septic complications in the postoperative course. In the HIV‐seropositive group, no significant differences were detected for T‐lymphocytic quantity in the GALT between the HIV‐treatment naïve and antiretroviral treatment groups.

Conclusion

The compromised GALT in HIV‐seropositive patients may predispose these patients to postoperative septic complications. Antiretroviral therapy does not result in an adequate immune reconstitution in this tissue.
Budding yeast Rad51: a paradigm for how phosphorylation and intrinsic structural disorder regulate homologous recombination and protein homeostasis
Authors: Woo Tai-Ting , Chuang Chi-Ning , Wang Ting-Fang
Published: January 2021

The RecA-family recombinase Rad51 is the central player in homologous recombination (HR), the faithful pathway for repairing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) during both mitosis and meiosis. The behavior of Rad51 protein in vivo is fine-tuned via posttranslational modifications conducted by multiple protein kinases in response to cell cycle cues and DNA lesions. Unrepaired DSBs and ssDNA also activate Mec1ATRand Tel1ATMfamily kinases to initiate the DNA damage response (DDR) that safeguards genomic integrity. Defects in HR and DDR trigger genome instability and result in cancer predisposition, infertility, developmental defects, neurological diseases or premature aging. Intriguingly, yeast Mec1ATR- and Tel1ATM-dependent phosphorylation promotes Rad51 protein stability during DDR, revealing how Mec1ATRcan alleviate proteotoxic stress. Moreover, Mec1ATR- and Tel1ATM-dependent phosphorylation also occurs on DDR-unrelated proteins, suggesting that Mec1ATRand Tel1ATMhave a DDR-independent function in protein homeostasis. In this minireview, we first describe how human and budding yeast Rad51 are phosphorylated by multiple protein kinases at different positions to promote homology-directed DNA repair and recombination (HDRR). Then, we discuss recent findings showing that intrinsic structural disorder and Mec1ATR/Tel1ATM-dependent phosphorylation are coordinated in yeast Rad51 to regulate both HR and protein homeostasis.
Seismic stratigraphy of the Klints Bank east of Gotland (Baltic Sea): a giant drumlin sealing thermogenic hydrocarbons
Authors: Schäfer Wiebke , Hübscher Christian , Sopher Daniel
Published: January 2021

This work analyses six high-resolution multi-channel seismic profiles across the Klints Bank east of Gotland. The Klints Bank consists of a drop-shaped increase of the Quaternary thickness and is oriented in an approximately north-southern direction with a length of over 50 km, a width of about 15 km and a maximum thickness of 150 m. The glacial origin of the Klints Bank can be verified with the dataset presented in this study. We classify the feature as a (giant) drumlin due to its steep up-ice and tapered down-ice face in combination with an orientation parallel to the ice-flow direction of the Weichselian glaciation. The seismic image of the internal structure of the Quaternary unit shows no uniform stratification or deformation patterns; instead, local sub-parallel reflection patterns interlayered with transparent units are observed. The averaged seismic velocity of this unit is about 2000 m/s, which is interpreted as an autochthonous deposition of glaciogenic sediments. Signs of overprinting are interpreted based on the geometry of the flanks of the structure, which appear mostly in the form of collapse structures and lifted blocks due to compressional thrust faulting. Phase-reversed events within and beneath the Quaternary are perceived as strong evidence of fluid (hydrocarbon) presence within the Klints Bank. Organically enriched Palaeozoic shales in south-easterly direction of the Klints Bank presumably give the origin of these thermogenic hydrocarbons.
Long-term incidence and outcomes of obesity-related peripheral vascular disease after bariatric surgery
Authors: Moussa Osama , Ardissino Maddalena , Muttoni Silvia , Faraj Ara , Tang Alice , Khan Omar , Collins Peter , Jaffer Usman , Purkayastha Sanjay
Published: January 2021

Background and aims

Patients with obesity are at high risk of suffering from arterial and venous peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Bariatric surgery is an effective strategy to achieve weight reduction for patients with obesity. The long-term impact of bariatric surgery on obesity-related morbidity is subject to increasing research interest. This study aimed to ascertain the impact of bariatric surgery on the long-term occurrence of PVD in patients with obesity.

Methods

The study population was extracted from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a nation-wide database containing primary and secondary care records of consenting patients. The intervention cohort was 2959 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery during follow-up; their controls were 2959 propensity-score-matched counterparts. The primary endpoint was development of any PVD: arterial or venous. Secondary endpoints were incident peripheral arterial disease alone, incident peripheral venous disease alone.

Results

Three hundred forty-six patients suffered a primary endpoint during follow-up. Bariatric surgery did not improve peripheral vascular disease rates as a whole, but it was associated with significantly lower event rates of arterial disease (HR = 0.560, 95%CI 0.327–0.959, p = 0.035) but higher event rates of venous disease (HR = 1.685, 95%CI 1.256–2.262, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Bariatric surgery was associated with significantly reduced long-term occurrence of arterial disease but increased occurrence of venous disease in patients with obesity.
Primary anastomosis as a valid alternative for extremely low birth weight infants with spontaneous intestinal perforation
Authors: Dübbers Martin , Holtkamp Gerd , Cernaianu Grigore , Bludau Marc , Fischer Janina , Keller Titus , Kribs Angela , Schulten Daisy
Published: January 2021

The aim was to assess the results of primary anastomosis (PA) compared to enterostomy (ES) in infants with spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) and a weight below 1000 g. Between 2014 and 2016, enterostomy was routinely carried out on extremely low birth weight (ELBW) patients with SIP. From 2016 until 2019, all patients underwent anastomosis without stoma formation. We compared outcome and complications in both groups. Forty-two patients with a median gestational age of 24.3 weeks and a birth weight of 640 g with SIP were included. Thirty patients underwent PA; ES was performed in 12 patients. Overall in-hospital mortality was 11.9% (PA: 13.3%, ES: 8.3%). Reoperations due to complications became necessary in 10/30 patients with PA and 4/12 patients with ES. Length of stay was 110.5 days in the PA group and 124 days in the ES group. Median weight at discharge was higher in the PA group (PA: 2258 g, ES: 1880 g, p = .036).

Conclusion: Primary anastomosis is a feasible treatment option for SIP in infants < 1000 g and may have a positive impact on weight gain and length of hospitalization. However, further studies on selection criteria for PA are necessary.

What is Known:• Enterostomy (ES) and primary anastomosis (PA) are feasible treatment options in preterm infants with spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP).• Stomal complications or failure to thrive due to poor food utilization can pose significant problems.

What is New:• Primary anastomosis in case of SIP is equal to enterostomy in terms of mortality and revision rate; however, length of stay and weight gain can be presumably positively influenced.• Primary anastomosis is a valid treatment option even for patients weighing less than 1000 g.
Alternative splicing in normal and pathological human placentas is correlated to genetic variants
Authors: Ruano Camino S. M. , Apicella Clara , Jacques Sébastien , Gascoin Géraldine , Gaspar Cassandra , Miralles Francisco , Méhats Céline , Vaiman Daniel
Published: January 2021

Two major obstetric diseases, preeclampsia (PE), a pregnancy-induced endothelial dysfunction leading to hypertension and proteinuria, and intra-uterine growth-restriction (IUGR), a failure of the fetus to acquire its normal growth, are generally triggered by placental dysfunction. Many studies have evaluated gene expression deregulations in these diseases, but none has tackled systematically the role of alternative splicing. In the present study, we show that alternative splicing is an essential feature of placental diseases, affecting 1060 and 1409 genes in PE vs controls and IUGR vs controls, respectively, many of those involved in placental function. While in IUGR placentas, alternative splicing affects genes specifically related to pregnancy, in preeclamptic placentas, it impacts a mix of genes related to pregnancy and brain diseases. Also, alternative splicing variations can be detected at the individual level as sharp splicing differences between different placentas. We correlate these variations with genetic variants to define splicing Quantitative Trait Loci (sQTL) in the subset of the 48 genes the most strongly alternatively spliced in placental diseases. We show that alternative splicing is at least partly piloted by genetic variants located either in cis (52 QTL identified) or in trans (52 QTL identified). In particular, we found four chromosomal regions that impact the splicing of genes in the placenta. The present work provides a new vision of placental gene expression regulation that warrants further studies.
Review of the relationship between aggregates geology and Los Angeles and micro-Deval tests
Authors: Adomako Solomon , Engelsen Christian John , Thorstensen Rein Terje , Barbieri Diego Maria
Published: January 2021

Rock aggregates constitute the enormous volume of inert construction material used around the globe. The petrologic description as igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic types establishes the intrinsic formation pattern of the parent rock. The engineering properties of these rocks vary due to the differences in the transformation process (e.g. hydrothermal deposits) and weathering effect. The two most common mechanical tests used to investigate the performance of aggregates are the Los Angeles (LA) and micro-Deval (MD) tests. This study reviewed the geological parameters (including mineralogy, grain and crystal size, grain shape, and porosity) and the relationship to Los Angeles and micro-Deval tests. It was found that high content of primary minerals in rocks (e.g. quartz and feldspar) is a significant parameter for performance evaluation. Traces of secondary and accessory minerals also affect the performance of rocks, although in many cases it is based on the percentage. Furthermore, some studies showed that the effect of mineralogic composition on mechanical strength is not sufficient to draw final conclusions of mechanical performance; therefore, the impact of other textural characteristics should be considered. The disposition of grain size and crystal size (e.g. as result of lithification) showed that rocks composed of fine-grain textural composition of ≤ 1 mm enhanced fragmentation and wear resistance than medium and coarse grained (≥ 1 mm). The effect of grain shape was based on convex and concave shapes and flat and elongated apexes of tested samples. The equidimensional form descriptor of rocks somehow improved resistance to impact from LA than highly flat and elongated particles. Lastly, the distribution of pore space investigated by means of the saturation method mostly showed moderate (R = 0.50) to strong (R = 0.90) and positive correlations to LA and MD tests.
Time perception and patience: individual differences in interval timing precision predict choice impulsivity in European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris
Authors: Andrews Clare , Dunn Jonathon , Nettle Daniel , Bateson Melissa
Published: January 2021

Impulsivity, in the sense of the extent rewards are devalued as the time until their realization increases, is linked to various negative outcomes in humans, yet understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying it is limited. Variation in the imprecision of interval timing is a possible contributor to variation in impulsivity. We use a numerical model to generate predictions concerning the effect of timing imprecision on impulsivity. We distinguish between fixed imprecision (the imprecision that applies even when timing the very shortest time intervals) and proportional imprecision (the rate at which imprecision increases as the interval becomes longer). The model predicts that impulsivity should increase with increasing fixed imprecision, but decrease with increasing proportional imprecision. We present data from a cohort of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris, n = 28) in which impulsivity had previously been measured through an intertemporal choice paradigm. We tested interval timing imprecision in the same individuals using a tri-peak temporal reproduction procedure. We found repeatable individual differences in both fixed and proportional imprecision. As predicted, birds with greater proportional imprecision in interval timing made fewer impulsive choices, whilst those with greater fixed imprecision tended to make more. Contradictory observations in the literature regarding the direction of association between timing imprecision and impulsivity might be clarified by distinguishing between fixed and proportional components of imprecision.
Searching where the treasure is: on the emergence of human companion animal partnership (HCAP)
Authors: Miklósi Ádám , Abdai Judit , Temesi Andrea
Published: January 2021

In our view, the discipline, often referred to as human–animal interaction (HAI), lacks a well-defined conceptual framework. It is too narrow both with respect to the animal species investigated and the nature of human–animal interactions studied. So instead, we introduce the term human–companion animal partnership (HCAP) that is not only a better descriptor for most research efforts within HAI but also helps to direct research efforts on an ethological basis. In our approach, ‘companion’ is a function and not a feature of some species. This means that many species had and could have a potential to form mixed social groups with humans if they evolve some capacity of social competence. This view may initiate new comparative research involving a range of species to find out how complex social engagement could be maintained in such hetero-specific social groups based on evolutionary heritage, recent selection and individual experience (socialisation). Our approach emphasises the role of human caring behaviour and social competence in the emergence of a partnership with several species, and thus could also help in setting expectations for welfare and aid in designing artificial companions for specific purposes.
Toolmaking and the evolution of normative cognition
Authors: Birch Jonathan
Published: January 2021

We are all guided by thousands of norms, but how did our capacity for normative cognition evolve? I propose there is a deep but neglected link between normative cognition and practical skill. In modern humans, complex motor skills and craft skills, such as toolmaking, are guided by internally represented norms of correct performance. Moreover, it is plausible that core components of human normative cognition evolved as a solution to the distinctive problems of transmitting complex motor skills and craft skills, especially skills related to toolmaking, through social learning. If this is correct, the expansion of the normative domain beyond technique to encompass more abstract norms of fairness, reciprocity, ritual and kinship involved the elaboration of a basic platform for the guidance of skilled action by technical norms. This article motivates and defends this “skill hypothesis” for the origin of normative cognition and sets out various ways in which it could be empirically tested.
Prognosis of early pre-discharge and late left ventricular dilatation by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging after acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Sinn Martin R. , Lund Gunnar K. , Muellerleile Kai , Freiwald Eric , Saeed Maythem , Avanesov Maxim , Lenz Alexander , Starekova Jitka , von Kodolitsch Yskert , Blankenberg Stefan , Adam Gerhard , Tahir Enver
Published: January 2021

To study the long-term prognosis of early pre-discharge and late left ventricular (LV) dilatation in patients with first ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and contemporary medical therapy. Long-term follow-up > 15 years was available in 53 consecutive patients (55 ± 13 years) with first STEMI. Late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) was obtained at baseline 5 ± 3 days and follow-up 8 ± 3 months after STEMI to measure LV function, volumes and infarct size. Early pre-discharge dilatation was defined as increased left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVi) at baseline CMR with > 97 ml/m2 for males and > 90 ml/m2 for females. Late dilatation was defined as initially normal LVEDVi, which increased ≥ 20% at follow-up. Early dilatation was present in 7 patients (13%), whereas late dilatation occurred in 11 patients (21%). Patients with early LV dilatation had highest mortality (57%), whereas patients with late dilatation had similar mortality (27%) compared to patients without dilatation (26%). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that age (P < 0.001), ejection fraction at baseline (P < 0.01) and early dilatation (P < 0.01) were independent predictors of death. Early dilatation qualified as an exclusive independent predictor of long-term mortality after adjustment for age and ejection fraction (P < 0.05, hazard ratio: 2.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.2 to 7.9). Early pre-discharge LV dilatation by CMR enabled strong long-term risk stratification after STEMI. The high mortality of early LV dilatation underscores the clinical importance of this post-infarction complication, which occurred despite PCI and contemporary medical therapy.
Are Gritty People Happier than Others?: Evidence from the United States and South Korea
Authors: Kwon Hye Won
Published: January 2021

Grit, which refers to perseverance and passion to pursue long-term goals, has been highlighted as a predictor of better life outcomes, including subjective well-being. For grit to be useful for well-being research, we need to know more about its properties across cultures and determine whether it has a relationship to well-being outcomes beyond other existing psychological measures. Using survey data from the United States and South Korea (N = 1008), this study examines the measurement of grit across cultures as having two dimensions: perseverance of effort and consistency of interest. It then explores the distinctive utility of grit in explaining an individual’s subjective well-being beyond well-established psychological measures such as conscientiousness and sense of control. The results show that gritty people report better subjective well-being; this positive relationship between grit and subjective well-being is largely driven by the perseverance dimension of grit. This dimension accounts for a unique variance in subjective well-being beyond the sense of control in both country samples and variance beyond conscientiousness in the US sample. By contrast, the consistency dimension of grit adds little to our understanding of subjective well-being in either country. Relying on the global grit score, which aggregates the scores of the two dimensions, may obscure the unique role of the perseverance dimension in understanding subjective well-being.
Blur and interoceptive vision
Authors: Skrzypulec Błażej
Published: January 2021

The paper presents a new philosophical theory of blurred vision according to which visual experiences have two types of content: exteroceptive content, characterizing external entities, and interoceptive content, characterizing the state of the visual system. In particular, it is claimed that blurriness-related phenomenology interoceptively presents acuity of vision in relation to eye focus. The proposed theory is consistent with the representationalist thesis that phenomenal character supervenes on representational content and with the strong transparency thesis formulated in terms of mind-independentness. Furthermore, the interoceptive approach is free from controversial assumptions adopted by other philosophical theories of blurred experiences and is able to account for the epistemic and motivational role of visual blur, i.e. that blurred experiences provide a prima facie justification for beliefs regarding our vision and motivate actions directed toward our eyes.
Sex modulates the association of radial artery augmentation index with renal function decline in individuals without chronic kidney disease
Authors: Qin Qiao , Fan Fangfang , Jia Jia , Zhang Yan , Zheng Bo
Published: January 2021

Purpose

An increase in arterial stiffness is associated with rapid renal function decline (RFD) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the radial augmentation index (rAI), a surrogate marker of arterial stiffness, affects RFD in individuals without CKD.

Methods

A total of 3165 Chinese participants from an atherosclerosis cohort with estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) of ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 were included in this study. The baseline rAI normalized to a heart rate of 75 beats/min (rAIp75) was obtained using an arterial applanation tonometry probe. The eGFRs at both baseline and follow-up were calculated using the equation derived from the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration. The association of the rAIp75 with RFD (defined as a drop in the eGFR category accompanied by a ≥ 25% drop in eGFR from baseline or a sustained decline in eGFR of > 5 mL/min/1.73 m2/year) was evaluated using the multivariate regression model.

Results

During the 2.35-year follow-up, the incidence of RFD was 7.30%. The rAIp75 had no statistically independent association with RFD after adjustment for possible confounders (adjusted odds ratio = 1.12, 95% confidence interval: 0.99–1.27, p = 0.074). When stratified according to sex, the rAIp75 was significantly associated with RFD in women, but not in men (adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval: 1.23[1.06–1.43], p = 0.007 for women, 0.94[0.76–1.16], p = 0.542 for men; p for interaction = 0.038).

Conclusion

The rAI might help screen for those at high risk of early rapid RFD in women without CKD.
Advances in 3D neuronal microphysiological systems: towards a functional nervous system on a chip
Authors: Anderson Wesley A. , Bosak Alexander , Hogberg Helena T. , Hartung Thomas , Moore Michael J.
Published: January 2021

Microphysiological systems (MPS) designed to study the complexities of the peripheral and central nervous systems have made marked improvements over the years and have allowed researchers to assess in two and three dimensions the functional interconnectivity of neuronal tissues. The recent generation of brain organoids has further propelled the field into the nascent recapitulation of structural, functional, and effective connectivities which are found within the native human nervous system. Herein, we will review advances in culture methodologies, focused especially on those of human tissues, which seek to bridge the gap from 2D cultures to hierarchical and defined 3D MPS with the end goal of developing a robust nervous system-on-a-chip platform. These advances have far-reaching implications within basic science, pharmaceutical development, and translational medicine disciplines.
Convergences and divergences between scientific and Indigenous and Local Knowledge contribute to inform carnivore conservation
Authors: Torrents-Ticó Miquel , Fernández-Llamazares Álvaro , Burgas Daniel , Cabeza Mar
Published: January 2021

There is increasing recognition that diverse knowledge systems can work in mutually enriching ways and that Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) can enhance biodiversity conservation. However, studies using scientific knowledge and ILK in a complementary manner, and acknowledging convergent and especially divergent insights have remained limited. In this study, we contrasted proxies of abundances and trends of threatened and conflict-prone carnivores (caracal, cheetah, jackal, lion, leopard, spotted hyaena, striped hyaena) derived separately from scientific knowledge and ILK. We conducted camera trapping, track surveys and semi-structured interviews with local pastoralists from northern Kenya. We found convergences highlighting the need for conservation action and divergences suggesting scientific ecological sampling limitations or underlying socio-psychological phenomena. Overall, our study shows that complementing scientific knowledge and ILK as separate sources of information and opening up space for discrepancies can enrich our understanding of the status and trends of carnivores, as well as recognizing human-carnivore relationships.
At risk and in love: A mixed methodexamination of the link between childhood maltreatment and youth relationships☆
Authors: Bay‐Cheng Laina Y. , Ginn Hannah G. , Fava Nicole M. , Maguin Eugene M. , Bascug Erin W.
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Research indicates that sexual and romantic relationships play an important role in youth well‐being and development. This strengths‐based perspective sits in tension with the documented risks that youth with histories of maltreatment face in sexual/romantic relationships. We conducted a U.S.‐based mixed‐method study to examine the connection between childhood maltreatment and youth relationships.

Method

We collected retrospective ratings of relationship quality and open‐ended comments about those relationships using an online sexual life history calendar. Quantitative analyses drew on data from 98 participants (51 cisgender women, 47 cisgender men) between the ages of 18–25 (Mage = 22.51). Qualitative analyses compared demographically matched subsamples of 19 participants who reported multiple forms of child maltreatment and 20 who reported none.

Results

Quantitative analyses indicated that ratings of relationship stability, intimacy, and pleasure were unrelated to prior abuse or neglect. Qualitative analyses showed the relationships of those with multiple maltreatment histories, compared to those without any maltreatment, to be more often intertwined with and complicated by other hardships (e.g., homelessness).

Conclusions

Quantitatively, childhood maltreatment appeared unrelated to youth sexual/romantic relationship quality, though we regard those findings with due caution. Complementing this was qualitative evidence of differences between participants based on trauma histories, with those who had experienced childhood maltreatment referring more often to surrounding circumstances and hardships in descriptions of their youth sexual/romantic relationships. These mixed method findings reinforce the importance of youth sexuality research, policy, and practice that takes the broader conditions of young people's lives into consideration.
Phenotypic and Genotypic Spectrum of Glucose Transporter-1 Deficiency Syndrome
Authors: Bourque Danielle K. , Cordeiro Dawn , Nimmo Graeme A.M. , Kobayashi Jeff , Mercimek-Andrews Saadet
Published: January 2021

Background:

Glucose Transporter-1 (GLUT1) Deficiency Syndrome (GLUT1DS) is caused by defective transport of glucose across the blood–brain barrier into brain cells resulting in hypoglycorrhachia due to the heterozygous pathogenic variants in SLC2A1. We report on the phenotypic spectrum of patients with pediatric GLUT1DS as well as their diagnostic methods from a single center in Canada.

Methods:

We reviewed patient charts for clinical features, biochemical and molecular genetic investigations, neuroimaging, treatment modalities, and outcomes of patients with GLUT1DS at our institution.

Results:

There were 13 patients. The most common initial symptom was seizures, with the most common seizure type being absence seizures (85%). Seventy-seven percent of the patients had movement disorders, and dystonia and ataxia were the most common movement disorders. Fifty-four percent of the patients did not have a history of developmental delay during their initial presentation, whereas all patients had developmental delay, intellectual disability, or cognitive dysfunction during their follow-up. All patients had a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in SLC2A1 and missense variants were the most common variant type.

Conclusion:

We present 13 patients with GLUT1DS in the pediatric patient population. Atypical clinical features such as hemiplegia and hemiplegic migraine were present in an infant; there was a high prevalence of absence seizures and movement disorders in our patient population. We report an increased number of patients with GLUT1DS since the introduction of next-generation sequencing in the clinical settings. We believe that GLUT1DS should be included in the differential diagnosis of seizures, movement disorders, and hemiplegic migraine.
Timing and route of contamination of hospitalized patient rooms with healthcare-associated pathogens
Authors: Redmond Sarah N. , Pearlmutter Basya S. , Ng-Wong Yilen K. , Alhmidi Heba , Cadnum Jennifer L. , Silva Sandra Y. , Wilson Brigid M. , Donskey Curtis J.
Published: January 2021

Objective:

To investigate the timing and routes of contamination of the rooms of patients newly admitted to the hospital.

Design:

Observational cohort study and simulations of pathogen transfer.

Setting:

A Veterans’ Affairs hospital.

Participants:

Patients newly admitted to the hospital with no known carriage of healthcare-associated pathogens.

Methods:

Interactions between the participants and personnel or portable equipment were observed, and cultures of high-touch surfaces, floors, bedding, and patients’ socks and skin were collected for up to 4 days. Cultures were processed for Clostridioides difﬁcile, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Simulations were conducted with bacteriophage MS2 to assess plausibility of transfer from contaminated floors to high-touch surfaces and to assess the effectiveness of wearing slippers in reducing transfer.

Results:

Environmental cultures became positive for at least 1 pathogen in 10 (59%) of the 17 rooms, with cultures positive for MRSA, C. difficile, and VRE in the rooms of 10 (59%), 2 (12%), and 2 (12%) participants, respectively. For all 14 instances of pathogen detection, the initial site of recovery was the floor followed in a subset of patients by detection on sock bottoms, bedding, and high-touch surfaces. In simulations, wearing slippers over hospital socks dramatically reduced transfer of bacteriophage MS2 from the floor to hands and to high-touch surfaces.

Conclusions:

Floors may be an underappreciated source of pathogen dissemination in healthcare facilities. Simple interventions such as having patients wear slippers could potentially reduce the risk for transfer of pathogens from floors to hands and high-touch surfaces.
Nutrition quality of life associated with affective functioning among Omani patients with type 2 diabetes from primary health care
Authors: Al Toobi Masooma M. , Al Subhi Lyutha K. , Bose Shekar , Al-Adawi Samir
Published: January 2021

Diabetes requires challenging lifelong dietary management, affects quality of life and heightens the impact of affective functioning. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Nutrition Quality of Life (NQOL) and affective functioning in a sample of Omani patients with type 2 diabetes. A sample of 149 adults with type 2 diabetes was conveniently recruited from seven Primary Health Centers (PHCs) during follow-up visits. Data were gathered via face-to-face interviews. Pearson correlation and χ2 test of independence were applied to examine associations at P < 0⋅05. Most patients had poor glycemic control (71⋅1 %), BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (85⋅2 %) and central obesity (75⋅8 %), and moderate (54⋅4 %) and poor (32⋅9 %) level of NQOL. Based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), 16⋅1 and 23⋅5 % of the sample endorsed the presence of anxiety and depression, respectively. A significant negative correlation was found between NQOL and HADS (r −0⋅590, P = 0⋅000), anxiety (r −0⋅597, P = 0⋅000) and depression (r −0⋅435, P = 0⋅000). There was a significant association between NQOL and HADS, χ2 (2) = 38⋅21, P < 0⋅01 that was large, Cramer's V = 0⋅51. Also, there were significant associations (P < 0⋅01) between NQOL and HADS when controlling for HbA1c, BMI, waist circumference and HMNT that were moderately to largely strong, Cramer's V = 0⋅43–0⋅55. There is an evident association between NQOL and affective functioning in adults with type 2 diabetes. Further research is recommended to confirm these relationships and to guide intervention programmes at PHCs to help improve the general quality of life of such patients.
How will future climate depending agronomic management impact the yield risk of wheat cropping systems? A regional case study of Eastern Denmark
Authors: Macholdt J. , Gyldengren J. Glerup , Diamantopoulos E. , Styczen M. E.
Published: January 2021

One of the major challenges in agriculture is how climate change influences crop production, for different environmental (soil type, topography, groundwater depth, etc.) and agronomic management conditions. Through systems modelling, this study aims to quantify the impact of future climate on yield risk of winter wheat for two common soil types of Eastern Denmark. The agro-ecosystem model DAISY was used to simulate arable, conventional cropping systems (CSs) and the study focused on the three main management factors: cropping sequence, usage of catch crops and cereal straw management. For the case region of Eastern Denmark, the future yield risk of wheat does not necessarily increase under climate change mainly due to lower water stress in the projections; rather, it depends on appropriate management and each CS design. Major management factors affecting the yield risk of wheat were N supply and the amount of organic material added during rotations. If a CS is characterized by straw removal and no catch crop within the rotation, an increased wheat yield risk must be expected in the future. In contrast, more favourable CSs, including catch crops and straw incorporation, maintain their capacity and result in a decreasing yield risk over time. Higher soil organic matter content, higher net nitrogen mineralization rate and higher soil organic nitrogen content were the main underlying causes for these positive effects. Furthermore, the simulation results showed better N recycling and reduced nitrate leaching for the more favourable CSs, which provide benefits for environment-friendly and sustainable crop production.
Therapeutic efficacy of mebendazole and artemisinin in different phases of trichinellosis: a comparative experimental study
Authors: Allam Amal Farahat , Mostafa Reham Ahmed , Lotfy Wael , Farag Hoda Fahmy , Fathi Naglaa , Moneer Esraa Abdelhamid , Shehab Amel Youssef
Published: January 2021

The present work aimed at studying the efficacy of mebendazole (MBZ) compared to artemisinin (ART) for the treatment of trichinellosis at various phases of infection. Seventy Swiss albino mice were orally infected by 300 Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis) larvae. Mice were divided into infected untreated control group and infected groups treated with 50 mg kg−1 MBZ and 300 mg kg−1 ART for three and five consecutive days, respectively, at the enteral phase [2–4 days post infection (PI)], invasive phase (10–12 days PI) and encapsulated phase (28–30 days PI). All mice were sacrificed 35–42 days PI. MBZ and ART revealed a significant decrease in mean larval counts and increase of larval per cent reduction (LR %) when treatment was initiated during the enteral phase compared to the other phases. MBZ showed significantly higher LR % (99.7, 83.95 and 89.65%) than ART (80.58, 67.0 and 79.2%) when administered at the three infection phases. Histopathological study showed a decrease in the number of encysted larvae, their surrounding cellular infiltrates and increased regenerative muscles in all treated mice. In conclusion, ART possesses a substantial anthelmintic activity against T. spiralis infection in mice both at the enteral and encapsulated phases, yet, significantly lower than MBZ.
Risk-taking to obtain reward: sex differences and associations with emotional and depressive symptoms in a nationally representative cohort of UK adolescents
Authors: Lewis Gemma , Srinivasan Ramya , Roiser Jonathan , Blakemore Sarah-Jayne , Flouri Eirini , Lewis Glyn
Published: January 2021

Background

Cognitive mechanisms that characterize or precede depressive symptoms are poorly understood. We investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between risk taking to obtain reward and adolescent depressive symptoms in a large prospective cohort, using the Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT). We also explored sex differences.

Methods

The Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) is an ongoing UK study, following the lives of 19 000 individuals born 2000/02. The CGT was completed at ages 11 (n = 12 355) and 14 (n = 10 578). Our main exposure was the proportion of points gambled, when the odds of winning were above chance (risk-taking to obtain reward). Outcomes were emotional symptoms (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ) at age 11 and depressive symptoms (short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, sMFQ) at age 14. We calculated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations, using linear regressions.

Results

In univariable models, there was evidence of cross-sectional associations between risk-taking and SDQ/sMFQ scores, but these associations disappeared after we adjusted for sex. Longitudinally, there was weak evidence of an association between risk-taking and depressive symptoms in females only [a 20-point increase in risk-taking at age 11 was associated with a reduction of 0.31 sMFQ points at age 14 (95% CI −0.60 to −0.02)]. At both time-points, females were less risk-taking than males.

Conclusions

We found no convincing evidence of a relationship between risk-taking to obtain reward and depressive symptoms. There were large sex differences in risk-taking, but these do not appear to contribute to the female preponderance of depressive symptoms in adolescence.
LACUSTRINE DYNAMICS AND TLATEL-TYPE SETTLEMENTS FROM MIDDLE FORMATIVE TO LATE AZTEC IN THE EASTERN PART OF LAKE TEXCOCO, MEXICO
Authors: Cordova Carlos E. , Morett-Alatorre Luis , Frederick Charles , Gámez-Eternod Lorena
Published: January 2021

In the territories of the former lakes in the Basin of Mexico, a tlatel was an insular settlement associated with the exploitation of lacustrine resources. This study examines the stratigraphy and geomorphological context of three tlateles in the eastern part of the former Lake Texcoco and correlates their phases of development with regional paleoclimatic trends from the seventh century b.c. to the sixteenth century. The results of this research indicate that fluvio-lacustrine (i.e., deltaic) sedimentation and freshwater springs in the lake basin were important features for the establishment of tlatel settlements in the highly dynamic and saline lacustrine environment. The formation and abandonment of the studied tlateles correlate with changes in other settlements and developments recorded in other parts of Lake Texcoco. Sites and sediments in the eastern part of Lake Texcoco provide proxy information on the lacustrine changes that accompanied the development of Tenochtitlan and other lacustrine settlements in its western part.