bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantifying the utility of islet autoantibody levels in the prediction of type 1 diabetes in children
Authors: Ng Kenney , Anand Vibha , Stavropoulos Harry , Veijola Riitta , Toppari Jorma , Maziarz Marlena , Lundgren Markus , Waugh Kathy , Frohnert Brigitte I. , Martin Frank , Lou Olivia , Hagopian William , Achenbach Peter ,   for the T1DI Study Group
Published: October 2022

Aims/hypothesis

The aim of this study was to explore the utility of islet autoantibody (IAb) levels for the prediction of type 1 diabetes in autoantibody-positive children.

Methods

Prospective cohort studies in Finland, Germany, Sweden and the USA followed 24,662 children at increased genetic or familial risk of developing islet autoimmunity and diabetes. For the 1403 who developed IAbs (523 of whom developed diabetes), levels of autoantibodies against insulin (IAA), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA) and insulinoma-associated antigen-2 (IA-2A) were harmonised for analysis. Diabetes prediction models using multivariate logistic regression with inverse probability censored weighting (IPCW) were trained using 10-fold cross-validation. Discriminative power for disease was estimated using the IPCW concordance index (C index) with 95% CI estimated via bootstrap.

Results

A baseline model with covariates for data source, sex, diabetes family history, HLA risk group and age at seroconversion with a 10-year follow-up period yielded a C index of 0.61 (95% CI 0.58, 0.63). The performance improved after adding the IAb positivity status for IAA, GADA and IA-2A at seroconversion: C index 0.72 (95% CI 0.71, 0.74). Using the IAb levels instead of positivity indicators resulted in even better performance: C index 0.76 (95% CI 0.74, 0.77). The predictive power was maintained when using the IAb levels alone: C index 0.76 (95% CI 0.75, 0.76). The prediction was better for shorter follow-up periods, with a C index of 0.82 (95% CI 0.81, 0.83) at 2 years, and remained reasonable for longer follow-up periods, with a C index of 0.76 (95% CI 0.75, 0.76) at 11 years. Inclusion of the results of a third IAb test added to the predictive power, and a suitable interval between seroconversion and the third test was approximately 1.5 years, with a C index of 0.78 (95% CI 0.77, 0.78) at 10 years follow-up.

Conclusions/interpretation

Consideration of quantitative patterns of IAb levels improved the predictive power for type 1 diabetes in IAb-positive children beyond qualitative IAb positivity status.

Graphical abstract
Degeneration of natural Lagrangians and Prymian integrable systems
Authors: Franco Emilio
Published: October 2022

Starting from an anti-symplectic involution on a K3 surface, one can consider a natural Lagrangian subvariety inside the moduli space of sheaves over the K3. One can also construct a Prymian integrable system following a construction of Markushevich–Tikhomirov, extended by Arbarello–Saccà–Ferretti, Matteini and Sawon–Shen. In this article we address a question of Sawon, showing that these integrable systems and their associated natural Lagrangians degenerate, respectively, into fix loci of involutions considered by Heller–Schaposnik, García-Prada–Wilkin and Basu–García-Prada. Along the way we find interesting results such as the proof that the Donagi–Ein–Lazarsfeld degeneration is a degeneration of symplectic varieties, a generalization of this degeneration, originally described for K3 surfaces, to the case of an arbitrary smooth projective surface, and a description of the behaviour of certain involutions under this degeneration.
Investigation of native and aggregated therapeutic proteins in human plasma with asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation and mass spectrometry
Authors: Ramm Ingrid , Leeman Mats , Schagerlöf Herje , León Ileana Rodríguez , Castro Alejandra , Nilsson Lars
Published: October 2022

Physiochemical degradation of therapeutic proteins in vivo during plasma circulation after administration can have a detrimental effect on their efficacy and safety profile. During drug product development, in vivo animal studies are necessary to explore in vivo protein behaviour. However, these studies are very demanding and expensive, and the industry is working to decrease the number of in vivo studies. Consequently, there is considerable interest in the development of methods to pre-screen the behaviour of therapeutic proteins in vivo using in vitro analysis. In this work, asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were combined to develop a novel analytical methodology for predicting the behaviour of therapeutic proteins in vivo. The method was tested with two proteins, a monoclonal antibody and a serum albumin binding affibody. After incubation of the proteins in plasma, the method was successfully used to investigate and quantify serum albumin binding, analyse changes in monoclonal antibody size, and identify and quantify monoclonal antibody aggregates.

Graphical abstract
Rank change and growth within social hierarchies of the orange clownfish, Amphiprion percula
Authors: Fitzgerald L. M. , Harrison H. B. , Coker D. J. , Sáenz-Agudelo P. , Srinivasan M. , Majoris J. E. , Boström Einarsson L. , Pujol B. , Bennett-Smith M. , Thorrold S. R. , Planes S. , Jones G. P. , Berumen M. L.
Published: October 2022

Social hierarchies within groups define the distribution of resources and provide benefits that support the collective group or favor dominant members. The progression of individuals through social hierarchies is a valuable characteristic for quantifying population dynamics. On coral reefs, some clownfish maintain size-based hierarchical communities where individuals queue through social ranks. The cost of waiting in a lower-ranked position is outweighed by the reduced risk of eviction and mortality. The orange clownfish, Amphiprion percula, maintains stable social groups with subordinate individuals queuing to be part of the dominant breeding pair. Strong association with their host anemone, complex social interactions, and relatively low predation rates make them ideal model organisms to assess changes in group dynamics through time in their natural environment. Here, we investigate the rank changes and isometric growth rates of A. percula from 247 naturally occurring social groups in Kimbe Island, Papua New Guinea (5° 12′ 13.54″ S, 150° 22′ 32.69″ E). We used DNA profiling to assign and track individuals over eight years between 2011 and 2019. Over half of the individuals survived alongside two or three members of their original social group, with twelve breeding pairs persisting over the study period. Half of the surviving individuals increased in rank and experienced double the growth rate of those that maintained their rank. Examining rank change in a wild fish population provides new insights into the complex social hierarchies of reef fishes and their role in social evolution.
Rapid growth of antimicrobial resistance: the role of agriculture in the problem and the solutions
Authors: Stanley Dragana , Batacan Romeo , Bajagai Yadav Sharma
Published: October 2022

The control of infectious diseases has always been a top medical priority. For years during the so-called antibiotic era, we enjoyed prolonged life expectancy and the benefits of superior pathogen control. The devastating failure of the medical system, agriculture and pharmaceutical companies and the general population to appreciate and safeguard these benefits is now leading us into a grim post-antibiotic era. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) refers to microorganisms becoming resistant to antibiotics that were designed and expected to kill them. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, AMR was recognised by the World Health Organization as the central priority area with growing public awareness of the threat AMR now presents. The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, a project commissioned by the UK government, predicted that the death toll of AMR could be one person every 3 seconds, amounting to 10 million deaths per year by 2050. This review aims to raise awareness of the evergrowing extensiveness of antimicrobial resistance and identify major sources of this adversity, focusing on agriculture’s role in this problem and its solutions.

Keypoints

• Widespread development of antibiotic resistance is a major global health risk.

• Antibiotic resistance is abundant in agricultural produce, soil, food, water, air and probiotics.

• New approaches are being developed to control and reduce antimicrobial resistance.
Area Quasi-minimizing Partitions with a Graphical Constraint: Relaxation and Two-Dimensional Partial Regularity
Authors: Bonacini Marco , Cristoferi Riccardo
Published: October 2022

We consider a variational model for periodic partitions of the upper half-space into three regions, where two of them have prescribed volume and are subject to the geometric constraint that their union is the subgraph of a function, whose graph is a free surface. The energy of a configuration is given by the weighted sum of the areas of the interfaces between the different regions and a general volume-order term. We establish existence of minimizing configurations via relaxation of the energy involved, in any dimension. Moreover, we prove partial regularity results for volume-constrained minimizers in two space dimensions. Thin films of diblock copolymers are a possible application and motivation for considering this problem.
Assessment of PABPN1 nuclear inclusions on a large cohort of patients and in a human xenograft model of oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy
Authors: Roth Fanny , Dhiab Jamila , Boulinguiez Alexis , Mouigni Hadidja-Rose , Lassche Saskia , Negroni Elisa , Muraine Laura , Marhic Alix , Oliver Alison , Lainé Jeanne , Rouche Andrée , O’Ferrall Erin K. , van Engelen Baziel , Ottenheijm Coen , Greif Hagar , Blumen Sergiu , Lacau St Guily Jean , Perie Sophie , Butler-Browne Gillian , Mouly Vincent , Trollet Capucine
Published: October 2022

Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a rare muscle disease characterized by an onset of weakness in the pharyngeal and eyelid muscles. The disease is caused by the extension of a polyalanine tract in the Poly(A) Binding Protein Nuclear 1 (PABPN1) protein leading to the formation of intranuclear inclusions or aggregates in the muscle of OPMD patients. Despite numerous studies stressing the deleterious role of nuclear inclusions in cellular and animal OPMD models, their exact contribution to human disease is still unclear. In this study, we used a large and unique collection of human muscle biopsy samples to perform an in-depth analysis of PABPN1 aggregates in relation to age, genotype and muscle status with the final aim to improve our understanding of OPMD physiopathology. Here we demonstrate that age and genotype influence PABPN1 aggregates: the percentage of myonuclei containing PABPN1 aggregates increases with age and the chaperone HSP70 co-localize more frequently with PABPN1 aggregates with a larger polyalanine tract. In addition to the previously described PRMT1 and HSP70 co-factors, we identified new components of PABPN1 aggregates including GRP78/BiP, RPL24 and p62. We also observed that myonuclei containing aggregates are larger than myonuclei without. When comparing two muscles from the same patient, a similar amount of aggregates is observed in different muscles, except for the pharyngeal muscle where fewer aggregates are observed. This could be due to the peculiar nature of this muscle which has a low level of PAPBN1 and contains regenerating fibers. To confirm the fate of PABPN1 aggregates in a regenerating muscle, we generated a xenograft model by transplanting human OPMD muscle biopsy samples into the hindlimb of an immunodeficient mouse. Xenografts from subjects with OPMD displayed regeneration of human myofibers and PABPN1 aggregates were rapidly present—although to a lower extent-after muscle fiber regeneration. Our data obtained on human OPMD samples add support to the dual non-exclusive models in OPMD combining toxic PABPN1 intranuclear inclusions together with PABPN1 loss of function which altogether result in this late-onset and muscle selective disease.
3D segmentation of dental crown for volumetric age estimation with CBCT imaging
Authors: Merdietio Boedi Rizky , Shepherd Simon , Oscandar Fahmi , Mânica Scheila , Franco Ademir
Published: October 2022

In adult dental age estimation, segmentation of dental volumetric information from different tooth parts using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has proven beneficial in improving the regression model reliability. This segmentation method can be expanded in the crown part since the volumetric information in the crown is affected by attrition in the enamel and secondary dentine in the dentine and pulp chamber. CBCT scans from 99 patients aged between 20 and 60 were collected retrospectively. A total of 80 eligible teeth for each tooth type were used in this study. The enamel to dentine volume ratio (EDVR), pulp to dentine volume ratio (PDVR) and sex were used as independent variables to predict chronological age (CA). The EDVR was not affected by PDVR. The highest R2 was calculated from the maxillary canine (R2 = 0.6). The current approach in crown segmentation has proven to improve model performance in anterior maxillary teeth.
A validated Screening instrument for Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) at the emergency department
Authors: Hoedeman F. , Puiman P. J. , van den Heuvel E. A. L. , Affourtit M. J. , Bakx R. , Langendam M. W. , van de Putte E. M. , Russel-Kampschoer I. M. B. , Schouten M. C. M. , Teeuw A. H. , de Koning H. J. , Moll H. A.
Published: October 2022

The objective of this study is to develop and validate a screening instrument for the recognition of child maltreatment in the emergency department (ED). Existing data on screening questions and outcomes (diagnosis of child maltreatment) from three large observational screening studies at eight different EDs in the Netherlands were harmonized. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to develop the Screening instrument for Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN). The SCAN was validated by performing a cross-validation and calculating the discriminative ability. A total of 24,963 patients were included. Out of the potential screening questions the following questions were included in the final instrument: is the injury compatible with the history, and does it correspond to the child’s developmental level? (aOR 10.40, 95% CI 5.69–19.02), was there an unnecessary delay in seeking medical help? (aOR 3.45, 95% CI 1.73–6.88) and is the behaviour/interaction of the child and parents (carers) appropriate? (aOR 14.67, 95% CI 7.93–27.13). The SCAN had a pooled AUC of 0.75 (95% CI 0.63–0.87) in the cross-validation. The question “Are there other signals that make you doubt the safety of the child and/or family?” (available in only one of the original datasets, OR 182.9; 95% CI 102.3–327.4) was by consensus added to the final SCAN.

Conclusion: This validated and brief Screening instrument for Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) is designed to improve early recognition of child maltreatment in the ED. A positive screening result of the SCAN warrants a thorough work-up for child maltreatment, including a top-toe examination, if necessary additional diagnostics and adequate safety measures.

What is Known:• Screening instruments increase the detection of possible cases of child maltreatment in the emergency department and support health care professionals to identify these cases.• The application of different screening instruments led to the need for one brief validated instrument.

What is New:• This study presents a validated and brief Screening instrument for Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN), consisting of four questions.• The SCAN supports professionals in detecting signals of child maltreatment, and a positive screening result should lead to a thorough work-up, including a top-toe examination, complete history, additional diagnostic tests and consultation of a child abuse expert.
Functional morphology of prey capture in stream-dwelling sailfin silversides (Telmatherinidae) based on high-speed video recordings
Authors: Wasiljew Benjamin D. , Pfaender Jobst , Wipfler Benjamin , Wantania Letha Louisiana , Herder Fabian
Published: October 2022

Understanding how ecology shapes the evolution of morphological traits is a major goal in organismal biology. By quantifying force of motion, hypotheses on the function of fundamental tasks of animals like feeding can be tested. Ray-finned fishes use various feeding strategies, classified into three main feeding modes: suction, ram and manipulation. While manipulation feeders are usually distinct in morphology and feeding behavior, differentiation between suction and ram feeders is often fine-scaled and transitional. Previous studies have identified different feeding modes and biomechanical adaptations on interspecific and intersexual levels in lake-dwelling sailfin silversides, species of a Sulawesi freshwater radiation. Functional feeding morphology of stream-dwelling species remained in contrast unstudied. We hypothesized that different requirements of riverine habitats favor the evolution of alternative functional adaptations in stream-dwelling sailfin silversides. To test this hypothesis, we investigated feeding of two phenotypically distinct riverine species, Telmatherina bonti and Marosatherina ladigesi, and their sexes, by high-speed videos and biomechanical models. The kinematic approaches identify T. bonti as ram feeder and M. ladigesi as suction feeder. Surprisingly, the biomechanical models of the jaw apparatus provide contradicting results: only one out of three studied parameters varies between both species. Contrarily to lake-dwelling Telmatherina, sexes of both species do not differ in feeding biomechanics. We conclude that T. bonti predominantly uses ram feeding while M. ladigesi primarily uses suction feeding as its main hunting strategy. Feeding biomechanics of stream-dwelling sailfin silversides are less distinct compared to lake-dwelling species, likely due to different trophic ecologies or less stable ecological conditions.
Public and patient perceptions of diagnostic labels for non-specific low back pain: a content analysis
Authors: O’Keeffe Mary , Michaleff Zoe A. , Harris Ian A. , Buchbinder Rachelle , Ferreira Giovanni E. , Zadro Joshua R. , Traeger Adrian C. , Thomas Rae , Belton Joletta , Darlow Ben , Maher Chris G.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

An online randomised experiment found that the labels lumbar sprain, non-specific low back pain (LBP), and episode of back pain reduced perceived need for imaging, surgery and second opinions compared to disc bulge, degeneration, and arthritis among 1447 participants with and without LBP. They also reduced perceived seriousness of LBP and increased recovery expectations.

Methods

In this study we report the results of a content analysis of free-text data collected in our experiment. We used two questions: 1. When you hear the term [one of the six labels], what words or feelings does this make you think of? and 2. What treatment (s) (if any) do you think a person with [one of the six labels] needs? Two independent reviewers analysed 2546 responses.

Results

Ten themes emerged for Question1. Poor prognosis emerged for disc bulge, degeneration, and arthritis, while good prognosis emerged for lumbar sprain, non-specific LBP, and episode of back pain. Thoughts of tissue damage were less common for non-specific LBP and episode of back pain. Feelings of uncertainty frequently emerged for non-specific LBP. Twenty-eight treatments emerged for Question2. Surgery emerged for disc bulge, degeneration, and arthritis compared to lumbar sprain, non-specific LBP, and episode of back pain. Surgery did not emerge for non-specific LBP and episode of back pain.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that clinicians should consider avoiding the labels disc bulge, degeneration and arthritis and opt for labels that are associated with positive beliefs and less preference for surgery, when communicating with patients with LBP.
Crystal growth, crystal structure determination, and computational studies of a new mixed (NH4)2Mn1–xZnx(SO4)2(H2O)6 Tutton salt
Authors: Neto João G. Oliveira , Viana Jailton R. , Lopes Jardel B. O. , Lima Antonio D. S. G. , Sousa Marcus L. , Lage Mateus R. , Stoyanov Stanislav R. , Lang Rossano , Santos Adenilson O.
Published: October 2022

Tutton salts have been extensively explored in recent decades due to their attractive physical and chemical properties, which make them potential candidates for thermochemical heat storage systems and optical technologies. In this paper, a series of new mixed Tutton salts with the chemical formula (NH4)2Mn1–xZnx(SO4)2(H2O)6 is reported. Crystals are successfully grown by the solvent slow evaporation method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) with Rietveld refinement. In particular, the crystal structure of the mixed (NH4)2Mn0.5Zn0.5(SO4)2(H2O)6 crystal is solved through PRXD data using the DICVOL06 algorithm for diffraction pattern indexing and the Le Bail method for lattice parameter and spatial group determination. The structure is refined using the Rietveld method implemented in TOPAS® and reported in the Cambridge Structural Database file number 2104098. Moreover, a computational study using Hirshfeld surface and crystal void analyses is conducted to identify and quantify the intermolecular interactions in the crystal structure as well as to determine the amount of free space in the unit cell. Furthermore, 2D-fingerprint plots are generated to evaluate the main intermolecular contacts that stabilize the crystal lattice. Density functional theory is employed to calculate the structural, thermodynamic, and electronic properties of the coordination [Zn(H2O)6]2+ and [Mn(H2O)6]2+ complexes present in the salts. Molecular orbitals, bond lengths, and the Jahn–Teller effect are also discussed. The findings suggest that in Mn-Zn salts several properties dependent on the electronic structure can be tuned up by modifying the chemical composition.
Evolution of the French Guiana coast from Late Pleistocene to Holocene based on chenier and beach sand dating
Authors: Brunier Guillaume , Tamura Toru , Anthony Edward J. , Dussouillez Philippe , Gardel Antoine
Published: October 2022

The 1500-km-long Guianas coast between the Amazon delta in Brazil and the Orinoco delta in Venezuela is characterized by alternations of muddy shoreline advance and retreat caused by large mud banks migrating alongshore from the mouths of the Amazon. In this dominantly muddy environment, wave reworking of sand and shells results in the formation of beaches, termed ‘cheniers’, that provide valuable information on coastal evolution, especially on past erosional phases. Twenty-eight depositional ages showing the long-term patterns of shoreline mobility in French Guiana were obtained from optically stimulated luminescence. Twenty-one ages younger than 7 ka define three clusters centred on 4.5 ka, 1.0–1.3 ka, and 0.30 ka. They indicate that chenier formation was relatively synchronous and significantly affected by alongshore diversions of river mouths and changes in river-mouth position over time under the influence of muddy shoreline advance. A prominent cluster at 1.0–1.3 ka reveals a clear hiatus after the 4.5 ka cluster, indicating that the present muddy coastal plain of French Guiana was largely formed and preserved after 1.0–1.3 ka. This cluster also implies either an episode of coastal retreat or no coastal advance around 1.0–1.3 ka. The remaining seven samples were derived from Late Pleistocene deposits of headland-bound beaches and probable cheniers capped by aeolian sand, suggesting similar conditions of coastal Amazon mud-dominated sedimentation. By informing on past patterns of shoreline mobility, these results have broader implications for coastal land-use planning and shoreline management between the mouths of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers.
Predictive factors for functional failure of ventral mesh rectopexy in the treatment of rectal prolapse and obstructed defecation
Authors: Solari S. , Martellucci J. , Ascanelli S. , Sturiale A. , Annicchiarico A. , Fabiani B. , Prosperi P. , Carcoforo P. , Naldini G.
Published: October 2022

Background

Ventral mesh rectopexy (VMR) is widely accepted for the treatment of rectal prolapse or obstructed defecation. However, despite good anatomical results, the improvement of functional symptoms (constipation or incontinence) cannot always be obtained and in some cases these symptoms may even worsen. The aim of the present study was to identify possible predictors of functional failure after VMR.

Methods

Data of all consecutive patients who had VMR for the treatment of rectal prolapse and/or obstructed defecation between January 2017 and December 2020 in three different pelvic floor surgical centres in Italy were analysed to identify possible predictors of functional failure, intended as persistence, worsening or new onset of constipation or faecal incontinence. Symptom severity was assessed pre- and postoperatively with the Wexner Constipation score and Obstructed Defecation Syndrome score. Quality of life was assessed, also before and after treatment, with the Patients Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life questionnaire, the Pelvic Floor Disability Index and the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire. Faecal incontinence was evaluated with the Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Score. The functional outcomes before and after surgery were compared.

Results

Sixty-one patients were included (M:F ratio 3:60, median age 64 years [range 33–88 years]). Forty-two patients (68.9%) had obstructed defecation syndrome, 12(19.7%) had faecal incontinence and 7 patients (11.5%) had both. A statistically significant reduction between pre- and postoperative Obstructed Defecation Syndrome and Wexner scores was reported (p < 0.0001 in both cases). However, the postoperative presence of constipation occurred in 22 patients (36.1%) (this included 3 cases of new-onset constipation). The presence of redundant colon and the pre-existent constipation were associated with an increased risk of persistence of constipation postoperatively or new-onset constipation (p = 0.004 and p < 0.0001, respectively). The use of postoperative pelvic floor rehabilitation (p = 0.034) may reduce the risk of postoperative constipation.

Conclusions

VMR is a safe and effective intervention for correcting the anatomical defect of rectal prolapse. The degree of prolapse, the presence of dolichocolon and pre-existing constipation are risk factors for the persistence or new onset of postoperative constipation. Postoperative rehabilitation treatment may reduce this risk.
How to evaluate and assess the epileptogenic/seizure potential of periodic discharges along the ictal-interictal continuum?
Authors: Gélisse Philippe , Kaplan Peter W.
Published: October 2022

The ictal–interictal continuum (IIC) is a concept used for those particular EEG patterns that do not meet the strict criteria for status epilepticus but may be associated with neuronal injury. The aim of this article is to review equivocal periodic patterns and to discuss their clinical significance along the IIC. The risk of seizures increases when the frequency of periodic discharges exceeds 2 Hz and when the pattern has features of superimposed rhythmic, sharp, or fast activity (plus modifier). Lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs) are one of the best examples of the IIC. Criteria have been proposed for identifying patterns along the IIC that we called “peri-ictal” LPDs. There is ongoing debate about when to treat patients with these EEG patterns along this spectrum. The term IIC is only an EEG description, and does not in itself reflect a clinical diagnosis, hence management is based on EEG alone. The decision to intensify treatment is based on the combination of EEG, the underlying etiology, the level of consciousness, comorbidities, imaging, and other surrogates of “damage.”
The scope of food fraud revisited
Authors: Gussow K. E. , Mariët A.
Published: October 2022

Food fraud is an emerging field of study in academic literature. The aim of this paper is to evaluate whether current understanding of food fraud in literature is in congruence with incidents of food fraud in the Netherlands. The discussion that follows is based on an analysis of 53 empirical cases on food fraud investigations conducted at the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), the nationwide enforcement body tasked with investigating food fraud. The findings elucidate the differences between food fraud and other (food) crime and highlight the discrepancies with academic definitions to date, most notably with respect to incidents of ‘food laundering’ and by emphasizing the existence of intentional facilitators. We thus suggest adjusting the scope of what type of behavior can be considered as food fraud by conceptualizing three forms of food fraud: food laundering, fraudulent food enhancement, and facilitative food fraud. Food laundering encompasses the use of illegal material as food, whereas fraudulent food enhancement describes a situation where legal food is value-enhanced through deceitful cost-cutting measures. Facilitative food fraud captures the role of facilitative actors that operate illegally and intentionally for economic advantage. Based on these concepts, we suggest a modified definition as follows: food fraud is committed by any actor who is intentionally involved in illegal acts for economic advantage, thus causing or facilitating illegal food to be laundered into the supply chain or for food to be fraudulently value-enhanced. Future research should focus on testing these concepts and this definition with empirical studies from different regions and regulatory settings, and introduce additional data sources outside of enforcement, such as employee or victim surveys.
Practical joint human-machine exploration of industrial time series using the matrix profile
Authors: Nilsson Felix , Bouguelia Mohamed-Rafik , Rögnvaldsson Thorsteinn
Published: October 2022

Technological advancements and widespread adaptation of new technology in industry have made industrial time series data more available than ever before. With this development grows the need for versatile methods for mining industrial time series data. This paper introduces a practical approach for joint human-machine exploration of industrial time series data using the Matrix Profile, and presents some challenges involved. The approach is demonstrated on three real-life industrial data sets to show how it enables the user to quickly extract semantic information, detect cycles, find deviating patterns, and gain a deeper understanding of the time series. A benchmark test is also presented on ECG (electrocardiogram) data, showing that the approach works well in comparison to previously suggested methods for extracting relevant time series motifs.
Making sense of change in higher education research: exploring the intersection of science and policy
Authors: Brankovic Jelena , Cantwell Brendan
Published: October 2022

Higher education studies give considerable attention to understanding change. The interest in change reflects the historical conditions in which higher education emerged as a distinct field of study. Around the mid-twentieth century, a pragmatic need for an academic response to managing larger and more complex higher education institutions and systems was taking shape. This need gave rise to a tradition of studying change in higher education, which has continued into the present. To explore how higher education researchers have been grappling with the problem of change, we examine a selection of works published in this and other higher education outlets since the 1970s. We organize our exploration around three distinct yet interrelated lines of research: (a) change within higher education institutions, which in higher education studies are typically conceptualized as organizations; (b) change concerning nation-states, which are usually conceptualized as systems; and (c) transnational change, sometimes referred to also as global. Each line of research features the field’s telltale dual orientation: (i) contributing to abstract knowledge through academic inquiry, on the one hand, and (ii) generating practical and actionable insights for decision makers, on the other. We find that the field’s dual orientation shapes knowledge creation along each line of inquiry, yet with important variations. We propose more generally that higher education studies’ ability to balance the two orientations is an important source of its legitimacy as a field of research.
A model-based cost-effectiveness analysis of fracture liaison services in China
Authors: Li Nannan , Si Lei , Boonen Annelies , van den Bergh Joop P. , Hiligsmann Mickaël
Published: October 2022

Summary

This study is a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis of fracture liaison services (FLS) in China, suggesting that FLS could potentially lead to lifetime cost-saving in patients who have experienced a fracture. However, Chinese-specific real-world data is needed to confirm the results of our study.

Purpose

The study aimed to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of fracture liaison services (FLS) from the Chinese healthcare perspective with a lifetime horizon.

Methods

A previously validated Markov microsimulation model was adapted to estimate the cost-effectiveness of FLS compared to no-FLS. The evaluation was conducted in patients aged 65 years with a recent fracture. Treatment pathways were differentiated by gender, FLS attendance, osteoporosis diagnosis, treatment initiation, and adherence. Given the uncertainty in FLS cost, the cost in the base-case analysis was assumed at US$200. Analyses were also performed to determine the maximum cost for making the FLS cost-saving and cost-effective at the Chinese willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold. One-way sensitivity analyses were conducted.

Results

When compared with no-FLS, the FLS was dominant (lower costs, higher quality-adjusted life years) in our target population at the FLS cost of US$200 per patient. For every 100 patients who were admitted to the FLS, approximately four hip fractures, nine clinical vertebral fractures, and three wrist fractures would be avoided over their lifetimes. Our findings were robust to numerous one-way sensitivity analyses; however, the FLS was not cost-effective in patients aged 80 years and older.

Conclusion

FLS could potentially lead to lifetime cost-saving in patients who have experienced a fracture. Our study informs the potential cost-effectiveness of FLS and the knowledge gap in China; more future research incorporating Chinese-specific real-world data are needed to confirm the results of our study and to better evaluate the cost-effectiveness of FLS in China.
COMPAS: zu einer wegweisenden Debatte über algorithmische Risikobeurteilung
Authors: Räz Tim
Published: October 2022

„Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions“ (COMPAS) ist ein Risikobeurteilungsinstrument, das im Bereich der Strafjustiz in den USA eingesetzt wird. An COMPAS hat sich eine lebhafte Diskussion über Fairness entzündet, die bis heute andauert. Jedoch wurde diese Diskussion im deutschsprachigen Kontext bisher nicht stark rezipiert. In diesem Beitrag wird zuerst die Risikobeurteilung durch COMPAS systematisch dargestellt und diskutiert, wie COMPAS in den USA eingesetzt wird. Es wird dann auf drei wichtige Aspekte der Diskussion über COMPAS eingegangen, nämlich Fairness, Transparenz und Daten. Schließlich wird angedacht, welche Konsequenzen man aus der Diskussion für den deutschsprachigen Kontext ziehen kann.
Assessment of personal deposited dose of bioaerosols and particles in a wastewater treatment plant facility
Authors: Chalvatzaki Eleftheria , Katsivela Eleftheria , Raisi Louiza , Lazaridis Mihalis
Published: October 2022

The daily deposited dose of bioaerosols and particle mass or number in the human respiratory tract using an exposure dose model (ExDoM2) was quantified in the present study. The dose was calculated for the extrathoracic (ET), tracheobronchial (TB), and alveolar-interstitial (AI) regions of the human respiratory tract. The calculations were performed for viable, cultivable airborne heterotrophic bacteria, mesophilic fast-growing fungi, and total coliforms at a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) located at a suburban area at a Mediterranean site. The human dose was determined using data from two locations at the WWTP which correspond to two different wastewater treatment stages (aerated grit chamber (indoor) and primary settling tanks (outdoor)) and one outdoor location at the urban background site. In addition, the model simulations were performed for two exposure periods (March to April and May to June 2008). Higher daily deposited dose in the total human respiratory tract was observed for heterotrophic bacteria at the aerated grit chamber, whereas lower values of heterotrophic bacteria were observed at the primary settling tanks. These findings were associated with the corresponding stage of wastewater treatment activities and may be valuable information for determining future dose–response relationships. In addition, higher daily deposited dose was determined in the ET region for the three categories of bioaerosols. Regarding PM10 and PN1, the higher daily deposited dose received by a worker at the aerated grit chamber. Finally, the hazard quotients were estimated and the results showed that the non-carcinogenic effects can be ignored for bioaerosols and PM10 except for workers present at aerated grit chamber. Regarding PM2.5, the non-carcinogenic effects are of concern and cannot be ignored for all cases.
Rho-associated kinase1 promotes laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma tumorigenesis and progression via the FAK signaling pathway
Authors: Yang Liyun , Qiao Peipei , Zhang Jianwei , Huang Shuixian , Hu An
Published: October 2022

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is one of the most common head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Rho-associated kinase1 (ROCK1) is considered to promote progression of numerous cancers, however, its role in LSCC is still unknown. Here, the expression level of ROCK1 is higher in LSCC tissues than non-tumor tissues, and the expression level of ROCK1 is positively correlated with advanced stage and poor survival prognosis. ROCK1 knockdown in TU686 and TU212 cells dramatically inhibits cellular proliferation, migration and invasion. Whereas the overexpression of ROCK1 reversed these changes. FAK signaling pathway plays an essential role in promoting LSCC progression. Inhibiting FAK activity with TAE226 observably impairs the tumor-promoting effects. In conclusion, ROCK1 promotes LSCC tumorigenesis and progression via the FAK signaling pathway, targeting the ROCK1 molecule may represent potential targets for clinical LSCC treatment.
On the RO(Q)-graded coefficients of Eilenberg–MacLane spectra
Authors: Sikora Igor
Published: October 2022

Let Q denote the cyclic group of order two. Using the Tate diagram we compute the RO(Q)-graded coefficients of Eilenberg–MacLane Q-spectra and describe their structure as modules over the coefficients of the Eilenberg–MacLane spectrum of the Burnside Mackey functor. If the underlying Mackey functor is a Green functor, we also obtain the multiplicative structure on the RO(Q)-graded coefficients.
Norwegian Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Social and Communities Opportunities Profile-Mini for Persons with Concurrent Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
Authors: Leonhardt Marja , Kyrdalen Ellen , Holstad Atle , Hurlen-Solbakken Heidi , Chiu Marcus Yu-Lung , Lien Lars
Published: October 2022

Persons with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders often do not participate actively in society and remain marginalized. The promotion of social inclusion is important for the care of persons with concurrent disorders. To measure social inclusion, the Social and Communities Opportunities Profile (SCOPE) was developed, followed by its mini version for English-speaking people in Singapore. In Norway, there is no instrument available to measure social inclusion. Thus, the aim was cross-cultural adaptation of SCOPE Mini for persons with concurrent disorders. The Norwegian adaptation was performed using the systematic approach recommended by Beaton et al. After a forward–backward translation, the Norwegian SCOPE-Mini was pre-tested among 30 persons with a concurrent mental health and substance use disorder in three areas to check its psychometric properties. To evaluate comprehensibility and applicability, participants were asked five open questions. The Norwegian cross-cultural adaptation of SCOPE Mini showed acceptable psychometric properties and was considered comparable to the original version. The results of the pre-test showed no linguistic inconsistency, but some indications of the necessity of semantic adaptation regarding the cultural context and persons with concurrent disorders. The Norwegian SCOPE Mini may be a practical tool for health professionals, social workers, and researchers to measure social inclusion among a vulnerable group such as persons with a concurrent mental health and substance use disorder. However, given the relatively small sample size in our study, further research on the validity and reliability of the instrument is recommended.
Antioch's Last Heirs: The Hatay Greek Orthodox Community between Greece, Syria and Turkey
Authors: Grigoriadis Ioannis Ν.
Published: October 2022

This study explores the identity dynamics of the Arabic-speaking Greek Orthodox community of the Hatay province of Turkey. Citizens of Turkey, members of the Greek Orthodox church and Arabic speakers, members of this small but historic community stood at the crossroads of three nationalisms: Greek, Syrian and Turkish. Following the urbanization waves that swept through the Turkish countryside since the 1950s, thousands of Hatay Greek Orthodox moved to Istanbul and were given the chance to integrate with the Greek minority there. The case of the Hatay Greek Orthodox community points to the resilience of millet-based identities, more than a century after the demise of the Ottoman Empire.
Iitaka fibrations for dlt pairs polarized by a nef and log big divisor
Authors: Hashizume Kenta
Published: October 2022

We study lc pairs polarized by a nef and log big divisor. After proving the minimal model theory for projective lc pairs polarized by a nef and log big divisor, we prove the effectivity of the Iitaka fibrations and some boundedness results for dlt pairs polarized by a nef and log big divisor.
Paraguay's Archivo del Terror
Authors: Nickson R. Andrew
Published: October 2022

A major archive has recently been established in Paraguay that reveals the internal operations of the security forces during the lengthy authoritarian regime of President Alfredo Stroessner (1954–1989). Featuring open access, the archive dubbed by the media as “el archivo del terror” comprises a wealth of primary material on a significant but little researched aspect of the contemporary history of Latin America. This archive provides unique insight into the day-to-day workings of a totalitarian security system and the objectives and strategies of those who headed it. The archive also has regional significance because no comparable archive exists for the period of military rule in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, or Uruguay. Thus it should prove to be of considerable interest to academics analyzing topics like the nature of Latin American military regimes, the practice of national security doctrine, human rights, and related themes.
Brazilian Studies in Canada
Authors: Hewitt W. E.
Published: October 2022

As a national group, Canadians are frequently viewed as an outward-looking people with an innate thirst for knowledge about the social, economic, and political customs of other nationalities. Traditionally, such curiosity has extended to countries that have played a large role in shaping contemporary Canadian society, especially the United States and the former colonizing powers of Europe. More recently, however, owing at least partly to changing patterns of immigration to Canada and the growth in hemispheric cultural and economic ties, curiosity has turned more and more toward Canada's neighbors to the south, the countries of Latin America.
Venezuelan Revisionist Political History, 1908–1958: New Motives and Criteria for Analyzing the Past
Authors: Ellner Steve
Published: October 2022

Until a few years ago, Venezuelans and their historians held black and white notions about the regimes that had governed the country after it became a centralized state in the early twentieth century. As Venezuelan historian Santiago Gerardo Suárez pointed out, “The victor writes history.” And indeed, most portrayals of Venezuelan rulers after 1908 were strongly colored by the roles played by leading members of the political parties that emerged triumphant in 1958 when the modern democratic period was ushered in (Suárez 1965, 20). In fact, the most influential works were written by important politicians and others closely tied to political organizations.
Popular Religion and Appropriation: The Example of Corpus Christi in Eighteenth-Century Cuzco
Authors: Cahill David
Published: October 2022

Historical studies of Andean popular religion have largely been confined to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, in the main exegeses of the early chronicles and the rich materials on “extirpation of idolatry.” The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries remain largely terra incognita, while information on twentieth-century popular religion has come primarily from ethnographic field studies. More recently, historians and anthropologists have begun to explore the religious or messianic dimension of the great uprisings of 1780–1783 in the southern Andean sierra, taking their cue from a 1955 essay by John Rowe on a purported “Inca nationalism.” Yet between early-colonial historiography and twentieth-century ethnography, one encounters a virtual silence of two centuries. This hiatus is largely explained by the lack of printed sources for the period and the consequent need to sieve scarce data from archives. Also pertinent is the fact that by the end of the seventeenth century, the tide of early-modern missionary zeal had ebbed. That waning of interest in extirpatory endeavors by church and state alike coincided with a diminution of witch-hunts in Europe generally and a decline in the influence and fervor of the Inquisition in Spain specifically.
Strikes in Argentina: Data Sources and Recent Trends
Authors: McGuire James W.
Published: October 2022

Strikes have important effects on the workers and employers directly involved as well as significant indirect effects on consumers, economic growth, electoral outcomes, policy making, and political stability. Moreover, strikes form patterns that illuminate long-term social processes, the dynamics of economic and political conflict, and the functioning of industrial relations systems. Because strikes are important as both causes and symptoms of social change, an extensive literature has arisen on patterns of strike activity. To date, however, this literature has focused mainly on advanced industrial countries. To prepare the way for analyses of strike patterns in Latin America, more research is needed on the ways in which Latin American strike statistics have been collected and reported. This research note will report the results of such research for Argentina. The first section will assess the quality of strike statistics covering a century of Argentine history. The second section will compare four sources of data on Argentine strikes since the return to democracy in 1983, focusing on particularly useful data published by the Consejo Técnico de Inversiones (CTI) in Buenos Aires. The third section will make the CTI statistics available for research and will employ them to assess some widely held assumptions about labor militancy in Argentina during the period from 1984 to 1993.