bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long‐term safety and efficacy of sublingual ketamine troches/lozenges in chronic non‐malignant pain management
Authors: Maudlin Ben , Gibson Stephen B. , Aggarwal Arun
Published: June 2021

Background

Chronic non‐malignant pain is a disabling condition that results in a reduction in function and quality of life when inadequately managed. Sublingual ketamine has been shown to be efficacious for use in chronic pain. Despite its use for decades in chronic non‐malignant pain, there is no published long‐term data on safety, side‐effects or adverse drug reactions.

Aim

The aim of this case‐series is to provide the initial evidence for safety and efficacy in this patient group.

Methods

We present a retrospective review of 29 (n = 29) patients from a metropolitan tertiary pain service who have been receiving sublingual ketamine troches/lozenges between the period of 2012 and 2019. Patients were identified from the outpatient pain clinic, who had been admitted for inpatient subcutaneous ketamine infusions as part of opiate detoxification or management of central sensitisation due to a chronic neuropathic pain syndrome. An initial review was performed to check the patient started taking the ketamine troches. Each of these medical records was reviewed manually to extract information to a datasheet.

Results

There was a wide range of dosages used from 25 to 600 mg in divided doses. The duration of treatment ranged 2−89 months. There was no association with either the dosage or duration of treatment and frequency of side‐effects. There was an overall reduction in the use of opioids, gabapentinoids or benzodiazepines in 59% of patients with 39% having a complete cessation of an analgesic agent. Side‐effects were reported in 24%, but only 7% discontinued the treatment due to the side‐effect (drowsiness). There were no reports of renal impairment, cystitis or hepatotoxicity.

Discussion

This retrospective case‐series has demonstrated that sublingual ketamine is a safe and effective analgesic agent to use in chronic non‐malignant pain management. It is indicated in a variety of chronic pain conditions and has an excellent safety profile, with no association between the frequency in side‐effects and duration of therapy or total daily dosages. The study has also shown that the ‘safe’ dose may be higher than the previous consensus.
Adaptive coordinate sampling for stochastic primal–dual optimization
Authors: Liu Huikang , Wang Xiaolu , So Anthony Man‐Cho
Published: June 2021

We consider the regularized empirical risk minimization (ERM) of linear predictors, which arises in a variety of problems in machine learning and statistics. After reformulating the original ERM as a bilinear saddle‐point problem, we can apply stochastic primal–dual methods to solve it. Sampling the primal or dual coordinates with a fixed nonuniform distribution is usually employed to accelerate the convergence of the algorithm, but such a strategy only exploits the global information of the objective function. To capture its local structures, we propose an adaptive importance sampling strategy that chooses the coordinates based on delicately designed nonuniform and nonstationary distributions. When our adaptive coordinate sampling strategy is applied to the Stochastic Primal‐Dual Coordinate (SPDC), we prove that the resulting algorithm enjoys linear convergence. Moreover, we show that the ideal form of our adaptive sampling exhibits strictly sharper convergence rate under certain conditions compared with the vanilla SPDC. We also extend our sampling strategy to other algorithms including Doubly Stochastic Primal‐Dual Coordinate (DSPDC) and Stochastic Primal‐Dual with O(1) per‐iteration cost and Variance Reduction (SPD1‐VR), where both primal and dual coordinates are randomly sampled. Our experiment results show that the proposed strategy significantly improves the convergence performance of the methods when compared with existing sampling strategies.
Policy evaluation and efficiency: a systematic literature review
Authors: Mergoni Anna , De Witte Kristof
Published: June 2021

This paper provides a systematic literature review of studies investigating the effect of an intervention on the efficiency of a decision‐making unit, when efficiency is computed using nonparametric frontier approaches. This paper offers a guide for future research by identifying patterns in (1) the fields of application, (2) applied efficiency models, and (3) analysis of efficiency determinants. Our findings indicate that, despite the prominent role of frontier techniques in the analysis of public sector performances and the importance of the effectiveness and the policy perspective, these two approaches have long been kept separate. Nevertheless, the combination of efficiency and effectiveness is fundamental to evaluate public interventions and to detect inefficiencies at the policy level, especially in key sectors such as education, health, and environment.
Assessing Panamanian hospitals' performance with alternative frontier methods
Authors: Cordero José M. , García‐García Agustín , Lau‐Cortés Enrique , Polo Cristina
Published: June 2021

In the last decades, there has been a growing interest in measuring the efficiency of hospitals using different methodological approaches, mainly represented by data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). In this study, we estimate efficiency measures of performance for a sample of Panamanian public hospitals over an 11‐year period (2005–2015) using both traditional methods (DEA and SFA) and compare them with efficiencies estimated with an alternative approach, the so‐called StoNED (stochastic semi‐nonparametric envelopment of data), which combines the virtues of those methods in a unified framework. One of the most interesting features of the public health system in Panama is that it is segmented, as hospitals are operating under two parallel management schemes (the Ministry of Health and the Social Security Fund), thus in our empirical analysis we will also focus on exploring the differences between hospitals operating under each regime. Our results show that there are certain divergences in the efficiency scores estimated with different methodologies, but for all of them it is possible to detect that Panamanian hospitals experienced a clear decrease in their efficiency levels throughout the period evaluated, being this much higher in the hospitals belonging to the Social Security Fund.
Marine ecoregions and subecoregions within Indo‐West Australian waters: A statistical approach based on species distributions
Authors: Hadiyanto Hadiyanto , Hovey Renae K. , Glasby Christopher J. , Prince Jane
Published: June 2021

Aim

The Marine Ecoregions of the World (MEOW) system delineates the oceans into 232 ecoregions. Here, we aimed to evaluate the suitability of this system to represent species distributions within Indo‐West Australian waters, explore alternative ecoregions and new subecoregions and investigate environmental variables that are correlated with species distributions within those waters.

Location

Indo‐West Australia.

Taxon

Vertebrates, invertebrates, marine plants.

Methods

We downloaded occurrence data for 14,513 marine species from the Ocean Biogeographic Information System. We analysed differences in species composition among nine ecoregions within Indo‐West Australian waters using pairwise permutational multivariate analysis of variance to evaluate how well the MEOW system represents species distributions within those waters. We delineated subecoregions within each distinct ecoregion using hierarchical cluster analysis with the unweighted pair‐group method using arithmetic averages. We analysed relationships between environmental variables and species composition using distance‐based linear models.

Results

Species composition was significantly different among ecoregions, except for three adjacent regions, which were combined into a single large ecoregion. Hence, seven distinct ecoregions were further analysed. Our study identified 13 subecoregions within these ecoregions that each separate into ‘inshore’ and ‘offshore’ zones. Depth explained the most variation in species composition of the combined taxa and sea surface temperature was the most important parameter in explaining the variability in most taxa.

Main Conclusion

The MEOW system did not represent well the distribution of marine species within Indo‐West Australian waters. Alternatively, we show that those waters encompass seven distinct ecoregions with 13 subecoregions. The main environmental drivers of species distributions could be depth and sea surface temperature. The proposed ecoregions and subecoregions allow us to improve the biogeographic hypotheses for understanding the evolution of marine species and identify representative marine habitats and species composition for the setting of Marine Protected Area networks within Indo‐West Australian waters.
Genetic and functional leaf trait diversity throughout the distribution of two Cerrado tree species: Testing the centre‐periphery hypothesis
Authors: Pfeilsticker Thais R. , Buzatti Renata S. O. , Muniz André C. , Bueno Marcelo L. , Lemos‐Filho José P. , Lovato Maria Bernadete
Published: June 2021

Aim

The centre‐periphery hypothesis (CPH) states that peripheral populations exhibit lower genetic diversity, abundance and size, and higher differentiation compared to central populations, due to a decline in environmental suitability towards range margins. Here, we tested if neutral genetic diversity and functional leaf trait diversity fit the predicted patterns of the CPH.

Location

Cerrado, Brazil.

Taxon

Qualea grandiflora (Vochysiaceae) and Annona crassiflora (Annonaceae).

Methods

Variation in eight functional leaf traits and nine or eight microsatellite loci were analysed in 37 populations (777 individuals) of Q. grandiflora and 21 populations (397 individuals) of A. crassiflora. We tested CPH using three distinct centres of species’ range: geographical (centre of species’ geographic occurrence), historical (centre of species’ refugia) and ecological (centre of species’ current suitability areas). Generalised linear regressions were performed between genetic diversity and differentiation, coefficients of variation and means of leaf metamer traits of populations and their distances from each centre.

Results

A decrease in allele richness was observed from central towards peripheral populations for ecological (both species) and geographical centres (Q. grandiflora). Overall, the results for both species pointed to a decrease in metamer vigour towards marginal populations, pattern consistent with a decrease in environmental suitability towards periphery as predicted by CPH. Besides geographical and ecological centres, leaf traits fitted CPH considering historical centre.

Main Conclusions

Results for leaf traits and genetic diversity of two phylogenetically distant species indicate the consistency of the CPH for Cerrado species. Our results highlight the importance of considering distinct centres and a great number of populations along species’ range to better determinate the processes underlying the distribution of genetic diversity and functional traits. The low genetic diversity and metamer vigour in marginal populations can explain the Cerrado endemism of studied species and suggest that the ongoing climatic changes can be critical for their survival.
Psychometric evaluation of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator body image concerns questionnaire (ICD‐BICQ)
Authors: Frydensberg Vivi Skibdal , Johansen Jens Brock , Möller Sören , Strömberg Anna , Pedersen Susanne S.
Published: June 2021

Background

Patients receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) generally adapt well to living with their device, but we know little about the prevalence of patients' body image concerns (BICs) postimplant.

Methods

The objectives were to evaluate the psychometric properties of the ICD‐body image concerns questionnaire (BICQ), find a cut‐off indicating BICs and determine the prevalence of BICs. Construct validity was determined using the Kaiser‐Meyer‐Olkin test, Scree‐plot and explorative factor analysis. Internal consistency was examined via Cronbach's alpha. Correlations to other validated questionnaires, a weighted and simple scale and a cut‐off indicating BICs was evaluated.

Results

In total, 331 patients completed the 39‐item ICD‐BICQ together with: Type D Scale (DS14), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD‐7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9), and Florida Patient Acceptance Survey. Five patients were excluded due to reoperations, leaving 326 patients in the analyses. Results revealed a one‐factor structure with 32 items and Cronbach's alpha at .948. A cut‐off at 36 points displayed the 20% patients with the highest score of BICs. The prevalence was 29.8% in women and 18.4% in men.

Conclusion

The psychometric evaluation of the 32‐item ICD‐BICQ showed acceptable construct validity and internal reliability. We recommend a cut‐off score at 36 points to identify patients at risk of having BICs. The prevalence of BICs indicated that both men and women are at risk of having BICs. The ICD‐BICQ can be used in clinical practice to help healthcare professionals to identify patients at risk of BICs and as to evaluate BICs when implementing new operation techniques.
The effect of immune cell‐derived exosomes in the cardiac tissue repair after myocardial infarction: Molecular mechanisms and pre‐clinical evidence
Authors: Wen Heling , Peng Lei , Chen Yu
Published: June 2021

After a myocardial infarction (MI), the inflammatory responses are induced and assist to repair ischaemic injury and restore tissue integrity, but excessive inflammatory processes promote abnormal cardiac remodelling and progress towards heart failure. Thus, a timely resolution of inflammation and a firmly regulated balance between regulatory and inflammatory mechanisms can be helpful. Molecular‐ and cellular‐based approaches modulating immune response post‐MI have emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. Exosomes are essential mediators of cell‐to‐cell communications, which are effective in modulating immune responses and immune cells following MI, improving the repair process of infarcted myocardium and maintaining ventricular function via the crosstalk among immune cells or between immune cells and myocardial cells. The present review aimed to seek the role of immune cell‐secreted exosomes in infarcted myocardium post‐MI, together with mechanisms behind their repairing impact on the damaged myocardium. The exosomes we focus on are secreted by classic immune cells including macrophages, dendritic cells, regulatory T cells and CD4+ T cells; however, further research is demanded to determine the role of exosomes secreted by other immune cells, such as B cells, neutrophils and mast cells, in infarcted myocardium after MI. This knowledge can assist in the development of future therapeutic strategies, which may benefit MI patients.
Lack of assortative mating might explain reduced phenotypic differentiation where two grasshopper species meet
Authors: Morgan‐Richards Mary , Vilcot Maurine , Trewick Steven A.
Published: June 2021

Hybridization is an evolutionary process with wide‐ranging potential outcomes, from providing populations with important genetic variation for adaptation to being a substantial fitness cost leading to extinction. Here, we focussed on putative hybridization between two morphologically distinct species of New Zealand grasshopper. We collectedPhaulacridium marginaleandPhaulacridium otagoensespecimens from a region where mitochondrial introgression had been detected and where their habitat has been modified by introduced mammals eating the natural vegetation and by the colonization of many non‐native plant species. In contrast to observations in the 1970s, our sampling of wild pairs of grasshoppers in copula provided no evidence of assortative mating with respect to species. Geometric morphometrics on pronotum shape of individuals from areas of sympatry detected phenotypically intermediate specimens (putative hybrids), and the distribution of phenotypes in most areas of sympatry was found to be unimodal. These results suggest that hybridization associated with anthropogenic habitat changes has led to these closely related species forming a hybrid swarm, with random mating. Without evidence of hybrid disadvantage, we suggest a novel hybrid lineage might eventually result from the merging of these two species.
Understanding interorganizational big data technologies: How technology adoption motivations and technology design shape collaborative dynamics
Authors: Cepa Katharina
Published: June 2021

Organizations increasingly employ big data technologies to capture, represent, and analyse complex operational processes at the organizational interface. This provides opportunities to learn about and optimize collaboration processes, which should increase cooperation. Yet, organizations may not learn equally, which could trigger learning races and thereby foster competitive dynamics. This multiple case study of 13 interorganizational relationships reveals four paths that explain how organizations’ technology adoption motivations and different technology designs conjoin to shape collaborative dynamics: where organizations pursue complementary motivations of learning and efficiency, collaborative dynamics are cooperative (path 1). Where organizations pursue shared learning motivations, interaction dynamics are cooperative if big data technologies provide shared analytical processing capability and symmetric transparency (path 2) or competitive where big data technologies provide shared analytical processing capability and asymmetric transparency (path 3) or non‐shared analytical processing capability regardless of transparency (a)symmetry (path 4). These findings advance strategic management literature by showing that big data technologies accelerate interorganizational learning, but that collaborative dynamics depend on organizations’ technology adoption motivations. I also advance learning race theory by introducing transparency as extension to learning races in digital environments.
Mature T/NK‐Cell lymphomas of the oral and maxillofacial region: A multi‐institutional collaborative study
Authors: de Arruda José Alcides Almeida , Abrantes Thamiris de Castro , Cunha John Lennon Silva , Roza Ana Luiza Oliveira Corrêa , Agostini Michelle , Abrahão Aline Corrêa , Canedo Nathalie Henriques Silva , Ramos Denize D'Azambuja , Milito Cristiane Bedran , Pontes Flávia Sirotheau Correa , Pontes Hélder Antônio Rebelo , Barra Marinez Bizarro , Zanella Virgilio Gonzales , Martins Marco Antonio Trevizani , Martins Manoela Domingues , Israel Mônica Simões , Freire Nathália de Almeida , Barreto Maria Eduarda Zeraik , Sánchez‐Romero Celeste , Carlos Román , Abreu Lucas Guimarães , Vargas Pablo Agustin , de Almeida Oslei Paes , Fonseca Felipe Paiva , Romañach Mário José , Mesquita Ricardo Alves , de Andrade Bruno Augusto Benevenuto
Published: June 2021

Background

The diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial mature T/NK‐cell neoplasms is challenging because of their rarity, morphological heterogeneity and complex immunophenotype with scarce available data describing their clinical and microscopic aspects. Therefore, in this study, we investigated a series of mature T/NK‐cell neoplasms affecting this anatomical region and provided an updated literature review.

Methods

Cases diagnosed as mature T/NK‐cell lymphomas affecting the oral and maxillofacial region were retrospectively retrieved from six pathology files and their diagnoses were confirmed using haematoxylin and eosin‐stained slides, immunohistochemical reactions and in situ hybridization for Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) detection. Patients’ clinical data were collected from their pathology forms.

Results

A total of 22 cases were included in this study. Eleven (50%) consisted of extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphomas, nasal type; eight (36.4%) were peripheral T‐cell lymphomas, NOS; two (9.1%) were adult T‐cell leukaemia/lymphomas, and one (4.5%) was an ALK‐positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Overall, males predominated, with a mean age of 55.7 years. The palate was the most affected site (50%), and tumours usually presented as destructive and painful ulcers. EBV was present in all cases of extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma nasal type but was absent in the other subtypes.

Conclusion

Among mature T/NK‐cell lymphomas of the oral and maxillofacial region, extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma, nasal type and peripheral T‐cell lymphoma, NOS predominated. Older men were the most affected patients, and this heterogeneous group of neoplasms has a very aggressive clinical behaviour.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis in the oral and maxillofacial region: An update
Authors: Faustino Isabel Schausltz Pereira , Fernandes Patrícia Maria , Pontes Hélder Antônio Rebelo , Mosqueda‐Taylor Adalberto , Santos‐Silva Alan Roger , Vargas Pablo Agustin , Lopes Marcio Ajudarte
Published: June 2021

Background

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder characterized by abnormal proliferation and infiltration of histiocytic cells.

Methods

This review focused on the main aspects associated with LCH.

Results

LCH can involve single or multiple organs and systems, with bone and skin being the most commonly affected sites. Regarding skeletal manifestations, the jawbones are involved in about 20%–30% of all cases. Such lesions may present as unilocular or multilocular images mainly affecting the posterior mandible. Oral soft tissue lesions may also occur, with the gingiva and hard palate being the most frequently affected sites.

Conclusion

The diagnosis and management of LCH are challenging, requiring a multidisciplinary approach, with dentists playing a central role since oral manifestations can be the first sign of the condition.
Oral plasmablastic lymphoma: A clinicopathological study of 113 cases
Authors: Fonseca Felipe Paiva , Robinson Liam , van Heerden Marlene B. , van Heerden Willie F. P.
Published: June 2021

Background

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an aggressive neoplasm that commonly develops in HIV‐positive patients, usually affecting the oral cavity. EBV is present in the majority of cases, therefore, playing an important role in the pathogenesis of this neoplasm.

Methods

PBL diagnosed from 2000 to 2020 were retrieved from the archives of the Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Biology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The patients’ clinical information including gender, age, tumour location and HIV status was obtained from the original histopathology request forms. A morphological description was assessed using H&E‐stained slides, with diagnoses confirmed by immunohistochemistry, and EBV detection performed via in situ hybridisation.

Results

During the 20 years period investigated, 113 PBL were found. Males outnumbered females (M:F ratio of 3:1), with a median age of 41 years (range 8–62). The gingiva (50 cases or 44.2%) and the palate (23 cases or 20.4%) were the most affected sites. All cases with available information were HIV positive. The tumours were composed of a diffuse proliferation of immunoblasts or plasmablasts in all cases. A starry‐sky pattern, tissue necrosis, cellular pleomorphism and mitotic figures were common microscopic findings. IHC for CD3 and CD20 were negative in all cases, while positivity for CD38, CD138 and MUM1 was observed in 70.2%, 79.2% and 98.9%, respectively. EBV was present in 100% of the cases.

Conclusion

PBL is a frequent diagnosis in South Africa, due to the country's HIV burden, where it usually affects the oral cavity and is always associated with EBV infection.
Structural differences in life satisfaction in a U.S. adult sample across age
Authors: Hartung Johanna , Spormann Sandy S. , Moshagen Morten , Wilhelm Oliver
Published: June 2021

Objective

Many studies investigating age‐related mean differences in life satisfaction disregard potential differences in the structure of the life satisfaction construct. Because developmental tasks at different life stages vary and thus the salience of specific life domains (e.g., health, finances, relationships, etc.) might differ, life satisfaction might differ between age groups in its underlying structure and meaning.

Method

To address this issue, we investigated the covariance structure of life satisfaction as measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the domains of health satisfaction and financial satisfaction with local structural equation modeling. We analyzed data from 8341 U.S. citizens between the ages of 30 and 97 who participated in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Furthermore, we explored the association of respondents' health and financial status with life satisfaction.

Results

Both the SWLS and domain items were found to be invariant across age. The health and financial status accounted for small proportions of variance in overall life satisfaction and the respective domain satisfactions significantly at all ages.

Conclusion

The current analysis indicates that across the adult age range, general life satisfaction is qualitatively the same, and health and financial satisfaction are equally integrated into overall life satisfaction.
Exogenous melatonin decreases circadian misalignment and body weight among early types
Authors: Marqueze Elaine C. , Nogueira Luciana F. R. , Vetter Céline , Skene Debra J. , Cipolla‐Neto José , Moreno Claudia R. C.
Published: June 2021

Shift workers experience chronic circadian misalignment, which can manifest itself in reduced melatonin production, and has been associated with metabolic disorders. In addition, chronotype modulates the effect of night shift work, with early types presenting greater circadian misalignment when working night shift as compared to late types. Melatonin supplementation has shown positive results reducing weight gain in animal models, but the effect of exogenous melatonin in humans on body weight in the context of shift work remains inconsistent. The aim of this study was thus to evaluate the effects of exogenous melatonin on circadian misalignment and body weight among overweight night shift workers, according to chronotype, under real‐life conditions. We conducted a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, crossover trial where melatonin (3 mg) or placebo was administered on non‐night shift nights for 12 weeks in 27 female nurses (37.1 yo, ±5.9 yo; BMI 29.9 kg/m2, ±3.3 kg/m2). Melatonin (or placebo) was only taken on nights when the participants did not work night shifts, that is, on nights when they slept (between night shifts and on days off). Composite Phase Deviations (CPD) of actigraphy‐based mid‐sleep timing were calculated to measure circadian misalignment. The analyses were performed for the whole group and by chronotype. We found approximately 20% reduction in circadian misalignment after exogenous melatonin administration considering all chronotypes. Moreover, melatonin supplementation in those who presented high circadian misalignment, as observed in early chronotypes, reduced body weight, BMI, waist circumference, and hip circumference, without any change in the participants’ calorie intake or physical activity levels.
Autonomy and developing physicians: Reimagining supervision using self‐determination theory
Authors: Sawatsky Adam P. , O’Brien Bridget C. , Hafferty Frederic W.
Published: June 2021

In this article, we address the question, ‘What is the role of autonomy in physician development?’ Medical education is a developmental process, and autonomy plays a motivational role in physician development. Calls for increased supervision of residents have raised concerns that the resulting decreased autonomy might interfere with resident development, leading the authors to explore the relationship between supervision and autonomy. The medical education literature posits a simple inverse relationship between supervision and autonomy. Within competency frameworks, autonomy is operationalised as independence and viewed as the end goal of training. Alternatively, there is emerging empirical literature describing autonomy and supervision as dynamic and developmental constructs and point towards more complex relationship between supervision and autonomy. Self‐determination theory (SDT) presents a framework for understanding this dynamic relationship and the role of autonomy in physician development. Within SDT, autonomy is a fundamental psychological need, associated with motivation for learning, self‐regulation and an internal locus of control. Supporting learner autonomy can afford learners the opportunity to internalise the values and norms of the profession, leading to an integrated regulation of their behaviours and actions. Conceptualising autonomy through the lens of SDT provides an avenue for education interventions and future research on supervision and autonomy. Educators can integrate supervision and autonomy support in the clinical setting, seeking to motivate learner development by balancing optimal challenge and support and integrating autonomy support with ‘hands‐on’ approaches to supervision. SDT also provides a theoretical framework relevant to current discussions regarding feedback conversations and coaching in medical education. Lastly, conceptualising autonomy using SDT opens new avenues for investigation, exploring the complex relationship between supervision and autonomy and developing efforts to integrate autonomy support with clinical supervision.
Molecular characterisation of sporadic endolymphatic sac tumours and comparison to von Hippel–Lindau disease‐related tumours
Authors: Schweizer Leonille , Thierfelder Felix , Thomas Christian , Soschinski Patrick , Kim Hee‐Yeong , Jödicke Ruben , Woltering Niklas , Förster Alexandra , Teichmann Daniel , Siewert Christin , Klein Katharina , Schmid Simone , Nunninger Maximilian , Thomale Ulrich‐Wilhelm , Onken Julia , Mühleisen Helmut , Schittenhelm Jens , Tatagiba Marcos , von Deimling Andreas , Reuss David E. , Solomon David A. , Heppner Frank L. , Koch Arend , Hartmann Christian , Staszewski Ori , Capper David
Published: June 2021

Aims

Although inactivation of the von Hippel–Lindau gene (VHL) on chromosome 3p25 is considered to be the major cause of hereditary endolymphatic sac tumours (ELSTs), the genetic background of sporadic ELST is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of VHL mutations in sporadic ELSTs and compare their characteristics to VHL‐disease‐related tumours.

Methods

Genetic and epigenetic alterations were compared between 11 sporadic and 11 VHL‐disease‐related ELSTs by targeted sequencing and DNA methylation analysis.

Results

VHL mutations and small deletions detected by targeted deep sequencing were identified in 9/11 sporadic ELSTs (82%). No other cancer‐related genetic pathway was altered except for TERT promoter mutations in two sporadic ELST and one VHL‐disease‐related ELST (15%). Loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 3 was found in 6/10 (60%) VHL‐disease‐related and 10/11 (91%) sporadic ELSTs resulting in biallelic VHL inactivation in 8/10 (73%) sporadic ELSTs. DNA methylation profiling did not reveal differences between sporadic and VHL‐disease‐related ELSTs but reliably distinguished ELST from morphological mimics of the cerebellopontine angle. VHL patients were significantly younger at disease onset compared to sporadic ELSTs (29 vs. 52 years, p < 0.0001, Fisher's exact test). VHL‐disease status was not associated with an increased risk of recurrence, but the presence of clear cells was found to be associated with shorter progression‐free survival (p = 0.0002, log‐rank test).

Conclusion

Biallelic inactivation of VHL is the main mechanism underlying ELSTs, but unknown mechanisms beyond VHL may rarely be involved in the pathogenesis of sporadic ELSTs.
A comparison of the public's use of PPE and strategies to avoid contagion during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia and Germany
Authors: Moore Kathleen A. , Bouchoucha Stéphane L. , Buchwald Petra
Published: June 2021

The SARS‐CoV‐2 or COVID‐19 pandemic has raised public awareness around disease protection. The aims in this study were to recruit participants from Australia and Germany to determine their use of personal protective equipment and COVID‐19 avoidance strategies using scales designed for this study. Principal components analysis with the Australian data revealed two factors in the Protection from Infection Scale, Self‐Care and Protective Behaviors, and a single factor in the Infection Avoidance Scale, with each scale demonstrating strong internal reliability. Data from German participants were used to confirm the scales' structure using confirmatory factor analysis. A comparison of the two data sets data revealed that Australian participants scored higher overall on protection and avoidance strategies but at the item level there were several commonalities, including self‐care behaviors people adopted to avoid contracting COVID‐19. With no foreseeable end to this pandemic, it is important that follow‐up studies ascertain whether the public continues to adopt high levels of PPE use and follows government advice or if pandemic fatigue sets in.
Automated calibration of smartphone cameras for 3D reconstruction of mechanical pipes
Authors: Maalek Reza , Lichti Derek D.
Published: June 2021

This paper outlines a new framework for the calibration of optical instruments, in particular smartphone cameras, using highly redundant circular black‐and‐white target fields. New methods were introduced for (i) matching targets between images; (ii) adjusting the systematic eccentricity error of target centres; and (iii) iteratively improving the calibration solution through a free‐network self‐calibrating bundle adjustment. The proposed method effectively matched circular targets in 270 smartphone images, taken within a calibration laboratory, with robustness to type II errors (false negatives). The proposed eccentricity adjustment, which requires only camera projective matrices from two views, behaved comparably to available closed‐form solutions, which require additional a priori object‐space target information. Finally, specifically for the case of mobile devices, the calibration parameters obtained using the framework were found to be superior compared to in situ calibration for estimating the 3D reconstructed radius of a mechanical pipe (approximately 45% improvement on average).
A Systems Framework for International Development: The Data‐Layered Causal Loop Diagram
Authors: Blair Courtney , Gralla Erica , Wetmore Finley , Goentzel Jarrod , Peters Megan
Published: June 2021

Meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require adapting or redirecting a variety of very complex global and local human systems. It is essential that development scholars and practitioners have tools to understand the dynamics of these systems and the key drivers of their behavior, such as barriers to progress and leverage points for driving sustainable change. System dynamics tools are well suited to address this challenge, but they must first be adapted for the data‐poor and fragmented environment of development work. Our key contribution is to extend the causal loop diagram (CLD) with a data layer that describes the status of and change in each variable based on available data. By testing dynamic hypotheses against the system's actual behavior, it enables analysis of a system's dynamics and behavioral drivers without simulation. The data‐layered CLD was developed through a 4‐year engagement with USAID/Uganda. Its contributions are illustrated through an application to agricultural financing in Uganda. Our analysis identified a lack of demand for agricultural loans as a major barrier to broadening agricultural financing, partially refuting an existing hypothesis that access to credit was the main constraint. Our work extends system dynamics theory to meet the challenges of this practice environment, enabling analysis of the complex dynamics that are crucial to achieving the SDGs.
When to Triage in Service Systems with Hidden Customer Class Identities?
Authors: Sun Zhankun , Argon Nilay Tanık , Ziya Serhan
Published: June 2021

In service systems with heterogeneous customers, prioritization with respect to the relative importance of customers is known to improve certain performance measures. However, in many applications, information necessary to determine the importance level of a customer may not be available immediately but can be revealed only through some preliminary investigation, which is sometimes called triage. This triage process is typically error‐prone and may take substantial amount of time, and hence, it is not always clear if and when it should be implemented for purposes of priority assignment. To provide insights into this question, we study a stylized queueing model with a single server and two types of customers with hidden type identities, which differ in their rates of service and waiting costs. By means of a Markov decision formulation, we first show that the optimal dynamic policy on triage is characterized by a switching curve. The comparison of two state‐independent policies (no‐triage and triage‐all) shows that the information from triage is more beneficial when the traffic intensity is neither too low nor too high. Our numerical results show that the system manager should consider implementing a state‐dependent triage policy when the probability of classifying a customer into the important class and the mean triage time are of moderate size, when the difference between the importance levels of the two classes of customers is large, and/or when the traffic intensity is high.
A Multi‐Method Approach to Prioritize Locations of Labor Exploitation for Ground‐Based Interventions
Authors: Kougkoulos Ioannis , Cakir M. Selim , Kunz Nathan , Boyd Doreen S. , Trautrims Alexander , Hatzinikolaou Kornilia , Gold Stefan
Published: June 2021

Recent estimates suggest that more than 40 million people worldwide are in situations of modern slavery and other forms of labor exploitation. UN Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 addresses this problem and urges stakeholders to take effective measures to end all forms of labor exploitation by 2030. Labor exploitation is often a direct consequence of forced migration, and humanitarian operations have a key role to play in tackling this issue worldwide. Academic research can facilitate this by providing the necessary decision‐making tools to support antislavery practitioners in humanitarian organizations and governments. For effective resource allocation, these practitioners need tools to help them systematically identify and assess the risks of labor exploitation in an area. In this study, we develop a multi‐method approach that combines various data sources to capture the issue's complex and multidimensional nature. Through satellite remote sensing, we first identify 50 informal settlements hosting migrant workers in the strawberry production area of Southern Greece. We then apply a multi‐criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method to a subset of six informal settlements in order to evaluate their labor exploitation risks based on eight criteria. In addition to being practically implemented by a humanitarian organization and a government agency in Greece, our study advances research on humanitarian operations and labor exploitation by elucidating how a multi‐method approach can be used for data‐driven prioritization of interventions against labor exploitation. Our approach offers opportunities for other applications in the field of humanitarian operations.
Nitrogen use plasticity in response to light intensity in neotropical tree species of distinct functional groups
Authors: Debiasi Tatiane Viegas , Calzavara Anderson Kikuchi , Sodek Ladaslav , Oliveira Halley Caixeta
Published: June 2021

Environmental conditions influence the use of different nitrogen (N) sources by plants. We hypothesized that an increase in light intensity favors the use of nitrate (NO3−) relative to ammonium (NH4+) by seedlings of neotropical tree species from different functional groups, that is, Cecropia pachystachya (a shade‐intolerant species), Cariniana estrellensis (a shade‐tolerant canopy species), and Guarea kunthiana (a shade‐tolerant understory species). We analyzed the growth and N metabolism in seedlings simultaneously provided with NH4+ and NO3−, under lower (LL) and higher (HL) light intensity. 15N incorporation into amino acids was monitored after incubation with 15N‐labeled NH4+or NO3−. Under HL, all species showed decreased leaf area ratio, and increased growth, nitrate reductase activity and assimilated N content. Cecropia pachystachya increased the use of both N sources under HL, with substantial increases in 15N‐amino acids derived from 15NO3− (12.5‐ and 4.0‐fold in roots and leaves, respectively) and 15NH4+ (4.5‐ and 3.0‐fold in roots and leaves, respectively). Guarea kunthiana showed the greatest plasticity in N use, as the assimilation of 15NO3− in roots and leaves increased substantially under HL (11.2‐ and 17.0‐fold, respectively). Cariniana estrellensis increased the assimilation of 15NH4+ in roots and 15NO3− in leaves under HL. Therefore, the responses of N use strategies to light intensity varied with the species according to their ecological characteristics.
Bio‐mediated soil improvement: An introspection into processes, materials, characterization and applications
Authors: Jiang Ning‐Jun , Wang Yi‐Jie , Chu Jian , Kawasaki Satoru , Tang Chao‐Sheng , Cheng Liang , Du Yan‐Jun , Shashank Bettadapura S. , Singh Devendra N. , Han Xiao‐Le , Wang Yu‐Ze
Published: June 2021

For a long time in the practice of geotechnical engineering, soil has been viewed as an inert material, comprising only inorganic phases. However, microorganisms including bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes are ubiquitous in soil and have the capacity and capability to alter bio‐geochemical processes in the local soil environment. The cumulative changes could consequently modify the physical, mechanical, conductive and chemical properties of the bulk soil matrix. In recent years, the topic of bio‐mediated geotechnics has gained momentum in the scientific literature. It involves the manipulation of various bio‐geochemical soil processes to improve soil engineering performance. In particular, the process of microbial‐induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has received the most attention for its superior performance for soil improvement. The present work aims to shape a comprehensive understanding of recent developments in bio‐mediated geotechnics, with a focus on MICP. Referring to around one hundred studies published over the past five years, this review focuses on popular and alternative MICP processes, innovative raw materials and additives for MICP, emerging tools and testing methodologies for characterizing MICP at multi‐scale, and applications in emerging and/or unconventional geotechnical fields.
A New Method for Laplace Transforms of Multiterm Fractional Differential Equations of the Caputo Type
Authors: Fukunaga Masataka
Published: June 2021

The Laplace transform method is one of the powerful tools in studying the fractional differential equations (FDEs). In this paper, it is shown that the Heaviside expansion method for integer order differential equations is also applicable to the Laplace transforms of multiterm Caputo FDEs of zero initial conditions if the orders of Caputo derivatives are integer multiples of a common real number. The particular solution of a linear multiterm Caputo FDE is obtained by its Laplace transform and the Heaviside expansion method. A Caputo FDE of nonzero initial conditions is transformed to an Caputo FDE of zero initial conditions by an appropriate change of variables. In the latter, the terms originated from the initial conditions appear as nonhomogeneous terms. Thus, the solution to the Caputo FDE of nonzero initial conditions is obtained as the particular solutions to the equivalent Caputo FDE of zero initial conditions. The solutions of a linear multiterm Caputo FDEs of nonzero initial conditions are expressed through the two parameter Mittag–Leffler functions.
A Systematic Review of the Tensile Biomechanical Properties of the Neonatal Brachial Plexus
Authors: Orozco Virginia , Magee Rachel , Balasubramanian Sriram , Singh Anita
Published: June 2021

Brachial plexus (BP) birth injury has a reported incidence of 1 to 4 per 1000 live births. During complicated deliveries, neonatal, maternal, and other birth-related factors can cause over-stretching or avulsion of the neonatal brachial plexus leading to injury. Understanding biomechanical responses of the neonate brachial plexus when subjected to stretch can offer insight into the injury outcomes while guiding the development of preventative maneuvers that can help reduce the occurrence of neonatal brachial plexus injuries. This review article aims to offer a comprehensive overview of existing literature reporting biomechanical responses of the brachial plexus, in both adults and neonates, when subjected to stretch. Despite the discrepancies in the reported biomechanical properties of the brachial plexus, available studies confirm the loading rate and loading direction dependency of the brachial plexus tissue. Future studies, possibly in vivo, that utilize clinically relevant neonatal large animal models can provide translational failure values of the biomechanical parameters for the neonatal brachial plexus when subjected to stretch.
Improve of Unsteady Pressure Pulsation Based on Jet–Wake Suppression for a Low Specific Centrifugal Pump
Authors: Wu Chengshuo , Li Qianqian , Zheng Feng , Wu Peng , Yang Shuai , Ye Haojie , Huang Bin , Wu Dazhuan
Published: June 2021

In this study, three impellers with different blade pressure side (PS) profiles are designed and the influence on the hydraulic and dynamic performance of a low specific speed centrifugal pump is investigated by numerical simulation and experimental research. The results show that blade PS modification introduced in this study can efficiently alleviate the unsteady pressure pulsation of model pump. In order to study the effects of blade modification on the internal flow filed, the volute domain is replaced by an even outlet region for computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis. Relative velocity distribution is extracted to visualize the three-dimensional (3D) flow characteristics at the impeller outlet. Results show that the flow at impeller outlet presents a typical jet–wake structure, which is significantly suppressed after the blade modification. The suppression of jet–wake structure, which is attributed to the redistribution of pressure and velocity in the impeller caused by the change of blade work capacity, can directly reduce the intensity of pressure pulsation in the volute by increasing the velocity uniformity at impeller outlet. Given that the existence of jet–wake flow results in large mixing loss and velocity deviation at the impeller outlet, entropy generation rate and slip velocity calculation are introduced here to measure the extent of jet–wake configuration. Results show that both indicators introduced here can be used to quantify the extent of the jet–wake structure at impeller outlet, and thus, indirectly predict the strength of unsteady pressure pulsation in pump volute.