bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Routine intraoperative cholangiography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: application of the 2016 WSES guidelines for predicting choledocholithiasis
Authors: Lai Hui-Ying , Tsai Kuei-Yen , Chen Hsin-An
Published: February 2021

Background

Routine use of intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for detecting common bile duct stones remains controversial. The 2016 World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines on acute calculous cholecystitis proposed a risk stratification for choledocholithiasis. Our present study aimed to (1) examine the findings of common bile duct (CBD) stones in patients underwent LC with routine use of IOC, and (2) validate the 2016 WSES risk classes for predicting choledocholithiasis.

Methods

All patients had LC with IOC routinely performed from November 2012 to December 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were classified into high-, intermediate-, and low-risk groups based on the 2016 WSES risk classes with modification.

Results

A total of 990 patients with LC and routine IOC were enrolled. CBD stones were detected in 197 (19.9%) patients. The rate of CBD stone detected in low-, intermediate-, high-risk groups were 0%, 14.2%, and 89.6%, respectively. Predictors as following: evidence of CBD stones on abdominal ultrasound or computed tomography, CBD diameter > 6 mm, total bilirubin > 4 mg/dL, bilirubin level = 1.8–4 mg/dL, abnormal liver biochemical test result other than bilirubin, presence of clinical gallstone pancreatitis had statistical significance between patients with and without CBD stones. Major bile duct injury was found in 4 patients (0.4%). All 4 patients had uneventful recovery after repair surgery.

Conclusions

Based on our study results, the 2016 WSES risk classes for choledocholithiasis could be an effective approach for predicting the risk of choledocholithiasis. Considering its advantages for detecting CBD stones and biliary injuries, the routine use of IOC is still suggested.
Laparoscopic negative appendectomy during pregnancy is associated with adverse neonatal outcome
Authors: Rottenstreich Misgav , Tankel James , Vilk Ayalon Naama , Rotem Reut , Yellinek Shlomo , Khatib Fayez , Grisaru-Granovsky Sorina
Published: February 2021

Background

The impact on pregnancy of laparoscopy for acute appendicitis is well documented. However, with an accurate pre-operative diagnosis being more challenging in pregnant patients, the incidence of a negative appendectomy (NA) is higher in this cohort. The aim of this study was to evaluate the maternal and neonatal implications of a NA during pregnancy.

Methods

A single center retrospective study between 2004 and 2019 was performed. Pregnant women who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for suspected appendicitis were identified from which those who had a pathologically normal appendix were selected. The maternal and neonatal outcome of this group were compared with a matched control group of pregnant women who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy for a presumed ovarian torsion in whom no further surgical intervention was performed. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to explore factors that gestational size.

Results

Of the 225 pregnant women who underwent laparoscopy appendectomy, a NA was performed in 33 (14.7%). These were compared with 50 pregnant women in the diagnostic laparoscopy group. The former was characterized by higher rate of nulliparity and later gestational age at the time of the surgery (17.8 ± 7.5 vs 11.3 ± 6.3, p < 0.001). Whilst the rate of maternal complications during pregnancy were similar between the groups, NA was associated with significantly lower neonatal birthweights (2733.9 ± 731.1 vs 3200.7 ± 458.5 g, p = 0.002) and a significantly higher risk of small for gestational age (SGA) infants (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.02–30.9).

Conclusions

Performing a NA during pregnancy is an indicator for perioperative counseling and antenatal follow up.
Associated characteristics and treatment outcomes of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients receiving denosumab or zoledronic acid for bone metastases
Authors: Ikesue Hiroaki , Mouri Moe , Tomita Hideaki , Hirabatake Masaki , Ikemura Mai , Muroi Nobuyuki , Yamamoto Shinsuke , Takenobu Toshihiko , Tomii Keisuke , Kawakita Mutsushi , Katoh Hironori , Ishikawa Takayuki , Yasui Hisateru , Hashida Tohru
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the association between clinical characteristics and development of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) in patients who underwent dental examinations before the initiation of treatment with denosumab or zoledronic acid, which are bone-modifying agents (BMAs), for bone metastases. Additionally, the clinical outcomes of patients who developed MRONJ were evaluated along with the time to resolution of MRONJ.

Methods

The medical charts of patients with cancer who received denosumab or zoledronic acid for bone metastases between January 2012 and September 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were excluded if they did not undergo a dental examination at baseline.

Results

Among the 374 included patients, 34 (9.1%) developed MRONJ. The incidence of MRONJ was significantly higher in the denosumab group than in the zoledronic acid (27/215 [12.6%] vs 7/159 [4.4%], P = 0.006) group. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that denosumab treatment, older age, and tooth extraction before and after starting BMA treatments were significantly associated with developing MRONJ. The time to resolution of MRONJ was significantly shorter for patients who received denosumab (median 26.8 months) than for those who received zoledronic acid (median not reached; P = 0.024).

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that treatment with denosumab, age > 65 years, and tooth extraction before and after starting BMA treatments are significantly associated with developing MRONJ in patients undergoing treatment for bone metastases. However, MRONJ caused by denosumab resolves faster than that caused by zoledronic acid.
New-onset seizures after cranioplasty—a different view on a putatively frequently observed phenomenon
Authors: Hirschmann Dorian , Kranawetter Beate , Tomschik Matthias , Wais Jonathan , Winter Fabian , Frischer Josa M. , Millesi Matthias , Herta Johannes , Roessler Karl , Dorfer Christian
Published: February 2021

Background

New-onset seizures after cranioplasty (NOSAC) are reported to be a frequent complication of cranioplasty (CP) after decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC). There are considerable differences in the incidence of NOSAC and contradictory data about presumed risk factors in the literature. We suggest NOSAC to be a consequence of patients’ initial condition which led to DHC, rather than a complication of subsequent CP. We conducted a retrospective analysis to verify our hypothesis.

Methods

The medical records of all patients ≥ 18 years who underwent CP between 2002 and 2017 at our institution were evaluated including incidence of seizures, time of seizure onset, and presumed risk factors. Indication for DHC, type of implant used, timing of CP, patient age, presence of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VP shunt), and postoperative complications were compared between patients with and without NOSAC.

Results

A total of 302 patients underwent CP between 2002 and 2017, 276 of whom were included in the outcome analysis and the incidence of NOSAC was 23.2%. Although time between DHC and CP differed significantly between DHC indication groups, time between DHC and seizure onset did not differ, suggesting the occurrence of seizures to be independent of the procedure of CP. Time of follow-up was the only factor associated with the occurrence of NOSAC.

Conclusion

New-onset seizures may be a consequence of the initial condition leading to DHC rather than of CP itself. Time of follow-up seems to play a major role in detection of new-onset seizures.
Surgical management in submucous cleft palate patients
Authors: Smarius B. J. A. , Guillaume C. H. A. L. , Slegers J. , Mink van der Molen A. B. , Breugem C. C.
Published: February 2021

Objectives

The submucous cleft palate (SMCP) is considered to be the most subtle type of cleft palate. Early detection is important to allow on time intervention by speech therapy and/or surgical repair before the children already develop compensatory speech mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to investigate at what time children with a SMCP present, to determine when children are operated, and to analyze the postoperative outcomes for in SMCP children.

Patient and methods

Medical records from 766 individuals registered in the cleft registry in the Wilhelmina’s Children’s’ Hospital, Utrecht, were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were children diagnosed with SMCP. The following data were collected: age at diagnosis, physical examination, age at surgery, surgical technique, speech therapy pre- and post-surgery, otitis media, secondary cleft surgery, family history, syndromes, and other anomalies.

Results

In total, 56 SMCP children were identified. The mean age of diagnosis was 44.0 months (range 0–150, SD = 37.0). In 48 children (85.7%), surgical intervention was performed (Furlow plasty, intravelar veloplasty, pharyngoplasty, or Furlow combined with buccal flap).

Conclusion

This retrospective study reconfirms that SMCP often presents late, even in a country with a modern healthcare system and adequate follow-up of all newborns by the so-called youth doctors in “children’s healthcare centers” up to the age of 4 years old. Almost 86% of patients ultimately needed palate surgery when SMCP was suspected.

Clinical relevance

Any child presenting with repeated episodes of otitis media, nasal regurgitation, or speech difficulties should have prompt consideration for SMCP as diagnosis.
RCT on the effectiveness of the intraligamentary anesthesia and inferior alveolar nerve block on pain during dental treatment
Authors: Youssef Bahaa R. , Söhnel Andreas , Welk Alexander , Abudrya Mohamed H. , Baider Mohamed , Alkilzy Mohammad , Splieth Christian
Published: February 2021

Objective

To compare the effectiveness and complications of intraligamentary anesthesia (ILA) with conventional inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) during injection and dental treatment of mandibular posterior teeth.

Materials and methods

In this randomized, prospective clinical trial, 72 patients (39 males, 33 females), scheduled for dental treatment of mandibular posterior teeth, were randomly allocated to ILA group (n = 35) received ILA injection or IANB group (n = 37) received the conventional IANB. Our primary outcome was to assess pain and stress (discomfort) during the injection and dental treatment, using the numeric rating scale (NRS) from 0 to 10 (0 = no pain, 10= the worst pain imaginable), whereas recording 24-h postoperative complications was our secondary outcomes.

Results

Patients in ILA group reported significantly less pain during injection when compared with IANB group (p = 0.03), while pain during dental treatment was similar in both groups (p = 0.2). Patients in both groups also reported similar law values of discomfort during treatment (p = 0.7). Although no signs of nerve contact or any other postoperative complications were observed, five patients in IANB group (none in ILA group) reported temporary irritations.

Conclusion

This study showed equivalent effectiveness of both intraligamentary anesthesia and conventional inferior alveolar nerve block, for pain control during routine dental treatment of mandibular posterior teeth. Nevertheless, ILA showed significantly less pain during injection. No major postoperative complications in both groups were observed.

Clinical relevance

ILA could be considered as an effective alternative for routine dental treatment.

Trial registration

NCT04563351
Efficacy and acceptability of the S1P receptor in the treatment of multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis
Authors: Tong Jingyi , Zou Qin , Chen Yongmin , Liao Xiaoping , Chen Rong , Ma Lin , Zhang Daqi , Li Qifu
Published: February 2021

Background and objective

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors are extensively used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the optimal therapeutic role of S1P in MS patients has still remained elusive. This network meta-analysis (NMA) systematically evaluated the efficacy and acceptability of S1P receptors, as disease-modifying drugs, in the treatment of patients with MS, so as to find out the most appropriate therapeutic strategy and provide a reliable basis for the prescription of S1P drugs for patients with MS.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and NMA to compare the efficacy and acceptability of S1P receptors for treating MS patients. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which were published until May 2020, were retrieved from the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. The primary outcome in this study was the treatment efficacy for the S1P receptor for MS patients, in terms of decrease in annualized relapse rate. The secondary outcomes were adverse events leading to discontinuation of a study, such as an unfavorable or unintended sign/symptom. Outcomes were appraised using a random effects model expressed as standardized mean differences (SMDs) and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), respectively, and were ranked using surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) probabilities for hierarchical clustering of interventions.

Results

A total of 13 RCTS were included, which enrolled 10,554 patients. The results of NMA showed that Fingolimod, Laquinimod, Siponimod, Ozanimod, Amiselimod, and Ponesimod were superior to placebo in terms of reducing the annualized relapse rate of MS patients. Regarding efficacy, the best and worst treatments were Amiselimod (0.4 mg; SUCRA 8.1%) and placebo (SUCRA 90.5%), respectively. As for acceptability, the best and worst interventions were Ozanimod (1 mg; SUCRA 20.4%) and Ponesimod (40 mg; SUCRA 96.0%), respectively. The comparison-adjusted funnel plots of annualized relapse rate and side effects in the included studies revealed that there was no significant funnel plot asymmetry

Conclusions

This NMA indicated that Amiselimod (0.4 mg) is the most effective treatment strategy as a S1P receptor for MS patients. However, the abovementioned findings need to be further confirmed in the next researches.
Continuous trigonometric collocation polynomial approximations with geometric and superconvergence analysis for efficiently solving semi-linear highly oscillatory hyperbolic systems
Authors: Liu Changying , Wu Xinyuan
Published: February 2021

In this paper, based on the continuous collocation polynomial approximations, we derive and analyse a class of trigonometric collocation integrators for solving the highly oscillatory hyperbolic system. The symmetry, convergence and energy conservation of the continuous collocation polynomial approximations are rigorously analysed in details. Moreover, we also proved that the continuous collocation polynomial approximations could achieve at superconvergence by choosing suitable collocation points. Numerical experiments verify our theoretical analysis results, and demonstrate the remarkable superiority in comparison with the traditional temporal integration methods in the literature.
A phase Ib, open-label, dose-escalation trial of the anti-CD37 monoclonal antibody, BI 836826, in combination with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Balzarotti Monica , Magagnoli Massimo , Canales Miguel Ángel , Corradini Paolo , Grande Carlos , Sancho Juan-Manuel , Zaja Francesco , Quinson Anne-Marie , Belsack Valérie , Maier Daniela , Carlo-Stella Carmelo
Published: February 2021

Background BI 836826 is a chimeric mouse–human monoclonal antibody directed against human CD37, a transmembrane protein expressed on mature B lymphocytes. This open-label, phase I dose-escalation trial (NCT02624492) was conducted to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), safety/tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of BI 836826 in combination with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Methods Eligible patients received intravenous infusions of BI 836826 on day 8 and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 plus oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 on day 1, for up to six 14-day treatment cycles. Dose escalation followed the standard 3 + 3 design. Results Of 21 treated patients, 17 had relapsed/refractory DLBCL and four had follicular lymphoma transformed to DLBCL. BI 836826 dosing started at 25 mg and proceeded through 50 mg and 100 mg. Two dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) occurred during cycle 1, both grade 4 thrombocytopenia lasting > 7 days, affecting 1/6 evaluable patients (17%) in both the 50 mg and 100 mg cohorts. Due to early termination of the study, the MTD was not determined. The most common adverse events related to BI 836826 treatment were neutropenia (52%), thrombocytopenia (48%), and anemia (48%). Eight patients (38%) experienced BI 836826-related infusion-related reactions (two grade 3). Overall objective response rate was 38%, including two patients (10%) with complete remission and six patients (29%) with partial remission. Conclusions BI 836826 in combination with GemOx was generally well tolerated but did not exceed the MTD at doses up to 100 mg given every 14 days.
A Study on Plume Dispersion Characteristics of Two Discrete Plume Stacks for Negative Temperature Gradient Conditions
Authors: Sivanandan Hrishikesh , Kishore V. Ratna , Goel Mukesh , Asthana Abhishek
Published: February 2021

The dispersion of air pollutants emitted from industries has been studied ever since the dawn of industrialisation. The present work focuses on investigating the effect of negative atmospheric temperature gradient and the plume stack orientation of two individual equal-height stacks on the vertical rise and dispersion of the plume. The study carried out upon three-stack layout configurations namely inline, 45° and non-inline, separated by an inter-stack distance of 12 times the exit chimney diameter (12 D) and 22 times the exit chimney diameter (22 D) in each case over the two temperature gradients of −0.2 K/100 m and −0.5 K/100 m. The turbulence is modelled using realisable k-ε model, a model used in the FLUENT flow solver. In the case of the inline configuration, the upwind plume shields its downwind counterpart, which in turn allows for higher plume rise at a given temperature gradient. The plume oscillates more in the case of inline than 45° and non-inline cases. Also, for a temperature gradient of −0.5 K/100 m, the plumes oscillate violently in the vertical direction, mainly because, with the initial rise of the plume, cold air from higher altitudes moves down and forms a layer of lower temperature closer to the ground. The present study is important to highlight the plume dispersion characteristics under negative temperature gradient conditions.
The Sexual Politics of Anti-Trafficking Discourse
Authors: Kotiswaran Prabha
Published: February 2021

20 years since the negotiation of the Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in 2000, the anti-trafficking field has gone from an early, almost exclusive preoccupation with sex work to addressing extreme exploitation in a range of labour sectors. While this might suggest a reduced focus on the nature of the work performed and a greater focus on the conditions under which it is performed, in reality, anti-trafficking discourse remains in the grip of polarised positions on sex work even as the carceral effects of anti-trafficking law become evident and the Swedish model of criminalising the purchase of sexual services spreads. In this article, I demonstrate how despite the recent discursive shifts to ‘modern slavery’ and ‘forced labour’, the anti-trafficking transnational legal order itself reinforces, rather than diffuses cultures of sex work exceptionalism. The growing international sex workers’ movement has offered resistance, yet a closer look at the movement and the widespread support that it has garnered for decriminalisation from international organisations, while valuable, helps reveal the greatest cost yet of anti-trafficking discourse, namely, the inability of the sex workers’ movement to produce a sophisticated theory of regulation to reduce levels of exploitation within sex work, one which is commensurate with the informality and heterogeneity of sex markets the world over. Finally, to the extent that neoabolitionist projects derive legitimacy from interventions abroad, especially in the global South, I chronicle the edifice on which it rests in one such context, namely India, to demonstrate how countries in the global South are not merely conduits for the global North’s preoccupation with moral gentrification through neo-abolitionism, but rather, that the circuits of global governmentality while influential, are highly contingent, thus producing opportunities for creative forms of mobilisation by sex workers.
Systematic Literature Review of E-Learning Capabilities to Enhance Organizational Learning
Authors: Giannakos Michail N. , Mikalef Patrick , Pappas Ilias O.
Published: February 2021

E-learning systems are receiving ever increasing attention in academia, business and public administration. Major crises, like the pandemic, highlight the tremendous importance of the appropriate development of e-learning systems and its adoption and processes in organizations. Managers and employees who need efficient forms of training and learning flow within organizations do not have to gather in one place at the same time or to travel far away to attend courses. Contemporary affordances of e-learning systems allow users to perform different jobs or tasks for training courses according to their own scheduling, as well as to collaborate and share knowledge and experiences that result in rich learning flows within organizations. The purpose of this article is to provide a systematic review of empirical studies at the intersection of e-learning and organizational learning in order to summarize the current findings and guide future research. Forty-seven peer-reviewed articles were collected from a systematic literature search and analyzed based on a categorization of their main elements. This survey identifies five major directions of the research on the confluence of e-learning and organizational learning during the last decade. Future research should leverage big data produced from the platforms and investigate how the incorporation of advanced learning technologies (e.g., learning analytics, personalized learning) can help increase organizational value.
Crowded Environment Navigation with NEAT: Impact of Perception Resolution on Controller Optimization
Authors: Seriani Stefano , Marcini Luca , Caruso Matteo , Gallina Paolo , Medvet Eric
Published: February 2021

Crowd navigation with autonomous systems is a topic which has seen a rapid increase in interest recently. While it appears natural to humans, being able to reach a target can prove difficult or impossible to a mobile robot because of the safety issues related to collisions with people. In this work we propose an approach to control a robot in a crowded environment; the method employs an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) that is trained with the NeuroEvolution of Augmented Topologies (NEAT) method. Models for the kinematics, perception, and cognition of the robot are presented. In particular, perception is based on a raycasting model which is tailored on the ANN. An in-depth analysis of a number of parameters of the environment and the robot is performed and a comparative analysis is presented; finally, results of the performance of the controller trained with NEAT are compared to those of a human driver who takes over the controller itself. Results show that the intelligent controller is able to perform on par with the human, within the simulated environment.
Nickel and sulfur codoped TiO2 nanoparticles for efficient visible light photocatalytic activity
Authors: Kunnamareddy Mehala , Rajendran Ranjith , Sivagnanam Megala , Rajendran Ramesh , Diravidamani Barathi
Published: February 2021

In this work, Nickel (Ni) and sulfur (S) codoped TiO2nanoparticles were prepared by a sol-gel technique. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), FT-Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) for investigating crystal structure, crystal phase, particle size and bandgap energy of these samples. The photocatalytic performances of all the prepared catalysts have been investigated for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. It was noticed that Ni-S codoped TiO2(Ni-S/TiO2) nanoparticles exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity compared with pure, Ni and S doped TiO2due to higher visible light absorption and probable decrease in the recombination of photo-generated charges. It was decided that the great visible light absorption was created for codoped TiO2by the formation of impurity energy states near both the edges of the collection, which works as trapping sites for both the photogenerated charges to decrease the recombination process.
Critical ethnography of language policy in the global south: insights from research in Timor-Leste
Authors: Cabral Estêvão , Martin-Jones Marilyn
Published: February 2021

This special issue focuses on language policy processes at work, in different sectors of education, in one small multilingual nation situated on the global periphery: the nation of Timor-Leste, in South East Asia. The four articles in this special issue draw on research of a broadly critical and ethnographic nature. To set these articles within a wider research context, the first section of this Introduction charts the development of critical approaches to the study of language policy and planning (LPP). The second section then delineates two main strands of ethnographic research related to LPP processes and points to some of the ways in which the scope of critical, ethnographic research has been widened in recent years. In the third section, we introduce the four articles, highlighting the distinctive nature of the ethnographic research presented in each one. In the fourth section, we show how the articles illustrate the need to combine ethnography with a critical, historical perspective, and with close attention to contemporary global processes, such as the commodification of particular languages. In the final section, we offer reflections on the possibilities for contributing to change in language policy and practice, in Timor-Leste and elsewhere, through researcher-practitioner collaboration of a critical, ethnographic nature.
Filling cavities in point clouds representing human body surface using Bezier patches
Authors: Nowak Marta , Michoński Jakub , Sitnik Robert
Published: February 2021

In this paper we introduce a cavity reconstructing algorithm for 3D surface scans (CRASS) developed for filling cavities in point clouds representing human body surfaces. The presented method uses Bezier patches to reconstruct missing data. The source of input data for the algorithm was an 8-directional structured light scanning system for the human body. Typical 3D scan representing human body consists of about 1 million points with average sampling density of 1 mm. The paper describes the complete scan processing pipeline: data pre-processing, boundary selection, cavity extraction and reconstruction, and a post-processing step to smooth and resample resulting geometry. The developed algorithm was tested on simulated and scanned 3D input data. Quality assessment was made based on simulated cavities, reconstructed using presented method and compared to original 3D geometry. Additionally, comparison to the state-of-the-art screened Poisson method is presented. Values’ ranges of parameters influencing result of described method were estimated for sample scans and comprehensively discussed. The results of the quantitative assessment of the reconstruction were lower than 0,5 of average sampling density.
Estimation of soil classes and their relationship to grapevine vigor in a Bordeaux vineyard: advancing the practical joint use of electromagnetic induction (EMI) and NDVI datasets for precision viticulture
Authors: Hubbard Susan S. , Schmutz Myriam , Balde Abdoulaye , Falco Nicola , Peruzzo Luca , Dafflon Baptiste , Léger Emmanuel , Wu Yuxin
Published: February 2021

Working within a vineyard in the Pessac Léognan Appellation of Bordeaux, France, this study documents the potential of using simple statistical methods with spatially-resolved and increasingly available electromagnetic induction (EMI) geophysical and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) datasets to accurately estimate Bordeaux vineyard soil classes and to quantitatively explore the relationship between vineyard soil types and grapevine vigor. First, co-located electrical tomographic tomography (ERT) and EMI datasets were compared to gain confidence about how the EMI method averaged soil properties over the grapevine rooting depth. Then, EMI data were used with core soil texture and soil-pit based interpretations of Bordeaux soil types (Brunisol, Redoxisol, Colluviosol and Calcosol) to estimate the spatial distribution of geophysically-identified Bordeaux soil classes. A strong relationship (r = 0.75, p < 0.01) was revealed between the geophysically-identified Bordeaux soil classes and NDVI (both 2 m resolution), showing that the highest grapevine vigor was associated with the Bordeaux soil classes having the largest clay fraction. The results suggest that within-block variability of grapevine vigor was largely controlled by variability in soil classes, and that carefully collected EMI and NDVI datasets can be exceedingly helpful for providing quantitative estimates of vineyard soil and vigor variability, as well as their covariation. The method is expected to be transferable to other viticultural regions, providing an approach to use easy-to-acquire, high resolution datasets to guide viticultural practices, including routine management and replanting.
The green roofs for reduction in the load on rainwater drainage in highly urbanised areas
Authors: Kolasa-Więcek Alicja , Suszanowicz Dariusz
Published: February 2021

Rapid weather phenomena, particularly sudden and intense rainfall, have become a problem in urban areas in recent years. During heavy rainfall, urban rainwater drainage systems are unable to discharge huge amounts of runoff into collecting reservoirs, which usually results in local flooding. This paper presents attempts to forecast a reduction in the load on the rainwater drainage system through the implementation of green roofs in a case study covering two selected districts of Opole (Poland)—the Old Town and the City Centre. Model tests of extensive and intensive roofs were carried out, in order to determine the reduction of rainwater runoff from the roof surface for the site under study. The potential of the roofs of the buildings to make a green roof was also determined using geographical information systems (GIS), for a case study of two central districts of Opole. It proposed a methodology to determine the rainwater drainage system load reduction by making green roofs. The analyses carried out lead to the conclusion that, in the districts selected for the study, the execution of green roofs on 25% of the of buildings with the potential to implement this type of roof solution could reduce the load on the rain water system by a degree that protects the city area from local flooding.
Correction to: Genomic Action of Sigma-1 Receptor Chaperone Relates to Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Wang Shao-Ming , Goguadze Nino , Kimura Yuriko , Yasui Yuko , Pan Bin , Wang Tzu-Yun , Nakamura Yoki , Lin Yu-Ting , Hogan Quinn H. , Wilson Katherine L. , Su Tsung-Ping , Wu Hsiang-en
Published: February 2021

A correction to this paper has been published: 10.1007/s12035-021-02310-3
Equivalence classes of circular codes induced by permutation groups
Authors: Fayazi Fariba , Fimmel Elena , Strüngmann Lutz
Published: February 2021

In the 1950s, Crick proposed the concept of so-called comma-free codes as an answer to the frame-shift problem that biologists have encountered when studying the process of translating a sequence of nucleotide bases into a protein. A little later it turned out that this proposal unfortunately does not correspond to biological reality. However, in the mid-90s, a weaker version of comma-free codes, so-called circular codes, was discovered in nature in J Theor Biol 182:45–58, 1996. Circular codes allow to retrieve the reading frame during the translational process in the ribosome and surprisingly the circular code discovered in nature is even circular in all three possible reading-frames ($$C^3$$

C
3

-property). Moreover, it is maximal in the sense that it contains 20 codons and is self-complementary which means that it consists of pairs of codons and corresponding anticodons. In further investigations, it was found that there are exactly 216 codes that have the same strong properties as the originally found code from J Theor Biol 182:45–58. Using an algebraic approach, it was shown in J Math Biol, 2004 that the class of 216 maximal self-complementary $$C^3$$

C
3

-codes can be partitioned into 27 equally sized equivalence classes by the action of a transformation group $$L \subseteq S_4$$

L
⊆

S
4

which is isomorphic to the dihedral group. Here, we extend the above findings to circular codes over a finite alphabet of even cardinality $$|\Sigma |=2n$$

|
Σ
|
=
2
n

for $$n \in {\mathbb {N}}$$

n
∈
N

. We describe the corresponding group $$L_n$$

L
n

using matrices and we investigate what classes of circular codes are split into equally sized equivalence classes under the natural equivalence relation induced by $$L_n$$

L
n

. Surprisingly, this is not always the case. All results and constructions are illustrated by examples.
Two Sides of the Same Coin: EU Financial Regulation and Private Law
Authors: Cherednychenko Olha O.
Published: February 2021

Today, legislators, courts, financial regulators and other actors at the EU and national level face major new challenges in safeguarding public and private interests in an increasingly digital and sustainability-minded environment surrounding financial markets. Innovative ways of addressing tensions between the common good and the individual preferences of market actors are needed to address these challenges. However, at present, the efforts to develop workable solutions are seriously hampered by the gap between the two areas of law that profoundly shape the financial markets—financial regulation and private law—in the current European policy discourse and legal scholarship. This article is an attempt to systematically rethink the role of private law in the regulatory and enforcement landscape for financial markets and its relationship with public regulation more generally. It argues that financial regulation and private law are not two parallel universes, but rather two sides of the same coin, each of which has a critical role to play in safeguarding public and private interests. Examining EU financial regulation through the ‘private law’ lens would enable us to unveil a complex interplay between the regulatory dimension, contractual settings and private law remedies that we need to better understand in order to be able to better regulate financial markets. Conversely, examining national private law through the European ‘regulatory’ lens would allow us to unpack the potential of traditional private law to contribute to the objectives of EU financial regulation, while at the same time realising justice between private parties.
Animal daily mobility patterns analysis using resting event networks
Authors: Lenormand Maxime , Pella Hervé , Capra Hervé
Published: February 2021

Characterizing the movement patterns of animals is crucial to improve our understanding of their behavior and thus develop adequate conservation strategies. Such investigations, which could not have been implemented in practice only a few years ago, have been facilitated through the recent advances in tracking methods that enable researchers to study animal movement at an unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution. However, the identification and extraction of patterns from spatio-temporal trajectories is still a general problem that has relevance for many applications. Here, we rely on the concept of resting event networks to identify the presence of daily mobility patterns in animal spatio-temporal trajectories. We illustrate our approach by analyzing spatio-temporal trajectories of several fish species in a large hydropeaking river.
Mental Imagery in the Science and Practice of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives
Authors: Blackwell Simon E.
Published: February 2021

Mental imagery has a long history in the science and practice of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), stemming from both behavioural and cognitive traditions. The past decade or so has seen a marked increase in both scientific and clinical interest in mental imagery, from basic questions about the processes underpinning mental imagery and its roles in everyday healthy functioning, to clinical questions about how dysfunctions in mental imagery can cause distress and impairment, and how mental imagery can be used within CBT to effect therapeutic change. This article reflects on the current state of mental imagery in the science and practice of CBT, in the context of past developments and with a view to future challenges and opportunities. An ongoing interplay between the various strands of imagery research and the many clinical innovations in this area is recommended in order to realise the full therapeutic potential of mental imagery in CBT.
Trajectory correction for lunar flyby transfers to libration point orbits using continuous thrust
Authors: Qi Yi , de Ruiter Anton
Published: February 2021

Trajectory corrections for lunar flyby transfers to Sun–Earth/Moon libration point orbits (LPOs) with continuous thrusts are investigated using an ephemeris model. The lunar flyby transfer has special geometrical and dynamical structures; therefore, its trajectory correction strategy is considerably different from that of previous studies and should be specifically designed. In this paper, we first propose a control strategy based on the backstepping technique with a dead-band scheme using an ephemeris model. The initial error caused by the launch time error is considered. Since the perturbed transfers significantly diverge from the reference transfers after the spacecraft passes by the Moon, we adopt two sets of control parameters in two portions before and after the lunar flyby, respectively. Subsequently, practical constraints owing to the navigation and propellant systems are introduced in the dynamical model of the trajectory correction. Using a prograde type 2 orbit as an example, numerical simulations show that our control strategy can efficiently address trajectory corrections for lunar flyby transfers with different practical constraints. In addition, we analyze the effects of the navigation intervals and dead-band scheme on trajectory corrections. Finally, trajectory corrections for different lunar flyby transfers are depicted and compared.
Elastomeric door seal analysis under aircraft cabin pressure
Authors: Franke Goularte B. , Zatko V. , Lion A. , Johlitz M.
Published: February 2021

Simple strategies are used to physically represent the cabin pressure acting on elastomeric seals for aircraft door applications. The relationships between rubber response, contact problem and air pressure are assumed as the initial step to understand the risks of air leakage during the early stages of a flight cycle. Through the finite element method, the non-linear boundary problem is investigated with the distinct contact response from two types of door interfaces. The options available within the ABAQUS commercial software are explored to model the seal as nearly incompressible, whereby the limitations are compared for each solution. In a qualitative approach, the simulations use the contact pressure distributions to define the pressure load for air leakage investigations on the door corners.
The Little-Bang and the femto-nova in nucleus-nucleus collisions
Authors: Xu Nu , Fukushima Kenji , Mohanty Bedangadas
Published: February 2021

We make a theoretical and experimental summary of the state-of-the-art status of hot and dense QCD matter studies on selected topics. We review the Beam Energy Scan program for the QCD phase diagram and present the current status of the search for the QCD critical point, particle production in high baryon density region, hypernuclei production, and global polarization effects in nucleus-nucleus collisions. The available experimental data in the strangeness sector suggests that a grand canonical approach in the thermal model at high collision energy makes a transition to the canonical ensemble behavior at low energy. We further discuss future prospects of nuclear collisions to probe properties of baryon-rich matter. Creation of a quark-gluon plasma at high temperature and low baryon density has been called the “Little-Bang” and, analogously, a femtometer-scale explosion of baryon-rich matter at lower collision energy could be called the “femto-nova”, which could possibly sustain substantial vorticity and a magnetic field for non-head-on collisions.
TEMPERED PARETO-TYPE MODELLING USING WEIBULL DISTRIBUTIONS
Authors: Albrecher Hansjörg , Araujo-Acuna José Carlos , Beirlant Jan
Published: February 2021

In various applications of heavy-tail modelling, the assumed Pareto behaviour is tempered ultimately in the range of the largest data. In insurance applications, claim payments are influenced by claim management and claims may, for instance, be subject to a higher level of inspection at highest damage levels leading to weaker tails than apparent from modal claims. Generalizing earlier results of Meerschaert et al. (2012) and Raschke (2020), in this paper we consider tempering of a Pareto-type distribution with a general Weibull distribution in a peaks-over-threshold approach. This requires to modulate the tempering parameters as a function of the chosen threshold. Modelling such a tempering effect is important in order to avoid overestimation of risk measures such as the value-at-risk at high quantiles. We use a pseudo maximum likelihood approach to estimate the model parameters and consider the estimation of extreme quantiles. We derive basic asymptotic results for the estimators, give illustrations with simulation experiments and apply the developed techniques to fire and liability insurance data, providing insight into the relevance of the tempering component in heavy-tail modelling.
A DOUBLE COMMON FACTOR MODEL FOR MORTALITY PROJECTION USING BEST-PERFORMANCE MORTALITY RATES AS REFERENCE
Authors: Li Jackie , Lee Maggie , Guthrie Simon
Published: February 2021

We construct a double common factor model for projecting the mortality of a population using as a reference the minimum death rate at each age among a large number of countries. In particular, the female and male minimum death rates, described as best-performance or best-practice rates, are first modelled by a common factor model structure with both common and sex-specific parameters. The differences between the death rates of the population under study and the best-performance rates are then modelled by another common factor model structure. An important result of using our proposed model is that the projected death rates of the population being considered are coherent with the projected best-performance rates in the long term, the latter of which serves as a very useful reference for the projection based on the collective experience of multiple countries. Our out-of-sample analysis shows that the new model has potential to outperform some conventional approaches in mortality projection.
Active inoculation boosts attitudinal resistance against extremist persuasion techniques: a novel approach towards the prevention of violent extremism
Authors: SALEH NABIL F. , ROOZENBEEK JON , MAKKI FADI A. , MCCLANAHAN WILLIAM P. , VAN DER LINDEN SANDER
Published: February 2021

The Internet is gaining relevance as a platform where extremist organizations seek to recruit new members. For this preregistered study, we developed and tested a novel online game, Radicalise, which aims to combat the effectiveness of online recruitment strategies used by extremist organizations, based on the principles of active psychological inoculation. The game “inoculates” players by exposing them to severely weakened doses of the key techniques and methods used to recruit and radicalize individuals via social media platforms: identifying vulnerable individuals, gaining their trust, isolating them from their community and pressuring them into committing a criminal act in the name of the extremist organization. To test the game's effectiveness, we conducted a preregistered 2 × 2 mixed (pre–post) randomized controlled experiment (n = 291) with two outcome measures. The first measured participants’ ability and confidence in assessing the manipulativeness of fictitious WhatsApp messages making use of an extremist manipulation technique before and after playing. The second measured participants’ ability to identify what factors make an individual vulnerable to extremist recruitment using 10 profile vignettes, also before and after playing. We find that playing Radicalise significantly improves participants’ ability and confidence in spotting manipulative messages and the characteristics associated with vulnerability.
Probabilistic Antecedents and Conditional Attitudes
Authors: Lennertz Benjamin
Published: February 2021

I generalize the notion of a conditional attitude by bringing together two topics of inquiry. One is the ordinary inquiry into conditional attitudes. The other topic is the inquiry into the attitude of thinking that a proposition is likely, or having a high credence in a proposition. For instance, what is it to intend to go to the game if it is likely that Kershaw pitches? Being likely that Kershaw pitches is the condition of the attitude. Given a natural position about statements like “It is likely that Kershaw pitches,” the target attitude looks different from ordinary conditional attitudes.
A variational principle for the metric mean dimension of free semigroup actions
Authors: CARVALHO MARIA , RODRIGUES FAGNER B. , VARANDAS PAULO
Published: February 2021

We consider continuous free semigroup actions generated by a family

$(g_y)_{y \,\in \, Y}$
of continuous endomorphisms of a compact metric space

$(X,d)$
, subject to a random walk

$\mathbb P_\nu =\nu ^{\mathbb N}$
defined on a shift space

$Y^{\mathbb N}$
, where

$(Y, d_Y)$
is a compact metric space with finite upper box dimension and

$\nu $
is a Borel probability measure on Y. With the aim of elucidating the impact of the random walk on the metric mean dimension, we prove a variational principle which relates the metric mean dimension of the semigroup action with the corresponding notions for the associated skew product and the shift map

$\sigma $
on

$Y^{\mathbb {N}}$
, and compare them with the upper box dimension of Y. In particular, we obtain exact formulas whenever

$\nu $
is homogeneous and has full support. We also discuss several examples to enlighten the roles of the homogeneity, of the support and of the upper box dimension of the measure

$\nu $
, and to test the scope of our results.