bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age-dependent decrease in dental pulp cavity volume as a feature for age assessment: a comparative in vitro study using 9.4-T UTE-MRI and CBCT 3D imaging
Authors: Timme Maximilian , Borkert Jens , Nagelmann Nina , Streeter Adam , Karch André , Schmeling Andreas
Published: April 2021

Evaluation of secondary dentin formation is generally suitable for age assessment. We investigated the potential of modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to visualize the dental pulp in direct comparison with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). To this end, we examined 32 extracted human teeth (teeth 11–48 [FDI]) using 9.4-T ultrashort echo time (UTE)-MRI and CBCT (methods). 3D reconstruction was performed via both manual and semi-automatic segmentation (settings) for both methods in two runs by one examiner. Nine teeth were also examined by a second examiner. We evaluated the agreement between examiners, scan methods, and settings. CBCT was able to determine the pulp volume for all teeth. This was not possible for two teeth on MRI due to MRI artifacts. The mean pulp volume estimated by CBCT was consistently higher (~ 43%) with greater variability. With lower variability in its measurements, evaluation of pulp volume using the MRI method exhibited greater sensitivity to differences between settings (p = 0.016) and between examiners (p = 0.009). The interactions of single-rooted teeth and multi-rooted teeth and method or setting were not found to be significant. For examiner agreement, the mean pulp volumes were similar with overlapping measurements (ICC > 0.995). Suitable for use in age assessment is 9.4-T UTE-MRI with good reliability and lower variation than CBCT. For MRI, manual segmentation is necessary due to a more detailed representation of the interior of the pulp cavity. Since determination of pulp volume is expected to be systematically larger using CBCT, method-specific reference values are indispensable for practical age assessment procedures. The results should be verified under in vivo conditions in the future.
Physiological responses and cycle characteristics during double-poling versus diagonal-stride roller-skiing in junior cross-country skiers
Authors: Andersson Erik P. , Hämberg Irina , Do Nascimento Salvador Paulo Cesar , McGawley Kerry
Published: April 2021

Purpose

This study aimed to compare physiological factors and cycle characteristics during cross-country (XC) roller-skiing at matched inclines and speeds using the double-poling (DP) and diagonal-stride (DS) sub-techniques in junior female and male XC skiers.

Methods

Twenty-three well-trained junior XC skiers (11 women, 12 men; age 18.2 ± 1.2 yr.) completed two treadmill roller-skiing tests in a randomized order using either DP or DS. The exercise protocols were identical and included a 5 min warm-up, 4 × 5 min submaximal stages, and an incremental test to exhaustion, all performed at a 5° incline.

Results

No significant three-way interactions were observed between sex, submaximal exercise intensity, and sub-technique. For the pooled sample, higher values were observed for DP versus DS during submaximal exercise for the mean oxygen uptake kinetics response time (33%), energy cost (18%), heart rate (HR) (9%), blood lactate concentration (5.1 versus 2.1 mmol·L−1), rating of perceived exertion (12%), and cycle rate (25%), while cycle length was lower (19%) (all P < 0.001). During the time-to-exhaustion (TTE) test, peak oxygen uptake ($$\dot{V}$$

V
˙

O2peak), peak HR, and peak oxygen pulse were 8%, 2%, and 6% lower, respectively, for DP than DS, with a 29% shorter TTE during DP (pooled data, all P < 0.001).

Conclusion

In well-trained junior XC skiers, DP was found to exert a greater physiological load than DS during uphill XC roller-skiing at submaximal intensities. During the TTE test, both female and male athletes were able to ski for longer and reached markedly higher $$\dot{V}$$

V
˙

O2peak values when using DS compared to DP.
Myostatin regulates the production of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) in UMR106 osteoblast–like cells
Authors: Ewendt Franz , Feger Martina , Föller Michael
Published: April 2021

Myostatin is a signaling molecule produced by skeletal muscle cells (myokine) that inhibits muscle hypertrophy and has further paracrine and endocrine effects in other organs including bone. Myostatin binds to activin receptor type 2B which forms a complex with transforming growth factor-β type I receptor (TGF-βRI) and induces intracellular p38MAPK and NFκB signaling. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a paracrine and endocrine mediator produced by bone cells and regulates phosphate and vitamin D metabolism in the kidney. P38MAPK and NFκB-dependent store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) are positive regulators of FGF23 production. Here, we explored whether myostatin influences the synthesis of FGF23. Fgf23 gene expression was determined by qRT-PCR and FGF23 protein by ELISA in UMR106 osteoblast–like cells. UMR106 cells expressed activin receptor type 2A and B. Myostatin upregulated Fgf23 gene expression and protein production. The myostatin effect on Fgf23 was significantly attenuated by TGF-βRI inhibitor SB431542, p38MAPK inhibitor SB202190, and NFκB inhibitor withaferin A. Moreover, SOCE inhibitor 2-APB blunted the myostatin effect on Fgf23. Taken together, myostatin is a stimulator of Fgf23 expression in UMR106 cells, an effect at least partially mediated by downstream TGF-βRI/p38MAPK signaling as well as NFκB-dependent SOCE.
Influence of layer separation on the determination of stomach smooth muscle properties
Authors: Borsdorf Mischa , Böl Markus , Siebert Tobias
Published: April 2021

Uniaxial tensile experiments are a standard method to determine the contractile properties of smooth muscles. Smooth muscle strips from organs of the urogenital and gastrointestinal tract contain multiple muscle layers with different muscle fiber orientations, which are frequently not separated for the experiments. During strip activation, these muscle fibers contract in deviant orientations from the force-measuring axis, affecting the biomechanical characteristics of the tissue strips. This study aimed to investigate the influence of muscle layer separation on the determination of smooth muscle properties. Smooth muscle strips, consisting of longitudinal and circumferential muscle layers (whole-muscle strips [WMS]), and smooth muscle strips, consisting of only the circumferential muscle layer (separated layer strips [SLS]), have been prepared from the fundus of the porcine stomach. Strips were mounted with muscle fibers of the circumferential layer inline with the force-measuring axis of the uniaxial testing setup. The force–length (FLR) and force–velocity relationships (FVR) were determined through a series of isometric and isotonic contractions, respectively. Muscle layer separation revealed no changes in the FLR. However, the SLS exhibited a higher maximal shortening velocity and a lower curvature factor than WMS. During WMS activation, the transversally oriented muscle fibers of the longitudinal layer shortened, resulting in a narrowing of this layer. Expecting volume constancy of muscle tissue, this narrowing leads to a lengthening of the longitudinal layer, which counteracted the shortening of the circumferential layer during isotonic contractions. Consequently, the shortening velocities of the WMS were decreased significantly. This effect was stronger at high shortening velocities.
Fluctuations of extreme eigenvalues of sparse Erdős–Rényi graphs
Authors: He Yukun , Knowles Antti
Published: April 2021

We consider a class of sparse random matrices which includes the adjacency matrix of the Erdős–Rényi graph $${{\mathcal {G}}}(N,p)$$

G
(
N
,
p
)

. We show that if $$N^{\varepsilon } \leqslant Np \leqslant N^{1/3-\varepsilon }$$

N
ε

⩽
N
p
⩽

N

1
/
3
-
ε

then all nontrivial eigenvalues away from 0 have asymptotically Gaussian fluctuations. These fluctuations are governed by a single random variable, which has the interpretation of the total degree of the graph. This extends the result (Huang et al. in Ann Prob 48:916–962, 2020) on the fluctuations of the extreme eigenvalues from $$Np \geqslant N^{2/9 + \varepsilon }$$

N
p
⩾

N

2
/
9
+
ε

down to the optimal scale $$Np \geqslant N^{\varepsilon }$$

N
p
⩾

N
ε

. The main technical achievement of our proof is a rigidity bound of accuracy $$N^{-1/2-\varepsilon } (Np)^{-1/2}$$

N

-
1
/
2
-
ε

(
N
p
)

-
1
/
2

for the extreme eigenvalues, which avoids the $$(Np)^{-1}$$

(
N
p
)

-
1

-expansions from Erdős et al. (Ann Prob 41:2279–2375, 2013), Huang et al. (2020) and Lee and Schnelli (Prob Theor Rel Fields 171:543–616, 2018). Our result is the last missing piece, added to Erdős et al. (Commun Math Phys 314:587–640, 2012), He (Bulk eigenvalue fluctuations of sparse random matrices. arXiv:1904.07140), Huang et al. (2020) and Lee and Schnelli (2018), of a complete description of the eigenvalue fluctuations of sparse random matrices for $$Np \geqslant N^{\varepsilon }$$

N
p
⩾

N
ε

.
ALE formulation for thermomechanical inelastic material models applied to tire forming and curing simulations
Authors: Zreid Imadeddin , Behnke Ronny , Kaliske Michael
Published: April 2021

Forming of tires during production is a challenging process for Lagrangian solid mechanics due to large changes in the geometry and material properties of the rubber layers. This paper extends the Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) formulation to thermomechanical inelastic material models with special consideration of rubber. The ALE approach based on tracking the material and spatial meshes is used, and an operator-split is employed which splits up the solution within a time step into a mesh smoothing step, a history remapping step and a Lagrangian step. Mesh distortion is reduced in the smoothing step by solving a boundary value problem. History variables are subsequently remapped to the new mesh with a particle tracking scheme. Within the Lagrangian steps, a fully coupled thermomechanical problem is solved. An advanced two-phase rubber model is incorporated into the ALE approach, which can describe green rubber, cured rubber and the transition process. Several numerical examples demonstrate the superior behavior of the developed formulation in comparison to purely Lagrangian finite elements.
Local radon flux maxima in the quaternary sediments of Schleswig–Holstein (Germany)
Authors: Albert Johannes , Schärf Maximilian , Enzmann Frieder , Waltl Martin , Sirocko Frank
Published: April 2021

This paper presents radon flux profiles from four regions in Schleswig–Holstein (Northern Germany). Three of these regions are located over deep-rooted tectonic faults or salt diapirs and one is in an area without any tectonic or halokinetic activity, but with steep topography. Contrary to recently published studies on spatial patterns of soil radon gas concentration we measured flux of radon from soil into the atmosphere. All radon devices of each profile were deployed simultaneously to avoid inconsistencies due to strong diurnal variations of radon exhalation. To compare data from different seasons, values had to be normalized. Observed radon flux patterns are apparently related to the mineralogical composition of the Quaternary strata (particularly to the abundance of reddish granite and porphyry), and its grain size (with a flux maximum in well-sorted sand/silt). Minimum radon flux occurs above non-permeable, clay-rich soil layers. Small amounts of water content in the pore space increase radon flux, whereas excessive water content lessens it. Peak flux values, however, are observed over a deep-rooted fault system on the eastern side of Lake Plön, i.e., at the boundary of the Eastholstein Platform and the Eastholstein Trough. Furthermore, high radon flux values are observed in two regions associated with salt diapirism and near-surface halokinetic faults. These regions show frequent local radon flux maxima, which indicate that the uppermost strata above salt diapirs are very inhomogeneous. Deep-rooted increased permeability (effective radon flux depth) or just the boundaries between permeable and impermeable strata appear to concentrate radon flux. In summary, our radon flux profiles are in accordance with the published evidence of low radon concentrations in the “normal” soils of Schleswig–Holstein. However, very high values of radon flux are likely to occur at distinct locations near salt diapirism at depth, boundaries between permeable and impermeable strata, and finally at the tectonically active flanks of the North German Basin.
Surgical nuances and construct patterns influence construct stiffness in C1-2 stabilizations: a biomechanical study of C1-2 gapping and advanced C1-2 fixation
Authors: Koller Heiko , Hartmann Sebastian , Raphael Gmeiner , Schmölz Werner , Orban Christoph , Thome Claudius
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Stabilization of C1-2 using a Harms–Goel construct with 3.5 mm titanium (Ti) rods has been established as a standard of reference (SOR). A reduction in craniocervical deformities can indicate increased construct stiffness at C1-2. A reduction in C1-2 can result in C1-2 joint gapping. Therefore, the authors sought to study the biomechanical consequences of C1-2 gapping on construct stiffness using different instrumentations, including a novel 6-screw/3-rod (6S3R) construct, to compare the results to the SOR. We hypothesized that different instrument pattern will reveal significant differences in reduction in ROM among constructs tested.

Methods

The range of motion (ROM) of instrumented C1-2 polyamide models was analyzed in a six-degree-of-freedom spine tester. The models were loaded with pure moments (2.0 Nm) in axial rotation (AR), flexion extension (FE), and lateral bending (LB). Comparisons of C1-2 construct stiffness among the constructs included variations in rod diameter (3.5 mm vs. 4.0 mm), rod material (Ti. vs. CoCr) and a cross-link (CLX). Construct stiffness was tested with C1-2 facets in contact (Contact Group) and in a 2 mm distracted position (Gapping Group). The ROM (°) was recorded and reported as a percentage of ROM (%ROM) normalized to the SOR. A difference > 30% between the SOR and the %ROM among the constructs was defined as significant.

Results

Among all constructs, an increase in construct stiffness up to 50% was achieved with the addition of CLX, particularly with a 6S3R construct. These differences showed the greatest effect for the CLX in AR testing and for the 6S3R construct in FE and AR testing. Among all constructs, C1-2 gapping resulted in a significant loss of construct stiffness. A protective effect was shown for the CLX, particularly using a 6S3R construct in AR and FE testing. The selection of rod diameter (3.5 mm vs. 4.0 mm) and rod material (Ti vs. CoCr) did show a constant trend but did not yield significance.

Conclusion

This study is the first to show the loss of construct stiffness at C1-2 with gapping and increased restoration of stability using CLX and 6S3R constructs. In the correction of a craniocervical deformity, nuances in the surgical technique and advanced instrumentation may positively impact construct stability.
Cold atmospheric plasma coupled with air abrasion in liquid medium for the treatment of peri-implantitis model grown with a complex human biofilm: an in vitro study
Authors: Hui Wang Lai , Perrotti Vittoria , Piattelli Adriano , Ostrikov Kostya , Fang Zhi , Quaranta Alessandro
Published: April 2021

Objective

Treatment of implants with peri-implantitis is often unsuccessful due to residual microbial biofilm hindering re-osseointegration. The aim of this study was to treat biofilm-grown titanium (Ti) implants with different modalities involving air abrasion (AA) and cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) to compare the effectiveness in surface decontamination and the alteration/preservation of surface topography.

Materials and methods

Saliva collected from a peri-implantitis patient was used to in vitro develop human biofilm over 35 implants with moderately rough surface. The implants were then mounted onto standardized acrylic blocks simulating peri-implantitis defects and treated with AA (erythritol powder), CAP in a liquid medium, or a combination (COM) of both modalities. The remaining biofilm was measured by crystal violet (CV). Surface features and roughness before and after treatment were assessed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test.

Results

In the present peri-implantitis model, the human complex biofilm growth was successful as indicated by the statistical significance between the negative and positive controls. All the treatment groups resulted in a remarkable implant surface decontamination, with values very close to the negative control for AA and COM. Indeed, statistically significant differences in the comparison between the positive control vs. all the treatment groups were found. SEM analysis showed no post-treatment alterations on the implant surface in all the groups.

Conclusions

Decontamination with AA delivering erythritol with or without CAP in liquid medium demonstrated compelling efficacy in the removal of biofilm from implants. All the tested treatments did not cause qualitative alterations to the Ti surface features. No specific effects of the CAP were observed, although further studies are necessary to assess its potential as monotherapy with different settings or in combination with other decontamination procedures.

Clinical relevance

CAP is a promising option in the treatment of peri-implantitis because it has potential to improve the elimination of bacterial plaque from implant surfaces, in inaccessible pockets or during open-flap debridement, and should stimulate the process of the re-osseointegration of affected dental implants by not altering surface features and roughness.
Characteristics of person, place, and activity that trigger failure to speak in children with selective mutism
Authors: Schwenck Christina , Gensthaler Angelika , Vogel Felix , Pfeffermann Anke , Laerum Sabine , Stahl Julia
Published: April 2021

Selective Mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder with predictable and circumscribed situations in which children remain silent while they speak unaffectedly in others. However, core features of anxiety inducing stimuli have rarely been studied so far. Parents of children with elevated SM symptomatology participated in an online-based study and answered open ended questions about specific characteristics of a person, place, and activity that elicit failure to speak in their child. The final sample consisted of n = 91 parents with children aged between 3 and 17 years (M = 8.02 years, SD = 3.94). Answers were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Characteristics of a person were assigned to five categories with lack of distance as the most frequently reported feature. With respect to a place, the majority of parents mentioned unknown places as a silence trigger. The most frequently mentioned feature of an activity that was designated to be associated to silence was new activity. There were only few associations between the designation of these features, age, and gender. For the first time, anxiety inducing triggers related to person, place, and activity were comprehensively assessed in children with SM. This allows a differentiated and deeper understanding of an understudied disorder. The majority of characteristics can be associated with proposed etiological factors such as increased behavioral inhibition, conditioning processes, social anxiety, and a strong need for control. Implications for effective treatments are discussed.
Cooperative verifier-based testing with CoVeriTest
Authors: Beyer Dirk , Jakobs Marie-Christine
Published: April 2021

Testing is a widely applied technique to evaluate software quality, and coverage criteria are often used to assess the adequacy of a generated test suite. However, manually constructing an adequate test suite is typically too expensive, and numerous techniques for automatic test-suite generation were proposed. All of them come with different strengths. To build stronger test-generation tools, different techniques should be combined. In this paper, we study cooperative combinations of verification approaches for test generation, which exchange high-level information. We present CoVeriTest, a hybrid technique for test-suite generation. CoVeriTest iteratively applies different conditional model checkers and allows users to adjust the level of cooperation and to configure individual time limits for each conditional model checker. In our experiments, we systematically study different CoVeriTest cooperation setups, which either use combinations of explicit-state model checking and predicate abstraction, or bounded model checking and symbolic execution. A comparison with state-of-the-art test-generation tools reveals that CoVeriTest achieves higher coverage for many programs (about 15%).
Patterns of motivating teaching behaviour and student engagement: a microanalytic approach
Authors: Cents-Boonstra Miriam , Lichtwarck-Aschoff Anna , Lara Mayra Mascareño , Denessen Eddie
Published: April 2021

Positive student engagement is a prerequisite for students’ educational success. In this study, a microanalytic approach was used to explore patterns in teachers’ use of specific motivating teaching behaviours from the perspective of self-determination theory in relation to indicators of students’ positive engagement. The lessons of 52 teachers were observed and event-based coded. Results showed that specifically asking motivating questions and providing positive feedback and support during exercises were associated with subsequent positive student engagement. Unexpectedly, some demotivating teaching behaviours were also found to relate to positive student engagement, although to a lesser extent. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Surface contact behavior of functionally graded thermoelectric materials indented by a conducting punch
Authors: Tian Xiaojuan , Zhou Yueting , Wang Lihua , Ding Shenghu
Published: April 2021

The contact problem for thermoelectric materials with functionally graded properties is considered. The material properties, such as the electric conductivity, the thermal conductivity, the shear modulus, and the thermal expansion coefficient, vary in an exponential function. Using the Fourier transform technique, the electro-thermoelastic problems are transformed into three sets of singular integral equations which are solved numerically in terms of the unknown normal electric current density, the normal energy flux, and the contact pressure. Meanwhile, the complex homogeneous solutions of the displacement fields caused by the gradient parameters are simplified with the help of Euler’s formula. After addressing the non-linearity excited by thermoelectric effects, the particular solutions of the displacement fields can be assessed. The effects of various combinations of material gradient parameters and thermoelectric loads on the contact behaviors of thermoelectric materials are presented. The results give a deep insight into the contact damage mechanism of functionally graded thermoelectric materials (FGTEMs).
A single point mutation converts a glutaryl-7-aminocephalosporanic acid acylase into an N-acyl-homoserine lactone acylase
Authors: Murugayah Shereen A. , Evans Gary B. , Tyndall Joel D. A. , Gerth Monica L.
Published: April 2021

Objective

To change the specificity of a glutaryl-7-aminocephalosporanic acid acylase (GCA) towards N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs; quorum sensing signalling molecules) by site-directed mutagenesis.

Results

Seven residues were identified by analysis of existing crystal structures as potential determinants of substrate specificity. Site-saturation mutagenesis libraries were created for each of the seven selected positions. High-throughput activity screening of each library identified two variants—Arg255Ala, Arg255Gly—with new activities towards N-acyl homoserine lactone substrates. Structural modelling of the Arg255Gly mutation suggests that the smaller side-chain of glycine (as compared to arginine in the wild-type enzyme) avoids a key clash with the acyl group of the N-acyl homoserine lactone substrate.

Conclusions

Mutation of a single amino acid residue successfully converted a GCA (with no detectable activity against AHLs) into an AHL acylase. This approach may be useful for further engineering of ‘quorum quenching’ enzymes.
Effects of Cognitive Reappraisal on Subjective and Neural Reactivity to Angry Faces in Children with Social Anxiety Disorder, Clinical Controls with Mixed Anxiety Disorders and Healthy Children
Authors: Keil Verena , Tuschen-Caffier Brunna , Schmitz Julian
Published: April 2021

Cognitive models of social anxiety suggest that social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by both enhanced emotional reactivity and deficits in emotion regulation. Emotional reactivity to socially threatening children’s faces and their modulation through reappraisal were measured via subjective ratings and electrocortical responses in children (age 10–13) with SAD (n = 28), clinical controls with mixed anxiety disorders (n = 28), and healthy controls (n = 29). Children with SAD showed higher subjective reactivity to the images of angry children’s faces while all children reported reduced reactivity in their subjective ratings following reappraisal. Reduced electrocortical reactivity after reappraisal was only evident in older children and boys and was unrelated to anxiety. The present study indicates that cognitive reappraisal may be beneficial in reducing subjective reactivity in children with anxiety disorders, while neural effects of reappraisal may emerge at older ages.
Remote learning among students with and without reading difficulties during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Zawadka Joanna , Miękisz Aneta , Nowakowska Iwona , Plewko Joanna , Kochańska Magdalena , Haman Ewa
Published: April 2021

This article presents the results of a survey on yet under-researched aspects of remote learning and learning difficulties in higher education during the initial stage (March – June 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 2182 students from University of Warsaw in Poland completed a two-part questionnaire regarding academic achievements in the academic year 2019/2020, living conditions and stress related to learning and pandemic, as well as basic demographic information, andDyslexia Diagnosis Questionnaire(DDQ). The analyses were carried out in three sub-groups of students: who self-reported having a formal diagnosis of dyslexia (CDYS), self-reported reading difficulties, but had no formal diagnosis of dyslexia (SIDYS), and who reported no reading difficulties (CON). The results of the survey revealed that compared with the CON group, more students from CDYS and SIDYS groups did not pass at least one exam in the summer semester. CDYS and SIDYS groups experienced higher stress due to epidemiological restrictions, they had more difficulties than CON with the organisation of learning and obtaining credit during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate a need for special consideration of additional support for students experiencing reading difficulties (whether or not they have a formal diagnosis).
The Patterns of School Improvement in Digitally Innovative Schools
Authors: Pata Kai , Tammets Kairit , Väljataga Terje , Kori Külli , Laanpere Mart , Rõbtsenkov Romil
Published: April 2021

This study explores schools’ digital maturity self-evaluation reports’ data from Estonia. Based on quantitative data (N = 499) the schools that attempt digital transformation were clustered into three successive digital improvement types. The paper describes 3 main patterns of school improvement in different phases of innovative change: classroom innovation practices’ driven schools, participatory led structural change driven schools; and inclusive and evidence based change management type of schools. The defining variables for digital transformation towards new levels of digital maturity were teachers’ role, digital competences, learning organization culture, participatory management, inclusive leadership, structural changes and network, and IT-manager involvement to structural changes.
On Śālikanātha’s Critique of Īśvara and the Notions of God
Authors: Ye Alfred X.
Published: April 2021

The arguments against the existence of Īśvara that are advanced by Śālikanātha’s Prakaraṇapañcikā are quite peculiar and cryptic, due to both the idiosyncratic nature and opaque style of Śālikanātha’s writing. This has contributed to the difficulty in identifying the actual nature of the views that Śālikanātha opposes. This article analyses the framework by which Śālikanātha interrogates the concept of Īśvara and discusses the possible sources of his arguments. It shows, contrary to the conclusions of past scholarship, that considerations of both Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika sources are certainly apparent in Śālikanātha’s formulation of his critique of Īśvara. This paper also discusses the possible sources from which Śālikanātha derives the notion of Īśvara as the creator of the Vedas. It concludes that rather than any Nyāya or Vaiśeṣika sources, it is most likely that Śālikanātha derives this notion of Īśvara from Kumārila, who potentially has Yoga opponent in mind.
Best Practices in Structural Neuroimaging of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Authors: Backhausen Lea L. , Herting Megan M. , Tamnes Christian K. , Vetter Nora C.
Published: April 2021

Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) offers immense potential for increasing our understanding of how anatomical brain development relates to clinical symptoms and functioning in neurodevelopmental disorders. Clinical developmental sMRI may help identify neurobiological risk factors or markers that may ultimately assist in diagnosis and treatment. However, researchers and clinicians aiming to conduct sMRI studies of neurodevelopmental disorders face several methodological challenges. This review offers hands-on guidelines for clinical developmental sMRI. First, we present brain morphometry metrics and review evidence on typical developmental trajectories throughout adolescence, together with atypical trajectories in selected neurodevelopmental disorders. Next, we discuss challenges and good scientific practices in study design, image acquisition and analysis, and recent options to implement quality control. Finally, we discuss choices related to statistical analysis and interpretation of results. We call for greater completeness and transparency in the reporting of methods to advance understanding of structural brain alterations in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Repetition Priming in Individuals with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Dementia: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: De Wit Liselotte , Piai Vitoria , Thangwaritorn Pilar , Johnson Brynn , O’Shea Deirdre , Amofa Priscilla , Marsiske Michael , Kessels Roy P. C. , Schaefer Nancy , Smith Glenn
Published: April 2021

The literature on repetition priming in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is inconsistent, with some findings supporting spared priming while others do not. Several factors may explain these inconsistencies, including AD severity (e.g., dementia vs. Mild Cognitive Impairment; MCI) and priming paradigm-related characteristics. This systematic review and meta-analysis provides a quantitative summary of repetition priming in AD. We examined the between-group standard mean difference comparing repetition priming in AD dementia or amnestic MCI (aMCI; presumably due to AD) to controls. Thirty-two studies were selected, including 590 individuals with AD dementia, 267 individuals with amnestic MCI, and 703 controls. Our results indicated that both individuals with aMCI and AD dementia perform worse on repetition priming tasks than cognitively older adults. Paradigm-related moderators suggested that the effect size between studies comparing the combined aMCI or AD dementia group to cognitively healthy older adults was the highest for paradigms that required participants to produce, rather than identify, primes during the test phase. Our results further suggested that priming in AD is impaired for both conceptual and perceptual priming tasks. Lastly, while our results suggested that priming in AD is impaired for priming tasks that require deep processing, we were unable to draw firm conclusions about whether priming is less impaired in aMCI or AD dementia for paradigms that require shallow processing.
QEPro: An ability measure of emotional intelligence for managers in a French cultural environment
Authors: Haag Christophe , Bellinghausen Lisa , Jilinskaya-Pandey Mariya
Published: April 2021

Managers’ interest in the concept of emotional intelligence (EI) has grown steadily due to an accumulation of published articles and books touting EI’s benefits. For over thirty years, many researchers have used or designed tools for measuring EI, most of which raise important psychometric, cultural and contextual issues. The aim of this article is to address some of the main limitations observed in previous studies of EI. By developing and validating QEPro we propose a new performance-based measure of EI based on a modified version of Mayer and Salovey’s (1997) four-branch model. QEPro is an ability EI measure specifically dedicated to managers and business executives in a French cultural environment (N = 1035 managers and executives). In order to increase both the ecological and the face validity of the test for the target population we used the Situational Judgment Tests framework and a theory-based item development and scoring approach. For all items, correct and incorrect response options were developed using established theories from the emotion and management fields. Our study showed that QEPro has good psychometric qualities such as high measurement precision and internal consistency, an appropriate level of difficulty and a clear factorial structure. The tool also correlates in meaningful and theoretically congruent ways with general intelligence, Trait EI measures, the Big Five factors of personality, and the Affect measures used in this study. For all these reasons, QEPro is a promising tool for studying the role of EI competencies in managerial outcomes.
Does deviation from a balanced time perspective meaningfully relate to alcohol use and symptoms of anxiety and depression? Comparing results using DBTP and DBTP-r
Authors: McKay Michael T. , Cole Jon C.
Published: April 2021

Time perspective research examines the way in which thoughts and/or feelings about the past, present, and future influence behavior, and deviation from a balanced time perspective (DBTP) has been suggested to be functionally disadvantageous. Recently a revised formula (DBTP-r) was suggested for the derivation of DBTP scores. The present study examined the relationship between self-reported alcohol use and both symptoms of anxiety and depression, with scores on the DBTP and the DBTP-r. Participants (N = 940, 48.09% Male) were recruited as part of a University project and completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory. In analyses adjusted for age and sex, DBTP and DBTP-r performed similarly in relation to mental health symptomatology, while only DBTP-r was significantly related to alcohol use. In more adjusted models, more variance was explained in DBTP-r models although neither DBTP score was significantly related to either alcohol use or symptomatology scores when they were operationalised categorically. DBTP-r appears to discriminate better than DBTP, with the caveat that this is the first study to compare them.
Outcome of Radical Surgery for Simultaneous Liver and Lung Metastases Synchronous with Primary Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Singhartinger Franz Xaver , Varga Martin , Jäger Tarkan , Dinnewitzer Adam , Koch Oliver , von Rahden Burkhard H. A. , Hutter Jörg , Emmanuel Klaus
Published: April 2021

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) leads to metastatic disease in approximately 30% of patients. In patients with newly diagnosed CRC with both liver and lung metastases, curative resection is rarely possible. The aim of this study is to evaluate the overall (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) rates of these patients after resection with curative intent.

Methods

This study is a retrospective analysis of colorectal cancer patients (n=8, median age 54.3 years) with simultaneous liver and lung metastasis undergoing resection with curative intent between May 1st, 2002, to December 31st, 2016, at our institution.

Results

Colon was the primary tumour site in 2 patients and rectum in 6 patients. The median number of liver and lung metastases was 3 and 2, respectively. Patients received various treatment sequences individualized on tumour disease burden. R0 resection was achieved after all but one procedure. Two severe Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb complications were present. Median hospital stay was 9 (3–24) days per procedure. Tumour relapse was observed in all patients with median RFS of 9 (3–28) months and median OS of 40 (17–52) months. In 4 cases, where repeated resection of recurrent metastases (3 liver and 1 lung) was possible, the median OS was 43 months.

Conclusion

Our data suggests that patients seem to benefit from resection with curative intent, with tendency to prolonged OS and with acceptable complication rate. Tumour recurrence occurred in all patients. Repeated resection was beneficial and led to further prolonged OS.
On-surface activation of benzylic C-H bonds for the synthesis of pentagon-fused graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Xu Xiushang , Di Giovannantonio Marco , Urgel José I. , Pignedoli Carlo A. , Ruffieux Pascal , Müllen Klaus , Fasel Roman , Narita Akimitsu
Published: April 2021

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have potential for applications in electronic devices. A key issue, thereby, is the fine-tuning of their electronic characteristics, which can be achieved through subtle structural modifications. These are not limited to the conventional armchair, zigzag, and cove edges, but also possible through incorporation of non-hexagonal rings. On-surface synthesis enables the fabrication and visualization of GNRs with atomically precise chemical structures, but strategies for the incorporation of non-hexagonal rings have been underexplored. Herein, we describe the on-surface synthesis of armchair-edged GNRs with incorporated five-membered rings through the C-H activation and cyclization of benzylic methyl groups. Ortho-Tolyl-substituted dibromobianthryl was employed as the precursor monomer, and visualization of the resulting structures after annealing at 300 °C on a gold surface by high-resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy clearly revealed the formation of methylene-bridged pentagons at the GNR edges. These persisted after annealing at 340 °C, along with a few fully conjugated pentagons having singly-hydrogenated apexes. The benzylic methyl groups could also migrate or cleave-off, resulting in defects lacking the five-membered rings. Moreover, unexpected and unique structural rearrangements, including the formation of embedded heptagons, were observed. Despite the coexistence of different reaction pathways that hamper selective synthesis of a uniform structure, our results provide novel insights into on-surface reactions en route to functional, non-benzenoid carbon nanomaterials.
Modeling directional distributions of wind data in the United Arab Emirates at different elevations
Authors: Al Yammahi Aishah , Marpu Prashanth R. , Ouarda Taha B. M. J.
Published: April 2021

Modeling wind speed and direction are crucial in several applications such as the estimation of wind energy potential and the study of the long-term effects on engineering structures. While there have been several studies on modeling wind speed, studies on modeling wind direction are limited. In this work, we use a mixture of von Mises distributions to model wind direction. Finite mixtures of von Mises (FMVM) distributions are used to model wind directions at two sites in the United Arab Emirates. The parameters of the FMVM distribution are estimated using the least square method. The results of the research show that the FMVM is the best suited distribution model to fit wind direction at these two sites, compared to other distributions commonly used to model wind direction.
Padovan numbers which are palindromic concatenations of two distinct repdigits
Authors: Chalebgwa Taboka P. , Ddamulira Mahadi
Published: April 2021

In this paper we determine all Padovan numbers that are palindromic concatenations of two distinct repdigits.
Sustainable Measures for Protection of Structures Against Earthquake Induced Liquefaction
Authors: Madabhushi Gopal S. P. , Garcia-Torres Samy
Published: April 2021

Soil liquefaction can cause excessive damage to structures as witnessed in many recent earthquakes. The damage to small/medium-sized buildings can lead to excessive death toll and economic losses due to the sheer number of such buildings. Economic and sustainable methods to mitigate liquefaction damage to such buildings are therefore required. In this paper, the use of rubble brick as a material to construct earthquake drains is proposed. The efficacy of these drains to mitigate liquefaction effects was investigated, for the first time to include the effects of the foundations of a structure by using dynamic centrifuge testing. It will be shown that performance of the foundation in terms of its settlement was improved by the rubble brick drains by directly comparing them to the foundation on unimproved, liquefiable ground. The dynamic response in terms of horizontal accelerations and rotations will be compared. The dynamic centrifuge tests also yielded valuable information with regard to the excess pore pressure variation below the foundations both spatially and temporally. Differences of excess pore pressures between the improved and unimproved ground will be compared. Finally, a simplified 3D finite element analysis will be introduced that will be shown to satisfactorily capture the settlement characteristics of the foundation located on liquefiable soil with earthquake drains.
On robust estimation of negative binomial INARCH models
Authors: Elsaied Hanan , Fried Roland
Published: April 2021

We discuss robust estimation of INARCH models for count time series, where each observation conditionally on its past follows a negative binomial distribution with a constant scale parameter, and the conditional mean depends linearly on previous observations. We develop several robust estimators, some of them being computationally fast modifications of methods of moments, and some rather efficient modifications of conditional maximum likelihood. These estimators are compared to related recent proposals using simulations. The usefulness of the proposed methods is illustrated by a real data example.
Feature selection using self-information and entropy-based uncertainty measure for fuzzy neighborhood rough set
Authors: Xu Jiucheng , Yuan Meng , Ma Yuanyuan
Published: April 2021

Feature selection based on the fuzzy neighborhood rough set model (FNRS) is highly popular in data mining. However, the dependent function of FNRS only considers the information present in the lower approximation of the decision while ignoring the information present in the upper approximation of the decision. This construction method may lead to the loss of some information. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a fuzzy neighborhood joint entropy model based on fuzzy neighborhood self-information measure (FNSIJE) and applies it to feature selection. First, to construct four uncertain fuzzy neighborhood self-information measures of decision variables, the concept of self-information is introduced into the upper and lower approximations of FNRS from the algebra view. The relationships between these measures and their properties are discussed in detail. It is found that the fourth measure, named tolerance fuzzy neighborhood self-information, has better classification performance. Second, an uncertainty measure based on the fuzzy neighborhood joint entropy has been proposed from the information view. Inspired by both algebra and information views, the FNSIJE is proposed. Third, the K–S test is used to delete features with weak distinguishing performance, which reduces the dimensionality of high-dimensional gene datasets, thereby reducing the complexity of high-dimensional gene datasets, and then, a forward feature selection algorithm is provided. Experimental results show that compared with related methods, the presented model can select less important features and have a higher classification accuracy.
Deep Regularized Discriminative Network
Authors: Sultana Nazneen N. , Mandal Bappaditya , Puhan N. B.
Published: April 2021

Traditional linear discriminant analysis (LDA) approach discards the eigenvalues which are very small or equivalent to zero, but quite often eigenvectors corresponding to zero eigenvalues are the important dimensions for discriminant analysis. We propose an objective function which would utilize both the principal as well as nullspace eigenvalues and simultaneously inherit the class separability information onto its latent space representation. The idea is to build a convolutional neural network (CNN) and perform the regularized discriminant analysis on top of this and train it in an end-to-end fashion. The backpropagation is performed with a suitable optimizer to update the parameters so that the whole CNN approach minimizes the within class variance and maximizes the total class variance information suitable for both multi-class and binary class classification problems. Experimental results on four databases for multiple computer vision classification tasks show the efficacy of our proposed approach as compared to other popular methods.
Early-life gut microbiota development from maternal vertical transmission
Authors: Wang Jing , Lin Li
Published: April 2021

The gut microbiota of early life is crucial for childhood growth and development. Maternal gut microbiota directly or indirectly affects the colonization and development of early-life gut microbiota. Factors such as delivery mode, feeding mode, gestational age at birth, diet, and antibiotic use, can influence the vertical transmission of maternal gut microbiota to infants and affect the development of metabolic, endocrine, neural, and immune pathways in the early life. In this review, we summarize the latest knowledge of factors affecting early-life gut microbiota from maternal vertical transmission.
Just doing their job: the hidden meteorologists of colonial Hong Kongc.1883–1914
Authors: Williamson Fiona
Published: April 2021

This article investigates the contribution made by indigenous employees to the work of the Hong Kong Observatory from its inception and into the early twentieth century. As has so often been the case in Western histories of science, the significance of indigenous workers and of women in the Hong Kong Observatory has been obscured by the stories of the government officials and observatory director(s). Yet without the employees, the service could not have functioned or grown. While the glimpses of their work and lives are fleeting, often only revealed in minor archival references, this article seeks to interrogate these sources to make these workers’ lives visible and to offer an examination of everyday working relationships at this place and point in time. It focuses on three areas. First, an exploration of who these workers were, and the role they played at the observatory. Second, an investigation of their contribution to the nascent science of meteorology. Third, an examination of available evidence – levels of high staff turnover, complaints, instances of foot dragging, or working to rule, as well as the tenacity to continue for years under difficult working conditions – to demonstrate the ability of workers to reject or to negotiate with colonial/patriarchal authority. In profiling their stories, this article will add to the literature examining the lives of scientific workers and their contributions to science, the everyday cultural and social contexts of colonial meteorology, and the role of ordinary men and women in producing meteorological knowledge at this time.