bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital solutions for continued operation of WRRFs during pandemics and other interruptions
Authors: Rahman Arifur , Belia Evangelia , Kirim Gamze , Hasan Mahmudul , Borzooei Sina , Santoro Domenico , Johnson Bruce
Published: July 2021

This paper includes survey results from 17 full‐scale water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) to explore their technical, operational, maintenance, and management‐related challenges during COVID‐19. Based on the survey results, limited monitoring and maintenance of instrumentation and sensors are among the critical factors during the pandemic which resulted in poor data quality in several WRRFs. Due to lockdown of cities and countries, most of the facilities observed interruptions of chemical supply frequency which impacted the treatment process involving chemical additions. Some plants observed influent flow reduction and illicit discharges from industrial wastewater which eventually affected the biological treatment processes. Delays in equipment maintenance also increased the operational and maintenance cost. Most of the plants reported that new set of personnel management rules during pandemic created difficulties in scheduling operator's shifts which directly hampered the plant operations. All the plant operators mentioned that automation, instrumentation, and sensor applications could help plant operations more efficiently while working remotely during pandemic. To handle emergency circumstances including pandemic, this paper also highlights resources and critical factors for emergency responses, preparedness, resiliency, and mitigation that can be adopted by WRRFs.
State Medicaid and CHIP options and child insurance outcomes: An investigation of 83 state options with state‐level panel data
Authors: Reinbold Gary W.
Published: July 2021

Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) both combine federal mandates to cover certain services and groups with state options in providing that coverage and in covering other services and groups. Using state‐level panel data, we investigated the relationships of 83 state Medicaid and CHIP options with 2 child insurance outcomes from 2008 to 2018 using structural equation modeling, controlling for 10 possible demographic and economic variables, state fixed effects, and a quadratic year count variable. Our results suggest that eliminating asset tests for children's and parents’ coverage, eliminating or reducing waiting periods for children's coverage, providing express and continuous eligibility for children's coverage, and eliminating face‐to‐face interview requirements for children's coverage may have been especially important in reducing child uninsurance rates and increasing the percentage of children covered by means‐tested public insurance.
Converting a Cohort Component Model into a Microsimulation Model
Authors: Marois Guillaume , KC Samir
Published: July 2021

In this chapter, we show and explain the code that reproduces the multistate projection of India described in Chap. 10.1007/978-3-030-79111-7_2 into a microsimulation model. The microsimulation code is divided into modules for each demographic event, namely the mortality, the education, the fertility, the domestic migration, and the reclassification of rural to urban areas. Section by section, we explain the code for the simulation and the production of outputs. We also a basic validation of the mode. The code file “Chapter 3—Replicating multistate.sas” contains the final complete code that generates the simulation for 2010–2060, including the setting up of the workspace (see Chap. 10.1007/978-3-030-79111-7_2).
Adding New Dimensions
Authors: Marois Guillaume , KC Samir
Published: July 2021

This chapter shows how implementing new dimensions into the microsimulation model. As examples, we add two dimensions that can hardly be implemented in a classical projection model: the labour force participation and the sector of activity (formal/informal). Those modules are implemented through statistical modeling using regression parameters. They use as predictors individual characteristics, such as age, sex, region, education, and for women, a binary variable indicating if she gave birth to a child within the last five years. Those two new variables are thus dynamically implemented, as assumptions on fertility have a direct impact on their outcomes.
Building Alternative Scenarios
Authors: Marois Guillaume , KC Samir
Published: July 2021

New dimensions added in the projection models in Chap. 10.1007/978-3-030-79111-7_4, the labour force participation and the sector of activity, are modelled using regression parameters. In this chapter, we show how building alternative scenarios with this type of inputs. In the first example, we test an assumption in which women with young children at home have the same participation rate as other women. The second example, we test a scenario in which labour force participation rates of women gradually increase and reach those of men by 2060. The code to implement those alternative scenarios is explained, and some results are presented.
Mental health service use among migrant and Swedish-born children and youth: a register-based cohort study of 472,129 individuals in Stockholm
Authors: Gubi Ester , Sjöqvist Hugo , Viksten-Assel Karima , Bäärnhielm Sofie , Dalman Christina , Hollander Anna-Clara
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Migrant children underutilize mental health services (MHS), but differences according to age, reason for migration, type of problem, and time have not been thoroughly analyzed. We aimed to explore utilization of MHS among migrant children and youth and to study if the hypothesized lower utilization could be explained by fewer neurodevelopmental assessments.

Methods

A cohort of the population aged 0–24 years in Stockholm, comprising 472,129 individuals were followed for maximum 10 years, between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2015. We categorized individuals as accompanied refugee migrants, unaccompanied refugee migrants and non-refugee migrants, or Swedish-born. We used survival and logistic analyses to estimate rates of utilization of MHS.

Results

Migrant children and youth utilized less MHS than the majority population, with hazard ratios ranging from 0.62 (95% CI: 0.57; 0.67) to 0.72 (95% CI: 0.69; 0.76). Refugee and non-refugee children utilized less mental health care than their Swedish peers, apart from the youngest refugees (0–10 years) who had similar utilization as Swedish-born. The lower rates were partly explained by all migrant youths’ lower risk of being diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental condition. Time in Sweden had a major impact, such that unaccompanied refugee minors had a higher utilization in their first 2 years in Sweden (OR: 3.39, 95% CI: 2.96; 3.85).

Conclusion

Migrant youth use less MHS compared with native-born peers, and this is partly explained by fewer neurodevelopmental diagnoses. Strengthening the awareness about unmet needs, and the referring capacity by professionals in contact with migrant children could help reduce barriers to care.
Risk factors for recurrence of pelvic organ prolapse after vaginal surgery among Ugandan women: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Kayondo Musa , Geissbüehler Verena , Migisha Richard , Kajabwangu Rogers , Njagi Joseph , Kato Paul Kalyebara , Fajardo Yarine , Lugobe Henry Mark , Kaye Dan Kabonge
Published: July 2021

Introduction and hypothesis

This study was aimed at determining the recurrence rate and risk factors for the recurrence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), at 1 year post-vaginal reconstructive surgery in a resource-limited setting.

Methods

We enrolled women who underwent vaginal surgery for POP at the urogynecology unit of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) in southwestern Uganda between December 2018 and February 2020. The surgeries that were performed include anterior colporrhaphy for cystocele, posterior colporrhaphy for rectocele, vaginal hysterectomy with vault suspension for uterine prolapse, and cervicopexy in those with uterine prolapse where uterine-sparing surgery was desired. The women were followed up for a period of 1 year after surgery. Pelvic examinations in lithotomy position under maximum strain were carried out to assess for recurrence using the Pelvic Organ Quantification (POP-Q) system. Recurrence was defined as a prolapse of ≥POP-Q stage II. Descriptive analyses and multivariate log binomial regression were performed to determine risk factors for recurrence.

Results

Of the 140 participants enrolled, 127 (90.7%) completed the follow-up at 1 year. The recurrence rate was 25.2% (32 out of 127). Most (56.3%) of the recurrences occurred in the anterior compartment and in the same site previously operated. Women aged <60 years (RR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.16–4.72; p = 0.018) and those who had postoperative vaginal cuff infection (RR = 2.54; 95% CI: 1.5–4.3; p = 0.001) were at risk of recurrence.

Conclusion

Recurrence of POP was common. Younger women, and those with postoperative vaginal cuff infection, were more likely to experience recurrent prolapse after vaginal repair.
On non-proper intersections and local intersection numbers
Authors: Andersson Mats , Samuelsson Kalm Håkan , Wulcan Elizabeth
Published: July 2021

Given equidimensional (generalized) cycles$$\mu _1$$μ1and$$\mu _2$$μ2on a complex manifoldYwe introduce a product$$\mu _1\diamond _{Y} \mu _2$$μ1⋄Yμ2that is a generalized cycle whose multiplicities at each point are the local intersection numbers at the point. IfYis projective, then given a very ample line bundle$$L\rightarrow Y$$L→Ywe define a product$$\mu _1{\bullet _L}\mu _2$$μ1∙Lμ2whose multiplicities at each point also coincide with the local intersection numbers. In addition, provided that$$\mu _1$$μ1and$$\mu _2$$μ2are effective, this product satisfies a Bézout inequality. If$$i:Y\rightarrow {\mathbb P}^N$$i:Y→PNis an embedding such that$$i^*\mathcal O(1)=L$$i∗O(1)=L, then$$\mu _1{\bullet _L}\mu _2$$μ1∙Lμ2can be expressed as a mean value of Stückrad–Vogel cycles on$${\mathbb P}^N$$PN. There are quite explicit relations between$${\diamond }_Y$$⋄Yand$${\bullet _L}$$∙L.
Immersive virtual reality enables technical skill acquisition for scrub nurses in complex revision total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Edwards Thomas C. , Patel Arjun , Szyszka Bartosz , Coombs Alexander W. , Liddle Alexander D. , Kucheria Rakesh , Cobb Justin P. , Logishetty Kartik
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) is a novel technology which can enhance surgical training in a virtual environment without supervision. However, it is untested for the training to select, assemble and deliver instrumentation in orthopaedic surgery—typically performed by scrub nurses. This study investigates the impact of an iVR curriculum on this facet of the technically demanding revision total knee arthroplasty.

Materials and methods

Ten scrub nurses completed training in four iVR sessions over a 4-week period. Initially, nurses completed a baseline real-world assessment, performing their role with real equipment in a simulated operation assessment. Each subsequent iVR session involved a guided mode, where the software taught participants the procedural choreography and assembly of instrumentation in a simulated operating room. In the latter three sessions, nurses also undertook an assessment in iVR. Outcome measures were related to procedural sequence, duration of surgery and efficiency of movement. Transfer of skills from iVR to the real world was assessed in a post-training simulated operation assessment. A pre- and post-training questionnaire assessed the participants knowledge, confidence and anxiety.

Results

Operative time reduced by an average of 47% across the 3 unguided sessions (mean 55.5 ± 17.6 min to 29.3 ± 12.1 min, p > 0.001). Assistive prompts reduced by 75% (34.1 ± 16.8 to 8.6 ± 8.8, p < 0.001), dominant hand motion by 28% (881.3 ± 178.5 m to 643.3 ± 119.8 m, p < 0.001) and head motion by 36% (459.9 ± 99.7 m to 292.6 ± 85.3 m, p < 0.001). Real-world skill improved from 11% prior to iVR training to 84% correct post-training. Participants reported increased confidence and reduced anxiety in scrubbing for rTKA procedures (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

For scrub nurses, unfamiliarity with complex surgical procedures or equipment is common. Immersive VR training improved their understanding, technical skills and efficiency. These iVR-learnt skills transferred into the real world.
Analysing the life index of diamond cutting tools for marble building stones based on laboratory and field investigations
Authors: Bahri Maziyar , Ghasemi Ebrahim , Kadkhodaei Mohammad Hossein , Romero-Hernández Rocío , Mascort-Albea Emilio J.
Published: July 2021

Cutting tool wear constitutes one of the principal parameters in the processing cost of building stone. The life index of the cutting tool is obtained by evaluating the wear of diamond segments in the processing plants and examining the main parameters thereof. The purpose of this study is to determine the life index of the diamond cutting tool by considering the physico-mechanical properties of marble stones and the operational parameter of cutting speed. To this end, a dataset was provided by collecting the data from eight building stone processing plants in the provinces of Tehran, Isfahan, and Yazd of Iran. In this regard, the number of square metres of building stone that every diamond cutting tool can cut during its lifetime is defined as the cutting tool life index (TLI). After collecting the required data, SPSS software was employed for statistical analysis. The results revealed that the Brazilian tensile strength is the main parameter that affects the cutting tool life index. Linear and non-linear regression analyses were then considered for the development of predictive models for the TLI based on the Brazilian tensile strength. The performance of the developed models was subsequently examined by using three different criteria: the coefficient of determination, the variance accounted for, and the root-mean-square error. The results of this study show that the non-linear predictive model of the TLI presents a very good performance, and thus, the diamond cutting tool life index can be obtained for marble stones by considering the model developed herein.
Psychological factors associated with headache frequency, intensity, and headache-related disability in migraine patients
Authors: Klonowski Theresa , Kropp Peter , Straube Andreas , Ruscheweyh Ruth
Published: July 2021

Background

Several psychological cofactors of migraine have been identified, but relationships to different headache parameters (e.g., headache frequency vs. headache-related disability) are only incompletely understood.

Methods

We cross-sectionally assessed 279 migraine patients at their first presentation at our tertiary headache center. We obtained headache and acute medication frequency, pain intensity, the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS), and the Pain Disability Index (PDI) as headache-related outcomes as well as scores of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Pain-Related Control Scale (PRCS), and Avoidance Endurance Questionnaire (AEQ) as psychological factors.

Results

Linear regression models revealed the highest associations of the psychological factors with the PDI (adjusted R2 = 0.296, p < 0.001, independent predictors: PCS, AEQ social avoidance, depression) followed by the MIDAS (adjusted R2 = 0.137, p < 0.001, predictors: depression, AEQ social avoidance) and headache frequency (adjusted R2 = 0.083, p < 0.001, predictors: depression, AEQ humor/distraction). Principal component analysis corroborated that psychological factors were preferentially associated with the PDI, while the MIDAS loaded together with headache frequency.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that psychological factors are more strongly associated with the subjective degree of headache-related disability measured by the PDI than with the days with disability (MIDAS) or the more objective parameter of headache frequency. This once again highlights the need for comprehensive assessment of migraine patients with different headache parameters and the need for considering psychological treatment, especially in patients with high disability.
Analysis of the spectral symbol associated to discretization schemes of linear self-adjoint differential operators
Authors: Bianchi Davide
Published: July 2021

Given a linear self-adjoint differential operator $$\mathscr {L}$$
L
along with a discretization scheme (like Finite Differences, Finite Elements, Galerkin Isogeometric Analysis, etc.), in many numerical applications it is crucial to understand how good the (relative) approximation of the whole spectrum of the discretized operator $$\mathscr {L}\,^{(n)}$$

L

(
n
)

is, compared to the spectrum of the continuous operator $$\mathscr {L}$$
L
. The theory of Generalized Locally Toeplitz sequences allows to compute the spectral symbol function $$\omega $$
ω
associated to the discrete matrix $$\mathscr {L}\,^{(n)}$$

L

(
n
)

. Inspired by a recent work by T. J. R. Hughes and coauthors, we prove that the symbol $$\omega $$
ω
can measure, asymptotically, the maximum spectral relative error $$\mathscr {E}\ge 0$$

E
≥
0

. It measures how the scheme is far from a good relative approximation of the whole spectrum of $$\mathscr {L}$$
L
, and it suggests a suitable (possibly non-uniform) grid such that, if coupled to an increasing refinement of the order of accuracy of the scheme, guarantees $$\mathscr {E}=0$$

E
=
0

.
Recent strategies in nanodelivery systems for natural products: a review
Authors: Vanti Giulia
Published: July 2021

Natural products are major molecules for drug discovery due to their structural diversity and their interaction with various biological targets, yet their clinical application is limited by poor water solubility or low lipophilicity, inappropriate molecular size, low dissolution rate and permeation, instability, high metabolic rate and rapid clearance. These issues can be solved by nanomedicine, by improving bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Here we review nanocarriers made of polymer or lipid constituents. Specifically, we describe the technological characteristics of each nanosystem, with examples of application to single natural constituents or plant extracts, and possible routes of administration. We report in vitro and in vivo studies and we conclude with the potential advantages of nanodelivery systems in terms of increased stability and solubility, improved biodistribution and efficacy, reduced adverse effects and toxicity.
Modelling the damage costs of invasive alien species
Authors: Ahmed Danish A. , Hudgins Emma J. , Cuthbert Ross N. , Haubrock Phillip J. , Renault David , Bonnaud Elsa , Diagne Christophe , Courchamp Franck
Published: July 2021

The rate of biological invasions is growing unprecedentedly, threatening ecological and socioeconomic systems worldwide. Quantitative understandings of invasion temporal trajectories are essential to discern current and future economic impacts of invaders, and then to inform future management strategies. Here, we examine the temporal trends of cumulative invasion costs by developing and testing a novel mathematical model with a population dynamical approach based on logistic growth. This model characterises temporal cost developments into four curve types (I–IV), each with distinct mathematical and qualitative properties, allowing for the parameterization of maximum cumulative costs, carrying capacities and growth rates. We test our model using damage cost data for eight genera (Rattus,Aedes,Canis,Oryctolagus,Sturnus,Ceratitis,SusandLymantria) extracted from the InvaCost database—which is the most up-to-date and comprehensive global compilation of economic cost estimates associated with invasive alien species. We find fundamental differences in the temporal dynamics of damage costs among genera, indicating they depend on invasion duration, species ecology and impacted sectors of economic activity. The fitted cost curves indicate a lack of broadscale support for saturation between invader density and impact, including forCanis,OryctolagusandLymantria, whereby costs continue to increase with no sign of saturation. For other taxa, predicted saturations may arise from data availability issues resulting from an underreporting of costs in many invaded regions. Overall, this population dynamical approach can produce cost trajectories for additional existing and emerging species, and can estimate the ecological parameters governing the linkage between population dynamics and cost dynamics.
Change in mammography screening attendance after removing the out-of-pocket fee: a population-based study in Sweden (2014–2018)
Authors: Lagerlund Magdalena , Åkesson Anna , Zackrisson Sophia
Published: July 2021

Purpose

To assess the change in mammography screening attendance in Sweden—overall and in sociodemographic groups at risk of low attendance—after removal of the out-of-pocket fee in 2016.

Methods

Individual-level data on all screening invitations and attendance between 2014 and 2018 were linked to sociodemographic data from Statistics Sweden. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for attendance by time period and sociodemographic factor were computed using mixed logistic regression to account for repeated measures within women. The study sample included 1.4 million women, aged 40–75, who had a mammography screening appointment in 2014–2015 and/or 2017–2018 in 14 of Sweden’s 21 health care regions.

Results

Overall screening attendance was 83.8% in 2014–2015 and 84.1% in 2017–2018 (+ 0.3 percentage points, 95% CI 0.2–0.4). The greatest increase in attendance was observed in non-Nordic women with the lowest income, where attendance rose from 62.9 to 65.8% (+ 2.9 points, 95% CI 2.3–3.6), and among women with four or more risk factors for low attendance, where attendance rose from 59.2 to 62.0% (+ 2.8 points, 95% CI 2.2–3.4).

Conclusion

Screening attendance did not undergo any important increase after implementing free screening, although attendance among some sociodemographic groups increased by almost three percentage points after the policy change.
When intuition falters: repeated testing accuracy during an epidemic
Authors: Hay James A. , Hellewell Joel , Qiu Xueting
Published: July 2021

Widespread, repeated testing using rapid antigen tests to proactively detect asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections has been a promising yet controversial topic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns have been raised over whether currently authorized lateral flow tests are sufficiently sensitive and specific to detect enough infections to impact transmission whilst minimizing unnecessary isolation of false positives. These concerns have often been illustrated using simple, textbook calculations of positivity rates and positive predictive value assuming fixed values for sensitivity, specificity and prevalence. However, we argue that evaluating repeated testing strategies requires the consideration of three additional factors: new infections continue to arise depending on the incidence rate, isolating positive individuals reduces prevalence in the tested population, and each infected individual is tested multiple times during their infection course. We provide a simple mathematical model with an online interface to illustrate how these three factors impact test positivity rates and the number of isolating individuals over time. These results highlight the potential pitfalls of using inappropriate textbook-style calculations to evaluate statistics arising from repeated testing strategies during an epidemic.
The role of Caenorhabditis elegans sex-determination homologs, Mi-sdc-1 and Mi-tra-1 in Meloidogyne incognita
Authors: Baniya Anil , Joseph Soumi , Duncan Larry , Crow William , Mengistu Tesfamariam
Published: July 2021

Sex determination is a key developmental event in all organisms. The pathway that regulates sexual fate has been well characterized at the molecular level in the model free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. This study aims to gain a preliminary understanding of sex-determining pathways in a plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita, and the extent to which the roles of the sex determination genes are conserved in a hermaphrodite species, C. elegans, and plant-parasitic nematode species, M. incognita. In this study, we targeted two sex-determining orthologues, sdc-1 and tra-1 from M. incognita using RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi was performed by soaking second-stage juveniles of M. incognita in a solution containing dsRNA of either Mi-tra-1or Mi-sdc-1 or both. To determine the effect of RNAi of the target genes, the juveniles treated with the dsRNA were inoculated onto a susceptible cultivar of cowpea grown in a nutrient pouch at 28 °C for 5 weeks. The development of the nematodes was analyzed at different time points during the growth period and compared to untreated controls. Our results showed that neither Mi-sdc-1 nor Mi-tra-1 have a significant role in regulating sexual fate in M. incognita. However, the silencing of Mi-sdc-1 significantly delayed maturity to adult females but did not affect egg production in mature females. In contrast, the downregulation of Mi-tra-1 transcript resulted in a significant reduction in egg production in both single and combinatorial RNAi-treated nematodes. Our results indicate that M. incognita may have adopted a divergent function for Mi-sdc-1 and Mi-tra-1distinct from Caenorhabditis spp. However, Mi-tra-1 might have an essential role in female fecundity in M. incognita and is a promising dsRNA target for root-knot nematode (RKN) management using host-delivered RNAi.
Volumetric study reveals the relationship between outcome and early radiographic response during bevacizumab-containing chemoradiotherapy for unresectable glioblastoma
Authors: Takigawa Kosuke , Hata Nobuhiro , Michiwaki Yuhei , Hiwatashi Akio , Yonezawa Hajime , Kuga Daisuke , Hatae Ryusuke , Sangatsuda Yuhei , Fujioka Yutaka , Funakoshi Yusuke , Otsuji Ryosuke , Sako Aki , Togao Osamu , Yoshiura Takashi , Yoshimoto Koji , Mizoguchi Masahiro
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Although we have shown the clinical benefit of bevacizumab (BEV) in the treatment of unresectable newly diagnosed glioblastomas (nd-GBM), the relationship between early radiographic response and survival outcome remains unclear. We performed a volumetric study of early radiographic responses in nd-GBM treated with BEV.

Methods

Twenty-two patients with unresectable nd-GBM treated with BEV during concurrent temozolomide radiotherapy were analyzed. An experienced neuroradiologist interpreted early responses on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images (GdT1WI). Volumetric changes were evaluated using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and GdT1WI according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria. The results were categorized into improved (complete response [CR] or partial response [PR]) or non-improved (stable disease [SD] or progressive disease [PD]) groups; outcomes were compared using Kaplan–Meier analysis.

Results

The volumetric GdT1WI improvement was a significant predictive factor for overall survival (OS) prolongation (p = 0.0093, median OS: 24.7 vs. 13.6 months); however, FLAIR and DWI images were not predictive. The threshold for the neuroradiologist’s interpretation of improvement in GdT1WI was nearly 20% of volume reduction, which was lesser than 50%, the definition of PR applied in the RANO criteria. However, even less stringent neuroradiologist interpretation could successfully predict OS prolongation (improved vs. non-improved: p = 0.0067, median OS: 17.6 vs. 8.3 months). Significant impact of OS on the early response in volumetric GdT1WI was observed within the cut-off range of 20–50% (20%, p = 0.0315; 30%, p = 0.087; 40%, p = 0.0456).

Conclusions

Early response during BEV-containing chemoradiation can be a predictive indicator of patient outcome in unresectable nd-GBM.
A general framework for modeling and dynamic simulation of multibody systems using factor graphs
Authors: Blanco-Claraco Jose-Luis , Leanza Antonio , Reina Giulio
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we present a novel general framework grounded in the factor graph theory to solve kinematic and dynamic problems for multibody systems. Although the motion of multibody systems is considered to be a well-studied problem and various methods have been proposed for its solution, a unified approach providing an intuitive interpretation is still pursued. We describe how to build factor graphs to model and simulate multibody systems using both, independent and dependent coordinates. Then, batch optimization or a fixed lag smoother can be applied to solve the underlying optimization problem that results in a highly sparse nonlinear minimization problem. The proposed framework has been tested in extensive simulations and validated against a commercial multibody software. We release a reference implementation as an open-source C++ library, based on the GTSAM framework, a well-known estimation library. Simulations of forward and inverse dynamics are presented, showing comparable accuracy with classical approaches. The proposed factor graph-based framework has the potential to be integrated into applications related with motion estimation and parameter identification of complex mechanical systems, ranging from mechanisms to vehicles, or robot manipulators.
Young People’s Well-Being and the Association with Social Capital, i.e. Social Networks, Trust and Reciprocity
Authors: Tuominen Minna , Haanpää Leena
Published: July 2021

The paper explores the association between social capital of young people at 12–13 years and their subjective well-being using Finland’s sub-sample of the third wave of the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being. Despite much previous research on this topic, relatively little knowledge is accumulated given that different studies define and measure social capital differently. In line with Robert Putnam, we understand social capital as a combination of social networks, trust, and norms of reciprocity. We measure well-being with two context-free scales: a one-dimensional overall life satisfaction scale and a five-dimensional Student’s life satisfaction scale. The analysis is done with linear and unconditional quantile regression. The results indicate that all three dimensions of social capital are significantly associated with well-being. Of the three, trust is the strongest predictor explaining over 30% of the variance in both well-being scales. The study demonstrates the relevance of considering all dimensions of social capital together to avoid unobserved variable bias. Quantile regression reveals that while social capital is important for well-being across the quantiles, it is particularly important for the youth who fare poorly otherwise. Family-related variables showed the strongest association with well-being while relationships with friends, schoolmates, teachers, and other people mattered considerably less.
Testing the extraction of 12 mycotoxins from aqueous solutions by insoluble beta-cyclodextrin bead polymer
Authors: Mohos Violetta , Faisal Zelma , Fliszár-Nyúl Eszter , Szente Lajos , Poór Miklós
Published: July 2021

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites of filamentous fungi; they are common contaminants in numerous foods and beverages. Cyclodextrins are ring-shaped oligosaccharides, which can form host-guest type complexes with certain mycotoxins. Insoluble beta-cyclodextrin bead polymer (BBP) extracted successfully some mycotoxins (e.g., alternariol and zearalenone) from aqueous solutions, including beverages. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to examine the ability of BBP to remove other 12 mycotoxins (including aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin M1, citrinin, dihydrocitrinone, cyclopiazonic acid, deoxynivalenol, ochratoxin A, patulin, sterigmatocystin, zearalanone, α-zearalanol, and β-zearalanol) from different buffers (pH 3.0, 5.0, and 7.0). Our results showed that BBP can effectively extract citrinin, dihydrocitrinone, sterigmatocystin, zearalanone, α-zearalanol, and β-zearalanol at each pH tested. However, for the removal of ochratoxin A, BBP was far the most effective at pH 3.0. Based on these observations, BBP may be a suitable mycotoxin binder to extract certain mycotoxins from aqueous solutions for decontamination and/or for analytical purposes.
Influence of plastic fines content on the liquefaction susceptibility of sands: monotonic loading
Authors: Goudarzy Meisam , Sarkar Debdeep , Lieske Wolfgang , Wichtmann Torsten
Published: July 2021

The paper presents an experimental study on the effect of plastic fines content on the undrained behavior and liquefaction susceptibility of sand–fines mixtures under monotonic loading. The results of undrained monotonic triaxial compression tests conducted on mixtures of Hostun sand with varying amount (0–20%) and type (kaolin and calcigel bentonite) of plastic fines are presented. The specimens were prepared with different initial densities using the moist tamping method and consolidated at two different isotropic effective stresses. The results demonstrate that for both types of plastic fines, an increase in the fines content leads to a more contractive response and lower values of mobilized deviatoric stress. Despite similar relative density and fines content, the sand–kaolin mixtures showed a more contractive behavior than the sand–calcigel specimens. The steady-state lines (SSLs) ine–p´ space generally move downwards with increasing clay content. While the slopes of the SSLs for the clean Hostun sand and the mixtures with 10 and 20% kaolin are quite similar, the SSL lines for the specimens containing 10% or 20% calcigel run steeper or flatter, respectively. The inclination of the SSL in theq–p′ plane was found independent of clay type and content. The sand–kaolin mixtures were observed to be more susceptible to instability and flow liquefaction than the sand–calcigel mixtures.
Civil Disobedience in Times of Pandemic: Clarifying Rights and Duties
Authors: Della Croce Yoann , Nicole-Berva Ophelia
Published: July 2021

This paper seeks to investigate and assess a particular form of relationship between the State and its citizens in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, namely that of obedience to the law and its related right of protest through civil disobedience. We do so by conducting an analysis and normative evaluation of two cases of disobedience to the law: (1) healthcare professionals refusing to attend work as a protest against unsafe working conditions, and (2) citizens who use public demonstration and deliberately ignore measures of social distancing as a way of protesting against lockdown. While different in many aspects, both are substantially similar with respect to one element: their respective protesters both rely on unlawful actions in order to bring change to a policy they consider unjust. We question the extent to which healthcare professionals may participate in civil disobedience with respect to the duty of care intrinsic to the medical profession, and the extent to which opponents of lockdown and confinement measures may reasonably engage in protests without endangering the lives and basic rights of non-dissenting citizens. Drawing on a contractualist normative framework, our analysis leads us to conclude that while both cases qualify as civil disobedience in the descriptive sense, only the case of healthcare professionals qualifies as morally justified civil disobedience.
Metabolism in the Tumour-Bone Microenvironment
Authors: Whitburn Jessica , Edwards Claire M.
Published: July 2021

Purpose of Review

For solid tumours such as breast and prostate cancer, and haematological malignancies such as myeloma, bone represents a supportive home, where the cellular crosstalk is known to underlie both tumour growth and survival, and the development of the associated bone disease. The importance of metabolic reprogramming is becoming increasingly recognised, particularly within cancer biology, enabling tumours to adapt to changing environments and pressures. This review will discuss our current understanding of metabolic requirements and adaptations within the tumour-bone microenvironment.

Recent Findings

The bone provides a unique metabolic microenvironment, home to highly energy-intensive processes such as bone resorption and bone formation, both of which are dysregulated in the presence of cancer. Approaches such as metabolomics demonstrate metabolic plasticity in patients with advanced disease. Metabolic crosstalk between tumour cells and surrounding stroma supports disease pathogenesis.

There is increasing evidence for a key role for metabolic reprogramming within the tumour-bone microenvironment to drive disease progression. As such, understanding these metabolic adaptations should reveal new therapeutic targets and approaches.
Exploring the application of machine learning to the assembly line feeding problem
Authors: Moretti Emilio , Tappia Elena , Limère Veronique , Melacini Marco
Published: July 2021

As a large number of companies are resorting to increased product variety and customization, a growing attention is being put on the design and management of part feeding systems. Recent works have proved the effectiveness of hybrid feeding policies, which consist in using multiple feeding policies in the same assembly system. In this context, the assembly line feeding problem (ALFP) refers to the selection of a suitable feeding policy for each part. In literature, the ALFP is addressed either by developing optimization models or by categorizing the parts and assigning these categories to policies based on some characteristics of both the parts and the assembly system. This paper presents a new approach for selecting a suitable feeding policy for each part, based on supervised machine learning. The developed approach is applied to an industrial case and its performance is compared with the one resulting from an optimization approach. The application to the industrial case allows deepening the existing trade-off between efficiency (i.e., amount of data to be collected and dedicated resources) and quality of the ALFP solution (i.e., closeness to the optimal solution), discussing the managerial implications of different ALFP solution approaches and showing the potential value stemming from machine learning application.
Thrombospondin-2 as a diagnostic biomarker for distal cholangiocarcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Byrling J. , Hilmersson K. S. , Ansari D. , Andersson R. , Andersson B.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Distal cholangiocarcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are malignancies with poor prognoses that can be difficult to distinguish preoperatively. Thrombospondin-2 has been proposed as a novel diagnostic biomarker for early pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The aim of the present study was to evaluate thrombospondin-2 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in combination with current biomarker CA 19-9 for distal cholangiocarcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Methods

Thrombospondin-2 was measured in prospectively collected serum samples from patients who underwent surgery with a histopathological diagnosis of distal cholangiocarcinoma (N = 51), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (N = 52) and benign pancreatic diseases (N = 27) as well as healthy blood donors (N = 52) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Thrombospondin-2 levels (ng/ml) were similar in distal cholangiocarcinoma 55 (41–77) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma 48 (35–80) (P = 0.221). Thrombospondin-2 + CA 19-9 had an area under the curve of 0.92 (95% CI 0.88–0.97) in differentiating distal cholangiocarcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma from healthy donors which was superior to CA 19-9 alone (P < 0.001). The diagnostic value of adding thrombospondin-2 to CA 19-9 was larger in early disease stages. Thrombospondin-2 did not provide additional value to CA 19-9 in differentiating the benign disease group; however, heterogeneity was notable in the benign cohort. Three of five patients with autoimmune pancreatitis patients had greatly elevated thrombospondin-2 levels. Thrombospondin-2 levels had no correlation with prognoses.

Conclusions

Serum thrombospondin-2 in combination with CA 19-9 has potential as a biomarker for distal cholangiocarcinoma and pancreatic cancer.
Design of SNP markers for Aldabra giant tortoises using low coverage ddRAD-seq
Authors: Çilingir F. G. , Hansen D. , Ozgul A. , Grossen C.
Published: July 2021

The Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) is one of only two remaining giant tortoise species worldwide. Captive-bredA. giganteaare being used in rewilding projects in the Western Indian Ocean to functionally replace the extinct endemic giant tortoise species and restore degraded island ecosystems. Furthermore, large-scale translocations may become necessary as rising sea levels threaten the only wild population on the low-lying Aldabra Atoll. Critical management decisions would be greatly facilitated by insights on the genetic structure of breeding populations. We used a double-digest restriction-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) approach to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) among the wild population and two additional captive populations ofA. gigantea. A total of 1674 unlinked, putatively neutral genome-wide SNPs were identified. The values of expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.33 to 0.5, whereas the minor allele frequency ranged from 0.20 to 0.5. These novel SNP markers will serve as useful tools for informing the conservation ofA. gigantea.
Do disadvantaged schools have poorer teachers? Rethinking assumptions about the relationship between teaching quality and school-level advantage
Authors: Gore Jennifer , Jaremus Felicia , Miller Andrew
Published: July 2021

Improving educational performance, including narrowing equity gaps, is frequently touted as a matter of improving the quality of teachers in the lowest performing, often disadvantaged, schools. However, the assumption that teaching is of poorer quality in disadvantaged schools is largely unsubstantiated. Using the Quality Teaching Model of pedagogy, we observed 832 lessons in 193 New South Wales primary schools and found a small relationship between teaching quality and school-level advantage. However, when 174 teachers from across the school spectrum participated in Quality Teaching Rounds we found equivalent, and substantial, gains in teaching quality across all levels of school advantage. This result indicates that differences in teaching quality are less a reflection of teacher capabilities than of the challenging circumstances in disadvantaged schools. We argue that policies seeking more equitable achievement should address wider social inequities, rather than unfairly blaming teachers for being unable to level an unequal playing field.
Discounting and life cycle assessment: a distorting measure in assessments, a reasonable instrument for decisions
Authors: Lueddeckens S. , Saling P. , Guenther E.
Published: July 2021

Although the weighting of environmental impacts against each other is well established in life cycle assessment practice, the weighting of impacts occurring at different points in time is still controversial. This temporal weighting is also known as discounting, which due to its potential to offend principles of intergenerational equity, is often rejected or regarded as unethical. In our literature review, we found multiple disputes regarding the comprehension of discounting. We structured those controversial issues and compared them to the original discounted utility model on which discounting is based. We explain the original theory as an intertemporal decision instrument based on future utility. We conclude that intertemporal equity controversies can be solved if discounting is applied as an individual decision instrument, rather than as an information instrument, which could underestimate environmental damages handed to future generations. Each choice related to discounting—including whether or not to discount, or to discount at a rate of zero—should be well-founded. We illustrate environmental decision-related problems as a multidimensional issue, with at least three dimensions including the type of impact and spatial and temporal distributions. Through discounting framed as a decision instrument, these dimensions can be condensed into an explicit result, from which we can draw analogies to both weighting in life cycle assessment and financial decision instruments. We suggest avoiding discounting in environmental information instruments, such as single-product life cycle assessments, footprints, or labels. However, if alternatives have to be compared, discounting should be applied to support intertemporal decisions and generate meaningful results.
Quality of Mother–child Dialogue About Emotional Events, Coping and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Children Exposed to Interpersonal Trauma
Authors: Overbeek Mathilde M. , Koren-Karie Nina , de Schipper J. Clasien , van Delft Ivanka , Schuengel Carlo
Published: July 2021

Children exposed to traumatic events are at increased risk for developing symptoms of a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Children often discuss emotional, and therefore also traumatic, events in their lives with their parents, and the quality of these discussions can facilitate coping and further development. The study aim was 1) to explore whether the association between the quality of dialogue between mothers and children about emotional events and children’s posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) might be indirectly linked through children’s adaptive coping skills, and 2) whether this association differed when discussing different negative emotions. 169 mother–child dyads with interpersonal trauma-exposure (86% domestic violence, 14% mother and/or child sexually abused) participated in the Autobiographical Emotional Events Dialogue (AEED). Quality of mother–child emotion dialogue, captured in maternal sensitive guidance and child cooperation, and approach-oriented coping were coded from transcripts. PTSS was measured with the Child Behavior Checklist. Lower quality of mother–child emotion dialogue was associated with less approach-oriented coping and more symptoms of posttraumatic stress. There was an indirect effect of approach-oriented coping with angry feelings linking quality of mother–child emotion dialogue and child PTSS. Children’s symptoms of posttraumatic stress were reflected in the quality of mother–child dialogues about traumatic and other emotional events. Findings support that dialogues about emotional events may be a promising target for intervention with children exposed to trauma.