bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of spatial ability test completion times in virtual reality using a desktop display and the Gear VR
Authors: Guzsvinecz Tibor , Orbán-Mihálykó Éva , Sik-Lányi Cecília , Perge Erika
Published: March 2021

The interaction time of students who did spatial ability tests in a virtual reality environment is analyzed. The spatial ability test completion times of 240 and 61 students were measured. A desktop display as well as the Gear VR were used by the former group and by the latter one, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the probability of correct answers and completion times, while linear regression was used to evaluate effects and interactions of following factors on test completion times: the users’ gender and primary hand, test type and device used. The findings were that while the completion times are not significantly affected by the users’ primary hand, other factors have significant effects on them: they are decreased by the male gender in itself, while they are increased by solving Mental Rotation Tests or by using the Gear VR. The largest significant increment in interaction time in virtual reality during spatial ability tests is when Mental Rotation Tests are accomplished by males with the Gear VR, while the largest significant decrease in interaction time is when Mental Cutting Tests are completed with a desktop display.
Evaluation of 18 commercial serological assays for the detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in paired serum samples
Authors: Hanssen Daniëlle A. T. , Slaats Michiel , Mulder Marlies , Savelkoul Paul H. M. , van Loo Inge H. M.
Published: March 2021

A variety of serological tests have been developed to detect the presence of antibodies against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We evaluated the performance of 18 commercially available SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays. Early (6–8 days after the start of symptoms) and late sera (>14 days) from ICU patients (n=10 andn=16, respectively) and healthcare workers (n=5 andn=9, respectively) were included. Additionally, 22 sera were included to detect potential cross-reactivity. Test characteristics were determined for the 18 assays. In >14 days samples, the Vircell IgG and Wantai Ig ELISAs had superior sensitivity compared to the other ELISAs (96%). Furthermore, the Roche Ig, the Epitope Diagnostics IgM, Wantai IgM, Euroimmun IgG, and IgA all showed a specificity of 100%. The POCTs of Boson Biotech and ACRO Biotech showed the highest sensitivities: 100% and 96% (83.5–99.8), respectively. The POCT of Orient Gene Biotech, VOMED Diagnostics, and Coris-Bioconcept showed highest specificities (100%). For the IgM and IgA assays, the Euroimmun IgA test showed the highest sensitivity in early samples: 46.7% (23.5–70.9) to 53.3% (29.1–76.5). In general, all tests performed better in patients with severe symptoms (ICU patients). We conclude that the Wantai Ig and Vircell IgG ELISAs may be suitable for diagnostic purposes. The IgM/IgA tests performed poorer than their IgG/Ig counterparts but may have a role in diagnoses of SARS-CoV-2 in a population in which the background seroprevalence of IgG high, and IgM and/or IgA may distinguish between acute or past infection.
Digitalisierung der Branchen in Deutschland — eine empirische Erhebung
Authors: Demary Vera , Goecke Henry
Published: March 2021

Der hier vorgestellte Digitalisierungsindex misst den Grad der Digitalisierung von Unternehmen in Deutschland, differenziert dabei nach Branchen und ordnet den Digitalisierungsgrad in Kategorien ein. Es zeigt sich, dass die Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie mit Abstand am stärksten digitalisiert ist. Auch der forschungsstarke Fahrzeugbau ist stark überdurchschnittlich digitalisiert. Schlusslichter sind der Tourismus und das Sonstige Produzierende Gewerbe.
Phosphorylation of pericyte FAK-Y861 affects tumour cell apoptosis and tumour blood vessel regression
Authors: Lees Delphine M. , Reynolds Louise E. , Pedrosa Ana Rita , Roy-Luzarraga Marina , Hodivala-Dilke Kairbaan M.
Published: March 2021

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that is overexpressed in many cancer types and in vivo studies have shown that vascular endothelial cell FAK expression and FAK-phosphorylation at tyrosine (Y) 397, and subsequently FAK-Y861, are important in tumour angiogenesis. Pericytes also play a vital role in regulating tumour blood vessel stabilisation, but the specific involvement of pericyte FAK-Y397 and FAK-Y861 phosphorylation in tumour blood vessels is unknown. UsingPdgfrβCre + ;FAKWT/WT,PdgfrβCre + ;FAKY397F/Y397FandPdgfrβCre + ;FAKY861F/Y861Fmice, our data demonstrate that Lewis lung carcinoma tumour growth, tumour blood vessel density, blood vessel perfusion and pericyte coverage were affected only in late stage tumours inPdgfrβCre + ;FAKY861F/Y861Fbut notPdgfrβCre + ;FAKY397F/Y397Fmice. Further examination indicates a dual role for pericyte FAK-Y861 phosphorylation in the regulation of tumour vessel regression and also in the control of pericyte derived signals that influence apoptosis in cancer cells. Overall this study identifies the role of pericyte FAK-Y861 in the regulation of tumour vessel regression and tumour growth control and that non-phosphorylatable FAK-Y861F in pericytes reduces tumour growth and blood vessel density.
Optimal feedback control of stock prices under credit risk dynamics
Authors: Shao Jinghai , Mitra Sovan , Karathanasopoulos Andreas
Published: March 2021

In this paper we provide a stock price model that explicitly incorporates credit risk, under a stochastic optimal control system. The stock price model also incorporates the managerial control of credit risk through a control policy in the stochastic system. We provide explicit conditions on the existence of optimal feedback controls for the stock price model with credit risk. We prove the continuity of the value function, and then prove the dynamic programming principle for our system. Finally, we prove the Viscosity Solution of the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation. This paper is particularly relevant to industry, as the impact of credit risk upon stock prices has been prominent since the commencement of the Global Financial Crisis.
microRNA-21-5p from M2 macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles promotes the differentiation and activity of pancreatic cancer stem cells by mediating KLF3
Authors: Chang Jian , Li Hanjun , Zhu Zhongchao , Mei Pei , Hu Weimin , Xiong Xingcheng , Tao Jing
Published: March 2021

Aim

Given the fact that tumor-associated macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are attributable to tumor aggressiveness, this research intends to decode the mechanism of M2 macrophage-derived EVs in the differentiation and activities of pancreatic cancer (PaCa) stem cells via delivering microRNA (miR)-21-5p.

Methods

Polarized M2 macrophages were induced, from which EVs were collected and identified. miR-21-5p expression in M2 macrophage-derived EVs was tested. After cell sorting, CD24+CD44+EpCAM+ stem cells were co-cultured with M2 macrophages, in which miR-21-5p was upregulated or downregulated. The effects of M2 macrophage-derived EVs and miR-21-5p on Nanog/octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) expression, sphere formation, colony formation, invasion and migration capacities, apoptosis, and in vivo tumorigenic ability were examined. Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3) expression and its interaction with miR-21-5p were determined.

Results

M2 macrophage-derived EVs promoted PaCa stem cell differentiation and activities. miR-21a-5p was upregulated in M2 macrophage-derived EVs. miR-21a-5p downregulation in M2 macrophage-derived EVs inhibited Nanog/Oct4 expression and impaired sphere-forming, colony-forming, invasion, migration, and anti-apoptosis abilities of PaCa stem cells in vitro and tumorigenic ability in vivo. miR-21-5p targeted KLF3 to mediate the differentiation and activities of PaCa stem cells, and KLF3 was downregulated in PaCa stem cells.

Conclusion

This work explains that M2 macrophage-derived exosomal miR-21a-5p stimulates differentiation and activity of PaCa stem cells via targeting KLF3, paving a novel way for attenuating PaCa stemness.

Graphical abstract
Endocrine disrupting potency and toxicity of novel sophorolipid quaternary ammonium salts
Authors: Liwarska-Bizukojc Ewa , Stevens Christian V. , Delbeke Elisabeth I. P. , Van Geem Kevin M.
Published: March 2021

A new class of biosurfactants, namely quaternary ammonium sophorolipids (SQAS), suitable for pharmaceutical applications, was tested for the evaluation of their (anti)estrogenic and (anti)androgenic potency with the help of YES/YAS assays. Also their toxicity towards yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and bacteria (Escherichia coli) was checked. The results achieved for SQAS, which can be regarded as potential micropollutants, were compared with those obtained for two well-known micropollutants diclofenac and 17α-ethinylestradiol subjected to the same testing procedures. This work demonstrated that acetylation of the hydroxyl group of the carbohydrate head of SQAS decreased the toxicity of this class of biosurfactants towards Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Furthermore, it contributed to the decrease of their endocrine disrupting potency. None of the SQAS studied showed clear agonist activity for female or male hormones. SQAS1 and SQAS2 revealed weak antiestrogenic and antiandrogenic potency. All of these properties were weaker, not only to the potency of the appropriate positive control in the antagonists bioassays, but also compared to the potency of other tested compounds, i.e. DCF and EE2. SQAS3 possessed most probably inhibitory activity towards male hormones. Moreover, cytotoxicity of two out of four studied SQAS at the highest concentrations towards the strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae interfered with the endocrine disruption activity. It would be also worth studying it with the use of another endocrine activity test.
Genome‐wide identification of mlo genes in the cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Authors: Traore Sy Mamadou , Han Suoyi , Binagwa Papias , Xu Wen , Chen Xiangyu , Liu Fengzhen , He Guohao
Published: March 2021

Powdery mildew disease caused by Oidium arachidis poses a threat to peanut production in Africa. Loss of function mutants of specific Mlo (Mildew Locus O) genes have provided broad-spectrum and durable resistance against pathogen in many crop species. Since there is huge potential to utilize susceptibility gene-mediated resistance in crop improvement, genome-wide mining of susceptibility genes is required for further researches. However, the susceptibility genes have not been characterized in peanut genome. In this research study, the genome of the cultivated peanut was used as reference to identify the AhMlo loci. Our results revealed that 25 AhMlo loci were identified and distributed on the chromosomes of the cultivated peanut. Eleven AhMlo loci were located on the A-genome while the remaining 14 on the B-genome. Variable number of inserted intron sequences (4–14) and transmembrane helix (4–8) were observed in the coding sequence of the AhMlo loci. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of the AhMlo loci along with homologs from other species has clustered the AhMlo loci into six clades. Three AhMlo loci were clustered in the clade V known to regroup the powdery susceptibility loci in dicots. Additionally, four core promoters were predicted on the promoter region of the specific AhMlo along with cis-regulatory elements related to PM susceptibility. These results provided strong evidence of the identification and distribution of the Mlo loci in the cultivated peanut genome and the identified specific AhMlo loci can be used for loss of susceptibility study.
Autistic Adults May Be Erroneously Perceived as Deceptive and Lacking Credibility
Authors: Lim Alliyza , Young Robyn L. , Brewer Neil
Published: March 2021

We hypothesized that autistic adults may be erroneously judged as deceptive or lacking credibility due to demonstrating unexpected and atypical behaviors. Thirty autistic and 29 neurotypical individuals participated in video-recorded interviews, and we measured their demonstration of gaze aversion, repetitive body movements, literal interpretation of figurative language, poor reciprocity, and flat affect. Participants (N = 1410) viewed one of these videos and rated their perception of the individual’s truthfulness or credibility. The hypothesis was partially supported, with autistic individuals perceived as more deceptive and less credible than neurotypical individuals when telling the truth. However, this relationship was not influenced by the presence of any of the target behaviors, but instead, by the individual’s overall presentation.
Teachers’ potential to promote students’ deeper learning in whole-class teaching: An observation study in Norwegian classrooms
Authors: Sølvik Randi M. , Glenna Anne E. H.
Published: March 2021

Teachers worldwide are challenged to adjust their teaching to meet students’ needs for deeper learning. The lack of mutual understanding among researchers, policymakers and teachers tends to blur the discussion on how to enhance deeper learning through teaching, which further challenges teachers in making changes in their classroom practices. This qualitative observation study aims to explore how five skilled and experienced Norwegian teachers facilitate 10–16-year-old students’ potential deeper learning in whole-class teaching. The teachers are videotaped four times during a school year, and observations show how teachers enhance or undermine students’ active involvement, facilitate or hinder positive learning environments, support or impede deeper understanding, and stimulate or inhibit metacognitive reflection. The observations are discussed within a framework of the literature and research on how deeper learning is understood and promoted. The findings indicate how teachers’ facilitation of a supportive learning environment is essential to actively involve students in the classroom interactions and dialogue needed to promote deeper content understanding and metacognitive reflection. We explore the potential for deeper learning within whole-class teaching and argue that such potential arises when teachers facilitate collective, reciprocal, supportive, cumulative and purposeful classroom interactions. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the importance of employing varied teaching practices to further address students’ need for deeper learning. The study presents examples of whole-class teaching practices framed by theory and the earlier research on deeper learning, which may contribute to the concretization of policy changes in support of deeper learning in education.
Mechanics of the small punch test: a review and qualification of additive manufacturing materials
Authors: Torres Jonathan , Gordon Ali P.
Published: March 2021

The small punch test (SPT) was developed for situations where source material is scarce, costly or otherwise difficult to acquire, and has been used for assessing components with variable, location-dependent material properties. Although lacking standardization, the SPT has been employed to assess material properties and verified using traditional testing. Several methods exist for equating SPT results with traditional stress–strain data. There are, however, areas of weakness, such as fracture and fatigue approaches. This document outlines the history and methodologies of SPT, reviewing the body of contemporary literature and presenting relevant findings and formulations for correlating SPT results with conventional tests. Analysis of literature is extended to evaluating the suitability of the SPT for use with additively manufactured (AM) materials. The suitability of this approach is shown through a parametric study using an approximation of the SPT via FEA, varying material properties as would be seen with varying AM process parameters. Equations describing the relationship between SPT results and conventional testing data are presented. Correlation constants dictating these relationships are determined using an accumulation of data from the literature reviewed here, along with novel experimental data. This includes AM materials to assess the fit of these and provide context for a wider view of the methodology and its interest to materials science and additive manufacturing. A case is made for the continued development of the small punch test, identifying strengths and knowledge gaps, showing need for standardization of this simple yet highly versatile method for expediting studies of material properties and optimization.
Nudging to donate organs: do what you like or like what we do?
Authors: Beraldo Sergio , Karpus Jurgis
Published: March 2021

An effective method to increase the number of potential cadaveric organ donors is to make people donors by default with the option to opt out. This non-coercive public policy tool to influence people’s choices is often justified on the basis of the as-judged-by-themselves principle: people are nudged into choosing what they themselves truly want. We review three often hypothesized reasons for why defaults work and argue that the as-judged-by-themselves principle may hold only in two of these cases. We specify further conditions for when the principle can hold in these cases and show that whether those conditions are met is often unclear. We recommend ways to expand nationwide surveys to identify the actual reasons for why defaults work and discuss mandated choice policy as a viable solution to many arising conundrums.
The role of the learning environment in adolescents’ motivational development
Authors: Raufelder Diana , Kulakow Stefan
Published: March 2021

Past research has continuously shown that motivation in school declines across adolescence. To counteract potential declines in educational practice, the present study examines the motivational development of early and middle adolescent students within one school year and across two distinctive learning environments: a conventional teacher-directed learning environment and an individualized student-directed learning environment based on competency matrices. Based on a sample of 1153 (Mage = 13.97, SD = 1.37, 49% girls) students from grades 7 to 10, latent change analyses were conducted to examine within-school year changes in general self-efficacy and intrinsic value. Significant interaction effects of age and learning environment suggest that motivational trajectories may diverge from the consistent motivational declines that have been demonstrated by past research. Students from both learning environments differed in their general self-efficacy, but not in their intrinsic value.
An Inelastic Neutron Scattering Investigation of the Temporal Behaviour of the Hydrocarbonaceous Overlayer of a Prototype Fischer-Tropsch to Olefins Catalyst
Authors: Davidson Alisha L. , Webb Paul B. , Parker Stewart F. , Lennon David
Published: March 2021

A dual sodium and sulfur promoted haematite, representative of a candidate Fischer-Tropsch to olefins (FTO) catalyst, is prepared and contrasted with the performance of an unpromoted hematite sample in the ambient pressure CO hydrogenation reaction at 623 K as a function of time-on-stream (0–24 h). In-situ post-reaction temperature-programmed oxidation measurements show the carbon evolutionary phase of the catalyst conditioning process to be retarded for the FTO catalyst. Ex-situ inelastic neutron scattering measurements show the promoters perturb the formation of a previously described hydrocarbonaceous overlayer. Specifically, whilst the sp3 hybridised C–H modes of the hydrocarbonaceous overlayer are almost unaffected by the additives, the formation of the overlayer’s sp2 hybridised C–H modes are noticeably impeded. The results are discussed in terms of the Na/S promoters disturbing the formation of an ordered hydrocarbonaceous overlayer that is thought to constrain the supply of adsorbed hydrogen atoms, which favours the formation of unsaturated hydrocarbons associated with the FTO process.
Counteracting detrimental effects of misconceptions on learning and metacomprehension accuracy: The utility of refutation texts and think sheets
Authors: Prinz Anja , Golke Stefanie , Wittwer Jörg
Published: March 2021

Previous research has shown that misconceptions impair not only learners’ text comprehension and knowledge transfer but also the accuracy with which they predict their comprehension and transfer. In the present experiment withN = 92 university students, we investigated to what extent reading a refutation text or completing a think sheet compared with a control condition counteracts these adverse effects of misconceptions. The results revealed that both reading a refutation text and completing a think sheet supported learners with misconceptions in acquiring and accurately predicting their comprehension. Completing a think sheet additionally supported the learners in transferring their newly acquired knowledge, even though they were underconfident in their ability to do so. Moreover, learners who completed a think sheet were generally more accurate in discriminating between correctly and incorrectly answered test questions. Finally, delayed testing showed that the learning effects were quite stable, independent of the instructional method. This study reinforces the effectiveness of refutation texts and think sheets and provides important practical implications and avenues for future research.
Young children’s embodied interactions with a social robot
Authors: Kim Yanghee , Tscholl Michael
Published: March 2021

This study examined the affordances of an embodied humanoid robot to engage children in play and learning from the perspective of embodied cognition in two studies as part of multiyear design research. In Study One, we observed how the robot’s embodiment, accompanied by its sensors and movements, elicited embodied reactions of eleven children (aged 3 to 6) while they played and learned with the robot one-on-one at home and in school. Two distinct patterns emerged: rich multimodal interaction and fluid learning space. Additionally, the children demonstrated extended attention in the interactions and invited peers into voluntary collaboration. In Study Two, we implemented an interaction triad with ten pairs of children, in which each pair collaborated to help a robot, and observed their collaborative communication while they solved problems involving early academic topics. Three embodied phenomena were noted: (i) embodiment of early mathematics and science knowledge and reasoning, (ii) appropriation of physical space, and (iii) embodied collaboration. Importantly, it was clear in both studies that embodiment occurred not only in thinking but also in social and emotional experiences. We discuss the implications of the findings in relation to the potential of humanoid robots for enabling embodied learning experiences.
Is the English writing system phonographic or lexical/morphological? A new look at the spelling of stems
Authors: Berg Kristian , Aronoff Mark
Published: March 2021

The graphemic distinctiveness of simple word stems in written English (henceforth stems) is usually discussed in terms of the discrimination of homophones: Two or more distinct stems that share a phonological form each have a unique graphemic form (e.g., meat / meet; pair / pear / pare) and in some cases we cannot ascribe the different spellings to etymology: scent ‘should’ be spelled sent given its history (borrowed from French sentir and Latin sentire). The lists in Carney (1994) and Venezky (1999) of heterographic words show that there is a considerable number of homophones that are discriminated in spelling. But there are also many homographic cases (e.g., bank, can), so any stipulated ‘principle of heterography’ is not universal. In this paper, we determine the scope and limitations of this principle empirically. Using the CELEX corpus as well as printed dictionaries, we first determine the number of homophonous simple stems in our data (like bank / bank or pair / pear / pare). Of these, we determine the fraction that has a distinct spelling (like pair / pear / pare). The overall ratio is well below 50%, which means that the principle is not as far-reaching as often assumed. Historically, it appears that in many cases we are not dealing with a graphemic differentiation of stems, but with a conservation of spellings. As a consequence, most distinctive spellings probably corresponded to distinctive sound forms at some point in their history. Sound change then led to homophony, but the graphemic form often remained distinct (as with e.g. loan / lone). Expressing lexical differences in the written form of stems does not seem to be overly important to English writers; there is no widespread lexical or morphological principle at work when it comes to the spelling of English stems.
Die Metaphorik des Neuen Autoritarismus
Authors: Yildiz Taylan Özgür
Published: March 2021

Die Untersuchung leistet einen Beitrag zur metaphorologischen Analyse des Neuen Autoritarismus. Ausgangspunkt ist die Annahme, dass Autokratisierungsprozesse unter der Schwelle rationaler Bewegungsmomente durch die Erneuerung politischer Verkörperungsmythen gekennzeichnet sind. Am Beispiel der Türkei wird gezeigt, dass ihr zentraler Mechanismus eine unter Krisenbedingungen vollzogene Aktivierung der häuslichen Ordnungsmetaphorik und ihre Übersetzung in eine foucaultsche Pastoralmacht ist. Schien dieser Mechanismus mit wachsendem Abstand zur kemalistischen Revolution abgenutzt, hat er mit der Bewältigung des gescheiterten Putschversuchs eine transformative Aktualität erfahren. Der Beitrag schließt mit allgemeinen Überlegungen zu den elementaren Operationen, die den Erneuerungsprozess des autoritären Mythos vorantreiben.
Pitting Corrosion of Type 316L Stainless Steel Elaborated by the Selective Laser Melting Method: Influence of Microstructure
Authors: Vignal V. , Voltz C. , Thiébaut S. , Demésy M. , Heintz O. , Guerraz S.
Published: March 2021

The microstructure of two sets of 316L alloys (SLM and wrought structure) is determined using SPECTROMAXx stationary metal analyzer, FE-SEM/EDS and XRD. The physical–chemical properties of the passive films are also investigated by means of XPS, Auger after sputtering and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Differences and similarities between the two sets of alloys are then identified. The corrosion behavior of alloys is investigated in NaCl solution at the macro- and microscale (microcapillary technique). It was found that the inclusion/particles cleanliness is the first-order parameter explaining differences between 316L(WS) and 316L(SLM). In the absence of particles (pure matrix), the two sets of alloys have the same corrosion behavior. Residual stresses, the average grain size, the PREN and the passive films properties are of second order.
Assessment of heavy metal pollution in groundwater with respect to distance from ash pond by using heavy metal evaluation index
Authors: Verma Chanchal , Hussain Athar , Madan Sangeeta , Kumar Vinit
Published: March 2021

In order to assess the quality of groundwater near ash pond of Parichha Thermal Power Plant (Jhansi), heavy metal evaluation index (HEI)was calculated. An unlined ash pond is being used for a long time to dispose fly ash generated by thermal power plant. To assess the level of groundwater contamination due to ash slurry disposal, both groundwater and ash slurry samples were collected and analysed in terms of their chemical concentration. In the present study, it was observed that significant amount of trace elements can leach out from ash slurry and may contaminate groundwater due to downward percolation through soil strata in an unlined ash pond. Obtained results revealed the range of heavy metals concentration in groundwater as [Ni (0.02–0.07 mg/l), Pb (0.14–0.41 mg/l), Fe (0.20–7.21 mg/l), Mn (0.01–0.14 mg/l), Cr (0.03–0.05 mg/l) and Al (0.05–0.26 mg /l)]. HEI showed a heavy load of metal pollution within the range of 5 km from the ash pond while moderate pollution within the range of 7 km and very low at a distance of 15 km.
Correction to: Impact of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program-bundled initiative utilizing Accelerate Pheno™ system in the management of patients with aerobic Gram-negative bacilli bacteremia
Authors: Walsh Thomas L. , Bremmer Derek N. , Moffa Matthew A. , Trienski Tamara L. , Buchanan Carley , Stefano Kelly , Hand Catharine , Taylor Tricia , Kasarda Karen , Shively Nathan R. , Bhanot Nitin , Cheronis Nicholas , DiSilvio Briana E. , Cho Christian Y. , Carr Dustin R.
Published: March 2021

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-021-01601-0
The court of arbitration for sport jurisprudence on match-fixing: a legal update
Authors: Diaconu M. , Kuwelkar S. , Kuhn A.
Published: March 2021

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) jurisprudence on manipulation of sports competitions has vastly evolved from its initial award in RSC Anderlecht in 1998, to now Labuts in August 2020. Alongside, international and national regulations, as well as sporting regulations, including, most recently, the Council of Europe’s Macolin Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions, have sought to effectively tackle the omnipresent, ever-growing phenomenon of competition manipulation. Against this backdrop, this article briefly outlines the existing legal landscape on manipulation, followed by a chronological detailing of each CAS issued award. The key aspects of defining such sanctionable behaviour, select issues of standard of proof and types of evidence which are admissible and relied on, as well as the manner and quantum of sanction are then analysed. Ultimately, noting empirical trends across these awards, questions on ne bis in idem, proportionality of sanctions and legal certainty across CAS jurisprudence are raised.
Racial Disparities and COVID-19: the Social Context
Authors: Marrett Cora B.
Published: March 2021

The coronavirus continues to take a devastating toll on the population of the USA. But that toll is not identical across all segments of the population. Specifically, Black citizens are more likely than their White counterparts to experience the dislocations associated with the coronavirus. Nor is the extent of racial differences fully known, given limitations to the testing, hospitalization, and other data currently compiled. What does emerge, however, is an understanding that the reported outcomes reflect social inequities rather than biological predispositions. The inequities flow from both historical forces and contemporary ones that leave sizeable fractions of the Black population without access to quality healthcare or safe environments. The discrepancies suggest that the development of safe and effective vaccines might not eliminate the racial disparities associated with COVID-19, for that development will not alone erode levels of structural racism in the society. Concerted actions that engage multiple segments and participants are demanded.
Functional limit theorems for the euler characteristic process in the critical regime
Authors: Thomas Andrew M. , Owada Takashi
Published: March 2021

This study presents functional limit theorems for the Euler characteristic of Vietoris–Rips complexes. The points are drawn from a nonhomogeneous Poisson process on
$\mathbb{R}^d$
, and the connectivity radius governing the formation of simplices is taken as a function of the time parameter t, which allows us to treat the Euler characteristic as a stochastic process. The setting in which this takes place is that of the critical regime, in which the simplicial complexes are highly connected and have nontrivial topology. We establish two ‘functional-level’ limit theorems, a strong law of large numbers and a central limit theorem, for the appropriately normalized Euler characteristic process.
Optimally Stopping at a Given Distance from the Ultimate Supremum of a Spectrally Negative Lévy Process
Authors: Carvajal Pinto Mónica B. , van Schaik Kees
Published: March 2021

We consider the optimal prediction problem of stopping a spectrally negative Lévy process as close as possible to a given distance $b \geq 0$ from its ultimate supremum, under a squared-error penalty function. Under some mild conditions, the solution is fully and explicitly characterised in terms of scale functions. We find that the solution has an interesting non-trivial structure: if b is larger than a certain threshold then it is optimal to stop as soon as the difference between the running supremum and the position of the process exceeds a certain level (less than b), while if b is smaller than this threshold then it is optimal to stop immediately (independent of the running supremum and position of the process). We also present some examples.
Discounted Optimal Stopping Problems for Maxima of Geometric Brownian Motions With Switching Payoffs
Authors: Gapeev Pavel V. , Kort Peter M. , Lavrutich Maria N.
Published: March 2021

We present closed-form solutions to some discounted optimal stopping problems for the running maximum of a geometric Brownian motion with payoffs switching according to the dynamics of a continuous-time Markov chain with two states. The proof is based on the reduction of the original problems to the equivalent free-boundary problems and the solution of the latter problems by means of the smooth-fit and normal-reflection conditions. We show that the optimal stopping boundaries are determined as the maximal solutions of the associated two-dimensional systems of first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The obtained results are related to the valuation of real switching lookback options with fixed and floating sunk costs in the Black–Merton–Scholes model.
Portable Ultrasonography Onboard Deployment in the PLA(N) Peace Ark Hospital Ship in Mission Harmony 2018
Authors: Zhao Jiaqi , Zhou Yi , Wang Jiafeng , Zhang Chong , Cai Zhuhong
Published: March 2021

From June 28 to November 22, 2018, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy – PLA(N) – Peace Ark hospital ship had conducted Mission Harmony 2018, providing humanitarian medical assistance and carrying out international cooperation, in 4 Pacific island countries and 6 Central and South American countries. Compared with its application only in onshore outreach medical teams in the previous Mission Harmony, portable ultrasonography was used both onboard and onshore in Mission Harmony 2018. The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of onboard portable ultrasonography in PLA(N) Peace Ark hospital ship during Mission Harmony-2018, share our onboard working experience, and provide a reference for humanitarian assistance missions in the future. A retrospective review was performed on a cohort of patients checked by onboard portable ultrasonography. Patients’ gender, age, the distribution of examined organs, and multiple applications of the portable ultrasonography were analyzed. Some limitations of portable ultrasonography on the mission and possible improvements in the future were also discussed. A total of 5277 cases (mean age: 43.74 years; range: 2 months–105 years) of ultrasound examinations were performed during the mission; among them, 3126 (59.2%) cases were performed by portable ultrasonography, including 3024 onboard cases and 102 onshore cases. The portable ultrasonography had been applied in many scenarios, for example, onboard emergency triage process, onboard bedside medical support, and onshore outreach medical service, which had become one of the indispensable auxiliary examination methods for its compatibility, portability, and flexibility. The onboard deployment of portable ultrasonography played a versatile and irreplaceable role in the humanitarian medical assistance and medical cooperation carried out by the PLA(N) Peace Ark hospital ship, and will contribute to such kind of missions in the future.
Epidemiology Surveillance and Capacity Improvement: A Characterization of Texas, 2017
Authors: Stone Kahler W. , Felkner Marilyn , Garza Eric , Perez-Patron Maria , Schmit Cason , McDonald Thomas J. , Horney Jennifer A.
Published: March 2021

Objectives:

In response to increasing caseloads of foodborne illnesses and high consequence infectious disease investigations, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) requested funding from the Texas Legislature in 2013 and 2015 for a new state-funded epidemiologist (SFE) program.

Methods:

Primary cross-sectional survey data were collected from 32 of 40 local health departments (LHDs) via an online instrument and analyzed to quantify roles, responsibilities, and training of epidemiologists in Texas in 2017 and compared to similar state health department assessments.

Results:

Sixty-six percent of SFEs had epidemiology-specific training (eg, master’s in public health) compared to 45% in state health department estimates. For LHDs included in this study, the mean number of epidemiologists per 100 000 was 0.73 in medium LHDs and 0.46 in large LHDs. SFE positions make up approximately 40% of the LHD epidemiology workforce of all sizes and 56% of medium-sized LHD epidemiology staff in Texas specifically.

Conclusions:

Through this program, DSHS increased epidemiology capacity almost twofold from 0.28 to 0.47 epidemiologists per 100 000 people. These findings suggest that capacity funding programs like this improve epidemiology capacity in local jurisdictions and should be considered in other regions to improve general public health preparedness and epidemiology capacity.
Non-Pediatric Nurses’ Willingness to Provide Care to Pediatric Patients during a Disaster: An Assessment of Pediatric Surge Capacity in Four Midwestern Hospitals
Authors: Rebmann Terri , Charney Rachel L. , Eschmann Rebecca L. , Fitzpatrick M. Colleen
Published: March 2021

Objective:

To assess non-pediatric nurses’ willingness to provide care to pediatric patients during a mass casualty event (MCE).

Methods:

Nurses from 4 non-pediatric hospitals in a major metropolitan Midwestern region were surveyed in the fall of 2018. Participants were asked about their willingness to provide MCE pediatric care. Hierarchical logistical regression was used to describe factors associated with nurses’ willingness to provide MCE pediatric care.

Results:

In total, 313 nurses were approached and 289 completed a survey (response rate = 92%). A quarter (25.3%, n = 73) would be willing to provide MCE care to a child of any age; 12% (n = 35) would provide care only to newborns in the labor and delivery area, and 16.6% (n = 48) would only provide care to adults. Predictors of willingness to provide care to a patient of any age during an MCE included providing care to the youngest-age children during routine duties, reporting confidence in calculating doses and administering pediatric medications, working in the emergency department, being currently or previously certified in PALS, and having access to pediatric-sized equipment in the unit or hospital.

Conclusion:

Pediatric surge capacity is lacking among nurses. Increasing nurses’ pediatric care self-efficacy could improve pediatric surge capacity and minimize morbidity and mortality during MCEs.
Factors Associated With Emergency Medical Services Providers’ Acceptance of the Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
Authors: Rosenblum Andrew J. , Wend Christopher M. , Huang Ruthe , Spangler Scott , Barnett Daniel J. , Levy Matthew J.
Published: March 2021

Objective:

Influenza vaccination remains the most effective primary prevention strategy for seasonal influenza. This research explores the percentage of emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians who received the seasonal flu vaccine in a given year, along with their reasons for vaccine acceptance and potential barriers.

Methods:

A survey was distributed to all EMS clinicians in Virginia during the 2018-2019 influenza season. The primary outcome was vaccination status. Secondary outcomes were attitudes and perceptions toward influenza vaccination, along with patient care behaviors when treating an influenza patient.

Results:

Ultimately, 2796 EMS clinicians throughout Virginia completed the survey sufficiently for analysis. Participants were mean 43.5 y old, 60.7% male, and included the full range of certifications. Overall, 79.4% of surveyed EMS clinicians received a seasonal flu vaccine, 74% had previously had the flu, and 18% subjectively reported previous side effects from the flu vaccine. Overall, 54% of respondents believed their agency has influenza or respiratory specific plans or procedures.

Conclusions:

In a large, state-wide survey of EMS clinicians, overall influenza vaccination coverage was 79.4%. Understanding the underlying beliefs of EMS clinicians remains a critical priority for protecting these frontline clinicians. Agencies should consider practical policies, such as on-duty vaccination, to increase uptake.
Subsystems of transitive subshifts with linear complexity
Authors: DYKSTRA ANDREW , ORMES NICHOLAS , PAVLOV RONNIE
Published: March 2021

We bound the number of distinct minimal subsystems of a given transitive subshift of linear complexity, continuing work of Ormes and Pavlov [On the complexity function for sequences which are not uniformly recurrent. Dynamical Systems and Random Processes (Contemporary Mathematics, 736). American Mathematical Society, Providence, RI, 2019, pp. 125--137]. We also bound the number of generic measures such a subshift can support based on its complexity function. Our measure-theoretic bounds generalize those of Boshernitzan [A unique ergodicity of minimal symbolic flows with linear block growth. J. Anal. Math.44(1) (1984), 77–96] and are closely related to those of Cyr and Kra [Counting generic measures for a subshift of linear growth. J. Eur. Math. Soc.21(2) (2019), 355–380].
Development of the early Cambrian oryctocephalid trilobiteOryctocarella duyunensisfrom western Hunan, China
Authors: Dai Tao , Hughes Nigel C. , Zhang Xingliang , Peng Shanchi
Published: March 2021

Abundant articulated specimens of the oryctocarine trilobiteOryctocarella duyunensisfrom the lower Cambrian (Stage 4, Series 2) Balang Formation at the Bulin section in western Hunan Province, South China, permit the description of all meraspid degrees. The maximum number of thoracic segments observed in this collection is 11. Meraspid growth was accompanied by progressive and gradual change in overall form, and this animal showed an homonymously segmented trunk with variation in the number of pygidial segments during ontogeny. Such variation permits a variety of plausible explanations, but a model of successive instars defined by the number of thoracic segments, and in suborder by the number of pygidial segments, is highly unlikely to explain the growth pattern because it would result in the loss of trunk segments between some instars. Degree-based ontogenetic staging is compatible with the variation observed.
Estimating the frequency of coincidental spatial associations between Clovis artifacts and proboscidean remains in North America
Authors: Mackie Madeline E. , Haas Randall
Published: March 2021

The extent to which Clovis peoples hunted proboscideans is debated. Convention requires that for a proboscidean butchery site to be accepted, contemporaneous artifacts must be spatially associated with faunal remains, and there must be evidence of use of the remains. Fourteen sites in North America currently meet those criteria; at least 31 do not. While these are reasonable requirements for avoiding false positives, such an approach risks identifying false negatives—rejecting spatial associations that are systemic associations. Given the known distributions of Clovis and proboscidean sites, how likely is it that artifacts are coincidentally associated with proboscidean remains? Conversely, how many spatial associations could be unrecognized butchery sites? To answer these questions, we simulated chance associations by plotting empirically informed densities and sizes of archaeological and proboscidean sites on simulated landscapes in which people and animals are (a) uniformly distributed and (b) tethered to water sources. The simulated frequencies of coincidental associations were compared to the observed frequency of co-occurrences. Our results suggest that of the 31 indeterminate empirical associations, at least 17 and as many as 26 are likely systemic associations, more than doubling previous estimates and revealing a greater role of humans in Pleistocene proboscidean exploitation than previously recognized.
Shared genetic architecture across psychiatric disorders
Authors: Grotzinger Andrew D.
Published: March 2021

Psychiatric disorders overlap substantially at the genetic level, with family-based methods long pointing toward transdiagnostic risk pathways. Psychiatric genomics has progressed rapidly in the last decade, shedding light on the biological makeup of cross-disorder risk at multiple levels of analysis. Over a hundred genetic variants have been identified that affect multiple disorders, with many more to be uncovered as sample sizes continue to grow. Cross-disorder mechanistic studies build on these findings to cluster transdiagnostic variants into meaningful categories, including in what tissues or when in development these variants are expressed. At the upper-most level, methods have been developed to estimate the overall shared genetic signal across pairs of traits (i.e. single-nucleotide polymorphism-based genetic correlations) and subsequently model these relationships to identify overarching, genomic risk factors. These factors can subsequently be associated with external traits (e.g. functional imaging phenotypes) to begin to understand the makeup of these transdiagnostic risk factors. As psychiatric genomic efforts continue to expand, we can begin to gain even greater insight by including more fine-grained phenotypes (i.e. symptom-level data) and explicitly considering the environment. The culmination of these efforts will help to inform bottom-up revisions of our current nosology.
Attitudinal Theories of Pleasure andDe ReDesires
Authors: Ventham Elizabeth
Published: March 2021

This article has two main aims. First, it will defend an ‘attitudinal’ account of pleasure, that is, an account of what it is that makes an experience pleasurable for a subject that explains it in terms of a certain kind ofde redesire that the subject has towards that experience. Second, in doing so, the article aims to further our understanding of unconscious desires, and of what the subjects of such desires can be. The article begins by introducing two existing accounts of what makes an experience pleasurable. It then offers a diagnosis of a recent objection to attitudinal accounts from Bramble and existing responses from attitudinal theorists, arguing that the two positions are currently at a stalemate. After this, I argue for the possible existence of unknowable and unconsciousde redesires, and show how such desires provide the best defence of such ‘attitudinal’ accounts.