bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the high‐probability instructional sequence to increase compliance with multiple low‐probability instructions among children with autism
Authors: Rosales Ma Krishna , Wilder David A. , Montalvo Melissa , Fagan Benjamin
Published: October 2020

The high‐probability (high‐p) instructional sequence typically consists of the delivery of a series of high‐p instructions immediately followed by the delivery of a low‐probability (low‐p) instruction and is a commonly used procedure to increase compliance among children with intellectual disabilities. In the current study, we used withdrawal designs to evaluate the use of the high‐p sequence to increase compliance with a series of 2 or 3 low‐p instructions among 3 children with autism. The sequence was moderately effective in increasing compliance with all low‐p instructions for 2 participants. Compliance exhibited by the 3rd participant, for whom the high‐p sequence was ineffective, increased when differential reinforcement was delivered. We discuss the utility of the high‐p sequence to increase compliance with multiple instructions and the putative mechanisms responsible for the effects of the sequence.
Activation of forkhead box O3a by mono(2‐ethylhexyl)phthalate and its role in protection against mono(2‐ethylhexyl)phthalate‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in human cardiomyocytes
Authors: Wang Zeze , Liu Yi , Liu Xuehui , Zhou Lixiao , Ma Xindi , Liu Junyao , Wang Lei , Guo Huicai
Published: October 2020

Mono(2‐ethylhexyl)phthalate (MEHP), the active metabolite of di(2‐ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), is known to exert cardiotoxicity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a) in MEHP‐induced human AC16 cardiomyocyte injuries. MEHP reduced cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), whereas it increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. The expression of FOXO3a and its target genes, mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (Mn‐SOD) and apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC), increased after MEHP exposure, but the expression of p‐FOXO3a protein was decreased. Overexpression of FOXO3a decreased the production of ROS and the apoptosis rate induced by MEHP, and the expression of Mn‐SOD and ARC was further increased after MEHP exposure. In contrast, knockdown of FOXO3a resulted in increased ROS production and apoptosis and suppressed the expression of Mn‐SOD and ARC in the presence of MEHP. However, overexpression or knockdown of FOXO3a did not affect MEHP‐induced loss of ΔΨm. In conclusion, the loss of ΔΨm and apoptosis are involved in MEHP‐induced cardiomyocyte toxicity. Activation of FOXO3a defends against MEHP‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis by upregulating the expression of Mn‐SOD and ARC in AC16 cardiomyocytes.
Atomistic detailed free‐energy landscape of intrinsically disordered protein studied by multi‐scale divide‐and‐conquer molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Shimoyama Hiromitsu , Yonezawa Yasushige
Published: October 2020

Calcineurin (CaN) is a eukaryotic serine/threonine protein phosphatase activated by both Ca2+ and calmodulin (CaM), including intrinsically disordered region (IDR). The region undergoes folding into an α‐helix form in the presence Ca2+‐loaded CaM. To sample the ordered structure of the IDR by conventional all atom model (AAM) molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, the IDR and Ca2+‐loaded CaM must be simultaneously treated. However, it is time‐consuming task because the coupled folding and binding should include repeated binding and dissociation. Then, in this study, we propose novel multi‐scale divide‐and‐conquer MD (MSDC‐MD), which combines AAM‐MD and coarse‐grained model MD (CGM‐MD). To speed up the conformation sampling, MSDC‐MD simulation first treats the IDR by CGM to sample conformations from wide conformation space; then, multiple AAM‐MD in a limited area is initiated using the resultant CGM conformation, which is reconstructed by homology modeling method. To investigate performance, we sampled the ordered conformation of the IDR using MSDC‐MD; the root‐mean‐square distance (RMSD) with respect to the experimental structure was 2.23 Å.
Pharmacokinetics of Hydrochlorothiazide in Children: A Potential Surrogate for Renal Secretion Maturation
Authors: Commander Sarah Jane , Wu Huali , Boakye‐Agyeman Felix , Melloni Chiara , Hornik Chi Dang , Zimmerman Kanecia , Al‐Uzri Amira , Mendley Susan R. , Harper Barrie , Cohen‐Wolkowiez Michael , Hornik Christoph P. ,   the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act–Pediatric Trials Network Steering Committee
Published: October 2020

Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) is a thiazide diuretic used in adults and children for the treatment of hypertension and edema. The pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of HCTZ in children are not well characterized, particularly among children with obesity who frequently suffer from hypertension and may, therefore, benefit from HCTZ therapy. HCTZ is excreted in the kidney via organic anion transporters 1 and 3 (OAT1 and OAT3). The ontogeny of OAT1 and OAT3 remain unknown, but HCTZ clearance may serve as a surrogate marker of OAT1 and OAT3 maturation. Population PK modeling was performed in NONMEM, and the model was leveraged to conduct dose‐exposure simulations. This study examined 83 plasma samples from 49 participants (69% male) taking enteral HCTZ. The median (range) postnatal age was 6.7 years (0.03‐19.5 years), and 17 (34%) participants were obese or morbidly obese. The median (range) dose of HCTZ was 0.654 mg/kg (0.11‐1.8 kg) and the median number of doses recorded per participant was 5 (1‐8). HCTZ PK was well characterized by a 1‐compartment PK model. Body weight and a maturation model based on postmenstrual age were significant covariates for apparent clearance, but the presence of obesity was not. Dosing simulations were performed with a standardized 1mg/kg. Simulated exposure (area under the curve and maximum HCTZ concentrations) decreased with age and was likely due to older children receiving the maximum absolute doses of HCTZ. Further studies with more patients in each age group are required to confirm these PK findings of HCTZ in the children.
Retention‐in‐care in the PMTCT cascade: definitions matter! Analyses from the INSPIRE projects in Malawi, Nigeria and Zimbabwe
Authors: Font Helene , Rollins Nigel , Essajee Shaffiq , Becquet Renaud , Foster Geoff , Mangwiro Alexio‐Zambezio , Mwapasa Victor , Oyeledun Bolanle , Phiri Sam , Sam‐Agudu Nadia A , Bellare Nita B , Orne‐Gliemann Joanna ,   for the INSPIRE group
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Definitions of retention‐in‐care in Prevention of Mother‐to‐Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) vary substantially between studies and programmes. Some definitions are based on visits missed/made, others on a minimum total number of visits, or attendance at a final clinic visit at a specific time. An agreed definition could contribute to developing evidence‐based interventions for improving retention‐in‐care. In this paper, we estimated retention‐in‐care rates according to different definitions, and we quantified and visualized the degree of agreement between definitions.

Methods

We calculated retention in care rates using nine definitions in the six INSPIRE PMTCT intervention studies, conducted in three sub‐Saharan African countries between 2013 and 2017. With data from one of the studies (E4E), we estimated the agreement between definitions using Gwet’s agreement coefficient (AC1) and concordance. We calculated positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) for all definitions considering successively each definition as the reference standard. Finally, we used a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) to examine clustering of the way different definitions handle retention‐in‐care.

Results

Retention‐in‐care rates among 5107 women ranged from 30% to 76% in the complete dataset with Gwet’s AC1 being 0.56 [0.53; 0.59] indicating a moderate agreement between all definitions together. Two pairs of definitions with high inner concordance and agreement had either very high PPV or very high NPV, and appeared distinct from the other five definitions on the MCA figures. These pairs of definitions were also the ones resulting in the lowest and highest estimates of retention‐in‐care. The simplest definition, that only required a final clinic visit to classify women as retained in care, and classified 55% of women as retained in care, had a PPV ranging from 0.7 to 1 and a NPV ranging from 0.69 to 0.98 when excluding the two pairs afore‐mentioned; it resulted in a moderate to substantial agreement and a 70% to 90% concordance with all other definitions.

Conclusions

Our study highlights the variability of definitions in estimating retention‐in‐care. Some definitions are very stringent which may be required in some instances. A simple indicator such as attendance at a single time point may be sufficient for programme planning and evaluation.
Responding to the ECHO trial results: modelling the potential impact of changing contraceptive method mix on HIV and reproductive health in South Africa
Authors: Smith Jennifer A , Beacroft Leo , Abdullah Fareed , Buthelezi Buyile , Makua Manala , Morroni Chelsea , Ramjee Gita , Velasquez Claudia , Hallett Timothy B.
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Some observational data suggest that the progestogen injectable contraceptive depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) may increase a woman’s risk of HIV acquisition but a randomized clinical trial did not find a statistically significant increase in HIV risk for women using DMPA compared to two other methods. However, it could not rule out up to 30% increased HIV risk for DMPA users. We evaluate changes to contraceptive method mix in South Africa under different assumptions about the existence and strength of a possible undetected relationship between DMPA use and HIV risk.

Methods

A mathematical model was developed to simulate the ongoing HIV epidemic and contraceptive method mix in South Africa to estimate how changes in method mix could impact HIV‐ and reproductive health‐related outcomes. We made different assumptions about the relationship between DMPA use and HIV risk, from no relationship to a 30% increase in HIV risk for women using DMPA. Scenario analyses were used to investigate the impact of switching away from DMPA predominance to new patterns of contraceptive use.

Results

In South Africa, the HIV‐related benefits of reduced DMPA use could be as great as the harms of increased adverse reproductive health outcomes over 20 years, if DMPA did increase the risk of HIV acquisition by a relative hazard of infection of 1.1 or greater. A reduction in DMPA use among HIV‐positive women would have no benefit in terms of HIV infections, but would incur additional negative reproductive health outcomes. The most important driver of adverse reproductive health outcomes is the proportion of women who switch away from DMPA to no contraceptive method.

Conclusions

If there is any real increased HIV risk for DMPA users that has not been detected by the recent randomized trial, a reduction in DMPA use could reduce the ongoing number of new HIV infections. However, such a change would place more women at risk of adverse reproductive health effects. It is imperative that these effects are minimized by focusing on expanding access to safe, effective and acceptable alternative contraceptive methods for all women.
Variation in the growth and development of the hind limbs in frogs of the genus Telmatobius (Anura: Telmatobiidae)
Authors: Barrionuevo J. Sebastián
Published: October 2020

There are remarkable interspecific differences in the sizes of the larvae of Andean frogs of the genus Telmatobius. This size variation seems to be associated with the duration of the larval stage and may affect the hind‐limb morphology in Telmatobius. Larval, juvenile, and adult Telmatobius rubigo and T. oxycephalus were examined to determine the variation in relative sizes of hind‐limb elements, their growth patterns during postmetamorphic life, and skeletal ontogeny. The results showed that the proportionately shorter hind limbs of T. rubigo relative to those of T. oxycephalus are associated with the protracted development and ossification of hind limbs during the prolonged larval life of T. rubigo. Postmetamorphically, the hind limbs grew faster than the body in juveniles of both species in contrast to the relative growth rates of the hind limbs and bodies of the adults. The growth phase of juvenile T. rubigo seems shorter than that of juvenile T. oxycephalus; possibly, this heightens the difference in the relative lengths of hind limbs after metamorphosis. Temperature affects the effects of thyroid hormone on growth and development, and T. rubigo lives at much higher, colder elevations than does T. oxycephalus. It is not clear whether the developmental differences described here are plastic (i.e., environmentally induced) or genetically fixed in each species.
Kinetics of ultrasound‐assisted esterification of maleic acid and butanol using heterogeneous catalyst
Authors: Mulay Aarti , Rathod Virendra K.
Published: October 2020

The present research investigates the kinetics of ultrasound‐assisted synthesis of dibutyl maleate using a heterogeneous catalyst (Amberlyst‐15) in solvent‐free system. Reaction parameters were optimized based on conversion by varying the various parameters such as n‐butanol to maleic acid mole ratio, temperature, molecular sieves, catalyst loading, power, and duty cycle. Optimization of parameters resulted in 56.2% yield at 343 K, alcohol to acid mole ratio as 4:1, catalyst loading of 4%, molecular sieves of 4% with an ultrasound power input of 100 W with 60% duty cycle and 22 kHz frequency. In the presence of ultrasound, the reaction time reduced to 120 min in comparison with 240 min of the conventional process. The experimental kinetic data were correlated using Pseudo‐Homogeneous model as well as heterogeneous models like Eley‐Rideal model and Langmuir‐Hinshelwood‐Hougen‐Watson (LHHW) model based on single as well as dual‐site mechanisms. LHHW (reactants and products) model was found to be the best fit. The results proved that the reaction follows second‐order kinetics. The activation energy of the reaction was calculated as 14.64 kJ/mol.
The transition of ARVO journals to open access
Authors: Mallett Jonathan J. , Chin Debra L. , Rush Iris M. , Smith Justine R.
Published: October 2020

Key points

In January 2016, the three journals of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) transitioned to gold open access.

Increased author charges were introduced to partially offset the loss of subscription revenue.

Submissions to the two established journals initially dropped by almost 15% but have now stabilized.

The transition has not impacted acceptance rates and impact factors, and article pageviews and downloads may have increased as a result of open access.
Recent advances of medical biosensors for clinical applications
Authors: Saylan Yeşeren , Özgür Erdoğan , Denizli Adil
Published: October 2020

The determination of clinically important biomolecules such as proteins, amino acids, antibodies, enzymes, nucleic acids, hormones and cells is necessary to figure out the physiological and biological functions and also to develop the diagnostics platforms. The improvement of medical biosensors for highly selective, sensitive and rapid biomolecule detection has fundamental significance for clinical diagnostics. Many potential analytical complexities can be smoothly sorted by the biosensors. Health problems have appeared due to the rising population with a risk of chronic diseases such as tuberculosis, prostate, stroke, cardiovascular disease and cancer that require to be deciphered for common health. This review summarizes the importance of medical biosensors for clinical applications, and the use of medical biosensors in the diagnosis of various diseases is extensively discussed with different types of biosensors. Conclusion and future outlooks are mentioned at the end of the review.
The Hispanic paradox in the prevalence of obesity at the county‐level
Authors: Valencia Areli , Zuma Bongeka Z. , Spencer‐Bonilla Gabriela , López Lenny , Scheinker David , Rodriguez Fatima
Published: October 2020

Objective

The percentage of Hispanics in a county has a negative association with prevalence of obesity. Because Hispanic individuals are unevenly distributed in the United States, this study examined whether this protective association persists when stratifying counties into quartiles based on the size of the Hispanic population and after adjusting for county‐level demographic, socioeconomic, healthcare, and environmental factors.

Methods

Data were extracted from the 2018 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings. Counties were categorized into quartiles based on their percentage of Hispanics, 0%–5% (n = 1794), 5%–20% (n = 962), 20%–50% (n = 283), and >50% (n = 99). For each quartile, univariate and multivariate regression models were used to evaluate the association between prevalence of obesity and demographic, socioeconomic, healthcare, and environmental factors.

Results

Counties with the top quartile of Hispanic individuals had the lowest prevalence of obesity compared to counties at the bottom quartile (28.4 ± 3.6% vs. 32.7 ± 4.0%). There was a negative association between county‐level percentage of Hispanics and prevalence of obesity in unadjusted analyses that persisted after adjusting for all county‐level factors.

Conclusions

Counties with a higher percentage of Hispanics have lower levels of obesity, even after controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, healthcare, and environmental factors. More research is needed to elucidate why having more Hispanics in a county may be protective against county‐level obesity.
A comparative analysis of the abrasion wear characteristics of industrial wastes filled glass/polyester composites based on the design of experiment and neural network
Authors: Ray Subhrajit , Kumar Rout Arun , Kumar Sahoo Ashok
Published: October 2020

This article presents the abrasion wear behaviour of different industrial wastes filled glass/polyester composites. Two types of fillers such as fly ash and granite dust are chosen with different weight proportions along with polyester and glass fiber for fabricating the composite using hand layup route. Abrasion wear properties of the developed composites are studied in the dry sand abrasion wear test rig as per the ASTM‐G‐65 standard. The experiments were conducted based on Taguchi design. Between the two fillers, granite filled composite showed better abrasion resistance property as compared with fly ash. Normal load and filler content are found to be the most influential factor for the abrasion loss of the composites followed by abrading distance and sliding velocity. The results are predicted using neural network and also compared with the experimental and regression model data. Abraded surfaces are examined by the SEM to ascertain the different wear mechanisms responsible for abrasion loss of material.
Self‐Assembly of Surface‐Acylated Cellulose Nanowhiskers and Graphene Oxide for Multiresponsive Janus‐Like Films with Time‐Dependent Dry‐State Structures
Authors: Liu Huan , Pang Bo , Tang Qiyun , Müller Marcus , Zhang Hua , Dervişoğlu Riza , Zhang Kai
Published: October 2020

For the first time Janus‐like films of surface‐acylated cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs) with or without graphene oxide (GO) via one‐step evaporation‐driven self‐assembly process are reported, which have reconstructible time‐dependent micro‐/nanostructures and asymmetric wettability. The heterogeneous aggregation of CNWs on rough Teflon substrates favors the formation of uniform films, leading to hydrophobic smooth bottom surface. The homogeneous nucleation of residual CNWs in bulk suspensions promotes the growth of patchy microspheres with an average diameter of 22.7 ± 2.1 µm, which precipitate on the top surface leading to enhanced hydrophobicity. These patchy microspheres are thermoresponsive and vanish after heating at 60 °C within 1 min, while they are reconstructed at room temperature with time‐dependent evolving micro‐/nanostructures in dry state within 2 d. The thermoresponsive transition of patchy microparticles leads to accompanied switchable change between transparency and opacity of Janus‐like films. Furthermore, the incorporation of GO generates more patchy microspheres with an average diameter of 13.5 ± 1.3 µm on the top surface of hybrid Janus‐like films. Different distributions of CNWs and GO in Janus‐like films and the solvent‐responsive self‐assembled patchy microparticles of CNWs facilitate their reversible actuation by showing fast curling in THF within 6 s and flattening in water for at least 25 cycles.
Determination of fetal heart rate short‐term variation from umbilical artery Doppler waveforms
Authors: Cahill L. S. , Stortz G. , Ravi Chandran A. , Milligan N. , Shinar S. , Whitehead C. L. , Hobson S. R. , Millard S. , Macgowan C. K. , Kingdom J. C. , Sled J. G. , Baschat A. A.
Published: October 2020

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility of using umbilical artery (UA) Doppler waveforms to measure fetal heart rate (FHR) short‐term variation (STV) across gestation.

Methods

This was a prospective longitudinal study, conducted at two study sites, of 195 pregnancies considered low risk. Pulsed‐wave Doppler of the UAs was performed at 4‐weekly intervals, between 14 and 40 weeks of gestation, using a standardized imaging protocol. Up to 12 consecutive UA Doppler waveforms were analyzed using offline processing software. FHR STV was calculated using average R–R intervals extracted from the waveforms and baseline corrected for FHR.

Results

Baseline‐corrected FHR STV increased significantly with gestational age (conditional R2 = 0.37; P < 0.0001) and was correlated inversely with FHR (conditional R2 = 0.54; P < 0.0001). The STV ranged (median (interquartile range)) from 3.5 (2.9–4.1) ms at 14–20 weeks' gestation to 6.3 (4.8–7.7) ms at 34–40 weeks' gestation. The change in heart rate STV did not differ between study sites or individual sonographers.

Conclusions

UA Doppler waveforms offer a robust and feasible method to derive STV of the FHR. It should be emphasized that the UA Doppler‐derived STV is not interchangeable with measurements derived with computerized cardiotocography. Accordingly, further investigations are needed to validate associations with outcome, in order to determine the value of concurrent fetal cardiovascular and heart rate evaluations that are possible with the technique described here. © 2020 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Turn on Nanolight in a Tiny Gap
Authors: Kumagai Takashi
Published: October 2020

A new low‐temperature scanning tunneling microscopy technique with laser optics allows for optical excitation and spectroscopy at the level of a single atom or molecule.

Shape and material of the microscope's tip prove essential for these investigations; thus, the tip is produced with nanoscale precision by Focused Ion‐Beam milling. The localized surface plasmon properties of the tips are engineered by altering the tip structures providing spectral tunability. Local optical excitation is performed by a wavelength‐tunable laser source. This tip‐enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy provides a new approach for the atomic‐scale optical characterization of local electron‐phonon coupling and could ultimately lead to new nanoscale optoelectronic devices with exceptional high sensitivity and efficiency.
Heavy dark matter through the dilaton portal
Authors: Fuks Benjamin , Goodsell Mark D. , Kang Dong Woo , Ko Pyungwon , Lee Seung J. , Utsch Manuel
Published: October 2020

Abstract

We re-examine current and future constraints on a heavy dilaton coupled to a simple dark sector consisting of a Majorana fermion or a Stückelberg vector field. We include three different treatments of dilaton-Higgs mixing, paying particular attention to a gauge-invariant formulation of the model. Moreover, we also invite readers to re-examine effective field theories of vector dark matter, which we show are missing important terms. Along with the latest Higgs coupling data, heavy scalar search results, and dark matter density/direct detection constraints, we study the LHC bounds on the model and estimate the prospects of dark matter production at the future HL-LHC and 100 TeV FCC colliders. We additionally compute novel perturbative unitarity constraints involving vector dark matter, dilaton and gluon scattering.
Improving the clinical outcomes by extended culture of day 3 embryos with low blastomere number to blastocyst stage following frozen–thawed embryo transfer
Authors: Li Bo , Huang Jianlei , Li Li , He Xiao , Wang Ming , Zhang Hengde , He Yuping , Kang Bin , Shi Yongqian , Chen Shuqiang , Wang Xiaohong
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate whether the extended culture of day 3 (D3) embryos with low blastomere number to blastocyst following frozen–thawed embryo transfer improved the clinical outcomes.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of clinical data of women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles in the Tangdu Hospital. The patients were divided into groups with 4–5, 6, 7–9 and > 9 cells based on the blastomere number of D3 embryos. The clinical outcomes were compared.

Results

In fresh transfer cycles, the implantation and clinical pregnancy rates significantly decreased, while the abortion rate significantly increased in the groups with 4–5 and 6 cells compared with those with 7–9 and > 9 cells. In frozen–thawed transfer cycles, the clinical pregnancy and implantation rates for a single blastocyst transfer cycle showed no significant differences in the groups with 4–5 and 6 cells compared with those with 7–9 and > 9 cells. However, the abortion rate was significantly higher in the group with 4–5 cells than in that with 7–9 and > 9 cells. In the double blastocyst transfer cycle, the clinical pregnancy rate showed no significant differences among the groups with 4–5, 6, and 7–9 cells.

Conclusion

The implantation and clinical pregnancy rates of D3 embryos with 6 cells significantly decreased; these embryos were not considered as high-quality embryos. Extended culture of D3 embryos with ≤ 6 blastomeres to blastocysts, particularly 6-cell embryos, resulted in a similar clinical pregnancy rate as that of blastocysts derived from D3 embryos with ≥ 7 blastomeres.
Scaling exponents of step-reinforced random walks
Authors: Bertoin Jean
Published: October 2020

Let $$X_1, X_2, \ldots $$

X
1

,

X
2

,
…

be i.i.d. copies of some real random variable X. For any deterministic $$\varepsilon _2, \varepsilon _3, \ldots $$

ε
2

,

ε
3

,
…

in $$\{0,1\}$$

{
0
,
1
}

, a basic algorithm introduced by H.A. Simon yields a reinforced sequence $$\hat{X}_1, \hat{X}_2 , \ldots $$

X
^

1

,

X
^

2

,
…

as follows. If $$\varepsilon _n=0$$

ε
n

=
0

, then $$ \hat{X}_n$$

X
^

n

is a uniform random sample from $$\hat{X}_1, \ldots , \hat{X}_{n-1}$$

X
^

1

,
…
,

X
^

n
-
1

; otherwise $$ \hat{X}_n$$

X
^

n

is a new independent copy of X. The purpose of this work is to compare the scaling exponent of the usual random walk $$S(n)=X_1+\cdots + X_n$$

S

(
n
)

=

X
1

+
⋯
+

X
n

with that of its step reinforced version $$\hat{S}(n)=\hat{X}_1+\cdots + \hat{X}_n$$

S
^

(
n
)

=

X
^

1

+
⋯
+

X
^

n

. Depending on the tail of X and on asymptotic behavior of the sequence $$(\varepsilon _n)$$

(

ε
n

)

, we show that step reinforcement may speed up the walk, or at the contrary slow it down, or also does not affect the scaling exponent at all. Our motivation partly stems from the study of random walks with memory, notably the so-called elephant random walk and its variations.
Die Bedeutung der interdisziplinären Behandlung von vaskulären Anomalien im Kindesalter
Authors: Metzger Ulrike , Metzger Roman , Michel Armin-Johannes , Ardelean Mircia-Aurel , Prodinger Christine , Waldenberger Peter
Published: October 2020

Vaskuläre Anomalien gehören größtenteils zu den seltenen Erkrankungen. Sie werden in vaskuläre Tumoren und vaskuläre Malformationen eingeteilt.

Fallbesprechungen sind im Rahmen der Morbidity and Mortality Conferences (MMC) in den meisten Kliniken etabliert. Untersuchungen zeigen, dass die strukturierte Methodik einer Fallbesprechung die Wahrscheinlichkeit von möglichen Systemänderungen erhöht. Zudem kann durch die Interdisziplinarität die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer Umsetzung in einem Behandlungsplan erhöht werden. Die MMC sind jedoch stark darauf projiziert, dass ein Fehler oder ein drohender Fehler aufgetreten ist. Trotzdem sind die Erkenntnisse und guten Erfahrungen übertragbar. Im Bereich der seltenen Erkrankungen stehen nicht die Fehlervermeidung, sondern der Erfahrungsaustausch und die optimale Behandlung im Vordergrund. Aufgrund der Komplexität und Individualität des Einzelfalls sind Konsilien oder einzelne Face-to-face-Besprechungen häufig zu unsystematisch und die Meinungen der Experten zu divergent. Interdisziplinäre Fallkonferenzen bieten insbesondere für komplexe Fälle den Vorteil der Bündelung der Kompetenz und der Entwicklung von individuellen Behandlungskonzepten. Ziel ist die zeitnahe korrekte Diagnosestellung, die optimale und individuelle Behandlung und die umfassende Information von Patientinnen und Patienten, Eltern und Zuweiserinnen und Zuweisern. Patienten mit vaskulären Gefäßfehlbildungen und ihren Eltern sollte immer ein multidisziplinär besetztes Behandlungsteam mit Anschluss an eine überregionale Arbeitsgruppe (z. B. AIVA, die Österreichische Arbeitsgruppe für interdisziplinäre Behandlung Vaskulärer Anomalien) zur Verfügung stehen.
Zukunftsperspektiven des Nationalen Aktionsplans für seltene Erkrankungen
Authors: Voigtländer Till
Published: October 2020

Im Jahr 2008 wurde das Projekt Nationaler Aktionsplan für seltene Erkrankungen (NAP.se) mit einer Petition an das Gesundheitsministerium gestartet. Im Jahr 2020, 12 Jahre später, befinden wir uns mitten in der Umsetzung dieses Plans, der mittlerweile seinen Charakter hin zu einer längerfristigen Strategie gewechselt hat. Einen zentralen Schwerpunkt bildet dabei die Umsetzung des auf die besonderen Anforderungen Österreichs zugeschnittenen Drei-Stufen-Modells für spezialisierte Zentren für seltene Erkrankungen und der damit verbundene Anschluss an die 24 Europäischen Referenznetzwerke. Der nachfolgende Beitrag referiert zunächst den aktuellen Umsetzungsstand und skizziert dann in 3 Abschnitten die kurzfristigen, gesundheitspolitisch bereits abgesicherten, die mittelfristigen, in einer ersten politischen Diskussion befindlichen, und die langfristigen, teils noch vagen bzw. visionären und nicht politisch diskutierten, aber interessanten und in einzelnen europäischen Nachbarländern exemplarisch umgesetzten Zukunftsperspektiven bei der weiteren Umsetzung des NAP.se.
Publish or perish, but do not forget your software artifacts
Authors: Heumüller Robert , Nielebock Sebastian , Krüger Jacob , Ortmeier Frank
Published: October 2020

Open-science initiatives have gained substantial momentum in computer science, and particularly in software-engineering research. A critical aspect of open-science is the public availability of artifacts (e.g., tools), which facilitates the replication, reproduction, extension, and verification of results. While we experienced that many artifacts are not publicly available, we are not aware of empirical evidence supporting this subjective claim. In this article, we report an empirical study on software artifact papers (SAPs) published at the International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE), in which we investigated whether and how researchers have published their software artifacts, and whether this had scientific impact. Our dataset comprises 789 ICSE research track papers, including 604 SAPs (76.6 %), from the years 2007 to 2017. While showing a positive trend towards artifact availability, our results are still sobering. Even in 2017, only 58.5 % of the papers that stated to have developed a software artifact made that artifact publicly available. As we did find a small, but statistically significant, positive correlation between linking to artifacts in a paper and its scientific impact in terms of citations, we hope to motivate the research community to share more artifacts. With our insights, we aim to support the advancement of open science by discussing our results in the context of existing initiatives and guidelines. In particular, our findings advocate the need for clearly communicating artifacts and the use of non-commercial, persistent archives to provide replication packages.
Mothering, Albinism and Human Rights: The Disproportionate Impact of Health-Related Stigma in Tanzania
Authors: Reimer-Kirkham Sheryl , Astle Barbara , Ero Ikponwosa , Imafidon Elvis , Strobell Emma
Published: October 2020

In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, mothers impacted by the genetic condition of albinism, whether as mothers of children with albinism or themselves with albinism, are disproportionately impacted by a constellation of health-related stigma, social determinants of health (SDH), and human rights violations. In a critical ethnographic study in Tanzania, we engaged with the voices of mothers impacted by albinism and key stakeholders to elucidate experiences of stigma. Their narratives revealed internalized subjective stigma, social stigma such as being ostracized by family and community, and structural stigma on account of lack of access to SDH. An analysis of health systems as SDH revealed stigmatizing attitudes and behaviours of healthcare providers, especially at the time of birth; a lack of access to timely quality health services, in particular skin and eye care; and a lack of health-related education about the cause and care of albinism. Gender inequality as another SDH featured prominently as an amplifier of stigma. The findings pose implications for research, policy, and practice. A concrete avenue to de-stigmatization of mothers impacted by albinism exists by the application of principles of human rights, particularly equality and non-discrimination; contextual analysis of cultural dynamics including relevant ontology; meaningful participation of rights-claimants, such as peer groups of mothers; and accountability of governments and their obligation to ensure access to health information as a key social determinant of the right to health.
Computer-Based Classification of Preservice Physics Teachers’ Written Reflections
Authors: Wulff Peter , Buschhüter David , Westphal Andrea , Nowak Anna , Becker Lisa , Robalino Hugo , Stede Manfred , Borowski Andreas
Published: October 2020

Reflecting in written form on one’s teaching enactments has been considered a facilitator for teachers’ professional growth in university-based preservice teacher education. Writing a structured reflection can be facilitated through external feedback. However, researchers noted that feedback in preservice teacher education often relies on holistic, rather than more content-based, analytic feedback because educators oftentimes lack resources (e.g., time) to provide more analytic feedback. To overcome this impediment to feedback for written reflection, advances in computer technology can be of use. Hence, this study sought to utilize techniques of natural language processing and machine learning to train a computer-based classifier that classifies preservice physics teachers’ written reflections on their teaching enactments in a German university teacher education program. To do so, a reflection model was adapted to physics education. It was then tested to what extent the computer-based classifier could accurately classify the elements of the reflection model in segments of preservice physics teachers’ written reflections. Multinomial logistic regression using word count as a predictor was found to yield acceptable average human-computer agreement (F1-score on held-out test dataset of 0.56) so that it might fuel further development towards an automated feedback tool that supplements existing holistic feedback for written reflections with data-based, analytic feedback.
More Aboutness in Imagination
Authors: Badura Christopher
Published: October 2020

In Berto’s logic for aboutness in imagination, the output content of an imaginative episode must be part of the initial content of the episode (Berto, Philos Stud 175:1871–1886, 2018). This condition predicts expressions of perfectly legitimate imaginative episodes to be false. Thus, this condition is too strict. Relaxing the condition to correctly model these cases requires to consider a language with predicates and constants. The paper extends Berto’s semantics for aboutness in imagination to a semantics for such a language. The new semantics models contents of formulas along the lines of Hawke’s issue-based theory of topics (Hawke, Australas J Philos 96:697–723, 2017), while remaining faithful to the (in)validities discussed by Berto. Several relations between issues and topics are defined, which allow to overcome shortcomings of Hawke’s initial framework. These relations are then discussed with respect to their usefulness in the truth condition for the imagination operator.
HOTA: A Higher Order Metric for Evaluating Multi-object Tracking
Authors: Luiten Jonathon , Os̆ep Aljos̆a , Dendorfer Patrick , Torr Philip , Geiger Andreas , Leal-Taixé Laura , Leibe Bastian
Published: October 2020

Multi-object tracking (MOT) has been notoriously difficult to evaluate. Previous metrics overemphasize the importance of either detection or association. To address this, we present a novel MOT evaluation metric, higher order tracking accuracy (HOTA), which explicitly balances the effect of performing accurate detection, association and localization into a single unified metric for comparing trackers. HOTA decomposes into a family of sub-metrics which are able to evaluate each of five basic error types separately, which enables clear analysis of tracking performance. We evaluate the effectiveness of HOTA on the MOTChallenge benchmark, and show that it is able to capture important aspects of MOT performance not previously taken into account by established metrics. Furthermore, we show HOTA scores better align with human visual evaluation of tracking performance.
Reliability of the Turkish version of the European Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening (EUROSAS) questionnaire for drivers
Authors: Peker Yüksel , Ozaydin Ayse Nilüfer , Cetinkaya Ragip , Kabadayi Ekinsu , Karakucuk Alp Giray , Celik Yeliz , McNicholas Walter T.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The European Union Driver License Committee recently developed a questionnaire as a screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) named the European Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening (EUROSAS) questionnaire for drivers. We sought to address the reliability of the Turkish version of this questionnaire.

Methods

The EUROSAS was translated into Turkish. Using a “test-retest approach”, data were collected twice with a 15-day interval among 150 participants (50 professional male drivers [PMD], 50 non-professional male drivers [NPMD], and 50 non-professional female drivers [NPFD]). The EUROSAS score ranges between 2 and 25, with scores ≥ 10 suggesting the presence of OSA.

Results

The median EUROSAS scores in the first test were 8.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 6.8–12.0) in PMD, 8.0 (IQR 6.0–11.0) in NPMD, and 5.0 (IQR 4.0–8.0) in NPFD (p< 0.001). Corresponding values in the retest were 9.5 (IQR 7.0–13.0), 8.0 (IQR 6.0–10.0), and 5.0 (IQR 4.0–8.0), respectively (p< 0.001). The EUROSAS score ≥ 10 was found among 34% in the first test and 50% in the retest in PMD (ns), 34% vs 24% in NPMD (ns), and 8% vs 16% in NPFD (ns). There was a positive correlation between the tests (r= 0.864,p< 0.001), and Cronbach’s alpha value for the whole group was 0.477 (0.514 for PMD, 0.512 for NPMD, and 0.543 NPFD, respectively).

Conclusions

The EUROSAS–Turkish version is easy to understand and is reproducible. However, the test-retest reliability level is poor among the Turkish drivers. Further validation of the questionnaire by objective sleep studies and fitness-to-drive testing is necessary.
Combined molecular and mathematical analysis of long noncoding RNAs expression in fine needle aspiration biopsies as novel tool for early diagnosis of thyroid cancer
Authors: Possieri C. , Locantore P. , Salis C. , Bacci L. , Aiello A. , Fadda G. , De Crea C. , Raffaelli M. , Bellantone R. , Grassi C. , Strigari L. , Farsetti A. , Pontecorvi A. , Nanni S.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

In presence of indeterminate lesions by fine needle aspiration (FNA), thyroid cancer cannot always be easily diagnosed by conventional cytology. As a consequence, unnecessary removal of thyroid gland is performed in patients without cancer based on the lack of optimized diagnostic criteria. Aim of this study is identifying a molecular profile based on long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) expression capable to discriminate between benign and malignant nodules.

Methods

Patients were subjected to surgery (n = 19) for cytologic suspicious thyroid nodules or to FNA biopsy (n = 135) for thyroid nodules suspicious at ultrasound. Three thyroid-specific genes (TG, TPO, and NIS), six cancer-associated lncRNAs (MALAT1, NEAT1, HOTAIR, H19, PVT1, MEG3), and two housekeeping genes (GAPDH and P0) were analyzed using Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR).

Results

Based on higher co-expression in malignant (n = 11) but not in benign (n = 8) nodules after surgery, MALAT1, PVT1 and HOTAIR were selected as putative cancer biomarkers to analyze 135 FNA samples. Cytological and histopathological data from a subset of FNA patients (n = 34) were used to define a predictive algorithm based on a Naïve Bayes classifier using co-expression of MALAT1, PVT1, HOTAIR, and cytological class. This classifier exhibited a significant separation capability between malignant and benign nodules (P < 0.0001) as well as both rule in and rule out test potential with an accuracy of 94.12% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 91.67%.

Conclusions

ddPCR analysis of selected lncRNAs in FNA biopsies appears a suitable molecular tool with the potential of improving diagnostic accuracy.
A new approach combining forensic thresholds and a multiple-tubes approach to unravel false microsatellite profiles from cross-contaminated sample material
Authors: Mäck Kathrin , Scharbert Andreas , Schulz Ralf , Sahm René
Published: October 2020

Contamination and degradation are known challenges for reliable genotyping, since they can cause, among other problems, false microsatellite profiles. In this study we described a method to decrease the proportion of false microsatellite profiles from fish scale samples of endangered allis shads (Alosa alosa) from a reintroduction program, where cross-contamination with DNA from other individuals and potentially degradation of samples occurred. To maximize the portion of reliably measurable results, we modified and combined two known approaches—thresholds used in forensic DNA analyses and a multiple-tubes approach. This combined approach increased reliable microsatellite profiles compared with single approaches. The forensic thresholds and the multiple-tubes approach increased the measurable results from 55 to 67% and 75%, respectively, whereas the combined approach accomplished an increase to 90%. This illustrates the potential of the combined approach for other studies with comparable problems or sample material.
Heinz-type mean curvature estimates in Lorentz-Minkowski space
Authors: Honda Atsufumi , Kawakami Yu , Koiso Miyuki , Tori Syunsuke
Published: October 2020

We provide a unified description of Heinz-type mean curvature estimates under an assumption on the gradient bound for space-like graphs and time-like graphs in the Lorentz-Minkowski space. As a corollary, we give a unified vanishing theorem of mean curvature for these entire graphs of constant mean curvature.
GCNEXT: graph convolutional network with expanded balance theory for fraudulent user detection
Authors: Kudo Wataru , Nishiguchi Mao , Toriumi Fujio
Published: October 2020

Rating platforms provide users with useful information on products or other users. However, fake ratings are sometimes generated by fraudulent users. In this paper, we tackle the task of fraudulent user detection on rating platforms. We propose GCNEXT (Graph Convolutional Network with Expended Balance Theory), an end-to-end framework based on graph convolutional networks (GCNs) and expanded balance theory, which properly incorporates both the signs and directions of edges. The experimental results on seven real-world datasets show that the proposed framework performs better, or even best, in most settings. In particular, this framework shows remarkable stability in inductive settings, which is associated with the detection of new fraudulent users on rating platforms. Furthermore, using expanded balance theory, we provide new insight into the behavior of users in rating networks that fraudulent users form a faction to deal with the negative ratings from other users. The owner of a rating platform can detect fraudulent users earlier and constantly provide users with more credible information by using the proposed framework.
Perception of Disasters and Land Reclamation in an Informal Settlement on Reclaimed Land: Case of the BASECO Compound, Manila, the Philippines
Authors: Valenzuela Ven Paolo Bruno , Esteban Miguel , Onuki Motoharu
Published: October 2020

Southeast Asia’s coastal urban areas continue to grow, with land reclamation fast becoming an important option for megacities to address issues of economic growth and increasing population density. Experts are divided over the advantages and disadvantages of land reclamation, though this process continues unabated, exposing settlements to coastal hazards. The Bataan Shipping and Engineering Company (BASECO) compound is an informal settlement on reclaimed land in Manila, the Philippines. How informal coastal settlements view disaster risk and their more pressing socioeconomic needs is crucial to understanding the potentials and repercussions of land reclamation. Using a topographic survey, a questionnaire survey, and the protective action decision model, this study explored the perception of disasters and land reclamation of informal settlers who are living on reclaimed land. The study found that people are aware of disaster risks, but are more concerned with everyday needs. They are divided on the issue of further land reclamation. Residents on the original non-reclaimed land view it as a coastal defense, while those on reclaimed land fear potential eviction. Despite this, all locations in the community are concerned with the loss of jobs, economic opportunities, and eviction, rather than potential disasters.