bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Favorable long-term outcome in young adults undergoing surgery for lumbar disc herniation
Authors: Roiha Miika , Marjamaa Johan , Siironen Jari , Koski-Palkén Anniina
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the long-term outcome after surgery for lumbar disc herniation in a young adult population.

Methods

A total of 526 consecutive patients between 18 and 40 years of age who underwent surgery for lumbar disc between 1990 and 2005 were included in the study. The primary outcomes were the need for new lumbar spine surgery during the follow-up and secondary outcomes were short-term subjective outcome, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score, and the ability to carry out employment at the end of the long-term follow-up.

Results

A total of 96% of the patients had a reduction in their symptoms at the clinical follow-up (median of 50 days post-surgery). Twenty-one patients (4.0%) had a reoperation within 28 days. Excluding these early reoperations, 136 patients (26%) had additional lumbar spine surgery and 18 patients (3.4%) underwent lumbar fusion during the follow-up of median 18 years. The annual risk for new surgery was 1.4%. In total, 316 patients (60%) returned the ODI questionnaire, and their mean score was 8.1. Patients with a higher number of additional lumbar spine surgeries (p < 0.001) reported deteriorating ODI scores.

Conclusion

Patients showed excellent short-term recovery from their symptoms. In the long term, the mean ODI score for the patients was comparable to the normative population. However, a notable proportion of the patients required additional lumbar surgery during the follow-up period, and a higher number of lumbar surgeries was associated with poor ODI scores.
Obsessive–compulsive symptoms in ACTG1-associated Baraitser-Winter cerebrofrontofacial syndrome
Authors: Göbel Theresa , Berninger Lea , Schlump Andrea , Feige Bernd , Runge Kimon , Nickel Kathrin , Schiele Miriam A. , van Elst Ludger Tebartz , Hotz Alrun , Alter Svenja , Domschke Katharina , Tzschach Andreas , Endres Dominique
Published: October 2022

Symptoms of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) may rarely occur in the context of genetic syndromes. So far, an association between obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCS) and ACTG1-associated Baraitser-Winter cerebrofrontofacial syndrome has not been described as yet. A thoroughly phenotyped patient with OCS and ACTG1-associated Baraitser-Winter cerebrofrontofacial syndrome is presented. The 25-year-old male patient was admitted to in-patient psychiatric care due to OCD. A whole-exome sequencing analysis was initiated as the patient also showed an autistic personality structure, below average intelligence measures, craniofacial dysmorphia signs, sensorineural hearing loss, and sinus cavernoma as well as subtle cardiac and ophthalmological alterations. The diagnosis of Baraitser-Winter cerebrofrontofacial syndrome type 2 was confirmed by the detection of a heterozygous likely pathogenic variant in the ACTG1 gene [c.1003C > T; p.(Arg335Cys), ACMG class 4]. The automated analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed changes in the orbitofrontal, parietal, and occipital cortex of both sides and in the right mesiotemporal cortex. Electroencephalography (EEG) revealed intermittent rhythmic delta activity in the occipital and right temporal areas. Right mesiotemporal MRI and EEG alterations could be caused by a small brain parenchymal defect with hemosiderin deposits after a cavernomectomy. This paradigmatic case provides evidence of syndromic OCS in ACTG1-associated Baraitser-Winter cerebrofrontofacial syndrome. The MRI findings are compatible with a dysfunction of the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical loops involved in OCD. If a common pathophysiology is confirmed in future studies, corresponding patients with Baraitser-Winter cerebrofrontofacial syndrome type 2 should be screened for OCS. The association may also contribute to a better understanding of OCD pathophysiology.
Assessment of trends in an integrated climate metric—analysis of 200 mbar zonal wind for the period 1958–2021
Authors: Wan Nenghan , Lin Xiaomao , Pielke Roger A.
Published: October 2022

Using two reanalysis datasets on latitude bands of nearly equal area, we analyze the trend of 200 mbar zonal wind anomalies for the period 1958–2021 as well as annual-mean latitude of the zonal mean jet stream. We do not find much change of 200 mbar zonal wind in both two datasets although the increasing trend over the high latitude bands from 45 to 61°S for both datasets, and the decreasing trend in 0–5°N and 0–10°S for ERA5 are significant with small magnitudes. In addition, the polar jet core moves poleward in the Northern Hemisphere, but the movement is not statistically significant, while no poleward shift at all has occurred in the Southern Hemisphere. This work provides us a way to look for the long-term changes and variability in atmospheric circulation.
The emerging digital infrastructure for research in the humanities
Authors: Waters Donald J.
Published: October 2022

This article advances the thesis that three decades of investments by national and international funders, combined with those of scholars, technologists, librarians, archivists, and their institutions, have resulted in a digital infrastructure in the humanities that is now capable of supporting end-to-end research workflows. The article refers to key developments in the epigraphy and paleography of the premodern period. It draws primarily on work in classical studies but also highlights related work in the adjacent disciplines of Egyptology, ancient Near East studies, and medieval studies. The argument makes a case that much has been achieved but it does not declare “mission accomplished.” The capabilities of the infrastructure remain unevenly distributed within and across disciplines, institutions, and regions. Moreover, the components, including the links between steps in the workflow, are generally far from user-friendly and seamless in operation. Because further refinements and additional capacities are still much needed, the article concludes with a discussion of key priorities for future work.
Assessment of the residential Finnish wolf population combines DNA captures, citizen observations and mortality data using a Bayesian state-space model
Authors: Mäntyniemi Samu , Helle Inari , Kojola Ilpo
Published: October 2022

Assessment of the Finnish wolf population relies on multiple sources of information. This paper describes how Bayesian inference is used to pool the information contained in different data sets (point observations, non-invasive genetics, known mortalities) for the estimation of the number of territories occupied by family packs and pairs. The output of the assessment model is a joint probability distribution, which describes current knowledge about the number of wolves within each territory. The joint distribution can be used to derive probability distributions for the total number of wolves in all territories and for the pack status within each territory. Most of the data set comprises of both voluntary-provided point observations and DNA samples provided by volunteers and research personnel. The new method reduces the role of expert judgement in the assessment process, providing increased transparency and repeatability.
Significance of abnormal blood coagulation in patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
Authors: Weinfurtner Christoph , Geissler Klaus
Published: October 2022

In a retrospective study, we analyzed the prevalence of subnormal prothrombin time (PT) values in 104 patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), their potential prognostic impact, and potential correlations with clinicolaboratory features. Reduced PT values (< 70%) were found in 45/104 (43%) patients. The median survival of patients with reduced PT values was significantly shorter than in patients with normal PT (19 vs. 49 months, p = 0.006). Patients with reduced PT had higher leukocyte counts, a higher proportion of circulating blast cells, and lower platelet counts. In patients for whom clinical information was available, there was no difference in the incidence of bleeding complications between patients with or without reduced PT. Our results show a high prevalence of plasmatic coagulation abnormalities in patients with CMML, which were associated with laboratory features of advanced disease. Moreover, subnormal PT values were identified as a new prognostic marker. Reduced PT values do not seem to have a clinical impact regarding bleeding complications.
Banking the Unbanked: Conceptualizing Success of the Business Correspondent Model
Authors: Goel Kanika , Bandara Wasana , Gable Guy
Published: October 2022

The Business Correspondent (BC) model is an IT-enabled business process outsourcing initiative to provide financial services to the unbanked. It is a complex banking system involving multiple actors, system elements and settings, intended to address financial exclusion. Given the BC-Model’s potentially significant role in economic sustainability, it is important to evaluate its success. Efforts to measure the success of the BC-Model have been limited to date; this paper therefore presents a conceptual framework of BC-Model-Success consisting of six dimensions- economic, strategic, technological, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and social, resulting from a three-phase study design. The relevance of the framework was empirically validated across four implementations of the BC-Model. The resulting framework provides strong theoretical foundations for understanding what BC model success is, for assisting practitioners with evaluating the success of the BC-Model and with identifying possible improvements, and for facilitating future research on the BC-Model.
Adaptive Algorithms for Meta-Induction
Authors: Ortner Ronald
Published: October 2022

Work in online learning traditionally considered induction-friendly (e.g. stochastic with a fixed distribution) and induction-hostile (adversarial) settings separately. While algorithms like Exp3 that have been developed for the adversarial setting are applicable to the stochastic setting as well, the guarantees that can be obtained are usually worse than those that are available for algorithms that are specifically designed for stochastic settings. Only recently, there is an increasing interest in algorithms that give (near-)optimal guarantees with respect to the underlying setting, even in case its nature is unknown to the learner. In this paper, we review various online learning algorithms that are able to adapt to the hardness of the underlying problem setting. While our focus lies on the application of adaptive algorithms as meta-inductive methods that combine given base methods, concerning theoretical properties we are also interested in guarantees that go beyond a comparison to the best fixed base learner.
Next Generation Sequencing for Potential Regulated Genes and Micro-RNAs of Early Growth Response-1 in the Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Tseng Yen-Chiang , Shu Chih-Wen , Chang Hui-Min , Lin Yi-Hsuan , Tseng Yen-Han , Hsu Han-Shui , Goan Yih-Gang , Tseng Ching-Jiunn
Published: October 2022

Esophageal cancer has a poor prognosis due to its aggressiveness and low survival rate. In Ease Asia, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) outnumbers esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). The ESCC patients still have high mortality despite modern surgical resection and neoadjuvant treatment. Determining patient and outcome prognostic factors is critical in ESCC treatment. In esophageal cancer, early growth response-1 (Egr-1) is a tumor suppressor gene, but the mechanism and associated genes are unknown. The study utilizes RNA interference method, the platform of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatics analysis to investigate the influences after the Egr-1 gene slicing on the ESCC cells. The heat maps of differentially expressed mRNA and microRNAs were analyzed using the algorithm, Burrows-Wheller Aligner. The study showed that the expression of 51 mRNA and 26 microRNAs have significant changes in ESCC cells after Egr-1 knockdown. The KEGG enrichment analysis linked Egr-1-regulated genes and microRNAs. Egr-1 interactions with these genes and microRNAs may be important in tumor progression. In conclusions, this study provided the transcriptome patterns and relating pathway analysis for Egr-1 knockdown in ESCC cells. The mRNA and microRNAs altered by Egr-1 gene silencing might provide key information in the treatment of ESCC.
Algorithms for rescheduling jobs with a LIFO buffer to minimize the weighted number of late jobs
Authors: Pferschy Ulrich , Resch Julia , Righini Giovanni
Published: October 2022

Rescheduling can help to improve the quality of a schedule with respect to an initially given sequence. In this paper, we consider the possibility of rescheduling jobs arriving for processing at a single machine under the following limitations: (a) jobs can only be moved toward the end of the schedule and not toward the front, and (b) when a job is taken out of the sequence, it is put on a buffer of limited capacity before being reinserted in its new position closer to the end of the sequence. The buffer is organized as a stack with a last-in/first-out policy. As an objective function, we consider the minimization of the weighted number of late jobs. For this NP-hard problem, we first provide two different integer linear programming (ILP) formulations. Furthermore, we develop a branch-and-bound algorithm with a branching rule based on the movement of jobs. Then a new pseudo-polynomial dynamic programming algorithm is presented which utilizes dominance criteria and an efficient handling of states. Our computational experiments with up to 100 jobs show that this algorithm performs remarkably well and can be seen as the current method of choice.
What I cannot do without you. Towards a truly embedded and embodied account of the socially extended mind
Authors: Candiotto Laura
Published: October 2022

Through a discussion of the socially extended mind, this paper advances the “not possible without principle” as an alternative to the social parity principle. By charging the social parity principle with reductionism about the social dimension of socially extended processes, the paper offers a new argumentative strategy for the socially extended mind that stresses its existential significance. The “not possible without principle” shows that not only is something more achieved through socially located processes of knowledge building, but also that, and more importantly, what is achieved is something that would not have been possible without social interaction. The social parity principle states that the result of an activity achieved via social interaction should be assumed functionally equivalent to a solitary investigation and is characterized by multiple realisability. Contrary to the social parity principle, the “not possible without principle” holds that the result would not have been achieved without the social interaction between (at least) two agents with specific existential needs. The socially extended mind never happens in a void. This means that the "not possible without" principle should be located in real-life, affectively charged, embodied experiences of skilful interactions between agents. This fundamental conceptual change via reference to the “existential necessity” that regulates socially extended processes is necessary in order to effectively lead the socially extended mind to a truly embedded and embodied account.
Dysfunktionales Erziehungsverhalten von Müttern und Vätern mit kleinen Kindern. Ergebnisse der Folgestudie Kinder in Deutschland – KiD 0–3
Authors: Liel Christoph , Seilbeck Carolin , Lux Ulrike , Lorenz Simon , Ulrich Susanne Marlene
Published: October 2022

Beide Eltern sind für die kindliche Sozialisation wesentlich, aber es ist wenig über Unterschiede und Beeinflussungen im Erziehungsverhalten von Müttern und Vätern bekannt.

Eltern von ein- bis sechsjährigen Kindern (n = 550) wurden zu psychosozialen Merkmalen und dysfunktionalem Erziehungsverhalten (Überreagieren, Feindseligkeit und Nachgiebigkeit) befragt. Mittels multipler Regression und Actor-Partner-Interdependence-Modell wurde der Einfluss von elterlichen, kindlichen und sozialen Merkmalen auf das Erziehungsverhalten von Müttern und Vätern unabhängig und abhängig voneinander untersucht.

Mütter berichteten im Mittel mehr überreagierendes und Väter mehr feindseliges bzw. nachgiebiges Erziehungsverhalten. Zusammenhänge zeigten sich für negative Emotionalität des Kindes mit allen Formen, für elterlichen Ärger mit Überreagieren bzw. Feindseligkeit und für Partnerschaftsunzufriedenheit mit Nachgiebigkeit. Unterschiede und Partnereffekte fielen schwach aus, z. B. mit einem komplementär gerichteten Einfluss von Überreagieren/Nachgiebigkeit von Vätern auf Nachgiebigkeit/Überreagieren der Mütter.

Zukünftige Forschung sollte somit die elterliche Interdependenz in Familien berücksichtigen.
Videobasierte Erfassung wissensbasierten Verarbeitens als Teilprozess der professionellen Unterrichtswahrnehmung – Analyse eines geschlossenen und offenen Verfahrens
Authors: Müller Madeleine M. , Gold Bernadette
Published: October 2022

Die professionelle Wahrnehmung als Erkennen und wissensbasiertes Analysieren relevanter Ereignisse und Situationen gilt als eine grundlegende Voraussetzung für das professionelle Handeln einer Lehrkraft. Zur Erfassung werden meist kontextualisierte Instrumente mit Videostimulus verwendet, welche sowohl geschlossene Erfassungsformate wie Ratingitems oder auch offene Erfassungsformate wie schriftliche Kommentierungen verwenden. Da die Zusammenhänge zwischen den Erfassungsformaten unter der Verwendung unterschiedlicher Videos in bisherigen Studien eher niedrig ausfallen, geht die vorliegende Querschnittsstudie (N = 309 Lehramtsstudierende des Bachelors und Masters) der Frage nach, inwiefern sich Zusammenhänge bei Verwendung eines identischen Videostimulus zeigen, und betrachtet Hinweise auf Konstrukt- und Kriteriumsvalidität der beiden Erfassungsformate. Zusammenfassend deuten niedrige bis moderate Zusammenhänge zwischen geschlossener und offener Erfassungsart zur Messung der professionellen Wahrnehmung darauf hin, dass nicht auf die Messung desselben Konstruktes geschlossen werden kann. Weiterhin zeigte sich kein eindeutiges Zusammenhangsmuster mit dem professionellen Wissen über Klassenführung, das für die Überlegenheit einer Erfassungsart sprach. Erwartungskonform konnten zwischen beiden Erfassungsformaten Gruppenunterschiede im Sinne der Kriteriumsvalidität identifiziert werden, wobei die geschlossene Erfassung zu Teilen sensitiver war.
Zur Unterscheidung von Tat- und Rechtsfragen bei der Begutachtung der Schuldfähigkeit
Authors: Lichtenthäler Sören
Published: October 2022

Aufgabe der forensischen Sachverständigen ist es, abstrakt gesagt, den sie beauftragenden Rechtsanwendern bestimmte Informationen zu vermitteln, die diese für ihre Entscheidungsfindung benötigen. Stellungnahmen zu Fragen des inländischen Rechts haben sie sich zu enthalten. Die Grenze der Aufgabenbereiche verläuft demnach entlang der Unterscheidung, was eine Tatsachenfrage und was eine Rechtsfrage ist. Diese wurde und wird in rechtstheoretischer Hinsicht aber als nicht unproblematisch erachtet (ihre Möglichkeit teilweise sogar geleugnet). Der folgende Beitrag geht deshalb zunächst der allgemeinen Frage nach, wie im Kontext des Sachverständigenbeweises zwischen Tat- und Rechtsfragen differenziert werden kann, wofür auf eine syllogistische Rekonstruktion des Rechtsanwendungsvorgangs zurückgegriffen wird. Sodann soll ein Augenmerk auf die besonderen Probleme gelegt werden, die die Unterscheidung im Zusammenhang mit Schuldfähigkeitsgutachten aufwirft. Dabei wird die These entwickelt, dass es bei der Beurteilung der Einsichts- und Steuerungsfähigkeit nicht um eine empirisch-naturwissenschaftliche, sondern um die praktisch-normative Frage geht, wem als einem (formell) vernünftigen Wesen zu begegnen ist und wem nicht, was die Aufgabenverteilung zwischen Rechtsanwender und Sachverständigem prekär erscheinen lässt.
How threatening are people with mental disability? it depends on the type of threat and the disability
Authors: Aubé Benoite , Rohmer Odile , Yzerbyt Vincent
Published: October 2022

There is clear evidence that people with mental disability suffer from discrimination at school, at work, and in society. Less is known about the psychological processes and perceptions that guide such behaviors and even less if these perceptions vary according to the type of disability. Our objective was to build on well-established social psychological models and investigate the perceptions (i.e., stereotypes, perceived threats, and emotions) of people towards different types of mental disability. Participants from two francophone countries completed a questionnaire measuring their perceptions towards 18 mental disabilities and their familiarity with disability (N = 560). As expected, results revealed heterogeneous perceptions across groups. Moreover, perceived threats mediated the link between the stereotype of warmth and emotions. Surprisingly, greater familiarity with mental disability went along with greater derogation. This research nuances the overly generalized perceptions often associated with mental disability. We discuss implications for the reduction of discrimination against people with mental disability.
The positive effects of combined breathing techniques and cold exposure on perceived stress: a randomised trial
Authors: Kopplin Cristopher Siegfried , Rosenthal Louisa
Published: October 2022

A pranayama-inspired breathing technique, cold exposure, and their combined application were assessed for their potential to reduce perceived stress in adults and compared to a control group. An experiment involving four groups was conducted, yielding separate cells for breathing technique-only and cold exposure-only, as well as a combined treatment and a control group. Eighty-six individuals participated in the study. Perceived stress is measured employing the 10-item version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the 20-item version of the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ). The instruments exhibit a substantial correlation (r = 0.842, p < 0.001). The combined group exhibited a medium to large positive effect on perceived stress compared to the control group. The breathing technique and cold exposure on their own were not found to yield substantial effects, indicating synergies between both exercises. Combinations of breathing techniques and cold exposure may be employed to decrease individuals’ perceived stress.
Identifying Gaps and Challenges in Global Pesticide Legislation that Impact the Protection of Consumer Health: Rice as a Case Study
Authors: Kubiak-Hardiman Patricia , Haughey Simon A. , Meneely Julie , Miller Sarah , Banerjee Kaushik , Elliott Christopher T.
Published: October 2022

With continued global population expansion, food production will have to increase with crops protected against the growing menace of pests, requiring the increased use of pesticides globally to ensure that agricultural production is optimised and remains economically viable. The aim of this systematic review was to perform an in-depth analysis of pesticide legislation, focusing on rice, to understand the gaps that exist in the harmonisation across different countries. Tricyclazole, carbendazim, thiamethoxam and acephate were considered as these received the highest numbers of RASFF notifications and alerts due to their presence in rice. Global differences in regulations cause trade issues, especially when developing countries use unauthorised pesticides or different MRLs. Discrepancies in the registration and regulation of sales were found to be a global problem. Sales of pesticides and resulting residues in developing countries that are banned in the EU or US is highly concerning. Evidence suggests farmers’ education regarding pesticide use and protection must be increased, particularly as climate change is impacting pesticide use patterns and their bio-efficacy. In conclusion, international pesticide regulations have been implemented to protect consumer health, the environment and facilitate international trade. However, the absence of national MRLs in some countries or non-alignments with Codex MRLs raise significant concerns regarding some pesticides in relation to the protection of consumer health and the use of mixtures versus single pesticides. Additionally, global differences in pesticide regulation highlight problems in trade, especially when developing countries use unauthorised pesticides or when MRLs are not in agreement.
Occupational (In)visibility: The emerging role of the Remote Education Tutor as an educational conduit
Authors: Peel K. L. , McLennan B. , Danaher P. A. , Burnett E.
Published: October 2022

Remote Education Tutors (RETs) are central to the delivery of distance schooling in Australia and are accountable for the face-to face supervision and educational support of students. They act as the government mandated adult supervisors of Australian primary and secondary school students enrolled in distance education, including geographically isolated learners. This paper draws on statistical data from a national survey (N = 575) that was designed to map the perceptions of Australian RETs. These data confirmed that RETs act as a conduit between the distance schooling teacher and student, and that their role requires complex capabilities to be performed within a structured framework. Time restrictions with competing demands present a constant challenge to the RETs’ work satisfaction. Constraining this occupation is the reality that there is no formal qualification available for RETs. Without specific credentialling, it appears that the RETs’ (in)visible role risks being overlooked as a substantive educational occupation.
Monitoring of anti-drug antibodies and disease-specific biomarkers in three patients from a Japanese Fabry family treated with enzyme replacement therapy
Authors: Kubota Takao , Tsukimura Takahiro , Shiga Tomoko , Togawa Tadayasu , Sakuraba Hitoshi
Published: October 2022

We monitored anti-drug antibodies and disease-specific biomarkers in three patients with a nonsense mutation from a Japanese Fabry family treated with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). In two male patients from the family, neutralizing anti-drug antibodies were induced at an early stage of ERT, the antibody titer peak being found at an earlier stage of ERT in the patient treated with 1.0 mg/kg agalsidase beta than in that treated with 0.2 mg/kg agalsidase alfa. Then, the antibody titers decreased with continuation of ERT. The formation of neutralizing anti-drug antibodies adversely affected the plasma globotriaosylsphingosine (Lyso-Gb3) level and urinary globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) excretion in both patients, the impact being greater in the patient treated with 0.2 mg/kg agalsidase alfa than in that treated with 1.0 mg/kg agalsidase beta. The difference might be explained by the different doses of the infused enzymes based on supersaturation of the antibodies. In a heterozygous Fabry female from the family, no sign of antibody formation was found, and both the plasma Lyso-Gb3 level and urinary Gb3 excretion, which were moderately increased at the baseline, decreased gradually. No deterioration of the manifestations or laboratory findings was observed during ERT in either of the patients. Thus, monitoring of anti-drug antibodies and biomarkers in these Fabry patients provided us with important information on their pathological condition during ERT.
On the problem of the dynamical reactions of a rolling wheelset to real track irregularities
Authors: True Hans , Christiansen Lasse Engbo , Plesner Andreas Lindhardt , Ammitzbøll Andreas Lønstrup , Dahl Bjørn Jerram
Published: October 2022

We investigate numerically the dynamical reactions of a moving wheelset model to real measured track irregularities. The background is to examine whether the dynamics are suitable as the input to the inverse problem: determine the true track geometry from measured wheelset dynamical reactions. It is known that the method works well for the vertical position of the rails but the computed lateral position is often flawed. We find that the lateral motion of the wheelset often may differ from the track geometry. The cases are investigated closely but the reasons remain unknown. While the wheelset dynamics reflect the larger (> 4–6 mm) aperiodic track disturbances and single large disturbances quite well, this does not seem to be the case for general smaller or periodic track irregularities or sections behind single large disturbances. The resulting dynamics of a wheelset to lateral track irregularities are in general not sufficiently accurate to be used as the basis for a description of the track irregularities.
Electron beam powder bed fusion manufacturing of a Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr alloy: a microstructure and mechanical properties’ correlation study
Authors: Hendl Julius , Marquardt Axel , Leyens Christoph
Published: October 2022

Electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) is a powder-bed fusion additive manufacturing process, which is suitable for fabricating high-performance parts for a wide range of industrial applications, such as medical and aerospace. Due to its deep curing capabilities, the metastable β-alloy Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr (Ti-5553) is currently mostly used in the landing gear of airplanes. However, its great mechanical properties make it also attractive for small, complex, and load-bearing components. In this study, nine melting parameter sets, combining different scanning speeds and beam currents, were used in the EB-PBF ARCAM A2X system. Furthermore, the correlation between the microstructure and the mechanical properties was investigated and analyzed by applying µ-focus computer tomography and microscopic methods (optical, SEM/EDS). A significant influence of the different melting parameters on the microstructure as well as on the mechanical performance was found. In a subsequent step, three melting parameters were selected and the specimens were heat-treated (BASCA, STA) for further investigation. The experimental results of this work indicate that Ti-5553 parts can be manufactured successfully with high quality (ρ > 99.60%), and post-processing heat-treatments can be used to modify the microstructure in such a way that the parts are suitable for a large variety of possible applications.
Goal-based outcomes of hospitalisation of older adults are predicted by gender, confidence, quality of life and type of goals
Authors: van der Kluit Maria Johanna , Tent Sanne , Dijkstra Geke J. , de Rooij Sophia E.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Although patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) might reflect relevant outcomes from patient perspective, they do not always reflect what the individual patient finds important. Our objectives were to assess which PROM was best suited to evaluate patient-relevant outcomes of hospitalisation and to assess which factors predicted this PROM.

Methods

A longitudinal study was conducted among hospitalised older patients. Three PROMs were compared with the anchor question ‘How much have you benefited from the admission?’: a general quality of life measure: EQ-5D; a measure of daily functioning: Katz-15 and a goal-based measure: achievement of self-defined goals. Predictors were examined using logistic regression analyses.

Results

We had 185 cases with baseline and follow-up. Accomplishment of self-defined goals showed a large correlation with the anchor question, whereas EQ-5D and Katz-15 showed no significant correlations. The final regression model had four predictors: being man, having higher confidence in goal achievement and good/excellent quality of life increased the odds for goal accomplishment, while having goals in the category alleviating complaints reduced the odds.

Conclusion

Accomplishment of individual goals represented the benefit experienced by participants best. Subjective indicators of health and functioning are better predictors of goal accomplishment than objective ones. According to participant experience, the hospital appeared successful in managing disease-specific problems, but less successful in ameliorating complaints. Medical decision-making should not only be based on medical indicators, but the input of the patient is at least as important. Quality of life, goals and confidence should be discussed. More attention is needed for symptom experience.
Exploring New Computational Strategies for Managing Maintenance Activities of Airport Pavement Systems
Authors: Ragusa Eliana , Costa Antonio , Di Graziano Alessandro
Published: October 2022

In this paper, the optimization of the maintenance management problem regarding airport pavements is addressed by developing a series of fast computational procedures whose rationales pursue both practical and economical objectives. Particularly, the study involves the design of five new heuristic algorithms replicating different management strategies that can be undertaken by the airport managers in a certain time horizon for reducing the pavement maintenance costs while considering the impact on the service level of the airport. Each algorithm works on the basis of a preliminary computational framework that has a twofold scope: (i) selecting the pavement portions to be maintained during the provided time horizon. (ii) using a K-means method based on three well-known performance indicators, which, namely, are Residual Life (RL), International Roughness Index (IRI) and Pavement Condition Index (PCI), to group the selected portions into homogenous clusters named work-zones. To evaluate the effectiveness and the efficiency of the proposed optimization algorithms in coping with the maintenance programming problem under investigation, an extended design of experiments based on international airport regulations has been arranged. The obtained numerical results revealed that no single strategy can be selected as the most performing in terms of cost and quality conditions of the pavements. To make robust the numerical results, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to evaluate the influence of the total cost of maintenance on runway length and number of sections. However, the results obtained in this study provide a series of managerial implications, further expanding the research contribution.
Comparison of three modelling frameworks for aquatic ecosystems: practical aspects and applicability
Authors: Patonai Katalin , Fábián Virág Adrienn
Published: October 2022

Freshwater ecosystems are under multiple stressors and it is crucial to find methods to better describe, manage, and sustain aquatic ecosystems. Ecosystem modelling has become an important tool in integrating trophic relationships into food webs, assessing important nodes using network analysis, and making predictions via simulations. Fortunately, several modelling techniques exist, but the question is which approach is relevant and applicable when? In this study, we compare three modelling frameworks (Ecopath, Loop Analysis in R, STELLA software) using a case study of a small aquatic network (8 nodes). The choice of framework depends on the research question and data availability. We approach this topic from a methodological aspect by describing the data requirements and by comparing the applicability and limitations of each modelling approach. Each modelling framework has its specific focus, but some functionalities and outcomes can be compared. The predictions of Loop Analysis as compared to Ecopath’s Mixed Trophic Impact plot are in good agreement at the top and bottom trophic levels, but the middle trophic levels are less similar. This suggests that further comparisons are needed of networks of varying resolution and size. Generally, when data are limiting, Loop Analysis can provide qualitative predictions, while the other two methods provide quantitative results, yet rely on more data.
Comparison of computational algorithms for simulating an electrospray plume with a n-body approach
Authors: Hampl Sebastian K. , Waggoner Marshall T. , Gallud Cidoncha Ximo , Petro Elaine M. , Lozano Paulo C.
Published: October 2022

In order to better evaluate the trade-offs between different simulation options for an electrospray thruster plume, we have developed a multi-scale n-body code to compute the evolution of a single emitter electrospray plume in the pure ionic regime. The electrostatic force computations in the simulation are captured through the use of three different computational algorithms with various degrees of approximation. The results of the simulations for a simple test case are compared in terms of computational speed and accuracy. The test case utilizes a single operating point (323nA) for a stable meniscus solution for the ionic liquid EMI-BF4 firing in the positive pure ion mode. Complex species and probabilistic fragmentation processes are neglected. An overview is provided of the trade-off between accuracy and computational speed for the three algorithms in the context of simulating the electrostatic interactions between particles. For a large number of particles, the faster algorithms show a significant reduction in computational time while maintaining a high level of accuracy with a proper choice of tuning parameters.
SOPHIE: Generative Neural Networks Separate Common and Specific Transcriptional Responses
Authors: Lee Alexandra J. , Mould Dallas L. , Crawford Jake , Hu Dongbo , Powers Rani K. , Doing Georgia , Costello James C. , Hogan Deborah A. , Greene Casey S.
Published: October 2022

Genome-wide transcriptome profiling identifies genes that are prone to differential expression (DE) across contexts, as well as genes with changes specific to the experimental manipulation. Distinguishing genes that are specifically changed in a context of interest from common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) allows more efficient prediction of which genes are specific to a given biological process under scrutiny. Currently, common DEGs or pathways can only be identified through the laborious manual curation of experiments, an inordinately time-consuming endeavor. Here we pioneer an approach, Specific cOntext Pattern Highlighting In Expression data (SOPHIE), for distinguishing between common and specific transcriptional patterns using a generative neural network to create a background set of experiments from which a null distribution of gene and pathway changes can be generated. We apply SOPHIE to diverse datasets including those from human, human cancer, and bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. SOPHIE identifies common DEGs in concordance with previously described, manually and systematically determined common DEGs. Further molecular validation indicates that SOPHIE detects highly specific but low-magnitude biologically relevant transcriptional changes. SOPHIE’s measure of specificity can complement log2 fold change values generated from traditional DE analyses. For example, by filtering the set of DEGs, one can identify genes that are specifically relevant to the experimental condition of interest. Consequently, these results can inform future research directions. All scripts used in these analyses are available at https://github.com/greenelab/generic-expression-patterns. Users can access https://github.com/greenelab/sophie to run SOPHIE on their own data.
P001: Botulinum Toxin Therapy for Adductor Dysphonia: Dose Efficacy in an Eleven‐Year Experience
Authors: Leight William D , Das Subinoy , Palmer Owen P , Weissler Mark C
Published: October 2022

The scientific posters provide an opportunity for visual presentation of charts, drawings, and photographs, supplemented with 1 or 2 pages of text. Authors will post the times they will be available for questions. The posters will be available Sunday to Tuesday, September 21–23, from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm in Hall A4 of the Orange County Convention Center.
Beyond 'plata o plomo'
Authors: Duncan Gustavo
Published: October 2022

This Element introduces the concept of oligopoly of coercion to interpretate the interaction between drug trafficking and reconfiguration of the state in Colombia. Three elements are central to this interpretation: corruption in oligopolies of coercion must be understood as a payment by drug traffickers for acting like a parallel state; the state criminalizes more drug as merchandise than drug as capital – its equivalent in money; the politics and war around drug trafficking in Colombia should be understood as the way in which peripheral societies access global markets through the ruling institutions of private armies. With these elements, the author focuses on the dynamics of the reconfiguration of the state in Colombia after the cocaine boom in the mid-70s and the evolution of the private armies in Colombia.
The Politics of the Dead in Zimbabwe, 2000-2020
Authors: Fontein Joost
Published: October 2022

Innovative and challenging study that provides fresh insights on the anthropology of death and postcolonial politics.
Namib
Authors: Kinahan John
Published: October 2022

The first full-length examination of the archaeology and history of the Namib Desert.
Kinship in Old Norse Myth and Legend
Authors: Olley Katherine Marie
Published: October 2022

This wide-ranging study offers a new understanding of Old Norse kinship in which the individual self was expanded to encompass its kin.
Bay salt in seventeenth-century meat preservation: how ethnomicrobiology and experimental archaeology help us understand historical tastes
Authors: Tsai Grace E. , Anderson Robin C. , Kotzur Jackie , Davila Erika , McQuitty John , Nelson Emelie
Published: October 2022

‘Sea salt is made by boiling and evaporating sea water over the fire. Bay salt, by evaporating sea water, in pits clayed on the inside, by the heat of the sun. Basket salt is made by boiling away the water of salt springs over the fire. Rock salt is dug out of the ground’, wrote Charlotte Mason in The Lady's Assistant (1775), one of the most comprehensive eighteenth-century cookbooks. Although there were at least four variations of salt before the pre-industrial era, several historical recipes specified the use of bay salt (solar salt) for meat preservation, elevating its cultural status and implying that early modern actors had a refined understanding of salts, their tastes and their applications. This study uses scientific analysis to determine whether there is a biological or chemical basis for the superior reputation of bay salt for curing. Laboratory data suggest that bay salt contains microbes that produce nitrate and nitrite, which give the meat a more favourable taste and pleasant aesthetic. The authors thus demonstrate that combining insights from experimental archaeology with textual analysis of historical sources gives us a deeper understanding of historical uses of taste as an epistemic tool.
Hope Amid Crisis: Normative Ambiguity, the Middle Class, and Investment Fraud in 2000s Venezuela
Authors: Leslie Camilo Arturo
Published: October 2022

Studies of futurity typically privilege licit economies and assume that the lines between licit and illicit institutions are largely clear to the actors involved. But what happens to those actors, and their grip on the future, when such lines blur? This article explores the epistemic crossroads of futurity and legality by focusing on ambiguity. From 1986 to 2009, the Stanford Financial Group reaped billions of dollars selling fraudulent investment products to thousands of Venezuelans. During this span, Venezuelans suffered successive governments’ shambolic currency schemes, bureaucratic dysfunction, judicial corruption, political upheaval, and worsening street crime. As crises became routinized, middle-class Venezuelans faced “normative ambiguity,” a loss of familiar legal and moral certainties, undercutting their sense of futurity. Drawing on 54 interviews with defrauded investors and others linked to the case, this article shows how such ambiguity left investors vulnerable to a fraud that promised to restore that threatened futurity.
How Minimum Sentences Benefit Offenders—The Case of Suspended Sentences
Authors: Gazal-Ayal Oren , Emmanuel Nevine
Published: October 2022

Legislatures often require a specific or minimal sentence be imposed if certain conditions are fulfilled. This study shows how such rules might benefit defendants. Israeli law requires that a suspended prison sentence be activated if the offender is reconvicted of a further offense during the term of suspension. Hence, the suspended sentence becomes a sort of minimum sentence for a breach offense. Yet judges are allowed to prolong the suspended term if, among other things, the breach offense is minor and hence does not result in a prison sentence. Using propensity score matching to analyze a rich database of magistrate court cases, we find that courts use the exception much more often than expected and, more importantly, that judges refrain from sentencing breaching defendants to prison, even if the breach offense justifies imprisonment, in order to circumvent the requirement to activate the suspended sentence. Moreover, for severe offenses, courts are less likely to sentence an offender to prison if the offender is in breach of a suspended sentence, compared to a similar offender who is not in such breach. For such offenses, being in breach of a suspended sentence reduces the likelihood of a prison sentence. For some offenders, the suspended sentence thus becomes a benefit rather than a punishment.
Explaining women's political underrepresentation in democracies with high levels of corruption
Authors: Erlich Aaron , Beauvais Edana
Published: October 2022

Many democracies with high levels of corruption are also characterized by low levels of women's political representation. Do women candidates in democracies with high levels of corruption face overt voter discrimination? Do gender dynamics that are unique to highly corrupt, democratic contexts influence citizens’ willingness to vote for women? We answer these questions using two separate sets of experiments conducted in Ukraine: two vignette experiments and a conjoint analysis. In line with existing cross-sectional research on Ukraine, our experiments reveal little evidence of direct voter bias against women candidates. Our conjoint analysis also offers novel insights into the preferences of Ukrainian voters, showing that both men and women voters place a great deal of value in anti-corruption platforms, but voters are just as likely to support women and men candidates who say they will fight corruption. Our analysis suggests that women's political underrepresentation in highly corrupt contexts is driven more by barriers that prevent women from winning party nominations and running for office in the first place, rather than overt discrimination at the polls.
A predicted developmental and evolutionary morphospace for grapevine leaves
Authors: Chitwood Daniel H. , Mullins Joey
Published: October 2022

Using conventional statistical approaches there exist powerful methods to classify shapes. Embedded in morphospaces is information that allows us to visualise theoretical leaves. These unmeasured leaves are never considered nor how the negative morphospace can inform us about the forces responsible for shaping leaf morphology. Here, we model leaf shape using an allometric indicator of leaf size, the ratio of vein to blade areas. The borders of the observable morphospace are restricted by constraints and define an orthogonal grid of developmental and evolutionary effects which can predict the shapes of possible grapevine leaves. Leaves in the genus Vitis are found to fully occupy morphospace available to them. From this morphospace, we predict the developmental and evolutionary shapes of grapevine leaves that are not only possible, but exist, and argue that rather than explaining leaf shape in terms of discrete nodes or species, that a continuous model is more appropriate.