bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Bayesian stochastic generator to complement existing climate change scenarios: supporting uncertainty quantification in marine and coastal ecosystems
Authors: Mészáros Lőrinc , van der Meulen Frank , Jongbloed Geurt , El Serafy Ghada
Published: November 2020

Available climate change projections, which can be used for quantifying future changes in marine and coastal ecosystems, usually consist of a few scenarios. Studies addressing ecological impacts of climate change often make use of a low- (RCP2.6), moderate- (RCP4.5) or high climate scenario (RCP8.5), without taking into account further uncertainties in these scenarios. In this research a methodology is proposed to generate further synthetic scenarios, based on existing datasets, for a better representation of climate change induced uncertainties. The methodology builds on Regional Climate Model scenarios provided by the EURO-CORDEX experiment. In order to generate new realizations of climate variables, such as radiation or temperature, a hierarchical Bayesian model is developed. In addition, a parameterized time series model is introduced, which includes a linear trend component, a seasonal shape with varying amplitude and time shift, and an additive residual term. The seasonal shape is derived with the non-parametric locally weighted scatterplot smoothing, and the residual term includes the smoothed variance of residuals and independent and identically distributed noise. The distributions of the time series model parameters are estimated through Bayesian parameter inference with Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling (Gibbs sampler). By sampling from the predictive distribution numerous new statistically representative synthetic scenarios can be generated including uncertainty estimates. As a demonstration case, utilizing these generated synthetic scenarios and a physically based ecological model (Delft3D-WAQ) that relates climate variables to ecosystem variables, a probabilistic simulation is conducted to further propagate the climate change induced uncertainties to marine and coastal ecosystem indicators.
The use of remote sensing to derive maize sowing dates for large-scale crop yield simulations
Authors: Rezaei Ehsan Eyshi , Ghazaryan Gohar , González Javier , Cornish Natalie , Dubovyk Olena , Siebert Stefan
Published: November 2020

One of the major sources of uncertainty in large-scale crop modeling is the lack of information capturing the spatiotemporal variability of crop sowing dates. Remote sensing can contribute to reducing such uncertainties by providing essential spatial and temporal information to crop models and improving the accuracy of yield predictions. However, little is known about the impacts of the differences in crop sowing dates estimated by using remote sensing (RS) and other established methods, the uncertainties introduced by the thresholds used in these methods, and the sensitivity of simulated crop yields to these uncertainties in crop sowing dates. In the present study, we performed a systematic sensitivity analysis using various scenarios. The LINTUL-5 crop model implemented in the SIMPLACE modeling platform was applied during the period 2001–2016 to simulate maize yields across four provinces in South Africa using previously defined scenarios of sowing dates. As expected, the selected methodology and the selected threshold considerably influenced the estimated sowing dates (up to 51 days) and resulted in differences in the long-term mean maize yield reaching up to 1.7 t ha−1 (48% of the mean yield) at the province level. Using RS-derived sowing date estimations resulted in a better representation of the yield variability in space and time since the use of RS information not only relies on precipitation but also captures the impacts of socioeconomic factors on the sowing decision, particularly for smallholder farmers. The model was not able to reproduce the observed yield anomalies in Free State (Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.16 to 0.23) and Mpumalanga (Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.11 to 0.18) in South Africa when using fixed and precipitation rule-based sowing date estimations. Further research with high-resolution climate and soil data and ground-based observations is required to better understand the sources of the uncertainties in RS information and to test whether the results presented herein can be generalized among crop models with different levels of complexity and across distinct field crops.
Mandrills learn two-day time intervals in a naturalistic foraging situation
Authors: Ozturk Kavel C. D. , Egas Martijn , Janmaat Karline R. L.
Published: November 2020

Primates display high efficiency in finding food in complex environments. Knowledge that many plant species produce fruit simultaneously, can help primates to anticipate fruit finding at the start of fruiting seasons. Knowledge of elapsed time can help primates decide when to revisit food trees to find ripened fruit and to return before competitors find these fruits. To investigate whether mandrills are able to learn time intervals of recurring food, we recorded the foraging choices of captive mandrills in a group setting. We used a procedure with renewable food rewards that could be searched for: carrots and grapes, hidden underground in specific places with different renewal intervals (2 and 5 days, respectively). We monitored the first choice of location for individuals, if other individuals had not already searched at the same location, to exclude possible effects of individuals following others rather than relying on memory. Throughout the study, the mandrills became increasingly likely to first search at carrot locations on carrot days, while the probability of them searching at carrot locations decreased on days without carrot. Due to model instability, our results were inconclusive about an effect of grape days on the choice of the mandrills. Cues provided by conspecifics indicating the availability of simultaneously emerging food rewards did not affect the choice of the mandrills. We conclude that mandrills can take into account elapsed time in a foraging context. Thereby, this study indicates how mandrills can use temporal cognitive abilities to overcome temporal challenges of food-finding in a group setting.
leafkin—An R package for automated kinematic data analysis of monocot leaves
Authors: Bertels Jonas , Beemster Gerrit T.S.
Published: November 2020

Growth is one of the most studied plant responses. At the cellular level, plant growth is driven by cell division and cell expansion. A means to quantify these two cellular processes is through kinematic analysis, a methodology that has been developed and perfected over the past decades, with in-depth descriptions of the methodology available. Unfortunately, after performing the lab work, researchers are required to perform time-consuming, repetitive and error-prone calculations. To lower the barrier towards this final step in the analysis and to aid researchers currently applying this technique, we have created leafkin, an R-package to perform all the calculations involved in the kinematic analysis of monocot leaves using only four functions. These functions support leaf elongation rate calculations, fitting of cell length profiles, extraction of fitted cell lengths and execution of kinematic equations. With the leafkin package, kinematic analysis of monocot leaves becomes more accessible than before.
Acousmatic-Creationism: A creative method for acousmatic music inspired by Chilean poet Vicente Huidobro’s aesthetic theories
Authors: Albornoz Alejandro
Published: November 2020

This article assembles and summarises the main ideas presented in the doctoral thesis entitled ‘Voice and Poetry as Inspiration and Material in Acousmatic Music’ by the author and describes his idiosyncratic method for acousmatic composition based on Chilean poet Vicente Huidobro’s aesthetic theory, which is a system that aims at creating artistic works by taking materials from reality and combining them in unexpected ways. The objective of this combination is an equilibrium between rationality and intuition in order to obtain a poem independent of the real world, in the sense of a poetic outcome which avoids traditional mimesis. This creative system, known asCreacionismo, has a central role between various other theoretical, artistic and mainly poetic sources informing the author’s creative process. Huidobro’s creative system has been applied by the author to acousmatic composition procedures generating the notion ofacousmatic-creationistas a nomenclature for the process. This particular creative strategy balances rationality and intuition within acousmatic composition and places poetry as a driving force in the use of voice, merging artistic practice and theory in a recursive action.
Automatic dementia screening and scoring by applying deep learning on clock-drawing tests
Authors: Chen Shuqing , Stromer Daniel , Alabdalrahim Harb Alnasser , Schwab Stefan , Weih Markus , Maier Andreas
Published: November 2020

Dementia is one of the most common neurological syndromes in the world. Usually, diagnoses are made based on paper-and-pencil tests and scored depending on personal judgments of experts. This technique can introduce errors and has high inter-rater variability. To overcome these issues, we present an automatic assessment of the widely used paper-based clock-drawing test by means of deep neural networks. Our study includes a comparison of three modern architectures: VGG16, ResNet-152, and DenseNet-121. The dataset consisted of 1315 individuals. To deal with the limited amount of data, which also included several dementia types, we used optimization strategies for training the neural network. The outcome of our work is a standardized and digital estimation of the dementia screening result and severity level for an individual. We achieved accuracies of 96.65% for screening and up to 98.54% for scoring, overcoming the reported state-of-the-art as well as human accuracies. Due to the digital format, the paper-based test can be simply scanned by using a mobile device and then be evaluated also in areas where there is a staff shortage or where no clinical experts are available.
An unusual microbiome characterises a spatially-aggressive crustose alga rapidly overgrowing shallow Caribbean reefs
Authors: Wilson Bryan , Fan Chen-Ming , Edmunds Peter J.
Published: November 2020

Several species of crustose coralline algae (CCA) and their associated microbial biofilms play important roles in determining the settlement location of scleractinian corals on tropical reefs. In recent decades, peyssonnelid algal crusts (PAC) have become spatial dominants across large areas of shallow Caribbean reefs, where they appear to deter the recruitment of scleractinians. Our genetic investigations of PAC in St. John, US Virgin Islands, amplifying the large-subunit ribosomal RNA and psbA protein D1 marker genes, revealed them to be identical to Ramicrusta textilis previously reported overgrowing corals in Jamaica. Specimens of PAC sampled from the Honduras were likewise identical, confirming that this crustose alga inhabits the easternmost and westernmost regions of the Caribbean. We also analysed 16S rDNA tag amplicon libraries of the biofilms associated with PAC and sympatric CCA, which is favoured for coral settlement. Our results show that the microbial communities on PAC (vs. CCA) are characterized by significantly lower numbers of the epibiotic bacterial genus Pseudoalteromonas, which facilitates the recruitment and settlement of marine invertebrates. From these data, we infer that PAC are therefore unlikely to be attractive as settlement sites for coral larvae. Given the significant ecological change anticipated on these reefs due to increasing cover of PAC, there is an urgent need to further investigate competitive interactions between PAC and scleractinian corals, and elucidate the role of PAC and their associated microbiomes in accentuating phase shifts from coral to algae on tropical reefs.
Effectiveness of Speech Intervention in Patients With a Cleft Palate: Comparison of Motor-Phonetic Versus Linguistic-Phonological Speech Approaches
Authors: Alighieri Cassandra , Bettens Kim , Bruneel Laura , D'haeseleer Evelien , Van Gaever Ellen , Van Lierde Kristiane
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of two different speech therapy approaches, a traditional motor-phonetic approach and a linguistic-phonological approach, on the speech and health-related quality of life in Dutch-speaking children with a cleft palate with or without a cleft lip (CP ± L) between 4 and 12 years old.

Method

A block-randomized, sham-controlled design was used. Fourteen children with a CP ± L (Mage= 7.71 years) were divided into two groups using block randomization stratified by age and gender: one receiving motor-phonetic intervention (n= 7) and one receiving linguistic-phonological intervention (n= 7). Each group received 10 hr of speech therapy divided over 2 weeks. Perceptual speech assessments were performed on several baseline and posttreatment data points. The psychosocial effects of the intervention were assessed using the patient-reported Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Effects on Life Outcomes questionnaire. Both groups were compared over time using (generalized) linear mixed models. Within-group effects of time were determined using pairwise comparisons with post hoc Bonferroni correction.

Results

Significant Time × Group interactions with large effect sizes were revealed in terms of consonant proficiency, indicating significant differences in evolution over time among the two groups. Only in the group receiving linguistic-phonological intervention, percentage of correctly produced consonants and places significantly improved after the treatment. Total Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Effects on Life Outcomes scores of the parents significantly improved in both groups after the intervention.

Conclusions

Both motor-phonetic and linguistic-phonological speech interventions can have a positive impact on the occurrence of cleft speech characteristics and consonant proficiency in children with a CP ± L. A linguistic-phonological approach, however, was observed to be more effective in terms of improving these speech outcomes compared with a motor-phonetic approach. Speech intervention, irrespective of the used approach, significantly improved the participant's health-related quality of life.
Radiotracer zur Diagnose des Prostatakarzinoms: Etablierte und neue Verfahren
Authors: Bakos Gábor , Roscher Mareike , Granados Susana M. , Benešová Martina
Published: November 2020

Die nuklearmedizinische Diagnose von Tumoren basierend auf der Radiotracer-vermittelten Bildgebung hat sich in den letzten Jahrzehnten als zentrale Schlüsseltechnologie in der modernen Onkologie etabliert. Die bildgestützte Diagnostik ermöglicht nicht nur die frühe Identifikation und Klassifikation von Tumoren, sondern auch die therapiebegleitende, nicht-invasive Evaluierung des Therapieansprechens sowie der Detektion von Rezidiven, Remissionen und progressiven Erkrankungen nach Abschluss der Therapie. Dies macht die nuklearmedizinische Bildgebung einzigartig im Bereich der personalisierten und Präzisions-Medizin. Daher ist es nur einleuchtend, dass das Feld dynamisch wächst und eine Vielzahl neuer Radiotracer entwickelt werden, die in präklinischen und klinischen Studien validiert werden. In diesem Übersichtsartikel werden die verfügbaren Daten zu den bereits klinisch etablierten metabolischen und zielgerichteten, spezifischen Radiotracern zusammengefasst. Zusätzlich wird ein Ausblick auf neue Entwicklungen gegeben, in dem neue, vielversprechende Radiotracer für die Diagnostik eines Prostatakarzinoms diskutiert werden.
Therapie des metastasierten kastrationsresistenten Prostatakarzinoms – aktuelle onkologische Konzepte
Authors: Hinz Stefan , Schostak Martin , Magheli Ahmed
Published: November 2020

Die Einführung zahlreicher neuer Substanzen für die Behandlung des kastrationsresistenten metastasierten Prostatakarzinoms (mCRPC) hat zur einer Vielzahl von möglichen Therapieoptionen geführt. Gleichzeitig ist das Wissen um die ideale Patientenauswahl, die Therapiesequenz und die Entwicklung von Resistenzmechanismen begrenzt.

Neben Docetaxel sind in den letzten Jahren Abirateron, Enzalutamid, Cabazitaxel und 223Ra in randomisierten Phase III-Studien als fester Bestandteil der Behandlung des mCRPC hinzugekommen. Aktuell werden Immunonkologika (IO)und PARP (Polyadenosindiphosphatribose)-Inhibitoren intensiv untersucht. Ferner zeigen aktuelle nuklearmedizinische Untersuchungen zur PSMA-Lutetium-Therapie sehr vielversprechende Ergebnisse.

Ziel dieses Artikels ist es, anhand der aktuellen Literatur eine Übersicht über die Therapieoptionen zu geben und gleichzeitig praktische Aspekte bei der Auswahl der optimalen Sequenz für den jeweiligen Patienten zu diskutieren.
Was leistet die pneumologische Rehabilitation?
Authors: Schneeberger Tessa , Jarosch Inga , Koczulla Andreas Rembert
Published: November 2020

Was ist neu?

Lungenfibrose Es zeigt sich eine zunehmende Evidenz bezüglich der Wirksamkeit eines pneumologischen Rehabilitationsprogramms (PR) bei anderen pneumologischen Erkrankungen als der COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Aktuelle Studien berichten über positive Effekte von strukturierten PR-Programmen bei Lungenfibrose- und Asthmapatienten.

Asthma bronchiale Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass auch Patienten mit moderatem bis schwerem Asthma signifikant im Hinblick auf die Asthmakontrolle von einem PR-Programm profitieren.

Telemedizin meets pneumologische Rehabilitation Bei COPD-Patienten kann ein ergänzendes „digitales Übungsprogramm“ im Vergleich zu einer alleinigen PR-Maßnahme zu größeren Benefits beitragen.

COVID-19 Es gibt erste Hinweise darauf, dass an COVID-19 Erkrankte von einer PR profitieren können. Das aktuelle Positionspapier der deutschen Gesellschaft für Pneumologie und Beatmungsmedizin zum Thema Empfehlungen zur PR bei COVID-19 beschreibt, dass rehabilitative Therapien bereits auf der Normalstation bzw. Intensivstation indiziert sind und sich als pneumologische Frührehabilitation im Akutkrankenhaus und als Anschlussheilbehandlung oder Reha-Heilverfahren in PR-Kliniken fortsetzen sollten.
Standards und neue Entwicklungen in der Proktologie
Authors: Herold Alexander
Published: November 2020

Was ist neu?

Hämorrhoidalleiden Neuentwicklungen in der Therapie des Hämorrhoidalleidens wurden in den letzten Jahren vorgestellt: Segmenthämorrhoidektomie mit Versiegelungstechnik, die heute zur Standardtechnik zählt, die Doppler-gesteuerte Hämorrhoiden-Arterien-Ligatur und die submuköse Gewebedestruktion.

Analvenenthrombose Die Therapie der Analvenenthrombose ist meist konservativ. Von Stichinzisionen oder einer Thrombusexpression sollte Abstand genommen werden.

Anorektaler Abszess und anorektale Fistel Neue Verfahren zur Therapie von Analfisteln sind FiLaC (Laser-Fistel-OP) und Rafaelo (Radiofrequenzapplikation), Permacol-Kollagen-Paste, Gore-Bio-A-Plug, OTSC-Proctology, Fistulektomie mit primärer Sphinkterrekonstruktion und bei Crohn-Fisteln die Stammzelltransplantation. In der Praxis durchgesetzt hat sich bisher die Fistulektomie mit primärer Sphinkterrekonstruktion.

Analfissur Die Fissurektomie zeigt derzeit die besten Ergebnisse im Hinblick auf die Abheilungsrate. Nitropräparate und Kalziumantagonisten sind die Mittel der ersten Wahl in der konservativen Behandlung.

Analkarzinom Nach Sicherung des Tumorstadiums mittels MRT bzw. besser noch PET-CT stellt die Radiochemotherapie die Standardtherapie beim Analkarzinom dar.
Thromboembolische Komplikationen bei COVID-19
Authors: Müller Stephanie , Beyer-Westendorf Jan
Published: November 2020

Was ist neu?

Laborchemische Gerinnungsauffälligkeiten bei COVID-19 COVID-19-Patienten weisen häufig stark erhöhte D-Dimer-Werte auf. Die Höhe und der Verlauf scheinen mit dem Krankheitsverlauf und der Prognose zu korrelieren. Bei signifikanter Erhöhung sollte eine medikamentöse Thromboseprophylaxe erwogen werden. Der Verlauf der Prothrombinfragmente F1 + F2 scheint ebenfalls mit dem klinischen Verlauf zu korrelieren und könnte bei Verfügbarkeit zur Verlaufsbeurteilung der Gerinnungsaktivierung mit herangezogen werden. Thrombozytopenien bei COVID-19-Erkrankten sind häufig, sollten jedoch mittels weiterführender Diagnostik auf Differenzialdiagnosen geprüft werden.

Risiko thromboembolischer Komplikationen bei COVID-19 COVID-19-Erkrankte haben ein deutlich erhöhtes Risiko für venöse und arterielle thromboembolische Ereignisse, und insbesondere intensivmedizinisch betreute Patienten bedürfen einer engmaschigen Kontrolle. Bestehende Algorithmen zur Diagnostik einer Lungenarterienembolie können wegen der sehr häufigen Konstellation „pulmonale Symptome + erhöhte D-Dimere“ bei COVID-19 nur eingeschränkt angewendet werden und bedürfen einer Anpassung an diese Erkrankung. Bei Lungenarterienembolien handelt es sich wahrscheinlich um lokal entstandene „Immunothrombosen“, was bei der Befundinterpretation einer pulmonalen Bildgebung zu beachten ist.

Empfehlungen zur Thromboseprophylaxe bei COVID-19 Aufgrund des überdurchschnittlich hohen VTE-Risikos hospitalisierter COVID-19-Patienten sollte eine leitliniengerechte Thromboseprophylaxe unbedingt durchgeführt werden – bei Patienten mit besonders hohem Basisrisiko sollten höhere Heparindosierungen, posthospitale Verlängerungen und ggf. sogar primär ambulante Thromboseprophylaxestrategien erwogen werden. Eine bereits vor der COVID-19-Erkrankung etablierte Antikoagulationstherapie (bspw. für Vorhofflimmern oder frühere VTE) sollte fortgeführt werden.
Aktuelle Aspekte der Verfahrenswahl bei Adipositas-Chirurgie
Authors: Hering Ilona , Dietrich Arne , Seyfried Florian
Published: November 2020

Die Adipositas- bzw. metabolische Chirurgie stellt derzeit evidenzbasiert die einzige Therapiemodalität dar, die bei Patienten mit drittgradiger Adipositas zu einem nachhaltigen und auch klinisch relevanten Gewichtsverlust, zu einer Verbesserung der Lebensqualität und Funktionalität sowie zu einer Minderung vorliegender Adipositas-assoziierter Begleiterkrankungen und damit zu einer Verlängerung der Lebenserwartung führt.

Die Operationen werden vorzugsweise in zertifizierten Zentren mit niedriger perioperativer Morbidität und Letalität in Schlüsselloch-Technik durchgeführt. Die weltweit am häufigsten durchgeführten adipositaschirurgischen Verfahren sind die Sleevegastrektomie (SG), der Roux-en-Y-Magenbypass (RYGB) und der Omega-Loop-Bypass (oder Mini-Gastric-Bypass) (MGB). Daneben existieren weitere intestinale Bypassverfahren.

Die Entscheidung für das jeweilige Operationsverfahren ist im interdisziplinären Konsens von einem Team, bestehend aus Chirurgen, Internisten, Psychiatern/Psychologen und Ökotrophologen, individuell für jeden Patienten in Abhängigkeit der Komorbiditäten und patientenbezogener Daten zu treffen. Im Nachfolgenden werden die verschiedenen Operationsverfahren im Hinblick auf ihre jeweiligen Vor- und Nachteilen miteinander verglichen und auf die für das jeweilige Verfahren am besten geeignete Patientengruppe eingegangen.
Chancen und Risiken der bariatrischen Chirurgie im Kindes- und Jugendalter
Authors: Stein Robert , Sergeyev Elena , Kiess Wieland , Körner Antje , Dietrich Arne
Published: November 2020

Adipositas-chirurgische Eingriffe werden im Kindes- und Jugendalter noch immer selten durchgeführt. Erste Studien mit aussagefähigen Beobachtungszeiträumen und Fallzahlen zeigen jedoch vielversprechende Ergebnisse bei geringer operations-assoziierter Morbidität. Da die Langzeitfolgen für den sich noch entwickelnden Körper nach wie vor nicht abgeschätzt werden können, sollte die Indikationsstellung nur nach Ausschöpfen aller konservativen Maßnahmen in einem multidisziplinären Team aus Chirurg, Pädiater, Ernährungstherapeut und Psychologe als Einzelfallentscheidung erfolgen und die Operation interprofessionell begleitet werden. Besondere Bedeutung kommt hierbei der Nachsorge zu, da es neben dem Erkennen und Behandeln von operations-assoziierten Nebenwirkungen auch um die Sicherung eines langfristigen Erfolgs durch eine nachhaltige Änderung des Lebensstils unter Beachtung der psychosozialen Situation des heranwachsenden Patienten bis in das Erwachsenenalter hinein geht.
Wir haben in diesem Artikel die aktuellen Empfehlungen aus nationalen Leitlinien und darüber hinaus reichenden wissenschaftlichen Veröffentlichungen anhand von Fallbeispielen aus dem Adipositas-Zentrum der Universitätsklinik Leipzig illustriert.
Negative thermal expansion in solid deuteromethane
Authors: Freiman Yu. A. , Vengerovsky V. V. , Goncharov A. F.
Published: November 2020

The thermal expansion at constant pressure of solid CD4 III is calculated for the low-temperature region where only the rotational tunneling modes are essential and the effect of phonons and librons can be neglected. It is found that in mK region there is a giant peak of the negative thermal expansion. The height of this peak is comparable or even exceeds the thermal expansion of solid N2, CO, O2, or CH4 in their triple points. It is shown that like in the case of light methane, the effect of pressure is quite unusual: as evidenced from the pressure dependence of the thermodynamic Gruneisen parameter (which is negative and large in the absolute value), solid CD4 becomes increasingly quantum with rising pressure.
Appraisal of physical health guidelines for severe mental illness
Authors: Friend Nadia , Hughes Jade , Kisely Steve , Kumar Ratika , Siskind Dan
Published: November 2020

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to identify current physical health guidelines for severe mental illness (SMI) and appraise them using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II Instrument.
MethodsRelevant research databases and grey literature were systematically searched to identify physical health guidelines for people with SMI. The grey literature was explored by web searches and targeted searches of the English websites of relevant peak bodies and government health agencies from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Included guidelines were independently appraised by two authors (NF and JH) using the AGREE II Instrument.
ResultsOf the 5352 records screened, 33 were assessed for eligibility. Fifteen practice guidelines met the inclusion criteria. The median domain scores as rated by the AGREE II Instrument ranged from 17% to 69%. The World Health Organization guideline, which demonstrated a broad range of clinical recommendations and sound methodological rigour, was rated the best.
ConclusionsMost guidelines scored poorly when rated by the AGREE II Instrument. However, these guidelines may still be useful in assisting evidence-based clinical practice. The methodological rigour of future guidelines can be improved by ensuring the AGREE II domains are addressed during the development phase.
What is known about the topic?Compared with the general population, people with SMI experience greater chronic disease morbidity and mortality. There is limited evidence from randomised controlled trials to guide physical health care monitoring for people with SMI. Current guidelines and practice are largely based on expert consensus, clinical experience and good intentions.
What does this paper add?Using the AGREE II Instrument, this paper appraises the current physical health guidelines for people with SMI. The attributes of the guidelines examined included the evidence base, clarity of presentation, applicability in the real world, the involvement of stakeholders and conflicts of interest of various parties involved in guideline development.
What are the implications for practitioners?This review highlights the scarcity of high-quality and evidence-based guidelines for clinicians and researchers to address the physical health of people with SMI.
On reciprocal degree constructions
Authors: Hsieh I-Ta Chris
Published: November 2020

A degree sentence such as John and Mary are equally tall conveys both reciprocity and equivalence and
hence are termed “Reciprocal Equatives” (RE). Building on Schwarz’s (2007) pioneer study, I
suggest an account for this degree construction that covers a wider range of data. To the extent that the proposal is on the right track, it
provides new support for building in plurality in the domain of degrees, an idea that has been put forward by Beck (2010; 2014) and Dotlačil & Nouwen
(2016).
Finding your unique path in science
Authors: Avasthi Prachee
Published: November 2020

I always found it curious that in science, we value unique, creative thinkers, but we teach scientists to progress in a formulaic manner that rarely takes each person’s individual strengths into account. Surprisingly, when we break the mold, we are often rewarded for it. This cycle of learning to survive using conventional wisdom but being rewarded for a unique path outside of it seems to be an unspoken key to success. I am honored to be awarded the 2020 Women in Cell Biology Junior Award for Excellence in Research and am thrilled to share some of the unconventional guiding principles that brought me to where I am in this rich scientific landscape. The game changers in the early phase of my career were informal mentors, open scientific communication, and persistence in pursuing difficult scientific questions.
Sounds of February, Smells of October: The Russian Revolution as Sensory Experience
Authors: Plamper Jan
Published: November 2020

Temporally speaking, the Russian Revolution of 1917 was not a news item, not even a rumor, but first and foremost a novel sensory impression—gunshots with live ammunition from unusual places, the smell of burnt police files. This article explores the sensory history of the revolution through ego-documents like diaries and memoirs. It tracks in detail how people of various backgrounds in Petrograd and Moscow lived the olfactory class struggles after February and the taste excesses of the post-October “wine pogroms,” how they expressed a new experience of time in a sensory idiom, and how they ultimately became habituated to the new sounds and sights of revolutionary Russia. Historiography is at a propitious moment to move beyond a dichotomy of discourse versus “raw” experience: conjoining the histories of experience, the senses, and the emotions, the article probes what is to be gained from interpreting a world-historical event with a concept of experience as an integrated, multimodal, simultaneous sensory-emotional-cognitive process. Avant-garde artists, contemporaries of the Russian Revolution, foreshadowed such a holistic concept of experience by a century.
Clinical Translation of Scarless 0.33-mm Core Microbiopsy for Molecular Evaluation of Human Skin
Authors: Kislevitz Mikaela , Wamsley Christine , Bartels Mason , Lu Karen B , Li Xingchen , Pinch Sydney , Hoopman John , Barton Fritz , Kenkel Jeffrey , Akgul Yucel
Published: November 2020

Background

Skin scarring can occur after punch biopsies, prohibiting their routine utilization, especially in the central face.

Objectives

This paper describes a scarless, 0.33-mm-diameter skin microbiopsy for molecular analysis of skin.

Methods

This is was single-center, randomized, prospective study with 15 patients receiving no biopsy or biopsy on the left or right nasolabial fold. Six blinded raters assessed participant photos at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months post biopsy to evaluate for a visualized scar. Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale was completed. Additionally, biopsies from various skin regions of body along with arm skin after treatment with a single Erbium-YAG laser were processed for molecular analysis.

Results

No patients exhibited scar formation based on evaluation of photographs and patient feedback. There was no mark at the biopsy site 7 days post-procedure. Optical coherence tomography showed a complete closing of the biopsy-punch wound 48 hours post-biopsy. One month post-biopsy, photography reviewers were unable to identify a scar, on average, 90% of the time at 3-month follow-up. Microbiopsies from various anatomical regions were successfully extracted for histology, electron microscopy, and gene expression analysis. Selected skin rejuvenation markers in the biopsies from Erbium-YAG–treated forearm skin resulted in significant gene upregulation in extracellular matrix molecules at 1 month posttreatment compared with untreated skin.

Conclusions

A core microbiopsy of 0.33 mm can be extracted reproducibly for histological, ultrastructural, and gene expression analysis without scarring. This allows repeated sampling for assessment of skin treatments and diseases, including aesthetics and wound-healing progress.
Self-Reported Health Complaints in Women Undergoing Explantation of Breast Implants
Authors: Miseré Renée M L , van der Hulst René R W J
Published: November 2020

Background

Concerns about the safety of silicone breast implants (SBIs) have existed for years, but a causal relation between systemic complaints and SBIs has not been proven. Nevertheless, some women are worried and even request explantation.

Objectives

This study aimed to review the explantation procedures performed, focusing on patient-reported symptoms preoperatively, the effect of explantation, and the effect of breast reconstruction on these symptoms.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed for patients who had undergone explantation between 2010 and 2020 at Maastricht University Medical Center. Patients who had undergone tissue expander removal, tissue expander–implant exchange, or direct implant exchange were excluded.

Results

More than half of the patients undergoing explantation reported complaints, mostly pain. Some 15% reported systemic complaints they believed were implant related. Breast implant illness (BII) was found to be the fifth most common indication for explantation (11.2%). A history of either allergies or implant rupture resulted in higher odds ratios of having BII (odd ratios, 2.1 and 2.1, respectively). Subjective improvement of BII after explantation was reported by about 60% of patients.

Conclusions

A relatively low prevalence of suggested BII exists among women undergoing explantation; 1 in 9 procedures were performed for this reason. Allergy and implant rupture may increase the likelihood of having BII. About 60% of BII patients experienced an improvement in their complaints after implant removal. Autologous breast reconstruction appears a good alternative. Prospective studies into health complaints and quality of life should be performed to confirm the effectiveness of explantation as a therapy for BII.

Level of Evidence: 4
Bioinformatics resources for SARS-CoV-2 discovery and surveillance
Authors: Hu Tao , Li Juan , Zhou Hong , Li Cixiu , Holmes Edward C , Shi Weifeng
Published: November 2020

In early January 2020, the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China, was identified using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and readily available bioinformatics pipelines. In addition to virus discovery, these NGS technologies and bioinformatics resources are currently being employed for ongoing genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide, tracking its spread, evolution and patterns of variation on a global scale. In this review, we summarize the bioinformatics resources used for the discovery and surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these bioinformatics resources and highlight areas where additional technical developments are urgently needed. Solutions to these problems will be beneficial not only to the prevention and control of the current COVID-19 pandemic but also to infectious disease outbreaks of the future.
The Aggravating Duty of Non-Aggravation
Authors: Ratner Steven R
Published: November 2020

International law’s duty of non-aggravation requires states to avoid actions that might inflame an international dispute, both to maintain international peace and to preserve the effectiveness of judicial or arbitral proceedings. Yet parties on the receiving end of calls for non-aggravation – whether from the Security Council or a tribunal – have little idea of what conduct they are expected to avoid. This state of affairs is most unfortunate in light of the centrality of this norm to the peaceful resolution of disputes and, in particular, examples of provocative and aggravating acts in recent years. This article attempts to give some meaning to this important, but frustratingly vague, norm of international law. After reviewing current understandings of the duty by political and judicial bodies, it justifies the need for a more specific understanding of non-aggravation. It then develops a set of criteria to distinguish aggravating from non-aggravating acts, a process informed by both existing expectations and the underlying purposes of the norm. Based on these criteria, the article offers a coding scheme of presumptively aggravating and non-aggravating acts. Beyond its relevance for decision-makers, the article seeks to encourage theoretical inquiry into the advantages and disadvantages of vague (or underspecified) norms in the international legal order.
Capillary Blood Levels of Hydroxychloroquine and Methotrexate Are Stable for up to 5 Years When Collected on Volumetric Absorptive Microsamplers
Authors: Brady Kelley , Alexander Roberta Vezza , Stimson Deborah , Rudolph Mark , Kammesheidt Anja
Published: November 2020

Background

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and methotrexate (MTX) are common antirheumatic drugs used chronically by patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (1, 2). Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of HCQ and MTX provides critical compliance information, but typically requires venipuncture and shipment of refrigerated blood samples to the clinical laboratory. Capillary blood collection by finger prick offers a convenient alternative to venipuncture. The long-term stability of capillary blood HCQ and MTX collected using volumetric absorptive microsamplers (VAMS) has not previously been evaluated. In this study, we evaluated the stability of capillary MTX and HCQ levels when stored on VAMS for up to 5 years.

Methods

Samples of patients with RA and SLE were collected for HCQ or MTX monitoring as part of 2 clinical studies in 2015 (HCQ: n = 24 | MTX: n = 61) and 2017 (HCQ: n = 126). Venous and capillary blood samples were shipped to Exagen Inc.’s clinical laboratory. HCQ and MTXPG3 were measured using separate LC-MS/MS methodologies. Baseline venous blood levels of HCQ and MTXPG3 were determined within 1 week of draw and compared to capillary blood levels determined following 3 or 5 years of storage.

Results

Venous blood HCQ and capillary blood MTXPG3 determinations made at baseline were significantly different from capillary blood determinations performed following 5 years of storage at −80 °C. However, these differences were within the specified limits of agreement [HCQ: Avg % change after storage (CI 95%) = −7.1% (−12.6, −1.6%), pt-test = 0.0205, interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.96 | MTXPG3: Avg % change after storage (CI 95%) = 13.3% (7.1, 19.4%), pt-test = 0.0001, ICC = 0.90].

Conclusion

Dried capillary blood HCQ and MTXPG3 levels collected on VAMS are stable for up to 5 years.
86 Factors affecting beef calf vigor at birth: Dam peripartum body condition score, calving season, and calf size
Authors: Wichman Lindsey G , Redifer Colby A , Duncan Natalie B , Payne Craig A , Meyer Allison M
Published: November 2020

To determine effects of cow BCS and calving season on calf vigor and size and the relationship of calf size with vigor, 310 multiparous and primiparous beef cows (age: 4.6 ± 2.2 yr; BW: 663 ± 86 kg; BCS: 5.3 ± 0.6) from 3 spring (2015, 2016, 2017) and 4 fall (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019) calving seasons were observed during parturition. Time to stand (n = 191) was determined as minutes from birth to standing successfully for 5 sec. Within 24 h, calf BW (n = 187) and size [shoulder to tailhead length (STL), heart girth (HG), and abdominal girth (AG; n = 154)] were recorded. Data were analyzed using a mixed model containing effects of calving season (spring and fall), BCS category (< 5, =5, ≥6), and their interaction. Correlations were determined between time to stand and calf measurements separately for spring (n = 79) versus fall (n = 111). Cows with BCS < 5 gave birth to lighter (P = 0.02) calves that tended to have a faster (P ≤ 0.13) time to stand than =5 and ≥6. Calves from cows with BCS ≥6 tended to have greater (P ≤ 0.09) STL than =5 and < 5. Calves from cows with BCS < 5 had smaller (P = 0.13) HG than =5. Fall-born calves tended to have smaller (P ≤ 0.06) BW, HG, and AG than spring-born calves. Within fall calves, there tended to be a positive relationship (r = 0.16; P = 0.09) between time to stand and calf BW. Despite this, spring calves had a negative relationship (r = -0.26; P = 0.02) between time to stand and calf BW. In conclusion, cow BCS and calving season affect calf size and may affect calf vigor. These data suggest that calving season may dictate the relationship between calf vigor and size.
214 The effects of an 18-hour transit or complete feed and water restriction on feed bunk displacements and need preferences in growing feedlot steers
Authors: Heiderscheit Katie J , Deters Erin , Freestone Alyssa , Peschel Joshua , Hansen Stephanie L
Published: November 2020

The objective was to investigate effects of 18 h feed and water restriction or transit on cattle behavior. Angus-cross steers (36; 353 ± 33 kg) were housed in pens of 6 and assigned to treatments: control (CON), full access to feed and water; deprived (DEPR), no feed or water for 18 h; or transported (TRANS), trucked for 18 h. Individual BW (n = 12 steers/treatment) was recorded on d 0, 1, 3, 8, and 14, and individual dry matter intake (DMI) was determined via GrowSafe bunks. Bunk displacements on d 1 were recorded for each pen (n = 2 pens/treatment) by one trained observer continuously for 2 h in 10 min intervals via video analysis. Steer need preferences were assessed as time individuals took to perform behaviors (eat, drink, lay) after treatments ended on d 1. Data were analyzed using Proc Mixed of SAS with fixed effect of treatment; displacements, BW, and DMI were analyzed as repeated measures. Upon return to pens, time to eat or drink did not differ between DEPR and TRANS (P ≥ 0.17), but time to lay was 70.5 min for DEPR vs. 16.5 min for TRANS (P = 0.01). Displacements were greater for DEPR than CON or TRANS during the first 90 min after accessing feed, while CON displaced more frequently than TRANS for the first 30 min (treatment × time; P = 0.02). While DMI for TRANS was not recovered until d 2, DEPR and CON had similar DMI on d 1 (treatment × day; P < 0.01). Similarly, TRANS BW were, and DEPR tended to be, lesser than CON on d 1; however, BW among treatments were not different on other days (treatment × day; P < 0.01). Thus, restricting feed increases aggressive interactions at the bunk and cattle trucked long distances are quick to lay down when allowed. These behaviors should be considered when managing an unintentional feed restriction event or receiving cattle into the feedlot.
66 Overview of Different Cattle Finishing Facilities: Economic Summary and Future Innovations
Authors: Peters Tom
Published: November 2020

Environment and weather may have a significant impact on feedlot cattle growth. Most U.S. feedlot cattle are finished/fed in open-mound, dirt lots. Historic closeout data conclude that cattle performance has been optimal when finishing cattle in well groomed, dry, dirt mound lots. However, weather challenges including excessive heat, cold, or moisture conditions negatively impact cattle performance. Past attempts to provide shelter for finishing feedlot cattle with buildings/sheds have often yielded subpar finishing cattle growth expectations when compared to well-groomed dirt mounds. Improved cattle housing designs including building ventilation and flooring types are being utilized in many Northern Plains and Midwest cattle operations during the last decade. This symposium will address current designs, management issues, economic considerations and future improvement challenges for finishing cattle housing systems. Performance and economics comparing various cattle breeds and varied in-weights throughout finishing period in differing cattle facilities will be evaluated. Comparison of expected and realized performance of finishing cattle when housed in bedded barns, conventional scrape yards with sheds and cattle comfort finishing shelters will be reviewed.
189 Interventions for Reduction of Sporeforming Bacteria at Farm Level
Authors: Bianchini Andreia
Published: November 2020

Bacillus and Paenibacillus spp. are sporeforming bacteria with the ability to survive the pasteurization process due to their spore structure. These bacteria can produce different enzymes that negatively affect the quality of dairy products, reducing the shelf-life of fluid milk and limiting the market for powdered milk. Therefore, the control of sporeformers is crucial to improve the quality of fluid products and to reach specific international powder markets thus benefiting the US dairy industry. In this presentation an overview of sporeformers associated with the supply chain (fluid, condensed milk and dry powder) will be presented along with potential interventions that may be applied at the farm level to control these microorganisms. It has been previously reported that effective cleaning of teats, changes in bedding material, and CIP procedures could be potential interventions to decrease sporeformers in milk. Additionally, the type of sanitizers (i.e. iodine or chlorine based) used in the parlor could have an effect in this microbial population. These potential interventions have been the subject of research at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, with some of the interventions showing to be successful in improving the quality of raw milk. This presentation will provide a brief overview of spore research done at UNL in the last five years, along with results obtained so far from interventions at farm level to reduce sporeforming bacteria in raw fluid milk.
187 Protocols, standard operating procedures, and employee training to improve milk safety and quality
Authors: Chahine Mireille , Rovai Maristela
Published: November 2020

Dairy farm employees play a key role in ensuring the highest quality milk being delivered to manufacturers. Major concerns associated with milk quality on dairies include the number of clinical mastitis cases, elevated somatic cell counts, elevated bacteria count, and presence of residues in raw milk. All these factors are impacted by the knowledge, skills, and performance of dairy employees working in the milking parlor and other areas of the operation. Exemplary performance on dairies is driven by effective training, motivation, and communication between various team members. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) provide a basis for training employees, improving consistency between and within shifts, and conducting performance evaluations with valuable feedback. SOPs also have the potential to improve milk quality, herd performance, and herd health. SOPs should be specific to the dairy operation and developed with detailed instructions on completing a task. These procedures need to be written in the employees’ native language in addition to English and should be easy to read and understand. The font used should be large and when appropriate, photos should be used to explain or highlight step by step procedures. Once developed, SOPs need to be evaluated at least once a year and revised as needed. Regular trainings are also important for prevention of procedural drifts. Hybrid learning models combining classroom/online and hands-on activities should be considered and implemented. This approach ensures that dairy employees are engaged and appropriately trained, independent of their literacy and reading proficiency. Dairies should also strive to provide a positive, safe, and comfortable work environment for their employees. A positive environment can lead to improvements in employee morale, performance, and retention. Finally, it is important to establish clear and firm expectations on producing the highest quality of milk while providing specific, timely, and constructive feedback.