bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mindfulness and false memories: state and dispositional mindfulness does not increase false memories for naturalistic scenes presented in a virtual environment
Authors: Ayache Julia , Abichou Kouloud , La Corte Valentina , Piolino Pascale , Sperduti Marco
Published: April 2021

Mindfulness attracted increased research interests in the last decade, reporting an overall beneficial effect of this practice on cognitive performances. Nevertheless, recently a possible detrimental impact of mindfulness has been underlined. While the effect of mindfulness on memory remains under-explored, recent studies have observed an increased false-memory susceptibility after mindfulness practice. A possible explanatory mechanism has been suggested, related to the nature of the studied material. For semantically related information, mindfulness would increase false memories; however, the addition of rich perceptual information could prevent this detrimental effect. The present study aimed to verify this hypothesis by testing the impact of state mindfulness induced by a short meditation session, and dispositional mindfulness on the production of false memory for pictorial material presented in a complex virtual environment. We employed a virtual reality version of the Deese–Roediger–McDermott paradigm (DRM), a classical protocol to induce false memories. Contrary to previous studies, we did not observe any effect of mindfulness on false or correct memories (free recall and recognition) after a short mindfulness practice session compared to a control condition. Nonetheless, we found a beneficial effect of mindfulness practice on memory sensitivity. Additionally, we reported a positive and negative effect of dispositional mindfulness on memory outcomes. While the Non-Reactivity facet was associated with overall better memory performances, we observed an association between the Acting with Awareness facet and an increased recollection of lures. We discuss these findings in line with a recent proposal on the link between mindfulness and episodic memory.
Tumor mutation burden testing: a survey of the International Quality Network for Pathology (IQN Path)
Authors: Fenizia Francesca , Wolstenholme Nicola , Fairley Jennifer A. , Rouleau Etienne , Cheetham Melanie H. , Horan Martin P. , Torlakovic Emina , Besse Benjamin , Al Dieri Raed , Tiniakos Dina G. , Deans Zandra C. , Patton Simon J. , Normanno Nicola
Published: April 2021

While tumour mutation burden (TMB) is emerging as a possible biomarker for immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), methods for testing have not been standardised as yet. In April 2019, the International Quality Network for Pathology (IQN Path) launched a survey to assess the current practice of TMB testing. Of the 127 laboratories that replied, 69 (54.3%) had already introduced TMB analysis for research purposes and/or clinical applications. Fifty laboratories (72.5%) used targeted sequencing, although a number of different panels were employed. Most laboratories tested formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material (94.2%), while 18/69 (26%) tested also cell-free DNA. Fifty-five laboratories used both single nucleotide variants and indels for TMB calculation; 20 centers included only non-synonymous variants. In conclusion, the data from this survey indicate that multiple global laboratories were capable of rapidly introducing routine clinical TMB testing. However, the variability of testing methods raises concerns about the reproducibility of results among centers.
Efficient implementation of the ‘non-biopsy approach’ for the diagnosis of childhood celiac disease in the Netherlands: a national prospective evaluation 2010–2013
Authors: Meijer Caroline R. , Schweizer Joachim J. , Peeters Anne , Putter Hein , Mearin M. Luisa
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study was (1) to prospectively evaluate the nationwide implementation of the ESPGHAN-guidelines for the diagnosis of celiac disease (CD), (2) to investigate the incidence and clinical presentation of diagnosed childhood CD (0–14 years) in the Netherlands, and (3) to compare the findings with national survey data from 1975 to 1990 and 1993 to 2000 using the same approach. From 2010 to 2013, all practicing paediatricians were invited to report new celiac diagnoses to the Dutch Pediatric Surveillance Unit. Data were collected via questionnaires. A total of 1107 children with newly diagnosed CD were reported (mean age, 5.8 years; range, 10 months–14.9 years; 60.5% female). After the introduction of the non-biopsy approach in 2012, 75% of the diagnoses were made according to the guideline with a significant decrease of 46.3% in biopsies. The use of EMA and HLA-typing significantly increased with 25.8% and 62.1%, respectively. The overall incidence rate of childhood CD was 8.8-fold higher than in 1975–1990 and 2.0-fold higher than in 1993–2000. During the study period, the prevalence of diagnosed CD was 0.14%, far below 0.7% of CD identified via screening in the general Dutch paediatric population. Clinical presentation has shifted towards less severe and extra-intestinal symptoms.

Conclusion: ESPGHAN guidelines for CD diagnosis in children were effectively and rapidly implemented in the Netherlands. Incidence of diagnosed CD among children is still significantly rising with a continuous changing clinical presentation. Despite the increasing incidence of diagnoses, significant underdiagnosis still remains.

What is Known:• Since 2000 the incidence of diagnosed childhood CD in the Netherlands has shown a steady rise.• The rise in incidence has been accompanied by a changing clinical presentation at diagnosis.

What is New:• The ESPGHAN guidelines 2012 for CD diagnosis were effectively and rapidly implemented in the Netherlands.• The incidence of diagnosed childhood CD in the Netherlands has continued to rise significantly during the reported period.
Short-term outcome in robotic vs laparoscopic and open rectal tumor surgery within an ERAS protocol: a retrospective cohort study from the Swedish ERAS database
Authors: Asklid Daniel , Ljungqvist Olle , Xu Yin , Gustafsson Ulf O.
Published: April 2021

Background

Advantages of robotic technique over laparoscopic technique in rectal tumor surgery have yet to be proven. Large multicenter, register-based cohort studies within an optimized perioperative care protocol are lacking. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to compare short-term outcomes in robotic, laparoscopic and open rectal tumor resections, while also determining compliance to the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)®Society Guidelines.

Methods

All patients scheduled for rectal tumor resection and consecutively recorded in the Swedish part of the international ERAS® Interactive Audit System between January 1, 2010 to February 27, 2020, were included (N = 3125). Primary outcomes were postoperative complications and length of stay (LOS) and secondary outcomes compliance to the ERAS protocol, conversion to open surgery, symptoms delaying discharge and reoperations. Uni- and multivariate comparisons were used.

Results

Robotic surgery (N = 827) had a similar rate of postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo grades 1–5), 35.9% compared to open surgery (N = 1429) 40.9% (OR 1.15, 95% CI (0.93, 1.41)) and laparoscopic surgery (N = 869) 31.2% (OR 0.88, 95% CI (0.71, 1.08)). LOS was longer in the open group, median 9 days (IRR 1.35, 95% CI (1.27, 1.44)) and laparoscopic group, 7 days (IRR 1.14, 95% CI (1.07, 1.21)) compared to the robotic group, 6 days. Pre- and intraoperative compliance to the ERAS protocol were similar between groups.

Conclusions

In this multicenter cohort study, robotic surgery was associated with shorter LOS compared to both laparoscopic and open surgery and had lower conversion rates vs laparoscopic surgery. The rate of complications was similar between groups.
Early stage white etching crack identification using artificial neural networks
Authors: Liu Xiaodi , Azzam Baher , Harzendorf Freia , Kolb Johann , Schelenz Ralf , Hameyer Kay , Jacobs Georg
Published: April 2021

White Etching Cracks (WEC) in gearbox bearings is a major concern in the wind turbine industry, which can lead to a premature failure of the gearbox. Though many hypotheses regarding the generation of WEC have been proposed over the decades, the answer is still disputable. To trace back the failures to earlier stages before they occur, an innovative sensor-set has been utilized on a test rig to monitor the influencing factors that lead to WEC. This paperwork seeks to recognize abnormal patterns from recorded sensor data and derive statements of sensible sensor combinations in WEC early detection. A Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) network-based autoencoder is proposed for the anomaly detection (AD) task. Employing an auto-associative sequence-to-sequence predictor, a model is trained to reconstruct the normal time series data without WEC. The reconstruction error of testing time series data is evaluated for the determination of its anomaly. The results show that the specified LSTM autoencoder framework can qualitatively distinguish anomalies from collected multivariate time series data. Moreover, the anomaly score evaluated via reconstruction-error-based metrics can discriminate normal and abnormal behaviors in the study. This investigation’s results entail a significant step towards early WEC risk detection and more cost-efficient wind turbine technology if this approach can be further applied on stream data with plausible thresholds in monitoring system.
Evaluation of a novel deep tissue transvaginal near-infrared laser and applicator in an ovine model
Authors: Zipper Ralph , Pryor Brian
Published: April 2021

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) is an effective means of treating muscle spasm and pain. A novel near-infrared laser system has been commercialized for the treatment of myofascial pelvic pain in women (SoLá Therapy, UroShape, LLC). This study was undertaken to determine if this device is capable of delivering therapeutic levels of irradiance to the pelvic muscles and to identify the surface irradiance required to achieve this goal. This novel class IV near-infrared laser and transvaginal applicator were used to deliver near-infrared light energy through the vaginal mucosa of an adult Suffolk/Dorset Ewe. Irradiance was measured on the surface of the levator ani muscle, inside the levator ani muscle, and inside the bladder. Measurements were taken at powers of 5 W and 0.5 W. 3.0% of vaginal surface irradiance was measured inside of the levator ani muscle. 4.4% of vaginal surface irradiance was measured inside the bladder. At 5 W, the novel laser system provided a surface irradiance of 738 mW/cm2. At 0.5 W, the system provided a surface irradiance of 74 mW/cm2. A novel class IV near-infrared laser and transvaginal applicator delivered therapeutic irradiance to the levator ani muscle and bladder of an anesthetized ewe at a power setting of 5 W. A power setting of 0.5 W failed to deliver therapeutic energy into either the levator ani muscle or bladder. Clinical applications targeting deeper tissues such as the pelvic muscles and or bladder should consider power settings that exceed 0.5 W and or irradiance of ≥ 75 mW/cm2.
Regional medical practice variation in high-cost healthcare services
Authors: Berger Michael , Czypionka Thomas
Published: April 2021

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a popular yet cost-intensive diagnostic measure whose strengths compared to other medical imaging technologies have led to increased application. But the benefits of aggressive testing are doubtful. The comparatively high MRI usage in Austria in combination with substantial regional variation has hence become a concern for its policy makers. We use a set of routine healthcare data on outpatient MRI service consumption of Austrian patients between Q3-2015 and Q2-2016 on the district level to investigate the extent of medical practice variation in a two-step statistical analysis combining multivariate regression models and Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition. District-level MRI exam rates per 1.000 inhabitants range from 52.38 to 128.69. Controlling for a set of regional characteristics in a multivariate regression model, we identify payer autonomy in regulating access to MRI scans as the biggest contributor to regional variation. Nevertheless, the statistical decomposition highlights that more than 70% of the regional variation remains unexplained by differences between the observable district characteristics. In the absence of epidemiological explanations, the substantial regional medical practice variation calls the efficiency of resource deployment into question.
On the structural complexity of central European agroforestry systems: a quantitative assessment using terrestrial laser scanning in single-scan mode
Authors: Seidel Dominik , Stiers Melissa , Ehbrecht Martin , Werning Maik , Annighöfer Peter
Published: April 2021

Agroforestry systems provide important ecosystem functions and services. They have the potential to enrich agricultural monocultures in central Europe with structural elements otherwise absent, which is expected to be accompanied by a surplus of ecosystem functions. Here we used quantitative measures derived from terrestrial laser scanning in single-scan mode to describe the structural complexity, the canopy openness, the foliage height diversity and the understory complexity of four common agroforest systems in central Europe. We accessed silvopasture systems with grazing ponies and cattle as well as fellow deer, short rotation forests with agricultural use between the tree rows, tree orchards with grazing sheep and Christmas tree plantations on which chickens forage. As a reference, we used data for 65 forest sites across Germany, representing different forest types, various dominant tree species, stand ages and management systems. We found that overall stand structural complexity is ranked as follows: forest > silvopasture systems > short rotation forest > tree orchard > Christmas tree plantation. Consequently, if overall structural complexity of an agricultural landscape shall be enriched, there is now strong evidence on how this may be achieved using agroforests. However, if the focus lies on selected structures that serve specific functions, e.g. dense understory to provide animal shelter, specific types of agroforests may be chosen and the ranking in overall structural complexity may be less important.
Early Literacy Skills and Later Reading and Writing Performance Across Countries: The Effects of Orthographic Consistency and Preschool Curriculum
Authors: Majorano Marinella , Bastianello Tamara , Bodea-Hategan Carolina , Fantuzzi Patrizia , Fontana Giulia , Hoste Eddy , Lombardi Marco , Standaert An , Talas Dorina , Trifu Raluca , Vescogni Lisa , Persici Valentina
Published: April 2021

Background

Studies have reported a strong association between children's early literacy skills at preschool and their reading and writing skills at primary school. However, it is unclear whether this association is affected by language and curriculum practices.

Objective

The study investigates (i) whether early literacy skills are influenced by orthographic consistency and by preschool curriculum, and (ii) how early skills are related to later literacy skills across countries.

Method

Three countries, Italy (n = 73), Romania (n = 65), and Belgium (n = 109) were involved in the study, for a total of 247 children. Language and early literacy in preschool were assessed using a novel assessment tool (the ‘Talk’). Early visual-phonological and manual aspects integration were investigated using rapid automatized naming and grapho-motor tasks. The children’s reading and writing skills nine months later were assessed using standardized tests.

Results

Results showed higher early literacy scores for the groups of children speaking languages with more transparent orthographic systems and for the group taking part in preschool activities designed to enhance literacy acquisition. Later reading and writing skills were predicted by early competences, albeit with differences across countries.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that literacy acquisition trajectories are not only associated with early skills but are also influenced by language characteristics and curriculum practices. The study also presents preliminary findings relative to the ‘Talk’, an assessment tool that may have important implications for early identification and intervention of language and literacy difficulties, as well as for improving cross-country curriculum practices.
Soccer Scores, Short-Term Mood and Fertility
Authors: Bernardi Fabrizio , Cozzani Marco
Published: April 2021

Previous research has shown that seemingly irrelevant events such as unexpected outcomes in sporting events can affect mood and have relevant consequences for episodes of crime and violence, investing behavior and political preferences. In this article, we test whether mood shocks associated with unexpected results in soccer matches in Spain affect fertility. We use data on betting odds and actual scores to define mood shocks and link them to births by month and province in Spain, between 2001 and 2015. We find that unexpected losses of local teams lead to a small decrease in the number of births nine months thereafter. The effect is larger for more unexpected losses, in those provinces with the largest amount of support for the local team and robust to a number of placebo tests. We argue that these results are consistent with the gain–loss asymmetry predicted by prospect theory.
Effect of Pavement Thickness and Width on Liquefaction-Induced Settlements and the Contribution of Sand Ejecta in Total Settlement
Authors: Mohsan Muhammad , Kiyota Takashi , Umar Muhammad , Katagiri Toshihiko
Published: April 2021

This paper investigates the settlement in a pavement due to soil liquefaction. Four 1-g shaking table tests were performed on saturated sand bed-pavement model to understand the factors affecting the liquefaction-induced settlements and their relation to the pavement thickness and width. All the tests were performed with a base acceleration of 320 gal in a laminar box. The shaking table tests revealed that the total settlement reduced with the increase in the pavement thickness. The pavement with the same thickness but different width showed that the total settlement reduced with the increase in the pavement width. The co-seismic settlement and post-seismic settlement depend upon the thickness and width of the pavement, and the maximum contribution of the sand ejecta is around 7.7% in the total settlement.
Evaluating Free Rides and Observational Advantages in Set Visualizations
Authors: Blake Andrew , Stapleton Gem , Rodgers Peter , Touloumis Anestis
Published: April 2021

Free rides and observational advantages occur in visualizations when they reveal facts that must be inferred from an alternative representation. Understanding whether these concepts correspond to cognitive advantages is important: do they facilitate information extraction, saving the ‘deductive cost’ of making inferences? This paper presents the first evaluations of free rides and observational advantages in visualizations of sets compared to text. We found that, for Euler and linear diagrams, free rides and observational advantages yielded significant improvements in task performance. For Venn diagrams, whilst their observational advantages yielded significant performance benefits over text, this was not universally true for free rides. The consequences are two-fold: more research is needed to establish when free rides are beneficial, and the results suggest that observational advantages better explain the cognitive advantages of diagrams over text. A take-away message is that visualizations with observational advantages are likely to be cognitively advantageous over competing representations.
Source identification and exposure assessment to PM10 in the Eastern Carpathians, Romania
Authors: Boga Réka , Keresztesi Ágnes , Bodor Zsolt , Tonk Szende , Szép Róbert , Micheu Miruna Mihaela
Published: April 2021

Observations of particulate matter less than 10 µm (PM10) were conducted from January to December in 2015 in the Ciuc basin, Eastern Carpathians, Romania. Daily concentrations of PM10 ranged from 10.90 to 167.70 µg/m3, with an annual mean concentration of 46.31 µg/m3, which is higher than the European Union limit of 40 µg/m3. Samples were analyzed for a total of 21 elements. O, C and Si were the most abundant elements accounting for about 85% of the PM10 mass. Source identification showed that the elemental composition of PM10 is represented by post volcanic activity, crustal origin, and anthropogenic sources, caused by the resuspension of crustal material, sea salt and soil dust. The average PM10 composition was 72.10% soil, 20.92% smoke K, 13.84% salt, 1.53% sulfate and 1.02% organic matter. The back-trajectory analysis showed that the majority of PM10 pollution comes from the West, Southwest and South.
Positive Emotions Boost Enthusiastic Responsiveness to Capitalization Attempts. Dissecting Self-Report, Physiology, and Behavior
Authors: Kaczmarek Lukasz D. , Kashdan Todd B. , Behnke Maciej , Dziekan Martyna , Matuła Ewelina , Kosakowski Michał , Enko Jolanta , Guzik Przemysław
Published: April 2021

When individuals communicate enthusiasm for good events in their partners' lives, they contribute to a high-quality relationship; a phenomenon termed interpersonal capitalization. However, little is known when individuals are more ready to react enthusiastically to the partner's success. To address this gap, we examined whether positive and negative emotions boost or inhibit enthusiastic responses to partner's capitalization attempts (RCA). Participants (N = 224 individuals) responded to their partner's success. Before each capitalization attempt (operationalized as responses following the news that their partner won money in a game), we used video clips to elicit positive (primarily amusement) or negative (primarily anger) or neutral emotions in the responder. We recorded emotional valence, smiling intensity, verbal RCA, and physiological reactivity. We found indirect (but not direct) effects such that eliciting positive emotions boosted and negative emotions inhibited enthusiastic RCA (smiling intensity and enthusiastic verbal RCA). These effects were relatively small and mediated by emotional valence and smiling intensity but not physiological reactivity. The results offer novel evidence that positive emotions fuel the capitalization process.
Robust Optimization and Data Classification for Characterization of Huntington Disease Onset via Duality Methods
Authors: Woolnough Daniel , Jeyakumar Niroshan , Li Guoyin , Loy Clement T , Jeyakumar Vaithilingam
Published: April 2021

The features that characterize the onset of Huntington disease (HD) are poorly understood yet have significant implications for research and clinical practice. Motivated by the need to address this issue, and the fact that there may be inaccuracies in clinical HD data, we apply robust optimization and duality techniques to study support vector machine (SVM) classifiers in the face of uncertainty in feature data. We present readily numerically solvable semi-definite program reformulations via conic duality for a broad class of robust SVM classification problems under a general spectrahedron uncertainty set that covers the most commonly used uncertainty sets of robust optimization models, such as boxes, balls, and ellipsoids. In the case of the box-uncertainty model, we also provide a new simple quadratic program reformulation, via Lagrangian duality, leading to a very efficient iterative scheme for robust classifiers. Computational results on a range of datasets indicate that these robust classification methods allow for greater classification accuracies than conventional support vector machines in addition to selecting groups of highly correlated features. The conic duality-based robust SVMs were also successfully applied to a new, large HD dataset, achieving classification accuracies of over 95% and providing important information about the features that characterize HD onset.
OptBand: optimization-based confidence bands for functions to characterize time-to-event distributions
Authors: Chen T. , Tracy S. , Uno H.
Published: April 2021

Classical simultaneous confidence bands for survival functions (i.e., Hall–Wellner, equal precision, and empirical likelihood bands) are derived from transformations of the asymptotic Brownian nature of the Nelson–Aalen or Kaplan–Meier estimators. Due to the properties of Brownian motion, a theoretical derivation of the highest confidence density region cannot be obtained in closed form. Instead, we provide confidence bands derived from a related optimization problem with local time processes. These bands can be applied to the one-sample problem regarding both cumulative hazard and survival functions. In addition, we present a solution to the two-sample problem for testing differences in cumulative hazard functions. The finite sample performance of the proposed method is assessed by Monte Carlo simulation studies. The proposed bands are applied to clinical trial data to assess survival times for primary biliary cirrhosis patients treated with D-penicillamine.
Correction to: Current status and impending progress for cassava structural genomics
Authors: Lyons Jessica B. , Bredeson Jessen V. , Mansfeld Ben N. , Bauchet Guillaume Jean , Berry Jeffrey , Boyher Adam , Mueller Lukas A. , Rokhsar Daniel S. , Bart Rebecca S.
Published: April 2021

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-021-01139-7
A Two-Dimensional Model of Potassium Signaling and Oscillatory Growth in a Biofilm
Authors: Ford Noah , Fisher Garth , Prindle Arthur , Chopp David
Published: April 2021

Biofilms are complex communities of bacteria that exhibit a variety of collective behaviors. These behaviors improve their ability to survive in many different environments. One of these collective behaviors seen in Bacillus subtilis is the ability for starving cells to stop the growth of other cells using potassium signaling and voltage changes. This signaling produces an oscillatory growth pattern so that during periods of low growth the nutrients diffuse deeper into the biofilm and reach the nutrient-starved, interior regions of the biomass. In this paper, we develop a mathematical model to describe this oscillatory behavior, and we use this model to develop a two-dimensional simulation that reproduces many of the important features seen in the experimental data. This simulation allows us to examine the spatial patterning of the oscillatory behavior to better understand the relationships between the various regions of the biofilm. Studying the spatial components of the metabolic and voltage oscillations could allow for the development of new control techniques for biofilms with complex shapes.
Dialectics of Technical Emancipation—Considerations on a Reflexive, Sustainable Technology Development
Authors: Jochum Georg
Published: April 2021

The modern idea of emancipation is linked to the goal of overcoming dependencies and domination. However, as argued in the article, negative dialectics of emancipation must also be problematized. The project of emancipation, as it was formulated in the Age of Enlightenment, was often particular and was associated with the establishment of new forms of domination. Especially the project of liberation from the constraints of nature through technical development led to the domination of nature. In view of the ecological crisis, the dark side of this project is becoming apparent today. The ecological base of human development is at risk. It is therefore necessary to pursue the idea of a reflexive emancipation, which also takes nature into account in order to enable a sustainable technology development. Emancipatory Technology Studies should therefore support an emancipatory technology policy which promotes a positive dialectical movement that overcomes the contrast between submission to nature and technical mastery of nature.
Computational Assessment of Novel Predicted Compounds in Ni-Re Alloy System
Authors: Zhu Siya , van de Walle Axel
Published: April 2021

Ab initio high-throughput efforts are continuously identifying new intermetallic compounds in a wide range of alloy systems that were previously thought to be well-characterized. While such predictions are likely valid near absolute zero, they carry the risk that such phases become unstable at the higher temperature relevant to typical synthesis conditions. We illustrate how this possibility can be rapidly tested by integrating Calphad modeling into the high-throughput loop. As an example, we investigate the Ni-Re system, in which D019 and D1a phases were predicted as possible intermetallic compounds. We confirm that these phases are indeed stable at practical synthesis temperatures and explain how they could have been overlooked in prior assessments.
Update on Histological Reporting Changes in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Authors: Bräutigam Konstantin , Rodriguez-Calero Antonio , Kim-Fuchs Corina , Kollár Attila , Trepp Roman , Marinoni Ilaria , Perren Aurel
Published: April 2021

Purpose of Review

Classification and nomenclature of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) have frequently changed over the last years. These changes reflect both increasing knowledge and international standardisation.

Recent Findings

The most recent changes in the Gastro-Entero-Pancreatic system induced the concept of well-differentiated NET with high proliferation rate (NET G3), explaining partially the heterogeneity of G3 NEN. Even if the nomenclature in pulmonary NEN is still different, the terms ‘carcinoid’ and ‘atypical carcinoid’ are widely overlapping with NET G1 and NET G2. Molecular data shows an additional heterogeneity both in well-differentiated NET and poorly differentiated NEC. However, no studies are available demonstrating clinical usefulness yet.

The heterogeneity of NEN regarding the organ of origin, differentiation and molecular subtypes make development of personalised therapy a challenge needing more international and interdisciplinary collaborations and clinical trials allowing stratification according to biological subgroups.
Targeted sequencing and integrative analysis to prioritize candidate genes in neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Zhang Yi , Wang Tao , Wang Yan , Xia Kun , Li Jinchen , Sun Zhongsheng
Published: April 2021

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of diseases characterized by high heterogeneity and frequently co-occurring symptoms. The mutational spectrum in patients with NDDs is largely incomplete. Here, we sequenced 547 genes from 1102 patients with NDDs and validated 1271 potential functional variants, including 108 de novo variants (DNVs) in 78 autosomal genes and seven inherited hemizygous variants in six X chromosomal genes. Notably, 36 of these 78 genes are the first to be reported in Chinese patients with NDDs. By integrating our genetic data with public data, we prioritized 212 NDD candidate genes with FDR < 0.1, including 17 novel genes. The novel candidate genes interacted or were co-expressed with known candidate genes, forming a functional network involved in known pathways. We highlighted MSL2, which carried two de novo protein-truncating variants (p.L192Vfs*3 and p.S486Ifs*11) and was frequently connected with known candidate genes. This study provides the mutational spectrum of NDDs in China and prioritizes 212 NDD candidate genes for further functional validation and genetic counseling.
Personality type matters: Perceptions of job demands, job resources, and their associations with work engagement and mental health
Authors: Herr Raphael M. , van Vianen Annelies E. M. , Bosle Catherin , Fischer Joachim E.
Published: April 2021

This three-wave study examined whether the pattern of associations of job demands and job resources with work engagement and mental health depends on personality types. In a representative sample of the German workforce (N = 13,665), the Big Five personality traits could be used to cluster participants into five personality types: ordinary, resilient, strained, overcontrolled, and undercontrolled. As predicted, job demands were associated with mental health and job resources were primarily associated with work engagement. However, these relationships differed across personality types. We conclude that research and practice could take a more personality-driven stance towards employee perceptions of job demands and job resources and their associations with work engagement and mental health.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student teachers: how the shift to online collaborative learning affects student teachers’ learning and future teaching in a Chinese context
Authors: Lei Man , Medwell Jane
Published: April 2021

In March 2020, universities in China transitioned to online education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and intensified the focus on collaboration in online learning. However, little is known about the impact of undertaking online collaborative learning (OCL) on student teachers’ views about the process and about their own teaching and learning. This qualitative study examined 18 student teachers’ views about their experience of OCL and the way it affected them as learners and future teachers. The participants reported that OCL helped them develop varied views of learning and had a positive effect on their views about the future use of OCL. They saw their personal experience of OCL as an important aspect of their development as teachers. These findings highlight ways that online learning can shape the views and professionalism of student teachers. Future teacher training programs can provide OCL as a teaching experience at an early stage to help transform student teachers’ self-understanding from that of a student to that of a teacher. The findings of this study further reveal that online collaborative teacher training offers student teachers an opportunity to collaborate, discuss, and reflect on their professional development as teachers. This encourages teacher educators to reconsider how new forms of practice and teaching theories can be woven together more effectively in post-COVID teacher training.
Using efficiency frontier to inform operational decision-making
Authors: Benchener Matthew , Li Lingfeng
Published: April 2021

In this study, we introduce Efficiency Frontier, an economic assessment framework for business operations. The proposed framework emphasizes efficiency and sustainability. It aims to help organizations translate a complex metric system into a value index, conduct performance evaluation, and determine efficient resource planning strategies. Unlike the traditional methods that majorly focus on the achievement of performance targets, the proposed framework also accounts for the amount of resource that is invested in the achievement, which encourages managers to implement sustainable strategies that aim for long-term success. To validate the new framework, we systematically study the case of the City of Chicago’s 311 contact center with a base case analysis and a sensitivity analysis. In the base case, an Efficiency Frontier architected by a set of efficient solutions from 2013 to 2016 is used to identify outperforming scenarios given resource constraints. In the sensitivity analysis, we demonstrate the application of Efficiency Frontier in determining optimal resource planning strategies in conservative, moderate, and aggressive business investment scenarios. The base case Efficiency Frontier reveals that the marginal return on investment in improving the performance may diminish as investment increases. The sensitivity study suggests that optimal resource planning strategies should be adjusted according to value propositions. This work builds a framework for business leaders to economically assess their operational decision-making.

Article highlights

Efficient strategies can be identified by exploring the maximum value increase per unit of resource given cost scenarios

The fund of a strategy should be reduced when the marginal return of the strategy begins to diminish.

The framework’s ability to suggest cost-saving strategies is especially informative in resource-limited settings.
Mineralogy, Geochemistry, and Genesis of Kaolinitic Claystone Deposits in the Datong Coalfield, Northern China
Authors: Liu Linsong , Liu Qinfu , Algeo Thomas , Zhang Hao , Yang Yongjie , Peng Gaoyu , Zhang Shuai , Hong Hanlie , Liu Di
Published: April 2021

Gray-black kaolinitic claystones of industrial value are abundant in Upper Carboniferous–Lower Permian coal-bearing strata of the Datong Coalfield of northern China. The main types are tonsteins and cryptocrystalline kaolinitic claystones, distinguished by the thinness and greater crystallinity of kaolinite in the former and by the presence of detrital illite and authigenic pyrite in the latter. In order to determine the formation history of these two types of kaolinitic claystone, the petrological, mineralogical, and geochemical characteristics of borehole samples from the Upper Carboniferous Taiyuan Formation which comprises siliciclastics and coal seams deposited in a coastal environment, were analyzed. In addition to kaolinite, the claystones contain subordinate illite, quartz, pyrite, anatase, feldspar, siderite, and calcite. The tonsteins and cryptocrystalline kaolinitic claystones have different sources, as shown by petrographic data, elemental ratios, and chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns. The volcanic origin of the tonsteins is revealed by an abundance of volcanic quartz and vitric fragments as well as Al2O3/TiO2, Zr/Hf, and Nb/Ta ratios consistent with a felsic igneous source. Their REE fraction was derived from feldspars or micas of the parent rocks, and the fraction decreased with alteration of these minerals to kaolinite. The sedimentary origin of the cryptocrystalline kaolinitic claystones is revealed by an abundance of detrital quartz and illite grains derived from either granite or sedimentary upper crust, and by the total REE contents (ΣREE) and (La/Yb)N values which are consistent with granitic material. Their depositional environment was in a transitional (coastal) setting (as shown by intermediate Sr/Ba ratios) hosting an open acidic hydrologic system (as shown by high chemical index of alteration (CIA) values indicative of intensive chemical weathering) that was suboxic to anoxic (as shown by high U/Th ratios and trace-metal enrichment factors). The present chemistry of these claystones was thus controlled by a combination of parent rock type and diagenetic alteration.
Preparation and Characterization of Halloysite-Based Carriers for Quercetin Loading and Release
Authors: Liu Shu-Ting , Chen Xue-Gang , Zhang Shi-Long , Liu Xue-Min , Zhang Jun-Ji
Published: April 2021

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) have attracted much attention as delivery carriers for various drugs, but the loading of one such drug, quercetin, on HNTs has been investigated only rarely and usually involved cyclic vacuum pumping. The main objective of the present study was to develop a novel carrier system based on HNTs for quercetin delivery without a vacuum process and to investigate the effect of chemical modification of HNTs on the loading and release of quercetin. For this purpose, comparative studies of five chemical modification reagents (sodium lauroamphoacetate, cocoamidopropyl betaine, 1-hydroxyethyl 2-nonyl imidazoline betaine, triethanolamine, and dipicolinic acid) functionalized on HNTs were investigated for quercetin loading and in vitro release. Characterization of raw halloysite, modified halloysite, and quercetin-loaded halloysite were done by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that chemical modification could improve the interactions between HNTs and quercetin. After chemical modification, quercetin was anchored to both the inner and outer surfaces of HNTs by electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces. Sodium lauroamphoacetate-modified HNTs were given the highest loading of 1.96 wt.% among the five reagents. Cocamidopropyl betaine-modified HNTs exhibited the best sustained-release profile with only 29.07% for initial burst release and 480 h of consecutive release. Carboxyl groups of the modification reagent improved the loading capacity of quercetin. Amide groups prolonged drug release due to the strong affinity between amine and phenolic hydroxyl groups of quercetin. The release of quercetin from the cocamidopropyl betaine-modified HNTs fitted a first-order kinetics model well. The present study suggested that cocamidopropyl betaine-modified HNTs offer promise as vehicles for delivery of quercetin and for extending the application of quercetin.
Effects of Solvents, Emulsions, Cosolvents, and Complexions on Ex Vivo Mouse Myometrial Contractility
Authors: Hansen Christopher J. , Siricilla Shajila , Boatwright Naoko , Rogers Jackson H. , Kumi Melissa E. , Herington Jennifer
Published: April 2021

A great need exists to develop tocolytic and uterotonic drugs that combat poor, labor-related maternal and fetal outcomes. A widely utilized method to assess novel compounds for their tocolytic and uterotonic efficacy is the isometric organ bath contractility assay. Unfortunately, water-insoluble compounds can be difficult to test using the physiological, buffer-based, organ bath assay. Common methods for overcoming solubility issues include solvent variation, cosolvency, surfactant or complexion use, and emulsification. However, these options for drug delivery or formulation can impact tissue function. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the ability of common solvents, surfactants, cosolvents, and emulsions to adequately solubilize compounds in the organ bath assay without affecting mouse myometrial contractility. We found that acetone, acetonitrile, and ethanol had the least effect, while dimethylacetamide, ethyl acetate, and isopropanol displayed the greatest inhibition of myometrial contractility based on area under the contractile curve analyses. The minimum concentration of surfactants, cosolvents, and human serum albumin required to solubilize nifedipine, a current tocolytic drug, resulted in extensive bubbling in the organ bath assay, precluding their use. Finally, we report that an oil-in-water base emulsion containing no drug has no statistical effect beyond the control (water), while the drug emulsion yielded the same potency and efficacy as the freely solubilized drug.
Using Geochemical Data
Authors: Rollinson Hugh , Pease Victoria
Published: April 2021

This textbook is a complete rewrite, and expansion of Hugh Rollinson's highly successful 1993 book Using Geochemical Data: Evaluation, Presentation, Interpretation. Rollinson and Pease's new book covers the explosion in geochemical thinking over the past three decades, as new instruments and techniques have come online. It provides a comprehensive overview of how modern geochemical data are used in the understanding of geological and petrological processes. It covers major element, trace element, and radiogenic and stable isotope geochemistry. It explains the potential of many geochemical techniques, provides examples of their application, and emphasizes how to interpret the resulting data. Additional topics covered include the critical statistical analysis of geochemical data, current geochemical techniques, effective display of geochemical data, and the application of data in problem solving and identifying petrogenetic processes within a geological context. It will be invaluable for all graduate students, researchers, and professionals using geochemical techniques.
Volcanoes in Old Norse Mythology
Authors: Nordvig Mathias
Published: April 2021

Volcanoes in Old Norse Mythology details how Viking Age Icelanders, migrating from Scandinavia to a new and volcanically active environment, used Old Norse mythology to understand and negotiate the hazards of the island. These pre-Christian myths recorded in medieval Iceland expound an indigenous Icelandic theory on volcanism that revolves around the activities of supernatural beings, such as the fire-demon Surtr and the gods Odin and Thor. Before the Icelanders were introduced to Christianity and its teachings, they formulated an indigenous theory of volcanism on basis of their traditional mythology much like other indigenous peoples across the world.
An Architecture of Education
Authors: Nieves Angel David
Published: April 2021

Examines material culture and the act of institution creation, especially through architecture and landscape, to recount a deeper history of the lives of African American women in the post-Civil War South.
Visualising Protestant Monarchy
Authors: Farguson Julie
Published: April 2021

The first comprehensive, comparative study of the visual culture of monarchy in the reigns of William and Mary and Queen Anne
Globalization, Nationalism, and Music Education in the Twenty-First Century in Greater China
Authors: Ho Wai-Chung
Published: April 2021

This book will examine the recent development of school music education in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to illustrate how national policies for music in the school curriculum integrate music cultures and non-musical values in the relationship between national cultural identity and globalization. It will examine the ways in which policies for national identity formation and globalization interact to complement and contradict each other in the content of music education in these three Chinese territories. Meanwhile, tensions posed by the complex relationship between cultural diversity and political change have also led to a crisis of national identity in these three localities. The research methods of this book involve an analysis of official approved music textbooks, a survey questionnaire distributed to students attending music education programmes as well as primary and secondary school music teachers, and in-depth interviews with student teachers and schoolteachers in the three territories.
Mid-season sweet oranges for fresh and processing markets in Brazil
Authors: Ramos Yuri Caires , Fadel André Luiz , Bremer Neto Horst , Caputo Marina Maitto , Stuchi Eduardo Sanches , Mourão Filho Francisco de Assis Alves
Published: April 2021

Pera sweet orange (Citrus sinensisL. Osbeck) is the most important mid-season sweet orange cultivar in Brazil, not only because of its desirable fruit quality for both juice processing and the fresh fruit market, but also because there is a lack of adequate mid-season alternative sweet orange cultivars. This study aimed to evaluate the horticultural performance of other sweet oranges in an attempt to identify similar or superior selections to the standard cultivar, Pera IAC sweet orange. Seventeen sweet oranges selections, including the standard Pera IAC, were budded on Sunki mandarin [C. sunki(Hayata) hort. ex Tanaka]. The experiment was planted in 2007, using 12-month-old nursery trees, with 6.5 × 2.5 m spacing in the Southern region of São Paulo state, Brazil. The experimental orchard was maintained with standard commercial management practices, and without supplementary irrigation. Data collection started three years after planting and was carried out until seven years after the experiment had been installed. Vegetative growth, plant yield, fruit drop, fruit quality, and fruit maturation regressions were assessed. Averages of the alternative selections were compared with those of the standard cultivar by Dunnett test. Performance indexes were calculated in order to identify potential superior selections for the fresh fruit market and for juice processing. Results indicated significant differences among the selections evaluated when compared with the standard cultivar, suggesting better alternatives to be exploited. Five selections (Biondo, Finike, Pera Alexandre Maróstica, Seleta Rio, and Vaccaro Blood) offered superior performance in terms of attributes required for the fresh fruit market, while one selection (Pera Alexandre Maróstica) was superior for juice processing traits. These alternatives to Pera IAC represent an opportunity for more efficient and productive scions with higher fruit quality, and with a slight shift within the mid-season harvest time of sweet oranges in Brazil.