bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Myeloma bone disease imaging on a 1st-generation clinical photon-counting detector CT vs. 2nd-generation dual-source dual-energy CT
Authors: Winkelmann Moritz T. , Hagen Florian , Le-Yannou Lucie , Weiss Jakob , Riffel Philipp , Gutjahr Ralf , Faby Sebastian , Nikolaou Konstantin , Horger Marius
Published: November 2022

Objective

Subjective and objective image quality comparison of bone microstructure and disease-related abnormalities in multiple myeloma patients using a 1st-generation dual-source photon-counting detector CT(DS-PCD-CT) and a 2nd-generation dual-source dual-energy (energy-integrating detector) CT (DS-EID-CT).

Methods

Fifty multiple myeloma patients (mean age 67.7 ± 10.9 years,16 females) were prospectively enrolled. Unenhanced whole-body CTs were clinically indicated and performed on DS-EID-CT and DS-PCD-CT (median time difference: 12 months). DS-PCD-CT was performed in Quantumplus UHR mode and DS-EID-CT was performed using dual-energy mode. DS-PCD-CT kernel was set at Br64 with Quantum iterative reconstruction strength Q1; for DS-EID-CT a comparable I70f kernel with SAFIRE iterative reconstruction strength 1 was used. Two independent radiologists assessed image quality subjectively using a 5-point Likert scale considering delineation and sharpness of trabecular bone and lytic bone lesions in the spine and pelvic bones. Additionally, ImageJ was used for quantification of bony septa inside the cancellous bone and through or the edges of osteolysis.

Results

Overall quality as well as detectability and sharpness in the delineation of lytic bone lesions were superior for DS-PCD-CT compared with DS-EID-CT (p < 0.0001). The inter-reader agreement for subjective image quality readings showed excellent consistency(α = 94.2–98.8). CTDI and DLP mean values for DS-PCD-CT and DS-EID-CT were 1107.4 ± 247.6 mGy*cm and 8.2 ± 1.8 mGy vs. 1344.3 ± 204.6 mGy*cm and 10.1 ± 1.9 mGy. The quantitative metric for bone microstructure in the femoral head showed significantly better visualization of trabeculae in DS-PCD-CT compared with DS-EID-CT (p < 0.0001). Quantitative analyses of edge sharpness of osteolysis showed significant steeper edges for DS-PCD-CT (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

DS-PCD-CT significantly improves spatial resolution of bony microstructure and lytic bone lesions compared to DS-EID-CT.

Key Points

• Application of photon-counting detector CT is superior to dual-source dual-energy integrating detector in clinical workup of multiple myeloma patients.

• Compared to energy integrating detectors, photon-counting detectors significantly increase the spatial resolution of bone microstructure including disease-related lytic bone lesions in patients with multiple myeloma.
Assessing causal dependencies in climatic indices
Authors: Silini Riccardo , Tirabassi Giulio , Barreiro Marcelo , Ferranti Laura , Masoller Cristina
Published: November 2022

We evaluate causal dependencies between thirteen indices that represent large-scale climate patterns (El Nino/Southern Oscillation, the North Atlantic Oscillation, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, etc.) using a recently proposed approach based on a linear approximation of the transfer entropy. We demonstrate that this methodology identifies causal relations that are well-known, as well as it uncovers some relations which, to the best of our knowledge, have not yet been reported in the literature. We also identify significant changes in causal dependencies that have occurred in the last three decades.
Resting-state functional MRI in multicenter studies on multiple sclerosis: a report on raw data quality and functional connectivity features from the Italian Neuroimaging Network Initiative
Authors: De Rosa Alessandro Pasquale , Esposito Fabrizio , Valsasina Paola , d’Ambrosio Alessandro , Bisecco Alvino , Rocca Maria A. , Tommasin Silvia , Marzi Chiara , De Stefano Nicola , Battaglini Marco , Pantano Patrizia , Cirillo Mario , Tedeschi Gioacchino , Filippi Massimo , Gallo Antonio ,   the INNI Network, Altieri Manuela , Borgo Riccardo , Capuano Rocco , Storelli Loredana , Pagani Elisabetta , Sibilia Mauro , Piervincenzi Claudia , Ruggieri Serena , Petsas Nikolaos , Cortese Rosa , Stromillo Maria Laura
Published: November 2022

The Italian Neuroimaging Network Initiative (INNI) is an expanding repository of brain MRI data from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients recruited at four Italian MRI research sites. We describe the raw data quality of resting-state functional MRI (RS-fMRI) time-series in INNI and the inter-site variability in functional connectivity (FC) features after unified automated data preprocessing. MRI datasets from 489 MS patients and 246 healthy control (HC) subjects were retrieved from the INNI database. Raw data quality metrics included temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR), spatial smoothness (FWHM), framewise displacement (FD), and differential variation in signals (DVARS). Automated preprocessing integrated white-matter lesion segmentation (SAMSEG) into a standard fMRI pipeline (fMRIPrep). FC features were calculated on pre-processed data and harmonized between sites (Combat) prior to assessing general MS-related alterations. Across centers (both groups), median tSNR and FWHM ranged from 47 to 84 and from 2.0 to 2.5, and median FD and DVARS ranged from 0.08 to 0.24 and from 1.06 to 1.22. After preprocessing, only global FC-related features were significantly correlated with FD or DVARS. Across large-scale networks, age/sex/FD-adjusted and harmonized FC features exhibited both inter-site and site-specific inter-group effects. Significant general reductions were obtained for somatomotor and limbic networks in MS patients (vs. HC). The implemented procedures provide technical information on raw data quality and outcome of fully automated preprocessing that might serve as reference in future RS-fMRI studies within INNI. The unified pipeline introduced little bias across sites and appears suitable for multisite FC analyses on harmonized network estimates.
ICH and US-FDA validated HPTLC methods with greenness assessments for the assay of mixtures prescribed in stroke prophylaxis: application to pharmaceutical preparations and human plasma
Authors: Hamdy Mohamed M. A. , Korany Mohamed A. , Ebied Shaza A. , Haggag Rim S.
Published: November 2022

The importance of the binary mixtures of the novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs): apixaban (APX), edoxaban tosylate (EDX) and rivaroxaban (RIV) with the lipid-lowering statin, rosuvastatin calcium (ROS) is highly emerging to save lives of cardiovascular patients as these combinations are used in prophylaxis from stroke. A high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method was developed for the quantitative assay of these life-saving mixtures in tablets and human plasma. Two mobile phases were developed for the assay in bulk and tablets; the first one: toluene‒ethyl acetate‒methanol‒25% ammonia (3.5:4.5:2:0.2, V/V) (method I) used for the three mixtures, and the second one: methanol‒25% ammonia (9.95:0.05, V/V) (method II) used for EDX/ROS mixture only. For analysis in human plasma, APX was used as internal standard in RIV/ROS and EDX/ROS mixtures using methods I and II, respectively, while RIV was used as internal standard in APX/ROS mixture using method I; the methods were validated according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation for analysis in biological fluids. The method selectivity was demonstrated by its ability to simultaneously analyze the drugs in the presence of dosage form excipients and in the presence of plasma interferences (analysis in biological fluid) at single wavelength (291 nm) by use of the internal standard.
Mapping the Landscape of Care Providers’ Quality Assurance Approaches for AI in Diagnostic Imaging
Authors: Lundström Claes , Lindvall Martin
Published: November 2022

The discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in diagnostic imaging has matured in recent years. The potential value of AI adoption is well established, as are the potential risks associated. Much focus has, rightfully, been on regulatory certification of AI products, with the strong incentive of being an enabling step for the commercial actors. It is, however, becoming evident that regulatory approval is not enough to ensure safe and effective AI usage in the local setting. In other words, care providers need to develop and implement quality assurance (QA) approaches for AI solutions in diagnostic imaging. The domain of AI-specific QA is still in an early development phase. We contribute to this development by describing the current landscape of QA-for-AI approaches in medical imaging, with focus on radiology and pathology. We map the potential quality threats and review the existing QA approaches in relation to those threats. We propose a practical categorization of QA approaches, based on key characteristics corresponding to means, situation, and purpose. The review highlights the heterogeneity of methods and practices relevant for this domain and points to targets for future research efforts.
Calsyntenin-1 Promotes Doxorubicin-induced Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Rats
Authors: Zhu Mingxiang , Chen Yibing , Cheng Liting , Li Xin , Shen Yanying , Guo Ge , Xu Xiang , Li Hanlu , Yang Hao , Liu Chunlei , He Kunlun
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Doxorubicin is an important cancer chemotherapeutic agent with severe cardiotoxic effects that eventually lead to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Calsyntenin-1(CLSTN1) plays a critical role in the nervous system, but its relevance in cardiovascular diseases is unknown. We investigated the significance of CLSTN1 in doxorubicin-induced DCM.

Methods

CLSTN1 expression in doxorubicin-induced DCM rats and H9c2 cells was determined using western blotting. To further explore the functions of CLSTN1, a cardiac-specific CLSTN1 overexpression rat model was constructed. The rats were subjected to analysis using echocardiographic, hemodynamic, and electrocardiographic parameters. Potential downstream molecules in CLSTN1 overexpression heart tissue were investigated using proteomics and western blotting. Finally, a knockdown of CLSTN1 was constructed to investigate the rescue function on doxorubicin-induced cell toxicity.

Results

CLSTN1 protein expression increased drastically in doxorubicin-induced DCM rats and H9c2 cells. Under doxorubicin treatment, CLSTN1 protein-specific overexpression in the heart muscle promoted cardiac chamber enlargement and heart failure, while the knockdown of CLSTN1 reduced doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte toxicity in vitro. At the mechanistic level, overexpression of CLSTN1 downregulated SERCA2 expression and increased the phosphorylation levels of PI3K-Akt and CaMK2.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrated that CLSTN1 promotes the pathogenesis of doxorubicin-induced DCM. CLSTN1 could be a therapeutic target to prevent the development of doxorubicin-induced DCM.
Policy making in the financial industry: A framework for regulatory impact analysis using textual analysis
Authors: Clapham Benjamin , Bender Micha , Lausen Jens , Gomber Peter
Published: November 2022

Regulators conduct regulatory impact analyses (RIA) to evaluate whether regulatory actions fulfill the desired goals. Although there are different frameworks for conducting RIA, they are only applicable to regulations whose impact can be measured with structured data. Yet, a significant and increasing number of regulations require firms to comply by specifying and communicating textual data to consumers and supervisors. Therefore, we develop a methodological framework for RIA in case of unstructured data following the design science research paradigm. The framework enables the application of textual analysis and natural language processing to assess the impact of regulatory actions that result in unstructured data and offers guidance on how to map suitable methods to the dimensions impacted by the regulation. We evaluate the framework by applying it to the European financial market regulation MiFID II, specifically the recent regulatory changes regarding best execution. Thereby, we show that MiFID II failed to improve informativeness and comprehensibility of best execution policies.
Common and uncommon vascular injuries and endovascular treatment associated with pelvic blunt trauma: a real-world experience
Authors: Aoki Ryo , Nakajima Kento , Kobayashi Yusuke , Sakai Yodo , Kamide Hiroyuki , Yamamoto Toh , Furugori Shintaro , Sawamura Shungo , Terauchi Miki , Kamiyama Kazutoshi , Ikeda Shin , Tsuji Gengo , Koyama Shingo , Yoshigi Jun , Sekikawa Zenjiro , Utsunomiya Daisuke
Published: November 2022

Pelvic fractures are common in cases of blunt trauma, which is strongly associated with mortality. Transcatheter arterial embolization is a fundamental treatment strategy for fatal arterial injuries caused by blunt pelvic trauma. However, vascular injuries due to blunt pelvic trauma can show various imaging findings other than arterial hemorrhage. We present a pictorial review of common and uncommon vascular injuries, including active arterial bleeding, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, arterial occlusion, vasospasm, and active venous bleeding. Knowledge of these vascular injuries can help clinicians select the appropriate therapeutic strategy and thus save lives.
Bite Force Performance from wild Derived mice has Undetectable Heritability Despite Having Heritable Morphological Components
Authors: Ginot Samuel , Hallgrímsson Benedikt , Agret Sylvie , Claude Julien
Published: November 2022

Fitness-related traits tend to have low heritabilities. Conversely, morphology tends to be highly heritable. Yet, many fitness-related performance traits such as running speed or bite force depend critically on morphology. Craniofacial morphology correlates with bite performance in several groups including rodents. However, within species, this relationship is less clear, and the genetics of performance, morphology and function are rarely analyzed in combination. Here, we use a half-sib design in outbred wild-derivedMus musculusto study the morphology-bite force relationship and determine whether there is additive genetic (co-)variance for these traits. Results suggest that bite force has undetectable additive genetic variance and heritability in this sample, while morphological traits related mechanically to bite force exhibit varying levels of heritability. The most heritable traits include the length of the mandible which relates to bite force. Despite its correlation with morphology, realized bite force was not heritable, which suggests it is less responsive to selection in comparison to its morphological determinants. We explain this paradox with a non-additive, many-to-one mapping hypothesis of heritable change in complex traits. We furthermore propose that performance traits could evolve if pleiotropic relationships among the determining traits are modified.
Causality in statistics and data science education
Authors: Cummiskey Kevin , Lübke Karsten
Published: November 2022

Statisticians and data scientists transform raw data into understanding and insight. Ideally, these insights empower people to act and make better decisions. However, data is often misleading especially when trying to draw conclusions about causality (for example, Simpson’s paradox). Therefore, developing causal thinking in undergraduate statistics and data science programs is important. However, there is very little guidance in the education literature about what topics and learning outcomes, specific to causality, are most important. In this paper, we propose a causality curriculum for undergraduate statistics and data science programs. Students should be able to think causally, which is defined as a broad pattern of thinking that enables individuals to appropriately assess claims of causality based upon statistical evidence. They should understand how the data generating process affects their conclusions and how to incorporate knowledge from subject matter experts in areas of application. Important topics in causality for the undergraduate curriculum include the potential outcomes framework and counterfactuals, measures of association versus causal effects, confounding, causal diagrams, and methods for estimating causal effects.
Is there evidence that emotional reasoning processing underlies emotional disorders in adults? A systematic review
Authors: Paredes-Mealla Macarena , Martínez-Borba Verónica , Miragall Marta , García-Palacios Azucena , Baños Rosa Mª , Suso-Ribera Carlos
Published: November 2022

The prevalence of emotional disorders has increased in recent times. Emotional Reasoning (ER), which is a transdiagnostic process, occurs when feelings, rather than objective evidence, are used as a source of information to make judgements about the valence of a situation. Differences in ER may explain the existence and maintenance of emotional disorders. The objective is to systematically review the role of ER in the occurrence and severity of emotional disorders. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched through: PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus and The Cochrane Library. Search terms were "Emotional Reasoning", "ex-consequentia reasoning", "Affect-as-information"; and "emotional disorders", "anxiety", "depression", "depressive". Nine articles were included. An association was demonstrated between ER and a greater degree of anxious symptomatological severity. In depressive symptomatology, no significant differences were found. One study reported the effect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on ER bias, finding no changes after the intervention. Finally, another study evaluated the efficacy of computerised experiential training in reducing ER bias, showing significant differences. There are few studies on ER and its evolution in research has not been uniform over time. Encouragingly, though, research to date suggests that ER is a transdiagnostic process involved in several anxiety disorders. More investigation is needed to dilucidate whether ER also underlies the onset and maintenance of depressive disorders.
Life aspirations, school engagement, social anxiety, social media use and fear of missing out among adolescents
Authors: Tanrikulu Gulfem , Mouratidis Athanasios
Published: November 2022

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) – people’s intense concerns that they might miss pleasant moments that their peers may enjoy—has been found to relate to a variety of undesired outcomes, including poor academic functioning. Yet, little is known about why some students may exhibit more FoMO than others. In this cross-sectional study with a sample of Turkish adolescents (N1 = 506; 50.8% males; Mage = 15.8 years; SD = 0.83), we examined to what extent intrinsic and extrinsic life goals for using social media predict FoMO over and above social anxiety. We found through path analyses that extrinsic goals of attaining popularity, garnering attention, and conveying a positive image of oneself to others related to FoMO which in turn related to lower grades by means of in-class distraction and out-of-class study interference. Taken together, the present results suggest that the goals that adolescents try to attain through social media use may explain why FoMO might be more prevalent in that age group.
Is it worth being attached to the leader? Transformational leadership and various types of performance: The mediating role of leader as attachment figure
Authors: Lisá Elena , Greškovičová Katarína
Published: November 2022

We assumed that the perception of the leader as an attachment figure would mediate the relationship between transformational leadership transformational leadership and leader/follower's reports of team performance. Leaders (N = 38) and employees (N = 204) completed separate questionnaire batteries. Team members assessed their perceptions of the leader as an attachment figure, transformational leadership of their leaders, and general and citizenship performance. Leaders assessed their transformational leadership style and the performance of their teams. We applied multi-level structural equation modeling (multi-level mediation). Perceptions of the leader as an attachment figure did not significantly mediate team or general performance prediction. But, the transformational leadership of the leader (team level) positively predicted the dimensions of the attachment figure (secure figure and separation distress – individual level). The secure figure positively and separation distress negatively predicted interpersonal and organizational citizenship performance at the team level. The perception of a leader as an attachment figure at the team level has different characteristics than at the individual level. The results indicate that the best scenario for team performance, as seen through the lens of transformational leadership, is a secure-figure leader and followers with low separation distress. The discussion meets the topics of the low statistical power and the need to differentiate a leader's attachment figure functions in organizations regarding the individual versus team level.
“Parents are gone”: Understanding the unique and interactive impacts of affective and cognitive empathy on left-behind youth’s academic engagement
Authors: Lan Xiaoyu
Published: November 2022

Although several studies have shown that left-behind adolescents are vulnerable regarding emotional and behavioral functions, much less research has focused on this group’s academic engagement. The relationship between distinct empathy subcomponents and academic engagement in left-behind youth (versus non-left-behind youth) is therefore largely unknown. To fill these knowledge gaps, the current study compared the academic engagement between left-behind and non-left-behind youth. This study subsequently examined the unique and interactive relationships among affective empathy, cognitive empathy, and left-behind status with academic engagement in a combined sample of left-behind and non-left-behind youth. In total, 323 left-behind youth and 737 non-left-behind youth (Mage = 13.05; 49.5% females) participated in this study. Findings, after adjusting for participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, revealed that left-behind youth did not differ significantly in academic engagement compared to non-left-behind youth. A four-step hierarchical regression analysis showed that both empathy components were positively related to academic engagement. Interaction analyses further exhibited a cross-over effect of affective and cognitive empathy for left-behind youth. Specifically, left-behind youth with high cognitive empathy seemed more susceptible to the influence of affective empathy on academic engagement, for better and for worse. In the presence of high affective empathy, left-behind youth with higher cognitive empathy reported the highest academic engagement, whereas the youth with higher cognitive empathy, in the presence of low affective empathy, reported the lowest. The current study highlights the unique and interactive roles of affective and cognitive empathy in left-behind youth’s academic engagement, including important conceptual and practical implications.
Assessment of Early Childhood Mental Health in Immigrant and Local Children in Chile
Authors: Narea Marigen , Caqueo-Urízar Alejandra , Torres-Irribarra David , Treviño Ernesto , Flores Jerome , Gutiérrez-Rioseco Javiera
Published: November 2022

Little is known about mental health during early childhood and differences in mental health problems between migrant and local preschool children in Chile. This research aimed to study the early mental health of children and disparities in mental health indicators between immigrant and local children in the context of a middle-income country. Parents and teachers assessed immigrant (n = 120) and non-immigrant (n = 383) children between 3 and 4 years old with the Sistema de Evaluación de Niños y Adolescentes (Child and Adolescent Evaluation System, SENA). A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to study both main and interaction effects while controlling for the clustering of children on center-based care. Results show that immigrant parents tended to report more internalizing problems than locals’ parents did in terms of depression, anxiety, and somatic complaints. Also, they reported more attention problems, developmental delay, unusual behavior, rigidity, and isolation in immigrant children. However, teachers’ assessments regarding immigrant children were similar to non-immigrant children’s evaluations in many cases. Finally, girls presented fewer emotional and behavioral problems than boys. Our study shows the importance of assessing mental health during early childhood, especially in immigrant children, and the difficulty of carrying out this evaluation through different information sources from parents and early childhood teachers.
Profitability of private equity: mean reversion and transitory shocks
Authors: Gil-Alana Luis Alberiko , Puertolas-Montanes Francisco
Published: November 2022

This paper deals with the analysis of the statistical properties of the profitability yielded by Private Equity from a fractionally integrated viewpoint. Using quarterly data from 1981q2 to 2021q3, the results support the hypothesis of stationarity and mean reversion in all cases; however, we observe differences in the degree of persistence across regions, Europe being the closest to short memory while the US shows the highest degree of long range dependence and thus the longer lasting effects of shocks. Some policy recommendations of the results obtained are included at the end of the manuscript.
Pre-clinical efficacy of CD20-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T cells for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Authors: Wen Hairuo , Lou Xiaoyan , Qu Zhe , Qin Chao , Jiang Hua , Yang Ying , Kang Liqing , Geng Xingchao , Yu Lei , Huang Ying
Published: November 2022

Background

A 4-1BB/CD3-ζ-costimulated CAR-T against CD20 (CAR-T20) was subjected to a systemic efficacy evaluation in a cell co-culture model, and NOD-SCID IL-2 receptor gamma null mice (short for NSG mice) were xenografted with human Burkitt's lymphoma Raji cells.

Methods

CAR-T20 cells were incubated with target cells (K562, K562 CD20 or Raji cells) at ratios of 10:1 and 5:1 for 24 h, and the killing rate was estimated by an LDH cytotoxicity assay. To evaluate the effect of CAR-T20 on the survival time of tumor-bearing animals, 30 NSG mice were employed, and Raji-Luc cells (5 × 105 cells per mouse) were administered prior to CAR-T20 administration. The survival time, optical intensity of Raji-Luc cells, clinical symptoms, and body mass of the animals were observed. Another 144 male NSG mice were employed to investigate the proliferation and antitumor effects of CAR-T20. Human cytokine and murine cytokines were detected at 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, 56 and 90 days post-CAR-T administration, while biochemistry index analysis, T-cell and CAR-T-cell detection in peripheral blood, and histopathological examination were performed at 14, 28, 56 and 90 days post-administration.

Results

CAR-T20 cells had a specific killing effect on CD20-expressing cells in vitro. At a dose of 1 × 106 per mouse or above, CAR-T20 prolonged the median survival time from 14 days to more than 3 months, inhibited the proliferation of Raji cells in mice, and alleviated the clinical manifestations and weight loss caused by the Raji-Luc cell load. CAR-T20 at a dose of 2 × 106 per mouse or above inhibited the proliferation of Raji cells in mice for up to 111 days post-administration without recurrence. The numbers of T cells and CAR-T cells in the animals administered CAR-T20 increased significantly when Raji cells were markedly proliferated and subsequently decreased when Raji cells were predominantly inhibited. CAR-T20 increased human IFN-γ, murine TNF and murine IL-6 levels and decreased human IL-10 levels in tumor-bearing mice. The incidences of xenografted tumors in organs/tissues were also reduced effectively by CAR-T20.

Conclusion

The effective dose of CAR-T20 in mice starts from 1 × 106 per mouse, equivalent to a clinical dose of 5 × 106/kg. Together, our data support the clinical translation of CAR-T20 for R/R B-cell NHL patients.
Intentions in Ecological Psychology: An Anscombean Proposal
Authors: Segundo-Ortin Miguel , Kalis Annemarie
Published: November 2022

According to ecological psychology, agency is a crucial feature of living organisms: therefore many ecological psychologists maintain that explaining agency is one of the core aims of the discipline. This paper aims to contribute to this goal by arguing that an ecological understanding of agency requires an account of intention. So far, intentions have not played a dominant role in ecological accounts of agency. The reluctance to integrate a notion of intention seems to be motivated by the widespread assumption that intentions should be understood as internal states with representational content. This assumption goes against two main tenets of ecological psychology: its anti-representationalist stance and its claim that perception is direct (in the sense of not being mediated by inferential processes). Ecological psychology thus needs a different answer to the question what intentions are. In this paper, we aim to show that Elizabeth Anscombe’s theory of intention can be fruitfully brought to bear on an ecological theory of agency. We will argue that Anscombe’s account can meet the two challenges of bringing intentions into the framework of ecological psychology: firstly it can explain what intentions are, if not representational states; and, secondly, it can show how our perception of affordances is guided by intention without undermining the idea of direct perception.
Macroeconomic and distributive effects of increasing taxes in Spain
Authors: Fuster Luisa
Published: November 2022

I assess the macroeconomic and redistributive effects of tax reforms aimed at increasing tax revenue in Spain. To this end, I develop a theory of entrepreneurship that mimics key facts on the wealth and income distribution in Spain. I find two reforms that raise fiscal pressure in Spain to the average value among countries in the Euro area. The first reform involves doubling the average effective tax rate on labor and business income for all individuals whose income is above a threshold level. I find that this reform reduces the inequality in after-tax income, wealth, and consumption. However, it implies a substantial GDP reduction. The second reform increases the flat tax rate on consumption by fifteen percentage points. While this reform does not reduce long-run output, it does not decrease household inequality. All in all, the desirability of the two reforms depends on the government’s preferences for reducing inequality at the expense of aggregate output losses.
Long-term follow-up after introduction of a systematic sexually transmitted infection screening program for men having sex with men living with HIV in a primary care setting: uptake, STI incidence, and risk factors for infection and reinfection
Authors: Mathé Philipp J. G. , Usadel Susanne , Rieg Siegbert , Kern Winfried V. , Müller Matthias C.
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Annual screening for asymptomatic infections with Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) is recommended by international guidelines in people living with HIV but uptake in routine care remains poor. This study analyzed the effects of the implementation of a CT/NG screening program in a primary HIV treatment center.

Methods

In this single-center cohort study, we included men having sex with men (MSM) living with HIV during the study period from January 2016 to December 2019. From January 2018 on, annual sexual health counseling including CT/NG screening was proactively offered to all MSM presenting at the center. CT/NG screening rates, test positivity rates and case detection rates in the years 2018 and 2019 were compared to those in the years 2016 and 2017.

Results

A total of 234 patients were enrolled in the study contributing to 798.7 patient years (py) during the four-year study period. Screening rates increased from 3.1% and 3.9% in 2016 and 2017 to 51.1% in 2018 and decrease to 35.4% in 2019. Over the study period, 19.7% (46/234) had at least one positive CT/NG result. After the intervention, case detection per 100 py increased for CT (2016: 2.6, 2017: 3.7, 2018: 7.7, 2019: 7.1) and NG (2016: 3.2, 2017: 3.1, 2018: 5.3, 2019: 7.6). The number needed to test was 8.9 for CT and 10.4 for NG.

Conclusion

Regular CT/NG screening is feasible in a primary care setting, leads to an increase in case detection and may contribute to decrease transmission and complications of CT/NG.

Trial registration

The trial is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02149004).
A Homotopic Direct Collocation Approach for Operational-Compliant Trajectory Design
Authors: Mannocchi Alessandra , Giordano Carmine , Topputo Francesco
Published: November 2022

Stand-alone deep-space CubeSats are the future of the space sector. For limited budget reasons, these spacecraft need to follow operational-compliant (OC) trajectories: transfers with thrusting and coasting periods imposed at pre-defined time instants. Traditional trajectory optimisation algorithms exhibit convergence problems when handling discontinuous constraints. In this work, a homotopic direct collocation approach is presented. It employs a continuation algorithm that maps the classical bang-bang trajectory of a fuel-optimal low-thrust problem into an OC solution. M-ARGO CubeSat mission is considered as case study for validation, including a realistic thruster model with variable specific impulse and maximum thrust. The trajectories computed with the developed algorithm are compared with non-operational-compliant solutions. Our algorithm produces transfers similar to the optimal solutions with no operational constraint, both in terms of thrusting profile and propellant mass.
Psychometric properties of the Italian body shape questionnaire: an investigation of its reliability, factorial, concurrent, and criterion validity
Authors: Marzola Enrica , Martini Matteo , Longo Paola , Toppino Federica , Bevione Francesco , Delsedime Nadia , Abbate-Daga Giovanni , Preti Antonio
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study was set up to investigate the reliability, factorial, concurrent, and criterion validity of the Italian version of the 34-item Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and its shorter versions.

Methods

The study included 231 patients diagnosed with an eating disorder and 58 putatively healthy people (comparison sample). The Italian BSQ-34 was administered to participants together with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Information on body mass index, caloric intake at baseline, and the number of episodes of self-vomiting per week was also acquired.

Results

Cronbach’s alpha of BSQ-34 was 0.971 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.965–0.976) in patients and 0.960 (0.944–0.974) in controls. Test–retest stability in patients (n = 69), measured with intraclass correlation coefficient, was 0.987 (0.983–0.991). Confirmatory factor analysis of the single-factor model yielded acceptable fit for all versions of the BSQ. On all BSQ versions, patients scored higher than controls with a large effect size when calculated as Cliff’s delta. BMI and mean caloric intake at baseline had a stronger association with BSQ-34 than levels of anxiety and depression. The analysis with the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve showed that the BSQ-34 distinguished patients with an eating disorder from controls with good accuracy (Area Under the Curve = 86.5; 95% CI 82.2–90.7).

Conclusion

The Italian version of the BSQ possesses good psychometric properties, in both the long and the shortened versions, and it can be applied to measure body dissatisfaction for both clinical and research purposes.

Level of evidence

Level III, Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies.
The democratic lessons learned—How experiences of (un-)equal treatment in school influence satisfaction with democracy in later life
Authors: Weiss Julia , Parth Anne-Marie
Published: November 2022

Previous studies have shown that economic and political experiences influence the level of satisfaction with democracy; however, they fail to explain whether these experiences have the same effect for everyone, whether there is interindividual variance and where these differences might be rooted. In this article, we investigate these roots of interindividual variance and base our argument on the observation that early experiences in school are formative and influence the effect of economic and political experiences on satisfaction with democracy. We analyze an original representative dataset on the German population to test how school experiences, more precisely equal treatment in school, interact with economic and political experiences in later life and thereby influence satisfaction with democracy. We find that school experiences play a significant role here. Voting for the governing parties especially increases satisfaction with democracy if respondents were treated equally in school. Similarly, past experiences of unemployment in particular decrease people’s levels of satisfaction with the political system if they were not treated equally in school. The findings highlight that early experiences made in school can have a relevant influence on satisfaction with democracy in later life.
Evaluation of the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Regulatory Review Process: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Owusu-Asante Mercy , Darko Delese Mimi , Asamoah-Okyere Kwame Dei , Asante-Boateng Samuel , Kermad Adem , Walker Stuart , Salek Sam
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the current regulatory review process of the food and drugs authority (FDA) Ghana by identifying key milestones, target timelines, good review practices and quality decision-making practices and evaluating the overall regulatory performance from 2019 to 2021, as well as the challenges and opportunities for improvement.

Methods

The FDA Ghana representatives completed the optimising efficiencies in regulatory agencies (OpERA) questionnaire, including data identifying the milestones and overall approval times for all products registered by the FDA Ghana from 2019 to 2021.

Results

Of the new active substances approved from 2019 to 2021, 91% were biologicals processed by full or abridged reviews pathways. Timelines for these reviews were within authority targets but were longer compared with generics. Of generics approved from 2019 to 2021, 97% were pharmaceuticals processed by the full review pathway, with timelines within authority targets and shorter compared with new active substances. Regardless of the review model used, approval times for new active substances increased from 84 to 355 calendar days 2019–2021 due to the impact of the pandemic. Guidelines, standard operating procedures and review templates were in place and the majority of indicators for good review practices were implemented. Several quality decision-making practices were implemented, although currently there is not a systematic structured approach.

Conclusion

The FDA Ghana monitors regulatory performance and currently meets its target timelines. To achieve World Health Organization Maturity Level 4 status, an electronic tracking system, benefit-risk assessment framework and template and the publication of assessment reports are recommended.
Pythagorean Fuzzy Bonferroni Mean with Weighted Interaction Operator and Its Application in Fusion of Online Multidimensional Ratings
Authors: Yang Yi , Yang Feifan , Chen Jie , Zeng Yangyan , Liu Limei
Published: November 2022

Aiming at the aggregation problem of online multi-attribute interactive ratings, a decision-making method based on Pythagorean Fuzzy Bonferroni mean with weighted interaction (PFWIBM) operator is developed by mining the advantages of ratings driven decision-making and the quantitative advantages of Pythagorean fuzzy sets on linguistic ratings. First, the shortcomings of existing operators in criterion interactive representation are analyzed, and the improved Bonferroni mean with weighted interaction and its dual operator are defined, which are used to aggregate the membership information and non-membership information under the Pythagorean fuzzy environment, respectively, and then the PFWIBM operator is constructed. Second, a generation method of interaction coefficients embedded in the PFWIBM operator is designed by combining expert knowledge and user ratings to overcome the limitations of the method of relying on subjective setting parameter values. Third, based on the proposed operator and the transformation relationship between Pythagorean fuzzy sets and linguistic ratings, an online multi-dimensional rating aggregation decision-making approach for solving product raking problems is developed. Finally, the proposed method is applied to a passenger car ranking example to show the feasibility of the method, and through some comparative analysis, the advantages of the proposed operator are clarified, and the influence of operator parameters on the decision-making results is analyzed.
DEIA is essential to advance the goals of translational science: Perspectives from NCATS
Authors: Hussain Shadab F. , Vogel Amanda L. , Faupel-Badger Jessica M. , Ho Linda , Akacem Lameese D. , Balakrishnan Krishna , Geiger Rebekah , Gopal-Srivastava Rashmi , Haynes Brittany , Hodges Marcus G. , Isler Tanetta , Mathé Ewy A. , Misquitta Leonie , Sharma Karlie R. , Sid Eric , Zigterman Jamie L. , Burgoon Penny W.
Published: November 2022

The National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) seeks to improve upon the translational process to advance research and treatment across all diseases and conditions and bring these interventions to all who need them. Addressing the racial/ethnic health disparities and health inequities that persist in screening, diagnosis, treatment, and health outcomes (e.g., morbidity, mortality) is central to NCATS’ mission to deliver more interventions to all people more quickly. Working toward this goal will require enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the translational workforce and in research conducted across the translational continuum, to support health equity. This paper discusses how aspects of DEIA are integral to the mission of translational science (TS). It describes recent NIH and NCATS efforts to advance DEIA in the TS workforce and in the research we support. Additionally, NCATS is developing approaches to apply a lens of DEIA in its activities and research – with relevance to the activities of the TS community – and will elucidate these approaches through related examples of NCATS-led, partnered, and supported activities, working toward the Center’s goal of bringing more treatments to all people more quickly.
Un-Meetings as tools for translational idea generation: A semantic content analysis of an Opioid Crisis Un-Meeting
Authors: Yousefi Nooraie Reza , White Robert J. , Steele Scott , Augustine Erika F. , Ossip Deborah J. , Zand Martin S.
Published: November 2022

Background:

Team development and idea generation are key intertwined steps in translational science that need a framework to accommodate unstructured, participatory interactions. To this end, we introduced Un-Meetings to the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program, innovative events that facilitate cross-disciplinary idea generation and informal discussions between translational scientists, policy makers, community members, advocates, and public health professionals. Here we describe a mixed methods study to characterize the conceptual diversity and clusterization of ideas generated through an Opioid Crisis Un-Meeting.

Methods:

An Un-Meeting targeting translation science approaches to the opioid crisis were hosted at the University of Rochester Center for Leading Innovation and Collaboration (CLIC). We used semantic analysis and conceptual mapping of keywords to analyze how attendee-led idea generation sessions identified topics for breakout discussions.

Results:

One hundred and two individuals from 40 institutions proposed 150 unique ideas that were grouped into 23 breakout sessions. Network analysis showed that diverse pools of experts were bridged by topics addressing the complexities of the opioid crisis. Two clusters emerged: (1) systems, contexts, and community engagement, and (2) technologies, innovations, and treatment advancements.

Conclusions:

The cross-disciplinary nature of topic areas that bridge across thematic communities provide opportunities for CTSA programs to engage and support development of diverse translational teams. Potential opportunities for team building include technological advancements of opioid prevention, treatment, surveillance, systems approaches, and studies focusing on special populations and health disparities. The analysis method here may be useful in identifying naturally emerging teams of experts and community gaps when addressing large problems.
TALLYING IN THE EANNA
Authors: Levavi Yuval
Published: November 2022

The present contribution presents a previously unidentified and unique tallying system found on Late-Babylonian tablets from the Eanna temple archive. The tallies are composed of a series of nine vertical wedges, grouped in triplets, followed by a Winkelhaken. The vertical wedges can stand for either 1 or 10, and the Winkelhaken concludes the series as either 10 or 100, respectively. So far, this system is attested only on administrative tablets from the Eanna from the first two decades of Nebuchadnezzar II's reign (ca. 604–585 BCE). While the tally system itself is unique, the grouping, or chunking, of verticals in triplets suggests Aramaic influence.
Categorisation of organisation dualities using the Delphi technique
Authors: Biloslavo Roberto , Edgar David Alex , Rusjan Roland
Published: November 2022

This paper presents the case of a non-traditional use of the Delphi method in order to explore organisational duality and reach a consensus on the 23 organisational dualities which allow for a classification into a three-tier organisational policy model (TTOP-model). The expert group was composed of seven experts from the field of management. The process ran for four rounds to reach the final consensus examining 25 dualities and eventually focusing them down to the final 23. In addition to their practical relevance of understanding the dualities, the findings also have implications for both the literature on strategic management and the paradox lens on organisational theory through an understanding of duality in terms of the TTOP model. This research not only advances conversations in strategic management but also helps to increase confidence when adopting the Delphi method for a wider recognition of the method within both interpretivist studies and paradox research.
Cremations and Pyrotechnologies among the Prehispanic Inhabitants of Cerro de Trincheras, Northern Mexico
Authors: Cerezo-Román Jessica I. , Fenn Thomas R. , Cruz Guzmán Carlos , Nava Maldonado Silvia I. , León Romero Claudia , Villalpando Elisa
Published: November 2022

Using data from several well-preserved pyres, which are rarely found well preserved in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, we examine cremation customs and their associated pyrotechnologies at the site of Cerro de Trincheras in northern Sonora, Mexico, from AD 1300 to 1450/1500. We explore variations in pyre construction and use, thermal alterations of the deceased, the deceased individuals’ biological profiles, the performance of mortuary rituals, and the sensorial experiences of both the mourners and the wider Cerro de Trincheras community. The residents of the site were masters of the pyrotechnologies associated with cremations, making efficient pyres for the deceased and maximizing their resources. The group also created transformative funeral rituals that may have facilitated and mediated a wide range of emotional responses toward their deceased.