bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Learning‐Based Denoising in High‐Speed Portable Reflectance Confocal Microscopy
Authors: Zhao Jingwei , Jain Manu , Harris Ucalene G. , Kose Kivanc , Curiel‐Lewandrowski Clara , Kang Dongkyun
Published: April 2021

Background and Objective

Portable confocal microscopy (PCM) is a low‐cost reflectance confocal microscopy technique that can visualize cellular details of human skinin vivo. When PCM images are acquired with a short exposure time to reduce motion blur and enable real‐time 3D imaging, the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) is decreased significantly, which poses challenges in reliably analyzing cellular features. In this paper, we evaluated deep learning (DL)‐based approach for reducing noise in PCM images acquired with a short exposure time.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

Content‐aware image restoration (CARE) network was trained with pairs of low‐SNR input and high‐SNR ground truth PCM images obtained from 309 distinctive regions of interest (ROIs). Low‐SNR input images were acquired from human skinin vivoat the imaging speed of 180 frames/second. The high‐SNR ground truth images were generated by registering 30 low‐SNR input images obtained from the same ROI and summing them. The CARE network was trained using the Google Colaboratory Pro platform. The denoising performance of the trained CARE network was quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated by using image pairs from 45 unseen ROIs.

Results

CARE denoising improved the image quality significantly, increasing similarity with the ground truth image by 1.9 times, reducing noise by 2.35 times, and increasing SNR by 7.4 dB. Banding noise, prominent in input images, was significantly reduced in CARE denoised images. CARE denoising provided quantitatively and qualitatively better noise reduction than non‐DL filtering methods. Qualitative image assessment by three confocal readers showed that CARE denoised images exhibited negligible noise more often than input images and non‐DL filtered images.

Conclusions

Results showed the potential of using a DL‐based method for denoising PCM images obtained at a high imaging speed. The DL‐based denoising method needs to be further trained and tested for PCM images obtained from disease‐suspicious skin lesions.
MH advocates respond to verdict in George Floyd case
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: April 2021

Mental Health America released a statement following the conviction April 20 of Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd. Advocates consider it a landmark moment in the fight for equity and racial justice. The statement from Paul Gionfriddo, president and CEO of Mental Health America, reads in part:
Risk factors for urinary retention after urogynecologic surgery: A retrospective cohort study and prediction model
Authors: Zhang Bei Yuan , Wong Jeffrey Man Hay , A Koenig Nicole , Lee Terry , Geoffrion Roxana
Published: April 2021

Aims

Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a common complication of urogynecological surgery. Our study aimed to identify demographic and perioperative risk factors to construct a prediction model for POUR in urogynecology.

Methods

Our retrospective cohort study reviewed all patients undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgeries at our tertiary care center (Jan 1, 2013–May 1, 2019). Demographic, pre‐, intra‐ and postoperative variables were collected from medical records. The primary outcome, POUR, was defined as (1) early POUR (E‐POUR), failing initial trial of void or; (2) late POUR (L‐POUR), requiring an indwelling catheter or intermittent catheterization on discharge. Risk factors were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A clinical prediction model was constructed with the most significant and clinically relevant risk factors.

Results

In 501 women, 182 (36.3%) had E‐POUR and 61 of these women (12.2% of the entire cohort) had L‐POUR. Multivariate logistic regression revealed preoperative postvoid residual (PVR) over 200 ml (odds ratio [OR]: 3.17; p = 0.026), voiding dysfunction symptoms extracted from validated questionnaires (OR: 3.00; p = 0.030), and number of concomitant procedures (OR: 1.30 per procedure; p = 0.021) as significant predictors of E‐POUR; preoperative PVR more than 200 ml (OR: 4.07; p = 0.011) and antiincontinence procedure with (OR: 3.34; p = 0.023) and without (OR: 2.64; p = 0.019) concomitant prolapse repair as significant predictors of L‐POUR. A prediction model (area under the curve: 0.70) was developed for E‐POUR.

Conclusions

Elevated preoperative PVR is the most significant risk factor for POUR. Alongside other risk factors, our prediction model for POUR can be used for patient counseling and surgical planning in urogynecologic surgery.
Novel three‐dimensional printing of poly(ester urethane) scaffolds for biomedical applications
Authors: Lores Nayla J. , Hung Xavier , Talou Mariano H. , Abraham Gustavo A. , Caracciolo Pablo C.
Published: April 2021

Tissue engineering requires highly porous complex structures with interconnected pores and tightly controlled pore sizes, added to customized production. Additive manufacturing (AM) is nowadays one of the most suitable technologies for the preparation of structures with strictly defined complex three‐dimensional architectures. Moreover, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging can be employed to obtain personalized medical devices. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the most common, easiest, and cost‐effective AM techniques to obtain 3D objects from a wide variety of materials. However, there is a lack of bioresorbable materials that can fit the increasing demand for biomedical applications requiring stiff elastomers. In this work, a series of bioresorbable segmented poly(ester urethanes) (SPEU) with high hard segment content was synthesized and physicochemically characterized. The materials with higher thermal stability were processed into homogeneous filaments by hot‐melt extrusion with no need for additives nor plasticizers. These filaments were evaluated for FDM, and structures with controlled porosity, filament diameter, and in‐plane pore size could be easily obtained by modifying the printing parameters. Regarding SPEU mechanical properties, the obtained scaffolds could be promising for cartilage tissue engineering applications.
Effects of the COVID‐19 lockdown on sleep duration in children and adolescents: A survey across different continents
Authors: Kaditis Athanasios G. , Ohler Adrienne , Gileles‐Hillel Alex , Choshen‐Hillel Shoham , Gozal David , Bruni Oliviero , Aydinoz Secil , Cortese Rene , Kheirandish‐Gozal Leila
Published: April 2021

Background

A parent survey was conducted to assess the sleep habits of children residing in various countries before and during the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic. It was hypothesized that lockdown would be associated with increased sleep duration.

Methods

Outcomes were changes in bedtime, wake time, and sleep duration in the pandemic compared to before. Logistic regression was applied to evaluate the effects of age and covariates on outcomes.

Results

A total of 845 questionnaires completed from May 1 to June 10, 2020 were analyzed (45.8% female; age 3–17 years). During the pandemic, 23.1% of preschoolers, 46.2% of school‐age children, and 89.8% of adolescents were going to bed after 10 p.m. on weekdays compared to 7.1%, 9.4%, and 57.1% respectively before the pandemic, with these proportions being higher on weekends. Likewise, 42.5% of preschoolers, 61.3% of school‐age children, and 81.2% of adolescents were waking after 8 a.m. on weekdays (11.6%, 4.9%, and 10.3%, before) with these proportions being greater on weekends. Sleep duration did not change in 43% of participants on weekdays and in 46.2% on weekends. The 14–17 years group had fourfold increased odds for longer sleep duration on weekdays (p < .01), and children aged 6–13 years had twofold increased odds for longer sleep duration on weekends relative to the 3–5 years age group (p = .01).

Conclusions

Although lockdown was associated with later bedtime and wake time, this shift did not alter sleep duration in more than 40% of children. Yet, compared to preschoolers, high school‐aged children were more likely to sleep more on weekdays and primary school children on weekends.
Performance analysis for the forward link of multiuser satellite communication systems
Authors: Guo Yuqing , Kong Huaicong , Huang Qingquan , Lin Min , Zhu Wei‐Ping , Amindavar Hamidreza
Published: April 2021

Broad‐band satellite communication is an indispensable method to provide seamless connectivity for people especially in remote areas. This paper analyzes the performance of the forward link of a multiuser satellite system operating in Ka band, where a gateway delivers signal to a satellite that forwards the amplified signal to multiple users on the ground. By assuming that satellite links experience double lognormal fading due to rain attenuation and taking the effects of antenna pattern and path loss into account, we first exploit the opportunistic user scheduling (OUS) scheme to obtain the maximal output signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) expression of the satellite system. Then, the analytical expressions for both outage probability (OP) and ergodic capacity (EC) of the considered satellite system are derived. Finally, simulation results demonstrate the validity of the theoretical analysis and the superiority of the OUS scheme in comparison with round‐robin scheme.
Unannotated splicing regulatory elements in deep intron space
Authors: Conboy John G.
Published: April 2021

Deep intron space harbors a diverse array of splicing regulatory elements that cooperate with better‐known exon‐proximal elements to enforce proper tissue‐specific and development‐specific pre‐mRNA processing. Many deep intron elements have been highly conserved through vertebrate evolution, yet remain poorly annotated in the human genome. Recursive splicing exons (RS‐exons) and intraexons promote noncanonical, multistep resplicing pathways in long introns, involving transient intermediate structures that are greatly underrepresented in RNA‐seq datasets. Decoy splice sites and decoy exons act at a distance to inhibit splicing catalysis at annotated splice sites, with functional consequences such as exon skipping and intron retention. RNA:RNA bridges can juxtapose distant sequences within or across introns to activate deep intron splicing enhancers and silencers, to loop out exons to be skipped, or to select one member of a mutually exclusive set of exons. Similarly, protein bridges mediated by interactions among transcript‐bound RNA binding proteins (RBPs) can modulate splicing outcomes. Experimental disruption of deep intron elements serving any of these functions can abrogate normal splicing, strongly suggesting that natural mutations of deep intron elements can do likewise to cause human disease. Understanding noncanonical splicing pathways and discovering deep intron regulatory signals, many of which map hundreds to many thousands of nucleotides from annotated splice junctions, is of great academic interest for basic scientists studying alternative splicing mechanisms. Hopefully, this knowledge coupled with increased analysis of deep intron sequences will also have important medical applications, as better interpretation of deep intron mutations may reveal new disease mechanisms and suggest new therapies.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing
Strong first order electroweak phase transition in 2HDM confronting future Z & Higgs factories
Authors: Su Wei , Williams Anthony G. , Zhang Mengchao
Published: April 2021

Abstract

The electroweak phase transition can be made first order by extending the Standard Model (SM) Higgs sector with extra scalars. The same new physics can explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe by supplying an extra source of CP violation and sphaleron processes. In this paper we study the existence of strong first order electroweak phase transition (SFOEWPT) in the type-I and type-II two Higgs doublet models (2HDM). We focus on how the SFOEWPT requirements constraint the spectrum of non-SM Higgs. Through the parameter space scan, we find that SFOEWPT suggests an upper limit on the masses of heavy Higgs $$ {m}_{A/H/{H}^{\pm }} $$

m

A
/
H
/

H
±

, which is around 1 TeV. High temperature expansion and Higgs vacuum uplifting is used for an analytical understanding of our results. After taking into account the probe ability on SFOEWPT from theoretical constraints, Higgs and Z-pole precision measurements up to the one-loop level at future Higgs & Z factories, sizeable loop corrections require $$ {m}_{A/{H}^{\pm }}-{m}_H $$

m

A
/

H
±

−

m
H

∈ (100, 250) GeV to meet SFOEWPT condition for Type-II 2HDM, and $$ \left|{m}_{A/{H}^{\pm }}-{m}_H\right| $$

m

A
/

H
±

−

m
H

∈ (100, 350) GeV or $$ \left|{m}_A-{m}_{H/{H}^{\pm }}\right| $$

m
A

−

m

H
/

H
±

∈ (100, 350) GeV for Type-I 2HDM.
On the Spectrum of Hilbert Matrix Operator
Authors: Silbermann Bernd
Published: April 2021

The Hilbert matrix $$\begin{aligned} {\mathcal {H}}_\lambda =\left( \frac{1}{n+m+\lambda }\right) _{n,m=0}^{\infty }, \quad \lambda \ne 0,-1,-2, \ldots \, \end{aligned}$$

H
λ

=

1

n
+
m
+
λ

n
,
m
=
0

∞

,

λ
≠
0
,
-
1
,
-
2
,
…

generates a bounded linear operator in the Hardy spaces $$H^p$$

H
p

and in the $$l^p$$

l
p

-spaces. The aim of this paper is to study the spectrum of this operator in the spaces mentioned. In a sense, the presented investigation continues earlier works of various authors. More information concerning the history of the topic can be found in the introduction.
Full-Waveform Inversion for Imaging Faulted Structures: A Case Study from the Japan Trench Forearc Slope
Authors: Jamali Hondori Ehsan , Guo Chen , Mikada Hitoshi , Park Jin-Oh
Published: April 2021

Full-waveform inversion (FWI) of limited-offset marine seismic data is a challenging task due to the lack of refracted energy and diving waves from the shallow sediments, which are fundamentally required to update the long-wavelength background velocity model in a tomographic fashion. When these events are absent, a reliable initial velocity model is necessary to ensure that the observed and simulated waveforms kinematically fit within an error of less than half a wavelength to protect the FWI iterative local optimization scheme from cycle skipping. We use a migration-based velocity analysis (MVA) method, including a combination of the layer-stripping approach and iterations of Kirchhoff prestack depth migration (KPSDM), to build an accurate initial velocity model for the FWI application on 2D seismic data with a maximum offset of 5.8 km. The data are acquired in the Japan Trench subduction zone, and we focus on the area where the shallow sediments overlying a highly reflective basement on top of the Cretaceous erosional unconformity are severely faulted and deformed. Despite the limited offsets available in the seismic data, our carefully designed workflow for data preconditioning, initial model building, and waveform inversion provides a velocity model that could improve the depth images down to almost 3.5 km. We present several quality control measures to assess the reliability of the resulting FWI model, including ray path illuminations, sensitivity kernels, reverse time migration (RTM) images, and KPSDM common image gathers. A direct comparison between the FWI and MVA velocity profiles reveals a sharp boundary at the Cretaceous basement interface, a feature that could not be observed in the MVA velocity model. The normal faults caused by the basal erosion of the upper plate in the study area reach the seafloor with evident subsidence of the shallow strata, implying that the faults are active.
Do pre-operative radiologic assessment predict postoperative outcomes in patients with insertional Achilles tendinopathy?: a retrospective database study
Authors: Baumbach Sebastian Felix , Hörterer Hubert , Oppelt Sonja , Szeimies Ulrike , Polzer Hans , Walther Markus
Published: April 2021

Introduction

Diagnosis and treatment of insertional tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon (IAT) remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of pre-operative radiological pathologies on the patient-reported outcomes following open debridement of all pathologies for IAT.

Materials and methods

In this IRB-approved retrospective correlation and comparative study, patients with pre-operative imaging were identified from the authors’ retrospective IAT database comprising of 118 patients. All were treated by a standardized surgical treatment strategy utilizing a midline, transachillary approach and debridement of all pathologies. A total of fifteen radiologic parameters were measured on radiographs (RX) and MRI. The patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles questionnaire (VISA-A-G) and the general health questionnaire SF-12 at a minimum follow-up of 12 months. The data are presented as mean ± SD (95% CI).

Results

88 patients (74.6%) with an average age of 50 ± 12 (47–52) years were included. Radiographs were available in 68 patients and MRI in 53. The mean follow-up was 3.8 ± 1.9 (3.4–4.3) years. The overall VISA-A-G was 81 ± 22 (77–86), the SF-12 PCS 54 ± 7 (52–55), and the SF-12 MCS 52 ± 9 (50–54) points. None of the assessed radiological parameters had a significant influence on the patient-reported outcome following surgical treatment for IAT.

Conclusion

In this retrospective correlation study, no significant association was found between preoperative radiographic and MRI radiologic parameters for IAT and postoperative patient-reported outcomes (VISA-A-G and SF-12).
Anatomy of the sonographic post-cesarean uterus
Authors: Al Naimi Ammar , Wolnicki Bartosch , Mouzakiti Niki , Reinbach Tiana , Louwen Frank , Bahlmann Franz
Published: April 2021

Purpose

We aim to describe the sonographic uterine anatomy after a cesarean section (CS), test the reproducibility of predefined measurements from the BSUM study, and report the distribution of these measurements.

Methods

This is a descriptive observational study where 200 women with a history of only one CS were recruited 12–24 months postoperatively. A 5–13 MHz micro-convex transvaginal transducer was used for the acquisition of volumetric datasets for evaluating the CS scars. We defined 15 distinct measurements including the residual myometrial thickness (RMT). RMT ratio was calculated as a percentage of RMT to the assumed pre-cesarean anterior uterine wall thickness. A P value below 0.05 is utilized for significant statistical analysis.

Results

Patients were included on average 18.5 months post-cesarean. The uterus was anteflexed in 82.5% and retroflexed in 17.5%. Myometrial defects at the site of CS manifest in two forms, either as a niche or as fibrosis. Patients are classified into four groups: those with isolated niches (45%), combined niches and fibrosis (38.5%), isolated fibrosis (11%), and lacking both (5%). The median RMT ratio for these groups was 63.09, 40.93, 59.84, and 100% with a standard deviation of 16.73, 12.95, 16.59, and 0, respectively. The interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) remained above 0.9 for all distinct measurements among these groups except for those of RMT, where ICC varied between 0.47 and 0.96. The RMT ratio shows a constant ICC at 0.94 regardless of the group.

Conclusion

The post-cesarean uterus is often anteflexed, and a myometrial loss of about 50% is normally expected. The pattern of this loss is in the form of a predominantly sharp-edged and echogenic niche, fibrosis, or a combination of both. The proposed RMT ratio takes these changes into consideration and results in a reproducible quantification. We hypothesize that different adverse outcomes could be attributed to the different scar patterns.
Untangling the relationship between negative illness perceptions and worse quality of life in patients with advanced cancer—a study from the population-based PROFILES registry
Authors: Jabbarian Lea J. , Rietjens Judith A. C. , Mols Floortje , Oude Groeniger Joost , van der Heide Agnes , Korfage Ida J
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Quality of life (QoL) is an important yet complex outcome of care in patients with advanced cancer. QoL is associated with physical and psychosocial symptoms and with patients’ illness perceptions (IPs). IPs are modifiable cognitive constructs developed to make sense of one’s illness. It is unclear how IPs influence patients’ QoL. A better understanding of this relationship can inform and direct high quality care aimed at improving patients’ QoL. We therefore investigated the mediating role of anxiety and depression in the association of IPs with QoL.

Methods

Data from 377 patients with advanced cancer were used from the PROFILES registry. Patients completed measures on IPs (BIPQ), QoL (EORTC QLQ-C30), and symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS). Mediation analyses were conducted to decompose the total effect of IPs on QoL into a direct effect and indirect effect.

Results

All IPs but one (“Comprehensibility”) were negatively associated with QoL (p<0.001); patients with more negative IPs tended to have worse QoL. The effect was strongest for patients who felt that their illness affected their life more severely (“Consequences”), patients who were more concerned about their illness (“Concern”), and patients who thought that their illness strongly affected them emotionally (“Emotions”). Anxiety mediated 41–87% and depression mediated 39–69% of the total effect of patients’ IPs on QoL.

Conclusion

Negative IPs are associated with worse QoL. Anxiety and depression mediate this association. Targeting symptoms of anxiety and depression, through the modification of IPs, has the potential to improve QoL of patients with advanced cancer.
Automatically evaluating the quality of textual descriptions in cultural heritage records
Authors: Lorenzini Matteo , Rospocher Marco , Tonelli Sara
Published: April 2021

Metadata are fundamental for the indexing, browsing and retrieval of cultural heritage resources in repositories, digital libraries and catalogues. In order to be effectively exploited, metadata information has to meet some quality standards, typically defined in the collection usage guidelines. As manually checking the quality of metadata in a repository may not be affordable, especially in large collections, in this paper we specifically address the problem of automatically assessing the quality of metadata, focusing in particular on textual descriptions of cultural heritage items. We describe a novel approach based on machine learning that tackles this problem by framing it as a binary text classification task aimed at evaluating the accuracy of textual descriptions. We report our assessment of different classifiers using a new dataset that we developed, containing more than 100K descriptions. The dataset was extracted from different collections and domains from the Italian digital library “Cultura Italia” and was annotated with accuracy information in terms of compliance with the cataloguing guidelines. The results empirically confirm that our proposed approach can effectively support curators (F1$$\sim $$∼ 0.85) in assessing the quality of the textual descriptions of the records in their collections and provide some insights into how training data, specifically their size and domain, can affect classification performance.
Geographical Python Teaching Resources: geopyter
Authors: Reades Jonathan , Rey Sergio J.
Published: April 2021

geopyter, an acronym of Geographical Python Teaching Resources, provides a hub for the distribution of ‘best practice’ in computational and spatial analytic instruction, enabling instructors to quickly and flexibly remix contributed content to suit their needs and delivery framework and encouraging contributors from around the world to ‘give back’ whether in terms of how to teach individual concepts or deliver whole courses. As such, geopyter is positioned at the confluence of two powerful streams of thought in software and education: the free and open-source software movement in which contributors help to build better software, usually on an unpaid basis, in return for having access to better tools and the recognition of their peers); and the rise of Massive Open Online Courses, which seek to radically expand access to education by moving course content online and providing access to students anywhere in the world at little or no cost. This paper sets out in greater detail the origins and inspiration for geopyter, the design of the system and, through examples, the types of innovative workflows that it enables for teachers. We believe that tools like geopyter, which build on open teaching practices and promote the development of a shared understanding of what it is to be a computational geographer represent an opportunity to expand the impact of this second wave of innovation in instruction while reducing the demands placed on those actively teaching in this area.
A hybrid data envelopment analysis—artificial neural network prediction model for COVID-19 severity in transplant recipients
Authors: Revuelta Ignacio , Santos-Arteaga Francisco J. , Montagud-Marrahi Enrique , Ventura-Aguiar Pedro , Di Caprio Debora , Cofan Frederic , Cucchiari David , Torregrosa Vicens , Piñeiro Gaston Julio , Esforzado Nuria , Bodro Marta , Ugalde-Altamirano Jessica , Moreno Asuncion , Campistol Josep M. , Alcaraz Antonio , Bayès Beatriu , Poch Esteban , Oppenheimer Federico , Diekmann Fritz
Published: April 2021

In an overwhelming demand scenario, such as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, pressure over health systems may outburst their predicted capacity to deal with such extreme situations. Therefore, in order to successfully face a health emergency, scientific evidence and validated models are needed to provide real-time information that could be applied by any health center, especially for high-risk populations, such as transplant recipients. We have developed a hybrid prediction model whose accuracy relative to several alternative configurations has been validated through a battery of clustering techniques. Using hospital admission data from a cohort of hospitalized transplant patients, our hybrid Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)—Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model extrapolates the progression towards severe COVID-19 disease with an accuracy of 96.3%, outperforming any competing model, such as logistic regression (65.5%) and random forest (44.8%). In this regard, DEA-ANN allows us to categorize the evolution of patients through the values of the analyses performed at hospital admission. Our prediction model may help guiding COVID-19 management through the identification of key predictors that permit a sustainable management of resources in a patient-centered model.
Genetic testing results in Slovenian male breast cancer cohort indicate the BRCA2 7806-2A > G founder variant could be associated with higher male breast cancer risk
Authors: Strojnik Ksenija , Krajc Mateja , Dragos Vita Setrajcic , Stegel Vida , Novakovic Srdjan , Blatnik Ana
Published: April 2021

Purpose

To analyze the prevalence of pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (P/LPVs) in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in the largest cohort of Slovenian male breast cancer (MBC) patients to date and to explore a possible correlation between the Slovenian founder variant BRCA2:c.7806-2A > G and predisposition to MBC.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of 81 MBC cases who underwent genetic counseling and/or testing between January 1999 and May 2020. To explore a possible genotype–phenotype correlation, we performed additional analyses of 203 unrelated families with P/LPVs in BRCA2 and 177 cases of female breast cancer (FBC) in carriers of P/LPVs in BRCA2.

Results

Detection rate of P/LPVs in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes was 24.7% (20/81) with 95% of them in BRCA2 gene. The only two recurrent P/LPVs were BRCA2:c.7806-2A > G and BRCA2:c.3975_3978dupTGCT (9 and 5 MBC cases, respectively). In families with BRCA2:c.7806-2A > G, the incidence of MBC cases was higher compared to families with other P/LPVs in BRCA2; however, the difference did not reach statistical significance (17.8% vs. 8.9%, p = 0.105). BRCA2:c.7806-2A > G was detected in both families with multiple cases of MBC. This splice-site variant represented a significantly higher proportion of all BRCA2 P/LPVs detected in MBC carriers compared to FBC carriers (47.4% vs. 26%, p = 0.049).

Conclusion

We observed a high mutation detection rate and conclude this may be due to the prevalent BRCA2:c.7806-2A > G variant in Slovenia. Our results indicate a possible association between this variant and higher risk of breast cancer in males compared to other identified P/LPVs in BRCA2.
Peddling promise? An analysis of private umbilical cord blood banking company websites in Canada
Authors: Marcon Alessandro R. , Murdoch Blake , Caulfield Timothy
Published: April 2021

Private umbilical cord blood banking is growing around the world. A family’s decision to bank cord blood publicly or privately can be influenced by numerous sources including healthcare practitioners, personal networks, the popular press, social media and marketing discourse from private entities. Issues have been raised concerning how private banks market their services, particularly with regards to the likelihood of use and for what purposes cord blood can be used. The objective of this study was to analyze the marketing on the seven company websites offering private cord blood storage in Canada. We performed a mix of content and general qualitative analysis on the seven websites. Our analysis shows substantial hype around cord blood uses, amplifying the promise of speculative uses and distorting the likelihood of use. Findings show that this promotional messaging often deploys communication strategies which draw on testimonials and emotionally-charged narratives. Questions should be asked about whether the promissory aspects of these websites constitute breaches of Canadian law or regulation. Careful monitoring of the private cord blood space is important for ensuring that the Canadian public is adequately and accurately informed of the services being offered.
A deep study of the high–energy transient sky
Authors: Guidorzi C. , Frontera F. , Ghirlanda G. , Stratta G. , Mundell C. G. , Virgilli E. , Rosati P. , Caroli E. , Amati L. , Pian E. , Kobayashi S. , Ghisellini G. , Fryer C. , Valle M. Della , Margutti R. , Marongiu M. , Martone R. , Campana R. , Fuschino F. , Labanti C. , Orlandini M. , Stephen J. B. , Brandt S. , Silva R. Curado da , Laurent P. , Mochkovitch R. , Bozzo E. , Ciolfi R. , Burderi L. , Di Salvo T.
Published: April 2021

The coming decades will establish the exploration of the gravitational wave (GW) Universe over a broad frequency range by ground and space interferometers. Meanwhile, wide-field, high-cadence and sensitive surveys will span the electromagnetic spectrum from radio all the way up to TeV, as well as the high-energy neutrino window. Among the numerous classes of transients, γ–ray bursts (GRBs) have direct links with most of the hot topics that will be addressed, such as the strong gravity regime, relativistic shocks, particle acceleration processes, equation of state of matter at nuclear density, and nucleosynthesis of heavy elements, just to mention a few. Other recently discovered classes of transients that are observed throughout cosmological distances include fast radio bursts (FRBs), fast blue optical transients (FBOTs), and other unidentified high-energy transients. Here we discuss how these topics can be addressed by a mission called ASTENA (Advanced Surveyor of Transient Events and Nuclear Astrophysics, see Frontera et al. 18). Its payload combines two instruments: (i) an array of wide-field monitors with imaging, spectroscopic, and polarimetric capabilities (WFM-IS); (ii) a narrow field telescope (NFT) based on a Laue lens operating in the 50–600 keV range with unprecedented angular resolution, polarimetric capabilities, and sensitivity.
Environmental Factors Are Stronger Predictors of Primate Species’ Distributions Than Basic Biological Traits
Authors: Williams Katherine A. , Slater Helen D. , Gillingham Phillipa , Korstjens Amanda H.
Published: April 2021

Understanding the neutral, biological, and environmental processes driving species distributions is valuable in informing conservation efforts because it will help us predict how species will respond to changes in environmental conditions. Environmental processes affect species differently according to their biological traits, which determine how they interact with their environment. Therefore, functional, trait-based modeling approaches are considered important for predicting distributions and species responses to change but even for data-rich primate communities our understanding of the relationships between traits and environmental conditions is limited. Here we use a large-scale, high-resolution data set of African diurnal primate distributions, biological traits, and environmental conditions to investigate the role of biological traits and environmental trait filtering in primate distributions. We collected data from published sources for 354 sites and 14 genera with 57 species across sub-Saharan Africa. We then combined a three-table ordination method, RLQ, with the fourth-corner approach to test relationships between environmental variables and biological traits and used a mapping approach to visually assess patterning in primate genus and species’ distributions. We found no significant relationships between any groups of environmental variables and biological traits, despite a clear role of environmental filtering in driving genus and species’ distributions. The most important environmental driver of species distributions was temperature seasonality, followed by rainfall. We conclude that the relative flexibility of many primate genera means that not any one particular set of traits drives their species–environment associations, despite the clear role of such associations in their distribution patterns.
The impacts of contact force, power and application time on ablation effect indicated by serial measurements of impedance drop in both conventional and high-power short-duration ablation settings of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Shi Li-Bin , Wang Yu-Chuan , Chu Song-Yun , De Bortoli Alessandro , Schuster Peter , Solheim Eivind , Chen Jian
Published: April 2021

Abstracts

Background

This study aimed to clarify the interrelationship and additive effects of contact force (CF), power and application time in both conventional and high-power short-duration (HPSD) settings.

Methods

Among 38 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who underwent first-time pulmonary vein isolation, 787 ablation points were collected at the beginning of the procedure at separate sites. Energy was applied for 60 s under power outputs of 25, 30 or 35 W (conventional group), or 10 s when using 50 W (HPSD group). An impedance drop (ID) of 10 Ω was regarded as a marker of adequate lesion formation.

Results

ID ≥ 10 Ω could not be achieved with CF < 5 g under any power setting. With CF ≥ 5 g, ID could be enhanced by increasing power output or prolonging ablation time. ID for 30 and 35 W was greater than for 25 W (p< 0.05). Ablation with 35 W resulted in greater ID than with 30 W only when CF of 10–20 g was applied for 20–40 s (p <0.05). Under the same power output, ID increased with CF level at different time points. The higher the CF, the shorter the time needed to reach ID of 10 Ω and maximal ID. ID correlated well with ablation index under each power, except for lower ID values at 25 W. ID with 50 W for 10 s was equivalent to that with 25 W for 40 s, but lower than that with 30 W for 40 s or 35 W for 30 s.

Conclusions

CF of at least 5 g is required for adequate ablation effect. With CF ≥ 5g, CF, power output, and ablation time can compensate for each other. Time to reach maximal ablation effect can be shortened by increasing CF or power. The effect of HPSD ablation with 50 W for 10 s is equivalent to conventional ablation with 25 W for 40 s and 30–35 W for 20–30 s in terms of ID.
Molecular insight into optimizing the N- and P-doped fullerenes for urea removal in wearable artificial kidneys
Authors: Miri Jahromi Ahmad , Zandi Pegah , Khedri Mohammad , Ghasemy Ebrahim , Maleki Reza , Tayebi Lobat
Published: April 2021

Urea is the result of the breakdown of proteins in the liver, the excess of which circulates in the blood and is adsorbed by the kidneys. However, in the case of kidney diseases, some products, specifically urea, cannot be removed from the blood by the kidneys and causes serious health problems. The end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are not able to purify their blood, which endangers their life. ESRD patients require dialysis, a costly and difficult method of urea removal from the blood. Wearable artificial kidneys (WAKs) are consequently designed to remove the waste from blood. Regarding the great amount of daily urea production in the body, WAKs should contain strong and selective urea adsorbents. Fullerenes—which possess fascinating chemical properties—have been considered herein to develop novel urea removal adsorbents. Molecular dynamics (MD) has enabled researchers to study the interaction of different materials and can pave the way toward facilitating the development of wearable devices. In this study, urea adsorption by N-doped fullerenes and P-doped fullerenes were assessed through MD simulations. The urea adsorption was simulated by five samples of fullerenes, with phosphorous and different nitrogen dopant contents. For comparing the urea adsorption capacity in the performed simulations, detailed characteristics—including the energy analysis, radius of gyration, radial distribution function (RDF), root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSD), and H-bond analyses were investigated. It had been determined that the fullerene containing 8% nitrogen—with the highest reduction in the radius of gyration, the maximum RDF, a high adsorption energy, and a high number of hydrogen bonds—adsorbs urea more efficiently.
Bounds on efficient outcomes for large-scale cardinality-constrained Markowitz problems
Authors: Miroforidis Janusz
Published: April 2021

When solving large-scale cardinality-constrained Markowitz mean–variance portfolio investment problems, exact solvers may be unable to derive some efficient portfolios, even within a reasonable time limit. In such cases, information on the distance from the best feasible solution, found before the optimization process has stopped, to the true efficient solution is unavailable. In this article, I demonstrate how to provide such information to the decision maker. I aim to use the concept of lower bounds and upper bounds on objective function values of an efficient portfolio, developed in my earlier works. I illustrate the proposed approach on a large-scale data set based upon real data. I address cases where a top-class commercial mixed-integer quadratic programming solver fails to provide efficient portfolios attempted to be derived by Chebyshev scalarization of the bi-objective optimization problem within a given time limit. In this case, I propose to transform purely technical information provided by the solver into information which can be used in navigation over the efficient frontier of the cardinality-constrained Markowitz mean–variance portfolio investment problem.
Neighborhood Relationships of Widely Distributed and Irregularly Shaped Particles in Partially Dewatered Filter Cakes
Authors: Löwer Erik , Pfaff Florian , Leißner Thomas , Peuker Urs A.
Published: April 2021

A more thorough understanding of the properties of bulk material structures in solid–liquid separation processes is essential to understand better and optimize industrially established processes, such as cake filtration, whose process outcome is mainly dependent on the properties of the bulk material structure. Here, changes of bulk properties like porosity and permeability can originate from local variations in particle size, especially for non-spherical particles. In this study, we mix self-similar fractions of crushed, irregularly shaped Al2O3 particles (20 to 90 µm and 55 to 300 µm) to bimodal distributions. These mixtures vary in volume fraction of fines (0, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 100 vol.%). The self-similarity of both systems serves the improved parameter correlation in the case of multimodal distributed particle systems. We use nondestructive 3D X-ray microscopy to capture the filter cake microstructure directly after mechanical dewatering, whereby we give particular attention to packing structure and particle–particle relationships (porosity, coordination number, particle size and corresponding hydraulic isolated liquid areas). Our results reveal widely varying distributions of local porosity and particle contact points. An average coordination number (here 5.84 to 6.04) is no longer a sufficient measure to describe the significant bulk porosity variation (in our case, 40 and 49%). Therefore, the explanation of the correlation is provided on a discrete particle level. While individual particles < 90 µm had only two or three contacts, others > 100 µm took up to 25. Due to this higher local coordination number, the liquid load of corresponding particles (liquid volume/particle volume) after mechanical dewatering increases from 0.48 to 1.47.
Confocal microscopy 3D imaging of diesel particulate matter
Authors: Miyashita Lisa , Foley Gary , Gill Ian , Gillmore Gavin , Grigg Jonathan , Wertheim David
Published: April 2021

To date, diesel particulate matter (DPM) has been described as aggregates of spherule particles with a smooth appearing surface. We have used a new colour confocal microscope imaging method to study the 3D shape of diesel particulate matter (DPM); we observed that the particles can have sharp jagged appearing edges and consistent with these findings, 2D light microscopy demonstrated that DPM adheres to human lung epithelial cells. Importantly, the slide preparation and confocal microscopy method applied avoids possible alteration to the particles’ surfaces and enables colour 3D visualisation of the particles. From twenty-one PM10 particles, the mean (standard deviation) major axis length was 5.6 (2.25) μm with corresponding values for the minor axis length of 3.8 (1.25) μm. These new findings may help explain why air pollution particulate matter (PM) has the ability to infiltrate human airway cells, potentially leading to respiratory tract, cardiovascular and neurological disease.
First application of an Integrated Biological Response index to assess the ecotoxicological status of honeybees from rural and urban areas
Authors: Caliani Ilaria , Campani Tommaso , Conti Barbara , Cosci Francesca , Bedini Stefano , D’Agostino Antonella , Giovanetti Laura , Di Noi Agata , Casini Silvia
Published: April 2021

Understanding the effects of environmental contaminants on honeybees is essential to minimize their impacts on these important pollinating insects. The aim of this study was to assess the ecotoxicological status of honeybees in environments undergoing different anthropic pressure: a wood (reference site), an orchard, an agricultural area, and an urban site, using a multi-biomarker approach. To synthetically represent the ecotoxicological status of the honeybees, the responses of the single biomarkers were integrated by the Integrated Biological Response (IBRv2) index. Overall, the strongest alteration of the ecotoxicological status (IBRv2 = 7.52) was detected in the bees from the orchard due to the alteration of metabolic and genotoxicity biomarkers indicating the presence of pesticides, metals, and lipophilic compounds. Honeybees from the cultivated area (IBRv2 = 7.18) revealed an alteration especially in neurotoxicity, metabolic, and genotoxicity biomarkers probably related to the presence of pesticides, especially fungicides. Finally, in the urban area (IBRv2 = 6.60), the biomarker results (GST, lysozyme, and hemocytes) indicated immunosuppression in the honeybees and the effects of the presence of lipophilic compounds and metals in the environment.
Who Cares for Agile Work? In/Visibilized Work Practices and Their Emancipatory Potential
Authors: Coban Alev , Wenten Klara-Aylin
Published: April 2021

The future of work has become a pressing matter of concern: Researchers, business consultancies, and industrial companies are intensively studying how new work models could be best implemented to increase workplace flexibility and creativity. In particular, the agile model has become one of the “must-have” elements for re-organizing work practices, especially for technology development work. However, the implementation of agile work often comes together with strong presumptions: it is regarded as an inevitable tool that can be universally integrated into different workplaces while having the same outcome of flexibility, transparency, and flattened hierarchies everywhere. This paper challenges such essentializing assumptions by turning agile work into a “matter of care.” We argue that care work occurs in contexts other than feminized reproductive work, namely, technology development. Drawing on concepts from feminist Science and Technology Studies and ethnographic research at agile technology development workplaces in Germany and Kenya, we examine what work it takes to actually keep up with the imperative of agile work. The analysis brings the often invisibilized care practices of human and nonhuman actors to the fore that are necessary to enact and stabilize the agile promises of flexibilization, co-working, and rapid prototyping. Revealing the caring sociotechnical relationships that are vital for working agile, we discuss the emergence of power asymmetries characterized by hierarchies of skills that are differently acknowledged in the daily work of technology development. The paper ends by speculating on the emancipatory potential of a care perspective, by which we seek to inspire careful Emancipatory Technology Studies.
Technopolitics from Below: A Framework for the Analysis of Digital Politics of Production
Authors: Schaupp Simon
Published: April 2021

This article develops a multi-level framework for the analysis of a bottom-up politics of technology at the workplace. It draws on a multi-case study on algorithmic management of manual labor in manufacturing and delivery platforms in Germany. In researching how workers influenced the use of algorithmic management systems, the concept of technopolitics is developed to refer to three different arenas of negotiation: (1) the arena of regulation, where institutional framings of technologies in production are negotiated, typically between state actors, employers’ associations, and unions. (2) The arena of implementation, where strategies of technology deployment are negotiated—in the German production model typically between management and works council. (3) The arena of appropriation, in which different organizational technocultures offer contesting schemes for the actual use of technology at work. Whereas most recent research on digitalization of work conceptualizes workers as mere objects of digitalization processes, this paper focuses on worker agency as a “technopolitics from below.” It thus demonstrates how workers influence the concrete outcome of digitalization projects.