bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Patient Concerns Inventory in head and neck oncology: a structured review of its development, validation and clinical implications
Authors: Kanatas Anastasios , Lowe Derek , Rogers Simon N.
Published: July 2022

Introduction

The Patient Concerns Inventory (PCI) is a condition specific prompt list that was initially developed for head and neck cancer (HNC) and is referred to as the PCI–HN. There have been numerous publications regarding the PCI–HN, since it was first published in 2009. To date, there has not been a review of its development, validation and clinical implications. A collation of relevant papers into key sections allows multidisciplinary teams and researchers to have an overview of the PCI–HN’s background, evaluation and utility. This is essential if colleagues are to have confidence in the tool and be able to reflect on how to optimise its use in clinical practice.

Methods

Five search engines were used: EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, CINAHL and Handle-on-QOL for the specific term ‘Patient Concerns Inventory’ up to and including 1st February 2022. In addition, an accumulation of PCI–HN data of 507 HNC patients was drawn from previous studies in Liverpool and Leeds between 2007 and 2020 and was analysed specifically for this paper.

Results

54 papers relating to the PCI–HN were identified. The review is structured into eight sections: (1) What is the PCI–HN and how does it work; (2) Feasibility and acceptability; (3) Psychometrics; (4) Items selected and frequency (5) Associations with Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and casemix; (6) Other observational studies; (7) Randomised trial evaluation; (8) General discussion and further research.

Conclusions

As the term PCI is quite ubiquitous and produces many hits when searching the literature, this review provides a very concise and convenient historical context for the PCI–HN and collates the current literature.
The complex relationship between antibody titers and clinical outcome in botulinum toxin type A long-term treated patients with cervical dystonia
Authors: Hefter Harald , Ürer Beyza , Brauns Raphaela , Rosenthal Dietmar , Meuth Sven G. , Lee John-Ih , Albrecht Philipp , Samadzadeh Sara
Published: July 2022

Background

Repeated injections with abo- or onabotulinumtoxin type A (aboBoNT/A, onaBoNT/A) may lead to induction of neutralizing antibodies (NABs) and/or a secondary treatment failure (STF). The relation between NABs and STF is still unclear.

Aim of the study

To demonstrate that a significant improvement can be observed in patients with STF after abo- or onaBoNT/A-treatment when switched to incobotulinumtoxin type A (incoBoNT/A) and that in NAB-positive patients without STF abo- or onaBoNT/A-treatment can be continued without significant worsening.

Methods

Paralysis times (PT) of the mouse hemidiaphragm assay (MHDA) and clinical outcome (TSUI-score) was analyzed in 60 patients with cervical dystonia (CD) and STF after abo- or onaBoNT/A-treatment (STF-group) who were switched to incobotulinumtoxin type A (incoBoNT/A). These data were compared to those of 34 patients who were exclusively treated with incoBoNT/A (INCO-group). Furthermore, PTs and TSUI-scores were followed up over 7 years in 9 patients with NABs but without STF who were switched to inco-BoNT/A (SWI-group) and 9 other patients with NABs who remained on their previous BoNT/A preparation (NO-SWI-group).

Results

In the STF-group, a significant improvement of TSUI-scores could be detected after switch to incoBoNT/A. This improvement was less pronounced than in the INCO-group. There was no significant difference in long-term outcome between the SWI- and NO-SWI-group.

Conclusion

The best strategy is to avoid the induction of NABs. A switch to incoBoNT/A may lead to improvement in patients with STF. However, in some patients with NABs without STF, BoNT/A-treatment can be continued without significant worsening.
Effects of semaglutide on cardiovascular risk factors and eating behaviors in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Di Folco Ugo , Vallecorsa Noemi , Nardone Maria Rosaria , Pantano Angelo Lauria , Tubili Claudio
Published: July 2022

Aims

Aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of once-weekly semaglutide on different end-points indicative of metabolic control, cardiovascular risk, dietary behavior, and treatment satisfaction in T2DM.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study conducted in a diabetes clinic. Changes in HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), weight, blood pressure, lipid profile, and number of antihypertensive drugs at 32 weeks (T1) after the first prescription of semaglutide (T0) were analyzed. Furthermore, at T1 patients were asked to fill-in the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) and the Control of Eating Questionnaire (COEQ).

Results

Overall, 104 patients were identified (mean age 63.6 ± 10.4 years, 58.7% men, diabetes duration 12.7 ± 8.7 years). After 32 weeks of treatment with semaglutide, HbA1c levels were reduced by 1.38%, FBG by − 56.53 mg/dl, weight by 6.03 kg. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total, HDL-, LDL-, and non –HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides significantly improved. The number of glucose-lowering and antihypertensive drugs also decreased. At T1, DTSQ score was 32.23 ± 1.44, whereas COEQ indicated low levels of hunger and good control of eating.

Conclusions

The study documented benefits of semaglutide on metabolic control and multiple CV risk factors, simplification of therapeutic schemes and high satisfaction with diabetes treatment, and eating behaviors indicative of healthy diet and reduced food intake.
The Universal Program of Nonlinear Hyperelasticity
Authors: Yavari Arash , Goriely Alain
Published: July 2022

For a given class of materials, universal deformations are those that can be maintained in the absence of body forces by applying only boundary tractions. Universal deformations play a crucial role in nonlinear elasticity. To date, their classification has been accomplished for homogeneous isotropic solids following Ericksen’s seminal work, and homogeneous anisotropic solids and inhomogeneous isotropic solids in our recent works. In this paper we study universal deformations for inhomogeneous anisotropic solids defined as materials whose energy function depends on position. We consider both compressible and incompressible transversely isotropic, orthotropic, and monoclinic solids. We show that the universality constraints—the constraints that are dictated by the equilibrium equations and the arbitrariness of the energy function—for inhomogeneous anisotropic solids include those of inhomogeneous isotropic and homogeneous anisotropic solids. For compressible solids, universal deformations are homogeneous and the material preferred directions are uniform. For each of the three classes of anisotropic solids we find the corresponding universal inhomogeneities—those inhomogeneities that are consistent with the universality constraints. For incompressible anisotropic solids we find the universal inhomogeneities for each of the six known families of universal deformations. This work provides a systematic approach to study analytically functionally-graded fiber-reinforced elastic solids.
Barriers to blockchain adoption for supply chain finance: the case of Indian SMEs
Authors: Kaur Jaspreet , Kumar Satish , Narkhede Balkrishna E. , Dabić Marina , Rathore Ajay Pal Singh , Joshi Rohit
Published: July 2022

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India are suffering from the long-standing challenges related to asymmetric information, high transaction costs, SMEs’ opacity and limited access to credit. Blockchain technology, which is still in its infancy in terms of adoption in India, can facilitate SMEs to counter these challenges. Fuelled by this motivation, the study aims to investigate the significant barriers to blockchain adoption in supply chain finance practices by Indian SMEs. Using fuzzy-analytic hierarchy process, sensitivity analysis, and fuzzy-decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory this paper identifies the blockchain barriers, prioritises them and examine their cause and effect relationships. The results of the study indicate that technology barriers are the most influential barriers that impede blockchain adoption. The findings will help the policymakers and practitioners to take suitable measures to overcome these barriers and fuel the adoption of blockchain in Indian SMEs.
Students’ critical reflections on learning across contexts in career education in Norway
Authors: Røise Petra
Published: July 2022

Following community interaction theory and drawing upon the concept of boundary crossing, this paper investigates students’ experiences of career learning across contexts when involved in placement activities. Specifically, this work focuses on students’ experiences of continuity and discontinuity in relation to tensions naturally embedded in career education. For students to experience coherent career learning in lower secondary schools, career education must help relate career activities to career choice and learning by encouraging systematic reflections during preparation and follow-up. From a continuity/discontinuity perspective, when activities in out-of-school contexts are accompanied by an educational infrastructure, it can limit students’ freedom to reflect on their experiences. Analysis results point to the emancipatory potential of collective reflection after the placement activities. Furthermore, the results highlight the unfulfilled potential of discontinuity as a source of career learning when moving across contexts.
Our Legal Borders: Interrelated Constructions of Individual and Political Bodies
Authors: Young Stephen M
Published: July 2022

In liberal democracies that were British colonies, law constructs the linkages and distinctions between individual and political bodies. Legality re-iterates the form of an ancient construct called the King’s Two Bodies. The legal construction of these bodies ensures that their borders are continuously and perpetually contested and transgressed, and different modalities of power have arisen to take advantage of them. Additionally, in times of mass insecurity or crisis, we might believe that we need to fix our (personal or political) borders and construct them in more solid ways. However, because other modalities of power take advantage of these borders, even if legal reconstruction can momentarily assuage concerns, it is argued here that legal processes construct borders around individual and political bodies to ensure the (re)production of those contests and crises.
Advances in cosmeceutical nanotechnology for hyperpigmentation treatment
Authors: Tangau Mason Jarius , Chong Yie Kie , Yeong Keng Yoon
Published: July 2022

Hyperpigmentation is a common and major skin problem that affects people of all skin types. Despite the availability of various depigmentation active ingredients for skin hyperpigmentation disorder, none of them are completely satisfactory due to their poor permeability through the skin layer and significant toxicity, thereby causing severe side effects such as irritative dermatitis, erythema, itching, and skin flaking. Nanotechnology plays an important role in advancing the cosmeceutical formulation by improving the solubility, stability, safety, loading efficiency, and dermal permeability of the active ingredients. The aim of this review is to offer a comprehensive discussion on the application of various nanomaterials in improving cosmeceutical formulations used to treat hyperpigmentation. Focus is placed on elucidating the advantages that nanotechnology can bring to some common hyperpigmentation active ingredients such as hydroquinone, arbutin, kojic acid, azelaic acid, and retinoic acid to improve their efficacy in treating hyperpigmentation. Lastly, a total of 44 reported patents and articles of depigmenting compounds encapsulated by nanoparticles were filed and analyzed. Overall, lipid nanoparticles were found to be the most widely used nanomaterial in treating hyperpigmentation.

Graphical abstract
Data-Driven Predictive Modeling of Lithofacies and Fe In-Situ Grade in the Assen Fe Ore Deposit of the Transvaal Supergroup (South Africa) and Implications on the Genesis of Banded Iron Formations
Authors: Nwaila Glen T. , Zhang Steven E. , Bourdeau Julie E. , Negwangwatini Elekanyani , Rose Derek H. , Burnett Mark , Ghorbani Yousef
Published: July 2022

The Assen Fe ore deposit is a banded iron formation (BIF)-hosted orebody, occurring in the Penge Formation of the Transvaal Supergroup, located 50 km northwest of Pretoria in South Africa. Most BIF-hosted Fe ore deposits have experienced post-depositional alteration including supergene enrichment of Fe and low-grade regional metamorphism. Unlike most of the known BIF-hosted Fe ore deposits, high-grade hematite (> 60% Fe) in the Assen Fe ore deposit is located along the lithological contacts with dolerite intrusions. Due to the variability in alteration levels, identifying the lithologies present within the various parts of the Assen Fe ore deposit, specifically within the weathering zone, is often challenging. To address this challenge, machine learning was applied to enable the automatic classification of rock types identified within the Assen Fe ore mine and to predict the in-situ Fe grade. This classification is based on geochemical analyses, as well as petrography and geological mapping. A total of 21 diamond core drill cores were sampled at 1 m intervals, covering all the lithofacies present at Assen mine. These were analyzed for major elements and oxides by means of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Numerous machine learning algorithms were trained, tested and cross-validated for automated lithofacies classification and prediction of in-situ Fe grade, namely (a) k-nearest neighbors, (b) elastic-net, (c) support vector machines (SVMs), (d) adaptive boosting, (e) random forest, (f) logistic regression, (g) Naïve Bayes, (h) artificial neural network (ANN) and (i) Gaussian process algorithms. Random forest, SVM and ANN classifiers yield high classification accuracy scores during model training, testing and cross-validation. For in-situ Fe grade prediction, the same algorithms also consistently yielded the best results. The predictability of in-situ Fe grade on a per-lithology basis, combined with the fact that CaO and SiO2were the strongest predictors of Fe concentration, support the hypothesis that the process that led to Fe enrichment in the Assen Fe ore deposit is dominated by supergene processes. Moreover, we show that predictive modeling can be used to demonstrate that in this case, the main differentiator between the predictability of Fe concentration between different lithofacies lies in the strength of multivariate elemental associations between Fe and other oxides. Localized high-grade Fe ore along with lithological contacts with dolerite intrusion is indicative of intra-basinal fluid circulation from an already Fe-enriched hematite. These findings have a wider implication on lithofacies classification in weathered rocks and mobility of economic valuable elements such as Fe.
Fittingness first?: Reasons to withhold belief
Authors: Lee Wooram
Published: July 2022

Recent years have seen the rise of fittingness-first views, which take fittingness to be the most basic normative feature, in terms of which other normative features can be explained. This paper poses a serious difficulty for the fittingness-first approach by showing that existing fittingness-first accounts cannot plausibly accommodate an important class of reasons: reasons not to believe a proposition. There are two kinds of reasons not to believe a proposition: considerations that are counterevidence; and considerations that count against believing the proposition without indicating that it is false. I will argue that the fittingness-first accounts have trouble accommodating reasons of the latter kind.
Spoken Corpora of Slavic Languages
Authors: Dobrushina Nina , Sokur Elena
Published: July 2022

Spoken corpora are collections of transcribed and annotated audio and /or video recordings of languages or language varieties. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of 51 spoken corpora currently available for Slavic languages and dialects, in particular Belarusian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Trasianka, Ukrainian/Rusyn. We identify three groups of corpora according to the type of lect: corpora of standard languages (spoken mainly in an urban environment and existing in both written and oral form), dialects (spoken mainly in a rural environment and unwritten), and bilingual varieties (we call bilingual varieties spoken as L2 by people with different L1 languages, as well as all varieties that evolved in a multilingual environment). We survey the corpora in terms of text registers, transcription, and principles of linguistic and extralinguistic annotation. In conclusion, we suggest a list of features that linguists should take into consideration when developing a spoken corpus. Many spoken corpora are currently being created for various Slavic lects, and their developers may use this overview as a source of information on different designs and solutions.
Extending the VEF traces framework to model data center network workloads
Authors: Andújar Francisco J. , Sánchez de la Rosa Miguel , Escudero-Sahuquillo Jesus , Sánchez José L.
Published: July 2022

Data centers are a fundamental infrastructure in the Big-Data era, where applications and services demand a high amount of data and minimum response times. The interconnection network is an essential subsystem in the data center, as it must guarantee high communication bandwidth and low latency to the communication operations of applications, otherwise becoming the system bottleneck. Simulation is widely used to model the network functionality and to evaluate its performance under specific workloads. Apart from the network modeling, it is essential to characterize the end-nodes communication pattern, which will help identify bottlenecks and flaws in the network architecture. In previous works, we proposed the VEF traces framework: a set of tools to capture communication traffic of MPI-based applications and generate traffic traces used to feed network simulator tools. In this paper, we extend the VEF traces framework with new communication workloads such as deep-learning training applications and online data-intensive workloads.
Negotiating “women”: metalinguistic negotiations across languages
Authors: Knoll Viktoria
Published: July 2022

The metalinguistic approach to conceptual engineering construes disputes between (what I shall call) linguistic reformers and linguistic conservatives as metalinguistic disagreements on how best to use particular expressions. As the present paper argues, this approach has various merits. However, it was recently criticised in Cappelen’s seminalFixing Language(2018). Cappelen raises an important objection against the metalinguistic picture. According to this objection – the Babel objection, as I shall call it – the metalinguistic account cannot accommodate the intuition of disagreement between linguistic conservatives and reformers who are speaking different languages. The objection generalises to metalinguistic approaches to e.g. moral disagreements. This paper discusses the Babel objection and shows how to dispel it.
Combining data acquisition modes in liquid-chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry for comprehensive determination of acylcarnitines in human serum
Authors: Luque-Córdoba D. , Calderón-Santiago M. , Priego-Capote F.
Published: July 2022

Acylcarnitines (ACs) are metabolites involved in fatty acid β-oxidation and organic acid metabolism. Metabolic disorders associated to these two processes can be evaluated by determining the complete profile of ACs. In this research, we present an overall strategy for identification, confirmation, and quantitative determination of acylcarnitines in human serum. By this strategy we identified the presence of 47 ACs from C2 to C24 with detection of the unsaturation degree by application of a data-independent acquisition (DIA) liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method. Complementary, quantitative determination of ACs is based on a high-throughput and fully automated method consisting of solid-phase extraction on-line coupled to LC–MS/MS in data-dependent acquisition (DDA) to improve analytical features avoiding the errors associated to sample processing. Quantitation limits were at pg mL–1 level, the intra-day and between-day variability were below 15–20%, respectively; and the accuracy, expressed as bias, was always within ± 25%. The proposed method was tested with 40 human volunteers to determine the relative concentration of ACs in serum and identify predominant forms. Significant differences were detected by comparing the ACs profile of obese versus non-obese individuals.
Metabolic changes associated with two endocrine abnormalities in dogs: elevated fructosamine and low thyroxine
Authors: Ottka Claudia , Puurunen Jenni , Müller Elisabeth , Weber Corinna , Klein Ruth , Lohi Hannes
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Metabolomics studies in canine endocrine abnormalities are sparse and basic information on these abnormalities must be generated.

Objectives

To characterize the metabolic changes associated with elevated fructosamine, reflecting poor glycemic control, and low thyroxine, a thyroid hormone controlling metabolism.

Methods

Leftovers of clinical serum samples; 25 controls, 79 high fructosamine, and 47 low thyroxine, were analyzed using 1H NMR and differences were evaluated using Firth logistic regression.

Results

Both high fructosamine and low thyroxine were associated with changes in concentrations of multiple metabolites, including glycoprotein acetyls and lipids.

Conclusion

These findings suggest promising makers for further research and clinical validation.
Carbon dots from eco-friendly precursors for optical sensing application: an up-to-date review
Authors: Ullal Namratha , Muthamma Kashmitha , Sunil Dhanya
Published: July 2022

Carbon dots (CDs) are zero-dimensional quasi-spherical nanoparticles endowed with excellent advantages including good luminescence features, photostability, low cytotoxicity, remarkable aqueous solubility, favourable biocompatibility, low risk to environment and great flexibility in surface modification. Fluorescent CDs that can selectively respond to specific inorganic/organic target molecules in environmental and biological samples are of prime significance amongst the new generation intelligent sensors due to the critical involvement of different ions/molecular species in not only human health, but also in environment processes. In this context, preparation of CDs from bioprecursors has immense significance due to the involvement of green principles, inexpensive, clean, nontoxic, easily accessible, renewable and large-scale production can be realized. This article aims at exploring different types of green raw materials including plant biomass, animal products, food items and waste materials as carbon sources for the synthesis of both undoped and doped CDs. The emphasis is given on different synthetic approaches adopted for improving the quantum yield without any chemical modification, the characterization techniques, mechanistic origin of photoluminescence and fluorescence response mechanisms involved in the sensing action towards various analytes. The significant benefits and limitations of CDs obtained from eco-friendly precursors through green approaches are summarized. Various challenges and the future prospects of these carbonaceous nanomaterials as sensors are also discussed.

Graphical abstract
Peritoneal Metastases from Extraperitoneal Primary Tumors: Incidence, Treatment, and Survival from a Nationwide Database
Authors: Rijken Anouk , Galanos Laskarina J. K. , Burger Jacobus W. A. , Nienhuijs Simon W. , van Erning Felice N. , de Hingh Ignace H. J. T.
Published: July 2022

The objective of this study was to assess the incidence, treatment, and survival of patients with synchronous peritoneal metastases (PM) from extraperitoneal primary tumors. A cohort was selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR), in which all patients diagnosed with PM in 2017 and 2018 were screened for eligibility. The five most common primary extraperitoneal origins of PM were included for further analyses: lung, breast, urinary tract, and kidney cancer and malignant melanoma. Survival was investigated using log-rank test between different primary tumor locations. In total, 480 patients were diagnosed with synchronous PM from extraperitoneal origins. The proportion of patients with PM per extraperitoneal origin ranged between 0.1 and 1.1%, with the highest proportion in lung cancer patients. Of all patients, 234 (49%) received tumor-directed treatment and 246 (51%) received no tumor-directed treatment. Survival in patients with PM from lung, breast, urinary tract, and kidney cancer and malignant melanoma was 1.6 months, 15.7 months, 5.4 months, 3.4 months, and 2.1 months, respectively (p < 0.001). In this study, a small, although significant number of patients with extraperitoneal cancer developed PM. The reported survival in patients with PM ranged between 1.6 and 15.7 months. Only half of the patients with PM received tumor-directed treatment and survival in patients without tumor-directed treatment was only 1.2 months. These findings are stressing the need to explore new diagnostic tools that may enable earlier diagnosis of PM and may potentially lead to a more effective treatment.
Quantitative weighted estimates for Harmonic analysis operators in the Bessel setting by using sparse domination
Authors: Almeida Víctor , Betancor Jorge J. , Fariña Juan C. , Rodríguez-Mesa Lourdes
Published: July 2022

In this paper we obtain quantitative weighted $$L^p$$

L
p

-inequalities for some operators involving Bessel convolutions. We consider maximal operators, Littlewood-Paley functions and variational operators. We obtain $$L^p(w)$$

L
p

(
w
)

-operator norms in terms of the $$A_p$$

A
p

-characteristic of the weight w. In order to do this we show that the operators under consideration are dominated by a suitable family of sparse operators in the space of homogeneous type $$((0,\infty ),|\cdot |,x^{2\lambda }dx)$$

(

(
0
,
∞
)

,
|
·
|
,

x

2
λ

d
x
)

.
AFFINE LOGIC FOR CONSTRUCTIVE MATHEMATICS
Authors: SHULMAN MICHAEL
Published: July 2022

We show that numerous distinctive concepts of constructive mathematics arise automatically from an “antithesis” translation of affine logic into intuitionistic logic via a Chu/Dialectica construction. This includes apartness relations, complemented subsets, anti-subgroups and anti-ideals, strict and non-strict order pairs, cut-valued metrics, and apartness spaces. We also explain the constructive bifurcation of some classical concepts using the choice between multiplicative and additive affine connectives. Affine logic and the antithesis construction thus systematically “constructivize” classical definitions, handling the resulting bookkeeping automatically.
Zinc, sulfur and cadmium isotopes and Zn/Cd ratios as indicators of the origin of the supergiant Broken Hill Pb–Zn–Ag deposit and other Broken Hill-type deposits, New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Spry Paul G. , Mathur Ryan D. , Teale Graham S. , Godfrey Linda V.
Published: July 2022

Various genetic models have been proposed for the supergiant Proterozoic Broken Hill Pb–Zn–Ag deposit largely based on geological and geochronological evidence. Here we present Zn, Cd and S isotope compositions as well as Zn/Cd ratios of sphalerite from Broken Hill and minor Broken Hill-type deposits (Australia) to help constrain these models but focus on syngenetic and magmatic–hydrothermal processes, since epigenetic models can be rejected because the orebodies were deformed and metamorphosed by the Olarian Orogeny. Values of δ34SVCDT, δ66ZnAA-ETHand δ114CdNIST SRM 3108for sphalerite from Broken Hill range from +0.27 to +4.73 ‰, −1.15 to +0.46 ‰ and −0.48 to +0.01 ‰, respectively, while those for the smaller Broken Hill-type deposits range from −5.11 to +1.28 ‰, −0.97 to +0.10 ‰ and −1.02 to +2.59 ‰, respectively. By combining published S isotope data of sulfides from the Broken Hill district with those obtained here, the sources of sulfur via thermochemical sulfate reduction, bacterial sulfate reduction and a magmatic origin cannot be distinguished. However, when the S isotope compositions are considered along with the broad range of Cd and Zn isotope data for sphalerite, which are among the lightest and heaviest yet reported for a sulfide deposit, the isotopic datasets are consistent with low-temperature biogenic processes associated with syngenetic deposition of sulfides. Cadmium isotope compositions when coupled with Zn/Cd ratios of sphalerite have previously been used to classify Pb–Zn deposits, including low-temperature, high-temperature and exhalative ores. However, the Zn/Cd ratios of sphalerite from Broken Hill cannot be used for such classification purposes.
Influence of climate stress on technical efficiency and economic downside risk exposure of EU dairy farms
Authors: Quiédeville Sylvain , Grovermann Christian , Leiber Florian , Cozzi Giulio , Lora Isabella , Eory Vera , Moakes Simon
Published: July 2022

This paper assesses the influence of heat and drought stress on the economic performance of the European dairy sector. Climatic data from the Gridded Agro-Meteorological data in Europe were combined with dairy enterprise data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network, resulting in a data set of 4412 farms in 22 European Union (EU) countries over the period 2007–2013. Since the performance of dairy farms is influenced by the context in which they operate, farms were grouped into areas representing similar climatic conditions through the use of a latent class analysis. Technical efficiency (TE) and economic downside risk were used as performance indicators against which the effect of climatic stress factors was evaluated. TE was estimated using a ‘true-fixed’ effect stochastic frontier model. Economic downside risk was based on gross margin deviations. Regression analysis suggests a significant negative effect of drought and heat stress on both TE and the downside gross margin difference in most climatic classes, with few exceptions. Results imply that both drought and heat stress-related issues need to be considered when designing adaptation strategies to address threats to the economic performance of the EU dairy sector.
Effects of environmental factors on ichthyoplankton in a permanently open estuary under the influence of a semi-arid climate, north-eastern Brazil
Authors: Gomes de Lima Lidiane , Juan Soterorudá Brito Gitá , Pessanha André Luiz Machado
Published: July 2022

Estuarine ecosystem conditions actively influence the early life stage of fishes. This study reports how environmental factors influenced the ichthyoplankton in a tropical estuary within an Environmental Protection Area by comparing the structure and composition of fish eggs and larval assemblages. A total of 1672 fish larvae and 486 fish eggs were collected. Higher densities of larvae were recorded for Engraulidae, Characidae, Clupeidae, Gerreidae, Mugilidae and Atherinopsidae, and higher egg densities of the families Mugilidae, Clupeidae and Engraulidae were found. The spatio-temporal variations were determined by the environmental predictors salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature, with salinity influenced by precipitation as one of the main predictors of the distribution of ichthyoplankton. During the rainy season, greater densities of eggs were recorded in the upper and intermediate zones, mainly Characidae and Engraulidae; in the dry season, in the lower zone, there was a greater density of larvae, particularly Atherinopsidae and Mugilidae. The information provided in the present study contributes to our knowledge of nursery habitat requirements for the initial development of marine migrant and resident species in tropical estuaries.
A systematic review of clinical study evidence for pulmonary vasodilator therapy following surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass in children with CHD
Authors: Foote Henry P. , Hornik Christoph P. , Hill Kevin D. , Rotta Alexandre T. , Kumar Karan R. , Thompson Elizabeth J.
Published: July 2022

Objectives:

Complications from pulmonary hypertension are one of the leading contributors to morbidity and mortality post-cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in children with CHD. Pulmonary vasodilator therapies are commonly used post-operatively, but the optimal target patient population, therapy choice, timing of therapy initiation, and duration of therapy are not well defined.

Methods:

We used PubMed and EMBASE to identify studies from 2000 to 2020 investigating the use of pulmonary vasodilator therapy post-cardiopulmonary bypass in children aged 0–18 years. To ensure eligibility criteria, studies were systematically reviewed by two independent reviewers.

Results:

We identified 26 studies of 42,971 children across four medication classes; 23 were single centre, 14 were prospective, and 11 involved randomisation (four of which employed a placebo-control arm). A disproportionate number of children were from a single retrospective study of 41,872 patients. Definitions varied, but change in pulmonary haemodynamics was the most common primary outcome, used in 14 studies. Six studies had clinical endpoints, with mortality the primary endpoint for two studies. Treatment with inhaled nitric oxide, iloprost, and sildenafil all resulted in improved haemodynamics in specific cohorts of children with post-operative pulmonary hypertension, although improved outcomes were not consistently demonstrated across all treated children. Iloprost may be a cheaper alternative to inhaled nitric oxide with similar haemodynamic response.

Conclusion:

Studies were predominantly single-centre, a control arm was rarely used in randomised studies, and haemodynamic endpoints varied significantly. Further research is needed to reduce post-operative morbidity and mortality from pulmonary hypertension in children with CHD.
Persistence of Anxiety/Depression Symptoms in Early Adolescence: A Prospective Study of Daily Life Stress, Rumination, and Daytime Sleepiness in a Genetically Informative Cohort
Authors: Hansell Narelle K. , Strike Lachlan T. , de Zubicaray Greig I. , Thompson Paul M. , McMahon Katie L. , Wright Margaret J.
Published: July 2022

In this prospective study of mental health, we examine the influence of three interrelated traits — perceived stress, rumination, and daytime sleepiness — and their association with symptoms of anxiety and depression in early adolescence. Given the known associations between these traits, an important objective is to determine the extent to which they may independently predict anxiety/depression symptoms. Twin pairs from the Queensland Twin Adolescent Brain (QTAB) project were assessed on two occasions (N= 211 pairs aged 9−14 years at baseline and 152 pairs aged 10−16 years at follow-up). Linear regression models and quantitative genetic modeling were used to analyze the data. Prospectively, perceived stress, rumination, and daytime sleepiness accounted for 8−11% of the variation in later anxiety/depression; familial influences contributed strongly to these associations. However, only perceived stress significantly predicted change in anxiety/depression, accounting for 3% of variance at follow-up after adjusting for anxiety/depression at baseline, although it did not do so independently of rumination and daytime sleepiness. Bidirectional effects were found between all traits over time. These findings suggest an underlying architecture that is shared, to some degree, by all traits, while the literature points to hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and/or circadian systems as potential sources of overlapping influence and possible avenues for intervention.
Neurodiversität
Authors: Vanecek Jana
Published: July 2022

Im Alltag von Betroffenen wird ersichtlich, dass die Haltungen gegenüber der Aufmerksamkeits-Defizit-Hyperaktivitäts-Störung (ADHS) in der Regel eher negativ sind. Dies bestätigt auch eine kürzlich publizierte systematische Übersichtsstudie. Einen differenzierteren und selbstermächtigenden Kontrast bietet das Konzept der Neurodiversität. Mit diesem Ansatz kann Neurodivergenz aus dem Bereich der Individualisierung von psychischen Problemen in den allgemeinen Bereich menschlicher Bedingungen und Lebensumstände überführt werden. Dies schafft mehr Verständnis und führt längerfristig auch zu besseren Lebensbedingungen für neurodivergente Personen.
Anti-Asian American Discrimination and COVID-19
Authors: Sims Ginette M. , Kia-Keating Maryam , Sanchez Adriana , Beylin Natalie , Evans Meghan , Tran Miranda
Published: July 2022

Abstract. Previous research has demonstrated the deleterious effects of discrimination on health and well-being, as well as how these incidents maintain and/or increase inequalities and disparities for marginalized groups. The COVID-19 pandemic and media scapegoating of Asian Americans have been linked to increases in hate crimes and other discriminatory incidents. As such, it is important to uncover the lived experiences of Asian Americans, in the context of a global crisis, to inform recommendations related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 10 prioritizing health and equality ( United Nations, 2015 ). The current study advances existing research by investigating the qualitative impact of postpandemic discrimination experienced by Asian American young adults from immigrant households. Analysis revealed several main themes expressed by participants such as a distinct difference in the lived experience of hostility, xenophobia, racism, and discrimination pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 and the mental and physical health effects of discrimination-related stress, anxiety, and hypervigilance. Analysis also highlighted recommendations from participants for community support and resources. These findings align with emerging evidence demonstrating an increase in quantity and severity of discriminatory experiences among Asian Americans since the pandemic, as well as document the impact of these experiences on a sample of Asian Americans living through this unprecedented international event. Findings may inform interventions, programs, and policies to better serve Asian Americans, as well as directly and indirectly contribute to UN SDG 3 and SDG 10.
Isotopic Equilibration in Convective Downdrafts
Authors: Torri Giuseppe
Published: July 2022

While it is becoming increasingly clear that stable water isotopologues are important tools in the study of atmospheric convection, many questions remain on how different processes affect them. This work is focused on water vapor isotopes in precipitation‐driven downdrafts. Using idealized simulations, the contributions of rain evaporation and liquid‐vapor equilibration processes are analyzed. It is shown that rain evaporation tends to deplete water vapor isotopes throughout the downdraft's descent, whereas equilibration has a neutral or depleting effect in the first half of the downdraft's life cycle and an enriching one in the second half. The total contribution of the two processes is then discussed, and it is argued that equilibration has an overall small effect compared to rain evaporation. Finally, using two sensitivity experiments, it is shown that the role played by equilibration varies significantly in regimes with different concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei.
Tropospheric Response to Stratospheric Variability via Lagged Quantile Regression
Authors: Finke K. , Hannachi A.
Published: July 2022

Stratospheric variability may affect tropospheric weather on time scales between a few weeks and a few months, thus providing great potential for sub‐seasonal to seasonal weather forecasts of extremes. Unlike standard linear regression, which is based on the conditional mean of the response variable, lagged quantile regression is used here, which enables modeling the response variable's complete conditional distribution. Using the ERA5 reanalysis, we explore the relation of prominent teleconnection indices and gridded tropospheric fields to the stratosphere during boreal winter for various quantiles and lags. Significant differences in duration, strength, and direction of the stratosphere‐troposphere connection in outer quantiles compared to the median are identified. In particular, tropospheric extremes and their relation to the polar vortex strength are discussed, and an outlook is given.
Activity-based protein profiling identifies alternating activation of enzymes involved in the bifidobacterium shunt pathway or mucin degradation in the gut microbiome response to soluble dietary fiber
Authors: Killinger Bryan J. , Whidbey Christopher , Sadler Natalie C. , DeLeon Adrian J. , Munoz Nathalie , Kim Young-Mo , Wright Aaron T.
Published: July 2022

While deprivation of dietary fiber has been associated with adverse health outcomes, investigations concerning the effect of dietary fiber on the gut microbiome have been largely limited to compositional sequence-based analyses or utilize a defined microbiota not native to the host. To extend understanding of the microbiome’s functional response to dietary fiber deprivation beyond correlative evidence from sequence-based analyses, approaches capable of measuring functional enzymatic activity are needed. In this study, we use an activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) approach to identify sugar metabolizing and transport proteins in native mouse gut microbiomes that respond with differential activity to the deprivation or supplementation of the soluble dietary fibers inulin and pectin. We found that the microbiome of mice subjected to a high fiber diet high in soluble fiber had increased functional activity of multiple proteins, including glycoside hydrolases, polysaccharide lyases, and sugar transport proteins from diverse taxa. The results point to an increase in activity of theBifidobacteriumshunt metabolic pathway in the microbiome of mice fed high fiber diets. In those subjected to a low fiber diet, we identified a shift from the degradation of dietary fibers to that of gut mucins, in particular by the recently isolated taxon “Musculibacterium intestinale”, which experienced dramatic growth in response to fiber deprivation. When combined with metabolomics and shotgun metagenomics analyses, our findings provide a functional investigation of dietary fiber metabolism in the gut microbiome and demonstrates the power of a combined ABPP-multiomics approach for characterizing the response of the gut microbiome to perturbations.
Differential survival of potentially pathogenic, septicemia- and meningitis-causing E. coli across the wastewater treatment train
Authors: Yu Daniel , Ryu Kanghee , Otto Simon J. G. , Stothard Paul , Banting Graham , Ruecker Norma , Neumann Norman F. , Zhi Shuai
Published: July 2022

A growing body of evidence indicates that extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) readily survive wastewater treatment, raising concerns about the public health risks associated with exposure to wastewater-contaminated environments. In this study, E. coli isolates recovered from chlorinated sewage or treated wastewater effluents in Canada were screened for ExPEC virulence markers. Eighty-six isolates were identified as presumptive ExPEC, clustering within major pandemic lineages including ST131, ST95, and ST73 according to multilocus sequence typing analyses. Across the whole, core, and accessory genome, 37 isolates were extremely similar to clinical bloodborne E. coli (BBEC) and neonatal meningitic E. coli (NMEC) strains, suggesting that these wastewater isolates may exhibit a similar phenotypically related pathogenic potential. Interestingly, ExPEC strains also shared accessory gene content with naturalized wastewater strains, suggesting a common genetic capacity for surviving water treatment. Collectively, these findings suggest that E. coli strains that may cause septicemia and meningitis are surviving wastewater treatment and may be transmissible through wastewater effluents.
A new elpistostegalian from the Late Devonian of the Canadian Arctic
Authors: Stewart Thomas A. , Lemberg Justin B. , Daly Ailis , Daeschler Edward B. , Shubin Neil H.
Published: July 2022

A fundamental gap in the study of the origin of limbed vertebrates lies in understanding the morphological and functional diversity of their closest relatives. Whereas analyses of the elpistostegalians Panderichthys rhombolepis, Tiktaalik roseae and Elpistostege watsoni have revealed a sequence of changes in locomotor, feeding and respiratory structures during the transition1–9, an isolated bone, a putative humerus, has controversially hinted at a wider range in form and function than now recognized10–14. Here we report the discovery of a new elpistostegalian from the Late Devonian period of the Canadian Arctic that shows surprising disparity in the group. The specimen includes partial upper and lower jaws, pharyngeal elements, a pectoral fin and scalation. This new genus is phylogenetically proximate to T. roseae and E. watsoni but evinces notable differences from both taxa and, indeed, other described tetrapodomorphs. Lacking processes, joint orientations and muscle scars indicative of appendage-based support on a hard substrate13, its pectoral fin shows specializations for swimming that are unlike those known from other sarcopterygians. This unexpected morphological and functional diversity represents a previously hidden ecological expansion, a secondary return to open water, near the origin of limbed vertebrates.
VinDr-CXR: An open dataset of chest X-rays with radiologist’s annotations
Authors: Nguyen Ha Q. , Lam Khanh , Le Linh T. , Pham Hieu H. , Tran Dat Q. , Nguyen Dung B. , Le Dung D. , Pham Chi M. , Tong Hang T. T. , Dinh Diep H. , Do Cuong D. , Doan Luu T. , Nguyen Cuong N. , Nguyen Binh T. , Nguyen Que V. , Hoang Au D. , Phan Hien N. , Nguyen Anh T. , Ho Phuong H. , Ngo Dat T. , Nguyen Nghia T. , Nguyen Nhan T. , Dao Minh , Vu Van
Published: July 2022

Most of the existing chest X-ray datasets include labels from a list of findings without specifying their locations on the radiographs. This limits the development of machine learning algorithms for the detection and localization of chest abnormalities. In this work, we describe a dataset of more than 100,000 chest X-ray scans that were retrospectively collected from two major hospitals in Vietnam. Out of this raw data, we release 18,000 images that were manually annotated by a total of 17 experienced radiologists with 22 local labels of rectangles surrounding abnormalities and 6 global labels of suspected diseases. The released dataset is divided into a training set of 15,000 and a test set of 3,000. Each scan in the training set was independently labeled by 3 radiologists, while each scan in the test set was labeled by the consensus of 5 radiologists. We designed and built a labeling platform for DICOM images to facilitate these annotation procedures. All images are made publicly available in DICOM format along with the labels of both the training set and the test set.