bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing motor competence in kicking in individuals with Down syndrome through wearable motion sensors
Authors: Quinzi F. , Camomilla V. , Sbriccoli P. , Piacentini M. F. , Vannozzi G.
Published: January 2022

Background

Kicking a ball is a very frequent action in sport and leisure time activities and a low proficiency in this skill could limit the participation in recreational sport activities. This issue is emphasised in individuals with Down syndrome (IDS) for which data about motor competence in kicking are limited to children. Here, we aim at evaluating the kicking competence of IDS combining a qualitative and a quantitative method.

Methods

Twenty‐three adult IDS and 21 typically developed individuals (ITD) volunteered to participate in the study. Peak‐to‐peak 3D linear acceleration and angular velocity were recorded at 200 samples/s using two inertial measurement units placed on the lower back and lateral malleolus of the dominant limb during kicking. Motor competence in kicking was assessed according to the criteria proposed in the test of gross motor development version 3 (TGMD‐3).

Results

Individuals with Down syndrome showed lower motor competence (ITD: 5.9 ± 1.2; IDS: 3.2 ± 2.0) and lower angular velocities about the cranio‐caudal (ITD: 3.0 ± 1.8; IDS: 2.1 ± 1.1 rad/s) and medio‐lateral axes (ITD: 4.5 ± 1.5; IDS: 3.0 ± 1.1 rad/s) of the trunk compared with ITD. Shank angular velocity about the medio‐lateral axis was lower in IDS (ITD: 14.3.6 ± 4.0; IDS: 9.9 ± 2.8 rad/s).

Conclusions

The lower trunk angular velocity in IDS may limit the possibility to rely on the proximal‐to‐distal sequencing commonly observed in kicking and generate high shank angular velocity upon ball impact. The lower trunk angular velocity may result from orthopaedic features of the pelvic girdle and possibly from a poorer neuromuscular control of core muscles.
Relationship Banking and Monetary Policy Transmission: Evidence from India
Authors: BHARDWAJ ABHISHEK , SUBRAMANIAN KRISHNAMURTHY , TANTRI PRASANNA
Published: January 2022

Though the monetary policy transmission and financial intermediation literature have highlighted the role of the “bank credit channel” and relationship banking, respectively, the effect of relationship banking on the transmission of monetary policy has not been investigated. In this paper, we study the impact of relationship banking on the transmission of monetary policy. Theoretically, relationship banking could ameliorate or exacerbate the effects of monetary policy shocks. Using unique and comprehensive data on bank–borrower relationships in India, we find that firms that enjoy an exclusive banking relationship are less susceptible to monetary policy shocks than firms that bank with multiple banks.
Links Between Emotion Regulation Strategies and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Chinese American Adolescents
Authors: Karnilowicz Helena Rose , Mauss Iris , Zhou Qing
Published: January 2022

Adolescents from immigrant families are at risk for psychological health issues due to acculturative stress and the marked increases in internalizing and externalizing problems accompanying adolescence. Emotion Regulation (ER) may be an important protective resource for these adolescents. The present study tested the links between ER and internalizing and externalizing problems in 131 first‐ and second‐generation Chinese American adolescents. Adolescents’ reappraisal was associated with less internalizing and externalizing problems; adolescents’ suppression was associated with more internalizing and externalizing problems. These links were somewhat more pronounced in adolescents high in American cultural orientation as well as in adolescents low in Chinese cultural orientation. Our results advance our understanding of the links between ER and psychological health in Chinese American youth.
Diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae species causing stem canker and fruit rot in olive trees in Uruguay
Authors: Hernández‐Rodríguez Laura , Mondino‐Hintz Pedro , Alaniz‐Ferro Sandra
Published: January 2022

Olive production has expanded strongly in the last twenty years in Uruguay. In this study, a collection of 37 Botryosphaeriaceae isolates obtained from stem canker and fruit rot symptoms in olive trees of six cultivars from 14 orchards throughout the country were characterized. Based on phylogenetic analysis of ITS and TEF‐1α gene regions and phenotypical characteristics, eight species belonging to the genera Botryosphaeria (41%), Neofusicoccum (51%) and less frequently to Diplodia (8%) were identified. The recognized species were B. wangensis (n = 11), N. cryptoaustrale (n = 9), N. luteum (n = 7), B. dothidea (n = 4), N. occulatum (n = 2), D. seriata (n = 2), N. australe (n = 1) and D. mutila (n = 1). Isolates of all Botryosphaeriaceae species were able to cause typical necrotic lesions on inoculated olive stems of Arbequina cultivar under laboratory conditions, but those belonging to Neofusicoccum genus were significantly more aggressive. Five of the eight species found in this study were previously reported affecting other fruit and forestry trees in Uruguay; thus, further epidemiologic studies and management programmes should be developed considering all the Botryosphaeriaceae hosts, especially those cultivated in proximity. Also, we present B. wangensis, N. cryptoaustale, N. occulatum and D. mutila species as new records to olive worldwide.
How hybrid? Interethnic relationships within the self of Jewish Liberals in Tsarist Russia
Authors: Tsurumi Taro
Published: January 2022

Ethnic/national hybridity can be defined as a combination of plural ethnic/national aspects within an individual's self. This article proposes five such types: fused, dissonant, alternating, contradictory and reciprocal. Among them, the least focused type—reciprocal—can be represented by Russian Jewish Liberals who were Russified but active in both Russian and Jewish milieus from the late 19th century until the early 1920s (after the Russian Revolution, exiled in Western Europe). In such people's selves, the Jewish and Russian aspects reinforced each other. They believed that Russia and Russians provided a stage on which Jews could fulfil their potential, such as economic roles as intermediaries, proliferators of Western knowledge and defenders of the legal order, any of which, in their view, Russia and Russians needed, and feel pride in their Jewishness. Thus, they tried to defend Russia in times of crisis. Comparison with other Russian Jewish trends such as Jews in the Mensheviks and Russian Zionism suggests that such Liberals would be an extreme case but that the Late Imperial Russian multiethnic/national milieu would have been likely to generate such a trend.
Introduction: Changes and Challenges in Expert Witnessing
Authors: Phillips James
Published: January 2022

This Introduction highlights the dynamic nature of expert witnessing by highlighting some of the major areas of change and challenge: Our understanding of the immigrant and the asylum seeker reflected in changing legal categorizations, changing conditions in sending and receiving countries, and the changing and expanding field of anthropology that provides new critiques, materials, and perspectives for anthropologists as expert witnesses. Expert witnessing is a challenging and rewarding area of application, which may also contribute to anthropological theory and influence the legal framework in which asylum claims are adjudicated.
Habitat‐complexity regulates the intensity of facilitation along an environmental stress gradient
Authors: Navarro‐Barranco Carlos , Gribben Paul E. , Ledet Janine , Poore Alistair G. B.
Published: January 2022

Positive interactions between foundation species and their associated species are expected to be influenced by the degree of environmental stress as well as trait variations of the species involved. However, there is scarce empirical evidence regarding how these two factors interact and shape the intensity of facilitation. To test how facilitation varies with stress, a colonization experiment using artificial algal units that varied in a functional trait (morphological complexity) was conducted at different intertidal height levels. The isolated effects of shore‐height and host‐complexity are as expected: the number of species and overall abundance of epifauna decreased with lower complexity host units and greater exposure to environmental stress. However, in contrast to the initially proposed model, based on the stress gradient hypothesis, the magnitude of positive interactions increased at lower tidal heights (those levels with, presumably, milder environmental conditions). An additional predation exclusion experiment ruled out the effects of predation pressure as a major factor driving the structure of mobile epifaunal assemblages in these intertidal habitats. Thus, further studies are needed to identify the factors that explain the patterns of facilitation intensity found in the present study.
State fiscal reserves: Supplementation and substitution over economic boom and bust years
Authors: Buerger Christian , Reitano Vincent , Sorrentino Ciana
Published: January 2022

During the Great Recession and the start of the COVID‐19 pandemic, practitioners and scholars alike looked to fiscal reserves as a means to overcome fiscal pressure on state budgets. This study builds on the literature exploring the association between budget stabilization funds and unassigned and unreserved balances (UUBs) during economic booms and busts and under different institutional settings. We find that BSFs supplement UUBs during economic booms and substitute for them during economic busts. Institutional rules strongly influence the relationship between both saving instruments.
Does Provider Bias Affect Choice of a Facility for Family Planning Services by Women in Urban Senegal?
Authors: Speizer Ilene S. , Guilkey David K. , Winston Jennifer , Calhoun Lisa M.
Published: January 2022

Few studies to date have determined the effect of provider bias based on age, parity, and marital status on women's method and facility choice. Using data from women using modern methods in six cities of Senegal and a facility survey that included a facility audit and provider interviews, we undertake conditional logit analyses to determine whether women's choice of a family planning facility is associated with provider bias at the facility, controlling for other facility characteristics (e.g., size, sector, and number of methods available). We find that women bypass facilities where there is greater provider bias to attain their current family planning method. Women also bypass facilities of lower quality. This is the first study to demonstrate the effects of provider bias on women's contraceptive seeking behaviors and suggests the importance of training providers to reduce age and parity bias that affect access to a full range of methods and facilities for all women.
Best practices for measuring and reporting ground reaction forces in dogs
Authors: Conzemius Michael G. , Torres Bryan T. , Muir Peter , Evans Richard , Krotscheck Ursula , Budsberg Steven
Published: January 2022

Kinetic gait analysis and ground reaction forces (GRFs) have been used in hundreds of scientific manuscripts. Specific methodology, interpretation of results, and translation to clinical veterinary medicine have been inconsistent. This impedes the advance of veterinary medicine and poses a risk to patients. The objective of this report was to address methodological variations and share our consensus on a recommended approach with viable alternatives to data collection methods, analysis, reporting, and interpretation for GRFs in the dog. Investigators with experience performing kinetic gait analysis reviewed the literature and discussed the topics that most influenced GRF data collection, reporting, and interpretation. Methodological variations were reported and a consensus from the group was devised. There are several reasonable alternatives to collect, report, and interpret GRFs in dogs appropriately. Attention to detail is required in several areas to collect and report them. This review and consensus report should assist future investigations and interpretations of studies, optimize comparison between publications, minimize use of animals, and limit the investment in cost and time.
Revisiting the acoustics of speaker gender perception: A gender expansive perspective
Authors: Merritt Brooke , Bent Tessa
Published: January 2022

Examinations of speaker gender perception have primarily focused on the roles of fundamental frequency (fo) and formant frequencies from structured speech tasks using cisgender speakers. Yet, there is evidence to suggest that fo and formants do not fully account for listeners’ perceptual judgements of gender, particularly from connected speech. This study investigated the perceptual importance of fo, formant frequencies, articulation, and intonation in listeners’ judgements of gender identity and masculinity/femininity from spontaneous speech from cisgender male and female speakers as well as transfeminine and transmasculine speakers. Stimuli were spontaneous speech samples from 12 speakers who are cisgender (6 female and 6 male) and 12 speakers who are transgender (6 transfeminine and 6 transmasculine). Listeners performed a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) gender identification task and masculinity/femininity rating task in two experiments that manipulated which acoustic cues were available. Experiment 1 confirmed that fo and formant frequency manipulations were insufficient to alter listener judgements across all speakers. Experiment 2 demonstrated that articulatory cues had greater weighting than intonation cues on the listeners’ judgements when the fo and formant frequencies were in a gender ambiguous range. These findings counter the assumptions that fo and formant manipulations are sufficient to effectively alter perceived speaker gender.
How pH affects electrochemical processes
Authors: Govindarajan Nitish , Xu Aoni , Chan Karen
Published: January 2022

Three mechanisms underlie the impact of pH on the activity of electrochemical reactions
Southeast Asian Dipterocarp origin and diversification driven by Africa-India floristic interchange
Authors: Bansal Mahi , Morley Robert J. , Nagaraju Shivaprakash K. , Dutta Suryendu , Mishra Ashish Kumar , Selveraj Jeyakumar , Kumar Sumit , Niyolia Deepti , Harish Sachin Medigeshi , Abdelrahim Omer Babiker , Hasan Shaa eldin , Ramesh Bramasamdura Rangana , Dayanandan Selvadurai , Morley Harsanti P. , Ashton Peter S. , Prasad Vandana
Published: January 2022

The evolution and diversification of ancient megathermal angiosperm lineages with Africa-India origins in Asian tropical forests is poorly understood because of the lack of reliable fossils. Our palaeobiogeographical analysis of pollen fossils from Africa and India combined with molecular data and fossil amber records suggest a tropical-African origin of Dipterocarpaceae during the mid-Cretaceous and its dispersal to India during the Late Maastrichtian and Paleocene, leading to range expansion of aseasonal dipterocarps on the Indian Plate. The India-Asia collision further facilitated the dispersal of dipterocarps from India to similar climatic zones in Southeast Asia, which supports their out-of-India migration. The dispersal pathway suggested for Dipterocarpaceae may provide a framework for an alternative biogeographic hypothesis for several megathermal angiosperm families that are presently widely distributed in Southeast Asia.
Constructing heterojunctions by surface sulfidation for efficient inverted perovskite solar cells
Authors: Li Xiaodong , Zhang Wenxiao , Guo Xuemin , Lu Chunyan , Wei Jiyao , Fang Junfeng
Published: January 2022

A stable perovskite heterojunction was constructed for inverted solar cells through surface sulfidation of lead (Pb)–rich perovskite films. The formed lead-sulfur (Pb-S) bonds upshifted the Fermi level at the perovskite interface and induced an extra back-surface field for electron extraction. The resulting inverted devices exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) >24% with a high open-circuit voltage of 1.19 volts, corresponding to a low voltage loss of 0.36 volts. The strong Pb-S bonds could stabilize perovskite heterojunctions and strengthen underlying perovskite structures that have a similar crystal lattice. Devices with surface sulfidation retained more than 90% of the initial PCE after aging at 85°C for 2200 hours or operating at the maximum power point under continuous illumination for 1000 hours at 55° ± 5°C.
Structure-based discovery of nonhallucinogenic psychedelic analogs
Authors: Cao Dongmei , Yu Jing , Wang Huan , Luo Zhipu , Liu Xinyu , He Licong , Qi Jianzhong , Fan Luyu , Tang Lingjie , Chen Zhangcheng , Li Jinsong , Cheng Jianjun , Wang Sheng
Published: January 2022

Drugs that target the human serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT
2A
R) are used to treat neuropsychiatric diseases; however, many have hallucinogenic effects, hampering their use. Here, we present structures of 5-HT
2A
R complexed with the psychedelic drugs psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) and
d
-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), as well as the endogenous neurotransmitter serotonin and the nonhallucinogenic psychedelic analog lisuride. Serotonin and psilocin display a second binding mode in addition to the canonical mode, which enabled the design of the psychedelic IHCH-7113 (a substructure of antipsychotic lumateperone) and several 5-HT
2A
R β-arrestin–biased agonists that displayed antidepressant-like activity in mice but without hallucinogenic effects. The 5-HT
2A
R complex structures presented herein and the resulting insights provide a solid foundation for the structure-based design of safe and effective nonhallucinogenic psychedelic analogs with therapeutic effects.
The tech workforce you don’t see
The Digital Factory: The Human Labor of Automation
Moritz Altenried
University of Chicago Press, 2022. 216 pp.
Authors: Berg Janine
Published: January 2022

From fulfillment centers to social media sites, human labor is essential to digital success
Human cortical interneuron development unraveled
Authors: Kessaris Nicoletta
Published: January 2022

New understanding of principles of neurogenesis widens the use of preclinical models
Biology versus bias
Racism, Not Race: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Joseph L. Graves Jr. and Alan H. Goodman
Columbia University Press, 2021. 320 pp.
Authors: Fuentes Agustín
Published: January 2022

A pair of scholars confront the pernicious role played by racism in shaping our understanding of human difference
Seeing the big picture
Authors: Thorp H. Holden
Published: January 2022

I had the good fortune of spending a lot of time with E. O. Wilson, who recently passed away at the age of 92. Wilson was a towering figure who proposed grand ideas about biology and conservation, not just in scientific papers but in numerous books, some winning Pulitzer Prizes, that stood out for their outstanding writing. I began interacting with Ed Wilson when I was running the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, and we worked together on a number of education projects. I had the privilege when I was the UNC chancellor of awarding an honorary degree to Wilson when he spoke at a commencement. Wilson’s life is worth examining not just for his extraordinary accomplishments, but also for how debates about his ideas drove science forward.
Vaccines may cause rare, Long Covid–like symptoms
Authors: Couzin-Frankel Jennifer , Vogel Gretchen
Published: January 2022

Researchers probe reports of brain fog, headaches, and blood pressure swings
NASA’s Webb telescope reaches deep space home
Authors: Clery Daniel
Published: January 2022

Operators begin to fine-tune mirror segments after parking scope in L2 orbit
Why a high-profile China Initiative case collapsed
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: January 2022

U.S. government drops all charges against MIT engineering professor Gang Chen
Whole-Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 Strains from Asymptomatic Individuals in India
Authors: Rangaiah Ambica , Shankar Sathyanarayan Muthur , Padukone Shashiraja , Rangappa Kusuma Gowdra , Basawarajappa Shantala Gowdara
Published: January 2022

We performed targeted genome sequencing of 11 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) samples collected from asymptomatic individuals. These nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples were collected during the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Karnataka, India.
Draft Genome Sequence of Weissella soli Strain DB-2, Isolated from Nukadoko
Authors: Fukuda Daisuke , Nolasco-Hipolito Cirilo
Published: January 2022

Weissella soli
strain DB-2 is a lactic acid bacterium that was isolated from nukadoko in Japan. We report the draft genome sequence of
Weissella soli
strain DB-2 to determine the presence of the genes responsible for exopolysaccharide biosynthesis, with the aim of further probiotic evaluation.
Genome Sequence of Litorilinea aerophila, an Icelandic Intertidal Hot Springs Bacterium
Authors: Maurais Elizabeth G. , Iannazzi Lauren C. , MacLea Kyle S.
Published: January 2022

The hot springs bacterium
Litorilinea aerophila
PRI-4131
T
(= ATCC BAA-2444
T
) was found in Isafjardardjup, in northwest Iceland. In this paper, we present a draft genome sequence for the type strain, with a total predicted genome length of 6,043,010 bp, 4,608 protein-coding sequences, 54 RNAs, 9 CRISPR arrays, and a G+C content of 64.61%.
Supplemental Material: Episodic massive release of methane during the mid-Cretaceous greenhouse
Authors: Chang Biao , Huang Junhua , al. et
Published: January 2022

Figure S1: Biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy of the Qiangdong section, showing the distribution of the nine methane-related carbonate beds (QDS-1 to QDS-9) and outcrop photos. Figure S2: Sample distribution for 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2016 field seasons. Figure S3: Microscale δ13Ccarb (‰, VPDB) variation in carbonate concretions. Figure S4: XRD traces of the different carbonate phases (mm, sp, b, w). Figure S5: The REE patterns of the different carbonate phases (mm, sp, b, w). Table S1: Lithologic and geochemical data of Gambadongshan Formation samples (non-limestone only). Table S2: Lithologic and geochemical data of Gambadongshan Formation samples (nine limestone nodule horizons). Table S3: Rare earth element + yttrium (REE+Y) concentration data of Qiangdong section samples (carbonate phase). Table S4: The isotope data (δ13C, δ18O, Δ47) of MDCs.
Intraocular pressure and diurnal fluctuation of open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension: a baseline report from the LiGHT China trial cohort
Authors: Yang Yangfan , Zhang Xinyi , Chen Zidong , Wei Yifan , Ye Qiaona , Fan Yanmei , Nathwani Neil , Gazzard Gus , Yu Minbin
Published: January 2022

Aims

To report the baseline intraocular pressure (IOP) characteristics and its diurnal fluctuation in the Laser in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension China cohort.

Methods

622 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and 149 ocular hypertension (OHT) patients were recruited at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from 2015 to 2019. Standardised ocular examinations were performed including IOP measurement using the Goldmann applanation tonometer. Daytime phasing IOP was recorded at 8:00, 10:00, 11:30, 14:30, 17:00 hour.

Results

The mean baseline IOP was 20.2 mm Hg for POAG patients and 24.4 mm Hg for OHT. Multiple regression analysis revealed that thicker central corneal thickness (CCT) was correlated with higher IOP in both POAG and OHT. Male gender and younger age were correlated with higher IOP only for POAG. As for diurnal IOP fluctuation, mean IOP fluctuation was 3.4 mm Hg in POAG eyes and 4.4 mm Hg in OHT. The peak and trough IOP occurred at 8:00 and 14:30 hour in both POAG and OHT eyes.

Conclusions

Younger age, male gender and thicker CCT are correlated to higher IOP in POAG patients while only thicker CCT is related to higher IOP in OHT patients. Peak IOP appears mostly at early morning or late afternoon and trough value occurs mostly at early afternoon.
Improving paediatric flow in an UK Paediatric Assessment Unit
Authors: Li Danning , Abeywickrema Movin , Vadeyar Sharvari , Ward Abigail , Abberton Thomas , Rweyemamu Justina
Published: January 2022

The 2010 Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) guidelines for acute paediatric services set standards for time to senior review for paediatric medical admissions in the UK as tier two doctor (registrar) review within 4 hours and consultant review within 14 hours. Our aim was to implement these standards in our unit through increasing proportions of reviews within these timeframes and measuring the impact on patient flow. Four quality improvement cycles were completed between March 2018 and March 2020 capturing data from 288 patient data sets. Recommendations included the extension of consultant on-site availability out of routine working hours (after cycle 1), highlighting patients awaiting consultant review during team handover (after cycle 2), and improving tier two doctor rostering (after cycle 3). After highlighting patients for consultant priority review, the proportion of patients seen within 14 hours improved from 53.3% (cycle 2) to 95% (cycle 3, p=0.005). Improved tier two doctor cover increased the proportion meeting registrar review within 4 hours from 82.9% (cycle 3) to 96.2% (cycle 4, p=0.028). A large proportion of paediatric patients were managed and discharged at tier two doctor level (65.6% over cycles 1–4). An inverse correlation was seen (R=−0.587) between time to discharge and the number of tier two doctors on shift (cycle 4). The interventions conducted demonstrated significant improvement in proportions of paediatric patients seen within the RCPCH timeframes. Adequate tier two doctor staffing is a priority for prompt review and discharge of acute paediatric patients. Future work aims to consider factors such as nursing rostering, bed management and the impact of COVID-19 on paediatric flow.
Patterns, appropriateness and outcomes of peripherally inserted central catheter use in Brazil: a multicentre study of 12 725 catheters
Authors: Rejane Rabelo-Silva Eneida , Lourenço Solange Antonia , Maestri Rubia Natasha , Candido da Luz Claudia , Carlos Pupin Vanderlei , Bauer Cechinel Raquel , Bordini Ferro Eduarda , Aurélio Lumertz Saffi Marco , do Campo Silva Telma Christina , Martins de Andrade Larissa , Sales Gomes Larissa Fernanda , Alves da Gama Lorena , Marques de Araújo Mariana , Santo Fábio Rodrigues Ferreira do Espírit , López Pedraza Leticia , Hirakata Vânia Naomi , Santana Soares Vilma , Sousa Montenegro Widlani , Rocha Costa de Freitas Gustavo , Souza de Jesus Thaís , Chopra Vineet
Published: January 2022

Background

Little is known about peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) use, appropriateness and device outcomes in Brazil.

Methods

We conducted an observational, prospective, cohort study spanning 16 Brazilian hospitals from October 2018 to August 2020. Patients ≥18 years receiving a PICC were included. PICC placement variables were abstracted from medical records. PICC-related major (deep vein thrombosis (DVT), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) and catheter occlusion) and minor complications were collected. Appropriateness was evaluated using the Michigan Appropriateness Guide for Intravenous Catheters (MAGIC). Devices were considered inappropriate if they were in place for <5 days, were multi-lumen, and/or were placed in patients with a creatinine >2.0 mg/dL. PICCs considered appropriate met none of these criteria. Mixed-effects logistic regression models adjusting for patient-level and hospital-level characteristics assessed the association between appropriateness and major complications.

Results

Data from 12 725 PICCs were included. Mean patient age was 66.4±19 years and 51.0% were female. The most common indications for PICCs were intravenous antibiotics (81.1%) and difficult access (62.7%). Most PICCs (72.2%) were placed under ultrasound guidance. The prevalence of complications was low: CLABSI (0.9%); catheter-related DVT (1.0%) and reversible occlusion (2.5%). Of the 12 725 devices included, a total of 7935 (62.3%) PICCs were inappropriate according to MAGIC. With respect to individual metrics for appropriateness, 17.0% were placed for <5 days, 60.8% were multi-lumen and 11.3% were in patients with creatinine >2.0 mg/dL. After adjusting for patient and hospital-level characteristics, multi-lumen PICCs considered inappropriate were associated with greater odds of major complications (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.61 to 4.02).

Conclusions

Use of PICCs in Brazilian hospitals appears to be safe and comparable with North America. However, opportunities to improve appropriateness remain. Future studies examining barriers and facilitators to improving device use in Brazil would be welcomed.
Changes in T-cell subsets and clonal repertoire during chemoimmunotherapy with pembrolizumab and paclitaxel or capecitabine for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Chun Brie , Pucilowska Joanna , Chang ShuChing , Kim Isaac , Nikitin Benjamin , Koguchi Yoshinobu , Redmond William L , Bernard Brady , Rajamanickam Venkatesh , Polaske Nathan , Fields Paul A , Conrad Valerie , Schmidt Mark , Urba Walter J , Conlin Alison K , McArthur Heather L , Page David B
Published: January 2022

Background

Chemoimmunotherapy is a standard treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), however, the impacts of different chemotherapies on T-cell populations, which could correlate with clinical activity, are not known. Quantifying T-cell populations with flow cytometry and T-cell receptor (TCR) immunosequencing may improve our understanding of how chemoimmunotherapy affects T-cell subsets, and to what extent clonal shifts occur during treatment. TCR immunosequencing of intratumoral T cells may facilitate the identification and monitoring of putatively tumor-reactive T-cell clones within the blood.

Methods

Blood and tumor biopsies were collected from patients with metastatic TNBC enrolled in a phase Ib clinical trial of first or second-line pembrolizumab with paclitaxel or capecitabine. Using identical biospecimen processing protocols, blood samples from a cohort of patients treated for early-stage breast cancer were obtained for comparison. Treatment-related immunological changes in peripheral blood and intratumoral T cells were characterized using flow cytometry and TCR immunosequencing. Clonal proliferation rates of T cells were compared based on intratumoral enrichment.

Results

When combined with pembrolizumab, paclitaxel and capecitabine resulted in similar time-dependent lymphodepletions across measured peripheral T-cell subsets. Their effects were more modest than that observed following curative-intent dose-dense anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (ddAC) (average fold-change in CD3+cells, capecitabine: −0.42, paclitaxel: −0.56, ddAC: −1.21). No differences in T-cell clonality or richness were observed following capecitabine or paclitaxel-based treatments. Regression modeling identified differences in the emergence of novel T-cell clones that were not detected at baseline (odds compared with ddAC, capecitabine: 0.292, paclitaxel: 0.652). Pembrolizumab with paclitaxel or capecitabine expanded T-cell clones within tumors; however, these clones did not always expand within the blood. Proliferation rates within the blood were similar between clones that were enriched and those that were not enriched within tumors.

Conclusion

Chemoimmunotherapy for metastatic TNBC with pembrolizumab and capecitabine or paclitaxel resulted in similar peripheral T-cell subset lymphodepletion without altering T-cell clonal diversity. Regression modeling methods are applicable in immune monitoring studies, such as this to identify the odds of novel T-cell clones emerging during treatment, and proliferation rates of tumor-enriched T-cell clones.
Stroke imaging prior to thrombectomy in the late window: results from a pooled multicentre analysis
Authors: Almekhlafi Mohammed A , Thornton John , Casetta Ilaria , Goyal Mayank , Nannoni Stefania , Herlihy Darragh , Fainardi Enrico , Power Sarah , Saia Valentina , Hegarty Aidan , Pracucci Giovanni , Demchuk Andrew , Mangiafico Salvatore , Boyle Karl , Michel Patrik , Bala Fouzi , Gill Rubina , Kuczynski Andrea , Ademola Ayolla , Hill Michael D , Toni Danilo , Murphy Sean , Kim Beom Joon , Menon Bijoy K
Published: January 2022

Background and purpose

Collateral assessment using CT angiography is a promising modality for selecting patients for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in the late window (6–24 hours). The outcome of these patients compared with those selected using perfusion imaging is not clear.

Methods

We pooled data from seven trials and registries of EVT-treated patients in the late-time window. Patients were classified according to the baseline imaging into collateral imaging alone (collateral cohort) and perfusion plus collateral imaging (perfusion cohort). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving independent 90-day functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale ‘mRS’ 0–2). We used the propensity score–weighting method to balance important predictors between the cohorts.

Results

In 608 patients, the median onset/last-known-well to emergency arrival time was 8.8 hours and 53.2% had wake-up strokes. Both cohorts had collateral imaging and 379 (62.3%) had perfusion imaging. Independent functional outcome was achieved in 43.1% overall: 168/379 patients (45.5%) in the perfusion cohort versus 94/214 (43.9%) in the collateral cohort (p=0.71). A logistic regression model adjusting for inverse-probability-weighting showed no difference in 90-day mRS score of 0–2 among the perfusion versus collateral cohorts (adjusted OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.59, p=0.83) or in a favourable shift in 90-day mRS (common adjusted OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.47, p=0.97).

Conclusion

This pooled analysis of late window EVT showed comparable functional outcomes in patients selected for EVT using collateral imaging alone compared with patients selected using perfusion and collateral imaging.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020222003.
AI software detection of large vessel occlusion stroke on CT angiography: a real-world prospective diagnostic test accuracy study
Authors: Matsoukas Stavros , Morey Jacob , Lock Gregory , Chada Deeksha , Shigematsu Tomoyoshi , Marayati Naoum Fares , Delman Bradley N , Doshi Amish , Majidi Shahram , De Leacy Reade , Kellner Christopher Paul , Fifi Johanna T
Published: January 2022

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) software is increasingly applied in stroke diagnostics. However, the actual performance of AI tools for identifying large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke in real time in a real-world setting has not been fully studied.

Objective

To determine the accuracy of AI software in a real-world, three-tiered multihospital stroke network.

Methods

All consecutive head and neck CT angiography (CTA) scans performed during stroke codes and run through an AI software engine (Viz LVO) between May 2019 and October 2020 were prospectively collected. CTA readings by radiologists served as the clinical reference standard test and Viz LVO output served as the index test. Accuracy metrics were calculated.

Results

Of a total of 1822 CTAs performed, 190 occlusions were identified; 142 of which were internal carotid artery terminus (ICA-T), middle cerebral artery M1, or M2 locations. Accuracy metrics were analyzed for two different groups: ICA-T and M1 ±M2. For the ICA-T/M1 versus the ICA-T/M1/M2 group, sensitivity was 93.8% vs 74.6%, specificity was 91.1% vs 91.1%, negative predictive value was 99.7% vs 97.6%, accuracy was 91.2% vs 89.8%, and area under the curve was 0.95 vs 0.86, respectively. Detection rates for ICA-T, M1, and M2 occlusions were 100%, 93%, and 49%, respectively. As expected, the algorithm offered better detection rates for proximal occlusions than for mid/distal M2 occlusions (58% vs 28%, p=0.03).

Conclusions

These accuracy metrics support Viz LVO as a useful adjunct tool in stroke diagnostics. Fast and accurate diagnosis with high negative predictive value mitigates missing potentially salvageable patients.
Vaginal microbiota in ethnically diverse young women who did or did not develop pelvic inflammatory disease: community-based prospective study
Authors: Kerry-Barnard Sarah , Zhou Liqing , Phillips Laura , Furegato Martina , Witney Adam A , Sadiq S Tariq , Oakeshott Pippa
Published: January 2022

Objectives

A lactobacilli-dominated vaginal microbiome may protect against pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), but one dominated byGardnerellaspecies might increase susceptibility. Not all lactobacilli are equally protective. Recent research suggests that D(−) isomer lactic acid producing lactobacilli (Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus jenseniiandLactobacillus gasseri) may protect against infection withChlamydia trachomatis, an important cause of PID.Lactobacillus iners,which produces L(+) isomer lactic acid, may be less protective. We investigated the microbiome in stored vaginal samples from participants who did or did not develop PID during the prevention of pelvic infection (POPI) chlamydia screening trial.

Methods

Long-read 16S rRNA gene nanopore sequencing was used on baseline vaginal samples (one per participant) from all 37 women who subsequently developed clinically diagnosed PID during 12-month follow-up, and 111 frequency matched controls who did not, matched on four possible risk factors for PID: age <20 versus ≥20, black ethnicity versus other ethnicity, chlamydia positive versus negative at baseline and ≥2 sexual partners in the previous year versus 0–1 partners.

Results

Samples from 106 women (median age 19 years, 40% black ethnicity, 22% chlamydia positive, 54% reporting multiple partners) were suitable for analysis. Three main taxonomic clusters were identified dominated byL. iners, L. crispatusandGardnerella vaginalis. There was no association between a more diverse,G. vaginalisdominated microbiome and subsequent PID, although increased Shannon diversity was associated with black ethnicity (p=0.002) and bacterial vaginosis (diagnosed by Gram stain p<0.0001). Women who developed PID had similar relative abundance of protective D(−) isomer lactic acid producing lactobacilli to women without PID, but numbers of PID cases were small.

Conclusions

In the first-ever community-based prospective study of PID, there was no clear association between the vaginal microbiome and subsequent development of PID. Future studies using serial samples may identify vaginal microbial communities that may predispose to PID.
Calorimetric Measurement of Multi-TeV Muons via Deep Regression
Authors: Kieseler Jan , Strong Giles C. , Chiandotto Filippo , Dorigo Tommaso , Layer Lukas
Published: January 2022

The performance demands of future particle-physics experiments investigating the high-energy frontier pose a number of new challenges, forcing us to find improved solutions for the detection, identification, and measurement of final-state particles in subnuclear collisions. One such challenge is the precise measurement of muon momentum at very high energy, where an estimate of the curvature provided by conceivable magnetic fields in realistic detectors proves insufficient for achieving good momentum resolution when detecting, e.g., a narrow, high mass resonance decaying to a muon pair. In this work we study the feasibility of an entirely new avenue for the measurement of the energy of muons based on their radiative losses in a dense, finely segmented calorimeter. This is made possible by exploiting spatial information of the clusters of energy from radiated photons in a regression task. The use of a task-specific deep learning architecture based on convolutional layers allows us to treat the problem as one akin to image reconstruction, where images are constituted by the pattern of energy released in successive layers of the calorimeter. A measurement of muon energy with better than 20% relative resolution is shown to be achievable for ultra-TeV muons.
Confined Klein–Gordon oscillator from a (2+1)-dimensional Gürses to a Gürses or a pseudo-Gürses space-time backgrounds: Invariance and isospectrality
Authors: Mustafa Omar
Published: January 2022

We study the Klein–Gordon (KG) oscillator with a Cornell-type scalar confinement in (2+1)-dimensional Gürses space-time backgrounds and report their exact solutions. The effect of the vorticity parameter$$\Omega $$Ωon the energy levels is found to yield some interesting features like; energy levels-crossings, partial clustering of positive and negative energy levels, and shifting the energy gap upwards or downwards. Such confined KG-oscillators are also studied in a general deformed Gürses space-time background. Moreover, we consider the confined-deformed KG-oscillator from a (2+1)-dimensional Gürses to Gürses and pseudo-Gürses space-time backgrounds. The resulting confined-deformed KG-oscillators are found to admit invariance and isospectrality with each other.
JamVis: exploration and visualization of traffic jams
Authors: Rodriguez Elio , Ferreira Nivan , Poco Jorge
Published: January 2022

Traffic jams are a significant problem in urban cities that cause pollution and waste fuel, money, and time. Therefore, there is an urgent need to build tools that enable authorities to monitor and understand traffic dynamics and their causes. However, exploring these large complex data presents a challenge to domain experts. This paper proposes JamVis, a web-based visual analytics framework that leverages Waze’s multi-modal spatio-temporal data to this end. JamVis comprises two main components designed based on requirements elicited from domain experts. The first one supports the exploration of Waze’s traffic jam information through multiple linked views. The second component allows identifying events through alerts reported by Waze users about different problems (e.g., potholes, floods, or heavy traffic). A new algorithm called TST-clustering is introduced to perform event detection, which is an adaptation of the DB-Scan algorithm that allows clustering alerts by space, time, and type. Furthermore, to provide an overview of this algorithm’s spatio-temporal results, we introduce a novel visualization called ST-Heatmap. JamVis is validated through three usage scenarios analyzing different events in Rio de Janeiro.
TTV Regularized LRTA Technique for the Estimation of Haze Model Parameters in Video Dehazing
Authors: S. Baiju P. , George Sudhish N.
Published: January 2022

Nowadays, intelligent transport systems have a major role in providing a safe and secure traffic society for passengers, pedestrians, and vehicles. However, some bad weather conditions such as haze or fog may affect the visual clarity of video footage captured by the camera. This will cause a malfunction in further video processing algorithms performed by such automated systems. This article proposes an efficient technique for estimating the atmospheric light and the transmission map in the haze model entirely in tensor domain for video dehazing. In this work, the atmospheric light is appraised using the Mie scattering principle of visible light and the temporal coherency among the frames is achieved by means of tensor algebra. Furthermore, the transmission map is computed using Low Rank Tensor Approximation (LRTA) based on Weighted Tensor Nuclear Norm (WTNN) minimization and Tensor Total Variation (TTV) regularization. WTNN minimization is used to smooth the coarse transmission map, and TTV regularization is employed to maintain spatio-temporal continuity by preserving the details of salient structures and edges. The novelty of the proposed model is confined in the efficient formulation of a unified optimization model for the estimation of transmission map and atmospheric light in the tensor domain with fine-tuned regularization terms, which is not reported till now in the direction of video dehazing. Extensive experiments show that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art methods in video dehazing.
Sparse LIDAR Measurement Fusion with Joint Updating Cost for Fast Stereo Matching
Authors: Yao Peng , Feng Jieqing
Published: January 2022

The complementary virtues of active and passive depth sensors inspire the LIDAR-Stereo fusion for enhancing the accuracy of stereo matching. However, most of the fusion based stereo matching algorithms have exploited dense LIDAR priors with single fusion methodology. In this paper, we intend to break these fetters, utilizing sparse LIDAR priors with multi-step fusion strategy for obtaining accurate disparity estimation more efficiently. At first, random sparse sampling LIDAR depth measurements are provided in Naive Fusion for updating the matching cost ofSemi-Global Matching (SGM).Then Neighborhood Based Fusion is performed based on the former step for further updating the cost. Subsequently, Diffusion Based Fusion is utilized to update both the cost and disparities. At last, Tree Filtering is applied for removing speckle outliers and smoothing disparities. Performance evaluations on various stereo data sets demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms other most challenging stereo matching algorithms significantly with approximately real-time implementation efficiency. Furthermore, it is worth pointing out that our proposal surprisingly possessesoneof the toptenperformances on Middleburyv.3online evaluation system even if it has not been adopted any learning-based techniques.
Robust Unsupervised Gaze Calibration Using Conversation and Manipulation Attention Priors
Authors: Siegfried Rémy , Odobez Jean-Marc
Published: January 2022

Gaze estimation is a difficult task, even for humans. However, as humans, we are good at understanding a situation and exploiting it to guess the expected visual focus of attention of people, and we usually use this information to retrieve people’s gaze. In this article, we propose to leverage such situation-based expectation about people’s visual focus of attention to collect weakly labeled gaze samples and perform person-specific calibration of gaze estimators in an unsupervised and online way. In this context, our contributions are the following: (i) we show how task contextual attention priors can be used to gather reference gaze samples, which is a cumbersome process otherwise; (ii) we propose a robust estimation framework to exploit these weak labels for the estimation of the calibration model parameters; and (iii) we demonstrate the applicability of this approach on two human-human and human-robot interaction settings, namely conversation and manipulation. Experiments on three datasets validate our approach, providing insights on the priors effectiveness and on the impact of different calibration models, particularly the usefulness of taking head pose into account.