bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the present habitats and ecology of Vertigo pseudosubstriata Ložek, 1954 (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Vertiginidea) in Central Asia and its distribution history in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Meng Stefan , Vasyliev Pavlo , Khoptynets Ivan , Tkach Vitalii , Maier Andreas
Published: June 2021

The small terrestrial gastropod Vertigo pseudosubstriata Ložek, 1954 is one of the rarest glacial indicator species in the Pleistocene of Central and Eastern Europe. In all, this species has been found at only about 15 sites in Europe. V. pseudosubstriata was initially described as a fossil in Central Europe and was discovered only later alive in Central Asia. With regard to its modern distribution, 25 habitats with V. pseudosubstriata have been examined in Tien Shan and in the central and southern Altai. These findings seem to capture the contemporary distribution of the species and provide information on the boundaries of its ecological requirements. These data are of great significance for the interpretation of the fossil assemblages. Since the few fossil specimens in Europe date from very different glacial periods in the Elsterian, Saalian Complex and Weichselian, it can be concluded that V. pseudosubstriata apparently immigrated in at least three distinct waves. Most of the Pleistocene specimens in eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe are reported from archaeological sites of the Upper Middle Weichselian (Gravettian), roughly between 33 and 29 ka cal
bp. In this paper, we review all reported modern and fossil occurrences and discuss the species' ecological range.
Putaminal y‐Aminobutyric Acid Modulates Motor Response to Dopaminergic Therapy in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Seger Aline D. , Farrher Ezequiel , Doppler Christopher E.J. , Gogishvili Ana , Worthoff Wieland A. , Filss Christian P. , Barbe Michael T. , Holtbernd Florian , Shah N. Jon , Fink Gereon R. , Sommerauer Michael
Published: June 2021

Background

Motor response to dopaminergic therapy is a characteristic of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether nondopaminergic neurotransmitters contribute to treatment response is uncertain.

Objectives

The aim of this study is to determine whether putaminal y‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels are associated with dopaminergic motor response.

Methods

We assessed putaminal GABA levels in 19 PD patients and 13 healthy controls (HCs) utilizing ultra‐high field proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Motor performance was evaluated using the Movement Disorder Society—Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Part III, in the ON and OFF states. Statistical analysis comprised group comparisons, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression.

Results

In PD, GABA levels were significantly higher compared to HCs (1.50 ± 0.26 mM vs. 1.26 ± 0.31 mM, P = 0.022). Furthermore, GABA levels were independent predictors of absolute and relative dopaminergic treatment response.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that elevated putaminal GABA levels are associated with worse dopaminergic response in PD, emphasizing the essential role of nondopaminergic neurotransmitters in motor response. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Reducing outpatient gastrostomy tube complications
Authors: Emmons Deanna
Published: June 2021

Objective

To monitor the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary education protocol for gastrostomy tube (GT) use and care for patients to reduce complications postplacement.

Methods

Baseline assessment included a preintervention/intervention design through quantitative measures to determine reduction in the number of GT complications postprocedure following implementation of a patient education protocol for 16 patients in the study.

Intervention

A multidisciplinary approach was used in protocol development for standardizing patient education. Verbal, written, and hands‐on demonstration methods for GT care were used to provide multiple education pathways to increase patient knowledge. Over the progression of 8 months (July 2019 to March 2020), patients with a new GT were followed postprocedure (1–2 weeks prior to starting radiation treatments) and throughout their course of radiation treatments (typically 6–7 weeks).

Results

All 16 patients (100%) in the intervention group were included in the final analysis. GT complications were reduced from 91% in the preintervention group (n = 11) to 37% in the intervention group (n = 16). The most significant reduction occurred in technique issues, which decreased from 36% (n = 4) to 0%.

Conclusions

Implementation of a multidisciplinary approach with multiple educational sessions prior to GT placement and use led to increased patient knowledge and reduced GT complications.
Physical, mechanical, and thermal properties ofDalbergia sissoowood waste‐filled poly(lactic acid) composites
Authors: Singh Tej , Lendvai László , Dogossy Gábor , Fekete Gusztáv
Published: June 2021

The present work intended to investigate the effect ofDalbergia sissoowood waste on physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)‐based composites. The composite specimens, containing wood waste (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% by weight) mixed with PLA granules, were prepared by melt compounding. It was found that increased wood waste content resulted in higher modulus, porosity, and water absorption with decreased density, tensile strength, impact strength, and stress at break. Nevertheless, the flexural strength values of the composites were similar to unfilled PLA and they remained almost constant irrespective of the wood waste content. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis revealed that the presence of wood waste content increased the glass transition and cold crystallization temperature of the PLA composites. Moreover, the fractured surfaces of the composites were examined with a scanning electron microscope to study the possible failure mechanisms. The conducted investigations demonstrated that low‐cost wood waste‐based composites can be used as an environmentally and economically attractive substitute for lightweight applications.
Demonstrating the vital role of physiatry throughout the health care continuum: Lessons learned from the impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on pain management care
Authors: Nagpal Ameet S. , Mukai Ai , Sharma Saloni
Published: June 2021

COVID White Paper Series
Seminal plasma metabolomics reveals lysine and serine dysregulation as unique features distinguishing between prostate cancer tumors of Gleason grades 6 and 7
Authors: Falegan Oluyemi S. , Jarvi Keith , Vogel Hans J. , Hyndman M. Eric
Published: June 2021

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a metabolic disease. Most men are diagnosed with low grade indolent disease and differentiating these men from those who have life threatening cancer is a challenging but important clinical dilemma. There are currently limited biomarkers that can distinguish between the indolent Gleason grade 6 and higher‐grade disease. Moreover, some individuals initially diagnosed with low grade disease progress to higher grade disease. Currently prostate biopsies are the only reliable methods of stratifying risk, but biopsies can cause significant morbidity, sample only a small portion of the gland and are costly. Therefore, biomarkers distinguishing between indolent and aggressive patterns of PCa are urgently required to minimize biopsy‐associated morbidity, prevent over‐treatment of indolent PCa and to better stratify patients for appropriate treatment.

Methods

Seminal fluid samples were collected from normal individuals (n = 13) Before infertility treatment and histologically confirmed PCa patients (n = 51). 1H Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis were used to compare the populations.

Results

Alterations in amino acids levels, specifically lysine and serine and changes in glycolytic intermediates were the most significant metabolic features associated with differences between healthy controls and PCa and between Gleason grade 6 (GS6) and Gleason grade 7 (GS7) samples. Orthogonal partial least square plots discriminated healthy controls from PCa samples (R
2 = 0.54, Q
2 = 0.31; area under the receiver operating characteristics curve [AUC] = 0.96), and GS6 from GS7 samples (R
2 = 0.62, Q
2 = 0.49; AUC = 0.98) based on lysine and serine content.

Conclusion

This study suggests that seminal plasma metabolomics profiling of seminal fluid is a promising means of differentiating indolent from aggressive disease. Particularly, lysine and serine levels may be able to differentiate GS6 from GS7 disease.
Die Agenda 2030 und die Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Koch Florian , Krellenberg Kerstin
Published: June 2021

Im Jahr 2015 verabschiedeten die Mitgliedsstaaten der Vereinten Nationen die Agenda 2030 für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Die Agenda als globales Aktionsprogramm sieht bis zum Jahr 2030 weltweit gemeinsame Anstrengungen vor, um die Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) zu erreichen. Die Realisierung dieser ambitionierten globalen Nachhaltigkeitsziele erscheint angesichts neuer Herausforderungen wie z. B. dem Umgang mit den globalen Auswirkungen der COVID-19 Pandemie schwierig.
Perspektive für Forschung und Praxis
Authors: Koch Florian , Krellenberg Kerstin
Published: June 2021

Neben Stadtpolitik und -verwaltung sind im Sinne einer integrierten nachhaltigen Stadtentwicklung Wissenschaft, Zivilgesellschaft und Wirtschaft wichtige Akteure für die Umsetzung der SDGs. So besteht beispielsweise vonseiten der Wissenschaft Interesse daran, komplexe Zusammenhänge über Wirkungsketten zu analysieren, um Aussagen darüber treffen zu können, wie einzelne Ziele der SDGs sich wechselseitig beeinflussen. Diese Komplexität zu erfassen und in praxistaugliche Handlungsempfehlungen zu überführen, stellt eine Herausforderung dar, die im Rahmen inter- und transdisziplinärer Forschungskooperationen geleistet werden kann.
Non-conservative effects on spinning black holes from world-line effective field theory
Authors: Goldberger Walter D. , Li Jingping , Rothstein Ira Z.
Published: June 2021

Abstract

We generalize the worldline EFT formalism developed in [4–9] to calculate the non-conservative tidal effects on spinning black holes in a long wavelength approximation that is valid to all orders in the magnitude of the spin. We present results for the rate of change of mass and angular momentum in a background field and find agreement with previous calculations obtained by different techniques. We also present new results for both the non-conservative equations of motion and power loss/gain for a binary inspiral, which start at 5PN and 2.5PN order respectively and manifest the Penrose process.
Size and momentum of an infalling particle in the black hole interior
Authors: Haehl Felix M. , Zhao Ying
Published: June 2021

Abstract

The future interior of black holes in AdS/CFT can be described in terms of a quantum circuit. We investigate boundary quantities detecting properties of this quantum circuit. We discuss relations between operator size, quantum complexity, and the momentum of an infalling particle in the black hole interior. We argue that the trajectory of the infalling particle in the interior close to the horizon is related to the growth of operator size. The notion of size here differs slightly from the size which has previously been related to momentum of exterior particles and provides an interesting generalization. The fact that both exterior and interior momentum are related to operator size growth is a manifestation of complementarity.
Heegner Points and Exceptional Zeros of Garrett p-Adic L-Functions
Authors: Bertolini Massimo , Seveso Marco Adamo , Venerucci Rodolfo
Published: June 2021

This article proves a case of the p-adic Birch and Swinnerton–Dyer conjecture for Garrett p-adic L-functions of (Bertolini et al. in On p-adic analogues of the Birch and Swinnerton–Dyer conjecture for Garrett L-functions, 2021), in the imaginary dihedral exceptional zero setting of extended analytic rank 4.
The “Shiny and Thick High Heel Sign”
Authors: Schacht Hannes , König Inke Regina , Hensler Johannes , Schramm Peter , Küchler Jan , Ditz Claudia , Neumann Alexander
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Together with the foramen ovale, the middle meningeal artery (MMA) looks like a high heel shoe print on axial time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (TOF-MRA) images, with the MMA resembling the heel. Cranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF) are often fed by the MMA, which can lead to an increase of signal intensity and diameter of this vessel, resulting in a more “shiny” and “thick” high heel print appearance than on the contralateral side. We describe this finding as a novel radiologic sign and provide cut-off values for the ratios of MMA signal intensities and diameters for predicting the presence of a DAVF.

Methods

A total of 84 TOF-MRA examinations of 44 patients with DAVFs (40 with unilateral MMA feeders, 4 with bilateral feeders) and of 40 patients without DAVFs were included. Diameters and signal intensities of both MMAs were measured by two raters and evaluated using receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results

The diameters of feeding and non-feeding MMAs differed significantly, as did the ratios of signal intensities and of diameters of DAVF and control patients (P < 0.0001). Cut-off values were 1.25 for average signal intensity ratio (shiny high heel sign) and 1.21 for diameter ratio (thick high heel sign). The combination of the “shiny” and the “thick” high heel sign resulted in the highest sensitivity (92.5%) and positive predictive value (95%).

Conclusion

The described sign seems promising for the detection of DAVFs with noncontrast-enhanced MRI. The TOF-MRA source images should be reviewed with special attention to the MMA.
Spinal fluid IgG antibodies from patients with demyelinating diseases bind multiple sclerosis-associated bacteria
Authors: Eckman Emily , Laman Jon D. , Fischer Kael F. , Lopansri Bert , Martins Tom B. , Hill Harry R. , Kriesel John D.
Published: June 2021

A panel of 10 IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed for the detection of anti-microbial immune responses in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with demyelinating diseases (DD). The anti-microbial ELISA assays follow on prior human brain tissue RNA sequencing studies that established multiple sclerosis (MS) microbial candidates. Lysates included in the ELISA panel were derived from Akkermansia muciniphila, Atopobium vaginae, Bacteroides fragilis, Lactobacillus paracasei, Odoribacter splanchnicus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Cutibacterium (Propionibacterium) acnes, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Streptococcus mutans. CSF responses from patients with demyelinating diseases (DD, N = 14) were compared to those with other neurological diseases (OND, N = 8) and controls (N = 13). Commercial positive and negative control CSF specimens were run with each assay. ELISA index values were derived for each specimen against each of the 10 bacterial lysates. CSF reactivity was significantly higher in the DD group compared to the controls against Akkermansia, Atopobium, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Odoribacter, and Fusobacterium. Four of the 11 tested DD group subjects had elevated antibody indexes against at least one of the 10 bacterial species, suggesting intrathecal antibody production. This CSF serological study supports the hypothesis that several of the previously identified MS candidate microbes contribute to demyelination in some patients.

Key messages

A panel of 10 IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed for the detection of anti-microbial immune responses in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with demyelinating diseases, including multiple sclerosis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.

CSF reactivity was significantly higher in the demyelination group compared to the controls against the bacteria Akkermansia, Atopobium, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Odoribacter, and Fusobacterium.

Several of the demyelination subjects had elevated antibody indexes against at least one of the 10 antigens, suggesting at least limited intrathecal production of anti-bacterial antibodies.

This CSF serological study supports the hypothesis that several of the previously identified MS candidate microbes contribute to demyelination in some patients.
Fallbasiertes Lernen kann die Lehrqualität im unfallchirurgischen Unterricht verbessern
Authors: Strobel Friedemann , Histing Tina , Pohlemann Tim , Pizanis Antonius , Braun Benedikt Johannes , Orth Marcel , Fritz Tobias
Published: June 2021

Hintergrund

Medizinische Lehre ist seit jeher eine Herausforderung für Studierende und Dozenten. Die Förderung des Zusammenhangswissens und ein Wissenstransfer von der Theorie auf die Praxis gewinnen in den letzten Jahren an Bedeutung. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, werden zunehmend studierendenzentrierte Lehrkonzepte in der Literatur eingesetzt.

Fragestellung

Kann durch ein fallbasiertes Lehrkonzept das unfallchirurgische Seminar verbessert werden?

Material und Methoden

Den Studierenden und Dozenten wurden standardisierte Fallbeispiele und dazugehörige Unterrichtsmaterialien wie Klassifikationshilfen und Versorgungsstrategien zur Verfügung gestellt. Durch eine zweizeitige Evaluation konnten die Auswirkungen dieser Modifikationen des Lehrdesigns erfasst und statistisch ausgewertet werden.

Ergebnisse

Das Seminar wurde als prüfungsrelevanter empfunden. Die Lehre durch die Dozenten wurde als kompetenter und motivierter empfunden. Insgesamt wurde das Seminar durch die Studierenden besser bewertet.

Schlussfolgerungen

Ein fallbasiertes Lehrkonzept kann daher, richtig und gezielt eingesetzt, die unfallchirurgische Lehre signifikant verbessern.
School closures and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
Authors: Yamamura Eiji , Tsustsui Yoshiro
Published: June 2021

The spread of the novel coronavirus disease caused schools in Japan to close to cope with the pandemic. In response to the school closures, parents of students were obliged to care for their children during the daytime, when children usually were at school. Did the increase in the burden of childcare influence parents’ mental health? Based on short panel data from mid-March to mid-April 2020, we explore how school closures influenced the mental health of parents with school-aged children. Using a fixed-effects model, we find that school closures led to mothers of students suffering from worse mental health compared to other females, while the fathers’ mental health did not differ from that of other males. This tendency is only observed for less-educated mothers who had children attending primary school, not for those with children attending junior high school nor for more-educated mothers. The contribution of this paper is showing that school closures increased the inequality of mental health between genders and parents with different educational backgrounds.
Stability of a Point Charge for the Vlasov–Poisson System: The Radial Case
Authors: Pausader Benoit , Widmayer Klaus
Published: June 2021

We consider the Vlasov–Poisson system with repulsive interactions. For initial data a small, radial, absolutely continuous perturbation of a point charge, we show that the solution is global and disperses to infinity via a modified scattering along trajectories of the linearized flow. This is done by an exact integration of the linearized equation, followed by the analysis of the perturbed Hamiltonian equation in action-angle coordinates.
Electrophysiological aftereffects of high-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (hf-tRNS): an EEG investigation
Authors: Ghin Filippo , O’Hare Louise , Pavan Andrea
Published: June 2021

There is evidence that high-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (hf-tRNS) is effective in improving behavioural performance in several visual tasks. However, so far there has been limited research into the spatial and temporal characteristics of hf-tRNS-induced facilitatory effects. In the present study, electroencephalogram (EEG) was used to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamics of cortical activity modulated by offline hf-tRNS on performance on a motion direction discrimination task. We used EEG to measure the amplitude of motion-related VEPs over the parieto-occipital cortex, as well as oscillatory power spectral density (PSD) at rest. A time–frequency decomposition analysis was also performed to investigate the shift in event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) in response to the motion stimuli between the pre- and post-stimulation period. The results showed that the accuracy of the motion direction discrimination task was not modulated by offline hf-tRNS. Although the motion task was able to elicit motion-dependent VEP components (P1, N2, and P2), none of them showed any significant change between pre- and post-stimulation. We also found a time-dependent increase of the PSD in alpha and beta bands regardless of the stimulation protocol. Finally, time–frequency analysis showed a modulation of ERSP power in the hf-tRNS condition for gamma activity when compared to pre-stimulation periods and Sham stimulation. Overall, these results show that offline hf-tRNS may induce moderate aftereffects in brain oscillatory activity.
Convergence of Non-autonomous Attractors for Subquintic Weakly Damped Wave Equation
Authors: Banaśkiewicz Jakub , Kalita Piotr
Published: June 2021

We study the non-autonomous weakly damped wave equation with subquintic growth condition on the nonlinearity. Our main focus is the class of Shatah–Struwe solutions, which satisfy the Strichartz estimates and coincide with the class of solutions obtained by the Galerkin method. For this class we show the existence and smoothness of pullback, uniform, and cocycle attractors and the relations between them. We also prove that these non-autonomous attractors converge upper-semicontinuously to the global attractor for the limit autonomous problem if the time-dependent nonlinearity tends to a time independent function in an appropriate way.
Neonatal donation: are newborns too young to be recognized?
Authors: Vileito Alicija , Hulzebos Christian V. , Toet Mona C. , Baptist Dyvonne H. , Verhagen Eduard A. A. , Siebelink Marion J.
Published: June 2021

Neonatal organ and tissue donation is not common practice in the Netherlands. At the same time, there is a transplant waiting list for small size-matched organs and tissues. Multiple factors may contribute to low neonatal donation rates, including a lack of awareness of this option. This study provides insight into potential neonatal organ and tissue donors and reports on how many donors were actually reported to the procurement organization. We performed a retrospective analysis of the mortality database and medical records of two largest neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the Netherlands. This study reviewed records of neonates with a gestational age >37 weeks and weight >3000g who died in the period from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2016. During the study period, 259 term-born neonates died in the two NICUs. In total, 132 neonates with general contra-indications for donation were excluded. The medical records of 127 neonates were examined for donation suitability. We identified five neonates with documented brain death who were not recognized as potential organ and/or tissue donors. Of the remaining neonates, 27 were found suitable for tissue donation. One potential tissue donor had been reported to the procurement organization. In three cases, the possibility of donation was brought up by parents.

Conclusion: A low proportion (2%) of neonates who died in the NICUs were found suitable for organ donation, and a higher proportion (12%) were found suitable for tissue donation. We suggest that increased awareness concerning the possibility of neonatal donation would likely increase the identification of potential neonatal donors.

What is Known:• There is an urgent need for very small organs and tissues from neonatal donorsWhat is New:• A number of neonates who died in the NICU were suitable organ or/and tissue donors but were not recognized as donors.• Knowledge on neonatal donation possibilities is also important for proper counseling of parents who sometimes inquire for the possibility of organ and tissue donation.
An eye-tracking based robotic scrub nurse: proof of concept
Authors: Ezzat Ahmed , Kogkas Alexandros , Holt Josephine , Thakkar Rudrik , Darzi Ara , Mylonas George
Published: June 2021

Background

Within surgery, assistive robotic devices (ARD) have reported improved patient outcomes. ARD can offer the surgical team a “third hand” to perform wider tasks and more degrees of motion in comparison with conventional laparoscopy. We test an eye-tracking based robotic scrub nurse (RSN) in a simulated operating room based on a novel real-time framework for theatre-wide 3D gaze localization in a mobile fashion.

Methods

Surgeons performed segmental resection of pig colon and handsewn end-to-end anastomosis while wearing eye-tracking glasses (ETG) assisted by distributed RGB-D motion sensors. To select instruments, surgeons (ST) fixed their gaze on a screen, initiating the RSN to pick up and transfer the item. Comparison was made between the task with the assistance of a human scrub nurse (HSNt) versus the task with the assistance of robotic and human scrub nurse (R&HSNt). Task load (NASA-TLX), technology acceptance (Van der Laan’s), metric data on performance and team communication were measured.

Results

Overall, 10 ST participated. NASA-TLX feedback for ST on HSNt vs R&HSNt usage revealed no significant difference in mental, physical or temporal demands and no change in task performance. ST reported significantly higher frustration score with R&HSNt. Van der Laan’s scores showed positive usefulness and satisfaction scores in using the RSN. No significant difference in operating time was observed.

Conclusions

We report initial findings of our eye-tracking based RSN. This enables mobile, unrestricted hands-free human–robot interaction intra-operatively. Importantly, this platform is deemed non-inferior to HSNt and accepted by ST and HSN test users.
Antimicrobial prophylaxis and post-chemotherapy neutropenic fever in patients with leukemia: comparisons of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin and immediate fever outcome measures between those with and without prophylaxis, and the implications for practice
Authors: Chan Choi Wan , Molassiotis Alex , Lee Harold K. K.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The efficacy of prophylactic antimicrobial treatment renders challenges in patients with leukemias receiving chemotherapy. The study aimed to compare differences in C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) at presentation and the immediate outcome measures of post-chemotherapy NF between patients with and without antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Methods

A 5-year observational study included 282 NF episodes in 133 leukemia patients requiring hospital care from January 2014 to May 2019. We collected demographic characteristics, laboratory data of blood cell counts and inflammatory biomarkers, and immediate outcome measures of NF, including microbiologically diagnosed infections, presence of predominant pathogens, required modification of antibiotics during NF, adverse medical complications, total fever duration, and deaths. We evaluated data between patients with and without prophylaxis.

Results

Of patients, 77.3%, 68.4%, and 20.6% had antibiotic prophylaxis, antifungal prophylaxis, and no prophylaxis, respectively. There were totally 15 deaths—13 with antibiotic prophylaxis and 10 with antifungal prophylaxis. CRP, PCT, and immediate outcome measures of NF did not show significant differences between those with and without antimicrobial prophylaxis. Although between-group differences showed no statistical significance, higher median fever duration, CRP and PTC values, and higher proportions of NF requiring modification of antibiotics were found more frequently in those with antimicrobial prophylaxis than in those without.

Conclusion

The benefits of using antimicrobial prophylaxis were less supported. Enhancing diagnostic laboratory and medical complication surveillance and periodic evaluation of institutional data during post-chemotherapy neutropenia and NF in relation to antimicrobial prophylaxis is promising in providing insights to redefine the risk–benefit accounts of using prophylaxis.
Psychosomatik und Interaktion
Authors: Dunitz-Scheer Marguerite , Scheer Peter
Published: June 2021

In diesem kleinen Beitrag versuchen die Autoren, beide aus dem Bereich der pädiatrischen Psychosomatik kommend, ihre Erlebnisse bezüglich der Medizin, die sie bei einer Weltreise 2019 hatten, darzustellen. Dabei geht es um den Maismenschen ebenso wie um die Kraft der Göttin des Vulkans.

Die Anwendung auf unseren Erlebniskreis ist schwierig und wird hier ansatzweise versucht.
A mixed-method feasibility study of a novel transitional regime of incremental haemodialysis: study design and protocol
Authors: Hazara Adil M. , Allgar Victoria , Twiddy Maureen , Bhandari Sunil
Published: June 2021

Background

Incremental haemodialysis/haemodiafiltration (HD) may help reduce early mortality rates in patients starting HD. This mixed-method feasibility study aims to test the acceptability, tolerance and safety of a novel incremental HD regime, and to study its impact on parameters of patient wellbeing.

Method

We aim to enrol 20 patients who will commence HD twice-weekly with progressive increases in duration and frequency, achieving conventional treatment times over 15 weeks (incremental group). Participants will be followed-up for 6 months and will undergo regular tests including urine collections, bio-impedance analyses and quality-of-life questionnaires. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted to explore patients’ prior expectations from HD, their motivations for participation and experiences of receiving incremental HD. For comparison of safety and indicators of dialysis adequacy, a cohort of 40 matched patients who previously received conventional HD will be constructed from local dialysis records (historical controls).

Results

Data will be recorded on the numbers screened and proportions consented and completing the study (primary outcome). Incremental and conventional groups will be compared in terms of differences in blood pressure control, interdialytic weight changes, indicators of dialysis adequacy and differences in adverse and serious adverse events. In analyses restricted to incremental group, measurements of RRF, fluid load and quality-of-life during follow-up will be compared with baseline values. From patient interviews, a narrative description of key themes along with anonymised quotes will be presented.

Conclusion

Results from this study will address a significant knowledge gap in the prescription HD therapy and inform the development novel future therapy regimens.
Einfluss einer Mund-Nase-Maske auf die objektive körperliche Leistungsfähigkeit sowie das subjektive Belastungsempfinden bei gut-trainierten, gesunden Jungen
Authors: Schulte-Körne Benedikt , Hollmann Wildor , Vassiliadis Argiris , Predel Hans-Georg
Published: June 2021

Mit dieser Studie wurden die Effekte chirurgischer MNS auf die körperliche Leistungsfähigkeit sowie das subjektive Belastungsempfinden bei trainierten elfjährigen Jungen untersucht.

Im aeroben und aerob-anaeroben Übergangsbereich fand sich keine Verminderung der objektiven Leistungsparameter. Allerdings zeigte sich auf der maximalen Belastungsstufe mit MNS eine signifikante Verminderung der Laufzeit sowie eine signifikante Erhöhung des subjektiven Belastungsempfindens bei ansonsten unveränderten Leistungsparametern. Zusammenfassend beeinflusst die Verwendung chirurgischer „Alltags“-MNS bei Kindern die sportlichen Aktivitäten nicht, solange die Belastungen primär im aeroben Intensitätsbereich durchgeführt werden.
Evaluation of optimal FVDs for inter-storey isolation systems based on surrogate performance models
Authors: Donà Marco , Bernardi Enrico , Zonta Alberto , Tan Ping , Zhou Fulin
Published: June 2021

Inter-storey seismic isolation is increasingly gaining attention. One of the main related issues is the need to limit the relative displacement between substructure and superstructure, while maintaining a good seismic performance of the superstructure. As shown in some studies, fluid viscous dampers (FVDs) mounted in isolation systems are effective in reducing isolator deflection but can be harmful by amplifying inter-storey drifts and floor accelerations. Additionally, the effectiveness of FVDs for inter-storey applications was investigated only recently, and specific approaches for their optimisation and performance evaluation are missing. Therefore, this paper proposes a method for the optimal multi-objective design of FVDs, based on the definition of appropriate surrogate response models, which allows for rationally comparing the FVD effects for a wide range of dampers and structures. In particular, the optimal FVD parameters are provided in a dimensionless form, so that they can be predicted by design equations of general validity within the range of the structures analysed. This method is applied to a stock of regular structures with various vibration periods of superstructure, isolation and substructure, examining a linear and a non-linear isolation system and a set of natural records, in order to comprehensively assess the effects of FVDs and their non-linearity on the seismic performance of these structures. Finally, prediction models of optimal FVD parameters are provided based on the results obtained and are applied to three case studies as an example.
Specific Dystrophins Selectively Associate with Inhibitory and Excitatory Synapses of the Mouse Cerebellum and their Loss Alters Expression of P2X7 Purinoceptors and Pro-Inflammatory Mediators
Authors: Jackson Torquil , Seifi Mohsen , Górecki Dariusz C. , Swinny Jerome D.
Published: June 2021

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients, having mutations of the DMD gene, present with a range of neuropsychiatric disorders, in addition to the quintessential muscle pathology. The neurobiological basis remains poorly understood because the contributions of different DMD gene products (dystrophins) to the different neural networks underlying such symptoms are yet to be fully characterised. While full-length dystrophin clusters in inhibitory synapses, with inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors, the precise subcellular expression of truncated DMD gene products with excitatory synapses remains unresolved. Furthermore, inflammation, involving P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2RX7) accompanies DMD muscle pathology, yet any association with brain dystrophins is yet to be established. The aim of this study was to investigate the comparative expression of different dystrophins, alongside ionotropic glutamate receptors and P2RX7s, within the cerebellar circuitry known to express different dystrophin isoforms. Immunoreactivity for truncated DMD gene products was targeted to Purkinje cell (PC) distal dendrites adjacent to, or overlapping with, signal for GluA1, GluA4, GluN2A, and GluD2 receptor subunits. P2X7R immunoreactivity was located in Bergmann glia profiles adjacent to PC-dystrophin immunoreactivity. Ablation of all DMD gene products coincided with decreased mRNA expression for Gria2, Gria3,and Grin2aand increased GluD2 immunoreactivity. Finally, dystrophin-null mice showed decreased brain mRNA expression ofP2rx7and several inflammatory mediators. The data suggest that PCs target different dystrophin isoforms to molecularly and functionally distinct populations of synapses. In contrast to muscle, dystrophinopathy in brain leads to the dampening of the local immune system.
The State of Music-Based Interventions for Mental Illness: Thought Leaders on Barriers, Opportunities, and the Value of Interdisciplinarity
Authors: Golden Tasha L. , Tetreault Elliot , Ray Caitlin E. , Kuge Maria Nagae , Tiedemann Alyssa , Magsamen Susan
Published: June 2021

Hundreds of studies regarding music's effects on mental health have accumulated across multiple disciplines; however, access to and application of music as a support for mental health remains limited, due in part to the multidisciplinary nature of related research and difficulties synthesizing findings. This qualitative study is the first to address these barriers by gathering current thought leaders and stakeholders at intersections of music and mental health, representing multiple disciplines and backgrounds, to (1) document understandings of and recommendations for the field, and (2) examine how views converge or conflict. Participants (n = 36) viewed preliminary results of a global scoping review, then engaged in focus groups which were transcribed and de-identified for analysis. An interdisciplinary research team coded and iteratively analyzed transcripts. Six themes emerged: Barriers to Quality/Improved Research, Disciplinary Differences, Research Recommendations, Implementation and Access, Public Perception and Education, and Need for Training. Discussions offered wide-ranging observations and recommendations while revealing challenges and opportunities related to interdisciplinary work. Findings indicate broad agreement regarding current barriers and opportunities at intersections of music and mental health. While highlighting challenges, participants also indicated multiple avenues for advancing research quality, intervention effectiveness, and equitable access to music as a support for mental health. Responding to the study’s illumination of the benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary work, four brief recommendations are offered to support future efforts.
Autistic children’s language imitation shows reduced sensitivity to ostracism
Authors: Hopkins Zoë L. , Yuill Nicola , Branigan Holly P.
Published: June 2021

In dialogue, speakers tend to imitate, or align with, a partner’s language choices. Higher levels of alignment facilitate communication and can be elicited by affiliation goals. Since autistic children have interaction and communication impairments, we investigated whether a failure to display affiliative language imitation contributes to their conversational difficulties. We measured autistic children’s lexical alignment with a partner, following an ostracism manipulation which induces affiliative motivation in typical adults and children. While autistic children demonstrated lexical alignment, we observed no affiliative influence on ostracised children’s tendency to align, relative to controls. Our results suggest that increased language imitation—a potentially valuable form of social adaptation—is unavailable to autistic children, which may reflect their impaired affective understanding.
Assessment of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Based on Machine Learning and Social Visual Attention: A Systematic Review
Authors: Minissi Maria Eleonora , Chicchi Giglioli Irene Alice , Mantovani Fabrizia , Alcañiz Raya Mariano
Published: June 2021

The assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is based on semi-structured procedures addressed to children and caregivers. Such methods rely on the evaluation of behavioural symptoms rather than on the objective evaluation of psychophysiological underpinnings. Advances in research provided evidence of modern procedures for the early assessment of ASD, involving both machine learning (ML) techniques and biomarkers, as eye movements (EM) towards social stimuli. This systematic review provides a comprehensive discussion of 11 papers regarding the early assessment of ASD based on ML techniques and children’s social visual attention (SVA). Evidences suggest ML as a relevant technique for the early assessment of ASD, which might represent a valid biomarker-based procedure to objectively make diagnosis. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Does Education Make People Happy? Spotlighting the Overlooked Societal Condition
Authors: Araki Satoshi
Published: June 2021

The association between education and subjective well-being has long been investigated by social scientists. However, prior studies have paid inadequate attention to the influence of societal-level educational expansion and skills diffusion. In this article, multilevel regression analyses, using internationally comparable data for over 48,000 individuals in 24 countries, detect the overall positive linkage between educational attainment and life satisfaction. Nevertheless, this relationship is undermined due to the larger degree of skills diffusion at the societal level, and no longer confirmed once labor market outcomes are accounted for. Meanwhile, the extent of skills diffusion per se is positively and substantially associated with people’s subjective well-being even after adjusting for key individual-level and country-level predictors, whereas other societal conditions including GDP, Gini coefficients, safety, civic engagement, and educational expansion do not indicate significant links with life satisfaction in the current analysis. Given that recent research suggests skills diffusion promotes the formation of meritocratic social systems, one may argue it is the process of fairer rewards allocation underpinned by skills diffusion, rather than the status quo of macroeconomy, economic inequality, social stability, and educational opportunities as such, that matters more to people’s subjective well-being.
Gauge theories on compact toric manifolds
Authors: Bonelli Giulio , Fucito Francesco , Morales Jose Francisco , Ronzani Massimiliano , Sysoeva Ekaterina , Tanzini Alessandro
Published: June 2021

We compute the$$\mathcal{N}=2$$N=2supersymmetric partition function of a gauge theory on a four-dimensional compact toric manifold via equivariant localization. The result is given by a piecewise constant function of the Kähler form with jumps along the walls where the gauge symmetry gets enhanced. The partition function on such manifolds is written as a sum over the residues of a product of partition functions on$$\mathbb {C}^2$$C2. The evaluation of these residues is greatly simplified by using an “abstruse duality” that relates the residues at the poles of the one-loop and instanton parts of the$$\mathbb {C}^2$$C2partition function. As particular cases, our formulae compute theSU(2) andSU(3)equivariantDonaldson invariants of$$\mathbb {P}^2$$P2and$$\mathbb {F}_n$$Fnand in the non-equivariant limit reproduce the results obtained via wall-crossing and blow up methods in theSU(2) case. Finally, we show that theU(1) self-dual connections induce an anomalous dependence on the gauge coupling, which turns out to satisfy a$$\mathcal {N}=2$$N=2analog of the$$\mathcal {N}=4$$N=4holomorphic anomaly equations.
Re-invent Yourself! How Demands for Innovativeness Reshape Epistemic Practices
Authors: Falkenberg Ruth I.
Published: June 2021

In the current research landscape, there are increasing demands for research to be innovative and cutting-edge. At the same time, concerns are voiced that as a consequence of neoliberal regimes of research governance, innovative research becomes impeded. In this paper, I suggest that to gain a better understanding of these dynamics, it is indispensable to scrutinise current demands for innovativeness as a distinct way of ascribing worth to research. Drawing on interviews and focus groups produced in a close collaboration with three research groups from the crop and soil sciences, I develop the notion of a project-innovation regime of valuation that can be traced in the sphere of research. In this evaluative framework, it is considered valuable to constantly re-invent oneself and take ‘first steps’ instead of ‘just’ following up on previous findings. Subsequently, I describe how these demands for innovativeness relate to and often clash with other regimes of valuation that matter for researchers’ practices. I show that valuations of innovativeness are in many ways bound to those of productivity and competitiveness, but that these two regimes are nevertheless sometimes in tension with each other, creating a complicated double bind for researchers. Moreover, I highlight that also the project-innovation regime as such is not always in line with what researchers considered as a valuable progress of knowledge, especially because it entails a de-valuation of certain kinds of long-term epistemic agendas. I show that prevailing pushes for innovativeness seem to be based on a rather short-sighted temporal imaginary of scientific progress that is hardly grounded in the complex realities of research practices, and that they can reshape epistemic practices in potentially problematic ways.
eHealth Literacy als Grundlage zur Entwicklung digitaler Technologien in der Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention? Eine systematische Übersicht der Literatur
Authors: Geukes Cornelia , Stark Anna Lea , Dockweiler Christoph
Published: June 2021

Hintergrund

Digitale Technologien stellen ein großes Potenzial für Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung im Hinblick auf die Reichweite und individualisierte sowie bedürfnisorientierte Gestaltung von Informationen dar. Diese müssen von Nutzer*innen verstanden, aber auch innerhalb der Settingprävention vor allem von Organisationen adäquat eingesetzt und in Prozesse der Sturkturentwicklung überführt werden. Das Konzept der eHealth Literacy setzt verschiedenen Determinanten dafür in Zusammenhang.

Ziel und Methodik

Um einen Einblick über die Verwendung des Konzepts eHealth Literacy in der Forschung zu digitalen Technologien der Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention zu erhalten, wurde eine systematisierte Literaturrecherche durchgeführt. Dabei wurden die Datenbanken MEDLINE, CINAHL, SocINDEX, PsycINFO, Psyndex, IEEE Xplore, BASE und Web of Science durchsucht.

Ergebnisse

Es wurden 35 Artikel identifiziert, die Health Literacy in Bezug zu digitalen Technologien fokussieren. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine marginale wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung mit dem Konzept. Bisher findet keine Anpassung digitaler Technologien an die Health Literacy der Nutzer*innen statt. Das führt zu einer verkürzten Perspektive und zu ungenutztem Potenzial, welches das Konzept bietet.

Schlussfolgerung

Es besteht ein dringender Bedarf, ein evidenzbasiertes eHealth-Literacy-Konzept zu entwickeln und anzuwenden, um digitale Technologien und Gesundheitsinformationen zielgruppenspezifisch und ressourcenorientiert modifizieren und in Settings einsetzen zu können.
FDG-PET vs. chemical shift MR imaging in differentiating intertrabecular metastasis from hematopoietic bone marrow hyperplasia
Authors: Oki Nozomi , Ikebe Yohei , Koike Hirofumi , Ideguchi Reiko , Niino Daisuke , Uetani Masataka
Published: June 2021

Purpose

To evaluate the utility of SUVmax on FDG-PET and chemical shift imaging (CSI) on MRI in the differentiation of intertrabecular metastasis (ITM) from hematopoietic bone marrow hyperplasia (HBMH).

Patients and methods

We retrospectively evaluated 54 indeterminate focal bone marrow lesions in 44 patients detected on FDG-PET. The lesions were assigned to the metastasis group (M group, 29 lesions of 24 patients) and the non-metastasis group (non-M group, 25 lesions of 20 patients) based on the follow-up or the histopathological studies. The lesions were assessed with the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on FDG-PET CT images and signal change ratio (SCR) on CSI.

Results

The median SUVmax were 5.62 and 2.91; the median SCR were − 0.08 and − 34.8 in M and non-M groups respectively, with significant difference (p < 0.001). With ROC curve analysis, the optimal cutoff value of SUVmax was 4.48 with a sensitivity of 72.4%, a specificity of 100%, and AUC of 0.905. The cutoff value of SCR was − 6.15 with a sensitivity of 82.8%, a specificity of 80%, and AUC of 0.818.

Conclusion

FDG-PET and CSI on MRI are useful in distinguishing ITM from HBMH. Though their sensitivities are similar, the specificity of FDG-PET was higher than that of MRI.