bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PCV chemotherapy alone for WHO grade 2 oligodendroglioma: prolonged disease control with low risk of malignant progression
Authors: Weller Jonathan , Katzendobler Sophie , Karschnia Philipp , Lietke Stefanie , Egensperger Rupert , Thon Niklas , Weller Michael , Suchorska Bogdana , Tonn Joerg-Christian
Published: May 2021

Introduction

The role of chemotherapy alone in newly diagnosed WHO grade 2 oligodendroglioma after biopsy, incomplete or gross total resection remains controversial. We here analyze the clinical outcome of four patient cohorts being treated with either procarbazine, CCNU and vincristine (PCV) or temozolomide (TMZ) after biopsy, resection only, or wait-and-scan after biopsy.

Methods

Patients (n = 142) with molecularly defined oligodendroglioma (WHO 2016) were assigned to four cohorts: W&S, wait-and-scan after stereotactic biopsy (n = 59); RES, surgical resection only (n = 27); TMZ, temozolomide after biopsy (n = 26) or PCV (n = 30) after biopsy. Presurgical MRI T2 tumor volumes were obtained by manual segmentation. Progression-free survival (PFS), post-recurrence PFS (PR-PFS) and rate of histological progression to grade 3 were analyzed.

Results

PFS was longest after PCV (9.1 years), compared to 5.1 years after W&S, 4.4 years after RES and 3.6 years after TMZ. The rate of histological progression from grade 2 to 3 within 10 years was 9% for the PCV, 29% for the W&S, 67% for the RES and 75% for the TMZ group (p = 0.01). In the W&S group, patients treated with PCV at first relapse had a longer PFS from intervention than those treated with TMZ (7.2 vs 4.0 years, p = 0.04). Multivariate analysis identified smaller tumor volume prior to any intervention (p = 0.02) to be prognostic for PFS.

Conclusions

PCV chemotherapy alone is an effective treatment for WHO grade 2 oligodendroglioma, with long PFS and low rate of histological progression.
The effect of board composition and managerial pay on Saudi firm performance
Authors: Al-Faryan Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh
Published: May 2021

Using five empirical methodologies to account for endogeneity issues, this study investigates the effects of board independence and managerial pay on the performance of 169 Saudi listed firms between 2007 and the end of 2014. Studying board independence and managerial pay utilises the main internal governance mechanism in relation to firm performance; therefore, the effect of the 2009 exogenous regulatory shock on board independence was also examined to learn whether it impacted firm performance. The empirical results show that the board composition–performance relationship is endogenous. Strong evidence is found through the dynamic generalised method of moments estimation, which indicates that board composition has a positive relationship with return on assets, and poor past performance of listed firms has a negative impact on the current level of performance. The difference-in-differences approach results show a positive relationship between board composition, stock returns, and Tobin’s Q. The findings also reveal that managerial pay has a positive relationship with firm performance, although when endogeneity is considered, there is a smaller positive relationship and a decrease in significance levels. Thus, pay-for-performance in Saudi Arabia matters, and firms are not simply controlled by the government. The results of this study have implications for both policy makers and investors. In particular, policy makers and Saudi regulators can evaluate the impact of Saudi corporate governance arrangements and, in so doing, highlight changes in corporate governance arrangements that need to be made to achieve their economic objectives, such as Vision 2030. This study also contributes to the literature by showing the importance of considering endogeneity in studies.
The “All Lives Matter” response: QUD-shifting as epistemic injustice
Authors: Keiser Jessica
Published: May 2021

Drawing on recent work in formal pragmatic theory, this paper shows that the manipulation of discourse structure—in particular, by way of shifting the Question Under Discussion mid-discourse—can constitute an act of epistemic injustice. I argue that the “All Lives Matter” response to the “Black Lives Matter” slogan is one such case; this response shifts the Question Under Discussion governing the overarching discourse from Do Black lives matter? to Which lives matter? This manipulation of the discourse structure systematically obscures the intended meaning of “Black lives matter” and disincentivizes future utterances of it.
Vitamin D protects glomerular mesangial cells from high glucose-induced injury by repressing JAK/STAT signaling
Authors: Yang Yiya , Lei Yuting , Liang Yumei , Fu Shuangshuang , Yang Congjun , Liu Kanghan , Chen Yinyin
Published: May 2021

Aim

High glucose (HG) induces the production of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and reactive oxygen species, which further activates JAK/STAT signaling and promotes the synthesis of matrix proteins, contributes to the pathophysiological processes of diabetic nephropathy. This study aims to investigate the protection role of vitamin D (VD) in the kidney in high glucose condition.

Methods

Rat glomerular mesangial cells were cultured in high glucose medium, with or without VD or VD receptor (VDR) siRNAs treatment. The levels of TGF-β and fibronectin were detected by qRT-PCR, immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The levels of phosphorylated JAK2, STAT1 and STAT3, and JAK/STAT signaling downstream genes were examined by immunoblotting and qRT-PCR.

Results

In rat glomerular mesangial cells, VD treatment can repress the tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK2, STAT1 and STAT3. VD inhibited TGF-β and fibronectin expression which was rescued by vitamin d receptor (VDR) siRNA and STATs inhibitor perficitinib. The JAK/STAT signaling downstream protein coding genes including SOCS1, SOCS3 and type IV collagen were repressed by VD. Meanwhile, the expression of non-coding RNAs such as miR-181a, miR-181b, was repressed by VD, and the expression of miR-34a and Let-7b was upregulated by VD.

Conclusion

Vitamin D (VD) treatment inhibits the function of HG on fibronectin production through regulating JAK/STAT pathway. These results provide direct evidences that VD protects glomerular mesangial cells from high glucose-induced injury through repressing JAK/STAT signaling, which has the potential for clinical DN treatment.
Influence of pitch size and goalkeepers on external and internal load during small-sided games in amateur soccer players
Authors: Modena Roberto , Togni Andrea , Fanchini Maurizio , Pellegrini Barbara , Schena Federico
Published: May 2021

Purpose

To analyse the influence of goalkeepers during 4-a-side small-sided games, played in pitches of two different sizes (small: 30 × 20 m, large: 40 × 30 m).

Methods

Total distance covered (TD), distance covered at low- (LSD), moderate- (MSD), high- (HSD) and very high-speed (VHSD), average and maximal speed, Edwards’ training load (Edw-TL), time spent above 90% of maximal heart rate (T90%) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were monitored, in 18 amateur soccer players.

Results

Higher TD (mean difference: + 181 m, Hedge’s g: 0.93 and + 400 m, 3.37), MSD (+ 85 m, 0.79 and + 146 m, 1.64), HSD (+ 101 m, 1.41 and + 179 m, 3.26), VHSD (+ 30 m, 1.89 and + 35 m, 1.26), average speed (+ 0.65 km h−1, 0.88 and + 1.47 km h−1, 3.31) and maximal speed (+ 3.60 km h−1, 1.40 and + 3.58 km h−1, 1.40) were found in large than small pitch, without and with goalkeepers, respectively. Goalkeeper’s presence increased Edw-TL (+ 8.4 AU, 0.70) and reduced TD (− 141 m, 0.75), HSD (− 54 m, 0.75) and average speed (− 0.54 km h−1, 0.76) in small pitch and maximal speed (1.59 km h−1, 0.60 and 1.61 km h−1, 0.66) in both small and large pitches, respectively. RPE was higher (+ 20, 1.52) in the large than small pitch when the goalkeepers were present.

Conclusion

Implementing small-sided games, coaches should be aware that lower external load with similar internal load could be provided using small pitch with goalkeeper rather than either small goals or larger pitch. Furthermore, large small-sided games without goalkeeper may be the best choice for eliciting high training load.
Erratum zu: Entwicklung des Lebensstilprogramms „Gemeinsam Gesund“
Authors: Kranz Ragna-Marie , Englert Heike
Published: May 2021

Ein Erratum zu dieser Publikation wurde veröffentlicht: 10.1007/s11553-020-00759-z
A mobile augmented reality application for supporting real-time skin lesion analysis based on deep learning
Authors: Francese Rita , Frasca Maria , Risi Michele , Tortora Genoveffa
Published: May 2021

Melanoma is considered the deadliest skin cancer and when it is in an advanced state it is difficult to treat. Diagnoses are visually performed by dermatologists, by naked-eye observation. This paper proposes an augmented reality smartphone application for supporting the dermatologist in the real-time analysis of a skin lesion. The app augments the camera view with information related to the lesion features generally measured by the dermatologist for formulating the diagnosis. The lesion is also classified by a deep learning approach for identifying melanoma. The real-time process adopted for generating the augmented content is described. The real-time performances are also evaluated and a user study is also conducted. Results revealed that the real-time process may be entirely executed on the Smartphone and that the support provided is well judged by the target users.
On the exact separation of cover inequalities of maximum-depth
Authors: Catanzaro Daniele , Coniglio Stefano , Furini Fabio
Published: May 2021

We investigate the problem of separating cover inequalities of maximum-depth exactly. We propose a pseudopolynomial-time dynamic-programming algorithm for its solution, thanks to which we show that this problem is weakly $${\mathcal {N}}{\mathcal {P}}$$

N
P

-hard (similarly to the problem of separating cover inequalities of maximum violation). We carry out extensive computational experiments on instances of the knapsack and the multi-dimensional knapsack problems with and without conflict constraints. The results show that, with a cutting-plane generation method based on the maximum-depth criterion, we can optimize over the cover-inequality closure by generating a number of cuts smaller than when adopting the standard maximum-violation criterion. We also introduce the Point-to-Hyperplane Distance Knapsack Problem (PHD-KP), a problem closely related to the separation problem for maximum-depth cover inequalities, and show how the proposed dynamic programming algorithm can be adapted for effectively solving the PHD-KP as well.
Covariation between plant biodiversity and soil systems in a European beech forest and a black pine plantation: the case of Mount Faito, (Campania, Southern Italy)
Authors: Danise Tiziana , Innangi Michele , Curcio Elena , Fioretto Antonietta
Published: May 2021

Both climate and land-use changes, including the introduction and spread of allochthonous species, are forecast to affect forest ecosystems. Accordingly, forests will be affected in terms of species composition as well as their soil chemical and biological characteristics. The possible changes in both tree cover and soil system might impact the amount of carbon that is stored in living plants and dead biomass and within the soil itself. Additionally, such alterations can have a strong impact on the detrital food web that is linked to litter decomposition. Although there are studies on the influence of plant diversity on soil physical and chemical characteristics, the effects on soil biological activity and carbon storage processes remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare chemical and biological variables in covariation with plant communities in an autochthonous beech forest (Fagus sylvaticaL.) and a black pine plantation (Pinus nigraJ.F. Arnold subsp.nigra). Our results confirmed that the two communities were considerably different, with the old-growth beech community having a lower number of plant species and the pine community was in development as a consequence of anthropogenic activities. These aspects of the two communities were also reflected in the soil, with the beech soil having higher nitrogen levels and a more specialized microbial community compared to the pine soil, with most extracellular enzymes (such as peroxidase and chitinase) showing lower activity in the pine soil.
Insights Into the Correspondence Between Land Use Pattern and Spatial Distribution of Rail Transit Services
Authors: Wang Zhongqi , Han Qi , de Vries Bauke , Dai Li
Published: May 2021

The identification of the relationship between land use and transport lays the foundation for integrated land use and transport planning and management. This work aims to investigate how rail transit is linked to land use. The research on the relationship between land use and rail-based transport is dominated by the impacts of rail projects on land use, without an in-depth understanding of the reverse. However, it is important to note that issues of operation management rather than new constructions deserve greater attention for regions with established rail networks. Given that there is a correspondence between land use patterns and spatial distribution of heavy railway transit (HRT) services at such regions, the study area (i.e., the Netherlands) is partitioned by the Voronoi diagram of HRT stations and the causal relationship between land use and HRT services is examined by structural equation modeling (SEM). The case study of Helmond (a Dutch city) shows the potential of the SEM model for discussing the rail station selection problem in a multiple transit station region (MTSR). Furthermore, in this study, the node place model is adapted with the derivatives of the SEM model (i.e., the latent variable scores for rail service levels and land use characteristics), which are assigned as node and place indexes respectively, to analyze and differentiate the integration of land use and HRT services at the regional level. The answer to whether and how land use affects rail transit services from this study strengthens the scientific basis for rail transit operations management. The SEM model and the modified node place model are complementary to be used as analytical and decision-making tools for rail transit-oriented regional development.
Existence of (Dirac-)harmonic Maps from Degenerating (Spin) Surfaces
Authors: Jost Jürgen , Zhu Jingyong
Published: May 2021

We study the existence of harmonic maps and Dirac-harmonic maps from degenerating surfaces to a nonpositive curved manifold via the scheme of Sacks and Uhlenbeck. By choosing a suitable sequence of$$\alpha $$α-(Dirac-)harmonic maps from a sequence of suitable closed surfaces degenerating to a hyperbolic surface, we get the convergence and a cleaner energy identity under the uniformly bounded energy assumption. In this energy identity, there is no energy loss near the punctures. As an application, we obtain an existence result about (Dirac-)harmonic maps from degenerating (spin) surfaces. If the energies of the map parts also stay away from zero, which is a necessary condition, both the limiting harmonic map and Dirac-harmonic map are nontrivial.
Augmenting robot intelligence via EEG signals to avoid trajectory planning mistakes of a smart wheelchair
Authors: Ferracuti Francesco , Freddi Alessandro , Iarlori Sabrina , Longhi Sauro , Monteriù Andrea , Porcaro Camillo
Published: May 2021

Assistive robots operate in complex environments and in presence of human beings, but the interaction between them can be affected by several factors, which may lead to undesired outcomes: wrong sensor readings, unexpected environmental conditions, or algorithmic errors represent just a few examples of the possible scenarios. When the safety of the user is not only an option but must be guaranteed, a feasible solution is to rely on a human-in-the-loop approach, e.g., to monitor if the robot performs a wrong action during a task execution or environmental conditions affect safety during the human-robot interaction, and provide a feedback accordingly. The present paper proposes a human-in-the-loop framework to enable safe autonomous navigation of an electric powered and sensorized (smart) wheelchair. During the wheelchair navigation towards a desired destination in an indoor scenario, possible problems (e.g. obstacles) along the trajectory cause the generation of electroencephalography (EEG) potentials when noticed by the user. These potentials can be used as additional inputs to the navigation algorithm in order to modify the trajectory planning and preserve safety. The framework has been preliminarily tested by using a wheelchair simulator implemented in ROS and Gazebo environments: EEG signals from a benchmark known in the literature were classified, passed to a custom simulation node, and made available to the navigation stack to perform obstacle avoidance.
Wetland Conservation: Challenges Related to Water Law and Farm Policy
Authors: King Sammy L. , Laubhan Murray K. , Tashjian Paul , Vradenburg John , Fredrickson Leigh
Published: May 2021

Water is essential for wetland function and sustaining migratory networks for wetland wildlife across broad landscapes. Groundwater declines and surface flow reductions that impact aquatic and wetland organisms are common in the western U.S. and increasingly in the eastern U.S. Agriculture is the largest consumptive water use in the U.S. and understanding economic incentives of water-use practices and the legal context of water rights is foundational to identifying meaningful water solutions that benefit all sectors of society. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of water rights in the U.S. and synthesize the literature to provide a broad overview of how federal farm policy influences water-use decisions. We conclude that the ultimate cause of many water-use conflicts is an inefficient farm economy that is driven by several proximate factors, of which outdated water laws and subsidies that encourage increased water use are among the most important. Development of multi-scale water budgets to assess project impacts and by working more intensively at local watershed and aquifer scales may improve conservation efforts. Finally, detailed analyses to understand the impacts of specific federal policies on agricultural water use may enhance water conservation efforts, facilitate long-term food and water security, and provide greater protection for wetland and aquatic resources.
Hoe staan urologische zorgverleners en huisartsen tegenover het gebruik van een moleculaire biomarkertest voor prostaatkanker in de huisartsenpraktijk?
Authors: Wendrich Karine , Krabbenborg Lotte
Published: May 2021

Samenvatting

Moleculaire biomarkertests die momenteel hun intrede doen binnen de urologie zouden wellicht kunnen bijdragen aan het terugdringen van de huidige overdiagnostiek en overbehandeling van prostaatkanker. Deze tests zouden eventueel ook toegepast kunnen worden in de huisartsenpraktijk, om onnodige doorverwijzingen naar de uroloog te voorkomen. Om beter inzicht te krijgen in bevorderende en belemmerende factoren voor de acceptatie van nieuwe moleculaire biomarkertests voor prostaatkanker in de huisartsenzorg, zijn 20 urologische zorgverleners en 12 huisartsen geïnterviewd, waarbij de focus op de SelectMDx-test lag. De geïnterviewde zorgverleners erkenden de mogelijke voordelen van deze tests. Er waren echter ook twijfels, bijvoorbeeld ten aanzien van meerwaarde en praktische haalbaarheid. Ook is het niet vanzelfsprekend dat er draagvlak onder huisartsen en urologen is om deze biomarkertests in de huisartsenpraktijk toe te gaan passen. Dit artikel sluit af met enkele overwegingen rond een betere afstemming tussen de ontwikkeling van biomarkertests enerzijds en de wensen en behoeften van zorgverleners anderzijds.
Is Relationality Always Other-Oriented? Adam Smith, Catholic Social Teaching, and Civil Economy
Authors: Santori Paolo
Published: May 2021

Recent studies have investigated connections between Adam Smith’s economic and philosophical ideas and Catholic Social Teaching (CST). Scholars argue that their common background lies in their respective anthropologies, both endorsing a relational view of human beings. I raise one main concern regarding these analyses. I suggest that the relationality endorsed by Smith lacks a central element present in CST—the other-oriented perspective which is the intentional concern for promoting the good of others. Some key elements of CST, such as love, gift, gratuitousness, and fraternity, find a very different space in Smith’s social view and very little space in his economic view. Moreover, I show how CST relationality is more in accordance with a civil economy view of the market as a place of fraternity and mutual assistance.
Ungrading: why rating students undermines learning (and what to do instead)
Authors: Moya Beatriz
Published: May 2021

Book details

Blum, S. (2020). Ungrading: Why rating students undermines learning (and what to do instead). West Virginia University Press.
Optimal feeder reconfiguration in distributed generation environment under time-varying loading condition
Authors: Odyuo Yanrenthung , Sarkar Dipu , Sumi Lilika
Published: May 2021

The development and planning of optimal network reconfiguration strategies for electrical networks is greatly improved with proper application of graph theory techniques. This paper investigates the application of Kruskal's maximal spanning tree algorithm in finding the optimal radial networks for different loading scenarios from an interconnected meshed electrical network integrated with distributed generation (DG). The work is done with an objective to assess the prowess of Kruskal's algorithm to compute, obtain or derive an optimal radial network (optimal maximal spanning tree) that gives improved voltage stability and highest loss minimization from among all the possible radial networks obtainable from the DG-integrated mesh network for different time-varying loading scenarios. The proposed technique has been demonstrated on a multiple test systems considering time-varying load levels to investigate the performance and effectiveness of the suggested method. For interconnected electrical networks with the presence of distributed generation, it was found that application of Kruskal's algorithm quickly computes optimal radial configurations that gives the least amount of power losses and better voltage stability even under varying load conditions.

Article Highlights

Investigated network reconfiguration strategies for electrical networks with the presence of Distributed Generation for time-varying loading conditions.

Investigated the application of graph theory techniques in electrical networks for developing and planning reconfiguration strategies.

Applied Kruskal’s maximal spanning tree algorithm to obtain the optimal radial electrical networks for different loading scenarios from DG-integrated meshed electrical network.
Homogeneous and re-circulatory gas–liquid flow in a bubble column: A numerical investigation using OpenFOAM
Authors: Panda Saroj K.
Published: May 2021

This work presents the influence of the sparger opening area, gas velocity, and bubble size on hydrodynamics and transition of the flow regime from uniform to re-circulatory in a rectangular bubble column using OpenFOAM. In the course of development of the model, the effect of several drag closures and lift on the predictability of the CFD model was studied by comparing the predictions with published experimental results. Reynolds number-based drag closure was found to be suitable for uniform sparger whereas Tsuchiya drag (Tsuchiya et al. in Chem Eng Sci 52:3053–3066, 1997. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0009-2509(97)00127-9) was used to simulate gas–liquid flow for other spargers. Simulations were performed for seven different spargers with opening area 18–100% (superficial gas velocity of 2.9–5.8 cm/s) and bubble size of 2–8 mm. The smaller opening area and higher gas velocity promote the re-circulatory flow in the bubble column. Change in bubble size affects the hydrodynamics due to change in lift and drag forces.
Correction to: Allocation of the oat powdery mildew resistance gene Pm3 to oat chromosome 1A
Authors: Mohler Volker
Published: May 2021

There were errors in Table 1 and Table S1 (in the supplementary material). Several cultivars were specified with incorrect gene statuses. The original article has been corrected (incl. the supplementary material).
All by myself? Testing descriptive social norm-nudges to increase flood preparedness among homeowners
Authors: Mol Jantsje M. , Botzen W. J. Wouter , Blasch Julia E. , Kranzler Elissa C. , Kunreuther Howard C.
Published: May 2021

Nudges based on social norms (norm-nudges) can be compelling behavioral interventions compared with traditional interventions such as taxes and regulations, but they do not work in all circumstances. We tested two empirical norm-nudge frames in an online experiment on taking measures for flood preparedness with large samples of homeowners (N = 1805) in two European countries, to evaluate the possible interactions between norm-nudge effectiveness, individual characteristics, and intercultural differences. We contrasted these norm-nudge treatments with a control and norm-focusing treatment by asking respondents to express their beliefs about what other respondents would do before making a decision relevant to their own payoff. We find no evidence of a treatment effect, suggesting that our social norm-nudges do not affect flood preparedness in the context of a flood risk investment game.
Unconventional Care at a Convention Center: An Overview of Patient Focused Care at a COVID-19 Alternative Care Site in New Orleans
Authors: Maslanka Meghan , Carlson John C. , Gershanik Estaban , Turang Yanti , Hurwitz Jacob , Warren Michelle , Kanter Joseph
Published: May 2021

In March 2020, the State of Louisiana opened an alternative care site at the New Orleans Convention Center, known as the Medical Monitoring Station (MMS). The facility was designed, constructed, and staffed to serve a population with basic medical needs as they recovered from COVID-19. As the MMS prepared to open, local hospitals indicated a greater need for assistance with patients requiring a higher acuity of care and populations unable to be discharged due to infection risks. In response to this, the capabilities of the facility were altered to accommodate primarily elderly patients, with significant comorbidities, requiring extensive care. This manuscript presents the demographics of the first 250 patients seen at the MMS, and describes the most critical policies/protocols, interventions, and resources that proved successful in adjusting to effectively serve its population.
Typhoons During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Philippines: Impact of a Double Crises on Mental Health
Authors: Rocha Ian Christopher Naungayan , dos Santos Costa Ana Carla , Islam Zarmina , Jain Shubhika , Goyal Samarth , Mohanan Parvathy , Essar Mohammad Yasir , Ahmad Shoaib
Published: May 2021

The Philippines, a disaster-prone country in Asia, was hit by 22 tropical cyclones during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Among the 22 tropical cyclones, 1 is recorded as the strongest tropical cyclone that made a landfall in world history. The recurrent typhoons in the Philippines during the pandemic have led to a long-lasting humanitarian crisis as hundreds of thousands of houses and collateral assets have been destroyed due to floods and landslides, leaving thousands of Filipinos homeless. Concurrently, the country has been experiencing a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases due to overcrowding in evacuation centers and lack of social distancing. The simultaneous existence of natural disasters and pandemic has caused devastating and detrimental effects to the mental health of Filipinos. Nonetheless, the Government of the Philippines, together with the World Health Organization and other humanitarian organizations, has been working hand-in-hand in implementing mental health approaches and providing psychological interventions to Filipinos who were greatly affected by the natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Automorphic vector bundles on the stack ofG-zips
Authors: Imai Naoki , Koskivirta Jean-Stefan
Published: May 2021

For a connected reductive groupGover a finite field, we study automorphic vector bundles on the stack ofG-zips. In particular, we give a formula in the general case for the space of global sections of an automorphic vector bundle in terms of the Brylinski-Kostant filtration. Moreover, we give an equivalence of categories between the category of automorphic vector bundles on the stack ofG-zips and a category of admissible modules with actions of a 0-dimensional algebraic subgroup a Levi subgroup and monodromy operators.
Rebalancing the Historical Narrative or Perpetuating Bias? Digitizing the Archives of the Mineworkers’ Union of Zambia
Authors: Money Duncan
Published: May 2021

This article examines the project to digitize and preserve the archives of the Mineworkers’ Union of Zambia and has two aims. The first aim is to discuss the process of cataloguing and digitizing an archive that has undergone significant deterioration, and the theoretical and practical challenges to achieving this. The second aim is to relate making this archive more accessible to questions of knowledge production. Despite its limitations, the value of this archive is that it is primarily composed of documents produced by Africans about the world as they saw it. These are not the records of external powers, colonial officials, or those studying African peoples.
Factors associated with behavioral intention of free and self-paid severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination based on the social cognitive theory among nurses and doctors in China
Authors: She Rui , Chen Xi , Li Liping , Li Lijuan , Huang Zepeng , Lau Joseph T.F.
Published: May 2021

Objective:

To examine the associations between factors based on the social cognitive theory (SCT) and behavioral intention among doctors and nurses in China toward free and self-paid (600 RMB or US$91) severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination given 80% effectiveness and rare mild side effects.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

Public hospitals.

Participants:

The study included 362 doctors and 1,702 nurses in major departments of 5 hospitals of 3 Chinese provinces.

Methods:

An anonymous online survey was conducted from October to November 2020, facilitated by hospital administrators through online WeChat/QQ working groups. Data on outcome expectations, self-efficacy, norms, and COVID-19–related work experiences were collected. Multivariate logistic regression models were used for data analyses.

Results:

The logistic regression analysis showed that physical (eg, protective effect of vaccination) and self-evaluative outcome expectations (eg, anticipated regret), self-efficacy, norms (eg, descriptive norm, subjective norm, professional norm, and moral norm), and job satisfaction were significantly and positively associated with the free and self-paid SARS-CoV-2 vaccination intention outcomes among doctors and nurses, adjusted for background variables. Doctors who had engaged in COVID-19–related work reported higher self-paid vaccination intention.

Conclusions:

Health promotion is needed to improve the uptake of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among healthcare workers. Such interventions may consider modifying the identified factors of vaccination intention, including strengthening perceived efficacy, positive feelings about vaccination, the need to avoid future regret, self-efficacy, and social norms. Future studies should examine the actual behavior patterns of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, and the efficacy of promotion intervention should be tested in randomized controlled studies.
Interannual variability and decadal stability of benthic organisms on an Indonesian coral reef
Authors: Rovellini Alberto , Dunn Matthew R. , Fulton Elizabeth A. , Woods Lisa , Jompa Jamaluddin , Haris Abdul , Bell James J.
Published: May 2021

The availability of colonizable substrate is an important driver of the temporal dynamics of sessile invertebrates on coral reefs. Increased dominance of algae and, in some cases, sponges has been documented on many coral reefs around the world, but how these organisms benefit from non-colonized substrate on the reef is unclear. In this study, we described the temporal dynamics of benthic organisms on an Indonesian coral reef across two time periods between 2006 and 2017 (2006–2008 and 2014–2017), and investigated the effects of colonizable substrate on benthic cover of coral reef organisms at subsequent sampling events. In contrast with other Indonesian reefs where corals have been declining, corals were dominant and stable over time at this location (mean ± SE percentage cover 42.7 ± 1.9%). Percentage cover of turf algae and sponges showed larger interannual variability than corals and crustose coralline algae (CCA) (P < 0.001), indicating that these groups are more dynamic over short temporal scales. Bare substrate was a good predictor of turf cover in the following year (mean effect 0.2, 95% CI: 0–0.4). Algal cover combined with bare space was a good predictor of CCA cover the following year generally, and of sponge cover the following year but only at one of the three sites. These results indicate that turf algae on some Indonesian reefs can rapidly occupy free space when this becomes available, and that other benthic groups are probably not limited by the availability of bare substrate, but may overgrow already fouled substrates.
Depleted Plasma Densities in the Ionosphere of Venus Near Solar Minimum From Parker Solar Probe Observations of Upper Hybrid Resonance Emission
Authors: Collinson Glyn A. , Ramstad Robin , Glocer Alex , Wilson Lynn , Brosius Alexandra
Published: May 2021

On July 11, 2020, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe made its third flyby of Venus. The upper hybrid resonance emission was observed below 1,100 km (a first at Venus), revealing electron densities an order of magnitude lower than at solar maximum. These observations are consistent with a substantial variation in the density and structure of the Venusian ionosphere over the Solar Cycle.
Effects of Surface and Top Wind Shear on the Spatial Organization of Marine Stratocumulus‐Topped Boundary Layers
Authors: Zamora Zapata Mónica , Heus Thijs , Kleissl Jan
Published: May 2021

The convective nature of Stratocumulus topped boundary layers (STBL) involves the motion of updrafts and downdrafts, driven by surface fluxes and radiative cooling, respectively. The balance between shear and buoyant forcings at the surface can determine the organization of updrafts between cellular and roll structures. We investigate the effect of varying shear at the surface and top of the STBL using Large Eddy Simulations, taking DYCOMS II RF01 as a base case. We focus on spatial identification of the following features: coherent updrafts and downdrafts, and observe how they are affected by varying shear. Stronger surface shear organizes the updrafts in rolls, causes less well‐mixed thermodynamic profiles, and decreases cloud fraction and liquid water path (LWP). Stronger top shear also decreases cloud fraction and LWP more than surface shear, by thinning the cloud from the top. Features with stronger top than surface shear are associated with a net downward momentum transport and show early signs of decoupling. Classifying updrafts and downdrafts based on their vertical span and horizontal size confirms the dominance of tall objects spanning the whole STBL. Tall objects occupy 30% of the volume in the STBL, while short ones occupy less than 1%. For updraft and downdraft fluxes, these tall objects explain 65% of the vertical velocity variance and 83% of the buoyancy flux, on average. Stronger top shear also weakens the contribution of downdrafts to the turbulent fluxes and tilts the otherwise vertical development of updrafts.
Weight stigma and health behaviors: evidence from the Eating in America Study
Authors: Lee Kristen M. , Hunger Jeffrey M. , Tomiyama A. Janet
Published: May 2021

Background

Weight stigma is pervasive across the U.S. and is associated with poor health outcomes including all-cause mortality. One potential reason that weight stigma may be detrimental to health is that it begets poorer health behaviors. Therefore, the present study tested for associations between weight stigma and four health behaviors (i.e., eating behavior, alcohol use, sleep disturbance, and physical activity), while controlling for BMI and other potential confounds.

Subjects/Methods

Participants (N = 2022) in the U.S. were recruited for the Eating in America Study using a Qualtrics panel between December 2019 and January 2020 and were census-matched according to national quotas for age, gender, income, race/ethnicity, and census region. Participants completed questionnaires about weight stigma, health behaviors, demographics, and anthropometric measurements. The current study employed a two-stage investigation: exploratory analyses were first performed on a random sample of the dataset (n = 438), then the remaining unexamined data were used to conduct confirmatory analyses that were preregistered on the Open Science Framework.

Results

Controlling for BMI, weight stigma was significantly associated with greater disordered eating (b = 0.34, 95% CI [0.31, 0.38], p < 0.001), comfort eating (b = 0.32, 95% CI [0.25, 0.39], p < 0.001), sleep disturbance (b = 0.27, 95% CI [0.20, 0.33], p < 0.001), and alcohol use (b = 0.30, 95% CI [0.11, 0.49], p = 0.002), but not lower physical activity (b = −0.04, 95% CI [−0.13, 0.05], p = 0.402) for individuals across the weight spectrum. BMI and perceived weight status significantly moderated the effects of weight stigma on disordered eating and alcohol use. No gender differences were found. These confirmatory analyses partially replicated the exploratory stage 1 findings.

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary evidence that weight stigma is linked to several poor health behaviors, which may impact physical health.
The effect of physical activity level and exercise training on the association between plasma branched-chain amino acids and intrahepatic lipid content in participants with obesity
Authors: Vanweert Froukje , Boone Sebastiaan C. , Brouwers Bram , Mook-Kanamori Dennis O. , de Mutsert Renée , Rosendaal Frits R. , Lamb Hildo J. , Schrauwen-Hinderling Vera B. , Schrauwen Patrick , Hesselink Matthijs K. C. , Phielix Esther
Published: May 2021

Aims

To evaluate whether the association between plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and intrahepatic lipid (IHL) was affected by physical activity level. Furthermore, to investigate if a conventional exercise training program, a subcategory of physical activity, could lower plasma BCAA along with alterations in IHL content in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and people with nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL).

Methods

To investigate the effect of physical activity on the association between plasma BCAA and IHL content, linear regression analyses were performed in 1983 individuals from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity (NEO) stratified by physical activity frequency. Furthermore, the effect of a 12-week supervised combined aerobic resistance-exercise program on plasma BCAA, insulin sensitivity (hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamp), and IHL (proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS)) was investigated in seven patients with T2DM, seven individuals with NAFL and seven BMI-matched control participants (CON).

Results

We observed positive associations between plasma valine, isoleucine and leucine level, and IHL content (1.29 (95% CI: 1.21, 1.38), 1.52 (95% CI: 1.43, 1.61), and 1.54 (95% CI: 1.44, 1.64) times IHL, respectively, per standard deviation of plasma amino acid level). Similar associations were observed in less active versus more active individuals. Exercise training did not change plasma BCAA levels among groups, but reduced IHL content in NAFL (from 11.6 ± 3.0% pre-exercise to 8.1 ± 2.0% post exercise, p < 0.05) and CON (from 2.4 ± 0.6% pre-exercise to 1.6 ± 1.4% post exercise, p < 0.05), and improved peripheral insulin sensitivity in NAFL as well by ~23% (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The association between plasma BCAA levels and IHL is not affected by physical activity level. Exercise training reduced IHL without affecting plasma BCAA levels in individuals with NAFL and CON. We conclude that exercise training-induced reduction in IHL content is not related to changes in plasma BCAA levels.

Trial registration

Trial registry number: NCT01317576.
Extensive weight loss reduces glycan age by altering IgG N-glycosylation
Authors: Greto Valentina L. , Cvetko Ana , Štambuk Tamara , Dempster Niall J. , Kifer Domagoj , Deriš Helena , Cindrić Ana , Vučković Frano , Falchi Mario , Gillies Richard S. , Tomlinson Jeremy W. , Gornik Olga , Sgromo Bruno , Spector Tim D. , Menni Cristina , Geremia Alessandra , Arancibia-Cárcamo Carolina V. , Lauc Gordan
Published: May 2021

Background

Obesity, a major global health problem, is associated with increased cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality. Protein glycosylation is a frequent posttranslational modification, highly responsive to inflammation and ageing. The prospect of biological age reduction, by changing glycosylation patterns through metabolic intervention, opens many possibilities. We have investigated whether weight loss interventions affect inflammation- and ageing-associated IgG glycosylation changes, in a longitudinal cohort of bariatric surgery patients. To support potential findings, BMI-related glycosylation changes were monitored in a longitudinal twins cohort.

Methods

IgG N-glycans were chromatographically profiled in 37 obese patients, subjected to low-calorie diet, followed by bariatric surgery, across multiple timepoints. Similarly, plasma-derived IgG N-glycan traits were longitudinally monitored in 1680 participants from the TwinsUK cohort.

Results

Low-calorie diet induced a marked decrease in the levels of IgG N-glycans with bisecting GlcNAc, whose higher levels are usually associated with ageing and inflammatory conditions. Bariatric surgery resulted in extensive alterations of the IgG N-glycome that accompanied progressive weight loss during 1-year follow-up. We observed a significant increase in digalactosylated and sialylated glycans, and a substantial decrease in agalactosylated and core fucosylated IgG N-glycans (adjusted p value range 7.38 × 10−04–3.94 × 10−02). This IgG N-glycan profile is known to be associated with a younger biological age and reflects an enhanced anti-inflammatory IgG potential. Loss of BMI over a 20 year period in the TwinsUK cohort validated a weight loss-associated agalactosylation decrease (adjusted p value 1.79 × 10−02) and an increase in digalactosylation (adjusted p value 5.85 × 10−06).

Conclusions

Altogether, these findings highlight that weight loss substantially affects IgG N-glycosylation, resulting in reduced glycan and biological age.
Clinical use of the SelectMDx urinary-biomarker test with or without mpMRI in prostate cancer diagnosis: a prospective, multicenter study in biopsy-naïve men
Authors: Hendriks Rianne J. , van der Leest Marloes M. G. , Israël Bas , Hannink Gerjon , YantiSetiasti Anglita , Cornel Erik B. , Hulsbergen-van de Kaa Christina A. , Klaver O. Sjoerd , Sedelaar J. P. Michiel , Van Criekinge Wim , de Jong Hans , Mulders Peter F. A. , Crawford E. David , Veltman Jeroen , Schalken Jack A. , Barentsz Jelle O. , van Oort Inge M.
Published: May 2021

Background

Risk stratification in men with suspicion of prostate cancer (PCa) requires reliable diagnostic tests, not only to identify high-grade PCa, also to minimize the overdetection of low-grade PCa, and reduction of “unnecessary” prostate MRIs and biopsies. This study aimed to evaluate the SelectMDx test to detect high-grade PCa in biopsy-naïve men. Subsequently, to assess combinations of SelectMDx test and multi-parametric (mp) MRI and its potential impact on patient selection for prostate biopsy.

Methods

This prospective multicenter diagnostic study included 599 biopsy-naïve patients with prostate-specific antigen level ≥3 ng/ml. All patients underwent a SelectMDx test and mpMRI before systematic transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy (TRUSGB). Patients with a suspicious mpMRI also had an in-bore MR-guided biopsy (MRGB). Histopathologic outcome of TRUSGB and MRGB was used as reference standard. High-grade PCa was defined as ISUP Grade Group (GG) ≥ 2. The primary outcome was the detection rates of low- and high-grade PCa and number of biopsies avoided in four strategies, i.e., (1) SelectMDx test-only, (2) mpMRI-only, (3) SelectMDx test followed by mpMRI when SelectMDx test was positive (conditional strategy), and (4) SelectMDx test and mpMRI in all (joint strategy). A positive SelectMDx test outcome was a risk score of ≥−2.8. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed to assess clinical utility.

Results

Prevalence of high-grade PCa was 31% (183/599). Thirty-eight percent (227/599) of patients had negative SelectMDx test in whom biopsy could be avoided. Low-grade PCa was not detected in 35% (48/138) with missing 10% (18/183) high-grade PCa. Yet, mpMRI-only could avoid 49% of biopsies, not detecting 4.9% (9/183) of high-grade PCa. The conditional strategy reduces the number of mpMRIs by 38% (227/599), avoiding biopsy in 60% (357/599) and missing 13% (24/183) high-grade PCa. Low-grade PCa was not detected in 58% (80/138). DCA showed the highest net benefit for the mpMRI-only strategy, followed by the conditional strategy at-risk thresholds >10%.

Conclusions

SelectMDx test as a risk stratification tool for biopsy-naïve men avoids unnecessary biopsies in 38%, minimizes low-grade PCa detection, and misses only 10% high-grade PCa. Yet, using mpMRI in all patients had the highest net benefit, avoiding biopsy in 49% and missing 4.9% of high-risk PCa. However, if mpMRI availability is limited or expensive, using mpMRI-only in SelectMDx test positive patients is a good alternative strategy.
Bacterial communities in larger islands have reduced temporal turnover
Authors: Rivett Damian W , Mombrikotb Shorok B , Gweon Hyun S , Bell Thomas , van der Gast Christopher
Published: May 2021

Patterns of species diversity provide fundamental insights into the underlying mechanisms and processes that regulate biodiversity. The species–time relationship (STR) has the potential to be one such pattern; in a comparable manner to its more extensively studied spatial analogue, the species–area relationship (SAR), which has been pivotal in the development of ecological models and theories. We sought to determine the mechanisms and processes that underpin STR patterns of temporal turnover by sampling bacterial communities within ten water-filled tree-holes on the same European beech tree through the course of a year. We took this natural model system to represent an archipelago of islands of varying sizes and with shared common immigration sources. We observed an inverse relationship between STR-derived turnover rates and island size. Further, turnover was related to island size and not island isolation within the study system as indicated by a low frequency of dispersal limitation and high homogenizing dispersal. Compared to SARs, STRs are understudied, as such, the findings from the current study should provide a renewed interest in STR-based patterns and processes.