bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shifts in soil microbial stoichiometry and metabolic quotient provide evidence for a critical tipping point at 1% soil organic carbon in an agricultural post-mining chronosequence
Authors: Clayton Jessica , Lemanski Kathleen , Bonkowski Michael
Published: January 2021

Soil microbial C:N:P stoichiometry and microbial maintenance respiration (i.e. metabolic quotient, qCO2) were monitored along a nutrient gradient in soils from a 52-year space-for-time chronosequence of reclaimed agricultural land after brown-coal mining. Land reclamation produced loess soils of initially low (0.2%) SOC. Consecutive agricultural land management led to a gradual recovery of SOC contents. Our data revealed sudden shifts in microbial stoichiometry and metabolic quotient with increasing SOC at a critical value of 1% SOC. As SOC increased, accrual rate of C into microbial biomass decreased, whereas microbial N increased. Simultaneously, metabolic quotient strongly decreased with increasing SOC until the same critical value of 1% SOC and remained at a constant low thereafter. The microbial fractions of the soil in samples containing < 1% SOC were out of stoichiometric equilibrium and were inefficient at immobilising C due to high maintenance respiration. Increasing SOC above the threshold value shifted the soil microbes towards a new equilibrium where N became growth limiting, leading to a more efficient acquisition of C. The shift in microbial N accrual was preluded by high variation in microbial biomass N in soils containing 0.5–0.9% SOC indicative of a regime shift between microbial stoichiometric equilibria. Our data may help in establishing a quantitative framework for SOC targets that, along with agricultural intensification, may better support feedback mechanisms for a sustainable accrual of C in soils.
Evaluation of two rapid antigen tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 in a hospital setting
Authors: Osterman Andreas , Baldauf Hanna-Mari , Eletreby Marwa , Wettengel Jochen M. , Afridi Suliman Q. , Fuchs Thimo , Holzmann Elena , Maier Anton , Döring Johanna , Grzimek-Koschewa Natascha , Muenchhoff Maximilian , Protzer Ulrike , Kaderali Lars , Keppler Oliver T.
Published: January 2021

Successful containment strategies for the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic will depend on reliable diagnostic assays. Point-of-care antigen tests (POCT) may provide an alternative to time-consuming PCR tests to rapidly screen for acute infections on site. Here, we evaluated two SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests: the STANDARD™ F COVID-19 Ag FIA (FIA) and the SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). For diagnostic assessment, we used a large set of PCR-positive and PCR-negative respiratory swabs from asymptomatic and symptomatic patients and health care workers in the setting of two University Hospitals in Munich, Germany, i.e. emergency rooms, patient care units or employee test centers. For FIA, overall clinical sensitivity and specificity were 45.4% (n = 381) and 97.8% (n = 360), respectively, and for RAT, 50.3% (n = 445) and 97.7% (n = 386), respectively. For primary diagnosis of asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals, diagnostic sensitivities were 60.9% (FIA) (n = 189) and 64.5% (RAT) (n = 256). This questions these tests’ utility for the reliable detection of acute SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals, in particular in high-risk settings. We support the proposal that convincing high-quality outcome data on the impact of false-negative and false-positive antigen test results need to be obtained in a POCT setting. Moreover, the efficacy of alternative testing strategies to complement PCR assays must be evaluated by independent laboratories, prior to widespread implementation in national and international test strategies.
The general data protection regulation, the clinical trial regulation and some complex interplay in paediatric clinical trials
Authors: Dalrymple H. W.
Published: January 2021

Although a number of authors have commented upon the impact of the GDPR on clinical trial conduct, few have examined the specific setting of paediatric trials. Whilst the general principles are the same as those for adults, some additional considerations arise. The ages of consent relating to data privacy and clinical trial participation are different in a number of countries, but the distinction is often not recognised in non-drug trials. Accidental pregnancies in clinical trials always raise complexities, but these are amplified when the trial subject is a minor, and the processes described in clinical trial protocols rarely take account of GDPR requirements. This paper describes approaches which can be taken to ensure the rights of children are respected.

Conclusion: The conduct of paediatric clinical trials within GDPR requirements is quite possible provided authors think carefully when drafting protocols.

What is Known:•GDPR is applicable to clinical trials, including paediatric trials.•A number of challenges at the interface between the GDPR and CTR have been described.

What is New:•The application of the GDPR to certain specific situations in paediatric trials does not appear to have been explored.•Three such situations are described and solutions offered.
Generalisation and robustness investigation for facial and speech emotion recognition using bio-inspired spiking neural networks
Authors: Mansouri-Benssassi Esma , Ye Juan
Published: January 2021

Emotion recognition through facial expression and non-verbal speech represents an important area in affective computing. They have been extensively studied from classical feature extraction techniques to more recent deep learning approaches. However, most of these approaches face two major challenges: (1) robustness—in the face of degradation such as noise, can a model still make correct predictions? and (2) cross-dataset generalisation—when a model is trained on one dataset, can it be used to make inference on another dataset?. To directly address these challenges, we first propose the application of a spiking neural network (SNN) in predicting emotional states based on facial expression and speech data, then investigate, and compare their accuracy when facing data degradation or unseen new input. We evaluate our approach on third-party, publicly available datasets and compare to the state-of-the-art techniques. Our approach demonstrates robustness to noise, where it achieves an accuracy of 56.2% for facial expression recognition (FER) compared to 22.64% and 14.10% for CNN and SVM, respectively, when input images are degraded with the noise intensity of 0.5, and the highest accuracy of 74.3% for speech emotion recognition (SER) compared to 21.95% of CNN and 14.75% for SVM when audio white noise is applied. For generalisation, our approach achieves consistently high accuracy of 89% for FER and 70% for SER in cross-dataset evaluation and suggests that it can learn more effective feature representations, which lead to good generalisation of facial features and vocal characteristics across subjects.
COVID-19 and the rise of virtual medicine in spine surgery: a worldwide study
Authors: Swiatek Peter R. , Weiner Joseph A. , Johnson Daniel J. , Louie Philip K. , McCarthy Michael H. , Harada Garrett K. , Germscheid Niccole , Cheung Jason P. Y. , Neva Marko H. , El-Sharkawi Mohammad , Valacco Marcelo , Sciubba Daniel M. , Chutkan Norman B. , An Howard S. , Samartzis Dino
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many surgeons to adopt “virtual medicine” practices, defined as telehealth services for patient care and online platforms for continuing medical education. The purpose of this study was to assess spine surgeon reliance on virtual medicine during the pandemic and to discuss the future of virtual medicine in spine surgery.

Methods

A comprehensive survey addressing demographic data and virtual medicine practices was distributed to spine surgeons worldwide between March 27, 2020, and April 4, 2020.

Results

902 spine surgeons representing seven global regions responded. 35.6% of surgeons were identified as “high telehealth users,” conducting more than half of clinic visits virtually. Predictors of high telehealth utilization included working in an academic practice (OR = 1.68,p = 0.0015) and practicing in Europe/North America (OR 3.42,p < 0.0001). 80.1% of all surgeons were interested in online education. Dedicating more than 25% of one’s practice to teaching (OR = 1.89,p = 0.037) predicted increased interest in online education. 26.2% of respondents were identified as “virtual medicine surgeons,” defined as surgeons with both high telehealth usage and increased interest in online education. Living in Europe/North America and practicing in an academic practice increased odds of being a virtual medicine surgeon by 2.28 (p = 0.002) and 1.15 (p = 0.0082), respectively. 93.8% of surgeons reported interest in a centralized platform facilitating surgeon-to-surgeon communication.

Conclusion

COVID-19 has changed spine surgery by triggering rapid adoption of virtual medicine practices. The demonstrated global interest in virtual medicine suggests that it may become part of the “new normal” for surgeons in the post-pandemic era.
Antifungal activity of MAF-1A peptide against Candida albicans
Authors: Cheng Rong , Xu Qiang , Hu Fangfang , Li Hongling , Yang Bin , Duan Zonggang , Zhang Kai , Wu Jianwei , Li Wei , Luo Zhenhua
Published: January 2021

Invasive candidiasis is a major threat to human health, and Candida albicans is the most common pathogenic species responsible for this condition. The incidence of drug-resistant strains of C. albicans is rising, necessitating the development of new antifungal drugs. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have recently attracted attention due to their unique ability to evade the drug resistance of microorganisms. However, the mechanism of their activity has not yet been identified. The current study analyzed the mode of action of MAF-1A by confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescent staining, flow cytometry, and qRT-PCR. The results indicate that MAF-1A disrupts the cell membrane of C. albicans and enters the cell where it binds and interacts with nucleic acids. qRT-PCR demonstrated that the expression of several sterol biosynthesis–related genes in C. albicans was increased after MAF-1A treatment. Together, these findings suggest that MAF-1A exerts antifungal action by affecting both the cell membrane and intracellular components. The antifungal mechanism of MAF-1A is unique, and its identification has great research and clinical significance.
Web access monitoring mechanism via Android WebView for threat analysis
Authors: Imamura Yuta , Orito Rintaro , Uekawa Hiroyuki , Chaikaew Kritsana , Leelaprute Pattara , Sato Masaya , Yamauchi Toshihiro
Published: January 2021

Many Android apps employ WebView, a component that enables the display of web content in the apps without redirecting users to web browser apps. However, WebView might also be used for cyberattacks. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, although some countermeasures based on access control have been reported for attacks exploiting WebView, no mechanism for monitoring web access via WebView has been proposed and no analysis results focusing on web access via WebView are available. In consideration of this limitation, we propose a web access monitoring mechanism for Android WebView to analyze web access via WebView and clarify attacks exploiting WebView. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of this mechanism by modifying Chromium WebView without any modifications to the Android framework or Linux kernel. The evaluation results of the performance achieved on introducing the proposed mechanism are also presented here. Moreover, the result of threat analysis of displaying a fake virus alert while browsing websites on Android is discussed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism.
Interference mitigation: impact on GNSS timing
Authors: Borio Daniele , Gioia Ciro
Published: January 2021

While interference mitigation techniques can significantly improve the performance of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver in the presence of jamming, they can also introduce distortions, biases and delays on the GNSS measurements and on the final receiver solution. We analyze the impact of five interference mitigation techniques on the solution provided by a GNSS timing receiver that operates in a known location and under static conditions. In this configuration, the receiver only estimates its clock bias and drift, which can be potentially affected by interference mitigation. The analysis has been performed considering a multiconstellation case, including GPS L1 Coarse Acquisition (C/A), Galileo E1b/c and Beidou B1c signals. Tests were also conducted on the wideband Galileo E5b modulation. In all cases, real jammers were used to challenge GNSS signal reception. The techniques analyzed are four Robust Interference Mitigation (RIM) approaches and the Adaptive Notch Filter (ANF). From the analysis, it emerges that RIM techniques do not affect the receiver clock bias and drift. On the other hand, the ANF introduces a modulation-dependent delay on the clock bias. This delay is difficult to predict and is common to signals adopting modulations with similar spectral characteristics. In this respect, interoperable signals such as the Galileo E1b/c and Beidou B1c components are affected in the same way by the ANF, which leaves the Galileo–Beidou intersystem bias unaltered. Stability analysis has also been performed: interference mitigation does not significantly increase the short-term characteristics of the estimated clock bias and drift for low jamming levels.
Feuer frei auf das Wolfsrudel?
Authors: Gläß Anne-Christin , Brade Alexander
Published: January 2021

Der vorliegende Beitrag widmet sich dem Zweiten Gesetz zur Änderung des Bundesnaturschutzgesetzes
(BNatSchG), das am 13.3.2020 in Kraft getreten ist. Dabei gibt es berechtigte Zweifel, ob es sein eigentliches
Ziel erreichen wird: durch eine bundeseinheitliche Regelung – einzelnen landesspezifischen Rechtsverordnungen
nachfolgend – Rechtssicherheit für die Erteilung artenschutzrechtlicher Ausnahmegenehmigungen
zu schaffen und so den Vollzug zu erleichtern. Die Änderungen, allen voran der neu ins Gesetz aufgenommene
§45a Abs. 2 BNatSchG, werfen die Frage nach der Vereinbarkeit mit dem Unionsrecht (neu) auf. Dies
gilt besonders im Lichte der jüngsten Rechtsprechung des EuGH, der mit Urteilen vom 10.10.2019 und
11.6.2020 nochmals den hohen Wert des Artenschutzes und die daraus folgenden Verpflichtungen für den
Umgang mit dem Wolf hervorgehoben hat.
Heavy traffic analysis for single-server SRPT and LRPT queues via EDF diffusion limits
Authors: Kruk Łukasz
Published: January 2021

Extending the results of Kruk (Queueing theory and network applications. QTNA 2019. Lecture notes in computer science, vol 11688. Springer, Cham, pp 263–275, 2019), we derive heavy traffic limit theorems for a single server, single customer class queue in which the server uses the Shortest Remaining Processing Time (SRPT) policy from heavy traffic limits for the corresponding Earliest Deadline First queueing systems. Our analysis allows for correlated customer inter-arrival and service times and heavy-tailed inter-arrival and service time distributions, as long as the corresponding stochastic primitive processes converge weakly to continuous limits under heavy traffic scaling. Our approach yields simple, concise justifications and new insights for SRPT heavy traffic limit theorems of Gromoll et al. (Stoch Syst 1(1):1–16, 2011). Corresponding results for the longest remaining processing time policy are also provided.
Managing the Complexity of Dialogues in Context: A Data-Driven Discovery Method for Dialectical Reply Structures
Authors: Yaskorska-Shah Olena
Published: January 2021

Current formal dialectical models postulate normative rules that enable discussants to conduct dialogical interactions without committing fallacies. Though the rules for conducting a dialogue are supposed to apply to interactions between actual arguers, they are without exception theoretically motivated. This creates a gap between model and reality, because dialogue participants typically leave important content-related elements implicit. Therefore, analysts cannot readily relate normative rules to actual debates in ways that will be empirically confirmable. This paper details a new, data-driven method for describing discussants’ actual reply structures, wherein corpus studies serve to acknowledge the complexity of natural argumentation (itself understood as a function of context). Rather than refer exclusively to propositional content as an indicator of arguing pro/contra a given claim, the proposed approach to dialogue structure tracks the sequence of dialogical moves itself. This arguably improves the applicability of theoretical dialectical models to empirical data, and thus advances the study of dialogue systems.
Should I stay, or should I go? self-legitimacy of attorneys in an authoritarian state
Authors: Khalikova Yulia , Kazun Anton
Published: January 2021

In non-democracies, lawyers face various constraints ranging from the absence of acquittals or violations of their clients’ rights to threats and criminal proceedings against them. Yet, we know little about the working conditions of attorneys’ in authoritarian regimes, and what influences their desire to remain in the profession. Using a survey of attorneys in Russia, our study demonstrates which factors impact the desire to stay in the profession and how self-legitimacy influences these choices. We find that the frequency of violations of their clients’ rights by law enforcement agencies undermines self-legitimacy of attorneys. In turn, this increases the attorneys’ willingness to leave the profession, which is mitigated by two factors. First, attorneys with closer contacts with their colleagues in the regional bar associations are less willing to leave the bar for other career options. Second, when such associations actively exclude their members for violations of professional ethics, bona fide attorneys are more willing to stay. Lastly, we find that the expressed desire of leaving the profession transforms into actual voluntary leave in the following year. These findings have important implications, as attorneys do not only defend their clients but can also influence the political regime, either through the mobilisation of law or engaging into collective actions with their colleagues.
Detecting Feeding Problems in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: van Dijk M. W. G. , Buruma M. E. , Blijd-Hoogewys E. M. A.
Published: January 2021

Feeding problems are prevalent in children with ASD. We investigated whether the Montreal Children’s Hospital Feeding Scale (MCH-FS, Ramsay et al. in Pediatrics and Child Health 16:147–151, 2011) can be used for young children with ASD. Participants (1–6 years) were selected from a clinical ASD sample (n = 80) and a general population sample (n = 1389). Internal consistency was good in both samples. In general, parents of children with ASD reported more feeding problems than those from the population sample. The response patterns on the individual items was highly similar. There was a slight increase in symptoms with age in the population sample, but not in the ASD sample. These results suggest that the MCH-FS can be used in populations that include children with ASD.
Effect of dexamethasone as osteogenic supplementation in in vitro osteogenic differentiation of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth
Authors: Sordi Mariane Beatriz , Curtarelli Raissa Borges , da Silva Izabella Thaís , Fongaro Gislaine , Benfatti Cesar Augusto Magalhães , de Souza Magini Ricardo , Cabral da Cruz Ariadne Cristiane
Published: January 2021

In in vitro culture systems, dexamethasone (DEX) has been applied with ascorbic acid (ASC) and β-glycerophosphate (βGLY) as culture media supplementation to induce osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. However, there are some inconsistencies regarding the role of DEX as osteogenic media supplementation. Therefore, this study verified the influence of DEX culture media supplementation on the osteogenic differentiation, especially the capacity to mineralize the extracellular matrix of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED). Five groups were established: G1—SHED + Dulbecco’s Modified Eagles’ Medium (DMEM) + fetal bovine serum (FBS); G2—SHED + DMEM + FBS + DEX; G3—SHED + DMEM + FBS + ASC + βGLY; G4—SHED + DMEM + FBS + ASC + βGLY + DEX; G5—MC3T3-E1 + α Minimal Essential Medium (MEM) + FBS + ASC + βGLY. DNA content, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, free calcium quantification in the extracellular medium, and extracellular matrix mineralization quantification through staining with von Kossa, alizarin red, and tetracycline were performed on days 7 and 21. Osteogenic media supplemented with ASC and β-GLY demonstrated similar effects on SHED in the presence or absence of DEX for DNA content (day 21) and capacity to mineralize the extracellular matrix according to alizarin red and tetracycline quantifications (day 21). In addition, the presence of DEX in the osteogenic medium promoted less ALP activity (day 7) and extracellular matrix mineralization according to the von Kossa assay (day 21), and more free calcium quantification at extracellular medium (day 21). In summary, the presence of DEX in the osteogenic media supplementation did not interfere with SHED commitment into mineral matrix depositor cells. We suggest that DEX may be omitted from culture media supplementation for SHED osteogenic differentiation in vitro studies.
Grieving the Living: The Social Death of Former Jehovah’s Witnesses
Authors: Ransom Heather J. , Monk Rebecca L. , Heim Derek
Published: January 2021

Addressing a relative lack of research investigating the experiences of individuals who have left the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW), this research utilizes a social identity approach to examine qualitatively, the process of transitioning towards post-JW life, experiences of ostracism and perceived threats to self-identity. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in the homes of six former JWs, and transcripts were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Narratives suggest that experiences of ostracism following religious exit can be associated with diminished mental health, while having a sense of agency and establishing new (online) social connections may help mitigate adverse consequences. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Genetic dissection of maize drought tolerance for trait improvement
Authors: Liu Shengxue , Qin Feng
Published: January 2021

Maize is one of the most important crops, but its production is threatened by drought stress worldwide. Thus, increased drought tolerance has been a major goal of maize breeding. Conventional breeding strategies have led to significantly increase of maize yields; however, these strategies often fail to meet the need for drought stress tolerance enhancement. Here, we focus on progress related to the genetic dissection of drought tolerance in maize at different developmental stages achieved through linkage mapping and association mapping. Moreover, recent molecular breeding systems, including transgenic, genome-wide marker-assisted selection, and genome editing technologies, have provided a more direct, efficient, and accurate approach for trait improvement. We also provide perspectives on future directions regarding multi-omics studies and maize improvement. Overall, the application of acquired knowledge will facilitate maize breeding to meet the challenges.
Fatal intoxication with U-47700 in combination with other NPS (N-ethylhexedrone, adinazolam, 4-CIC, 4-CMC) confirmed by identification and quantification in autopsy specimens and evidences
Authors: Nowak Karolina , Szpot Paweł , Zawadzki Marcin
Published: January 2021

Purpose

We present a case of fatal intoxication with U-47700 in combination with other NPS (N-ethylhexedrone, adinazolam, 4-chloro-N-isopropylcathinone (4-CIC), 4-chloromethcathinone (4-CMC) and sertraline) confirmed by identification and quantification in biological materials and evidences found at the scene in 2017 in Poland.

Methods

Blood and urine samples were extracted with ethyl acetate from alkaline medium (pH 9); powders/crystals were diluted with methanol. The analysis was carried out using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Validation criteria were evaluated for blood and urine at the concentrations of 10 and 100 ng/mL.

Results

The validation parameters of the method were within acceptable ranges. In the presented case, the determined concentrations of drugs were as follows, in blood: U-47700, 1470 ng/mL; N-ethylhexedrone, 58 ng/mL; adinazolam, 18 ng/mL; 4-CIC, 8.0 ng/mL; 4-CMC, 1.7 ng/mL; in urine: U-47700, 3940 ng/mL; N-ethylhexedrone, 147 ng/mL; adinazolam, 82 ng/mL; 4-CIC, 130 ng/mL; 4-CMC, 417 ng/mL. Sertraline (blood, 89 ng/mL; urine, 32 ng/mL) was also determined in both materials. The same substances were also found in 5 powders/crystals: U-47700 (12% by weight), N-ethylhexedrone (54%), adinazolam (14%), 4-CIC (23%), 4-CMC (26%). After 775 days of storage, biological samples at + 4 °C, the most stable substance was sertraline and the less, synthetic cathinones, especially 4-CIC and 4-CMC.

Conclusions

The described case of fatal intoxication with NPS presented postmortem concentrations of U-47700, 4-CMC, N-ethylhexedrone, adinazolam and 4-CIC for the first time in the literature. The paper also showed stability study of these substances stored at + 4 °C for 775 days.
Inner transformation to sustainability as a deep leverage point: fostering new avenues for change through dialogue and reflection
Authors: Woiwode Christoph , Schäpke Niko , Bina Olivia , Veciana Stella , Kunze Iris , Parodi Oliver , Schweizer-Ries Petra , Wamsler Christine
Published: January 2021

This article provides a rationale for inner transformation as a key and hitherto underresearched dimension of sustainability transformations. Inner transformation relates to various aspects of human existence and interactions such as consciousness, mindsets, values, worldviews, beliefs, spirituality and human–nature connectedness. The article draws on Meadows’ leverage points approach, as places to intervene in a system, to reveal the relevance of inner transformation for system change towards sustainability. Based on insights from a series of dialogue and reflection workshops and a literature review, this article provides three important contributions to sustainability transformations research: first, it increases our conceptual understanding of inner transformation and its relevance for sustainability; second, it outlines concrete elements of the inner transformation-sustainability nexus in relation to leverage points; and third, it presents practical examples illustrating how to work with leverage points for supporting inner transformation. In sum, the paper develops a systematized and structured approach to understanding inner transformation, including the identification of deep, i.e., highly influential, leverage points. In addition, it critically discusses the often contentious and divergent perspectives on inner transformation and shows related practical challenges. Finally, current developments in inner transformation research as well as further research needs are identified.
Serum inhibin B for differentiating between congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and constitutional delay of growth and puberty: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Yuting , Du Qin , Liu Liyi , Liao Zhihong
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The distinction between congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) and constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP) in patients with delayed puberty is difficult to distinguish, but important for timely treatment. The aim of this study is to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the diagnostic performance of serum inhibin B (INHB) levels for differentiating CHH and CDGP.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched from the date of database inception to November 10, 2019 for studies examining the use of serum INHB to discriminate between CHH and CDGP. Pooled odds ratios (OR), sensitivity, specificity, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Sub-analyses were performed including that based on testicular volume (TV) and study design.

Results

Seven studies, comprising of 349 patients (96 CHH and 253 CDGP), were included in the meta-analysis. For differentiating between CHH and CDGP, INHB level exhibited good diagnostic accuracy with a pooled sensitivity of 92% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.86–0.96, I2 = 0.4%, p = 0.4343), specificity of 92% (95% CI: 0.88–0.94, I2 = 68.1%, p = 0.0009), and pooled area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.9619. The cut-off values of INHB for boys were 56, 66, 80, 96, 94.7, 111, and 113 pg/ml (assay method standardized to Gen II ELISA). Sub-analyses showed that testicular volume and study design could be a source of statistically significant heterogeneity in specificity. In boys with a testicular volume of ≤3 ml, INHB performed well with a sensitivity of 92%, specificity of 98%, and AUC of 0.9956.

Conclusion

INHB exhibits excellent diagnostic efficiency in distinguishing CHH from CDGP, especially in boys with severe puberty deficiency (TV ≤ 3 ml).
On the Adaptive Value of Paranormal Beliefs - a Qualitative Study
Authors: Betsch Tilmann , Jäckel Paul , Hammes Mareike , Brinkmann Babette Julia
Published: January 2021

Ten female and five male participants (age range 28–50 years) were recruited at esoteric fairs or via esoteric chatrooms. In a guided face-to-face interview, they reported origins and contents of their beliefs in e.g. esoteric practices, supernatural beings, rebirthing, channeling. Transcripts of the tape-recorded reports were subjected to a qualitative analysis. Exhaustive categorization of the narratives’ content revealed that paranormal beliefs were functional with regard to two fundamental motives – striving for mastery and valuing me and mine (striving for a positive evaluation of the self). Moreover, paranormal beliefs paved the way for goal-setting and leading a meaningful life but, on the negative side, could also result in social exclusion. Results are discussed with reference to the adaptive value of paranormal beliefs.
Lay theories of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism
Authors: Koepernik Tatjana , Jauk Emanuel , Kanske Philipp
Published: January 2021

In public discourse, narcissism is often portrayed one-sidedly and overly negative, rendering a picture of narcissistic individuals as “toxic people” or “evil characters”. Beyond these salient associations, psychological theories point to a more complex phenomenon, and different developmental mechanisms are being discussed in relation to it. We investigated the prevalence of different implicit theories on narcissism including beliefs about its developmental antecedents. We put forward the question whether grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic behaviors are regarded as congruent or incongruent expressions of underlying feelings and motives, that is whether grandiose behavior is attributed to underlying grandiosity or underlying vulnerability, and vice versa. Results of an online survey (N = 177) show higher agreement with congruent rather than incongruent theories (i.e., grandiose narcissism is attributed to feelings of superiority rather than inferiority, vulnerable narcissism is attributed to inferiority rather than superiority). In line with this, participants displayed predominant beliefs in parental overvaluation as a developmental antecedent of grandiose narcissism/parental coldness as an antecedent of vulnerable narcissism. With higher self-reported prior knowledge of narcissism, endorsement of theories assuming incongruencies increased. The likability of narcissism was not associated with endorsement of the different implicit theories, but instead with perceivers’ own narcissism levels. Results suggest that laypeople employ an “it is what it seems” – heuristic facing both grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic behaviors and are less likely to attribute grandiose or vulnerable behavior to incongruent motivational states. Findings might help to better understand the public image of narcissism and its social consequences.
Development and characterization of an all-in-one gamma probe with auto-peak detection for sentinel lymph node biopsy based on NEMA NU3-2004 standard
Authors: Radnia Aram , Abdollahzadeh Hamed , Teimourian Behnoosh , Farahani Mohammad Hossein , Akbari Mohammad Esmaeil , Zaidi Habib , Ay Mohammad Reza
Published: January 2021

Background

A gamma probe is a handheld device used for intraoperative interventions following interstitial injection of a radiotracer to locate regional lymph nodes through the external detection of radiation. This work reports on the design and performance evaluation of a novel fully integrated gamma probe (GammaPen), recently developed by our group.

Materials and methods

GammaPen is an all-in-one pocket gamma probe with low weight and adequate dimensions, consisting of a detector, a control unit and output all together. The detector module consists of a cylindrical Thallium-activated Cesium Iodide [CsI (Tl)] crystal optically coupled to a Silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), shielded using Tungsten housing on side and back faces. The electronics of the probe consists of two small boards to handle signal processing and analog peak detection tasks. A number of parameters, including probe sensitivity in air/water, spatial resolution in air/water, angular resolution in air/water, and side and back shielding effectiveness, were measured to evaluate the performance of the probe based on NEMA NU3-2004 standards.

Results

The sensitivity of the probe in air at distances of 10, 30, and 50 mm is 18784, 3500, and 1575 cps/MBq. The sensitivity in scattering medium was also measured at distances of 10, 30, and 50 mm as 17,680, 3050, and 1104 cps/MBq. The spatial and angular resolutions in scattering medium were 47 mm and 87 degree at 30 mm distance from the probe, while they were 40 mm and 77 degree in air. The detector shielding effectiveness and leakage sensitivity are 99.91% and 0.09%, respectively.

Conclusion

The performance characterization showed that GammaPen can be used effectively for sentinel lymph node localization. The probe was successfully used in several surgical interventions by an experienced surgeon confirming its suitability in a clinical setting.
Method Development and Determination of Chlorinated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Different Matrices
Authors: Schörnick Carsten , Lüth Anja , Wobst Birgit , Rotard Wolfgang
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to develop an analytical method, which separates selected chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Cl-PAHs) from fat, and fat-free or vegetable matrices. The method contains extraction-, cleanup-, and quantification steps. Integration of automated analysis actions, as in extraction and cleanup, should enhance the reproducibility, precision, and efficiency of the method. This was confirmed by validation of the overall analytical process. In the end, as a performance check, the developed method was applied on different matrices, e.g., tea, rice, grilled pork, and eel and predator eggs, as a non-food example. An inter-laboratory check was initiated as replacement for the lack of proficiency tests. Due to the high level of automation, both personnel and time effort are very low. In addition, the method is very robust with regard to the variability of the solvent selection and the loss of analytes by evaporation to dryness. It could be demonstrated that the developed method is applicable to different matrices with reproducible and precise results. This applies also to low-fat food and feed.
Characteristics of interstitial lung disease in patients from post-marketing data on metastatic breast cancer patients who received abemaciclib in Japan
Authors: Chen Yucherng , Noma Satoshi , Taguchi Yoshio , Takahashi Masashi , Tsurutani Junji , Mori Shiho , Sakaguchi Sachi , Asou Hiroya , Tomii Keisuke
Published: January 2021

Background

This study evaluated characteristics of patients treated with abemaciclib and diagnosed with interstitial lung disease (ILD), using 12-month post-marketing data from the real-world setting in Japan.

Methods

Spontaneous reports of adverse events in patients receiving abemaciclib were collected regularly from healthcare providers (HCPs) from November 30, 2018, to November 29, 2019. Detailed follow-up was requested on suspected ILD cases via questionnaires and/or interviews. Radiological images (when available) were reviewed by an ILD adjudication committee of specialists. The age distribution of patients prescribed abemaciclib in Japan was estimated based on insurance claims data.

Results

Of 4700 patients estimated to be exposed to abemaciclib, 82 cases of ILD were reported (46 serious, 13 fatal). Most (91%) had ≥ 1 symptom at diagnosis, commonly dyspnea/shortness of breath (59%), cough (44%), and/or fever (37%). The majority (68%) received steroid therapy (24 [56%] recovered/recovering; 5 [12%] not recovered; 13 [30%] deaths, 1 [2.3%] unknown). No specific imaging patterns or sites of predilection were identified, but a diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) pattern was observed at outcome in 3 of 4 evaluated fatal cases (16 in total evaluated). Features of fatal cases included advanced age, pre-existing interstitial change, and advanced Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status.

Conclusion

Advanced age and a DAD pattern were identified as potential risk factors for cases with poorer outcomes, as previously reported for drug-induced ILD. HCPs should consider the benefit–risk profile when prescribing abemaciclib, informing patients of risks and regularly monitoring treated patients to ensure early detection and treatment of ILD.
The best of all possible coexistence
Authors: Fortelius Mikael , Myrdal Peter , Zliobaite Indre
Published: January 2021

The writings of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) provide a window on early evolutionary thinking of a kind interestingly different from the roots of modern evolutionary theory as it emerged in the years following the French Revolution. Here we relate aspects of Leibniz’s thinking to methods of modern palaeoecology and show that, despite a different terminology and a different hierarchic focus, Leibniz emerges as a strikingly modern theoretician, who viewed the living world as dynamic and capable of adaptive change. The coexistence approach of palaeoecological reconstruction, developed by Volker Mosbrugger and collaborators, with its core assumption of harmoniously co-adapted communities with strong historical legacy, represents, in a positive sense, a more Leibnizian view than functionally based and theoretically history-free approaches, such as ecometrics. Recalling Leibniz’s thinking helps to highlight how palaeoecological reconstruction is about much more than reliably establishing the ecological and climatic situation of a given fossil locality. While reliable reconstructions of past conditions are certainly of great value in research, it is arguably the need to think deeply about how the living world really works that keeps palaeoecological reconstruction such a long-running and central aspect of evolutionary science. And while we struggle to understand the coexistence and dynamic interaction of endless levels of living agents of the living world, simultaneously large and small, global and local, the coexistence approach of palaeoecological reconstruction remains both an outstandingly operational method and part of a philosophical tradition reaching back to the very earliest evolutionary thinking.
Comparative evaluation of concrete sand-control fences used for railway protection in strong wind areas
Authors: Shi Long , Wang Dongyuan , Cui Kai , Xue Chunxiao
Published: January 2021

Concrete-plate fences have been widely adopted for windblown sand control and mitigation along railways. However, the inclination angles of inserting the concrete plate with respect to the vertical direction, i.e., straight or obliquely inserted concrete plates (SIP or OIP), significantly influence the efficiency of sand-control. This study performs a comparative evaluation of the SIP and OIP sand-control fences using wind tunnel testing and field monitoring data collected from the Lanzhou–Wulumuqi High-Speed Railway Project. The results show that the fence’s ability to reduce the wind speed and the sand-retaining efficiency gradually weakens with the increasing wind speed. Compared with the SIP fence, the OIP fence has a better wind speed reduction capability, stronger ability to capture fine particles below the top of the fence; it is more efficient for sand-retaining and induces stronger eddy intensity. Generally, the wind tunnel test and field monitoring results are consistent, whereas wind tunnel tests incline to overestimate wind speed reduction and sand-control efficiency. The study also finds that the aeolian sand accumulated around the fence can weaken the protection efficiency, and hence cleaning the aeolian sand accumulated around the fence should be done periodically to ensure the designed functions.
Gold Nanostars-AIE Theranostic Nanodots with Enhanced Fluorescence and Photosensitization Towards Effective Image-Guided Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Tavakkoli Yaraki Mohammad , Wu Min , Middha Eshu , Wu Wenbo , Daqiqeh Rezaei Soroosh , Liu Bin , Tan Yen Nee
Published: January 2021

Dual-functional aggregation-induced photosensitizers (AIE-PSs) with singlet oxygen generation (SOG) ability and bright fluorescence in aggregated state have received much attention in image-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, designing an AIE-PS with both high SOG and intense fluorescence via molecular design is still challenging. In this work, we report a new nanohybrid consisting of gold nanostar (AuNS) and AIE-PS dots with enhanced fluorescence and photosensitization for theranostic applications. The spectral overlap between the extinction of AuNS and fluorescence emission of AIE-PS dots (665 nm) is carefully selected using five different AuNSs with distinct localized surface plasmon (LSPR) peaks. Results show that all the AuNSs can enhance the 1O2 production of AIE-PS dots, among which the AuNS with LSPR peak at 585 nm exhibited the highest 1O2 enhancement factor of 15-fold with increased fluorescence brightness. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest enhancement factor reported for the metal-enhanced singlet oxygen generation systems. The Au585@AIE-PS nanodots were applied for simultaneous fluorescence imaging and photodynamic ablation of HeLa cancer cells with strongly enhanced PDT efficiency in vitro. This study provides a better understanding of the metal-enhanced AIE-PS nanohybrid systems, opening up new avenue towards advanced image-guided PDT with greatly improved efficacy.
Cavitation patterns in high-pressure homogenization nozzles with cylindrical orifices: Influence of mixing stream in Simultaneous Homogenization and Mixing
Authors: Gall V. , Rütten E. , Karbstein H. P.
Published: January 2021

High-pressure homogenization is the state of the art to produce high-quality emulsions with droplet sizes in the submicron range. In simultaneous homogenization and mixing (SHM), an additional mixing stream is inserted into a modified homogenization nozzle in order to create synergies between the unit operation homogenization and mixing. In this work, the influence of the mixing stream on cavitation patterns after a cylindrical orifice is investigated. Shadow-graphic images of the cavitation patterns were taken using a high-speed camera and an optically accessible mixing chamber. Results show that adding the mixing stream can contribute to coalescence of cavitation bubbles. Choked cavitation was observed at higher cavitation numbersσwith increasing mixing stream. The influence of the mixing stream became more significant at a higher orifice to outlet ratio, where a hydraulic flip was also observed at higherσ. The decrease of cavitation intensity with increasing back-pressure was found to be identical with conventional high-pressure homogenization. In the future, the results can be taken into account in the SHM process design to improve the efficiency of droplet break-up by preventing cavitation or at least hydraulic flip.
The Inventory Routing Problem with Demand Moves
Authors: Baller Annelieke C. , Dabia Said , Desaulniers Guy , Dullaert Wout E. H.
Published: January 2021

In the Inventory Routing Problem, customer demand is satisfied from inventory which is replenished with capacitated vehicles. The objective is to minimize total routing and inventory holding cost over a time horizon. If the customers are located relatively close to each other, one has the opportunity to satisfy the demand of a customer by inventory stored at another nearby customer. In the optimization of the customer replenishments, this option can be included to lower total costs. This is for example the case for ATMs in urban areas where an ATM-user that wants to withdraw money could be redirected to another ATM. To the best of our knowledge, the possibility of redirecting end-users is new to the operations research literature and has not been implemented, but is being considered, in the industry. We formulate the Inventory Routing Problem with Demand Moves in which demand of a customer can (partially) be satisfied by the inventory of a nearby customer at a service cost depending on the quantity and the distance. We propose a branch-price-and-cut solution approach which is evaluated on problem instances from the literature. Cost improvements over the classical IRP of up to 10% are observed with average savings around 3%.
Single-Cell Immune Landscape of Human Recurrent Miscarriage
Authors: Wang Feiyang , Jia Wentong , Fan Mengjie , Shao Xuan , Li Zhilang , Liu Yongjie , Ma Yeling , Li Yu-Xia , Li Rong , Tu Qiang , Wang Yan-Ling
Published: January 2021

Successful pregnancy in placental mammals substantially depends on the establishment of maternal immune tolerance to the semi-allogenic fetus. Disorders in this process are tightly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including recurrent miscarriage (RM). However, an in-depth understanding of the systematic and decidual immune environment in RM remains largely lacking. In this study, we utilized single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to comparably analyze the cellular and molecular signatures of decidual and peripheral leukocytes in normal and unexplained RM pregnancies at the early stage of gestation. Integrative analysis identifies 22 distinct cell clusters in total, and a dramatic difference in leukocyte subsets and molecular properties in RM cases is revealed. Specifically, the cytotoxic properties of CD8+ effector T cells, nature killer (NK), and mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells in peripheral blood indicates apparently enhanced pro-inflammatory status, and the population proportions and ligand–receptor interactions of the decidual leukocyte subsets demonstrate preferential immune activation in RM patients. The molecular features, spatial distribution, and the developmental trajectories of five decidual NK (dNK) subsets have been elaborately illustrated. In RM patients, a dNK subset that supports embryonic growth is diminished in proportion, while the ratio of another dNK subset with cytotoxic and immune-active signature is significantly increased. Notably, a unique pro-inflammatory CD56+CD16+ dNK subset substantially accumulates in RM decidua. These findings reveal a comprehensive cellular and molecular atlas of decidual and peripheral leukocytes in human early pregnancy and provide an in-depth insight into the immune pathogenesis for early pregnancy loss.