bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aberrant patterns of PET response during treatment for DLBCL patients with MYC gene rearrangements
Authors: Eertink J. J. , Arens A. I. J. , Huijbregts J. E. , Celik F. , de Keizer B. , Stroobants S. , de Jong D. , Wiegers S. E. , Zwezerijnen G. J. C. , Burggraaff C. N. , Boellaard R. , de Vet H. C. W. , Hoekstra O. S. , Lugtenburg P. J. , Chamuleau M. E. D. , Zijlstra J. M. ,   the HOVON imaging workgroup
Published: September 2021

Purpose

MYC gene rearrangements in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients are associated with poor prognosis. Our aim was to compare patterns of 2[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET/CT) response in MYC + and MYC- DLBCL patients.

Methods

Interim PET/CT (I-PET) and end of treatment PET/CT (EoT-PET) scans of 81 MYC + and 129 MYC- DLBCL patients from 2 HOVON trials were reviewed using the Deauville 5-point scale (DS). DS1-3 was regarded as negative and DS4-5 as positive. Standardized uptake values (SUV) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) were quantified at baseline, I-PET, and EoT-PET. Negative (NPV) and positive predictive values (PPV) were calculated using 2-year overall survival.

Results

MYC + DLBCL patients had significantly more positive EoT-PET scans than MYC- patients (32.5 vs 15.7%, p = 0.004). I-PET positivity rates were comparable (28.8 vs 23.8%). In MYC + patients 23.2% of the I-PET negative patients converted to positive at EoT-PET, vs only 2% for the MYC- patients (p = 0.002). Nine (34.6%) MYC + DLBCL showed initially uninvolved localizations at EoT-PET, compared to one (5.3%) MYC- patient. A total of 80.8% of EoT-PET positive MYC + patients showed both increased lesional SUV and MTV compared to I-PET. In MYC- patients, 31.6% showed increased SUV and 42.1% showed increased MTV. NPV of I-PET and EoT-PET was high for both MYC subgroups (81.8–94.1%). PPV was highest at EoT-PET for MYC + patients (61.5%).

Conclusion

MYC + DLBCL patients demonstrate aberrant PET response patterns compared to MYC- patients with more frequent progression during treatment after I-PET negative assessment and new lesions at sites that were not initially involved.

Trial registration number and date of registration

HOVON-84: EudraCT: 2006–005,174-42, retrospectively registered 01–08-2008. HOVON-130: EudraCT: 2014–002,654-39, registered 26–01-2015
Predictors of Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery: Instagram Images-Based Activities, Appearance Comparison and Body Dissatisfaction Among Women
Authors: Di Gesto Cristian , Nerini Amanda , Policardo Giulia Rosa , Matera Camilla
Published: September 2021

Background

This study aimed to test a model in which Instagram images-based activities related to self, friends, and celebrities were associated with acceptance of cosmetic surgery via Instagram appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction. We predicted that Instagram use for images-related activities involving celebrities and self (but not friends) was associated with acceptance of cosmetic surgery both directly and indirectly.

Methods

The study participants were 305 Italian women (mean age, 23 years). They completed a questionnaire containing the Instagram Image Activity Scale, the Instagram Appearance Comparison Scale, the Body Shape Questionnaire-14, the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale. A path analysis was performed in which the Instagram images-based activities were posited as predictors of the Instagram appearance comparison, body dissatisfaction and acceptance of cosmetic surgery, respectively.

Results

We found that only image-based activities related to celebrities and self were significantly related to acceptance of cosmetic surgery, whereas friends’ Instagram-related activities were not significantly related to this criterion variable. Moreover, the indirect effect of both Instagram self- and celebrities-images activities on acceptance of cosmetic surgery through Instagram appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction was significant. Friends’ Instagram images-related activities were not associated with acceptance of cosmetic surgery.

Conclusions

Overall, these findings provide information about the role that activities carried out on Instagram, appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction, play on the acceptance of surgery for aesthetic reasons among women. The study highlighted the importance for surgeons to consider some psychological aspects and the influence of sociocultural factors on the interest for cosmetic surgery.

Level of Evidence IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
The role of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in aggressive B-cell lymphomas: real-world data from a retrospective single-center analysis
Authors: Wullenkord Ramona , Berning Philipp , Niemann Anna-Lena , Wethmar Klaus , Bergmann Sarah , Lutz Mathias , Schliemann Christoph , Mesters Rolf , Keßler Torsten , Schmitz Norbert , Berdel Wolfgang E. , Lenz Georg , Stelljes Matthias
Published: September 2021

Patients with high-risk or relapsed aggressive B-cell lymphomas are characterized by poor prognosis. High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) can induce durable remissions in these patients and is potentially curative. Two hundred forty-seven patients with aggressive B-cell lymphomas treated with high-dose chemotherapy and ASCT, either as consolidation after first-line therapy or after salvage therapy for relapsed disease, between 2002 and 2019 at the University Hospital Muenster, were analyzed. The median follow-up of surviving patients was 36 months (range 0–163). Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after 3 years was 63% and 68%, respectively. After ASCT, 28% of all patients experienced a relapse. The cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality at day 100 after ASCT was 4%. Multivariate analysis identified remission status at ASCT, age at ASCT, and the numbers of infused CD34+ cells as independent prognostic factors for both PFS and OS. Patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) or primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) treated with ASCT in first-line had a superior OS and PFS when compared to patients treated with ASCT in relapsed disease. For patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), early relapse (< 12 months) after first-line therapy showed a trend towards an inferior PFS and OS. Deaths after ASCT were predominantly caused by lymphoma relapse and/or progression (64%) or due to infections (23%). In conclusion, high-dose chemotherapy followed by ASCT in the era of novel targeted agents remains a feasible and effective approach for patients with high-risk or relapsed aggressive B-cell lymphomas. Remission status and age at ASCT, and the number of infused stem cells were of prognostic relevance.
Comparison of low-contrast detectability between uniform and anatomically realistic phantoms—influences on CT image quality assessment
Authors: Conzelmann Juliane , Genske Ulrich , Emig Arthur , Scheel Michael , Hamm Bernd , Jahnke Paul
Published: September 2021

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of anatomical phantom structure on task-based image quality assessment compared with a uniform phantom background.

Methods

Two neck phantom types of identical shape were investigated: a uniform type containing 10-mm lesions with 4, 9, 18, 30, and 38 HU contrast to the surrounding area and an anatomically realistic type containing lesions of the same size and location with 10, 18, 30, and 38 HU contrast. Phantom images were acquired at two dose levels (CTDIvol of 1.4 and 5.6 mGy) and reconstructed using filtered back projection (FBP) and adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D (AIDR 3D). Detection accuracy was evaluated by seven radiologists in a 4-alternative forced choice experiment.

Results

Anatomical phantom structure impaired lesion detection at all lesion contrasts (p < 0.01). Detectability in the anatomical phantom at 30 HU contrast was similar to 9 HU contrast in uniform images (91.1% vs. 89.5%). Detection accuracy decreased from 83.6% at 5.6 mGy to 55.4% at 1.4 mGy in uniform FBP images (p < 0.001), whereas AIDR 3D preserved detectability at 1.4 mGy (80.7% vs. 85% at 5.6 mGy, p = 0.375) and was superior to FBP (p < 0.001). In the assessment of anatomical images, superiority of AIDR 3D was not confirmed and dose reduction moderately affected detectability (74.6% vs. 68.2%, p = 0.027 for FBP and 81.1% vs. 73%, p = 0.018 for AIDR 3D).

Conclusions

A lesion contrast increase from 9 to 30 HU is necessary for similar detectability in anatomical and uniform neck phantom images. Anatomical phantom structure influences task-based assessment of iterative reconstruction and dose effects.

Key Points

• A lesion contrast increase from 9 to 30 HU is necessary for similar low-contrast detectability in anatomical and uniform neck phantom images.

• Phantom background structure influences task-based assessment of iterative reconstruction and dose effects.

• Transferability of CT assessment to clinical imaging can be expected to improve as the realism of the test environment increases.
On the axiomatic approach to sharing the revenues from broadcasting sports leagues
Authors: Bergantiños Gustavo , Moreno-Ternero Juan D.
Published: September 2021

We take the axiomatic approach to uncover the structure of the revenue-sharing problem from broadcasting sports leagues. We formalize two notions of impartiality, depending on the stance one takes with respect to the revenue generated in the games involving each pair of teams. We show that the resulting two axioms lead towards two broad categories of rules, when combined with additivity and some other basic axioms. We complement those results strengthening the impartiality notions to consider axioms of order preservation.
The discovery of the use of magnetic navigational information
Authors: Wiltschko Roswitha , Wiltschko Wolfgang
Published: September 2021

The magnetic field of the Earth provides animals with various kinds of information. Its use as a compass was discovered in the mid-1960s in birds, when it was first met with considerable skepticism, because it initially proved difficult to obtain evidence for magnetic sensitivity by conditioning experiments. Meanwhile, a magnetic compass was found to be widespread. It has now been demonstrated in members of all vertebrate classes, in mollusks and several arthropod species, in crustaceans as well as in insects. The use of the geomagnetic field as a ‘map’ for determining position, although already considered in the nineteenth century, was demonstrated by magnetically simulating displacements only after 2000, namely when animals, tested in the magnetic field of a distant site, responded as if they were physically displaced to that site and compensated for the displacement. Another use of the magnetic field is that as a ‘sign post’ or trigger: specific magnetic conditions elicit spontaneous responses that are helpful when animals reach the regions where these magnetic characteristics occur. Altogether, the geomagnetic field is a widely used valuable source of navigational information for mobile animals.
Impact on visual acuity and psychological outcomes of ranibizumab and subsequent treatment for diabetic macular oedema in Japan (MERCURY)
Authors: Sakamoto Taiji , Shimura Masahiko , Kitano Shigehiko , Ohji Masahito , Ogura Yuichiro , Yamashita Hidetoshi , Suzaki Makoto , Mori Kimie , Ohashi Yohei , Yap Poh Sin , Kaneko Takeumi , Ishibashi Tatsuro ,   for the MERCURY Study Group
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The MERCURY study aimed to evaluate the effects on visual acuity and psychological symptoms, and safety, of ranibizumab and subsequent treatment in patients with diabetic macular oedema (DME) and impaired visual acuity (VA). We report data from the prespecified 12-month interim analysis.

Methods

This was a 24-month, phase 4, open-label, single-arm, prospective, observational study conducted at 20 specialised retinal centres in Japan. Participants were 209 patients with DME and impaired VA, not previously treated with either intravitreal or systemic anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents, who initiated ranibizumab 0.5 mg per investigator discretion. Following ranibizumab administration, patients were treated per routine clinical practice. Other treatments were allowed. The main outcome measure was the mean change in best-corrected VA (BCVA) in logarithmic minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) from baseline to month 12. An exploratory objective was to assess patients’ psychological status using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Results

The mean ± standard deviation BCVA at baseline was 0.43 ± 0.39 logMAR. The mean number of injections of ranibizumab and anti-VEGF agents from baseline to month 11 was 3.2 ± 2.0 and 3.6 ± 2.4, respectively. The BCVA change from baseline to 12 months was − 0.08 ± 0.34 logMAR (p = 0.011), showing a significant improvement; the HADS-anxiety score also decreased significantly (p = 0.001) and the depression score decreased numerically (p = 0.080).

Conclusion

MERCURY study data confirm the effectiveness of real-world treatment initiated with ranibizumab in Japanese patients with DME. In addition, treatment was able to positively influence anxiety via VA improvement.
The diagnostic value of Doppler ultrasonography after pediatric kidney transplantation
Authors: Franke Doris
Published: September 2021

Ultrasonography (US) plays a major diagnostic role in the pre- and post-transplant evaluation of recipient and donor. In most cases, US remains the only necessary imaging modality. After pediatric kidney transplantation, US can ensure immediate bedside diagnosis of vessel patency and possible postoperative non-vascular complications. Criteria for US diagnosis of kidney vessel thrombosis and stenosis in the transplant will be presented. Non-vascular complications after kidney transplantation include hydronephrosis, hematoma, lymphocele, and abscess. US can detect suggestive, but nevertheless non-specific, acute signs (sudden increase in volume and elevated resistive index), and chronic rejection, which therefore remains a histological diagnosis. US is of little or no help in detection of tubular necrosis or drug toxicity, but it can exclude other differential diagnoses. This educational review provides a practical and systematic approach to a multimodal US investigation of the kidney transplant. It includes a short overview on possible indications for contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in children after kidney transplantation.
Prototype generation in the string space via approximate median for data reduction in nearest neighbor classification
Authors: Castellanos Francisco J. , Valero-Mas Jose J. , Calvo-Zaragoza Jorge
Published: September 2021

The k-nearest neighbor (kNN) rule is one of the best-known distance-based classifiers, and is usually associated with high performance and versatility as it requires only the definition of a dissimilarity measure. Nevertheless, kNN is also coupled with low-efficiency levels since, for each new query, the algorithm must carry out an exhaustive search of the training data, and this drawback is much more relevant when considering complex structural representations, such as graphs, trees or strings, owing to the cost of the dissimilarity metrics. This issue has generally been tackled through the use of data reduction (DR) techniques, which reduce the size of the reference set, but the complexity of structural data has historically limited their application in the aforementioned scenarios. A DR algorithm denominated as reduction through homogeneous clusters (RHC) has recently been adapted to string representations but as obtaining the exact median value of a set of string data is known to be computationally difficult, its authors resorted to computing the set-median value. Under the premise that a more exact median value may be beneficial in this context, we, therefore, present a new adaptation of the RHC algorithm for string data, in which an approximate median computation is carried out. The results obtained show significant improvements when compared to those of the set-median version of the algorithm, in terms of both classification performance and reduction rates.
Aspartate or arginine? Validated redox state X-ray structures elucidate mechanistic subtleties of FeIV = O formation in bacterial dye-decolorizing peroxidases
Authors: Lučić Marina , Wilson Michael T. , Svistunenko Dimitri A. , Owen Robin L. , Hough Michael A. , Worrall Jonathan A. R.
Published: September 2021

Structure determination of proteins and enzymes by X-ray crystallography remains the most widely used approach to complement functional and mechanistic studies. Capturing the structures of intact redox states in metalloenzymes is critical for assigning the chemistry carried out by the metal in the catalytic cycle. Unfortunately, X-rays interact with protein crystals to generate solvated photoelectrons that can reduce redox active metals and hence change the coordination geometry and the coupled protein structure. Approaches to mitigate such site-specific radiation damage continue to be developed, but nevertheless application of such approaches to metalloenzymes in combination with mechanistic studies are often overlooked. In this review, we summarize our recent structural and kinetic studies on a set of three heme peroxidases found in the bacterium Streptomyces lividans that each belong to the dye decolourizing peroxidase (DyP) superfamily. Kinetically, each of these DyPs has a distinct reactivity with hydrogen peroxide. Through a combination of low dose synchrotron X-ray crystallography and zero dose serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography using an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL), high-resolution structures with unambiguous redox state assignment of the ferric and ferryl (FeIV = O) heme species have been obtained. Experiments using stopped-flow kinetics, solvent-isotope exchange and site-directed mutagenesis with this set of redox state validated DyP structures have provided the first comprehensive kinetic and structural framework for how DyPs can modulate their distal heme pocket Asp/Arg dyad to use either the Asp or the Arg to facilitate proton transfer and rate enhancement of peroxide heterolysis.

Graphic abstract
Estimation of final standings in football competitions with a premature ending: the case of COVID-19
Authors: Gorgi P. , Koopman S. J. , Lit R.
Published: September 2021

We study an alternative approach to determine the final league table in football competitions with a premature ending. For several countries, a premature ending of the 2019/2020 football season has occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We propose a model-based method as a possible alternative to the use of the incomplete standings to determine the final table. This method measures the performance of the teams in the matches of the season that have been played and predicts the remaining non-played matches through a paired-comparison model. The main advantage of the method compared to the incomplete standings is that it takes account of the bias in the performance measure due to the schedule of the matches in a season. Therefore, the resulting ranking of the teams based on our proposed method can be regarded as more fair in this respect. A forecasting study based on historical data of seven of the main European competitions is used to validate the method. The empirical results suggest that the model-based approach produces more accurate predictions of the true final standings than those based on the incomplete standings.
Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of Campylobacter spp. in Urban and Rural Black-Headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Authors: Indykiewicz Piotr , Andrzejewska Małgorzata , Minias Piotr , Śpica Dorota , Kowalski Jarosław
Published: September 2021

We investigate the role of black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), an omnivorous species that is among the most likely wild bird candidates for transmission of zoonotic agents, as a potential reservoir ofCampylobacterspp. Colonies with different anthropogenic pressures were studied to examine differences in exposure to sources ofCampylobacterbetween rural and urban birds. We recordedCampylobacterspp. in 4.87% of adult black-headed gulls and 2.22% of their chicks after analysing 1036 cloacal swabs collected over two breeding seasons in three colonies in northern Poland.Campylobacter jejuniwas found most frequently (85.72%), andCampylobacter lariandCampylobacter coliwere much scarcer. Prevalence ofCampylobacterdid not differ significantly between black-headed gulls breeding in urban (4.27%) and rural (3.80%) habitats. Almost all isolates from chicks and adults were susceptible to azithromycin (97.62%) and erythromycin (95.24%), but fewer to tetracycline (50.00%) and ciprofloxacin (47.62%).Campylobacterprevalence was unrelated to the date of sampling. Our study indicates that black-headed gulls are carriers of resistant to antibioticsCampylobacterand they can contaminate natural waterbodies with their faeces, which poses a threat to human and farm animal health.
From speck to story: relating history of mathematics to the cognitive demand level of tasks
Authors: Agterberg D. A. , Oostdam R. J. , Janssen F. J. J. M.
Published: September 2021

It is a challenge for mathematics teachers to provide activities for their students at a high level of cognitive demand. In this article, we explore the possibilities that history of mathematics has to offer to meet this challenge. History of mathematics can be applied in mathematics education in different ways. We offer a framework for describing the appearances of history of mathematics in curriculum materials. This framework consists of four formats that are entitled speck, stamp, snippet, and story. Characteristic properties are named for each format, in terms of size, content, location, and function. The formats are related to four ascending levels of cognitive demand. We describe how these formats, together with design principles that are also derived from the history of mathematics, can be used to raise the cognitive level of existing tasks and design new tasks. The combination of formats, cognitive demand levels, and design principles is called the 4S-model. Finally, we advocate that this 4S-model can play a role in mathematics teacher training to enable prospective teachers to reach higher cognitive levels in their mathematics classrooms.
What are the barriers to agricultural biomass market development? The case of Poland
Authors: Roszkowska Sylwia , Szubska-Włodarczyk Natalia
Published: September 2021

This paper examines the main determinants of biomass market development from a regional perspective in the context of current EU climate and energy policy. The EU’s targeting of climate neutrality implies a new, multifaceted role for agriculture as a producer of energy resources. The challenge is to orient production to support the sustainable development of the circular economy. The possibility of using agricultural waste as a type of energy raw material aligns with a holistic approach to product management. The use of agricultural biomass as an energy raw material can enable increased energy self-sufficiency and reduced dependence on imported fuels among Poland’s regions and an increase in the country’s energy security. The aim of the study is to identify barriers to and opportunities for the development of the agricultural biomass market. The empirical section presents survey data from interviews with farm owners in the Polish province with the highest agricultural biomass potential, located in a region with one of the largest opencast mines in Europe. The estimated parameters of a logit model indicate that the logistical aspects of raw material collection and organization and a lack of knowledge of biomass are the main barriers to biomass development on the supply side.
Mixed methods research in service-learning: an integrative systematic review
Authors: Camilli Trujillo Celia , Cuervo Calvo Laura , García Gil Desirée , Bonastre Valles Carolina
Published: September 2021

In view of the challenges involved in designing a study of Mixed Methods (MM), as well as the problematics inherent in studying Service-Learning (S-L) from new research perspectives, and considering the lack of systematic reviews of MM in S-L, this study proposes to analyse the use of MM research to evaluate S-L through a systematic integrative review of scientific papers published in international databases (ERIC, DIALNET, SCOPUS, and Web of Science) using the terms ‘mixed methods research’ and ‘service-learning’. The contextual and methodological variables were analysed descriptively and inferentially using Excel and Stata programs. Moreover, 149 predefined codes were created and analysed using the qualitative program Atlas.ti to identify which terms associated with the research methodology were used most frequently in relation to the MM for S-L methodology, and how and why they were used. Of the 192 papers found, only 93 met the inclusion criteria. The results show that very few investigations specify the MM they used in sufficient detail. Only 28% provide information to estimate the effect size, suggest interventions based on S-L, and collect measures for post-intervention evaluation. This demonstrates that the relationship between MM and stages of the S-L are not complemented in the methodological design. The results demonstrated that researchers should continue working with MM in S-L for the integration of qualitative and quantitative results. This research can be a methodological guide for professionals and academics who want to investigate MM in S-L because it identifies methodological deficiencies and strengths and offers and alternative designs to evaluate the service.
Regularity and Stability for a Convex Feasibility Problem
Authors: De Bernardi Carlo Alberto , Miglierina Enrico
Published: September 2021

Let us consider two sequences of closed convex sets {An} and {Bn} converging with respect to the Attouch-Wets convergence toAandB, respectively. Given a starting pointa0, we consider the sequences of points obtained by projecting onto the “perturbed” sets, i.e., the sequences {an} and {bn} defined inductively by$b_{n}=P_{B_{n}}(a_{n-1})$bn=PBn(an−1)and$a_{n}=P_{A_{n}}(b_{n})$an=PAn(bn). Suppose thatA∩Bis bounded, we prove that if the couple (A,B) is (boundedly) regular then the couple (A,B) isd-stable, i.e., for each {an} and {bn} as above we have dist(an,A∩B) → 0 and dist(bn,A∩B) → 0. Similar results are obtained also in the caseA∩B=∅, considering the set of best approximation pairs instead ofA∩B.
Removal and fate of pesticides in a farm constructed wetland for agricultural drainage water treatment under Mediterranean conditions (Italy)
Authors: Braschi Ilaria , Blasioli Sonia , Lavrnić Stevo , Buscaroli Enrico , Di Prodi Katia , Solimando Domenico , Toscano Attilio
Published: September 2021

A non-waterproofed surface flow constructed wetland (SFCW), treating agricultural drainage water in Northern Italy, was investigated to gain information on the potential ability for effective pesticide abatement. A mixture of insecticide imidacloprid, fungicide dimethomorph, and herbicide glyphosate was applied, by simulating a single rain event, into 470-m-long water course of the SFCW meanders. The pesticides were monitored in the wetland water and soil for about 2 months after treatment. Even though the distribution of pesticides in the wetland was not uniform, for each of them, a mean dissipation of 50% of the applied amount was already observed at ≤7 days. The dissipation trend in the water phase of the wetland fitted (r2 ≥ 0.8166) the first-order model with calculated DT50 of 20.6, 12.0, 5.8, and 36.7 days for imidacloprid, dimethomorph, glyphosate, and the glyphosate metabolite AMPA, respectively. The pesticide behavior was interpreted based on the chemical and physical characteristics of both the substances and the water-soil system. Despite the fast abatement of glyphosate, traces were detected in the water until the end of the trial. The formation of soluble 1:1 complex between glyphosate and calcium, the most representative cation in the wetland water, was highlighted by infrared analyses. Such a soluble complex was supposed to keep traces of the herbicide in solution.
Foreign aid and judicial autonomy
Authors: Ariotti Margaret , Dietrich Simone , Wright Joseph
Published: September 2021

Foreign aid donors increasingly embrace judicial autonomy as an important component of advancing democracy and promoting investment abroad. Recipient governments also recognize the importance of judicial reform for improving the investment climate at home. However, developing countries often lack the necessary state capacity that would enable them to implement these reforms. We argue that recipient countries that lack the state capacity to undertake reforms on their own turn to donors, who readily assist in judicial reforms via targeted democracy and governance interventions. At the same time, we suggest that the external assistance matters less for recipients that are able to implement judicial reforms by themselves. We employ an instrumental variable model to test this argument in a global sample of aid-eligible countries.
Pseudoparalysis and pseudoparesis of the shoulder
Authors: Camenzind Roland Stefan , Lafosse Laurent , Lafosse Thibault
Published: September 2021

Background

Clinical presentation of massive rotator cuff tears range from pain to loss of active range of motion. Pseudoparalysis and pseudoparesis are defined inconsistently in the literature, but both include limited active with maintained passive range of motion.

Objective

This article aims to provide a consistent definition of pseudoparalysis and pseudoparesis of the shoulder and show structural and biomechanical differences between these two types of rotator cuff tear with their implications for treatment.

Methods

A literature review including key and basic papers discussing clinical symptoms, biomechanical differences, and their impact on therapeutic options for pseudoparalysis and pseudoparesis was performed.

Results

Biomechanically, structural differences between pseudoparalysis (active scapular plane abduction <45°) and pseudoparesis (active scapular plane abduction 45–90°) exist. For massive posterosuperior rotator cuff tears, the integrity of the inferior subscapularis tendon is the most predictive factor for active humeral elevation. Patients with pseudoparalysis have a higher grade of subscapularis tendon involvement (>50%) and fatty infiltration of the subscapularis muscle. Treatment options depend on the acuteness and repairability of the tear. Rotator cuff repair can reliably reverse the active loss of active range of motion in acute and reparable rotator cuff tears. In chronic and irreparable cases reverse total shoulder arthroplasty is the most reliable treatment option in elderly patients.

Conclusion

The most concise definition of pseudoparalysis is a massive rotator cuff tear that leads to limited active (<45° shoulder elevation) with free passive range of motion in the absence of neurologic deficits as the reason for loss of active elevation. The integrity of the subscapularis tendon is the most important difference between a pseudoparalytic and pseudoparetic (active shoulder elevation 45–90°) shoulder. Decision-making for surgical options depends more on reparability of the tendon tear and patient age than on differentiation between pseudoparalysis and pseudoparesis.
An attempt to evaluate STEAM project-based instruction from a school mathematics perspective
Authors: Diego-Mantecon Jose-Manuel , Prodromou Theodosia , Lavicza Zsolt , Blanco Teresa F. , Ortiz-Laso Zaira
Published: September 2021

Official documents in several educational systems reflect the importance of integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) and consider project-based learning (PBL) as a way of integrating such disciplines in the classroom. Although STEAM-PBL has been characterized and evaluated in different ways, its impact on school mathematics teaching remains unclear. Mathematics is recognized as the fundamental basis of other disciplines; however, many students still perceive it as a difficult subject and abandon it. To analyze STEAM-PBL classroom implementation from a school mathematics standpoint, we examined 41 classroom experiences from 11 Spanish secondary education teachers (five in-field mathematics teachers), who participated in a STEAM training program for more than 4 years. To frame this study, Thibaut et al.’s (J STEM Educ 3(1):02, 2018) and Schoenfeld’s (Educ Res 43(8):404–412, 2014) characterizations of well-designed and implemented projects, respectively, were employed. The results showed that in-field mathematics teachers avoided transdisciplinary projects in which school mathematics is difficult to address, while out-of-field teachers tended to overlook the mathematics in interdisciplinary projects. Unlike out-of-field teachers, mathematics teachers often eluded design-based learning processes for deeply exploiting school mathematics. The latter teachers promoted high cognitive demands and positive perceptions about mathematics in projects where formative environments were generated through discussion and a meaningful feedback loop.
Creativity in problem solving: integrating two different views of insight
Authors: Haavold Per Øystein , Sriraman Bharath
Published: September 2021

Even after many decades of productive research, problem solving instruction is still considered ineffective. In this study we address some limitations of extant problem solving models related to the phenomenon of insight during problem solving. Currently, there are two main views on the source of insight during problem solving. Proponents of the first view argue that insight is the consequence of analytic thinking and a sequence of conscious and stepwise steps. The second view suggests that insight is the result of unconscious processes that come about only after an impasse has occurred. Extant models of problem solving within mathematics education tend to highlight the first view of insight, while Gestalt inspired creativity research tends to emphasize the second view of insight. In this study, we explore how the two views of insight—and the corresponding set of models—can describe and explain different aspects of the problem solving process. Our aim is to integrate the two different views on insight, and demonstrate how they complement each other, each highlighting different, but important, aspects of the problem solving process. We pursue this aim by studying how expert and novice mathematics students worked on two ill-defined mathematical problems. We apply both a problem solving model and a creativity model in analyzing students’ work on the two problems, in order to compare and contrast aspects of insight during the students’ work. The results of this study indicate that sudden and unconscious insight seems to be crucial to the problem solving process, and the occurrence of such insight cannot be fully explained by problem solving models and analytic views of insight. We therefore propose that extant problem solving models should adopt aspects of the Gestalt inspired views of insight.
Ecosystem approach to harvesting in the Arctic: Walking the tightrope between exploitation and conservation in the Barents Sea
Authors: Heath Michael R. , Benkort Déborah , Brierley Andrew S. , Daewel Ute , Laverick Jack H. , Proud Roland , Speirs Douglas C.
Published: September 2021

Projecting the consequences of warming and sea-ice loss for Arctic marine food web and fisheries is challenging due to the intricate relationships between biology and ice. We used StrathE2EPolar, an end-to-end (microbes-to-megafauna) food web model incorporating ice-dependencies to simulate climate-fisheries interactions in the Barents Sea. The model was driven by output from the NEMO-MEDUSA earth system model, assuming RCP 8.5 atmospheric forcing. The Barents Sea was projected to be > 95% ice-free all year-round by the 2040s compared to > 50% in the 2010s, and approximately 2 °C warmer. Fisheries management reference points (FMSYandBMSY) for demersal fish (cod, haddock) were projected to increase by around 6%, indicating higher productivity. However, planktivorous fish (capelin, herring) reference points were projected to decrease by 15%, and upper trophic levels (birds, mammals) were strongly sensitive to planktivorous fish harvesting. The results indicate difficult trade-offs ahead, between harvesting and conservation of ecosystem structure and function.
Surgical treatment of female stress incontinence: impact of changed views on polypropylene
Authors: Heesakkers John P. F. A. , Roovers J.-P. , Schraffordt Koops Steven E.
Published: September 2021

The introduction of the tensionfree vaginal tape in 1995 drastically changed the landscape of surgical procedures for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Because of the uncomplicated technique many urologists and gynecologists embraced the procedure with tripled the number of annual procedures in the beginning of this century. At the same time polypropylene was used for the development of surgical procedures of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Especially the use of polypropylene for POP has caused many severe clinical complications. This caused a huge reduction of these kind of surgical procedures and it is performed nowadays only under strict conditions. At the same time the use of polypropylene for SUI was scrutinized and questioned. Nowadays, in the Ango-Saxon countries the use of polypropylene tapes for SUI is not recommended. This manuscript explores the role of polypropylene tapes for SUI. Questions that are dealt with are: How dangerous are polypropylene tapes anyway? What are the alternatives? Which factors contribute to a successful outcome of stress incontinence surgery?
Improved wave dispersion properties in 1D and 2D bond-based peridynamic media
Authors: Alebrahim R. , Packo P. , Zaccariotto M. , Galvanetto U.
Published: September 2021

In this study, a novel method for improving the simulation of wave propagation in Peridynamic (PD) media is investigated. Initially, the dispersion properties of the nonlocal Bond-Based Peridynamic model are computed for 1-D and 2-D uniform grids. The optimization problem, developed through inverse analysis, is set up by comparing exact and numerical dispersion and minimizing the error. Various weighted residual techniques, i.e., point collocation, sub-domain collocation, least square approximation and the Galerkin method, are adopted and the modification of the wave dispersion is then proposed. It is found that the proposed methods are able to significantly improve the description of wave dispersion phenomena in both 1-D and 2-D PD models.
Design and evaluation of an engine-in-the-loop environment for developing plug-in hybrid electric vehicle operating strategies at conventional test benches
Authors: Dietrich Maximilian , Ling Kunxiong , Schmid Roland , Song Zhao , Beidl Christian
Published: September 2021

Due to a large number of degrees of freedom and connected powertrain functionalities, the development of operating strategies for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles is an especially complex task. Besides optimizations of drivability, noise, vibrations and harshness as well as energy efficiency, the main challenge lies in ensuring emissions conformity. For this purpose, test vehicles are typically applied to achieve a realistic test and validation environment. However, operating strategy calibration using test vehicles has the drawbacks, that (i) it is very time consuming and cost intensive, (ii) it can only be conducted in late development phases and (iii) cannot be applied to reproducing driving loads for a valid comparison. To overcome these issues, this paper presents a consistent engine-in-the-loop approach combining real engine hardware and multiple software elements to represent PHEV behavior at the engine test bench. Thereby, an environment is created, which allows for realistic, flexible, cost efficient and reproducible testing. The effectiveness of the presented framework is evaluated by comparing relevant on-road measurements with their reproduction at the engine test bench. The results show that the vehicle on-road behavior can be replicated using the described testing environment. Particularly engine start/stop behavior and load levels—the core functionalities for operating strategy calibration—are matched. The proven level of realism in powertrain behavior enables further use cases beyond on-road measurement reproduction, i.e. varying individual component properties and observing real-world consequences at the test bench without the need for vehicle tests.
A spatial analysis of parliamentary elections in Sweden 1985–2018
Authors: Michaud Jérôme , Mäkinen Ilkka H. , Szilva Attila , Frisk Emil
Published: September 2021

Understanding where and why political change is happening in a country is a fundamental issue in political geography. While electoral choice is individual, it is influenced by various sociological, cultural, and geographical factors postulated to create ‘cultural fields’ influencing individual decision-making. Here, we test the cultural field hypothesis on Sweden, an important democracy of Europe long regarded as an example by other European countries, by studying the middle-long-term evolution of the spatial structure of political choice over the last three decades. In testing the cultural field hypothesis, an analysis of spatial correlations is combined with groupings of Swedish municipalities into larger communities reflecting the similarity of their voting profiles. We show that spatial correlations decay logarithmically, which is a sign of long-ranged interactions, and also demonstrate that Sweden can be divided into three or four large and stable politico-cultural communities. More precisely, a transition from three to four main politico-cultural communities is observed. The fourth community, which emerged in the early 2000s is of particular interest as it is characterized by a large vote-share for the Sweden Democrats, while almost all other parties underperform. Moreover, the Swedish electoral landscape seems to be increasingly fragmenting even when the voting profiles of the municipalities over the country are slowly converging.
Frömmigkeit, Fashion und Business: Positionen ethisch/ästhetischer Weiblichkeit in muslimischen Lifestyle-Vlogs
Authors: Malli Gabriel
Published: September 2021

Der Artikel präsentiert empirische Befunde zur Konstruktion muslimischer Weiblichkeits-Modelle in deutschsprachigen Lifestyle-Vlogs auf YouTube, in denen gläubige muslimische Frauen als Influencerinnen auftreten und ihre Alltagsroutinen und -praktiken in zumeist idealisierter Weise und unter Bezugnahme auf religiöses Wissen inszenieren. Ausgehend von poststrukturalistischen Theorieansätzen möchte ich diese Modelle als Subjektpositionen eines Diskurses muslimischer Weiblichkeit begreifen, der bestimmte Modi des Selbstverstehens und der Selbstführung sowie damit verknüpfte Affizierungsweisen nahelegt. Im Anschluss an eine kurze Diskussion islamischer und säkularer Weiblichkeitsdiskurse, in deren Schnittpunkt mein Material zu verorten ist, zeige ich anhand zweier deutschsprachiger Lifestyle-Kanäle, deren Videos ich mithilfe diskursanalytischer Verfahren untersucht habe, wie Produzentinnen ein hybrides Modell muslimischer Subjektivität hervorbringen, das bestimmte Entwürfe eines gelingenden muslimischen Lebens im westlichen Kontext enthält. Sie versuchen, alltägliche Widersprüche zwischen westlich markierter Konsum- und Populärkultur einerseits und muslimischer Religiosität andererseits auf positiv affizierende Weise aufzulösen, wobei eine Subjektposition ethisch/ästhetischer muslimischer Weiblichkeit entsteht, in der sich Ideale modischer Expressivität mit religiösen Selbstkonzeptionen und (neo-)liberalen Diskursen von Autonomie und Selbst-Unternehmertum verschränken.
High-Quality Arabidopsis Thaliana Genome Assembly with Nanopore and HiFi Long Reads
Authors: Wang Bo , Yang Xiaofei , Jia Yanyan , Xu Yu , Jia Peng , Dang Ningxin , Wang Songbo , Xu Tun , Zhao Xixi , Gao Shenghan , Dong Quanbin , Ye Kai
Published: September 2021

Arabidopsis thaliana is an important and long-established model species for plant molecular biology, genetics, epigenetics, and genomics. However, the latest version of reference genome still contains a significant number of missing segments. Here, we reported a high-quality and almost complete Col-0 genome assembly with two gaps (named Col-XJTU) by combining the Oxford Nanopore Technologies ultra-long reads, Pacific Biosciences high-fidelity long reads, and Hi-C data. The total genome assembly size is 133,725,193 bp, introducing 14.6 Mb of novel sequences compared to the TAIR10.1 reference genome. All five chromosomes of the Col-XJTU assembly are highly accurate with consensus quality (QV) scores > 60 (ranging from 62 to 68), which are higher than those of the TAIR10.1 reference (ranging from 45 to 52). We completely resolved chromosome (Chr) 3 and Chr5 in a telomere-to-telomere manner. Chr4 was completely resolved except the nucleolar organizing regions, which comprise long repetitive DNA fragments. The Chr1 centromere (CEN1), reportedly around 9 Mb in length, is particularly challenging to assemble due to the presence of tens of thousands of CEN180 satellite repeats. Using the cutting-edge sequencing data and novel computational approaches, we assembled a 3.8-Mb-long CEN1 and a 3.5-Mb-long CEN2. We also investigated the structure and epigenetics of centromeres. Four clusters of CEN180 monomers were detected, and the centromere-specific histone H3-like protein (CENH3) exhibited a strong preference for CEN180 Cluster 3. Moreover, we observed hypomethylation patterns in CENH3-enriched regions. We believe that this high-quality genome assembly, Col-XJTU, would serve as a valuable reference to better understand the global pattern of centromeric polymorphisms, as well as the genetic and epigenetic features in plants.
Marriage Litigation in the Western Church, 1215–1517
Authors: Müller Wolfgang P.
Published: September 2021

From the establishment of a coherent doctrine on sacramental marriage to the eve of the Reformation, late medieval church courts were used for marriage cases in a variety of ways. Ranging widely across Western Europe, including the Upper and Lower Rhine regions, England, Italy, Catalonia, and Castile, this study explores the stark discrepancies in practice between the North of Europe and the South. Wolfgang P. Müller draws attention to the existence of public penitential proceedings in the North and their absence in the South, and explains the difference in demand, as well as highlighting variations in how individuals obtained written documentation of their marital status. Integrating legal and theological perspectives on marriage with late medieval social history, Müller addresses critical questions around the relationship between the church and medieval marriage, and what this reveals about both institutions.
How Joseph Smith Encountered Printing Plates and Founded Mormonism
Authors: Hazard Sonia
Published: September 2021

Did Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, really find gold plates? This article considers that basic question from a new materialist perspective. Drawing on textual and material-bibliographical evidence, it argues that Smith, and possibly also a group of witnesses, may have had a formative physical encounter with a set of plates and that this encounter was partly responsible for provoking the events and interpretations that followed. These plates could have been either stereotype plates or copper plates, both commonly used for industrial printing in the nineteenth-century United States. This article also takes the empirical investigation into what Smith may have encountered as an occasion to reflect, methodologically and theoretically, on the role of ordinary material objects in processes of religious and historical change.