bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Total Synthesis of Nocardiotide A by Using a Combination of Solid‐ and Solution‐Phase Methods
Authors: Muhajir Muhamad Imam , Hardianto Ari , Al‐Anshori Jamaludin , Sumiarsa Dadan , Mayanti Tri , Nurlelasari  , Harneti Desi , Hidayat Ace Tatang , Supratman Unang , Maharani Rani
Published: December 2021

Nocardiotide A has been successfully synthesized using a combination of solid‐ and solution‐phase synthesis. Peptides 1 and 2 of nocardiotide A, with different C and N termini, were synthesized on 2‐chlorotrityl chloride resin. A combination of N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethyl‐O‐(1H‐benzotriazol‐1‐yl)uronium hexafluorophosphate and hydroxybenzotriazole (HBTU/HOBt) was employed as coupling reagent and the release of the linear peptides from the resin was undertaken using AcOH and trifluoroethanol (TFE) reagents resulting in linear hexapeptides with protected side chains in good yields (83.4 % and 76 %, respectively). Peptide 1, which has Ala as C terminus and Trp as N terminus, was the only peptide that was successfully cyclized without epimerization under a dilute condition (1.25×10−3 M) using HBTU (3 equiv.) and 1 % N,N‐diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) in dichloromethane. A combination of a small residue at the C terminus and a larger residue at the N terminus was found to be effective for the cyclization. The protecting group of the crude cyclic product was then deprotected by 95 % TFA in water and the crude was then purified to give white solid product with 16 % overall yield. The peptide was then characterized by HR‐ToFMS, 1H‐ and 13C‐NMR spectroscopy. In order to ensure the absence of epimerization during cyclization, the D‐analogue of nocardiotide A was synthesized using similar synthetic protocol. The NMR data of D‐analogue was found to have a larger difference compared to the synthetic and natural product, showing there is no epimerization at C‐terminus during cyclization.
Design, Synthesis, Molecular Docking Studies of Deferasirox Derivatives of 1,2,4‐Triazole as Potential Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Hu Yiping , Jiao Shulin , Wang Yanyan , Chen Ruicheng , Li Gen , Zou Zhihong
Published: December 2021

A series of deferasirox derivatives of 1,2,4‐triazole (5 a–i,6 a–g) were designed and synthesized by the ring‐opening rearrangement reaction of phenyl hydrazine or its substituents and imines, compounds 5 d–i, 6 e–g are previously unknown. Obtained derivatives were characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and Mass spectral. The antibacterial activities of all compounds against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger were experimentally evaluated. Most of them exhibited potential antimicrobial activity and promising antifungal activity. Especially, 6 f and 6 g showed the best antimicrobial activity (MIC90=0.125–2.0 μg/mL) against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli, while compounds 6 c, 6 e showed excellent antifungal activity (MIC90=0.5–2.0 μg/mL). The molecular docking analysis further revealed that all the synthesized derivatives have shown potential binding affinities.
Estimated fetal weight at mid‐gestation in prediction of pre‐eclampsia in singleton pregnancy
Authors: Frei L. , Wright A. , Syngelaki A. , Akolekar R. , Nicolaides K. H.
Published: December 2021

Objective

To examine the distribution of birth weight according to gestational age in pregnancies complicated by pre‐eclampsia (PE) and assess the potential value of sonographic estimated fetal weight (EFW) at mid‐gestation as a predictor of PE.

Methods

The data for this study were derived from prospective screening for adverse obstetric outcome in 93 911 women with a singleton pregnancy attending for routine pregnancy care at 19 + 0 to 24 + 6 weeks' gestation in two UK maternity hospitals. This visit included recording of maternal demographic characteristics and medical history, sonographic EFW and measurement of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA‐PI). The distribution of birth weight of pregnancies with and those without PE was assessed. The competing‐risks model was used to estimate the individual, patient‐specific risk of delivery with PE at < 32 and < 37 weeks' gestation and at any gestational age. The areas under the receiver‐operating‐characteristics curves and detection rates (DRs) of delivery with PE, at a 10% false‐positive rate (FPR), were assessed for various combinations of maternal risk factors, EFW, MAP and UtA‐PI. McNemar's test was used to determine the significance of difference in DR at a 10% FPR between screening with vs without EFW.

Results

The study population contained 2843 (3.0%) pregnancies that subsequently developed PE, including 148 (0.2%) that delivered with PE at < 32 weeks' gestation and 654 (0.7%) that delivered with PE at < 37 weeks. Birth weight was < 10th percentile in 82% of pregnancies with PE delivering at < 32 weeks' gestation and this decreased to 21% of those with PE delivering at ≥ 37 weeks. In screening for delivery with PE at < 32 and < 37 weeks' gestation, the DR, at a 10% FPR, achieved by maternal risk factors (51% and 46%, respectively) was improved by addition of EFW (69% and 51%, respectively). Similarly, addition of EFW improved the performance of screening by a combination of maternal risk factors and MAP from 72% to 80% for PE < 32 weeks and from 57% to 60% for PE < 37 weeks. EFW did not improve the predictive performance of screening by a combination of maternal risk factors, MAP and UtA‐PI.

Conclusions

In pregnancies complicated by preterm PE, a high proportion of neonates are small‐for‐gestational age, and sonographic EFW at mid‐gestation can improve the prediction of early and preterm PE provided by maternal risk factors and MAP but not the prediction provided by a combination of maternal risk factors, MAP and UtA‐PI. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Heather Gage (née Ryan)
Authors: Clark Lorne
Published: December 2021

A wife, mother, friend and vet. The world – and profession – will be worse off for her loss.
Current distribution of selected canine vector‐borne diseases in domestic dogs from Barranquilla and Puerto Colombia, Atlántico, Colombia
Authors: Otalora Óscar , Couto Guillermo , Benavides Julio , Mucha Carlos , Morchón Rodrigo
Published: December 2021

Background

Climate change, the increase of travel with infected animals from endemic areas, the introduction of new vectors in these areas and environmental changes caused by human activity, among other factors, have contributed to the establishment and increase of canine vector‐borne diseases (CVBDs), several of which are zoonotic and pose a risk to the human population. In Colombia, there are very few studies that address the prevalence of these diseases. The objective of this study was to update the prevalence of cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and Lyme borreliosis in dogs in Barranquilla and Puerto Colombia, areas of northern Colombia.

Materials and methods

The present study included 354 dogs presented to veterinary clinics for routine health examination and foundations for stray dogs between November 2016 and July 2018.

Results

The percentage of dogs positive for Ehrlichia spp. was 61.86%, followed by 22.03% for Anaplasma spp., 11.30% positive for Dirofilaria immitis antigens and 0.56% positive for Borrelia burgdorferi. In addition, several dogs positive for antibodies against two or more infectious diseases were found. Higher seroprevalences were documented in outdoor dogs compared to indoor‐housed dogs.

Conclusion

These results suggest that veterinarians should routinely implement prophylactic programmes for these CVBDs, particularly for dogs that reside outdoors.
Effectiveness of ozonation with zirconium and tin tetrachloride for stabilized anaerobic landfill leachate treatment
Authors: Zakaria Siti Nor Farhana , Aziz Hamidi Abdul , Alazaiza Motasem Y. D.
Published: December 2021

Landfill leachate can threaten the environment and human life. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the efficiency of ozone (O3), O3 with zirconium tetrachloride (O3/ZrCl4), and O3 with tin tetrachloride (O3/SnCl4) in remediating the stabilized anaerobic landfill leachate (SAL) from Alor Pongsu, Perak. Hydroxyl radical (OH•) is an important oxidizing agent in the ozonation process. Its presence was tested using tert‐butyl alcohol. Results showed that using ZrCl4 and SnCl4 in ozonation boosted the generation of hydroxyl radical, thereby enhancing the oxidation process and pollutant removal inside the sample. The O3/ZrCl4 mix at chemical oxygen demand (COD) to ZrCl4 ratio of 1:1.5, pH 8–9, and 90‐min reaction time resulted in the highest reduction rates of COD and color at 91.9% and 99.6%, respectively. All results demonstrated that the optimum performance occurred at alkaline conditions (pH > 8), proving that OH radicals primarily oxidized the pollutants through an indirect reaction pathway. The biodegradability (biochemical oxygen demand/COD) ratio was also considerably improved from 0.02 (raw) to 0.37 using O3/ZrCl4, compared with using O3 alone and using O3/SnCl4, which only recorded 0.23 and 0.28, respectively, after the treatment. The study demonstrated that O3/ZrCl4 was the most efficient combination.

Practitioner Points

The O3/ZrCl4 recorded the highest COD and color removals.

The O3/ZrCl4 combination also recorded higher OH• concentrations.

The biodegradability of leachate (BOD5/COD ratio) improved from 0.02 to 0.37.
Migration chronology and movements of adult American black ducks Anas rubripes wintering in Nova Scotia, Canada
Authors: Peck Liam E. , English Matthew D. , Robertson Gregory J. , Craik Shawn R. , Mallory Mark L.
Published: December 2021

American black ducks, native to eastern North America, have been the focus of significant international conservation and management programs. The combined USA and Canadian population has traditionally been managed as a single population; however black duck demographics may vary by region. To help understand potential regional differences in black ducks, we used satellite telemetry to assess migratory chronology and movements of black ducks wintering near Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada, near the northern limits of their wintering range where numbers are increasing. Wintering black ducks from Nova Scotia did not leave the Atlantic Flyway and included both longer‐distance migrants (~ 1500 km north) and locally‐breeding individuals. None of our tracked ducks travelled south of Nova Scotia during any part of the annual cycle, indicating a population segment that never leaves Canada and is subject solely to Canadian harvest pressures. Band recovery data revealed that a small portion (2.4%) of black ducks originally banded during winter in Nova Scotia were recovered south along the east coast of the USA, indicating that some of these black ducks are subject to international harvest pressures. Our results show that there are differences in annual black duck movements even within a small part of their range, adding to the growing evidence that black duck populations show fine‐scale temporal and spatial structure. This structure will need to be considered in future interprovincial and international harvest management plans of this important species.
The “guiding” principles of noncoding RNA function
Authors: Deogharia Manisha , Gurha Priyatansh
Published: December 2021

The human genome is pervasively transcribed and yet only a small fraction of these RNAs (less than 2%) are known to code for proteins. The vast majority of the RNAs are classified as noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and are further subgrouped as small (shorter than 200 bases) and long noncoding RNAs. The ncRNAs have been identified in all three domains of life and regulate diverse cellular processes through transcriptional and posttranscriptional gene regulation. Most of these RNAs work in conjunction with proteins forming a wide array of base pairing interactions. The determinants of these base pairing interactions are now becoming more evident and show striking similarities among the diverse group of ncRNAs. Here we present a mechanistic overview of pairing between RNA–RNA or RNA–DNA that dictates the function of ncRNAs; we provide examples to illustrate that ncRNAs work through shared evolutionary mechanisms that encompasses a guide–target interaction, involving not only classical Watson–Crick but also noncanonical Wobble and Hoogsteen base pairing. We also highlight the similarities in target selection, proofreading, and the ruler mechanism of ncRNA–protein complexes that confers target specificity and target site selection.

This article is categorized under:

Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs

RNA‐Based Catalysis > RNA‐Mediated Cleavage

RNA Evolution and Genomics > RNA and Ribonucleoprotein Evolution
Mobilities: Physical and Social
Authors: Sweet Ryan
Published: December 2021

This chapter focuses on the influence of prosthesis use on social mobility, challenging predominant utopian views regarding nineteenth-century prosthetics. It exposes the social restrictions underpinning prosthesis use, while showing how several writers challenged the status quo. Centring on a case study of Charles Dickens’s portrayal of the villainous wooden-leg user Silas Wegg inOur Mutual Friend(1864–1865), the chapter identifies how Dickens drew from anxieties surrounding the social position of amputees by presenting a wooden-leg user as a transgressive social climber. The chapter places Dickens’s representation of Wegg in context with his other depictions of prosthesis users and those found in his journalsHousehold WordsandAll the Year Round. This chapter argues that stories such as Dickens’s ultimately problematize the logic of prosthesis use.
Signs of Decline? Prostheses and the Ageing Subject
Authors: Sweet Ryan
Published: December 2021

This chapter reveals that the cultural association of cosmetic prostheses with ageing stems, at least in part, from satirical sources that paradoxically both bulwark and mock the hegemony of physical wholeness and youth. Emphasizing the extent to which preferences for youth were intertwined with demands for physical completeness, this chapter exposes how the dominance of these two physical states was undermined by stories that either ridicule the process of concealment for elderly users or present unlikely prostheticized heroes in unconventional ways. The chapter draws from genres such as the Gothic, sensation fiction, and imperial adventure fiction. It argues that, despite their differences, the depictions of ageing prosthesis users selected challenge the dominance of physical wholeness/youth by laughing at the absurd results that these demands effected.
Experiencing Trauma Before Trauma: Posttraumatic Memories, Nightmares and Flashbacks Among Finnish Soldiers
Authors: Kivimäki Ville
Published: December 2021

This chapter discusses the appearance of trauma symptoms among the Finnish soldiers of World War II. Kivimäki analyzes three kinds of sources: wartime psychiatric patient files, war veterans’ dream reminiscences and war-related fiction movies in the postwar era. These materials reveal that posttraumatic memories, nightmares and flashbacks were a wide-spread phenomenon already in the 1940s, although the concept of trauma was not yet developed within Finnish psychiatry. The chapter suggests that traumatic symptoms are not simply born out of psychiatric paradigms, but that the culture that shapes and produces the symptoms must be understood more broadly. In the end, Kivimäki proposes the concept of experience as a move forward in the historical analysis of human reactions to trauma.
Traumatized Children in Hungary After World War II
Authors: Laine-Frigren Tuomas
Published: December 2021

This chapter examines how children’s wartime suffering was culturally constructed in postwar Hungary. Laine-Frigren uses a wide variety of source materials, such as published expert discourse, journalism and ego documents to explore how children’s suffering was interpreted and worked upon in different contexts, how the processes of healing were understood, and what kind of political meanings were attributed to children’s traumas. The particular focus is on the agency of people who did actual practical work with children, such as psychologists, teachers and civil society activists. The chapter suggests a multiplicity of responses to childhood trauma, from abstract and future-oriented policy-talk to teachers and psychologists promoting specific ways of healing such as offering children moments of joy, taking them on nature trips and exploring poetry.
A Sociology of Interdisciplinarity
Authors: Silvast Antti , Foulds Chris
Published: December 2021

In building upon the cases presented in Chaps.10.1007/978-3-030-88455-0_2,10.1007/978-3-030-88455-0_3, and10.1007/978-3-030-88455-0_4, we develop aSociology of Interdisciplinaritythat draws our empirical insights together with resources from Science and Technology Studies (STS), in addition to Sociology of Scientific Knowledge, Research Policy, Infrastructure Studies, Anthropology, and Philosophy of Science. The key novelty of this framework is using STS insights to unpick the dynamics and consequences of interdisciplinary science, which distinguishes us from decades of earlier interdisciplinarity studies and gaps in understanding. Moreover, we not only focus on individual scholars and their experiences but pay careful attention to the wider contexts of interdisciplinary research, such as the impacts of funding structures, different access to resources, and power relations. We are careful in our approach so that our units of analyses—which vary from research groups and projects to whole epistemic communities and research policies—are most appropriate for the problem definitions that we put forward. The framework rests on a set of six dimensions, which we discuss in relation to current debates in the literature and our empirical analyses.
How Do You Increase Your Happiness?
Authors: Ng Yew-Kwang
Published: December 2021

Expanding factors already discussed in previous chapters, this chapter identified 12 factors/ways important for increasing happiness: Attitude, balance, confidence, dignity, engagement, family/friends, gratitude, health, ideals, joyful, kindness, love.
Comparison of the predictive value of two international guidelines for safe discharge of patients with mild traumatic brain injuries and associated intracranial pathology
Authors: Vestlund Sebastian , Tryggmo Sebastian , Vedin Tomas , Larsson Per-Anders , Edelhamre Marcus
Published: December 2021

Purpose

To determine and compare the sensitivity, specificity, and proportion of patients eligible for discharge by the Brain Injury Guidelines and the Mild TBI Risk Score in patients with mild traumatic brain injury and concomitant intracranial injury.

Methods

Retrospective review of the medical records of adult patients with traumatic intracranial injuries and an initial Glasgow Coma Scale score of 14–15, who sought care at Helsingborg Hospital between 2014/01/01 and 2019/12/31. Both guidelines were theoretically applied. The sensitivity, specificity, and percentage of the cohort that theoretically could have been discharged by either guideline were calculated. The outcome was defined as death, in-hospital intervention, admission to the intensive care unit, requiring emergency intubation due to intracranial injury, decreased consciousness, or seizure within 30 days of presentation.

Results

Of the 538 patients included, 8 (1.5%) and 10 (1.9%) were eligible for discharge according to the Brain Injury Guidelines and the Mild TBI Risk Score, respectively. Both guidelines had a sensitivity of 100%. The Brain Injury Guidelines had a specificity of 2.3% and the Mild TBI Risk Score had a specificity of 2.9%.

Conclusion

There was no difference between the two guidelines in sensitivity, specificity, or proportion of the cohort eligible for discharge. Specificity and proportion of cohort eligible for discharge were lower than each guideline’s original study. At present, neither guideline can be recommended for implementation in the current or similar settings.
Neue Aspekte der Glukokortikoidsubstitution bei Nebennierenrindeninsuffizienz
Authors: Kienitz Tina , Meyer Gesine
Published: December 2021

Hintergrund

Eine adäquate Anpassung der Glukokortikoidsubstitution an unterschiedliche Situationen ist essenziell für Leistungsfähigkeit und Lebensqualität von Patienten mit Nebennierenrindeninsuffizienz (NNRI). Sie dient darüber hinaus der Vermeidung lebensbedrohlicher adrenaler Krisen.

Ziel der Arbeit

Verbesserung der Versorgung von Patienten mit Nebennierenrindeninsuffizienz.

Material und Methoden

Selektive Literaturrecherche unter besonderer Berücksichtigung neuerer Studien.

Ergebnisse

Eine optimale Glukokortikoidsubstitution hat das Ziel, die physiologischen Kortisolschwankungen möglichst genau nachzuahmen. Hier haben in den letzten Jahren Präparate mit veränderter Pharmakokinetik das Therapiespektrum erweitert. Im Vordergrund stehen eine adäquate Anpassung der Substitution in Stresssituationen sowie die Vermeidung und adäquate Behandlung adrenaler Krisen, die mit einer Inzidenz von 4,8 bis 8,3 Krisen pro 100 Patientenjahre auftreten und mit einer Mortalität von etwa 0,5 pro 100 Patientenjahre weiterhin eine tödliche Bedrohung darstellen.

Schlussfolgerung

Zur Verhinderung lebensbedrohlicher Nebennierenkrisen ist eine Schulung von Patienten, Angehörigen und insbesondere auch medizinischem Personal notwendig.
Intraossärer Fremdkörper oder Osteom
Authors: Rau K. , Sauerwald F. , Grieser T. , Lisitano L. , Mayr E. , Plath J.
Published: December 2021

Vorstellung eines 16-jährigen Patienten nach Fahrradsturz beim Mountainbiken 14 Tage nach primärer Versorgung nach offener Epiphysenverletzung. Metaphysär intraossär liegende Steine wurden bei anatomischer Reposition der Fraktur als nebenbefundliches Osteom fehlinterpretiert.
The Presence of Denitrifiers In Bacterial Communities of Urban Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Authors: Hall Natalie C. , Sikaroodi Masoumeh , Hogan Dianna , Jones R. Christian , Gillevet Patrick M.
Published: December 2021

Stormwater best management practices (BMPs) are engineered structures that attempt to mitigate the impacts of stormwater, which can include nitrogen inputs from the surrounding drainage area. The goal of this study was to assess bacterial community composition in different types of stormwater BMP soils to establish whether a particular BMP type harbors more denitrification potential. Soil sampling took place over the summer of 2015 following precipitation events. Soils were sampled from four bioretention facilities, four dry ponds, four surface sand filters, and one dry swale. 16S rRNA gene analysis of extracted DNA and RNA amplicons indicated high bacterial diversity in the soils of all BMP types sampled. An abundance of denitrifiers was also indicated in the extracted DNA using presence/absence ofnirS, nirK, andnosZdenitrification genes. BMP soil bacterial communities were impacted by the surrounding soil physiochemistry. Based on the identification of a metabolically-active community of denitrifiers, this study has indicated that denitrification could potentially occur under appropriate conditions in all types of BMP sampled, including surface sand filters that are often viewed as providing low potential for denitrification. The carbon content of incoming stormwater could be providing bacterial communities with denitrification conditions. The findings of this study are especially relevant for land managers in watersheds with legacy nitrogen from former agricultural land use.
Veränderungen der Lebensqualität von Glaukompatienten über einen Zeitraum von 8 Jahren
Authors: Koenig S. F. , Hirneiss C. W.
Published: December 2021

Hintergrund

Die Lebensqualität von Glaukompatienten wird von vielen Faktoren beeinflusst. Insbesondere die Aktivität wird durch die chronische Erkrankung beeinträchtigt. Diese Studie evaluiert Veränderungen der Lebensqualität über Aktivitätseinschränkungen in einem Zeitraum von 8 Jahren.

Methoden

Dreiundvierzig Patienten mit glaukomatösem Papillenschaden wurden in diese retrospektive longitudinale Beobachtungsstudie eingeschlossen. Veränderungen des Intraokulardrucks (IOD) und der bestkorrigierten Sehschärfe (BCVA) sowie Gesichtsfeldparameter, Anzahl der den Intraokulardruck (IOD) senkenden Medikation und der durchgeführten augendrucksenkenden Operationen wurden über einen Zeitraum von 8 Jahren erhoben. Die Lebensqualität und Aktivitätseinschränkung der Patienten wurden mit dem Rasch-kalibrierten Fragebogen „Glaucoma Activity Limitation 9“ (GAL-9) bei Einschluss und 8 Jahre später erhoben.

Ergebnisse

Die Sehschärfe des besseren Auges änderte sich von 0,16 ± 0,22 auf 0,21 ± 0,14 logMAR, die des schlechteren Auges von 0,27 ± 0,25 auf 1,39 ± 1,1 logMAR. Die mittlere Defekttiefe im Gesichtsfeld („mean deviation“ [MD]) des besseren Auges entwickelte sich von −2,39 ± 4,55 dB auf −4,83 ± 5,09 dB, die des schlechteren Auges von −8,86 ± 5,86 dB auf −12,05 ± 8,07 dB. Die Werte des kalibrierten GAL‑9 zeigten eine Veränderung von −2,39 ± 2,14 auf −1,38 ± 2,78 (negativere Werte in der spezifischen Rasch-Analyse bedeuten eine bessere Lebensqualität), was im Summenscore einer Änderung des Gesamtwertes von 79,17 ± 19,63 auf 69,22 ± 27,95 entspricht. Diese Veränderungen korrelierten signifikant mit der MD in der Folgeuntersuchung nach 8 Jahren, insbesondere am schlechteren Auge (r = 0,43). Auch in einer Regressionsanalyse konnte der Einfluss der MD auf die Entwicklung der Lebensqualität gut vorhergesagt werden.

Die Lebensqualität bei an Glaukom erkrankten Patienten nimmt im Laufe der Zeit signifikant ab. Veränderungen des Gesichtsfeldes, insbesondere am schlechteren Auge, haben einen großen Einfluss. Sorgfältige Therapie, gerade des Auges mit ausgeprägterem glaukomatösem Schaden, ist daher von großer Wichtigkeit.
Spaced training enhances equine learning performance
Authors: Holcomb Frederick R. , Multhaup Kristi S. , Erwin Savannah R. , Daniels Sarah E.
Published: December 2021

This field experiment examined whether the well-documented benefit of spaced over massed training for humans and other animals generalizes to horses. Twenty-nine randomly selected horses (Equus ferus caballus) repeatedly encountered a novel obstacle-crossing task while under saddle. Horses were randomly assigned to the spaced-training condition (2 min work, 2 min rest, 2 min work, 2 min rest) or the massed-training condition (4 min work, 4 min rest). Total training time per session and total rest per session were held constant. Days between sessions (M = 3) were held as consistent as possible given the constraints of conducting research on a working ranch and safety–threatening weather conditions. During each training session, the same hypothesis-naïve rider shaped horses to cross a novel obstacle. Fifteen of 16 horses in the spaced-training condition reached performance criterion (94% success) while only 5 of 13 horses in the massed-training condition reached performance criterion (39% success). Horses in the spaced-training condition also initiated their first obstacle-crossing faster than horses in the massed-training condition and were faster at completing eight crossings than horses in the massed-training condition. Overall, task acquisition was higher for horses undergoing spaced training despite both groups experiencing the same total work and rest time per session. These findings generalize the learning-performance benefit observed in human spaced practice to horses and offer applied benefit to equine training.
High tumor mutational burden predicts worse prognosis for cervical cancer treated with radiotherapy
Authors: Ota Norichika , Yoshimoto Yuya , Darwis Narisa Dewi Maulany , Sato Hiro , Ando Ken , Oike Takahiro , Ohno Tatsuya
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Tumor mutational burden (TMB) is a surrogate biomarker of neo-antigens and high TMB status is associated with favorable response to immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This study aimed to elucidate the association between TMB and the outcome of definitive radiotherapy in patients with cervical cancer.

Materials and methods

TMB and treatment outcome were retrospectively analyzed in patients with newly diagnosed cervical cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy available with somatic mutation data of pre-treatment tumors obtained using a commercially available gene panel.

Results

The study enrolled 98 patients (median follow-up period, 61 months). The median TMB was 9.5 mutations per megabase (range, 3.0–35.5 mutations per megabase). After dichotomization based on this median value, the 5-year overall survival (OS) for TMB-high patients was significantly worse than that of TMB-low patients (61.1% vs. 82.2%). Multivariate analysis identified high TMB status as a significant prognostic factor for worse OS, along with advanced stage, para-aortic lymph node involvement, and absence of concurrent chemotherapy.

Conclusion

These data indicate that TMB is a potential prognostic factor for worse survival in patients with cervical cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy, thereby providing a rationale for treatment of TMB-high cervical cancers with a combination of ICIs plus radiotherapy.

Secondary abstract

This retrospective study of 98 patients demonstrates for the first time that tumor mutational burden (TMB) is an independent prognostic factor for worse overall survival of patients treated with definitive radiotherapy, providing a rationale for treatment of TMB-high cervical cancers with a combination of immune-checkpoint inhibitors plus radiotherapy.
“The More You Do, the More Comfortable You Feel”: the Police Hostage and Crisis Negotiator Journey
Authors: Grubb Amy R. , Brown Sarah J. , Hall Peter , Bowen Erica
Published: December 2021

Hostage and crisis negotiators are specialist police officers utilised internationally by police forces to resolve hostage and crisis incidents. Whilst the role has been heavily documented in some parts of the world (namely the United States of America), there is a lack of literature relating to the organisational and operational processes and procedures in place for police negotiators in the United Kingdom. Equally, there is limited research that has explored the experiences of negotiators who perform an essential function within a variety of life-or-death situations with a view to understanding how officers transition from trainee to qualified negotiators. This paper outlines the development of a grounded theoretical model that depicts the “hostage and crisis negotiator journey,” as represented by English negotiators. Interviews were conducted with 15 negotiators from nine police forces in England and a conceptual model was developed including five primary, 12 secondary, and 32 tertiary categories. The negotiator journey is chronologically recounted by means of the five main primary categories identified: (1) ‘Why? Reasons for entering (and remaining within) the negotiator world’, (2) ‘Who and how? The negotiator profile and selection’, (3) ‘Negotiator training’, (4) ‘Operational negotiator roles’, and (5) ‘Negotiator welfare and support’. This paper demonstrates one of the first attempts to empirically map the processes and procedures in place for negotiators in England and the findings are discussed in line with their potential implications for police policy and practice.
Post more! The mediating role of social capital between Instagram use and satisfaction with life
Authors: Reimann Linda-Elisabeth , Ozimek Phillip , Rohmann Elke , Bierhoff Hans-Werner
Published: December 2021

Since more and more people have begun to use social networking sites (SNSs), research on the use of SNSs is flourishing. This study examines Instagram use and the psychological well-being of the users. It was conducted based on two samples (n1 = 143 and n2 = 320) examining the relationship between Instagram use, social capital, and satisfaction with life using online questionnaires. Social capital was divided into bonding and bridging social capital and Instagram use was distinguished depending on an active and passive mode, respectively. Instagram use was measured by a behavioral report – the Instagram Activity Questionnaire (IAQ) – which was developed in accordance with the Facebook-Activity Questionnaire (FAQ; cf., Ozimek & Bierhoff, 2016). The results indicated consistently in both samples the occurrence of positive associations between mode of Instagram use and social capital variables. Furthermore, only bonding social capital – not bridging social capital – was positively correlated to satisfaction with life. A path model showed that the negative association of active Instagram use and satisfaction with life was positively mediated by bonding social capital. These results are discussed based on social capital theory. Limitations of this investigation are pointed out and suggestions for future research are outlined.
The right of the overflown state to divert or intercept civil aircraft under a bomb threat: an analysis with regard to Ryanair flight 4978
Authors: Huttunen Mikko T.
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this article is to discuss whether a state has a right to divert or intercept a foreign civil aircraft flying above its territory, when the aircraft is under a bomb threat. The analysis stems from the recent incident where a Ryanair passenger jet was diverted to Minsk while flying in Belarusian airspace; however, the article approaches the topic from a general perspective, analyzing the key applicable rules of international aviation safety and security law. The article argues that air sovereignty and national rules on aviation (the latter wherever such exist) provide states acting in good faith the right to divert or intercept foreign aircraft for security reasons. Meanwhile, Article 3 bis of the Chicago Convention does not recognize such a right. The right is also limited by international rules that oblige every state to assist aircraft in distress, as well as rules that emphasize the authority and responsibility of the pilot-in-command. Since mid-air interventions are so rare, the legality of states’ actions must be analyzed case-by-case. Regardless, the legal regime of international aviation does not allow states to respond to security threats in whatever way they please, especially if the threat is a mere pretext for politically motivated action.
COVID-19 und Weiterbildung – Überblick zu Forschungsbefunden und Desideraten
Authors: Denninger Anika , Käpplinger Bernd
Published: December 2021

Der Beitrag gibt einen strukturierten Überblick zu verschiedenen Studien im Zeitraum von 2020 bis Mitte 2021 zur COVID-19-Pandemie und deren Auswirkungen auf die Erwachsenen- und Weiterbildung. Studientypen bzw. Publikationen werden unterschieden und wesentliche Befunde skizziert. Es werden Forschungsbedarfe und -lücken aufgezeigt sowie Impulse für noch differenziertere und vertiefende Analysen gegeben.
Cosheaf representations of relations and Dowker complexes
Authors: Robinson Michael
Published: December 2021

The Dowker complex is an abstract simplicial complex that is constructed from a binary relation in a straightforward way. Although there are two ways to perform this construction—vertices for the complex are either the rows or the columns of the matrix representing the relation—the two constructions are homotopy equivalent. This article shows that the construction of a Dowker complex from a relation is a non-faithful covariant functor. Furthermore, we show that this functor can be made faithful by enriching the construction into a cosheaf on the Dowker complex. The cosheaf can be summarized by an integer weight function on the Dowker complex that is a complete isomorphism invariant for the relation. The cosheaf representation of a relation actually embodies both Dowker complexes, and we construct a duality functor that exchanges the two complexes.
INSURANCE VALUATION: A TWO-STEP GENERALISED REGRESSION APPROACH
Authors: Barigou Karim , Bignozzi Valeria , Tsanakas Andreas
Published: December 2021

Current approaches to fair valuation in insurance often follow a two-step approach, combining quadratic hedging with application of a risk measure on the residual liability, to obtain a cost-of-capital margin. In such approaches, the preferences represented by the regulatory risk measure are not reflected in the hedging process. We address this issue by an alternative two-step hedging procedure, based on generalised regression arguments, which leads to portfolios that are neutral with respect to a risk measure, such as Value-at-Risk or the expectile. First, a portfolio of traded assets aimed at replicating the liability is determined by local quadratic hedging. Second, the residual liability is hedged using an alternative objective function. The risk margin is then defined as the cost of the capital required to hedge the residual liability. In the case quantile regression is used in the second step, yearly solvency constraints are naturally satisfied; furthermore, the portfolio is a risk minimiser among all hedging portfolios that satisfy such constraints. We present a neural network algorithm for the valuation and hedging of insurance liabilities based on a backward iterations scheme. The algorithm is fairly general and easily applicable, as it only requires simulated paths of risk drivers.
Comparing the Transfer Effects of Three Neurocognitive Training Protocols in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Single-Case Experimental Design
Authors: Zhang Da-Wei , Johnstone Stuart J. , Li Hui , Luo Xiangsheng , Sun Li
Published: December 2021

The current study used behavioural and electroencephalograph measures to compare the transferability of three home-based interventions — cognitive training (CT), neurofeedback training (NFT), and CT combined with NFT — for reducing symptoms in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). Following a multiple-baseline single-case experimental design, twelve children were randomised to a training condition. Each child completed a baseline phase, followed by an intervention phase. The intervention phase consisted of 20 sessions of at-home training. Tau-U analysis and standardised visual analysis were adopted to detect effects. Results showed that CT improved inhibitory function and NFT improved alpha EEG activity and working memory. The combined condition, which was a reduced ‘dose’ of CT and NFT, did not show any improvements. The three conditions did not alleviate AD/HD symptoms. While CT and NFT may have transfer effects on executive functions, considering the lack of improvement in symptoms, this study does not support CT and NFT on their own as a treatment for children with AD/HD.
Islands of Deliberative Capacity in an Ocean of Authoritarian Control? The Deliberative Potential of Self-Organised Teams in Firms
Authors: Krüger Alexander
Published: December 2021

Business firms play an increasingly influential role in contemporary societies, which has led many scholars to return to the question of the democratisation of corporate governance. However, the possibility of democratic deliberation within firms has received only marginal attention in the current debate. This article fills this gap in the literature by making a normative case for democratic deliberation at the workplace and empirically assessing the deliberative capacity of self-organised teams within business firms. It is based on sixteen in-depth interviews in six German firms which practice various forms of self-organised teamwork. The article argues that self-organised teamwork can create a space for authentic, inclusive, and consequential deliberation by suspending authoritarian control structures within business firms. Finally, the article proposes the consideration of firms not only as necessary parts of a larger deliberative system but also as deliberative systems in themselves.
Rus detachment in Dammam Dome, Eastern Saudi Arabia: a new soft-sediment structure as a ‘sensitive stress sensor’ for the Zagros collision
Authors: Tranos Markos D. , Osman Mutasim S.
Published: December 2021

This paper describes in detail hydroplastic structures, which are ‘odd’ kinematic indicators in the basal part of the Eocene Middle Rus Formation. Such structures were previously ignored or falsely interpreted. These hydroplastic structures are found in the massive limestone exposures on the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) campus. They occur in relation to a principal displacement zone along the boundary/interface between the Lower/Middle Rus, which is referred to as the Rus soft-sediment detachment. The structures are fist-sized vugs associated with carrot- or comet-trail imprints (VCT structures) which were previously translated calcite geodes that have been weathered out. VCT structures show transport/slip towards the NNW (345°) and are found on flat to low-dipping surfaces classified as Y, R and P shears with respect to the orientation of the Rus detachment. Palaeostress analysis indicates an Andersonian transtension stress regime, though it does not facilitate the activation of the Rus soft-sediment detachment. Detachment activity occurred due to the negative effective principal stressσ3′ and the abnormally low frictional coefficient caused by fluid pressure. The soft-sediment Rus detachment can be considered a ‘sensitive stress sensor’ for the Zagros collision since it indicates the Arabian platform’s instability in the wider area of the Dammam Dome during the Late Eocene. This instability is attributed to the inception of the Zagros collision, which was previously considered to occur during the Oligocene based on the well-established pre-Neogene unconformity.
Lessons from rhinology and facial plastic surgery clinical negligence claims in England 2013–2018
Authors: Navaratnam A V , Pendolino A L , Kaura A , Nijim J , Machin J T , Briggs T W R , Marshall A , Randhawa P S , Andrews P J
Published: December 2021

Objective

This study reviewed all rhinology clinical negligence claims in the National Health Service in England between 2013 and 2018.

Method

All clinical negligence claims held by National Health Service Resolution relating to rhinology in England between 1 April 2013 and 1 April 2018 were reviewed.

Results

There were 171 rhinology related claims with a total estimated potential cost of £13.6 million. There were 119 closed claims (70 per cent) with a total cost of £2.3 million, of which 55 claims resulted in payment of damages. Over three quarters of all rhinology claims were associated with surgery (n = 132). Claims associated with endoscopic sinus surgery had the highest mean cost per claim (£172 978). Unnecessary pain (33.9 per cent) and unnecessary operation (28.1 per cent) were the most commonly cited patient injuries.

Conclusion

Patient education and consent have been highlighted as key areas for improvement from this review of rhinology related clinical negligence claims. A shift in clinical practice towards shared decision making could reduce litigation in rhinology.
The impact of audio on the reading of intralingual versus interlingual subtitles: Evidence from eye movements
Authors: Liao Sixin , Yu Lili , Kruger Jan-Louis , Reichle Erik D.
Published: December 2021

This study investigated how semantically relevant auditory information might affect the reading of subtitles, and if such effects might be modulated by the concurrent video content. Thirty-four native Chinese speakers with English as their second language watched video with English subtitles in six conditions defined by manipulating the nature of the audio (Chinese/L1 audio vs. English/L2 audio vs. no audio) and the presence versus absence of video content. Global eye-movement analyses showed that participants tended to rely less on subtitles with Chinese or English audio than without audio, and the effects of audio were more pronounced in the presence of video presentation. Lexical processing of subtitles was not modulated by the audio. However, Chinese audio, which presumably obviated the need to read the subtitles, resulted in more superficial post-lexical processing of the subtitles relative to either the English or no audio. On the contrary, English audio accentuated post-lexical processing of the subtitles compared with Chinese audio or no audio, indicating that participants might use English audio to support subtitle reading (or vice versa) and thus engaged in deeper processing of the subtitles. These findings suggest that, in multimodal reading situations, eye movements are not only controlled by processing difficulties associated with properties of words (e.g., their frequency and length) but also guided by metacognitive strategies involved in monitoring comprehension and its online modulation by different information sources.
OP117 Digital Real-World Evidence In Times Of General Data Protection Regulation
Authors: Saunders Rhodri , Torres Rafael Torrejon , Blüher Maximilian
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Real-world evidence (RWE) is a useful supplement to a product's evidence base especially for medical devices, which are often unsuitable for randomized controlled trials. Generally, RWE is analyzed retrospectively (for example, healthcare records), which lack granularity for health-economic analysis. Prospective collection of RWE in hospitals can promote device-specific endpoint assessment. The advent of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires a privacy-by-design approach. This work describes a workflow for a GDPR-compliant device-specific RWE collection as part of quality improvement initiatives (QII).

Methods

A literature review identifies relevant clinical and quality markers as endpoints to the investigated technology. A panel of experts grade these endpoints on their clinical significance, privacy sensitivity, analytic value, and feasibility for collection. Endpoints meeting a predefined cut-off are considered quality markers for the QII. Finally, an RWE data collection app is designed to collect the quality markers using either longitudinal, pseudonymized data or single time-point anonymized data to ensure data protection by design.

Results

Using this approach relevant clinical markers were identified in a GDPR-compliant manner. The data collection app design ensured that patient data were protected, while maintaining minimum requirements on patient information and consent. The pilot QII collected data on over 5,000 procedures, which represents the largest single data set available for the tested technology. Due to its prospective nature this programme was the first to collect patient outcomes in sufficient quantity for analysis, while previous studies only recorded adverse events.

Conclusions

GDPR and RWE can co-exist in harmony. A design approach, which has data protection in mind from the start can combine high quality RWE collection of efficacy and safety data with maximum patient privacy.