bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lack of clinical significance for molecular detection of respiratory viruses in bronchoalveolar lavage samples
Authors: Recio Raúl , Lalueza Antonio , Moral Noelia , Pascual Consuelo , Muñoz Marina , Camacho Javier , Caso José María , Folgueira Lola
Published: February 2021

The clinical significance of molecular detection of respiratory viruses in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples is poorly defined. We performed an observational retrospective study including all patients who underwent a BAL procedure in our institution, regardless of the reason for bronchoscopy, from January 2015 to December 2018. Respiratory viruses were detected by real‐time polymerase chain reaction with a commercial multiplex panel, and a cell culture was performed to detect cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus. Positive results were correlated with clinical symptoms and patients' characteristics. Of 540 BAL samples analyzed, 113 (20.9%) were positive for any respiratory virus. Viral detection was significantly associated with respiratory symptoms (83.2% vs. 68.9%, p = .004) and radiological infiltrates (67.3% vs. 52.2%, p = .006). The most frequent viruses detected were rhinovirus (42/113, 37.2%), influenza virus (20/113, 17.7%), and parainfluenza virus (PIV) (16/113, 14.2%). Respiratory pathogens codetections were found in 51/113 (45.1%) BAL samples, including more than one virus (16/51, 31.4%), fungi (8/51, 15.7%), and bacteria (9/51, 17.6%). Viral detection was significantly higher in immunocompromised patients (26.5% vs. 16.9%; p = .022). PIV and human metapneumovirus were mostly observed in lung (50.0%, 8/16) and hemopoietic transplant recipients (25%, 2/8), respectively, with clinical repercussions. Our data underline that molecular diagnosis allows identification of viral agents as the etiology of respiratory infections; however, the high frequency of codetections hinders identification of the agent responsible for the current respiratory symptomatology. Immunocompromised patients are the target population in whom to investigate the presence of respiratory viruses in their BAL samples.
Mesenchymal stem cell‐derived exosomes for organ development and cell‐free therapy
Authors: Shi Xin , Jiang Nan , Mao Jing , Luo Dan , Liu Yan
Published: February 2021

Exosomes are nanosized membrane‐bound extracellular vesicles with the capacity to modify functions and behaviors of recipient cells via transferring unique biological information. Mounting evidence suggests that under developmental conditions, mesenchymal cell‐derived exosomes are capable of mediating intercellular communication between epithelium and mesenchyme during organogenesis of salivary gland, tooth, hair follicle, and kidney, shedding light on potential therapeutic benefits elicited by mesenchymal exosomes in nanomedicine. Representing the most extensively investigated multipotent stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been identified and extracted from a wide variety of tissues. Accordingly, exosomes derived from MSCs (MSC‐Exos) can be easily accessed and manipulated as nanoparticles, giving rise to an entirely new therapeutic agents for nanomedicine. MSC‐Exos have presently emerged as efficacious alternatives to MSCs for cell‐free therapeutic strategies in disease contexts of ischemic heart disease, cutaneous wound healing and coronavirus disease 2019. In this review, we first present a critical analysis of research state of exosomes in terms of their biogenesis, molecular composition, isolation and characterization, then summarize current understanding of developmental regulation mediated by mesenchymal cell‐derived exosomes and reparative potential conferred by MSC‐Exos, along with particular emphasis on the underlying mechanisms of action and commentary on the major outstanding issues faced with MSC‐Exos.
An assessment of techniques and practices used to elevate intra‐abdominal pressure when assessing pelvic floor dysfunction
Authors: El‐Hamamsy Dina , Watson Alison , Corden James , Smith Anthony R. B. , Reid Fiona M.
Published: February 2021

Aims

To determine terminology and methods for raising intra‐abdominal pressure (IAP) currently used by clinicians to assess pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) and to measure the effect of these maneuvers on IAP.

Methods

Three‐hundred questionnaires were distributed at two scientific meetings in the United Kingdom to determine methods clinicians used to raise IAP and their perceptions of these methods. Twenty healthy volunteers were also recruited to measure the effect of two methods of raising IAP: Valsalva maneuver (VM) and bear down maneuver (BDM). IAP pressure was measured with rectal catheters connected to pressure sensors. The IAP was measured during each maneuver in both standing and supine positions.

Results

Maneuvers used in practice were cough (79%), BDM (60%), and VM (38%). 44% of clinicians felt patients found it difficult to raise their IAP. There was uncertainty among clinicians as to which method was the most effective in raising IAP and whether the different methods produced the same rise in IAP. On testing IAP in 20 healthy volunteers, median (interquartile range) IAP generated during BDM; 101 (59.1) cmH2O was significantly higher than that generated during VM; 80.3 (43.6) cmH2O (p < .0001).

Conclusion

Clinicians varied widely in the maneuvers they used to raise patients' IAP to test for PFD and there was uncertainty about the maneuvers' effect on IAP. In healthy volunteers, BDM produced significantly higher IAP than VM. We recommend standardization of terminology and techniques used to raise IAP when assessing PFD, to ensure consistency of diagnosis and assessment of treatment outcomes.
Registration of ‘GA06343‐13E2 (TX‐EL2)’ soft red winter wheat
Authors: Ibrahim Amir M. H. , Sutton Russell , Johnson Jerry W. , Mergoum Mohamed , Simoneaux Bryan , Harrison Stephen A. , Murphy J. Paul , Mason R. Esten , Babar Md A. , Neely Clark , Opeña Geraldine , Jin Yue , Kolmer Jim , Boyles Richard , Cambron Sue E. , Baik Byung‐Kee , Brown‐Guedira Gina L. , Marshall David , Fountain Myron O.
Published: February 2021

‘GA06343‐13E2 (TX‐EL2)’ (Reg. no. CV‐1172, PI 695071), a medium‐height, medium‐maturing soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (SRWW), was jointly released by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the University of Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station in 2019. GA06343‐13E2 (TX‐EL2) was released based on merits of its wide area of adaptation and above‐average grain yield in Texas in particular and the Gulf Atlantic SRWW growing areas in general, in addition to average grain volume weight, good leaf rust and stripe rust resistance, and good end‐use quality characteristics. GA06343‐13E2 (TX‐EL2) was derived from the cross GA011638‐G1/GA961592‐8//GA991336‐47 made at the University of Georgia. The pedigree of GA011638‐G1 is GA01034 (‘AGS 2000’*3/96667)/AGS 2000. The pedigrees of GA961592‐8 and GA991336‐47 are GA951329 (GA88129‐32‐3‐5/GA87467‐14‐1‐14‐1)/GA88127‐1‐3‐3 and GA92432‐21‐5‐2/GA981622 [AGS 2000/Pioneer ‘26R61’ (XW663)], respectively. Authorized seed classes of GA06343‐13E2 (TX‐EL2) in the United States will be breeder, foundation, registered, and certified. We will submit GA06343‐13E2 (TX‐EL2) for U.S. Plant Variety Protection with the certification option.
Registration of ‘USDA Lori’ soft white spring waxy wheat
Authors: Morris C. F. , Kiszonas A. M. , Peden G. L. , Pumphrey M. O.
Published: February 2021

Starch is the most abundant component of wheat (Triticum spp.) grain and flour and is composed of two primary glucose polymers, amylose and amylopectin. Our aim was to convert a previously leading soft white spring wheat (T. aestivum L.) cultivar to a zero endosperm starch amylose content (“waxy”) cultivar. The result was ‘USDA Lori’ (Reg. no. CV‐1180, PI 692132), a waxy wheat cultivar developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service's Western Wheat Quality Laboratory in collaboration with Washington State University. USDA Lori is a backcross‐7 (BC7) derivative of ‘Alpowa’. USDA Lori lacks functional copies of the three Waxy Granule Bound Starch Synthase I (GBSSI) genes. The GBSSI null alleles were derived from the waxy cultivar ‘Waxy‐Pen’. As a waxy cultivar, USDA Lori has unique processing and food and feed applications. Further, this waxy cultivar complements a series of Waxy near‐isogenic lines, which were produced as backcross derivatives of Alpowa.
C‐LAEF: Convection‐permitting Limited‐Area Ensemble Forecasting system
Authors: Wastl Clemens , Wang Yong , Atencia Aitor , Weidle Florian , Wittmann Christoph , Zingerle Christoph , Keresturi Endi
Published: February 2021

C‐LAEF (Convection‐permitting Limited‐Area Ensemble Forecasting) has been developed at the Austrian national weather service ZAMG (Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik) and has been running operationally at the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) supercomputer since November 2019. It includes (a) an ensemble 3D variational blending technique to deal with atmospheric initial uncertainties, (b) an ensemble of land surface data assimilation to account for uncertainties in the initial land surface conditions, (c) a hybrid stochastic physics perturbation scheme to treat model uncertainties in the different physics parametrization schemes, and (d) a coupling with the global ensemble system IFS‐ENS (Integrated Forecasting System‐ENSemble) to consider uncertainties in the lateral boundary conditions. C‐LAEF has a horizontal resolution of 2.5 km and consists of 16 perturbed members plus one unperturbed control run. It runs four times a day and provides probabilistic forecasts up to 60 hr on a domain covering the whole Alpine area. This article describes the C‐LAEF system in detail and evaluates the relative contributions of the different perturbation techniques. The ensemble variational blending technique and the ensemble surface data assimilation provide additional spread in the first forecast hours, while the hybrid stochastically perturbed parametrization scheme improves the performance of C‐LAEF during the whole forecast range. The performance of C‐LAEF is evaluated extensively over one summer and one winter period and compared with its mesoscale counterpart ALADIN‐LAEF (Aire Limitee Adaptation dynamique Developpement InterNational – Limited‐Area Ensemble Forecasting) and the IFS‐ENS. State‐of‐the‐art probabilistic measures indicate that C‐LAEF is able to outperform ALADIN‐LAEF for all considered upper‐air variables. At the surface, C‐LAEF outperforms ALADIN‐LAEF and IFS‐ENS according to most conventional measures, particularly for wind and precipitation. C‐LAEF benefits from the higher resolution and the explicit treatment of deep convection and can provide more accurate probabilistic information for weather warnings.
Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus infection in different anatomical sites among men who have sex with men: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Farahmand Mohammad , Monavari Seyed Hamidreza , Tavakoli Ahmad
Published: February 2021

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at increased risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection because of their high‐risk sexual behaviours. In this study, a meta‐analytic approach was used to systematically analyse the literature to elucidate the prevalence and genotype distribution of anal, penile, oral and urethral HPV infection among MSM in the world. To carry out this systematic review, five electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies published from January 2012 to November 2019, and pertinent data were collected from the eligible articles. The pooled HPV prevalence was calculated for each anatomical region using a random‐effect model weighted by the inverse variance method. The meta‐analysis was performed using the “Metaprop” function in the R package Meta. The overall pooled prevalence of anal, penile, oral and urethral HPV infection among MSM were 78.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 75.6%–81.0%), 36.2% (95% CI: 29.1%–44.0%), 17.3% (95% CI: 13.6%–21.7%) and 15.4% (95% CI: 7.8%–27.9%), respectively. Stratified analyses showed that the prevalences of HPV were significantly higher in HIV‐positive than HIV‐negative MSM. The most frequent HPV high‐risk type detected in the anus, penis and oral cavity was HPV‐16 (19.9%, 4.9% and 3.1%, respectively). HPV infection is rising in MSM because of high‐risk sexual behaviours, suggesting an increased future risk of developing HPV‐related diseases and malignancies in this population.
Towards an improved pain assessment in castrated horses using facial expressions (HGS) and circulating miRNAs
Authors: Dalla Costa Emanuela , Dai Francesca , Lecchi Cristina , Ambrogi Federico , Lebelt Dirk , Stucke Diana , Ravasio Giuliano , Ceciliani Fabrizio , Minero Michela
Published: February 2021

Background

Pain in horses is an emergent welfare concern, and its assessment represents a challenge for equine clinicians. This study aimed at improving pain assessment in horses through a convergent validation of existing tools: we investigated whether an effective analgesic treatment influences the horse grimace scale (HGS) and the concentration of specific circulating microRNAs (miRNAs).

Methods

Eleven stallions underwent routine surgical castration under general anaesthesia. They were divided into two analgesic treatment groups: castration with the administration of preoperative flunixin and castration with preoperative flunixin plus a local injection of mepivacaine into the spermatic cords. HGS and levels of seven circulating miRNAs were evaluated pre‐, 8 and 20 hours post‐procedure.

Results

Compared to pre‐castration, HGS, miR‐126‐5p, miR‐145 and miR‐let7e increased significantly in horses receiving flunixin at 8 hours post‐castration (Friedman test, p < 0.05). Both behavioural and molecular changes occurred in horses receiving flunixin only, confirming that the addition of local mepivacaine is an effective analgesic treatment.

Conclusions

Combining the use of HGS and circulating miRNAs, particularly miR‐145, could be meaningful to monitor acute pain conditions in horses. Our results further validate the HGS as a method to assess acute pain in horses and point out miR‐145 as a promising biomarker to identify pain.
Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Tipping Points in Botswana
Authors: Urich Peter , Li Yinpeng , Masike Sennye
Published: February 2021

Climate adaptation planning requires new ways of thinking and approaching the analysis of risks. Such thinking needs to be systemic in nature and practice/action-oriented while respecting the complexity of the physical and social sciences. Through this chapter on climate tipping points in Botswana, it is proposed that a generic and practice-oriented analysis framework be applied with a mathematical foundation including modeling methods based on complex science. The objective is to promote a framework that privileges a worldview to avoid biased and partial explanations of risks. An Institutional-Socio-Earth-Economical-Technical systems (ISEET) approach is based on a systems science philosophy for risk governance analysis, with particular emphasis on tipping points and emergence which are some of the key elements that can support sound adaptation planning. Through the lens of the biodiversity sector in Botswana, the complex interrelationships of ISEET principles are explained. They provide a new, efficient, and practical framework for moving rapidly from theory to action for planning and implementing climate change adaption projects.
Climate Change Impact on Climate Extremes and Adaptation Strategies in the Vea Catchment, Ghana
Authors: Larbi Isaac , Nyamekye Clement , Hountondji Fabien C. C. , Okafor Gloria C. , Odoom Peter Rock Ebo
Published: February 2021

Climate change impact on rainfall and temperature extreme indices in the Vea catchment was analyzed using observation and an ensemble mean of bias-corrected regional climate models datasets for Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP 4.5) scenario. Rainfall extreme indices such as annual total wet-day precipitation (PRCPTOT), extremely wet days (R99P), consecutive wet days (CWD), consecutive dry days (CDD), and temperature indices such as warmest day (TXx) and warmest night (TNx) from the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection Monitoring Indices (ETCCDMI) were computed for both the historical (1986–2016) and future (2020–2049) period using the RClimdex. The parametric ordinary least square (OLS) regression approach was used to detect trends in the time series of climate change and extreme indices. The results show an increase in mean annual temperature at the rate of 0.02 °C/year and a variability in rainfall at the catchment, under RCP 4.5 scenario. The warmest day and warmest night were projected to increase by 0.8 °C and 0.3 °C, respectively, in the future relative to the historical period. The intensity (e.g., R99p) and frequency (e.g., CDD) of extreme rainfall indices were projected to increase by 29 mm and 26 days, respectively, in the future. This is an indication of the vulnerability of the catchment to the risk of climate disasters (e.g., floods and drought). Adaptation strategies such as early warning systems, availability of climate information, and flood control measures are recommended to reduce the vulnerability of the people to the risk of the projected impact of climate extreme in the future.
Near-extremal fluid mechanics
Authors: Moitra Upamanyu , Sake Sunil Kumar , Trivedi Sandip P.
Published: February 2021

Abstract

We analyse near-extremal black brane configurations in asymptotically AdS4 spacetime with the temperature T, chemical potential μ, and three-velocity uν, varying slowly. We consider a low-temperature limit where the rate of variation is much slower than μ, but much bigger than T. This limit is different from the one considered for conventional fluid-mechanics in which the rate of variation is much smaller than both T, μ. We find that in our limit, as well, the Einstein-Maxwell equations can be solved in a systematic perturbative expansion. At first order, in the rate of variation, the resulting constitutive relations for the stress tensor and charge current are local in the boundary theory and can be easily calculated. At higher orders, we show that these relations become non-local in time but the perturbative expansion is still valid. We find that there are four linearised modes in this limit; these are similar to the hydrodynamic modes found in conventional fluid mechanics with the same dispersion relations. We also study some linearised time independent perturbations exhibiting attractor behaviour at the horizon — these arise in the presence of external driving forces in the boundary theory.
Non-integrability in AdS3 vacua
Authors: Rigatos Konstantinos S.
Published: February 2021

Abstract

We ask the question of classical integrability for certain (classes of) supergravity vacua that contain an AdS3 factor arising in massive IIA and IIB theories and realizing various and different amounts of supersymmetry. Our approach is based on a well-established method of analytic non-integrability for Hamiltonian systems. To detect a non-integrable sector we consider a non-trivially wrapped string soliton and study its fluctuations. We answer in the negative for each and every one of the supergravity solutions. That is, of course, modulo very specific limits where the metrics reduce to the AdS3 × S3 × $$ {\tilde{S}}^3 $$

S
˜

3

× S1 and AdS3 × S3 × T4 solutions which are known to be integrable.
Single-top-quark production in the t-channel at NNLO
Authors: Campbell John , Neumann Tobias , Sullivan Zack
Published: February 2021

Abstract

We present a calculation of t-channel single-top-quark production and decay in the five-flavor scheme at NNLO. Our results resolve a disagreement between two previous calculations of this process that found a difference in the inclusive cross section at the level of the NNLO coefficient itself. We compare in detail with the previous calculations at the inclusive, differential and fiducial level including b-quark tagging at a fixed scale μ = mt. In addition, we advocate the use of double deep inelastic scattering (DDIS) scales (μ2 = Q2 for the light-quark line and μ2 = Q2 + $$ {m}_t^2 $$

m
t
2

for the heavy-quark line) that maximize perturbative stability and allow for robust scale uncertainties. All NNLO and NLO⊗NLO contributions for production and decay are included in the on-shell and vertex-function approximation. We present fiducial and differential results for a variety of observables used in Standard Model and Beyond Standard Model analyses, and find an important difference between the NLO and NNLO predictions of exclusive t + n-jet cross sections. Overall we find that NNLO corrections are crucial for a precise identification of the t-channel process.
Constructing AdS2 flow geometries
Authors: Anninos Dionysios , Galante Damián A.
Published: February 2021

Abstract

We consider two-dimensional geometries flowing away from an asymptotically AdS2 spacetime. Macroscopically, flow geometries and their thermodynamic properties are studied from the perspective of dilaton-gravity models. We present a precise map constructing the fixed background metric from the boundary two-point function of a nearly massless matter field. We analyse constraints on flow geometries, viewed as solutions of dimensionally reduced theories, stemming from energy conditions. Microscopically, we construct computationally tractable RG flows in SYK-type models at vanishing and non-vanishing temperature. For certain regimes of parameter space, the flow geometry holographically encoding the microscopic RG flow is argued to interpolate between two (near) AdS2 spacetimes. The coupling between matter fields and the dilaton in the putative bulk is also discussed. We speculate on microscopic flows interpolating between an asymptotically AdS2 spacetime and a portion of a dS2 world.
Characteristics, management and outcome of prehospital pediatric emergencies by a Dutch HEMS
Authors: Oude Alink Michelle Berdien , Moors Xavier Roland Johnny , Karrar Senned , Houmes Robert Jan , Hartog Dennis Den , Stolker Robert Jan
Published: February 2021

Background

In prehospital care, the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) can be dispatched for critically injured or ill children. However, little detail is known about dispatches for children, in terms of the incidence of prehospital interventions and overall mortality. The primary objective of this study is to provide an overview of pediatric patient characteristics and incidence of interventions.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of all patients ≤ 17 years who received medical care by Rotterdam HEMS from 2012 until 2017 was carried out.

Results

During the study period, 1905 pediatric patients were included. 59.1% of patients were male and mean age was 6.1 years with 53.2% of patients aged ≤ 3 years. 53.6% were traumatic patients and 49.7% were non-traumatic patients. 18.8% of patients were intubated. Surgical procedures were performed in 0.9%. Medication was administered in 58.1% of patients. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was necessary in 12.9% of patients, 19.9% were admitted to the intensive care unit and 14.0% needed mechanical ventilation. Overall mortality was 9.5%. Mortality in trauma patients was 5.5% and in non-trauma group 15.3%. 3.9% of patients died at the scene.

Conclusions

Patients attended by HEMS are at high risk of prehospital interventions like CPR or intubation. EMS has little exposure to critically ill or injured children. Hence, HEMS expertise is required to perform critical procedures. Trauma patients had higher survival rates than non-traumatic patients. This may be explained by underlying illnesses in non-traumatic patients and CPR as reason for dispatch. Further research is needed to identify options for improving prehospital care in the non trauma pediatric patients.
Delirium in trauma patients: a 1-year prospective cohort study of 2026 patients
Authors: Marquetand Justus , Gehrke Samuel , Bode Leonie , Fuchs Simon , Hildenbrand Florian , Ernst Jutta , von Känel Roland , Boettger Soenke
Published: February 2021

Background

Delirium in trauma surgery is common, especially post-operatively, but medical characteristics, risk factors and residence post-discharge have not comprehensively been investigated in all trauma patients.

Methods

Over 1 year, 2026 trauma patients were prospectively screened for delirium with the following tools: Delirium Observation screening scale (DOS), Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC) and a DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual)-5, nursing tool (ePA-AC) construct. Risk factors—predisposing und precipitating—for delirium were assessed via multiple regression analysis.

Results

Of 2026 trauma patients, 440 (21.7%) developed delirium, which was associated with an increased risk of assisted living (OR 6.42, CI 3.92–10.49), transfer to nursing home (OR 4.66, CI 3.29–6.6), rehabilitation (OR 3.96, CI 3.1–5.1), or death (OR 70.72, CI 22–227.64). Intensive care management (OR 18.62, CI 14.04–24.68), requirement of ventilation (OR 32.21, CI 21.27–48.78), or its duration (OR 67.22, CI 33.8–133.71) all increased the risk for developing delirium. Relevant predisposing risk factors were dementia (OR 50.92, CI 15.12–171.45), cardiac insufficiency (OR 11.76, CI 3.6–38.36), and polypharmacy (OR 5.9, CI 4.01–8.68).Relevant precipitating risk factors were brain edema (OR 40.53, CI 4.81–341.31), pneumonia (OR 39.66, CI 8.89–176.93) and cerebral inflammation (OR 21.74, CI 2.34–202.07).

Conclusion

Delirium in trauma patients is associated with poor outcome as well as with intensive care management and various predisposing and/or precipitating factors. Three quarters of patients who had undergone delirium were not able to live independently at home any more.
Osseous defect of the anteroinferior femoral head: is it associated with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)?
Authors: Boldt Franca K. , Fritz Benjamin , Zingg Patrick O. , Sutter Reto , Pfirrmann Christian W. A.
Published: February 2021

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence, morphology, and clinical significance of a repeatedly observed yet not examined circumscript osseous defect at the anteroinferior aspect of the femoral head, termed femoral head defect.

Materials and methods

Retrospective study with approval of the institutional review board. There was informed consent by all individuals. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) hip examinations of 970 individuals (age 15 to 55) were analyzed for femoral head defect. Patients with femoral head defect were matched for age and gender with patients without defect. Two readers independently assessed MRI images regarding presence, location, and morphology of the defect. MR images and radiographs were analyzed for findings of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Femoral torsion was measured. Independentttest and chi-square test were used for statistics.

Results

Sixty-eight (7%) of 970 MRI examinations exhibited a femoral head defect in an anteroinferior location of the femoral head (29/400 men, 7.3%; 39/570 women, 6.8%;p = 0.8). The most frequent morphology of femoral head defect was type I, dent-like (34; 50%), followed by type II, crater-like (27; 40%), and III, cystic (7; 10%). Femoral head defect was slightly more common on the right hip (39 individuals; 57%) compared to left (29 individuals; 43%), non-significantly (p = 0.115). There was no association between FAI or its subtypes and the presence of femoral head defect (p = 0.890). Femoral antetorsion was reduced in patients with femoral head defect (12.9° ± 8.6) compared to patients without defect (15.2° ± 8.5), without statistical significance (p = 0.121).

Conclusion

The femoral head defect is a common finding in MRI examinations of the hip and is situated in the anteroinferior location. There was no association with FAI yet a non-significant trend towards lower femoral antetorsion in patients with femoral head defects.
α-Particle-induced DNA damage tracks in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of [223Ra]RaCl2-treated prostate cancer patients
Authors: Schumann S. , Eberlein U. , Lapa C. , Müller J. , Serfling S. , Lassmann M. , Scherthan H.
Published: February 2021

Purpose

One therapy option for prostate cancer patients with bone metastases is the use of [223Ra]RaCl2. The α-emitter 223Ra creates DNA damage tracks along α-particle trajectories (α-tracks) in exposed cells that can be revealed by immunofluorescent staining of γ-H2AX+53BP1 DNA double-strand break markers. We investigated the time- and absorbed dose-dependency of the number of α-tracks in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients undergoing their first therapy with [223Ra]RaCl2.

Methods

Multiple blood samples from nine prostate cancer patients were collected before and after administration of [223Ra]RaCl2, up to 4 weeks after treatment. γ-H2AX- and 53BP1-positive α-tracks were microscopically quantified in isolated and immuno-stained PBMCs.

Results

The absorbed doses to the blood were less than 6 mGy up to 4 h after administration and maximally 16 mGy in total. Up to 4 h after administration, the α-track frequency was significantly increased relative to baseline and correlated with the absorbed dose to the blood in the dose range < 3 mGy. In most of the late samples (24 h – 4 weeks after administration), the α-track frequency remained elevated.

Conclusion

The γ-H2AX+53BP1 assay is a potent method for detection of α-particle-induced DNA damages during treatment with or after accidental incorporation of radionuclides even at low absorbed doses. It may serve as a biomarker discriminating α- from β-emitters based on damage geometry.
Flexible models for overdispersed and underdispersed count data
Authors: Cahoy Dexter , Di Nardo Elvira , Polito Federico
Published: February 2021

Within the framework of probability models for overdispersed count data, we propose the generalized fractional Poisson distribution (gfPd), which is a natural generalization of the fractional Poisson distribution (fPd), and the standard Poisson distribution. We derive some properties of gfPd and more specifically we study moments, limiting behavior and other features of fPd. The skewness suggests that fPd can be left-skewed, right-skewed or symmetric; this makes the model flexible and appealing in practice. We apply the model to real big count data and estimate the model parameters using maximum likelihood. Then, we turn to the very general class of weighted Poisson distributions (WPD’s) to allow both overdispersion and underdispersion. Similarly to Kemp’s generalized hypergeometric probability distribution, which is based on hypergeometric functions, we analyze a class of WPD’s related to a generalization of Mittag–Leffler functions. The proposed class of distributions includes the well-known COM-Poisson and the hyper-Poisson models. We characterize conditions on the parameters allowing for overdispersion and underdispersion, and analyze two special cases of interest which have not yet appeared in the literature.
A deep learning computer vision iPad application for Sales Rep optimization in the field
Authors: Sykes Edward R.
Published: February 2021

Computer vision is becoming an increasingly critical area of research, and its applications to real-world problems are gaining significance. In this paper, we describe the design, development and evaluation of our computer vision Faster R-CNN iPad App for Sales Representatives in grocery store environments. Our system aims to assist Sales Reps to be more productive, reduce errors, and provide increased efficiencies. We report on the creation of the iPad app, the data capturing guidelines we created for the creation of good classifiers and the results of professional Sales Reps evaluating our system. Our system was tested in a variety of conditions in grocery store environments and has an accuracy of 99%, a System Usability Score usability score of 85 (high). It supports up to 40 classifiers running concurrently to perform product identification in less than 3.8 s. We also created a set of data capturing guidelines that will enable other researchers to create their own classifiers for these types of products in complex environments (e.g., products with very similar packaging located on shelves).
Disentangling relationships among eastern Mediterranean Cymbalaria including description of a novel species from the southern Peloponnese (Greece)
Authors: Carnicero Pau , Garcia-Jacas Núria , Sáez Llorenç , Constantinidis Theophanis , Galbany-Casals Mercè
Published: February 2021

The eastern Mediterranean basin hosts a remarkably high plant diversity. Historical connections between currently isolated areas across the Aegean region and long-distance dispersal events have been invoked to explain current distribution patterns of species. According to most recent treatments, at least twoCymbalariaspecies occur in this area,Cymbalaria microcalyxandC. longipes. The former comprises several intraspecific taxa, treated at different ranks by different authors based on morphological data, evidencing the need of a taxonomic revision. Additionally, some populations ofC. microcalyxshow exclusive morphological characters that do not match any described taxon. Here, we aim to shed light on the systematics of eastern MediterraneanCymbalariaand to propose a classification informed by various sources of evidence. We performed molecular phylogenetic analyses using ITS, 3’ETS,ndhF andrpl32-trnL sequences and estimated the ploidy level of some taxa performing relative genome size measures. Molecular data combined with morphology support the division of traditionally delimitedC. microcalyxintoC. acutiloba,C. microcalyxandC. minor, corresponding to well-delimited nrDNA lineages. Furthermore, we propose to combineC. microcalyxsubsp.paradoxaat the species level. A group of specimens previously thought to belong toCymbalaria microcalyxconstitute a well-defined phylogenetic and morphological entity and are described here as a new species,Cymbalaria spetae.Cymbalaria longipesis non-monophyletic, but characterized by being glabrous and diploid, unlike other eastern species. The nrDNA data suggest at least two dispersals from the mainland to the Aegean Islands, potentially facilitated by marine regressions.
QM/MM study of the binding of H2 to MoCu CO dehydrogenase: development and applications of improved H2 van der Waals parameters
Authors: Rovaletti Anna , Greco Claudio , Ryde Ulf
Published: February 2021

The MoCu CO dehydrogenase enzyme not only transforms CO into CO2but it can also oxidise H2. Even if its hydrogenase activity has been known for decades, a debate is ongoing on the most plausible mode for the binding of H2to the enzyme active site and the hydrogen oxidation mechanism. In the present work, we provide a new perspective on the MoCu-CODH hydrogenase activity by improving the in silico description of the enzyme. Energy refinement—by means of the BigQM approach—was performed on the intermediates involved in the dihydrogen oxidation catalysis reported in our previously published work (Rovaletti, et al. “Theoretical Insights into the Aerobic Hydrogenase Activity of Molybdenum–Copper CO Dehydrogenase.” Inorganics 7 (2019) 135). A suboptimal description of the H2–HN(backbone) interaction was observed when the van der Waals parameters described in previous literature for H2were employed. Therefore, a new set of van der Waals parameters is developed here in order to better describe the hydrogen–backbone interaction. They give rise to improved binding modes of H2in the active site of MoCu CO dehydrogenase. Implications of the resulting outcomes for a better understanding of hydrogen oxidation catalysis mechanisms are proposed and discussed.
Assessing the learning and transfer of gaze behaviours in immersive virtual reality
Authors: Harris David J. , Hardcastle Kyle J. , Wilson Mark R. , Vine Samuel J.
Published: February 2021

Virtual reality (VR) has clear potential for improving simulation training in many industries. Yet, methods for testing the fidelity, validity and training efficacy of VR environments are, in general, lagging behind their adoption. There is limited understanding of how readily skills learned in VR will transfer, and what features of training design will facilitate effective transfer. Two potentially important elements are the psychological fidelity of the environment, and the stimulus correspondence with the transfer context. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of VR for training police room searching procedures, and assessed the corresponding development of perceptual-cognitive skill through eye-tracking indices of search efficiency. Participants (n = 54) were assigned to a VR rule-learning and search training task (FTG), a search only training task (SG) or a no-practice control group (CG). Both FTG and SG developed more efficient search behaviours during the training task, as indexed by increases in saccade size and reductions in search rate. The FTG performed marginally better than the CG on a novel VR transfer test, but no better than the SG. More efficient gaze behaviours learned during training were not, however, evident during the transfer test. These findings demonstrate how VR can be used to develop perceptual-cognitive skills, but also highlight the challenges of achieving transfer of training.
Partial caging: a clearance-based definition, datasets, and deep learning
Authors: Welle Michael C. , Varava Anastasiia , Mahler Jeffrey , Goldberg Ken , Kragic Danica , Pokorny Florian T.
Published: February 2021

Caging grasps limit the mobility of an object to a bounded component of configuration space. We introduce a notion of partial cage quality based on maximal clearance of an escaping path. As computing this is a computationally demanding task even in a two-dimensional scenario, we propose a deep learning approach. We design two convolutional neural networks and construct a pipeline for real-time planar partial cage quality estimation directly from 2D images of object models and planar caging tools. One neural network, CageMaskNN, is used to identify caging tool locations that can support partial cages, while a second network that we call CageClearanceNN is trained to predict the quality of those configurations. A partial caging dataset of 3811 images of objects and more than 19 million caging tool configurations is used to train and evaluate these networks on previously unseen objects and caging tool configurations. Experiments show that evaluation of a given configuration on a GeForce GTX 1080 GPU takes less than 6 ms. Furthermore, an additional dataset focused on grasp-relevant configurations is curated and consists of 772 objects with 3.7 million configurations. We also use this dataset for 2D Cage acquisition on novel objects. We study how network performance depends on the datasets, as well as how to efficiently deal with unevenly distributed training data. In further analysis, we show that the evaluation pipeline can approximately identify connected regions of successful caging tool placements and we evaluate the continuity of the cage quality score evaluation along caging tool trajectories. Influence of disturbances is investigated and quantitative results are provided.
Contrasting responses of DOM leachates to photodegradation observed in plant species collected along an estuarine salinity gradient
Authors: Schafer Tracey , Powers Leanne , Gonsior Michael , Reddy K. R. , Osborne Todd Z.
Published: February 2021

A series of abiotic processes affected by salinity changes involve light-mediated reactions and different degradation pathways of organic compounds, including altered photo-oxidation, photo-degradation, and photolysis of organic matter (OM). Sunlight is known to degrade, oxidize, or mineralize dissolved organic matter (DOM) in waterways, creating large changes in compositional structure of DOM near the water surface and ultimately in the mixed layer. DOM derived from various vegetation types has differing levels of susceptibility to photolytic degradation depending on initial chemical composition and in what matrix degradation takes place (e.g., salinity). The effect of sunlight and salinity on degradation of leached DOM derived from three dominant vegetative species, Avicennia germinans, Juncus romerianus, and Taxodium distichum, along a riverine continuum in northeast Florida was determined. Leachates from these three sources in a deionized or seawater matrix were irradiated in a continuous flow-through photolytic system over the course of 20 h. Avicennia germinans and Juncus roemerinaus DOM readily degraded as indicated by decreases in absorbance across all wavelengths during the irradiation period, while Taxodium distichum DOM was found to increase in absorbance across all wavelengths in the freshwater matrix, but not in seawater. PARAFAC analysis indicated differences in photochemical components and % change of absorbance and fluorescence over time indicate the importance and variability of individual contributions to the DOM pool across an estuarine continuum. This work characterizes the photochemical properties of three individual DOM sources, exhibits the need for further research on this topic, and explores the salinity effect on photo-degradation of DOM from unique plant-derived DOM.
Precursor fractions of neurotensin and enkephalin might point to molecular mechanisms of cancer risk modulation during a lifestyle-intervention in germline BRCA1/2 gene mutation carriers
Authors: Grill Sabine , Yahiaoui-Doktor Maryam , Basrai Maryam , Struck Joachim , Schulte Janin , Berling-Ernst Anika , Engel Christoph , Ullrich Mirjam , Lammert Jacqueline , Bischoff Stephan C. , Schmidt Thorsten , Niederberger Uwe , Chronas Dimitrios , Rhiem Kerstin , Schmutzler Rita , Halle Martin , Kiechle Marion
Published: February 2021

Background

GermlineBRCA1/2mutation carriers (gBMC) face increased cancer risks that are modulated via non-genetic lifestyle factors whose underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. The peptides Neurotensin (NT) and Enkephalin (ENK)—involved in tumorigenesis and obesity-related diseases—are of interest. We wanted to know whether these biomarkers differ between gBMC and women from the general population and what effect a 1-year lifestyle-intervention has in gBMC.

Methods

The stable precursor fragments pro-NT and pro-ENK were measured at study entry (SE), after 3 and 12 months for 68 women from LIBRE-1 (a controlled lifestyle-intervention feasibility trial for gBMC involving structured endurance training and the Mediterranean Diet). The SE values were compared with a cohort of the general population including female subjects with and without previous cancer disease, non-suggestive for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (OMA-reference). For LIBRE-1, we analysed the association between the intervention-related change in the two biomarkers and certain lifestyle factors.

Results

At SE, gBMC had a higher median pro-NT than OMA-reference (in the subgroups with previous cancer 117 vs. 91 pmol/L,p = 0.002). Non-diseased gBMC had lower median pro-ENK levels when compared to the non-diseased reference group. VO2peak and pro-NT 1-year change in LIBRE-1 were inversely correlated (r = − 0.435; CI − 0.653 to − 0.151;p = 0.004). Pro-ENK correlated positively with VO2peak at SE (r = 0.323; CI 0.061–0.544;p = 0.017). Regression analyses showed an inverse association of 1-year changes for pro-NT and Omega-6/Omega-3 (Estimate: − 37.9,p = 0.097/0.080) in multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

Our results give first indications for lifestyle-related modification particularly of pro-NT in gBMC.
Ruthless Exploiters or Ethical Guardians of the Workforce? Powerful CEOs and their Impact on Workplace Safety and Health
Authors: Haga Jesper , Huhtamäki Fredrik , Sundvik Dennis
Published: February 2021

The allocation of resources among different stakeholders is an ethical dilemma for chief executive officers (CEOs). In this study, we investigate the association between CEO power and workplace injuries and illnesses. We use an establishment-level dataset comprising 31,924 establishment-year observations between 2002 and 2011. Our main result shows that employees at firms with structurally powerful CEOs experience fewer workplace injuries and illnesses and days away from work. We reason that CEOs derive a private benefit from low injury and illness rates and that powerful CEOs are better at influencing employees to take workplace safety and health seriously. Additional analyses reveal fewer injuries and illnesses in firms led by CEOs with expertise power. However, increased injuries and illnesses were linked to firms controlled by CEOs with ownership power. Moreover, we find that structurally powerful CEOs mitigate injury and illness differences in relation to geographical proximity to corporate headquarters. We contribute with both research and practical implications on the topics of CEO power and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in general and workplace safety and health in particular.
Detecting virtual concept drift of regressors without ground truth values
Authors: Oikarinen Emilia , Tiittanen Henri , Henelius Andreas , Puolamäki Kai
Published: February 2021

Regression analysis is a standard supervised machine learning method used to model an outcome variable in terms of a set of predictor variables. In most real-world applications the true value of the outcome variable we want to predict is unknown outside the training data, i.e., the ground truth is unknown. Phenomena such as overfitting and concept drift make it difficult to directly observe when the estimate from a model potentially is wrong. In this paper we present an efficient framework for estimating the generalization error of regression functions, applicable to any family of regression functions when the ground truth is unknown. We present a theoretical derivation of the framework and empirically evaluate its strengths and limitations. We find that it performs robustly and is useful for detecting concept drift in datasets in several real-world domains.
Thinking Technology Big Again. Reconsidering the Question of the Transcendental and ‘Technology with a Capital T’ in the Light of the Anthropocene
Authors: Lemmens Pieter
Published: February 2021

This article has two general aims. It first of all critically reconsiders the empirical turn’s dismissal of transcendentalism in the philosophy of technology, in particular through the work of Ihde and Verbeek, and defends the continuing relevance of the notion of the transcencental in thinking about technology today, illustrating this mainly through a reading of Stiegler’s understanding of the human condition as a technical condition and his view of human (noetic) evolution as proceeding from a process of technical exteriorization. The crucial issue that is missed by postphenomenology and the empirical turn is that technology itself in its empiricity occupies the (periodically changing) place of the transcendental. It thus fails to consider the transcendental operativity of technical artifacts within its own empiricist stance. Secondly, it argues for the continuing importance and usefulness of the idea of Technology with a capital T, equally discarded by the representatives of the empirical turn, in particular against the emerging backdrop of the Anthropocene as the age of decisive anthropogenic forcing of the planet and the growing dominance of what has recently been called the technosphere in Earth system science. With Stiegler I show that a proper, inherent dynamic of technology must be acknowledged historically, anthropologically, techno-evolutionarily as well as (techno)phenomenologically. I conclude by demonstrating that our time of planetary crisis summons us to redirect our attention to technology from the empirical to the transcendental, and from the micro-level to the macro-level again.