bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of ICT by ESL teachers working with young learners during the early COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
Authors: Marchlik Paulina , Wichrowska Kamila , Zubala Ewelina
Published: April 2021

The article presents selected aspects of the empirical qualitative research conducted by the authors at the end of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, in July and August 2020. As in March 2020 SARS-CoV-2 virus started to spread, the Polish Ministry of Education decided to close nearly all educational institutions, and teachers were forced to carry out lessons using the means of distance education. The authors of this paper tried to establish how teachers of English as a second language (ESL) working with young learners in three different types of institutions (public and private (pre-primary and primary) schools, language schools) coped with the situation of teaching a foreign language under these unusual circumstances. One of the results showed that teachers in three types of settings received different support. This either helped them to cope with the new situation of remote teaching, e.g. by choosing a platform for online teaching or providing meetings with a methodologist (private settings and language schools) or caused more confusion by leaving the decisions to the teachers (public settings). The findings of the study may contribute to the knowledge of remote education development and implementation of new technologies in teaching English to young learners, which may result in better quality language education in the future.
The missing link in gravitational-wave astronomy
Authors: Sedda Manuel Arca , Berry Christopher P. L. , Jani Karan , Amaro-Seoane Pau , Auclair Pierre , Baird Jonathon , Baker Tessa , Berti Emanuele , Breivik Katelyn , Caprini Chiara , Chen Xian , Doneva Daniela , Ezquiaga Jose M. , Ford K. E. Saavik , Katz Michael L. , Kolkowitz Shimon , McKernan Barry , Mueller Guido , Nardini Germano , Pikovski Igor , Rajendran Surjeet , Sesana Alberto , Shao Lijing , Tamanini Nicola , Warburton Niels , Witek Helvi , Wong Kaze , Zevin Michael
Published: April 2021

Since 2015 the gravitational-wave observations of LIGO and Virgo have transformed our understanding of compact-object binaries. In the years to come, ground-based gravitational-wave observatories such as LIGO, Virgo, and their successors will increase in sensitivity, discovering thousands of stellar-mass binaries. In the 2030s, the space-based LISA will provide gravitational-wave observations of massive black holes binaries. Between the $\sim 10$
∼
10
–103 Hz band of ground-based observatories and the $\sim 10^{-4}$
∼
1

0

−
4

–10− 1 Hz band of LISA lies the uncharted decihertz gravitational-wave band. We propose a Decihertz Observatory to study this frequency range, and to complement observations made by other detectors. Decihertz observatories are well suited to observation of intermediate-mass ($\sim 10^{2}$
∼
1

0

2

–104M⊙) black holes; they will be able to detect stellar-mass binaries days to years before they merge, providing early warning of nearby binary neutron star mergers and measurements of the eccentricity of binary black holes, and they will enable new tests of general relativity and the Standard Model of particle physics. Here we summarise how a Decihertz Observatory could provide unique insights into how black holes form and evolve across cosmic time, improve prospects for both multimessenger astronomy and multiband gravitational-wave astronomy, and enable new probes of gravity, particle physics and cosmology.
High-Level Parallel Ant Colony Optimization with Algorithmic Skeletons
Authors: de Melo Menezes Breno A. , Herrmann Nina , Kuchen Herbert , Buarque de Lima Neto Fernando
Published: April 2021

Parallel implementations of swarm intelligence algorithms such as the ant colony optimization (ACO) have been widely used to shorten the execution time when solving complex optimization problems. When aiming for a GPU environment, developing efficient parallel versions of such algorithms using CUDA can be a difficult and error-prone task even for experienced programmers. To overcome this issue, the parallel programming model ofAlgorithmic Skeletonssimplifies parallel programs by abstracting from low-level features. This is realized by defining common programming patterns (e.g. map, fold and zip) that later on will be converted to efficient parallel code. In this paper, we show how algorithmic skeletons formulated in the domain specific languageMusketcan cope with the development of a parallel implementation of ACO and how that compares to a low-level implementation. Our experimental results show thatMusketsuits the development of ACO. Besides making it easier for the programmer to deal with the parallelization aspects,Musketgenerates high performance code with similar execution times when compared to low-level implementations.
MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase: EC 1.5.1.20) SNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) and homocysteine in patients referred for investigation of fertility
Authors: Ménézo Yves , Patrizio Pasquale , Alvarez Silvia , Amar Edouard , Brack Michel , Brami Charles , Chouteau Jacques , Clement Arthur , Clement Patrice , Cohen Marc , Cornet Dominique , Dale Brian , D’ Amato Guiseppe , Jacquesson-Fournols Laetitia , Mares Pierre , Neveux Paul , Sage Jean Clement , Servy Edouard , Huong To Minh , Viot Geraldine
Published: April 2021

Purpose

MTHFR, one of the major enzymes in the folate cycle, is known to acquire single-nucleotide polymorphisms that significantly reduce its activity, resulting in an increase in circulating homocysteine. Methylation processes are of crucial importance in gametogenesis, involved in the regulation of imprinting and epigenetic tags on DNA and histones. We have retrospectively assessed the prevalence of MTHFR SNPs in a population consulting for infertility according to gender and studied the impact of the mutations on circulating homocysteine levels.

Methods

More than 2900 patients having suffered at least two miscarriages (2 to 9) or two failed IVF/ICSI (2 to 10) attempts were included for analysis of MTHFR SNPs C677T and A1298C. Serum homocysteine levels were measured simultaneously.

Results

We observed no difference in the prevalence of different genetic backgrounds between men and women; only 15% of the patients were found to be wild type. More than 40% of the patients are either homozygous for one SNP or compound heterozygous carriers. As expected, the C677T SNP shows the greatest adverse effect on homocysteine accumulation. The impact of MTHFR SNPs on circulating homocysteine is different in men than in women.

Conclusions

Determination of MTHFR SNPs in both men and women must be seriously advocated in the presence of long-standing infertility; male gametes, from MTHFR SNPs carriers, are not exempted from exerting a hazardous impact on fertility. Patients should be informed of the pleiotropic medical implications of these SNPs for their own health, as well as for the health of future children.
Quantifying the effects of long-range 13C-13C dipolar coupling on measured relaxation rates in RNA
Authors: Olenginski Lukasz T. , Dayie Theodore K.
Published: April 2021

Selective stable isotope labeling has transformed structural and dynamics analysis of RNA by NMR spectroscopy. These methods can remove 13C-13C dipolar couplings that complicate 13C relaxation analyses. While these phenomena are well documented for sites with adjacent 13C nuclei (e.g. ribose C1′), less is known about so-called isolated sites (e.g. adenosine C2). To investigate and quantify the effects of long-range (> 2 Å) 13C-13C dipolar interactions on RNA dynamics, we simulated adenosine C2 relaxation rates in uniformly [U-13C/15N]-ATP or selectively [2-13C]-ATP labeled RNAs. Our simulations predict non-negligible 13C-13C dipolar contributions from adenosine C4, C5, and C6 to C2 longitudinal (R1) relaxation rates in [U-13C/15N]-ATP labeled RNAs. Moreover, these contributions increase at higher magnetic fields and molecular weights to introduce discrepancies that exceed 50%. This will become increasingly important at GHz fields. Experimental R1 measurements in the 61 nucleotide human hepatitis B virus encapsidation signal ε RNA labeled with [U-13C/15N]-ATP or [2-13C]-ATP corroborate these simulations. Thus, in the absence of selectively labeled samples, long-range 13C-13C dipolar contributions must be explicitly taken into account when interpreting adenosine C2 R1 rates in terms of motional models for large RNAs.
Strategies for an Efficient Official Publicity Campaign
Authors: Neirotti Juan
Published: April 2021

We consider the process of opinion formation, in a society where there is a set of rulesBthat indicates whether a social instance is acceptable. Public opinion is formed by the integration of the voters’ attitudes which can be either conservative (mostly in agreement withB) or liberal (mostly in disagreement withBand in agreement with peer voters). These attitudes are represented by stable fixed points in the phase space of the system. In this article we study the properties of a perturbative term, mimicking the effects of a publicity campaign, that pushes the system from the basin of attraction of the liberal fixed point into the basin of the conservative point, when both fixed points are equally likely.
An Augmented Lagrangian Method for Cardinality-Constrained Optimization Problems
Authors: Kanzow Christian , Raharja Andreas B. , Schwartz Alexandra
Published: April 2021

A reformulation of cardinality-constrained optimization problems into continuous nonlinear optimization problems with an orthogonality-type constraint has gained some popularity during the last few years. Due to the special structure of the constraints, the reformulation violates many standard assumptions and therefore is often solved using specialized algorithms. In contrast to this, we investigate the viability of using a standard safeguarded multiplier penalty method without any problem-tailored modifications to solve the reformulated problem. We prove global convergence towards an (essentially strongly) stationary point under a suitable problem-tailored quasinormality constraint qualification. Numerical experiments illustrating the performance of the method in comparison to regularization-based approaches are provided.
Chinese teachers’ perceptions of an online teacher course and its results
Authors: Li Nan , Taconis Ruurd , den Brok Perry
Published: April 2021

We investigated teachers’ perceptions of an online inservice teacher course in China and its outcomes, as well as connections between these two types of perceptions. Data were collected from a sample of 251 teachers following a course on Information and Communication Technology in education using a questionnaire survey and interviews. Teachers were generally satisfied with the setup and content of the course, but considered that interaction during training and motivation were not optimal. A correlation analysis showed that teachers’ perceptions of the course were significantly and positively related to their perceptions of training outcomes. Regression analyses revealed that the connection of training content with teachers’ daily practice contributed most positively to teachers’ perceptions of the training outcomes. Suggestions for optimizing online inservice teacher courses are provided.
Ricoeur’s hermeneutic arc and the “narrative turn” in the ethics of care
Authors: Russo Maria Teresa
Published: April 2021

“Patient-centred care” is the recent response to the malaise produced in the field of health care from the point of view both of a technical mentality and the paternalistic model. The interest in the story-telling approach shown by both the humanities and the social sciences has favoured a “narrative turn” in medicine too, where the new ethics of therapeutic relationship consider the hermeneutic method a means by which to integrate evidence and subjectivity, scientific data and patient experience. The aim of this paper is to show how Ricoeur’s theory of “threefold mimesis” makes a conceptual contribution to the use of narrative interviews in nursing and also be successfully transferred into and applied in the field of healthcare in general. First, the paper examines how this narrative approach might open up new possibilities for the acquisition of in-depth knowledge of patients’ life experiences, a condition indispensable for the improvement of the quality of care. Secondly, it highlights how this Ricoeurian method seems capable of provide an opportunity for healthcare professionals to review their own understanding of the caregiver-patient therapeutic relationship, beginning with their confrontation with the patient’s world as revealed by the narrative they provide.
Productive fitness in diversity-aware evolutionary algorithms
Authors: Gabor Thomas , Phan Thomy , Linnhoff-Popien Claudia
Published: April 2021

In evolutionary algorithms, the notion of diversity has been adopted from biology and is used to describe the distribution of a population of solution candidates. While it has been known that maintaining a reasonable amount of diversity often benefits the overall result of the evolutionary optimization process by adjusting the exploration/exploitation trade-off, little has been known about what diversity is optimal. We introduce the notion of productive fitness based on the effect that a specific solution candidate has some generations down the evolutionary path. We derive the notion of final productive fitness, which is the ideal target fitness for any evolutionary process. Although it is inefficient to compute, we show empirically that it allows for ana posteriorianalysis of how well a given evolutionary optimization process hit the ideal exploration/exploitation trade-off, providing insight intowhydiversity-aware evolutionary optimization often performs better.
Maintenance of the Neuroprotective Function of the Amino Group Blocked Fluorescence-Agmatine
Authors: Barua Sumit , Sim A Young , Kim Jong Youl , Shin Injae , Lee Jong Eun
Published: April 2021

Agmatine, an endogenous derivative of arginine, has been found to be effective in treating idiopathic pain, convulsion, stress-mediated behavior, and attenuate the withdrawal symptoms of drugs like morphine. In the early stages of ischemic brain injury in animals, exogenous agmatine treatment was found to be neuroprotective. Agmatine is also considered as a putative neurotransmitter and is still an experimental drug. Chemically, agmatine is called agmatine 1-(4-aminobutyl guanidine). Crystallographic study data show that positively-charged guanidine can bind to the protein containing Gly and Asp residues, and the amino group can interact with the complimentary sites of Glu and Ser. In this study, we blocked the amino end of the agmatine by conjugating it with FITC, but the guanidine end was unchanged. We compared the neuroprotective function of the agmatine and agmatine-FITC by treating them in neurons after excitotoxic stimulation. We found that even the amino end blocked neuronal viability in the excitotoxic condition, by NMDA treatment for 1 h, was increased by agmatine-FITC, which was similar to that of agmatine. We also found that the agmatine-FITC treatment reduced the expression of nitric oxide production in NMDA-treated cells. This study suggests that even if the amino end of agmatine is blocked, it can perform its neuroprotective function.
Brassica napus phyllosphere bacterial composition changes with growth stage
Authors: Bell Jennifer K. , Helgason Bobbi , Siciliano Steven D.
Published: April 2021

Aims

Phyllosphere bacteria play critical roles in plant growth promotion, disease suppression and global nutrient cycling but remain understudied.

Methods

In this project, we examined the bacterial community on the phyllosphere of eight diverse lines ofBrassica napusfor ten weeks in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada.

Results

The bacterial community was shaped largely by plant growth stage with distinct communities present before and after flowering. Bacterial diversity before flowering had 111 core members with high functional potential, with the peak of diversity being reached during flowering. After flowering, bacterial diversity dropped quickly and sharply to 16 members of the core community, suggesting that the plant did not support the same functional potential anymore.B. napusline had little effect on the larger community, but appeared to have more of an effect on the rare bacteria.

Conclusions

Our work suggests that the dominant bacterial community is driven by plant growth stage, whereas differences in plant line seemed to affect rare bacteria. The role of these rare bacteria in plant health remains unresolved.
Intentional mind-wandering as intentional omission: the surrealist method
Authors: Arango-Muñoz Santiago , Bermúdez Juan Pablo
Published: April 2021

Mind-wandering seems to be paradigmatically unintentional. However, experimental findings have yielded the paradoxical result that mind-wandering can also be intentional. In this paper, we first present the paradox of intentional mind-wandering and then explain intentional mind-wandering as the intentional omission to control one’s own thoughts. Finally, we present the surrealist method for artistic production to illustrate how intentional omission of control over thoughts can be deployed towards creative endeavors.
Practical reasoning and degrees of outright belief
Authors: Schulz Moritz
Published: April 2021

According to a suggestion by Williamson (Knowledge and its limits, Oxford University Press, 2000, p. 99), outright belief comes in degrees: one has a high/low degree of belief iff one is willing to rely on the content of one’s belief in high/low-stakes practical reasoning. This paper develops anepistemic normfor degrees of outright belief so construed. Starting from the assumption that outright belief aims at knowledge, it is argued that degrees of belief aim at various levels ofstrong knowledge, that is, knowledge which satisfies particularly high epistemic standards. This account is contrasted with and shown to be superior to an alternative proposal according to which higher degrees of outright belief aim at higher-order knowledge. In an “Appendix”, it is indicated that the logic of degrees of outright belief is closely linked toranking theory.
Certainty-Based Marking on Multiple-Choice Items: Psychometrics Meets Decision Theory
Authors: Wu Qian , Vanerum Monique , Agten Anouk , Christiansen Andrés , Vandenabeele Frank , Rigo Jean-Michel , Janssen Rianne
Published: April 2021

When a response to a multiple-choice item consists of selecting a single-best answer, it is not possible for examiners to differentiate between a response that is a product of knowledge and one that is largely a product of uncertainty. Certainty-based marking (CBM) is one testing format that requires examinees to express their degree of certainty on the response option they have selected, leading to an item score that depends both on the correctness of an answer and the certainty expressed. The expected score is maximized if examinees truthfully report their level of certainty. However, prospect theory states that people do not always make rational choices of the optimal outcome due to varying risk attitudes. By integrating a psychometric model and a decision-making perspective, the present study looks into the response behaviors of 334 first-year students of physiotherapy on six multiple-choice examinations with CBM in a case study. We used item response theory to model the objective probability of students giving a correct response to an item, and cumulative prospect theory to estimate their risk attitudes when students choose to report their certainty. The results showed that with the given CBM scoring matrix, students’ choices of a certainty level were affected by their risk attitudes. Students were generally risk averse and loss averse when they had a high success probability on an item, leading to an under-reporting of their certainty. Meanwhile, they were risk seeking in case of small success probabilities on the items, resulting in the over-reporting of certainty.
Relationship between multi-scale climate factors and performance of ecological engineering on the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: He Panxing , Ma Jun , Han Zhiming , Shi Mingjie , Xu Dongxiang , Sun Zongjiu
Published: April 2021

The long-term “Grain-to-Green Program” (GGP) on China’s Loess Plateau is a major global ecological engineering project which has significantly boosted vegetation renewal. Some studies have found that the rate of restoration is quite rapid during the implementation of ecological engineering, however, the influence of multi-scale climatic conditions on the performance of ecological engineering is unclear. In this study, multiple sources of remote sensing data were used to estimate the dynamics of vegetation structural and functional indicators, water-related local climatic factors, and atmospheric circulation factors. These datasets were also used to detect possible causes for vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau over the past 20 years. The results show that widespread increases in rates of normalized difference vegetation indexes (NDVI), leaf area indexes (LAI), gross primary production (GPP), and aboveground biomass carbon (ABC) during 2000–2016 were significantly higher than before 2000. GPP was significantly correlated with rainfall and surface runoff on a monthly scale, and there were significant positive correlations between GPP and atmospheric circulation. Our results demonstrate that both vegetation structural and functional indicators rapidly increase, and ecological engineering greatly accelerated vegetation restoration after 2000. Local climatic conditions and atmospheric circulation patterns enhance vegetation growth and impact of ecological engineering.
IGF-1R nuclear import and recruitment to chromatin involves both alpha and beta subunits
Authors: Mills Jack V. , Osher Eliot , Rieunier Guillaume , Mills Ian G. , Macaulay Valentine M.
Published: April 2021

Mature type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptors (IGF-1Rs) are heterotetrameric structures comprising two extracellular α-subunits disulphide-bonded to two transmembrane β-subunits with tyrosine kinase activity. IGF-1R is a well-known cell surface mediator of malignant growth, with an incompletely understood role upon nuclear import as a transcriptional regulator. Previous characterisation of nuclear IGF-1R focused on IGF-1Rβ. Here, we aimed to clarify the source of nuclear IGF-1R and investigate whether α-subunits contribute to nuclear IGF-1R function. Using prostate cancer cell lines DU145 and 22Rv1 we detected nuclear α- and β-subunits, with increase in nuclear signal upon IGF-treatment and reduction in response to IGF-1R inhibitor BMS-754807. Following biotinylation of cell surface proteins, biotinylated α- and β-subunits were detected in nuclear extracts of both cell lines. Furthermore, α- and β-subunits reciprocally co-precipitated from nuclear extract. Finally, we detected recruitment of both subunits to regulatory regions of chromatin, including the promoter of the oncogeneJUN, that we previously identified in ChIP-seq as sites of IGF-1Rβ enrichment. These data confirm the cell surface origin of nuclear IGF-1R, suggest the presence of nuclear αβ complexes and reveal that both IGF-1Rα- and β-subunits contribute to pro-tumorigenic functions of nuclear IGF-1R.
Nutritional niche separation between native roe deer and the nonnative fallow deer—a test of interspecific competition
Authors: Rautiainen Heidi , Bergvall Ulrika A , Felton Annika M , Tigabu Mulualem , Kjellander Petter
Published: April 2021

On an evolutionary time scale, competition for food drives species formation by genetic adaptations to the environment and subsequent niche separation. On a short-term scale, animals use different strategies to meet their nutritional requirements, which ultimately influence their fitness. Understanding these adaptations in herbivores is especially important in temperate climates where animals have adapted both physiologically and behaviorally to seasonal variations in order to meet their nutritional requirements. The aim of this project was to investigate temporal variation in chemical composition of rumen content between two coexisting species of large herbivores, the native roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) and the introduced fallow deer (Dama dama L.), as well as a potential effect of competition on niche separation (interspecific differences in rumen nutrient composition). We analyzed 345 rumen samples collected from animals at one 95 km2estate, Koberg, in southwestern Sweden. Based on samples from all seasons, temporal variation in nutrient composition and interspecific differences between the two deer species were investigated under two contrasting fallow deer population densities. Results revealed that nutrient composition varied between species and across seasons. Roe deer had a higher proportion of rumen protein compared to fallow deer, with the highest proportions in spring. In contrast, fallow deer had a higher proportion of rumen hemicellulose compared to roe deer in spring, while no differences in nutrient composition between species could be found in fall. Overall, there were greater differences between the two species when fallow deer density was high and competition likely more pronounced than when fallow deer density was low. The results from this study can be used to understand interspecific competition and how it fosters niche separation between coexisting large herbivores.
Exploring the Relationships Between Resilience and News Monitoring with COVID Distress in Health Profession Students
Authors: Yu Allison , Wilkes Michael , Iosif Ana-Maria , Rea Margaret , Fisher Alice , Fine Jeffrey , Perry Ross , Rice Elizabeth , Jandrey Karl , Griffin Erin , Sciolla Andres
Published: April 2021

Objective

Alarming rates of anxiety and burnout in pre-clinical health profession trainees are now challenged by additional COVID-19 stressors. This study explored COVID-related stressors among first-year medical, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, and veterinary medical students. The authors examined associations between resilience, news monitoring, and COVID stress.

Methods

Students completed an online questionnaire that included the Brief Resilience Scale at their matriculation in August 2019. Survey results were linked to demographic information collected by all schools. A follow-up survey in May 2020 included original questions on COVID-19 stressors and news monitoring. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression models.

Results

Across schools, 74% (266/360) provided consent for the 2019 survey, and 76% (201/264) responded to COVID-19 questions in the follow-up 2020 survey. Students were “extremely” or “very” concerned about family members getting infected (n = 71, 76% School of Medicine (SOM); n = 31, 76% School of Nursing (SON); n = 50, 75% School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM)) and curriculum schedule changes (n = 72, 78%, SOM; n = 28, 68% SON; n = 52, 79% SVM). Greater frequency of COVID news monitoring was associated with greater COVID-related stress (p = 0.02). Higher resilience at matriculation was associated with lower COVID-related stress ten months later (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Amid COVID-19 uncertainty, health science schools should address the immense student stress regarding curriculum disruptions. The results of this study underscore the powerful role of resilience in protecting against stress not only during the known academic rigor of health professions training but also during unprecedented crises.
3D printed ceramics as solid supports for enzyme immobilization: an automated DoE approach for applications in continuous flow
Authors: Valotta Alessia , Maier Manuel C. , Soritz Sebastian , Pauritsch Magdalena , Koenig Michael , Brouczek Dominik , Schwentenwein Martin , Gruber-Woelfler Heidrun
Published: April 2021

In recent years, 3D printing has emerged in the field of chemical engineering as a powerful manufacturing technique to rapidly design and produce tailor-made reaction equipment. In fact, reactors with complex internal geometries can be easily fabricated, optimized and interchanged in order to respond to precise process needs, such as improved mixing and increased surface area. These advantages make them interesting especially for catalytic applications, since customized structured bed reactors can be easily produced. 3D printing applications are not limited to reactor design, it is also possible to realize functional low cost alternatives to analytical equipment that can be used to increase the level of process understanding while keeping the investment costs low. In this work, in-house designed ceramic structured inserts printed via vat photopolymerization (VPP) are presented and characterized. The flow behavior inside these inserts was determined with residence time distribution (RTD) experiments enabled by in-house designed and 3D printed inline photometric flow cells. As a proof of concept, these structured inserts were fitted in an HPLC column to serve as solid inorganic supports for the immobilization of the enzyme Phenolic acid Decarboxylase (bsPAD), which catalyzes the decarboxylation of cinnamic acids. The conversion of coumaric acid to vinylphenol was chosen as a model system to prove the implementation of these engineered inserts in a continuous biocatalytic application with high product yield and process stability. The setup was further automated in order to quickly identify the optimum operating conditions via a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach. The use of a systematic optimization, together with the adaptability of 3D printed equipment to the process requirements, render the presented approach highly promising for a more feasible implementation of biocatalysts in continuous industrial processes.
A Phase I Clinical Trial to Assess Safety and Tolerability of Injectable Collagenase in Women with Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids
Authors: Singh Bhuchitra , Sims Holly , Trueheart Irene , Simpson Khara , Wang Karen C. , Patzkowsky Kristin , Wegman Thomas , Soma Jean-Marie , Dixon Rosina , Jayes Friederike , Voegltine Kristin , Yenokyan Gayane , Su Szu-Chi , Leppert Phyllis , Segars James H.
Published: April 2021

Uterine fibroids feature excessive deposition of types I and III collagen. Previous ex vivo studies showed an FDA-approved collagenase (EN3835)-digested types I and III collagen fibers in fibroid tissues; however, collagenase had not been evaluated in vivo for effects on uterine fibroids. The objective was to assess the safety and tolerability of collagenase injection directly into uterine fibroids. This was a prospective, open label, dose escalation study. The study participants were fifteen women aged 35–50 years with symptomatic uterine fibroids planning to undergo hysterectomy. Three subjects received saline and methylene blue, three subjects received a fixed dose of EN3835, and 9 subjects received stepped, increasing dosages of EN3835, all by transvaginal, ultrasound-guided injections. Primary outcome measures were safety and tolerability of the injection and change in collagen content between treated and control tissues. There were no significant adverse events following injection of EN3835 into uterine fibroids. Masson’s trichrome stains revealed a 39% reduction in collagen content in treated samples compared to controls (p <0.05). Second harmonic generation (SHG) analysis showed treated samples to have a 21% reduction in density of collagen compared to controls. Picrosirius-stained collagenase-treated fibroids showed collagen fibers to be shorter and less dense compared to controls. Subjects reported a decrease in fibroid-related pain on the McGill Pain Questionnaire after study drug injection in Group 2 at both 4–8 days and 60–90 days post-injection. The findings indicated that injection of collagenase was safe and well tolerated. These results support further clinical investigation of collagenase as a minimally invasive treatment of uterine fibroids. NCT0289848.
ASYMPTOTICS FOR SYSTEMIC RISK WITH DEPENDENT HEAVY-TAILED LOSSES
Authors: Liu Jiajun , Yang Yang
Published: April 2021

Systemic risk (SR) is considered as the risk of collapse of an entire system, which has played a significant role in explaining the recent financial turmoils from the insurance and financial industries. We consider the asymptotic behavior of the SR for portfolio losses in the model allowing for heavy-tailed primary losses, which are equipped with a wide type of dependence structure. This risk model provides an ideal framework for addressing both heavy-tailedness and dependence. As some extensions, several simulation experiments are conducted, where an insurance application of the asymptotic characterization to the determination and approximation of related SR capital has been proposed, based on the SR measure.
Ahlfors regularity and fractal dimension of Smale spaces
Authors: GERONTOGIANNIS DIMITRIS MICHAIL
Published: April 2021

We prove that, up to topological conjugacy, every Smale space admits an Ahlfors regular Bowen measure. Bowen’s construction of Markov partitions implies that Smale spaces are factors of topological Markov chains. The latter are equipped with Parry’s measure, which is Ahlfors regular. By extending Bowen’s construction, we create a tool for transferring the Ahlfors regularity of the Parry measure down to the Bowen measure of the Smale space. An essential part of our method uses a refined notion of approximation graphs over compact metric spaces. Moreover, we obtain new estimates for the Hausdorff, box-counting and Assouad dimensions of a large class of Smale spaces.
Consultant psychiatrists’ experience of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health services
Authors: Kelleher E. , Geary E. H. , Tawfik M. , Ní Mhuircheartaigh E. , Gavin B. , Wall M. , Lyne J. P. , Doherty A. M. , McNicholas F.
Published: April 2021

Objectives:

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide threatening human health. To reduce transmission, a ‘lockdown’ was introduced in Ireland between March and May 2020. The aim of this study is to capture the experiences of consultant psychiatrists during lockdown and their perception of it’s impact on mental health services.

Methods:

A questionnaire designed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists was adapted and circulated to consultant members of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland following the easing of restrictions. The questionnaire assessed the perceived impact on referral rates, mental health act provision, availability of information technology (IT), consultant well-being and availability of personal protective equipment (PPE). Thematic analysis was employed to analyse free-text sections.

Results:

Response rate was 32% (n = 197/623). Consultants reported an initial decrease/significant decrease in referrals in the first month of lockdown (68%, n = 95/140) followed by an increase/significant increase in the second month for both new (83%, n = 100/137) and previously attending patients (65%, n = 88/136). Social isolation and reduced face-to-face mental health supports were among the main reasons identified. The needs of children and older adults were highlighted. Most consultants (76%, n = 98/129) felt their working day was affected and their well-being reduced (52%, n = 61/119). The majority felt IT equipment availability was inadequate (67%, n = 88/132). Main themes identified from free-text sections were service management, relationship between patients and healthcare service and effects on consultants’ lives.

Conclusions:

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed increased pressure on service provision and consultant wellness. This further supports the longstanding need to increase mental health service investment.
Sudden hearing loss and coronavirus disease 2019: the role of corticosteroid intra-tympanic injection in hearing improvement
Authors: Rahimi V , Asiyabar M K , Rouhbakhsh N
Published: April 2021

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 was first seen in December 2019. Due to the insidious and complex nature of the disease, the list of symptoms is rapidly expanding. So far, few studies have reported sudden sensorineural hearing loss as a possible symptom of coronavirus disease 2019.

Case report

A 60-year-old woman with a complaint of sudden sensorineural hearing loss and subjective severe tinnitus presented to the ENT clinic. Coronavirus disease 2019 was subsequently confirmed with a polymerase chain reaction test. At the time of presentation, she was treated with intra-tympanic dexamethasone. Improvements in hearing threshold and speech perception, and a subjective reduction in tinnitus, were observed after treatment.

Conclusion

This case report supports evidence from other case reports of a possible association between coronavirus disease 2019 and sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss may be a symptom of this disease that behaves as an underlying aggravating factor. Intra-tympanic injection of corticosteroids is recommended for managing these patients during the pandemic.
TheSaikewiczDecision: A Medical Viewpoint
Authors: Relman Arnold S.
Published: April 2021

In this Article, Dr. Arnold S. Relman, the Editor ofThe New England Journal of Medicine,takes issue with the 1977Saikewiczdecision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, which addressed the question of whether chemotherapy should be provided to a severely retarded 67-year-old man who had developed acute leukemia. Dr. Relman interpretsSaikewiczas requiring that medical treatment decisions involving the life or death of incompetent patients must receive judicial resolution instead of resolution by the patient's family and physicians. This rule, he asserts, violates medical tradition, and its application will result in serious problems, such as the unnecessary prolongation of the suffering of many seriously ill persons. Dr. Relman proposes, as an alternative to theSaikewiczapproach, that in such cases judicial resolution should occur only when there is disagreement, concerning treatment, among next of kin, or between next of kin and attending physicians, or when there is a complaint of injury or of wrongdoing. In all other situations, resolution solely by next of kin and attending physicians should be sufficient. Adequate protection of the interests of the incompetent patient could be achieved by a requirement that the physician in charge document in the medical record that the treatment decision received the concurrence of the family and advance approval of a group of the physician's professional colleagues who have no vested interest in the outcome of the decision.
Private Credentialing of Health Care Personnel: An Antitrust Perspective
Authors: Havighurst Clark C. , King Nancy M. P.
Published: April 2021

Having argued in Part One against extensive judicial or regulatory interference with private personnel credentialing in the health care field, this Article now shifts its focus to emphasize the anticompetitive hazards inherent in credentialing as practiced by professional interests. Competitor-sponsored credentialing is shown to be a vital part of a larger cartel strategy to curb competition by standardizing personnel and services and controlling the flow of information to health care consumers. Instead of altering the conclusions reached in Part One, however, Part Two sets forth a new and hitherto unexplored agenda for antitrust enforcement, one that the authors believe will increase the quantity and quality of information available to consumers and offer a fairer competitive environment to individuals and groups disadvantaged by the denial of desirable credentials. The specific targets singled out for antitrust scrutiny are (1) the practice of "grandfathering," by which new candidates for credentials are required to meet tougher requirements than were met by existing credential holders; (2) agreements to standardize educational programs if they go beyond setting and applying accrediting standards and impair the freedom of institutions to decide independently whether to offer unaccredited training; (3) agreements by which independent certifying or accrediting bodies limit the nature or scope of competition among themselves; and (4) mergers and joint ventures in credentialing and accrediting. The legal theory supporting antitrust attacks in the latter two categories is strengthened by the apparently original insight that commercial information and opinion are themselves articles of commerce such that agreements and combinations restricting their nature and output can be characterized as restraints of trade. Among the many self-regulatory institutions in the health care field whose operation or sponsorship is called into question by the analysis herein are the leading medical specialty boards, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, various accrediting and certifying bodies in the allied health occupations, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
Atypical presentation of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W disease is associated with the introduction of the 2013 strain
Authors: Säll Olof , Stenmark Bianca , Jacobsson Susanne , Eriksson Lorraine , Thulin Hedberg Sara , Hertting Olof , Fredlund Hans , Sundqvist Martin , Mölling Paula
Published: April 2021

Since 2015, the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) caused by serogroup W (MenW) has increased in Sweden, due to the introduction of the 2013 strain belonging to clonal complex 11. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of MenW infections, in particular the 2013 strain, including genetic associations. Medical records of confirmed MenW IMD cases in Sweden during the years 1995–2019 (n = 113) were retrospectively reviewed and the clinical data analysed according to strain. Of all MenW patients, bacteraemia without the focus of infection was seen in 44%, bacteraemic pneumonia in 26%, meningitis in 13% and epiglottitis in 8%, gastrointestinal symptoms in 48% and 4% presented with petechiae. Phylogenetic analysis was used for possible links between genetic relationship and clinical picture. The 2013 strain infections, particularly in one cluster, were associated with more severe disease compared with other MenW infections. The patients with 2013 strain infections (n = 68) were older (52 years vs. 25 years for other strains), presented more often with diarrhoea as an atypical presentation (P = 0.045) and were more frequently admitted for intensive care (P = 0.032). There is a risk that the atypical clinical presentation of MenW infections, with predominantly gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms rather than neck stiffness or petechiae, may lead to delay in life-saving treatment.
Shift-&-Persist and discrimination predicting depression across the life course: An accelerated longitudinal design using MIDUSI-III
Authors: Christophe N. Keita , Stein Gabriela L.
Published: April 2021

Life course theorists posit that sensitive periods exist during life span development where risk and protective factors may be particularly predictive of psychological outcomes relative to other periods in life. While there have been between-cohort studies trying to examine differences in discrimination and depressive symptoms, these studies have not been designed to identify these sensitive periods, which are best modeled by examining intra-individual change across time. To identify sensitive periods where discrimination and shift-&-persist (S&P) – a coping strategy that may protect against the negative impact of discrimination – are most strongly predictive of depressive symptoms, we employed latent growth curve modeling using an accelerated longitudinal design to track intra-individual change in depressive symptoms from ages 20–69. Participants were 3,685 adults measured at three time points ~10 years apart from the Midlife in the United States study (Mage = 37.93, SD = 6.948 at Wave I). Results identified two sensitive periods in development where high levels of S&P interacted with discrimination to protect against depressive symptoms; during the 30s and a lagged effect where 40's S&P protected against depressive symptoms when participants were in their 50s. Implications for the life course study of discrimination, coping, and depression are discussed.
Looking Out For (White) Australia
Authors: Flannery Belinda J. , Watt Susan E. , Schutte Nicola S.
Published: April 2021

Abstract. We conceptualized and developed a measure of right-wing protective popular nationalism (RWPPN) – a specific form of popular nationalism where people seek to protect the national culture from outgroup influences. RWPPN is derived from a sociological analysis of right-wing popular nationalism in Australia and is theoretically related to several key psychological constructs, including right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), social dominance orientation (SDO), and symbolic threat. We conducted two surveys using nationally representative samples of Australian citizens. In study 1 ( n = 657), participants completed measures of RWPPN and related constructs. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a 10-item scale. Construct validity was tested and confirmed across divergent, convergent, predictive, and concurrent validation domains. Additional convergent validation with RWA and SDO was tested in study 2 ( n = 316). Together, RWPPN was found to relate to expressions of national identity, prejudice, perceived outgroup threat, opposition to multiculturalism, and aggressive tendencies toward ethnic minorities. These effects remained significant when controlling for nationalism (measured as a concern for national superiority) and blind patriotism. In study 2, the effect on aggressive tendencies held when controlling for RWA and SDO and RWPPN mediated the relationship between RWA and aggressive tendencies. Reflecting the conservative nature of Australian popular nationalism, RWPPN correlated with right-wing political alignment. The research was conducted in Australia, but given the rise in right-wing populism internationally, RWPPN may be a phenomenon in other countries. Therefore, this paper offers a new construct and scale to investigate it in Australia and internationally.
Normalization Method and Application for MODIS TEB Assessments Using Earth Scene Measurements
Authors: Chang Tiejun , Xiong Xiaoxiong , Shrestha Ashish , Diaz Carlos Perez
Published: April 2021

Selected Earth targets are commonly used for satellite sensor calibration assessments (e.g., sensor stability and inter‐comparisons). Moreover, typical scenes used for the calibration assessment of the thermal emissive bands (TEBs) include Dome Concordia (Dome‐C), ocean, desert, and deep convective clouds (DCC). Reference data used for these calibration assessments can come from another band, another instrument, or ground measurements. The Dome‐C site, covered with uniformly distributed permanent snow, is normally used for the assessment of the TEBs at cold temperatures. Furthermore, ocean and desert measurements prove useful for scenes with higher temperatures. The DCC, one of the most consistent and coldest targets, can be used for the TEBs calibration and product stability assessments. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) band 31 (∼11 μm) can be used as a reference for these scenes. However, measurements over these scenes have seasonal variations, and the DCC brightness temperatures (BTs) have asymmetrical distributions. These features can introduce additional uncertainty to the stability assessments. A normalization method is applied by using an empirical model to derive reference‐dependent BTs. Using the developed empirical model, measurements can be normalized to a reference BT in order to enhance the calibration assessment's accuracy. This method is evaluated using all four scene types (i.e., ocean, desert, snow (Dome‐C), and DCC) and applied to all the Terra and Aqua MODIS TEBs. Stability assessments over the instruments' entire data records are presented and discussed. The technique can be applied in future efforts to support MODIS TEBs calibration assessments.