bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disc battery ingestion in paediatric age
Authors: Quitadamo Paolo , Caruso Flora , del Monaco Casimiro , Fiori Nastro Francesca , Verde Alessandra , Dolce Pasquale , Caldore Mariano , Bucci Cristina
Published: April 2022

Aim

The aim of the present study was to analyse clinical data of children referred for disc battery ingestion in order to assess short‐ and long‐term reported injuries and to identify outcome predictors and trends, define the urgency of intervention and refine treatment guidelines.

Methods

The records of all children admitted to Santobono‐Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy for disc battery ingestion from January 2016 to December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Odds ratio were computed to assess the association between the different study variables and the rate of complications.

Results

We enrolled 118 children. Mild to major complications related to the ingested disc batteries were reported in 12/118 (10.2%) patients. Disc battery oesophageal retention, disc battery diameter >20 mm, together with age below 1 year and symptomatic presentation were the most important factors associated with poor clinical outcome.

Conclusion

Our data confirm that ingested disc batteries are a serious health hazard and require a timely and qualified medical evaluation. We have identified three predictors of outcome severity: oesophageal retention, large‐diameter cells and symptom onset. Disc batteries lodged beyond the oesophagus appear substantially harmless and we may support a more conservative approach.
Influence of different packaging methods on the physicochemical and microbial quality of rabbit meat
Authors: Składanowska‐Baryza Joanna , Ludwiczak Agnieszka , Stanisz Marek
Published: April 2022

The study was conducted on 84 rabbits. The animals were weaned at the age of 42 days, after which they were all fed the same diet. Rabbit loins were obtained 24 h post‐mortem and divided into groups according to the packaging method and storage time: control group (examined 24 h post‐mortem); two groups stored in vacuum packaging (7 days, n = 12; 14 days, n = 12); and four groups stored in two different gas mixtures (7 days, n = 12/gas mixture; 14 days, n = 12/gas mixture). After the storage, the microbiological and physicochemical quality of longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscles was analyzed. Meat packaged in both systems (MAP and VAC) was characterized by good quality after 7 days of storage, while after 14 days, there was a significant deterioration, which was reflected in disturbances in the color parameters (L* and a*) and substantial changes in the water fraction parameters. The purge loss (<0.0001), total water (<0.0001), free water (<0.001), cooking loss (<0.0001), and plasticity (p = 0.0025) were affected by the group. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that vacuum packaging created the lowest microbial growth rates. However, muscles stored in the gas mixture containing 30%CO2 and 70%O2, characterized with the greatest tenderness.
Effect of selective dry cow therapy on dry period intramammary infection dynamics and their association with management factors in Japan
Authors: Huang Che‐Hsuan , Fujihara Ikuho , Kusaba Nobuyuki
Published: April 2022

Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) allocates antibiotics in the dry period to cows or quarters with a high risk of intramammary infection (IMI), potentially improving antibiotic stewardship. However, SDCT has not been used in Japan, possibly due to concerns of negative impacts on udder health. This research aims to evaluate how the SDCT use affected dry period IMI dynamics in Japan. Additionally, the effects of management factors were also considered. At dry‐off, 44 cows received antibiotics plus external teat sealant or external sealant in isolation based on their IMI risk, which was assessed using milk culture, a modified California mastitis test (CMT), and mastitis records. The SDCT approach allowed antibiotic use to be reduced by 33.7%. However, quarters with a low risk of infection who received no antibiotics had a numerically higher prevalence of IMI before calving than those who received antibiotics (28.6% vs. 19.2%). In addition, an increased risk of IMI in quarters without antibiotics was also attributed to poor herd hygiene and a shorter duration of external teat sealant adherence. The result suggests that these factors influence the outcome of an SDCT program. Therefore, a uniform recommendation for dry cow herd management may not be optimal.
Comprehensive analysis of miRNA–mRNA interactions in ovaries of aged mice
Authors: Kim Jihyun , You Sooseong
Published: April 2022

Advanced maternal age and ovarian aging are deleterious to the quantity and quality of oocytes and epigenetic modifications, which can affect the health of offspring. However, relatively little is known about the regulation of microRNA‐mediated transcription during ovarian aging. We therefore aimed to identify age‐related mRNA and microRNA changes and their interactions in the ovaries of aged mice. We performed QuantSeq 3′mRNA and small RNA sequencing to compare their expression patterns in post‐ovulation ovaries from young (12‐week‐old) and old (44‐week‐old) mice. Functional annotation and integrative analyses were performed to identify the potential functions of differentially expressed genes and identify binding sites for critical microRNAs. We found 343 differentially expressed genes and 9 microRNAs in our comparison of the two mouse groups, with fold changes >2.0 (P < 0.01). Furthermore, we identified possible direct interactions between 24 differentially expressed mRNAs and 8 microRNAs. The differentially expressed genes are involved in fat digestion and absorption, the PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, serotonergic synapse, and ovarian steroidogenesis, which are important for folliculogenesis and oocyte growth. During ovarian aging, changes in gene expression induce alterations in folliculogenesis, oocyte growth, and steroidogenesis, resulting in decreased oocyte quality and reproductive outcomes.
How do the existing fairness metrics and unfairness mitigation algorithms contribute to ethical learning analytics?
Authors: Deho Oscar Blessed , Zhan Chen , Li Jiuyong , Liu Jixue , Liu Lin , Duy Le Thuc
Published: April 2022

With the widespread use of learning analytics (LA), ethical concerns about fairness have been raised. Research shows that LA models may be biased against students of certain demographic subgroups. Although fairness has gained significant attention in the broader machine learning (ML) community in the last decade, it is only recently that attention has been paid to fairness in LA. Furthermore, the decision on which unfairness mitigation algorithm or metric to use in a particular context remains largely unknown. On this premise, we performed a comparative evaluation of some selected unfairness mitigation algorithms regarded in the fair ML community to have shown promising results. Using a 3‐year program dropout data from an Australian university, we comparatively evaluated how the unfairness mitigation algorithms contribute to ethical LA by testing for some hypotheses across fairness and performance metrics. Interestingly, our results show how data bias does not always necessarily result in predictive bias. Perhaps not surprisingly, our test for fairness‐utility tradeoff shows how ensuring fairness does not always lead to drop in utility. Indeed, our results show that ensuring fairness might lead to enhanced utility under specific circumstances. Our findings may to some extent, guide fairness algorithm and metric selection for a given context.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

LA is increasingly being used to leverage actionable insights about students and drive student success.

LA models have been found to make discriminatory decisions against certain student demographic subgroups—therefore, raising ethical concerns.

Fairness in education is nascent. Only a few works have examined fairness in LA and consequently followed up with ensuring fair LA models.

What this paper adds

A juxtaposition of unfairness mitigation algorithms across the entire LA pipeline showing how they compare and how each of them contributes to fair LA.

Ensuring ethical LA does not always lead to a dip in performance. Sometimes, it actually improves performance as well.

Fairness in LA has only focused on some form of outcome equality, however equality of outcome may be possible only when the playing field is levelled.

Implications for practice and/or policy

Based on desired notion of fairness and which segment of the LA pipeline is accessible, a fairness‐minded decision maker may be able to decide which algorithm to use in order to achieve their ethical goals.

LA practitioners can carefully aim for more ethical LA models without trading significant utility by selecting algorithms that find the right balance between the two objectives.

Fairness enhancing technologies should be cautiously used as guides—not final decision makers. Human domain experts must be kept in the loop to handle the dynamics of transcending fair LA beyond equality to equitable LA.
Contested Perspectives on Chile's Progress in Inclusive Sustainable Development: Limited Participation of Environmental Grassroots
Authors: Jofré David
Published: April 2022

Since 2017, Chile has reported significant progress in inclusive sustainable development to the UN, and framed such achievement as a result of its neoliberal policy agenda. On the ground, however, environment defenders have often felt excluded from public policymaking. Through an empirical assessment of interviews with activists, this article finds varying perceptions of inclusion in environmental governance depending on activists' level of institutionalisation and attitude towards neoliberalism. After revealing exclusionary patterns affecting grassroots focused on environmental justice, the article evaluates the prospects of the SDGs to foster more inclusive environmental governance in the context of Chile's recent constitutional developments.
Internet use behaviour model for predicting students' performance
Authors: Khamis Shakiroh , Ahmad Mazida , Ahmad Azizah , Ahmad Mohammad Nazir
Published: April 2022

Internet technology is vital in education as it is an enabler tool used by students for information exchange, communication and creation of knowledge. However, issues related to Internet use behaviour (IUB) and effects on students' performance are still being debated due to inconsistent results. Thus, the main aim of this paper is to propose a specific IUB classification model to discover comprehensive prediction models on students' performance by using educational data mining (EDM). Data related to the students' CGPA and their internet usage activities were collected from 469 undergraduate students. Primarily, in this study several techniques were ensembled to predict students' performance based on IUB. An EDM approach comprising of clustering, classification, correlation, and regression was used. The base classifiers including decision tree (j48) ensembled with EM clustering technique were exploited to develop a high accuracy of prediction results. At first, the usage of clustering technique was to cluster the dataset into smaller variable and applied classification technique to solve the complexity of the variables. Correlation come across to measure the degree of IUB and students' performance and later regression was applied to produce predictive results. Based on 11 IUB categories, the results indicate that online gaming has a negative significant effect on the students' performance. Additionally, the prediction model revealed a high correlation, which generates good predictions of 92%. The prediction model would enable higher learning institutions to detect as early as possible those students who are at risk. This will then help them in taking timely and proactive measures to improve their performance.
The expansion of Chinese banks along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative: Following customers and geopolitical relations
Authors: Cai Yonglong , Pan Fenghua
Published: April 2022

Existing studies on the global expansion of banks have been mostly based on the experience of the banks from more developed economies, while little is known about the geographies of internationalization of banks from less developed countries. The expansion of Chinese banks, with state‐owned commercial banks in the lead, has been accelerating since the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed in 2013. This study contributes to existing research by providing new evidence and explanations based on the case of expansion of Chinese banks along the BRI routes. Chinese banks started to expand from Hong Kong and Macao, then expanded to Southeast Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, and finally reached Central Asia and other regions. The branches of Chinese banks are mainly clustered in Southeast Asian countries rather than other regions. Similar to their Western counterparts, Chinese bank branches are inclined to agglomerate in international or regional financial hubs. The regression analysis shows that two factors are crucial in explaining the spatial distribution of Chinese banks along the routes of the BRI. First, Chinese banks are likely to follow their customers, namely, state‐owned firms from the non‐financial sectors making direct investments in overseas regions. Second, Chinese banks are more inclined to open branches in countries that have good geopolitical relations with China reflecting the challenging international environment for Chinese banks to seek global expansion.
Comparison of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib in terms of efficacy and safety as primary systemic chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Maesaka Kazuki , Sakamori Ryotaro , Yamada Ryoko , Doi Akira , Tahata Yuki , Miyazaki Masanori , Ohkawa Kazuyoshi , Mita Eiji , Iio Sadaharu , Nozaki Yasutoshi , Yakushijin Takayuki , Imai Yasuharu , Kodama Takahiro , Hikita Hayato , Tatsumi Tomohide , Takehara Tetsuo
Published: April 2022

Aim

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib have each shown efficacy as primary systemic chemotherapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in clinical trials. However, comparative trials of these two treatments have not been conducted. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic outcomes of these two treatments.

Methods

This prospectively registered multicenter study analyzed 272 patients with HCC who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (the Atezo + Beva group; n = 90) or lenvatinib (the Len group; n = 182) as primary systemic chemotherapy. After propensity score matching (PSM), 66 patients were assigned to each group.

Results

After PSM, the median progression‐free survival (PFS) was significantly longer in the Atezo + Beva group than in the Len group (8.8 vs. 5.2 months; p = 0.012). No significant differences were noted between the two groups in terms of median overall survival (not reached vs. 20.6 months; p = 0.577), objective response rates (43.8% vs. 52.4%; p = 0.330), and disease control rates (76.6% vs. 82.5%; p = 0.404). The percentage of patients with modified albumin‐bilirubin grades of one or 2a was maintained during treatment in the Atezo + Beva group but decreased over time in the Len group. The rate of discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs) was lower in the Atezo + Beva group than in the Len group (12.1% vs. 28.8%; p = 0.018).

Conclusions

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab showed prolonged PFS, maintained hepatic reserve, and had lower rates of severe AEs compared with that on using lenvatinib as primary systemic chemotherapy for HCC.
Gesture development in infancy: Effects of gender but not bilingualism
Authors: Germain Nathalie , Gonzalez‐Barrero Ana Maria , Byers‐Heinlein Krista
Published: April 2022

Gesture is an important communication tool that provides insight into infants' early language and cognitive development and predicts later language skills. While bilingual school‐age children have been reported to gesture more than monolinguals, there is a lack of research examining gesture use in infants exposed to more than one language. In this preregistered study, we compared three groups of 14‐month‐old infants (N = 150) learning French and/or English: bilinguals (hearing a second language at least 25% of the time), exposed (hearing a second language 10%–24% of the time), and monolinguals (hearing one language 90% of the time or more). Parent‐reported use of communicative gestures was gathered from the MacArthur‐Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI). Results showed that the three language groups had similarly sized gesture repertoires, suggesting that language exposure did not affect gesture development at this age. However, a gender effect was found, where girls produced more types of gestures than boys. Overall, these results suggest that gender, but not language exposure, contributes to differences in gesture development in infancy.
The effects of changes in daily life due to the COVID‐19 pandemic on the depressive symptoms among community‐dwelling older adults in Korea
Authors: Lee Hanyi , Chu Hyeon Sik
Published: April 2022

This study aims to identify the effects of daily life changes due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the depressive symptoms among community‐dwelling older adults. This cross‐sectional and secondary data analysis study collected and analysed the data of 72 335 older adults aged older than 65 who participated in the 2020 Korean Community Health Survey. Changes in daily life due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic were measured by changes in physical activity, sleep duration, consumption of instant foods or soda drinks, alcohol consumption, smoking, and social contact compared to before the pandemic as perceived by the participants. The Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 was used to assess depressive symptoms, and multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between the two. After adjusting for socio‐demographic and health‐related factors, changes in daily life due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic that affected depressive symptoms in older adults living in the community were observed. This study confirmed that changes in daily life due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic negatively affected the mental health of older adults. Thus, there is a need to improve social support and care systems, by including non‐face‐to‐face programmes using remote communication technology. It will allow older adults to maintain their daily lives and mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Allogeneic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells ELIXCYTE® in chronic kidney disease: A phase I study assessing safety and clinical feasibility
Authors: Zheng Cai‐Mei , Chiu I‐Jen , Chen Yu‐Wei , Hsu Yung‐Ho , Hung Lie‐Yee , Wu Mei‐Yi , Lin Yuh‐Feng , Liao Chia‐Te , Hung Yi‐Pei , Tsai Chia‐Chu , Cherng Yih‐Giun , Wu Mai‐Szu
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this phase I clinical trial is to assess the safety and tolerability of allogeneic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells (ADSCs) among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. 12 eligible CKD patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 15–44 ml/min/1.73 m2 received one dose of intravenous allogeneic ADSCs (ELIXCYTE®), as 3 groups: 3 low dose (6.4 × 107 cells in total of 8 ml), 3 middle dose (19.2 × 107 cells in total of 24 ml) and 6 high dose (32.0 × 107 cells in total of 40 ml) of ELIXCYTE® and evaluated after 48 weeks. Primary endpoint was the safety profiles in terms of incidence of adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse event (SAE). Two subjects in high dose group experienced a total of 2 treatment‐related AEs which are Grade 1 slow speech and Grade 1 bradyphrenia after the infusion. One subject in middle dose group experienced an SAE unlikely related to treatment, grade 2 proteinuria. No fatal AE was reported in this study. An increase in eGFR was observed in 7 out of 12 subjects (58%) at Week 24 and in 6 of 12 subjects (50%) by Week 48. By Week 24, an increase in eGFR by more than 20% among all CKD patients with baseline eGFR ≧ 30 ml/min/1.73 m2 as compared to only 2 subjects in baseline eGFR < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2 group. No significant reduction in proteinuria was noted among all subjects. This phase I trial demonstrated single‐dose intravenous ELIXCYTE was well tolerated in moderate‐to‐severe CKD patients and its preliminary efficacy warrants future studies.
Modified minimally invasive surgical technique in human intrabony defects with or without regenerative materials—10‐year follow‐up of a randomized clinical trial: Tooth retention, periodontitis recurrence, and costs
Authors: Cortellini Pierpaolo , Cortellini Simone , Bonaccini Daniele , Tonetti Maurizio S.
Published: April 2022

Aim

The modified minimally invasive surgical technique (M‐MIST) optimizes wound stability in the treatment of intrabony defects. Short‐term observations show similar results as with flap alone or adjunctive regenerative materials. This study aims to compare the stability of the long‐term outcomes, complication‐free survival, and costs of the three treatment options.

Materials and Methods

Forty‐five intrabony defects in 45 patients were randomized to M‐MIST alone (N = 15), combined with enamel matrix derivative (M‐MIST + EMD, N = 15), or EMD plus bone‐mineral‐derived xenograph (M‐MIST + EMD + BMDX, N = 15). Supportive periodontal care (SPC) and necessary re‐treatment were provided for 10 years.

Results

Three subjects were lost to follow‐up. Clinical attachment level differences between 1 and 10 years were −0.1 ± 0.7 mm for M‐MIST, −0.1 ± 0.8 mm for M‐MIST + EMD, and −0.3 ± 0.6 mm for M‐MIST + EMD + BMDX (p > .05 for within‐ and between‐group differences). Four episodes of recurrence occurred in the M‐MIST group, four in the M‐MIST + EMD group, and five in the M‐MIST + EMD + BMDX group. No significant differences in complication‐free survival were observed between the three groups (p = .47). Complication‐free survival was 7.46 years (95% confidence interval: 7.05–7.87) for the whole population. The M‐MIST + EMD + BMDX group lost one treated tooth. Data indicated no significant inter‐group difference of the total cost of recurrence over 10 years. When the baseline cost of treatment was considered, the total cost was lower for M‐MIST alone.

Conclusions

Teeth with deep pockets associated with intrabony defects can be successfully maintained over the long term with either M‐MIST alone or by adding a regenerative material in the context of a careful SPC programme. M‐MIST alone provided similar short‐ and long‐term benefits as regeneration, at a lower cost. These findings need to be confirmed in larger, independent studies.
Pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila reduces periodontal and systemic inflammation induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis in lean and obese mice
Authors: Mulhall Hannah , DiChiara Jeanne M. , Huck Olivier , Amar Salomon
Published: April 2022

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the administration of pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila and Amuc_1100 on periodontal destruction in lean and obese mice and to determine the impact of the mode of administration.

Materials and Methods

Porphyromonas gingivalis‐associated experimental periodontitis was induced in lean and obese mice. After 3 weeks, live, pasteurized A. muciniphila or Amuc_1100 was administered by oral or gastric gavage for three additional weeks. Moreover, an evaluation of the interaction between A. muciniphila and P. gingivalis was performed by RNA‐sequencing, and cytokines secretion was measured in exposed macrophages.

Results

Oral administration of live, pasteurized A. muciniphila or Amuc_1100 significantly decreased P. gingivalis‐induced periodontal destruction and inflammatory infiltrate in lean and obese mice and contributed to the reduction of the plasma level of TNF‐α and to the increase of IL‐10. The co‐culture of A. muciniphila and P. gingivalis induced an increased expression of genes linked to the synthesis of monobactam‐related antibiotics in A. muciniphila, while a decrease of the gingipains and type IX secretion system was observed in P. gingivalis. In P. gingivalis‐infected macrophages, pasteurized A. muciniphila decreased TNF‐α and increased IL‐10 levels.

Conclusions

Pasteurized A. muciniphila can counteract P. gingivalis‐associated periodontal destruction.
Qingjin Yiqi granules for post‐COVID‐19 condition: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Pang Wentai , Yang Fengwen , Zhao Yubin , Dai Erhei , Feng Jihong , Huang Yuhong , Guo Yongming , Zhou Shengyuan , Huang Ming , Zheng Wenke , Ma Jiang , Li Hong , Li Qing , Hou Lijuan , Zhang Shuo , Wang Hui , Liu Qingquan , Zhang Boli , Zhang Junhua
Published: April 2022

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Qingjin Yiqi granules (QJYQ) on post‐COVID‐19 condition (PCC).

Method

Patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to two groups, the QJYQ group received QJYQ combined with standard rehabilitation treatments (SRTs) and the control group only received SRTs. The treatment course was 14 days. The primary outcomes were modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale and Borg scale, while the secondary outcomes included symptoms score and 6‐minute walking distance (6MWD). The safety outcome was the incidence of adverse events.

Results

A total of 388 patients with PCC were enrolled and randomly assigned to the QJYQ group (n = 194) and the control group (n = 194). Compared to the controls, the mMRC scale was improved in the QJYQ group, which was better than that of the control group [β (95%CI): –0.626 (–1.101, –0.151), p = 0.010]. A significant improvement in Borg scale was also observed in the QJYQ group compared to the control group [β (95%CI): –0.395(–0.744, –0.046), p = 0.026]. There was no statistically significant difference in symptoms score and 6MWD between the two groups (p = 0.293, p = 0.724). No treatment‐related adverse events were observed in either group.

Conclusions

QJYQ can bring benefits to patients with PCC, mainly in the improvement of breathlessness and fatigue.
An overview of methodological approaches in systematic reviews
Authors: Veginadu Prabhakar , Calache Hanny , Gussy Mark , Pandian Akshaya , Masood Mohd
Published: April 2022

Aim

The aim of this overview is to identify and collate evidence from existing published systematic review (SR) articles evaluating various methodological approaches used at each stage of an SR.

Methods

The search was conducted in five electronic databases from inception to November 2020 and updated in February 2022: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and APA PsycINFO. Title and abstract screening were performed in two stages by one reviewer, supported by a second reviewer. Full‐text screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal were performed by two reviewers independently. The quality of the included SRs was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 checklist.

Results

The search retrieved 41,556 unique citations, of which 9 SRs were deemed eligible for inclusion in final synthesis. Included SRs evaluated 24 unique methodological approaches used for defining the review scope and eligibility, literature search, screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal in the SR process. Limited evidence supports the following (a) searching multiple resources (electronic databases, handsearching, and reference lists) to identify relevant literature; (b) excluding non‐English, gray, and unpublished literature, and (c) use of text‐mining approaches during title and abstract screening.

Conclusion

The overview identified limited SR‐level evidence on various methodological approaches currently employed during five of the seven fundamental steps in the SR process, as well as some methodological modifications currently used in expedited SRs. Overall, findings of this overview highlight the dearth of published SRs focused on SR methodologies and this warrants future work in this area.
Introducing twin corpora of decisions for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ)
Authors: Fobbe Seán
Published: April 2022

In this article I present the first two of a new series of open and high‐quality international legal data sets: comprehensive, fully reproducible, human‐ and machine‐readable open access collections covering one hundred years of case law of the primary judicial organs of the United Nations and the League of Nations: theCorpus of Decisions: International Court of Justice(CD‐ICJ) and theCorpus of Decisions: Permanent Court of International Justice(CD‐PCIJ). Each corpus is designed to capture in its entirety the published case law of its eponymous Court, including majority opinions (judgments, advisory opinions and orders), but also the minority opinions annexed to each decision (declarations, separate opinions and dissenting opinions). The corpora are enriched with useful metadata to enhance text‐as‐data research and enable stand‐alone metadata analyses. While each corpus can stand on its own, the twin corpora are designed to be perfectly interoperable for the purposes of analyses that wish to treat the ICJ and PCIJ as a continuous entity. The most recent versions of the corpora will always be available open access athttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3826444(CD‐ICJ) andhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3840479(CD‐PCIJ).
Comment on: The associations of plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) and progranulin (PGRN) with frailty in older adults
Authors: Kaloostian Carolyn , Shil Monolina Barua
Published: April 2022

Please see the reply by Wan‐Hsuan.
Patient outcomes related to receiving care on a dedicated Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit versus with an ACE order set
Authors: Norman Richard E. , Sinha Samir K.
Published: April 2022

Background

The Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit model of care aims to reduce common complications of hospitalization in older adults through early involvement of allied health providers, changes to the care environment, elder‐friendly care protocols, and proactive discharge planning.

Our hospital established a dedicated 28‐bed medical ACE unit. Because of capacity limitations, the number of eligible older medical patients often exceeds the available number of beds. Thus, some ACE unit‐eligible patients are instead admitted to other medical or surgical units for their medical care. These “bed‐spaced” ACE patients receive care by the same general internists and ACE order set that ACE unit patients are cared under. We sought to compare the health outcomes of ACE‐designated patients admitted to the ACE unit versus bed‐spaced peers cared for using a protocolized ACE order set.

Methods

3046 ACE‐designated patient admissions were analyzed (1499 ACE unit and 1547 bed‐spaced). The primary outcomes examined were discharge disposition and in‐hospital mortality. Univariate and multivariate comparisons were performed. Propensity matching was used to adjust for case mix in a post‐hoc analysis.

Results

The mean age of participants was 83.5 years for ACE unit patients and 82.6 for bedspaced patients. In adjusted models, ACE unit patients were more likely to be discharged home (OR 1.28 [1.08–1.50], p = 0.003). In an unadjusted analysis, patients admitted to ACE unit were less likely to die in hospital, but this finding did not persist after adjustment for case mix.

Conclusion

Care of older adults delivered on a dedicated ACE unit increases the likelihood of discharge to home when compared to care delivered with an ACE order set alone for general internal medicine patients.
Advanced characterisation of 3D structure and porosity of ordinary portland cement (OPC) mortar using plasma focused ion beam tomography and X‐ray computed tomography
Authors: Dong Peng , Yuan Hui , Allahverdi Ali , Raveenthiran Jatheeshan , Piché Nicolas , Provencher Benjamin , Bassim Nabil D.
Published: April 2022

The visualisation and quantification of pore networks and main phases have been critical research topics in cementitious materials as many critical mechanical and chemical properties and infrastructure reliability rely on these 3D characteristics. In this study, we realised the mesoscale serial sectioning and analysis up to ∼80 μm by ∼90 μm by ∼60 μm on portland cement mortar using plasma focused ion beam (PFIB) for the first time. The workflow of working with mortar and PFIB was established applying a prepositioned hard silicon mask to reduce curtaining. Segmentation with minimal human interference was performed using a trained neural network, in which multiple types of segmentation models were compared. Combining PFIB analysis at microscale with X‐ray micro‐computed tomography, the analysis of capillary pores and air voids ranging from hundreds of nanometres (nm) to millimetres (mm) can be conducted. The volume fraction of large capillary pores and air voids are 11.5% and 12.7%, respectively. Moreover, the skeletonisation of connected capillary pores clearly shows fluid transport pathways, which is a key factor determining durability performance of concrete in aggressive environments. Another interesting aspect of the FIB tomography is the reconstruction of anhydrous phases, which could enable direct study of hydration kinetics of individual cement phases.
Are Analyst Short‐Term Trade Ideas Valuable?
Authors: BIRRU JUSTIN , GOKKAYA SINAN , LIU XI , STULZ RENÉ M.
Published: April 2022

Short‐term trade ideas are a component of analyst research highly valued by institutional investors. Using a novel and comprehensive database, we find that trade ideas have a stock price impact at least as large as recommendation and target price changes. Trade ideas based on expectations of future events are more informative than those identifying incomplete incorporation of past information in stock prices. Analysts with better access to a firm's management produce better trade ideas. Institutional investors trade in the direction of trade ideas. Investors following trade ideas can earn significant abnormal returns, consistent with analysts possessing valuable short‐term stock‐picking skills.
Effects of linseed oil supplementation in Holstein dairy calves received starters based on either corn or barley grain on growth performance and immune response
Authors: Momeni‐Pooya Fatemeh , Kazemi‐Bonchenari Mehdi , Mirzaei Mehdi , HosseinYazdi Mehdi
Published: April 2022

This study evaluated the effects of linseed oil (LO) and two‐grain sources on growth performance, microbial protein yield (MPY), blood metabolites, and inflammatory markers in Holstein dairy calves. Forty‐eight 3‐day‐old dairy calves (24 males and 24 females) with starting BW of 40.3 ± 1.6 kg were allocated in a completely randomised block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement as follows; (1) Corn grain (CG) with no LO supplementation (CG‐NLO), (2) CG with 2.5% LO supplementation (CG‐LO), (3) Barley grain (BG) with no LO supplementation (BG‐NLO), and (4) BG with 2.5% LO supplementation (BG‐LO). The calves were weaned on d 59 but the study lasted for 14 days after weaning (Day 73 of experiment). The results showed that starter feed intake was influenced neither by grain source nor linseed oil. However, average daily gain, BW, hip height, and MPY were improved in calves received BG compared to CG diets. Linseed oil supplementation had no significant effects on growth performance and MPY. During preweaning period, calves fed BG‐LO had the greatest feed efficiency and the highest wither height. However, the greatest tumour necrosis factor and serum amyloid A were observed in BG‐NLO. Despite, LO supplementation did not influence growth performance of animals per se; however, it reduced circulating inflammatory markers in calves during preweaning period. Based on this study condition, BG is more favourable than CG in dairy calves from the daily gain and microbial protein synthesis perspectives, and supplementing the starters with n‐3 FA can be strategy to improve immune performance of calves fed barley‐based starter diets.
ALVAC‐fIL2, a feline interleukin‐2 immunomodulator, as a treatment for sarcoids in horses: A pilot study
Authors: Saba Corey , Eggleston Randall , Parks Andrew , Peroni John , Sjoberg Eric , Rice Shelbe , Tyma Jesse , Williams Jarred , Grosenbaugh Deborah , Leard A. Timothy
Published: April 2022

Background

Sarcoid tumors are common in horses and may negatively impact the performance and value of the horse. No known treatment is reliably successful.

Hypotheses/Objectives

To determine tolerability, overall response rate, time to response, and progression‐free survival of horses with biopsy‐confirmed or suspected sarcoids treated with ALVAC‐fIL2.

Animals

Client‐owned horses with measurable, presumed‐ or biopsy‐confirmed sarcoid tumors.

Methods

Prospective pilot study. One milliliter of ALVAC‐fIL2 was injected into 4 to 5 areas of the sarcoid(s) in each horse (week 0); this treatment was repeated in weeks 1, 3, and 7. Sarcoids were measured at each visit, and response to treatment was determined according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors for dogs (v1.0). After the final treatment, horses were reassessed and sarcoids remeasured every 3 months until tumor progression or for a minimum of 1 year if progression was not documented.

Results

Fourteen horses were included. Tumor size decreased in 86% of the horses, and the median time to first response was 89 days (range, 34‐406 days). Median time to best response was 211 days (range, 56‐406 days), but 3 of the sarcoids still were decreasing in size at the time of final evaluation. The median progression‐free interval was not reached. Adverse events were minimal and included transient focal inflammation in 2 horses.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Intratumoral injection of ALVAC‐fIL2 has promise as a well‐tolerated and effective, tissue‐sparing treatment for horses with sarcoid tumors.
Genome assembly, structural variants, and genetic differentiation between lake whitefish young species pairs (Coregonus sp.) with long and short reads
Authors: Mérot Claire , Stenløkk Kristina S. R. , Venney Clare , Laporte Martin , Moser Michel , Normandeau Eric , Árnyasi Mariann , Kent Matthew , Rougeux Clément , Flynn Jullien M. , Lien Sigbjørn , Bernatchez Louis
Published: April 2022

Nascent pairs of ecologically differentiated species offer an opportunity to get a better glimpse at the genetic architecture of speciation. Of particular interest is our recent ability to consider a wider range of genomic variants, not only single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), thanks to long‐read sequencing technology. We can now identify structural variants (SVs) such as insertions, deletions and other rearrangements, allowing further insights into the genetic architecture of speciation and how different types of variants are involved in species differentiation. Here, we investigated genomic patterns of differentiation between sympatric species pairs (Dwarf and Normal) belonging to the lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) species complex. We assembled the first reference genomes for both C. clupeaformis sp. Normal and C. clupeaformis sp. Dwarf, annotated the transposable elements and analysed the genomes in the light of related coregonid species. Next, we used a combination of long‐ and short‐read sequencing to characterize SVs and genotype them at the population scale using genome‐graph approaches, showing that SVs cover five times more of the genome than SNPs. We then integrated both SNPs and SVs to investigate the genetic architecture of species differentiation in two different lakes and highlighted an excess of shared outliers of differentiation. In particular, a large fraction of SVs differentiating the two species correspond to insertions or deletions of transposable elements (TEs), suggesting that TE accumulation may represent a key component of genetic divergence between the Dwarf and Normal species. Together, our results suggest that SVs may play an important role in speciation and that, by combining second‐ and third‐generation sequencing, we now have the ability to integrate SVs into speciation genomics.
One philosopher's modus ponens is another's modus tollens: Pantomemes and nisowir
Authors: Williamson Jon
Published: April 2022

That one person's modus ponens is another's modus tollens is the bane of philosophy because it strips many philosophical arguments of their persuasive force. The problem is that philosophical arguments become mere pantomemes: arguments that are reasonable to resist simply by denying the conclusion. Appeals to proof, intuition, evidence, and truth fail to alleviate the problem. Two broad strategies, however, do help in certain circumstances: an appeal to normal informal standards of what is reasonable (nisowir) and argument by interpretation. The method of explication features prominently in both strategies, and the paper extends this method to apply to nisowir, introducing the concept of canonical explication. The paper illustrates the two strategies with examples of arguments from formal epistemology and suggests that an appeal to nisowir might help to defend against philosophical scepticism by shifting the burden of proof to the sceptic.
The trouble with personhood and person‐centred care
Authors: Tieu Matthew , Mudd Alexandra , Conroy Tiffany , Pinero de Plaza Alejandra , Kitson Alison
Published: April 2022

The phrase ‘person‐centred care’ (PCC) reminds us that the fundamental philosophical goal of caring for people is to uphold or promote their personhood. However, such an idea has translated into promoting individualist notions of autonomy, empowerment and personal responsibility in the context of consumerism and neoliberalism, which is problematic both conceptually and practically. From a conceptual standpoint, it ignores the fact that humans are social, historical and biographical beings, and instead assumes an essentialist or idealized concept of personhood in which a person is viewed as an individual static object. From a practical standpoint, the application of such a concept of personhood can lead to neglect of a person's fundamental care needs and exacerbate the problems of social inequity, in particular for older people and people with dementia. Therefore, we argue that our understanding of PCC must instead be based on a dynamic concept of personhood that integrates the relevant social, relational, temporal and biographical dimensions. We propose that the correct concept of personhood in PCC is one in which persons are understood as socially embedded, relational and temporally extended subjects rather than merely individual, autonomous, asocial and atemporal objects. We then present a reconceptualization of the fundamental philosophical goal of PCC as promoting selfhood rather than personhood. Such a reconceptualization avoids the problems that beset the concept of personhood and its application in PCC, while also providing a philosophical foundation for the growing body of empirical literature that emphasizes the psychosocial, relational, subjective and biographical dimensions of PCC.
BSA‐seq and quantitative trait locus mapping reveals a major effective QTL for carpel number in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)
Authors: Qiu Boyan , Zhang Taifeng , Zhang Shuqing , Qu Qianrui , Zhu Zicheng , Liu Shusen , Song Zhengfeng , Xia Lianqin , Yang Zhongzhou , Zhang Qian , Luan Feishi , Gao Peng , Liu Shi
Published: April 2022

The carpel number (CN) is related to fruit shape variation in watermelon and represents one of the most important agronomic traits. In this study, ZXG01553 (5‐CN type) and W1‐17 (3‐CN type) lines were used as parental material to construct F1, F2 and backcross populations for genetic inheritance analysis and QTL (quantitative trait locus) mapping. The F1 generation displayed the 3‐CN type and the frequency distribution of F2 individuals showed partial separation suggesting that the 3‐CN was dominant to 5‐CN trait and controlled by a major gene. Bulked‐segregant analysis (BSA‐seq) identified a chromosome segment related to the CN trait spanning 2.44 Mb on chromosome 7. Genetic linkage analysis using QTL mapping software narrowed this region to 244 Kb, and a major effective QTL was detected between markers Chr07‐30681552 and Chr07‐30923898. Twenty‐four genes were identified in the QTL region, in which Cla97C07G143260 annotated as Receptor‐like protein kinase 2 was the most likely candidate gene for the CN trait in watermelon. Our research provides new insights into the forward genetics of CN variation in cucurbit crops.
Identifying mental health needs of children and youth with skin disease: A systematic review of screening and assessment tools
Authors: Russell Emily A. , Bennett Sophie D. , Ali Rukshana , Baron Susannah , Flohr Carsten , Grindlay Douglas , Heyman Isobel , McPherson Tess , Ravenscroft Jane C.
Published: April 2022

Background and Objectives

(1) To identify patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) which have been used to screen and assess mental health symptoms in studies of youth with skin disease. (2) To critically appraise their evidence base in this population.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted within PubMed and PsycINFO combining search terms for pediatric populations, dermatology, screening and assessment tools, and psychological and psychiatric conditions, to identify PROMs which screened or assessed for mental health symptoms in youth with skin disease. PROMs which had undergone validation within this population were assessed for quality and evidence base using the COSMIN risk of bias tool.

Results

One hundred eleven PROMs which assess mental health symptoms in studies of youth with skin disease were identified. These included generic mental health scales which are extensively validated in different populations. Only one PROM, the “Skin Picking Scale—Revised” has undergone specific validation in youth with skin disease. This showed poor quality of evidence for content validity and therefore cannot be recommended.

Conclusion

There is an urgent need to identify mental health problems early and treat proactively to improve outcomes in youth with skin disease. This review highlights the current lack of consensus around the best way to assess our patients. It is likely that existing generic mental health methods and PROMS will be appropriate for our needs. More work is required to examine the utility, feasibility, and acceptability of existing generic, validated mental health screening tools in youth with skin disease.
Alopecia in children undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Scoping review and approach to management
Authors: Kessler Stephen , Marzooq Ali , Sood Arun , Beebe Kristen , Walsh Alexandra , Montoya Liliana , Price Harper
Published: April 2022

Alopecia is a common sequela in children undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In most cases, this is a transient state in which full hair regrowth eventually occurs, but permanent or persistent alopecia, defined as the presence of incomplete hair regrowth more than 6 months after cessation of treatment, is possible and can be psychologically distressing. We sought to characterize the risk factors that can lead to permanent alopecia following the aforementioned treatments in pediatric populations, as well as diagnostic and treatment options that may be considered, as part of a scoping review of the literature. A general algorithm for approaching these patients was developed based on our findings.