bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathologic response of ductal carcinoma in situ to neoadjuvant systemic treatment in HER2-positive breast cancer
Authors: Groen Emma J. , van der Noordaa Marieke E. M. , Schaapveld Michael , Sonke Gabe S. , Mann Ritse M. , van Ramshorst Mette S. , Lips Esther H. , Vrancken Peeters Marie-Jeanne T. F. D. , van Duijnhoven Frederieke H. , Wesseling Jelle
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The presence of extensive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) adjacent to HER2-positive invasive breast cancer (IBC) is often a contra-indication for breast-conserving surgery, even in case of excellent treatment response of the invasive component. Data on the response of DCIS to neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) are limited. Therefore, we estimated the response of adjacent DCIS to NST-containing HER2-blockade in HER2-positive breast cancer patients and assessed the association of clinicopathological and radiological factors with response.

Methods

Pre-NST biopsies were examined to determine presence of DCIS in all women with HER2-positive IBC treated with trastuzumab-containing NST ± pertuzumab between 2004 and 2017 in a comprehensive cancer center. When present, multiple DCIS factors, including grade, calcifications, necrosis, hormone receptor, and Ki-67 expression, were scored. Associations of clinicopathological and radiological factors with complete response were assessed using logistic regression models.

Results

Adjacent DCIS, observed in 138/316 patients with HER2-positive IBC, was eradicated after NST in 46% of patients. Absence of calcifications suspicious for malignancy on pre-NST mammography (odds ratio (OR) 3.75; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.72–8.17), treatment with dual HER2-blockade (OR 2.36; 95% CI 1.17–4.75), a (near) complete response on MRI (OR 3.55; 95% CI 1.31–9.64), and absence of calcifications (OR 3.19; 95% CI 1.34–7.60) and Ki-67 > 20% in DCIS (OR 2.74; 95% CI 1.09–6.89) on pre-NST biopsy were significantly associated with DCIS response.

Conclusions

As DCIS can respond to NST containing HER2-blockade, the presence of extensive DCIS in HER2-positive breast cancer before NST should not always indicate a mastectomy. The predictive factors we found could be helpful when considering breast-conserving surgery in these patients.
Evaluating process-based integrated assessment models of climate change mitigation
Authors: Wilson Charlie , Guivarch Céline , Kriegler Elmar , van Ruijven Bas , van Vuuren Detlef P. , Krey Volker , Schwanitz Valeria Jana , Thompson Erica L.
Published: May 2021

Process-based integrated assessment models (IAMs) project long-term transformation pathways in energy and land-use systems under what-if assumptions. IAM evaluation is necessary to improve the models’ usefulness as scientific tools applicable in the complex and contested domain of climate change mitigation. We contribute the first comprehensive synthesis of process-based IAM evaluation research, drawing on a wide range of examples across six different evaluation methods including historical simulations, stylised facts, and model diagnostics. For each evaluation method, we identify progress and milestones to date, and draw out lessons learnt as well as challenges remaining. We find that each evaluation method has distinctive strengths, as well as constraints on its application. We use these insights to propose a systematic evaluation framework combining multiple methods to establish the appropriateness, interpretability, credibility, and relevance of process-based IAMs as useful scientific tools for informing climate policy. We also set out a programme of evaluation research to be mainstreamed both within and outside the IAM community.
Assessing genetic diversity and connectivity in a tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) metapopulation in Northern California
Authors: Batter Thomas J. , Bush Joshua P. , Sacks Benjamin N.
Published: May 2021

The tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) is a California endemic subspecies that experienced an extreme bottleneck (potentially two individuals) in the mid-1800s. Through active management, including reintroductions, the subspecies has grown to approximately 6000 individuals spread across 22 recognized populations. The populations tend to be localized and separated by unoccupied intervening habitat, prompting targeted translocations to ensure gene flow. However, little is known about the genetic status or connectivity among adjacent populations in the absence of active translocations. We used 19 microsatellites and a sex marker to obtain baseline data on the genetic effective population sizes and functional genetic connectivity of four of these populations, three of which were established since the 1980s and one of which was established ~ 100 years ago. A Bayesian assignment approach suggested the presence of 5 discrete genetic clusters, which corresponded to the four primary populations and two subpopulations within the oldest of them. Effective population sizes ranged from 15 (95% CI 10–22) to 51 (95% CI 32–88). We detected little or no evidence of gene flow among most populations. Exceptions were a signature of unidirectional gene flow to one population founded by emigrants of the other 30 years earlier, and bidirectional gene flow between subpopulations within the oldest population. We propose that social cohesion more than landscape characteristics explained population structure, which developed over many generations corresponding to population expansion. Whether or which populations can grow and reach sufficient effective population sizes on their own or require translocations to maintain genetic diversity and population growth is unclear. In the future, we recommend pairing genetic with demographic monitoring of these and other reintroduced elk populations, including targeted monitoring following translocations to evaluate their effects and necessity.
High angular resolution gravitational wave astronomy
Authors: Baker John , Baker Tessa , Carbone Carmelita , Congedo Giuseppe , Contaldi Carlo , Dvorkin Irina , Gair Jonathan , Haiman Zoltan , Mota David F. , Renzini Arianna , Buis Ernst-Jan , Cusin Giulia , Ezquiaga Jose Maria , Mueller Guido , Pieroni Mauro , Quenby John , Ricciardone Angelo , Saltas Ippocratis D. , Shao Lijing , Tamanini Nicola , Tasinato Gianmassimo , Zumalacárregui Miguel
Published: May 2021

Since the very beginning of astronomy the location of objects on the sky has been a fundamental observational quantity that has been taken for granted. While precise two dimensional positional information is easy to obtain for observations in the electromagnetic spectrum, the positional accuracy of current and near future gravitational wave detectors is limited to between tens and hundreds of square degrees, which makes it extremely challenging to identify the host galaxies of gravitational wave events or to detect any electromagnetic counterparts. Gravitational wave observations provide information on source properties that is complementary to the information in any associated electromagnetic emission. Observing systems with multiple messengers thus has scientific potential much greater than the sum of its parts. A gravitational wave detector with higher angular resolution would significantly increase the prospects for finding the hosts of gravitational wave sources and triggering a multi-messenger follow-up campaign. An observatory with arcminute precision or better could be realised within the Voyage 2050 programme by creating a large baseline interferometer array in space and would have transformative scientific potential. Precise positional information of standard sirens would enable precision measurements of cosmological parameters and offer new insights on structure formation; a high angular resolution gravitational wave observatory would allow the detection of a stochastic background and resolution of the anisotropies within it; it would also allow the study of accretion processes around black holes; and it would have tremendous potential for tests of modified gravity and the discovery of physics beyond the Standard Model.
Insect body size changes under future warming projections: a case study of Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera)
Authors: Wonglersak Rungtip , Fenberg Phillip B. , Langdon Peter G. , Brooks Stephen J. , Price Benjamin W.
Published: May 2021

Chironomids are a useful group for investigating body size responses to warming due to their high local abundance and sensitivity to environmental change. We collected specimens of six species of chironomids every 2 weeks over a 2-year period (2017–2018) from mesocosm experiments using five ponds at ambient temperature and five ponds at 4°C higher than ambient temperature. We investigated (1) wing length responses to temperature within species and between sexes using a regression analysis, (2) interspecific body size responses to test whether the body size of species influences sensitivity to warming, and (3) the correlation between emergence date and wing length. We found a significantly shorter wing length with increasing temperature in both sexes of Procladius crassinervis and Tanytarsus nemorosus, in males of Polypedilum sordens, but no significant relationship in the other three species studied. The average body size of a species affects the magnitude of the temperature-size responses in both sexes, with larger species shrinking disproportionately more with increasing temperature. There was a significant decline in wing length with emergence date across most species studied (excluding Polypedilum nubeculosum and P. sordens), indicating that individuals emerging later in the season tend to be smaller.
Two-hole assisted phaco-chop technique: a more efficient method for safe nucleofractis vertical chopping
Authors: Miyamoto Naomi , Kiritoshi Shoko , Akamime Rinko , Akimoto Masayuki
Published: May 2021

Purpose

To evaluate the use of the two-hole technique in augmenting the efficiency of surgeons-in-training when performing the phaco-chop technique. We hypothesized that drilling two holes in opposite angles to each other adjacent to the capsulorhexis would mimic a new lens equator. The phaco-tip and the chopper can be inserted into these holes at appropriate depths and may sandwich and fracture the lens more easily than conventional methods.

Methods

The two-hole technique described above was performed by three first-year surgeons before they performed the standard phaco-chop technique. We collected data of their first 8 cases and analyzed a total of 64 cases: 16, divide-and-conquer; 24, two-hole method; 24, phaco-chop. The main outcome measures included the cumulative dissipated energy (CDE) and case ultrasound time (UST) with different phacoemulsification techniques.

Results

The young practicing surgeons eventually performed the standard phaco-chop more safely after repeated practice using the two-hole method. The drilling of holes enabled deep and effortless impaling of the nucleus. Although there was no significant difference in the CDE among the techniques, there was a significant difference in the UST (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The two-hole method enabled surgeons-in-training to acquire standard phaco-chop skills more efficiently. However, further studies with higher statistical power will be needed to validate these findings. Additionally, a variation of this technique, the four-hole method, is applicable even for experienced surgeons in cases of a hardened nucleus.
Diet, Mobility, Technology, and Lithics: Neolithization on the Andean Altiplano, 7.0–3.5 ka
Authors: Kitchel Nathaniel , Aldenderfer Mark S. , Haas Randall
Published: May 2021

Neolithization was a complex, protracted process of domestication, sedentarization, and technology change that occurred in various combinations in various times and places around the world. Understanding the causal relationships among those and other important human behaviors remains an analytical challenge. This study examines Neolithization through the lens of lithic artifact variation in the Lake Titicaca Basin, Peru. Drawing on previous lithics research, we outline a synthetic model linking changing diet, mobility, and projectile technology to predicted trends in lithic assemblages. The expectations are then compared to two large, well-dated lithic assemblages from the Titicaca Basin—one from the Middle/Late Archaic forager site of Soro Mik’aya Patjxa (8.0–6.5 cal. ka) and the other from the Terminal Archaic horticultural site of Jiskairumoko (5.2–3.4 cal. ka). We find that the strongest signal in lithic technology change is related to the introduction of archery technology. Signals for subsistence change and declining mobility are relatively weak. The results suggest an early but unconfirmed adoption of archery technology in the Terminal Archaic Period with major transitions in mobility and diet likely to have occurred subsequently in the Terminal Archaic or Formative periods. The findings are consistent with a behavioral model in which changes in projectile technology played a prominent role in the evolution of resource intensification and residential sedentism as well as resource privatization and sexual division of labor in the high Andes.
Investigation of the functional network modifier loading on the stoichiometric ratio of epoxy resins and their dielectric properties
Authors: Saeedi Istebreq A. , Chaudhary Sunny , Andritsch Thomas , Vaughan Alun S.
Published: May 2021

Reactive molecular additives have often been employed to tailor the mechanical properties of epoxy resins. In addition, several studies have reported improved electrical properties in such systems, where the network architecture and included function groups have been modified through the use of so-called functional network modifier (FNM) molecules. The study reported here set out to investigate the effect of a glycidyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (GPOSS) FNM on the cross-linking reactions, glass transition, breakdown strength and dielectric properties of an amine-cured epoxy resin system. Since many previous studies have considered POSS to act as an inorganic filler, a key aim was to consider the impact of GPOSS addition on the stoichiometry of curing. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed significant changes in the cross-linking reactions that occur if appropriate stoichiometric compensation is not made for the additional epoxide groups present on the GPOSS. These changes, in concert with the direct effect of the GPOSS itself, influence the glass transition temperature, dielectric breakdown behaviour and dielectric response of the system. Specifically, the work shows that the inclusion of GPOSS can result in beneficial changes in electrical properties, but that these gains are easily lost if consequential changes in the matrix polymer are not appropriately counteracted. Nevertheless, if the system is appropriately optimized, materials with pronounced improvements in technologically important characteristics can be designed.
Is lung ultrasound score a useful tool to monitoring and handling moderate and severe COVID-19 patients in the general ward? An observational pilot study
Authors: Baciarello Marco , Bonetti Andrea , Vetrugno Luigi , Saturno Francesco , Nouvenne Antonio , Bellini Valentina , Meschi Tiziana , Bignami Elena
Published: May 2021

Lung ultrasound is a well-established diagnostic tool in acute respiratory failure, and it has been shown to be particularly suited for the management of COVID-19-associated respiratory failure. We present exploratory analyses on the diagnostic and prognostic performance of lung ultrasound score (LUS) in general ward patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 pneumonia receiving O2 supplementation and/or noninvasive ventilation. From March 10 through May 1, 2020, 103 lung ultrasound exams were performed by our Forward Intensive Care Team (FICT) on 26 patients (18 males and 8 females), aged 62 (54 – 76) and with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30.9 (28.7 – 31.5), a median 6 (5 – 9) days after admission to the COVID-19 medical unit of the University Hospital of Parma, Italy. All patients underwent chest computed tomography (CT) the day of admission. The initial LUS was 16 (11 – 21), which did not significantly correlate with initial CT scans, probably due to rapid progression of the disease and time between CT scan on admission and first FICT evaluation; conversely, LUS was significantly correlated with PaO2/FiO2 ratio throughout patient follow-up [R = − 4.82 (− 6.84 to − 2.80; p < 0.001)]. The area under the receiving operating characteristics curve of LUS for the diagnosis of moderate-severe disease (PaO2/FiO2 ratio ≤ 200 mmHg) was 0.73, with an optimal cutoff value of 11 (positive predictive value: 0.98; negative predictive value: 0.29). Patients who eventually needed invasive ventilation and/or died during admission had significantly higher LUS throughout their stay.
Corrections to: Efficient iterative solutions to complex-valued nonlinear least-squares problems with mixed linear and antilinear operators
Authors: Kim Tae Hyung , Haldar Justin P.
Published: May 2021

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11081-021-09631-1
When do nudges undermine voluntary consent?
Authors: Kiener Maximilian
Published: May 2021

The permissibility of nudging in public policy is often assessed in terms of the conditions of transparency, rationality, and easy resistibility. This debate has produced important resources for any ethical inquiry into nudging, but it has also failed to focus sufficiently on a different yet very important question, namely: when do nudges undermine a patient’s voluntary consent to a medical procedure? In this paper, I take on this further question and, more precisely, I ask to which extent the three conditions of transparency, rationality, and easy resistibility can be applied to the assessment of voluntary consent too. After presenting two examples, designed to put pressure on these three conditions, I show that, suitably modified, the three conditions can remain significant in the assessment of voluntary consent as well. However, the needed modifications are very substantial and result in a rather complicated view. To propose a tidier solution, I argue that nudging undermines voluntary consent if and only if it cannot be ‘interpersonally justified’ to the patient. I use the three modified conditions to motivate the idea of interpersonal justification and also to further specify the principles it involves. My resulting view is especially attractive because it builds on already existing insights from the debate on nudging, updates those insights with an eye to medical consent, and finally unites them in an elegant and simple framework.
Location-Price Equilibria when Traditional Retailers Compete Against an Online Retailer
Authors: Colombo Stefano , Hou Zemin
Published: May 2021

We consider a location-then-price game where two traditional retailers compete with a location-irrelevant online retailer. We characterize the existing equilibria, and we show that in any possible equilibrium there is direct competition between the traditional retailers. Furthermore, the traditional retailers locate at neither a maximal nor minimal distance. In equilibrium, the price of the online retailer might be higher or lower than the price of the traditional retailers, depending on the relative competitiveness of the online retailer and the traditional retailers.
Estimating Diversity Effects in the Neighborhood: On the Role of Ethnic Diversity and Out-group Size and their Associations with Neighborhood Cohesion and Fear of Crime
Authors: Glas Iris , Jennissen Roel , Engbersen Godfried
Published: May 2021

This study considers and simultaneously tests the role of ethnic diversity and out-group size in relation to individuals’ perceptions of neighborhood cohesion and fear of crime among natives in Dutch neighborhoods. We challenge the way the impact of diversity has been studied previously and propose an alternative measure to examine diversity effects. This results in a better understanding of how and why the ethnic composition of a neighborhood may impact levels of cohesion and fear, and thereby contributes to the literature on the societal effects of ethnic diversity. In addition, attention is paid to the association between cohesion and fear and whether neighborhood cohesion mediates the relationship between ethnic diversity and fear of crime. We apply multilevel equation modeling techniques to analyze the different relationships and use data of the Dutch Safety Monitor (N = 71,760) in combination with detailed register data. Our study is one of the first to detect a diversity effect on cohesion based on the modified diversity measure. We do not find support for the hypothesized diversity effect on fear of crime. Lastly, out-group size turned out to decrease cohesion and increase fear.
Religious Participation and Civic Engagement in a Secular Context: Evidence from Sweden on the Correlates of Attending Religious Services
Authors: Wallman Lundåsen Susanne
Published: May 2021

The aim of the present study is to investigate the potential link between religious participation and civic engagement in Sweden. Religious participation probably plays a different role in a secular context compared to a context where religion and politics are more intertwined. First, do those who regularly attend religious services in Sweden volunteer and participate in charitable giving more often compared with those who do not? Second, are those who regularly attend religious services more, or less, politically active between elections compared with those who do not in Sweden? Third, do those who regularly attend religious services in Sweden receive more requests to volunteer than those who do not? The study uses survey data on volunteering from random samples of individuals in Sweden. Results showed that volunteering was limited to a restricted group of organizations. There is a higher propensity among those who regularly attend religious services to volunteer within political parties. Those who frequently attend church were significantly more often requested to volunteer by someone else.
How Often Have You Felt Disadvantaged? Explaining Perceived Discrimination
Authors: Diehl Claudia , Liebau Elisabeth , Mühlau Peter
Published: May 2021

Based on longitudinal data from Germany, we analyze how perceptions of discrimination change once migrants’ integration evolves. Individuals who identify more strongly with the host country, speak the language, have native friends, and are adequately employed report less discrimination overall. However, group-specific analyses reveal that German-born Turks feel more rather than less discriminated against after their language skills and their identification increase. For this group, we find evidence for the “integration paradox”, i.e., the finding that better educated migrants have more rather than less negative attitudes about the host society. Results suggest that attributional processes rather than rising exposure to discrimination might be the main mechanism linking integration to higher levels of perceived discrimination. Obviously, discrimination does not disappear for groups facing salient ethnic boundaries and is met with growing awareness and sensitivity among individuals that have become more similar to the majority of members. This, in turn, by no means implies that perceived discrimination is detached from reality.
Meinungsfreiheit an der Universität
Authors: Traunmüller Richard , Revers Matthias
Published: May 2021

In unserer Antwort gehen wir auf einige Kritikpunkte an unserer Studie „Is Free Speech in Danger on University Campus?“ ein, die uns wiederholt und in ähnlicher Form in Diskussionen begegnen. Diese betreffen unsere Fallauswahl, unser Verständnis und unsere Operationalisierung von Toleranz und Meinungsfreiheit sowie nicht zuletzt unsere „Positionalität“. Wie wir darlegen, beruht diese Kritik vornehmlich auf einer verzerrten Rezeption unserer Befunde und auf uns zugeschriebenen Argumentationen, die wir nicht getätigt haben. Wir bekräftigen noch einmal die Relevanz, sich sozialwissenschaftlich mit der Frage nach der Meinungsfreiheit an der Universität auseinanderzusetzen.
Leveraging Blogger Influence in the Launch of Storytel
Authors: Kristensen Linn-Birgit Kampen
Published: May 2021

This article looks at three theoretical fields: communication theory based on the Two-step flow hypothesis, marketing theory concerning electronic word-of-mouth and finally diffusion theory of innovations. The launch of the audiobook streaming service Storytel in Norway is used as a case to describe the ramifications of only using bloggers in the introduction of a new service. The first research question is what factors are considered upon entering a brand relationship between product/service and blogger? The second research question is how do bloggers interact with their readers when participating in the launch of a new product/service? The article is based on qualitative interview with the marketing manager, contracts between influencers and audiobook streaming service in Norway, content analysis of blog posts and Instagram posts, and answers from a population survey to answer the question. This is a part of the Digitization and Diversity research project, conducted by the Centre for Creative Industries at BI Norwegian Business School, and is funded by the Norwegian Research Council under grant number: 247602.
Physiological insights into sulfate and selenium interaction to improve drought tolerance in mung bean
Authors: Aqib Muhammad , Nawaz Fahim , Majeed Sadia , Ghaffar Abdul , Ahmad Khawaja Shafique , Shehzad Muhammad Asif , Tahir Muhammad Naeem , Aurangzaib Muhammad , Javeed Hafiz Muhammad Rashad , Habib-ur-Rahman Muhammad , Usmani Muhammad Munir
Published: May 2021

The present study involved two pot experiments to investigate the response of mung bean to the individual or combined SO42− and selenate application under drought stress. A marked increment in biomass and NPK accumulation was recorded in mung bean seedlings fertilized with various SO42− sources, except for CuSO4. Compared to other SO42− fertilizers, ZnSO4 application resulted in the highest increase in growth attributes and shoot nutrient content. Further, the combined S and Se application (S + Se) significantly enhanced relative water content (16%), SPAD value (72%), photosynthetic rate (80%) and activities of catalase (79%), guaiacol peroxidase (53%) and superoxide dismutase (58%) in the leaves of water-stressed mung bean plants. Consequently, the grain yield of mung bean was markedly increased by 105% under water stress conditions. Furthermore, S + Se application considerably increased the concentrations of P (47%), K (75%), S (80%), Zn (160%), and Fe (15%) in mung bean seeds under drought stress conditions. These findings indicate that S + Se application potentially increases the nutritional quality of grain legumes by stimulating photosynthetic apparatus and antioxidative machinery under water deficit conditions. Our results could provide the basis for further experiments on cross-talk between S and Se regulatory pathways to improve the nutritional quality of food crops.
Is Pain “All in your Mind”? Examining the General Public’s Views of Pain
Authors: Salomons Tim V. , Harrison Richard , Hansen Nat , Stazicker James , Sorensen Astrid Grith , Thomas Paula , Borg Emma
Published: May 2021

By definition, pain is a sensory and emotional experience that is felt in a particular part of the body. The precise relationship between somatic events at the site where pain is experienced, and central processing giving rise to the mental experience of pain remains the subject of debate, but there is little disagreement in scholarly circles that both aspects of pain are critical to its experience. Recent experimental work, however, suggests a public view that is at odds with this conceptualisation. By demonstrating that the public does not necessarily endorse central tenets of the “mental” view of pain (subjectivity, privacy, and incorrigibility), experimental philosophers have argued that the public holds a more “body-centric” view than most clinicians and scholars. Such a discrepancy would have important implications for how the public interacts with pain science and clinical care. In response, we tested the hypothesis that the public is capable of a more “mind-centric” view of pain. Using a series of vignettes, we demonstrate that in situations which highlight mental aspects of pain the public can, and does, recognize pain as a mental phenomenon. We also demonstrate that the public view is subject to context effects, by showing that the public’s view is modified when situations emphasizing mental and somatic aspects of pain are presented together.
Anisotropic, Wrinkled, and Crack-Bridging Structure for Ultrasensitive, Highly Selective Multidirectional Strain Sensors
Authors: Zhang Heng , Liu Dan , Lee Jeng-Hun , Chen Haomin , Kim Eunyoung , Shen Xi , Zheng Qingbin , Yang Jinglei , Kim Jang-Kyo
Published: May 2021

Flexible multidirectional strain sensors are crucial to accurately determining the complex strain states involved in emerging sensing applications. Although considerable efforts have been made to construct anisotropic structures for improved selective sensing capabilities, existing anisotropic sensors suffer from a trade-off between high sensitivity and high stretchability with acceptable linearity. Here, an ultrasensitive, highly selective multidirectional sensor is developed by rational design of functionally different anisotropic layers. The bilayer sensor consists of an aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) array assembled on top of a periodically wrinkled and cracked CNT–graphene oxide film. The transversely aligned CNT layer bridge the underlying longitudinal microcracks to effectively discourage their propagation even when highly stretched, leading to superior sensitivity with a gauge factor of 287.6 across a broad linear working range of up to 100% strain. The wrinkles generated through a pre-straining/releasing routine in the direction transverse to CNT alignment is responsible for exceptional selectivity of 6.3, to the benefit of accurate detection of loading directions by the multidirectional sensor. This work proposes a unique approach to leveraging the inherent merits of two cross-influential anisotropic structures to resolve the trade-off among sensitivity, selectivity, and stretchability, demonstrating promising applications in full-range, multi-axis human motion detection for wearable electronics and smart robotics.
Photobiomodulation of mineralisation in mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Mohamad Sherif A. , Milward Michael R. , Hadis Mohammed A. , Kuehne Sarah A. , Cooper Paul R.
Published: May 2021

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and photobiomodulation (PBM) both offer significant therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine. MSCs have the ability to self-renew and differentiate; giving rise to multiple cellular and tissue lineages that are utilised in repair and regeneration of damaged tissues. PBM utilises light energy delivered at a range of wavelengths to promote wound healing. The positive effects of light on MSC proliferation are well documented; and recently, several studies have determined the outcomes of PBM on mineralised tissue differentiation in MSC populations. As PBM effects are biphasic, it is important to understand the underlying cellular regulatory mechanisms, as well as, provide accurate details of the irradiation conditions, to optimise and standardise outcomes. This review article focuses on the use of red, near-infra-red (R/NIR) and blue wavelengths to promote the mineralisation potential of MSCs; and also reports on the possible molecular mechanisms which underpin transduction of these effects. A variety of potential photon absorbers have been identified which are reported to mediate the signalling mechanisms, including respiratory chain enzymes, flavins, and cryptochromes. Studies report that R/NIR and blue light stimulate MSC differentiation by enhancing respiratory chain activity and increasing reactive oxygen species levels; however, currently, there are considerable variations between irradiation parameters reported. We conclude that due to its non-invasive properties, PBM may, following optimisation, provide an efficient therapeutic approach to clinically support MSC-mediated hard tissue repair. However, to optimise application, further studies are required to identify appropriate light delivery parameters, as well as elucidate the photo-signalling mechanisms involved.
An Introduction to Probabilistic Number Theory
Authors: Kowalski Emmanuel
Published: May 2021

Despite its seemingly deterministic nature, the study of whole numbers, especially prime numbers, has many interactions with probability theory, the theory of random processes and events. This surprising connection was first discovered around 1920, but in recent years the links have become much deeper and better understood. Aimed at beginning graduate students, this textbook is the first to explain some of the most modern parts of the story. Such topics include the Chebychev bias, universality of the Riemann zeta function, exponential sums and the bewitching shapes known as Kloosterman paths. Emphasis is given throughout to probabilistic ideas in the arguments, not just the final statements, and the focus is on key examples over technicalities. The book develops probabilistic number theory from scratch, with short appendices summarizing the most important background results from number theory, analysis and probability, making it a readable and incisive introduction to this beautiful area of mathematics.
Comparison of 2 Risk Prediction Models Specific for COVID-19: The Brescia-COVID Respiratory Severity Scale Versus the Quick COVID-19 Severity Index
Authors: Ak Rohat , Kurt Erdem , Bahadirli Suphi
Published: May 2021

Objective:

This study compared the prognostic performances of the Brescia-COVID Respiratory Severity Scale (BCRSS) and the Quick COVID-19 Severity Index (qCSI) scores in hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

Methods:

The data of all adult patients (over 18 y of age) who were admitted into a state hospital with confirmed COVID-19 between May 1, 2020, and October 31, 2020, were retrospectively examined. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, known as the area under the curve (AUC), was used to assess the BCRSS prediction rule and the qCSI score to assess the discriminatory power in predicting in-hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

Results:

There were 341 patients included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 58.2 ± 17.2, of which 165 were men and 176 were women, and 61.3% of patients had at least 1 comorbidity. The most common comorbidity was hypertension. The predictive power scores of BCRSS and qCSI were found as very good in terms of in-hospital mortality (AUC 0.804 and 0.847, respectively) and likewise in terms of ICU admission (AUC 0.842 and 0.851, respectively).

Conclusions:

Both BCRSS and qCSI scoring systems were found to be successful in predicting in-hospital mortality and ICU admission in our patient population.
Homoclinic orbits for area preserving diffeomorphisms of surfaces
Authors: LE CALVEZ PATRICE , SAMBARINO MARTÍN
Published: May 2021

We show that
$C^r $
generically in the space of
$C^r$
conservative diffeomorphisms of a compact surface, every hyperbolic periodic point has a transverse homoclinic orbit.
Flow forth
Authors: Santiago Juan G.
Published: May 2021

Graphical Abstract
Theoretical modelling of the three-dimensional wake of vertical axis turbines
Authors: Ouro Pablo , Lazennec Maxime
Published: May 2021

Graphical Abstract
Directional phyllotactic bias in calatheas (Goeppertia, Marantaceae): A citizen science approach
Authors: Durrington Benjamin , Chong Fiona , Chitwood Daniel H. ,   Twitter Calathea Poll Participants and iNaturalist Citizen Scientists
Published: May 2021

Lateral organs arranged in spiral phyllotaxy are separated by the golden angle, ≈137.5°, leading to chirality: either clockwise or counter-clockwise. In some species, leaves are asymmetric such that they are smaller and curved towards the side ascending the phyllotactic spiral. As such, these asymmetries lead to mirroring of leaf shapes in plants of opposite phyllotactic handedness. Previous reports had suggested that the pin-stripe calathea (Goeppertia ornata) may be exclusively of one phyllotactic direction, counter-clockwise, but had limited sampling to a single population. Here, we use a citizen science approach leveraging a social media poll, internet image searches, in-person verification at nurseries in four countries and digitally-curated, research-grade observations to demonstrate that calatheas (Goeppertia spp.) around the world are biased towards counter-clockwise phyllotaxy. The possibility that this bias is genetic and its implications for models of phyllotaxy that assume handedness is stochastically specified in equal proportions is discussed.
Dynamic asymptotic dimension for actions of virtually cyclic groups
Authors: Amini Massoud , Li Kang , Sawicki Damian , Shakibazadeh Ali
Published: May 2021

We show that the dynamic asymptotic dimension of an action of an infinite virtually cyclic group on a compact Hausdorff space is always one if the action has the marker property. This in particular covers a well-known result of Guentner, Willett, and Yu for minimal free actions of infinite cyclic groups. As a direct consequence, we substantially extend a famous result by Toms and Winter on the nuclear dimension of $C^{*}$-algebras arising from minimal free $\mathbb {Z}$-actions. Moreover, we also prove the marker property for all free actions of countable groups on finite-dimensional compact Hausdorff spaces, generalizing a result of Szabó in the metrisable setting.
Common musical mistakes in Early Childhood Education textbooks
Authors: Sánchez-Marroquí Judith , Vicente-Nicolás Gregorio
Published: May 2021

The aim of this study is to detect and analyse mistakes in musical activities included in Early Childhood Education textbooks from a musical and didactic viewpoint. The sample comprised 2,200 activities corresponding to the textbooks of four leading publishers in Spain. An instrument designedad hocfor collection of information was developed, proposing a taxonomy of mistakes in three categories:musical, didacticandworksheet.Results revealed that 22.6% of analysed activities contained some type of mistake. The most frequent were in themusicalcategory (concepts, terms or graphic representation), followed bydidactic(level, planning or methodology) and, finally, those related to student worksheets.
THE VALUE OF IDEOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AMONG UNIVERSITY FACULTY
Authors: Whittington Keith E.
Published: May 2021

Conservatives in the United States have grown increasingly critical of universities and their faculty, convinced that professors are ideologues from the political left. Universities, for their part, have increasingly adopted a mantra of diversity and inclusivity, but have shown little interest in diversifying the political and ideological profile of their faculties. This essay argues that the lack of political diversity among American university faculty hampers the ability of universities to fulfill their core mission of advancing and disseminating knowledge. The argument is advanced through a series of four questions: Is it true that university faculty are not ideologically diverse? Why might it be true? Does it matter? How might it be fixed.
THE AUTHORITY OF THE SACRED VICTIM
Authors: McGrath Molly Brigid
Published: May 2021

Suffering can make sacred, so it may partly be nature, and not culture alone, that leads us to apprehend a sacred aspect in victims of oppression. Those who recognize this sacredness show piety—a special form of respect—toward members of oppressed groups. The result is a system of social constructions often dismissed as “identity politics.” This essay starts with an analysis of the intentionality of piety and sacredness and how they relate to suffering, sacrifice, sanctions, pollution, and purification. It then argues that the sacralization of oppressed groups is an expression of the perennial human disposition to acknowledge sacredness and to respond piously. The essay then analyzes this sacred status as socially constructed. Based on the sacred-making (that is, “sacrificial”) power of suffering, the sacred status elicits piety, gives its bearers special authority, surrounds them with sanctions, and calls for symbolic sacrificial punishments of the impious. By dissecting sacrificial politics as a system of social constructions, we see that, although the oppressed groups are made sacred, certain people in the oppressor groups—“the Pious”—continue to exercise fundamental power. This essay, by displaying the inner logic of this cultural phenomenon, helps us both to sympathize with and to critique the system and then to pose questions about what good or bad the system might be doing.
Publics, Scientists and the State: Mapping the Global Human Genome Editing Controversy
Authors: Lei Ya-Wen
Published: May 2021

Literature on scientific controversies has inadequately attended to the impact of globalization and, more specifically, the emergence of China as a leader in scientific research. To bridge this gap in the literature, this article develops a theoretical framework to analyse global scientific controversies surrounding research in China. The framework highlights the existence of four overlapping discursive arenas: China's national public sphere and national expert sphere, the transnational public sphere and the transnational expert sphere. It then examines the struggles over inclusion/exclusion and publicity within these spheres as well as the within- and across-sphere effects of such struggles. Empirically, the article analyses the human genome editing controversy surrounding research conducted by scientists in China between 2015 and 2019. It shows how elite scientists negotiated expert–public relationships within and across the national and transnational expert spheres, how unexpected disruption at the nexus of the four spheres disrupted expert–public relationships as envisioned by elite experts, and how the Chinese state intervened to redraw the boundary between openness and secrecy at both national and transnational levels.
Loyalist, Dissenter and Cosmopolite: The Sociocultural Origins of a Counter-public Sphere in Colonial Hong Kong
Authors: Cheng Edmund W.
Published: May 2021

This paper surveys the process of discursive contestation by intellectual agents in Hong Kong that fostered a counter-public sphere in China's offshore. In the post-war era, Chinese exiled intellectuals leveraged the colony's geopolitical ambiguity and created a displaced community of loyalists/dissenters that supported independent publishing venues and engaged in the cultural front. By the 1970s, homegrown and left-wing intellectuals had constructed a hybrid identity to articulate their physical proximity to, yet social distance from, the Chinese nation-state, as well as to appropriate their sense of belonging to the city-state, through confronting social injustice. In examining periodicals and interviewing public intellectuals, I propose that this counter-public sphere was defined first by its alternative voice, which contested various official discourses, second by its multifaceted inclusiveness, which accommodated diverse worldviews and subjectivities, and third by its critical platform, which nurtured social activism in undemocratic Chinese societies. I differentiate the permissive conditions that loosened constraints on intellectual agencies from the productive conditions that account for their penetration and diffusion. Habermas's idealized public sphere framework is revisited by bringing in ideational contestation, social configuration and cultural identity.
Variation in management of paediatric isolated bicuspid aortic valve: current practice survey
Authors: Boyett Anderson Jesse M. , Hokanson John S
Published: May 2021

Background:

Prior to the recent release of appropriate use criteria for imaging valvulopathies in children, follow-up of valvular lesions, including isolated bicuspid aortic valve, was not standardised. We describe current follow up, treatment, and intervention strategies for isolated bicuspid aortic valve with varying degrees of stenosis, regurgitation, and dilation in children up to 18 years old and compare them with newly released appropriate use criteria.

Methods:

Online survey was sent to members of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery and PediHeartNet.

Results:

Totally, 106 responses with interpretable data were received. For asymptomatic patients with isolated BAV without stenosis, regurgitation, or dilation follow-up-intervals increased from 7+/−4 months in the newborn period to 28 +/− 14 months at 18 years of age. Respondents recommended more frequent follow-up for younger patients and those with greater disease severity. More than 80% of respondents treat aortic regurgitation or aortic dilation in the setting of bicuspid aortic valve medically. In general, intervention was recommended once stenosis or regurgitation became severe (stenosis of >4 m/s; regurgitation with LV Z score 4) regardless of age, but was not routinely recommended for younger children (newborn – age 6 years) with severe dilation. Exercise was restricted at 38+/−11 mmHg echocardiographic mean gradient.

Conclusions:

Current follow-up, treatment, and intervention strategies for isolated bicuspid aortic valve deviate from appropriate use criteria. Differences between the two highlight the need to better delineate the disease course, clarify recommendations for care, and encourage wider adoption of guidelines.
Outcomes of home mechanical ventilation with tracheostomy after congenital heart surgery
Authors: Temur Bahar , Emre İsmet E , Aydın Selim , Önalan Mehmet A , Başgöze Serdar , Özcan Esra , Doğruöz Alper , Erek Ersin
Published: May 2021

Objective:

After congenital heart surgery, some patients may need long-term mechanical ventilation because of chronic respiratory failure. In this study, we analysed outcomes of the patients who need tracheostomy and home mechanical ventilation.

Methods:

Amongst 1343 patients who underwent congenital heart surgery between January, 2014 and June, 2018, 45 needed tracheostomy and HMV. The median age of these patients was 6.4 months (12 days–6.5 years). Nineteen patients underwent palliation while 26 patients underwent total repair. Post-operative diaphragm plication was performed in five patients (11%). Median duration of mechanical ventilation before tracheostomy was 32 days (8–154 days). The patients were followed up with their home ventilators in ward and at home. Mean follow-up time was 36.24 ± 11.61 months.

Results:

The median duration of ICU stay after tracheostomy was 27 days (range 2–93 days). Follow-up time in ward was median 30 days (2–156 days). A total of 12 patients (26.6%) were separated from the ventilator and underwent decannulation during hospital stay. Thirty-two patients (71.1%) were discharged home with home ventilator support. Of them, 15 patients (46.9%) were separated from the respiratory support in median of 6 weeks (1 week–11 months) and decannulations were performed. Total mortality was 31.1%. in which four patients are still HMV dependent. There was no significant difference for decannulation between total repair and palliation patients.

Conclusion:

HMV via tracheostomy is a useful option for the treatment of children who are dependent on long-term ventilation after congenital heart surgery although there are potential risks.