bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WRF wind field assessment under multiple forcings using spatialized aircraft data
Authors: Carotenuto Federico , Gualtieri Giovanni , Toscano Piero , Miglietta Franco , Gioli Beniamino
Published: September 2020

The performances of limited area weather models are affected by the choice of core solvers, domain resolutions, and initial and boundary conditions. To understand the extent of such differences on simulated wind fields, weather research and forecast (WRF) simulations initialized by different forcings were extensively compared with an aircraft‐derived high‐resolution data set. The two used forcings were the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA‐Interim reanalysis and the National Centers for Environmental Predictions (NCEP) Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR). The model domain covered a large portion of central western Italy (including part of the Tyrrhenian coast) encompassing the aircraft track and allowed the characterization of their performance across the simulation domain rather than a small set of point‐based observations. The WRF results show good agreement with the aircraft data across the whole flight track with both forcings (root mean square errors (RMSEs) < 2.3 m·s−1 and an average r2 = 0.7). Orography and coasts show an effect on simulated wind fields. The presence of a strong orography (which is smoothed by the model internal terrain elevation model) is associated with increased errors. Distance from the coast is also associated with a variation in RMSE (even if in a non‐straightforward manner) because of potential breeze effects. No forcing data set clearly outperforms the other, while the ECMWF has higher correlation co‐efficients when considering wind direction.
The rate of convergence of an iterative‐computational algorithm for second‐kind nonlinear Volterra integral equations with weakly singular kernels
Authors: Baghani Omid
Published: September 2020

This paper attempts to present an iterative‐computational method for solving weakly singular nonlinear Volterra integral equations (WSNVIEs) of the second type based on rationalized Haar wavelets (RHWs). The proposed algorithm does not need to solve any linear or nonlinear system for evaluating the wavelet coefficients. After a brief introduction of rationalized Haar functions (RHFs), the computational matrices of integration and fractional integral are applied to reduce the approximation of integral equations to some matrix algebraic equations. Next, the error analysis of the problem by using the two‐dimensional iterated projection operator is offered. We will prove that the rate of convergence of the proposed algorithm is
, where h is the iteration number and β is the contraction constance. The method for any WSNVIE of the second kind with 0 ≤ β < 1 is convergent. The proposed method is computationally attractive, and comparing the results obtained of the known technique is more efficient.
A generative adversarial network‐based (GAN‐based) architecture for automatic fiducial marker detection in prostate MRI‐only radiotherapy simulation images
Authors: Singhrao Kamal , Fu Jie , Parikh Neil R. , Mikaeilian Argin G. , Ruan Dan , Kishan Amar U. , Lewis John H.
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Clinical sites utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐only simulation for prostate radiotherapy planning typically use fiducial markers for pretreatment patient positioning and alignment. Fiducial markers appear as small signal voids in MRI images and are often difficult to discern. Existing clinical methods for fiducial marker localization require multiple MRI sequences and/or manual interaction and specialized expertise. In this study, we develop a robust method for automatic fiducial marker detection in prostate MRI simulation images and quantify the pretreatment alignment accuracy using automatically detected fiducial markers in MRI.

Methods and Materials

In this study, a deep learning‐based algorithm was used to convert MRI images into labeled fiducial marker volumes. Seventy‐seven prostate cancer patients who received marker implantation prior to MRI and CT simulation imaging were selected for this study. Multiple‐Echo T1‐VIBE MRI images were acquired, and images were stratified (at the patient level) based on the presence of intraprostatic calcifications. Ground truth (GT) contours were defined by an expert on MRI using CT images. Training was done using the pix2pix generative adversarial network (GAN) image‐to‐image translation package and model testing was done using fivefold cross validation. For performance comparison, an experienced medical dosimetrist and a medical physicist each manually contoured fiducial markers in MRI images. The percent of correct detections and F1 classification scores are reported for markers detected using the automatic detection algorithm and human observers. The patient positioning errors were quantified by calculating the target registration errors (TREs) from fiducial marker driven rigid registration between MRI and CBCT images. Target registration errors were quantified for fiducial marker contours defined on MRI by the automatic detection algorithm and the two expert human observers.

Results

Ninety‐six percent of implanted fiducial markers were correctly identified using the automatic detection algorithm. Two expert raters correctly identified 97% and 96% of fiducial markers, respectively. The F1 classification score was 0.68, 0.75, and 0.72 for the automatic detection algorithm and two human raters, respectively. The main source of false discoveries was intraprostatic calcifications. The mean TRE differences between alignments from automatic detection algorithm and human detected markers and GT were <1 mm.

Conclusions

We have developed a deep learning‐based approach to automatically detect fiducial markers in MRI‐only simulation images in a clinically representative patient cohort. The automatic detection algorithm‐predicted markers can allow for patient setup with similar accuracy to independent human observers.
Light‐ and elevated temperature‐induced degradation impact on bifacial modules using accelerated aging tests, electroluminescence, and photovoltaic plant modeling
Authors: Dupuis Julien , Plessis Gilles , El Hajje Gilbert , Lajoie‐Mazenc Eric , Sandré Eric , Radouane Khalid , Dupeyrat Patrick
Published: September 2020

The authors report on the light‐ and elevated temperature‐induced degradation (LeTID) effect observed on bifacial photovoltaic modules and its potential impact on photovoltaic plants performance. Indoor LeTID quantification using indoor carrier‐induced degradation (CID) is carried out using current injection. Power measurements yielded higher LeTID sensitivity for the rear side of bifacial modules compared to the front side, hence leading to a variation of the bifaciality factor by several percentage points. The difficulty in evaluating the maximal power degradation caused by LeTID is also highlighted as a reduced number of samples are used most of the time and as cells within a single module do not have always the same performance evolution trends. Using indoor CID results with the help of empirical fitting and Arrhenius relation, the yield impact of LeTID on a bifacial power plant is simulated under three different climates. Modeling results help to identify the main parameters related to LeTID modules sensitivity that impact photovoltaic (PV) plants yield: maximal power degradation, stabilized power value after regeneration, activation energy value, and LeTID kinetics. In some cases, the yield variation caused by LeTID sensitive modules could be mitigated by carefully selecting the modules as a function of climatic conditions.
Plant and fungal collections: Current status, future perspectives
Authors: Paton Alan , Antonelli Alexandre , Carine Mark , Forzza Rafaela Campostrini , Davies Nina , Demissew Sebsebe , Dröge Gabriele , Fulcher Tim , Grall Aurelie , Holstein Norbert , Jones Meirion , Liu Udayangani , Miller Joe , Moat Justin , Nicolson Nicky , Ryan Matthew , Sharrock Suzanne , Smith David , Thiers Barbara , Victor Janine , Wilkinson Tim , Dickie John
Published: September 2020

Societal Impact Statement

Plant and fungal specimens provide the auditable evidence that a particular organism occurred at a particular place, and at a particular point in time, verifying past occurrence and distribution. They also document the aspects of human exploration and culture. Collectively specimens form a global asset with significant potential for new uses to help address societal and environmental challenges. Collections also serve as a platform to engage and educate a broad range of stakeholders from the academic to the public, strengthening engagement and understanding of plant and fungal diversity—the basis of life on Earth.

We provide a global review of the current state of plant and fungal collections including herbaria and fungaria, botanic gardens, fungal culture collections, and biobanks. The review focuses on the numbers of collections, major taxonomic group and species level coverage, geographical representation and the extent to which the data from collections are digitally accessible. We identify the major gaps in these collections and in digital data. We also consider what collection types need to be further developed to support research, such as environmental DNA and cryopreservation of desiccation‐sensitive seeds. Around 31% of vascular plant species are represented in botanic gardens, and 17% of known fungal species are held in culture collections, both these living collections showing a bias toward northern temperate taxa. Only 21% of preserved collections are available via the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) with Asia, central and north Africa and Amazonia being relatively under‐represented. Supporting long‐term collection facilities in biodiverse areas should be considered by governmental and international aid agencies, in addition to short‐term project funding. Institutions should consider how best to speed up digitization of collections and to disseminate all data via aggregators such as GBIF, which will greatly facilitate use, research, and community curation to improve quality. There needs to be greater alignment between biodiversity informatics initiatives and standards to allow more comprehensive analysis of collections data and to facilitate linkage of extended information, facilitating broader use. Much can be achieved with greater coordination through existing initiatives and strengthening relationships with users.
Current knowledge, status, and future for plant and fungal diversity in Great Britain and the UK Overseas Territories
Authors: Clubbe Colin , Ainsworth A. Martyn , Bárrios Sara , Bensusan Keith , Brodie Juliet , Cannon Paul , Chapman Ted , Copeland Alison I. , Corcoran Marcella , Dani Sanchez Michele , David John C. , Dines Trevor , Gardiner Lauren M. , Hamilton Martin A. , Heller Thomas , Hollingsworth Peter M. , Hutchinson Nicola , Llewelyn Theo , Lowe Forrest Laura , McGinn Kevin J. , Miles Stephanie , O'Donnell Katherine , Woodfield‐Pascoe Nancy , Rich Tim C. G. , Rumsey Fred , Sim Jolene , Smith Struan R. , Spence Nicola , Stanworth Andrew , Stroh Peter , Taylor Ian , Trivedi Clare , Twyford Alex D. , Viruel Juan , Walker Kevin , Wilbraham Jo , Woodman Julian , Fay Michael F.
Published: September 2020

Societal Impact Statement

We rely on plants and fungi for most aspects of our lives. Yet plants and fungi are under threat, and we risk losing species before we know their identity, roles, and potential uses. Knowing names, distributions, and threats are first steps toward effective conservation action. Accessible products like field guides and online resources engage society, harnessing collective support for conservation. Here, we review current knowledge of the plants and fungi of the UK and UK Overseas Territories, highlighting gaps to help direct future research efforts toward conserving these vital elements of biodiversity.

This review summarizes current knowledge of the status and threats to the plants and fungi of Great Britain and the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs). Although the body of knowledge is considerable, the distribution of information varies substantially, and we highlight knowledge gaps. The UK vascular flora is the most well studied and we have a relatively clear picture of its 9,001 native and alien taxa. We have seedbanked 72% of the native and archaeophyte angiosperm taxa and 78% of threatened taxa. Knowledge of the UKOTs flora varies across territories and we report a UKOTs flora comprising 4,093 native and alien taxa. We have conserved 27% of the native flora and 51% of the threatened vascular plants in Kew's Millennium Seed Bank, UK. We need a better understanding of the conservation status of plants in the wild, and progress toward completion or updating national red lists varies. Site‐based protection of key plant assemblages is outlined, and progress in identifying Important Plant Areas analyzed. Knowledge of the non‐vascular flora, especially seaweeds remains patchy, particularly in many UKOTs. The biggest gaps overall are in fungi, particularly non‐lichenized fungi. Considerable investment is needed to fill these knowledge gaps and instigate effective conservation strategies.
Roles of variable linker length in dual acting virucidal entry inhibitors on HIV‐1 potency via on‐the‐fly free energy molecular simulations
Authors: Gossert Steven T. , Parajuli Bibek , Chaiken Irwin , Abrams Cameron F.
Published: September 2020

The Dual‐Acting Virolytic Entry Inhibitors, or DAVEI's, are a class of recombinant chimera fusion proteins consisting of a lectin, a flexible polypeptide linker, and a fragment of the membrane‐proximal external region (MPER) of HIV‐1 gp41. DAVEIs trigger virolysis of HIV‐1 virions through interactions with the trimeric envelope glycoprotein complex (Env), though the details of these interactions are not fully determined as yet. The purpose of this work was to use structural modeling to rationalize a dependence of DAVEI potency on the molecular length of the linker connecting the two components. We used temperature accelerated molecular dynamics and on‐the‐fly parameterization to compute free energy versus end‐to‐end distance for two different linker lengths, DAVEI L0 (His6) and DAVEI L2 ([Gly4Ser]2His6). Additionally, an envelope model was created based on a cryo‐electron microscopy‐derived structure of a cleaved, soluble Env construct, with high‐mannose glycans added which served as putative docking locations for the lectin, along with MPER added that served as a putative docking location for the MPER region of DAVEI (MPERDAVEI). Using MD simulation, distances between the lectin C‐terminus and Env gp41 MPER were measured. We determined that none of the glycans were close enough to gp41 MPER to allow DAVEI L0 to function, while one, N448, will allow DAVEI L2 to function. These findings are consistent with the previously determined dependence of lytic function on DAVEI linker lengths. This supports the hypothesis that DAVEI's engage Env at both glycans and the Env MPER in causing membrane poration and lysis.
Can we really learn from the experience of others? How shared learnings can become actual change
Authors: Lodal Peter N.
Published: September 2020

This presentation will recount the creation of the first safety committee at Eastman Kodak Company, and how its formation relates to one of the seminal industrial accidents of the 20th Century, the Triangle Shirtwaist fire of March 1911. The presentation will review the memo forming the Kodak Committee on Safety as well as the Triangle case history, and discuss how its impact was felt, and how changes were made at Kodak and in many other industries as a result. Available accident statistics from the early 20th century will be presented to illustrate the case for change and the need for continual review of case histories across a range of industries and activities, adopting learnings even when the event itself is not relevant to current operations.
Application of the Nested Enzyme‐Within‐Enterocyte (NEWE) Turnover Model for Predicting the Time Course of Pharmacodynamic Effects
Authors: Takita Hiroyuki , Darwich Adam S. , Ahmad Amais , Rostami‐Hodjegan Amin
Published: September 2020

The gut wall consists of many biological elements, including enterocytes. Rapid turnover, a prominent feature of the enterocytes, has generally been ignored in the development of enterocyte‐targeting drugs, although it has a comparable rate to other kinetic rates. Here, we investigated the impact of enterocyte turnover on the pharmacodynamics of enterocyte‐targeting drugs by applying a model accounting for turnover of enterocytes and target proteins. Simulations showed that the pharmacodynamics depend on enterocyte lifespan when drug‐target affinity is strong and half‐life of target protein is long. Interindividual variability of enterocyte lifespan, which can be amplified by disease conditions, has a substantial impact on the variability of response. However, our comprehensive literature search showed that the enterocyte turnover causes a marginal impact on currently approved enterocyte‐targeting drugs due to their relatively weak target affinities. This study proposes a model‐informed drug development approach for selecting enterocyte‐targeting drugs and their optimal dosage regimens.
Effects of Grain Boundaries on THz Conductivity in the Crystalline States of Ge2Sb2Te5Phase‐Change Materials: Correlation with DC Loss
Authors: Shimakawa Koichi , Kadlec Filip , Kadlec Christelle , Prikryl Jan , Wagner Tomas , Frumar Miloslav , Kasap Safa
Published: September 2020

Herein, in situ temperature‐dependent THz and DC conductivity measurements in the crystalline states of Ge2Sb2Te5(GST225) are performed at relatively high temperatures (>300 K). As observed in many nanomaterials, a non‐Drude type of THz conductivity is found in the crystalline state of phase‐change (PC) materials. Both the intra‐ and intergrain effects can be separated in the THz and DC conductivity. It is shown that grain boundaries significantly affect the THz and DC conductivities of the crystalline phase (distorted rock salt structure). The experimentally observed DC Hall mobility is different from the intragrain mobility extracted from the THz conductivity, suggesting that a series sequence of intra‐ and intergrain transport mechanisms controls the electronic transport in the crystalline state of GST225.
Determination of intracellular anlotinib, osimertinib, afatinib and gefitinib accumulations in human brain microvascular endothelial cells by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Ma Zhiyuan , Lu Shuanghui , Zhou Hui , Zhang Shirong , Wang Yuqing , Lin Nengming
Published: September 2020

Rationale

Brain metastases are a common complication in patients with non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Anlotinib hydrochloride is a novel multi‐target tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) exhibiting a superior overall response rate for brain metastases from NSCLC. The penetrability of anlotinib and three generations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) TKIs (osimertinib, afatinib and gefitinib) into brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) was compared.

Methods

A sensitive quantification method for the four TKIs was developed using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Anlotinib and the three EGFR TKIs were separated on an ACQUITY BEH C18 column after a direct protein precipitation, and then analyzed using electrospray ionization in positive ion mode. The linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of quantification, specificity and stability were assessed.

Results

The four analytes could be efficiently quantified in a single run of 3.8 min. The validation parameters of all analytes satisfy the acceptance criteria of bioanalytical method guidelines. The calibration range was 0.2–200 ng mL−1 for anlotinib and gefitinib, 1–500 ng mL−1 for osimertinib and 1–200 ng mL−1 for afatinib. The penetration of anlotinib across HBMECs was comparable with that of afatinib and gefitinib but less than that of osimertinib.

Conclusions

A sensitive LC/MS/MS method to simultaneously measure anlotinib, osimertinib, afatinib and gefitinib in cell extracts was successfully validated and applied to determine their uptake inside HBMECs, which could pave the way for future research on the role of anlotinib in NSCLC brain metastases.
Evaluating the green growth indicators to achieve sustainable development: A novel extended interval‐valued intuitionistic fuzzy‐combined compromise solution approach
Authors: Alrasheedi Melfi , Mardani Abbas , Mishra Arunodaya R. , Streimikiene Dalia , Liao Huchang , Al‐nefaie Abdullah H.
Published: September 2020

Recent years have witnessed the green growth as a renowned efficient approach to tracking the progress towards sustainable development. The paper is mainly aimed to propose an innovative extended approach based on Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) and Interval‐Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Set (IVIFS); thus, it is called IVIF Combined Compromise Solution (IVIF‐CoCoSo). This study is the first effort that used the fuzzy sets theory and decision‐making technique (entitled IVIF‐CoCoSo) to rank and evaluate the indicators of green growth to sustainable manufacturing in the manufacturing sector. To reach the study objectives, a total of five indicators and 30 sub‐indicators for evaluation of green growth are collected from the existing literature review. Subsequently, this study has been extended using the IVIF‐CoCoSo approach for ranking, modeling, and evaluating the green growth indicators into sustainable manufacturing based on experts' opinions. The results of this study showed that the environmental and resource productivity of the economy indicators is more significant than the other indicators in the manufacturing sector. Moreover, findings confirmed the accuracy of the proposed method in solving the green growth problem, and comparison was also made between the results of the proposed method and some other Multi‐Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods.
Differences in depression, anxiety and stress disorders between fibromyalgia associated with rheumatoid arthritis and primary fibromyalgia
Authors: Alciati Alessandra , Cirillo Mariateresa , Masala Ignazio Francesco , Sarzi‐Puttini Piercarlo , Atzeni Fabiola
Published: September 2020

Fibromyalgia (FM) was frequently observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We aimed to evaluate the differences in psychiatric comorbidities and life adversities between patients with Rheumatoid arthritis + FM (secondary fibromyalgia [SFM]) and people with primary FM (PFM). In a cross‐sectional, observational study, patients with PFM and SFM underwent a structured interview for the lifetime diagnosis of major depression (MDD), panic disorder (PD) and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and were assessed for childhood/adulthood adversities and FM‐related symptoms severity. Thirty patients with PFM and 40 with SFM were recruited. The univariate analysis showed that the lifetime rates of MDD were significantly higher in PFM versus SFM (76.7 % and 40%, respectively, p < 0.003), as well as the rates of PD (50 % and 15%, respectively, p < 0.003), whereas there was no difference in PTSD rates. The rates of sexual abuse and physical neglect were significantly higher in PFM patients versus SFM patients (p < 0.005 and p < 0.023). Life events occurring before FM onset were different in PFM and SFM groups. In the logistic regression model, lifetime PD and physical neglect remain independent risk factors for PFM. PFM and SFM differ in psychiatric comorbidities and environmental adversities, suggesting that common pathogenesis may develop through different pathways.
Tooth replacement in Manidens condorensis: baseline study to address the replacement pattern in dentitions of early ornithischians
Authors: Becerra Marcos G. , Pol Diego , Whitlock John A. , Porro Laura B.
Published: September 2020

Dental replacement in Heterodontosauridae has been debated over the last five decades primarily on indirect evidence, such as the development of wear facets and the position of erupted teeth. Direct observation of unerupted teeth provides unambiguous data for understanding tooth replacement but this has been done only for Heterodontosaurus and Fruitadens. This study addresses dental replacement in Manidens condorensis based on the positioning of functional and replacement teeth using microcomputed tomography data, differential wear along the dentition and the differences in labiolingual/apicobasal level of functional teeth. Dental replacement in Manidens condorensis was continuous in an anterior‐to‐posterior wave pattern, with asynchronous tooth eruption and the addition of new teeth posteriorly to the toothrow during ontogeny. Manidens shows the first evidence of dental replacement for the large dentary caniniform in Heterodontosauridae, which possibly had replacement timing distinct from the cheek dentition. Newly erupted teeth imbricate in a mesial cavity–distal crown base relationship during eruption, so that imbrication of the midposterior dentition remains unaltered during tooth replacement. The presence/absence of a small caniniform tooth in the D3 position of several specimens suggests possible intraspecific dimorphism in Manidens. On longitudinal sections of isolated crowns the histological features such as Howship's lacunae and odontoclast spaces are similar in size to extant reptiles. The differential wear decreasing posteriorly and hypothetical Z‐spacing below 2.3 in Manidens are similar to basal ornithischians. Tooth replacement in Heterodontosauridae (and other early ornithischians) provides key information for understanding the dynamics of jaw function and craniomandibular specialization to herbivory.
Organic semiconducting nanomaterials‐assisted phototheranostics in near‐infrared‐II biological window
Authors: Yin Chao , Lu Xiaomei , Fan Quli , Huang Wei
Published: September 2020

Phototheranostics conducted in the near‐infrared‐II (NIR‐II) biological window exhibits high superiorities relative to that conducted in the first near‐infrared (NIR‐I) window due to higher penetration depth, higher signal‐to‐noise ratio of imaging, and improved maximum permissible exposure. Currently, most existing agents developed for NIR‐II phototheranostics are limited to inorganic nanoparticles and small‐molecule dyes, which suffer from the issues of long‐term biotoxicity and poor photostability, respectively. Organic semiconducting nanomaterials (OSNs) constructed from π‐conjugated organic semiconducting polymers or oligomers have unique advantages including high photostability, flexible optical features, and good biocompatibility due to the totally organic and biologically inert constituents. These advantages make OSNs more promising for in vivo phototheranostics. We here make a brief review about recent progress of OSNs‐assisted phototheranostics conducted in the NIR‐II biological window. NIR‐II fluorescence imaging and photoacoustic imaging are mainly reviewed as diagnostic modalities to guide various treatments. Besides, multimodal phototheranostics using OSNs in NIR‐II window is also described. At last, the challenges and outlook for OSNs‐assisted NIR‐II phototheranostics are discussed.
A note on higher-order vertices of higher-spin fields in flat and (A)dS space
Authors: Joung Euihun , Taronna Massimo
Published: September 2020

Abstract

In this work we classify (homogeneous) solutions to the Noether procedure in (A)dS for an arbitrary number of external legs and in general dimensions, analysing also the corresponding deformations of gauge symmetries. This builds upon the corresponding flat space classification [1], which we review and give its relation with the (A)dS result presented here. The role of dimensional dependent identities is studied in detail, which we find do not lead to new solutions for couplings involving more than three fields. For spins one and two our formalism recovers the Yang-Mills and Gravity examples.
Intramolecular Mobility in Nitroxide Biradicals with Flexible Linkers
Authors: Grampp Günter , Tran Van Anh , Pantyukhov Petr V. , Kokorin Alexander I.
Published: September 2020

Intramolecular electron spin exchange has been studied by X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in two long-chain flexible nitroxide biradicals existing in fluid solutions in three spectroscopy-different spatial conformations as a function of temperature, solvent viscosity and polarity. Certain thermodynamic parameters of the conformational transitions were calculated from the EPR spectra. The process of spin-exchange in these biradicals dissolved in five different alcohols was compared with that in the non-polar solvents (toluene) and aprotic (acetonitrile), as well as with two other biradicals studied earlier, and with thermodynamic characteristics of the solvents. A distinct correlation was found between macroscopic (solvent viscosity) characteristics of solvents and thermodynamic parameters of the intramolecular conformational transitions.
Performance and user-friendliness of the rapid antigen detection tests QuickVue Dipstick Strep A test and DIAQUICK Strep A Blue Dipstick for pharyngotonsillitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes in primary health care
Authors: Sølvik Una Ørvim , Boija Elisabet Eriksson , Ekvall Sara , Jabbour Afamia , Breivik Anne Christin , Nordin Gunnar , Sandberg Sverre
Published: September 2020

Sensitivity and specificity of rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs) for detection of group A hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) vary. The purpose is to present the first SKUP (Scandinavian evaluation of laboratory equipment for point of care testing) evaluations concerning the assessment of the diagnostic performance and user-friendliness of two RADTs for detection of GAS when used under real-life conditions in primary health care. Throat samples were collected in duplicates at primary health care centers (PHCCs) from patients with symptoms of pharyngitis. The performance of QuickVue Dipstick Strep A test (307 samples) and DIAQUICK Strep A Blue Dipstick (348 samples) was evaluated using culture results at a clinical microbiology laboratory as comparison. The user-friendliness was evaluated using a questionnaire. The diagnostic sensitivity was 92% (90% confidence interval (CI) 87–96%) and 72% (90% CI 65–79%), while the diagnostic specificity was 86% (90% CI 81–90%) and 98% (90% CI 96–99%) for QuickVue Dipstick Strep A test and DIAQUICK Strep A Blue Dipstick, respectively. Both RADTs obtained acceptable assessments for user-friendliness and fulfilled SKUP’s quality goal for user-friendliness. The diagnostic sensitivity for QuickVue Dipstick Strep A test and the diagnostic specificity for DIAQUICK Strep A Blue Dipstick in this objective and supplier-independent evaluation were higher compared with previous meta-analyses of RADTs. However, the diagnostic specificity for QuickVue Dipstick Strep A test and the diagnostic sensitivity for DIAQUICK Strep A Blue Dipstick were lower compared with previous meta-analyses of RADTs.
Stylostome formation by parasitic larvae of Allothrombium fuliginosum (Trombidiformes: Trombidiidae): morphology of feeding tubes and factors affecting their size
Authors: Felska Magdalena , Mąkol Joanna , Shatrov Andrey B.
Published: September 2020

The morphology and formation of stylostomes (feeding tubes) in hosts’ body during the parasitic phase ofAllothrombium fuliginosum(Hermann) larvae were studied for the first time with light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The stylostomes were observed in three aphids species—Acyrthosiphon pisum(Harris),Elatobium abietinum(Walker), andMacrosiphum rosae(L.)—parasitized by mites under laboratory conditions. They consisted of 2–6 main branches, preliminarily unbranched, then producing secondary and sometimes also tertiary branches as finally formed structures. Their walls were uniformly electron-dense, without any longitudinal and transverse stratifications and showed rather irregular outlines. Distally, the stylostome branches revealed transparent pores and cavities in their walls, connecting the stylostome canal with surrounding haemocoelic space. The total length of stylostomes at the end of the parasitic phase was on average 16× greater than that recorded in the youngest stylostomes. No differences in the overall shape of feeding tubes between host species were stated. The stylostomes formed in different host species did not differ significantly, except their total length, which attained the highest value in tissues ofAc. pisum.
Typical Ground States for Large Sets of Interactions
Authors: van Enter Aernout , Miȩkisz Jacek
Published: September 2020

We discuss what ground states for generic interactions look like. We note that a recent result, due to Morris, implies that the behaviour of ground-state measures for generic interactions is similar to that of generic measures. In particular, it follows from his observation that they have singular spectrum and that they are weak mixing, but not mixing.
‘Bodies (that) matter’: the role of habit formation for identity
Authors: Wehrle Maren
Published: September 2020

This paper will interpret Judith Butler’s theory of performativity and materialization as a theory of identity, and so put it into dialogue with a phenomenological account of habit formation. The goal is to argue that identity is developed already at a bodily level and that this takes place via the processes of habit formation. The constitution of subjectivity, in other words, requires at the most basic level some kind of bodily performativity. What follows intends to draw out the concept of ‘the body’ in Butler’s work, the role of which is surprisingly meagre given her clear favour of language signification in the elaboration of her theory of performativity. Alternatively, this paper will provide a phenomenology of habit formation that re-introduces the body not as thematic materiality, but as lived materiality. The body will therefore be conceived as something which is already skilful and creative, sensitive and vulnerable, and ultimately, as Butler anticipates, responsive to the intertwinement of individual and social aspects of identity formation. In this regard, I will argue for a performative theory of (bodily) habitual identity.
Mediating Students’ Fixation with Grades in an Inquiry-Based Undergraduate Biology Course
Authors: DeFeo Dayna Jean , Tran Trang C. , Gerken Sarah
Published: September 2020

The paper analyzes focus group data to explore student perceptions of an inquiry-based undergraduate biology course. Though the course was designed to mimic the scientific process by incorporating uncertainty, peer review, and self-reflection, students came to class focused on getting As and with a developed schema for didactic instruction and passive learning. They perceived the autonomy and self-directedness of the learning experience as a threat to their grades, and responded with strategies that protected their grades and ego, but were deleterious to learning. Students could identify merits of the inquiry-based approach; however, they made clear: they prioritized grades, and were unwilling to trust an unfamiliar pedagogy if they perceived it jeopardized their grades. In the framework of self-regulated learning, the discussion considers how to scaffold students to foreground learning over achievement.
Three-Dimensional Simulations of Solar Wind Preconditioning and the 23 July 2012 Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection
Authors: Desai Ravindra T. , Zhang Han , Davies Emma E. , Stawarz Julia E. , Mico-Gomez Joan , Iváñez-Ballesteros Pilar
Published: September 2020

Predicting the large-scale eruptions from the solar corona and their propagation through interplanetary space remains an outstanding challenge in solar- and helio-physics research. In this article, we describe three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the inner heliosphere leading up to and including the extreme interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) of 23 July 2012, developed using the code PLUTO. The simulations are driven using the output of coronal models for Carrington rotations 2125 and 2126 and, given the uncertainties in the initial conditions, are able to reproduce an event of comparable magnitude to the 23 July ICME, with similar velocity and density profiles at 1 au. The launch time of this event is then varied with regards to an initial 19 July ICME and the effects of solar wind preconditioning are found to be significant for an event of this magnitude and to decrease over a time-window consistent with the ballistic refilling of the depleted heliospheric sector. These results indicate that the 23 July ICME was mostly unaffected by events prior, but would have traveled even faster had it erupted closer in time to the 19 July event where it would have experienced even lower drag forces. We discuss this systematic study of solar wind preconditioning in the context of space weather forecasting.
Bewusstes und unbewusstes Denken von Experten und Novizen: Eine empirische Studie zur Qualität von Personalauswahlentscheidungen und Implikationen für die Beratung
Authors: Kohlmann S.
Published: September 2020

Die „Theorie des unbewussten Denkens“ (UTT) postuliert, dass Menschen in komplexen Situationen bessere Entscheidungen treffen, wenn sie unbewusst-intuitiv und nicht bewusst nachdenken. Inwieweit sich diese, fast ausschließlich im Bereich der Konsumgüterentscheidungen geprüfte Annahme, auch auf die Entscheidungsarbeit von Recruitern, Beratern oder Coaches übertragen lässt und welche Rolle hierbei ihrer Expertise zukommt, ist bisher weitgehend ungeklärt. In diesem Beitrag werden die UTT sowie die Relevanz der Expertise für intuitive Entscheidungen theoretisch hergeleitet und mit Hilfe eines Experiments in der Personalauswahl empirisch fundiert. Die experimentellen Ergebnisse sowie die Implikationen für die Beratung weisen darauf hin, dass unbewusstes Denken den Entscheidungsprozess eines Recruiters bzw. Beraters begünstigen kann, sofern dieser über eine hinreichend validierte Expertise verfügt.
A first investigation into gender minority adolescents’ sexting experiences
Authors: Van Ouytsel Joris , Walrave Michel , De Marez Lieven , Vanhaelewyn Bart , Ponnet Koen
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Gender minority adolescents, such as transgender, gender nonconforming, gender diverse and non‐binary youth, may face unique challenges with regard to online sexual communication. They may be especially vulnerable for sexting‐related risks. The aim of this study is to explore the sexting experiences of gender minority youth among a school‐based sample.

Methods

This brief exploratory study reports on a survey that was conducted among 1293 respondents with an average age of 14.79 years old (SD = 1.97) in the Dutch‐speaking area of Belgium, and compares engagement in sexting experiences between cisgender and gender minority youth.

Results

The results of our exploratory study show that gender minority adolescents were more likely to have ever been pressured to send a sexting image. There were no significant differences with regard to receiving sexts, or receiving forwarded sexts. None of the gender minority youth reported that they had forwarded a sexting image from someone else, as opposed to 9.3% of cisgender youth who had forwarded a sext.

Conclusions

Despite the explorative nature of our study, the results suggest that gender minority youth may be at an increased risk to experience sexting‐related pressure. Additional research is needed to investigate the sexting experiences of gender minority adolescents. Gender minority youth may benefit from education about safer sexting, and specifically ways to cope with sexting‐related pressure.
A context in which finite or unique ergodicity is generic
Authors: YINGST ANDY Q.
Published: September 2020

We show that for good measures, the set of homeomorphisms of Cantor space which preserve that measure and which have no invariant clopen sets contains a residual set of homeomorphisms which are uniquely ergodic. Additionally, we show that for refinable Bernoulli trial measures, the same set of homeomorphisms contains a residual set of homeomorphisms which admit only finitely many ergodic measures.
Epistemic Oppression and Ableism in Bioethics
Authors: Wieseler Christine
Published: September 2020

Disabled people face obstacles to participation in epistemic communities that would be beneficial for making sense of our experiences and are susceptible to epistemic oppression. Knowledge and skills grounded in disabled people's experiences are treated as unintelligible within an ableist hermeneutic, specifically, the dominant conception of disability as lack. My discussion will focus on a few types of epistemic oppression—willful hermeneutical ignorance, epistemic exploitation, and epistemic imperialism—as they manifest in some bioethicists’ claims about and interactions with disabled people. One of the problems with the epistemic phenomena with which I am concerned is that they direct our skepticism regarding claims and justifications in the wrong direction. When we ought to be asking dominantly situated epistemic agents to justify their knowledge claims, our attention is instead directed toward skepticism regarding the accounts of marginally situated agents who are actually in a better position to know. I conclude by discussing disabled knowers’ responses to epistemic oppression, including articulating the epistemic harm they have undergone as well as ways of creating resistant ways of knowing.
“Mau Mau are Angels … Sent by Haile Selassie”: A Kenyan War in Jamaica
Authors: Osborne Myles
Published: September 2020

This article traces the impact of Kenya's Mau Mau uprising in Jamaica during the 1950s. Jamaican responses to Mau Mau varied dramatically by class: for members of the middle and upper classes, Mau Mau represented the worst of potential visions for a route to black liberation. But for marginalized Jamaicans in poorer areas, and especially Rastafari, Mau Mau was inspirational and represented an alternative method for procuring genuine freedom and independence. For these people, Mau Mau epitomized a different strand of pan-Africanism that had most in common with the ideas of Marcus Garvey. It was most closely aligned with, and was the forerunner of, Walter Rodney, Stokely Carmichael, and Black Power in the Caribbean. Theirs was a more radical, violent, and black-focused vision that ran alongside and sometimes over more traditional views. Placing Mau Mau in the Jamaican context reveals these additional levels of intellectual thought that are invisible without its presence. It also forces us to rethink the ways we periodize pan-Africanism and consider how pan-African linkages operated in the absence of direct contact between different regions.
The Unmaking of a Pedophilic Priest: Transnational Clerical Sexual Abuse in Guatemala
Authors: O'Neill Kevin Lewis
Published: September 2020

Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, Latin America became something of a dumping ground for U.S. priests suspected of sexual abuse, with north-to-south clerical transfers sending predatory priests to countries where pedophilia did not exist in any kind of ontological sense. This article, in response, engages the case of Father David Roney of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. After a career of accusations and payouts, with Roney entering and exiting Church-mandated therapy programs, Bishop Raymond Lucker retired this notoriously predatory priest to rural Guatemala in 1994. By placing Roney beyond the reach of psychiatrists, psychologists, and spiritual directors, the Roman Catholic Church leveraged a psychological and juridical difference between two geographical settings in order to render the pedophilia of this priest effectively non-existent, thereby insulating itself from further reputational damage and additional litigation. Given that the Roman Catholic Church has long been an empirical point of reference for studies of subject formation—from pastoralism and mysticism to ritual and the confession—this article adds that the Church also provides ample evidence of an opposite process: of unmaking people.
From Bondage to Citizenship: A Comparison of African American and Indian Lower-Caste Mobilization in Two Regions of Deep Inequality
Authors: Subramanian Narendra
Published: September 2020

The paper explores mobilization to reduce the deepest inequalities in the two largest democracies, those along caste lines in India and racial lines in the United States. I compare how the groups at the bottom of these ethnic hierarchies—India's former untouchable castes (Dalits) and African Americans—mobilized from the 1940s to the 1970s in pursuit of full citizenship: the franchise, representation, civil rights, and social rights. Experiences in two regions of historically high inequality (the Kaveri and Mississippi Deltas) are compared in their national contexts. Similarities in demographic patterns, group boundaries, socioeconomic relations, regimes, and enfranchisement timing facilitate comparison. Important differences in nationalist and civic discourse, official and popular social classification, and stratification patterns influenced the two groups’ mobilizations, enfranchisement, representation, alliances, and relationships with political parties. The nation was imagined to clearly include Dalits earlier in India than to encompass African Americans in the United States. Race was the primary and bipolar official and popular identity axis in the United States, unlike caste in India. African Americans responded by emphasizing racial discourses while Dalit mobilizations foregrounded more porously bordered community visions. These different circumstances enabled more widespread African American mobilization, but offered Dalits more favorable interethnic alliances, party incorporation, and policy accommodation, particularly in historically highly unequal regions. Therefore, group representation and policy benefits increased sooner and more in India than in the United States, especially in regions of historically high group inequality such as the Kaveri and other major river Deltas relative to the Deep South, including Mississippi.
Middle–Late Triassic evolution of the Jameson Land Basin, East Greenland
Authors: Andrews Steven D. , Morton Andrew , Decou Audrey
Published: September 2020

The Jameson Land Basin lies within the Greenland–Norway rift, to the south of Triassic basins on the Halten Bank and East Greenland shelf, and can therefore offer insights into the development of these less-well-documented offshore basins and the wider North Atlantic. This study focuses on the stratigraphic development of the Jameson Land Basin. Broad-scale stratigraphic logging is augmented with heavy mineral analysis that constrains the dominant source catchments during this period. A thickness of over 1.5 km of Middle–Late Triassic strata fill the Jameson Land Basin, predominantly comprising continental deposits laid down during arid to semi-arid climatic conditions. The basal Pingo Dal Group thickens westwards into the Stauning Alper Fault, forming a typical syn-rift succession. Thickness variations have also highlighted the presence of an intrabasinal high and an associated unconformity between the Pingo Dal Group and the overlying Gipsdalen Group, which provides the first direct evidence for Middle–Late Triassic rifting in East Greenland. Thickness variations in the overlying Gipsdalen Group are more subdued, and the Fleming Fjord Group, and its formations, display remarkably tabular geometries, with little evidence for significant lateral facies variance; this is suggestive of reduced topography and a more regional thermal subsidence signature. Provenance data indicate sediment sourcing from both the western and eastern basin margins during the deposition of the Pingo Dal Group, above which the western source area becomes dominant, alongside some axial input from the south.