bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Choice of basal insulin therapy is associated with weight and height development in type 1 diabetes: A multicenter analysis from theGerman/Austrian DPVregistry in 10 338 children and adolescents
Authors: Vollbach Heike , Auzanneau Marie , Reinehr Thomas , Wiegand Susanna , Schwab Karl‐Otfried , Oeverink Rudolf , Froehlich‐Reiterer Elke , Woelfle Joachim , De Beaufort Carine , Kapellen Thomas , Gohlke Bettina , Holl Reinhard W.
Published: June 2021

Background

Available basal insulin regimes differ in pharmacokinetic profiles, which may be related to subsequent changes in anthropometry in patients with type 1 diabetes. This analysis elucidates the standardized height and body mass index development (height and BMI standard deviation score [height‐SDS and BMI‐SDS]) in pediatric type 1 diabetes patients depending on the choice of basal insulin.

Methods

Longitudinal data of 10 338 German/Austrian patients from the Diabetes Prospective Follow‐up (DPV, Diabetes Patienten Verlaufsdokumentation) database were analyzed. Patients aged 5.0 to 16.9 years were treated exclusively with neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH), insulin detemir (IDet), insulin glargine (IGla), or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) for at least 3 years. Population‐based German reference data were used to calculate height‐SDS and BMI‐SDS. Multiple linear regression was conducted.

Results

BMI‐SDS increased significantly in all regimes (NPHP = .0365; IDetP = .0003; IGlaP < .0001; and CSIIP < .0001). Direct comparison of the therapies revealed a favorable association only for NPH vs IGla. A rise in BMI‐SDS was observed for all insulins in females, but only for IGla in males. BMI‐SDS increment was not observed before 8 years of age.

Initially and at the end of the observation period, mean height was above the 50th percentile of the reference population. Across the cohort, height‐SDS declined during the observation period, except for CSII. Apart from the 5.0‐ to 7.9‐year‐old subgroup, long‐acting insulin analogues were associated with a significant loss of height‐SDS.

Conclusions

Choice of basal insulin regimen might influence height development. CSII appeared to have a favorable effect on growth trajectories. All therapies were associated with an increase of BMI‐SDS, most evident in females.
Referral and uptake of services by distressed callers to the Cancer Council Information and Support telephone service
Authors: Taylor Jo , Fradgley Elizabeth A. , Clinton‐McHarg Tara , Hall Alix , Paul Christine L.
Published: June 2021

Background

Patient‐centered cancer care includes emotional, informational, and practical support that is personalised to the needs of patients and inclusive of family and friends. However, when supportive care referrals are offered in hospital settings, distressed patients and carers do not consistently act on those referrals, which can prolong patient suffering. The degree to which sub‐optimal referral uptake also occurs in Australian telephone support services is unknown.

Aims

To report, among a sample of distressed patients and caregivers who called a cancer information and support service: 1) the types of services used; 2) proportion who received and actioned a referral (uptake); 3) associations between referral to a service and callers’ characteristics); and, 4) associations between uptake of a referred service and callers’ characteristics.

Methods

This study used cross‐sectional data collected at 3‐month post‐baseline from control participants (usual care group) enrolled in the Structured Triage and Referral by Telephone (START) trial. The START trial recruited distressed adult cancer patients and caregivers from the Cancer Council Information and Support Service (CIS). A research assistant conducted a 30–45 min telephone interview with participants, which included recall of referrals provided by CIS staff and reported uptake of referral(s) to the offered service types.

Results

Most patients (98%) and caregivers (97%) reported receiving a referral to a service. For patients and caregivers respectively, information materials (71%, 77%), CIS call‐back (51%, 43%), practical services (52%, 45%), and group peer support (49%, 51%) were the services most frequently offered. For callers receiving a referral, uptake was highest for information materials (91%) and CIS call‐backs (89%) and lowest for specialist psychological services (30%). Significant association was found between older age and reduced uptake of services (p = 0.03).

Conclusion

The high uptake rate of CIS call‐backs suggests it is a potentially more acceptable form of support compared to specialist psychological services. Efforts to reduce the barriers to telephone‐based psychological services are required. Specifically, older age peoples’ and caregivers’ preferences for support and priorities who may benefit from a referral coordinator.
Analysis of outcomes of biliary reconstruction after post‐cholecystectomy bile duct injuries
Authors: Anand Utpal , Kumar Ramesh , Priyadarshi Rajeev Nayan , Kumar Manoj , Kumar Rakesh , Ahmed Nehal , John Aaron George , Parasar Kunal , Kumar Bindey
Published: June 2021

Background

Post‐cholecystectomy bile duct injury (BDI) is a serious complication that often requires surgical repair. This study aimed to analyze the outcomes of surgery performed for BDI and to determine the factors associated with post‐surgical complications.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted using a prospectively maintained database of 105 patients who underwent surgical repair for post‐cholecystectomy BDI between March 2013 and March 2020. BDI was classified based on the Strasberg‐Bismuth system, and the outcomes were graded using the McDonald criteria. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the significant variables associated with postoperative complications.

Results

In a cohort of 105 patients with post‐cholecystectomy BDI who underwent bilioenteric repair, 71 (67.6%), 25 (23.8%), 2 (1.9%), and 7 (6.7%) patients had excellent, good, fair, and poor outcomes, respectively, during a median follow‐up of 64 months. The incidence of recurrent biliary stricture after definitive surgical hepaticojejunostomy was 6.7% (n = 7). The presence of cholangitis, choledochoduodenal fistula, and hilar biliary strictures was among the significant variables associated with the development of both short‐term and long‐term complications following surgery.

Conclusions

Surgical repair of BDIs with bilioenteric anastomosis can yield excellent results when managed in a tertiary care center where expertise in the reconstruction of the biliary tree is prioritized.
Forecasting the old‐age dependency ratio to determine a sustainable pension age
Authors: Hyndman Rob J. , Zeng Yijun , Shang Han Lin
Published: June 2021

We forecast the old‐age dependency ratio for Australia under various pension age proposals, and estimate a pension age scheme that will provide a stable old‐age dependency ratio at a specified level. Our approach involves a stochastic population forecasting method based on coherent functional data models for mortality, fertility and net migration, which we use to simulate the future age‐structure of the population. Our results suggest that the Australian pension age should be increased to 68 by 2030, 69 by 2036 and 70 by 2050, in order to maintain the old‐age dependency ratio at 23%, just above the 2018 level. Our general approach can easily be extended to other target levels of the old‐age dependency ratio and to other countries.
Prediction of maternal and fetal pharmacokinetics of indomethacin in pregnancy
Authors: Pillai Venkateswaran C. , Shah Mansi , Rytting Erik , Nanovskaya Tatiana N. , Wang Xiaoming , Clark Shannon M. , Ahmed Mahmoud S. , Hankins Gary D. V. , Caritis Steve N. , Venkataramanan Raman
Published: June 2021

Aims

Indomethacin is used for the treatment of preterm labour, short cervices and idiopathic polyhydramnios during pregnancy. Few studies have described the pharmacokinetics (PK) of indomethacin during pregnancy. This study aimed to determine maternal and fetal PK of indomethacin during different trimesters of pregnancy using physiologically based PK (PBPK) modelling and simulations.

Methods

Full PBPK simulations were performed in nonpregnant subjects and pregnant subjects from each trimester of pregnancy at steady state using Simcyp's healthy volunteers and pregnancy PBPK model, respectively. The fetal exposures were predicted using a fetoplacental pregnancy PBPK model. The models were verified by comparing PBPK‐based predictions with observed PK profiles.

Results

Predicted exposure (AUC0‐6h) and clearance of indomethacin in nonpregnant women and pregnant women are similar to the clinical observations. AUC0‐6h of indomethacin is approximately 14, 24 and 32% lower, consistent with 18, 34 and 52% higher clearance in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively, compared to nonpregnant women. Predicted fetal plasma exposures increased by approximately 30% from the second trimester to the third trimester of pregnancy.

Conclusion

A mechanistic PBPK model adequately described the maternal and the fetal PK of indomethacin during pregnancy. As the pregnancy progresses, a modest decrease (≤32%) in systemic exposures in pregnant women and a 33% increase in fetal exposures to indomethacin were predicted. Higher fetal exposures in the third trimester of pregnancy may pose safety risks to the fetus. Additional studies are warranted to understand the exposure–response relationship and provide appropriate dosing recommendations during pregnancy that consider both safety and efficacy.
NKG2D defines tumor‐reacting effector CD8+ T cells within tumor microenvironment
Authors: Mojic Marija , Shitaoka Kiyomi , Ohshima Chikako , Ucche Sisca , Lyu Fulian , Hamana Hiroshi , Tahara Hideaki , Kishi Hiroyuki , Hayakawa Yoshihiro
Published: June 2021

For successful immunotherapy for cancer, it is important to understand the immunological status of tumor antigen‐specific CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment during tumor progression. In this study, we monitored the behavior of B16OVA‐Luc cells in mice immunized with a model tumor antigen ovalbumin (OVA). Using bioluminescence imaging, we identified the time series of OVA‐specific CD8+ T‐cell responses during tumor progression: initial progression, immune control, and the escape phase. As a result of analyzing the status of tumor antigen‐specific CD8+ cells in those 3 different phases, we found that the expression of NKG2D defines tumor‐reacting effector CD8+ T cells. NKG2D may control the fate and TOX expression of tumor‐reacting CD8+ T cells, considering that NKG2D blockade in OVA‐vaccinated mice delayed the growth of the B16OVA‐Luc2 tumor and increased the presence of tumor‐infiltrating OVA‐specific CD8+ T cells.
Comparison of long‐term surgical outcomes for scleral‐fixated versus retropupillary iris‐claw intraocular lens
Authors: Kang Hyun Goo , Jun Jae Won , Choi Eun Young , Byeon Suk Ho , Kim Sung Soo , Koh Hyoung Jun , Kim Min
Published: June 2021

Background

To compare the clinical features and long‐term treatment outcomes of patients undergoing secondary intraocular lens (IOL) surgery with scleral‐fixated (SFIOL) versus retropupillary iris‐claw IOL (RPICIOL).

Methods

Consecutive patients treated between June 2014 and December 2019 at two tertiary centres were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome was the best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Secondary outcomes included factors associated with significant corneal endothelial injury and postoperative redislocation.

Results

This study included 395 eyes undergoing surgery with SFIOL (237 eyes, 60%) or RPICIOL (158 eyes, 40%), with no differences in baseline BCVA (p = 0.76) or endothelial cell density (ECD) (p = 0.39). Compared with the SFIOL group, the RPICIOL group had faster visual recovery (postoperative month 1, 20/37 vs. 20/46, p = 0.005) sustained to over 36 months (p = 0.034), favourable absolute prediction errors (within 0.5D, 67.3% vs. 54.9%, p = 0.027), and shorter operation times (52.7 vs. 60.9 min, p = 0.015). There was no difference in ECD after 12 months (P = 0.282). Over a mean follow‐up duration of 33 months (152 cases >3 years, 38.5%), the SFIOL group experienced more cases of tilted/decentred IOLs (14 vs. 1, p = 0.006), suture exposure (7 vs. 0, p = 0.045), and redislocation (17.7% vs. 10.1%, p < 0.001). Multivariable regression showed that a final BCVA below 20/40 was associated with SFIOL (P = 0.007), older age (p = 0.001), intraoperative complications (p = 0.002), past history of vitrectomy/glaucoma surgery or uveitis (p = 0.046), and surgically induced astigmatism >1D (p = 0.029).

Conclusions

RPICIOL appears to be a safe and effective surgical option for secondary IOL surgery over a long‐term follow‐up, comparing favourably against conventional SFIOL.
VEHICLE: Validation and Exploration of the Hierarchical Integration of Conflict Event Data
Authors: Mayer B. , Lawonn K. , Donnay K. , Preim B. , Meuschke M.
Published: June 2021

The exploration of large‐scale conflicts, as well as their causes and effects, is an important aspect of socio‐political analysis. Since event data related to major conflicts are usually obtained from different sources, researchers developed a semi‐automatic matching algorithm to integrate event data of different origins into one comprehensive dataset using hierarchical taxonomies. The validity of the corresponding integration results is not easy to assess since the results depend on user‐defined input parameters and the relationships between the original data sources. However, only rudimentary visualization techniques have been used so far to analyze the results, allowing no trustworthy validation or exploration of how the final dataset is composed. To overcome this problem, we developedVEHICLE, a web‐based tool to validate and explore the results of the hierarchical integration. For the design, we collaborated with a domain expert to identify the underlying domain problems and derive a task and workflow description. The tool combines both traditional and novel visual analysis techniques, employing statistical and map‐based depictions as well as advanced interaction techniques. We showed the usefulness ofVEHICLEin two case studies and by conducting an evaluation together with conflict researchers, confirming domain hypotheses and generating new insights.
Compressive Neural Representations of Volumetric Scalar Fields
Authors: Lu Y. , Jiang K. , Levine J. A. , Berger M.
Published: June 2021

We present an approach for compressing volumetric scalar fields using implicit neural representations. Our approach represents a scalar field as a learned function, wherein a neural network maps a point in the domain to an output scalar value. By setting the number of weights of the neural network to be smaller than the input size, we achieve compressed representations of scalar fields, thus framing compression as a type of function approximation. Combined with carefully quantizing network weights, we show that this approach yields highly compact representations that outperform state‐of‐the‐art volume compression approaches. The conceptual simplicity of our approach enables a number of benefits, such as support for time‐varying scalar fields, optimizing to preserve spatial gradients, and random‐access field evaluation. We study the impact of network design choices on compression performance, highlighting how simple network architectures are effective for a broad range of volumes.
ParSetgnostics: Quality Metrics for Parallel Sets
Authors: Dennig Frederik L. , Fischer Maximilian T. , Blumenschein Michael , Fuchs Johannes , Keim Daniel A. , Dimara Evanthia
Published: June 2021

While there are many visualization techniques for exploring numeric data, only a few work with categorical data. One prominent example is Parallel Sets, showing data frequencies instead of data points ‐ analogous to parallel coordinates for numerical data. As nominal data does not have an intrinsic order, the design of Parallel Sets is sensitive to visual clutter due to overlaps, crossings, and subdivision of ribbons hindering readability and pattern detection. In this paper, we propose a set of quality metrics, called ParSetgnostics (Parallel Sets diagnostics), which aim to improve Parallel Sets by reducing clutter. These quality metrics quantify important properties of Parallel Sets such as overlap, orthogonality, ribbon width variance, and mutual information to optimize the category and dimension ordering. By conducting a systematic correlation analysis between the individual metrics, we ensure their distinctiveness. Further, we evaluate the clutter reduction effect of ParSetgnostics by reconstructing six datasets from previous publications using Parallel Sets measuring and comparing their respective properties. Our results show that ParSetgostics facilitates multi‐dimensional analysis of categorical data by automatically providing optimized Parallel Set designs with a clutter reduction of up to 81% compared to the originally proposed Parallel Sets visualizations.
Optimal Axes for Data Value Estimation in Star Coordinates and Radial Axes Plots
Authors: Rubio‐Sánchez M. , Lehmann D. J. , Sanchez A. , Rojo‐Álvarez J. L.
Published: June 2021

Radial axes plots are projection methods that represent high‐dimensional data samples as points on a two‐dimensional plane. These techniques define mappings through a set of axis vectors, each associated with a data variable, which users can manipulate interactively to create different plots and analyze data from multiple points of view. However, updating the direction and length of an axis vector is far from trivial. Users must consider the data analysis task, domain knowledge, the directions in which values should increase, the relative importance of each variable, or the correlations between variables, among other factors. Another issue is the difficulty to approximate high‐dimensional data values in the two‐dimensional visualizations, which can hamper searching for data with particular characteristics, analyzing the most common data values in clusters, inspecting outliers, etc. In this paper we present and analyze several optimization approaches for enhancing radial axes plots regarding their ability to represent high‐dimensional data values. The techniques can be used not only to approximate data values with greater accuracy, but also to guide users when updating axis vectors or extending visualizations with new variables, since they can reveal poor choices of axis vectors. The optimal axes can also be included in nonlinear plots. In particular, we show how they can be used within RadViz to assess the quality of a variable ordering. The in‐depth analysis carried out is useful for visualization designers developing radial axes techniques, or planning to incorporate axes into other visualization methods.
AutoClips: An Automatic Approach to Video Generation from Data Facts
Authors: Shi D. , Sun F. , Xu X. , Lan X. , Gotz D. , Cao N.
Published: June 2021

Data videos, a storytelling genre that visualizes data facts with motion graphics, are gaining increasing popularity among data journalists, non‐profits, and marketers to communicate data to broad audiences. However, crafting a data video is often time‐consuming and asks for various domain knowledge such as data visualization, animation design, and screenwriting. Existing authoring tools usually enable users to edit and compose a set of templates manually, which still cost a lot of human effort. To further lower the barrier of creating data videos, this work introduces a new approach, AutoClips, which can automatically generate data videos given the input of a sequence of data facts. We built AutoClips through two stages. First, we constructed a fact‐driven clip library where we mapped ten data facts to potential animated visualizations respectively by analyzing 230 online data videos and conducting interviews. Next, we constructed an algorithm that generates data videos from data facts through three steps: selecting and identifying the optimal clip for each of the data facts, arranging the clips into a coherent video, and optimizing the duration of the video. The results from two user studies indicated that the data videos generated by AutoClips are comprehensible, engaging, and have comparable quality with human‐made videos.
A Survey of Human‐Centered Evaluations in Human‐Centered Machine Learning
Authors: Sperrle F. , El‐Assady M. , Guo G. , Borgo R. , Chau D. Horng , Endert A. , Keim D.
Published: June 2021

Visual analytics systems integrate interactive visualizations and machine learning to enable expert users to solve complex analysis tasks. Applications combine techniques from various fields of research and are consequently not trivial to evaluate. The result is a lack of structure and comparability between evaluations. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive overview of evaluations in the field of human‐centered machine learning. We particularly focus on human‐related factors that influence trust, interpretability, and explainability. We analyze the evaluations presented in papers from top conferences and journals in information visualization and human‐computer interaction to provide a systematic review of their setup and findings. From this survey, we distill design dimensions for structured evaluations, identify evaluation gaps, and derive future research opportunities.
Neural BRDF Representation and Importance Sampling
Authors: Sztrajman Alejandro , Rainer Gilles , Ritschel Tobias , Weyrich Tim
Published: June 2021

Controlled capture of real‐world material appearance yields tabulated sets of highly realistic reflectance data. In practice, however, its high memory footprint requires compressing into a representation that can be used efficiently in rendering while remaining faithful to the original. Previous works in appearance encoding often prioritized one of these requirements at the expense of the other, by either applying high‐fidelity array compression strategies not suited for efficient queries during rendering, or by fitting a compact analytic model that lacks expressiveness. We present a compact neural network‐based representation of BRDF data that combines high‐accuracy reconstruction with efficient practical rendering via built‐in interpolation of reflectance. We encode BRDFs as lightweight networks, and propose a training scheme with adaptive angular sampling, critical for the accurate reconstruction of specular highlights. Additionally, we propose a novel approach to make our representation amenable to importance sampling: rather than inverting the trained networks, we learn to encode them in a more compact embedding that can be mapped to parameters of an analytic BRDF for which importance sampling is known. We evaluate encoding results on isotropic and anisotropic BRDFs from multiple real‐world datasets, and importance sampling performance for isotropic BRDFs mapped to two different analytic models.
Transplantation of a vascularized pedicle of hemisected spinal cord to establish spinal cord continuity after removal of a segment of the thoracic spinal cord: A proof‐of‐principle study in dogs
Authors: Ren Shuai , Zhang Weihua , Liu HongMiao , Wang Xin , Guan Xiangchen , Zhang Mingzhe , Zhang Jian , Wu Qiong , Xue Yan , Wang Dan , Liu Yong , Liu Jianyu , Ren Xiaoping
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Glial scar formation impedes nerve regeneration/reinnervation after spinal cord injury (SCI); therefore, removal of scar tissue is essential for SCI treatment.

Aims

To investigate whether removing a spinal cord and transplanting a vascularized pedicle of hemisected spinal cord from the spinal cord caudal to the transection can restore motor function, to aid in the treatment of future clinical spinal cord injuries. We developed a canine model. After removal of a 1‐cm segment of the thoracic (T10–T11) spinal cord in eight beagles, a vascularized pedicle of hemisected spinal cord from the first 1.5 cm of the spinal cord caudal to the transection (cut along the posterior median sulcus of the spinal cord) was transplanted to bridge the transected spinal cord in the presence of a fusogen (polyethylene glycol, PEG) in four of the eight dogs. We used various forms of imaging, electron microscopy, and histologic data to determine that after our transplantation of a vascular pedicled hemisection to bridge the transected spinal cord, electrical continuity across the spinal bridge was restored.

Results

Motor function was restored following our transplantation, as confirmed by the re‐establishment of anatomic continuity along with interfacial axonal sprouting.

Conclusion

Taken together, our findings suggest that SCI patients—who have previously been thought to have irreversible damage and/or paralysis—may be treated effectively with similar operative techniques to re‐establish electrical and functional continuity following SCI.
Prevalence of contact allergies in the population compared to a tertiary referral patch test clinic in Jena/Germany
Authors: Uter Wolfgang , Zetzmann Anica , Ofenloch Robert , Schliemann Sibylle , Bruze Magnus , Gonçalo Margarida , Naldi Luigi , Schuttelaar Marie‐Louise A. , Svensson Åke , Elsner Peter ,   EDEN Fragrance Study Group
Published: June 2021

Background

The contact allergy prevalences in patch‐tested patients are usually higher than those in the population, owing to morbidity‐driven selection.

Objectives

To examine the differences between two samples, one from the population, one from the patch test clinic, in one area of Germany (Jena, Thuringia).

Methods

Between August 2008 and October 2011, a total of 519 participants of the population‐based european dermato‐epidemiology network (EDEN) fragrance study were patch tested in Jena using a TRUE Test baseline series extended with some pet.‐based (fragrance) allergen preparations. Between 2007 and 2012 (inclusive), 1906 routine patients were patch tested for suspected allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in the Jena University Hospital Department; of these 1694 (83.2%) with the German baseline series using pet./aq.‐based, investigator‐loaded allergens.

Results

In the population (clinical) sample, 19.6% (41.1%) were sensitized to at least one of the allergens considered. The most common baseline series allergens in the population/clinical sample were nickel (10.5%/13.2%), fragrance mix (FM) II (2.9%/6.7%), FM I (2.3%/8.3%), and cobalt (1.6%/5%). The clinical sample was slightly older (71.5% vs 55.9% age 40+) and included less males (36% vs 49.3%).

Conclusions

Results are quite similar, although prevalences are usually higher in the clinical setting, with the exception of p‐tert‐butylphenol formaldehyde resin.
Horticultural plant use as a so‐far neglected pillar of ex situ conservation
Authors: Ismail Sascha A. , Pouteau Robin , van Kleunen Mark , Maurel Noëlie , Kueffer Christoph
Published: June 2021

We demonstrate how native and nonnative plant taxa used as ornamentals in private and public urban green spaces can significantly strengthen plant conservation in time of extinctions by expanding the capacity for ex situ living collections and raising awareness among professional and private gardeners and plant collectors. Based on global databases, we document the current representation of threatened plant taxa in horticulture compared to collections in botanical gardens. A substantial number of threatened taxa are already used in gardening, however, there is great unused potential—especially to reach high enough representation of genetic diversity and plant material for reintroduction and restoration programs. Considering urban greening as an integral part of ex situ conservation strategies can provide critically needed additional space and human resources for ex situ collections, while increasing the often low genetic, species and phylogenetic diversity of many newly established plantings that make them vulnerable to climate change and disease risks.
Colorimetric chemosensor for Cu(II) from electrospun nanofibrous mat mixed with 5‐methoxy‐salicylaldehyde azine
Authors: Karawek Apisit , Mayurachayakul Pipattra , Dilokpramuan Apisama , Srisuwannaket Choladda , Pratumyot Kornkanya , Mingvanish Withawat , Sukwattanasinitt Mongkol , Kidkhunthod Pinit , Niamnont Nakorn
Published: June 2021

The condensation product of 5‐methoxy‐salicylaldehyde with hydrazine hydrate (referred to below as compound 1) was used as a ligand in a cellulose acetate electrospun nanofibrous mat to determine copper ions in aqueous solutions. The electrospun nanofibrous mats, based on cellulose acetate mixed with compound 1, were constructed using an electrospinning method and had a diameter of 260 nm. The sensing nanofibrous mat exhibited a sensitive and selective response for Cu(II) ions over a linear concentration range of 1‐30 µM in a 0.1 M HEPES buffer (pH 7.4) using a colorimeter. The detection limit of the method was 1.04 µM lower than the maximum level of Cu(II) in drinking water (16 µM, as determined by the US Environmental Protection Agency). Additionally, it exhibited high selectivity for Cu(II) ions over 13 other cations. The sensing nanofibrous mat was fully reversible for ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid treatment cycles. Preliminary results indicated the sensitivity and selectivity of the nanofibrous mat for detecting Cu(II) ions by naked‐eye detection from yellow to orange. The reaction product of compound 1 and the Cu(II) ion was studied using X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. The Cu‐coordination number was approximately 5.023 ± 1.42, and the Cu–N distance (R) was 1.986 Å. The nanofibrous mat demonstrated a convenient and straightforward Cu(II) ion‐detection technique in both wastewater and water environments.
Screening for risky drinkers among hospitalised inpatients using the AUDIT: A feasibility, point prevalence and data linkage study
Authors: O'Brien Helen , Di Rico Rehana , Dean Emma , Smoker Gemma , Lloyd‐Jones Martyn , McKechnie Megan , Dietze Paul M. , Doyle Joseph S.
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Risky drinking frequently remains undiagnosed or untreated, including in hospitalised inpatients. Using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), we assessed the feasibility of screening for risky drinking and whether screening results aligned with alcohol‐attributable diagnoses in an inpatient population.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional survey across a tertiary health service in Melbourne, Australia. Researchers collected demographics, AUDIT scores and acceptability from all eligible adult inpatients available on day of survey. Main outcomes were prevalence of risky drinking (AUDIT ≥8), mean AUDIT score and patient acceptability. Identification of risky drinking by the abbreviated ‘AUDIT‐C’ or discharge diagnoses (extracted by data‐linkage with medical records) was compared.

Results

Of 473 eligible inpatients, 61% (n = 289) participated, 22% (n = 103) were unavailable and 17% (n = 81) declined. Median age was 64 years (IQR = 48, 76); 54% (n = 157) were male. Mean AUDIT score was 4.4 (SD = 5.5). Risky drinking prevalence was 20% (n = 57), 2% (n = 7) had scores suggestive of dependence (AUDIT ≥20, a subset of risky drinkers). Odds of risky drinking were reduced in females (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.09, 0.41; P < 0.001) and participants ≥70 years (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.07, 0.71; P = 0.01). Alcohol‐attributable diagnoses did not consistently align with risky drinking, with half of inpatients with wholly attributable diagnoses classified as low risk. Most inpatients considered screening acceptable (89%, n = 256).

Discussion and Conclusions

Pre‐admission risky drinking was evident in one‐fifth of hospital inpatients, but alcohol‐attributable diagnoses were unreliable proxy measures of risky drinking. Screening in‐patients with the AUDIT was acceptable to inpatients and can be feasibly implemented in an Australian tertiary hospital setting.
Potential neurobiological links between social isolation and Alzheimer's disease risk
Authors: Drinkwater Elizabeth , Davies Caitlin , Spires‐Jones Tara L.
Published: June 2021

It is estimated that 40% of dementia cases could be prevented by modification of lifestyle factors that associate with disease risk. One of these potentially modifiable lifestyle factors is social isolation. In this review, we discuss what is known about associations between social isolation and Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia. This is particularly relevant in the time of the COVID‐19 pandemic when social isolation has been enforced with potential emerging negative impacts on cognition. While there are neurobiological mechanisms emerging that may account for the observed epidemiological associations between social isolation and Alzheimer's disease, more fundamental research is needed to fully understand the brain changes induced by isolation that may make people vulnerable to disease.
Predicting evolution over multiple generations in deteriorating environments using evolutionarily explicit Integral Projection Models
Authors: Coulson Tim , Potter Tomos , Felmy Anja
Published: June 2021

Human impacts on the natural world often generate environmental trends that can have detrimental effects on distributions of phenotypic traits. We do not have a good understanding of how deteriorating environments might impact evolutionary trajectories across multiple generations, even though effects of environmental trends are often significant in the statistical quantitative genetic analyses of phenotypic trait data that are used to estimate additive genetic (co)variances. These environmental trends capture reaction norms, where the same (average) genotype expresses different phenotypic trait values in different environments. Not incorporated into the predictive models typically parameterised from statistical analyses to predict evolution, such as the breeder's equation. We describe how these environmental effects can be incorporated into multi‐generational, evolutionarily explicit, structured population models before exploring how these effects can influence evolutionary dynamics. The paper is primarily a description of the modelling approach, but we also show how incorporation into models of the types of environmental trends that human activity has generated can have considerable impacts on the evolutionary dynamics that are predicted.
Seasonal changes in GPP/SIF ratios and their climatic determinants across the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Chen Anping , Mao Jiafu , Ricciuto Daniel , Lu Dan , Xiao Jingfeng , Li Xing , Thornton Peter E. , Knapp Alan K.
Published: June 2021

Satellite‐derived sun‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has been increasingly used for estimating gross primary production (GPP). However, the relationship between SIF and GPP has not been well defined, impeding the translation of satellite observed SIF to GPP. Previous studies have generally assumed a linear relationship between SIF and GPP at daily and longer time scales, but support for this assumption is lacking. Here, we used the GPP/SIF ratio to investigate seasonal variations in the relationship between SIF and GPP over the Northern Hemisphere (NH). Based on multiple SIF products and MODIS and FLUXCOM GPP data, we found strong seasonal hump‐shaped patterns for the GPP/SIF ratio over northern latitudes, with higher values in the summer than in the spring or autumn. This hump‐shaped GPP/SIF seasonal variation was confirmed by examining different SIF products and was evident for most vegetation types except evergreen broadleaf forests. The seasonal amplitude of the GPP/SIF ratio decreased from the boreal/arctic region to drylands and the tropics. For most of the NH, the lowest GPP/SIF values occurred in October or September, while the maximum GPP/SIF values were evident in June and July. The most pronounced seasonal amplitude of GPP/SIF occurred in intermediate temperature and precipitation ranges. GPP/SIF was positively related to temperature in the early and late parts of the growing season, but not during the peak growing months. These shifting relationships between temperature and GPP/SIF across different months appeared to play a key role in the seasonal dynamics of GPP/SIF. Several mechanisms may explain the patterns we observed, and future research encompassing a broad range of climate and vegetation settings is needed to improve our understanding of the spatial and temporal relationships between SIF and GPP. Nonetheless, the strong seasonal variation in GPP/SIF we identified highlights the importance of incorporating this behavior into SIF‐based GPP estimations.
Behavioral and psychological symptoms in institutional residents with dementia in Taiwan
Authors: Hsieh Sun‐Wung , Huang Ling‐Chun , Hsieh Tsung‐Jen , Lin Chung‐Fen , Hsu Chih‐Cheng , Yang Yuan‐Han
Published: June 2021

Aim

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are important predictors for institutional placement, caregiver distress and depression for patients with dementia. We aim to investigate BPSD in institutional residents with dementia in Taiwan.

Methods

We conducted a nationwide study surveying institutional residents in Taiwan. Institutional residents from 22 counties and cities in Taiwan were recruited and analyzed in our study. We recorded demographic data, severity of dementia and disability, presence of BPSD, and past medical history of institutional residents in Taiwan. We recorded the characteristics of BPSD and analyzed the possible risks of BPSD in residents with dementia.

Results

A total of 4722 institutional residents were recruited and analyzed in our study. The prevalence of dementia was 87.2% (4119 residents). Among residents with dementia, 1546 (37.5%) had presented BPSD in the past 3 months. The most frequent three types of BPSD were nighttime behavior (17.9%), resistance against care (13.4%) and depression (12.9%). Old age, female gender, and lower MMSE (Mini‐Mental State Examination) scores were associated with BPSD. Moderate dementia (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.30–2.31) and mild activities of daily living (ADL) dependence (OR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.06–4.27) increased the risks of BPSD. Reviews of past medical history showed that orthopedic disease, eye disease, genitourinary disease, dementia, psychiatric disorder and intellectual disability were associated with increasing risks of BPSD.

Conclusions

We concluded that moderate dementia and mild ADL dependence increased the risks of BPSD in institutional residents with dementia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 718–724.
Genetic parameters for milk yield and quality traits of Brazilian Holstein cows as a function of temperature and humidity index
Authors: Carrara Eula Regina , Petrini Juliana , Salvian Mayara , de Oliveira Hinayah Rojas , Rovadoscki Gregori Alberto , Iung Laiza Helena de Souza , Miquilini Marina , Machado Paulo Fernando , Mourão Gerson Barreto
Published: June 2021

Measurements of milk yield (MY), somatic cell score (SCS), percentage of fat (FP), protein (PP), lactose (LP), casein (CP) and percentage of palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), oleic (C18:1), total saturated (SFA), unsaturated (UFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids in milk from 5,224 Holstein cows were evaluated as a function of a temperature and humidity index (THI). Legendre orthogonal polynomials from second to seventh order were tested. The best fit order for MY, PP and C18:0 was the third, whereas the second for all other traits. The heritability estimates decreased for MY (0.31 to 0.14), FP (0.28 to 0.16), LP (0.43 to 0.30), SCS (0.14 to 0.09), SFA (0.33 to 0.22) and C16:0 (0.31 to 0.26), whereas increased for CP (0.32 to 0.42), MUFA (0.08 to 0.13), UFA (0.07 to 0.11) and C18:1 (0.07 to 0.11) as the THI level increased. For PP, heritabilities (0.26 to 0.39) presented larger values in intermediate THI. For PUFA and C18:0, heritabilities were approximately constant (0.13 to 0.14 and 0.15, respectively). However, the greatest variations may have been the result of the limitations of Legendre polynomials at the extreme points of the curve, and the pattern of heritabilities curves was approximately constant for the evaluated traits. Spearman's rank correlations between breeding values in extreme THI levels were greater than 0.80 for all traits considering all animals, only cows and only bulls. When considering the top 1% and the top 50% animals (only cows, only bulls and all), Spearman correlations smaller than 0.70 were found, suggesting reranking of the animals. Although there was little variation in the variance components over THI, it is possible that there is no heat stress in the animals studied, because, on average, there was no great impact of the thermal load on the traits. One possible explanation is the use of herds with little climatic difference among herds, as well as the use of fans and sprinklers into the barns. However, the THI levels may be important factors in the selection process, as reranking of animals was verified.
Amplatzer PFO Occluder for treatment of incomplete LAA closure with AtriClip
Authors: Gianni Carola , Burkhardt J. David , Della Rocca Domenico G. , Natale Andrea , Horton Rodney P.
Published: June 2021

Herein, we describe the use of an Amplatzer PFO Occluder to treat incomplete LAA closure due to a malpositioned AtriClip.
Real‐time evaluation of artificial neural network‐developed model of banana slice kinetics in microwave‐hot air dryer
Authors: Sabzevari Masumeh , Behroozi‐Khazaei Nasser , Darvishi Hosain
Published: June 2021

The required microwave power input and moisture content prediction in microwave‐hot air dryer are challenging. In this study, two artificial neural networks (ANN) were investigated for modeling of moisture content of banana slices and required microwave power input. The experiments were done in five levels of microwave power density (MPD) (4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 W/g) with fixed mode and two levels (6 and 8 W/g) with variable mode at 40°C hot air temperature. The initial MPD, mode, and time were used as input variables in both ANN models. The ANN with 3–5–5–1 structure had best performance for MC modeling with 0.0148 of RMSE and 0.9998 of R for testing data. Also, the ANN with 3–3–1 structure could predict the microwave power with 14.013 of RMSE and 0.9929 of R for testing data. Real‐time verification of developed models showed that developed ANN models could predict microwave power and MC with fixed MPD with good reliability and confidence for online drying control but did not reasonably satisfy for variable MPD. Also, the appearance quality of the banana slices was monitored by machine vision. The results showed that the percentage of banana charring at the fixed MPDs of 6, 7, and 8 is equal to 12%, 24%, and 29%, respectively, whereas no burns were observed at the other power density levels.

Practical applications

The main benefit of microwave drying is volumetric and high‐efficiency heating. But the temperature of the product at the end of drying process increased and brunt the product. Using the variable microwave power program is one of the famous methods for temperature control to prevent scrunching and burning the product. But powerful models for predicting the moisture content and microwave power during the drying process are not available. In this study, the drying kinetic of banana slices and input microwave power in the hybrid microwave‐hot air dryer under constant and variable microwave power was investigated and real‐time evaluating of the developed models for dryer control was examined. The results expressed the real‐time evaluation of the developed model had great accuracy and reliability and can be used for microwave dryer control.
Sources of Bias in Inflation Rates and Implications for Inflation Dynamics
Authors: BRAUN RAHEL , LEIN SARAH M.
Published: June 2021

Official statistics measuring the cost of living are known to suffer from several biases. This paper shows that the size of the biases can vary with economic conditions. Using homescan data, it is first confirmed that official price indexes can be tracked using such granular data sets. While the often‐acknowledged substitution bias is shown to be relatively small, neglected preference adjustment and product entry/exit result in a 2.6 percentage point bias in the annual inflation rate on average. Furthermore, the bias is particularly large in the aftermath of a shock to relative prices, increasing to 3.7 percentage points.
Prevalence of idiopathic hirsutism: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Amiri Mina , Fallahzadeh Aida , Sheidaei Ali , Mahboobifard Fatemeh , Ramezani Tehrani Fahimeh
Published: June 2021

Background

Although the negative impacts of idiopathic hirsutism (IH) on psychological aspects are well‐documented, there is no enough study estimating the prevalence of this endocrine disorder.

Objective

This meta‐analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of IH in the women population.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were explored to obtain papers published from inception to September 2020 investigating the prevalence of IH in women. A meta‐regression was conducted to assess the impact of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnostic criteria, and ethnicity on the pooled prevalence of IH.

Results

Of 8346 records retrieved through searching databases and other sources, eight studies were selected for the final analyses. The pooled prevalence of idiopathic hirsutism among women, regardless of PCOS diagnostic criteria, and the race was 7.74% (95% CI: 4.10, 14.14). The meta‐regression analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of idiopathic hirsutism did not significantly differ based on the PCOS diagnostic criteria and ethnicity. A subgroup analysis based on the PCOS criteria showed the pooled prevalence of 7.24% (95% CI: 2.84, 17.24), 13.05% (95% CI: 10.02, 16.81), and 3.12% (95% CI: 2.16, 4.48) for NIH (National Institutes of Health), Rotterdam, and not reported PCOS diagnostic criteria groups, respectively. The subgroup analysis based on the ethnicity estimated a pooled prevalence of 6.01% (95% CI: 1.87, 17.69) and 9.36% (4.07, 16.63) for European and Asian groups, respectively.

Conclusion

The meta‐analysis demonstrated that the pooled prevalence of IH was 7.74% and there was no difference between PCOS criteria and ethnicity subgroups.