bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
LRIG1 is a positive prognostic marker in Merkel cell carcinoma and Merkel cell carcinoma expresses epithelial stem cell markers
Authors: Sundqvist Benjamin , Sihto Harri , von Willebrand Maria , Böhling Tom , Koljonen Virve 
Published: July 2021

AbstractMerkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine malignancy of the skin. The cell of origin of MCC is thus far unknown and proposed cells of origin include Merkel cells, pro-/pre- or pre-B cells, epithelial stem cells, and dermal stem cells. In this study, we aimed to shed further light on the possibility that a subset of MCC tumors arise from epithelial stem cells of the skin by examining the expression of hair follicle and epidermal stem cell markers in MCC and normal human skin. We also aimed to elucidate any correlation between the expression of these markers and tumor Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) status or other clinicopathological characteristics or patient survival. Expression of CK19, SOX9, LGR5, and LRIG1 in MCC and normal human skin was studied by immunohistochemistry, and the staining patterns or intensities were statistically correlated with patient, tumor, MCPyV, and survival parameters. In a cohort of 137 cases of MCC, we observed dot-like immunoexpression of CK19 in 30 cases (22.1%) and homogeneous expression in 103 cases (75.7%). We also observed positive immunoexpression of SOX9 in 21 cases (15.3%), LGR5 in 118 cases (86.1%), and LRIG1 in 117 cases (86.0%). Immunoexpression of LRIG1 was found to correlate with better overall and MCC-specific survival. We observed frequent immunoexpression of several hair follicle and epidermal stem cell markers in MCC and found LRIG1 to be a positive prognostic marker in MCC.
Non-uniformly parabolic equations and applications to the random conductance model
Authors: Bella Peter , Schäffner Mathias 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWe study local regularity properties of linear, non-uniformly parabolic finite-difference operators in divergence form related to the random conductance model on$$\mathbb Z^d$$Zd. In particular, we provide an oscillation decay assuming only certain summability properties of the conductances and their inverse, thus improving recent results in that direction. As an application, we provide a local limit theorem for the random walk in a random degenerate and unbounded environment.
A multiple-trait analysis of ecohydrological acclimatisation in a dryland phreatophytic shrub
Authors: Torres-García M. Trinidad , Salinas-Bonillo María J. , Cleverly Jamie R. , Gisbert Juan , Pacheco-Romero Manuel , Cabello Javier 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWater is the main limiting factor for groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) in drylands. Predicted climate change (precipitation reductions and temperature increases) and anthropogenic activities such as groundwater drawdown jeopardise the functioning of these ecosystems, presenting new challenges for their management. We developed a trait-based analysis to examine the spatiotemporal variability in the ecophysiology of Ziziphus lotus, a long-lived phreatophyte that dominates one of the few terrestrial GDEs of semiarid regions in Europe. We assessed morpho-functional traits and stem water potential along a naturally occurring gradient of depth-to-groundwater (DTGW, 2–25 m) in a coastal aquifer, and throughout the species-growing season. Increasing DTGW and salinity negatively affected photosynthetic and transpiration rates, increasing plant water stress (lower predawn and midday water potential), and positively affected Huber value (sapwood cross-sectional area per leaf area), reducing leaf area and likely, plant hydraulic demand. However, the species showed greater salt-tolerance at shallow depths. Despite groundwater characteristics, higher atmospheric evaporative demand in the study area, which occurred in summer, fostered higher transpiration rates and water stress, and promoted carbon assimilation and water loss more intensively at shallow water tables. This multiple-trait analysis allowed us to identify plant ecophysiological thresholds related to the increase in salinity, but mostly in DTGW (13 m), and in the evaporative demand during the growing season. These findings highlight the existence of tipping points in the functioning of a long-lived phreatophyte in drylands and can contribute to the sustainable management of GDEs in southern Europe, paving the way for further studies on phreatophytic species.
Local pointwise second derivative estimates for strong solutions to the $$\sigma _k$$-Yamabe equation on Euclidean domains
Authors: Duncan Jonah A. J. , Nguyen Luc 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWe prove local pointwise second derivative estimates for positive $$W^{2,p}$$

W

2
,
p

solutions to the $$\sigma _k$$

σ
k

-Yamabe equation on Euclidean domains, addressing both the positive and negative cases. Generalisations for augmented Hessian equations are also considered.
May bending radiographs be replaced by recumbent CT scans in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis?
Authors: Prost Max , Windolf Joachim , Konieczny Markus Rafael 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Purpose
There is no data that show if it is possible to determine if a curve is structural or non-structural or to assess flexibility of an adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) by recumbent images like a CT scan (CTS) instead of bending radiographs (BR). We investigated if the results of BR may be compared to those of CTS.

Methods
We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data of patients with AIS in whom a selective spinal fusion was performed and in whom a CTS, BR, and full spine x-rays were made preoperatively. We measured the Cobb angles of the main and the minor curve in full spine x-ray, BR, and CTS.

Results
After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 39 patients were included. We found a strong correlation (r = 0.806, p < 0.01) between the Cobb angle of the main curve in BR and the Cobb angle of the main curve in the CTS and between the Cobb angle of the minor curve in BR and the Cobb angle of the minor curve in the CTS (r = 0.601, p < 0.01). All patients with a minor curve of less than 25 degrees in the BR had a Cobb angle of less than 35 degrees in the CTS.

Conclusion
Spinal curves showed a significant correlation between bending radiographs and recumbent images (CTS). In our group of patients, a Cobb angle of the minor curve of less than 35 degrees in the CTS indicated that this minor curve was non-structural.
Mentalisierungsfähigkeit und Empathie in der Psychiatrie – eine Sozialisationsfrage?
Authors: Steinmair D. , Fink B. , Horvath E. , Matuszak-Luss K. , Löffler-Stastka H. 
Published: July 2021

ZusammenfassungBerufliche Sozialisation entwickelt sich im Kontext der Persönlichkeitsentwicklung und vorhandener Bedingungen unterschiedlich. Das Aufrechterhalten der Mentalisierungsfähigkeit im beruflichen Alltag und vor allem in herausfordernden Situationen ist keine Selbstverständlichkeit, sondern abhängig von Umgebungsbedingungen. Die Übernahme von Verantwortung für die gewählte berufliche Tätigkeit erfordert eine Auseinandersetzung mit dem jeweils spezifischen Anforderungsprofil; es stellen sich Lern- und Entwicklungsaufgaben. Die Integration der beruflichen Identität im Rahmen förderlicher Umgebungsbedingungen bedeutet, sich als Teil dieser Gruppe(n) zu erleben. Aus gruppenpsychoanalytischer Sicht stellt die Identifikation mit einer Gruppe eine Verinnerlichung eines „guten Objekts“ dar, einer Gruppenrepräsentanz, welche in herausfordernden Situationen zugänglich ist. Dies kann die Mentalisierungsfähigkeit verbessern.
Green industrial policies and domestic production of biofuels: an econometric analysis of OECD countries
Authors: Bryngemark Elina , Söderholm Patrik 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between green industrial policies and domestic biofuel production among OECD countries. The analysis builds on a data set including 24 OECD countries over the time period 2000–2016. This panel is estimated using a variant of the so-called Poisson pseudo-maximum-likelihood model and includes the mix of demand-pull (biofuel blending mandates) and technology-push policies (government R&D), as well as the interaction between these two types of instruments. The results suggest a positive relationship between blending mandates and domestic biofuel production. Thus, a more stringent blending mandate does not only increase the use of biofuels, but also domestic production (as a share of total fuel use). Government R&D has not, however, induced domestic biofuel industrialization processes. The results even suggest a negative interaction effect between government R&D and blending mandates, in turn implying that these two polices target different technological fields. The blending mandates tend to primarily favor commercialized first-generation biofuels, while government support to biofuel R&D has instead been focused on advanced biofuel technology.
Machine learning for detection of stenoses and aneurysms: application in a physiologically realistic virtual patient database
Authors: Jones G. , Parr J. , Nithiarasu P. , Pant S. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThis study presents an application of machine learning (ML) methods for detecting the presence of stenoses and aneurysms in the human arterial system. Four major forms of arterial disease—carotid artery stenosis (CAS), subclavian artery stenosis (SAS), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA)—are considered. The ML methods are trained and tested on a physiologically realistic virtual patient database (VPD) containing 28,868 healthy subjects, adapted from the authors previous work and augmented to include disease. It is found that the tree-based methods of Random Forest and Gradient Boosting outperform other approaches. The performance of ML methods is quantified through the$$F_1$$F1score and computation of sensitivities and specificities. When using six haemodynamic measurements (pressure in the common carotid, brachial, and radial arteries; and flow-rate in the common carotid, brachial, and femoral arteries), it is found that maximum$$F_1$$F1scores larger than 0.9 are achieved for CAS and PAD, larger than 0.85 for SAS, and larger than 0.98 for both low- and high-severity AAAs. Corresponding sensitivities and specificities are larger than 90% for CAS and PAD, larger than 85% for SAS, and larger than 98% for both low- and high-severity AAAs. When reducing the number of measurements, performance is degraded by less than 5% when three measurements are used, and less than 10% when only two measurements are used for classification. For AAA, it is shown that$$F_1$$F1scores larger than 0.85 and corresponding sensitivities and specificities larger than 85% are achievable when using only a single measurement. The results are encouraging to pursue AAA monitoring and screening through wearable devices which can reliably measure pressure or flow-rates.
Sensitivity and feasibility of a one-dimensional morphoelastic model for post-burn contraction
Authors: Egberts Ginger , Vermolen Fred , van Zuijlen Paul 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWe consider a one-dimensional morphoelastic model describing post-burn scar contraction. Contraction can lead to a limited range of motion (contracture). Reported prevalence of burn scar contractures are 58.6% at 3–6 weeks and 20.9% at 12 months post-reconstructive surgery after burns. This model describes the displacement of the dermal layer of the skin and the development of the effective Eulerian strain in the tissue. Besides these components, the model also contains components that play a major role in the skin repair after trauma. These components are signaling molecules, fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, and collagen. We perform a sensitivity analysis for many parameters of the model and use the results for a feasibility study. In this study, we test whether the model is suitable for predicting the extent of contraction in different age groups. To this end, we conduct an extensive literature review to find parameter values. From the sensitivity analysis, we conclude that the most sensitive parameters are the equilibrium collagen concentration in the dermal layer, the apoptosis rate of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, and the secretion rate of signaling molecules. Further, although we can use the model to simulate significant distinct contraction densities in different age groups, our results differ from what is seen in the clinic. This particularly concerns children and elderly patients. In children we see more intense contractures if the burn injury occurs near a joint, because the growth induces extra forces on the tissue. Elderly patients seem to suffer less from contractures, possibly because of excess skin.
Experimental Characterization of Short Fiber-Reinforced Composites on the Mesoscale by Indentation Tests
Authors: Rauter Natalie , Lammering Rolf 
Published: July 2021

AbstractIndentation tests are widely used to characterize the material properties of heterogeneous materials. So far there is no explicit analysis of the spatially distributed material properties for short fiber-reinforced composites on the mesoscale as well as a determination of the effective cross-section that is characterized by the obtained measurement results. Hence, the primary objective of this study is the characterization of short fiber-reinforced composites on the mesoscale. Furthermore, it is of interest to determine the corresponding area for which the obtained material parameters are valid. For the experimental investigation of local material properties of short fiber-reinforced composites, the Young’s modulus is obtained by indentation tests. The measured values of the Young’s modulus are compared to results gained by numerical simulation. The numerical model represents an actual microstructure derived from a micrograph of the used material. The analysis of the short fiber-reinforced material by indentation tests reveals the layered structure of the specimen induced by the injection molding process and the oriented material properties of the reinforced material are observed. In addition, the experimentally obtained values for Young’s modulus meet the results of a corresponding numerical analysis. Finally, it is shown, that the area characterized by the indentation test is 25 times larger than the actual projected area of the indentation tip. This leads to the conclusion that indentation tests are an appropriate tool to characterize short fiber-reinforced material on the mesoscale.
Tuning Database-Friendly Random Projection Matrices for Improved Distance Preservation on Specific Data
Authors: López-Sánchez Daniel , de Bodt Cyril , Lee John A. , Arrieta Angélica González , Corchado Juan M. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractRandom Projection is one of the most popular and successful dimensionality reduction algorithms for large volumes of data. However, given its stochastic nature, different initializations of the projection matrix can lead to very different levels of performance. This paper presents a guided random search algorithm to mitigate this problem. The proposed method uses a small number of training data samples to iteratively adjust a projection matrix, improving its performance on similarly distributed data. Experimental results show that projection matrices generated with the proposed method result in a better preservation of distances between data samples. Conveniently, this is achieved while preserving the database-friendliness of the projection matrix, as it remains sparse and comprised exclusively of integers after being tuned with our algorithm. Moreover, running the proposed algorithm on a consumer-grade CPU requires only a few seconds.
Predictive privacy: towards an applied ethics of data analytics
Authors: Mühlhoff Rainer 
Published: July 2021

AbstractData analytics and data-driven approaches in Machine Learning are now among the most hailed computing technologies in many industrial domains. One major application is predictive analytics, which is used to predict sensitive attributes, future behavior, or cost, risk and utility functions associated with target groups or individuals based on large sets of behavioral and usage data. This paper stresses the severe ethical and data protection implications of predictive analytics if it is used to predict sensitive information about single individuals or treat individuals differently based on the data many unrelated individuals provided. To tackle these concerns in an applied ethics, first, the paper introduces the concept of “predictive privacy” to formulate an ethical principle protecting individuals and groups against differential treatment based on Machine Learning and Big Data analytics. Secondly, it analyses the typical data processing cycle of predictive systems to provide a step-by-step discussion of ethical implications, locating occurrences of predictive privacy violations. Thirdly, the paper sheds light on what is qualitatively new in the way predictive analytics challenges ethical principles such as human dignity and the (liberal) notion of individual privacy. These new challenges arise when predictive systems transform statistical inferences, which provide knowledge about the cohort of training data donors, into individual predictions, thereby crossing what I call the “prediction gap”. Finally, the paper summarizes that data protection in the age of predictive analytics is a collective matter as we face situations where an individual’s (or group’s) privacy is violated using dataotherindividuals provide about themselves, possibly even anonymously.
Unusual phenotypes in patients with a pathogenic germline variant in DICER1
Authors: Venger Kateryna , Elbracht Miriam , Carlens Julia , Deutz Peter , Zeppernick Felix , Lassay Lisa , Kratz Christian , Zenker Martin , Kim Jung , Stewart Douglas R. , Wieland Ilse , Schultz Kris Ann P. , Schwerk Nicolaus , Kurth Ingo , Kontny Udo 
Published: July 2021

AbstractPathogenic germline DICER1 variants are associated with pleuropulmonary blastoma, multinodular goiter, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma and other tumour types, while mosaic missense DICER1 variants in the RNase IIIb domain are linked to cause GLOW (global developmental delay, lung cysts, overgrowth, and Wilms’ tumor) syndrome. Here, we report four families with germline DICER1 pathogenic variants in which one member in each family had a more complex phenotype, including skeletal findings, facial dysmorphism and developmental abnormalities. The developmental features occur with a variable expressivity and incomplete penetrance as also described for the neoplastic and dysplastic lesions associated with DICER1 variants. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed on all four cases and revealed no further pathogenic or likely pathogenic dominant, homozygous or compound heterozygous variants in three of them. Notably, a frameshift variant in ARID1B was detected in one patient explaining part of her phenotype. This series of patients shows that pathogenic DICER1 variants may be associated with a broader phenotypic spectrum than initially assumed, including predisposition to different tumours, skeletal findings, dysmorphism and developmental abnormalities, but genetic work up in syndromic patients should be comprehensive in order not to miss additional underlying /modifying causes.
Exploring experiences of ableism in academia: a constructivist inquiry
Authors: Brown Nicole , Ramlackhan Karen 
Published: July 2021

AbstractTo understand the experiences of the disabled in academia, a fully accessible and inclusive workshop conference was held in March 2018. Grounded in critical disability studies within a constructivist inquiry analytical approach, this article provides a contextualisation of ableism in academia garnered through creative data generation. The nuanced experiences of disabled academics in higher education as well as their collective understandings of these experiences as constructed through normalisation and able-bodiedness are presented. We show that disabled academics are marginalised and othered in academic institutions; that the neoliberalisation of higher education has created productivity expectations, which contribute to the silencing of the disabled academics’ perspectives and experiences due to constructions of normality and stigmatisation; and that it is important to enact policies, procedures, and practices that value disabled academics and bring about cultural and institutional changes in favour of equality and inclusion.
A Bilingual Comparison of Sentiment and Topics for a Product Event on Twitter
Authors: Wedel Irina , Palk Michael , Voß Stefan 
Published: July 2021

AbstractSocial media enable companies to assess consumers’ opinions, complaints and needs. The systematic and data-driven analysis of social media to generate business value is summarized under the term Social Media Analytics which includes statistical, network-based and language-based approaches. We focus on textual data and investigate which conversation topics arise during the time of a new product introduction on Twitter and how the overall sentiment is during and after the event. The analysis via Natural Language Processing tools is conducted in two languages and four different countries, such that cultural differences in the tonality and customer needs can be identified for the product. Different methods of sentiment analysis and topic modeling are compared to identify the usability in social media and in the respective languages English and German. Furthermore, we illustrate the importance of preprocessing steps when applying these methods and identify relevant product insights.
Nano intervention in topical delivery of corticosteroid for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis—a systematic review
Authors: Shetty Kshitya , Sherje Atul P. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAtopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis are highly prevalent, complex, chronic inflammatory skin diseases that immensly affect the patient’s quality of life. While there is no definitive cure for these conditions, suppressive medications aim at managing the symptoms of these diseases. The application of emollients accompanied by symptomatic anti-inflammatory therapy consisting of topical corticosteroids (TCS) is extensively employed for controlling the symptoms among general practitioners making this therapeutic class an indispensable pillar of dermatotherapeutics. The first TCS, hydrocortisone (HC) introduced in the early 1950s led to the development of different steroidal moieties of varying potencies by inducing chemical modifications to the basic steroid structure. The wide spectrum of the available range of formulations and potency provides flexibility to treat all patient groups, different phases of the diseases, and different anatomical sites. Conventional TCS therapy suffers from drawbacks such as low drug permeation and retention rate. Thus, novel nanoformulations have been developed to overcome these problems. This review provides an insight into the current state of nanocarrier-mediated topical delivery of corticosteroids monotherapy and combination therapy with special emphasis on targeting psoriasis and AD.