bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pharyngeal Pouch Surgery in Octo‐ and Nonagenarians is Safe and Effective: A Multicentre Comparative Cohort Study
Authors: Afzal Mohamed , Liu David S. , Bright Tim , Watson David I. , Devitt Peter G. , Thompson Sarah K. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundSurgery is the only effective treatment strategy for a symptomatic pharyngeal pouch. However, octo‐ and nonagenarians are often denied referral to a surgeon because of perceived increased risks. Here, we compare the outcomes of pharyngeal pouch surgery in octo‐ and nonagenarians with patients under 80 years‐of‐age and determine the factors which predict post‐operative complications and improvement in swallowing.MethodsAnalysis of a prospectively maintained database of patients who underwent pharyngeal pouch surgery across seven hospitals over 15 years.ResultsIn total, 113 patients (≥80 years‐of‐age: 27, <80 years‐of‐age: 86) underwent endoscopic or open pharyngeal pouch surgery. Despite more comorbidities and a longer hospital stay (median: one extra day), patients ≥80 years‐of‐age had comparable operative time, complication profile, intensive care admission, emergency reoperation, and revisional pouch surgery as their younger counterparts. Furthermore, the severity of complications was not significantly different between the two age cohorts. No surgical mortality was recorded. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that diverticulectomy combined with cricopharyngeal myotomy independently predicted higher rates of complications (OR: 4.53, 95% CI: 1.43–14.33, p = 0.010), but also greater symptomatic improvement (OR: 4.36, 95% CI: 1.50–12.67, p = 0.007). Importantly, a greater proportion of octo‐ and nonagenarians experienced improved swallowing than patients <80 years‐of‐age (96.3% vs. 74.4%, p = 0.013). Moreover, advanced age was not predictive of post‐operative complications on multivariate analysis.ConclusionsPharyngeal pouch surgery in octo‐ and nonagenarians is safe and effective. Surgical correction in this age group alleviates symptoms and improves quality‐of‐life for most patients. These patients should not be denied surgery on the basis of advanced age alone.
Olfactory impairment in men and mice related to aging and amyloid-induced pathology
Authors: Tzeng Wen-Yu , Figarella Katherine , Garaschuk Olga 
Published: February 2021

AbstractOlfaction, or the sense of smell, is one of the most ancient senses in men and mice, important for a large variety of innate and acquired behaviors. Clinical data reveal an early impairment of olfaction during normal aging and in the course of neurodegenerative diseases, but the underlying cellular/molecular mechanisms remain obscure. In the current review, we compare different aspects of the aging- and Alzheimer’s disease related impairment of olfaction in men and mice, aiming at the identification of common morbidities and biomarkers, which can be analyzed in detail in the appropriate mouse models. We also identify common, often interdependent (patho)physiological pathways, including but not limited to extracellular amyloid depositions, neuroinflammation, ɛ4 allele of the apolipoprotein E, CNS insulin resistance, and the impairment of adult neurogenesis, to be targeted by basic and clinical research.
The effect of high-frequency rTMS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on the resolution of response, semantic and task conflict in the colour-word Stroop task
Authors: Parris Benjamin A. , Wadsley Michael G. , Arabaci Gizem , Hasshim Nabil , Augustinova Maria , Ferrand Ludovic 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPrevious work investigating the effect of rTMS of left Dorso-Lateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) on Stroop task performance reports no changes to the Stroop effect but reduced reaction times on both congruent and incongruent trials relative to sham stimulation; an effect attributed to an enhanced attentional (or task) set for colour classification. The present study tested this account by investigating whether, relative to vertex stimulation, rTMS of the left DLPFC modifies task conflict, a form of conflict that arises when task sets for colour classification and word reading compete, given that this particular type of conflict would be reduced by an enhanced task set for colour classification. Furthermore, the present study included measures of other forms of conflict present in the Stroop task (response and semantic conflict), the potential effects on which would have been hidden in previous studies employing only incongruent and congruent stimuli. Our data showed that left DLPFC stimulation had no effect on the magnitude of task conflict, nor did it affect response, semantic or overall conflict (where the null is supported by sensitive Bayes Factors in most cases). However, consistent with previous research left DLPFC stimulation had the general effect of reducing reaction times. We, therefore, show for the first time that relative to real vertex stimulation left DLPFC stimulation does not modify Stroop interference. Alternative accounts of the role of the left DLPFC in Stroop task performance in which it either modifies response thresholds or facilitates responding by keeping the correct response keys active in working memory are discussed.
Geometrically exact elastoplastic rods: determination of yield surface in terms of stress resultants
Authors: Herrnböck Ludwig , Kumar Ajeet , Steinmann Paul 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis work addresses the determination of yield surfaces for geometrically exact elastoplastic rods. Use is made of a formulation where the rod is subjected to an uniform strain field along its arc length, thereby reducing the elastoplastic problem of the full rod to just its cross-section. By integrating the plastic work and the stresses over the rod’s cross-section, one then obtains discrete points of the yield surface in terms of stress resultants. Eventually, Lamé curves in their most general form are fitted to the discrete points by an appropriate optimisation method. The resulting continuous yield surfaces are examined for their scalability with respect to cross-section dimensions and also compared with existing analytical forms of yield surfaces.
Use of platelet-rich fibrin for the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Miron Richard J. , Moraschini Vittorio , Fujioka-Kobayashi Masako , Zhang Yufeng , Kawase Tomoyuki , Cosgarea Raluca , Jepsen Soren , Bishara Mark , Canullo Luigi , Shirakata Yoshinori , Gruber Reinhard , Ferenc Döri , Calasans-Maia Monica Diuana , Wang Hom-Lay , Sculean Anton 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Objectives
This study aims to compare the treatment outcomes of periodontal intrabony defects by using platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) with other commonly utilized modalities.

Materials and methods
The eligibility criteria comprised randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the clinical outcomes of PRF with that of other modalities. Studies were classified into 10 categories as follows: (1) open flap debridement (OFD) alone versus OFD/PRF; (2) OFD/bone graft (OFD/BG) versus OFD/PRF; (3) OFD/BG versus OFD/BG/PRF; (4–6) OFD/barrier membrane (BM), OFD/PRP, or OFD/enamel matrix derivative (EMD) versus OFD/PRF; (7) OFD/EMD versus OFD/EMD/PRF; (8–10) OFD/PRF versus OFD/PRF/metformin, OFD/PRF/bisphosphonates, or OFD/PRF/statins. Weighted means and forest plots were calculated for probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and radiographic bone fill (RBF).

Results
From 551 articles identified, 27 RCTs were included. The use of OFD/PRF statistically significantly reduced PD and improved CAL and RBF when compared to OFD. No clinically significant differences were reported when OFD/BG was compared to OFD/PRF. The addition of PRF to OFD/BG led to significant improvements in CAL and RBF. No differences were reported between any of the following groups (OFD/BM, OFD/PRP, and OFD/EMD) when compared to OFD/PRF. No improvements were also reported when PRF was added to OFD/EMD. The addition of all three of the following biomolecules (metformin, bisphosphonates, and statins) to OFD/PRF led to statistically significant improvements of PD, CAL, and RBF.

Conclusions

The use of PRF significantly improved clinical outcomes in intrabony defects when compared to OFD alone with similar levels being observed between OFD/BG and OFD/PRF. Future research geared toward better understanding potential ways to enhance the regenerative properties of PRF with various small biomolecules may prove valuable for future clinical applications. Future research investigating PRF at histological level is also needed.

Clinical relevance
The use of PRF in conjunction with OFD statistically significantly improved PD, CAL, and RBF values, yielding to comparable outcomes to OFD/BG. The combination of PRF with bone grafts or small biomolecules may offer certain clinical advantages, thus warranting further investigations.
Ist eine Impfpflicht gegen das Coronavirus nötig?
Authors: Wein Thomas 
Published: February 2021

ZusammenfassungAn die Zulassung der SARS-CoV-2-Impfstoffe knüpft sich die Hoffnung, die Pandemie schnellstmöglich überwinden zu können. Befragungen zeigen jedoch eine begrenzte Impfbereitschaft, die für eine Herdenimmunität eventuell nicht ausreicht. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird spieltheoretisch untersucht, wie die einzelne Impfentscheidung im Hinblick auf das Impfverhalten der anderen ausfällt. Es zeigt sich, dass sich impfen zu lassen keine dominate Strategie ist. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit sich impfen zu lassen, nimmt jedoch mit den langfristigen Kosten der Pandemie zu. Demnach könnte die Impfbereitschaft erhöht werden, wenn die Politik stärker über die Folgekosten aufklären würde. Dann könnte eine Impfpflicht vermieden werden.
Farmer views on climate change—a longitudinal study of threats, opportunities and action
Authors: Sorvali Jaana , Kaseva Janne , Peltonen-Sainio Pirjo 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAny new policy measure aiming to mitigate climate change and support adaptation in agriculture is implemented at the farm scale. This makes a farmer the key actor. This study aimed to understand farmers’ climate change views and reveal how farmers see their role, responsibilities and possibilities to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Furthermore, this study aimed to assess how various background variables and values associate with farmers’ views in order to have novel and comprehensive on farmers’ perspectives on climate change. Short-term changes in views were studied with a longitudinal framework. In total, 4401 farmers in Finland answered a standardized e-mail survey in spring 2018. A total of 2000 of them responded again in spring 2020. The respondents differed in gender, age, education, farming system, farm type, farm organization, farm size, revenue and region. The farmers were not a uniform group of citizens, and their views on climate change varied widely. For a Nordic, boreal zone country like Finland, climate change will bring not only challenges but also opportunities that may even strengthen the agricultural production. Such a “two-sided coin” causes confusion for farmers as indicated by this study. Climate change–induced risks often dominate the public dialogue with farmers. This study emphasizes the need for better balance between risks and opportunities not only in the dialogue with farmers but also with policy makers and all public discussion. Acknowledging farmers’ views in planning the future climate policies for agricultural sector is elemental to ensure success in farm-scale implementation.
The rise and fall of diseases: reflections on the history of population health in Europe since ca. 1700
Authors: Mackenbach Johan P. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis essay explores the amazing phenomenon that in Europe since ca. 1700 most diseases have shown a pattern of 'rise-and-fall'. It argues that the rise of so many diseases indicates that their ultimate cause is not to be sought within the body, but in the interaction between humans and their environment. In their tireless pursuit of a better life, Europeans have constantly engaged in new activities which exposed them to new health risks, at a pace that evolution could not keep up with. Fortunately, most diseases have also declined again, mainly as a result of human interventions, in the form of public health interventions or improvements in medical care. The virtually continuous succession of diseases starting to fall in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries suggests that the concept of an “epidemiological transition” has limited usefulness.
Reaction of selected potato varieties to Clavibacter sepedonicus infestation under changing weather conditions
Authors: Gryń Grzegorz , Pietraszko Milena , Przewodowski Włodzimierz , Franke Katarzyna , Nowakowski Mirosław , Nowakowski Mateusz 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe results of the studies carried out over the last 50 years have not provided a clear answer to questions concerning the interaction betweenClavibacter sepedonicus(Cs), potato and the environment. The reason is insufficient knowledge of the biology of the causal agent of ring rot, problems of research methodology and the influence of many environmental and biotic factors on the degree of plant infestation. The research conducted in the years 2013–2016 in the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute – National Research Institute concerned the determination of the influence of weather conditions, involved the influence of temperature and Sielianinov hydrothermal coefficient on the development of Cs bacteria in stems and progeny tubers, as well as the occurrence of disease symptoms on plants and in tubers of eight potato varieties. It was found that genotype had the greatest impact on leaf and tuber infestation, while weather conditions were less significant. The results of correlation analysis indicate that the weight of tubers of plants infected by Cs increased statistically significantly with increases in air and soil temperature. On the other hand, air and soil temperature in the initial vegetation period did not significantly affect the number of potato plant tubers infested by Cs. In a 4-year experiment, it was not shown how air and soil temperature and the Sielianinov hydrothermal coefficient affected the degree of potato leaf and tuber infestation. In most cases, potato infestation by Cs caused a decrease in yield.
A new two-nested-game approach: linking micro- and macro-scales in international environmental agreements
Authors: Distefano Tiziano , D’Alessandro Simone 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of international environmental agreements (IEAs) and how it might be affected by the development of pro-environmental behaviour among households and firms. We propose a new framework based on a two-nested-game approach composed by: (1) a one-shot game with two asymmetric countries that negotiate the international abatement target, and (2) an evolutionary game which describes the economic structure resulting from agents’ interactions. These two games are nested because the initial economic structure determines the welfare of each country, and thus the outcome of Game 1 which, in turn, is embedded in Game 2, modifies the agents’ pay-off and the economic structure thereof. Numerical simulation outcomes suggest three key messages. First, we find that global solutions do not automatically produce the expected effects irrespective of any free-riding assumption. Second, extreme climate risks might not lead to a high abatement target in the event of marked cross-country inequality. Third, adverse consumers’ environmental attitudes might hamper the success of an IEA. The above observations entail that governments should not simply impose environmental laws. Rather, top-down policies and bottom-up interventions should be coordinated; otherwise, they might fail if undertaken in isolation.

Graphic abstract
Investigating Emotional Body Posture Recognition in Adolescents with Conduct Disorder Using Eye-Tracking Methods
Authors: Martin-Key Nayra A. , Graf Erich W. , Adams Wendy J. , Fairchild Graeme 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAdolescents with Conduct Disorder (CD) show deficits in recognizing facial expressions of emotion, but it is not known whether these difficulties extend to other social cues, such as emotional body postures. Moreover, in the absence of eye-tracking data, it is not known whether such deficits, if present, are due to a failure to attend to emotionally informative regions of the body. Male and female adolescents with CD and varying levels of callous-unemotional (CU) traits (n = 45) and age- and sex-matched typically-developing controls (n = 51) categorized static and dynamic emotional body postures. The emotion categorization task was paired with eye-tracking methods to investigate relationships between fixation behavior and recognition performance. Having CD was associated with impaired recognition of static and dynamic body postures and atypical fixation behavior. Furthermore, males were less likely to fixate emotionally-informative regions of the body than females. While we found no effects of CU traits on body posture recognition, the effects of CU traits on fixation behavior varied according to CD status and sex, with CD males with lower levels of CU traits showing the most atypical fixation behavior. Critically, atypical fixation behavior did not explain the body posture recognition deficits observed in CD. Our findings suggest that CD-related impairments in recognition of body postures of emotion are not due to attentional issues. Training programmes designed to ameliorate the emotion recognition difficulties associated with CD may need to incorporate a body posture component.
The nitrogen bioextraction potential of nearshore Saccharina latissima cultivation and harvest in the Western Gulf of Maine
Authors: Grebe G. S. , Byron C. J. , Brady D. C. , Geisser A. H. , Brennan K. D. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn-water remediation strategies, implemented in conjunction with traditional watershed management, could help minimize the impact of excess nitrogen (N) on marine ecosystems. Seaweed farming and harvesting may have potential as in-water N remediation tools in the Western Gulf of Maine (WGoM), but more understanding of the associated spatial and temporal variability is needed. In this study, Saccharina latissima was grown and collected from four WGoM sites in 2016–2019 and analyzed for tissue N content and stable isotopes. The source of N taken by the kelp was not obvious from monthly nor interannual mean δ15N measured in the kelp tissue, and the interannual means were significantly different between sites in the same bay. Mean kelp biomass across all sites and years was 9.84 (± 2.53)–14.84 kg (wet weight) per meter of longline at time of harvest (late May–early June). Nitrogen content of the S. latissima tissue was 1.04–3.82% (± 0.22) (dry weight) throughout the growing season and generally decreased through the spring. Using these results, we estimated that harvesting a hypothetical hectare of S. latissima after 6–7 months of cultivation in the WGoM would have the potential to remove 19.2 (± 4.8)–176.0 (± 7.7) kg N ha−1, depending on the density of longlines. The wide ranges of both biomass at time of harvest, and δ15N and percent N content in the kelp tissue, highlight the need for site-specific pilot studies, even within a specific bay, prior to implementing kelp aquaculture as an in-water tool for N bioextraction.
A Critique of the Model of Gender Recognition and the Limits of Self-Declaration for Non-Binary Trans Individuals
Authors: Nirta Caterina 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis article considers the model of recognition in the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) and, through a critique of the value of stability pursued through this legislation, argues that recognition as a model is incompatible with the variety of experiences of non-binary trans-identified individuals. The article then moves on to analyse self-declaration, part of the proposed reform recently dismissed by the Government. While self-declaration contains provisions that would minimise the length of the process of recognition as well as the level of intrusiveness and stigma associated with it, this analysis highlights some fundamental theoretical concerns with its over-reliance on the strict dialectical logics on recognition and its structural inability to account for and respond to the challenges posed by non-binary trans individuals.
Understanding measure-driven algorithms solving irreversibly ill-conditioned problems
Authors: Sawicki Jakub , Łoś Marcin , Smołka Maciej , Schaefer Robert 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe paper helps to understand the essence of stochastic population-based searches that solve ill-conditioned global optimization problems. This condition manifests itself by presence of lowlands, i.e., connected subsets of minimizers of positive measure, and inability to regularize the problem. We show a convenient way to analyze such search strategies as dynamic systems that transform the sampling measure. We can draw informative conclusions for a class of strategies with a focusing heuristic. For this class we can evaluate the amount of information about the problem that can be gathered and suggest ways to verify stopping conditions. Next, we show the Hierarchic Memetic Strategy coupled with Multi-Winner Evolutionary Algorithm (HMS/MWEA) that follow the ideas from the first part of the paper. We introduce a complex, ergodic Markov chain of their dynamics and prove an asymptotic guarantee of success. Finally, we present numerical solutions to ill-conditioned problems: two benchmarks and a real-life engineering one, which show the strategy in action. The paper recalls and synthesizes some results already published by authors, drawing new qualitative conclusions. The totally new parts are Markov chain models of the HMS structure of demes and of the MWEA component, as well as the theorem of their ergodicity.
Considering Diversity in (Special) Education: Disability, Being Someone and Existential Education
Authors: Reindal Solveig Magnus 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDiscussions on diversity and disability in dialogue with special educationalists and philosophers of education are not often found in the research literature. Researchers within disability studies have been critical towards the enterprise of special education and vice versa, and the language they use is often different, as they draw on various subject fields. In this article, I bring these fields of research together and draw on research from the philosophy of education, special education and Disability Studies. My argument is that a language of diversity needs to be embedded in a language about educational ends and other fundamental questions discussed in the philosophy of education, and not solely in discussions within the field of inclusive education, as is often found in the research literature relating to special education. I argue that the language of diversity related to disability should be embedded in the language of the person, being someone. In order to build my argument, I sketch out three distinctions: disability and impairment, education as cultivation versus an existential education and the distinction between being someone and being something. I argue that an understanding of diversity and the case of disability within the framework of (special) education should preferably be: (1) interpreted within a social relational model of disability, drawing on an adjusted capabilities approach, (2) an existential educational paradigm and (3) seeing the person as someone, and not as something that is associated with a series of facts that happen to relate to what we call persons.