bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Long-term sensibility outcomes of secondary digital nerve reconstruction with sural nerve autografts: a retrospective study
Authors: Dębski Tomasz , Złotorowicz Marcin , Noszczyk Bartłomiej Henryk 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Background
Recovery of sensibility after digital nerve injury is crucial for restoring normal hand function. We evaluated long-term outcomes of digital nerve reconstruction with autografts.

Methods
This retrospective study included patients who underwent secondary reconstruction of digital nerves with nerve autografting. Recovery of sensibility was evaluated based on the following: patient self-assessment, two-point discrimination (2PD), and a total sensation score (sum of proprioception, temperature sensation, and sharp/dull discrimination). Mixed models regression was used to study predictors of sensibility outcomes. The predictors analyzed were age, sex, smoking status, number of fingers involved in a patient (as a measure of injury severity), time to reconstruction, and time to follow-up.

Results
In 61 patients, 174 digital nerves in 126 fingers were reconstructed after an average of 33.1 weeks from injury. The mean follow-up was 6.4 years from reconstruction. The mean graft length was 3.6 cm. Self-rated sensibility in the affected area was very good in 13% of patients, good in 33%, satisfactory in 40%, and poor in 24%. 2PD at 6 mm was present in 17% of patients, at 10 mm in 12%, and at 15 mm in 18% (mean 2PD was 10.8). Proprioception was preserved in 107 (85%) fingers, sensation of temperature was preserved in 99 (75%) of fingers, and sharp/dull discrimination in 88 (70%) fingers. Time from injury to reconstruction was the only significant predictor of the total sensation score.

Conclusion
Our data indicate that earlier reconstruction is associated with a favorable outcome.
Reversible parallel communicating finite automata systems
Authors: Bordihn Henning , Vaszil György 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWe study the concept of reversibility in connection with parallel communicating systems of finite automata (PCFA in short). We define the notion of reversibility in the case of PCFA (also covering the non-deterministic case) and discuss the relationship of the reversibility of the systems and the reversibility of its components. We show that a system can be reversible with non-reversible components, and the other way around, the reversibility of the components does not necessarily imply the reversibility of the system as a whole. We also investigate the computational power of deterministic centralized reversible PCFA. We show that these very simple types of PCFA (returning or non-returning) can recognize regular languages which cannot be accepted by reversible (deterministic) finite automata, and that they can even accept languages that are not context-free. We also separate the deterministic and non-deterministic variants in the case of systems with non-returning communication. We show that there are languages accepted by non-deterministic centralized PCFA, which cannot be recognized by any deterministic variant of the same type.
Natural language guided object retrieval in images
Authors: Ostovar Ahmad , Bensch Suna , Hellström Thomas 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe ability to understand the surrounding environment and being able to communicate with interacting humans are important functionalities for many automated systems where visual input (e.g., images, video) and natural language input (speech or text) have to be related to each other. Possible applications are automatic image caption generation, interactive surveillance systems, or human robot interaction. In this paper, we propose algorithms for automatic responses to natural language queries about an image. Our approach uses a predefined neural net for detection of bounding boxes and objects in images, spatial relations between bounding boxes are modeled with a neural net, the queries are analyzed with a syntactic parser, and algorithms to map natural language to properties in the images are introduced. The algorithms make use of semantic similarity and antonyms. We evaluate the performance of our approach with test users assessing the quality of our system’s generated answers.
Placebo and Side Effects Confound Clinical Trials on New Antitussives
Authors: Eccles Ronald 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThis review discusses how the placebo effect related to treatment side effects may confound clinical trials on antitussives and specifically looks at the implications for trials on ATP antagonists. These new antitussives have distinctive side effects on the sensation of taste, and investigators have expressed concerns that this may unblind the clinical trials. Blinding is an essential component of trial design, but the degree of blinding in trials is rarely assessed. The assumptions of additivity and balance in clinical trials are discussed as important factors that allow assessment of the pharmacological activity of an antitussive. How side effects unbalance a clinical trial by amplifying the placebo effect of active treatments is discussed. The point is made that unblinding of trials invalidates any assessment of efficacy but that there is little interest or discussion about this fundamental aspect of trials. Proposals are discussed which may improve the blinding of trials and control placebo effects by changes to participant information, trial design, patient selection and use of active placebos. The issue of unblinding of clinical trials is not a new issue, but if real progress is to be made in developing new antitussives, then it is an issue that needs to be urgently addressed.
Simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation for end-stage kidney disease patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cao Yu , Liu Xiaoli , Lan Xiangyu , Ni Kaiwen , Li Lin , Fu Yingxin 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Purpose
The indications for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) undertaking simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation (SPK) remain an unresolved issue. This study aimed to systematically review the survival outcomes of SPK among T2DM-ESKD patients.

Methods
Online databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the CENTRAL Library, CNKI, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wan-Fang database were used to locate the studies of ESKD patients with T2DM undertaking SPK up to May 2021. A third reviewer was consulted if there were disagreements. Data were analyzed with STATA (15.0).

Results
Nine cohort studies were identified. The pooled 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year patient survival rates of patients with T2DM and ESKD after SPK were 98%, 95%, and 91% respectively. Comparing the treatment effect of SPK between type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and T2DM, the survival estimates were comparable. For T2DM patients, SPK had a survival advantage compared with KTA.

Conclusions
The synthesized clinical outcomes of T2DM patients with ESKD after SPK were relatively better than KTA, but a subset of T2DM-ESKD patients who would benefit the most from SPK was to be defined.
PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019118321. Date of registration: 14 Jan 2019 (retrospectively registered)
Oral health-related quality of life in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis is associated with periodontal inflammation and painful temporomandibular disorders: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kroese Johanna M. , Volgenant Catherine M. C. , van Schaardenburg Dirkjan , van Boheemen Laurette , van Selms Maurits K. A. , Visscher Corine M. , Crielaard Wim , Loos Bruno G. , Lobbezoo Frank 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Objectives
To evaluate oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) patients and individuals at risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to healthy controls, and to explore possible associated factors.

Materials and methods
Fifty ERA patients, 50 at-risk individuals, and 50 age and gender matched healthy controls were recruited. OHRQoL (Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14)); number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT); denture use; periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA); xerostomia (xerostomia inventory (XI)); and possible TMD (-pain) diagnoses were recorded. The groups were compared on these variables. Subsequently, backward multiple regression analyses were performed for the ERA and at-risk groups, with OHRQoL as the dependent variable and gender, age, DMFT, denture use, PISA, XI, non-painful TMD, and TMD pain as independent variables.

Results
At-risk individuals had higher XI scores (U = 789.5, z = -3.181, p = 0.001, r = -0.32) and higher prevalence of TMD pain (p = 0.046, OR = 4.57; 95% CI 0.92–22.73) than healthy controls and higher OHIP-14 scores than the ERA group (U = 894.5, z = -2.418, p = 0.016, r = -0.24), while no difference in OHIP-14 was found between the control group and both other groups. For ERA patients, OHRQoL was associated with PISA and TMD pain (R2 = 0.498, p < 0.001). For at-risk individuals, OHRQoL was associated with XI score (R2 = 0.410, p < 0.001).

Conclusions
Alertness of health professionals to TMD pain and periodontal inflammation in ERA patients and to xerostomia and TMD pain in at-risk individuals is recommended.

Clinical relevance
The results of this study address orofacial aspects that require attention of health professionals in the timeframe around RA onset.
Trial registration: Dutch National Trial Register (NTR, NTR6362)
How farmers think about insects: perceptions of biodiversity, biodiversity loss and attitudes towards insect-friendly farming practices
Authors: Busse Maria , Zoll Felix , Siebert Rosemarie , Bartels Annette , Bokelmann Anke , Scharschmidt Phillipp 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAn alarming decrease of insects in number and variety calls for measures of protection and promotion, since insects are crucial for the functioning of ecosystems and provide multiple ecosystem services. Agricultural landscapes can provide vast insect habitats if they are managed accordingly. However, little is known about farmers’ problem awareness and attitudes toward insect biodiversity loss, related farming practises, or alternative acceptable insect-friendly solutions. To fill these research gaps, this paper aimed to reveal farmers’ perceptions and attitudes regarding these aspects in two German case studies. We conducted 23 semi-structured interviews with farmers in 2019 and qualitatively analysed them using semantic web analysis. Farmers mostly reported awareness of insects’ ecosystem services and disservices related to agricultural production rather than mentioning the holistic ecological importance of insects. About half of the farmers confirmed insect loss based on their own observations, whereas a similar number doubted there had been a decrease of insects. Most farmers are open-minded towards insect-friendly measures if financially compensated. The farmers also mentioned a joint societal responsibility for insects, economic pressure on farmers to use pesticides due to global market prices, and unbalanced agricultural policies. This study revealed in-depth insights into farmers’ thinking about insects and how farmers contextualise arguments. Our results identified overlaps in farmers’ mental models, which paves the way for co-designing insect-friendly farming practices in landscape labs. Local transformation efforts can also demonstrate new pathways for a shift on the higher levels.
Ontological Pluralism and Multi-Quantificational Ontology
Authors: Król Zbigniew , Lubacz Józef 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThis paper explores some variants and aspects of multi-quantificational criteria of existence, examining these in the context of the debate between monism and pluralism in analytical philosophy. Assuming familiarity with the findings to date (summarized in broad terms at the outset), we seek to apply to these the newly introduced concepts of “substitution” and “substitutional model”. Possible applications of formal theories involving multiple types of existential quantifier are highlighted, together with their methods of construction. These considerations then lead to a thesis asserting the irrelevance of both multi-quantificational criteria and assumptions involving quantificational ontology to the debate between monism and pluralism in ontology. Many quantifiers cannot properly distinguish different modes of existence–as we aim to show by furnishing a general method for constructing counter-examples to any theory that assumes that different types of existential quantifier correspond to different modes of existence.
Lobbying for size and slice of the quota
Authors: Lappi Pauli 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe formation and allocation of an emission quota are analyzed in a common agency framework with two stages. First, the principals lobby for the size of the aggregate quota. Second, the principals lobby for the individual slices of the quota. It is shown that the slices are allocated such that the marginal profits of the principals are equalized and that the size of the aggregate quota is either set at the efficient level characterized by the Samuelson’s rule for public goods or distorted from that level. When the quota is distorted from the efficient level it is set such that the aggregate marginal profit is less than the marginal damage, resulting in an overallocation of individual and aggregate quotas. However, efficient level of the quota is obtained in a reasonable special case in which countries take the role of the principals. The results are extended to cover tradable emission permits.
Pathways to Mental Well-Being in Young Carers: The Role of Benefit Finding, Coping, Helplessness, and Caring Tasks
Authors: Wepf Hannah , Joseph Stephen , Leu Agnes 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAlthough prior research has shown that young carers may perceive benefits from their challenging situation, it is unclear how and when benefit finding leads to better mental health. This study examines pathways through which benefit finding may influence mental well-being. Self-reported data were obtained from 601 adolescents aged 15–21 (Mage = 17.87, 71.9% female) who provided care for a close person with physical or mental health problems. Benefit finding was associated with better mental well-being directly as well as indirectly via better coping and lower helplessness. These findings were similar across young carers with different caring task profiles, except for a few differences regarding social/emotional and instrumental care. The study suggests that benefit finding could promote coping skills and mental well-being in adolescent young carers with implications for the design of future research on interventions with young carers.
Vertical Mergers and Input Foreclosure Lessons from the AT&T/Time Warner Case
Authors: Shapiro Carl 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThis article offers a practical guide to analyzing vertical mergers using the general approach to input foreclosure and raising rivals’ costs that is described in the 2020 Vertical Merger Guidelines that were issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. The step-by-step analysis described here draws lessons from how that theory of harm played out in the lone vertical merger case that has been litigated by the antitrust agencies in recent decades: the 2018 challenge by the Department of Justice to the merger between AT&T and Time Warner. I testified in court as the DOJ’s economic expert in that case. I explain here how to quantify the increase in rivals’ costs and the elimination of double marginalization that are caused by a vertical merger and how to evaluate their net effect on downstream customers. I also explain how this economic analysis fits into the three-step burden-shifting approach that the courts apply to mergers under Section 7 of the Clayton Act. Based on my experience in the AT&T/Time Warner case, I identify a number of shortcomings of the 2020 Vertical Merger Guidelines.
Perceptual justification in the Bayesian brain: a foundherentist account
Authors: Gładziejewski Paweł 
Published: July 2021

AbstractIn this paper, I use the predictive processing (PP) theory of perception to tackle the question of how perceptual states can be rationally involved in cognition by justifying other mental states. I put forward two claims regarding the epistemological implications of PP. First, perceptual states can confer justification on other mental states because the perceptual states are themselves rationally acquired. Second, despite being inferentially justified rather than epistemically basic, perceptual states can still be epistemically responsive to the mind-independent world. My main goal is to elucidate the epistemology of perception already implicit in PP. But I also hope to show how it is possible to peacefully combine central tenets of foundationalist and coherentist accounts of the rational powers of perception while avoiding the well-recognized pitfalls of either.
Religious Conversion and Loss of Faith: Cases of Personal Paradigm Shift?
Authors: Le Poidevin Robin 
Published: July 2021

AbstractIs Thomas Kuhn’s model of scientific revolutions in terms of paradigm shifts appropriately applied to cases of radical changes in religious outlook, and in particular conversion to faith, or loss of faith? Since this question cannot be addressed in purely a priori terms, three case studies of philosophers who have described significant changes in their own perspectives are examined. Part of the justification for such an approach is to see how changes in view seem from the first-person perspective. Although what is offered here is a very limited group of studies, each of them perforce brief, a key theme emerges: that the incommensurability between paradigms which is part of the Kuhnian model is mirrored by the shift away from atheist or humanistic perspectives, though not necessarily by loss of faith.
Novel agents in a young patient with osteosarcoma: A short review
Authors: Steinbrecher Oskar , Brodowicz Thomas , Lamm Wolfgang 
Published: July 2021

SummaryOsteosarcomas are rare malignant bone tumors, most frequently occurring in children as well as adolescents and young adults. Therapy of initially localized disease consists of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. Osteosarcomas often present relapses, most commonly lung metastases. Treatment of isolated lung metastasis most commonly includes surgical resection. The correct adjuvant treatment option is still under investigation. In this manuscript we describe the clinical course of an osteosarcoma patient and give a review of the literature regarding current standard treatment for localized as well as pulmonary metastatic disease.
Sustainable manufacturing of ultra-fine aluminium alloy 6101 wires using controlled high levels of mechanical strain and finite element modeling
Authors: Caruso Serafino , Filice Luigino 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe evolution of grain size and component mechanical behaviour are fundamental aspects to analyse and control when manufacturing processes are considered. In this context, severe plastic deformation (SPD) processes, in which a high shear strain is imposed on the material, are recognized as the main techniques to achieve microstructural changes and material strengthening by the recrystallization, attracting both academic and industrial investigation activities. At the same time, nowadays, sustainable manufacturing design is one of the main responsibilities of the researchers looking at UN2030 agenda and the modern industrial paradigms. In this paper a new severe SPD process is proposed with the aim to steer manufacturing to fourth industrial revolution using some of Industry 4.0 pillars. In particular, additive manufacturing (AM) and numerical simulations were setup as controlling and monitoring techniques in manufacturing process of wires. Strengthening effect (yield and ultimate tensile strength, plasticity and hardness) and microstructural evolution (continuous dynamic recrystallization -CDRX-) due to severe plastic deformation were experimentally analysed and numerically investigated by an innovative finite element (FE) model able to validate the effectiveness of a properly modified process for ultra-fine aluminium alloy AA6101 wires production designed with the aim to avoid any post manufacturing costly thermal treatment. The study provides an accurate experimental study and numerical prediction of the thermo-mechanical and microstructural phenomena that occur during an advanced large plastic deformation process; it shows how the combination of smart manufacturing and simulations control represents the key to renew the traditional manufacturing methods in the perspective of the Industry 4.0, connecting and integrating the manufacturing process for the industrial evolution in production.
The prognostic significance of primary tumor size in squamous cell carcinoma of the penis
Authors: Li Kai , Wu Guang , Fan Caibin , Yuan Hexing 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Background
To evaluate the association of primary tumor size with clinicopathologic characteristics and survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis (SCCP).

Methods
This study analyzed the data of 1001 patients with SCCP, obtained from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2014. The Kaplan–Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to analyze the effects of primary tumor size on overall survival (OS) and penile carcinoma-specific survival (PCSS).

Results
Advanced T stage (P < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001) and distant metastasis (P = 0.001) were more frequently associated with SCCP patients with tumor size ≥ 3 cm than those with tumor size  < 3 cm. In Kaplan–Meier analyses, the patients with large tumors (≥ 3 cm) exhibited an inferior OS and PCSS than those with small tumors (< 3 cm). Moreover, tumor size was identified to be an independent prognostic factor for OS [hazard ratio (HR) 1.665, P < 0.001] and PCSS (HR 2.076, P = 0.003) of patients with SCCP in multivariate analyses.

Conclusions
Large tumor size is associated with adverse clinicopathological characteristics of patients with SCCP. Besides, tumor size represents an independent prognostic factor for OS and PCSS. Therefore, clinical assessment of tumor size as a crucial prognostic factor might be highly beneficial for early intervention in patients with SCCP.