bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Age, growth, and sexual dimorphism of the Southern Hemisphere long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas edwardii)
Authors: Betty Emma L , Stockin Karen A , Hinton Bethany , Bollard Barbara A , Smith Adam N H , Orams Mark B , Murphy Sinéad 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Knowledge of population biological parameters can contribute to assessing the resilience of a population in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures. Southern Hemisphere long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas edwardii) are susceptible to high rates of live stranding-related mortality. However, the biological parameters of this population largely are unknown. In this study, age, growth, allometry, and sexual dimorphism are described using teeth and external body measurements obtained from 515 male, 776 female, and 229 individuals of unknown sex, stranded on the New Zealand coastline between 1948 and 2017. Maximum ages of 31 and 38 years were estimated for males (n = 163) and females (n = 239), respectively. Females ranged in length from 160 to 500 cm (modal size class 400–449 cm) and males from 165 to 622 cm (modal size class 500–549 cm). Length-at-birth for both sexes was estimated at 170 cm using a logistic regression model. Growth models for both sexes indicated a preliminary rapid growth phase followed by a second phase of slower growth. For males, a two-phase growth model also indicated a moderate growth spurt around the average age at attainment of sexual maturity (ca.12–13 years). Asymptotic lengths were estimated at 570 and 438 cm for males and females, respectively. We found strong evidence of sexual size dimorphism, with males significantly larger than females for 13 of 14 external measurements. We also found sexual dimorphism with respect to shape, with males having proportionally longer pectoral fins, wider tail flukes, and taller dorsal fins, than females. Estimates of length-at-birth, maximum ages, and sexual shape dimorphism for G. m. edwardii differed from those previously reported for the North Atlantic subspecies (G. m. melas), which may indicate subspecies or population-level differences in morphology, longevity, and sociality.
The Use of Assisted Reproductive Technology to Create Posthumous Grandchildren
Authors: Cherkassky Lisa 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
A recent landmark petition in Scotland from a grieving mother seeking to create her own grandchild using the frozen sperm of her deceased transgender daughter has prompted debate on the creation of posthumous grandchildren. This is an unusual use of assisted reproductive technology, and it raises complicated legal and ethical questions. This article undertakes a comprehensive look at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended) and whether it can assist grieving parents wishing to create their own biological grandchildren. It will also examine the common law on retrieval and possession of gametes in the specific context of parents, and will highlight the ethical complexities that arise for parents in particular. It will be concluded that the use of assisted reproductive technology for the purposes of creating a grandchild is not currently supported in the UK without the consent of the deceased gamete provider, and any court orders authorising this practice without such consent could be in contravention of the 1990 Act.
Convection-enhanced delivery for high-grade glioma
Authors: Kang Jennifer H , Desjardins Annick 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common adult primary malignant brain tumor and is associated with a dire prognosis. Despite multi-modality therapies of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, its 5-year survival rate is 6.8%. The presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is one factor that has made GBM difficult to treat. Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is a modality that bypasses the BBB, which allows the intracranial delivery of therapies that would not otherwise cross the BBB and avoids systemic toxicities. This review will summarize prior and ongoing studies and highlights practical considerations related to clinical care to aid providers caring for a high-grade glioma patient being treated with CED. Although not the main scope of this paper, this review also touches upon relevant technical considerations of using CED, an area still under much development.
The twin-beginnings of COVID-19 in Asia and Europe—one prevails quickly
Authors: Ruan Yongsen , Wen Haijun , Hou Mei , He Ziwen , Lu Xuemei , Xue Yongbiao , He Xionglei , Zhang Ya-Ping , Wu Chung-I 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
In the spread of SARS-CoV-2, there have been multiple waves of replacement between strains, each of which having a distinct set of mutations. The first wave is a group of four mutations (C241T, C3037T, C14408T and A23403G [this being the amino acid change D614G]; all designated 0 to 1 below). This DG (D614G) group, fixed at the start of the pandemic, is the foundation of all subsequent waves of strains. Curiously, the DG group is absent in early Asian samples but present (and likely common) in Europe from the beginning. European data show that the high fitness of DG1111 requires the synergistic effect of all four mutations. However, the European strains would have had no time to evolve the four DG mutations (0 to 1), had they come directly from the early Asian DG0000 strain. Very likely, the European DG1111 strain had acquired the highly adaptive DG mutations in pre-pandemic Europe and had been spreading in parallel with the Asian strains. Two recent reports further support this twin-beginning interpretation. There was a period of two-way spread between Asia and Europe but, by May 2020, the European strains had supplanted the Asian strains globally. This large-scale replacement of one set of mutations for another has since been replayed many times as COVID-19 progresses.
Challenging the Gender Gap in Political Interest
Authors: Tormos Raül , Verge Tània 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Embedding randomized experiments in representative surveys of the Catalan population, this article shows that the survey instrument commonly used to measure citizens’ interest in politics is far from gender-neutral. By implicitly associating the political to male-oriented issues and male-dominated actors and domains, it artificially amplifies the gender gap, particularly by depressing women’s reported interest. The first experiment captures respondents’ interest through both the standard question about general political interest and a battery of specific political issues, randomizing question order. In the second experiment, an additional text helps reformulate the standard question by prompting respondents to think about politics in broader terms, randomizing the presentation of male-oriented and female-oriented political issues to test the effect of cognitive accessibility and recency. By expanding the conceptualization of the political, the priming applied in our experiments completely closes the gender gap, thereby casting doubt on the validity of the traditional survey instrument.
A Framework for Assessing Accountability in Collaborative Governance: A Process-Based Approach
Authors: Lee Seulki , Ospina Sonia M 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Despite the complexities involved around the accountability mechanisms of collaborative governance, little is known about how to assess accountability at the network level and disentangle possible accountability deficits. This study first explicates the nature of collaborative governance accountability in contrast to accountability in traditional public administration and market-based governance. The analysis shows how collaborative governance accountability is distinctive: (a) accountability relationships shift from bilateral to multilateral; (b) horizontal as well as vertical accountability relationships are involved; (c) not only formal standards but also informal norms are used; and (d) accountability challenges move from control/audit issues to trust-building and paradox management issues. We then propose a framework for accountability in collaborative governance, drawing its dimensions from the process-based accountability research. Our framework builds on three dimensions of collaborative accountability—information, discussion, and consequences—and elaborates on their components and indicators. Based on the framework, questions to guide future research are provided, focusing on tensions and paradoxes that can arise in each process dimension as primary accountability challenges in collaborative contexts.
Centering the Everett Interpretation
Authors: Wilhelm Isaac 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
I propose an account of probability in the Everett interpretation of quantum mechanics. According to the account, probabilities are objective chances of centered propositions. As I show, the account solves a number of problems concerning the role of probability in the Everett interpretation. It also challenges an implicit assumption, concerning the aim and scope of fundamental physical theories, that is made throughout the philosophy of physics literature.
Policy Regulation of Precarious Work Schedules and Bottom-Up Enforcement: An Evaluation of State Reporting Pay Policies
Authors: Finnigan Ryan , Hunter Savannah 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Precarious work schedules, including last-minute cuts to workers’ shifts, undermine well-being for millions of workers and their families in the United States. Drawing on dispute resolution theories and prior research on complaint-driven enforcement of labor regulations, this study evaluates whether and how labor regulations can moderate this precarity. In eight states and Washington, DC, “reporting pay” policies require employers to pay workers for some portion of their shift if they report to work but the employer ends their shift much earlier than scheduled. To evaluate these policies, we fielded an original survey of hourly workers measuring self-reported and actual policy coverage, the frequency of shift cuts, and receipt of reporting pay following shift cuts. We find evidence for only partial compliance with reporting pay policies, at best. We next examine the role of workers’ information about these policies in the enforcement process. Extremely few workers covered by reporting pay policies accurately identified the presence of the state policy. However, a survey experiment demonstrates that providing information about reporting pay policies significantly increases recommendations that a hypothetical worker should push for compensation for a shift cut, either with the manager directly or through external enforcement by the state. We conclude with discussion of bottom-up enforcement for labor regulations and possibilities for improvement.
Patterns of Perceived Hostility and Identity Concealment among Self-Identified Atheists
Authors: Frost Jacqui , Scheitle Christopher P , Ecklund Elaine Howard 
Published: December 2021

AbstractResearchers have produced important findings regarding the types of stigma associated with nonreligion, particularly atheism. However, while numerous studies analyze who is more or less likely to identify as an atheist given that stigma, less is known about how self-identified atheists manage the stigma associated with their identity. This study uses new survey data from a nationally representative sample of US adults, with an oversample of individuals identifying as atheists, to examine the predictors of and connections between atheists’ perceptions of hostility toward their identities and whether they conceal those identities. Contrary to our expectations, we find no association between atheists’ perceived hostility toward their identity and concealment of that identity. We do find, however, that atheists in some social locations report higher levels of identity concealment, particularly those who identify as women, those who identify as Republican, those who live in the South, and those who were raised in a religion or still attend religious services. Our findings suggest that atheists who feel like social or institutional outsiders are more likely to conceal their identity. Our findings also suggest that affirming an atheist identity may buffer some of the negative effects of atheist stigma. These findings have implications for how researchers understand the context-specific nature of religious discrimination, as well as implications for research on stigma management and the ways that the shifting religious and political landscape in the United States shapes the expression of atheist identities.
The Impact of Synchronized Cochlear Implant Sampling and Stimulation on Free-Field Spatial Hearing Outcomes: Comparing the ciPDA Research Processor to Clinical Processors
Authors: Dennison Stephen R. , Jones Heath G. , Kan Alan , Litovsky Ruth Y. 
Published: December 2021

Objectives:
Bilateral cochlear implant (BiCI) listeners use independent processors in each ear. This independence and lack of shared hardware prevents control of the timing of sampling and stimulation across ears, which precludes the development of bilaterally-coordinated signal processing strategies. As a result, these devices potentially reduce access to binaural cues and introduce disruptive artifacts. For example, measurements from two clinical processors demonstrate that independently-running processors introduce interaural incoherence. These issues are typically avoided in the laboratory by using research processors with bilaterally-synchronized hardware. However, these research processors do not typically run in real-time and are difficult to take out into the real-world due to their benchtop nature. Hence, the question of whether just applying hardware synchronization to reduce bilateral stimulation artifacts (and thereby potentially improve functional spatial hearing performance) has been difficult to answer. The CI personal digital assistant (ciPDA) research processor, which uses one clock to drive two processors, presented an opportunity to examine whether synchronization of hardware can have an impact on spatial hearing performance.

Design:
Free-field sound localization and spatial release from masking (SRM) were assessed in 10 BiCI listeners using both their clinical processors and the synchronized ciPDA processor. For sound localization, localization accuracy was compared within-subject for the two processor types. For SRM, speech reception thresholds were compared for spatially separated and co-located configurations, and the amount of unmasking was compared for synchronized and unsynchronized hardware. There were no deliberate changes of the sound processing strategy on the ciPDA to restore or improve binaural cues.

Results:
There was no significant difference in localization accuracy between unsynchronized and synchronized hardware (p = 0.62). Speech reception thresholds were higher with the ciPDA. In addition, although five of eight participants demonstrated improved SRM with synchronized hardware, there was no significant difference in the amount of unmasking due to spatial separation between synchronized and unsynchronized hardware (p = 0.21).

Conclusions:
Using processors with synchronized hardware did not yield an improvement in sound localization or SRM for all individuals, suggesting that mere synchronization of hardware is not sufficient for improving spatial hearing outcomes. Further work is needed to improve sound coding strategies to facilitate access to spatial hearing cues. This study provides a benchmark for spatial hearing performance with real-time, bilaterally-synchronized research processors.
Positive End-Expiratory Pressure and Respiratory Rate Modify the Association of Mechanical Power and Driving Pressure With Mortality Among Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Tonna Joseph E. , Peltan Ithan D. , Brown Samuel M. , Grissom Colin K. , Presson Angela P. , Herrick Jennifer S. , Vasques Francesco , Keenan Heather T. 
Published: December 2021

IMPORTANCE:
Mechanical power and driving pressure have known associations with survival for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

OBJECTIVES:
To further understand the relative importance of mechanical power and driving pressure as clinical targets for ventilator management.

DESIGN:
Secondary observational analysis of randomized clinical trial data.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS:
Patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome from three Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network trials.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:
After adjusting for patient severity in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, we examined the relative association of driving pressure and mechanical power with hospital mortality. Among 2,410 patients, the relationship between driving pressure and mechanical power with mortality was modified by respiratory rate, positive end-expiratory pressure, and flow.

RESULTS:
Among patients with low respiratory rate (< 26), only power was significantly associated with mortality (power [hazard ratio, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.41–2.35; p < 0.001] vs driving pressure [hazard ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.84–1.21; p = 0.95]), while among patients with high respiratory rate, neither was associated with mortality. Both power and driving pressure were associated with mortality at high airway flow (power [hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.15–1.43; p < 0.001] vs driving pressure [hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.01–1.30; p = 0.041]) and neither at low flow. At low positive end-expiratory pressure, neither was associated with mortality, whereas at high positive end-expiratory pressure (≥ 10 cm H2O), only power was significantly associated with mortality (power [hazard ratio, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.09–1.37; p < 0.001] vs driving pressure [hazard ratio, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.99–1.35; p = 0.059]).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:
The relationship between mechanical power and driving pressure with mortality differed within severity subgroups defined by positive end-expiratory pressure, respiratory rate, and airway flow.
Plasma Soluble CD14 Subtype Levels Are Associated With Clinical Outcomes in Critically Ill Subjects With Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Mabrey F. Linzee , Morrell Eric D. , Bhatraju Pavan K. , Sathe Neha A. , Sakr Sana S. , Sahi Sharon K. , West T. Eoin , Mikacenic Carmen , Wurfel Mark M. 
Published: December 2021

IMPORTANCE:
In bacterial sepsis, CD14 and its N-terminal fragment (soluble CD14 subtype, “Presepsin”) have been characterized as markers of innate immune responses and emerging evidence has linked both to coronavirus disease 2019 pathophysiology.

OBJECTIVES:
Our aim was to determine the relationship between the soluble form of CD14 and soluble CD14 subtype plasma levels, coronavirus disease 2019 status, and coronavirus disease 2019-related outcomes.

DESIGN:
A prospective cohort study.

SETTING:
ICUs in three tertiary hospitals in Seattle, WA.

PARTICIPANTS:
Two-hundred four critically ill patients under investigation for coronavirus disease 2019.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:
We measured plasma soluble CD14 and soluble CD14 subtype levels in samples collected upon admission. We tested for associations between biomarker levels and coronavirus disease 2019 status. We stratified by coronavirus disease 2019 status and tested for associations between biomarker levels and outcomes.

RESULTS:
Among 204 patients, 102 patients had coronavirus disease 2019 and 102 patients did not. In both groups, the most common ICU admission diagnosis was respiratory failure or pneumonia and proportions receiving respiratory support at admission were similar. In regression analyses adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, steroid therapy, comorbidities, and severity of illness, soluble CD14 subtype was 54% lower in coronavirus disease 2019 than noncoronavirus disease 2019 patients (fold difference, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.28–0.77; p = 0.003). In contrast to soluble CD14 subtype, soluble CD14 levels did not differ between coronavirus disease 2019 and noncoronavirus disease 2019 patients. In both coronavirus disease 2019 and noncoronavirus disease 2019, in analyses adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, steroid therapy, and comorbidities, higher soluble CD14 subtype levels were associated with death (coronavirus disease 2019: adjusted relative risk, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06–1.39; p = 0.006 and noncoronavirus disease 2019: adjusted relative risk, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.03–1.38; p = 0.017), shock, and fewer ventilator-free days. In coronavirus disease 2019 only, an increase in soluble CD14 subtype was associated with severe acute kidney injury (adjusted relative risk, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.05–1.44; p = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS:
Higher plasma soluble CD14 subtype is associated with worse clinical outcomes in critically ill patients irrespective of coronavirus disease 2019 status though soluble CD14 subtype levels were lower in coronavirus disease 2019 patients than noncoronavirus disease 2019 patients. Soluble CD14 subtype levels may have prognostic utility in coronavirus disease 2019.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support for Influenza A: Retrospective Review of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry Comparing H1N1 With Other Subtypes
Authors: O’Neil Erika R. , Lin Huiming , Li Meng , Shekerdemian Lara , Tonna Joseph E. , Barbaro Ryan P. , Abella Jayvee R. , Rycus Peter , MacLaren Graeme , Anders Marc M. , Alexander Peta M. A. 
Published: December 2021

OBJECTIVES:
Although there is a substantial published experience of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation during the H1N1 pandemic, less is known about the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with other subtypes of the influenza A virus. We hypothesized that the severity of illness and survival of patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation would differ for those with H1N1 influenza A compared with other subtypes of influenza A.

DESIGN, SETTING, PATIENTS:
Retrospective study of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation–supported adults (> 18 yr) with influenza A viral infection reported to the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry between 2009 and 2019. We describe the frequency and compare characteristics and factors associated with in-hospital survival using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:
Of 2,461 patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for influenza A, 445 had H1N1, and 2,004 had other subtypes of influenza A. H1N1 was the predominant subtype between 2009 and 2011. H1N1 patients were younger, with more severe illness at extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cannulation and higher reported extracorporeal membrane oxygenation complications than those with other influenza A subtypes. Patient characteristics including younger age and higher weight and patient management characteristics including longer ventilation duration before extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were associated with worse survival. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation complications were associated with reduced survival. There was no difference in survival to hospital discharge according to influenza subtype after adjusting for other characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS:
Patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for H1N1 were younger, with more severe illness than those supported for other influenza A subtypes. Survival to hospital discharge was associated with patient characteristics, management characteristics, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation complications but was not impacted by the specific influenza A subtype.