bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Music Training and Working Memory on Speech Recognition in Older Age
Authors: Mussoi Bruna S. 
Published: September 2021

Purpose
Music training has been proposed as a possible tool for auditory training in older adults, as it may improve both auditory and cognitive skills. However, the evidence to support such benefits is mixed. The goal of this study was to determine the differential effects of lifelong musical training and working memory on speech recognition in noise, in older adults.

Method
A total of 31 musicians and nonmusicians aged 65–78 years took part in this cross-sectional study. Participants had a normal pure-tone average, with most having high-frequency hearing loss. Working memory (memory capacity) was assessed with the backward Digit Span test, and speech recognition in noise was assessed with three clinical tests (Quick Speech in Noise, Hearing in Noise Test, and Revised Speech Perception in Noise).

Results
Findings from this sample of older adults indicate that neither music training nor working memory was associated with differences on the speech recognition in noise measures used in this study. Similarly, duration of music training was not associated with speech-in-noise recognition.

Conclusions
Results from this study do not support the hypothesis that lifelong music training benefits speech recognition in noise. Similarly, an effect of working memory (memory capacity) was not apparent. While these findings may be related to the relatively small sample size, results across previous studies that investigated these effects have also been mixed. Prospective randomized music training studies may be able to better control for variability in outcomes associated with pre-existing and music training factors, as well as to examine the differential impact of music training and working memory for speech-in-noise recognition in older adults.
Induction Chemotherapy for Orbit Preservation in Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Lilly Gabriela , Geltzeiler Mathew 
Published: September 2021

AbstractSinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy which often presents at an advanced stage. The gold-standard treatment includes negative-margin surgical resection plus adjuvant therapy. In cases of orbital invasion, surgery requires orbital exenteration which can carry significant morbidity and result in decreased quality of life. In selected patients, induction chemotherapy (IC) can allow for orbit preservation without compromising oncologic outcomes. The available literature will be briefly discussed.
Can students be encouraged to read? Experimental evidence from a large lecture
Authors: Breunig Christian , Klüser K. Jonathan , Yang Qixuan 
Published: September 2021

AbstractOne of the structural problems of introductory lectures is that students’ learning progress is primarily assessed by taking a final exam. Weekly preparation and reading are driven only by self-motivation. Can a student’s decision to complete her weekly assignments be influenced by a simple reminder? In a pre-registered experimental design, we test if personalised reminders from the instructor delivered via text messages contribute to learning outcomes. We assess formative learning via regular quizzes at the beginning of each class, and summative learning via grades in a final exam. We do not find statistically significant differences in learning outcomes, and discuss how design features potentially drive this result. In the conclusion, we stress the importance of experimental design in assessing innovative and new learning techniques.
“It is in the nation-state that democracy resides”
Authors: Alekseev Alexander 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis article exploreshowthe concept of democracy is constructed, conveyed, and instrumentalised in the discourses of the populist radical right in the current EU context. The comparative analysis of the speeches of the leaders of two dissimilar PRR parties in government (PolishPrawo i Sprawiedliwość) and in opposition (FrenchRassemblement National) in the run-up to the 2019 European elections using tools of the discourse-historical and discourse-conceptual approaches to CDS highlights the common core of PRR interpretations of democracy, influenced by the shared axiological, institutional, and discursive framework of the EU. It shows that in the EU the PRR constructs the concept of democracy as an ideological complex, by diluting itsessentially populistinterpretation of democracy withliberal democraticelements. Only by advancingnativistandauthoritarianinterpretations of the people, does the PRR bring the concept of democracy in line with its ideological core ofnativism, authoritarianism,andpopulism.
Isolation, characterization, and genome assembly of Barnettozyma botsteinii sp. nov. and novel strains of Kurtzmaniella quercitrusa isolated from the intestinal tract of the termite Macrotermes bellicosus
Authors: Arrey Gerard , Li Guangshuo , Murphy Robert , Guimaraes Leandro , Alizadeh Sefa , Poulsen Michael , Regenberg Birgitte 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Bioconversion of hemicelluloses into simpler sugars leads to the production of a significant amount of pentose sugars, such as d-xylose. However, efficient utilization of pentoses by conventional yeast production strains remains challenging. Wild yeast strains can provide new industrially relevant characteristics and efficiently utilize pentose sugars. To explore this strategy, we isolated gut-residing yeasts from the termite Macrotermes bellicosus collected in Comoé National Park, Côte d’Ivoire. The yeasts were classified through their Internal Transcribed Spacer/Large Subunit sequence, and their genomes were sequenced and annotated. We identified a novel yeast species, which we name Barnettozyma botsteinii sp. nov. 1118T (MycoBank: 833563, CBS 16679T and IBT 710) and two new strains of Kurtzmaniella quercitrusa: var. comoensis (CBS 16678, IBT 709) and var. filamentosus (CBS 16680, IBT 711). The two K. quercitrusa strains grow 15% faster on synthetic glucose medium than Saccharomyces cerevisiae CEN.PKT in acidic conditions (pH = 3.2) and both strains grow on d-xylose as the sole carbon source at a rate of 0.35 h−1. At neutral pH, the yeast form of K. quercitrusa var. filamentosus, but not var. comoensis, switched to filamentous growth in a carbon source-dependent manner. Their genomes are 11.0–13.2 Mb in size and contain between 4888 and 5475 predicted genes. Together with closely related species, we did not find any relationship between gene content and ability to grow on xylose. Besides its metabolism, K. quercitrusa var. filamentosus has a large potential as a production organism, because of its capacity to grow at low pH and to undergo a dimorphic shift.
A natural language processing pipeline to synthesize patient-generated notes toward improving remote care and chronic disease management: a cystic fibrosis case study
Authors: Hussain Syed-Amad , Sezgin Emre , Krivchenia Katelyn , Luna John , Rust Steve , Huang Yungui 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Patient-generated health data (PGHD) are important for tracking and monitoring out of clinic health events and supporting shared clinical decisions. Unstructured text as PGHD (eg, medical diary notes and transcriptions) may encapsulate rich information through narratives which can be critical to better understand a patient’s condition. We propose a natural language processing (NLP) supported data synthesis pipeline for unstructured PGHD, focusing on children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN), and demonstrate it with a case study on cystic fibrosis (CF).

Materials and Methods
The proposed unstructured data synthesis and information extraction pipeline extract a broad range of health information by combining rule-based approaches with pretrained deep-learning models. Particularly, we build upon the scispaCy biomedical model suite, leveraging its named entity recognition capabilities to identify and link clinically relevant entities to established ontologies such as Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine (SNOMED) and RXNORM. We then use scispaCy’s syntax (grammar) parsing tools to retrieve phrases associated with the entities in medication, dose, therapies, symptoms, bowel movements, and nutrition ontological categories. The pipeline is illustrated and tested with simulated CF patient notes.

Results
The proposed hybrid deep-learning rule-based approach can operate over a variety of natural language note types and allow customization for a given patient or cohort. Viable information was successfully extracted from simulated CF notes. This hybrid pipeline is robust to misspellings and varied word representations and can be tailored to accommodate the needs of a specific patient, cohort, or clinician.

Discussion
The NLP pipeline can extract predefined or ontology-based entities from free-text PGHD, aiming to facilitate remote care and improve chronic disease management. Our implementation makes use of open source models, allowing for this solution to be easily replicated and integrated in different health systems. Outside of the clinic, the use of the NLP pipeline may increase the amount of clinical data recorded by families of CSHCN and ease the process to identify health events from the notes. Similarly, care coordinators, nurses and clinicians would be able to track adherence with medications, identify symptoms, and effectively intervene to improve clinical care. Furthermore, visualization tools can be applied to digest the structured data produced by the pipeline in support of the decision-making process for a patient, caregiver, or provider.

Conclusion
Our study demonstrated that an NLP pipeline can be used to create an automated analysis and reporting mechanism for unstructured PGHD. Further studies are suggested with real-world data to assess pipeline performance and further implications.
Calliphoridae (Diptera) on Decomposing Pig Carcasses and Human Cadavers in the Upper Midwest of North America
Authors: Hildebrand Correy S , Cervenka Valerie J , Moon Roger D , Thomson Robin E 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe geographic ranges of forensically informative taxa on decomposing remains vary across regions. To determine which calliphorid flies would be expected to occur in Minnesota and the upper Midwest, individual freshly killed pig carcasses (Sus scrofa L.) were placed in the field in St. Paul, MN, at monthly intervals from May to October 2017 and May to September 2018. Aerial nets, forceps, and pitfall traps were used to collect and preserve associated adult and immature insects. Sixty-four forensically informative insect taxa were recorded, representing three insect orders and 14 families. Ten informative calliphorid species were recorded on carcasses, adding four new Minnesota records. Comparison of species lists from 26 human forensic cases indicated agreement between the two lists, except for Lucilia coeruleiviridis Macquart, Calliphora vomitoria (L.), and Cynomya cadaverina Robineau-Desvoidy, which occurred on pig carcasses but not human remains, and Calliphora livida Hall, which occurred on human remains, but not carcasses. The composite fauna list from cadavers agreed largely with the 2-yr list from pig carcasses.
Expanding Family Forest Owner Options to Keep Their Land in Forest Use
Authors: Catanzaro Paul , Markowski-Lindsay Marla 
Published: September 2021

AbstractFamily forest owners (FFOs) own the majority of US forests and 47% of forests in the Northeast. Over 90% of northeastern FFOs want their land to stay wooded. Maintaining forest-based ecosystem services necessitates finding ways to help FFOs achieve goals for keeping their land undeveloped. Conservation easements (CEs) prohibit residential and commercial development, typically in perpetuity, but are currently underused. Understanding what drives CE interest may help maximize their potential as a conservation tool. We explored northeastern FFOs’ likelihood of CE adoption through contingent behavior responses to permanent and temporary CE scenarios. For each commitment length, we tested a range of financial compensation amounts and FFO characteristics. Increased financial compensation did not increase CE adoption likelihood for either commitment length, whereas attitudinal variables strongly influenced intention for both. Respondents did not appear to prefer temporary to permanent easements but were equally likely to consider adoption, suggesting that providing both tools may be in order. Providing FFOs with more options to keep their land in forest use, especially when there is currently high interest in this goal but low participation, has the potential to attract new and different segments of FFOs, thereby sustaining the essential ecosystem services derived from forests.
Xylazine Spreads Across the US: A Growing Component of the Increasingly Synthetic and Polysubstance Overdose Crisis
Authors: Friedman Joseph , Castillo Fernando Montero , Bourgois Phillippe , Wahbi Rafik , Dye Daniel , Goodman David , Shover Chelsea 
Published: September 2021

BackgroundRecent sharp exacerbations of the US overdose crisis have been linked to systemic polysubstance use and potent synthetic compounds in numerous drug classes. Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer, long noted in the opioid supply of Puerto Rico, and more recently Philadelphia. Yet its national growth over time, geographic distribution, and potential role in the shifting US overdose risk environment are poorly characterized.MethodsIn this sequential mixed methods study, xylazine was increasingly observed by our ethnographic team over many years of intensive participant observation fieldwork in Philadelphia among drug sellers and people who inject drugs (PWID). Subsequently, we systematically searched for records describing xylazine-involved overdose mortality across the US and assessed time trends and overlap with other drugs.ResultsIn 10 jurisdictions—representing all 4 US Census Regions—xylazine was found to be increasingly implicated in overdose mortality, rising from 0.36% of deaths in 2015 to 6.7% in 2020. The highest xylazine prevalence in the recent data was observed in Philadelphia, (25.8% of deaths), followed by Maryland (19.3%) and Connecticut (10.2%). Illicitly-manufactured-fentanyls were present in 98.4% of xylazine-involved-overdose-deaths— suggesting a strong ecological link—as well as cocaine (45.4%), benzodiazepines (28.4%), heroin (23.3%), and alcohol (19.7%). PWID in Philadelphia described xylazine as a sought-after adulterant that improves euphoria and lengthens the short duration of fentanyl injections, in particular. They also linked it to increased risk of soft tissue infection and overdose.ConclusionsWe summarize evidence that xylazine is increasingly implicated in overdose deaths across the US and is linked to the proliferation of illicitly-manufactured-fentanyls. We document hypothesis-generating ethnographic accounts linking it to health risks for PWID. Nevertheless, many jurisdictions do not routinely test for xylazine, and it is not tracked in federal overdose statistics. Further efforts are needed to provide PWID with services that can help to minimize additional risks associated with a shifting drug supply.
Oral, similar to intranasal, administration of oxytocin decreases top-down social attention
Authors: Zhuang Qian , Zheng Xiaoxiao , Yao Shuxia , Zhao Weihua , Becker Benjamin , Xu Xiaolei , Kendrick Keith M. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) modulates social cognition by increasing attention towards social cues and may have therapeutic potential for impaired social attention in disorders such as autism. Intranasal administration of OXT is widely used to examine its functional effects in both adults and children and is assumed to enter the brain directly via this route. However, OXT can also influence brain function via increased blood concentrations and we have recently shown that orally (lingual) administered OXT also modulates neural responses to emotional faces and may be better tolerated for therapeutic use. Here, we examined if 24IU OXT administered orally can facilitate social attention. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, pharmacological study we used a validated emotional anti-saccade eye-tracking paradigm to explore effects of oral OXT on bottom-up and top-down attention processing in 80 healthy male subjects. Our findings showed in terms of top-down attention, oral OXT increased errors for both social (angry, fearful, happy, sad and neutral emotion faces) and non-social stimuli (oval shapes) in the anti-saccade condition but only increased response latencies in the social condition. It also significantly reduced post-task state anxiety but this was not correlated with task performance. Comparison with our previous intranasal OXT study using the same task revealed both routes have a similar effect on increasing anti-saccade errors and response latencies and reducing state anxiety. Overall, findings suggest that oral administration of OXT produces similar effects on top-down social attention control and anxiety as intranasal administration and may therefore have therapeutic utility.
rsRNASP: A residue-separation-based statistical potential for RNA 3D structure evaluation
Authors: Tan Ya-Lan , Wang Xunxun , Shi Ya-Zhou , Zhang Wenbing , Tan Zhi-Jie 
Published: September 2021

AbstractKnowledge-based statistical potentials have been shown to be rather effective in protein 3-dimensional (3D) structure evaluation and prediction. Recently, several statistical potentials have been developed for RNA 3D structure evaluation, while their performances are either still at low level for the test datasets from structure prediction models or dependent on the “black-box” process through neural networks. In this work, we have developed an all-atom distance-dependent statistical potential based on residue separation for RNA 3D structure evaluation, namely rsRNASP, which is composed of short- and long-ranged potentials distinguished by residue separation. The extensive examinations against available RNA test datasets show that, rsRNASP has apparently higher performance than the existing statistical potentials for the realistic test datasets with large RNAs from structure prediction models including the newly released RNA-Puzzles dataset, and is comparable to the existing top statistical potentials for the test datasets with small RNAs or near-native decoys. Additionally, rsRNASP is also superior to RNA3DCNN, a recently developed scoring function through 3D convolutional neural networks. rsRNASP and the relevant databases are available at website https://github.com/Tan-group/rsRNASP.SIGNIFICANCERNAs play crucial roles in catalyzing biochemical reactions and regulating gene expression, and the biological functions of RNAs are generally coupled to their structures. Complementary to experiments, developing computational models to predict RNA 3D structures can be very helpful for understanding RNA biology functions. For a computational model, a reliable energy function is essentially important either for guiding conformational folding or for structure evaluation. For this purpose, we developed a residue-separation-based distance-dependent statistical potential, named rsRNASP which distinguishes the short- and long-ranged interactions, for RNA 3D structure evaluation. Our rsRNASP were examined against extensive test sets and shows overall superior performance over existing top traditional statistical potentials and a recently developed scoring function through 3D convolutional neural networks, especially for realistic test set from various computational structure prediction models.
Functional components of a community of practice to improve community health worker performance: A qualitative study
Authors: Hennein Rachel , Ggita Joseph M. , Turimumahoro Patricia , Ochom Emmanuel , Gupta Amanda J. , Katamba Achilles , Armstrong-Hough Mari , Davis J. Lucian 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBackgroundCommunities of Practice (CoPs) are a low-cost strategy for health workers to share and create knowledge through social interactions to improve the delivery of high-quality care. However, there remain critical gaps in understanding the behavioral mechanisms through which CoPs can facilitate community health worker’s (CHWs) performance. Therefore, we carried out a qualitative study of a CoP to identify the behavior change techniques (BCTs) and intervention functions that improved CHWs’ performance.MethodsWe organized CHWs from two tuberculosis (TB) clinics in Kampala, Uganda into a CoP from February to August 2018. We conducted interviews with CoP members to understand their perceptions of how the CoP influenced delivery of TB contact investigation. Using an abductive approach, we first applied inductive codes characterizing CHWs’ perceptions of how the CoP activities affected their delivery of contact investigation. We then systematically mapped these codes into their functional categories using the BCT Taxonomy and Behavior Change Wheel framework. We triangulated all interview findings with detailed field notes.ResultsAll eight members of the CoP agreed to participate in the interviews. CHWs identified five CoP activities as improving the quality of their work: (1) individual review of feedback reports, (2) collaborative improvement meetings, (3) real-time communications among members, (4) didactic education sessions, and (5) clinic-wide staff meetings. These activities represented nine different BCTs and five distinct intervention functions. Taken together, CoP meetings enabled members to foster social support, problem solving, and knowledge sharing. The CoP enabled CHWs to identify barriers they face in the field and develop solutions. The CoP was motivating, strengthened their social and professional identities within and outside of the group, and improved their self-efficacy.ConclusionsWe identified several behavioral mechanisms through which CoPs may improve CHW performance. Future studies should evaluate the importance of these mechanisms in mediating the effects of CoPs on program effectiveness.
Impact of vaccine hesitancy on secondary COVID-19 outbreaks in the US
Authors: de Miguel Arribas Alfonso , Aleta Alberto , Moreno Yamir 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe COVID-19 outbreak has become the worst pandemic in at least a century. To fight this disease, a global effort led to the development of several vaccines at an unprecedented rate. There have been, however, several logistic issues with its deployment, from their production and transport, to the hesitancy of the population to be vaccinated. For different reasons, an important amount of individuals is reluctant to get the vaccine, something that hinders our ability to control and - eventually - eradicate the disease. In this work, we analyze the impact that this hesitancy might have in a context in which a more transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern spreads through a partially vaccinated population. We use age-stratified data from surveys on vaccination acceptance, together with age-contact matrices to inform an age-structured SIR model set in the US. Our results clearly show that higher vaccine hesitancy ratios led to larger outbreaks. A closer inspection of the stratified infection rates also reveals the important role played by the youngest groups. Our results could shed some light on the role that hesitancy will play in the near future and inform policy-makers and the general public of the importance of reducing it.