bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Militant constitutionalism: a promising concept to make constitutional backsliding less likely?
Authors: Gutmann Jerg , Voigt Stefan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractConstitutional democracy is in decline and many would-be autocrats try to transgress constitutional constraints. Here, we introduce the concept of militant constitutionalism, which suggests a number of constitutional rules that could make constitutions more resilient to attempts to undermine them. A first empirical evaluation, however, can link only few constitutional paths to enhanced constitutional resilience.
Beyond Hypothesis Testing
Authors: Ioannidou Olga , Erduran Sibel 
Published: February 2021

AbstractRecent reforms in science education have promoted students’ understanding of how science works, including the methodological approaches used by scientists. Given that teachers are expected to teach and promote methodological pluralism, it is worth examining how teachers understand and view scientific methods, particularly when scientific methods are presented as a diverse array and not as a linear model based exclusively on hypothesis testing.The empirical study presented in the paper examines science teachers’ understanding of scientific methods, particularly the diversity of scientific methods. Brandon’s Matrix, a philosopher’s account of scientific methods, has been adapted for educational purposes, and two tasks were developed in order to investigate teachers’ understanding of scientific methods. Fifty-six science teachers (25% male, 75% female) from different regions in the UK responded to an online survey.The results showed that the majority of the teachers showed satisfactory understanding of basic components of Brandon’s Matrix. However, more than half of the sample held naïve understanding of scientific methods. By providing insight into teachers’ misconceptions about scientific methods, the study provides suggestions for the design of teacher training programmes and highlights the need for explicit instruction about scientific methods. In addition, we suggest the use of heuristics such as Brandon’s Matrix for the development of pedagogical tools as well as research instruments.
Physician Assessment and Feedback During Quality Circle to Reduce Low-Value Services in Outpatients: a Pre-Post Quality Improvement Study
Authors: Kherad Omar , Selby Kevin , Martel Myriam , da Costa Henrique , Vettard Yann , Schaller Philippe , Raetzo Marc-André 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Background
The impact of the Choosing Wisely (CW) campaign is debated as recommendations alone may not modify physician behavior.

Objective
The aim of this study was to assess whether behavioral interventions with physician assessment and feedback during quality circles (QCs) could reduce low-value services.

Design and Participants
Pre-post quality improvement intervention with a parallel comparison group involving outpatients followed in a Swiss-managed care network, including 700 general physicians (GPs) and 150,000 adult patients.

Interventions
Interventions included performance feedback about low-value activities and comparison with peers during QCs. We assessed individual physician behavior and healthcare use from laboratory and insurance claims files between August 1, 2016, and October 31, 2018.

Main Measures
Main outcomes were the change in prescription of three low-value services 6 months before and 6 months after each intervention: measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prescription rates of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and statins.

Key Results
Among primary care practices, a QC intervention with physician feedback and peer comparison resulted in lower rates of PPI prescription (pre-post mean prescriptions per GP 25.5 ± 23.7 vs 22.9 ± 21.4, p value<0.01; coefficient of variation (Cov) 93.0% vs 91.0%, p=0.49), PSA measurement (6.5 ± 8.7 vs 5.3 ± 6.9 tests per GP, p<0.01; Cov 133.5% vs 130.7%, p=0.84), as well as statins (6.1 ± 6.8 vs 5.6 ± 5.4 prescriptions per GP, p<0.01; Cov 111.5% vs 96.4%, p=0.21). Changes in prescription of low-value services among GPs who did not attend QCs were not statistically significant over this time period.

Conclusion
Our results demonstrate a modest but statistically significant effect of QCs with educative feedback in reducing low-value services in outpatients with low impact on coefficient of variation. Limiting overuse in medicine is very challenging and dedicated discussion and real-time review of actionable data may help.
Traditional and modern strategies for optical flow: an investigation
Authors: Shah Syed Tafseer Haider , Xuezhi Xiang 
Published: February 2021

AbstractOptical Flow Estimation is an essential component for many image processing techniques. This field of research in computer vision has seen an amazing development in recent years. In particular, the introduction of Convolutional Neural Networks for optical flow estimation has shifted the paradigm of research from the classical traditional approach to deep learning side. At present, state of the art techniques for optical flow are based on convolutional neural networks and almost all top performing methods incorporate deep learning architectures in their schemes. This paper presents a brief analysis of optical flow estimation techniques and highlights most recent developments in this field. A comparison of the majority of pertinent traditional and deep learning methodologies has been undertaken resulting the detailed establishment of the respective advantages and disadvantages of the traditional and deep learning categories. An insight is provided into the significant factors that affect the success or failure of the two classes of optical flow estimation. In establishing the foremost existing and inherent challenges with traditional and deep learning schemes, probable solutions have been proposed indeed.
Parental income inequality and children’s digit ratio (2D:4D): a ‘Trivers-Willard’ effect on prenatal androgenization?
Authors: Manning J.T. , Fink B. , Mason L. , Trivers R. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIncome inequality is associated positively with disease prevalence and mortality. Digit ratio (2D:4D) – a negative proxy for prenatal testosterone and a positive correlate of prenatal oestrogen – is related to several diseases. This study examined the association of income inequality (operationalized as relative parental income) and children’s 2D:4D. Participants self-measured finger lengths (2D=index finger, and 4D=ring finger) in a large online survey conducted in July 2005 (the BBC Internet Study) and reported their parents’ income. Children of parents of above-average income had low 2D:4D (high prenatal testosterone, low prenatal oestrogen) while the children of parents of below-average income had high 2D:4D (low prenatal testosterone, high prenatal oestrogen). The effects were significant in the total sample, present among Whites (the largest group in the sample), in the two largest national samples (UK and USA) and were greater for males than females. The findings suggest a Trivers-Willard effect, such that high-income women may prenatally masculinize their sons at the expense of the fitness of their daughters. Women with low income may prenatally feminize their daughters at the fitness expense of their sons. The effect could, in part, explain associations between low income, high 2D:4D (low prenatal testosterone) and some major causes of mortality such as cardiovascular disease.
Investigating the genetic and environmental aetiologies of non-suicidal and suicidal self-harm: a twin study
Authors: Lim Kai Xiang , Krebs Georgina , Rimfeld Kaili , Pingault Jean-Baptiste , Rijsdijk Frühling Vesta 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundSelf-harm is a major health concern, not only as a signal of distress but also as a strong predictor of later suicide. Self-harm can be further refined into suicidal self-harm (SSH, i.e. suicide attempt) and non-suicidal self-harm (NSSH). Understanding the aetiologies of NSSH and SSH can help inform suicide prevention strategies. Using a twin design, we investigated the phenotypic and aetiological relationships between NSSH and SSH, and their aetiological overlap with mental health problems.MethodsWe analysed data from the Twins Early Development Study using structural equation modelling. At age 21 years, 9063 twins (62.4% female) answered questions related to self-harm. At age 16 years, 19 self- or parent-reported mental health measures were administered, including measures of internalising and externalising problems, psychotic-like experiences and substance abuse.ResultsPrevalences for NSSH and SSH were 21.9% and 10.5%, respectively. Additive genetic factors explained half of the variance in NSSH (55%) and SSH (50%), with the rest explained by non-shared environmental factors. Phenotypically, NSSH and SSH were strongly correlated (r = 0.87) with their correlation explained by genetic (57%) and non-shared environmental (43%) factors. We found no evidence that NSSH and SSH differed in their phenotypic and aetiological relationships with mental health measures.ConclusionOur findings suggest no aetiological difference between NSSH and SSH. NSSH and SSH should be regarded as two different ends of a continuum, rather than as two distinct categories.
Unilateral optic nerve relapse after acute lymphoblastic leukaemia remission
Authors: Mousli Alia , Abidi Rim , Yahyeoui Safia , Zarraa Samia , Belaid Asma , Nasr Chiraz 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackground:The aim of this case report is to describe the clinical presentation and imaging features of a patient with optic nerve leukaemic infiltration as the first site of relapse after complete response to systemic treatment.Materials and methods:We report the case of a 23-year-old man with history of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in complete remission. Six months later, the ocular examination revealed decreased visual acuity. Fundus examination showed a pale optic disk with blurred margins and multiple flame-shaped and dot and blot retinal haemorrhages in his left eye. A diagnosis of leukaemic infiltration to the optic nerve was made by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cytological analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid did not show any abnormal cells or blasts.Results:A course of oral corticosteroid therapy was prescribed and 20 Gy of radiation was administered to the whole brain including the left orbit. Vision was improved dramatically in the left eye. Isolated optic nerve relapse of leukaemic infiltration is of paramount importance to early diagnosis, as vision can be saved if treatment with orbital radiotherapy is initiated promptly.
CUTOFF AT THE ENTROPIC TIME FOR RANDOM WALKS ON COVERED EXPANDER GRAPHS
Authors: Bordenave Charles , Lacoin Hubert 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIt is a fact simple to establish that the mixing time of the simple random walk on a d-regular graph
$G_n$
with n vertices is asymptotically bounded from below by
$\frac {d }{d-2 } \frac {\log n}{\log (d-1)}$
. Such a bound is obtained by comparing the walk on
$G_n$
to the walk on d-regular tree
$\mathcal{T}_d$
. If one can map another transitive graph
$\mathcal{G} $
onto
$G_n$
, then we can improve the strategy by using a comparison with the random walk on
$\mathcal{G} $
(instead of that of
$\mathcal{T} _d$
), and we obtain a lower bound of the form
$\frac {1}{\mathfrak{h} }\log n$
, where
$\mathfrak{h} $
is the entropy rate associated with
$\mathcal{G} $
. We call this the entropic lower bound.It was recently proved that in the case
$\mathcal{G} =\mathcal{T} _d$
, this entropic lower bound (in that case
$\frac {d }{d-2 } \frac {\log n}{\log (d-1)}$
) is sharp when graphs have minimal spectral radius and thus that in that case the random walk exhibits cutoff at the entropic time. In this article, we provide a generalisation of the result by providing a sufficient condition on the spectra of the random walks on
$G_n$
under which the random walk exhibits cutoff at the entropic time. It applies notably to anisotropic random walks on random d-regular graphs and to random walks on random n-lifts of a base graph (including nonreversible walks).
RANDOM REAL BRANCHED COVERINGS OF THE PROJECTIVE LINE
Authors: Ancona Michele 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIn this paper, we construct a natural probability measure on the space of real branched coverings from a real projective algebraic curve$(X,c_X)$to the projective line$(\mathbb{C} \mathbb {P}^1,\textit{conj} )$. We prove that the space of degreedreal branched coverings having “many” real branched points (for example, more than$\sqrt {d}^{1+\alpha }$, for any$\alpha>0$) has exponentially small measure. In particular, maximal real branched coverings – that is, real branched coverings such that all the branched points are real – are exponentially rare.
Hippocampal neurons respond to brain activity with functional hypoxia
Authors: Butt Umer Javed , Steixner-Kumar Agnes A. , Depp Constanze , Sun Ting , Hassouna Imam , Wüstefeld Liane , Arinrad Sahab , Zillmann Matthias R. , Schopf Nadine , Fernandez Garcia-Agudo Laura , Mohrmann Leonie , Bode Ulli , Ronnenberg Anja , Hindermann Martin , Goebbels Sandra , Bonn Stefan , Katschinski Dörthe M. , Miskowiak Kamilla W. , Nave Klaus-Armin , Ehrenreich Hannelore 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPhysical activity and cognitive challenge are established non-invasive methods to induce comprehensive brain activation and thereby improve global brain function including mood and emotional well-being in healthy subjects and in patients. However, the mechanisms underlying this experimental and clinical observation and broadly exploited therapeutic tool are still widely obscure. Here we show in the behaving brain that physiological (endogenous) hypoxia is likely a respective lead mechanism, regulating hippocampal plasticity via adaptive gene expression. A refined transgenic approach in mice, utilizing the oxygen-dependent degradation (ODD) domain of HIF-1α fused to CreERT2 recombinase, allows us to demonstrate hypoxic cells in the performing brain under normoxia and motor-cognitive challenge, and spatially map them by light-sheet microscopy, all in comparison to inspiratory hypoxia as strong positive control. We report that a complex motor-cognitive challenge causes hypoxia across essentially all brain areas, with hypoxic neurons particularly abundant in the hippocampus. These data suggest an intriguing model of neuroplasticity, in which a specific task-associated neuronal activity triggers mild hypoxia as a local neuron-specific as well as a brain-wide response, comprising indirectly activated neurons and non-neuronal cells.
Gut dysbiosis in severe mental illness and chronic fatigue: a novel trans-diagnostic construct? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Safadi Jenelle Marcelle , Quinton Alice M. G. , Lennox Belinda R. , Burnet Philip W. J. , Minichino Amedeo 
Published: February 2021

AbstractReduced gut-microbial diversity (“gut dysbiosis”) has been associated with an anhedonic/amotivational syndrome (“sickness behavior”) that manifests across severe mental disorders and represent the key clinical feature of chronic fatigue. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigated differences in proxy biomarkers of gut dysbiosis in patients with severe mental illness and chronic fatigue vs. controls and the association of these biomarkers with sickness behavior across diagnostic categories. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched from inception to April 2020 for all the studies investigating proxy biomarkers of gut dysbiosis in patients with severe mental illness and chronic fatigue. Data were independently extracted by multiple observers, and a random-mixed model was used for the analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I2 index. Thirty-three studies were included in the systematic review; nineteen in the meta-analysis (N = 2758 patients and N = 1847 healthy controls). When compared to controls, patients showed increased levels of zonulin (four studies reporting data on bipolar disorder and depression, SMD = 0.97; 95% Cl = 0.10–1.85; P = 0.03, I2 = 86.61%), lipopolysaccharide (two studies reporting data on chronic fatigue and depression, SMD = 0.77; 95% Cl = 0.42–1.12; P < 0.01; I2 = 0%), antibodies against endotoxin (seven studies reporting data on bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, and chronic fatigue, SMD = 0.99; 95% CI = 0.27–1.70; P < 0.01, I2 = 97.14%), sCD14 (six studies reporting data on bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, and chronic fatigue, SMD = 0.54; 95% Cl 0.16–0.81; P < 0.01, I2 = 90.68%), LBP (LBP, two studies reporting data on chronic fatigue and depression, SMD = 0.87; 95% Cl = 0.25–1.48; P < 0.01; I2 = 56.80%), alpha-1-antitripsin (six studies reporting data on bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia, SMD = 1.23; 95% Cl = 0.57–1.88; P < 0.01, I2: 89.25%). Elevated levels of gut dysbiosis markers positively correlated with severity of sickness behavior in patients with severe mental illness and chronic fatigue. Our findings suggest that gut dysbiosis may underlie symptoms of sickness behavior across traditional diagnostic boundaries. Future investigations should validate these findings comparing the performances of the trans-diagnostic vs. categorical approach. This will facilitate treatment breakthrough in an area of unmet clinical need.
Deep transcriptome sequencing of subgenual anterior cingulate cortex reveals cross-diagnostic and diagnosis-specific RNA expression changes in major psychiatric disorders
Authors: Akula Nirmala , Marenco Stefano , Johnson Kory , Feng Ningping , Zhu Kevin , Schulmann Anton , Corona Winston , Jiang Xueying , Cross Joanna , England Bryce , Nathan Aparna , Detera-Wadleigh Sevilla , Xu Qing , Auluck Pavan K. , An Kwangmi , Kramer Robin , Apud Jose , Harris Brent T. , Harker Rhodes C. , Lipska Barbara K. , McMahon Francis J. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDespite strong evidence of heritability and growing discovery of genetic markers for major mental illness, little is known about how gene expression in the brain differs across psychiatric diagnoses, or how known genetic risk factors shape these differences. Here we investigate expressed genes and gene transcripts in postmortem subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC), a key component of limbic circuits linked to mental illness. RNA obtained postmortem from 200 donors diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depression, or no psychiatric disorder was deeply sequenced to quantify expression of over 85,000 gene transcripts, many of which were rare. Case–control comparisons detected modest expression differences that were correlated across disorders. Case–case comparisons revealed greater expression differences, with some transcripts showing opposing patterns of expression between diagnostic groups, relative to controls. The ~250 rare transcripts that were differentially-expressed in one or more disorder groups were enriched for genes involved in synapse formation, cell junctions, and heterotrimeric G-protein complexes. Common genetic variants were associated with transcript expression (eQTL) or relative abundance of alternatively spliced transcripts (sQTL). Common genetic variants previously associated with disease risk were especially enriched for sQTLs, which together accounted for disproportionate fractions of diagnosis-specific heritability. Genetic risk factors that shape the brain transcriptome may contribute to diagnostic differences between broad classes of mental illness.
An examination of the relationships between attention/deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and functional connectivity over time
Authors: Norman Luke J. , Sudre Gustavo , Bouyssi-Kobar Marine , Sharp Wendy , Shaw Philip 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPrevious cross-sectional work has demonstrated resting-state connectivity abnormalities in children and adolescents with attention/deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) relative to typically developing controls. However, it is unclear to what extent these neural abnormalities confer risk for later symptoms of the disorder, or represent the downstream effects of symptoms on functional connectivity. Here, we studied 167 children and adolescents (mean age at baseline = 10.74 years (SD = 2.54); mean age at follow-up = 13.3 years (SD = 2.48); 56 females) with varying levels of ADHD symptoms, all of whom underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and ADHD symptom assessments on two occasions during development. Resting-state functional connectivity was quantified using eigenvector centrality mapping. Using voxelwise cross-lag modeling, we found that less connectivity at baseline within right inferior frontal gyrus was associated with more follow-up symptoms of inattention (significant at an uncorrected cluster-forming threshold of p ≤ 0.001 and a cluster-level familywise error corrected threshold of p < 0.05). Findings suggest that previously reported cross-sectional abnormalities in functional connectivity within inferior frontal gyrus in patients with ADHD may represent a longitudinal risk factor for the disorder, in line with efforts to target this region with novel therapeutic methods.
Effects of topiramate on neural responses to alcohol cues in treatment-seeking individuals with alcohol use disorder: preliminary findings from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Wetherill Reagan R. , Spilka Nathaniel , Jagannathan Kanchana , Morris Paige , Romer Danielle , Pond Timothy , Lynch Kevin G. , Franklin Teresa R. , Kranzler Henry R. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractTopiramate, a GABA/glutamate modulator, is efficacious in reducing alcohol consumption, though the mechanisms underlying this effect are not well characterized. This study analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 22 heavy drinkers enrolled in a 12-week placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of topiramate to examine the effects of topiramate on alcohol cue-elicited brain responses, craving, and heavy drinking in individuals with DSM-5 alcohol use disorder. Patients were randomized to receive either topiramate (maximal daily dosage of 200 mg/day) or placebo and were administered an fMRI alcohol cue-reactivity task at baseline (before starting medication) and after 6 weeks of double-blind treatment. Analyses compared the topiramate (n = 12) and placebo (n = 8) groups on (1) the change in brain responses during alcohol cue exposure (vs non-alcohol cues) within five a priori regions of interest related to reward—the bilateral and medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and bilateral ventral striatum (VS) and (2) change in craving and heavy drinking days (HDDs) from baseline and scan 2. Topiramate, relative to placebo, reduced alcohol cue-elicited activation of the left VS, bilateral OFC, and medial OFC, alcohol cue-elicited craving, and HDDs between baseline and 6 weeks of treatment. The reduction in alcohol cue-elicited activation in the medial OFC correlated with reductions in craving, and reduced activation in the right VS, right OFC, and medial OFC correlated with the reduction in HDD. This preliminary study provides evidence that topiramate’s attenuation of alcohol cue-elicited brain activation and craving are key elements of the drug’s neurobiological mechanism of action in reducing heavy drinking.