bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of infiltrating lymphocytes in the neo-adjuvant treatment of women with HER2-positive breast cancer
Authors: Eustace A. J. , Madden S. F. , Fay J. , Collins D. M. , Kay E. W. , Sheehan K. M. , Furney S. , Moran B. , Fagan A. , Morris P. G. , Teiserskiene A. , Hill A. D. , Grogan L. , Walshe J. M. , Breathnach O. , Power C. , Duke D. , Egan K. , Gallagher W. M. , O’Donovan N. , Crown J. , Toomey S. , Hennessy B. T. 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background
Pre-treatment tumour-associated lymphocytes (TILs) and stromal lymphocytes (SLs) are independent predictive markers of future pathological complete response (pCR) in HER2-positive breast cancer. Whilst studies have correlated baseline lymphocyte levels with subsequent pCR, few have studied the impact of neoadjuvant therapy on the immune environment.

Methods
We performed TIL analysis and T-cell analysis by IHC on the pretreatment and ‘On-treatment’ samples from patients recruited on the Phase-II TCHL (NCT01485926) clinical trial. Data were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Spearman rank correlation.

Results
In our sample cohort (n = 66), patients who achieved a pCR at surgery, post-chemotherapy, had significantly higher counts of TILs (p = 0.05) but not SLs (p = 0.08) in their pre-treatment tumour samples. Patients who achieved a subsequent pCR after completing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy had significantly higher SLs (p = 9.09 × 10–3) but not TILs (p = 0.1) in their ‘On-treatment’ tumour biopsies. In a small cohort of samples (n = 16), infiltrating lymphocyte counts increased after 1 cycle of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy only in those tumours of patients who did not achieve a subsequent pCR. Finally, reduced CD3 + (p = 0.04, rho = 0.60) and CD4 + (p = 0.01, rho = 0.72) T-cell counts in 'On-treatment' biopsies were associated with decreased residual tumour content post-1 cycle of treatment; the latter being significantly associated with increased likelihood of subsequent pCR (p < 0.01).

Conclusions
The immune system may be ‘primed’ prior to neoadjuvant treatment in those patients who subsequently achieve a pCR. In those patients who achieve a pCR, their immune response may return to baseline after only 1 cycle of treatment. However, in those who did not achieve a pCR, neo-adjuvant treatment may stimulate lymphocyte influx into the tumour.
How to Believe Long Conjunctions of Beliefs: Probability, Quasi-Dogmatism and Contextualism
Authors: Bonzio Stefano , Cevolani Gustavo , Flaminio Tommaso 
Published: May 2021

AbstractAccording to the so-called Lockean thesis, a rational agent believes a proposition just in case its probability is sufficiently high, i.e., greater than some suitably fixed threshold. The Preface paradox is usually taken to show that the Lockean thesis is untenable, if one also assumes that rational agents should believe the conjunction of their own beliefs: high probability and rational belief are in a sense incompatible. In this paper, we show that this is not the case in general. More precisely, we consider two methods of computing how probable must each of a series of propositions be in order to rationally believe their conjunction under the Lockean thesis. The price one has to pay for the proposed solutions to the paradox is what we call “quasi-dogmatism”: the view that a rational agent should believe only those propositions which are “nearly certain” in a suitably defined sense.
The trauma of no-choice: Wild food ethnobotany in Yaghnobi and Tajik villages, Varzob Valley, Tajikistan
Authors: Sõukand Renata , Prakofjewa Julia , Pieroni Andrea 
Published: May 2021

AbstractDue to global change and the migration crisis both needing rapid attention, there has been growing debate about the drivers of change in the diet of migrants. Our study aimed to evaluate the consequences of forced resettlement on local ecological knowledge related to wild food plants among forcefully resettled Yaghnobi people in Tajikistan. We conducted 49 semi-structured in-depth interviews and recorded 27 wild food taxa and five unidentified folk taxa used by Yaghnobis and Tajiks in the villages surrounding Yaghnob Valley (including families ressetteled from Yaghnob Valley) in central Tajikitsan. The comparision between the two considered groups showed a high level of Tajikisation among Yaghnobis, both those who live alongside Tajiks as well as those living separately. The few families that still have distinct Yaghnobi plant uses are the ones which were given the opportunity to choose the spot in which to relocate and still visit the Yaghnob Valley regularly. On the basis of our study, we suggest that affording a choice of where to relocate is better than no choice, as the loss of motivation also affects the use of wild food plants. Given the pressure of the possible relocation of many groups of people in the light of global change, we suggest focusing efforts on studying similar cases in order to minimize the damage caused to people by relocation. The trauma of forced relocation, even just a few kilometers away, directly or indirectly affects wild food plant use and with this the food security of the community.
Distribution of diandric and digynic triploidy depending on gestational age
Authors: Massalska Diana , Ozdarska Katarzyna , Roszkowski Tomasz , Bijok Julia , Kucińska-Chahwan Anna , Panek Grzegorz Mieczysław , Zimowski Janusz Grzegorz 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Purpose
To establish the distribution of diandric and digynic triploidy depending on gestational age.

Methods
107 triploid samples tested prospectively in a single genetic department during a four-year period were analyzed for parental origin of triploidy by Quantitative Fluorescent Polymerase Chain Reaction (QF-PCR) (n=95) with the use of matching parental samples or by MS-MLPA (n=12), when parental samples were unavailable. Tested pregnancies were divided into three subgroups with regard to the gestational age at spontaneous pregnancy loss: <11 gestational weeks, 11–14 gestational weeks, and >14 gestational weeks.

Results
Diandric triploidy constituted overall 44.9% (46.5% in samples miscarried <11 gestational weeks, 64.3% in samples miscarried between 11 and 14 gestational weeks, and 27.8% in pregnancies which survived >14 gestational weeks).

Conclusions
The distribution of diandric and digynic triploidy depends on gestational age. The majority of diandric triploid pregnancies is lost in the first trimester of pregnancy. In the second trimester, diandric cases are at least twice less frequent than digynic ones.
Drivers of autonomous vehicles—analyzing consumer preferences for self-driving car brand extensions
Authors: Eggers Felix , Eggers Fabian 
Published: May 2021

AbstractAutonomous cars are considered to be the next disruptive innovation that will affect consumers. It can be expected that not only traditional automakers will enter this market (e.g., Ford) but also technology companies (e.g., Google) and newer companies dedicated to self-driving cars (e.g., Tesla). We take a brand extension perspective and analyze to what extent consumers prefer autonomous cars from these brand categories. Our empirical study is based on discrete choice experiments about adopting autonomous vehicles in a purchase scenario and in a renting context. Our findings show that brands play a central role when making autonomous driving decisions. Brand preferences differ systematically when buying versus renting a self-driving car. While technology brands are most preferred overall, consumers favor automaker brands over new brands only when purchasing, not when renting. We further disentangle the brand strength into the marginal effects of image associations. For example, Google’s strong brand positioning can be explained by experiences with the parent brand, but it could still improve brand strength by highlighting the relevance of the associated brand portfolio for self-driving cars. The effect of these brand extension success factors differs between parent-brand categories and also between the renting and purchasing scenarios, which requires a dedicated brand management.
A two-step, test-guided Mokken scale analysis, for nonclustered and clustered data
Authors: Koopman Letty , Zijlstra Bonne J. H. , van der Ark L. Andries 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Purpose
Mokken scale analysis (MSA) is an attractive scaling procedure for ordinal data. MSA is frequently used in health-related quality of life research. Two of MSA's prime features are the scalability coefficients and the automated item selection procedure (AISP). The AISP partitions a (large) set of items into scales based on the observed item scores; the resulting scales can be used as measurement instruments. There exist two issues in MSA: First, point estimates, standard errors, and test statistics for scalability coefficients are inappropriate for clustered item scores, which are omnipresent in quality of life research data. Second, the AISP insufficiently takes sampling fluctuation of Mokken’s scalability coefficients into account.

Methods
We solved both issues by providing point estimates and standard errors for the scalability coefficients for clustered data and by implementing a Wald-based significance test in the AISP algorithm, resulting in a test-guided AISP (T-AISP), that is available for both nonclustered and clustered test scores.

Results
We integrated the T-AISP into a two-step, test-guided MSA for scale construction, to guide the analysis for nonclustered and clustered data. The first step is performing a T-AISP and select the final scale(﻿s﻿). For clustered data, within-group dependency is investigated on the final scale(s). In the second step, the strength of the scale(s) is determined and further analyses are performed. The procedure was demonstrated on clustered item scores obtained from administering a questionnaire on quality of life in schools to 639 students nested in 30 classrooms.

Conclusions
We developed a two-step, test-guided MSA for scale construction that takes into account sample fluctuation of all scalability coefficients and that can be applied to item scores obtained by a nonclustered or clustered sampling design.
Factors affecting farmers’ use of organic and inorganic fertilizers in South Asia
Authors: Aryal Jeetendra Prakash , Sapkota Tek Bahadur , Krupnik Timothy J. , Rahut Dil Bahadur , Jat Mangi Lal , Stirling Clare M. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractFertilizer, though one of the most essential inputs for increasing agricultural production, is a leading cause of nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture, contributing significantly to global warming. Therefore, understanding factors affecting farmers’ use of fertilizers is crucial to develop strategies to improve its efficient use and to minimize its negative impacts. Using data from 2528 households across the Indo-Gangetic Plains in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, this study examines the factors affecting farmers’ use of organic and inorganic fertilizers for the two most important cereal crops – rice and wheat. Together, these crops provide the bulk of calories consumed in the region. As nitrogen (N) fertilizer is the major source of global warming and other environmental effects, we also examine the factors contributing to its overuse. We applied multiple regression models to understand the factors influencing the use of inorganic fertilizer, Heckman models to understand the likelihood and intensity of organic fertilizer (manure) use, and a probit model to examine the over-use of N fertilizer. Our results indicate that various socio-economic and geographical factors influence the use of organic and inorganic fertilizers in rice and wheat. Across the study sites, N fertilizer over-use is the highest in Haryana (India) and the lowest in Nepal. Across all locations, farmers reported a decline in manure application, concomitant with a lack of awareness of the principles of appropriate fertilizer management that can limit environmental externalities. Educational programs highlighting measures to improving nutrient-use-efficiency and reducing the negative externalities of N fertilizer over-use are proposed to address these problems.
Assessing standards for prevention of early onset group B streptococcal (GBS) disease in Ireland
Authors: Dakin Alex , Ferguson Wendy , Drew Richard , McCallion Naomi , Higgins Mary F. , Eogan Maeve 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background:
Early onset group B streptococcal (GBS) disease can cause significant neonatal morbidity and mortality. There is currently no Irish national guideline for GBS screening, and protocols vary across maternity units. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing at induction or labour onset informs triage for antibiotic prophylaxis; however, there are human and infrastructural resource requirements to enable widespread implementation.

Aim:
Our aim was to identify current standard practices for GBS prevention in Irish obstetric and neonatal services and to utilise this data to inform the need for, and potential impact of implementation of, a national guideline.

Methods:
A questionnaire on GBS screening, management and existing resources was completed by an informed staff member from each of the 19 Irish maternity units, including questions regarding timing and method of screening, antibiotic usage, and neonatal management.

Results:
One unit (5.2%) performs routine GBS screening at 35–37 weeks of gestation. Twelve units (63%) screen for GBS following spontaneous rupture of membranes (SROM) after 37 weeks, of which two (17%) perform PCR and ten (83%) culture testing. Seventeen units (89.3%) have access to a GeneXpert PCR machine, and of these, two (11.7%) use the machine for rapid GBS testing. Two units screen patients for GBS at either the start of labour or induction of labour. Four units (21%) use the neonatal early onset sepsis (EOS) calculator. Sixteen units (84%) do not treat asymptomatic infants born to GBS-positive mothers.

Conclusion:
There is a lack of consistency in the methods for GBS screening and disease prevention across the country, highlighting the need for a national guideline accompanied by an implementation plan and budget to standardise care.
Methamphetamine Enhances HIV-Induced Aberrant Proliferation of Neural Progenitor Cells via the FOXO3-Mediated Mechanism
Authors: Park Minseon , Baker William , Cambow Dilraj , Gogerty Danielle , Leda Ana Rachel , Herlihy Bridget , Pavlenko Darya , Van Den Nieuwenhuizen Schuyler , Toborek Michal 
Published: May 2021

AbstractMaintaining an intact pool of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) is crucial for generating new and functionally active neurons. Methamphetamine (METH) can exacerbate the HIV-induced deficit of adult neurogenesis; however, potential mechanisms of this influence are still poorly understood. In the present study, we present evidence that chronic exposure to METH combined with brain infection by EcoHIV results in enhanced proliferation of NPCs in the subventricular zone (SVZ) in mice. This effect was long-lasting as it was preserved ex vivo in NPCs isolated from the exposed mice over several passages in the absence of additional treatments. Increased proliferation in response to METH plus HIV was associated with dysregulation of cyclin B1 and cyclin D. Transcriptomic studies indicated that 27 out of the top 30 differentially expressed genes in response to METH plus EcoHIV were targets of the forkhead box O transcriptional factor (FOXO) and primarily FOXO3. Additional ex vivo studies and in vitro experiments using human NPCs exposed to METH and infected with HIV revealed upregulation of the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis, leading to activation of downstream pAkt and pErk, the pathways that can phosphorylate FOXO3 and force its exports from the nuclei into the cytoplasm. Indeed, nuclear expulsion of FOXO3 was demonstrated both in mice exposed to METH and infected with EcoHIV and in cell cultures of human NPCs. These results provide novel information that exposure to METH combined with HIV infection can induce aberrant proliferation of SVZ-derived NPCs and identifies CXCL12-CXCR4-Akt-1-mediated phosphorylation of FOXO3 as the mechanism responsible for this effect.
A non-stationary relay-based 3D MIMO channel model with time-variant path gains for human activity recognition in indoor environments
Authors: Hicheri Rym , Abdelgawwad Ahmed , Pätzold Mathias 
Published: May 2021

AbstractExtensive research showed that the physiological response of human tissue to exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic fields is the induction of an electric current in the body segments. As a result, each segment of the human body behaves as a relay, which retransmits the radio-frequency (RF) signal. To investigate the impact of this phenomenon on the Doppler characteristics of the received RF signal, we introduce a new three-dimensional (3D) non-stationary channel model to describe the propagation phenomenon taking place in an indoor environment. Here, the indoor space is equipped with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system. A single person is moving in the indoor space and is modelled by a cluster of synchronized moving point scatterers, which behave as relays. We derive the time-variant (TV) channel transfer function (CTF) with TV path gains and TV path delays. The expression of the TV path gains is obtained from the instantaneous total received power at the receiver side. This TV total received power is expressed as the product of the TV power of the RF signal initially transmitted and received by a body segment and the TV received power of the redirected signal. These TV powers are determined according the free-space path-loss model. Also, a closed-form approximate solution to the spectrogram of the TVCTF is derived. Here, we analyse the effect of the motion of the person and the validity of the relay assumption on the spectrogram, the TV mean Doppler shift (MDS), and the TV Doppler shift (DS) of the TVCTF. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the proposed channel model.
Two-Arm Robotic-Assisted High Anterior Resection: a Cost-Effective Way to Perform Robotic Surgery
Authors: Sharma Vivek , Hettiarachchi Thusitha , Sharma Dhiraj , Shaikh Irshad 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn the era where laparoscopic colorectal surgery is well established, robotic- assisted colorectal surgery is gaining increasing popularity and acceptability. Stable camera platform, superior 3D views, and articulating instruments help to overcome difficulties associated with standard laparoscopic surgery. However, a significant drawback of robotic surgery is the cost of the robotic system and relevant disposable equipment compared to conventional laparoscopic surgery. This image series depicts a novel method to perform laparoscopic high anterior resection in a more cost-effective way.
Cervical cancer risk prediction with robust ensemble and explainable black boxes method
Authors: Curia Francesco 
Published: May 2021

AbstractClinical decision support systems (CDSS) that make use of algorithms based on intelligent systems, such as machine learning or deep learning, they suffer from the fact that often the methods used are hard to interpret and difficult to understand on how some decisions are made; the opacity of some methods, sometimes voluntary due to problems such as data privacy or the techniques used to protect intellectual property, makes these systems very complicated. Besides this series of problems, the results obtained also suffer from the poor possibility of being interpreted; in the clinical context therefore it is required that the methods used are as accurate as possible, transparent techniques and explainable results. In this work the problem of the development of cervical cancer is treated, a disease that mainly affects the female population. In order to introduce advanced machine learning techniques in a clinical decision support system that can be transparent and explainable, a robust, accurate ensemble method is presented, in terms of error and sensitivity linked to the classification of possible development of the aforementioned pathology and advanced techniques are also presented of explainability and interpretability (Explanaible Machine Learning) applied to the context of CDSS such as Lime and Shapley. The results obtained, as well as being interesting, are understandable and can be implemented in the treatment of this type of problem.
Asymptotic tracking position control with active oscillation damping of a multibody Mars vehicle using two artificial augmentation approaches
Authors: Bodmer Daniel , Krenmayr Michael , Holzapfel Florian 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe Valles Marineris Explorer Cooperative Swarm navigation, Mission and Control research project aims to explore the Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars with, among others, multibody rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) comprising of a hexrotor system and a helium-filled balloon being attached to it by means of a rope. In this paper, we develop a high-fidelity closed-loop control system in MATLAB® and Simulink™ to present the application of an adequate flight controller guaranteeing (1) asymptotic tracking position control of the multibody flight system, (2) suppression of the balloon’s swinging motion in forward flight case, and (3) stabilization of the rope angle around its equilibrium for steady-state conditions. Applying feedback linearization for the outer loop and analytical backstepping for the inner loop of a nonlinear cascaded control design model of the hexrotor system, we propose an extension of the baseline flight controller by two artificial augmentation approaches to cope with the balloon dynamics. Basically, by utilizing oscillation damping feedbacks of the uncertain plant which are applied as additional commands to either the inner or the outer loop’s reference model. Simulation results are presented for an eight-shaped flight maneuver at the bottom of Valles Marineris proving that the augmentation units increase the flight controller capabilities to suppress modeling errors artificially—without changing the baseline control laws. The augmentation units actively damp the balloon motion in the forward flight case for non-steady-state conditions to counteract the rope oscillations and finally stabilize the rope angle around its equilibrium, so that the Mars vehicle is able to reach a steady-state in position when its extraterrestrial mission profile is successfully completed.
Megaspore Biharisporites Potonié from the Triassic of Nidpur, Madhya Pradesh, India: A New Report
Authors: Das Neelam , Bhowmik Nupur , Parveen Shabnam 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
The article reports a dispersed megaspore morphotaxon, Biharisporites Potonié for the first time from the Nidpur beds, Madhya Pradesh, India. The megaspores are structurally preserved compressions and reveal the presence of lycopsids in the parent flora, though macrofossil evidence of such plants is almost lacking. The diagnosis of Biharisporites is emended, to include all externally similar cavate spore types, irrespective of whether their inner sac/ nexine/inner body/mesosporium/inner exospore, is pitted/cushioned or unpitted. The megaspores assigned to the genus are represented by two new species, viz., Biharisporites gopalii sp. nov. and B. bosei sp. nov. They are rare, non-lageniculate, trilete megaspores having spinae or coni on both proximal and distal surfaces. Though the early Triassic has traditionally been interpreted as semi-arid, the recovery of carbonaceous debris from the non-coal bearing Nidpur beds suggests a favourable climate for vegetation in the middle Triassic (Anisian-Ladinian) at the time of deposition of plant debris.