bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of space-charge formation on the grain-boundary energy of an ionic solid
Authors: De Souza R. A. , Dickey E. C.
Published: July 2019

Taking the model system of an oxide containing acceptor dopant cations and charge-compensating oxygen vacancies, we calculate at the continuum level the change in the excess grain-boundary energy of an ionic solid upon space-charge formation. Two different cases are considered for the space-charge layers: (i) only vacancies attain electrochemical equilibrium and (ii) both dopants and vacancies attain electrochemical equilibrium. The changes calculated for a specific set of grain boundaries indicate that, depending on dopant concentration, space-charge formation can decrease the excess free energy by up to 15% in the first case and by up to 45% in the second case. The possibility of the excess grain-boundary energy going to zero and the possible effects of an external electric field on the excess grain-boundary energy are also discussed.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Energy materials for a low carbon future’.
Thermoelectric power generation: from new materials to devices
Authors: Tan Gangjian , Ohta Michihiro , Kanatzidis Mercouri G.
Published: July 2019

Thermoelectric technology offers the opportunity of direct conversion between heat and electricity, and new and exciting materials that can enable this technology to deliver higher efficiencies have been developed in recent years. This mini-review covers the most promising advances in thermoelectric materials as they pertain to their potential in being implemented in devices and modules with an emphasis on thermoelectric power generation. Classified into three groups in terms of their operating temperature, the thermoelectric materials that are most likely to be used in future devices are briefly discussed. We summarize the state-of-the-art thermoelectric modules/devices, among which nanostructured PbTe modules are particularly highlighted. At the end, key issues and the possible strategies that can help thermoelectric power generation technology move forward are considered.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Energy materials for a low carbon future’.
Defect segregation facilitates oxygen transport at fluorite UO
2
grain boundaries
Authors: Symington A. R. , Molinari M. , Brincat N. A. , Williams N. R. , Parker S. C.
Published: July 2019

An important challenge for modelling transport in materials for energy applications is that in most applications they are polycrystalline, and hence it is critical to understand the properties in the presence of grain boundaries. Moreover, most grain boundaries are not pristine stoichiometric interfaces and hence dopants are likely to play a significant role. In this paper, we describe our recent work on using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to model the effect of doped grain boundaries on oxygen transport of fluorite structured UO
2
. UO
2
, much like other fluorite grain boundaries, are found to be sinks for oxygen vacancy segregation relative to the grain interior, thus facilitating oxygen transport. Fission products further enhance diffusivity via strong interactions between the impurities and oxygen defects. Doping produces a striking structural alteration in the
Σ
5 class of grain boundaries that enhances oxygen diffusivity even further.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Energy materials for a low carbon future’.
Public knowledge and attitude towards epilepsy and its associated factors in Debre Berhan, North Shoa, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2018/19. Community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Dargie Abate , Alemnew Nigus , Admasu Elyas
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Epilepsy is chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent derangement of the nervous system due to the sudden excessive disorderly discharge of the cerebral neurons. People living with epilepsy continue to suffer from enacted or perceived stigma that is based on myths, misconceptions, and misunderstandings that have persisted for many years. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the community general knowledge and attitude towards epilepsy.

Methods

Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess public general knowledge and attitude towards epilepsy and its associated factors using structured pretested questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and transported to SPSS version 21 further analysis. Both Bivariable and Multivariable Logistic Regression was done to identify associated factors. Odds Ratios and their 95% Confidence interval were computed and variables with p-value less than 0.05 was considered significantly associated factors.

Results

596 study participants participated in a response rate of 98%. Among the study participants, 43.6 (95% CI: 39.6, 47.5) had poor knowledge and 41.3 (95% CI: 37.4, 45.1) had an unfavorable attitude. Being secondary education, marital status, witnessed a seizure and heard the term epilepsy were showed statistically significant association with poor knowledge about epilepsy. Level of education, low average monthly income, not witnessed a seizure, not heard the term epilepsy and distant from health facility showed statically significant association with the unfavorable attitude.

Conclusion

In this study, Debre Berhan communities were found to have deficits in terms of general knowledge and attitude about epilepsy; and it should be given due attention.
Magnetic resonance measurements of cellular and sub-cellular membrane structures in live and fixed neural tissue
Authors: Williamson Nathan H. , Ravin Rea , Benjamini Dan , Merkle Hellmut , Falgairolle Melanie , O’Donovan Michael J. , Blivis Dvir , Ide Dave , Cai Teddy X. , Ghorashi Nima S. , Bai Ruiliang , Basser Peter J.
Published: July 2019

We develop magnetic resonance (MR) methods for measuring real-time changes of tissue microstructure and membrane permeability of live and fixed neural tissue. Diffusion and exchange MR measurements are performed using the large static gradient produced by a single-sided permanent magnet. Using tissue delipidation methods, we show that water diffusion is restricted solely by lipid membranes. Most of the diffusion signal can be assigned to water in tissue which is far from membranes. The remaining 25% can be assigned to water restricted on length scales of roughly a micron or less, near or within membrane structures at the cellular, organelle, and vesicle levels. Diffusion exchange spectroscopy measures water exchanging between membrane structures and free environments at 100 s−1.
CD4+ T cells from chronic Chagas disease patients with different degrees of cardiac compromise exhibit distinct expression patterns of inhibitory receptors TIGIT, Tim-3 and Lag-3
Authors: Alcaraz Paula B. , Girard Magali C. , Beati M. Paula , Chadi Raul , Fernandez Marisa , Hernandez Yolanda , Gómez Karina A. , Acevedo Gonzalo R.
Published: July 2019

T cells are central to adaptive immune response against T. cruzi infection. In the chronic stage of Chagas disease, circulating parasite-specific memory T cells show reduced functionality and increased expression of inhibitory receptors, possibly as a result of persistent antigenic stimulation. This exhausted phenotype has been linked to progression of cardiac pathology while, contrariwise, the presence of polyfunctional T cells shows association with therapeutic success and more efficient control of infection. Given this, we hypothesized that inhibitory receptors TIGIT, Tim-3 and Lag-3 may be involved in immune modulation of anti-T. cruzi T cell response, and therefore may play a role in the containment or the unleashing of inflammatory phenomena that ultimately lead to tissue damage and pathology. In this preliminary study, we assess the frequency of CD4+ T cells expressing each of these receptors and their relation to cellular activation. Samples from chronic Chagas disease patients with different degrees of cardiac compromise, and non-infected donors were analyzed under different stimulation conditions. Our results show that the frequency of TIGIT+ CD4+ T cells is increased in Chagas patients, while Tim-3+ cells are more abundant in patients with signs of cardiac alterations. In addition, the frequency of Lag-3+ cells increases in non-activated CD4+ T cells from Chagas patients without demonstrable cardiopathy upon pathogen-specific in vitro antigenic stimulation.
PheGWAS: A new dimension to visualize GWAS across multiple phenotypes
Authors: George Gittu , Gan Sushrima , Huang Yu , Appleby Philip , Nar A.S. , Venkatesan Radha , Mohan Viswanathan , Palmer Colin N.A , Doney Alex S.F
Published: July 2019

Motivation

PheGWAS was developed to enhance exploration of phenome-wide pleiotropy at the genome-wide level through the efficient generation of a dynamic visualization combining Manhattan plots from GWAS with PheWAS to create a three-dimensional “landscape”. Pleiotropy in sub-surface GWAS significance strata can be explored in a sectional view plotted within user defined levels. Further complexity reduction is achieved by confining to a single chromosomal section. Comprehensive genomic and phenomic coordinates can be displayed.

Results

PheGWAS is demonstrated using summary data from Global Lipids Genetics Consortium (GLGC) GWAS across multiple lipid traits. For single and multiple traits PheGWAS highlighted all eight-eight and sixty-nine loci respectively. Further, the genes and SNPs reported in GLGC were identified using additional functions implemented within PheGWAS. Not only is PheGWAS capable of identifying independent signals but also provide insights to local genetic correlation (verified using HESS) and in identifying the potential regions that share causal variants across phenotypes (verified using colocalization tests).

Availability and Implementation

The PheGWAS software and code are freely available at (https://github.com/georgeg0/PheGWAS).

Contact

a.doney@dundee.ac.uk, g.z.george@dundee.ac.uk
Decentralized Control of Insect Walking – a simple neural network explains a wide range of behavioral and neurophysiological results
Authors: Schilling Malte , Cruse Holk
Published: July 2019

Control of walking with six or more legs in an unpredictable environment is a challenging task, as many degrees of freedom have to be coordinated. Generally, solutions are proposed that rely on (sensory-modulated) CPGs, mainly based on data from neurophysiological studies. Here, we are introducing a sensor based controller operating on artificial neurons, being applied to a (simulated) hexapod robot with a morphology adapted toCarausius morosus. We show that such a decentralized solution leads to adaptive behavior when facing uncertain environments which we demonstrate for a large range of behaviors – slow and fast walking, forward and backward walking, negotiation of curves and walking on a treadmill with various treatment of individual legs. This approach can as well account for these neurophysiological results without relying on explicit CPG-like structures, but can be complemented with these for very fast walking.
Mathematical models of protease-based enzymatic biosensors
Authors: Agrawal Deepak K. , Khare Sagar D. , Sontag Eduardo D
Published: July 2019

An important goal of synthetic biology is to build biosensors and circuits with well-defined input-output relationships that operate at speeds found in natural biological systems. However, for molecular computation, most commonly used genetic circuit elements typically involve several steps from input detection to output signal production: transcription, translation, and post-translational modifications. These multiple steps together require up to several hours to respond to a single stimulus, and this limits the overall speed and complexity of genetic circuits. To address this gap, molecular frame-works that rely exclusively on post-translational steps to realize reaction networks that can process inputs at a timescale of seconds to minutes have been proposed. Here, we build mathematical models of fast biosensors capable of producing Boolean logic functionality. We employ protease-based chemical and light-induced switches, investigate their operation, and provide selection guidelines for their use as on-off switches. We then use these switches as elementary blocks, developing models for biosensors that can perform OR and XOR Boolean logic computation while using reaction conditions as tuning parameters. We use sensitivity analysis to determine the time-dependent sensitivity of the output to proteolytic and protein-protein binding reaction parameters. These fast protease-based biosensors can be used to implement complex molecular circuits with a capability of processing multiple inputs controllably and algorithmically. Our framework for evaluating and optimizing circuit performance can be applied to other molecular logic circuits.
Inoculation with the mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis modulates the relationship between root growth and nutrient content in maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L.)
Authors: Ramírez-Flores M. Rosario , Bello-Bello Elohim , Rellán-Álvarez Rubén , Sawers Ruairidh J. H. , Olalde-Portugal Víctor
Published: July 2019

Plant root systems play an essential role in nutrient and water acquisition. In resource-limited soils, modification of root system architecture is an important strategy to optimize plant performance. Most terrestrial plants also form symbiotic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to maximize nutrient uptake. In addition to direct delivery of nutrients, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi benefit the plant host by promoting root growth. Here, we aimed to quantify the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on root growth and nutrient uptake in maize. Inoculated plants showed an increase in both biomass and the total content of twenty quantified elements. In addition, image analysis showed mycorrhizal plants to have denser, more branched root systems. For most of the quantified elements, the increase in content in mycorrhizal plants was proportional to root and overall plant growth. However, the increase in boron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur and strontium was greater than predicted by root system size alone, indicating fungal delivery to be supplementing root uptake.
Multi-tissue network analysis for drug prioritization in knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Neidlin Michael , Dimitrakopoulou Smaragda , Alexopoulos Leonidas G
Published: July 2019

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disease that affects several tissues: cartilage, synovium, meniscus and subchondral bone. The pathophysiology of this complex disease is still not completely understood and existing pharmaceutical strategies are limited to pain relief treatments.

Therefore, a computational method was developed considering the diverse mechanisms and the multi-tissue nature of OA in order to suggest pharmaceutical compounds. Specifically, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was utilized to identify gene modules that were preserved across four joint tissues. The driver genes of these modules were selected as an input for a network-based drug discovery approach.

WGCNA identified two preserved modules that described functions related to extracellular matrix physiology and immune system responses. Compounds that affected various anti-inflammatory pathways and drugs targeted at coagulation pathways were suggested. 9 out of the top 10 compounds had a proven association with OA and significantly outperformed randomized approaches not including WGCNA. The method presented herein is a viable strategy to identify overlapping molecular mechanisms in multi-tissue diseases such as OA and employ this information for drug discovery and compound prioritization.
Finding missing links in interaction networks
Authors: Terry J. Christopher D. , Lewis Owen T.
Published: July 2019

Documenting which species interact within ecological communities is challenging and labour-intensive. As a result, many interactions remain unrecorded, potentially distorting our understanding of network structure and dynamics. We test the utility of four structural models and a new coverage-deficit model for predicting missing links in both simulated and empirical bipartite networks. We find they can perform well, but that the predictive power of structural models varies with the underlying network structure. Predictions can be improved by ensembling multiple models. Sample-coverage estimators of the number of missed interactions are highly correlated with the number of missed interactions, but strongly biased towards underestimating the true number of missing links. Augmenting observed networks with most-likely missing links improves estimates of qualitative network metrics. Tools to identify likely missing links can be simple to implement, allowing the prioritisation of research effort and more robust assessment of network properties.
Prognostic Role of c-Met Overexpression in High Grade Glioma: a Meta-analysis
Authors: Wu Bo , Ma Yuhan , Zhong Sheng , Ge Junliang , Jiang Shanshan , Zhang Yuan , Xu Haiyang
Published: July 2019

Objectives

This study aims to assess the relationship between the expression of c-Met and the prognosis of high grade glioma patients.

Method

The MET proto-oncogene encoded c-Met protein. The gene expression data of 325 patients were downloaded from CGGA. The Oncomine database analysis and the prognosis analysis were conducted. Besides, meta-analysis was also performed to confirm the conclusion.

Result

Oncomine database was identified and analyzed and results showed that the MET copy number was obviously higher in glioblastoma than normal tissue consistently (p<0.001). The prognostic analysis of 325 high grade glioma samples showed that high c-Met expression patients had poor overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) than the low c-Met expression patients dramatically (HR, 2.223; 95% CI: 1.662 to 2.974; P<0.0001 and HR, 2.089; 95% CI: 1.578 to 2.770; P<0.0001). 6 studies involving 503 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results indicated that the high expression of c-Met was not significantly associated with OS (HR =1.01, 95% CI:0.93-1.09), but strongly connected with shorter PFS (HR =1.92, 95% CI:1.42-2.58, p<0.01).

Conclusion

c-Met overexpression has correlation with poor prognosis of high grade glioma patients.
Air-heated solid–gas reaction setup for in situ neutron powder diffraction
Authors: Ahlburg Jakob Voldum , Canévet Emmanuel , Christensen Mogens
Published: July 2019

The design and function of a reduction furnace, specially designed for solid–gas in situ monochromatic angular dispersive neutron powder diffraction, is presented. The functionality is demonstrated by performing a reduction experiment of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles at the instrument DMC at SINQ. Heating is provided by an air gun, allowing the sample to reach temperatures in the range of 300–973 K within less than 5 min. The setup is based on a single-crystal sapphire tube with one end closed. A φ scan of the tube reveals its single-crystal nature, through strong single-crystal reflections, while the remaining background is very low, uniform and flat. CoFe2O4 was reduced using a time resolution of 8 min and a sample volume of ∼2 cm3. By means of sequential Rietveld refinement of the in situ neutron diffraction data, a two-step reduction mechanism was discovered: CoFe2O4 → Co0.33Fe0.67O → CoFe2. The setup offers high temperatures, fast temperature stability, large sample volumes and respectable time resolution. The setup has proven to be ideal to carry out investigations of advanced materials under realistic conditions. The ability to investigate real materials in real time under realistic conditions may be a significant advantage for scientific investigations as well as for industrial applications.
The developmental needs of coaches and coachees
Authors: Eastman Christine Angela
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the key findings, themes and concepts in coaching from the inception of the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education in early 2012 to the end of 2018. The review examines how coaching is theorized and practised in an educational context, and how coaching has evolved across educational disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on an analysis of research trends published in the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education from Volume 1 Issue 1 (2012) to Volume 7 Issue 4 (2018). The criterion according to which the articles were selected for inclusion in the literature review is whether the word “coaching” is used in the title, abstract or keywords.

Findings

Across a wide range of geographical and institutional contexts, the studies surveyed in this literature review point to the different ways in which coaching interventions support success in teaching and leadership. This review identifies three principal themes across the literature on coaching: confidence, trust and identity.

Research limitations/implications

The literature review is confined to studies published in a single publication and is therefore not representative of the entire field of coaching research.

Practical implications

The focus of this review is coaching in education. The review comprises a survey of research concepts, innovation and creativity in the area of coaching and education. It highlights advances in the field of coaching and education and points to areas of development for future research.

Originality/value

By bringing together existing research in a number of areas across the field of coaching, this literature review provides a coherent overview of a rapidly evolving and diverse field.
Environmental reporting by the Malaysian local governments
Authors: Che Ku Kassim Che Ku Hisam , Ahmad Suraya , Mohd Nasir Noor Emilina , Wan Mohd Nori Wan Mohd Nazif , Mod Arifin Nur Nariza
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the environmental reporting (ER) practices of the local governments (LGs) in Malaysia. Specifically, it examines the driving motives for ER and also the underlying reasons for lack of disclosures in an array of reporting media.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-administered survey is conducted to all LGs in Peninsular Malaysia. The items in the questionnaire are based on the prior literature on social and environmental disclosures made by the public sector organisations (PSOs).

Findings

The results suggest that maintaining and/or improving the legitimacy status is the main driving motive for LGs to provide environmental disclosures in the absence of any regulatory requirements. On the other hand, a lack of skilled staff to handle ER is the primary reason contributing to the lack of environmental information being supplied to stakeholders.

Originality/value

The paper represents one of the few attempts made in examining the ER practices of the LGs within the perspective of a developing country. Insufficient research on this aspect contributes to a limited understanding on the development of ER practices in different economic stage and environment. The findings may be of interest to the relevant authorities in any policy changes that can further improve the extent and quality of environmental disclosures made by the LGs.
Vascular balloon occlusion and planned caesarean hysterectomy for morbidly adherent placenta: A systematic review
Authors: Makary Michael , Chowdary Prathima , Westgate Jenny Ann
Published: July 2019

Background

Morbidly adherent placenta is potentially life‐threatening, often requiring technically difficult surgery and large blood loss. Use of intravascular balloon occlusion with or without hysterectomy to reduce blood loss is increasing despite associated morbidity and lack of evidence of efficacy.

Aims

To evaluate if prophylactic use of vascular balloon occlusion at the time of planned caesarean hysterectomy for antenatally diagnosed morbidly adherent placenta reduces blood loss and transfusion requirements, and determine rate of associated complications.

Materials and Methods

A systematic review of PubMed and Medline covering January 1997 to December 2018 was conducted. Key words included placenta accreta, increta, percreta, and morbidly adherent placenta, balloon, interventional radiology, embolization, and caesarean hysterectomy.

Results

Nineteen studies were included. Only three studies had appropriate controls: two with balloon placement in the internal iliac arteries and one in the common iliac arteries. One showed no difference in blood loss or transfusion requirements, the second showed a reduction in cases of percreta only and the third reported reduction in blood loss. Only few studies reported objective measures of blood loss. Blood loss and transfusion were still high (2.26 L and 3.79 units, respectively) despite use of vascular balloons. Balloon catheter use was associated with a 7.5% rate of complications; 4.5% were minor and 3.0% major.

Conclusions

There is a large body of poor data evaluating efficacy of prophylactic vascular balloon occlusion in cases of planned caesarean hysterectomy for known morbidly adherent placenta. Limited relevant data provide only scant evidence that these techniques are beneficial in reducing blood loss, despite associated significant complications.
Learning Fuzzy Set Representations of Partial Shapes on Dual Embedding Spaces
Authors: Sung Minhyuk , Dubrovina Anastasia , Kim Vladimir G. , Guibas Leonidas
Published: July 2019

Modeling relations between components of 3D objects is essential for many geometry editing tasks. Existing techniques commonly rely on labeled components, which requires substantial annotation effort and limits components to a dictionary of predefined semantic parts. We propose a novel framework based on neural networks that analyzes an uncurated collection of 3D models from the same category and learns two important types of semantic relations among full and partial shapes: complementarity and interchangeability. The former helps to identify which two partial shapes make a complete plausible object, and the latter indicates that interchanging two partial shapes from different objects preserves the object plausibility. Our key idea is to jointly encode both relations by embedding partial shapes as fuzzy sets in dual embedding spaces. We model these two relations as fuzzy set operations performed across the dual embedding spaces, and within each space, respectively. We demonstrate the utility of our method for various retrieval tasks that are commonly needed in geometric modeling interfaces.
Effective Characterization of Relief Patterns
Authors: Giachetti A.
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we address the problem of characterizing relief patterns over surface meshes independently on the underlying shape. We propose to tackle the problem by estimating local invariant features and encoding them using the Improved Fisher Vector technique, testing both features estimated on 3D meshes and local descriptors estimated on raster images created by encoding local surface properties (e.g. mean curvature) over a surface parametrization. We compare the robustness of the obtained descriptors against noise and surface bending and evaluate retrieval performances on a specific benchmark proposed in a track of the Eurographics Shape REtrieval Contest 2017. Results show that, with the proposed framework, it is possible to obtain retrieval results largely improving the state of the art and that the image‐based approach is still effective when the underlying surface is heavily deformed.
A unified discrete framework for intrinsic and extrinsic Dirac operators for geometry processing
Authors: Ye Zi , Diamanti Olga , Tang Chengcheng , Guibas Leonidas , Hoffmann Tim
Published: July 2019

Spectral mesh analysis and processing methods, namely ones that utilize eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of linear operators on meshes, have been applied to numerous geometric processing applications. The operator used predominantly in these methods is the Laplace‐Beltrami operator, which has the often‐cited property that it is intrinsic, namely invariant to isometric deformation of the underlying geometry, including rigid transformations. Depending on the application, this can be either an advantage or a drawback. Recent work has proposed the alternative of using the Dirac operator on surfaces for spectral processing. The available versions of the Dirac operator either only focus on the extrinsic version, or introduce a range of mixed operators on a spectrum between fully extrinsic Dirac operator and intrinsic Laplace operator. In this work, we introduce a unified discretization scheme that describes both an extrinsic and intrinsic Dirac operator on meshes, based on their continuous counterparts on smooth manifolds. In this discretization, both operators are very closely related, and preserve their key properties from the smooth case. We showcase various applications of our operators, with improved numerics over prior work.
Hierarchical Quad Meshing of 3D Scanned Surfaces
Authors: Bukenberger Dennis R. , Lensch Hendrik P. A.
Published: July 2019

In this paper we present a novel method to reconstruct watertight quad meshes on scanned 3D geometry. There exist many different approaches to acquire 3D information from real world objects and sceneries. Resulting point clouds depict scanned surfaces as sparse sets of positional information. A common downside is the lack of normals, connectivity or topological adjacency data which makes it difficult to actually recover a meaningful surface. The concept described in this paper is designed to reconstruct a surface mesh despite all this missing information. Even when facing varying sample density, our algorithm is still guaranteed to produce watertight manifold meshes featuring quad faces only. The topology can be set‐up to follow superimposed regular structures or align naturally to the point cloud's shape. Our proposed approach is based on an initial divide and conquer subsampling procedure: Surface samples are clustered in meaningful neighborhoods as leafs of a kd‐tree. A representative sample of the surface neighborhood is determined for each leaf using a spherical surface approximation. The hierarchical structure of the binary tree is utilized to construct a basic set of loose tiles and to interconnect them. As a final step, missing parts of the now coherent tile structure are filled up with an incremental algorithm for locally optimal gap closure. Disfigured or concave faces in the resulting mesh can be removed with a constrained smoothing operator.
Modular Latent Spaces for Shape Correspondences
Authors: Ganapathi‐Subramanian Vignesh , Diamanti Olga , Guibas Leonidas J.
Published: July 2019

We consider the problem of transporting shape descriptors across shapes in a collection in a modular fashion, in order to establish correspondences between them. A common goal when mapping between multiple shapes is consistency, namely that compositions of maps along a cycle of shapes should be approximately an identity map. Existing attempts to enforce consistency typically require recomputing correspondences whenever a new shape is added to the collection, which can quickly become intractable. Instead, we propose an approach that is fully modular, where the bulk of the computation is done on each shape independently. To achieve this, we use intermediate nonlinear embedding spaces, computed individually on every shape; the embedding functions use ideas from diffusion geometry and capture how different descriptors on the same shape inter‐relate. We then establish linear mappings between the different embedding spaces, via a shared latent space. The introduction of nonlinear embeddings allows for more nuanced correspondences, while the modularity of the construction allows for parallelizable calculation and efficient addition of new shapes. We compare the performance of our framework to standard functional correspondence techniques and showcase the use of this framework to simple interpolation and extrapolation tasks.
Individualized quantification of the benefit from reperfusion therapy using stroke predictive models
Authors: Ozenne Brice , Cho Tae‐Hee , Mikkelsen Irene Klærke , Hermier Marc , Thomalla Götz , Pedraza Salvador , Roy Pascal , Berthezène Yves , Nighoghossian Norbert , Østergaard Leif , Baron Jean‐Claude , Maucort‐Boulch Delphine
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Recent imaging developments have shown the potential of voxel‐based models in assessing infarct growth after stroke. Many models have been proposed but their relevance in predicting the benefit of a reperfusion therapy remains unclear. We searched for a predictive model whose volumetric predictions would identify stroke patients who are to benefit from tissue plasminogen activator (t‐PA)‐induced reperfusion.

Material and Methods

Forty‐five cases were used to study retrospectively stroke progression from admission to end of follow‐up. Predictive approaches based on various statistical models, predictive variables and spatial filtering methods were compared. The optimal approach was chosen according to the area under the precision‐recall curve (AUPRC). The final lesion volume was then predicted assuming that the patient would or would not reperfuse. Patients, with an acute lesion of ≤50 ml and a predicted reduction in the presence of reperfusion >6 ml and >25% of the acute lesion, were classified as responders.

Results

The optimal model was a logistic regression using the voxel distance to the acute lesion, the volume of the acute lesion and Gaussian‐filtered MRI contrast parameters as predictive variables. The predictions gave a median AUPRC of 0.655, a median AUC of 0.976 and a median volumetric error of 8.29 ml. Nineteen patients matched the responder profile. A non‐significant trend of improved reduction in NIHSS score (−42.8%, p = .09) and in lesion volume (−78.1%, p = 0.21) following reperfusion was observed for responder patients.

Conclusion

Despite limited volumetric accuracy, predictive stroke models can be used to quantify the benefit of reperfusion therapies.
Back in Time? A Temporal Autobiographical Approach to Afghan Return Migration
Authors: van Houte Marieke
Published: July 2019

Repatriation programmes for refugees and asylum seekers are based on the assumption that going ‘home’ is the most desirable thing to do to restore the social order that was disrupted by conflict. Yet the often‐limited success of these programmes as migration management solutions, shown in poor reintegration results and re‐emigration, shows that there is a need for a better understanding of the lived experiences of (return) migrants. This article studies Afghan managed and “spontaneous” return migrants from Europe through an innovative temporal autobiographical approach, using both verbal and creative participatory narrative methods. I find that some migration movements were experienced as disruptive, while others were not, and that return sometimes meant a return to a previous life, sometimes a continuation, and sometimes the start of something new. I conclude that migration management programmes aimed towards “durable solutions” and the wellbeing of returnees should enable rather than constrain post‐return mobility.
Communication and cognitive impairments and health care decision making in MND: A narrative review
Authors: Paynter Camille , Cruice Madeline , Mathers Susan , Gregory Heidi , Vogel Adam P.
Published: July 2019

Rationale

Motor neurone disease (MND) is a neurodegenerative disease presenting with progressive weakness of voluntary muscles. For any condition, person‐centred health care relies on the sharing of information and a mutual understanding of the person's needs and preferences. Decision making in MND becomes more complex as there is no cure and a high prevalence of co‐morbid communication and/or cognitive difficulties.

Objective

To identify the reported impact of communication and/or cognitive impairment on patient and carer involvement in health care decision making in MND.

Methods

A review and synthesis of studies addressing issues of communication impairment and/or cognitive impairment in relation to decision making focussed on MND was conducted. Articles were excluded if they were reviews, case studies, conference papers, or commentaries. To be included studies needed to address issues of communication impairment or cognitive impairment specifically in relation to decision making. Relevant data were extracted verbatim and subjected to content analysis to support the narrative summary.

Results

Seventy‐six articles were identified, and 35 articles screened. Six articles met inclusion criteria each describing examples of decision making in MND. There was limited data related to communication and/or cognitive impairment, and the impact these impairments may have on decision making despite recognition that many people with MND may lose verbal communication or develop subtle cognitive impairments. The literature is primarily from the perspective of others.

Conclusion

This review highlights that the current body of literature exploring decision making within the MND population presents us with extremely limited insights into the impact of communication and/or cognitive impairments on health care decision making. Extant literature focuses on interventions (namely, ventilation and gastrostomy), the broad process of decision making, or cognitive assessment of decision‐making ability. Whilst most studies acknowledge that deficits in communication or cognition impact the decision‐making process, this issue is not the focus of any study.
“Ectrogella” Parasitoids of the Diatom Licmophora sp. are Polyphyletic
Authors: Garvetto Andrea , Perrineau Marie‐Mathilde , Dressler‐Allame Melina , Bresnan Eileen , Gachon Claire M. M.
Published: July 2019

The diatom genera Licmophora and Fragilaria are frequent epiphytes on marine macroalgae and can be infected by intracellular parasitoids traditionally assigned to the oomycete genus Ectrogella. Much debate and uncertainty remains about the taxonomy of these oomycetes, not least due to their morphological and developmental plasticity. Here, we used single‐cell techniques to obtain partial sequences of the parasitoids 18S and cox2 genes. The former falls into two recently identified clades of Pseudo‐nitzschia parasites temporarily named OOM_1_2 and OOM_2, closely related to the genera of brown and red algal pathogens Anisolpidium and Olpidiopsis. A third group of sequences falls at the base of the red algal parasites assigned to Olpidiopsis. In one instance, two oomycete parasitoids seemed to co‐exist in a single diatom cell; this co‐occurrence of distinct parasitoid taxa not only within a population of diatom epiphytes, but also within the same host cell, possibly explains the ongoing confusion in the taxonomy of these parasitoids. We demonstrate the polyphyly of Licmophora parasitoids previously assigned to Ectrogella (sensu Sparrow, 1960) and show that parasites of red algae assigned to the genus Olpidiopsis are most likely not monophyletic. We conclude that combining single‐cell microscopy and molecular methods is necessary for their full characterisation.
Clinical Cases in Hepatitis: Towards improving liver disease management in Australia
Authors: Strasser Simone I , Thompson Alexander J , Roberts Stuart K , George Jacob ,   Clinical Cases in Hepatitis 2018 Steering Committee
Published: July 2019

Clinical Cases in Hepatitis 2018 was an interactive educational program for Australian physicians (gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and infectious disease specialists) actively involved in the treatment of liver diseases including hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, and non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis. This educational program sponsored by Gilead Sciences took place on October 12–13, 2018, and provided timely, informative case‐based, and practical education to Australian physicians. This report summarizes keynote lectures from international leaders in the field of hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, and non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis and practical clinical case studies designed to inform and educate Australian physicians on managing challenging patients.
Socioeconomic Status and Health Services Utilization for Children With Complex Chronic Conditions Liable to Receive Nurse‐Led Services: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Pérez‐Ardanaz Bibiana , Morales‐Asencio José Miguel , García‐Piñero José Miguel , Lupiáñez‐Pérez Inmaculada , Morales‐Gil Isabel María , Kaknani‐Uttumchandani Shakira
Published: July 2019

Aim

To analyze the use of health services for children with severe chronic diseases, seeking to identify patterns of use according to sociodemographic and clinical conditions, and to identify unmet needs of care coordination that could benefit from nursing case management services.

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Children treated in ambulatory and hospital care in Granada, Spain, with complex chronic diseases in 2016 were analyzed to determine their use of healthcare resources. Socioeconomic variables were evaluated, along with clinical status and duration of their conditions.

Results

In total, 265 children were analyzed (mean age 7.3 years, SD 4.63; 56.6% male). The average duration of the disease was 63.26 months (SD 54.09). The most common types of disease were neurological (35.80%), congenital (23.90%), and oncological (18.90%). Multivariate analysis showed that children in need of advanced care (β = 0.71), with a relatively recent diagnosis (β = ‐0.11), with criteria for palliative care 1 (β = ‐0.26), and whose mothers were older (β = 0.36) and had a higher educational level (β = 0.19) made greater use of healthcare resources during the preceding 12 months, whether urgent or scheduled (r2 = 78.0%, p < .001).

Conclusions

Children with higher needs for advanced care have a heterogeneous use of healthcare resources depending on certain clinical and sociodemographic determinants. This finding highlights the importance of the identification of profiles of children and families for care coordination. The presence of sociodemographic determinants may need individualized approaches to assure a timely health care utilization.

Clinical Relevance

A significant proportion of the children used multiple health services, being treated at several centers simultaneously, and producing up to 139 total yearly contacts with the health system. Policymakers, healthcare providers, and patients’ families should engage in a redesign of healthcare services for these children, providing comprehensive and coordinated systems of care for this population.
Laparoscopic surgery with spleen preservation to treat primary splenic pregnancy: Case report and literature review
Authors: Wang Mengyao , Mo Siping , Yao Yuan , Li Jinke
Published: July 2019

Splenic pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy, with only 21 cases reported in PubMed since 1970. Here we report the case of a healthy 28‐year‐old woman with splenic pregnancy who complained of menolipsis lasting 56 days and left upper quadrant pain lasting 30 days. The level of β‐human chorionic gonadotropin in serum was 8399 mIU/mL, and transvaginal ultrasonography showed the uterine cavity to be empty without signs of adnexal mass. Subsequent abdominal ultrasonography detected a hyperechoic mass below the spleen containing an anechoic mass measuring 2.6 × 1.2 × 1.6 cm. Laparoscopy detected a gestational mass measuring 6.0 × 4.0 × 3.0 cm on the lower border of the spleen. Pregnancy tissues and a clot were removed under laparoscopic guidance, and the spleen was preserved. Our case suggests that removal of chorionic villi tissue, although not a standard procedure, may be effective for treating splenic pregnancy.
Basic fibroblast growth factor signalling regulates cancer stem cells in lung cancer A549 cells
Authors: Meng Yousheng , Bai Xiaoyan , Huang Yuandong , He Lang , Zhang Zhengwei , Li Xia , Cui Dandan , Yang Xuemei
Published: July 2019

Objectives

The basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)/fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signal transductional pathway plays an important role not only in tumour, but also in tumour stem cells. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the effects of bFGF signalling on cancer stem cells of lung cancer.

Methods

We blocked bFGF/FGFR signalling in cisplatin (DDP) selected A549 by knocking down bFGF via RNA interference, and subsequently, the stem cell marker of OCT-4 was determined, and cell proliferation, clone formation, invasiveness, apoptosis and drug resistance abilities of DDP selected A549 cells were investigated.

Key findings

The expressions of bFGF and OCT-4 in DDP selected A549 were higher than that of A549 cells. The findings suggested blocking of bFGF/FGFR signalling resulted in downregulation of bFGF, reduction in cell proliferation, clone formation, invasion and drug resistance abilities, and increase in cell apoptosis. Furthermore, our results also revealed OCT-4 was reduced after bFGF signalling blocking.

Conclusions

In conclusion, our study suggested that bFGF/FGFR signalling plays an important role in maintaining lung cancer stem cell characteristics and regulating expression of cancer stem cell marker of OCT-4.
The ‘Divine Names’ and the ‘Attributes of Deity’: On the (Infinite) Analogical Interval in Forty‐Six Aphorisms
Authors: Tromans Oliver
Published: July 2019

For the modern tradition of analytic philosophy of religion (that this article rejects), goodness, beauty, wisdom, and so on are divine attributes, whereas, for the classical tradition of Christian theology, they are divine names. This crucial distinction between attributes and names helps to explain why feminist philosopher Grace Jantzen’s charge of an identification of the male self with the divine self in Anglo‐American philosophy of religion leads on, directly, to a critique of the ‘doctrine’ of analogy. Jantzen’s critique of ‘classical theism’ is directed against the (largely modern) reduction of God to a (male) superbeing. Here, God’s ‘attributes’ are merely human ones, even if extended to a superlative degree. I distinguish the analogical reflections of Aquinas (following Dionysius) and his heirs from the anthropomorphic dissolutions of the divine in contemporary analytic philosophy of religion. Theology’s analogical speech, I argue, has the potential to answer – at least partially – the feminist critique of God as a ‘pure projection’ of ‘man’. For Aquinas, God’s perfections must be qualitatively different and not merely quantitative maximisations of our own. I contend that feminist philosophy of religion cannot afford to dismiss the potential of the way of analogy, especially in its negative or apophatic dimensions.