bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative measurement of density fluctuations with a full-field laser interferometric vibrometer
Authors: Greiffenhagen Felix , Woisetschläger Jakob , Gürtler Johannes , Czarske Jürgen
Published: December 2019

Modern, lean and premixed gas turbine combustion concepts for low NOx emissions are prone to combustion instabilities. In a previous work it was shown that laser interferometric vibrometry (LIV) can be used to record global as well as local heat release fluctuations in swirl-stabilized premixed methane flames quantitatively, if other effects influencing density are small. In this work a newly developed camera-based full-field LIV system (CLIV) was applied to a lean, confined, premixed and swirl-stabilized methane flame under atmospheric conditions. Instead of time-consuming pointwise scanning of the flame, CLIV records full-field line-of-sight density fluctuations with high spatio-temporal resolution. With a recording rate of 200 kHz, CLIV enables the visualization of highly unsteady processes in fluid dynamics and combustion research. As an example for an unsteady process, the propagation of the flame front through a lean, premixed gas volume is visualized during an ignition process. A discussion of algorithms and assumptions necessary to calculate heat release oscillations from density oscillations is presented and applied to phase-averaged data recorded with CLIV for this type of flame. As reference, OH* chemiluminescence data were recorded simultaneously. While density gradients travelling with the flow are recorded by LIV and CLIV, chemiluminescence imaging will show nothing in the absence of chemical reaction.

Graphic abstract

a Time-averaged density gradient within the combustor in lateral direction. b Density fluctuations along line-of-sight 7 ms after ignition. c Phase-averaged and local heat release fluctuations at 225 Hz perturbation frequency
Isoluminant stimuli in a familiar discrete keying sequence task can be ignored
Authors: Verwey Willem B.
Published: December 2019

Motor sequencing models suggest that when with extensive practice sequence representations have developed, stimuli indicating the individual sequence elements may no longer be used for sequence execution. However, it is not clear whether participants can at all refrain from processing these stimuli. Two experiments were performed in which participants practiced two 7-keypress sequences by responding to isoluminant key-specific stimuli. In the mixed condition of the ensuing test phase, the stimuli were displayed only occasionally, and the question was whether this would make participants stop processing these stimuli. In Experiment 1, the benefit of displaying stimuli was assessed after substantial practice, while Experiment 2 examined development of this benefit across practice. The results of Experiment 1 showed that participants rely a little less on these stimuli when they are displayed only occasionally, but Experiment 2 revealed that participants quickly developed high awareness, and that they ignored these stimuli already after limited practice. These findings confirm that participants can choose to ignore these isoluminant stimuli but tend to use them when they are displayed. These and other findings show in some detail how various cognitive systems interact to produce familiar keying sequences.
In the eyes of the beholder: investigating the effect of visual probing on accuracy and gaze fixations when attending to facial expressions among primary and secondary callous-unemotional variants
Authors: Kyranides Melina Nicole , Fanti Kostas A. , Petridou Maria , Kimonis Eva R.
Published: December 2019

Individuals with callous-unemotional (CU) traits show deficits in facial emotion recognition. According to preliminary research, this impairment may be due to attentional neglect to peoples’ eyes when evaluating emotionally expressive faces. However, it is unknown whether this atypical processing pattern is unique to established variants of CU traits or modifiable with intervention. This study examined facial affect recognition and gaze patterns among individuals (N = 80; M age = 19.95, SD = 1.01 years; 50% female) with primary vs secondary CU variants. These groups were identified based on repeated measurements of conduct problems, CU traits, and anxiety assessed in adolescence and adulthood. Accuracy and number of fixations on areas of interest (forehead, eyes, and mouth) while viewing six dynamic emotions were assessed. A visual probe was used to direct attention to various parts of the face. Individuals with primary and secondary CU traits were less accurate than controls in recognizing facial expressions across all emotions. Those identified in the low-anxious primary-CU group showed reduced overall fixations to fearful and painful facial expressions compared to those in the high-anxious secondary-CU group. This difference was not specific to a region of the face (i.e. eyes or mouth). Findings point to the importance of investigating both accuracy and eye gaze fixations, since individuals in the primary and secondary groups were only differentiated in the way they attended to specific facial expression. These findings have implications for differentiated interventions focused on improving facial emotion recognition with regard to attending and correctly identifying emotions.
A Multi-million Mammography Image Dataset and Population-Based Screening Cohort for the Training and Evaluation of Deep Neural Networks—the Cohort of Screen-Aged Women (CSAW)
Authors: Dembrower Karin , Lindholm Peter , Strand Fredrik
Published: December 2019

For AI researchers, access to a large and well-curated dataset is crucial. Working in the field of breast radiology, our aim was to develop a high-quality platform that can be used for evaluation of networks aiming to predict breast cancer risk, estimate mammographic sensitivity, and detect tumors. Our dataset, Cohort of Screen-Aged Women (CSAW), is a population-based cohort of all women 40 to 74 years of age invited to screening in the Stockholm region, Sweden, between 2008 and 2015. All women were invited to mammography screening every 18 to 24 months free of charge. Images were collected from the PACS of the three breast centers that completely cover the region. DICOM metadata were collected together with the images. Screening decisions and clinical outcome data were collected by linkage to the regional cancer center registers. Incident cancer cases, from one center, were pixel-level annotated by a radiologist. A separate subset for efficient evaluation of external networks was defined for the uptake area of one center. The collection and use of the dataset for the purpose of AI research has been approved by the Ethical Review Board. CSAW included 499,807 women invited to screening between 2008 and 2015 with a total of 1,182,733 completed screening examinations. Around 2 million mammography images have currently been collected, including all images for women who developed breast cancer. There were 10,582 women diagnosed with breast cancer; for 8463, it was their first breast cancer. Clinical data include biopsy-verified breast cancer diagnoses, histological origin, tumor size, lymph node status, Elston grade, and receptor status. One thousand eight hundred ninety-one images of 898 women had tumors pixel level annotated including any tumor signs in the prior negative screening mammogram. Our dataset has already been used for evaluation by several research groups. We have defined a high-volume platform for training and evaluation of deep neural networks in the domain of mammographic imaging.
Characterization of microbial communities in ethanol biorefineries
Authors: Firmino Fernanda C , Porcellato Davide , Cox Madison , Suen Garret , Broadbent Jeffery R , Steele James L
Published: December 2019

Bacterial contamination of corn-based ethanol biorefineries can reduce their efficiency and hence increase their carbon footprint. To enhance our understanding of these bacterial contaminants, we temporally sampled four biorefineries in the Midwestern USA that suffered from chronic contamination and characterized their microbiomes using both 16S rRNA sequencing and shotgun metagenomics. These microbiotas were determined to be relatively simple, with 13 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) accounting for 90% of the bacterial population. They were dominated by Firmicutes (89%), with Lactobacillus comprising 80% of the OTUs from this phylum. Shotgun metagenomics confirmed our 16S rRNA data and allowed us to characterize bacterial succession at the species level, with the results of this analysis being that Lb. helveticus was the dominant contaminant in this fermentation. Taken together, these results provide insights into the microbiome of ethanol biorefineries and identifies a species likely to be commonly responsible for chronic contamination of these facilities.
Risk factors for cancer-associated thrombosis in patients undergoing treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Authors: Ando Yosuke , Hayashi Takahiro , Sugimoto Reiko , Nishibe Seira , Ito Kaori , Kawada Kenji , Ikeda Yoshiaki , Yamada Shigeki , Imaizumi Kazuyoshi
Published: December 2019

Purpose Anticancer agents are known to increase cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) onset. CAT onset rate is reported to be 1.92% in cisplatin-based therapy, 6.1% in paclitaxel plus ramucirumab combination therapy, and 11.9% in bevacizumab monotherapy. Because immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) cause a sudden increase in T cell number, an association between administration of these drugs and increase in CAT incidence is likely. However, the extent to which ICI administration affects CAT incidence remains unclear. Further, risk factors for CAT incidence have not yet been identified. The present study investigated CAT incidence and associated risk factors in patients receiving ICI. Methods Patients administered nivolumab or pembrolizumab at Fujita Health University Hospital from April 2017 to March 2018 were enrolled. We collected retrospective data regarding age, sex, cancer type, BMI, medical history, laboratory data at treatment initiation, medications, and computed tomography (CT) interpretations from electronic medical records. Results We identified 122 eligible participants from 135 patients receiving nivolumab or pembrolizumab. Ten patients (8.2%) developed CAT. A history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or arterial thromboembolism (ATE) was a risk factor for CAT incidence (odds ratio: 6.36, P = 0.039). A history of heart disease may be a risk factor for CAT incidence (odds ratio 6.56, P = 0.052). Significantly higher usage of antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy was noted in patients who developed CAT (60%) than in those who did not (13.4%, p < 0.01). Conclusion High (8.2%) CAT incidence during ICI administration suggested that ICI is not associated with a lower blood clot risk than other anticancer agents investigated in previous studies. For patients with VTE, ATE, or heart disease history, it is crucial to consider the possibility of CAT even with antiplatelet therapy.
Structural, Electronic, and Magnetic Properties of Mn4N Perovskite: Density Functional Theory Calculations and Monte Carlo Study
Authors: Azouaoui A. , Haoua M. El , Salmi S. , Grini A. El , Benzakour N. , Hourmatallah A. , Bouslykhane K.
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we have studied the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of the cubic perovskite system Mn4N using the first principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The obtained data from DFT calculations are used as input data in Monte Carlo simulation with a mixed spin-5/2 and 1 Ising model to calculate the magnetic properties of this compound, such as the total, partial thermal magnetization, and the critical temperatures (TC). The obtained results show that Mn4N has a ferrimagnetic structure with two different sites of Mn in the lattice and presents a metallic behavior. The obtained TC is in good agreement with experimental results.
The Risk of QTc-Interval Prolongation in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Tamoxifen in Combination with Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
Authors: Hussaarts Koen G. A. M. , Berger Florine A. , Binkhorst Lisette , Oomen - de Hoop Esther , van Leeuwen Roelof W. F. , van Alphen Robbert J. , Mathijssen - van Stein Daniëlle , de Groot Natasja M. S. , Mathijssen Ron H. J. , van Gelder Teun
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Antidepressants like the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are often used concomitantly with tamoxifen (e.g. for treatment of depression). This may lead to an additional prolongation of the QTc-interval, with an increased risk of cardiac side effects. Therefore we investigated whether there is a drug-drug interaction between tamoxifen and SRIs resulting in a prolonged QTc-interval.

Methods

Electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 100 patients were collected at steady state tamoxifen treatment, with or without concomitant SRI co-medication. QTc-interval was manually measured and calculated using the Fridericia formula. Primary outcome was difference in QTc-interval between tamoxifen monotherapy and tamoxifen concomitantly with an SRI.

Results

The mean QTc-interval was 12.4 ms longer when tamoxifen was given concomitantly with an SRI (95% CI:1.8–23.1 ms; P = 0.023). Prolongation of the QTc-interval was particularly pronounced for paroxetine (17.2 ms; 95%CI:1.4–33.0 ms; P = 0.04), escitalopram (12.5 ms; 95%CI:4.4–20.6 ms; P < 0.01) and citalopram (20.7 ms; 95%CI:0.7–40.7 ms; P = 0.047), where other agents like venlafaxine did not seem to prolong the QTc-interval. None of the patients had a QTc-interval of >500 ms.

Conclusions

Concomitant use of tamoxifen and SRIs resulted in a significantly higher mean QTc-interval, which was especially the case for paroxetine, escitalopram and citalopram. When concomitant administration with an SRI is warranted venlafaxine is preferred.
A phylogenetically conserved APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR, ERF12, regulates Arabidopsis floral development
Authors: Chandler J. W. , Werr W.
Published: December 2019

Key message

Arabidopsis ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR12 (ERF12), the rice MULTIFLORET SPIKELET1 orthologue pleiotropically affects meristem identity, floral phyllotaxy and organ initiation and is conserved among angiosperms.

Reproductive development necessitates the coordinated regulation of meristem identity and maturation and lateral organ initiation via positive and negative regulators and network integrators. We have identified ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR12 (ERF12) as the Arabidopsis orthologue of MULTIFLORET SPIKELET1 (MFS1) in rice. Loss of ERF12 function pleiotropically affects reproductive development, including defective floral phyllotaxy and increased floral organ merosity, especially supernumerary sepals, at incomplete penetrance in the first-formed flowers. Wildtype floral organ number in early formed flowers is labile, demonstrating that floral meristem maturation involves the stabilisation of positional information for organogenesis, as well as appropriate identity. A subset of erf12 phenotypes partly defines a narrow developmental time window, suggesting that ERF12 functions heterochronically to fine-tune stochastic variation in wild type floral number and similar to MFS1, promotes meristem identity. ERF12 expression encircles incipient floral primordia in the inflorescence meristem periphery and is strong throughout the floral meristem and intersepal regions. ERF12 is a putative transcriptional repressor and genetically opposes the function of its relatives DORNRÖSCHEN, DORNRÖSCHEN-LIKE and PUCHI and converges with the APETALA2 pathway. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that ERF12 is conserved among all eudicots and appeared in angiosperm evolution concomitant with the generation of floral diversity.
Mass balance and long-term soil accumulation of trace elements in arable crop systems amended with urban composts or cattle manure during 17 years
Authors: Michaud Aurélia Marcelline , Cambier Philippe , Sappin-Didier Valérie , Deltreil Valentin , Mercier Vincent , Rampon Jean-Noël , Houot Sabine
Published: December 2019

Organic waste products (OWP) application to crop lands makes possible nutrients recycling. However, it can result in long-term accumulation of trace elements (TE) in soils. The present study aimed at (i) assessing the impact of regular applications of urban composts and manure on the TE contents of topsoils and crops in a long-term field experiment, (ii) comparing the TE mass balances with the stock variations of TE in soils, and (iii) proposing a prospective evaluation of this practice, based on estimated soil safe threshold values and simulations of soil TE accumulation for 100 years. In the long-term field experiment, physico-chemical properties and TE contents (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) have been measured in OWP, soils, plants and leaching waters for the period 1998–2015, and used for mass balance calculations and long-term simulations of TE accumulations. The composts of green wastes and sludge (GWS) and of municipal solid waste (MSW) were the OWP with the largest TE contents, while the farmyard manure tended to have the lowest. Repeated application of OWP led to significant accumulation of Zn and Cu in the topsoil layer (not for Cr, Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb), especially with GWS, without overpassing calculated protective threshold values. No effect of repeated application of OWP has been observed on TE contents in grains (wheat, maize, barley). The positive mass balance has been dominated by the input flux of TE through OWP and resulted in the observed increases of soil stocks for Cu and Zn. Prospective simulation of soil content evolution until 2100 showed that soil content reached 0.4 mg Cd kg−1 soil (GWS, MSW), 38 mg Cu kg−1 soil (GWS) and 109 mg Zn kg−1 soil (GWS), which remained lower than protective threshold values.
Before Entering Adulthood: Developing an Index of Capabilities for Young Adults in Bogota
Authors: Bucheli Fernando
Published: December 2019

QoL studies conceptualise urban well-being as a multidimensional process that is influenced by personal and environmental factors. A much less explored field in QoL has to do with the notion of capabilities and functionings as measurements to evaluate the level of quality of life that people experience in cities. By investigating the young adults category, this article develops a measurement of QoL based on the normative framework of the Capability Approach (CA) to capture urban domains that affect quality of life in Bogota. This study introduces a quantitative methodology to use secondary aggregated data to build a QoL measurement based on capabilities. A nonlinear categorical principal component analysis was used to explore the underlying factor structure of a calibration sample (n=6,998). Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted to validate identified factors, revealing a good fit (SRMR=0.033, CFI=0.910). The result is a Young Adult Capability Index (YACI) that empirically explores the use of capability achievements as a space for evaluating urban QoL in young adults. A multiple linear regression was calculated to predict YACI based on additional variables which are sensitive to inequality for young adults. Results show that capability scores are lower once young adults enter adulthood. Women arrive with better capabilities from childhood and adolescence than men, but rapidly undergo a marked process of decapitalisation of capabilities during their transition to adulthood, suggesting the need for more attention in the elaboration of public policies for this type of population.
Stabilising Urea Amine Nitrogen Increases Potato Tuber Yield by Increasing Chlorophyll Content, Reducing Shoot Growth Rate and Increasing Biomass Partitioning to Roots and Tubers
Authors: Wilkinson Sally , Weston Anna Kate , Marks David James
Published: December 2019

Much of the nitrogen in crop fertiliser is degraded before acquisition. Technologies that stabilise urea-nitrogen minimise this. Degradation also specifically reduces the amount of ureic amine that many fertilisers initially contain, which is important because this nitrogen form has unique beneficial effects on plants. To investigate mechanisms whereby urea stabilisation increases potato tuber yield, we compare effects of foliar applications of chemically stabilised and non-stabilised urea against industry-standard fertiliser, on the physiology, form and yield of greenhouse-grown Casablanca under identical nitrogen supply. Stabilised urea is tested on Rooster and Shelford yields in Irish and British field trials. Stabilised amine nitrogen (SAN) increases Casablanca leaf relative chlorophyll content and initially reduces shoot growth rate. When harvested shortly after tuber initiation, SAN-treated plants have increased root to shoot weight ratios and we find tight negative correlations between shoot growth rate and root weight: large roots and slow shoot extension occur predominantly in SAN-treated plants. SAN increases ratios between initiation-stage tuber weight and (a) shoot length and (b) shoot growth rate. At a second harvest at mid-bulking, SAN increases high-grade Casablanca tuber yielding. At this later stage, yield correlates positively with shoot weight. In the field, SAN increases Rooster canopy greenness and marketable yields of both Rooster and Shelford. Yield improvements specific to this N form when stabilised are suggested to occur through increased photosynthesis and early-stage increases in root to shoot weight ratio. This phenotype then supports increased bulking-stage shoot growth and shoot-sourced resource for tuber growth. Stabilising urea amine induces high-yielding phenotypes with improved internal nitrogen utilisation efficiencies.
Estimation of carbon storage of forest biomass for voluntary carbon markets: preliminary results
Authors: Nonini Luca , Fiala Marco
Published: December 2019

Estimating the carbon storage of forests is essential to support climate change mitigation and promote the transition into a low-carbon emission economy. To achieve this goal, voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) are essential. VCMs are promoted by a spontaneous demand, not imposed by binding targets, as the regulated ones. In Italy, only in Veneto and Piedmont Regions (Northern Italy), VCMs through forestry activities were carried out. Valle Camonica District (Northern Italy, Lombardy Region) is ready for a local VCM, but carbon storage of its forests was never estimated. The aim of this work was to estimate the total carbon storage (TCS; t C ha−1) of forest biomass of Valle Camonica District, at the stand level, taking into account: (1) aboveground biomass, (2) belowground biomass, (3) deadwood, and (4) litter. We developed a user-friendly model, based on site-specific primary (measured) data, and we applied it to a dataset of 2019 stands extracted from 45 Forest Management Plans. Preliminary results showed that, in 2016, the TCS achieved 76.02 t C ha−1. The aboveground biomass was the most relevant carbon pool (48.86 t C ha−1; 64.27% of TCS). From 2017 to 2029, through multifunctional forest management, the TCS could increase of 2.48 t C ha−1 (+ 3.26%). In the same period, assuming to convert coppices stands to high forests, an additional TCS of 0.78 t C ha−1 (equal to 2.85 t CO2 ha−1) in the aboveground biomass could be achieved without increasing forest areas. The additional carbon could be certified and exchanged on a VCM, contributing to climate change mitigation at a local level.
The Principal Principle and subjective Bayesianism
Authors: Wallmann Christian , Williamson Jon
Published: December 2019

This paper poses a problem for Lewis’ Principal Principle in a subjective Bayesian framework: we show that, where chances inform degrees of belief, subjective Bayesianism fails to validate normal informal standards of what is reasonable. This problem points to a tension between the Principal Principle and the claim that conditional degrees of belief are conditional probabilities. However, one version of objective Bayesianism has a straightforward resolution to this problem, because it avoids this latter claim. The problem, then, offers some support to this version of objective Bayesianism.
Water quality index method in assessing groundwater quality of Palakonda mandal in Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India
Authors: Nadikatla Santhosh Kumar , Mushini Venkata SubbaRao , Mudumba Phani Surya Murali Krishna
Published: December 2019

Clean, safe and acceptable fresh water is fundamental to the existence of life. There is still a serious problem with adequate availability of fresh and quality of water for human consumption. This study, therefore, assesses the relevance of groundwater in the selected sites of villages of Palakonda mandal in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, India, for consumption, based on different indices of water quality. Groundwater is the principal source for domestic and irrigation purposes in this region. In order to assess the quality of groundwater, 39 groundwater samples were collected during pre- and post-monsoon season from 2013 to 2016. The concentrations of physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total hardness (TH), Ca(II), Mg(II), fluoride (F−), chloride (Cl−), dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity and nitrite (NO2−) were analyzed to compute Water Quality Index (WQI). The results of the concentrations were interpreted and compared with WHO (2012) and BIS (2012) standards. Correlation between various parameters was also computed, and the results were presented. The results of WQI computation infer that the groundwater of the selected sites in Palakonda mandal is rated as ‘good’ for human consumption.
Nudging clinical supervisors to provide better in-training assessment reports
Authors: Dory Valérie , Cummings Beth-Ann , Mondou Mélanie , Young Meredith
Published: December 2019

Introduction In-training assessment reports (ITARs) summarize assessment during a clinical placement to inform decision-making and provide formal feedback to learners. Faculty development is an effective but resource-intensive means of improving the quality of completed ITARs. We examined whether the quality of completed ITARs could be improved by ‘nudges’ from the format of ITAR forms.

Methods Our first intervention consisted of placing the section for narrative comments at the beginning of the form, and using prompts for recommendations (Do more, Keep doing, Do less, Stop doing). In a second intervention, we provided a hyperlink to a detailed assessment rubric and shortened the checklist section. We analyzed a sample of 360 de-identified completed ITARs from six disciplines across the three academic years where the different versions of the ITAR were used. Two raters independently scored the ITARs using the Completed Clinical Evaluation Report Rating (CCERR) scale. We tested for differences between versions of the ITAR forms using a one-way ANOVA for the total CCERR score, and MANOVA for the nine CCERR item scores.

Results Changes to the form structure (nudges) improved the quality of information generated as measured by the CCERR instrument, from a total score of 18.0/45 (SD 2.6) to 18.9/45 (SD 3.1) and 18.8/45 (SD 2.6), p = 0.04. Specifically, comments were more balanced, more detailed, and more actionable compared with the original ITAR.

Discussion Nudge interventions, which are inexpensive and feasible, should be included in multipronged approaches to improve the quality of assessment reports.
Efficacy of School-Based Interventions for Improving Muscular Fitness Outcomes in Adolescent Boys: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Cox Ashley , Fairclough Stuart J. , Kosteli Maria-Christina , Noonan Robert J.
Published: December 2019

Background

It has been reported that boys’ and girls’ physical activity (PA) levels decline throughout adolescence. Boys are at risk of physical inactivity during adolescence; however, in intervention research, they are an under-represented group relative to girls. It is suggested that the school environment may be central to developing interventions that support adolescents in meeting the current PA guidelines. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the efficacy of school-based physical activity interventions for improving muscular fitness (MF) in adolescent males.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the preferred reporting systems for meta-analyses guidelines and was registered on PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD42018091023). Eligible studies were published in English within peer-reviewed articles. Searches were conducted in three databases, with an additional grey literature search in Google Scholar. Studies investigating MF outcomes were included.

Results

There were 43 data sets identified across 11 studies, from seven countries. Overall methodological quality of the studies was moderate-to-strong. Interventions targeting MF evidenced a small-to-medium effect (g = 0.32, CI 0.17, 0.48,p < 0.00). Subgroup analyses of MF delivery method resulted in small-to-medium effects: upper limb MF measures (g = 0.28, 95% CI − 0.02, 0.58,p = 0.07), lower limb MF measures (g = 0.28, 95% CI 0.09, 0.68,p = 0.03), combined MF activities (g = 0.24, 95% CI − 0.04 to 0.49,p = 0.05), plyometric activities (g = 0.39, 95% CI 0.09, 0.68,p = 0.01), body weight (g = 0.27, 95% CI − 0.10, 0.65,p = 0.15), and traditional MF methods (g = 0.43, 95% CI 0.09, 0.78,p = 0.01).

Conclusions

School-based interventions which aimed to increase MF outcomes in adolescent boys demonstrated small-to-moderate effects. Traditional and plyometric methods of resistance training appear to be the most effective form of PA delivery in adolescent males. More quality research is required to assess the impact of MF delivered in the school environment to inform future intervention design.
On community structure in complex networks: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Cherifi Hocine , Palla Gergely , Szymanski Boleslaw K. , Lu Xiaoyan
Published: December 2019

Community structure is one of the most relevant features encountered in numerous real-world applications of networked systems. Despite the tremendous effort of a large interdisciplinary community of scientists working on this subject over the past few decades to characterize, model, and analyze communities, more investigations are needed in order to better understand the impact of community structure and its dynamics on networked systems. Here, we first focus on generative models of communities in complex networks and their role in developing strong foundation for community detection algorithms. We discuss modularity and the use of modularity maximization as the basis for community detection. Then, we follow with an overview of the Stochastic Block Model and its different variants as well as inference of community structures from such models. Next, we focus on time evolving networks, where existing nodes and links can disappear, and in parallel new nodes and links may be introduced. The extraction of communities under such circumstances poses an interesting and non-trivial problem that has gained considerable interest over the last decade. We briefly discuss considerable advances made in this field recently. Finally, we focus on immunization strategies essential for targeting the influential spreaders of epidemics in modular networks. Their main goal is to select and immunize a small proportion of individuals from the whole network to control the diffusion process. Various strategies have emerged over the years suggesting different ways to immunize nodes in networks with overlapping and non-overlapping community structure. We first discuss stochastic strategies that require little or no information about the network topology at the expense of their performance. Then, we introduce deterministic strategies that have proven to be very efficient in controlling the epidemic outbreaks, but require complete knowledge of the network.
Undetectable gadolinium brain retention in individuals with an age‐dependent blood‐brain barrier breakdown in the hippocampus and mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Montagne Axel , Huuskonen Mikko T. , Rajagopal Gautham , Sweeney Melanie D. , Nation Daniel A. , Sepehrband Farshid , D'Orazio Lina M. , Harrington Michael G. , Chui Helena C. , Law Meng , Toga Arthur W. , Zlokovic Berislav V.
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Blood‐brain barrier (BBB) breakdown is an early independent biomarker of human cognitive dysfunction, as found using gadolinium (Gd) as a contrast agent. Whether Gd accumulates in brains of individuals with an age‐dependent BBB breakdown and/or mild cognitive impairment remains unclear.

Methods

We analyzed T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from 52 older participants with BBB breakdown in the hippocampus 19‐28 months after either cyclic or linear Gd agent.

Results

There was no change in T1‐weighted signal intensity between the baseline contrast MRI and unenhanced MRI on re‐examination in any of the studied 10 brain regions with either Gd agent suggesting undetectable Gd brain retention.

Discussion

Gd does not accumulate in brains of older individuals with a BBB breakdown in the hippocampus. Thus, Gd agents can be used without risk of brain retention within a ∼2‐year follow‐up to study BBB in the aging human brain in relation to cognition and/or other pathologies.
Apprenticeships as the answer to closing the cyber skills gap
Authors: Thompson Steve
Published: December 2019

It's become increasingly accepted that the cyber security landscape has become more and more hostile in recent years. Even with the most rose-tinted view of the situation, it's clear that both the volume and sophistication of cyberthreats has continued to climb.

Companies have become increasingly aware of the damage that cyber attacks can inflict. But this doesn't always translate into the organisation taking the right action.

The focus still tends to fall on the technical aspect of security, overlooking the issue of security skills. Apprenticeships can enable organisations to quickly acquire essential capabilities by upskilling their existing personnel and taking on new candidates to train up. With the cyber landscape getting more hostile, now is the time to explore new options for improving defences, says Steve Thompson of Raytheon Professional Services.
Editorial
Authors: Mansfield-Devine Steve
Published: December 2019

If you ever need an example of how cyber security technology is a two-edged sword, you need look no further than Israeli security company NSO Group. Depending on what you choose to believe, it is either enabling repressive regimes to subjugate their citizens or is empowering law enforcement to combat terrorists, paedophiles and other existential threats to society. Maybe both.
Why it's time for MSPs to sharpen their security focus
Authors: Brown Tim
Published: December 2019

When huge businesses, government offices and even entire towns fall victim to data breaches, hacks and ransomware, it tends to grab the headlines. What these headlines miss is that smaller businesses are far more vulnerable to these attacks. Last year, a Ponemon Institute study on the state of cyber security found that 70% of small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) experience cyber attack attempts. 1, 2 And despite SMBs facing the same level of threat as big enterprises, over 50% don't know how to protect their businesses.

Small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) are susceptible to cyber attacks because they don't have in-house expertise and they lack the deep pockets that could buy the tools and skills to protect themselves.

While SMBs may feel helpless in the face of ever-more-sophisticated cyberthreats, the good news is that these companies are not alone. Just as they rely on their managed service provider (MSP) partners for their IT needs, they can also turn to MSPs to make sure their IT estates are secure. All MSPs have insight and knowledge on security, argues Tim Brown of SolarWinds MSP.
Why enterprises need to adopt ‘need-to-know’ security
Authors: Rangel Aaron
Published: December 2019

A host of different cyber attacks – including phishing and ransomware, advanced persistent threats conducted by nation-state actors, zero-day exploits and more – are forcing security professionals to bring their ‘A game’ to work every day. In addition to these attacks, information security professionals must manage information in compliance with data privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or else face stiff fines. Massive data breaches and large penalties imposed by regulatory bodies show no signs of abating and continue to make headlines across the world.

To thwart new attacks and prevent breaches, you need to develop a new mindset that challenges the status quo and nurtures new ways of thinking, especially when it comes to protecting information assets.

Traditional approaches are being rendered ineffective by social engineering attacks, globalisation and the Internet of Things. In the face of these and other challenges, a multipronged approach with a ‘need-to-know’-based security model at the foundation is an effective strategy to secure enterprise information and prevent a breach, explains Aaron Rangel of iManage.
T2 Hypointensity Aids in the Diagnosis of Intracranial Metastatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Faiz Khunsa , Botsford Alex , Sinha Namita , Walling Simon , Shankar Jai Jai Shiva
Published: December 2019

Background:

The T2 hypointensity has been suggested to be associated with intracranial metastatic adenocarcinomas (IMA). The purpose of our study was to determine the association of T2 hypointensity with IMA.

Methods:

All patients with pathologically confirmed metastatic brain tumors who had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at our institution in the last 10 years were retrospectively assessed. Qualitative assessment of the lesions on MRI was done by two separate readers who were blinded to the pathological diagnosis. For qualitative assessment, the T2 hypointensity in the lesion was compared with the contralateral normal appearing white matter. Odds ratio, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated.

Results:

Of 107 patients with intracranial metastasis, only 73 (40 females; 33 males; mean age 61 years) had MRI available for review. Of these, only 46 (25 females; 21 males; mean age 61 years) had pathologically proven IMA. T2 hypointensity was seen in 20% of IMA. The odds ratio of T2 hypointensity in IMA was 3 compared to nonadenocarcinomas but was not statistically significant (p = 0.16). Intralesional hemorrhage was seen in 20. When controlled for hemorrhage, the odds ratio for T2 hypointensity in IMA was 4.7. The specificity, sensitivity, PPV, and NPV for T2 hypointensity to diagnose IMA were 92%, 19%, 81%, and 40%, respectively.

Conclusion:

T2 hypointensity was seen only in 20% of IMA with an odds ratio of 4.7. T2 hypointensity showed a high specificity and PPV for diagnosis of IMA.
Maintaining Social Stability without Solving Problems: Emotional Repression in the Chinese Petition System
Authors: Hou Rui
Published: December 2019

What role do emotions play in state repression? Building upon ethnographic observation in one Beijing petition bureau, this paper explores the emotional labour performed by grassroots officials to demobilize social dissent. The petition system serves as an official channel through which the Chinese government receives complaints and grievances from citizens. Notwithstanding its institutional inefficiency in addressing petitioners’ requirements, this system plays a critical role in maintaining social stability. I investigate the process by which frontline petition officials manage petitions. I argue that channelling petitioners’ emotions has become one of these officials’ core functions. Petition officials have developed three types of emotional strategies – emotional defusing, emotional constraint and emotional reshaping – to absorb petitioners’ complaints. This study of emotional repression offers a fresh perspective on the affective dimension of contentious politics and also contributes to the theoretical discussion on how authoritarian regimes deal with dissent.
Dimensions of adversity in association with adolescents’ depression symptoms: Distinct moderating roles of cognitive and autonomic function
Authors: Vaughn-Coaxum Rachel A. , Dhawan Neha , Sheridan Margaret A. , Hart Mackenzie J. , Weisz John R.
Published: December 2019

Exposure to adverse events is prevalent among youths and robustly associated with risk for depression, particularly during adolescence. The Dimensional Model of Adversity and Psychopathology (DMAP) distinguishes between adverse events that expose youths to deprivation versus threat, positing unique mechanisms of risk (cognitive functioning deficits for deprivation, and altered fear and emotion learning for threat) that may require different approaches to intervention. We examined whether deprivation and threat were distinctly associated with behavioral measures of cognitive processes and autonomic nervous system function in relation to depression symptom severity in a community sample of early adolescents (n= 117; mean age 12.73 years; 54.7% male). Consistent with DMAP, associations between threat and depression symptoms, and between economic deprivation and depression symptoms, were distinctly moderated by physiological and cognitive functions, respectively, at baseline but not follow-up. Under conditions of greater cognitive inhibition, less exposure to deprivation was associated with lower symptom severity. Under conditions of blunted resting-state autonomic response (electrodermal activity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia), greater exposure to threat was associated with higher symptom severity. Our findings support the view that understanding risk for youth depression requires parsing adversity: examining distinct roles played by deprivation and threat, and the associated cognitive and biological processes.
Semi-analytical solution of a McKean–Vlasov equation with feedback through hitting a boundary
Authors: LIPTON ALEXANDER , KAUSHANSKY VADIM , REISINGER CHRISTOPH
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we study the nonlinear diffusion equation associated with a particle system where the common drift depends on the rate of absorption of particles at a boundary. We provide an interpretation of this equation, which is also related to the supercooled Stefan problem, as a structural credit risk model with default contagion in a large interconnected banking system. Using the method of heat potentials, we derive a coupled system of Volterra integral equations for the transition density and for the loss through absorption. An approximation by expansion is given for a small interaction parameter. We also present a numerical solution algorithm and conduct computational tests.
A large ventricular fibroma requiring surgical resection in a symptomatic 3-month-old infant
Authors: Marshall Anderson S. , Dabal Robert J. , Law Mark A.
Published: December 2019

Cardiac Fibromas are primary cardiac tumours more common in children than in adults. Surgical intervention is often not required except in the case of limited cardiac output or significant arrhythmia burden. We present a symptomatic 3-month-old infant who had successful surgical intervention for a giant right ventricle fibroma found on prenatal imaging.
Professors’ Politics and Their Appeal as Instructors
Authors: Giersch Jason
Published: December 2019

As more universities view students as customers and as more critics accuse universities of political bias, it is important to learn how students respond to professors’ politics. Does a politically active professor make a course more or less appealing? In this experiment, I randomly presented descriptions of course instructors to current university students and asked them to describe their appeal. Subjects expressed greater interest in professors who were politically ambiguous or whose politics matched their own. Conservative professors were more polarizing than liberal professors, and liberal students rejected conservative professors more than they preferred liberal professors. Based on these results, political neutrality is the safest bet for attracting a broad set of students, especially when a professor is conservative.
The effectiveness of Nurture and Play: a mentalisation-based parenting group intervention for prenatally depressed mothers
Authors: Salo S.J. , Flykt M. , Mäkelä J. , Biringen Z. , Kalland M. , Pajulo M. , Punamäki R.L.
Published: December 2019

Aim:

This randomised control trial (RCT) study examined the effectiveness of a mentalisation-based perinatal group intervention, Nurture and Play (NaP), in improving mother–infant interaction quality and maternal reflective functioning and in decreasing depressive symptoms.

Background:

Few preventive prenatal interventions have been developed for primary health care settings for mothers with depressive symptoms. Furthermore, previous prenatal intervention studies have only concentrated on reducing depressive symptoms and have not directly addressed enhancing optimal parenting qualities.

Methods:

The participants were 45 pregnant women with depressive symptoms. Women in the randomly assigned intervention group (n= 24) participated in the manualised, short-term NaP intervention group from pregnancy until the baby’s age of seven months, whereas control group women received treatment as usual (TAU). Maternal emotional availability (EA), reflective functioning (RF) and depressive symptoms were measured before the intervention and at the infants’ 12 months of age, and changes were evaluated using repeated measure analyses of variances (ANOVAs).

Findings:

The results showed that the intervention group displayed higher maternal sensitivity and RF and more reduction in depressive symptoms than the control group when babies were 12 months old. These findings provide preliminary support for the effectiveness of the NaP intervention.
An Alternative Form of Women's Political Representation:Netto, a Proactive Women's Party in Japan
Authors: Shin Ki-Young
Published: December 2019

This article examines a Japanese local party,Netto, as a new type of women's party. TheNettois defined as a “proactive women's party” to illustrate how it is different not only from conventional political parties but also from parties organized to promote feminist platforms. The JapaneseNettois a women-dominated party in which women constitute the majority of members and candidates, as well as party leadership. The party platform prioritizes practical women's interests such as safe food and child-rearing over women's labor or feminist issues. The gendered characteristics ofNettoappeal to middle-class housewives and mothers, facilitating the electoral success of the party in urban areas. The party's notable features, such as rotation of deputies, term limits, donation of deputy salary, and volunteerism, distinguishNettofrom conventional political parties. As such, the party provides an alternative model of political representation. TheNettoparty illustrates that not all women's parties use a feminist platform, but they still play an important role in changing male-dominated electoral politics.
All Sins are not Created Equal: The Factors that Drive Perceptions of Corruption Severity
Authors: Martin Lucy E. S.
Published: December 2019

Despite corruption’s effects on citizen welfare, there is substantial variation in when citizens are willing to sanction government wrongdoing. This paper uses a conjoint survey experiment, conducted in Uganda, to test how information about the position a corrupt official holds, and the details of an act of embezzlement affect citizens’ perceptions of corruption severity and willingness to punish. I find that the revenue source of stolen funds and the sector to which the funds had been allocated have the largest impact on perceived severity, followed by whether stolen funds are spent privately or recirculated through patronage or clientelism. The position the corrupt official holds has a smaller impact on severity, including whether the official was elected and whether he was a central or local official.