bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating changes in salivary oxytocin and cortisol following positive reinforcement training in two adult male western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Authors: Leeds Austin , Good Julie , Schook Mandi W. , Dennis Patricia M. , Stoinski Tara S. , Willis Mark A. , Lukas Kristen E.
Published: November 2019

Positive reinforcement training (PRT) is associated with increases in species‐typical behavior and decreases in stereotypic and abnormal behavior in participating animals. Physiological changes following PRT, for example, increases in oxytocin (OXT) and/or decreases in cortisol (CORT), may facilitate these behavioral changes. This study evaluated salivary OXT and salivary CORT concentrations in two adult male western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) following PRT with their primary animal care staff. Following PRT, no change in OXT was observed. CORT decreased in one subject following PRT. Changes in endogenous OXT are related to affiliative interactions and interact with strongly bonded conspecifics. PRT may not activate the oxytocinergic system because PRT is not a species‐specific affiliative interaction and/or animal care staff are not viewed as conspecifics. Regardless, PRT may still be viewed as a positive interaction resulting in stress reduction via a decrease in CORT. Relationships are unique, thus these results only apply to these two gorillas and one animal caregiver. Larger population‐level studies are needed to understand overall trends in human–animal interactions, and ultimately human–animal relationships. Further evaluation of physiological changes following human–animal interactions should be informative for understanding the human–animal relationship in zoos.
Graded quivers, generalized dimer models and toric geometry
Authors: Franco Sebastían , Hasan Azeem
Published: November 2019

Abstract

The open string sector of the topological B-model on CY (m + 2)-folds is de- scribed by m-graded quivers with superpotentials. This correspondence extends to general m the well known connection between CY (m + 2)-folds and gauge theories on the world- volume of D(5 − 2m)-branes for m = 0, …, 3. We introduce m-dimers, which fully encode the m-graded quivers and their superpotentials, in the case in which the CY (m + 2)-folds are toric. Generalizing the well known m = 1, 2 cases, m-dimers significantly simplify the connection between geometry and m-graded quivers. A key result of this paper is the generalization of the concept of perfect matching, which plays a central role in this map, to arbitrary m. We also introduce a simplified algorithm for the computation of perfect matchings, which generalizes the Kasteleyn matrix approach to any m. We illustrate these new tools with a few infinite families of CY singularities.
Dieback and expansions: species-specific responses during 20 years of amplified warming in the high Alps
Authors: Steinbauer Klaus , Lamprecht Andrea , Semenchuk Philipp , Winkler Manuela , Pauli Harald
Published: November 2019

The largest alpine–nival vegetation permanent plot site in the Alps, the GLORIA mastersite Schrankogel (Tirol, Austria), provided evidence of warming-driven vegetation changes already 10 years after its establishment in 1994. Another decade later, in 2014, substantial compositional changes with increasing ratios of warmth-demanding to cold-adapted species have been found. The current study deals with species-specific responses involved in an ongoing vegetation transformation across the alpine–nival ecotone on Schrankogel by using presence/absence as well as cover data from permanent plots, situated between 2900 and 3400 masl. The number of occupied plots per species remained constant or even increased during the first decade, whereas disappearance events became more frequent during the second one, especially for cold-adapted specialists (subnival–nival species). Remarkably, the latter was accompanied by continued strong losses in cover of all subnival–nival species. These losses were more frequent in plots with a more thermophilous species composition, suggesting an increasing maladaptation of subnival–nival species to warmer habitat conditions and a successive trailing-edge decline. Several species with a distribution centre at lower elevations (alpine–subnival) markedly increased in cover, comparatively more so in colder plots, indicating a leading-edge expansion. Moreover, our findings show an increase in occupied plots and cover of almost all snowbed species, suggesting that areas previously with a too long snowpack period are now becoming suitable snowbed habitats. Vegetation gaps arising from population dieback of cold-adapted species, however, could only be partly filled by advancing species, indicating that species declines have occurred already before the onset of strong competition pressure.
Energy Consumption, Carbon Emissions and Global Warming Potential of Wolfberry Production in Jingtai Oasis, Gansu Province, China
Authors: Wang Yaolin , Ma Quanlin , Li Yingke , Sun Tao , Jin Hujia , Zhao Chuanyan , Milne Eleanor , Easter Mark , Paustian Keith , Yong Hoi Wen Au , McDonagh John
Published: November 2019

During the last decade, China's agro-food production has increased rapidly and been accompanied by the challenge of increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other environmental pollutants from fertilizers, pesticides, and intensive energy use. Understanding the energy use and environmental impacts of crop production will help identify environmentally damaging hotspots of agro-production, allowing environmental impacts to be assessed and crop management strategies optimized. Conventional farming has been widely employed in wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) cultivation in China, which is an important cash tree crop not only for the rural economy but also from an ecological standpoint. Energy use and global warming potential (GWP) were investigated in a wolfberry production system in the Yellow River irrigated Jingtai region of Gansu. In total, 52 household farms were randomly selected to conduct the investigation using questionnaires. Total energy input and output were 321,800.73 and 166,888.80 MJ ha−1, respectively, in the production system. The highest share of energy inputs was found to be electricity consumption for lifting irrigation water, accounting for 68.52%, followed by chemical fertilizer application (11.37%). Energy use efficiency was 0.52 when considering both fruit and pruned wood. Nonrenewable energy use (88.52%) was far larger than the renewable energy input. The share of GWP of different inputs were 64.52% electricity, 27.72% nitrogen (N) fertilizer, 5.07% phosphate, 2.32% diesel, and 0.37% potassium, respectively. The highest share was related to electricity consumption for irrigation, followed by N fertilizer use. Total GWP in the wolfberry planting system was 26,018.64 kg CO2 eq ha−1 and the share of CO2, N2O, and CH4 were 99.47%, 0.48%, and negligible respectively with CO2 being dominant. Pathways for reducing energy use and GHG emission mitigation include: conversion to low carbon farming to establish a sustainable and cleaner production system with options of raising water use efficiency by adopting a seasonal gradient water pricing system and advanced irrigation techniques; reducing synthetic fertilizer use; and policy support: smallholder farmland transfer (concentration) for scale production, credit (small- and low-interest credit) and tax breaks.
Long‐Term and Oncologic Outcomes of Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Liver Resection for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter, Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: Beard Rachel E. , Khan Sidrah , Troisi Roberto I. , Montalti Roberto , Vanlander Aude , Fong Yuman , Kingham T. Peter , Boerner Thomas , Berber Eren , Kahramangil Bora , Buell Joseph F. , Martinie John B. , Vrochides Dionisios , Shen Chengli , Molinari Michele , Geller David A. , Tsung Allan
Published: November 2019

Background

To assess long‐term oncologic outcomes of robotic‐assisted liver resection (RLR) for colorectal cancer (CRC) metastases as compared to a propensity‐matched cohort of laparoscopic liver resections (LLR). Although safety and short‐term outcomes of RLR have been described and previously compared to LLR, long‐term and oncologic data are lacking.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed of all patients who underwent RLR and LLR for CRC metastases at six high‐volume centers in the USA and Europe between 2002 and 2017. Propensity matching was used to match baseline characteristics between the two groups. Data were analyzed with a focus on postoperative and oncologic outcomes, as well as long‐term recurrence and survival.

Results

RLR was performed in 115 patients, and 514 patients underwent LLR. Following propensity matching 115 patients in each cohort were compared. Perioperative outcomes including mortality, morbidity, reoperation, readmission, intensive care requirement, length‐of‐stay and margin status were not statistically different. Both prematching and postmatching analyses demonstrated similar overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) between RLR and LLR at 5 years (61 vs. 60% OS, p = 0.87, and 38 vs. 31% DFS, p = 0.25, prematching; 61 vs. 60% OS, p = 0.78, and 38 vs. 44% DFS, p = 0.62, postmatching).

Conclusions

Propensity score matching with a large, multicenter database demonstrates that RLR for colorectal metastases is feasible and safe, with perioperative and long‐term oncologic outcomes and survival that are largely comparable to LLR.
Saint-Venant torsion of non-homogeneous orthotropic circular cylinder
Authors: Ecsedi István , Baksa Attila
Published: November 2019

The object of this paper is the Saint-Venant torsion of a radially non-homogeneous, hollow and solid circular cylinder made of orthotropic piezoelectric material. The elastic stiffness coefficients, piezoelectric constants and dielectric constants have only radial dependence. This paper gives the solution of the Saint-Venant torsion problem for torsion function, electric potential function, Prandtl’s stress function and electric displacement potential function.
Evaluation of Genomic Selection for Seven Economic Traits in Yellow Drum (Nibea albiflora)
Authors: Liu Guijia , Dong Linsong , Gu Linlin , Han Zhaofang , Zhang Wenjing , Fang Ming , Wang Zhiyong
Published: November 2019

Yellow drum (Nibea albiflora) is an important maricultural fish in China, and genetic improvement is necessary for this species. This research evaluated the application of genomic selection methods to predict the genetic values of seven economic traits for yellow drum. Using genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we estimated the genetic parameters for seven traits, including body length (BL), swimming bladder index (SBI), swimming bladder weight (SBW), body thickness (BT), body height (BH), body length/body height ratio (LHR), and gonad weight index (GWI). The heritability estimates ranged from 0.309 to 0.843. We evaluated the prediction performance of various statistical methods, and no one method provided the highest predictive ability for all traits. We then evaluated and compared the use of genome-wide association study (GWAS)–informative SNPs and random SNPs for prediction and found that GWAS-informative SNPs obviously increased. It only needed 5 and 100 informative SNPs for LHR and BT to achieve almost the same predictive abilities as using genome-wide SNPs, and for BL, SBI, SBW, BH, and GWI, about 1000 to 3000 informative SNPs were needed to achieve whole-genome level predictive abilities. It can be concluded from the test results that breeders can use fewer SNPs to save the breeding costs of genomic selection for some traits.
Spoilage and Squatting: A Lockean Argument
Authors: Harding Eloise
Published: November 2019

John Locke is generally seen as an unequivocal defender of private property. However, taken normatively, certain aspects of his argument leave room for interesting loopholes with relevance to some of today’s social and political crises. This paper focuses largely on the spoilage proviso—in which Locke warns against appropriating more than one can make use of—and its possible application to abandoned buildings and the potential for legitimate productive use to be made of them by people other than the legal owner. Using two case studies in which squatters have actively reversed the dereliction of abandoned buildings, this article aims to build a defence of certain types of squatting based on the limitations Locke has placed on the appropriation and (by some readings) the retention of property.
Comparison of radical-driven technologies applied for paraben mixture degradation: mechanism, biodegradability, toxicity and cost assessment
Authors: Gmurek Marta , Gomes João F. , Martins Rui C. , Quinta-Ferreira Rosa M.
Published: November 2019

Parabens (esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid) are xenobiosis belonging to endocrine disruptors and commonly used as a preservative in cosmetics, food, pharmaceutical, and personal care products. Their wide use is leading to their appearance in water and wastewater in the range from ng/L to mg/L. In fact, the toxicity of benzylparaben is comparable to bisphenol A. Therefore, it is important to find not only effective but also ecofriendly methods for their removal from aqueous environment since the traditional wastewater treatment approaches are ineffective. Herein, for the first time, such extended comparison of several radical-driven technologies for paraben mixture degradation is presented. The detailed evaluation included (1) comparison of ozone and hydroxyl peroxide processes; (2) comparison of catalytic and photocatalytic processes (including photocatalytic ozonation); (3) characterisation of catalysts using SEM, XRD, DRS, XPS techniques and BET isotherm; (4) mineralisation, biodegradability and toxicity assessment; and (5) cost assessment. O3, H2O2/Fe2+, H2O2/UVC, O3/H2O2, O3/UVA, O3/H2O2/UVA, UVA/catalyst, O3/catalyst and O3/UVA/catalyst were selected from advanced oxidation processes to degrade parabens as well as to decrease its toxicity towards Aliivibrio fischeri, Corbicula fluminea and Lepidium sativum. Research was focused on the photocatalytic process involving visible light (UVA and natural sunlight) and TiO2 catalysts modified by different metals (Ag, Pt, Pd, Au). Photocatalytic oxidation showed the lowest efficiency, while in combining ozone with catalysis and photocatalysis process, degradation efficiency and toxicity removal were improved. Photocatalytic ozonation slightly improved degradation efficiency but appreciably decreased transferred ozone dose (TOD). Results indicate that the degradation pathway is different, or different transformation products (TPs) could be formed, despite that the hydroxyl radicals are the main oxidant.
Novel Echocardiographic Biomarkers in the Management of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Gumprecht Jakub , Szulik Mariola , Domek Magdalena , Mazurek Michał , Shantsila Alena , Oxborough David , Lip Gregory Y. H.
Published: November 2019

Purpose of Review

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in adults. The number of patients with AF is anticipated to increase annually, mainly due to the aging population alongside improved arrhythmia detection. AF is associated with a significantly elevated risk of hospitalization, stroke, thromboembolism, heart failure, and all-cause mortality. Echocardiography is one of the key components of routine assessment and management of AF. Therefore, the aim of this review is to briefly summarize current knowledge on “novel” echocardiographic parameters that may be of value in the management of AF patients.

Recent Findings

Novel echocardiographic biomarkers and their clinical application related to the management of AF have been taken into consideration. Both standard parameters such as atrial size and volume but also novels like atrial strain and tissue Doppler techniques have been analyzed.

A number of novel echocardiographic parameters have been proven to enable early detection of left atrial dysfunction along with increased diagnosis accuracy. This concerns particularly experienced echocardiographers. Hence, these techniques might improve the prediction of stroke and thromboembolic events among AF patients and need to be further developed and disseminated. Nonetheless, even the standard imaging parameters could be of significant value and should not be discontinued in everyday clinical practice.
Immunotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Present and Future
Authors: Kim Isaac , Sanchez Katherine , McArthur Heather L. , Page David
Published: November 2019

Purpose of Review

Immunotherapy is emerging as an effective treatment option for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. In this review, we summarize clinical data of immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer and comment on future directions in the field.

Recent Findings

IMpassion130 was a phase III trial that demonstrated progression-free survival benefit, and potentially overall survival benefit, of first-line chemotherapy (nab-paclitaxel) plus anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) atezolizumab, among PD-L1-positive metastatic triple-negative breast cancers. Studies are ongoing to evaluate other combination therapies with immune checkpoint blockade in TNBC, and to evaluate efficacy in PD-L1-negative tumors and in later lines of therapy.

Immunotherapy is now a standard option in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Ongoing trials may expand the degree of clinical benefit. Further work is ongoing to identify novel predictive biomarkers, which in the future may enable a personalized approach of combination immunotherapy.
Integrative concepts and practices of health in transdisciplinary social ecology
Authors: Assmuth Timo , Chen Xianwen , Degeling Christopher , Haahtela Tari , Irvine Katherine N. , Keune Hans , Kock Richard , Rantala Salla , Rüegg Simon , Vikström Suvi
Published: November 2019

Increasing recognition of interdependencies of the health of humans, other organisms and ecosystems, and of their importance to socio-ecological systems, necessitates application of integrative concepts such as One Health and EcoHealth. These concepts open new perspectives for research and practice but also generate confusion and divergent opinion, prompting new theories, and call for empirical clarification and evaluation. Through a semi-systematic evaluation of knowledge generation in scientific publications (comprised of literature reviews, conceptual models and analyses of communities of practice), we show how integrative concepts and approaches to health evolve and are adopted. Our findings indicate that while their contexts, goals and rationales vary, integrative concepts of health essentially arise from shared interests in living systems. Despite recent increased attention to ecological and societal aspects of health including broader sustainability issues, the focus remains anthropocentric and oriented towards biomedicine. Practices reflect and in turn transform these concepts, which together with practices also influence ways of integration. Overarching narratives vary between optimism and pessimism towards integrated health and knowledge. We conclude that there is an urgent need for better, coherent and more deeply integrative health concepts, approaches and practices to foster the well-being of humans, other animals and ecosystems. Consideration of these concepts and practices has methodological and political importance, as it will transform thinking and action on both society and nature and specifically can enrich science and practice, expanding their scope and linking them better. Transdisciplinary efforts are crucial to developing such concepts and practices to properly address the multiple facets of health and to achieve their appropriate integration for the socio-ecological systems at stake. We propose the term “transdisciplinary health” to denote the new approaches needed.
Mandatory versus Discretionary Rule Dichotomy in the Harmonization of Corporate Governance Codes: Lessons for Nigeria
Authors: Ajibo Collins C , Ajibo Kenneth I
Published: November 2019

Harmonizing corporate governance systems can potentially level the playing field for businesses, as it would increase financial and economic interconnections, including market integration, between countries. Although harmonization at the regional level such as the EU seems challenging because systems are so diverse, the reverse is the case at the national level. A critical issue in the harmonization effort is whether to adopt the “comply or explain” approach or the mandatory compliance approach. Although mandatory compliance is necessary in certain circumstances, particularly in cases of corporate pseudo-reporting that occasions corporate failures, the predominant approach involves “comply or explain”. Given competing interests in the business community, the inclination for flexibility and the regulatory authority's disposition for an oversight function, this article argues that a hybrid approach should be followed, which will internalize the merits of both the “comply or explain” and mandatory compliance approaches while eschewing their disadvantages.
Biomarkers of fitness and welfare in dairy animals: healthy living
Authors: de Almeida André M. , Zachut Maya , Hernández-Castellano Lorenzo E. , Šperanda Marcela , Gabai Gianfranco , Mobasheri Ali
Published: November 2019

Increased animal productivity has reduced animal fitness, resulting in increased susceptibility to infectious and metabolic diseases, locomotion problems and subfertility. Future animal breeding strategies should focus on balancing high production levels with health status monitoring and improved welfare. Additionally, understanding how animals interact with their internal and external environment is essential for improving health, fitness, and welfare. In this context, the continuous validation of existing biomarkers and the discovery and field implementation of new biomarkers will enable us to understand the specific physiological process and regulatory mechanisms used by the organism to adapt to different environmental conditions. Thus, biomarkers may be used to monitor welfare and improve management and breeding strategies. In this article, we describe major achievements in the establishment of biomarkers in dairy cows and small ruminants. This review mainly focuses on the physiological biomarkers used to monitor animal responses to, and recovery from, environmental perturbations. We highlight future avenues for research in this field and present a timely positioning document to the scientific community.
A needed amendment that explains too much and resolves little
Authors: Tasic Slavisa , Buturovic Zeljka
Published: November 2019

Baumard's application of Life History Theory to explain the origins of economic growth is a needed amendment to incentive-based explanations of modern economics. However, even though it is grounded in evolution, the theory does not do enough to specify the relevant evolutionary mechanisms. As such, it accommodates too many alternative historic scenarios, yet remains unable to explain divergent regional patterns of economic growth.
Using big data to map the relationship between time perspectives and economic outputs
Authors: Olivola Christopher Y. , Moat Helen Susannah , Preis Tobias
Published: November 2019

Recent studies have shown that population-level time perspectives can be approximated using “big data” on search engine queries, and that these indices, in turn, predict the per-capita Gross Domestic Product of countries. Although these findings seem to support Baumard's suggestion that affluence makes people more future-oriented, they also reveal a more complex relationship between time perspectives and economic outputs.
A claim for cognitive history
Authors: Cowles Henry M. , Kreiner Jamie
Published: November 2019

History is a potential tool for cognitive scientists interested in metacognitive categories like “creativity” and “innovation.” As a way of thinking, history suggests alternative accounts of the development of innovation and growth, for example. Life History Theory is one such account, but its roots in the Industrial Revolution make it a problematic tool for telling the history of that period.
Cultural interconnectedness and in-group cooperation as sources of innovation
Authors: Dutra Natalia B.
Published: November 2019

I argue that the increased rate of innovation in eighteenth-century England cannot be understood without accounting for the unprecedented level of contact between England and other societies as a consequence of sixteenth-century colonialism. I propose cultural interconnectedness and in-group cooperation as two potential alternative explanations for the psychological changes and innovative behavior described by Baumard.
Modelling Ship Density Using a Molecular Dynamics Approach
Authors: Liu Zihao , Wu Zhaolin , Zheng Zhongyi
Published: November 2019

Ship density is widely accepted as a basic and major indicator to reflect the marine traffic situation, but it has some limitations in representing the compactness and complexity of ship traffic. To overcoming these limitations, the paper proposes a novel ship density model based on the radial distribution function in molecular dynamics. The proposed model can identify the density and compactness of traffic around each ship and then map the ship density from a microscopic perspective. In addition, the proposed model can identify the global density and the complexity of ship traffic to some extent in the macroscopic perspective. Utilising case studies, the effectiveness of the proposed model is validated through the analysis of ship density in several regions in the Bohai Strait area. The proposed model is developed to help marine surveillance operators gain a better understanding of the traffic situation and to assist them in their work, eventually contributing to navigational safety.
Exchanges of histone methylation and variants during mouse zygotic genome activation
Authors: Deng Mingtian , Chen Baobao , Liu Zifei , Cai Yu , Wan Yongjie , Zhou Jianguo , Wang Feng
Published: November 2019

Minor and major zygotic genome activation (ZGA) are crucial for preimplantation development. During this process, histone variants and methylation influence chromatin accessibility and consequently regulated the expression of zygotic genes. However, the detailed exchanges of these modifications during ZGA remain to be determined. In the present study, the epigenetic modifications of histone 3 on lysine 9 (H3K9), 27 (H3K27) and 36 (H3K36), as well as four histone variants were determined during minor and major ZGA and in post-ZGA stages of mouse embryos. Firstly, microH2A1, H3K27me3 and H3K36me3 were asymmetrically stained in the female pronucleus during minor ZGA but lost staining in major ZGA. Secondly, H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 were strongly stained in the female pronucleus, but weakly stained in the male pronucleus and disappeared after ZGA. Thirdly, H2A.Z and H3.3 were symmetrically stained in male and female pronuclei during minor ZGA. Moreover, H3K27me2 was not statistically changed during mouse early development, while H3K36me2 was only detected in 2- and 4-cell embryos. In conclusion, our data revealed dynamics of histone methylation and variants during mice ZGA and provided details of their exchange in mice embryogenesis. Moreover, we further inferred that macroH2A1, H2A.Z, H3K9me2/3 and H3K27me2/3 may play crucial roles during mouse ZGA.
Factors affecting the outcome of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation following paediatric cardiac surgery
Authors: Dohain Ahmed M. , Abdelmohsen Gaser , Elassal Ahmed A. , ElMahrouk Ahmed F. , Al-Radi Osman O.
Published: November 2019

Background:

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been widely used after paediatric cardiac surgery due to increasing complex surgical repairs in neonates and infants having complex CHDs.

Materials and methods:

We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of all patients with CHD requiring corrective or palliative cardiac surgery at King Abdulaziz University Hospital that needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support between November 2015 and November 2018.

Results:

The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation population was 30 patients, which represented 4% of 746 children who had cardiac surgery during this period. The patients’ age range was from 1 day to 20.33 years, with a median age of 6.5 months. Median weight was 5 kg (range from 2 to 53 kg). Twenty patients were successfully decannulated (66.67%), and 12 patients (40%) were survived to hospital discharge. Patients with biventricular repair tended to have better survival rate compared with those with single ventricle palliation (55.55 versus 16.66%, p-value 0.058). During the first 24 hours of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, the flow rate was significantly reduced after 4 hours of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation connection in successfully decannulated patients.

Conclusion:

Survival to hospital discharge in patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support after paediatric cardiac surgery was better in those who underwent biventricular repair than in those who had univentricular palliation. Capillary leak on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation could be a risk of mortality in patients after paediatric cardiac surgery.
Competence to stand trial and criminalization: an overview of the research
Authors: Beltrani Amanda , Zapf Patricia A.
Published: November 2019

Beginning in the 1960s, a steady decline in the number of inpatient psychiatric beds has occurred across the United States, primarily as a result of stricter civil commitment criteria and a societal movement toward deinstitutionalization. Concomitant with this decrease in psychiatric beds has been a steady increase in the number of mentally ill individuals who are arrested and processed through the criminal justice system as defendants. One consequence of this has been an explosion in the number of defendants referred for evaluations of their present mental state—adjudicative competence—and subsequently found incompetent and ordered to complete a period of competency restoration. This has resulted in forensic mental health systems that are overwhelmed by the demand for services and that are unable to meet the needs of these defendants in a timely manner. In many states, lawsuits have been brought by defendants who have had their liberties restricted as a result of lengthy confinements in jail awaiting forensic services. The stress on state-wide forensic systems has become so widespread that this has reached the level of a near-national crisis. Many states and national organizations are currently attempting to study these issues and develop creative strategies for relieving this overburdening of forensic mental health systems nationwide. The purpose of this article is to review the current state of the research on competence to stand trial and to highlight those issues that might be relevant to the issue of criminalization of individuals with mental illness in the United States.
Transitionsprozesse unterstützen
Authors: Nienaber André
Published: November 2019

Zusammenfassung. „Lost in Transition“ – so lautet der Titel eines 2008 erschienen Bildbandes des Hamburger Fotografen Peter Bialobrzeski, in dem er die Wandlungsprozesse urbaner Landstriche bzw. „Un-Orte“ in der Welt dokumentiert. Die Fotos dokumentieren sehr eindrucksvoll, wie in diesen Wandlungsprozessen die Orientierung verloren zu gehen scheint und „nichts mehr gewiss ist“ (Die Zeit, 2008). Damit zeigt er auf, dass die beiden Begriffe „Transition“ im Sinne von Wandlung oder Übergang (Bibliographisches Institut, 2015) und „Verloren-Sein“ im Sinne von Halt oder Orientierung verlieren, offenbar in einer engen Verbindung zueinanderstehen. Auch in menschlichen Biografien gibt es solche Wandlungs- oder Übergangsprozesse.
A Kinematic Model for Understanding Rain Formation Efficiency of a Convective Cell
Authors: Fu Hao , Lin Yihua
Published: November 2019

A pure theoretical investigation of convective rain formation processes and formation efficiency (FE) is performed using a kinematic one‐dimensional time‐dependent model with warm rain microphysics. FE is defined as the ratio of total cloud‐to‐rainwater conversion to total condensation. FE is a component of precipitation efficiency, which is an important but poorly understood parameter in idealized climate models. This model represents a cloud by a cylindrical thermal bubble rising at constant velocity. The model focuses on the interaction between auto‐conversion, collection, and lateral mixing about which no theory has been proposed. Taking the auto‐conversion threshold into account, a criterion for rain formation and a semianalytical approximate solution of FE are found. The auto‐conversion threshold limits the temporal and spatial extent of the “vigorous rain formation region” where most of the rain is produced. The collection and auto‐conversion compete with lateral mixing to determine the strength of rain formation within this region. The FE is predicted to be most sensitive to auto‐conversion threshold, fractional entrainment rate, and initial bubble water vapor density.
Marine Reservoir Age Variability Over the Last Deglaciation: Implications for Marine CarbonCycling and Prospects for Regional Radiocarbon Calibrations
Authors: Skinner L. C. , Muschitiello F. , Scrivner A. E.
Published: November 2019

Marine radiocarbon dates, corrected for ocean‐atmosphere reservoir age offsets (R‐ages), are widely used to constrain marine chronologies. R‐ages also represent the surface boundary condition that links the ocean interior radiocarbon distribution (i.e., “radiocarbon ventilation ages”) to the ocean's large‐scale overturning circulation. Understanding how R‐ages have varied over time is therefore essential both for accurate dating and for investigations into past ocean circulation/carbon cycle interactions. A number or recent studies have shed light on surface reservoir age changes over the last deglaciation; however, a clear picture of global/regional spatiotemporal patterns of variability has yet to emerge. Here we combine new and existing reservoir age estimates to show coherent but distinct regional reservoir age trends in the subpolar North Atlantic and Southern Ocean. It can be further shown that similar but lower amplitude changes occurred at midlatitudes in each hemisphere. An apparent link between regional patterns of reservoir age variability and the “thermal bipolar seesaw” suggests a causal link with changes in ocean circulation, mixed‐layer depth, and/or sea ice dynamics. A further link to atmospheric CO2 is also apparent and underlines a potentially dominant role for changes in the ocean's “disequilibrium carbon” pool, rather than changes in ocean transport, in deglacial CO2 change. The existence of significant R‐age variability over the last deglaciation poses a problem for marine radiocarbon age calibrations. However, its apparent regional consistency also raises the prospect of developing region‐specific marine calibration curves for radiocarbon‐dating purposes.
Geodynamic Evolution of Flat‐Slab Subduction of Paleo‐Pacific Plate: Constraints From Jurassic Adakitic Lavas in the Hailar Basin, NE China
Authors: Ji Zheng , Meng Qi‐An , Wan Chuan‐Biao , Zhu De‐Feng , Ge Wen‐Chun , Zhang Yan‐Long , Yang Hao , Dong Yu
Published: November 2019

Subduction of the Paleo‐Pacific Plate caused widespread Mesozoic magmatism, lithospheric deformation and thinning, and mineralization along the continental margin of East Asia. However, the details of this subduction process remain unclear. To investigate the regional geodynamic evolution and subduction processes of the Paleo‐Pacific Plate, we carried out a geochronological, geochemical, and Sr‐Nd‐Hf isotopic study of Middle‐Late Jurassic adakitic lavas in the Hailar Basin, northeast (NE) China. These rocks have relatively high Sr contents (434–877 ppm), low heavy rare earth element and Y (6.81–14.37 ppm) contents, and high Sr/Y ratios (56–83), which are characteristic of adakites. The rocks are classified into Middle Jurassic high‐K and Late Jurassic low‐K adakitic lavas. The high‐K adakitic lavas were derived by dehydration melting of thickened garnet‐bearing amphibolite‐facies lower crust. In contrast, the low‐K adakitic lavas could be considered as pristine slab‐melts that were likely generated by hydrous melting of subducted eclogitic oceanic crust, followed by limited interaction between the slab melt and peridotite as a consequence of flat‐slab subduction. Combined with previous data, our results demonstrate that the late Mesozoic magmatism in NE China records the entire temporal‐spatial evolution of subduction of the Paleo‐Pacific slab from initial shallowing of the subduction angle to flat‐slab subduction, followed by basalt‐eclogite phase transformation and finally slab rollback.
The genomic landscape of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancers reveals multiple distinct genotypes with potential clinical impact
Authors: van Dessel Lisanne F. , van Riet Job , Smits Minke , Zhu Yanyun , Hamberg Paul , van der Heijden Michiel S. , Bergman Andries M. , van Oort Inge M. , de Wit Ronald , Voest Emile E. , Steeghs Neeltje , Yamaguchi Takafumi N. , Livingstone Julie , Boutros Paul C. , Martens John W. M. , Sleijfer Stefan , Cuppen Edwin , Zwart Wilbert , van de Werken Harmen J. G. , Mehra Niven , Lolkema Martijn P.
Published: November 2019

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) has a highly complex genomic landscape. With the recent development of novel treatments, accurate stratification strategies are needed. Here we present the whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of fresh-frozen metastatic biopsies from 197 mCRPC patients. Using unsupervised clustering based on genomic features, we define eight distinct genomic clusters. We observe potentially clinically relevant genotypes, including microsatellite instability (MSI), homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) enriched with genomic deletions and BRCA2 aberrations, a tandem duplication genotype associated with CDK12−/− and a chromothripsis-enriched subgroup. Our data suggests that stratification on WGS characteristics may improve identification of MSI, CDK12−/− and HRD patients. From WGS and ChIP-seq data, we show the potential relevance of recurrent alterations in non-coding regions identified with WGS and highlight the central role of AR signaling in tumor progression. These data underline the potential value of using WGS to accurately stratify mCRPC patients into clinically actionable subgroups.
Author Correction: The choroid plexus is an important circadian clock component
Authors: Myung Jihwan , Schmal Christoph , Hong Sungho , Tsukizawa Yoshiaki , Rose Pia , Zhang Yong , Holtzman Michael J. , De Schutter Erik , Herzel Hanspeter , Bordyugov Grigory , Takumi Toru
Published: November 2019

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Pathways to cellular supremacy in biocomputing
Authors: Grozinger Lewis , Amos Martyn , Gorochowski Thomas E. , Carbonell Pablo , Oyarzún Diego A. , Stoof Ruud , Fellermann Harold , Zuliani Paolo , Tas Huseyin , Goñi-Moreno Angel
Published: November 2019

Synthetic biology uses living cells as the substrate for performing human-defined computations. Many current implementations of cellular computing are based on the “genetic circuit” metaphor, an approximation of the operation of silicon-based computers. Although this conceptual mapping has been relatively successful, we argue that it fundamentally limits the types of computation that may be engineered inside the cell, and fails to exploit the rich and diverse functionality available in natural living systems. We propose the notion of “cellular supremacy” to focus attention on domains in which biocomputing might offer superior performance over traditional computers. We consider potential pathways toward cellular supremacy, and suggest application areas in which it may be found.
Chaperone-mediated ordered assembly of the SAGA and NuA4 transcription co-activator complexes in yeast
Authors: Elías-Villalobos Alberto , Toullec Damien , Faux Céline , Séveno Martial , Helmlinger Dominique
Published: November 2019

Transcription initiation involves the coordinated activities of large multimeric complexes, but little is known about their biogenesis. Here we report several principles underlying the assembly and topological organization of the highly conserved SAGA and NuA4 co-activator complexes, which share the Tra1 subunit. We show that Tra1 contributes to the overall integrity of NuA4, whereas, within SAGA, it specifically controls the incorporation of the de-ubiquitination module (DUB), as part of an ordered assembly pathway. Biochemical and functional analyses reveal the mechanism by which Tra1 specifically interacts with either SAGA or NuA4. Finally, we demonstrate that Hsp90 and its cochaperone TTT promote Tra1 de novo incorporation into both complexes, indicating that Tra1, the sole pseudokinase of the PIKK family, shares a dedicated chaperone machinery with its cognate kinases. Overall, our work brings mechanistic insights into the assembly of transcriptional complexes and reveals the contribution of dedicated chaperones to this process.
Collective dynamics of strain-coupled nanomechanical pillar resonators
Authors: Doster J. , Hoenl S. , Lorenz H. , Paulitschke P. , Weig E. M.
Published: November 2019

Semiconductur nano- and micropillars represent a promising platform for hybrid nanodevices. Their ability to couple to a broad variety of nanomechanical, acoustic, charge, spin, excitonic, polaritonic, or electromagnetic excitations is utilized in fields as diverse as force sensing or optoelectronics. In order to fully exploit the potential of these versatile systems e.g. for metamaterials, synchronization or topologically protected devices an intrinsic coupling mechanism between individual pillars needs to be established. This can be accomplished by taking advantage of the strain field induced by the flexural modes of the pillars. Here, we demonstrate strain-induced, strong coupling between two adjacent nanomechanical pillar resonators. Both mode hybridization and the formation of an avoided level crossing in the response of the nanopillar pair are experimentally observed. The described coupling mechanism is readily scalable, enabling hybrid nanomechanical resonator networks for the investigation of a broad range of collective dynamical phenomena.
Author Correction: The rapid electrochemical activation of MoTe2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: McGlynn Jessica C. , Dankwort Torben , Kienle Lorenz , Bandeira Nuno A. G. , Fraser James P. , Gibson Emma K. , Cascallana-Matías Irene , Kamarás Katalin , Symes Mark D. , Miras Haralampos N. , Ganin Alexey Y.
Published: November 2019

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Immunization with recombinant enolase of Sporothrix spp. (rSsEno) confers effective protection against sporotrichosis in mice
Authors: Portuondo Deivys Leandro , Dores-Silva Paulo Roberto , Ferreira Lucas Souza , de Oliveira Carlos S. , Téllez-Martínez Damiana , Marcos Caroline Maria , de Aguiar Loesch Maria Luiza , Guzmán Fanny , Gava Lisandra M. , Borges Júlio César , Pereira Sandro Antonio , Batista-Duharte Alexander , Carlos Iracilda Zeppone
Published: November 2019

In recent years, research has focused on the immunoreactive components of the Sporothrix schenckii cell wall that can be relevant targets for preventive and therapeutic vaccines against sporotrichosis, an emergent worldwide mycosis. In a previous study, we identified a 47-kDa enolase as an immunodominant antigen in mice vaccinated with an adjuvanted mixture of S. schenckii cell wall proteins. Here, we sought to assess the protective potential of a Sporothrix spp. recombinant enolase (rSsEno) formulated with or without the adjuvant Montanide Pet-GelA (PGA) against the S. brasiliensis infection in mice. Mice that were immunized with rSsEno plus PGA showed increased antibody titters against rSsEno and increased median survival time when challenged with S. brasiliensis as compared with mice that had not been immunized or that were immunized with rSsEno alone. Immunization with rSsEno plus PGA induced a predominantly T-helper 1 cytokine pattern after in vitro stimulation of splenic cells with rSsEno: elevated levels of IFN-γ and IL-2, as well as of other cytokines involved in host defense against sporotrichosis, such as TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-4. Furthermore, we show for the first time the presence of enolase in the cell wall of both S. schenckii and S. brasiliensis. As a whole, our results suggest that enolase could be used as a potential antigenic target for vaccinal purposes against sporotrichosis.
Altered lignocellulose chemical structure and molecular assembly in CINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE-deficient rice
Authors: Martin Andri Fadillah , Tobimatsu Yuki , Kusumi Ryosuke , Matsumoto Naoyuki , Miyamoto Takuji , Lam Pui Ying , Yamamura Masaomi , Koshiba Taichi , Sakamoto Masahiro , Umezawa Toshiaki
Published: November 2019

Lignin is a complex phenylpropanoid polymer deposited in plant cell walls. Lignin has long been recognized as an important limiting factor for the polysaccharide-oriented biomass utilizations. To mitigate lignin-associated biomass recalcitrance, numerous mutants and transgenic plants that produce lignocellulose with reduced lignin contents and/or lignins with altered chemical structures have been produced and characterised. However, it is not fully understood how altered lignin chemistry affects the supramolecular structure of lignocellulose, and consequently, its utilization properties. Herein, we conducted comprehensive chemical and supramolecular structural analyses of lignocellulose produced by a rice cad2 mutant deficient in CINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE (CAD), which encodes a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis. By using a solution-state two-dimensional NMR approach and complementary chemical methods, we elucidated the structural details of the altered lignins enriched with unusual hydroxycinnamaldehyde-derived substructures produced by the cad2 mutant. In parallel, polysaccharide assembly and the molecular mobility of lignocellulose were investigated by solid-state 13C MAS NMR, nuclear magnetic relaxation, X-ray diffraction, and Simon’s staining analyses. Possible links between CAD-associated lignin modifications (in terms of total content and chemical structures) and changes to the lignocellulose supramolecular structure are discussed in the context of the improved biomass saccharification efficiency of the cad2 rice mutant.
Relationship between ideology and language in the Catalan independence context
Authors: Atienza-Barthelemy Julia , Martin-Gutierrez Samuel , Losada Juan C. , Benito Rosa M.
Published: November 2019

Political polarization generates strong effects on society, driving controversial debates and influencing the institutions. Territorial disputes are one of the most important polarized scenarios and have been consistently related to the use of language. In this work, we analyzed the opinion and language distributions of a particular territorial dispute around the independence of Catalonia through Twitter data. We infer a continuous opinion distribution by applying a model based on retweet interactions, previously detecting elite users with fixed and antagonist opinions. The resulting distribution presents a mainly bimodal behavior with an intermediate third pole that shows a less polarized society with the presence of not only antagonist opinions. We find that the more active, engaged and influential users hold more extreme positions. Also we prove that there is a clear relationship between political positions and the use of language, showing that against independence users speak mainly Spanish while pro-independence users speak Catalan and Spanish almost indistinctly. However, the third pole, closer in political opinion to the pro-independence pole, behaves similarly to the against-independence one concerning the use of language.