bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Model Studies on the Ozone‐Mediated Synthesis of Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles from Dicobalt Octacarbonyl in Ionic Liquids
Authors: Schuster Ralf , Wähler Tobias , Kettner Miroslav , Agel Friederike , Bauer Tanja , Wasserscheid Peter , Libuda Jörg
Published: September 2020

Low‐temperature synthesis in ionic liquids (ILs) offers an efficient route for the preparation of metal oxide nanomaterials with tailor‐made properties in a water‐free environment. In this work, we investigated the role of 1‐butyl‐1‐methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [C4C1Pyr][NTf2] in the synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles from the molecular precursor Co2(CO)8 with ozone. We performed a model study in ultra‐clean, ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) using Au(111) as a substrate. Exposure of the pure precursor to ozone at low temperatures results in the oxidation of the first layers, leading to the formation of a disordered CoxOy passivation layer. Similar protection to ozone is also achieved by deposition of an IL layer onto a precursor film prior to ozone exposure. With increasing temperature, the IL gets permeable for ozone and a cobalt oxide film forms at the IL/precursor interface. We show that the interaction with the IL mediates the oxidation and leads to a more densely packed CoxOy film compared to a direct oxidation of the precursor.
COVID‐19 lockdown and penalty of joblessness on income and remittances: A study of inter‐state migrant labourers from Assam, India
Authors: Guha Pradyut , Islam Bodrul , Hussain Md Aktar
Published: September 2020

Present study made an attempt to examine the penalty of joblessness following coronavirus induced lockdown on income and remittances of inter‐state migrant labourers from Assam. The primary data for the study were collected through telephonic‐based survey of 451 labourers during May–June 2020. The results of this study showed that, on an average, labourers in the study area remained jobless for nearly 2 months and incurred income loss of INR 28,955 thereby failed to send remittances towards their families by an amount of INR 12,215 during the reference period. As per the analysis of covariance the income loss and remittances unsent amount was higher amongst the elderly labourers engaged in professions which remained non‐operational during lockdown period. Further, the additional days of joblessness increased their hardship in terms of income and remittances. With coronavirus being more than a health crisis, in short term it is necessary to minimise the loss of life, forwarding social and financial security for the families of migrant labourers and vulnerable sections for extended period of crisis, strategies for supporting agriculture and allied activities, promotion of small and medium‐size enterprises, imparting skill training for the unemployed and reverse migrant labourers, financial assistance for self‐employment may be helpful. Suitable coordination of monetary and fiscal policy would be helpful for reducing the unemployment heading from the recessionary trend of the economy in the long run.
Large‐scale analysis of BAP1 expression reveals novel associations with clinical and molecular features of malignant pleural mesothelioma
Authors: De Rienzo Assunta , Chirieac Lucian R , Hung Yin P , Severson David T , Freyaldenhoven Samuel , Gustafson Corinne E , Dao Nhien T , Meyerovitz Claire V , Oster Michela E , Jensen Roderick V , Yeap Beow Y , Bueno Raphael , Richards William G
Published: September 2020

BRCA1‐associated protein‐1 (BAP1) expression is commonly lost in several tumors including malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Presence or absence of immunohistochemical BAP1 nuclear staining in tumor cells is currently used for differential diagnosis of MPM. In this study, a large cohort of 596 MPM tumors with available clinical data was analyzed to examine associations of BAP1 staining pattern with clinical and molecular features that may reflect the impact of BAP1 mutation on MPM biology. Cases were classified according to the BAP1 staining pattern of tumor cells. Exome and RNA‐sequencing data were available for subsets of cases. Levels of mRNA encoding claudin 15 (CLDN15) and vimentin (VIM) were determined using RT‐qPCR on 483 cases to estimate the relative proportions of epithelial‐like and mesenchymal‐like components in each tumor. Four BAP1 staining patterns were observed: single‐pattern nuclear staining (36%), single‐pattern cytoplasmic staining (25%), single‐pattern absent staining (12%), and combinations of these staining patterns (27%). This study confirmed prior reports that nuclear BAP1 is more frequently associated with wild‐type BAP1 and sarcomatoid histology. However, no associations between BAP1 staining pattern(s) and mutations in specific protein domains and/or mutation type were observed. BAP1 staining patterns were significantly associated (p < 0.001) with BAP1 gene expression, MPM histologic subtypes, molecular clusters, and markers of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition. Frequent observation of combinations of BAP1 staining patterns in MPM tumors indicated intra‐tumoral heterogeneity of BAP1 status. Cytoplasmic BAP1 staining was identified as a putative indicator of favorable prognosis in non‐epithelioid MPM. In conclusion, novel significant associations among different BAP1 staining patterns and subgroups of MPM tumors were observed, suggesting that the role of BAP1 in tumor progression may be more complex than its presumed tumor suppressor function. Cytoplasmic staining was identified as a putative indicator of favorable prognosis in non‐epithelioid MPM, potentially addressing a critical need in clinical decision‐making in this disease. © 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Effect of processing method on cellulose nanocrystal/polyethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol composites
Authors: Orr Matthew P. , Sonekan Amidat , Shofner Meisha L.
Published: September 2020

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have emerged as fillers of interest to the polymer nanocomposite community due to their inherent properties and renewable precursors. However, challenges persist to incorporate CNCs into polymer matrices due to component incompatibility and/or thermal stability limitations of the nanoparticles. Therefore, the objective of this research is to examine the efficacy of different processing methods in producing CNC/polymer composites. In this work, CNCs were incorporated into polyethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol (EVOH) using either a solution casting method or a multi‐step method involving the same solution casting method followed by a melt mixing step. The resulting neat EVOH and composite materials were characterized to understand how the viscoelastic character and mechanical properties were influenced by CNC loading and processing method. The results of characterization experiments and micromechanical modeling suggested that the nanoparticle networks produced by each method were different and that a combined solution‐melt processing method is beneficial in producing composites with improved properties, particularly at higher CNC loadings. This processing strategy may be more broadly applied to other nanocomposites.
Optimization of antimicrobials in the treatment of cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbations:  II. Therapies for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Authors: Epps Quovadis J. , Epps Kevin L. , Zobell Jeffery T. , Young David C.
Published: September 2020

This review is the second article in the State‐of‐the‐Art series and aims to evaluate medications used in the treatment of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) in pediatric and adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). ABPA is one of several organisms that are found in the airways of CF patients. This review provides an evidence‐based summary of pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD), tolerability, and efficacy studies of medications including corticosteroids, amphotericin B, azole antifungals (isavuconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole), and a monoclonal antibody omalizumab in the treatment of ABPA and identifies areas where further study is warranted.
Exposure‐Safety Analyses Identify Predictors of Change in Bone Mineral Density and Support Elagolix Labeling for Endometriosis‐Associated Pain
Authors: Abbas Suleiman Ahmed , Nader Ahmed , Winzenborg Insa , Beck Denise , Polepally Akshanth R. , Ng Juki , Noertersheuser Peter , Mostafa Nael M.
Published: September 2020

Elagolix is a novel oral gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor antagonist, that can suppress estradiol in a dose‐dependent manner. It is indicated for management of moderate‐to‐severe pain associated with endometriosis. A population exposure‐response model describing the relationship between elagolix exposure and changes in bone mineral density (BMD) was developed using data from four phase III studies in premenopausal women with endometriosis‐associated pain. Elagolix pharmacokinetic exposure‐dependent changes in BMD were described by an indirect‐response maximum effect (Emax) model through stimulation of bone resorption. African American race, higher body mass index (BMI), and lower type‐I collagen C‐telopeptide concentrations were significantly associated with higher baseline BMD. Higher BMI was significantly associated with higher bone formation rates. Simulations using the final model demonstrated that elagolix 150 mg q.d. dosing for 24 months is predicted to result in −1.45% (−2.04 to −0.814) decrease from baseline in BMD and were used to support corresponding dosing recommendations in the label.
Bee products as a source of promising therapeutic and chemoprophylaxis strategies against COVID‐19 (SARS‐CoV‐2)
Authors: Lima William G. , Brito Júlio C. M. , da Cruz Nizer Waleska S.
Published: September 2020

The emergence of novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) in 2019 in China marked the third outbreak of a highly pathogenic coronavirus infecting humans. The novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) spread worldwide, becoming an emergency of major international concern. However, even after a decade of coronavirus research, there are still no licensed vaccines or therapeutic agents to treat the coronavirus infection. In this context, apitherapy presents as a promising source of pharmacological and nutraceutical agents for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of COVID‐19. For instance, several honeybee products, such as honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, and bee venom, have shown potent antiviral activity against pathogens that cause severe respiratory syndromes, including those caused by human coronaviruses. In addition, the benefits of these natural products to the immune system are remarkable, and many of them are involved in the induction of antibody production, maturation of immune cells, and stimulation of the innate and adaptive immune responses. Thus, in the absence of specific antivirals against SARS‐CoV‐2, apitherapy could offer one hope toward mitigating some of the risks associated with COVID‐19.
Urological and sexual function after robotic and laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer: A systematic review, meta‐analysis and meta‐regression
Authors: Wee Ian Jun Yan , Kuo Li‐Jen , Ngu James Chi‐Yong
Published: September 2020

Background

This systematic review sought to compare the urogenital functions after laparoscopic (LAP) and robotic (ROB) surgery for rectal cancer.

Methods

This study conformed to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines.

Results

Twenty‐six studies (n = 2709 for ROB, n = 2720 for LAP) were included. There was a lower risk of 30‐day urinary retention in the ROB group (risk ratios 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61–0.99), but the long‐term risk was comparable (p = 0.460). Meta‐regression showed a small, positive relationship between age and risk of 30‐day urinary retention in both the ROB (p = 0.034) and LAP groups (p = 0.004). The International Prostate Symptom Score was better in the ROB group at 3 months (mean difference [MD] −1.58, 95% CI −3.10 to −0.05). The International Index of Erectile Function score was better in the ROB group at 6 months (MD 4.06, 95% CI 2.38 – 5.74).

Conclusion

While robotics may improve urogenital function after rectal surgery, the quality of evidence is low based on the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach.
Robust control for state constrained systems based on composite barrier Lyapunov functions
Authors: Llorente‐Vidrio Dusthon , Mera Manuel , Salgado Ivan , Chairez Isaac
Published: September 2020

This study aims to design a robust state feedback controller for uncertain and perturbed linear systems with state constraints described by a polytope. This novel design incorporates the use of a composite barrier Lyapunov function (CBLF) and the convex hull of a set of ellipsoids inscribed in the given polytopic constraint set. The CBLF is used to ensure that this convex hull is an invariant set for the perturbed system states. Then, an optimization scheme is implemented to maximize the size of this invariant set to use it as a safe set. This is a set of initial conditions ensuring that the system solutions conform to the constraints for any subsequent time instant. Additionally, a minimal ultimate bound for the states is calculated to ensure asymptotic convergence to a region as close to the origin as possible. This region is characterized by a second convex hull of ellipsoids using the well‐known attractive ellipsoid method and the CBLF. Numerical simulations illustrate and compare the obtained results against a similar approach, considering the classical quadratic Lyapunov function, instead of the CBLF.
Direct estimation of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve with verification biased data
Authors: Hai Yan , Qin Gengsheng
Published: September 2020

In medical diagnostic studies, verification of the true disease status might be partially missing based on results of diagnostic tests and other characteristics of subjects. Because estimates of area under the ROC curve (AUC) based on partially validated subjects are usually biased, it is usually necessary to estimate AUC from a bias‐corrected ROC curve. In this article, various direct estimation methods of the AUC based on hybrid imputation [full imputations and mean score imputation (MSI)], inverse probability weighting, and the semiparametric efficient (SPE) approach are proposed and compared in the presence of verification bias when the test result is continuous under the assumption that the true disease status, if missing, is missing at random. Simulation results show that the proposed estimators are accurate for the biased sampling if the disease and verification models are correctly specified. The SPE and MSI based estimators perform well even under the misspecified disease/verification models. Numerical studies are performed to compare the finite sample performance of the proposed approaches with existing methods. A real dataset of neonatal hearing screening study is analyzed.
Information frictions and entrepreneurship
Authors: Hegde Deepak , Tumlinson Justin
Published: September 2020

Research Summary

Why do individuals become entrepreneurs? Why do some succeed? We propose two theories in which information frictions play a central role in answering these questions. Empirical analysis of longitudinal samples from the United States and the United Kingdom reveals the following patterns: (a) entrepreneurs have higher cognitive ability than employees with comparable education, (b) employees have better education than equally able entrepreneurs, and (c) entrepreneurs' earnings are higher and exhibit greater variance than employees with similar education. These and other empirical tests support our asymmetric information theory of entrepreneurship that when information frictions cause firms to undervalue workers lacking traditional credentials, workers' quest to maximize their private returns drives the most able into successful entrepreneurship.

Managerial Summary

Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Rachael Ray, and Oprah Winfrey are all entrepreneurs whose educational qualifications belie their extraordinary success. Are they outliers or do their examples reveal a link between education and success in entrepreneurship? We argue that employers assess potential workers based on their educational qualifications, especially early in their careers when there is little direct information on work accomplishments and productivity. This leads those who correctly believe that they are better than their résumés show to become successful entrepreneurs. Evidence from two nationally representative samples of workers (from the United States and the United Kingdom) supports our theory, which applies to equally to the immigrant food vendor lacking a high school diploma as well as the PhD founder of a science‐based startup.
Exploration and Investigation of Periodic Elements for Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction
Authors: Patil Shivaraj B. , Wang Di‐Yan
Published: September 2020

High demand for green ecosystems has urged the human community to reconsider and revamp the traditional way of synthesis of several compounds. Ammonia (NH3) is one such compound whose applications have been extended from fertilizers to explosives and is still being synthesized using the high energy inhaling Haber‐Bosch process. Carbon free electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is considered as a potential replacement for the Haber‐Bosch method. However, it has few limitations such as low N2 adsorption, selectivity (competitive HER reactions), low yield rate etc. Since it is at the early stage, tremendous efforts have been devoted in understanding the reaction mechanism and screening of the electrocatalysts and electrolytes. In this review, the electrocatalysts are classified based on the periodic table with heat maps of Faraday efficiency and yield rate of NH3 in NRR and their electrocatalytic properties toward NRR are discussed. Also, the activity of each element is discussed and short tables and concise graphs are provided to enable the researchers to understand recent progress on each element. At the end, a perspective is provided on countering the current challenges in NRR. This review may act as handbook for basic NRR understandings, recent progress in NRR, and the design and development of advanced electrocatalysts and systems.
Expectile regression via deep residual networks
Authors: Yin Yiyi , Zou Hui
Published: September 2020

Expectile is a generalization of the expected value in probability and statistics. In finance and risk management, the expectile is considered to be an important risk measure due to its connection with gain–loss ratio and its coherent and elicitable properties. Linear multiple expectile regression was proposed in 1987 for estimating the conditional expectiles of a response given a set of covariates. Recently, more flexible nonparametric expectile regression models were proposed based on gradient boosting and kernel learning. In this paper, we propose a new nonparametric expectile regression model by adopting the deep residual network learning framework and name it Expectile NN. Extensive numerical studies on simulated and real datasets demonstrate that Expectile NN has very competitive performance compared with existing methods. We explicitly specify the architecture of Expectile NN so that it is easy to be reproduced and used by others. Expectile NN is the first deep learning model for nonparametric expectile regression.
Seasonal Variation in Trophic Diversity and Relative Importance of Basal Resources Supporting Tropical River Fish Assemblages in Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: Pease Allison A. , Soria‐Barreto Miriam , González‐Díaz Alfonso A. , Rodiles‐Hernández Rocío
Published: September 2020

Environmental changes caused by hydrological shifts between wet and dry seasons in the tropics drive variation in resource availability and feeding interactions for riverine fish assemblages, but studies of trophic structure typically take place over short time scales that do not adequately capture this variation. In this study, we used analysis of stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) to assess seasonal changes in the diversity and relative importance of production sources supporting fish assemblages in La Venta River, the largest tributary of Netzahualcoyotl Reservoir on the Grijalva River in Chiapas, Mexico. Based on established river ecosystem theories, we expected the relative importance of carbon sources supporting fishes to shift seasonally, with greater use of instream resources during low‐water periods and an increasing contribution from terrestrial sources during high‐water periods. Abundant, low‐trophic‐level food resources (i.e., plants and invertebrates) were expected to support most fish species in the wet season, whereas piscivory was predicted to increase as habitat volume declined and fish density increased in the dry season. Somewhat surprisingly, we found that terrestrial energy sources were assimilated more during low‐water conditions at some sites, and ranges of δ13C were higher in the dry season. Terrestrial carbon supporting fish production in low‐water periods likely came from riparian plant detritus that remained in the river after flows receded and/or leaf litter that accumulated in the dry season. Ranges of δ15N were similar across seasons, with no apparent increase in piscivory during the dry season. Higher trophic redundancy was observed in the wet season, likely due to fish taking advantage of the same readily available food items (e.g., pulses of arthropod prey) during high flows. Documenting seasonal use of trophic resources provides critical information as expanding hydroelectric dam construction threatens the natural variability of energy pathways that support fisheries resources in tropical rivers.
Diagnosing L2 Listeners’ Difficulty Comprehending Known Lexis
Authors: Carney Nathaniel
Published: September 2020

Current second language (L2) listening research has lacked detailed accounts of L2 listeners’ difficulties comprehending texts comprisingorthographically known lexis. In the current study, 15 first language (L1) Japanese English language learners of three English proficiency levels listened to sentences and a narrative text. A two‐task diagnostic procedure using L1 recalls and L2 repetitions was employed to understand how orthographically known lexis was often misinterpreted over the course of multiple listening opportunities. Evidence from transcripts showed that the factors likely causing listening comprehension difficulty were L1 phonological influence, English connected speech modifications, and misinterpretation of top‐down contextual information. The study results show that even texts comprising high‐frequency vocabulary or other orthographically known lexis can be persistently difficult for L2 listeners to comprehend. The results thus challenge some current assumptions in L2 listening literature about the comprehensibility of texts with high‐frequency vocabulary or orthographically known lexis.
A high‐quality reference genome sequence of Salvia miltiorrhiza provides insights into tanshinone synthesis in its red rhizomes
Authors: Song Zhenqiao , Lin Caicai , Xing Piyi , Fen Yuanyuan , Jin Hua , Zhou Changhao , Gu Yong Q. , Wang Jianhua , Li Xingfeng
Published: September 2020

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, also known as red sage or Danshen, is an important traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used for thousands of years to treat cardiovascular and other diseases. It is also considered an important model TCM plant. Here, a high‐quality reference genome of S. miltiorrhiza was generated by combining PacBio long‐read sequencing and chromatin interaction mapping (Hi‐C) technologies, resulting in the chromosome‐scale assembly of a 594.75‐Mb genome sequence with a contig N50 of 2.70 Mb. This assembly shows the highest level of continuity for a Danshen genome generated thus far. The S. miltiorrhiza genome contained 32,483 protein‐coding genes, with a repetitive DNA content of approximately 64.84%. The high percentage of young LTRs suggests that multiple TE transposition bursts occurred recently in S. miltiorrhiza. Genes unique to secondary metabolism pathways were expanded in the S. miltiorrhiza genome. A new CYP450 gene cluster was identified in the phloem of red roots where active components were synthesized. This reference genome sequence will facilitate future studies aimed at the elucidation of the secondary metabolism synthesis pathway and the genetic improvement of S. miltiorrhiza.
A comprehensive phenotypic and genomic characterization of Ethiopian sorghum germplasm defines core collection and reveals rich genetic potential in adaptive traits
Authors: Girma Gezahegn , Nida Habte , Tirfessa Alemu , Lule Dagnachew , Bejiga Tamirat , Seyoum Amare , Mekonen Moges , Nega Amare , Dessalegn Kebede , Birhanu Chemeda , Bekele Alemnesh , Gebreyohannes Adane , Ayana Getachew , Tesso Tesfaye , Ejeta Gebisa , Mengiste Tesfaye
Published: September 2020

Understanding population genetic structure and diversity of a crop is essential in designing selection strategies in plant breeding. About 2010 Ethiopian sorghum accessions were phenotyped for different traits at multiple locations. A subset of the collection, 1628 accessions, predominantly landraces, some improved varieties, and inbred lines were genotyped by sequencing. Phenotypic data revealed association of important traits with different sorghum growing agro‐climatic regions, high genetic diversity and the presence of rare natural variation in the Ethiopian sorghum germplasm. Subsequent genotypic analysis determined optimum number of sub‐populations, distinct cluster groups and ancestries of each sorghum accessions. To improve utilization of germplasm, a core subset of 387 lines were selected following posteriori grouping of genotypes based on cluster groups obtained through GBS analysis followed by stratified random sampling using quantitative traits. In order to evaluate how well this new sorghum and millet innovation lab (SMIL) collection from Ethiopia is represented within the largest world sorghum collection at United States Department of Agriculture ‐ National Plant Germplasm System (USDA‐NPGS) and the sorghum association panel (SAP), comparisons were conducted based on SNP data. The SMIL collection displayed high genetic diversity with some redundancy with the USDA‐NPGS germplasm but SAP showed clear distinction. Furthermore, genome‐environment association analysis identified candidate genes associated with adaptation to abiotic factors, that will be important for exploitation of adaptive potential to different environments. In summary, our results described the diversity and relationship of sorghum collections, representativeness of developed core and provide novel insights into candidate genes associated to abiotic stress tolerance.
The oxidative degradation of Caffeine in UV/Fe(II)/persulfate system—Reaction kinetics and decay pathways
Authors: Rao Yongfang , Long Huimin , Hao Jingchen
Published: September 2020

In this study, the degradation of caffeine was investigated by UV/Fe2+/persulfate (PS) process. Caffeine (CAF) degradation in sole‐UV, UV/Fe2+, UV/PS, and Fe2+/PS systems was also conducted to examine the contribution of isolated processes to CAF degradation. The effects of pH levels, the concentration of Fe2+ and PS, inorganic anions, and initial concentration of CAF on the performance of UV/Fe2+/PS process were evaluated. Radical competitive reactions indicated both hydroxyl radicals and sulfate radicals played important roles in CAF degradation in UV/Fe2+/PS system. Nine intermediates, among which three were detected for the first time, were identified by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/electrospray‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI‐TOF‐MS) and SPME (solid‐phase microextraction)/GC/MS. The possible degradation pathways of CAF were proposed, among which demethylation, hydroxylation, the oxidation of olefinic double bond, and the cleavage of pyrimidine ring and imidazole ring were involved in the degradation of CAF in UV/Fe2+/PS system.

Practitioner points

Caffeine degradation by UV/Fe2+/PS process was investigated.

Caffeine degradation did not follow a simple pseudo‐first order kinetics

Chloride ions promoted CAF degradation.

The anions NO3−, SO42−, and H2PO4− exerted a negative influence on caffeine degradation.

Nine intermediates were detected, and decay pathways were proposed.
A meta‐review of “lifestyle psychiatry”: the role of exercise, smoking, diet and sleep in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders
Authors: Firth Joseph , Solmi Marco , Wootton Robyn E. , Vancampfort Davy , Schuch Felipe B. , Hoare Erin , Gilbody Simon , Torous John , Teasdale Scott B. , Jackson Sarah E. , Smith Lee , Eaton Melissa , Jacka Felice N. , Veronese Nicola , Marx Wolfgang , Ashdown‐Franks Garcia , Siskind Dan , Sarris Jerome , Rosenbaum Simon , Carvalho André F. , Stubbs Brendon
Published: September 2020

There is increasing academic and clinical interest in how “lifestyle factors” traditionally associated with physical health may also relate to mental health and psychological well‐being. In response, international and national health bodies are producing guidelines to address health behaviors in the prevention and treatment of mental illness. However, the current evidence for the causal role of lifestyle factors in the onset and prognosis of mental disorders is unclear. We performed a systematic meta‐review of the top‐tier evidence examining how physical activity, sleep, dietary patterns and tobacco smoking impact on the risk and treatment outcomes across a range of mental disorders. Results from 29 meta‐analyses of prospective/cohort studies, 12 Mendelian randomization studies, two meta‐reviews, and two meta‐analyses of randomized controlled trials were synthesized to generate overviews of the evidence for targeting each of the specific lifestyle factors in the prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety and stress‐related disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Standout findings include: a) convergent evidence indicating the use of physical activity in primary prevention and clinical treatment across a spectrum of mental disorders; b) emerging evidence implicating tobacco smoking as a causal factor in onset of both common and severe mental illness; c) the need to clearly establish causal relations between dietary patterns and risk of mental illness, and how diet should be best addressed within mental health care; and d) poor sleep as a risk factor for mental illness, although with further research required to understand the complex, bidirectional relations and the benefits of non‐pharmacological sleep‐focused interventions. The potentially shared neurobiological pathways between multiple lifestyle factors and mental health are discussed, along with directions for future research, and recommendations for the implementation of these findings at public health and clinical service levels.
Herbicide Exposure and Toxicity to Aquatic Primary Producers
Authors: Vonk J. Arie , Kraak Michiel H. S.
Published: September 2020

The aim of the present review was to give an overview of the current state of science concerning herbicide exposure and toxicity to aquatic primary producers. To this end we assessed the open literature, revealing the widespread presence of (mixtures of) herbicides, inevitably leading to the exposure of non-target primary producers. Yet, herbicide concentrations show strong temporal and spatial variations. Concerning herbicide toxicity, it was concluded that the most sensitive as well as the least sensitive species differed per herbicide and that the observed effect concentrations for some herbicides were rather independent from the exposure time. More extensive ecotoxicity testing is required, especially considering macrophytes and marine herbicide toxicity. Hence, it was concluded that the largest knowledge gap concerns the effects of sediment-associated herbicides on primary producers in the marine/estuarine environment. Generally, there is no actual risk of waterborne herbicides to aquatic primary producers. Still, median concentrations of atrazine and especially of diuron measured in China, the USA and Europe represented moderate risks for primary producers. Maximum concentrations due to misuse and accidents may even cause the exceedance of almost 60% of the effect concentrations plotted in SSDs. Using bioassays to determine the effect of contaminated water and sediment and to identify the herbicides of concern is a promising addition to chemical analysis, especially for the photosynthesis-inhibiting herbicides using photosynthesis as endpoint in the bioassays. This review concluded that to come to a reliable herbicide hazard and risk assessment, an extensive catch-up must be made concerning macrophytes, the marine environment and especially sediment as overlooked and understudied environmental compartments.
Matching and running sensitivity in non-renormalizable inflationary models
Authors: Fumagalli Jacopo , Postma Marieke , van den Bout Melvin
Published: September 2020

Abstract

Most of the inflationary models that are in agreement with the Planck data rely on the presence of non-renormalizable operators. If the connection to low energy particle physics is made, the renormalization group (RG) introduces a sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) physics that can be crucial in determining the inflationary predictions. We analyse this effect for the Standard Model (SM) augmented with non-minimal derivative couplings to gravity. Our set-up reduces to the SM for small values of the Higgs field, and allows for inflation in the opposite large field regime. The one-loop beta functions in the inflationary region are calculated using a covariant approach that properly accounts for the non-trivial structure of the field space manifold. We run the SM parameters from the electroweak to the inflationary scale, matching the couplings of the different effective field theories at the boundary between the two regimes, where we also include threshold corrections that parametrize effects from UV physics. We then compute the spectral index and tensor-to-scalar ratio and find that RG flow corrections can be determinant: a scenario that is ruled out at tree level can be resurrected and vice versa.
Trans-Planckian Censorship and the Swampland
Authors: Bedroya Alek , Vafa Cumrun
Published: September 2020

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a new Swampland condition, the Trans-Planckian Censorship Conjecture (TCC), based on the idea that in a consistent quantum theory of gravity sub-Planckian quantum fluctuations should remain quantum and never become larger than the Hubble horizon and freeze in an expanding universe. Applied to the case of scalar fields, it leads to conditions that are similar to the refined dS Swampland conjecture. For large field ranges, TCC is stronger than the dS Swampland conjecture but it is weaker for small field ranges. In particular for asymptotic regions of field space, TCC leads to a bound $$ \left|V^{\prime}\right|\ge \frac{2}{\sqrt{\left(d-1\right)\left(d-2\right)}}V, $$

V
′

≥

2

d
−
1

d
−
2

V
,
which is consistent with all known cases in string theory. Like the dS Swampland conjecture, the TCC forbids long-lived meta-stable dS spaces, but it does allow sufficiently short-lived ones.
Impact of radiation techniques on lung toxicity in patients with mediastinal Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Authors: Pepper Niklas Benedikt , Oertel Michael , Kittel Christopher , Kröger Kai Jannes , Elsayad Khaled , Haverkamp Uwe , Eich Hans Theodor
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Mediastinal radiotherapy (RT), especially when combined with bleomycin, may result in substantial pulmonary morbidity and mortality. The use of modern RT techniques like intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is gaining interest to spare organs at risk.

Methods

We evaluated 27 patients who underwent RT for Hodgkin’s lymphoma between 2009 and 2013 at our institution. For each patient, three different treatment plans for a 30-Gy involved-field RT (IFRT) were created (anterior-posterior-posterior-anterior setup [APPA], 5‑field IMRT, and 7‑field IMRT) and analyzed concerning their inherent “normal tissue complication probability” (NTCP) for pneumonitis and secondary pulmonary malignancy.

Results

The comparison of different radiation techniques showed a significant difference in favor of standard APPA (p < 0.01). The risk of lung toxicity was significantly higher in plans using 7‑field IMRT than in plans using 5‑field IMRT. The absolute juxtaposition showed an increase in risk for radiation pneumonitis of 1% for plans using 5‑field IMRT over APPA according to QUANTEC (Quantitative Analyses of Normal Tissue Effects in the Clinic) parameters (Burman: 0.15%) and 2.6% when using 7‑field IMRT over APPA (Burman: 0.7%) as well as 1.6% when using 7‑field IMRT over 5‑field IMRT (Burman: 0.6%). Further analysis showed an increase in risk for secondary pulmonary malignancies to be statistically significant (p < 0.01); mean induction probability for pulmonary malignoma was 0.1% higher in plans using 5‑field IMRT than APPA and 0.19% higher in plans using 7‑field IMRT than APPA as well as 0.09% higher in plans using 7‑field IMRT than 5‑field IMRT. During a median follow-up period of 65 months (95% confidence interval: 53.8–76.2 months), only one patient developed radiation-induced pneumonitis. No secondary pulmonary malignancies have been detected to date.

Conclusion

Radiation-induced lung toxicity is rare after treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma but may be influenced significantly by the RT technique used. In this study, APPA RT plans demonstrated a decrease in potential radiation pneumonitis and pulmonary malignancies. Biological planning using NTCP may have the potential to define personalized RT strategies
A novel image feature descriptor for SLM spattering pattern classification using a consumable camera
Authors: Ji Ze , Han Quanquan
Published: September 2020

In selective laser melting (SLM), spattering is an important phenomenon that is highly related to the quality of the manufactured parts. Characterisation and monitoring of spattering behaviours are highly valuable in understanding the manufacturing process and improving the manufacturing quality of SLM. This paper introduces a method of automatic visual classification to distinguish spattering characteristics of SLM processes in different manufacturing conditions. A compact feature descriptor is proposed to represent spattering patterns and its effectiveness is evaluated using real images captured in different conditions. The feature descriptor of this work combines information of spatter trajectory morphology, spatial distributions, and temporal information. The classification is performed using support vector machine (SVM) and random forests for testing and shows highly promising classification accuracy of about 97%. The advantages of this work include compactness for representation and semantic interpretability with the feature description. In addition, the qualities of manufacturing parts are mapped with spattering characteristics under different laser energy densities. Such a map table can be then used to define the desired spatter features, providing a non-contact monitoring solution for online anomaly detection. This work will lead to a further integration of real-time vision monitoring system for an online closed-loop prognostic system for SLM systems, in order to improve the performance in terms of manufacturing quality, power consumption, and fault detection.
Review of analytical performance of COVID-19 detection methods
Authors: Giri Basant , Pandey Shishir , Shrestha Retina , Pokharel Krisha , Ligler Frances S. , Neupane Bhanu B.
Published: September 2020

In the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, public health experts have emphasized testing, tracking infected people, and tracing their contacts as an effective strategy to reduce the spread of the virus. Several diagnostic methods are reported for detecting the coronavirus in clinical, research, and public health laboratories. Some tests detect the infection directly by detecting the viral RNA and other tests detect the infection indirectly by detecting the host antibodies. A diagnostic test during the pandemic should help make an appropriate clinical decision in a short period of time. Recently reported diagnostic methods for SARS-CoV-2 have varying throughput, batching capacity, requirement of infrastructure setting, analytical performance, and turnaround times ranging from a few minutes to several hours. These factors should be considered while selecting a reliable and rapid diagnostic method to help make an appropriate decision and prompt public health interventions. This paper reviews recent SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic methods published in journals and reports released by regulatory agencies. We compared the analytical efficiency including limit of detection, sensitivity, specificity, and throughput. In addition, we also looked into ease of use, affordability, and availability of accessories. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the methods and provide our perspectives on priorities for future test development.
Absence of Eigenvalues of Dirac and Pauli Hamiltonians via the Method of Multipliers
Authors: Cossetti Lucrezia , Fanelli Luca , Krejčiřík David
Published: September 2020

By developing the method of multipliers, we establish sufficient conditions on the magnetic field and the complex, matrix-valued electric potential, which guarantee that the corresponding system of Schrödinger operators has no point spectrum. In particular, this allows us to prove analogous results for Pauli operators under the same electromagnetic conditions and, in turn, as a consequence of the supersymmetric structure, also for magnetic Dirac operators.
Middle Neolithic farming of open-air sites in SE France: new insights from archaeobotanical investigations of three wells found at Les Bagnoles (L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Dépt. Vaucluse, France)
Authors: Jesus Ana , Prats Georgina , Follmann Franziska , Jacomet Stefanie , Antolín Ferran
Published: September 2020

Previous reviews of Middle Neolithic agricultural practice (4400–3500 calbc) in southern France have highlighted a change in crop assemblages after 4000 calbc, with a reduction of naked wheat and an increase of emmer and partly of einkorn. The recent investigation of three wells from the site of Les Bagnoles (4250–3800 calbc) in the periphery of the southern Rhône valley yielded an unprecedented amount of waterlogged uncharred and charred plant macro remains that offer new insights into crop diversity and its changes over time. The results from the wells at Les Bagnoles were compared with other dated sunken features from open-air sites (in contrast to caves and rock shelters), with the aim of identifying patterns suggesting changes in the crop spectra between the early (MN1) and late (MN2) Middle Neolithic phases from taphonomically comparable contexts. The results from Les Bagnoles demonstrate that oil crops and pulses are underrepresented in dry sites and that they were a significant part of Middle Neolithic agriculture. They also indicate an increase in the representation of einkorn (instead of emmer) during MN2 that is also visible in other open-air sites. The comparison of the archaeobotanical results with silo storage capacity values as a proxy for average production capacity per household leads us to propose a possible drop in naked wheat productivity and opens new questions in factors affecting crop choice at the beginning of the 4th millennium calbc.
Characterization of the angular-dependent emission of nitrogen-vacancy centers in nanodiamond
Authors: Christinck Justus , Rodiek Beatrice , López Marco , Hofer Helmuth , Georgieva Hristina , Kück Stefan
Published: September 2020

We report on the characterization of the angular-dependent emission of single-photon emitters based on single nitrogen-vacancy (NV-) centers in nanodiamond at room temperature. A theoretical model for the calculation of the angular emission patterns of such an NV-center at a dielectric interface will be presented. For the first time, the orientation of the NV-centers in nanodiamond was determined from back focal plane images of NV-centers and by comparison of the theoretical and experimental angular emission pattern. Furthermore, the orientation of the NV-centers was also obtained from measurements of the fluorescence intensity in dependence on the polarization angle of the linearly polarized excitation laser. The results of these measurements are in good agreement. Moreover, the collection efficiency in this setup was calculated to be higher than 80% using the model of the angular emission of the NV-centers.
How linear reinforcement affects Donsker’s theorem for empirical processes
Authors: Bertoin Jean
Published: September 2020

A reinforcement algorithm introduced by Simon (Biometrika 42(3/4):425–440, 1955) produces a sequence of uniform random variables with long range memory as follows. At each step, with a fixed probability $$p\in (0,1)$$

p
∈
(
0
,
1
)

, $${\hat{U}}_{n+1}$$

U
^

n
+
1

is sampled uniformly from $${\hat{U}}_1, \ldots , {\hat{U}}_n$$

U
^

1

,
…
,

U
^

n

, and with complementary probability $$1-p$$

1
-
p

, $${\hat{U}}_{n+1}$$

U
^

n
+
1

is a new independent uniform variable. The Glivenko–Cantelli theorem remains valid for the reinforced empirical measure, but not the Donsker theorem. Specifically, we show that the sequence of empirical processes converges in law to a Brownian bridge only up to a constant factor when $$p<1/2$$

p
<
1
/
2

, and that a further rescaling is needed when $$p>1/2$$

p
>
1
/
2

and the limit is then a bridge with exchangeable increments and discontinuous paths. This is related to earlier limit theorems for correlated Bernoulli processes, the so-called elephant random walk, and more generally step reinforced random walks.
A Possibility of a Long Range Three-Body Force in the Hadron System
Authors: Oryu Shinsho
Published: September 2020

The existence of a kinematic long range component in the one particle transfer three-body potential or so-called “general particle transfer (GPT) potential” was proposed several years ago. In this investigation the mass dependence of the exchanged particle and the index number of the long range property are clarified. On the basis of the GPT potential, a new long range three-body force is proposed in the hadron system, which will be compared with the Efimov potential.
Quality provision under conditions of oligopoly
Authors: Willner Johan , Grönblom Sonja
Published: September 2020

We analyse a market where quality is reflected in sunk costs and/or marginal costs. Firms provide too low quality as compared to the socially optimal solution whenever quality affects (at least) sunk costs. Entry would then increase welfare, but the number of firms is restricted by an upper limit that depends on how sunk costs and consumer utility are affected by a quality change. Firms may even produce an excessive output if both types of costs are dependent on quality. Moreover, entry reduces quality except for when the number of firms increases from two to three. Quality is on the other hand socially optimal and independent of market structure if only marginal costs are affected by quality, but output is too low unless the number of firms is very high.