bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protein precipitation coupled to paper spray with a tube for one‐step analysis of blood
Authors: Dai Mengjie , Huang Guangming
Published: February 2020

Rationale

Accurate measurement of trace compounds in blood samples is important in clinical diagnosis and life science. Ambient ionization mass spectrometry, however, suffers from the matrix effect when dealing with complex samples such as blood. Therefore, it is important to reduce the matrix effects in blood samples.

Methods

A low‐cost and disposable Teflon tube was used as a platform to precipitate the protein in blood. The analytes are extracted into organic solvent, and the precipitated protein can be adsorbed by the chromatography paper inserted. Therefore, the Teflon tube after precipitation can be directly subjected to paper spray ionization mass spectrometry, achieving one‐step analysis of blood.

Results

High sensitivity and satisfactory stability were achieved for pharmaceuticals, acids, and endogenic metabolites in blood. The absolute signal intensities of characteristic product ions of the tested analytes were 8–20 times higher after protein precipitation than those obtained using paper spray. Detection limits and quantitative performance were evaluated for three drugs: carbamazepine, metformin, and tioconazole. In addition, the limits of detection and quantitation were improved 9–14‐ and 8–12‐fold, respectively.

Conclusions

Protein precipitation coupled to paper spray with a tube and then to mass spectrometry was successfully achieved and applied in the one‐step analysis of trace compounds in blood samples. The experimental results showed that this method was sensitive, stable, convenient, and economic for the direct analysis of blood.
Differences in physical habitat simulation system modelling results using benthic or pelagic fish species as indicators in Peruvian Andes–Amazon rivers
Authors: Oyague Eduardo , Vera Adrián , Cabrejos Lucía , Franco Pablo
Published: February 2020

Aquatic organisms with different adaptations are used as indicators in physical habitat simulation system models. Those adaptations are critical for determining the shape of the weighted usable area/width curve and for recommending values of environmental flows. The main objective of this study is to compare the use of benthic native species (Astroblepus taczanowskiiandAstroblepus vanceae) versus the introducedOncorhynchus mykiss(rainbow trout) as target indicators for PHABSIM modelling in the Andean–Amazon piedmont rivers. We used adjusted probability distribution functions with L‐moments analyses for developing curves of use and preference to evaluate the efficiency of each indicator. Two hydraulic modelling sections were established in the Ulcumayo River with 21 and 27 cross sections, respectively. Native benthic species are usually dominant but scarcely used as focus organisms for environmental flows modelling. These species are associated with fast running and shallow waters, which makes them potentially more sensitive to the effects of flow reduction. Our results indicated that the native species were more restricted to velocity and depth thanO. mykiss. Using selection curves in PHABSIM modelling, it is required between 10% to 94% of the mean monthly flow to preserve 90% of the available habitat forAstroblepusduring the dry season (May to November). In contrast, rainbow trout requires 5% to 88% of the mean monthly flow. We conclude that a multispecies approach is useful for determining the required environmental instream flows contributing to a better sustainable condition for the Neotropical mountain rivers.
The Methodology Development for Improving Energy Utilization and Reducing Fluoride Pollution of the Electroslag Remelting Process: A Review
Authors: Duan Sheng‐Chao , Guo Han-Jie
Published: February 2020

Traditional electroslag remelting (ESR) technology using the slag with a high CaF2 content is faced with a high specific power consumption and fluoride pollution. Under double pressure, it is therefore very important to have a good understanding of the ESR process. The energy utilization, η, of the ESR depends on both the electrical, ηE, and thermal efficiency, ηH. Tailoring slag composition is one of the useful techniques to enhance energy utilization, because slag is very important to generate Joule heat for melting electrodes, control horizontal heat transfer, and maintain uniform distribution of alloy elements from the bottom to top of the remelted ingots in the ESR process. Therefore, herein, the aim is to review the effects of slag composition, especially CaF2 content, and temperature on the electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, which further influence the heat balance during the ESR process. The volatilization mechanism of the liquid fluoride‐containing slag at an elevated temperature is introduced from the perspective of thermodynamics and kinetics. Meanwhile, some of the recent advances and technology improvements in energy utilization and productivity enhancements for the ESR process are summarized, which provide benefits to achieve sustainable development for the ESR process.
Silica dust exposure induces autophagy in alveolar macrophages through switching Beclin1 affinity from Bcl‐2 to PIK3C3
Authors: Yang Pan , Song Ruirui , Li Ning , Sun Kun , Shi Fan , Liu Heliang , Shen Fuhai , Jiang Shoufang , Zhang Lin , Jin Yulan
Published: February 2020

Increased deposition of silica dust in pulmonary interstitial tissues leads to silicosis, in which autophagy plays a defensive role in silica dust‐associated stress response and cell death. Our previous studies revealed that silica dust exposure contributed to autophagy in pulmonary macrophages in vivo, while the specific regulatory mechanism is still unclear. This study aimed to figure out the regulatory mechanism as well as the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of experimental silicosis. We used 3‐methyladenine (3‐MA) and ABT‐737 to suppress the expression of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase catalytic subunit type 3 (PIK3C3) and B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl‐2), two critical initiators of autophagy, and detected and evaluated the autophagy in NR8383 cells with or without silica dust exposure. We found that exposure of silica dust increased autophagy in NR8383 cells and elevated the expression of Beclin1 and PIK3C3, but it reduced the expression of Bcl‐2. The relationship among Beclin1, PIK3C3, and Bcl‐2 were then investigated using immunoprecipitation analysis, and we found that suppression of PIK3C3 and/or Bcl‐2 using 3‐MA and/or ABT‐737 could alter the autophagy induced by silica dust in NR8383 cells, and the complexes of Beclin1/PIK3C3 and Beclin1/Bcl‐2 were both downregulated, which may be that inhibition of PIK3C3 and Bcl‐2 altered the affinity of Beclin1 with PIK3C3 and Bcl‐2 and lead to the silence of PIK3C3 signaling. These findings indicate that silica dust exposure induces autophagy via changing the connectivity of Beclin1 from Bcl‐2 to PIK3C3.
Den Energieniveaus auf der Spur
Authors: Olthof Selina
Published: February 2020

Tracking energy levels – Photoelectron spectroscopy helps in finding novel semiconductor materials

Research on novel semiconducting materials keeps attracting considerable interest due to the potential to develop more cost effective processing compared to conventional inorganic technology. Maybe more importantly, novel device concept become possible such as flexible or semitransparent displays and solar cells. Two of the most promising candidates are introduced here: organic semiconductors as well as halide perovskites. In both material classes, it is possible to tune the absorption or emission properties over a wide range by adjusting the structure or composition or the material. In order to effectively integrate these materials in devices, it is necessary to understand their fundamental properties. Here, the vacuum based photoelectron spectroscopy plays an important role, due to the possibility to directly map the electronic structure of the semiconducting or adjacent layers, which in turn determines the charge transport throughout the device.
Verhinderung von Ölrückströmungen in Wälzkolbenpumpen
Authors: Schopphoff Andreas , Eisermann Sebastian
Published: February 2020

Prevention of oil backflow in Roots pumps ‐ Residual gas analysis by quadrupole mass spectrometry

In industrial vacuum applications too, there is a growing trend towards dry, oil‐free, pump systems. But what does oil‐free mean? All bearings and gearboxes used in roots and screw pumps require lubrication with oil or grease. While constructive measures are implemented to avoid contamination of the process gas by back‐flowing lubricants from the pumps, no tests have yet been carried out on complete pumping stations to confirm their effectiveness. With the help of this report it is possible for the first time to make qualitative statements about the oil‐free nature of dry pumping stations.
Trichloroethylene degradation performance in aqueous solution by Fe(II) activated sodium percarbonate in the presence of surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate
Authors: Huang Jingyao , Danish Muhammad , Jiang Xihao , Tang Ping , Sui Qian , Qiu Zhaofu , Lyu Shuguang
Published: February 2020

The performance of trichloroethylene (TCE) degradation by sodium percarbonate (SPC) activated with Fe(II) in the presence of 3.0 g/L sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as well as the role of SDS in the SPC/Fe(II) system was investigated since SDS is a common surfactant used in groundwater remediation for improving TCE dissolution to the aqueous phase. The results showed that though the introduction of SDS could inhibit the TCE degradation, the inhibiting effect was less with the increasing SDS dose. In the presence of SDS, TCE could be completely removed with the SPC/Fe(II)/TCE molar ratio of 40/80/1. Experiments with free radical probe compounds and radical scavengers elucidated that TCE was mainly oxidized by both HO· and

. A weakly acidic environment was more favorable to TCE degradation. Nevertheless,

at a high concentration had a strongly inhibitive effect on the TCE degradation but the influence of Cl− was negligible. Finally, the excellent TCE degradation achieved in actual groundwater demonstrated that Fe(II) activated SPC technique was applicable in the remediation of TCE contaminated groundwater in the presence of SDS.

Practitioner points

The effects of SDS were evaluated

SPC/Fe(II)/SDS system applied to remediate TCE

The mechanism of HO· and

generation had been investigated

Cl− and

affected TCE degradation at different levels

The performance of TCE removal in actual groundwater had been studied
On finite-size spiky strings in AdS3 × S3 × T4 with mixed fluxes
Authors: Barik Sorna Prava , Nayak Rashmi R. , Panigrahi Kamal L.
Published: February 2020

Abstract

We discuss finite-size corrections to the spiky strings in AdS space which is dual to the long 𝒩 = 4 SYM operators of the form Tr($$ {\varDelta}_{+}^{J_1}{\phi}_1{\varDelta}_{+}^{J_2}{\phi}_2\dots {\varDelta}_{+}^{J_n}{\phi}_n $$

Δ
+

J
1

ϕ
1

Δ
+

J
2

ϕ
2

…

Δ
+

J
n

ϕ
n

). We express the finite-size dispersion relation in terms of Lambert W-function. We further establish the finite-size scaling relation between energy and angular momentum of the spiky string in presence of mixed fluxes in terms of W-function. We comment on the solution in pure NS-NS background as well.
Hints of unitarity at large N in the O(N )3 tensor field theory
Authors: Benedetti Dario , Gurau Razvan , Harribey Sabine , Suzuki Kenta
Published: February 2020

Abstract

We compute the OPE coefficients of the bosonic tensor model of [1] for three point functions with two fields and a bilinear with zero and non-zero spin. We find that all the OPE coefficients are real in the case of an imaginary tetrahedral coupling constant, while one of them is not real in the case of a real coupling. We also discuss the operator spectrum of the free theory based on the character decomposition of the partition function.
$$ \frac{1}{2} $$ Calabi-Yau 3-folds, Calabi-Yau 3-folds as double covers, and F-theory with U(1)s
Authors: Kimura Yusuke
Published: February 2020

Abstract

In this study, we introduce a new class of rational elliptic 3-folds, which we refer to as “1/2 Calabi-Yau 3-folds”. We construct elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau 3-folds by utilizing these rational elliptic 3-folds. The construction yields a novel approach to build elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau 3-folds of various Mordell-Weil ranks. Our construction of Calabi-Yau 3-folds can be considered as a three-dimensional generalization of the operation of gluing pairs of 1/2 K3 surfaces to yield elliptic K3 surfaces. From one to seven U(1)s form in six-dimensional N = 1 F-theory on the constructed Calabi-Yau 3-folds. Seven tensor multiplets arise in these models.
On Mathieu moonshine and Gromov-Witten invariants
Authors: Banlaki Andreas , Chowdhury Abhishek , Kidambi Abhiram , Schimpf Maria
Published: February 2020

Abstract

We provide further evidence that CY3 manifolds are involved in an intricate way in Mathieu moonshine, i.e., their Gromov-Witten invariants are related to the expansion coefficients of the twined/twisted-twined elliptic genera of K3. We use the string duality between CHL orbifolds of heterotic string theory on K3 × T2 and type IIA string theory on CY3 manifolds to explicitly show this connection. We then work out two concrete examples where we exactly match the expansion coefficients on both sides of the duality.
An inverse mass expansion for the mutual information in free scalar QFT at finite temperature
Authors: Katsinis Dimitrios , Pastras Georgios
Published: February 2020

Abstract

We study the entanglement entropy and the mutual information in coupled harmonic systems at finite temperature. Interestingly, we find that the mutual information does not vanish at infinite temperature, but it rather reaches a specific finite value, which can be attributed to classical correlations solely. We further obtain high and low temperature expansions for both quantities. Then, we extend the analysis performed in the seminal paper by Srednicki [1] for free real scalar field theories in Minkowski space-time in 3 + 1 dimensions at a thermal state. We find that the mutual information obeys an area law, similar to that obeyed by the entanglement entropy at vanishing temperature. The coefficient of this area law does not vanish at infinite temperature. Then, we calculate this coefficient perturbatively in a 1/μ expansion, where μ is the mass of the scalar field. Finally, we study the high and low temperature behaviour of the area law term.
Strings, extended objects, and the classical double copy
Authors: Goldberger Walter D. , Li Jingping
Published: February 2020

Abstract

We extend Shen’s recent formulation (arXiv:1806.07388) of the classical double copy, based on explicit color-kinematic duality, to the case of finite-size sources with non-zero spin. For the case of spinning Yang-Mills sources, the most general consistent double copy consists of gravitating objects which carry pairs of spin degrees of freedom. We find that the couplings of such objects to background fields match those of a classical (i.e. heavy) closed bosonic string, suggesting a string theory interpretation of sources related by color-kinematics duality. As a special case, we identify a limit, corresponding to unoriented strings, in which the 2-form Kalb-Ramond axion field decouples from the gravitational side of the double copy. Finally, we apply the classical double copy to extended objects, described by the addition of finite-size operators to the worldline effective theory. We find that consistency of the color-to-kinematics map requires that the Wilson coefficients of tidal operators obey certain relations, indicating that the extended gravitating objects generated by the double copy of Yang-Mills are not completely generic.
Smoothing and predicting celestial pole offsets using a Kalman filter and smoother
Authors: Nastula Jolanta , Chin T. Mike , Gross Richard , Śliwińska Justyna , Wińska Małgorzata
Published: February 2020

It has been recognized since the early days of interplanetary spaceflight that accurate navigation requires taking into account changes in the Earth’s rotation. In the 1960s, tracking anomalies during the Ranger VII and VIII lunar missions were traced to errors in the Earth orientation parameters. As a result, Earth orientation calibration methods were improved to support the Mariner IV and V planetary missions. Today, accurate Earth orientation parameters are used to track and navigate every interplanetary spaceflight mission. The approach taken at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) to provide the interplanetary spacecraft tracking and navigation teams with the UT1 and polar motion parameters that they need is based upon the use of a Kalman filter to combine past measurements of these parameters and predict their future evolution. A model was then used to provide the nutation/precession components of the Earth’s orientation. As a result, variations caused by the free core nutation were not taken into account. But for the highest accuracy, these variations must be considered. So JPL recently developed an approach based upon the use of a Kalman filter and smoother to provide smoothed and predicted celestial pole offsets (CPOs) to the interplanetary spacecraft tracking and navigation teams. The approach used at JPL to do this and an evaluation of the accuracy of the predicted CPOs is given here. For assessing the quality of JPL’s nutation predictions, we compare the time series of dX, dY provided by JPL with the predictions obtained from the IERS Rapid Service/Prediction Centre. Our results confirmed that the approach recently developed by JPL can be used for the successful nutation prediction. In particular, we show that after 90 days of prediction, the estimated errors are 43% lower for dX and 33% lower for dY than in the case of the official IERS products, and an average improvement is 19% and 22% for dX and dY, respectively.
Models of Osteoarthritis: Relevance and New Insights
Authors: Samvelyan Hasmik Jasmine , Hughes David , Stevens Craig , Staines Katherine Ann
Published: February 2020

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive and disabling musculoskeletal disease affecting millions of people and resulting in major healthcare costs worldwide. It is the most common form of arthritis, characterised by degradation of the articular cartilage, formation of osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis, synovial inflammation and ultimate loss of joint function. Understanding the pathogenesis of OA and its multifactorial aetiology will lead to the development of effective treatments, which are currently lacking. Two-dimensional (2D) in vitro tissue models of OA allow affordable, high-throughput analysis and stringent control over specific variables. However, they are linear in fashion and are not representative of physiological conditions. Recent in vitro studies have adopted three-dimensional (3D) tissue models of OA, which retain the advantages of 2D models and are able to mimic physiological conditions, thereby allowing investigation of additional variables including interactions between the cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix. Numerous spontaneous and induced animal models are used to reproduce the onset and monitor the progression of OA based on the aetiology under investigation. This therefore allows elucidation of the pathogenesis of OA and will ultimately enable the development of novel and specific therapeutic interventions. This review summarises the current understanding of in vitro and in vivo OA models in the context of disease pathophysiology, classification and relevance, thus providing new insights and directions for OA research.
Counting and sampling gene family evolutionary histories in the duplication-loss and duplication-loss-transfer models
Authors: Chauve Cedric , Ponty Yann , Wallner Michael
Published: February 2020

Given a set of species whose evolution is represented by a species tree, a gene family is a group of genes having evolved from a single ancestral gene. A gene family evolves along the branches of a species tree through various mechanisms, including—but not limited to—speciation ($${\mathbb {S}}$$S), gene duplication ($${\mathbb {D}}$$D), gene loss ($${\mathbb {L}}$$L), and horizontal gene transfer ($${\mathbb {T}}$$T). The reconstruction of a gene tree representing the evolution of a gene family constrained by a species tree is an important problem in phylogenomics. However, unlike in the multispecies coalescent evolutionary model that considers only speciation and incomplete lineage sorting events, very little is known about the search space for gene family histories accounting for gene duplication, gene loss and horizontal gene transfer (the$${\mathbb {D}}{\mathbb {L}}{\mathbb {T}}$$DLT-model). In this work, we introduce the notion of evolutionary histories defined as a binary ordered rooted tree describing the evolution of a gene family, constrained by a species tree in the$${\mathbb {D}}{\mathbb {L}}{\mathbb {T}}$$DLT-model. We provide formal grammars describing the set of all evolutionary histories that are compatible with a given species tree, whether it is ranked or unranked. These grammars allow us, using either analytic combinatorics or dynamic programming, to efficiently compute the number of histories of a given size, and also to generate random histories of a given size under the uniform distribution. We apply these tools to obtain exact asymptotics for the number of gene family histories for two species trees, the rooted caterpillar and complete binary tree, as well as estimates of the range of the exponential growth factor of the number of histories for random species trees of size up to 25. Our results show that including horizontal gene transfers induce a dramatic increase of the number of evolutionary histories. We also show that, within ranked species trees, the number of evolutionary histories in the$${\mathbb {D}}{\mathbb {L}}{\mathbb {T}}$$DLT-model is almost independent of the species tree topology. These results establish firm foundations for the development of ensemble methods for the prediction of reconciliations.
Effects of missing gravity waves on stratospheric dynamics; part 1: climatology
Authors: Eichinger Roland , Garny Hella , Šácha Petr , Danker Jessica , Dietmüller Simone , Oberländer-Hayn Sophie
Published: February 2020

Energy and momentum deposition from planetary-scale Rossby waves as well as from small-scale gravity waves (GWs) largely control stratospheric dynamics. Interactions between these different wave types, however, complicate the quantification of their individual contribution to the overall dynamical state of the middle atmosphere. In state-of-the-art general circulation models (GCMs), the majority of the GW spectrum cannot be resolved and therefore has to be parameterised. This is commonly implemented in two discrete schemes, one for GWs that originate from flow over orographic obstacles and one for all other kinds of GWs (non-orographic GWs). In this study, we attempt to gain a deeper understanding of the interactions of resolved with parameterised wave driving and of their influence on the stratospheric zonal winds and on the Brewer–Dobson circulation (BDC). For this, we set up a GCM time slice experiment with two sensitivity simulations: one without orographic GWs and one without non-orographic GWs. Our findings include an acceleration of the polar vortices, which has historically been one of the main reasons for including explicit GW parameterisations in GCMs. Further, we find inter-hemispheric differences in BDC changes when omitting GWs that can be explained by wave compensation and amplification effects. These are partly evoked through local changes in the refractive properties of the atmosphere caused by the omitted GW drag and a thereby increased planetary wave propagation. However, non-local effects on the flow can act to suppress vertical wave fluxes into the stratosphere for a very strong polar vortex. Moreover, we study mean age of stratospheric air to investigate the impact of missing GWs on tracer transport. On the basis of this analysis, we suggest that the larger ratio of planetary waves to GWs leads to enhanced horizontal mixing, which can have a large impact on stratospheric tracer distributions.
Quality of life, cognitive, physical and emotional function at diagnosis predicts head and neck cancer survival: analysis of cases from the Head and Neck 5000 study
Authors: Rogers S. N. , Waylen A. E. , Thomas S. , Penfold C. , Pring M. , Waterboer T. , Pawlita M. , Hurley K. , Ness A. R.
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to determine whether health-related quality of life (HRQOL) at diagnosis of head and neck cancer (HNC) is associated with overall survival following treatment with curative intent after adjusting for other factors.

Methods

Data were collected from 5511 participants of the Head and Neck 5000 study (HN5000). HRQOL was measured using the EORTC QLQ-C30. Questionnaire and covariate data were available from 2171 participants diagnosed as follows: oral cavity (655), oropharynx HPV+ (723) and HPV− (277), and larynx (516). On average, participants were followed up 3.2 years (SD 1.2) after diagnosis. Data were adjusted for age, gender, co-morbidity, intended treatment, education level, income from benefits, smoking status and alcohol consumption.

Results

There was a clinically meaningful difference between Global HRQOL scores at diagnosis and survival in an unadjusted and adjusted model: [HR = 0.86, CI 0.82–0.89, p < 0.001 (unadjusted) and HR = 0.90, CI 0.86–0.94, p < 0.001 (adjusted)]. In analyses stratified by tumour site and HPV status, this association was similarly noted before adjustment and persisted after. There were some tumour sub-site variations: improved survival for people with laryngeal cancer reporting higher levels of physical role or social functioning and people with oral cancer reporting higher levels of role or social functioning.

Conclusion

As survival is the main priority for most people diagnosed with cancer, pre-treatment HRQOL is an additional factor to be included in risk stratification and case-mix adjustments. There is merit in incorporating HRQOL into routine clinical care as this is a useful facet in patient-clinician decision making, prognostication and recovery.
Reducing antipsychotic drugs in stable patients with chronic schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder: a randomized controlled pilot trial
Authors: Huhn Maximilian , Leucht Claudia , Rothe Philipp , Dold Markus , Heres Stephan , Bornschein Susanne , Schneider-Axmann Thomas , Hasan Alkomiet , Leucht Stefan
Published: February 2020

As the course of schizophrenic disorders is often chronic, treatment guidelines recommend continuous maintenance treatment to prevent relapses, but antipsychotic drugs can cause many side effects. It, therefore, seems reasonable to try to reduce doses in stable phases of the illness or even try to stop medication. We conducted a 26 weeks, randomized, rater blind, feasibility study to examine individualized antipsychotic dose reduction versus continuous maintenance treatment (Register Number: NCT02307396). We included chronic, adult patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, who were treated with any antipsychotic drug except clozapine, who had not been hospitalized in the last 3 years and who were in symptomatic remission at baseline. The primary outcome was relapse of positive symptoms. Symptom severity, social functioning and side effects were also examined as secondary outcomes. 20 patients were randomized. Relapse rates in the two groups were not significantly different. No patient had to be hospitalized. One patient in the control group dropped out. The mean reduction of antipsychotic dose in the individualized dose-reduction group was 42%, however only one patient discontinued drug completely. There were no significant differences in efficacy or safety outcomes. This randomized trial provides evidence, that reduction of antipsychotic medication in chronic stable schizophrenic patients may be feasible. The results need to be confirmed in a larger trial with a longer follow-up period.
Characterization of neurogenic niches in the telencephalon of juvenile and adult sharks
Authors: Docampo-Seara A. , Pereira-Guldrís S. , Sánchez-Farías N. , Mazan S. , Rodríguez M. A. , Candal Eva
Published: February 2020

Neurogenesis is a multistep process by which progenitor cells become terminally differentiated neurons. Adult neurogenesis has gathered increasing interest with the aim of developing new cell-based treatments for neurodegenerative diseases in humans. Active sites of adult neurogenesis exist from fish to mammals, although in the adult mammalian brain the number and extension of neurogenic areas is considerably reduced in comparison to non-mammalian vertebrates and they become mostly reduced to the telencephalon. Much of our understanding in this field is based in studies on mammals and zebrafish, a modern bony fish. The use of the cartilaginous fishScyliorhinus canicula(representative of basal gnathostomes) as a model expands the comparative framework to a species that shows highly neurogenic activity in the adult brain. In this work, we studied the proliferation pattern in the telencephalon of juvenile and adult specimens ofS. caniculausing antibodies against the proliferation marker proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). We have characterized proliferating niches using stem cell markers (Sex determining region Y-box 2), glial markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein, brain lipid binding protein and glutamine synthase), intermediate progenitor cell markers (Dlx2 and Tbr2) and markers for migrating neuroblasts (Doublecortin). Based in the expression pattern of these markers, we demonstrate the existence of different cell subtypes within the PCNA immunoreactive zones including non-glial stem cells, glial progenitors, intermediate progenitor-like cells and migratory neuroblasts, which were widely distributed in the ventricular zone of the pallium, suggesting that the main progenitor types that constitute the neurogenic niche in mammals are already present in cartilaginous fishes.
Validation and real-life demonstration of ETCS hybrid level 3 principles using a formal B model
Authors: Hansen Dominik , Leuschel Michael , Körner Philipp , Krings Sebastian , Naulin Thomas , Nayeri Nader , Schneider David , Skowron Frank
Published: February 2020

In this article, we present a concrete realisation of the ETCS hybrid level 3 concept, whose practical viability was evaluated in a field demonstration in 2017. Hybrid level 3 introduces virtual subsections as sub-divisions of classical track sections with trackside train detection. Our approach introduces an add-on for the radio block centre (RBC) of Thales, called virtual block function (VBF), which computes the occupation states of the virtual subsections using the train position reports, train integrity information, and the track occupation states. From the perspective of the RBC, the VBF behaves as an interlocking that transmits all signal aspects for virtual signals introduced for each virtual subsection to the RBC. We report on the development of the VBF, implemented as a formal B model executed at runtime using ProB and successfully used in a field demonstration to control real trains.
Calcium silicate against clay brick masonry: an experimental comparison of the in-plane behaviour during light damage
Authors: Korswagen Paul A. , Longo Michele , Rots Jan G.
Published: February 2020

The north of the Netherlands is prone to frequent, light earthquakes linked to economical losses and societal unrest due to the induced seismicity in the region. These light earthquakes produce correspondingly low values of in-plane drift on the typical masonry structures of the region, many of which are built with cavity walls composed of an inner, load-bearing calcium-silicate masonry leaf, and an outer, exposed fired-clay masonry veneer. To assess the resulting damage from the lighter earthquakes, it is thus necessary to understand the difference in behaviour of the inner and the outer masonry leaves when exposed to the same drift values. Experimental tests of replicated, full-scale calcium-silicate brick walls and spandrels are detailed herein and compared to previously tested clay masonry samples. A purposely developed, scalar damage parameter is used to assess the width, number and length of the cracks to objectively quantify damage. High resolution digital image correlation is used to accurately monitor the initiation and propagation of cracks. The experiments reveal that calcium-silicate samples exhibit slightly greater damage than clay samples when subjected to the same in-plane drift. From the tests, drift values for light damage or ‘damage state one’ are set between 0.15 and 0.65‰ for the type of wall tested. Moreover, in these tests, cracks in calcium-silicate samples were significantly more likely to split brick units, whereas cracks in the type of clay samples employed, always followed the masonry joints. This fundamental difference in the light-damage behaviour between the two materials is of importance when considering the perception of damage, the strategies and cost of the repairs, and the strategies for strengthening of masonry structures with cavity walls resembling the type of masonry tested herein.
Phase 3 Multicenter Study of Revusiran in Patients with Hereditary Transthyretin-Mediated (hATTR) Amyloidosis with Cardiomyopathy (ENDEAVOUR)
Authors: Judge Daniel P. , Kristen Arnt V. , Grogan Martha , Maurer Mathew S. , Falk Rodney H. , Hanna Mazen , Gillmore Julian , Garg Pushkal , Vaishnaw Akshay K. , Harrop Jamie , Powell Christine , Karsten Verena , Zhang Xiaoping , Sweetser Marianne T. , Vest John , Hawkins Philip N.
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The Phase 3 ENDEAVOUR study evaluated revusiran, an investigational RNA interference therapeutic targeting hepatic transthyretin (TTR) production, for treating cardiomyopathy caused by hereditary transthyretin-mediated (hATTR) amyloidosis.

Methods

Patients with hATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy were randomized 2:1 to receive subcutaneous daily revusiran 500 mg (n = 140) or placebo (n = 66) for 5 days over a week followed by weekly doses. Co-primary endpoints were 6-min walk test distance and serum TTR reduction.

Results

Revusiran treatment was stopped after a median of 6.71 months; the study Sponsor prematurely discontinued dosing due to an observed mortality imbalance between treatment arms. Eighteen (12.9%) patients on revusiran and 2 (3.0%) on placebo died during the on-treatment period. Most deaths in both treatment arms were adjudicated as cardiovascular due to heart failure (HF), consistent with the natural history of the disease. A post hoc safety investigation of patients treated with revusiran found that, at baseline, a greater proportion of those who died were ≥ 75 years and showed clinical evidence of more advanced HF compared with those who were alive throughout treatment. Revusiran pharmacokinetic exposures and TTR lowering did not show meaningful differences between patients who died and who were alive. Revusiran did not deleteriously affect echocardiographic parameters, cardiac biomarkers, or frequency of cardiovascular and HF hospitalization events.

Conclusions

Causes for the observed mortality imbalance associated with revusiran were thoroughly investigated and no clear causative mechanism could be identified. Although the results suggest similar progression of cardiac parameters in both treatment arms, a role for revusiran cannot be excluded.

Clinical Trial Registration

NCT02319005.
Smoking cessation and incident dementia in elderly Japanese: the Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study
Authors: Lu Yukai , Sugawara Yumi , Zhang Shu , Tomata Yasutake , Tsuji Ichiro
Published: February 2020

To investigate the association of smoking status and years since smoking cessation with the risk of incident dementia among elderly Japanese. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of smoking status and smoking cessation with dementia in prospective cohort study of 12,489 Japanese individuals aged ≥ 65 years who were followed up for 5.7 years. Information on smoking status and other lifestyle factors was collected via a questionnaire in 2006. Data on incident dementia were retrieved from the public Long-term Care Insurance Database. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for incident dementia. During 61,613 person-years of follow-up, 1110 cases (8.9%) of incident dementia were documented. Compared with individuals who had never smoked, current smokers showed a higher risk of dementia (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.17, 1.80). Among ex-smokers, the risk for those who had stopped smoking for ≤ 2 years was still high (HR 1.39, 95% CI 0.96, 2.01), however, quitting smoking for 3 years or longer mitigated the increased risk incurred by smokers; the multivariable HRs (95% CIs) were 1.03 (0.70, 1.53) for those who had stopped smoking for 3–5 years, 1.04 (0.74, 1.45) for 6–10 years, 1.19 (0.84, 1.69) for 11–15 years, and 0.92 (0.73, 1.15) for > 15 years. Our study suggests that the risk of incident dementia among ex-smokers becomes the same level as that of never smokers if they maintain abstinence from smoking for at least 3 years.
What Ought a Fruitful Explicatum to be?
Authors: Pinder Mark
Published: February 2020

Many concepts are inadequate for serious inquiry, so theorists often seek to engineer new concepts. The method of explication, which involves replacing concepts with more fruitful alternatives, is a model of this process. In this paper, I develop an account of fruitfulness, the Relevant-Goals Account of Fruitfulness. The account is in the spirit of extant proposals, but develops and extends them in important ways. In particular, while it applies to explications in general, the account allows us to derive substantive details for specific explications. This is achieved through a supplementary view, Contextualism, that specifies which theoretical goals are relevant in any given case. I close by discussing how the Relevant-Goals Account fits into the dynamic nature of inquiry.
The Virtues of Will-Power – from a Philosophical & Psychological Perspective
Authors: Szutta Natasza
Published: February 2020

Virtue ethics is currently one of the most widely known ethical theories. According to it, to act morally well, one needs to perfect one’s moral character by acquiring virtues. Among various virtues, we can distinguish the group of so-called virtues of will power to which, among others, belong self-control, decisiveness, patience, etc. As they are necessary for the effectiveness of human actions, they are also called executive virtues. It is doubtful, however, if they deserve the proper name of virtues because they can be used either in the realization of good goals or evil ones. To serve the realization of what is good, they need to be combined with so-called substantial virtues (e.g., benevolence, honesty, or justice). Virtues of will power are often identified with practical skills, and perfecting will power is identified with exercising such practices as playing an instrument, doing some sports, or taking practice in medicine. In my article, I am trying to compare the view of will power virtues with the results in empirical, psychological studies over self-control and self-regulation. I will show to what extent these two descriptions – philosophical and psychological – are congruent. I will also take a closer look at the observed phenomenon of the depleted will, and whether this observation undermines the conclusions assumptions of virtue ethics.
The super-disadvantaged in higher education: barriers to access for refugee background students in England
Authors: Lambrechts Agata A.
Published: February 2020

In view of the so-called ‘refugee crisis’ which began in late 2014, there is a growing potential demand for higher education opportunities amongst refugee communities in England and more widely in Europe. Whilst exact numbers are not certain, it is necessary to establish whether such demands can be met at all. Based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with nineteen refugees and asylum seekers residing in England, this study explores refugee background students’ perceptions of the barriers to higher education and builds on previous research by including participants of varied ages, locations and study statuses — namely, aspiring to enrol, or currently enrolled in universities. While existing previous research provided extensive accounts of barriers to access, these were presented as separate issues, where in reality, these factors rarely occur in isolation. Thus, the analytical focus in this paper concerns how these different barriers to access not only accumulate, but also inter-relate and exacerbate each other, leading to what can be described as a super-disadvantage. This new term is proposed here as indicating the extreme degree of denial of equal access to educational opportunities experienced by those with refugee background, resulting from the added, independent effect of their migration experiences, status, and the socio-economic realities of living as a refugee. It is argued that this ‘super-disadvantage’ cannot be overcome without deliberate changes to outreach and support delivered by universities. These must be developed in partnerships with third sector experts and the refugee background students themselves.
Meiofauna as a model to test paradigms of ecological metacommunity theory
Authors: Gansfort Birgit , Fontaneto Diego , Zhai Marie
Published: February 2020

The metacommunity concept incorporates spatial dynamics into community ecology, shedding light on how local and regional processes interact in structuring ecological communities, and to which measure they are deterministic or stochastic. We reviewed metacommunity studies on freshwater meiobenthos published since 2004, when the main principles of metacommunity theory were conceptualized. The studies (together 19) were observational, focused mainly on ostracods, and rarely on rotifers and nematodes. In accordance with general expectations, the prevalent structuring force was species sorting. Ostracods showed more dispersal limitations than nematodes and rotifers, and there was very little support for dispersal surplus. We discussed the role of body size, dispersal mode, and attachment to sediment for the meiofauna dispersal. Effects of metacommunity context (habitat connectivity, spatial extent, and environmental heterogeneity), study design (e.g., sample size), and statistical approach could not be sufficiently disentangled due to the low number of studies. Local stochasticity, consistent with neutral theory and patch dynamics, was indicated for taxa with weak specialization and metacommunities in small habitats. Our understanding of meiofaunal metacommunities is only fragmentary and it would highly benefit from direct comparisons of taxa with different species traits and between different spatial scales, and studies incorporating temporal dynamics and hypothesis-driven experiments.
Continuous Wave THz System Based on an Electrically Tunable Monolithic Dual Wavelength Y-Branch DBR Diode Laser
Authors: Gwaro Jared O. , Brenner Carsten , Theurer L. S. , Maiwald M. , Sumpf Bernd , Hofmann Martin R.
Published: February 2020

We analyse the use of a tunable dual wavelength Y-branch DBR laser diode for THz applications. The laser generates electrically tunable THz difference frequencies in the range between 100 and 300 GHz. The optical beats are tuned via current injection into a micro-resistor heater integrated on top of one of the distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) section of the diode. The laser is integrated in a homodyne THz system employing fiber coupled ion-implanted LT-GaAs log spiral antennas. The applicability of the developed system in THz spectroscopy is demonstrated by evaluating the spectral resonances of a THz filter as well as in THz metrology in thickness determination of a polyethylene sample.
A unifying 2D action for integrable $$\sigma $$-models from 4D Chern–Simons theory
Authors: Delduc Francois , Lacroix Sylvain , Magro Marc , Vicedo Benoît
Published: February 2020

In the approach recently proposed by K. Costello and M. Yamazaki, which is based on a four-dimensional variant of Chern–Simons theory, we derive a simple and unifying two-dimensional form for the action of many integrable$$\sigma $$σ-models which are known to admit descriptions as affine Gaudin models. This includes both the Yang–Baxter deformation and the$$\lambda $$λ-deformation of the principal chiral model. We also give an interpretation of Poisson–LieT-duality in this setting and derive the action of the$$\textsf {E} $$E-model.
Feasibility of School-Based Identification of Children and Adolescents Experiencing, or At-risk of Developing, Mental Health Difficulties: a Systematic Review
Authors: Soneson Emma , Howarth Emma , Ford Tamsin , Humphrey Ayla , Jones Peter B. , Thompson Coon Jo , Rogers Morwenna , Anderson Joanna K.
Published: February 2020

Under-identification of mental health difficulties (MHD) in children and young people contributes to the significant unmet need for mental health care. School-based programmes have the potential to improve identification rates. This systematic review aimed to determine the feasibility of various models of school-based identification of MHD. We conducted systematic searches in Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, ERIC, British Education Index, and ASSIA using terms for mental health combined with terms for school-based identification. We included studies that assessed feasibility of school-based identification of students in formal education aged 3–18 with MHD, symptomatology of MHD, or exposed to risks for MHD. Feasibility was defined in terms of (1) intervention fit, (2) cost and resource implications, (3) intervention complexity, flexibility, manualisation, and time concerns, and (4) adverse events. Thirty-three studies met inclusion criteria. The majority focused on behavioural and socioemotional problems or suicide risk, examined universal screening models, and used cross-sectional designs. In general, school-based programmes for identifying MHD aligned with schools’ priorities, but their appropriateness for students varied by condition. Time, resource, and cost concerns were the most common barriers to feasibility across models and conditions. The evidence base regarding feasibility is limited, and study heterogeneity prohibits definitive conclusions about the feasibility of different identification models. Education, health, and government agencies must determine how to allocate available resources to make the widespread adoption of school-based identification programmes more feasible. Furthermore, the definition and measurement of feasibility must be standardised to promote any future comparison between models and conditions.
Is constitutionalized media freedom only window dressing? Evidence from terrorist attacks
Authors: Bjørnskov Christian , Voigt Stefan
Published: February 2020

Media freedom is often curtailed in the wake of terrorist attacks. In this contribution, we ask whether constitutional provisions that are intended—directly or indirectly—to protect media freedom affect the degree to which press freedom is curtailed after terrorist incidents. We find that neither provisions explicitly protecting media freedom nor provisions that might protect media freedom indirectly (such as those guaranteeing the independence of the judiciary) mitigate the post-terror curtailment of press freedom.