bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of long‐term (40+ year) trend data to evaluate management actions on brown trout,Salmo trutta,populations in groundwater‐fed streams
Authors: Dieterman Douglas J. , Hoxmeier R. John H. , Roloff Jason , Staples David F.
Published: November 2020

A 40+ year programme to monitor brown trout,Salmo truttaL. (populations at 25 groundwater‐fed stream sites in southeast Minnesota, USA, was initiated to identify population trends, evaluate management actions and test ecological theories regulating populations. Significant increases between 1970 and 2018 were found for total biomass (an average of 5% annually) and abundance of juveniles (7%), all adults (7%) and adults ≥305 mm (3%). Sites managed with instream habitat projects had an additional 30% higher abundance for trout ≥305 mm and 57% higher for trout ≥355 mm. Sites managed with a catch‐and‐release regulation had nearly 130% higher abundance of trout ≥305 mm and 100% higher for trout ≥355 mm. Trout recruitment was temporally synchronous over the 9,200 km2area but not associated with spatial distance. There was little support for stock–recruitment relationships, and density‐dependent growth was only detected at half of the study sites. Increasing abundance trends represent a fisheries management success and suggest that these populations were largely regulated by a coupling of abiotic factors managed at two spatial scales: watershed (improved land use practices facilitating greater water infiltration) and instream (habitat improvement projects).
Deconstructing the abundance–suitability relationship in species distribution modelling
Authors: Jiménez‐Valverde Alberto , Aragón Pedro , Lobo Jorge M.
Published: November 2020

Aim

Local suitability estimated with species distribution models (SDMs) could indicate the maximum abundance attainable by species. Often the abundance–suitability relationship is wedge‐shaped because species do not reach their maximum potential in every suitable location. We explore how SDM performance, the amount of information lost when converting continuous abundance into presence–absence data and species prevalence influence the abundance–suitability relationship.

Location

Undefined.

Time period

Undefined.

Major taxa

Virtual species.

Methods

Different abundance scenarios were simulated and converted into presence–absence maps. SDMs were parameterized using simulated predictors with different explanatory capacities. Quantile regressions were performed to characterize the abundance–suitability relationship. The strength of the wedge‐shaped pattern was estimated using the difference in slopes between the 90th and 50th quantile lines, the goodness‐of‐fit of the 90th quantile regressions was calculated, and variation of both parameters was analysed as a function of SDM performance, prevalence and maximum abundance.

Results

The degree of wedge shape was directly related to maximum abundance. It also depended on SDM quality; the higher the discrimination capacity, the less wedge‐shaped the abundance–suitability relationship and higher the goodness‐of‐fit of the 90th quantile regressions. Prevalence exerted a significant effect on the shape of the relationship by influencing—together with maximum abundance—the extent of information loss.

Main conclusions

SDMs cannot predict actual abundance even when the true determinants of abundance are included as predictors. Because presence–absence and abundance data are related but are different variables, wedge‐shaped patterns are unavoidable. Discrimination capacity and prevalence affect the strength of the wedge‐shaped pattern, so understanding their effects is necessary before any biological explanation is provided for the abundance–suitability relationship. Suitability maps derived from SDMs may transmit a false sense of precision at a local scale and should not be used as a perfect surrogate when abundance information is required.
COVID‐19: Impacts on oral healthcare delivery in dependent older adults
Authors: Lundberg Andrea , Hillebrecht Anna‐Lena , McKenna Gerald , Srinivasan Murali
Published: November 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the impacts of restrictions to the provision of dental services for dependent older patients due to the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

Data were gathered on the number of dependent older patients treated, emergency treatment provided and the revenues generated by a specialised clinic for geriatric dentistry during the current pandemic period and compared with the recorded clinical activity from the preceding year. Hypothetical projections were generated for the remainder of the current year based on the assumption that restrictions due to COVID‐19 would remain.

Results

A significant decrease in the total number of dependent older patients treated was recorded during the periods of January‐March 2020 (P = .026) and April‐May 2020 (P = .001) when compared to 2019. According to projections, by December 2020 the clinic will be providing 81.14% less clinical activity compared to 2019 (P < .0001), including a complete cessation of domiciliary services. Despite decreases in expenditure, revenues generated by the clinic have decreased significantly due to reduced clinical activity during January‐March 2020 (P = .268) and April‐May 2020 (P = .010) compared to 2019, and would decline further by 899.61% by December 2020.

Conclusions

The restrictions implemented to prevent the spread of COVID‐19 have resulted in a significant reduction in oral healthcare provision for dependent older adults. Within this clinic, dedicated to dependent older adults, clinical activity is projected to reduce by 81% by the end of 2020 with associated reductions in revenue generation. Given the importance of oral healthcare delivery for this patient group, this may have significant and lasting impacts.
Allodynia and Disability in Migraine: The Mediating Role of Stress
Authors: Polk Ashley N. , Protti Tracy A. , Smitherman Todd A.
Published: November 2020

Objective

This study sought to investigate the relationship between allodynia, psychological variables, and disability among individuals with migraine.

Background

A growing body of research views migraine as a condition of stress‐related physiological dysregulation. Cutaneous allodynia is one manifestation of this dysregulation and affects a majority of individuals with migraine, though it is typically discussed in the context of headache pathophysiology. Stress, like allodynia, is implicated in the development of central sensitization and migraine progression. However, the contributions of stress and related psychological factors in allodynia and resulting disability remain largely unknown.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study at a Southern U.S. university queried young adults with migraine regarding headache symptoms, disability, allodynia symptom frequency, and psychological variables using validated measures. Relations among allodynia and psychological variables of relevance were examined, including the association between allodynia and disability after controlling for pain severity. Subsequently, we assessed whether stress mediated the relationship between allodynia and disability.

Results

The final sample consisted of 147 young adults (87.8% [129/147] female, mean age = 19.0 ± 2.4) with an average headache frequency of 9.9 days per month (SD = 5.9). Increases in allodynia showed small associations with increases in stress, (r = 0.26, P = .001), fear of pain (r = 0.22, P = .008), and headache‐related disability (r = 0.18, P = .003); and a small association with reduced self‐efficacy (r = −0.16, P = .049). Allodynia significantly predicted disability even after controlling for pain severity (∆R2 = 0.02, P = .040), and the allodynia‐disability relationship was mediated by stress (point estimate = 0.10, 95% CI [0.02‐0.21]), such that as allodynia severity increased, stress increased and subsequent disability worsened.

Conclusions

This study establishes meaningful relationships between allodynia and psychological variables of importance to headache self‐management and adaptive coping. Allodynia exerts some effect on disability independent of pain itself, and this relationship is partially driven by stress. This study highlights the potential role of the stress response among those with allodynia, and further research is needed to determine if migraine interventions that target maladaptive stress responses may reduce disability by impeding the feedforward loop of allostatic load.
Designing strategies for eradication of Helicobacter pylori based on prevalence patterns of infection and antibiotic resistance in a low‐income, medically underserved community in the United States
Authors: Singh Harpreet , Chung Hansol , Awan Imad , Mone Anjali , Cooper Robert , Patel Sanket , Grigoryan Zoya , Ishida Yojiro , Papachristou Charalampos , Judge Thomas , DeSipio Joshua , Phadtare Sangita
Published: November 2020

Background

Regional variation in Helicobacter pylori resistance patterns is a significant contributing factor for the ineffectiveness of traditional treatments. To improve treatment outcomes, we sought to create an individualized, susceptibility‐driven therapeutic approach among our patient population, which is one of the poorest in the nation. It is medically underserved, minority‐predominant and has high incidence of H pylori infection.

Methods

We compiled various factors involved in the antibiotic resistance of H pylori from literature. We then created a predictive model to customize therapies based on analyzed data from 2,014 H pylori patients with respect to several of these factors. The predictions of the model were further tested with analysis of patient stool samples.

Results

A clear pattern of H pylori prevalence and antibiotic resistance was observed in our patients. We observed that majority of H pylori patients were women (62%) and over the age of 40 years (80%). 30% and 36% of the H pylori patients were African American and Hispanic, respectively. A median household income of less than $54,000, past H pylori infection, previous use of certain antibiotics for any infection decreased the chance of eradication. Results of the stool testing were consistent with model predictions (90% accuracy).

Conclusion

This model demonstrates the predictive accuracy of H pylori infection and antibiotic resistance based on patient attributes and previous treatment history. It will be useful to formulate customized treatments with predicted outcomes to minimize failures. Our community attributes may contribute toward broad applicability of model for other similar communities.
Circ_0067835 sponges miR‐324‐5p to induce HMGA1 expression in endometrial carcinoma cells
Authors: Liu Yun , Chang Yue , Cai Yixuan
Published: November 2020

Endometrial cancer is a common gynaecological malignant tumour among women across the world. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel kind of non‐coding RNAs, and they can play a crucial role in multiple cancers. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of circRNAs in regulating gene expression in endometrial cancer are still unclear. Here, our work sought to focus on the role that circ_0067835 exert in progression and development of endometrial cancer cells. We observed circ_0067835 was markedly elevated in endometrial cancer. Then, changes in endometrial cancer cell (RL95‐2 and HEC‐1B) function were determined after circ_0067835 knockdown. Loss‐of‐functional assays revealed that circ_0067835 down‐regulation significantly repressed RL95‐1 and HEC‐1B cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter experiment and RNA pull‐down assay were employed to predict and validate circ_0067835 can bind to miR‐324‐5p. Increase in miR‐324‐5p remarkably depressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of endometrial cancer cells via inhibiting high mobility group A1 (HMGA1). HMGA1 is identified as a vital prognostic biomarker in endometrial cancer. Currently, we reported circ_0067835 was positively correlated with HMGA1 in endometrial cancer. We implied that circ_0067835 was capable of sponging miR‐324‐5p and inducing its downstream target HMGA1 in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, circ_0067835 can compete with miR‐324‐5p, resulting in HMGA1 up‐regulation, and therefore induce the development of endometrial cancer.
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae as a model for real‐time studies of propagating VHS virus infection, tissue tropism and neutrophil activity
Authors: Marana Moonika Haahr , Schmidt Jacob Günther , Biacchesi Stéphane , Lorenzen Niels , Jørgensen Louise von Gersdorff
Published: November 2020

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) is a negative‐sense single‐stranded RNA virus that infects more than 140 different fish species. In this study, zebrafish larvae were employed as in vivo model organisms to investigate progression of disease, the correlation between propagation of the infection and irreversibility of disease, cell tropism and in situ neutrophil activity towards the VHSV‐infected cells. A recombinant VHSV strain, encoding “tomato” fluorescence (rVHSV‐Tomato), was used in zebrafish to be able to follow the progress of the infection in the live host in real‐time. Two‐day‐old zebrafish larvae were injected into the yolk sac with the recombinant virus. The virus titre peaked 96 hr post‐infection in zebrafish larvae kept at 18°C, and correlated with 33% mortality and high morbidity among the larvae. By utilizing the transgenic zebrafish line Tg(fli1:GFP)y1 with fluorescently tagged endothelial cells, we were able to demonstrate that the virus initially infected endothelial cells lining the blood vessels. By observing the rVHSV‐Tomato infection in the neutrophil reporter zebrafish line Tg(MPX:eGFP)i114, we inferred that only a subpopulation of the neutrophils responded to the virus infection. We conclude that the zebrafish larvae are suitable for real‐time studies of VHS virus infections, allowing in vivo dissection of host–virus interactions at the whole organism level.
A novel simulation–optimization strategy for stochastic‐based designing of flood control dam: A case study of Jamishan dam
Authors: Sharafati Ahmad , Yaseen Zaher Mundher , Shahid Shamsuddin
Published: November 2020

This study presents a novel stochastic simulation–optimization approach for optimum designing of flood control dam through incorporation of various sources of uncertainties. The optimization problem is formulated based on two objective functions, namely, annual cost of dam implementation and dam overtopping probability, as those are the two major concerns in designing flood control dams. The nondominated solutions are obtained through a multi‐objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) approach. Results indicate that stochastic sources have a significant impact on Pareto front solutions. The distance index (DI) reveals the rainfall depth (DI = 0.41) as the most significant factor affecting the Pareto front and the hydraulic parameters (DI = 0.02) as the least. The dam overtopping probability is found to have a higher sensitivity to the variability of stochastic sources compared to annual cost of dam implementation. The values of interquartile range (IQR) indicate that the dam overtopping probability is least uncertain when all stochastic sources are considered (IQR = 0.25%). The minimum annual cost of dam implementation (2.79 M$) is also achieved when all stochastic sources are considered in optimization process. The results indicate the potential of the proposed method to be used for better designing of flood control dam through incorporation of all sources of uncertainty.
We Need a Paradigm Shift Around End‐of‐Life Decision Making
Authors: Dzeng Elizabeth , Morrison R. Sean
Published: November 2020

This editorial comments on the article by Cohen et al. in this issue.
Guardianship and End‐of‐Life Care for Veterans with Dementia in Nursing Homes
Authors: Cohen Andrew B. , Han Ling , OʼLeary John R. , Fried Terri R.
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Experts have suggested that patients represented by professional guardians receive higher intensity end‐of‐life treatment than other patients, but there is little corresponding empirical data.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Among veterans aged 65 and older who died from 2011 to 2013, we used Minimum Data Set assessments to identify those who were nursing home residents and had moderately severe or severe dementia. We applied methods developed in prior work to determine which of these veterans had professional guardians. Decedent veterans with professional guardians were matched to decedent veterans without guardians in a 1:4 ratio, according to age, sex, race, dementia severity, and nursing facility type (VA based vs non‐VA).

MEASUREMENTS

Our primary outcome was intensive care unit (ICU) admission in the last 30 days of life. Secondary outcomes included mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the last 30 days of life, feeding tube placement in the last 90 days of life, three or more nursing home‐to‐hospital transfers in the last 90 days of life, and in‐hospital death.

RESULTS

ICU admission was more common among patients with professional guardians than matched controls (17.5% vs 13.7%), but the difference was not statistically significant (adjusted odds ratio = 1.33; 95% confidence interval = .89–1.99). There were no significant differences in receipt of any other treatment; nor was there a consistent pattern. Mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation were more common among patients with professional guardians, and feeding tube placement, three or more end‐of‐life hospitalizations, and in‐hospital death were more common among matched controls.

CONCLUSION

Rates of high‐intensity treatment were similar whether or not a nursing home resident with dementia was represented by a professional guardian. This is in part because high‐intensity treatment occurred more frequently than expected among patients without guardians.
A cervical mass in a laboratory rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta): Suspicion of air sacculitis
Authors: Bertrand Henri G. M. J. , Flecknell Paul A.
Published: November 2020

A 13‐year‐old rhesus macaque presented a cervical swelling associated with sudden deterioration of its condition. This mass was surgically removed, and its histopathological examination revealed a stratified squamous epithelium. This appearance has been reported in some case of air sacculitis in others non‐human primate species.
Equilibrium Asset Pricing with Leverage and Default
Authors: GOMES JOÃO F. , SCHMID LUKAS
Published: November 2020

We develop a general equilibrium model linking the pricing of stocks and corporate bonds to endogenous movements in corporate leverage and aggregate volatility. The model features heterogeneous firms making optimal investment and financing decisions and connects fluctuations in macroeconomic quantities and asset prices to movements in the cross section of firms. Empirically plausible movements in leverage produce realistic asset return dynamics. Countercyclical leverage drives predictable variation in risk premia, and debt‐financed growth generates a high value premium. Endogenous default produces countercyclical aggregate volatility and credit spread movements that are propagated to the real economy through their effects on investment and output.
Parents’ experiences of complementary feeding among a United Kingdom culturally diverse and deprived community
Authors: Cook Erica Jane , Powell Faye Caroline , Ali Nasreen , Penn‐Jones Catrin , Ochieng Bertha , Randhawa Gurch
Published: November 2020

Complementary feeding practices and adherence to health recommendations are influenced by a range of different and often interrelating factors such as socio‐economic and cultural factors. However, the factors underlying these associations are often complex with less awareness of how complementary feeding approaches vary across the UK’s diverse population. This paper describes a qualitative investigation undertaken in a deprived and culturally diverse community in the UK which aimed to explore parents’ knowledge, beliefs and practices of complementary feeding. One hundred and ten mothers and fathers, self‐identified as being White British, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black African/Caribbean or Polish took part in twenty‐four focus group discussions, organised by age group, sex and ethnicity.

The findings revealed that most parents initiated complementary feeding before the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation of 6 months. Early initiation was strongly influenced by breast feeding practices alongside the extent to which parents believed that their usual milk; that is, breastmilk or formula was fulfilling their infants' nutritional needs. The composition of diet and parents' approach to complementary feeding was closely aligned to traditional cultural practices; however, some contradictions were noted. The findings also acknowledge the pertinent role of the father in influencing the dietary practices of the wider household. Learning about both the common and unique cultural feeding attitudes and practices held by parents may help us to tailor healthy complementary feeding advice in the context of increasing diversity in the United Kingdom.
The cerebral microvasculature: Basic and clinical perspectives on stroke and glioma
Authors: Hoque Maruf M. , Abdelazim Hanaa , Jenkins‐Houk Clifton , Wright Dawn , Patel Biraj M. , Chappell John C.
Published: November 2020

Microvascular networks are vital components of the cardiovascular system, performing many key roles in maintaining the health and homeostasis of the tissues and organs in which they develop. As discussed in this review, the molecular and cellular components within the microcirculation orchestrate critical processes to establish functional capillary beds, including organization of endothelial cell (EC) polarity, guiding investment of vascular pericytes (PCs), and building the specialized extracellular matrix (ECM) that comprises the vascular basement membrane (vBM). Herein, we further discuss the unique features of the microvasculature in the central nervous system (CNS), focusing on the cells contributing to the neurovascular unit (NVU) that form and maintain the blood‐brain barrier (BBB). With a focus on vascular PCs, we offer basic and clinical perspectives on neurovascular‐related pathologies that involve defects within the cerebral microvasculature. Specifically, we present microvascular anomalies associated with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) including defects in vascular‐immune cell interactions and associated clinical therapies targeting microvessels (ie, vascular‐disrupting/anti‐angiogenic agents and focused ultrasound). We also discuss the involvement of the microcirculation in stroke responses and potential therapeutic approaches. Our goal was to compare the cellular and molecular changes that occur in the microvasculature and NVU, and to provide a commentary on factors driving disease progression in GBM and stroke. We conclude with a forward‐looking perspective on the importance of microcirculation research in developing clinical treatments for these devastating conditions.
The soluble cytoplasmic N‐terminal domain of the FocA channel gates bidirectional formate translocation
Authors: Kammel Michelle , Hunger Doreen , Sawers Robert Gary
Published: November 2020

FocA belongs to the pentameric FNT (formate‐nitrite transporter) superfamily of anion channels, translocating formate bidirectionally across the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli and other microorganisms. While the membrane‐integral core of FocA shares considerable amino acid sequence conservation with other FNT family members, the soluble cytoplasmic N‐terminal domain does not. To analyze the potential biochemical function of FocA’s N‐terminal domain in vivo, we constructed truncation derivatives and amino acid‐exchange variants, and determined their ability to translocate formate across the membrane of E. coli cells by monitoring intracellular formate levels using a formate‐sensitive reporter system. Analysis of strains synthesizing these FocA variants provided insights into formate efflux. Strains lacking the ability to generate formate intracellularly allowed us to determine whether these variants could import formate or its toxic chemical analog hypophosphite. Our findings reveal that the N‐terminal domain of FocA is crucial for bidirectional FocA‐dependent permeation of formate across the membrane. Moreover, we show that an amino acid sequence motif and secondary structural features of the flexible N‐terminal domain are important for formate translocation, and efflux/influx is influenced by pyruvate formate‐lyase. The soluble N‐terminal domain is, therefore, essential for bidirectional formate translocation by FocA, suggesting a “gate‐keeper” function controlling anion accessibility.
Reframing the meaning of life and professional values: A theoretical framework of facilitating professional care for terminally ill patients
Authors: Pan Si , Li Xianhong , Shen Yan , Chen Jia , Koniak‐Griffin Deborah
Published: November 2020

Professional values reflect nurses' understanding of how to deliver professional care, which might influence nurses' attitudes and caring behaviors during end‐of‐life care. However, limited research has been conducted to explore nurses' experiences of professional development during end‐of‐life care, and theoretical explanations are scarce about how nurses enact their professional values during the caring process. This study explored the social process of professional values involved in end‐of‐life care in the Chinese cultural context by adopting a constructivist grounded theory approach. Twenty semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with 15 nurses from three hospitals in southeastern China were conducted. A theoretical framework emerged when focusing on the social process of “reframing the meaning of life and professional values” to facilitate professional care for terminally ill patients. Three main categories were sequentially identified as “recognizing the dilemmas when caring for terminally ill patients,” “applying strategies to deal with values conflict,” and “reconstructing values.” This theoretical framework may be applied as a practical framework for equipping nurses with effective strategies to cultivate professional values, including the provision of adequate end‐of‐life knowledge, and a supportive workplace environment.
PD‐L1 expression patterns in oral cancer as an integrated approach for further prognostic classification
Authors: Miranda‐Galvis Marisol , Rumayor Piña Alicia , Sales de Sá Raísa , Almeida Leite Amanda , Agustin Vargas Pablo , Calsavara Vinicius Fernando , Lópes Pinto Clóvis A. , Teng Yong , Kowalski Luiz Paulo
Published: November 2020

Background

Despite the well‐known role of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) in promoting immune resistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), its potential utility as a prognostic biomarker is undetermined. We evaluated PD‐L1 expression as predictor of survival in patients with OSCC and explored PD‐L1 expression patterns.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study that assessed PD‐L1 expression through immunohistochemistry in 123 surgical specimens of OSCC. A first approach evaluated tumor proportion scores (TPS) and combined proportion scores (CPS). Next, expression patterns were examined by evaluating PD‐L1 localization in tumor nests, as well as the interfaces of tumor cells (TC) and immune cells (IC) in the tumor microenvironment.

Results

High‐level PD‐L1 expression determined by TPS and CPS using variable cutoffs was not associated with survival. Immunohistochemistry revealed that TC expressed PD‐L1 in either patchy or diffuse patterns. The patchy pattern was an independent risk factor for overall survival. Furthermore, expression patterns in the tumor immune microenvironment showed that most cases expressed PD‐L1 on both TC and IC, while PD‐L1 non‐expressors had the lowest overall survival.

Conclusion

PD‐L1 expression patterns in the context of localization in tumor nests and TC—IC interactions represent antitumor immune responses better than either TPS or CPS. Our suggested classification system may have important implications for the characterization of OSCC and for the use of PD‐L1 as a prognostic biomarker.
Is zeaxanthin needed for desiccation tolerance? Sustained forms of thermal dissipation in tolerant versus sensitive bryophytes
Authors: Verhoeven Amy S. , Berkowitz Jennifer M. , Walton Brenna N. , Berube Brandt K. , Willour Jerry J. , Polich Sidney B.
Published: November 2020

Desiccation tolerant (DT) plants engage and disengage sustained forms of energy dissipation in response to desiccation and rehydration. This project sought to characterize the role of zeaxanthin and thylakoid protein phosphorylation status in sustained energy dissipation during desiccation in bryophytes with varying DT. Tolerant (Polytrichum piliferum, Dicranum species, Calliergon stramineum) and sensitive (Grimmia species, Schistidium rivulare, Sphagnum species) moss were desiccated in darkness or natural light conditions for up to three weeks. Desiccation caused pronounced reductions in Fv/Fm in all cases which was enhanced by light exposure during desiccation. Desiccation in darkness resulted in no accumulation of Z in any species, however, in natural light conditions there was significant accumulation of Z in tolerant but not sensitive species. Desiccation in natural light, relative to darkness, resulted in more pronounced reductions in Fo in tolerant but not sensitive species. Recovery of Fv/Fm upon rehydration occurred in two phases, a rapid phase (minutes) and a slower phase (hours). Increased time of desiccation, and light exposure, resulted in a reduction in the rapid phase. Desiccation in light conditions resulted in some accumulation of the phosphorylated form of the major light harvesting trimer (LHCII). Data are consistent with two mechanisms of sustained quenching, neither of which requires Z. However, when desiccation occurs in natural light conditions, accumulation of Z likely contributes to one or both of the sustained forms of dissipation. Increases in LHCII phosphorylation during desiccation are consistent with increased connectivity between the photosystems. The absence of Z formation in sensitive species may contribute to their lack of desiccation tolerance.
Testing limits: ERP evidence for word form preactivation during speeded sentence reading
Authors: DeLong Katherine A. , Chan Wen‐hsuan , Kutas Marta
Published: November 2020

While it is commonly agreed upon that language comprehenders preactivate information at multiple levels, there is less consensus regarding what and when information is predicted, under which circumstances, and via which mechanism(s). Regarding when, Ito, Corley, Pickering, Martin, & Nieuwland (2016) concluded that during sentence processing, word form—unlike semantic—preactivation crucially relies on the time available to generate late‐stage predictions via language production mechanisms, setting this limit between 500 and 700 ms/word. The current event‐related brain potential (ERP) study tests this proposal at a substantially faster serial visual presentation (SVP) rate of four words/s, on par with normal reading. We utilize the experimental design and replicate the general ERP findings of the two words/s SVP study of DeLong, Chan, & Kutas (2019), with results showing similar N400 reductions to unpredictable sentence continuations whether semantically or orthographically related to contextually predictable words, as well as an increased late posterior positivity to orthographic neighbors. These findings indicate that processing of written word information can be rapidly facilitated through context‐based expectancies, establishing that if there is a time constraint for word form preactivation, it must be far less than limits specified by the prediction‐by‐production comprehension model championed by Ito et al.
An Information Theoretic Approach for Selecting Arms in Clinical Trials
Authors: Mozgunov Pavel , Jaki Thomas
Published: November 2020

The question of selecting the ‘best’ among different choices is a common problem in statistics. In drug development, our motivating setting, the question becomes, for example, which treatment gives the best response rate. Motivated by recent developments in the theory of context-dependent information measures, we propose a flexible response-adaptive experimental design based on a novel criterion governing treatment arm selections which can be used in adaptive experiments with simple (e.g. binary) and complex (e.g. co-primary, ordinal or nested) end points. It was found that, for specific choices of the context-dependent measure, the criterion leads to a reliable selection of the correct arm without any parametric or monotonicity assumptions and provides noticeable gains in settings with costly observations. The asymptotic properties of the design are studied for different allocation rules, and the small sample size behaviour is evaluated in simulations in the context of phase II clinical trials with different end points. We compare the proposed design with currently used alternatives and discuss its practical implementation.
High‐order exceptional points and enhanced sensing in subwavelength resonator arrays
Authors: Ammari Habib , Davies Bryn , Hiltunen Erik Orvehed , Lee Hyundae , Yu Sanghyeon
Published: November 2020

Systems exhibiting degeneracies known as exceptional points have remarkable properties with powerful applications, particularly in sensor design. These degeneracies are formed when eigenstates coincide, and the remarkable effects are exaggerated by increasing the order of the exceptional point (i.e., the number of coincident eigenstates). In this work, we use asymptotic techniques to study ‐symmetric arrays of many subwavelength resonators and search for high‐order asymptotic exceptional points. This analysis reveals the range of different configurations that can give rise to such exceptional points and provides efficient techniques to compute them. We also show how systems exhibiting high‐order exceptional points can be used for sensitivity enhancement.
Maximum pseudo‐likelihood estimation based on estimated residuals in copula semiparametric models
Authors: Omelka Marek , Hudecová Šárka , Neumeyer Natalie
Published: November 2020

This paper deals with an estimation of the dependence structure of a multidimensional response variable in the presence of a multivariate covariate. It is assumed that the covariate affects only the marginal distributions through regression models while the dependence structure, which is described by a copula, is unaffected. A parametric estimation of the copula function is considered with focus on the maximum pseudo‐likelihood method. It is proved that under some appropriate regularity assumptions the estimator calculated from the residuals has the same asymptotic distribution as the estimator based on the unobserved errors. In such case one can ignore the fact that the response is first adjusted for the effect of the covariate. The theoretical results are accompanied by a Monte Carlo simulation study which illustrates that the maximum pseudo‐likelihood estimator based on residuals may behave poorly when the stated regularity assumptions are not satisfied.
Factor V activity in apheresis platelets: Implications for management of FV deficiency
Authors: Gupta Gaurav K. , Hendrickson Jeanne E. , Bahel Parveen , Siddon Alexa J. , Rinder Henry M. , Tormey Christopher A.
Published: November 2020

Background

Allogeneic platelet (PLT) infusion is a strategy to raise Factor V (FV) levels in patients with congenital FV deficiency. However, since FV is labile in vitro, we hypothesized that FV activity could be low in PLT units.

Study Design and Methods

FV activity was tested using a prothrombin time‐based platform in the supernatant and platelet lysate (PL) of apheresis PLT units (16 units stored in PLT additive solution with acetate and phosphate [PAS‐C] and 10 units stored in plasma only), on post‐collection days 3‐6. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t test (P < .05).

Results

FV activity was severely diminished in PAS‐C PLTs (N = 16) supernatant (3.70% ± 1.02%) and PL (3.26% ± 1.02%). FV activity in plasma‐only PLTs (N = 10) was lower in both supernatant (44.55% ± 6.46%) and lysate (39.67% ± 6.33%) relative to normal plasma levels, but both were significantly higher (P < .0001) compared to PAS‐C PLTs. In a separate set of experiments, FV activity in PAS‐C PLTs examined serially over storage time (N = 3 for these experiments) showed that FV levels were reduced by day 3 and not significantly different by day 5 of storage (Day 3 supernatant 5.03% ± 1.41%; Day 5 supernatant: 3.10% ± 0.57%; P = .2; Day 3 lysate: 3.89% ± 1.03%; Day 5 lysate: 2.61% ± 0.41%; P = .4).

Conclusion

Plasma should be considered over PLTs as first‐line therapy for non‐complex FV deficiency‐associated hemorrhage. If PLTs are considered for transfusion, plasma‐only PLT units should be preferentially utilized, as PAS‐C PLT have near‐absent FV activity.
Determinants of intention to return to donate blood among first‐time blood donors in Ghana
Authors: Asamoah‐Akuoko Lucy , Ullum Henrik , Appiah Bernard , Hassall Oliver W , Ndanu Thomas , Adongo Philip , Bates Imelda
Published: November 2020

Objective

This study seeks to identify factors that are predictive of intention to return to donate blood among first‐time blood donors.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey of 505 first‐time blood donors, selected from blood donation sessions across three regions in Ghana. Data were obtained on their intention to donate blood in the next four months, factors that would influence this decision. Logistic regression models were used to test factors that were predictive of intention to return.

Results

First‐time donors were young with 87·4% below 35 years of age, male (72·5%), single (73·3%), Christian (93·7%), employed (58·8%), with at least a basic education (98%). Factors that positively predicted intention to return included: motivational incentives (OR = 1·67, 95%CI: 1·01–2·78; P = 0·045); ease of access to the donation site (OR = 2·65, 95%CI: 1·48–4·73; P = 0·001); SMS and email reminders (OR = 2·84, 95%CI: 1·60–5·06; P < 0·001); and television, radio or newspaper advertisements (OR = 2·97, 95%CI: 1·66–5·31; P < 0·001). Factors that negatively predicted intention included preferential access to transfusions (i.e. ‘blood credits’) (OR = 0·43, 95%CI: 0·23–0·83; P = 0·012); getting to know test results (OR = 0·40, 95%CI: 0·20–0·80; P = 0·010); and not knowing and/or trusting what happens to the blood after donating (OR = 0·50, 95%CI: 0·28–0·88; P = 0·016).

Conclusion

Motivational incentives, convenient access to donation sessions, reminders and mass media advertisements appear to positively influence intention to return to donate. Conversely not knowing what happens to the blood after donation negatively influenced intention to return. Interventions to promote repeat blood donation should consider the identified factors.
The effects of crude C. inophyllum seed oil to silica gel mass ratio and number of stages on the isolation of wax
Authors: Gunawan Setiyo , Hapsari Safrina , Aparamarta Hakun Wirawasista , Kuswandi Kuswandi , Darmawan Raden
Published: November 2020

Calophyllum inophyllum is one of the most notable mangrove species that grows a lot in the coastal areas of the Indonesian archipelago. Despite its long lifespan (50 years) and abundant seed oil production, this plant has not been utilized optimally. Wax is reported as a constituent of C. inophyllum seed oil, but the quantity has not been discovered yet. Wax has been commonly used as ingredient in coating, cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical industries. The aims of this work were to separate wax from C. inophyllum seed oil in high purity and investigate the effects of crude C. inophyllum to silica gel mass ratio and the stages number on wax isolation. Silica gel was employed to adsorb crude C. inophyllum seed oil. Mass ratios of C. inophyllum seed oil to silica gel used in this work were 1:4, 1:2, and 1:1 (g/g). After that, the seed oil adsorbed onto silica gel was extracted by soxhlet extraction with hexane as the solvent. Wax was separated by putting the hexane extract in cold storage at 4 ºC for 24 h. Furthermore, wax obtained was analyzed by High-Temperature Gas Chromatography (HT-GC) and confirmed by Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC). It was found that wax (purity 93.2 % and yield 0.4 %) was best isolated by employing two-stage of adsorption-extraction, with crude C. inophyllum seed oil to silica gel mass ratio of 1:1 (g/g), followed by crystallization in cold acetone for 24 h. Moreover, wax content in crude C. inophyllum seed oil was 0.43%.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Lattice Model
Authors: Ganikhodjaev Nasir , Hee Pah Chin
Published: November 2020

In this work, we introduce Rock-Paper-Scissors lattice model on Cayley tree of second order generated by Rock-Paper-Scissors game. In this strategic 2-player game, the rule is simple: rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper, and paper beats rock. A payoff matrix  of this game is a skew-symmetric. It is known that quadratic stochastic operator generated by this matrix is non-ergodic transformation. The Hamiltonian of Rock-Paper-Scissors Lattice Model is defined by this skew-symmetric payoff matrix . In this paper, we discuss a connection between three fields of research: evolutionary games, quadratic stochastic operators, and lattice models of statistical physics. We prove that a phase diagram of the Rock-Paper-Scissors model consists of translation-invariant and periodic Gibbs measure with period 3.
Preparation and characterization of p-sulfonated calix[4]arene functionalized chitosan hydrogel beads and their preliminary adsorption study towards removal of lead(II) and zinc(II) ions
Authors: Mohamad Zubir Hamizah Syahirah , Wahid Mohd Haniff , Ling Irene , Lim Hong Ngee , Kamaruzaman Sazlinda , Zainal Zulkarnain
Published: November 2020

p-sulfonated calix[4]arene functionalized chitosan hydrogel beads have been successfully prepared by mixing p-sulfonated calix[4]arene and chitosan in dilute acetic acid  solution (1% v/v), followed by dropping the mixture into sodium hydroxide solution to form beads with diameters of ~0.1 cm. The presence of the active sulfonate groups and the unique structure of calixarene render the material useful as an adsorbent for heavy metal ions. Metal adsorption on p-sulfonated calix[4]arene is possible through a combination of physical and ionic interactions. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) results showed that the amount of adsorbed metal ion is optimum at 10 ppm for all samples. The overall percentage of metal ion removal shows that p-sulfonated calix[4]arene modified chitosan is the best adsorbent with up to 98% removal achieved for Pb(II) and 90% removal for Zn(II). This is followed by p-sulfonated calix[4]arene and graphene oxide (GO) modified chitosan with up to 90% removal for Pb(II)  and 89% removal for Zn(II) and pure chitosan hydrogel beads with up to 60% removal for both Pb(II)  and Zn(II). The results clearly prove that the presence of p-sulfonated calix[4]arene can enhance the adsorption of heavy metal ions. In addition, the adsorbent shows higher Pb(II) removal compared to Zn(II).
An LSTM-Based Ensemble Learning Approach for Time-Dependent Reliability Analysis
Authors: Li Mingyang , Wang Zequn
Published: November 2020

This paper presents a long short-term memory (LSTM)-based ensemble learning approach for time-dependent reliability analysis. An LSTM network is first adopted to learn system dynamics for a specific setting with a fixed realization of time-independent random variables and stochastic processes. By randomly sampling the time-independent random variables, multiple LSTM networks can be trained and leveraged with the Gaussian process (GP) regression to construct a global surrogate model for the time-dependent limit state function. In detail, a set of augmented data is first generated by the LSTM networks and then utilized for GP modeling to estimate system responses under time-dependent uncertainties. With the GP models, the time-dependent system reliability can be approximated directly by sampling-based methods such as the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Three case studies are introduced to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed approach.
PaDGAN: Learning to Generate High-Quality Novel Designs
Authors: Chen Wei , Ahmed Faez
Published: November 2020

Deep generative models are proven to be a useful tool for automatic design synthesis and design space exploration. When applied in engineering design, existing generative models face three challenges: (1) generated designs lack diversity and do not cover all areas of the design space, (2) it is difficult to explicitly improve the overall performance or quality of generated designs, and (3) existing models generally do not generate novel designs, outside the domain of the training data. In this article, we simultaneously address these challenges by proposing a new determinantal point process-based loss function for probabilistic modeling of diversity and quality. With this new loss function, we develop a variant of the generative adversarial network, named “performance augmented diverse generative adversarial network” (PaDGAN), which can generate novel high-quality designs with good coverage of the design space. By using three synthetic examples and one real-world airfoil design example, we demonstrate that PaDGAN can generate diverse and high-quality designs. In comparison to a vanilla generative adversarial network, on average, it generates samples with a 28% higher mean quality score with larger diversity and without the mode collapse issue. Unlike typical generative models that usually generate new designs by interpolating within the boundary of training data, we show that PaDGAN expands the design space boundary outside the training data towards high-quality regions. The proposed method is broadly applicable to many tasks including design space exploration, design optimization, and creative solution recommendation.
METASET: Exploring Shape and Property Spaces for Data-Driven Metamaterials Design
Authors: Chan Yu-Chin , Ahmed Faez , Wang Liwei , Chen Wei
Published: November 2020

Data-driven design of mechanical metamaterials is an increasingly popular method to combat costly physical simulations and immense, often intractable, geometrical design spaces. Using a precomputed dataset of unit cells, a multiscale structure can be quickly filled via combinatorial search algorithms, and machine learning models can be trained to accelerate the process. However, the dependence on data induces a unique challenge: an imbalanced dataset containing more of certain shapes or physical properties can be detrimental to the efficacy of data-driven approaches. In answer, we posit that a smaller yet diverse set of unit cells leads to scalable search and unbiased learning. To select such subsets, we propose METASET, a methodology that (1) uses similarity metrics and positive semi-definite kernels to jointly measure the closeness of unit cells in both shape and property spaces and (2) incorporates Determinantal Point Processes for efficient subset selection. Moreover, METASET allows the trade-off between shape and property diversity so that subsets can be tuned for various applications. Through the design of 2D metamaterials with target displacement profiles, we demonstrate that smaller, diverse subsets can indeed improve the search process as well as structural performance. By eliminating inherent overlaps in a dataset of 3D unit cells created with symmetry rules, we also illustrate that our flexible method can distill unique subsets regardless of the metric employed. Our diverse subsets are provided publicly for use by any designer.