bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Potential for Bias When Using a Widely Accepted Medication Adherence Measure to Predict Mortality
Authors: Ward Ralph C. , Taber David J. , Axon Robert Neal , Gebregziabher Mulugeta
Published: August 2018

Study Objective

Summary measures of medication adherence, such as the proportion of days covered (PDC), are often used to analyze the association between medication adherence and various health outcomes. We hypothesized that PDC and similar measures may lead to biased results in some situations when used to estimate the association between adherence and the outcome event (e.g., mortality). Thus, the objective was to determine the conditions under which PDC and similar measures might produce biased estimates of the association between adherence and mortality and to review methods to avoid such bias.

Design

Simulation study and analysis of data from a large retrospective cohort study.

Measurements and Main Results

We conducted a comprehensive simulation to compare how adherence estimates varied—using prescription‐based (end point was final date that medications were on hand or date of death) and interval‐based (end point based on fixed calendar interval or date of death) PDC denominators—when deaths occurred either during or after the adherence exposure period. We then made similar comparisons using data from a retrospective study that included comprehensive measures of medication refill activity and clinical outcomes of 207,841 patients with diabetes mellitus who were prescribed one or more oral antidiabetic medications. When deaths occurred within the adherence exposure period, substantial bias in adherence estimates was possible regardless of the PDC denominator type.

Conclusion

Investigators using PDC or similar proxy measures should carefully consider the temporal relationship between adherence exposure and clinical outcomes when the outcome event affects the adherence measurement.
The Microstructure, Proteomics and Crystallization of the Limpet Teeth
Authors: Wang Yadong , Liu Chuang , Du Jinzhe , Huang Jingliang , Zhang Shuce , Zhang Rongqing
Published: August 2018

Limpets are marine mollusks that use mineralized teeth, one of the hardest and strongest biomaterials, to feed on algae on intertidal rocks. However, most of studies only focus on the ultrastructure and chemical composition of the teeth while the molecular information is largely unknown, limiting our understanding of this unique and fundamental biomineralization process. The study investigates the microstructure, proteomics, and crystallization in the teeth of limpet Cellana toreuma. It is found that the limpets formed alternatively tricuspid teeth and unicuspid teeth. Small nanoneedles are densely packed at the tips or leading regions of the cusps. In contrast, big nanoneedles resembling chemically synthesized goethite are loosely packed in the trailing regions of the cusps. Proteins extracted from the whole radula, such as ferritin, peroxiredoxin, arginine kinase, GTPase‐Rabs, and clathrin, are identified by proteomics. A goethite‐binding experiment coupled with proteomics and RNA‐seq highlights six chitin‐binding proteins (CtCBPs). Furthermore, the extracted proteins from the cusps of radula or the framework chitin induce packing of crystals and possibly affect crystal polymorphs in vitro. This study provides insight into the unique biomineralization process in the limpet teeth at the molecular levels, which may guide biomimetic strategies aimed at designing hard materials at room temperature.
Plasma treatment of heavy oil and its model compound using high voltage AC discharge under liquid
Authors: Liu Han Xing , Yu Hong , Yang Kuan , Zhu Bo Long , Zhu Xiao Dong
Published: August 2018

In this paper, the plasma treatments of heavy oil and its model compound n‐dodecane have been investigated using a high voltage discharge under liquid. The breakdown voltage for discharge ignition increased with gap distance in heavy oil and n‐dodecane. Compared with discharge in n‐dodecane, the breakdown voltage for heavy oil was lower. After plasma treatment of n‐dodecane, the gas products included H2 with a volume fraction of 38% and gas hydrocarbons with mainly acetylene. The high‐boiling fractions in liquid residue increased slightly and carbon particles with diameter 1–10 µm were formed. As discharge was carried out in heavy oil, similar gas products with higher H2 fraction were obtained, and the viscosity was enhanced. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of heavy oil conversion using high voltage AC discharge under liquid.
Single/Dual Alkaline Earth Metal‐Doped Hollow Nanoparticles as Nanocarrier for Accelerating Neurite Development by Activating pERK and pJNK
Authors: Jang Yoonsun , Yoon Chang‐Min , Kim Sojin , Lee Inkyu , Jang Jyongsik
Published: August 2018

Neuronal differentiation promoted by protein delivery is a promising strategy for the treatment of neuropathies. Herein, alkaline earth metal (AEM)‐doped hollow nanoparticles (HNPs) are utilized for simultaneous delivery of metal ions and nerve growth factor (NGF) toward cell interiors via endocytosis. Various AEMs including Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba are readily doped onto the HNPs and the resulting AEM‐HNPs serve as NGF delivery agents. Benefiting from the hollow morphology, NGFs are successfully loaded into AEM‐HNPs to obtain NGF‐loaded N+AEM‐HNPs. These are applied as neuronal development agents for PC12 cells, a model for neuronal development experiments. The neuronal development efficiency of PC12 is improved in the presence of all N+AEM‐HNPs. Notably, the AEM‐HNPs manifest neuronal development effects that depend on the identity of the AEMs. Specifically, by studying the protein expressions and their signal transduction pathways, it is found that PC12 cells are activated by different signaling cascades according to each AEM ions. Additionally, Mg/Sr‐HNPs containing both Mg2+ and Sr2+ ions are prepared to examine the effect of dual stimulation of AEM ions on PC12 cells. This novel dual‐delivery system provides new insights into the synergistic neuronal development effect of AEM ions and protein in a single system.
Structural metamorphism and polymorphism in proteins on the brink of thermodynamic stability
Authors: Kulkarni Prakash , Solomon Tsega L. , He Yanan , Chen Yihong , Bryan Philip N. , Orban John
Published: August 2018

The classical view of the structure–function paradigm advanced by Anfinsen in the 1960s is that a protein's function is inextricably linked to its three‐dimensional structure and is encrypted in its amino acid sequence. However, it is now known that a significant fraction of the proteome consists of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). These proteins populate a polymorphic ensemble of conformations rather than a unique structure but are still capable of performing biological functions. At the boundary, between well‐ordered and inherently disordered states are proteins that are on the brink of stability, either weakly stable ordered systems or disordered but on the verge of being stable. In such marginal states, even relatively minor changes can significantly alter the energy landscape, leading to large‐scale conformational remodeling. Some proteins on the edge of stability are metamorphic, with the capacity to switch from one fold topology to another in response to an environmental trigger (e.g., pH, temperature/salt, redox). Many IDPs, on the other hand, are marginally unstable such that small perturbations (e.g., phosphorylation, ligands) tip the balance over to a range of ordered, partially ordered, or even more disordered states. In general, the structural transitions described by metamorphic fold switches and polymorphic IDPs possess a number of common features including low or diminished stability, large‐scale conformational changes, critical disordered regions, latent or attenuated binding sites, and expansion of function. We suggest that these transitions are, therefore, conceptually and mechanistically analogous, representing adjacent regions in the continuum of order/disorder transitions.
Standardization of CTC AR‐V7 PCR assay and evaluation of its role in castration resistant prostate cancer progression
Authors: Tommasi Stefania , Pilato Brunella , Carella Claudia , Lasorella Antonia , Danza Katia , Vallini Ivan , De Summa Simona , Naglieri Emanuele
Published: August 2018

Background

Castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) represents the most aggressive status of this neoplastic disease, also characterized by the absence of biomarkers predictive of clinical outcome. New drugs as abiraterone or enzalutamide, affecting androgen receptor pathway at different levels, inhibit the proliferative advantage of prostate cancer cells with important long term benefits. Despite the advantages of this second‐generation androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), resistance mechanisms, primitive or acquired, often develop. The existence of androgen receptor (AR) splice variants (AR‐Vs), in particular AR‐V7 expression detected in circulating tumor cells (CTCs), represents an example of acquired resistance, as evidenced in preclinical and clinical studies. Recent studies also have suggested the role of AR‐V7 as a prognostic biomarker in mCRPC. In this field, hot topics are the methodology used to isolate CTC and the assay for AR‐V7 measurement. Our study aims to develop a standardized operating procedure (SOP) to evaluate AR‐V7 in CRPC.

Method

The application of a realized cell based Reference Sample as Standardized Quality Control tool for CTC‐AR‐V7 assay has been shown. Then the development, the performance evaluation and contextualization in a clinical setting of this standardized operating procedure (SOP) have been reported to evaluate the prognostic biomarker AR‐V7 in metastatic prostate cancer.

Results and Conclusions

The standardized procedure has high sensitivity and specificity and enables the detection and quantification of the spliced variant with respect to the full length AR (AR‐FL) mRNA in CTC DNA purified from the blood of patients with CRPC. This procedure has been further validated in a consecutive series of patients with mCRPC, confirming its role as prognostic biomarker.
Association of genetic variation of the six gene prognostic model for castration‐resistant prostate cancer with survival
Authors: Xie Wanling , Stopsack Konrad H. , Drouin Sarah J. , Fu Henry , Pomerantz Mark M. , Mucci Lorelei A. , Lee Gwo‐Shu M. , Kantoff Philip W.
Published: August 2018

Background

We previously identified a blood RNA transcript‐based model consisting of six immune or inflammatory response genes (ABL2, SEMA4D, ITGAL, C1QA, TIMP1, and CDKN1A) that was prognostic for survival in cohorts of men with castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We investigated whether inherited variation in these six genes was associated with overall survival (OS) in men with CRPC.

Methods

The test cohort comprised 600 patients diagnosed with CRPC between 1996 and 2011 at Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute. Genotyping of 66 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning the six genes was performed on blood derived DNAs. For the top four SNPs (P < 0.05), validation was conducted in an independent cohort of 223 men diagnosed with CRPC between 2000 and 2014. Multivariable Cox regression adjusting for known prognostic factors estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the association of genetic variants with OS.

Results

Two thirds of patients in both cohorts had metastases at CRPC diagnosis. Median OS from CRPC diagnosis was 3.6 (95%CI 3.3‐4.0) years in the test cohort and 4.6 (95%CI 3.8‐5.2) years in the validation cohort. Fifty‐nine SNPs in Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium were analyzed. The major alleles of rs1318056 and rs1490311 in ABL2, and the minor alleles of rs2073917 and rs3764322 in ITGAL were associated with increased risk of death in the test cohort (adjusted‐HRs 1.27–1.39; adjusted‐p <0.05; false discovery rate <0.35). In the validation cohort, a similar association with OS was observed for rs1318056 in ABL2 (adjusted‐HR 1.44; 95%CI 0.89‐2.34) and rs2073917 in ITGAL (adjusted‐HR 1.41; 95%CI 0.82‐2.42). The associations did not reach statistical significance most likely due to the small sample size of the validation cohort (adjusted‐p = 0.142 and 0.209, respectively). Additional eQTL analysis indicated that minor alleles of rs1318056 and rs1490311 in ABL2 are associated with a lower ABL2 expression in blood.

Conclusions

These findings corroborate our initial work on the RNA expression of genes involved in immunity and inflammation from blood and clinical outcome and suggest that germline polymorphisms in ABL2 and ITGAL may be associated with the risk of death in men with CRPC. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and to explore their functional mechanisms.
Static Structure of Liquid GeSe Under Pressure: Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Authors: Koura Akihide , Shimojo Fuyuki
Published: August 2018

The authors have investigated the pressure dependence of the static structure of liquid GeSe based on ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. In a pressure range of about 240 GPa, there are four stages of compression process. In the first stage up to about 8 GPa, the Peierls‐type distortion, seen in the crystalline phase, is retained in the liquid phase. This Peierls‐type distortion completely dissolves during the second stage between 8 and 12 GPa. At this stage, a semiconductor–metal (SCM) transition also occurs. While the distance between Ge–Se atoms is almost unchanged in the first and second stages, it shortens with increasing pressure under further compression. The coordination number around Ge atoms is larger than that around Se atoms in the third stage up to about 40 GPa. Both the coordination numbers become the same in the fourth stage under higher pressure, where a denser liquid phase appears with the coordination number larger than eight.
Photoinduced Dynamical Band Gap in Graphene: The Effects of Electron–Phonon and Spin–Orbit Interaction
Authors: Kandemir Bekir S. , Akay Defne
Published: August 2018

The combined effects of electron–A1g phonon and Rashba spin–orbit couplings on the electronic spectrum of graphene in the presence of Haldane interaction induced by photo‐irradiation have been studied. A Fröhlich‐type Hamiltonian has been proposed to model these interactions, and then a diagonalization procedure based on the Lee‐Low‐Pines (LLP) theory which includes two successive unitary transformations has been applied. The results show that combined effects arising from the Rashba spin–orbit interaction and electron–A1g phonon interaction in the presence of Haldane interaction remove the valley degeneracy of electronic bands, and thus allow one to tune the resulting band gap just by adjusting the associated strengths of the interactions.
Pro bono as a human capital learning and screening mechanism: Evidence from law firms
Authors: Burbano Vanessa C. , Mamer John , Snyder Jason
Published: August 2018

Research Summary: Inquiry into CSR as a human capital management tool has suggested that firms benefit from such activities because employees value the meaningfulness of these activities, which influences motivation and retention. We propose an alternate avenue through which firms can benefit from an important type of socially responsible activity—pro bono services—that does not require that employees derive utility from the meaningfulness of the activity. We propose that pro bono activities can benefit firms through human capital learning and screening mechanisms, given the stretch roles that pro bono engagements allow. We formalize this argument in the legal services industry, where we provide primary evidence, a formal model, and empirical results using a panel dataset of the top 200 law firms to support this argument.

Managerial Summary: We examine a type of CSR activity, pro bono engagements, in the context of the top 200 law firms in the United States. We show that firms can benefit from these engagements through human capital learning and screening mechanisms, due to the stretch roles that pro bono engagements allow junior lawyers. Our findings suggest that firms in which pro bono engagements provide stretch roles for junior employees can benefit from pro bono activities regardless of whether their employees value the meaningfulness or social impact of the pro bono work.
Hysteresis‐Free 1D Network Mixed Halide‐Perovskite Semitransparent Solar Cells
Authors: Ka Ibrahima , Asuo Ivy M. , Basu Suchismita , Fourmont Paul , Gedamu Dawit M. , Pignolet Alain , Cloutier Sylvain G. , Nechache Riad
Published: August 2018

The morphology of hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite films is known to strongly affect the performance of perovskite‐based solar cells. CH3NH3PbI3‐xClx (MAPbI3‐xClx) films have been previously fabricated with 100% surface coverage in glove boxes. In ambient air, fabrication generally relies on solvent engineering to obtain compact films. In contrast, this work explores the potential of altering the perovskites microstructure for solar cell engineering. This work starts with CH3NH3PbI3‐xClx, films with grain morphology carefully controlled by varying the deposition speed during the spin‐coating process to fabricate efficient and partially transparent solar cells. Devices produced with a CH3NH3PbI3‐xClx film and a compact thick top gold electrode reach a maximum efficiency of 10.2% but display a large photocurrent hysteresis. As it is demonstrated, the introduction of different concentrations of bromide in the precursor solution addresses the hysteresis issues and turns the film morphology into a partially transparent interconnected network of 1D microstructures. This approach leads to semitransparent solar cells with negligible hysteresis and efficiencies up to 7.2%, while allowing average transmission of 17% across the visible spectrum. This work demonstrates that the optimization of the perovskites composition can mitigate the hysteresis effects commonly attributed to the charge trapping within the perovskite film.
Reactive molecular dynamics: From small molecules to proteins
Authors: Meuwly Markus
Published: August 2018

The current status of reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations is summarized. Both, methodological aspects and applications to problems ranging from gas phase reaction dynamics to ligand‐binding in solvated proteins are discussed, focusing on extracting information from simulations that cannot easily be obtained from experiments alone. One specific example is the structural interpretation of the ligand rebinding time scales extracted from state‐of‐the art time‐resolved experiments. Atomistic simulations employing validated reactive interaction potentials are capable of providing structural information about the time scales involved. Both, merits and shortcomings of the various methods are discussed and the outlook summarizes possible future avenues such as reactive potentials based on machine learning techniques.

This article is categorized under:

Molecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Dynamics and Monte‐Carlo Methods

Theoretical and Physical Chemistry > Reaction Dynamics and Kinetics

Molecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Interactions
Reactions of [ReOCl3(PPh3)2] with 4‐Fluoroaniline
Authors: Scholtysik Clemens , Jungfer Maximilian Roca , Hagenbach Adelheid , Abram Ulrich
Published: August 2018

The reaction of [ReOCl3(PPh3)2] with an equivalent amount of 4‐fluoroaniline gives the rhenium(V) complex [Re(NPhF)(NH2PhF)Cl3(PPh3)] as the major product, whereas from a reaction with an excess of the aniline the dinuclear compound [{Re(NPhF)(NH2PhF)Cl2(PPh3)}2O] was isolated. The addition of an excess of PPh3 to the [ReOCl3(PPh3)2]/4‐fluoroaniline reaction mixture gives [Re(NPhF)Cl3(PPh3)2] in good yields. The products were studied by NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction.
SwapMob: Swapping Trajectories for Mobility Anonymization
Authors: Salas Julián , Megías David , Torra Vicenç
Published: August 2018

Mobility data mining can improve decision making, from planning transports in metropolitan areas to localizing services in towns. However, unrestricted access to such data may reveal sensible locations and pose safety risks if the data is associated to a specific moving individual. This is one of the many reasons to consider trajectory anonymization.

Some anonymization methods rely on grouping individual registers on a database and publishing summaries in such a way that individual information is protected inside the group. Other approaches consist of adding noise, such as differential privacy, in a way that the presence of an individual cannot be inferred from the data.

In this paper, we present a perturbative anonymization method based on swapping segments for trajectory data (SwapMob). It preserves the aggregate information of the spatial database and at the same time, provides anonymity to the individuals.

We have performed tests on a set of GPS trajectories of 10,357 taxis during the period of Feb. 2 to Feb. 8, 2008, within Beijing. We show that home addresses and POIs of specific individuals cannot be inferred after anonymizing them with SwapMob, and remark that the aggregate mobility data is preserved without changes, such as the average length of trajectories or the number of cars and their directions on any given zone at a specific time.
Seiberg-Witten period relations in Omega background
Authors: Bourgine Jean-Emile , Fioravanti Davide
Published: August 2018

Abstract

Omega-deformation of the Seiberg-Witten curve is known to be written in terms of the qq-character, namely the trace of a specific operator acting in a Hilbert space spanned by certain Young diagrams. We define a differential form acting on this space and establish two discretised versions of the Seiberg-Witten expressions for the periods and related relations for the prepotential.
Quantum integrability of $$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$ 4d gauge theories
Authors: Bourgine Jean-Emile , Fioravanti Davide
Published: August 2018

Abstract

We provide a description of the quantum integrable structure behind the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz (TBA)-like equation derived by Nekrasov and Shatashvili (NS) for

$$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$

N
=
2

4d Super Yang-Mills (SYM) theories. In this regime of the background, — we shall show —, the instanton partition function is characterised by the solution of a TQ-equation. Exploiting a symmetry of the contour integrals expressing the partition function, we derive a ‘dual’ TQ-equation, sharing the same T-polynomial with the former. This fact allows us to evaluate to 1 the quantum Wronskian of two dual solutions (for Q) and, then, to reproduce the NS TBA-like equation. The latter acquires interestingly the deep meaning of a known object in integrability theory, as its two second determinations give the usual non-linear integral equations (nlies) derived from the ‘dual’ Bethe Ansatz equations.
λϕ4 theory — Part I. The symmetric phase beyond NNNNNNNNLO
Authors: Serone Marco , Spada Gabriele , Villadoro Giovanni
Published: August 2018

Abstract

Perturbation theory of a large class of scalar field theories in d < 4 can be shown to be Borel resummable using arguments based on Lefschetz thimbles. As an example we study in detail the λϕ
4 theory in two dimensions in the Z
2 symmetric phase. We extend the results for the perturbative expansion of several quantities up to N8LO and show how the behavior of the theory at strong coupling can be recovered successfully using known resummation techniques. In particular, we compute the vacuum energy and the mass gap for values of the coupling up to the critical point, where the theory becomes gapless and lies in the same universality class of the 2d Ising model. Several properties of the critical point are determined and agree with known exact expressions. The results are in very good agreement (and with comparable precision) with those obtained by other non-perturbative approaches, such as lattice simulations and Hamiltonian truncation methods.
Reduction of the parameters in MSSM
Authors: Heinemeyer S. , Mondragón M. , Tracas N. , Zoupanos G.
Published: August 2018

Abstract

In the present work we search for renormalization group invariant relations among the various massless and massive parameters of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. We find that indeed several of the previously free parameters of the model can be reduced in favor of few, the unique gauge coupling and the gaugino mass at the unification scale among them. Taking into account the various experimental constraints, including the B-physics ones, we predict the Higgs and the supersymmetric spectrum. We find that the lightest Higgs mass is in comfortable agreement with the measured value and its experimental and theoretical uncertainties, while the electroweak supersymmetric spectrum starts at 1.3 TeV and the colored at ∼4 TeV. Thus the reduced MSSM is in natural agreement with all LHC measurements and searches. The supersymmetric and heavy Higgs particles will likely escape the detection at the LHC, as well as at ILC and CLIC. However, the FCC-hh will be able to fully test the predicted parameter space.
Flux compactifications and naturalness
Authors: Buchmuller Wilfried , Dierigl Markus , Dudas Emilian
Published: August 2018

Abstract

Free massless scalars have a shift symmetry. This is usually broken by gauge and Yukawa interactions, such that quantum corrections induce a quadratically divergent mass term. In the Standard Model this leads to the hierarchy problem of the electroweak theory, the question why the Higgs mass is so much smaller than the Planck mass. We present an example where a large scalar mass term is avoided by coupling the scalar to an infinite tower of massive states which are obtained from a six-dimensional theory compactified on a torus with magnetic flux. The series of divergent quantum corrections adds up to zero, and we show explicitly that the shift symmetry of the scalar is preserved in the effective four-dimensional theory despite the presence of gauge and Yukawa interaction terms.
Entanglement entropy on a fuzzy sphere with a UV cutoff
Authors: Chen Hong Zhe , Karczmarek Joanna L.
Published: August 2018

Abstract

We introduce a UV cutoff into free scalar field theory on the noncommutative (fuzzy) two-sphere. Due to the IR-UV connection, varying the UV cutoff allows us to control the effective nonlocality scale of the theory. In the resulting fuzzy geometry, we establish which degrees of freedom lie within a specific geometric subregion and compute the associated vacuum entanglement entropy. Entanglement entropy for regions smaller than the effective nonlocality scale is extensive, while entanglement entropy for regions larger than the effective nonlocality scale follows the area law. This reproduces features previously obtained in the strong coupling regime through holography. We also show that mutual information is unaffected by the UV cutoff.
Correction to: Effects of Collagen Crosslink Augmentation on Mechanism of Compressive Load Sharing in Intervertebral Discs
Authors: Hedman Thomas P. , Chen Weng-Pin , Lin Leou-Chyr , Lin Hsiu-Jen , Chuang Shih-Youeng
Published: August 2018

After publication in volume [37], issue [1], page [94–101] the authors decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an open access publication. Therefore, the copyright of the article has been changed to © The Author(s) 2018 and the article is forthwith distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, duplication, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
Dating violence perpetration and perceived parental support for fighting and nonviolent responses to conflict: An autoregressive cross‐lagged model
Authors: Garthe Rachel C. , Sullivan Terri N. , Farrell Albert
Published: August 2018

Introduction

The current study examined longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between adolescent perceptions of parental support for fighting and nonviolent responses to conflict and dating violence perpetration. These relationships were examined among a sample of predominately African American youth from an economically disadvantaged urban neighborhood in the United States, a group of adolescents who may be at a high risk for dating violence and for receiving a mixture of parental support for how to respond in conflict situations.

Method

Participants were 1014 early adolescents (51% female, 91% African American) who were currently dating or had been recently dating. Adolescents completed measures on their perceptions of parental support for fighting and nonviolent responses to conflict, as well as dating violence perpetration.

Results

Using an autoregressive cross‐lagged path analysis across four time points, perceptions of parental support for fighting were inversely associated with changes in perceived parental support for nonviolent responses to conflict, but not with changes in dating violence over time. However, perceived parental support for nonviolent responses to conflict were inversely associated with changes in dating violence perpetration over time.

Conclusions

Although parents in high‐burden communities may give a mixture of messages about how to handle conflict, encouraging parents to provide messages supporting nonviolent responses to conflict may protect youth from perpetrating violence within their dating relationships. These findings inform future research directions and dating violence prevention programs.
Oral L-citrulline and Transresveratrol Supplementation Improves Erectile Function in Men With Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Pilot Study
Authors: Shirai Masato , Hiramatsu Ippei , Aoki Yusuke , Shimoyama Hirofumi , Mizuno Taiki , Nozaki Taiji , Fukuhara Shinichiro , Iwasa Atsushi , Kageyama Shinji , Tsujimura Akira
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) are first-line therapy for most men with erectile dysfunction (ED). If ineffective, vacuum erection devices, intracavernous injections, and penile prosthesis implantation are suitable as second- or third-line therapies. However, very few patients select these therapies. It is critically important to improve erectile function with oral administration of effective agents. Administration of L-citrulline or transresveratrol in animal experiments has been reported to improve erectile function, but few such experiments have been performed on humans with ED.

Aim

We aimed to investigate the efficacy of combination therapy of L-citrulline and transresveratrol in patients with ED despite their use of PDE5i.

Methods

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover pilot study, men with ED (Sexual Health Inventory for Men [SHIM] score below 16) despite on-demand use of PDE5i received a placebo for 1 month or the active treatment (L-citrulline 800 mg/day and transresveratrol 300 mg/day) for another month. Patients continued on-demand use of PDE5i.

Main Outcome Measure

The SHIM score, Erection Hardness Score (EHS), Aging Male Symptoms Scale-sexual domain (AMS-SD), and adverse events were examined.

Results

20 patients ages 29–78 years were enrolled, and after 6 men withdrew, 13 concluded the study without adverse events. Mean SHIM score for the active treatment increased significantly (10.96 ± 1.21) compared with baseline (8.32 ± 1.21) and placebo (8.31 ± 1.23) (both P < .05). Mean EHS score for the active treatment (2.56 ± 0.26) also increased from baseline (2.31 ± 0.26), but not significantly (P = .79). Mean AMS-SD score was not significantly different in either group.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that combination therapy of L-citrulline and transresveratrol is effective for ED treatment in men with added on-demand use of PDE5i. This combination supplement may be added if PDE5i is insufficient.
Readiness for an Increase in Congenital Zika Virus Infections in the United States: Geographic Distance to Pediatric Subspecialist Care
Authors: Bertolli Jeanne , Holbrook Joseph , Dutton Nina D. , Jones Bryant , Dowling Nicole F. , Peacock Georgina
Published: August 2018

Objective

The study’s purpose was to investigate readiness for an increase in the congenital Zika infection (CZI) by describing the distribution of pediatric subspecialists needed for the care of children with CZI.

Methods

We applied county-level subspecialist counts to US maps, overlaying the geocoded locations of children’s hospitals to assess the correlation of hospital and subspecialist locations. We calculated travel distance from census tract centroids to the nearest in-state children’s hospital by state (with/without > 100 reported adult Zika virus cases) and by regions corresponding to the likely local Zika virus transmission area and to the full range of the mosquito vector. Travel distance percentiles reflect the population of children < 5 years old.

Results

Overall, 95% of pediatric subspecialists across the United States are located in the same county or neighboring county as a children’s hospital. In the states where Zika virus transmission is likely, 25% of children must travel more than 50 miles for subspecialty care; in one state, 50% of children must travel > 100 miles.

Conclusion

The travel distance to pediatric subspecialty care varies widely by state and is likely to be an access barrier in some areas, particularly states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, which may have increasing numbers of CZI cases. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:476-486)
Tail Risk and the Cross-Section of Mutual Fund Expected Returns
Authors: Karagiannis Nikolaos , Tolikas Konstantinos
Published: August 2018

We test for the presence of a tail risk premium in the cross-section of mutual fund returns and find that the top tail risk quintile of funds outperforms the bottom by 4.4% per annum. This premium is not simply a reward for market risk, nor do commonly used risk factors offer an adequate explanation. Our findings hold across double-sorted portfolios formed on tail risk and a number of fund characteristics. We also find that funds susceptible to tail risk tend to be small, young, have high management fees, and have managers who do not risk their own capital.
Change detection in a Marine Protected Area (MPA) over three decades on Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
Authors: Relles N. J. , Patterson M. R. , Jones D. O. B.
Published: August 2018

The island of Bonaire is a long-established Marine Protected Area (MPA), the reefs of which were extensively mapped in the early 1980s. Satellite remote sensing techniques were used to construct reef maps for 2008–2009. Metrics describing the spatial structure of coral habitat at the landscape scale – including coral cover, fragmentation, patch size and connectivity between patches – were calculated and compared between these two time periods. Changes were evaluated in and out of the MPAs and in areas exposed and sheltered from storm damage. Overall, coral cover has declined during the past three decades, being replaced by sand, but the decline has not been as drastic as elsewhere in the Caribbean. Fragmentation of the reef habitat has occurred, resulting in smaller and more disparate patches, but these changes were not associated with exposure along the coastline. However, total coral cover was maintained in sheltered areas, whereas it declined along exposed shorelines. Human protection of reefs by marine reserves had variable effects on coral cover and fragmentation. One of two no-diving marine reserves showed increases in coral cover accompanied by decreases in the number of patches of coral and an increase in the size of individual patches over the time period, while the second reserve exhibited the opposite trend. Advances in satellite remote sensing techniques allow for a more rapid assessment of changes in reefs at the landscape level, which can be used to identify spatial changes in the reef environment, including areas of coral decline.
Validation of the first annulus and growth model fit for the cardinalfish (Epigonus crassicaudus)
Authors: Moyano Guillermo , Cerna Francisco , Ojeda Vilma , Plaza Guido
Published: August 2018

Age and growth parameters were estimated for the deep-sea cardinalfish (Epigonus crassicaudus) from sagittal otoliths collected between 2012 and 2015 onboard commercial fishing vessels from the South-east Pacific off Chile between 33°04′S and 41°46′S. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters (VBGP) were estimated from assumed annual otolith growth zone counts. The verification of the first annulus of sagittal otoliths was determined by examining in detail daily micro-increments. These data helped inform the interpretation of the annual growth zones from transverse otolith sections. The von Bertalanffy growth model estimated to length-at-age data were asymptotic length (L∞) of 34.1 cm fork length (FL), a growth coefficient (k) of 0.1 cm/year and at-zero (t0) of −0.85. The maximum ages observed were 67 and 65 years for female and male fish, respectively.
Callous and uncaring traits are associated with reductions in amygdala volume among youths with varying levels of conduct problems
Authors: Cardinale Elise M. , O'Connell Katherine , Robertson Emily L. , Meena Lydia B. , Breeden Andrew L. , Lozier Leah M. , VanMeter John W. , Marsh Abigail A.
Published: August 2018

Background

The emergence of callous unemotional (CU) traits, and associated externalizing behaviors, is believed to reflect underlying dysfunction in the amygdala. Studies of adults with CU traits or psychopathy have linked characteristic patterns of amygdala dysfunction to reduced amygdala volume, but studies in youths have not thus far found evidence of similar amygdala volume reductions. The current study examined the association between CU traits and amygdala volume by modeling CU traits and externalizing behavior as independent continuous variables, and explored the relative contributions of callous, uncaring, and unemotional traits.

Methods

CU traits and externalizing behavior problems were assessed in 148 youths using the Inventory of Callous Unemotional Traits (ICU) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). For a subset of participants (n= 93), high-resolution T1-weighted images were collected and volume estimates for the amygdala were extracted.

Results

Analyses revealed that CU traits were associated with increased externalizing behaviors and decreased bilateral amygdala volume. These results were driven by the callous and uncaring sub-factors of CU traits, with unemotional traits unrelated to either externalizing behaviors or amygdala volume. Results persisted after accounting for covariation between CU traits and externalizing behaviors. Bootstrap mediation analyses indicated that CU traits mediated the relationship between reduced amygdala volume and externalizing severity.

Conclusions

These findings provide evidence that callous-uncaring traits account for reduced amygdala volume among youths with conduct problems. These findings provide a framework for further investigation of abnormal amygdala development as a key causal pathway for the development of callous-uncaring traits and conduct problems.
Effectiveness of psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression: a meta-analysis and meta-regression
Authors: van Bronswijk Suzanne , Moopen Neha , Beijers Lian , Ruhe Henricus G. , Peeters Frenk
Published: August 2018

Despite substantial advances in treatment and management strategies for major depression, less than 50% of patients respond to first-line antidepressant treatment or psychotherapy. Given the growing number of controlled studies of psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and the preference for psychotherapy of depressed subjects as a treatment option, we conducted a meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis to investigate the effectiveness of psychotherapy for TRD. Seven different psychotherapies were studied in 21 trials that included a total of 25 comparisons. In three comparisons of psychotherapy v. treatment as usual (TAU) we found no evidence to conclude that there is a significant benefit of psychotherapy as compared with TAU. In 22 comparisons of add-on psychotherapy plus TAU v. TAU only, we found a moderate general effect size of 0.42 (95% CI 0.29–0.54) in favor of psychotherapy plus TAU. The meta-regression provided evidence for a positive association between baseline severity as well as group v. individual therapy format with the treatment effect. There was no evidence for publication bias. Most frequent investigated treatments were cognitive behavior therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy. Our meta-analysis provides evidence that, in addition to pharmacological and neurostimulatory treatments, the inclusion of add-on of psychotherapy to TAU in guidelines for the treatment of TRD is justified and will provide better outcomes for this difficult-to-treat population.
Cognitive ability as a moderator of the association between social disadvantage and psychological distress: evidence from a population-based sample
Authors: Bridger Emma , Daly Michael
Published: August 2018

Background

Social disadvantage consistently predicts both self-reported distress and clinically diagnosed disorders such as depression. Yet, many individuals who are exposed to disadvantage do not report high levels of distress. This study extends our recent work showing that high cognitive ability may protect against the negative health consequences of exposure to disadvantaged backgrounds. We test whether this ‘buffer effect’ exists across clinically relevant indices of mental health in a population-representative sample.

Methods

In total, 27 985 participants were drawn from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (Understanding Society). Clinical diagnoses of depression and clinically relevant measures of psychological distress [i.e. Short Form-12 (SF-12) Mental Component, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)] and trait neuroticism were assessed. Cognitive ability was derived from performance on word recall, verbal fluency and numerical ability tasks. Early-life disadvantage was gauged using family background measures assessing parental education and occupation at age 14.

Results

Background disadvantage predicted increased levels of reported psychological distress and neuroticism. These associations were moderated by cognitive ability. Across all available mental health measures, the negative association between early-life disadvantage and poor adult mental health was strongest at low (−1s.d.) cognitive ability and was no longer evident at high (+1s.d.) levels of cognitive ability.

Conclusions

The results provide support for a cognitive buffering hypothesis linking high cognitive ability to a decrease in the magnitude of the social gradient in mental health. Those disadvantaged by both low socioeconomic status and low cognitive ability may benefit from targeted prevention and treatment programmes aiming to reduce socioeconomic disparities in mental health.
Retiring from the police service in England and Wales: a multi-dimensional perspective
Authors: Bullock Karen , Fielding Jane , Hieke Graham
Published: August 2018

The experiences of police officers who have retired from the police service have rarely comprised the focus of empirical studies in England and Wales. Drawing on the findings of a survey of former police officers, this article examines the circumstances within which officers leave the service and aspects of the transition to retirement. We find that that certain individual, role and organisational factors come together to explain how the transition to retirement is experienced by police officers. We conceptualise police retirement as a multi-dimensional process during which a number of factors may come into play and have different effects depending on the circumstances in which retirement occurs. Findings are considered in light of wider conceptualisations of the process of retirement and implications are discussed.
Closed-loop control of bevel-tip needles based on path planning
Authors: Huo Benyan , Zhao Xingang , Han Jianda , Xu Weiliang
Published: August 2018

Bevel-tip needles have the potential to improve paracentetic precision and decrease paracentetic traumas. In order to drive bevel-tip needles precisely with the constrains of path length and path dangerousness, we propose a closed-loop control method that only requires the position of the needle tip and can be easily applied in a clinical setting. The control method is based on the path planning method proposed in this paper. To establish the closed-loop control method, a kinematic model of bevel-tip needles is first presented, and the relationship between the puncture path and controlled variables is established. Second, we transform the path planning method into a multi-objective optimization problem, which takes the path error, path length and path dangerousness into account. Multi-objective particle swarm optimization is employed to solve the optimization problem. Then, a control method based on path planning is presented. The current needle tip attitude is essential to plan an insertion path. We analyze two methods to obtain the tip attitude and compare their effects using both simulations and experiments. In the end, simulations and experiments in phantom tissue are executed and analyzed, the results show that our methods have high accuracy and have the ability to deal with the model parameter uncertainty.
Children’s propensity to consume sugar and fat predicts regular alcohol consumption in adolescence
Authors: Mehlig Kirsten , Bogl Leonie H , Hunsberger Monica , Ahrens Wolfgang , De Henauw Stefaan , Iguacel Isabel , Jilani Hannah , Molnár Dénes , Pala Valeria , Russo Paola , Tornaritis Michael , Veidebaum Toomas , Kaprio Jaakko , Lissner Lauren
Published: August 2018

Objective

The present study investigated the association between sugar and fat intake in childhood in relation to alcohol use in adolescence. We hypothesized that early exposure to diets high in fat and sugar may affect ingestive behaviours later in life, including alcohol use.

Design/Setting/Subjects

Children from the European IDEFICS/I.Family cohort study were examined at ages 5–9 years and followed up at ages 11–16 years. FFQ were completed by parents on behalf of children, and later by adolescents themselves. Complete data were available in 2263 participants. Children’s propensities to consume foods high in fat and sugar were calculated and dichotomized at median values. Adolescents’ use of alcohol was classified as at least weekly v. less frequent use. Log-binomial regression linked sugar and fat consumption in childhood to risk of alcohol use in adolescence, adjusted for relevant covariates.

Results

Five per cent of adolescents reported weekly alcohol consumption. Children with high propensity to consume sugar and fat were at greater risk of later alcohol use, compared with children with low fat and low sugar propensity (relative risk=2·46; 95 % CI 1·47, 4·12), independent of age, sex and survey country. The association was not explained by parental income and education, strict parenting style or child's health-related quality of life and was only partly mediated by sustained consumption of sugar and fat into adolescence.

Conclusions

Frequent consumption of foods high in fat and sugar in childhood predicted regular use of alcohol in adolescence.