bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CBCT‐based synthetic CT generation using deep‐attention cycleGAN for pancreatic adaptive radiotherapy
Authors: Liu Yingzi , Lei Yang , Wang Tonghe , Fu Yabo , Tang Xiangyang , Curran Walter J. , Liu Tian , Patel Pretesh , Yang Xiaofeng
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Current clinical application of cone‐beam CT (CBCT) is limited to patient setup. Imaging artifacts and Hounsfield unit (HU) inaccuracy make the process of CBCT‐based adaptive planning presently impractical. In this study, we developed a deep‐learning‐based approach to improve CBCT image quality and HU accuracy for potential extended clinical use in CBCT‐guided pancreatic adaptive radiotherapy.

Methods

Thirty patients previously treated with pancreas SBRT were included. The CBCT acquired prior to the first fraction of treatment was registered to the planning CT for training and generation of synthetic CT (sCT). A self‐attention cycle generative adversarial network (cycleGAN) was used to generate CBCT‐based sCT. For the cohort of 30 patients, the CT‐based contours and treatment plans were transferred to the first fraction CBCTs and sCTs for dosimetric comparison.

Results

At the site of abdomen, mean absolute error (MAE) between CT and sCT was 56.89 ± 13.84 HU, comparing to 81.06 ± 15.86 HU between CT and the raw CBCT. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the PTV and OAR dose‐volume‐histogram (DVH) metrics between the CT‐ and sCT‐based plans, while significant differences (P < 0.05) were found between the CT‐ and the CBCT‐based plans.

Conclusions

The image similarity and dosimetric agreement between the CT and sCT‐based plans validated the dose calculation accuracy carried by sCT. The CBCT‐based sCT approach can potentially increase treatment precision and thus minimize gastrointestinal toxicity.
Quantitative susceptibility mapping of carotid plaques using nonlinear total field inversion: Initial experience in patients with significant carotid stenosis
Authors: Nguyen Thanh D. , Wen Yan , Du Jingwen , Liu Zhe , Gillen Kelly , Spincemaille Pascal , Gupta Ajay , Yang Qi , Wang Yi
Published: March 2020

Purpose

To develop a nonlinear preconditioned total field‐inversion algorithm using the MEDI toolbox (MEDInpt) for robust QSM of carotid plaques and evaluate its performance in comparison with a local field‐inversion algorithm (STI Suite) previously applied to carotid QSM.

Methods

Numerical simulation and in vivo carotid QSM were performed to compare the MEDInpt and STI Suite algorithms. Multicontrast MRI was used as the reference standard for detecting calcified plaque and intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH). A total of 5 healthy volunteers and 11 patients with at least one significant carotid artery stenosis were enrolled in this study.

Results

In the numerical carotid phantom, the relative susceptibility errors for calcified plaque and IPH were reduced from −63.2% and −56.5% with STI Suite to −13.0% and −24.2% with MEDInpt, respectively. In humans, MEDInpt provided a higher QSM quality score and better detection of calcification and IPH than STI Suite. Although all calcifications and IPHs detected on multicontrast MRI could be seen on QSM obtained with MEDInpt, only 50% of calcified plaques and 83% of IPHs could be captured on QSM obtained with STI Suite.

Conclusion

MEDInpt can resolve calcification and IPH in advanced atherosclerotic carotid plaques. Compared with STI Suite, MEDInpt provided better QSM quality and has the potential to improve the detection of these plaque components.
Spin‐lock relaxation rate dispersion reveals spatiotemporal changes associated with tubulointerstitial fibrosis in murine kidney
Authors: Wang Feng , Colvin Daniel C. , Wang Suwan , Li Hua , Zu Zhongliang , Harris Raymond C. , Zhang Ming‐Zhi , Gore John C.
Published: March 2020

Purpose

To develop and evaluate a reliable non‐invasive means for assessing the severity and progression of fibrosis in kidneys. We used spin‐lock MR imaging with different locking fields to detect and characterize progressive renal fibrosis in an hHB‐EGFTg/Tg mouse model.

Methods

Male hHB‐EGFTg/Tg mice, a well‐established model of progressive fibrosis, and age‐matched normal wild type (WT) mice, were imaged at 7T at ages 5–7, 11–13, and 30–40 weeks. Spin‐lock relaxation rates R1ρ were measured at different locking fields (frequencies) and the resultant dispersion curves were fit to a model of exchanging water pools. The obtained MRI parameters were evaluated as potential indicators of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in kidney. Histological examinations of renal fibrosis were also carried out post‐mortem after MRI.

Results

Histology detected extensive fibrosis in the hHB‐EGFTg/Tg mice, in which collagen deposition and reductions in capillary density were observed in the fibrotic regions of kidneys. R2 and R1ρ values at different spin‐lock powers clearly dropped in the fibrotic region as fibrosis progressed. There was less variation in the asymptotic locking field relaxation rate between the groups. The exchange parameter Sρ and the inflection frequency ωinfl changed by larger factors.

Conclusion

Both Sρ and ωinfl depend primarily on the average exchange rate between water and other chemically shifted resonances such as hydroxyls and amides. Spin‐lock relaxation rate dispersion, rather than single measurements of relaxation rates, provides more comprehensive and specific information on spatiotemporal changes associated with tubulointerstitial fibrosis in murine kidney.
Deep learning‐based target metabolite isolation and big data‐driven measurement uncertainty estimation in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain
Authors: Lee Hyeong Hun , Kim Hyeonjin
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The aim of this study was to develop a method for metabolite quantification with simultaneous measurement uncertainty estimation in deep learning‐based proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H‐MRS).

Methods

The reliability of metabolite quantification depends on signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), linewidth, and degree of spectral overlap (DSO), and therefore knowledge about these factors may be utilized in measurement uncertainty estimation in deep learning‐based 1H‐MRS. While SNR and linewidth are typically estimated from a representative singlet, DSO needs to be estimated metabolite‐specifically. We developed convolutional neural networks (CNNs) capable of isolating target metabolite signal on simulated rat brain spectra at 9.4T, such that, in addition to metabolite content, the signal‐to‐background ratio (SBR) as a quantitative metric of DSO can be estimated directly from CNN‐output for each metabolite. The CNN‐predicted SBR was adjusted according to its pre‐defined relationship to the ground‐truth SBR by exploiting the big spectral data (N = 80 000), and used for measurement uncertainty estimation together with the SNR and linewidth from the CNN‐input spectrum. The proposed method was tested first on the simulated spectra in comparison with LCModel and jMRUI and further on in vivo spectra.

Results

The proposed method outperformed LCModel and jMRUI in both quantitative accuracy and measurement uncertainty estimation. Using in vivo data, the metabolite concentrations from the proposed method were close to the reported ranges with the measurement uncertainty of glutamine, glutamate, myo‐inositol, N‐acetylaspartate, and Tau less than 10%.

Conclusion

The proposed method may be used for metabolite quantification with measurement uncertainty estimation in rat brain at 9.4T by exploiting the spectral isolation capability of the CNNs and the availability of big spectral data.
The Earth is nearly flat: Precise and approximate algorithms for detecting vulnerable regions of networks in the plane and on the sphere
Authors: Vass Balázs , Németh László , Tapolcai János
Published: March 2020

Several recent works shed light on the vulnerability of networks against regional failures, which are failures of multiple pieces of equipment in a geographical region as a result of a natural disaster. To enhance the preparedness of a given network to natural disasters, regional failures and associated Shared Risk Link Groups (SRLGs) should be first identified. For simplicity, most of the previous works assume the network is embedded on a Euclidean plane. Nevertheless, they are on the Earth's surface; this assumption causes distortion. In this work, we generalize some of the related results on the plane to the sphere. In particular, we focus on algorithms for listing SRLGs as a result of regional failures of circular or other fixed shape.
Strategy, local sociology, political philosophy: Analysis of strategy of Non‐Governmental Organizations under radical intellectual leadership
Authors: Dahan Yitzhak
Published: March 2020

The study discusses the relationship between NGO strategy (both toward government and community), contextual conditions, and the sociological and political‐philosophic background of the leaders of the organization. The empirical section focuses on a specific Israeli NGO (Bimkom) led by a radical‐intellectual leadership whose aim is to promote the interests of poor communities. The organization under research activated a dual complex strategy, one that both criticizes and negotiates with the government, at the same time advocating for and empowering communities. The study points to a clear linkage between that strategy and leaders' own background. In fact, the latter served as a source from which the leaders carved out guidelines, perceptions, policy tools, and abstract resources (which in turn also affected outcomes). On a basis of these findings, the study suggests a model designed to improve the analysis of strategic management.
Interactions of rationally designed small peptide dendrons functionalized with valine or sinapic acid with α‐helix and β‐sheet structures of poly‐l‐lysine and poly‐l‐glutamic acid
Authors: Morawiak Maja , Stolarska Magdalena , Cieślak Maciej , Urbanczyk‐Lipkowska Zofia
Published: March 2020

Uncontrolled protein oligomerization leading to deposition of fibrils is related to several diseases including neurodegeneration and diabetes. Involvement of natural compounds in regulation of this process has been documented. Therefore, the design and detailed study of bioinspired new molecular entities is one of the possible avenues to achieve better therapeutics. Here, we provide experimental data derived from the application of chiraloptic methods that rationally designed, bioinspired small branched peptides influenced the primary conformation of both poly‐l‐lysine (PLL) and poly‐l‐glutamic acid (PLGA) polypeptides in a structure‐ and concentration‐dependent manner. In several cases, the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of polypeptide/dendron mixtures were considerably different from those corresponding to the individual polypeptides, in terms of significant reduction of intensity, discrete structure, and dislocation of characteristic bands. Data deconvolution suggested that compared to the individual homo‐polypeptides, the resulting polypeptide/dendron complexes had a relative gain of distorted α‐helix, and right‐ and left‐hand twisted β‐sheet forms, which may indicate a more diffuse structure. The electrostatic attraction and multiple hydrogen bonding between oppositely charged molecules, that is, between cationic‐branched peptides and the β‐sheet surface formed by anionic PLGA, might be the main cause of coaggregation that increased the variety and contribution of less ordered forms, and reduced the propensity for self‐aggregation.
Effectiveness of Early Versus Delayed Physical Rehabilitation on In‐Hospital Mortality in Interstitial Pneumonia: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Sawabe Masashi , Hasebe Kiyotaka , Momosaki Ryo
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Although early rehabilitation for acute inpatients is widely recommended, the effectiveness of early physical rehabilitation for interstitial pneumonia in the acute setting remains unclear.

Objective

To investigate the impact of early rehabilitation on mortality in patients with interstitial pneumonia in the acute setting.

Design

Retrospective cohort study used a hospital‐based database created by the Japan Medical Data Center.

Setting

Over 100 acute‐care hospitals across Japan.

Participants

Inpatients hospitalized due to interstitial pneumonia from 2014 to 2018.

Interventions

Early rehabilitation provided by physical therapists and/or occupational therapists within 2 day of admission.

Main Outcome Measures

Thirty‐ and 90‐day in‐hospital mortality.

Results

Among the included inpatients, 847 (50%) underwent early rehabilitation. Mortality was significantly lower in the early rehabilitation group compared with the delayed rehabilitation group (30‐day mortality: 6.8% vs 12.1%, 90‐day mortality: 13.0% vs 19.8%). The differences were significant after propensity score adjustment using inverse probability weighting (30‐day mortality: 7.6% vs 11.0%, 90‐day mortality: 14.3% vs 18.0%).

Conclusion

Early rehabilitation was associated with decreased mortality in hospitalized patients with interstitial pneumonia.
Research Advances in Bonding Agents for Composite Propellants
Authors: Yadav Anil , Pant Chandra Shekhar , Das Sushanta
Published: March 2020

Bonding agents are auxiliary but critical additives in composite propellants. The bonding agent ameliorates the processing and mechanical performance of propellant through interfacial interaction between particulate fillers and binder matrix. Several bonding agents have been developed over the years to treat the dewetting problem of the composite solid propellant. In this review, we describe the different types of bonding agents, their bonding mechanism and development in the composite propellants. An individual bonding agent is discussed critically in terms of its strengths and weaknesses. The review provides an understanding of the developments of the bonding agent in the field of composite solid propellants.
The role of the origin country in migration aspirations: A cross‐national comparison of Master students in Portugal and the Netherlands
Authors: de Jong Petra Wieke , Fonseca María Lucinda
Published: March 2020

With this comparative study, we aim for a better understanding of the role of the origin country in shaping migration aspirations. Using experimental data collected among a sample of Master students in Portugal and the Netherlands, we tested whether the impact of labour market and welfare state‐related factors on migration aspirations varied between these two origin countries. In line with our expectation, potential gains of migration in terms of job opportunities and wages had a stronger positive impact on migration aspirations for the Portuguese as compared with the Dutch respondents. For Portugal and the Netherlands alike, migration aspirations were lower when the level of unemployment benefits in the destination country was lower than in the origin country. Our findings indicated that conditions in the origin country, as well as the individual's life stage, shape which characteristics of the destination country are most important for migration aspirations.
Tracking Drug‐Induced Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer by a Microfluidic Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Immunoassay
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Wang Jing , Shanmugasundaram Karthik Balaji , Yeo Belinda , Möller Andreas , Wuethrich Alain , Lin Lynlee L. , Trau Matt
Published: March 2020

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a primary mechanism for cancer metastasis. Detecting the activation of EMT can potentially convey signs of metastasis to guide treatment management and improve patient survival. One of the classic signatures of EMT is characterized by dynamic changes in cellular expression levels of E‐cadherin and N‐cadherin, whose soluble active fragments have recently been reported to be biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Herein, a microfluidic immunoassay (termed “SERS immunoassay”) based on sensitive and simultaneous detection of soluble E‐cadherin (sE‐cadherin) and soluble N‐cadherin (sN‐cadherin) for EMT monitoring in patients' plasma is presented. The SERS immunoassay integrates in situ nanomixing and surface‐enhanced Raman scattering readout to enable accurate detection of sE‐cadherin and sN‐cadherin from as low as 10 cells mL−1. This assay enables tracking of a concurrent decrease in sE‐cadherin and increase in sN‐cadherin in breast cancer cells undergoing drug‐induced mesenchymal transformation. The clinical potential of the SERS immunoassay is further demonstrated by successful detection of sE‐cadherin and sN‐cadherin in metastatic stage IV breast cancer patient plasma samples. The SERS immunoassay can potentially sense the activation of EMT to provide early indications of cancer invasions or metastasis.
Isostructural and Multivalent Anion Substitution toward Improved Phosphate Cathode Materials for Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wang Mei‐Yi , Guo Jin‐Zhi , Wang Zhi‐Wei , Gu Zhen‐Yi , Nie Xue‐Jiao , Yang Xu , Wu Xing‐Long
Published: March 2020

Polyanion‐type phosphate materials are highly promising cathode candidates for next‐generation batteries due to their excellent structural stability during cycling; however, their poor conductivity has impeded their development. Isostructural and multivalent anion substitution combined with carbon coating is proposed to greatly improve the electrochemical properties of phosphate cathode in sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Specifically, multivalent tetrahedral SiO44− substitute for PO43− in Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) lattice, preparing the optimal Na3.1V2(PO4)2.9(SiO4)0.1 with high‐rate capability (delivering a high capacity of 82.5 mAh g−1 even at 20 C) and outstanding cyclic stability (≈98% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 1 C). Theoretical calculation and experimental analyses reveal that the anion‐substituted Na3.1V2(PO4)2.9(SiO4)0.1 reduces the bandgap of NVP lattice and enhanced its structural stability, Na+‐diffusion kinetics and electronic conductivity. This strategy of multivalent and isostructural anion substitution chemistry provides a new insight to develop advanced phosphate cathodes.
Bioactive peptides attenuate cardiac apoptosis in spontaneously hypertensive rat hearts through activation of autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis pathway
Authors: Lin Wan Teng , Nithiyanantham Srinivasan , Hsieh Dennis Jine‐Yuan , Chen Ray‐Jade , Day Cecilia‐Hsuan , Liao Jia Ying , Kuo Chia‐Hua , Mahalakshmi B. , Kuo Wei‐Wen , Huang Chih‐Yang
Published: March 2020

Alcalase potato protein hydrolysate (APPH) might have a very important role in therapeutic effects. This study aims to examine the beneficial effects of bioactive peptides (DIKTNKPVIF [DI] and IF) from APPH supplement in the regulation of cardiac apoptosis, autophagy, and mitochondrial biogenesis pathway in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). We have investigated ejection fraction, fractional shortening, Tunel assay, apoptosis, autophagy, and mitochondrial biogenesis pathway marker expression to show the efficacy of bioactive peptides in an SHR model. Bioactive peptides significantly upregulate ejection fraction and fractional shortening in SHR rats. SHR rats exhibited higher protein expression of apoptotic markers such as BAD, cytochrome c, and caspase 3. Finally, the bioactive peptides upregulate survival proteins (p‐AKT/p‐PI3K), autophagy (Beclin1/LC3B), and mitochondrial biogenesis (p‐AMPKα/SIRT1/PGC1α/p‐Foxo3a/Nrf2/CREB) marker expressions compared with the SHR groups. In summary, the bioactive peptides protect the heart tissues through the activation of autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis pathway and thereby attenuate cardiac apoptosis in a spontaneously hypertensive rat model.
A Rapid Population Assessment Method for Wild Pigs Using Baited Cameras at 3 Study Sites
Authors: Schlichting Peter E. , Beasley James C. , Boughton Raoul K. , Davis Amy J. , Pepin Kim M. , Glow Michael P. , Snow Nathan P. , Miller Ryan S. , VerCauteren Kurt C. , Lewis Jesse S.
Published: March 2020

Reliable and efficient population estimates are a critical need for effective management of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa). We evaluated the use of 10‐day camera grids for rapid population assessment (RPA) of wild pigs at 3 study sites that varied in vegetation communities and wild pig densities. Study areas included Buck Island Ranch, Florida; Tejon Ranch, California; and the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA, during 2016–2018. Rapid population assessments grids were composed of baited camera traps spaced approximately 500 or 750 m apart. Two RPA grids were deployed per study site and each grid was deployed twice (4–6 months apart) to assess changes in response to season or population control efforts. We assessed the ability of RPA grids to track population trends, how camera number influenced estimate precision, and how relative abundance indices related to density estimates. We detected changes in occupancy probability, detection probability, and N‐mixture estimates following removal operations and between seasons, but the ability of RPA grids to track population trends was dependent on the statistical method used and number of cameras traps. Increasing the number of cameras traps used in RPA grids increased precision, and these results can be used in determining survey design and estimate choice. We found that estimates of occupancy probability, detection probability, and N‐mixture estimates were positively correlated with spatially explicit capture–recapture density estimates. Thus, these less labor‐intensive estimates from RPA grids showed potential to index the relative abundance of wild pigs in some systems. Our evaluation of RPAs indicates that using study‐specific combinations of statistical method and number of cameras can provide a useful tool for monitoring wild pig presence, tracking population trends, and evaluating the effectiveness of management actions. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.
Band Wear and Effects on Recovery and Survival Estimates of Diving Ducks
Authors: Szymanski Michael L. , Arnold Todd W. , Garrettson Pamela R. , Afton Alan D.
Published: March 2020

Wildlife biologists commonly use marked individuals to estimate population size and vital rates. If markers are lost or become too illegible to be reported (which we define as functional loss), population size and vital rates derived from marked individuals could be biased. We double‐banded 4,990 lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) and 1,429 redheads (A. americana) with a traditionally used band made of aluminum, plus another band made of incoloy designed to be more resistant to wear. Banding took place at 10 late‐summer banding stations in the northcentral United States and Canada during 2009 and 2010 and during spring at Pool 19 on the Mississippi River, Iowa, USA, during 2009–2011. We then examined bands recovered from hunter‐shot birds to assess wear of paired bands. We also conducted band‐recovery analyses to test for differences in band retention and reporting rates between birds banded with aluminum versus hard metal bands. Band wear assessments indicated that incoloy bands lost zero mass over time and showed no effects of wear. Although no bands were lost, aluminum bands showed significant mass loss and wear over time. For double‐banded lesser scaup recovered in their fourth year after banding, 71.9% of aluminum bands had contact information that was completely unreadable, compared with only 12.5% for those worn by redheads. Based on our recent double‐band recovery data, up to 34% of lesser scaup bands would be recovered during the fifth through eighth hunting seasons of band wear. Band wear affected estimated recovery rates of both species, with stronger effects in lesser scaup. Our results indicate that use of aluminum bands resulted in a substantial loss of information; thus, banders should only use bands made of hard metal alloys (e.g., incoloy or stainless steel), and discontinue all use of aluminum bands for these species and other diving ducks with sparse recovery data. Future demographic analyses using banding data for species with excessive band wear and low numbers of band‐recoveries should account for band type and functional band loss. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.
Inbreeding depression in sperm quality in a critically endangered amphibian
Authors: Hinkson Kristin M. , Poo Sinlan
Published: March 2020

Small, isolated populations often experience increased inbreeding and decreased heterozygosity, which increases the potential risk of inbreeding depression. The relationship between inbreeding and sperm health is well‐documented in a variety of taxa, but has yet to be explored in amphibians. The dusky gopher frog, Lithobates sevosus, is a critically endangered species with years of documented inbreeding and low genetic variability as a consequence of isolation and population size reduction. This study investigated the effects of inbreeding on sperm quality in captive L. sevosus using an outbred, sister species (Lithobates pipiens) as a standard for comparison. We found L. sevosus to have severely reduced sperm quality in terms of total motility, forward progressive motility, concentration, and viability. Additionally, we observed a significant, negative relationship between total sperm motility and mean kinship within captive‐bred individuals. These data serve to enhance our understanding of the role inbreeding plays in amphibians, and to provide valuable insight into new risk factors declining amphibian populations may face.
The European Trade Union Movement and the Issue of Statutory Minimum Wages
Authors: Furåker Bengt , Larsson Bengt
Published: March 2020

Most countries in Europe have minimum wage legislation, but there are some exceptions such as the Nordic countries. The issue has clearly divided European trade unions and Nordic unions represent a foothold for the resistance to this kind of regulation. To provide a more detailed picture of European labour organizations’ arguments for and against minimum wage legislation, data from interviews and surveys as well as documents are used. There is obviously a deep cleavage within the European trade union movement and the chapter also describes how the ETUC has handled the diverging positions.
Concluding Discussion
Authors: Furåker Bengt , Larsson Bengt
Published: March 2020

This chapter summarizes the previous analyses in the book in which results from two research projects are presented. Both projects aimed at examining cross-border trade union cooperation in Europe and the conditions for its development. The studies are based on data from different sources: interviews, surveys, documents and direct observations at meetings. They concentrate on actual patterns of cooperative activities, their forms and focuses, and on attitudes among unions to such activities. One aspect that is addressed is what factors labour organizations regard as positive and negative for collaboration. The chapter also sums up how the trade unions have dealt with two vital issues during the last decades: statutory minimum wages and the Posting of Workers Directive.
Relating Relative Entropy, Optimal Transport and Fisher Information: A Quantum HWI Inequality
Authors: Datta Nilanjana , Rouzé Cambyse
Published: March 2020

Quantum Markov semigroups characterize the time evolution of an important class of open quantum systems. Studying convergence properties of such a semigroup and determining concentration properties of its invariant state have been the focus of much research. Quantum versions of functional inequalities (like the modified logarithmic Sobolev and Poincaré inequalities) and the so-called transportation cost inequalities have proved to be essential for this purpose. Classical functional and transportation cost inequalities are seen to arise from a single geometric inequality, called the Ricci lower bound, via an inequality which interpolates between them. The latter is called the HWI inequality, where the letters I, W and H are, respectively, acronyms for the Fisher information (arising in the modified logarithmic Sobolev inequality), the so-called Wasserstein distance (arising in the transportation cost inequality) and the relative entropy (or Boltzmann H function) arising in both. Hence, classically, the above inequalities and the implications between them form a remarkable picture which relates elements from diverse mathematical fields, such as Riemannian geometry, information theory, optimal transport theory, Markov processes, concentration of measure and convexity theory. Here, we consider a quantum version of the Ricci lower bound introduced by Carlen and Maas and prove that it implies a quantum HWI inequality from which the quantum functional and transportation cost inequalities follow. Our results hence establish that the unifying picture of the classical setting carries over to the quantum one.
Adrenalectomy for Primary Aldosteronism: Significant Variability in Work‐Up Strategies and Low Guideline Adherence in Worldwide Daily Clinical Practice
Authors: Vorselaars Wessel M. C. M. , van Beek Dirk‐Jan , Suurd Diederik P. D. , Postma Emily , Spiering Wilko , Borel Rinkes Inne H. M. , Valk Gerlof D. , Vriens Menno R. ,   International CONNsortium*, Zarnegar Rasa , Fahey Thomas J. , Drake Frederick T. , Duh Quan Y. , Talutis Stephanie D. , McAneny David B. , McManus Catherine , Lee James A. , Grant Scott B. , Grogan Raymon H. , Romero Arenas Minerva A. , Perrier Nancy D. , Sturgeon Cord , Castelino Tanya , Mitmaker Elliot J. , Parente David N. , Pasternak Jesse D. , Sidhu Stan B. , Sywak Mark , D'Amato Gerardo , Raffaelli Marco , Schuermans Valerie , Bouvy Nicole D. , Eker Hasan H. , Jaap Bonjer H. , Engelsman Anton F. , Nieveen van Dijkum Els J. M. , Kerstens Michiel N. , Kruijff Schelto
Published: March 2020

Background

Various diagnostic tests are available to establish the primary aldosteronism (PA) diagnosis and to determine the disease laterality. Combined with the controversies in the literature, unawareness of guidelines and technical demands and high costs of some of these diagnostics, this could lead to significant differences in work‐up strategies worldwide. Therefore, we investigated the work‐up before surgery for PA in daily clinical practice within a multicenter study.

Methods

Patients who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy for PA within 16 centers in Europe, Canada, Australia and the USA between 2010 and 2016 were included. We did not exclude patients based on the performed diagnostic tests during work‐up to make our data representative for current clinical practice. Adherence to the Endocrine Society Guideline and variables associated with not performing adrenal venous sampling (AVS) were analyzed.

Results

In total, 435 patients were eligible. An aldosterone‐to‐renin ratio, confirmatory test, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging and AVS were performed in 82.9%, 32.9%, 86.9%, 17.0% and 65.3% of patients, respectively. A complete work‐up, as recommended by the guideline, was performed in 13.1% of patients. Bilateral disease or normal adrenal anatomy on CT (OR 16.19; CI 3.50–74.99), smaller tumor size on CT (OR 0.06; CI 0.04–0.08) and presence of hypokalemia (OR 2.00; CI 1.19–3.32) were independently associated with performing AVS.

Conclusions

This study is the first to examine the daily clinical practice work‐up of PA within a worldwide cohort of surgical patients. The results demonstrate significant variability in work‐up strategies and low adherence to The Endocrine Society guideline.
Clinical relevance of circulating tumor cells in ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancer
Authors: Banys-Paluchowski Malgorzata , Fehm Tanja , Neubauer Hans , Paluchowski Peter , Krawczyk Natalia , Meier-Stiegen Franziska , Wallach Charlotte , Kaczerowsky Anna , Gebauer Gerhard
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is associated with impaired clinical outcome in several solid cancers. Limited data are available on the significance of CTCs in gynaecological malignancies. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the dynamics of CTCs in patients with ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancer during chemotherapy and to assess their clinical relevance.

Methods

43 patients with ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancer were included into this prospective study. Patients received chemotherapy according to national guidelines. CTC analysis was performed using the CellSearch system prior to chemotherapy, after three and six cycles.

Results

In 26% of the patients, ≥ 1CTC per 7.5 ml of blood was detected at baseline (17% of patients with de novo disease, compared to 35% in recurrent patients). Presence of CTCs did not correlate with other factors. After three cycles of therapy, CTC positivity rate declined to 4.8%. After six cycles, no patient showed persistent CTCs. Patients with ≥ 1 CTC at baseline had significantly shorter overall survival and progression-free survival compared to CTC-negative patients (OS: median 3.1 months vs. not reached, p = 0.006, PFS: median 3.1 vs. 23.1 months, p = 0.005). When only the subgroup with newly diagnosed cancer was considered, the association between CTC status and survival was not significant (OS: mean 17.4 vs. 29.0 months, p = 0.192, PFS: 14.3 vs. 26.9 months, p = 0.085). Presence of ≥ 1 CTC after three cycles predicted shorter OS in the entire patient cohort (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Hematogenous tumor cell dissemination is a common phenomenon in ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancer. CTC status before start of systemic therapy correlates with clinical outcome. Chemotherapy leads to a rapid decline in CTC counts; further research is needed to evaluate the clinical value of CTC monitoring after therapy.
CBPtools: a Python package for regional connectivity-based parcellation
Authors: Reuter Niels , Genon Sarah , Kharabian Masouleh Shahrzad , Hoffstaedter Felix , Liu Xiaojin , Kalenscher Tobias , Eickhoff Simon B. , Patil Kaustubh R.
Published: March 2020

Regional connectivity-based parcellation (rCBP) is a widely used procedure for investigating the structural and functional differentiation within a region of interest (ROI) based on its long-range connectivity. No standardized software or guidelines currently exist for applying rCBP, making the method only accessible to those who develop their own tools. As such, there exists a discrepancy between the laboratories applying the procedure each with their own software solutions, making it difficult to compare and interpret the results. Here, we outline an rCBP procedure accompanied by an open source software package called CBPtools. CBPtools is a Python (version 3.5+) package that allows users to run an extensively evaluated rCBP analysis workflow on a given ROI. It currently supports two modalities: resting-state functional connectivity and structural connectivity based on diffusion-weighted imaging, along with support for custom connectivity matrices. Analysis parameters are customizable and the workflow can be scaled to a large number of subjects using a parallel processing environment. Parcellation results with corresponding validity metrics are provided as textual and graphical output. Thus, CBPtools provides a simple plug-and-play, yet customizable way to conduct rCBP analyses. By providing an open-source software we hope to promote reproducible and comparable rCBP analyses and, importantly, make the rCBP procedure readily available. Here, we demonstrate the utility of CBPtools using a voluminous data set on an average compute-cluster infrastructure by performing rCBP on three ROIs prominently featured in parcellation literature.
Paradoxes of curating colonial memory
Authors: Jeurgens Charles , Karabinos Michael
Published: March 2020

In the last decade, many initiatives were taken to digitize colonial archival legacies. In this article, we analyse Dutch policy and a number of Dutch initiatives in this field with the aim to find answers to our central question whether digitization of colonial archival legacies offers possibilities to decolonize these archives. The aspiration to decolonize colonial legacies seems to be a paradoxical statement since there is something innately colonial in the recordkeeping systems that cannot, and should not, be removed. But digitization of archives means creating new recordkeeping infrastructures, and these new infrastructures shape new interfaces between the documents which were created in the past and the users of today. We argue that decolonizing these archives can be based on a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of the variables which shape the new digital archival infrastructure. Inspired by the third-space perspective and the concept of (de)coloniality, we explore the possibilities to develop archival infrastructures that contribute to decolonizing colonial archival legacies in the sense of offering multivocality, multiple agency and multiple provenance. We conclude that what we call third-space infrastructural frameworks create promising opportunities to contribute to the decolonization of colonial archival legacies.
Schemes, Critical Questions, and Complete Argument Evaluation
Authors: Yu Shiyang , Zenker Frank
Published: March 2020

According to the argument scheme approach, to evaluate a given scheme-saturating instance completely does entail asking all critical questions (CQs) relevant to it. Although this is a central task for argumentation theorists, the field currently lacks a method for providing a complete argument evaluation. Approaching this task at the meta-level, we combine a logical with a substantive approach to the argument schemes by starting from Toulmin’s schema: ‘data, warrant, so claim’. For the yet more general schema: ‘premise(s); if premise(s), then conclusion; so conclusion’, we forward a meta-level CQ-list that is arguably both complete and applicable. This list should inform ongoing theoretical efforts at generating appropriate object-level CQs for specific argument schemes.
Using citizen science in road surveys for large-scale amphibian monitoring: are biased data representative for species distribution?
Authors: Petrovan Silviu O. , Vale Cândida Gomes , Sillero Neftalí
Published: March 2020

Road-based citizen science surveys are increasingly used for long-term monitoring of wildlife, including amphibians, over large spatial scales. However, how representative such data are when compared to the actual species distribution remains unclear. Spatial biases in site selection or road network coverage by volunteers could skew results towards more urbanised areas and consequently produce incorrect or partial trend estimations at regional or national scales. Our objective was to compare and verify potential spatial biases of road-based data using distribution datasets of different origins. We used as a case study the common toad (Bufo bufo), a fast-declining species and the main amphibian targeted by conservation action on roads in Europe. We used Maxent models to compare road survey data obtained from the 35 year-long “Toads on Roads” project in Great Britain with models using national-scale toad distribution records as well as with models using randomly generated points on roads. Distribution models that used data collected by volunteers on roads produced similar results to those obtained from overall species distribution, indicating the lack of selection bias and high spatial coverage of volunteer-collected data on roads. Toads were generally absent from mountainous areas and, despite the high availability of potential recorders, showed nearly complete absence of road-based records in large urban areas. This is probably the first study that comparatively evaluates species distribution models created using datasets of different origin in order to verify the influence of potential spatial bias of data collected by volunteers on roads. Large-scale declines of widespread amphibians have been demonstrated using data collected on roads and our results indicate that such data are representative and certainly comparable to other existing datasets. We show that for countries with high road network coverage, such as Great Britain, road-based data collected by volunteers represent a robust dataset and a critical citizen science contribution to conservation.
Genetic analysis of red deer (Cervus elaphus) administrative management units in a human-dominated landscape
Authors: Edelhoff Hendrik , Zachos Frank E. , Fickel Jörns , Epps Clinton W. , Balkenhol Niko
Published: March 2020

Red deer (Cervus elaphus) throughout central Europe are influenced by different anthropogenic activities including habitat fragmentation, selective hunting and translocations. This has substantial impacts on genetic diversity and the long-term conservation of local populations of this species. Here we use genetic samples from 480 red deer individuals to assess genetic diversity and differentiation of the 12 administrative management units located in Schleswig Holstein, the northernmost federal state in Germany. We applied multiple analytical approaches and show that the history of local populations (i.e., translocations, culling of individuals outside of designated red deer zones, anthropogenic infrastructures) potentially has led to low levels of genetic diversity. Mean expected heterozygosity was below 0.6 and we observed on average 4.2 alleles across 12 microsatellite loci. Effective population sizes below the recommended level of 50 were estimated for multiple local populations. Our estimates of genetic structure and gene flow show that red deer in northern Germany are best described as a complex network of asymmetrically connected subpopulations, with high genetic exchange among some local populations and reduced connectivity of others. Genetic diversity was also correlated with population densities of neighboring management units. Based on these findings, we suggest that connectivity among existing management units should be considered in the practical management of the species, which means that some administrative management units should be managed together, while the effective isolation of other units needs to be mitigated.
Construction of a single nucleotide polymorphism marker based QTL map and validation of resistance loci to bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum species complex in tomato
Authors: Shin Il Sheob , Hsu Jung-Ching , Huang Shu-Mei , Chen Jaw-Rong , Wang Jaw-Fen , Hanson Peter , Schafleitner Roland
Published: March 2020

Bacterial wilt (BW), caused by Ralstonia solanacearum species complex is one of the major biotic factors limiting tomato production in the humid tropics. Pyramiding of resistance genes through marker-assisted selection is an efficient way to develop durable BW resistant cultivars. Tomato line ‘Hawaii 7996’ (H7996) is a stable and robust resistance source against various strains of the species complex. Major BW resistance quantitative trait loci (QTLs) Bwr-12 and Bwr-6, and several minor or strain specific QTLs have been coarse-mapped in this line, but none has been fine-mapped and validated. The objective of the current study was to construct a high density genetic map using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers derived from genotyping-by-sequencing, fine-map Bwr-12 and Bwr-6 and determine the effects of these QTLs using a near isogenic line (NIL) population. A high density genetic map using 1604 SNP markers with an average distance of 0.82 cM was developed for 188 F9 recombinant inbred lines derived from the cross H7996 × WVa700. A total of seven QTLs associated with BW resistance to race 1-phylotype I (R. pseudosolanacearum) or/and race 3-phylotype II (R. solanacearum) strains were located on chromosomes 6 (Bwr-6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.4) and 12 (Bwr-12.1, Bwr-12.2 and Bwr-12.3) with logarithm of odds (LOD) scores of 6.2–15.6 and 6.2–31.1, explaining 14.2–33.4% and 15.9–53.9% of the total phenotypic variation contributed from H7996, respectively. To validate the genetic effects of the two QTL regions, a set of 80 BC3F3 NILs containing different sections of Bwr-6 with or without Bwr-12 was phenotyped for disease severity after challenge with either race 1-phylotype I Pss4 or race 3-phylotype II Pss1632 BW strains over two seasons. Bwr-6.1 specific to Pss4 and Bwr-6.3 specific to Pss1632 were mapped to an interval of 5.0 cM (P < 0.05) between 6_33,444,000_SLM6-47 and 6_33,868,000_SLM6-124 SNP marker, and to 2.7 cM (P < 0.01) between positions 6_35,949,000 _SLM6-107 to 6_36,750,000_SLM6-82 marker, respectively. In addition, the specific effect of Bwr-12 for resistance to Pss4 (LOD score of 5.8-16.1, P < 0.01) was confirmed.
Effective Thermal Conductivity of Nanofluids: Measurement and Prediction
Authors: Berger Bioucas Francisco E. , Rausch Michael H. , Schmidt Jochen , Bück Andreas , Koller Thomas M. , Fröba Andreas P.
Published: March 2020

In the present study, the effective thermal conductivity of nanoparticle dispersions, so-called nanofluids, is investigated experimentally and theoretically. For probing the influence of the nanoparticles on the effective thermal conductivity of dispersions with water as liquid continuous phase, nearly spherical and monodisperse titanium dioxide (TiO2), silicon dioxide (SiO2), and polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles with strongly varying thermal conductivities were used as model systems. For the measurement of the effective thermal conductivity of the nanofluids with particle volume fractions up to 0.31, a steady-state guarded parallel-plate instrument was applied successfully at temperatures between (298 and 323) K. For the same systems, dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to analyze the collective translational diffusion, which provided information on the dispersion stability and the distribution of the particle size as essential factors for the effective thermal conductivity. The measurement results for the effective thermal conductivity show no temperature dependency and only a moderate change as a function of particle volume fraction, which is positive or negative for particles with larger or smaller thermal conductivities than the base fluid. Based on these findings, our theoretical model for the effective thermal conductivity originally developed for nanofluids containing fully dispersed particles of large thermal conductivities was revisited and also applied for a reliable prediction in the case of particles of relatively low thermal conductivities.
Convex optimization techniques in compliant assembly simulation
Authors: Stefanova Maria , Minevich Olga , Baklanov Stanislav , Petukhova Margarita , Lupuleac Sergey , Grigor’ev Boris , Kokkolaras Michael
Published: March 2020

A special class of quadratic programming (QP) problems is considered in this paper. This class emerges in simulation of assembly of large-scale compliant parts, which involves the formulation and solution of contact problems. The considered QP problems can have up to 20,000 unknowns, the Hessian matrix is fully populated and ill-conditioned, while the matrix of constraints is sparse. Variation analysis and optimization of assembly process usually require massive computations of QP problems with slightly different input data. The following optimization methods are adapted to account for the particular features of the assembly problem: an interior point method, an active-set method, a Newton projection method, and a pivotal algorithm for the linear complementarity problems. Equivalent formulations of the QP problem are proposed with the intent of them being more amenable to the considered methods. The methods are tested and results are compared for a number of aircraft assembly simulation problems.