bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atypical nested 22q11.2 duplications between LCR22B and LCR22D are associated with neurodevelopmental phenotypes including autism spectrum disorder with incomplete penetrance
Authors: Woodward Karen J. , Stampalia Julie , Vanyai Hannah , Rijhumal Hashika , Potts Kim , Taylor Fiona , Peverall Joanne , Grumball Tanya , Sivamoorthy Soruba , Alinejad‐Rokny Hamid , Wray John , Whitehouse Andrew , Nagarajan Lakshmi , Scurlock Jacqueline , Afchani Sabine , Edwards Matthew , Murch Ashleigh , Beilby John , Baynam Gareth , Kiraly‐Borri Cathy , McKenzie Fiona , Heng Julian I. T.
Published: January 2019

Background

Chromosome 22q11.2 is susceptible to genomic rearrangements and the most frequently reported involve deletions and duplications between low copy repeats LCR22A to LCR22D. Atypical nested deletions and duplications are rarer and can provide a valuable opportunity to investigate the dosage effects of a smaller subset of genes within the 22q11.2 genomic disorder region.

Methods

We describe thirteen individuals from six families, each with atypical nested duplications within the central 22q11.2 region between LCR22B and LCR22D. We then compared the molecular and clinical data for patients from this study and the few reported atypical duplication cases, to the cases with larger typical duplications between LCR22A and LCR22D. Further, we analyzed genes with the nested region to identify candidates highly enriched in human brain tissues.

Results

We observed that atypical nested duplications are heterogeneous in size, often familial, and associated with incomplete penetrance and highly variable clinical expressivity. We found that the nested atypical duplications are a possible risk factor for neurodevelopmental phenotypes, particularly for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), speech and language delay, and behavioral abnormalities. In addition, we analyzed genes within the nested region between LCR22B and LCR22D to identify nine genes (ZNF74, KLHL22, MED15, PI4KA, SERPIND1, CRKL, AIFM3, SLC7A4, and BCRP2) with enriched expression in the nervous system, each with unique spatiotemporal patterns in fetal and adult brain tissues. Interestingly, PI4KA is prominently expressed in the brain, and this gene is included either partially or completely in all of our subjects.

Conclusion

Our findings confirm variable expressivity and incomplete penetrance for atypical nested 22q11.2 duplications and identify genes such as PI4KA to be directly relevant to brain development and disorder. We conclude that further work is needed to elucidate the basis of variable neurodevelopmental phenotypes and to exclude the presence of a second disorder. Our findings contribute to the genotype–phenotype data for atypical nested 22q11.2 duplications, with implications for genetic counseling.
Assessment of circulating tumor DNA in pediatric solid tumors: The promise of liquid biopsies
Authors: Abbou Samuel D. , Shulman David S. , DuBois Steven G. , Crompton Brian D.
Published: January 2019

Circulating tumor DNA can be detected in the blood and body fluids of patients using ultrasensitive technologies, which have the potential to improve cancer diagnosis, risk stratification, noninvasive tumor profiling, and tracking of treatment response and disease recurrence. As we begin to apply “liquid biopsy” strategies in children with cancer, it is important to tailor our efforts to the unique genomic features of these tumors and address the technical and logistical challenges of integrating biomarker testing. This article reviews the literature demonstrating the feasibility of applying liquid biopsy to pediatric solid malignancies and suggests new directions for future studies.
The impact of connectedness on social functioning in youth with brain tumors
Authors: Willard Victoria W. , Russell Kathryn M. , Long Alanna , Phipps Sean
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Children with brain tumors (BT) are at risk for difficulties with social functioning. Research to date has focused on deficits, with no studies identifying areas of strength or resilience. Our objective was to assess the potential influence of connectedness on social functioning in youth with BT as compared with children with other cancers.

Methods

Children with cancer (20 with BT, 33 with other diagnoses) were enrolled on a longitudinal study of psychosocial functioning. The current study included measures from time 2 (+1 year after enrollment; Mage = 13.11 ± 2.31, Mtimesincediagnosis = 4.95 ± 3.74 years) and time 3 (+3 years after enrollment; Mage = 14.98 ± 2.36, Mtimesincediagnosis = 6.82 ± 3.81 years). Youth completed the Hemingway Measure of Adolescent Connectedness (HMAC) at time 2. Two years later, social functioning was assessed by the self‐ and proxy‐report versions of the Social‐Emotional Assets and Resilience Scale (SEARS).

Results

Youth with BT perceived that they were less connected to friends (t(50) = −2.13,P = 0.04), but similarly connected to peers as youth with other cancers. Youth with BT also demonstrated lower social functioning by self‐ and parent report. Connectedness to friends significantly mediated the relationship between diagnostic category and self‐reported social functioning, such that youth with BT who reported being more connected to friends also indicated greater social functioning. Analyses using connectedness to peers and/or parent‐reported social functioning were nonsignificant.

Conclusions

Perceiving a connection to a friend may be a protective factor that could mitigate deficits in social functioning in youth with BT. Additional research is needed to further assess the potential benefits of this construct.
Uplifting Runaways
Authors: Bena Iosif , Dudas Emilian , Graña Mariana , Lüst Severin
Published: January 2019

We find a mechanism by which antibranes placed in a warped deformed conifold throat can destroy the stabilization of the size of the sphere at the tip, collapsing it to zero size. This conifold destabilization mechanism can be avoided by turning on a large amount of flux on the sphere, but tadpole cancelation makes this incompatible with a hierarchy of scales in a Type IIB flux compactification. This indicates that antibrane uplift cannot be used to construct stable de Sitter vacua with a small cosmological constant in perturbative String Theory. The values of V and for these KKLT‐like scenarios can be parametrically small, but we find that is still consistent with the de Sitter swampland conjecture. Our results also suggest that there should exist a Klebanov‐Strassler black hole, holographically dual to a deconfined phase with spontaneously broken chiral symmetry.
Combined maternal and post‐weaning high fat diet inhibits male offspring's prostate cancer tumorigenesis in transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate model
Authors: Liu Yufei , Wu Xiaobo , Jiang Haowen
Published: January 2019

Background

High fat diet (HFD) and its responsive change of gut microbiota are associated with numerous diseases in human and animal studies. But how maternal and post‐weaning HFD may influence the tumorigenesis of prostate cancer (PCa) in male offspring has not yet been reported.

Methods

We studied both solitary and combined effects of maternal or/and post‐weaning HFD on the tumorigenesis of prostate in offspring using a transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP) model. TRAMP male mice (n = 24) were born to and fostered onto control diet or HFD‐fed mothers, the weaned pups were further fed control or fat diet. All mice were sacrificed at the 28th week. The prostate histopathology was performed. The gut microbiota was analyzed by fecal 16S rRNA pyrosequencing, and the serum metabolites were determined by LC‐MS/MS.

Results

Our results indicated that post‐weaning HFD could significantly promote the PCa tumorigenesis in offspring (P = 0.031), and similar results were found in maternal HFD group but with no significant differences (P = 0.056). However, combined maternal and post‐weaning HFD could significantly reduce the PCa tumorigenesis in offspring (P = 0.019). Significant differences in specific microbial populations and serum metabolites were observed across groups. For example, mice with combined maternal and post‐weaning HFD had higher abundance of gut Lachonospiraceae, Roseburia, and Amycolatopsis, increased serum L‐methionine (P = 0.0052), and decreased serum α‐linolenic acid (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

This study highlights the inhibitory effects of combined maternal and post‐weaning HFD on PCa tumorigenesis, and provides new insights into the interactions between diet, gut microbiota, serum metabolites, and PCa.
HOXA10 expression profiling in prostate cancer
Authors: Hatanaka Yuji , de Velasco Marco A. , Oki Takashi , Shimizu Nobutaka , Nozawa Masahiro , Yoshimura Kazuhiro , Yoshikawa Kazuhiro , Nishio Kazuto , Uemura Hirotsugu
Published: January 2019

Background

HOX genes encode transcription factors that play key roles in modulating normal tissue morphogenesis, differentiation and homeostasis. Disruption of normal HOX gene expression occurs frequently in human cancers and is associated with both tumor promoting and suppressing activities. Among these is, HOXA10, a pleiotropic gene that is critical for normal prostate development. In this study we characterized HOXA10 expression in human and mouse PCa to gain insights into its clinical significance.

Methods

A meta‐analysis of HOXA10 mRNA expression was carried out across several publicly available data sets. Expression of HOXA10 protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using human radical prostatectomy (RP) cases. We correlated HOXA10 expression to clinicopathological features and investigated its relationship to biochemical recurrence (BCR) after RP by the Kaplan‐Meier method. HOXA10 mRNA and IHC protein expression was also examined in a mouse model of Pten‐null PCa.

Results

A meta‐analysis of HOXA10 gene expression indicated dysregulated expression of HOXA10 in human PCa. IHC profiling of HOXA10 revealed inverse correlations between HOXA10 expression and Gleason pattern, Gleason score, and pathological stage (P < 0.01). Patients with low expression profiles of HOXA10 were associated with a higher risk of BCR, (OR, 3.54; 95%CI, 1.21‐16.14; P = 0.049) whereas patients with high HOXA10 expression experienced longer times to BCR (P = 0.045). However, HOXA10 was not an independent predictor of BCR (OR, 1.52; 95%CI, 0.42‐5.54; P = 0.52). Evaluation of expression patterns of HOXA10 in mouse prostate tumors mimicked that of humans.

Conclusions

Our findings show that HOXA10 expression is inversely associated with tumor differentiation and high HOXA10 expression is associated with improved BCR‐free survival. This study provides human and mouse evidence to suggest tumor suppressive roles for HOXA10 in the context of prostate cancer.
Evaluating the performance of sample preparation methods for ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry based serum metabonomics
Authors: Chan Wan , Zhao Yao , Zhang Jiayin
Published: January 2019

Rationale

Metabonomics investigating perturbation to endogenous metabolism in response to external stimuli is emerging as a powerful tool for clinical diagnosis as well as in many other areas. The ability to retrieve reliable and reproducible information from complex biological fluids such as serum is crucial for its further applications.

Methods

In this study, the performance of the commonly used sample preparation methods for ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS)‐based metabonomics was investigated. Specifically, we compared the extraction efficiencies, the method reproducibility, and the ability to identify potential biomarkers using solvent‐based protein precipitation and solid‐phase extraction (SPE) for serum metabonomic studies. Differences between extraction methods were explored using principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares‐discrimination analysis (OPLS‐DA).

Results

Among the sample preparation methods tested, solvent‐based protein precipitation using methanol has demonstrated the best analytical precision and extraction efficiency. Furthermore, this study revealed, for the first time, gender‐specific differences in levels of two lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPC 18:0 and lysoPC 18:1) in rat serum samples.

Conclusions

The performance of sample preparation methods for UPLC/MS‐based serum metabonomics was evaluated systematically. Results showed sample preparation by solvent precipitation using methanol provided the best analytical precision and extraction efficiency for UPLC/MS‐based serum metabonomics.
Hepatitis C virus protein interaction network for HCV clearance and association of DAA to HCC occurrence via data mining approach: A systematic review and critical analysis
Authors: Sghaier Ikram , Brochot Etienne , Loueslati Besma Y. , Almawi Wassim Y.
Published: January 2019

HCV has been associated with a pro‐inflammatory state, which predisposes to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the different molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of HCV infection on HCC progression remain unclear. Although HCV infection illustrates the potential role of host genetics in the outcome of infectious diseases, there is no clear overview of some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influencing spontaneous or treatment‐induced HCV eradication. We studied the possible role of HCV infection in the processes of HCC initiation and performed a systematic analysis using data mining approaches to identify host polymorphisms associated with treatment response and HCC development using topological analysis of protein‐proteins interactions (PPI) networks. On the basis of our analysis performed, we identified key hub proteins related to HCV‐treatment response infection and to HCC development. Host genetic polymorphisms, such as inosine triphosphatase (ITPA), interferon, lambda 3 (IFNL3), Q5 interferon, lambda 4 (IFNL4), toll‐like receptors (TLRs) and interferon‐stimulated gene 15 (ISG‐15), were identified as key genes for treatment prediction and HCC evolution. By comparing unique genes for HCV‐treatment response and genes particular to HCV‐HCC development, we found a common PPI network that may participate in more extensive signalling processes during anti‐HCV treatment, which can play important roles in modulating the immune response to the occurrence of HCC. Data mining is an effective tool for identifying potential regulatory pathways involved in treatment response and HCC development. Our study may contribute to a better understanding of HCV immunopathogenesis and highlights the complex role of host genetics in HCV clearance.
Sample size considerations and predictive performance of multinomial logistic prediction models
Authors: de Jong Valentijn M. T. , Eijkemans Marinus J. C. , van Calster Ben , Timmerman Dirk , Moons Karel G. M. , Steyerberg Ewout W. , van Smeden Maarten
Published: January 2019

Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) has been advocated for developing clinical prediction models that distinguish between three or more unordered outcomes. We present a full‐factorial simulation study to examine the predictive performance of MLR models in relation to the relative size of outcome categories, number of predictors and the number of events per variable. It is shown that MLR estimated by Maximum Likelihood yields overfitted prediction models in small to medium sized data. In most cases, the calibration and overall predictive performance of the multinomial prediction model is improved by using penalized MLR. Our simulation study also highlights the importance of events per variable in the multinomial context as well as the total sample size. As expected, our study demonstrates the need for optimism correction of the predictive performance measures when developing the multinomial logistic prediction model. We recommend the use of penalized MLR when prediction models are developed in small data sets or in medium sized data sets with a small total sample size (ie, when the sizes of the outcome categories are balanced). Finally, we present a case study in which we illustrate the development and validation of penalized and unpenalized multinomial prediction models for predicting malignancy of ovarian cancer.
Estimation of the distribution of longitudinal biomarker trajectories prior to disease progression
Authors: Huang Xuelin , Liu Lei , Ning Jing , Li Liang , Shen Yu
Published: January 2019

Most studies characterize longitudinal biomarker trajectories by looking forward at them from a commonly used time origin, such as the initial treatment time. For a better understanding of the relationship between biomarkers and disease progression, we propose to align all subjects by using their disease progression time as the origin and then looking backward at the biomarker distributions prior to that event. We demonstrate that such backward‐looking plots are much more informative than forward‐looking plots when the research goal is to understand the shape of the trajectory leading up to the event of interest. Such backward‐looking plotting is an easy task if disease progression is observed for all the subjects. However, when these events are censored for a significant proportion of subjects in the study cohort, their time origins cannot be identified, and the task of aligning them cannot be performed. We propose a new method to tackle this problem by considering the distributions of longitudinal biomarker data conditional on the failure time. We use landmark analysis models to estimate these distributions. Compared to a naïve method, our new method greatly reduces estimation bias. We apply our method to a study for chronic myeloid leukemia patients whose BCR‐ABL transcript expression levels after treatment are good indicators of residual disease. Our proposed method provides a good visualization tool for longitudinal biomarker studies for the early detection of disease.
Changes in emotional intelligence of university students participating in psychological workshops and their predictors
Authors: Kuk Anna , Guszkowska Monika , Gala-Kwiatkowska Anna
Published: January 2019

The aim of this study was to determine changes in the emotional intelligence of university students who participated in psychological workshops and their predictors. The examinations were organized within a quasi-experimental design that evaluated pretest-posttest values of emotional intelligence. The intervention, which adopted the form of psychological workshops, was aimed to improve the ability to control emotional states, modify cognitive patterns and expand the array of communicational behaviours. The study examined 30 university students of a physical education course aged 19 to 24 years. The study used the Popular Questionnaire of Emotional Intelligence, the Social Competence Questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire and the Courtauld Emotional Scale. Significant increases in emotional intelligence were observed in students participating in the psychological workshops, although varied depending on its dimensions. The highest differentiation between the measurements was found for understanding of emotions, whereas the lowest - for empathy. Greater increases in emotional intelligence can be expected in young students, who are more willing to suppress depression and reveal lower social competencies and greater intensification of depression symptoms. Psychological workshops can be an effective method to improve emotional intelligence of university students who prepare to the profession of a physical education teacher or a coach.
Impact of Sleep Deprivation on the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Gonadal Axis and Erectile Tissue
Authors: Lee D. S. , Choi J. B. , Sohn D. W.
Published: January 2019

Introduction

It is unclear how sleep deprivation (SD) exerts a negative effect on men’s health in terms of hypogonadism.

Aim

To evaluate the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis in subjects with SD and ultimately to evaluate the erectile tissue in response to the hormonal changes.

Methods

56 male Wistar rats were used. First, 16 rats (16 weeks old) were subjected to 72 hours of SD, and the following were compared with 16 control rats: (i) levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), and cortisol; (ii) the expression of the kisspeptin mRNA in the brain; and (iii) assessment of immunohistochemistry (IHC) of brain and testis. To further investigate whether testosterone reduction due to SD could affect erectile tissue, an additional 24 rats were divided into 3 groups (control, SD, and SD with T supplementation [SDT]) and compared: (i) T and cortisol levels were quantified, and (ii) endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)/ neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)/NOX-2 expression in cavernosal tissue was assessed by measuring mRNA levels and performing Western blotting and IHC.

Main Outcome Measure

Compared with the levels in the control group, the LH level was markedly decreased, and T levels were subsequently decreased in the SD group, whereas the level of the kisspeptin mRNA and IHC for kisspeptin, GnRH, and FSH were not different.

Results

In cavernosal tissues, levels of the eNOS/nNOS mRNAs and proteins tended to be lower, and NOX-2 levels (mRNA and protein) tended to be higher in the SD group than those in the control group and SDT group. IHC for eNOS/nNOS revealed lower-intensity staining in the SD group than in the control and SDT groups, whereas the NOX-2 intensity was higher in the SD group than in the other groups. A lower cortisol level was observed in the control group than in the SD and SDT groups, whereas the level was similar between the SD and SDT groups. The intracavernosal pressure/mean arterial blood pressure (%) values were also decreased in the SD group but not on testosterone injection.

Clinical Implications

Even short-term SD can produce secondary hypogonadism, which impairs men’s health.

Strength & Limitations

To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to show the effects of SD on the whole HPG axis. The weakness is that this study only investigated acute SD.

Conclusion

Based on the findings from this study, acute SD causes pituitary hypogonadism, and reduced T levels decrease erectile function by inducing superoxide accumulation in the cavernosal tissue and inhibiting nitric oxide synthase activity.
Assessment of Body Image, Sexual Function, and Attractiveness in Women With Genital Prolapse: A Cross-Sectional Study With Validation of the Body Image in the Pelvic Organ Prolapse (BIPOP) Questionnaire
Authors: Moroni R. M. , Alves da Silva Lara L. , Ferreira C. H. J. , de Mello Constantino M. , Oliveira Brito L. G.
Published: January 2019

Introduction

Women’s sense of attractiveness and body image, and the impact of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) over these constructs, are likely influenced by social and cultural background.

Aim

To evaluate sexual function and body image in women with POP, to compare the sense of attractiveness between women with and without POP, and to translate the Body Image in the Pelvic Organ Prolapse (BIPOP) questionnaire into Brazilian Portuguese and validate it in this population.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study of 105 Brazilian women with POP, we administered the BIPOP (scored from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating worse body image), the Female Sexual Function Inventory (FSFI) (scored from 2 to 36, with higher scores indicating lower risk for sexual dysfunction), and the Attractiveness subscale of the Body Attitudes Scale questionnaire (BAQ) (scored from 5 to 35, with higher score indicating better body image). We also included 100 control women who completed the BAQ Attractiveness subscale questionnaire.

Main Outcome Measure

The main outcome measure included BIPOP, FSFI, and BAQ Attractiveness scores.

Results

Mean BIPOP scores were 3.09 ± 1.08 in women with any POP, 3.05 ± 1.00 in those with lesser-stage POP (1 or 2), and 3.13 ± 1.15 in those with advanced-stage POP (3 or 4). There were no significant differences in score according to prolapse staging (P = .71). FSFI scores were independently associated with BIPOP scores (β = –0.052; P = .02). The mean scores for the BAQ Attractiveness subscale was 17.01 ± 4.07 in women with POP and 16.97 ± 4.60 in those without POP (P = .93). Older age was the sole characteristic associated with being sexually inactive in women with POP; regarding sexual function, a better body image and higher attractiveness scores were independently associated with a higher FSFI score. As for the Portuguese validation of the BIPOP instrument, the adapted version maintained good internal consistency (α = 0.908), good reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.94), and adequate construct validity.

Clinical Implications

Women with POP may not relate sexual function or attractiveness to POP extension. An impaired body image is associated with worse perception of attractiveness and increased risk for sexual dysfunction.

Strength & Limitations

As strengths, we used a specific genital body image scale, and this is first study of its kind among Brazilian women. As for weaknesses, we encountered low educational levels in the women with POP.

Conclusion

Among women with POP, the anatomic features of the prolapse do not seem to interfere with genital body image or with sexual function. In addition, the presence of POP was not associated with being sexually active or inactive.
Healthcare Experiences and Needs of Consensually Non-Monogamous People: Results From a Focus Group Study
Authors: Vaughan M. D. , Jones P. , Taylor B. A. , Roush J.
Published: January 2019

Background

Individuals engaged in consensual non-monogamy (CNM) face broad and potentially harmful experiences of sexual stigma in society, yet no published empirical literature has examined the experiences of this population within the healthcare system.

Aim

The present investigation sought to explore positive and negative experiences of CNM individuals within the healthcare system, as well as specific needs of these patients regarding inclusive healthcare practices.

Methods

20 CNM-identified adults from a non-profit organization serving CNM individuals completed a brief survey and participated in 1 of 3 focus groups of 70 minutes duration centered on their healthcare needs and experiences.

Outcomes

CNM patients report challenges in addressing their healthcare needs related to lack of provider knowledge, inadequate preventative screenings, and stigmatizing behaviors that impact their health and trust in the healthcare system.

Clinical Implications

Healthcare providers must monitor and work to avoid assumptions and pathologization of individuals who engage in CNM, creating an open, accepting environment to work collaboratively with CNM individuals to meet their unique sexual health needs.

Strength & Limitations

Although the present sample is diverse with respect to sexual and gender identity and socioeconomic status, it may not represent the experiences of CNM individuals outside of the midwestern United States and those who do not identify as polyamorous.

Conclusion

CNM individuals frequently experience sexual stigma in interactions with the healthcare system that interferes with receipt of sensitive, medically accurate care relevant to their unique needs and experiences.
Investor Responsibilities from a Host State Perspective: Qualitative Data and Proposals for Treaty Reform
Authors: Sattorova Mavluda
Published: January 2019

The need to address negative impacts of foreign investment on the environment, public health, and human rights has long been acknowledged. Drawing on recent case studies, this essay focuses on a number of concerns that arise when investors seek to unduly influence host government decision-making, including in the context of national policy-making in the public interest. This essay argues that International Investment Agreements (IIAs) should begin to more directly incorporate investor responsibilities so to avoid detrimental societal impacts of foreign investment and to maximize foreign investment's positive contribution to host communities. A fundamental reframing of IIA objectives is key in overcoming the existing resistance to incorporating investor obligations in new and amended treaties.
Counterclaims and the Rule of Law in Investment Arbitration
Authors: Ishikawa Tomoko
Published: January 2019

While the rule of law was originally developed with reference to domestic constitutional orders, it is also widely embraced by international lawyers. This essay argues that the admission of counterclaims in certain circumstances helps investment arbitration advance the rule of law on several counts. The rule of law is defined here to include not only formal elements such as rule-by-law and formal legality, but also “thicker” elements attached to certain substantive values, including fundamental human rights. The UN's work on the rule of law clearly adopts a broad interpretation of this concept. This essay examines the potential for counterclaims to bridge the gap between the lack of effective mechanisms to hold foreign investors accountable for their conduct and the extensive protection of foreign investors in international investment law. By doing so, counterclaims in investment arbitration may promote the thicker elements of the rule of law such as accountability to the law, access to justice, and fairness in the application of the law.
Implications of using two natural enemies of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) toward tomato yield enhancement
Authors: Mirhosseini M.A. , Fathipour Y. , Soufbaf M. , Reddy G.V.P.
Published: January 2019

Tomato leaf miner (TLM),Tuta absoluta(Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most destructive tomato pests worldwide. We tested quantity and quality of tomato fruits after simultaneous use of two biological control agents, the predatory mirid bugNesidiocoris tenuis(Reuter) and the egg parasitoidTrichogramma brassicaeBezdenko against TLM. We varied the timing of predator releases (before or after pest establishment) and the number of parasitoids released (ten or 30 females per week per m2). The highest number of fruits per cage, percentage of undamaged fruits, total yield weight, and undamaged yield weight were all obtained with predator-in-first treatments, with or without parasitoid releases. Furthermore, measures of fruit quality were also highest in predator-in-first treatments, including, highest percentage of water, greatest proportional fresh weight of carbohydrates, most lycopene, most β-carotene, most flavonoids, and highest total chlorophyll. Thus, our findings support a predator-in-first augmentation approach for management of TLM.
The Landscape of Comparative Politics: Which Regions and Countries Have Had High Profiles in Comparative Politics Journals?
Authors: Song Yoonjin
Published: January 2019

This article uses descriptive statistics and social-network analysis to examine which regions and countries were selected in studies comparing-two countries that have been published in America’s renowned academic journals in comparative politics (CP): Comparative Political Studies and Journal of Comparative Politics. Which regions and countries are favored (and disfavored) by these studies? Analysis shows that the US-based CP journals strongly favor research on the countries of Western Europe and North America. There may be several explanations for this, but the uneven distribution of research publications with respect to continents and countries may be a source of several biases that should be of concern in the CP field.
Academic Censorship in China: The Case of The China Quarterly
Authors: Wong Mathew Y. H. , Kwong Ying-ho
Published: January 2019

The recent censorship requests made by Chinese authorities to Western academic publishers have sent shockwaves throughout the academic world. This article examines the high-profile The China Quarterly incident as a case in point. Because the censorship is expected to be followed by similar demands to other publications, it is important for the academic community to explore the logic behind it. This research article provides a preliminary analysis of publications on the censorship list and compares them to uncensored articles on similar themes. This exercise allows us to draw important insights. Theoretically, this article makes an original contribution by going beyond the censorship within to outside China. Empirically, it offers a comprehensive analysis of what China wants to censor and the context for its actions.
Low knowledge of osteoporosis and its risk factors in urban Indian adults from Pune city, India
Authors: Kadam Nidhi , Chiplonkar Shashi , Khadilkar Anuradha , Khadilkar Vaman
Published: January 2019

Objective

To assess knowledge of osteoporosis and its risk factors and to explore associations between knowledge and various sociodemographic factors in Indian adults.

Design

Cross-sectional study. The Revised Osteoporosis Knowledge Test (OKT) was used to assess knowledge of osteoporosis. Four scores (OKT-total, range 0–32; OKT-exercise, range 0–20; OKT-nutrition, range 0–26; OKT-risk factors, range 0–14) were generated by giving 1 point to every correct answer and 0 points for incorrect or ‘not known’ answers.

Setting

Tertiary-care hospital in Pune city, India.

Participants

Adults aged 40–75 years (n477; 234 males) enrolled through voluntary routine health checks and health camps.

Results

Mean age of the study population was 54·6 (sd9·5) years. Half the participants were aware of osteoporosis and could correctly define it. Women showed significantly higher median OKT-total and OKT-nutrition scores than men (P<0·05). Those with higher education and higher socio-economic status had significantly higher scores in both men and women (P<0·05). All four scores were significantly higher in both men and women who could correctly define osteoporosis (P<0·05). All four scores were significantly higher in women with a family history of osteoporosis (P<0·05) but not in men (P>0·1).

Conclusions

Understanding about osteoporosis and its risk factors is low in the present cohort of Indian men and women. There is need to create awareness programmes aimed at both men and women especially targeting those with lower education, lower socio-economic status and no previous exposure to osteoporosis.
NON-HYPERBOLIC ERGODIC MEASURES AND HORSESHOES IN PARTIALLY HYPERBOLIC HOMOCLINIC CLASSES
Authors: Yang Dawei , Zhang Jinhua
Published: January 2019

We study a rich family of robustly non-hyperbolic transitive diffeomorphisms and we show that each ergodic measure is approached by hyperbolic sets in weak$\ast$-topology and in entropy. For hyperbolic ergodic measures, it is a classical result of A. Katok. The novelty here is to deal with non-hyperbolic ergodic measures. As a consequence, we obtain the continuity of topological entropy.
Reproducibility of San Andreas Fault Slip Rate Measurements at Wallace Creek in the Carrizo Plain, CA
Authors: Grant Ludwig Lisa , Akciz Sinan O. , Arrowsmith J Ramon , Salisbury J. Barrett
Published: January 2019

Reproducibility of results from scientific studies is rarely demonstrated outside the laboratory. Measurements of fault slip rate underpin scientific models of active faulting and seismic hazard assessments widely used for policymaking and risk mitigation. We replicated a highly referenced study that measured the slip rate as 33.9 ± 2.9 mm/year along the San Andreas fault over the past ~3,700 years at Wallace Creek in the Carrizo Plain National Monument, USA. Our results provide a slip rate of slip 36 ± 1 mm/year since ~3,500 CalBP. We find that the late Holocene slip rate of the San Andreas fault, a key indicator of seismic hazard, is reproducible within measurement uncertainty. Geologic slip rate determinations are relatively insensitive to short‐term fluctuations and thus should be reproducible if the time interval of measurement is much greater than the average rupture interval.
Multiscale Direct Envelope Inversion: Algorithm and Methodology for Application to the Salt Structure Inversion
Authors: Chen G. X. , Wu R. S. , Chen S. C.
Published: January 2019

For the full‐waveform inversion, obtaining a globally optimal solution is difficult when the seismic data do not contain sufficient low‐frequency information and the inversion object is a salt structure with a large‐scale salt dome. The large salt dome presents difficulty for the inversion of the salt structure; however, it also confers a convenience that can be utilized: A large salt dome makes the events in the seismic record sparse and isolated. We use the envelope to obtain the arrival time of the events in the seismic data and apply multiscale strategies to extract the low‐frequency information of the seismic data that relates to the long‐wavelength components of the subsurface. In calculating the gradient, the envelope Fréchet derivative is used to take advantage of the multiscale envelope for the characteristics of the salt structure. Therefore, the multiscale direct envelope inversion using the window‐averaged envelope and the direct envelope Fréchet derivative is proposed. To further improve the computational efficiency and inversion quality of the multiscale direct envelope inversion, several auxiliary strategies are proposed: A joint misfit function is designed to make the inversion method more adaptable, and an offset weighting factor is introduced to implement the multioffset inversion method to improve the inversion quality of subsalt. We analyze the antinoise performance of the multiscale direct envelope inversion. The SEG/EAGE salt model is used to test the application effect of the multiscale direct envelope inversion. The antinoise ability and insensitivity to low‐frequency data of the method are verified in the numerical experiments.
What We Can Learn from the Electric Field and Conductivity Measurements in Auroral Atmosphere
Authors: Seran E. , Godefroy M.
Published: January 2019

In this paper we present measurements of the electric field and electric conductivity of air performed with the Short Dipole Antenna (SDA) in the auroral atmosphere. The observations were carried out during two stratospheric balloon flights in the northern Sweden in winter of 2011. Two‐fold objectives were attained as the outcome of these flights and the data analysis. First aimed at understanding the mechanisms that control the electric properties of the auroral atmosphere and at estimation of some key parameters from the measured data, such as the charge and current density, the mobility of the small‐ions, their concentration and generation rate, as well as the radiation dose rate. Second objective was to test the SDA instrument performances in a radiation environment close to that we expect to encounter near the Mars surface.
Evidence for a Moist to Wet Source Transition Throughout the Oman‐UAE Ophiolite, and Implications for the Geodynamic History
Authors: de Graaff S. J. , Goodenough K. M. , Klaver M. , Lissenberg C. J. , Jansen M. N. , Millar I. , Davies G. R.
Published: January 2019

The Oman‐United Arab Emirates (UAE) ophiolite represents the largest and best‐preserved fragment of obducted oceanic lithosphere in the world. However, debate continues regarding its geodynamic history. This debate is in part a consequence of the lateral variability in the later stage magmatic units, with arc signatures considered to be well developed in the north of the ophiolite but less so in the south. In this study, we investigate later stage intrusions in the central and southern part of the ophiolite. These intrusions vary from wehrlite to gabbro and tonalite and crosscut all levels of the main ophiolite sequence from the mantle peridotites up to the sheeted dike complex. They are characterized by the presence of magmatic amphibole, low TiO2 (<1 wt%), document an enrichment in Th, Sr, and Ba, depletion of Y and Dy, and decreasing Dy/Yb and Dy/Dy* with increased fractionation. These data record hydrous fractionation with a significant role for amphibole, which is comparable to many arc‐type magmas. The relative Nb and light rare earth element ((La/Yb)nchon < 1) depletion and coupled Nd and Hf isotope variations indicate the same (but depleted) Indian mid‐ocean ridge basalts‐type mantle source as the main ophiolite sequence. More radiogenic Pb isotope compositions of plagioclase imply the addition of a fluid component likely derived from sediments or altered oceanic crust. These intrusions occur across larger areas than previously reported, implying the entire ophiolite formed in a setting characterized by arc‐type magmas, such as a suprasubduction zone setting.
Historical Expansion of Kyasanur Forest Disease in India From 1957 to 2017: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Chakraborty S. , Andrade F. C. D. , Ghosh S. , Uelmen J. , Ruiz M. O.
Published: January 2019

A highly infectious tick‐borne virus causes Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD), which has been expanding in recent decades in India. Current studies do not provide an updated understanding of the disease trends and its expansion in India. We address this gap in the literature through a detailed review to reveal the annual historic expansion of KFD cases across the span of years from 1957 to 2017. In addition, we explore the factors that may have led to the geographic expansion of KFD. The annual numbers of cases of KFD among humans are estimated using peer‐reviewed journal articles, Pro‐MED database, historical and archived newspapers, and government reports, technical reports, publications, and medical websites. From 1957 to 2017, there were an estimated 9,594 cases of KFD within 16 districts in India. The most significant human outbreaks of the disease were in the years 1957–1958 (681 cases), 1983–1984 (2,589 cases), 2002–2003 (1,562 cases), and 2016–2017 (809 cases). In 2015, KFD appeared in Goa. In 2016, new cases emerged in Belgaum, a district in Karnataka state, and in the Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra state. The processes by which KFD persists and spreads are not clear, but demographic, socioeconomic, political, and environmental factors seem to play a role.
Analysis of the Forbush Decreases and Ground‐Level Enhancement on September 2017 Using Neutron Spectrometers Operated in Antarctic and Midlatitude Stations
Authors: Hubert G. , Pazianotto M. T. , Federico C. A. , Ricaud P.
Published: January 2019

This work investigates solar events occurred in September 2017 characterized by a series of Forbush decreases and a ground level enhancement (GLE). Forbush decreases is a rapid decrease in the observed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_cosmic_ray intensity following a coronal mass ejection while GLE is induced by a strong solar event for which the flux of high‐energy solar particles is sufficient to enhance the radiation level on the ground. These investigations were performed using data recorded by a neutron spectrometer network composed of a Bonner sphere system. Two instruments located at Pic‐du‐Midi Observatory (+2,885 m above sea level) and at Concordia station (Antarctica, +3,233 m) record simultaneously and continuously the neutron spectra, allowing to consider short‐term variations during solar events. The main objective is to analyze neutron spectral properties including their energy distributions and dynamics. This paper presents cosmic ray‐induced neutron spectra during active solar event leading to changes in the local cosmic ray spectrum (Forbush decreases and a GLE). Concerning the GLE, analyses show that neutrons in the evaporation domain are particularly amplified during the GLE, while other energetic domains increase uniformly.
Low‐Energy (<keV) O+ Ion Outflow Directly Into the Inner Magnetosphere: Van Allen Probes Observations
Authors: Gkioulidou Matina , Ohtani S. , Ukhorskiy A. Y. , Mitchell D. G. , Takahashi K. , Spence H. E. , Wygant J. R. , Kletzing C. A. , Barnes R. J.
Published: January 2019

The heavy ion component of the low‐energy (eV to hundreds of eV) ion population in the inner magnetosphere, also known as the O+ torus, is a crucial population for various aspects of magnetospheric dynamics. Yet even though its existence has been known since the 1980s, its formation remains an open question. We present a comprehensive study of a low‐energy (<keV), bidirectional O+ outflow event, which occurred deep into the inner magnetosphere (inside L = 4), and was observed by the Helium, Oxygen, Proton and Electron (HOPE) instrument aboard the Van Allen Probe B. The observed spectrogram exhibited multiple bands of field‐aligned intensity enhancements with energy dispersion. A 2‐D guiding‐center test‐particle tracing simulation demonstrates that the observed spectral features can be attributed to O+ ions exiting both hemispheres of the nightside ionosphere over L ~ 3–4 latitudinal and magnetic local time (MLT) ~ 21 to 23 hr longitudinal extent, directly entering the inner magnetosphere, and subsequently bouncing from one hemisphere to the other. The outflow is associated with earthward field‐aligned Poynting flux enhancement and field‐aligned electron beams, as observed at the Van Allen Probes location, as well as with strong upward field‐aligned current, as revealed by the Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment (AMPERE) at the ionospheric footpoint of the spacecraft. O+ partial density in the region outside plasmapause was significantly enhanced by the outflow population, exceeding the H+ density and indicating the possible formation of an O+ torus.
Effective Elastic Properties of Rocks With Transversely Isotropic Background Permeated by Aligned Penny‐Shaped Cracks
Authors: Guo Junxin , Han Tongcheng , Fu Li‐Yun , Xu Denghui , Fang Xinding
Published: January 2019

Seismic characterization of fractures is of great importance in many disciplines, for which rock physics models provide the basis to link fracture properties to seismic attributes. However, to date, most rock physics models neglect the background anisotropy that may exist in many fractured formations. Hence, in this work, we developed a theoretical model for rock effective elastic properties with penny‐shaped cracks embedded in the transversely isotropic (TI) background medium. We first derived analytical solutions for the case with dry or fluid‐filled penny‐shaped cracks parallel to the isotropic plane of TI background medium. Further, the results were extended to the case with cracks inclined to the isotropic plane with any angles. We then studied, based on the developed theoretical model, two tight sand samples with TI and isotropic background, respectively, to illustrate effects of background anisotropy on effective elastic properties of fractured rocks. The results show that the background anisotropy has significant influence on P and S wave velocity anisotropy, as well as on shear wave splitting. The background anisotropy can either increase or decrease P and SH wave velocity anisotropy depending on crack inclination angles, whereas it has relatively small influence on SV wave velocity anisotropy. To further illustrate the important effects of background anisotropy, we compared theoretical predictions to ultrasonic measurements on a synthetic fractured sandstone sample with TI background medium. The results show notable improvement of the agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental results after considering background anisotropy.