bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Very Early Introduction of Everolimus in De Novo Liver Transplantation: Results of a Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Trial
Authors: Cillo Umberto , Saracino Laura , Vitale Alessandro , Bertacco Alessandra , Salizzoni Mauro , Lupo Francesco , Colledan Michele , Corno Vittorio , Rossi Giorgio , Reggiani Paolo , Baccarani Umberto , Bresàdola Vittorio , De Carlis Luciano , Mangoni Iacopo , Ramirez Morales Raphael , Agnes Salvatore , Nure Erida
Published: December 2018

Early everolimus (EVR) introduction and tacrolimus (TAC) minimization after liver transplantation may represent a novel immunosuppressant approach. This phase 2, multicenter, randomized, open‐label trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of early EVR initiation. Patients treated with corticosteroids, TAC, and basiliximab were randomized (2:1) to receive EVR (1.5 mg twice daily) on day 8 and to gradually minimize or withdraw TAC when EVR was stable at >5 ng/mL or to continue TAC at 6‐12 ng/mL. The primary endpoint was the proportion of treated biopsy‐proven acute rejection (tBPAR)–free patients at 3 months after transplant. As secondary endpoints, composite tBPAR plus graft/patient loss rate, renal function, TAC discontinuation rate, and adverse events were assessed. A total of 93 patients were treated with EVR, and 47 were controls. After 3 months from transplantation, 87.1% of patients with EVR and 95.7% of controls were tBPAR‐free (P = 0.09); composite endpoint‐free patients with EVR were 85% (versus 94%; P = 0.15). Also at 3 months, 37.6% patients were in monotherapy with EVR, and the tBPAR rate was 11.4%. Estimated glomerular filtration rate was significantly higher with EVR, as early as 2 weeks after randomization. In the study group, higher rates of dyslipidemia (15% versus 6.4%), wound complication (18.32% versus 0%), and incisional hernia (25.8% versus 6.4%) were observed, whereas neurological disorders were more frequent in the control group (13.9% versus 31.9%; P < 0.05). In conclusion, an early EVR introduction and TAC minimization may represent a suitable approach when immediate preservation of renal function is crucial.
Production of functional double‐stranded RNA using a prokaryotic expression system in Escherichia coli
Authors: Chen Zhengjun , He Jindian , Luo Pan , Li Xiangkai , Gao Yuan
Published: December 2018

RNA interference (RNAi) is a nucleic acid metabolism system utilized for the post‐translational regulation of endogenous genes or for defense against exogenous RNA or transposable elements. Double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA)‐mediated RNAi shows broad application prospects to improve existing plant traits and combat invading pathogens or pests. To improve dsRNA transcriptional efficiency using a prokaryotic expression system, Trxz gene, an essential gene for the early development of chloroplasts in Arabidopsis thaliana, was chosen for a functional study. Two types of recombinant expression vectors, pDP‐Trxz and phP‐Trxz‐N/L, were constructed to generate dsTrxz, the dsRNA which specifically induces Trxz gene silencing. Gel electrophoresis tests showed that phP vectors performed better and produced more dsRNA than the pDP vector under the same conditions. Purification of dsTrxz by enzymatic digestion indicated that highly purified dsRNA can be obtained through the use of DNase enzymatic hydrolysis assay. To confirm the knockdown effect of the dsRNA, a root immersion assay was performed, and we found that the root immersion culture could continue to affect the growth and development of A. thaliana. This included inhibiting the development of new leaves, causing weak plant development, leaf whitening, and other symptoms. This indicated that in vitro expressed dsRNA can be absorbed through Arabidopsis roots and can continue to trigger Trxz gene silencing. To delay dsRNA degradation and extend the effectiveness of RNAi, nanomaterial layered double hydroxide (LDH)‐mediated BioClay was performed. We found that LDH‐mediated BioClay alleviates the degree of dsRNA degradation, which provides a new idea for the storage and transportation of dsRNA.
Can you train the pelvic floor muscles by contracting other related muscles?
Authors: Kruger Jennifer , Budgett David , Goodman Jonathan , Bø Kari
Published: December 2018

Aims

The aim of this study is to assess whether contraction of muscles other than the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) would be of sufficient magnitude to provide a “training” effect for the pelvic floor.

Methods

Women were recruited via advertisement from a convenience sample of pelvic floor physiotherapists. A thin flexible array of pressure sensors (FemFit) was self‐inserted into the vagina. Participants performed three maximum pelvic floor contractions and completed a randomized exercise protocol. Maximum pressures were determined for each sensor, for each exercise. Wilcoxon paired tests were used to ascertain the difference in pelvic floor muscle pressure between exercises, and between the pressures from the pelvic floor muscles sensors and those measuring abdominal pressure. Bonferroni correction α 0.005.

Results

Data was obtained from nineteen participants. Mean age 43 ± 11 years, BMI 22.4 ± 3.2 kg m−2. Mean PFM pressure for pelvic floor muscle contractions was 16.3 ± 12.2 mmHg. Pressure in the region of the pelvic floor was significantly higher during a targeted contraction compared to that for all other exercises, except for cough and curl‐ups (P = 0.009, P = 0.013 respectively). PFM pressure was significantly higher than abdominal for PFMC, internal rotators and gluteals (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Targeted PFM contractions develop higher pressures compared to abdominal pressure than any exercise tested in this study. The Femfit device was able to distinguish between abdominal and pelvic floor muscle pressures simultaneously. Exercising accessory muscles in an attempt to activate the pelvic floor sufficiently to illicit a training effect is not recommended.
Determining the effect of centrifugal and electrical forces on the jet behaviors, the nanofiber structure, and morphology
Authors: Hosseinian Hajar , Valipouri Afsaneh , Hosseini Ravandi Seyed Abdolkarim , Alirezazadeh Azam
Published: December 2018

The increasing demand for nanofibers production has led to the rapid growth of the usage of electro‐centrifugal spinning (ECS) systems especially in recent years. Besides the rapid developments, fabrication of novel fibrous materials with novel techniques is still under investigation. Polyvinylepyrrolidone (PVP) is one of the multifunctional materials, which has attracted scientific interests to be employed in a variety of advanced applications. The main objective of the present study was therefore to explore the effects of essential parameters involved in fabrication of PVP nanofibers via an ECS system. The effects of rotational speed (197‐4051 r/min) and applied voltage (0‐14 kV) on the structural and morphological properties of nanofibers were also investigated. Analyses of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were performed with Digimizer and SPSS16.0 software to characterize the diameter distribution of the nanofibers. The degree of crystallinity was evaluated by the X‐ray diffraction method. In order to explain the unexpected results, further investigations were performed on the motion of the jet and flow rate. The results showed that instead of nanofibers, microparticles were formed at lower voltages and rotational speeds. The increase in the applied voltage resulted in a decrease in the minimum rotational speed that is required to form continuous fluid jet. The bending instabilities were changed from whipping to spiraling at the voltages above 10 kV. This resulted in the minimum fiber diameter at a voltage between 6 and 10 kV. Moreover, the applied voltage slightly affected the degree of crystallinity. No significant change was observed in the degree of crystallinity by varying the rotational speed.
Which is the ideal sanction for cooperation? An experimental study on different types of third‐party sanctions
Authors: Hou Gonglin , Wang Fei , Shi Jieyan , Chen Weijiang , Yu Jie
Published: December 2018

Cooperation is the crux of many social problems, thus third‐party sanction, as one of the most important ways to promote cooperation, is worth studying. The present study compared the effects of third‐party punishment alone, third‐party reward alone, and the combination of third‐party reward and third‐party punishment on cooperation in the context of a public goods experiment. In addition, we explored the characteristics of third‐party sanctioning behaviors. A total of 280 students participated in the present study. The results showed that the operation of third‐party sanctions did raise the level of cooperation and changed the discrete trend of cooperation—specifically, the differences between the cooperation level of every group member and the average level of the whole group. Furthermore, when third‐party rewards and third‐party punishments were used simultaneously in the public goods game (PGG), the level of cooperation was greatly enhanced, which meant that in the context of the third party, when punishment opportunities and reward opportunities coexist, they may have a “compensatory effect.” In terms of the characteristics of sanctioning behaviors, the frequency of third‐party sanctions did not differ significantly under different conditions (third‐party punishment alone, third‐party reward alone, and a combination of third‐party reward and third‐party punishment), and neither did expenditures on third‐party sanctions, but the strategies that third parties used changed under different conditions, thus their effects on other group members’ cooperative behavior varied under different conditions. The present study provides a comprehensive picture of how third parties behave in different conditions of third‐party sanctions and how these sanctions exert influence on cooperation. Understanding these mechanisms can help us build more effective institutions.
Properties of the weighted log‐rank test in the design of confirmatory studies with delayed effects
Authors: Jiménez José L. , Stalbovskaya Viktoriya , Jones Byron
Published: December 2018

Proportional hazards are a common assumption when designing confirmatory clinical trials in oncology. This assumption not only affects the analysis part but also the sample size calculation. The presence of delayed effects causes a change in the hazard ratio while the trial is ongoing since at the beginning we do not observe any difference between treatment arms, and after some unknown time point, the differences between treatment arms will start to appear. Hence, the proportional hazards assumption no longer holds, and both sample size calculation and analysis methods to be used should be reconsidered. The weighted log‐rank test allows a weighting for early, middle, and late differences through the Fleming and Harrington class of weights and is proven to be more efficient when the proportional hazards assumption does not hold. The Fleming and Harrington class of weights, along with the estimated delay, can be incorporated into the sample size calculation in order to maintain the desired power once the treatment arm differences start to appear. In this article, we explore the impact of delayed effects in group sequential and adaptive group sequential designs and make an empirical evaluation in terms of power and type‐I error rate of the of the weighted log‐rank test in a simulated scenario with fixed values of the Fleming and Harrington class of weights. We also give some practical recommendations regarding which methodology should be used in the presence of delayed effects depending on certain characteristics of the trial.
Growth behaviour of cerium‐based conversion coating on Zn‐5%Al alloy
Authors: Sun Zi‐Wen , Kong Gang , Che Chun‐Shan , Wang Yan‐Qi , Miao Xin‐Rui
Published: December 2018

Cerium‐based conversion coatings were deposited on a Zn‐5%Al alloy by immersing the alloy in cerium nitrate aqueous solutions with various immersion times. The growth behaviour of the cerium‐based conversion coating on the Zn‐5%Al alloy was investigated by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), SEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and XPS techniques. The results reveal that the coating mainly consists of ZnO, Zn(OH)2, Ce(OH)4, Ce(OH)3, CeO2, and Ce2O3. The growth of the cerium‐based conversion coating is accompanied by metal dissolution. The dissolution mainly occurs on the η‐Zn surface of the phase boundary and continues to extend to the Zn‐rich phase as the coating grows. EIS results show that with increasing immersion time, the corrosion resistance of the Ce conversion coating gradually increases in the early growth stage and then decreases when the cracks appear.
Accurate evaluations of both porosity and tortuosity of anodic films grown on rolled AA 1050 and on rolled or machined AA 2024 T3
Authors: Giffard Kévin , Arurault Laurent , Blanc Christine , Di Caprio Dung
Published: December 2018

The porosity of the anodic films grown on aluminium substrates depends on various operating conditions related to the anodization electrolyte and to the applied electrical parameters, as well as to the substrate itself. In the present study, three different aluminium substrates were studied and anodized: AA 1050 (rolled; thickness = 1 mm), AA 2024 T3 (rolled; 1 mm), and AA 2024 T3 (machined; 3 mm). For each type of anodic film, the porosity, as well as its changes during anodization, was accurately characterized using both field‐emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG‐SEM) and a reanodization technique. Moreover, for the first time, the corresponding tortuosity was quantified for all studied substrates. Results for rolled AA 2024 T3 and for machined AA 2024 T3 especially showed significant differences in tortuosity values, contributing towards clarifying, in part, their different wettability characteristics or anticorrosion behaviour, so far not clearly explained.
Combining biomarker trajectories to improve diagnostic accuracy in prospective cohort studies with verification bias
Authors: Li Hong , Gatsonis Constantine
Published: December 2018

In this paper, we develop methods to combine multiple biomarker trajectories into a composite diagnostic marker using functional data analysis (FDA) to achieve better diagnostic accuracy in monitoring disease recurrence in the setting of a prospective cohort study. In such studies, the disease status is usually verified only for patients with a positive test result in any biomarker and is missing in patients with negative test results in all biomarkers. Thus, the test result will affect disease verification, which leads to verification bias if the analysis is restricted only to the verified cases. We treat verification bias as a missing data problem. Under both missing at random (MAR) and missing not at random (MNAR) assumptions, we derive the optimal classification rules using the Neyman‐Pearson lemma based on the composite diagnostic marker. We estimate thresholds adjusted for verification bias to dichotomize patients as test positive or test negative, and we evaluate the diagnostic accuracy using the verification bias corrected area under the ROC curves (AUCs). We evaluate the performance and robustness of the FDA combination approach and assess the consistency of the approach through simulation studies. In addition, we perform a sensitivity analysis of the dependency between the verification process and disease status for the approach under the MNAR assumption. We apply the proposed method on data from the Religious Orders Study and from a non‐small cell lung cancer trial.
Optimal probability weights for estimating causal effects of time‐varying treatments with marginal structural Cox models
Authors: Santacatterina Michele , García‐Pareja Celia , Bellocco Rino , Sönnerborg Anders , Ekström Anna Mia , Bottai Matteo
Published: December 2018

Marginal structural Cox models have been used to estimate the causal effect of a time‐varying treatment on a survival outcome in the presence of time‐dependent confounders. These methods rely on the positivity assumption, which states that the propensity scores are bounded away from zero and one. Practical violations of this assumption are common in longitudinal studies, resulting in extreme weights that may yield erroneous inferences. Truncation, which consists of replacing outlying weights with less extreme ones, is the most common approach to control for extreme weights to date. While truncation reduces the variability in the weights and the consequent sampling variability of the estimator, it can also introduce bias. Instead of truncated weights, we propose using optimal probability weights, defined as those that have a specified variance and the smallest Euclidean distance from the original, untruncated weights. The set of optimal weights is obtained by solving a constrained quadratic optimization problem. The proposed weights are evaluated in a simulation study and applied to the assessment of the effect of treatment on time to death among people in Sweden who live with human immunodeficiency virus and inject drugs.
Stereoselective Aromatic Ring Hydrogenation over Supported Rhodium Catalysts in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Solvent
Authors: Shirai M. , Hiyoshi N. , Rode C. V.
Published: December 2018

The combination of supported rhodium metal catalysts and supercritical carbon dioxide solvent was effective for the stereoselective ring hydrogenations of aromatic compounds at low temperature. Higher solubility of hydrogen in supercritical carbon dioxide provides higher concentration of hydrogen on the rhodium surface, but lower that of the intermediate on rhodium surface, which suppresses the flipping of surface intermediate, leading to higher catalyst activities and cis selectivities to the corresponding ring‐hydrogenated products as compared with those in organic solvents.
Strategies for Synthesis of Imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine Derivatives: Carbene Transformations or C−H Functionalizations
Authors: Yu Yue , Su Zhengquan , Cao Hua
Published: December 2018

The imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines are an important target in organic synthetic chemistry and have attracted critical attention of chemists mainly due to the discovery of the interesting properties exhibited by a great number of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine derivatives. Although lots of synthetic methods of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines have been developed in the past years, the chemistry community faces continuing challenges to use green reagents, maximize atom economy and enrich the functional group diversity of product. Undoubtedly, with its low cost and lack of environmentally hazardous byproducts, cascade reactions and C−H functionalizations are ideal strategies for this field. In this record we highlight some of our progress toward the goal to synthesis of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine derivatives through carbene transformations or C−H functionalizations.
Paddy and wheat stubble blazing in Haryana and Punjab states of India: A menace for environmental health
Authors: Singh Jabrinder
Published: December 2018

Paddy and wheat cropping is a widespread farming practice in northwestern parts of India, primarily in the riverine plains of Haryana and Punjab. These fertile lands are well known for extensive agricultural fields; however, they are equally infamous for the burning of paddy and wheat straw and stubble by farmers after the harvesting season. In India, it is reckoned that 22,289 gigagrams (Gg) of paddy stubble biomass is generated annually, and of this 13,915 Gg (62.42%) is set ablaze in the agricultural fields. Haryana and Punjab alone produce 48% of the whole straw production in India, which is openly burned in situ. Burning of farm residue emits various trace gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), nitrogen oxides (NOX), and sulfur oxides (SOX), as well as huge quantities of particulate matter (PM), including PM of 10 microns or less (PM10) and 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5), into the atmosphere, causing negative impacts on human health and exacerbating global warming. It is estimated that the burning of one metric tonne (2,204.6 pounds) of straw releases 3 kilograms (kg) of PM, 60 kg of CO, 1,460 kg of CO2, 199 kg of ash, and 2 kg of SO2, causing significant global warming and acid rain. The major problems faced by the local people are eye irritation, dryness of eyes, lung diseases, and chest congestion. The National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab faced a disastrous smog impact during October 2016, and November 2017. These incidents led to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumoconiosis, bronchitis, cataract, corneal opacity, blindness, and air pollution (smog), especially indoor air pollution, which is also a risk factor for developing pulmonary tuberculosis. Because of severe air pollution, Delhi NCR alone experiences approximately 20,000 premature deaths annually. Cases of road accidents also increase during periods of stubble burning due to poor visibility. The emissions also contribute to haze, global warming, and climate change. In India, the National Green Tribunal prohibited this antediluvian farm practice of straw burning in the pollution‐racked city of New Delhi and the adjacent state of Haryana and, just to the northwest, Punjab. One of the methods that can be used to reduce this menace is incorporation of the straw into the soil, which eventually enhances soil fertility. The crop residue material can also be used for compost formation as a traditional approach. In addition, alternate energy resources can be generated from this agro‐biomass. Further, over the past decades, many conversion processes were developed to produce alternate biofuels in different forms (pellets, briquettes) from crop residues. An integrated crop residue management approach is the need of the hour to control this human‐induced catastrophe.
Vaccination Policies and the Principle of Least Restrictive Alternative: An Intervention Ladder
Authors: Giubilini Alberto
Published: December 2018

The principle of least restrictive alternative (PLRA) states that policymakers have significant reason to implement the policy that is effective in achieving a certain result and that is least restrictive of individual liberty or autonomy. This chapter provides a ranking of vaccination policies, or an intervention ladder, on the basis of the PLRA, assessing the level of coercion of each type of policy. The ranking of vaccination policies I suggest, in order of increasing restrictiveness or coerciveness, is as follows: persuasion, nudging, financial incentives, disincentives (including withholding of financial benefits, taxation, and mandatory vaccination), and outright compulsion. Each type of policy suggestion is presented with a discussion of the level of restrictiveness or coerciveness involved and the potential effectiveness.
Creating a Surgical Controversy
Authors: Frampton Sally
Published: December 2018

Chapter 3 brings together two medical innovations of the early nineteenth century which were to become deeply entangled: ovariotomy and the weekly medical press. This chapter focuses on the period between the 1830s and 1850s, a time during which the operation to remove diseased ovaries was given the appellation ‘ovariotomy’, and when the debate as to the justifiability of the operation was at its most polarised. For an increasingly vocal group of advocates, the operation was heralded as the beginning of a new era in surgery. For influential opponents, it was nothing more than a useless and possibly criminal procedure. The operation was subject from both its supporters and detractors to highly emotive ‘subjective’ accounts, which centred upon patient narratives, as well as to ‘objective’ statistical deconstructions.
Proletarian Politics Today: On the Perils and Possibilities of Historical Analogy
Authors: Ferguson James
Published: December 2018

When contemporary dispossessed urban classes are figured as a “proletariat,” a potent historical analogy is activated in which the well-documented experience of the burgeoning industrial working classes of nineteenth-century Europe provides an implicit template for interpreting events and processes far removed in time and space. Yet Karl Marx's own deployment of the figure of the proletariat, which often provides the inspiration and model for such analogic moves, was itself in its own time already a complex historical analogy, invoking the social hierarchies of ancient Rome. Rethinking this doubly analogical intellectual history provides an occasion both for considering the uses and abuses of historical analogy, and for using a reflection on the original (Roman) proletarians as a conceptual lever for prying apart some outdated assumptions about the contemporary politics of certain propertyless urban populations, in southern Africa and beyond.
A Necessary Evil: Conceptualizing the Socialist Commodity under Mao
Authors: Coderre Laurence
Published: December 2018

This article traces the conceptual lineage of a statement, made by Mao Zedong and published in 1975, describing the contemporary economic system in the People's Republic of China as a commodity economy. Any surprise we might feel in the face of this verdict says more about our own narrow understanding of the (capitalist) commodity than it does about the political economy of the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976). As I detail in this study, the continued existence and necessity of commodities under socialism had long been an important topic of conversation in Communist circles, with important ramifications for economic planning and political movements. This article focuses on the impact of Stalin's theory of the socialist commodity, as articulated in 1952, on Chinese political economy in the 1950s; Mao's particular engagement with Stalin's work in the context of the Great Leap Forward (1958–1960); and the emergence of a new, less benign view of the socialist commodity in the 1970s. I argue that political economic theory and its study were in fact critical to the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution as mass mobilization campaigns, calling into question much of what we think we know about modern Chinese history and Chinese socialism. The essay is intended to unsettle enduring and uncritical associations between the commodity-form and capitalism. How might we, following on the heels of the theorists I discuss, imagine the commodity otherwise?
Nation-Making at the Border: Zambian Diplomacy in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Larmer Miles
Published: December 2018

How and where were new African nations made at the moment of decolonization? Focusing on the periphery rather than the center provides an insightful answer to this question: imposing national identity in border regions with mixed and mobile populations, dynamic migrant flows, and cross-border linkages was a task fraught with contradiction. This article explores the establishment of Zambian political and diplomatic space in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the activities of Zambian political and diplomatic representatives in the southern Congolese city of Elisabethville in the early-to-mid 1960s. It does not assess how effective these officials were in imposing a sense of Zambian national identity, but rather what their efforts reveal about the ideas and values that informed state elites’ assertions of national identity and their relationship to history, local identities, and moral codes regarding, among other things, customary authority and gendered behavior. The article argues that nation-making in newly independent states involved the assertion of not only state sovereignty over territorial space but also symbolic power, the right to classify, and the moral and political notions that underlay ostensibly bureaucratic, disinterested state structures. Analysis of the attempts of Zambia's first diplomatic representatives to establish and assert their notion of Zambian-ness reveals the fragility of new national identities and the extent to which elites sought to underpin these identities by the assertion of moral certainties.
THE PHYSICAL STATURE OF MEN IN 19TH-CENTURY CHILE: ANOTHER CASE OF STAGNATION DURING AN EXPORT BOOM
Authors: Llorca-Jaña Manuel , Navarrete-Montalvo Juan , Araya-Valenzuela Roberto , Droller Federico
Published: December 2018

This article provides the first series of adult male height for 19th-century Chile. Our aim was not only to assess the trends indicated by height during this period, but also the relationship between stature and both GDPper capitaand exports. Having analysed our data, our primary conclusion is that there was a reduction in height for cohorts born in the 1850s and 1860s with respect to cohorts born between 1820 and 1840. Height stagnated thereafter, with small to no improvement towards the end of the 19thcentury, in line with other Latin American countries for which there is comparable evidence. The increase inper capitaGDP and exports during the second half of the century did not result in better biological welfare, as was the case in other Latin American countries during similar export booms.
Emergency Medical Services Experience With Barb Removal After Taser Use By Law Enforcement: A Descriptive National Study
Authors: El Sayed Mazen , El Tawil Chady , Tamim Hani , Mailhac Aurelie , Mann N. Clay
Published: December 2018

Background

Conducted electrical weapons (CEWs), including Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifles (TASERs), are increasingly used by law enforcement officers (LEOs) in the US and world-wide. Little is known about the experience of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers with these incidents.

Objectives

This study describes EMS encounters with documented TASER use and barb removal, characteristics of resulting injuries, and treatment provided.

Methods

This retrospective study used five combined, consecutive National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS; Salt Lake City, Utah USA) public-release datasets (2011-2015). All EMS activations with documented TASER barb removal were included. Descriptive analyses were carried out.

Results

The study included 648 EMS activations with documented TASER barb removal, yielding a prevalence rate of 4.55 per 1,000,000 EMS activations. Patients had a mean age of 35.9 years (SD=18.2). The majority were males (80.2%) and mainly white (71.3%). Included EMS activations were mostly in urban or suburban areas (78.3%). Over one-half received Advanced Life Support (ALS)-level of service (58.2%). The most common chief complaint reported by dispatch were burns (29.9%), followed by traumatic injury (16.1%). Patients had pain (45.6%) or wound (17.2%) as a primary symptom, with most having possible injury (77.8%). Reported causes of injury were mainly fire and flames (29.8%) or excessive heat (16.7%). The provider’s primary impressions were traumatic injury (66.3%) and behavioral/psychiatric disorder (16.8%). Only one cardiac arrest (0.2%) was reported. Over one-half of activations resulted in patient transports (56.3%), mainly to a hospital (91.2%). These encounters required routine EMS care (procedures and medications). An increase in the prevalence of EMS activations with documented TASER barb removal over the study period was not significant (P=.27).

Conclusion

At present, EMS activations with documented TASER barb removal are rare. Routine care by EMS is expected, and life-threatening emergencies are not common. All EMS providers should be familiar with local policies and procedures related to TASER use and barb removal.

El SayedM, El TawilC, TamimH, MailhacA, MannNC. Emergency Medical Services experience with barb removal after TASER use by law enforcement: a descriptive national study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(1):38–45.
Introduction: European Social Policy and Society after Brexit: Neoliberalism, Populism, and Social Quality
Authors: Corbett Steve , Walker Alan
Published: December 2018

The narrow referendum decision for British exit from the European Union (Brexit), and its explosive political consequences, has become a lens through which decades-long tensions in European society can be viewed. The result, which was expected to be a clear Remain victory, has been interpreted as various combinations of: the unleashing of xenophobic and racist anti-immigrant sentiment; a kick back against disinterested elites by ‘left behind’ people; the fermenting of nationalist populism by political and media actors; a clash of cultural values; a rejection of ‘market is all’ globalisation in favour of national borders; or as a reaction against austerity, inequality and insecurity (Corbett, 2016; Goodwin and Heath, 2016; Hobolt, 2016; Inglehart and Norris, 2016; Kaufmann, 2016; Pettifor, 2016; Room, 2016; Seidler, 2018; Taylor-Gooby, 2017). This British-made shock has parallels in and consequences for wider European society. In the Referendum, the EU became an emblematic representation of the distrusted, remote, technocratic elites, who are said to be responsible for an unbelievably large number of societal ills. Meanwhile across Europe there are varieties of Eurosceptic populism and distrust of elites on both the right and left (Ivaldi et al., 2017).
Kinetic Control on the Depth Distribution of Superdeep Diamonds
Authors: Zhu Feng , Li Jie , Liu Jiachao , Lai Xiaojing , Chen Bin , Meng Yue
Published: December 2018

Superdeep diamonds contain unique information from the sublithospheric regions of Earth's interior. Recent studies suggest that reaction between subducted carbonate and iron metal in the mantle plays an important role in the production of superdeep diamonds. It is unknown if this reaction is kinetically feasible in cold slabs subducted into the deep mantle. Here we present experimental data on real‐time tracking of the magnesite‐iron reaction at high pressures and high temperatures to demonstrate the production of diamond at the surface conditions of cold slabs in the transition zone and lower mantle. Our data reveal that the diamond production rate has a positive temperature dependence and a negative pressure dependence, and along a slab geotherm it decreases by a factor of three at pressures from 14.4 to 18.4 GPa. This rate reduction provides an explanation for the rarity of superdeep diamonds from the interior of the mantle transition zone.
Seafloor Crustal Deformation on Ocean Bottom Pressure Records With Nontidal Variability Corrections: Application to Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand
Authors: Muramoto Tomoya , Ito Yoshihiro , Inazu Daisuke , Wallace Laura M. , Hino Ryota , Suzuki Syuichi , Webb Spahr C. , Henrys Stuart
Published: December 2018

Ocean bottom pressure (OBP) observations are a powerful tool for determining vertical crustal displacements, especially due to earthquakes and slow earthquakes, with centimeter‐level resolution. In these studies, removal of oceanographic noise (tens of centimeters) is required to identify centimeter‐level crustal deformation. We undertake barotropic modeling to remove oceanographic signals from data from an OBP array deployed offshore New Zealand in 2014/2015. We show that removing the nontidal component calculated from a barotropic ocean model reduces the variance in the data by about 66% and provides a feasible means to resolve pressure changes due to crustal deformation during the slow slip events. We also discuss the vertical displacements from slow slip events that occurred in late September to mid‐October 2014, and we outline our procedure for processing OBP data.
Galactic Cosmic Rays Access to the Magnetosphere of Saturn
Authors: Kotova A. , Roussos E. , Kollmann P. , Krupp N. , Dandouras I.
Published: December 2018

The megaelectron volt proton radiation belts of Saturn are isolated from the middle and outer magnetosphere, and the source of these high‐energy protons is thought to be linked to the access of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) in the system. To validate this hypothesis, it is first of all necessary to determine the realistic spectrum of GCRs at Saturn. Previously, only analytical attempts were performed in order to calculate the GCR spectra. In this letter we provide for the first time the numerical solution for the determination of the GCR access to the upper atmosphere and rings of Saturn. The proposed method is based on the charged particle tracing technique. As a result the GCRs access energies to the atmosphere and to the equatorial plane of the magnetosphere as a function of radial distance to the planet were obtained and the GCRs spectra were reconstructed. Dependencies of the spectral parameters such as the time or the incidence direction were also obtained offering all necessary information for simulating the interaction of GCRs with the Saturnian system during different phases of the Cassini mission.
Crustal Structure in Central‐Eastern Greenland From Receiver Functions
Authors: Kraft Helene A. , Thybo Hans , Vinnik Lev P. , Oreshin S.
Published: December 2018

The crustal structure in the interior of Greenland is largely unknown because of its remote location below the up to 3.4‐km‐thick ice sheet. We present a model of the crustal velocity structure in central‐eastern Greenland based on simultaneous inversion of P and S receiver functions for data acquired at 23 broadband stations between the coast and the center of the ice sheet. The area is believed to mainly include Precambrian basement and includes a part covered by Tertiary volcanic rocks and some sedimentary basins. Our results show a westward deepening Moho from less than 20 km at the coast to 50 km below central Greenland. Crustal S wave velocities are generally 3.75 km/s through the whole crust which may be relatively small for Precambrian areas, and Vp/Vs is generally around 1.73, although slightly higher in central Greenland. In the coastal area we observe anomalously low velocities at the top of the crust. In the volcanic area south of Scoresbysund Fjord this layer has very high Vp/Vs (>2), which indicates a high mafic content and the presence of water‐filled cracks in the basaltic material. In the north, outside the volcanic area, Vp/Vs is normal and the low‐velocity layer probably is instead related to the presence of sedimentary basins. At stations in the center of our study area we find low Vs and high Vp/Vs in the lower crust. Based on the Moho topography, our results do not support Airy type isostasy as explanation of the high topography in eastern Greenland.
Single cell RNA analysis identifies cellular heterogeneity and adaptive responses of the lung at birth
Authors: Guo Minzhe , Du Yina , Gokey Jason J. , Ray Samriddha , Bell Sheila M. , Adam Mike , Sudha Parvathi , Perl Anne Karina , Deshmukh Hitesh , Potter S. Steven , Whitsett Jeffrey A. , Xu Yan
Published: December 2018

The respiratory system undergoes a diversity of structural, biochemical, and functional changes necessary for adaptation to air breathing at birth. To identify the heterogeneity of pulmonary cell types and dynamic changes in gene expression mediating adaptation to respiration, here we perform single cell RNA analyses of mouse lung on postnatal day 1. Using an iterative cell type identification strategy we unbiasedly identify the heterogeneity of murine pulmonary cell types. We identify distinct populations of epithelial, endothelial, mesenchymal, and immune cells, each containing distinct subpopulations. Furthermore we compare temporal changes in RNA expression patterns before and after birth to identify signaling pathways selectively activated in specific pulmonary cell types, including activation of cell stress and the unfolded protein response during perinatal adaptation of the lung. The present data provide a single cell view of the adaptation to air breathing after birth.
Deeply subwavelength phonon-polaritonic crystal made of a van der Waals material
Authors: Alfaro-Mozaz F. J. , Rodrigo S. G. , Alonso-González P. , Vélez S. , Dolado I. , Casanova F. , Hueso L. E. , Martín-Moreno L. , Hillenbrand R. , Nikitin A. Y.
Published: December 2018

Photonic crystals (PCs) are periodically patterned dielectrics providing opportunities to shape and slow down the light for processing of optical signals, lasing and spontaneous emission control. Unit cells of conventional PCs are comparable to the wavelength of light and are not suitable for subwavelength scale applications. We engineer a nanoscale hole array in a van der Waals material (h-BN) supporting ultra-confined phonon polaritons (PhPs)—atomic lattice vibrations coupled to electromagnetic fields. Such a hole array represents a polaritonic crystal for mid-infrared frequencies having a unit cell volume of $${\mathrm{10}}^{{\mathrm{ - 5}}}{\lambda}_{\mathrm{0}}^{\mathrm{3}}$$

10

-5

λ

0

3

 (with λ0 being the free-space wavelength), where PhPs form ultra-confined Bloch modes with a remarkably flat dispersion band. The latter leads to both angle- and polarization-independent sharp Bragg resonances, as verified by far-field spectroscopy and near-field optical microscopy. Our findings could lead to novel miniaturized angle- and polarization-independent infrared narrow-band couplers, absorbers and thermal emitters based on van der Waals materials and other thin polar materials.
Holographic colour prints for enhanced optical security by combined phase and amplitude control
Authors: Lim Kevin T. P. , Liu Hailong , Liu Yejing , Yang Joel K. W.
Published: December 2018

Conventional optical security devices provide authentication by manipulating a specific property of light to produce a distinctive optical signature. For instance, microscopic colour prints modulate the amplitude, whereas holograms typically modulate the phase of light. However, their relatively simple structure and behaviour is easily imitated. We designed a pixel that overlays a structural colour element onto a phase plate to control both the phase and amplitude of light, and arrayed these pixels into monolithic prints that exhibit complex behaviour. Our fabricated prints appear as colour images under white light, while projecting up to three different holograms under red, green, or blue laser illumination. These holographic colour prints are readily verified but challenging to emulate, and can provide enhanced security in anti-counterfeiting applications. As the prints encode information only in the surface relief of a single polymeric material, nanoscale 3D printing of customised masters may enable their mass-manufacture by nanoimprint lithography.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: A switch in the poly(dC)/RmlB complex regulates bacterial persister formation
Authors: Chen Xu , Li Gen , Liao Xuewei , Fang Jie , Li Bo , Yu Shanshan , Sun Mingming , Wu Jun , Zhang Lihao , Hu Yi , Jiao Jiaguo , Liu Ting , Xu Li , Chen Xiaoyun , Liu Manqiang , Li Huixin , Hu Feng , Sun Kouhong
Published: December 2018

Bacterial persisters are phenotypic variants that tolerate exposure to lethal antibiotics. These dormant cells are responsible for chronic and recurrent infections. Multiple mechanisms have been linked to persister formation. Here, we report that a complex, consisting of an extracellular poly(dC) and its membrane-associated binding protein RmlB, appears to be associated with persistence of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Environmental stimuli triggers a switch in the complex physiological state (from poly(dC)/RmlB to P-poly(dC)/RmlB or RmlB). In response to the switch, bacteria decrease proton motive force and intracellular ATP levels, forming dormant cells. This alteration in complex status is linked to a (p)ppGpp-controlled signaling pathway that includes inorganic polyphosphate, Lon protease, exonuclease VII (XseA/XseB), and the type III secretion system. The persistence might be also an adaptive response to the lethal action of the dTDP-l-rhamnose pathway shutdown, which occurs due to switching of poly(dC)/RmlB.
Trans-ethnic kidney function association study reveals putative causal genes and effects on kidney-specific disease aetiologies
Authors: Morris Andrew P. , Le Thu H. , Wu Haojia , Akbarov Artur , van der Most Peter J. , Hemani Gibran , Smith George Davey , Mahajan Anubha , Gaulton Kyle J. , Nadkarni Girish N. , Valladares-Salgado Adan , Wacher-Rodarte Niels , Mychaleckyj Josyf C. , Dueker Nicole D. , Guo Xiuqing , Hai Yang , Haessler Jeffrey , Kamatani Yoichiro , Stilp Adrienne M. , Zhu Gu , Cook James P. , Ärnlöv Johan , Blanton Susan H. , de Borst Martin H. , Bottinger Erwin P. , Buchanan Thomas A. , Cechova Sylvia , Charchar Fadi J. , Chu Pei-Lun , Damman Jeffrey , Eales James , Gharavi Ali G. , Giedraitis Vilmantas , Heath Andrew C. , Ipp Eli , Kiryluk Krzysztof , Kramer Holly J. , Kubo Michiaki , Larsson Anders , Lindgren Cecilia M. , Lu Yingchang , Madden Pamela A. F. , Montgomery Grant W. , Papanicolaou George J. , Raffel Leslie J. , Sacco Ralph L. , Sanchez Elena , Stark Holger , Sundstrom Johan , Taylor Kent D. , Xiang Anny H. , Zivkovic Aleksandra , Lind Lars , Ingelsson Erik , Martin Nicholas G. , Whitfield John B. , Cai Jianwen , Laurie Cathy C. , Okada Yukinori , Matsuda Koichi , Kooperberg Charles , Chen Yii-Der Ida , Rundek Tatjana , Rich Stephen S. , Loos Ruth J. F. , Parra Esteban J. , Cruz Miguel , Rotter Jerome I. , Snieder Harold , Tomaszewski Maciej , Humphreys Benjamin D. , Franceschini Nora
Published: December 2018

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects ~10% of the global population, with considerable ethnic differences in prevalence and aetiology. We assemble genome-wide association studies of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a measure of kidney function that defines CKD, in 312,468 individuals of diverse ancestry. We identify 127 distinct association signals with homogeneous effects on eGFR across ancestries and enrichment in genomic annotations including kidney-specific histone modifications. Fine-mapping reveals 40 high-confidence variants driving eGFR associations and highlights putative causal genes with cell-type specific expression in glomerulus, and in proximal and distal nephron. Mendelian randomisation supports causal effects of eGFR on overall and cause-specific CKD, kidney stone formation, diastolic blood pressure and hypertension. These results define novel molecular mechanisms and putative causal genes for eGFR, offering insight into clinical outcomes and routes to CKD treatment development.
Bimodal seismicity in the Himalaya controlled by fault friction and geometry
Authors: Dal Zilio Luca , van Dinther Ylona , Gerya Taras , Avouac Jean-Philippe
Published: December 2018

There is increasing evidence that the Himalayan seismicity can be bimodal: blind earthquakes (up to Mw ~ 7.8) tend to cluster in the downdip part of the seismogenic zone, whereas infrequent great earthquakes (Mw 8+) propagate up to the Himalayan frontal thrust. To explore the causes of this bimodal seismicity, we developed a two-dimensional, seismic cycle model of the Nepal Himalaya. Our visco-elasto-plastic simulations reproduce important features of the earthquake cycle, including interseismic strain and a bimodal seismicity pattern. Bimodal seismicity emerges as a result of relatively higher friction and a non-planar geometry of the Main Himalayan Thrust fault. This introduces a region of large strength excess that can only be activated once enough stress is transferred upwards by blind earthquakes. This supports the view that most segments of the Himalaya might produce complete ruptures significantly larger than the 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake, which should be accounted for in future seismic hazard assessments.