bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Foreign lobbying as an instrument of defense cooperation between Poland and the United States
Authors: Konyshev V. N , Skvortsova E. M.
Published: August 2020

Defence cooperation between Poland and the United States significantly affects the security agenda of Russia, the Baltic region, and Europe as a whole. On the one hand, Poland intends to become a key partner of the US in ensuring European security. On the other hand, it has ambitions to take the leading position in the security area among the Baltic States. The Polish leadership sees an additional advantage in expanding military cooperation with the United States, regarding it as a jumping board to accelerating its economic and technological development. This article examines a mechanism underlying defence cooperation between the US and Poland, i.e. lobbying Poland’s interests in another state. This allows Warsaw to actively promote its interests in the US. The research methodology employed includes the periodisation of Polish lobbying activities in the US and an empirical study of lobbying based on analysis of original documents, many of which have been analysed for the first time. It is shown that, under the existing party system, Poland will not abandon strategic partnership with the United States, primarily in security and defence. Over the study period, Poland quickly gained experience in promoting its interests in the US through direct lobbying, showing flexibility in negotiations, relying on the two-party support in the US Congress, successfully coordinating the activities of its governing bodies and various corporations which are submitted to tight state control.
Development of cross-border tourist and recreational regions on the Karelian section of the Russian-Finnish border
Authors: Manakov A. G. , Kondrateva S. V. , Terenina N. K.
Published: August 2020

Despite that fact that cross-border tourism and recreation in the Baltic Sea Region have been extensively studied, there are still areas, which require further research. The aim of this article is to identify regions having active cross-border tourism and recreation in the adjacent territories of Finland and the Republic of Karelia. The authors propose to use an indicator characterizing the volume of incoming tourist flows. The number of tourists is not only indicative of the development of cross-border tourism and recreation; it is also one of the main criteria for determining the degree of the formation of cross-border regions. Using the statistics for Finland, the authors analyzed the geography of tourism in Finland’s border areas and identified the degree of intensity of cross-border tourism exchange between the neighbouring administrative units of the two countries. The article also examines other tendencies indicative of the formation and development of cross-border tourism and recreation regions along the Russian-Finnish border. The authors identified three cross-border tourism and recreation regions of different development levels: South Karelia, Middle Karelia and North Karelia. South Karelia is a mesoregion with the average annual tourist exchange of about 100 thousand people, which is the average level of tourism development. The total volume of cross-border tourist flows from and to other cross-border tourist and recreation regions is about 30 thousand people per year. Middle Karelia microregion ranks second and is followed by the North Karelian microregion. The authors conclude that these two microregions are at the initial stage of their formation and, therefore, can be regarded as parts of one microregion — Russian-Finnish Northern microregion.
“Russian people” in the literature and documents of the 19th century: an experience of linguistic portraiture
Authors: Sahakyan L. N. , Severskaya O. I.
Published: August 2020

The article describes the ideologeme “Russian people” and its use in the texts of fiction and documentary literature of the 19th century. The authors explored both the socio-political concept “'Russian people” and its verbalization in Russian. The research material included examples from the Russian National Corpus, which were analysed using corpus, content-analytical and cognitive methods. This research aims to identify and to characterise the con­cept “Russian people”. The authors argue that it was in the 19th century that the concept “Russian people” evolved into a term and the image of Russian people was mythologized. The authors concluded that the concept “Russian people” is composed of two parts — ‘ordinary people’ and ‘society’. The latter behaves in a fatherly way, taking upon itself the mission of enlightenment of ordinary people and their liberation. In the semantic field “Russian people” there are numerous semantic components directly related to the concept analysed: faith, faith­fulness, patience, tolerance, understanding, receptivity, openness, simple-mindedness, juve­nility, etc. The authors consider the moral and intellectual qualities of Russian people, which are dialectical and ambivalent. The authors explore these characteristics of Russian people from the standpoint of the dichotomy own vs. alien. The analysis shows that after the abolition of serfdom in 1861, the image of Russian people undergoes significant changes under the in­fluence of social processes.
Effects of Organizational Climate, Psychological Contract Breach and Communication
Authors: Khaola Peter
Published: August 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of organisational climate, psychological contract breach, and effective communication on individual research productivity at the National University of Lesotho. The study also examined the relative importance of personal factors and perception of contextual factors on research productivity. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires distributed to 160 faculty members. Hierarchical regression analysis, partial least squares structural equation modelling, usefulness analysis and relative weight analysis were used to analyse data. The results suggest that organisational climate was positively related to effective communication and negatively related to psychological contract breach. Effective communication mediated the relationship between organisational climate and research productivity.  Contrary to seminal predictions, organisation climate was negatively, and psychological contract breach was positively related to research productivity. Personal factors explained incrementally higher variance than contextual factors in the explanation of research productivity. We discuss these results, and provide managerial and practical implications.
Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on Asian scholarly journal editors’ daily life, work, and opinions on future journal development
Authors: Chung Yeonok , Kim Sue , Huh Sun
Published: August 2020

Purpose: This study examined changes in Asian journal editors’ daily life and work during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and investigated their opinions on expected changes, thereby providing preliminary data to support the future needs of journal editors.Methods: A survey questionnaire was developed and sent to 1,537 editors and staff of Asian scientific journals from July 13 to 19, 2020. The items gathered information on participants’ general characteristics, changes in daily life, changes in work life, anticipated future changes, and suggestions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: Of the 152 respondents (response rate, 9.7%), most were editors. Fifty-seven respondents (37.5%) felt very or extremely anxious about the COVID-19 pandemic, and 101 (68.4%) reported spending more time on the internet. The workload of editing, reviewing, and publishing had increased for about one-third of respondents (34.2%, n = 52). Forty-four respondents (28.9%) said that the number of submissions had increased. Of the 68 editors who had received manuscripts on COVID-19, 30 (44.1%) prioritized them. Most respondents (73.7%, n = 112) predicted that online-only journal publishing would expand after the COVID-19 pandemic.Conclusion: COVID-19 appears to be a source of anxiety to editors, which may be related to the increased time they spend on the internet. Some editors reported an increased workload. To promote online communication, a better environment and training tools are required. Editors and staff will need more opportunities to prepare for online publishing, as editors believed that the online-only publication of scholarly journals would accelerate after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data journals: types of peer review, review criteria, and editorial committee members’ positions
Authors: Seo Sunkyung , Kim Jihyun
Published: August 2020

Purpose: This study analyzed the peer review systems, criteria, and editorial committee structures of data journals, aiming to determine the current state of data peer review and to offer suggestions.Methods: We analyzed peer review systems and criteria for peer review in nine data journals indexed by Web of Science, as well as the positions of the editorial committee members of the journals. Each data journal’s website was initially surveyed, and the editors-in-chief were queried via email about any information not found on the websites. The peer review criteria of the journals were analyzed in terms of data quality, metadata quality, and general quality.Results: Seven of the nine data journals adopted single-blind and open review peer review methods. The remaining two implemented modified models, such as interactive and community review. In the peer review criteria, there was a shared emphasis on the appropriateness of data production methodology and detailed descriptions. The editorial committees of the journals tended to have subject editors or subject advisory boards, while a few journals included positions with the responsibility of evaluating the technical quality of data.Conclusion: Creating a community of subject experts and securing various editorial positions for peer review are necessary for data journals to achieve data quality assurance and to promote reuse. New practices will emerge in terms of data peer review models, criteria, and editorial positions, and further research needs to be conducted.
A bibliometric analysis of articles on innovation systems in Scopus journals written by authors from Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia
Authors: Putera Prakoso Bhairawa , Suryanto Suryanto , Ningrum Sinta , Widianingsih Ida
Published: August 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the bibliometric characteristics of articles on innovation systems published in Scopus-indexed journals by authors with Indonesian affiliations from 1998 to 2019, in comparison with those published by authors from Singapore and Malaysia.Methods: We conducted a bibliometric and content analysis of publications in the Scopus database. A total of 138 articles from Indonesia, 209 articles from Singapore, and 309 articles from Malaysia were analyzed. They were classified by publication year, authors, co-authors’ country, affiliation, keywords, and journal title.Results: Authors with affiliations from Malaysia were more productive than authors from Singapore and Indonesia during 1998 to 2019. In terms of the quality of papers, Singapore had more productive authors than Malaysia and Indonesia based on the citation frequency.Conclusion: Although fewer articles on innovation systems were published by authors from Indonesia than by those from Malaysia and Singapore, the recent increase in the number of publications by Indonesian authors suggests that number of articles from Indonesia will soon surpass those from the other two countries. International collaboration will help accelerate the number of publications.
La fiscalité du vice : le système de licence pour vente d’alcool au Québec et au Bas-Canada, discours et pratiques (1764-1840)*
Authors: Perron Mathieu
Published: August 2020

L’alcool est un luxe, l’ivrognerie est un vice et la fiscalité moderne dépend des deux. Taxer ce qui est considéré comme un vice et un luxe demeure l’avenue privilégiée afin d’asseoir un revenu sans brusquer les esprits. En termes économiques, la demande pour l’alcool dans les sociétés traditionnelles est inélastique alors que seuls les rituels communautaires la limitent. Le rhum demeure un luxe qui se retrouve dans les plus humbles chaumières et dans les plus petits hameaux. Or, l’État mercantiliste profite davantage d’une demande élastique qu’inélastique, c’est-à-dire d’une culture individualiste limitée uniquement par le prix et l’offre. Les tavernes et son système d’encadrement fiscal participent à cette transformation.
Improving the physical, mechanical and energetic properties of Quercus spp. wood pellets by adding pine sawdust
Authors: Núñez-Retana Víctor Daniel , Rosales-Serna Rigoberto , Prieto-Ruíz José Ángel , Wehenkel Christian , Carrillo-Parra Artemio
Published: August 2020

Background

Biomass usage for energy purposes has emerged in response to global energy demands and environmental problems. The large amounts of by-products generated during logging are rarely utilized. In addition, some species (e.g., Quercus spp.) are considered less valuable and are left in the cutting areas. Production of pellets from this alternative source of biomass may be possible for power generation. Although the pellets may be of lower quality than other types of wood pellets, because of their physical and technological properties, the addition of different raw materials may improve the characteristics of the oak pellets.

Methods

Sawdust from the oak species Quercus sideroxyla, Q. rugosa, Q. laeta and Q. conzattii was mixed with sawdust from the pine Pinus durangensis in different ratios of oak to pine (100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60 and 20:80). Physical and mechanical properties of the pellets were determined, and calorific value tests were carried out. For each variable, Kolmogorov–Smirnov normality and Kruskal–Wallis tests were performed and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were determined (considering a significance level of p < 0.05).

Results

The moisture content and fixed carbon content differed significantly (p < 0.05) between the groups of pellets (i.e., pellets made with different sawdust mixtures). The moisture content of all pellets was less than 10%. However, volatile matter and ash content did not differ significantly between groups (p ≥ 0.05). The ash content was less than 0.7% in all mixtures. The addition of P. durangensis sawdust to the mixtures improved the bulk density of the pellets by 18%. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in particle density were observed between species, mixtures and for the species × mixture interaction. The particle density was highest in the 80:20 and 60:40 mixtures, with values ranging from 1,245 to 1,349 kg m−3. Bulk density and particle density of the pellets were positively correlated with the amount of P. durangensis sawdust included. The mechanical hardness and impact resistance index (IRI) differed significantly (p < 0.05) between groups. The addition of pine sawdust decreased the mechanical hardness of the pellets, up to 24%. The IRI was highest (138) in the Q. sideroxyla pellets (100:0). The mechanical hardness and IRI of the pellets were negatively correlated with the amount of P. durangensis sawdust added. The bulk density of the pellets was negatively correlated with mechanical hardness and IRI. The calorific value of mixtures and the species × mixture interaction differed significantly between groups. Finally, the mean calorific value was highest (19.8 MJ kg−1) in the 20:80 mixture. The calorific value was positively related to the addition of P. durangensis sawdust.
Abscisic Acid Regulates Fleshy Fruit Ripening and Stress Resistance
Authors: Yuan Bing , Li Qian , Leng Ping
Published: August 2020

Abscisic acid (ABA) is an essential endogenous messenger during plant development and in stress responses. Recently, the role of ABA in both climacteric and nonclimacteric fruit ripening regulation was revealed. However, the genetic, molecular and physiological mechanisms of ABA in fruit ripening regulation is still not completely understood. ABA is involved in a wide range of fruit development processes, including fruit ripening onset, ripening process and fruit quality trait. In addition, ABA plays a significant role in responses to abiotic stress and the promotion of water efficiency in fruit. The biological effect of ABA depends on its concentration and signal transduction. This article summarises the latest discoveries of the roles of ABA in fruit development and ripening as well as in responses to abiotic stress.
Disassembling Silicene from Native Substrate and Transferring onto an Arbitrary Target Substrate
Authors: Martella Christian , Faraone Gabriele , Alam Muhammad Hasibul , Taneja Deepyanti , Tao Li , Scavia Guido , Bonera Emiliano , Grazianetti Carlo , Akinwande Deji , Molle Alessandro
Published: August 2020

Here, two novel approaches for disassembling epitaxial silicene from the native substrate and transferring onto arbitrary target substrates are presented. From the processing perspective, the two methodologies open up a new route for handling silicene, and in general any epitaxial Xene, in view of establishing reliable process flows for the development of a Xene‐based nanotechnology. Integration of silicene in a back‐gated controlled device architecture is demonstrated and the built up of unique multi‐stack heterostructures between silicene, but potentially every Xene, and other technological relevant materials, like transparent conductive oxides and transition metal dichalcogenides is shown.
Refining and Sulfurization of Oil from Black Soldier Fly and Its Application as Biodegradable Lubricant Additive
Authors: Xiong Jing , Mao Jinjiao , Wang Tielin , Feng Weiliang , Wang Weiguo , Yang Chao , Miao Xinfeng , Wang Cunwen
Published: August 2020

Black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens), a high lipid containing insect, is considered as a promising candidate for bioconversion of restaurant waste in China. The fresh oil extracted from BSF larvae were refined by degumming, alkaline neutralization, and absorption decolorization. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis showed that 12:0, 16:0, 18:1, and 18:2 were the main fatty acids, which accounted for more than 80% of the refined BSF oil. Odorless sulfurized BSF oil was synthesized, and the tribological behaviors of the sulfurized BSF oil as a biodegradable additive in base oil 150 N and pure poly‐alpha‐olefin PAO4 were evaluated in comparison with the commonly used sulfurized lard by means of four‐ball friction and wear testers. The formation of CS bond in the vulcanized oil molecules was confirmed by FTIR analysis. Sulfurized BSF oil showed superior load‐carrying capacity and friction‐reducing ability compared with sulfurized lard.
A Successful Application of Phosphazene Base P2‐tBu to [11C]ABP688 Radiosynthesis in Fully Automated Synthesis Module
Authors: Lee Jihye
Published: August 2020

[11C]ABP688 is the radioligand widely used for metabotropic glutamate subtype 5 (mGluR5) imaging in positron emission tomography (PET). The successful production of [11C]ABP688 in commercial automated synthesis module with hindered strong organic base was achieved. I compared 1,8‐bis(tetramethylguanidino)naphthalene (TMGN), tert‐butylimino‐tri(pyrrolidino)phosphorane (BTPP), P2‐tBu, P4‐tBu, and NaH as a base for C‐11 methylation of oxime and found P2‐tBu would be a suitable alternative for the conventional inorganic bases (NaH or NaOH). Considering the GMP application, P2‐tBu can provide compatibility with automated synthesizer and the resulting reliable synthesis. Three batches of the optimized condition for [11C]ABP688 synthesis were examined for quality assurance.
Weighted Bayesian bootstrap for scalable posterior distributions
Authors: Newton Michael A. , Polson Nicholas G. , Xu Jianeng
Published: August 2020

We introduce and develop a weighted Bayesian bootstrap (WBB) for machine learning and statistics. WBB provides uncertainty quantification by sampling from a high dimensional posterior distribution. WBB is computationally fast and scalable using only off‐the‐shelf optimization software. First‐order asymptotic analysis provides a theoretical justification under suitable regularity conditions on the statistical model. We illustrate the proposed methodology in regularized regression, trend filtering and deep learning and conclude with directions for future research.
Climate oscillation and the invasion of alien species influence the oceanic distribution of seabirds
Authors: Perez‐Correa Julian , Carr Peter , Meeuwig Jessica J. , Koldewey Heather J. , Letessier Tom B.
Published: August 2020

Spatial and temporal distribution of seabird transiting and foraging at sea is an important consideration for marine conservation planning. Using at‐sea observations of seabirds (n = 317), collected during the breeding season from 2012 to 2016, we built boosted regression tree (BRT) models to identify relationships between numerically dominant seabird species (red‐footed booby, brown noddy, white tern, and wedge‐tailed shearwater), geomorphology, oceanographic variability, and climate oscillation in the Chagos Archipelago. We documented positive relationships between red‐footed booby and wedge‐tailed shearwater abundance with the strength in the Indian Ocean Dipole, as represented by the Dipole Mode Index (6.7% and 23.7% contribution, respectively). The abundance of red‐footed boobies, brown noddies, and white terns declined abruptly with greater distance to island (17.6%, 34.1%, and 41.1% contribution, respectively). We further quantified the effects of proximity to rat‐free and rat‐invaded islands on seabird distribution at sea and identified breaking point distribution thresholds. We detected areas of increased abundance at sea and habitat use‐age under a scenario where rats are eradicated from invaded nearby islands and recolonized by seabirds. Following rat eradication, abundance at sea of red‐footed booby, brown noddy, and white terns increased by 14%, 17%, and 3%, respectively, with no important increase detected for shearwaters. Our results have implication for seabird conservation and island restoration. Climate oscillations may cause shifts in seabird distribution, possibly through changes in regional productivity and prey distribution. Invasive species eradications and subsequent island recolonization can lead to greater access for seabirds to areas at sea, due to increased foraging or transiting through, potentially leading to distribution gains and increased competition. Our approach predicting distribution after successful eradications enables anticipatory threat mitigation in these areas, minimizing competition between colonies and thereby maximizing the risk of success and the conservation impact of eradication programs.
Climate‐induced distribution dynamics of Plebeia flavocincta, a stingless bee from Brazilian tropical dry forests
Authors: Maia Ulysses Madureira , Miranda Leonardo de Sousa , Carvalho Airton Torres , Imperatriz‐Fonseca Vera Lucia , de Oliveira Guilherme Corrêa , Giannini Tereza Cristina
Published: August 2020

Aim

The objective of this study is to estimate the current potential geographic distribution of Plebeia flavocincta and to evaluate the influence of climate on the dynamics of suitable habitat availability in the past and in the future.

Location

Northeast region of Brazil and dry forest areas.

Methods

The habitat suitability modeling was based on two algorithms, two global circulation models, and six different scenarios. We used this tool to estimate the areas of occurrence in the past (Last Interglacial and Last Glacial Maximum), in the present, and in the future (years 2050 and 2070).

Results

According to the models, P. flavocincta had great dynamics in the availability of suitable habitats with periods of retraction and expansion of these areas in the past. Our results suggest that this taxon may benefit in terms of climate suitability gain in Northeast Brazil in the future. In addition, we identified high‐altitude areas and the eastern coast as climatically stable.

Conclusion

The information provided can be used by decision makers to support actions toward protecting and sustainably managing this taxon. Protection measures for this taxon are particularly important because this insect contributes to the local flora and, although our results indicate that the climate may favor this taxon, other factors can negatively affect it, such as high levels of habitat loss due to anthropogenic activities.
Effects of APOE e4‐allele and mental work demands on cognitive decline in old age: Results from the German Study on Ageing, Cognition, and Dementia in Primary Care Patients (AgeCoDe)
Authors: Rodriguez Francisca S. , Roehr Susanne , Pabst Alexander , Kleineidam Luca , Fuchs Angela , Wiese Birgitt , Lühmann Dagmar , Brettschneider Christian , Wolfsgruber Steffen , Pentzek Michael , van den Bussche Hendrik , König Hans‐Helmut , Weyerer Siegfried , Werle Jochen , Bickel Horst , Weeg Dagmar , Maier Wolfgang , Scherer Martin , Wagner Michael , Riedel‐Heller Steffi G.
Published: August 2020

Objectives

Previous studies have observed protective effects of high mental demands at work on cognitive functioning and dementia risk. However, it is unclear what types of demands drive this effect and whether this effect is subject to a person's genetic risk. We investigated to what extent eight different types of mental demands at work together with the APOE e4 allele, a major risk gene for late‐onset Alzheimer's disease, affect cognitive functioning in late life.

Methods/Design

The population‐based German Study on Ageing, Cognition, and Dementia in Primary Care Patients (AgeCoDe, n = 2 154) followed cognitively healthy individuals aged 75 years and older in seven assessment waves. Cognitive functioning was assessed via the mini‐mental status examination.

Results

Mixed‐effects modeling (adjusted for education, gender, marital status, stroke, depression, and diabetes) indicated that participants who had an occupational history of working in jobs with high compared to low demands in “Language & Knowledge”, “Pattern detection”, “Information processing”, and “Service” had a slower cognitive decline. APOE e4‐allele carriers had an accelerated cognitive decline, but this decline was significantly smaller if they had a medium compared to a low level of demands in contrast to non‐carriers.

Conclusions

Our longitudinal observations suggest that cognitive decline could be slowed by an intellectually enriched lifestyle even in risk gene carriers. Fostering intellectual engagement throughout the life‐course could be a key prevention initiative to promote better cognitive health in old age.
Immunoglobulin kappa deleting element rearrangements are candidate targets for minimal residual disease evaluation in mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Della Starza Irene , De Novi Lucia Anna , Cavalli Marzia , Novelli Noemi , Soscia Roberta , Genuardi Elisa , Mantoan Barbara , Drandi Daniela , Ferrante Martina , Monitillo Luigia , Barbero Daniela , Ciabatti Elena , Grassi Susanna , Bomben Riccardo , Degan Massimo , Gattei Valter , Galimberti Sara , Di Rocco Alice , Martelli Maurizio , Cortelazzo Sergio , Guarini Anna , Foà Robin , Ladetto Marco , Ferrero Simone , Del Giudice Ilaria ,   Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL) MRD Network
Published: August 2020

Minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment is of high clinical relevance in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). In mature B‐cell malignancies, the presence of somatic hypermutations (SHM) in Variable‐Diversity‐Joining Heavy chain (VDJH) rearrangements leads to frequent mismatches between primers, probes, and the target, thus impairing tumor cells quantification. Alternative targets, such as immunoglobulin kappa‐deleting‐element (IGK‐Kde) rearrangements, might be suitable for MRD detection. We aimed at evaluating the applicability of IGK‐Kde rearrangements for MRD quantification in MCL patients by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ‐PCR)/digital‐droplet‐PCR (ddPCR). IGK screening was performed on bone marrow samples from two cohorts: the first from Turin (22 patients enrolled in the FIL‐MCL0208 trial, NCT02354313) and the second from Rome (15 patients). IGK‐Kde rearrangements were found in 76% (28/37) of cases, representing the sole molecular marker in 73% (8/11) of IGH‐BCL1/IGH negative cases. MRD RQ‐PCR monitoring was possible in 57% (16/28) of cases, showing a 100% concordance with the conventional targets. However, the frequent background amplification affected the sensitivity of the assay, that was lower in MCL compared to acute lymphoblastic leukemia and in line with multiple myeloma published results. ddPCR had a good concordance with RQ‐PCR and it might help to identify false positive/negative results. From a clinical perspective, we suggest that IGK‐Kde can be a candidate target for MRD monitoring and deserves a validation of its predictive value in prospective MCL series.
Cutaneous viral infections associated with ultraviolet radiation exposure
Authors: Zhao Yayi , Amorrortu Rossybelle P. , Fenske Neil A. , Cherpelis Basil , Messina Jane L. , Sondak Vernon K. , Giuliano Anna R. , Schell Michael J. , Waterboer Tim , Pawlita Michael , McKay‐Chopin Sandrine , Gheit Tarik , Tommasino Massimo , Rollison Dana E.
Published: August 2020

The complex interplay between ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and cutaneous viral infections in the context of cancer etiology is challenging to unravel, given the limited information on the independent association between UVR and cutaneous viral infections. Using multiple biomarkers of infection with 24 types of cutaneous human papillomavirus (HPV) and 4 types of polyomaviruses (HPyV), we investigated cross‐sectional associations with recent UVR exposure, using skin pigmentation measured by spectrophotometer. Age‐ and sex‐adjusted associations between UVR and viral seropositivity, viral DNA present in eyebrow hairs (EBH) and skin swabs (SSW) were estimated using logistic regression. Beta‐HPV seropositivity was associated with viral DNA positivity in EBH (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.05‐1.88) and SSW (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.25‐2.74). Similar associations were observed for Merkel cell polyomavirus. Participants in the highest tertile of UVR exposure were more likely to be seropositive for beta‐HPV (OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.16‐2.38), and have beta‐HPV DNA in EBH (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.06‐2.33) and SSW (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.25‐3.96), compared to participants with the lowest tertile of UVR exposure. UVR exposure was positively associated with three different markers of beta‐HPV infection. Therefore, future studies of HPV associated KC development should address more directly the role of HPV and UVR exposure as potential co‐carcinogens.
Thoracoscopy vs thoracotomy for the management of metastatic osteosarcoma: A Pediatric Surgical Oncology Research Collaborative Study
Authors: Lautz Timothy B. , Farooqui Zishaan , Jenkins Todd , Heaton Todd E. , Doski John J. , Cooke‐Barber Jo , Murphy Andrew J. , Davidoff Andrew M. , Mansfield Sara A. , Kim Eugene S. , Zuber Samuel , Goodhue Catherine , Vasudevan Sanjeev A. , LaQuaglia Michael P. , Piche Nelson , Le‐Nguyen Annie , Aldrink Jennifer H. , Malek Marcus M. , Siow Vei Shaun , Glick Richard D. , Rich Barrie S. , Meyers Rebecka L. , Short Scott S. , Butter Andreana , Baertschiger Reto M. , Fialkowski Elizabeth A. , Dasgupta Roshni
Published: August 2020

Complete surgical resection of pulmonary metastatic disease in patients with osteosarcoma is crucial to long‐term survival. Open thoracotomy allows palpation of nodules not identified on imaging but the impact on survival is unknown. The objective of this study was to compare overall survival (OS) and pulmonary disease‐free survival (DFS) in children who underwent thoracotomy vs thoracoscopic surgery for pulmonary metastasectomy. A multi‐institutional collaborative group retrospectively reviewed 202 pediatric patients with osteosarcoma who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy by thoracotomy (n = 154) or thoracoscopy (n = 48). Results were analyzed by Kaplan‐Meier survival estimates and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models. With median follow‐up of 45 months, 135 (67.5%) patients had a pulmonary relapse and 95 (47%) patients were deceased. Kaplan‐Meier analysis showed no significant difference in 5‐year pulmonary DFS (25% vs 38%; P = .18) or OS (49% vs 42%, P = .37) between the surgical approaches of thoracotomy and thoracoscopy. In Cox regression analysis controlling for other factors impacting outcome, there was a significantly increased risk of mortality (HR 2.11; P = .027; 95% CI 1.09‐4.09) but not pulmonary recurrence (HR 0.96; P = .90; 95% CI 0.52‐1.79) with a thoracoscopic approach. However, in the subset analysis limited to patients with oligometastatic disease, thoracoscopy had no increased risk of mortality (HR 1.16; P = .62; 0.64‐2.11). In conclusion, patients with metastatic osteosarcoma and limited pulmonary disease burden demonstrate comparable outcomes after thoracotomy and thoracoscopy for metastasectomy. While significant selection bias in these surgical cohorts limits the generalizability of the conclusions, clinical equipoise for a randomized clinical trial in patients with oligometastatic disease is supported.
Intrauterine infusion of platelet‐rich plasma is a treatment method for patients with intrauterine adhesions after hysteroscopy
Authors: Peng Jintao , Li Manchao , Zeng Haitao , Zeng Zhi , Huang Jiana , Liang Xiaoyan
Published: August 2020

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of an intrauterine infusion of platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) in patients with intrauterine adhesions (IUAs).

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted from April 2018 to December 2019 to compare the efficacy of intrauterine infusion of PRP with balloon for patients with IUAs. All patients had moderate or severe IUAs, including 28 patients with intrauterine infusion of PRP (group A), 22 patients with intrauterine balloon (group B), and 20 patients with both intrauterine infusion of PRP and balloon in the first operative hysteroscopy. American Fertility Society (AFS) score and rates of chemical pregnancy were compared.

Results

The AFS score decreased with an average of 5.18 ± 3.93, 4.91 ± 4.39, and 5.15 ± 3.17 comparing the third hysteroscopy with the first operative hysteroscopy in group A, group B, and group C, respectively. No significant differences were found among these groups (P=0.734). The rates of chemical pregnancy were 40.0% in group A, 38.9% in group B, and 33.3% in group C without significant differences (P=0.944).

Conclusion

There were no significant differences between intrauterine infusion of PRP and balloon. PRP is a treatment method for IUAs.
Prevalence of use of highly concentrated oxytocin or “pepper injection” in labor among clinicians undergoing emergency obstetric training in Sierra Leone
Authors: Forna Fatu , Titulaer Patricia , Sesay Santigie , Conteh Sulaiman , Muoghalu Stanley , Kanu Pity , Moses Francis , Kenneh Sartie , Kayita Janet
Published: August 2020

Objective

To examine the awareness, prevalence of use, and knowledge of risks of pepper injection (PI), an injection of highly concentrated oxytocin used to augment or induce labor, among clinicians.

Methods

An anonymous pre‐ and post‐workshop evaluation conducted among 227 clinicians participating in emergency obstetric and newborn care training in Sierra Leone from June to October 2018.

Results

Overall, 225 participants completed the surveys. Of these, 198 (88.0%) of clinicians reported awareness of PI, and 123 (54.7%) self‐reported prior use, which was highest among midwives (94/129; 72.9%). Before EmONC training, 82 (36.4%) clinicians reported that they were likely to use PI; this decreased to 39 (17.3%) after training (P<0.05). The mean number of participants correctly identifying risks of PI increased from 149 (66.2%) to 204 (90.7%) after training (P<0.05).

Conclusion

There was widespread awareness of PI use among clinicians, and prevalent self‐reported prior use among midwives. Risk awareness improved after EmONC training, and the proportion of clinicians reporting likelihood of future use decreased. Improper use of oxytocin may be a major contributor to maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality in Sierra Leone. Initiatives to educate clinicians and to regulate and stop the practice are needed.
The effects of the Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) system in early intervention: A multisite randomized controlled trial
Authors: McManus Beth M. , Blanchard Yvette , Murphy Natalie J. , Nugent J. Kevin
Published: August 2020

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of an infant mental health intervention, the Newborn Behavioral Observations system (NBO), versus usual care (UC) on infant neurodevelopment and maternal depressive symptoms in early intervention (EI). This multisite randomized trial enrolled newborns into the NBO (n = 16) or UC group (n = 22) and followed them for 6 months. Outcome measures included the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI‐2), Bayley Scales of Infants Development (BSID‐III), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D). The CES‐D and BSID‐III were collected at 3‐ and 6‐months post EI entry and the BDI‐2 was collected at EI entry and 6‐months post‐EI entry. We estimated group differences [95% CI], adjusting for program characteristics. At 6 months, the NBO group had greater gains in Communication (b = 1.0 [0.2, 1.8]), Self‐Care (b = 2.0 [0.1, 3.9]), Perception and Concepts (b = 2.0 [0.4, 3.6]), and Attention and Memory (b = 3.0 [0.4, 6.0]) than the UC group. The NBO group also had greater decline in maternal postnatal depressive symptoms (b = −2.0 [−3.7, −0.3]) than the UC group. Infants receiving the NBO infant mental health intervention had greater gains in cognitive and adaptive functions at 6 months than infants receiving UC. Caregivers receiving NBO care had greater improvements in maternal depressive symptoms than caregivers receiving UC.
Hostile/Helpless maternal representations in pregnancy and later child removal: A pilot study
Authors: Terry Madeleine , Finger Brent , Lyons‐Ruth Karlen , Sadler Lois S. , Slade Arietta
Published: August 2020

This article presents the results of a small pilot study examining links between Hostile/Helpless (HH) representations of caregiving in pregnancy and later child removal by child protective services. The sample was drawn from a replication study of the Minding the Baby® attachment‐based home‐visiting intervention conducted in the United Kingdom, serving young first‐time mothers in under resourced communities. The HH classification system (Lyons‐Ruth et al.) was adapted for use with the Pregnancy Interview (PI) (Slade); 26 PIs were assessed (coders blinded) in a sample that included 13 mothers whose infants were removed from custody due to anticipated or documented maltreatment within 2 years of childbirth, and 13 mothers who did not have their infants removed. Mothers whose infants were removed from their custody had significantly higher HH scores than mothers of infants who were not removed from their care (F(1, 24) = 14.500, p < .001), and the relation between overall HH classification and infant removal status was also significant (χ2(1, N = 26) = 12.462, p < .001). Results suggest that prenatal maternal caregiving representations may predict postnatal relationship disruptions, and indicate the need for larger studies further testing this prenatal approach to maltreatment risk assessment in at‐risk populations.
Adherence to HIV antiretroviral therapy among pregnant and postpartum women during the Option B+ era: 12‐month cohort study in urban South Africa and rural Uganda
Authors: Matthews Lynn T , Orrell Catherine , Bwana Mwebesa Bosco , Tsai Alexander C , Psaros Christina , Asiimwe Stephen , Amanyire Gideon , Musinguzi Nicholas , Bell Kathleen , Bangsberg David R , Haberer Jessica E ,   the META Study Investigators
Published: August 2020

Introduction

We conducted a cohort study to understand patterns of anti‐retroviral therapy (ART) adherence during pregnancy, postpartum and non‐pregnancy follow‐up among women initiating ART in public clinics offering Option B+ in rural Uganda and urban South Africa.

Methods

We collected survey data, continuously monitored ART adherence (Wisepill), HIV‐RNA and pregnancy tests at zero, six and twelve months from women initiating ART in Uganda and South Africa, 2015 to 2017. The primary predictor of interest was follow‐up time categorized as pregnant (pregnancy diagnosis to pregnancy end), postpartum (pregnancy end to study exit) or non‐pregnancy‐related (neither pregnant nor postpartum). Fractional regression models included demographics and socio‐behavioural factors informed by the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations. We evaluated HIV‐RNA at 12 months by ever‐ versus never‐pregnant status.

Results

In Uganda, 247 women contributed 676, 900 and 1274 months of pregnancy, postpartum and non‐pregnancy‐related follow‐up. Median ART adherence was consistently ≥90%: pregnancy, 94% (interquartile range [IQR] 78,98); postpartum, 90% (IQR 70,97) and non‐pregnancy, 90% (IQR 80,98). Poorer adherence was associated with younger age (0.98% [95% CI 0.33%, 1.62%] average increase per year of age) and higher CD4 cell count (1.01% [0.08%, 1.94%] average decrease per 50 cells/mm3). HIV‐RNA was suppressed among 91% (N = 135) ever‐pregnant and 86% (N = 85) never‐pregnant women. In South Africa, 190 women contributed 259, 624 and 1247 months of pregnancy, postpartum and non‐pregnancy‐related follow‐up. Median adherence was low during pregnancy, 74% (IQR 31,96); postpartum, 40% (IQR 4,65) and non‐pregnancy, 77% (IQR 47,92). Poorer adherence was associated with postpartum status (22.3% [95%CI 8.6%, 35.4%] average decrease compared to non‐pregnancy‐related follow‐up) and less emotional support (1.4% [0.22%, 2.58%] average increase per unit increase). HIV‐RNA was suppressed among 57% (N = 47) ever‐pregnant and 86% (N = 93) never‐pregnant women.

Conclusions

Women in rural Uganda maintained high adherence with 91% of ever‐pregnant and 86% of never‐pregnant women suppressing HIV‐RNA at 12 months. Women in urban South Africa struggled with adherence, particularly during postpartum follow‐up with median adherence of 40% and 57% of women with HIV‐RNA suppression at one year, suggesting a crisis for postpartum women with HIV in South Africa. Findings suggest that effective interventions should promote emotional support.
The role of ubiquitinase in B cell development and function
Authors: Zhang Tong , Sun Jianxuan , Cheng Jiali , Yin Wei , Li Jingwen , Miller Heather , Herrada Andrés A , Gu Heng , Song Hongmei , Chen Yan , Gong Quan , Liu Chaohong
Published: August 2020

Ubiquitinases are a select group of enzymes that modify target proteins through ubiquitination, which plays a crucial role in the regulation of protein degradation, location, and function. B lymphocytes that originated from bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), exert humoral immune functions by differentiating into plasma cells and producing antibodies. Previous studies have shown that ubiquitination is involved in the regulation of the cell cycle and signal transduction important for B lymphocyte development and function. In this review, how ubiquitinases regulate B cell development, activation, apoptosis, and proliferation is discussed, which could help in understanding the physiological processes and diseases related to B cells and also provides potential new targets for further studies.
Preoperative paraspinal neck muscle characteristics predict early onset adjacent segment degeneration in anterior cervical fusion patients: A machine‐learning modeling analysis
Authors: Wong Arnold Y. L. , Harada Garrett , Lee Remy , Gandhi Sapan D. , Dziedzic Adam , Espinoza‐Orias Alejandro , Parnianpour Mohamad , Louie Philip K. , Basques Bryce , An Howard S. , Samartzis Dino
Published: August 2020

Early onset adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) can be found within six months after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Deficits in deep paraspinal neck muscles may be related to early onset ASD. This study aimed to determine whether the morphometry of preoperative deep neck muscles (multifidus and semispinalis cervicis) predicted early onset ASD in patients with ACDF. Thirty‐two cases of early onset ASD after a two‐level ACDF and 30 matched non‐ASD cases were identified from a large‐scale cohort. The preoperative total cross‐sectional area (CSA) of bilateral deep neck muscles and the lean muscle CSAs from C3 to C7 levels were measured manually on T2‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Paraspinal muscle CSA asymmetry at each level was calculated. A support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was used to identify demographic, radiographic, and/or muscle parameters that predicted proximal/distal ASD development. No significant between‐group differences in demographic or preoperative radiographic data were noted (mean age: 52.4 ± 10.9 years). ACDFs comprised C3 to C5 (n = 9), C4 to C6 (n = 20), and C5 to C7 (n = 32) cases. Eighteen, eight, and six patients had proximal, distal, or both ASD, respectively. The SVM model achieved high accuracy (96.7%) and an area under the curve (AUC = 0.97) for predicting early onset ASD. Asymmetry of fat at C5 (coefficient: 0.06), and standardized measures of C7 lean (coefficient: 0.05) and total CSA measures (coefficient: 0.05) were the strongest predictors of early onset ASD. This is the first study to show that preoperative deep neck muscle CSA, composition, and asymmetry at C5 to C7 independently predicted postoperative early onset ASD in patients with ACDF. Paraspinal muscle assessments are recommended to identify high‐risk patients for personalized intervention.
Peptide separation selectivity in proteomics LC‐MS experiments: Comparison of formic and mixed formic/heptafluorobutyric acids ion‐pairing modifiers
Authors: Gussakovsky Daniel , Anderson Geoff , Spicer Vic , Krokhin Oleg V.
Published: August 2020

Separation selectivity and detection sensitivity of reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analyses were compared for formic (0.1%) and formic/heptafluorobutyric (0.1%/0.005%) acid based eluents using a proteomic data set of ∼12 000 paired peptides. The addition of a small amount of hydrophobic heptafluorobutyric acid ion‐pairing modifier increased peptide retention by up to 10% acetonitrile depending on peptide charge, size, and hydrophobicity. Retention increase was greatest for peptides that were short, highly charged, and hydrophilic. There was an ∼3.75‐fold reduction in MS signal observed across the whole population of peptides following the addition of heptafluorobutyric acid. This resulted in ∼36% and ∼21% reduction of detected proteins and unique peptides for the whole cell lysate digests, respectively. We also confirmed that the separation selectivity of the formic/heptafluorobutyric acid system was very similar to the commonly used conditions of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid, and developed a new version of the Sequence‐Specific Retention calculator model for the formic/heptafluorobutyric acid system showing the same ∼0.98 R2‐value accuracy as the Sequence‐Specific Retention calculator formic acid model. In silico simulation of peptide distribution in separation space showed that the addition of 0.005% heptafluorobutyric acid to the 0.1% formic acid system increased potential proteome coverage by ∼11% of detectable species (tryptic peptides ≥ four amino acids).