bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subharmonic Temporal Response and Spontaneous Breaking of Discrete Time Symmetry in Plasmonic Distributed Feedback Laser
Authors: Nefedkin Nikita E. , Zyablovsky Alexander A. , Andrianov Evgeny S.
Published: January 2020

Distributed feedback (DFB) lasers exploiting plasmonic structures as cavities are basic elements for various applications from sensorics to optoelectronics. Herein, the time response of a plasmonic DFB laser in the small‐signal modulation regime is studied. It is shown that the temporal period of the plasmonic DFB laser response can be equal to an integral multiple of the period of the pumping modulation, i.e., the temporal response can be subharmonic. This behavior of systems with time‐dependent parameters is a manifestation of spontaneous breaking of the discrete time symmetry. The appearance of subharmonic frequencies in the plasmonic DFB laser response is a consequence of synchronization of the beat frequency of the modes of plasmonic structures. Synchronization occurs when this beat frequency is nearly equal to the modulation frequency divided by an integer. It is shown that the ratio of the response period to the pump modulation period is determined by the size of the pumped region in the active medium, and the modulation frequency for the plasmonic DFB laser in the small‐signal modulation regime can reach several terahertz. These facts pave the way for the creation of tunable optoelectronic devices with a controlled temporal response.
Observational evidence of the preferential occurrence of wind convergence over sea surface temperature fronts in the Mediterranean
Authors: Meroni Agostino N. , Giurato Michele , Ragone Francesco , Pasquero Claudia
Published: January 2020

Air and sea interact on a wide range of scales, shaping climate and influencing weather. The direct effect of sea surface temperature (SST) structures on the extratropical atmosphere at the daily time‐scale is generally masked by the large variability associated with atmospheric dynamics. With 25 years of daily SST and surface wind observational products, obtained with data from buoys, satellite and atmospheric analysis in the Mediterranean, we show that strong surface wind convergence preferentially occurs when the air encounters a cold SST front. The mechanism responsible for the influence of ocean fronts on surface winds is rooted in the thermal disequilibrium that emerges at the air–sea interface, where cold water enhances the stability of the boundary layer, decoupling surface winds from the stronger winds aloft. Surface convergence drives upward motion which, under appropriate conditions, favours cloud formation. Thus, these results suggest that weather forecast models need to properly represent the small‐scale ocean thermal structures, which could affect rainfall.
Accurate theoretical prediction of optical properties of BODIPY dyes
Authors: Matulis Vitaly E. , Ragoyja Ekaterina G. , Ivashkevich Oleg A.
Published: January 2020

Boron‐dipyrromethene dyes (BODIPY) are of great interest nowadays mostly due to their valuable optical properties. Nevertheless, no systematic research of the optical property dependence on the structure of dyes has been performed yet. In this work, analysis of the available quantum‐chemical methods for BODIPY optical property calculations has been carried out. The accuracy of eight DFT functionals has been studied. The solvation effects upon excitation have been considered within two schemes. The methods that predict the absorption and emission spectra of BODIPY derivatives with high accuracy have been proposed. Using the suggested methods, the influence of nature of substituents and their position in the BODIPY core on the optical spectra of the dyes has been studied. A complex pattern of red‐ and blue‐shifts in optical spectra in dependence of nature and position of substituents has been revealed. The results of this work provide the way for efficient design of BODIPY derivatives with desired optical properties.
Reptile community responses to native and non‐native riparian forests and disturbance along two rivers in Arizona
Authors: Bateman Heather L. , Riddle Sidney B.
Published: January 2020

Aridland riparian forests are undergoing compositional changes in vegetation and wildlife communities due to altered hydrology. As flows have been modified, woody vegetation has shifted from native‐tree dominated to non‐native and shrub encroached habitats. Squamate vertebrates such as lizards and snakes are important food web links in riparian ecosystems of the Sonoran Desert. However, little is known about how these communities might respond as riparian forests transition from native tree dominated habitats to open xeroriparian woodlands. We used pitfall arrays deployed across three types of riparian forest to document reptile community patterns, measure vegetation, and produce species‐habitat models. Riparian forests differed on the basis of habitat composition and physiognomy. Two types, cottonwood‐willow (Populus‐Salix) and mesquite (Prosopis) stands, were characterized by high woody species richness. The third type, non‐native saltcedar (Tamarix) stands, had high densities of woody debris and greater canopy coverage. Results show that lizards were common and abundances greatest in cottonwood‐willow, especially for arboreal species. Species‐habitat models for three of five lizard species indicated a negative association to saltcedar‐invaded habitat and no species appeared to select saltcedar‐dominated habitat. Mesquite was an intermediate habitat between upland and riparian, and supports high species diversity. A wildfire in the cottonwood‐willow forest disproportionately affected abundance of ground‐foraging whiptail (Aspidoscelis) lizards; whereas, abundance of arboreal spiny (Sceloporus) species was unchanged. Expected drivers from climate and water use could transition cottonwood forests to other woody‐dominated types. Our results suggest that mesquite woodlands would provide higher quality habitat for riparian reptiles compared to non‐native saltcedar stands.
1,3,5‐Triphenylpyrazoline Based Fluorescent Probe for Selective Sensing and Imaging of Glutathione in Live Cell under Oxidative Stress
Authors: Subramaniyan Siva Bala , Annes Sesuraj Babiola , Yuvasri Manokaran , Nivedha Kolanchinathan , Ramesh Subburethinam , Anbazhagan Veerappan
Published: January 2020

Herein, a facile method to synthesize the fluorescence probe 1‐(4‐(1,5‐diphenyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl)phenyl)‐1H‐pyrrole‐2,5‐dione (probe 10) was reported. The relative quantum yield determined using quinine sulfate for the probe 10 is 42% in 100% acetonitrile (ACN), which was reduced to 6% in 10% ACN‐water system. The turn‐off probe 10 becomes turn‐on selectively in the presence of glutathione (GSH). The Probe 10 is highly sensitive to GSH in the presence of common interfering molecules like cysteine, N‐acetylcysteine, thioglycolic acid, mercaptoethanol, and mercaptopropionoic acid. The limit of detection is 0.06 μM. The practical use of the probe 10 was demonstrated through quantifying GSH (1.68 mM) in the blood serum of healthy person, artificial cerebrospinal fluid, and artificial urine. Probe 10 works on a wide range of pH 2–12. Cells expressing GSH can be imaged using probe 10 and also useful in analysing the percentage of GSH in the cells under oxidative stress.
Mechanically Induced N‐arylation of Amines with Diaryliodonium Salts
Authors: Jiang Jun , Li Jianjun
Published: January 2020

Diaryliodonium salts are stable and less toxic arylation reagents widely used in organic chemistry. Various N‐arylated compounds have been prepared with diaryliodonium salts in the past decades. Taking the advantages of their superiority, herein, we have developed two novel arylation methods of amines with diaryliodonium salts by ball milling for the preparation of diarylamines. The protocols are highlighted by operational simplicity, mild conditions and broad functional group tolerance. It is found that the reaction undergoes the cross‐coupling pathway as amines milled with diaryliodonium salts in the presence of catalyst CuI. The ball milled organic reaction of amines by liquid‐assisted grinding in the absence of transition metals follows a radical mechanism.
Process Optimization of Potassium Release from K–Feldspar by Combining Calcination and Hydrothermal Method
Authors: Liu Shanke , Han Cheng , Liu Jianming
Published: January 2020

An optimized process of the hydrothermal treatment of potassium feldspar (K‐feldspar) and lime to obtain a potash alternative is reported. The optimization did not change a two‐key‐step process and only modified the first step, in which K‐feldspar was calcined together with calcium carbonate. However, this modified treatment greatly improved the dissolution of K‐feldspar, and the released K+Al+Si content was increased by 43 %. Phase analysis showed that new phases (i. e., leucite, larnite, and portlandite) appeared, and the structure of K‐feldspar was destroyed during calcination. After the hydrothermal reaction (i. e., the second step), many new mineral phases were generated: bütschliite, calcite, hibschite, tobermorite, and alpha‐dicalcium silicate hydrate. Therefore, the optimized product showed better physicochemical properties. In addition, the activity of lime was investigated to evaluate its effect on the hydrothermal dissolution of K‐feldspar. The optimized hydrothermal product, as a potential commodity, was evaluated from technological and environmental points of view.
Effects of a professional development program on science teacher knowledge and practice, and student understanding of interdisciplinary science concepts
Authors: Yang Yang , Liu Xiufeng , Gardella Joseph A.
Published: January 2020

Situated in the context of an in‐service professional development (PD) program focused on Interdisciplinary Science Inquiry, this quantitative study tests the validity of and further explores the theoretical model adapted from Desimone's (2009), Educational Researcher, 38, 181–199 conceptual framework on effectiveness of PD. The participants include 204 teachers and 5,581 students within 12 local public schools from 2012 to 2016. The multilevel models indicate that PD participation, school‐, and teacher‐level factors influence teacher pedagogical content knowledge and inquiry instruction in different ways. Furthermore, the inquiry instruction significantly relates student understanding of interdisciplinary science concepts (ISCs) through a few mediators. Therefore, this study reinforces calls to provide teachers with high quality PD and contributes to current knowledge base of the mechanisms of how inquiry instruction influences students' understanding of ISCs.
Understand factors that impact international student academic integrity
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: January 2020

College students across all demographics can slip up when it comes to academic integrity. But international students are involved in disproportionately higher rates of academic misconduct compared to the general student population. In fact, research shows that international students are five to six times more likely to be reported for academic misconduct. And because international students hail from different backgrounds and cultures, academic integrity education and awareness initiatives will be most effective with this group if they're tailored to address their unique perspectives and needs.
Economics and mental health: the current scenario
Authors: Knapp Martin , Wong Gloria
Published: January 2020

Economics and mental health are intertwined. Apart from the accumulating evidence of the huge economic impacts of mental ill‐health, and the growing recognition of the effects that economic circumstances can exert on mental health, governments and other budget‐holders are putting increasing emphasis on economic data to support their decisions. Here we consider how economic evaluation (including cost‐effectiveness analysis, cost‐utility analysis and related techniques) can contribute evidence to inform the development of mental health policy strategies, and to identify some consequences at the treatment or care level that are of relevance to service providers and funding bodies. We provide an update and reflection on economic evidence relating to mental health using a lifespan perspective, analyzing costs and outcomes to shed light on a range of pressing issues. The past 30 years have witnessed a rapid growth in mental health economics, but major knowledge gaps remain. Across the lifespan, clearer evidence exists in the areas of perinatal depression identification‐plus‐treatment; risk‐reduction of mental health problems in childhood and adolescence; scaling up treatment, particularly psychotherapy, for depression; community‐based early intervention and employment support for psychosis; and cognitive stimulation and multicomponent carer interventions for dementia. From this discussion, we pull out the main challenges that are faced when trying to take evidence from research and translating it into policy or practice recommendations, and from there to actual implementation in terms of better treatment and care.
Gauging 1-form center symmetries in simple SU(N) gauge theories
Authors: Bolognesi Stefano , Konishi Kenichi , Luzio Andrea
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Consequences of gauging exact $$ {\mathbb{Z}}_k^C $$

ℤ
k
C

center symmetries in several simple SU(N) gauge theories, where k is a divisor of N, are investigated. Models discussed include: the SU(N) gauge theory with Nf copies of Weyl fermions in self-adjoint single-column antisymmetric representation, the well-discussed adjoint QCD, QCD-like theories in which the quarks are in a two-index representation of SU(N), and a chiral SU(N) theory with fermions in the symmetric as well as in anti-antisymmetric representations but without fundamentals. Mixed 't Hooft anomalies between the 1-form $$ {\mathbb{Z}}_k^C $$

ℤ
k
C

symmetry and some 0- form (standard) discrete symmetry provide us with useful information about the infrared dynamics of the system. In some cases they give decisive indication to select only few possiblities for the infrared phase of the theory.
The cannabinoid ligands SR141716A and AM251 enhance human and mouse islet function via GPR55-independent signalling
Authors: Ruz-Maldonado Inmaculada , Liu Bo , Atanes Patricio , Pingitore Attilio , Huang Guo Cai , Choudhary Pratik , Persaud Shanta J.
Published: January 2020

Aims

Endocannabinoids are lipid mediators involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. They interact with the canonical cannabinoid receptors CB1and CB2, and it is now apparent that some cannabinoid receptor ligands are also agonists at GPR55. Thus, CB1antagonists such as SR141716A, also known as rimonabant, and AM251 act as GPR55 agonists in some cell types. The complex pharmacological properties of cannabinoids make it difficult to fully identify the relative importance of CB1and GPR55 in the functional effects of SR141716A, and AM251. Here, we determine whether SR141716A and AM251 regulation of mouse and human islet function is through their action as GPR55 agonists.

Methods

Islets isolated fromGpr55+/+andGpr55−/−mice and human donors were incubated in the absence or presence of 10 µM SR141716A or AM251, concentrations that are known to activate GPR55. Insulin secretion, cAMP, IP1, apoptosis and β-cell proliferation were quantified by standard techniques.

Results

Our results provide the first evidence that SR141716A and AM251 are not GPR55 agonists in islets, as their effects are maintained in islets isolated fromGpr55−/−mice. Their signalling through Gq-coupled cascades to induce insulin secretion and human β-cell proliferation, and protect against apoptosis in vitro,indicate that they have direct beneficial effects on islet function.

Conclusion

These observations may be useful in directing development of peripherally restricted novel therapeutics that are structurally related to SR141716A and AM251, and which potentiate glucose-induced insulin secretion and stimulate β-cell proliferation.
Application of artificial neural networks for automated analysis of cystoscopic images: a review of the current status and future prospects
Authors: Negassi Misgana , Suarez-Ibarrola Rodrigo , Hein Simon , Miernik Arkadiusz , Reiterer Alexander
Published: January 2020

Background

Optimal detection and surveillance of bladder cancer (BCa) rely primarily on the cystoscopic visualization of bladder lesions. AI-assisted cystoscopy may improve image recognition and accelerate data acquisition.

Objective

To provide a comprehensive review of machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL) and convolutional neural network (CNN) applications in cystoscopic image recognition.

Evidence acquisition

A detailed search of original articles was performed using the PubMed-MEDLINE database to identify recent English literature relevant to ML, DL and CNN applications in cystoscopic image recognition.

Evidence synthesis

In total, two articles and one conference abstract were identified addressing the application of AI methods in cystoscopic image recognition. These investigations showed accuracies exceeding 90% for tumor detection; however, future work is necessary to incorporate these methods into AI-aided cystoscopy and compared to other tumor visualization tools. Furthermore, we present results from the RaVeNNA-4pi consortium initiative which has extracted 4200 frames from 62 videos, analyzed them with the U-Net network and achieved an average dice score of 0.67. Improvements in its precision can be achieved by augmenting the video/frame database.

Conclusion

AI-aided cystoscopy has the potential to outperform urologists at recognizing and classifying bladder lesions. To ensure their real-life implementation, however, these algorithms require external validation to generalize their results across other data sets.
Overexpression of mitochondrial creatine kinase preserves cardiac energetics without ameliorating murine chronic heart failure
Authors: Cao Fang , Maguire Mahon L. , McAndrew Debra J. , Lake Hannah A. , Neubauer Stefan , Zervou Sevasti , Schneider Jürgen E. , Lygate Craig A.
Published: January 2020

Mitochondrial creatine kinase (Mt-CK) is a major determinant of cardiac energetic status and is down-regulated in chronic heart failure, which may contribute to disease progression. We hypothesised that cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of Mt-CK would mitigate against these changes and thereby preserve cardiac function. Male Mt-CK overexpressing mice (OE) and WT littermates were subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) or sham surgery and assessed by echocardiography at 0, 3 and 6 weeks alongside a final LV haemodynamic assessment. Regardless of genotype, TAC mice developed progressive LV hypertrophy, dilatation and contractile dysfunction commensurate with pressure overload-induced chronic heart failure. There was a trend for improved survival in OE-TAC mice (90% vs 73%, P = 0.08), however, OE-TAC mice exhibited greater LV dilatation compared to WT and no functional parameters were significantly different under baseline conditions or during dobutamine stress test. CK activity was 37% higher in OE-sham versus WT-sham hearts and reduced in both TAC groups, but was maintained above normal values in the OE-TAC hearts. A separate cohort of mice received in vivo cardiac 31P-MRS to measure high-energy phosphates. There was no difference in the ratio of phosphocreatine-to-ATP in the sham mice, however, PCr/ATP was reduced in WT-TAC but preserved in OE-TAC (1.04 ± 0.10 vs 2.04 ± 0.22; P = 0.007). In conclusion, overexpression of Mt-CK activity prevented the changes in cardiac energetics that are considered hallmarks of a failing heart. This had a positive effect on early survival but was not associated with improved LV remodelling or function during the development of chronic heart failure.
Alteration of brain temperature and systemic inflammation in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Chen Hsiu-Ling , Yamada Kei , Sakai Koji , Lu Cheng-Hsien , Chen Meng-Hsiang , Lin Wei-Che
Published: January 2020

Objectives

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is known to be related to various factors, including neuroinflammation, increased oxidative stress, and brain temperature alteration. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between these factors using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) thermometry and blood tests of systemic inflammation.

Methods

From July 2012 to Jun 2017, 103 patients with PD (44 men and 59 women; mean age, 60.43 ± 9.12 years) and 106 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers (48 men and 58 women; mean age, 58.16 ± 8.45 years) retrospectively underwent magnetic resonance DWI thermometry to estimate brain intraventricular temperature (Tv). Subjects were divided into three subgroups in light of their ages. The tested inflammatory markers included plasma nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA, apoptotic leukocytes, and serum adhesion molecules. The correlations among theTvvalues, clinical severity, and systemic inflammatory markers were then calculated.

Results

The PD patients did not show a natural trend of decline inTvwith age. Comparisons among the different age groups revealed that the younger PD subjects had significantly lowerTvvalues than the younger controls, but the older subjects had no significant group differences. Overall, the PD patients exhibited lowerTvvalues than the controls, as well as increased oxidative stress. The brain temperature showed positive correlations with inflammatory markers, including plasma nuclear DNA and L-selectin levels, in all the subjects.

Conclusions

Possible pathophysiological correlations between systemic inflammation and brain temperature were indicated by the results of this study, a finding which may aid us in investigating the underlying pathogenesis of PD.
Mental Health Professionals’ Perceptions of Parenting by Service Users with Psychosis
Authors: Strand Jennifer , Rudolfsson Lisa
Published: January 2020

Despite extensive needs, interventions for parents with psychosis are rarely offered, poorly described, and vary between offering instrumental and emotional support. To improve the design of interventions offered to families with parental psychosis, more knowledge is needed. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge about mental health professionals’ perceptions of parenting by patients with psychosis. Eleven mental health professionals educated in family interventions were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide and the material underwent inductive thematic analysis. Results showed that the professionals described the patients parenting as characterized by difficulties in providing security and predictability, taking part in and organizing family life, and to focus on the child’s needs. The difficulties were described as related to specific symptoms such as voice hearing, cognitive impairments, anxiety, and paranoia. As a vast amount of research stresses the psychosocial basis of psychosis and the interpersonal causes of its symptoms, parenting difficulties in people with psychosis could benefit from being addressed from a relational perspective. Accordingly, parents with psychosis should be offered interventions that enable them to create positive parental role models, develop reflective functioning, and identify situations in which their symptoms might hinder positive parenting. Many of these needs are unmet by interventions offered in adult psychosis services today.
Use of two-point models in “Model choice in time-series studies of air pollution and mortality”
Authors: Szyszkowicz Mieczysław
Published: January 2020

In this work, a new technique is proposed to study short-term exposure and adverse health effects. The presented approach uses hierarchical clusters with the following structure: each pair of two sequential days in 1 year is embedded in the year. We have 183 clusters per year with the embedded structure . Time-series analysis is conducted using a conditional Poisson regression with the constructed clusters as a stratum. Unmeasured confounders such as seasonal and long-term trends are not modelled but are controlled by the structure of the clusters. The proposed technique is illustrated using four freely accessible databases, which contain complex simulated data. These data are available as the compressed R workspace files. Results based on the simulated data were very close to the truth based on the presented methodology. In addition, the case-crossover method with 1-month and 2-week window, and a conditional Poisson regression on 3-day clusters as a stratum, was also applied to the simulated data. Difficulties (high type I error rate) were observed for the case-crossover method in the presence of high concurvity in the simulated data. The proposed methods using various forms of a stratum were further applied to the Chicago mortality data. The considered methods have often different qualitative and quantitative estimations.
The Intergenerational Effects of Intermarriage
Authors: Tegunimataka Anna
Published: January 2020

This study closely examines long-term outcomes of intermarriage in Denmark in terms of children’s educational performance, studying grades from final examinations. The study uses rich register data, where families are linked across generations, and contributes to the migration literature by providing new insights into the human capital formation in inter-ethnic families. The outcomes of children of intermarriage are very much in line with the outcomes of children with two native-born Danish parents. Compared to second-generation immigrants, children of intermarriage perform substantially better, and these differences remain even when school and family-level confounders are taken into account. Moreover, this paper explores the heterogeneous character of the 2.5 generation in Denmark and studies the importance of parental country of origin. Parental country of origin is of significance for the educational performance of children from intermarriage in Denmark, as the performance of children with a non-native parent originating from countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America is closer to that of second-generation immigrants, rather than natives. This association remains (for certain groups) when controlling for unobserved heterogeneity at the school and family level.
Standard friction prediction model of long-distance hot oil pipelines
Authors: Yu Tao , Li Chuan-xian , Yao Bo , Zhang Zhi-jun , Guo Yi , Liu Li-jun
Published: January 2020

We developed a predictive model for the pipeline friction in the 520–730 m3/h transmission range using the multi-layer-perceptron–back-propagation (MLP–BP) method and analyzing the unit friction data after the pigging of a hot oil pipeline. In view of the shortcomings of the MLP–BP model, two optimization methods, the genetic algorithm (GA) and mind evolutionary algorithm (MEA), were used to optimize the MLP–BP model. The research results were applied to the standard friction prediction of three sections of a hot oil pipeline. After the GA and MEA optimizations, the average errors of the three sections were 0.0041 MPa for the GA and 0.0012 MPa for the MEA, and the mean-square errors were 0.083 and 0.067, respectively. The MEA-BP model prediction results were characterized by high precision and small dispersion. The MEA-BP prediction model was applied to the analysis of the wax formation 60 and 90 days after pigging. The analysis results showed that the model can effectively guide pipe pigging and optimization. There was little sample data for the individual transmission and oil temperature steps because the model was based on actual production data modeling and analysis, which may have affected the accuracy and adaptability of the model.
The Japanese Breast Cancer Society clinical practice guidelines for surgical treatment of breast cancer, 2018 edition
Authors: Inokuchi Masafumi , Kutomi Goro , Kijima Yuko , Sakai Takehiko , Sawaki Masataka , Shien Tadahiko , Hanamura Noriko , Yano Kenji , Wada Noriaki , Saji Shigehira , Iwata Hiroji
Published: January 2020

We have prepared the Japanese Breast Cancer Society clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for surgical treatment of breast cancer, 2018 update after a systematic review (SR) of the literature based upon the Medical Information Network Distribution Service (Minds) procedure. The CPG committee for surgical treatment of breast cancer, composed of breast surgeons and plastic surgeons treating breast cancer, has developed the CPGs. Eight clinical questions (CQs) were selected and divided roughly into the following five categories: (1) breast surgery in initial therapy (CQs 1–3); (2) axillary surgery in initial therapy (CQs 4–5); (3) breast reconstruction in initial therapy (CQ 6); (4) surgical treatment for recurrent and metastatic breast cancer (CQs 7–8); and (5) others. Recommendations for these CQs were decided by the GRADE grid method. In addition, 4 outlines, 14 background questions (BQs), and 12 future research questions (FQs) were also selected. Statements for these BQs and FQs are provided. We developed the updated CPGs for surgical treatment of breast cancer, 2018, which include 8 CQs and recommendations. As a decision-making tool for the understanding and treatment of breast cancer, these guidelines will help surgical oncologists dealing with breast cancer, medical staff, and patients, along with their family members.
miR-362-5p promotes cell proliferation and cell cycle progression by targeting GAS7 in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Wu Fuqun , Yin Changxin , Qi Junhua , Duan Deyu , Jiang Xi , Yu Jianhua , Luo Zhaofan
Published: January 2020

Recently, miR-362-5p has attracted special interest as a novel prognostic predictor in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, its biological function and underlying molecular mechanism in AML remain to be further defined. Herein, we found that a significant increase in miR-362-5p expression was observed in AML patients and cell lines using quantitative real-time PCR. The expression of miR-362-5p was altered in THP-1 and HL-60 cells by transfecting with miR-362-5p mimic or inhibitor. A series of experiments showed that inhibition of miR-362-5p expression significantly suppressed cell proliferation, induced G0/G1 phase arrest and attenuated tumor growth in vivo. On the contrary, ectopic expression of miR-362-5p resulted in enhanced cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and tumor growth. Moreover, growth arrest-specific 7 (GAS7) was confirmed as a direct target gene of miR-362-5p and was negatively modulated by miR-362-5p. GAS7 overexpression imitated the tumor suppressive effect of silenced miR-362-5p on THP-1 cells. Furthermore, miR-362-5p knockdown or GAS7 overexpression obviously down-regulated the expression levels of PCNA, CDK4 and cyclin D1, but up-regulated p21 expression. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that miR-362-5p exerts oncogenic effects in AML by directly targeting GAS7, which might provide a promising therapeutic target for AML.
A physically consistent particle method for incompressible fluid flow calculation
Authors: Kondo Masahiro
Published: January 2020

In general, mechanical energy monotonically decreases in a physically consistent system, constructed with conservative force and dissipative force. This feature is important in designing a particle method, which is a discrete system approximating continuum fluid with particles. When the discretized system can be fit into a framework of analytical mechanics, it will be a physically consistent system which prevents instability like particle scattering along with unphysical mechanical energy increase. This is the case also in incompressible particle methods. However, most incompressible particle methods do not satisfy the physical consistency, and they need empirical relaxations to suppress the system instability due to the unphysical energy behavior. In this study, a new incompressible particle method with the physical consistency, moving particle full-implicit (MPFI) method, is developed, where the discretized interaction forces are related to an analytical mechanical framework for the systems with dissipation. Moreover, a new pressure evaluation technique based on the virial theorem is proposed for the system. Using the MPFI method, static pressure, droplet extension, standing wave and dam break calculations were conducted. The capability to predict pressure and motion of incompressible free surface flow was presented, and energy dissipation property depending on the particle size and time step width was studied through the calculations.
Assessing the Function of Palaeolithic Hearths: Experiments on Intensity of Luminosity and Radiative Heat Outputs from Different Fuel Sources
Authors: Hoare Sally
Published: January 2020

Assessing the function of Palaeolithic hearths is a key research issue that can benefit from the application of experimental archaeology when examining whether the behaviourally related purposes of fire, e.g. heat, light and cooking, could be correlated with combustion features in the archaeological record. Not all species of wood and types of fuel burn the same way. Variability exists in the amount of ash and smoke produced, along with differences in speed of burning and outgoing light and heat. This paper examined the light and heat properties of nine different types of fuels (eight individual species of wood and fresh bone) by assessing intensity of luminosity and radiative heat outputs using a lux metre and thermal imaging camera. Results show that there is considerable variation between bone and wood in terms of light and heat output and between the individual species of wood. In order to assess whether heat efficiency may vary seasonally, experiments were performed overnight and repeated at ambient air temperature ranges of 11 to 13 and 0 to 3 °C. Results show that in the current data set fuels that emit lower to intermediate heat outputs could be more efficient at colder temperatures in terms of warmth. This represents a preliminary step forward towards attributing behaviourally relevant functions such as light and heat to Palaeolithic combustion features with regard to fuel selectivity.
Understanding Race: The Case for Political Constructionism in Public Discourse
Authors: Ludwig David
Published: January 2020

The aim of this article is to develop an understanding-based argument for an explicitly political specification of the concept of race. It is argued that a specification of race in terms of hierarchical social positions is best equipped to guide causal reasoning about racial inequality in the public sphere. Furthermore, the article provides evidence that biological and cultural specifications of race mislead public reasoning by encouraging confusions between correlates and causes of racial inequality. The article concludes with a more general case for incorporating empirical evidence about public reasoning into philosophical debates about competing specifications of the concept of race.
Characteristics of Young-Onset and Late-Onset Dementia Patients at a Remote Memory Clinic
Authors: Wong Jennifer F. W. , Kirk Andrew , Perlett Landon , Karunanayake Chandima , Morgan Debra , O’Connell Megan E.
Published: January 2020

Background:

Young-onset dementia (YOD) is defined as the onset of dementia symptoms before the age of 65 years and accounts for 2–8% of dementia. YOD patients and their caregivers face unique challenges in diagnosis and management. We aimed to compare the characteristics of rural YOD and late-onset dementia (LOD) patients at a rural and remote memory clinic in Western Canada.

Methods:

A total of 333 consecutive patients (YOD = 61, LOD = 272) at a rural and remote memory clinic between March 2004 and July 2016 were included in this study. Each patient had neuropsychological assessment. Health, mood, function, behaviour and social factors were also measured. Both groups were compared using χ2 tests and independent sample tests.

Results:

YOD patients were more likely to be married, employed, current smokers and highly educated. They reported fewer cognitive symptoms, but had more depressive symptoms. YOD patients were less likely to live alone and use homecare services. YOD caregivers were also more likely to be a spouse and had higher levels of distress than LOD caregivers. Both YOD and LOD patient groups were equally likely to have a driver’s licence.

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate YOD and LOD patients have distinct characteristics and services must be modified to better meet YOD patient needs. In particular, the use of homecare services and caregiver support may alleviate the higher levels of distress found in YOD patients and their caregivers. Additional research should be directed to addressing YOD patient depression, caregiver distress and barriers to services.
Sobolev regularity of solutions of the cohomological equation
Authors: FORNI GIOVANNI
Published: January 2020

In this survey we prove the sharpest results on the loss of Sobolev regularity for solutions of the cohomological equation for translation flows on translation surfaces, available to the methods developed by the author in Forni [Solutions of the cohomological equation for area-preserving flows on compact surfaces of higher genus. Ann. of Math. (2)146(2) (1997), 295–344] and Forni [Deviation of ergodic averages for area-preserving flows on surfaces of higher genus. Ann. of Math. (2)155(1) (2002), 1–103]. The paper was mostly written between 2005 and 2006 while the author was at the University of Toronto, Canada, and was posted on arXiv in July 2007 [Forni. Sobolev regularity of solutions of the cohomological equation. Preprint, 2007, arXiv:0707.0940v2]. In an updated introduction we describe our results, taking into account later work on the problem and relevant recent progress in the field of Teichmüller dynamics, interval exchange transformations and translation flows.
Sanctuary, Armory, and Prison: Switzerland and the Role of Swiss Anarchists as Intermediaries in the European Terrorist Network in the 1970s
Authors: Pešta Mikuláš
Published: January 2020

This article focuses on how Switzerland played a dual role in providing a sanctuary for retired left-wing radicals while serving as an armament source for the distribution of weapons and explosives throughout Europe in the 1970s. A significant part of the article delves into the case of the AKO (Anarchistische Kampforganisation), a Swiss anarchist group that supplied several European terrorist groups with weapons. The position of this group will be analyzed in the context of the transnational terrorist network as a way of assessing to what extent their cooperation with other groups was rooted in mutual ideological affiliations, and how closely the anarchist tradition, of which they were a part, related to the European framework of the New Left. The case of Petra Krause, one of the group's key figures, is latterly discussed, particularly her imprisonment in Switzerland and the campaign for her release, which mobilized a large number of supporters across Europe and contributed to the portrayal of Switzerland as a prison.
Rising CO2 in the field does not offset warming or drought constraints on leaf growth of a C3 forage
Authors: de Camargo-Bortolin L. H. G. , Habermann E. , Vicente P. , Barboza A. , Groppo M. , Prado C. H. B. A. , Martinez C. A.
Published: January 2020

The regrowth of a C3 forage Stylosanthes capitata in a rain-fed field provided the weekly data collection in the southeast of Brazil during a heat event in autumn. A system named Trop-T-FACE simulated the free-air carbon dioxide enrichment and the enhanced temperature in four climatic regimes: current atmospheric conditions (Control), CO2 enrichment (600 ppm, eC), warming (2 °C above ambient canopy temperature, eT), and a combination of eC + eT. The area and biomass of foliage per shoot decreased, and the number of flowers per shoot and flowered ramification increased under single eC treatment besides the increment in palisade parenchyma of leaves. Increased investment in flowering in eC occurred notably when the soil water content was higher than 0.30 m3 m–3. Single eT treatment also impaired the area or biomass of foliage production per shoot, raised the shoot mortality, and promoted the increment of the spongy leaf parenchyma. There was some mitigation of the adverse effects of foliage production of eT or eC in eC + eT, but under this combined treatment, the shoot mortality also increased. Changes in leaf tissues under eC or eT or some mitigation of adverse effects in eC + eT did not offset the constraints on leaf growth per shoot. The harmful impact on foliage production by eC, eT, or eC + eT under rain-fed conditions indicated no advantages for feeding the livestock with the C3 forage S. capitata in expected climate change under field conditions.
Incision of Hasner's valve under endoscopic intranasal surgery for the treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction in children
Authors: Keilani C , Keller P , Piaton J-M
Published: January 2020

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a Hasner's valve incision performed under endoscopic intranasal surgery for the management of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

Methods

This retrospective study comprised 484 patients with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction who underwent incision of Hasner's valve under endoscopic intranasal surgery between April 2000 and October 2016. The primary endpoint was the procedure's functional success rate. The secondary endpoints were Hasner's valve and inferior turbinate anatomical findings, demographic data, complication rate and surgical duration.

Results

In patients with no medical history of nasolacrimal duct probing, 91 per cent had a successful result, 5 per cent had a partially successful result, 3.9 per cent showed no change and 0.1 per cent had a worse result following the procedure. Concerning the secondary endpoints, outcomes were more frequently successful in children younger than three years. Only one patient had a post-operative infection. All patients underwent general anaesthesia; no complications related to general anaesthesia were observed. Mean surgical duration was 13.1 ± 5.7 minutes.

Conclusion

Incising Hasner's valve after medially displacing the inferior turbinate under nasal endoscopy seems to be an adequate primary surgical treatment for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
INCIDENTAL VOCABULARY LEARNING THROUGH VIEWING VIDEO
Authors: Montero Perez Maribel
Published: January 2020

There is growing evidence that L2 learners pick up new words while viewing video but little is known about the role of individual differences. This study explores incidental learning after viewing a French documentary containing 15 pseudowords and investigates whether learning is moderated by participants’ prior vocabulary knowledge and working memory. Sixty-three higher-intermediate learners of French participated in this study. Prior vocabulary knowledge was measured by means of a French meaning recognition test. Participants also took a forward digit-span (phonological short-term memory), a backward digit-span, and an operation-span task (complex working memory). After viewing the video, four surprise vocabulary tests on form and meaning were administered. Results revealed that learning gains occurred at the level of form and meaning recognition. Vocabulary knowledge was positively related to picking up new words from video. Complex working memory correlated with the recognition tests showing more incidental learning gains for learners with higher complex working memory.
Transplantation-free survival after Norwood surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome with aortic atresia: A Swedish national cohort study
Authors: Öhman Annika , El-Segaier Milad , Bergman Gunnar , Hanseus Katarina , Malm Torsten , Nilsson Boris , Pivodic Aldina , Rydberg Annika , Sonesson Sven-Erik , Mellander Mats
Published: January 2020

Background:

Norwood surgery has been available in Sweden since 1993. In this national cohort study, we analysed transplantation-free survival after Norwood surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome with aortic atresia.

Methods:

Patients were identified from the complete national cohort of live-born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome/aortic atresia 1993–2010. Analysis of survival after surgery was performed using Cox proportional hazards models for the total cohort and for birth period and gender separately. Thirty-day mortality and inter-stage mortality were analysed. Patients were followed until September 2016.

Results:

The 1993–2010 cohort consisted of 208 live-born infants. Norwood surgery was performed in 121/208 (58%). The overall transplantation-free survival was 61/121 (50%). The survival was higher in the late period (10-year survival 63%) than in the early period (10-year survival 40%) (p = 0.010) and lower for female (10-year survival 34%) than for male patients (10-year survival 59%) (p = 0.002). Inter-stage mortality between stages I and II decreased from 23 to 8% (p = 0.008). For male patients, low birthweight in relation to gestational age was a factor associated with poor outcome.

Conclusion:

The survival after Norwood surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome/aortic atresia improved by era of surgery, mainly explained by improved survival between stages I and II. Female gender was a significant risk factor for death or transplantation. For male patients, there was an increased risk of death when birthweight was lower than expected in relation to gestational age.
Images of a large fistulous communication between the right ventricle and left anterior descending coronary artery
Authors: Alp Hayrullah , Elmacı Ahmet M. , Taşar Mehmet
Published: January 2020

Coronary artery fistulas are relatively rare congenital or iatrogenic heart defects that can present with or without symptoms. Symptomatic patients manifest as myocardial ischaemia, arrhythmia, or heart failure. We present a asymptomatic child with a large left anterior descending coronary artery to right ventricular fistula.
Intake of trans-fats among US youth declined from 1999–2000 to 2009–2010
Authors: Restrepo Brandon J
Published: January 2020

Objective:

To analyse how much the intake of trans-fatty acids (TFA), an important dietary risk factor for CVD, changed among US children and adolescents over a period of time when food regulations that reduced the presence of TFA in the food supply were enacted.

Design:

Regression models were used to estimate changes in levels of TFA in plasma and other CVD risk factors among US children and adolescents from 1999–2000 to 2009–2010.

Setting:

USA.

Participants:

Nationally representative sample of children (aged 6–11 years) and adolescents (aged 12–19 years) who participated in the 1999–2000 and 2009–2010 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Results:

Levels of plasma TFA declined significantly by an average of 61·9 % from 1999–2000 to 2009–2010. The average decline in a TFA commonly found in partially hydrogenated oils (elaidic acid, 67·2 %) was larger than the average decline in a TFA naturally occurring in ruminant animals (vaccenic acid, 60·5 %). Significant improvements in a variety of other CVD risk factors (LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, TAG, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein) were also observed.

Conclusions:

Between the two time points, 1999–2000 and 2009–2010, there were substantial decreases in plasma TFA levels and improvements in several other important CVD risk factors in the population of US children and adolescents.