bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introduction: ‘Shavian’
Authors: Wixson Christopher
Published: September 2020

The Introduction presents a vivid portrait of GBS, or George Bernard Shaw. Shaw was at heart a consummate performer, and his meticulous curating of his ‘GBS’ persona across platforms of all kinds made him one of the world’s most recognizable public intellectuals and literary figures throughout much of his long life.
1. ‘GBS’
Authors: Wixson Christopher
Published: September 2020

‘GBS’ explores George Bernard Shaw’s early years in Dublin, the forging of his professional roots in London, and the creation of his ‘GBS’ persona. While he would often belie the extent of their influence, his earliest experiences sowed the seeds of that distinctive political and artistic Shavian sensibility. Taking up the mantle of public advocacy, the young Shaw became a sought-after tract writer, speech giver, debater, and activist crusader on behalf of a variety of social causes. He also worked as an art, music, book, and drama reviewer for a number of periodicals. For Shaw, journalism represented an opportunity to inform, inspire, and provoke the public directly.
6. ‘Extravagant’
Authors: Wixson Christopher
Published: September 2020

‘Extravagant’ discusses how George Bernard Shaw’s plays continue to experiment with dramatic structure and style as he recovers his optimism in social progress amid the devastating effects of the Great War. As he pursued ‘extravagant’ flexibility in stage convention, Shaw was also stepping beyond the confines of his Fabian Socialism. The Apple Cart (1928), On the Rocks (1933), and Geneva (1936) were written at a time when Shaw seriously pondered the efficacy of enlightened authoritarian government in accelerating advancement of the species.
2. Building the bomb
Authors: Siracusa Joseph M.
Published: September 2020

‘Building the bomb’ looks at the origins of the Manhattan Project following the Einstein–Szilárd letter to President Roosevelt, and the journey to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At the time of President Truman’s briefing on nuclear weapons, it was unclear how the war would end. The Americans may have overestimated the Nazis’ progress on their own nuclear project and underestimated that of Japan. Many of the experts who developed the bomb did not imagine it would be used on Japanese cities. Truman’s conclusion was that the bombs had averted other deaths, but in the aftermath of Japan’s surrender, how would America explain these new weapons to a triumphant but mystified populace?
6. Star Wars and beyond
Authors: Siracusa Joseph M.
Published: September 2020

‘Star Wars and beyond’ focuses on the various anti-missile shields proposed after the Cuban Missile Crisis. By the 1960s, both the United States and the Soviet Union, looking for alternatives to the doctrine of mutual assured destruction, found themselves caught up in an offensive and defensive arms race. Would an anti-missile shield respond effectively to the complex demands on it? Was the American arsenal enough of a deterrent to discourage rivals from striking first? Would the ‘shield’ approach reignite the arms race? Reagan’s Strategic Defence Initiative (christened ‘Star Wars’ by critics) did not at first capture the public imagination, but its legacy continued in later administrations and is still felt today.
Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Craig Edward
Published: September 2020

Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction looks at different schools of philosophy and classic philosophical problems, via readings from Plato, Hume, Hobbes, Descartes, and early Buddhist writers. Could a philosopher today be asking the same questions about the self as David Hume or the early Buddhists? What were Descartes and Nietzsche trying to prove? Most people have a philosophy, in terms of a general picture of what they think the world is like and what values they live by. Are we all philosophers, and why are we more comfortable with some philosophical ideas than others? How should we live? What should we do, and how do we make these choices?
Freedom of the will
Authors: Craig Edward
Published: September 2020

Do we have free will? ‘Freedom of the will’ starts by looking at Descartes, whose theology encouraged him to believe that he had free will. His thoughts may have been given by God, but he had the power to assent to them. Hegel’s metaphysics can teach us about his account of freedom. His predecessor Kant was possessed by the idea of moral obligations. Hegel argued that we are free, but that the decisions we make are the result of an idea, reason, or spirit. Finally, there is determinism—the idea that things happen because of causal chains—and compatibilism, the belief that free will and determinism are mutually compatible.
Correlated Brain Indexes of Semantic Prediction and Prediction Error: Brain Localization and Category Specificity
Authors: Grisoni Luigi , Tomasello Rosario , Pulvermüller Friedemann
Published: September 2020

With strong and valid predictions, grasping a message is easy, whereas more demanding processing is required in the absence of robust expectations. We here demonstrate that brain correlates of the interplay between prediction and perception mechanisms in the understanding of meaningful sentences. Sentence fragments that strongly predict subsequent words induced anticipatory brain activity preceding the expected words; this potential was absent if context did not strongly predict subsequent words. Subjective reports of certainty about upcoming words and objective corpus-based measures correlated with the size of the anticipatory signal, thus establishing its status as a semantic prediction potential (SPP). Crucially, there was an inverse correlation between the SPP and the N400 brain response. The main cortical generators of SPP and N400 were found in inferior prefrontal cortex and posterior temporal cortex, respectively. Interestingly, sentence meaning was reflected by both measures, with additional category-specific sources of SPPs and N400s falling into parieto-temporo-occipital (visual) and frontocentral (sensorimotor) areas for animal- and tool-related words, respectively. These results show that the well-known brain index of semantic comprehension, N400, has an antecedent with different brain localization but similar semantic discriminatory function. We discuss whether N400 dynamics may causally depend on mechanisms underlying SPP size and sources.
Changing Epidemiology and Decreased Mortality Associated With Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative Bacteria, 2000–2017
Authors: Babiker Ahmed , Clarke Lloyd G , Saul Melissa , Gealey Julie A , Clancy Cornelius J , Nguyen M Hong , Shields Ryan K
Published: September 2020

Background

Carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria (CRGNB) continue to present a global healthcare crisis. We aimed to identify emerging trends of CRGNB over nearly 2 decades and describe the impact of CRGNB on patient outcomes.

Methods

Patients from whom CRGNB were isolated between 2000 and 2017 were included in the study. Carbapenem resistance was defined by the most recent breakpoints and applied across the study period. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes were retrieved from the electronic health record.

Results

A total of 94 888 isolates from 64 422 patients were identified; 9882 (10%) isolates from 4038 patients were carbapenem-resistant. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common CRGNB each year. The second most common CRGNB emerged in waves over time. Carbapenem daily defined doses increased in parallel with CRGNB rates (R2 = 0.8131). The overall 30-day mortality rate was 19%, which decreased from 24% in 2000 to 17% in 2017 (P = .003; R2 = .4330). Among patients with CRGNB bloodstream infections (n = 319), overall 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 27% and 38%, respectively. Charlson score (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.11 per point), intensive care unit residence (aOR, 7.32), and severe liver disease (aOR, 4.8.4) were independent predictors of 30-day mortality, while receipt of transplantation was associated with lower rates of death (aOR, 0.39). Among patients admitted between 2011 and 2017 (n = 2230), 17% died during hospitalization, 32% were transferred to long-term care facilities, and 38% were discharged home.

Conclusions

CRGNB emerged in waves over time, causing high rates of mortality. Despite increasing rates of CRGNB, overall patient outcomes have improved, suggesting that recognition and novel therapeutics have made a major impact.
Compassionate Use of Remdesivir in Pregnant Women With Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Burwick Richard M , Yawetz Sigal , Stephenson Kathryn E , Collier Ai-Ris Y , Sen Pritha , Blackburn Brian G , Kojic E Milunka , Hirshberg Adi , Suarez Jose F , Sobieszczyk Magdalena E , Marks Kristen M , Mazur Shawn , Big Cecilia , Manuel Oriol , Morlin Gregory , Rose Suzanne J , Naqvi Mariam , Goldfarb Ilona T , DeZure Adam , Telep Laura , Tan Susanna K , Zhao Yang , Hahambis Tom , Hindman Jason , Chokkalingam Anand P , Carter Christoph , Das Moupali , Osinusi Anu O , Brainard Diana M , Varughese Tilly A , Kovalenko Olga , Sims Matthew D , Desai Samit , Swamy Geeta , Sheffield Jeanne S , Zash Rebecca , Short William R
Published: September 2020

Background

Remdesivir is efficacious for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in adults, but data in pregnant women are limited. We describe outcomes in the first 86 pregnant women with severe COVID-19 who were treated with remdesivir.

Methods

The reported data span 21 March to 16 June 2020 for hospitalized pregnant women with polymerase chain reaction–confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and room air oxygen saturation ≤94% whose clinicians requested remdesivir through the compassionate use program. The intended remdesivir treatment course was 10 days (200 mg on day 1, followed by 100 mg for days 2–10, given intravenously).

Results

Nineteen of 86 women delivered before their first dose and were reclassified as immediate “postpartum” (median postpartum day 1 [range, 0–3]). At baseline, 40% of pregnant women (median gestational age, 28 weeks) required invasive ventilation, in contrast to 95% of postpartum women (median gestational age at delivery 30 weeks). By day 28 of follow-up, the level of oxygen requirement decreased in 96% and 89% of pregnant and postpartum women, respectively. Among pregnant women, 93% of those on mechanical ventilation were extubated, 93% recovered, and 90% were discharged. Among postpartum women, 89% were extubated, 89% recovered, and 84% were discharged. Remdesivir was well tolerated, with a low incidence of serious adverse events (AEs) (16%). Most AEs were related to pregnancy and underlying disease; most laboratory abnormalities were grade 1 or 2. There was 1 maternal death attributed to underlying disease and no neonatal deaths.

Conclusions

Among 86 pregnant and postpartum women with severe COVID-19 who received compassionate-use remdesivir, recovery rates were high, with a low rate of serious AEs.
Infectious Diseases Society of America Guidance on the Treatment of Extended-Spectrum β-lactamase Producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E), Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with Difficult-to-Treat Resistance (DTR-P. aeruginosa)
Authors: Tamma Pranita D , Aitken Samuel L , Bonomo Robert A , Mathers Amy J , van Duin David , Clancy Cornelius J
Published: September 2020

Background

Antimicrobial-resistant infections are commonly encountered in US hospitals and result in significant morbidity and mortality. This guidance document provides recommendations for the treatment of infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with difficult-to-treat resistance (DTR-P. aeruginosa).

Methods

A panel of 6 infectious diseases specialists with expertise in managing antimicrobial-resistant infections formulated common questions regarding the treatment of ESBL-E, CRE, and DTR-P. aeruginosa infections. Based on review of the published literature and clinical experience, the panel provide recommendations and associated rationale for each recommendation. Because of significant differences in the molecular epidemiology of resistance and the availability of specific anti-infective agents globally, this document focuses on treatment of antimicrobial-resistant infections in the United States.

Results

Approaches to empiric treatment selection, duration of therapy, and other management considerations are briefly discussed. The majority of guidance focuses on preferred and alternative treatment recommendations for antimicrobial-resistant infections, assuming that the causative organism has been identified and antibiotic susceptibility testing results are known. Treatment recommendations apply to both adults and children.

Conclusions

The field of antimicrobial resistance is dynamic and rapidly evolving, and the treatment of antimicrobial-resistant infections will continue to challenge clinicians. This guidance document is current as of 17 September 2020. Updates to this guidance document will occur periodically as new data emerge. Furthermore, the panel will expand recommendations to include other problematic gram-negative pathogens in future versions. The most current version of the guidance including the date of publication can be found at www.idsociety.org/practice-guideline/amr-guidance/.
Optimal Threshold of Controlled Attenuation Parameter for Detection of HIV-Associated NAFLD With Magnetic Resonance Imaging as the Reference Standard
Authors: Ajmera Veeral H , Cachay Edward R , Ramers Christian B , Bassirian Shirin , Singh Seema , Bettencourt Richele , Richards Lisa , Hamilton Gavin , Middleton Michael , Fowler Katie , Sirlin Claude , Loomba Rohit
Published: September 2020

Background

Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) is an ultrasound-based point-of-care method to quantify liver fat; however, the optimal threshold for CAP to detect pathologic liver fat among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PLWH) is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to identify the diagnostic accuracy and optimal threshold of CAP for the detection of liver-fat among PLWH with magnetic resonance imaging proton-density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) as the reference standard.

Methods

Patients from a prospective single-center cohort of PLWH at risk for HIV-associated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who underwent contemporaneous MRI-PDFF and CAP assessment were included. Subjects with other forms of liver disease including viral hepatitis and excessive alcohol intake were excluded. Receiver operatic characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to identify the optimal threshold for the detection of HIV-associated NAFLD (liver fat ≥ 5%).

Results

Seventy PLWH (90% men) at risk for NAFLD were included. The mean (± standard deviation) age and body mass index were 48.6 (±10.2) years and 30 (± 5.3) kg/m2, respectively. The prevalence of HIV-associated NAFLD (MRI-PDFF ≥ 5%) was 80%. The M and XL probes were used for 56% and 44% of patients, respectively. The area under the ROC curve of CAP for the detection of MRI-PDFF ≥ 5% was 0.82 (0.69–0.95) at the cut-point of 285 dB/m. The positive predictive value of CAP ≥ 285 dB/m was 93.2% in this cohort with sensitivity of 73% and specificity of 78.6%.

Conclusions

The optimal cut-point of CAP to correctly identify HIV-associated NAFLD was 285 dB/m, is similar to previously published cut-point for primary NAFLD and may be incorporated into routine care to identify patients at risk of HIV-associated NAFLD.
Myocardial damage assessed by late gadolinium enhancement on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in cancer patients treated with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab
Authors: Modi Kalpit , Joppa Stephanie , Chen Ko-Hsuan Amy , Athwal Pal Satyajit Singh , Okasha Osama , Velangi Pratik S , Hooks Matthew , Nijjar Prabhjot S , Blaes Anne H , Shenoy Chetan
Published: September 2020

Aims

In cancer patients with cardiomyopathy related to anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab, data regarding late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging are confusing. The prevalence ranges from 0% to 30% and the patterns are ill-defined. Whether treatment with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab is associated with LGE is unclear. We aimed to investigate these topics in a large cohort of consecutive cancer patients with suspected cardiotoxicity from anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab.

Methods and results

We studied 298 patients, analysed the prevalence, patterns, and correlates of LGE, and determined their causes. We compared the findings with those from 100 age-matched cancer patients who received neither anthracyclines nor trastuzumab. Amongst those who received anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab, 31 (10.4%) had LGE. It had a wide range of extent (3.9–34.7%) and locations. An ischaemic pattern was present in 20/31 (64.5%) patients. There was an alternative explanation for the non-ischaemic LGE in 7/11 (63.6%) patients. In the age-matched patients who received neither anthracyclines nor trastuzumab, the prevalence of LGE was higher at 27.0%, while the extent of LGE and the proportion with ischaemic pattern were not different.

Conclusion

LGE was present in only a minority. Its patterns and locations did not fit into a single unique profile. It had alternative explanations in virtually all cases. Finally, LGE was also present in cancer patients who received neither anthracyclines nor trastuzumab. Therefore, treatment with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab is unlikely to be associated with LGE. The absence of LGE can help distinguish anthracycline- and/or trastuzumab-related cardiomyopathy from unrelated cardiomyopathies.
Impact of access route to the left ventricle on asymptomatic periprocedural brain injury: the results of a randomized trial in patients undergoing catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Borišincová Eva , Peichl Petr , Wichterle Dan , Šramko Marek , Aldhoon Bashar , Franeková Janka , Čihák Robert , Kautzner Josef
Published: September 2020

Aims

Catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) is an effective treatment in patients with structural heart disease (SHD) and recurrent arrhythmias. However, the procedure is associated with the risk of complications, including both manifest and asymptomatic cerebral thromboembolic events. We hypothesized that periprocedural asymptomatic brain injury (ABI) can be reduced by using transseptal instead of the retrograde access route to the left ventricle (LV).

Methods and results

Consecutive patients undergoing VT ablation for SHD were randomized 1:1 to either retrograde or transseptal LV access. All patients underwent radiofrequency ablation in conscious sedation with the use of an irrigated tip catheter. The degree of brain damage was evaluated by serum level of biomarker S100B. Significant ABI was defined as a post-ablation relative increase of S100B level >30%. A total of 144 patients (66 ± 9 years; 14 females; 90% coronary artery disease; LV ejection fraction: 30 ± 8%) were enrolled and 72 were allocated to each study groups. Symptomatic neurological complication of the procedure was not observed in any subject. A significant ABI was detected in 19.4% of patients. It was more commonly observed in subjects randomized to retrograde vs. transseptal LV access (26.4% vs. 12.5%, P = 0.04). In a multivariate analysis, only retrograde LV access and advanced age were independent determinants of significant ABI.

Conclusion

Significant ABI after ablation of VT in patients with SHD can be detected in one-fifth of subjects. Retrograde access to LV is associated with a two-fold higher probability of significant ABI.
An extended regularized adjusted plus-minus analysis for lineup management in basketball using play-by-play data
Authors: Grassetti Luca , Bellio Ruggero , Di Gaspero Luca , Fonseca Giovanni , Vidoni Paolo
Published: September 2020

In this work we analyse basketball play-by-play data in order to evaluate the efficiency of different five-man lineups employed by teams. Starting from the adjusted plus-minus framework, we present a model-based strategy for the analysis of the result of partial match outcomes, extending the current literature in two main directions. The first extension replaces the classical response variable (scored points) with a comprehensive score that combines a set of box score statistics. This allows various aspects of the game to be separated. The second extension focuses on entire lineups rather than individual players, using a suitable extended model specification. The model fitting procedure is Bayesian and provides the necessary regularization. An advantage of this approach is the use of posterior distributions to rank players and lineups, providing an effective tool for team managers. For the empirical analysis, we use the 2018/2019 regular season of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Championship, with play-by-play and box scores for 240 matches, which are made available by the league website. The results of the model fitting can be used for several investigations as, for instance, the comparative analysis of the effects of single players and the estimation of total and synergic effects of lineups monitoring. Moreover, the behaviour of players and lineups during the season, updating the estimation results after each gameday, can represent a rather useful tool.
Antibody Combinations Targeting the Essential Antigens CyRPA, RH5, and MSP-119 Potently Neutralize Plasmodium falciparum Clinical Isolates From India and Africa
Authors: Singh Hina , Mian Syed Yusuf , Pandey Alok K , Krishna Sri , Anand Gaurav , Reddy K Sony , Chaturvedi Neha , Bahl Vanndita , Hans Nidhi , Shukla Man Mohan , Bassat Quique , Mayor Alfredo , Miura Kazutoyo , Bharti Praveen K , Long Carole , Singh Neeru , Chauhan Virander Singh , Gaur Deepak
Published: September 2020

Background

Targeting multiple key antigens that mediate distinct Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte invasion pathways is an attractive approach for the development of blood-stage malaria vaccines. However, the challenge is to identify antigen cocktails that elicit potent strain-transcending parasite-neutralizing antibodies efficacious at low immunoglobulin G concentrations feasible to achieve through vaccination. Previous reports have screened inhibitory antibodies primarily against well adapted laboratory parasite clones. However, validation of the parasite-neutralizing efficacy against clinical isolates with minimal in vitro cultivation is equally significant to better ascertain their prospective in vivo potency.

Methods

We evaluated the parasite-neutralizing activity of different antibodies individually and in combinations against laboratory adapted clones and clinical isolates. Clinical isolates were collected from Central India and Mozambique, Africa, and characterized for their invasion properties and genetic diversity of invasion ligands.

Results

In our portfolio, we evaluated 25 triple antibody combinations and identified the MSP-Fu+CyRPA+RH5 antibody combination to elicit maximal parasite neutralization against P. falciparum clinical isolates with variable properties that underwent minimal in vitro cultivation.

Conclusions

The MSP-Fu+CyRPA+RH5 combination exhibited highly robust parasite neutralization against P. falciparum clones and clinical isolates, thus substantiating them as promising candidate antigens and establishing a proof of principle for the development of a combinatorial P. falciparum blood-stage malaria vaccine.
Great power rivalry and the agency of secondary states: a study based on China’s relations with Southeast Asian countries
Authors: Zha Wen
Published: September 2020

In recent years, many observers perceive ascendant Chinese influence in Southeast Asia. Existing research attributes China’s recent advances in the region to Beijing’s successful implementation of a dual strategy of coercion and inducement or Washington’s lack of commitments to the region. In a departure from the literature, this article emphasizes the agency of Southeast Asian states. It argues that great power competition empowers the secondary states by reducing their vulnerability, increasing available resources, and lending credibility to their threat of exists. As a result, domestic agenda plays a predominant role in determining a secondary state’s foreign policy orientation. To illustrate this proposition, the changing dynamics of China’s relations with Myanmar and the Philippines are examined closely. This article demonstrates that although the two states had realigned away from China since 2010–11, new agendas that emerged from their domestic politics in late 2016 tipped the balance in favor of China.
Voluntary Ecolabels in International Trade Law: A Case Study of the EU Ecolabel
Authors: Du Ming
Published: September 2020

One category of voluntary approaches to environmental governance is ecolabels used to nudge consumers towards purchasing environmentally friendly products. The purpose of this article is to critically review the trade law implications of voluntary ecolabels, with special reference to the EU Ecolabel. For a long time, the lack of trade disputes related to the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) before the World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body rendered research on the legality of voluntary ecolabels in trade law unavoidably speculative. Consequently, the existing scholarship has failed to inform the environment law community clearly how trade law views voluntary ecolabels. This article aims to fill the gap in the literature by evaluating the consistency of the EU Ecolabel with the TBT rules. The article concludes that it is highly unlikely that the EU Ecolabel may be found inconsistent with the TBT Agreement. Nevertheless, there remains some legal risks.
Educating Landowners on Forest-Based Alternative Income Streams in North Carolina: Program Evaluation and Lessons Learned
Authors: Parajuli Rajan , Chizmar Stephanie , Megalos Mark , Bardon Robert
Published: September 2020

Forest-based payments for ecosystem services markets have grown considerably in recent years. Besides timber products from harvests, forests offer multiple nontimber and intrinsic benefits, which could be important sources of income for landowners. In summer 2019, we organized four region-specific educational workshops all across North Carolina to educate landowners, Extension agents, and natural resource professionals about these alternative forest-based income streams. In this article, we cover the topics included in those workshops, postworkshop evaluation, and lessons learned from those events, which provide useful insights for Extension and outreach professionals in program design and delivery in forest-based payments for ecosystem service markets.

Study Implications

This article presents the details of a program, postworkshop evaluation, and lessons learned, which serve as useful guidelines for Extension and outreach educators in designing and delivering similar programs in forest-based alternative income streams. Although markets for ecosystem services are improving worldwide along with increasing research and outreach efforts in forest-based intrinsic benefits, results from evaluation surveys suggest that attendees had limited knowledge in forest carbon markets, wetland mitigation banking, and conservation easements in North Carolina. More region-specific Extension and outreach programs highlighting the locally available nontimber market options are recommended all across the country. Similarly, partnerships with other state agencies and institutions in program planning, advertisement, and delivery would improve effectiveness of similar Extension and outreach programs.
Epigastric heteropagus and omphalocele
Authors: Falyoun Mohammad Saeed , Mashlah Qusai , Aldiri Qusai , Mohamad Ali Ramadan , Daowd Lina Khalil , Ayash Malek
Published: September 2020

We report a case of epigastric heteropagus twins with omphalocele. The parasite had two lower limbs, genitalia with developed phallus and scrotum but absent testis and absent anus. An omphalocele was present just below the attachment of the parasitic twin. No kidney or ureter but only a bladder filled with urine seen during exploration. The parasite bowel was attached to an omphalocele sac prolapsing through it and there was connection to the autosite liver, which forms the main source of its blood supply. Surgery was performed in the neonatal period (Day 12 after birth) for both excision of epigastric heteropagus and omphalocele repair.
Abscisic acid homeostasis is mediated by feedback regulation of MdMYB88 and MdMYB124
Authors: Xie Yinpeng , Bao Chana , Chen Pengxiang , Cao Fuguo , Liu Xiaofang , Geng Dali , Li Zhongxing , Li Xuewei , Hou Nan , Zhi Fang , Niu Chundong , Zhou Shuangxi , Zhan Xiangqiang , Ma Fengwang , Guan Qingmei
Published: September 2020

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) is involved in various plant processes. In response to drought stress, plants quickly accumulate ABA, but the regulatory mechanism of ABA accumulation is largely unknown, especially in woody plants. In this study, we report that MdMYB88 and MdMYB124 are myeloblastosis (MYB) transcription factors critical for ABA accumulation in apple trees (Malus x domestica) following drought, and this regulation is negatively controlled by ABA. MdMYB88 and MdMYB124 positively regulate leaf water transpiration, photosynthetic capacity, and stress endurance in apple trees under drought conditions. MdMYB88 and MdMYB124 regulate the expression of biosynthetic and catabolic genes of ABA, as well as drought- and ABA- responsive genes. MdMYB88 associates with promoter regions of the ABA biosynthetic gene 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase 3 (NCED3). Finally, expression of MdMYB88 and MdMYB124 is repressed by ABA. Our results identify a feedback regulation of MdMYB88 and MdMYB124 in modulating ABA homeostasis in apple trees.
The logic of uncertainty in law and life
Authors: Clermont Kevin M
Published: September 2020

My central interest is decision making in the presence of epistemic uncertainty. A method appropriate for both specialized inquiries and everyday reasoning is based on credal logic, which employs multivalent degrees of belief rather than traditional probability theory. It accounts for epistemic uncertainty as unallocated belief. It holds that, when facing real uncertainty, if a person believes a and believes b, then the person believes a and b together. This brand of multivalent logic underlies and justifies how legal decision makers and the rest of us find facts in a world infused with epistemic uncertainty. Indeed, this article closes by showing the equivalence of multivalent logic and inference to the best explanation. By demonstrating this similarity in reasoning, I aim to shore up our faith in the logic of traditional legal reasoning.
Contrasting Gene Decay in Subterranean Vertebrates: Insights from Cavefishes and Fossorial Mammals
Authors: Policarpo Maxime , Fumey Julien , Lafargeas Philippe , Naquin Delphine , Thermes Claude , Naville Magali , Dechaud Corentin , Volff Jean-Nicolas , Cabau Cedric , Klopp Christophe , Møller Peter Rask , Bernatchez Louis , García-Machado Erik , Rétaux Sylvie , Casane Didier
Published: September 2020

Evolution sometimes proceeds by loss, especially when structures and genes become dispensable after an environmental shift relaxes functional constraints. Subterranean vertebrates are outstanding models to analyze this process, and gene decay can serve as a readout. We sought to understand some general principles on the extent and tempo of the decay of genes involved in vision, circadian clock, and pigmentation in cavefishes. The analysis of the genomes of two Cuban species belonging to the genus Lucifuga provided evidence for the largest loss of eye-specific genes and nonvisual opsin genes reported so far in cavefishes. Comparisons with a recently evolved cave population of Astyanax mexicanus and three species belonging to the Chinese tetraploid genus Sinocyclocheilus revealed the combined effects of the level of eye regression, time, and genome ploidy on eye-specific gene pseudogenization. The limited extent of gene decay in all these cavefishes and the very small number of loss-of-function mutations per pseudogene suggest that their eye degeneration may not be very ancient, ranging from early to late Pleistocene. This is in sharp contrast with the identification of several vision genes carrying many loss-of-function mutations in ancient fossorial mammals, further suggesting that blind fishes cannot thrive more than a few million years in cave ecosystems.
Statistical mechanics of chromosomes:in vivoandin silicoapproaches reveal high-level organization and structure arise exclusively through mechanical feedback between loop extruders and chromatin substrate properties
Authors: He Yunyan , Lawrimore Josh , Cook Diana , Van Gorder Elizabeth Erin , De Larimat Solenn Claire , Adalsteinsson David , Forest M Gregory , Bloom Kerry
Published: September 2020

The revolution in understanding higher order chromosome dynamics and organization derives from treating the chromosome as a chain polymer and adapting appropriate polymer-based physical principles. Using basic principles, such as entropic fluctuations and timescales of relaxation of Rouse polymer chains, one can recapitulate the dominant features of chromatin motion observed in vivo. An emerging challenge is to relate the mechanical properties of chromatin to more nuanced organizational principles such as ubiquitous DNA loops. Toward this goal, we introduce a real-time numerical simulation model of a long chain polymer in the presence of histones and condensin, encoding physical principles of chromosome dynamics with coupled histone and condensin sources of transient loop generation. An exact experimental correlate of the model was obtained through analysis of a model-matching fluorescently labeled circular chromosome in live yeast cells. We show that experimentally observed chromosome compaction and variance in compaction are reproduced only with tandem interactions between histone and condensin, not from either individually. The hierarchical loop structures that emerge upon incorporation of histone and condensin activities significantly impact the dynamic and structural properties of chromatin. Moreover, simulations reveal that tandem condensin–histone activity is responsible for higher order chromosomal structures, including recently observed Z-loops.
Digitization of Buddhism (Digital Humanities and Buddhist Studies)
Authors: Bingenheimer Marcus
Published: September 2020

The period between 1990 and 2010 saw a momentous change in the way humans store information. The transition from a society that encodes its information mainly in analogue ways to one that relies mainly on digital media has far-reaching consequences for each of its subsystems, including religion and academia. The well-understood materiality of analogue media, which encode information in unique, persistent, easily addressable items, which are embedded in economic and legal arrangements, has been replaced by a regime where most information is encoded digitally. Computationally mediated, digital information can be quickly produced, changed, multiplied, and transmitted, but is always reliant on a many-layered infrastructure of network, hardware, and software standards. How is Buddhist heritage digitized and how does that impact Buddhist studies? Buddhists, from the very beginning of their tradition, have often been “early adopters” and eager to use whatever new media were available to store, manage, and transmit their cultural heritage. With the advent of writing in India, Buddhism is mentioned in the earliest examples of Indian epigraphy (the Aśokan edicts, 3rd century bce), and the oldest surviving Indian manuscripts (c. 1st century ce) are of Buddhist texts. In China, Buddhism became the first religion to make use of printing to copy their sacred scriptures. Famously, the earliest dated printed book (868 ce) is a Chinese version of the Diamond Sutra. In Buddhist studies, like in other fields of academic inquiry, researchers had to learn within a generation to digitally access and manage primary sources (see Digitization of Primary Sources) and research tools (see Digitization of Research Tools). Cyberspace has become a new frontier for research into contemporary Buddhism (see Buddhism in Cyberspace). Similar to other fields in the Humanities, the application of research methods specific to digital data (see Application of Computational Methods in Buddhist Studies), however, is still in its infancy. This article is neither a link list, nor a bibliography in the traditional sense, but an attempt to survey the landscape of initiatives and approaches toward the use of computational methods in Buddhist studies. To prevent link rot, I cite URLs only where projects are not easily findable via a simple online search for their name. Most of the resources in this article are the product of teamwork; very few are created by a single person alone. Because of this, I generally forgo mentioning individuals, focusing instead on the institutions that maintain a resource. Acronyms are only given where they are widely used.
Longitudinal Research in Criminology
Authors: Zane Steven
Published: September 2020

Broadly, longitudinal research is research that involves longitudinal data, that is, data with a time dimension. This can be contrasted with cross-sectional data, which records information about the units of analysis at a particular point in time. Longitudinal research in criminology can be used for a variety of purposes, including quantifying trends in human behavior over time, describing the progression of life events, identifying patterns of behavior change, testing theories of crime causation, and evaluating the impact of interventions including criminal justice policy. Different types of longitudinal studies can be used for each of these aims. Panel studies look at multiple waves of data collection using same measures and sample. Cohort studies involve a particular group of individuals that are studied over time, such as a “birth cohort” or a “prison cohort.” Time-series studies involve a series of measurements taken at periodic time intervals in order to measure the impact of a change (such as a policy intervention) by comparing before- and after- measurements of the phenomena of interest. Trend studies look at change over time in a total population or sample that is generalizable to that population. In what follows, longitudinal research in criminology is reviewed with an emphasis on prospective cohort designs. First, an overview of longitudinal research and the methods for analyzing longitudinal data is first provided. Next, major longitudinal cohort studies are discussed, including early (pre-1970) and later (post-1970) cohort studies, long-term follow-ups of prospective cohort studies, and major longitudinal-experimental designs. These studies have allowed researchers to control for possible cohort effects, i.e., similarities within the group, when examining patterns in offending over time. This is especially useful for “life course” researchers who are interested in how a sequence of socially defined events affects individuals over time (i.e., age and period effects). Applications of longitudinal research are then discussed. Most notably, this involves developmental and life-course criminology, which requires longitudinal research to examine criminal careers, early risk factors for offending, offending trajectories, and adult transitions and desistance. Additionally, longitudinal research has been utilized to examine intergenerational transmission of crime, to test major theories of crime, to assess the impact of criminal justice policy, and to examine aggregate trends in crime and punishment. Each of these is briefly discussed.
Filipinos
Authors: Coranez Bolton Sony , Diaz Josen
Published: September 2020

“Filipino” refers to those who claim ethnonational ties to the Philippines. At the same time that the term assumes such an affiliation, its invocation problematizes this connection. The term itself cannot be said to be autochthonous to the archipelago, as it is the namesake of Prince Felipe II of Asturias of the 16th century. While certainly not exceptional to many accounts of places and nations that share a colonial past, scholars in Latino studies might think, along with scholars in Filipino studies, what it might mean to articulate an Asian identity, culture, and history via a name inherited from colonial Spanish. Indeed, the Filipino alphabet does not even have an “F”—“Filipino” may hail as much into existence as it displaces from colonial memory. Contemporary and historical migration patterns of Filipinos similarly speak to such displacements. By some accounts, more than ten million Filipino citizens live outside of the national and geographic boundaries of the Philippines; hence its diaspora is not singular but multifarious and expansive. As some of these texts certainly attest, human labor is the country’s most profitable export. The study of Filipinos and the Philippines, moreover, finds its place in studies of Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America. In other words, even as “Filipinos” presumes a certain geographical fixity, it also generates a host of queries that incisively call into question this assumption and the politics it holds. In particular, how does one articulate an ever-shifting diaspora? Under what conditions was the “Filipino” made possible, and what did its invocation foreclose and provoke? Who did it include then, and what might it exclude now? The literature included here focuses on the study of Filipinos not in any attempt to produce objective knowledge about a single group of people, but rather treats Filipinos as an entry point for interrogating the terms by which Filipinos are known and understood. For instance, literature on migration calls into question not only the telos of immigration to point to the necessary multidirectionality of Filipino movement, but also points to the state itself as developing into an entity that must manage a citizenry that lives elsewhere. Filipino literature in Spanish, moreover, necessitates a study of the transpacific that attends to competing and overlapping empires. This bibliography also aims to enumerate to works of cultural and literary production (beyond just secondary academic sources) that we feel would be most relevant to scholars in Latinx/a/o studies and Latin Americanists who are interested in looking at Spain’s lone colony in Asia. Nevertheless, the list of literary and cultural sources here is by no means meant to be exhaustive, but is rather a point of departure. For instance, listing works in Spanish by Filipino authors, while historically relevant, is certainly not completely (or at all) representative of “Filipino literature,” particularly because Spanish is not widely spoken in the Philippines today.
Do Stay at Home Orders and Cloth Face Coverings Control COVID-19 in New York City? Results From a SIER Model Based on Real-world Data
Authors: Li Jian , Wang Yuming , Wu Jing , Ai Jing-Wen , Zhang Hao-Cheng , Gamber Michelle , Li Wei , Zhang Wen-Hong , Sun Wen-Jie
Published: September 2020

Background

Public health interventions have been implemented to contain the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in New York City. However, the assessment of those interventions—for example, social distancing and cloth face coverings—based on real-world data from published studies is lacking.

Methods

The Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Removed (SEIR) compartmental model was used to evaluate the effect of social distancing and cloth face coverings on the daily culminative laboratory confirmed cases in New York City (NYC) and COVID-19 transmissibility. The latter was measured by Rt reproduction numbers in 3 phases that were based on 2 interventions implemented during this timeline.

Results

Transmissibility decreased from phase 1 to phase 3. The initial R0 was 4.60 in phase 1 without any intervention. After social distancing, the Rt value was reduced by 68%, while after the mask recommendation, it was further reduced by ~60%.

Conclusions

Interventions resulted in significant reduction of confirmed case numbers relative to predicted values based on the SEIR model without intervention. Our findings highlight the effectiveness of social distancing and cloth face coverings in slowing down the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in NYC.
Acute Weight Gain After Switch to Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
Authors: Selvaraj Shailendra V , Bares Sara H , Havens Joshua P
Published: September 2020

We report a case of acute weight gain after switching from emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil to emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide for human immunodeficiency virus pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Gender and culture
Authors: Giuliano Paola
Published: September 2020

This paper reviews the literature on gender and culture. Gender gaps in various outcomes (competitiveness, labour force participation, and performance in mathematics, among many others) show remarkable differences across countries and tend to persist over time. The economics literature initially explained these differences by looking at standard economic variables such as the level of development, women’s education, the expansion of the service sector, and discrimination. More recent literature has argued that gender differences in a variety of outcomes could reflect underlying cultural values and beliefs. This article reviews the literature on the relevance of culture in the determination of different forms of gender gap. I examine how differences in historical situations could have been relevant in generating gender differences and the conditions under which gender norms tend to be stable or to change over time, emphasizing the role of social learning. Finally, I review the role of different forms of cultural transmission in shaping gender differences, distinguishing between channels of vertical transmission (the role of the family), horizontal transmission (the role of peers), and oblique transmission (the role of teachers or role models).
Phenotypes of Women with and Without Endometriosis and Relationship with Functional Pain Disability
Authors: Evans Subhadra , Mikocka-Walus Antonina , Olive Lisa , Seidman Laura C , Druitt Marilla , Payne Laura A
Published: September 2020

Objective

Primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis share overlapping symptoms and likely demonstrate aspects of central sensitization. The present study aimed to identify distinct phenotypes of women who have dysmenorrhea with and without endometriosis to shed light on the unique mechanisms contributing to the pathogenesis of each condition.

Methods

An online survey was used to investigate the relationship between ratings of menstrual pain severity, menstrual symptoms (abdominal cramps, abdominal discomfort, low back pain, headache, body aches, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, increased bowel movements), widespread pain, and functional pain disability in a community sample of 1,354 women (aged 18–50) with menstrual pain in Australia.

Results

Compared with women without endometriosis, those with endometriosis had statistically significant higher menstrual pain severity (P<0.01), symptom severity and fatigue (all symptoms P<0.001, although only cramps and bloating were clinically significant), widespread pain sites (P<0.001), and functional pain disability (P<0.001, although this difference was not clinically significant). When examining symptoms by pain severity, women with severe menstrual pain were more likely to experience symptoms than women with less severe pain, regardless of the presence of endometriosis. Similar predictors of functional pain disability emerged for women with and without endometriosis, such as body aches, nausea, fatigue, and widespread pain, respectively, suggesting the presence of central sensitization in both groups. Logistic regression revealed that after accounting for menstrual pain severity (odds ratio [OR], 1.61) and duration (OR, 1.04), symptoms of bloating (OR, 1.12), nausea (OR, 1.07), and widespread pain sites (OR, 1.06) significantly predicted the presence of endometriosis.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that phenotypes specific to endometriosis can be identified.