bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NUT midline carcinomas and their differentials by a single molecular profiling method: a new promising diagnostic strategy illustrated by a case report
Authors: Haefliger Simon , Tzankov Alexandar , Frank Stephan , Bihl Michel , Vallejo Alfonso , Stebler Juerg , Hench Juergen
Published: June 2020

NUT midline carcinoma is an aggressive neoplasm defined by chromosomal rearrangements of the nuclear protein in testis (NUT) gene (NUTM1). In this article, we present a strategy to detect this rare tumor through a standard DNA methylation array analysis even when occurring in unusual anatomic sites. We illustrate our approach through a case study in which we detected metastatic spread of a NUT midline carcinoma within a bone marrow biopsy that exhibited histological features of a blastoid, undifferentiated neoplasm. Our strategy builds on molecular data derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus as well as computational strategies adopted from the Brain Tumor Methylation Classifier. It is a combined approach that detects the unusual cell lineage of NUT midline carcinomas and makes diagnostic use of the entity-specific copy number alterations.
Spectral composition of shortwave radiation transmitted by forest canopies
Authors: Hovi Aarne , Rautiainen Miina
Published: June 2020

Key message

Leaf area index and species composition influence red-to-near-infrared and red-to-shortwave-infrared transmittance ratios of boreal and temperate forest canopies.

In this short communication paper, we present how the spectral composition of transmitted shortwave radiation (350–2200 nm) varies in boreal and temperate forests based on a detailed set of measurements conducted in Finland and Czechia. Our results show that within-stand variation in canopy transmittance is wavelength dependent, and is the largest for sparse forest stands. Increasing leaf area index (LAI) reduces the overall level of transmittance as well as red-to-near-infrared and red-to-shortwave-infrared transmittance ratios. Given the same LAI, these ratios are lower for broadleaved than for coniferous forests. These results demonstrate the importance of both LAI and forest type (broadleaved vs. coniferous) in determining light quality under forest canopies.
Dysphagia in cervical dystonia patients receiving optimised botulinum toxin therapy: a single-center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Kutschenko Anna , Klietz Martin , Paracka Lejla , Kollewe Katja , Schulte-Sutum Annika , Janssen Theda , Schrader Christoph , Wegner Florian , Dressler Dirk
Published: June 2020

To explore the correlations of botulinum toxin (BT) therapy with dysphagia, we wanted to study a group of cervical dystonia (CD) patients with optimised BT therapy during a prolonged period of time to record their dysphagia frequency, severity and duration, to study potential risk factors and try to avoid it by BT application with ultrasound guidance. BT therapy of 75 CD patients (23 males, 52 females, age 60 ± 12 years, BT total dose 303.5 ± 101.5 uMU) was retrospectively analysed for 1 year. BT therapy was optimised prior to the observation period. Dysphagia was noticed by one fifth of the patients. In those patients, it only occurred in about one third of the injection series. It was never associated with a functional deficit and lasted several days to 2 weeks. It was not related to patient age or gender, BT total dose, BT dose in the sternocleidomastoid muscle, BT dose in the sternocleidomastoid and scalenii muscles, by BT therapy with bilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle injections or BT therapy with abobotulinumtoxinA. Ultrasound guidance was not able to prevent it. Further prospective studies will be necessary to study underlying dystonia associated swallowing abnormalities as a potentially predisposing factor.
Profiles of learning opportunities of multilingual and monolingual children in kindergarten
Authors: Langeloo Annegien , Lara Mayra Mascareño , Deunk Marjolein I. , LoCasale-Crouch Jennifer , Strijbos Jan-Willem
Published: June 2020

Early childhood education serves an increasing number of multilingual children, and teachers are challenged to create high-quality learning opportunities in the classroom for all children. The child’s engagement and interactions with the teacher are important in this respect. The present study therefore examined how multilingualism relates to engagement and teacher-child interactions, taking a person-oriented approach. During one school year, 76 kindergarteners (43 multilingual) from 19 classrooms were observed for behavioral engagement and individual teacher-child interactions. Five engagement profiles were identified that reflect different levels of engagement across classroom settings. Multilingual children were overrepresented in profiles that showed lower engagement in one or more settings. Also, five interaction profiles were identified that showed strong diversity in the interactions of teachers with children in their classroom. Monolingual and multilingual children were equally represented across these profiles. Children in the more beneficial interaction profiles were also often in the moderate-to-high engagement profiles.
Recording and quantifying sympathetic outflow to muscle and skin in humans: methods, caveats and challenges
Authors: Macefield Vaughan G.
Published: June 2020

The development of microneurography, in which the electrical activity of axons can be recorded via an intrafascicular microelectrode inserted through the skin into a peripheral nerve in awake human participants, has contributed a great deal to our understanding of sensorimotor control and the control of sympathetic outflow to muscle and skin. This review summarises the different approaches to recording muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA), together with discussion on the issues that determine the quality of a recording. Various analytical approaches are also described, with a primary emphasis on those developed by the author, aimed at maximizing the information content from recordings of postganglionic sympathetic nerve activity in awake humans.
The Prevalence of Risky Play in Young Children’s Indoor and Outdoor Free Play
Authors: Sandseter Ellen Beate Hansen , Kleppe Rasmus , Sando Ole Johan
Published: June 2020

Research on children’s risky play and young children’s risk taking is a relatively new research area that has drawn the attention of many researchers in the last decades. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, no earlier studies have measured the prevalence of risky play when children can freely choose what to play, with whom, and where. Most research on risky play has also exclusively focused on outdoor play. This study aims at examining the occurrence and characteristics of children’s risky play, indoors and outdoors, in early childhood education and care (ECEC) institutions. Children (N = 80) were observed in two-minute sequences during periods of the day when they were free to choose what to do. The data consists of 1878 randomly recorded two-minute videos, which were coded second by second for the occurrence of several categories of risky play. Results revealed that risky play was registered in 10.3% of the total data material. The data is further analysed to explore distribution among different types of risky play, as well as differences between gender, age and environment (indoors vs. outdoors).
Classroom Management Scripts: a Theoretical Model Contrasting Expert and Novice Teachers’ Knowledge and Awareness of Classroom Events
Authors: Wolff Charlotte E. , Jarodzka Halszka , Boshuizen Henny P. A.
Published: June 2020

Dealing with the complexities of the classroom and the diversity of events in classroom situations presents a major challenge for classroom management. The knowledge a teacher has for processing this complexity depends a great deal on their level of experience, leading to differences in the way teachers perceive and interpret classroom events. This includes how they monitor events and how they maintain an ongoing awareness of classroom situations. It also impacts decisions about when and how to act in response to events. Research on classroom management has often focused on how to handle common classroom situations, but does not provide a theoretical description of how knowledge from experience affects teachers’ awareness and ability to manage the classroom. This article proposes a definition forclassroom management scriptsby contrasting expert and novice teachers’ knowledge and their decisions to act in response to classroom events. Classroom management scripts help clarify differences in teachers’ recognition and representation of events by considering how expertise influences visual perception and mental interpretation. The proposed model exposes the internal cognitive processing involved in classroom management. Such insights can be useful for helping teacher educators and teachers themselves analyze and make sense of puzzling events. In turn, this may help develop training approaches to improve teachers’ awareness of factors easily overlooked when considering classroom management, enhancing professional vision. This theory also underlines the centrality of facilitating and sustaining learning when grappling with the challenges of managing a classroom.
Epistemic Consultants and the Regulation of Policy Knowledge in the Obama Administration
Authors: Wright Jack , Mata Tiago
Published: June 2020

The agencies of the government of the United States of America, such as the Food and Drug Administration or the Environmental Protection Agency, intervene in American society through the collection, processing, and diffusion of information. The Presidency of Barack Obama was notable for updating and redesigning the US government’s information infrastructure. The White House enhanced mass consultation through open government and big data initiatives to evaluate policy effectiveness, and it launched new ways of communicating with the citizenry. In this essay we argue that these programs spelled out an emergent epistemology based on two assumptions: dispersed knowledge and a critique of judgment. These programs have redefined the evidence required to justify and design regulatory policy and conferred authority to a new kind of expert, which we call epistemic consultants.
Sorption and Desorption of CO2 and CH4 in Vitrinite- and Inertinite-Rich Polish Low-Rank Coal
Authors: Czerw Katarzyna , Baran Paweł , Szczurowski Jakub , Zarębska Katarzyna
Published: June 2020

Low-pressure sorption tests were carried out on samples of selected Polish bituminous coal in coal–methane and coal–carbon dioxide systems. The purpose was to determine the relationship between the petrographic composition of low-rank coal and the amount of gas stored in its porous structure and desorbed from it. The influence of the degree of coalification on the amount of sorbed gas was reduced to minimum, because isotherms of deposition and evacuation of gases were determined on the base coal samples and two concentrates of lithotypes, vitrain and durain, isolated from the original coal. It was found that the sorption capacity of carbon dioxide was related to the pertographic composition, but no such correlation was observed in regard to methane. Langmuir and Dubinin–Radushkevich sorption isotherms and the modified desorption model based on Langmuir equation were chosen. The applied equations gave a very good fit to the experimental data. Calculated parameters corresponding to free adsorption energy in the Dubinin–Radushkevich equation allow concluding on the independence of its mechanism from coal petrography and on the preference of carbon dioxide sorption. Calculated adsorption equilibrium constants in Langmuir’s equation show variability with petrographic composition of coal and have lower values for methane than for carbon dioxide. It was shown that the size of the hysteresis loop depends on the petrographic composition of coal and increases with increase in vitrinite content for both sorbates, which was confirmed by values of areal hysteresis index and hysteresis parameter.
Deep neural networks for grape bunch segmentation in natural images from a consumer-grade camera
Authors: Marani R. , Milella A. , Petitti A. , Reina G.
Published: June 2020

Precision agriculture relies on the availability of accurate knowledge of crop phenotypic traits at the sub-field level. While visual inspection by human experts has been traditionally adopted for phenotyping estimations, sensors mounted on field vehicles are becoming valuable tools to increase accuracy on a narrower scale and reduce execution time and labor costs, as well. In this respect, automated processing of sensor data for accurate and reliable fruit detection and characterization is a major research challenge, especially when data consist of low-quality natural images. This paper investigates the use of deep learning frameworks for automated segmentation of grape bunches in color images from a consumer-grade RGB-D camera, placed on-board an agricultural vehicle. A comparative study, based on the estimation of two image segmentation metrics, i.e. the segmentation accuracy and the well-known Intersection over Union (IoU), is presented to estimate the performance of four pre-trained network architectures, namely the AlexNet, the GoogLeNet, the VGG16, and the VGG19. Furthermore, a novel strategy aimed at improving the segmentation of bunch pixels is proposed. It is based on an optimal threshold selection of the bunch probability maps, as an alternative to the conventional minimization of cross-entropy loss of mutually exclusive classes. Results obtained in field tests show that the proposed strategy improves the mean segmentation accuracy of the four deep neural networks in a range between 2.10 and 8.04%. Besides, the comparative study of the four networks demonstrates that the best performance is achieved by the VGG19, which reaches a mean segmentation accuracy on the bunch class of 80.58%, with IoU values for the bunch class of 45.64%.
Voice disorders in severe obstructive sleep apnea patients and comparison of two acoustic analysis software programs: MDVP and Praat
Authors: Wei Mei , Du Jianqun , Wang Xiaoyu , Lu Honghua , Wang Wei , Lin Peng
Published: June 2020

Objective

The purposes of this study were to explore the effect of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) on the voice by analyzing the acoustic parameters between patients with OSAHS and those without OSAHS and to compare acoustic analyses performed by two software programs (MDVP and Praat).

Methods

Patients with OSAHS (n = 75) and normal controls (n = 46) were asked to produce a sustained sound of the vowel /i/ and were analyzed with electroglottography (EGG), MDVP, and Praat software. A self-rated scale (Voice Handicap Index, VHI-10) and acoustic parameters were compared.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in the fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, shimmer, noise/harmonic ratio (NHR), contact quotient perturbation (CQP), or contact index perturbation (CIP) between the patient group and the normal group. The VHI-10 values were significantly increased in patients with OSAHS. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis suggested that the shimmer obtained from MDVP and Praat possessed relatively high accuracy in differentiating patients with OSAHS from healthy individuals. The results for F0, jitter, shimmer, and NHR were significantly different between MDVP and Praat in OSAHS patients. In normal persons, there was a significant difference in NHR; however, no significant differences were found for F0, jitter, or shimmer between the two software programs. The results demonstrated that high correlations were found between values obtained by both software programs.

Conclusions

Patients with OSAHS were prone to vibration irregularity, incomplete glottal closure, hoarseness, and other vocal problems. The two acoustic software programs present different values of acoustic measures. There was a strong correlation and consistency between the parameters calculated by the two software programs.
Hans Haacke, Andrea Fraser und das Projekt einer gegenhegemonialen Disziplingeschichte
Authors: Rieger-Ladich Markus
Published: June 2020

Hans Haacke und Andrea Fraser, zwei zeitgenössische Künstler*innen, haben mit ihren Arbeiten die Selbstkritik des künstlerischen Feldes immer weiter radikalisiert – und sie werfen dabei Fragen auf, die auch für Vertreter*innen der (Erziehungs‑)Wissenschaft von besonderer Brisanz sind. Etwa danach, wie sich ein patriarchaler Apparat kritisieren lässt, dessen Teil man*frau ist. Vor diesem Hintergrund stelle ich das Projekt einer gegenhegemonialen Disziplingeschichte vor, skizziere seine Konturen und kontextualisiere es. Und versuche dabei zugleich zu zeigen, dass die künstlerische Institutionskritik die wissenschaftliche Selbstbefragung zu stimulieren vermag. Der Blick über die Grenzen der Disziplin ist – auch in diesem Fall – überaus lohnenswert.
Characterisation of rectal amoxicillin (RAMOX) for the treatment of pneumonia in children
Authors: Hanning Sara M , Matiz Silvia , Krasser Katharina , Orlu Mine , Dodoo Cornelius , Gaisford Simon , Tuleu Catherine
Published: June 2020

Access to medicines, including their availability and affordability, is a major public health challenge worldwide. This research aimed to characterise rectal formulations containing amoxicillin for the treatment of pneumonia in children under five, as an accessible alternative to existing formulations. Lipophilic Suppocire (S-NA15) and hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG; 80% PEG 1500 and 20% PEG 4000, w/w) suppositories containing 250 mg amoxicillin were prepared. Hardness, apparent viscosity, uniformity of mass, uniformity of content, disintegration and dissolution time were determined. Irritation potential was screened using a slug mucosal assay and antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus determined by isothermal microcalorimetry. Both lipophilic and hydrophilic formulations met the European Pharmacopoeia standards for suppositories when tested in vitro. They disintegrated within 30 min with rapid amoxicillin release profiles (98.6 ± 0.9%, 94.9 ± 1.2% over 30 min, respectively). Over-encapsulation of S-NA15 suppositories with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose shells slowed drug release and improved stability over 2 months. S-NA15 suppositories were classified as non-irritant and PEG suppositories only mildly irritant. Antibacterial efficacy of formulations was equivalent to amoxicillin alone. Both PEG and over-encapsulated S-NA15 rectal formulations developed in the present work have shown promise based on pre-clinical screening, and further development is justified to develop a product with commercial potential.
Enhanced ferroelectricity and magnetism of quenched (1−x)BiFeO3-xBaTiO3 ceramics
Authors: Bai Han , Li Jun , Hong Yang , Zhou Zhongxiang
Published: June 2020

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3)-based materials are multiferroic materials widely studied. This study reports that strong ferroelectricity and enhanced magnetic performance are simultaneously obtained in the quenched (1−x)BiFeO3−xBaTiO3 (BFBT100x, x = 0.2 and 0.3) ceramics. Quenching treatment can reduce the amount of defects and Fe2+ ions and make the defect dipole in a random state, which is conducive to improving the ferroelectricity and magnetism. Compared with the conventional sintered samples, the quenched ceramics have higher remnant and saturation polarization. As for magnetism, the coercive field (Hc) of the quenched ceramics is smaller and the quenching treatment can increase the maximum magnetization by up to 15%.
Back to the drawing board: assessing siting guidelines for sand dams in Kenya
Authors: Ngugi K. N. Keziah , Gichaba C. M. Maina , Kathumo V. M. Vincent , Ertsen M. W. Maurits
Published: June 2020

Sand dams have become popular in many parts of the arid world as a relatively cheap and effective water harvesting technology. Kenya is one of the countries with the highest number of such dams, with semi-arid Kitui County having become a major hub in recent decades. These sand dams are used for water storage in the beds of Kitui’s seasonal rivers. The water is used for households and small-scale economic activities. Generally, sand dams are evaluated as very successful, but this paper shows that such success is not guaranteed. Field research conducted in Kitui County in October 2016 suggests that from 116 sand dams surveyed, about half did not have any water during the time of the assessment. This study assesses how various environmental factors affect sand dams’ ability to supply water for community use during dry periods in Tiva River catchment in Kitui County. Most of the assessed environmental factors did not show consistent patterns to draw inferences on how they affect sand dams’ ability to supply water, with the exception of rainfall amount, water indicating vegetation percentage of clay in a soil and stream orders. More overarching factors like agro-ecological zones and stream order do show a pattern of influence on dams’ performance. These results have global significance due to the widespread use or plans to use of sand dams worldwide. There is a clear need to build a better understanding of sand dams performance to define more reliable sand dams’ site identification criteria.
Phylogenetic analysis of marginal Asiatic black bears reveals a recent Iranian–Himalayan divergence and has implications for taxonomy and conservation
Authors: Yusefi Gholam Hosein , Khalatbari Leili , Jowers Michael J. , Fahimi Hadi , Costa Vânia , Björklund Mats , Beja-Pereira Albano
Published: June 2020

A small population of Asiatic black bear—known as the Baluchistan black bear—survives in the western limit of the species’ range in Iran, where the species is rare, difficult to monitor and occupy an atypical habitat with extreme environmental conditions. Through the use of noninvasively collected samples, we analyzed mitochondrial DNA control region sequences to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships and divergence time between the Baluchistan Iranian black bear population and other Asian populations. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Baluchistan and Nepalese (Himalayan) populations are monophyletic, with their divergence time estimated at circa 120 thousand years ago. The results reveal the low level of mitochondrial DNA variability in this small and marginal population, as is the case for many bear populations living in areas with similar conditions. The divergence time between the populations from Iran and Nepal dates to the Late Pleistocene, pointing to a transitional period between colder (glacial) and warmer (interglacial) conditions that allowed forests to expand and opened new habitats to population expansions. Pending further genetic and morphological corroboration, these preliminary results suggest that all Baluchistan and Himalayan (Nepalese) black bears might be considered as synonymous under the priorU. t. thibetanustrinomial (withgedrosianusjust as junior synonym). Conservation efforts on this small and endangered population remain poor, and further measures are required to guarantee its long-term survival in Iran.
Reflections on the entrepreneurial state, innovation and social justice
Authors: Papaioannou Theo
Published: June 2020

The state and its role in technological innovation and social justice have become, once again, fashionable topics of political and economic debate. A number of innovation theorists argue that never more than today, it is necessary to rethink the state’s entrepreneurial role in society and welfare. Their argument provides justification for the existence of the state, going beyond classical political theory and especially contractarian accounts of legitimacy and obligation. It emphasises the ability and willingness of the state to take risks and reduce uncertainty of economic agents for the sake of innovation that can make everyone better off. This paper insists that although the risk-taking argument of innovation theorists deserves further attention and analysis, it should not be abstracted from a holistic politico-theoretical approach to the state. Such an approach is necessary for a critical understanding of the complex set of predominantly political institutions which compose the state and which have been historically developed to guarantee social evolution. Any risk-taking for innovative enterprise and mission-oriented investment ought to be justified and legitimised on the grounds of principled democratic procedures. This implies that innovation itself is a value-laden political process, requiring participation in the decision-making and standards of fairness.
RISK-BASED CAPITAL FOR VARIABLE ANNUITY UNDER STOCHASTIC INTEREST RATE
Authors: Wang JinDong , Xu Wei
Published: June 2020

Interest rate is one of the main risks for the liability of the variable annuity (VA) due to its long maturity. However, most existing studies on the risk measures of the VA assume a constant interest rate. In this paper, we propose an efficient two-dimensional willow tree method to compute the liability distribution of the VA with the joint dynamics of the mutual fund and interest rate. The risk measures can then be computed by the backward induction on the tree structure. We also analyze the sensitivity and impact on the risk measures with regard to the market model parameters, contract attributes, and monetary policy changes. It illustrates that the liability of the VA is determined by the long-term interest rate whose increment leads to a decrease in the liability. The positive correlation between the interest rate and mutual fund generates a fat-tailed liability distribution. Moreover, the monetary policy change has a bigger impact on the long-term VAs than the short-term contracts.
Contested Meanings: Timbuktu and the prosecution of destruction of cultural heritage as war crimes
Authors: Ba Oumar
Published: June 2020

Following the attacks in Timbuktu in 2012, the ICC’s Al Mahdi case became the first instance where one perpetrator was solely charged with the war crime of destruction of cultural heritage. The ICC prioritized the crimes against cultural heritage at the expense of other types of atrocities in Northern Mali for two reasons: expediency, and the convergence of interests between the Court, the Malian state, and the international community. This study finds that the international community, the state, and the local community do not have the same conceptions and approaches regarding cultural heritage, its protection, or its value.
Factors Associated With the Work Intention of Hospital Workers’ in South Korea During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Jang Yeonhoon , You Myoungsoon , Lee Suyoung , Lee Wangjun
Published: June 2020

Objective:

This study aims to explore factors associated with the work intention of hospital workers in the early stages of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in South Korea.

Methods:

An online self-reported survey was conducted in a tertiary hospital. Respondents were asked to report their perceived threat and perceived risk of infection, evaluation of hospital response, demographics, and job-related factors. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analyses were performed.

Results:

A total of 441 employees participated in this study. Of respondents, 60% were willing to accept their work during an infectious disease outbreak and 12.5% were unwilling to accept the work. In addition, 8% of respondents reported that they had considered quitting their job, 54.4% reported that their job was dangerous, and 50.1% of respondents perceived the severity of COVID-19 as high. Perceived threat and effectiveness of hospital response were associated with hospital employees’ intention to work.

Conclusions:

Hospital workers are at the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak. This study highlighted hospital workers’ perceived effectiveness of organizational response to the outbreak, and perceived threats were found to be important factors for whether they continued to work or not in the fight against the outbreak.
Do natural disasters help the environment? How voters respond and what that means
Authors: Baccini Leonardo , Leemann Lucas
Published: June 2020

This paper examines whether voters’ experience of extreme weather events such as flooding increases voting in favor of climate protection measures. While the large majority of individuals do not hold consistent opinions on climate issues, we argue that the experience of natural disasters can prime voters on climate change and affect political behavior. Using micro-level geospatial data on natural disasters, we exploit referendum votes in Switzerland, which allows us to obtain a behavioral rather than attitudinal measure of support for policies tackling climate change. Our findings indicate a sizeable effect for pro-climate voting after experiencing a flood: vote-share supporting pro-climate policies can increase by 20 percent. Our findings contribute to the literature exploring the impact of local conditions on electoral behavior.
Does choice of health care facility matter? Assessing out-of-pocket expenditure and catastrophic spending on emergency obstetric care in India
Authors: Pradhan Jalandhar , Behera Sasmita
Published: June 2020

The key recommendation of the Child Survival and Safe Motherhood programme was the provision of Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) for the prevention of maternal mortality, especially in developing countries like India. The objectives of this paper were three-fold: to examine the socioeconomic differentials in mean out-of-pocket expenditure on EmOC in public and private health care facilities in India; to evaluate the catastrophic health expenditure of households at the threshold levels of 5% and 10%; and finally, to assess the effects of various socioeconomic and demographic covariates on the levels of catastrophic health expenditure on EmOC. Data were extracted from the 71stround of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) survey conducted in India between January and June 2014. A stratified multi-stage sampling design was followed to conduct the survey. The information was collected from 65,932 households (rural: 36,480; urban: 29,452) and 33,104 individuals across various states and union territories in India. However, the present study had taken only 1653 sample women who availed EmOC care during the last one year preceding the survey date. Binary logistic regression was applied. Large differences in out-of-pocket expenditure on EmOC were found between private and public health care facilities. Mean annual out-of-pocket expenditure by women in private hospitals was INR 23,309 (US$367), which was about 6 times higher than in public hospitals, where mean spending was INR 3651 (US$58). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between household socioeconomic status and level of catastrophic health expenditure on EmOC. The odds of catastrophic health expenditure in public health facilities among women from the North region were higher than among those from the Central, South and West regions. Age and level of education significantly influenced the mean level of catastrophic health expenditure. Access to good-quality obstetric care is key to reducing the maternal mortality rate and child deaths, and thus achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3. There is an urgent need for policy interventions to reduce the financial burden of households in accessing obstetric care in India.
Analysis of factors affecting the prognosis of COVID-19 patients and viral shedding duration
Authors: Han Jing , Shi Li-xia , Xie Yi , Zhang Yong-jin , Huang Shu-ping , Li Jian-guo , Wang He-rong , Shao Shi-feng
Published: June 2020

The clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 were analysed to determine the factors influencing the prognosis and virus shedding time to facilitate early detection of disease progression. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationships among prognosis, clinical characteristics and laboratory indexes. The predictive value of this model was assessed with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, calibration and internal validation. The viral shedding duration was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and the prognostic factors were analysed by univariate log-rank analysis and the Cox proportional hazards model. A retrospective study was carried out with patients with COVID-19 in Tianjin, China. A total of 185 patients were included, 27 (14.59%) of whom were severely ill at the time of discharge and three (1.6%) of whom died. Our findings demonstrate that patients with an advanced age, diabetes, a low PaO2/FiO2 value and delayed treatment should be carefully monitored for disease progression to reduce the incidence of severe disease. Hypoproteinaemia and the fever duration warrant special attention. Timely interventions in symptomatic patients and a time from symptom onset to treatment <4 days can shorten the duration of viral shedding.
Symmetry and Contextuality
Authors: Römer Hartmann
Published: June 2020

The general concept of symmetry is realized in manifold ways in different realms of reality, such as plants, animals, minerals, mathematical objects or human artefacts in literature, fine arts and society. In order to arrive at a common ground for this variedness a very general conceptualization of symmetry is proposed: the existence of substitutions, which, in the given context, do not lead to an essential change. This simple definition has multiple consequences. (i) The context dependence of the notion of symmetry is evident in the humanities but is by no means irrelevant, yet is often neglected, in science. By taking this context dependence into account, the subtle problematics of concept formation and of the ontological status of ‘similarities’ become evident. In general, the substitutions underlying the concept of symmetry are not really performed but remain in a state of virtuality. Counterfactuality, freedom and creativity come into focus. The detection of previously hidden symmetries may provide deep and surprising insights. (ii) Related to this, due attention is devoted to the aesthetic dimension of symmetry and the breaking of it. (iii) Finally, we point out to what extent life is based on the interplay between order and freedom, between full and broken symmetry.
Substance-related exogenous psychosis: a postmodern syndrome
Authors: Martinotti Giovanni , De Risio Luisa , Vannini Chiara , Schifano Fabrizio , Pettorruso Mauro , Di Giannantonio Massimo
Published: June 2020

There is growing recognition that substance use is associated with the emergence of psychosis.Elements of post-modernity dominate contemporary social contexts and operate as existential background factors that contribute to the emergence of substance-related psychotic phenomena, particularly use of potent and highly rewarding novel psychoactive substances (NPS). About 25% of first-episode psychoses are substance-induced (SIP). DSM-5 SIP diagnosis is based on the assumption that symptoms are transient and disappear after sustained abstinence. This narrowed definition does not consider the issue of persistent SIP. There is a clear need for a new diagnostic framework that provides reliable, unambiguous clinical criteria to differentiate between comorbid conditions (i.e., schizophrenia patients with a substance use disorder) and substance-related psychoses. In the present contribution, we aim to outline a novel and separate clinical entity: substancerelated exogenous psychosis (SREP). Within this diagnostic category, we refer to both transientand persistent psychoses associated with substance use. SREP is conceived as a distinct psychoticdisorder with psychopathological specificities that clearly differentiate it from schizophrenia. We address differences in terms of clinical presentation, epidemiology, etiological models and treatment response. SREP is characterized by altered states of consciousness, persecutory delusions, visual and cenesthetic hallucinations, impulsivity and psychomotor agitation, affectiveand negative symptoms, a pervasive feeling of unreality and intact insight. Delusions are typically secondary to abnormal perception resulting from a characteristic “sensorialization” of the world. Longitudinal studies are warranted to substantiate our hypothesis of a novel diagnostic categoryand support the clinical validity of SREP. This may have important implications in terms of early differential diagnosis and staging (i.e., between comorbid conditions, persistent and transientsubstance-related psychotic states) as well as choice of treatment interventions.
A Dive into the Deep Earth
Authors: Goss Heather
Published: June 2020

In July, Eos looks at the incredible capabilities scientists have developed to recreate the enormous pressures and temperatures that exist far below the planet’s surface.
Extreme Runoff Generation From Atmospheric River Driven Snowmelt During the 2017 Oroville Dam Spillways Incident
Authors: Henn Brian , Musselman Keith N. , Lestak Leanne , Ralph F. Martin , Molotch Noah P.
Published: June 2020

In February 2017, a 5‐day sequence of atmospheric river storms in California, USA, resulted in extreme inflows to Lake Oroville, the state's second‐largest reservoir. Damage to the reservoir's spillway infrastructure necessitated evacuation of 188,000 people; subsequent infrastructure repairs cost $1 billion. We assess the atmospheric conditions, snowmelt, and runoff against major historical events. The event generated exceptional runoff volumes (second largest in a 30‐yr record) partially at odds with the event precipitation totals (ninth largest). We explain the discrepancy with observed record melt of deep antecedent snowpack, heavy rainfall extending to unusually high elevations, and high water vapor transport during the atmospheric river storms. An analysis of distributed snow water equivalent indicates that snowmelt increased water available for runoff watershed‐wide by 37% (25–52% at 90% confidence). The results highlight potential threats to public safety and infrastructure associated with a warmer and more variable climate.
A 25‐Year History of Volcano Magma Supply in the East Central Aleutian Arc, Alaska
Authors: Xue Xueming , Freymueller Jeffrey T.
Published: June 2020

Using ~25 years of GPS and InSAR observations and the time‐dependent inversion filter, we invert for the volume change history of three active volcanoes in the east central Alaska Aleutian arc and the secular velocity of the region. The inferred time‐dependent volume change shows (1) two exponentially decaying pulses followed by a nearly linear inflation period at Westdahl volcano, (2) multiple episodic inflation events at Akutan volcano, and (3) transient volcanic inflation and long‐term deflation signals at Makushin volcano. Comparing our regional velocity estimates with recently published block models, we find a small signal that can be explained by slip deficit on the megathrust, either from a shallow (<20 km depth) almost fully locked zone or a weakly locked zone confined to 25–50 km depth.
How Do Braided Rivers Grow Channel Belts?
Authors: Limaye Ajay B.
Published: June 2020

River channels often develop channel belts—wider corridors imprinted by past channel occupation—that record past landscape dynamics and form widespread aquifers. Controls on channel belt width for braided rivers have been inferred through physical experiments that evolve an initially straight channel and yield an interpreted, quasi‐equilibrium form. Yet uncertainties remain regarding the independent effects of discharge, slope, and time on channel belt dimensions and the morphodynamic phenomena that coincide with channel belt development. To address these uncertainties, I conducted four experiments that independently varied discharge and bed slope for flow over a bed of medium sand (D50 = 0.42 mm). The laboratory basin (37 m long, 2.7 m wide) was 200 times longer and nine times wider than the width of the largest initial channel, which reduced boundary effects and provided a baseline to measure downstream variability in channel belt width. Transitions in channel belt growth rate occurred in concert with three phases captured by time‐resolved topography data: (1) meandering; (2) braiding, with logarithmic growth of the channel belt; and (3) maturity, with slowing, localized growth due to decreasing flow depth. A dimensionless framework involving discharge, slope, and sediment grain size collapses the growth trajectories of the channel belts to a common trend. In comparison, for natural cases, discharge is the dominant predictor of channel belt width (wcb ~ Q0.55). The time dependence of channel belt width in the experiments suggests that the widths of isolated, ancient channel sand bodies are wider than their formative channels.
The GATA3 X308_Splice breast cancer mutation is a hormone context-dependent oncogenic driver
Authors: Hruschka Natascha , Kalisz Mark , Subijana Maria , Graña-Castro Osvaldo , Del Cano-Ochoa Francisco , Brunet Laia Paré , Chernukhin Igor , Sagrera Ana , De Reynies Aurelien , Kloesch Bernhard , Chin Suet-Feung , Burgués Octavio , Andreu David , Bermejo Begoña , Cejalvo Juan Miguel , Sutton Joe , Caldas Carlos , Ramón-Maiques Santiago , Carroll Jason S. , Prat Aleix , Real Francisco X. , Martinelli Paola
Published: June 2020

As the catalog of oncogenic driver mutations is expanding, it becomes clear that alterations in a given gene might have different functions and should not be lumped into one class. The transcription factor GATA3 is a paradigm of this. We investigated the functions of the most common GATA3 mutation (X308_Splice) and five additional mutations, which converge into a neoprotein that we called “neoGATA3,” associated with excellent prognosis in patients. Analysis of available molecular data from >3000 breast cancer patients revealed a dysregulation of the ER-dependent transcriptional response in tumors carrying neoGATA3-generating mutations. Mechanistic studies in vitro showed that neoGATA3 interferes with the transcriptional programs controlled by estrogen and progesterone receptors, without fully abrogating them. ChIP-Seq analysis indicated that ER binding is reduced in neoGATA3-expressing cells, especially at distal regions, suggesting that neoGATA3 interferes with the fine tuning of ER-dependent gene expression. This has opposite outputs in distinct hormonal context, having pro- or anti-proliferative effects, depending on the estrogen/progesterone ratio. Our data call for functional analyses of putative cancer drivers to guide clinical application.
Circular RNA circ_0111277 attenuates human trophoblast cell invasion and migration by regulating miR-494/HTRA1/Notch-1 signal pathway in pre-eclampsia
Authors: Ou Yuhua , Zhu Liqiong , Wei Xiangcai , Bai Shiyu , Chen Manqi , Chen Hui , Zhang Jianping
Published: June 2020

Mounting evidence has revealed that impaired spiral artery remodeling, placental dysfunction, and inadequate trophoblast invasion are closely correlated with the etiology and pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia (PE). Moreover, defective trophoblast invasion may trigger poor maternal–fetal circulation and placental hypoxia, leading to PE. However, the detailed molecular pathology of PE remains unclear. Although circRNAs, as a new type of stable and abundant endogenous noncoding RNA, have been proven to be essential to the pathogenesis of various diseases, their role in PE requires further verification. In this context, it is necessary to unveil the roles of circRNAs in regulating the migration and invasion of extravillous trophoblasts. In this study, using quantitative real-time PCR, we confirmed that hsa_circ_0111277 was upregulated in PE placentas relative to the level in normal pregnancy placentas. In addition, positive correlations between hsa_circ_0111277 expression and PE-related factors (proteinuria level at 24 h and placental weight) were identified by Pearson’s analysis based on the clinical data of 25 PE patients. Moreover, fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis illustrated that circ_0111277 was preferentially localized within the cytoplasm. Mechanistically, circ_0111277 sponged hsa-miR-494-3p in trophoblast cells to attenuate the latter’s repression by regulating HTRA1/Notch-1 expression. In conclusion, trophoblast cell migration and invasion were shown to be promoted and modulated by the hsa_circ_0111277/miR-494-3p/HTRA1/Notch-1 axis, which provides useful insight for exploring a new therapeutic approach for PE.
Calpain system is altered in survival motor neuron-reduced cells from in vitro and in vivo spinal muscular atrophy models
Authors: de la Fuente Sandra , Sansa Alba , Hidalgo Iván , Vivancos Nuria , Romero-Guevara Ricardo , Garcera Ana , Soler Rosa M.
Published: June 2020

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe neuromuscular disorder caused by loss of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. SMA is characterized by the degeneration of spinal cord motoneurons (MNs), progressive skeletal muscle atrophy, and weakness. The cellular and molecular mechanisms causing MN loss of function are only partially known. Recent advances in SMA research postulate the role of calpain protease regulating survival motor neuron (SMN) protein and the positive effect on SMA phenotype of treatment with calpain inhibitors. We analyzed the level of calpain pathway members in mice and human cellular SMA models. Results indicate an increase of calpain activity in SMN-reduced MNs. Spinal cord analysis of SMA mice treated with calpeptin, a calpain inhibitor, showed an increase of SMN, calpain, and its endogenous inhibitor calpastatin in MNs. Finally, in vitro calpeptin treatment prevented microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) increase in MNs neurites, indicating that calpain inhibition may reduce autophagosome accumulation in neuron prolongations, but not in soma. Thus, our results show that calpain activity is increased in SMA MNs and its inhibition may have a beneficial effect on SMA phenotype through the increase of SMN in spinal cord MNs.
Advances and potential pitfalls of oncolytic viruses expressing immunomodulatory transgene therapy for malignant gliomas
Authors: Zhang Qing , Liu Fusheng
Published: June 2020

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an immunosuppressive, lethal brain tumor. Despite advances in molecular understanding and therapies, the clinical benefits have remained limited, and the life expectancy of patients with GBM has only been extended to ~15 months. Currently, genetically modified oncolytic viruses (OV) that express immunomodulatory transgenes constitute a research hot spot in the field of glioma treatment. An oncolytic virus is designed to selectively target, infect, and replicate in tumor cells while sparing normal tissues. Moreover, many studies have shown therapeutic advantages, and recent clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of their usage. However, the therapeutic efficacy of oncolytic viruses alone is limited, while oncolytic viruses expressing immunomodulatory transgenes are more potent inducers of immunity and enhance immune cell-mediated antitumor immune responses in GBM. An increasing number of basic studies on oncolytic viruses encoding immunomodulatory transgene therapy for malignant gliomas have yielded beneficial outcomes. Oncolytic viruses that are armed with immunomodulatory transgenes remain promising as a therapy against malignant gliomas and will undoubtedly provide new insights into possible clinical uses or strategies. In this review, we summarize the research advances related to oncolytic viruses that express immunomodulatory transgenes, as well as potential treatment pitfalls in patients with malignant gliomas.