bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Weight Loss Experiences of African American, Hispanic, and Non‐Hispanic White Men and Women with Type 2 Diabetes: The Look AHEAD Trial
Authors: West Delia Smith , Dutton Gareth , Delahanty Linda M. , Hazuda Helen P. , Rickman Amy D. , Knowler William C. , Vitolins Mara Z. , Neiberg Rebecca H. , Peters Anne , Gee Molly , Cassidy Begay Maria ,   the Look AHEAD Research Group
Published: July 2019

Objective

The aim of this study was to characterize weight loss, treatment engagement, and weight control strategies utilized by African American, Hispanic, and non‐Hispanic white participants in the Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD) Intensive Lifestyle Intervention by racial/ethnic and sex subgroups.

Methods

Weight losses at 1, 4, and 8 years among 2,361 adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes randomized to intervention (31% minority; 42% men) are reported by subgroup. Multivariable models within subgroups examine relative contributions of treatment engagement variables and self‐reported weight control behaviors.

Results

All subgroups averaged weight losses ≥ 5% in year 1 but experienced regain; losses ≥ 5% were sustained at year 8 by non‐Hispanic white participants and minority women (but not men). Session attendance was high (≥ 86%) in year 1 and exceeded protocol‐specified minimum levels into year 8. Individual session attendance had stronger associations with weight loss among Hispanic and African American participants than non‐Hispanic white participants at 4 years (P = 0.04) and 8 years (P = 0.001). Daily self‐weighing uptake was considerable in all subgroups and was a prominent factor associated with year 1 weight loss among African American men and women. Greater meal replacement use was strongly associated with poorer 1‐year weight losses among African American women.

Conclusions

Experiences of minority men and women with diabetes in lifestyle interventions fill important gaps in the literature that can inform treatment delivery.
Mechanistic Insights into a Sustainable Mechanochemical Synthesis of Ettringite
Authors: Stroh Julia , Feiler Torvid , Zafar Ali Naveed , Minas da Piedade Manuel E. , Emmerling Franziska
Published: July 2019

Mechanochemistry offers an environmentally benign and facile synthesis method for a variety of cement paste constituents. In addition, these methods can be used to selectively tune the properties of cement components. The mineral ettringite is an important component of cementitious materials and has additional technological potential due to its ion exchange properties. Synthesis of ettringite via mechanochemistry is an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional wet‐chemical synthesis established in industry. This contribution explores the mechanism of a two‐step mechanochemical synthesis of ettringite, which was previously found to greatly improve the reaction conversion as compared with one‐pot synthesis. The crystallinity of Al(OH)3 was found to decrease during the first stage of this mechanochemical synthesis. This was correlated to a significant decrease in the particle size of Al(OH)3 in this stage. No other significant changes were found for the other components, suggesting that mechanochemical activation of Al(OH)3 is responsible for the enhanced formation of ettringite by the two‐step approach. The environmentally friendly approach developed for ettringite synthesis offers a versatile synthetic strategy, which can be applied to synthesise further cementitious materials.
Challenges in the diagnosis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: Recommendations from the North American Consortium for Histiocytosis (NACHO)
Authors: Jordan Michael B. , Allen Carl E. , Greenberg Jay , Henry Michael , Hermiston Michelle L. , Kumar Ashish , Hines Melissa , Eckstein Olive , Ladisch Stephan , Nichols Kim E. , Rodriguez‐Galindo Carlos , Wistinghausen Birte , McClain Kenneth L.
Published: July 2019

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a syndrome of pathologic immune activation, often associated with genetic defects of lymphocyte cytotoxicity. Though a distinctive constellation of features has been described for HLH, diagnosis remains challenging as patients have diverse presentations associated with a variety of triggers. We propose two concepts to clarify how HLH is diagnosed and treated: within the broader syndrome of HLH, “HLH disease” should be distinguished from “HLH disease mimics” and HLH subtypes should be categorized by specific etiologic associations, not the ambiguous dichotomy of “primary” and “secondary.” We provide expert‐based advice regarding the diagnosis and initiation of treatment for patients with HLH, rooted in improved understanding of its pathophysiology.
Reduced risk of cancer among low‐dose aspirin users: Data from French health care databases
Authors: Ajrouche Aya , De Rycke Yann , Dalichampt Marie , Messika Zeitoun David , Hulot Jean‐Sebastien , Estellat Candice , Tubach Florence
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The effect of chronic use of low‐dose aspirin (LDA) on overall cancer is still unclear owing to many controversial results and methodological limitations of studies. This study aimed to assess the effect of LDA use on overall cancer incidence among the French population.

Methods

We conducted a 10‐year historical cohort study using the permanent sample of the French national health care databases: the Système National des Données de Santé (SNDS). We used data for 111 025 individuals aged 50 to 80 years at study entry (January 1, 2006) without prevalent cancer or LDA use. Individuals were followed until the earliest of cancer incidence, death from any cause, exit from the database, or end of the study on December 31, 2015. We estimated the effect of LDA on cancer incidence by using a dynamic model to account for the competing risk of death in the presence of time‐dependent exposure and risk factors.

Results

LDA use was associated with reduced 10‐year risk of cancer (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] 0.81 [95% CI 0.77‐0.86]). The SHRs were 0.88 [0.82‐0.94] for men and 0.93 [0.85‐1.02] for women. Moreover, each additional year of LDA use was associated with reduced 10‐year risk of cancer (SHR 0.93 [0.92‐0.95]). LDA use was also associated with reduced 10‐year risk of death (SHR 0.86 [0.82‐0.91]).

Conclusions

This is the first population‐based study to demonstrate a protective effect of LDA on overall cancer incidence and to account for the main methodological issues of previous observational studies.
Teacher stress interventions: A systematic review
Authors: von der Embse Nathaniel , Ryan Shannon V. , Gibbs Tera , Mankin Ariel
Published: July 2019

Due to the increased pressure from test‐based accountability practices, teachers have reported high levels of stress and burnout. High teacher stress has an impact on school outcomes, including links to absenteeism, burnout, school climate, and teacher behavior management. Teacher stress interventions may be an important first step toward reducing these negative outcomes. Although there have been several recent intervention studies in the domain of teacher stress, there has been no systematic review to compare the type and effectiveness of teacher stress interventions. Included within this review are interventions from a variety of modalities such as knowledge‐based, behavioral, cognitive‐behavioral, and mindfulness approaches. Results indicated that the most effective interventions were in the mindfulness, behavioral, and cognitive‐behavioral domains. Interventions which delivered solely informational content were among the least effective.
Legal liability, good engineering judgment and adaptation
Authors: Ternes Mary Ellen
Published: July 2019

Hurricane Harvey's devastation resulted in flooding and fire, as well as criminal indictments and civil litigation arising from the fire at the Arkema facility. This current litigation is just part of a recent trend in civil litigation, from citizen suits to common law actions, that is redefining causes of action and defenses in the context of climate change. This trend is creating greater concern among engineering and management professionals regarding litigation risk and potential liability arising from individual or managerial actions undertaken on behalf of an employer or client. These concerns are exacerbated by greater ability to forecast anticipated impacts from storm events in hurricane prone areas, which lends support to allegations that such events are foreseeable, and that engineers have a duty to prevent harm resulting from such events. In this context, chemical engineers should read the Chemical Safety Board's Arkema Final Report, especially focusing on the CSB's recommendations for further action by AIChE's Center for Chemical Process Safety, and brush up on the basics of professional liability.

This article, developed specifically for AIChE members and presentation at the 15th Annual Global Congress on Process Safety, by an AIChE Fellow, senior environmental attorney and Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers, does not constitute legal advice but provides a brief overview of legal process and concepts regarding professional liability, including classes of defendants such as plant managers, employees, licensed and unlicensed professionals, and independent contractors, types of civil and criminal claims, standing and other threshold issues, general defenses and immunities, and evidentiary issues at trial.
Coriolus versicolor alleviates diabetic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting cardiac fibrosis and NLRP3 inflammasome activation
Authors: Wang Yueqiu , Li Hui , Li Yang , Zhao Yihan , Xiong Fangfei , Liu Yining , Xue Hongru , Yang Zhenyu , Ni Sha , Sahil Abbas , Che Hui , Wang Lihong
Published: July 2019

Coriolus versicolor (CV) is a traditional medicine and food mushroom. Our previous study demonstrated that CV extract exhibited anti‐hyperglycemia and anti‐insulin resistance effects. However, the effect of CV on cardiac function in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of CV on cardiac function in diabetes mellitus (DM) rats. We found that the cardiac dysfunction of DM rats was markedly improved by CV extract treatment. CV extract administration significantly attenuated cardiac fibrosis in DM rats, which was accompanied by suppressed transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF‐β1)/Smad signaling as indicated by decreased levels of TGF‐β1, p‐Smad2, and p‐Smad3 and increased Smad7 expression. Moreover, CV extract treatment significantly alleviated cardiac inflammation as shown by decreased levels of NLRP3 receptor, cleaved caspase‐1, IL‐1β, and IL‐18 in DM rats at least partly due to the inhibition of the NF‐κB. In addition, high‐glucose treatment induced cardiac fibrosis and increased cardiac inflammation in cardiac fibroblast cells, but these effects were ameliorated by CV extract treatment. Therefore, we conclude that the protective effect of CV on DCM is associated with the suppression of TGF‐β1/Smad signaling and attenuation of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, suggesting that CV extract may be a potential therapeutic agent for DCM.
An additive boundary for group sequential designs with connection to conditional error
Authors: Xi Dong , Gallo Paul
Published: July 2019

Group sequential designs allow stopping a clinical trial for meeting its efficacy objectives based on interim evaluation of the accumulating data. Various methods to determine group sequential boundaries that control the probability of crossing the boundary at an interim or the final analysis have been proposed. To monitor trials with uncertainty in group sizes at each analysis, error spending functions are often used to derive stopping boundaries. Although flexible, most spending functions are generic increasing functions with parameters that are difficult to interpret. They are often selected arbitrarily, sometimes using trial and error, so that the corresponding boundaries approximate the desired behavior numerically. Lan and DeMets proposed a spending function that approximates in a natural way the O'Brien‐Fleming boundary based on the Brownian motion process. We extend this approach to a general family that has an additive boundary for the Brownian motion process. The spending function and the group sequential boundary share a common parameter that regulates how fast the error is spent. Three subfamilies are considered with different additive terms. In the first subfamily, the parameter has an interpretation as the conditional error rate, which is the conditional probability to reject the null hypothesis at the final analysis. This parameter also provides a connection between group sequential and adaptive design methodology. More choices of designs are allowed in the other two subfamilies. Numerical results are provided to illustrate flexibility and interpretability of the proposed procedures. A clinical trial is described to illustrate the utility of conditional error in boundary determination.
The relations among three popular indices of risks
Authors: Feng Changyong , Wang Bokai , Wang Hongyue
Published: July 2019

The relative risk, risk difference, and odds ratio are three major indices of differences in risks of diseases between different groups. Although widely used in research and practice in biomedical and epidemiologic research, misconceptions are not uncommon about their relationships. Many publications offer contradicting advices in how to use them in studies. Some biomedical researchers believe that these indices are related in a monotone fashion, and, thus, changes in one direction in one of the indices can be interpreted as same directional changes in the other two. Misconceptions about these three indices such as the monotone relationship are so prevalent in the biomedical and epidemiologic research that clarifications of such popular beliefs are warranted. In this paper, we take a systematic approach to characterize the relationships among the indices. We develop key results to elucidate the intricate relationships between the indices. Our findings speak to the need for investigators to carefully consider the different indices before using them in their studies, since they are not interchangeable and results based on one index are generally not translatable into any of the others.
Facile Synthesis and Characterization of Ag/Ag2S Nanoparticles Enzymatically Grown In Situ and their Application to the Colorimetric Detection of Glucose Oxidase
Authors: Díez‐Buitrago Beatriz , Barroso Javier , Saa Laura , Briz Nerea , Pavlov Valeri
Published: July 2019

This work describes a simple, fast and reproducible biochemical reaction to modulate the growth of silver/silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag/Ag2S NPs) through the enzymatic activity of the glucose oxidase (GOx). This process occurs in aqueous buffered solutions at room temperature under physiological conditions with participation of inexpensive precursors. Oxidation of 1‐thio‐β‐D‐glucose is catalyzed by GOx yielding hydrogen sulfide. Direct interaction between silver nitrate and enzymatically produced H2S in the presence of citric acid as capping agent leads to the generation of Ag/Ag2S NPs. UV‐vis spectroscopy is employed to characterize absorbance spectra of resulting Ag/Ag2S NPs with the highest signal‐to‐noise ratio at 385 nm. Enzymatically produced Ag/Ag2S NPs are characterized by TEM, XPS, DLS and XRD. This new colorimetric method was applied to the detection of enzymatic activity of GOx (LOD 0.557 μg mL‐1 and linear range up to 1.5 μg mL‐1). The effect of D‐glucose on the read‐out signal has been studied to confirm the enzymatic mechanism of this process (LOD 176.21 μM and linear range up to 1.25 mM) and was applied to the detection of glucose in human plasma.
Single‐Particle Tracking for Understanding Polydisperse Nanoparticle Dispersions
Authors: Gong Xun , Park Minkyung , Parviz Dorsa , Silmore Kevin S. , Gordiichuk Pavlo , Lew Tedrick Thomas Salim , Strano Michael S.
Published: July 2019

Colloidal dispersions of nanomaterials are often polydisperse in size, significantly complicating their characterization. This is particularly true for materials early in their historical development due to synthetic control, dispersion efficiency, and instability during storage. Because a wide range of system properties and technological applications depend on particle dimensions, it remains an important problem in nanotechnology to identify a method for the routine characterization of polydispersity in nanoparticle samples, especially changes over time. Commonly employed methods such as dynamic light scattering or analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) accurately estimate only the first moment of the distribution or are not routine. In this work, the use of single‐particle tracking (SPT) to probe size distributions of common nanoparticle dispersions, including polystyrene nanoparticles, single‐walled carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, chitosan‐tripolyphosphate, acrylate, hexagonal boron nitride, and poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid), is proposed and explored. The analysis of particle tracks is conducted using a newly developed Bayesian algorithm that is called Maximum A posteriori Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis. By combining SPT and AUC techniques, it is shown that it is possible to independently estimate the mean aspect ratio of anisotropic particles, an important characterization property. It is concluded that SPT provides a facile, rapid analytical method for routine nanomaterials characterization.
Flexible Foil of Hybrid TaS2/Organic Superlattice: Fabrication and Electrical Properties
Authors: Zong Peng‐An , Yoo Dongho , Zhang Peng , Wang Yifeng , Huang Yujia , Yin Shujia , Liang Jia , Wang Yiliang , Koumoto Kunihito , Wan Chunlei
Published: July 2019

TaS2 nanolayers with reduced dimensionality show interesting physics, such as a gate‐tunable phase transition and enhanced superconductivity, among others. Here, a solution‐based strategy to fabricate a large‐area foil of hybrid TaS2/organic superlattice, where [TaS2] monolayers and organic molecules alternatively stack in atomic scale, is proposed. The [TaS2] layers are spatially isolated with remarkably weakened interlayer bonding, resulting in lattice vibration close to that of TaS2 monolayers. The foil also shows excellent mechanical flexibility together with a large electrical conductivity of 1.2 × 103 S cm−1 and an electromagnetic interference of 31 dB, among the highest values for solution‐processed thin films of graphene and inorganic graphene analogs. The solution‐based strategy reported herein can add a new dimension to manipulate the structure and properties of 2D materials and provide new opportunities for flexible nanoelectronic devices.
AuCu Alloy Nanoparticle Embedded Cu Submicrocone Arrays for Selective Conversion of CO2 to Ethanol
Authors: Shen Sibo , Peng Xianyun , Song Lida , Qiu Yuan , Li Chao , Zhuo Longchao , He Jia , Ren Junqiang , Liu Xijun , Luo Jun
Published: July 2019

The CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) driven by renewable electricity represents a promising strategy toward alleviating the energy shortage and environmental crisis facing humankind. Cu species, as one type of versatile electrocatalyst for the CO2RR, attract tremendous research interest. However, for C2 products, ethanol formation is commonly less favored over Cu electrocatalysts. Herein, AuCu alloy nanoparticle embedded Cu submicrocone arrays (AuCu/Cu‐SCA) are constructed as an active, selective, and robust electrocatalyst for the CO2RR. Enhanced selectivity for EtOH is gained, whose Faradaic efficiency (FE) reaches 29 ± 4%, while ethylene formation is relatively inhibited (16 ± 4%) in KHCO3 aqueous solution. The ratio between partial current densities of EtOH and C2H4 (jEtOH/jC2H4) can be tuned in the range from 0.15 ± 0.27 to 1.81 ± 0.55 by varying the Au content of the electrocatalysts. The combined experimental and theoretical calculation results identify the importance of Au in modifying binding energies of key intermediates, such as CH2CHO*, CH3CHO*, and CH3CH2O*, which consequently modify the activity and selectivity (jEtOH/jC2H4) for the CO2RR. Moreover, AuCu/Cu‐SCA also shows high durability with both the current density and FEEtOH being largely maintained for 24 h electrocatalysis.
The Law of 1/n Revisited: Distributive Politics, Legislature Size, and the Costs of Collective Action
Authors: Crowley George R.
Published: July 2019

The foundational model of distributive politics predicts a positive relationship between the number of legislative districts and the level of inefficiency of projects approved by the legislature—Weingast, Shepsle, and Johnsen's “Law of 1/n.” This relationship has been tested extensively in the empirical literature, with mixed results. This article presents a model wherein passing the omnibus legislation typical of distributive politics is a costly process. The model predicts a nonlinear relationship between legislature size and spending as increasing the size of the legislature also increases the costs of collective action. Results from an empirical exercise based on U.S. state legislatures (1962–2014) are consistent with the proposed model, showing a 1/n effect which diminishes at the margin as the legislature's size increases, especially in the lower chamber.
Seismic performance of chevron braced frames with shape memory alloy vertical shear link
Authors: Fahiminia Mahrad , Ghaderi Mohammad Reza , Zahrai Seyed Mehdi
Published: July 2019

Chevron braced steel frames with vertical shear link have reliable displacement dependent dampers with sufficient strength and ductility to dissipate energy of strong earthquakes through inelastic mechanisms. In this study, shape memory alloy with its superelastic behavior is utilized as material of vertical shear link to improve the ductility characteristics of the system and decrease residual displacements in the structures due to its self‐centering capability. Nonlinear time‐history, incremental dynamic analysis, and dynamic pushover analysis techniques are used to investigate the behavior of two different four‐ and eight‐story frames with steel vertical shear link (STVL) and shape memory alloy vertical shear link (SMVL) under various earthquake records. The results show that there is a negligible residual displacement in the structures with SMVL, although considerable residual displacements can be observed in the structures with STVL. For instance, when the eight‐story frame is subjected to the Northridge earthquake, a 12‐cm residual displacement is observed in the structures with STVL, whereas the structures with SMVL might experience just 3‐cm residual displacement.
How relevant are social costs in economic evaluations? The case of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Peña-Longobardo L. M. , Rodríguez-Sánchez B. , Oliva-Moreno J. , Aranda-Reneo I. , López-Bastida J.
Published: July 2019

Background

The main objective of this study was to analyse how the inclusion (exclusion) of social costs can alter the results and conclusions of economic evaluations in the field of Alzheimer’s disease interventions.

Methods

We designed a systematic review that included economic evaluations in Alzheimer’s disease. The search strategy was launched in 2000 and ran until November 2018. The inclusion criteria were: being an original study published in a scientific journal, being an economic evaluation of any intervention related to Alzheimer’s disease, including social costs (informal care costs and/or productivity losses), being written in English, using QALYs as an outcome for the incremental cost–utility analysis, and separating the results according to the perspective applied.

Results

It was finally included 27 studies and 55 economic evaluations. Around 11% of economic evaluations changed their main conclusions. More precisely, three of them concluded that the new intervention became cost-effective when the societal perspective was considered, whereas when using just the health care payer perspective, the new intervention did not result in a cost–utility ratio below the threshold considered. Nevertheless, the inclusion of social cost can also influence the results, as 37% of the economic evaluations included became the dominant strategy after including social costs when they were already cost-effective in the health care perspective.

Conclusions

Social costs can substantially modify the results of the economic evaluations. Therefore, taking into account social costs in diseases such as Alzheimer’s can be a key element in making decisions about public financing and pricing of health interventions.
Effect of Mechanical Activation on the Pozzolanic Activity of Muscovite
Authors: Yao Geng , Zang Haoyu , Wang Junxiang , Wu Peng , Qiu Jun , Lyu Xianjun
Published: July 2019

In order to provide a theoretical foundation for the utilization of tailings as supplementary cementitious materials, the pozzolanic activity of muscovite—a typical mineral phase in tailings—before and after mechanical activation was investigated. In this study, significant pozzolanic activity of muscovite was obtained as a result of the structural and morphological changes that were induced by mechanical activation. The activated muscovite that was obtained after mechanical activation for 160 min satisfies the requirements for use as an active supplementary cementitious material, and the main characteristics of the pozzolana were as follows: median particle size (D50) of 11.7 μm, BET specific surface area of 28.82 m2 g−1, relative crystallinity of 14.99%, and pozzolanic activity index of 94.36%. Continuous grinding led to a gradual reduction in the relative crystallinity and an increase in the pozzolanic activity index due to the dehydroxylation reaction induced by mechanical activation, which occurred despite the fact that the specific surface area showed a decreasing trend when the grinding time was prolonged. Mechanically activated muscovite exhibited the capacity to react with calcium hydroxide to form calcium silicate hydrate, which is a typical characteristic of pozzolana. This experimental study provided a theoretical basis for evaluating the pozzolanic activity of muscovite using mechanical activation.
The Oxytocin Antagonist Cligosiban Fails to Prolong Intravaginal Ejaculatory Latency in Men with Lifelong Premature Ejaculation: Results of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase IIb trial (PEDRIX)
Authors: Althof Stanley , Osterloh Ian H. , Muirhead Gary J. , George Katie ,   PEDRIX Multi-Centre Study Group
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Cligosiban is an orally administered, centrally penetrant oxytocin receptor antagonist being developed to treat premature ejaculation (PE).

Aim

To determine the efficacy of 3 dose levels of cligosiban caplets to prolong intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) and improve patient-reported outcomes in men with lifelong PE.

Methods

Patients recorded details of at least 4 sexual intercourse events during a 4-week run-in period, after which they underwent baseline assessments. Patients were eligible for the study if their stopwatch-assessed IELT was ≤1 minute in ≥75% of intercourse attempts and if they met other diagnostic criteria for lifelong PE. Eligible patients (target 220 evaluable) were randomized to double-blind cligosiban 400, 800, or 1200 mg or matching placebo caplets (to be taken 1 to 6 hours prior to sexual activity). Assessments were conducted at 2, 4, and 8 weeks.

Main Outcome Measure

Efficacy measures were comprised of IELT, self-rating of ejaculation control and ejaculation-related distress (recorded in an electronic diary after each intercourse attempt), premature ejaculation profile, Patient’s Global Impression of Severity, and the Clinical Global Impression of Change.

Results

There were no clinically or statistically significant differences between cligosiban (at any dose level) and placebo for the primary endpoint (change in geometric IELT) or any of the secondary endpoints. Cligosiban was well tolerated with a side-effect profile similar to placebo.

Clinical Implications

This Phase IIb study failed to demonstrate the potential for cligosiban, an oxytocin antagonist, to successfully treat symptoms of severe lifelong PE at doses up to 1200 mg.

Strengths and Limitations

This was a Phase IIb, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that was adequately powered but failed to detect a clinically meaningful or statistical difference in change in IELT between cligosiban at 3 dose levels and placebo. This is in contrast to a similarly designed proof-of-concept study where cligosiban was flexibly dosed at doses up to 800 mg and did demonstrate clinically meaningful and statistically significant changes in efficacy parameters. The reasons for this disparity are not known.

Conclusions

Cligosiban was well tolerated but failed to demonstrate efficacy for the treatment of men with lifelong PE at doses up to 1200 mg.
Leisure-Time Sedentary Behavior, Alcohol Consumption, and Sexual Intercourse Among Adolescents Aged 12-15 Years in 19 Countries From Africa, the Americas, and Asia
Authors: Smith Lee , Jackson Sarah E. , Jacob Louis , Grabovac Igor , Yang Lin , Johnstone James , McDermott Daragh , Gordon Dan , Lopez Sanchez Guillermo F. , Stefanac Sinisa , Koyanagi Ai
Published: July 2019

Background

The association between sedentary behavior and sexual behavior has not been investigated among adolescents.

Aim

The aim of this study was to: (i) investigate the association between leisure-time sedentary behavior and sexual intercourse, and (ii) test for mediation by alcohol consumption, drug use, physical activity, bullying victimization, parental support/monitoring, loneliness, and depressive symptoms in a large global sample of young adolescents.

Methods

Data were analyzed from 34,674 adolescents aged 12−15 years participating in the Global School-based Student Health Survey. Participants reported the number of hours spent in leisure-time sedentary behavior on a typical day (<1, 1−2, 3−4, 5−8, and >8 hours). Data on alcohol consumption, drug use, physical activity, bullying victimization, parental support/monitoring, loneliness, and depressive symptoms were considered as potential mediators.

Outcome

Participants reported whether or not they had sexual intercourse in the past 12 months (yes/no).

Results

The prevalence of past 12-month sexual intercourse was 11.9%, whereas the prevalence of <1, 1−2, 3−4, 5−8, and >8 hours per day of leisure-time sedentary behavior were 26.7%, 35.6%, 21.4%, 11.5%, and 4.9%, respectively. There was a dose-dependent relationship between sedentary behavior and odds of reporting sexual intercourse: compared with <1 hour/day of sedentary behavior, the odds ratio (95% CI) of sexual intercourse associated with 1−2, 3−4, 5−8, and >8 hours/day of sedentary behavior were 1.12 (0.94−1.33), 1.22 (1.01−1.48), 1.34 (1.08−1.66), and 1.76 (1.37−2.27), respectively. There was no significant interaction by sex. The largest proportion of the association between sedentary behavior and sexual intercourse was explained by alcohol use (% mediated 21.2%), with other factors explaining an additional 11.2%.

Clinical Translation

Interventions to reduce leisure-time sedentary and/or alcohol consumption may contribute to a reduction in the proportion of adolescents engaging in sexual intercourse at a young age. The strengths and limitations of this study are the large, representative sample of adolescents from 19 countries. However, the cross-sectional design means causality or temporal associations could not be established.

Conclusions

In young adolescents, leisure-time sedentary behavior is positively associated with odds of having sexual intercourse in both boys and girls, in a dose-dependent manner. Alcohol consumption seems to be a key mediator of this relationship.
A Double-edged Sword: Swords, Bodies, and Personhood in Early Medieval Archaeology and Literature
Authors: Sayer Duncan , Sebo Erin , Hughes Kyle
Published: July 2019

In Anglo-Saxon and Viking literature swords form part of a hero's identity. In addition to being weapons, they represent a material agent for the individual's actions, a physical expression of identity. In this article we bring together the evidence from literature and archaeology concerning Anglo-Saxon and Viking-age swords and argue that these strands of evidence converge on the construction of mortuary identities and particular personhoods. The placement of the sword in funerary contexts is important. Swords were not just objects; they were worn close to the body, intermingling with the physical person. This is reflected in the mortuary context where they were displayed within an emotive aesthetic. Typically, swords were embraced, placed next to the head and shoulders, more like a companion than an object. However, there are exceptions: graves like Birka 581 and Prittlewell show sword locations that contrast with the normal placement, locations which would have jarred with an observer's experience, suggesting unconventional or nuanced identities. By drawing on literary evidence, we aim to use the words of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings to illuminate the significance of swords in mortuary contexts and their wider cultural associations.
Patterns of Networked Enforcement in the European System of Financial Supervision: What is the New Role for the National Competent Authorities?
Authors: CACCIATORE Federica
Published: July 2019

Enforcement of the European System of Financial Supervision (ESFS) has undergone a three-step process over time, leading it to a current networked configuration of powers and tasks between the EU and the national competent authorities (NCAs). In light of this, this paper has a twofold aim. First, it analyses the actual configuration of enforcement mechanisms in the ESFS, arguing that different patterns emerge across the three branches (banks, securities markets and insurance): as governance becomes more complex in terms of number of actors and functions, verticalisation of enforcement increases. Second, by taking into account the three Italian competent authorities, it assesses the concrete changes occurred both in organisation and in perceived effectiveness, through quantitative data and qualitative surveys. It therefore argues that the more institutionalised and verticalised is the enforcement governance, the less reluctant will NCAs be to transfer shares of their enforcing powers to the EU level and to change their practices and organisational structures concretely, according to harmonisation requirements by the European supervisory authorities and the European Central Bank.
Reproducibility of essential elements chromium, manganese, iron, zinc and selenium in spot samples, first-morning voids and 24-h collections from healthy adult men
Authors: Chen Heng-Gui , Chen Ying-Jun , Chen Chen , Tu Zhou-Zheng , Lu Qi , Wu Ping , Chen Jun-Xiang , Wang Yi-Xin , Pan An
Published: July 2019

Evaluation of Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn and Se in humans is challenged by the potentially high within-individual variability of these elements in biological specimens, which are poorly characterised. This study aimed to evaluate their within-day, between-day and between-month variability in spot samples, first-morning voids and 24-h collections. A total of 529 spot urine samples (including eighty-eight first-morning voids and 24-h collections) were collected from eleven Chinese adult men on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 30, 60 and 90 and analysed for these five elements using inductively coupled plasma-MS. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were utilised to characterise the reproducibility, and their sensitivity and specificity were analysed to assess how well a single measurement classified individuals’ 3-month average exposures. Serial measurements of Zn in spot samples exhibited fair to good reproducibility (creatinine-adjusted ICC = 0·47) over five consecutive days, which became poor when the samples were gathered months apart (creatinine-adjusted ICC = 0·33). The reproducibility of Cr, Mn, Fe and Se in spot samples was poor over periods ranging from days to months (creatinine-adjusted ICC = 0·01–0·12). Two spot samples were sufficient for classifying 60 % of the men who truly had the highest (top 33 %) 3-month average Zn concentrations; for Cr, Mn, Fe and Se, however, at least three specimens were required to achieve similar sensitivities. In conclusion, urinary Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn and Se concentrations showed a strong within-individual variability, and a single measurement is not enough to efficiently characterise individuals’ long-term exposures.
Women with a low-satiety phenotype show impaired appetite control and greater resistance to weight loss
Authors: Buckland Nicola J. , Camidge Diana , Croden Fiona , Myers Anna , Lavin Jacquelynne H. , Stubbs R. James , Blundell John E. , Finlayson Graham
Published: July 2019

This trial compared weight loss outcomes over 14 weeks in women showing low- or high-satiety responsiveness (low- or high-satiety phenotype (LSP, HSP)) measured by a standardised protocol. Food preferences and energy intake (EI) after low and high energy-density (LED, HED) meals were also assessed. Ninety-six women (n 52 analysed; 41·24 (SD 12·54) years; 34·02 (sd 3·58) kg/m2) engaged in one of two weight loss programmes underwent LED and HED laboratory test days during weeks 3 and 12. Preferences for LED and HED food (Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire) and ad libitum evening meal and snack EI were assessed in response to equienergetic LED and HED breakfasts and lunches. Weekly questionnaires assessed control over eating and ease of adherence to the programme. Satiety quotients based on subjective fullness ratings post LED and HED breakfasts determined LSP (n 26) and HSP (n 26) by tertile splits. Results showed that the LSP lost less weight and had smaller reductions in waist circumference compared with HSP. The LSP showed greater preferences for HED foods, and under HED conditions, consumed more snacks (kJ) compared with HSP. Snack EI did not differ under LED conditions. LSP reported less control over eating and reported more difficulty with programme adherence. In conclusion, low-satiety responsiveness is detrimental for weight loss. LED meals can improve self-regulation of EI in the LSP, which may be beneficial for longer-term weight control.
Chocolate consumption and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: the Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Authors: Dong Jia-Yi , Kimura Takashi , Ikehara Satoyo , Cui Meishan , Kawanishi Yoko , Yamagishi Kazumasa , Ueda Kimiko , Iso Hiroyasu ,   the Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group
Published: July 2019

The association of chocolate consumption with risk of gestational diabetes has not been examined. We aimed to investigate the prospective association between chocolate consumption and risk of gestational diabetes in a large birth cohort in Japan. A total of 97 454 pregnant women with a median gestational age of 12 weeks were recruited from January 2011 to March 2014. Data on demographic information, disease history, socio-economic status, lifestyle and dietary habits were obtained at the study enrolment. Dietary intake during the past 12 months before study enrolment was assessed through a semi-quantitative FFQ. The logistic regression was used to obtain the OR of gestational diabetes in relation to chocolate consumption. Among 84 948 women eligible for the analysis, 1904 cases of gestational diabetes (2·2 %) were identified during the period of pregnancy. After controlling for potential confounding factors including age, smoking status, drinking status, education level, occupation, pre-pregnant BMI, depression, previous history of macrosomia babies, parity, physical activity and dietary factors, women in the highest quartile of chocolate consumption, compared with those in the lowest quartile, had a significantly lower risk of developing gestational diabetes (OR 0·78, 95 % CI 0·67, 0·90; P for trend = 0·002). Stratified analyses suggested that the association was not significantly modified by pre-pregnancy BMI, age, parity, smoking status or drinking status. The present prospective cohort study provided evidence that chocolate consumption was associated with a significant lower risk of gestational diabetes in Japanese women.
Protein supplementation combined with low-intensity resistance training in geriatric medical patients during and after hospitalisation: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial
Authors: Gade Josephine , Beck Anne Marie , Andersen Hanne E. , Christensen Britt , Rønholt Finn , Klausen Tobias W. , Vinther Anders , Astrup Arne
Published: July 2019

Sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass/strength) burdens many older adults – hospitalised older adults being particularly vulnerable. Treating the condition, protein supplementation (PrS) and resistance training (RT) may act synergistically. Therefore, this block-randomised, double-blind, multicentre intervention study, recruiting geriatric patients > 70 years from three medical departments, investigated the effect of PrS combined with RT during hospitalisation and 12 weeks after discharge. Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to receive PrS (totally 27·5 g whey protein/d, about 2000 kJ/d) or isoenergetic placebo-products (< 1·5 g protein/d) divided into two servings per d to supplement the habitual diet. Both groups were engaged in a standardised, progressive low-intensity RT programme for the lower extremities (hospital: supervised daily/after discharge: self-training 4×/week). From April 2016 to September 2017, 2351 patients were screened, 462 were eligible, and 165 included. Fourteen were excluded and ten dropped out, leaving 141 participants in the intention-to-treat analysis. The average total protein intake during hospitalisation/after discharge was 1·0 (interquartile range (IQR) 0·8, 1·3)/1·1 (IQR 0·9, 1·3) g/kg per d (protein-group) and 0·6 (IQR 0·5, 0·8)/0·9 (IQR 0·6, 1·0) g/kg per d (placebo group). Both groups improved significantly for the primary and secondary endpoints of muscle mass/strength, functional measurements and quality of life, but no additional effect of PrS was seen for the primary endpoint (30-s chair stand test, repetitions, median changes from baseline: (standard test: 0 (IQR 0, 5) (protein group) v. 2 (IQR 0, 6) (placebo group) and modified test: 2 (IQR 0, 5) (protein group) v. 2 (IQR −1, 5) (placebo group)) or any secondary endpoints (Mann–Whitney U tests, P > 0·05). In conclusion, PrS increasing the total protein intake by 0·4 and 0·2 g/kg per d during hospitalisation and after discharge, respectively, does not seem to increase the adaptive response to low-intensity RT in geriatric medical patients.
The Ownership Complaint Gap: Mutual versus Stock Intermediaries
Authors: Cheng Jiang , Qian Wenlan , Reeb David M.
Published: July 2019

We document a substantial customer complaint gap between stock and mutual financial firms. To assess whether this 21% per year complaint gap stems from complaint-prone customers in stock insurers, we examine state-adjudicated complaint success. To further delineate between customer selection or treatment explanations, we exploit within insurer complaints around random claims (natural disasters) and attention shocks (media scrutiny). Further tests reveal the complaint gap widens with greater competition, near insolvency thresholds, and with more price regulation. Overall, the results are inconsistent with the hypothesis that mutual financial firms exhibit low customer satisfaction, suggesting customers find this a beneficial organizational structure.
A possible relationship between Thromboxane B2 and Leukotriene B4 and the encapsulation of Dirofilaria repens worms in human subcutaneous dirofilariasis
Authors: Morchón R. , Carretón E. , García R. , Zueva T. , Kartashev V. , Simón F.
Published: July 2019

Human subcutaneous dirofilariosis has several clinical presentations. Many cases present as subcutaneous nodules, as a consequence of a local inflammatory reaction that encapsulates and destroys the worms. In addition, there are cases in which migrating worms located in the ocular area remain unencapsulated. In the present work, the levels of two pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) are analysed by commercial Enzime-Linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from 43 individuals, 28 diagnosed as having subcutaneous dirofilariasis presenting a subcutaneous nodule, five diagnosed as having dirofilariasis, in which the worms remained unencapsulated in the periphery of the eye, and ten healthy individuals living in a non-endemic area, used as controls. The worms were surgically removed, identifying Dirofilaria repens as the causative agent in all cases, by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Individuals with nodules showed significantly higher levels of TxB2 and LTB4 than healthy controls, whereas significant differences in LTB4 levels were observed between individuals with unencapsulated worms and healthy controls. It is speculated that the absence of LTB4 may contribute to the fact that worms remain unencapsulated as a part of immune evasion mechanisms.
Genotypes of Echinococcus isolated from domestic livestock in Kazakhstan
Authors: Abdybekova A.M. , Zhang Z. , Sultanov A.A. , Abdibayeva A.A. , Zhaksylykova A.A. , Junisbayeva S.M. , Aubakirov M.Zh. , Akhmetova G.D. , Torgerson P.R.
Published: July 2019

The diversity and importance of Echinococcus species in domesticated animals in Kazakhstan are poorly understood. In this study, 17 cysts of Echinococcus were collected from cattle and a further 17 cysts from sheep. DNA was extracted from the individual cysts and used for polymerase chain reaction amplification of mitochondrial subunit 1 of the cox1 and nadh1 gene. Amplicon sequencing results revealed the presence of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto G1 in 15 cattle and 15 sheep, and G3 genotype from two cattle. Echinococcus canadensis (G6/G7 strain) was found in two cysts originating from sheep.
The Army and the Spread of Roman Citizenship
Authors: Lavan Myles
Published: July 2019

This paper draws on recent advances in our knowledge (much of it owed to the proliferation of military diplomas) and a new analytical method to quantify the number of soldiers and their children who received Roman citizenship between 14 and 212c.e.Although significant uncertainties remain, these can be quantified and turn out to be small relative to the overall scale of enfranchisement. The paper begins by reviewing what is known about grants of citizenship to soldiers, with particular attention to the remaining uncertainties, before presenting a quantitative model of the phenomenon. The total number of beneficiaries was somewhere in the region 0.9–1.6 million — significantly lower than previous estimates have suggested. It also emerges that the rate of enfranchisement varied substantially over time, in line with significant changes in manpower, length of service (and hence the number of recruits and discharged veterans) and the rate of family formation among soldiers. The Supplementary Material available online (https://doi.org/10.1017/S0075435819000662) contains a database of military diplomas (Supplementary Appendix 1), a mathematical model of enfranchisement implemented in MS Excel (Supplementary Appendix 2), a description of the model (Supplementary Appendix 3A) and a derivation of the model of attrition across service cohorts in Fig. 6 (Supplementary Appendix 3B).
Comparative Simulation Study for Configuring Turning Point in Multiple Robot Path Planning: Robust Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Fazlollahtabar Hamed
Published: July 2019

This paper concerns with comparing simulation studies for a newly developed concept of turning point to be used in multiple robot path planning. Different critical factors and design parameters are collected and statistical analyses are performed. After configuring different simulation scenarios, the efficient one is evaluated using a robust data envelopment analysis (RDEA). Due to uncertain aspects of various simulations scenarios, robust version of data envelopment analysis is proposed. Here, major criteria in robot path planning are deadlock and conflict avoidance, throughput, mean flow time, and effective total distance travelled. To determine the effective experiment for the proposed simulation model, RDEA is used. A comparative study with respect to different experiments having various simulation setting is developed. The results for a real robotic manufacturing cell system show effectiveness of the proposed process. Also, the efficient simulation software is determined by multiaspect analysis.