bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growth or profit? Strategic orientations and long‐term performance in China
Authors: Zhou Nan , Park Seung H.
Published: June 2020

Research summary

This study investigates the long‐term performance of growth‐oriented versus profit‐oriented strategies in emerging markets. Theoretical justifications exist for superior performance for both types of strategic orientations, but we argue each orientation will have different implications on firms' long‐term survival in emerging markets. The growth‐oriented strategy faces a shortage of non‐scale free resources that would limit the firm's long‐term survival, while the profit‐oriented strategy would improve the chance of long‐term survival by developing and leveraging firm‐specific advantages for sustained growth. The study also examines the moderating effects of both the level of non‐scale free resources and the extent to which the economic context favors growth. The empirical testing utilizes a sample of Chinese firms during 2008–2017.

Managerial summary

Emerging markets present many growth opportunities. Firms often fall into the trap of blindly pursuing these opportunities without considering internal managerial capability. This study presents the theory‐based logic and empirical evidence supporting the view that the profit‐oriented strategy is likely to outperform the growth‐oriented strategy on a long‐term basis. The growth orientation strains managerial attention that is in short supplies in emerging markets and leads to inefficiencies that cause a decline in firm performance. These results are more apparent when firms lack managerial capability and in the context of growth‐inducing economic policy during an economic downturn.
Excited states of holographic superconductors
Authors: Wang Yong-Qiang , Hu Tong-Tong , Liu Yu-Xiao , Yang Jie , Zhao Li
Published: June 2020

Abstract

In this paper we re-investigate the model of the anti-de Sitter gravity coupled to Maxwell and charged scalar fields, which has been studied as the gravitational dual to a superconductor for a long time since the famous work [Phys. Rev. Lett.
101 (2008) 031601]. By numerical method, we present a novel family of solutions of holographical superconductor with excited states, and find there exists a lower critical temperature in the corresponding excited state. Moreover, we study the condensate and conductivity in the excited states. It is very interesting that the conductivity σ of each excited state has an additional pole in Im[σ] and a delta function in Re[σ] arising at the low temperature inside the gap, which is just the evidence of the existence of excited states.
Breakdown of emergent Lifshitz symmetry in holographic matter with Harris-marginal disorder
Authors: Ganesan Koushik , Lucas Andrew
Published: June 2020

Abstract

We revisit the theory of strongly correlated quantum matter perturbed by Harris-marginal random-field disorder, using the simplest holographic model. We argue that for weak disorder, the ground state of the theory is not Lifshitz invariant with a non-trivial disorder-dependent dynamical exponent, as previously found. Instead, below a non-perturbatively small energy scale, we predict infrared physics becomes independent of the disorder strength.
Holographic order from modular chaos
Authors: de Boer Jan , Lamprou Lampros
Published: June 2020

Abstract

We argue for an exponential bound characterizing the chaotic properties of modular Hamiltonian flow of QFT subsystems. In holographic theories, maximal modular chaos is reflected in the local Poincare symmetry about a Ryu-Takayanagi surface. Generators of null deformations of the bulk extremal surface map to modular scrambling modes — positive CFT operators saturating the bound — and their algebra probes the bulk Riemann curvature, clarifying the modular Berry curvature proposal of arXiv:1903.04493.
Molecular mechanisms governing offspring metabolic programming in rodent models of in utero stress
Authors: Christoforou Efthimia R. , Sferruzzi-Perri Amanda N.
Published: June 2020

The results of different human epidemiological datasets provided the impetus to introduce the now commonly accepted theory coined as ‘developmental programming’, whereby the presence of a stressor during gestation predisposes the growing fetus to develop diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction in later postnatal life. However, in a clinical setting, human lifespan and inaccessibility to tissue for analysis are major limitations to study the molecular mechanisms governing developmental programming. Subsequently, studies using animal models have proved indispensable to the identification of key molecular pathways and epigenetic mechanisms that are dysregulated in metabolic organs of the fetus and adult programmed due to an adverse gestational environment. Rodents such as mice and rats are the most used experimental animals in the study of developmental programming. This review summarises the molecular pathways and epigenetic mechanisms influencing alterations in metabolic tissues of rodent offspring exposed to in utero stress and subsequently programmed for metabolic dysfunction. By comparing molecular mechanisms in a variety of rodent models of in utero stress, we hope to summarise common themes and pathways governing later metabolic dysfunction in the offspring whilst identifying reasons for incongruencies between models so to inform future work. With the continued use and refinement of such models of developmental programming, the scientific community may gain the knowledge required for the targeted treatment of metabolic diseases that have intrauterine origins.
Characteristics of Tsunami Fragility Functions Developed Using Different Sources of Damage Data from the 2018 Sulawesi Earthquake and Tsunami
Authors: Mas Erick , Paulik Ryan , Pakoksung Kwanchai , Adriano Bruno , Moya Luis , Suppasri Anawat , Muhari Abdul , Khomarudin Rokhis , Yokoya Naoto , Matsuoka Masashi , Koshimura Shunichi
Published: June 2020

We developed tsunami fragility functions using three sources of damage data from the 2018 Sulawesi tsunami at Palu Bay in Indonesia obtained from (i) field survey data (FS), (ii) a visual interpretation of optical satellite images (VI), and (iii) a machine learning and remote sensing approach utilized on multisensor and multitemporal satellite images (MLRS). Tsunami fragility functions are cumulative distribution functions that express the probability of a structure reaching or exceeding a particular damage state in response to a specific tsunami intensity measure, in this case obtained from the interpolation of multiple surveyed points of tsunami flow depth. We observed that the FS approach led to a more consistent function than that of the VI and MLRS methods. In particular, an initial damage probability observed at zero inundation depth in the latter two methods revealed the effects of misclassifications on tsunami fragility functions derived from VI data; however, it also highlighted the remarkable advantages of MLRS methods. The reasons and insights used to overcome such limitations are discussed together with the pros and cons of each method. The results show that the tsunami damage observed in the 2018 Sulawesi event in Indonesia, expressed in the fragility function developed herein, is similar in shape to the function developed after the 1993 Hokkaido Nansei-oki tsunami, albeit with a slightly lower damage probability between zero-to-five-meter inundation depths. On the other hand, in comparison with the fragility function developed after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Banda Aceh, the characteristics of Palu structures exhibit higher fragility in response to tsunamis. The two-meter inundation depth exhibited nearly 20% probability of damage in the case of Banda Aceh, while the probability of damage was close to 70% at the same depth in Palu.
Selection properties of the split interval and the Continuum Hypothesis
Authors: Banakh Taras
Published: June 2020

We prove that every usco multimap $$\varPhi :X\rightarrow Y$$

Φ
:
X
→
Y

from a metrizable separable space X to a GO-space Y has an $$F_\sigma $$

F
σ

-measurable selection. On the other hand, for the split interval $${\ddot{\mathbb I}}$$

I
¨

and the projection $$P:{{\ddot{\mathbb I}}}^2\rightarrow \mathbb I^2$$

P
:

I
¨

2

→

I
2

of its square onto the unit square $$\mathbb I^2$$

I
2

, the usco multimap $${P^{-1}:\mathbb I^2\multimap {{\ddot{\mathbb I}}}^2}$$

P

-
1

:

I
2

⊸

I
¨

2

has a Borel ($$F_\sigma $$

F
σ

-measurable) selection if and only if the Continuum Hypothesis holds. This CH-example shows that know results on Borel selections of usco maps into fragmentable compact spaces cannot be extended to a wider class of compact spaces.
Optimising dividends and consumption under an exponential CIR as a discount factor
Authors: Eisenberg Julia , Mishura Yuliya
Published: June 2020

We consider an economic agent (a household or an insurance company) modelling its surplus process by a deterministic process or by a Brownian motion with drift. The goal is to maximise the expected discounted spending/dividend payments under a discounting factor given by an exponential CIR process. In the deterministic case, we are able to find explicit expressions for the optimal strategy and the value function. For the Brownian motion case, we are able to show that for a special parameter choice the optimal strategy is a constant-barrier strategy.
An axiomatic foundation of conditional logit
Authors: Breitmoser Yves
Published: June 2020

This paper considers a decision maker choosing from a set of options when options have multiple real-valued attributes. Assuming DM chooses all options with positive probability, four invariance assumptions are necessary and sufficient for choice probabilities to take McFadden’s conditional logit form: independence of irrelevant alternatives, translation invariance, presentation independence and context independence. Variations on these assumptions yield generalized logit and contextual logit models. This shows that even specific logit models have behavioral foundations in simple invariance assumptions involving observables only, which therefore are directly testable.
Foraging ecology of a marine top predator in the Eastern Tropical Pacific over 3 years with different ENSO phases
Authors: Lerma Miriam , Castillo-Guerrero José Alfredo , Hernández-Vázquez Salvador , Garthe Stefan
Published: June 2020

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a recurrent climatic pattern with important ecological consequences for seabirds due to its impacts on the abundance and distribution of food resources. We investigated the effects of ENSO phases on the foraging ecology of a marine top predator at Clarion Island in the Eastern Tropical Pacific using GPS and time-depth recorder data and regurgitates from incubating masked boobies (Sula dactylatra) during 3 consecutive years. Foraging locations were recorded in 2016 (El Niño, one female, three males), 2017 (neutral; six females, nine males), and 2018 (La Niña; eight females, ten males). Local sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a concentration (CHL) within the birds’ foraging range were compared among the 3 years. Regurgitates were collected opportunistically from 25 and 31 incubating adults in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Average local CHL and SST were similar among years (mean SST 25 °C; mean CHL 0.10 and of 0.09 mg m−3in January and March, respectively). Masked boobies travelled a maximum of 66 ± 34 km from the colony. The maximum trip duration was 7.7 ± 3.4 h and total distance travelled during a foraging trip was 164 ± 73 km, with no sex- or year-related differences. Masked boobies mainly caught flying fish, but their diet also included one squid and six other fish families. In contrast to previously reported changes in foraging ecology of seabirds, masked boobies at Clarion Island seemed to be unaffected during El Niño, because the local oceanography was relatively unperturbed by ENSO oscillations.
Aggregation and analysis of indication-symptom relationships for drugs approved in the USA
Authors: Punyala Ananth , Lankapalli Rachana , Hindman Diane , Racz Rebecca
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Drug indications and disease symptoms often confound adverse event reports in real-world datasets, including electronic health records and reports in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). A thorough, standardized set of indications and symptoms is needed to identify these confounders in such datasets for drug research and safety assessment. The aim of this study is to create a comprehensive list of drug-indication associations and disease-symptom associations using multiple resources, including existing databases and natural language processing.

Methods

Drug indications for drugs approved in the USA were extracted from two databases, RxNorm and Side Effect Resource (SIDER). Symptoms for these indications were extracted from MedlinePlus and using natural language processing from PubMed abstracts.

Results

A total of 1361 unique drugs, 1656 unique indications, and 2201 unique symptoms were extracted from a wide variety of MedDRA System Organ Classes. Text-mining precision was maximized at 0.65 by examining Term Frequency Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) scores of the disease-symptom associations.

Conclusion

The drug-indication associations and disease-symptom associations collected in this study may be useful in identifying confounders in other datasets, such as safety reports. With further refinement and additional drugs, indications, and symptoms, this dataset may become a quality resource for disease symptoms.
Tame torsion, the tame inverse Galois problem, and endomorphisms
Authors: Bisatt Matthew
Published: June 2020

Fix a positive integer g and rational prime p. We prove the existence of a genus g curve $$C/\mathbb {Q}$$

C
/
Q

such that the mod p representation of its Jacobian is tame by imposing conditions on the endomorphism ring. As an application, we consider the tame inverse Galois problem and are able to realise general symplectic groups as Galois groups of tame extensions of $$\mathbb {Q}$$
Q
.
The ovulation trigger–OPU time interval of different ovarian protocols in ART: a retrospective study
Authors: Shen Xi , Long Hui , Guo Wenya , Xie Yating , Gao Hongyuan , Zhang Jie , Wang Yun , Lyu Qifeng , Kuang Yanping , Wang Li
Published: June 2020

Purpose

To explore the trends of oocyte and pregnancy outcomes over the ovulation trigger–OPU (oocyte pickup) time interval in four mainly used COH protocols.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted between January 2013 and July 2018. The IVF/ICSI cycles of the patients with normal ovarian reserve were included. The number of total patients was 4673, which consisted of long agonist protocol (n = 819), short agonist protocol (n = 1703), mild stimulation protocol (n = 1627), and GnRH antagonist protocol (n = 524). The primary outcome was mature oocyte rate.

Results

The ovulation trigger–OPU time interval and COH protocol were related to cycles with > 80% MII oocytes. Four protocols showed apparently different trends of retrieved oocyte rate and mature oocyte rate over the ovulation trigger–OPU time interval, and the long agonist protocol had the most delayed time interval than other three COH protocols in retrieving more than 60% oocytes (35.4–39.6 h vs. 34.6–38.6 h vs. 32.5–37.5 h vs. 33.8–37.7 h) and getting more than 80% mature oocytes (35.0–39.7 h vs. 36.0–37.7 h vs. 34.1–35.5 h vs. 34.5–36.3 h). And the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) (OR 1.360, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.156–1.549, P < 0.05) significantly increased with the trigger–OPU time interval in the long agonist protocol.

Conclusions

For getting more and mature oocytes, the ovulation trigger–OPU time intervals should be gradually prolonged from the mild stimulation protocol, the GnRH antagonist protocol, and the short protocol to the long agonist protocol. And the prolonged ovulation trigger–OPU time interval in the long agonist protocol brings higher live birth rate (LBR) and CLBR.
Primary tumor standardized uptake value (SUVmax) measured on 18F-FDG PET/CT and mixed NSCLC components predict survival in surgical-resected combined small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Hui Zhenzhen , Wei Feng , Ren Hongliang , Xu Wengui , Ren Xiubao
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The combined small-cell lung cancer (c-SCLC) is rare and has unique clinicopathological futures. The aim of this study is to investigate 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters and clinicopathological factors that influence the prognosis of c-SCLC.

Methods

Between November 2005 and October 2014, surgical-resected tumor samples from c-SCLC patients who received preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT examination were retrospectively reviewed. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were used to evaluate metabolic parameters in primary tumors. The survivals were evaluated with the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate potential prognostic factors.

Results

Thirty-one patients were enrolled, with a median age of 62 (range: 35 − 79) years. The most common mixed component was squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, n = 12), followed by large-cell carcinoma (LCC, n = 7), adenocarcinoma (AC, n = 6), spindle cell carcinoma (n = 4), adenosquamous carcinoma (n = 1) and atypical carcinoid (n = 1). The median follow-up period was 53.0 (11.0–142.0) months; the 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival(PFS) rate were 48.4% and 35.5%, respectively. Univariate survival analysis showed that gender, smoking history, tumor location were associated with PFS (P = 0.036, P = 0.043, P = 0.048), SUVmax and TNM stage were closely related to PFS in both Mixed SCC and non-SCC component groups (P = 0.007, P = 0.048). SUVmax, smoking history, tumor size and mixed SCC component were influencing factors of OS in patients (P = 0.040, P = 0.041, P = 0.046, P = 0.029). Multivariate survival analysis confirmed that TNM stage (HR = 2.885, 95%CI: 1.323–6.289, P = 0.008) was the most significantly influential factor for PFS. High SUVmax value (HR = 9.338, 95%CI: 2.426–35.938, P = 0.001) and mixed SCC component (HR = 0.155, 95%CI: 0.045–0.530, P = 0.003) were poor predictors for OS.

Conclusion

Surgical-resected c-SCLCs have a relatively good prognosis. TNM stage is the most significant factor influencing disease progression in surgical-resected c-SCLCs. SUVmax and mixed NSCLC components within c-SCLCs had a considerable influence on the survival. Both high SUVmax and mixed SCC component are poor predictors for patients with c-SCLCs.
Plasticity of seasonal xylem and phloem production of Norway spruce along an elevational gradient
Authors: Miller Tobias Walter , Stangler Dominik Florian , Larysch Elena , Seifert Thomas , Spiecker Heinrich , Kahle Hans-Peter
Published: June 2020

Key message

Phloem cell production was less influenced by environmental factors than xylem cell production. The moment of maximum number of conducting phloem cells occurred at the end of the growing season.

The understanding of the seasonality of phloem production, its dependence on climatic factors and potential trade-offs with xylem cell production is still limited. This study determined key tree-ring phenological events and examined the dynamics of phloem and xylem cell production of Norway Spruce (Picea abies(L.) Karst) by sampling microcores during the growing seasons 2014 and 2015 along an elevational gradient (450 m, 750 m, 1250 m a.s.l.) in south-western Germany. The onset of phloem formation preceded xylem formation at each elevation by approximately 2 weeks, while cessation showed no clear differences between the stands. Maximum rates of xylem and phloem cell production were observed around the summer solstice, independent of elevation. No linear pattern was found in the occurrence of phenological events along the elevational gradient. Phloem formation appeared to be less sensitive to environmental conditions since no difference was found in the number of produced sieve cells between the 2 years of study, whereas the ratio of xylem to phloem cells was significantly smaller in the year 2015 with summer drought. The total number of conducting, non-collapsed phloem cells did not culminate as expected at the time of the potential maximum assimilate production, but at the end of the growing season. Thus, interpretation of phloem formation should not be limited to the function of assimilate transport but should follow a more holistic view of structural–functional relationships of conductive tissues and tree physiological processes.
Single center experiences with telemetric intracranial pressure measurements in patients with CSF circulation disturbances
Authors: Pennacchietti Valentina , Prinz Vincent , Schaumann Andreas , Finger Tobias , Schulz Matthias , Thomale Ulrich W.
Published: June 2020

Background

Hydrocephalus may present with heterogeneous signs and symptoms. The indication for its treatment and the optimal drainage in complex cases may be challenging. Telemetric intracranial pressure measurements (TICPM) may open new perspectives for those circumstances. We report our experiences using the Neurovent-P-tel and the Sensor Reservoir in a retrospective study.

Methods

A series of 21 patients (age range 10–39.5 years) treated in our Pediatric Neurosurgical Unit receiving a TICPM was analyzed. In 8 patients, a Neurovent-P-Tel was implanted; 13 patients received a Sensor Reservoir, 6 of which as a stand-alone implant, while 7 were already shunted. TICPM were performed on an outpatient basis. Possible complications, follow-up surgeries, and TICPM were analyzed.

Results

Concerning the complications, one infection was seen in each group and one postoperative seizure was observed in the P-tel group. TICPM-assisted shunt adjustments lead to clinical improvements in six patients in the P-tel group and six patients in the Sensor Reservoir group. In four out of six non-shunted patients, TICPM contributed to the indication toward shunt implantation.

Conclusions

TICPM seems to be a promising tool to improve clinical management of shunted patients with complex hydrocephalus. The two available systems will need further technical improvements, concerning implantation time, measurements, and data analysis in order to optimize handling and interpretation of the data.
Fusion of intra-oral scans in cone-beam computed tomography scans
Authors: Baan F. , Bruggink R. , Nijsink J. , Maal T. J. J. , Ongkosuwito E. M.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical accuracy of the fusion of intra-oral scans in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans using two commercially available software packages.

Materials and methods

Ten dry human skulls were subjected to structured light scanning, CBCT scanning, and intra-oral scanning. Two commercially available software packages were used to perform fusion of the intra-oral scans in the CBCT scan to create an accurate virtual head model: IPS CaseDesigner® and OrthoAnalyzer™. The structured light scanner was used as a gold standard and was superimposed on the virtual head models, created by IPS CaseDesigner® and OrthoAnalyzer™, using an Iterative Closest Point algorithm. Differences between the positions of the intra-oral scans obtained with the software packages were recorded and expressed in six degrees of freedom as well as the inter- and intra-observer intra-class correlation coefficient.

Results

The tested software packages, IPS CaseDesigner® and OrthoAnalyzer™, showed a high level of accuracy compared to the gold standard. The accuracy was calculated for all six degrees of freedom. It was noticeable that the accuracy in the cranial/caudal direction was the lowest for IPS CaseDesigner® and OrthoAnalyzer™ in both the maxilla and mandible. The inter- and intra-observer intra-class correlation coefficient showed a high level of agreement between the observers.

Clinical relevance

IPS CaseDesigner® and OrthoAnalyzer™ are reliable software packages providing an accurate fusion of the intra-oral scan in the CBCT. Both software packages can be used as an accurate fusion tool of the intra-oral scan in the CBCT which provides an accurate basis for 3D virtual planning.
Effects of tectonically induced fabrics on geomechanical properties of rocks, NW Pakistan
Authors: Ali Asghar , Hussain Saddam , Khan Shehzad , Khan Awal Sher , Mabood Sohail , Ahmad Rafique
Published: June 2020

The Chakdara Granitic Gneisses (CGG) of the Indian plate and Kamila Amphibolite of the Kohistan Island Arc (KIA) along the Main Mantle Thrust (MMT) in Shigo Kas, Talash Dir Lower, indicate that tectonically induced foliations and lineations strongly affected the geomechanical properties of these rocks. The earlier S1 crenulated cleavages are well preserved in the microlithon of a well-developed ENE-WSW trending S2 crenulation cleavage. The pervasive S2 foliations, D2 fold axes, and L22 lineations are induced by NNW-SSE horizontal bulk shortening. The core samples obtained parallel and perpendicular to the main ENE-WSW trending S2 and L22 have higher and lower uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) values, respectively. The UCS and uniaxial tensile strength (UTS) average values of four core samples obtained parallel and perpendicular to the main S2 are 51.8 MPa and 12.21 MPa versus 45.65 MPa and 12.45 MPa, respectively. Core samples from the weakly foliated S-2 specimen shows little variation in the UCS and UTS values. The variation in the UCS values in the core samples cut perpendicular and parallel to the main tectonic fabric has been controlled by micro-shear zones at the contact zones of crenulated and crenulation cleavages and sigmoidal mica fish. The UCS values are higher in the core samples parallel to the pervasive S2 and L22 because the parallel shear on the sigmoidal crenulated cleavages in microlithon of the S2 and S2 mica fish counterbalance the parallel external applied load. However, the UCS values decrease in the core samples that were cut perpendicular to the pervasive S2 and L22 because the perpendicular shear on the sigmoidal crenulated cleavages in microlithon of the S2 and S2 mica fish enhances the external applied load, which lead to the failure of core samples.
Can metabolic profiling provide a new description of osteoarthritis and enable a personalised medicine approach?
Authors: Jaggard M. K. J. , Boulangé C. L. , Graça G. , Vaghela U. , Akhbari P. , Bhattacharya R. , Williams H. R. T. , Lindon J. C. , Gupte C. M.
Published: June 2020

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial disease contributing to significant disability and economic burden in Western populations. The aetiology of OA remains poorly understood, but is thought to involve genetic, mechanical and environmental factors. Currently, the diagnosis of OA relies predominantly on clinical assessment and plain radiographic changes long after the disease has been initiated. Recent advances suggest that there are changes in joint fluid metabolites that are associated with OA development. If this is the case, biochemical and metabolic biomarkers of OA could help determine prognosis, monitor disease progression and identify potential therapeutic targets. Moreover, for focussed management and personalised medicine, novel biomarkers could sub-stratify patients into OA phenotypes, differentiating metabolic OA from post-traumatic, age-related and genetic OA. To date, OA biomarkers have concentrated on cytokine action and protein signalling with some progress. However, these remain to be adopted into routine clinical practice. In this review, we outline the emerging metabolic links to OA pathogenesis and how an elucidation of the metabolic changes in this condition may provide future, more descriptive biomarkers to differentiate OA subtypes.
Rheumatology-led pregnancy clinic: enhancing the care of women with rheumatic diseases during pregnancy
Authors: El Miedany Yasser , Palmer Deborah
Published: June 2020

The autoimmune rheumatic diseases have a clear predilection for women. Consequently, issues regarding family planning and pregnancy are a vital component of the management of these patients. Not only does pregnancy by itself causes physiologic/immunologic changes that impact disease activity but also women living with inflammatory arthritic conditions face the additional challenges of reduced fecundity and worsened pregnancy outcomes. Many women struggle to find adequate information to guide them on pregnancy planning, lactation and early parenting in relation to their chronic condition. This article discusses the gaps in the care provided to women living with inflammatory arthritis in standard practice and how a rheumatology nurse-led pregnancy clinic would fill such gap, consequently enhance the care provided and ensure appropriate education is provided to these individuals who represent the majority of the patients attending the rheumatology outpatient clinics. Such specialist care is expected to cover the whole journey as it is expected to provide high-quality care before, during and after pregnancy.
Re-evaluating natural resource investments under uncertainty: An alternative to limited traditional approaches
Authors: Maier Sebastian
Published: June 2020

The need to evaluate natural resource investments under uncertainty has given rise to the development of real options valuation; however, the analysis of such investments has been restricted by the capabilities of existing valuation approaches. We re-visit the well-known example of a copper mine project under a one-factor and two multi-factor models using the influence diagram simulation-and-regression (IDSR) approach. The one-factor setting was originally proposed by Brennan and Schwartz (J Bus 58(2):135–157, 1985), who used partial differential equations (PDEs) and finite differences to approximately solve the valuation problem; extensions to two and three factors were later analysed by Tsekrekos et al. (Eur Financ Manag 18(4):543–575, 2012) using the least-squares Monte Carlo method. We apply the IDSR approach to perform a detailed portfolio analysis of the one-factor benchmark investment and find issues in both the definitions and values of the fixed-output-rate mine and closure option at the portfolio decomposition stage in Brennan and Schwartz (1985). We then apply the IDSR approach to re-evaluate two multi-factor extensions of Tsekrekos et al. (2012) and detect issues in their sensitivity analyses that impact on the reliability of some of their findings. To confirm this and validate the values we obtained, we integrate PDE-based analytical expressions that describe the volatilities implied by the multi-factor models into our IDSR-based analysis. Using the investment-uncertainty relationship, we are able to correctly analyse the impact of the complex multi-factor model parameters on investment value. We conclude that the limitations of PDE-based finite difference approaches may invalidate their use in portfolio situations, but analytical expressions obtained from PDE-based modelling may be profitably integrated into a simulation-based, numerical analysis to validate results and gain new insights.
The Eulerian Stochastic Fields Method Applied to Large Eddy Simulations of a Piloted Flame with Inhomogeneous Inlet
Authors: Hansinger Maximilian , Zirwes Thorsten , Zips Julian , Pfitzner Michael , Zhang Feichi , Habisreuther Peter , Bockhorn Henning
Published: June 2020

Large Eddy Simulations of the Sydney mixed-mode flame with inhomogeneous inlet (FJ200-5GP-Lr75-57) are performed using the Eulerian Stochastic Fields (ESF) transported probability functions method to account for the sub-grid scale turbulence–chemistry interaction, to demonstrate the suitability of the ESF method for mixed-mode combustion. An analytically reduced 19-species methane mechanism is used for the description of the chemical reactions. Prior to the reactive case, simulation results of the non-reactive setup with cold and hot pilot stream are presented, which show differences in the jet breakup and radial species mass fluxes. The reactive case simulations are compared to experimental data and a recently conducted model free quasi-DNS (qDNS), showing very good agreement with the qDNS in terms of scatter data and radial mean values of temperature and species distribution, as well as mixture fraction conditional statistics. Further analysis is dedicated to sub-grid scale statistics, showing that mixture fraction and reaction progress variable are strongly correlated in this flame. The impact of the number of stochastic fields on the filtered temperature and species distribution is investigated; it reveals that the ESF method in conjunction with finite-rate chemistry is very insensitive to the number of employed fields to obtain highly accurate simulation results.
Flow cytometric detection of hyper-polarized mitochondria in regulated and accidental cell death processes
Authors: Warnes G.
Published: June 2020

Shikonin induced necroptosis in Jurkat cells were identified flow cytometrically by the up-regulation of RIP3 in live cells and that a proportion of these cells underwent other forms of regulated cell death (RCD) which included parthanatos (< 10%), or cleaved PARP (< 10%) and DNA Damage (> 30%). Live necroptotic cells also possessed functioning mitochondria with hyper-polarized mitochondria membrane potential and generated a fivefold increase in cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) which was resistant to inhibition by zVAD and necrostatin-1 (Nec-1). After loss of plasma membrane integrity these dead necroptotic cells then showed a higher incidence of parthanatos (> 40%), or cleaved PARP (> 15%) but less DNA Damage (< 15%). Inhibition of shikonin induced apoptosis and necroptosis by zVAD and Nec-1 respectively resulted in live necroptotic cells with an increased incidence of cleaved PARP and reduced levels of DNA Damage respectively. Dead necroptotic cells then showed a reduced incidence of parthanatos and DNA Damage after inhibition by zVAD and Nec-1 respectively. A high proportion of these dead necroptotic cells (30%) which lacked plasma membrane integrity also displayed functioning hyper-polarized mitochondria with high levels of cellular ROS and thus had the capacity to influence the outcome of RCD processes rather than just been the end product of cell death, the necrotic cell. Flow cytometry can thus measure multiple forms of RCD and the level of cellular ROS and MMP which highlights the inter-connection between cell death processes and that a single cell may simultaneously display multiple forms of RCD.
Low-dose metronomic chemotherapy as an efficient treatment option in metastatic breast cancer—results of an exploratory case–control study
Authors: Krajnak S. , Schnatz C. , Almstedt K. , Brenner W. , Haertner F. , Heimes A.-S. , Lebrecht A. , Makris G.-M. , Schwab R. , Hasenburg A. , Schmidt M. , Battista M. J.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

There is growing interest in low-dose metronomic chemotherapy (LDMC) in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). In this retrospective case–control analysis, we compared the efficacy of LDMC and conventional chemotherapy (CCT) in MBC.

Methods

Each LDMC patient receiving oral cyclophosphamide (CTX) (50 mg daily) and methotrexate (MTX) (2.5 mg every other day) was matched with two controls who received CCT. Age, number of chemotherapy lines and metastatic sites as well as hormone receptor (HR) status were considered as matching criteria. Primary endpoint was disease control rate longer than 24 weeks (DCR). Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), duration of response (DoR) and subgroup analyses using the matching criteria.

Results

40 cases and 80 controls entered the study. 30.0% patients with LDMC and 22.5% patients with CCT showed DCR (p = 0.380). The median PFS was 12.0 weeks in both groups (p = 0.218) and the median DoR was 31.0 vs. 20.5 weeks (p = 0.383), respectively. Among younger patients, DCR was 40.0% in LDMC vs. 25.0% in the CCT group (p = 0.249). DCR was achieved in 33.3% vs. 26.2% non-heavily pretreated patients (p = 0.568) and in 36.0% vs. 18.0% patients without multiple metastases (p = 0.096), respectively. In the HR-positive group, 30.0% LDMC vs. 28.3% CCT patients showed DCR (p = 1.000). Among triple-negative patients, DCR was achieved in 30.0% LDMC and 5.0% CCT patients (p = 0.095).

Conclusions

We demonstrated a similar efficacy of LDMC compared to CCT in the treatment of MBC. Thus, LDMC may be a valuable treatment option in selected MBC patients.
How to Regulate the Right to Self-Medicate
Authors: Roberts Joseph T. F.
Published: June 2020

In Pharmaceutical Freedom Professor Flanigan argues we ought to grant people self-medication rights for the same reasons we respect people’s right to give (or refuse to give) informed consent to treatment. Despite being the most comprehensive argument in favour of self-medication written to date, Flanigan’s Pharmaceutical Freedom leaves a number of questions unanswered, making it unclear how the safe-guards Flanigan incorporates to protect people from harming themselves would work in practice. In this paper, I extend Professor Flanigan’s account by discussing a hypothetical case to illustrate how these safe-guards could work together to protect people from harms caused by their own ignorance or incompetence.
The Epistemological Contribution of the Transcendental Reduction
Authors: Vincini Stefano
Published: June 2020

In order to appreciate the rich implications of the transcendental reduction, one has to distinguish the different contexts where it acquires different meanings. The present paper focuses on a particular epistemological context and clarifies the contribution of the reduction within this context. The contribution consists in the formulation and solution of the problem of exhibiting the evidence supporting the belief in the world’s existence. In a nutshell, world-experience grounds the world-belief and world-experience entails a bedrock of experience legitimizing the positing of others. I argue that this contribution is possibly an enduring achievement of Husserl’s transcendental philosophy against common objections that are raised against it. I show that both the necessity and the viability of the transcendental reduction are a consequence of the general structure of critical examination. Overall, a picture of Husserl’s philosophy emerges that emphasizes embodiment, intersubjectivity, and facticity without giving up the rigor of radical epistemological analysis, aiming at overcoming both naïve pseudo-problems and subtle forms of dogmatism.
Red light gentrification in Soho, London and De Wallen, Amsterdam
Authors: Singelenberg Marthe , van Gent Wouter
Published: June 2020

Many European city centres have seen increasing investment in the last decades, and policies have targeted centrally-located red light districts in particular for regeneration and clean-up. The literature tends to discuss these interventions and the associated social changes in terms of state-led gentrification. While such a classification may serve critical inquiry, we argue that the use of the concept may also entail certain assumptions regarding the future of these areas: their eventual demise as diverse areas with sex-related economic activities. Through a qualitative study of long-term residents, visitors and entrepreneurs in Soho, London and De Wallen, Amsterdam, we highlight how different changes are experienced depending on a person’s positioning. We also identify how locals exert some control over how these processes play out. The outcome, for the time being, has been a continuation of red light activities, albeit modified and adapted to the preferences of new residents, visitors, large investors and the state. For these reasons, we argue that the process and its outcomes should be understood as a distinct mode of neighbourhood change, namely ‘red light gentrification’. Our conceptualisation of gentrification as a locally embedded process demonstrates that the outcomes of state and market pressures are more contingent on local context than ideal-typical or policy-based understandings allow.
Maturity and Well-Being: The Development of Self-Authorship, Eudaimonic Motives, Age, and Subjective Well-Being
Authors: Bauger Lars , Bongaardt Rob , Bauer Jack J.
Published: June 2020

In this article, we investigate psychological maturity and other eudaimonic phenomena to predict subjective well-being (SWB), as well as if age moderate the relationship between psychological maturity and SWB. To assess psychological maturity, we analyzed 223 participants’ narratives of a high point in their life, according to Kegan’s (In over our heads: the mental demands of modern life, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1994) theory of adult development and the accompanying subject-object interview guide. In a multiple regression analysis, we found support for our first hypothesis that level of psychological maturity in the narratives significantly predicts SWB when controlling for other eudaimonic phenomena like meaning in life, growth motivation, and authenticity. We found some support for our second hypothesis that age moderated the relation between psychological maturity and SWB, but not in the expected direction. That is, maturity predicted SWB only for those under 60 years old and not for the older age group, but this moderating influence of age on the relation between psychological maturity and SWB was not supported in regression models with a continuous or tripartite age variable. These are novel results as psychological maturity has traditionally not been associated with well-being. We discuss our findings in relation to similar constructs such as autonomy that have traditionally been linked with SWB.
Transparent conductive organic–inorganic hybrid composites based on Ag nanowires
Authors: Lang Katharina , Klein Matthias , Domann Gerhard , Löbmann Peer
Published: June 2020

Silver nanowires (AgNW) were incorporated into different organic–inorganic hybrids and a silicone composition that served as a reference. Spin coating yielded transparent conductive films, their respective nanowire distribution, thermal activation, and visual transparency were characterized. The percolation threshold of the films scales with the individual average AgNW length. Substantial conductivity was maintained throughout mechanical stretching up to 30%. Microstructured organic–inorganic hybrid composite films were obtained by UV lithography.
Optimal damping coefficient for a class of continuous contact models
Authors: Poursina Mohammad , Nikravesh Parviz E.
Published: June 2020

In this study, we develop an analytical formula to approximate the damping coefficient as a function of the coefficient of restitution for a class of continuous contact models. The contact force is generated by a logical point-to-point force element consisting of a linear damper connected in parallel to a spring with Hertz force–penetration characteristic, while the exponent of deformation of the Hertz spring can vary between one and two. In this nonlinear model, it is assumed that the bodies start to separate when the contact force becomes zero. After separation, either the restitution continues or a permanent penetration is achieved. Therefore, this model is capable of addressing a wide range of impact problems. Herein, we apply an optimization strategy on the solution of the equations governing the dynamics of the penetration, ensuring that the desired restitution is reproduced at the time of separation. Furthermore, based on the results of the optimization process along with analytical investigations, the resulting optimal damping coefficient is analytically expressed at the time of impact in terms of system properties such as the effective mass, penetration velocity just before the impact, coefficient of restitution, and the characteristics of the Hertz spring model.
A public unified bug dataset for java and its assessment regarding metrics and bug prediction
Authors: Ferenc Rudolf , Tóth Zoltán , Ladányi Gergely , Siket István , Gyimóthy Tibor
Published: June 2020

Bug datasets have been created and used by many researchers to build and validate novel bug prediction models. In this work, our aim is to collect existing public source code metric-based bug datasets and unify their contents. Furthermore, we wish to assess the plethora of collected metrics and the capabilities of the unified bug dataset in bug prediction. We considered 5 public datasets and we downloaded the corresponding source code for each system in the datasets and performed source code analysis to obtain a common set of source code metrics. This way, we produced a unified bug dataset at class and file level as well. We investigated the diversion of metric definitions and values of the different bug datasets. Finally, we used a decision tree algorithm to show the capabilities of the dataset in bug prediction. We found that there are statistically significant differences in the values of the original and the newly calculated metrics; furthermore, notations and definitions can severely differ. We compared the bug prediction capabilities of the original and the extended metric suites (within-project learning). Afterwards, we merged all classes (and files) into one large dataset which consists of 47,618 elements (43,744 for files) and we evaluated the bug prediction model build on this large dataset as well. Finally, we also investigated cross-project capabilities of the bug prediction models and datasets. We made the unified dataset publicly available for everyone. By using a public unified dataset as an input for different bug prediction related investigations, researchers can make their studies reproducible, thus able to be validated and verified.
Metabolic characterisation of disturbances in the APOC3/triglyceride-rich lipoprotein pathway through sample-based recall by genotype
Authors: Corbin Laura J. , Hughes David A. , Chetwynd Andrew J. , Taylor Amy E. , Southam Andrew D. , Jankevics Andris , Weber Ralf J. M. , Groom Alix , Dunn Warwick B. , Timpson Nicholas J.
Published: June 2020

Introduction

High plasma triacylglyceride levels are known to be associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III) is a key regulator of plasma triacylglyceride levels and is associated with hypertriglyceridemia via a number of pathways. There is consistent evidence for an association of cardiovascular events with blood apoC-III level, with support from human genetic studies of APOC3 variants. As such, apoC-III has been recognised as a potential therapeutic target for patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia with one of the most promising apoC-III-targeting drugs, volanesorsen, having recently progressed through Phase III trials.

Objectives

To exploit a rare loss of function variant in APOC3 (rs138326449) to characterise the potential long-term treatment effects of apoC-III targeting interventions on the metabolome.

Methods

In a recall-by-genotype study, 115 plasma samples were analysed by UHPLC-MS to acquire non-targeted metabolomics data. The study included samples from 57 adolescents and 33 adults. Overall, 12 985 metabolic features were tested for an association with APOC3 genotype.

Results

144 uniquely annotated metabolites were found to be associated with rs138326449(APOC3). The highest proportion of associated metabolites belonged to the acyl-acyl glycerophospholipid and triacylglyceride metabolite classes. In addition to the anticipated (on-target) reduction of metabolites in the triacylglyceride and related classes, carriers of the rare variant exhibited previously unreported increases in levels of a number of metabolites from the acyl-alkyl glycerophospholipid and ceramide classes.

Conclusion

Overall, our results suggest that therapies targeting apoC-III may potentially achieve a broad shift in lipid profile that favours better metabolic health.