bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconfigurable rectenna array design with mutual coupling analysis
Authors: Lu Ping , Yang Xue‐Song , Wang Bing‐Zhong
Published: December 2018

This article introduces design of two frequency reconfigurable rectenna arrays, which are in direct current (DC) combining and in radio frequency (RF) combining configurations, respectively, with the mutual coupling analysis. We compare the performances in the conversion efficiency of the two arrays. For the mutual coupling analysis, the coupling coefficient matrix and the active DC patterns of the two rectenna arrays are calculated. By analyzing the mutual coupling, we find that the rectenna array in RF combining can achieve higher and more stable output DC power than that in DC combining. When the receiving antenna element spaces about 0.46λ0 and the rectifying circuit element spaces 0.17λ0, the proposed two‐element reconfigurable rectenna array in RF combining configuration achieves measured conversion efficiencies of 69.1% and 64.2% at two operation frequency modes, while simulated efficiency in DC configuration achieves 70.3% and 53.2% when the rectenna element spaces 0.38λ0.
The most reliable flight itinerary problem
Authors: Redmond Michael , Campbell Ann M. , Ehmke Jan F.
Published: December 2018

Travel itineraries between many origin‐destination (OD) pairs can require multiple legs, such as several trains, shared rides or flights, to arrive at the final destination. Travelers expect transparent reliability information to help improve decision‐making for multi‐leg itineraries. We focus on airline travel and making a priori decisions about flight itineraries based on the reliability of arriving at the destination within the travel time budget. We model the reliability of multi‐leg itineraries and, given publicly available data, create probability distributions of flight arrival and departure times. We use these values in our reliability calculations for the entire itinerary. We implement a stochastic network search algorithm that finds the most reliable flight itinerary (MRFI). We also implement several ideas to improve the efficiency of this network search. Computational experiments help identify characteristics of the MRFI for a diverse set of OD pairs.
Cucumis metuliferus reduces Meloidogyne incognita virulence against the Mi1.2 resistance gene in a tomato–melon rotation sequence
Authors: Expósito Alejandro , García Sergi , Giné Ariadna , Escudero Nuria , Sorribas Francisco Javier
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

Susceptible tomato cv. Durinta, ungrafted or grafted onto cv. Aligator resistant rootstock, both followed by the susceptible melon cv. Paloma, ungrafted or grafted onto Cucumis metuliferus BGV11135, and in the reverse order, were cultivated from 2015 to 2017 in the same plots in a plastic greenhouse, infested or not with Meloidogyne incognita. For each crop, soil nematode densities, galling index, number of eggs per plant and crop yield were determined. Virulence selection was evaluated in pot experiments.

RESULTS

In the tomato–melon rotation, nematode densities increased progressively for the grafted tomato, being higher than for ungrafted plants at the end of the study; this was not the case in the melon–tomato rotation. Grafted crops yielded more than ungrafted crops in the infested plots. Virulence against the Mi1.2 gene was detected, but not against C. metuliferus. Reproduction of M. incognita on the resistant tomato was ∼ 120% that on the susceptible cultivar after the first grafted tomato crop, but this decreased to just 25% at the end of the experiment.

CONCLUSION

Alternating different resistant plant species suppresses nematode population growth rate and yield losses. Although this strategy does not prevent virulence selection, the level was reduced. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Collaborating to manage performance trade‐offs: How fire departments preserve life and save property
Authors: Horwitz Jay R. , McGahan Anita M.
Published: December 2018

Research Summary

We examine how formal collaboration allows organizations to resolve performance trade‐offs that cannot be resolved informally. The theory is tested on U.S. fire departments, which pursue goals that sometimes conflict: reducing casualties and saving property. By relying on intrinsic motivation, informal collaboration reduces casualties and saves some property above what departments can achieve alone. Formal contracts are needed to achieve additional performance improvements on the goal of saving property. Contracts improve performance above what is accomplished informally by compelling collaboration even under casualty risk. Prior studies of collaboration that do not account for ex ante informality or performance trade‐offs may misstate the impact of collaboration on organization performance.

Management Summary

Like many organizations, U.S. fire departments pursue multiple goals that sometimes conflict. For fire departments, these goals are reducing casualties and saving property. Goal conflict arises when firefighter lives are put at risk to save property. To improve performance on both goals, fire departments often collaborate with neighboring departments in nearby jurisdictions. In this paper, we examine how performance on both goals improves when departments collaborate informally through handshake agreements. However, performance in saving property—the goal that is less intrinsically motivating for firefighters—improves even more when the collaborating departments implement a formal contract. At the same time, casualties increase slightly. This is because a contract creates an obligation for an assisting department to save property even under a risk to firefighters' lives. The analysis shows how formal contracts are implemented to resolve trade‐offs that cannot be resolved informally. We conclude that the performance improvements associated with collaboration may be quite different than the improvements that follow the implementation of formal contracts. This is because contracts may deal only with marginal trade‐offs between the goals of the collaborators.
8:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol causes immunotoxicity and liver injury in adult male C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Wang Xia , Kong Baida , He Bingnan , Wei Lai , Zhu Jianbo , Jin Yuanxiang , Shan Yudong , Wang Weitao , Pan Chunqiang , Fu Zhengwei
Published: December 2018

8:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol (8:2 FTOH) is widely used in houseware and industrial goods and is ubiquitous in the surrounding environment. 8:2 FTOH has been linked to hepatoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity, as well as endocrine‐disrupting effects. However, as of yet, the research regarding immunotoxicity of 8:2 FTOH remains largely limited. In the present study, adult male C57BL/6 mice were administered with 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg/d 8:2 FTOH by gavage for 28 days to investigate its immunotoxicity in vivo. The results showed that exposure to 8:2 FTOH caused increases in liver weight and histological changes in the liver, including vacuolation, cell swelling, immune cell infiltration, karyopyknosis and nuclear swelling. No histological change in either the spleen or the thymus was observed after administration of 8:2 FTOH. In addition, exposure to 8:2 FTOH reduced the concentration of IL‐1β in serum, and mRNA levels of IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α in both the thymus and spleen. CXCL‐1 mRNA expression was downregulated in both the liver and thymus after 8:2 FTOH administration, while only IL‐1β mRNA expression was upregulated in the liver. Moreover, the exposure of primary cultured splenocytes to 8:2 FTOH inhibited the ConA‐stimulated proliferation of splenocytes at concentrations of 30 and 100 μM, and the LPS‐stimulated proliferation of splenocytes at 100 μM. Furthermore, 8:2 FTOH inhibited the level of secreted IFN‐γ in ConA‐stimulated splenocytes. The results obtained in the study demonstrated that 8:2 FTOH posed potential immunotoxicity and liver injury in mice. Our findings will provide novel data for the health risk assessment of 8:2 FTOH.
Impact of hospital hospitality house programs on quality of life and mood of patients and caregivers after hematopoietic stem cell transplant
Authors: Torres Maria E. , Hashmi Shahrukh K. , Stevens Maria A. , Tan Angelina D. , Callahan Valerie , Sloan Jeff A. , Hogan William J. , Litzow Mark R. , Roy Vivek , Foran James M. , Colon-Otero Gerardo
Published: December 2018

Objective/background:

The quality of life (QOL) of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients and their caregivers decreases during the first 8 days after HSCT.

Methods:

This prospective pilot study collected preliminary data on the impact of posttransplant living arrangements (hospital hospitality house [HHH] vs. hotel, apartment, or house [“hotel”]) and other factors on the QOL of HSCT patients and their caregivers. The predefined primary end point was QOL of patients and their caregivers on Day 30 (QOL30) as measured by the linear analog self-assessment (LASA).

Results:

Forty-four HSCT patients participated (HHH 23, hotel 21; allogeneic 18, autologous 26). No significant differences in QOL30 (mean LASA score) were noted between patient groups (55.6 [HHH] vs. 72.2 [hotel], p = .06) or between caregiver groups (77.8 [HHH] vs. 88.9 [hotel], p = .20). Multivariate analysis for QOL30 showed that baseline QOL (p = .006) and age (p = .049) were significant predictors of QOL30 after adjustment for sex, post-HSCT living place, and transplant type. Older patients (≥60 years) had a significantly lower QOL30 than younger patients (mean score, 51.6 vs. 75.3; p = .02).

Conclusion:

Efforts to improve QOL30 of HSCT patients and caregivers in the confined environment of an HHH should focus on patients with low baseline QOL and older patients.
Introducing the New Editor-in-Chief of GRL
Authors: Rajaram Harihar
Published: December 2018

Find out who is taking over the helm of Geophysical Research Letters and his plans for taking the journal forward in the coming years.
AGU Should Support Its Members Who Fly Less
Authors: Cobb Kim , Kalmus Peter , Romps David
Published: December 2018

By auditing its travel-related conference emissions, adopting more virtual meeting technology, and opening a dialogue with its members, AGU could be an important mitigator of climate change.
Improvement of the Ionospheric Radio Occultation Retrievals by Means of Accurate Global Ionospheric Maps
Authors: Shao Y. , González‐Casado G. , Juan J. M. , Sanz J. , Rovira‐Garcia A.
Published: December 2018

The Abel inversion method is the classic approach to retrieve electron density profiles from radio occultation measurements, assuming that the electron density is only dependent upon height. In the early 2000s, the total electron content (TEC)‐aided inversion method was introduced, where horizontal gradients in the electron density distribution are taken into account by using information from an external model of total electron content (TEC). We show how the quality of the chosen external ionospheric model influences the radio occultation retrievals. Using a two‐layer TEC model, the 68% percentiles of the global error distributions of retrieved critical frequency and bottomside ionospheric electron content for 2014 improve more than 30%, with regard to the classic Abel inversion results. In a well‐sounded region like Europe, this improvement raises to about 40–45%, while 10% improvement is achieved using two‐layer maps with regard to the retrievals using single‐layer TEC maps. We point out that using the TEC to describe the horizontal gradient incurs an implicit mismodeling that, until now, has not been taken into account. A new technique is presented that, thanks to TEC modeling by means of two layers, can assess the impacts of such mismodeling. From this technique, a method to select the most accurate radio occultation retrievals is applied to demonstrate that the resulting errors in the retrieved critical frequencies for the European region are smaller than 7% in nearly 82% of the cases, very similar to the relative difference between measurements of two nearby ionosondes.
On Ionic Contributions to Pedersen Conductance
Authors: Zossi Bruno S. , Fagre Mariano , Elias Ana G.
Published: December 2018

Ionospheric conductivity is a key parameter to understand the upper atmosphere electrodynamics, magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere coupling and several geophysical processes. In the case of Pedersen conductivity, ions and electrons are moving in opposite direction, so that it results from the addition of the separate contributions. In this work, the role of the three main ions, that is, NO+, O2+, and O+, in the conductivity height profile and in the conductance global pattern is analyzed for different solar activity levels and seasons. NO+ is the is the main contributor for the maximum conductivity in all the cases in the E layer; however, O+ takes relevance with a significant percentage of the conductance at certain regions such as the South Atlantic Anomaly and the crests at the equatorial ionization anomaly, becoming the main conducting ion in these zones when the solar activity is high. Regarding seasonal effects, the role of NO+ in the conductivity is maximum on summer hemisphere, while O+ becomes important in winter and maximum with high solar activity. O2+ has maximum percentage close to magnetic poles, where the magnetic field strength is intense lowering the peak conducting level.
Cu-Catalyzed carbamoylationversusamination of quinolineN-oxide with formamides
Authors: Zhang Yan , Zhang Shiwei , Xu Guangxing , Li Min , Tang Chunlei , Fan Weizheng
Published: December 2018

Carbamoylation and amination of quinoline with formamides was developedviacopper-catalyzed C–C and C–N bond formations.
Trap-induced conversion from singlet fission to intersystem crossing via in situ heating of rubrene-based organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Zhu Hongqiang , Jia Weiyao , Chen Lixiang , Tang Xiantong , Hu Yeqian , Pan Ruiheng , Deng Jinqiu , Xiong Zuhong
Published: December 2018

An in situ heating method was used to investigate the effect of high temperature on the magneto-electroluminescence (MEL) of rubrene-based organic light-emitting diodes.
Augmented fixed‐time observer‐based continuous robust control for hypersonic vehicles with measurement noises
Authors: Sun Jinlin , Yi Jianqiang , Pu Zhiqiang
Published: December 2018

This study is concerned with the augmented fixed‐time observer based adaptive super‐twisting cruise control for flexible air‐breathing hypersonic vehicles (FAHVs). First, the input–output linearisation technique is employed to derive a control oriented FAHV dynamic model. Then, a super‐twisting controller is designed to track the reference velocity and altitude commands when faced with various uncertainties and disturbances. In addition, a novel gain adaptation law is constructed as a supplement of the super‐twisting controller to avoid overestimating the values of controller gains. The adaptation law keeps the controller gains adapting dynamically to guarantee the finite‐time convergence of sliding variables in the presence of disturbances with unknown boundaries. Moreover, augmented fixed‐time observers are designed to estimate the true values of measured states and filter out high‐frequency sensor noises. Thus, the fixed convergence time of these observers is achieved independently of initial estimation errors. Finally, the augmented fixed‐time observers and adaptive super‐twisting controller are combined together to ensure the superior tracking performances of FAHVs under the effects of uncertainties, disturbances, and measurement noises.
The VLA-COSMOS 3 GHz Large Project: Average radio spectral energy distribution of highly star-forming galaxies
Authors: Tisanić K. , Smolčić V. , Delhaize J. , Novak M. , Intema H. , Delvecchio I. , Schinnerer E. , Zamorani G. , Bondi M. , Vardoulaki E.
Published: December 2018

We construct the average radio spectral energy distribution (SED) of highly star-forming galaxies (HSFGs) up to z ∼ 4. Infrared and radio luminosities are bound by a tight correlation that is defined by the so-called q parameter. This infrared–radio correlation provides the basis for the use of radio luminosity as a star-formation tracer. Recent stacking and survival analysis studies find q to be decreasing with increasing redshift. It was pointed out that a possible cause of the redshift trend could be the computation of rest-frame radio luminosity via a single power-law assumption of the star-forming galaxies’ (SFGs) SED. To test this, we constrained the shape of the radio SED of a sample of HSFGs. To achieve a broad rest-frame frequency range, we combined previously published Very Large Array observations of the COSMOS field at 1.4 GHz and 3 GHz with unpublished Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT) observations at 325 MHz and 610 MHz by employing survival analysis to account for non-detections in the GMRT maps. We selected a sample of HSFGs in a broad redshift range (z ∈ [0.3, 4],  SFR ≥ 100 M⊙ yr−1) and constructed the average radio SED. By fitting a broken power-law, we find that the spectral index changes from α1 = 0.42 ± 0.06 below a rest-frame frequency of 4.3 GHz to α2 = 0.94 ± 0.06 above 4.3 GHz. Our results are in line with previous low-redshift studies of HSFGs ( SFR >  10 M⊙  yr−1) that show the SED of HSFGs to differ from the SED found for normal SFGs ( SFR <  10 M⊙ yr−1). The difference is mainly in a steeper spectrum around 10 GHz, which could indicate a smaller fraction of thermal free–free emission. Finally, we also discuss the impact of applying this broken power-law SED in place of a simple power-law in K-corrections of HSFGs and a typical radio SED for normal SFGs drawn from the literature. We find that the shape of the radio SED is unlikely to be the root cause of the q − z trend in SFGs.
The ATESP 5 GHz radio survey
Authors: Ricci R. , Prandoni I. , De Ruiter H. R. , Parma P.
Published: December 2018

Aims. It is now established that the faint radio population is a mixture of star-forming galaxies and faint active galactic nuclei (AGNs), with the former dominating below S1.4 GHz ∼ 100μJy and the latter at larger flux densities. The faint radio AGN component can itself be separated into two main classes, mainly based on the host-galaxy properties: sources associated with red/early-type galaxies (like radio galaxies) are the dominant class down to ∼100 μJy; quasar/Seyfert–like sources contribute an additional 10–20%. One of the major open questions regarding faint radio AGNs is the physical process responsible for their radio emission. This work aims at investigating this issue, with particular respect to the AGN component associated with red/early-type galaxies. Such AGNs show, on average, flatter radio spectra than radio galaxies and are mostly compact (≤30 kpc in size). Various scenarios have been proposed to explain their radio emission. For instance they could be core/core-jet dominated radio galaxies, low-power BL Lacertae, or advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF) systems.

Methods. We used the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) to extend a previous follow-up multi-frequency campaign to 38 and 94 GHz. This campaign focuses on a sample of 28 faint radio sources associated with early-type galaxies extracted from the ATESP 5 GHz survey. Such data, together with those already at hand, are used to perform radio spectral and variability analyses. Both analyses can help us to disentangle between core- and jet-dominated sources, as well as to verify the presence of ADAF/ADAF+jet systems. Additional high-resolution observations at 38 GHz were carried out to characterise the radio morphology of these sources on kiloparsec scales.

Results. Most of the sources (25/28) were detected at 38 GHz, while only one (ATESP5J224547−400324) of the twelve sources observed at 94 GHz was detected. From the analysis of the radio spectra we confirmed our previous findings that pure ADAF models can be ruled out. Only eight out of the 28 sources were detected in the 38-GHz high-resolution (0.6 arcsec) radio images and of those eight only one showed a tentative core-jet structure. Putting together spectral, variability, luminosity, and linear size information we conclude that different kinds of sources compose our AGN sample: (a) luminous and large (≥100 kpc) classical radio galaxies (∼18% of the sample); (b) compact (confined within their host galaxies), low-luminosity, power-law (jet-dominated) sources (∼46% of the sample); and (c) compact, flat (or peaked) spectrum, presumably core-dominated, radio sources (∼36% of the sample). Variability is indeed preferentially associated with the latter.
Lipophagy contributes to long-term storage of spermatozoa in the epididymis of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis
Authors: Chen Hong , Huang Yufei , Yang Ping , Liu Tengfei , Ahmed Nisar , Wang Lingling , Wang Taozhi , Bai Xuebing , Haseeb Abdul , Chen Qiusheng
Published: December 2018

Spermatozoa are known to be stored in the epididymis of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis for long periods after spermiation from the testes, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this storage are largely unknown. In this study, epididymal spermatozoa were investigated to determine the potential molecular mechanism for long-term sperm storage in P. sinensis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Oil red O staining indicated that unusually large cytoplasmic droplets containing lipid droplets (LDs) were attached to the epididymal spermatozoa. However, the content of LDs decreased gradually with the sperm storage. LDs were surrounded by autophagic vesicles and sequestered as degradative cargo within autophagosome. Immunofluorescence and western blotting demonstrated that autophagy in spermatozoa increased gradually with the storage time. Invitro studies found that spermatozoa obtained from soft-shelled turtles in January can survive more than 40 days at 4°C. Furthermore, immunofluorescence and TEM showed that autophagy was involved in the degradation of LDs with the extension of sperm incubation. Inhibition of autophagy with 3-methyladenine significantly suppressed LD degradation. Moreover, adipose triglyceride lipase was involved in the metabolism of LDs. These findings indicate that lipophagy was activated to maximise LD breakdown, which contributes to long-term sperm storage in the epididymis of P. sinensis.
Discrete Element Method applied to the simulation of the stress state in granular materials
Authors: Martínez Morillo Gabriela Carolina , Bandeira Alex Alves
Published: December 2018

This work examines the Discrete Element Method (DEM), also known as the particle method, for its application in soil mechanics, specifically to calculate the tension acting on granular materials without cohesion. First, theoretical aspects of soil mechanics and the physical properties of some types of granular materials are presented, and the material properties are used afterwards in numerical examples. Following this, the DEM formulation is described, corresponding to the force and movement equations acting on each particle. For that, Newton’s second law, the force–displacement law, Hertz’s contact law, and some concepts from particle mechanics are defined. The integration over time process and the numerical solution algorithm presented by T.I. Zohdi are also described. Additionally, a new optimisation process for contact detection is described, one which significantly diminishes computational costs and therefore analysis time. Finally, some basic physics examples necessary for the formulation validation and application in soil mechanics are presented. The results obtained with the software developed in this research are then compared with soil mechanics results, which are simulated using the GeoStudio software. The GiD program was utilised for graphical presentation of the results.
Biochemical effects of banding limit the benefits of nitrification inhibition and controlled-release technology in the fertosphere of high N-input systems
Authors: Janke Chelsea K. , Fujinuma Ryosuke , Moody Phil , Bell Michael J.
Published: December 2018

Enhanced efficiency fertilisers (EEFs) may have an important role in improving nitrogen (N) use efficiency in agricultural systems. The performance of EEFs when applied by broadcasting and incorporation is well documented; however, little information is available for sub-surface banded N-fertiliser. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of EEFs within the fertosphere in several soils. This was determined by: (i) establishing the key chemical effects and N-transformation activity within a urea band, and (ii) contrasting these findings with nitrification inhibitor (NI)-coated urea and a controlled-release polymer-coated urea (PCU). A 112-day incubation experiment was conducted with the EEFs band-applied in three contrasting soils with a history of sugarcane production. In standard urea and NI-urea treated soils, the pH within the fertosphere significantly increased to a maximum of ~pH 9.2–9.3. Alkaline conditions and high ammonium concentrations promoted elevated aqueous ammonia concentrations, resulting in complete nitrification inhibition. The PCU granules released ~40% of total urea content within 14 days, followed by subsequent release at significantly lower rates. The initial rapid urea release was attributed to damaged polymer coats, while close proximity of neighbouring granules within the band may have contributed to the subsequent slower release phase through reduced concentration gradients and restricted diffusion from granules. Variation between soils suggests that soil properties such as clay content and pH buffer capacity may influence urea hydrolysis, but not nitrification. These results suggest that both NI and controlled-release technology may not have the expected impacts on N transformations and availability when applied in a concentrated band.
Behavior Change Techniques Associated With Changes in Postintervention and Maintained Changes in Self-Efficacy For Physical Activity: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis
Authors: Tang Mei Yee , Smith Debbie M , Mc Sharry Jennifer , Hann Mark , French David P
Published: December 2018

Background

Self-efficacy is an important determinant of physical activity but it is unclear how best to increase self-efficacy for physical activity and to maintain these changes.

Purpose

This systematic review aimed to identify which specific behavior change techniques (BCTs), BCT clusters, and number of BCTs were associated with changes in postintervention and maintained changes in self-efficacy for physical activity across all adult populations.

Methods

A systematic search yielded 180 randomized trials (204 comparisons) which reported changes in self-efficacy. BCTs were coded using the BCT Taxonomy v1. Hierarchical cluster analysis explored the clustering of BCTs. Meta-analyses and moderator analyses examined whether the presence and absence of individual BCTs in interventions were associated with effect-size changes for self-efficacy.

Results

Small intervention effects were found for postintervention self-efficacy for physical activity (d = 0.26; 95% CI: [0.21, 0.31]; I2 = 75.8 per cent). “Information about social, environmental, and emotional consequences” was associated with higher effect sizes, whereas “social support (practical)” was associated with lower effect sizes. Small and nonsignificant effects were found for maintained changes in self-efficacy for physical activity (d = 0.08; CI: [−0.05, 0.21]; I2 = 83.8 per cent). Lack of meaningful clustering of BCTs was found. A significant positive relationship was found between number of BCTs and effect sizes for maintained changes in self-efficacy for physical activity.

Conclusions

There does not appear to be a single effective approach to change self-efficacy for physical activity in all adults: different approaches are required for different populations. Interventions with more BCTs seem more effective at maintaining changes in self-efficacy for physical activity.
Exploring the Relationship Between Patient Activation, Treatment Satisfaction, and Decisional Conflict in Patients Approaching End-Stage Renal Disease
Authors: Vélez-Bermúdez Miriam , Christensen Alan J , Kinner Ellen M , Roche Anne I , Fraer Mony
Published: December 2018

Background

Patients approaching end-stage renal disease (ESRD) experience a high level of decisional conflict because they are often not provided with sufficient support and information regarding different treatment options prior to renal failure. Decisional conflict is an important correlate of treatment satisfaction, as it is associated with disease- and treatment-related knowledge that can inform decision-making. Patient activation, the willingness and ability to independently manage one’s own health and healthcare, is an individual difference factor that may have important mitigating effects on decisional conflict.

Purpose

To identify modifiable factors that may enhance the decision-making process in patients approaching ESRD by exploring potential mediational effects between decisional conflict, treatment satisfaction, and patient activation.

Methods

Sixty-four patients approaching ESRD completed self-report measures (32% response rate). Measures included the Decisional Conflict Scale, the Kidney Disease Treatment Questionnaire, and the Patient Activation Measure Short Form.

Results

There was a high level of self-reported decisional conflict in this sample. Linear regressions revealed main effects among treatment satisfaction, patient activation, and decisional conflict. These variables were entered into PROCESS to assess a mediational pattern. Results showed that higher chronic kidney disease-related treatment satisfaction predicted lower decisional conflict through higher patient activation in a statistical mediational relationship.

Conclusions

While the link between treatment satisfaction and decision-making is well established, these results suggest this relationship might be partially explained by patient activation, a potentially modifiable process in patients approaching ESRD. Therefore, interventions that encourage patients to become actively involved in their care could also reduce decisional conflict among patients approaching ESRD.
Theoretical Production Restrictions and Agricultural Technology in the United States
Authors: Plastina Alejandro , Lence Sergio H.
Published: December 2018

Agricultural production studies are usually conducted using classical econometrics that make it difficult, if not impossible, to impose conditions derived from economic theory on flexible functional forms. Therefore, such conditions need not hold in estimation. We apply Bayesian econometrics to estimate a flexible production function using U.S. agricultural data under alternative restrictions dictated by theory, including a fully theoretically consistent model that satisfies all restrictions at each point of the data. The probability density functions of parameters, output elasticities, scale elasticity, and productivity gains vary substantially across models. Output elasticities from the fully theoretically consistent model suggest that agricultural production in the United States has typically been more responsive to land than to other factors of production. However, output became more responsive over time to changes in materials, and less responsive to changes in land and labor. By the early 2000s, the elasticity of output to materials was very similar to the elasticity of output to land. The elasticity of output to capital remained relatively stable over the entire sample. The estimates from the fully theoretically consistent model also show a slight increase in the average rate of productivity gains between the 1960s and the 1970s, a relative slowdown in the 1980s and 1990s, and a relative stabilization afterwards. All inputs are substitutes in production; all the elasticities of substitution have increased through the decades, though at different rates.
Unintended Land Use Effects of Afforestation in China's Grain for Green Program
Authors: Yan Youpei
Published: December 2018

The aim of China's Grain for Green Program is to reduce soil erosion by subsidizing reforestation of farmland located on steep slopes with low crop productivity. I show theoretically that the incentives created by the program combined with insufficient oversight have led to afforestation of non‐sloped highly productive farmland. With a unique land transition dataset, I show that this unintended land use effect has been substantial, amounting to nearly one‐fifth of the total amount of cropland converted to forest. This unexpected displacement of highly productive farmland represents a form of slippage/leakage that has not been fully explored in the literature on payment for ecosystem services programs. This form of land displacement is significant in the context of China as well as other countries with limited arable land relative to population size as it can negatively impact national food production targets and self‐sufficiency goals.
Subsidies for Agricultural Technology Adoption: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment with Improved Grain Storage Bags in Uganda
Authors: Omotilewa Oluwatoba J. , Ricker‐Gilbert Jacob , Ainembabazi John Herbert
Published: December 2018

This article addresses the question of whether subsidizing an entirely new agricultural technology for smallholder farmers can aid its adoption early in the diffusion process. Based on a theoretical framework for technology adoption under subjective uncertainty, we implemented a randomized field experiment among 1,200 smallholders in Uganda to estimate the extent to which subsidizing an improved grain storage bag crowds‐out or crowds‐in commercial buying of the technology. The empirical results show that on average, subsidized households are more likely to buy an additional bag at commercial prices relative to the households with no subsidy who are equally aware of the technology. This suggests that under certain circumstances, such as when there is uncertainty about the effectiveness of a new agricultural technology, and the private sector market for the technology is weak or nascent, a one‐time use of subsidy to build awareness and reduce risk can help generate demand for the new technology and thus crowd‐in commercial demand for it. In this context, a subsidy can allow farmers to experiment with the technology and learn from the experience before investing in it.
Food Policy and Household Food Waste
Authors: Hamilton Stephen F. , Richards Timothy J.
Published: December 2018

Reducing household food waste is an important policy objective. In this paper we examine how equilibrium food waste among households is influenced by food policies designed to increase household food utilization and to alter household food purchasing behavior by adjusting market prices. We demonstrate that policies that reduce the marginal cost of household food utilization and that raise fresh food prices result in greater food waste for households with sufficiently price‐elastic demand for fresh food. Policies that raise the processed food prices increase fresh food consumption, but nevertheless reduce food waste, provided that fresh and processed foods are substitutes in utility and the equilibrium food utilization rate in a household is sufficiently high.
Short-Term Clinical Outcomes and Safety Associated With Percutaneous Radiofrequency Treatment for Excessive Sweating
Authors: Cohen Steven R , Goodacre Ashley K , Leong Tracy S , Southwell Louise , Nomachi Takeru
Published: December 2018

Background

Primary excessive sweating of the axilla affects approximately 3.12% of the US population and has a negative impact on individuals’ lives.

Objectives

We report the safety and effectiveness up to 90 days after treating excessive sweating with percutaneous radiofrequency when using a standardized protocol.

Methods

Twenty adult subjects (13 females, 7 males) aged 18–49 years with excessive sweating were enrolled in a single-center, single-treatment unblinded prospective study conducted at the FACES+ Aesthetic Facility. Forty axilla were treated using the ThermiGen ThermiRF device. The Dermatology Quality of Life Index (DLQI), the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS), and the Odor Scale (OS) were used for qualitative assessment.

Results

Primary and secondary exploratory evaluations were favorable at 90 days, indicating a significant improvement in quality of life and a significant reduction in both sweating and odor. The DLQI demonstrated an average improvement of 10.8 points at day 30, 10.7 at day 60, and 11.1 at day 90 (P = 0.0001). At day 90, 100% of individuals had ≥50% improvement in their excessive sweating based on the HDSS. At the conclusion of the study, 15 subjects had a ≥1-point drop in their OS, whereas 5 subjects had no change (P = 0.0002). There were no serious adverse events reported during this study. All adverse events were classified as mild and moderate and resolved within 2 months.

Conclusions

The addition of the ThermiRF temperature-controlled radiofrequency device to the algorithm of hyperhidrosis treatments reduces sweating and odor with minimal downtime.

Level of Evidence: 4
DeepIsoFun: a deep domain adaptation approach to predict isoform functions
Authors: Shaw Dipan , Chen Hao , Jiang Tao
Published: December 2018

Motivation

Isoforms are mRNAs produced from the same gene locus by alternative splicing and may have different functions. Although gene functions have been studied extensively, little is known about the specific functions of isoforms. Recently, some computational approaches based on multiple instance learning have been proposed to predict isoform functions from annotated gene functions and expression data, but their performance is far from being desirable primarily due to the lack of labeled training data. To improve the performance on this problem, we propose a novel deep learning method, DeepIsoFun, that combines multiple instance learning with domain adaptation. The latter technique helps to transfer the knowledge of gene functions to the prediction of isoform functions and provides additional labeled training data. Our model is trained on a deep neural network architecture so that it can adapt to different expression distributions associated with different gene ontology terms.

Results

We evaluated the performance of DeepIsoFun on three expression datasets of human and mouse collected from SRA studies at different times. On each dataset, DeepIsoFun performed significantly better than the existing methods. In terms of area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, our method acquired at least 26% improvement and in terms of area under the precision-recall curve, it acquired at least 10% improvement over the state-of-the-art methods. In addition, we also study the divergence of the functions predicted by our method for isoforms from the same gene and the overall correlation between expression similarity and the similarity of predicted functions.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/dls03/DeepIsoFun/

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Malthus on social classes: higher, lower and middle
Authors: Pullen John
Published: December 2018

Malthus’s views on the relative roles and importance of the social classes—higher, lower and middle—are presented. The view commonly expressed in the secondary literature that he was prejudiced in favour of the upper classes is questioned. The view that he was uncaring or unsympathetic toward the labouring classes is said to lack textual support. It is argued that the economic importance he attributed to the middle classes and to a greater equality in the distribution of property, income and wealth is an essential, although frequently neglected, feature of his political economy.
Childhood Cognition and Age-Related Change in Standing Balance Performance From Mid to Later Life: Findings From a British Birth Cohort
Authors: Blodgett Joanna M , Kuh Diana , Hardy Rebecca , Davis Daniel H J , Cooper Rachel
Published: December 2018

Background

Cognitive processing plays a crucial role in the integration of sensory input and motor output that facilitates balance. However, whether balance ability in adulthood is influenced by cognitive pathways established in childhood is unclear, especially as no study has examined if these relationships change with age. We aimed to investigate associations between childhood cognition and age-related change in standing balance between mid and later life.

Methods

Data on 2,380 participants from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development were included in analyses. Repeated measures multilevel models estimated the association between childhood cognition, assessed at age 15, and log-transformed balance time, assessed at ages 53, 60–64, and 69 using the one-legged stand with eyes closed. Adjustments were made for sex, death, attrition, anthropometric measures, health conditions, health behaviors, education, other indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP), and adult verbal memory.

Results

In a sex-adjusted model, 1 standard deviation increase in childhood cognition was associated with a 13% (95% confidence interval: 10, 16; p < .001) increase in balance time at age 53, and this association got smaller with age (cognition × age interaction: p < .001). Adjustments for education, adult verbal memory, and SEP largely explained these associations.

Conclusions

Higher childhood cognition was associated with better balance performance in midlife, with diminishing associations with increasing age. The impact of adjustment for education, cognition and other indicators of SEP suggested a common pathway through which cognition is associated with balance across life. Further research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms, which may have important implications for falls risk and maintenance of physical capability.
Association of Breathing Reserve at Peak Exercise With Body Composition and Physical Function in Older Adults With Obesity
Authors: Opina Maria Theresa D , Brinkley Tina E , Gordon Michelle , Lyles Mary F , Nicklas Barbara J
Published: December 2018

Background

Adiposity-related ventilatory constraints in older adults can potentially contribute to greater risk of exercise intolerance and mobility disability. This study investigated whether ventilatory limitation, measured by breathing reserve (BR) at peak exercise, is associated with body composition and physical function in older adults with obesity.

Methods

This study was a cross-sectional analysis of data from a community-based cohort (N = 177) of older men and women (65–79 years) with obesity (body mass index = 30–45 kg/m2). All participants underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for body composition, and physical function assessments. We examined relationships between BR and body composition and physical function using multiple linear regression and compared a subset with (BR ≤ 30%; BR-low; n = 56) and without (BR ≥ 45%; BR-high, n = 48) ventilatory limitation using unpaired Student’s t test and analysis of covariance.

Results

BR was inversely related to total body mass, lean mass, fat mass, % body fat, and waist circumference (p < 0.05 for all). BR was positively related to 400 m walk time (p = .006) and inversely related to usual gait speed (p = .05) and VO2peak (p < .0001), indicative of worse physical function. BR-low had greater adiposity, but also greater lean mass, higher VO2peak, and faster 400 m walk time, compared to BR-high (p < .05, for all).

Conclusions

Older adults with obesity who also have ventilatory limitation have overall higher measures of adiposity, but do not have lower peak exercise capacity or physical function. Thus, ventilatory limitation does not appear to be a contributing factor to obesity-related decrements in exercise tolerance or mobility.
Deconstructing a Research Journey: Methods and Lessons of the Religious Leadership and Diversity Project
Authors: Edwards Korie L
Published: December 2018

In this article, I share my experience heading the Religious Leadership and Diversity Project (RLDP), a national, multi-method study of the head clergy of racially and ethnically diverse churches in the United States. My aim is to expand knowledge about the research process, particularly for large-scale primary data collection projects. I review how I came to conduct the RLDP, the theoretical frame that initially guided the research design, and the methodological approach for the study. I also share lessons I learned along the way, highlighting the importance of having a diverse research team, how our standpoints matter for our scholarship, and what I would do differently in the future.
Feasibility and potential efficacy of commercial mHealth/eHealth tools for weight loss in African American breast cancer survivors: pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ferrante Jeanne M , Devine Katie A , Bator Alicja , Rodgers Ashley , Ohman-Strickland Pamela A , Bandera Elisa V , Hwang Kevin O
Published: December 2018

Weight management after breast cancer (BC) treatment in African American (AA) women is crucial to reduce comorbid conditions and health disparities. We examined feasibility and potential efficacy of commercial eHealth/mHealth tools for weight management in AA BC survivors in New Jersey. Participants (N = 35) were randomized to an intervention (SparkPeople) plus activity tracker, Fitbit Charge (n = 18), or wait-list active control group (Fitbit only, n = 17). Anthropometric, behavioral, and quality of life (QOL) outcomes were collected at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. Differences in outcomes were assessed using intent-to-treat analysis. Retention was 97.1%. Both groups lost weight, with no significant differences between groups. At month 6, mean weight change was: intervention: −1.71 kg (SD 2.33; p = .006), 33.3% lost ≥3% of baseline weight; control: −2.54 kg (SD 4.00, p = .002), 23.5% lost ≥3% weight. Intervention participants achieved significant improvements in waist circumference (−3.56 cm, SD 4.70, p = .005), QOL (p = .030), and use of strategies for healthy eating (p = .025) and decreasing calories (p < .001). Number of days logged food per week was associated with decreases in waist circumference at 6 months (β −0.79, 95% CI, −1.49, −0.09, p = .030) and 12 months (β −2.16, 95% CI, −4.17, −0.15, p = .038). Weight loss was maintained at 12 months. This is the first study to demonstrate potential efficacy of commercial eHealth/mHealth tools for weight loss in AA BC survivors, without additional counseling from the research team. If effective, they may be convenient weight loss tools that can be easily and widely disseminated.

Clinical Trials registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02699983
‘Health Promoting School’ Model in Prevention of Vector-Borne Diseases in Odisha: A Pilot Intervention
Authors: Swain Subhashisa , Pati Sandipana , Pati Sanghamitra
Published: December 2018

We tested ‘Health-Promoting School model’ for vector-borne diseases (VBDs) through behavioural changes among students in India for better control of the diseases in the community. A total of 1098 students from eight co-ed schools (four controls and four interventions) of Odisha participated in the study. Intervention was 12 h of class room teaching and activities on mosquito dynamics, source identification, prevention and management of VBDs. Control schools were provided with the leaflets and posters covering the objectives. Impact was assessed through change in knowledge and practice through pre- and post-test. Total mean transformed score in pre-intervention survey in both the groups was nearly 33, which increased to 38.6 and 53.9 in control and intervention group, respectively. In intervention group the mean days of absenteeism due to VBDs was reduced nearly by four times. The model can be used as effective health-promoting measures for vector control.