bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome‐wide association studies of fruit quality traits in jujube germplasm collections using genotyping‐by‐sequencing
Authors: Hou Lu , Chen Wu , Zhang Zhiyong , Pang Xiaoming , Li Yingyue
Published: August 2020

Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) is an important fruit crop and harbors many highly diverse traits of potential economic importance. Fruit size, stone size, and fruit cracking have an important influence on the commercial value of jujube. This study is the first to conduct a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) on 180 accessions of jujube and focuses on locating single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with nine important fruit quality traits. Genotyping was performed using genotyping‐by‐sequencing and 4651 high‐quality SNPs were identified. A genetic diversity analysis revealed the presence of three distinct groups, and rapid linkage disequilibrium decay was observed in this jujube population. Using a mixed linear model, a total of 45 significant SNP–trait associations were detected, among which 33 SNPs had associations with fruit size‐related traits, nine were associated with stone size‐related traits, and three with fruit cracking‐related traits. In total, 21 candidate genes involved in cell expansion, abiotic stress responses, hormone signaling, and growth development were identified from the genome sequences of jujube. These results are useful as basic data for GWAS of other jujube traits, and these significant SNP loci and candidate genes should aid marker‐assisted breeding and genomic selection of improved jujube cultivars.
Imaging in gynecological disease (21): clinical and ultrasound characteristics of accessory cavitated uterine malformations
Authors: Naftalin J. , Bean E. , Saridogan E. , Barton‐Smith P. , Arora R. , Jurkovic D.
Published: August 2020

Objective

To describe the clinical and ultrasound characteristics of accessory cavitated uterine malformations (ACUMs).

Methods

This was a single‐center observational study of consecutive patients diagnosed with an ACUM, who had undergone an ultrasound examination by an experienced ultrasound examiner between January 2013 and May 2019, identified retrospectively from medical records. ACUM was diagnosed when a cavitated lesion with a myometrial mantle and echogenic contents was seen within the anterolateral wall of the myometrium beneath the insertion of the round ligament. In all women, presenting symptoms and clinical history were recorded along with detailed descriptions of the lesions and any concomitant pelvic abnormalities.

Results

Twenty patients diagnosed with an ACUM were identified. Median age was 29.2 (interquartile range, 25.0–35.8) years. None of the women was premenarchal or postmenopausal. All of the women reported painful periods or pelvic pain and none of them reported subfertility. Twelve of the ACUMs were in the right anterolateral myometrium and eight were in the left anterolateral myometrium. Both a myometrial mantle and a fluid‐filled cavity were considered to be defining features on ultrasound. The fluid contained within the cavity was either echogenic with a ground‐glass appearance or hyperechoic. All of the lesions were spherical in shape. The Doppler flow seen in the outer rim was not markedly different from that of the surrounding myometrium, and the content of the cavity was avascular on Doppler examination. The mean outer cavity diameter of the ACUMs was 22.8 (95% CI, 20.9–24.8) mm and the mean internal cavity diameter was 14.1 (95% CI, 12.2–16.1) mm. Four women opted for transvaginal ultrasound‐guided alcohol sclerotherapy. Surgical excision was carried out in eight cases, and the diagnosis was confirmed on histopathological examination in all of them.

Conclusions

ACUMs are a uterine abnormality with a distinct ultrasound appearance, which are associated with dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain. Knowledge of their typical appearance on ultrasound could facilitate early detection and treatment. There are several treatment options for ACUM, ranging from simple analgesia to complete excision. Further prospective and longitudinal studies are required to study the prevalence and natural history of this condition. © 2020 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Natural environmental conditions and collaborative efforts provide the secret to success for sand tiger shark Carcharias taurus reproduction in aquaria
Authors: Wyffels Jennifer , Coco Chris , Schreiber Chris , Palmer Daniel , Clauss Tonya , Bulman Frank , George Robert , Pelton Craig , Feldheim Kevin , Handsel Tim
Published: August 2020

Sand tiger sharks are an iconic large shark species held in aquaria worldwide. They rarely reproduce under managed care, with only seven aquaria reporting limited and sporadic success. For the first time in the Americas, a full‐term young was born in an aquarium. The young was the result of breeding among a group of sharks purposefully brought together in 2016 for reproduction. Sharks were maintained in natural seawater and exposed to natural light and seasonal temperature fluctuations similar to their in situ counterparts. Decreased food consumption associated with breeding season and gestation was observed. Gestation time estimated from breeding observations and parturition was 321 days. Although the neonate was stillborn, this was a significant achievement. The husbandry details described within will be useful for other aquaria striving to support the reproduction of sand tiger sharks.
Experiencing Male Dominance in Swedish Film Production
Authors: Jansson Maria , Wallenberg Louise
Published: August 2020

Sweden has been hailed for its recent success in increasing the number of female directors, scriptwriters and producers. Published reports, panel discussions and a vast number of press conferences on the pressing matter of gender equality within the industry together with a 5050 quota have all put the Swedish film industry—and its CEO Anna Serner—on the map. However, the last couple of years has disclosed several scandals regarding sexism and discrimination in the Swedish film industry—just as in other national film industries. This paper sets out to discuss how female film workers (e.g., directors, actors and producers) understand and negotiate their experiences of male dominance within their work context. Based on a series of interviews with women working in Swedish film from the early 1960s until today, we analyze similarities and differences in experiences as well as how these experiences are explained by the interviewees. Their stories are analyzed by using feminist institutional theory to understand how policy, funding schemes and other institutional aspects are intertwined with their experiences. The paper sets out to analyze three themes: (1) comments and suggestions during production and post-production regarding female protagonists; (2) experience of gender trouble in the process of fundraising; and (3) strategies used by the interviewed filmmakers to produce a more women-friendly environment during productions.
Robustness in Neural Circuits
Authors: Arle Jeffrey E. , Mei Longzhi , Carlson Kristen W.
Published: August 2020

Complex systems are found everywhere – from scheduling to traffic, food to climate, economics to ecology, the brain, and the universe. Complex systems typically have many elements, many modes of interconnectedness of those elements, and often exhibit sensitivity to initial conditions. Complex systems by their nature are generally unpredictable and can be highly unstable.
Functional Requirements of Small- and Large-Scale Neural Circuitry Connectome Models
Authors: Carlson Kristen W. , Shils Jay L. , Mei Longzhi , Arle Jeffrey E.
Published: August 2020

We have truly entered the Age of the Connectome due to a confluence of advanced imaging tools, methods such as the flavors of functional connectivity analysis and inter-species connectivity comparisons, and computational power to simulate neural circuitry. The interest in connectomes is reflected in the exponentially rising number of articles on the subject. What are our goals? What are the “functional requirements” of connectome modelers? We give a perspective on these questions from our group whose focus is modeling neurological disorders, such as neuropathic back pain, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and age-related cognitive decline, and treating them with neuromodulation.
Computational Models of Brain Stimulation with Tractography Analysis
Authors: Riel Stefanie , Bashiri Mohammad , Hemmert Werner , Bai Siwei
Published: August 2020

Computational human head models have been used in studies of brain stimulation. These models have been able to provide useful information that can’t be acquired or difficult to acquire from experimental or imaging studies. However, most of these models are purely volume conductor models that overlooked the electric excitability of axons in the white matter of the brain. We hereby combined a finite element (FE) model of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) with a whole-brain tractography analysis as well as the cable theory of neuronal excitation. We have reconstructed a whole-brain tractogram with 2000 neural fibres from diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance scans and extracted the information on electrical potential from the FE ECT model of the same head. Two different electrode placements and three different white matter conductivity settings were simulated and compared. We calculated the electric field and second spatial derivatives of the electrical potential along the fibre direction, which describes the activating function for homogenous axons, and investigated sensitive regions of white matter activation. Models with anisotropic white matter conductivity yielded the most distinctive electric field and activating function distribution. Activation was most likely to appear in regions between the electrodes where the electric potential gradient is most pronounced.
Superconducting gravimeter and seismometer shedding light on FG5’s offsets, trends and noise: what observations at Onsala Space Observatory can tell us
Authors: Scherneck Hans-Georg , Rajner Marcin , Engfeldt Andreas
Published: August 2020

Ten-year worth of absolute gravity (AG) campaigns at Onsala Space Observatory (OSO), Sweden, are simultaneously reduced using synchronous data from a superconducting gravimeter (SG). In this multi-campaign adjustment, the a priori models commonly applied for each setup in AG-alone experiments are sidestepped in favour of SG records and a model to estimate its drift. We obtain a residual (hourly samples) at the 5 nm/s$$^2$$

2

RMS level, reducing the SG data with a range of ancillary data for the site’s exposure to ocean and atmospheric loading, and hydrology effects. The target quantity in AG projects in the Baltic Shield area is the secular change of gravity dominated by glacial isostatic adjustment with land uplift as its major part. Investigating into the details of the associated processes using AG requires a long-term stable reference, which is the aim of international comparison campaigns of FG5 instruments. Two of these have been campaigning at OSO since 2009 when the SG had been installed. In the simultaneous inversion of all sixteen campaigns, we identify weaknesses of AG observations, like varying systematic offsets over time, excess microseismic sensitivity, trends in the AG data and side effects on the SG’s scale factor when campaigns are evaluated one by one. The simultaneous adjustment afforded us an SG scale factor very near the result from a campaign with a prototype quantum gravimeter. Whence, we propose that single-campaign results may be biased and conjectures into their variation, let alone its causes misleading. The OSO site appears to present manageable problems as far as environmental influences are concerned. Our findings advocate the use of AG instruments and procedures that are more long-term stable (reference realization), more short-term stable too (setup drifts), less service craving and more resilient to microseismic noise.
Metrisability of projective surfaces and pseudo-holomorphic curves
Authors: Mettler Thomas
Published: August 2020

We show that the metrisability of an oriented projective surface is equivalent to the existence of pseudo-holomorphic curves. A projective structure $${\mathfrak {p}}$$
p
and a volume form $$\sigma $$
σ
on an oriented surface M equip the total space of a certain disk bundle $$Z\rightarrow M$$

Z
→
M

with a pair $$(J_{{\mathfrak {p}}},{\mathfrak {J}}_{{\mathfrak {p}},\sigma })$$

(

J
p

,

J

p
,
σ

)

of almost complex structures. A conformal structure on M corresponds to a section of $$Z\rightarrow M$$

Z
→
M

and $${\mathfrak {p}}$$
p
is metrisable by the metric g if and only if $$[g] : M \rightarrow Z$$

[
g
]
:
M
→
Z

is a pseudo-holomorphic curve with respect to $$J_{{\mathfrak {p}}}$$

J
p

and $${\mathfrak {J}}_{{\mathfrak {p}},dA_g}$$

J

p
,
d

A
g

.
Asian race and origin have no clinically meaningful effects on polatuzumab vedotin pharmacokinetics in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Shi Rong , Lu Tong , Ku Grace , Ding Hao , Saito Tomohisa , Gibiansky Leonid , Agarwal Priya , Li Xiaobin , Jin Jin Yan , Girish Sandhya , Miles Dale , Li Chunze , Lu Dan
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The CD79b-targeted antibody–drug conjugate polatuzumab vedotin (pola), alone and with chemoimmunotherapy, has clinical efficacy and a tolerable safety profile in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). We assessed (a) whether exposure from global studies of pola is comparable to Asian patients, and (b) if the recommended pola dose is appropriate in Asian patients based on exposure.

Methods

The pharmacokinetics (PK) of pola in Asian and global populations was characterized for three analytes (antibody-conjugated monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) [acMMAE], total antibody, and unconjugated MMAE) in five phase 1b/2 single-agent and combination studies in B-NHL patients (JO29138 [JAPICCTI‐142580], DCS4968g [NCT01290549], GO27834 [NCT01691898], GO29044 [NCT01992653], and GO29365 [NCT02257567]). PK data were compared between Japanese phase 1 JO29138 (JAPICCTI‐142580) and global phase 1 DCS4968g (NCT01290549) studies and between Asian and non-Asian patients in the randomized relapsed/refractory B-NHL cohorts of the phase 1b/2 study GO29365 (NCT02257567). A population PK (popPK) model was used to assess the effects of Asian race and region on acMMAE and unconjugated MMAE exposure.

Results

PK non-compartmental analysis (NCA) parameters for the key analyte acMMAE in the Japanese JO29138 (JAPICCTI‐142580) and global phase 1 DCS4968g (NCT01290549) studies were similar. In GO29365 (NCT02257567), the phase 1b/2 combination study, mean exposure to the analytes was generally lower in Asian patients (by ~ 9.9 to 17.5%), but not to a clinically meaningful extent. Overall, the popPK model further suggested comparable PK in Asian patients with B-NHL (race or region) versus non-Asian patients.

Conclusion

Race has no clinically meaningful effect on pola PK. These results (and observations from efficacy/safety exposure–response analyses) support no pola dose adjustments are warranted for Asian patients with DLBCL.
Laser-induced ablation of tantalum in a wide range of pulse durations
Authors: Mittelmann Steffen , Oelmann Jannis , Brezinsek Sebastijan , Wu Ding , Ding Hongbin , Pretzler Georg
Published: August 2020

We present data and analysis of the laser-induced ablation of pure tantalum (Ta, $$Z=73$$

Z
=
73

). We have identified different physical regimes using a wide range of laser pulse durations. A comparison of the influence of strongly varying laser pulse parameters on high-Z materials is presented. The crater depth caused by three different laser systems of pulse duration $${\varDelta }\tau _1=5\,\mathrm {ns}$$

Δ

τ
1

=
5

ns

and wavelength $$\lambda _1=1064\,\mathrm {nm}$$

λ
1

=
1064

nm

, $${\varDelta }\tau _2=35\,\mathrm {ps}$$

Δ

τ
2

=
35

ps

, $$\lambda _2=355\,\mathrm {nm}$$

λ
2

=
355

nm

and $${\varDelta }\tau _3=8.5\,\mathrm {fs}$$

Δ

τ
3

=
8.5

fs

, $$\lambda _3=790\,\mathrm {nm}$$

λ
3

=
790

nm

are analyzed via confocal microscopy as a function of laser fluence and intensity. The minimum laser fluence needed for ablation, called threshold fluence, decreases with shorter pulse duration from $$1.10\,\mathrm {J/cm}^2$$

1.10

J
/
cm

2

for the nanosecond laser to $$0.17\,\mathrm {J/cm}^2$$

0.17

J
/
cm

2

for the femtosecond laser.
Fetal and maternal outcome after hyperimmunoglobulin administration for prevention of maternal–fetal transmission of cytomegalovirus during pregnancy: retrospective cohort analysis
Authors: Seidel Vera , Hackelöer Max , Rancourt Rebecca C. , Henrich Wolfgang , Siedentopf Jan-Peter
Published: August 2020

Purpose

To determine the frequency of fetal infection as well as adverse pregnancy outcomes following antenatal hyperimmunoglobulin (HIG) treatment for primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in pregnancy.

Methods

In our observational cohort study, data from 46 women with a primary CMV infection during pregnancy were evaluated. Primary CMV infection was defined by seroconversion or the presence of CMV-IgM and low CMV-IgG avidity. All women received at least two or more infusions of HIG treatment (200 IU/kg). Congenital CMV infection (cCMV) was diagnosed by detection of CMV in amniotic fluid and/or neonatal urine. We compared the rate of maternal–fetal transmission from our cohort to data without treatment in the literature. The frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes was compared to those of live-born infants delivered in our clinic.

Results

We detected 11 intrauterine infections in our cohort, which correlates to a transmission rate of 23.9%. Compared to the transmission rate found in cases without treatment (39.9%), this is a significant reduction (P = 0.026). There were no adverse pregnancy outcomes in our cohort. The mean gestational age at delivery was 39 weeks gestation in treatment and control group.

Conclusion

The administration of HIG for prevention of maternal–fetal CMV transmission during pregnancy seems safe and effective.
Early discrimination of cognitive motor dissociation from disorders of consciousness: pitfalls and clues
Authors: Pincherle Alessandro , Rossi Frederic , Jöhr Jane , Dunet Vincent , Ryvlin Philippe , Oddo Mauro , Schiff Nicolas , Diserens Karin
Published: August 2020

Bedside assessment of consciousness and awareness after a severe brain injury might be hampered by confounding clinical factors (i.e., pitfalls) interfering with the production of behavioral or motor responses to external stimuli. Despite the use of validated clinical scales, a high misdiagnosis rate is indeed observed. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 49 patients with severe brain injury admitted to an acute neuro-rehabilitation program. Patients’ behavior was assessed using the Motor Behavior Tool and Coma Recovery Scale Revised. All patients underwent systematic assessment for pitfalls including polyneuropathy and/or myopathy and/or myelopathy, major cranial nerve palsies, non-convulsive status epilepticus, aphasia (expressive or comprehensive), cortical blindness, thalamic involvement and frontal akinetic syndrome. A high prevalence (75%) of pitfalls potentially interfering with sensory afference (polyneuropathy, myopathy, myelopathy, and sensory aphasia), motor efference (polyneuropathy, myopathy, motor aphasia, and frontal akinetic syndrome), and intrinsic brain activity (thalamic involvement and epilepsy) was found. Nonetheless, the motor behavior tool identified residual cognition (i.e. a cognitive motor dissociation condition) regardless of the presence of these pitfalls in 70% of the patients diagnosed as unresponsive using the Coma Recovery Scale Revised. On one hand, pitfalls might contribute to misdiagnosis. On the other, it could be argued that they are clues for diagnosing cognitive motor dissociation rather than true disorders of consciousness given their prominent effect on the sensory–motor input–output balance.
Effect of carbohydrate–protein supplementation on endurance training adaptations
Authors: Alghannam Abdullah F. , Templeman Iain , Thomas Joel E. , Jedrzejewski Dawid , Griffiths Samuel , Lemon Joseph , Byers Thomas , Reeves Sue , Gonzalez Javier T. , Thompson Dylan , Bilzon James , Tsintzas Kostas , Betts James A.
Published: August 2020

Purpose

To examine the influence of post-exercise protein feeding upon the adaptive response to endurance exercise training.

Methods

In a randomised parallel group design, 25 healthy men and women completed 6 weeks of endurance exercise training by running on a treadmill for 30–60 min at 70–75% maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) 4 times/week. Participants ingested 1.6 g per kilogram of body mass (g kg BM−1) of carbohydrate (CHO) or an isocaloric carbohydrate–protein solution (CHO-P; 0.8 g carbohydrate kg BM−1 + 0.8 g protein kg BM−1) immediately and 1 h post-exercise. Expired gas, blood and muscle biopsy samples were taken at baseline and follow-up.

Results

Exercise training improved VO2max in both groups (p ≤ 0.001), but this increment was not different between groups either in absolute terms or relative to body mass (0.2 ± 0.2 L min−1 and 3.0 ± 2 mL kg−1 min−1, respectively). No change occurred in plasma albumin concentration from baseline to follow-up with CHO-P (4.18 ± 0.18 to 4.23 ± 0.17 g dL−1) or CHO (4.17 ± 0.17 to 4.12 ± 0.22 g dL−1; interaction: p > 0.05). Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) gene expression was up-regulated in CHO-P (+ 46%; p = 0.025) relative to CHO (+ 4%) following exercise training.

Conclusion

Post-exercise protein supplementation up-regulated the expression of mTOR in skeletal muscle over 6 weeks of endurance exercise training. However, the magnitude of improvement in VO2max was similar between groups.
Graph Isomorphism for $$(H_1,H_2)$$-Free Graphs: An Almost Complete Dichotomy
Authors: Bonamy Marthe , Bousquet Nicolas , Dabrowski Konrad K. , Johnson Matthew , Paulusma Daniël , Pierron Théo
Published: August 2020

We resolve the computational complexity of Graph Isomorphism for classes of graphs characterized by two forbidden induced subgraphs $$ H_{1} $$

H
1

and $$H_2$$

H
2

for all but six pairs $$(H_1,H_2)$$

(

H
1

,

H
2

)

. Schweitzer had previously shown that the number of open cases was finite, but without specifying the open cases. Grohe and Schweitzer proved that Graph Isomorphism is polynomial-time solvable on graph classes of bounded clique-width. Our work combines known results such as these with new results. By exploiting a relationship between Graph Isomorphism and clique-width, we simultaneously reduce the number of open cases for boundedness of clique-width for $$(H_1,H_2)$$

(

H
1

,

H
2

)

-free graphs to five.
Lightweight edge authentication for software defined networks
Authors: Almaini Amar , Al-Dubai Ahmed , Romdhani Imed , Schramm Martin , Alsarhan Ayoub
Published: August 2020

OpenFlow is considered as the most known protocol for Software Defined Networking (SDN). The main drawback of OpenFlow is the lack of support of new header definitions, which is required by network operators to apply new packet encapsulations. While SDN’s logically centralized control plane could enhance network security by providing global visibility of the network state, it still has many side effects. The intelligent controllers that orchestrate the dumb switches are overloaded and become prone to failure. Delegating some level of control logic to the edge or, to be precise, the switches can offload the controllers from local state based decisions that do not require global network wide knowledge. Thus, this paper, to the best of our knowledge, is the first to propose the delegation of typical security functions from specialized middleboxes to the data plane. We leverage the opportunities offered by programming protocol-independent packet processors (P4) language to present two authentication techniques to assure that only legitimate nodes are able to access the network. The first technique is the port knocking and the second technique is the One-Time Password. Our experimental results indicate that our proposed techniques improve the network overall availability by offloading the controller as well as reducing the traffic in the network without noticeable negative impact on switches’ performance.
On observations of correlation functions and power spectra in rain: obfuscation by advection and sampling
Authors: Jameson A. R.
Published: August 2020

Rain is often characterized using statistical approaches. Among the most common are temporal correlations and power (variance) spectra from time series measurements at a single location. Likewise, temporal observations over a network are used to deduce a radial distribution function and spatial power spectra. In such studies the potential effects of advection on the results are ignored. Moreover, observations involve filtering of the data. In time, this may involve sampling over a sufficiently long period so as to increase statistical confidence in the measurement. The same is also true for spatial observations over a network which must contain a sufficient number of instruments for a reliable characterization of the spatial variability. This also usually includes some form of averaging over time as well. Temporal averaging amounts to a low pass filter that attenuates contributions from higher frequencies. In contrast, the finite dimension of a network acts as a high-pass filter that tends to suppress the lower wavenumbers much larger than the dimension of the network. In this work the effects of both the advection of the rain and the observational filtering are considered for the simplest case of wide-sense statistically stationary and homogeneous rain along one-dimension for rain exponentially correlated in both space and time. It is found that advection and filtering can significantly shift the portrayal of the rain from the true structures. Consequently, rainfall characterizations from observations should not be over-generalized to other situations.
2’-Fluoro-2’-deoxycytidine inhibits murine norovirus replication and synergizes MPA, ribavirin and T705
Authors: Yu Peifa , Wang Yining , Li Yunlong , Li Yang , Miao Zhijiang , Peppelenbosch Maikel P. , Pan Qiuwei
Published: August 2020

Noroviruses are the main causative agents of acute viral gastroenteritis worldwide. However, no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment is available, imposing a heavy global health burden. The nucleoside analogue 2’-fluoro-2’-deoxycytidine (2’-FdC) has been reported to have broad antiviral activity. Here, we report that 2’-FdC significantly inhibits murine norovirus replication in macrophages. This effect was partially reversed by exogenous supplementation of cytidine triphosphate. The combination of 2’-FdC with mycophenolic acid, ribavirin or favipiravir (T705) exerts synergistic antiviral effects. These results indicate that 2’-FdC is a potential candidate for antiviral drug development against norovirus infection.
Shells as ‘extended architecture’: to escape isolation, social hermit crabs choose shells with the right external architecture
Authors: Krieger Jakob , Hörnig Marie K. , Laidre Mark E.
Published: August 2020

Animals’ cognitive abilities can be tested by allowing them to choose between alternatives, with only one alternative offering the correct solution to a novel problem. Hermit crabs are evolutionarily specialized to navigate while carrying a shell, with alternative shells representing different forms of ‘extended architecture’, which effectively change the extent of physical space an individual occupies in the world. It is unknown whether individuals can choose such architecture to solve novel navigational problems. Here, we designed an experiment in which social hermit crabs (Coenobita compressus) had to choose between two alternative shells to solve a novel problem: escaping solitary confinement. Using X-ray microtomography and 3D-printing, we copied preferred shell types and then made artificial alterations to their inner or outer shell architecture, designing only some shells to have the correct architectural fit for escaping the opening of an isolated crab’s enclosure. In our ‘escape artist’ experimental design, crabs had to choose an otherwise less preferred shell, since only this shell had the right external architecture to allow the crab to free itself from isolation. Across multiple experiments, crabs were willing to forgo preferred shells and choose less preferred shells that enabled them to escape, suggesting these animals can solve novel navigational problems with extended architecture. Yet, it remains unclear if individuals solved this problem through trial-and-error or were aware of the deeper connection between escape and exterior shell architecture. Our experiments offer a foundation for further explorations of physical, social, and spatial cognition within the context of extended architecture.
Exploring the relationship between oral high-risk HPV infection and sexual behavior among over 400 medical professionals in Japan
Authors: Tokita Yuko , Ohno Yuko , Cho Hiroki , Fujii Makoto , Ishihara Hiroyuki , Inohara Hidenori
Published: August 2020

Objectives

This study investigated the relationship between oral high-risk HPV (HR HPV) infection and sexual behavior in Japanese medical professionals.

Materials and methods

We collected oral specimens and a self–administered questionnaire from 234 men and 171 women.

Results

The oral HR HPV infection prevalence was 4.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.0–7.2]) overall, 7.3% (95% CI: 4.6–11.3) for men, and 1.2% (95% CI: 0.3–4.2) for women. The number of sex partners had a significant influence on this prevalence, with variation by type of sexual behavior. The prevalence of oral HR HPV infection was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) among those with more than 20 lifetime overall sex partners (23.8%, 95% CI: 13.5–38.5) or oral sex partners (25.0%, 95% CI: 14.2–40.2). In terms of the number of vaginal sex partners, the prevalence was approximately the same for those with 6–10 (8.3%, 95% CI: 3.9–17.0), 11–20 (11.1%, 95% CI: 5.2–22.2), or more than 20 (11.5%, 95% CI: 4.0–29.0) partners (p = 0.0043). Furthermore, dividing the number of vaginal and oral sex partners into four categories (both>5, only vaginal>5, only oral>5, and both≤5), the infection prevalence was significantly higher when both vaginal and oral sex partners were more than five (12.5%, 95% CI: 7.7–19.6). The prevalence was also higher for those who had more oral than vaginal partners, compared with other groups (13.5%, 95% CI: 6.7–25.3).

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Oral HR HPV infection in Japan seems to be influenced by sexual behavior, and preventive health efforts such as vaccination and health education should be implemented.
Characteristic Scales for Turbulent Exchange Processes in a Real Urban Canopy
Authors: Barbano Francesco , Brattich Erika , Di Sabatino Silvana
Published: August 2020

An experimental field campaign is designed to unveil mechanisms responsible for turbulent exchange processes when mechanical and thermal effects are entwined. The focus is an urban street canyon with a mean aspect ratio H/W of 1.65 in the business centre of a mid-size Italian city (H is the mean building height and W is the mean canyon width). The exchange processes can be characterized by time scales and time-scale ratios specific to either mechanical or thermal process. Time scales describe the mixing caused by momentum and heat exchange within different canyon layers, while their rates are surrogates of their efficacy. Given that homogeneous mixing does not always occur within the canyon, several time scales are estimated at different levels, showing that mechanical and thermal processes may both contribute to enhance mixing. By computing mechanical time scales, it is found that the fastest mixing occurs at the canyon rooftop level for perpendicular or oblique wind directions, while slow mixing occurs for parallel directions. Thermal processes are faster than the mechanical ones and are particularly efficient for perpendicular wind directions. By calculating the time-scale ratios, exchange processes are found to facilitate mixing for most wind directions and to regulate the pollutant-concentration variability in the canyon. This variability can be associated with the local-circulation regime, demarcated as thermally driven or inertially driven using a buoyancy parameter, i.e., the ratio between thermal and inertial forcings. Using this approach, a generalization of the results is proposed, enabling the extension of the current investigation to different street-canyon aspect ratios.
Local staging of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence: mammography, ultrasound, or MRI?
Authors: Walstra Coco J. E. F. , Schipper Robert-Jan , Winter-Warnars Gonneke A. , Loo Claudette E. , Voogd Adri C. , Vrancken Peeters Marie-Jeanne T. F. D. , Nieuwenhuijzen Grard A. P. , Beets-Tan Regina G. H.
Published: August 2020

Background

Despite increasingly effective curative breast-conserving treatment (BCT) regimens for primary breast cancer, patients remain at risk for an ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR). With increasing interest for repeat BCT in selected patients with IBTR, a reliable assessment of the size of IBTR is important for surgical planning.

Aim

The primary aim of this study is to establish the performance in size estimation of XMG, US, and breast MRI in patients with IBTR. The secondary aim is to compare the detection of multifocality and contralateral lesions between XMG and MRI.

Patients and methods

The sizes of IBTR on mammography (XMG), ultrasound (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 159 patients were compared to the sizes at final histopathology. The accuracy of the size estimates was addressed using Pearson’s coefficient and Bland–Altman plots. Secondary outcomes were the detection of multifocality and contralateral lesions between XMG and MRI.

Results

Both XMG and US significantly underestimated the tumor size by 3.5 and 4.8 mm, respectively, while MRI provided accurate tumor size estimation with a mean underestimation of 1.1 mm. The sensitivity for the detection of multifocality was significantly higher for MRI compared to XMG (25.5% vs. 5.5%). A contralateral malignancy was found in 4.4% of patients, and in 1.9%, it was detected by MRI only.

Conclusion

The addition of breast MRI to XMG and US in the preoperative workup of IBTR allows for more accurate size estimation. MRI provides a higher sensitivity for the detection of multifocality compared to XMG.
Splice variants of RAS—translational significance
Authors: Rásó Erzsébet
Published: August 2020

One of the mechanisms potentially explaining the discrepancy between the number of human genes and the functional complexity of organisms is generating alternative splice variants, an attribute of the vast majority of multi-exon genes. Members of the RAS family, such as NRAS, KRAS and HRAS, all of which are of significant importance in cancer biology, are no exception. The structural and functional differences of these splice variants, particularly if they contain the canonical (and therefore routinely targeted for diagnostic purposes) hot spot mutations, pose a significant challenge for targeted therapies. We must therefore consider whether these alternative splice variants constitute a minor component as originally thought and how therapies targeting the canonical isoforms affect these alternative splice variants and their overall functions.
Case study: Developing long-term knowledge with Sprego
Authors: Csapó Gábor , Sebestyén Katalin , Csernoch Mária , Abari Kálmán
Published: August 2020

In Hungary, K-12 informatics/computer science education focuses on mostly surface-based methods. This approach can be observed in the teaching of several topics in the subject, of which we focus on spreadsheet management. This is further emphasized by regulatory documents – the Hungarian National Core Curriculum and Hungarian Curriculum Frameworks –, where handling algorithms, calling schemata, and problem-solving in general are only assigned to the programming topic. In the process of fulfilling the requirements of the school curricula and the various tool-centered exams, students become familiar with the software interfaces and how to navigate them, instead of developing computational thinking skills and learning how to approach and solve real-world problems.

Our educational system is based on a spiral teaching approach; therefore, spreadsheet management is taught throughout several grades in a small number of lessons. Prior research shows that students learning spreadsheet management with surface-approach methods do not build up a reliable knowledge structure. These students cannot solve problems in contexts differing to the ones in which they learned the topic and cannot use their surface navigation abilities in different software environments.

Our research group focuses on spreadsheeting with an algorithm-building and problem-solving method at the center of the teaching-learning process. For this purpose, we have developed and introduced the Sprego (Spreadsheet Lego) methodology. Sprego is based on Pólya’s four-step concept-based problem-solving approach, and its efficiency has already been proved compared to traditional low-mathability surface-approach methods. In the comparison of the low- and high-mathability approaches, several further questions arise, and amongst them one crucial aspect is how the different methods support the schema-construction and knowledge built up in long-term memory. In this paper we discuss this question using a delayed post-test that was carried out one year after the treatment period. We focused on the students’ achievement both in the experimental (Sprego) and control (traditional surface-approaches) groups based on the methods used one year prior to the administration of the delayed post-test. The results show that students who learned the spreadsheet management topic with Sprego achieved significantly better scores on the delayed tests than those students who used low-mathability approaches.
The dynamic relationship between greenfield investments, cross-border M&As, domestic investment and economic growth in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Hieu Thanh , Luu Hiep Ngoc , Do Ngoc Ha
Published: August 2020

This paper investigates the dynamic linkages between different types of foreign direct investment (FDI), domestic investment and economic growth in Vietnam. We decompose the aggregated FDI level into its two major components: greenfield investments, and cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As). The empirical results reveal that greenfield investments and cross-border M&As exhibit different impacts on economic growth. While greenfield investments appear to complement domestic investment, which subsequently promotes long-run economic growth, cross-border M&As exert a significant crowd-out effect and subsequently impede growth in both the short- and the long-run. These results provide important implications for policies to attract FDI in order to stimulate sustainable growth.
Development of an autonomous flow-proportional water sampler for the estimation of pollutant loads in urban runoff
Authors: Budai Péter , Kardos Máté Krisztián , Knolmár Marcell , Szemán Gábor , Turczel József , Clement Adrienne
Published: August 2020

Implementation of an extensive urban runoff monitoring program, targeting the quantification of heavy metal and organic micropollutant loads, necessitated the development of an autonomous water sampler. The design requirements for the device were to fulfill flow-proportional continuous composite sampling of urban runoff events in a widely customizable, relatively inexpensive, and simple way. In this paper, we introduce the concept along with the experiences gained from the first several months of field tests at seven pilot areas in Hungary that represent a wide range of urban environments. During the test period, prototype samplers were placed in natural (urban) streams as well as stormwater drainage pipes, resulting in a total of 97 automatic composite runoff samples. At two sites, an additional 28 manual grab samples were collected to represent time series from five distinct runoff events. Sampling efficiency was checked by comparing collected volumes with the theoretical ones (derived from pump mileage data). Ranges and ratios of concentrations measured from composite and grab samples were graphically interpreted in order to evaluate their representativeness. It has been shown that the concept is suitable for conducting cost-effective urban runoff characterization surveys targeting inter-event variability.
The Type-B Moral Error Theory
Authors: Booth Anthony Robert
Published: August 2020

I introduce a new version of Moral Error Theory, which I call Type-B Moral Error Theory. According to a Type-B theorist there are no facts of the kind required for there to be morality instricto sensu, but there can be irreducible ‘normative’ properties which she deems, strictly speaking, to be morally irrelevant. She accepts that there areinstrumentalall things considered oughts, andcategoricalpro tanto oughts (both of which she deems morally irrelevant), but denies that there arecategoricalall things considered oughts on pain of requiring ‘queer’ facts to obtain. I detail the most central motivation of this version of the theory against its more traditional rival, according to which there are no irreducible normative properties at all. The motivation is that it, unlike its rival, can successfully be defended against the notorious charge of self-defeat.
Surface modification of cadmium-based nanoparticles with d-penicillamine—study of pH influence on ligand exchange reaction
Authors: Lesiak A. , Halicka K. , Chrzanowski M. , Banski M. , Żak A. , Cabaj J. , Podhorodecki A.
Published: August 2020

Semiconducting nanoparticles (NPs) find applications in many fields, with a recent focus on medicine and biology. Functionalization of the surface of NPs is necessary, and one of the most commonly employed techniques is ligand exchange (LE). In this paper, the study of pH influence on LE reaction for different types of cadmium-based NPs (quantum dots, nanorods, and nanoplates) is presented. Hydrophobic NPs were transferred to the non-organic medium by functionalization with d-penicillamine (DPA). The LE procedure was conducted at four different pH levels (4, 7, 9, and 11), and obtained hydrophilic NPs were dispersed in phosphate buffer. Results show that the most effective procedure resulted from a reaction carried at pH = 4; however, NPs with higher photoluminescence intensity were obtained when pH = 11 was used. Comparable emission was achieved from samples at pH = 4 and pH = 9. The least effective transfer, resulting in unstable NPs, occurred when the procedure was conducted at pH = 7.
Assessing the effect of containment measures on the spatio-temporal dynamic of COVID-19 in Italy
Authors: Dickson Maria Michela , Espa Giuseppe , Giuliani Diego , Santi Flavio , Savadori Lucia
Published: August 2020

This paper aims at investigating empirically whether and to what extent the containment measures adopted in Italy had an impact in reducing the diffusion of the COVID-19 disease across provinces. For this purpose, we extend the multivariate time-series model for infection counts proposed in Paul and Held (Stat Med 30(10):118–1136, 2011) by augmenting the model specification with B-spline regressors in order to account for complex nonlinear spatio-temporal dynamics in the propagation of the disease. The results of the model estimated on the time series of the number of infections for the Italian provinces show that the containment measures, despite being globally effective in reducing both the spread of contagion and its self-sustaining dynamics, have had nonlinear impacts across provinces. The impact has been relatively stronger in the northern local areas, where the disease occurred earlier and with a greater incidence. This evidence may be explained by the shared popular belief that the contagion was not a close-to-home problem but rather restricted to a few distant northern areas, which, in turn, might have led individuals to adhere less strictly to containment measures and lockdown rules.
The risk-averse ultimate pit problem
Authors: Canessa Gianpiero , Moreno Eduardo , Pagnoncelli Bernardo K.
Published: August 2020

In this work, we consider a risk-averse ultimate pit problem where the grade of the mineral is uncertain. We derive conditions under which we can generate a set of nested pits by varying the risk level instead of using revenue factors. We propose two properties that we believe are desirable for the problem: risk nestedness, which means the pits generated for different risk aversion levels should be contained in one another, and additive consistency, which states that preferences in terms of order of extraction should not change if independent sectors of the mine are added as precedences. We show that only an entropic risk measure satisfies these properties and propose a two-stage stochastic programming formulation of the problem, including an efficient approximation scheme to solve it. We illustrate our approach in a small self-constructed example, and apply our approximation scheme to a real-world section of the Andina mine, in Chile.
Using the Kaban Lakes Integrated Assessment Model for Investigating Potential Levels of Antibiotic Pollution of the Nizhniy Kaban and Sredniy Kaban Lakes
Authors: Frolova Liudmila L. , Sverdrup Antoniy Elias , Sverdrup Harald Ulrik
Published: August 2020

The Kaban Lakes Integrated Assessment Model (KLIAM) was enhanced in order to assess the possible content of antibiotics in the Kaban lakes, located within the city borders of Kazan City, Tatarstan Republic in the Russian Federation, and potential for adverse environmental effects. The Kaban Lakes Integrated Assessment Model simulations suggest that the concentrations in the Nizhniy Kaban lake and Sredniy Kaban lake may exceed the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) and low-risk limits set by EU and the WHO. Many missing data could be assumed or approximated, and simulation runs were conducted. The results are consistent with other global studies in terms of average concentrations observed elsewhere in rivers and lakes. The results suggest that the study should be followed up with lake water analysis and an assessment of antibiotic loads to the Kaban lakes. It is concluded that the results are too uncertain to initiate any policy action at the present moment and that an assessment supported by measurements would be warranted.
Autopsy or anatomical dissection: evidence of a craniotomy in a 17th–eighteenth century burial site (Ravenna, Italy)
Authors: Scianò Filippo , Zedda Nicoletta , Mongillo Jessica , Gualdi-Russo Emanuela , Bramanti Barbara
Published: August 2020

Surgical procedures undergone in life, autopsies and anatomical preparations can all leave clearly identifiable traces on human skeletal remains. Several studies on skeletons from archeological contexts have identified traces of these practices. However, the distinction between medical/forensic autopsy and anatomical dissections for scientific research can be challenging. We report the case of a middle-aged female skeleton from the cemetery of the church of San Biagio (Ravenna, Italy), dating back to the 17th–19th centuries, that shows signs of a complete craniotomy. In an attempt to clarify the reason for this practice, we analyzed all pathological and non-pathological markers on the skeleton. We carried out anthropological analyses and osteometric measurements to determine the biological profile and the cranial capacity of the individual. Paleopathological investigation and analyses of traumatic injury patterns were carried out using both a morphological and a microscopic approach. While we observed that the craniotomy was performed with a rip saw, we identified perimortem blunt force trauma to the frontal bone and an osteolytic lesion on the inner surface of the frontal bone. No other pathology was recognizable on the skeleton. Our differential diagnosis confidently proved that the craniotomy was due to an autoptsy procedure and was not the result of an anatomical dissection. We believe that, among other possible reasons, failed surgery could likely be the motive behind the ordering of the autopsy.