bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioeffect of static magnetic field on photosynthetic bacteria: Evaluation of bioresources production and wastewater treatment efficiency
Authors: Lu Haifeng , Wang Xiaodan , Hu Shunfan , Han Ting , He Shichao , Zhang Guangming , He Mou , Lin Xinyu
Published: February 2020

Photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) technology is a promising method for biomass, protein, pigments, and other value‐added substances generation from wastewater. However, the above bioresources production efficiency is relatively low. In this work, a static magnetic field (SMF) was used to promote bioresources production. Results showed that SMF had positive effects on value‐added substances production. With 0.35 Tesla (T) SMF, the PSB biomass, protein, carotenoids, and bacteriochlorophyll concentration were promoted by 31.1%, 22.6%, 56.7%, and 73.1% compared with the control group, respectively. Biomass yield finally reached 0.58 g biomass/g COD removal, which was promoted by 37.1%. The doubling time was shortened by 37.9% in 0.35 T group, showing that SMF can promote cell growth. With 0.35 T SMF, the intracellular NADH dehydrogenase and ATP synthase activities concentration increased by 23.4% and 29.1%, respectively, thus increased the ATP content by 38.0%. Succinic dehydrogenase activity concentration greatly increased by 609.0% at 48 hr, which potentially accelerated the tricarboxylic acid cycle and COD degradation as well as enhanced biomass production.

Practitioner points

SMF promoted PSB bioresource production during wastewater treatment processing.

Biomass, protein, carotenoids, and Bchl concentration were promoted by 31.1%, 22.6%, 56.7%, and 73.1%, respectively.

PSB yield of 0.35 T group was promoted by 37.1% compared with the control group.

SDH concentration of 0.35 T was promoted by 609.0% compared with the control group.

Increased NADH and ATP synthase activity concentration by SMF enhanced energy metabolism.
Conservation of a core neurite transcriptome across neuronal types and species
Authors: von Kügelgen Nicolai , Chekulaeva Marina
Published: February 2020

The intracellular localization of mRNAs allows neurons to control gene expression in neurite extensions (axons and dendrites) and respond rapidly to local stimuli. This plays an important role in diverse processes including neuronal growth and synaptic plasticity, which in turn serves as a foundation for learning and memory. Recent high‐throughput analyses have revealed that neurites contain hundreds to thousands of mRNAs, but an analysis comparing the transcriptomes derived from these studies has been lacking. Here we analyze 20 datasets pertaining to neuronal mRNA localization across species and neuronal types and identify a conserved set of mRNAs that had robustly localized to neurites in a high number of the studies. The set includes mRNAs encoding for ribosomal proteins and other components of the translation machinery, mitochondrial proteins, cytoskeletal components, and proteins associated with neurite formation. Our combinatorial analysis provides a unique resource for future hypothesis‐driven research.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization

RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA

RNA Methods > RNA Analyses in Cells
Large D membrane for higher derivative gravity and black hole second law
Authors: Dandekar Yogesh , Saha Arunabha
Published: February 2020

Abstract

We derive the effective equations of the membranes dual to black holes in a particular theory of higher derivative gravity namely Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet (EGB) gravity at sub-leading order in 1/D upto linear order in the Gauss-Bonnet (GB) parameter β. We find an expression for an entropy current which satisfies a local version of second law onshell in this regime. We also derive the membrane equations upto leading order in 1/D but non-perturbatively in β for EGB gravity. In this regime we write down an expression for a world-volume stress tensor of the membrane and also work out the effective membrane equation for stationary black holes.
Welche Parameter haben Einfluss auf den stationären Verlauf bei Patienten mit Spondylodiszitis?
Authors: Spiegl Ulrich Josef Albert , Kilper Anica , Glasmacher Stefan , Heyde Christoph-Eckhard , Josten Christoph
Published: February 2020

Hintergrund

Die Spondylodiszitis ist eine seltene Erkrankung mit steigender Inzidenz.

Methodik

In dieser retrospektiven Studie wurden 112 Patienten mit operativ versorgter Spondylodiszitis vom 01.01.2005 bis 31.12.2012 in einem Level-I-Wirbelsäulenzentrum hinsichtlich potenzieller prognostischer Kriterien nachuntersucht. Als Nachuntersuchungszeitraum galt der stationäre Aufenthalt. Analysiert wurden die Parameter Mortalität, Alter, Lokalisation der Spondylodiszitis, Abszess- und Erregernachweise, neurologischer Status und Body-Mass-Index (BMI).

Ergebnisse

Das Durchschnittsalter lag bei 68,3 Jahren (±12,9). Insgesamt sind 12 Patienten (10,7 %) während des stationären Aufenthalts verstorben. Ältere Patienten wiesen eine signifikant höhere Krankenhausmortalitätsrate auf (p = 0,008). Der Abszessnachweis gelang in 49,1 % der Fälle und ging mit signifikant längerer Liegedauer im Krankenhaus (p = 0,001) und auf der ITS (p = 0,001) sowie häufigeren Revisionen (p = 0,018) einher. Außerdem wiesen adipöse Patienten signifikant häufiger einen Abszess auf (p = 0,034). Mit S. aureus als häufigstem Erreger gelang der Keimnachweis insgesamt in 60,7 % der Fälle. Ein Keimnachweis war mit einer signifikant längeren Krankenhausliegedauer (p = 0,006) und häufigeren intensivmedizinischen Überwachungen verbunden (p = 0,017). Patienten mit einer Nephropathie wiesen eine signifikant erhöhte Mortalität, eine längere Liegedauer im Krankenhaus sowie ein gehäuftes Auftreten von Mehretagenbefällen auf.

Schlussfolgerung

Das hohe Alter, die positive Keimkultur, die Niereninsuffizienz und Abszesse können als prognostische Kriterien genutzt werden. Zu den Risikofaktoren für das Vorhandensein eines Abszesses können die lumbale Lokalisation der Spondylodiszitis, die Nephropathie sowie der Nachweis eines Erregers und die Adipositas gezählt werden.
Genetic and transcriptional dissection of resistance to Claviceps purpurea in the durum wheat cultivar Greenshank
Authors: Gordon Anna , McCartney Curt , Knox Ron E. , Ereful Nelzo , Hiebert Colin W. , Konkin David J. , Hsueh Ya-Chih , Bhadauria Vijai , Sgroi Mara , O’Sullivan Donal M. , Hadley Caroline , Boyd Lesley A. , Menzies Jim G.
Published: February 2020

Key message

Four QTL for ergot resistance (causal pathogen Claviceps purpurea) have been identified in the durum wheat cultivar Greenshank.

Claviceps purpurea is a pathogen of grasses that infects flowers, replacing the seed with an ergot sclerotium. Ergot presents a significant problem to rye, barley and wheat, in particular hybrid seed production systems. In addition, there is evidence that the highly toxic alkaloids that accumulate within sclerotia can cross-contaminate otherwise healthy grain. Host resistance to C. purpurea is rare, few resistance loci having been identified. In this study, four ergot resistance loci are located on chromosomes 1B, 2A, 5A and 5B in the durum wheat cv. Greenshank. Ergot resistance was assessed through analysis of phenotypes associated with C. purpurea infection, namely the number of inoculated flowers that produced sclerotia, or resulted in ovary death but no sclerotia, the levels of honeydew produced, total sclerotia weight and average sclerotia weight and size per spike. Ergot testing was undertaken in Canada and the UK. A major effect QTL, QCp.aafc.DH-2A, was detected in both the Canadian and UK experiments and had a significant effect on honeydew production levels. QCp.aafc.DH-5B had the biggest influence on total sclerotia weight per spike. QCp.aafc.DH-1B was only detected in the Canadian experiments and QCp.aafc.DH-5A in the UK experiment. An RNASeq analysis, undertaken to identify wheat differentially expressed genes associated with different combinations of the four ergot resistance QTL, revealed a disproportionate number of DEGs locating to the QCp.aafc.DH-1B, QCp.aafc.DH-2A and QCp.aafc.DH-5B QTL intervals.
Prescription of individual therapeutic exercises via smartphone app for patients suffering from non-specific back pain
Authors: Hasenöhrl Timothy , Windschnurer Thomas , Dorotka Ronald , Ambrozy Clemens , Crevenna Richard
Published: February 2020

Background

The purpose of this qualitative study was the assessment of the feasibility and acceptance of orthopedists prescribing individualized therapeutic exercises via a smartphone app to patients suffering from non-specific back pain.

Methods

A total of 27 patients (mean age 44.8 ± 13.2 years) diagnosed with acute non-specific back pain were prescribed individually chosen therapy exercises via a smartphone app. Before the patients started and after 4 weeks of exercising all participants went through an assessment protocol consisting of questionnaires (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI], Short Form-36 [SF-36], International Physical Activity Questionnaire [IPAQ], Work Ability Index [WAI], Visual Analogue Scale [VAS] back pain, sociodemographic parameters), assessment of functional parameters (handgrip strength, timed up and go test). With 16 randomly chosen patients semi-structured interviews were undertaken at the end of the intervention period. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Power analysis and a priori sample size calculations were undertaken with the quantitative data.

Results

From the interviews four thematic categories emerged: prior exercise experience, evaluation of exercise intensity, communication with physician via smartphone app, and variability of exercise location. Quantitative analysis of secondary data showed significant improvements in back pain (ODI) as well as quality of life domains “physical functioning”, “bodily pain” and “vitality” (SF-36) of which “bodily pain” was sufficiently powered with the current sample size.

Conclusion

The prescription of therapeutic exercises via smartphone app to patients suffering from non-specific back pain is feasible and well-accepted in patients at all ages. Pilot data additionally pointed towards efficacy of the intervention.
Low-coherence interferometer with 10 MHz repetition rate and compensation of nonlinear chromatic dispersion
Authors: Hoshikawa Masaharu , Ishii Katsuhiro , Makino Takeshi , Hashimoto Takahiro , Furukawa Hideaki , Wada Naoya
Published: February 2020

We developed a low-coherence interference measurement system using the time-stretch dispersive Fourier transformation technique and demonstrated 10 MHz measurements of the interference signal. We estimated the path length distribution by performing Fourier transformation of the interference signal. The estimated path length difference agreed with the set value. However, as the path length increased, the peak value and width of the path length distribution decreased and broadened, respectively. This behavior was due to the nonlinearity of the chirp rate. We proposed a simple method for calibrating and compensating for the nonlinearity of the chirp rate by analyzing the phase of interferograms for multiple path length. The decrease in peak value and widening of the path length distribution were improved by the proposed compensation method.
Eigentum an Natur – Das Waldeigentum
Authors: Czybulka Detlef
Published: February 2020

Literatur und Gesetzgeber haben bisher der gebotenen Differenzierung der Eigentumsobjekte und der
daraus wegen Art. 20a des GG resultierenden Ökologiepflichtigkeit des Waldeigentums kaum Rechnung
getragen. Nutzungsregelungen für den bewirtschafteten Wald bedürfen einer Sichtweise, welche
die Sicherung der natürlichen Lebensgrundlagen einschließlich der Erhaltung der Biodiversität,
nicht allein “forstliche Nachhaltigkeit” zum Ziel hat. Eine operative Umsetzung durch den Gesetzgeber
fehlt weitgehend; die diesbezüglichen Anforderungen des europäischen Unionsrechts, insbesondere
der FFH-Richtlinie werden auch im Wald “systemisch” verfehlt. Technische und ökonomische
“Zwänge” führen zu Eigengesetzlichkeiten der Waldbewirtschaftung außerhalb normativer
Vorgaben und zu einer Verschlechterung des Zustands der Waldökosysteme in Deutschland.
Schlüssel zur Diagnostik in der Pneumologie
Authors: Olschewski H. , Speich R.
Published: February 2020

Im Zeitalter der hochtechnisierten Medizin werden Anamnese und klinische Untersuchung zunehmend in den Hintergrund gedrängt. Es ist aber eine Tatsache, dass damit auch heute noch 80 % aller Diagnosen gestellt werden können. Vielfach dienen weitere, zumeist apparative Tests nur noch der Bestätigung der Diagnose. Eine kompetente Anamnese und klinische Untersuchung machen nicht selten teure und/oder zeitaufwendige Explorationen unnötig. Vor allem gilt es zu betonen, dass die aufgrund des klinischen Eindrucks gewonnene subjektive Einschätzung der Vortestwahrscheinlichkeit für das Vorliegen einer Krankheit eine unabdingbare Voraussetzung für die Bewertung weiterer Testresultate ist.
Radiocarbon analysis reveals that vegetation facilitates the release of old methane in a temperate raised bog
Authors: Garnett Mark H. , Hardie Susie M. L. , Murray Callum
Published: February 2020

Peatlands have accumulated vast quantities of organic carbon over thousands of years but it is unclear how these sensitive ecosystems will respond to future climate change. If emissions of methane from peatlands increase, then they may contribute increasingly towards climatic warming due to the higher greenhouse warming potential of this gas. We investigated the radiocarbon concentration of methane emissions from a temperate bog over 1.5 years, which we supported with measurements of the surface flux of methane and carbon dioxide. The radiocarbon content of methane emissions varied greatly, from modern (i.e. fixed from the atmosphere within recent decades) to ~ 1400 years BP. Flux rates of methane were spatially and temporally highly variable. A vegetation clipping experiment showed that plants had a great influence on the carbon isotope composition and flux of methane emitted from the peat surface, consistent with earlier studies showing the key role of plants in peatland methane emissions. When plants were absent, emission rates were 70–94% lower and the radiocarbon age of methane emissions was much younger and less variable. Our radiocarbon measurements show that at this peatland, plant-associated methane emissions contain carbon originally fixed from the atmosphere up to hundreds of years earlier, consistent with a contribution from plant mediated transport of methane sourced from sub-surface layers.
Extending KIDs to the Mid-IR for Future Space and Suborbital Observatories
Authors: Perido J. , Glenn J. , Day P. , Fyhrie A. , Leduc H. , Zmuidzinas J. , McKenney C.
Published: February 2020

The galaxy evolution probe (GEP) is a concept for a probe-class space observatory to study the physical processes related to star formation over cosmic time. To do so, the mid- and far-infrared (IR) spectra of galaxies must be studied. These mid- and far-IR observations require large multi-frequency arrays, sensitive detectors. Our goal is to develop low NEP aluminum kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) for wavelengths of 10–400 $${\upmu }{{\hbox {m}}}$$μm for the GEP and a pathfinder long-duration balloon (GEP-B) that will perform precursor GEP science. KIDs for the lower wavelength range (10–100 $${\upmu }{{\hbox {m}}}$$μm) have not been previously implemented. We present an absorber design for KIDs sensitive to wavelengths of 10 $${\upmu }{{\hbox {m}}}$$μm shown to have around 75–80% absorption efficiency through ANSYS HFSS (high-frequency structure simulator) simulations, challenges that come with optimizing our design to increase the wavelength range, initial tests on our design of fabricated 10 $${\upmu }{{\hbox {m}}}$$μm KIDs, and theoretical NEP calculations.
Hypocoercivity and Fast Reaction Limit for Linear Reaction Networks with Kinetic Transport
Authors: Favre Gianluca , Schmeiser Christian
Published: February 2020

The long time behavior of a model for a first order, weakly reversible chemical reaction network is considered, where the movement of the reacting species is described by kinetic transport. The reactions are triggered by collisions with a nonmoving background with constant temperature, determining the post-reactional equilibrium velocity distributions. Species with different particle masses are considered, with a strong separation between two groups of light and heavy particles. As an approximation, the heavy species are modeled as nonmoving. Under the assumption of at least one moving species, long time convergence is proven by hypocoercivity methods for the cases of positions in a flat torus and in whole space. In the former case the result is exponential convergence to a spatially constant equilibrium, and in the latter it is algebraic decay to zero, at the same rate as solutions of parabolic equations. This is no surprise since it is also shown that the macroscopic (or reaction dominated) behavior is governed by the diffusion equation.
Disparities in glioblastoma survival by case volume: a nationwide observational study
Authors: Raj Rahul , Seppä Karri , Luostarinen Tapio , Malila Nea , Seppälä Matti , Pitkäniemi Janne , Korja Miikka
Published: February 2020

Introduction

High hospital case volumes are associated with improved treatment outcomes for numerous diseases. We assessed the association between academic non-profit hospital case volume and survival of adult glioblastoma patients.

Methods

From the nationwide Finnish Cancer Registry, we identified all adult (≥ 18 years) patients with histopathological diagnoses of glioblastoma from 2000 to 2013. Five university hospitals (treating all glioblastoma patients in Finland) were classified as high-volume (one hospital), middle-volume (one hospital), and low-volume (three hospitals) based on their annual numbers of cases. We estimated one-year survival rates, estimated median overall survival times, and compared relative excess risk (RER) of death between high, middle, and low-volume hospitals.

Results

A total of 2,045 patients were included. The mean numbers of annually treated patients were 54, 40, and 17 in the high, middle, and low-volume hospitals, respectively. One-year survival rates and median survival times were higher and longer in the high-volume (39%, 9.3 months) and medium-volume (38%, 8.9 months) hospitals than in the low-volume (32%, 7.8 months) hospitals. RER of death was higher in the low-volume hospitals than in the high-volume hospital (RER = 1.19, 95% CI 1.07–1.32, p = 0.002). There was no difference in RER of death between the high-volume and medium-volume hospitals (p = 0.690).

Conclusion

Higher glioblastoma case volumes were associated with improved survival. Future studies should assess whether this association is due to differences in patient-specific factors or treatment quality.
Intensification of the ultrafiltration of real oil-contaminated (produced) water with pre-ozonation and/or with TiO2, TiO2/CNT nanomaterial-coated membrane surfaces
Authors: Veréb Gábor , Kassai Péter , Nascimben Santos Erika , Arthanareeswaran Gangasalam , Hodúr Cecilia , László Zsuzsanna
Published: February 2020

In the present study, commercial PES, PVDF, PTFE ultrafilter membranes, and two different nanomaterial (TiO2 and TiO2/CNT composite)-covered PVDF ultrafilter membranes (MWCO = 100 kDa) were used for the purification of an industrial oil-contaminated (produced) wastewater, with and without ozone pretreatment to compare the achievable fouling mitigations by the mentioned surface modifications and/or pre-ozonation. Fluxes, filtration resistances, foulings, and purification efficiencies were compared in detail. Pre-ozonation was able to reduce the total filtration resistance in all cases (up to 50%), independently from the membrane material. During the application of nanomaterial-modified membranes were by far the lowest filtration resistances measured, and in these cases, pre-ozonation resulted in a slight further reduction (11–13%) of the total filtration resistance. The oil removal efficiency was 83–91% in the case of commercial membranes and > 98% in the case of modified membranes. Moreover, the highest fluxes (301–362 L m−2 h−1) were also measured in the case of modified membranes. Overall, the utilization of nanomaterial-modified membranes was more beneficial than pre-ozonation, but with the combination of these methods, slightly higher fluxes, lower filtration resistances, and better antifouling properties were achieved; however, pre-ozonation slightly decreased the oil removal efficiency.
Die politische Agenda Deutschlands
Authors: Breunig Christian , Schnatterer Tinette
Published: February 2020

Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt eine neue, umfassende Datenbank über die politischen Agenden Deutschlands vor und zeigt ihr Potenzial in der politikwisssenschaftlichen Forschung auf. Dazu fassen wir im ersten Teil den theoretischen Hintergrund – Agendasetzung – kurz zusammen und stellen anschließend die Datenbank vor. Die Datenbank beinhaltet politische Aktivitäten aus allen Etappen des Policyprozesses: die Inputebene (Öffentliche Meinung und Wahlprogramme der Parteien), die Politikprozessebene (Regierungserklärungen, parlamentarische Anfragen und Gesetzesentwürfe) und die Outputebene (Gesetze). Beobachtungen aus jeder Ebene sind thematisch nach dem Schema desComparative Agendas Project(CAP) codiert und umfassen den Zeitraum von 1977 bis 2013. Schließlich beschreiben wir die gesamte Datenbank kurz und illustrieren am Beispiel der Energiepolitik, wie dadurch politische Prozesse abgebildet und analysiert werden können. Die Datenbank ist zugänglich unterhttps://gpa.uni-konstanz.de/.
The European Labour Authority and rights-based labour mobility
Authors: Cremers Jan
Published: February 2020

Regulation (EU) 2019/1149 establishes the European Labour Authority (ELA) as a decentralised operational EU-agency. The ELA has to help individuals and businesses to get most out of the opportunities offered by free movement and to ensure fair labour mobility. According to the Commission, it will serve the double mission of helping national authorities to fight fraud and abuse and making mobility easier for citizens. This article addresses existing problems with labour mobility and analyses reasons for insufficient compliance with local standards and other enforcement problems. The author reflects on the added value and future functioning of the ELA.
Problematische Ablehnungskonstruktionen
Authors: Thole Werner
Published: February 2020

Der Beitrag diskutiert rechtspopulistische, menschenfeindliche Rhetoriken zu Fragen von Sozialstaat und Erziehung kritisch. Anlass ist die Wahrnehmung, dass entspreche Sprachspiele zunehmend auch in der Praxis der Sozialen Arbeit artikuliert werden, ohne dass sie als solche identifiziert und kritisiert würden.
Outcomes of trastuzumab therapy in HER2-positive early breast cancer patients: extended follow-up of JBCRG-cohort study 01
Authors:   the JBCRG-C01 Collaborative Group, Yamashiro Hiroyasu , Iwata Hiroji , Masuda Norikazu , Yamamoto Naohito , Nishimura Reiki , Ohtani Shoichiro , Sato Nobuaki , Takahashi Masato , Kamio Takako , Yamazaki Kosuke , Saito Tsuyoshi , Kato Makoto , Lee Tecchuu , Kuroi Katsumasa , Takano Toshimi , Yasuno Shinji , Morita Satoshi , Ohno Shinji , Toi Masakazu
Published: February 2020

Background

Previous large trials of trastuzumab (TZM) demonstrated improved outcomes in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer. However, its effectiveness and safety in Japanese patients is not yet clear. Recently, new anti-HER2 agents were developed to improve treatment outcomes, but the patient selection criteria remain controversial.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of TZM therapy as perioperative therapy for HER2-positive operable breast cancer in daily clinical practice and to create a recurrence prediction model for therapeutic selection.

Methods

An observational study was conducted in Japan (UMIN000002737) to observe the prognosis of women (n = 2024) with HER2-positive invasive breast cancer who received TZM for stage I–III C disease between July 2009 and June 2011. Moreover, a recurrence-predicting model was designed to evaluate the risk factors for recurrence.

Results

The 5- and 10-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 88.9 (95% CI 87.5–90.3%) and 82.4% (95% CI 79.2–85.6%), respectively. The 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates were 96% (95% CI 95.1–96.9%) and 92.7% (95% CI 91.1–94.3%), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that the risk factors for recurrence were an age of ≥ 70 years, T2 or larger tumors, clinically detected lymph node metastasis, histological tumor diameter of > 1 cm, histologically detected lymph node metastasis (≥ n2), and the implementation of preoperative treatment. The 5-year recurrence rate under the standard treatment was estimated to be > 10% in patients with a score of 3 or greater on the recurrence-predicting model.

Conclusion

The recurrence-predicting model designed in this study may improve treatment selection of patients with stage I–III C disease. However, further studies are needed to validate the scores generated by this model.
Unique Hydration Caves and Recommended Photogrammetric Methods for Their Documentation
Authors: Jarzyna Adrian , Bąbel Maciej , Ługowski Damian , Vladi Firouz , Yatsyshyn Andriy , Olszewska-Nejbert Danuta , Nejbert Krzysztof , Bogucki Andriy
Published: February 2020

Active anhydrite hydration during weathering leading to crystallisation of secondary gypsum and significant volume expansion was investigated and documented by the authors at three sites: the environs of Walkenried (Germany), Dingwall (Canada), and Pisky (Ukraine). As a result of these processes, peculiar landscape forms were created: hydration domes and ridges with empty internal chambers, some of them large enough to be called hydration caves (German: Quellungshöhlen). Currently, there are only four recognised sites on Earth featuring such a unique landscape and with a large group of hydration caves in one place (the fourth site is in the Alebastrovyye Islands, Russia). These sites constitute a particularly valuable geological and geomorphological heritage, including potential geosites and geomorphosites which require special protection. Actively growing hydration domes and caves change shape and size within a short time span, on the scale of months, years, or decades. Their study and proper protection require these changes to be monitored. Several different methods of documentation were applied in the field in order to document continuing morphological changes. The practical aspects of the use of each of these methods were assessed, demonstrating that the photogrammetric methods offer the greatest utility; not only are they the most efficient (fast and sufficiently precise) but also, compared with other methods, they yielded the most complete results. The key documentation of outcrops in Canada and Ukraine was executed with the application of terrestrial photogrammetry at Pisky (GoPro camera) and aerial photogrammetry at Dingwall (unmanned aerial vehicle). Application of these methods enabled the recording of the morphology associated with the hydration process in the form of 2.5D and 3D models as well as of orthophotomaps. The maps and the models were created using the Photoscan programme. The authors demonstrate that the photogrammetric models can be used for spatial morphological analysis of hydration forms in the ArcGIS programme. Repetition of this documentation in future will enable analysis of the morphological changes expected to occur during the progressive expansive hydration of anhydrite.
Screening naar prostaatkanker bij mannen met een BRCA2 mutatie: adviezen voor de praktijk gebaseerd op resultaten van internationale studie
Authors: van Asperen C. J. , Bangma C. H.
Published: February 2020

Samenvatting

Mannen die drager zijn van een BRCA2 mutatie (BRCA2+ mannen of BRCA2 dragers) hebben een verhoogd risico op prostaatkanker ten opzichte van mannen zonder mutatie. Daarnaast betreft het vaker agressievere tumoren. De resultaten van de internationale IMPACT-studie laten zien dat de BRCA2+ mannen relatief veel baat kunnen hebben van screening naar prostaatkanker. In totaal werden 2.932 mannen gerekruteerd. Na vier screeningsrondes met PSA-bepaling is aangetoond dat BRCA2 dragers een statistisch-significante hogere kans hebben op prostaatcarcinoom, 19 per 1.000, in vergelijking met niet-dragers, 12 per 1.000 (p = 0,03). Ook betreft het vaker klinisch-significante prostaatcarcinomen (77%) in vergelijking met 49% in de algemene populatie. Op basis van de resultaten van de IMPACT-studie is besloten om in Nederland de mogelijkheid van screening voor prostaatkanker actief te bespreken met BRCA2+ mannen.
An Integrated Efficacy and Safety Analysis of Single-Dose Secnidazole 2 g in the Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis
Authors: Pentikis Helen , Adetoro Nikki , Tipping Diane , Levy Sharon
Published: February 2020

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common gynecologic infection in women aged 14 to 49 years. Currently recommended treatments require extended dosing and are thus associated with poor adherence. A single-dose oral granule formulation of secnidazole 2 g (SOLOSEC™ [secnidazole], Symbiomix Therapeutics, a Lupin company, Baltimore, MD), a 5-nitroimidazole antibiotic with antimicrobial activity, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of BV in adult women. As part of the US registration package, two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies were conducted to confirm the efficacy and safety of a novel single-dose oral formulation of secnidazole 2 g. This is an integrated analysis of efficacy and safety results from these studies, pivotal study 1 and pivotal study 2. By combining the results of the two studies, relevant information is presented especially when considering the effect of secnidazole on patients with recurrent episodes of BV and the difference in effect on patients of black race. Single-dose secnidazole 2 g was statistically superior to placebo on all primary and secondary efficacy outcomes in both trials, including clinical outcome responder rate (P < 0.001), achievement of Nugent scores in the normal range of 0 to 3 (P < 0.001), greater numbers of patients as therapeutic outcome responders at the test of cure/end of study visit on days 21–30 (P < 0.001), and fewer patients requiring additional treatment at the test of cure/end of study visit (P < 0.001), supporting the role for single oral dose secnidazole 2 g granules as treatment for women with BV.
Body Composition During Pregnancy: Longitudinal Changes and Method Comparisons
Authors: Bosaeus Marja , Andersson-Hall Ulrika , Andersson Louise , Karlsson Therese , Ellegård Lars , Holmäng Agneta
Published: February 2020

The Pregnancy Obesity Nutrition and Child Health study is a longitudinal study of reproductive health. Here we analyzed body composition of normal-weight and obese Swedish women by three methods during each trimester of pregnancy. Cross-sectional and longitudinal fat mass estimates using quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) (Tanita MC-180MA-III) were compared with fat mass determined by air displacement plethysmography (ADP) in pregnancy weeks 8–12, 24–26, and 35–37 in normal-weight women (n = 122, BMI = 22.1 ± 1.6 kg/m2) and obese women (n = 29, BMI = 34.6 ± 3.6 kg/m2). ADP results were calculated from pregnancy-adjusted fat-free mass densities. Mean fat mass by QMR and ADP were similar in obese women, although with wide limits of agreement. In normal-weight women, QMR overestimated mean fat mass in all trimesters, with systematic overestimation at low fat mass values in trimesters 1 and 3. In obese women, fat mass by BIA was grossly underestimated and imprecise in all trimesters, especially at higher values in trimester 2. In normal-weight women, fat mass by BIA was moderately lower than by ADP in trimester 1, similar in trimester 2, and moderately higher in trimester 3. QMR and ADP assessed fat mass changes similarly in obese women, whereas BIA overestimated fat mass changes in normal-weight women. Mean fat mass and fat mass changes by QMR and pregnancy-adjusted ADP were similar in pregnant obese women. Mean fat mass by QMR and fat mass changes by BIA were higher than corresponding values determined by pregnancy-adjusted ADP in normal-weight women.
Schizophrenia-Associated MicroRNA–Gene Interactions in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex
Authors: Santarelli Danielle M. , Carroll Adam P. , Cairns Heath M. , Tooney Paul A. , Cairns Murray J.
Published: February 2020

Schizophrenia-associated anomalies in gene expression in postmortem brain can be attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental influences. Given the small effect size of common variants, it is likely that we may only see the combined impact of some of these at the pathway level in small postmortem studies. At the gene level, however, there may be more impact from common environmental exposures mediated by influential epigenomic modifiers, such as microRNA (miRNA). We hypothesise that dysregulation of miRNAs and their alteration of gene expression have significant implications in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In this study, we integrate changes in cortical gene and miRNA expression to identify regulatory interactions and networks associated with the disorder. Gene expression analysis in post-mortem prefrontal dorsolateral cortex (BA 46) (n = 74 matched pairs of schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and control samples) was integrated with miRNA expression in the same cohort to identify gene–miRNA regulatory networks. A significant gene–miRNA interaction network was identified, including miR-92a, miR-495, and miR-134, which converged with differentially expressed genes in pathways involved in neurodevelopment and oligodendrocyte function. The capacity for miRNA to directly regulate gene expression through respective binding sites in BCL11A, PLP1, and SYT11 was also confirmed to support the biological relevance of this integrated network model. The observations in this study support the hypothesis that miRNA dysregulation is an important factor in the complex pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Generation and imaging of a tunable ultrafast intensity-rotating optical field with a cycle down to femtosecond region
Authors: Zeng Xuanke , Zheng Shuiqin , Cai Yi , Wang Hongyu , Lu Xiaowei , Wang Honggeng , Li Jingzhen , Xie Weixin , Xu Shixiang
Published: February 2020

A tunable ultrafast intensity-rotating optical field is generated by overlapping a pair of 20 Hz, 800 nm chirped pulses with a Michelson interferometer (MI). Its rotating rate can be up to 10 trillion radians per second (

$\text{Trad}/\text{s}$

), which can be flexibly tuned with a mirror in the MI. Besides, its fold rotational symmetry structure is also changeable by controlling the difference from the topological charges of the pulse pair. Experimentally, we have successfully developed a two-petal lattice with a tunable rotating speed from

$3.9~\text{Trad}/\text{s}$

up to

$11.9~\text{Trad}/\text{s}$

, which is confirmed by our single-shot ultrafast frame imager based on noncollinear optical-parametric amplification with its highest frame rate of 15 trillion frames per second (Tfps). This work is carried out at a low repetition rate. Therefore, it can be applied at relativistic, even ultrarelativistic, intensities, which usually operate in low repetition rate ultrashort and ultraintense laser systems. We believe that it may have application in laser-plasma-based accelerators, strong terahertz radiations and celestial phenomena.
BOXING, RACE, AND BRITISH IDENTITY, 1945–1962
Authors: JOHNES MARTIN , TAYLOR MATTHEW
Published: February 2020

With a formal colour bar on British championships operating until 1948, boxing had long been a site of racial discrimination. The abolition of the sport's colour bar was recognition of the wrongness of racial exclusion and it was followed by a celebration of black fighters as local and national heroes. The sport became a rare space where black men could be spoken about, discussed, and celebrated without primary reference to their colour. However, race was never irrelevant, especially as the number of black boxers rose with wider patterns of migration. Race was thus widely discussed in boxing, although there was rarely open discussion of racism. This absence, along with black successes in the ring, masked deep levels of both structural and interpersonal prejudice. Racial differences remained accepted as common sense by white Britons. Indeed, immigration intensified racism in Britain, changing the perceived position of people of colour from exotic novelties to threats to society. Boxing is thus a reminder of the contradictory dynamics of race. Formal mechanisms of exclusion could be removed, while informal mechanisms intensified. Individuals could be celebrated, while people of colour as a group were looked down upon. Black achievements could simultaneously reinforce ideas of black inferiority.
Investigating the attitude of patients with chronic diseases about using mobile health
Authors: Abbasi Reza , Zare Sahar , Ahmadian Leila
Published: February 2020

Background

Mobile health (mHealth) due to its popularity and accessibility can be widely applied in different health areas such as the management of chronic diseases. However, its success depends on the acceptance of their users. Therefore, the aim of this study was to survey the attitudes of patients with chronic disease toward mHealth technology and their willingness to use it.

Methods

This study was conducted within a 2-year period (2016–2018) to determine and compare the attitude and willingness of patients with asthma, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis (MS) toward using mHealth technology in a province in Iran.

Results

In total, 222 patients participated in this study. More than 93 percent of the patients with diabetes and MS, and 65 percent of the asthmatic patients preferred using mHealth services rather than consulting a physician (p < .0001). About 98, 94, and 49 percent of the MS, diabetic, and asthmatic patients, respectively felt comfortable if their health conditions checked by physicians through mHealth technology (p < .0001).

Conclusions

Our results showed that the majority of the patients felt comfortable and preferred using mHealth technology rather than consulting the physicians. The attitudes of diabetic and MS patients toward mHealth technology were rather more positive compared to asthmatic patient attitude. These results may be helpful for the developers of mHealth technology, and researchers who design mHelath interventions for patients with chronic disease.
PRESERVATION OF LOG-CONCAVITY AND LOG-CONVEXITY UNDER OPERATORS
Authors: Xia Wanwan , Mao Tiantian , Hu Taizhong
Published: February 2020

Log-concavity [log-convexity] and their various properties play an increasingly important role in probability, statistics, operations research and other fields. In this paper, we first establish general preservation theorems of log-concavity and log-convexity under operator $\phi \longmapsto T(\phi , \theta )=\mathbb {E}[\phi (X_\theta )]$, θ ∈ Θ, where Θ is an interval of real numbers or an interval of integers, and the random variable $X_\theta$ has a distribution function belonging to the family $\{F_\theta , \theta \in \Theta \}$ possessing the semi-group property. The proofs are based on the theory of stochastic comparisons and weighted distributions. The main results are applied to some special operators, for example, operators occurring in reliability, Bernstein-type operators and Beta-type operators. Several known results in the literature are recovered.
Significant chick loss after early fast ice breakup at a high-latitude emperor penguin colony
Authors: Schmidt Annie E. , Ballard Grant
Published: February 2020

Emperor penguins require stable fast ice, sea ice anchored to land or ice shelves, on which to lay eggs and raise chicks. As the climate warms, changes in sea ice are expected to lead to substantial declines at many emperor penguin colonies. The most southerly colonies have been predicted to remain buffered from the direct impacts of warming for much longer. Here, we report on the unusually early breakup of fast ice at one of the two southernmost emperor penguin colonies, Cape Crozier (77.5°S), in 2018, an event that may have resulted in a substantial loss of chicks from the colony. Fast ice dynamics can be highly variable and dependent on local conditions, but earlier fast ice breakup, influenced by increasing wind speed, as well as higher surface air temperatures, is a likely outcome of climate change. What we observed at Cape Crozier in 2018 highlights the vulnerability of this species to untimely storm events and could be an early sign that even this high-latitude colony is not immune to the effects of warming. Long-term monitoring will be key to understanding this species' response to climate change and altered sea ice dynamics.
The Transnational Consensus: Fascism and Nazism in Current Research
Authors: Alcalde Ángel
Published: February 2020

Transnational History emerged in the 1990s as a methodological perspective aiming to transcend the nation state as a prevalent unit of analysis. Akin to comparative history, transnational history focuses on transfers between countries and nations, cross-border exchanges and circulation of people and ideas, thus changing our understanding of modern historical phenomena and contributing to the development of global history. Today there is probably no modern historical subfield that has not heeded the new transnational insights. This review article argues that the history of fascism and national socialism have benefitted considerably from this epistemological advancement, and that this renewal has revolutionised our understanding of these ideologies, movements and regimes. Previously historians believed that fascism had emerged as a solution to the interwar crisis in different European nation states; ‘native’, ‘home-grown’ fascist movements, unique ultranationalist revolutionaries, spontaneously reacted to endogenous national problems and attempted a counterrevolution or national rebirth with different degrees of success. After the transnational turn, historians instead see fascism as a single transnational and global phenomenon that violently expanded throughout Europe and beyond by processes of transfer, mutual inspiration, hybridisation, interaction, entanglement and cross-border exchange.
The policy mood in Spain: the thermostat in a warm climate, 1978–2017
Authors: Bartle John , Bosch Agustí , Orriols Lluís
Published: February 2020

Representative democracies are supposed to be uniquely virtuous in that they ensure that public preferences drive public policy. Dynamic representation is the outcome of a recurring interaction between electorate and parties that can be observed at the macro level. Preferences can shape government policy via two possible mechanisms. ‘Policy accomodation’ suggests that governments respond directly to the electorate’s preferences. ‘Electoral turnover’, on the other hand, assumes that preferences shape policy indirectly. Parties pursue their ideological goals, and public preferences respond ‘thermostatically’ by moving in the opposite direction to policy. This causes voters to switch votes and eventually leads to a turnover of power from one ‘side’ to ‘the other’. In this paper, we estimate preferences for government activity (‘the policy mood’) in Spain between 1978 and 2017. We show that mood responds ‘thermostatically’ to policy. Variations in mood are associated with support for parties. Policy is driven by party control but is not thermostatically responsive to mood. It appears that in Spain – like Britain – dynamic representation can only be achieved by electoral turnover. We consider the implications of this for our understanding of how representation works.
The Rule of Law, the International Legal Order, and the Foreign Policy of Small States
Authors: MENON Sundaresh
Published: February 2020

The rule of law bears a special meaning in the context of the international legal order, where there is no clear vertical hierarchy or sovereign. The international rule of law strives to curb the excess autonomy of individual states for the common good. Although there is considerable scepticism about whether the international rule of law actually exists, states largely do behave as if international law is truly “law”, and international obligations are also more enforceable now than ever before. But there have been and will be moments when the international rule of law is interrupted by major powers. In an interdependent world that is both capable of and prone to inflicting unimaginable destruction, the strategy for small states unable to defend themselves directly is to create the conditions that will best promote their survival, and that is accomplished by pursuing and promoting the rule of law both domestically and internationally.
The Effect of Retrieval Practice on Transitive	Inference
Authors: Picklesimer Milton E. , Buchin Zachary L. , Mulligan Neil W.
Published: February 2020

Abstract. Compared to restudying, retrieval practice has often been found to enhance memory (the testing effect). However, it has been proposed that materials with high element interactivity may not benefit from retrieval practice. Transitive inference (TI) requires just such interactivity, in which information must be combined across multiple learning elements or premises. The current study employed a 7-element TI paradigm in which participants initially learned a set of premises (e.g., A > B, B > C, C > D, etc.), then engaged in either restudy or retrieval practice with the premises, and then were given a final test that assessed memory for the original premises and one’s ability to make transitive inferences about them (e.g., to infer that B > D). Three experiments examined TI on final tests with retention intervals of a few minutes (Experiment 1), 2 days (Experiment 2), or up to a week (Experiment 3). Retrieval practice consistently failed to enhance transitive inference. Furthermore, retrieval practice significantly reduced TI in Experiment 1. Across experiments, TI was numerically worse in the retrieval-practice than restudy condition in 4 of 5 comparisons, and a small-scale meta-analysis revealed a significant negative effect of retrieval practice on TI.
New Vary‐Chap Scale Height Profile Retrieved From COSMIC Radio Occultation Data
Authors: Wu M. J. , Guo P. , Chen Y. L. , Fu N. F. , Hu X. G. , Hong Z. J.
Published: February 2020

The Global Navigation Satellite System radio occultation technique provides materials for the validation of a mathematical description of the topside ionosphere up to the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite altitude. An attempt to represent the topside electron density profile is using α‐Chapman function with a continuously varying scale height. In this study, the Vary‐Chap scale height profiles are obtained based on Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) electron density profiles from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013 and fitted by a shape function composed of two weighted patterns representing the ion and electron contributions of lower and higher altitudes. The associated fitting parameters a and b are analyzed to reveal their temporal and spatial features and variations along with enhancement of solar activity. The prominent dependence on latitudes, longitudes, the local time, the season, and the solar cycle shown in the parameters inspires future modeling of the Vary‐Chap scale height in constructing empirical topside ionospheric models.