bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Help Is on the Way: Medicare Coverage of Opioid Treatment Programs
Authors: Felix Cynthia , Sharfstein Joshua M. , Olsen Yngvild
Published: December 2019

Opioid use disorder (OUD) among older adults has been increasing, yet evidence still remains scarce for age‐specific treatment. We discuss the three US Food and Drug Administration–approved medications used to treat OUD (methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone) and consider evidence gaps in OUD treatment in older adults. Legislation passed in 2018 (the Substance Use Disorder Prevention That Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act [also known as the SUPPORT Act]) expanded Medicare coverage to include bundled payment for OUD treatment through opioid treatment programs, permitting coverage of methadone treatment for the first time. Since the policy change will take effect in January 2020, healthcare providers need to be aware of new opportunities for treatment when caring for older adult patients with OUD. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:637–640, 2020
A Vulnerability Risk Index of Self‐Neglect in a Community‐Dwelling Older Population
Authors: Wang Bei , Hoover Donald R. , Beck Todd , Dong XinQi
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

The only way to systematically screen for self‐neglect among older adults is through in‐home observations, which are often difficult and unfeasible for healthcare providers. To fill this gap, we need a robust and efficient prognostication tool to better treat and prevent self‐neglect among older adults.

OBJECTIVES

To develop a predictive index that can be used to assess risk prognostication of the onset of self‐neglect among community‐dwelling older populations.

DESIGN

Two waves of longitudinal data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP), collected during 2008 to 2012 with approximately 3‐year follow‐up intervals.

SETTING

Non‐Hispanic black or non‐Hispanic white community‐dwelling older adults in three adjacent neighborhoods in Chicago, IL.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 2885 individuals who were participants of the CHAP study.

MEASUREMENTS

The main outcomes are incident self‐neglect cases. A total of 86 potential predictors were considered in the domains of sociodemographic and socioeconomic, general well‐being, health behavior, medical health, medicine/healthcare, cognitive function, physical well‐being, social well‐being, and psychological well‐being.

RESULTS

The 3‐year self‐neglect incidence rate is 241 (8.4%). A 10‐item predictive model (with a c‐statistic of 0.76) was developed using stepwise selection in multivariable logistical regression models. After corrections of overfitting by validating in 100 bootstrapping samples, the predictive accuracy of the model dropped to 0.71, suggesting at least moderate overfitting. A point‐based risk index was developed based on parameter estimates of each predictive factor in the final logistic model. The index has an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.76.

CONCLUSION

The study developed an efficient index with good predictive ability of self‐neglect. Further external validation and impact studies are necessary before practitioners can apply this index to determine risk of self‐neglect among other community aging populations. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:809–816, 2020
Edward Zigler's legacy in the study of persons with intellectual disability: the developmental approach and the advent of a more rigorous and compassionate science
Authors: Burack J. A. , Evans D. W. , Lai J. , Russo N. , Landry O. , Kovshoff H. , Goldman K. J. , Iarocci G.
Published: December 2019

Edward Zigler transformed the science and humanity of the work with persons with intellectual disability. The developmental approach is Ed's great contribution to the field of intellectual disability as it both led to more conceptually compelling and methodologically rigorous science and provided an alternative to the Zeitgeist of segregation, defect, and pathology that had prevailed for decades. In an entirely unique way, the developmental approach allowed a seamless integration of increasingly precise science with concern for the “whole child” and their family. Thus, Ed's legacy led to a discipline in which scholarship and compassion prevail hand in hand as the integrity of science and of the person are mutually informative and interdependent.
Snow and Glacial Algae: A Review1
Authors: Hoham Ronald W. , Remias Daniel
Published: December 2019

Snow or glacial algae are found on all continents, and most species are in the Chlamydomonadales (Chlorophyta) and Zygnematales (Streptophyta). Other algal groups include euglenoids, cryptomonads, chrysophytes, dinoflagellates, and cyanobacteria. They may live under extreme conditions of temperatures near 0°C, high irradiance levels in open exposures, low irradiance levels under tree canopies or deep in snow, acidicpH, low conductivity, and desiccation after snow melt. These primary producers may color snow green, golden‐brown, red, pink, orange, or purple‐grey, and they are part of communities that include other eukaryotes, bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. They are an important component of the global biosphere and carbon and water cycles. Life cycles in theChlamydomonas–Chloromonas–Chlainomonascomplex include migration of flagellates in liquid water and formation of resistant cysts, many of which were identified previously as other algae. Species differentiation has been updated through the use of metagenomics, lipidomics, high‐throughput sequencing (HTS), multi‐gene analysis, andITS. Secondary metabolites (astaxanthin in snow algae and purpurogallin in glacial algae) protect chloroplasts and nuclei from damagingPARandUV, and ice binding proteins (IBPs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) reduce cell damage in subfreezing temperatures. Molecular phylogenies reveal that snow algae in theChlamydomonas–Chloromonascomplex have invaded the snow habitat at least twice, and some species are polyphyletic. Snow and glacial algae reduce albedo, accelerate the melt of snowpacks and glaciers, and are used to monitor climate change. Selected strains of these algae have potential for producing food or fuel products.
Group Identification and Support for the Supreme Court: Evidence from Evangelical Protestants
Authors: Kromphardt Christopher D. , Smith Joseph L. , Starling Anderson M.
Published: December 2019

Research on the determinants of the U.S. Supreme Court's institutional support among the public focuses on three factors at the level of the individual, including satisfaction with its performance, knowledge of the judiciary, and support for democratic values. Evidence from the group level has revealed that the relative importance of these factors can vary, despite the predictions of positivity theory that the effects of all factors should be similar across all subsets of the U.S. population. We seek to explain this inconsistency between theory and evidence through an analysis of evangelical Protestants, a politically powerful and theoretically compelling group. Drawing on group‐based studies, we develop a principled account of when group members will base their institutional support more strongly than others do on their satisfaction with the Court's recent performance, and identify defining features of the information environment of evangelical Protestants that satisfy the model's components. We report evidence from a national survey that the effects of all three major factors differ systematically for evangelical Protestants. We discuss implications of our analysis for an ongoing debate over positivity theory and for identifying other groups for whom institutional and specific support will be strongly linked.
From habitus to pragma: a phenomenological critique of Bourdieu's habitus
Authors: Pula Besnik
Published: December 2019

Bourdieu's concept of habitus relies heavily on insights from phenomenology, yet his theoretical effort falls short of existing phenomenological solutions to the problems of cognition, agency, and reflexivity in social action. These shortcomings are evident in the analytical and descriptive failures of the concept of habitus documented by critics. Turning to the work of Alfred Schutz, this paper offers his concept of pragma, meaning context, and theory of relevances as an alternative way to describe the embodied and temporal nature of social action and accounting for social determinations. The paper further parses out key differences between Schutz's social phenomenological understanding of embodied action and Bourdieu's habitus, including differences in understanding schemas of standardization and their relation with objectivities of the social world. The paper ends with a call for a critical reassessment of Schutz's social phenomenology, with potentially wide ranging implications not only for understandings of agency, but also of meaning and the constitution of objectivities of the social world, as well the underlying interpretive method of social science.
Ki‐67/CD3 ratio in the diagnosis of chronic inflammatory enteropathy in dogs
Authors: Karlovits Sonja , Manz Anita , Allenspach Karin , Walter Ingrid , Kummer Stefan , Tichy Alexander , Richter Barbara , Burgener Iwan A. , Luckschander‐Zeller Nicole
Published: December 2019

Background

T cells play a key role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE) in dogs. Cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3) antigen serves as a marker for T cells. In human medicine, Ki‐67 is an indicator for cell growth but there are only a few studies in dogs with CIE.

Objective

To investigate Ki‐67 in relation to T cells as a marker for CIE in dogs.

Animals

Eleven dogs with CIE and 6 healthy beagle controls (CO).

Methods

Retrospective case‐control study. Dogs were clinically assessed by the Canine Chronic Enteropathy Clinical Activity Index (CCECAI). Duodenal mucosal biopsy samples were endoscopically obtained for histopathologic examination by means of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association score. Double‐labeled immunofluorescence was used to investigate colocalization of Ki‐67 and CD3 in epithelium and lamina propria (LP) of villi and crypts.

Results

Dogs with CIE had significantly higher clinical score (median, 5.0; interquartile range [IQR], 3‐7) compared to CO (all 0; P < .001). The Ki‐67/CD3 double‐positive cells were significantly increased in the LP of the crypt region of CIE dogs (0.63 cells/mm2; IQR, 0‐0.54) versus CO (0.08 cells/mm2; IQR, 0‐0.26; P = .044). A significant correlation was found between CCECAI and the Ki‐67/CD3 ratio in the LP of the crypt region (r = 0.670; P = .012) in dogs with CIE.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The Ki‐67/CD3 ratio is upregulated in the LP crypt region of dogs with CIE and it correlates with clinical severity. Therefore, Ki‐67/CD3 could be a useful tool for detection of CIE.
Semi‐arid savanna herbaceous production and diversity responses to interactive effects of drought, nitrogen deposition, and fire
Authors: Hannusch Heather J. , Rogers William E. , Lodge Alexandra G. , Starns Heath D. , Tolleson Douglas R.
Published: December 2019

Question

Savannas are globally widespread and furnish a variety of ecological services through their structural heterogeneity. Unfortunately, those essential ecosystem services are threatened by climate changes including expected increases in duration of drought and nitrogen deposition. The objective of this study was to determine how overall herbaceous production, functional group production and diversity respond in the short‐term to interactions between forecasted environmental conditions and prescribed fires.

Location

Western Edwards Plateau, Texas (latitude 31°N, longitude 100°W).

Methods

We randomly assigned full‐factorial treatment combinations of rainout shelters, simulated nitrogen deposition and prescribed fires to field plots in an herbaceous‐dominated area of a semi‐arid savanna. Aboveground net primary productivity (assessed via destructive harvest) and diversity (using Shannon’s index) were assessed as indicators of ecosystem functioning.

Results

Total aboveground net primary production was reduced by fire in the short‐term (4 months), and reduced by drought at 8 months, but drought reductions were later overridden by lagged responses to large precipitation events (12 months). Forb production increased in response to nitrogen addition (8 months) and drought (12 months), but decreased as a result of fire (12 months). Live grass production was consistently reduced by drought. Plant species diversity was positively responsive to nitrogen addition, particularly in the absence of drought.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the concentrated precipitation events that are forecasted to follow extended droughts may aid rapid recovery of drought‐induced production decreases. In addition, the small‐scale diversity of this semi‐arid savanna may be driven more by resource availability than light‐competition in the short‐term. Managers and ecologists can use these results to help disentangle the ecosystem functioning that may be observed in the presence of future droughts, nitrogen deposition and prescribed fire. Understanding these processes will be key to protecting the integrity of savannas.
Risk of gallbladder cancer in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and radiographically detected gallbladder polyps
Authors: van Erp Liselot W. , Cunningham Morven , Narasimman Manasa , Ale Ali Hamideh , Jhaveri Kartik , Drenth Joost P. H. , Janssen Harry L. A. , Levy Cynthia , Hirschfield Gideon M. , Hansen Bettina E. , Gulamhusein Aliya F.
Published: December 2019

Background & Aims

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is associated with an increased risk of gallbladder cancer (GBC). Gallbladder polyps potentially harbour malignancy and thus international guidelines recommend prophylactic cholecystectomy for gallbladder polyps of any size in patients with PSC. To best inform patient care we sought to quantify the malignant risk of gallbladder polyps in patients with PSC.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of patients followed in secondary and tertiary care settings in two large PSC clinics in North America was performed.

Results

In total, 453 patients were included with a median (IQR) follow‐up time of 7.7 (4.1‐12) years. A gallbladder polyp was radiographically detected in 16% (n = 71) with median size (range) of 4 (2‐18) mm. In this group, post‐cholecystectomy histology (n = 17) reported benign or no polyp in 77% (n = 13), dysplasia in 5.9% (n = 1) and malignancy in 18% (n = 3). The GBC rate was 8.8 (95% CI 1.8‐25.7) per 1000 person‐years in patients with a radiographically detected gallbladder polyp. GBC was associated with polyps >10 mm, interval growth or mass‐like lesions on pre‐operative imaging. In patients who did not have cholecystectomy (n = 50), the polyp was only transiently seen in 80% (n = 40), remained stable or decreased in size in 10% (n = 5) and increased in size in 6% (n = 3). The majority of gallbladder polyps did not show significant growth over time (0.041 mm/year [95% CI −0.017 to 0.249]).

Conclusions

Most gallbladder polyps in patients with PSC are benign. Short‐term surveillance imaging may be considered prior to recommending immediate cholecystectomy in patients with PSC without high‐risk imaging features.
Weight, height, and midupper arm circumference are associated with haemoglobin levels in adolescent girls living in rural India: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Ahankari Anand S. , Tata Laila J. , Fogarty Andrew W.
Published: December 2019

We aimed to explore the association of physical parameters with haemoglobin (Hb) levels to test the hypothesis that impaired physical development is associated with anaemia. A cross‐sectional survey study recruited adolescent girls (13 to 17 years) living in rural areas of Maharashtra state of India. Data were collected on physical parameters include height, weight, and midupper arm circumference (MUAC). Hb levels were measured using Sahli's haemometer. Linear regression was conducted to test the hypothesis. Data were collected from 1,010 girls on physical parameter and Hb levels. The majority of the adolescent girls were diagnosed with anaemia (87%). The regression analysis adjusted for age gave a significant association of Hb levels with all three variables (MUAC, weight, and height). Hb increased by 0.11 g/dl with an each centimetre of increase in MUAC (95% confidence interval, CI, [0.08, 0.15], P < .001). Each kilogram of increase in the body weight showed an increase in Hb levels (0.02 g dl, 95% CI [0.01, 0.03], P = .001). With an each centimetre of increase in height, Hb increased by 0.01 g dl (95% CI [0.00, 0.02], P = .022). There was a consistent association between three measures of somatic growth and anaemia in the study population. It is likely that life‐course exposures from conception onwards contribute to this, and the public health implications are that preventing anaemia is a challenge that requires a multifaceted interventional approach. Understanding the importance of the timing of these life exposures will help design interventions that can achieve optimal results.
An opportunity to breed rice for improved benefits from the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis?
Authors: Lefebvre Benoit
Published: December 2019

This article is a Commentary on Huang et al. (2020), 225: 1762–1776.
A systematic review of body mass gain after deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Steinhardt Julia , Münte Thomas F. , Schmid Sebastian M. , Wilms Britta , Brüggemann Norbert
Published: December 2019

This systematic review investigated the effects of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus on extent and time course of body mass changes in patients with Parkinson's disease. A computerized search identified relevant articles using a priori defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A descriptive analysis was calculated for the main outcome parameters body mass and BMI.

Thirty‐eight out of 206 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria (979 patients aged 59.0±7.5 years). Considering the longest follow‐up time for each study, body mass and BMI showed a mean increase across studies of +5.71kg (p < .0001; d = 0.64) and +1.8kg/m2 (p < .0001; d = 1.61). The time course of body mass gain revealed a continuous increase ranging from +3.25kg (d = 0.69) at 3 months, +3.88kg (d = 0.21) at 6 months, +6.35kg (d = 0.72) at 12 months, and +6.11kg (d = 1.02) greater than 12 months. Changes in BMI were associated with changes in disease severity (r = 0.502, p = .010) and pharmacological treatment (r = 0.440, p = .0231).

Data suggest that body mass gain is one of the most common side effects of deep brain stimulation going beyond normalization of preoperative weight loss. Considering the negative health implications of overweight, we recommend the development of tailored therapies to prevent overweight and associated metabolic disorders following this treatment.
The autonomic nervous system and ventricular arrhythmias in myocardial infarction and heart failure
Authors: Wu Perry , Vaseghi Marmar
Published: December 2019

Ventricular arrhythmias (VA) can range in presentation from asymptomatic to cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Sustained ventricular tachycardias/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) are a common cause of SCD in the setting of myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure. A particularly arrhythmogenic cardiac syncytia in these conditions can be attributed to both sympathetic activation and parasympathetic dysfunction, while appropriate neuromodulation has the potential to reduce occurrence of VT/VF. In this review, we outline the components of the autonomic nervous system that play an important role in normal cardiac electrophysiology and function. In addition, we discuss changes that occur in the setting of cardiac disease including adverse neural remodeling and neurohormonal activation which significantly contribute to propensity for VT/VF. Finally, we review neuromodulation strategies to mitigate VT/VF which predominantly rely on increasing parasympathetic drive and blockade of sympathetic neurotransmission.
The approach of scratch‐imprint cytology: Is it an alternative to frozen section for intraoperative assessment of pulmonary lesions?
Authors: Sugiyama Tomoko , Tajiri Takuma , Fujita Hirotaka , Hiraiwa Shinichiro , Toguchi Suguru , Nomura Nozomi , Machida Tomohisa , Natsuyama Yuki , Aruga Naohiro , Matsumoto Tomohiro , Suga Atsushi , Nakagawa Tomoki , Hasebe Terumitsu , Yamada Shyunsuke , Iwazaki Masayuki , Nakamura Naoya
Published: December 2019

To address the diagnostic performance of scratch‐imprint cytology (SIC), in this study we compared intraoperative diagnoses of pulmonary lesions between SIC and frozen section histology (FSH) for accuracy with respect to the final pathological diagnosis. We histologically divided 206 pulmonary lesions (resected surgically) into two groups (benign and malignant) and compared each intraoperative diagnosis by SIC and FSH with the final pathological diagnoses. We also examined the radiological existence of pure ground‐glass opacity (GGO) nodules in each group. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 91.5%, 100%, 100%, 63.6%, and 92.6%, respectively for SIC, and 98.2%, 100%, 100%, 92.1% and 98.5%, respectively, for FSH. Thus, we concluded that diagnosis by SIC is reliable for malignancy, but not for benign lesions. All pure GGO nodules (19; 9.2%) were noninfectious and malignant with a high accuracy of FSH diagnosis (100%), in comparison with those of low accuracy with a SIC diagnosis (57.9%). SIC can be an appropriate intraoperative diagnostic tool where multiple cytotechnologists observe intraoperative SIC preparations scratched evenly across the whole lesion including the peripheral area of the mass.
Modeling the cardiac indices of stress and performance of nuclear power plant operators during simulated fault scenarios
Authors: Pakarinen Satu , Korpela Jussi , Karvonen Hannu , Laarni Jari
Published: December 2019

Acute stress can affect cognitive processing and decrease performance in demanding, stressful situations. Here, we recorded the cardiac indices of stress, that is, the heart rate and heart rate variability together with the physical activity of nuclear power plant operators, and examined their association with crew performance, while the operator crews were managing simulated incident and accident situations. Crew performance was evaluated both by the operator instructor and as the time taken to resolve the situation. In total, 64% of the variance in the information‐seeking performance (adj‐R2 = .64, p < .01), and 41% of variation in the performance time (adj‐R2 = .41, p < .01) were explained by the psychophysiology. The cardiac measures indicated that increased stress was associated with poorer information‐seeking performance and longer performance time. Increased physical activity was associated with poorer information seeking only. Otherwise, crew performance was robust, as the diagnosis and corrective actions, use of emergency operations procedures, and collaboration, were only weakly associated with the stress physiology. The association between information‐seeking performance and stress might be explained by the larger requirement for cognitive processing at the information‐gathering phase of the task. The results of the study show that psychophysiological measurements of stress and activity can provide valuable information on stress and its association with cognitive performance at work.
A sixteenth‐century Russian Vita of Girolamo Savonarola
Authors: Akopyan Ovanes
Published: December 2019

The article provides an annotated edition and an English translation of a sixteenth‐century Russian vita of Girolamo Savonarola composed in Muscovy by one of his followers, Maximus the Greek. This text is to be considered a unique document, which illustrates the extent to which Savonarolan ideas spread across Europe after his trial.
Tumour‐associated B cells in urothelial urinary bladder cancer
Authors: Zirakzadeh A. Ali , Sherif Amir , Rosenblatt Robert , Ahlén Bergman Emma , Winerdal Max , Yang David , Cederwall Johanna , Jakobsson Vivianne , Hyllienmark Martin , Winqvist Ola , Marits Per
Published: December 2019

Tumour infiltrating B cells and CD38+ plasma cells have been correlated with survival in different malignancies but their role in urinary bladder cancer is unclear. IL‐10 is a multifunctional cytokine with both anti‐inflammatory and immunostimulatory properties, that can be released by regulatory B cells (Bregs). We have stained paraffin‐embedded tumour sections from 31 patients with invasive urothelial urinary bladder cancer with respect to CD20+ B cells, CD38+ cells, IL‐10‐expressing cells, IgG, C1q and C3a and analysed the impact of these markers on survival. Interestingly, we observe tumour‐associated CD20+ B cells forming follicle‐like structures in tumours of some patients. We demonstrate that follicle‐like structures, tumour‐associated CD38+ cells, IL‐10 produced by non‐B cells, tumour infiltrating IgG and activation of the complement system, may associate to longer survival of urinary bladder cancer patients. IL‐10 expression by tumour‐associated Bregs may instead negatively affect prognosis. More research is needed to fully understand the role of B cells and IL‐10 in urinary bladder cancer.
Nucleic acid‐targeted pathogen reduction technique in red blood cells by UV‐generated oxygen radicals for optimising recipient safety
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Wu Chunxi , Fan Yahan , Xu Ting , Meng Qiang , Wang Shichun , Liu Qi , Yao Chunyan , Jiang Tianlun
Published: December 2019

Objectives

A novel pathogen reduction technique based on vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation was developed to reduce pathogen numbers in red blood cell (RBC) components.

Background

Contaminated blood components pose a great risk of infection in blood recipients. The continuous development of blood screening techniques and pathogen inactivating systems has significantly reduced this risk, but many limitations remain.

Methods

Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus, and bacteriophage (BP) and Lentivirus (LV) were spiked into suspended red blood cells (sRBCs) or plasma. VUV light with maximum emission at 185 nm and an average dosage of 164 μW/cm2 was placed 5 cm above the targeted products to reduce the pathogen numbers.

Results

Treatment for 5 minutes was effective; 3 and 10 log reductions of E coli counts were observed in sRBCs and plasma, and 2 and 3 log reductions of B cereus counts were observed in sRBCs and plasma, respectively. The BP titre was reduced by two and five log points in sRBCs and plasma, respectively; the LV titre was reduced by at least three log points in both sRBCs and plasma. VUV‐based irradiation of RBCs does not cause significant structural and functional harmful effects. This novel strategy provides moderate photonic energy to generate oxygen radicals from H2O and O2 and to selectively decrease DNA integrity of the potential pathogens.

Conclusion

The VUV‐based pathogen reduction technique is a simple and fast procedure with high pathogen reduction efficacy, low toxicity and limited adverse effects on cellular blood products.
Kmasker plants – a tool for assessing complex sequence space in plant species
Authors: Beier Sebastian , Ulpinnis Chris , Schwalbe Markus , Münch Thomas , Hoffie Robert , Koeppel Iris , Hertig Christian , Budhagatapalli Nagaveni , Hiekel Stefan , Pathi Krishna M. , Hensel Goetz , Grosse Martin , Chamas Sindy , Gerasimova Sophia , Kumlehn Jochen , Scholz Uwe , Schmutzer Thomas
Published: December 2019

Many plant genomes display high levels of repetitive sequences. The assembly of these complex genomes using short high‐throughput sequence reads is still a challenging task. Underestimation or disregard of repeat complexity in these datasets can easily misguide downstream analysis. Detection of repetitive regions by k‐mer counting methods has proved to be reliable. Easy‐to‐use applications utilizing k‐mer counting are in high demand, especially in the domain of plants. We present Kmasker plants, a tool that uses k‐mer count information as an assistant throughout the analytical workflow of genome data that is provided as a command‐line and web‐based solution. Beside its core competence to screen and mask repetitive sequences, we have integrated features that enable comparative studies between different cultivars or closely related species and methods that estimate target specificity of guide RNAs for application of site‐directed mutagenesis using Cas9 endonuclease. In addition, we have set up a web service for Kmasker plants that maintains pre‐computed indices for 10 of the economically most important cultivated plants. Source code for Kmasker plants has been made publically available at https://github.com/tschmutzer/kmasker. The web service is accessible at https://kmasker.ipk-gatersleben.de.
Standing CT of the equine head: Reducing radiation dose maintains image quality
Authors: Davies Thomas , Skelly Cliona , Puggioni Antonella , D'Helft Catherine , Connolly Susan , Hoey Seamus
Published: December 2019

Multiple published studies involving computed tomographic (CT) examinations of the equine head utilise a wide range of mAs parameters for image acquisition. This prospective, experimental study assessed the effects of lowering mAs during CT image acquisition on image quality and scatter radiation on 10 cadaver equine heads. Each head was scanned three times at 300, 225, and 150 mAs, with all other scanning parameters remaining constant between series. An anthropomorphic phantom was positioned adjacent to each equine head during image acquisition, mimicking a human bystander, with an ionization chamber attached to the phantom at eye level. Each series was reconstructed using filtered back projection, using medium (H30) and high (H80) frequency reconstruction algorithms. Quantitative image quality assessment was performed by calculating signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR). Two qualitative image quality assessments were performed independently by three blinded board certified veterinary radiologists with a 4 week interval, using a visual grade analysis model adapted from peer reviewed medical literature. Ionization chamber measurements, calculated volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), and dose‐length product (DLP) were recorded. Halving radiation dose during image acquisition from 300 to 150mAs resulted in comparable image quality between series. There was a statistically significant and linear relationship between mAs and scatter radiation to the bystander; halving mAs during image acquisition resulted in halving of scatter radiation. Results of this cadaveric study support the use of lower mAs settings during standing CT examinations of the equine head.
A mathematical model of cerebral blood flow control in anaemia and hypoxia
Authors: Duffin James , Hare Gregory M.T , Fisher Joseph A.
Published: December 2019

Key points

The control of cerebral blood flow in hypoxia, anaemia and hypocapnia is reviewed with an emphasis on the links between cerebral blood flow and possible stimuli.

A mathematical model is developed to examine the changes in the partial pressure of oxygen in brain tissue associated with changes in cerebral blood flow regulation produced by carbon dioxide, anaemia and hypoxia.

The model demonstrates that hypoxia, anaemia and hypocapnia, alone or in combination, produce varying degrees of cerebral hypoxia, an effect exacerbated when blood flow regulation is impaired.

The suitability of brain hypoxia as a common regulator of cerebral blood flow in hypoxia and anaemia was explored, although we failed to find support for this hypothesis. Rather, cerebral blood flow appears to be related to arterial oxygen concentration in both anaemia and hypoxia.

A mathematical model is developed to examine the changes in the partial pressure of oxygen in brain tissue associated with changes in cerebral blood flow regulation produced by carbon dioxide, anaemia and hypoxia. The model simulation assesses the physiological plausibility of some currently hypothesized cerebral blood flow control mechanisms in hypoxia and anaemia, and also examines the impact of anaemia and hypoxia on brain hypoxia. In addition, carbon dioxide is examined for its impact on brain hypoxia in the context of concomitant changes associated with anaemia and hypoxia. The model calculations are based on a single compartment of brain tissue with constant metabolism and perfusion pressure, as well as previously developed equations describing oxygen and carbon dioxide carriage in blood. Experimental data are used to develop the control equations for cerebral blood flow regulation. The interactive model illustrates that there are clear interactions of anaemia, hypoxia and carbon dioxide in the determination of cerebral blood flow and brain tissue oxygen tension. In both anaemia and hypoxia, cerebral blood flow increases to maintain oxygen delivery, with brain hypoxia increasing when cerebral blood flow control mechanisms are impaired. Hypocapnia superimposes its effects, increasing brain hypoxia. Hypoxia, anaemia and hypocapnia, alone or in combination, produce varying degrees of cerebral hypoxia, and this effect is exacerbated when blood flow regulation is degraded by conditions that negatively impact cerebrovascular control. Differences in brain hypoxia in anaemia and hypoxia suggest that brain oxygen tension is not a plausible sensor for cerebral blood flow control.
Comunicación, ciudadanía y cambio social. Diseño de un modelo de investigación y acción para democratizar la comunicación desde la noción de reforma mediática
Authors: Baranquero Carretero Alejandro
Published: December 2019

Este artículo intenta diseñar un modelo de análisis e investigación y acción basado en las distintas dimensiones y objetos de estudio que comprende la relación entre comunicación, ciudadanía y cambio social. Partiendo de la revisión documental de literatura de referencia, se plantea un diálogo entre la comunicación para el desarrollo y el concepto de reforma mediática, una noción que ayuda a complejizar el campo, integrando aportes de la teoría de los movimientos sociales y la economía política de la comunicación. En torno a la pregunta de “qué puede hacer la ciudadanía organizada para reformar la comunicación”, el modelo integra diferentes dimensiones de la participación y distintas acciones de reformas desde dentro y fuera del sistema de medios.
Una interpretación del tacto activo a partir del estudio morfológico del test de Rorschach y su adaptación desde la perspectiva de la educación inclusiva
Authors: Correa Silva María Del Pilar
Published: December 2019

El presente artículo expone el proceso de adaptación del test de Rorschach a una modalidad táctil. Se busca precisar y confirmar si una persona con ceguera tiene la posibilidad de reconocer y localizar las apercepciones descritas por terceros, a partir de patrones visotáctiles, mediante la corporización de las características morfológicas que se encuentran en las manchas de tinta del test. Esta investigación aplicada utilizó una matriz de análisis basada en la semiótica peirciana para identificar y confirmar la posibilidad de sustituir los diferentes elementos morfológicos constituyentes del signo plástico: textura, color y contorno, y llevarlos a una versión táctil. Los resultados demostraron la posibilidad del cambio de formato representacional para el reconocimiento de los atractores y atrapar, desde otra modalidad sensorial, los qualia como representaciones mentales de las cualidades perceptuales e interpretativas de las manchas del test y constituirse como una propuesta de material para la enseñanza inclusiva.
On the Wave Speed of Thermal Radiation Inside and Near the Boundary of an Absorbing Material
Authors: Budaev Bair V. , Bogy David B.
Published: December 2019

Planck's law describes thermal radiation into vacuum from a black body in thermal equilibrium. This law can be easily adapted to describe radiation into a transparent medium with a constant refractive index, and it admits a less trivial extension to radiation into a transparent medium with a nonconstant refractive index. However, this law cannot be straightforwardly generalized to describe thermal radiation into absorbing media and, in particular, to describe thermally exited electromagnetic fields inside the radiating body itself. We first analyze Planck's law and show why it cannot be straightforwardly extended to radiation into an absorbing medium. The derivation of this law relies on the assumption that a radiated field admits decomposition into normal modes, which cannot exist in absorbing media that are characterized by a complex-valued refractive index n=n′+in″, whose imaginary part describes the rate of energy dissipation. Correspondingly, the speed of electromagnetic waves in absorbing media c=c0/n, where c0 is the speed of light in vacuum, is also complex-valued, which suggests that the conventional concept of a complex valued wave speed is not suitable for modeling thermal radiation. We demonstrate that complex-valued wave speeds adequately describe waves that carry signals, such as radio waves and laser beams. Such waves decay because they pass some of their energy to the medium. The energy absorbed by the medium is eventually reradiated, but in studies focused on the transmission of signals, the reradiated fields are ignored as noise. In order to study thermal radiation in an absorbing material, one must treat the material and the radiation together as a closed system. The energy in such a system is conserved, and its distribution between the material and radiation does not change in time. This radiation admits decomposition into normal modes, which makes it possible to extend Planck's law to radiation into absorbing materials. This paper proposes a model of thermal radiation in an absorbing medium as a closed, energy conserving system. The radiation field has normal modes that correspond to an effective speed of wave propagation. Assuming that an absorbing material and the radiation in it are in thermal equilibrium, we show that deep inside the material, the average speed of photons is given by a frequency and temperature-dependent expression c∗=c0/(1+e−ℏω/κT). While this result is independent of the material, we further show that close to the boundary of the medium, the speed of thermal radiation depends in a complex way on the refractive index and the extinction coefficient of the material, as well as the direction of propagation and the distance from the material's surface.
Contribution of the Hydroxyl Group on Interfacial Heat Conduction of Monohydric Alcohols: A Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Feng Biao , Fan Li-Wu , Zeng Yi
Published: December 2019

Monohydric alcohols have been used as promising phase change materials (PCMs) for low-temperature latent heat storage. However, the heat storage/retrieval rates are limited due to the low thermal conductivity of such alcohols. In this work, nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations were performed to study the microscopic heat conduction in example monohydric alcohols, i.e., 1-dodecanol (C12H26O), 1-tetradecanol (C14H30O), and 1-hexadecanol (C16H34O). A simplified ideal crystal model was proposed to exploit the potential for improving the thermal conductivity of monohydric alcohols. The effect of ideal crystalline structures, especially the contribution of the hydroxyl group, on the microscopic heat conduction process was analyzed. The thermal conductivity of the ideal crystals of the various monohydric alcohols was predicted to be more than twice as compared to that of their respective solids. The major thermal resistance in the ideal crystals was found around the molecular interfaces, as a result of the excellent heat conduction performance along the linear molecular chains. The calculated vibrational density of states (VDOS) and interfacial heat transfer were then investigated. When the interfaces are surrounded by hydroxyl groups as walls, strong hydrogen bond (HB) interactions were observed. The interfacial heat transfer coefficient of the ideal crystalline structures of 1-tetradecanol was found to reach up to ∼735.6 MW/m2 W. It was elucidated that the high interfacial heat transfer rate is clearly related to the stronger intermolecular interactions.
Modeling and Simulation on Heat Transfer in Blood Vessels Subject to a Transient Laser Irradiation
Authors: Zhang Xuelan , Zheng Liancun , Liu Lin , Zhang Xinxin
Published: December 2019

This paper investigates heat transfer of blood vessels subject to transient laser irradiation, where the irradiation is extremely short times and has high power. The modified Fourier heat conduction model (Cattaneo–Christov flux) and Heaviside step function are used in describing the thermal relaxation and temperature jump characteristics in initial time. A novel auxiliary function is introduced to avoid three-level discretization and temporal–spatial mixed derivative, and the numerical solutions are obtained by Crank–Nicolson alternating direction implicit (ADI) scheme. Results indicate that the temperature distributions in blood vessels strongly depend on the blood property, the laser exposure time, the blood flowrate (Reynolds number) and the thermal relaxation parameter. The isothermal curve exhibits asymmetric characteristics due to the impact of blood flow, and the higher blood velocity leads to more asymmetric isotherm and less uniform thermal distribution. Further, the heat-flux relaxation phenomenon is also captured, and its effect on blood temperature becomes more noticeable as blood flows downstream of blood vessels.
A JSME Code Case on Piping Seismic Design Based on Inelastic Response Analysis and Strain-Based Fatigue Criteria
Authors: Morishita Masaki , Otani Akihito , Nakamura Izumi , Watakabe Tomoyoshi , Shibutani Tadahiro , Shiratori Masaki
Published: December 2019

A Code Case in the framework of the Nuclear Codes and Standards of Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) has been published to incorporate seismic design evaluation methodologies for piping systems by detailed inelastic response analysis and strain-based fatigue criteria as an alternative design rule to the current rule, in order to provide a more rational seismic design evaluation by taking directly the response reduction due to plasticity energy absorption into account. The Code Case provides two strain-based criteria: one is a limit to maximum amplitude of equivalent strain amplitude derived from detailed analysis and the other is a limit to the fatigue usage factor also based on the equivalent strain amplitude. Some discussions are provided on the adequacy of additional damping in the simplified inelastic analysis and the safety margin and reliability of fatigue evaluation by the detailed inelastic response analysis provided in the Code Case.
A Numerical Model for Heat Transfer in Dry and Wet Grinding Based on the Finite Difference Method and Jet Cooling
Authors: Kadivar Mohammadreza , Kadivar Mohammadali , Daneshi Amir
Published: December 2019

Grinding is a promising machining method for finishing workpieces that need a smooth surface with tight tolerances. Due to the high thermal energy generated in the grinding zone, an accurate prediction of workpiece temperature plays a crucial role in the design and optimization of the grinding process. Finite difference method (FDM) is used for simulating the temperature distribution in a workpiece subjected to shallow grinding using a DuFort–Frankel explicit scheme. Moreover, two simple methods, one for modeling the effect of material removal in shallow grinding and the other for calculating the heat partition, are presented. A semi-empirical correlation of cooling jet is applied to calculate the convection heat transfer coefficient (CHTC) over the grinding surface. Experiments were carried out to verify the simulation results, and a good agreement was observed between the simulation and experimental data. An analysis of the results indicated that the misestimation of workpiece temperature could occur when the effect of the material removal rate is not considered in the simulation. The simulation results showed that the heat flux flow is one-dimensional for a high Peclet number, while a two-dimensional heat flux flow prevails for a low Peclet number. The results revealed that reducing the Peclet number and extending the depth of cut increase the heat partition. The study of wet grinding demonstrated that, for efficient cooling, the coolant should be applied directly to the contact zone. Moreover, using water-based emulsion as a coolant was more effective than palm and sunflower oils.
Numerical Investigation of Turbulent Premixed Combustion in a High Acceleration Field
Authors: Liu Yu , Wang Zishuo , Tang Hao
Published: December 2019

To guide ultra-compact combustor (UCC) engineering, simulations were conducted about turbulent premixed combustion in a high acceleration field which is called high-g combustion, along with a detailed investigation on the evolution of turbulent premixed flame in a rotating tube of stoichiometric propane-air. The rotation of the tube was mimicked by modified momentum source term in the unsteady 2D simulations to decouple the centrifugal force and the Coriolis force, the latter of which was usually neglected in previous reports. A good agreement was found between the simulation result and experimental data, along with a discovery of the phenomenon that flame speed was accelerated by the imposed acceleration field. Further study indicated that the flame acceleration phenomenon can be attributed to the flame corrugation induced by the Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI). The Coriolis force was found to be non-negligible in high-g combustion since the Coriolis acceleration could be at the same magnitude as the centrifugal acceleration, and the observed flame speed was nearly 20% lower without the Coriolis force. The current study revealed that the high-g combustion in an open chamber due to the absence of pressure wave/flame front interaction could not be fully compatible with predictions derived from closed chamber experiments and that the Coriolis force could not be ignored in the high-g combustion process.
Comparison of volitional opposing and following responses across speakers with different vocal histories
Authors: Patel Sona , Gao Li , Wang Sophie , Gou Christine , Manes Jordan , Robin Donald A. , Larson Charles R.
Published: December 2019

Research has shown that people who are instructed to volitionally respond to pitch-shifted feedback either produce responses that follow the shift direction with a short latency of 100–200 ms or oppose the shift direction with longer latencies of 300–400 ms. This difference in response latencies prompted a comparison of three groups of vocalists with differing abilities, non-trained English-speaking subjects, non-trained Mandarin-speaking subjects, and trained English-speaking singers. All subjects produced short latency following responses and long latency opposing responses, and in most cases the opposing responses were preceded by a shorter latency following response. Across groups, the magnitudes of the opposing and following responses were largest for the Mandarin speakers. Singers produced the smallest opposing response magnitudes, suggesting differences in the pitch goals of the two groups. Opposing response latencies were longest for the English and Mandarin speaking subjects and shortest for the trained singers, demonstrating that musical training increases the speed of producing the opposing responses. The presence of similar latencies of small following responses preceding larger opposing responses in all groups suggests that the tendency to mimic changes in sounds to which a person is attending are not influenced by vocal training or experience.