bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Virtual reality and music therapy as distraction interventions to alleviate anxiety and improve mood states in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy
Authors: Chirico Andrea , Maiorano Patrizia , Indovina Paola , Milanese Carla , Giordano Giovan Giacomo , Alivernini Fabio , Iodice Giovanni , Gallo Luigi , De Pietro Giuseppe , Lucidi Fabio , Botti Gerardo , De Laurentiis Michelino , Giordano Antonio
Published: January 2020

Psychological distress is a common consequence of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and could further exacerbate therapy side effects. Interventions increasing treatment tolerance are crucial to improve both patients' quality of life and adherence to therapies. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as an effective distraction tool for different medical procedures. Here, we assessed the efficacy of immersive and interactive VR in alleviating chemotherapy‐related psychological distress in a cohort of Italian breast cancer patients, also comparing its effects with those of music therapy (MT). Thirty patients were included in the VR group, 30 in the MT group, and 34 in the control group, consisting of patients receiving standard care during chemotherapy. Our data suggest that both VR and MT are useful interventions for alleviating anxiety and for improving mood states in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy. Moreover, VR seems more effective than MT in relieving anxiety, depression, and fatigue.
Clinical implications of the incidental finding of a free‐floating thrombus in the internal carotid artery
Authors: Härtl Johanna , Mühlau Mark , Pernpeintner Verena , Seifert Chistian , Kreiser Kornelia , Schäffer Christoph , Wunderlich Silke , Ikenberg Benno
Published: January 2020

We present an 81‐year old male in whom a routine carotid artery ultrasonographic follow‐up examination incidentally revealed a large, free‐floating thrombus (FFT) of the right internal carotid artery. This case focuses on the clinical decision‐making regarding FFTs, which constitute a rare condition lacking a diagnostic gold standard with few available data concerning optimum treatment and natural course—in particular regarding patients in whom FFT is an incidental finding. We were able to demonstrate the accuracy of carotid artery ultrasonography in the detection as well as follow‐up of FFT. Of clinical interest is furtherly a possible partial disappearance by spontaneous re‐adhesion or resolution of the FFT.
Effects of TiO2 nanoparticles on the life‐table parameters, antioxidant indices, and swimming speed of the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus
Authors: Dong Li‐Li , Wang Heng‐Xing , Ding Tao , Li Wei , Zhang Gen
Published: January 2020

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO2) have raised environmental concerns and display potential hazards to aquatic organisms and even humans. However, only a few reports tested the toxicity of nTiO2 to rotifers. In the present study, acute and chronic toxicity of nTiO2 to the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus was investigated at different temperatures. At 25°C, the 24 and 48‐hr LC50 was 117.14 and 60.11 mg/L, respectively. At 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C, exposure to nTiO2 significantly decreased life expectancy at birth, net reproductive rate, generation time, average lifespan, and/or intrinsic rate of population increase of B. calyciflorus (p < .05). High temperature enhanced the toxicity of nTiO2 to rotifers. The swimming linear speed of rotifers significantly increased (p < .05) in treatments with 200 µg/L nTiO2, compared with the control. In addition, treatments with 8 µg/L to 5 mg/L nTiO2 significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity (p < .05). Glutathione content and catalase activity increased significantly after exposure to 8 µg/L nTiO2 but decreased significantly in treatments with nTiO2 concentrations ranging from 40 µg/L to 5 mg/L (p < .05). There were no significant changes in malondialdehyde contents among nTiO2 treatments and control. Overall, the present study indicated that nTiO2 revealed high toxicity to rotifers, displaying high environmental risks to aquatic ecosystems.
A general approach to calculating isotopic distributions for mass spectrometry
Authors: Yergey James A.
Published: January 2020

Fundamental principles for obtaining mass spectral isotopic distributions are applied to a general computer program that can be used to calculate and present in tabular and graphic form the isotopic contributions for any molecular formula. A unique feature is the retention of the isotopic distribution, exact mass, and absolute abundance for all individual peaks at each mass. Special considerations have been made for the large number of isotopic combinations that occur for many higher mass compounds. The computer program accepts the input of a molecular formula followed by interactive input of a number of parameters that affect the final presentation of the theoretical distribution profile.
Rapid and accurate determination of trace volatile sulfur compounds in human halitosis by an adaptable active sampling system coupling with gas chromatography
Authors: Xu Yu , Yu Zhongning , Chen Xiaobin , Zhou Yi , Zhou Kang , Zhang Zhuomin , Li Gongke
Published: January 2020

Halitosis with the main components of trace volatile sulfur compounds widely affects the quality of life. In this study, an adaptable active sampling system with two sample‐collection modes of direct injection and solid‐phase microextraction was developed for the rapid and precise determination of trace volatile sulfur compounds in human halitosis coupled with gas chromatography–flame photometric detection. The active sampling system was well designed and produced for efficiently sampling and precisely determining trace volatile targets in halitosis under the optimized sampling and detection conditions. The analytical method established was successfully applied for the determination of trace targets in halitosis. The limits of detection of H2S, CH3SH, and CH3SCH3 by direct injection were 0.0140–23.0 μg/L with good recoveries ranging from 82.2 to 118% and satisfactory relative standard deviations of 0.4–9.5% (n = 3), respectively. The limit of detections of CH3SH and CH3SCH3 by solid‐phase microextraction were 2.03 and 0.186 × 10−3 μg/L with good recoveries ranging from 98.3 to 108% and relative standard deviations of 5.9–9.0% (n = 3). Trace volatile targets in positive real samples could be actually found and quantified by combination of direct injection and solid‐phase microextraction. This method was reliable and efficient for the determination of trace volatile sulfur compounds in halitosis.
On the fractional version of Leibniz rule
Authors: de Carvalho‐Neto Paulo M. , Fehlberg Júnior Renato
Published: January 2020

This manuscript is dedicated to prove a new inequality that involves an important case of Leibniz rule regarding Riemann–Liouville and Caputo fractional derivatives of order . In the context of partial differential equations, the aforesaid inequality allows us to address the Faedo–Galerkin method to study several kinds of partial differential equations with fractional derivative in the time variable; particularly, we apply these ideas to prove the existence and uniqueness of solution to the fractional version of the 2D unsteady Stokes equations in bounded domains.
Design of multisection LC‐ladder divider at VHF‐band
Authors: Nagano Kensuke , Kawai Tadashi , Enokihara Akira
Published: January 2020

Microwave power dividers play important roles in microwave circuit systems. As an in‐phase divider, the Wilkinson power divider which consists of two quarter‐wavelength transmission lines and an isolation resistor connected between two output ports is well known. However, the circuit size becomes large because this divider is designed based on a distributed circuit theory. This problem is extremely serious at low frequency regions such as VHF/UHF bands. Although some lumped‐element power dividers utilizing Π‐ or T‐networks have been reported in order to overcome this problem, these dividers have relatively narrow bandwidths about 16%. On the other hand, authors have been also proposed broadband lumped‐element power dividers utilizing LC‐ladder circuits. This article describes a design method of a multisection LC‐ladder divider at VHF band. The multisection LC‐ladder divider is a broadband lumped‐element power divider composed of multisection LC‐ladder circuits and an isolation resistor. By designing the divider based on multisection impedance transformer and L‐type matching techniques, broadband characteristics of a relative bandwidth of over 100% can be obtained at VHF band. Electromagnetic simulation and experiment for the designed divider have been performed in order to verify the design procedure. The measured results of the fabricated LC‐ladder divider at a center frequency of 178 MHz utilizing commercial chip elements are good agreement with simulation results. It is analytically and experimentally clarified that broadband characteristics can be realized with lumped‐element power dividers using multisection LC‐ladder circuits.
Broadband cavity‐backed aperture‐coupled vertically mounted strip antenna
Authors: Fan Hongtao , Bian Anjian , Kim Jeong P.
Published: January 2020

A novel cavity‐backed aperture‐coupled antenna having a vertically mounted (VM) strip is proposed, where the signal is fed to the antenna from a microstrip feed through an aperture‐coupled microstrip‐to‐waveguide transition. Broadband characteristics are achieved by the introduction of the VM strip. An equivalent‐circuit model for this antenna that reflects the effects of various structure parameters is proposed. Based on this equivalent circuit, an X‐band antenna was designed by optimizing for broadband, low loss, and highly efficient operation. The measured S11 of the fabricated antenna showed excellent broadband characteristics (47%) and was in reasonable agreement with predictions derived from the equivalent circuit and numerical simulation.
A tunable cross‐coupled trisection bandpass filter with constant bandwidth based on dual‐mode resonators
Authors: Wang Sheng , Xiang Qianyin , Feng Quanyuan
Published: January 2020

A novel third‐order tunable cross‐coupled trisection bandpass filter (BPF) based on dual‐mode resonators (DMRs) is presented in this letter. Electric and magnetic dominant coupling path can be constructed by using two coupled DMRs to meet the requirement of cross‐coupled tunable bandpass filter with constant bandwidth. Three resonating modes of the two DMRs are used to build the cross‐coupled trisection tunable bandpass filter topology. The coupling structure is analyzed and the coupling coefficients are calculated. The tunable BPF is designed, and a transmission zero (Tz) due to the cross‐coupled trisection topology is generated, so that frequency selectivity is enhanced. The prototype is fabricated and measured. The measured results show that the fabricated circuit realizes a tunable central frequency range from 1.64 to 2.16 GHz, maintaining a −3 dB bandwidth of 119.5 ± 3.5 MHz, and a Tz is generated at the lower side of the passband.
Flavones as natural photoinitiators for light mediated free‐radical polymerization via light emitting diodes
Authors: Al Mousawi Assi , Garra Patxi , Dumur Frédéric , Graff Bernadette , Fouassier Jean Pierre , Lalevée Jacques
Published: January 2020

In this work, we propose the use of flavones that can be derived from natural products as versatile high performance visible light photoinitiators initially with amino acid and later with iodonium salt and phosphino benzoic acid combinations for free‐radical polymerization acrylates of thin specimen (25 μm) and methacrylates thick specimen (1.4 mm) upon illumination with near ultraviolet light or visible light utilizing light emitting diodes (LED)@385 nm and LED@405 nm. High polymerization initiating capabilities are found with different hydroxyflavones and high final conversions of the reactive function are obtained. Their application as materials for three‐dimensional (3D) printing patterns is especially carried out for 1 mm thick 3D printed photopolymers. A full description of the comprised photochemical mechanisms is additionally given. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. 2020, 58, 254–262
Charge Transfer Complexes based on Various Amines as Dual Thermal and Photochemical Polymerization Initiators: A Powerful Tool for the Access to Composites
Authors: Wang Dengxia , Arar Ahmad , Garra Patxi , Graff Bernadette , Lalevée Jacques
Published: January 2020

Exploiting highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and economic CTCs (Charger Transfer Complexes) as photo/thermal dual initiators is a huge pursuit of materials practitioners and innovators. To investigate and find out series amines as donors in CTCs, RT‐FTIR (Real‐Time Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) was employed to examine the photo initiating efficiency of CTCs based on amines donors and DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimeter) was used to test their thermal initiating ability. The formation of CTCs was investigated and confirmed by molecular orbital (MO) calculations and UV–Vis experimental study. Structure/reactivity/efficiency relationships will be proposed on the base of more than 10 new amine donors. At last, composites based on glass fibers and carbon fibers were fabricated by photo curing and/or photo/thermal dual curing method, which showed excellent mechanical performance in DMA (Dynamic Mechanical Analysis) characterization. This work paves the path toward flexible photo/thermal dual initiators able to react on demand thanks to orthogonal stimuli (light or heat with the same initiating system). It will naturally find use in time and spatially resolved composites manufacturing (were classical simple photoinitiating or thermal systems are inefficient). © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. 2020, 58, 811–823
Managing polypharmacy: teamwork in general practice
Authors: Minshull John , Barnett Nina
Published: January 2020

Regular medication review has an important role in preventing patient harm from inappropriate polypharmacy. This article discusses how effective teamwork among healthcare professionals, including GPs, pharmacists and nurses working in general practice, can optimise patient outcomes.
Intergenerational transmission of housing choice: The relevance of green spaces for moving into a family house across social class
Authors: Kley Stefanie , Stenpaß Anna
Published: January 2020

A proper family house is for many a self‐owned house with a private garden in a purely residential area. We analyse the relevance of having grown up in a parental home with a garden and in close proximity to green spaces for moving into a detached or terraced house for one or two families, whether rented or bought, which we call a “family house.” Simultaneously, we analyse whether the same predictors trigger becoming a homeowner, accounting for parental social class in both equations of bivariate probit models. On the basis of West German Socio‐Economic Panel data (1984–2016), the housing trajectories of respondents from age 16 are followed for up to 32 years (N = 8,005 persons). We find that having lived in a parental home with a garden increases the likelihood of moving into a family house but not the likelihood of first‐time homeownership. Likewise, parental homeownership increases exclusively the likelihood of adult children's first‐time homeownership. Parental home characteristics are found to be more important for adult children's housing type choice and tenure than social background. The results suggest that moves into a family house are triggered by intergenerational transmission of housing type preferences, whereas the transmission of homeownership is a parallel but distinguishable process. Additional findings about the importance of having lived close to public green spaces for both, housing choice and tenure, call for further research.
Toward the understanding of biology of oocyte life cycle in Xenopus Laevis: No oocytes left behind
Authors: Sato Ken‐ichi , Tokmakov Alexander A.
Published: January 2020

Background

For the past more than 25 years, we have been focusing on the developmental and reproductive biology of the female gametes, oocytes, and eggs, of the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis.

Methods

The events associated with the life cycle of these cells can be classified into the four main categories: first, oogenesis and cell growth in the ovary during the first meiotic arrest; second, maturation and ovulation that occur simultaneously and result in the acquisition of fertilization competence and the second meiotic arrest; third, fertilization, that is sperm‐induced transition from egg to zygote; and fourth, egg death after spontaneous activation in the absence of fertilizing sperm.

Main findings

Our studies have demonstrated that signal transduction system involving tyrosine kinase Src and other oocyte/egg membrane‐associated molecules such as uroplakin III and some other cytoplasmic proteins such as mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) play important roles for successful ovulation, maturation, fertilization, and initiation of embryonic development.

Conclusion

We summarize recent advances in understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying life cycle events of the oocytes and eggs. Our further intention is to discuss and predict potentially promising impact of the recent findings on the challenges facing reproductive biology and medicine, as well as societal contexts.
Experimental Study of Benzene Catalytic Combustion over Cu–Mn‐Ce/Al2O3 Particles
Authors: Wang Peng , He Yu , Yang Zhongqing , Liu Xianwei , Ran Jingyu , Guo Mingnv
Published: January 2020

Low concentration benzene is one of major components of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which pollutes atmosphere. In this study, the influence of addition of cerium(Ce) and manganese(Mn) on alumina supported copper catalyst(Cu/γ‐Al2O3) for benzene combustion is studied, using X‐ray diffraction pattern (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX), hydrogen‐temperature programmed reduction(H2‐TPR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR). The Cu−Mn‐Ce catalyst with a molar ratio of 1:1.5:0.5 and 10% capacity exhibited catalytic performance with calcination temperature of 600 °C and gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) which is less than 2 h−1. Ce improves the formation of lattice oxygen(Olatt) while Mn is beneficial for the augment of surface oxygen(Osur) and adsorbed oxygen(Oads). Synergistic effect of Mn and Ce can further increase the content of surface oxygen and adsorbed oxygen, which improves catalytic activity. The inferred benzene combustion process is as follows: break of the C−H bound→ the breakage of benzene ring through the breaking of the C−C bond and the C=C bond→ generation of water and carbon dioxide.
Enhanced Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 to CO upon Immobilization onto Carbon Nanotubes Using an Iron‐Porphyrin Dimer
Authors: Abdinejad Maryam , Dao Caitlin , Deng Billy , Sweeney Maegan E. , Dielmann Fabian , Zhang Xiao‐an , Kraatz Heinz Bernhard
Published: January 2020

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) is a viable solution for conversion of atmospheric CO2 to value‐added materials such as carbon monoxide (CO). In this project, a new urea iron‐tetraphenylporphyrin‐dimer (Fe‐TPP‐Dimer) was synthesized and applied for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction under both homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions to selectively reduce CO2 to CO. Immobilization of the catalyst onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in aqueous solution resulted in remarkable enhancement of its electrocatalytic abilities, with exceptional turnover frequencies (10 s−1), high faradic efficiency (FE) of ∼90%, and a current density of 16 mA/cm2 at −0.88 V vs. RHE. This project exhibits the importance of molecular design in accessing heterogeneous applications with CNTs.
The bright and dark sides of employee mindfulness: Leadership style and employee well‐being
Authors: Walsh Megan M. , Arnold Kara A.
Published: January 2020

In this study, we use a social information processing perspective to propose that employee mindfulness will boost the positive relationship between transformational leadership and employee well‐being and will amplify the negative relationship between abusive supervision and employee well‐being. We found, using a time‐lagged survey of 246 employees (controlling for baseline well‐being), that employee mindfulness strengthened the positive relationship between transformational leadership and psychological well‐being. Furthermore, employee mindfulness intensified the relationship between abusive supervision and employee psychological well‐being. This study shows the benefits of employee mindfulness in certain contexts and reveals one potential dark side of mindfulness at work. We conclude with a general discussion of this study and outline future directions for research.
Stable Interface between Lithium and Electrolyte Facilitated by a Nanocomposite Protective Layer
Authors: Yang Luyi , Song Yongli , Liu Hao , Wang Zijian , Yang Kai , Zhao Qinghe , Cui Yanhui , Wen Jiayun , Luo Wei , Pan Feng
Published: January 2020

Recently, solid‐state lithium batteries (SSLBs) have been considered an ideal solution for the practical application of lithium (Li) metal batteries owing to the excellent safety features of solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs). Among various SSEs, Na superionic conductor (NASICON)‐type Li1+xAlxTi2−x(PO4)3 (LATP) holds great potential for its high ionic conductivity, low costs, and high stability. However, LATP tends to be reduced by metallic Li upon contact, posing a major challenge. Herein, a novel coating strategy is proposed to form a nanocomposite protecting layer on Li metal within 30 s. Such a protecting layer not only acts as an artificial solid‐electrolyte interface to conduct Li ion transportation that remains stable after repeated cycling but also effectively precludes the interfacial reaction between Li and LATP by inhibiting the interfacial electron transfer. As a result, the Li/LATP/Li symmetric cells exhibit excellent cycling stability for over 300 h of continuous Li plating/stripping. The assembled full‐cell using coated Li also shows high capacity retention after 500 cycles. Overall, this study demonstrates a facile and transferable method to reduce the reactivity of Li metal anode toward solid electrolytes with relatively high reduction potentials.
Overview of ultraviolet‐based methods used in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons analysis and measurement
Authors: Mansouri Elham , Yousefi Vahid , Ebrahimi Vida , Eyvazi Shirin , Hejazi Mohammad Saeid , Mahdavi Mehri , Mesbahi Asghar , Tarhriz Vahideh
Published: January 2020

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are environmental carcinogens that enter the environment through various routes. Therefore, the detection and remediation of carcinogens is one of the priorities of environmental research projects. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons show very specific ultraviolet absorbance spectra. The majority of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have an absorption in the ultraviolet or visible region; hence, ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy has an important role in the detection of these compounds. Moreover, ultraviolet‐detectors with high‐performance liquid chromatography is a conventional method for identification, characterization and determining of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in complex environmental samples. In this review, attempts have been made to critically and objectively review the related literature and present the theoretical and practical background of the previous research on reproducible and successful ultraviolet‐based methods especially in high‐performance liquid chromatography‐ultraviolet, high‐performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet‐diode array detector and ultraviolet‐fluorescent detector, were used in scientific studies to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentration. The review provides useful and comprehensive information about valuable methods for future researches on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons remediation.
Determination of tafenoquine in human plasma by dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction
Authors: Lobo Amanda M. G. , Magalhães Igor R. S.
Published: January 2020

Tafenoquine, a synthetic analogue of primaquine, is a promising agent for the treatment of human malaria since this drug shows better antimalarial activity than primaquine in vitro and short treatment course. There are some methods for the quantification of tafenoquine in plasma, but none uses dispersive‐liquid‐liquid microextraction, an extraction technique that shows some advantages, such as miniaturization, low cost and high potential for routine application. Therefore, this study evaluated the employment of dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction to determine tafenoquine in human plasma. The mobile phase consisted of methanol/acetonitrile/sodium acetate (10 mM, pH 6.7)/acetic acid (50:30:20:0.1, v/v/v/v) and an octadecylsilane column (15 x 4.6 mm, 5 µm) was used. The ultraviolet detection was performed at 262 nm and 1 mL/min as flow rate. The following parameters were set after method development: chloroform as extractor solvent, acetonitrile as dispersive solvent, acetonitrile:chloroform (7:3, v/v) as the final mixture, sample pH of 11.8 and extraction time of 2 min. The lower limit of quantification was 50 ng/mL and this method was linear over the range 50‐1500 ng/mL (r2 = 0.99), with satisfactory accuracy and precision, and may be useful in routine analyses.
A Hybrid machine‐learning method for oil‐immersed power transformer fault diagnosis
Authors: Yang Xiaohui , Chen Wenkai , Li Anyi , Yang Chunsheng
Published: January 2020

This paper presents a hybrid machine‐learning method based on oil‐immersed power transformer fault diagnosis Probability Neural Network (PNN) optimized via a Multi‐Verse Optimizer (MVO) algorithm. PNN is a radial basis function prefeedback neural network based on Bayesian decision theory. It has strong fault tolerance and has significant advantages in pattern classification. However, the performance of PNN is greatly affected by the hidden‐layer unit‐smoothing factor, and the classification result is affected. MVO is a metaheuristic algorithm with strong global convergence. Therefore, the smoothing factor of MVO‐optimized PNN (MVO‐PNN) can effectively improve the fault diagnosis ability. Recent studies have demonstrated the MVO algorithm. We utilize an experiment about the oil data in the power transformer in Jiangxi Province, China. The results show that MVO‐PNN can significantly improve the accuracy of power transformer fault classification and is more efficient than the Cuckoo search algorithm, Bat algorithm, Genetic Algorithm optimization, and other algorithms capabilities in some cases. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Long-term re-procedure rate after mid-urethral slings for stress urinary incontinence
Authors: Tulokas Sari , Rahkola-Soisalo Päivi , Gissler Mika , Mikkola Tomi S. , Mentula Maarit J.
Published: January 2020

Introduction and hypothesis

Long-term safety concerns have risen over the mid-urethral sling operation (MUS) for stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which in some countries has led to litigations and even suspending MUS insertions. We examined the long-term re-procedure rate after MUS operations. The main outcome was re-procedures for SUI. The secondary outcome was surgical interventions due to complications.

Methods

We analysed a retrospective population cohort of 3531 women with MUS operations in 2000–2006 and followed them up until 31 December 2016. Data were collected from a national hospital register and from hospital patient records.

Results

The median follow-up time was 13 years (IQR 11.6–14.8) for the 3280 women with a retropubic MUS (RP-MUS) and 11 years (IQR 10.3–11.9) for the 245 women with a transobturator MUS (TO-MUS). The cumulative number of re-procedures for SUI was 16 (0.5%) at 1 year, 66 (1.9%) at 5 years, 97 (2.8%) at 10 years and 112 (3.2%) at 17 years. This risk was higher after TO-MUS than after RP-MUS operations (OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.5–5.2, p < 0.001). The cumulative number of any long-term re-procedure was 43 (1.2%) at year 1, 105 (3.0%) at year 5, 144 (4.1%) at year 10 and 163 (4.6%) at year 17.

Conclusions

Re-procedures occur up to 17 years after primary MUS insertion, but their incidence is low after the first few postoperative years. Re-procedures for recurrent SUI are more common after TO-MUS than RP-MUS.
Multiparametric MRI and auto-fixed volume of interest-based radiomics signature for clinically significant peripheral zone prostate cancer
Authors: Bleker Jeroen , Kwee Thomas C. , Dierckx Rudi A. J. O. , de Jong Igle Jan , Huisman Henkjan , Yakar Derya
Published: January 2020

Objectives

To create a radiomics approach based on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) features extracted from an auto-fixed volume of interest (VOI) that quantifies the phenotype of clinically significant (CS) peripheral zone (PZ) prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods

This study included 206 patients with 262 prospectively called mpMRI prostate imaging reporting and data system 3–5 PZ lesions. Gleason scores > 6 were defined as CS PCa. Features were extracted with an auto-fixed 12-mm spherical VOI placed around a pin point in each lesion. The value of dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging(DCE), multivariate feature selection and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) vs. univariate feature selection and random forest (RF), expert-based feature pre-selection, and the addition of image filters was investigated using the training (171 lesions) and test (91 lesions) datasets.

Results

The best model with features from T2-weighted (T2-w) + diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) + DCE had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.870 (95% CI 0.980–0.754). Removal of DCE features decreased AUC to 0.816 (95% CI 0.920–0.710), although not significantly (p = 0.119). Multivariate and XGB outperformed univariate and RF (p = 0.028). Expert-based feature pre-selection and image filters had no significant contribution.

Conclusions

The phenotype of CS PZ PCa lesions can be quantified using a radiomics approach based on features extracted from T2-w + DWI using an auto-fixed VOI. Although DCE features improve diagnostic performance, this is not statistically significant. Multivariate feature selection and XGB should be preferred over univariate feature selection and RF. The developed model may be a valuable addition to traditional visual assessment in diagnosing CS PZ PCa.

Key Points

• T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging features are essential components of a radiomics model for clinically significant prostate cancer; addition of dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging does not significantly improve diagnostic performance.

• Multivariate feature selection and extreme gradient outperform univariate feature selection and random forest.

• The developed radiomics model that extracts multiparametric MRI features with an auto-fixed volume of interest may be a valuable addition to visual assessment in diagnosing clinically significant prostate cancer.
Amplified tropical Pacific rainfall variability related to background SST warming
Authors: Sun Ning , Zhou Tianjun , Chen Xiaolong , Endo Hirokazu , Kitoh Akio , Wu Bo
Published: January 2020

Previous studies have found that under global warming, El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-related rainfall variability will become enhanced over the tropical central-eastern Pacific and weakened over the western Pacific. The climatological sea surface temperature (SST) warming pattern exhibits a warming center in the equatorial eastern Pacific in projections. How this pattern contributes to projected changes in ENSO-driven rainfall variability has not been fully addressed. Here, we use “time-slice” experiments to investigate the response of interannual variability in tropical Pacific rainfall in boreal winter to a warming background SST and associated physical mechanisms. A high-resolution Atmosphere General Circulation Model is driven by the detrended observational SST (1979–2003) plus a warming pattern from the coupled model under the A1B emission scenario (2075–2099). The results show that precipitation interannual variability over the tropical central-eastern Pacific will be enhanced more than the surrounding regions under warming, which is mostly contributed by a faster increase in rainfall amount during the El Niño year relative to non-El Niño years. Based on a moisture budget analysis, both the dynamic and thermodynamic components in the vertical advection of climatological specific humidity contribute to the enhancement of El Niño-induced precipitation anomalies in the tropical central-eastern Pacific where the dynamic effect is dominant. Moist static energy budget analysis further illustrates that vertical velocity is enhanced due to the increased transport of moist static energy from the lower troposphere into the middle-upper troposphere and the intensified warming effect of cloud longwave radiation caused by the increase of high cloud amount and altitude.
Spectrophotometric Analysis of Ternary Uranyl Systems to Replace Tri-N-butyl Phosphate (TBP) in Used Fuel Reprocessing
Authors: Canner Adam J. , Harwood Laurence M. , Cowell Joseph , Babra Jasraj S. , Brown Solomon F. , Ogden Mark D.
Published: January 2020

In this report, the interaction of monoamide/diamide and monoamide/diglycolamide mixtures with $${\text{UO}}_{2}^{2 + }$$UO22+ are investigated in pH = 1 methanolic nitric acid media. These monoamides include N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAA), N,N-diethylacetamide (DEAA), N,N-dibutylacetamide (DBAA) and N,N-dibutylbutanamide (DBBA). N,N,N′N′-tetraethylmalonamide (TEMA) and N,N,N′,N′-tetraethyldiglycolamide (TEDGA), which were chosen as model diamides and diglycolamides, respectively. Complex stability constants for each ligand were modelled using the Stability Quotients Using Absorbance Data program using UV–visible data. Complex stoichiometry of ligand mixtures was determined using Job plots and UV–Vis spectrometry. Monoamides were confirmed to produce only disolvate complexes with $${\text{UO}}_{2}^{2 + }$$UO22+ in solution. The log10(K) values for monoamides were found to be independent of amine-side chain length, but were slightly dependent on the carbonyl-side chain length. TEDGA was found to produce multiple uranyl complexes in solution. Job plot data indicated that the uranyl cation strongly prefers to bond either only with the monoamide or diamide in ternary monoamide–diamide–UO2 systems. Monoamide–diglycolamide–UO2 systems were more complicated, with Job plot data indicating the potential for multiple ternary species being present is dependent on the monoamide structure.
Communicating and disseminating research findings to study participants: Formative assessment of participant and researcher expectations and preferences
Authors: Melvin Cathy L. , Harvey Jillian , Pittman Tara , Gentilin Stephanie , Burshell Dana , Kelechi Teresa
Published: January 2020

Introduction:

Translating research findings into practice requires understanding how to meet communication and dissemination needs and preferences of intended audiences including past research participants (PSPs) who want, but seldom receive, information on research findings during or after participating in research studies. Most researchers want to let others, including PSP, know about their findings but lack knowledge about how to effectively communicate findings to a lay audience.

Methods:

We designed a two-phase, mixed methods pilot study to understand experiences, expectations, concerns, preferences, and capacities of researchers and PSP in two age groups (adolescents/young adults (AYA) or older adults) and to test communication prototypes for sharing, receiving, and using information on research study findings.

Principal Results:

PSP and researchers agreed that sharing study findings should happen and that doing so could improve participant recruitment and enrollment, use of research findings to improve health and health-care delivery, and build community support for research. Some differences and similarities in communication preferences and message format were identified between PSP groups, reinforcing the best practice of customizing communication channel and messaging. Researchers wanted specific training and/or time and resources to help them prepare messages in formats to meet PSP needs and preferences but were unaware of resources to help them do so.

Conclusions:

Our findings offer insight into how to engage both PSP and researchers in the design and use of strategies to share research findings and highlight the need to develop services and support for researchers as they aim to bridge this translational barrier.
SPLITTING LOOPS AND NECKLACES: VARIANTS OF THE SQUARE PEG PROBLEM
Authors: ASLAM JAI , CHEN SHUJIAN , FRICK FLORIAN , SALOFF-COSTE SAM , SETIABRATA LINUS , THOMAS HUGH
Published: January 2020

Toeplitz conjectured that any simple planar loop inscribes a square. Here we prove variants of Toeplitz’s square peg problem. We prove Hadwiger’s 1971 conjecture that any simple loop in$3$-space inscribes a parallelogram. We show that any simple planar loop inscribes sufficiently many rectangles that their vertices are dense in the loop. If the loop is rectifiable, there is a rectangle that cuts the loop into four pieces which can be rearranged to form two loops of equal length. (The previous two results are independently due to Schwartz.) A rectifiable loop in$d$-space can be cut into$(r-1)(d+1)+1$pieces that can be rearranged by translations to form$r$loops of equal length. We relate our results to fair divisions of necklaces in the sense of Alon and to Tverberg-type results. This provides a new approach and a common framework to obtain inscribability results for the class of all continuous curves.
Structural Characteristic Length in Metallic Glasses
Authors: Akçay F. A.
Published: January 2020

Fracture of materials at the microscopic level involves a characteristic length related to microstructure. However, a clear structure-property relationship is still absent in metallic glasses. Therefore, a physics-based expression is derived for the characteristic length (relevant to brittle fracture) in metallic glasses (MGs) in order to link the microscopic material features controlling the fracture process to the macroscopic material parameters. The derived characteristic length is associated to micro/nano structural fracture patterns, critical crack tip opening displacement as well as fracture toughness. Characteristic lengths of various metallic glasses are determined using the proposed expression and compared to the experimental results. Theoretical results are in very good agreement with the experimental results of various metallic glasses. Furthermore, the contribution of characteristic length as well as macroscopic material parameters such as Poisson’s ratio, yield strength, and Young’s modulus on fracture toughness (and fracture energy) is investigated and compared to the experimental results.
Uniqueness and multiplicity of positive solutions for a diffusive predator–prey model in the heterogeneous environment
Authors: Li Shanbing , Dong Yaying
Published: January 2020

This is the second part of our study on the spatially heterogeneous predator–prey model where the interaction is governed by a Crowley–Martin type functional response. In part I, we have proved that when the predator competition is strong (i.e. k is large), the model has at most one positive steady-state solution for any $\mu \in \mathbb {R}$, moreover it is globally asymptotically stable for any $\mu >0$. This part is denoted to study the effect of saturation. Our result shows that the large saturation coefficient (i.e. large m) can not only lead to the uniqueness of positive solutions, but also lead to the multiplicity of positive solutions, moreover the stability of the corresponding positive solutions is also completely obtained. This work can be regarded as a supplement of Ref. [10].
Do Black Politicians Matter? Evidence from Reconstruction
Authors: Logan Trevon D.
Published: January 2020

This paper exploits the history of Reconstruction after the American Civil War to estimate the effect of politician race on public finance. While the effect of black politicians is positive and significant, black officials may be endogenous to electoral preferences for redistribution. I therefore use the number of free blacks in the antebellum era (1860) as an instrument for black political leaders during Reconstruction. Instrumental variables (IV) estimates show that an additional black official increased per capita county tax revenue by $0.20, more than an hour’s wage at the time. The effect was not persistent, however, disappearing entirely once black politicians were removed from office at Reconstruction’s end. Consistent with the stated policy objectives of black officials, I find positive effects of black politicians on land tenancy and black literacy. These results suggest that black political leaders had large effects on public finance and individual outcomes over and above electoral preferences.
Community policing amidst diversity: exploring the role of inter-group trust in two Cape Town neighbourhoods
Authors: Karreth Ann K.
Published: January 2020

Why are some diverse communities in sub-Saharan Africa able to achieve mutually beneficial collective action while others remain trapped in social dilemmas? This paper argues that inter-group trust plays an important role in explaining when and where communities succeed in collective endeavours. It develops an argument that illustrates how demographic contextual variables structure patterns of inter-group trust and prospects for local goods provision in diverse communities. It then assesses the argument by analysing community policing in two heterogeneous neighbourhoods in Cape Town, South Africa. The paper demonstrates how crosscutting cleavage structures in one Cape Town suburb bolstered the development of inter-group trust across the community, thus helping the community garner participation in community policing. It also documents how reinforcing cleavage structures in another Cape Town suburb has helped to suppress the development of inter-group trust, making the resolution of collective action problems more difficult.
‘Before there is power, there is the country’: civic nationalism and political mobilisation amongst Kenya's opposition coalitions, 2013–2018
Authors: Lockwood Peter
Published: January 2020

This paper provides an ethnographic perspective on the street-level deliberations of Kenya's opposition supporters between the 2013 and 2017 elections, arguing that rather than appeals to ethnicity what defines its discourse are broader, inclusive notions of political membership. A civic nationalism is enunciated by opposition supporters that congeals support between multiple ethnic groups through its emphasis on universal values – democracy, due process, equality, adherence to the constitution. However, when such civic ideas are used in political campaigning and mobilising rhetoric, describing a resurgent Kenyan ‘people’ that has been systematically disenfranchised, they take on an exclusionary character. As ‘good constitutionalists’, opposition supporters contrast themselves with ‘bad nationalists’ associated with the government, portrayed as mobilising particularistic ethnic loyalties at the expense of a majority of Kenyans. In practice, their civic ideas remain only potentially inclusive.
Transcriptomic response to decreased pH in adult, larval and juvenile red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus, and interactive effects of pH and temperature on juveniles
Authors: Stillman Jonathon H. , Fay Scott A. , Ahmad Syed M. , Swiney Katherine M. , Foy Robert J.
Published: January 2020

Ocean warming and acidification are expected to influence the biology of the ecologically and economically important red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus. We investigated transcriptome responses of adult, larval and juvenile red king crab to assess sensitivity to reduced pH and elevated temperature. In adults, gill tissue (but not heart or cuticle) responded to reduced pH by differentially regulating many genes involved in metabolic, membrane and cuticular processes, but not ionic or acid/base regulation. In larval crabs, we found little evidence for a strong transcriptomic response to pH, but did observe large differences in the transcriptomes of newly hatched and one-week old larvae. In juvenile crabs, we found that there was a strong transcriptomic response to temperature across all pH conditions, but that only extreme low pH caused transcriptomic shifts. Most of the genes in juveniles that were differentially expressed were for cuticular and calcification processes. While inferences regarding the specific biological responses associated with changes in gene expression are likely to change as resources for red king crab genomics enabled studies continue to improve (i.e. better assemblies and annotation), our inferences about general sensitivities to temperature and pH across the life stages of red king crab are robust and unlikely to shift. Overall, our data suggest that red king crab are more sensitive to warming than acidification, and that responses to acidification at the transcriptomic level occur at different levels of pH across life stages, with juveniles being less pH sensitive than adults.
Polygenic contributions to alcohol use and alcohol use disorders across population-based and clinically ascertained samples
Authors: Johnson Emma C. , Sanchez-Roige Sandra , Acion Laura , Adams Mark J. , Bucholz Kathleen K. , Chan Grace , Chao Michael J. , Chorlian David B. , Dick Danielle M. , Edenberg Howard J. , Foroud Tatiana , Hayward Caroline , Heron Jon , Hesselbrock Victor , Hickman Matthew , Kendler Kenneth S. , Kinreich Sivan , Kramer John , Kuo Sally I-Chun , Kuperman Samuel , Lai Dongbing , McIntosh Andrew M. , Meyers Jacquelyn L. , Plawecki Martin H. , Porjesz Bernice , Porteous David , Schuckit Marc A. , Su Jinni , Zang Yong , Palmer Abraham A. , Agrawal Arpana , Clarke Toni-Kim , Edwards Alexis C.
Published: January 2020

Background

Studies suggest that alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorders have distinct genetic backgrounds.

Methods

We examined whether polygenic risk scores (PRS) for consumption and problem subscales of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C, AUDIT-P) in the UK Biobank (UKB; N = 121 630) correlate with alcohol outcomes in four independent samples: an ascertained cohort, the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA; N = 6850), and population-based cohorts: Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; N = 5911), Generation Scotland (GS; N = 17 461), and an independent subset of UKB (N = 245 947). Regression models and survival analyses tested whether the PRS were associated with the alcohol-related outcomes.

Results

In COGA, AUDIT-P PRS was associated with alcohol dependence, AUD symptom count, maximum drinks (R2 = 0.47–0.68%, p = 2.0 × 10−8–1.0 × 10−10), and increased likelihood of onset of alcohol dependence (hazard ratio = 1.15, p = 4.7 × 10−8); AUDIT-C PRS was not an independent predictor of any phenotype. In ALSPAC, the AUDIT-C PRS was associated with alcohol dependence (R2 = 0.96%, p = 4.8 × 10−6). In GS, AUDIT-C PRS was a better predictor of weekly alcohol use (R2 = 0.27%, p = 5.5 × 10−11), while AUDIT-P PRS was more associated with problem drinking (R2 = 0.40%, p = 9.0 × 10−7). Lastly, AUDIT-P PRS was associated with ICD-based alcohol-related disorders in the UKB subset (R2 = 0.18%, p < 2.0 × 10−16).

Conclusions

AUDIT-P PRS was associated with a range of alcohol-related phenotypes across population-based and ascertained cohorts, while AUDIT-C PRS showed less utility in the ascertained cohort. We show that AUDIT-P is genetically correlated with both use and misuse and demonstrate the influence of ascertainment schemes on PRS analyses.