bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical warfare agent research in precision‐cut tissue slices—a useful alternative approach
Authors: Herbert Julia , Laskin Debra L. , Gow Andrew J. , Laskin Jeffrey D.
Published: August 2020

The use of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in military conflicts and against civilians is a recurrent problem. Despite ongoing CWA research using in vitro or in vivo models, progress to elucidate mechanisms of toxicity and to develop effective therapies, decontamination procedures, and general countermeasures is still limited. Novel scientific approaches to address these questions are needed to expand perspectives on existing knowledge and gain new insights. To achieve this, the use of ex vivo techniques like precision‐cut tissue slices (PCTSs) can be a valuable approach. Existing studies employing this economical and relatively easy to implement method show model suitability and comparability with the use of in vitro and in vivo models. In this article, we review research on CWAs in PCTSs to illustrate the advantages of the approach and to promote future applications.
The Good and Bad Volatility: A New Class of Asymmetric Heteroskedastic Models
Authors: BenSaïda Ahmed
Published: August 2020

This paper introduces a new class of tractable asymmetric heteroskedastic models, the good and bad volatility (GBV). Asymmetry is recognized in the dynamics of GBV components that correspond to positive and negative shocks respectively. The GBV model allows both conditional semivariances to evolve according to two separate functional forms with different semi‐definite distributions. An empirical application to six major index returns shows a fitting improvement over well‐known asymmetric volatility models in the financial literature. The model further leads to significant improvements in forecasting performance. The derived nontrivial news impact curves convey the dichotomy that asymmetry in financial returns has different dynamics for positive and negative shocks.
IMRT versus 2D/3D conformal RT in oropharyngeal cancer: A review of the literature and meta‐analysis
Authors: Alterio Daniela , Gugliandolo Simone Giovanni , Augugliaro Matteo , Marvaso Giulia , Gandini Sara , Bellerba Federica , Russell‐Edu Samuel William , De Simone Irene , Cinquini Michela , Starzyńska Anna , Zaffaroni Mattia , Bacigalupo Almalina , Fanetti Giuseppe , Durante Stefano , Dicuonzo Samantha , Orecchia Roberto , Jereczek‐Fossa Barbara Alicja
Published: August 2020

Based on literature, intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) provides less related toxicity compared with conventional 2D/3D‐RT with no impact on oncological outcomes for oropharyngeal cancer. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis is to assess whether IMRT might provide similar clinical outcomes with reduced related toxicity in comparison with conventional 2D/3D RT in patients treated for clinically advanced oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). Inclusion criteria for paper selection included: squamous OPC patients, treatment performed by concomitant CRT or RT alone, four treatment performed for curative intent, and presence of clinical outcome of interest, namely, overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) and full paper available in English. Acute and late toxicities were retrieved together with OS and DFS. Crude relative risk estimates of relapse and death comparing 2D/3D‐RT versus IMRT were calculated from tabular data, extracting events at 2–3 years of follow‐up. Eight studies were selected. Six of them were included in the meta‐analysis considering summary relative risk. Considering both acute and late toxicities, the considered studies evidenced advantages for IMRT populations, with the 2D/3D‐RT population showing higher frequencies than the IMRT one. No statistical difference between IMRT and 2D/3D‐RT in terms of death (SRR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.83–1.04 with no heterogeneity I2 = 0%) and relapse (SRR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.83–1.03, with no heterogeneity I2 = 0%) was found. Results of our study suggest the improvement in the therapeutic index with IMRT with evidenced reduced toxicity without any worsening in clinical outcome when compared to 2D/3DCRT.
Neuroinflammation changes with periodontal inflammation status during periodontitis in wild‐type mice
Authors: Wang Xu , Tong Yuxin , Zhang Jiayu , Khan Nazia , Zhang Kaili , Bai Huihui , Zhang Qianqian , Chen Yue
Published: August 2020

Objective

To investigate neuroinflammation under different periodontal status.

Materials and Methods

Experimental periodontitis was induced by molar ligation (Lig group) or periodontal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, Lps group). Periodontal status was assessed by alveolar bone resorption and periodontal inflammation. Micro‐computed tomography and haematoxylin–eosin staining were performed to assess alveolar bone resorption and periodontal inflammation, respectively. Neuroinflammation was assessed by glial cell proliferation and proinflammatory factor expression. Microgliosis was determined by immunofluorescence. Astrogliosis was determined by immunohistochemistry. Expressions of tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) and interleukin (IL)‐1β were assessed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Microgliosis and astrogliosis in the Lig group were notable with molar ligation for 2 weeks and 4 weeks (p < .05), but were only slightly different similar from the control group by week 12. Microgliosis and astrogliosis in the Lps group were significant with LPS injection for 4 and 8 weeks (p < .05). The groups displayed a positive correlation between the degree of periodontal inflammation and the number of glial cells (p < .05). Expressions of IL‐1β and TNF‐α in the Lps group were significantly increased with LPS injection for 8 weeks (p < .05). In the Lig group, only TNF‐α was highly expressed with molar ligation for 12 weeks (p < .05).

Conclusion

Both models demonstrated that the inflammatory response in the hippocampus of mice can change during periodontitis depending on the periodontal inflammation status.
Shift from short‐term competition to facilitation with drought stress is due to a decrease in long‐term facilitation
Authors: Chaieb Ghassen , Wang Xiangtai , Abdelly Chedly , Michalet Richard
Published: August 2020

Disentangling short‐ and long‐term neighbour effects, using both removal and observational methods within a single experiment, has strongly improved our understanding of the driving mechanisms of plant–plant interactions. However, there has been no attempt to assess two important underlying processes of their changes along gradients, either environmental‐severity (changes in target performance without neighbours) or neighbour‐traits (changes in performance with neighbours) effects, the former previously shown in alpine communities to be involved in competition and the latter in facilitation. We addressed this goal in an experiment conducted in continental saline depressions (sebkhas) from the Mediterranean arid climate of central Tunisia. We quantified short‐ and long‐term effects of dominant shrubs, transplanting three target grass species in open, nurse and removed‐nurse microhabitats of two habitats of different salinity levels in height sebkhas. The design extended greographically from central Tunisia to the Libyan border, 500 km southeastward. We used the relative interaction index to calculate short‐ and long‐term effects before and after the dry summer seasons and environmental‐severity and neighbour‐trait effects. Short‐term effects were slightly negative and long‐term effects strongly positive before the dry summer season in the two habitats. Short‐term effects switched to positive with increasing drought stress, due to an environmental‐severity effect, whereas long‐term effects decreased due to a neighbour‐trait effect. Salinity did not affect neither short‐ nor long‐term shrub effects. Soil moisture measurements showed that both changes were due to vanishing shrub soil engineering‐effects during the summer drought. We conclude that an increase in short‐term facilitation with increasing drought stress through time, apparently supporting the stress gradient hypothesis, might be due to a decrease in long‐term facilitation. Thus, we recommend using, as much as possible, both the removal and observational methods in experiments assessing changes in plant–plant interactions along stress gradients to avoid wrong conclusions.
Mutual caregiving: Living meaningfully as an older couple
Authors: Antonelli Mary T. , Grace Pamela J. , Boltz Marie
Published: August 2020

Background

More older couples are living independently while managing chronic health conditions. Though research is replete in identifying the influence of spouse's behaviours on each other's health, there is little known of the specific factors underlying the older couples’ relational processes to explain this dynamic. Knowledge development is needed to provide a grounding for interventions to address such influences to improve health and well‐being.

Aim

The aim of this study was to advance the understanding of older couples’ experiences of living with chronic health conditions to gain insights into the potential benefits of 'being a couple' to manage behavioural health and life adjustments.

Method

A hermeneutic–dialectic phenomenology design based on Newman's theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness was used. Fourteen older couples were jointly interviewed. The interviews were non‐structured and designed to capture their experience as a couple.

Results

Three themes emerged (a) living meaningfully through mutual caregiving, (b) a pattern of spousal movement facilitating change and (c) co‐creating as an older couple to move forward.

Conclusion

The study supports reframing older couple's care as a 'dyad of care'. This approach provides an opportunity to leverage the couples’ mutuality to support health management as a couple. A motivation to action process between the spouses appeared to enable mutual caregiving, a reliance of each spouse on the another for identity, socialisation, health and daily living, which facilitated an evolving understanding of their lives and its meaning.

Implications for practice

Mutual caregiving should be acknowledged as a significant relational dynamic within older couples, as a dyad of care, when managing health and well‐being.
Bland–Altman Analysis of Different Radiographic Measurements of the Hallux Valgus Angle and the Intermetatarsal Angle After Distal Osteotomy
Authors: Cao Xuhan , Bai Zixing , Sun Chengyi , Wen Jianmin , Lin Xinxiao , Sun Weidong
Published: August 2020

Objective

The aim of the present study was to evaluate commonly used approaches for detection of radiographic angles in hallux valgus deformity patients.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted in patients with hallux valgus deformity at Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from January 2016 to January 2019. The inclusion criteria were: (i) postoperative dorsoplantar weight‐bearing radiographs for the feet of patients with the hallux valgus; (ii) patients had been managed with a distal osteotomy of the first metatarsal and the osteotomized bone ends recovered. The exclusion criteria applied were as follows: (i) age > 65 years or < 18 years old; (ii) blurry image; (iii) previous history of severe foot trauma and surgery. Postoperative radiographs for hallux valgus were analyzed using six methods: by a line drawn through the long axis of the first metatarsal bone (method 1); an extended line drawn to bisect the shaft of the metatarsal at two levels with joined points of bisection (method 2); a line drawn to connect the center of the articular surface of the metatarsal head and the center of the proximal articulation (method 3); a line drawn from the center of the head of the first metatarsal head through the center of the base of the first metatarsal bone (method 4); a line drawn through the center of the head and the center of the proximal shaft (method 5); and a line drawn from the center of the head of the first metatarsal head through the center of the proximal articulation (method 6). The measurement results obtained were subjected to Bland–Altman analysis and consistency evaluation.

Results

A total number of 20 radiographs were collected for measurement. No statistically significant differences were found in the measurement values among the six methods (P > 0.05). The lowest values of the average measurement, standard deviation, and confidence interval were established in method 3, followed by those in methods 1 and 4. The standard deviation of the measurement value and the confidence interval in method 2 were the largest. Methods 1 and 4 had similar confidence intervals and were with a high consistency. Due to the nature of the retrospective study, no follow‐up and complications were applicable in the present study.

Conclusion

Line drawn through the long axis of the first metatarsal bone (method 1) and line drawn from the center of the head of the first metatarsal head through the center of the base of the first metatarsal bone (method 4) were reliable and well repeatable, and may be used for postoperative radiographs.
Coronary sinus diverticulum: Importance, function, and treatment
Authors: Razeghian‐Jahromi Iman , Natale Andrea , Nikoo Mohammad Hossein
Published: August 2020

The importance of venous structure in the heart is usually overshadowed by that of the arterial system. Coronary sinus (CS) is a part of cardiac venous apparatus and connects left atria to the right atria. Other than having role in physiological contractions of both atria, it contributes substantially to cardiac electrical conduction system. Due to unique placement and connections of the CS, it has become growing interest in clinical cardiology. It is used in cardiac resynchronization therapy with biventricular pacing, left‐sided catheter ablation of arrhythmias, and administration of retrograde cardioplegia in cardiac surgery. In some individuals, CS is presented with anatomical variants. CS diverticulum is a congenital outpouching that provides muscular connection between atria and ventricle. This connection provides a suitable substrate for occurrence of arrhythmias, which even results in life‐threatening events such as sudden cardiac death. Early diagnosis leads to treatment with ablation techniques, which ultimately eliminates origins of arrhythmias.
Intensive care and anesthetic management of patients with Brugada syndrome and COVID‐19 infection
Authors: Dendramis Gregory , Brugada Pedro
Published: August 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) spreads across the world, and the intensive care unit (ICU) community must prepare for the challenges associated with this pandemic viral infection. Rapid diagnosis, isolation, and intensive clinical management are very important for all patients with COVID‐19, especially for those with cardiac diseases as Brugada syndrome (BrS). BrS is an arrhythmogenic disease reported to be one among the leading causes of sudden cardiac death. In these patients, episodes of lethal arrhythmias may be induced by several factors or situations, and for this reason management during ICU permanence or anesthesia must provide some precautions, avoiding factors that are known to have the potential to worsen the probability to induce arrhythmias. For ICU practitioners, management of acute respiratory failure, hemodynamics, and cardiovascular complications certainly are the key for the best treatment of these patients but to date specific data on supportive ICU care for these patients are lacking, and current recommendations are based on existing evidence from other viral infections and general intensive care management. We want to focus on some general rules, resulted from cases series and clinical practice, to be followed during the ICU management of patients with BrS and concomitant COVID‐19 infection.
Security Cooperation Between Japan and South Korea on the North Korean Nuclear Threat: Strategic Priorities and Historical Issues*
Authors: Nakato Sachio
Published: August 2020

This article examines the dynamics of Japanese–South Korean (ROK) relations regarding the North Korean nuclear threat, under the Park Geun‐hye and Shinzo Abe governments. In particular, it explores how security cooperation between Japan and South Korea differed following the third and fourth North Korean nuclear threats. In contrast to existing explanations, this article focuses on the convergence and divergence of strategic priorities between the two countries, apart from external threat perception. This article contends that the credibility of the US commitment to protect its allies is a constant, regarding the increasing North Korean nuclear threat. Therefore, it is not considered a defining factor in Japan–ROK relations. Finally, cooperation and conflict over historical issues influence security relations between the two countries, but they are not constant variables. This article argues that the convergence/divergence interactions in strategic priorities, and the degree of discord and cooperation in historical issues between the two nations, determine the levels of security cooperation between Japan and South Korea.
An Imagined Brotherhood: The Rhetorical Framework and Prospects for China–Taiwan Relations
Authors: Lai Christina
Published: August 2020

Current China–Taiwan relations are marked by a worrisome dynamic, as there is no convergence of rhetoric between the two sides. How can China and Taiwan build healthy relations given they disagree on many essential issues? More importantly, in what ways could the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of Taiwan come up with a new framework, despite its recent setback in Taiwan's 2018 mid‐term elections, to engage a rising China? There is an urgent need for a framework of interaction, especially as the DPP, the ruling party, emphasizes the centrality of Taiwan's sovereignty and democratic systems in contrast to an increasingly assertive China under Xi. Drawing on sources from China and Taiwan and current literature on international relations, this study lays out a roadmap that enables both sides to step back from rivalry and move toward mutual accommodation in Asia. This article sets forth a framework of brotherhood for China–Taiwan relations in which both sides maintain their political identities while preserving cultural affinity. It traces the development of official discourse between China and Taiwan, and provides a guideline for how to construct a rhetorical common ground: a family framework that can transform China–Taiwan relations into an imagined brotherhood. In turn, this article provides policy implications for the DPP, so it can proactively engage in political conversations with Beijing while maintaining space for rhetorical maneuvers.
Menstruation and contraception patterns of female adolescent transplant recipients
Authors: Davis‐Kankanamge Christina , Higgins Jeanette , Allsworth Jenifer E. , Strickland Julie
Published: August 2020

Background

There is a lack of knowledge regarding menstrual cycles and contraception usage for adolescent transplant patients and families. Solid organ transplant patients start teratogenic medications which have pregnancy implications. We explore adolescent female solid organ transplant recipient and guardian's contraceptive knowledge and attitudes as well as menstrual patterns.

Methods

A cross‐sectional descriptive research design was utilized to collect information from adolescent female transplant patients who are on mycophenolate mofetil after solid organ transplant and their guardians within our freestanding children's hospital via a survey. The sample consisted of all female adolescent patients who have completed a solid organ transplant and are on mycophenolate mofetil from April 2016 through May 2017.

Results

Twenty‐one patients were approached, of which nineteen patients and seventeen guardians completed the survey. The average age of the patient was 16.2 years. The average age at time of transplant was 12.2 years. The type of transplants includes renal (57.1%), heart (23.8%), and liver (4.8%). There were six patients (33.3%) who had a history of sexual activity; among these patients, the mean number of partners in the last year was 1.2. Menstrual concerns included dysmenorrhea, irregular bleeding, and heavy bleeding pre‐ and post‐transplant, respectively. Participants reported contraceptive counseling prior to and after transplant approximately half of the time.

Conclusions

Adolescent solid organ transplant patients have multiple reproductive needs including contraception, dysmenorrhea, and irregular bleeding. Integration of contraceptive knowledge into clinical care received by adolescents with solid organ transplants is supported by knowledge gained through this study.
Sufficientarianism1
Authors: Shields Liam
Published: August 2020

Sufficientarianism is a position in debates about distributive justice. Sufficientarianism states that whether individuals have secured enough of some goods is a question that is central to determining whether a society is just. In this paper I provide an overview of this work, and highlight what I think are the most interesting recent contributions to it. Towards the end, I describe a way forward for sufficientarians and argue, in stark contrast to Frankfurt, that sufficientarian accounts of distributive justice should be pluralist and are more plausible when they accommodate, rather than reject, other distributive values, such as equality.
Insecticide susceptibility level and control failure likelihood estimation of Sub‐Saharan African populations of tomato leafminer: Evidence from Burkina Faso
Authors: Sawadogo Mathieu W. , Somda Irénée , Nacro Souleymane , Legrève Anne , Verheggen François J.
Published: August 2020

The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a leafminer species currently considered as one of the major pests of fresh tomatoes around the world. The species settled in north Africa in 2007, before being observed in the entire continent. Widespread insecticide use has led to the emergence of resistant populations in South America and Europe, but no large‐scale insecticide resistance assessment has been performed in Sub‐Saharan Africa so far. In this study, we collected T. absoluta larvae from locations widely distributed in Burkina Faso, where the pest was first detected in 2016. Acute toxicity of the all available molecules in Burkina Faso was evaluated in the laboratory on F1 individuals, including acetamiprid, abamectin, spinosad, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, λ‐cyhalothrin, deltamethrin, and Bacillus thuringiensis. No LC50 differences among T. absoluta populations were highlighted, except for Bacillus thuringiensis. Insects were still highly susceptible to abamectin [LC50 < 0.4 mg/L; Control failure likelihood (CFL) = −25%], spinosad (LC50 < 0.6 mg/L; CFL = 25%) and chlorpyrifos‐ethyl (LC50 between 254 and 458 mg/L; CFL = −15%), but were less susceptible to acetamiprid (CFL ranging from 72% to 91%), cypermethrin (CFL = 80%), λ‐cyhalothrin (CFL =79%), and deltamethrin (CFL ranging from 51% to 66%), with LC50 values for these insecticides ranging between 100 and 525 mg/L. Pending a proper communication strategy, we hope this work could help producers avoiding the most inefficient active substances.
Reading Kant’s doctrine of schematism algebraically
Authors: Alavi Farhad
Published: August 2020

Kant’s investigations into so‐called a priori judgments of pure mathematics in the Critique of Pure Reason (KrV) are mainly confined to geometry and arithmetic both of which are grounded on our pure forms of intuition, space, and time. Nevertheless, as regards notions such as irrational numbers and continuous magnitudes, such a restricted account is crucially problematic. I argue that algebra can play a transcendental role with respect to the two pure intuitive sciences, arithmetic and geometry, as the condition of their possibility. It follows that Kant’s schematism of the concept of magnitude ought to be quantitatively represented in algebraic formulas in general, and also undergo several modifications in order to suit continuities.
Is it all because of a story?
Authors: Jones Todd
Published: August 2020

A very popular account of various behaviors among journalists and humanities scholars and is that such behaviors were caused by stories that people read or heard. In this paper, I argue that such explanations are seldom justified, and speculate about what makes story‐based accounts so popular when there is so little evidence for them.
Undiagnosed prehypertension/hypertension in Canadian adolescents: The critical role of the public health nurse
Authors: Spurr Shelley , Bullin Carol , Bally Jill , Allan Diane
Published: August 2020

Objective

To investigate the prevalence of undiagnosed prehypertension/hypertension and other associated comorbidities in adolescents living in rural and urban settings in a mid‐Western Canadian province.

Design and measures

Data reported herein were derived from two cross‐sectional studies, whereby adolescents attending either a rural (N = 143) or urban (N = 253) school were screened for blood pressure, anthropometric measures, and blood glucose measurements. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics in addition to chi‐square analyses.

Results

Notable prevalence of undiagnosed prehypertension/hypertension was found. Adolescents living in urban settings (49%, N = 123) were significantly more likely to have prehypertension/hypertension than rural (23%, N = 33) living adolescents. With regard to other comorbidities, the prevalence of elevated HbA1c in the urban group (32%) was significantly higher than the rural adolescents (19%); however, there was similar prevalence of overweight/obese adolescents between the urban (37%) and rural (36%) groups.

Conclusions

The prevalence of adolescent undiagnosed prehypertension/hypertension, elevated blood glucose measurements, and overweight/obesity is concerning in both urban and rural settings. Public health nurses are uniquely positioned in health care to facilitate interventions focused on preventing and managing adolescent prehypertension/hypertension and its associated comorbidities.
Signal transduction by plant heterotrimeric G‐protein
Authors: Ofoe R.
Published: August 2020

Heterotrimeric G‐proteins are complexes that regulate important signalling pathways essential for growth and development in both plants and animals. Although plant cells are composed of the core components (Gα, Gβ and Gγ subunits) found in animal G‐proteins, the complexities of the architecture, function and signalling mechanisms of those in animals are dissimilar to those identified in some plants. Current studies on plant G‐proteins have improved knowledge of the essential physiological and agronomic properties, which when harnessed, could potentially impact global food security. Extensive studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying these properties in diverse plant species will be imperative in improving our current understanding of G‐protein signalling pathways involved in plant growth and development. The advancement of G‐protein signalling networks in distinct plant species could significantly aid in better crop development. This review summarizes current progress, novel discoveries and future prospects for this area in potential crop improvement.
Impact of push–pull cropping system on pest management and occurrence of ear rots and mycotoxin contamination of maize in western Kenya
Authors: Njeru Nancy K. , Midega Charles A. O. , Muthomi James W. , Wagacha John M. , Khan Zeyaur R.
Published: August 2020

Push–pull involves intercropping of cereals with Desmodium as a “push” crop and planting Napier grass/Brachiaria as the “pull” crop at the border. The technology has been reported to effectively control stemborers, striga weed, and fall armyworm (FAW), and to improve soil nutrition, resulting in increased grain yield. This study evaluated the impact of stemborer and FAW management using this technology on incidence of maize ear rots and preharvest contamination of grains with aflatoxin and fumonisin in western Kenya. The study was conducted during three cropping seasons on maize grown under the push–pull system and as a monocrop. Incidence of stemborer and FAW damage was determined as percentage of damaged plants, while incidence of ear rots was determined as percentage of ears with symptoms. At harvest, fungi were isolated from kernels and aflatoxin and fumonisin were quantified using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Stemborer and FAW damage was significantly (p = .001) reduced by over 50% under the push–pull system. There was also a significant (p < .001) reduction in the incidence of Fusarium verticillioides (60%) and Aspergillus flavus (86%), which was reflected in a reduced incidence of ear rots (50%) with the push–pull system (p = .001). Fumonisin in maize from push‐pull farms was significantly (p = .048) reduced (39%) but the technology had no significant (p > .05) effect on aflatoxin. The study showed that push–pull is an effective strategy for managing maize ear rots and fumonisins, and therefore could play a role in improving food safety among smallholder maize farmers in the region.
Abscisic acid phytohormone estimation in tubers and shoots of Ipomoea batatas subjected to long drought stress using competitive immunological assay
Authors: Gouveia Carla S. S. , Ganança José F. T. , Slaski Jan J. , Lebot Vincent , Pinheiro de Carvalho Miguel Â. A.
Published: August 2020

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.), typically cultivated in temperate climates under low inputs, is one of the most important crops worldwide. Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important plant stress‐induced phytohormone. Hitherto, few works analyzed the ABA function in sweet potato tissue growth. Very scarce information is available concerning the ABA role in sweet potato response to water scarcity conditions. Here, we show the ABA content variation in shoots and tubers of eight sweet potato accessions subjected to drought stress. ABA was also related to other resistance traits, such as chlorophyll content index (CCI), carbon isotopic discrimination (Δ13C), oxalic acid (OA) and water use efficiency (WUE), to assess stress response mechanisms to water deficit between their organs. The most resilient drought‐stressed sweet potato plants accumulated ABA‐shoot, and significantly decreased the ABA‐tuber content. ABA signaling was related to Δ13C and CCI decrease and WUE increment, as an attempt to cope with water stress by partially closing the stomata. The partial closure of stomata could be in part due to the presence of OA‐shoots, known to affect the intensity of the ABA‐shoot signal in stomatal closure. Higher CCI content and minimal Δ13C‐shoot differences indicated good carboxylation fractionation, with higher Δ13C‐tuber content as an indicator of efficient tuber 13C fixation and growth. Our work demonstrated that ABA could be used in conjunction with the other traits studied for the assessment of sweet potato whole‐plant responses to environmental stresses, and thus aid the selection of the best drought tolerant genotypes for breeding programs.
Were we erring? The impact of worry and arousal on error‐related negativity in a non‐clinical sample
Authors: Härpfer Kai , Carsten Hannes Per , Spychalski Daniel , Kathmann Norbert , Riesel Anja
Published: August 2020

The monitoring of one's own actions allows humans to adjust to a changing and complex world. Previous neuroscientific research found overactive action monitoring and increased sensitivity to errors to be associated with anxiety and it is assumed to contribute to the development and maintenance of anxiety symptoms. A largely shared decomposition of anxiety differentiates two dimensions: anxious apprehension (i.e., worry) and anxious arousal (i.e., physiological hyperarousal). Alterations in neural correlates of error monitoring have been more closely linked to anxious apprehension compared to anxious arousal. This study examined the relationship between anxiety dimensions and electrophysiological correlates of action monitoring (i.e., error‐related negativity, ERN, and correct‐response negativity, CRN). A total of 135 non‐clinical participants performed a flanker task while their electroencephalogram was recorded. We recruited participants with converging and diverging anxiety dimension profiles (i.e., above or below median in anxious apprehension and anxious arousal or above median in one and below in the other dimension). This grouping strategy facilitates disentangling possible interactions and allows the investigation of the isolated effect of each anxiety dimension. Regression analyses did not reveal a significant main or interaction effect of anxiety dimensions on ERN or CRN, irrespective of gender. In addition, Bayesian statistical analyzes yielded evidence for the absence of an association between both anxiety dimensions and ERN and CRN. Altogether, our results suggest that the association of anxiety dimensions, particularly anxious apprehension, and action monitoring might be smaller in non‐clinical samples as previous studies indicate.
Task‐based structures in open source software: revisiting the onion model
Authors: Christian Jose , Vu Anh N.
Published: August 2020

Studies on Open Source Software (OSS) developer communities have long stated that there is a relationship between community structure and tasks carried out by project members. This relationship has been exemplified by the onion model, which has been instrumental in understanding self‐coordination in OSS projects. Despite its ubiquity, there is a lack of empirical evidence to validate the relative position of each task cluster within the onion model. In this study, we map out the community structure of a large open source project and observe its bug‐fixing patterns to explore the relationship between tasks and structure. Our study makes three significant contributions. First, we find no empirical evidence to support the structural location of bug‐fixing tasks in the onion structure. Second, we find empirical evidence to support the core‐periphery continuum model linking an actor’s coreness to problem‐solving ability. Third, our results suggest that the importance and location of each task within the core‐periphery structure evolve over time. These findings add clarity to the community structure and their implications for the management and coordination of collaborative innovation projects.
Acting rightly: Three dimensions of moral conduct
Authors: Audi Robert
Published: August 2020

Philosophical literature in normative ethics has tended to concentrate on (1) what we should do—what acts we should perform—or (2) virtues of character, understood as leading to the right deeds or (3), as most notable in Kant, the importance of motivation appraising agents and actions. All these elements—actions, virtues, and motives—are ethically significant. But there is a dimension of moral responsibility that should be given a place beside obligations to act, virtues of character, and appraisability of actions in relation to their motivation. It is the manner in which actions are performed. This can be right or wrong, an object of intention, and behavior for a reason; and it is important for assessing moral virtue. This paper explores manners of action, shows why they apparently do not reduce to kinds of actions, and proposes an account of their importance. The result is a wider conception of acting rightly than the common understanding on which it simply doing the right thing, a partial account of how acting rightly figures in the content of intention, and a sketch of the moral dimensions of the manners in which we act.
Mapping genomic regions for reproductive traits in beef cattle: Inclusion of the X chromosome
Authors: Diaz Iara Del Pilar Solar , de Camargo Gregório Miguel Ferreira , Cruz Valdecy Aparecida Rocha da , Hermisdorff Isis da Costa , Carvalho Caio Victor Damasceno , de Albuquerque Lucia Galvão , Costa Raphael Bermal
Published: August 2020

Although the second largest chromosome of the genome, the X chromosome is usually excluded from genome‐wide association studies (GWAS). Considering the presence and importance of genes on this chromosome that are involved in reproduction, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of its inclusion in GWAS on reproductive traits (scrotal circumference [SC], early pregnancy [P16] and age at first calving [AFC]) in a Nelore herd. Genotype data from 3,263 animals with the above‐mentioned phenotypes were used. The results showed an increase in the variances explained by the autosomal markers for all traits when the X chromosome was not included. For SC, there was an increase of more than 10% for the windows on chromosomes 2 and 6. For P16, the effect was increased by almost 20% for windows on chromosome 5. The same pattern was found for AFC, with an increase of more than 10% for the most important windows. The results indicate that the noninclusion of the X chromosome can overestimate the effects of autosomes on SC, P16 and AFC not only because of the additive effect of the X chromosome itself but also because of its epistatic effect on autosomal genes.
A goodness‐of‐fit test for the functional linear model with functional response
Authors: García‐Portugués Eduardo , Álvarez‐Liébana Javier , Álvarez‐Pérez Gonzalo , González‐Manteiga Wenceslao
Published: August 2020

The functional linear model with functional response (FLMFR) is one of the most fundamental models to assess the relation between two functional random variables. In this article, we propose a novel goodness‐of‐fit test for the FLMFR against a general, unspecified, alternative. The test statistic is formulated in terms of a Cramér–von Mises norm over a doubly projected empirical process which, using geometrical arguments, yields an easy‐to‐compute weighted quadratic norm. A resampling procedure calibrates the test through a wild bootstrap on the residuals and the use of convenient computational procedures. As a sideways contribution, and since the statistic requires a reliable estimator of the FLMFR, we discuss and compare several regularized estimators, providing a new one specifically convenient for our test. The finite sample behavior of the test is illustrated via a simulation study. Also, the new proposal is compared with previous significance tests. Two novel real data sets illustrate the application of the new test.
Ultrasound classification of medial gastrocnemious injuries
Authors: Pedret Carles , Balius Ramon , Blasi Marc , Dávila Fernando , Aramendi José F. , Masci Lorenzo , de la Fuente Javier
Published: August 2020

High‐resolution ultrasound (US) has helped to characterize the “tennis leg injury” (TL). However, no specific classifications with prognostic value exist. This study proposes a medial head of the gastrocnemius injury classification based on sonographic findings and relates this to the time to return to work (RTW) and return to sports (RTS) to evaluate the prognostic value of the classification. 115 subjects (64 athletes and 51 workers) were retrospectively reviewed to asses specific injury location according to medial head of the gastrocnemius anatomy (myoaponeurotic junction; gastrocnemius aponeurosis (GA), free gastrocnemius aponeurosis (FGA)), presence of intermuscular hematoma, and presence of gastrocnemius‐soleus asynchronous movement. Return to play (RTP; athletes) and return to work (RTW; occupational) days were recorded by the treating physician. This study proposes 5 injury types with a significant relation to RTP and RTW (P < .001): Type 1 (myoaponeurotic injury), type 2A (gastrocnemius aponeurosis injury with a <50% affected GA width), type 2B (gastrocnemius aponeurosis with >50% affected GA width), type 3 (free gastrocnemius aponeurosis (FGA) tendinous injury), and type 4 (mixed GA and FGA injury). The longest RTP/RTW periods were associated with injuries with FGA involvement. Intermuscular hematoma and Gastrocnemius‐soleus asynchronous motion during dorsiflexion and plantarflexion were observed when the injury affected >50% of the GA width, with or without associated FGA involvement, and this correlated with a worse prognosis. The proposed classification can be readily applied in the clinical setting although further studies on treatment options are required.
Will You Die for Your Country? Workplace Death in an Era of Mass Incarceration
Authors: Strader Eiko , Hines Miranda
Published: August 2020

People with criminal records in the United States continue to face limited employment opportunities due to social stigma and legal barriers. In contrast to the civilian sector, the military conducts a “whole person” evaluation to screen potential recruits and regularly hires people with felony and misdemeanor records. Moreover, evidence suggests that the military serves as a socially integrative institution and may facilitate desistance from future crimes. However, critics argue that the military exacerbates inequalities by subjecting marginalized communities to the unequal burden of service. Using the data obtained from the Army, we examine the relative risks of combat exposure and casualties between enlisted soldiers with and without criminal records who joined between 2002 and 2009. The results suggest that soldiers with felony and misdemeanor records are more likely to be assigned to combat occupations than those without criminal records. We also find that among soldiers assigned to positions with low combat exposure, ex‐offenders face a higher risk of death compared to those without criminal records. Findings do not dispute the idea that the military facilitates desistance from future crimes and provides second chances to people with criminal records, but reaffirm the fact that military service costs lives and limbs.
Evolution of wing polymorphism and genital asymmetry in the thread‐legged bugs of the tribe Metapterini Stål (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Emesinae) based on morphological characters
Authors: Castro‐Huertas Valentina , Forero Dimitri , Grazia Jocelia
Published: August 2020

Wing polymorphism and asymmetric male genitalia are intriguing morphological phenomena occurring in insects. Among Emesinae, or thread‐legged bugs, the tribe Metapterini Stål exhibits these two interesting morphological attributes. Nonetheless, evolutionary interpretations of these phenomena cannot be put forward because phylogenetic hypotheses for Emesinae are lacking. Thread‐legged bugs are easily recognized among assassin bugs due to their elongated and seemingly delicate body. The tribe Metapterini has 28 genera and approximately 280 described species. The only available phylogenetic hypothesis among Emesinae tribes was proposed by Wygodzinsky (1966), and it hypothesized Deliastini Villiers as the sister group of Metapterini, although this hypothesis has never been tested with cladistic approaches. Recent analyses using character sets of genitalia and prolegs suggest that Metapterini might not be monophyletic. In order to test these ideas, we compiled a morphological dataset of 138 characters that includes external morphological characters, detailed features of prolegs and genitalia of both sexes for Metapterini, which were analysed cladistically including 55 terminals, comprising 24 genera (85.7% of the generic diversity), 43 species of Metapterini and 12 outgroups. Metapterini was recovered as paraphyletic by the inclusion of Bergemesa Wygodzinsky, Palacus Dohrn and Stalemesa Wygodzinsky, all currently assigned to Deliastini. Gardena Dohrn (Emesini) was recovered as the sister group of Metapterini + Deliastini as suggested by Wygodzinsky (1966). Based on these results, we synonymize Deliastini syn. n. with Metapterini sensu n. and propose two new genera: Bacata Castro‐Huertas & Forero gen. n., for three Andean species previously placed in Liaghinella Wygodzinsky, and Valkyriella Castro‐Huertas & Forero gen. n. for Ghilianella borgmeieri Wygodzinsky. Ancestral state reconstruction of wing polymorphism indicates that males and females were fully winged in the ancestor of Metapterini sensu n. with two independent evolutionary transitions to the apterous and brachypterous conditions. The analysis of the symmetry of the male genitalia shows an ancestor with symmetric male genitalia and two independent emergences of asymmetrical male genitalia in Metapterini.
Detection of a novel allele, HLA‐B*15:01:39, by sequence‐based typing in a platelet donor from China
Authors: Li Jian‐Ping , Zhang Xu , Lin Feng‐Qiu , Zhang Kun‐Lian , Li Xiao‐Feng
Published: August 2020

HLA‐B*15:01:39 has one synonymous nucleotide change from HLA‐B*15:01:01:01 at nucleotide 117 (residue 15 Proline).
A Family of Kripke Contingency Logics
Authors: Fan Jie
Published: August 2020

In Fan's 2019 article, “Symmetric Contingency Logic with Unlimitedly Many Modalities”, it is left as an open question in Fan (2019b) how to (completely) axiomatize contingency logic over the class of symmetric and transitive frames, and conjectured that is the desired axiomatization. In the current article, we show that the conjecture is false, and then propose a desired axiomatization, thereby answering the open question. Beyond these results, we also present a family of axiomatizations of contingency logic over Kripke frames.
Gödel and the Integrated Self, or: On the Philosopher's Second Sailing
Authors: Kennedy Juliette
Published: August 2020

This article considers Gödel's remarks on Plato's dialogue Euthyphro, which he made in conversation with the proof theorist Sue Toledo in the years 1972–1975.
Automated exchange compared to manual and simple blood transfusion attenuates rise in ferritin level after 1 year of regular blood transfusion therapy in chronically transfused children with sickle cell disease
Authors: Kelly Shannon , Rodeghier Mark , DeBaun Michael R.
Published: August 2020

Background

Optimal strategies for regular blood transfusion therapy are not well defined in sickle cell disease (SCD). This analysis tested the hypothesis that in the first of year of regular transfusions, when chelation therapy use is minimal, automated exchange transfusion would be the superior method for attenuating the rise in ferritin levels compared to simple and manual exchange transfusions.

Study design and methods

The Silent Cerebral Infarct Multi‐Center Clinical Trial randomly allocated children with SCD and silent cerebral infarcts to receive standard care or regular transfusions with a target pre‐transfusion HbS concentration ≤ 30% and minimum hemoglobin level > 9.0 g/dL. Participants with at least nine transfusions and sufficient ferritin testing in the first year of the trial were included in a planned secondary analysis. Ferritin levels by the end of the first study year were compared between participants receiving automatic exchange transfusion, manual exchange transfusion, and simple transfusion.

Results

A total of 83 participants were analyzed. During the first year of the study, 75.9% of the participants had >80% of transfusions via one transfusion method. At baseline no significant differences in ferritin levels were observed in the three transfusion groups (p = 0.1). After 1 year of transfusions the median (interquartile range) ferritin levels in the simple transfusion (n = 40), manual exchange transfusion (n = 34) and automatic exchange transfusion (n = 9) groups were 1800 ng/mL (1426‐2204 ng/mL), 1530 ng/mL (1205‐1805 ng/mL), and 355 ng/mL (179‐579 ng/mL), respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Automated exchange transfusion, when compared to other transfusion methods, is the optimal transfusion strategy for attenuating increase in ferritin levels in children with SCD.