bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential capacitance of ionic liquids according to lattice-gas mean-field model with nearest-neighbor interactions
Authors: Downing Rachel , Berntson Bjorn K. , Bossa Guilherme V. , May Sylvio
Published: November 2018

The Bragg-Williams free energy is used to incorporate nearest-neighbor interactions into the lattice gas model of a solvent-free ionic liquid near a planar electrode. We calculate the differential capacitance from solutions of the mean-field consistency relation, arriving at an explicit expression in the limit of a weakly charged electrode. The two additional material parameters that appear in the theory—the degree of nonideality and the resistance to concentration changes of each ion type—give rise to different regimes that we identify and discuss. As the nonideality parameter, which becomes more positive for stronger nearest-neighbor attraction between like-charged ions, increases and the electrode is weakly charged, the differential capacitance is predicted to transition through a divergence and subsequently adopt negative values just before the ionic liquid becomes structurally unstable. This is associated with the spontaneous charging of an electrode at vanishing potential. The physical origin of the divergence and the negative sign of the differential capacitance is a nonmonotonic relationship between the surface potential and surface charge density, which reflects the formation of layered domains alternatingly enriched in counterions and coions near the electrode. The decay length of this layered domain pattern, which can be many times larger than the ion size, is reminiscent of the recently introduced concept of “underscreening.”
Diffusion network of CO in FeFe-Hydrogenase
Authors: Liu Yong , Mohammadi Mohammadjavad , Vashisth Harish
Published: November 2018

FeFe-hydrogenase is an efficient enzyme to produce H2 under optimal conditions. However, the activity of this enzyme is highly sensitive to the presence of inhibitory gases CO and O2 that cause irreversible damage to the active site. Therefore, a detailed knowledge of the diffusion pathways of these inhibitory gases is necessary to develop strategies for designing novel enzymes that are tolerant to these gases. In this work, we studied the diffusion pathways of CO in the CpI FeFe-hydrogenase from Clostridium pasteurianum. Specifically, we used several enhanced sampling and free-energy simulation methods to reconstruct a three-dimensional free-energy surface for CO diffusion which revealed 45 free-energy minima forming an interconnected network of pathways. We discovered multiple pathways of minimal free-energy as diffusion portals for CO and found that previously suggested hydrophobic pathways are not thermodynamically favorable for CO diffusion. We also observed that the global minimum in the free-energy surface is located in the vicinity of the active-site metal cluster, the H-cluster, which suggests a high-affinity for CO near the active site. Among 19 potential residues that we propose as candidates for future mutagenesis studies, 11 residues are shared with residues that have been previously proposed to increase the tolerance of this enzyme for O2. We hypothesize that these shared candidate residues are potentially useful for designing new variants of this enzyme that are tolerant to both inhibitory gases.
Thermal conductivity reduction by acoustic Mie resonance in nanoparticles
Authors: Slovick Brian , Krishnamurthy Srini
Published: November 2018

We evaluate the impact of acoustic Mie resonance in nanoparticles on the thermal conductivity of semiconductor and polymer composites. By appropriately choosing the bulk modulus and density, and selecting the size of the nanoparticle to align the Mie resonances with the dominant portion of the thermal conductivity spectrum, we show that large reductions in thermal conductivity are achievable with a dilute concentration of nanoparticles. This can be useful for enhancing ZT for thermoelectric applications, since a dilute loading of particles will minimally impact electrical conductivity. We apply the model to explain the steep reduction in thermal conductivity observed previously in semiconductor alloys and then show that acoustic Mie resonance in polysiloxane nanoparticles can be used to reduce the thermal conductivity of an amorphous polymer by nearly a factor of two.
Enhancement of thermoelectric properties by lattice softening and energy band gap control in Te-deficient InTe1−δ
Authors: Back Song Yi , Cho Hyunyong , Kim Young-Kwang , Byeon Seokyeong , Jin Hyungyu , Koumoto Kunihito , Rhyee Jong-Soo
Published: November 2018

The InTe has intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivity κL originating from the anharmonic bonding of In1+ ion in the lattice, which scatters the phonons. Here we report the enhancement of thermoelectric properties in Te-deficient InTe1−δ (δ = 0, 0.01, 0.1, and 0.2) polycrystalline compounds by lattice softening and energy band gap opening. Te-deficiency gives rise to more weak chemical bonding between In1+ atoms and In3+Te2− clusters than those of pristine InTe, resulting in the reduction of κL near the room temperature. The weak ionic bonding is confirmed by the increase of lattice volume from the X-ray diffraction and lattice softening by the decrease of Debye temperature with increasing Te-deficiency. We observed the low lattice thermal conductivity κL of 0.53 W m−1 K−1 at 300 K for InTe0.99, which is about 25 % decreased value than those of InTe. The Te-deficiency also induces energy band gap so that the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient are increased due to the decrease of carrier concentration. Temperature-dependent thermoelectric properties shows the high Seebeck coefficient at high temperature and high electrical conductivity near room temperature, resulting in the temperature-insensitive high power factor S2σ over a wide temperature range. Owing to the temperature-insensitive high power factor and intrinsic low lattice thermal conductivity by Te-deficiency, the thermoelectric performances of figure-of-merit ZT and engineering ZTeng are enhanced at mild temperature range (≤550 K).
Effects of micro-, meio- and macroinvertebrates associated with burial on the decomposition of an aquatic macrophyte (Vallisneria natans) in a eutrophic shallow lake in China
Authors: Chen Shaojun , Wang Dong
Published: November 2018

Aquatic invertebrates play an important role in plant decomposition. However, little information is available regarding the relative importance of micro-, meio- and macroinvertebrates in this process, particularly their role in the decomposition of buried organic matter. To investigate the role of these invertebrates in the decomposition of the aquatic macrophyte Vallisneria natans, leaves of V. natans were placed in litterbags with four different mesh sizes (0.025, 0.042, 0.5 and 5mm) and the bags were either incubated at the sediment–water (SW) interface or buried at a depth of 10cm (B10) for 60 days in Lake Nanhu, China, in July 2015. Increased mesh size significantly increased the loss of plant mass. The decomposition rate ranged from 0.0173 to 0.0467day–1 in the SW treatment, and from 0.0083 to 0.0280day–1 in the B10 treatment. Excluding microinvertebrates, burial significantly affected microbial respiration and invertebrate abundance. Increased mesh size increased invertebrate abundance and richness, but did not significantly affect microbial respiration in either treatment. The average contribution of micro-, meio- and macroinvertebrates and microbes to plant mass loss in the SW treatment was 23.1, 13.5, 7.0 and 56.5% respectively, compared with 19.7, 24.5, 12.3 and 43.5% respectively in the B10 treatment. The results of this study reveal the important but underestimated role of micro- and meioinvertebrates in macrophyte decomposition.
Photoreceptive retinal ganglion cells control the information rate of the optic nerve
Authors: Milosavljevic Nina , Storchi Riccardo , Eleftheriou Cyril G. , Colins Andrea , Petersen Rasmus S. , Lucas Robert J.
Published: November 2018

Significance

Noise in the visual signal falls as ambient light increases, allowing the retina to extract more information from the scene. We show here that a measure of ambient light produced by the small number of inner retinal photoreceptors [intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs)] regulates intrinsic rates of spike firing across the population of retinal ganglion cells that form the optic nerve. Increased firing at higher irradiance allows the ganglion cells to convey more information. Our findings reveal a potential mechanism for increasing visual performance at high ambient light and show that changes in maintained activity can be used to provide proactive control over rates of information flow in the CNS.
On complement selection in Spanish and Japanese
Authors: Yoshida Tomoyuki
Published: November 2018

This paper focuses on some curious parallelism between Spanish and Japanese. In particular, it shows that complement clause selection in these languages can be captured by the semantic categories proposed by Lahiri (1991, 2002). It demonstrates that these two languages obey the exact same constraints on complement selection by examining Japanese data along the lines of Lahiri’s verbal classification. It also shows that the analysis of Japanese complementizers proposed by Saito (2010) should be extended to account for a wider range of Japanese data. This extended analysis is shown to be able to capture all the shared parallelisms between the two languages.
Some asymmetries of long distance scope assignment in Sinhala
Authors: Kishimoto Hideki
Published: November 2018

Sinhala is classified as a wh-in-situ language; wh-phrases do not undergo movement, and most typically, their scope is determined relative to the (LF) position of a separable Q element associated with them. Nevertheless, some wh-phrases are not associated with separable Q elements and in such cases, the scope of wh-phrases is determined by a null operator base-generated in the local Spec-CP. In pseudo-cleft constructions, different conditions apply to null operator insertion, since a null operator is inserted in the local Spec-CP if true adjuncts (reason and manner adjuncts) are placed in focus position. I argue that when null operator insertion takes place, no A′-movement is implemented, so that the host wh-phrases are not allowed to have long distance construal. The difference in conditions on null operator insertion give rise to four distinct patterns of wh-questioning in wh-focus and pseudo-cleft constructions.
Possessive nominal phrases in Lamaholot
Authors: Nishiyama Kunio
Published: November 2018

This paper analyzes the synchrony and diachrony of possessive noun phrases in Lamaholot (Austronesian). On the assumption that the clause architecture and the nominal architecture are parallel, the loss of verb movement at the clausal level (Aldridge 2010) is argued to be equivalent to the loss of movement of NP at the nominal level. This captures the possessor – possessed order in languages in eastern Indonesia (including Lamaholot), as opposed to the possessed – possessor order in western Indonesia. Lamaholot also has the possessed – possessor order, and this involves focus movement of NP. The complementary distribution of a genitive pronoun and a nominal suffix is accounted for by contextual allomorphy. As driving force of word order change, an internal factor (within Austronesian) and an external factor (contact with Papuan languages) are suggested.
Loanword accent of Kyungsang Korean
Authors: Kubozono Haruo
Published: November 2018

This paper reanalyzes loanword prosody of North and South Kyungsang Korean and proposes a mora-based accentual analysis as opposed to the traditional syllable-based tonal analyses. The new analysis is based on the following three observations. First, loanwords in both North and South Kyungsang Korean are invariably ‘accented’ in that they involve a sudden pitch fall at the surface output. Second, accent in Kyungsang Korean is fixed in a certain position of the word and does not change in phrases. Third, Kyungsang loanwords are generally accented on their penultimate mora: pitch falls between the penultimate and final moras in most loanwords, whether it is across syllables or within a syllable. Kyungsang Korean is thus a ‘mora-counting language’ as far as loanword prosody is concerned, just like many Japanese dialects.
The status of schwa in Indonesian
Authors: Cohn Abigail C. , Kurniawan Ferdinan Okki
Published: November 2018

Cross-linguistically, the distribution of schwa is often different from other vowels. This is the case in Indonesian: While contrastive, schwa’s distribution is more restricted than the other vowels and the realization of schwa is variable. Most prior work on schwa in Indonesian has focused on Standard Indonesian; however as a formal standard, there are many normative aspects of pronunciation potentially affecting observed patterns. To understand actual patterns of usage, we investigate schwa in Jakarta Indonesian, an emerging colloquial variety spoken in Indonesia’s capital, based on a naturalistic spoken corpus. We conclude that observed patterns are due to optional deletion of underlying schwa conditioned by multiple factors including phonological and morphological structure, orthography, and stylistic factors.
Syntactic awareness of clitic pronouns and articles in French-speaking children with autism, specific language impairment and developmental dyslexia
Authors: Guasti Maria Teresa , Delage Hélène , Durrleman Stephanie
Published: November 2018

The performance of 122 children on syntactic awareness of clitics and articles in French was examined. Three clinical groups (21 children with ASD, 22 children with SLI, 23 children with DD) and a group of 56 younger children with TD were studied. On the article task, children with ASD obtained lower scores than all the other groups and on the clitic task they performed worse than children with DD. In addition, children with ASD and low expressive language displayed more difficulty than children with SLI on the clitic task. Thus, a subgroup of children with ASD is taxed in an area that is critical to identify children with SLI.
Acquisition of backward anaphora in European Portuguese by Chinese learners
Authors: Zheng Yi
Published: November 2018

This study investigates pronominal resolution in backward anaphora in European Portuguese and its acquisition by second language learners whose first language is Chinese. An off-line experiment was conducted to investigate what strategies were adopted by the learners. The results show that the upper-intermediate (B2) learners may be influenced by their first language and the language universal active search mechanism of Kazanina et al. (2007), while the advanced (C1) learners only adopt the latter. The findings also show that learners from both levels fail to link the backward anaphoric pronoun to an extra-contextual entity.1
Changes in Aflatoxin Standards: Implications for EU Border Controls of Nut Imports
Authors: Garcia‐Alvarez‐Coque Jose‐Maria , Taghouti Ibtissem , Martinez‐Gomez Victor
Published: November 2018

Food safety concerns about the risk of aflatoxin (AF) contamination have been growing in many regions, particularly in the European Union (EU). To protect consumers from health risks, the EU has established strict standards for maximum acceptable AF levels in food products; these standards have changed several times. This article examines the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) database, which contains notifications on border controls on AF levels in tree nuts and peanuts. A count data model was used to analyze the impact of political economy considerations, past alerts, and path‐dependence effects on RASFF border controls. Policy changes, including the harmonization and relaxing of the EU's AF standards, significantly affected the frequency of border controls, with diverse effects among exporting countries. It is believed that the present study provides some insights to the modeling of food standards for explanation or forecasting purposes.
Thalamocortical Afferents Innervate the Cortical Subplate much Earlier in Development in Primate than in Rodent
Authors: Alzu’bi Ayman , Homman-Ludiye Jihane , Bourne James A , Clowry Gavin J
Published: November 2018

The current model, based on rodent data, proposes that thalamocortical afferents (TCA) innervate the subplate towards the end of cortical neurogenesis. This implies that the laminar identity of cortical neurons is specified by intrinsic instructions rather than information of thalamic origin. In order to determine whether this mechanism is conserved in the primates, we examined the growth of thalamocortical (TCA) and corticofugal afferents in early human and monkey fetal development. In the human, TCA, identified by secretagogin, calbindin, and ROBO1 immunoreactivity, were observed in the internal capsule of the ventral telencephalon as early as 7–7.5 PCW, crossing the pallial/subpallial boundary (PSB) by 8 PCW before the calretinin immunoreactive corticofugal fibers do. Furthermore, TCA were observed to be passing through the intermediate zone and innervating the presubplate of the dorsolateral cortex, and already by 10–12 PCW TCAs were occupying much of the cortex. Observations at equivalent stages in the marmoset confirmed that this pattern is conserved across primates. Therefore, our results demonstrate that in primates, TCAs innervate the cortical presubplate at earlier stages than previously demonstrated by acetylcholinesterase histochemistry, suggesting that pioneer thalamic afferents may contribute to early cortical circuitry that can participate in defining cortical neuron phenotypes.
Direct Evidence for Prediction Signals in Frontal Cortex Independent of Prediction Error
Authors: Dürschmid Stefan , Reichert Christoph , Hinrichs Hermann , Heinze Hans-Jochen , Kirsch Heidi E , Knight Robert T , Deouell Leon Y
Published: November 2018

Predictive coding (PC) has been suggested as one of the main mechanisms used by brains to interact with complex environments. PC theories posit top-down prediction signals, which are compared with actual outcomes, yielding in turn prediction error (PE) signals, which are used, bottom-up, to modify the ensuing predictions. However, disentangling prediction from PE signals has been challenging. Critically, while many studies found indirect evidence for PC in the form of PE signals, direct evidence for the prediction signal is mostly lacking. Here, we provide clear evidence, obtained from intracranial cortical recordings in human surgical patients, that the human lateral prefrontal cortex evinces prediction signals while anticipating an event. Patients listened to task-irrelevant sequences of repetitive tones including infrequent predictable or unpredictable pitch deviants. The broadband high-frequency amplitude (HFA) was decreased prior to the onset of expected relative to unexpected deviants in the frontal cortex only, and its amplitude was sensitive to the increasing likelihood of deviants following longer trains of standards in the unpredictable condition. Single-trial HFA predicted deviations and correlated with poststimulus response to deviations. These results provide direct evidence for frontal cortex prediction signals independent of PE signals.
Metagenomic Virome Sequencing in Living Donor and Recipient Kidney Transplant Pairs Revealed JC Polyomavirus Transmission
Authors: Schreiber Peter W , Kufner Verena , Hübel Kerstin , Schmutz Stefan , Zagordi Osvaldo , Kaur Amandeep , Bayard Cornelia , Greiner Michael , Zbinden Andrea , Capaul Riccarda , Böni Jürg , Hirsch Hans H , Mueller Thomas F , Mueller Nicolas J , Trkola Alexandra , Huber Michael
Published: November 2018

Background

Before kidney transplantation, donors and recipients are routinely screened for viral pathogens using specific tests. Little is known about unrecognized viruses of the urinary tract that potentially result in transmission. Using an open metagenomic approach, we aimed to comprehensively assess virus transmission in living-donor kidney transplantation.

Methods

Living kidney donors and their corresponding recipients were enrolled at the time of transplantation. Follow-up study visits for recipients were scheduled 4–6 weeks and 1 year thereafter. At each visit, plasma and urine samples were collected and transplant recipients were evaluated for signs of infection or other transplant-related complications. For metagenomic analysis, samples were enriched for viruses, amplified by anchored random polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequenced using high-throughput metagenomic sequencing. Viruses detected by sequencing were confirmed using real-time PCR.

Results

We analyzed a total of 30 living kidney donor and recipient pairs, with a follow-up of at least 1 year. In addition to viruses commonly detected during routine post-transplant virus monitoring, metagenomic sequencing detected JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) in the urine of 7 donors and their corresponding recipients. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed infection with the donor strain in 6 cases, suggesting transmission from the transplant donor to the recipient, despite recipient seropositivity for JCPyV at the time of transplantation.

Conclusions

Metagenomic sequencing identified frequent transmission of JCPyV from kidney transplant donors to recipients. Considering the high incidence rate, future studies within larger cohorts are needed to define the relevance of JCPyV infection and the donor’s virome for transplant outcomes.
A network-based conditional genetic association analysis of the human metabolome
Authors: Tsepilov Y A , Sharapov S Z , Zaytseva O O , Krumsek J , Prehn C , Adamski J , Kastenmüller G , Wang-Sattler R , Strauch K , Gieger C , Aulchenko Y S
Published: November 2018

Background

Genome-wide association studies have identified hundreds of loci that influence a wide variety of complex human traits; however, little is known regarding the biological mechanism of action of these loci. The recent accumulation of functional genomics (“omics”), including metabolomics data, has created new opportunities for studying the functional role of specific changes in the genome. Functional genomic data are characterized by their high dimensionality, the presence of (strong) statistical dependency between traits, and, potentially, complex genetic control. Therefore, the analysis of such data requires specific statistical genetics methods.

Results

To facilitate our understanding of the genetic control of omics phenotypes, we propose a trait-centered, network-based conditional genetic association (cGAS) approach for identifying the direct effects of genetic variants on omics-based traits. For each trait of interest, we selected from a biological network a set of other traits to be used as covariates in the cGAS. The network can be reconstructed either from biological pathway databases (a mechanistic approach) or directly from the data, using a Gaussian graphical model applied to the metabolome (a data-driven approach). We derived mathematical expressions that allow comparison of the power of univariate analyses with conditional genetic association analyses. We then tested our approach using data from a population-based Cooperative Health Research in the region of Augsburg (KORA) study (n = 1,784 subjects, 1.7 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms) with measured data for 151 metabolites.

Conclusions

We found that compared to single-trait analysis, performing a genetic association analysis that includes biologically relevant covariates can either gain or lose power, depending on specific pleiotropic scenarios, for which we provide empirical examples. In the context of analyzed metabolomics data, the mechanistic network approach had more power compared to the data-driven approach. Nevertheless, we believe that our analysis shows that neither a prior-knowledge-only approach nor a phenotypic-data-only approach is optimal, and we discuss possibilities for improvement.
Development of a fully automated PCR assay for the detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii using the GENECUBE system
Authors: Matsumura Yasufumi , Tsuchido Yasuhiro , Yamamoto Masaki , Nakano Satoshi , Nagao Miki
Published: November 2018

We developed a fully automated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii using the GENECUBE system. This assay was evaluated against an in-house real-time PCR assay using 82 bronchoalveolar lavage and 139 sputum samples from 221 immunocompromised patients who were suspected of having Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). After loading the maximum of eight samples into the GENECUBE system, the results were obtained within approximately 60 minutes. The overall positivity rate of both assays was 35%, and the concordance rate was 89% (kappa, 0.76). Based on the clinical diagnosis of 39 PCP and 105 non-PCP patients, the GENECUBE and real-time assays had sensitivities of 92.3% and 94.9% and specificities of 85.7% and 85.7%, respectively. This automated and rapid assay is a promising tool for the detection of P. jirovecii in routine clinical laboratory practice.
Plato’s Philebus
Authors: Delcomminette Sylvain
Published: November 2018

The Philebus is almost unanimously considered as one of Plato’s last dialogues, probably written around the same time as the Timaeus. Unlike other late dialogues, however, it takes the more conventional form of a conversation between Socrates and two interlocutors: Philebus and Protarchus. Philebus in fact refuses to discuss and remains silent for most of the dialogue, leaving to Protarchus the task of defending hedonism against the attacks of intellectualism championed by Socrates. The Philebus is a particularly rich and difficult work, which has often been viewed as messy. Although it has received the subtitle “On pleasure” since Antiquity, it contains, besides a lengthy examination of pleasure that notably argues for the possibility of false pleasures, a reflection on the relations between unity and plurality, an exposition of dialectic presented as a “god-given” and “heavenly” method, a fourfold classification of “all there is,” a cosmological argument purported to show that the world is governed by intelligence, and a hierarchical classification of the different kinds of knowledge. All these elements are integrated in a quest for “the good,” which at the beginning of the dialogue is identified to the best human life, but at the end seems to gain greater generality and concern not only human beings but also the whole or the universe. Are all these themes supposed to connect somehow, and if they are, in what manner? This question was already debated by the Neoplatonist commentators and was taken over by modern scholarship since the 19th century. Another question that has provoked scholars is the relation between the “metaphysics” exposed in the dialogue and Plato’s “unwritten doctrines” referred to by Aristotle. However, the greatest part of scholarship on the Philebus is currently devoted to scrutinize a theme or a portion of the text itself. After a relative neglect, this dialogue has indeed become the focus of much scholarly work during the last decades. The present bibliography had consequently to be highly selective and favors the most useful starting-points for further explorations of the wealthy literature devoted to this fascinating text.
Translation
Authors: Laviosa Sara
Published: November 2018

The theoretical, empirical, and pedagogic study of translation is the concern of the interdisciplinary and international field of scholarship known, since 1972, as translation studies. The aim of theoretical translation studies is to elaborate principles that explain and predict the linguistic, cognitive, cultural, and ideological phenomena inherent in the process of transferring a written, oral, or multimodal text from the source language to the target language in a specific sociocultural context. Moreover, theory aims to account for the variegated and complex nature of the translated product resulting from that process. The goal of descriptive translation studies is threefold. It undertakes synchronic and diachronic text-focused analyses of translations (product-oriented studies). It investigates the influence of translations in the recipient sociocultural context (function-oriented studies). It examines the mental processes involved in the translation act (process-oriented descriptive studies). Translation description and translation theory constitute the two branches of the discipline that focus on pure research. The third branch, applied translation studies, concerns itself with translator training, translation aids, translation policy, and translation criticism. Translator training includes teaching methods (approach, design, and procedures), testing techniques (the diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment of the various components of translation competence), and curriculum planning. Translation aids comprise translation-specific lexicographical and terminological resources as well as grammars. Translation policy involves giving sound advice on the place and role of translators and translation in society, including language education. Translation criticism subsumes translation interpretation and evaluation. The three main branches of translation studies are interdependent, since each provides data and insights for the other two. Thus, translation scholars elaborate theories and models by combining the observational and experimental results yielded by descriptive and applied studies. Researchers working in descriptive and applied studies draw on the insights provided by translation theory, and they put forward operational hypotheses they test empirically. In each of the three branches of translation studies there are two additional dimensions. The historical dimension deals with the history of translation theory, translation description, and applied translation studies. The methodological dimension discusses issues concerning the definition of the object of study of the discipline together with the choice of the research styles, methods, and tools that are most appropriate in the different subdivisions of the field. Interdisciplinarity in translation studies is now more evident than ever, since scholars are becoming acutely aware of the multitude of practices that are subsumed under the umbrella term “translation.”
Unconscious Processes
Authors: Kihlstrom John F.
Published: November 2018

Consciousness has to do with two aspects of mental life: monitoring ourselves, our phenomenal awareness of our experiences, thoughts, and actions; and controlling ourselves, engaging in voluntary behavior that goes beyond reflex, instinct, and conditioned response. The unconscious mind—whether it exists at all, and if so what its scope and limits are—has been an important theoretical issue since the beginning of scientific psychology. There are of course many physical and biological processes that, in some sense, proceed unconsciously: the orbiting of planets around the sun and photosynthesis are two examples. Changes in blood pressure are not accessible to phenomenal awareness; and the brain activity which gives rise to consciousness itself goes on unconsciously (neurosurgeons assure us that there is no afference in the brain). But there is little point in talking about something being unconscious if that same thing cannot also be conscious, in the sense of being accessible to phenomenal awareness and voluntary control. Therefore, the adjective unconscious only makes sense when applied to mental states and mental activity, as an adjectival contrast to conscious. Mental states come in various forms—namely cognition (percepts, memories, thoughts, and knowledge acquired through learning), emotion (positive and negative feelings), and motivation (desires and goals of approach and avoidance). Usually, these mental states are accessible to consciousness, in that people are generally aware of what they are thinking, what they want and feel. “The unconscious” is shorthand for mental states and processes that are inaccessible to introspective phenomenal awareness and voluntary control. The question is whether, and to what extent, mental states can exist (and mental activities transpire) outside the scope of phenomenal awareness and voluntary control. Objection: If these mental states and activities are unconscious, how are we to know them? Answer: We know them indirectly by virtue of their effects on our ongoing conscious experience, thought, and action. Question: If there are two kinds of mental states and processes, conscious and unconscious, how do they compare and contrast? Answer: In principle, unconscious processes differ from conscious processes because they operate outside phenomenal awareness. And because conscious awareness is the logical prerequisite for conscious control; unconscious processes are not susceptible to voluntary self-regulation. Other differences between conscious and unconscious processes are empirical questions. This revision adds items that appeared through 2022.
Convergent Evidence That ZNF804A Is a Regulator of Pre-messenger RNA Processing and Gene Expression
Authors: Chapman Ria M , Tinsley Caroline L , Hill Matthew J , Forrest Marc P , Tansey Katherine E , Pardiñas Antonio F , Rees Elliott , Doyle A Michelle , Wilkinson Lawrence S , Owen Michael J , O’Donovan Michael C , Blake Derek J
Published: November 2018

Genome-wide association studies have linked common variation in ZNF804A with an increased risk of schizophrenia. However, little is known about the biology of ZNF804A and its role in schizophrenia. Here, we investigate the function of ZNF804A using a variety of complementary molecular techniques. We show that ZNF804A is a nuclear protein that interacts with neuronal RNA splicing factors and RNA-binding proteins including RBFOX1, which is also associated with schizophrenia, CELF3/4, components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and the ZNF804A paralog, GPATCH8. GPATCH8 also interacts with splicing factors and is localized to nuclear speckles indicative of a role in pre-messenger RNA (mRNA) processing. Sequence analysis showed that GPATCH8 contains ultraconserved, alternatively spliced poison exons that are also regulated by RBFOX proteins. ZNF804A knockdown in SH-SY5Y cells resulted in robust changes in gene expression and pre-mRNA splicing converging on pathways associated with nervous system development, synaptic contact, and cell adhesion. We observed enrichment (P = 1.66 × 10–9) for differentially spliced genes in ZNF804A-depleted cells among genes that contain RBFOX-dependent alternatively spliced exons. Differentially spliced genes in ZNF804A-depleted cells were also enriched for genes harboring de novo loss of function mutations in autism spectrum disorder (P = 6.25 × 10–7, enrichment 2.16) and common variant alleles associated with schizophrenia (P = .014), bipolar disorder and schizophrenia (P = .003), and autism spectrum disorder (P = .005). These data suggest that ZNF804A and its paralogs may interact with neuronal-splicing factors and RNA-binding proteins to regulate the expression of a subset of synaptic and neurodevelopmental genes.
Selection and Experimental Evaluation of Universal Primers to Study the Fungal Microbiome of Higher Plants
Authors: Scibetta Silvia , Schena Leonardo , Abdelfattah Ahmed , Pangallo Sonia , Cacciola Santa O.
Published: November 2018

The impact of primer choice on results of metabarcoding studies was experimentally evaluated by analyzing fungal communities associated with leaves of four plant species. Significant differences in target specificity of primers were highlighted by a percentage of plant reads ranging from almost nothing to 30 to 35% of the total detected sequences. Overall, primer sets targeting the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region proved to be more specific than those targeting the ITS2 region. A comparable taxa coverage was revealed for all investigated primer sets. However, each primer set detected only around 50% of the overall detected taxa highlighting that a consistent part of the actual fungal diversity remains undetected in studies conducted using a single couple of primers. The coverage was increased to 70 to 80% by combining results from two different primer sets. Some fungal taxa were preferentially or exclusively detected by certain primer sets and this association between primers and taxa was generally recurrent on several plant hosts. Data highlighted that a perfect set of primers to investigate the whole fungal diversity does not exist and that whatever the choice, only a fraction of the actual microbial diversity will be investigated. However, provided information may be valuable to select the best primers according to the objective of the analysis.
Understanding the role of advanced practice providers in oncology in the United States
Authors: Bruinooge Suanna S. , Pickard Todd A. , Vogel Wendy , Hanley Amy , Schenkel Caroline , Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth , Tetzlaff Eric , Rosenzweig Margaret , Hylton Heather , Westin Shannon N. , Smith Noël , Lynch Conor , Kosty Michael P. , Williams Stephanie F.
Published: November 2018

Purpose:

Advanced practice providers (APPs, which include NPs and physician assistants [PAs]) are integral members of oncology teams. This study aims first to identify all APPs in oncology and, second, to understand personal and practice characteristics (including compensation) of those APPs.

Methods:

We identified APPs who practice oncology from membership and claims data. We surveyed 3,055 APPs about their roles in clinical care.

Results:

We identified at least 5,350 APPs in oncology and an additional 5,400 who might practice oncology. Survey respondents totaled 577 out of 3,055, which provided a 19% response rate. Results focused on 540 NPs and PAs. Greater than 90% reported satisfaction with career choice. Respondents identified predominately as white (89%) and female (94%). NPs and PAs spent the majority (80%) of time in direct patient care. The top four patient care activities were patient counseling (NPs, 94%; PAs, 98%), prescribing (NPs, 93%; PAs, 97%), treatment management (NPs, 89%; PAs, 93%), and follow-up visits (NPs, 81%; PAs, 86%). A majority of all APPs reported both independent and shared visits (65% hematology/oncology/survivorship/prevention/pediatric hematology/oncology; 85% surgical/gynecologic oncology; 78% radiation oncology). A minority of APPs reported that they conducted only shared visits. Average annual compensation was between $113,000 and $115,000, which is about $10,000 higher than average pay for APPs not in oncology.

Conclusion:

We identified 5,350 APPs in oncology and conclude that number may be as high as 7,000. Survey results suggest that practices that incorporate APPs routinely rely on them for patient care. Given the increasing number of patients with and survivors of cancer, APPs are important to ensure access to quality cancer care now and in the future.
Reflections on a Decade Leading a Medical Student Well-Being Initiative
Authors: Slavin Stuart
Published: November 2018

One of the earliest longitudinal efforts to improve medical student well-being, and perhaps the only one that has tracked mental health outcomes continuously, is the decade-long medical student well-being initiative at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. In this Invited Commentary, the author describes his experience leading that effort as the associate dean for curriculum to help inform more nascent efforts taking shape across the medical education continuum and in practice.

Starting in 2006, a simple model with three components was developed to guide the new well-being initiative: (1) Reduce unnecessary stressors and enhance the learning environment; (2) teach students skills to better manage their stress and provide and encourage them to use a range of psychological and emotional support resources; and (3) create more opportunities for students to find meaning in their work. Over the next 10 years, striking decreases in adverse mental health outcomes were seen with an 85% reduction in the depression rate and a 75% decrease in the anxiety rate in first-year medical students.

The author argues that the following factors contributed to the initiative’s effectiveness: addressing the problem largely as one stemming from the learning environment, developing a deep understanding of the lived experience of students and avoiding making assumptions about what they need, reducing students’ cognitive load, addressing problematic student mind-sets through a modest resilience curriculum, treating students with respect and compassion, and creating greater opportunity for students to find meaning in their work.
Derotational Pronation-producing Osteotomy of the Radius and Biceps Tendon Rerouting for Supination Contractures in Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy Patients: A Review of 20 Cases
Authors: DeDeugd Casey M. , Shin Alexander Y. , Shaughnessy William J.
Published: November 2018

Background:

Forearm supination contractures can occur as a result of neurological derangement of the upper extremity in patients with neonatal brachial plexus birth palsy. The contractures become problematic in childhood as patients begin requiring forearm pronation for activities of daily living including typing on a keyboard and writing. There have been several techniques described to remedy this deformity. We present a case series describing the early clinical results of combined radial osteotomy and intraosseous biceps rerouting to realign the forearm in resting pronation and convert the biceps from a supinator to a pronator.

Methods:

A retrospective review identified patients who had a radial osteotomy and biceps rerouting for supination contracture between 2006 and 2016. Inclusion criteria required a fixed forearm supination contracture, patients below 18 years of age and at least 1 year of clinical and radiographic follow-up. Demographic and surgical variables, early clinical results, complications, reoperations, and revisions were documented.

Results:

Twenty patients were identified who met inclusion criteria. The mean follow-up was 3 years (range, 1 to 9 y). We observed a statistically significant difference in the mean resting position of the forearm from 56 degrees of supination preoperatively to 17 degrees of pronation postoperatively. Correspondingly, there was an increase in passive forearm pronation from 0 degree preoperatively to 66 degrees postoperatively and an expected decrease in passive forearm supination from 78 degrees preoperatively to 41 degrees postoperatively. There were 2 complications which were both radial osteotomy nonunions. Excluding revisions, there were 14 reoperations in 14 patients (63%) for hardware removal. Hardware removal was considered an expected return to the operating room, not an unplanned reoperation. There were 2 revisions for osteotomy nonunion, both of which went on to eventual union. Overall survivorship from the need for revision surgery was 95% at 12 months, 88% at 24 months, and 88% at 60 months. There were no recurrences of the supination contracture.

Conclusions:

We present results of a novel surgical solution to forearm supination contractures through the combination of a derotational osteotomy of the radius and biceps tendon rerouting. The results show a significant benefit in forearm positioning and passive pronation with excellent survivorship and maintenance of correction.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV—therapeutic.
Creating a Culture of Promoting From Within
Authors: Jones Brian W.
Published: November 2018

Although it is common to promote direct care nurses to management positions in nursing, it is important to have a well-defined process. Excelling in clinical skills at the bedside does not always translate into management and leadership abilities. Having a way to internally identify and develop frontline leaders for future management positions is important in succession planning, creating organizational culture, decreasing costs, and increasing employee engagement.
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and Opioid Overdoses
Authors: Castillo-Carniglia Alvaro , Ponicki William R. , Gaidus Andrew , Gruenewald Paul J. , Marshall Brandon D. L. , Fink David S. , Martins Silvia S. , Rivera-Aguirre Ariadne , Wintemute Garen J. , Cerdá Magdalena
Published: November 2018

Background:

Prescription drug monitoring program are designed to reduce harms from prescription opioids; however, little is known about what populations benefit the most from these programs. We investigated how the relation between implementation of online prescription drug monitoring programs and rates of hospitalizations related to prescription opioids and heroin overdose changed over time, and varied across county levels of poverty and unemployment, and levels of medical access to opioids.

Methods:

Ecologic county-level, spatiotemporal study, including 990 counties within 16 states, in 2001–2014. We modeled overdose counts using Bayesian hierarchical Poisson models. We defined medical access to opioids as the county-level rate of hospital discharges for noncancer pain conditions.

Results:

In 2010–2014, online prescription drug monitoring programs were associated with lower rates of prescription opioid-related hospitalizations (rate ratio 2014 = 0.74; 95% credible interval = 0.69, 0.80). The association between online prescription drug monitoring programs and heroin-related hospitalization was also negative but tended to increase in later years. Counties with lower rates of noncancer pain conditions experienced a lower decrease in prescription opioid overdose and a faster increase in heroin overdoses. No differences were observed across different county levels of poverty and unemployment.

Conclusions:

Areas with lower levels of noncancer pain conditions experienced the smallest decrease in prescription opioid overdose and the faster increase in heroin overdose following implementation of online prescription drug monitoring programs. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that prescription drug monitoring programs are most effective in areas where people are likely to access opioids through medical providers.
Psychosocial Adversity in Infancy and Mortality Rates in Childhood and Adolescence
Authors: Østergaard Søren Dinesen , Larsen Janne Tidselbak , Petersen Liselotte , Smith George Davey , Agerbo Esben
Published: November 2018

Background:

Childhood and adolescent mortality accounts for a substantial proportion of years lost prematurely. Reducing childhood and adolescent mortality relies on knowing characteristics of those at elevated risk of dying young. We therefore aimed to identify such characteristics; our main hypothesis is that psychosocial adversity in infancy is linked to increased mortality rates in childhood and adolescence.

Methods:

We conducted a register-based cohort study involving all 1,549,581 children born to Danish-born parents in Denmark between 1 January 1981 and 31 December 2010. For each infant, we extracted data relevant to Rutter’s indicators of adversity (low social class, parents not cohabiting, large family size, paternal criminality, maternal mental disorder, and placement in out-of-home care). Follow-up began on the cohort member’s first birthday. We estimated the association between adversity score (the number of Rutter’s indicators of adversity present in infancy) and death via. Cox regression.

Results:

During follow-up (18,874,589 person-years), 2,081 boys and 1,420 girls died before or on their 18th birthday. The hazard ratios for death were 2.3 (95% CI = 1.9, 2.9) and 2.1 (95% CI = 1.6, 2.7) for boys and girls with adversity scores of 3–6 compared with those with a score of 0. These associations were driven by causes of death with known links to psychosocial adversity.

Conclusion:

While absolute mortality rates were low, infants with adversity scores of 3–6 were approximately twice as likely to die prematurely compared with infants with adversity scores of 0. Whether these associations generalize to other countries should be subjected to further study.