bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survival of esophageal and gastric cancer patients with adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy—a retrospective analysis of a register-based patient cohort
Authors: Ekheden Isabella , Ebrahim Fereshte , Ólafsdóttir Halla , Raaschou Pauline , Wettermark Björn , Henriksson Roger , Ye Weimin
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The survival of esophageal and gastric cancer patients treated with chemotherapy is rarely assessed outside of clinical trials. Therefore, we compared the effectiveness of various curative or palliative chemotherapy regimens on the survival of esophageal and gastric cancer patients in a “real world” clinical setting.

Methods

We identified a cohort of 966 incident esophageal and gastric cancer patients in Stockholm/Gotland County (a low-risk Western population) during 2008–2013. Patients who received chemotherapy with curative intention (n = 279) and palliative intention (n = 182) were analyzed separately. Using Cox proportional hazards regression models, we estimated hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and adjusted for the potential confounding factors: age, sex, TNM stage, radiotherapy, comorbidity, marital status, education, income, and country of birth.

Results

In esophageal cancer patients with curative treatment intention, we observed a higher hazard for death among patients who received carboplatin-fluorouracil compared to patients who received cisplatin-fluorouracil, corresponding to a HR of 2.18 (95% CI 1.09–4.37). Conversely, in patients with cancer in the gastroesophageal junction who had a curative treatment intention at diagnosis, we observed a reduced hazard for death among those who received fluorouracil-oxaliplatin, compared to patients who received cisplatin-fluorouracil (HR 0.28; 95% CI 0.08–0.96).

Conclusion

Among patients with esophageal cancer who received treatment with curative intention, cisplatin-fluorouracil was associated with better survival compared to carboplatin-fluorouracil, while patients with gastroesophageal junction cancer who were treated with cisplatin-fluorouracil had worse survival compared to fluorouracil-oxaliplatin.
Seasonal changes and the influence of tree species and ambient temperature on the fission-fusion dynamics of tree-roosting bats
Authors: Ruczyński Ireneusz , Bartoń Kamil A.
Published: May 2020

Many species of bats live in dynamic associations in which individuals aggregate or split into smaller or larger groups, moving between roost sites, but factors influencing group size and roost switching decisions in bats living in fission-fusion societies are poorly understood. To test the extent to which fission-fusion dynamics are species-specific and shaped by environmental factors, we radio-tracked two closely related species: noctule bats Nyctalus noctula and Leisler’s bats N. leisleri in well-preserved, old-growth stands of the Białowieża Forest, where roost availability and diversity is high and bats can potentially freely exhibit fission-fusion behaviour. We estimated the number of bats per roost and noted the tree species selected as roost sites. We evaluated the influence of ambient temperature and roost tree species on bat group size and the process of roost switching, and their seasonal component. Our results revealed that bat group size showed species-specific differences in seasonal variation, relationship to ambient temperature and tree species. The number of noctule bats emerging from a roost was relatively stable with a weak tendency to decrease during the breeding season while the number of Leisler’s bats emerging from a roost increased when the juveniles started to be volant. Group size of noctule bats increased with ambient temperature. Leisler’s bats formed smaller colonies in oaks and ashes than in other tree species. Roost switching rate was associated with ambient temperature and tree species selected by the bats. The bats changed roosts more frequently when the minimum ambient temperature increased, and less often in ashes than in oaks and other tree species. Our results show that bat group size and roost switching behaviour are shaped by both environmental factors and the stage of reproduction.

Significance statement

Environmental factors may affect group size and roost switching behaviour of bats forming fission-fusion associations, but this is expected to vary depending on body size, environmental conditions, as well as seasonally. Few studies have explored this behaviour in tree-dwelling bats and examined how it differs between species. Here, we studied the group size dynamics and the process of roost switching in closely related bat species living in well-preserved, European old-growth forests, for which the knowledge of these patterns is particularly poor. We demonstrate for the first time that bat group size and roost switching rate relates to roost tree species selected by bats, the ambient temperature and varies seasonally, and that these effects are species-specific. The results point out the importance of the availability of suitable roost trees providing a range of microclimatic conditions for maintaining efficient fission-fusion dynamics throughout the reproductive period.
Diagnostic value of the novel CMR parameter “myocardial transit-time” (MyoTT) for the assessment of microvascular changes in cardiac amyloidosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Chatzantonis Grigorios , Bietenbeck Michael , Florian Anca , Meier Claudia , Stalling Philipp , Korthals Dennis , Reinecke Holger , Yilmaz Ali
Published: May 2020

Background

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is present in various non-ischemic cardiomyopathies and in particular in those with left-ventricular hypertrophy. This study evaluated the diagnostic value of the novel cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) parameter “myocardial transit-time” (MyoTT) in distinguishing cardiac amyloidosis from other hypertrophic cardiomyopathies.

Methods

N = 20 patients with biopsy-proven cardiac amyloidosis (CA), N = 20 patients with known hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and N = 20 control patients without relevant cardiac disease underwent dedicated CMR studies on a 1.5-T MR scanner. The CMR protocol comprised cine and late-gadolinium-enhancement (LGE) imaging as well as first-pass perfusion acquisitions at rest for MyoTT measurement. MyoTT was defined as the blood circulation time from the orifice of the coronary arteries to the pooling in the coronary sinus (CS) reflecting the transit-time of gadolinium in the myocardial microvasculature.

Results

MyoTT was significantly prolonged in patients with CA compared to both groups: 14.8 ± 4.1 s in CA vs. 12.2 ± 2.5 s in HCM (p = 0.043) vs. 7.2 ± 2.6 s in controls (p < 0.001). Native T1 and extracellular volume (ECV) were significantly higher in CA compared to HCM and controls (p < 0.001). Both parameters were associated with a higher diagnostic accuracy in predicting the presence of CA compared to MyoTT: area under the curve (AUC) for native T1 = 0.93 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.83–1.00; p < 0.001) and AUC for ECV = 0.95 (95% CI = 0.88–1.00; p < 0.001)—compared to the AUC for MyoTT = 0.76 (95% CI = 0.60–0.92; p = 0.008). In contrast, MyoTT performed better than all other CMR parameters in differentiating HCM from controls (AUC for MyoTT = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.81–1.00; p = 0.003 vs. AUC for native T1 = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.44–0.93; p = 0.20 vs. AUC for ECV = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.66–1.00; p = 0.017).

Conclusion

The relative severity of CMD (measured by MyoTT) in relationship to extracellular changes (measured by native T1 and/or ECV) is more pronounced in HCM compared to CA—in spite of a higher absolute MyoTT value in CA patients. Hence, MyoTT may improve our understanding of the interplay between extracellular/intracellular and intravasal changes that occur in the myocardium during the disease course of different cardiomyopathies.
Active HPV infection and its influence on survival in head and neck squamous-cell cancer
Authors: Janecka-Widła Anna , Mucha-Małecka Anna , Majchrzyk Kaja , Halaszka Krzysztof , Przewoźnik Marcin , Słonina Dorota , Biesaga Beata
Published: May 2020

Purpose

HPV is involved in the development of some head and neck squamous-cell carcinomas (HNSCC). It was suggested that only transcriptionally active virus can induce carcinogenesis, therefore, the aim of our study was to analyze the frequency of active HPV infection, virus type, and its prognostic role in HNSCC patients.

Methods

Status of active HPV infection was assessed for 155 HNSCC patients based on p16 expression and HPV DNA presence. Univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox proportional regression model were performed to select independent prognostic factors.

Results

Active HPV infection was detected in 20.65% of patients. We identified 16.0, 40.9 and 1.7% of HPV positive oral cavity, oropharyngeal, and laryngeal cancer cases, respectively. HPV16 was dominant (81.25%) followed by HPV35 (9.38%) and double infections with HPV16 and 35 (6.25%) or HPV35 and 18 (3.12%). Patients with active HPV infection demonstrated significantly higher survival than HPV negative ones (OS 80.89% vs. 37.08%,p = 0.000; DFS 93.0% vs. 53.35%,p = 0.000, respectively). Longer OS and DFS were maintained for infected patients when oropharyngeal and non-oropharyngeal cases were analyzed separately. Interestingly, all patients infected with other than HPV16 types survived 5 years without cancer progression. In the analyzed group of 155 patients the strongest independent favourable prognostic factor for both OS and DFS was HPV presence.

Conclusions

High prevalence of HPV-driven HNSCC (mostly within oropharynx) was detected, with HPV16 type the most frequent, followed by HPV35 and HPV18. The presence of active HPV infection improved survival of both oropharyngeal and non-oropharyngeal cancer patients and should be taken into account in treatment planning.
Quantification of total mercury in samples from cement production processing with thermal decomposition coupled with AAS
Authors: Berisha Sabina , Živković Igor , Kotnik Jože , Mlakar Tanja Ljubič , Horvat Milena
Published: May 2020

This work aimed to assess the efficiency of a portable total mercury (Hg) analyzer (Lumex RA-915 +) that employs direct thermal decomposition atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) to liberate Hg from a sample matrix as well as validate the quantification method of total Hg in different materials that are used in cement production. Regarding the solid matrix of the samples, the approaches included matrix-matched certified reference materials (CRM) calibration and adding a standard calibration solution to the solid samples. While both calibration approaches were suitable for the instrumentation employed, the uncertainty of the Hg mass fraction in a CRM and the need to include several matrix CRMs that differed in analyte content added to the complexity of the case. Spiked calibration is an acceptable alternative to calibration because it provides a lower expanded uncertainty at 15 %, 15.5 %, and 21.7 %, for the highest (> 200 ng), middle (50–150 ng), and lowest (< 50 ng) concentration ranges, respectively, compared to matrix CRM calibration. The obtained expanded uncertainty, the minimal requirements for sample preparation, easy and straightforward calibration and measurement, and high sample output indicate that the quantification of total Hg with thermal decomposition coupled with AAS is suitable for materials that are used in cement production.
Glycolytic competence in gastric adenocarcinomas negatively impacts survival outcomes of patients treated with salvage paclitaxel-ramucirumab
Authors: Ruzzo Annamaria , Graziano Francesco , Bagaloni Irene , Di Bartolomeo Maria , Prisciandaro Michele , Aprile Giuseppe , Ongaro Elena , Vincenzi Bruno , Perrone Giuseppe , Santini Daniele , Fornaro Lorenzo , Vivaldi Caterina , Tomasello Gianluca , Loupakis Fotios , Lonardi Sara , Fassan Matteo , Valmasoni Michele , Sarti Donatella , Lorenzini Paola , Catalano Vincenzo , Bisonni Renato , Del Prete Michela , Collina Guido , Magnani Mauro
Published: May 2020

Introduction

For energy production, cancer cells maintain a high rate of glycolysis instead of oxidative phosphorylation converting glucose into lactic acid. This metabolic shift is useful to survive in unfavorable microenvironments. We investigated whether a positive glycolytic profile (PGP) in gastric adenocarcinomas may be associated with unfavorable outcomes under an anticancer systemic therapy, including the anti-angiogenic ramucirumab.

Materials and methods

Normal mucosa (NM) and primary tumor (PT) of 40 metastatic gastric adenocarcinomas patients who received second-line paclitaxel-ramucirumab (PR) were analyzed for mRNA expression of the following genes: HK-1, HK-2, PKM-2, LDH-A, and GLUT-1. Patients were categorized with PGP when at least a doubling of mRNA expression (PT vs. NM) in all glycolytic core enzymes (HK-1 or HK-2, PKM-2, LDH-A) was observed. PGP was also related to TP53 mutational status.

Results

Mean LDH-A, HK-2, PKM-2 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in PT compared with NM. 18 patients were classified as PGP, which was associated with significantly worse progression-free and overall survival times. No significant association was observed between PGP and clinical-pathologic features, including TP53 positive mutational status, in 28 samples.

Conclusions

Glycolytic proficiency may negatively affect survival outcomes of metastatic gastric cancer patients treated with PR systemic therapy. TP53 mutational status alone does not seem to explain such a metabolic shift.
A preliminary analysis of the costs and benefits of the biological control agent Dactylopius opuntiae on Opuntia stricta in Laikipia County, Kenya
Authors: Witt Arne B. R. , Nunda Winnie , Makale Fernadis , Reynolds Kathryn
Published: May 2020

Opuntia stricta(Haw.) Haw (Cactaceae) is invasive in Laikipia County, Kenya, impacting negatively on biodiversity and livelihoods. To control this invasive plant the biocontrol agentDactylopius opuntiae(Cockerell) (Hemiptera; Dactylopiidae) ‘stricta’ biotype was released in 2014. A preliminary once-off survey to determine the impact of the cochineal revealed that it had contributed to a significant reduction in the number of cladodes, flowers and fruit of plants with cochineal. Fruits that were produced on plants with the cochineal were also smaller and had fewer seeds. Although still preliminary, an analysis of the costs of implementing this biocontrol programme indicates that it is the most cost-effective management intervention compared to physical and/or chemical control. Although the impact of the cochineal is still fairly localized we are confident that it will establish in much of the invaded range and reduce the impacts of the invasive cactus, consequently improving rangeland condition and livelihoods.
Correlation of left atrial strain with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction
Authors: Fan Jia-Li , Su Bo , Zhao Xin , Zhou Bing-Yuan , Ma Chang-Sheng , Wang Hai-Peng , Hu Sheng-Da , Zhou Ya-Feng , Ju Yi-Jiao , Wang Ming-Han
Published: May 2020

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) remains challenging to be assessed by echocardiography. We sought to explore the relationship between left atrial strain and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by invasive left-heart catheterization. 55 consecutive individuals with LVEF > 50% underwent LV catheterization. Standard transthoracic echocardiography was performed during 12 h before or after the procedure. Left atrial (LA) strain were obtained by speckle tracking echocardiography. When LVEF ≥ 50%, the group with elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (n = 35) showed decreased left atrial reservoir strain (LASr) (35.2 ± 7.7% vs 21.3 ± 7.2%, p < 0.001), left atrial conduit strain (LASct) (17.6 ± 6.3% vs 11.9 ± 4.1%, p < 0.001), left atrial contraction strain (LAScd) (16.6 ± 7.2% vs 9.5 ± 5.0%, p < 0.001) and increased E/e′ ration(8.9 ± 2.6 vs 10.1 ± 3.5, p = 0.17). LVEDP negatively correlated with LASr (R = 0.662, p < 0.001), LASct (R = 0.575, p < 0.001) and LAScd (R = 0.456, p < 0.001), but not with E/e′. LASr, LASct and LAScd were all independent predictors of elevated LVEDP (p < 0.05), with a higher C-statistic for the model including LASr (0.95, 0.86 and 0.93 respectively). The area under the curve (AUC) for LASr is 0.914 (cutoff value is 26.7%, sensitivity is 90%, specificity is 82.9%). In patients with normal LV ejection fraction, left atrial strain presented good correlation with LVEDP, and LASr was superior to LASct and LAScd to predict LVEDP. LA strain demonstrated better agreement with the invasive reference than E/e′.
Evidence and Knowledge from Computer Simulation
Authors: Parker Wendy S.
Published: May 2020

Can computer simulation results be evidence for hypotheses about real-world systems and phenomena? If so, what sort of evidence? Can we gain genuinely new knowledge of the world via simulation? I argue that evidence from computer simulation is aptly characterized as higher-order evidence: it is evidence that other evidence regarding a hypothesis about the world has been collected. Insofar as particular epistemic agents do not have this other evidence, it is possible that they will gain genuinely new knowledge of the world via simulation. I illustrate with examples inspired by uses of simulation in meteorology and astrophysics.
Synthesis, characterization of V2O5 nanoparticles and determination of catalase mimetic activity by new colorimetric method
Authors: Rasheed Rashed Taleb , Mansoor Hadeel S. , Abdullah Thamer Adnan , Juzsakova Tatjana , Al-Jammal Noor , Salman Ali Dawood , Al-Shaikhly Rasha R. , Le Phuoc Cuog , Domokos Endre , Abdulla Thaer A.
Published: May 2020

This paper deals with an advanced colorimetric method used to determine the catalase mimetic activity of V2O5 nanoparticles by measuring the decrease in potassium permanganate concentration in a mixture containing V2O5 and hydrogen peroxide. The experiments were carried out in batch reactor at room temperature for 3 min at wavelength number of 525 nm. Vanadium pentoxide was synthesized by hydrothermal method (reflux) from ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3) as a precursor and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a surfactant. The annealing of the product was carried out for 2 h, at temperatures of 250, 500 and 750 °C. In order to determine the structure and the chemical nature of the nanoparticles prepared, the characterization was carried out by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopic techniques. Atomic force microscopic and thermal gravimetric investigations have shown the decomposition steps of V2O5 at different temperatures. UV–visible spectroscopic technique and Fourier transform spectrometry were used to further characterize the nanoparticles. Advanced colorimetric method was used to study the catalase mimetic activity of the newly synthesized vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanoparticles using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as substrate. V2O5 nanoparticles resulted in an increase in the catalase mimetic activity with increasing the annealing temperature of the V2O5 nanoparticles. The maximum activity was found at 500 °C, which subsequently decreased with further increase in the annealing temperature.
Reflective interventions: Enactivism and phenomenology on ways of bringing the body into intellectual engagement
Authors: Laner Iris
Published: May 2020

When it comes to the body, the professional pedagogical field shows a paradoxical attitude: With regard to sense-oriented school subjects, educational policies tend to underline a close relatedness of body and mind. However, where learning is primarily connected with mental activities and intellectual engagement, the body is rarely assigned an integral role. Discussing the grounding ideologies of this paradox, I will consult phenomenological and enactivist perspectives in order to develop an approach to embodied learning which takes into account both sense-oriented as well as intellectual domains. I will argue that considering the interdependence of body and mind including their situatedness does not only benefit the cultivation of the body and the senses, but also opens up further perspectives for intellectual engagement.
Pyrolysis of fatty acids derived from hydrolysis of brown grease with biosolids
Authors: Omidghane Mehdi , Bartoli Mattia , Asomaning Justice , Xia Lin , Chae Michael , Bressler David C.
Published: May 2020

The escalating generation of biosolids and increasing regulations regarding their safe handling and disposal have created a great environmental challenge. Recently, biosolids have been incorporated into the hydrolysis step of a two-step thermal lipid conversion process to act as water replacement in the production of renewable chemicals and fuels. Here, the hexane extract recovered from hydrolysis of biosolids, lipids from brown grease hydrolyzed using either water (control) or biosolids as a water replacement, was pyrolyzed at 410–450 °C for 2 h. The product distribution and composition were not significantly different when biosolids were used to hydrolyze brown grease instead of water. The liquid product consisted mainly of alkanes, alkenes, aromatics, and cyclic compounds similar to those in petroleum-derived liquid fuels. However, the use of biosolids as a water substitute resulted in a significant increase in sulphur content of the pyrolysate, which will necessitate processes to reduce the sulphur content before or after pyrolysis. Nevertheless, the pathways proposed in this paper are considered as potentially economically viable approaches to not only resolve the issues associated with disposal of biosolids but also to produce renewable hydrocarbons for fuel and chemical applications.
Cryo-EM snapshots of mycobacterial arabinosyltransferase complex EmbB2-AcpM2
Authors: Zhang Lu , Zhao Yao , Gao Ruogu , Li Jun , Yang Xiuna , Gao Yan , Zhao Wei , Gurcha Sudagar S. , Veerapen Natacha , Batt Sarah M. , Besra Kajelle Kaur , Xu Wenqing , Bi Lijun , Zhang Xian’en , Guddat Luke W. , Yang Haitao , Wang Quan , Besra Gurdyal S. , Rao Zihe
Published: May 2020

Inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) cell wall assembly is an established strategy for anti-TB chemotherapy. Arabinosyltransferase EmbB, which catalyzes the transfer of arabinose from the donor decaprenyl-phosphate-arabinose (DPA) to its arabinosyl acceptor is an essential enzyme for Mtb cell wall synthesis. Analysis of drug resistance mutations suggests that EmbB is the main target of the front-line anti-TB drug, ethambutol. Herein, we report the cryo-EM structures of Mycobacterium smegmatis EmbB in its “resting state” and DPA-bound “active state”. EmbB is a fifteen-transmembrane-spanning protein, assembled as a dimer. Each protomer has an associated acyl-carrier-protein (AcpM) on their cytoplasmic surface. Conformational changes upon DPA binding indicate an asymmetric movement within the EmbB dimer during catalysis. Functional studies have identified critical residues in substrate recognition and catalysis, and demonstrated that ethambutol inhibits transferase activity of EmbB by competing with DPA. The structures represent the first step directed towards a rational approach for anti-TB drug discovery.
Lack of research on efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents
Authors: Kothgassner Oswald D. , Felnhofer Anna
Published: May 2020

Anxiety disorders are one of the most prevalent mental disorders in children and adolescents which may effectively be treated by several forms of exposure therapy. An emerging approach to exposure is virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET), but a literature search synthesis focusing specifically on the use of VRET in children and adolescents is still lacking. This systematic review sets out to provide an overview concerning VRET for the treatment of anxiety disorders in this age group. Four published trials covering an overall sample of 100 participants between the ages of 8 and 16 years were found during a systematic literature search and were included in the current review. Results reveal that participants show clinical improvements regarding anxiety symptoms after VRET. Nevertheless, the high potential of virtual reality as a tool for treating children and adolescents with anxiety disorders is contrasted by a considerable lack of controlled trials. Despite the evidence of VRET in adult samples, there is a need for more research with younger cohorts in order to be able to support this promising field of application.
Cistrome Data Browser and Toolkit: analyzing human and mouse genomic data using compendia of ChIP‐seq and chromatin accessibility data
Authors: Zheng Rongbin , Dong Xin , Wan Changxin , Shi Xiaoying , Zhang Xiaoyan , Meyer Clifford A.
Published: May 2020

The Cistrome Data Browser (DB) at the website (cistrome.org/db) provides about 56,000 published human and mouse ChIP‐seq, DNase‐seq, and ATAC‐seq chromatin profiles, which we have processed using uniform analysis and quality control pipelines. The Cistrome DB Toolkit at the website (dbtoolkit.cistrome.org) was developed to allow users to investigate fundamental questions using this data collection. In this tutorial, we describe how to use the Cistrome DB to search for publicly available chromatin profiles, to assess sample quality, to access peak results, to visualize signal intensities, to explore DNA sequence motifs, and to identify putative target genes. We also describe the use of the Toolkit module to seek the factors most likely to regulate a gene of interest, the factors that bind to a given genomic interval (enhancer, SNP, etc.), and samples that have significant peak overlaps with user‐defined peak sets. This tutorial guides biomedical researchers in the use of Cistrome DB resources to rapidly obtain valuable insights into gene regulatory questions
Biochar as adsorbent in purification of clear-cut forest runoff water: adsorption rate and adsorption capacity
Authors: Saarela Taija , Lafdani Elham Kakaei , Laurén Ari , Pumpanen Jukka , Palviainen Marjo
Published: May 2020

Forest management practices in boreal peatlands increase nutrient export and suspended solids to watercourses calling for development of new water protection methods. One potential solution could be adsorption-based purification of runoff water using biochar. The aim of this study was to determine the adsorption rate and capacity for Norway spruce and silver birch biochars to design a biochar-filled reactor for a ditch drain. In a 10-day laboratory experiment, biochar was stirred with runoff water from a clear-cut peatland forest, and changes in water pH, total nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, phosphorus, and total organic carbon concentrations were measured. Based on the concentration changes, adsorption was quantified and adsorption model containing the adsorption rate and capacity was fitted to the data. Our results indicate that biochar effectively adsorbs both inorganic and organic nitrogen from runoff water. Birch biochar had higher adsorption capacity of nitrogen than spruce biochar. This study demonstrates that the adsorption of nitrogen compounds onto biochar surfaces increases with increasing initial concentrations. Thus, aquatic ecosystems exposed to high nutrient loads from fertile peatlands would particularly benefit from biochar-based water purification.
A mathematical model for determining and improving rollover stability of four-wheel earthmoving vehicles with arbitrary undercarriage system design
Authors: Sierzputowski G. , Dudziński P.
Published: May 2020

Earthmoving vehicles, especially ones with articulated frame steering, are very vulnerable to rollover. Consequently many dangerous rollover accidents occur all around the world. This problem is not only caused by difficult operating conditions and high productivity requirements. The current standards in this area do not offer an acceptable method of assessing vehicle rollover stability. Furthermore, in the previous literature there have been no research on rollover stability of increasingly common unconventional undercarriage systems, equipped with inclined/virtual oscillation and steering axes. In response to the above-mentioned situation, an innovative test vehicle, whose undercarriage system can be optionally selected (including unconventional solutions), was designed and built. The experimental stand consisted of a rotary-tilting platform equipped in wheel weighting pads and a two-axis inclinometer. Completely new experimental results were presented, proving a strong influence of unconventional undercarriage system on vehicle rollover stability. Moreover, the extensive experimental investigation was used to derive and validate an accurate and universal mathematical model, enabling to calculate and improve the rollover stability of any four-wheeled vehicle. It was also shown that a geometrical optimisation of an unconventional undercarriage system permits an increase in rollover stability—even up to several dozen percentage relative to the conventional solutions.
Environmentally friendly sea-water reverse osmosis technology produces drinking water for island inhabitants
Authors: Atkinson Simon
Published: May 2020

Environmentally friendly sea-water reverse osmosis technology, developed by desalination and water treatment systems company IDE Technologies, is at the heart of a facility that is being built on Bonaire, an island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. When completed in 2021 the plant will produce drinking water, without the use of chemicals, for the island's inhabitants. This focus article briefly looks at the technology involved and highlights the advantages that it offers.
Next-generation SWRO membrane technology enables customers to move from wet to dry testing
Authors: Atkinson Simon
Published: May 2020

DuPont Water Solutions, a business unit of DuPont Safety & Construction, has developed and is launching what it claims is industry's first dry-test sea-water reverse osmosis membrane – making it the only supplier in the market to offer a membrane of this type. Here, we briefly look at the technology and the long-term operational benefits that it offers users.
A spectral decomposition of the attractor of piecewise-contracting maps of the interval
Authors: CALDERON ALFREDO , CATSIGERAS ELEONORA , GUIRAUD PIERRE
Published: May 2020

We study the asymptotic dynamics of piecewise-contracting maps defined on a compact interval. For maps that are not necessarily injective, but have a finite number of local extrema and discontinuity points, we prove the existence of a decomposition of the support of the asymptotic dynamics into a finite number of minimal components. Each component is either a periodic orbit or a minimal Cantor set and such that the $\unicode[STIX]{x1D714}$-limit set of (almost) every point in the interval is exactly one of these components. Moreover, we show that each component is the $\unicode[STIX]{x1D714}$-limit set, or the closure of the orbit, of a one-sided limit of the map at a discontinuity point or at a local extremum.
Brazilian peppertree and mangrove species response to foliar-applied novel auxin-type herbicides
Authors: Enloe Stephen F. , Leary James K. , Prince Candice M. , Sperry Benjamin P. , Lauer Dwight K.
Published: May 2020

Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifoliaRaddi) is an invasive shrub that is problematic in both freshwater wetlands and brackish mangrove communities. The complex structure, geographic remoteness, and general herbicide sensitivity of mangrove systems have resulted in great technical challenges for managers attempting selectiveS. terebinthifoliacontrol. Recent advances in auxin herbicide technologies warrant herbicide screening to address this growing problem. Therefore, greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate four non-target mangrove species andS. terebinthifoliaresponse to the three herbicides: aminocyclopyrachlor, aminopyralid, and florpyrauxifen-benyzl. Aminocyclopyrachlor controlledS. terebinthifolia, but was highly injurious to black mangrove [Avicennia germinans(L.) L.], red mangrove (Rhizophora mangleL.), white mangrove [Laguncularia racemosa(L.) C.F. Gaertn.], and buttonwood mangrove (Conocarpus erectusL.). Aminopyralid also controlledS. terebinthifoliabut its impact varied across mangrove species.Laguncularia racemosaandC. erectuswere highly sensitive to aminopyralid,R. mangleexhibited dose-dependent tolerance, andA. germinanswas highly tolerant. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl failed to controlS. terebinthifoliaand resulted in severe injury to all four mangrove species. These results indicate differential responses to newer auxins in both the target response and non-target plant community of interest. The efficacy of aminopyralid onS. terebinthifolia, coupled with its selectivity onA. germinanswarrants further testing.
Fascism, Race, and Religion in Interwar Transylvania: The Case of Father Liviu Stan (1910–1973)
Authors: Biliuṭă Ionuṭ
Published: May 2020

This text discusses several aspects of the interwar history of the Orthodox Church in Romanian Transylvania through the lens of the early life and political achievements of Father Liviu Stan (1910–1973). By using a microhistorical approach, his life stands as proof of the ability of ideological reconversion to describe the various totalitarian challenges that defined the destiny of an entire generation of Orthodox theologians in the twentieth century. Rather than painting the biographical tapestry of Father Stan's life, the main focus of this text falls precisely on his interactions with various ideologies (Fascism and Communism), his ideological and professional reconversions, and Transylvanian Orthodox theologians’ ability to survive when confronted with various totalitarian challenges.
Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus) competition with grain sorghum under arid conditions
Authors: Bajwa Ali A. , Nawaz Ahmad , Farooq Muhammad , Chauhan Bhagirath S. , Adkins Steve
Published: May 2020

Parthenium weed is an invasive species in a growing number of countries where it infests numerous crop fields, including sorghum. Two field studies were conducted to quantify the effect of parthenium weed on the performance of grain sorghum at different weed densities (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 plants m−2) and durations of weed-crop competition (season-long weed-free, weed-free after 2, 4, 6 or 8 weeks, and season-long weedy). Our aim was to identify the density threshold and ideal duration to control parthenium weed in sorghum fields. Both field experiments were planned in a randomised complete block design each with three replications in 2016 and were repeated in 2017. Parthenium weed biomass increased significantly with increasing density and competition duration. The increasing parthenium weed density had a linear negative effect on sorghum growth, yield and yield-contributing traits. The highest yield loss, of up to 66%, was recorded at the highest parthenium weed density of 20 plants m−2 when compared to weed-free treatment. In addition, the season-long competition of this weed with sorghum caused 81% reduction in grain yield over weed-free treatment. According to our results, parthenium weed should be managed below a density of 5 plants m−2 and throughout the crop growth duration in grain sorghum fields as it can cause serious yield losses even at low densities and through strong competition at early as well as late growth stages of the crop.
Effects of dietary supplementation of 4-O-methyl-glucuronoarabinoxylan on growth performance, thigh meat quality and development of small intestine in female Partridge-Shank broilers
Authors: Ren Q. C. , Xuan J. J. , Yan X. C. , Deng X. J. , Fan Z. Z. , Hu Z. Z.
Published: May 2020

Recently, Echinacea purpurea and its extracts have gained much interest due to their improvement on meat quality, but little information is available on the application of the purified Echinacea purpurea polysaccharide (4-O-methyl-glucuronoarabinoxylan, 4OMG). Thus, this trial aimed at assessing the effects of dietary supplementation of 4OMG on growth performance, thigh meat quality and small intestine development of broilers. A total of 240 1-day-old female broiler chicks were randomly distributed to four groups with three replicates of 20 within each group. Each group received either 0, 15, 20 or 25 g 4OMG/kg DM of diet. During the entire experiment, broilers had ad libitum access to water and feed, and the feed intake was recorded daily. All broilers were weighed before and end of the experiment. For each group, three pens with a total of 20 broilers were randomly selected to slaughter after 30 days. Increasing dietary supplementation of 4OMG linearly increased final live weight and daily body weight gain (P = 0.013) of broilers, Gain-to-Feed ratio (P < 0.001), muscle pH (P = 0.024) and redness (P = 0.001), but decreased drip loss (P = 0.033), shear force value (P = 0.004) and hardness (P = 0.022) of the thigh meat. Broilers fed diet with higher 4OMG had greater weight index, villus height and ratio of villus height to crypt depth in both duodenum and jejunum. These results indicated that increasing dietary supplementation of 4OMG was beneficial for growth performance, meat quality and development of the small intestine of broilers.
The prosody of Frenchwh-in-situ questions: Echo vs. non-echo
Authors: GLASBERGEN-PLAS ALIZA , GRYLLIA STELLA , DOETJES JENNY
Published: May 2020

This study compares the prosodic properties of Frenchwh-in-situ echo questions and string-identical information seeking questions in relation to focus. Thirty-six (12$\times$3)wh-in-situ questions were embedded in dialogues designed to elicit (A) echo questions expressing auditory failure, (B) information seeking questions with broad focus or (C) information seeking questions with narrow focus on thewh-phrase, i.e. a focus structure similar to the one of echo questions. Analyses regarding the F0, duration and intensity of the utterances produced by 20 native speakers of French show clear prosodic differences between the three conditions. Our results indicate that part of the prosodic properties of echo questions can be attributed to the presence of narrow focus (A and C vs. B) while another part is truly characteristic of echo questions themselves (A vs. B and C). In combination with known differences regarding their pragmatics, semantics and syntax, this sets echo questions apart as a separate question type. At the same time, our results offer evidence for prosodic encoding of focus in Frenchwh-in-situ questions, confirming and adding to existing claims regarding the prosody of focus marking in French on the one hand and the presence of focus marking inwh-interrogatives on the other.
Can ecotourism change community attitudes towards conservation?
Authors: Ziegler Jackie , Araujo Gonzalo , Labaja Jessica , Snow Sally , King Joseph N. , Ponzo Alessandro , Rollins Rick , Dearden Philip
Published: May 2020

A basic tenet of ecotourism is to enhance conservation. However, few studies have assessed its effectiveness in meeting conservation goals and whether the type of tourism activity affects outcomes. This study examines whether working in ecotourism changes the perceptions of and attitudes and behaviours of local people towards the focal species and its habitat and, if so, if tourism type affects those outcomes. We interviewed 114 respondents at four whale shark Rhincodon typus tourism sites in the Philippines to compare changes in perceptions of and attitudes and behaviours towards whale sharks and the wider marine environment. We found that the smaller scale tourism sites had greater social conservation outcomes than the mass or failed tourism sites, including changes in conservation ethics and perceptions of and attitudes and behaviours towards whale sharks and the ocean. Furthermore, of the three active tourism sites, the smallest site, with the lowest economic returns and the highest negative impacts on whale sharks prior to tourism activities, had the largest proportion of respondents who reported a positive change in perceptions of and attitudes and behaviours towards whale sharks and the ocean. Our results suggest that tourism type, and the associated incentives, can have a significant effect on conservation outcomes and ultimately on the ecological status of an Endangered species and its habitat.
Reappraisal-related neural predictors of treatment response to cognitive behavior therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Bryant Richard A. , Erlinger May , Felmingham Kim , Klimova Aleksandra , Williams Leanne M. , Malhi Gin , Forbes David , Korgaonkar Mayuresh S.
Published: May 2020

Background

Although trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT) is the frontline treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one-third of patients are treatment non-responders. To identify neural markers of treatment response to TF-CBT when participants are reappraising aversive material.

Methods

This study assessed PTSD patients (n= 37) prior to TF-CBT during functional magnetic brain resonance imaging (fMRI) when they reappraised or watched traumatic images. Patients then underwent nine sessions of TF-CBT, and were then assessed for symptom severity on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. FMRI responses for cognitive reappraisal and emotional reactivity contrasts of traumatic images were correlated with the reduction of PTSD severity from pretreatment to post-treatment.

Results

Symptom improvement was associated with decreased activation of the left amygdala during reappraisal, but increased activation of bilateral amygdala and hippocampus during emotional reactivity prior to treatment. Lower connectivity of the left amygdala to the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, and right insula, and that between the left hippocampus and right amygdala were also associated with symptom improvement.

Conclusions

These findings provide evidence that optimal treatment response to TF-CBT involves the capacity to engage emotional networks during emotional processing, and also to reduce the engagement of these networks when down-regulating emotions.
Moral exemplarism and atonement
Authors: Crisp Oliver D.
Published: May 2020

In recent work on the doctrine of atonement there has been little positive said about the view that Christ's work is principally a moral example. This article addresses that lacuna. It sets out two versions of the moral example doctrine, which are often conflated in the literature. According to the first, Christ ismerelya moral example. Such a view does not amount to a doctrine of atonement. According to the second, Christ's moral example brings about reconciliation with God through a transformative experience. This does amount to a doctrine of atonement. I raise some traditional objections to the moral example view and show that it has resources with which to withstand them. However, moral exemplarism still has difficulties dealing with a cluster of biblical motifs about atonement. In the final analysis, it is a partial but not complete account of the saving work of Christ.
Ḥusayn b. ʿAbd al-Ṣamad al-ʿĀmilī's draft letter to his teacher: The culture of scholarly correspondence and the Islamic republic of letters in the sixteenth century
Authors: Stewart Devin J.
Published: May 2020

This study focuses on a draft letter by Ḥusayn b. ʿAbd al-Ṣamad al-ʿĀmilī (d. 984/1576) for his teacher Zayn al-Dīn al-ʿĀmilī (d. 965/1558); both were prominent Twelver Shiite jurists from the region of Jabal ʿĀmil in what is now Lebanon. Yūsuf Ṭabājah, who first published the text, argued that Ḥusayn wrote the letter while he was in Iraqc. 957/1550 and that it describes Zayn al-Dīn's legal workal-Rawḍah al-bahiyyah. It is argued here that the book in question is more likely Zayn al-Dīn's workTamhīd al-qawāʿid, on legal and grammatical maxims, and that the letter dates toc. 958/1551. The text provides insight into the relationship between Ḥusayn and Zayn al-Dīn and the culture of scholarly correspondence.
You are my favourite! Parent–child relationships and satisfaction in later life in Italy
Authors: Tomassini Cecilia , Cisotto Elisa , Cavrini Giulia
Published: May 2020

Intergenerational transfers measured in several currencies (e.g. co-residence, contact, proximity and support) have been always considered important indicators for family solidarity. Most of the studies on intergenerational transfers examine the structural characteristics of such exchanges (as distance, frequency, type, motives), emphasising the potential positive association between the structure and the quality of parent–child relationships. Additionally, while most surveys include questions on the structural indicators of family exchanges, it is still uncommon for them to contain assessments of the relationships between parents and their adult children as well. Using the Italian 2009 Family Survey, this study analyses the satisfaction of parent–child relationships for parents aged 65 and older. After examining the association of such a variable with the structural indicators of intergenerational exchanges (frequency of contact), we explored the individual factors associated with satisfaction of relationships with a child using multilevel multinomial models. Overall, older Italian parents report high satisfaction in their relationships with their adult children. Additionally, a not strong, but statistically significant association between structure (contact) and satisfaction was found. This study shows how high satisfaction of relationships with children is positively associated with being a mother and being married and negatively associated with bad health status. Some of the variables considered have different impacts between the sexes of parents. Additionally, a better appreciation of relationships with daughters compared to sons was found, especially for fathers.
Coping with economic uncertainty: women's work and the protoindustrial family in eighteenth-century Lyon
Authors: Montenach Anne
Published: May 2020

The aim of this article is to analyse how female working conditions and remunerations were affected by the structural and economic crises that impacted Lyon's silk industry in the second half of the eighteenth century. It concentrates, at a micro level, on different circumstances in which sources allow us to see women and their families coping with economic uncertainty: small-scale wage conflicts with their employers, clandestine work and illicit activities. This essay studies how women's work was a real issue in power conflicts and a tool for household adaptive strategies during periods of crisis.
Female entrepreneurship as a survival strategy: women during the early mechanisation of corn tortilla production in Mexico City
Authors: Gómez-Galvarriato Aurora
Published: May 2020

Until the nineteenth -century tortilla production was carried out by women through rudimentary methods. New technology for corn milling spread during the 1910s, coinciding with the Mexican Revolution. The analysis of nixtamal corn mills and tortilla shops in Mexico City in 1924 shows that the mechanisation of milling led to masculinisation and an increase in the gender wage gap. However, since tortilla-making remained unmechanised, it allowed hundreds of women to establish tortilla shops that mostly hired women. Their entrepreneurship can be considered a survival strategy of women confronting a technological change in an era of political, social and economic turmoils.