bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Climate modeling using vector moving average autoregressive
Authors: Fitrianti H , Belwawin S M , Riyana M , Amin R
Published: November 2019

Information on weather and climate is a major need to support the smooth running of activities in various sectors, one of which is the agricultural sector. The agricultural sector is very dependent on climate change, where extreme climate change can cause storms, floods, droughts, resulting in crop failure. Therefore, climate information is very important, with information on climate change predictions, it can be used to determine when the right planting time is so that the quality and yield of agricultural production increases. The purpose of this study is to model climate data rainfall, humidity, maximum temperature, maximum temperature, and the length of solar radiation using a Vector Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (VARIMA) approach. VARIMA is a time series model involving multivariate time series data, where the VARIMA model is a vector form of the ARIMA model. The time series analysis model requires data to meet stationary requirements. The results of the analysis obtained stationary climate data after being differed once, so the differencing data results that will be used in modelling. The time series climate data model was combined until the fourth lag based on SAS software assistance and the results were obtained namely the VARIMA model (1,1,1) with MSE values of 6045,33 and AICC namely 17,97823 and VARIMA (2,1,0) with MSE values namely 7432,434 and AICC which is 17,978023. Based on the two models, one of the best models was chosen with the smallest MSE and AIC value criteria. Thus the best VARIMA model that can be used to predict climate data in Merauke is the VARIMA (1,1,1) model.
The effect of a combination of organic fertilizer on the production of Inpari 32 varietas
Authors: Prasetia A , Kusumah R , Resubun M L , Amin R
Published: November 2019

Merauke Regency is one of the regencies located in Papua Province, which has potential land for the development of the agricultural sector, especially food crops. The potential land for rice development in Merauke Regency reaches 1.9 million hectares. Organic farming, in its implementation, focuses on the use of organic materials that can increase crop production. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of organic fertilizer combination (cow manure and liquid organic fertilizer) on the production of Inpari 32 types. The method was a Randomized Block Design (RBD) consisting of 4 treatments and was repeated three times so that 12 plots were obtained the trial. The results show that the application of organic fertilizer has a significant effect on the weight of 1000 grains, weight of rice grains per experimental plot, and weight of rice grains per hectare. The highest rice grain at 14% water is P1Z2 treatment, which yields 2.28 tons/hectare.
Geographic information system change forest mangrove primary at Districts Merauke
Authors: Xaverius F , Jayawardana H , Zubaedah R , Iswoyo H
Published: November 2019

Mangrove forests are the main types of plants with excellent ability to store and absorb carbon. Merauke Regency is one of the districts with the largest mangrove forest in Indonesia. The results of calculations in this study use Geographic Information System technology in 2012 the primary area of primary mangrove forest reached 195,401, 20 ha and in 2016 the total area of primary mangrove forest reached 210,310 ha. The most dominant addition of primary mangrove forest occurred in the Waan sub-district reaching 3,862.01 Ha with an area of 71,199.99 Ha and the most dominant decline in forest area occurred in the Merauke sub-district reaching 0.12 Ha with an area of 1,195.12 Ha.
Determining the location of rubber plantation locations in Merauke district based on AHP Topsis
Authors: Patawaran N , Darsono T A , Wayangkau I , Mangngenre Saiful
Published: November 2019

AHP TOPSIS is a decision support method to find the closest alternative by showing the value of the ideal positive alternative solution and negative ideal solution to get the best alternative, where the AHP method is used to give the weight value of the criteria and TOPSIS to get the ranking from each alternative. This study conducted the best alternative selection using the application of the AHP method integrated with TOPSIS to assess eight criteria and six alternatives in determining the ideal location of rubber plantations in Merauke Regency. The results provide recommendations to the relevant Dinas and developers to choose the ideal location and invest in the rubber plantation business.
Comparison study of SMART and AHP method for paddy fertilizer recommendation in decision support system
Authors: Sumaryanti L , Rahayu T K , Prayitno A , Salju
Published: November 2019

Decision support systems are used as evidence-based decision-making tools in agriculture to provide relevant information. The implementation is to recommend the provision of fertilizer for rice plants, to support plant growth based on location specifics. This study aims to analyze the final results of two SMART and AHP methods by comparing the final results in evaluating the best alternatives. The criteria analyzed are; location, the yield of rice productivity, Leaf Color, Planting Season, Nutrient Status of P, nutrient status of K soil, Fertilizer Cage, Organic Straw Material, Use of Compost Fertilizer. For alternative solutions in the form of rice fertilizer dosage N, P, K. The results of the analysis of the two methods show that both have similarities in determining location-specific rice fertilizer recommendations, which are measured by comparing alternative final results of the two methods with recommendations from experts. Tests were carried out in ten cases with different locations. The accuracy of the two methods was 70%.
The process of formulating in mathematical literacy in solving Pisa-like problems viewed from cognitive style
Authors: Taufik A R , Pagiling S L , Dadi O
Published: November 2019

This research aims to describe the process of formulating in mathematical literacy in solving the PISA-like problem viewed from cognitive style. In this research, two subjects were selected based on the math ability test, GEFT test, and the same sex. The results showed that in solving the PISA-like mathematics problems in the process of formulating, students with a cognitive field-dependent style were able to identify the information needed to solve the problem by mentioning information that was known and asked about the problem and tending to use the sentence in the question. Students are able to represent a problem mathematically using verbal representations, symbols, images, variables, formulas, diagrams and mathematical models that are appropriate, but not capable of visually representing a 3-D model into a 2-D model. While students in the cognitive field independent style in solving the PISA model problem in the process of formulating, students are able to identify the information needed to solve the problem by mentioning information that is known and asked about the problem and tends to use their own language. Students are able to represent a problem mathematically using verbal representations, symbols, images, variables, formulas/formulas, diagrams, and appropriate modeling, and are capable of visually representing 3-D models into 2-D models.
The behavior of bureaucracy in service in the office of Tanah Miring District, Regency of Merauke
Authors: Pradana R B A , Laiyan D , Moento P A
Published: November 2019

Bureaucratic behavior in providing services to the Tanah Miring District of Merauke Regency. The purpose of this study was to determine how bureaucratic behavior in service to the Tanah Miring District of Merauke Regency. Data were analyzed using descriptive methods, while this study used a qualitative approach, while data analysis techniques, the authors used three stages: data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results of this study indicate that bureaucratic behavior in service in the Tanah Miring District of Merauke Regency is not maximal. This can be seen from the indicators used to measure bureaucratic behavior in providing services to the community including the responsibilities of the apparatus that are not in accordance with their main tasks and functions, lack of awareness of the apparatus on the duties or obligations that are their responsibility. Besides the lack of clarity about the job description to each-one employee, there is no delegation of duties and authority from a leader to employees at the lowest level. The aspect of job satisfaction has not provided a sense of satisfaction for the apparatus in work, because some of its officers work not based on a description of the main tasks and functions and capabilities possessed by the apparatus itself.
Effectiveness of the application of team games tournament cooperative learning model (TGT) to improve learning outcomes of students of class xi science 1 SMA Frater Makassar in the principal material of salt hydrolysis
Authors: Pongkendek J J , Parlindungan J Y , Marpaung D N
Published: November 2019

This research is descriptive research that has aimed to find out the effectiveness of learning after applying cooperative learning model TGT type. The subjects of research are 35 students of the XI Science 1 Class of equated SMA Frater Makassar, the class had 41% class comprehensiveness on the same main topic last year. The data is post test result has been validated by two evaluators. Description of students learning outcomes are: (1) the average score of students is 75.57 from 100 as ideal score with the highest and lowest score are 95 and 35, respectively; (2) the students who master comprehensively the subject are 31 from 35 students or have 88.57% class comprehensiveness. The conclusions of this research are the effectiveness of applying the learning model is 68.57%.
Collection and administration of regional stories (oral literature of riantana’s travel for saving the khazana culture of papua)
Authors: Nggaruaka T , Hermansyah A K , Sauhenda A F
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this study was to document and translate the oral literature of the Riantana tribe which was maintained and preserved as one of the distinctiveness of the archipelago culture. In this study, researchers used a qualitative descriptive method. Where in this study the researchers tried to collect oral literature that was maintained from time to time. In this study, researchers used to interview and recording methods. The research result obtained in this study shows that the Riantana Sub-tribe has oral literature which is passed down from generation to generation. Oral literature is reviewed and translated into “Karewawa” oral literature. The results of the recording and interviews were rewritten and translated so that they became one of the interesting stories when reading in language Indonesian.
A promising microbial use on cocoa: decomposing cocoa waste and controlling Lasiodiplodia theobromae in-vitro
Authors: Kuswinanti T , Junaid M , Melina  , Surapati U , Ratnawaty
Published: November 2019

This study aimed to test the effectiveness of number of potential microbes to decompose cocoa pod husk and to control the pathogen Lasiodiplodia theobromae in-vitro. This research consisted of several activities; investigating the ability of microbes to decompose cocoa pod husk while to test its effectiveness in controlling L. theobromae in both solid and liquid medium. The findings suggest that Trichoderma sp., Trametes sp., Pleurotus ostearotus, and bacterial consortium Microbat shown to perform an effectiveness in decomposing cocoa pod husk and in limiting filamentous growth of L. theobromae on both medium. Amongst trials, only isolate Trichoderma sp. shown to have a much higher restriction (66,84%) and performed a more considerable complete interaction i.e. antibiosis, competition for space and nutrients, mycoparasitism and lysis before other Microbial isolate shown to restrict filamentous growth of pathogen on both medium.
Inhibitory mechanism in vitro: Potential of bacterial consortium against shallot wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum
Authors: Kuswinanti T , Junaid M , Baharuddin  , Melina
Published: November 2019

This study aimed to examine inhibitory effect of bacterial consortium formulated as bio-activator against wilt disease of shallot caused by Fusarium oxysporum. The study was split into three activities; bio activator preparation, isolation of Fusarium oxysporum and inhibitory test on solid and liquid culture. Pseudomonas flourescens, Actinomycetes sp. and Streptomyces sp. were obtained from collection of Biotechnology Laboratory and prepared as bio-activator in liquid form while F. oxysporum was collected from infected tissue at a highland in Enrekang district. The findings suggest that 2.0% and 2.5% per mL concentration of bio-activator shown to have a much greater rate of limiting filamentous growth of F. oxysporum in both medium. No different in inhibitory distance among trials except control, and a declined trend of all trials and control from time to time occurred. Bacteria with 2.5% concentration was consistent to have a much more considerable pressure of conidium development of F. oxysporum.
Influence of benzoyl chloride treatment on the tribological characteristics of Cyperus pangorei fibers based non-asbestos brake friction composites
Authors: Ganesh Babu L
Published: November 2019

Natural fibers are widely used in the various lightweight and medium load applications due to their vital advantages. Cyperus pangorei is abundantly found on the river banks. The current study deals with the usage of Cyperus pangorei fibers that were retted using a manual retting process in the brake pad formulation. The fibers retted were treated with benzoyl chloride to enhance adhesion characteristics. The benzoyl chloride treated and untreated Cyperus pangorei fibers were used in the development of brake pads with other ingredients constant as per industrial practice. The developed brake pads were analyzed for its physical, chemical, thermal and mechanical properties as per industrial standards. The tribological performance of the brake pads was analyzed using a pin-on-disc tribometer as per ASTM G-99-05. It was proved that benzoyl chloride treated Cyperus pangorei fibers based brake pads showed excellent performance characteristics compared to untreated one due to better bonding with matrix causing good contact plateaus formations as confirmed from Scanning Electron Microscopy.
Revisiting the layered Na3Fe3(PO4)4 phosphate sodium insertion compound: structure, magnetic and electrochemical study
Authors: Shinde Ganesh S , Gond Ritambhara , Avdeev Maxim , Ling Chris D , Rao Rayavarapu Prasada , Adams Stefan , Barpanda Prabeer
Published: November 2019

Layered sodium iron phosphate phase [Na3Fe3(PO4)4] was synthesized by solution combustion synthesis method, marking the first attempt of solvothermal synthesis of this phase. Its crystal structure was verified by synchrotron and neutron powder diffraction. Rietveld analyses proved the phase purity and formation of monoclinic framework with C2/c symmetry. It undergoes an antiferromagnetic ordering ∼27 K. This combustion prepared nanoscale Na3Fe3(PO4)4 compound was found to be electrochemically active with a stepwise voltage profile involving an Fe3+/Fe2+ redox activity centred at 2.43 V vs. Na/Na+. Despite various cathode optimization, only 1.8 Na+ per formula unit could be reversibly inserted into the Na3Fe3(PO4)4 framework leading to capacity close to 50 mAh g−1. This limited electrochemical activity can be rooted to (i) relatively large diffusion barrier (ca. 0.28 eV) as per Bond valence site energy (BVSE) calculations and (ii) possible structural instability during (de)sodiation reaction.
Mechanical, thermo-mechanical and morphological characterization of ABS based composites loaded with perlite mineral
Authors: Alghadi Aiah Mohamed , Tirkes Seha , Tayfun Umit
Published: November 2019

Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer was filled with perlite mineral (PER) at four different loading level of 2.5%, 5%, 10% and 15%. ABS/PER composites were produced using lab-scale micro-compounder followed by injection molding process. Mechanical, thermo-mechanical, melt-flow and morphological properties of composites were reported by tensile and impact tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), melt flow index (MFI) test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Mechanical characterizations revealed that tensile strength, elongation and Youngs’ modulus of ABS were improved by PER inclusions. However, impact strength of ABS reduced with increase of PER concentration. Glass transition temperature of ABS displayed increasing trend for %5 concentration of PER. MFI test implied that PER addition caused slight decreasing for MFI value of unfilled ABS. Homogeneous dispersion of PER particles into ABS matrix for their lower loading level was obtained from SEM micrographs of composites. According to findings, 5% PER containing sample exhibited the best performance and it was remarked as the most suitable candidate among fabricated ABS based composites.
Insulin suppresses transcriptional activity of yes-associated protein in insulin target cells
Authors: Sayedyahossein Samar , Hedman Andrew C. , Sacks David B.
Published: November 2019

An investigation into the effects of insulin on YAP in classic insulin target cells reveals that insulin increases YAP phosphorylation and reduces YAP-mediated transcription, providing a link between the insulin and Hippo pathways.
“Sons of the Soil”: Cause Lawyers, the Togo-Cameroun Mandates, and the Origins of Decolonization
Authors: Terretta Meredith , Lawrance Benjamin N.
Published: November 2019

A century after the victorious Allied powers distributed their spoils of victory in 1919, the world still lives with the geopolitical consequences of the mandates system established by the League of Nations. The Covenant article authorizing the new imperial dispensation came cloaked in the old civilizationist discourse, entrusting sovereignty over “peoples not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world” to the “advanced nations” of Belgium, England, France, Japan, and South Africa. In this series of “reflections” on the mandates, ten scholars of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the international order consider the consequences of the new geopolitical order birthed by World War I. How did the reshuffling of imperial power in the immediate postwar period configure long-term struggles over minority rights, decolonization, and the shape of nation-states when the colonial era finally came to a close? How did the alleged beneficiaries—more often the victims—of this “sacred trust” grasp their own fates in a world that simultaneously promised and denied them the possibility of self-determination? From Palestine, to Namibia, to Kurdistan, and beyond, the legacies of the mandatory moment remain pressing questions today.
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, Polybrominated Biphenyls, and Risk of Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Nested Case-Control Study
Authors: Huang Huang , Sjodin Andreas , Chen Yingtai , Ni Xin , Ma Shuangge , Yu Herbert , Ward Mary H , Udelsman Robert , Rusiecki Jennifer , Zhang Yawei
Published: November 2019

A nested case-control study was carried out using data from the US Department of Defense cohort between 2000 and 2013 to investigate the associations of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with serum concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated biphenyls. This study included 742 histologically confirmed PTC cases (in 341 women and 401 men) and 742 matched controls with prediagnostic serum samples from the Department of Defense Serum Repository. Lipid-corrected serum concentrations of 8 congeners were measured. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses were performed for classical PTC and follicular variant of PTC, respectively. We also examined effect modification by sex. BDE-28, a polybrominated diphenyl ether congener, was associated with significantly increased risk of classical PTC (for the third tertile vs. below the limit of detection, odds ratio = 2.09, 95% confidence interval: 1.05, 4.15; P for trend = 0.02), adjusting for other congeners, body mass index, and branch of military service. This association was observed mainly for larger classical PTC (tumor size > 10 mm), with a significantly stronger association among women than men (P for interaction = 0.004). No consistent associations were observed for other congeners, including those at higher concentrations. This study found a significantly increased risk of classical PTC associated with increasing levels of BDE-28. The risk varied by sex and tumor size.
Dynamic landmark prediction for mixture data
Authors: Garcia Tanya P , Parast Layla
Published: November 2019

In kin-cohort studies, clinicians want to provide their patients with the most current cumulative risk of death arising from a rare deleterious mutation. Estimating the cumulative risk is difficult when the genetic mutation status is unknown and only estimated probabilities of a patient having the mutation are available. We estimate the cumulative risk for this scenario using a novel nonparametric estimator that incorporates covariate information and dynamic landmark prediction. Our estimator has improved prediction accuracy over existing estimators that ignore covariate information. It is built within a dynamic landmark prediction framework whereby we can obtain personalized dynamic predictions over time. Compared to current standards, a simple transformation of our estimator provides more efficient estimates of marginal distribution functions in settings where patient-specific predictions are not the main goal. We show our estimator is unbiased and has more predictive accuracy compared to methods that ignore covariate information and landmarking. Applying our method to a Huntington disease study of mortality, we develop dynamic survival prediction curves incorporating gender and familial genetic information.
Clinic-Level Factors Associated With Time to Antiretroviral Initiation and Viral Suppression in a Large, Urban Cohort
Authors: Monroe Anne K , Happ Lindsey P , Rayeed Nabil , Ma Yan , Jaurretche Maria J , Terzian Arpi S , Trac Kevin , Horberg Michael A , Greenberg Alan E , Castel Amanda D
Published: November 2019

Background

Using the results of a site assessment survey performed at clinics throughout Washington, DC, we studied the impact of clinic-level factors on antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and viral suppression (VS) among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PLWH).

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis from the District of Columbia (DC) Cohort, an observational, clinical cohort of PLWH from 2011–2018. We included data from PLWH not on ART and not virally suppressed at enrollment. Outcomes were ART initiation and VS (HIV RNA < 200 copies/mL). A clinic survey captured information on care delivery (eg, clinical services, adherence services, patient monitoring services) and clinic characteristics (eg, types of providers, availability of evenings/weekends sessions). Multivariate marginal Cox regression models were generated to identify those factors associated with the time to ART initiation and VS.

Results

Multiple clinic-level factors were associated with ART initiation, including retention in care monitoring and medication dispensing reviews (adjusted hazard ratios [aHRs], 1.34 to 1.40; P values < .05 for both). Furthermore, multiple factors were associated with VS, including retention in HIV care monitoring, medication dispensing reviews, and the presence of a peer interventionist (aHRs, 1.35 to 1.72; P values < .05 for all). In multivariable models evaluating different combinations of clinic-level factors, enhanced adherence services (aHR, 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–1.58), medication dispensing reviews (aHR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.10–1.36), and the availability of opioid treatment (aHR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.01–1.57) were all associated with the time to VS.

Conclusions

The observed association between clinic-level factors and ART initiation/VS suggests that the presence of specific clinic services may facilitate the achievement of HIV treatment goals.
Is Crohn’s Disease a Rightly Used Eponym?
Authors: Van Hootegem Philippe , Travis Simon
Published: November 2019

In 1932 Burrill B. Crohn, a gastroenterologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, described, together with two surgical colleagues, a series of 14 patients with an inflammatory condition of the terminal ileum. All patients were operated on by Dr Albert Berg, the Chief Surgeon of the hospital, whose name did not appear on the initial publication. The ‘new’ disease was called ‘regional ileitis’, but was rapidly referred to as ‘Crohn’s disease’. From earlier accounts and publications it has become clear that the condition had already existed for many centuries and was ‘discovered’ several times before 1932, most notably by Giovanni Morgagni in 1769, Antoni Lesniowski in 1903 and Thomas K. Dalziel in 1913. ‘Crohn’s disease’ might reasonably be known by another eponym. Nevertheless, the 1932 publication of Crohn was pivotal, as were his later contributions to the knowledge of ‘his’ disease. Therefore the worldwide use of the eponym is rightly to be continued. Present researchers and clinicians with an interest in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] might learn from the complicated story summarised in this contribution. Apart from an interesting historical overview, there are some lessons for today: the importance of thorough clinical observation and pattern recognition, the need for communication between colleagues and multidisciplinary approaches, and the need for broad access to valuable data, past or present, regardless of the journal or language of publication. It should ultimately bring us some humility, despite great achievements in treating this chronic disease, which defies all our efforts yet to find a cure.
Survey of pathogenic bacteria of biofilms in a metropolitan drinking water distribution system
Authors: Chen Jiang , Shi Ya , Cheng Dongqing , Jin Yan , Hutchins William , Liu Jingqing
Published: November 2019

Bacteria, especially pathogenic bacteria, were detected in order to estimate the safety of drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs). Sixteen biofilms and 12 water samples (six retained and six flowing) were collected from a city DWDS in eastern China. Biofilms were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Cultivable bacteria of biofilms were counted by heterotrophic plate counts, ranging from 3.61 × 101 to 1.67 × 106 CFU·cm−2. Coliforms, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio and Legionella were separated by Eosin-Methylene Blue (EMB) agar, Salmonella chromogenic medium, Shigella chromogenic medium, Thiosulfate Citrate Bile Salts Sucrose (TCBS) agar and Buffered Charcoal Yeast Extract (BCYE) agar and 13/16, 8/16, 7/16, 6/16, 0/16 biofilm samples were found to be positive, respectively. Retained and flowing water samples were collected to estimate the influence of hydrodynamic conditions on biofilm detachment. All six retained water samples were positive for bacteria, the count ranged from 1.2 × 103 to 2.8 × 104 CFU·mL−1 and 2/6, 3/6, 2/6, 0/6, 0/6 samples were positive for coliforms, Salmonella, Shigella, Legionella and Vibrio, respectively. While only three of six flowing water samples were bacteria positive, the counts ranged from 102 to 103 CFU·mL−1, 2/6 were coliform positive and no pathogens were detected under testing. The results show that there are pathogens in DWDS biofilms, which can cause health-related problems if detached from their surfaces.
Pure transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: experience with 55 cases
Authors: Wang Xiao-Ming , Xu Yan-Yan , Yu Gang , Rong Zhen , Geng Rui-Chao , Wang Rui , Chen Long-Yi , Liu Gang
Published: November 2019

Background

Although the anatomic difficulties of laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer have been resolved by hybrid transanal total mesorectal excision (h-taTME), a completely incisionless surgical procedure has not yet been developed. This study was performed to explore the efficacy of pure taTME (p-taTME) without laparoscopic assistance as a completely non-invasive surgical procedure for rectal cancer.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated all patients with rectal cancer who underwent p-taTME between December 2015 and April 2018. Relevant patient characteristics and clinical information including the surgical procedure, specimens, pathological characteristics, and patients’ post-operative state were analysed and the feasibility of p-taTME in patients with rectal cancer was assessed.

Results

Fifty-five patients who had undergone p-taTME were included in this study. They comprised 32 (58.2%) men and 23 (41.8%) women with a mean age of 65.6 ± 10.6 years and mean body mass index of 23.4 ± 3.3 kg/m2. The median surgical time was 180.0 (range, 130–360) min and estimated blood loss was 25.0 (range, 15–80) mL. The commonest post-operative complication was varying degrees of faecal incontinence (56.4%). However, such incontinence greatly improved after pelvic-floor-function-rehabilitation exercises and did not seriously affect the patients’ quality of life.

Conclusions

p-taTME is a relatively safe and incisionless procedure for patients with middle and low rectal cancer, especially in those with obesity or a narrow pelvis. However, further studies of the indications and long-term efficacy are needed to verify the suitability of this procedure.
Refining genome-wide associated loci for serum uric acid in individuals with African ancestry
Authors: Chen Guanjie , Shriner Daniel , Doumatey Ayo P , Zhou Jie , Bentley Amy R , Lei Lin , Adeyemo Adebowale , Rotimi Charles N
Published: November 2019

Objective

Serum uric acid is the end-product of purine metabolism and at high levels is a risk factor for several human diseases including gout and cardiovascular disease. Heritability estimates range from 0.32 to 0.63. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) provide an unbiased approach to identify loci influencing serum uric acid. Here, we performed the first GWAS for serum uric acid in continental Africans, with replication in African Americans.

Methods

Africans (n = 4126) and African Americans (n = 5007) were genotyped on high-density GWAS arrays. Efficient mixed model association, a variance component approach, was used to perform association testing for a total of ~ 18 million autosomal genotyped and imputed variants. CAVIARBF was used to fine map significant regions.

Results

We identified two genome-wide significant loci: 4p16.1 (SLC2A9) and 11q13.1 (SLC22A12). At SLC2A9, the most strongly associated SNP was rs7683856 (P = 1.60 × 10−44). Conditional analysis revealed a second signal indexed by rs6838021 (P = 5.75 × 10−17). Gene expression and regulatory motif data prioritized a single-candidate causal variant for each signal. At SLC22A12, the most strongly associated SNP was rs147647315 (P = 6.65 × 10−25). Conditional analysis and functional annotation prioritized the missense variant rs147647315 (R (Arg) > H (His)) as the sole causal variant. Functional annotation of these three signals implicated processes in skeletal muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue and the kidneys, respectively.

Conclusions

This first GWAS of serum uric acid in continental Africans identified three associations at two loci, SLC2A9 and SLC22A12. The combination of weak linkage disequilibrium in Africans and functional annotation led to the identification of candidate causal SNPs for all three signals. Each candidate causal variant implicated a different cell type. Collectively, the three associations accounted for 4.3% of the variance of serum uric acid.
Courageously critiquing sexual violence: responding to the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize
Authors: Stern Maria
Published: November 2019

Marysia Zalewski's work has taught us, as a collective of feminist scholars, to be cautious of neat instruction manuals and coherently set out plans of action; of claims to sure knowledge about danger, violence, and its subjects and remedies; of the fanfare of grand arrivals; and of the quieter staking of ground that has been seemingly won. Zalewski has persistently reminded us in different ways that we/she does ‘not even know what gender is or does’. Far from a flippant response to the emptiness of gender mainstreaming policies, this seemingly simple statement instead serves as a glaring post-it note on the margins of our texts about International Relations theory, feminism, sex/gender and violence— both those that we read, as well as those that we write. However, this lesson is often forgotten in our rush to understand and establish gendered harms as valid and important, and to seek their redress. Gleaning insights from Zalewski's work, this article critically considers possible responses to the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. Its aim is not to delve into a discussion of the politics or effects of the Peace Prize as such, but to instead use the 2018 Peace Prize as a marker—a moment to consider the possibility for critique in relation to sexual violence.
Extremism and toxic masculinity: the man question re-posed
Authors: Pearson Elizabeth
Published: November 2019

It is more than 20 years since Marysia Zalewski and feminist scholars posed ‘the man question’ in International Relations, repositioning the gaze from female subjectivities to a problematization of the subjecthood of man. The field of masculinity studies has developed this initial question to a deep interrogation of the relationship between maleness and violence. Yet public and policy discourse often reduce the complexity of masculinities within extremism to issues of crisis and toxicity. Governments have prioritized the prevention of extremism, particularly violent Islamism, and in so doing have produced as ‘risk’ particular racialized and marginalized men. This article asks, what are the effects of the toxic masculinity discourse in understanding the British radical right? It argues that current understandings of extremism neglect the central aim of Zalewski's ‘man’ question to destabilize the field and deconstruct patriarchy. They instead position Islamophobia—which is institutionalized in state discourse—as the responsibility of particular ‘extreme’ and ‘toxic’ groups. In particular, the article outlines two ways in which ‘toxic masculinity’ is an inadequate concept to describe activism in the anti-Islam(ist) movement the English Defence League (EDL). First, the term ‘toxic masculinity’ occludes the continuities of EDL masculinities with wider patriarchal norms; second, it neglects the role of women as significant actors in the movement. Using an ethnographic and empathetic approach to this case-study, the article explores how Zalewski's theoretical position offers a route to analysis of the ways in which masculinities and patriarchy entwine in producing power and violence; and to a discussion of masculinities that need not equate manhood with threat.
Marking failure, making space: feminist interventions in Security Council policy
Authors: Cook Sam
Published: November 2019

Feminist interventions in international politics are, more often than not, understood (and visible) as interventions in relation to policy documents. These policies—in this case the United Nations Security Council's resolutions on Women, Peace and Security—often feature as the end point of feminist advocacy efforts or as the starting point for feminist analysis and critique. In this article the author responds to the provocations throughout Marysia Zalewski's work to think (and tell) the spaces of international politics differently, in this case by working with the concept of feminist failure as it is produced in feminist policy critique. Inspired by Zalewski's Feminist International Relations: exquisite corpse, the article explores the material and imaginary spaces in which both policies and critique are produced. It picks up and reflects upon a narrative refrain recognizable in feminist critiques on Women, Peace and Security policy—that we must not make war safe for women—as a way to reflect on the inevitability of failure and the ostensible boundaries between theory and practice. The author takes permission from Zalewski's creative interventions and her recognition of the value of the ‘detritus of the everyday’—here a walk from New York's Grand Central Station to the UN Headquarters, musings on the flash of a particular shade of blue, and the contents of a footnoted acknowledgement, begin to trace an international political space that is produced through embodied and quotidian practice.
The Security Council's peacekeeping trilemma
Authors: Williams Paul D.
Published: November 2019

The United Nations (UN) Security Council is stuck in a peacekeeping trilemma. This is a situation where the Council's three strategic goals for peacekeeping operations—implementing broad mandates, minimizing peacekeeper casualties and maximizing cost-effectiveness—cannot be achieved simultaneously. This trilemma stems from longstanding competing pressures on how the Council designs UN peacekeeping operations as well as political divisions between peacekeeping's three key groups of stakeholders: the states that authorize peacekeeping mandates, those that provide most of the personnel and field capabilities, and those that pay the majority of the bill. Fortunately, the most negative consequences of the trilemma can be mitigated and perhaps even transcended altogether. Mitigation would require the Council to champion and implement four main reforms: improving peacekeeper performance, holding peacekeepers accountable for misdeeds, adopting prioritized and sequenced mandates, and strengthening the financial basis for UN peacekeeping. Transcending the trilemma would require a more fundamental reconfiguration of the key stakeholder groups in order to create much greater unity of effort behind a re-envisaged peacekeeping enterprise. This is highly unlikely in the current international political context.
Commitment of States, Access to Asylum, and Material Benefits: Assessing Key Legislative Battles and Their Structural Impact on the Common European Asylum System
Authors: Dreyer-Plum Domenica
Published: November 2019

In 2015, the movement of asylum seekers to the European Union (EU) increased dramatically and led to the factual invalidation of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). From the beginning, the European Commission’s objective was to create a fair system guaranteeing a European-wide protection status in line with the standards contained in the 1951 Refugee Convention. In order to understand why this system failed, it is important to look closely at the applicable laws. Which regulations were based on the Amsterdam and Lisbon treaty mandates? What were the key disputes and which normative solution was pushed through? Scholarly attention so far has focused on either external aspects of border policy or institutional and policy issues within the EU. By contrast, this article argues that the central gaps in the system present a multifaceted set of problems with three main weaknesses: the neglected geographic asymmetry enshrined in the European asylum system; a reliance on national standards that runs through all the legislative processes; and the over-emphasis of asylum rights in contrast to an under-regulation of access to asylum. This combination of problems helps to explain the rise of a serious protection crisis in Europe following the influx in 2015, a crisis that remains largely unresolved. These inherent weaknesses are analysed through an examination of key disputes in the legislative process establishing the CEAS. The article traces the different positions of the European institutions in the legislation process and assesses the shortcomings of the emergent system in two periods: during the establishment of this system from 1999 to 2005, and the reform period from 2008 to 2013. The article concludes with reflections on the current reform phase. The findings point to ineffective laws, unresolved normative disputes, and the need for further reforms to achieve a harmonized CEAS in line with treaty mandates.
Low pH reduces the activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam in human urine, but confirms current breakpoints for urinary tract infections
Authors: Nussbaumer-Pröll Alina Karoline , Eberl Sabine , Reiter Birgit , Stimpfl Thomas , Dorn Christoph , Zeitlinger Markus
Published: November 2019

Background

Acidic pH has been shown to impact the antibiotic activity of non-β-lactams in urine.

Objectives

To investigate the in vitro activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam compared with meropenem at different pH settings in urine.

Methods

We determined the MICs for 30 clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, 25 clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and 24 clinical isolates of Proteus mirabilis in pooled human urine and standard growth medium at pH 5 and 7. Time–kill curves were produced for one representative clinical isolate of tested bacterial strains in urine at pH 5, 6 and 7 for both antibiotics at concentrations above and below the MIC. HPLC analysis of the stability of ceftolozane/tazobactam and meropenem was performed at different pH values.

Results

The median MICs of both antibiotics were up to 8-fold higher at pH 5 than at pH 7. Bacterial growth of E. coli was not impacted by pH, while for K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis low pH slightly reduced growth. Compared with pH 7, pH 5 resulted in a significant decrease in antibiotic activity with a delta of up to 3 log10 bacterial counts after 24 h. Impact of acidic pH was lowest for P. mirabilis; however, this strain metabolically increased the pH during experiments. Stability was not impacted by low pH.

Conclusions

Acidic pH had a significant negative impact on the activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam and meropenem in urine. Considering concentrations achieved in urine, our results confirm existing breakpoints and do not advocate increasing ceftolozane/tazobactam breakpoints for urinary tract infections.
Spotty Data: Managing International Leopard (Panthera pardus) Trophy Hunting Quotas Amidst Uncertainty
Authors: Trouwborst Arie , Loveridge Andrew J , Macdonald David W
Published: November 2019

Leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation has a strong international dimension. Hunting trophy export quotas established for African range states under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) are a case in point. We test these quotas, and the methods for their establishment, against the benchmark of the general principles of precaution, sustainable use and adaptive management. The various national approaches and the CITES regime condoning them largely fail this test. For decades, CITES bodies have endorsed apparently arbitrary quotas lacking robust scientific bases, without regular adjustment. Thus, the quotas have been inadequately performing their assigned function within the Convention’s framework. The way in which the CITES leopard quota regime has been operating is fundamentally at odds with the principles of sustainable use, precaution and adaptive management. To remedy this, we offer recommendations on how to embed a science-based, sustainable, precautionary and adaptive approach to quota-setting within the CITES system.
Protective effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived conditioned medium on ovarian damage
Authors: Hong Liming , Yan Long , Xin Zhimin , Hao Jie , Liu Wenjing , Wang Shuyu , Liao Shujie , Wang Hongmei , Yang Xiaokui
Published: November 2019

Chemotherapeutic agents are extensively used to treat malignancies. However, chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage and reduced fertility are severe side effects. Recently, stem cell transplantation has been reported to be an effective strategy for premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) treatment, but safety can still be an issue in stem cell-based therapy. Here, we show the protective effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived conditioned medium (hUCMSC-CM) on a cisplatin (Cs)-induced ovarian injury model. hUCMSC-CM can relieve Cs-induced depletion of follicles and preserve fertility. In addition, hUCMSC-CM can decrease apoptosis of oocytes and granulosa cells induced by Cs. RNA sequencing analysis reveals the differentially expressed genes of ovaries after Cs and hUCMSC-CM treatments, including genes involved in cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we show that the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway plays an important role in protecting granulosa cells from Cs-induced apoptosis. Together, we confirm the protective effects of hUCMSC-CM on ovarian reserve and fertility in mice treated with Cs, highlighting the remarkable therapeutic effects of hUCMSC-CM.
Temporal Trends in Mortality from Major Cancers by Education in the United States, 2001-2016
Authors: Ma Jiemin , Jemal Ahmedin
Published: November 2019

Data on recent trends in mortality from major cancers by individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) are lacking in the US. We examined mortality trends and disparities by educational attainment (rate ratio ≤12 vs. ≥16 years of education) from 2001-2016 for lung, colorectal, female breast, and prostate cancers among persons aged 25-74 years. During 2001-2016, death rates continued to decrease in each stratum of sex/education categories for all four cancers, with the steepest decline among those with ≥16 years of education. Consequently, relative educational disparities widened over time. Among men for example, lung cancer death rates from 2001-2016 decreased 2.70% per year in persons with ≤12 years of education compared to 5.44% per year among those with ≥16 years of education, and the rate ratio increased from 2.96 (95%CI, 2.84-3.09) to 4.58 (95%CI, 4.41-4.76). Enhanced interventions targeting low SES populations are needed to reduce the inequality and accelerate progress against cancer.
KHZ1 and KHZ2, novel members of the autonomous pathway, repress the splicing efficiency of FLC pre-mRNA in Arabidopsis
Authors: Yan Zongyun , Shi Huiying , Liu Yanan , Jing Meng , Han Yuzhen
Published: November 2019

As one of the most important events during the life cycle of flowering plants, the floral transition is of crucial importance for plant propagation and requires the precise coordination of multiple endogenous and external signals. There have been at least four flowering pathways (i.e. photoperiod, vernalization, gibberellin, and autonomous) identified in Arabidopsis. We previously reported that two Arabidopsis RNA-binding proteins, KHZ1 and KHZ2, redundantly promote flowering. However, the underlying mechanism was unclear. Here, we found that the double mutant khz1 khz2 flowered late under both long-day and short-day conditions, but responded to vernalization and gibberellin treatments. The late-flowering phenotype was almost completely rescued by mutating FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) and fully rescued by overexpressing FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT). Additional experiments demonstrated that the KHZs could form homodimers or interact to form heterodimers, localized to nuclear dots, and repressed the splicing efficiency of FLC pre-mRNA. Together, these data indicate that the KHZs could promote flowering via the autonomous pathway by repressing the splicing efficiency of FLC pre-mRNA.