bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Numerical Stream Transport Modeling Approach Including Multiple Conceptualizations of Hyporheic Exchange and Spatial Variability to Assess Contaminant Removal
Authors: McCallum James L. , Höhne Anja , Schaper Jonas L. , Shanafield Margaret , Banks Edward W. , Posselt Malte , Batelaan Okke , Lewandowski Jörg
Published: February 2020

Understanding the mechanisms and controls on contaminant removal in streams is essential in managing human and ecosystem health. The hyporheic zone (HZ) plays a key role in the removal of contaminants from streams. Often, tracer tests are implemented in conjunction with measurements of compounds to assess the removal rates of contaminants in streams. The predicted removal rates largely rely on the estimated hyporheic residence time, and hence, the chosen conceptual model of hyporheic exchange flows (HEFs) will influence the predicted removal rate. Despite this, different HEF models are generally not considered when assessing contaminant removal rates. In this paper, we present a numerical modeling approach for interpreting tracer tests to determine contaminant removal rates that allows for multiple conceptual models of HEF to be considered. We demonstrate this method by interpreting data from a conservative tracer test in conjunction with grab samples of trace organic compounds using two commonly used models of HEF: one that assumes first‐order exchange between the stream and the HZ and one that considers a power law weighting of first‐order exchange coefficients. For the three degrading compounds measured, guanylurea, valsartan, and diclofenac, we observed that the power law model consistently predicted higher removal rates in the stream compared to the first‐order model. Variations were also observed between the removal rates estimated in the HZ. Our results highlight the importance of considering multiple conceptualizations of the HEF when assessing contaminant removal rates.
A Solution for Mixing‐Limited Equilibrium Reactions in Idealized Radial Flow
Authors: Ali Ahmed A. , Gurung Deviyani , Ginn Timothy R.
Published: February 2020

Analytical solutions of field‐scale reactive transport are needed for testing numerical codes and for design of injection‐based remediation schemes. Aquifer injection via a well induces a reaction zone limited to the mixing fringe between injected and ambient solutions, and thus a mixing‐limited reactive transport. Here we develop a quasi‐analytical model for multicomponent equilibrium reactive transport in idealized 2‐D radial flow in a homogeneous aquifer. We combine a classical model of the dynamics of the mixing zone geometry with a scalar dissipation representation of the mixing‐limited reaction to develop a quasi‐analytical solution for reaction extent. Our formulation accommodates the spatial variation of the hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient in a radial flow. This scenario is investigated first for a single bimolecular equilibrium reaction and then extended to multiple equilibrium reactions. The results compare well to explicit numerical simulation. Finally, we provide again a quasi‐analytical solution for the case where dispersive spreading is not contemporaneous with mixing, treated via a mobile‐mobile irreversible mass transfer from unmixed to mixed phases following Ginn (2018, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017WR022120).
A novel anti-HER2 antibody GB235 reverses Trastuzumab resistance in HER2-expressing tumor cells in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Shu Mengjun , Yan Hongbin , Xu Chuanying , Wu Yan , Chi Zhaohua , Nian Weihong , He Zhuzi , Xiao Jing , Wei Hongli , Zhou Qing , Zhou Joe X.
Published: February 2020

HER2 overexpression is frequently associated with tumor metastasis and poor prognosis of breast cancer. More evidence indicates that HER3 is involved in HER2-resistant therapies. Combination treatments with two or more different monoclonal antibodies are a promising strategy to overcome resistance to HER2 therapies. We presented a novel fully human HER2-targeted monoclonal antibody, GB235, screened from a phage-display library against the HER2 antigen. GB235 in combination with Trastuzumab overcomes resistance in HER2-positive tumors and results in more sustained inhibition of tumor growth over time. The competition binding assay showed that the epitopes of GB235 do not overlap with those of Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab on HER2. Further HER2 mutagenesis results revealed that the binding epitopes of GB235 were located in the domain III of HER2. The mechanism of action of GB235 in blocking HER2-driven tumors is different from the mechanisms of Trastuzumab or Pertuzumab. GB235 does not affect the heterodimerization of HER2 and HER3, whereas the GB235 combined treatment with Trastuzumab significantly inhibited heregulin-induced HER3 phosphorylation and downstream signaling. Moreover, GB235 in combination with Trastuzumab reversed the resistance to heregulin-induced proliferation in HER2-overexpressing cancer cell lines. GB235 combined with Trastuzumab treatment in xenograft models resulted in improved antitumor activity. Complete tumor suppression was observed in the HER2-positive NCI-N87 xenograft model treated with the combination treatment with GB235 and Trastuzumab. In a Trastuzumab-resistant patient-derived tumor xenograft model GA0060, GB235 plus Trastuzumab reversed the resistance to Trastuzumab monotherapy. Because GB235 showed a different working mechanism with Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab, these agents can be considered complementary therapy against HER2 overexpression tumors.
Optimizing the power of triboelectric nanogenerators
Authors: Mandel Savannah
Published: February 2020

A 3D model for the sliding mode of a triboelectric nanogenerator fills in crucial information on power output.
Novel Pharmacological Targets for Combat PTSD—Metabolism, Inflammation, The Gut Microbiome, and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Authors: Bersani F Saverio , Mellon Synthia H , Lindqvist Daniel , Kang Jee In , Rampersaud Ryan , Somvanshi Pramod Rajaram , Doyle Francis J , Hammamieh Rasha , Jett Marti , Yehuda Rachel , Marmar Charles R , Wolkowitz Owen M
Published: February 2020

Introduction

Current pharmacological treatments of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have limited efficacy. Although the diagnosis is based on psychopathological criteria, it is frequently accompanied by somatic comorbidities and perhaps “accelerated biological aging,” suggesting widespread physical concomitants. Such physiological comorbidities may affect core PTSD symptoms but are rarely the focus of therapeutic trials.

Methods

To elucidate the potential involvement of metabolism, inflammation, and mitochondrial function in PTSD, we integrate findings and mechanistic models from the DOD-sponsored “Systems Biology of PTSD Study” with previous data on these topics.

Results

Data implicate inter-linked dysregulations in metabolism, inflammation, mitochondrial function, and perhaps the gut microbiome in PTSD. Several inadequately tested targets of pharmacological intervention are proposed, including insulin sensitizers, lipid regulators, anti-inflammatories, and mitochondrial biogenesis modulators.

Conclusions

Systemic pathologies that are intricately involved in brain functioning and behavior may not only contribute to somatic comorbidities in PTSD, but may represent novel targets for treating core psychiatric symptoms.
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound for Assessment of Local Hemodynamic Changes Following a Rodent Contusion Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Khaing Zin Z , Cates Lindsay N , Hyde Jeffrey , DeWees Dane M , Hammond Ryan , Bruce Matthew , Hofstetter Christoph P
Published: February 2020

Introduction

Severe trauma to the spinal cord leads to a near complete loss of blood flow at the injury site along with significant hypoperfusion of adjacent tissues. Characterization and monitoring of local tissue hypoperfusion is currently not possible in clinical practice because available imaging techniques do not allow for assessment of blood flow with sufficient spatial and temporal resolutions. The objective of the current study was to determine whether ultrafast contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging could be used to visualize and quantify acute hemodynamic changes in a rat traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) model.

Materials and Methods

We used novel ultrasound acquisition and processing methods that allowed for measurements of local tissue perfusion as well as for assessment of structural and functional integrity of spinal vasculature.

Results

CEUS imaging showed that traumatic SCI results in (1) an area with significant loss of perfusion, which increased during the first hour after injury, (2) structural alterations of the spinal cord vasculature, and (3) significant slowing of arterial blood flow velocities around the injury epicenter.

Conclusion

We conclude that CEUS has the spatial and temporal sensitivity and resolution to visualize local tissue perfusion and vessel architecture, which maybe useful clinically to determine injury extent and severity in patients with SCI.
Augmented Reality Forward Damage Control Procedures for Nonsurgeons: A Feasibility Demonstration
Authors: Harris Tyler E , DeLellis Stephen F , Heneghan Jerry S , Buckman Robert F , Miller Geoffrey T , Magee J Harvey , Vasios William N , Nelson Kenneth J , Kane Shawn F , Choi Y Sammy
Published: February 2020

Introduction

This article presents an emerging capability to project damage control procedures far forward for situations where evacuation to a formal surgical team is delayed. Specifically, we demonstrate the plausibility of using a wearable augmented reality (AR) telestration device to guide a nonsurgeon through a damage control procedure.

Methods

A stand-alone, low-profile, commercial-off-the-shelf wearable AR display was utilized by a remotely located surgeon to synchronously guide a nonsurgeon through proximal control of the distal external iliac artery on a surgical manikin. The manikin wound pattern was selected to simulate a rapidly exsanguinating junctional hemorrhage not controllable by nonsurgical means.

Results

This capability demonstration displayed successful use of AR technology, telecommunication, and procedural training and guidance in a single test pilot. The assisted physician assistant was able to rapidly control the simulated external iliac artery injury on this model. The telestration system used was commercially available for use with available civilian cell phone, wireless and satellite networks, without the need for dedicated high-speed networks.

Conclusions

A nonsurgeon, using a wearable commercial on-visual-axis telestration system, successfully performed a damage control procedure, demonstrating the plausibility of this approach.
Assessment of the Efficacy and Safety of a Novel, Low-Cost, Junctional Tourniquet in a Porcine Model of Hemorrhagic Shock
Authors: Nachman Dean , Dulce Dor , Wagnert-Avraham Linn , Gavish Lilach , Mark Noy , Gerrasi Rafi , Gertz S David , Eisenkraft Arik
Published: February 2020

Introduction

Commercially available junctional tourniquets (JTQs) have several drawbacks. We developed a low-cost, compact, easy to apply JTQ. The aim of this study was to assess the tourniquets’ safety and efficacy in a swine model of controlled hemorrhage.

Materials and Methods

Five pigs were subjected to controlled bleeding of 35% of their blood volume. Subsequently, the JTQ was applied to the inguinal area for 180 minutes. Afterwards, the tourniquet was removed for additional 60 minutes of follow up. During the study, blood flow to both hind limbs and blood samples for tissue damage markers were repeatedly assessed. Following sacrifice, injury to both inguinal areas was evaluated microscopically and macroscopically.

Results

Angiography demonstrated complete occlusion of femoral artery flow, which was restored following removal of the tourniquet. No gross signs of tissue damage were noticed. Histological analysis revealed mild necrosis and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Blood tests showed a mild increase in potassium and lactic acid levels throughout the protocol.

Conclusions

The tourniquet achieved effective arterial occlusion with minimal tissue damage, similar to reports of other JTQs. Subjected to further human trials, the tourniquet might be a suitable candidate for widespread frontline deployment because of its versatility, compactness, and affordable design.
IGREX for quantifying the impact of genetically regulated expression on phenotypes
Authors: Cai Mingxuan , Chen Lin S , Liu Jin , Yang Can
Published: February 2020

By leveraging existing GWAS and eQTL resources, transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) have achieved many successes in identifying trait-associations of genetically regulated expression (GREX) levels. TWAS analysis relies on the shared GREX variation across GWAS and the reference eQTL data, which depends on the cellular conditions of the eQTL data. Considering the increasing availability of eQTL data from different conditions and the often unknown trait-relevant cell/tissue-types, we propose a method and tool, IGREX, for precisely quantifying the proportion of phenotypic variation attributed to the GREX component. IGREX takes as input a reference eQTL panel and individual-level or summary-level GWAS data. Using eQTL data of 48 tissue types from the GTEx project as a reference panel, we evaluated the tissue-specific IGREX impact on a wide spectrum of phenotypes. We observed strong GREX effects on immune-related protein biomarkers. By incorporating trans-eQTLs and analyzing genetically regulated alternative splicing events, we evaluated new potential directions for TWAS analysis.
Influence of Patient Demographics and Surgical Characteristics on Pass Rates of Return-to-Activity Tests in Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Reconstructed Patients Before Physician Clearance
Authors: Norte Grant E. , Goetschius John W. , Slater Lindsay V. , Hart Joseph M.
Published: February 2020

Objective:

To identify the frequency of passing return-to-activity tests after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and to investigate the influence of patient-specific factors on pass rates. We hypothesized that isolated strength tests would be most difficult to pass and that graft type would be the most influential factor.

Design:

Cross-sectional.

Setting:

Laboratory.

Participants:

Eighty patients with a history of primary, unilateral ACLR, and 80 healthy controls participated.

Interventions:

Bilateral isokinetic strength, isometric strength, and single-leg hop tests were recorded during a single visit. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Evaluation measured subjective knee function, and the Tegner Activity Scale measured physical activity level.

Main Outcome Measures:

Pass rates were calculated for 3 thresholds of absolute between-limb asymmetry: 0% to 10%, 11% to 15%, and 16% to 20%. Pass rates were compared by sex (male and female), graft type (patellar and hamstrings), meniscal procedure (yes and no), physical activity level (</≥ median Tegner), and time from surgery (</≥ 6 months).

Results:

Isokinetic quadriceps strength was consistently most difficult to pass, whereas the 6-meter timed hop and crossover hop tests were easiest. Graft type had the greatest influence on pass rates (isometric quadriceps and hamstring strength, hamstrings-to-quadriceps ratio), followed by time from surgery (6-meter timed hop and crossover hop), physical activity (IKDC), and meniscal procedure (6-meter timed hop).

Conclusions:

Isokinetic quadriceps strength was the most difficult test to pass, and single-leg hop tests were the easiest. Patient-specific factors including graft type, time from surgery, physical activity level, and meniscal procedure may influence the ability to meet return-to-activity criterion after ACLR.
Takaful operators: analysing segregated accounts between operator/participants
Authors: Alkhan Ahmed Mansoor , Hassan M. Kabir
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis on whether takaful operators actually maintain separated and segregated accounts between the operator and participants’ funds, thereby conforming to Shariah compliance requirements or not.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses a qualitative methodology by analysing secondary data relating to two takaful operators in each of the jurisdictions of the Kingdoms of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Findings

The findings generally reveal that the financial statements and Shariah Supervisory Board annual reports of the takaful operators in the Kingdom of Bahrain confirm the Shariah-required maintenance of separate accounts between the operator and participants, as well as reveal transparency-related issues and Shariah governance weaknesses for takaful operators in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Research limitations/implications

Generalizing based on a single case study may affect the accuracy of the findings. It may also be argued that qualitative researches are generally considered as less valid than quantitative researches.

Originality/value

This research may have provided empirical data that did not previously exist in the literature.
Where’s that stethoscope? A survey of psychiatrists’ attitudes to their role in managing physical health
Authors: Greenstone Harriet , Burlingham Amy
Published: February 2020

Purpose

This study aims to explore current attitudes among doctors working in psychiatry, with regard to their perceived role and their confidence in managing their patients’ physical health problems.

Design/methodology/approach

A 20-item electronic questionnaire was distributed to doctors working in psychiatry within two large UK mental health trusts in 2018. Quantitative analysis was conducted, alongside qualitative analysis of free-text comments made by participants.

Findings

Many participants perceived their physical examination skills to have deteriorated since working in psychiatry (78 per cent). Participants were questioned on which professional group should hold responsibility for managing the physical health of patients under psychiatric services. A minority felt it should be psychiatrist-led (5 per cent), followed by general practitioner (GP)-led (42 per cent) and then shared responsibility (47 per cent). The majority felt there should be more focused training on physical health in the Core (72 per cent) and Advanced (63 per cent) psychiatry training. Key themes from a framework analysis of qualitative data included potential barriers to shared care, psychiatrists’ concerns regarding their experience and confidence in managing physical health, reasons in favour of shared responsibility, ideas for training and suggestions for improving the current situation.

Originality/value

Psychiatric patients may engage less well with health services, yet psychiatric medication often impacts significantly on physical health. In this context, there is often a blurring of role boundaries between a psychiatrist and a GP, and there is considerable variation between individual teams. There is a consistent call for more physical health training opportunities for psychiatrists and for mental health services to more proactively promote the physical health of their patients.
Tourism to serve culture: the evolution of an Aboriginal tourism business model in Australia
Authors: Scherrer Pascal
Published: February 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to track the evolution of an innovative Aboriginal tourism business model with deliberate social and community enterprise objectives in a remote setting.

Design/methodology/approach

It adopts an in-depth exploratory case study approach to discover key characteristics of an emerging tourism enterprise. The qualitative data sources include publically available planning, promotional and organizational materials, in-depth interviews with key informants and on-site observations. Yunus et al.’s (2010) social business model provides the framework for the case analysis.

Findings

Findings highlight the gradual deepening of Indigenous engagement – from simply providing a place for a non-Indigenous tourism business – to running a fully Indigenous-controlled, staffed and themed on-country tourism business. Complementing existing non-Indigenous tourism experiences reduced the need for start-up infrastructure and market recognition, thus reducing business risk for the Traditional Owners. Despite substantial changes in the business structure in response to political and maturation factors, the core motivations seemed to remain strong. The business model facilitates value creation to stakeholders in varying ways.

Research limitations/implications

The contextual nature of Indigenous tourism reflects limitations of qualitative case study methodology.

Practical implications

The resulting business model provides a contextually appropriate structure to engage in tourism for achieving cultural and societal goals. It mitigates against the identified risk of low market demand for Indigenous tourism experiences by connecting with established non-Indigenous tourism products, while also allowing for product offering independent thereof.

Social implications

Social benefits are high and have potential for replication in similar contexts elsewhere.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the emerging research on culturally appropriate business models in Indigenous tourism contexts and validates a strategy to overcome low demand. It offers a model that for the tourist facilitates a sustainable experience which enables co-production while for the hosts fosters community resilience, intergenerational learning and improved livelihoods. The case highlights opportunities for further research into the interrelationship, dependencies and thresholds between the social and economic profit equations, particularly in the context of the culture conservation economy.
Local outlier factor as part of a workflow for detecting and attenuating blending noise in simultaneously acquired data
Authors: Jeong Woodon , Tsingas Constantinos , Almubarak Mohammed S.
Published: February 2020

A number of deblending methods and workflows have been reported in the past decades to eliminate the source interference noise recorded during a simultaneous shooting acquisition. It is common that denoising algorithms focusing on optimizing coherency and weighting down/ignoring outliers can be considered as deblending tools. Such algorithms are not only enforcing coherency but also handling outliers either explicitly or implicitly. In this paper, we present a novel approach based on detecting amplitude outliers and its application on deblending based on a local outlier factor that assigns an outlier‐ness (i.e. a degree of being an outlier) to each sample of the data. A local outlier factor algorithm quantifies outlier‐ness for an object in a data set based on the degree of isolation compared with its locally neighbouring objects. Assuming that the seismic pre‐stack data acquired by simultaneous shooting are composed of a set of non‐outliers and outliers, the local outlier factor algorithm evaluates the outlier‐ness of each object. Therefore, we can separate the data set into blending noise (i.e. outlier) and signal (i.e. non‐outlier) components. By applying a proper threshold, objects having high local outlier factors are labelled as outlier/blending noise, and the corresponding data sample could be replaced by zero or a statistically adequate value. Beginning with an explanation of parameter definitions and properties of local outlier factor, we investigate the feasibility of a local outlier factor application on seismic deblending by analysing the parameters of local outlier factor and suggesting specific deblending strategies. Field data examples recorded during simultaneous shooting acquisition show that the local outlier factor algorithm combined with a thresholding can detect and attenuate blending noise. Although the local outlier factor application on deblending shows a few shortcomings, it is consequently noted that the local outlier factor application in this paper obviously achieves benefits in terms of detecting and attenuating blending noise and paves the way for further geophysical applications.
Personal perspectives on patient and public involvement – stories about becoming and being an expert by experience
Authors: Jones Marjaana , Pietilä Ilkka
Published: February 2020

Patient and public involvement activities bring ‘lay participants’ and their accounts of lived experiences to the centre of health service development and delivery. For individuals, these accounts can provide an important resource, offering a sense of control and an opportunity to re‐frame past events. Furthermore, as involvement activities and the use of personal accounts have become more prominent, it is timely to examine the involvement process from the perspective of the ‘lay participants’. Hence, the aim of this study is to explore how people become involved and how they construct the accounts of their lived experience. We analyse the stories of people with lived mental illness or caring experiences, who have become experts by experience (n = 13). We argue that becoming an expert by experience can help to re‐contextualise past experiences and support the re‐discovery of skills and expertise, leading experts by experience to construct both professionalised and politicised identities. The process has the potential to enforce narratives that portray illness experiences as motivators for social action and change. Additionally, we claim that the stories experts by experience share with health services and the public are not ‘lay accounts’ or ad hoc tales, but accounts constructed to serve specific purposes.
The Great Divergence: Why Britain Industrialised First
Authors: Hoffman Philip T.
Published: February 2020

What drove the precocious industrialisation in Britain was not demand for machines but rather (as Joel Mokyr and his co‐authors have argued) the supply of useful knowledge and the skills needed to put it into practice. They were the force behind early innovation. But they did not act alone. They were reinforced by British institutions, which gave the British economy a century's head start over the rest of Europe and likely too over the rich parts of Asia. The institutions included a uniform fiscal and legal system; an effective means of training apprentices, who had escaped from local guild control; and a parliament that could raise taxes and exercise eminent domain but was at the same time a credible protector of private property. Among other things, these institutions facilitated the transportation of goods such as coal and they were backed up by policies that worked in favour of manufacturing. Together, the institutions and policies generated agglomeration effects that encouraged innovation. The agglomeration effects were more pronounced in western Europe than anywhere else in Eurasia and more developed in Britain than anywhere else.
Differential gene expression in non‐adherent heart transplant survivors: Implications for regulatory T‐cell expression
Authors: Baran David A. , Rao Prakash , Deo Dayanand , Zucker Mark J.
Published: February 2020

Survival despite prolonged non‐adherence with immunosuppression is rare but has been reported in kidney, lung, and liver transplantation. Its occurrence in heart transplantation is quite rare. Our study was prompted by an index patient who survived despite prolonged medication non‐adherence. Prospective consent and blood collection were conducted for seven additional patients who presented in a similar fashion. The blood of patients who were diagnosed with rejection, stable early post‐transplant, and stable more than 5 years post‐transplant were all compared with a custom gene array focusing on T‐regulatory cell processes. The two genes that were differentially expressed in every comparison were TGF beta and RNASEN with very low expression in the rejector group. The prolonged non‐adherent group had the maximum expression for TGF beta but average RNASEN expression as compared to the low expression for rejectors and high for post‐5 years patients. The patients presented survived for varying lengths of time without immunosuppression. The gene array analysis showed intriguing differences between these rare patients and important patient cohorts. Further efforts should be directed to finding and studying more patients who survive despite lack of prescribed immunosuppression. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon may inform future advances in transplant immunosuppression.
Social Policy and Political Mobilization in India: Producing Hierarchical Fraternity and Polarized Differences
Authors: Gudavarthy Ajay , Vijay G.
Published: February 2020

This article attempts to decode the ways in which social policy that has essentially developmental and welfare imperatives is being used to pursue an exclusivist‐authoritarian right‐wing agenda in India under Narendra Modi. The authors highlight a contradistinction between the previous United Progressive Alliance regime led by the Congress Party and the current National Democratic Alliance regime led by the BJP to show the shift in the understanding and the role of social policy. In essence, social programmes have been combined with market‐oriented reforms, undoing the entitlements‐based approach to social policies of the previous regime. The authors then go on to discuss a variety of social policy programmes introduced by the Modi government with a focus on public health and sanitation objectives, but also including gender empowerment imperatives, education, training and employment programmes for socially marginalized groups.
The importance of nighttime length to latitudinal variation in avian incubation attentiveness
Authors: Sofaer Helen R. , Nagle Lauren , Sillett T. Scott , Yoon Jongmin , Ghalambor Cameron K.
Published: February 2020

Avian incubation provides an opportunity to test how parental behavior and ecological conditions interact to shape variation in offspring traits along geographic gradients. In particular, the duration of the incubation period is shorter at higher latitudes, but the degree to which this pattern arises from genetic divergence in rates of growth and development versus from parentally‐mediated variation in egg temperatures is controversial. At higher latitudes parents have higher daytime incubation attentiveness, i.e. they spend a greater proportion of the day on the nest. However, interpreting latitudinal variation in behavior is complicated by latitudinal patterns in ambient temperature and day length. Here, we use 24‐h video recordings to compare the incubation behavior of orange‐crowned warblers Leiothlypis celata in California and Alaska and test how attentiveness varies between populations and as a function of temperature. Birds in Alaska had higher nest attentiveness during the day, despite experiencing similar ambient temperatures. However, when analyzed over 24‐h, the longer nighttime period in California almost entirely canceled out daytime attentiveness differences between populations, and differences in 24‐h attentiveness were small. Our work highlights how incorporating nighttime incubation behavior qualitatively alters latitudinal patterns of attentiveness, and how lower ambient temperatures cannot account for the higher attentiveness in a high latitude population. These populations differ in their incubation period lengths, and differentiating between evolved versus environmentally‐induced variation in offspring growth and development will help understand the fitness consequences of variation in developmental periods.
Flood impact on Mainland Southeast Asia between 1985 and 2018—The role of tropical cyclones
Authors: Chen Aifang , Giese Markus , Chen Deliang
Published: February 2020

Floods are disastrous natural hazards accused of human live losses. As a flood‐prone area, Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA) has often been hit by floods, resulting in the highest fatality in the world. Despite the destructive flood impacts, how has flood occurrence changed over the past decades, and to what extent did floods affect the MSEA are not yet clear. Using the Dartmouth Flood Observatory large flood data archive, we aim to assess the trend of flood occurrence in the MSEA in 1985–2018, and quantify the associated impacts on humans. Particularly, the contribution of tropical cyclone (TC) landfall induced floods (TCFloods) is quantified, because of the frequent TC landfalls. Results show that (a) occurrence and maximum magnitude of floods by all causes (ALLFloods) significantly increased (p < .01), but not for TCFloods; (b) On average, TCFloods accounted for 24.6% occurrence of ALLFloods; (c) TCFloods caused higher mortality and displacement rate than ALLFloods did. As low flood protection standards in Cambodia and Myanmar is considered a reason for high flood‐induced mortalities, building higher flood protection standards should be taken as a priority for mitigating potential flood impacts. With quantifying flood occurrence and impacts, this study offers scientific understandings for better flood risk management.
First Report on Photodynamic Inactivation of Archaea Including a Novel Method for High‐Throughput Reduction Measurement
Authors: Eckl Daniel B. , Huber Harald , Bäumler Wolfgang
Published: February 2020

Archaea are considered third, independent domain of living organisms besides eukaryotic and bacterial cells. To date, no report is available of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of any archaeal cells. Two commercially available photosensitizers (SAPYR and TMPyP) were used to investigate photodynamic inactivation of Halobacterium salinarum. In addition, a novel high‐throughput method was tested to evaluate microbial reduction in vitro. Due to the high salt content of the culture medium, the physical and chemical properties of photosensitizers were analyzed via spectroscopy and fluorescence‐based DPBF assays. Attachment or uptake of photosensitizers to or in archaeal cells was investigated. The photodynamic inactivation of Halobacterium salinarum was evaluated via growth curve method allowing a high throughput of samples. The presented results indicate that the photodynamic mechanisms are working even in high salt environments. Either photosensitizer inactivated the archaeal cells with a reduction of 99.9% at least. The growth curves provided a fast and precise measurement of cell viability. The results show for the first time that PDI can kill not only bacterial cells but also robust archaea. The novel method for generating high‐throughput growth curves provides benefits for future research regarding antimicrobial substances in general.
Multicenter Evaluation of a PCR-Based Digital Microfluidics and Electrochemical Detection System for the Rapid Identification of 15 Fungal Pathogens Directly from Positive Blood Cultures
Authors: Zhang Sean X. , Carroll Karen C. , Lewis Shawna , Totten Marissa , Mead Peter , Samuel Linoj , Steed Lisa L. , Nolte Frederick S. , Thornberg Adam , Reid Jennifer L. , Whitfield Natalie N. , Babady N. Esther
Published: February 2020

Routine identification of fungal pathogens from positive blood cultures by culture-based methods can be time-consuming, delaying treatment with appropriate antifungal agents. The GenMark Dx ePlex investigational use only blood culture identification fungal pathogen panel (BCID-FP) rapidly detects 15 fungal targets simultaneously in blood culture samples positive for fungi by Gram staining. We aimed to determine the performance of the BCID-FP in a multicenter clinical study. Blood culture samples collected at 10 United States sites and tested with BCID-FP at 4 sites were compared to the standard-of-care microbiological and biochemical techniques, fluorescence in situ hybridization using peptide nucleic acid probes (PNA-FISH) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).
More to it than meets the eye: a case of retained intraorbital foreign body removed using transcutaneous orbital endoscopic surgery
Authors: Shah Kshitij D , Chacko Susan P , Patel Tejal , Bradoo Renuka
Published: February 2020

The possibility of a retained foreign body should always be considered when a patient presents with a history of orbital trauma, especially when the patient is unresponsive or temporarily responsive to treatment. Not all cases of retained foreign body present with decreased vision or restricted mobility or fever. The entry wound is also not apparent on examination in all cases. In summary, meticulous history-taking, thorough examination, high index of suspicion along with a low threshold for imaging studies are essential to make a timely diagnosis of a retained intraorbital foreign body. The prompt removal with the appropriate approach may not only save the eye but also the life of the patient.
The role of the GPD E in the determination of the parton angular momenta
Authors: Kroll P.
Published: February 2020

For the generalized parton distribution (GPD) E, extracted from hard exclusive processes and the Pauli form factor of the nucleon, the second moments for quarks and gluons at [Formula: see text] are calculated and their scale dependence analyzed. The parton angular momenta are subsequently determined and compared with other results.
Simulation of Intelligence Evolution in Object-Oriented Systems
Authors: Fazekas Bálint , Kiss Attila
Published: February 2020

In classical artificial intelligence and machine learning fields, the aim is to teach a certain program to find the most convenient and efficient way of solving a particular problem. However, these approaches are not suitable for simulating the evolution of human intelligence, since intelligence is a dynamically changing, volatile behavior, which greatly depends on the environment an agent is exposed to. In this paper, we present several models of what should be considered, when trying to simulate the evolution of intelligence of agents within a given environment. We explain several types of entropies, and introduce a dominant function model. By unifying these models, we explain how and why our ideas can be formally detailed and implemented using object-oriented technologies. The difference between our approach and that described in other papers also — approaching evolution from the point of view of entropies — is that our approach focuses on a general system, modern implementation solutions, and extended models for each component in the system.
Immediate Response to Chemotherapy in an Adult Neuroblastoma Patient Presenting with Cord Compression
Authors: Bukhari Nedal , Harfouch Bachar , Alotaibi Majid Shallal , Al-Harbi Hulayel , Chamdine Omar
Published: February 2020

We report a case of a 31-year-old female patient with high-risk neuroblastoma (NBL) who presented with a history of static back pain and bilateral lower limb weakness for almost a month. Her primary tumor was located in the right paraspinal region, causing spinal cord compression (SCC). Chemotherapy was administered with an immediate clinical improvement noted after 24 hours of starting treatment. We herein report the efficacy of chemotherapy in an adult neuroblastoma (aNBL) patient presenting with spinal cord compression.
Mathematical Modelling for the Role of CD4+T Cells in Tumor-Immune Interactions
Authors: Makhlouf Ahmed M. , El-Shennawy Lamiaa , Elkaranshawy Hesham A.
Published: February 2020

Mathematical modelling has been used to study tumor-immune cell interaction. Some models were proposed to examine the effect of circulating lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and CD8+T cells, but they neglected the role of CD4+T cells. Other models were constructed to study the role of CD4+T cells but did not consider the role of other immune cells. In this study, we propose a mathematical model, in the form of a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations, that predicts the interaction between tumor cells and natural killer cells, CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, and circulating lymphocytes with or without immunotherapy and/or chemotherapy. This system is stiff, and the Runge–Kutta method failed to solve it. Consequently, the “Adams predictor-corrector” method is used. The results reveal that the patient’s immune system can overcome small tumors; however, if the tumor is large, adoptive therapy with CD4+T cells can be an alternative to both CD8+T cell therapy and cytokines in some cases. Moreover, CD4+T cell therapy could replace chemotherapy depending upon tumor size. Even if a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy is necessary, using CD4+T cell therapy can better reduce the dose of the associated chemotherapy compared to using combined CD8+T cells and cytokine therapy. Stability analysis is performed for the studied patients. It has been found that all equilibrium points are unstable, and a condition for preventing tumor recurrence after treatment has been deduced. Finally, a bifurcation analysis is performed to study the effect of varying system parameters on the stability, and bifurcation points are specified. New equilibrium points are created or demolished at some bifurcation points, and stability is changed at some others. Hence, for systems turning to be stable, tumors can be eradicated without the possibility of recurrence. The proposed mathematical model provides a valuable tool for designing patients’ treatment intervention strategies.
Renal Transplantation in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis: Current Perspectives
Authors: Hruskova Zdenka , Tesar Vladimir , Geetha Duvuru
Published: February 2020

Background: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is the leading cause of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, which may follow an unfavorable disease course. Despite therapeutic advances, a number of patients with AAV will eventually develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Renal transplantation (RTx) is associated with a survival benefit and improves quality of life in patients with ESRD. Summary: In recent years, RTx has been increasingly used also in patients with vasculitis. The posttransplant patient- and graft-survival rates in AAV were at least comparable to other diagnoses in most studies. Prior to transplantation, patients should be in stable remission for 12 months. Persistent ANCA positivity does not exclude patients from the waiting list. Even though the recurrence risk is generally low with modern posttransplant immunosuppression, including mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus, patients with AAV, particularly those with positive antiproteinase-3 ANCA who may have increased risk of relapse or recurrence of the disease, require constant surveillance. Similar to treatment of relapsing disease in the nontransplant setting, rituximab may become treatment of choice for posttransplant recurrences. Key Messages: RTx is the preferred renal replacement therapy of choice for AAV patients with ESRD. It is recommended that patients should be in remission for about 12 months prior to proceeding with RTx. ANCA positivity alone is not a contraindication for transplantation. The risk of relapse posttransplantation is minimal with currently used posttransplant immunosuppressive regimen.
Extracorporeal Therapies in the Treatment of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
Authors: Raina Rupesh , Wang Joseph , Sharma Aditya , Chakraborty Ronith
Published: February 2020

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is one of the most frequent and severe glomerular kidney disease with frequent progression to end-stage renal disease and a high rate of recurrence in renal transplantations. Due to intolerance or resistance to the current immunomodulatory treatments, the management of FSGS is a therapeutic challenge. Over the last few years, development in extracorporeal therapies has shown potential beneficial outcomes in drug-resistant and recurrent FSGS patients. Thus, this study reviews the current literature on the use of extracorporeal therapies, such as plasma exchange therapy, immunoadsorption, and low-density lipoprotein apheresis, for the treatment of FSGS in the pediatric population.
Alger Hiss at Yalta: A Reassessment of Hiss's Arguments against Including Any of the Soviet Republics as Initial UN Members
Authors: Fetter Henry D.
Published: February 2020

Amid the voluminous documentary record of the Alger Hiss case, one document is especially noteworthy: a short memorandum Hiss drafted during the Yalta conference in early 1945 setting forth “Arguments against Inclusion of Any of the Soviet Republics among Initial Members” of the proposed postwar United Nations (UN) organization. Drafted when the Soviet Union was pressing for UN membership for two or three Soviet republics, the memorandum has been cited to challenge claims that Hiss acted as a Soviet agent at Yalta (or at any time) while constituting a “puzzling anomaly” for those who believe that Hiss was indeed a spy (as indicated in Soviet intelligence documents). By considering the circumstances of the memorandum's preparation and closely examining its text, this article demonstrates that the memorandum does not contravene the notion that Hiss was a Soviet agent at the time of the Yalta conference.
Review of the genus Chilotrogus Reitter (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Rhizotrogini) in Iran with description of two new species
Authors: MIESSEN GEOFFREY , ULIANA MARCO , KEITH DENIS
Published: February 2020

The scarcely known species of Chilotrogus Reitter, 1905 from Iran are revised based on abundant and mostly unpublished material, Chilotrogus matejiceki Miessen, Uliana & Keith, new species and Ch. schoolmeestersi Miessen, Uliana & Keith, new species are described. The type of Chilotrogus panotrogoides Reitter, 1905 is studied and correctly labelled. An identification key is given, as well as an extensive iconography and a distribution map of Iranian species.