bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathogenicity and toxicity of Fusarium tucumaniae and Fusarium crassistipitatum to soybean and Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Rosati Romina G. , Ramos Rocío S. , Scandiani María M. , Luque Alicia G. , Spampinato Claudia P.
Published: September 2020

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean is a fungal disease caused by at least four distinct Fusarium species: F. tucumaniae, F. virguliforme, F. brasiliense, and F. crassistipitatum. All four species are present in Argentina. These fungi are soilborne pathogens that only colonize roots and cause root necrosis. However, damage also reaches the aboveground part of the plant, and foliar chlorosis and necrosis, followed by premature defoliation, can be observed. Although the pathogenicity and phytotoxicity of F. virguliforme has been well characterized, knowledge regarding disease development by other fungal species is scarce. In this study, two plant species, soybean (Glycine max) and Arabidopsis thaliana, and isolates from two fungal species, F. tucumaniae and F. crassistipitatum, were used to comparatively analyse the fungal pathogenicity and the phytotoxicity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and cell‐free culture filtrates. Fungal inoculation had a significant effect on plant growth, regardless of the plant species. In addition, infected soybean plants showed disease incidence and foliar and root symptoms. Inhibition of A. thaliana growth was not due to VOCs emitted by fungi. Instead, both pathogens were shown to produce toxins that caused typical SDS foliar symptoms in soybean and root length reduction in A. thaliana. As far as we know, this is the first report that demonstrates that F. tucumaniae and F. crassistipitatum affect A. thaliana growth and emit VOCs, and that F. crassistipitatum produces toxins.
The effect of photoperiod and melatonin on plasma prolactin concentrations in female guanaco (Lama guanicoe) in captivity
Authors: Correa Lina Maria , Moreno Ricardo D. , Riveros José Luis
Published: September 2020

The present study examined the effects of different photoperiods and melatonin treatment on plasma prolactin concentrations in guanacos, a South American camelid, in captivity. Fourteen adult female guanacos, not gestating or lactating and isolated from males, were studied. The control group was exposed to natural daylight, during short days (N = 7, 10L:14D) and long days (N = 7, 16L:8D). The treatment group (N = 7, 10L:14D) received melatonin implants every 23 days for 6 weeks during long days. Blood samples were taken at intervals of 1 week for 3 weeks, starting the third week of treatment. Prolactin concentrations were measured using competitive ELISA. Plasma concentrations of prolactin in non‐lactating female guanacos have seasonal changes, with a higher concentration (p < .001) in short days (3.50 ± 2.24 ng/ml) than long days (1.10 ± 0.91 ng/ml). Melatonin treatment significantly decreases (p < .05) plasma concentrations of prolactin on the 21st day after the treatment. These findings are the first report of an endogenous circannual rhythm of plasma prolactin concentration and the action of melatonin treatment on prolactin secretion in this wild camelid.
Early resynchronization protocols for goats: Progestogens can be used prior to an early pregnancy diagnosis without affecting corpus luteum functionality
Authors: Cosentino Isabel Oliveira , Balaro Mario Felipe Alvarez , Leal Felipe Seabra Cardoso , Barbosa Lucas de Figueiredo Cardoso , Gonçalves Fernanda Martins , Felizardo Gabriel Feliciano , Netto Marina Monteiro , Brandão Felipe Zandonadi
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to evaluate the exogenous progesterone (P4) effect on the luteal function from Day 16 to Day 21 of the oestrous cycle in inseminated goats with unknown pregnancy status. A total of 54 does passed through a short progestin‐based synchronization protocol and, on Day 16 of the following oestrous cycle, 27 does received a new P4 device which was retained until Day 21. Blood samples were collected daily from all does during this period, as well as on Day 24. Pregnancy diagnoses were performed on Day 30. Serum P4 values from 26 animals (GNPSP: Group of non‐pregnant does with second sponge: n = 8; GNPNSP: Group of non‐pregnant does without second sponge: n = 6; GPSP: Group of pregnant does with second sponge: n = 5; GPNSP: Group of pregnant does without second sponge: n = 7) were determined by radioimmunoassay commercial kits. No P4 differences were found between groups (GNPSP: 3.1 ± 2.8; 1.7 ± 1.8; 0.4 ± 1.0; and 0.0 ± 0.0 vs. GNPNSP: 4.4 ± 1.8; 3.0 ± 2.2; 0.8 ± 0.8; and 0.0 ± 0.0 or GPSP: 4.2 ± 1.0; 3.4 ± 0.6; 3.3 ± 1.6; 3.2 ± 0.9; 3.6 ± 1.2; 3.5 ± 1.3; 2.7 ± 1.3 vs. GPNSP: 4.4 ± 1.6; 3.6 ± 1.5; 3.7 ± 1.5; 3.8 ± 1.4; 3.2 ± 1.2; 3.1 ± 1.2; 3.6 ± 1.1; D16, D17, D18, D19, D20, D21, D24, respectively) or for the interaction of group and time. In conclusion, a second progestogen device had no effect on luteolysis or early pregnancy in the following oestrous cycle.
Evaluation of the efficiency of TaqMan duplex real‐time PCR assay for non‐invasive pre‐natal assessment of foetal sex in equine
Authors: Kadivar Ali , Rashidzadeh Habiballah , Davoodian Najmeh , Nazari Hasan , Dehghani Tafti Rohallah , Heidari Khoei Heidar , Seidi Samani Hasan , Modaresi Jahangir , Ahmadi Ebrahim
Published: September 2020

Accurate diagnosis of foetal sex in pregnant mare is helpful for many breeders, both for private or commercial purposes. In this study, in order to pre‐natal foetal sexing in equine, we used TaqMan duplex real‐time PCR to detect the specific regions of SRY and TSPY genes on extracted cell‐free foetal DNA from maternal blood. Peripheral blood samples from 50 pregnant Arabian mares with singleton foetuses were collected. Cell‐free foetal DNA was extracted from maternal plasma, and duplex real‐time PCR assays were performed with TaqMan probes and primers. Amplification of glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene was used as control of DNA extraction procedure. From the 50 sampled mares, 28 cases had female and 22 mares had male foetuses. The final results for 46 samples were conclusive, and from them, 43 cases were predicted correctly. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the test were 90.48%, 96% and 93.48%, respectively. In conclusion, a TaqMan duplex real‐time PCR was set up to pre‐natal detection of foetal sex in equine. The method was fast and decreased the false‐positive and false‐negative results. The technique can be used as a routine procedure in farms by collecting only a blood sample.
The transmission of bank capital requirements and monetary policy to bank lending in Germany
Authors: Imbierowicz Björn , Löffler Axel , Vogel Ursula
Published: September 2020

We investigate the transmission of changes in bank capital requirements and monetary policy, and their interaction, on German banks’ corporate loan growth and lending rates. Our results show that increases in capital requirements are associated with an immediate decrease in total domestic and cross‐border bank lending. Changes in the euro area's monetary policy stance are positively related to corporate loan interest rates in general. Regarding the interacting effect of national bank capital requirements and euro area monetary policy, we observe that the transmission of accommodative euro area monetary policy to corporate lending rates can be attenuated by contemporaneous increases in bank capital requirements. Moreover, more strongly capitalized banks increase their loan growth in response to accommodative monetary policy whereas, for weaker banks, increasing capital requirements implies a decrease in their corporate loan growth. Our results confirm a tradeoff between higher capital requirements and accommodating monetary policy originating from banks’ capital constraints.
Circular Regression Trees and Forests with an Application to Probabilistic Wind Direction Forecasting
Authors: Lang Moritz N. , Schlosser Lisa , Hothorn Torsten , Mayr Georg J. , Stauffer Reto , Zeileis Achim
Published: September 2020

Although circular data occur in a wide range of scientific fields, the methodology for distributional modelling and probabilistic forecasting of circular response variables is quite limited. Most of the existing methods are built on generalized linear and additive models, which are often challenging to optimize and interpret. Specifically, capturing abrupt changes or interactions is not straightforward but often relevant, e.g. for modelling wind directions subject to different wind regimes. Additionally, automatic covariate selection is desirable when many predictor variables are available, as is often the case in weather forecasting. To address these challenges we suggest a general distributional approach using regression trees and random forests to obtain probabilistic forecasts for circular responses. Using trees simplifies model estimation as covariates are used only for partitioning the data and subsequently just a simple von Mises distribution is fitted in the resulting subgroups. Circular regression trees are straightforward to interpret, can capture non-linear effects and interactions, and automatically select covariates affecting location and/or scale in the von Mises distribution. Circular random forests regularize and smooth the effects from an ensemble of trees. The new methods are applied to probabilistic wind direction forecasting at two Austrian airports, considering other common approaches as a benchmark.
Physical behaviors and fundamental movement skills in British and Iranian children: An isotemporal substitution analysis
Authors: Smith Elizabeth , Fazeli Fatima , Wilkinson Kate , Clark Cain C. T.
Published: September 2020

Although the relationship between fundamental movement skills (FMS) and physical behaviors has been established, differences between countries are scarcely explored. The impact of the whole physical behavior composition, in relation to FMS, has yet to be investigated in 9‐11 y children. The aims were to investigate the associations of substitution of physical behaviors with FMS score and to compare traditional linear regression and compositional data analysis and compare between England and Iran. Measures included accelerometer‐derived activity (sleep (SL), sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and FMS, using the TGMD‐2, in 119 children (64 boys) from Iran (mean (±SD) age: 9.8 ± 0.3 y; BMI of 18.2 ± 3.3 kg/m2) and 139 (61 boys) children from England (mean (±SD) age: 9.5 ± 0.6 y; BMI of 17.7 ± 3.1 kg/m2). Isometric log‐ratio multiple linear regression models were used to discern the association between FMS and the mean activity composition, and for new compositions, where fixed durations of time were reallocated from one behavior to another, while the remaining behaviors were unchanged. In physical behaviors as a composition, FMS was significantly associated in both ethnicities. English children responded significantly positively to adding 5 or more minutes LPA at the expense of SB (FMS unit change from 0.05 [0.01, 0.09] at 5 minutes to 0.72 [0.01, 1.34] at 60 minutes). Adding 10 minutes or more of SL, at the expense of SB, was associated with a significant, positive change in FMS in all children. Investigation is needed to understand the composition of SB and its potential influence on FMS development.
The dual nature of teachers' unions
Authors: Pullum Amanda
Published: September 2020

In the early 21st century, teachers' union mobilization was widespread throughout the United States. Decrying low salaries, restrictions on labor rights, and more, teachers' unions engaged in large‐scale tactics such as massive strikes, public protests, and successful ballot campaigns. In this article, I demonstrate that by sharing characteristics of both social movement organizations and interest groups, teachers' unions are well suited to respond to political threats. Teachers' unions are large, longstanding organizations with the resources necessary to use a wide variety of tactics. Teachers' relationships with parents and the local community provide strong potential for alliances, and teachers can leverage their professional identity and expertise to help establish legitimacy in educational policy conversations. Ultimately, however, the future of teachers' unions depends upon sustained worker and ally activism beyond the current wave of mobilization.
Coordination of village plans and municipal rural and health policies ‐ Can low‐hanging fruit be picked?
Authors: Thuesen Annette Aagaard , Andersen Pernille Tanggaard
Published: September 2020

This paper analyses how, and the extent to which, village plans and municipal rural and health policies have been coordinated in three Danish rural case locations. We applied a qualitative design through a document analysis of plans and policies as well as interviews in villages ‐ with municipal administrations. Theoretically, the article builds on the coordination and bridging that have been undertaken between community‐led planning and statutory planning. First, the study shows that although communities are expected to influence the successful implementation of health interventions, there is still a way to go before health and rural development planning are integrated in Danish municipalities despite innovative actions towards integration at the village level. Second, issues such as what we term ‘tame planning’, fear of municipal domination, difficulties in approaching village diversity, and silo‐based strategy‐making are identified as critical barriers to address.
Longitudinal business data construction and quality: Two different approaches
Authors: Biffignandi Silvia , Zeli Alessandro
Published: September 2020

Reducing the response burden and widening available statistical information necessitate new approaches in the National Statistical Institutes production process. Our article focuses on longitudinal data needs. Two approaches for building business longitudinal data in a context of cross‐section surveys and administrative sources information are considered. The article describes construction approaches and evaluates the quality of two data bases obtained through multisources integration. The computed databases aim to represent the target population of Italian firms with 20 persons employed and over. The similarity of the distribution of the main economic variables between the target population and the computed databases is considered a basic criterion in evaluating the quality of the created databases. To this end, rank correlation, and the Fligner–Policello test are applied. In addition, representativeness R indicators are computed. No differences are found between distributions.
Comment markers in world Englishes
Authors: Collins Peter Craig
Published: September 2020

This study, an exercise in varietal pragmatics, compares the frequencies and uses of four categories of comment markers – ‘evaluative’, ‘epistemic’, ‘style’, and ‘hearsay’ – across the 20 world Englishes represented in the Global Web‐based Corpus of English. Predictions drawn from the models of world Englishes formulated by Kachru, Schneider, and Mair are used to formulate a set of research questions. The possible covariation of comment marker use with levels of textual informality is explored via comparison of the General and Blogs macro‐genres of GloWbE. The implications of the findings for the evolutionary development of varieties, their stylistic preferences, areal co‐patterning, and directions of intervarietal influence are investigated.
PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS AND BIOLOGICAL FINDINGS, PART I: HUMAN COOPERATIVITY, COMPETITION, AND AGGRESSION
Authors: Pally Marcia
Published: September 2020

This first part of a two‐part article illustrates how research in evolutionary biology and psychology illuminates questions arising in philosophy—specifically questions about the origins of severe, systemic aggression that arise in the mimetic theory of René Girard. Part I looks at: (i) how old the systemic practice of severe aggression is, (ii) how much results from humanity's mimetic/social and competitive nature and how much from ecological, resource, and cultural conditions, and (iii) if ecological and cultural conditions are important, might we adapt them toward greater cooperativity today? After briefly reviewing mimetic theory, the article looks at evolutionary psychology and biology, including fossil and archeological evidence. Findings suggest that severe, systemic aggression might be relatively recent and that its occurrence depends on ecological/resource/socioeconomic conditions additional to our mimetic/social nature. Thus, distinguishing the conditions that prod aggression from those that support pro‐social behavior might aid us in structuring society today.
A HYDRA‐LOGICAL APPROACH: ACKNOWLEDGING COMPLEXITY IN THE STUDY OF RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Geraci Robert M.
Published: September 2020

Scholarship has grown increasingly nuanced in its grappling with the intersections of religion, science, and technology but requires a new paradigm. Contemporary approaches to specific technologies reveal a wide variety of perspectives but remain too often committed to typological classification. To be vigilant of our obligation to understand and reveal, scholars in the study of religion, science, and technology can adopt a hydra‐logical stance: we can recognize that there are cultural monsters possessing scientific, technological, and religious heads. These heads may work with a common agenda or they might not. They might disagree, pulling their shared body back and forth in a public commotion that lays waste to their surroundings. They might see past one another or move in tandem—purposively or not. Evaluations of climate response and AI benefit from seeing how the various heads are inseparable: indeed, cutting one off simply promotes the growth of new heads. Methodological and analytical clarity, therefore, emerges in the transition from schemes of classification to the recognition of hydras.
PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS AND BIOLOGICAL FINDINGS, PART II: PLAY, ART, RITUAL, AND RITUAL SACRIFICE
Authors: Pally Marcia
Published: September 2020

This Part II of a two‐part article illustrates how research in evolutionary biology, anthropology, archeology, and psychology illuminates questions arising in philosophy—specifically questions about René Girard's theory of aggression. Part I looked at: (i) how old the systemic practice of severe aggression is; (ii) how much of it results from humanity's mimetic/social and competitive nature and how much from ecological, resource, and cultural conditions; and (iii) if ecological, resource, and cultural conditions are important, might we adapt this information toward greater cooperativity today? Part II investigates Girard's theory of ritual sacrifice—especially human sacrifice—as a societal steam valve for the systemic aggression explored in Part I. It draws on theories of play, theater, and art to examine the role and function of such ritual sacrifice.
Escherichia coli
Residency in the Gut of Healthy Human Adults
Authors: Martinson Jonathan N. V. , Walk Seth T.
Published: September 2020

Escherichia coli
is one of the most well-studied bacterial species, but several significant knowledge gaps remain regarding its ecology and natural history. Specifically, the most important factors influencing its life as a member of the healthy human gut microbiome are either underevaluated or currently unknown. Distinct
E. coli
population dynamics have been observed over the past century from a handful of temporal studies conducted in healthy human adults. Early studies using serology up to the most recent studies using genotyping and DNA sequencing approaches have all identified long-lived
E. coli
residents and short-lived transients. This review summarizes these discoveries and other studies that focused on the underlying mechanisms that lead to establishment and maintenance of
E. coli
residency in healthy human adults. Many fundamental knowledge gaps remain and are highlighted with the hope of facilitating future studies in this exciting research area.
The Isolation of Orientia tsutsugamushi and Rickettsia typhi from Human Blood through Mammalian Cell Culture: a Descriptive Series of 3,227 Samples and Outcomes in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Authors: Ming Damien K. , Phommadeechack Vanheuang , Panyanivong Phonepasith , Sengdatka Davanh , Phuklia Weerawat , Chansamouth Vilada , Roberts Tamalee , Blacksell Stuart D. , Newton Paul N. , Robinson Matthew T.
Published: September 2020

In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), rickettsial infections, including scrub and murine typhus, account for a significant burden of fevers. The Mahosot Hospital Microbiology Laboratory in Vientiane, Laos, routinely performs rickettsial isolation from hospitalized patients with suspected rickettsioses using mammalian cell culture systems. We review the clinical and laboratory factors associated with successful
Orientia tsutsugamushi
and
Rickettsia typhi
isolations from this laboratory over a period of 6 years between 2008 and 2014.
Deep learning algorithms to isolate and quantify the structures of the anterior segment in optical coherence tomography images
Authors: Pham Tan Hung , Devalla Sripad Krishna , Ang Aloysius , Soh Zhi-Da , Thiery Alexandre H , Boote Craig , Cheng Ching-Yu , Girard Michael J A , Koh Victor
Published: September 2020

Background/Aims

Accurate isolation and quantification of intraocular dimensions in the anterior segment (AS) of the eye using optical coherence tomography (OCT) images is important in the diagnosis and treatment of many eye diseases, especially angle-closure glaucoma.

Method

In this study, we developed a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) for the localisation of the scleral spur; moreover, we introduced an information-rich segmentation approach for this localisation problem. An ensemble of DCNNs for the segmentation of AS structures (iris, corneosclera shell adn anterior chamber) was developed. Based on the results of two previous processes, an algorithm to automatically quantify clinically important measurements were created. 200 images from 58 patients (100 eyes) were used for testing.

Results

With limited training data, the DCNN was able to detect the scleral spur on unseen anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) images as accurately as an experienced ophthalmologist on the given test dataset and simultaneously isolated the AS structures with a Dice coefficient of 95.7%. We then automatically extracted eight clinically relevant ASOCT measurements and proposed an automated quality check process that asserts the reliability of these measurements. When combined with an OCT machine capable of imaging multiple radial sections, the algorithms can provide a more complete objective assessment. The total segmentation and measurement time for a single scan is less than 2 s.

Conclusion

This is an essential step towards providing a robust automated framework for reliable quantification of ASOCT scans, for applications in the diagnosis and management of angle-closure glaucoma.
Evolution of corneal thickness and optical density after laser in situ keratomileusis versus small incision lenticule extraction for myopia correction
Authors: Alio del Barrio Jorge Luis , Parafita-Fernandez Alberto , Canto-Cerdan Mario , Alio Jorge L , Teus Miguel
Published: September 2020

Purpose

To compare the thickness and stromal optical density (OD) evolution of the flap and cap after femtosecond (FS-LASIK; Visumax) and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE), respectively, for myopia correction.

Methods

A prospective study comprising 78 eyes (n=39 per group) was performed. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (MS39) images were collected at each postoperative visit (1 day, 1 week and 1 and 3 months) and flap/cap thicknesses were measured. Using ImageJ software, three regions were defined to measure OD (in grayscale units: flap/cap stroma, residual stromal bed (RSB) and all stroma (including flap/cap-stroma, surgical interface and RSB).

Results

Mean central thickness significantly increased during the 3-month follow-up in both LASIK (5.43±4.23 μm; p=0.0118) and SMILE (2.76±5.61 μm; p=0.0118), with differences between both techniques statistically significant (p=0.020). All OD values showed a statistically significant reduction during SMILE follow-up: cap 48.96±5.55 versus 44.95±5.41 (p=0.19×10−6), RSB 50.26±7.06 versus 45.42±7.53 (p=0.00005), total stroma 50.34±6.49 versus 45.46±6.96 (p=0.5×10−5) at 1 day and 3 months, respectively, whereas no statistically significant changes were found during LASIK follow-up. No significant differences were observed in OD values between both techniques at any time point, although SMILE showed a tendency for higher OD values than LASIK within the first postoperative month. Visumax presented a tendency for thicker caps than target (11.48±7.85 μm), but not for flaps (2.73±8.93 μm) (p=0.00003).

Conclusions

Both LASIK flaps and SMILE caps show a significant postoperative rethickening. SMILE corneas present higher optical densities than LASIK corneas in the early postoperative period, with a significant decrease thereafter and up to 3 months. These findings correlate with the delayed visual recovery observed after SMILE.
Increased risk of cancer in patients with retinal vein occlusion: a 12-year nationwide cohort study
Authors: Kim Min Seok , Cho Joon Hee , Byun Seong Jun , Oh Chang-Mo , Park Kyu Hyung , Park Sang Jun
Published: September 2020

Aims

To investigate the association between incident retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and the subsequent development of cancer.

Methods

In this nationwide population-based retrospective study using 2002–2013 National Health Insurance Service database which covers the entire South Korean population, 186 701 incident RVO patients and their 1:1 propensity-score matched controls were included. We defined the fixed cohort from January 1st, 2004 to December 31st, 2013; the cohort included patients who suffered incident RVO after entering the cohort and their matched controls, and excluded patients having any cancer history before entering the cohort. The association of RVO and cancer was assessed by time-varying covariate Cox regression models; Model 1 included RVO as a time-varying covariate, Model 2 included Model 1 plus demographic information and Model 3 included Model 2 and comorbidities.

Results

RVO was associated with an increased risk of subsequent cancer (HR=1.29; 95% CI, 1.26–1.31 in Model 1), which was consistent in Models 2 and 3. The incidence rate of overall cancer during the study period was 25.55 (95% CI, 25.19–25.91) per 1000 person-years in the RVO group and 18.62 (95% CI, 18.46–18.79) per 1000 person-years in the control group. In the subgroup analysis, haematological malignancies showed the highest association with RVO (HR=1.65; 95% CI, 1.49–1.83).

Conclusion

Patients with RVO have an increased risk of subsequent cancer development even after adjusting for demographic factors and comorbidities. Further study is warranted to elucidate these associations to provide proper recommendations for RVO patients regarding the cancer screening.
Presumed retinal pericapillary astrocytic hamartoma: multimodal imaging findings of a novel hamartomatous lesion
Authors: Ledesma-Gil Gerardo , Essilfie Juliet , Onishi Alex , Wald Kenneth J , Fisher Yale L , Fawzi Amani A , Shields Carol L , Freund K Bailey , Chhablani Jay
Published: September 2020

Purpose

To describe the multimodal imaging findings of retinal lesions that clinically resemble retinal astrocytic hamartomas (RAHs), but also have unique characteristics that we believe represent a novel variant.

Methods

Observational study. Five eyes in five patients with solitary retinal lesion evaluated at the retina division of three institutions. We describe the multimodal imaging findings including fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), swept-source OCT, swept-source OCT angiography and ultrasonography.

Results

The retinal lesions described shared similar appearance to RAHs but demonstrated unique features such as glistening granular appearance on fundus photographs with perivascular hyperreflectivity with OCT and OCT angiography.

Conclusion

The lesions described herein appear to have unique characteristics that warrant a designation as a novel RAH variant. The name presumed retinal pericapillary astrocytic hamartoma is suggested.
Effect of nalfurafine hydrochloride in patients with chronic liver
disease with refractory pruritus on sleep disorders: a study protocol for
single-arm, prospective, interventional study
Authors: Yoh Kazunori , Nishikawa Hiroki , Enomoto Hirayuki , Iwata Yoshinori , Ishii Akio , Yuri Yukihisa , Ishii Noriko , Miyamoto Yuho , Hasegawa Kunihiro , Nakano Chikage , Takata Ryo , Nishimura Takashi , Aizawa Nobuhiro , Sakai Yoshiyuki , Ikeda Naoto , Takashima Tomoyuki , Iijima Hiroko , Nishiguchi Shuhei
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Chronic liver disease (CLD)-related pruritus manifests as
cholestasis symptoms, which can cause severe itches in the whole body
and significantly decrease quality of daily activities and sleep. The
actigram, which documents movement by means of an accelerometer, has
been demonstrated to be useful for assessing sleep quality. Nalfurafine
hydrochloride, which is a selective κ-opioid receptor agonist, exerts
its antipruritic efficacies through a novel mechanism. We aimed to
prospectively examine the effect of nalfurafine hydrochloride on sleep
quality for patients with CLD with pruritus utilising actigram.

Methods and analysis

This study will be a single-centre, prospective, interventional,
single-arm study. Our study participants are subjects whose pruritus was
confirmed to be uncontrollable by antihistamines or antiallergics within
6 months before informed consent (IC). Evaluation time points using
actigram will be (1) before administration of testing drug; (2) after
1 week; (3) after 4 weeks (primary endpoint); and (4) every 4 weeks
thereafter. The follow-up period will be 6 months. We will prospectively
assess and compare changes in sleep quality in patients with CLD with
pruritus undergoing nalfurafine hydrochloride therapy using actigram.
Quantitative variables will be compared by paired t-test.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has received approval from the Institutional Review Board
at Hyogo College of Medicine (approval no 2325). The study protocol, IC
form and other documents were reviewed and approved. Final data will be
publicly disseminated regardless of the results. A report releasing
study results will be submitted in an appropriate journal.

Trial registration number

UMIN000028161; Pre-results.
Effectiveness of implementing a best practice primary healthcare model for low back pain (BetterBack) compared with current routine care in the Swedish context: an internal pilot study informed protocol for an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 2 trial
Authors: Abbott Allan , Schröder Karin , Enthoven Paul , Nilsen Per , Öberg Birgitta
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Low back pain (LBP) is a major health problem commonly requiring healthcare. In Sweden, there is a call from healthcare practitioners (HCPs) for the development, implementation and evaluation of a best practice primary healthcare model for LBP.

Aims

(1) To improve and understand the mechanisms underlying changes in HCP confidence, attitudes and beliefs for providing best practice coherent primary healthcare for patients with LBP; (2) to improve and understand the mechanisms underlying illness beliefs, self-care enablement, pain, disability and quality of life in patients with LBP; and (3) to evaluate a multifaceted and sustained implementation strategy and the cost-effectiveness of the BetterBack☺ model of care (MOC) for LBP from the perspective of the Swedish primary healthcare context.

Methods

This study is an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 2 trial testing the hypothesised superiority of the BetterBack☺ MOC compared with current routine care. The trial involves simultaneous testing of MOC effects at the HCP, patient and implementation process levels. This involves a prospective cohort study investigating implementation at the HCP level and a patient-blinded, pragmatic, cluster, randomised controlled trial with longitudinal follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 months post baseline for effectiveness at the patient level. A parallel process and economic analysis from a healthcare sector perspective will also be performed. Patients will be allocated to routine care (control group) or the BetterBack☺ MOC (intervention group) according to a stepped cluster dogleg structure with two assessments in routine care. Experimental conditions will be compared and causal mediation analysis investigated. Qualitative HCP and patient experiences of the BetterBack☺ MOC will also be investigated.

Dissemination

The findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Further national dissemination and implementation in Sweden and associated national quality register data collection are potential future developments of the project.

Date and version identifier

13 December 2017, protocol version 3.

Trial registration number

NCT03147300 Pre-results.
Musculoskeletal risk stratification tool to inform a discussion about face-to-face assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Ravindra Andrea , Cuff Andrew , Bernstein Ian A , Al-Dawoud Marwan
Published: September 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown caused clinicians in the UK to switch to delivering musculoskeletal care using telephone or video consultations. NHS England (an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care, England) recommended prioritisation of more urgent conditions, including those people whose condition has deteriorated and those waiting the longest as part of a phased return to pre-COVID-19 service provision. Clinicians will need to assess an individual’s risk factors for complications from COVID-19 alongside their clinical priority to inform a shared decision-making discussion about appropriate face-to-face care delivery. This paper outlines a risk stratification tool that informs that discussion and aims to reduce the subjectivity in the risk assessment between clinicians.
Impact of breastfeeding, maternal antiretroviral treatment and health service factors on 18-month vertical transmission of HIV and HIV-free survival: results from a nationally representative HIV-exposed infant cohort, South Africa
Authors: Goga Ameena Ebrahim , Lombard Carl , Jackson Debra , Ramokolo Vundli , Ngandu Nobubelo Kwanele , Sherman Gayle , Puren Adrian , Chirinda Witness , Bhardwaj Sanjana , Makhari Nobuntu , Ramraj Trisha , Magasana Vuyolwethu , Singh Yagespari , Pillay Yogan , Dinh Thu-Ha
Published: September 2020

Background

We analysed the impact of breastfeeding, antiretroviral drugs and health service factors on cumulative (6 weeks to 18 months) vertical transmission of HIV (MTCT) and ‘MTCT-or-death’, in South Africa, and compared estimates with global impact criteria to validate MTCT elimination: (1) <5% final MTCT and (2) case rate ≤50 (new paediatric HIV infections/100 000 live births).

Methods

9120 infants aged 6 weeks were enrolled in a nationally representative survey. Of 2811 HIV-exposed uninfected infants (HEU), 2644 enrolled into follow-up (at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months). Using Kaplan-Meier analysis and weighted survey domain-based Cox proportional hazards models, we estimated cumulative risk of MTCT and ‘MTCT or death’ and risk factors for time-to-event outcomes, adjusting for study design and loss-to-follow-up.

Results

Cumulative (final) MTCT was 4.3% (95% CI 3.7% to 5.0%); case rate was 1290. Postnatal MTCT (>6 weeks to 18 months) was 1.7% (95% CI 1.2% to 2.4%). Cumulative ‘MTCT-or-death’ was 6.3% (95% CI 5.5% to 7.3%); 81% and 62% of cumulative MTCT and ‘MTCT-or-death’, respectively, occurred by 6 months. Postnatal MTCT increased with unknown maternal CD4-cell-count (adjusted HR (aHR 2.66 (1.5–5.6)), undocumented maternal HIV status (aHR 2.21 (1.0–4.7)) and exclusive (aHR 2.3 (1.0–5.2)) or mixed (aHR 3.7 (1.2–11.4)) breastfeeding. Cumulative ‘MTCT-or death’ increased in households with ‘no refrigerator’ (aHR 1.7 (1.1–2.9)) and decreased if infants used nevirapine at 6 weeks (aHR 0.4 (0.2–0.9)).

Conclusions

While the <5% final MTCT target was met, the case rate was 25-times above target. Systems are needed in the first 6 months post-delivery to optimise HEU health and fast-track ART initiation in newly diagnosed mothers.
Sampling, handling, and preparation of peat cores from bogs: review of recent progress and perspectives for trace element research
Authors: Shotyk William , Noernberg Tommy
Published: September 2020

Peat bogs are valuable archives of environmental change, including climate history, landscape evolution, and atmospheric deposition of trace elements, fallout radionuclides, and organic contaminants. Maintaining the fidelity of peat samples during collection and handling can be challenging, given that bogs consist mainly of fossil plant materials that typically have a very low density and are easily compressed. The surface layers of bogs, which are dominated by living plants and poorly decomposed fibrous peats, are especially problematic. To extract peat monoliths, we use a Belarus corer for deep layers and a Wardenaar device for surface layers. Both corers are constructed using titanium alloys to improve strength, reduce weight, and minimize the risk of contamination by the trace metals of environmental relevance. In this review, we include detailed drawings of the Belarus corer and photographs of the modifications to the Wardenaar corer. Modifications to the motorized Noernberg corer for frozen peat are described, and a complete set of drawings provided. A summary is given of simple procedures to minimize the risk of metal contamination in the laboratory from slicing and subsampling the peat cores and milling the dried samples.
Dynamical description of a quintom cosmological model nonminimally coupled with gravity
Authors: Marciu Mihai
Published: September 2020

In this work we have studied a cosmological model based on a quintom dark energy model non-minimally coupled with gravity, endowed with a specific potential energy of the exponential squared type. For this specific type of potential energy and non-minimal coupling, the dynamical properties are analyzed and the corresponding cosmological effects are discussed. Considering the linear stability method, we have investigated the dynamical properties of the phase space structure, determining the physically acceptable solutions. The analysis showed that in this model we can have various cosmological epochs, corresponding to radiation, matter domination, and de Sitter eras. Each solution is investigated from a physical and cosmological point of view, obtaining possible constraints of the model’s parameters. In principle the present cosmological setup represent a possible viable scalar tensor theory which can explain various transitional effects related to the behavior of the dark energy equation of state and the evolution of the Universe at large scales.
Exploring the potentiality of standard sirens to probe cosmic opacity at high redshifts
Authors: Fu Xiangyun , Yang Jianfei , Chen Zhaoxia , Zhou Lu , Chen Jun
Published: September 2020

In this work, using the Gaussian process, we explore the potentiality of future gravitational wave (GW) measurements to probe cosmic opacity at high redshifts through comparing its opacity-free luminosity distance (LD) with the opacity-dependent one from the combination of Type Ia supernovae (SNIa) and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The GW data, SNIa and GRB data are simulated from the measurements of the future Einstein Telescope, the actual Pantheon compilation and the latest observation of GRBs compiled by Amati et al, respectively. A nonparametric method is proposed to probe the spatial homogeneity of cosmic transparency at high redshift by comparing the LD reconstructed from the GW data with that reconstructed from the Pantheon and GRB data. In addition, the cosmic opacity is tested by using the parametrization for the optical depth, and the results show that the constraints on cosmic opacity are more stringent than the previous ones. It shows that the future GW measurements may be used as an important tool to probe the cosmic opacity in the high redshift region.
Twisted dirac operators and Kastler-Kalau-Walze theorems for six-dimensional manifolds with boundary
Authors: Wei Sining , Wang Yong
Published: September 2020

In this paper, we establish two kinds of Kastler-Kalau-Walze type theorems for Dirac operators and signature operators twisted by a vector bundle with a non-unitary connection on six-dimensional manifolds with boundary.
Modular Tree Network for Source Code Representation Learning
Authors: Wang Wenhan , Li Ge , Shen Sijie , Xia Xin , Jin Zhi
Published: September 2020

Learning representation for source code is a foundation of many program analysis tasks. In recent years, neural networks have already shown success in this area, but most existing models did not make full use of the unique structural information of programs. Although abstract syntax tree (AST)-based neural models can handle the tree structure in the source code, they cannot capture the richness of different types of substructure in programs. In this article, we propose a modular tree network that dynamically composes different neural network units into tree structures based on the input AST. Different from previous tree-structural neural network models, a modular tree network can capture the semantic differences between types of AST substructures. We evaluate our model on two tasks: program classification and code clone detection. Our model achieves the best performance compared with state-of-the-art approaches in both tasks, showing the advantage of leveraging more elaborate structure information of the source code.
RNA Lariat Debranching Enzyme as a Retroviral and Long-Terminal-Repeat Retrotransposon Host Factor
Authors: Menees Thomas M.
Published: September 2020

Host cell factors are integral to viral replication. Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1), the retroviral agent of acquired immune deficiency syndrome, requires several host factors for reverse transcription of the viral genomic RNA (gRNA) into DNA shortly after viral entry. One of these host factors is the RNA lariat debranching enzyme (Dbr1), which cleaves the 2′–5′ bond of branched and lariat RNAs. A recent study has revealed that Dbr1 cleaves HIV-1 gRNA lariats that form early after viral entry. Without Dbr1 activity, HIV-1 reverse transcription stalls, consistent with blockage of viral reverse transcriptase at gRNA branch points. These findings echo an earlier study with the long-terminal-repeat retrotransposon of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ty1, which is a retrovirus model. Currently, branching and debranching of viral gRNA are not widely recognized as features of HIV-1 replication, and the role of a gRNA lariat is not known. Future studies will determine whether these gRNA dynamics represent fundamental features of retroviral biology and whether they occur for other positive-sense RNA viruses.
Huber’s M-Estimation-Based Cubature Kalman Filter for an INS/DVL Integrated System
Authors: Li Yao , Hou Lanhua , Yang Yang , Tong Jinwu
Published: September 2020

To deal with the problems of outliers and nonlinearity in the complex underwater environment, a Huber’s M-estimation-based cubature Kalman filter (CKF) is proposed for an inertial navigation system (INS)/Doppler velocity log (DVL) integrated system. First, a loosely coupled INS/DVL integrated system is designed, and the nonlinear system model is established in the case of big misalignment angle. Then, Huber’s M-estimation is introduced for robust estimation to resist outliers. Meanwhile, the CKF is focused to handle the nonlinearity of the state equation. Finally, simulation and the vehicle test are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Results show that the proposed method outperforms the conventional Kalman filter (KF) and outlier detection-based robust cubature Kalman filter (RCKF) in terms of navigation accuracy in the complex underwater environment.
Permeability Calculation of Sand Conglomerate Reservoirs Based on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
Authors: Zhou You , Wu Songtao , Li Zhiping , Zhu Rukai , Xie Shuyun , Zhai Xiufen , Lei Lei , Magri Fabien
Published: September 2020

The concept of an intermingled fractal unit (IFU) model was first proposed by Atzeni and Pia in 2008, and their model has since been successfully applied to predict thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and the mechanical properties of porous media materials. This paper, based on the Pia IFU model, fits the pore size distribution spectrum to quantitatively characterize the Triassic Karamay Formation conglomerate reservoirs in the Mahu region, in the Junggar Basin of Northwest China, and makes permeability predictions using the free fluidT2spectrum according to the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experimental data. The results show that the accuracy of the IFU model is significantly higher than that of the classic Coates and SDR models for conglomerate reservoirs with complex pore structures, indicating that this is an effective method to calculate permeability based on NMR. In addition, preliminary discussions are entered into regarding the intermingled fractal expression of the Kozeny-Carman equation and the relative permeability, in order to widen the application of the IFU model in reservoir physics. The derived expressions appear complicated in form but are straightforward to calculate and apply using computer programming since their iteration parameters are definite. The findings set out in this paper provide a valuable reference for further research of the IFU model in reservoir physics.
Hermite–Hadamard Inequalities for Harmonic s,m-Convex Functions
Authors: Xu Jian Zhong , Raza Umar , Javed Muhammad Waqas , Hussain Zaryab
Published: September 2020

The objective of this article is to establish some Hermite–Hadamard-type inequalities via harmonic s,m-convex functions in the framework of conformal fractional integral.